Classic Rock News

Not only is John Mellencamp adept at painting a portrait of life in small town America with his words and music, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer also is literally a talented painter.

Now, a new book showcasing his artwork, titled John Mellencamp: American Paintings and Assemblages, is scheduled to be published on October 17. The 256-page volume, which the artist curated himself, features images of 170 pieces he created, including large-scale oil paintings and mixed-media assemblages.

The book includes self-portraits and portraits of such celebrities as Marlon Brando, Johnny Cash and Mellencamp’s one-time fiancee Meg Ryan, as well as an abstract homage to Martin Luther King Jr.

The book also features essays about Mellencamp’s art, penned by publisher Bob Guccione Jr. and acclaimed journalist and critic David L. Shirey.

“Although we may primarily know Mellencamp as a rock star, one of the highest-selling of all time and a Hall of Famer, he is also a great painter, as this book shows,” writes Guccione. “Not a musician who also paints … No, John legitimately belongs in the modern art pantheon.”

Mellencamp’s most recent studio album, Strictly a One-Eyed Jack, was released in January. It features three collaborations with Bruce Springsteen.

According to a post on his official website, he’s planning to return to touring in 2023.

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Judas Priest is having an eventful year that will see the band mount a lengthy, new European leg of its ongoing 50 Heavy Metal Years tour and will culminate with the veteran British rockers getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this November.

Beyond that, frontman Rob Halford reports that the band is continuing to work on a new album that will be a follow-up to their 2018 studio effort, Firepower.

“We’ve stopped kicking the tires and now we’re in tracking,” Halford tells ABC Audio about the status of the record.

He also reveals that he’s planning to add some new material to the project that, judging by his comments, will be based around unfinished archival recordings.

“You can never have enough songs when you’re making an album,” he notes. “Songs that you didn’t even know you had bits and pieces and fragments of, suddenly they become an incredibly important part of your record.”

Regarding the sound of the album, Rob notes, “The music that we’re making now is representative of where Priest is at this probably sixth decade of our existence when it comes out…It sounds great. I’m really pleased.”

He adds, “I’m really, really happy that…we’re not dropping the ball. Not that we ever have. But it’s good, because there are some elements in there that we’ve never…kind of discovered before.”

Asked if he thinks the album may be ready for release sometime next year, Halford responds cagily, “He raises his hands, he shrugs his shoulders and he goes, ‘Meh.'”

Judas Priest launches its 2022 European trek on May 31 in Berlin.

As previously reported, the band will be inducted into the Rock Hall in conjunction with receiving the Musical Excellence Award. The ceremony takes place November 5 in Los Angeles.

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Original paintings created from the sound waves of The Band‘s classic 1968 song “The Weight,” along with prints of the art pieces, are being sold now to raise money for the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

Founding Band guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson has signed 30 of the prints and a few of the original pieces, which are available now, respectively, for $500 and $3000 at SoundwavesArtFoundation.com.

Robertson signed the art and prints this month at his home in Los Angeles.

Unsigned prints also are available, priced at $75.

In a post on his Twitter feed, Robbie writes, “Sweet Relief Musicians Fund is an amazing non-profit supporting music industry workers unable to pay medical and everyday bills. 100% of profits [from sales of the Soundwaves pieces] will be donated.”

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Former Blue Öyster Cult bassist Joe Bouchard has released a second advance track from his forthcoming solo album, American Rocker, a melodic rock tune called “In the Golden Age” that finds him reflecting on the band’s 1970s heyday.

“‘In the Golden Age’ is a high energy rocker that sets the pace for the entire album,” Joe says. “The song started out inspired by the old ’60s TV show Route 66. I updated the theme to be about the early shows of Blue Öyster Cult when we began playing big shows on the West Coast of the U.S. Yes, my life in the ’70s was an endless highway with adventures at every turn … It was all good and exciting!”

The track is available now as a digital download and via streaming services, and a lyric video has premiered at the Deko Entertainment label’s official YouTube channel. It was preceded by the first advance song from American Rocker, “My Way Is the Highway.”

The album is an 11-track collection that will be released on June 3. As Joe explains, “American Rocker is a musical journey of my life as a rock star,” adding, “I feel lucky to live a life of music, and to be fulfilling my wildest dreams.”

CD copies of the album can be preordered now at MerchBucket.com. Special bundles also available are pairing the CD with a T-shirt and an autographed booklet.

Joe has a series of five North American shows lined up in July with his band Blue Coupe — which also features his brother and fellow Blue Öyster Cult alum Albert Bouchard and original Alice Cooper bassist Dennis Dunaway. He and Albert will also be playing a series of U.K. concerts in August, performing as The Bouchard Brothers.

Here’s American Rocker‘s full track list:

“My Way Is the Highway”
“In the Golden Age”
“Deadly Kisses”
“Love Out of Thin Air”
“Off Season Hotel”
“Hounds of Hell”
“Conspiracy”
“Rocket to Fame”
“The Devil’s in the Details”
“Katherine”
“Hey There Suzi Dear”

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Ringo Starr is entering the NFT universe with a new collection of digital tokens that feature animated virtual depictions of artwork he’s created, which will be auctioned off at JuliensAuctions.com on June 13 at 11 a.m. PT.

The “Ringo Starr NFT Collection — The Creative Mind of a Beatle” will include five unique NFTs, each featuring an original animated painting accompanied by a custom-made drum track played and recorded by Starr, and an audio/visual motif echoing his time with The Beatles and his subsequent music career.

Those who purchase the NFTs will also receive a 25-by-25-inch canvas print of the artwork signed by Ringo and will be granted access to join the legendary drummer on an exclusive virtual tour of a gallery of his digital art, called RingoLand.

The winning bidders will receive a private invitation following the auction that will allow them to join the virtual gathering, which was created by Spatial.io, via the web, VR platforms or mobile devices.

Four limited-edition NFTs of each of the five designs will be available, for a total 20 NFT packages that will be auctioned as part of the sale.

“I only ever wanted to be a drummer yet you never know where a new idea or path will lead you,” says Starr. “This new technology is so far out it’s inspired me and I loved creating these NFTs combining my art and my music. Who’d have thought I would be spreading Peace and Love in the MetaVerse.”

Among the NFTs are self-portraits that depict Starr during his early days with The Beatles. Visit JuliensLive.com for more details.

A portion of the proceeds raised by the auction will benefit Ringo’s Lotus Foundation, which funds and supports charitable projects that focus on various social welfare causes.

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Aerosmith has canceled the band’s first batch of Las Vegas residency dates due to frontman Steven Tyler entering a treatment program.

“As many of you know, our beloved brother Steven has worked on his sobriety for many years,” the “Dream On” rockers write in a social media statement posted Tuesday. “After foot surgery to prepare for the stage and the necessity of pain management during the process, he has recently relapsed and voluntarily entered a treatment program to concentrate on his health and recovery.”

As such, Aerosmith won’t be playing the Vegas dates scheduled for June and July while Tyler “focuses on his well-being.”

“We are devastated that we have inconvenienced so many of you, especially our most loyal fans who often travel great distances to experience our shows,” the statement reads. “Thank you for your understanding and for your support for Steven during this time.”

Those who purchased tickets to the affected shows will receive refunds.

Aerosmith plans to resume the residency in September.

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The Scorpions have released “The Language of My Heart” as their latest single, a bonus track from the French version of their new studio album Rock Believer.

The track is available now as a digital download and via streaming services, while a lyric video has premiered at the veteran German rockers’ official YouTube channel.

The touching ballad is a celebration of Paris, inspired by the brutal terrorist attacks that took place at the historic Bataclan theater and other parts of the city in November 2015 and left 130 people dead and hundreds more wounded.

“It’s a tribute to France, with its wonderful culture and our fantastic fans,” says Scorpions frontman Klaus Meine.

The Scorpions were the first band to stage a concert in Paris following the attacks, just 10 days later, when they played the AccorHotels Arena for a crowd of 20,000.

Last week, the band gave “The Language of My Heart” its live debut during a new concert at the Paris venue. The show kicked off a European tour in support of Rock Believer that runs through a July 18 concert in Lisbon, Portugal. The Scorpions recently announced dates for a North American leg that also will feature Whitesnake and that gets underway on August 21 in Toronto.

Check out the band’s full tour schedule at The-Scorpions.com.

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After a six-year break from the road, Bruce and the band are back.

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band have announced a 2023 tour, which will include U.S. shows in arenas starting in February followed by stadium shows in Europe, and then a second North American leg in August.

In a statement, the Boss said, “After six years, I’m looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year. And I’m looking forward to once again sharing the stage with the legendary E Street Band. See you out there, next year — and beyond.”

So far, only the European shows have been announced, starting April 28 in Barcelona. U.K. shows will be announced at a later date, as will the U.S. dates. 

These are the first tour dates for Bruce and the band since The River Tour wrapped up in Australia in 2017, though they did perform on Saturday Night Live in 2020 to promote their most recent album, Letter to You.

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A permanent Blue Plaque marker commemorating the late Jimi Hendrix‘s last residence in London, then known as the Cumberland Hotel and now the site of the Hard Rock Hotel in the Marble Arch section of the U.K. capital, will be unveiled on June 10.

The unveiling will be presented by the Hard Rock Hotel London in partnership with Experience Hendrix L.L.C., the family company that oversees the guitar legend’s music and legacy.

The new marker will become the second Blue Plaque honoring Hendrix in London. The first, which was unveiled in 1997, is located at the building where Jimi resided in 1968 and ’69 in the city’s Mayfair section. While living at the Cumberland Hotel, Hendrix wrote lyrics to his sings “Look Over Yonder” and “Suddenly November Morning” on the hotel’s stationary.

In conjunction with the new plaque’s debut, a special ticketed event will be held at the Hard Rock Hotel that will include a screening of the 2020 documentary Music, Money, Madness…Jimi Hendrix in Maui, and a Q&A with longtime Hendrix studio engineer Eddie Kramer; the film’s director, John McDermott; and Experience Hendrix CEO Janie Hendrix, Jimi’s sister.

“I’m so proud of my brother Jimi and his being honored again in London,” says Janie. “His mission was to spread love across the world through his music, and we continue to see that come to fruition all these years later. Eddie, John and I all look forward to interacting with people on June 10, whose lives were touched by Jimi in London — a city that was so important to him and his career.”

Tickets for the screening and Q&A can be purchased at Universe.com.

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Stevie Nicks is one of the many artists confirmed to appear on the soundtrack to Elvis, the upcoming biopic about rock ‘n’ roll icon Elvis Presley by Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet director Baz Luhrmann.

The album also will include “original songs and recordings” from Elvis himself, as well as contributions from Chris Isaak, Rufus Thomas, Jack White, Gary Clark Jr., Kacey Musgraves, Jazmine Sullivan, Tame Impala, Doja Cat, Måneskin, Eminem and CeeLo Green, and Elton John collaborators Pnau.

A track list for the soundtrack has yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, a second official trailer for Elvis debuted May 23 at Warner Bros. Pictures’ YouTube channel.

Elvis stars Austin Butler in the title role and Tom Hanks as his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. The film premieres in theaters on June 24.

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