Ozzy Osbourne guests on a new song from Billy Idol guitarist Billy Morrison called “Crack Cocaine.”
The track marks the first new music to feature the Prince of Darkness since his 2022 solo album, Patient Number 9. It’s available now via digital outlets and also features Morrison’s Idol bandmate Steve Stevens.
“When Steve and I wrote the music, it was clear to both of us that it was classic Ozzy — that ONLY Ozzy could sing this one,” Morrison explains. “Once he threw his vocal down, it was obvious that it could never have been anyone else.”
Ozzy, Morrison and Stevens all appear in the accompanying “Crack Cocaine” video, as does Paris Jackson. You can watch that now streaming on YouTube.
“Crack Cocaine” will appear on Morrison’s upcoming solo album, The Morrison Project, due out April 19.
The Library of Congress awardedElton John and Bernie Taupin the prestigious Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at a ceremony held in Washington, D.C., on March 20, where their songs were performed by acts as wide-ranging as Metallica, Garth Brooks, Joni Mitchell, Annie Lennox, Brandi Carlile and Charlie Puth.
The Gershwin prize is presented for influence, impact and achievement in popular music. According to The Washington Post, at the ceremony, Elton talked about how honored he was to be given a distinctly American award. “When I grew up as a little boy in suburban London, the only good music that I heard was American,” he said. “British music sucked.”
“I’m so proud to be British, and to be here in America to receive this award because all my heroes were American,” he continued, adding that America has been “responsible for everything that I love in my musical life.” For his part, Bernie said, “Everything I’ve written emanates from this country … I have an American heart, an American soul.”
While Elton performed several songs himself — including “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” and “Your Song” — the night mostly consisted of the night’s guests performing Elton and Bernie’s catalog for an audience that included a number of prominent U.S. representatives and senators.
Metallica started the show with “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.” The whole show will air on PBS on April 8 at 8 p.m. Other performances included:
Maren Morris: “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues”
Joni Mitchell, Annie Lennox and Brandi Carlile: “I’m Still Standing”
Brandi Carlile: “Skyline Pigeon,” “Madman Across the Water”
Annie Lennox: “Border Song”
Garth Brooks: “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word”
The music of Lou Reed will be the subject of a new book coming this spring.
Sweet, Wild and Vicious: Listening to Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground is author Jim Higgins’ look at the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s catalog of music. In it, he shares “descriptions, details, analysis and appraisals” of the music Reed made from the ‘60s until his death in 2013.
“Jim Higgins takes the reader on a long walk through one of the most complicated, controversial and influential of rock oeuvres in terms that are, in turn, scholarly, hip, informative and personal,” says Trouser Press’ Ira Robbins. “The unstated goal of books like this is to make you go back and listen anew to records you thought you knew front to back; Sweet, Wild and Vicious achieves that and more.”
Sweet, Wild and Vicious: Listening to Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground will be released in paperback and eBook on April 19; it’s available for preorder now.
Lou Reed’s music is also being celebrated with an upcoming tribute album, The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed, which will be released on vinyl for Record Store Day on April 20, with CD and digital release happening the same day. It features covers of Reed tunes by the likes of Keith Richards, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts,Rufus Wainwright, Rickie Lee Jones and others.
Paul McCartney has revealed that if it wasn’t for John Lennon, he may have changed a key lyric in the classic Beatles tune “Hey Jude.”
During the latest episode of the McCartney A Life in Lyrics podcast, the rocker shared that the line, “The movement you need is on your shoulder” wasn’t initially supposed to be in the song.
McCartney explains that he originally put the line in as a placeholder but was convinced to keep it in after he performed the song for Lennon and Yoko Ono.
“I turn around to John, ‘Don’t worry. I’ll change that,'” he shared. “And he looked at me and said, ‘You won’t, you know? It’s the best line, innit?'”
“Hey Jude” was inspired by McCartney’s relationship with Lennon’s son Julian Lennon and was written after John left his wife and Julian’s mom, Cynthia,for Yoko Ono.
The song went on to be a Beatles classic, spending nine weeks at #1, which at that time tied a record for the most weeks in the top spot.
The Who’s Pete Townshend is set to make an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday, March 26.
The rocker will be on the show to promote Tommy the Musical, which is set to open at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre on March 28. The episode will also feature a performance from the musical.
This version of Tommy, directed by the musical’s originaldirector, Des McAnuff, debuted at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre in June and features a brand new staging with a cast of 28 and a nine-piece band.
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. Tommy won five Tony Awards, including Best Direction for McAnuff and Best Original Score for Townshend.
Kansas and Mötley Crüe are booked to play Canada’s 2024 Festival d’été de Québec aka FEQ.
The 11-day event takes place July 4-14, with Kansas confirmed to perform on July 12 and Mötley Crüe closing the festival on July 14.
The bill also features Nickelback, The Offspring, Jonas Brothers, Post Malone and more.
For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit FEQ.ca.
Mötley Crüe is also set to play another Canadian festival, the Ottawa Bluesfest, in July. Their next shows are happening May 3 and 4 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. A complete list of dates can be found at motley.com.
Meanwhile, Kansas recently announced a third and final leg to their Another Fork in The Road 50th anniversary tour, kicking off September 24 in Thousand Oaks, California. The current leg hits Salina, Kansas, for a two-night stand on March 22 and 23. A complete list of tour dates can be found at kansasband.com.
Judas Priest had a treat in store for their fans at their Tuesday, March 19, concert at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England.
According to setlist.fm, guitarist Glen Tipton joined the band for the last two songs of their set, “Metal Gods” and “Living After Midnight.”
Tipton, who has been a member of Judas Priest since 1974, announced in 2018 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2008 and that he’d be stepping back from touring with the band. He last performed with them at October’s Power Trip festival, joining them for the night’s final three songs, “Metal Gods,” “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight.”
Judas Priest is currently on tour in support of their latest release, Invincible Shield, which Tipton does appear on. Their next show is happening Thursday, March 21, in London. The tour hits the U.S. starting April 18 in Wallingford, Connecticut. A complete list of dates can be found at judaspriest.com.
The music of Chicago will be hitting the big screen next month.
The film Chicago & Friends in Concert will debut in select theaters on April 18, giving fans a chance to enjoy the band’s two guest-filled concerts that were recorded at Ovation Hall at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, last November.
The show featured guest appearances by such artists as Steve Vai, Chris Daughtry, Robin Thicke, Robert Randolph and more. The performances were a celebration of the 55th anniversary of the band’s debut album, Chicago Transit Authority, and had them playing songs from the album, as well as other greatest hits and unplugged versions of classic tunes.
“This concert film is a unique approach to any of our previous live performances,” Chicago founding member Lee Loughnane shares. “It was very interesting to work with each guest and experience their interpretations of our music.”
Last May Def Leppard played a special club show in their hometown of Sheffield, England, and now that performance is being immortalized for very special vinyl release.
The band will release Def Leppard One Night Only Live at The Leadmill Sheffield May 19, 2023 as a double LP vinyl set on Record Store Day, April 20.
The performance, which was livestreamed for fans, took place the same day the band released their latest album, Drastic Symphonies, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. It was the first time in over 35 years that Def Leppard played such a small venue in the U.K.
The night featured a unique set that included hits like “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak,” “Hysteria” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” as well as deep cuts like “Wasted,” “Too Late For Love” and “Mirror Mirror.”
Information on stores taking part in Record Store Day can be found at recordstoreday.com.
Lemmy was known for being a frequent patron of the Rainbow Bar & Grill. Following his death in 2015, the Rainbow hosted Lemmy’s memorial service and later put up a statue of him in 2016.
In addition to the Rainbow, Lemmy’s ashes have been enshrined in a giant statue built at the site of France’s Hellfest and on the grounds of Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival. Additionally, his friends received bullet casings containing his ashes.
