Classic Rock News

As Deep Purple prepares to launch a major European tour in late May, the band has announced that longtime guitarist Steve Morse “will be taking a temporary hiatus” from the band because of a serious family matter.

The group assures fans that Morse remains a full member of Deep Purple, although he won’t be playing the concerts scheduled for May, June and July. Replacing Steve at those shows will be Simon McBride, a veteran rock guitarist who previously has toured with Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan and keyboardist Don Airey, among many others.

In a message, Morse explains, “[M]y dear wife Janine is currently battling cancer. At this point, there are so many possible complications and unknowns, that whatever time we have left in our lives, I simply must be there with her.”

He continues, “I am not leaving the band — I hope that after she gets a clean bill of health, I can re-join the tour. However, I am not seeing any likely situation which would allow me to do overseas touring in the immediate future. I continue to be privileged to be a part of the Purple family tree, and also to get to feel the amazing support of so many loyal fans and the rest of the band.”

Steve also praises McBride as “a certified world class guitarist,” and concludes, “I appreciate all your sincere prayers for Janine and thank you all.”

The rest of Deep Purple adds, jointly, “All of our thoughts are with Janine during her fight against cancer and also with Steve while he supports his wife at a very difficult time.”

The U.S.-born Morse has been a member of Deep Purple since 1994. He also is a co-founder of jazz-rockers the Dixie Dregs and previously played with Kansas.

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U2 frontman Bono was visiting the U.S. Capitol Wednesday and he took time out to meet and chat with members of the Capitol Police.

In a video posted on the U.S. Capitol Police’s Twitter feed, Bono is seen thanking officers for their service during the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

“I haven’t been back since January 6, and you guys saved America, as far as I’m concerned, from so much awfulness on that day,” the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer says in the clip. “And I just want to say, people around the world really respect you.”

The Tweet is accompanied by a caption that reads, “Never know who you will run into on Capitol Hill. Thank you #Bono!”

Some additional photos from Bono’s visit also were posted on the U.S. Capitol Police’s Twitter page.

The singer, activist and philanthropist has been visiting Capitol Hill recently, reportedly meeting with lawmakers to urge the approval of emergency relief funding to help make the COVID-19 vaccine available globally.

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(NOTE LANGUAGE) The Red Hot Chili Peppers will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today, and the LA band has a true emotional connection to those particular stretches of street.

“I’m pretty sure that I have inadvertently vomited on Hollywood Walk of Fame stars in my lifetime,” Anthony Kiedis tells Variety. “I’ve certainly slept on top of Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame stars in my lifetime. I’ve trod upon them not as a tourist but as a person running from the authorities or possibly running from somebody that I owed money to.”

“I’ve walked over every one of those stars — every sidewalk, every crack, every one of them. To be recognized and be a part of the physical fabric of those sidewalks means a lot to me,” agrees Flea.

He adds, “A lot of honors that we’ve gotten or not gotten, we don’t give a f**k about. But this one is actually really beautiful for me, and to be a part of that history, to be where Groucho Marx is and Marilyn Monroe is, means a lot to me.”

 “Flea and I lived on Hollywood Boulevard back before it had been cleaned up and gentrified and turned back into the attraction that it is today, so I do have a relationship with the boulevard and the stars,” notes Kiedis. He adds, “In the end, you know, it’s a cool little object for people to spit their gum onto — and it’s exciting.”

A number of celebrities will be on hand to help the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers unveil their star, including actor Woody Harrelson, funk legend George Clinton — who produced the Chili Peppers’ 1985 album, Freaky Styley — and Thelonius Monster frontman and addiction counselor Bob Forrest. The ceremony will be livestreamed at WalkofFame.com at 2:30pm ET.

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Billy Idol recently was forced to drop off of a scheduled stint opening for Journey on the band’s Freedom Tour 2022 because of a a chronic sinus infection, and now the pop-punk legend has had to cancel additional shows due to the lingering health issue.

In a post on his Instagram, Idol announced that he was canceling his April 29 appearance at the Shaky Knees festival in Atlanta and his May concert at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, due to his “continued sinusitis infection.”

“When we confirmed these shows I was sure that I would have recovered in time to play, but unfortunately this infection has proven pesky and lingering, requiring some more time before I get back out on the stage,” Billy writes. “To all the fans who were looking forward to these gigs, I’m very sorry to miss them. Cancelling shows is not something I do casually.”

He adds, “We’ll no doubt come back to Georgia and Florida another time soon.”

Idol had been scheduled to support Journey during the first month or so of the tour, from a February 22 concert in Pittsburgh through an April 5 performance in Los Angeles. After Billy pulled out of the trek, he was replaced on the bill by Toto, who already had been scheduled to take over the opening slot from him after his stint ended.

Idol is scheduled to kick off a U.K. tour with opening act The Go-Go’s on June 3 in Glasgow, Scotland. He also has a series of dates in mainland Europe lined up in late June and early July. Visit BillyIdol.net to check out his full itinerary.

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As The Rolling Stones prepare to launch their 60th anniversary tour with a European leg starting this June 1 in Madrid, Mick Jagger has shared a few details about the trek in a new interview with Rolling Stone.

The 78-year-old singer says the band won’t be making that big deal about the milestone, noting that he and his band mates will approach it with “a light touch,” adding, “I’m not going to push it that hard.”

For The Rolling Stones’ 50th anniversary tour, former bassist Bill Wyman and guitarist Mick Taylor made guest appearances with the group, but as for something similar happening during this year’s trek, Jagger says, “We’re not going to go there, I don’t think.”

He adds, “The tour’s called Sixty, but apart from that we’re not going to do too much. I think that’s enough.”

Meanwhile, Mick notes that he’s finding it a challenge to come up with a set list for the trek.

“It’s hard,” he notes. “It should be easy but it’s not as easy as all that to get ones that everyone likes and goes for. It’s the common denominator of getting 50,000 people to want to hear a song that they want. You want to be adventurous — and you can be adventurous for a minute — but you can’t be adventurous for too long, because they get bored.”

Jagger also says he likely will pick some songs that he likes, regardless of what the fans might think.

“You always got to do some things for yourself,” he says. “That’s one of things I’m working on.”

The Rolling Stones’ Sixty tour of Europe features 14 dates and runs through a July 31 show in Stockholm, Sweden.

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Just a reminder that the “MusiCares: Music on a Mission” virtual benefit event, which will feature a previously unseen performance by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, will be livestreamed tonight, March 30, at 8 p.m. ET on the Mandolin platform.

The fundraiser, which is being presented by the MusiCares organization in partnership with the Gibson company, will feature various never-before-seen performances by various artists, including k.d. lang, Brandi Carlile, Shawn Colvin, Jason Isbell, Cage the Elephant, Fitz of Fitz and the Tantrums, Jason Isbell, Fantastic Negrito, and many more, including the aforementioned Petty and his group.

The event will celebrate both the power of music and legendary Canadian singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell, who is being honored as the 2022 MusiCares Person of the Year at a star-studded gala taking place on Friday, April 1, in Las Vegas. All proceeds from ticket sales for the “Music on a Mission” show will go to in-need members of the music community. General admission tickets cost $25; visit Mandolin.com for more info.

Petty’s performance with The Heartbreakers comes from the 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year gala, which honored Tom. Petty died in October 2017 at age 66.

The first “Music on a Mission” virtual event was held last year in place of the MusiCares Person of the Year gala, which was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Gov’t Mule fans are probably experiencing some heavy blues over the news that the veteran jam band has had to postpone all of its April tour dates because frontman Warren Haynes recently suffered a shoulder injury that will put him out of commission for a while.

“While on vacation in Costa Rica with my family this past weekend, I slipped on a wet surface and landed very hard on my shoulder,” Haynes reveals in a note posted on Mule.net. “Upon arriving back to the States and seeing a specialist, it’s been confirmed that I fractured my scapula. Unfortunately, this means that Gov’t Mule’s Spring Tour, which was set to begin next Wednesday, must be postponed.”

The ex-Allman Brothers Band singer/guitarist adds, “I’m truly heartbroken and so very sorry that this happened. I don’t think anyone was more excited to get back out on the road than I was. We’re working to reschedule these tour dates and will have updates as soon as possible. The doctors are confident that my shoulder will be healed in time for Mule to hit the road this summer, as planned.”

In all, 14 Gov’t Mule shows have been postponed, spanning from an April 6 concert in Syracuse, New York, through an April 30 performance in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The next date on the band’s schedule is a June 3 show in Haynes’ hometown of Asheville, North Carolina.

Visit Mule.net for the band’s full itinerary. Gov’t Mule’s latest album, Heavy Load Blues, was released in November 2021. A deluxe version of the record, the band’s first-ever full-fledged blues project, is due out via digital formats this Friday, April 1.

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A video of Don McLean performing his classic acoustic ballad “Vincent” last month at the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit in Los Angeles debuted today in commemoration of World Bipolar Day, and the anniversary of Vincent Van Gogh‘s birth.

The clip features the singer/songwriter performing his song inspired by the famed Dutch painter, who struggled with mental illness before taking his own life at age 37 in 1890, as animated versions Van Gogh’s paintings are projected behind McLean.

The video — a collaboration between McLean, Immersive Van Gogh and the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) — premiered at AmericanSongwriter.com and also can be streamed at ImmersiveVanGogh.com/don. The clip also encourages viewers to make a donation to the ISBD. Those who contribute $40 or more will receive a code to access a two-for-one coupon for a visit to an Immersive Van Gogh exhibit in one of the 14 locations where the attraction is being presented. Donations can be made by visiting ISBD.org.

“I am excited to release this video in collaboration with Immersive Van Gogh and the International Society for Bipolar Disorders,” says McLean. “Van Gogh himself struggled with mental health, and by launching this video, we hope to support mental health awareness as a tribute to Van Gogh on his birthday.”

He also notes, “This is an especially meaningful way for me to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a song that so many people have told me has a special personal resonance for them.”

Immersive Van Gogh producer Corey Ross adds, “Don McLean’s song is truly a classic. We are grateful for the opportunity to bring wider awareness and understanding about bipolar disorders thanks to this collaboration.”

“Vincent” appeared on Don’s chart-topping American Pie album and peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has offered a new image from his graphic novel The Antibody, which is being released as a multi-part NFT collection via the NFT marketplace YellowHeart.

Butler posted an animated image on his Twitter feed of a giant demonic-looking horned creature looming over some residential buildings in the rain, along with a snippet of ominous, bass-heavy rock music.

“I know that not everyone is an NFT fan but I had fun putting a story together for this art,” Geezer writes in a note accompanying the tweet. “This clip actually started it all. [The graphic novel’s artist, KOL,] had created a couple of [Aston Villa Football Club] pics of grounds. If it has to do with the Villa & charity…I’m in.”

As previously reported, the first chapter of The Antibody became available as an NFT this past Friday, March 25, at yh.io. The digital book tells the story of a mutated antibody that goes on to wreak havoc on humanity. Each episode will feature original music composed by Butler, and artwork created by the aforementioned KOL, aka Kolin Humphries.

Part of the proceeds raised by the sale of the NFTs will be donated to organizations aiding humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine, including Save the Children and UNICEF.

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The Scorpions, who recently launched their “Sin City Nights” Las Vegas residency, will head to New York City in May to headline a concert at Madison Square Garden celebrating the 50th anniversary of the country of Bangladesh’s independence.

The Golden Jubilee Bangladesh Concert will take place on May 6, and Chirkutt, one of Bangladesh’s most prominent rock bands, will open the show.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit the United Nations Development Programme’s global campaign to raise awareness about cyber security programs for the young people, particularly underdeveloped nations.

Tickets for the concert go on sale to the general public this Monday, April 4, at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com. Members of The Scorpions Rock Zone fan club will have exclusive access to pre-sale tickets starting this Thursday, March 31, at 10 a.m. ET. For more information, visit The-Scorpions.com/RockZone.

Madison Square Garden also was the site of the famous Concert for Bangladesh, which was organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar to raise aid and awareness for people affected by the country’s war for independence. The August 1971 event included performances by Harrison, Shankar, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston and other stars.

As previously reported, The Scorpions’ “Sin City Nights” residency is a nine-show engagement taking place at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino that began this past Saturday, March 26, and runs through an April 16. Tickets are available now via Ticketmaster.com.

After the residency and the Madison Square Garden concert, the band will launch a lengthy European tour leg that begins May 10 in Lisbon, Portugal. The Scorpions currently are supporting their latest studio album, Rock Believer, which was released in February.

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