Classic Rock News

Paul McCartney surprised fans at a concert in the Hamptons, New York, on Tuesday, jumping up on the stage to perform two songs. 

The Beatles rocker was the surprise guest during a set by producer Andrew Watt and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, featuring guitarist G.E. Smith, at the venue Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett.

Fan-shot footage posted to social media shows McCartney joining the musicians for The Beatles’ classic “I Saw Her Standing There” and Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World.”

And it seems like this won’t be the only collaboration we hear from McCartney and Watt. In an October interview Watt did with Rolling Stone about the The Rolling Stones record Hackney Diamonds, which Watt produced, he revealed he was also working on music with McCartney.

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Is a movie of U2’s Sphere Las Vegas residency on the way? It looks like the Irish rockers may be hinting that it’s gonna happen.

On Monday, Sphere posted a trio of emojis on social media — a movie camera, a bucket of popcorn and an arrow with the word soon — suggesting movies either of the Sphere or to the Sphere were coming soon.

What made the post more interesting was the retweet it got from U2’s account, which added its own emoji: a set of eyeballs, suggesting there was something to see there, possibly indicating that a film about their U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere residency is on the way.

U2 was the first band to play the Sphere, opening the venue in September 2023. The show had them performing an Achtung Baby-heavy set accompanied by stunning visuals. They wrapped the residency after 40 shows in March.

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Welsh rocker Dave Edmunds is revisiting his time with Swan Song records with a new box set coming this fall.

Swan Songs: The Singles 1976–1981, out Oct. 27, will feature 39 songs, made up of both the A and B sides of his released singles during that time period.

Tracks on the album have all been remastered and include such tunes as “Here Comes The Weekend,” which was cowritten with Nick Lowe; covers of John Fogerty’s “Almost Saturday Night” and Bob Seger’s “Get Out of Denver”; “Queen of Hearts,” a track made famous by Juice Newton; “Bad Is Bad,” which later became a hit for Huey Lewis & the News; and “Girls Talk,” written by Elvis Costello.

Swan Songs: The Singles 1976–1981 will be released as two-LP and two-CD sets. It is available for preorder now.

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On This Day, Aug. 21, 1965 …

The Rolling Stones landed their first #1 album in the United States with Out Of Our Heads, which went on to hold the top spot for three weeks. 

The band’s fourth album released in the States, Out Of Our Heads featured the future Stones classic “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” which became their first #1 single in the U.S. and a staple at their live shows. The album also featured the top 10 single “The Last Time.” 

Out of Our Heads was certified Platinum by the RIAA. In addition to topping the U.S. chart, the album peaked at #2 in the U.K. and Australia. 

The Rolling Stones are still making music. Their most recent release, Hackney Diamonds, came out in October.

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Another day, another film festival premiere for the new Elton John documentary.

Elton John: Never Too Late will receive its European premiere Oct. 10 at the BFI London Film Festival. Elton and his husband, David Furnish, the latter of whom co-directed the movie with R.J. Cutler, will be in the audience.

The documentary follows Elton as he simultaneously gets ready for his final North American concert at LA’s Dodger Stadium and looks back at his impressive 50-year career, revealing how he overcame career challenges and personal struggles to rise to the top of the music biz.

BFI London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson says in a statement, “We’re delighted to … give audiences a front row seat to one of the most electrifying creative careers of our age.” The BFI London Film Festival begins Oct. 9.

The documentary will receive its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival, which starts Sept. 27, and its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, which starts Sept. 5.

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Lenny Kravitz is headed to the VMAs.

The rocker is one of the newly announced performers for the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards, happening Sept. 11 at UBS Arena in Queens, New York.

This will mark Kravitz’s first VMA performance in over 25 years. He previously graced the VMA stage in 1993 when he performed “Are You Gonna Go My Way” and won Best Male Video, and in 1998 when he joined Madonna for her performance of “Ray of Light.”

Lenny is nominated in the Best Rock Video category at this year’s VMAs. His Blue Electric Light track “Human” is up against Bon Jovi’s “Legendary,” U2‘s “Atomic City,” Green Day’s “Dilemma,” Coldplay’s “feelslikeimfallinginlove” and Kings of Leon’s “Mustang.”

Fan voting is open now and runs through Aug. 30.

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There are a lot of kids who get introduced to the music of The Beatles by their parents, and now the legendary group is out to teach those kids how to play their music, as well.

Children’s guitar brand Loog just announced a new partnership with Apple Corps Ltd. to launch The Beatles + Loog Collection, made up of nine new kid-sized, Beatle-inspired three-string guitars, six acoustic and three electric. 

Each of the acoustic guitars, recommended for children ages 3 and up, are designed to represent different stages in the Beatles’ career, including 1967, the Revolver era and their “Yellow Submarine” era. The electric guitars come in black, blue and white, and are good for children 6 and older.

“I started Loog not only to help kids play guitar, but also to foster curiosity around music – I can’t think of a better way for them to start their musical journey than with John, Paul, George and Ringo,” Rafael Atijas, founder and CEO of Loog, shares. “I’m beyond thrilled and honored to partner with The Beatles in our mission to get kids learning, playing and falling in love with music.”

Each Beatles-themed guitar comes with a Beatles strap, as well as picks, pins and stickers dedicated to the band. There’s also an activity book with Beatles games and trivia, and each guitar comes with access to a special Beatle section in the Loog app.

The Beatles + Loog Collection is available for preorder now, with instruments shipping in October.

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James Taylor is sharing his feelings after his planned performance at the Democratic National Convention Monday night was cut for time.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer took to Instagram to address his missing performance, letting fans know how much he enjoyed being there.

“It was exciting to see and hear so many of the speakers at the opening night of the Democratic convention here in Chicago,” he wrote, adding he and his singers “had a great rehearsal” earlier in the day.

“But it became clear, as the evening unfolded, that there wouldn’t be time for our ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ with cello and voices,” he says. “Maybe the organizers couldn’t anticipate the wild response from the floor of the United Center.”

Taylor apologized for disappointing those who had hoped to see him, but noted the evening was “a great and inspirational, quintessentially American moment,” adding, “We were honored to be there.”

The DNC is scheduled to run until Thursday.

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Paramount+ has premiered the trailer for Nöthin’ But a Good Time, an upcoming docuseries about the ’80s hair metal scene.

The clip teases interviews with Poison‘s Bret Michaels, Slipknot‘s Corey Taylor and comedian Steve-O as they talk about bands such as Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard and Skid Row.

“I’m honored to be part of this docuseries, named after the hit Poison song ‘Nothin’ But a Good Time,'” Michaels says in a statement. “I’m excited for viewers to take a fresh look at the fans and bands, highs and lows, and to celebrate the music and good times of the ’80s and beyond.”

He adds, “I hope the audience enjoys it as much as I did, and I can’t wait for them to have insight into some of those notoriously crazy moments!”

The three-part Nöthin’ But a Good Time premieres Sept. 17.

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Not long after he said in a recent interview that he knew his days were numbered, Rod Stewart had to postpone or cancel several shows due to strep throat and COVID-19. But Rod, 79, assures fans that he’s fine and he’s not secretly suffering from any health problems. 

Speaking to The Sun, Rod clarifies, “I appear to have been grossly misunderstood in that interview. When I said, ‘My days are numbered,’ it was purely in jest. Aren’t everybody’s days numbered? I am in embarrassingly wonderful health and enjoying life to the full. I am not dying as far as I know.”

Rod then repeats something else he said in the first interview: he’s training to attempt to break the world record for the 100-meter dash for a man his age. On top of that, he reiterates that he works out three or four times a week and adds, “I have completed over 70 shows this year all over the world and more to do.”

The singer continues, “I have a beautiful wife, eight children and three grandchildren. Life is good and I have a lot of life to live but I could still get knocked down by a number nine bus in the Charing Cross Road next week. All our days are numbered, but we just don’t know when.”

He calls the show cancellations “extremely unfortunate,” but notes that he’s already made up two of them and he’ll be back in Las Vegas next year.

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