Classic Rock News

We have our first preview of Metallica‘s James Hetfield in his role in the upcoming Western movie The Thicket.

The entertainment company Tubi has shared first-look photos from the film, including one of Hetfield in character while sporting a cowboy hat and a sheriff’s badge.

Hetfield’s casting in The Thicket was announced in 2023. The film, which also stars Peter Dinklage and Juliette Lewis, is set to premiere in theaters on Sept. 6, according to Deadline.

Hetfield made his dramatic acting debut in 2019’s Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, which you may remember as the movie starring Zac Efron as infamous serial killer Ted Bundy. The “Enter Sandman” rocker played the police officer who first arrested Bundy.

In addition to the big screen, you can see Hetfield live on Metallica’s M72 tour, which returns to the U.S. in August.

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Sammy Hagar is ready to launch his The Best of All Worlds tour, which will have him and his band – Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani and drummer Jason Bonham – performing songs from his entire career.

So, what prompted Sammy to set out on such a career-spanning trek?

“Well, it’s about my age. It’s about how many tours can I do?” he tells ABC Audio. “How many more shows have I got left in me?”

While Sammy says he doesn’t intend for this to be his final tour, he says “it could be,” because he never knows when he won’t be able to hit the right notes anymore.

“I’m not going to go out like some of these guys and not be able to sing and charge money,” he says. “That would break my heart. It would stress me out.” 

Hagar is promising his sets will include plenty of Van Halen tunes, and while fans may question whether anyone can fill the guitar shoes of the late Eddie Van Halen, Sammy has no doubt Satriani can handle it.

“Joe Satriani is the only guitar player I know that really knows what Eddie was playing,” he says. “Technically, he’s going to be playing this stuff as right as it can possibly be played.”

And that’s important for Sammy because he’s doing this tour for the Van Halen fans, who he calls “the most loyal, dedicated people.”

“I’m kind of nicknaming the tour the Thank You tour,” he says. “And I mean it from the bottom of my heart. And when I say thank you, I’m going to prove it.” 

The Best of All Worlds tour kicks off Saturday in West Palm Beach, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at redrocker.com.

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Ringo Starr is giving fans a look at his Peace & Love birthday celebration, which took place Sunday.

The rocker, who turned 84, just shared a video featuring highlights from the big day at Beverly Hills Park, which includes footage of him arriving with family and friends, and posing in front of his stainless steel, 8-foot-tall, 800-pound peace sculpture. He’s then joined by fellow rocker and brother-in-law Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh for some more photos in front of the sculpture.

The video also shows Ringo walking the press line, and includes clips of performances from artists like Ben Harper, Ben Dickey and Willie Watson. It also has a snippet of a speech Walsh made wishing his “best friend” Ringo a happy 84th.

“The world loves Ringo Starr because how could they not,” Walsh says.

“I am getting overwhelmed there are so many of you now,” Ringo tells the gathered crowd. “We started doing this celebration with about 50 people in 2008. I am truly grateful you all turned up today otherwise I’d be lonely. … We are going round the world – we are in 34 countries and all I can do is say is peace and love.”

Other famous names who attended the festivities included Stephen Stills, Edgar Winter, Matt Sorum, Diane Warren and Linda Perry.

The video ends with the united “peace and love” declaration, as the band launches into The Beatles’ “Birthday.” A two-tiered cake is then brought out as Walsh leads the crowd in “Happy Birthday.”

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AC/DC has gone Diamond.

The Aussie rockers just received their first-ever RIAA Diamond certification for their classic track “Thunderstruck,” meaning it’s now moved at least 10 million equivalent units.

According to the RIAA site, “Thunderstruck,” from the band’s 1990 album, The Razor’s Edge, was actually awarded Gold, Platinum and Diamond certifications on the same day.

And that wasn’t the only recent certification awarded to AC/DC. They earned new multi-Platinum certifications for singles “Hells Bells,” “Back in Black,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Highway To Hell,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” “T.N.T.” and more.

In addition, several albums received new multi-Platinum certifications, including their classic Back in Black, which was just certified 26-times Platinum.

AC/DC is currently performing those hit singles overseas on their Power Up tour. They play Hockenheim, Germany, on July 13. A complete list of dates can be found at acdc.com.

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The Zombies‘ Rod Argent is recovering from a stroke, the band’s management has revealed.

“Rod had recently returned home from a triumphant Zombies tour of the U.K., and spent a weekend in London with his beloved wife Cathy, celebrating his 79th birthday and their 52nd wedding anniversary, before the stroke occurred,” read a statement from the band’s management team. “He was hospitalized overnight, and released the next day.”

The statement adds that Rod’s doctors have advised him that he’ll need months of rest and recuperation, so he’s decided to make his health a priority and “immediately retire from touring.” 

“He was already preparing to wind down his live performance schedule after health scares on recent tours,” the statement continues. “However, the stroke was an unmistakable warning sign that the risks are too great.” 

But Rod isn’t giving up music altogether. He says he still plans to keep writing and recording with The Zombies and he “has already been back at his piano for some much-needed ‘Bach therapy.'”

As for The Zombies, Rod’s decision means planned shows for 2024 have been canceled, although their second annual Begin Here Festival in St Albans, England, set for November, will still happen. The Zombies show planned for the festival won’t take place, although management says they are hoping to put together a special show honoring Rod.

The Zombies played a series of shows in the U.S. in March and April. Their 2023 North American tour was cut short after Argent became ill with migraines, fatigue and exhaustion.

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Stevie Nicks is ready to make things right with her fans in Manchester and Glasgow.

Over the weekend the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer had to postpone her shows in both cities due to a leg injury that required a surgical procedure. But now she’s announced the rescheduled dates for the shows, with Stevie set to play Manchester’s Co-Op Live on July 16 and Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on July 24. 

But before both those shows, Stevie is set to headline BST Hyde Park in London on Friday. The show features a variety of special guests, including Brandi Carlile.

After wrapping her European dates in Glasgow, Stevie has two more shows on her schedule, both in the U.S. She’ll play Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Sept. 24 and Hershey Park, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 28. Her complete schedule can be found at stevienicksofficial.com.

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Elvis Costello fans got a bit of a surprise at his show in Philadelphia Wednesday night.

Earlier in the day, the rocker revealed in an Instagram Story that two members of his band The Imposters were “indisposed,” so he was going to “initially take the stage alone,” adding “surprises and hilarity will ensue.” 

According to setlist.fm, Costello opened the show at the The Mann Center for the Performing Arts with just his longtime collaborator Steve Nieve, explaining that Imposters band member Davey Faragher and guitarist Charlie Sexton had “fallen afoul of a bad piece of fish.” 

He then treated the crowd to a set that included classics like “Pump It Up,” “Accidents Will Happen,” “A Face in the Crowd” and more, before being joined by Imposters drummer Pete Thomas, who remained for the rest of the set.

He went on to play hits like “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes,” which was dedicated to Willie Nelson, “Alison,” “Everyday I Write The Book,” “Peace Love and Understanding” and more.

Costello is currently on a co-headlining tour with Daryl Hall. They play Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Friday. A complete list of dates can be found at elviscostello.com.

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On This Day, July 11, 1959…

Former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.

Sambora joined Bon Jovi in 1983, replacing the band’s original guitarist Dave Sabo, after he left the band to form Skid Row. Sambora was responsible for co-writing such Bon Jovi hits as “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “Livin’ on a Prayer,” and more.

Sambora appeared on 12 Bon Jovi albums, his last being 2013’s What About Now. He left the band in 2013 prior to a concert in Calgary, Canada. 

He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Bon Jovi in 2018 and reunited with the band for the induction. It was his last time performing with the members of Bon Jovi.

Outside of Bon Jovi, Sambora has released three solo albums, the last being 2012’s Aftermath of the Lowdown.

Sambora recently participated in Hulu’s Bon Jovi documentary, Thank You Good Night: The Bon Jovi Story, although in an interview he described the doc as Jon’s project and perspective.

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Phil Collins’ 1993 solo album, Both Sides, is getting a special reissue for its 30th anniversary.

Both Sides (All The Sides) will be released Sept. 20 as a deluxe-edition five-LP box set, featuring a remastered version of the original album, along with a bunch of extras. 

Those extras include early demos, rarities, single B-sides and live tracks, all of which are on vinyl for the first time. Live tracks include songs recorded during Collins’ MTV Unplugged performance, including “Can’t Turn Back the Years” and “Both Sides of the Story.”

The set comes in a slipcase with picture sleeves and includes a 16-page booklet featuring new liner notes written by journalist Michael Hann. 

Released in November 1993, Both Sides was Collins’ fifth solo album and the follow-up to 1989’s blockbuster #1 …But Seriously. It was a true solo album for Collins, as he performed, wrote and produced the album by himself at his home studio. It went to #1 in the U.K. and peaked at #13 in the U.S. 

Both Sides (All The Sides) is available for preorder now.

And in more Phil Collins news … a limited-edition 10-inch vinyl, Live From the Board: Official Bootleg, will be released for Record Store Day Black Friday on Nov. 29. The four-track EP, originally released in 1995, features songs recorded during 1994’s Both Sides tour. 

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After ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill passed away in July 2021, Elwood Francis, the band’s guitar tech, took over the job permanently, but he says he’s still not completely comfortable in the role. 

While it was Hill’s wish for Elwood take over for him, Elwood tells Guitar World it still feels “weird” having the gig, which he originally thought would just be temporary.

“When I first started doing it, Dusty was just sick and going home for a few weeks. It was entirely different; I was just helping out,” he says. “I didn’t have to worry about the weight of the crown because I was just helping.”

He adds, “They pulled me aside and said, ‘Can you honestly say you can’t play his parts?’ I said, ‘I can do it, but I don’t think people would enjoy me doing it.’ They said, ‘You can cover him for a few weeks.’” 

Elwood’s now been ZZ Top’s bassist for three years, but he still has mixed feelings about it.  

“We’d done some gigs when Dusty passed, and by that time, I wouldn’t say I was comfortable because I’m still not f***** comfortable,” he shares. “It’s just weird. Dusty is their bass player. I’m not the bass player.”

He adds, “I’m not in the band. I’ll never be in the band. I shouldn’t be in the band. It’s Dusty’s thing. Sure, I’ll still play with them, but it’s a weird thing, man.”

Elwood and ZZ Top are currently on tour overseas and will play London’s OVO Arena Wembley on Thursday. A complete list of dates can be found at zztop.com.

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