Classic Rock News

The Sex Pistols‘ original bassist, Glen Matlock, has performed with various artists over the years, including touring with Iggy Pop in the ’70s. In a new interview with the UK Times, he reveals there was one major downside to touring with Iggy.

Seems Iggy liked to flash the crowd, and Matlock pretty much had enough of it.

“The problem with flashing your willy on stage is that you have to get ready to flash your willy on stage,” he shares. “And he always did it in front of me. I got a bit fed up with seeing it, to be honest.” 

He added, “It’s not that impressive.”

Matlock also reveals he wasn’t a big fan of Pistol, Danny Boyle’s 2022 miniseries about the Sex Pistols, noting, “I was highly disappointed. John (Lydon) tried to stop it, I think because it was based on Steve’s (Jones) book and not his, and its portrayal of my leaving the band was totally not true.”

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The Beach Boys are the latest artists getting a special salute by the Recording Academy, and now we know who’s on board to celebrate them. 

A Grammy Salute to The Beach Boys is set to happen February 8 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with a lineup of performers that includes Michael McDonald, Brandi Carlile, Beck, Fall Out Boy, Norah Jones, John Legend, Pentatonix and Weezer.

The celebration is set to take place three days after the Grammy Awards and will be recorded for a special to air on CBS later in the year. 

Last year, Paul Simon was the subject of the annual Grammy Salute, with the special airing last December. It featured performances by Dave Matthews, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, The Bangles and Garth Brooks.

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Elton John’s songwriting partner Bernie Taupin is ready to tell his story. The songwriter just announced he’s releasing his memoir, Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton & Me, on September 12.

“I loved writing, I loved chronicling life and every moment I was cogent, sober, or blitzed,” Bernie shared. “I was forever feeding off my surroundings, making copious notes as ammunition for future compositions.” He added, “The thing is good, bad, or indifferent I never stopped writing, it was as addictive as any drug.”

According to Hachette Books, which is publishing the memoir, Taupin’s story will be told “in a non-linear yet grounded narrative,” noting it “allows the reader to witness events unfolding from Taupin’s singular perspective, sometimes front and center, sometimes from the edge, yet always described vibrantly, with an infectious energy that only a vivid songwriter’s prose could offer.”

The book is available for preorder now.

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Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott appears on a new version of Ghost‘s “Spillways,” a track from the Swedish rockers’ 2022 album, Impera.

While some may be shocked by the pairing, it turns out Elliott is a big fan of the band, telling Planet Rock he was introduced to the group by Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen. And after he found out that Ghost frontman Tobias Forge was a Def Leppard fan, “we both put two and two together and realized it kind of made five!”

“I’ve been saying out loud for a long time now how much I love the Impera album, and how much I really love the song ‘Spillways’ so when Tobias got in touch and asked me if I wanted to have a crack at it, I said ‘yeah I can do that!’” Elliott shares. “It was all quite organic. It (‘Spillways’) wasn’t broken, it didn’t need fixing, I just sang it as it is, and I think we sound pretty good together.”

Ghost announced the collaboration with an episode of their ongoing YouTube series, which finds Elliott in a Dublin pub about to perform his karaoke take on “Spillways” when he’s suddenly overcome by a demonic force. 

“The video was shot in my local [pub], it was co-directed by Tobias and that was a lot of fun too,” Elliott says. “It was good to actually meet in person and trade stories, ideas and a few scoops!”

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The latest Funko Pop! sees, hears and speaks no evil.

The toy company is releasing a new figurine inspired by Megadeth‘s Vic Rattlehead mascot. The plastic recreation stands over 3 inches tall and was inspired by the cover of Megadeth’s 1990 album, Rust in Peace.

You can preorder yours now via HotTopic.com.

Megadeth released a new album, The Sick, the Dying…and the Dead!, last September. The record is accompanied by a continuing video series, which tells the Vic Rattlehead origin story.

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Rick Wakeman has booked some U.S. shows for this spring. The Yes keyboardist just announced dates for his latest tour, An Evening with Rick Wakeman: His Music and Stories. 

The trek promises that Wakeman will be performing songs spanning his more than 50-year career, including tracks from Yes and his solo work. He’s also planning to perform songs from his days as a session player working with artists like David Bowie, as well as various covers.

“It’s always so enjoyable playing in America,” Wakeman shares. “At every show, I see old friends and hopefully, make new ones.”

The tour is set to kick off March 15 in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, with dates confirmed through April 9 in Derry, New Hampshire; more are expected to be announced. Tickets for most shows go on sale February 3 at rwcc.com.

The tour announcement follows the news of Wakeman’s upcoming concept album, A Gallery of the Imagination, which will be released February 24.

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The death of David Crosby last week has sparked renewed interest in his work, including his first-ever live album, David Crosby & The Lighthouse Band Live at the Capitol Theatre, which was released in December.

The vinyl release has now sold out, with BMG announcing that it is working on a repressing to make more available. 

The album, recorded in December 2018 at the Port Chester, New York, theater, reached number three on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter Chart and made it to 51 on the overall Albums chart. 

In discussing the show that’s featured on the album, Crosby told Relix in what turned out to be one of his final interviews, “We were feeling very confident. The tour had been a success, this was the last show and we’d sold it out.” He added, “Everything had been building toward what ended up being one of those magical nights.”

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An award-winning documentary about the legendary rock band The Doors is set to get its network television premiere next week. When You’re Strange, narrated by actor Johnny Depp, will debut on AXS TV February 1 at 9 p.m. ET.

The film, originally released in 2009, delves into the history and impact of the hugely successful rock quartet made up of singer Jim Morrison, drummer John Densmore, guitarist Robby Krieger and keyboardist Ray Manzarek.

When You’re Strange, which was nominated for an Emmy and won a Grammy for Best Long Form Video, features historic and previously unseen footage of the band, including clips of rehearsals, and TV and concert performances. It also includes restored and remastered material from Morrison’s 1969 short film HWY: An American Pastoral.

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A new book about Asia co-founder, singer and bassist John Wetton is in the works. John Wetton: An Extraordinary Life is being put together by his family and management, with input from over 70 people who were close to or worked with him.

The book will follow Wetton, who died in 2017, from the early days of his life through his work with bands like Family, King Crimson, Uriah Heep and Asia. It will feature contributions from Wetton’s fellow musicians, like Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Robert Fripp and Carl Palmer, with his Asia bandmate Geoff Downes writing the book’s preface. 

Downes shares, “[Wetton] had a love for fast cars, fine food, coffee, the Rams (that’s Derby County for non-football followers), films, books, crosswords, current affairs, sport, languages, classical music – anything that would stimulate his mind that he could use to great effect in his music and lyrics.”

In addition to stories about Wetton’s friendships, problems and triumphs, the book will be filled with personal photos of him at home and at work.

So far John Wetton: An Extraordinary Life does not have a release date, but the book is now available for preorder at Johnwettonbook.com.

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Guitarist Anthony “Top” Topham, a founding member of The Yardbirds, passed away Monday after a battle with dementia. He was 75.

Topham, who adopted the name Sanderson Rasjid after joining the Subud spiritual movement, was the first guitarist for The Yardbirds, which he formed with his childhood friend Chris Dreja, singer Keith Relf, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith and drummer Jim McCarty.

“Sanderson Rasjid, born Anthony ‘Top’ Topham, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 23 surrounded by his family,” read a statement from his rep, according to The Sun. “Born in London on July 3 1947, he was 75 years old and had been fighting dementia in his final years.” 

Topham left the group before they hit it big and was replaced by Eric Clapton. When Clapton left he was replaced by Jimmy Page, who was later replaced by Jeff Beck. Topham’s death comes just two weeks after Beck’s passing at age 78.

After leaving The Yardbirds, Topham went on to form bands with his friend Duster Bennett and worked as a session musician for such artists as Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie, the band’s founder Peter Green and others.

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