Classic Rock News

KISS has just introduced its Drink It Up brand of liquors to the U.S. The alcoholic beverage line, which already was available in Europe, Australia and Japan, features three varieties of premium rum and a premium gin, all named after songs or albums by the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers.

Currently, only two of the Drink It Up rum varieties can be purchased: KISS Black Diamond Premium Dark Rum and KISS Detroit Rock Premium Dark Rum, which are being sold in 25 states across the U.S., as well as at DrinkItUpbyKiss.com. Coming soon will be KISS Premium Distilled Cold Gin and the limited-edition Monstrum Ultra Premium Dark Rum.

“From Monstrum to Cold Gin, we wanted each spirit in the portfolio to reflect the energy of our band,” says KISS frontman Paul Stanley. “We didn’t just slap a label on and call it a day, we’re proud to say that each bottle in the Drink It Up by KISS portfolio was carefully curated and each unique spirit has earned its name.”

The gin, of course, is named after KISS’ 1974 song “Cold Gin,” while the rums’ monikers were inspired by the band’s tunes “Black Diamond” and “Detroit Rock City, and their 2012 album, Monster.

To produce the Drink It Up line, KISS partnered with the Epic Rights licensing company and the award-winning Swedish spirits producer Brands for Fans.

Each variety was created by an in-house master blender.

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Vanilla Fudge has announced plans to release a remastered version its 2007 cover of Led Zeppelin‘s “Ramble On” as a digital download and via streaming services on November 30.

The song is the third advance track from a remastered edition of a full Led Zeppelin covers album called Out Through the In Door that the band originally put out in 2007, and which will be released with a new title, Vanilla Zeppelin, and updated packaging at an as-yet-unannounced date.

You can pre-save the track now on Spotify and Apple Music, and also check out a 30-second clip of the tune, which features Vanilla Fudge putting their own keyboard-driven spin on the hard-rocking Led Zeppelin song. The other remastered Zeppelin cover that the band released in advance of the Vanilla Zeppelin album were “The Immigrant Song” and “Rock and Roll,” which arrived in September 2020 and March 2021, respectively.

Vanilla Fudge’s most recent release was a new cover of the classic 1965 Supremes hit “Stop in the Name of Love,” which the band issued in September. The track featured the final recording of original Fudge bassist Tim Bogert, who died of cancer in January of this year.

In other news, Vanilla Fudge has three concerts lined up this week that will feature the band supporting Doors guitarist Robby Krieger and his solo group. They take place in New York City at Sony Hall tonight and on Tuesday, November 16, and in Ridgefield, Connecticut, at the Ridgefield Playhouse on Wednesday, November 17.

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U2 has announced a deluxe reissue celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band’s 1991 album, Achtung Baby.

The package will arrive on vinyl November 19, followed by a digital release December 3. The digital version boasts a total of 50 tracks, including two sets of demos and a collection of B-sides, 22 of which have never been available before digitally.

For the full track listing, visit U2.com.

In celebration of the reissue, U2 is teaming up with artist Thierry Noir for a new art exhibition at Berlin’s Hansa Studios, where the band had started recording Achtung Baby. Noir, who was the first artist to paint on the Berlin Wall, previously contributed to the Achtung Baby artwork and pieces for the 1991 Zoo TV tour.

Released November 18, 1991, Achtung Baby marked U2’s return after they had to “go away” and “dream it all up again” following the end of the Rattle and Hum tour. In contrast to the Americana sounds of Rattle and Hum and The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby found U2 diving into more of an alternative sound, and started experimenting more with an electronic style that continued throughout their ’90s discography.

Achtung Baby is now certified eight-times Platinum by the RIAA, and spawned the singles “One,” “The Fly,” “Mysterious Ways,” “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” and “Even Better Than the Real Thing.”

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Journey has announced plans for a major 2022 North American tour that will also feature Billy Idol and Toto as support acts during different parts of the outing.

The 40-date trek, which has been dubbed the Freedom Tour 2022, is scheduled to get underway on February 22 in Pittsburgh and is plotted out through a May 11 show in Hartford, Connecticut.

Idol will open Journey’s concerts from February 22 through an April 5 performance in Los Angeles, while Toto join the trek on April 7 in San Diego and will continue to serve as the opening act for the remainder of the outing.

Tickets for nearly all the shows go on sale to the general public this Friday, November 19, via Ticketmaster starting at 10 a.m. local time. Pre-sale tickets will be available for Citi card members beginning this Tuesday, November 16, at 10 a.m. local time; for more pre-sale details, visit CitiEntertainment.com. A limited number of VIP packages also will be sold.

Interestingly, a press release about the tour listing Journey’s lineup doesn’t mention bassist Randy Jackson or drummer Narada Michael Walden, who were announced as the band’s new rhythm section in 2020 after the firing of longtime members Ross Valory and Steve Smith. Jackson hasn’t been playing at Journey’s 2021 concerts because he recently underwent back surgery, although Walden has been performing with the band alongside second drummer Deen Castronovo.

First up for Journey is the band’s previously announced series of 2021 Las Vegas shows in December, including a six-show residency at The Theater at Virgin Hotels running from December 1 through December 11, and a special symphonic performance on December 18 in Vegas at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

Check out Journey’s full schedule at JourneyMusic.com.

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Following its in-person return this past weekend, Florida’s Welcome to Rockville festival has announced its 2022 headliners.

Foo Fighters, Guns N’ Roses, KISS and Korn lead the bill for next year’s event, which will be held May 19-22, once again at Daytona Beach’s Daytona International Speedway.

The full lineup will be announced at a later date. Tickets are on sale now via WelcometoRockvilleFestival.com.

This year’s Welcome to Rockville was held in November instead of over its usual spring dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Headliners included Metallica, Slipknot and Disturbed.

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A documentary focusing on Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde‘s recently released covers album, Standing in the Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan, will get its U.S. premiere on AXS TV on December 1 at 8 p.m. ET.

The film, Tomorrow Is a Long Time: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan, features Hynde, Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne and producer Tchad Blake discussing the project, which came together over the course of 15 weeks in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and includes renditions of nine Bob Dylan songs that Hynde recorded remotely with Walbourne.

The documentary also captures Chrissie reflecting on her appreciation for Dylan’s songs and her own passion for songwriting and shows off some of her personal paintings, as well as features footage of her and Walbourne performing many tunes that appear on the album.

You can check out a preview clip of the program on YouTube that features Hynde musing about whether rock ‘n’ roll has any rules, as well as Hynde and Walbourne performing the 1983 Dylan song “Sweetheart Like You.”

“You know, in rock ‘n’ roll, there’s rules, but there’s no rules,” Chrissie maintains in the clip. “I mean, to me…my version of rock ‘n’ roll is very different from someone else’s version. To me, it was anti-establishment…expressing yourself, doing your thing and kind of going against the establishment. For me personally, there wasn’t anything else. There wasn’t a rule.”

Standing in the Doorway was released this past May as a digital download and via streaming services on May 21, while CD and vinyl-LP editions followed in August.

Before the album’s release, the tracks premiered, one by one, along with a series of companion videos at The Pretenders’ official YouTube channel.

Here’s the Standing in the Doorway track list:

“In the Summertime”
“You’re a Big Girl Now”
“Standing in the Doorway”
“Sweetheart Like You”
“Blind Willie McTell”
“Love Minus Zero/No Limit”
“Don’t Fall Apart on Me Tonight”
“Tomorrow Is a Long Time”
“Every Grain of Sand”

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The Rolling Stones have partnered with the Tommy Hilfiger fashion company’s Tommy Jeans label on a new collection of Stones-themed t-shirts and sweatshirts dubbed “Tommy Revisited: Music Edition.”

The collection, which features six styles of tees and sweatshirts boasting the band’s iconic tongue-and-lips logo,  debuted today and is available at The Stones’ RS No.9 Carnaby shop in London and at the store’s website, Carnaby.TheRollingStonesShop.co.uk.

The apparel’s design was inspired by the tour merchandise The Rolling Stones and Tommy Hilfiger teamed up to create in 1999 for the band’s No Security tour.

The tees and sweatshirts are made from organic cotton and are available in unisex and female sizes.

In addition, three limited-edition items have been produced that are exclusively available at the RS No.9 Carnaby shop — a printed black t-shirt, a denim jacket and a long-sleeve sweatshirt. The latter two pieces are embroidered with multiple Stones logos.

Meanwhile, The Stones have three more concerts left on their 2021 No Filter Tour of the U.S. The shows are scheduled for this Monday, November 15, at Ford Field in Detroit; November 20 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas; and November 23 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida.

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NHC, the band featuring Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins and Jane’s Addiction members Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney, has released two new songs.

The tracks, titled “Devil That You Know” and “Lazy Eyes,” are available now for digital download.

NHC previously made their debut in September with the songs “Feed the Cruel” and “Better Move On.” The band is a reunion of sorts for Hawkins and Chaney, who both played in Alanis Morissette‘s touring band in the ’90s.

The first official NHC headlining show will take place November 23 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles.

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In a new video interview posted at the Coda Collection website, Who frontman Roger Daltrey discusses a wide range of topics, including how he his feels about the possibility of the U.K. rock legends making another album.

Daltrey admits that he isn’t enthusiastic about a new album project because he doesn’t think it would make any money. “There’s no point in making any music if you can’t earn a living out of it. For me anyway…[W]hat’s the point,” he declares. “On the last record [2019’s WHO], it cost me money to make it. I don’t see the point in doing much of that, you know? I’m too working class for that.”

Roger continues, “I don’t know whether we will ever make any more new music, but I never say never. Let’s put it that way.”

Daltrey then comments that he only speaks to Who band mate Pete Townshend “once a year.” He adds, “I haven’t seen him for two years. I miss him, seeing him. Always enjoy seeing him. But we’re not that kind of friend. We don’t need to be. We know we’re there for each other. I’ve always been a bit of a loner anyway.”

Daltrey also shares his opinion about Paul McCartney‘s recent comment labeling The Rolling Stones “a blues cover band.”

“I know what he means, but The Stones have written some great songs,” Roger maintains. “But they are in the blues…format. It’s like comparing cheese and apples. They’re both very tasty, but the cheese does one thing and the apple does another.”

He also praises Mick Jagger, saying he’s “still the number-one rock ‘n’ roll showman.”

Check out the full Q&A at CodaCollection.co, which is the companion website for Amazon Prime’s music-themed pay streaming service, The Coda Collection.

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Eric Clapton‘s new live album and video The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions, which features the guitar legend playing an intimate, mostly acoustic set with select members of his touring band, got its release today.

As previously reported, the performance was shot and recorded in February of this year at the Cowdray House country estate in West Sussex, U.K., with no audience except Eric’s wife, Melia, who watched from a balcony in the mansion — hence the release’s title.

Coinciding with The Lady in the Balcony‘s release, a video of Clapton’s performing a laid-back, unplugged version of his classic song “Layla” has premiered at his official YouTube channel. Slowhand is joined by Chris Stainton on keyboards, Nathan East on acoustic bass and Steve Gadd on drums.

Clapton organized the Cowdray House performance was organized after his May 2021 concerts at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lady in the Balcony is available as a DVD/CD or Blu-ray/CD set, a 4K UHD/Blu-ray package, a two-LP colored-vinyl set, as digital video and audio versions, and as a Deluxe Edition featuring the DVD, Blu-ray and CD housed in a 40-page hardback photo book. In addition, a standalone CD version is being sold exclusively at Target.

Here’s the full Lady in the Balcony track list:

“Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out”
“Golden Ring”
“Black Magic Woman”
“Man of the World”
“Kerry”
“After Midnight”
“Bell Bottom Blues”
“Key to the Highway”
“River of Tears”
“Rock Me Baby”
“Believe in Life”
“Going Down Slow”
“Layla”
“Tears in Heaven”
“Long Distance Call”
“Bad Boy”
“Got My Mojo Working”

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