Classic Hits

A fresh run of episodes of the AXS TV investigative series Music’s Greatest Mysteries, which delves into some of the biggest myths and legends in music history, will premiere on Wednesday, August 24.

The first of the six new Music’s Greatest Mysteries episodes will include segments looking at the death of founding Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones and the curious similarities between two hit 1984 singles — Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” theme and Huey Lewis and the News’ “I Want a New Drug.”

Other episodes will feature segments about Pat Benatar‘s enduring rock ‘n’ roll romance, John Lennon‘s fascination and association with the number nine, and the tragic death of Who drummer Keith Moon’s chauffeur, as well as stories about Kris Kristofferson, Patsy Cline, Quiet Riot and Led Zeppelin.

A variety of experts and commentators will be featured on the new shows, including Quiet Riot bassist Rudy Sarzo, former MTV host Matt Pinfield, Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo, famous rock groupie and author Pamela Des Barres, Spin magazine founder Bob Guccione Jr. and many more.

The new episodes Music’s Greatest Mysteries will premiere weekly on AXS TV on Wednesdays through September 28.

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George Thorogood and the Destroyers‘ classic 1982 album Bad to the Bone, featuring the band’s signature tune of the same name, was released 40 years ago today.

The record, which was the veteran blues rockers’ fifth studio effort, only peaked at #43 on the Billboard 200, but went on to be certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 in the U.S. The album featured the band’s first two singles to break into the top 40 of Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, “Bad to the Bone” and a cover of The Isley Brothers‘ “Nobody but Me.”

Thorogood tells ABC Audio that when he wrote “Bad to the Bone,” “I wanted [people] to think Bo Diddley wrote it or Muddy Waters wrote it, ’cause I wanted to follow that theme. ‘Cause that’s what I grew up on.”

George says he’s recognized more for that song than anything else he’s done in his career.

“Now, when I meet people who weren’t even alive when ‘Bad to the Bone’ was out, I’ll say my name and they’ll draw a blank,” the 72-year-old rocker notes. “And I’ll go, ‘Well, you know, “Bad to the Bone.”‘ They go, ‘Oh, that’s who you are!'”

Thorogood says he was thrilled when he met his all-time guitar hero, Jeff Beck, and Beck knew who he was because of the song.

The Bad to the Bone album featured longtime Rolling Stones touring keyboardist Ian Stewart playing piano throughout the record.

Thorogood, who’s a huge Stones fan, recalls about getting to work with Stewart, “I said [to myself], ‘You got to be kidding me, George? You’ve gone beyond your dreams. You’re in the studio with Ian Stewart’…And he was fantastic.”

Here’s the Bad to the Bone album’s full track list:

“Back to Wentzville”
“Blue Highway”
“Nobody but Me”
“It’s a Sin”
“New Boogie Chillun
“Bad to the Bone”
“Miss Luann”
“As the Years Go Passing By”
“No Particular Place to Go”
“Wanted Man”

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Joe Walsh will visit The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for a weeklong musical residency this week.

The longtime Eagles guitarist will be sitting in with the CBS talk show’s house band, Stay Human, on all four new episodes airing this week, starting with Monday night’s program and running through Thursday.

Walsh posted a message about the residency on his social media sites that reads, “It’s going to be a rockin week full of surprises — can’t wait — see you tonight!!!”

Walsh’s Colbert residency follows weeklong musical appearances on the show by James Taylor last week and St. Vincent the week before.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs weeknights on CBS at 11:35 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s other upcoming plans include a new two-week Canadian leg of the Eagles’ Hotel California Tour, which kicks off September 9 in Toronto, and the recently announced 2022 edition of his annual VetsAid benefit concert, which is scheduled for November 13 in Columbus, Ohio.

As previously reported, this year’s VetsAid show will feature a reunion of Walsh’s pre-Eagles band, the James Gang, as well as performances by Dave Grohl, Nine Inch Nails, The Breeders and The Black Keys.

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The entertainment world is mourning the loss of Australian pop legend and actress Olivia Newton-John, who died Monday morning after a long battle with cancer.

John Travolta, who famously starred opposite Olivia in the 1978 film adaptation of the hit Broadway music Grease, posted a heartfelt message paying tribute to her on his Instagram page.

“My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better,” Travolta writes. “Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!”

Newton-John played Sandy Olsson in Grease, while Travolta portrayed her high school love interest, Danny Zuko. The film’s chart-topping soundtrack yielded three smash hits, including the duets “You’re the One That I Want” and “Summer Nights,” which peaked at #1 and #5, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. Olivia also scored a #3 solo hit with the Grease tune “Hopelessly Devoted to You.”

Newton-John and Travolta also co-starred in the 1983 romantic comedy Two of a Kind.

Tributes to Olivia continue to pour in from a variety of celebrities. Here are a few:

Cyndi Lauper: “I’m so sorry to hear the news about #OliviaNewtonJohn. She was such a nice person and a radiant bright light. She will be missed.”

Brian Wilson: “Sad news about Olivia Newton John passing.”

Richard Marx: “My heart is broken. Rest now, sweet friend. You were as kind and loving a person as there’s ever been. I’ll miss you every day.”

Melissa Etheridge: “Journey well, dear friend. She was one of the first to reach out to me after my cancer diagnosis. What a beautiful woman and special talent. Hard to know what to say. She will be missed.”

Dionne Warwick: “Another angelic voice has been added to the Heavenly Choir. Not only was Olivia a dear friend, but one of the nicest people I had the pleasure of recording and performing with. I will most definitely miss her. She now Rests in the Arms of the Heavenly Father.”

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A mimeographed copy of an angry letter John Lennon wrote to Melody Maker in November 1971 responding to comments his former Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney made in an interview with the British magazine is up for bid at the GottaHaveRockandRoll.com auction site.

The highest bid for the signed document was $36,000 as of Monday afternoon, and bidding is open through August 19 at 9 p.m. ET.

In the interview, which was published on November 20, 1971, McCartney shared his feeling about Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, and also discussed the dissolution of The Beatles’ business partnership, among other topics.

Lennon angrily responded to the interview with a three-page typed missive that’s dated November 24, 1971, and that features a handwritten note asking Melody Maker to “please publish ‘equal time.'” The letter was published in edited form on December 4, 1971.

The note, which is directed at Paul and his first wife, Linda McCartney, covers a wide variety of subjects, including conflicts over the handling of The Beatles’ publishing, Paul’s critiques of John’s then-recent Toronto concert and his song “Imagine,” and Paul’s own apparent reticence at the time to perform live.

Near the end of the letter, Lennon’s tone seems to soften a bit, as he writes, “No hard feelings to you … I know we basically want the same thing and as I said on the phone and in this letter, whenever you want to meet, all you have to do is call.”

However, John also includes a handwritten message at the bottom of the last page in which he gripes, “The bit that really puzzled us was asking to meet WITHOUT LINDA AND YOKO. I know you’re camp! But let’s not go too far! I thought you’d have understood BY NOW that I’m JOHNANDYOKO.”

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Elton John scored his biggest hit in years by teaming up with British pop star Dua Lipa for “Cold Heart,” a reworking of four of his old songs. Now it appears that the rumors are true: Elton has done something similar with Britney Spears.

Page Six recently reported that Elton and Britney had teamed up for a remix of John’s 1972 hit “Tiny Dancer” and that the collaboration was Elton’s idea. The track is called “Hold Me Closer,” which is the first line of the chorus of “Tiny Dancer.”

Similarly, “Cold Heart” took its title from a line in “Sacrifice,” one of the four Elton hits that were mashed up by the Australian dance trio PNAU to create the duet with Dua.

Britney’s pal Paris Hilton recently said she’d heard the track and pronounced it “insane.”

“Hold Me Closer” is now available to presave.

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If you even happen to meet Flea in real life, here’s a piece of advice: don’t ask to take a picture.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist shared his take on taking photos with fans in response to a Twitter user detailing their “special” experience meeting and talking with Flea and frontman Anthony Kiedis.

“It’s because you all generated a kind and gentle light, and you didn’t ask for a picture,” Flea wrote of the interaction. “We are always down to talk and chat, asking for a photo ruins it instantly.”

Flea then added that, while “there’s nothing wrong” with asking to take a photo, he feels the request “ruins having actual conversation.” 

“It is a transaction,” he wrote.

Red Hot Chili Peppers are currently touring the U.S. in support of their new album, Unlimited Love. Another RHCP record, Return of the Dream Canteen, drops October 14.

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In a new interview with CNN, Roger Waters discussed the provocative political messages featured in his current This Is Not a Drill Tour. While doing so, the ex-Pink Floyd singer/bassist shared what many might consider eye-opening views regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

When CNN’s Michael Smerconish asked Waters why President Joe Biden was featured in a video segment of the show labeling a number of politicians “war criminals,” Waters responded, “Well, he’s fueling the fire in the Ukraine … That is a huge crime.”

The 78-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer continued, “Why won’t the United States of America encourage [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy to negotiate, obviating the need for this horrific, horrendous war?”

When Smerconish suggested that Waters was “blaming the party that got invaded,” Waters seemed to turn the blame on NATO’s actions in the region.

“This war is basically about the action and reaction of NATO pushing right up to the Russian border,” he maintained, “which they promised they wouldn’t do when [Soviet leader Mikhail] Gorbachev negotiated the withdrawal of the USSR from the whole of Eastern Europe.”

Waters also took exception when Smerconish brought up the U.S.’s historic role as “liberators,” firing back, “You have no role as liberators! You got into World War II because of Pearl Harbor. You were completely isolationists until that … awful day.”

He added, “Thank God the Russians had already won the bloody war almost by then. Don’t forget, 23 million Russians died protecting you and me from the Nazi menace.”

Later in the interview, Waters defended China’s recent threatening actions toward Taiwan in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s recent visit to the latter country.

“Taiwan is part of China!” Waters declared. “That has been absolutely accepted by the whole of international community since 1948.”

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Sting is among the many stars who will take part in an upcoming CMT special celebrating the career of country music great — and current Eagles touring member — Vince Gill.

The 90-minute show, CMT Giants: Vince Gill, will air September 16 at 9 p.m. ET and will feature a variety of major country stars performing Gill’s songs, including Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, Maren Morris and Ricky Skaggs.

Sting is among a number of guest stars who will appear on the special to share personal stories about Gill, reflect on their experience collaborating with him and discuss his contributions to country music. Others include Emmylou Harris, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire and Rodney Crowell.

Back in 2011, the Police frontman and Gill were featured together on an episode on the popular CMT performance series CMT Crossroads.

In addition, the special will feature a new interview with Gill as he reflects on “his career, his classic songwriting, musical influences and his future plans,” along with rare photos, performance footage and archival conversations.

Meanwhile, Sting recently announced plans for two new special 2023 concerts that will take place on January 9 and 10 at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Hall. They will feature the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer performing his classic Police and solo hits accompanied by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets for the shows go on sale to the general public on August 22, while members of Sting’s fan club can purchase presale tickets starting today. In addition, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra subscribers will be able to buy presale tickets beginning August 15. General public tickets will be available at PittsburghSymphony.org, by calling 412-392-4900, or in person at Heinz Hall in downtown Pittsburgh.

Visit Sting.com for his full tour schedule.

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After canceling the last 11 dates of their 2022 European summer trek due to health problems affecting various band members, Whitesnake has now canceled the entire 2022 North American leg of its Farewell Tour because frontman David Coverdale continues to battle ongoing respiratory issues.

Most of the dates on the veteran hard rockers’ upcoming trek were to have featured them opening for The Scorpions, while a few of the shows were headlining gigs. The tour had been plotted out from an August 17 concert in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, through an October 21 performance in Las Vegas.

“It is with profound disappointment and a heavy heart that I must announce that Whitesnake will no longer be able to join The Scorpions on their US and Canadian tour due to my continued treatment for a persistent upper respiratory infection that affects my ability to perform,” Coverdale explains in an official announcement. “This includes the cancellation of our own headlining shows as well.”

He adds, “While Whitesnake will no longer be on the tour, the Scorpions will be continuing on. We Wish Our Good Friends, The Scorpions Every Success!!! We Wish You Well.”

Coverdale also has posted a separate personal statement about the tour cancellation on Whitesnake’s social media sites.

“My sincere apologies to my incredible Whitesnake band members…I couldn’t wish for a more amazing, exciting, inspiring & thrilling band,” the 70-year-old singer writes. “Also our wonderful Whitesnake Crew of 2022…Our dear friends, The Scorpions…All the agents & promoters…& of course to YOU our truly awesome fans…I am deeply & profoundly sad to be unable to tour.”

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