Classic Rock News

Nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame were announced on Saturday, February 10, and several of this year’s contenders have taken to social media to share their reactions to the news.

Mick Jones, the only original member of Foreigner still touring with the band, shared, “I deeply appreciate the recognition from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame committee. It is wonderful that FOREIGNER has maintained its presence all these years and brought the music to our fans.”  

He added, “Getting this news today is an incredible endorsement of what we have achieved over time.”

Peter Frampton first joked, “Wait, you mean I’m not already in the @rockhall ?!” He then shared that he was “thrilled” with the nomination. 

 “For a long time you, my friends, have been telling me I should be in it,” he wrote. ” So now that I’m nominated, I’m going to ask you a huge favour.” He then asked fans to vote for him, noting, “Then I’ll see you in Cleveland this Fall. Thank you all!” 

Ozzy Osbourne, who’s already in the Hall as a member of Black Sabbath, said he’s “deeply honored” to be considered as a solo artist, noting it’s “something I could never have imagined.” He added, “After 44 years as a solo artist the fact that I can continue to record music and receive this recognition is something I am incredibly proud of.”

Finally, Lenny Kravitz shared, “Woke up to this! Grateful to be nominated for this prestigious honor, @rockhall.”

The Hall of Fame fan vote is open until April 26; fans can vote for up to seven artists daily. Ozzy is currently in the lead, followed by Frampton and Foreigner.

Inductees will be announced in April, and the 2024 induction ceremony will take place in Cleveland in the fall. 

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On This Day, February 12, 1997…

During a press conference in the lingerie department of a K-Mart in Greenwich Village, New York, U2 announced they would be heading out on what they were calling the Pop Mart world tour. 

The band performed one song during the press conference, “Holy Joe,” a B-side of their recently released single “Discothèque” from the album Pop.

The Pop Mart world tour kicked off April 25 in Las Vegas, and featured an elaborate stage setup that included a 165-foot-wide LED screen, a 100-foot-high golden arch and a large mirror-ball lemon.

In all, the tour consisted of five legs and 93 shows. In addition to North America, Europe and Asia, the tour brought U2 to South America, South Africa and Israel for the first time.

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After teasing some big news for the past week, AC/DC has finally spilled the beans and as many suspected, they’re hitting the road. 

The rockers just announced dates for the Power Up tour, which will feature Angus Young, Brian Johnson and Steve Young, joined by Matt Laug behind the drum kit in place of Phil Rudd, and Jane’s Addiction’s Chris Chaney filling in on bass for Cliff Williams.

The tour is set to kick off with a two-night stand in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, May 17 and 21, with the trek hitting Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, England, Slovakia, Belgium and France, before wrapping with an August 17 show at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland.

So far no U.S. dates have been announced. Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, February 16. A complete schedule can be found at acdc.com.

AC/DC released their most recent album, Power Up, in 2020, but were unable to tour behind it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new tour is their first trek since 2016, although they did return to the stage in October, headlining the Power Trip festival in Indio, California, alongside Metallica, Judas Priest and more.

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Even though Ed Sheeran has written some of the most inescapable hits of the past 10 years — and is good pals with his old friend Elton John, to boot — Rod Stewart claims to be unfamiliar with the chart-topping, multi-Platinum artist’s work.

In an interview with The Times, Rod is asked whether he believes that “timeless” songs are still being made. “I’m sure they are,” he says. “Like ‘Maggie May’? Classics that will be played in 50 years?” When the interviewer says yes, that’s what he means, Rod declares that he likes “Whatshisname … he’s British, really talented and his songs will be around.” 

When the interviewer tries to help by suggesting that perhaps Rod means Ed Sheeran, Rod replies, “No, not Ed, I don’t know any of his songs.” He then refers to Ed as “old ginger bollocks.”

Turns out Rod was thinking of George Ezra, a singer/songwriter who in the U.S. is best known for his 2013 song “Budapest.” “I think he writes really tremendous songs. He’ll be around for quite a while,” says Rod. 

But Sir Rod questions the motivation of other young artists these days.

“The people I came up with — the Stones, Elton — we all came into it because we loved the music,” he says. “Money and fame didn’t factor — it was a burning ambition to sing. That may have changed. Now it’s more, ‘Ooh, let’s have a go at music. I don’t even have to play well. Maybe I’ll get rich.’ Fame comes before everything. All kids want is fame.”

Rod’s new album, Swing Fever, is out February 23. He’s set to perform a co-headlining show with Billy Joel in Cleveland on September 13. He tells The Times, “I’m knocked out by that!”

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Billy Joel is getting ready to wrap his Madison Square Garden residency this year, and now fans who haven’t been able to make it to New York for a show are going to get a chance to see what all the fuss is about.

CBS just announced a brand new special, The 100th: Billy Joel At Madison Square Garden – The Greatest Arena Run Of All Time, which will be recorded during the Piano Man’s 100th residency show on March 28 and air on the network on April 14.

The concert will be the first Billy concert ever to air on a broadcast network.

Joel, who recently performed his brand new tune “Turn the Lights Back On” during the Grammys, launched his MSG residency on January 27, 2014.  He will end the residency on July 25, which will be his 150th career concert at the legendary Big Apple venue. 

Billy’s 2024 schedule also includes dates with Sting, Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart. A complete list of shows can be found at billyjoel.com.

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February marks the 60th anniversary of The Beatles touching down in America, and the anniversary is being celebrated with a unique collectable Beatles fans will want to get their hands on.

Crosley Radio has teamed up with Apple Corps Ltd. and Bravado to release a limited-edition 1964 Beatles Mini Three Inch Turntable, which is a fully functional piece of audio equipment. Crosley, a founding sponsor of Record Store Day, will release the mini turntable in stores for the upcoming Record Store Day on April 20.

The mini turntable has regular turntable features like a headphone jack, adjustable pitch control and more, and also gives music fans the ability to stream vinyl using external speakers with a Bluetooth transmitter. It also comes with four 3-inch Beatles releases, featuring the songs the band played on The Ed Sullivan Show, “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Till There Was You,” “I Saw Her Standing There” and “She Loves You.”

The four songs will also be available separately in a limited release vinyl pressing in the 3-inch format.

“Crosley is so proud to be a founding sponsor of Record Store Day and a supporter of independent record stores,” said Crosley President Keith Starr. “We love to create unique products that can make each year something special for music fans, and we are more than excited to finally share the 1964 Beatles Mini Record Player with everyone.”

Participating Record Store Day locations can be found at recordstoreday.com.

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Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Frampton, Oasis and the late Sinéad O’Connor are among the nominees to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.

Also on the ballot are Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Jane’s Addiction, Lenny Kravitz, Cher, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Sade, A Tribe Called Quest, Kool & the Gang and Eric B. & Rakim.

Of the 15 nominees, 10 are being nominated for the first time: Osbourne, Frampton, Oasis, O’Connor, Foreigner, Cher, Carey, Kravitz, Sade and Kool & the Gang. Ozzy was previously inducted as a member of Black Sabbath, but is being nominated now as a solo artist.

“This remarkable list of nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors and celebrates,” says John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “Continuing in the true spirit of Rock & Roll, these artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps.”

Inductees will be announced in April, and the 2024 induction ceremony will take place in Cleveland in the fall. As with the 2023 ceremony, the 2024 festivities will stream live on Disney+. An ABC special will air at a later date.

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Phil Lesh has announced his birthday plans. The Grateful Dead founding member is set to headline The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, this March to celebrate turning 84.

“Surprise! I’m psyched to continue the tradition of celebrating my birthday at The Cap!” he shares. “I hope you can all help me celebrate my 84th at my home on the east coast with old friends and more to be announced.”

Lesh, who turns 84 on March 15, will play six nights at The Capitol Theatre: March 4-6 with The Q, made up of Lesh, Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes, Widespread Panic’s Jimmy Herring, Dark Star Orchestra’s Rob Barraco and drummer John Molo; and March 13, 15 and 16, billed as Phil Lesh & Friends, although he has yet to reveal who those “friends” are. 

Tickets for all shows go on sale Tuesday, February 13.  

Lesh has a long history with The Capitol Theatre. In fact, last March he celebrated his 83 birthday at The Cap with his 100th show there.

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Ozzy Osbourne is distancing himself from Kanye West. The rock superstar took to social media to let fans know that he is not OK with Kanye’s use of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” at the listening party held for Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign‘s Vultures album in Chicago on February 8.

“@kanyewest ASKED PERMISSION TO SAMPLE A SECTION OF A 1983 LIVE PERFORMANCE OF ‘WAR PIG’ FROM THE US FESTIVAL WITHOUT VOCALS & WAS REFUSED PERMISSION BECAUSE HE IS AN ANTISEMITE AND HAS CAUSED UNTOLD HEARTACHE TO MANY,” Osbourne wrote.

Ozzy says Kanye still used the sample despite not getting permission — and he is not happy about it. 

Ozzy writes, “I WANT NO ASSOCIATION WITH THIS MAN!”

Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign are due to hold another Vultures listening party on Friday, February 9, at UBS Arena in Long Island, New York. So far there’s no word on whether Kanye plans to use the sample.

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Is David Lee Roth a Swfitie? There’s no way to know for sure, but the former Van Halen frontman has apparently felt inspired by Taylor Swift‘s song “Lavender Haze” and has shared his take on the track.

The rocker posted a video, titled “Lavender Forgiveness,” which has him dancing to the the Midnights song while rapping his own lyrics over the track.

“I took a long trip south on that that whiskey train. I took Jesus Christ’s name in vain. I blew a fortune on cocaine and I caused my own family heartbreak and shame,” he raps, adding the chant “found forgiveness” throughout the song.

Apparently Roth is hoping to grab some attention from big-name stars. Not only did he add a Swift hashtag to his Instagram post, he also tags Foo Fighters, Metallica, The Rolling Stones, Queens of the Stone Age, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and more.

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