Classic Hits

The Beatles have launched an official account on the TikTok video social-media platform: @TheBeatles.

Thirty-six of the Fab Four’s classic songs are now available for TikTok members to use to soundtrack their own video creations.

The debut of The Beatles’ TikTok account coincides with the release today of the deluxe reissue of the band’s final studio album, 1970’s Let It Be.  It’s also in advance of the upcoming three-part Disney+ documentary series The Beatles: Get Back that will feature hours of unseen film footage shot of the band while they recorded the album.

Beatles songs available to TikTok users include all of Let It Be‘s 12 tracks, as well as the many #1 hits the band scored throughout its existence, including “Love Me Do,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Day Tripper,” “Paperback Writer,” “Hey Jude” and “Something.”

In the weeks leading up to the late-November premiere of The Beatles: Get Back, the band’s TikTok page will debut exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the Let It Be sessions, as well as videos looking at the making of individual songs from the album that feature interviews with surviving Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

The launch of The Beatles’ TikTok account also marks the arrival of the platform’s month-long #Rocktober campaign, a celebration of significant rock artists on TikTok.

All four Beatles members — McCartney, Starr and the late John Lennon and George Harrison — already have official solo TikTok accounts.

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It appears that Simon Gallup‘s departure from The Cure was short-lived.

Back in August, the bassist announced that he was “no longer a member” of the goth icons after 40 years in the band, adding that he was “fed up of betrayal.” Well, that relationship’s, ahem, disintegration, is seemingly now on the mend.

In a social media post first spotted by NME, and seen by ABC Audio, a commenter asks, “Is Simon still a member of The Cure?” Gallup then responds, “Yes I am.”

Given that Gallup, who played in The Cure from 1979 to 1982, and then again from 1984 to this year, is the band’s longest-tenured non-Robert Smith member, it did seem odd that his departure would be announced with such little fanfare via a personal Facebook post. Not only that, but neither Smith nor The Cure publicly commented on Gallup’s initial announcement.

Smith, by the way, previously called Gallup his “best friend” in a 2019 NME interview, adding that the bassist has been the “heart” of The Cure’s live band. Gallup was one of 10 Cure members to be inducted along with the band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

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Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has tied the knot with his girlfriend of five years, Kamilah Chavis.

The British rock legend shared the happy announcement on Instagram, along with photos from the ceremony, which was reportedly held in New York’s The Hamptons.  Waters titled the reveal, “I’m so happy, finally a keeper.”

The photos include snaps of the happy couple sharing kisses, cutting their cake, laughing together and, of course, photos of Chavis’ lace wedding dress.

Not much else is known about the couple’s nuptials. 

In a 2018 interview, the 78-year-old Waters told Infobae, an Argentine media outlet, how he and his new bride first met and fell in love. “I actually met her at one of my concerts a couple of years ago.  She worked in transportation. She was driving the car that was taking me,” the bassist said. “Something about her attracted me.”

Waters admitted that he made the first move and that he threw Chavis a compliment, which was, “Did someone ever tell you that you have beautiful cheekbones?”

It worked, and he recalled, “I saw a little reaction, and that was the beginning.” 

This is Waters’ fifth marriage.  He was previously married to Judith Trim, his childhood sweetheart, from 1969 to 1975, aristocrat Carolyne Christie from 1976 to 1992, actress Priscilla Phillips from 1992 to 2001 and to filmmaker Laurie Durning between 2012 and 2015.

I’m so happy, finally a keeper. pic.twitter.com/48pp2IBGhs

— Roger Waters (@rogerwaters) October 14, 2021

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Santana‘s latest studio album, Blessings and Miracles, gets its release today.

The 15-track collection follows a similar template to the band’s massively successful 1999 album, Supernatural, with guitar legend Carlos Santana and his group collaborating with guest artists from various musical genres.

At a recent New York City press event, Carlos reflected on collaborating with such a diverse array of musicians.

“We don’t leave anybody out,” he noted. “This is why Supernatural worked, and this is why Blessings and Miracles, I’m getting a lot of feedback [about] how [many] people identify with it. I don’t know the word genre. I don’t know what that means. I only play from the heart, for the heart.”

Like Supernatural, Blessings and Miracles finds Santana teaming up with Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas — this time on song called “Move” that, like its predecessor “Smooth,” blends melodic pop and rock with a Latin groove.

“This song…makes me realize energy is very welcome in our hearts, because it makes you feel like you’re 17 years old, with a lot of thirst for adventure,” Carlos said.

Another standout track on Blessings and Miracles is a cover of the Procol Harum classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale” featuring Steve Winwood.

Carlos revealed that he asked Winwood to record the cover with him a few years ago when they were both playing a concert at London’s Hyde Park.

“I said, ‘Hey, man, I want to do ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ with you. You play Hammond organ and singing it,'” Carlos recalled, “‘but I want to do it ‘Spanish Harlem’ style…you know, put some real sex in it.'”

Carlos said the track was one of his favorites on the album, “because [Winwood’s] voice is so iconic.”

Here’s Blessings and Miracles full track list:

“Ghost of Future Pull”/”New Light”
“Santana Celebration”
“Rumbalero” (featuring Salvador Santana & Asdru Sierra)
“Joy” (Carlos Santana & Chris Stapleton)
“Move” (Carlos Santana, Rob Thomas, Zac Barnett & American Authors)
“A Whiter Shade of Pale” (featuring Steve Winwood)
“Break” (featuring Ally Brooke)
“She’s Fire” (Diane Warren, G-Eazy & Carlos Santana)
“Peace Power” (featuring Corey Glover)
“America for Sale” (featuring Kirk Hammett & Mark Osegueda)
“Breathing Underwater” (featuring Stella Santana, Avi Snow, MVCA)
“Mother Yes”
“Song for Cindy”
“Angel Choir” (featuring Gayle Moran Corea)/”All Together” (featuring Chick Corea)
“Ghost of Future Pull II”

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Former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman has just launched a new club for his fans called the Caped Crusader Collector Club that will offer members the chance to receive and purchase a variety of rare recordings and memorabilia.

Those who sign up for the CCCC, as Wakeman calls the club, will receive a membership pack that includes an individually numbered membership card; a welcome letter signed by Rick; a sticker; four 8″ by 10″ photos; and an exclusive yearbook boasting rare photos, articles and memorabilia from the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s archive.

Members also will receive the first of a series of exclusive CCCC CD releases, this one featuring a previously unreleased soundtrack Wakeman recorded for the 1984 sci-fi film She.

Each year, club members will receive four exclusive CDs featuring rare studio recordings and live performances from Wakeman’s archives.

CCCC members also will get a 10% discount off all purchases made from the Wakeman Music Emporium online store, and will receive invitations to special events, access to exclusive merchandise and more.

Fans who join the club this month will receive a 15-month membership for the price of a one-year membership.

“As a musician, I think it is important that serious fans get to hear music that would otherwise be left in drawers and on shelves and in some cases, discarded,” Wakeman says in a statement. “With the formation of the CCCC, I feel that this is an innovative way for core fans to get to hear music which I have discovered in various of my archives.”

In other news, Wakeman just launched the U.S. leg of his Even Grumpier Old Rock Star Tour on Wednesday, but he also announced some changes to his itinerary and the postponement of several dates. Check out updated details at RWCC.com.

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Prince‘s RIAA Platinum-selling fourth studio album, Controversy, was released 40 years ago today, and to commemorate the milestone, a previously unheard solo demo version of one of the record’s tracks, “Do Me, Baby,” has be issued as a digital single.

The “Do Me, Baby” demo is available now as a digital download and via streaming services, while two limited-edition physical versions of the track — on cassette and purple-colored seven-inch vinyl — are scheduled to be released in January 2022.

Prince is credited with co-writing “Do Me, Baby” with his early bassist, Andre Cymone, and recorded the demo in 1979 at two Los Angeles-area studios. A rough mix of the track on cassette was recently discovered in Prince’s vault, and the recording was newly mixed by the artist’s longtime engineer, Chris James, for the single’s release.

Prince eventually recorded a new version of “Do Me, Baby” in June 1981 for the Controversy album.

Controversy peaked at #21 on the Billboard 200, and featured two top-10 hits on the R&B singles chart — the title track and “Let’s Work,” which reached #3 and #9, respectively.

Meanwhile, a new podcast focusing on the 40th anniversary of Controversy, hosted by Estelle, is streaming now at Apple Music.

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Neil Young has announced plans to release a new studio album titled Barn with his frequent backing band Crazy Horse, due out on December 10.

Young revealed the news in a post on NeilYoungArchives.com, while making available one of the album’s tracks, “Song of the Seasons,” exclusively to paid subscribers to the website.

According to information posted on the site, Barn was recorded “high in the Rockies” at Le Mobile Remote Recording Studio, with Crazy Horse’s current lineup — the founding rhythm section of bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina, and multi-instrumentalist Nils Lofgren, who rejoined the band in 2018 after previously playing with the group during the early 1970s.

Neil says “Song of the Seasons” is the oldest song on Barn, and was “written about this time last year.” According to the website, the track was recorded in June of this year.

Barn is a follow-up to Young and Crazy Horse’s 2019 album, Colorado.

In other news, Young recently announced that he’s preparing an expansive audio and video collection titled Harvest Time that will feature various outtakes and film footage recorded during the time he was making his classic 1972 album, Harvest. He notes that Harvest Time, which will include “[a]lmost two hours of Harvest rarities,” will arrive in 2022.

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Cyndi Lauper‘s album True Colors — featuring the hit title track, plus “Change of Heart” and more — came out 35 years ago today, on October 14, 1986.  To celebrate, she’s releasing an expanded digital edition of the album tonight at midnight, Rolling Stone reports.

The expanded edition features two bonus songs: a remix of the number-one title track, and its B-side, “Heading for the Moon,” which has never been available on streaming services until now.  There’s also a “True Colors” Instagram filter.

In her Rolling Stone interview, Cyndi reveals that the song “True Colors” was written for Canadian country-pop singer Anne Murray, who turned it down.  Initially, Cyndi wasn’t sure it was right for her, but tells Rolling Stone, “When I heard our demo, I realized it had intimacy, and intimacy was the the most important thing.”

Explaining that she recorded it after a friend died of AIDS, Cyndi notes that “True Colors” was “for me, and his partner who was left behind, and his friends who loved him, to comfort us.”  Now, of course, it’s become an LGBTQ anthem.

Cyndi also reveals that some of her favorite contemporary artists are Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift. “She’s always been a wonderful writer, but [that last COVID record] was poetry,” Cyndi says of Taylor.

“The only thing I don’t like about new music — when I listen to what the top new music is, there’s a lot of men, not a lot of women,” Cyndi points out. “But [there are] so many great musicians out there now. It’s a good time to be listening. I’m always listening, always learning.”

 

 

 

 

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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2021 will be welcomed into the hallowed institution at a ceremony held on October 30 in Cleveland.  To celebrate the new inductees, a special exhibit will open at the Rock Hall museum in the city on Sunday, October 24.

The display will feature items from all of this year’s inductees, which include Foo Fighters, Todd Rundgren, The Go-Go’s, Tina Turner, Carole King and JAY-Z in the main Performers category; Early Influence honorees Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron; and, in recognition of Musical Excellence, Randy Rhoads, Billy Preston and LL Cool J.

The exhibit’s opening will take place on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Celebration Day event, which offers free admission to the museum for Ohio residents.

Among the exhibit’s many highlights will be costumes and/or instruments contributed by all five members of The Go-Go’s.

A red lace dress that Turner wore in the music video for her hit “Private Dancer” also will be part of the exhibit, as will an Acrosonic piano and bench used by King.

Rundgren has contributed an embroidered purple suit that he wore in concert in 1978, and while he was recording his live album Back to the Bars.

The late Preston will be represented by a Casio Voice Arranger VA-10 keyboard he used to play.

In addition, the exhibit will feature a video presentations and playlists for the various honorees.

For more details about the exhibition, visit RockHall.com.

The 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. An HBO special focusing on the event will premiere at a later date.

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We’re not sure just how many Tuesday afternoons he’s enjoyed or how many nights in white satin he’s spent during his life, but Moody Blues singer/guitarist Justin Hayward celebrates his 75th birthday today.

Born in Swindon, England, Hayward played in a number of groups as a teenager before joining The Moody Blues in 1966 after the band’s original frontman, Denny Laine, exited following release of their 1965 debut album.

With a knack for writing melodic and emotional ballads and rock tunes, Hayward soon made a major impact on the band, contributing the classic songs “Nights in White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon” to The Moody Blues’ groundbreaking second album, 1967’s Days of Future Passed, a concept record that married the group’s songs with symphonic interludes by the London Festival Orchestra.

While all of the band members contributed songs to The Moody Blues’ albums, most of their hits were written and sung by Hayward.

Among the many memorable tunes Hayward has penned for the band are “Question,” “The Story in Your Eyes,” “The Voice,” “Your Wildest Dreams” and “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere.”

When the band went on hiatus for several years during the 1970s, Hayward teamed up with Moodies singer/bassist John Lodge to release the 1975 collaborative album Blue Jays, which peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200. He then launched a moderately successful solo career that coincided with his work with The Moody Blues.

Hayward was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Moody Blues in 2018. The band continued to tour until late 2018; Hayward has focused on his solo career since then. His latest solo release is a two song EP that came out in 2020. He wraps up a U.S. solo tour on Friday in Clearwater, Florida.

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