Classic Rock News

Songwriter Shirley Eikhard, best known for writing Bonnie Raitt’s Grammy-nominated tune “Something To Talk About,” has died at the age of 67, Consequence reports. No cause of death has been revealed.

The Raitt hit, which appeared on her 1991 Grammy-winning album, Luck of the Draw, peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. The tune was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammys in 1992, while Raitt won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her recording of the track. In 2020 the song was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Eikhard, who was Canadian, also wrote songs that were recorded by artists like Cher, The Pointer Sisters, Anne Murray and Emmylou Harris. She recorded 17 of her own albums, and won two Juno Awards for Best Country Female in 1972 and 1973. She was also named Songwriter of the Year at the Juno Awards in 1992.

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Andy Summers is revisiting a Police classic. Summers just announced he’s dropping a new version of “Bring on the Night” on Friday, which he recorded with Italian guitar quartet 40 Fingers.

And it seems Andy may have been hinting at the collaboration earlier this year. He previously posted a video of him and 40 Fingers at his Harmonics of the Night photo exhibition in Hamburg, Germany, back in October. In his announcement, he says the recording was filmed there.

“Bring on the Night,” which was written by the Police frontman Sting, was featured on the band’s sophomore album, 1979’s Reggatta de Blanc. It was also the title track to Sting’s 1986 live album, as well as the 1985 Michael Apted-directed documentary on Sting’s solo career.

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We are getting our first real look at the upcoming movie about music producer Neil Bogart and Casablanca Records. The film, Spinning Gold, hits theaters March 31 and tells the story of the producer credited with launching the careers of such artists as Donna Summer, Gladys Knight, Parliament Funkadelic, The Village People and even KISS.

The movie stars Tony winner Jeremy Jordan as Bogart, with a cast that also includes Michelle Monaghan, Dan Fogler, Jay Pharoah, Chris Redd, Michael Ian Black and Sebastian Maniscalco.

In addition, X Ambassadors vocalist Sam Harris plays KISS’ Paul Stanley, with Casey Likes as Gene Simmons and All Time Low’s Alex Gaskarth as Peter Criss. Other artists portrayed in the film include George Clinton, played by Wiz Khalifa; Ron Isley, played by Jason Derulo; Gladys Knight, played by Ledisi; Bill Withers, played by Pink Sweat$; and Donna Summer, played by Tayla Parx.

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Looks like a lot of David Bowie fans went to the movies this year. BMG reports that BoxOfficeMojo figures show the Bowie doc Moonage Daydream is 2022’s highest-grossing documentary, grossing more than $12.2 million.

Just how big is that? Well, to put it in perspective, the doc at #2, 2000 Mules, brought in just $1.4 mil — and it came out in May, while the Bowie doc was released in September. 

Moonage Daydream, directed by documentary filmmaker Brett Morgen, focused on Bowie’s catalog from 1970 to 1977. It was described as “a sublime kaleidoscopic experiential cinematic odyssey that explores Bowie’s creative, spiritual, and philosophical journey.”

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Trevor Noah is pulling a hat trick and will return to the Grammy’s stage as host. This will mark his third consecutive hosting stint.

Noah will act as master of ceremonies at the 65th annual Grammy Awards and induct a new class of Grammy winners on Sunday, February 5. He confirmed his appointment on Instagram and said he is “super excited” to return as host.

Noah previously held down the fort for the pandemic-delayed 64th Grammy Awards on April 3, 2022, and the 63rd Grammy Awards on March 14, 2021.

Noah’s return to the Grammys continues a streak started by LL Cool J in 2012, where every host returned for a consecutive stint. James Corden hosted both the 2017 and 2018 ceremonies, followed by Alicia Keys‘ back-to-back appearances in 2019 and 2020.

Beyoncé heads into the ceremony with a leading nine nominations. Kendrick Lamar is next with eight nods, followed by Adele and Brandi Carlile with seven.

Next year’s awards show will be held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, February 5. The ceremony will begin airing at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and on demand on Paramount+.

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Siouxsie and the Banshees frontwoman Siouxsie Sioux hasn’t performed live since 2013, but that’ll change next year.

The “Kiss Them For Me” artist is confirmed to perform at the United Kingdom’s 2023 Latitude Festival, taking place July 20-23.

The bill also includes Pulp, George Ezra, Paolo Nutini and The Kooks. For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit LatitudeFestival.com.

When Sioux takes the stage at Latitude next year, she might see some younger fans in the audience. The music of Siouxsie and the Banshees has been reaching Generation Z this year with a placement on the Stranger Things season 4 soundtrack, while Sioux helped influence the viral Wednesday dance scene.

Meanwhile, a new Banshees compilation titled All Souls dropped in October.

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As previously reported, The Rolling Stones are dropping the new live album and DVD GRRR Live! on February 10, and to celebrate they’ve announced a new interactive virtual concert event with Kiswe.

The online screening will take place February 2 at 8 p.m. Thanks to the Kiswe Live platform, viewers from across the globe can be part of the excitement. They can share short video selfies, and they’ll be able to see themselves on screen and be seen by others as the performance airs. 

GRRR Live!, recorded December 15, 2012, at Newark’s Prudential Center during the band’s 50 & Counting tour, was the final of four shows in the New York area and was a pay-per-view event. It featured guest appearances by such big names as Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, John Mayer, Gary Clark Jr., Mick Taylor and The Black Keys.

Tickets for the interactive experience go on sale Thursday at 3 p.m. ET at RollingStonesNewark.com.

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Metallica‘s “Lux Æterna” has earned the metal legends a very rare Billboard chart feat.

The lead single off the upcoming ‘Tallica album, 72 Seasons, has hit #1 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and only took two weeks to do it. Just one other song released in the 21st century has reached the top of Mainstream Rock Airplay that quickly: Foo Fighters‘ “Something from Nothing” in 2014.

You’d have to go back to the ’90s to find another song that conquered Mainstream Rock Airplay in two weeks or less. Fittingly enough, Metallica was the band to do it back then, too. Their Garage Inc. cover of Bob Seger‘s “Turn the Page” took two weeks to reach #1, as well.

“Lux Æterna” is Metallica’s 11th #1 on Mainstream Rock Airplay, tied for sixth-most leaders since the chart began in 1981. The song previously debuted at #2 on Mainstream Rock Airplay, the best start for any song on the chart since Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ “Dani California” in 2006.

72 Seasons, the follow-up to 2016’s Hardwired…to Self-Destruct, drops April 14. Metallica will support 72 Seasons on a world tour in 2023 and 2024, featuring completely different set lists across multiple shows in each city.

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AXS TV is helping music fans ring in the new year with a lineup of iconic concerts to keep folks entertained.

The party kicks off at 3:30 p.m. with Def Leppard: Hits Vegas, a concert from Sin City featuring classic tunes and rare cuts like “Too Late For Love” and “Two Steps Behind,” followed by Kid Rock: Live From The Artists Den at 7 p.m. 

As we get closer to midnight, fans get another Sin City concert, KISS Rocks Vegas, which was filmed during their residency at the Hard Rock Hotel, airing at 8 p.m. That’s followed by Mötley Crüe: The End – Live In Los Angeles, which has them returning home for a concert that features such hits as “Girls Girls Girls” and “Shout at the Devil.”

Finally, as the clock strikes midnight, fans can chill out with Stevie Nicks – 24 Karat Gold, in which she performs such classics as “Landslide” and “Gypsy.”

And then, on New Year’s Day, fans can look back on some of the important moments in music history with a day of A Year in Music programming, looking back on 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993 and 2003.

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(Note Language) When it comes to guitar players, Scott Ian thinks Metallica’s Kirk Hammett doesn’t get the credit he deserves. During an interview with Revolver, the Anthrax guitarist shares that while he considers Metallica frontman James Hetfield the best rhythm guitarist, Hammett is the most underrated.

“For me, in the world of metal, I think the most underrated rhythm player is Kirk Hammett,” he said. “He’s in a band with James Hetfield, who, when it comes to metal, is the best. There’s no better right hand [than Hetfield’s] … He’s the f****** god.”

Ian explains that because Hammett is the band’s lead guitarist, folks don’t recognize his strengths as a rhythm player. “He’s gotta go f****** note for note with James,” Ian says. “And he can’t cheat. There’s no f****** cheating, he’s down-picking all those f****** parts. Nobody talks about that,” adding, “So Kirk, to me, is the most underrated.”

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