Classic Rock News

George Frayne IV, the veteran country-rock musician better known by his stage name Commander Cody, died Sunday at the age of 77 after battling cancer for several years, Variety reports.

During the late 1960s and ’70s, Frayne led the group Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, which formed in 1967 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and relocated to San Francisco in 1969. In 1972, the band scored a top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with a cover of the 1955 spoken-sung rockabilly-flavored country tune “Hot Rod Lincoln.”

Frayne’s wife, Sue, announced his passing in a message on his Facebook page that reads, “Early this morning, as I lay my head upon his shoulder, George’s soul took to flight. I am heartbroken and weary, and I know your hearts break, too. Thank you so much for all the love you gave and the stories you shared.”

Sue also revealed that two “big gatherings” were being planned — one on Long Island, New York, and one in the Bay Area — to celebrate Commander Cody’s life and also “benefit musicians in need.”

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen’s music combined elements of country, rockabilly, Western swing, jump blues, jazz and boogie-woogie. The band broke up in 1976, after which, Frayne continued to tour and record under the Commander Cody moniker.

Frayne also was an accomplished painter who published a book of his visual art titled Art Music & Life in 2009. He also taught art at the college level. In addition, an experimental video he made called “Two Triple Cheese Side Order of Fries” is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

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The recent Brian Wilson documentary Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road, which got its world premiere in June at New York City’s Tribeca Film Festival, will get its theatrical release and will debut on video-on-demand in November.

Long Promised Road features the legendary Beach Boys member discussing his life and music with Rolling Stone editor Jason Fine as the two drive around Los Angeles visiting sites of significance to Wilson and his famous band.

The film also includes interviews with various other music artists who have worked with or were inspired by Brian, including Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, founding Beach Boys singer/guitarist Al Jardine, producer/musician Don Was, pop star Nick Jonas, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James, Jakob Dylan and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.

In addition, the documentary features concert and in-studio footage, and includes a new song titled “Right Where I Belong” that Brian co-wrote and recorded with Jim James specifically for the movie.

“As a lifelong fan, I knew this film would have to take some risks to give us insight into Brian’s complex world,” says Long Promised Road director Brent Wilson — no relation to Brian.

According to Deadline, the Screen Media company, which acquired the distribution rights for Long Promised Road, is planning an Oscar campaign that it hopes will include securing a best original song nomination for “Right Where I Belong.”

Meanwhile, Wilson recently announced plans to release a new instrumental album titled At My Piano that features solo piano versions of many classic Beach Boys songs. The album is due out on November 19, and can be pre-ordered now.

A solo rendition of “God Only Knows” from the record has been released as an advance digital track.

Here’s the full track list of At My Piano:

“God Only Knows”
“In My Room”
“Don’t Worry Baby”
“California Girls”
“The Warmth of the Sun”
“Wouldn’t It Be Nice”
“You Still Believe in Me”
“I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times”
“Sketches of Smile”
“Surf’s Up”
“Friends”
“Till I Die”
“Love and Mercy”
“Mt. Vernon Farewell”
“Good Vibrations”

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As has become tradition, Bruce Springsteen will perform at the 2021 edition of the annual Stand Up for Heroes benefit event, which will take place on November 8 in New York City at Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

The show supports the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s efforts to help wounded service members, veterans and their families.

This year’s event, the 15th annual installment of the fundraiser, will once again be held in front of a live audience after the 2020 show was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Stand Up for Heroes benefit offers an evening of music and comedy, held in conjunction with the annual New York Comedy Festival. In addition to Springsteen, the event’s confirmed lineup includes Jon Stewart, Jim Gaffigan, Nikki Glaser and Nate Bargatze, among others.

The Boss usually plays a short acoustic set at the benefit.

“Our military community sacrifices so much for their fellow citizens. They have earned our enduring respect, and more importantly, our support, says ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, co-founder of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. “For 15 years, that has been the inspiration behind Stand Up for Heroes — an evening to honor, celebrate, and take action in support of our veterans and their families.”

Tickets for the Stand Up for Heroes show are on sale now via BobWoodruffFoundation.org and the Lincoln Center box office. Discount tickets are available for military members, veterans, first responders and healthcare professionals.

Attendees most provide proof of full vaccination and must wear a mask or face covering.

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Dave Grohl will guest on the upcoming second season of The FADER Uncovered podcast, hosted by famed DJ and producer Mark Ronson.

On The FADER Uncovered, Ronson interviews musicians about their “lives, careers, and creative breakthroughs.” Along with the Foo Fighters frontman, other season two guests include My Morning Jacket, J Balvin, RZA, Charli XCX and Vince Staples.

New episodes premiere starting October 4.

The first season of The FADER Uncovered featured Tame Impala, HAIM, Damon Albarn, David Byrne and Questlove, among others.

Grohl, by the way, previously guested on Ronson’s Watch the Sound Apple TV+ documentary series.

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Ringo Starr has debuted a music video for his uplifting new song “Let’s Change the World,” the lead track from the former Beatles drummer’s recently released Change the Word EP.

The clip features scenes that Starr shot with a variety of children, teens and young adults at Los Angeles’ Beverly Hills Park at the site of Ringo’s Peace Sculpture, and on a soundstage.

The video was created in collaboration with Kids in the Spotlight (KITS), a nonprofit organization that offers young people in the foster care system the chance to make films that tell their stories, giving them the opportunity for healing and growth while preparing them for potential future job opportunities.

Many of the young people in the KITS program contributed their ideas for the  video and also participated or assisted in the clip’s directing, lighting, choreography and photography.

The video shows the young people dancing, singing, flashing peace signs and playing instruments, and the clip also features images and footage that illustrate the song’s message of helping make the planet a better place in the face of pollution, global warming and social unrest.

“I wanted to make this video with kids because they are our future and this is for them,” Ringo says in a statement. “They deserve clean water and fresh air. I believe we should leave this planet in better shape than we found it for our kids, and right now we are not doing that…We have got to change, and I believe we can. Peace and love.”

Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, who co-wrote “Let’s Change the World” with his band mate Joseph Williams, also appears in the clip.

The Change the World EP is available now on CD, cassette and digital formats. A 10-inch vinyl version will be released on November 19.

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On October 12, The Doors‘ Robby Krieger will release his first-ever book, Set the Night on Fire: Living, Dying, and Playing Guitar with The Doors, and to celebrate the memoir’s arrival, the guitar great will take part in a virtual Q&A event the following day.

The interactive ticketed event, which costs $36, will be streamed via Dice.fm, and will feature Krieger chatting with respected writer and broadcaster Laura Barton via Zoom. Robby also will be answering questions submitted by virtual audience members.

Those purchasing tickets also will receive a copy of Set the Night on Fire with a bookplate signed by Robby. The event will only be viewable in the U.S.

As previously reported, the book features the 75-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer opening up about his journey to becoming a member for one of the most influential U.S. bands to emerge during the 1960s and beyond.

Set the Night on Fire offers a series of vignettes in which Krieger discusses such highlights as buying his first guitar, getting arrested for drugs as a teenager, writing songs with singer Jim Morrison in his parents’ living room, playing his first gigs with The Doors at empty bars and backyard parties, recording his bands classic albums, and eventually performing in front of massive adoring crowds.

The book also feature anecdotes about Robby’s experiences and encounters with other famous musicians, unhinged fans and more as well as his recollections about the difficulties he endured during his life, including his struggle with drug addiction, battling cancer, and his twin brother’s mental health issues.

Krieger co-wrote Set the Night on Fire with Jeff Alulis, an author and documentary filmmaker who also was lead singer of veteran punk band The Dead Kennedys from 2003 to 2008.

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Founding Dire Straits member David Knopfler and former Pretenders guitarist Robbie McIntosh are among the many respected musicians who are contributing to a new instrumental project called Held by Trees.

The collective, led by composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist David Joseph, will release a new single called “Mysterium” on November 12, and is planning to issue its self-titled debut album in the spring of 2022.

Joseph describes Held by Trees’ music as somewhere between David Gilmour-era Pink Floyd and the later, prog-rock-influenced work of British new wave band Talk Talk.

The latter is no surprise, considering the fact that several musicians who worked with Talk Talk — and on the solo recordings by that group’s late frontman Mark Hollis — are featured on “Mysterium.”  They include McIntosh, drummer/percussionist Martin Ditcham and keyboardist Laurence Pendrous.

The track also includes the talents of veteran blues singer/songwriter Eric Bibb.

You can pre-order “Mysterium” and the Held by Trees album now.

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Judas Priest is postponing the remainder of the North American leg of the band’s 50 Heavy Metal Years tour because guitarist Richie Faulkner has been hospitalized with a “major medical heart condition.”

“It is with deep regret that we have to postpone the rest of our [U.S.] tour,” Priest says in a statement. “Richie Faulkner has major medical heart condition issues which have landed him in the hospital where he is being treated. In the meantime, we are all sending love to our Falcon to wish him a speedy recovery.”

The tour was expected to continue Wednesday in Denver, and was scheduled run through a November 5 show in Hamilton, Canada.

“As soon as we have any updates from [Faulkner’s] doctors on when we can reschedule the dates, we will of course announce them,” Priest adds.

Judas Priest had just performed at the Louder than Life festival Sunday in Louisville, Kentucky. The set included a special version of their Fleetwood Mac cover “The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)” featuring a guest appearance by Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett.

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Alan Lancaster, original bassist of the veteran U.K. rock band Status Quo, died Saturday at age 72 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis.

Lancaster’s death was announced by Australian broadcaster Craig Bennett, who wrote on his Facebook page, “At the request of his loving and deeply cherished family, I am heartbroken to announce the passing of Alan Lancaster, British born music royalty, guitar God and founding member of iconic band, STATUS QUO.”

Lancaster played with Status Quo from the band’s 1967 inception until 1985.

A tribute to Alan posted on Status Quo’s official website notes that during his tenure with the band, “Quo opened Live Aid, sold countless tens of millions of records, appeared on [popular U.K. TV show] Top of the Pops dozens of times, and had around 30 hit singles and 30 hit albums, two thirds of which went Top 10, with five reaching Number One. That was just his UK track record.”

Lancaster also was featured on the group’s sole U.S. chart hit, the 1968 psychedelic gem “Pictures of Matchstick Men,” which reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lancaster reunited with the other members of Status Quo’s classic 1970s lineup — frontman Francis Rossi, guitarist Rick Parfitt and drummer John Coghlan — known as “The Frantic Four,” for major tours in 2013 and 2014.

In homage to Lancaster, Rossi wrote, “I am so sorry to hear of Alan’s passing. We were friends and colleagues for many years and achieved fantastic success together as the Frantic Four alongside Rick Parfitt and John Coghlan. Alan was an integral part of the sound and the enormous success of Status Quo during the 60s and 70s.”

Lancaster is survived by his wife of over 40 years, Dayle, three children and five grandchildren.

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Bob Dylan has scheduled his first tour dates since the start of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The folk-rock legend, who turned 80 this past May, has unveiled a series of fall 2021 U.S. concerts kicking off November 2 in Milwaukee and running through a December 2 show in Washington, D.C.

Tickets for most of the dates will go on sale to the general public starting this Friday, October 1. Pre-sale tickets also will be available; visit BobDylan.com for more details.

According to Dylan’s website, the U.S. leg will mark the start of a worldwide tour in support of Bob’s most recent studio album, 2020’s Rough and Rowdy Ways, that will run until 2024.

The stateside trek features multiple-nights stands at New York City’s Beacon Theatre on November 19, 20 and 21, Port Chester New York’s Capitol Theatre on November 23 and 24 and Philadelphia’s The Met on November 29 and 30.

Dylan’s most recent trek ended in December 2019. This past July, a new livestreamed performance by Bob and his longtime backing band, called Shadow Kingdom, was made available via the Veeps.com platform.

Earlier this month, Dylan released a new installment of his Bootleg Series of archival collections. Springtime in New York: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 16 (1980-1985) focuses on the sessions for three of Bob’s albums — 1981’s Shot of Love, 1983’s Infidels and 1985’s Empire Burlesque.

In conjunction with the compilation’s release, Dylan premiered a video on YouTube capturing an in-studio performance of the Infidels track “Don’t Fall Apart on Me Tonight,” featuring Bob accompanied by Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler and ex-Rolling Stones member Mick Taylor on guitars, as well as Dire Straits keyboardist Alan Clark, legendary reggae drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare.

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