Classic Hits

Following last weekend’s mass shooting in Buffalo, New York — in which 18-year-old Payton Gendron allegedly killed 10 Black shoppers in what’s been described as a racially motivated shooting — one famous Buffalo artist says the event has sent “shockwaves through the whole community.”

The Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik, born and raised in Buffalo, tells ABC Audio, “I feel mostly for the community that it’s in and the people who live and work and shop in that neighborhood.”

The shooting took place at a Tops supermarket, a local chain, and John notes, “[It’s] such an important sort of anchor for that community, because there’s not a lot of big supermarkets in that neighborhood. There aren’t any, other than that one.”

Indeed, since the supermarket’s been closed, local organizations have had to step in to provide food for the locals. John says, “My biggest hope is that they keep that store open, because that community really needs that.” He also says he and his Goo Goo Dolls bandmates are “willing and available” to do a benefit, if asked.

But earlier this week, John had happier news in another part of the state: He was in New York City to be honored as Rocker of the Year at the Little Kids Rock 20th anniversary benefit. The nonprofit supports music education in public schools nationwide.

“It’s something that we wanted to get more involved with. I was pretty surprised that I was going to be one of the honorees. I thought that was really cool,” John tells ABC Audio.

But it wasn’t that cool for John’s daughter, Lilliana, who accompanied him.

“I asked her, ‘Well, did you like when I was singing?’ And she said to me, ‘I don’t like when your hair is in your eyes,'” he laughs. “That’s typical. You know, she’s my kid. I’m her dad … I don’t think she gets it. I don’t think she’s all that impressed with it!”

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As they gear up for a joint summer tour with Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson, Chicago has released its first new song in over eight years, a bouncy pop gem titled “If This Is Goodbye.”

The track is available now as a digital download and via streaming services, while a lyric video has debuted at Chicago’s official YouTube channel.

The song mixes the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers’ classic soulful, horn-driven sound with some electronic beats, with lyrics that seem to celebrate a long relationship that may be coming to an end.

“If this is goodbye, let’s take one more shot for the memories/ Life’s too short to be enemies,” the band sings in the chorus. “If this ends tonight, you can save your tears for the other guy/ I’ll see you in another life.”

Chicago has been playing “If This Is Goodbye” at its recent concerts.

The band’s joint tour with Wilson and his solo group kicks off on June 7 in Phoenix, although Chicago first has three headlining dates scheduled for May 20 in Greensboro, North Carolina; May 21 in Montgomery, Alabama; and May 22 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Check out the group’s full schedule at ChicagotheBand.com.

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Melissa Etheridge will do a special guest performance with finalist Noah Thompson on Sunday’s American Idol finale.

American Idol tweeted the news in a video where judge Katy Perry told Leah Marlene that they’d be singing “Firework” together, and Luke Bryan told HunterGirl that they’d be singing the Randy Travis hit “I Told You So” as a duet. Katy then told Noah he’d be singing with Melissa, and he shrugged and said, “Sounds good!”

Melissa responded, “That moment when you realize the other two finalists are singing with the judges and you are singing with…what’s her name again?” She added, “don’t worry @noahthompsonmu1 we are gonna rock the finals.”

Noah replied, “I can’t wait Melissa I really can’t, looking forward to meeting you and cannot wait for this duet.”

Either Noah, Leah or HunterGirl will be crowned the American Idol on Sunday night, and Melissa is just one of the stars who’ll be appearing on the finale. The lineup also includes judge Lionel Richie performing, plus country superstar Thomas Rhett, Michael Bublé, Sara Bareilles, Flo Rida and Earth, Wind and Fire.

The American Idol season 20 finale airs live Sunday, May 22, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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A “restored and expanded” version of The Police‘s 1982 documentary The Police: Around the World got its release today.

The film is now available on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time ever, with the new discs boasting restored video and remastered audio, plus bonus performances of four full songs.

In addition, the new release, titled The Police: Around The World Restored & Expanded, comes packaged with a newly created soundtrack album either on CD or as a colored-vinyl LP that includes performances recorded at shows in Japan, Hong Kong and the U.K. during the same world tour documented in the movie.

The film captures The Police on stage and off while touring in 1979 and 1980 in Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, India, Egypt, Greece, France, South America and the U.S.

“Well, the cool thing about this film is [it captures the band] at its hungriest, and also when the synergy was strongest,” drummer Stewart Copeland tells ABC Audio. “And combine that with the exotic locations — very colorful, very picturesque — and it’s a fun ride. Three guys having a lot of fun in strange places.”

Copeland says his favorite part of the tour was a visit to Cairo, Egypt, during which — as seen in the film — he and band mates Sting and Andy Summers hired horses and rode all around the Great Pyramids of Giza.

“That was a fun day,” Stewart recalls.

Meanwhile, Copeland notes about The Police’s performances in the movie and on the album, “We were hot as firecrackers at the time,” adding that “the excitement of that tour gave us some extra juice.”

The Police: Around the World Restored & Expanded is available as a DVD/CD set, a Blu-ray/CD package and a DVD/LP collection.

The DVD & Blu-ray feature performances of:

“Next to You”
“Walking on the Moon”
“Born in the 50’s”
“So Lonely”
“Man in a Suitcase”
“Can’t Stand Losing You”
“Bring On the Night”
“Canary in a Coalmine”
“Voices Inside My Head”
“When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around”
“Shadows in the Rain”
“Don’t Stand So Close to Me”
“Truth Hits Everybody”
“Roxanne”

Bonus features — complete live performances of:
“Walking on the Moon” (Live from Kyoto)
“Next to You” (Live from Kyoto)
“Message in a Bottle” (Live from Hong Kong)
“Born in the 50’s” (Live from Hong Kong)

Here’s the soundtrack album’s track list:
“Walking on the Moon” (Live from Kyoto)
“Next to You” (Live from Kyoto)*
“Deathwish” (Live from Kyoto)
“So Lonely” (Live from Kyoto)
“Can’t Stand Losing You” (Live from Kyoto)
“Truth Hits Everybody” (Live from Kyoto)
“Visions of the Night” (Live from Hammersmith)*
“Roxanne” (Live from Hammersmith)
Intro*
“Born in the 50’s” (Live from Hong Kong)
“Message in a Bottle” (Live from Hong Kong)
“Bring On the Night” (Live from Hong Kong)

* = not included on vinyl LP.

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After postponing the first two dates of his new run of European concerts this week because he recently contracted the COVID-19 virus, Eric Clapton has now postponed two more shows — a pair of performances that had been scheduled in Bologna, Italy, this Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21.

A message posted on the official Where’s Eric website explains, “Clapton, whilst feeling fine in himself, has again tested positive for Covid this morning. Whilst there is a strong body of medical opinion that after several days since the first positive test, a person is no longer infectious, it is by no means agreed by all. Accordingly, Eric does not want to travel while still testing positive and take the risk of infecting others.”

The note adds that, under the circumstances, it’s possible that “the Italian authorities would not…permit [Eric’s] entry into Italy.”

All four postponed concerts, which also include shows originally scheduled for May 17 in Zurich, Switzerland, and May 18 in Milan, Italy, will be rescheduled by the end of 2022. The new dates will be announced within the next two weeks, and tickets purchased for the postponed concerts will be valid for the rescheduled dates.

Clapton’s next scheduled show is now a May 29 performance in Berlin. According to the message on the Where’s Eric site, “by [that] time we have every hope that there will be no obstacle to Eric being able to perform that concert and the remainder of the scheduled concerts.”

Visit EricClapton.com to check out Clapton’s full tour schedule.

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Back in the ’90s, Alanis Morissette may have been described as “angry,” but these days, she’s pretty chill. So chill, in fact, that she’s recorded her first-ever meditation album.

Called the storm before the calm, the album arrives on June 17. On it, the Grammy-winning star will offer listeners 11 different songs to listen to while meditating. You can listen to the first track, which is called “safety — empath in paradise,” now.

On her website, Alanis writes, “During the the last while within the pandemic i felt very inspired to write and remain connected (didn’t always work. and when it didn’t, it felt like a unique torture). all i knew was that i wanted to write a record that would offer something. and throughout the process of creating it…it became its own multi-layered life raft during a time where i felt like i might disappear and float away.”

She adds, “This album is filled with what i hope might be a safe invitation to and compatriot in your/our dropping in…i offer this first song and the entire record to match and be available for any junctures on your personal journey.”

Alanis suggests that the album can be used for “relaxation or resting or releasing or emboldening or sweaty wildness or embodying or empowering or clarifying,” and hopes that it will “serve as a catalyst, a soothing, a glimpse of awakening. an honoring. an objectivity. a wordless partner in healing. a place to land. inquire. breathe. notice.”

“May this music serve as a friend in the thawing. a permission to feel and explore while feeling connected. and supported,” she adds.

The album is also being released on the mental health app Calm.

Here’s the track listing for the storm before the calm:

“light — the lightworker’s lament”
“heart — power of a soft heart”
“explore — the other side of stillness”
“space — pause on violence”
“purification — the alchemical crunch”
“restore — calling Generation X”
“awakening — in between thoughts”
“ground — I want to live”
“safety — empath in paradise”
“mania — resting in the fire”
“vapor — amplified in stillness”

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Last Monday, May 16, R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills was presented with an honorary doctor of humanities degree at Mercer University in his childhood hometown of Macon, Georgia, during the school’s commencement ceremony.

Prior to receiving the degree, the 63-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer played a version of his band’s classic song “Losing My Religion,” and a video of the performance has been posted on the university’s official YouTube channel.

Mills co-founded R.E.M. while attending the University of Georgia in Athens, although he never graduated college.

Before performing at the commencement, Mike addressed Mercer’s graduating students, saying, “I am truly and deeply humbled to be standing here today … You’re about to accomplish something I never did, which is to graduate from college. So as you continue your journey, I wish you good luck and Godspeed.”

Mills plays an electric guitar while singing the song, and he was accompanied by his friend, acclaimed violinist Robert McDuffie, who founded Mercer University’s Robert McDuffie Center for Strings in the Townsend School of Music.

In presenting Mills with the honorary degree, the university’s president, William D. Underwood, said, “[T]his region has a great history of producing great musical geniuses, from Little Richard to Otis Redding to the Allman Brothers Band to Chuck Leavell and Robert McDuffie. As great as these musical geniuses have been, none of them had more impact with the genius of their work than Mike Mills.”

Mills was born in Orange County, California, and his family moved to Macon while he was still a baby. In high school, he met drummer Bill Berry, and the two began playing music together, eventually forming R.E.M. with singer Michael Stipe and guitarist Peter Buck in 1980. R.E.M. disbanded in 2011.

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Vangelis, the Greek composer and keyboardist best known for his chart-topping theme and Oscar-winning score to the 1981 film Chariots of Fire, has died at age 79, U.K. newspaper The Guardian reports.

According to the paper, representatives for the musician confirmed that he passed away at a French hospital, where he was being treated for an undisclosed illness.

Born Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou, Vangelis gained his greatest notoriety for composing the theme and the soundtrack to Chariots of Fire, which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 during the spring of 1982. His score to the movie also won an Academy Award.

Vangelis also released several collaborative albums with Yes frontman Jon Anderson under the moniker Vangelis and Jon during the 1980s and ’90s.

His other film work included composing the scores to 1982’s Blade Runner and Missing, 1984’s The Bounty, 1992’s 1492: Conquest of Paradise and 2004’s Alexander.

Early in his career, Vangelis was a member of the popular Greek prog-rock band Aphrodite’s Child, which was together from 1967 to 1972.

During his long career, Vangelis also released many solo studio albums, and composed music for ballets and stage productions.

His most recent album, 2021’s Juno to Jupiter, was inspired by NASA’s Juno probe.

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The long-rumored collaboration between Diana Ross and alt-rockers Tame Impala has finally arrived.

The Motown legend/R&B icon has teamed up the Australian psychedelic outfit for a new song called “Turn Up the Sunshine.” As previously reported, the track will appear on the ’70s-inspired soundtrack to the upcoming Minions sequel movie, Minions: The Rise of Gru.

You can listen to “Turn Up the Sunshine” now via digital outlets.

In addition to the Ross-Tame Impala collab, the Minions 2 soundtrack includes contributions from Earth, Wind & Fire‘s Verdine White, as well as from a host of big-name alternative artists, including St. Vincent, Phoebe Bridgers, Bleachers and Alabama Shakes‘ Brittany Howard. The album was produced by Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff.

The whole soundtrack will be released on July 1, the same day that Minions 2 hits theaters, and the album can be preordered now.

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Variety has debuted an exclusive clip from the new film Spinning Gold, a biopic about late Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart, that features actors portraying KISS delivering a performance of the band’s classic song “Rock and Roll All Nite.”

Spinning Gold, which went into production in 2019, is being screened this week for buyers at the Cannes Film Festival market.

The movie, which was directed by Bogart’s son, Tim, tells the story of how Neil founded the Casablanca Records label, which helped launch the careers of KISS and other well-known artists, including Donna Summer, Parliament Funkadelic and Village People.

The preview clip shows Bogart, played by Tony-nominated actor Jeremy Jordan, being led backstage at a KISS concert just as the band is playing their signature song for an enthusiastic crowd. KISS singer/guitarist Paul Stanley and drummer Peter Criss are portrayed, respectively, by X Ambassadors vocalist Sam Harris and All Time Low‘s Alex Gaskarth, while a young actor named Casey Likes plays singer/bassist Gene Simmons.

According to Variety, the Spinning Gold cast also includes Wiz Khalifa, Ledisi, Jay Pharoah, Michelle Monaghan, Jason Isaacs, Jason Derulo, Sebastian Maniscalco, Chris Redd, Michael Ian Black and Vinnie Pastore.

Ledisi plays Donna Summer, while actress-singer Tayla Parx portrays Gladys Knight. Variety reports that a special beach party celebrating the industry-only film screening will take place in Cannes Thursday night, and will feature Ledisi and Parx performing hit songs by Summers and Knight.

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