Classic Hits

It’s been over 20 years since Poison released an album of new original songs, 2002’s Hollyweird. While frontman Bret Michaels says he’s not anxious to make another studio effort, he’d like to come up with one great new tune with the group.

“I know I could get outvoted on this,” Michaels tells the Arizona Republic. “But I said, ‘Guys, I beg you. Let’s just write a straight-up rock song.’ A ‘Nothin’ but a Good Time.’ But modern. ‘Talk Dirty to Me.’ A great guitar riff, good lyrics, a hook in the chorus. Just something that’s fun for us to write. And who knows? Maybe it could be a modern-day ‘You Shook Me All Night Long.'”

As for Poison possibly working on a longer music project, Bret says it’s probably not the best idea.
“You give us a whole album, you’ll get the best prize fight you’ve ever seen,” he says with a laugh.

Michaels says that he and his bandmates “always get along great,” except for those occasional times that they don’t.

“No one has ever made me laugh harder or been through as much as we’ve been through together, from the ground up,” Bret says. “I’m talking the basement, sump-pump water on the floor. We’re definitely four uniquely different personalities. But on that stage, it’s electric.”

He adds, “When it goes bad, it goes straight to a fistfight.”

Poison has been spending the summer on the massive Stadium Tour, which also features Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. The trek runs through a September 9 show in Las Vegas.

Michaels also has a bunch of 2022 concerts with his solo band scheduled through a November 11 gig in Ridgefield, Washington.

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The other day, Sir Elton John performed his forthcoming Britney Spears collab at a popular French restaurant. On Wednesday, Britney shared an extended preview of the song so fans could really hear what it sounds like — then deleted it a short time later.

If you caught it, the clip featured Britney’s rich vocals as she sings lyrics and melodies from Elton’s 1971 hit “Tiny Dancer” and his 1992 tune “The One.”

Britney also lavished praise onto the legendary hitmaker, writing in a lengthy Instagram caption, “Since most say they are honored TO KNOW ME SO WELL and only want happiness for me … you can bet your bottom dollar that THIS collaboration will heighten my year by joining your brilliant hands of play.”

Britney said, “Sir Elton I did it thanks to your genius, creative, and legendary mind !!! I am so grateful !!!”

Elton commented on the “Toxic” singer’s post: “Can’t wait for everyone to hear what we’ve been working on!”

The two have also shared a snippet of what appears to be the track’s music video. The clip opens to a field of pink roses before a rocket blasts off into the pastel-colored sky.

The British singer also took to his Instagram Story to share a “‘Hold Me Closer’ pop quiz,” where he asked fans how they are feeling about the forthcoming track, if they presaved the song and how excited they are to finally hear it when it comes out on Friday.

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Jackson Browne, Smokey Robinson and Elvis Costello are among the collaborators featured on actress/singer Rita Wilson‘s forthcoming album, Now & Forever: Duets, a covers collection mainly boasting renditions of 1970s hits.

According to Billboard, Wilson chose to focus on ’70s covers because of the personal significance the decade holds for her.

“I wanted to honor where I came from with songs from the ’70s,” she says in a statement. “It was really about showing enormous appreciation for the songwriting of that period — how these songs are still relevant even though they’re 50 years old.”

Rita’s duet with Browne, who’s widely considered among the most respected singer/songwriter to emerge during the ’70s, actually dates back to the 1959 Every Brothers hit “Let It Be Me.”

In a behind-the-scenes video about the making of Now & Forever posted on Wilson’s YouTube channel, Rita says, “Jackson, to me, is one of the first artists that I just fell in love with — his voice, his writing was so personal and so emotional.”

Robinson, meanwhile, is a featured on a version of the 1972 Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway hit duet “Where Is the Love?” Costello lends his talents to a rendition of Bruce Springsteen‘s “Fire.”

Other guests artists on Now and Forever include crooner Josh Groban, Hamilton actor Leslie Odom Jr. and country stars Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and Jimmie Allen.

The album also includes songs that were written and/or famously recorded by Van Morrison, Paul Simon, The Bee Gees, Bread, The Jackson 5, Harry Nilsson and Fleetwood Mac.

Now & Forever: Duets is due out September 27, and can be preorderd now.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

“Crazy Love” (Van Morrison) — with Keith Urban
“Where Is the Love?” (Roberta Flack & Donnie Hathaway) — with Smokey Robinson
“Slip Slidin’ Away” (Paul Simon) — with Willie Nelson
“Let It Be Me” (The Everly Brothers) — with Jackson Browne
“Massachusetts” (The Bee Gees) — with Leslie Odom Jr.
“Fire” (Bruce Springsteen) – with Elvis Costello
“If” (Bread) — with Tim McGraw
“I’ll Be There” (Michael Jackson) — with Jimmie Allen
“Without You” (Harry Nilsson) — with Vince Gill
“Songbird” (Fleetwood Mac) — with Josh Groban

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Paula Abdul knows what it’s like when people arrive late to her shows — so that may explain why she recently ran down Broadway barefoot to make it to a musical on time.

Page Six reports that the “Straight Up” singer was set to watch MJ: The Musical on Saturday, but she realized she was cutting it a little too close to show time. Eyewitnesses say Paula ripped off her high heels and sprinted down 52nd Street, which is located in New York City’s Midtown area.

According to a source, the speedy 60-year-old singer “made it into her seat seconds before the curtain went up.” She also reportedly screamed “You killed it!” to lead Myles Frost, who portrays Michael Jackson in the stage production.

MJ: The Musical is playing on Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre. Apparently, Beyoncé and Jay-Z also saw the musical that day. But, unlike Paula, the pair were fashionably late. Apparently, the couple chose to head into the venue when the lights were off so they wouldn’t cause a scene.

The pair also dipped after the curtain fell and rushed into their waiting SUV. As for the former American Idol judge, she chatted up the cast and gave them hugs.

It should be noted Paula was discovered by the Jackson family and was hired to help choreograph Janet Jackson‘s music videos.

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Founding INXS member Andrew Farriss has been busy promoting his 2021 debut solo album, a self-titled effort that sees the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter putting aside his famous band’s funky modern-rock sound in favor of tunes with strong country and Americana influences.

Farriss, who lives on a cattle farm in his native Australia, says his lifestyle has helped him relate to people who reside in the rural Southern and Southwestern U.S., and to embrace the music that’s popular in those regions.

“These experiences for me drew me more and more into where I’m now in, which is sort of country rock, Americana, folk music,” he explains to ABC Audio, “because I feel I’ve connected with communities that aren’t city or suburban people. I understand now. I get it, now [that] I’ve lived out there and I’ve done it.”

Andrew also notes that additional inspiration for the songs on his solo album from a horseback riding trip came from he took with his wife a few years ago along the Mexican border in Arizona and New Mexico. Farriss says he became fascinated with the history of the Western U.S. and began writing tunes that drew parallels between the area and his own country.

“I started thinking more and more and more lyrically about how to draw in both from Australiana and Americana, and join them together,” he explains. “I could sing songs about bushrangers, as we call ’em, or outlaws, in Australia, I could sing about outlaws in America. But it was the cultural fusion…that was a powerful thing.”

Farriss tells ABC Audio that when he plays live, he does include some INXS songs alongside his solo material, noting that when he performs tunes by his old band, “I like to rearrange them.”

Andrew Farriss is available now.

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Wednesday marks the one-year anniversary of the death of longtime Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, who passed away from an undisclosed illness at age 80 on August 24, 2021.

The Rolling Stones have posted a tribute video on their social media sites, along with a note that reads, “One year on without our beloved Charlie. Remembering him and all the incredible things he achieved in his life.”

The video, which is set to the 1994 Stones song “You Got Me Rocking,” features a montage of photos and film clips of Charlie.

In addition, Stones singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Ronnie Wood have posted separate homages to Watts on their own social media pages.

Jagger’s tribute features a video including a series of photos of him and Watts together over the years, soundtracked by the melancholy 1974 Stones tune “Till the Next Goodbye.”

The clip also features audio of Mick talking about his relationship with Charlie.

“I miss Charlie because he had a great sense of humor,” Jagger says. “And…outside of the band, we used to hang out quite a lot and have interesting times. We liked sports — we’d go to football, we’d go to cricket games, and we would have other interests apart from music. But, you know, of course, I really miss Charlie so much.”

The video was accompanied by a message that reads, “Thinking of Charlie today,” along with a blue heart emoji.

Wood’s homage features four photos of Watts and a message that reads, “Charlie, missing you every single day. [Wife] Shirley, [daughter] Seraphina and [granddaughter] Charlotte, we hold you close in our hearts xxx.”

Watts played drums with The Stones from January 1963 until his death and appeared on all of the band’s albums.

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Today, August 24, marks the 40th anniversary of the release of R.E.M.‘s debut EP, Chronic Town.

Arriving about a year after R.E.M.’s first single, “Radio Free Europe,” the five-track collection preceded the band’s classic 1983 debut studio album, Murmur.

The EP includes early fan favorites “Wolves, Lower,” “Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars)” and “1,000,000,” as well as the gems “Gardening at Night” and “Stumble.” All songs were co-written by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry; they showcase the quartet’s jangly and hugely influential “College Rock” sound.

Chronic Town was co-produced by R.E.M. and singer/songwriter/producer Mitch Easter. It was recorded at Easter’s Drive-In Studio in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The EP was originally issued on cassette and vinyl, and it made its CD debut as part of R.E.M.’s 1987 rarities compilation Dead Letter Office.

To celebrate the milestone anniversary, R.E.M. released Chronic Town as a standalone CD for the first time Friday, while the EP was reissued on cassette and as a vinyl picture disc. Easter has written new liner notes for the reissue.

In conjunction with the EP’s rerelease, Chronic Town-themed merch items have been made available at REMHQ.com, includingT-shirts, a hoodie and a collectible skateboard deck.

In other news, Buck and Mills recently contributed to a new song called “The Voice of Baseball” by their side group The Baseball Project. The tune, which is available as a digital download at the group’s official Bandcamp page, is a tribute to longtime LA Dodgers sportscaster Vin Scully, who died August 2 at age 94.

Buck co-wrote the song with his Baseball Project bandmate Scott McCaughey, who was a longtime member of R.E.M.’s touring group.

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Even Elton John cannot wait to unleash his collab with Britney Spears, so he performed it for patrons at a familiar French restaurant.

Sir Elton hit up La Guérite in Cannes, France, the very same spot where he previewed his “Cold Heart” collab with Dua Lipa back in August 2021, to perform the entirety of his upcoming song.

“Sneak peak of ‘Hold Me Closer’ — out this Friday,” he teased in the caption of the cheeky Instagram video, posted Tuesday, which sees him crashing the DJ booth to perform his new song. “Hey! Britney Spears. Elton John. Here we go,” he screams at the electrified crowd, who sing along to the dance track.

Much like how “Cold Heart” mashes up the lyrics of several Elton songs, “Hold Me Closer” features lyrics and melodies from his 1971 hit “Tiny Dancer” and his 1992 tune “The One.”

“Hold Me Closer” arrives this Friday. The song will be the first new single from Elton since 2021.

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Some rock and pop tunes can make you dance, scream, shout and bang your head, but a new U.K. survey has ranked the songs that can best help you fall sleep.

Mornings.co.uk, a website that serves as a guide to mattresses, pillows and beds, has devised a study to determine the most sleep-inducing pop songs by analyzing the characteristics of 100 lullabies and comparing them to a curated list of 1,700 popular tunes in various genres.

The list of the most sleep-inducing rock songs was dominated by veteran artists, with Elton John topping the tally with “Your Song.” The British pop-rock legend also landed at #3 on the list with “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters.”

The other songs ranked in the top 10 of the rock tally were Led Zeppelin‘s “Going to California” at #2, The Beatles‘ “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight” medley at #4, Pink Floyd‘s “Wish You Were Here” at #5, Jackson Browne‘s “The Load-Out” at #6, Lou Reed‘s “Walk on the Wild Side” at #7, The Police‘s “Every Breath You Take” at #8, the Eagles‘ “Desperado” at #9 and John Lennon‘s “Imagine” at #10.

Mornings.co.uk came up with a zero-to-100 ranking system, dubbed the “Sleep Song Scale,” by utilizing Spotify’s audio features, analyzing such qualities as loudness, danceability, tempo, energy and time signature.

The survey also looked at songs in such genres as pop, hip-hop, country and classical.

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Police say the suspects accused of robbing Mariah Carey‘s Atlanta home while she vacationed in New York and Italy have been apprehended.

TMZ reports police have arrested three men. Jeremy Caldwell, Terryion Anderson and Jalen Huff — all 24 years old — were located and taken into custody in Miami.

Mariah, whose home was broken into on July 27, is reportedly relieved the culprits have been apprehended. A source tells the outlet she is “so grateful for the detectives who arrived on the scene immediately.”

It should be noted the Grammy winner had posted to Instagram that she was on vacation and, shortly after, her home was burglarized. Authorities believe the criminals saw the post and knew her home was empty.

It has not been made clear what was taken, if anything, from the multimillion-dollar home.

Mariah is reportedly rattled by the incident and is now said to be working with authorities to ensure such an incident never happens to her again.

The Sandy Springs Police Department says the three suspects are believed to have been operating a crime ring that targeted celebrity homes. They are also accused of multiple armed robberies, burglaries and home invasions. A man was shot during an incident linked to the three suspects.

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