Classic Rock News

Former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman launched the 2021 U.S. leg of his Even Grumpier Old Rock Star Tour earlier this month, but many of the originally announced dates wound up being postponed because of issues regarding COVID-19 restrictions.

As he continues playing a portion of his 2021 stateside outing, Wakeman has now revealed new dates for most of the postponed concerts, which will take place in early 2022. The run of rescheduled shows begins with a February 22 performance in Seattle and is mapped out through a March 11 concert in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The 72-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s next show is scheduled for this Friday, October 22, in Huntington, New York, and his final 2021 U.S. date will take place on November 1 in Woodstock, New York.

A concert scheduled for November 6 in Wichita, Kansas, has been canceled, and refunds will be available at the point of purchase. Wakeman notes that news will be announced soon about postponed shows that haven’t been rescheduled yet in Albany, New York; Chicago; Kent, Ohio; and Buffalo, New York. You can check out Rick’s full schedule at RWCC.com.

As previously reported, Wakeman’s Even Grumpier Old Rock Star Tour shows feature him playing solo piano versions of Yes classics, material from his solo albums, and well-known songs by other artists to which he contributed, including hits by David Bowie and Cat Stevens. Rick also presents his arrangements of a few Beatles tunes at the concerts, as well as telling bawdy jokes and humorous anecdotes.

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In honor of late Rush drummer Neil Peart, Modern Drummer magazine has announced the launch of an annual scholarship in his name that’s geared toward inspiring a young drummer to pursue a career as a musician.

The “Neil Peart Spirit of Drumming Scholarship” will provide the chosen recipient with 52 weeks of free drum lessons from respected drum instructor Dom Famularo, as well as a one-year subscription to the Modern Drummer All Access service, and a selection of classic Rush albums.

Entrants must be between 14 and 21 years old, not a professional musician, and not under any entertainment contract or sponsorship that Modern Drummer would consider a conflict with scholarship’s spirit.

To be considered for the scholarship, potential recipients must submit a video displaying their drumming skills running two minutes or less, as well as a brief essay explaining why the scholarship will make a significant positive impact on their life and playing, and how they’ve been inspired by Peart and his legacy.

Submissions, which can be made at ModernDrummer.com, must be received before November 26 of this year.

The scholarship originally was announced during the 2020 Modern Drummer Festival by Neil’s widow, Carrie Nutall-Peart. The first recipient of the scholarship will be revealed at this year’s festival, and the honoree will be featured in an upcoming issue of Modern Drummer.

Peart, widely considered one of the greatest rock drummers of all time, died in January 2020 of brain cancer. He was 67.

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When Foo Fighters performed on the MTV Video Music Awards last month, the cameras caught Olivia Rodrigo singing along to “Everlong.” Speaking with Rolling Stone, Grohl shares his reaction to learning the breakout star of 2021 is a Foos fan.

“My daughter told me,” Grohl says. “She was like, ‘Oh, my God. Olivia Rodrigo was singing your song!'”

He adds, “It’s very cool and it’s very flattering, for sure.”

With songs like “Brutal” and “Good 4 U,” Rodrigo is one of a few younger artists bringing guitars and pop-punk elements back into popular music. In fact, Grohl thinks that “the dial is starting to turn back to guitar-based music,” and points to viral drumming sensation Nandi Bushell as evidence that rock is still very much alive.

“If you want to see the true meaning of rock & roll, watch Nandi play the drums,” Grohl says. “That is as inspiring as any Beatles record, any Zeppelin record, any AC/DC record, any Stones record.”

Grohl and Bushell, of course, competed in an online drum battle last year. They finally got to jam in person at a Foo Fighters show over the summer.

“To watch [Bushell] play the drums and see her passion and belief in this music…if that doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what will,” Grohl says.

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Sammy Hagar and his current band The Circle will be heading to the Lone Star State this December for four special shows that also will celebrate the recent launch of Sammy’s Beach Bar Cocktail Co., the Red Rocker’s new line of canned sparkling rum cocktails.

Hagar & the Circle’s “A Toast to Texas” tour will feature concerts on December 3 in Fort Worth, December 4 in San Antonio, December 6 in Austin and December 8 in Houston.

Tickets for the shows go on sale to the general public this Friday, October 22, while pre-sale tickets will be available starting October 20. Visit RedRocker.com for more information.

“We chose cool, smaller venues on this tour so we could throw a party like we do in Cabo,” says Hagar, referring to his Cabo Wabo Cantina club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. “It’s about the whole experience, fans can sample my new…sparkling rum cocktails, along with some Santo Tequila and Beach Bar Rum, while listening to The Circle jam. We’ll be back next summer with the big rock shows, this is a party we’re throwing just for Texas.”

Prior to the Texas shows, Hagar will kick off his six-date “Sammy Hagar & Friends” Las Vegas residency at The Strat that runs from October 29 through November 13. All of those performances are sold out.

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Billy Idol has debuted an official lyric video for “Rita Hayworth,” one of the four brand-new songs featured on the pop-punk veteran’s recent released EP, The Roadside.

The clip, which you can watch now on Idol’s official YouTube channel, mixes grainy footage apparently taken from the car driving around the streets of Hollywood mixed with ominous cartoon animations depicting the song’s theme of a young woman navigating the seedy side of the movie business.

In the hard-driving tune, Idol sings about the woman being approached by “some nothin’ producer” who tells her she looks like Hollywood legend Rita Hayworth. “You’re swimming with Jaws/ This dream town will swallow you whole,” Billy belts out in the chorus. “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

Idol co-wrote “Rita Hayworth” with his longtime lead guitarist Steve Stevens, along with songwriters Sam Hollander and Grant Michaels.

The Roadside was released on September 17, and also features songs titled “Bitter Taste,” “U Don’t Have to Kiss Me Like That” and “Baby Put Your Clothes Back On.”

The bulk of the EP was written, recorded and mixed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The record, which was produced by Butch Walker, is Idol’s first collection of new original songs since his 2014 album Kings & Queens of the Underground.

Idol currently is halfway through a four-date Las Vegas residency at The Cosmopolitan that will wrap up this week with shows on Friday and Saturday. Billy then will head to Playa Mujeres, Mexico, for an October 26 performance at the star-studded 80s in the Sand festival. Idol also has acoustic duo gigs with Stevens in four U.S. cities in late November and early December.

Visit BillyIdol.net for his full schedule.

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A long, long time ago — 50 years ago this Sunday, to be exact — Don McLean released his classic anthem “American Pie” and his studio album of the same name.  Now the singer/songwriter has announced initial dates for a 2022 U.S. tour that will commemorate the milestone anniversary.

The trek kicks off with a three-show engagement, January 28-30, at The Blue Note club in Honolulu, and currently is mapped out through a February 24 concert in Tucson, Arizona, with more dates expected to be announced soon.

Among the confirmed shows is scheduled on February 3 — the 63rd anniversary of “The Day the Music Died” — at the historic Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. The Surf Ballroom is, of course, the venue where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper performed on February 3, 1959, before perishing in a plane crash later that evening. The date of the tragic incident is now known as “The Day the Music Died,” and served as an inspiration for McLean to write “American Pie.”

Besides “American Pie,” fans at the tour shows can expect to hear McLean hits including as “Vincent (Starry Starry Night),” “Castles in the Air,” “And I Love You So” and his cover of Roy Orbison‘s “Cryin’,” as well as newer material.

Details of the U.S. tour follows Don’s recently announced plans for a 2022 European trek marking the 50th anniversary of “American Pie” that will run from September to November. Check out his full schedule at DonMcLean.com.

McLean also was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in August.

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Sweet has just released a new single, an updated version of their song “Everything,” which originally appeared on the veteran U.K. glam-rock band’s 2002 studio album, Sweetlife.

Sweet’s current U.K. incarnation is led by the band’s sole surviving original member, guitarist Andy Scott, who says he was inspired to record a new rendition of “Everything” while watching his group’s latest lineup rehearse the tune.

“During the rehearsals for Sweet’s forthcoming UK tour 2021, we were trying out various songs from our back catalogue that could be added to the set list,” explains Scott. “As soon as I heard Paul Manzi and Lee Small‘s vocals on the song ‘Everything,’ I knew that we needed to get it down and record it as our new single.”

He adds about “Everything (2021),” “I think the new version is a far superior production. It’s much closer to how I envisaged it when I co-wrote the song back in the day.”

“Everything (2021)” is available now via streaming services, and you also can check out a music video for the song at Sweet’s official YouTube channel.

Sweet kicks of their 2021 U.K. tour in late November. Check out their full schedule at TheSweet.com.

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Metallica has released a trailer for The Black Album in Black & White, the new photo book chronicling the recording of and tour behind the metal band’s classic 1991 self-titled release, aka The Black Album.

The minute-long clip features a selection of the rare and previously unpublished pictures taken by acclaimed rock photographer Ross Halfin during the Black Album era, all set to the heavy riffs of “Sad but True.”

“I’d like people to view this as an art book,” Halfin says. “I’m serious, Metallica are an art.”

The Black Album in Black & White is out today.

The Black Album, of course, celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year. To mark the occasion, Metallica released a deluxe reissue, as well as the Metallica Blacklist tribute compilation.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.) 

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Todd Rundgren, who will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame next week, has just released the latest in a series of collaborative singles, a smooth, funk/soul-flavored tune called “Godiva Girl.”

The song features the prolific and eclectic singer/songwriter teaming up with acclaimed hip-hop/soul group — and The Tonight Show‘s house band — The Roots.

“Godiva Girl” features Rundgren blending throaty vocals with some falsetto highlights as he delivers tongue-in-cheek lyrics in which he compares the object of his desire to all kinds of sweet confections.

You can check out a lyric video for the tune at the Cleopatra Records’ official YouTube channel. The clip features the song’s metaphor-heavy lyrics appearing inside a decorative red heart, and includes an interlude where raspberries fall in slow motion into liquid chocolate.

“Godiva Girl” is available now as a digital download and via streaming services, and also will be featured on Todd’s forthcoming studio album, Space Force, which is due out in 2022.

Space Force also will include the three other collaborative singles that Todd has released since September 2020: “Espionage,” with Iraqi-Canadian hip-hop artist Narcy; “Down with the Ship,” with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo; and “Your Fandango,” with veteran quirky sibling duo Sparks.

As previously, Rundgren is among the artists who will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on October 30 in Cleveland. Todd, who has long expressed disdain for the Rock Hall, won’t be attending the ceremony and, in fact, will be playing a concert in Cincinnati that evening.

In a new interview with Cleveland.com, Todd notes of his induction, “My fans wanted this so badly. I’m just glad they finally got it and I don’t have to hear about it anymore.”

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What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, which is apparently why Rod Stewart has remained there for 10 years and counting.

The legendary singer has announced that he’ll return to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in 2022 for ten performances of his Rod Stewart: The Hits residency. This will mark his 11th year performing at the venue.

The new shows will offer fans the opportunity to hear a few new songs from Rod’s upcoming album, The Tears of Hercules, which is coming out November 12.

Rod’s 2022 dates are May 13, 14, 18, 20 and 21, and September 23, 24, 28, and 30 and October 1.  Tickets go on sale to the general public on October 23 at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster, but there are several pre-sales going on starting Wednesday via Rod’s fan club and a variety of loyalty programs. Meanwhile, Stewart happens to be winding down a current engagement at the venue with three shows scheduled for this week, on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Incidentally, Sting — Rod’s duet partner on the 1993 number-one hit “All for Love” — starts his first Las Vegas residency at the Colosseum, called My Songs, on October 29.

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