Classic Rock News

The upcoming Apple TV+ documentary about Bono’s Stories of Surrender book tour will get its world premiere at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, taking place May 13 to May 24.

Bono announced the news on social media with the caption, “From the intimacy of the Beacon Theater [sic] to the bright lights of the Croisette.”

Bono: Stories of Surrender will feature what’s described as a “reimagining” of the U2 frontman’s one-man stage show, Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief. That coincided with the release of his memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, released in November 2022.

The doc will feature footage from one of his shows at New York’s Beacon Theatre, which had him sharing stories about his life, family, friends and more, along with performances of some U2 songs “that have shaped his life and legacy.”

Bono: Stories of Surrender is set to debut on Apple TV+ on May 30. For those with Apple Vision Pro, Bono: Stories of Surrender (Immersive) will also premiere on May 30, giving viewers an immersive experience of the film. It will be the first feature-length film available on Apple Vision Pro.

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The upcoming Bruce Springsteen film Deliver Me From Nowhere is based on Warren Zanes’ 2023 book Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska. In an interview with the Boston Globe, Zanes discusses how the film came to be.

Zanes says when he was first approached, he knew they’d have to get Springsteen onboard, so he and the film’s director, Scott Cooper, sent Bruce and his manager, Jon Landau, a one-page description of the project. Then they waited for their response.

But Zanes initially didn’t hear back, because Springsteen was dealing with peptic ulcer disease.

“Later, I was driving, and got a call from Bruce, totally unexpected,” Zanes shares. “At the end, I said: ‘Hey, did you get a chance to look at that description?’ While I was on the phone, he pulled it up. We hung up. Five minutes later, he texted: ‘I’m into this.’”

Zanes spent time on the film’s New Jersey set when production began, as did Springsteen, and Zanes noticed the experience wasn’t an easy one for The Boss.

“There was no hiding the fact that he was there on a regular basis. And there are difficult passages. He was going through some hard stuff, and here he was, watching his life being enacted, reliving it,” Zanes says. “I asked him, ‘Is this as intense for you as it appears it might be?’ And he said, ‘Yes.’”

Zanes wants fans to know Deliver Me From Nowhere will be different from other biopics because “it doesn’t start before success — it starts in the middle.”

“It’s a story about family history, mental health, and an already-successful artist facing a crisis,” he says. “There’s nothing about him making it. No ‘Born to Run’ moment. None of that. We see what he’s haunted by.”

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David Bowie fans are apparently really into vinyl records.

The U.K.’s Official Charts recently came out with a list of the bestselling vinyl records of the past 10 years, and while Taylor Swift’s Midnights tops the list, Bowie lands two albums in the top 10.

Of the pair, Bowie’s 2016 greatest hits package Legacy lands in the highest spot at #5. His final album, Blackstar, lands at #8.

A post on Bowie’s official Instagram account notes, “Our man has fared well alongside the youngsters of today, and it’s all thanks to you.”

Bowie’s Blackstar was released in 2016, just two day before the rocker passed away at the age of 69. It was the bestselling vinyl album of that year in the U.K. and spent 38 weeks on the official U.K. album chart.

Legacy, which features such Bowie classics as “Let’s Dance,” “Changes,” “Modern Love” and “Fame,” has spent 437 weeks on the same chart.

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Sean Lennon has weighed in on the casting of Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles films, and he is putting his faith in the director.

The cast of The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event was recently announced, with Harris Dickinson playing Sean’s father, John Lennon. Paul Mescal will play Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan has been cast as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn will portray George Harrison.

And while some folks have had strong opinions about the casting, Sean tells Vanity Fair he’s not about to question Mendes’ choices.

“We are all in touch with Sam (the Beatles gang). I told him I am not interested in second-guessing his casting choices as a director. Would anyone have expected Christian Bale to be a good Dick Cheney?” he says, referring to the 2018 movie Vice.

“I think that’s the filmmaker’s choice,” Sean adds. “My interest has more to do with the scripts, and how they intertwine. I have every confidence in Sam and Harris and the rest of the team.”

Sean, who’s promoting the upcoming documentary One to One: John & Yoko, which opens in IMAX theaters on Friday, also talked about the importance of preserving the legacy of his parents and The Beatles.

“When I was growing up—and that was the ’80s and ’90s, even the early 2000s—you could argue people like Zeppelin and Hendrix and the Beatles and Stones were in the pantheon of these godlike figures. I don’t think it’s as true today, and I think that that’s unfortunate,” he shares. “I don’t think we can afford to forget them, especially in the case of John and Yoko, because in that case, we’re talking about peace and love. And I think that message is sadly as important, if not more important than it’s ever been.”

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Sex Pistols brought their tour to Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday, and dedicated the show to late Blondie drummer Clem Burke.

“Very quickly I just want to take a moment to dedicate this show to an amazing man, and a friend of the lads, Clem Burke,” current frontman Frank Carter told the audience, as seen in video shared by bassist Glen Matlock. “An incredible drummer, who sadly passed away yesterday. So tonight is for Clem and it’s for friendship.”

Not only was Burke a friend of the Sex Pistols, he actually worked with several members of the band. Burke and guitarist Steve Jones teamed up in 1983 for the supergroup Chequered Past, which also featured singer Michael Des Barres and former Blondies bassist Nigel Harrison.

In addition, Burke and Matlock played together in the band International Swingers, which was formed in 2011. Matlock also performed with Blondie on tours in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Matlock had previously paid tribute to Burke on social media, writing, “Such a sad news couple of days. What a drummer, what a friend, what a guy. Will miss you big time mate.”

Burke’s death was announced by Blondie on Monday, revealing that the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer he had been privately battling cancer. He was 70.

“Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie. His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable,” read the post. “Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”

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Patti Smith has written another memoir.

The rocker shared a photo on Instagram Wednesday of her with her parents, writing, “This is with my mother and father who inspired much of my next book Bread of Angels. The memoir, a bright and dark dance of life, will be published on November 4th, by Random House.”

Bread of Angels comes 15 years after the release of Smith’s first memoir, Just Kids, which documented her time in Manhattan in the ’70s and her relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe. It won the National Book Award in 2010. 

“November 4 is especially meaningful to me,” Smith shared in a press release. “It’s the birthday of Robert Mapplethorpe and the anniversary of my late husband Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith’s passing. It took a decade to write this book, grappling with the beauty and sorrow of a lifetime. I’m hoping that people will find something they need.”

According to the release, Bread of Angels is “the most intimate” of Smith’s memoirs, following the musician through her childhood in Philadelphia and South Jersey, her teenage years “when the first glimmers of art and romance take hold,” her marriage to Fred Smith and their family life, and more.

“As Smith suffers profound losses, she also returns to writing,” the release notes, “the one constant on a lifelong path driven by artistic freedom and the power of the imagination.”

In addition to Just Kids, Smith released the memoir M Train in 2015.

Smith is also celebrating the 50th anniversary of her debut album, Horses, this year with a tour that kicks off Oct. 6 in Dublin, Ireland, and hits the U.S. on Nov. 10 in Seattle. A complete list of dates can be found at PattiSmith.com.

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Van Morrison is turning 80 in August and he’s going to celebrate on the stage.

The “Brown Eyed Girl” singer announced that on his birthday, Aug. 31, he’ll headline a concert at Waterfront Hall in his hometown of Belfast, Ireland, which he’s dubbing his 80th Birthday Celebration.

Morrison is expected to be joined by “very special guests” at the concert, with the announcement boasting, “We’re celebrating in style.”

Tickets for the concert go on sale Friday.

The concert news comes as Morrison is getting ready to release a brand-new album, Remember Now, on June 13, featuring 14 original tracks. The album, available for preorder now, is Morrison’s first album of all new material since 2022’s What’s It Gonna Take?

He’s also got several concert dates on his 2025 schedule, including a spot opening for Neil Young at his July 11 BST Hyde Park concert in London. A complete list of dates can be found at VanMorrison.com.

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On This Day, April 9, 1984…

R.E.M. released their second studio album, Reckoning, which like their 1983 debut, Murmur, was produced by Mitch Easter and Don Dixon.

The album, which was first released in the U.K. and then the U.S., was recorded at Reflection Sound in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the producers attempting to capture the energy and sound of the band’s live performances.

Reckoning was a hit with critics and peaked at #27 in the U.S., although it topped college radio airplay charts.

Its first single, “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry),” peaked at #86 on the Billboard Hot 100, while its second single, “(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville,” did not chart. Both went on to become R.E.M. fan favorites.

The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA.

In February, the members of R.E.M. – Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry – reunited on stage at Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s Athens, Georgia, concert celebrating the band’s third studio album Fables of the Reconstruction. They performed the Reckoning track “Pretty Persuasion.”

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Metallica has announced the return of their takeover events for the upcoming U.S. leg of the band’s ongoing M72 world tour.

Takeover events consist of Metallica-themed happenings that pop up around each stop on the tour. The newly announced takeover events include guitarist Kirk Hammett speaking on his new book, The Collection, pop-up shops, performances by tribute bands and Blackened Whiskey events.

As previously reported, Metallica will also be hosting blood drives alongside the American Red Cross and screening an early cut of their Metallica Saved My Life fan-focused film throughout the tour.

Metallica’s tour begins April 19 in Syracuse, New York. For the full list of dates and all takeover events, visit Metallica.com.

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