Classic Hits

Over the years Elton John has publicly said numerous nasty things about Madonna. But the two have finally made up — and may even collaborate in the future.

To recap: In 2012 Elton told an interviewer that Madonna looked like a “fairground stripper,” adding, “She’s such a nightmare. Her career is over.” He also accused her of being “horrible” to his friend Lady Gaga. In addition, at an 2004 awards show where Madonna was nominated for best live act, Elton said, “Since when has lip-syncing been live? Anyone who lip-syncs in public on stage when you pay … to see them should be shot.” 

But on Monday Madonna posted a photo of herself and Elton backstage at Saturday Night Live and wrote, “We finally buried the hatchet!” She shared that as a lifelong fan of Elton, it had always “hurt” her to know that “someone I admired so much shared his dislike of me publicly as an artist.” So, she decided to “go backstage and confront him.”

“When I met him, the first thing out of his mouth was, ‘Forgive Me’ and the wall between us fell down,” Madonna said of their SNL meeting. “Forgiveness is a powerful tool. Within minutes. We were hugging. Then he told me had written a song for me and he wanted to collaborate.”

Elton responded in the comments, “Thank you for forgiving me and my big mouth. I’m not proud of what I said. Particularly when I think about all the groundbreaking work you have done as an artist.”

Elton concluded, “Both you and I have wholeheartedly been accepted and embraced by communities who are under threat around the world. By pulling together, I’m hopeful that we can make great things happen for those who really need support. And have a lot of fun doing it!!”

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The upcoming KISS event in Las Vegas just got bigger.

Tommy Thayer, KISS guitarist from 2002 to 2023, will now join Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley at KISS Army Storms Vegas, taking place Nov. 14 to Nov. 16 at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

The event, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of KISS and the 30th anniversary of the first KISS fan convention, will feature a special “unmasked” electric performance from the band, their first performance since their farewell show at New York’s Madison Square Garden in December 2023.

Other new additions to the KISS Army Storms Vegas lineup include Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach, Thayer’s former metal group Black ‘N Blue, and KISS tribute bands Mr. Speed and KISS Nation: The KISS Tribute Show. Former KISS member Bruce Kulick was previously announced for the event, with more guests to be revealed.

Tickets for KISS Army Storms Vegas are on sale now.

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Billy Idol and KISS’ Paul Stanley both appear in a new set of “rock star” commercials for the company Workday.

The latest ads — “Carmen The Rock Star” and “Goodnight Rock Stars” — also feature Gwen Stefani and promote Workday’s AI agents. They are set to debut during The Masters golf tournament, with coverage airing on ESPN and CBS between April 7 and April 13.

“So you corporate types think you’re rock stars?” Idol says in “Carmen The Rock Star.” Stanley, in business attire and full KISS makeup, adds, “That’s as ridiculous as us being corporate types.” Later Stanley is asked what he did over the weekend, and footage is shown of him breaking a guitar onstage before he replies, “The (usual).”

In “Goodnight Rock Stars,” Idol, dressed in slacks and a tie, throws something at a TV screen during a meeting, to which he says, “Sorry, habit.” Stanley has pyro going off as he says goodnight to his co-workers, before adding, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

This isn’t the first time Idol and Stanley have appeared in Workday ads. Both were featured in Workday’s Super Bowl ads, which also starred Ozzy Osbourne and Gary Clark Jr.

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Elton John seems resigned to the fact that he only has partial vision at the moment, due to an infection in his right eye — but he says the thing that bothers him the most about it has to do with his sons, Zachary and Elijah.

“I can’t see the telly! I haven’t been able to see anything since last July,” Elton tells The Times of London. He can see someone sitting in front of him, but, “I can’t see TV, I can’t read. I can’t see my boys playing rugby and soccer.”

“It has been a very stressful time because I’m used to soaking it all up. It’s distressing,” he continues. “You get emotional, but you have to get used to it because I’m lucky to have the life I have. I still have my wonderful family, and I can still see something out of [my left eye]. So you say to yourself, just get on with it.”

He adds, “I am, at 78, feeling better than I have ever been. [Losing my vision] is a bastard but we’ll get over it. There is a lot more to do.”

Indeed, Elton says he’s already got plans for a new project, even though he just released Who Believes In Angels? — his new album with Brandi Carlile — on April 4.

He tells the Times, “I’ve done a new, banging dance tune and I want to do an album of pop songs because pop is so good at the moment with people like Chappell Roan and Charli XCX.” 

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Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Neil Young and Joan Baez are confirmed to appear at an upcoming rally for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

The rally, Fighting Oligarchy: Where Do We Go From Here, is scheduled for April 12 at Los Angeles’ Gloria Molina Grand Park, with New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and singer Maggie Rogers also taking part.

Those interested in attending can sign up for the rally at act.berniesanders.com. Doors open at 9 a.m. PT, with a scheduled start time of 1 p.m. PT.

The announcement of Young’s participation comes just days after he shared on his website that he was worried he’d be barred from returning to the U.S. if he chooses to speak out against President Donald Trump during his upcoming European tour, which kicks off June 18 in Rättvik, Sweden.

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On This Day, April 7, 1978…

The Police released the single “Roxanne,” which was the first single off their forthcoming major label debut, Outlandos d’Amour.

The song, written by Sting, had him singing from the point of view of a man who had fallen in love with a prostitute.

Although the song didn’t initially crack the charts, that changed after its U.S. release in early 1979, with the song peaking at #32 on the Billboard Hot 100. After being re-released in the U.K., it went to #12.

“Roxanne” eventually went on to become a Police classic, and in 2008 it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

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Blondie drummer Clem Burke has passed away at the age of 70. The news was announced on Blondie’s social media accounts, which revealed his passing “following a private battle with cancer.”

“Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie. His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable,” reads the post. “Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”

The post goes on to mention all the iconic musicians Burke has collaborated with over the course of his career, including the Eurythmics, Bob Dylan, Joan Jett, Iggy Pop, the Ramones, the Go-Go’s, The Romantics, Bob Geldof and more.

“His influence and contributions have spanned decades and genres, leaving an indelible mark on every project he was a part of,” the post continues. “His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched.”

The announcement was signed by Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry, guitarist Chris Stein and “the entire Blondie family,” who ended the post with, “As we navigate this profound loss, we ask for privacy during this difficult time. Godspeed, Dr. Burke.”

Burke, born Clement Anthony Bozewski, joined Blondie in 1975, shortly after they formed in New York City, and appeared on all of their records, the last one being 2017’s Pollinator. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Blondie in 2006.

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The upcoming two-part documentary about Billy Joel is set to open the 2025 Tribeca Festival. The world premiere of Billy Joel: And So It Goes will happen on June 4 at New York’s Beacon Theatre.

“For nearly 25 years, the Tribeca Festival has celebrated the artists who give New York its heart and soul, and on the opening night of the 2025 Festival, we are thrilled to honor Billy Joel—an artist who has embodied that very spirit,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Festival and Tribeca Enterprises. “Paying tribute to the legendary performer who captured the essence of a ‘New York State of Mind’ is a perfect way to kick off this
year’s celebration of creativity and inspiration.”

The documentary, named after a song on Joel’s album Storm Front, will debut on HBO this summer, and will also be available to stream on Max. It is described as an “expansive portrait of the life and music” of the Piano Man.

According to HBO, the movie, directed by Susan Lacy, will explore “the love, loss, and personal struggles” that fuel Billy’s songwriting, and will feature “unprecedented access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs.” There will also be “extensive, in-depth one-on-one interviews.”

The Tribeca Festival runs from June 4-15.

This isn’t the first time a Billy Joel project debuted at the Tribeca Festival. His concert documentary, The Last Play at Shea, about the two shows Billy played to close out the Mets’ former home Shea Stadium, premiered at the festival in 2010.

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(NOTE LANGUAGE) Elton John and Brandi Carlile headed toward the finish line of their epic promotional run for their new album Who Believes in Angels? on April 5, as they appeared as the musical guests on Saturday Night Live.

Elton, whose first appearance on SNL came in 1982, hadn’t been on the show since 2011, when he was both the host and musical guest; it was his third appearance overall. It was also Brandi’s third appearance: She was the musical guest in 2021 and 2022.  Backed by the same musicians who played on the new album, including Red Hot Chili Pepper Chad Smith on drums and producer Andrew Watt on guitar, Elton and Brandi performed “Little Richard’s Bible” and the title track.

A 30-minute film called Stories from the Edge of Creation, capturing the making of Who Believes in Angels?, had its premiere at New York City’s 92nd Street Y on April 4, followed by Elton, Brandi, Watt and lyricist Bernie Taupin taking the stage to discuss it. Both the film and conversation are available now on YouTube — with some of the more profane exchanges edited out.

The film shows Elton, Brandi and Watt playing the album for their record label, and as they discuss each track, you see them in the studio creating it. All four artists got a lot of laughs during the Q&A talking about Elton’s many tantrums in the studio, which you get to see on camera: He rips up Brandi’s lyrics, tells people to f*** off and bursts into tears.

“I think I told everyone to f*** off 10 times!” Elton said on Friday. “I was frustrated with my inability to come up with something good.”

“I was tired,” he explained. “I had so much doubt about my ability to come through with what I needed to come through with, and that led to a lot of aggression and bad behavior.” He also revealed he “quit the album two or three times.”

However, Elton concluded, “I wanted energy, and my bad behavior and my angst brought the energy … and [when] I cried, I think it was all the pent-up emotion that I was carrying and the pressure that I was feeling to come up with a decent record, a different record from the ones that I’d been making. And it all worked out brilliantly.”

When Brandi praised Elton for his ability to laugh at himself, he smiled: “When you’re as ridiculous as I am, you have to giggle!”

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It was recently confirmed that Barry Keoghan will be playing Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Ringo Starr in Sam Mendes’ four films about The Beatles and the actor’s Saltburn co-star Richard E. Grant thinks he’ll be great in the role.

Grant was asked about Keoghan’s casting while appearing on the BBC’s The One Show, and he had nothing but praise for the 32-year-old actor.

“He’s an extraordinary actor. He’s unlike anybody else I’ve ever, ever worked with before, so completely untrained, instinctive and brilliant,” said Grant. “I think he’ll be a fantastic Ringo Starr.”

Mendes’ films, titled The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event,  are expected to hit theaters in April 2028. In addition to Keoghan, Harris Dickinson has been cast to play John Lennon, with Paul Mescal playing Paul McCartney and Joseph Quinn playing George Harrison.

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