Classic Rock News

Back in September, The Guess Who founding singer Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman reached a settlement with their former bandmates Jim Kale and Garry Peterson over the use of the band’s name, and it appears that may be a catalyst for a reunion tour.

In an interview with American Songwriter, the 81-year-old Bachman reveals that he and Cummings are talking about hitting the road together again.

“[Burton is] finishing up his stuff this year, I’m finishing up my [Bachman-Turner Overdrive] stuff,” Bachman shares. “And we have a plan for 2026 to be The Guess Who, where … we do a set list of about 30 hit songs, and it’s probably gonna be a two- or three-hour Springsteen kind of marathonic show.”

He adds, “And we’re all geared to do that in 2026. It’ll be the unveiling of ‘The Guess Who are back.’”

In the lawsuit, filed in October 2023, Cummings and Bachman accused Kale and Peterson of tricking fans into thinking Cummings and Bachman were still performing with The Guess Who, when they were actually getting a “cover band.” The suit’s settlement resulted in Cummings and Bachman acquiring the trademark for the band’s name.

But until a reunion tour happens, Bachman is keeping busy. He’s launching a Canadian tour with his other band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, on April 1 in Victoria, British Columbia. He’ll also hit the States this summer with The Marshall Tucker Band and Jefferson Starship, starting July 18 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The band is also set to drop the new single “60 Years Ago” on Friday, with proceeds benefiting The Bridge to Nowhere charity bike ride, which helps raise money to end chronic homelessness in Winnipeg, Canada.

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Foreigner’s original frontman, Lou Gramm, is returning to the band for their South American tour.

In a press release announcing that Foreigner’s 2009 three-disc set Can’t Slow had been certified Gold, the band’s current lead singer, Kelly Hansen, revealed that he’s been dealing with “some issues” and that Gramm will be helping out in his place.

Noting that he was “blown away” by the album’s success, Hansen shared, “I am so looking forward to continuing my journey with this incredible band. Some issues have forced me to limit appearances outside of the USA this year and this means unfortunately, I will miss Foreigner’s South American run.”

“However, our incredible bandmate Luis Maldonado has been recording some of our hits in Spanish and he will be handling most of the vocals along with Lou Gramm who will be guesting with Foreigner for those shows,” he explains. “I know they will smash it!”

Foreigner’s South American tour kicks off April 28 in Mexico City and runs through May 10 in São Paulo, Brazil. The band also recently announced a Canadian tour that begins Oct. 21 in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with vocalist Geordie Brown handling the singing duties.

A complete list of Foreigner dates can be found at foreigneronline.com.

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The sequel to This Is Spinal Tap, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, is hitting theaters in September. But before that fans are being given a chance to catch the original on the big screen.

It was previously revealed that the original film would be rereleased ahead of the sequel’s opening, and now Deadline reports that a remastered, remixed and 4K restoration of the film will hit theaters nationwide July 5-7.  

Originally released in 1984, This is Spinal Tap was directed by Rob Reiner and starred Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. It followed a fictional heavy metal band being filmed for a documentary.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues will open in theaters Sept. 12 and follow the band as they reunite after 15 years for a final concert. It will feature cameos from Paul McCartney, Elton John, Garth Books, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Metallica‘s Lars Ulrich and more.

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AC/DC is set to kick off their Power Up tour of the U.S. on April 10 in Minneapolis, and they are resurrecting their High Voltage Dive Bar for the occasion.

The bar will be held at Machine Shop in downtown Minneapolis. It will be open on April 9 from 2 p.m. CT to 10 p.m. CT and then again on April 10 from 12 p.m. CT to 8 p.m. CT.

In addition to grabbing a drink, fans will be able to check out some AC/DC-related props, and get their hands on exclusive merch and special vinyl releases.

AC/DC previously set up their High Voltage Dive Bar in the U.S. ahead of the Power Trip festival in Indio, California, in October 2023. They also opened Dive Bar locations during their 2024 European tour.

The 13-date Power Up stadium tour is set to hit such cities as Arlington, Pasadena, Las Vegas, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Chicago and more before wrapping May 28 in Cleveland.

A complete list of dates can be found at acdc.com.

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ron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson is celebrating a year since releasing his new solo album, The Mandrake Project, with a commemorative package.

The release, dubbed The Mandrake Project: Year One, collects the first four issues of the album’s companion comic book series, as well as its prologue. It also includes an introduction by Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter.

“Finally we are at the end of the beginning,” Dickinson says. “I honestly have to pinch myself to believe that Volume 1 of The Mandrake Project is upon us.”

“I sometimes get the feeling that I am not fully in control of the story, and that some other entity is squeezing the blood out of my subconscious and turning it into ink on the page before my very eyes,” he continues. “We are just getting going. We are all… formed… of the dead.”

The Mandrake Project: Year One is due out Aug. 5 and is available to preorder now via Z2 Comics.

The album The Mandrake Project was released in March 2024 and marked Dickinson’s first solo effort in nearly 20 years. He’ll launch a U.S. solo tour for the first time in nearly 30 years in August.

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The Who kick off a two-night stand at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Thursday to benefit Teenage Cancer Trust, and they’ve found another way to help raise money for the charity.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are selling 100 holographic gig posters, each one hand signed by frontman Roger Daltrey. Both posters, one for the March 27 show and one for the March 30 gig, feature throwback photos of the band and an image of Royal Albert Hall.

The posters, designed by Josh Townshend — the son of Pete Townshend‘s brother Simon Townshend —are available for preorder until May 1.

Teenage Cancer Trust is a nonprofit dedicated to providing specialized treatment and support for young people with cancer.

The Who has two other shows on the schedule for 2025, both in Italy: July 20 in Padua and July 21 in Milan. Daltrey also has several solo U.K. shows on the schedule, with a tour kicking off April 20 in Brighton, England. A complete schedule can be found at thewho.com.

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Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo will be honored with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award by the global nonprofit WhyHunger, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The award recognizes “philanthropic artists who have used their talent and global influence to inspire change and foster social justice.”

“We are deeply honored to receive the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award and to stand alongside WhyHunger in their tireless fight to end hunger,” Benatar and Giraldo share. “Music has always been a powerful force for change, and we believe in using our voices not just to entertain, but to inspire action.”

They add, “WhyHunger’s mission aligns with our lifelong commitment to justice and equity, and we are proud to support their work in ensuring that nutritious food is a fundamental right for all.”

“Honoring Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award is a testament to their unwavering commitment to social justice and their powerful influence in igniting change through music,” Jenique Jones, WhyHunger’s executive director, adds. “We are thrilled to recognize their contributions at this year’s Chapin Awards Gala as we recommit ourselves to this work together.”

The pair will receive the honor at the annual Chapin Awards Gala on June 4 at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City. Tickets for the event are on sale now.

Previous Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award honorees include Elvis Costello, Jackson Brown, John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger and Barbra Streisand.

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When Elton John retired from touring, he didn’t say he’d never play live again — and that’s what he did on Wednesday night, taking the stage at the London Palladium with his musical collaborator Brandi Carlile to preview songs from their upcoming album, Who Believes In Angels? 

The performance was recorded for the CBS and Paramount+ special An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile, premiering April 6. In addition to renditions of Elton’s big hits, Brandi’s songs and songs from the new album, they sat for a Q&A with Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy, who it turns out was named after Elton’s song “Daniel.” According to NME, during the chat Elton revealed he owns “somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000” pairs of glasses.

Celebrities in the audience for the show included Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, Jason Momoa, Sacha Baron Cohen and Lily James. Onstage, Brandi and Elton’s backing band included Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, former Chili Pepper and touring Pearl Jam band member Josh Klinghoffer and producer Andrew Watt.

According to NME, Elton and Brandi played new songs “Swing for the Fences,” “Little Richard’s Bible,” “Who Believes In Angels?” and “You Without Me.” Elton also treated the audience to “I Need You To Turn To,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me,” “Your Song,” “Bennie and the Jets” and “I’m Still Standing.” Plus, he and Brandi covered Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” and Jim Reeves‘ “He’ll Have to Go.”

Elton and Brandi will also perform April 5 on Saturday Night Live.

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The music of Patti Smith was celebrated with an all-star tribute at Carnegie Hall in New York Wednesday that saw Patti herself make a surprise appearance.

Smith — joined by her band Lenny Kaye, Tony Shanahan, and Jay Dee Daugherty — ended the evening with a performance of “Peaceable Kingdom,” tagging it with the first lines of her classic “People Have the Power.”

Just ahead of Patti was arguably the biggest guest of the night, Bruce Springsteen, who performed the hit “Because the Night,” which he co-wrote with Patti.

“If I had sung this song, it wouldn’t have been a hit,” Springsteen said. “It needed her voice and her incredible lyrics.”

All of the night’s performers were backed by a stellar house band that included Shanahan, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea, Charlie Sexton, Benmont Tench and Steve Jordan.

Among the evenings other highlights: Karen O got the crowd on their feet with her take on “Gloria,” Maggie Rogers wowed with “Frederick,” R.E.M.‘s Michael Stipe performed “My Blakean Year,” Johnny Depp covered “Dancing Barefoot,” Glen Hansard took on “Beneath the Southern Cross,” Susanna Hoffs performed “Kimberly,” The Kills’ Alison Mosshart performed “Ask the Angels,” Ben Harper covered “Ghost Dance,” and The National’s Matt Berninger covered “Piss Factory.”

Patti’s poetry was also celebrated, with readings from Scarlett Johansson, Sean Penn, Jim Jarmusch and Michael Shannon.

The night ended with Patti joined by all the performers for a rendition of “People Have the Power,” with the audience up on their feet and singing along.

The concert marked the 20th anniversary of the Music Of… concert series, put on by New York City entrepreneur Michael Dorf. Since the series launched in 2004, the concerts have raised over $2 million for charity.

Proceeds from the Smith concert will go toward music education for underserved youth.

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The history of Atlantic Records, home to such artists as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Nicks and Aretha Franklin, is being celebrated in a new book.

75 Years of Atlantic Records, dropping March 30, will delve into the iconic label’s legacy. The hardcover book is a photographic history of the label, which was started in 1947 by legendary music exec Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. It is filled with photos, many of which have never been published before, including formal portraits and live shots. There are contributions from A-list photographers like Annie Leibovitz, Anton Corbijn and David LaChapelle.

“This book is a testament to the artists, visionaries, and stories that have defined Atlantic Records over the past 75 years,” said Benedikt Taschen, founder of the book’s publisher, Taschen. “It’s a celebration of music’s power to transcend boundaries and bring people together.”

75 Years of Atlantic Records also features essays by such award-winning writers as David Ritz, Ben Ratliff and Barney Hoskyns, with a foreword by singer Bruno Mars.

“The Atlantic crew changed the way records were made and how people heard them,” Mars writes. “It was an explosion in Sound, and it was pure magic.”

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