Classic Rock News

Back in July, The Zombies‘ Rod Argent announced his retirement from touring due to health issues, and now his bandmates have planned a tribute concert celebrating his career.

The Zombies: A Tribute to Rod Argent will take place during the band’s annual Begin Here Festival, which is taking place Nov. 8-10 in their hometown of St. Albans, England, about 20 miles outside of London.

“After Rod’s difficult decision to retire from touring this year, we decided to celebrate his legacy by putting on a show in his honour!” the band announced on social media.

The concert, taking place Nov. 9 at Eric Morecambe Centre in Harpenden in St. Albans, will feature Argent’s Zombie bandmates Colin Blunstone, Steve Rodford, Tom Toomey and Søren Koch, along with Danny Mattin on keyboards and special guests Russ Ballard, Tanita Tikaram and Milly Riquelme.

Tickets are on sale now.

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The 40th anniversary of Iron Maiden’s fifth studio album, Powerslave, is being celebrated with a limited-edition zoetrope vinyl picture disc release.

The picture disc, coming Nov. 15, will include remastered audio, along with new unique zoetrope artwork and new liner notes from Iron Maiden founder Steve Harris. There will also be a Walmart exclusive that comes with a 3D lenticular print of the album’s artwork.

Released Sept. 3, 1984, Powerslave featured singles “2 Minutes to Midnight” and “Aces High,” along with the over 13-minute fan favorite “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” inspired by Samuel Taylor Coleridge‘s poem.

The album was a top 40 hit in the U.S., peaking at #21, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. It went to #2 in the U.K. and was a top 10 hit in several other countries.

The Powerslave 40th Anniversary Zoetrope edition is available for preorder now.

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Patti Smith has been added to the lineup of this year’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, happening Oct. 4-6 at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.

Smith is set to play the festival’s closing night, which also features Brandy Clark, Emmylou Harris, Yo La Tengo, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Wood Brothers and more. 

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is now in its 24th year and is a free music festival with over 70 artists performing on six different stages. Other artists on the bill include Mavis Staples, Glen Hansard, Cat Power performing Bob Dylan‘s legendary 1966 London concert, Robyn Hitchcock, Sleater-Kinney, and Steve Earle featuring Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway.

More info on the festival can be found at hardlystrictlybluegrass.com.

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Billy Joel wrapped up his 10-year residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden on July 25, and now the numbers are in.

According to Billboard, the residency, which featured Billy playing one show per month at the legendary venue, earned just under $267 million and sold 1.9 million tickets over 104 shows since it launched in 2014. Every one of those shows sold out, for an average of 18,600 tickets per show. 

Over 10 years, ticket prices increased from about $2 million in earnings from those first shows to the final show, which took in $5 million.

Billboard notes that Billy’s residency is now the third-highest-grossing concert residency in the history of the publication’s Boxscore concert tallies, which began in the mid-’80s. The only two that have earned more have been Celine Dion‘s A New Day, which earned just over $385 million from 2003 to 2007 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and her second residency show, Celine, which earned just over $296 million from 2011 to 2019.

U2‘s 40-show run at Sphere in Las Vegas was previously in third place with $244.5 million, until these new numbers knocked them down to fourth place.

The CBS special Billy Joel: The 100th — Live at Madison Square Garden, which documented the 100th show of the residency, won three trophies at the Creative Arts Emmys, held in LA Sept. 7 and 8.

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Stevie Nicks appears to have been inspired by Taylor Swift’s recent social media post endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president.

The Fleetwood Mac singer has shared her own thoughts on the upcoming election, posting a photo that mirrored Taylor’s photo with her cat, except Stevie is posing with her dog. 

“As my friend @taylorswift so eloquently stated, now is the time to research and choose the candidate that speaks to you and your beliefs,” Stevie shared.

While Stevie didn’t outright endorse any candidate in her post, she urged her followers to make their voices heard.

“Only 54 days left until the election,” she wrote. “Make sure you are registered to vote! Your vote in this election may be one of the most important things you ever do.” 

And like Taylor, who signed her post “Childless Cat Lady,” Stevie signed hers “Childless Dog Lady.” Both are references to past comments made by Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance.

Stevie and Taylor have been supporters of each other for years. Back in July, during her show in Dublin that Stevie attended, Taylor called the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer “a hero of mine,” then performed her song “Clara Bow” off The Tortured Poets Department, which name-checks Stevie in the lyrics.

Stevie showed her appreciation for the song by writing a poem, “For T – and me …,” that’s included in The Tortured Poets Department.

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The upcoming docuseries Nöthin’ But a Good Time promises to be the Uncensored Story of ’80s Metal, but you may be hoping for some restrictions in a new clip from the show involving Ozzy Osbourne.

In the clip, which premiered via Entertainment Weekly, Stephen Pearcy of Ratt tells a charming tale about a particularly gross activity the Prince of Darkness would partake in while staying at hotels.

“In nice hotels, you put your shoes out, have these shined,” Pearcy says. “So [Ozzy] goes hobbling down the hall, and he literally pulls his pants down and he just takes a big s*** in these shoes.”

The clip also includes an animated reenactment of the alleged incident, in case you couldn’t, or didn’t want to, use your imagination.

In what is probably the understatement of the year, Pearcy adds, “Anyway, dude was f****** nuts.”

Nöthin’ But a Good Time premieres Sept. 17 on Paramount+. It also features Poison‘s Bret Michaels, Extreme‘s Nuno Bettencourt and Skid Row‘s Dave “Snake” Sabo, as well as Slipknot‘s Corey Taylor and comedian Steve-O.

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Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour is getting ready to hit the road on his Luck and Strange tour, but a few lucky fans in England will get to see a preview of what he’s planning.

Gilmour just announced he’s headlining two special rehearsal concerts, an evening show on Sept. 20 and a matinee on Sept. 21, at the Brighton Centre in Brighton, England. 

Fans who either order or have already purchased Gilmour’s recent solo album, Luck and Strange, through his website get first shot at tickets, which cost less than $40 each.

Gilmour’s Luck and Strange tour kicks off Sept. 27 in Rome, Italy. He hits the States Oct. 25 in Los Angeles, with shows in New York to follow. A complete list of dates can be found at davidgilmour.com.

And speaking of concert tickets, Gilmour just weighed in on the controversy over the high price of tickets to the upcoming Oasis reunion shows, specifically the practice of dynamic pricing, where tickets go up in price based on demand.

After sharing in a new ITV interview that a Pink Floyd reunion wasn’t likely to happen because the three surviving members — Gilmour, Roger Waters and Nick Mason — aren’t on speaking terms, Gilmour was asked about the Gallagher brothers’ reunion.

“Oasis should do what’s right for them,” he said, but noted about the ticket controversy, “Chose a ticket price and stick to it.”

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Kansas has announced a replacement for their bassist and co-lead vocalist Billy Greer, who recently announced his retirement after close to 40 years with the band.

The rockers announced on social media that Dan McGowan, who has already filled in for Greer at shows in 2024, will be taking on the gig full time.

“I am thrilled and honored to be joining KANSAS,” McGowan shares. “I am also deeply aware of the gigantic shoes that I will be filling … I want the fans to know that I love the music of KANSAS, and I hold it in highest reverence.”

He adds, “I am committed to doing justice to the band’s incredible legacy, and I am so grateful for this unbelievable opportunity!”

McGowan’s resume includes being the singer and guitarist for the progressive rock band The Tea Club, who are set to release their sixth album this year. He also played with Kansas keyboardist Tom Brislin in his band Gold Rotation.

Greer has been a member of Kansas since 1985 and appeared on seven of the band’s studio albums.

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On This Day, Sept. 11, 1982…

John Mellencamp, then known as John Cougar, had the #1 album in the country, with his fifth studio album American Fool. It was his first and only #1 record.

The album spent nine weeks at #1, and produced the #1 single, “Jack and Diane,” which spent four weeks in the top spot.

Another single, “Hurt So Good,” spent four weeks at #2 and 16 weeks in the top 10, while a third, “Hand to Hold On To,” peaked at #19.

“Hurts So Good” went on to win Mellencamp a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.

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Queen fans will soon be able to experience their 1973 debut album in a whole new way.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are set to release a remixed and remastered version of the self-titled album on Oct. 25, with an expanded collector’s edition that comes with six CDs and one LP, featuring 63 tracks with 43 brand new mixes.

The set, now titled Queen I, will include the original album with a new track listing, along with its originally intended running order, and the addition of “Mad the Swine,” a song that was absent from the 1973 release. There are also alternative takes, demos and rare live tracks, along with “fly-on-the-wall audio” that gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at Queen in the studio. 

It also comes with a 108-page book featuring handwritten lyrics and memorabilia.

“Queen I is the debut album we always dreamed of bringing to you,” guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor share.

In the new liner notes, May adds, “This is not just a remaster, this is a brand new 2024 rebuild of the entire Queen debut album, which, with the benefit of hindsight, we have re-titled Queen I.”  

And Queen is offering up the first preview of the set with the Oct. 4 release of a 7-inch single of the new mix of “The Night Comes Down.” The track will also be available immediately to anyone who preorders the digital version of the album.

In addition to the box set, Queen I will be released as a single CD and two-CD deluxe edition, as well as on vinyl, picture disc and cassette. 

All formats are available for preorder now.

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