Classic Hits

Duran Duran is getting fans in the mood for Halloween with their new album, Danse Macabre, which was inspired by a show the band played in Las Vegas on Halloween 2022.

Bassist John Taylor tells ABC Audio that ahead of the concert they decided to record some cover songs that were appropriate for the spooky holiday, which they then played during the gig.

“We then realized we’ve got seven or so great recordings of these songs and we’re all really kind of excited by them,” he said, noting it was keyboardist Nick Rhodes’ suggestion they put them out as an album.

In addition to cover tunes, like The Rolling Stones‘ “Paint it Black” and Talking Heads‘ “Psycho Killer,” Danse Macabre features three new songs and reworkings of old Duran Duran tracks. The whole thing came together rather quickly for the band.

“We kind of magic-ed this album,” Taylor says. “I think partially because we had a theme that when we actually went to write new songs, you know, we knew they had to evoke a certain feeling.”

Two of those new songs add a little Duran Duran nostalgia to Danse Macabre, with the title track featuring former guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, and “Dark Moonlight” featuring longtime collaborator Nile Rodgers and original Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor, who is currently battling stage 4 prostate cancer.

And having all those familiar faces on the album is something John believes original Duran Duran fans are bound to love.

“In way there’s quite a lot for fans on this album,” he says. “Anybody that’s followed the journey of the band, you know, is going to find it an interesting listen.” 

Duran Duran’s Danse Macabre comes out October 27. It is available for preorder now.

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The asset management company HarbourView Equity Partners has made deals with the estate of the late Christine McVie, and Pat Benatar and husband Neil Giraldo for the rights to their music.

Benatar and Giraldo made a deal that sees HarbourView acquiring a share of their recorded music and publishing for songs like “We Belong,” “Love is a Battlefield,” “Promises In The Dark,” “Heartbreaker” and more.

“We are overjoyed to welcome into our repertoire the iconic catalog of Pat and Neil. The works are cross generational, inspirational and a perfect complement to our portfolio,” HarbourView shares in a statement. “We are grateful to be stewards of this canon of work and look forward to partnering with Pat and Neil.”

The McVie deal includes the late singer/songwriter’s share of Fleetwood Mac record royalties. She wrote such popular Fleetwood Mac tunes as “Don’t Stop,” “Little Lies,” “Say You Love Me,” “You Make Loving Fun,” “Don’t Stop” and “Songbird.”

“Christine’s remarkable talents played an integral role in shaping Fleetwood Mac’s sound,” HarbourView’s Sheresse Clarke Soares says. “Christine is a decorated and iconic legend in the history of Rock ‘n’ Roll. She is a global treasure. We hold her works with pride.”

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Grateful Dead fans are getting a chance to look back at the year that was with the just-released 2023 Grateful Dead Almanac. 

Started 31 years ago as a paper mailing to fans, the Almanac is now online, recounting all that went on in the Dead world in 2023, including the final tour of Dead & Company and what band members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh were up to. It also looks back at this year’s Jerry Garcia archival releases, the Here Comes Sunshine and Wake the Flood box sets, and more.

It also gives fans a preview of what is to come, including info on the upcoming Dave’s Picks Volume 49 and a tease about Volume 50. There’s also info on new merch and a whole lot more.

To read all about Grateful Dead’s year, check out the Almanac at dead.net.

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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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