Classic Rock News

A new reimagining of the musical version of The Who’s Tommy, featuring a cast of 28, a nine-piece band and brand new staging, is set to open at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre next month, and now fans are getting their first look at it.

A new video shows behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals for the project, including interviews with The Who’s Pete Townshend and the show’s director, Des McAnuff.

“In 1969, when I originally wrote ‘Tommy’ with The Who, nobody had ever written popular music songs about trauma, nobody talked about bullying. Then, working with Des on the staged theater piece, we broke the established rules for a musical show,” Townshend shares. “Now, the current generation is breaking all of those rules again—and what Des is suggesting is that we honor that.”

He adds, “I can’t wait to see how this show connects with Chicago today,” noting that the city “has always been a special place for me.” 

McAnuff shares, “In many ways, I think the world has caught up to Tommy Walker, which makes it exciting to revisit The Who’s Tommy for a new generation who, possibly more than any other, has a broad appetite for all kinds of music and storytelling.”

Previews are set to begin June 13 and opening night is set for June 26. The production runs through July 23. Tickets are on sale now.

Based on The Who’s 1969 album and 1975 film, the original production of Tommy opened at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California, on July 1, 1992. It opened on Broadway on April 22, 1993, and closed on June 17, 1995. It won five Tony Awards, including Best Direction for McAnuff and Best Original Score for Townshend.

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Queen is back with episode 19 of their weekly YouTube series Queen The Greatest Live, and they are once again looking at what makes a great set list, this time focusing on adding deep cuts to a show.

Of course, every Queen concert will contain the hits like “We Will Rock You,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” etc., but with so much great music, Queen likes to throw in some album tracks that fans may not expect. In this episode they showcase a performance “Dragon Attack,” recorded at the Milton Keynes Bowl in Buckinghamshire, England on June 5, 1982. 

“Dragon Attack” was featured on Queen’s 1980 album The Game, and was released as the B-side to “Another One Bites the Dust.” The band played the track live consistently between 1980 and 1985.

And coming up next week – “Is This the World We Created.”

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Def Leppard has been very busy the last week or so promoting not only their new album, Drastic Symphonies, but their book Definitely Def Leppard. And now the band is sharing a look at what they’ve been up to. 

In a new behind-the-scenes vlog for their YouTube channel, Def Leppard gives fans a peek at their promotional tour, including rehearsals for their recent BBC2 Piano Room performance with an orchestra.

“One of the best experiences of my life, absolutely brilliant,” guitarist Rick Savage says of the performance, where the band played three songs, including “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” “It’s so great to play live with an orchestra in a completely different environment, sitting down, being able to play as more of a musician than just a performer.”

Drummer Rick Allen adds, “I’ve never quite experienced playing those songs before in that way … just being in the same room with the orchestra, just, what a wonderful experience.” 

There’s also footage of Def Leppard at a London book signing for their book Definitely Def Leppard and at London’s Royal Festival Hall, where they did a Q&A with fans about the book.

And now that promotion is over, Def Leppard has something else to focus on. They are currently on their U.K./European Stadium tour with Mötley Crüe. The tour hits Munich, Germany, on May 27. A complete list of dates can be found at defleppard.com. 

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

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June is Pride Month, and to mark the occasion, Apple Fitness+ has created a series of new workouts and meditations featuring the music of longtime LGBTQ ally Madonna.

Starting June 5, you’ll be able enjoy rowing, cycling, core, treadmill, strength, dance, yoga and cardio workouts, all set to songs from every decade of Madonna’s career, from the ’80s to the 2010s. Each instructor will be wearing one of Madonna’s iconic looks, including her “Like a Virgin” white lace wedding dress and her outfit from the “Material Girl” video.

According to Apple, “the energy and themes of each workout are inspired by Madonna’s impact on self-acceptance and inclusivity across music, culture, and style.”

Madonna’s Celebration tour kicks off July 15 in Vancouver.

Meanwhile, it’s not clear when the collaboration between Madonna and Sam Smith that the Queen of Pop teased on Wednesday will be released. Sam was seemingly going to debut it at their concert on Wednesday night, but it was canceled due to their vocal issues.

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Queen’s Brian May is featured on a the brand new song from British artist Sam Ryder. The tune, “Fought & Lost,” features a guitar solo from May, with Ryder’s voice sounding quite similar to late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.

“Some of you know what this is,” May shared on Instagram. “But I’d like the rest of you folks to wonder, just for half a minute, who you’re listening to, on this glistening new track … and what it might be telling us.”

“Lost & Found” may sound familiar to fans of the Apple TV series Ted Lasso. The song appeared in the recently released penultimate episode of the third season.

“This is a song for the hope seekers & the faith keepers. The ones who foster the dream and keep its fire burning regardless of the knock backs, the almosts, the falls & the failures,” Ryder shares. “This is a song for the down but never out’s, not to be sung cold eyed, muttered and muted, but to be belted towards the heavens as if wrenched from the spirit itself …for defeat looms in that glimmer of a moment right before life’s magic is spun.”

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Roger Waters is once again facing the possibility of having a show canceled because of his political beliefs.

The Belfast Telegraph reports British Labour MP Christian Wakeford has expressed concerns about the rocker’s scheduled June show at Manchester’s AO Arena.

“The city of Manchester has a rich and vibrant history in which those of different faiths and backgrounds have lived together, as well as stood together through difficult times and times of division,” Wakeford told the House of Commons. “So I’m concerned to note that Roger Waters is due to play at the AO Arena in Manchester next month.” 

Wakeford pointed to Waters’ recent Berlin show, which has been getting backlash for the use of images of Anne Frank and a pig with a Star of David on it, as well as Waters dressing as what appeared to be an SS soldier.

That show sparked a tweet from the State of Israel’s official account, reading, “Good morning to every one but Roger Waters who spent the evening in Berlin (Yes Berlin) desecrating the memory of Anne Frank and the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust.” 

Wakeford asked that the House of Commons “agree with me that concerts like this have no place in our society and shouldn’t go ahead.” Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt did indicate that she would “make sure that all relevant departments have heard (Mr Wakeford’s) concerns today.”

Waters’ May show in Frankfurt was initially banned by the local government due to Waters’ perceived antisemitism, before a court overturned the ruling. Billboard reports that at the Berlin show, Waters projected a message that read, “The show will start in 10 minutes and a court in Frankfurt has ruled that I am not an antisemite… just to be clear, I condemn antisemitism unreservedly.”

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Tina Turner will be the focus of an exclusive BET special that will delve into her life and yearslong career. BET & ET Present Tina Turner: Life and Legacy will air May 25, featuring archival footage from ET, which includes over 30 Tina interviews throughout the course of her career. It will see her discussing her acting aspirations, never giving up on true love, her hit “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” and other definitive moments of her journey.

“Tina Turner was a global powerhouse, humanitarian, and undisputable Queen of Rock & Roll. We are deeply saddened by the news of her passing,” said Scott Mills, president and CEO of BET Media Group. “Tina Turner’s gritty vocals, high-octane performances and award-winning platinum hits are unforgettable. Her rise from humble beginnings to overcoming professional and personal adversity led her to become one of the most successful recording artists of all time. We join so many in celebration of her life, legacy, and immeasurable contributions to the arts. She was simply the best.”

BET & ET Present Tina Turner: Life and Legacy will air on BET at 9 p.m. ET/PT. On May 26, BET HER will air an encore at 10 a.m. ET/PT; VH1 will replay the special at 6 p.m. ET/PT.

Tina died on Wednesday, May 24, according to a statement on her social media pages. She was 83 years old.

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The Doobie Brothers have added another gig to their touring schedule. The band is set to headline the BeachLife Ranch Festival, taking place September 22-24 at the Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach, California.  

The festival features a mixture of country and Americana acts, with The Doobie Brothers headlining the bill on Saturday, September 23. Other headliners include Jack Johnson and Brad Paisley, with the lineup also featuring The Avett Brothers, Shakey Graves, Wynonna, Chris Isaak and more.

Tickets for the festival are on sale now. More info and a full lineup can be found at beachliferanch.com.

The festival is one of many shows The Doobie Brothers have planned for 2023. They kick off their 50th anniversary tour on Thursday, May 25, in Hollywood, Florida. A complete list of tour dates can be found at thedoobiebrothers.com.

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Aerosmith’s Peace Out tour doesn’t start until September, but guitarist Brad Whitford isn’t sitting at home waiting to take the stage. 

The rocker made a surprise appearance at Godsmack’s show at the Firstbank Amphitheater in Franklin, Tennessee, on Wednesday, joining the band for a rendition of the Aerosmith classic “Dream On.” A snippet of the performance can be seen on Aerosmith’s Instagram account.

“Such an incredible honor to have shared the stage with the one and only Mr. Brad Whitford of @aerosmith,” Godsmack frontman Sully Erna shared on Facebook. “We are still living out our childhood dreams and humbled every day! Thank you Brad!”

The appearance comes just a few weeks after Aerosmith announced their final tour. It’s set to kick off September 2 in Philadelphia, with dates confirmed through January 26, 2024, in Montreal. A complete list of dates can be found at aerosmith.com.

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Dio‘s debut album, Holy Diver, was released May 25, 1983 — 40 years ago Thursday.

Ronnie James Dio founded his namesake band after his stint in Black Sabbath replacing Ozzy Osbourne. He brought along then-Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, and they began working on a riff that would become the main guitar part of the song “Holy Diver.”

“That was the first inkling of a song,” Appice tells ABC Audio. “I think we auditioned some guitar players with that riff, just because we didn’t know much more.”

Eventually, the Dio lineup was completed by guitarist Vivian Campbell and bassist Jimmy Bain. With the creation of a new band outside of Sabbath, Appice says Dio felt a lot of creative freedom recording Holy Diver.

“With a first album, you don’t have to worry about repeating the way you played or songs sounding similar to the album you did before that,” Appice explains. “It was, like, anything goes, ’cause it’s a new band, it’s not Sabbath, and let it rip. So it was easy to have crazy ideas, and we did it.”

Holy Diver spawned metal classics including the title track and “Rainbow in the Dark,” and is now certified double Platinum by the RIAA. In addition to its musical impact, Holy Diver was also famous for its album cover, featuring a giant demon — later known as Murray — swinging a chain over a terrified priest.

“That is an absolute brilliant album cover,” Appice says. “If you see it and you don’t know anything about Dio, you’d wanna buy the record and check it out. What a brilliant cover.”

Dio would become Ronnie’s longest-running project. The group released a total of 10 albums before disbanding in 2010 following Ronnie’s death from stomach cancer. He was 67.

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