On This Day, October 12, 1981: U2 releases their second album, ‘October’

On This Day, October 12, 1981: U2 releases their second album, ‘October’

On This Day, October 12, 1981… 

U2 released their second album, October, featuring many songs about religion and spirituality, including “Gloria.”

The band started writing the album during their Boy tour, but after a briefcase with all their new lyrical and musical ideas was stolen backstage in Portland, Oregon, Bono was forced to improvise new lyrics during recording sessions, which he described as chaotic.

After several pleas from Bono to the people of Portland over the years, the briefcase was finally returned to U2 in 2004.

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Stewart Copeland sharing early Police diaries in October

Stewart Copeland sharing early Police diaries in October
Rocket 88 Books

Back in January, The Police drummer Stewart Copeland announced he’d be sharing his personal diaries from the early days of the band in a new book. Well, fans won’t have to wait much longer to read it. 

Police Diaries is set to drop on October 26 and will feature actual scans of diary entries between 1976 and 1979, along with new commentary from Copeland. The rocker takes fans inside the band’s “starving years” and shares both classic and previously unseen photos.

Police Diaries is available for preorder now in three formats. In addition to a Classic edition, there’s a 500-copy Signature edition that comes with a CD of previously unreleased Copeland home recordings and a reprint of a classic Outlandos D’amour poster.

There’s also a 100-copy Ultimate edition that features the same bonuses as the Signature edition, a vintage recycled leather-bound copy of the book and a signed band print of a photo taken in Sting’s basement in 1978.

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The musician Jon Bon Jovi’s son admires most … isn’t his dad

The musician Jon Bon Jovi’s son admires most … isn’t his dad
Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Hampton Water

What does it take to impress a kid these days? Even being a global superstar and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer isn’t enough for Jon Bon Jovi‘s son.

In a joint interview with Barron’s, Jon and his son Jesse Bongiovi discuss their award-winning rosé, Hampton Water, which is now available in all 50 states, as well as more than 50 countries. As part of the interview — in which they hint they may be expanding their line of wines — the father and son answer a series of fill-in-the-blank questions, such as naming their go-to meals and favorite vacations.

But things get sticky when the question turns to, “The musician I admire the most is … .” Jon’s answer? “Paul McCartney. He is still singing, touring and writing. Of course, he was part of the greatest band that ever existed.”

But Jesse’s response is, “Harry Styles. He is the man.” Awkward!

And things don’t get much better when Jesse’s asked what song of his dad’s he listens to the most.

“I don’t sit around and listen to my dad’s songs much,” he says. “If I had to pick, it would be ‘Bed of Roses.'”  

And it seems we won’t be hearing Jon perform that ballad — or any other love song — at his other son Jake‘s wedding to actress Millie Bobby Brown: She’s already said her future father-in-law won’t be singing at their wedding because “the man needs a break.”

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Jimi Hendrix doc getting special New York screening

Jimi Hendrix doc getting special New York screening
ABRAMORAMA Films

The Jimi Hendrix documentary Music, Money, Madness … Jimi Hendrix In Maui is getting a special screening in New York City.

The special event will take place October 25 at the LOOK Dine-In Cinemas W57 in Manhattan and will feature a Q&A with the film’s producers: Janie Hendrix, Hendrix’s sister and Experience Hendrix CEO, and John McDermott, who also directed the film. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix’s original audio engineer, will also take part in the Q&A. 

Music, Money, Madness … Jimi Hendrix In Maui follows the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1970 visit to Maui and their participation in the critically panned counterculture film Rainbow Bridge, produced by their controversial manager Michael Jeffery. It features never-before-seen original footage, along with new interviews and more.

Tickets for the screening are on sale now.

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John Fogerty buys Sylvester Stallone’s California ranch

John Fogerty buys Sylvester Stallone’s California ranch
Scott Legato/Getty Images

John Fogerty has found a new California home.

According to the Robb Report, the Creedence Clearwater Revival rocker recently purchased Sylvester Stallone’s 2.2-acre ranch in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. 

Fogerty reportedly paid $17.2 million for the property, which was a bargain considering Stallone was asking for $22.5 million. The sale price was also less than what Stallone initially paid for it in 2022. 

The home is located in the gated community of Hidden Hills, home to several other stars. In addition to the main house, a guest house and a large cabana, it features a horse barn and arena for horse riding. There’s also a vegetable garden and fruit-bearing trees, a private swimming pool, fire pit area and more.

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Def Leppard’s Rick Allen, Mötley Crüe & more donate items to Raven Drum Foundation auction

Def Leppard’s Rick Allen, Mötley Crüe & more donate items to Raven Drum Foundation auction
Photo by Grant Kinsey/courtesy of Raven Drum Foundation

Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx, drummer Matt Sorum and Styx are among the artists donating items to a new auction benefiting Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen’s Raven Drum Foundation. 

The 12 Drummers Drumming auction helps raise money for Raven Drum Foundation’s mission to help veterans, first responders and others dealing with trauma. Now in its third year, the auction is open for bidding through November 11 at 12 p.m. PT.  

Items available this year include a signed bass by Sixx; a drumhead signed by Lee and Allen; a Sorum package that includes three pairs of signature drumsticks, one set each from his time with Guns N’ RosesThe Cult and Velvet Revolver; and a Rick Allen handprint on a canvas.

There is also a custom Dave Matthews guitar with hand-drawn artwork, part of a partnership with Musicians on Call to bring music to VA hospitals throughout the country.

Previous auctions have raised over $120,000.

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KISS cancels upcoming End of the Road tour stop in Dubai

KISS cancels upcoming End of the Road tour stop in Dubai
ABC/Tsuni

KISS is playing one less show on their End of the Road tour.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers were supposed to headline Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Friday, October 13, but according to a message on the venue’s website, the show has been canceled. 

“KISS has today confirmed that they have cancelled their show due to unforeseen circumstances and will be releasing more information imminently,” read the post. “We share the KISS Army and regional rock fans’ disappointment and wish the band members all the best.” 

Fans with tickets will receive immediate refunds. 

The show was supposed to be the band’s final concert in Dubai. Up next, they will kick off the final leg of their tour on October 19 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The tour ends with two shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden, December 1 and 2. A complete list of dates can be found at kissonline.com.

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Elton John & David Furnish invest in music tech company helping artists get paid

Elton John & David Furnish invest in music tech company helping artists get paid
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Elton John and husband David Furnish are trying to help artists get paid.

According to Sky News, the pair is part of a new group of investors in Audoo, a music technology company trying to improve the way artists are compensated when their music is played in public venues. The company’s Audio Meter monitoring device is able to recognize when songs are played in public spaces like cafes, hair salons, gyms and more.

“Working as a musician can be seen as all glitz and glamour but for the vast majority of artists, especially new and emerging acts, this isn’t the case. It’s often brutally unfair and this sadly extends into being paid correctly,” Elton shares. “Right now, artists are not being paid accurately for their plays because the data simply doesn’t exist.”

He adds, “That’s why we’ve invested in Audoo and their world-class technology, to help create a more transparent system for everyone, and ultimately to keep the music alive.”

Elton and David are part of a new injection of funds to the company, said to be around $5 million. They aren’t the only famous names to put their money behind Audoo: ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and Paul McCartney’s investment company, MPL Ventures, have also backed Audoo. The company has raised $22 million since it first launched in 2018.

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Heart reunites: Nancy Wilson makes surprise appearance at Ann Wilson’s Santa Rosa show

Heart reunites: Nancy Wilson makes surprise appearance at Ann Wilson’s Santa Rosa show
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for God’s Love we Deliver

There was a Heart reunion onstage in Santa Rosa, California, on Tuesday, October 10.

Ann Wilson was headlining a show with her Tripsitter band at Luther Burbank Center For The Arts when she invited her sister Nancy Wilson out for the encore. Fan-shot footage posted to YouTube shows the Heart sisters rocking out to their classic tune “Barracuda.”

Nancy had actually teased her appearance earlier in the evening, sharing a picture of one of her picks on top of a setlist and tagging both the venue and her sister. 

The last time Heart toured together was in 2019. This year marks the band’s 50th anniversary. In a 2022 Grammy.com interview, Nancy suggested they were going to be doing something to mark the milestone, but so far nothing’s been announced.

Ann Wilson & Tripsitter have tour dates booked through December 11. Their next show is happening Wednesday, October 11, at the State Theatre in Red Bluff, California. A complete list of dates can be found at annwilson.com.

 

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Metallica’s James Hetfield reflects on rocking to Judas Priest at Power Trip: “We wanted to be in the mix”

Metallica’s James Hetfield reflects on rocking to Judas Priest at Power Trip: “We wanted to be in the mix”
ABC/Randy Holmes

As much fun as Metallica had playing the Power Trip festival, frontman James Hetfield might’ve had an even better time watching fellow headliner Judas Priest take the stage.

You may have seen viral footage of Hetfield shredding air guitar during Priest’s performance of “Living After Midnight,” or Metallica’s Instagram post of him and guitarist Kirk Hammett rocking out while standing between the crowd barricade and the stage.

In the latest episode of the weekly Metallica Report podcast, Hetfield reflects on his Power Trip experience.

“I just kind of realized that we’re down in the very front looking up, you got Rob Halford riding out on a motorcycle, and there’s fans behind us looking at us,” Hetfield shares. “They’re watching us enjoy that. How cool?”

“We’re fans, at the end of the day,” he adds. “We wanted to be in the mix and see it.”

Power Trip also featured Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Tool and AC/DC, who played their first live show in seven years at the festival.

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