Classic Rock News

Billy Idol recently was forced to drop off of a scheduled stint opening for Journey on the band’s Freedom Tour 2022 because of a a chronic sinus infection, and now the pop-punk legend has had to cancel additional shows due to the lingering health issue.

In a post on his Instagram, Idol announced that he was canceling his April 29 appearance at the Shaky Knees festival in Atlanta and his May concert at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, due to his “continued sinusitis infection.”

“When we confirmed these shows I was sure that I would have recovered in time to play, but unfortunately this infection has proven pesky and lingering, requiring some more time before I get back out on the stage,” Billy writes. “To all the fans who were looking forward to these gigs, I’m very sorry to miss them. Cancelling shows is not something I do casually.”

He adds, “We’ll no doubt come back to Georgia and Florida another time soon.”

Idol had been scheduled to support Journey during the first month or so of the tour, from a February 22 concert in Pittsburgh through an April 5 performance in Los Angeles. After Billy pulled out of the trek, he was replaced on the bill by Toto, who already had been scheduled to take over the opening slot from him after his stint ended.

Idol is scheduled to kick off a U.K. tour with opening act The Go-Go’s on June 3 in Glasgow, Scotland. He also has a series of dates in mainland Europe lined up in late June and early July. Visit BillyIdol.net to check out his full itinerary.

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As The Rolling Stones prepare to launch their 60th anniversary tour with a European leg starting this June 1 in Madrid, Mick Jagger has shared a few details about the trek in a new interview with Rolling Stone.

The 78-year-old singer says the band won’t be making that big deal about the milestone, noting that he and his band mates will approach it with “a light touch,” adding, “I’m not going to push it that hard.”

For The Rolling Stones’ 50th anniversary tour, former bassist Bill Wyman and guitarist Mick Taylor made guest appearances with the group, but as for something similar happening during this year’s trek, Jagger says, “We’re not going to go there, I don’t think.”

He adds, “The tour’s called Sixty, but apart from that we’re not going to do too much. I think that’s enough.”

Meanwhile, Mick notes that he’s finding it a challenge to come up with a set list for the trek.

“It’s hard,” he notes. “It should be easy but it’s not as easy as all that to get ones that everyone likes and goes for. It’s the common denominator of getting 50,000 people to want to hear a song that they want. You want to be adventurous — and you can be adventurous for a minute — but you can’t be adventurous for too long, because they get bored.”

Jagger also says he likely will pick some songs that he likes, regardless of what the fans might think.

“You always got to do some things for yourself,” he says. “That’s one of things I’m working on.”

The Rolling Stones’ Sixty tour of Europe features 14 dates and runs through a July 31 show in Stockholm, Sweden.

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Just a reminder that the “MusiCares: Music on a Mission” virtual benefit event, which will feature a previously unseen performance by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, will be livestreamed tonight, March 30, at 8 p.m. ET on the Mandolin platform.

The fundraiser, which is being presented by the MusiCares organization in partnership with the Gibson company, will feature various never-before-seen performances by various artists, including k.d. lang, Brandi Carlile, Shawn Colvin, Jason Isbell, Cage the Elephant, Fitz of Fitz and the Tantrums, Jason Isbell, Fantastic Negrito, and many more, including the aforementioned Petty and his group.

The event will celebrate both the power of music and legendary Canadian singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell, who is being honored as the 2022 MusiCares Person of the Year at a star-studded gala taking place on Friday, April 1, in Las Vegas. All proceeds from ticket sales for the “Music on a Mission” show will go to in-need members of the music community. General admission tickets cost $25; visit Mandolin.com for more info.

Petty’s performance with The Heartbreakers comes from the 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year gala, which honored Tom. Petty died in October 2017 at age 66.

The first “Music on a Mission” virtual event was held last year in place of the MusiCares Person of the Year gala, which was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Gov’t Mule fans are probably experiencing some heavy blues over the news that the veteran jam band has had to postpone all of its April tour dates because frontman Warren Haynes recently suffered a shoulder injury that will put him out of commission for a while.

“While on vacation in Costa Rica with my family this past weekend, I slipped on a wet surface and landed very hard on my shoulder,” Haynes reveals in a note posted on Mule.net. “Upon arriving back to the States and seeing a specialist, it’s been confirmed that I fractured my scapula. Unfortunately, this means that Gov’t Mule’s Spring Tour, which was set to begin next Wednesday, must be postponed.”

The ex-Allman Brothers Band singer/guitarist adds, “I’m truly heartbroken and so very sorry that this happened. I don’t think anyone was more excited to get back out on the road than I was. We’re working to reschedule these tour dates and will have updates as soon as possible. The doctors are confident that my shoulder will be healed in time for Mule to hit the road this summer, as planned.”

In all, 14 Gov’t Mule shows have been postponed, spanning from an April 6 concert in Syracuse, New York, through an April 30 performance in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The next date on the band’s schedule is a June 3 show in Haynes’ hometown of Asheville, North Carolina.

Visit Mule.net for the band’s full itinerary. Gov’t Mule’s latest album, Heavy Load Blues, was released in November 2021. A deluxe version of the record, the band’s first-ever full-fledged blues project, is due out via digital formats this Friday, April 1.

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A video of Don McLean performing his classic acoustic ballad “Vincent” last month at the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit in Los Angeles debuted today in commemoration of World Bipolar Day, and the anniversary of Vincent Van Gogh‘s birth.

The clip features the singer/songwriter performing his song inspired by the famed Dutch painter, who struggled with mental illness before taking his own life at age 37 in 1890, as animated versions Van Gogh’s paintings are projected behind McLean.

The video — a collaboration between McLean, Immersive Van Gogh and the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) — premiered at AmericanSongwriter.com and also can be streamed at ImmersiveVanGogh.com/don. The clip also encourages viewers to make a donation to the ISBD. Those who contribute $40 or more will receive a code to access a two-for-one coupon for a visit to an Immersive Van Gogh exhibit in one of the 14 locations where the attraction is being presented. Donations can be made by visiting ISBD.org.

“I am excited to release this video in collaboration with Immersive Van Gogh and the International Society for Bipolar Disorders,” says McLean. “Van Gogh himself struggled with mental health, and by launching this video, we hope to support mental health awareness as a tribute to Van Gogh on his birthday.”

He also notes, “This is an especially meaningful way for me to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a song that so many people have told me has a special personal resonance for them.”

Immersive Van Gogh producer Corey Ross adds, “Don McLean’s song is truly a classic. We are grateful for the opportunity to bring wider awareness and understanding about bipolar disorders thanks to this collaboration.”

“Vincent” appeared on Don’s chart-topping American Pie album and peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has offered a new image from his graphic novel The Antibody, which is being released as a multi-part NFT collection via the NFT marketplace YellowHeart.

Butler posted an animated image on his Twitter feed of a giant demonic-looking horned creature looming over some residential buildings in the rain, along with a snippet of ominous, bass-heavy rock music.

“I know that not everyone is an NFT fan but I had fun putting a story together for this art,” Geezer writes in a note accompanying the tweet. “This clip actually started it all. [The graphic novel’s artist, KOL,] had created a couple of [Aston Villa Football Club] pics of grounds. If it has to do with the Villa & charity…I’m in.”

As previously reported, the first chapter of The Antibody became available as an NFT this past Friday, March 25, at yh.io. The digital book tells the story of a mutated antibody that goes on to wreak havoc on humanity. Each episode will feature original music composed by Butler, and artwork created by the aforementioned KOL, aka Kolin Humphries.

Part of the proceeds raised by the sale of the NFTs will be donated to organizations aiding humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine, including Save the Children and UNICEF.

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The Scorpions, who recently launched their “Sin City Nights” Las Vegas residency, will head to New York City in May to headline a concert at Madison Square Garden celebrating the 50th anniversary of the country of Bangladesh’s independence.

The Golden Jubilee Bangladesh Concert will take place on May 6, and Chirkutt, one of Bangladesh’s most prominent rock bands, will open the show.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit the United Nations Development Programme’s global campaign to raise awareness about cyber security programs for the young people, particularly underdeveloped nations.

Tickets for the concert go on sale to the general public this Monday, April 4, at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com. Members of The Scorpions Rock Zone fan club will have exclusive access to pre-sale tickets starting this Thursday, March 31, at 10 a.m. ET. For more information, visit The-Scorpions.com/RockZone.

Madison Square Garden also was the site of the famous Concert for Bangladesh, which was organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar to raise aid and awareness for people affected by the country’s war for independence. The August 1971 event included performances by Harrison, Shankar, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston and other stars.

As previously reported, The Scorpions’ “Sin City Nights” residency is a nine-show engagement taking place at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino that began this past Saturday, March 26, and runs through an April 16. Tickets are available now via Ticketmaster.com.

After the residency and the Madison Square Garden concert, the band will launch a lengthy European tour leg that begins May 10 in Lisbon, Portugal. The Scorpions currently are supporting their latest studio album, Rock Believer, which was released in February.

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Paul McCartney has joined the long list of famous artists paying tribute to Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died Friday, March 25, at age 50.

In a message posted on his official website and social media pages, McCartney who is a longtime friend of the Foo Fighters, writes, “Taylor’s sudden death came as a shock to me and the people who knew and loved him…Not only was he a GREAT drummer but his personality was big and shiny and will be sorely missed by all who were lucky to live and work alongside him.”

Sir Paul goes on to note, “I was asked by the Foo Fighters to play on one of their tracks. It turned out that they wanted me to play drums! — on one of Taylor’s songs [referring to ‘Sunday Rain,’ from the band’s 2017 album Concrete and Gold]. This request came from a group with TWO amazing drummers! It was an incredible session and cemented my relationship with Taylor and the guys.”

McCartney then reflects on the Foo Fighters asking him to induct them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the 2021 ceremony.

“I sang with them on ‘Get Back,'” Paul notes. “Taylor provided a powerhouse drum part. I’ll never forget that night. All of which made it much more of a desperately sad shock to hear he had died.”

McCartney concludes, “So thanks Taylor for sharing some glorious minutes with me. You were a true Rock and Roll hero and will always remain in my heart. God bless his family and band — Love Paul X.”

Interestingly, McCartney and the Foos will be competing against each other for two honors at the Grammy Awards this Sunday — Best Rock Song and Best Rock Album.

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Fleetwood Mac singer/keyboardist Christine McVie has revealed that she has a new solo project that will be released in the coming months and will feature reworked versions of her best-known songs.

During an interview this past week with Take That singer Gary Barlow on his BBC radio program We Write the Songs, McVie announced that she’s “just finished an album,” called Songbird, that’s due out in June.

She described the record as “a compilation of my biggest hits, but they’ve all been produced again by [acclaimed British producer] Glyn Johns,” adding that the tracks feature strings arranged by Grammy-winning composer and arranger Vince Mendoza, who previously has worked with Joni Mitchell, Sting, Chaka Khan and many others.

Christine noted that among the songs on the album is a “fantastic version” of her 1977 Fleetwood Mac ballad “Songbird,” which she said has been recut “with a complete string orchestra and it sounds beautiful.”

She also pointed out the the new recordings “sound completely different” from her original versions.

Asked whether she might schedule some concerts in support of the upcoming album, the 78-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer replied, “That I daren’t comment on yet! I’m very cagey about things like that.”

Christine’s last new music project was her 2017 collaborative album with Lindsey Buckingham, which was simply titled Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie.

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Fifty years ago this week, America‘s self-titled debut album and single “A Horse with No Name” reached #1, respectively, on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot 100.

America’s Dewey Bunnell, who wrote “A Horse with No Name,” tells ABC Audio that the song was inspired by his memories the southwestern U.S. when he was young. Bunnell and co-founding band mates Gerry Beckley and Dan Peek were the sons of U.S. military members stationed in the U.K., and formed the group after graduating from the same London high school.

“By the time I wrote that [my family] had been in England about four or five years, so I was really reminiscing about the U.S.,” explains Bunnell. “My dad [was stationed in California] for about a year, [and] we would do day trips into Southern California and over to New Mexico and then Arizona, and [we’d] go through the desert. And I loved the desert.”

Bunnell says the song’s music was influenced by the alternate guitar tunings devised by David Crosby and Joni Mitchell.

“I was playing around with those tunings and came up with one of my own,” Dewey recalls. “[A]nd I found the classic three chords that went together well, and I just started trying to paint a picture of that desert scene.”

Bunnell admits that the success of “A Horse with No Name” caught him off guard. He recalls that during America’s first U.S. tour in early 1972, he was surprised to hear the song all over the radio airwaves.

Shortly after returning to the U.K., the band received word that the single had hit #1 in the U.S.

“I mean, you don’t expect those things,” says Dewey, “and we celebrated accordingly.”

America currently touring the U.S. The band’s next show is Thursday in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

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