Classic Rock News

Late Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland‘s 2011 holiday album The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is getting the reissue treatment.

A deluxe version of the compilation will be released digitally and on limited edition red and green vinyl on November 4.

The reissue features new artwork and four previously unreleased bonus tracks, including a rendition of the John Lennon and Yoko Ono classic “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” which you can listen to now via digital outlets. The recording is also accompanied by a lyric video, streaming now on YouTube, that features Weiland’s family holiday photos.

Notably, the reissue marks the first official posthumous solo release from the Weiland vault since his death in 2015 at age 48.

In related STP news, the band’s bassist Robert De Leo has announced his debut solo album. The record, titled Lessons Learned, will arrive October 21.

“The past few years of life have revealed many changes,” De Leo says. “This collection of songs represents what has transpired. The journey and gift of songwriting has played such an important role for me. It’s been a close companion throughout my life.”

You can listen to the first Lessons Learned single, “Love Is Not Made of Gold,” now via digital outlets.

Meanwhile, STP’s 1992 debut album, Core, celebrated its 30th anniversary this week. The band marked the occasion with a deluxe vinyl reissue.

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Sammy Hagar and current band The Circle‘s new studio album, Crazy Times, has just been released on CD and via digital formats.

The 10-song collection was recorded in Nashville with Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb, best known for his work with a variety of major country artists.

Cobb interviewed Hagar about the album for an episode of his Southern Accents Radio program, which will premiere October 1 at 7 p.m. ET on Apple Music.

Cobb enthused about getting to work with Hagar and The Circle’s members — drummer Jason Bonham, longtime Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and virtuoso guitarist Vic Johnson.

“Going into the studio, watching you guys play was so intimidating because I’m looking at heroes up there, but not only that, but just the fire that you guys have,” Cobb said. “When you sing, there’s a fire that very few people have and it was just so impressive to see the whole thing go down live. I’ll never forget it.”

Hagar responded by noting, “You got to admit, there is great chemistry in this band and as many bands as you’ve produced and dealt with, you can have the best musicians in the world, and without chemistry, it don’t work.”

The two also discussed the Crazy Times track “Father Time,” which Cobb said is the best song Hagar has ever written.

Sammy agreed, saying, “To me, it’s the best song of the album. Best song I’ve ever written. Maybe my best vocal performance … I’m happy with the whole record, but if I said, ‘Listen to one song on this record,’ I’d say listen to that song.”

Meanwhile, vinyl versions of Crazy Times will be released on October 28.

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Ozzy Osbourne has premiered the third and final installment of his behind-the-scenes series detailing the making of his new solo album, Patient Number 9.

The episode, titled “Live Forever,” focuses on the track “Immortal,” which features Pearl Jam‘s Mike McCready. Along with producer Andrew Watt and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, who plays throughout Patient Number 9, McCready shares how he approached collaborating with the Prince of Darkness.

“I’m thinking that I want to play the s*** out of this,” McCready says. “What is on there is me feeling it.”

You can watch the “Live Forever” episode streaming now on YouTube, along with the previously released installments, “When Ozzy Calls” and “The Sabbath Connection.”

Patient Number 9, Ozzy’s 13th solo album, was released earlier this month. It also includes guest contributions from Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Black Sabbath‘s Tony Iommi, Black Label Society‘s Zakk Wylde, Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses, Metallica‘s Robert Trujillo and late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.

(Video contains uncensored profanity) 

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Putting on two massive tribute concerts to late drummer Taylor Hawkins this month was undoubtedly quite the undertaking, but Foo Fighters did have a guide to help out.

As Queen drummer Roger Taylor tells Billboard, Foo members Dave Grohl and Pat Smear told him they used the 1992 Freddie Mercury tribute concert as a “model.”

“I was very heavily involved in [the ’92 show], so that was sort of the model they built these shows on,” Taylor says. “Which is nice because we’ve always been tight with the Foo Fighters. We just love that band, like family.”

The Mercury concert was held several months after the iconic vocalist passed away in November 1991 and featured performances from the likes of Elton John, David Bowie, Guns N’ Roses, U2, George Michael and Def Leppard.

The Foos shows were no less star-studded, featuring names like Paul McCartney, AC/DC‘s Brian Johnson and Joan Jett, plus members of Rush, Led Zeppelin, The Pretenders, The Police, The Cars, Def Leppard, Nirvana and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Taylor and Queen’s Brian May also performed at both concerts, which were held in London and Los Angeles. The drummer tells Billboard that the shows had “different” energies, partially because the London one was livestreamed.

“The one in London was more of seamless show with a lot of little filmed sequence in-between and so many acts,” Taylor says. “[Los Angeles] was more like a real rock parade. It was an emphasis on hard, heavy rock, and just one act after another and a parade of drummers like you’ve never seen, all the best rock ‘n’ roll drummers in the world.”

He adds, “It was a fantastic night, just a wonderful night for my great friend Taylor.”

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Today, September 30, marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Bob Dylan‘s lauded 30th studio album, Time Out of Mind.

The collection of 11 new original tunes was considered a return to form for the influential singer/songwriter, who hadn’t released an album of his own new compositions since 1990’s Under the Red Sky.

Time Out of Mind reached #10 on the Billboard 200, Dylan’s first studio album to break into the top 10 of the chart since 1979’s Slow Train Coming, which peaked at #3.

The album won a trio of Grammys in 1998 — including his first and only Album of the Year trophy, as well as awards for Best Contemporary Folk Album and Best Rock Vocal Performance for the song “Cold Irons Bound.”

Time Out of Mind was produced by Daniel Lanois, who also worked with Dylan on his 1989 album Oh Mercy. Among the musicians who contributed to the record were acclaimed session drummer Jim Keltner, Augie Meyers of the Sir Douglas Quintet on keyboards, and guitarist Duke Robillard.

Standout tracks on the album included “Love Sick,” “Standing in the Doorway,” “Tryin’ to Get to Heaven” and the oft-covered “Make You Feel My Love.”

Among the notable versions of “Make You Feel My Love” were renditions by Billy Joel, Garth Brooks and Adele. Brooks scored a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1998.

Time Out of Mind has been certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales of 1 million copies in the U.S.

Here’s the album’s complete track list:

“Love Sick”
“Dirt Road Blues”
“Standing in the Doorway”
“Million Miles”
“Tryin’ to Get to Heaven”
“‘Til I Fell In Love with You”
“Not Dark Yet”
“Cold Irons Bound”
“Make You Feel My Love”
“Can’t Wait”
“Highlands”

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The Beatles have debuted the first take of their classic experimental song “Tomorrow Never Knows,” one of the bonus tracks from the forthcoming deluxe reissue of the Fab Four’s landmark 1966 album Revolver.

The track features John Lennon‘s eerie, distorted vocals over a tape loop of a drum sequence and an Eastern-influenced guitar line that’s slower and more stark than the version that made the original album.

As a new Rolling Stone article explains, The Beatles began recording “Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1)” on the first day of the Revolver sessions and nearly finished the track by the end of the second day.

Lennon famously told producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick that he wanted “to sound like the Dalai Lama singing from a hilltop” on the track. To achieve the effect, his vocals were run through a rotating Leslie speaker.

The finished track, which was one of the band’s earliest forays into psychedelia, became Revolver‘s closing song.

“Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1)” is available now via digital formats, while a companion video, posted on YouTube, features archival photos, footage of the Beatles members and animated rotating tape reels, planets, clocks and flowers.

The deluxe reissue of Revolver will be released on October 28 in multiple configurations.

Among the versions of the reissue is a special edition that features new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes of Revolver; the original mono mix of the album; 31 tracks of session outtakes; a four-song EP that includes the non-album tracks “Paperback Writer” and “Rain”; and a 100-page hardbound book.

You can preorder the Revolver reissue now.

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In early July, Neil Young announced that he’d just finished a new album with his frequent backing band Crazy Horse, and now, full details of the project have been revealed.

The album, which he co-produced with Rick Rubin, is a 10-track collection titled World Record that’s scheduled to be released on November 18.

According to a press statement about the album, “World Record contains a wealth of wisdom, and the kind of poignant observations one can only be collected over an eventful life. The iconoclastic songwriter reminisces with gratitude about the gifts the Earth has given him and sets his sights on an uncertain future with hope that we can right this big, blue and green ship. He does so in a vital and unyielding fashion.”

World Record was recorded live at Rubin’s Shangri-La studio in Malibu, California.

The album’s first song, “Love Earth,” is available now as an advance digital track. Among the other tunes on the record is the epic, 15-minute “Chevrolet,” which features Neil expressing his passion for cars while musing on the need to look ahead to a future without fossil fuel.

World Record can be preordered now and will be available on vinyl, CD and cassette as well as via various digital formats.

The vinyl version will be a two-LP set featuring music on three sides plus an etching on side four. A limited-edition vinyl edition of the album pressed on clear vinyl will be sold at Young’s online store, The Greedy Hand Store and at independent retailers.

World Record is a follow-up to Barn, which Young and Crazy Horse recorded in June of last year; the album released in December.

Here’s the full Word Record track list:

“Love Earth”
“Overhead”
“I Walk with You (earth ringtone)”
“This Old Planet (changing days)”
“The World (is in trouble now)”
“Break the Chain”
“The Long Day Before”
“Walkin’ on the Road (to the future)”
“The Wonder Won’t Wait”
“Chevrolet”
“This Old Planet (reprise)”

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John Mellencamp has announced plans for an extensive North American trek dubbed the Live and In Person 2023 tour, which is scheduled to get underway this February.

The outing, which features 76 dates, is slated to run from a February 5-6 engagement in Bloomington, Indiana through a June 23-24 stand in South Bend, Indiana. The tour will also make multiple night stops in a variety of other major cities, including New York City, Chicago, Vancouver, Nashville, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and more.

Tickets for the shows will go on sale to the general public starting Friday, October 7 at 10 a.m. local time. Citi card members will be able to purchase presale tickets for all U.S. shows starting this Tuesday, October 4 at 10 a.m. local time via the Citi Entertainment program; visit CitiEntertainment.com for more details.

Those who register for Mellencamp’s mailing list at Mellencamp.com will be able to access a presale that begins Wednesday, October 5 at 10 a.m. local time. A presale for Turner Classic Movies newsletter subscribers will start Thursday, October 6 at 10 a.m. local time.

Limited VIP packages offering premium seats and a collection of Mellencamp merch will go on sale this Tuesday.

The singer/songwriter revealed his tour plans Thursday at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland during an event that celebrated the opening of a permanent exhibit dubbed “Legends of Rock: John Mellencamp.”

Mellencamp, who’s a 2008 Rock Hall inductee, gave a special performance and took part in a Q&A during the event.

As previously reported, the “Legends of Rock: John Mellencamp” exhibit features such memorabilia as the 1976 Fender Telecaster guitar he played onstage extensively starting in 1981, a guitar that David Bowie gifted him and a new original oil painting.

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Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro will not be joining the band on their upcoming tour with The Smashing Pumpkins due to continued effects from a bout of long COVID-19 that he’s been dealing with since last December.

“I had hoped for a full recovery by October but I am still very fatigued and will not be able to join this leg,” Navarro writes in a social media post.

Navarro adds that he’s “personally gutted” to miss the tour, which kicks off this Sunday in Dallas, especially since it will mark the return of original Jane’s bassist Eric Avery, who reunited with the band over the summer.

“We wanted to bring you the original lineup but that will have to wait until I’m recovered,” Navarro writes. “While the band is touring, I will be working on new new Jane’s material in the studio here in [Los Angeles].”

Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, who’s also played in A Perfect Circle and Failure, will fill in for Navarro on the tour.

“[Van Leeuwen] is a great guy and I am honored to have him help make this tour happen,” Navarro says. “Though I am saddened to not make this tour I am focused on making a full recovery and rejoining the guys when I am able.”

“I truly wish the band well on this tour and I am confident they will bring everything to make it a fabulous show,” he adds. “Go get ’em guys! Maybe I can get to a show one night and watch my own band for the first time.”

Navarro’s condition previously forced Jane’s to cancel their set at the Welcome to Rockville festival earlier this year, which led to the reunion of Perry Farrell‘s other band, Porno for Pyros.

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Forty years ago today, Bruce Springsteen took fans on an unexpected detour down the sonic equivalent of a bleak, deserted rural highway with the release of his sixth album, Nebraska.

Nebraska is a 10-song collection of sparse songs that were recorded as demos on a four-track tape recorder in the bedroom of his Colts Neck, New Jersey, home. The Boss initially intended to present them to The E Street Band and rerecord them with his group in a studio, but decided instead to put them out in their raw, original form.

Arriving between Bruce’s first two chart-topping albums, 1980’s The River and 1984’s mega-smash Born in the U.S.A., Nebraska peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200. Not surprisingly, the record yielded no pop hits, although the songs “Atlantic City” and “Open All Night” reached #10 and #22, respectively, on Billboard‘s mainstream rock tracks tally.

Recorded at a time when Springsteen was dealing with bouts of depression, the album delves into a number of dark themes, focusing on various lost souls, criminals and killers. The title track is about the teenage mass murderer Charles Starkweather, who was executed by electric chair in 1959. “Atlantic City” looks at the decay of the New Jersey resort town before its revival as a gambling mecca. “Highway Patrolman” tells the story of a police officer who helps his brother get away with murder.

Nebraska is among Springsteen’s most critically acclaimed albums, described on his official website as “a raw, haunted acoustic record populated by lost souls searching not for salvation through music but simply a reason to believe.”

The record was ranked #150 on Rolling Stone‘s 2020 list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”

Here’s Nebraska‘s full track list:

“Nebraska”
“Atlantic City”
“Mansion on the Hill”
“Johnny 99”
“Highway Patrolman”
“State Trooper”
“Used Cars”
“Open All Night”
“My Father’s House”
“Reason to Believe”

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