Classic Hits

As Journey prepares to launch its 50th anniversary tour next year, the band has announced plans to release a new concert album and video on December 9 capturing the group’s performance at the 2021 Lollapalooza festival.

Live in Concert at Lollapalooza, which can be preordered now, will be available as a CD/DVD set, on Blu-ray, via digital formats and as a three-LP vinyl package pressed on either black vinyl or limited-edition green vinyl.

Journey’s Lollapalooza performance took place on July 31, 2021, at Chicago’s Grant Park. The band’s lineup for the show featured founding guitarist Neal Schon, longtime keyboardist Jonathan Cain, frontman Arnel Pineda, keyboardist/backing singer Jason Derlatka and fill-in bassist Marco Mendoza. The group also featured two drummers at the show, current member Deen Castronovo and Narada Michael Walden. Walden played drums on, co-produced and co-wrote most of the songs on Journey’s 2022 studio album, Freedom, but he’s no longer part of the group.

A video of Journey performing its 1986 song “Be Good to Yourself” at the Lollapalooza gig has debuted on YouTube.

The concert also included renditions of such classic tunes as “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Who’s Crying Now,” “Wheel in the Sky,” “Open Arms,” “Faithfully,” “Any Way You Want It” and, of course, “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

As previously reported, Journey’s 50th Anniversary Freedom Tour 2023, featuring opening act Toto, kicks off February 4 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and is scheduled to run through an April 25 show in Thousand Palms, California.

Here’s the full track list of Live in Concert at Lollapalooza:

“Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”
“Only the Young”
Guitar Interlude
“Stone In Love”
“Be Good to Yourself”
“Just the Same Way”
“Lights”
“Still They Ride”
“Escape”
“La Do Da”
Piano Interlude
“Who’s Crying Now”
Guitar Interlude
“Wheel in the Sky”
“Ask the Lonely”
“Open Arms”
“Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin'”
“Faithfully”
“Any Way You Want It”
“Don’t Stop Believin'”

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Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, known for his dynamic singing, piano playing and wild performance style, has died at age 87. Lewis’ passing was announced Friday in a lengthy statement posted on his official website.

The Louisiana-born Lewis was part of Memphis, Tennessee label Sun Records’ roster of influential rock ‘n’ roll artists during the late 1950s alongside Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison.

Jerry Lee, who was infamously nicknamed “The Killer,” came to fame thanks to the classic songs “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On” and “Great Balls of Fire,” which peaked at #3 and #2, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. Both songs also topped the U.S. country charts.

After scoring another top-10 hit in 1958 with “Breathless,” Lewis, who was 22 at the time, was involved in a major controversy that derailed his pop career when it came to light that he had recently married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown. The couple remained married until 1970.

Starting in the late 1960s and into the ’80s, Lewis enjoyed a successful career as a country artist, releasing dozens of charting hits.

Jerry Lee was part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s first class of inductees in 1986. He also was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022.

Lewis’ life was chronicled in the 1989 biopic Great Balls of Fire, which starred Dennis Quaid and featured Winona Ryder as Myra.

Jerry Lee’s last solo studio album, Rock and Roll Time, was released in 2014 and featured guest appearances from several well-known musicians, including Keith Richards, The Band‘s Robbie Robertson, Neil Young and Nils Lofgren. Earlier this year, he released a collaborative gospel album with his cousin, televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, called The Boys from Ferriday.

Lewis is survived by his wife, Judith Coghlan Lewis, his four children, many grandchildren and his sister, Linda Gail Lewis.

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Bruce Springsteen has offered up a third advance track from his upcoming album of soul covers, Only the Strong Survive, which is due out November 11.

The Boss has debuted his rendition of “Don’t Play That Song,” which was a hit for Ben E. King in 1962 and Aretha Franklin in 1970. Both Ben E.’s and Aretha’s versions reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, while they also landed at #2 and #1, respectively, on the R&B chart.

The tune was co-written by Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun and King’s wife, Betty Nelson.

Springsteen’s version of “Don’t Play That Song” features Bruce accompanied by a string section, backing singers and The E Street Horns. Coinciding with the track’s release, a black-and-white music video featuring The Boss’ live performance of the song has premiered on his YouTube channel.

The clip was directed by frequent Springsteen collaborator Thom Zimny.

“Don’t Play That Song” follows Bruce’s previously released versions of the Commodores‘ 1985 hit “Nightshift” and “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do),” originally recorded by Frank Wilson in 1965.

As previously reported, Only the Strong Survive features Sam Moore of Sam & Dave as a guest vocalist on two songs. Among the covers on the album are tunes by The Temptations, Four Tops, The Walker Brothers, Dobie Gray, Jerry Butler and more.

Only the Strong Survive can be preordered now. Here’s the album’s full track list:

“Only the Strong Survive”
“Soul Days” — featuring Sam Moore
“Nightshift”
“Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)”
“The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore”
“Turn Back the Hands of Time”
“When She Was My Girl”
“Hey, Western Union Man”
“I Wish It Would Rain”
“Don’t Play That Song”
“Any Other Way”
“I Forgot to Be Your Lover” — featuring Sam Moore
“7 Rooms of Gloom”
“What Becomes of the Brokenhearted”
“Someday We’ll Be Together”

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Hall & Oates singer John Oates has just released a soulful, new single titled “Pushin’ a Rock” that focuses on overcoming personal struggles.

The tune is available now via streaming services, while a companion music video has debuted on Oates’ official YouTube channel.

The release of the song ties in with the Movember campaign, which asks people to grow or wear a mustache for the month of November while helping to raise funds and awareness about men’s health issues, including mental health, suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

The 74-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will serve as an ambassador for Movember and will participate in the initiative by growing his mustache back fully for the first time in more than 30 years.

“Pushin’ a Rock” is a song that Oates co-wrote with Grammy-winning producer/songwriter Nathan Chapman, who’s known for his work with Taylor Swift. John originally recorded the tune several years ago, and did an updated version for the new release.

“‘Pushin’ a Rock’ is a rallying cry to everyone who strives to overcome life’s struggles and challenges,” Oates notes. “It’s a universal theme and an important message for our time riding on a cool groove.”

In conjunction with the tune’s release and the Movember initiative, Oates is opening up about the fact that he’s experienced his own mental health struggles.

About participating in the campaign, he says, “It is important to me to speak out about men’s issues and shine a light on things that often go unspoken.”

The Movember initiative kicks off November 1. To find out more about it, visit Movember.com.

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The deluxe reissue of The Beatles‘ classic 1966 album Revolver was released Friday, October 28, in multiple configurations.

Revolver originally was released in August 1966 and spent multiple weeks at #1 in both the U.S. and the U.K. The album captured the Fab Four moving into the psychedelic era with an adventurous and experimental collection of tunes that explored various musical genres.

Producer Giles Martin, who oversaw the reissue and helped create a new mix of the album, explains to ABC Audio, “[The Beatles] ripped up the rulebook with Revolver … They had [songs like] ‘Eleanor Rigby,’ ‘Tomorrow Never Knows,’ ‘And Your Bird Can Sing,’ ‘Taxman.’ It’s like Revolver is an album of about seven different bands, but all good ones.”

Besides the new mix, the deluxe package also includes the original mono mix of the album; 31 tracks of session outtakes and demos; a four-song EP featuring the non-album tracks “Paperback Writer” and “Rain”; and a 100-page hardbound book.

Giles says some of the interesting bonus tracks include alternate versions of “Got to Get You into My Life” and “Rain,” and an early demo of “Yellow Submarine” featuring John Lennon on vocals.

One alternate version of “Got to Get You into My Life” features fuzz guitar and lacks the song’s trademark horns. A “Rain” outtake features the song at the speed it was actually recorded — the version that was originally released was slowed down.

There are also multiple tracks that show how “Yellow Submarine” developed from a melancholy tune sung by Lennon to the upbeat sing-along featuring Ringo Starr on lead vocals.

“[I]t’s development to how it is now is really surprising, and it’s worth listening to,” says Giles.

For full details including complete track lists of the various versions of the reissue, visit TheBeatles.com.

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The Who‘s Roger Daltrey and contemporary British rocker Yungblud interview each other for the latest installment of Rolling Stone‘s “Musicians on Musicians” series.

During the conversation, Daltrey, 78, tells Yungblud he thought the 25-year-old singer’s latest album was “uplifting” and praises the way he uses “the crowd-singing sound” in his mixing.

Roger goes on to complain that a lot of popular music in recent years has lacked strong vocals and harmonies, then discusses why he loves The Beach Boys.

“When you listen to the songs of the Beach Boys and the harmonies and all that stuff, it truly lifts your spirits,” Daltrey notes. “We really need it these days. Too many solo voices singing mediocre lyrics.”

The rockers also share negative opinions about the reality singing competition The Voice.

Daltrey says he was asked to be a judge on show — presumably the U.K. version — but he declined.

“I’m not gonna judge anyone’s singing,” Daltrey insists. “You’re only gonna squash their spirit, whatever you say.”

Yungblud, meanwhile, reveals that before his career took off, he was approached by a label that wanted to have him compete on The Voice.

“I was like, ‘No f***ing way,'” he recalls.

“I remember them saying, ‘We’ll put you on The Voice, and if you win it, we’ll sign you. But you can’t sing about politics,'” he continues. “I was starting to write about sexuality, fashion, gender … And I just said no.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Daltrey and Yungblud talk about The Who’s influence on fashion during the 1960s, the way social media affects today’s artists and their mutual love of Oasis.

“I wish [Oasis] would just get back together,” Daltrey says.

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Thursday, October 27, marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Stevie Wonder‘s classic 15th studio album, Talking Book.

The 10-track collection peaked at #3 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, making it Wonder’s highest-charting album up to that time. The album features two of Stevie’s most enduring songs, “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and “Superstition,” which both reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Talking Book marked a continuation of Wonder’s experimentation with synthesizers in collaboration with electronic music pioneers Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff that he began on his previous album, 1972’s Music of My Mind.

Among the noteworthy guest artists who contributed to the album were guitarist Jeff Beck and Ray Parker Jr., singer Deniece Williams and sax player David Sanborn.

Wonder took home three Grammy Awards for Talking Book at the 1974 Grammys ceremony — Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for “Superstition.” Cecil and Margouleff, meanwhile, won the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, prize for their work on the record.

Talking Book was ranked #59 on Rolling Stone‘s 2020 list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”

Here’s the album’s full track list:

Side One
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life”
“Maybe Your Baby”
“You and I (We Can Conquer the World)”
“Tuesday Heartbreak”
“You’ve Got It Bad Girl”

Side Two
“Superstition”
“Big Brother”
“Blame It on the Sun”
“Lookin’ for Another Pure Love”
“I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)”

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Former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum has debuted a music video for “Judgement Day,” the first single from his all-star band King of Chaos‘ forthcoming debut album, which is due out late 2023.

The “Judgement Day” video, which premiered at GuitarWorld.com and also can be viewed on the AFM Records label’s YouTube channel, features guest appearances by ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons and Sorum’s wife, fashion designer/choreographer Ace Harper.

Sorum explains about the clip, “Drawing inspiration from the 1971 film Vanishing Point morphed with imagery inspired by Natural Born Killers, Director Brian Cox … and I conceptualized a man running from his demons on a wild ride to find redemption guided by The Reverend Willy G [portrayed by Gibbons], an Angel … on a motorcycle [portrayed by Harper] and his inner child. A Wayward Wanderer searching for the light.”

“Judgement Day” was co-written and performed by Sorum and his ex-Velvet Revolver bandmates Slash, Duff McKagan and David Kushner, and features Matt on drums and lead vocals. Sorum also played with Slash and McKagan in GN’R.

The single will be released via digital formats on Friday, October 28 and can be presaved now.

As previously reported, the first Kings of Chaos album, which is expected in either the fall or winter of next year, will feature original songs and “guest collaborations with some of rock’s biggest names — including some of today’s most talented and iconic female artists.”

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Elvis Costello will take part in a four-day music and vacation event that will offer his fans the chance to explore the island nation and see special performances by the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer.

The event, dubbed Elvis in Iceland, is scheduled for May 25 to May 29 and will be based in Reykjavik, Iceland. It will include a private performance by Elvis and his longtime keyboardist Steve Nieve, plus prime seats to a May 28 show at the city’s Harpa Concert Hall featuring Costello and his old friend and collaborator Nick Lowe.

The excursion also offers accommodations at a four-star hotel, Q&A sessions with Costello and Lowe, photo ops with Elvis, Nick and Steve, a limited-edition poster signed by the three musicians and concerts by local music acts.

In addition, those who register for the destination event will be treated to meals at fine restaurants and will get a fly-over tour of Reykjavik, a spa visit to the Sky Lagoon, a Golden Circle tour of the Icelandic countryside and more.

Registration for the extravaganza is open exclusively at ElvisInIceland.com, with a 10% discount available through December 25; use the promo code “ICELAND.”

In a message posted about the event on YouTube, Elvis says, “For many years I’ve been thinking to myself, ‘When am I going to get to come back to Reykjavik? When am I going to come back to Iceland?’ Well, it seems that May 2023, marks the time when I will return! I will be there with Steve Nieve, a huge stack of songs, and many stories to tell you on my Elvis in Iceland trip.”

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Prince‘s fifth studio album, the double-LP 1999, was released 40 years ago — on October 27, 1982.

1999 found Prince exploring R&B, funk, rock and pop, and its success propelled the mutlitalented artist to major stardom, and paved the way for 1984’s chart-topping Purple Rain.

The album initially peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200, and featured Prince’s first two top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, “Little Red Corvette” and “Delirious,” which reached #6 and #8, respectively. The album’s apocalypse-themed title track, meanwhile, made it to #12 on the Hot 100, and has become one of his most recognizable and enduring tunes.

The success of “1999” and “Little Red Corvette” was bolstered by popular music videos that went into heavy rotation on MTV, making Prince among the first Black artists to have clips in heavy rotation on the network.

The track “International Lover” was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance category, Prince’s first Grammy nod.

1999 was Prince’s first album to feature his backing band The Revolution, although he played the majority of the instruments on the record.

After Prince’s death in 2016, his 1999 album returned to the charts, and peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200. The album has been certified four-times Platinum by the RIAA for sales of more than 4 million copies in the U.S.

In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked 1999 at #130 on its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” The magazine notes, “The second half of 1999 is just exceptional sex-obsessed dance music; the first half is the best fusion of rock and funk achieved to that date, and it lays out the blueprint for Prince’s next decade.”

Here’s the full track list of 1999:

Side One
“1999”
“Little Red Corvette”
“Delirious”

Side Two
“Let’s Pretend We’re Married”
“D.M.S.R.”

Side Three
“Automatic”
“Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)”
“Free”

Side Four
“Lady Cab Driver”
“All the Critics Love U in New York”
“International Lover”

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