Classic Rock News

The recently announced expanded and remastered reissue of The Beach Boys‘ 2003 hits compilation Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys got its release Friday.

The arrival of the retrospective signals the launch of a planned yearlong worldwide celebration marking The Beach Boys’ 60th anniversary.

The updated collection features 80 tracks, 50 more than the original version, and includes classic hits and deeper cuts spanning from the group’s 1962 debut album, Surfin’ Safari, through 1989’s Still Cruisin’.

The track list boasts nearly every top-40 single that the band released, including “California Girls,” “I Get Around,” “Surfer Girl,” “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “God Only Knows,” “Good Vibrations,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Kokomo,” “Barbara Ann” and “Help Me, Rhonda.” Among the newly added songs are such gems as “Disney Girls,” “Feel Flows,” “Sail On Sailor” and “Surf’s Up.”

The Sounds of Summer reissue includes 24 new mixes, with two tracks getting stereo mixes for the first time. The collection is available as a three-CD set, via digital formats and as a six-LP vinyl package. A limited-edition version of the vinyl collection features a rainbow foil slipcase and four lithographs.

All physical versions include a booklet offering updated photos and new liner notes. A remastered version of the original 30-track compilation also has been released on CD and as a two-LP set.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 60 years since we signed to Capitol Records and released our first album, Surfin’ Safari,” the band says of its milestone anniversary. “We were just kids in 1962 and could have never dreamed about where our music would take us, that it would have such a big impact on the world, still be loved, and continue to be discovered by generation after generation.”

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Limited-edition vinyl discs from Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, The Who and Creedence Clearwater Revival are among the exclusive releases that’ll be available at independent record stores this Saturday, June 18, for the second of two 2022 installments of Record Store Day.

McCartney’s offering is a 12-inch vinyl single featuring two versions of his recent tune “Women and Wives,” which has been chosen as Record Store Day’s first Song of the Year release. The single features McCartney’s original version — which appeared on 2020’s McCartney III album — and alt-rocker St. Vincent’s 2021 remix of the tune that was included on the McCartney III Imagined record.

Pearl Jam is reissuing their 1998 concert album Live on Two Legs as a two-LP set pressed on crystal clear vinyl.

The Who are issuing an expanded 40th anniversary edition of their 1982 album It’s Hard. The two-LP collection features bonus tracks, and one orange and one yellow disc.

CCR’s offering is a 7-inch vinyl single featuring a previously unreleased performance of “Travelin’ Band” from an April 1970 concert at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall and a January 1970 rendition of “Who’ll Stop the Rain” from a show at California’s Oakland Coliseum.

This Saturday’s Record Store Day drop features over 75 titles in all, including releases from Collective Soul, Dio, Richie Furay, Peter Gabriel, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, ZZ Top‘s Billy Gibbons, ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, Halestorm, The Kinks, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Rolling Stones‘ Keith Richards, Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, and The Sweet.

For the full list of releases and participating stores, visit RecordStoreDay.com.

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After teasing it online, Rod Stewart has now released the full, emotional video for his song “Touchline.” The song is a tribute to his late father, Robert, and how he passed down his love for soccer — or “football” as the Brits call it — to Rod, and how Rod has now passed it down to his kids.

In the video, we see footage of Rod through the years playing soccer, from when he was a teenager to adulthood. We also see him sitting on the sidelines coaching his two younger sons and posing with them wearing jerseys of their favorite team, Celtic F.C. There’s footage of Rod’s father and mother, and lots of family photos, as well.

“Touchline” is from Rod’s most recent album, The Tears of Hercules. When the album was released, Rod told ABC Audio it was an important song for him.

“It means a lot to me, that song, ’cause I idolized my dad,” Rod said. “He wasn’t a particularly talkative father but he was so encouraging.”

“Y’know when I went into the [music] business, and I’d failed as a footballer, he always encouraged me,” the star added. “Y’know, [he] never said, ‘Go and get a regular job.’ He said, ‘Stick at what you’re doing and I’ll support you.’ And he did!”

Rod will soon announce details of a special show he’s doing in Edinburgh, Scotland — the city his dad was from — in November. The show will also serve as a tribute to his dad.

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Paul McCartney‘s magical mystery tour of a life brings him to his 80th birthday this Saturday.

The music that McCartney has made as a member of The Beatles and a solo artist has served as the soundtrack to so many people’s lives and has inspired countless musicians.

Several well-known artists have shared birthday wishes and messages for McCartney with ABC Audio.

The Who‘s Pete Townshend says he has Sir Paul’s phone number saved in his own mobile phone, and he plans to text him “Happy Birthday” on his big day.

“As for him turning 80, you know, he’s perennial,” Townshend adds. “I don’t know how he keeps going. He obviously loves performing. And it can’t be anything to do with money.”

Longtime Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain describes McCartney as “the quintessential songwriter.”

“[P]robably only Elton John that I can think of…has been so prolific, and has left us with such enduring melody,” Cain adds. “[McCartney] is the king of melody, as far as I’m concerned. No one comes close to what he’s laid down. And he continues to bring it.”

Founding Doobie Brothers singer/guitarist Pat Simmons declares, “Congratulations to Paul McCartney on being one of the greatest singer/songwriters of all time, and still doing it. Just…thanks for the inspiration from the rest of us.”

Simmons also recalls the first time he saw McCartney in concert several years ago in Japan.

“It was…a fantastic show, maybe one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, period, as far as…musical presentations,” says Pet. “The guy played for three hours straight, never took a break, sang like he was 18 years old…Paul was top of his game, and as far as I hear, he still is.”

Here are a few other birthday messages for McCartney:

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell: “My old friend, Paul McCartney. Happy birthday, brother, I hope I make it as far as you did.”

The Monkees‘ Micky Dolenz: “Happy birthday! I love him to death. And health and happiness, you know? He’s incredible.”

The Rascals‘ Felix Cavaliere: Paul is probably one of the two, three greatest songwriters of our time. There’s no question about it. Prolific is not the word…I really applaud him for still being out there working. I know he loves it just as much as we love it, and [I’m] just happy to have known him over the years…Happy birthday.”

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A day before Paul McCartney celebrates his 80th birthday, the music legend has announced plans to release a limited-edition box set gathering together his three self-titled solo albums — 1970’s McCartney, 1980’s McCartney II and 2020’s McCartney III — on August 5.

The McCartney I II III collection, which can be pre-ordered now, will be available in three formats -– a three-CD set, a three-LP black-vinyl package and a limited-edition three-LP colored-vinyl set.

All three versions will feature three photo prints with notes from the former Beatles star about each record. The box set also will boast newly created cover art.

The common thread between all three albums is that Paul wrote, produced and recorded almost entirely by himself.

Released in April 1970, McCartney was Paul’s debut album and signaled the breakup of The Beatles. The record spent three weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, although no singles were released from it. The album included the enduring song “Maybe I’m Amazed” as well as such gems as “Every Night,” “Junk” and “Teddy Boy,” three tunes that McCartney previously had worked on with The Beatles.

McCartney II was released in May 1980 and found the veteran rocker experimenting with synthesizers and modern recording techniques. The album reached #3 on the Billboard 200 and included the chart-topping hit “Coming Up” and the tune “Waterfalls,” which was a top-10 single in the U.K.

McCartney III was recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown and was released at the end of December 2020. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200.

Here’s the McCartney track list:

“The Lovely Linda”
“That Would Be Something”
“Valentine Day”
“Every Night”
“Hot as Sun/Glasses”
“Junk”
“Man We Was Lonely”
“Oo You”
“Momma Miss America”
“Teddy Boy”
“Singalong Junk”
“Maybe I’m Amazed”
“Kreen-Akrore”

Here’s the McCartney II track list:

“Coming Up”
“Temporary Secretary”
“On the Way”
“Waterfalls”
“Nobody Knows”
“Front Parlour”
“Summer’s Day Song”
“Frozen Jap”
“Bogey Music”
“Darkroom”
“One of These Days”

And here’s the McCartney III track list:

“Long Tailed Winter Bird”
“Find My Way”
“Pretty Boys”
“Women and Wives”
“Lavatory Lil”
“Slidin'”
“Deep Deep Feeling”
“The Kiss of Venus”
“Seize the Day”
“Deep Down”
“Winter Bird/When Winter Comes”

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Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard‘s long-in-the-works Stadium Tour finally launched Thursday night in Atlanta after a two-year pandemic delay. While the concert marked the first time the “Kickstart My Heart” rockers took the live stage together since they played their “farewell” show in 2015, that reunion didn’t last the whole set.

Drummer Tommy Lee had to leave the stage early on in the show because, as he reveals in an Instagram post, he’d recently broken four of his ribs.

“I’ve been resting and healing and even though the doctor tells me I shouldn’t play at all, you know I’m stubborn and I’ll best through the pain every show for as many songs as I can!” Lee writes.

According to Setlist.fm, Lee played on the first five songs of the set before being replaced by Tommy Clufetos, who plays drums in Ozzy Osbourne‘s live band and for Black Sabbath on their final tour. Lee returned briefly later in the show to play piano on “Home Sweet Home.”

“My boy Tommy Clufetos is here to help me out until I’m back at 100%,” Lee says. “We’ve all been waiting years for this moment and there’s no way I’m missing this! On with the show!”

In addition to the Lee substitution, Thursday’s concert featured a guest spot from Machine Gun Kelly, who joined the Crüe for the live debut of their 2019 collaboration “The Dirt (Est. 1981).” Kelly, of course, played Lee in the Mötley biopic, The Dirt.

You can watch footage of the onstage collaboration via MGK’s Instagram Story.

The Stadium Tour, which also features Poison and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts on the bill, continues Saturday, June 18, in Miami.

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Paul McCartney‘s Got Back tour ended in exciting fashion on Thursday night at MetLife in East Rutherford, New Jersey, as the former Beatles legend was joined during the show by two of the Garden State’s most favorite sons — Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi.

Rolling Stone posted fan-shot video that shows McCartney introducing the Boss, telling the crowd, “He’s a local boy. He’s says he’s gonna come and sing with us.” Bruce then came out and commented to Paul, “Eighty more years of glory days,” a reference to McCartney’s upcoming 80th birthday this Saturday, before playing his 1984 hit “Glory Days” with Macca and his band.

After that tune ended, McCartney said to Springsteen, “Bruce, one more,” and then launched into the early Beatles tune “I Wanna Be Your Man.”

Later on in the show, as seen in a fan-shot clip, Bon Jovi came out on stage holding a bunch of helium-filled birthday balloons and told Paul, “Welcome to New Jersey. I’ve got 60,000 people want to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to you.” Jon then led the crowd in a singalong, after which, he let the balloons go and exited the stage. McCartney and his band followed that with a rendition of The Beatles’ “Happy Birthday.”

According to Rolling Stone, Springsteen and Bon Jovi returned for the final encore of the show, a rendition of The Beatles’ “The End,” with Bruce playing guitar on the song.

Photos of Springsteen’s and Bon Jovi’s appearances during the concert also were posted on McCartney’s social media sites.

Paul currently has only one more confirmed show on his 2022 scheduled, a headlining performance at U.K.’s famed Glastonbury Festival on June 25.

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Led Zeppelin‘s John Paul Jones and Nirvana‘s Krist Novoselic have joined the star-studded lineups of both Foo Fighters tribute concerts in honor of late drummer Taylor Hawkins, taking place in London and Los Angeles.

Other new additions include frequent Foo Fighters producer Greg Kurstin and Queens of the Stone Age collaborator Alain Johannes for both shows, as well as disco legend Nile Rodgers and viral kid music prodigy Nandi Bushell for the London concert, and Heart‘s Nancy Wilson, pop star Pink and country/pop singer LeAnn Rimes for the Los Angeles event.

Additionally, Chris Rock will join fellow comedian Dave Chappelle at the London show.

Previously announced performers for both shows include QotSA’s Josh Homme, Queen‘s Brian May and Roger Taylor, Rush‘s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, Jane’s Addiction‘s Chris Chaney, Wolfgang Van Halen, The Police‘s Stewart Copeland, producer Mark Ronson and drummer/producer Omar Hakim. 

The LA lineup also includes Miley Cyrus, Joan Jett, Alanis Morissette, KISS‘ Gene Simmons, Mötley Crüe‘s Nikki Sixx, Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Chad Smith, The Struts‘ Luke Spiller, Rage Against the Machine‘s Brad Wilk and Weezer‘s Pat Wilson, while Liam Gallagher and Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders are exclusive to the London bill.

The guests will be “playing the songs that Taylor loved and created, with and alongside his FF brothers Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee,” a press release says.

The London concert takes place September 3 in Wembley Stadium, while the LA show will be held September 27 at the Kia Forum. For ticket info, visit FooFighters.com.

Ticket proceeds will be donated to charities in the U.S. and U.K. chosen by Hawkins’ family.

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Steve Miller is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Thursday night in New York City, he received an honor that he considers even better than that: He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. On the red carpet before the event, Miller told ABC Audio that he never expected that he’d be honored for his songwriting.

“I was absolutely shocked when I was told that I was going to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame,” Miller told ABC Audio. “I went, ‘What?’ And I was in disbelief. But it’s such an honor and I’m so glad to be here.”

“When you look at the people on the list being inducted tonight, it’s just stunning,” he added, referring to fellow inductees like Eurythmics and The Isley Brothers. “And to be part of that…it’s the highest honor in my career.”

While Miller’s compositions include number-one hits like “The Joker,” “Rock’n Me” and “Abacadabra,” he says there’s one song he’s particularly proud of.

“I think ‘Fly Like an Eagle’ is one that stands out,” he says of his 1976 number-two hit. “It’s a really important song to a lot of people all over the world.”

“It’s about justice and equality. And so that means something that’s better than ‘ooh, baby, baby’ — even though I love the ‘ooh, baby, baby’ songs, you know?” he laughs. “But that one…it’s affected the world a little bit, so that makes it more valuable.”

Miller played “Fly Like an Eagle” at the ceremony after being inducted by his friend Bryan Cranston, who he met about three years ago backstage at Cranston’s Broadway show. 

“I just dig the guy, y’know?” the actor told reporters. “He’s like a really cool guy who loves music…he loves blues and jazz and, you know, country. He explores, he stretches his musical talents and curiosities…he was destined to be in music and play the guitar.”

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Paul McCartney, arguably the most famous and influential rock artist on the planet, celebrates his 80th birthday this Saturday, January 18.

McCartney, of course, is known first and foremost for being a member of The Beatles, along with the late John Lennon, the late George Harrison and Ringo Starr. McCartney and Lennon co-led the band, which not only set countless charts records, but whose music and style changed popular culture.

After The Beatles’ 1970 breakup, McCartney mounted a successful solo career that included a long stint fronting the band Wings. He also took part in a variety of memorable collaborations.

The rock legend has remained a vibrant creative force into his golden years, as he continues to tour regularly and record new music.

On Thursday, McCartney wrapped up the first leg of his Got Back Tour, with a show at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and he’s scheduled to headline this year’s edition of the U.K.’s Glastonbury Festival on June 25.

Sir Paul’s most recent studio album, McCartney III, which he recorded almost entirely by himself during the COVID-19 lockdown, was released in December 2020.

The acclaimed Disney+ docuseries The Beatles: Get Back, which premiered in November 2021 and focused on the Fab Four’s historic January 1969 sessions that yielded the Let It Be album, sparked a renewed appreciation for McCartney’s creation contributions to the Fab Four.

Also in the past year, Paul appeared in the Hulu documentary miniseries McCartney 3,2,1, which featuring him in conversation with producer Rick Rubin; he published the illustrated children’s book Grandude’s Green Submarine, a sequel to his 2019 book, Hey Grandude!; and he released the book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, which offers a self-portrait of the music icon while profiling 154 songs he’s written throughout his long career.

Meanwhile, a variety of special events are planned this weekend in McCartney’s hometown of Liverpool, U.K., to mark his milestone birthday. They include tribute concerts, a Macca-themed sightseeing tour and special performances at Paul’s childhood home. Find out more details about the celebrations at TheGuideLiverpool.com.

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