Classic Rock News

Axl Rose and Carrie Underwood continue to solidify their musical friendship, with Axl once again turning up to join Underwood to perform the Guns N’ Roses classic “Welcome to the Jungle.”

The collaboration went down Monday night as Carrie brought her Denim & Rhinestones tour to Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, marking the third time they’ve performed together onstage.

“I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” Carrie shared on Instagram. “Thanks, Axl, for showing up, once again, to make the great times even better! It’ll forever feel like it was all a dream, but these dreams are my favorite ones!”

Axl and Carrie first performed together last year at Underwood’s Stagecoach Festival appearance in Indio, California. She then returned the favor, turning up at GNR’s 2022 show at Tottenham Hotspur Arena in London, England.

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Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars announced his retirement from touring back in October, citing his ongoing battle with the inflammatory disease ankylosing spondylitis, or AS. But it sounds like there may have been more to his decision.

In a new interview with Ultimate Guitar, drummer Carmine Appice, who’s worked with Vanilla Fudge, Rod Stewart, King Kobra and more, claims that Mars “was not happy” while out on Mötley’s Stadium Tour with Def Leppard.

“Basically, everything was on tape; it was all planned out and ultimately a lot of crap,” Appice, who’s friends with Mars, explains. “And Mick is a pretty good player, and so, to [not] let him loose and play the way he wants, that was never going to work for him.” 

He notes, “The truth is that everything has been weird for a while with Mötley Crue,” adding that Mick was “pissed off” that everything was on tape, with Appice saying it was obvious.

The drummer also says Mick wasn’t getting along with his bandmates and he “would travel alone on a bus while the other guys flew everywhere. They were all busy still trying to be rock stars, and Mick just wanted to play the music,” he says. “Their lifestyles are different than his, and so there were a lot of disagreements. I think he was just done.”

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Guns N’ Roses are set to headline the 2023 Aftershock festival, taking place October 5-8 in Sacramento, California.

GNR will close the festival Sunday night, with Queens of the Stone Age and Rancid also on the bill. The four-day lineup also includes such artists as Megadeth, The Cult, Tool, Korn, Incubus and Godsmack.

Tickets are on sale now. For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit AftershockFestival.com.

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Brian May officially has a new title. The Queen guitarist was at Buckingham Palace Tuesday to be knighted by King Charles.

People reports May was made a Knight Bachelor during the investiture ceremony, receiving his honor “for his services to music and his charity work.” May shared a photo from the ceremony on Instagram, which shows King Charles laying a sword on his shoulder, with May commenting, “No words.”

“I’m happy and grateful to receive this honor,” the 75-year-old May shared back in January when he first made the 2023 New Year’s Honours List, the first from King Charles. “I will regard the knighthood not so much as a reward, but more as a charge — a commission — for me to continue to fight for justice — to be a voice for those who have no voice.” He added, “I will endeavor to be worthy — to be that Knight in Shining Armor.”

May was previously made Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005.

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A star-studded tribute to the Beach Boys is set to air on CBS next month. CBS Presents a Grammy Salute to the Beach Boys, which was recorded at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on February 8 during Grammy week, is set to air April 9 at 8 p.m. ET. 

The special, part of this year’s celebration of the band’s 60th anniversary, features Beach Boys members Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks and Bruce Johnston. Artists like Michael McDonald, Norah Jones, Brandi Carlile, Fall Out Boy, Beck, John Legend and Mumford & Sons perform some of the band’s biggest hits, including “Good Vibrations” and “Don’t Worry Baby.”

The tribute will also feature special appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Tom Hanks, John Stamos, Drew Carey and more.

Performances on the program include:

“Darlin’” – Andy Grammer
“Sloop John B” – Beck
“Good Vibrations” – Beck, Jim James
“In My Room” – Brandi Carlile
“God Only Knows” – Brandi Carlile & John Legend
“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” – Charlie Puth
“Do You Wanna Dance” – Fall Out Boy
“Do It Again” – Foster The People
“Barbara Ann” – Hanson
“The Warmth of the Sun” – Norah Jones
“Surfer Girl” – Lady A
“Sail on Sailor” – John Legend
“Help Me Rhonda” – Little Big Town
“Surfin USA / Fun Fun Fun” – Luke Spiller & Taylor Momsen
“Don’t Worry Baby” – Michael McDonald & Take 6
“I Know There’s an Answer” – Mumford & Sons
“I Get Around” – My Morning Jacket
“Heroes and Villains” – Pentatonix
“Caroline No” – LeAnn Rimes
“You Still Believe in Me” – St. Vincent
“California Girls” – Weezer

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Pink Floyd may be the next group to sell off their catalog, but a new report in Variety questions whether it’s going to happen — and blames the rocky relationship of band members Roger Waters and David Gilmour for delaying the deal. 

Sources tells the trade the deal is “basically dead” because the pair “just can’t get along.” But one of the sources also tells Variety, “But at the same time, it’s still on the table. It’s a strange situation!” 

Variety notes that nobody in Pink Floyd has actually confirmed they are trying to sell the catalog, although the Financial Times reported the band was seeking about $500 million for their songs.

The trade argues that Waters’ controversial political comments about Israel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine could be devaluing the price of the catalog, but the ultimate issue is the relationship between the band members, which also includes Nick Mason, and the estates of keyboardist Richard Wright and singer-songwriter Syd Barrett. 

The mag does note that the band members can actually afford to wait and hope the controversy around Waters dies down. “It’s one of the most valuable music catalogs of the past 50 years,” a source explains. “Will it be worth as much in two or five years — or worth even more? Sure. They can afford to wait.”

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Willie Nelson is bringing back the Outlaw Music Festival for another season. He’s announced 16 shows, which will continue this year’s celebration of his 90th birthday (his actual birthday is April 29). 

The lineup for the 2023 Outlaw Music Festival Tour features Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, John Fogerty and Gov’t Mule, along with The Avett Brothers, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Marcus King and others.

“I can’t wait to be on the road with the amazing group of artists joining us on this year’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour,” Nelson shares. “It is always a great day of music and fun with family, friends and the incredible fans, and even more special this year in celebration of my 90th birthday.” 

The tour kicks off June 23 in Somerset, Wisconsin, and runs through August 13 in Cincinnati, Ohio, with additional shows to be announced at a later date.

Tickets for the Outlaw Music Festival Tour go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time. More information, as well as the complete lineup, can be found at outlawmusicfestival.com.

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On This Day, March 14, 2005 …

The annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place in New York City, with U2 and The Pretenders inducted into the prestigious institution, along with The O’Jays, Buddy Guy and Percy Sledge.

U2 was inducted by Bruce Springsteen, who joined the band for a performance of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” The band also performed “Until the End of the World,” “Pride (In The Name of Love)” and “Vertigo.” 

Neil Young was on hand to induct The Pretenders, who performed “My City Was Gone” and were then joined by Young for “The Needle and the Damage Done.”

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Metallica is following in the footsteps of Jack White by announcing a partnership with Furnace Record Pressing.

The metal legends have acquired the majority interest in the Virginia-based vinyl pressing company, which was founded in 1996. Metallica’s previously worked with Furnace for vinyl reissues of Master of Puppets and The Black Album, among others.

“Furnace has been great to Metallica and more importantly to our fans,” frontman James Hetfield says. “This deepened relationship between Metallica and Furnace ensures that fans of vinyl everywhere, particularly our Fifth Members, will have continued access to high quality records in the future.”

Meanwhile, Metallica is prepping the release of a new album, 72 Seasons. The much-anticipated follow-up to 2016’s Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, arrives April 14.

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Roger Daltrey hasn’t given up on his planned biopic on The Who’s late drummer, Keith Moon. In fact, in a new interview with NME he shared the latest update on the project, which he insists “will be made.” 

“I’m at a draft that’s ready to go to directors,” he tells the mag. “I’m waiting on a reply from a director that I was talking to prior to starting writing the script. I’m very pleased with the script, it will be made. … as soon as he’s finished the film that he’s on, he will read it and I’ll get a reply from him. Hopefully we’ll get it made ASAP.”

Daltrey says getting the film made has been “tricky,” noting several writers tried and failed at writing scripts. He decided to do it himself and “write the kind of story I had in my head of how to tell a story that engages people, that really does expose the full Moon.” 

Daltrey says Moon, who died in September 1978, was an “extraordinary character,” adding, “He was flawed, like we all are. But he was wonderful and he was an absolute uncontrolled genius. And people like him are greatly missed in life today, because life is so full of f****** mediocrity, it’s unbelievable.”

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