Classic Hits

(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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There’s a new remix out and it’s so good, so good, so good!

Neil Diamond‘s iconic hit “Sweet Caroline,” heard at sporting events, weddings and Sweet 16s worldwide, has been given its first-ever official remix by DJ duo Two Friends.

Katie Diamond, Neil’s wife and manager, says, “An official dance remix of ‘Sweet Caroline’ has been a long-standing idea and the new Two Friends version both honors the song’s legacy while infusing it with an electrifying new energy.”

Matt Harper and Eli Sones, who make up Two Friends, say in a statement, “When we were given the opportunity to officially remix ‘Sweet Caroline,’ we were beyond humbled. It’s one of those iconic songs that everyone just knows.”

And in case you’re wondering, the man himself approves.

“To hear that a musical legend like Neil Diamond himself listened to our take on the record — and loved it — was unreal,” Matt and Eli continue. “We’re so grateful that he trusted us with his masterpiece and allowed us to put our spin on a timeless classic.”

The song sounds like the original, but with a heavy dance beat, and a couple of major drops after Neil sings “Sweet Caroline,” followed by the “bah-bah-bah” melody.

“Sweet Caroline” was originally released in 1969 and peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Carolina Panthers started playing it at games in 1996 and the tradition spread. It’s now regularly played at a variety of sporting events all over the U.S., as well as in Canada, Mexico and the U.K., but its best-known American use is probably by the Boston Red Sox. In 2013, Diamond himself led the Fenway Park crowd in the song.

Diamond, 84, announced he was retiring from performing in 2018 due to Parkinson’s disease.

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When she was performing in Sydney, Australia, Dua Lipa covered “Never Tear Us Apart” by Aussie rockers INXS, and now she’s paid homage to another local artist, this time in New Zealand.

The pop star was playing the second of two shows at Spark Arena in Auckland on Friday when she decided to cover the Crowded House classic “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” This time she got some help for her cover, bringing out Crowded House frontman Neil Finn, who also penned the tune.

You can watch the duet on the Live Nation TikTok account for New Zealand.

“Don’t Dream It’s Over,” off Crowded House’s 1986 self-titled debut, reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987, eight years before Dua was born.

Dua has been performing songs by local artists throughout her tour Down Under. In addition to the INXS and Crowded House tunes, she covered AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” in Melbourne, Australia, and Lorde’s “Royals” at her first show in Auckland on Wednesday.

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Lenny Kravitz has dropped a new video for the track “Let It Ride,” from his latest album, Blue Electric Light, which was released in May 2024.

The clip, directed by Kravitz, is set in a club that’s mostly bathed in red light, and features lots of beautiful people who slowly let loose and begin dancing to the tune.

Along with the video, Kravitz has released a remix of the track by Welsh DJ Jamie Jones. It is available now via digital outlets. It’s the first in a series of remixes of the song Kravitz plans to release. 

“Let It Ride” is the fifth video Kravitz has released for a song from Blue Electric Light, following “TK421,” “Human,” “Paralyzed” and “Honey.”

Lenny is currently on a European tour that hits Nice, France, on Friday. He’s set to play several festival dates in the U.S. this year, starting with the Beachlife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on May 2. A complete list of dates can be found at LennyKravitz.com.

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Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder has shared another track from his upcoming album, The Vault – Fifty Years of Music, which will be released on May 23.

The latest is the track “Hollywood Victim,” a song he originally wrote in the early ’90s for the Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over tour. According to a press release, the track is a companion to the Eagles classic “Hotel California,” which Felder co-wrote with Don Henley and Glenn Frey. It’s described as “a scathing look at the allure and pitfalls of fame.”

The Vault – Fifty Years of Music, Felder’s fourth studio album, features a collection of newly recorded versions of songs he’s demoed over the past five decades. It features guest appearances by such artists as Toto’s Steve Lukather, David Paich and Greg Phillinganes; Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith; and drummer Gregg Bissonette and his brother, bassist Matt Bissonette.

The Vault – Fifty Years of Music is available for preorder now.

Felder has a few solo shows booked for April and May, with his next gig happening April 17 in Tacoma, Washington. He’s also set to join Styx and REO Speedwagon‘s Kevin Cronin on their upcoming Brotherhood of Rock tour, which kicks off May 28 in Greenville, South Carolina. A complete list of dates can be found at DonFelder.com.

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On This Day, April 4, 1964 …

The Beatles made chart history by holding the top five spots on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously.

The songs in the top five were “Please Please Me” at #5, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” at #4, “She Loves You” at #3, “Twist and Shout” at #2 and “Can’t Buy Me Love” at #1.

The Beatles went on to become one of the most successful acts in the history of the U.S. charts. Over the course of their career, they have had 20 number one hits and 35 top-10 singles.

Their last #1 single was in 1970 with “The Long and Winding Road,” from the Let It Be album. Their last song to chart on the Hot 100 was the 2023 release “Now and Then,” which debuted at #7. It featured vocals John Lennon recorded on a demo in the late ’70s, along with new recordings from Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney, and guitar parts George Harrison recorded in the ’90s during the sessions for the Anthology series.

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The life of The Band‘s Richard Manuel will be celebrated in a new biography due May 28.

Called Richard Manuel: His Life and Music, from the Hawks and Bob Dylan to The Band, the book by Stephen Lewis includes new interviews with Manuel’s musical colleagues, including Eric Clapton and Van Morrison, as well as friends and family, plus commentary on Manuel’s songs and performances.

Born in Stratford, Ontario, Manuel was one of The Band’s three main vocalists, as well as its pianist. He also contributed drums, organ and other instruments to the group’s records. In addition, he wrote or co-wrote a number of The Band’s songs. He died by suicide in 1986.

The book details Manuel’s early beginnings as a musician in Canada and his time in The Hawks — the group that became The Band. Also covered is The Hawks’ stint as Bob Dylan‘s backup band; their later musical collaborations with Dylan — including the Manuel/Dylan co-write “Tears of Rage“; and The Band’s own subsequent success.

The book, announced on The Band’s official Instagram page on April 3, which would have been Manuel’s 82nd birthday, is available for preorder now.

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Elton John‘s new album, Who Believes in Angels?, is a collaborative project with his pal Brandi Carlile, because he says the last thing he wanted to do was make a solo album.

Speaking to Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, Elton says that when his farewell tour was over and he decided to start recording, “I knew that I didn’t want to make the same album again.” He notes, “I wanted the album to move forward, because I’m always trying to look forward. If I had just made another Elton John record, I would’ve killed myself.”

Elton says that’s why he “needed” Brandi for the project, which is due out Friday. “I needed her talent, her energy, her humor, and her brilliant lyrics,” he tells Zane. “I’ve got two of the greatest lyric writers in the world, Bernie Taupin and Brandi Carlile. The lyrics in front of me, if you can’t write great songs for those … that’s my great talent, to be able to interpret those beautiful lyrics quickly. When we got going, it was like, whoosh, like an express train.”

Elton reveals, “I needed her to push me. I needed Bernie to push me. … I was scared. I was very scared. I wanted to make this album, and I knew what I wanted it to sound like, but that’s all very well. You’ve got to actually do it. I had a lot of fear, which is great. But I took it out on other people, which is not so great.”

You’ll be able to see Elton taking it out on other people in Who Believes In Angels? Stories From the Edge of Creation, a short film that documents making the record. It’ll stream on Elton’s YouTube channel starting Saturday, which is also the day Elton and Brandi will appear on Saturday Night Live.  

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Neil Young is giving fans a preview of his upcoming tour documentary, Coastal, which was directed by his wife, Daryl Hannah.

The rocker just shared a short clip from the film, featuring a performance of “When I Hold You in My Arms.” It’s a track that originally appeared on Young’s 2002 album Are You Passionate? and was then later reimagined for his 2023 acoustic album, Before and After.

Coastal follows Young on his 2023 Coastal tour, which marked his return to the stage following the COVID-19 pandemic. It hits theaters for one night only on April 17. Tickets are on sale now.

To coincide with the movie’s theatrical release, Coastal: The Soundtrack will be released on April 18, featuring 11 songs that were recorded in several cities. Young recently released a track from the album, a live performance of the song “Throw Your Hatred Down.” It originally appeared on the 1995 album Mirror Ball, which Young recorded with Pearl Jam.

Coastal: The Soundtrack is available for preorder now.

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