Classic Hits

Jon Bon Jovi revealed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Wednesday that he was witness to a historic recording session in New. York. 

The rocker was talking about his job as the gofer at New York’s Power Station recording studio when he was somewhere between 18 and 20 years old, revealing that he saw two huge stars recording what would become an iconic song. 

“It was literally the biggest recording studio in the world at the time,” Jon said. “One day I looked through the control room door and I watched David Bowie and Freddie Mercury sing ‘Under Pressure.’ I saw them sing that vocal.”

He also shared a funny encounter he had with The Rolling Stones.

“My band was getting out of this cab and literally The Rolling Stones were getting out of a limousine behind us and a paparazzi jumped out the garbage can … start taking pictures of The Stones,” he said. “The guy yelled Mick, Mick, Mick give us a picture with The Stones,” and he grabbed me and my little band and said, ‘This is my band The Frogs.'” 

Jon added, “I would pay anything to get that photograph 45 years later.”

Of course Jon went on to have a pretty successful career in his own right. Bon Jovi‘s new album, FOREVER, drops Friday.

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When KISS played their final show in New York back in December, they introduced the public to their KISS avatars, which got mixed reactions from the public. Well, KISS’ Paul Stanley wants fans to know that the final product will look much different. 

In an interview on The Allison Hagendorf Show, Stanley was asked what fans can expect when the show finally debuts in 2027. He replied, “Not what you saw.”

“It was a double-edged sword because we were showing people the avatars in their infancy,” he says about debuting an early prototype at the concert. “And they look, and will look, nothing like that. They will be mind-bogglingly realistic.”

As for the avatar show itself, Stanley says fans shouldn’t expect it to be a replica of a KISS concert.

“We wanna create something that’s a go-to and a must-see for everybody. KISS fans will love it, but other people who could care less about KISS will wanna see it,” he says. “It’s going to be mind-boggling. It’s KISS and Cirque du Soleil and everything you can imagine on steroids. But it will really cross that bridge of what’s real and what’s not, and combine the two. … It will be incredible.”

He adds, “The idea that we’re gonna simulate a live show, leave that to somebody else. We have no desire to do that. We wanna create KISS, which is something that breaks the rules, not lives within ’em.”

So far KISS has not announced any exact dates for the show.

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Jon Bon Jovi has said he’s not sure when, or if, Bon Jovi will ever tour again, as he’s waiting to fully recover from vocal surgery, but it sounds like he isn’t opposed to fans experiencing Bon Jovi’s music in a whole different way. 

In a new interview with NME, Jon was asked how he felt about the band doing an ABBA-esque avatar show, and he seems open to the idea.

“I’m not opposed to it because to me, it’s a jukebox,” Jon said. “It’s no different than people listening to your music on the radio.” 

In the meantime, Jon says he’s “striving every day to get better” so the band can tour again, but if he never gets back to 100% and it doesn’t happen, he’ll learn to live with it.

“One thing I do know is that when I lay my head on the pillow after the decision has been made, one way or the other, there will be 100 percent confidence in the decision,” he says. “Being in a rock band is never going to feel safe. It’s not a life sentence, it’s a moment in time.” 

Bon Jovi’s new album, FOREVER, drops Friday.

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Taylor Momsen has a new friend to help her get through those two weeks of rabies shots, courtesy of AC/DC.

As previously reported, the Pretty Reckless frontwoman was bitten by a bat during her band’s opening set for the “Back in Black” legends in Spain on May 29. In an update posted to Instagram, Momsen shares that the AC/DC crew sent her a gift after the incident: a bat rubber duck.

“@acdc crew continuing to be the greatest…thanks for the gift I LOVE IT!!!” Momsen writes. “Thanks for all your great work every night.”

The Pretty Reckless has been opening AC/DC’s European tour, which stretches into August.

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Def Leppard is due to kick off their summer stadium tour with Journey in July, and it sounds like fans will be in for quite a treat. 

In a post on Instagram, guitarist Vivian Campbell gave fans an update on how rehearsals are going, and revealed that they will be adding some new songs to the set list this year.

“Just wanna say we’re here in Los Angeles, we’re rehearsing for our big old stadium summer tour 2024,” he shares. “Super excited, got some new songs, actually … couple a songs we’ve never, ever, ever, ever played live before, as well as a bunch of old chestnuts that we haven’t played for a long, long time.” 

He adds, “So, that’s why we need to practice. Just to make sure we don’t suck too bad.” 

“Come catch a show,” he concludes his post. “Look forward to seeing your smiling faces out there.”

The Def Leppard/Journey summer stadium tour, featuring special guests Cheap Trick, Steve Miller Band and Heart, kicks off July 6 in St. Louis, Missouri. A complete list of dates can be found at defleppard.com.

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Deep Purple has given fans another preview of their upcoming album, =1.

The band just dropped the new single “Pictures of You,” along with an accompanying video. The track is the second song released from the record, following “Portable Door.”

“Pictures of You” is available now via digital outlets, and is also available as a four-track bundle featuring previously unreleased live recordings of “When A Blind Man Cries” and “Uncommon Man,” from a 2022 concert in Milan, Italy. The single will also be released on limited-edition CD and 12-inch vinyl starting June 28. Each format will be limited to just 5,000 hand-numbered copies.

=1, Deep Purple’s first album of new material since 2020’s Whoosh!, will be released July 19. It is available for preorder now.

Deep Purple will support the album with the upcoming =1 More Time tour, which kicks off Aug. 14 in Hollywood, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at deeppurple.com. 

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David Lee Roth is sharing his take on an ’80s classic.

The former Van Halen frontman has just released a cover of the Tommy Tutone track “867-5309/Jenny,” although Roth labels his version “Jenny Jenny (That telephone song)...” The release includes a video featuring various Styrofoam heads passing across the screen. 

This is just one of a series of songs Roth has released in recent years. In May, he shared his take on the LL Cool J track “Going Back to Cali.” He’s also released new takes on several Van Halen songs, including “Unchained,” “You Really Got Me,” “Dance The Night Away,” “Panama,” “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love,” “Everybody Wants Some!!” “Jump” and “Atomic Punk.”

Released in November 1981, “867-5309/Jenny” was a top five hit for Tutone, with the track hitting #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

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Cyndi Lauper placed her hands and feet in wet cement outside the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on Tuesday in a ceremony celebrating the “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” singer’s life and career.

“Thank you very much. I’m honored,” Lauper said to a crowd outside the theater. “All those times bowing in front of my shower curtain when I was 9. And here I am,” she said.

“It’s really a surreal moment because I love glamour, and I love Hollywood,” she said before placing her hands and feet (with heels on) into the cement. 

Her recognition was preceded by tributes from Bebe Rexha and Cher. 

“She’s my dear friend, I love her, and she’s a wonderful, wonderful, crazy, crazy person,” Cher said of Lauper.

Lauper recently announced a farewell tour, The Girls Just Want To Have Fun Farewell Tour, which is slated to be her first major tour in 10 years.

Lauper is also celebrating the arrival of Let the Canary Sing, a feature-length documentary that explores her life and career, which premiered June 4 on Paramount+.

Over the weekend, Lauper was honored as a Lifetime Ally Icon at the West Hollywood Pride Parade for her years of activism on behalf of LGBTQ rights, social justice and women’s issues.

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Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello are among the artists contributing to a tribute album in honor of longtime New York City punk fixture Jesse Malin.

The record is titled Silver Patron Saints and will be released Sept. 20. Proceeds will benefit Malin, who suffered a spinal stroke in 2023 that left him paralyzed from the waist down.

“My whole process—since I was 13—is to progress, evolve and challenge myself on each record,” Malin says. “I really hope people in all parts of the world can relate to these songs, just the spectrum of emotions, overcoming by celebrating life through music and art.” 

Others taking part include Green Day‘s Billie Joe Armstrong, Rage Against the Machine‘s Tom Morello, Bleachers, late MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, Spoon, The Wallflowers, Rancid, The Kills‘ Alison Mosshart, The Bangles‘ Susanna Hoffs, Counting Crows, Dinosaur Jr. and The Replacements‘ Tommy Stinson.

Silver Patron Saints is available for preorder now.

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Talking Heads fans are getting another chance to get their hands on the deluxe edition of the Stop Making Sense soundtrack that was released in August to help celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary.

Originally released digitally and as a limited-edition vinyl, Stop Making Sense (Deluxe Edition) features the entire concert for the very first time, including two tracks that didn’t make the original album: “Cities” and “Big Business / I Zimbra.”

The release will be available again starting July 26 on two-LP black vinyl through Rhino.com, and on two-LP crystal clear vinyl at Barnes and Noble, with both featuring a 12-page booklet with liner notes from Talking Heads members David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison.

It will also be available as a two-CD/Blu-Ray set that comes with a Dolby Atmos mix of the complete concert, along with the 28-page booklet that was included in the original deluxe edition release.

All versions are available for preorder now.

Directed by Jonathan Demme, Stop Making Sense is considered by many to be the greatest concert film of all time. It was recorded over three shows at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre in December 1983. In 2021 it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

On Tuesday, all four members of Talking Heads returned to the Pantages Theatre for a screening and a Q&A hosted by Andy Richter. They will reunite again on June 13 for a Q&A at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre, hosted by Questlove.

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