Classic Rock News

Longtime Moody Blues singer/bassist John Lodge has released a live performance of his band’s classic 1968 song “Ride My See-Saw” as an advance track from his forthcoming concert album, The Royal Affair and After, which is due out December 3 on CD and digital formats.

As previously reported, the album features performances from a 2019 Las Vegas show that Lodge and his 10,000 Light Years Band played while serving as an opening act on the Yes-headlined Royal Affair Tour, as well as select songs recorded during John’s subsequent U.S. solo trek.

For the live rendition of “Ride My See-Saw,” Lodge and the group were joined on backing vocals by current Yes frontman Jon Davison.

The performance is available now as a digital download and via streaming services. A companion video has premiered on Lodge’s official YouTube channel that features footage of Lodge, his band and Davison combined with some animated celestial images.

Reflecting on the meaning behind “Ride My See-Saw,” John notes that the song “is really about how life is full of highs and lows, you can’t ride the wave forever…and the secret to me is to find a balance to keep the glass half full…something I’ve thought about a lot over the last 18 months.”

The Royal Affair and After also will be released as a limited-edition blue-vinyl LP on January 28, 2022.

In other news, Lodge has confirmed a series of 2022 U.S. concerts that will run from a March 8 show in Norfolk, Connecticut, through a March 26 gig in Dania Beach, Florida. After that trek, John will take part in the 2022 Flower Power Cruise, which sets sail from Miami on March 28. Visit JohnLodge.com for his full itinerary.

Here’s the live album’s complete track list:

“Steppin’ in a Slide Zone”
“Saved by the Music”
“Legend of a Mind”
“Sunset”
“Late Lament” (with Graeme Edge)
“Nights in White Satin” (with Jon Davison)
“Gemini Dream”
“Isn’t Life Strange”
“I’m Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)”
“Ride My See-Saw” (with Jon Davison)

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

U2 has joined the growing ranks of famous rock bands that have launched their own official account on TikTok.

In conjunction with the debut of their TikTok site, @U2, the Irish rockers premiered a 25-second clip of a brand-new song called “Your Song Saved My Life” that will get its official release this Wednesday, November 3.

“Your Song Saved My Life” will appear on the soundtrack album for the upcoming movie Sing 2, which, as previously reported, features Bono making his animated film debut as the voice of a rock-star lion character named Clay Calloway. The flick is scheduled to premiere on December 21.

Among the classic U2 songs that are currently available in the TikTok library include “Beautiful Day,” “With or Without You,” “Vertigo,” “Sweetest Thing,” “One” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.”

Besides the “Your Song Saved My Life” preview, U2’s TikTok also highlights a clip featuring a montage of the band’s songs and music videos.

In addition, because this November marks the 30th anniversary of the release of U2’s memorable 1991 album Achtung Baby, archival footage of the band performing songs from the record live will be posted on the group’s TikTok account throughout the month.

TikTok users can discover the available U2 songs at the platform’s Sounds Page, while you also can check out a selection of the group’s newly arrived tracks in the Greatest Hits Guest Playlist.

New track ‘Your Song Saved My Life’ from @singmovie is out Wednesday!
Check out @tiktok_us for an exclusive preview + all U2 songs now available. #ClayCalloway pic.twitter.com/LzbcTmz7b9

— U2 (@U2) November 1, 2021

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Slash, Myles Kennedy and two members of their Conspirators band tested positive for COVID-19 while working on their forthcoming new album, 4.

The Guns N’ Roses guitarist revealed the news during an interview with Germany’s Radio Regenbogen.

“We went and recorded the whole record, and then I got a phone call from Myles in the studio when I was about to do overdubs, and he goes, ‘Man, I tested positive,'” Slash recalled. “Subsequently, two of the other guys tested positive, so they all had to go into quarantine.”

While his band mates were recovering, Slash himself tested positive.

“I [had] just got vaccinated, so I only had to quarantine for a few days,” he said.

As the virus struck the Conspirators camp towards the end of the recording process, Slash and company were able to put the finishing touches on the album once they were all COVID free.

4, which features the lead single “The River Is Rising,” arrives February 11.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Foo Fighters have shared a statement expressing their gratitude following their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame over the weekend.

In a tweet, Dave Grohl and company thanked the Rock Hall and the city of Cleveland, as well as Beatles legend Paul McCartney, who did the inducting honors, and, of course, the fans.

“Most importantly…Thanks to all of YOU for singing along for all these years,” the Foos write. “We wouldn’t be here without you.”

“Can’t wait to see you again soon!” they add.

Along with the induction — which marked Grohl’s second, following his enshrinement with Nirvana —  the Foos performed their songs “Best of You,” “My Hero” and “Everlong,” and closed out the night with a rendition of The Beatles’ “Get Back” alongside McCartney.

The 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will premiere on HBO and HBO Max November 20. Other artists who were inducted include Carole King, The Go-Gos, Tina Turner, Todd Rundgren and JAY-Z, as well as Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron for Early Influence, and Randy Rhoads, Billy Preston and LL Cool J for Musical Excellence.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Foreigner will help bring some rocking holiday cheer to the 95th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will air live on NBC from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 25.

The veteran rockers will be featured on “The House of Marvelous Milestones” float, sponsored by New York Life. Among the other music artists scheduled to appear or perform during the parade are Matchbox Twenty‘s Rob Thomas, rapper Nelly, R&B singer Kelly Rowland, pop singer-songwriter Andy Grammer, Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth, and country stars Carrie Underwood, Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton and Chris Lane.

The annual New York City event will be hosted by Today show co-hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker.

In other news, Foreigner has a series of upcoming 2021 U.S. shows, scheduled from a concert this Thursday, November 4, in Corbin, Kentucky, through a November 21 performance in Estero, Florida. The latter gig is a previously reported benefit show headlined by John Fogerty that will raise money for The Charity Pro’s organization.

In addition, Foreigner will play a special livestream concert on November 11 exclusively for Barclays Bank US Mastercard members who have AARP Credits Cards. You can visit AARPcreditcard.com to find out how to become a member.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Elton John has scored his 21st top-10 album on the Billboard 200 with his latest studio effort, The Lockdown Sessions, which debuted at #10 on the chart after earning 29,000 equivalent album units during its first week out. Seventeen thousand of that sum were for album sales.

The Lockdown Sessions boasts collaborations Elton recorded virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic with a wide variety of artists. The album includes the U.K. pop-rock legend’s latest top-40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix),” a duet with British pop star Dua Lipa that mashes up four of Elton’s earlier songs. The single reached #21 on the Hot 100 last week.

The album also features collaborating with Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj and many others.

Elton scored his first top-10 album back in January of 1971 with his self-titled 1970 record, which reached #4 on the tally. His most recent album to break into the top 10 was 2016’s Wonderful Crazy Night, which peaked at #8.

Meanwhile, over the past few days, Elton’s social media pages have featured several iconic photos of the performer without his signature glasses. Well, now we know why: He’s launching his own line of eyewear.

A video on Elton’s Instagram announces the news, with the caption, “I’m just not myself without my glasses. Which is why I’m very excited to finally announce my eyewear collaboration with @walmart and @samsclub. Designed by me to celebrate you!”

The video shows a wide range of specs in many shapes, sizes and colors, though none as quite elaborate as some of the ones Elton wore in the ’70s. As Elton notes, the proceeds will support his Elton John AIDS Foundation.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

It’s Billy Joel‘s golden anniversary as an artist: 50 years ago, on November 1, 1971, his first album, Cold Spring Harbor, was released. Here are some things you may not know about the record that first introduced us to Billy’s talents:

–The album was named after a hamlet on the north shore of Long Island, New York, near where Billy grew up. The cover photo shows him standing on Harbor Road in Cold Spring Harbor.

—In 2011, Billy said he made Cold Spring Harbor because he wanted other artists to hear his songs and record them; he was advised the best way to do that was to make an album of them and then go on the road.

–One of the songs on the album, “Tomorrow Is Today,” was inspired by the depression Billy had gone through the year before, which culminated in him attempting suicide by drinking furniture polish, followed by a hospital stay to recover.

–Due to a technical error, the Cold Spring Harbor master tapes were transferred to vinyl at the wrong speed, making Billy sound, he said, “like a chipmunk.” It was finally remastered in 1983, but Billy still thinks he sounds like a chipmunk.

–Cold Spring Harbor flopped, but when Billy included a few of its songs on his 1981 live album Songs in the Attic, one of them, “She’s Got a Way,” became a top-40 hit — 10 years after he first recorded it.

–In 2011, when Billy’s catalog was reissued as a box set, he said of Cold Spring Harbor, “You don’t have to pay a lot of attention to this one. It’s the embryonic Billy Joel, I suppose.”

Here’s the full track list of Cold Spring Harbor:

“She’s Got a Way”
“You Can Make Me Free”
“Everybody Loves You Now”
“Why Judy Why”
“Falling of the Rain”
“Turn Around”
“You Look So Good to Me”
“Tomorrow Is Today”
“Nocturne”
“Got to Begin Again”

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Jon Bon Jovi has tested positive for COVID-19. 

The rocker was scheduled to perform with his solo band at a Runaway Tours event at the Loews South Beach in Miami over the weekend when the diagnosis came back, forcing him to cancel the show. 

Fans got the unfortunate news by Jon’s brother, Matt Bongiovi, just before the show on Saturday. He reportedly told the audience that Jon felt great but would not be performing and was going “to bed,” according to WSVN. 

Bon Jovi’s rep confirmed the positive test and told Asbury Park Press that he’s “fully vaccinated and feeling fine.”

Saturday’s show was the second of three nights planned for the Runaway Tours Halloween weekend getaway, scheduled for Friday through Sunday. 

Even though fans didn’t get to see Jon, the rest of the band, who tested negative, played the set as scheduled. 

As previously reported, Jon is scheduled to receive the Intrepid Lifetime Achievement Award at the Salute to Freedom Gala, which takes place November 10 in New York City aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid. No word on whether or not he’ll make it.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

KISS will no longer be turning Sin City into Rock City in late 2021 and early 2022. The band’s upcoming Las Vegas residency at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino has been canceled, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Ticketmaster.com.

No reason has been given for the cancellation, but Ticketmaster reports that people who purchased tickets for the shows will automatically receive a refund.

The Vegas concerts had been scheduled for December 29, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, as well as on January 19, 21, 22, 26, 28 and 29, and February 2, 4 and 5.

News of the cancellation comes a couple of days after Rolling Stone published a story that called into question how stringent the COVID-19 safety protocols for KISS’ End of the Road farewell tour were in the wake of the October 17 death of the band’s longtime guitar tech, Francis Stueber, who passed away two days after being put in quarantine because of the virus.

The article interviewed three members of the road crew — who wished to remain anonymous — who alleged that the tour “didn’t take strict enough safety measures,” and suggested that this may have led to Stueber’s death.

Meanwhile, KISS currently are taking part in the 10th edition of their KISS Kruise. As seen in fan-shot video from the cruise, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick joined his old band Friday to perform a pair of songs — “Heaven’s on Fire” and “Tears Are Falling” — during an outdoor performance.

KISS Kruise X runs through Wednesday, November 3. KISS also confirmed plans for a KISS Kruise XI, which will set sail from Los Angeles on October 29, 2022, and will visit Enseneda, Mexico, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, before returning to port on November 3.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.