U2 has another top 10 hit. The band’s latest release, Songs of Surrender, debuts at five on theBillboard200 Albums chart this week. The Irish rockers moved 46,500 equivalent album units of Songs of Surrender to land their 13th top 10 record.
With the new chart placement, U2 is now the fourth group to chart a top 10 album in each decade from the 1980s to the 2020s. The others are AC/DC, Def Leppard and Metallica.
As previously reported, Songs of Surrender, which has U2 rerecording and reimagining 40 of their classic hits, has already topped the U.K. Official Albums chart, making it their 11th U.K. number one.
Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron is denying that he’s joined Foo Fighters in place of the late Taylor Hawkins.
In a since-expired Instagram Story, viewed by ABC Audio, Cameron writes, “FYI the internet rumors are false, I haven’t joined the Foos.”
Cameron’s comments are seemingly in response to a report published by the U.K. tabloid The Sun earlier this month, which quoted a source saying Cameron was a “front runner” to play drums with Foo Fighters for their upcoming comeback shows beginning in May. The Sun reported that Against Me! drummer Atom Willard, who’s also played with Angels & Airwaves, was in the running, as well.
“Primarily it will be Matt but Atom will be on rotation with him,” the source is quoted as saying. “They have both been rehearsing at Studio 606, the Foos’ studio.”
Hawkins passed away March 25, 2022 — one year ago last Saturday. Foo Fighters headlined two massive tribute concerts to Hawkins last September. On New Year’s Eve, Dave Grohl and company announced that they intended to continue on as a band without Hawkins.
Foo Fighters’ first show back is currently scheduled for May 24 in Gilford, New Hampshire. The group has not yet officially announced a replacement drummer.
from left to right: Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, John McFee. Photo by Clay Patrick McBride
The Doobie Brothers resume their 50th anniversary tour this week, and guitarist and co-founder Tom Johnston says the most important thing about the shows is the people who come to see them.
“The thing that keeps everything fresh is the crowd,” he tells ABC Audio. “Each night a crowd can react differently in a different part of the country and you don’t really know what that’s gonna be like.”
Johnston says most fans are there to hear the classic Doobie hits like “Listen to the Music,” “China Grove,” “Takin’ to the Streets” and more, and he’s OK with that. “You would think you get tired of those,” he says. “The one thing that keeps those fresh is the reaction from the crowd, so it’s like playing them for the first time every night.”
This leg of the tour will hit Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, and while Johnston expects most audiences to react similarly to those in the U.S., that’s not the case in Japan.
“They have a whole unique way of responding,” he says. “They’re very polite, they listen to what you’re doing, and they applaud like crazy and then they stop, and they sit down and they’re quiet.” He adds, “It’s something you had to get used to, but that’s the way they are, and it’s, it’s kind of cool.”
The Doobie Brothers, featuring Johnston, PatSimmons, John McFee and Micheal McDonald, return to the road March 29 in Singapore and bring their 50th anniversary tour back to the States in May. A complete list of tour dates can be found at thedoobiebrothers.com.
Stephen Stills is giving fans a taste of his upcoming live album, Stephen Stills Live at Berkeley 1971, dropping April 28. The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has shared a piano medley of the Crosby, Stills & Nash tune “49 Bye-Byes” and the Buffalo Springfield classic “For What It’s Worth.”
As previously reported, Stills Live at Berkeley 1971 was recorded during Stills’ first solo tour. It features 14 previously unreleased live performances, recorded August 20 and 21, 1971, at Berkeley Community Theater in Berkeley, California, including two songs with Stills’ CSN bandmate David Crosby.
Stephen Stills Live at Berkeley 1971 is available for preorder in a variety of formats, including two-LP, CD, digital and a deluxe package that contains photos by famed photographer Henry Diltz, a numbered limited-edition self-portrait, framed lithograph and more.
U2 has a new number one album in the U.K. The Irish rockers’ latest release, Songs of Surrender, tops the U.K. Official Albums chart, outselling their closest competition, The Weeknd’s Highlights, two to one.
Songs of Surrender is the band’s first U.K. number one since 2009’s No Line on the Horizon and their 11th overall, tying David Bowie, who also had 11 number ones. (The Beatles still have the most with 15.)
U2’s Songs of Surrender, featuring 40 rerecorded and reimagined U2 classics, is also the most popular vinyl seller in the U.K., topping the Official Vinyl Albums chart this week.
The new album gave a bump to one of U2’s previous releases: 2006’s greatest hits compilation U218 Singles isback at 38 this week.
For James Hetfield, Metallica really is greater than the sum of its parts.
In an interview with Cigar Aficionado, the “Enter Sandman” rocker says, “I know individually we’re all really average players.”
“But when you put us together something happens,” he continues. “Something really happens.”
Hetfield also shares that “jamming with people is like a nightmare for me” and admits to feeling “so inadequate” during Metallica’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2009, during which they played with legends like Led Zeppelin‘s Jimmy Page.
“It’s a head game for me,” Hetfield explains. “I’m a perfectionist. And kind of a people pleaser. Most musicians are insecure.”
Queen is back with episode 10 of their YouTube series Queen The Greatest Live, this time focusing on a classic performance of their iconic track “Tie Your Mother Down.”
Continuing last week’s look at the importance of lighting, this week’s episode features a performance of the 1976 track at the band’s famous concert at Milton Keynes Bowl in June 1982.
At the time of the show, Milton Keynes Bowl was one of the U.K.’s largest open-air venues, which had the band a bit concerned. “It’s a big field,” Roger Taylor says in a backstage interview. “I hope it goes well.” Brian May adds, “Outdoor gigs are fraught with all kind of unexpected things.”
The Milton Keynes Bowl show turned out to be a classic Queen concert, with Queen On Fire: Live At The Bowl, a DVD and CD of the concert, released in 2004.
Elton John’s 50th anniversary release of the 1972 album Honky Château is out now, and to celebrate he’s sharing some rare live footage with fans.
The CD version of the release includes the original album, plus outtakes from the original session tapes, as well as eight live recordings from a concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
Elton has also posted a video of his performance of “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” from that 1972 concert, which was his first performance of the album in its entirety.
“This album, with ‘Mona Lisas’, ‘Honky Cat’ and ‘Rocket Man’ was a real game changer for me, Bernie (Taupin) and the band and I’m so proud to be celebrating 50 years since its release,” Elton shares.
Honky Château was the first of Elton’s six consecutive Billboard number-one albums. The 50th anniversary edition is available now.
The Zombies have shared a new video for “Merry-Go-Round,” the third single off their upcoming album, Different Game.
The video features footage of their recent experience at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, including clips of their performances, meeting fans and more.
And speaking of SXSW, The Zombies were awarded the Career Act Grulke Prize at the fest, which is given to an established artist who attends SXSW “to reinvent themselves or launch a new project.” The band decided to donate the prize to Oxfam America to support their fight against world poverty and injustice.
That new project is Different Game, the follow-up to 2015’s Still Got That Hunger. It will be released March 31 and is available for preorder now.
James Taylor has shared another classic performance with fans. The latest release from Taylor’s vault is a “recently re-discovered and restored” performance of “Sunny Skies,” from his November 16, 1970, BBC concert special. He was just 22 when the performance was broadcast.
The clip is one of many Taylor has been sharing on his YouTube channel. He also posted a classic performance of “Sweet Baby James” from the same concert, as well as archival performances of “You’ve Got A Friend,” “Fire and Rain” and more.
And fans will be able to see the 75-year-old Taylor perform these classic songs and many others on the road this summer. He’s due to kick off a new tour on May 25 in Woodinville, Washington. A complete list of James Taylor tour dates can be found at jamestaylor.com.
