Classic Hits

U2’s Bono and The Edge showed their solidarity with Ukranians Sunday night by appearing onstage with the Ukrainian band Antytila. 

Just days after the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the rockers made a guest appearance at the band’s show at London’s Electric Brixton, where they performed The Joshua Tree track “Mothers of the Disappeared.”

“The people of Ukraine, don’t want to be at war. They want peace, but not without freedom,” U2 writes on Instagram. “Never pick a fight with someone who’s ready to lose everything. This war is much more than territory. More than sovereignty. It’s about dignity and decency confronting domination and darkness.”

Finally, they note, “This song is for the mothers of Ukraine, and so many, who have lost so much. Don’t give up, don’t give up.”

And Antytila took to social media to thank the rockers for their appearance. “Great honor to stand on the stage with you again, guys. More pleasure – not in the underground :),” they share. “Bono and the Edge took part in our gig in London. Thank you for all!”

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Queen has just landed a new Spotify milestone: The band’s classic track “We Will Rock You” has surpassed one billion streams on the streaming service.

“We Will Rock You,” written by guitarist Brian May, was featured on the band’s 1977 album, News of the World, and was released as a single on October 7 of that year. It went on to be certified six-times Platinum by the RIAA, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009.

The song isn’t the only Queen track to reach such a milestone on the streaming service: Back in December, “Bohemian Rhapsody” surpassed two billion steams on Spotify.

(A previous version of this story published on February 23 erroneously stated a million streams. The text above has been updated to correct the error.)

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Whitesnake is revisiting their 2008 comeback album, Good To Be Bad, with a new reissue. They’re set to drop the new retrospective Still Good To Be Bad on April 28, just a few days after the original release’s 15th anniversary.

Still Good To Be Bad will be released in a variety of formats, including a four-CD/Blu-ray set that includes a newly remastered version of the original album, along with a newly remixed version. There will also be rare and unreleased studio and live recordings, plus music videos, interviews and performance clips from the world tour that accompanied the original release.

But that’s not all. The 2023 remix album will be released as a two-LP vinyl set, as well.

And fans are now getting their first taste of what to expect from the remixed record, with the release of the new version of “Can You Hear The Wind Blow.”

Good To Be Bad, released April 21, 2008, was Whitesnake’s 10th studio album. At the time it was their first album in over a decade, their first release since 1997’s Restless Heart.

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U2 is set to release their new album, Songs of Surrender, on March 17, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day — but music fans at Notre Dame have an extra special reason to run out and get it. The band is set to release a special vinyl pressing of the album for the college, limited to only 2,500 copies.

The Fighting Irish’s edition will include 16 acoustic and reimagined recordings, and it will come on blue and gold vinyl. It will also include Notre Dame-inspired pictures of the band members, the Notre Dame monogram on the included poster and all four records, a special Notre Dame sticker and more.

The special edition is now available for preorder, while supplies last, with a limited amount to be sold at the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore on March 17.

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Diane Warren is headed to the Oscars next month. The songwriter is set to accompany actress and singer Sofia Carson for the performance of “Applause,” from the movie Tell It like a Woman, which is nominated for Best Original Song.

They join previously announced Oscar performer Rihanna, who’ll be on hand to perform her nominated track “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Other songs nominated in the category include “Hold My Hand,” written by Lady Gaga, from Top Gun: Maverick, “Naatu Naatu” from the Indian film RRR and “This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once, written by David Byrne, Mitski and Son Lux.

Warren wrote the music and lyrics to “Applause”; this is her 14th Oscar nomination. While she hasn’t won an actual trophy yet, she did receive an honorary Oscar at the Governor’s Awards last November.

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Back in 2007, Elton John told a crowd of 300,000 fans in Kyiv, Ukraine, that he would help them end their AIDS crisis. Once again, he’s putting his money where his mouth is.

In a new op-ed for The Guardian, Elton writes, “The promise I made from a Kyiv stage still stands more than ever: I’ll be there for the people of Ukraine. I said I would do everything to help and renew that pledge today.”

Elton says his AIDS Foundation is providing new funding to make sure progress isn’t being lost in “Ukraine’s impressive advances in ending its HIV epidemic.” And there is progress: Since 2007, AIDS-related deaths in Ukraine fell by 81% and infections decreased by more than half.

Elton explains that since the war started, his foundation has awarded more than $1 million to community organizations across Ukraine. However, he notes, “This support keeps people alive, but it isn’t enough. Which is why now, on the anniversary of the invasion, I am announcing new funding. We want to ensure the efforts of the past decade and a half have not been in vain.”

Specifically, Elton’s foundation is now donating $125,000 to UNITED24, the country’s official fundraising platform, to buy 10 biochemistry analyzers for use in the care and treatment of Ukrainians living with HIV.

Elton concludes, “I do not know when, if ever, I will stand on a stage in Ukraine again, but my promise still stands: I will do everything I can, wherever I can, to fight for the agency and health of people at risk of HIV, all in the hope that one day we will end AIDS everywhere, for everyone, for good.”

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The latest issue of MOJO magazine has a six-page tribute to the late Jeff Beck, who passed away January 10 from bacterial meningitis at the age of 78. The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood takes part in that tribute, sharing how hard it has been dealing with Beck’s death and what made the guitarist so great.

“It was such a surprise because he’s part of the furniture,” Wood, who played in the Jeff Beck Group, says of the guitar great’s passing. “He’s always at the Christmas parties I go to, with the wonderful Sandra, and we always have a giggle. He never seemed to age or change.”

As for why Beck was so special, Wood notes, “He was always creating something new, putting a new angle on something. Sometimes he’d go too far, but that was Jeff.” 

Wood also addressed rumors about Beck joining The Stones and says there’s a good reason it never happened. “He wouldn’t have kept up with the timetable!” Wood explains. 

Wood says the last time he got to see Beck play was at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club 2018 for Wood’s Chuck Berry tribute album: “On-stage, he liked to take the foreground. He liked to be heard. I’m really gonna miss him.”

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Van Morrison has shared yet another track from his upcoming album, Moving On Skiffle. The latest is “This Loving Light of Mine,” his take on the traditional gospel song “This Little Light of Mine.”

Moving On Skiffle is set to drop March 10 and will be available as a two-CD set, as a two-LP vinyl package, on cassette and via digital formats. It is available for preorder now, and Morrison is offering some fans an incentive to do so.

Fans 18 and older in the United Kingdom and Ireland who preorder the record, or who have already done so, will be entered into an exclusive drawing to win tickets to an upcoming Van Morrison show. Two runners-up will win signed goodies from Morrison. The grand prize winner will get to pick from Morrison’s Milton Keynes, England, concerts March 13 through March 15 or his shows in Belfast, Ireland, taking place April 5 through April 7. Hotels are not included in the prize.

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A demo tape said to have launched Rod Stewart‘s career has sold for triple its initial estimate at auction.

BBC reports Stewart recorded the demo on June 18, 1964, in a basement studio in London owned by engineer Pepe Rush. 

The 15ips reel-to-reel tape included the tracks “Ain’t That Loving You Baby,” “Bright Lights Big City,” “Worksong” and “Don’t Tell Nobody.”

Stewart used that demo as his audition tape and was later signed by Decca Records. His manager at the time, Jonathan Rowlands, held onto the tape. 

Rowlands, now 83, sold the nearly 60-year-old demo at Cheffin’s in Cambridge for 3,400 pounds — or roughly $4,000. The auctioneer says the selling price is three times the initial estimate. 

Also included with the demo was Rowlands’ appointment book from 1964, which included dates and details of his meetings with the hitmaker.

“We knew Rod was something special from the word go,” Rowlands said. “He had that absolute star quality which he shares with the likes of Tom Jones and Elton John, which has allowed them to stay relevant in the music industry even after all of these years.”

He also spoke of how Stewart managed to find a recording studio to make the demo: “We had got lucky finding out about Pepe Rush’s studio that was hidden in the basement of a shop in Berwick Street, Soho.”

“With my then partner, Geoff Wright, we then sent the tape to Decca Records as an audition recording in June 1964 and the result was we obtained Rod’s first recording contract,” he added.

Rowlands also revealed he had to get Stewart’s parents to sign the contract because artists couldn’t sign if they were under 21; Rod was 19.

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Gene Simmons is offering KISS fans a truly unique experience. The rocker is giving fans the chance to record a song with him at Abbey Road Studios, but it doesn’t come cheap.

For a little under $6,000, a KISS fan and a guest will get to spend July 10 with the bassist at the legendary London studio where the Beatles recorded their albums. There, they’ll record a KISS song with Simmons and his band.

In addition, Simmons will share his favorite KISS stories, and the lucky purchaser will be able to take home some items from Simmons’ personal KISS collection. Simmons will also take a photo with them and sign two of their personal items.

If you’re hesitant to shell out the money because of your lack of musical experience, Simmons assures fans none is necessary. The package description notes, “The day is about having fun with Gene Simmons and going home having a copy of you and Gene Simmons on a recorded KISS song!!”

More info can be found at genesimmonsabbeyroadstudios.com.

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