Classic Rock News

The Rolling Stones are set to head out on the road in April on their Hackney Diamonds tour, but ahead of the trek, they are giving fans the taste of a classic show from their past, thanks to a new live release.  

The Rolling Stones Live At The Wiltern features the recording of a rare intimate show during The Stones’ 2002/2003 Licks World Tour. The trek was in support of their 40 Licks compilation album, which celebrated the group’s 40th anniversary. 

The concert took place November 22 at the 2,000+ capacity Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. It featured performances classics “Start Me Up,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Brown Sugar” and “Honky Tonk Women” as well as rarities like “Stray Cat Blues,” “No Expectations” and their cover of “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love,” featuring the song’s co-author Solomon Burke.

The Rolling Stones Live At The Wiltern will be released March 8 in a variety of formats, including a DVD/two-CD set, a Blu-ray/two-CD set and a two-CD set. It will also be released digitally and as a three-LP vinyl set in three variants: black, gold and an Amazon exclusive black and bronze swirl.

Here is the track list for The Rolling Stones Live at the Wiltern:

CD1:
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash”
“Live With Me”
“Neighbours”
“Hand of Fate”
“No Expectations”
“Beast of Burden”
“Stray Cat Blues”
“Dance, Part 1”
“Everybody Needs Somebody To Love” (with Solomon Burke)
“That’s How Strong My Love Is”
“Going To A Go-Go”
“Band Introductions”

CD2:
“Thru And Thru”
“You Don’t Have To Mean It”
“Can’t You Hear Me Knocking”
“Rock Me Baby”
“Bitch”
“Honky Tonk Women”
“Start Me Up”
“Brown Sugar”
“Tumbling Dice”

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Red Hot Chili Peppers are headlining Bonnaroo 2024, taking place June 13-16 in Manchester, Tennessee.

The bill also includes Cage the Elephant, who is playing a show for the first time since frontman Matt Shultz was arrested for and pleaded guilty to gun charges in 2023, Maggie Rogers, Brittany Howard, Interpol, Gary Clark Jr., The Mars Volta, Taking Back Sunday, Grouplove and Milky Chance. Post Malone and producer Fred again.. will headline as well.

Additionally, the annual Bonnaroo SuperJam will be inspired by emo and the music of Dashboard Confessional.

A ticket presale begins Thursday, January 11, at 10 a.m. CT.

For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit Bonnaroo.com.

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On This Day, January 9, 1976…

Queen topped the U.K. singles chart with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” from their #1 album A Night at the Opera. 

The almost six-minute long operatic tune, written by frontman Freddie Mercury, was Queen’s first #1 single, and it spent nine weeks on the top of the chart.

The song was rereleased in 1991 following Mercury’s death and returned to the #1 spot. In 1992, after it was included in the comedy blockbuster Wayne’s World, “Bohemian Rhapsody” returned to the chart again and peaked at #2 in the U.S.

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Along with two new Guns N’ Roses songs, 2023 saw the release of a ’90s throwback featuring Duff McKagan and Slash.

The two jam together on a track called “Hope,” which appears on the GN’R bassist’s new solo album, Lighthouse, which dropped in October. As McKagan tells ABC Audio, he and Slash first recorded the tune together back in 1996.

“Slash came to my house then and was like, ‘You want me to put a guitar on that? I hear something on that song,'” McKagan recalls. “I’m like, ‘Of course!'”

The “Hope” that your hear on Lighthouse includes the same instrumental track from that 1996 jam; the only thing that’s changed is McKagan’s vocals, which he rerecorded for the album. As for why he’s put out “Hope” now nearly 30 years later, McKagan felt that its lyrics resonated with the themes and imagery of Lighthouse. He notes that both the song and the album as a whole relate to “this beacon of hope, this beacon of goodness.”

“I wasn’t trying to get, like, my famous friends on the record,” McKagan shares. “It’s just that what [Slash] plays on it is so cool, and the lyrical content fits the record, and I just think it’s a cool song.”

He adds, “I love anytime I’m doing something with Slash.”

McKagan is supporting Lighthouse with a Jimmy Kimmel Live! performance on Tuesday, January 9. You can tune in to watch at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC.

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Sinéad O’Connor passed away of natural causes, according to the coroner in London.

“This is to confirm that Ms O’Connor died of natural causes,” read a statement released by the spokesperson for the Southwark Coroners Court. “The coroner has therefore ceased their involvement in her death.”

O’Connor passed away July 26, at the age of 56, after being found unresponsive at a home in London. She was laid to rest in Ireland on August 8, following a private ceremony attended by such stars as U2’s Bono and The Edge and Bob Geldof, as well as Irish president Michael D. Higgins.

“The outpouring of grief and appreciation of the life and work of Sinéad O’Connor demonstrates the profound impact which she had on the Irish people,” Higgins said of the singer. “The unique contribution of Sinéad involved the experience of a great vulnerability combined with a superb, exceptional level of creativity that she chose to deliver through her voice, her music and her songs.” 

Sinéad was one of two famed Irish musicians to pass in 2023, the other being The Pogues’ Shane MacGowan, who died November 30, at 65. The music of both artists will be celebrated at a tribute concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on March 20.  Artists confirmed for the concert include David Gray, Cat Power, Glen Hansard, Dropkick Murphys and more. Tickets go on sale Monday, January 22.

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It was 40 years ago today, January 9, that Van Halen released their sixth studio album, 1984, which wound up being their final full-length album will all four original members: Eddie and Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony and frontman David Lee Roth. 

The album featured the notable addition of more keyboards and synthesizers, with the first single, “Jump,” featuring a long synthesizer intro and hook. The song went on to become Van Halen’s only Billboard Hot 100 #1 and earned Van Halen a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.

“Jump” was followed by two top 20 hits, “Panama” and “I’ll Wait.” While the record’s final single, “Hot For Teacher,” failed to reach the top 20, it became a hit with fans thanks to its Roth-directed video, which became a staple on MTV. 

1984 debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 Album chart and went on to become one of Van Halen’s bestselling records. It sold more than 10 million copies and has been certified Diamond by the Recording Industry of America.

A year after 1984’s release, Roth released the solo EP Crazy From The Heat and then officially parted ways with Van Halen in August 1985. Van Halen replaced Roth with Sammy Hagar, and together they released four #1 albums in 11 years.

Roth returned to Van Halen in 2006 for a reunion tour, which was the highest-grossing tour in the band’s history. Then in 2012 they released the comeback album A Different Kind of Truth, which was their only studio album without bassist Michael Anthony.

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The Zombies are returning to the U.S. for new shows in March.

Back in October, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers were forced to cut their Different Game tour short after founding member Rod Argent was hospitalized after suffering migraines, fatigue and exhaustion. But apparently he’s feeling better now because he’s ready to get back out there.

The band just announced two new shows: Annapolis, Maryland, on March 26, and Alexandria, Virginia, on March 27. Alexandria was one of the cities they had to cancel last year. 

Following the two gigs, The Zombies will set sail on the On The Blue Cruise from April 5 to April 10, departing out of Miami. They also have a U.K. tour planned for this spring, kicking off May 11 in Poole, England. A complete list of dates and ticket information can be found at thezombies.com.

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Rocker Ace Frehley has announced some new tour dates for 2024.

The former KISS guitarist will be hitting the road starting January 25 in Frankfort, Kentucky, and he’s just announced new shows in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Illinois.

So far, Frehley has 10 shows on the books for 2024, with dates confirmed through June 28 in Marion, Illinois. A complete list of shows can be found at acefrehley.com.

The new dates come as Frehley is getting ready to release his new solo album, 10,000 Volts, on February 23. The album is Frehley’s first solo release since 2020’s Origins Vol. 2.

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A special David Bowie release has been announced for the next Record Store Day, which is set for Saturday, April 20.

Waiting In The Sky (Before The Starman Came To Earth) features recordings made at Trident Studios in December 1971, featuring an early track list of songs for what would become Bowie’s classic 1972 album, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.

The special release features four songs that didn’t make it on Ziggy Stardust: “Round and Round,” “Amsterdam,” “Holy Holy” and “Velvet Goldmine.” Missing from the album is “Starman,” which was actually one of the last songs recorded for the album.  

The announcement of the new release comes on what would have been Bowie’s 77th birthday, and several artists marked the occasion with tributes to the late rocker, who passed away in 2016.

The band Wilco released a cover of Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” which will be featured on their new Mountain Stage compilation album, Outlaws and Outliers, dropping April 19.

In addition, Blondie shared a tribute to Bowie on Instagram, writing, “‘I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.’ Happy Birthday, David!” Peter Frampton shared, “Happy Birthday David. We miss you dear brother.”

And Bowie’s wife Iman also shared a tribute to her late husband, sharing a picture of the rock star, along with #BowieForever.

Here is the track list for Waiting In The Sky (Before The Starman Came To Earth):

Side 1

“Five Years”
“Soul Love”
“Moonage Daydream”
“Round And Round”
“Amsterdam”

Side 2

“Hang On To Yourself”
“Ziggy Stardust”
“Velvet Goldmine”
“Holy Holy”
“Star”
“Lady Stardust”

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Stevie Nicks is set to headline the 2024 BottleRock Napa Valley festival, taking place May 24-26 in Napa, California.

The festival’s other headliners include Pearl Jam and Ed Sheeran, with the lineup featuring such artists as Norah Jones, Tower of Power, Queens of the Stone Age and more.

Tickets for the festival go on sale January 9 at BottleRockNapaValley.com.

The festival is one of several shows Stevie has planned for 2024. Her next concert is happening February 10 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. A complete list of dates can be found at stevienicksofficial.com.

In other Stevie news … Daisy Jones & the Six star Sam Claflin recently opened up about Stevie giving the show her stamp of approval.

On the Golden Globes red carpet, Claflin, who was nominated for his role as Billy Dunne in the show, told E! News, “Stevie Nicks reached out personally, which to me is [like] I’ve won already. I don’t care about winning tonight. I feel like that recognition, to me, means the world.”

The Prime Video miniseries is about the relationship drama within a fictional ’70s rock band that seems to have been inspired by Stevie’s band, Fleetwood Mac. 

Claflin told E! that Stevie wrote him a note saying his performance was “heartbreaking.”

“She sent me a bunch of flowers. I arrived to L.A. with this note. That to me is everything. So I feel very smug right now, very, very blessed,” he said.

Last August, Stevie took to Instagram to declare her love for the series, writing, “It brought back memories that made me feel like a ghost watching my own story. It was very emotional for me.”

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