Classic Hits

Poison frontman Bret Michaels, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child, is voicing his support for the Affordable Insulin Now Act, legislation that would put a $35 cap on insulin prices for people with private healthcare plans and Medicare Part D plans.

The Affordable Insulin Now Act was passed by the House of Representatives on March 31, and the legislation is in front of the Senate.

Michaels is encouraging his fans and friends to urge government officials to vote in favor of the act.

“All diabetics deserve a fighting chance to afford insulin,” says Michaels in a statement. “With rising costs for insulin in America skyrocketing, it puts treatments out of reach for many. And, it forces them to make a difficult decision when finances become tighter to decide if they can either ration medication doses or go without it. No one with diabetes should ever go without the opportunity for treatment.”

The 59-year-old rocker has long been involved in raising awareness about the challenges faced by people with diabetes, and the issue is a main focus of his Life Rocks charitable foundation.

“Putting the needs of diabetic children and adults has always been at the forefront of the Life Rocks Foundation,” Bret notes, “and I offer my full support for this bill which will bring costs down for those in need.”

Michaels currently is touring the U.S. on his Nothing but a Good Vibe trek, and in June he and Poison will hit the road on The Stadium Tour, the massive stateside outing that also will feature Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.

While on tour, Bret meets with other diabetics at every stop to share their experiences, lend support and advocate for helping those with the chronic condition.

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Today marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Van Halen‘s fifth studio album, Diver Down.

Diver Down became the group’s highest-charting album up to that time, peaking at #3 on the Billboard 200. It’s gone on to sell more than 4 million copies in the U.S.

The 12-track collection features five cover tunes, including versions of Roy Orbison‘s chart-topping 1964 smash “(Oh) Pretty Woman,” Martha and the Vandellas‘ 1964 hit “Dancing in the Street,” The Kinks‘ 1965 gem “Where Have All the Good Times Gone,” and Roy Rogers and Dale Evans‘ country classic “Happy Trails.”

Van Halen’s rendition of “(Oh) Pretty Woman,” which was first released as a standalone single three months before Diver Down came out, became the band’s second top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching #12. “Dance the Night Away” had ascended to #15 on the chart in 1979.

The band’s cover of “Dancing in the Street” also was a Hot 100 hit, peaking at #38.

Perhaps the most interesting song on Diver Down was the band’s rendition of “Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now),” an old-timey pop-jazz tune dating back to the 1920s. Van Halen’s recording features none other than Jan Van Halen, Eddie and Alex Van Halen‘s father, playing clarinet throughout the entire track.

Jan had been a professional musician when he was younger, and he passed on his passion for music to his two sons. Sadly, Jan retired from music after losing a finger in an accident in 1972. It was frontman David Lee Roth who suggested that the band cover “Big Bad Bill,” and that they ask Jan to play on the tune. It marked the first time that Jan had played the clarinet since his accident.

Here’s Diver Down‘s full track list:

“Where Have All the Good Times Gone”
“Hang ‘Em High”
“Cathedral” (instrumental)
“Secrets”
“Intruder” (instrumental)
“(Oh) Pretty Woman”
“Dancing in the Street”
“Little Guitars (Intro)” (instrumental)
“Little Guitars”
“Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)”
“The Full Bug”
“Happy Trails”

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Queen guitarist Brian May has launched a new YouTube series to promote the reissue of his second solo album, 1998’s Another World, which will be released in multiple formats and configurations on April 22.

The first episode of the new series, which premiered Wednesday, features May sharing his recollections of the Another World cover photo, which features Brian positioned next to a twisted juniper tree located on El Hierro in the Canary Islands.

In the episode, titled “Another World: Back to the Tree,” May explains how he first saw a black-and-white photo of the historic tree — which is located in the town of El Sabinar — in a newspaper and was fascinated by it.

Brian notes that he was going though a hard time emotionally back then, and remembers that something about the tree inspired him to visit it.

“This tree [was] living in very adverse circumstances. It’s trying to grow in a place where there’s constantly a driving wind off the oceans, saltwater wind, and it’s still managing to survive,” he says in the video. “How has it survived? By adapting. I thought, I want to visit that tree. So, I found it in a travel magazine…On an impulse…I thought, ‘OK, we have to go there.'”

Brian then shares the story of the photo shoot, explaining how he tried to position his body to resemble the tree. For the YouTube series, May returned to El Hierro in March to see the tree today.

New episodes of the Another World YouTube series will debut weekly through mid-May.

As previously reported, the Another World reissue can be pre-ordered now and will be available on CD, cassette, vinyl and digital formats, and as a deluxe box set, two-CD set and limited-edition vinyl picture disc.

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The official New York City premiere of Barry Manilow‘s stage musical Harmony is taking place tonight, but unfortunately the legendary singer and songwriter won’t be able to attend the event because he’s contracted COVID-19.

“I am heartbroken to say that I have just tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t be able to attend tonight’s opening night performance of my new musical, Harmony,” the 78-year-old Manilow says in a statement. “This just might be the cruelest thing that has ever happened to me: 25 years waiting for this show to premiere in New York and I can’t attend.”

He adds, “Even in the face of this pandemic, we New Yorkers remain the toughest, staunchest people on the planet — so, put on a mask and go see a show!”

As previously reported, Harmony is being presented by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene in the Edmond J. Safra Hall Theatre at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Previews began on March 23, and regular performances will run through May 8.

Harmony features music composed by Manilow and a book written by Bruce Sussman. It first premiered at California’s La Jolla Playhouse 25 years ago. It was initially set to make its NYC debut in 2019, but was bumped to 2020 and then postponed again until this year due to the pandemic.

According to the show description, Harmony is based on the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, “a group of six talented young men, Jewish and gentile, who came together in 1920s Germany and took the world by storm with their signature blend of sophisticated close harmonies and uproarious stage antics.”

For more details about Harmony, visit NYTF.org.

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Fans of ’80s pop rock have a treat in store this summer, as Men at Work, Rick Springfield and John Waite will be hitting the road together for an 18-city U.S. tour.

The cross-country trek gets underway August 5 in St. Augustine, Florida, and is mapped out through a September 3 concert in Las Vegas.

The tour will celebrate the 40th anniversaries of Men at Work’s chart-topping debut album Business as Usual and Springfield’s RIAA-Platinum-certified Working Class Dog.

To check out a full list of shows and to purchase tickets, visit ColinHay.com/MenatWork.

The trek with Springfield and Waite as just part of what’s shaping up to be an extremely busy year for Men at Work frontman Colin Hay. He’s currently playing a series of U.S. headlining shows in support of his recently released solo album, Now and the Evermore, that’s scheduled through a May 12 performance in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Then, starting June 2 in Boston, Colin heads out on tour as a member of Ringo Starr‘s All Starr Band. That trek’s first leg currently is plotted out through a June 26 performance in Clearwater, Florida, while a just-announced second leg is scheduled from a September 23 concert in Bridgeport, Connecticut, through an October 19-20 stand in Mexico City.

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Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody says she “still can’t believe” she worked with Madonna, telling ABC Audio it was “a dream come true” to co-write her idol’s biopic.

The Queen of Pop announced in September 2020 that she would be directing her own biopic, and tapped Cody to co-write the script with her. According to Madge, the movie is a “happy, sad, mad, crazy, good, bad and ugly” story of her rise to stardom.

“I still can’t believe that’s how I was able to spend my summer,” Cody said of the experience. “She’s incredible! I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody with a work ethic like that before.”

“Madonna is just on another level,” the Juno writer continued. “I can’t really say that much about [the movie] but I can say that I’m profoundly grateful for the experience.”

Cody also said the collaboration was a bucket-list experience, explaining, “If you had told me when I was in the fifth grade that some day I would get to hang out with Madonna and breathe the same air as Madonna and sit at her knee as she shared the stories of her life? I would never have believed you.”

Madonna isn’t the only pop star the screenwriter’s worked with recently. Cody teamed with Alanis Morissette to transform her breakthrough Jagged Little Pill album into a two-time Tony Award-winning musical, which has been adapted into a young adult novel.

As for which star Cody hopes to work with next, she tells ABC Audio that Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson is her “favorite,” adding, “Brian Wilson is my hero…To collaborate creatively with him would be the dream.”

And while she admits she doesn’t “know if I’ll ever get the chance” to work with Wilson, Cody says there’s no harm in putting that energy “out there.”

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If the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album has you itching to shred yourself, Fender is here to help.

The famed guitar company has announced the addition of Chili Peppers songs to its Fender Play guitar instruction app, which allows users of all levels to play along to hits from some of the biggest names in rock.

Among the RHCP tunes now available in Fender Play include “Suck My Kiss,” “Under the Bridge,” “Californication,” “Scar Tissue” and “Can’t Stop,” as well as “Black Summer,” the lead single off the aforementioned new album, Unlimited Love.

For more info, visit Fender.com/play.

Judging by its first week of sales, a whole lot of people have been jamming along to Unlimited Love. The record debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with the best sales week for any rock album since Paul McCartney‘s 2020 solo effort, McCartney III.

“Black Summer,” meanwhile, is the number-one song on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart, and number two on Mainstream Rock Airplay.

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It’s rare to see Mariah Carey not wearing a dramatic gown — even in a hot tub.  The diva did just that when celebrating the anniversary of her album The Emancipation of Mimi, which was released on April 12, 2005.

Taking to Instagram live Tuesday night, Mariah donned a sparkling red gown and some chunky diamond bangles before slipping into her hot tub to talk about the super-successful release, which she called “one of my favorite albums, ever.”

“That album meant a lot to me… It was a really tough road,” Mariah said.  As for the tracks she loves most on the album, she hinted toward “Fly Like a Bird” and “Circles.”

Mariah also asked fans to share their thoughts about her joining Latto for a new remix of the rapper’s hit “Big Energy.”  The connection is that both Mariah’s 1995 hit “Fantasy” and Latto’s “Big Energy” sample the same song: 1981’s “Genius of Love,” by Tom Tom Club.

Mariah also celebrated the remix hitting number one on the Billboard Digital Sales chart, cheering, “Can I get a yay?”

As for her future plans, the “Obsessed” singer hinted, “Just been in the studio doing a lot of stuff and some other projects that I think you know about.”  

“It’s rare that I take a break. I’m still working even while I’m here,” she teased. “Don’t get me started about Christmas. I am very excited about something major — a new accomplishment that I’m really excited about and I hope you guys like it.”

Mariah also spoke about her Black Irish brand of liquor and her plans for Pride, as well as her upcoming MasterClass, where she’ll teach her students how to use their voice as an instrument.  She also hinted that the class will feature “an amazing special guest,” later revealed to be Brandy.

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Classic rock songs by Queen and Journey and a Grammy-winning album of traditional music by Linda Ronstadt are among the 25 recordings that have been added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry for 2022.

Each year, 25 recordings are chosen for induction into the National Recording Registry, based on their “cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.”

This year’s list includes Journey’s soaring 1981 power ballad “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Queen’s 1975 anthem “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Ronstadt’s 1987 album of traditional Mexican music, Canciones de Mi Padre.

Former Journey frontman Steve Perry, who co-wrote “Don’t Stop Believin,'” said, “That song, over the years, has become something that has a life of its own. It’s about the people who’ve embraced it and found the lyrics to be something they can relate to and hold onto and sing.”

Other notable recordings by veteran artists chosen for the registry include Bonnie Raitt‘s Grammy-winning 1989 comeback album Nick of Time, The Four Tops‘ classic 1966 hit “Reach Out, I’ll Be There,” Ricky Martin‘s 1999 smash “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” The Shirelles‘ 1961 album Tonight’s the Night, Nat King Cole‘s 1961 recording of “The Christmas Song,” and Andy Williams‘ enduring 1962 rendition of “Moon River.”

Playlists featuring this year’s inductees are available on most streaming services.

Here’s the full list of recordings selected for the National Recording Registry in 2022:

“Harlem Strut” — James P. Johnson (1921)
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Complete Presidential Speeches (1933-1945)
“Walking the Floor Over You” — Ernest Tubb (1941) (single)
“On a Note of Triumph” (May 8, 1945)
“Jesus Gave Me Water” — The Soul Stirrers (1950) (single)
Ellington at Newport — Duke Ellington (1956) (album)
We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite — Max Roach (1960) (album)
“The Christmas Song” — Nat King Cole (1961) (single)
Tonight’s the Night — The Shirelles (1961) (album)
“Moon River” — Andy Williams (1962) (single)
In C — Terry Riley (1968) (album)
“It’s a Small World” — The Disneyland Boys Choir (1964) (single)
“Reach Out, I’ll Be There” — The Four Tops (1966) (single)
Hank Aaron’s 715th Career Home Run (April 8, 1974)
“Bohemian Rhapsody” — Queen (1975) (single)
“Don’t Stop Believin'” — Journey (1981) (single)
Canciones de Mi Padre — Linda Ronstadt (1987) (album)
Nick of Time — Bonnie Raitt (1989) (album)
The Low End Theory — A Tribe Called Quest (1991) (album)
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) — Wu-Tang Clan (1993) (album)
Buena Vista Social Club (1997) (album)
“Livin’ La Vida Loca” — Ricky Martin (1999) (single)
Songs in A Minor — Alicia Keys (2001) (album)
WNYC broadcasts for the day of 9/11 (Sept. 11, 2001)
“WTF with Marc Maron” (Guest: Robin Williams) (April 26, 2010)

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The treasured 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival – a series of events and music concerts held to celebrate Black culture – will make a triumphant return to its hometown next Summer, according to Billboard. 

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson‘s Oscar- and Grammy-winning film Summer of Soul, about the 1969 festival, inspired the new annual Harlem Festival of Culture (HFC), which is founded by Harlem community leader Nikoa Evans, entrepreneur Yvonne McNair and Ambassador magazine editor Musa Jackson, who attended the original festival back in the day.

“Being rooted, watered, and grown in this village of Harlem, I believe HFC is our moment to show the world the vibrancy of today”s Harlem — the music, the food, the look, all of it! The original event was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, one that I will never forget,” Jackson said in the announcement. “With this initiative, we want to create something that evokes that same sense of pride in our community that I felt on that special day in 1969. We want to authentically encapsulate the full scope: the energy, the music, the culture. We want people to understand that this festival is being built by the people who are from, live and work in this community.”

Like that of the past festival, HFC will host indoor and outdoor live music performances and events over the course of multiple days, doing so from Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park, formerly Mount Morris Park. HFC will also host events leading up to to the inaugural celebration next year, including A Harlem Jones open mic night at the Museum of the City of New York in tribute to the 1997 Black classic film, Love Jones. 

HFC founders have also established the HFC Foundation, a nonprofit organization that will provide resources for Harlem’s next generation of leaders in music. 

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