Classic Hits

Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has teamed up with Epiphone, and the result is a sleek new guitar: the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Axcess in Ruby.

“This is a stunning guitar, it’s beautiful and it sounds great to play,” Lifeson shares. “You can create a lot of different tones and sounds, and a player at any level can make use of this guitar.” He adds, “Playing guitar takes you to that place in your heart and your soul to express yourself creatively and to just have fun, it is just fun to play, it always has been and always will be.”

The guitar is sold in both left- and right-handed versions, and features a mahogany body, finished in a Ruby gloss with white top binding and an ebony fretboard.

The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Axcess in Ruby is available to order now and costs just under $1,300.

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The Moody Blues’ John Lodge has been touring the U.S. performing the band’s classic album Days of Future Passed, and now the rocker is releasing an album of his performance. 

Days of Future Passed – My Sojourn will feature Lodge performing the 1967 album in its entirety, along with a special recorded appearance by the late Graeme Edge and performances by Jon Davison of Yes. 

“November 2023 will be the 56th anniversary of Days of Future Passed. It’s incredible to look back on this album that changed my life, and that still has so much impact today on so many, and I felt that it deserved celebrating, and so I began rehearsals in 2021/2022 to bring this celebration to life on stage,” Lodge shares. “After the final rehearsals for the concert, I realized I should capture this new moment in time, although a reflection of the past, forever, by going into the studio and recording the album, Days of Future Passed – My Sojourn.”

Lodge says he hopes the new recording will “bring a new generation of listeners” to the album and that others will “rediscover the original,” as well.

Days of Future Passed – My Sojourn will be released as a special fan club-only CD and will be sold on the upcoming leg of Lodge’s tour, starting with his show on July 18 in Rockford, Illinois. A complete list of tour dates can be found at johnlodge.com.

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A court in Michigan has reached a decision in the battle over Aretha Franklin’s will. 

At the time of her passing in 2018, Franklin did not have a formal will. But in 2019 her niece discovered two handwritten wills, dated 2014 and 2010, which have been the subject of a dispute between her sons. 

The Associated Press reports a jury has ruled that the 2014 will, which was found in Franklin’s couch, should supersede the one dated 2010. That is good news for her sons Kecalf Franklin and Edward Franklin, since the 2010 will said the only way they could benefit from the estate was if they “take business classes and get a certificate or a degree.”

The now-valid 2014 will leaves Aretha’s home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, which was worth $1.1 million at the time of her death, to Kecalf and any grandchildren.

Franklin’s son Ted White II wanted the court to recognize the 2010 will, with his lawyer arguing that it was more significant because it was found under lock and key, not in a couch. Kecalf and Edward’s lawyer argued that where the will was found was inconsequential.

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It’s a year of milestones for Barry Manilow. He recently hit the big 8-0, and now he’s poised to break a record that was set by Elvis Presley back in 1976.

The late King of Rock ‘n’ Roll did 636 performances at the Las Vegas Hilton between 1969 and 1976. Manilow performs his residency at the same property, now known as the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, and the weekend of September 21-23, he’ll officially break Elvis’ record.

Tickets for the record-breaking weekend go on sale Friday, July 14, via Ticketmaster or BarryManilow.com. Everyone who buys a ticket will also receive a hat, a commemorative coin, two free drinks and a boa to wear when Manilow sings “Copacabana.” And speaking of that, ticket holders will also get a VIP pass to a private screening of Copacabana.

Proceeds from the tickets will go to benefit six different charities, including Musicians on Call and Barry’s own Manilow Music Project.

Speaking about Elvis last year, Barry told The Las Vegas Review-Journal, “Being in this room that he sat down in for a residency, just like I have, and to see my name in the same sentence is so amazing to me. It’s a privilege. He invented a style of music, which is still popular today. How many people can say that?”

He also said he might add some Elvis tunes to his shows for those performances, including “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and “If I Can Dream.”

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David Lee Roth is channeling Napoleon Dynamite for his latest video.

The former Van Halen frontman just posted a video of him dancing to Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat,” the same song featured in Jon Heder’s climactic dance scene in the 2004 indie hit.

Roth, dressed in overalls and a cap, shows off his best moves in the clip, slipping and sliding across the dance floor. Adding to his Napoleon Dynamite salute, he captioned the video “Vote for Pedro,” the line also made famous in the movie. 

This is far from the first bizarre video Roth has shared. In May he posted a video of him dancing to Annie Lennox’s “Little Bird,” prancing around with a flag, a cane, a sword, a trombone, bullhorns and cymbals.

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Before The Doors hit it big, they headlined five shows at the Matrix, a small club in San Francisco, and while they weren’t exactly sell-outs, they went on to become popular bootlegs among fans. Now, those live performances are the subject of a new box set.

Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters, dropping September 8, features live recordings from those shows, which took place in March of 1967. Unlike bootlegs that have circulated for years, the songs on the new set come from Matrix owner Peter Abram’s original master recordings of the concerts.

Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters will be released as limited edition five-LP and three-CD sets, with both featuring previously unheard recordings of “All Blues” and “Bag’s Groove.” Both sets are available for preorder now. 

This isn’t the first time The Doors have released music from these shows. In 2008, they released Live at the Matrix 1967. They say unlike the new set, that release used third generation tapes, not the original recordings.

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Cheap Trick is extending their time on the road in 2023. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers just announced a new set of fall tour dates.

The new additions to the schedule kick off October 2 in Springfield, Missouri, with the trek wrapping October 22 in Reno, Nevada. Local presales for all new shows begin Wednesday, July 12, at 10 a.m. local time, with the general onsale set for Friday, July 14, at 10 a.m. local time.

In the meantime, Cheap Trick is booked for several festivals this year and will be the special guest on Rod Stewart’s upcoming U.S. tour. The rockers’ next show is happening July 16 in Chicago, Illinois. A complete list of tour dates is on cheaptrick.com.

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A lot of artists have been selling off their catalogs lately, and it appears at least a portion of Led Zeppelin’s may soon change hands.

According to an article in the U.K. Times, Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin’s former manager, owned 20% of the rock band’s catalog, and when he passed in 1995, he left those shares to be evenly divided between his children, daughter Helen and son Warren. Well, now Helen is getting ready to part with her 10%.

“I’d much rather have Dad back, but I know I’m bloody lucky,” the 59-year-old tells The Times about the money she’ll likely make from the sale. “I’m hoping it will allow me to showcase dad again in the way he should be presented.” 

She says there’s discussion of making a film about Grant, noting, “I never had a chance to do it before — I’ve got five bloody kids, for God’s sake — but I’m at that stage in life where I’m thinking we could do something great with dad’s legacy.”

So, how much could this sale be worth? Well, an exact amount isn’t known, but it certainly sounds like it could be a big number. According to Music Business Worldwide, the law firm handling the sale says the deal will include a share of the rights to Led Zeppelin’s recorded music and publishing along with rights to their name, logo and trademarks.

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Loverboy is set to be honored on Canada’s Walk of Fame. The “Working for the Weekend” rockers are among 13 acts chosen this year, with the celebration set for September 28 at Massey Hall in Toronto.

Other artists being honored include Glass Tiger, who had a huge hit with their 1986 release “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)”; Chilliwack, best known for their 1981 single “My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)”; and April Wine, who had a Top 40 hit with 1981’s “Just Between You And Me.”

“These trailblazing musicians have had an extraordinary impact on our Canadian Rock landscape,” Jeffrey Latimer, CEO of Canada’s Walk of Fame, shared in a statement. “Their longevity, many of whom still tour and sell out venues, is inspiring; and we are proud to welcome them each to Canada’s Walk of Fame.” 

While best known for their 1981 track “Working for the Weekend,” Loverboy had big hits in the U.S. with “Turn Me Loose,” “Hot Girls In Love,” “Heaven in Your Eyes” from Top Gun and more. They were inducted in to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2009.

Loverboy is currently on the road opening for Foreigner on their final tour. The trek hits Nashville, Tennessee, on July 11. A complete list of dates can be found at loverboyband.com.

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Rod Stewart‘s special guest at his concert in Edinburgh, Scotland, Monday night was someone he’s known all his life: his sister.

On July 10, the final date of his U.K. tour, Rod, 78, brought 94-year-old Mary up onstage during his performance of “Sailing.” Rod told the British paper The Mirror it was a “joy” to be with Mary, adding, “At 94, she’s on a rock’n’roll stage and loving it. She has and continues to teach me about life.”

Rod is the youngest of five kids: His two older brothers Bob and Don — who he called his “best mates” — died in 2022 aged 88 and 94, respectively. His older sister Peggy died of multiple sclerosis in 1975 at age 40.

Rod’s North American tour dates get underway July 29 in Sparks, Nevada.

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