Classic Rock News

Bon Jovi is getting into the Christmas spirit. The rockers just announced they’ll be releasing a new, original holiday tune, “Christmas Isn’t Christmas,” on Friday, November 17.

This isn’t the first time Bon Jovi has helped soundtrack the holidays. Previously released Christmas tunes by the band include the original track “I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas” and covers of “Please Come Home For Christmas” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”

In 2020, frontman Jon Bon Jovi released a Christmas EP, aptly titled A Jon Bon Jovi Christmas, which featured three songs, “Christmas All Over Again,” “Fairytale of New York” and “If I Get Home on Christmas Day.”

“Christmas Isn’t Christmas” is available for preorder now. Those who order it will be entered for a chance to win one of three Bon Jovi Monopoly sets, autographed by Jon.

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 Bob Geldof is not a fan of his own work … at least when it comes to acting.

According to Deadline, the rocker is taking part in Poland’s Camerimage International Film Festival, where he’ll introduce a screening of the 1982 film Pink Floyd – The Wall. During a Q&A, Geldof, who stars in the film, didn’t have good things to say about his work.

“No, I don’t like the film. I think I’m really bad,” he said when asked about its importance to his career.

“I’ve seen the movie twice, and I was embarrassed. I was just embarrassed every day by how sh** I was,” he explained, adding, “I don’t like looking at myself. I don’t like listening to myself. I don’t like hearing myself. The last thing I want is to see myself on the side of a building.”

Geldof joked that money was the reason he did the film, although he didn’t get much. He called Pink Floyd “hippies” who were “terrible with money.” 

Geldof also didn’t have nice things to say about other musicians who dabbled in acting, noting artists like Sting, David Bowie and Bob Dylan weren’t good at it. He did acknowledge that Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra could act, suggesting they were better because they didn’t write songs and just interpreted what others wrote.

“So their job was to find the psychology in a song. My job is to project myself on stage. I’m singing things that are in my head,” he explained.

During the same Q&A, Geldof revealed there’s a lot of new Live Aid content in the works, including an IMAX film and a six-part series on Disney. He previously revealed that a Live Aid musical is happening and will open in London at the end of January.

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Judas Priest is getting ready to drop their new album, Invincible Shield, on March 8, and they’ll be heading out on the road to support it. 

The heavy metal Rock & Roll Hall of Famers just announced dates for their Invincible Shield Tour featuring special guests Sabaton. The tour kicks off April 18 in Wallingford, Connecticut, hitting Boston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., and more, before wrapping May 22 in Syracuse, New York.

Ticket sales kick off with an artist presale on Wednesday, November 15, followed by a public onsale starting Friday, November 17, at 10 a.m. local time.

Invincible Shield, Judas Priest’s first new album since 2018’s Firepower, is available for preorder now.

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Rush’s Geddy Lee kicked off a book tour at New York City’s Beacon Theatre on November 13, promoting his new memoir, My Effin’ Life, which is out now

Each show features Geddy in conversation with a special guest, and New York got Paul Rudd, a huge Rush fan in real life and in the movie I Love You Man.

Rudd chatted with Geddy about the band’s early days, how KISS taught them what it means to be professionals, and Geddy’s experience of getting fired from the band, only for them to ask him back. Geddy also discussed his parent’s history as Holocaust survivors and how that affected his upbringing. Both he and Rudd noted the topic was important, especially in today’s climate.

Several times during the evening, Lee got choked up talking about his grief over the death of late Rush drummer Neil Peart and the loss of Peart’s daughter and first wife in the late ’90s.

Geddy also read two excerpts from the book, one of which explained how his birth name, Gershon Eliezer Weinrib, became Geddy Lee.

During a Q&A section, Lee got emotional when asked if he ever listens to Rush music. Instead of answering, he recalled how Peart listened to Rush’s entire catalog before his 2020 death and shared how important it was for him to let Lee know he was proud of their work together.

In addition to the book, Geddy has new music for fans. “I Am You Are” and “Gone,” which he said were created from old demos, were played in the theater; they’re included in the memoir’s audiobook.

Lee’s book tour hits Philadelphia on November 15. A complete list of dates can be found at rush.com.

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Here’s a tour Van Halen fans won’t want to miss. Sammy Hagar is set to front The Best of All Worlds Tour, where he’ll be joined by Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Joe Satriani.

Coming on the heels of the recent box set The Collection II, which highlighted the Hagar-era Van Halen albums, the 28-date tour will have the group playing Van Halen classics along with tunes from Hagar’s other bands The Circle and Chickenfoot.

“It’s crazy to think that it’ll be 20 years since Mikey and I played these songs with Van Halen on the 04’ Best of Both Worlds Tour,” Hagar shares. “With Joe on board, we can take a deeper dive into those years. We’re going to touch on some hits from my entire career but seeing fans old and new really embrace the new collection set off something in Mikey and I.”

He adds, “The music we created is going to outlive us all. They deserve to be heard so it’s time we go out and serve the fans that music, while we still can.”

The tour, featuring special guest Loverboy, kicks off July 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida, and wraps August 31 in St. Louis, Missouri.

A ticket presale kicks off Wednesday, November 15, at 10 a.m., with the general onsale happening Friday, November 17, at 10 a.m. A complete list of dates can be found at redrocker.com.

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On This Day, November 14, 2006… 

Led Zeppelin and Rod Stewart were among the inductees who entered the U.K. Music Hall of Fame, which honored musicians of all nationalities for their lifetime contributions to music in the United Kingdom

The ceremony took place at Alexandria Palace in London, with Queen’s Roger Taylor inducting Zeppelin and guitarist Jimmy Page on hand to accept the award.

Stewart was inducted by U.K. artist James Morrison, who performed “The First Cut Is the Deepest” and “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy. He accepted his award via satellite from Los Angeles.

Other inductees that year included Bon Jovi, Prince, Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, James Brown and Dusty Springfield, with The Beatles producer George Martin receiving an honorary membership.

The 2006 ceremony was the last one to be held.

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Foo Fighters are releasing their But Here We Are track “The Glass” as a single alongside a cover of the song recorded by Grammy-winning R&B artist H.E.R.

The joint release will premiere on digital outlets this Friday, November 17. It’ll be available as a vinyl single on December 29.

H.E.R. previously joined the Foos to play “The Glass” during Dave Grohl and company’s performance on Saturday Night Live in October.

But Here We Are, the first Foo Fighters album to follow the March 2022 death of drummer Taylor Hawkins, was released in June. It also includes the lead single “Rescued.”

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AC/DC fans want to help the rock band get to #1 for their 50th anniversary.

Back in 2013 for the band’s 40th anniversary, the Facebook fan group AC/DC We Salute You launched a campaign to get the classic AC/DC single “Highway To Hell” to the top of the U.K. chart, ultimately getting it to #4. Now in honor of the half-century milestone, they are trying again.

“We’re going to choose another track and see if we can get 3 places higher for their 50th anniversary,” they write. “Are you in?”

Not long after posting their new mission, a new public Facebook group, AC/DC for Christmas No. 1, launched with the aim of getting the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers the illustrious Christmas chart topper in the U.K. And the group quickly began to take off, now reaching over 1,000 members. 

The page notes, “What better way to celebrate AC/DC’s 50th anniversary than to stick them on top of the Christmas Tree!”

So far the Facebook group hasn’t chosen the song they want to focus on for the #1, but fans have already shared their thoughts. Among the suggestions: “Hells Bells,” “Long Way to The Top” and “Thunderstruck.”

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Judas Priest is getting ready to share another track from their upcoming album, Invincible Shield, which drops March 8. 

The band revealed on Instagram that they’ll drop “Trial By Fire” on Friday, November 17, treating fans to a short snippet of the tune.

This will be the second Invincible Shield song the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers have shared. The first single, “Panic Attack,” was released in October.

Judas Priest surprised fans with news of Invincible Shield during their set at Power Trip in Indio, California, in October. It will be their first new album since 2018’s Firepower.

Invincible Shield is available for preorder now.

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John Mellencamp is set to join Steve Earle at Earle’s ninth annual John Henry’s Friends Benefit, taking place December 3 at Town Hall in New York City.

The event will feature performances by Mellencamp and Earle, as well as other special guests. Proceeds from the evening will benefit The Keswell School, an educational program for children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. 

“The John Henry’s Friends concerts are obviously a labor of love for myself as well as an expression of the generosity of all the performers who have suited up and showed up over the years,” says Earle. “I’m especially grateful for this year’s new friend, John Mellencamp and our other guests which we will announce shortly.”

Tickets for the concert are on sale now.

Previous editions of the John Henry’s Friends Benefit featured performances by Bruce Springsteen, David Byrne, Graham Nash and Lucinda Williams.

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