Classic Rock News

Elton John‘s song “Never Too Late,” written by Elton, his friend Brandi Carlile, Bernie Taupin and producer Andrew Watt, made the short list for best original song at the Academy Awards. But if it’s nominated Thursday morning, don’t count on seeing Elton perform it on the telecast.

The Motion Picture Academy announced Wednesday that this year’s telecast will “move away from live performances” in the best original song category and will instead “be focused on the songwriters.” The Academy adds, “We will celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life. All of this, and more, will uncover the stories and inspiration behind this year’s nominees.”

In the best original song category, the songwriters, not the performers, receive the Oscars. But since Elton and his pals wrote the song, he will likely get to speak about it during the telecast, should he be nominated.

“Never Too Late” is from Elton’s Disney+ documentary of the same name. It did not make the short list for the Oscar’s best documentary category. If “Never Too Late” goes on to win an Oscar, it’ll be Elton’s third. He previously won in 1995 for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King and in 2000 for “I’m Gonna Love Me Again” from his biopic Rocketman. 

Earlier this year, Elton officially became an EGOT winner when he scored his first Emmy Award, for his Farewell from Dodger Stadium special.

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After their successful run at the Sphere in Las Vegas, U2 is giving back to the city.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the Irish rockers quietly donated $300,000 to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas College of Fine Arts. The news of the donation was revealed in the school’s newsletter with little fanfare.

College of Fine Arts Dean Nancy Uscher wrote in the UNLV newsletter that the one-time gift, dubbed the U2: UV Music Scholarship and Experiential Fund, will “provide support for access to a stellar music education as well as experiential learning and performance opportunities for School of Music music majors.” She noted, “These opportunities will include student travel and support for creative activities and performances at various international music events.”

Uscher told the paper that they originally had no idea the donation was coming from U2 because they were contacted by an unknown company.

“We had this very wonderful dialog with the people representing them, and at some point they were pretty sure that our goals were in alignment with the kind of work they like to do in in supporting education,” Uscher said. “Then we were told who they were, and we were thrilled. I feel they have cared about Las Vegas for a long time.”

U2 was the first band to play the Sphere, with their U2: UV Achtung Baby Live residency kicking off in September 2023 and wrapping in March 2024.

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Gov’t Mule is teaming with Tedeschi Trucks Band for some special co-headlining dates later this year.

The two acts will play five shows together Sept. 3 through Sept. 10 in Toronto; Saratoga Springs, New York; Mansfield, Massachusetts; Chicago; and Clarkston, Michigan.

Ticket presales will take place between Jan. 28 and Jan. 30, with tickets going on sale to the general public on Jan. 31 at 10 a.m.

Gov’t Mule, who are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, is currently in sunny Jamaica, where they are headlining their Island Exodus 15. The festival runs through Thursday.

They are also confirmed to play two other festivals this year, the Suwanee Amp Jam #1, happening March 6-8 in Live Oak, Florida, and FloydFest 25, happening July 23-27 in Floyd County, Virginia.

A complete list of Gov’t Mule dates can be found at mule.net.

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Back in November, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan suggested that it was possible he and comedian Bill Burr could be related, and now he’s met his possible sibling.

Corgan’s original comments came during an appearance on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast, with the rocker explaining that there could be a reason he and Burr look alike. He said his stepmother once raised the possibility that Burr could be one of his dad’s illegitimate children, who he fathered when he was a traveling musician.

Burr recently appeared on Mandel’s podcast and the host surprised the comedian with Corgan, saying, “I thought you would be cool with me bringing the family together,” although Burr didn’t seem happy about it.

Burr went on to call out Corgan for revealing their so-called family secret.

“Did you ever think the fact that I never told that story, that, you know, maybe you shouldn’t?” Burr said. “Do you know how many f***** emails and crap that I got?”

The pair never actually confirm they are half-siblings and appear to just be acting the part of feuding brothers.

As for his feelings about Corgan, Burr said, “It’s not that I don’t like him, it reminds me of all of that s***.”

And while Burr and Corgan do look awfully alike, Corgan pointed out one particular reason why he doesn’t think they’re brothers.

“The fact that he said he can’t sing, I think, disproves that we’re related,” he said. “’Cause I’m not funny. … It goes both ways.”

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Traffic’s Dave Mason is back with some new music.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is set to release his 21st studio album, A Shade of Blues, on March 21.

The 11-track album, which Mason’s been working on for over a decade, is described as a “blues-infused masterpiece” and features guest appearances by The Doobie Brothers’ Michael McDonald, guitarist Joe Bonamassa, keyboardist Mike Finnigan and more.

“My guitar playing has always drawn from the blues,” Mason shares. “This album leans a little more heavily into that style, but not entirely—that’s why I call it A Shade of Blues.”

A Shade of Blues is available for preorder now.

The album is due out just as Mason will launch the new Let It Flow tour. The trek kicks off March 20 in Augusta, Georgia, and wraps April 5 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at davemasonmusic.com.

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A new clip has just been released from the upcoming documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin, which features surviving Led Zeppelin band members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones reminiscing about the first time they jammed together.

Page says he suggested the first song they should play together was “Train Kept A-Rollin,” a song popularized by Page’s former band The Yardbirds, which went on to become a concert staple for Led Zeppelin.

“(Jimmy said) ‘Train Kept A-Rollin’ do you know it?’ I said ‘nope,’” Jones says in the clip. “He said, ‘Well it’s a 12 bar and it’s got this riff.’ ‘OK, count it in.’ And that was it – the room just exploded.”

“We just kept playing it, doing like solo breaks and all the rest of it, and Robert’s improvising,” Page adds.

When it came to hearing Plant’s vocals for the first time, Jones notes, “I’d never heard anything like it.”

“I was expecting this cool soul singer and there’s this screaming maniac with this fantastic voice and fantastic range,” he says. “I was like, ‘What [are] you doing up there? You’ll hurt yourself, man!’”

As for what the jam felt like for Plant, he says, “It was devastating, because it seemed like that had been what I’d been waiting for.”

The clip also features archival audio from the band’s late drummer John Bonham talking about the session.

“Well, I was pretty shy,” he said. “The best thing to do when you’re in a situation like that is not to say much and just to soldier along and suss it all out.”

Becoming Led Zeppelin will open exclusively in IMAX theaters on Feb. 7, with early access screenings in 18 markets starting Feb. 5. It will then hit theaters nationwide on Feb. 14.

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Elton John is among the notable queer artists receiving nominations for this year’s GLAAD Media Awards.

Elton is nominated in the category of Outstanding Music Artist, for the soundtrack of his Disney+ documentary Never Too Late. Other artists nominated in the category include Billie Eilish, Adam Lambert, Orville Peck, Doechii, Joy Oladokun, Tove Lo, Victoria Monét, Kali Uchis and Omar Apollo.

The annual awards, which will take place in LA on March 27, honor fair, accurate and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues in music, film, television, gaming, podcasting, journalism and more. Other nominees include Wicked, Baby Reindeer, Hacks, Mean Girls, Abbott Elementary, Doctor Who, Top Chef and What We Do in the Shadows.

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Sting is under the weather, forcing him to cancel his appearance at the upcoming Bass Magazine Awards, as well as several scheduled concerts.

“On advisement from his doctor, due to illness, it is with sincere regret that Sting must cancel his appearance at the Bass Magazine Awards this Thursday,” read a post on Instagram.

Sting was expected to perform at the event, where he would be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The post notes that Sting’s also moving his Jan. 24 show in Phoenix to June 1 and his Jan. 26 show in Wheatland, California, to May 28. Sting was also supposed to perform at the Cherrytree Music Company’s 20th anniversary on Jan. 25, but that has now been moved to May 29.

“Fans should retain their tickets for the postponed shows, as they will be honored on the new dates,” the post continues. “Sting sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience and extends his gratitude to the fans for their understanding.”

Sting’s next performance is scheduled to be at the upcoming FireAid benefit concert in Inglewood, California. He also has a Feb. 8 date with Billy Joel at LucasOil Stadium in Indianapolis.

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In their end of 2024 address to fans, The Doobie Brothers shared news of a new album coming in 2025, and now they’re finally revealing details of the release.

The album, Walk This Road, will drop June 6 and features the reunited line up of Patrick Simmons, Tom Johnston and Michael McDonald.

Walk This Road features 10 tracks, including the previously released tune “Lahaina.” The band’s also just released two new songs, “Call Me” and the title track, which features special guest Mavis Staples. Both are now available via digital outlets

Walk This Road will be the first new release from The Doobie Brothers since 2021’s Liberté, and the first full album of original material with McDonald since 1980’s One Step Closer.

“Getting back in with the guys and playing again is great,” said McDonald. “In my heart I’ve always been a Doobie Brother. We’ve all remained friends over the years. We’ve all been enjoying it tremendously, even more than we thought we would.”

Walk This Road is available for preorder now. Here is the track list for the album:

“Walk this Road” featuring Mavis Staples
“Angels & Mercy”
“Call Me”
“Learn to Let Go”
“State of Grace”
“Here to Stay”
“The Kind That Lasts”
“New Orleans”
“Speed of Pain”
“Lahaina”

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On This Day, Jan 22, 1949…

Stephen Ray Perry, better known as Journey frontman Steve Perry, was born in Hanford, California.

Perry joined Journey in 1977 and made his debut on their fourth studio album, 1978’s Infinity. He appeared on a total of eight Journey albums, including their biggest releases, 1981’s Escape and 1983’s Frontiers, singing lead on such classic tunes as “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” “Separate Ways” and “Faithfully.”

He launched a successful solo career in 1984 with the release of the album Street Talk, which featured the top 5 hit “Oh Sherrie.”

Perry reunited with Journey in 1995 and they released their last album together, Trial By Fire, in 1996, although he left the band in 1999.

He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Journey in 2017, and while he attended the ceremony, he did not perform. Instead, Journey performed with his replacement Arnel Pineda.

Perry has released a handful of solo albums since his departure from Journey, his last being the holiday album The Season in 2021.

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