Classic Rock News

We are getting our first look at the new Blood, Sweat & Tears documentary, What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears?, which is set to hit theaters March 24. 

A trailer for the John Scheinfeld-directed doc has just been released.

The film, which was made with the full cooperation of band members, delves into how the band got caught up in political controversy following a State Department-sponsored tour of Iron Curtain countries Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland in 1970. As the description notes, “As a result, they found themselves in the crosshairs of a polarized America – as divided then as it is now – and became an early victim of cancel culture.”

“It has been fascinating for me to re-live these incidents of some 50 years ago, through the footage, documentation and, incredibly, the live performance tapes John and his team discovered through some very deep and tireless digging. I believe the music we made then holds up today,” founding member and drummer Bobby Colomby shares. Blood, Sweat & Tears is known for such hits as “Spinning Wheel,” “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” and “And When I Die.”

Scheinfeld adds, “Uncovering the details of the extraordinary story took us far and wide, and we were amazed by the unexpected twists and turns of the tale. We hope people will be as struck as we were by the political parallels and counterpoints between then and now.”

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Gov’t Mule is headed back out on the road this spring.

The band just announced a new set of tour dates, kicking off May 5 at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Louisiana. The special show, taking place during Jazz Fest, will feature guests George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners. 

The 10-show run features stops in Memphis, Cleveland, Nashville and more, including a two-night stand in Warren Haynes’ hometown of Ashville, North Carolina. The trek also includes a July 23 show at the Great South Bay Music Festival in Patchogue, New York.

Artist presale tickets begin Friday at 10 a.m., with the general sale set for March 8 at 10 a.m. local time. A complete list of dates can be found at mule.net.

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The Who has added a special new show to their tour schedule. The band is set to perform at the royal family’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England. 

The concert is set to go down August 28 and will have the band backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The exclusive concert will also feature special guests Richard Ashcroft and The Lightning Seeds.

“Very pleased and excited for The Who to be one of the first artists to perform at the Country Home of the British Royal Family on The Sandringham Estate,” Pete Townshend shares. “Opening up the Estate to large scale concerts is a fantastic way of keeping us uplifted and enjoying congregation at what I’m sure will be a fabulous summer celebration. We can’t wait!”

Those interested in going to the show must register for a chance to purchase tickets, and those who share the info on their social media pages will earn a chance to win VIP guest passes.

The outdoor concert will be the band’s final show of their 2023 The Who Hits Back! United Kingdom tour, which kicks off July 6 in Hull, England.

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On this Day, March 1, 1944… 

Musician and future Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Roger Daltrey was born in London, England.

In 1959, Daltrey founded a band called The Detours, which in 1964 was renamed The Who, with bandmates Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon. Daltrey’s voice can be heard on such Who classics as “My Generation,” “Pinball Wizard,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “Baba O’Riley,” “You Better You Bet” and many others. 

Daltrey also launched a solo career in 1973, releasing ten solo studio albums, and dabbled in acting, playing the title role in Tommy, the 1975 Ken Russell film inspired by The Who’s classic album.  He also appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows over the years, including That ’70s Show, CSI, Tales from the Crypt and more.

Daltrey is also well known for his extensive charitable work, including his patronage of the United Kingdom’s Teenage Cancer Trust and its U.S. counterpart, Teen Cancer America.

As a member of The Who, Daltrey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2008. He was also appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services to music, entertainment and charity as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year’s Honor’s List of 2004.

Daltrey and The Who are set to release The Who with Orchestra Live at Wembley on March 31 and will launch a U.K. summer tour in July.

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KISS has finally announced an end date for their End of the Road Tour. The band is set to wrap the trek, which they say is their final tour ever, with a two-night stand at New York’s Madison Square Garden December 2 and 3.

“KISS was born in New York City. On 23rd Street. Half a century ago,” the band shares. “It will be a privilege and honor to finish touring at Madison Square Garden, 10 blocks and 50 years from where we first started.” 

The final leg of the tour kicks off October 29 in Austin, Texas, and includes Canadian dates, plus stops in Los Angeles, Seattle and more, before they end it in the Big Apple.

Presale tickets for the KISS Army go on sale March 6 at 10 a.m. local time, with the general sale set for March 10 at 10 a.m. local time.

KISS’ End of the Road Tour is set to relaunch April 12 in Brazil and returns to the U.S. May 27 in Columbus, Ohio. A complete list of dates can be found at kissonline.com.

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March 1 marks the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, which was their eighth studio release and to this day is one of their most commercially successful releases ever.

The album, which features such songs as “Money” and “Brain Damage,” spent only one week at number one. But it went on to spend 741 weeks on the Billboard Album chart between 1973 and 1988, and has since gone on to spend a total of 972 weeks on the chart. As of 1998, the album had been certified 15-times Platinum by the RIAA.

“Dark Side of the Moon is not only one of the great Pink Floyd albums, but I think it’s one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll albums of all time,” Jason Hanley, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s VP of education and visitor engagement, tells ABC Audio. “It really is a record that is so revolutionary at the time when it comes out in 1973, it’s revolutionary even for the band.”

He adds, “The songs are fantastic, the album was on the charts almost longer than I think any other album in history, sold so many copies, and still continues to be part of pop culture today.” 

To celebrate the 50th anniversary, Pink Floyd has a lot of goodies in store for fans. 

They are releasing a newly remastered version of the album on March 24, along with a Blu-ray and DVD audio with the original mix and remastered stereo versions. There will also be a new Blu-ray disc and CD of the classic concert The Dark Side of the Moon — Live at Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974 and a new book, Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon: 50th Anniversary.

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Skid Row and Buckcherry have added a second leg to their upcoming The Gang’s All Here co-headlining tour.

The newly announced dates will run from August 31 in Dallas to September 23 in Fort Yates, North Dakota. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 3.

The first leg of the tour begins March 9 in Bowler, Wisconsin.

Skid Row released a new album called The Gang’s All Here in October. Buckcherry, meanwhile, is planning to release a new record this year to follow 2021’s Hellbound.

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John Mellencamp is continuing his very public support of farmers. The Farm Aid co-founder and board member is set to join farmers, ranchers and farmworkers in Washington, D.C., on March 7 at the Rally for Resilience: Farmers for Climate Action.

Mellencamp, who is currently on his Live and In Person tour, is expected to perform and offer some remarks at the rally, which kicks off at Freedom Plaza at 11 a.m. ET. 

The rally comes as Congress begins work on the 2023 Farm Bill. It is part of a three-day gathering starting March 6, which also includes cultural events and a demonstration of climate-friendly farming practices.

“As a Farm Aid board member, I’ve been to Washington a few times to ask for farmer voices to be heard. I hope on March 7, members of Congress hear farmers and ranchers loud and clear,” Mellencamp shares. “If we want a better world, it starts with us.”

He adds, “Farmers know this. They have the tools and know-how to better our climate future, but they can’t do it alone. Policymakers — and all of us — need to support the solutions they can deliver.”

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A new documentary is setting out to answer the question What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears? Directed by John Scheinfeld, who directed The U.S. vs. John Lennon and more, the documentary is set to hit theaters March 24. 

According to the description, the film explores how the band “was unknowingly embroiled in a political rat’s nest involving the U.S. State Department, the Nixon White House and a controversial concert tour of Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland, countries that were behind what was then known as the Iron Curtain.”

It continues, “As a result, they found themselves in the crossfire of a polarized America, as divided then as it is now.” 

Blood, Sweat & Tears is known for such hit songs as “Spinning Wheel” and “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.” Their self-titled sophomore release won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1970, beating out such iconic records as The Beatles’ Abbey Road, Johnny Cash’s Johnny Cash at San Quentin and Crosby, Stills & Nash’s self-titled release.

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Kings of Chaos, the ever-revolving band spearheaded by former Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum, has announced a concert taking place April 15 at California’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach car race.

For the show, Sorum will be joined by guest vocalists including Slipknot‘s Corey Taylor, Halestorm‘s Lzzy Hale, Living Colour‘s Corey Glover and Sublime with Rome‘s Rome Ramirez. The lineup will also feature Megadeth bassist James LoMenzo, as well as guitarists including Living Colour’s Vernon Reid, The Cult‘s Billy Duffy and Sorum’s ex-GN’R bandmate Gilby Clarke.

“As Long Beach is my birthplace, this is a very special gig for me,” Sorum says. “Kings of Chaos are excited to join this legendary event and we’re putting together a once-in-a-lifetime show to make it even more memorable for fans of live music. Fast cars and Rock N’ Roll! Does it get any better?”

“I’m so honored to be joining the Kings of Chaos for a night none of us will forget,” adds Hale. “And to be surrounded by these lifers of live music for such a legendary event, not only will make this a true moment in time for the fans, but for myself as well! Thank you to all the boys for having me! Let’s get loud!”

For ticket info, visit KingsofChaosBand.com.

Kings of Chaos released a new single called “Judgement Day,” featuring GN’R’s Slash and Duff McKagan, last October. The project’s debut album is due out later this year.

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