Classic Hits

Bob Dylan recently announced a U.K./European leg to his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour and Blur frontman Damon Albarn has some issues with it.

Seems Dylan requires all concert attendees to lock up their phones in a Yondr pouch that can only be opened when they leave the building — and Albarn doesn’t think it’s right.

“If you start banning things where does it end? I think you’ve just got to turn up and do your thing,” Albarn told BBC Breakfast. “People won’t want to be on their phone if you’re engaging with them correctly.”

Music fans recording and taking pictures on their phones is pretty commonplace at live shows these days and Dylan isn’t the only artist who has required fans to be phone free. The White Stripes‘ Jack White and comedian Dave Chappelle have also used Yondr pouches at their live shows. 

The European/U.K. Rough and Rowdy Ways tour kicks off with a three-night stand in Prague Oct. 4-6 and wraps with a three-night stand at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall Nov. 12-14. Tickets are on sale now.

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Blondie has announced the cancelation of their upcoming tour dates, although they did not offer up a reason why.  

“We are saddened to announce the cancellation of several upcoming Blondie concert dates during August and September,” the band shares on Instagram. “This was a hard decision to make, and we understand how disappointing this news is for everyone. We will keep you further informed as soon as possible.”

They add, “Your support means the world to us, and we are grateful for your understanding,” noting that fans will be issued refunds for their tickets.

Blondie only had a handful of shows on the books for the rest of the year, including August concerts in Carnation, Washington, and Troutdale, Oregon, as well as a spot at the Evolution Festival in St. Louis on Sept. 28.

Ticket holders are being told to contact their point of purchase for refund information.

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Guess we can now call him Billionaire Boss. Forbes is reporting that Bruce Springsteen is now officially a billionaire. 

According to the mag, the 74-year-old Springsteen’s net worth is estimated to be around $1.1 billion, with Forbes noting that a good portion of that money is coming from ticket sales: Springsteen’s 2023 world tour with the E Street Band brought in about $380 million in revenue from 1.6 million tickets sold.

Some of that money can also be attributed to his 2021 catalog sale to Sony, which was reportedly worth between $500 million and $550 million.

And there’s certainly more to come for Springsteen. His current tour has dates booked until mid-2025, with new U.S. dates launching in August. Plus, Deliver Me From Nowhere, a movie about the making of his album Nebraska, is currently in the works, with Jeremy Allen White starring as The Boss. 

Speaking of that tour, Springsteen and the E Street Band are set to play Bergen, Norway, on Sunday. A complete list of dates can be found at brucespringsteen.net.

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U2 has released the next installment in their digital series, U2 to Love and Only Love – Deep Dives and B-Sides. The latest, “Beautiful Day,” is named after the Grammy-winning lead single from their 10th studio album, All That You Can’t Leave Behind.

U2 to Love and Only Love – Deep Dives and B-Sides will consist of 12 newly remastered collections, released throughout the year, which are made up of songs that until now were only available on vinyl, CD or cassette. 

“Beautiful Day” is the eighth installment in the series and features nine songs, including a remastered edition of the track and three remixes. There’s also remastered versions of “Always,” which was the “Beautiful Day” B-side, and an early version of the song, as well as “Summer Rain,” a B-side from U2: The Best Of 1990-2000 & B-Sides.

Plus there are three live tracks from a concert in Mexico City: “Discothèque,” “If You Wear That Velvet Dress” and “Last Night on Earth.”

The playlist is now streaming on most digital outlets.

And to coincide with the release, U2 is selling a limited-edition 2024 reissue of a “Beautiful Day” T-shirt. It is available for preorder now, with shirts shipping in August.

U2 launched U2 to Love and Only Love – Deep Dives and B-Sides in April and so far released collections dedicated to “Discothèque,” “Staring at the Sun,” “Last Night on Earth,” “If God Will Send His Angels,” “Please,” “Mofo” and “Sweetest Thing.”

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Future Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Peter Frampton has paid tribute to comedy and TV legend Bob Newhart, who passed away at the age of 94.

Frampton shared a photo of him, Newhart and Bill Murray on Instagram, writing, “Heart broken to hear. I’ve known Bob since the 70s and he was a charmer. Yes, he made us all belly laugh with his many years of incredibly bright and unique sense of humour.”

Frampton continued, “I will miss our lunches. If I was paying it was The Four Seasons. If he was it wasn’t the Four Seasons! Forever the accountant but one of the most modest down to earth people I have known and called a friend. I will miss you Bob (heart emoji) rip.”

According to Newhart’s publicist, he died at his home in Los Angeles “after a series of short illnesses.”

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Steely Dan appears to be to calling out Donald Trump and the Republican National Convention for using their music. 

The Donald Fagen led band posted a message on their website to Sixwire, the house band at this weeks’ convention in Milwaukee, who played a series of classic rock covers, including Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years.”

In the post they noted, “If you want to play our music how about playing The Man in the TIN FOIL HAT?”

“Tin Foil Hat” is an anti-Trump song released by Todd Rundgren in 2017 that features Fagen singing. He also co-wrote the tune. The accompanying video for the track appears to mock Trump, Fox News and Trump’s associates.

This isn’t the first time a band has been upset that one of their songs has been associated with the Trump campaign. Neil Young sued Trump’s campaign for using his songs at rallies. Plus, the estates of Isaac Hayes and Tom Petty‘s have called out Trump for using the artists’ music without permission.

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Deep Purple‘s new studio album, =1 (equals one), is out now and longtime bassist Roger Glover tells ABC Audio the inspiration for the album’s title came from the “strange mind” of lead singer Ian Gillan.

Glover said Gillan once questioned how big of an equation someone could come up with where the answer would equal one, then had a mathematician friend come up with an example.

“And he showed it to me and I said, ‘You know, that could be a title,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I think so, too,’” Glover shares. Gillan then wondered if the equation itself should be the title, but Glover notes, “I said no, just ‘equals one.’” 

Deep Purple is now made up of Glover, Gillan, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Don Airey and guitarist Simon McBride. Glover says the title’s perfect for a band that he describes as having “a long soap opera history” with so many lineup changes, because despite it all, “we’re still one band.”

The album features singles like “Portable Door,” “Pictures of You” and “Lazy Sod,” which Glover says they didn’t actually write in the traditional sense. 

“Songs evolve rather than are written,” he says of the band’s process. “And it starts with a sort of jam session for a week or so. We just have fun, play this and play that, and then pick out the ones that are most promising.”

Glover has been with Deep Purple on and off since 1969, and more than 50 years later he can’t believe he and his bandmates are still making music together.

“I’m totally amazed. Every day,” he says. “I can’t believe that I’ve had a history that I’ve had with this band,” adding, “There’s a destiny that we will survive … well, at least for a bit more.”

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Music fans are getting their first look at an upcoming documentary about Jimi Hendrix’s famed music studio, Electric Lady Studios.

A trailer for the film, Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision, directed by John McDermott, has just been released, featuring archival footage and photos showing the building of the studio, Hendrix performing and more.

The film is filled with previously unseen footage and photos, and includes interviews from recording engineer Eddie Kramer, Experience bassist Billy Cox, original Electric Lady staff members and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Steve Winwood, who took part in Hendrix’s first session at the studio. 

Opened in 1970, Electric Lady Studios was the first commercial studio owned by an artist. It was constructed specifically for Hendrix, who died just weeks after its opening. The studio went on to be a go-to spot for musicians, with artists such as John Lennon, David Bowie, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and more recording there.

Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision will open in New York City on Aug. 9, with a wider release to follow.

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Genesis fans will soon be able to stock their vinyl collection.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band will be reissuing 13 of their albums on 180g vinyl, all mixed and remastered by producer Nick Davis.

The reissue campaign begins Aug. 23 with 1972’s Foxtrot, 1974’s The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, which was Peter Gabriel’s last album with the band, 1980’s Duke, 1981’s Abacab and 1983’s Genesis. The second set, dropping on Sept. 6, will include 1971’s Nursery Cryme, 1973’s Selling England By The Pound, 1976’s Wind & Wuthering and 1991’s We Can’t Dance.

The final three reissues will drop on Sept. 27, made up of 1976’s A Trick Of The Tail, their first album with Phil Collins as vocalist, 1978’s …And Then There Were Three…, their first as a trio following Steve Hackett‘s departure, and 1986’s multi-Platinum hit Invisible Touch, which includes their first and only #1, the album’s title track.

All 13 vinyl albums are available for preorder now.

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New music from Rush doesn’t seem likely to happen, but the band’s fans will soon get another chance to enjoy the first-ever solo albums from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group’s surviving members, Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee. The solo albums, Lifeson’s Victor and Lee’s My Favourite Headache, are set to be re-released on Aug 9. 

Lifeson’s Victor, which came out in January 1996, features guest appearances by Primus‘ Les Claypool, Edwin from I Mother Earth and more. It will be released digitally and on CD, and will also be getting its first-ever vinyl release, completely remixed by Lifeson. The vinyl edition includes four instrumental tracks that fans could previously only get on the rocker’s website.

There will even be a special limited-edition two-LP ruby translucent vinyl, limited to 1,000 copies, featuring an autographed lithograph by Lifeson. It is available only as a Rush Backstage exclusive.

Lee’s My Favourite Headache, originally released in November 2000, features guest appearances by Soundgarden/Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron and Our Lady Peace‘s Jeremy Taggart. It will also be released on CD, as well as on two-LP blue/green vinyl, marking the first time it’s been available on vinyl since a 2019 limited-edition Record Store Day release. The vinyl edition also includes two instrumental tracks. 

Both Victor and My Favourite Headache are available for preorder now.

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