Classic Hits

Sammy Hagar is getting ready to kick off his The Best of All World tour, and he’s giving fans a sneak peek at what to expect.

The rocker has been sharing clips of rehearsals on Instagram, including one with him and the band – Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani and drummer Jason Bonham – performing the Van Halen track “Poundcake” from the album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. And for those who don’t think Satriani can fill the late Eddie Van Halen‘s shoes, the clip ends with a taste of an epic Satriani guitar solo.

In another clip, Sammy gives fans a look at Bonham’s drum kit, which the drummer says features “a surprise,” to which Sammy exclaims, “I love surprises.”

Sammy then added a clip of the band performing the OU812 track “When It’s Love,” sharing, “Last night’s ending of rehearsal felt like the beginning of something great,” adding a variety of hashtags, including #10days, #enjoyingrehearsals and #Cantwaitforthistour.

Hagar’s The Best of All World tour, which will have him performing Van Halen classics along with solo tunes and tracks from his other bands, The Circle and Chickenfoot, kicks off July 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at redrocker.com.

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Pink Floyd fans who are holding out hope for a reunion are bound to be disappointed.

In a new interview with Reuters, Roger Waters was asked if there was any chance of him performing with his former Pink Floyd bandmates Nick Mason and David Gilmour again. He replied, “No, whatever for?” He added that “it’s not in me.”

Waters says he doesn’t “regret” their last reunion in 2005 at Live 8 in London, particularly because keyboardist Rick Wright was still alive at the time.

“We played reasonably well and the people liked it,” he said. “And so I’m really, really glad. Do I want to do anything like (it)? No, I don’t, particularly as there’s only three of us left alive.”

Waters insists his feelings about a reunion have “nothing to do with any rancor or anything.” Referring to his public spats with Gilmour, he notes, “David and I are very, very different people and that’s okay.”

Besides, Roger says he’s “busy doing other things,” including working on a new album, The Bar, and a memoir. He adds, “I’m a busy chap.”

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Deep Purple has shared another new single from their upcoming album, =1.

The latest is the track “Lazy Sod,” the third song they’ve released from the album, following “Pictures of You” and “Portable Door.” 

You can listen to “Lazy Sod” now via digital outlets.

=1, Deep Purple’s first album of new material since 2020’s Whoosh!, will be released July 19. According to the press release, the title “symbolizes the idea that in a world growing ever more complex, everything eventually simplifies down to a single, unified essence. Everything equals one.”  

It is available for preorder now. 

Deep Purple, currently made up of frontman Ian Gillan, bassist Roger Glover, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Don Airey and guitarist Simon McBride, will kick off their North American =1 More Time tour on Aug. 14 in Hollywood, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at deeppurple.com.

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On This Day, July 3, 1971 …

The Doors frontman Jim Morrison was found dead in a bathtub in his apartment in Paris, France. He was discovered by his girlfriend, Pam Courson.

Morrison was 27 at the time of his death, with the official cause of death listed as heart failure, although there have been conspiracy theories surrounding his death for years.

He was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, where both Oscar Wilde and Édith Piaf are buried. The location has since become a tourist attraction. 

Morrison co-founded The Doors with Ray Manzarek in July 1965. Drummer John Densmore joined in August of that year, followed by guitarist Robby Krieger.

The band released their self-titled debut in January 1967, containing future classics “Light My Fire” and “Break On Through (To The Other Side).” “Light My Fire” has since been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, with the album chosen by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2015. 

The Doors went on to sell over 34 million records worldwide and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

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Sheila E is one of the many performers booked for the annual PBS special A Capitol Fourth, and she’s looking forward to celebrating our nation’s independence in Washington, D.C., for the first time.

“I think just the celebration in itself is pretty exciting for our first time being here [in D.C.],” she tells ABC Audio. “And I love that this is something new for me and my band.”

Sheila says fans can expect her to play a medley of tunes, which will include her hit “The Glamorous Life.”

“I have to play that. I think that’s what people want to hear,” she says. “We have a short window to present to the people some exciting music and I think they’ll enjoy it. They’ll definitely dance.”

Being in D.C. means Sheila won’t be spending July Fourth with her family, sharing that her typical Independence Day includes a barbecue, with her mom making her special potato salad, which Sheila says “is the best ever.”

She says, “Traditionally we’re outside and barbecuing and playing games, and just having fun with the family and some friends.” 

A Capitol Fourth, America’s longest-running live national Fourth of July TV tradition, will air Thursday at 8 p.m. ET and will feature a telecast of the fireworks live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Other performers include Smokey Robinson, Sister Sledge featuring Slegendary, Fantasia, Darren Criss, Fitz and Noelle from Fitz and The Tantrums, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

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Guitarist Mike Campbell is currently out on the road with his band The Dirty Knobs, and fans who come to see them can expect him to revisit his days with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Campbell tells ABC Audio that now that he’s recorded three albums with The Dirty Knobs, including their recent release, Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits, the set list is mostly filled with that material, but he also includes three or four Petty songs each night.

“I like doing those songs now and it’s always good for the audience, too,” he shares, “and I feel close to Tom when we do them … it’s a spiritual thing.”

Campbell says he feels “very comfortable” singing the tunes he recorded with Petty, because nobody knows them better. 

“I know there’s a lot better singers than me out there, but if it’s a song that Tom and I wrote together, I understand how it’s supposed to sound and how it’s supposed to be delivered, the personality of it, maybe more than somebody who’s a proper singer,” he shares. “I know how to present the songs the way they’re supposed to feel.” 

And while Petty may no longer be with us, Campbell knows that by continuing to perform his music he’s keeping the legacy alive for fans. 

“You know, songs are magical and a good song will live, you know, and bad songs will just fade away,” he says. “And I think we’ve got a lot of good material that will last a long time.”

Mike Campbell and The Dirty Knobs’ tour hits Des Moines, Iowa, on July 3, with dates confirmed through Aug. 16. A complete schedule can be found at thedirtyknobs.com.

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Devon Allman is back with new music.

The musician, son of Gregg Allman and member of the Allman Betts Band, will release the new album Miami Moon on Aug. 16. The record will be Devon’s first solo album since 2016’s Ride or Die.

The album was recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida, where the Allman Brothers Band‘s Eat a Peach and Eric Clapton’s Layla were recorded, with Devon noting the history of the studio “made for a very special setting for us all to work in.”

“We kept it fun and we kept it funky … we ordered Cuban food, watched the NBA and jammed in a circle for days,” he adds. “In a world where you can make records in the basement or your bedroom, I’m so grateful to have done this record in a classic manner.” 

Devon is set to give fans a preview of the record with the release of the first single, “White Horse,” which will be released Thursday.

Miami Moon is available for preorder now.

In the meantime, Devon has dates throughout July with both the Devon Allman Project and the Allman Betts Band. A complete list of dates can be found at devonallmanproject.com.

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Heart’s Ann Wilson has revealed that she is battling cancer, and the band has postponed their upcoming tour in order to give her time to recover.

“I recently underwent an operation to remove something that, as it turns out, was cancerous,” she shares on social media. “The operation was successful & I’m feeling great but my doctors are now advising me to undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and & I’ve decided to do it.”

“And so my doctors are instructing me to take the rest of the year away from the stage in order to fully recover,” she adds. 

Earlier this year, Heart announced they were postponing their European Royal Flush tour in order for Ann to have what they called “a time-sensitive but routine medical procedure.” They’ve now postponed the rest of the tour.

“To the ticket buyers, I really do wish we could do these gigs,” she writes. “Please know that I absolutely plan to be back on stage in 2025.”

In a separate post, Heart encouraged fans to hold on to their tickets, which will be valid for future rescheduled dates.

“Thank you all for the support,” Ann concludes. “This is merely a pause. I’ve much more to sing.”

Heart was due to kick off the second leg of their Royal Flush tour in August. They were also set to open a handful of dates on the Def Leppard/Journey Summer Stadium tour, which kicks off July 6.

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America is revisiting a classic concert for a new release. 

America – Live From The Hollywood Bowl 1975, dropping Sept. 6, features performances from the band’s Aug. 3, 1975, concert at the famed California venue, where they were backed by a symphony conducted by Beatles producer George Martin.

The album includes performances of such classics as “A Horse With No Name” and “Sister Golden Hair,” as well as “Ventura Highway,” which is available now via digital outlets.

“We’ve done thousands of shows throughout our career,” America’s Gerry Buckley shares, “but this special night with our dear friend and producer George Martin ranks near the very top of the list! Listen and enjoy!”

The album was previously released as a Record Store Day exclusive, but will now be released digitally for the first time, as well as on CD and red vinyl. The album is available for preorder now.

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Rush has paid tribute to their late producer Peter Collins, who passed away recently at the age of 73.

Collins produced four Rush albums: 1985’s Power Windows, 1987’s Hold Your Fire, 1993’s Counterparts and 1996’s Test for Echo. 

“We loved seeing him in Nashville when we came through on tour. He had a mischievous, beaming smile and great sense of humour,” the band writes. “He will be so missed…. RIP Mr. Big.”

Frontman Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson also shared personal tributes on their Instagram accounts, with Geddy calling Collins “a dear, dear friend.”

“During periods in the 80’s and 90’s [sic] we had some incredible musical adventures together, in various studios across the globe. He truly was our Mr. Big…with his ever present cigar and constant good humour,” he writes. “After hitting the record button, I can still hear him say ‘OK boys, from the topping … no stopping!'”

Lifeson added, “Peter Collins will forever live in my memory as Mr. Big, sitting at his control centre beside a recording console with his ubiquitous tools: a legal pad, an ashtray and a Monte Cristo No. 2.”

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