Classic Hits

Over the weekend, Robert Plant performed the Led Zeppelin classic “Stairway to Heaven” for the first time in 16 years. You may be wondering why he finally decided to resurrect the tune. Well, it turns out that one song raised a lot of money for charity.

Plant performed “Stairway” at a charity concert put on by former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor for The Cancer Awareness Trust, where Taylor is receiving lifesaving targeted treatment for stage 4 prostate cancer. According to Kenwyn House, who played guitar that evening, Plant agreed to perform the song after a request came in from a big donor.

“Someone bid a huge amount of money for him to sing this song,” House told the fan site Led Zeppelin News. “There is a good circle of karma around it. That raised a six-figure sum for the charity, that one song.”

The last time Plant performed “Stairway” was December 10, 2007, at the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert in London, which was also the last time Zeppelin members Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones performed together. They were backed on drums by Jason Bonham, son of their late drummer John Bonham.

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Looks like The Beatles are teasing fans with some news.

The legendary band’s website and social media accounts shared a new post Wednesday, October 25, featuring an orange and white cassette tape that appears to be playing, with “Type I (Normal) Position” written at the bottom and other details blurred out. 

Speculation is The Beatles are teasing their long-awaited final song, which Paul McCartney first revealed during an interview back in June.  

At the time, he said artificial intelligence was used to “extricate” John Lennon’s voice from an old demo for “the last Beatles record.” He later clarified his comments, insisting, “nothing has been artificially or synthetically created.”

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On This Day, October 25, 1986…

Bon Jovi landed their first #1 album with their third studio album, Slippery When Wet.

The album spent eight weeks on top of the chart and went on to be certified 12-times Platinum by the RIAA.

The record featured their signature tune, “Livin’ On A Prayer,” as well as “You Give Love A Bad Name” and “Wanted Dead or Alive.” It’s the New Jersey rockers’ bestselling album to date.

Slippery When Wet was the first of four #1 albums for Bon Jovi. Their others include 1988’s New Jersey, 2007’s Lost Highway and 2009’s The Circle.

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It’s safe to say that Billy Joel is one of the most famous musicians ever to hail from Long Island, New York, so it’s only right that he be celebrated with a special exhibit dedicated to him at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Billy Joel — My Life: A Piano Man’s Journey opens November 24 at the museum, located in Stony Brook, New York. It’ll showcase over 50 years of Billy Joel memorabilia, including awards, rare audio and video recordings, instruments, behind-the-scenes footage and photos, many of which were donated by Billy. 

Also included in the exhibit are special sections highlighting Billy’s musical influences, such as Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, Otis Redding and Beethoven. The plans and designs for the exhibit have been presented to the Piano Man several times over the past year, and he’s given his input, which has been incorporated into the final product.

Ernie Canadeo, the chairman of the Hall of Fame, says in a statement, “Billy has been very cordial and involved in the planning, and it is appropriate the exhibit is on Long Island, where he has long been identified, written so many songs and lived most of his life. It is a fitting tribute to Long Island’s most successful entertainer and is guaranteed to thrill his legions of fans.”

This is only the second exhibit the museum has mounted since it opened in November 2022. Tickets are available at TheBillyJoelExhibit.com.

In other Billy Joel news, he’s just announced one of the final two shows of his residency at Madison Square Garden. Tickets for the June 8 performance go on sale October 27 at 10 a.m.

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It looks like John Mellencamp is getting ready to “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” again.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is teasing fans with new tour news. “We are coming to YOUR town soon!” he shared on Instagram, promising an official announcement on Monday, October 30.

While no other details were offered, Mellencamp did clue fans in on where the tour will hit, posting a map of the United States with stops marked out with red dots. All of those dots appear to be located in the eastern half of the U.S. 

The tour will be Mellencamp’s first since last year’s Live and In Person tour, which had him playing smaller theaters as opposed to arenas. It launched in February and wrapped June 27 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His next scheduled performance is happening November 6 at Stand Up For Heroes in New York City, which benefits the Bob Woodruff Foundation.

In other Mellencamp news, fans in New York will be able to check out his artwork next month. The rocker’s art will be available for viewing at the DTR Modern Gallery Soho starting November 5.

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In a September interview with WSJ Magazine, The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger revealed that he would be open to the band living on with a hologram tour after they’re all gone. Now his bandmate Keith Richards has weighed in on the idea.

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t rule it out. I’m pretty sure that it is bound to happen,” he told Apple Music 1’s Matt Wilkinson. “Do I want it? Now, that’s another thing. But I don’t know if I want to hang around that long enough, man. But at the same time, it won’t be up to me, will it?”

Richards also talked about the band’s new album, Hackney Diamonds, which features Paul McCartney on the song “Bite My Head Off.” Keith says “it was about bloody time” McCartney recorded a tune with them.  

“I’ve known Paul for 60 years, just about. Although him and John (Lennon) did do a few backup vocals with us in the ’60s,” he says. “Great fun to play with. At the end of it, I just said, ’Well, that’s just like the old days.’”

In a previous interview with The Telegraph, Richards revealed he’s not a big fan of contemporary music — and he explained why in an interview with The Independent. 

“The only way to cut a band is to put the boys in a room and play, and look in each other’s eyeballs,” he says. “Don’t get me going on modern-day music. Push-button drums and everything synthesized. Digital recording is a one-way toilet.”

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Cher and the late Tina Turner were good friends, and not just because they were both global pop superstars. It turns out they bonded over the toxicity in their respective first marriages — so much so that Tina asked Cher for advice on ending hers.

“We had kind of a special relationship — both of us were younger when we were married and both of our husbands were pretty much the boss,” Cher tells Extra. She’s quick to note that her husband Sonny Bono wasn’t abusive in the way Tina’s husband Ike Turner was to her. But, Cher says, “He was very much the boss, and wasn’t too interested in my opinions about anything.”

Cher and Sonny split in 1974. Tina and Ike were still married when Tina appeared on Cher’s TV show; Cher says, “She just wanted to know … how did I leave? And I said, ‘I just walked out.’”

In 1976, Tina left Ike, famously running away with only 36 cents and a gas credit card in her pocket.

Cher also spoke to Extra about her relationship with Alexander “AE” Edwards, who’s 37. The 77-year-old diva tells Extra that she and Alexander “just get each other,” but says sometimes the age difference is tough.

She explains, “Sometimes I’m talking to him and he has no idea who I’m talking about … most of my references … [he’ll] look at me and go, ‘I wasn’t born yet.’”

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If you’re a ZZ Top fan, now’s your chance to get your hands on something previously owned by the band’s late bassist, Dusty Hill, who passed away in 2021. 

Julien’s Auctions just announced a new three-day auction, The Collection Of Dusty Hill Of ZZ Top, featuring Hill’s instruments, wardrobe pieces, memorabilia and more. 

The auction, taking place December 7–9, will feature close to 1,200 lots, with the highlight being the famous fur bass guitar that Hill played in ZZ Top’s “Legs” video. The 1983 Dean Explorer bass is expected to sell for between $80,000 and $120,000. 

Other items up for grabs include: Hill’s most played instrument, his signature 1953 Fender Precision bass guitar, with an estimated price tag of $80,000 to $120,000; Hill’s bald eagle jacket with talons and feather accents, estimated to go for $6,000 to $8,000; and a black leather motorcycle jacket with custom painted skeletons and silver spikes, with “Streek Landslide” written on the back, which is estimated to sell for $1,500 to $2,500.

The auction will happen online and in person in Dallas, Texas. The auction venue will also feature a “Duzzty’s Stash” pop-up store, selling T-shirts, posters and more memorabilia.

A portion of the auction proceeds will be donated to the Recording Academy’s charitable foundation, MusiCares.

And fans will also get a chance to check out the items up for bid during special Juliens’ exhibitions, happening at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York’s Times Square November 20-26 and in Dallas November 29-December 7. 

More information on the items up for auction can be found at julienslive.com.

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Billy Idol’s April concerts at the Hoover Dam are coming to theaters next month. Billy Idol: State Line will premiere in U.S. theaters on November 15 and in the U.K. November 14.

The concert film will feature performances from both of Idol’s shows at the iconic site on the Nevada/Arizona state line. One was a full band show, which took place at sunset and featured guest appearances by Sex Pistol’s Steve Jones, No Doubt’s Tony Kanal and Alison Mosshart of The Dead Weather. The second was an acoustic performance with just guitarist Steve Stevens on the roof of the Hoover Dam.

A just-released trailer for the film features archival footage of the building of the dam along with clips of Billy performing “Dancing with Myself,” “Eyes Without a Face,” “Mony Mony,” “Rebel Yell” and “White Wedding.”

Tickets for the U.S. screenings go on sale Friday, October 27. More info on theaters and tickets can be found at bilyidolstateline.com.

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Mott the Hoople is ready to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their classic album All The Young Dudes. 

The band will release a limited edition 50th anniversary box set December 8, featuring the remastered album on LP and CD, both of which will be accompanied by a separate album of rare mixes and session tracks. There will also be a 12-inch single featuring “All the Young Dudes” and “One of the Boys,” plus a 72-page hardcover book, three art prints, a numbered certificate and more. 

The remastered album will also be released on limited edition double orange vinyl.

All The Young Dudes was Mott the Hoople’s fifth studio album and was recorded on the verge of the band’s breakup. The title track, written by David Bowie, who also produced the album, was a huge commercial success for the group, peaking at #3 in the U.K. and becoming a Top 40 hit in the U.S. The album also featured a cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane.” 

Both the box set and the double orange vinyl are available for preorder now.

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