Classic Hits

Jethro Tull’s new album, RökFlöte, drops Friday, and for their latest release frontman Ian Anderson was inspired by the characters and gods of old Norse mythology and paganism, in part because he didn’t know much about it. 

“The reason that I had rather ignored that in my studies of comparative religion over the many years is because it was somewhat overworked in terms of holding a dark fascination,” he tells ABC Audio. “But then I thought, well, that shouldn’t be a good reason to put me off.”

Anderson says he wanted to approach the subject “in a sensitive way,” one that “allows me to look at that particular subject matter without feeling that I’m imitating some Norwegian heavy metal band.” 

Anderson says he has no expectations about what Jethro Tull fans may take away from the record, noting, “I’m not trying to sell them a particular set of ideas or a particular set of beliefs. I’m just suggesting, you know, here are some lyrics, here’s some music, and you examine it, see if you like it.”

RökFlöte is Jethro Tull’s second album in two years, following 2022’s The Zealot Gene. And it doesn’t sound like Anderson has any intention of slowing down. He says he’s already started work on the band’s next project, sharing, “I will be turning my attention to that again during the weeks and months to come.” 

RökFlöte is available for preorder now.

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The Black Crowes are set to headline the annual Mempho Music Festival, taking place September 29 to October 1 in Memphis, Tennessee.

The festival, happening at the Radians Amphitheater at the Memphis Botanic Gardens, also features headliners My Morning Jacket and Turnpike Troubadours, with Ween, Lake Street Drive, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Band of Horses and more also on the bill.

Tickets for the festival are on sale now. More information, including a complete lineup, can be found at memphofest.com.

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Talk about a long courtship. Singer Leo Sayer married girlfriend Donatella Piccinetti on Saturday after almost 39 years together.

The 74-year-old “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” singer announced the news on Instagram, sharing, “This past weekend was truly a dream…” 

The post goes on to reveal that the couple tied the knot in their garden in the Southern Highlands of Australia in front of 40 of their closest friends and celebrated with a lunch at a local restaurant.

The announcement adds, “The weather was sunny, the bride was radiant, the groom looked handsome and they couldn’t be happier with how the day went.”

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Gloria Gaynor is headed to this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. The singer will perform at the festival, following the world premiere of the documentary about her life, Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive.

The film, directed by Betsy Schecter, follows the singer’s battles with ageism and financial ruin while on her comeback journey with a new gospel album. Gaynor shares on Twitter, “It follows my life, career, challenges & triumphs. I can’t wait to share it with you!” 

The 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, which will feature 109 films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries, is happening June 7 to June 18 in New York City. More information can be found at tribecafilm.com.

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Jethro Tull is hitting the road this summer. Ian Anderson and the band just announced dates for their The Seven Decades Tour, which hits such cities as Cincinnati, San Diego, Boston and New York.

The tour is set to kick off August 18 in Highland Park, Illinois, wrapping November 4 in Albany, New York.

Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time. A complete list of dates can be found at jethrotull.com.

The news comes as Jethro Tull are getting ready to release their 23rd studio album, RökFlöte, which drops Friday, April 21.

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Tina Turner was known for putting on dazzling performances — and most of the time she’d do so while showing off her famous set of legs, which were once rumored to be insured for millions of dollars. But it turns out, Tina had a very practical reason for always baring those famous pins. 

“Sometimes I think I’m as famous for my legs as much as my voice,” she tells The Sun. “I only had my legs on show so much as it made it much easier to dance …  And then it became part of my style.” 

And believe it or not, those legs also helped boost Turner’s self-image. She explains, “When I was younger I never felt confident about any part of my body, but with all the attention my legs received, I realized they must be OK!”

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A new documentary about the Chicago blues scene is set to hit digital platforms this summer, featuring interviews with Keith Richards, Bob Dylan and more.

Born in Chicago, narrated by Dan Aykroyd and executive produced by Jim Belushi and Elliot Roberts, delves into the Chicago music scene of the ’60s using a mix of archival footage and interviews. In addition to Dylan and Richards, the movie features appearances by Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Bob Weir, Steve Miller, Charlie Musselwhite and more.

Born in Chicago has already screened at several festivals. It is also set to be shown at the upcoming New York City Independent Film Festival, as well as the Washington DC International Film Festival and the 2023 Chicago Blues Festival. It will hit all digital platforms on August 1.

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Lionel Richie is booked to perform at the Coronation Concert being held May 7 in the U.K. in honor of King Charles officially being crowned, as previously reported. But Lionel says he got more than just an invitation to perform: He also got a personal request from the king for a specific song.

Speaking to E! News, Lionel revealed that Charles asked him to play a certain song, which he’ll make part of his performance. “And the answer is yes, I will do it,” Lionel said. “We will not reveal [it] because it’s completely enveloped in secrecy. So, all I can tell you is I’m very happy to be there.”

Lionel, who’s been involved with Charles’ The Prince’s Trust charity for many years, also shared some of the things he’s learned about royal protocol over the years.

“Be prepared, just be sure to just say sir and ma’am—forget everything else,” he advised. “Just remember sir and ma’am, and you kind of walk your way through.”

Lionel says he’s bullish on the future of the British monarchy now that Charles is on the throne, noting, “I’m looking forward to see what he’s going to bring to the table, and I can tell you right now, he’s gonna change it up a little bit.”

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Billy Idol is giving fans a sneak peek at a very special concert he performed earlier this month at the Hoover Dam.  

The singer headlined the first-ever concert at the dam on the Nevada/Arizona border, along with his guitarist Steve Stevens and special guests Alison Mosshart of The Dead Weather, the Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones and No Doubt’s Tony Kanal.

The concert, which took place April 8, was filmed and will be getting a theatrical release through Encore Nights later this year. The first look shows Idol and the band performing his 1990 classic “Cradle of Love,” with Idol changing the lyrics to sing “I rocked the Hoover Dam.”

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Roger Waters is currently in Europe on his This Is Not A Drill tour, and now fans around the world will be able to experience the concert.

Trafalgar is set to air a special live broadcast of Waters’ upcoming show at the O2 Arena Prague in the Czech Republic in theaters. The screening will take place May 25 in over 1,500 theaters in more than 50 countries.

This Is Not A Drill has Waters performing 20 Pink Floyd classics, including “Comfortably Numb,” “Wish You Were Here” and “Us & Them,” along with the debut of a new song, “The Bar.” 

Tickets for the special broadcast go on sale Friday, April 25, at 10 a.m. ET.

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