Classic Hits

A new official biography about late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, authorized by the band and Watts’ family, is scheduled to be published on October 11.

Charlie’s Good Tonight: The Life, the Times and the Rolling Stones includes forewords written by Stones co-founders Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, as well as an introductory section penned by the band’s early manager and producer, Andrew Loog Oldham.

The book was written by Paul Sexton, a veteran British writer and broadcaster who has covered The Rolling Stones for more than 30 years. Charlie’s Good Tonight features interviews with Jagger, Richards and longtime Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, as well as with various friends, family members and musical collaborators.

The book will offer an intimate look at famously private Watts, who died of cancer at age 80 last August.

“Our dear friend Charlie Watts was not just a fantastic drummer but a wonderful person,” The Rolling Stones say in a statement shared by RollingStone.com. “He was funny and generous and a man of great taste and we miss him terribly. It’s great that his family have authorized this official biography by Paul Sexton, who’s been writing and broadcasting about Charlie and the band for many years.”

Adds Sexton, “One of Charlie’s good friends said to me that he was a very easy man to love. Having had the pleasure of his company on so many occasions over the course of more than a quarter of a century, that’s a sentiment I echo wholeheartedly. To be able, with the help and encouragement of those who knew him best, to draw on my time with this unique man and his fellow Rolling Stones to write his authorized biography, is a thrill and an honor.”

Charlie’s Good Tonight can be preordered now at HarperCollins.com.

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The complete soundtrack album for the hit Netflix series Stranger Things‘ fourth season was released today via digital formats.

The expanded collection combines the 16 songs from the previously issued first volume of the soundtrack with six additional tracks that appear in the show’s two-part season final, which premiered Friday.

Among the newly added tunes is an extended remix of Journey‘s “Separate Ways” created by former Journey frontman Steve Perry and composer Bryce Miller. This “Separate Ways” remix is different from the one Miller created with Alloy Tracksfor the soundtrack’s first installment.

Perry says he was inspired to collaborate on the new remix after hearing the original, which debuted in the first trailer for Stranger Things‘ fourth season.

“I was stunned at how cool it was,” Perry notes. “One week later, I had an idea for an extended version, so I called Bryce and we assembled our Extended Remix. Being a huge fan of the show, having my music on the soundtrack made me very happy! I truly love both these remixed versions.”

The updated soundtrack also features James Taylor‘s “Fire and Rain,” Rick Derringer‘s “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo,”  Siouxsie and the Banshees‘ “Spellbound” and Metallica‘s “Master of Puppets.”

Meanwhile, the tracks from the first volume include The Beach Boys‘ “California Dreamin’,” Talking Heads‘ “Psycho Killer,” Dead or Alive‘s “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record),” KISS‘ “Detroit Rock City” and Kate Bush‘s “Running Up the Hill,” which has enjoyed a huge chart resurgence thanks to Stranger Things.

Physical versions of the complete Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4 album will be released later this year, with CD and cassette editions due out on September 9 and a two-LP vinyl version arriving on November 4.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

“Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” (Bryce Miller/Alloy Tracks Remix) — Journey with Steve Perry
“California Dreamin'” — The Beach Boys
“Psycho Killer” — Talking Heads
“Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” — Kate Bush
“You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” — Dead or Alive
“Chica Mejicanita” — Mae Arnette
“Play with Me” — Extreme
“Detroit Rock City” (Single Version) — KISS
“I Was a Teenage Werewolf” — The Cramps
“Pass the Dutchie” — Musical Youth
“Wipe Out” — The Surfaris
“Object of My Desire” (Single Version) — Starpoint
“Rock Me Amadeus (The Gold Mix)” — Falco
“Travelin’ Man” — Ricky Nelson
“Tarzan Boy” — Baltimora
“Dream a Little Dream of Me” — Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
“Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” (Single Version) — Rick Derringer
“Fire and Rain” — James Taylor
“Spellbound” — Siouxsie and the Banshees
“Master of Puppets — Metallica
“When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die” — Moby (featuring Mimi Goese)
“Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” (Steve Perry & Bryce Miller Extended Remix) — Journey with Steve Perry

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Sad news to share from the Aerosmith camp. Drummer Joey Kramer‘s wife, Linda Gail Kramer, died on June 22 at the age of 55.

No cause of death has been shared. Joey and Linda married in October 2009, and according to an obituary from the Boston Herald, she was the love of his life. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer once described meeting his future wife as “the biggest rush you ever had in your life.”

Linda was born in Decatur, Georgia, and grew up in the Houston area. She worked in the high-tech industry for many years.

According to the obituary, “Linda loved to laugh and had a wicked, mischievous sense of humor. She loved fine food and had a passion for driving fast cars. She enjoyed the unwavering love of their beautiful family dogs, Lucy and Cosmo … Above all, she loved her family and especially her nieces and nephews. She had an insatiable concern for the well-being of children everywhere.”

Linda is survived by her parents and three older sisters. No memorial service has been planned yet. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Linda’s honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Center in Memphis, Tennessee, or K-9 Angels Rescue in Houston.

In March 2022, Aerosmith announced in a statement that Joey Kramer had decided to sit out the band’s concerts this year “so that he can focus his full attention on his family during these uncertain times.”

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Paul McCartney and Sheryl Crow are among the celebrities who have been added to the star-packed lineup of NBC’s upcoming special Ukraine: Answering the Call, Billboard reports.

The new additions, which also include Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas, join previously announced list of celebs that include Jon Batiste, Kristen Bell, Brandi Carlile, Brian Cox, Jeff Daniels, Vera Farmiga, Lena Headey, Alicia Keys, Simu Liu, Julianne Moore, Brad Paisley, Rosie Perez and more.

According to the network, the hour-long primetime special “is aimed at educating, raising funds for those whose lives have been shattered by the crisis, and spreading awareness through the power of entertainment — an answer to the call from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who has challenged Americans to use their voices to reach those who want peace.”

Zelenskyy will address Americans during the special.  NBC News will also share reports on the stories of real people all around the world who are impacted by the crisis in Ukraine.

Ukraine: Answering the Call airs this Sunday, July 3, at 7 p.m. ET on NBC. 

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Ringo Starr turns 82 on Thursday, July 7, and as has become an annual tradition, the legendary Beatles drummer is planning to mark the occasion with a special “Peace and Love” celebration.

For this year’s event, Ringo will gather privately in Los Angeles with his wife, Barbara, members of his All Starr Band and other celebrities and musical friends, and everyone will give a “Peace and Love” salute at noon local time.

Among the participants will be All Starr Band members Steve Lukather, Edgar Winter, Colin Hay, Warren Ham and Gregg Bissonette, as well as Benmont Tench, Jim Keltner, Richard Marx, Matt Sorum, Ed Begley Jr., Linda Perry, Diane Warren, the late Roy Orbison‘s sons Roy Jr. and Alex.

As usual, Ringo is asking fans to join in by saying or thinking “Peace and Love,” and/or flashing a peace sign, at noon wherever they are in the world. In addition, as part of this year’s celebration, Artemis Music Space Network, with help from the International Space Station, will transmit Starr’s message across the planet, and into Earth’s orbit and outer space.

At noon on July 7, Ringo will signal the Artemis Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas, to beam his message and music — including his 2021 single “Let’s Change the World” — to the International Space Station, which will relay peace-and-love messages and music down to the planet and out to the stars as it orbits.

The event also will feature a number of musical performances paying tribute to Ringo before the “Peace and Love” declaration.

Meanwhile, a variety of celebrations in countries around the world are being planned, including at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. In addition, Starbucks plans to play a special Starr playlist in over 10,000 stores.

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Journey will release its first new studio album in 11 years, Freedom, in one week. But the band’s longtime keyboardist and co-songwriter Jonathan Cain has also been promoting a new solo effort, Arise, the sixth full-length spiritual-themed album that he’s put out since 2016.

The 11-track Arise, which was released in late May and is available now via digital formats, combines new tunes with songs that appeared on Cain’s 2021 EP Oh Lord Lead Us.

Cain, who wrote and recorded Arise during the pandemic, tells ABC Audio that the project reflects his general unhappiness with the direction the U.S. has been going in recent years while also encouraging Christians to be more fervent in embracing their faith.

“I sort of landed on a revival theme … like an awakening, a call to prayer, a call to … standing for freedom and standing for the church,” Cain maintains. “And, you know, we had our freedoms diminished there during the lockdown. And I think everybody had to face the fact that … the government can get in the way … and churches need to stand up and say no. And a lot of them did.”

The album was recorded in Nashville with musicians that Cain describes as his “go-to Christian quartet,” including drummer Tommy Harden, guitarist Mike Price and bassist Tony Lucido. In addition, Jason Derlatka, who joined the Journey lineup as a keyboardist and backup singer in 2020, contributed backing vocals to a number of Arise‘s tracks.

While the themes of his spiritual songs and the tunes he writes for Journey may differ, Jonathan says there’s a common thread between the two.

“I try to put melodies that go somewhere and lyrics that say something … contrary to what the music is out today,” he notes.

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Red Hot Chili Peppers are calling out sick for Friday’s scheduled concert in Glasgow, Scotland.

A statement posted by the band early Friday reads, “Due to illness RHCP will not be able to perform in Glasgow tonight July 1.” 

“We are working on ways to reschedule,” the post continues. “[Please] hold onto your tickets & wait for an update soon. RHCP love Scotland & are deeply disappointed not to be able to perform the show. Thank you for your understanding.”

The Scotland show is part of the Chili Peppers’ ongoing world tour in support of their new album, Unlimited Love. Their next scheduled performance is set for this Sunday, July 3 at Belgium’s Rock Werchter festival.

The U.S. leg of the tour begins July 23 in Denver.

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Bret Michaels was reportedly hospitalized in Nashville, just before taking the stage on Thursday. 

While there’s no official word on why he was hospitalized, Michaels, 59, TMZ reported he’s being treated after suffering a bad reaction to medication, triggered by his diabetes.

Before the medical emergency, the Poison frontman was set to take the stage with his band mates as part of the Stadium Tour with Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. According to TMZ, the rest of Poison took the stage to announce that they wouldn’t be performing their set.

Fans were bummed by the news, with one tweeting, “Came all the way from KC to watch poison. Bret Michaels was admitted to hospital. No poison in Nashville.”

It’s unclear how long Michaels will be out of commission. The next tour stop is scheduled for Saturday, July 2 in Jacksonville, Florida. 

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The Doobie Brothers‘ breakthrough second album, Toulouse Street, was released 50 years ago today.

The 10-track collection features the band’s first two top-40 hits, “Listen to the Music” and a cover of the 1966 gospel tune “Jesus Is Just Alright,” which reached #11 and #35, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. The record, which also includes the classic-rock staple “Rockin’ Down the Highway,” peaked at #21 on the Billboard 200 and has sold over 1 million copies in the U.S.

The album saw the Doobie Brothers lineup expand from a quartet to a quintet, as founding singer/guitarists Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons and drummer John Hartman were joined by a second drummer, Mike Hossack, and original bassist Dave Shogren was replaced by Tiran Porter.

Johnston wrote five of the album’s 10 songs, including “Listen to the Music” and “Rockin’ Down the Highway,” while Simmons composed two tunes, and the remaining tracks were covers — the aforementioned “Jesus Is Just Alright,” Seals and Crofts‘ “Cottonmouth” and blues great Sonny Boy Williamson‘s “Don’t Start Me to Talkin’.”

Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne is featured on “Rockin’ Down the Highway,” “Don’t Start Me to Talkin’,” “Cotton Mouth” and “Jesus Is Just Alright.”

On Toulouse Street, The Doobie Brothers’ deep Americana roots are on full display. As Johnston explains to ABC Audio, “Everybody came from different musical backgrounds, and that all got thrown together and it worked. Me coming from blues and R&B, soul music, plus rock ‘n’ roll, of course. Pat coming from rock ‘n’ roll, but also folk blues, a lot of fingerpicking…[T]hose two elements basically guided where the band was gonna go early on.”

Johnston adds, “[W]e’re what you might call a quintessential American band.”

Here the full track list of Toulouse Street:

“Listen to the Music”
“Rockin’ Down the Highway”
“Mamaloi”
“Toulouse Street”
“Cotton Mouth”
“Don’t Start Me to Talkin'”
“Jesus Is Just Alright”
“White Sun”
“Disciple”
“Snake Man”

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A new collectible David Bowie-themed Barbie doll has been released in honor of the 50th anniversary of the late rock legend’s classic fifth studio album, 1971’s Hunky Dory.

The new doll is the second Bowie-inspired Barbie released as part the Barbie Signature Collection, following the Ziggy Stardust-themed figurine that debuted in 2019.

The new Barbie features the doll dressed in an outfit replicating the one Bowie wore in the 1973 music video for the Hunky Dory single “Life on Mars?” — a powder-blue suit, black and silver striped shirt, a statement tie and platform shoes. The doll also boasts the same red shag hairstyle that Bowie sported in the video and throughout his glam-era heyday, as well as similar face makeup, including bold blue eyeshadow.

The David Bowie Barbie Doll 2 is priced at $50 and is available at MattelCreations.com, Amazon, Walmart and Target.

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