Classic Rock News

Three of Pat Benatar’s classic albums are set to be reissued on vinyl this fall.

The three records –  1979’s In The Heat of the Night, 1980’s Crimes of Passion and 1981’s Precious Time – will be available starting Sept. 13 in limited edition configurations.

In The Heat of the Night, with the classic tunes “Heartbreaker” and “I Need a Lover,” will be released on both black and tangerine vinyl. Crimes of Passion, featuring the smash “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” and “Treat Me Right,” will be released on black and opaque magenta vinyl. Precious Times, with “Fire and Ice” and “Promises in the Dark,” will be out in black and opaque fruit punch vinyl. 

“We know how much you’ve wanted reissues of the early records on vinyl,” Benatar and her husband and musical partner Neil Giraldo share. “Finally, here they are! Happy listening, enjoy!”

All three albums are available for preorder now. 

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo are currently on tour and will play Denver on Tuesday, July 30. A complete list of dates can be found at benatargiraldo.com.

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On This Day, July 30, 2003…

The Rolling Stones, Rush, AC/DC and The Guess Who were among the artists who headlined the Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto concert, also known as SARSStock.

The concert was put together in the wake of Toronto’s SARS outbreaks earlier in the year, with The Stones suggesting the show as a way to revive the economy.

The concert, held at Downsview Park in northern Toronto, was attended by somewhere between 450,000 to 500,000 people, making it the largest outdoor ticketed event ever in Canada.

Justin Timberlake was also on the bill, and while he was booed by the audience during his set, he later returned to perform with The Stones, with him and Mick Jagger teaming for The Stones’ “Miss You” and Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River.”

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The musical career of The Band’s Robbie Robertson will be celebrated with an all-star concert taking place this fall. 

Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson, co-produced by Robertson’s longtime friend and collaborator Martin Scorsese, will take place Oct. 17 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. It will feature a lineup that includes Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Bruce Hornsby and Warren Haynes.

Other artists set to celebrate Robertson, who passed away Aug. 9, 2023, include Bobby Weir, Trey Anastasio, Noah Kahan, Jim James, Daniel Lanois, Mavis Staples, Don Was, Eric Church, Jamey Johnson, Lucinda Williams, Margo Price and more.

The venue holds particular significance in Robertson’s career. It was 50 years ago that Bob Dylan and The Band wrapped their famed reunion tour at The Forum. The trek marked Dylan’s return to the road after eight years,  and his first tour with The Band since 1966. It was documented on the live album album Before the Flood. 

Tickets for Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson go on sale to the general public August 2 at 10 a.m PT. More info, including a complete lineup can be found at RobbieCelebration.com.

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A street in Chicago is getting a new honorary name in tribute to late audio engineer Steve Albini.

An ordinance signed by Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Ross declares that the 2600-2700 block of West Belmont Avenue will be deemed Steve Albini Way, which encompasses Albini’s Chicago studio, Electrical Audio.

Albini’s label, Touch and Go Records, posted the ordinance on Instagram.

Albini, known for his work on Nirvana‘s In Utero and with bands including Pixies, The Breeders, PJ Harvey and Bush, died in May at age 61. Following his passing, Nirvana posted the letter Albini sent them ahead of working together.

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Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band just finished wowing stadiums all over Europe and will soon be doing the same in the U.S. But even though they play to thousands of fans when they hit the stage, guitarist Stevie Van Zandt says their approach to playing live is much smaller.

“We come from the bars and clubs. We were a dance band, and I think that’s a critical factor,” he tells The Telegraph. “The idea was to get people hot and bothered and wanting to drink more. And that requires a bit of extra energy, all right? To pull people out of their chairs and make them dance is different than playing a concert where everybody’s sitting down.”

He adds, “We just ignore the size of the venue and treat it like a club.”

Springsteen and the band have dates confirmed through 2025. But with Bruce turning 75 in September, people are always wondering if this will be the last tour. And it seems Van Zandt doesn’t really know the answer. 

“You never know,” says Van Zandt. “I mean, we treat every show like it could be the last show, and we’ve been doing that for 50 years.” 

“But the audience is still there, and we can see them getting younger every year. I don’t see the end anywhere in sight, to be honest,” he adds. “I love that The Stones are still out there. Because as long as they’re out there, man, we’re still the new kids on the block, right? So I’m good with that.”

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band launch the next U.S. leg of their tour on Aug. 15. A complete list of dates can be found at brucespringsteen.net.

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Mickey Hart is giving fans a chance to own a piece of his artwork. 

The Grateful Dead drummer has launched a new online auction with Terrapin Station Entertainment, which includes artwork that’s part of Mickey Hart’s Art at the Edge of Magic exhibit currently on display at the Venetian in Las Vegas in connection with Dead & Company’s Dead Forever residency at the Sphere. 

The auction, which launched July 29 and runs through Aug. 3, features four acrylic paintings: “Da Bolt,” “Da Blues,” “Smokin’ Rhythm” and “Token Rhythm.” Starting bids for the pieces run from $10,000 to $12,500. 

More information on the auction can be found at edgeofmagicauction.com. The Art at the Edge of Magic exhibit is scheduled to close Aug 11.

Dead & Company has six more shows in their Dead Forever residency. Their next show is Aug. 1, with the last happening Aug. 10. A complete list of dates can be found a deadandcompany.com.

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Ozzy Osbourne is sorry for what he said about Britney Spears.

For those unaware, the Prince of Darkness drew the ire of the pop star when he commented on her dancing posts on social media. Speaking on an episode of The Osbournes Podcast, which he hosts alongside his wife, Sharon, and their children Kelly and Jack, Ozzy said he was “fed up with seeing poor old Britney Spears [dancing].”

Kelly added that she “feel[s] so sorry” for Spears, while Sharon called her a “poor little thing.” Britney then responded by calling the Osbournes “the most boring family known to mankind” and said that they should “kindly f*** off.”

Now, Ozzy is offering an apology to Britney. In an Instagram post featuring a clip from The Osbournes Podcast, the “Crazy Train” rocker says, “Britney, I really owe you an apology. I’m so sorry for making that comment.”

“However,” he continues. “It would be better if you didn’t do the same f****** dance every day. Change a few movements!”

Kelly made a more unconditional apology, declaring, “Britney, never stop dancing, I love your dancing, it makes you happy and I’m so sorry if any of us offended you.”

“I love Britney Spears!” Ozzy adds. “But it’s the same dance every day.”

Kelly then corrects him, saying, “No, sometimes she has knives.”

“I really do apologize,” Ozzy concludes. “I love you and I think you’re beautiful.”

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Jon Anderson is sharing another track from his upcoming album True, which he recorded with The Band Geeks.

The former Yes frontman just dropped the video for “True Messenger,” the second single he’s released from the album, following “Shine On.”

According to a post on Facebook, Anderson has been playing both songs in concert during his current summer tour, along with another track from the album, “Thank God.”

True, dropping Aug. 23, is Anderson’s first new album since 2019’s 1000 Hands: Chapter One and his first with The Band Geeks, who he’s been touring with since 2023. It is available for preorder now. 

Anderson and The Band Geeks are currently on tour; their next show is Tuesday in Camdenton, Missouri. A complete list of dates can be found at jonanderson.com.

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While some musicians seem fearful of AI, Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason doesn’t appear to be one of them.

In a new interview with The Mirror, the drummer says considering his former bandmates David Gilmour and Roger Waters have been at odds for years, he’d be interested to see if AI could be used to bring them back together to make more Pink Floyd music.

“It would be fascinating to see what AI could do with new music. If you tried to run it as a sort of ‘Where did Pink Floyd go after?’” he shares. “The thing to do would be to have an AI situation where David and Roger become friends again. We could be like ABBA by the time we’ve finished with it.”

The members of Pink Floyd last played together in 2005 and things between the band members haven’t been good for a while. Regardless of their current relationship, Mason still looks back at their career with fond memories. 

“In a 55-year career, most of it was great fun,” he says. “We were ­enormously privileged to be in a successful band and tour the world and hang out with really interesting people. It’s a gold card to meet all sorts of your favorite sportsmen and actors.”

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Talk about a rock ‘n’ roll marriage. Tyrone Wood, son of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, recently married Faye Harris, daughter of Iron Maiden guitarist Steve Harris.

The couple confirmed the news on social media, sharing photos from their big day with the caption, “MARRIED!! Mr & Mrs Wood!”

The post includes several photos of the happy couple, including one of them leaving The Old Marylebone Town Hall surrounded by guests throwing confetti.

Harris wore a short off-the-shoulder white dress from Self Portrait, while Harris wore a three-piece suit with a green jacket from Ozwald Boateng. 

The wedding comes a little more than seven months after the couple announced their engagement on social media, with Harris showing off her ring and sharing, “Happiest girl in the world @tywoody.”

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