Classic Rock News

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Jorma Kaukonen is hitting the road in celebration of his 85th birthday.

The Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna guitarist has announced what is being described as a career-spanning tour. It will hit four major cities in the U.S., starting in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 1.

The tour will then head to New York on Nov. 29, followed by San Francisco on Dec. 5 and Denver on Dec. 13.

Each show will see Kaukonen joined by his Hot Tuna bandmate Jack Casady, along with instrumentalist Ross Garren and drummer Justin Guip. He will also welcome special guests in select cities, including Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Jim Lauderdale, Steve Earle, Larry Campbell and Bruce Cockburn.

Information on tickets and special guests at each show can be found at JormaKaukonen.com.

In addition to the tour, Kaukonen will be releasing a special live album, Wabash Avenue, for Record Store Day Black Friday on Nov. 28. The release features recordings he made in 1965, before joining Jefferson Airplane.

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Queen has been named the U.K.’s most played rock act of the 21st century by the music rights organization PPL.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers earned the honor with 400 million seconds, or the equivalent of 12 1/2 years, of continuous play on U.K. radio and TV over the past century.

When it comes to Queen songs, “A Kind of Magic,” the title track of their 1986 album, is their most played track of the 21st century. That’s followed by “I Want To Break Free,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Radio Ga-Ga” and “Somebody To Love.”

“Astounding news!” Queen’s Brian May says. “Bearing in mind that most of Queen’s major works were done in the 20th century, it’s amazing to top a 21st century list. Big thanks to all our fans.”

The list was released in honor of the U.K.’s upcoming National Album Day on Oct. 18. Landing just behind Queen on the list is David Bowie, with U2, Oasis and Fleetwood Mac rounding out the top five.

Other artists in the top 10 include The Rolling Stones at #7 and The Police at #8.

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Tickets haven’t even gone on sale yet but Rush has already added shows to their Fifty Something tour, the first Rush tour since 2015.

The band has added two more shows each in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Toronto and Fort Worth, Texas, bringing their stands to four nights in each city. They are also adding a second night in Cleveland.

A Rush artist presale will begin Oct. 13 at 12 p.m. local time for the U.S. and Canada, and Oct. 16 at 12 p.m. local time for Mexico. Fans need to register by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET for a chance to participate. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Oct. 17 at 12 p.m. local time for the U.S. and Canada, and 11 a.m. local time for Mexico.

A complete list of dates and more ticket information can be found at Rush.com.

Rush’s Fifty Something tour will be the first time Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have toured as Rush since the death of drummer Neil Peart in 2020. Playing drums on the tour will be Anika Nilles, who previously worked with the late Jeff Beck.

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(NOTE LANGUAGE) Yungblud has responded to criticisms of his performance on the MTV Video Music Awards in tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne.

The topic came up during Yungblud’s guest appearance on the Trying Not to Die podcast, which is co-hosted by Ozzy’s son, Jack Osbourne. 

“You’ll never see someone that’s bigger or more emotionally evolved than you talk s*** on you,” Yungblud says. “You ain’t ever gonna see f****** [Metallica frontman] James Hetfield slag off a young rock star, because he’s James f****** Hetfield. … They don’t need to insert themselves into a conversation, because they’re emotionally evolved and they know what it takes to get somewhere.”

While neither Yungblud nor Jack mention any critics by name, The Darkness guitarist Dan Hawkins made headlines when he called the VMA performance, which also featured Aerosmith‘s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry and Extreme‘s Nuno Bettencourt, “Cynical, nauseating and more importantly; s***.”

“All I was trying to do was my best for your old man, because he gave me such a gift,” Yungblud tells Jack. “When people try and intellectualize a sense of spirit and six musicians on a stage going, ‘I f****** love you, man,’ it’s just bitter and jealous.”

Jack also refutes the idea of Yungblud “inserting himself” into Ozzy’s narrative, sharing that he’s long been a friend of the Osbourne family.

“They are doing the things that they say we are doing,” Yungblud says of the critics. “They’re trying to insert themselves into a conversation to obtain some kind of relevancy, on the back of us honoring one of the greatest rock stars that ever lived. And then they talk about authenticity and stuff like that. And it’s like, I just loved your dad.”

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Bruce Springsteen has pushed back the release date for his upcoming box set, Nebraska ’82: Expanded Edition, dedicated to his 1982 solo album.

Originally scheduled for Oct. 17, Springsteen revealed on Instagram that the set will now come out one week later, on Oct. 24, “due to delays in production.”

Nebraska ‘82: Expanded Edition will feature previously unreleased material, including the long-rumored “Electric Nebraska.” There are also solo outtakes, including additional songs from Springsteen’s original Nebraska home recordings that didn’t make the album, as well as recordings from a 1982 solo studio session.

The set also features a 2025 remaster of the album and a present-day recording of Springsteen performing Nebraska in its entirety at New Jersey’s Count Basie Theatre, with the performance also included on Blu-ray.

Nebraska ‘82: Expanded Edition will be released in four-LP plus Blu-ray and four-CD plus Blu-ray configurations. It is available for preorder now.

The new release date means the set will come out on the same day as the movie Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, which focuses on the making of Nebraska. It stars Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen and Jeremy Strong as his manager, Jon Landau.

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On This Day, Oct. 8, 1980…

Talking Heads released their fourth studio album, Remain in Light, which wound up being their final album with producer Brian Eno.

The record, which blended African funk with electronics, peaked at #19 on the Billboard 200 chart, their highest charting album at the time.

Remain in Light contained the future Talking Heads classic “Once in a Lifetime.” Although the song didn’t initially land on the Billboard Hot 100, a live version from the soundtrack to their iconic 1984 concert movie, Stop Making Sense, proved to be more popular, and landed on the Hot 100.

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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced the initial list of performers and presenters for the 2025 induction ceremony, happening in November.

This year’s list of guests include Elton John, Beck, Iggy Pop, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea, The Pretty Reckless’ Taylor Momsen and Twenty One Pilots.

Others scheduled to appear include Brandi Carlile, David Letterman, Doja Cat, rapper J.I.D., Run The Jewels rapper Killer Mike, R&B star Maxwell, rapper Missy Elliott, pop star Olivia Rodrigo, Questlove, British pop star RAYE, singer Sleepy Brown and pop star Teddy Swims.

This year’s inductees include Bad Company, Joe Cocker, Soundgarden, The White Stripes, Salt-N-Pepa, Chubby Checker and Outkast. In addition, Warren Zevon is being inducted in the Musical Influence category, while producer Thom Bell, guitarist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carole Kaye will be inducted for Musical Excellence.

While the Hall of Fame didn’t mention who would be inducting or performing for which of this year’s inductees, it is significant to note that in 2020 Carlile recorded an EP with the surviving members of Soundgarden for Record Store Day. In addition, Momsen performed at the 2019 Los Angeles tribute concert for the band’s late frontman Chris Cornell.

And Letterman also has a strong connection to Zevon. In 2002, after revealing he had been diagnosed with mesothelioma, Zevon was the sole guest on an episode of Letterman’s The Late Show where he made his final public performance. He passed away in September 2003.

The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is happening Nov. 8 in Los Angeles, and will stream live on Disney+ starting at 8 p.m. ET. ABC will also air a highlights special on Jan. 1 at 8 p.m. ET and it’ll be available the next day on Hulu.

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Artwork by the late Grateful Dead founder Jerry Garcia is being highlighted in a new dice game.

Jerry Garcia’s Cosmic Journey, a collaboration between Jerry Garcia’s family and game designers Twogether Studios, is being described as “an easy to learn dice game for people of all ages.”

Fun for up to eight players, the game has folks taking a journey through Jerry’s art, collecting “Bummer” tokens on the way. After there are no more tokens to collect, the participants begin their journey home, with the first one to get rid of all their “Bummers” declared the winner.

“We’re excited to partner with an independent company full of creative and imaginative individuals,” says the rocker’s daughter Trixie Garcia. “It’s been a true grassroots effort, and we’ve enjoyed seeing it grow into something that will bring people together.”

“My dad’s legacy lives on through moments of joy, laughter, and connection,” she adds. “Like music, games foster community, and Jerry Garcia’s Cosmic Journey is a whimsical way for fans to keep that spirit alive wherever the road may lead. Let’s get together and play!”

Jerry Garcia’s Cosmic Journey is available for preorder now.

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Bruce Springsteen is looking back at a classic show in his home state of New Jersey.

The rocker just released a recording of his July 6, 1981, concert, which is significant because it was part of his first-ever stand at the then-new Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The concert, part of Springsteen’s The River tour, was one of six shows The Boss played to open the venue. They were also Springsteen’s first-ever arena shows in the Garden State; prior to Brendan Byrne’s opening, New Jersey didn’t have an arena to play in.

The 27-song set opens with “Thunder Road” and features such tunes as “Prove It All Night,” “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” “The River,” “Badlands,” “Jungleland” and “Born to Run,” along with covers of Jimmy Cliff’s “Trapped,” Woody Guthrie‘s “This Land Is Your Land” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain.”

The show is now available to stream or purchase at nugs.net.

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Stevie Nicks has shared a cryptic tease on Instagram, and some think it could mean a new Barbie is on the way.

“I’m so excited to announce something very special coming in two weeks,” she wrote. “stay tuned for more details!”

The post was accompanied by a photo of what appears to be a pair of doll’s legs wearing white heels, covered by leg warmers. It also looks like the doll is wearing a white flowing dress.

“Bella Donna barbie is coming!” one fan wrote in the comments, a reference to her 1981 solo debut. Another guessed, “White winged dove Barbie omggg,” referencing a lyric in her tune “Edge of Seventeen.”

Mattel launched its first Stevie Nicks Barbie doll back in October 2023, with Stevie showing it off onstage at a concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The original had her wearing a black outfit inspired by the one Stevie wore on the cover of Rumours.

The doll quickly sold out and then got a limited rerelease in July 2024.

The real-life Stevie is currently on a solo tour and is set to play Phoenix on Tuesday. A complete list of dates can be found at StevieNicksOfficial.com.

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