Classic Hits

Jethro Tull wants to help fans get into the holiday spirit this year.

The band just announced they’ll be reissuing their 2003 holiday album, The Jethro Tull Christmas Album – Fresh Snow at Christmas, on Dec. 6, featuring a new remix of the album, along with 40 minutes of previously unreleased recordings.

It is being released as a limited-edition four-CD + Blu-ray set, which includes the new mix, as well as the original mix, along with live recordings from two charity concerts at London’s St. Bride’s church to benefit the homeless: Christmas Live at St. Bride’s 2008 and a previously unreleased recording, The Ian Anderson Band Live At St. Brides 2006.

The Blu-ray will feature Dolby Atmos 5.1 mixes of the album, as well as high resolution audio mixes of the two live albums.

The remixed version of the album will also be released as a two-LP vinyl set, the very first time it’s been available on vinyl.

All formats are available for preorder now.

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Tears for Fears have released the new song “Astronaut,” one of four new studio tracks that will appear on their upcoming live album, Songs For a Nervous Planet, due out Oct. 25.

This tune, the second new track they’ve released from the album following “The Girl That I Call Home,” is available now via digital outlets.

“‘Astronaut’ started out during the sessions for The Tipping Point,” Tears for Fears’ Curt Smith shares. “I had forgotten how good of a song it was as it gives you a sense of release.” He adds, “Emotionally it’s about this guy who doesn’t feel he belongs here and wants to be an astronaut floating out into space … a lot of people identify with the emotion of that song, that sense of alienation.”

In addition to the new songs, Songs For a Nervous Plant features live versions of hits like “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Sowing the Seeds of Love,” “Mad World,” “Shout” and “Head Over Heels.”

The band has also released a live video for “Head Over Heels,” taken from their upcoming film, Tears For Fears Live (A Tipping Point Film), which will be shown in theaters Oct. 24 and Oct. 26.

The concert film was shot in Franklin, Tennessee, during the band’s Tipping Point Tour Part 2. Tickets for the movie are on sale now.

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he new charity album Better Than Jail is out now, featuring covers of iconic prison songs from Bonnie Raitt, Steve Earle, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, Lukas Nelson, Margo Price and more.

Bonnie contributed a cover of “Prison Bound Blues,” written by Leroy Carr, which is now available via digital outlets, and she says she’s proud to be a part of it.

“I’m so proud to have joined in with so many illustrious artists in creating this very special album in support of rural prison reform,” Bonnie shares on Instagram. “Overlooked for far too long, this issue cuts across all cultural and political divides and deserves all our focused attention to finally bring about some swift and meaningful action.”

She adds, “Better Than Jail is one of the most inspired and heartfelt albums I’ve been blessed to be a part of and I hope it sets a fire in hearts far and wide to join in our efforts.”

Better Than Jail is aimed at raising awareness and support for improving our criminal justice system, with proceeds benefiting two organizations, Equal Justice USA and Free Hearts.

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Paul Simon is looking to get back out on the stage.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer previously said that his hearing loss had prevented him from performing. But in March he shared that his hearing has improved, enabling him to play some short acoustic shows, including a charity concert in New York in September.

And now he’s giving fans some hope of even bigger shows in the future.

“I’m hoping to eventually be able to do a full-length concert,” he told The Guardian. “I’m optimistic. Six months ago I was pessimistic.” 

Simon went on what he said would be his last tour back in 2018, but apparently he never meant for it to be the end of his live performing. 

“I never said I was going to retire,” he shared. “I said I was going to stop, which I did.”

“I thought that with that band and the repertoire we were doing we’d developed it as far as we could. It was enjoyable, but I wanted to find out what happens when you stop,” he added. “Then I had a dream, and everything changed back to a new version of reality.”

That dream led to his most recent album, Seven Psalms, released in 2023. Simon says he’s already working on new music, including two new songs that have already been written. One of them is a duet he wrote with wife Edie Brickell, which he says “is different from anything I’ve written.”

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Billy Idol has been eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since 2007, but so far hasn’t even been nominated for induction. Well, rocker Ozzy Osbourne doesn’t think that’s right.

Ozzy is set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for a second time on Oct. 19. He was inducted in 2006 as a member of Black Sabbath and now he’s getting in as a solo artist.

Idol and his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens are just two of the acts set celebrate Ozzy at the Hall of Fame induction, and Ozzy tells Rolling Stone he thinks Idol deserves to be in the Rock Hall, as well.

“Billy Idol is a rock icon,” Osbourne shares. “His music is timeless. Billy Idol should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Folks can certainly argue that Idol has a big enough rock resume to get him in, thanks to his huge success in the ’80s. His 1982 self-titled debut album went Gold thanks to songs like “Dancing with Myself” and “White Wedding,” while the follow-up, Rebel Yell, peaked at #6 on the Billboard Album chart and has been certified double Platinum, with hits like the title track, “Eyes Without A Face” and “Flesh for Fantasy.” 

Idol previously told Spin that he’d love to get into the Rock Hall.

“It would be incredible,” he said. “It’s a big thank you to the fans in lots of ways. They really believed and hung in through thick and thin.”

The 2024 induction ceremony, taking place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, will stream live on Disney+ Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. ET. On Jan. 1, ABC will air the special 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, featuring performance highlights. 

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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KISS‘ Gene Simmons is set to be a guest judge on the next episode of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, People reports.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will share his thoughts on the dancers during Tuesday’s hair metal-themed episode. 

KISS’ hit tune “Rock and Roll All Nite” will soundtrack the show’s opening number, with all the pros performing a dance choreographed by Pasha Pashkov. The performance will also feature an appearance by Whitesnake guitarist Joel Hoekstra.

As for what the show constitutes as hair metal, the night will include dances to songs like Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” and “You Give Love A Bad Name,” Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way,” Warrant’s “Cherry Pie,” Europe’s “The Final Countdown,” Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” Quiet Riot‘s “Cum On Feel The Noise,” Poison’s “Nothin’ But A Good Time,” Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” and Scorpions‘ “Rock You Like A Hurricane.”

Dancing with the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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Elvis Costello is sharing another preview of his upcoming box set, King Of America and Other Realms, which is due out Nov. 1.

The latest is a previously unreleased live performance of the Waylon Jennings tune “Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line,” recorded in 1987 at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

The entire Royal Albert Hall concert is one of six CDs that make up the super deluxe edition of the King Of America and Other Realms box set. It also includes a remastered version of his 1986 album King of America and three discs of collaborations, demos, outtakes and live recordings, taken from albums Costello recorded in America and released between 1989 and 2018.

Some of those songs include a first draft version of the album’s single, “Brilliant Mistake,” and collaborations with Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash and the late Kris Kristofferson.

In addition to the six-CD set, King Of America and Other Realms will be released as a double CD, featuring the new remaster of the album and highlights of the box set. The new remaster will also be available on 140-gram black vinyl and limited-edition 140-gram gold nugget-colored vinyl.

All formats are available for preorder now.

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On This Day, Oct. 4, 1980 …

Queen scored their second #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Another One Bites the Dust,” which appeared on their eighth studio album, The Game.

The track, penned by bassist John Deacon, spent 31 weeks on the chart and a total of 15 weeks in the top 10, which made it the longest running top 10 song of the 1980s.

The song also earned the band a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group and won Favorite Pop/Rock Single at the 1981 American Music Awards.

“Another One Bites The Dust” has also been used to help in medical training for CPR, as the beat corresponds to the correct number of chest compressions per minute to use when administering it.

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The Moody Blues’ Justin Hayward is set to host the upcoming On The Blue Cruise, featuring performances by more than 25 artists. 

In addition to Hayward, the 2025 cruise, dubbed Forever Autumn, will feature Alan Parsons, Traffic‘s Dave Mason, The Zombies’ Colin Blunstone, Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, Ambrosia, Al Stewart, Leonid & Friends (the music of Chicago) and more.

The 2025 On The Blue Cruise is happening Aug. 22-29 on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Gem, departing out of Boston and hitting four ports: Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; Saint John, New Brunswick; and Portland, Maine.

Reservations for the cruise are now open. More info can be found at onthebluecruise.com.

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Another artist has been added to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebration of Foreigner.

Vocal powerhouse Kelly Clarkson is set to perform during the upcoming induction ceremony, joining Sammy Hagar, Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Demi Lovato as they celebrate the band known for such hits as “I Want To Know What Love Is,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Juke Box Hero” and more. 

Foreigner is expected to perform at the induction, as well.

The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, taking place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, will stream live on Disney+ Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. ET and will be available to rewatch following the ceremony. On Jan. 1, ABC will air the special 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, featuring performance highlights. It’ll be available the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.