Classic Rock News

Judas Priest has been working on a new album to follow 2018’s Firepower. Speaking with ABC Audio, guitarist Richie Faulkner shares that the actual recording of the album is “almost finished.”

“I think we have some vocals to do, and then we’ve gotta mix and then master,” Faulkner says.

What comes after that, though, is a little bit more up in the air.

“We gotta finalize artwork and actually manufacture the stuff … make the vinyl and get that done,” Faulkner explains. “I think vinyl takes a little while these days, so it depends how long that takes to actually manufacture the physical product. So that’s the question mark.”

Still, Faulkner is optimistic that “it shouldn’t be too long now” before the next Priest album is officially done and ready to go. He adds that he and frontman Rob Halford spent some time in the studio recently recording vocals.

“It’s sounding great, man,” Faulkner says. “Hearing some new Priest stuff that we haven’t heard before with that legendary voice on is always an exciting thing to be a part of.”

While you wait for that, you can hear Faulkner shred with his new band Elegant Weapons. The group’s debut album, Horns for a Halo, drops May 26.

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Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan just dropped a new three-track EP, This Is The Song, to help highlight Mental Health Awareness Month.

McKagan says he wrote the EP “in the middle of a panic attack,” sharing, “I couldn’t breathe and couldn’t see straight and lately, I have thankfully found my acoustic guitar as a refuge. If I just hold on to that guitar, play chords, and hum melodies, I can start to climb my way out of that hole.”

“For those of you who have never experienced something like this, count yourselves blessed,” the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer offers. “To those of you who recognize what I am talking about: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!”

The EP, which is McKagan’s first new solo music in almost four years, has been released to all digital outlets and streaming services. Duff has also shared an official video for the EP’s title track.

Here is the track list for This Is The Song:

“This Is The Song”
“Pass You By”
“It Can’t Come Too Soon”

Next up, McKagan hits the road with Guns N’ Roses on a worldwide tour that kicks off June 1 in Abu Dhabi. It hits the U.S. August 11 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. A complete list of dates can be found at gunsnroses.com

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On This Day, May 10, 1960 …

Paul David Hewson, better known as U2 frontman Bono, was born in Dublin, Ireland.

U2 was formed in 1976 after Bono and friend David Evans aka the Edge responded to an advertisement posted on a bulletin board by Larry Mullen Jr. seeking musicians interested in forming a rock band. 

U2 released their first album, Boy, in 1980. The follow-up, 1983’s War, propelled them to stardom thanks to hit singles “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Pride (In The Name of Love).” 

The band has gone on to release 15 studio albums and won 22 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for 1987’s The Joshua Tree. They’ve sold between 150 million and 170 million records and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 in their first year of eligibility.

In addition to U2, Bono is known for his activism and philanthropy, and has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the plight of the people of Africa. In 2004 he launched the One Campaign, with a goal of eliminating extreme poverty and disease in Africa.

In November 2022, Bono released his memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. He just wrapped up a series of performances of his one-man show Stories of Surrender — based on that memoir — at New York’s Beacon Theatre.

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Artistic expression seems to run in John Mellencamp’s family, and it’s the subject of a new exhibit now showing in Youngstown, Ohio.

BLOODLINE: The Art of John Mellencamp & Speck Mellencamp, at the Beecher Center’s Flad B Gallery, features 19 paintings, 10 done by Mellencamp and another nine from his son Speck. The showing is described as a “fascinating, two-person exhibition which celebrates figurative expressionism at a very high level.” 

“What is clear about the art of John Mellencamp is that his works [extend] the rich tradition of American expressionistic art,” Executive Director Louis A. Zona shares. “Speck’s colors, muted but beautiful, add richness to his work, with impressionistic-like highlights contributing much to the overall effectiveness of the paintings.”

The exhibit opened earlier this week at The Butler Institute of American Art and runs until July 2.

Mellencamp is currently on the road with his Live and In Person tour. He’s in the middle of a three-night stand at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, with two more shows May 9 and 10. A complete list of dates can be found at mellencamp.com. 

He’s also getting ready to release a new album, Orpheus Descending, on June 2. It is available for preorder now.

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Dee Snider was supposed to perform at San Francisco Pride next month, but the two sides agreed to part ways after Snider supported Paul Stanley’s recent tweet suggesting gender confirmation treatment for children has been “turned into a sad and dangerous fad.” 

At the time, SF Pride said they “appreciate Dee seeing this as a teachable moment” — but has Dee really learned anything?

“I think he has learned some,” Suzanne Ford, executive director of SF Pride, tells ABC Audio. “But I don’t think he’s at a place where we would probably be totally in alignment about our opinions about health care for trans children.” 

Nguyen Pham, president of SF Pride, adds, “One of our core pillars of our overall mission is to educate the world. So we do see this as an opportunity to narrow that gap of understanding just a little bit with our key allies.” He agrees with Suzanne, but adds, “We do see potential there.”

Ford takes particular issue with Stanley’s description of gender confirmation treatment as a “fad,” describing the comment as “quite dangerous.” Pham adds it suggests we shouldn’t believe trans kids.

“I think we really need to lean into believing children when they come to us,” Pham says.

Snider was supposed to serve as the parade’s celebrity grand marshal and perform Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” as the rallying cry, so now SF Pride is looking for a replacement.

“We are hoping that somebody out there, a recording artist or a celebrity will see how much we need someone to stand with us,” Ford says. “An icon in the queer community that would come and be with us to help us make this statement.” 

SF Pride is happening June 24 and 25. More info can be found at sfpride.org.

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Bonnie Raitt has another chance at winning an award for her track “Just Like That.”

The tune has been nominated for Song of the Year at the 2023 Americana Honors & Awards. She’s up against Allison Russell’s “You’re Not Alone,” featuring Brandi Carlile; Zac Bryan’s “Something in the Orange”; Margo Price’s “Change of Heart”; and Charley Crocket’s “I’m Just A Clown.”

“Just Like That,” the title track to Raitt’s 18th studio album, won Song of the Year at this year’s Grammy Awards, beating out hit tunes by the likes of Lizzo, Adele, Harry Styles, Beyoncé and more. 

The Americana Honors & Awards will take place September 20 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

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Chicago is celebrating a huge touring milestone. The band is currently on the road, marking their 56th consecutive year of touring.

The 10-piece band, which includes founding members Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane and James Pankow, returned to the road once pandemic restrictions lifted and have been touring nonstop ever since. Last summer they headlined a 25-date tour with the Beach Boys‘ Brian Wilson.

Chicago doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon and will be busy throughout 2023, with their next show scheduled for Tuesday, May 9, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They have dates confirmed all the way through November 11 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  

A complete list of dates can be found at chicagotheband.com.

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The Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell joined Fleetwood Mac in 2018 after Lindsey Buckingham‘s departure, and it sounds like he really liked the experience.

“It was tricky at first. I am not used to copying other people’s songs, per se. So, I had to dig in and do a little work to fill the hole there on the guitar. So, that was new for me,” he shares in a new interview with the East Bay Times. “But it was a challenge and I learned a lot. Then once we got out on the road, though, we had a blast.” 

As for whether he’d tour with them again, Campbell doesn’t think it’s gonna happen, echoing the sentiments expressed by Mick Fleetwood earlier this year about the band’s future following the death of Christine McVie.

“I don’t think they are going to do it again,” he says. “I don’t really see it, because Christine is gone now and Stevie (Nicks) is really busy. So, I have my doubts that they would crank that up again.” 

He adds, “I don’t really see that ship leaving the port again. But if they asked me, and my time was open, I would certainly do it because I love the people and their songs are really good.”

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The Black Crowes teamed up with Darius Rucker for a performance of “She Talks To Angels” on the CMT Music Awards last month, but that was only the beginning of their collaboration. The artists came together again to film an episode of CMT Crossroads, which is set to debut May 16.

The episode will feature the artists teaming up for performances of each other’s songs, including Crowe classics “She Talks to Angels,” “Hard to Handle” and “Remedy.” Darius hits will include “Wagon Wheel,” and the Hootie & The Blowfish classic “Let Her Cry.” They’ll also team up for Drivin N Cryin’s iconic song “Straight To Hell.”

“It was really cool getting to do Crossroads with Darius,” Crowes frontman Chris Robinson shares. “We both come from similar music scenes in the south and we have a shared admiration for a lot of the same music.” He adds, “Darius has such a powerful voice and has written some great songs. I’m glad we finally got to share the stage with our friend!” 

CMT Crossroads: The Black Crowes & Darius Rucker premieres Tuesday, May 16, at 10 p.m. ET on CMT.

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After months of Dolly Parton talking about it, we finally have details about her new rock record, Rockstar. It features collaborations with a whole host of A-list artists, including Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Steven Tyler, Steve Perry, Sting, Stevie Nicks, Richie Sambora, Elton John and Peter Frampton.

“I’m so excited to finally present my first Rock and Roll album Rockstar!” Dolly, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, shares. “I am very honored and privileged to have worked with some of the greatest iconic singers and musicians of all time and to be able to sing all the iconic songs throughout the album was a joy beyond measure.”

The 30-track album includes nine original tracks, as well as 21 covers, including such classics as “Let It Be” with McCartney and Starr, as well as Frampton and Mick Fleetwood; “Every Breath You Take” with Sting; “Open Arms” with Perry; “Free Bird” with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ronnie Van Zant and the late Gary Rossington, as well as former member Artimus Pyle; “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” with Elton; and “Stairway to Heaven” with Lizzo.

Rockstar will be released November 17 as a four-LP or two-CD set. It is available for preorder now.

Here’s the track list for Rockstar:

“Rockstar” (special guest Richie Sambora)
“World on Fire”
“Every Breath You Take” (feat. Sting)
“Open Arms” (feat. Steve Perry)
“Magic Man” (feat. Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Leese)
“Long As I Can See The Light” (feat. John Fogerty)
“Either Or” (feat. Kid Rock)
“I Want You Back” (feat. Steven Tyler with special guest Warren Haynes)
“What Has Rock And Roll Ever Done For You” (feat. Stevie Nicks with special guest Waddy Wachtel)
“Purple Rain”
“Baby, I Love Your Way” (feat. Peter Frampton)
“I Hate Myself For Loving You” (feat. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
“Night Moves” (feat. Chris Stapleton)
“Wrecking Ball” (feat. Miley Cyrus)
“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (feat. Pink & Brandi Carlile)
“On Loving You” (feat. Kevin Cronin)
“Heart Of Glass” (feat. Debbie Harry)
“Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” (feat. Elton John)
“Tried To Rock And Roll Me” (feat. Melissa Etheridge)
“Stairway To Heaven” (feat. Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
“We Are The Champions”
“Bygones” (feat. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
“My Blue Tears” (feat. Simon Le Bon)
“What’s Up?” (feat. Linda Perry)
“You’re No Good” (feat. Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
“Heartbreaker” (feat. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
“Bittersweet” (feat. Michael McDonald)
“I Dreamed About Elvis” (feat. Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
“Let It Be” (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
“Free Bird” (feat. Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band)

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