Classic Rock News

Despite all their rage, The Smashing Pumpkins are taking the holiday stage.

Billy Corgan and company will perform during a pair of ABC holiday specials, The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration and Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade.

On The Wonderful World of Disney, the Pumpkins will put their spin on the classic holiday tune “Silver Bells.” They’ll play a song called “Evergreen” on Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade.

While The Smashing Pumpkins performing during TV holiday specials might be a bit unexpected — if anything, their name suggests they’d be more fitting for fall festivities — the band has been working on a Christmas album for some time.

The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration airs November 26 at 8 p.m. ET, while Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade premieres December 25 at 10 a.m. ET.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Mickey Thomas, best known for being the singer for Jefferson Starship and its later iteration Starship, is the latest musician getting into the holiday spirit.

The singer is set to release A Classic Christmas on December 1, a digital double-sided single, featuring covers of the holiday classics “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

“In general, I prefer Christmas songs that are pensive and reflective. I love the ones that transport me into a warm nostalgia—the ones that express deeply personal feelings as opposed to religious themes,” he says. “‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ is a perfect example. It’s somewhat melancholy yet hopeful at the same time.”

As for “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” Thomas describes it as “truly a celebration of all things Christmas. Parties, singing carols, sledding, roasting marshmallows, social gaiety, reminiscing about past Christmases.”

A Classic Christmas is available for preorder now.

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Bono has previously said that U2’s next album will be a rock record, and now he’s giving fans some insight into what he means by that.  

“I announced it, without discussion, as ‘an unreasonable guitar record,’” he tells Mojo. “And Edge called me up and goes, ‘How unreasonable?’ And I said, ‘As unreasonable as you’re ready to take it.’”

But when fans will actually hear that record is still up in the air. Not only is U2 busy with their Las Vegas residency, U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere, they are also waiting for drummer Larry Mullen Jr. to recover from surgery. 

“Starting work on new songs is somewhat tied to Larry’s situation,” bassist Adam Clayton says. “Could he commit to an album project? I don’t know.” 

But when they do finally get that album out, Bono wants to make sure it’s something special.

“I don’t think the world is waiting on the next U2 album,” he says. “I think we have to give them a reason to be interested in it.”

Bono adds, “I just want to write great tunes, because that’s where U2 started – with big choruses, clear ideas. And let’s go back there, but do it with some petrol and some matches.”

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The Immediate Family will be releasing a new studio album next year.  The group, made up of renowned session musicians Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel, Steve Postell, Russ Kunkel and Leland Sklar, will release Skin in the Game on February 16.

The album features 13 original songs and one cover: the album’s first single “The Toughest Girl in Town,” which was originally released in October 2022. The album’s title track is set for release in January.

“This band has such power. It’s almost like an embarrassment of riches,” Wachtel shares, with Sklar adding, “The Immediate Family’s unrivaled musical chemistry comes from years of playing together. We all know each other backward and forward and can play to each other’s strengths in ways that other groups can’t always get to.” 

The new album announcement comes just as a new documentary about the musicians is due for release. Immediate Family, directed by Denny Tedesco, will open in theaters for special one-night screenings on December 12, and will be available everywhere on December 15.

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Dave Grohl is getting a front seat to some new thrash tunes.

The Foo Fighters frontman recently stopped by the recording studio where Anthrax is currently working on a new album, the follow-up to 2016’s For All Things. The “Madhouse” metallers shared photos of the visit on their Instagram along with caption, “New album is going to be awesome.”

The post is tagged with #Foothrax, which would be a fitting title for any Anthrax collaboration with Grohl.

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian is a particularly big Foo Fighters fan, as is his son, Revel, who joined Grohl and company onstage to perform “Everlong” in 2019. Following the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins, the Ians shared a covers medley of Foos songs.

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A new limited edition print autographed by The Who’s Roger Daltrey is being sold to benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust.  

The print, designed by Steve Mitchell at 45 Original, features the phrase “Think Lucky, Be Lucky!” — which seems to be inspired by the band’s song “Be Lucky,” featured on the 2015 compilation The Who Hits 50!

Only 300 copies of the five-color screen print are available, each one individually signed by Daltrey. They are available for preorder now, with the print expected to ship on December 11.

Teenage Cancer Trust, founded in 1990, seeks to improve the cancer experience for young people. Daltrey is a patron of the charity.

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Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett is giving fans some new music next year. 

On February 16, the rocker will release the new studio album The Circus and the Nightwhale, described as an autobiographical concept album revolving around a character named Travla. 

“I love this album. It says the things I’ve been wanting to say for a very long time,” he shares. “It’s a lovely journey that starts dirty, scratchy and smoky and becomes heavenly and divine. How can you resist it?”

The Circus and the Nightwhale is Hackett’s first album of new material since the instrumental album Under A Mediterranean Sky, released back in 2021. It will be available for preorder starting December 1.

Here is the track list for The Circus and the Nightwhale: 

“People Of The Smoke”
“These Passing Clouds”
“Taking You Down”
“Found And Lost”
“Enter The Ring”
“Get Me Out!”
“Ghost Moon and Living Love”
“Circo Inferno”
“Breakout”
“All At Sea”
“Into The Nightwhale”
“Wherever You Are”
“White Dove”

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PBS has shared a preview of Foo Fighters‘ upcoming episode on its long-running music performance TV series, Austin City Limits.

The clip, streaming now on YouTube, captures a show-closing rendition of “Everlong” performed solo by Dave Grohl.

“I don’t like to say goodbye, so I usually just say goodnight,” Grohl says in introducing the song.

The full Foo Fighters Austin City Limits episode will premiere Saturday, November 18, on PBS. It will also be available to stream following the broadcast via the PBS app and PBS.org.

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The late Robbie Robertson was honored for his work on Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon at the 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards on Wednesday, November 15, in Los Angeles.

Robertson, who passed away in August at the age of 80, won in the Score — Feature Film category, where he was up against such films as Chevalier, Nyad, Oppenheimer, Rustin, Saltburn and The Killer.

Killers of the Flower Moon is the 11th collaboration between Robertson and Scorsese. They previously worked on such films as Gangs of New York, The Wolf of Wall Street, Raging Bull, Casino and more. Scorsese also directed the iconic concert film The Last Waltz, featuring the final concert of Robertson’s group, The Band.

Also recognized at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards was the documentary Immediate Family, which won Music Documentary –  Special Program. The film tells the story of 1970s session musicians Danny Kortchmar, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel and Waddy Wachtel. It will open in theaters for special one-night screenings on December 12, and will be available everywhere on December 15.

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Iron Maiden has announced another collaboration for their Legacy of the Beast mobile game.

The latest level added to Legacy of the Beast is called “Road Rats Forever,” which is inspired by the music and lyrics of Alice Cooper, specifically his latest album, Road.

Not only that, you can unlock the “No More Mr. Nice Guy” rocker as a playable character if you log in to Legacy of the Beast any seven days between now and December 15.

Legacy of the Beast has previously featured levels inspired by Avenged Sevenfold, Motörhead, Ghost, Five Finger Death Punch, Anthrax and Disturbed.

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