Rush talks ‘fun’ experience working with new drummer Anika Nilles

February 24, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

The members of Rush are giving fans an update on how things are going with new drummer Anika Nilles as they get ready to launch their Fifty Something tour. It will be their first tour since the 2020 death of drummer Neil Peart.

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson talked to the U.K.’s Planet Rock about the tour, revealing that Nilles already knows about 25 Rush songs. Lee noted it’s been “really fun to watch” her get to know the material.

“It’s one thing to play it for the first time and to work out what are the parts that have to be essentially Neil Peart’s parts and what parts she can make her own,” Lee said. “And that has been wonderful to watch and really exciting for Al and I because now she doesn’t have to think about it.”

Lee explained that Nilles didn’t know much of their music coming into the gig.

“She knew, of course, a couple of the big songs, and of course every drummer on earth knew Neil and his reputation, he was very respected,” Lee said. He noted that Nilles did know their hit “Tom Sawyer,” but she “was kind of nervous” to play it because it’s such an important song.

Lee and Lifeson also discussed their plans to pay tribute to Peart during the show.

“We’re gonna do two sets,” said Lee. “In each of those sets, we’ll take a song and, you know, do a bit of our own way of tributing to Neil, and of course, his presence will be throughout the evening.”

The North American leg of the tour kicks off on June 7 in Los Angeles. The tour will also hit South America, Europe and the U.K. Tour dates can be found at Rush.com.

Sammy Hagar takes fans inside the making of his Las Vegas residency set list

February 23, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Sammy Hagar is giving fans a little insight into how he comes up with his set list.

The rocker is due to return to Las Vegas in March for more dates of his The Best of All Worlds residency. He posted a video on Instagram of him working out what songs he’s gonna play this time around.

“We’re trying to do a different show every night without sacrificing,” reads the caption of the clip. “The best of that most people are coming to hear.”

Sammy notes in the video, “This is what I have to do. This is work to me, it isn’t like being onstage,” revealing that he has a master set list of 36 songs or more that keeps changing.

“And every night we’re gonna try and open with a different song, not try, we’re gonna open with a different song,” he says. “We’re probably gonna end with a different song. We’ll put three or four songs minimum in the middle.”

He then pointed out to fans that he was writing in a new song to the list this time around, “Crack in The World,” from his third solo album, Musical Chairs. “That song is going in the set, 1977.”

Sammy Hagar’s The Best of All Worlds residency returns to Dolby Live at Park MGM from March 11 to 21 and again from Sept. 18 to 26. A complete list of Sammy dates can be found at RedRocker.com.

Jimi Hendrix street naming postponed due to New York blizzard

February 23, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

New York is going to have to wait a little longer to have a street named after the late rocker Jimi Hendrix.

Earlier in February, it was announced that West 8th Street in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, where Hendrix’s legendary Electric Lady Studios is located, was due to be co-named Jimi Hendrix Way. That renaming was supposed to take place Tuesday, but it was just announced that the weather has caused plans to be changed.

“Due to extensive snowfall in New York City; the JIMI HENDRIX WAY street naming ceremony for Tuesday morning has been postponed,” read a post on the late rocker’s X account. “The new date will be announced as soon as possible. Stay safe. Stay experienced!”

The naming ceremony was to coincide with the launch of a new education partnership with E Street Band guitarist Stevie Van Zandt’s TeachRock, which uses music and pop culture to expand learning in schools. The partnership will result in the addition of a Hendrix curriculum for middle and high school students.

Experience Hendrix LLC President and CEO Janie Hendrix, Van Zandt and NYC District 2 council member Harvey Epstein were scheduled to attend the Tuesday ceremony, along with group of local TeachRock teachers and students.

On This Day, Feb. 23, 2000: Santana’s ‘Supernatural’ sweeps at the Grammy Awards

February 23, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

On This Day, Feb. 23, 2000 …

Santana’s album Supernatural won nine trophies at the 42nd annual Grammy Awards, breaking the record held by Michael Jackson’s Thriller for most Grammys won by a single album in one night.

Supernatural was named album of the year, making Carlos Santana the first Hispanic artist to win that award.

The album’s hit track “Smooth” featuring Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas took home song of the year and record of the year as well as best pop collaboration with vocals. Santana and Thomas teamed for a performance of the song during the telecast.

Another track from the album, “Maria Maria” featuring Product G&B, won best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals.

Released in June 1999, Supernatural had Santana collaborating with a variety of artists, including Thomas, Lauryn Hill and Eric Clapton, among others. It reached #1 in 11 countries and spent 12 weeks on top the Billboard 200 Albums chart.

Watch Foo Fighters debut ‘Your Favorite Toy’ live on ’The Graham Norton Show’

February 23, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Foo Fighters guested on the British talk show The Graham Norton Show over the weekend and performed the live debut of their new song “Your Favorite Toy.”

You can watch the performance streaming now on YouTube.

Frontman Dave Grohl also sat down for an interview with host Graham Norton. As Charli xcx was among the episode’s guests, Norton played a clip of Grohl doing the pop star’s viral “Apple” dance alongside his daughter, Harper Grohl.

In reviewing Grohl’s moves, Charli commented, “You’re taking, like, an abstract approach, and that’s cool.”

“Your Favorite Toy” is the title track off the upcoming 12th Foo Fighters album, due out April 24. The record is the follow-up to 2023’s But Here We Are and is the band’s first with new drummer Ilan Rubin.

Foo Fighters will play a few U.S. festivals in May before launching a full North American stadium tour in August.

Rush bringing Fifty Something tour to South America, Europe & the UK in 2027

February 23, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Rush is extending their Fifty Something tour into 2027.

Band members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, along with new drummer Anika Nilles, announced on Instagram that they’ll be taking the tour to South America, the U.K. and Europe next year. They also announced that keyboard player Loren Gold will be joining them.

South American dates run from Jan. 15 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Feb. 4 in Brasília, Brazil. The trek will then head to Europe and the U.K. starting Feb. 19 in Paris, with dates running until April 10 in Helsinki, Finland.

“We can’t wait to get back to all these cities we haven’t played in so long, as well as hitting some new places we’ve yet to play,” says Lee. “Both Alex and I are loving the hours of rehearsal time we’re spending with Anika and now Loren, learning around 40 songs which will enable us to keep the shows evolving, playing some different songs on different nights.”

He adds, “We are thrilled that many of our longstanding crew have come back to help us design the kind of Rush show that fans have grown accustomed to expect from us. We dearly hope you will come along and help us celebrate 50 years of Rush music, while giving Neil the long overdue tribute he so richly deserves.”

An artist presale begins Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

The Fifty Something tour, Lee and Lifeson’s first time touring as Rush since the 2020 death of drummer Neil Peart, kicks off on June 7 in Los Angeles, with North American dates running through Dec. 17 in Vancouver, Canada. A complete list of dates can be found at Rush.com.

Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers to perform at Adopt the Arts’ Sound & Vision Awards

February 23, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers is set to perform at the upcoming Adopt the Arts Sound & Vision Awards, which is honoring both him and Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler.

Rodgers shared on Instagram, “The plan is for me to play a couple of songs. Rehearsals start soon.”

The event is happening March 2 at the Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs, California. Guns N’ Roses drummer and Adopt the Arts founder Matt Sorum will be the night’s musical director, with an all-star lineup performing the music of the night’s honorees.

Musicians confirmed for the event include Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes, Billy Idol guitarist and collaborator Steve Stevens, Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X, Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt, Stone Temple Pilots’ Robert DeLeo and more. Butler is expected to perform as well.

Tickets for the event are on sale now.

The Adopt the Arts Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to providing underserved elementary schools with high-quality music education. Rodgers previously worked with them in 2025 when he joined students of ATA’s The Changels honor choir for a new version of Bad Company’s “Rock and Roll Fantasy.”

Rodgers and Bad Company were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November, but he was unable to attend the ceremony due to his health.

Ex-Who drummer Zak Starkey takes fans through his career at off-the-cuff one-man NYC show

February 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Drummer Zak Starkey took the stage at New York’s Gramercy Theatre Friday for a one-man show which led fans through an off-the-cuff, chaotic journey through his career of nearly three decades as The Who’s drummer, plus stints with his dad Ringo Starr, Oasis, Johnny Marr and more.

After screening a film that combined scenes of Starkey’s childhood with footage from his decades as a musician, the drummer got behind an onstage kit and played along with the last part of the film. He then asked the audience what they wanted him to do next, and began answering random questions.

Starkey clarified that despite having Ringo Starr as a dad and Keith Moon as a close family friend, his actual drum teacher was ex-Who drummer Kenney Jones. Moon, he said, only taught him about “girls, surfing, The Beach Boys, beer and being a mod.”

When the question about his departure from The Who in 2025 was raised, Starkey didn’t give details, only sharing that the band was “nuts,” “insane” and had an “addiction to friction.”

Later, in a sit down Q&A with The Ramones’ Marky Ramone, Starkey revealed that Abbey Road is his favorite Beatles LP, especially the song “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).”

The remainder of the show featured Starkey playing drums live as video of past performances were screened behind him, including to John Entwistle’s isolated bass line from The Kids Are Alright version of The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”

The evening ended with The Rolling Stones’ Steve Jordan playing bass while Starkey drummed to The Who’s “Join Together.” Starkey complained that he hadn’t gotten to play any Oasis or Beatles songs, but said the venue insisted he end the show — “You’ll just have to come to another one,” he said.

RATT’s Stephen Pearcy teases fans with snippet of new song ‘Drive’

February 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Former RATT frontman Stephen Pearcy has given fans a preview of what he’s been working on.

The rocker has shared a brief clip of a new song, “Drive,” which will appear on his next solo album, expected to be released later this year. A press release notes that the song, written by Pearcy, will feature a yet-to-be-revealed special guest on guitar, one of many guests expected on the album.

As fans wait for more news on Pearcy’s solo album, he’s getting ready to hit the stage with his former RATT bandmate, guitarist Warren DeMartini. They’ll play a show on Thursday in Highland, California. Pearcy also has solo shows and other Pearcy/DeMartini dates on his schedule for 2026, with more dates expected to be added.

A complete list of shows can be found at OfficialStephenPearcy.com.

Anna Sawai says Sam Mendes’ Beatles films will include Yoko Ono’s ‘side of the story’

February 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Shōgun star Anna Sawai is set to play Yoko Ono in Sam Mendes’ Beatles films, The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event. She tells Variety she hopes fans will come away with a better understanding of Ono, who married John Lennon in 1969 and has often been accused of breaking up The Beatles.

“It was my dream to tell her story and I didn’t think it would come this quick,” Sawai told the magazine. “There’s a version of her I feel people still don’t understand. And in this film, I think we’re going to be able to tell that side of the story.”

The actress notes that she’s been doing a lot of research for the role, including “so much reading.”

“So many books, so many videos, so many articles,” she explained. “She has so much artwork that also shows her personality.”

Sawai also offered up some insider info on how her co-stars Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, Joseph Quinn and Barry Keoghan are handling performing as The Beatles for the film.

“They’re not even looking at the sheet music anymore,” she says. “They can just play it off and sing it, and it really sounds like the Beatles to me. It feels surreal.”

The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event will consist of four films, each told from the perspective of one of the band members. It is set expected to open in theaters in April 2028.

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