Classic Rock News

Before The Doors hit it big, they headlined five shows at the Matrix, a small club in San Francisco, and while they weren’t exactly sell-outs, they went on to become popular bootlegs among fans. Now, those live performances are the subject of a new box set.

Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters, dropping September 8, features live recordings from those shows, which took place in March of 1967. Unlike bootlegs that have circulated for years, the songs on the new set come from Matrix owner Peter Abram’s original master recordings of the concerts.

Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters will be released as limited edition five-LP and three-CD sets, with both featuring previously unheard recordings of “All Blues” and “Bag’s Groove.” Both sets are available for preorder now. 

This isn’t the first time The Doors have released music from these shows. In 2008, they released Live at the Matrix 1967. They say unlike the new set, that release used third generation tapes, not the original recordings.

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Cheap Trick is extending their time on the road in 2023. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers just announced a new set of fall tour dates.

The new additions to the schedule kick off October 2 in Springfield, Missouri, with the trek wrapping October 22 in Reno, Nevada. Local presales for all new shows begin Wednesday, July 12, at 10 a.m. local time, with the general onsale set for Friday, July 14, at 10 a.m. local time.

In the meantime, Cheap Trick is booked for several festivals this year and will be the special guest on Rod Stewart’s upcoming U.S. tour. The rockers’ next show is happening July 16 in Chicago, Illinois. A complete list of tour dates is on cheaptrick.com.

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A lot of artists have been selling off their catalogs lately, and it appears at least a portion of Led Zeppelin’s may soon change hands.

According to an article in the U.K. Times, Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin’s former manager, owned 20% of the rock band’s catalog, and when he passed in 1995, he left those shares to be evenly divided between his children, daughter Helen and son Warren. Well, now Helen is getting ready to part with her 10%.

“I’d much rather have Dad back, but I know I’m bloody lucky,” the 59-year-old tells The Times about the money she’ll likely make from the sale. “I’m hoping it will allow me to showcase dad again in the way he should be presented.” 

She says there’s discussion of making a film about Grant, noting, “I never had a chance to do it before — I’ve got five bloody kids, for God’s sake — but I’m at that stage in life where I’m thinking we could do something great with dad’s legacy.”

So, how much could this sale be worth? Well, an exact amount isn’t known, but it certainly sounds like it could be a big number. According to Music Business Worldwide, the law firm handling the sale says the deal will include a share of the rights to Led Zeppelin’s recorded music and publishing along with rights to their name, logo and trademarks.

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Loverboy is set to be honored on Canada’s Walk of Fame. The “Working for the Weekend” rockers are among 13 acts chosen this year, with the celebration set for September 28 at Massey Hall in Toronto.

Other artists being honored include Glass Tiger, who had a huge hit with their 1986 release “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)”; Chilliwack, best known for their 1981 single “My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)”; and April Wine, who had a Top 40 hit with 1981’s “Just Between You And Me.”

“These trailblazing musicians have had an extraordinary impact on our Canadian Rock landscape,” Jeffrey Latimer, CEO of Canada’s Walk of Fame, shared in a statement. “Their longevity, many of whom still tour and sell out venues, is inspiring; and we are proud to welcome them each to Canada’s Walk of Fame.” 

While best known for their 1981 track “Working for the Weekend,” Loverboy had big hits in the U.S. with “Turn Me Loose,” “Hot Girls In Love,” “Heaven in Your Eyes” from Top Gun and more. They were inducted in to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2009.

Loverboy is currently on the road opening for Foreigner on their final tour. The trek hits Nashville, Tennessee, on July 11. A complete list of dates can be found at loverboyband.com.

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Porno for Pyros is launching a tour for the first time in 25 years.

The outing, dubbed the Horns, Thorns en Halos tour, will celebrate the Perry Farrell-led band’s 30th anniversary. It runs from October 8 in Wheatland, California, and concludes November 20 in Austin, Texas.

Tickets go on sale Friday, July 14, at 10 a.m. local time; a presale begins Wednesday, July 12. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit LiveNation.com.

Porno for Pyros consists of Jane’s Addiction members Farrell and Stephen Perkins alongside guitarist Peter DiStefano and bassist Martyn LeNoble. Aside from a couple one-off performances, the group had been on hiatus since 1998 before the original lineup reunited in 2022.

Along with the tour, new Porno for Pyros music is expected to drop later this year.

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Rod Stewart‘s special guest at his concert in Edinburgh, Scotland, Monday night was someone he’s known all his life: his sister.

On July 10, the final date of his U.K. tour, Rod, 78, brought 94-year-old Mary up onstage during his performance of “Sailing.” Rod told the British paper The Mirror it was a “joy” to be with Mary, adding, “At 94, she’s on a rock’n’roll stage and loving it. She has and continues to teach me about life.”

Rod is the youngest of five kids: His two older brothers Bob and Don — who he called his “best mates” — died in 2022 aged 88 and 94, respectively. His older sister Peggy died of multiple sclerosis in 1975 at age 40.

Rod’s North American tour dates get underway July 29 in Sparks, Nevada.

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On This Day, July 11, 1975…

Fleetwood Mac released their self-titled 10th studio album, often referred to as The White Album. The record was the band’s first release with Lindsey Buckingham on guitar and Stevie Nicks on vocals.

The album, their second self-titled release following their 1968 debut, went to #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart but took a long time to get there, peaking in the top spot 58 weeks after it first entered the chart.

It featured three hit singles: “Over My Head,” and the future classics “Rhiannon” and “Say You Love Me,” the latter two of which just narrowly missed the Top 10.

The White Album went on to be certified seven-times Platinum by the RIAA.

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Red Hot Chili Peppers are headlining the 2023 Global Citizen Festival, taking place September 23 at New York City’s Central Park.

The lineup also includes hip-hop artists Ms. Lauryn Hill and Megan Thee Stallion, pop singer-songwriter Conan Gray and K-pop group Stray Kids.

As always, you can earn free tickets to attend the Global Citizen Festival by taking action toward the events continuing goal of ending extreme poverty.

For more info, visit GlobalCitizen.org.

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Farm Aid will once again be back this September, featuring performances by the organization’s board members: Neil Young, in his first return to the festival since 2019, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Margo Price and Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds.

This year’s event will take place Saturday, September 23, at the Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana, the second time it’s being held at the venue and the third time in Mellencamp’s home state.

“We are honored and excited to bring the Farm Aid experience back to Indiana,” Mellencamp shares. “My home state holds deep meaning for me and for the generations of family farmers who have dedicated their lives to caring for the Earth and bringing us good food.” 

Other artists on the bill include Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson, Allison Russell, The String Cheese Incident and Particle Kid.

Tickets for this year’s Farm Aid go on sale Saturday, July 15, at 10 a.m. ET.

The very first Farm Aid concert was held in September 1985 in Champaign, Illinois, to raise funds to support family farmers. Since its inception, the annual festival has raised more than $70 million to support programs helping the farming community.

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Def Leppard is giving their fans a chance to own one of Phil Collen’s guitars, while also raising money for a good cause.

The band just launched a new raffle, with one of Collen’s signed Jackson PC1 guitars as a grand prize. Collen used the guitar onstage during the band’s current The World Tour with Mötley Crüe. Raffle entry costs about $10, and fans in the U.S., Europe, the U.K. and Canada have until July 28 at 11:59 p.m. to enter as many times as they want.

All money raised through the raffle will go to help those affected by the February 2023 earthquakes in Syria and Turkey. The earthquakes killed over 51,000 people, and destroyed 214,000 buildings and homes, affecting over 18 million people. The money will go to Disasters Emergency Committee charities, which are still providing relief to those countries.

Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe recently wrapped the European/U.K. leg of their World Tour. It returns to the States on August 5 in Syracuse, New York. A complete list of dates can be found at defleppard.com.

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