Classic Rock News

Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee is celebrating one year of sobriety. During an appearance on Bill Maher‘s Club Random podcast, he opened up about just how much he used to drink in his heyday. 

“It’s just — it’s easy to fall in love with, the way it makes you feel, the way it makes you relax, and then all of a sudden you’re, like, ‘F***! I’m drinking two gallons of vodka a day?'” he said. “This is not … You’re trying to kill yourself now.”

While Maher couldn’t comprehend that much drinking, Lee swore he wasn’t exaggerating, noting he was able to drink that much for a long time. He added, “Your liver is on crutches at that point; it’s just barely functioning.”

Luckily, Lee said it hasn’t done too much damage to his body. 

“I just did the full body scan, where they do, head to toe everything, and I can’t believe — smoking, drinking, all the f***** dumb s***, or the fun s*** that I’ve done. Dude, the doctor was, like, ‘You’re good’,” he said. “I can’t believe… I pinch myself on a daily basis.”

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Mick Jagger seems to be stoking the friendly rivalry between The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. 

During a 2021 interview with The New Yorker, Paul McCartney stirred things up when he suggested The Beatles were the better of the two bands because “the Stones were really just a blues cover band.” Well, apparently Jagger hasn’t forgotten that. 

During an interview with The Times of London, Jagger was discussing McCartney’s contribution to The Stones’ new album Hackney Diamonds, out October 20, when McCartney’s comments were brought up again. “Well, the Beatles were also really just a blues cover band when they started out,” Jagger responded. “Every band is a cover band at the beginning, because that’s how it goes.”

But Jagger doesn’t actually seem upset by McCartney’s comment. In fact, he’s had a lot of fun with it.

“When we’re on tour I like to say that someone is in the audience when they’re actually not, to create a big moment, so I said one time, ‘Paul McCartney is here tonight. He’s going to come up on stage and play some of our blues cover tunes,’” Jagger said. “I texted Paul to say thank you for his comment because it has given me a lot of comic material.” 

Mick also got in one more crack about The Beatles before the interview was over. When asked how he wants his band to remembered, Jagger said he only cared about The Stones being known as “a good rock band.” 

“There is going to be The Beatles and there is going to be The Stones and together they will represent the rock era,” he said. “The Stones are much longer lived, obviously.”

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David Lee Roth is back with some new music. In case you missed it, the former Van Halen frontman shared the previously unreleased tune “Manda Bala,” which translates to “send a bullet.”

The song release came just three days after Roth celebrated his 69th birthday on October 10. It dropped on what happened to be the 76th birthday of his Van Halen replacement, Sammy Hagar, October 13.

Roth did not reveal when “Manda Bala” was recorded, but the last time he confirmed he was recording music was in 2014 when he went into the studio with current Mötley Crüe guitarist John 5.

While this is the first new song from Roth in years, since mid 2022, he has treated fans to new takes on several Van Halen songs, including “Unchained,” “You Really Got Me,” “Dance The Night Away,” “Panama,” “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love,” “Everybody Wants Some!!” and “Atomic Punk.”

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Documentaries about Carlos Santana and Blood, Sweat and Tears are among the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, presented by National Geographic Documentary Films. 

The Santana doc Carlos and What The Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat and Tears are both nominated for Best Musical Documentary, where they will compete with Love To Love You, Donna Summer; Little Richard: I Am Everything; Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop; the Jon Batiste doc American Symphony and the just-released blockbuster, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.

Winners will be announced at a gala November 12. The ceremony, taking place at The Edison Ballroom in New York City, will be livestreamed on Facebook, YouTube and X.

A complete list of nominees can be found at criticschoice.com.

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Former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor is ready to take the stage again to help raise money for a good cause. 

The rocker, who is currently battling stage 4 prostate cancer, has announced a concert at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire, England, with special guests Robert Plant, Wham’s Andrew Ridgeley and others. The October 21 event, An Evening with Andy Taylor and Special Guests, will raise money for The Cancer Awareness Trust, where Taylor has been undergoing lifesaving targeted treatment. 

“Over recent months, it’s been a real honour & lifesaver working with Professor Sir Chris Evans & CAT – The Cancer Awareness Trust…,” Taylor writes on Instagram. “Having such a transformative journey, one where the generosity of spirt has carried me to a better place, enlightened me as to what my better purpose can be, now that I have some life back, which is bloody amazing by the way.”

In addition to the performances, the night will include an auction featuring the works of Banksy, Pablo Picasso, Mr Doodle and others.

Although the event isn’t open to the public, Taylor is giving at least two fans a way to get in the door. He’s holding a contest where the winner will receive two VIP “meet, greet & mingle” tickets,” a night’s hotel stay, food and more.

According to Taylor, all money raised “will go directly into patient care, the type of care I’ve received.”

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Mike McCready helped bring some grunge to Guns N’ Roses‘ concert in Seattle Saturday, October 14.

The Pearl Jam guitarist joined the “Welcome to the Jungle” rockers onstage to play along with a show-closing rendition of “Paradise City.”

PJ drummer Matt Cameron, who attended the show, posted footage of the live collaboration in his Instagram Story.

GN’R previously rocked “Paradise City” with Dave Grohl and Carrie Underwood, among others.

The Grunge N’ Roses tour continues Monday, October 16, in Vancouver with openers Alice in Chains.

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On This Day, October 16, 1972…

At odds with their record label and each other, Creedence Clearwater Revival broke up following the release of their final album, Mardi Gras, which Rolling Stone called “the worst album I have ever heard from a major rock band.”

Frontman John Fogerty went on to find solo success with 1985’s Centerfield, and Stu Cook and Doug Clifford formed Creedence Clearwater Revisited in 1995.

Creedence Clearwater Revival was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, but Fogerty refused to play with his bandmates, instead playing with session musicians and special guests Bruce Springsteen and Robbie Robertson.

Despite being the band’s main songwriter, Fogerty initially did not own the worldwide publishing rights to any of the Creedence Clearwater Revival songs. After a 50-year battle, he finally regained those rights in January.

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Joni Mitchell and Annie Lennox were among the special guests at Brandi Carlile’s concert at the Hollywood Bowl Saturday, October 14. 

Billed as Brandi Carlile & Friends, Mitchell, with help from several of the night’s guests, including Lennox, Lucius and Allison Russell, closed the show with a trio of songs: “Shine,” “Ladies of the Canyon” and “The Circle Game.”

Lennox also treated the crowd to some of her songs, performing her solo classics “Why” and “No More I Love You’s” along with the Eurythmics track “Love Is a Stranger.” 

“I had one of the best experiences in my musical life with Brandi Carlile – Joni Mitchell and all the wonderful musicians at the Hollywood Bowl last night,” Lennox shared on Instagram.

Brandi replied, writing, “You’re more generous with your time wisdom and talent then anyone I’ve ever met. I will never be able to fully repay you- but it’s gonna be wonderful to dream up ways of trying! I love you forever.”

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Rolling Stone magazine is once again ranking musicians, and their latest list is bound to get folks talking — and possibly shaking their heads. 

The mag has just come out with their picks for the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, looking not just at rockers but also artists in genres like folk, blues, country, disco, reggae and more.

So, who is the greatest guitarist of all time? Well, according to the mag, it’s the late Jimi Hendrix.

“He was a showman who played with his teeth or behind his back,” Rolling Stone writes. “But underneath all the theatrics is the true master of the instrument.” The mag adds, “His career may have lasted eight years, but musicians spend a lifetime studying his dazzling technique and improvisational genius.”

Coming in at number two is Chuck Berry, followed by Led Zeppelin‘s Jimmy Page at three, Van Halen‘s Eddie Van Halen at four and Jeff Beck at five.

The highest ranking women on the list include Sister Rosetta Tharpe at six and Joni Mitchell at nine; the mag calls Joni “rock’s ultimate acoustic guitarist for over 50 years.”

Other well-known guitarists on the list include: Allman Brothers Band’s Duane Allman at 10, Carlos Santana at 11, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi at 13, Prince at 14, The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards at 15 and Stevie Ray Vaughan at 20. 

Of course, with any list, some of the rankings are bound to raise some eyebrows. Guitar legend Buddy Guy is at 27, while Queen’s Brian May is at 33, Eric Clapton is at 35 and The Who’s Pete Townshend is at 37, while Red Hot Chili Peppers’ guitarist John Frusciante and St. Vincent are ahead of all of them at 25 and 26, respectively.

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The Moody Blues bassist John Lodge has added a new leg of his Days of Future Passed tour, where the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer plays the band’s classic 1967 album, Days of Future Passed, in its entirety, along with a selection of classic hits.

The new dates kick off February 24 at The Villages in Florida and wrap March 17 in Boston, Massachusetts. Lodge will then perform on the Flower Power Cruise, which departs Miami on March 21 and returns March 28.

The tour has the 78-year-old Lodge accompanied by his 10,000 Light Years Band and includes a guest appearance by Lodge’s son-in-law, current Yes frontman Jon Davison. The concert also features a special recording of late Moody Blues drummer Graeme Edge reciting his poems “Morning Glory” and “Late Lament.”

A complete list of tour dates and ticket information can be found at johnlodge.com.

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