Sammy Hagar’s Red Rocker Lager expanding into California

February 8, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Sammy Hagar continues to add to his business ventures outside of music. The rocker just announced that his first-ever beer, Red Rocker Lager, is expanding into California.

The beer, described as a golden, medium-bodied Mexican-style lager, was first launched in Detroit in October through Sammy’s Red Rocker Brewing Co. It’s now available in Northern California and will coming to Southern California by the end of February.

“Red Rocker Lager is inspired by California’s chill attitude and beach lifestyle,” Hagar, a California resident, shares. “From Huntington Beach to the San Francisco Bay and across the Sierra Nevada, this is the perfect beer for chilling, grilling, skiing, and surfing, as well as for cheering for your favorite team in the Super Bowl!”

Red Rocker Lager is far from the first beverage Hagar has launched. He debuted his Cabo Wabo Tequila back in 1996 and has since gone on to add Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum, Santo Spirits and Sammy’s Beach Bar Cocktail Co. to his alcohol offerings.

Blue Öyster Cult to drop new album, ‘Ghost Stories’, in April

February 7, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Blue Öyster Cult is following up their recent 50th anniversary celebration with a brand new album, which appears to be their last.

The album, Ghost Stories, will drop April 12, with the press release noting it “marks a fitting finale to the recording legacy of one of rock’s most iconic fixtures from the past 50 years.”

Ghost Stories features a collection of “lost gems” that were recorded between 1978 and 1983. There’s also one track, “If I Fell,” that was recorded in 2016 and a live cover of the MC5 classic “Kick Out The Jams,” the only known recording of BOC’s take on the song.

The tracks on the album were transferred from reel-to-reel analog tape to digital audio by the band’s original audio engineer, George Geranios, with producers Steve Schenck and Richie Castellano using artificial intelligence to complete the songs.

And Blue Öyster Cult is giving fans their first preview of what to expect from the record, with the release of the track “So Supernatural,” along with an AI-generated video for the track.

Ghost Stories is available for preorder now.

New auction launches on 60th anniversary of The Beatles landing in America

February 7, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

In celebration of The Beatles first landing in America on February 7, 1964, ANALOGr has launched a new auction, featuring unique items and memorabilia from the Fab Four.

The Beatles Experience features a collection of pieces spanning from the legendary band’s arrival at New York’s JFK Airport to their solo careers and more. Items up for auction include an official Pan Am photo of the band during their JFK press conference, signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, and an official invitation to their first American press conference for their film A Hard Day’s Night.

Other items include shirts worn by the band during their 1964 tour, McCartney’s handwritten draft lyrics for “Goodbye,” Lennon’s 1965 tweed suit, a limited-edition McCartney 1965 Epiphone acoustic guitar and Ringo’s signed bongo drums from the mid-1990s.

Preview bidding is currently open, with the live auction set to begin on February 29 at 10 a.m. PT. More info on the auction can be found at analogr.com.

AC/DC posts clock counting down to February 12

February 7, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

It looks like AC/DC fans won’t have to wait much longer to find out the big news the band started teasing earlier this week.

On Tuesday, February 6, the Aussie rockers shared an Instagram post, with the tease, “Are You Ready,” leading fans to suspect a tour announcement is on the way. Now, they’re letting folks know exactly when their news will come.

After posting another Instagram tease on Wednesday, February 7, that featured the number five, a countdown clock appeared on the band’s website, counting down to 3 a.m. ET on Monday, February 12.

If AC/DC do indeed announce a new tour, it will be their first trek since 2016. They did return to the stage in October, headlining the Power Trip festival in Indio, California, alongside Metallica, Judas Priest and more.

See Billy Joel chat with Billie Eilish & Meryl Streep, sing along with Fantasia in Grammy recap video

February 7, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Billy Joel attended the Grammy Awards on Sunday with Freddy Wexler, the songwriter and producer who convinced Billy to return to music and co-wrote his new single, “Turn the Lights Back On.” Freddy spent the night documenting everything and has posted a highlight Reel on Instagram.

In the behind-the-scenes video and photos, you see Billy getting dressed for the ceremony, playing the piano, getting stuck in traffic on the way to the ceremony, playing at dress rehearsal and walking the red carpet with his wife, Alexis, and their young daughters, Remy, 6, and Della, 8.

But possibly the most interesting part of the post is the candid footage and photos of Billy down on the floor in the arena, hanging out with all the other stars. He chats and poses with Billie Eilish, shares a laugh with Meryl Streep, greets John Legend and Ed Sheeran, and hangs with Lionel Richie.

It was a bit of a reunion for Lionel and Billy: You can see them both in the new Netflix documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, about the making of the 1985 charity single “We Are the World.” They both sang on the song, and Lionel co-wrote it.

There’s also footage of Billy in the audience, singing along as Fantasia Barrino paid tribute to Tina Turner by singing “Proud Mary.” At the end of his video, Billy’s onstage closing the show by singing “You May Be Right” as Freddy and Alexis sing along in the crowd.

Backstage, Freddy asks Billy, “Now you can be honest. How do you feel?”

Billy jokes, “Enough about me.”

Steve Hackett releases latest ‘The Circus and the Nightwhale’ track, “Circo Inferno”

February 7, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett has shared another track from his upcoming album, The Circus and the Nightwhale, which will be released February 16.

The latest is “Circo Inferno.” Hackett describes it as “the most frenzied point in this album’s narrative,” which includes “insistent sax, full on vocals and blistering guitar.”

You can listen to “Circo Inferno” now via digital outlets and streaming on YouTube.

The Circus and the Nightwhale, Hackett’s first album of new material since 2021’s instrumental album Under A Mediterranean Sky, is described as an autobiographical concept album revolving around a character named Travla. It is available for preorder now.

Hackett is set to return to the U.S. for a new leg of his Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights tour on March 1 in Jacksonville, Florida, with dates confirmed through April 13 in Phoenix, Arizona. A complete list of tour dates can be found at hackettsongs.com.

Joni Mitchell & Tracy Chapman get a Grammy boost following performances

February 7, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Several veteran artists profited from the so-called “Grammy Bump” following the awards show telecast on February 4.

According to Luminate, the company that collects music sales, streams and airplay data for Billboard, Joni Mitchell saw streams of her catalog increase by 133% following her touching performance of “Both Sides Now” on the telecast.

And Tracy Chapman’s duet of “Fast Car” with Luke Combs helped the song get a 205% streaming boost, while streams of Chapman’s entire catalog increased by 268%.

Both performances also prompted a boost on Billboard’s LyricFind U.S. and Global charts, which rank gains of lyric-searches. Chapman’s “Fast Car” tops both lists this week, thanks to a 6,171% increase in lyric searches in the U.S. and another 6,084% increase globally.

Meanwhile, Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” is at #2 in the U.S. and #3 globally, thanks to a 3,465% increase in searches.

Jon Bon Jovi opening Nashville venue this spring

February 7, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Jon Bon Jovi is the latest artist breaking into the Nashville nightlife scene. The rocker and his band have teamed with Big Plan Holdings for a new venue, JBJ’s Nashville, projected to open in the spring.

“We’re looking forward to having a place in Nashville that we call home,” Jon shares, noting they are “a band with deep roots in Nashville.”

He adds, “We have had wonderful times in Nashville recording several albums and working with some of the finest people in all the music business. I can’t wait to toast all of Broadway and get to know our neighbors!”

JBJ’s will be located on Nashville’s Lower Broadway and will be the tallest and second largest bar in the area, boasting five stories and 37,000 square feet, including two rooftop spaces with panoramic views of Music City.

The news comes as Bon Jovi is celebrating their 40th anniversary. They launched the celebration with a new archival website and the release of a deluxe edition of their self-titled debut album.

Jon was celebrated this past weekend as the Recording Academy’s MusiCares Person of the Year, and at the gala, the band gave a preview of their yet-to-be announced upcoming album, performing the new song “Legendary.”

Mötley Crüe’s ‘The End – Live In Los Angeles’ to be released on 4K Ultra HD for the first time

February 7, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

Mötley Crüe fans are getting a chance to relive what was supposed to be their final concert ever.

Mercury Studios is set to release The End – Live In Los Angeles on 4K Ultra HD for the very first time. Originally released on DVD and Blu-Ray in 2016, The End is a recording of Mötley’s December 31, 2015, concert at the Staples Center, which was the last night of what was supposed to be their final tour ever.

The concert film captures performances of such Mötley Crüe classics as “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Home Sweet Home,” “Dr. Feelgood” and more, and also takes fans behind-the-scenes of the tour.

The End – Live In Los Angeles will be released April 5 and is available for preorder now.

Of course, in the end, the 2015 tour didn’t turn out to be Mötley Crüe’s final tour. In 2019, they announced a new stadium tour with Def Leppard, although it didn’t kick off until June 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They wrapped the trek in Australia in November, and they are still touring.

So far, Mötley Crüe only has a handful of dates booked for 2024, including a two-night stand in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on May 3 and 4. A complete list of dates can be found at motley.com.

Eagles announce career-spanning box set, ‘To The Limit: The Essential Collection’

February 7, 2024 by Classic Rock 93.9

The Eagles are looking back at their career with a new box set.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will release To The Limit: The Essential Collection on April 12. It features 51 tunes, including some of the Eagles’ greatest hits, like “Hotel California,” “New Kid in Town” and “Heartache Tonight,” and fan favorite album tracks like “Desperado” and “Victim of Love.”

It also features live tracks released between 1972 and 2020, including performances from their 1980 live album, Eagles Live, as well as 1994’s Hell Freezes Over and 2000’s The Millennium Concert.

As a preview of what to expect, the Eagles have released a live performance of “Take it to the Limit,” recorded at The Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, in 1977.

To The Limit: The Essential Collection will be released digitally and as a three-CD or deluxe six LP set on 180-gram vinyl. Physical editions purchased on the Eagles website come with a limited edition embossed lithograph. The set is available for preorder now.

Eagles are currently on the road with their The Long Goodbye tour, which they say will be their last tour. They hit Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday, February 10. A complete list of dates can be found at eagles.com.

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