Classic Rock News

On This Day, May 31, 1948…

John Bonham was born in Redditch, Worcestershire, England.

In 1968 he joined Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bass player John Paul Jones to form Led Zeppelin, which went on to become one of the most legendary rock bands of all time.

They released their self-titled debut album in 1969, and went on to release eight studio albums, featuring such classic tunes as “Stairway to Heaven,” “Kashmir,” “Dazed and Confused,” “Good Times Bad Times” and more.

Bonham was a member of Led Zeppelin until his death on September 25, 1980 at the age of 32. Led Zeppelin disbanded following his death, although the remaining members did reunite a few times, the last time in 2007 at the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert at the O2 Arena in London, with Bonham’s son Jason Bonham, behind the drum kit.

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Guns N’ Roses is heading out on their 2023 World Tour next week and they’ve lined up a diverse group of artists to join them on their North American leg.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers just announced the support acts joining them on the tour, including The Pretenders, Alice in Chains, The Warning, Dirty Honey and country star Carrie Underwood on select dates.

The World Tour is set to kick off June 5 in Tel Aviv, Israel, and hits North America on August 8 in Moncton, Canada. The first U.S. show happens August 11 in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  

And the North American leg just got bigger, with two just added shows – August 18 in Pittsburgh and October 14 in Seattle. The general on sale for Pittsburgh is happening Friday, June 2 at 10 a.m. local time, with Seattle going on sale Friday June 9 at 10 a.m. local time. 

A complete list of dates and openers can be found at gunsnroses.com.

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The Rolling Stones want to help their fans wake up in the morning. The band has teamed up with Keurig for a new limited edition “Start Me Up” iced coffee kit.

The kit features all you need for a Rolling Stones morning, including a custom-designed K-Iced Brewer with the band’s Hot Lips logo, a matching tumbler and a special K-Cup coffee Pod blend, which is described as having “electrifying notes of strawberry” to give fans the “uncapped energy of The Rolling Stones.”

“We’re thrilled to be branching into the iced coffee space with Keurig,” the band said in a statement, according to Rolling Stone. “We’ve collaborated to bring this limited-edition product to life and give fans a new way to fuel their day.”  

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are even helping set the morning mood, hand-picking songs for a branded Spotify playlist to enjoy with the iced cup of Joe.

The “Start Me Up” iced coffee kit goes on sale June 6 for $139.99, with a 10-count of the K-Cup Pod and the tumbler, also sold separately for $10.99 and $12.99, respectively. Those interested can sign up for more info at Keurig.com.

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Tool frontman Maynard James Kennan is letting his KISS fandom fly, showing off his collection of posters and memorabilia on social media.

“Everyone has their coping mechanisms. As a child growing up in 70’s Ohio, mine was @kissonline,” he writes on Instagram next to a video showing his haul. “I had ALL the posters but at some point I thought I’d lost them. Recently found them all rolled up in a chest I’d forgotten about in the attic.”

One of those items was what he calls “the Holy Grail of KISS posters,” an early poster with the note “New On Casablanca Records and Tapes.” He says, “The back has all four autographs.”

He continues, “All this rediscovered joy was punctuated this weekend when I was able to play not once, but twice, on the same festival as @kissonline with @puscifer and @toolmusic. And in Ohio no less.#fullcircle“

Maynard then reminded fans that Puscifer is currently on tour, telling them, “Life is Short. Regret Sucks. Come see us while you still can.”

Puscifer’s tour hits Rochester, New York, on Tuesday, May 30. A complete list of dates can be found at puscifer.com.

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A musical with a score by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim is getting pushback from a musicians union, because it doesn’t use a live band. 

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians is unhappy that the show Here Lies Love plans to use a prerecorded track, as it has in previous runs of the show.

“A show with no live music and just pre-recorded tracks is absolutely an existential threat to Broadway- and is a cultural threat to musical theater worldwide,” Local 802 President and Executive Director Tino Gagliardi says. He suggests that “by using just pre-recorded tracks it not only cheapens the art it’s putting jobs and livelihoods at risk.” 

Local 802 says their agreement with the Broadway League requires any musical in a Broadway theater to have at least 19 musicians. The show has reportedly asked for a “special situation” stipulation to bypass the rule. Adrian Bryan-Brown, a spokesperson for the production, says the “process is ongoing,” adding they “will continue to work in good faith with the union to move through the steps of the contractual process.”

Hear Lies Love originally played at New York’s Public Theater 10 years ago, and had runs in London and Seattle. It’s described as a “disco pop” musical that puts audiences in an immersive setting, with standing room tickets so the audience can dance through the show. Its story is a dramatic telling of the Philippines’ former first lady Imleda Marcos‘ rise to power and then her hard downfall. 

The musical will begin preview performances at the Broadway Theatre on June 17 and then open July 20.

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Roger Waters‘ This Is Not A Drill tour has been met with a lot of controversy in Europe, and it turns out his show in Frankfurt, Germany, didn’t go off without a hitch this weekend.

Fan-shot footage shows protesters in the audience holding up the Israeli flag, and another protestor rushing the stage and pulling out the flag. 

As previously reported, Waters opted to leave out certain elements of his show for the Frankfurt audience, including his wearing of a coat that some felt looked like an SS costume. He said he made “this small — but, I hope, significant — gesture” because the venue where the show took place is the site of where over 3,000 Jews were detained and abused in November 1938 before being sent to concentration camps.

Waters’ This Is Not A Drill tour continues through Europe. It hits Birmingham, England, on Wednesday, May 31. A complete list of dates can be found at rogerwaters.com.

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AC/DC is one of the big-name rock acts set to headline the upcoming Power Trip festival in Indio, California, and it sounds like they’re raring to go.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers never got to tour behind their 2020 album, Power Up, because of the COVID-19 lockdowns, and frontman Brian Johnson says they can’t wait to finally get to play it live.

“I’m so excited because three years ago we did get together (before) ‘Power Up’ the album came out,” he tells the Fuelling Around podcast. “We started to rehearse in Amsterdam. Phil (Rudd) was back on drums … Honestly, I’ve never heard the band so tight.”

And it sounds like Power Trip may be just the beginning, with Johnson noting, “The most important thing about it all is the eagerness we all feel, the juices are running again.” 

As for the festival itself, Johnson says, “I think it’s just a statement to say that rock ‘n’ roll is a legitimate form of music.” The lineup includes Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool and Iron Maiden.

“It’s going to be in a beautiful valley, near Coachella, but I don’t get involved in that kind of thing,” he says. “I just like to turn up, get up and just rock my little socks off until I drop.”

Power Trip is going down October 6 to 8 in Indio, California. Tickets are on sale now.

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A longtime friend of Tina Turner tells People that the late Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll was ready to embrace the end of her life.

Stephen Sills — that’s Sills, not Stills — is a designer who helped decorate Tina’s home in the South of France and visited her every year in Switzerland. Speaking to People, he says, “She told me two years ago, she said, ‘Stephen, I’m ready to go anytime. I’m not scared of death. I’ve had a wonderful last part of life. I’ve enjoyed it, but I’m tired.'”

Sills says after Tina received a kidney from her husband, Erwin Bach, in 2017, she “struggled with dialysis,” but stayed upbeat. He recalls calling her house three weeks ago to check in with Tina.

“I said, ‘How’s she doing?’ [The housekeeper] said, ‘She’s happy and she’s comfortable. Everything’s good,'” he recalls.

“She was such an amazing friend and she had such a force of creativity,” Sills continues. “The Tina Turner persona of performing, that was a made-up person. We used to talk about it, and she created that and it was a beautiful image. But she was absolutely positive and energetic and interested and curious. She was just an amazing person.”

The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer died May 24 at her home near Zurich, Switzerland, after what was described as “a long illness.” She was 83.

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Def Leppard has a new top five album in the U.K. The band’s recent release with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Drastic Symphonies, debuted at #4 on the Official U.K. album chart.

“Wow. For us to get to No 4 in the UK charts with ‘Drastic Symphonies’ is just very, very special,” frontman Joe Elliott shared upon hearing the news. “Especially as this album has us doing something very different in reimagining some of our biggest hits along with hidden gems with The amazing Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.”

He then thanked their British fans, adding, “We are grateful and truly humbled.”

The album is the band’s ninth top 10 record on the U.K. chart.

Def Leppard is currently on the European leg of their Stadium tour with Mötley Crüe. It hits Krakow, Poland, on Wednesday, May 31. A complete list of dates can be found at defleppard.com.

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Elton John‘s final show on British soil comes June 25, when he’ll rock the U.K.’s prestigious Glastonbury Festival for the very first time — and he says it won’t be the same show fans have been seeing during his Farewell tour.

Speaking to BBC Radio 2, Elton said it’s the first time he’s been asked to play the gig, noting, “But it’s just come at the right time … this is the most wonderful way to sign off in Great Britain.”

He then teased, “I’ve built a different set list … it’s gonna be much different. I’ve got guests who — I can’t tell you who they are — but it’s gonna be wonderful. I’m really looking forward to it.”

At Elton’s last U.S. show, which took place at Dodger Stadium, he also had special guests —Kiki Dee, Brandi Carlile and Dua Lipa — but presumably, his Glastonbury guests will be different.

Elton’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which started way back in 2018, will finally come to an end in July in Stockholm, Sweden. When asked by BBC Radio 2’s Scott Mills if he thinks he’ll miss it when it’s all over, Elton laughed, “No way! I do not wanna fly anywhere. I don’t wanna go anywhere. I just wanna be still for a few months, thank you.”  

Elton says after the tour wraps he’ll take a vacation for a few months, then he has no plans. However, he hasn’t ruled out live performances entirely, though they’ll be “sporadic.” 

“I really don’t want to tour again,” Elton, 76, said firmly. “Doing a theater thing for two or three weeks might be appealing, but honestly, that’s in the distant future. I’m not going back to Vegas. If I do anything, it will be here [in England].”

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