Classic Rock News

Bonnie Raitt is no stranger to Grammy Awards. Not only has she won 10, she’s been nominated 30 times, including four nominations this year. But surprisingly, this year she’s received her first nomination as a songwriter, with her tune “Just Like That” up for Song of the Year.

“I was never expecting this song of the year nomination. But I was very proud of the song, especially since it was so inspired by John Prine, and we lost him,” she tells the New York Times. “I put my heart and soul into every record, and I never know which ones are going to resonate. But I can tell people are really moved, looking out there in the audience.” 

Raitt will be in attendance at this Sunday’s Grammys, where she’ll perform in the tribute to Fleetwood Mac‘s Christine McVie, and it sounds like for many artists Grammy night is about way more than trophies.

“I think all of us are like a kid in a candy store backstage,” she shares. “My favorite story about the Grammys was going through the metal detector at the Staples Center, at the afternoon ceremony. I was in the line between two guys in Slipknot, and the guy behind me is like in a Hannibal Lecter kind of a mask, and he goes, ‘I really dig your music!’”

She says, “I wouldn’t have expected Slipknot guys to know me. You know, maybe a ‘My mom loves you’ kind of thing, but he was clearly a fan. And I just never expected the number of people that come up and tell each other that. I got to tell Dave Grohl what a fan I am of the Foo Fighters, and he was so surprised on the red carpet.”

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Chris Cornell‘s widow, Vicky Cornell, has shared a statement regarding Soundgarden‘s nomination to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

In an Instagram post, Vicky writes, “Thank you Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for nominating Soundgarden for induction in 2023!”

“I know that Chris would be so proud and his fans will be so happy to see his band recognized and honored,” she continues. “On Chris’s behalf, I want to thank every one of you in advance for your love and support for his music and legacy.”

Soundgarden is on the ballot for the second time, following their first nod in 2020. Both nominations have come after Chris’ death in 2017.

Guitarist Kim Thayil previously told Billboard that the latest nomination is a “pleasant surprise.”

The 2023 Rock Hall inductees will be announced in May.

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Brian May says he feels violated after hackers got into several of his accounts. The Queen guitarist took to Instagram to reveal that not only have his TikTok and Twitter accounts been hacked, his email account has been, as well.

“Basically, I wasted the whole day today trying to reclaim my stuff, without much success to be honest,” he shares in a video to his followers. “I spend my life trying to earn an honest living I suppose and trying to do some good in the world and bring some joy to people. But this guy just wants to spend his days making my life a misery. So I don’t really get it; I think it is kind of sad.”

May says he does have someone working on fixing the matter, but notes, “It has done a lot of damage to me, it also makes me feel really, I guess, violated. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling.”

And what’s worse, Brian says in the caption of the video the hacker has been “scamming kids with fraudulent offers of cheap laptops, pretending to be me.” He warns folks to be careful. 

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The Stranger Things scene that made a resurgent hit out of Metallica‘s “Master of Puppets” is getting turned into a Funko Pop! figure.

The upcoming set features tiny, vinyl recreations of Joseph Quinn‘s Eddie Munson and the guitar he used to shred the 1986 thrash classic, and of Gaten Matarazzo‘s Dustin Henderson and the evil demobats.

Stay tuned to Funko.com for preorder info.

Following its placement in the season 4 finale of Stranger Things last year, “Master of Puppets” charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the very first time, eventually peaking at #35 on the all-genre chart.

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Looking for that perfect Valentine’s Day card for your love? Well, if they are a Def Leppard fan, the band has got you covered.

Just in time for the romantic holiday, the rockers are selling Valentine’s Day cards featuring five different poses, with lyrics from the band’s hits placed in a heart. Professions of love include “pour some sugar on me,” “let the love begin” and “love and affection.”

“Send some Leppard love with these classic Def Leppard valentine cards!” the band suggests. “Vibrant, fun, and smoking hot, these valentines are the perfect way to show your affection.” 

The cards are available for purchase at leppardvault.com and can be purchased individually, or in five- or 10-card packs.

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When Billy Corgan famously sang “the world is a vampire” on The Smashing Pumpkins‘ “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” he apparently really did mean the whole world.

The Pumpkins are headed all the way to Australia to stage their The World Is a Vampire festival. The touring event will make stops in 10 different Australian cities in April and will also feature Jane’s Addiction on the bill.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit OneWorldEntertainment.com.au.

If you’re looking to see Corgan and company a little bit closer to their hometown of Chicago, The World Is a Vampire festival will also take place in Mexico in March. Interpol and Turnstile will be on the lineup.

Meanwhile, The Smashing Pumpkins have been releasing new music from their three-act “rock opera” album, Atum. The first two parts are out now; part three arrives April 21.

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Zakk Wylde and Judas Priest have shared their support for Ozzy Osbourne following the Prince of Darkness’ announcement earlier this week that his European and United Kingdom tour dates would be canceled. He said Wednesday that his touring days have ended.

The Black Label Society frontman, who’s also long been the guitarist in Ozzy’s live band, has posted an all-caps tweet reading, “Everybody is praying & rooting for you.”

“Your strength, resilience & heart of a lion is one of the many reasons you’re a hero to me & millions around the world,” Wylde continues. “When you are ready to roll-we roll. I love you Oz.”

In their own tweet, Rob Halford and company add, “We send all our love and support for Ozzy.” Priest was also set to be on the bill for select dates on Osbourne’s tour.

“[We] thank our fans in the UK and Ireland especially for your loyalty by standing with us,” Priest says.

The long-delayed tour was originally set for 2019; it was initially postponed when Ozzy came down with the flu and then again when the metal legend suffered a fall in his home, which required extensive surgery and recovery time. The outing was supposed to finally take place in 2023 after a pandemic-related postponement, but was canceled for good this week due to Ozzy’s continued physical ailments from the fall.

“Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way,” Ozzy said.

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The late Warren Zevon is one of this year’s nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the news left his children pretty emotional. 

“When I first saw it, tears came to my eyes first and then sort of the shock of it being 20 years later since he passed away,” daughter Ariel tells Billboard. “It feels like a significant moment for the Zevon family.” Son Jordan adds, “I’m excited. I had to wake up at 4:50 in the morning to get the news firsthand, so I’m very caffeinated and possibly a little dizzy, but I’m excited.”

As for how they think their dad would have taken the news, Jordan says, “There’s this misconception that dad wouldn’t have cared.” He added, “It’d be like, ‘Hey Johnny, hey Ariel, guess what?!’ It would have been, ‘It’s a big deal.’ It was his business. He wanted to be good at it. You want to win, you know, best plumber of the year.” 

Ariel says she feels like her father’s music resonates with a lot of people these days, noting, “I would say that’s a good sign of somebody who probably deserves to be recognized, for a contribution to the arts, just generally speaking.”

“I just think the quality of the music and the songwriting, it’s such a different level, and I think that he put so much care into it,” Jordan adds. “And commercial put aside, quality-wise he still kept writing some songs that I think are just really, truly amazing, throughout his career. I just think he is pretty f–king good!”

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On this day, February 2, 1942…

Singer/songwriter Graham Nash was born in Blackpool, England. He first gained fame in the early 60s as a member of the Hollies, and then in 1968 he teamed with Stephen Stills and David Crosby to form Crosby, Stills & Nash, with Neil Young joining them a year later. They performed their second-ever gig together at Woodstock. Their first album as a foursome, 1970’s Déjà Vu, went to number one. 

Nash has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice:as a member of Crosby, Stills, & Nash in 1997, and again as a member of the Hollies in 2010. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours List for services to music and to charity.

Nash is scheduled to start a new tour on April 12 in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

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It’s been a six-year wait that for fans has felt longer, but Bruce Springsteen and the E Street were back on stage in Tampa Wednesday night treating fans to a set filled with a mix of new tracks and classic cuts.

Fans were treated to several songs off 2020‘s Letters to You album, including the title track, “Ghosts,” “House of a Thousand Guitars,” “Burnin’ Train” and a solo acoustic version of “Last Man Standing,” which The Boss dedicated to his former Castiles bandmate George Theiss, who passed away in 2018.

“His passing would leave me as the last surviving member of my first band, so it’s kind of like standing on the tracks with the hot light of an oncoming train bearing down on you,” Springsteen told the crowd, according to the Asbury Park Press. “It brings a clarity of thought and a purpose that you might have not previously experienced.” He added, “At 15 it’s all hellos. At 73 it’s a lot of goodbyes. That’s why you have to make the most of right now.” 

The set list also included two songs from Bruce’s Only the Strong Survive solo album, “Night Shift,” and “Don’t Play That Song,” along with lots of old favorites, including the opener “No Surrender,” “Rosalita,” “Born to Run,” “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out,” “Dancing in the Dark,” “Glory Days” and more, along with some deeper cuts like “Kitty’s Back” and “E Street Shuffle.” 

The Boss ended the night with another solo acoustic performance, the Letters to You track “I’ll See You in My Dreams.” 

Next up, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s bring the tour to Atlanta, Georgia on Friday.

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