Classic Rock News

Here’s sending out good vibrations to founding Beach Boys singer and songwriter Brian Wilson, who celebrates his 80th birthday today (June 20).

Wilson wrote the music to nearly all of his famous band’s best-known songs, from the Southern California group’s early surf-rock classics to their complex, multilayered recordings of the mid-1960s and beyond.

Among The Beach Boys’ classic early hits are “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Surfer Girl,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “I Get Around,” “Help Me, Rhonda” and “California Girls.”

With his impressive gift for vocal harmonies and musical arrangements, Wilson helped craft one of the most celebrated albums of all time, The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, as well as the equally lauded follow-up single “Good Vibrations,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in December ’66.

In 1998, Pet Sounds was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2020, it was ranked at #2 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”

Brian’s many career achievements include induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with The Beach Boys in 1988, induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000, being saluted as the MusiCares Person of the Year in 2005, and being recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007.

Wilson’s most recent album with The Beach Boys, That’s Why God Made the Radio, was released in 2012, coinciding with the band’s 50th anniversary. In recent years, he’s focused on his solo career. His latest studio album, At My Piano, was released in November 2021 and features solo piano versions of many classic Beach Boys songs.

Brian also was the subject of the 2021 documentary Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road, which features new interviews with Wilson as well as with Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, co-founding Beach Boys member Al Jardine, pop star Nick Jonas and more.

Wilson continues to tour with his solo band, which features Jardine and one-time Beach Boys singer/guitarist Blondie Chaplin. They recently launched a co-headlining trek with Chicago.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

A new Def Leppard coffee-table book titled Definitely: The Official Story of Def Leppard is expected to be released in the coming months by Genesis Publications.

According to a synopsis posted at Genesis-Publications.com, the book will offer “the most personal and comprehensive record of Def Leppard’s history to date,” and will feature personal recollections from the band’s members as well as rare photos and memorabilia from Def Leppard’s archives.

Among the interesting ephemera featured in the book will be handwritten letters, rare vinyl discs, tour memorabilia, press clippings, music video storyboards and more.

Definitely will be available as a signed, limited-edition book-and-album set from Genesis Publications. You can register at the publishing company’s website to receive more information.

In other news, Def Leppard has posted a video on its YouTube channel featuring a recap of the band’s first gig on The Stadium Tour with Mötley Crüe, Poison and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, which took place Thursday, June 16, in Atlanta.

The clip featured footage from the rain-drenched show and post-gig comments from singer Joe Elliott and guitarist Phil Collen.

In the video, Elliot described the concert as “the wettest gig” his band has done since 1986.

“It rained all night long, but the crowd stuck with us,” Joe notes. “Nobody left, nobody moaned.

Collen adds, “Amazing! Everything that could have gone wrong did. We had kind of like a hurricane storm…coming through. It was just drenched. The drums went off at one point, we carried on like nothing had happened.”

The tour has since stopped in the Miami area on Saturday and Orlando, Florida, on Sunday. The next show is scheduled for Wednesday, June 22, in Washington, D.C.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Former Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter released his first solo album, Speed of Heat, Friday.

The 12-track collection features a mix of original tunes and select covers. Among the latter are versions of the Steely Dan classics “My Old School” and “Do It Again,” and of the 1960 instrumental “Apache” that was popularized by The Shadows.

The album features Baxter singing lead on some tracks, as well as some guest vocalists and musicians, including his one-time Doobie Brothers bandmate Michael McDonald, country star Clint Black and blues rocker Jonny Lang.

Baxter’s main collaborator on Speed of Heat was veteran producer, composer and keyboardist CJ Vanston.

Toto‘s David Paich contributes keyboards to Jeff’s cover of “My Old School.” Speed of Heat also includes a song called “My Place in the Sun” that Baxter co-wrote with Vanston and McDonald, and features Michael on vocals. Lang co-write, sings and plays guitar on a tune titled “I Can Do Without,” while Black sings on and co-wrote the song “Bad Move.”

“This is something very new for me, never having focused time and energy on creating a solo project before,” says Baxter about Speed of Heat. “It was a lot of fun and very satisfying to be doing something for myself, as opposed to being a hired gun, (not that I don’t enjoy studio work, producing and playing live with other folks. That will never change!).”

Meanwhile, Baxter is planning to announce a West Coast tour in support of the album soon.

Here’s the full Speed of Heat track list:

“Ladies from Hell”
“My Old School”
“Juliet”
“I Can Do Without”
“Do It Again”
“Apache”
“My Place in the Sun”
“The Rose”
“Bad Move”
“Giselle”
“Insecurity”
“Speed of Heat”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.