Classic Rock News

The Zombies have canceled the remaining dates of their North American tour.

On Tuesday, October 24, the band announced on Instagram that a member of the group had been hospitalized, prompting the cancelation of shows in Alexandra, Virginia, and Beverly, Massachusetts. In a new post on Thursday, October 26, they revealed that while the unnamed band member had been released from the hospital, they made the decision not to continue the tour. 

“Although he’s been released from the hospital and is recovering, we must prioritize his health over the tour. Out of respect for our bandmate’s privacy, we are not disclosing further details,” they write. “Despite facing some significant challenges on this tour, these have been some of the most enjoyable shows of our career together, and we’re forever grateful to our fans.” 

In addition to the Virginia and Massachusetts shows, canceled dates include an October 27 concert in New York City and an October 29 gig in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Refunds will be given to all ticket holders.

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It’s no secret that members of The Police have had their differences over the years. In a new interview, drummer Stewart Copeland opens up about just how bad things got during the recording of their final album, Synchronicity.

Copeland’s new book, Police Diaries, is out now, and he tells the New York Post the dysfunction in the band was so bad during the recording of their #1 album it felt like “hell on earth,” particularly when it came to working with Sting.

“It was a very uncomfortable place — and we drove each other crazy,” he says. “We now understand where all that tension came from. And in fact, given that understanding, I’m very grateful that we got as many as five albums out of Stingo, because by then … he had a very clear idea of how the arrangements should go.”

Copeland explains that when the band started out it was a collaborative effort. However, he says, “It became more and more compromise for him — and it got tougher and tougher for him to make those compromises.” 

“The times when I came the closest to homicide, the times when it became absolutely critical that I choke the life out of this man, were when he would come over to me and tell me something about the hi-hat,” he says.

Copeland says that in the end, he and Sting simply had major differences when it came to making music.

“Sting was looking for a beautiful place, and to create something serene and moving and, dare I say, intellectual,” he explains. “For me, it’s about burning down the house — it’s a party.”

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A new three-part docuseries is set to take a deep dive into the murder of The Beatles legend John Lennon.

John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial, narrated by actor Kiefer Sutherland, will air on Apple TV +, promising the “most thoroughly researched examination” of Lennon’s 1980 murder.

According to a press release, the series will feature “exclusive eyewitness interviews and previously unseen crime scene photos, shedding new light on the life and murder of music and cultural icon John Lennon and the investigation and conviction of Mark David Chapman, his confessed killer.”

The series includes interviews with eyewitnesses to the murder, Lennon’s friends, detectives and prosecutors, and Chapman’s defense lawyers and psychiatrists.

So far, an airdate for the docuseries has not been announced.

Lennon was shot by Chapman outside his New York apartment, The Dakota, on December 8, 1980. Chapman pled guilty to second degree murder and was sentenced to 20-years-to-life in prison. He became eligible for parole in 2000 but still remains in jail.

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Flea lives up to his band’s name in the latest episode of Hot Ones.

On Thursday, October 16, the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist appeared on the popular YouTube show, in which host Sean Evans interviews celebrities as they eat chicken wings covered in progressively hotter sauces.

During the episode, Flea talked about his memories of past Red Hot Chili Peppers rehearsal spaces, injuries he’s suffered while performing and his passion for basketball and music education, all while acquitting himself well as the spice level of the sauces kept increasing.

The heat does overcome Flea at a couple points, though, leading to tears, a runny nose and a whole host of indescribable noises.

Other musicians who’ve guested on Hot Ones include Dave Grohl, who called his appearance a “bucket list” experience.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

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A new mini documentary is giving fans a look at Jimi Hendrix’s rise to fame in the U.S. 

From The Monkees To The Hollywood Bowl features previously unseen footage recounting the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s stint as openers for The Monkees in July 1967, a performance that was not embraced by The Monkees’ young fans.

Jimi Hendrix Experience eventually left the tour. By that August, they were opening for The Mamas and the Papas at the Hollywood Bowl, which helped them break big in America. Those gigs happened right before the release of the band’s debut album, Are You Experienced.

From The Monkees To The Hollywood Bowl features interviews with Monkee Micky Dolenz and Hendrix manager Chas Chandler as well as former Experience band members Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell.

The short film comes as the new live album, Jimi Hendrix Experience: Hollywood Bowl August 18, 1967, is set to drop November 10. The concert, one of the band’s opening gigs for The Mamas and the Papas, features performances of classics like “Purple Haze,” “The Wind Cries Mary” and “Foxey Lady,” along with covers of The Beatles‘ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” Bob Dylan‘s “Like a Rolling Stone” and more.

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The Rolling Stones have shared the official video for their Hackney Diamonds track “Sweet Sounds of Heaven.”

The live clip gives fans a peek at the band’s surprise record release show at the intimate venue Racket in New York on Thursday, October 19, with Lady Gaga joining them for the performance.

Gaga comes out onstage about two minutes into the song, wearing a pink and black sequined jumpsuit, belting out her contribution to the tune.

Hackney Diamonds, the band’s first album in 18 years, is out now. In addition to Gaga, the album version of “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” features Stevie Wonder on keyboards.

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Pink Floyd is revisiting their fifth studio album, 1970’s Atom Heart Mother, with a special edition reissue.

Originally released in Japan in 2021, the reissue will include the album on CD and a Blu-ray featuring live footage of “Atom Heart Mother (Suite)” performed at Japan’s Hakone Aphrodite festival in August 1971.

The performance, which was part of The Early Years box set, is the only existing footage of Pink Floyd’s performance at the festival. Fifty years later, the original footage was found in a fan’s garage and has now been restored and remastered. The Blu-ray also includes a behind-the-scenes documentary with footage from the band’s Japanese adventures leading to the festival.

Additionally, the reissue comes with a photo book containing never-before-seen pics as well as reproductions of a poster, ticket and more from the 1971 concert.

The Hakone Aphrodite festival, which took place August 6 and 7, 1971, was Floyd’s first concert in Japan. It featured several international artists, with Floyd as the headliner.  

Atom Heart Mother – Special Edition is set to drop December 8. It is available for preorder now.

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The Who’s Tommy is coming back to Broadway next year. The musical is set to open at the Nederlander Theatre on March 28, with previews beginning March 8.

The version of the show coming to Broadway is a brand new staging featuring a cast of 28 and a nine-piece band. Directed by original Tommy director, Des McAnuff, it debuted at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre in June with 36 sold-out performances, making it the highest grossing production in the history of the Goodman.

Based on The Who’s 1969 album and 1975 film, the original production of Tommy opened at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California, on July 1, 1992. It opened on Broadway on April 22, 1993, and closed on June 17, 1995. It won five Tony Awards, including Best Direction for McAnuff and Best Original Score for Pete Townshend.

“In 1969, when I originally wrote Tommy with The Who, nobody had ever written popular music songs about trauma, nobody talked about bullying, domestic sexual abuse was a subject that was virtually censored,” The Who’s Pete Townshend shares. “Then, in 1993, working with Des on the staged theatre piece, we broke the established rules for a musical show. Now, the current generation is breaking all of those rules again—and what Des has achieved with this incredible new production honors them and their courage and audacity.”

In other The Who news, the band revealed on Instagram that they’ll be making a special announcement on Friday, October 27, “about two of their studio albums which were released in the month of October.” The post just happened to come on the same day as the 50th anniversary of the release of their album Quadrophenia.

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On This Day, October 26, 1965… 

The Beatles received quite an honor at Buckingham Palace when Queen Elizabeth II gave the group —  Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — medals recognizing them as members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. 

In 1969, Lennon returned his MBE in protest over “Britain’s involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing,” “our support of America in Vietnam” and the fact that his single “Cold Turkey” was “slipping down the charts.”

In later years, two members of The Beatles went on to be knighted by the queen for their service to music: McCartney in 1997 and Starr in 2018.

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U2 brought a little extra star power to their Las Vegas residency at the Sphere on Wednesday, October 25.

Variety reports the Irish rockers surprised fans with special guest Lady Gaga, who Bono introduced as “the most audacious, vivacious woman in any room she’s ever in.” He added, “Would you welcome to our turntable, the divine — the divinyl— Lady Gaga.” 

Gaga, dressed like Bono in a black leather jacket and sunglasses, joined the rockers for three songs: the U2 classics “All I Want Is You” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” as well as the A Star Is Born cut “Shallow.”

Gaga, who wrapped her Jazz & Piano Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM October 5, has been turning up a lot lately. Just last week, she was the surprise guest at The Rolling Stones’ Hackney Diamonds record release party. She also turned up as a spectator, checking out the U2 Sphere residency earlier this month. 

U2 recently added 11 more shows to their U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere residency at The Venetian Resort. Their next concert is happening Friday, October 27, with shows now running until Sunday, February 18. A complete list of dates can be found at U2.com.

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