Classic Rock News

Billy Joel fans will now have another chance to catch his CBS special, Billy Joel: The 100th – Live at Madison Square Garden. 

Fans were in an uproar after its original airing on Sunday, April 14, was not only delayed due to coverage of the Masters Tournament, but was cut short for local news programming, right in the middle of Joel’s signature tune, “Piano Man.” 

CBS has announced that “due to overwhelming demand from his legion of fans” it is rebroadcasting the special in its entirety on Friday, April 19, at 9 p.m. ET.

“A network programming timing error ended last night’s Billy Joel special approximately two minutes early in the Eastern and Central Time Zones,” CBS said in a statement. “We apologize to Mr. Joel, his fans, our affiliated stations, and our audience whose viewing experience was interrupted during the last song.” 

Billy Joel: The 100th – Live at Madison Square Garden was a taped performance of Billy’s 100th residency show at the iconic New York venue. Joel’s due to wrap the residency on July 25, following his 150th show at MSG.

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The Beatles and Disney+ appear to be teasing another project.

A post shared on The Beatles’ Instagram features four white boxes, spaced out in similar fashion to the cover of the band’s 1970 album, Let It Be. On top of the boxes are the words “At Last…,” with The Beatles and Disney+ logos at the bottom. 

The post’s caption reads, “There will be an answer,” another Beatles reference, this time to the song “Let it Be.”

While there’s no other information provided in the post, some fans have offered up guesses as to what’s being teased, with more than one thinking it may mean a reissue of the 1970 Let It Be documentary.

“Is this the Let It Be movie?” one person commented, with another adding, “Please tell me it’s the original movie PLEASE ????”

Whatever it is, it will be the second big collaboration between The Beatles and Disney+. In 2021, the streaming service debuted the docuseries The Beatles: Get Back, which was directed by Peter Jackson and used footage from the original Let It Be documentary. The series went on to win five Primetime Emmys.

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David Lee Roth is gifting fans with some new music.

The rocker recently shared the new song “Scotch and Sofa 4..,” a funky, little, danceable tune that features the addition of horns. Roth revealed the new track with a post on social media, but he didn’t offer up any details regarding when the song was recorded or who else may be on the song.

While Roth hasn’t released a solo album since 2003’s Diamond Dave, he has been dropping random new songs here and there. His most recent new tracks include the holiday tune “Talking Christmas Blues” and “Wash and Fold,” which he dropped in November.

Roth’s also been releasing solo versions of Van Halen classics, including “Jump,” “You Really Got Me,” “Dance the Night Away,” “Panama” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love.”

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CBS’ celebration of Billy Joel’s 100th Madison Square Garden residency show hit a sour note with music fans this weekend, with many taking to social media to complain. 

Billy Joel: The 100th – Live at Madison Square Garden special aired on the network on Sunday, April 14, but many fans were less than happy because it started late, due to the Masters tournament, and then got cut off for local news programming, right in the middle of Joel’s signature tune “Piano Man.” 

“#BillyJoel #MSG #100 concert not only starts a half hour late, but then you cut off the last 3-4 minutes for local news to start at 1130? Are you serious. Absolutely pathetic decision making, on an event that’s been advertised for MONTHS, and you f*** it up,” one person wrote, while another added, “Billy Joel fans might burn CBS and its affiliates to the ground after cutting Piano Man off during the last verse… to play the local news on time.”

And as another pointed out, “CBS had better re-air Billy Joel’s 100th-Live at Madison Square Garden after starting the show a half hour late and cutting it off while he was singing Piano Man! What were they thinking? Inexcusable!”

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The Black Crowes brought their Happiness Bastards tour to The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Friday, April 12, and had a few surprises in store for their audience.

First, Chris and Rich Robinson brought out Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, who joined them for a cover of “Stay With Me,” a classic track from Wood’s other band Faces. 

Then, later in the set, Allman Brothers Band keyboardist Chuck Leavell, who also serves as keyboardist for The Stones, joined The Crowes for their classic cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle.”

Next up for The Black Crowes, they bring their Happiness Bastards tour to Seattle, Washington, on Monday, April 15. A complete list of dates can be found at theblackcrowes.com. 

The Rolling Stones will also soon be on the road. They kick off their Hackney Diamonds tour in Houston, Texas, on April 28. A complete list of dates can be found at rollingstones.com.

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On This Day, April 15, 1974…

Lynyrd Skynyrd released Second Helping, their second album and the follow-up to their successful debut, (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd).

The album featured the track “Sweet Home Alabama,” co-written by Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington and Ed King, which would go on to be one of the band’s signature tunes. It peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band’s only #10 hit and their highest-charting single.

“Sweet Home Alabama” was a response to Neil Young’s 1972 track “Southern Man”; it even name-checked Young’s tune in the lyrics.

Second Helping peaked at #12 on the Billboard 200 Album chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA within six months of its release. It went on to be certified double Platinum.

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Andrew Watt, producer for Pearl Jam‘s upcoming album Dark Matter, speaks about his approach to the record in a new interview with Rolling Stone.

“One of my goals was like, ‘Let’s make this sound like a Pearl Jam show, but in the studio,'” Watt, who’s also worked with Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop and The Rolling Stones, explains. “Some of that s*** is wrong, man. Those songs go longer than they should, but it does not matter.”

“You don’t edit [guitarist] Mike McCready,” he adds. “You f*****’ let him play. His eyes are closed. When he opens his eyes, we end the song.”

Explaining how the Dark Matter title track came together, Watt shares that the group was “between takes” when drummer Matt Cameron “just started playing that beat.”

“And [guitarist] Stone [Gossard] was like, ‘No one move. Are you recording Matt Cameron?’ We’re like, ‘Yeah, recording.’ And he played that beat.”

“Stone was like, ‘[Bassist] Jeff [Ament], you take that home. I’m taking it home. Let’s both write different songs to it and come in tomorrow,'” he continues. “So they both wrote different riffs. Matt played the beat again, and then we kind of morphed it together.”

Dark Matter drops Friday, April 19. Pearl Jam will launch a U.S. tour in May.

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Foreigner is one of the many acts nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, and the band’s original lead singer, Lou Gramm, is certainly looking forward to the possibly of them getting in.

Gramm tells ABC Audio being inducted with his musical peers “would mean the world to me,” sharing, “To be in a very tight fraternity like that with people who you respect and admire is the epitome of what this career is all about.” 

Foreigner had been eligible to get into the hall since 2002, but this is their first nomination, something that’s been shocking to many fans and even fellow rock stars. In fact, Mark Ronson, the stepson of Foreigner’s Mick Jones, released a video in February featuring artists like Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and even Paul McCartney making a case for them to get in.

Gramm says he’s been surprised and shocked by all the support they’ve received. “The Paul McCartney one was particularly cool because he was shocked that we weren’t in already,” he says.

This year’s inductees will be announced in late April, and should Foreigner make the cut, Gramm says he and the band will likely play two songs at the ceremony. He thinks one will be  their #1 hit, “I Want To Know What Love Is,” although he says “the other one had better rock.” And that wouldn’t exactly be difficult with hits like “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded” and “Jukebox Hero” to choose from.

And if the performance happens, it would be Gramm’s first time onstage with Jones in many years, which should be a treat for fans. As Gramm notes, “If we’re able to get together onstage for this glorious event, it’ll be fantastic.”

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While it may not be another Beatles tune, music fans are now being treated to another McCartney/Lennon musical collaboration.

James McCartney, son of Paul McCartney, just released a new song, “Primrose Hill,” which he co-wrote with his “good friend” Sean Ono Lennon, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

“With the release of this song it feels like we’re really getting the ball rolling and I am so excited to continue to share music with you,” James shared on Instagram.

James is holding a contest in connection with the song, asking couples to share videos capturing “the essence of love and romance” in their favorite romantic location. The videos, which are due by April 19, must use the song in the background. Winners will have the opportunity to be featured in the video for the track.

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If, after 10 years, you still have never gotten the chance to see Billy Joel play his Madison Square Garden concert residency, you can do so for free on Sunday, April 14, at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

Billy Joel: The 100th – Live at Madison Square Garden was filmed March 28 as Billy did his 100th consecutive residency performance since he launched it back in January 2014. In addition to playing iconic hits like “You May Be Right,” “New York State of Mind,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” “Uptown Girl” and “My Life,” Billy welcomed his pal Sting to the stage. Together, they sang The Police hit “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” and Billy’s “Big Man on Mulberry Street.” Also on the set list was Billy’s new hit, “Turn the Lights Back On.”

Billy and Sting will play several concerts together this year, including on Saturday, April 13, in San Diego.

In addition to Sting, you’ll see another special guest — Billy’s fellow Long Island celebrity Jerry Seinfeld — take the stage to help raise a banner to the rafters of MSG commemorating Billy’s achievement.

Surprisingly, this is the first concert in Billy’s 50-year career to air on a broadcast network. You’ll also be able to stream it live and watch it on demand on Paramount+.

Billy has sold out more shows at the Garden than any other artist. In fact, every show he’s done at the legendary venue has sold out, dating all the way back to his first one in December 1978. On May 9, he’ll celebrate his 75th birthday onstage there, and he’ll wrap up his residency in July with what will be his 150th career show at the venue.

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