Classic Rock News

Gov’t Mule has made their fall touring plans. The band just announced dates for their Peace…Like A River tour, in support of their recently released album of the same name.

The trek kicks off September 13, in Toronto, Canada, with dates in Portland, Maine; Charleston, West Virginia; Erie, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, North Carolina; Tampa, Florida and more, before wrapping October 15 in Columbus, Georgia. They’ve also announced a two-week European tour, which kicks off November 6, in London, England, and wraps November 20, in Trieste, Italy.

Tickets for the North American dates go on sale starting June 29, at 10 a.m. local time. European dates go on sale June 30. 

Next up, Gov’t Mule will kick off their Dark Side of the Mule tour, a tribute to Pink Floyd’s classic album Dark Side of the Moon, on July 22, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. A complete list of dates can be found at mule.net.

In other Gov’t Mule news, in early June the band announced bassist Jorgen Carlsson was leaving and would be replaced by bassist Kevin Scott. In a recent interview with Rock & Blues Muse, frontman Warren Haynes shared his first comments on Jorgen’s departure. 

“Jorgen did an amazing job. His role in Gov’t Mule got better and better year after year,” Haynes says of the bassist. “He’s been quiet-quitting the last few years. We all knew it was coming, but it is heartbreaking.”

As for Kevin, he says, “Kevin is fantastic and we’re hoping it will be more than temporary … we’re all hoping that he’s here for a new chapter.”

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The life of Asia co-founder, singer and bassist John Wetton will be celebrated with a new tribute concert in August. John’s wife Lisa, his son Dylan and QEDG Management just announced the lineup for An Extraordinary Life, a memorial concert for Wetton, taking place August 3, at Trading Boundaries in East Sussex, England. 

The concert will be streamed online for fans to enjoy and will feature an audience of friends and family, a whole host of performers and special guests, including Wetton’s Asia bandmate Geoff Downes, Yes’ Rick Wakeman, former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, Squeeze’s Chris Difford and more. All artists will be backed by musicians from The Paul Green Rock Academy.

“I am delighted and humbled that so many legendary artists who worked with my Dad over the years have agreed to come together both to honor him and raise vital funds for the charity which supported him during his last days,” says John’s son, Dylan.

The memorial will raise money for the charity Macmillan Caring Locally, which cared for Wetton. He passed away January 31, 2017, due to complications from cancer.

Tickets for the live stream are on sale now.

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Metallica‘s M72 world tour finally comes to the U.S. in August, with each city on the itinerary getting two shows with completely unique set lists. If that’s still not enough Metallica for you, have no fear.

For each stop on the tour, Metallica will be holding “Takeover” events in between the two concerts, featuring cover bands, film screenings and other ‘Tallica-related festivities. Additionally, you’ll be able to see live performances by the bands OTTTO and Bastardane, which feature the children of bassist Robert Trujillo and frontman James Hetfield, respectively.

For more info, visit Metallica.com.

Metallica’s M72 tour supports their new album, 72 Seasons. The first U.S. show takes place August 4 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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3rd Secret, the grunge supergroup featuring members of Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Soundgarden, has released a new album.

The project’s sophomore effort, aptly titled 2nd 3rd Secret, is out now via digital platforms. You can watch a video for the song “Ditch” streaming now on YouTube.

3rd Secret is made up of Pearl Jam/Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil as well as Bubba Dupree of the hardcore band Void and vocalists Jillian Raye and Jennifer Johnson.

The self-titled debut 3rd Secret album dropped in 2022.

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Blue Öyster Cult drummer and founding member Albert Bouchard is set to release a new album, Imaginos III – Mutant Reformation, on July 7, and now, he’s sharing a new track from the record.

The latest is a new take on the BÖC song, “Transmaniacon,” featuring members of the rock band The Dictators, “Ross the Boss” Friedman and Andy Shernoff. It follows the earlier release of “E.T.I.,” featuring his brother,  BÖC bassist and singer Joe Bouchard.

“I wanted to make a version of “Transmaniacon” that had a heavier approach, proto-metal with a punk flavor,” Bouchard says. “The guys in the new Dictators were just the group to deliver that. I know it’s a fan favorite with BÖC fans, but I hope they can appreciate it as much as the original.” 

Imaginos III – Mutant Reformation is the third and final record in Bouchard’s trilogy of Imaginos, following 2021’s Imaginos 2 – Bombs Over Germany and 2020’s Re Imaginos, which was a reworked version of Blue Öyster Cult’s 1988 concept album Imaginos.

The albums have all been inspired by the writings of the late producer and songwriter Sandy Pearlman, which centered on an alien conspiracy happening in the 1800s and early 1900s through the actions of an evil character named Imaginos.

Imaginos III – Mutant Reformation is available for preorder now.

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Former Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars speaks on the ongoing lawsuit against his former band in a new interview with Rolling Stone.

“They’re trying to take my legacy away, my part of Mötley Crüe, my ownership of the name, the brand,” Mars says. “Frank Sinatra‘s or Jimi Hendrix‘s legacy goes on forever, and their heirs continue to profit from it. They’re trying to take that away from me. I’m not going to let them.”

As previously reported, Mars is suing Mötley Crüe over a financial dispute related to his retirement from touring in October 2022. Mars alleged that his ex-bandmates played to pre-recorded tracks during Mötley’s 2022 reunion tour, specifically claiming that bassist Nikki Sixx “did not play a single note on bass” during the shows. Mötley’s team, though, contends that it was actually Mars who was struggling to play live.

“I was sabotaged musically so they’d have an excuse to get rid of me and bring in another person,” Mars says. “The feed of guitar into my in-ear monitor was horrible. It would break up, and nobody else’s seemed to break up but mine. And then they’d switch to prerecorded crap from rehearsals, when I was just relearning the songs. They did it to make me look bad.”

Sixx, meanwhile, calls Mars’ claims “insanity.”

“When Mick came into rehearsals, he couldn’t play guitar properly,” Sixx says. “He just couldn’t pull it off, so we have to use tapes and cover it up. He was the only person in the band on tape.”

In between the legal dispute, Mars is working on a new solo album, Another Side of Mars. In describing one song, Mars shares, “It’s about narcissists that keep you pinned down and make you feel crazy.”

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Another historic item of Beatles memorabilia is on the auction blocks. The latest is the December, 29, 1974, signed document that signaled the official end of the legendary rock band. 

The Gotta Have Rock and Roll auction house is currently selling the contract, which is signed by all four members of the band, with John Lennon and George Harrison signing twice since they were the acting directors of the band’s record label, Apple Corps LTD.

According to the description, the document released “each Beatles member from their obligation to record as the group known as ‘The Beatles,’ thus giving each Beatles member their independence from each other to pursue their own projects solely and as individuals.”

As of this writing, the artifact has a bid of $100,000, but it’s expected to sell for between $300,000 and $500,000. Bidding closes June 30.

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As previously reported, Elton John closed out the U.K.’s Glastonbury festival on Sunday, June 25, and it turns out, a lot of people tuned into see what was likely his last U.K. performance.

Deadline reports that in addition to the massive crowd that gathered to see him live at Worthy Farm, over seven million people tuned in to watch his set on BBC. Data shows Elton’s set was one of the most-watched TV shows of the year, and it drew almost three times the audience that tuned in to see Paul McCartney in 2022.

“Thank you, Glastonbury!” Elton wrote on Instagram after the show. “The energy last night was like nothing else, and I couldn’t be more grateful to the crowd and the people watching at home for all your love and support. You will be in my heart and soul forever,” adding, “UK, what a farewell. I love you.”

Fans who caught the concert got to see Elton perform such tracks as The Who’s “Pinball Wizard,” “Tiny Dancer,” with The Killers’ Brandon Flowers, “Benny and The Jets,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Your Song” and more.

Elton still has a few more shows left of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. Next up, he plays Paris, France, on June 27 and 28, and wraps the whole tour with two nights in Stockholm, Sweden, on July 7 and 8. A complete list of dates can be found at EltonJohn.com.

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Former Megadeth drummer Lee Rauch has died.

Lee’s brother, Chris Rauch, announced the news in a Facebook post on Friday, June 23, sharing that Lee “was a very strong man of faith so I know he is with God now.”

Lee helped launch Megadeth by playing drums on their 1984 demo tape, Last Rites, but played in the band for only one year. He was also part of the rare live lineup that featured Slayer guitarist Kerry King alongside frontman Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson.

“His heart was set on making it big and came very close numerous times,” Chris writes of his brother. “Lee was a very loving and giving individual who was extremely hard working, he continued to play drums later in his life for the church which made him happy. He was a loving son and a very honorable man.”

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On This Day, June 26, 2021…

After a 471 day closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Broadway theaters finally reopened in New York.

The first official show was a performance of Bruce Springsteen’s critically acclaimed Tony-winning show, Springsteen on Broadway, at the St. James Theatre, which featured The Boss telling his life story through his songs.

This was the second Broadway run of Springsteen on Broadway. It initially opened at the Walter Kerr Theatre on October 12, 2017.

Proceeds from the post-COVID opening night were donated to various charities, including the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund. 

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