Classic Rock News

Tedeschi Trucks Band recently released their sixth studio album, Future Soul, and according to guitarist Derek Trucks, their aim was to try something different this time around.

The band’s previous studio offering — a conceptual quadruple album called I Am the Moon, recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown — left a lot of room for sonic exploration. In contrast, Future Soul is a decidedly song-focused record, forgoing the extended jams for a tighter and more angst-filled collection of 11 songs.

“We felt like the curveball this time would to be like short and sweet, concise,” Trucks tells ABC Audio, “instead of doing four albums, do one.”

He says to do that, he and his wife and bandmate Susan Tedeschi brought on producer Mike Elizondo and went into the record thinking, “Let’s try to find some different sounds.”

“It felt much more, I believe, aggressive,” he says. “Especially the drum sounds and everything. And it makes you lean a little different and play a little different.”

As for the writing process, the former Allman Brothers Band guitarist says when the band gets together, ideas and sounds start floating around. But he notes, “There’s always a few songs in everyone’s back pocket.”

“It was a really fun record to make,” Trucks says. “I’ve never done a record quite like that, where it was just every song felt like it would probably be the best song on other records, which was fun.” 

Tedeschi Trucks Band are currently on tour and play Fort Worth, Texas, on Wednesday. They are also booked to play New Orleans Jazz Fest on May 3. A complete list of tour dates can be found at TedeschiTrucks.com.

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Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi are among the artists set to perform at the two-night concert event Music America: The Songs that Shaped Us, put on by the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music at Monmouth University in New Jersey.

The concert event, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, will take place June 4 and 5 at the OceanFirst Bank Center on the Monmouth campus and will have the artists performing “landmark songs” from American music history in a variety of musical genres.

Other artists on the bill include Jackson Browne, Gary Clark Jr., Kenny Chesney, Rosanne Cash, Dropkick Murphys, Darlene Love, Nils Lofgren, Stevie Van Zandt, Public Enemy, Mavis Staples and Dion, with The Disciples of Soul serving as the house band.

“Music America: The Songs that Shaped Us is a journey through American music history,” said Robert Santelli, executive director of the Springsteen Center and the concerts’ executive producer. “The concerts reflect everything the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music stands for: the power of music to bring people together, the rich and diverse treasury of American music as a mirror of our national culture, and the inspiration to think about our shared history in these divisive times.”

The concerts will take place just days ahead of the official opening of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music on June 7.

Tickets for both shows go on sale April 21 at 12 p.m. ET at springsteencenter.org.

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KISS is giving fans an update on their planned avatar show, which was first unveiled during their final concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 2023.

Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and their manager, Doc McGhee, were interviewed for Pollstar, and in the article it’s revealed that the show is expected to launch in a “bespoke theatre” in Las Vegas in 2028.

When describing the experience, Simmons notes, “Show is not the right word. When you are parachuting into a volcano, I would call it a show.” He notes, “These are semantics, but you know, I’m not anti-semantic.”

“This will be a must-see. It’s a new form of entertainment, it’s very immersive,” McGhee adds. “In today’s technology, you can do almost anything. It’s like we’re at The Jetsons.”

Simmons says the show will feature KISS’ “iconic face personas,” including The Demon and the Starchild, with Stanley noting that with regards to songs, fans should expect “all the classics through the years and some surprises.”

And Simmons may have given away some of those surprises, explaining, “You’re gonna get all that stuff, and also new songs,” adding the tunes were “written by us. We have songs done.”

“It will be a true immersive experience that really magnifies the band and the iconic nature of what we’ve built for 50 years,” Stanley says. “It’s very different from anything else that’s been out there.” He notes, “This will be virtually seeing us. My avatar looks just like me, not a cartoon or an artist rendition. The great thing about being an icon is you can stay young forever.”

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Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell has new music to share.

The rocker and his band The Dirty Knobs — guitarist/keyboardist Chris Holt, bassist Lance Morrison and drummer Steve Ferrone — have announced that their fourth studio album, Mission of Mercy, will be dropping June 12. It will feature guest appearances by The B-52s’ Kate Pierson and Morgane Stapleton.

As a preview of the record, the band has released the album’s first single, “I Remember,” to digital outlets.

“‘I Remember’ is a song written on the piano instead of the guitar,” says Campbell. “The Dirty Knobs turned my demo into a great rock track that has an ethereal, jam-like quality to it, which I really like. I can see it being a great song to play live.”

The 12-track Mission of Mercy is available for preorder now.

Following the release of the album, Mike Campbell and The Dirty Knobs are set to hit the road on a summer tour, which launches July 7 in Minneapolis. Campbell is also booked for a special concert on Sept. 12 in Atlanta, where he’ll pay Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers hits backed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Campbell and The Dirty Knobs will also open for Chris Stapleton on Oct. 2 in Bristow, Virginia.

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

Here is the track list for Mission of Mercy:
“No Regrets”
“Let Me Back In My Dream”
“My Mama Told Me”
“I Remember”
“More Than Gold” (feat. Morgane Stapleton)
“Mission of Mercy”
“Bongo Mania” (feat. Kate Pierson)
“Wrecking Ball”
“Done To Me”
“Armageddon”
“Vicious Hangover”
“Vagrant”

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Blondie drummer Clem Burke passed away in 2025, but his life story is about to be told in a posthumous memoir, The Other Side of the Dream (My Life In and Out of Blondie).

According to the description, Burke began writing his memoir over 20 years ago, but had often put it aside due to his commitments to Blondie. “When cancer treatment and illness forced his retirement, completing the book became a priority, which he did shortly before he died,” the description reads.

The book, with a foreword by comedian Fred Armisen, follows Burke from the streets of New York to stardom in Blondie. The book explores “the explosive punk scene that gave rise to Blondie, the creative partnerships that defined their music and the challenges of navigating fame in a constantly evolving industry.

The description notes, “This is Clem’s story, in his own words.”

The Other Side of the Dream (My Life In and Out of Blondie) will be released in the U.S. on Sept. 8. It available for preorder now.

Burke joined Blondie in 1975, shortly after they formed in New York City. He appeared on all of their records, the last one being 2017’s Pollinator. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Blondie in 2006.

Burke passed away April 6, 2025, at the age of 70.

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Phil Collins says he’s honored to be chosen as part of the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class.

“Obviously I’m pleased and honored to be inducted,” Collins wrote on Instagram. “It wraps up what has been a wonderful life in music.”

This was Collins’ first time being nominated to the Hall of Fame as a solo artist, but it will be his second time as a member of the Rock Hall. He was previously inducted in 2010 as a member of Genesis.

Collins released his debut solo album, Face Value, in 1981, and all eight of his solo albums reached the top 40 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. Two of those albums — 1985’s No Jacket Required and 1989’s …But Seriously — hit #1. In total Collins has sold over 150 million solo records worldwide. 

The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and will be taped for broadcast in December on ABC and Disney+.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Foo Fighters have been booked for Saturday Night Live UK, the British spinoff of the long-running NBC sketch show.

Dave Grohl and company will take the SNL UK stage in London on April 25, the day after the band’s new album, Your Favorite Toy, drops April 24. Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan will host.

SNL UK premiered in March. Previous musical guests include Wet Leg, Wolf Alice and Kasabian.

You can watch SNL UK in the U.S. via Peacock.

Foo Fighters have performed on the U.S. SNL nine times as the official musical guest. They also appeared as a special guest of Mick Jagger for an episode in 2012.

Foo Fighters will play a one-off show in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on April 28, followed by headlining sets at the Welcome to Rockville and BottleRock Napa festivals in May. They’ll launch a full North American stadium tour in August.

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On This Day, April 14, 1979…

The Doobie Brothers landed their second #1 single with “What A Fool Believes.” They first hit #1 in 1974 with the single “Black Water.”

Written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, the song was originally recorded and released by Loggins for his 1978 album, Nightwatch.

The Doobie Brothers version, released in July 1978, featured McDonald on lead vocals and appeared on the band’s eighth studio album, Minute by Minute.

The song went on to win Grammys in 1980 for song of the year and record of the year. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2024.

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Billy Idol is reacting to the news that he is a member of the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of inductees.

Idol was chosen on his second nomination to the Rock Hall, and will be inducted with his longtime guitarist and collaborator Steve Stevens.

“Being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside so many of my heroes and influences is a tremendous honor,” Idol says in a statement provided to ABC Audio. “And to be inducted alongside my longtime compatriot Steve Stevens makes this all even more special.”

“When I first started playing with Generation X 50 years ago, it was purely out of love for the music we were making and the scene that we were lucky enough to be a part of,” he continues. “Nobody, especially me, thought it would take me to where I am today.”

Idol says he’s “incredibly grateful” to those who have supported him over the years, adding, “This honor is for my fans, and everyone who has been on this journey with me, as much as it is for me.”

In his own statement Stevens shares that he’s “deeply honored” to be getting inducted into the Rock Hall with Idol.

“If there’s anyone that deserves to be in the HOF it’s Billy,” he says. “For more than four decades, we have shared a remarkable journey full of music, creativity and unforgettable experiences. Thank you to the Rock Hall, to the fans, and to everyone who’s been part of the story!”

The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 in Los Angeles. It will air on ABC and stream on Disney+ in December.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood has issued a statement on the metal icons’ induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of its 2026 class.

“We’d like to thank the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for including us (and former members who were all part of our story) in the 2026 roll call of inductees,” Smallwood says. “Iron Maiden have always been about our relationship with our fans above anything else, including awards and industry accolades. However, having said that, it’s always nice to be recognised and honoured for any achievements within the music industry too!”

“It also seems appropriate for the band to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year as we continue our 50th anniversary celebrations with our Run For Your Lives World Tour visiting the Americas and beyond,” the statement continues. “We would also like to congratulate our fellow 2026 inductees and extend our gratitude as ever to our fans for their loyalty, perseverance and support for over 50 years now! See you all, somewhere on tour.”

Maiden is being inducted into the Rock Hall on their third nomination, and in the past, the band members haven’t been overly excited about the prospect of getting in. Frontman Bruce Dickinson said in a 2023 interview, “I don’t want to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Because we’re not dead yet!”

The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 in Los Angeles. It will air on ABC and stream on Disney+ in December.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News. 

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