Classic Rock News

Lenny Kravitz could potentially be competing for an Oscar next year. The rocker is contributing the new song “Road To Freedom” to the upcoming film Rustin, about gay activist Bayard Rustin.

The tune will feature musician Trombone Shorty, thanks to a request by director George C. Wolfe to include trombones in the song.

“Ever since Branford Marsalis introduced me to a recording of the holy trombone choir from the United House of Prayer, I’ve been mesmerized,” Wolfe says. “So when the brilliant, impassioned Lenny Kravitz agreed to write a song for Rustin, I begged him to include a chorus of trombones. … Lenny took my request to the next level and brought on board the legendary Trombone Shorty.”

He adds, “‘Road To Freedom’ captures both 1963 and 2023; a bold celebration, as Lenny’s voice sermonizes and soars.”

Rustin was an African American civil and gay rights leader, who helped organize the March on Washington. He passed away in 1987. In 2013 he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Kravitz’s tune is expected to be released later this year. Rustin, which stars Colman Domingo in the title role and features Chris Rock, Jeffrey Wright, CCH Pounder, will open in select theaters November 3 and hits Netflix on November 17.

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A new documentary about the legendary Carlos Santana is set to hit theaters next month. Carlos, directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Rudy Valdez, is getting a three-day premiere event from Sony Pictures Classic and Trafalgar Releasing.

Carlos: The Santana Journey Global Premiere will debut in theaters on Saturday, September 23; Sunday, September 24, and Wednesday, September 27. In addition to the doc, the event will feature exclusive introductory content from both Santana and Valdez. The film will then get a wider theatrical release on September 29.

Carlos tells the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist’s story using archival footage, home videos, concert footage and more, along with interviews from his family and folks in the music industry like executive Clive Davis, Carlos’ “Smooth” collaborator Rob Thomas and others.

Tickets for Carlos: The Santana Journey Global Premiere go on sale Thursday, August 24, at carlosglobalpremiere.com.

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Artists such as Sting, Andy Summers and Peter Frampton are paying tribute to legendary music executive Jerry Moss, who died Wednesday, August 16, at the age of 88. Moss’ wife, Tina, told the Associated Press he passed away of natural causes at his home in Bel Air, California.

Moss cofounded A&M Records with Herb Alpert, the label responsible for releasing such classic albums as Frampton’s Frampton Comes Alive!, The Police’s Synchronicity, Carole King’s Tapestry and more. He and Alpert were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

On Instagram, Sting called Moss “A gentleman, a mentor, a friend, and utterly irreplaceable,” noting his death is “a devastating loss.” Guitarist Summers described Moss as “a kind, clever, and thoughtful man who was fun to be around and be involved with,” adding, “It never felt like business but rather a fruitful and creative partnership. He will be missed.” 

Frampton also paid tribute to Moss on social media, writing, “I am so sorry to hear Jerry Moss has left us. Jerry was a true gentleman and if it weren’t for him, so many lives might have turned out very differently,” adding,  “He loved great music and went out of his way to make a place where artists could find themselves and create with his lovely encouragement and patience.”

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It’s been over 30 years since Talking Heads split up on bad terms, and frontman David Byrne is feeling bad about what went down.

“As a younger person, I was not as pleasant to be around. When I was working on some Talking Heads shows, I was more of a little tyrant,” he tells People in a new interview. “And then I learned to relax, and I also learned that collaborating with people, both sides get more if there’s a good relationship instead of me telling everybody what to do.” 

He adds, “I think [the end] wasn’t handled well. It was kind of ugly.”

Talking Heads released their last album, Naked, in 1988, and in 1992, drummer Chris Frantz revealed in a Los Angeles Times interview that Byrne basically left the band and they were over. 

“I have regrets on how that was handled,” Byrne says. “I don’t think I did it in the best way, but I think it was kind of inevitable that would happen anyway.” He now describes his relationship with his former bandmates as “cordial,” adding, “We’re sort of in touch, but we don’t hang out together.” 

Talking Heads did reunite in 2002 to perform at their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and they are set to unite again September 11 at the Toronto Film Festival. All four members — Byne, Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison — will take part in a Q&A to mark the 40th anniversary of their iconic concert film, Stop Making Sense.

The film is also being rereleased in theaters September 22; a new trailer for it has just dropped. 

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Joni Mitchell has announced the latest addition to her Archives series.  

Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975), dropping October 6, will feature never-before-heard demos, performances and early and alternative versions of songs from three of her albums: 1972’s For The Roses, 1974’s Court And Spark, and 1975’s The Hissing Of Summer Lawns.

The set includes an early cut of “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire” from sessions with Graham Nash and David Crosby, as well as Joni’s entire 1972 concert at Carnegie Hall, performances in Montreal in 1973 and Los Angeles in 1974 and a whole lot more. There’s also an early demo of the Court and Spark classic “Help Me,” which is available now.

Volume 3 will be released in a variety of formats, including a five-CD/digital version and a shorter four-LP version. Both physical versions include a book with archival photos along with a conversation between Joni and director and friend Cameron Crowe.

Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975) is available for preorder now.

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A new Dio box set has been announced.

The Studio Albums: 1996-2004 will be released on September 22. As its title suggests, the package includes the Ronnie James Dio-led outfit’s final four studio albums: 1996’s Angry Machines, 2000’s Magica, 2002’s Killing the Dragon and 2004’s Master of the Moon.

“I am very excited to be working with BMG, a label that still has a passion for rock music,” says Ronnie’s widow and longtime manager, Wendy Dio. “They will be making the complete Dio catalogue available again with some interesting surprises.”

A week after The Studio Albums: 1996-2004 drops, the documentary Dio: Dreamers Never Die will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 29. The film, which first premiered in 2022, follows Ronnie’s life from his early bands and his stint with Black Sabbath in place of Ozzy Osbourne to the formation of his namesake band and ultimately, his 2010 death from stomach cancer.

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Eric Clapton hit #1 on the Billboard 200 with his second solo studio album, 461 Ocean Boulevard.

The album, named after the home in Golden Beach, Florida, where Clapton was living when he recorded the record, spent four weeks on top of the chart; it also went to #1 in Canada and to #3 in the U.K. 

461 Ocean Boulevard was Clapton’s first album after battling heroin addiction. It contained several covers, including his classic cover of Bob Marley’s “I Shot The Sheriff.”

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Pretenders are currently on the road opening for Guns N’ Roses on their stadium tour, but they are using their off days to get a little closer to their fans. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers just launched a new club tour at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, on Wednesday, August 16.

Frontwoman Chrissie Hynde was in top form as she treated the crowd to a relatively hit-free set, and the audience ate up the mix of new tunes and deep cuts. 

The band kicked off the show with “Losing My Sense of Taste,” the opening track of their upcoming album Relentless, with the set featuring several other songs from the record, including “A Love,” “Let The Sun Come In” and “Domestic Silence.”

More well-known songs in the set included “Time The Avenger,” “Boots of Chinese Plastic,” “The Adultress,” “Thumbelina” and more, with the night ending with a rendition of “Tattooed Love Boys.”

Next up, Pretenders are back onstage opening for Guns N’ Roses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Friday, August 18. Their next club show is happening August 26 in Nashville, Tennessee. A complete list of dates can be found at thepretenders.com.

Relentless is due out September 1. It is available for preorder now.

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Green Day has announced a reissue of the band’s 1994 album, Dookie, in honor of its 30th anniversary.

The collection will arrive as six-LP and four-CD box sets, as well as via digital outlets, on September 29. Along with the original album, you’ll find various demos and outtakes, as well as full live recordings of a 1994 show in Barcelona and Green Day’s infamously muddy Woodstock ’94 performance.

The vinyl edition also comes with a variety of memorabilia, including “a roll of Dookie dog poop bags.”

Originally released February 1, 1994, Dookie became Green Day’s breakout album, and is now considered a landmark release for the ’90s pop punk scene. Spawning the singles “Basket Case,” “Longview,” “When I Come Around” and “Welcome to Paradise,” it’s been certified Diamond by the RIAA.

The reissue news comes after several weeks of Green Day sharing social media posts tagged with #Dookie30.

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Shortly after wildfires broke out in Maui, Hawaii, Pearl Jam announced a raffle of a signed poster to raise funds for those affected by the wildfires, as previously reported.

Well, their fans came through for those in need.

The band revealed on Instagram that thanks to all the entries, they were able to immediately donate $200,000 to help the victims.

And that won’t be the end of it. In fact, the raffle is open until September 3 and the band has decided to give away two posters instead of one. Those interested in donating can do so at fandiem.com; the more you donate, the more entries you’ll get. 

As for the posters, they are from Pearl Jam’s 1998 Hawaii shows and are autographed by all five members of the band, as well as the band’s keyboardist, Hawaii native Boom Gaspar.

Meanwhile, Pearl Jam is getting ready to hit the road again. Their new tour kicks off with a two-night stand in St. Paul, Minnesota, August 31 and September 1. A complete list of dates can be found at pearljam.com.

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