Classic Rock News

The Who continues to look back at their 60-year career, and this time they are highlighting their iconic 1967 appearance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

The band just debuted a new poster and T-shirt inspired by the appearance, which had them performing “My Generation” and then completely destroying all their equipment.

While neither the poster nor T-shirt, designed by Tom Walker, actually mention the Smothers Brothers show, both pay homage to the destruction with images of broken guitars, drums and more set against a huge explosion.

Both the poster and T-shirt are now available at thewho.com.

The Who recently headlined two nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall for Teenage Cancer Trust. They are also scheduled to play two shows in Italy: July 20 in Padua and July 21 in Milan. Frontman Roger Daltrey also has several solo U.K. shows on the schedule, with a tour kicking off April 20 in Brighton, England.

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Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones has revealed that he once stole equipment from David Bowie.

In a new interview with The Guardian, Jones confirmed a rumor that in 1973, at Bowie’s last Ziggy Stardust show at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, he made off with some of Bowie’s equipment.

“They played two nights, and after the first night they left all the gear up, because they were playing there the next night,” he explained. “I knew the Hammersmith Odeon like the back of my hand, I used to bunk in there all the time. I was like the Phantom of Hammersmith Odeon.”

He said he stole a minivan and got into the venue at about 2 a.m., when the place was empty except for one guy who was asleep and snoring.

“I tiptoed across the stage, and I nicked some cymbals, the bass player’s [amplifier] head – a Sunn amp it was – and some microphones,” he said. “I got Bowie’s microphone with his lipstick on it!”

Jones said he eventually called Bowie to admit he nicked the equipment, noting, “He knew I’d done it; he thought it was funny.” Jones clarified that he doesn’t think he took anything that actually belonged to Bowie, just his band.

In the same interview, Jones admitted to a somewhat gross “party trick,” sharing, “I like to fart in front of people.”

“You can tell if someone’s cool or not from their reaction,” he said. “I farted in front of Lisa Marie Presley once. She was sitting outside Starbucks and I was going in, and I just let one rip. She had this look on her face of disgust. I just carried on walking into Starbucks. Is that bad?”

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Looks like Bruce Springsteen is trying to tell us something.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer shared a cryptic post on social media that suggests he’s set to reveal some news on Thursday.

The post featured a recording session log from Springsteen’s Thrill Hill Recording company, with the date April 3 written on the top. Written on the document is the statement, “What was lost has now been found.” The name “Springsteen” is stamped at the bottom.

Whatever he’s teasing, fans seem excited. Many are speculating in the comments that he’ll be announcing Tracks 2, a sequel to his 1998 box set of never-before-released demos, alternative tracks and more. However, some seem hopeful for an electric version of his 1982 acoustic album, Nebraska.

Others are just excited for whatever it is, with one person commenting, “Oh my God, I’m having a heart attack now.”

The tease comes as Springsteen is getting ready to hit the road again. He and the E Street Band will kick off a U.K. and European tour on May 14 in Manchester, England. A complete list of dates can be found at BruceSpringsteen.net.

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On This Day, April 1, 2008…

The Rolling Stones released Shine a Light, the soundtrack to their Martin Scorsese-directed concert film of the same name.

The concert doc featured performances from the band’s two-night stand at the intimate Beacon Theatre in New York, which took place October 29 and November 1, 2006. The shows took place during their A Bigger Bang Tour.

The movie featured special guests Jack White, Buddy Guy and Christina Aguilera performing with the Stones; they also appeared on the soundtrack.

Performances on the release included “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Symphony for the Devil,” “Brown Sugar” and “Start Me Up.”

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After months of rumors and speculation, Sony has finally confirmed the four actors who’ll play The Beatles in Sam Mendes’ four separate films about the legendary group.

As the rumors had previously suggested, Harris Dickinson has been cast to play John Lennon, with Paul Mescal playing Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

While each Beatle will be getting their own film, it doesn’t sound like moviegoers will have to wait too long to see each one. The studio revealed all four pictures will be released in April 2028, describing the project as a “four film cinematic event.”

Mendes’ Beatles project was first announced back in February 2024. “I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes, best known for such films as American Beauty and Skyfall, said at the time.

The Sony films will mark the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles have granted a studio the rights to the life stories of band members and their legendary catalog of music.

While this is the first time The Beatles have supported a movie about the band, it isn’t the first time they have been depicted on screen. The 1994 film Backbeat chronicled the early days of The Beatles, and in 2009, Aaron Taylor-Johnson played Lennon in the film Nowhere Boy, which focused on the singer’s teenage years.

The Beatles were also subject of the 2019 comedy Yesterday, about a struggling musician who wakes up after an accident and discovers he’s the only one in the world who remembers The Beatles.

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Martin Guitar just debuted two new limited-edition Eric Clapton guitars to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their first collaboration together.

The collaboration began in 1995 with the 000-42E guitar after Clapton’s iconic 1992 MTV Unplugged episode sparked renewed interest in acoustic guitars. Now for the 30th anniversary, the company is once again taking inspiration from Clapton for new acoustic models.

The 000-42EC 30th Anniversary guitar is inspired by the 1939 Martin Clapton played during the Unplugged performance. Only 300 of the new guitars are being made available, and each comes with a paper label hand-signed by Clapton. They don’t come cheap, though, with a price tag of almost $11,000.

The second guitar is the 000-EC 30th Anniversary and is said to be for “players seeking a more understated nod to Eric’s sound.” It will be available only through 2026 and comes with a paper label with Clapton’s pre-printed signature. It sells for almost $5,000.

Clapton has long been a fan of Martin guitars and has collaborated with the company on a variety of axes over the years, including a trio of guitars in 2023 that benefited his Crossroads Centre rehab facility. 

He previously noted, “If I could choose what to come back as, it would be a Martin OM-45.”

More info can be found at martinguitar.com.

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Lynyrd Skynyrd has added a trio of dates to their 2025 tour.

The latest additions to the Southern rock band’s schedule include an Aug. 2 show at The Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. That will be followed by an Aug. 9 show at the Yaamava’ Resort and Casino in Highland, California, and an Aug. 29 concert at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Presales for all shows kick off Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

Lynyrd Skynyrd is part of the upcoming Rock the Country festival, with their first show Saturday in Livingston, Louisiana. They also have several upcoming U.S. headlining dates, as well as a Canadian tour planned for 2025. A complete list of dates can be found at lynyrdskynyrd.com.

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An exhibit dedicated to Yoko Ono’s art is set to hit Chicago this fall.

Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind, which initially ran at the Tate Modern in London, is set to open at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago on Oct. 18 and run through Feb. 22.

According to the description, the collection “celebrates key moments of Ono’s career, showcasing art driven by ideas and expressed in poetic, humorous, and profound ways.”

The exhibit will feature over 200 works by Ono, wife of The Beatles‘ John Lennon, made over seven decades and across three continents. It will include performance footage, photography, installations, and music and sound recordings. It will also feature interactive, instruction-based artworks.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago will be the only museum to exhibit Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind. More info can be found a macchicago.org.

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Lenny Kravitz is getting ready to release a new music video for the track “Let It Ride,” and he’s shared a tease of the clip on Instagram.

The rocker posted a short snippet of the video, which has him sitting in a chair — shirtless, of course — bathed in red light. The caption reveals that the video will be released on Friday.

“Let It Ride” is the latest single Kravitz is releasing from his album Blue Electric Light, which came out last May. Other singles from the album include “TK421,” “Human,” “Paralyzed” and “Honey.”

Lenny is currently on a European tour that hits Bologna, Italy, on Monday. He’s set to play several festival dates in the U.S. this year, starting with the Beachlife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on May 2. A complete list of dates can be found at LennyKravitz.com.

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Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.