Classic Hits

Journey is currently on their Final Frontier farewell tour, but it sounds like it almost didn’t happen.

A new article in Rolling Stone looks behind the scenes of the tour, featuring interviews with Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain and singer Arnel Pineda prior to the kickoff. It delves into the contentious relationship between Cain and Schon, and also reveals that Pineda originally didn’t want to do the tour.

Pineda’s reluctance had to do with the state of his voice and how his body handles cold weather, along with personal issues, including a contentious divorce, which was big news in his native Philippines.

“Back in 2024, I said to them, ‘If you’re planning to do a farewell tour, you better tell me, because my issues and my personal problems are getting more intense, and I don’t know if I want to go with you,’” he tells the mag.

But Pineda says the band booked the tour anyway, and he wasn’t happy. When he emailed them about it, he didn’t hear back. He was so upset he actually told them he wanted to retire, but he still got no answer.

When asked about Pineda’s feelings about the tour, Schon said “it’s been very confusing” and acknowledged Pineda sent messages about not knowing if he could do it. “But we all signed contracts, OK?” Schon says. “So, honestly, I’m signed up for the next two years. I’m ready for it.” He added, “I hope that he feels better about things.”

The interview ends with the first full-band rehearsal for the tour, with the writer noting Pineda sounded “stellar the entire time.” When asked if he was happy to be there, Pineda responded “60 percent,” adding, “The other 40 percent of me is still there in the Philippines.”

Journey’s tour hits Austin, Texas, on Tuesday.

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Barry Manilow may be 83 years old, but he’s aware of what’s going on in today’s music — and he just doesn’t get it. He even tried to write songs like one of today’s biggest pop stars, but couldn’t pull it off.

Speaking to The Times of London, Barry, who’s going to release what he says is his final album in June, said, “The truth is that for this record I really studied what’s going on out there — artists like Billie Eilish.”

He explained, “I tried to write like her but I just couldn’t because I’m used to verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, ending — but pop music now just sounds like run-on sentences. Where is the chorus? Hook?”

“Song after song is like that, so I went back to what I know and people will either think I haven’t listened to pop radio in 40 years or they’ll say, ‘Thank God! Something to hang my ears on!’” he added.

Asked to address why he thinks pop music doesn’t sound like it used to, Barry offered this explanation: “I don’t mean this negatively, but it feels like songs now are not written by bona fide musicians.”

“They feel written by young people, who know a couple of chords, and some new songs are really good,” he continued. “But the stars of pop nowadays are studio engineers and the last thing you pay attention to in a modern record are the lyrics or melody. The rhythm and grooves are delicious. But songwriters? I don’t think they’re there any more.”

Barry’s new album, What a Time, is out June 5. It features his most recent hit, “Once Before I Go.”

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Simple Minds, Adam Ant and Soft Cell are among the artists set to play the Darker Waves Festival, taking place Nov. 14 at Huntington Beach City Beach in Huntington Beach, California.

The festival, which mostly focuses on ’80s and ’90s alternative music, will be headlined by Smashing Pumpkins and Morrissey, and feature 35 artists across three stages. Other artists on the bill include Gary Numan, The Motels, Missing Persons, Modern English, Marky Ramone, Silversun Pickups, Buzzcocks and Spacehog.

A presale begins Thursday at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets will go on sale to the general public an hour later at 11 a.m. PT.

For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit DarkerWavesFest.com.

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Carole King’s music has been covered by a whole host of artists over the years, and a new playlist is highlighting some soulful versions of her classic tunes.

The Soul of Carole King, now available on Spotify, features songs King either wrote or co-wrote, covered by the likes of Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, The Stylistics, Al Green and more.

A post on Instagram notes that the playlist was “Curated to showcase deep-groove covers and emotional performances from the architects of Soul and R&B.” It notes, “The collection honors the songwriting genius of King with gospel-influenced vocals, horn-driven arrangements, inspired instrumentals and intimate interpretations.”

Songs featured in the playlist include Franklin’s iconic version of “(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman”; covers of “You’ve Got a Friend” from Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Al Green and more; Flack’s cover of “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”; Gaye’s take on “Some Kind of Wonderful”; and The Drifters’ recording of “Up on the Roof.”

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James Taylor, Van Morrison, Sting and Deep Purple are among the artists booked to play the 2026 Montreux Jazz Festival, taking place in Montreux, Switzerland, July 3-18.

All four artists are booked to play the festival’s Auditorium Stravinski, with Sting performing on July 4, Deep Purple confirmed for July 13, and Taylor and Morrison set for July 18.

Deep Purple, of course, has quite a connection to Montreux. The band’s iconic tune “Smoke on the Water” was inspired by the 1971 fire that burned down the Montreux Casino; the title’s a reference to smoke from the fire spreading over Lake Geneva. They last played the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2024.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday at noon local time.

This year marks the 60th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival. The festival is returning after a two-year hiatus.

A complete lineup and more ticket information can be found at MontreuxJazzFestival.com.

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Christopher North, keyboardist and founding member of the soft rock group Ambrosia, has passed away at the age of 75. The news was confirmed by the band in a post on Facebook.

“Fans of Ambrosia, we honor the legendary life and career of our dearest family member Christopher North, the ‘Hammond B3 King’ whose sonic architecture defined a generation of progressive and soft rock,” they write. “A founding member since 1970, he was a keyboard wizard who brought an unmatched intensity and emotional depth to every performance.”

“We will always remember ‘Northwind’ for his fiery, ‘intense’ stage presence—a legacy that began when he was first discovered playing in a dimly lit room, his organ topped with a bottle of wine,” they continue. “Even as he faced health challenges in recent years, including a brave and successful battle with throat cancer, his spirit remained tied to the music and the fans he loved.”

“Christopher North’s work did more than just fill airwaves; it created ‘aural landscapes’ that balanced virtuosity with soulful, radio-friendly hooks,” Ambrosia adds. “We celebrate a true craftsman of the classic rock era whose lush piano lines and soaring organ swells will remain timeless.”

They conclude, “He was truly one of a kind, and loved dearly by his fans and bandmates. RIP, Brother Chris, forever and ever in our hearts.”

Ambrosia formed in Los Angeles in 1970 and had a string of top-40 hits between 1975 and 1980, including “How Much I Feel” and “Biggest Part of Me,” which both hit the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as “You’re The Only Woman (You & I)” and “Holdin’ On To Yesterday.”

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The Cranberries have announced a new reissue of the band’s 1993 debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, in honor of its 33rd anniversary.

The package, due out May 22, will include a new remaster of the original album as well as an updated stereo mix by producer Stephen Street. It also features various bonus recordings, such as live tracks and a remix of “Linger” by Iain Cook of CHVCRHES.

Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? spawned the singles “Dreams” and “Linger.” It propelled The Cranberries beyond their home country of Ireland into worldwide fame, earning five-times Platinum certification by the RIAA.

“We come from a small town in Ireland where things like that didn’t happen, so it was fairytale material,” says guitarist Noel Hogan in a statement.

The Cranberries released their final album, In the End, in 2019 following the 2018 death of frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan.

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band kick off their Land of Hope and Dreams American tour on Tuesday at the Target Center in Minneapolis, and The Boss is giving fans at home a chance to experience at least a part of it.

Springsteen has announced that the first two songs of the show will stream live on YouTube and for subscribers in the nugs.net app. Audio of the full concert will also be available after the show in the nugs app.

“We are living through dark, disturbing and dangerous times, but do not despair — the cavalry is coming! Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will be taking the stage this spring from Minneapolis to California to Texas to Washington, D.C. for the Land of Hope And Dreams American Tour,” Springsteen said in a video announcing the tour in February. “We will be rocking your town in celebration and in defense of America — American democracy, American freedom, our American Constitution and our sacred American dream — all of which are under attack by our wannabe king and his rogue government in Washington, D.C.”

The tour is set to wrap with an outdoor show on May 27 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. A complete list of dates can be found at BruceSpringsteen.net.

Ahead of the tour, Springsteen was in Minnesota Saturday to perform his new protest song “Streets of Minneapolis” at the No Kings rally at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul.

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Traffic co-founder Dave Mason has released his first children’s book, Hole in My Shoe, a reimagining of his 1967 song, which he wrote when he was just 19 years old.

“‘Hole In My Shoe’ was the first song I ever wrote,” says Mason. “Released by Traffic in 1967, it spent 14 weeks on the U.K. charts, climbed to #2, and has carried its charm ever since. Now, it’s been reimagined as a children’s book for all ages.”

He notes, “I’ve had the lyrics beautifully illustrated and re-recorded the song, which is included as a download inside the book—and it’s the only way you can hear it.”

The new version of “Hole in My Shoe” features guitarist John McFee of The Doobie Brothers, with Mason’s wife contributing the spoken word passages to the song. The book includes a QR code for a free download of the updated recording.

“It brings great satisfaction [to] revisit my first creative endeavor,” he says of the book, which features illustrations by Jillian Dister. “A lot of miles and music have happened since then, and that song opened a door to a life bigger and better than I ever imagined.”

The book is available for purchase now at DaveMasonMusic.com.

In September, after more than 60 years in music, the 79-year-old Mason announced that he was retiring from touring due to ongoing health issues. While this is his first children’s book, he previously released his memoir, Only You Know and I Know, in 2024.

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Céline Dion has confirmed what many had already assumed: she’s returning to the concert stage in Paris.

In a video message on Instagram Monday — the Canadian superstar’s birthday — Céline says, “This year, I’m getting the best birthday gift of my life. … I’m getting the chance to see you, to perform for you once again in Paris, beginning in September.”

The video was also shown on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

“I’m feeling good, I’m strong, I’m feeling excited, obviously a little nervous, but most of all, I’m grateful to all of you. I love you all and I’ll see you soon!”

CELINE DION PARIS 2026 will be a five-week engagement at Paris La Défense Arena, which holds 40,000 people, starting Sept. 12. She’ll play a total of 10 nights through Oct. 14. According to a press release, the show will feature the singer’s “most beloved hits in both French and English.”

You can register for the presale on celinedion.com now through Thursday at 1 p.m. ET. The presale starts April 7; tickets go on sale to the general public April 10 at 4 a.m. ET. VIP packages will also be available.

Céline last performed a full concert on March 8, 2020; she was forced to cancel her Courage World Tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A planned 2021 residency in Las Vegas never materialized due to her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis, a rare condition that causes debilitating muscle spasms.

Céline choosing Paris as the city for her engagement is fitting: Her first public performance after revealing her diagnosis took place at the Eiffel Tower during the 2024 Olympics.

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