Classic Rock News

AC/DC’s 50th anniversary is being celebrated with a new luxury watch collection.

Swiss luxury watchmaker Franck Muller has just unveiled the AC/DC 50th Anniversary limited-edition collection, which, according to the description, was created to “honor the band’s global acclaim and enduring legacy.” 

The collection includes 50 watches in polished stainless steel and another 50 in brushed black titanium. All feature AC/DC’s 1974 logo with the words “50 Years” underneath, with red numbers that are a homage to the first AC/DC lightning bolt.

There are also guitar strings at the center inspired by Angus Young’s Gibson, with a buckle that features the AC/DC lightning bolt. The watches come with an outer box that looks like a concert flight case, with the AC/DC logo on it. 

But these watches don’t come cheap, with both versions costing over $10,000. They are available online, and at Franck Muller Boutiques or authorized retailers worldwide.

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Bon Jovi is in a battle for #1 in the U.K.

The band’s new album, FOREVER, is currently the front-runner to top the U.K. Official Album chart, which would make it the New Jersey rockers’ sixth U.K. #1. 

But while Bon Jovi is currently leading the race, they’re facing some stiff competition from Charli XCX’s new album, BRAT, which as of Tuesday is only 1,300 chart units behind FOREVER.

If Bon Jovi’s album indeed nabs the top spot, it will be their first U.K. #1 since 2000’s Crush. They first landed on the top of the chart with 1988’s New Jersey, which was followed by 1992’s Keep The Faith, the 1994 greatest hits album Cross Road and 1995’s These Days.

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Back in 2015, glam rocker Gary Glitter, best known for his song “Rock & Roll Part 2,” was convicted of sexually assaulting three young girls between the years of 1975 and 1980, and now he’s been ordered to compensate one of his victims.  

A judge in the U.K. has ordered Glitter to pay more than $600,000 to the anonymous victim, who was only 12 years old when the abuse took place backstage at one of Glitter’s Birmingham concerts in 1997.

Glitter, born Paul Gadd, was sentenced to 16 years in prison following his 2015 conviction on counts of attempted rape, indecent assault and sexual intercourse with a girl under 13. After being released on probation in February 2023, he was sent back to jail one month later for violating his probation.

The compensation ordered by the judge covers general, aggravated and special damages, as well as damages for loss of earnings and compensation for future therapy.

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As they get ready to launch their Renegades & Juke Box Heroes co-headlining tour, Foreigner and Styx have announced that a very special compilation album will be available during stops on the trek. 

The album, also called Renegades & Juke Box Heroes, will feature live recordings of 13 classic hits, including Foreigner’s “Feels Like The First Time,” “Cold As Ice” and “I Want To Know What Love Is,” and Styx’s “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights),” “Come Sail Away” and “Renegade.”

A limited number of copies will be available on the tour on picture disc and silver vinyl. Only 1,000 picture disc copies will be sold, along with 5,000 individually numbered silver disc copies.

The album is also available for streaming, and the picture disc will then be available for purchase on both bands’ websites starting July 12, with the silver edition available on Amazon the same day.

The Renegades & Juke Box Heroes tour, featuring special guest John Waite, kicks off Tuesday in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A complete list of dates can be found at foreigneronline.com and styxworld.com.

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Judas Priest has added a second North American leg to their tour supporting their new album, Invincible Shield.

The newly announced dates will run from Sept. 13 in Montreal to Oct. 26 in Irving, Texas. Presales begin Wednesday; tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit JudasPriestInvincibleShield.com.

Invincible Shield, the 19th Priest album and the first in six years, dropped in March. The first U.S. leg of the tour ran through April and May.

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Looks like new music may be on the way from Def Leppard.

The band shared a cryptic post on social media featuring a rotary phone on fire, with the words “Light up the fuel” and two phone numbers.

The caption added, “Light up the fuel. Just Like 73. Hotline Now Open. UK: 020 3932 8088 // US: +1 818-286-4006.” When called, the number prompts you to hit #1 to hear “an exclusive snippet of ‘Just Like 73,’” which appears to be a new song from the band.

“Just Like 73” would be the first new music from Def Leppard since they released their 2022 album, Diamond Star Halos. In 2023 they released the new album Drastic Symphonies, but that featured reworked versions of their classic tunes backed by an orchestra.

Def Leppard is gearing up for a new summer tour with Journey. The stadium tour, featuring Heart, Steve Miller Band and Cheap Trick, kicks off July 6 in St. Louis. A complete list of dates can be found at defleppard.com.

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Roger Daltrey kicked off his solo acoustic tour Monday in Glenside, Pennsylvania, treating the audience to a mix of The Who classics, covers and more.

According to setlist.fm, Daltrey opened the show with his Who bandmate Pete Townshend’s solo song, “Let My Love Open The Door.” He then treated the crowd to several Who tunes, including “Who Are You,” “The Kids Are Alright,” “Squeeze Box,” “Baba O’Riley” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” although the latter was missing Daltrey’s signature scream.

“For 50 years at least I have been doing the scream of ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again,’ and I’ve had enough of it,” Roger told the audience, as seen in fan-shot footage posted to YouTube. “It’s brutal, let me tell you. It is a brutal thing to do. I mean, I’ve nearly wrecked my voice so many times.”

He added that he used to go home from Who shows every night with no voice due to that “bloody scream,” adding, “So I’ve retired from the scream, but I’m still gonna play the song.” 

In addition to Who songs, Daltrey played solo tracks like “Waiting For A Friend,” “After the Fire” and “Without Your Love,” as well as covers of Leo Sayer’s “Giving It All Away” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain.” 

Daltrey’s tour hits Wolf Trap, Virginia, on Wednesday. A complete list of dates can be found at thewho.com.

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On This Day, June 11, 1988…

Sting, Dire Straits, Eric Clapton and Peter Gabriel were among the artists who performed at a 70th birthday tribute concert for imprisoned anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela at Wembley Stadium in London. 

The concert was broadcast to 67 countries, to an audience of 600 million.

Other artists on the bill included Eurythmics, Joe Cocker, Bryan Adams, Jackson Browne, George Michael, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Tracy Chapman, UB40, Simple Minds, Stevie Van Zandt and more.

Mandela, whose actual birthday was July 18, was released from prison in 1990 and went on to serve as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

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Foreigner and Styx are about to launch their Renegades & JukeBox Heroes Tour 2024 and they’re getting fans pumped with a brand new official tour playlist filled with hits.

The 18-track list, streaming on Spotify, features such classic Foreigner tracks as “Jukebox Hero,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Head Games” and “I Wanna Know What Love Is,” along with Styx hits like “Renegade,” “Too Much Time On My Hands,” “Mr. Roboto,” “Come Sail Away” and “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights).”

The tour’s opener, John Waite, is also represented with “Change” and “Missing You,” as well as “When I See You Smile,” the #1 song from the Waite-fronted band Bad English.

Foreigner and Styx’s Renegades & JukeBox Heroes Tour 2024 launches Tuesday in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A complete list of dates can be found at foreigneronline.com and styxworld.com.

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Sammy Hagar is expanding his annual birthday bash.

The rocker just announced he’ll be celebrating his 77th birthday in two cities this year, Las Vegas and Cabo San Lucas.

“Every year we try to do something a little different with the birthday bash shows to accommodate the tens of thousands of requests,” Sammy shares. “So this year this should help a few thousand more people be a part of the birthday shows and the island at the Palms closing for the winter, it’s a double celebration in Las Vegas.”

Sammy is set to headline the Palms in Vegas on Oct. 4 and 5, before heading down to the Cabo Wabo Cantina in Mexico on Oct. 11 and 13, the latter being Sammy’s actual birthday. All shows will feature Sammy with Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Vic Johnson and drummer Kenny Aronoff.

“I hope everyone is happy with this year’s concept. I can’t wait,” Sammy adds. “What a way to close the year out and flip another number 77 wow 0077 sounds like a lucky one to me.”

Tickets for the Vegas shows go on sale June 21, with a fan presale kicking off June 18. Fans interested in going to Cabo need to register in advance, with tickets handed out through a random drawing. 

But before Sammy celebrates 77, he’ll be hitting the road on his The Best Of All Worlds Tours, which kicks off July 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at redrocker.com.

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