Classic Rock News

There are a lot of kids who get introduced to the music of The Beatles by their parents, and now the legendary group is out to teach those kids how to play their music, as well.

Children’s guitar brand Loog just announced a new partnership with Apple Corps Ltd. to launch The Beatles + Loog Collection, made up of nine new kid-sized, Beatle-inspired three-string guitars, six acoustic and three electric. 

Each of the acoustic guitars, recommended for children ages 3 and up, are designed to represent different stages in the Beatles’ career, including 1967, the Revolver era and their “Yellow Submarine” era. The electric guitars come in black, blue and white, and are good for children 6 and older.

“I started Loog not only to help kids play guitar, but also to foster curiosity around music – I can’t think of a better way for them to start their musical journey than with John, Paul, George and Ringo,” Rafael Atijas, founder and CEO of Loog, shares. “I’m beyond thrilled and honored to partner with The Beatles in our mission to get kids learning, playing and falling in love with music.”

Each Beatles-themed guitar comes with a Beatles strap, as well as picks, pins and stickers dedicated to the band. There’s also an activity book with Beatles games and trivia, and each guitar comes with access to a special Beatle section in the Loog app.

The Beatles + Loog Collection is available for preorder now, with instruments shipping in October.

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James Taylor is sharing his feelings after his planned performance at the Democratic National Convention Monday night was cut for time.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer took to Instagram to address his missing performance, letting fans know how much he enjoyed being there.

“It was exciting to see and hear so many of the speakers at the opening night of the Democratic convention here in Chicago,” he wrote, adding he and his singers “had a great rehearsal” earlier in the day.

“But it became clear, as the evening unfolded, that there wouldn’t be time for our ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ with cello and voices,” he says. “Maybe the organizers couldn’t anticipate the wild response from the floor of the United Center.”

Taylor apologized for disappointing those who had hoped to see him, but noted the evening was “a great and inspirational, quintessentially American moment,” adding, “We were honored to be there.”

The DNC is scheduled to run until Thursday.

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Paramount+ has premiered the trailer for Nöthin’ But a Good Time, an upcoming docuseries about the ’80s hair metal scene.

The clip teases interviews with Poison‘s Bret Michaels, Slipknot‘s Corey Taylor and comedian Steve-O as they talk about bands such as Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard and Skid Row.

“I’m honored to be part of this docuseries, named after the hit Poison song ‘Nothin’ But a Good Time,'” Michaels says in a statement. “I’m excited for viewers to take a fresh look at the fans and bands, highs and lows, and to celebrate the music and good times of the ’80s and beyond.”

He adds, “I hope the audience enjoys it as much as I did, and I can’t wait for them to have insight into some of those notoriously crazy moments!”

The three-part Nöthin’ But a Good Time premieres Sept. 17.

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Not long after he said in a recent interview that he knew his days were numbered, Rod Stewart had to postpone or cancel several shows due to strep throat and COVID-19. But Rod, 79, assures fans that he’s fine and he’s not secretly suffering from any health problems. 

Speaking to The Sun, Rod clarifies, “I appear to have been grossly misunderstood in that interview. When I said, ‘My days are numbered,’ it was purely in jest. Aren’t everybody’s days numbered? I am in embarrassingly wonderful health and enjoying life to the full. I am not dying as far as I know.”

Rod then repeats something else he said in the first interview: he’s training to attempt to break the world record for the 100-meter dash for a man his age. On top of that, he reiterates that he works out three or four times a week and adds, “I have completed over 70 shows this year all over the world and more to do.”

The singer continues, “I have a beautiful wife, eight children and three grandchildren. Life is good and I have a lot of life to live but I could still get knocked down by a number nine bus in the Charing Cross Road next week. All our days are numbered, but we just don’t know when.”

He calls the show cancellations “extremely unfortunate,” but notes that he’s already made up two of them and he’ll be back in Las Vegas next year.

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Elton John has paid tribute to talk show host Phil Donahue, who passed away Sunday from an undisclosed illness at the age of 88.

In a post on Elton’s Instagram Story — credited to Elton, David Furnish and the Elton John AIDS Foundation — Donahue was described as “a trailblazer who gave a voice to those affected by HIV and AIDS when stigma was at its peak.”

One of those voices Donahue had on his show was teenager Ryan White, who contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion.

Elton noted in his tribute that Donahue had Ryan on his show “when it was needed most and emphasized the importance of acceptance and empathy.” He added, “Phil helped to change hearts and minds and his legacy will forever be remembered. Rest in peace Phil.”

Ryan was a frequent guest on Donahue’s daytime talk show. At the time he was fighting with his local school district to be able to remain in school; he became a national spokesperson for the disease.

Elton became close with Ryan and his family. When Ryan died in 1990 at age 18, Elton was one of the pallbearers at his funeral and performed the song “Skyline Pigeon.” He often cited Ryan’s death as one of the things that motivated him to get sober.

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Eric Clapton has announced a trio of California dates.

The three-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will be heading to Southern California in October, playing San Diego’s Pechanga Arena on Oct. 8, Palm Desert’s Acrisure Arena on Oct. 10 and Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl on Oct. 12.

Ticket information can be found at ericclapton.com.

The concerts are scheduled ahead of Clapton’s appearance at the upcoming tribute concert for The Band’s Robbie Robertson. Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson is happening Oct. 17 at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum.

In addition to Clapton, it will feature Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Bruce Hornsby, Warren Haynes and more.

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Now that they’re no longer opening for Aerosmith, The Black Crowes have found some more time in their schedule, so they’re adding more dates to their upcoming Happiness Bastards Tour (The Reprise).

The rockers have added 14 new shows to the schedule, including stops in New Orleans, St. Louis, Tulsa, San Antonio, Austin, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. They’ve also rescheduled a handful of dates.

The tour will now kick off Sept. 27 in Northfield, Ohio, and will end with a two-night stand in Port Chester, New York, Dec. 21 and Dec. 22.

Tickets for all new shows go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. A complete list of dates can be found at theblackcrowes.com. 

The Black Crowes were originally scheduled to be the special guest on Aerosmith’s Peace Out tour, which was due to kick off in September. In early August, Aerosmith announced the tour was canceled and they were retiring from the road due to frontman Steven Tyler’s vocal troubles.

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Foreigner fans are getting a new song.

After teasing fans on social media, the band just announced a new greatest hits compilation, Turning Back the Time. It will be released Oct. 4, ahead of the band’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.

The title of the 18-track album is also the one previously unreleased tune that appears on it, “Turning Back the Time.” Originally recorded in 1996, the song features vocals by Lou Gramm and was co-written by Mick Jones, Gramm and Marti Frederiksen.

“Foreigner’s membership in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a priceless highlight of my career,” Jones shares. “I hope that this collection of the songs that brought us here, along with some later recordings that light our way forward, will mean as much to all who listen to them as they do to me.” 

Regarding the new song, Jones adds, “The sentiment of the song spoke to us now more than ever and with the upcoming Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, we thought it an ideal time to let the world hear it.”

You can listen to “Turning Back the Time” now via digital outlets.

In addition to the new tune, the album includes songs from Foreigner’s first six albums, including classics like “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Double Vision,” “Juke Box Hero” and “I Want To Know What Love Is.” It also features one song, “When It Comes to Love,” with the band’s current lead singer, Kelly Hansen.

Turning Back the Time is available for preorder now.

Foreigner is set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Oct. 19 at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The ceremony will stream live on Disney+, followed by a special airing on ABC at a later date.

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On This Day, Aug. 20, 1988 …

Former Traffic guitarist Steve Winwood hit #1 on the Billboard 200 Album chart with his fifth studio album, Roll With It. It would be his only #1 album as a solo artist. 

The album’s title track hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it spent four weeks. It was Winwood’s second and final solo chart-topper. He previously hit #1 with 1986’s “Higher Love.”

Several other singles were released from Roll With It, including “Don’t You Know What the Night Can Do?,” which was featured in a Michelob beer commercial, “Holding On” and “Hearts on Fire.”

The album went on to earn Winwood a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year, while the title track was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Performance.

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The life and music of Tom Petty will be celebrated by his hometown of Gainesville, Florida, this fall, and one of his former bandmates will be on hand to help.

Petty’s official Instagram account just shared details of the 2024 Tom Petty Weekend, revealing that original Heartbreakers drummer Stan Lynch will be part of the festivities. 

“We are super excited that Heartbreaker Stan Lynch will be part of the tribute this year,” the post notes, sharing that Lynch will be performing with his band The Speaker Wars, featuring musician Jon Christoper Davis.

The 2024 Tom Petty Weekend is happening Oct. 10 to Oct. 13 at Heartwood Soundstage, with The War and Treaty and many others also on the bill.

The celebration takes place a week before what would have been Petty’s 74th birthday on Oct. 20. Since Petty’s death in 2017, the city of Gainesville has been celebrating Petty’s birthday, with the event’s website sharing that “each year has witnessed a pilgrimage of thousands of fans worldwide to Gainesville, fostering a weekend of camaraderie and shared passion for music.”

More info and tickets can be found at tompettyweekend.com.

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