Update on the rumored Rolling Stones/Paul McCartney collaboration

February 23, 2023 by Classic Rock 93.9

As previously reported, a recent article in Variety claimed The Rolling Stones had collaborated with Paul McCartney for their upcoming album, with the Beatle allegedly laying down bass tracks recently at a studio in Los Angeles. Well, it turns out fans shouldn’t expect to hear McCartney on the entire record.

ABC Audio has learned that McCartney does play bass on one track, and early reports, also by Variety, suggesting Ringo Starr was also part of the project are inaccurate.

As for the record itself, it is reportedly being produced by Ozzy Osbourne/Iggy Pop/Elton John producer Andrew Watt. So far, there’s no word on when The Stones’ album will come out, but whenever it does, it will be the band’s first album of original material since 2005’s A Bigger Bang. The last new album they released was the 2016’s blues covers album Blue & Lonesome.

Elton John extends his record of having highest-grossing tour of all time

February 23, 2023 by Classic Rock 93.9

Elton John is making it even harder to break his record of having the highest-grossing tour of all time.

Last month, Billboard reported Sir Elton’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour became the first trek ever to earn more than $800 million, besting the previous record Ed Sheeran set in 2019 after his Divide tour made $776.4 million.

The outlet reports Sir Elton’s tour added an additional $40.9 million to its coffers in the month of January, during which he performed eight shows across Australia and New Zealand.

The numbers now extend his lead atop the Top Tours chart. Sir Elton is also #1 on the Top Boxscores chart for making $11.3 million after performing a pair of shows at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

This marks the ninth time an artist has simultaneously ruled both charts, but the second time for Sir Elton. The only other act who ruled both charts twice is K-pop sensation BTS.

Sir Elton’s pair of performance at AAMI Park in Melbourne, Australia, is #2 on the recent Boxscores chart after making $10.2 million. He also appears in fourth place, making $8.4 million for his two shows at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, New South Wales.

Sir Elton’s farewell tour is scheduled to conclude on July 8 in Stockholm, Sweden.

As previously reported, Sir Elton’s career total when it comes to concerts stands at $1.863 billion grossed and 19.9 million tickets sold — the highest for any solo artist in Billboard Boxscore history.

Mick Jagger featured in new documentary Little Richard: I Am Everything

February 23, 2023 by Classic Rock 93.9

A new documentary on rock’s founding father Little Richard is heading to theaters in New York and LA on April 21.

Little Richard: I Am Everything premiered at Sundance. It details the life of the man born Richard Penniman, and how he pioneered a new form of gender-bending showmanship that was later adopted by everyone from Mick Jagger, Elton John and David Bowie to Prince and Harry Styles.

His music, meanwhile, influenced generations, from The Beatles, Robert Plant and AC/DC, to Patti Smith and Michael Jackson, to Bruno Mars and Chris Cornell.

Jagger is interviewed in the documentary about Richard’s influence, as is Emmy-winning actor and singer Billy Porter.

The documentary also covers Richard’s internal battle between rock and roll and religion, which led him to temporarily abandon secular music and switch to gospel in the late ’50s, and become ordained as a minister in 1970.

Dave Grohl honors manager at ‘Pollstar’ Awards; Mötley Crüe & Def Leppard win Rock Tour of the Year

February 23, 2023 by Classic Rock 93.9

Dave Grohl made a surprise appearance during Wednesday’s 2023 Pollstar Awards, which honors the biggest and best of the touring industry.

The Foo Fighters frontman introduced his longtime manager John Silva, who received the Personal Manager of the Year award.

“Over the years we’ve had some incredible triumphs and some devastating crises, but the one thing that has kept us together over the years is love,” Grohl said of Silva.”I truly believe that [Silva and I] are like family.”

Meanwhile, the Pollstar Award for Rock Tour of the Year went to Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard‘s co-headlining Stadium Tour. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, who were among the openers on the trek, won Support/Special Guest Act of the Year.

Additionally, Billie Eilish won Pop Tour of the Year, and the Eagles were honored with the Milestone Award, which was accepted by drummer and vocalist Don Henley.

On This Day – February 23, 2000 – Santana’s ‘Supernatural’ Sweeps the Grammys

February 23, 2023 by Classic Rock 93.9

On this Day, February 23, 2000…

Santana’s album Supernatural won nine Grammys, breaking the record held by Michael Jackson’s Thriller for most Grammys won by a single album in one night. Among the wins was Album of the Year, making Carlos Santana the first Hispanic artist to win that award.

Supernatrual was a huge hit for Santana, landing at number one in eleven countries. It spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at number one in the U.S., and went on to be certified 15-times Platinum by the Recording Industry of America.

The album’s biggest hit was the song “Smooth,” featuring Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks. On Grammy night the song won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

Yusuf/Cat Stevens shares cover of George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun”

February 23, 2023 by Classic Rock 93.9

Yusuf/Cat Stevens is paying tribute to George Harrison, who would have turned 80 this coming Saturday, with a new cover of the late Beatle‘s classic “Here Comes the Sun.”

“George Harrison has been an immense influence on me, spiritually, from the very beginning,” Yusuf/Stevens says. “He pioneered certain thoughts and ideas, which stretched way east, and that was very important.” He adds, “I’m happy to sing one of his songs, especially as it represents the returning of light and hope to a seriously dark and broken world.”

The new release coincides with the news that Stevens has signed with Dark Horse Records, a record label founded by Harrison, that is currently operated by his son Dhani and David Zonshine, with a brand new album on the way.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Yusuf/Cat Stevens to the Dark Horse Records family,” Dhani Harrison shares. “Not only is Yusuf a great musical legend but his songs could not fit the Dark Horse mythos any better,” adding, “….Yusuf is without question one of the most influential singer-songwriters of all time, it is a great honor to be able to give his music a home on our humble yet historic label.”

David Bowie’s estate gifts his entire 80,000-object archive to London’s V&A museum

February 23, 2023 by Classic Rock 93.9

If you’re a David Bowie fan, start making plans now to visit London in 2025. The city’s Victoria and Albert museum has acquired the late rocker’s entire archive, in the largest donation of its kind in the museum’s history, reports The Telegraph. Comprising 80,000 objects, the archive is so vast that it’ll take two years to catalog.

Among the items given to the museum from Bowie’s estate include his most famous stage outfits — including his Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane ensembles — as well as handwritten lyrics to songs like “‘Heroes'” and “Ashes to Ashes,” and notebooks filled with ideas for projects that were never realized, such as his fabled musical adaptation of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, which was nixed by Orwell’s widow.

In addition, there are some 70,000 photos, as well as letters, sheet music, awards, album artwork, set designs and instruments, like the synthesizer used by Brian Eno on such Bowie albums as Low, “Heroes” and Lodger, and the Stylophone that was gifted to Bowie by Marc Bolan and used in the recording of “Space Oddity.”

The archive will be housed in the V&A’s new site at East London’s Olympic Park, in The David Bowie Centre for the Study of Performing Arts, set to open in 2025.

The Telegraph quotes a spokesman for the estate as saying, “With David’s life’s work becoming a part of the U.K.’s national collections, he takes his rightful place amongst many other cultural icons and artistic geniuses. We’re so pleased to be working closely with the V&A to continue to commemorate David’s enduring cultural influence.”

The Joe Perry Project announces US tour dates

February 22, 2023 by Classic Rock 93.9

The Joe Perry Project is getting back on the road.

The Aerosmith guitarist’s solo band has announced a spring U.S. tour, running from April 15 in Mashantucket, Connecticut, to April 26 in Los Angeles, California.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit JoePerry.com.

The Joe Perry Project first began after Perry left Aerosmith in 1979, and went on to release three records. When Perry rejoined the “Dream On” outfit in 1984, the JPP went on hiatus and eventually reformed in 2009.

Perry also has touring plans with The Hollywood Vampires, which also features Alice Cooper and actor Johnny Depp. The group launches a European trek in June.

Aerosmith, meanwhile, hasn’t performed live since last year, when they were forced to cancel the remaining dates on their Las Vegas residency due to health issues affecting frontman Steven Tyler.

Watch Paul McCartney mix a Maccarita in honor of National Margarita Day

February 22, 2023 by Classic Rock 93.9

Since February 22 is National Margarita Day, how about celebrating by watching one of the popular cocktails get mixed by a guy you always associate with tequila: Paul McCartney?

Believe or not, the ex-Beatle is apparently famous for his “Maccarita,” his version of a Margarita that’s made with the juice of one orange or two Clementines, various orange liqueurs, lime juice, salt and of course, tequila.

A clip of Paul making his signature cocktail has been posted on his Twitter to mark National Margarita Day: It’s from his daughter’s cooking show Mary McCartney Serves It Up, which streams on Discovery+. And yes, Paul does sing as he’s shaking up the ingredients in a cocktail shaker.

“This is hands down my favorite cocktail in the whole world, and even better when it’s lovingly made by my dad,” says Mary. “Cheers, everyone,” adds Paul.

KISS’ Paul Stanley praises Gene Simmons for being a “team player”: “I respect that very much”

February 22, 2023 by Classic Rock 93.9

Earlier this year, KISS‘ Paul Stanley told ABC Audio that he’s sometimes confused by the things that his bandmate Gene Simmons tells the press. But in a new interview, Stanley says he’s able to look past what he calls Simmons’ “schtick” to see the real person, who he loves and respects.

Speaking to the U.K. publication Louder, Stanley says what he loves about Simmons is his selflessness.

“Gene is a team player, and he loves the band, and wants what’s best for it, even if it’s not always what’s best for him,” says Paul.

“I love Gene’s ability to put his own advantages and possibilities within the band by the side to do whatever is best for the collective,” he adds. “I admire that quality, because it’s you don’t find it that often in people.”

What’s more, Stanley points out, “Underneath all the bravado and all the ‘Gene Simmons’ schtick is a very caring, and very kind and giving person, who takes care of a lot of people, far outside and beyond his family. I respect that very much.”

KISS have a festival date coming up in April in Brazil, and in June, they’ll kick off a European tour which is set to run through July. Meanwhile, the fifth installment in their Off The Soundboard live bootleg series arrives April 7. As previously reported, it documents a November 28, 1984, concert recorded live in Poughkeepsie, NY during the band’s Animalize World Tour.

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