Classic Rock News

Queen always loves to surprise their audience, and one of those examples is the subject of this week’s episode of the band’s weekly YouTube series Queen The Greatest Live 

The video features the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers performing a cover of the Little Richard classic “Tutti Frutti” at Wembley Stadium during their 1986 Magic Tour, a song most fans probably weren’t expecting to hear. The cover starts out acoustic and then quickly explodes, featuring Roger Taylor’s thunderous drumming, and a Brian May solo on his Red Special guitar.

As for why they chose it, May told Total Guitar earlier this year, “When I first heard Little Richard, it was a moment of shock, but there was also the joy of realizing that people could actually sing that way – they could scream their emotions.”

And coming next week – “Big Spender”

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Def Leppard’s Rick Allen and wife Lauren Monroe’s Raven Drum Foundation has announced some great new events to support veterans, firefighters and trauma survivors. Both events will be happening in September, one in Healdsburg, California, and another in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. 

The California event will take place September 9-10 at the Chateau Diana Winery. It will feature a live performance by Rick and Lauren, with special guests, as well as a healing drum circle with famous drummers like Alvin Taylor, who worked with Elton John and George Harrison, and Franklin Vanderbilt, who’s worked with Lenny Kravitz. The event will honor the firefighters, first responders and victims of the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Northern California.

The Wyoming event, Mountain Rhythm Reset, will take place September 21-23, and feature a welcome reception and live performance with Rick and Lauren. There will be appearances by Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum; Widespread Panic’s Duane Trucks; Wally Ingram, who worked with Jackson Browne; and Sheryl Crow.

The Raven Drum Foundation, founded in 2001 by Allen and Monroe, uses storytelling, music, and arts programs and events to educate, serve and empower trauma survivors, with a focus on veterans and first responders. 

More info on both events can be found at ravedrumfoundation.org. Folks can also bid on the Wyoming event experience at charitybuzz.com.

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Randy Meisner, a founding member of the iconic rock band the Eagles, passed away Wednesday, July 26, due to complications from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD), the band reported on its website. He was 77.

Meisner, the band’s bassist and vocalist, formed the Eagles with Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Bernie Leadon, in 1971, and appeared on such albums as Eagles, Desperado, Hotel California and more. He left the band in September 1977. 

“Randy was an integral part of the Eagles and instrumental in the early success of the band,” the Eagles said in a statement. “His vocal range was astonishing, as is evident on his signature ballad, ‘Take It to the Limit,’” referring to the band’s 1975 Billboard top five hit, which he co-wrote with Henley and Frey.

Before founding the Eagles, Meisner was the original bass player for the country-rock group Poco, which was founded by former Buffalo Springfield members Richie Furay and Jim Messina. He was also the bassist and vocalist with Rick Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band.

Meisner was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Eagles in 1998.

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Pictures taken by renowned rock photographer Danny Clinch are being turned into T-shirts.

Among the photos featured in the launch lineup of Clinch Collections include shots of Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament during a 2013 Pearl Jam concert in Chicago and pictures from Metallica‘s 2003 performance at California’s San Quentin State Prison.

“These photo t-shirts are inspired by my love of early rock n’ roll, and punk and skate culture,” Clinch explains. “I wanted to create the perfect go-to t-shirt for music fans with their favorite musicians on it.”

Other artists featured include Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson and Phish.

For more info, visit ClinchCollections.com.

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Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt has apologized for his response to Guns N’ Roses guitarist Richard Fortus’ defense of his bandmate Slash.

As previously reported, in a Planet Rock interview Bettencourt suggested “most guitar players I admire” wouldn’t be able to handle working with Rihanna like he did, and he even mentioned Slash by name. Fortus responded by insisting the gig “wouldn’t be a struggle” for Slash. Bettencourt tried to clarify his statements, but wound up insulting Fortus, calling him a “replacement player in GUNS.”

But in a new video posted to Instagram, Bettencourt is apologizing for the entire controversy. 

“I’m not that guy, I don’t wanna be that guy. I’m not interested in this s***, it actually makes me sick,” he says. “Bottom line is, this is on me. I need to keep my f****** mouth shut.” 

He adds, “I got asked a question about Rihanna, and my answer was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. I’ll take full responsibility for it … I tried to make a point, it kind of backfired on me. I do a lot of press, and every once in a while you say stupid s***.”

He apologized to both Slash and Fortus, acknowledging that the latter “had a complete right to defend” his bandmate, adding his comments “came across very arrogant” and “very offensive.” 

And Fortus appears to have accepted the apology, commenting on the post, “Contacting you directly to make arrangements for that beer.”

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Lynyrd Skynyrd will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their debut album, Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd’, in August, and they are celebrating with a new whiskey.

The band just launched Hell House Whiskey, which is named after the Hell House Cabin, where founding members Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington and Allen Collins created the classic album. 

“There’s nothing like getting out there, playing a great show with Skynyrd, seeing people love this music and now being able to raise a glass of our very own Hell House Whiskey together. It’s a toast to the timeless spirit of rock and roll!” current Skynyrd frontman Johnny Van Zant shares.

Hell House Whiskey is a collaboration between the band and whiskey maker Bespoken, with CEO Peter Iglesias noting, “Hell House Whiskey captures the essence of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s indomitable spirit, and through our expertise and innovative techniques, we have crafted a whiskey that is as bold, timeless, and unforgettable as their music.”

Fans can purchase the whiskey at hellhousewhiskey.com.

Lynyrd Skynyrd is currently on their Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour with ZZ Top. The tour hits Rogers, Arkansas, on Friday, July 28. A complete list of dates can be found at lynyrdskynyrd.com.

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Peter Gabriel and U2 are the latest artists to remember singer Sinéad O’Connor, whose death was revealed Wednesday, July 26. She was 56.

In her 2021 memoir, Rememberings, Sinéad claimed she had a romantic relationship with Gabriel; he calls her “an extraordinary talent” in his tribute.

“She could move us with a candour and a passion with which so many people connected,” he writes. “The path she chose was always difficult and uncompromising but at every turn she would show her spirit and her courage. I feel lucky to have had the chance to work with her.” 

U2 shared a series of black-and-white photos of Sinéad, one with The Edge and another with Bono, with the Irish rockers writing, “Touch these eyes with a broken smile, Touch my mouth with your furrowed brow, Lift my heart, heal my shame , Lead me into rest again .. Heroine.. Rest In Peace Sinéad.”

Sinéad worked with The Edge early in her career, providing lead vocals on the song “Heroine” from his soundtrack to the 1986 movie Captive. U2’s Larry Mullen, Jr. also appeared on the song.

In a July Facebook post, O’Connor revealed she was working on a new record, and it seems there were other plans in the works, as well.

Her management team, 67 Management, released a statement about her passing and noted that at the time of her death she “was completing her new album, reviewing new tour dates for 2024 and considering opportunities in relation to a movie of her book,” referring to Rememberings. “Wonderful plans were afoot at this time.”

They added that it was an honor to work with Sinéad, sharing, “[B]ut much, much more than that Sinead was family. May she rest in peace.”

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Mick Jagger celebrated his 80th birthday Wednesday, July 26, with a star-studded bash at his London home, People reports.

Famous faces who attended the celebration included Lenny Kravitz; Jagger’s ex and mother of four of his eight children, Jerry Hall; director Baz Luhrman; and Angelica Huston. 

But that’s not all. The partying continued at the London nightclub Embargo Republica, where, according to The Daily Mail, additional guests included Jagger’s Rolling Stones bandmate Ronnie Wood, Mick’s daughters Jade, Elizabeth and Georgia May, Stella McCartney and others.

Jagger’s current girlfriend, Melanie Hamrick, also attended the bashes, although she was photographed wearing a boot on her foot. Before the celebration she shared a message to her man on social media, alongside a photo of them together and another of them with their 7-year-old son, Deveraux. She captioned the photos, “Happy Birthday my Love.”

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The Grateful Dead is set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their album Wake of the Flood with a new deluxe reissue.

Released in 1973, the album was the first on the band’s own record label, Grateful Dead Records. Featuring new members Keith and Donna Godchaux, it was also the first album released following the death of founding member Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and the temporary departure of drummer Mickey Hart.

Wake of the Flood (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), dropping September 29, is being released digitally and as a two-CD set. It will include the original album as well as previously unreleased demos of “Eyes Of the World” and “Here Comes Sunshine.” It will also come with a bonus disc featuring a live recording of a November 1, 1973, concert at Northwestern University’s McGaw Memorial Hall. 

Wake of the Flood will also be reissued on 180-gram black vinyl, plus there will be a limited-edition “coke bottle clear vinyl” exclusive to Barnes & Noble and a 12-inch limited-edition vinyl picture disc. Additionally, there will be a Dead.net exclusive, limited-edition “Watermark” custom vinyl.  

All versions are available for preorder now; you can listen to the “Eyes of the World” demo now via digital outlets or on YouTube.

If fans want to learn more about Wake of the Flood, the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast will discuss the album during season eight, which launches July 27. The season will also focus on the band’s legendary Watkins Glen concert, which took place on July, 28, 1973.

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Stevie Nicks has shared a new rarity from her upcoming box set, Complete Studio Albums & Rarities, which drops July 28.

The latest release is a remastered version of “My Heart,” which was originally a bonus track on international editions of 2011’s In Your Dreams as well as the Barnes and Noble edition in the U.S. 

You can listen to “My Heart” now via digital outlets and watch its accompanying video streaming now on YouTube.

Complete Studio Albums & Rarities will feature all eight of Nicks’ solo records, with many of them remastered from the original analog masters. There will also be a Rarities album with 23 non-album tracks.

The box set is being released in a variety of formats, including a 16-LP limited-edition set, which will consist of 3,000 numbered copies, pressed on crystal clear vinyl. 

Complete Studio Albums & Rarities is available for preorder now.

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