An award-winning documentary about the legendary rock band The Doors is set to get its network television premiere next week. When You’re Strange, narrated by actor Johnny Depp, will debut on AXS TV February 1 at 9 p.m. ET.
The film, originally released in 2009, delves into the history and impact of the hugely successful rock quartet made up of singer Jim Morrison, drummer John Densmore, guitarist Robby Krieger and keyboardist Ray Manzarek.
When You’re Strange, which was nominated for an Emmy and won a Grammy for Best Long Form Video, features historic and previously unseen footage of the band, including clips of rehearsals, and TV and concert performances. It also includes restored and remastered material from Morrison’s 1969 short film HWY: An American Pastoral.
A new book about Asia co-founder, singer and bassist John Wetton is in the works. John Wetton: An Extraordinary Life is being put together by his family and management, with input from over 70 people who were close to or worked with him.
The book will follow Wetton, who died in 2017, from the early days of his life through his work with bands like Family, King Crimson, Uriah Heep and Asia. It will feature contributions from Wetton’s fellow musicians, like Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Robert Fripp and Carl Palmer, with his Asia bandmate Geoff Downes writing the book’s preface.
Downes shares, “[Wetton] had a love for fast cars, fine food, coffee, the Rams (that’s Derby County for non-football followers), films, books, crosswords, current affairs, sport, languages, classical music – anything that would stimulate his mind that he could use to great effect in his music and lyrics.”
In addition to stories about Wetton’s friendships, problems and triumphs, the book will be filled with personal photos of him at home and at work.
So far John Wetton: An Extraordinary Life does not have a release date, but the book is now available for preorder at Johnwettonbook.com.
Neil Diamond turned 82 on Tuesday and got quite the birthday surprise, courtesy of the cast of the Broadway musical A Beautiful Noise – The Neil Diamond Musical.
Tony Award nominee Will Swenson called the iconic singer via FaceTime, then led the cast and audience in a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” in Diamond’s honor, complete with streamers and birthday cake.
Neil thanked the crowd, adding, “I wish I was there with you.”
The cast then led the audience in a rendition of the classic “Sweet Caroline,” with Neil still on the phone watching.
A Beautiful Noise – The Neil Diamond Musical is currently playing at the Broadhurst Theater. It features a variety of Diamond’s biggest hits, including “Cracklin’ Rose,” “I’m a Believer,” “Song Sung Blue” and “Sweet Caroline.” The Broadway cast recording is available now.
Guitarist Anthony “Top” Topham, a founding member of The Yardbirds, passed away Monday after a battle with dementia. He was 75.
Topham, who adopted the name Sanderson Rasjid after joining the Subud spiritual movement, was the first guitarist for The Yardbirds, which he formed with his childhood friend Chris Dreja, singer Keith Relf, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith and drummer Jim McCarty.
“Sanderson Rasjid, born Anthony ‘Top’ Topham, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 23 surrounded by his family,” read a statement from his rep, according to The Sun. “Born in London on July 3 1947, he was 75 years old and had been fighting dementia in his final years.”
Topham left the group before they hit it big and was replaced by Eric Clapton. When Clapton left he was replaced by Jimmy Page, who was later replaced by Jeff Beck. Topham’s death comes just two weeks after Beck’s passing at age 78.
After leaving The Yardbirds, Topham went on to form bands with his friend Duster Bennett and worked as a session musician for such artists as Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie, the band’s founder Peter Green and others.
Billy F. Gibbons is hitting the road on his own this year. The ZZ Top guitarist just announced the Billy F Gibbons: The Big One – Part 1 – ’23 tour with his solo band, which features former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum and guitarist Austin Hanks.
So far Gibbons has only announced tour dates in England and Europe. The 12-country tour kicks off June 10 in Sölvesborg, Sweden, hitting Copenhagen, Denmark, Frankfurt, Germany, Vienna, Austria, London and more before wrapping July 11 in Bournemouth, England.
Tickets go on sale Friday. A complete list of tour dates and ticket information can be found at BillyGibbons.com.
As previously reported, a new exhibit opening in June at London’s National Portrait Gallery will feature never-before-seen photos taken by Paul McCartney during the height of Beatlemania. Well, if you can’t get to London to see them, you’re in luck, because they’ve been compiled into a new book.
McCartney’s 1964: Eyes of the Storm will be released June 13, featuring 275 photos taken in late 1963/early 1964 just as The Beatles were exploding across the world. These photos were all taken on a 35 mm camera and were rediscovered by McCartney in 2020.
The book includes a forward by McCartney, and focuses on photos of him and his bandmates, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, in six cities — Liverpool, London, Paris, New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami — with McCartney providing an introduction for each city.
“Anyone who rediscovers a personal relic or family treasure is instantly flooded with memories and emotions, which then trigger associations buried in the haze of time,” Sir Paul shares. “This was exactly my experience in seeing these photos, all taken over an intense three-month period of travel, culminating in February 1964. It was a wonderful sensation to be plunged right back.”
He adds, “Here was my own record of our first huge trip, a photographic journal of The Beatles in six cities, beginning in Liverpool and London, followed by Paris (where John and I had been ordinary hitchhikers three years before), and then what we regarded as the big time, our first visit as a group to America.”
Metallica’s new album, 72 Seasons, is dropping April 14, but fans will now have a chance to hear the whole thing one day early, thanks to a just-announced global listening party.
The one-night-only 72 Seasons global premiere, presented by Metallica and Trafalgar Releasing, is coming to movie theaters worldwide on April 13 and will feature the album played in full in surround sound, accompanied by a new music video for each track. The band will also talk fans through each track with exclusive commentary. The band promises “a few surprises” for attendees.
“This is a monumental opportunity for Metallica fans to be the first to hear the new album,” Kymberli Frueh, of Trafalgar Releasing, shares. “We are thrilled to be a part of this historical global moment—connecting Metallica with their fans once again.”
Tickets for the listening party go on sale March 2 at metallica.film.
Photographs taken by Paul McCartney during the height of Beatlemania will be the subject of a new exhibit at London’s National Portrait Gallery.
Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Stormis set to run from June 28 to October 1 and feature never-before-seen photographs taken by the Beatle. The portraits on display are from McCartney’s own archive and were taken between December 1963 and February 1964. They give fans an insight into McCartney’s point of view as the band members were becoming international superstars.
The BBC reports that gallery director Dr. Nicholas Cullinan says Sir Paul approached them in 2020 about the photos, “which he remembered taking but thought had been lost.” Cullinan notes, “We sat down with him and began going through the photographs and they are really extraordinary.”
Paul McCartney Photographs will be the National Portrait Gallery’s first major exhibition when it reopens June 22 after three years of renovation. Tickets to the McCartney exhibit are available for preorder now.
In addition to fronting KISS, Paul Stanley has had a successful career as an artist for over 20 years. While he has made millions on his pieces, that’s not necessarily what he considers a success.
“If I love what I do. If it validates, and even surprises me,” he tells INC of how he measures success. “When I’ve done a piece and think, ‘If I saw this somewhere else, I would like it.'” He adds, “The key, and the basis to everything, is to love what you’re doing. If I don’t love what I’m doing, it’s not worth doing. It’s a waste of time, and time is precious.”
He also encourages others to not be intimidated by making art themselves. “I tend to tell people to enjoy themselves,” he says. “Create. Paint. Don’t be limited by other people’s definition of ‘good.’ When you live by other people’s definitions, you’ll sell yourself short.”
And those skills can certainly apply to more than just art. “If you’re drawn to doing something, do it. Don’t worry about what other people think,” he shares. “I’ve always found that if I do something I like, lots of other people will like it too, because people aren’t that different.”
He adds, “Whether it’s music, or theater, or painting … I’m not catering. I’ve only ever catered to myself. Please yourself, and other people will enjoy it too — and that’s the bonus.”
Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony are celebrating the 28th anniversary of the Van Halen album Balance, and marked the occasion by sharing a performance of the song “Amsterdam” from The Jon Stewart Show, which aired on MTV in 1995.
“Happy anniversary to ‘Balance’! The ‘Balance’ record was such a great record, but it was during hard times for the band, and a very hard record to make,” Sammy shares. “A lot of painful dark images, bickering amongst the band, health issues, but this live performance of ‘Amsterdam’ on the Jon Stewart show shows how great this band was live.”
Anthony adds, “By the time the ‘Balance’ record came out, there was lots of tension within the band, personally, and professionally.” He noted, “One thing that was understood though was that the music was the important thing, and when we got together to play live we kicked a**, be it in concert or guesting on a TV show.” He adds, “This clip of us on Jon Stewart shows we were still delivering the goods!!!”
Balance, Van Halen’s 10th studio album, was released January 24, 1995, and was the last to feature Sammy on vocals. It went to number one on the Billboard 200 album chart and in 2004 was certified triple Platinum by the RIAA.
