Rod Stewart clarifies why his tour is called One Last Time: ‘I have no desire to retire’

November 20, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Considering the fact that Rod Stewart‘s newly announced 2025 tour is called One Last Time, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s farewell trek. Well, it is, and it isn’t.

Sir Rod writes on Instagram, “This will be the end of large-scale world tours for me, but I have no desire to retire. I love what I do and I do what I love.”

“I’m fit, have a full head of hair and can run 100 meters in 18 seconds at the jolly old age of 79,” he boasts.

He goes on to explain that, while he wants to continue to perform live, he’s going to do it on a different scale, writing, “I’d like to move onto a Great American Songbook, Swing Fever tour the year after next.”

Swing Fever is Rod’s most recent album: It’s a collaboration with bandleader Jools Holland, featuring Rod singing big band and swing music. Great American Songbook is, of course, Rod’s wildly successful five-volume series of albums in which he covered standards like “It Had to Be You” and “I’m in the Mood for Love.”

Rod says this tour would find him playing “smaller venues and more intimacy.” But then, he pivots and concludes, “But then again, I may not.”

He signed the post, “The Ambiguous Sir Rod Stewart.” So, is it his last tour? Your guess is as good as ours.

Yes’ Jon Davison responds to lawsuit over song ‘Dare To Know’

November 20, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Current Yes frontman Jon Davison has issued a statement regarding the copyright lawsuit filed by his former friend and bandmate Riz Story.

Story, whose legal name is Rudolph Zahler, is claiming Davison and Yes’ Steve Howe stole the music from his song “Reunion,” which was featured in the indie movie A Winter Rose, for the Yes song “Dare To Know,” which appeared on the band’s 2021 album, The Quest.

“It’s hard to put in words how it feels to wake up one day to hear that a person who I thought was a friend has brought not only an utterly fictitious, but also, a defamatory case against me,” Davis shared on Yes’ website, calling Riz’s claims “blatant lies.”

Davison says he and the band have evidence proving they didn’t steal “Reunion,” and says the musicologist report in Riz’s suit that claims the songs are similar “is seriously flawed and uses deceptive methods to force a similarity that is not there.”

Davison goes on to say he didn’t write “Dare To Know,” and that he never heard Riz’s composition “Reunion” and didn’t see the movie, noting he only congratulated him on the film “out of politeness.”

He also says it’s “a complete fabrication” that he talked about the music from the film with Riz, adding, “The ‘composition’ isn’t even on the soundtrack album, so I couldn’t have even stumbled across it by accident.”

“Any suggestion that I might have heard this generic melody when we were younger, let alone thought it was worthy of Yes, is utterly absurd,” Davison says. “Our lawyer described this as a ‘shakedown’, and I can see no better word for it.”

That’s showbiz: Good news and bad news for Elton John’s musicals

November 20, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

When it comes to the two musicals that Elton John currently has onstage — one on Broadway and one in London’s West End — there’s good news and bad news.

First, the bad news: Tammy Faye, Elton’s musical about the late televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, opened on Nov. 14 and is closing on Dec. 8 after what will be just 29 regular performances. Why? According to The New York Times, the show, which cost $25 million, won awards in London but was poorly received once it moved to Broadway. Indeed, The Times called it “disjointed” and “strangely bland.”

The Times also described the show’s box office receipts as “disastrous” and noted that it was playing to houses that were 37% empty. Elton wrote the music for the show and also co-produced it via Rocket Stage, his production company.

Now, the good news: Elton’s other musical, an adaptation of the movie The Devil Wears Prada starring Vanessa Williams, has been in previews on the West End since the end of October and there’s no sign that it’s in trouble — in fact, November performances are completely sold out. What’s more, the cast will perform for King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the annual Royal Variety Performance, taking place Nov. 22 at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall.

Elton and his husband, David Furnish, will take the stage to introduce the cast at the prestigious event, which will feature magicians Penn & Teller, James Bay and “Murder on the Dance Floor” singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, as well as other stars from across the entertainment spectrum.

Jethro Tull releases ‘Jack Frost and Hooded Crow’ from upcoming Christmas album reissue

November 20, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Jethro Tull is getting ready to reissue their 2003 holiday album, and they’ve just shared a track from the record.

The band has just released a new mix of “Jack Frost and Hooded Crow,” which will appear on the now-titled The Jethro Tull Christmas Album – Fresh Snow at Christmas. The album will be released Dec. 6, featuring the new mix, along with 40 minutes of previously unreleased recordings.

It is being released as a limited-edition four-CD + Blu-ray set, which includes the new mix by The Pineapple Thief’s Bruce Soord, as well as the original mix, along with live recordings from two charity concerts at London’s St. Bride’s church to benefit the homeless: Christmas Live at St. Bride’s 2008 and a previously unreleased recording, The Ian Anderson Band Live At St. Brides 2006.

The Blu-ray will feature Dolby Atmos 5.1 mixes of the album, as well as high resolution audio mixes of the two live albums.

The remixed version of the album will also be released as a two-LP vinyl set, the very first time it’s been available on vinyl.

All formats are available for preorder now.

Bonnie Raitt announces 2025 US tour

November 20, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Bonnie Raitt has announced a new set of tour dates for 2025.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s newest tour will launch March 5 in Temecula, California, hitting such cities as Phoenix, Albuquerque, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, Memphis and more before wrapping May 10 in Louisville, Kentucky, although more dates are expected to be announced.

Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

But Bonnie still has some shows left in her 2024 schedule. On Wednesday she’ll bring her tour to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a benefit concert supporting communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. A complete list of dates can be found at bonnieraitt.com.

On This Day, Nov. 20, 1995: The Beatles released ‘Anthology 1’

November 20, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

On This Day, Nov. 20, 1995 …

The Beatles released the 60-track compilation album Anthology 1, featuring rarities, outtakes and live performances recorded from 1958 to 1964.

It also included the first new Beatles song in 25 years, “Free as a Bird,” which featured audio from a John Lennon demo he recorded in 1977. It was given to Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr by his widow, Yoko Ono, and the trio then recorded new music that was incorporated into the song.

Anthology 1 reached #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and went on to be certified eight-times Platinum. “Free as a Bird” peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Anthology 1 was the first in a trio of compilations. Anthology 2, which featured the new song “Real Love,” was released in March 1996 and Anthology 3 was released in October 1996.

That same Lennon demo used for the new songs on the Anthology series was used to create the song “Now and Then,” which was released in 2023. It debuted at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and just earned a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year.

Genesis celebrating 50th anniversary of ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’ with massive box set

November 20, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Genesis‘ sixth studio album, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and to mark the occasion a new remastered version of the album is being released, with plenty of extras.

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition, created with input from the band’s members — Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford — will be released March 28 in a variety of formats, including five-LP/Blu-ray audio, four-CD/Blu-ray audio and digitally, with Dolby Atmos.

The set includes the remastered album, done at Abbey Road Studios; a Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos mixes, done under the supervision of Gabriel and Banks; never-before-released demos; and a 60-page coffee table book, featuring interviews with all five band members, said to be the only time they’ve all been interviewed about the album since its original release. The book also includes previously unseen photos, a poster and a replica concert ticket.

The set also includes The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Live At The Shrine Auditorium, recorded Jan. 24, 1975. While most of the concert was previously released as part of the Genesis Archive 1967-75 box set, this version includes two additional encore tracks, making it the first time the full concert and complete encore is being released.

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition is available for preorder now.

Released Nov. 22, 1974, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway was a concept album based on an idea by Gabriel, about a Puerto Rican youth named Rael who goes on a journey of self-discovery. During the tour for the album, Gabriel announced to the band he was leaving Genesis once the tour was over.

Foo Fighters’ Chris Shiflett announces signature Fender guitar

November 20, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Foo Fighters‘ Chris Shiflett has announced a new signature guitar with Fender.

The Cleaver Telecaster Deluxe is named for its sound, which a press release declares “positively slashes through the mix with a voice that snarls dirty as well as it sings clean.”

“We put a lot of love and research into creating the American made version of my signature model, The Cleaver,” Shiflett says. “It’s been road-tested, dropped on its head, kicked around, x-rayed, strummed, chicken-picked, and arpeggio swept! I’m excited to announce we’ve made a great guitar that’s adaptable to all situations. Can’t wait to get this into the hands of players everywhere!”

The guitar comes in two finishes, Dakota red and charcoal frost metallic, and costs $2,499.99. For more info, visit Fender.com.

Items from Roger Daltrey and The Who part of Teenage Cancer Trust auction

November 20, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Memorabilia from Roger Daltrey and The Who are among the items up for auction at the annual Teenage Cancer Trust Star Boot Sale.

Some of the items available include a signed Daltrey photograph, taken as part of the Love Music Love Food book; a Teenage Cancer Trust guitar man T-shirt, signed by Daltrey; a signed poster from Daltrey and Wilko Johnson’s one-off show at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire on Feb. 25, 2014; a Daltrey-signed set list from The Who’s 2015 Glastonbury appearance; and a pair of artist proofs from The Who’s 2024 Royal Albert Hall concerts, autographed by Daltrey and Pete Townshend.

In addition to The Who items, there’s a guitar signed by Queen’s Brian May and a photo of Amy Winehouse taken by Bryan Adams, plus items from Noel Gallagher, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and more.

The Star Boot Sale runs until Dec. 2 at 10 a.m., with proceeds benefiting Teenage Cancer Trust and the work it does providing care and support to young people facing cancer across the U.K.

Timothée Chalamet and director James Mangold to be honored at Gotham Awards for ‘A Complete Unknown’

November 19, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Timothée Chalamet and director James Mangold will be honored at the 2024 Gotham Awards for their work on the upcoming Bob Dylan movie A Complete Unknown.

The pair will be awarded Gotham’s Visionary Tribute award, which “recognizes groundbreaking collaborations that push the boundaries of storytelling in film.”

“In A Complete Unknown, Timothée Chalamet and James Mangold have beautifully captured Dylan’s emergence in 1960s New York not just as an artistic evolution, but as a meditation on the necessity of change,” Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute, shares. “Together, they have created a work that will not only resonate with longtime Dylan admirers but also introduce his revolutionary artistry to a new generation.”

The Gotham Awards are happening Dec. 2 in New York City.

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