Classic Rock News

The rock world has lost another legend. Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie died Wednesday at the age of 79. 

“On behalf of Christine McVie’s family, it is with a heavy heart we are informing you of Christine’s death,” read a statement from her family, noting she died “peacefully at hospital” after “a short illness.” The family asked for privacy and shared, “ … we would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally.”

Fleetwood Mac also released a statement, saying, “There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie. She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure.” They also called her the “best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life.” They note, “We were so lucky to have a life with her. Individually and together, we cherished Christine deeply and are thankful for the amazing memories we have. She will be so very missed.” 

Christine got her start as a member of the British band Chicken Shack. After marrying Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie, she appeared on their 1968 album Mr. Wonderful and became a permanent member in 1971, lasting through the many lineup changes of the group. She wrote and sang some of the band’s biggest hits, including 1975’s “Over My Head” and “Say You Love Me,” as well as the Rumours tracks “Don’t Stop” and “You Make Loving Fun,” and such later tracks as “Hold Me” from Mirage and “Little Lies” from Tango in the Night. She also released three solo albums and one collaborative album with Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham.

As a member of Fleetwood Mac she won two Grammy awards and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

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Elton John has scored a new Billboard chart record. Thanks to his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, Elton is number one on the Top Tours chart this month, making it his record-setting fifth month on top. 

During the month of October, Elton brought in $49.6 million from only eight shows to top the monthly Boxscore report. That translates to $6.2 million per show. 

Elton was the first artist to land at number one on the Top Tour list when it launched in 2019 and held that spot three more times before touring was halted in 2020 due to the pandemic. He held the record for the most months at number one until last month, when Bad Bunny tied him — but Elton has surpassed him to hold the record once again. 

As of now, Elton’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which launched in 2018, has grossed more than $700 million; he is on track to surpass Ed Sheeran’s The Divide Tour as the top-grossing tour of all time. It brought in $776.4 million.

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Lynyrd Skynyrd is hitting the stage Thursday for a good cause. The band is set to headline the Boots On The Sand: Hurricane Ian Benefit Concert at Hertz Arena in Estero, FL.

“You know we are a Florida band and true Floridians, we have grown up with Hurricanes being a part of our lives. Hurricane Ian did major damage and people lost loved ones and everything they had,” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Johnny Van Zant shares. “We couldn’t sit by and not try to help people in a time of need,” adding, “Hopefully, we can raise a bunch of money for the victims of the storm, get some musician friends to come down and join us, and bring some smiles to the faces of those people that have lost so much.”

The concert features an all-star lineup that includes Ira Dean, Ted Nugent, Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley and Tracy Lawrence. Comedian Jim Breuer will serve as the host.

Proceeds from the concert will go toward disaster relief efforts through Volunteer Florida and the Community Foundations of Southwest Florida.

Tickets are on sale here.

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Ex-Mötley Crüe vocalist John Corabi says he doesn’t “believe” the band’s statement announcing the retirement of guitarist Mick Mars.

The statement, which was posted in October, reads, “We accept Mick’s decision to retire from the band due to the challenges with his health,” referring to his long battle with the inflammatory disease ankylosing spondylitis. That followed a statement a rep for Mars gave to Variety, which read, “Mick will continue as a member of the band, but can no longer handle the rigors of the road.” Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 will replace Mars for Mötley’s upcoming 2023 tour dates.

Speaking with the Life in the Stocks podcast, Corabi, who sang on Mötley Crüe’s 1994 self-titled album, says, “I don’t even know if [Mars] left Mötley, I think maybe he was shown the door.”

Corabi recalls the rest of Mötley “complaining about [Mars’] guitar playing” dating back to their 1997 album, Generation Swine, which Corabi had begun recording before he left the band in 1996.

“The majority of the guitars on the Swine record…are mine,” Corabi says. “They were complaining about Mick the whole f***ing time.”

Corabi adds that the guitars on Mötley’s 2008 album Saints of Los Angeles were played by onetime Guns N’ Roses guitarist and Nikki Sixx‘s Sixx:A.M. bandmate DJ Ashba, while John 5 played guitar on the new songs they recorded for 2019’s The Dirt soundtrack.

Regarding Mars’ departure, Corabi concedes that he could “be totally wrong” but says he’s waiting to hear from Mick himself.

“The [statement] that we’ve all heard came from Mötley and their management,” Corabi says, adding that he’s reached out to Mars personally but hasn’t heard back.

“This is all a theory…but, personally, I don’t believe a word of that statement, at all,” he concludes.

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The official Bob Marley One Love Experience is finally coming to the U.S. The exhibit is set to open in Los Angeles on January 27 at Ovation Hollywood. 

“We are so thrilled to have the exhibit opening in Los Angeles just in time for Daddy’s birthday,” Cedella Marley, CEO of Bob Marley Group, shares. “After being in London and Toronto, it’s going to be amazing bringing the experience here to the US for the first time and just steps from Daddy’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

The 1,500 square foot multi-room exhibit features Marley archives, including rare memorabilia, previously unseen photos and more. There’s also a One Love Forest room with a multi-sensory environment that takes fans on a trip to Jamaica; a Soul Shakedown studio where fans can enjoy a curated playlist in the silent disc; an area where fans can experience the backstage vibe of a Marley concert; a room that celebrates the Marley legacy and influence and lots more. 

The exhibit is set to run through April 23 with tickets on sale December 7 at 10 a.m. PT. There are also VIP packages, guided tours and a daily 4:20 package that comes with entrance to the 4:20 lounge. Plus on February 6, there will be special events connected to Marley’s birthday.

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Rod Stewart is mourning the loss of his brother Bob, who passed away just two months after the death of his other brother Don.

“It’s with great sadness that I announce the loss of my brother Bob last night, who joins my brother Don on the great football pitch in the sky,” the singer shared on Instagram. “I’ve lost two of my best mates in the space of two months. RIP Don and Bob ‘irreplaceable buddies’” 

Rod, the youngest of five children, lost his brother Don in September.

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It continues to be a great year for Joni Mitchell fans. The iconic singer is teaming with Rhino Entertainment and Mobility Fidelity Sound Lab (MoFi) to release six of her iconic albums on UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2-LP vinyl and hybrid Super Audio CD formats. 

The limited and numbered box sets will start next year with 1970’s Ladies of the Canyon and 1972’s Blue, and will be followed by 1972’s For the Roses, 1974’s Court and Spark, 1975’s The Hissing of Summer Lawns and 1976’s Hejira.

All releases will be sourced from the original analog master tapes and will come in mini-gatefold sleeves, with special foil-stamped jackets and graphics that remain faithful to the original releases.

Fans can pre-order them here.

Joni fans have had a lot to be happy about this year. Back in July, she performed her first live concert in over 20 years when she joined Brandi Carlile and friends at the Newport Folk Festival. She recently announced another planned “Joni Jam” for June 2023 in Washington, also with Brandi.

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Motörhead‘s 2015 album, Bad Magic, is getting the reissue treatment.

An expanded edition of the record, dubbed Seriously Bad Magic, will arrive February 24, 2023. It includes three bonus tracks — the previously unreleased songs “Bullet in Your Brain” and “Greedy Bastards” and a cover of David Bowie‘s “‘Heroes'” — as well as a full live recording of Lemmy and company’s 2015 performance at Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival.

You can listen to “Bullet in Your Brain” now via digital outlets and watch its accompanying video streaming now on YouTube.

Bad Magic was originally released in August 2015, four months before Lemmy died in December at age 70. Motörhead has since disbanded, making Bad Magic the “Ace of Spades” group’s final studio effort.

(Video contains uncensored profanity) 

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The Rolling Stones are dropping a new live album. The band is set to release GRRR Live!, a recording of their guest-filled December 15, 2012 concert from their 50 & Counting Tour.

The concert at Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center was the final of four shows in the New York area and was a pay-per-view event. It featured guest appearances by such big names as Bruce Springsteen on “Tumbling Dice,” Lady Gaga on “Gimme Shelter,” John Mayer and Gary Clark, Jr. on “Going Down,” Mick Taylor on “Midnight Rambler,” and The Black Keys on “Who Do You Love?” The DVD and Blu-Ray also include three songs from the December 13 show, including “Respectable,” with Mayer, “Around and Around” and “Gimme Shelter.”

The album will be released February 10 on a variety of formats, including a two-CD set, a three-LP set (classic black, limited red and a white indie exclusive), Digital, a DVD and two-CD combo set and a Blu-Ray and two-CD combo set. But that’s not all. Fans can also order a limited-edition Ronnie Wood set list print from the show. All formats are available for pre-order here.

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Neil Young hasn’t been on tour since before the pandemic, and while he has no immediate plans to hit the road, when he does, he hopes to do so in a more environmentally friendly way. In fact, in a new interview with The New Yorker, Young says he already has a plan for a more sustainable tour.

“I’ve been working on it with a couple of my friends for about seven or eight months. We’re trying to figure out how to do a self-sustaining, renewable tour,” he shares. “Everything that moves our vehicles around, the stage, the lights, the sound, everything that powers it is clean. Nothing dirty with us. We set it up; we do this everywhere we go.”

He adds, “This is something that’s very important to me, if I’m ever going to go out again… and I’m not sure I want to, I’m still feeling that out. But if I’m ever going to do it, I want to make sure that everything is clean.”

Young’s plan also includes the food people eat at shows. He notes, “I’ve been working on this idea of bringing the food and the drink and the merch into the realm where it’s all clean. I will make sure that the food comes from real farmers.” He insists, “It’s about sustainability and renewability in the future, loving Earth for what it is. We want to do the right thing. That’s kind of the idea.”

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