Classic Hits

ZZ Top has released their updated version of their 1971 song “Brown Sugar” as the first single from their upcoming album, Raw, which is due out on July 22.

As previously reported, Raw was recorded in conjunction with the blues-rock trio’s 2019 documentary That Little Ol’ Band from Texas, and is being released as a tribute to longtime bassist Dusty Hill, who died in July 2021 at age 72.

For the movie, ZZ Top’s classic lineup of singer/guitarist Billy Gibbons, Hill and drummer Frank Beard played an intimate set of songs from their back catalog that was filmed and recorded at historic Gruene Hall, known as “the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas.”  The new album features the audio of that “raw” performance.

In addition to “Brown Sugar,” a Gibbons-penned tune that originally appeared on ZZ Top’s 1971 debut album, the 12-track collection boasts versions of such classics as “Legs,” “Tush,” “La Grange” and “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” and other gems like “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide” and “Tube Snake Boogie.”

“‘Brown Sugar’ has been sweetening our concert sets for many decades now, so it seemed like the right song to kick off RAW,” Gibbons notes. “The Gruene Hall session was a satisfying return to our roots and a very special circumstance that we’re delighted to share with the friends and fans who have stuck with us all this time.”

You can check out a video of ZZ Top performing “Brown Sugar” at Gruene Hall on YouTube now.

Raw can be pre-ordered now, and will be available as a 180-gram vinyl LP, on CD and via digital formats.

Prior to the album’s release, ZZ Top will kick off a lengthy U.S. trek dubbed the Raw Whisky Tour on May 27 in San Diego.

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Friday is Elton John‘s 75th birthday, so Billboard asked some fellow stars to pick their favorite songs by the Rocket Man. Here are just a few:

Billy Joel, who toured with Elton on and off for years, picked “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” He tells Billboard, “We used to play it together during the shows while we were on the ‘Face to Face Tours’…I always liked playing that unorthodox chord progression and singing the soaring melody in that song.” 

He adds, “I still do it from time to time on my own — but it’s not the same without Elton there, too. Rock on, old friend!”

Lionel Richie picked “Your Song,” telling Billboard, “I fell in love with Elton’s music when I heard this song, and from that point on I was hooked.”

Sting chose “Come Down In Time,” from the album Tumbleweed Connection, which he later recorded his own version of.  “I used to play a version of it on guitar when I played folk clubs in the early ’70s…,” he says, calling it a “beautiful song with lovely and mysterious lyrics.”

Jimmy Buffett also chose a song from Tumbleweed Connction, “Country Comfort.” Buffett says he first heard the song and album while working as a reporter for Billboard, and recalls that he was surprised by the record’s country-influenced sound.

“I like the pedal steel guitar on it,” Jimmy notes. “My thought at the time was, ‘Why isn’t anybody here doing this song?’ or ‘Why isn’t in on country radio?'”

Annie Lennox and Neil Diamond both chose “Rocket Man,” with Annie noting, “It’s a full-blown spiritual experience packed into a ‘song!'”

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Foreigner launches a new eight-show Las Vegas residency tonight at The Venetian Theatre, and the veteran rockers have just announced that, in conjunction with the concerts, they will be partnering with the American Red Cross to help the organization’s Ukrainian relief efforts.

The band will donate $5,000 from each of its residency performances to the cause, and also will encourage fans attending the shows to donate money to American Red Cross reps who will be at the venue.

“The plight of everyone impacted by this conflict is an international tragedy,” says founding Foreigner guitarist and songwriter Mick Jones. “While we face our own ongoing struggles here at home, I am thrilled at the opportunity to work with the American Red Cross in doing our part in the relief efforts.”

He adds, “Our goal is to offer some solace or small comfort to traumatized people in the region. I could think of nothing more American than a gesture of such brotherly love to those who are feeling so displaced and alone in this world right now.”

The Red Cross is providing humanitarian aid to Ukrainians in need both in their own country and to those who have fled to neighboring countries during Russian’s military invasion. International crisis responders have been deployed by the Red Cross to Poland, Moldova, Hungary and Romania to provide relief. Visit RedCross.org for more info.

Foreigner’s Las Vegas residency show features a full performance of the band’s chart-topping 1981 album, 4, in honor of its 40th anniversary. The rockers also will play many of their other hits during the concert.

Tickets are available for now at Ticketmaster.com, VenetianLasVegas.com, at Venetian Resort box offices or by calling 702-414-9000 or 866-641-7469. The engagement runs through April 9.

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Joan Jett and the Blackhearts‘ recently announced first-ever acoustic album, Changeup, got its release today.

The album is a 25-track collection featuring new, unplugged versions of songs spanning Joan Jett‘s entire career, from her work with the trailblazing 1970s all-female group The Runaways through to some of her most recent songs with her backing band, The Blackhearts.

Changeup is available now as a digital download, via streaming services and in the immersive audio formats Sony 360 RA and Dolby Atmos. A vinyl version will be released at a later date.

Among the tracks on Changeup are acoustic versions of Jett’s classic early hit “Bad Reputation,” “Androgynous,” her cover of Tommy James and the Shondells‘ “Crimson and Clover,” the Runaways classic “Cherry Bomb,” the Bruce Springsteen-penned “Light of Day,” and a wide variety of deeper cuts.

Prior to Changeup‘s release, Joan released her unplugged renditions of “Bad Reputation” and “(I’m Gonna) Run Away,” a song from Jett and the Blackhearts’ 1981 debut album, I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.

In other news, Joan will be one of the guest performers at acclaimed New Orleans musician Trombone Shorty‘s sixth annual Treme Threauxdown concert, scheduled for April 30 at the Saenger Theatre in the Big Easy. The event, which also will feature Gary Clark Jr., Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and Tank and the Bangas, takes place during the first weekend of the 2022 New Orleans Jazz Fest.

Meanwhile, Jett and her band have a series of spring U.S. headlining dates scheduled leading up to the group’s stint on The Stadium Tour, the major U.S. summer trek that also features Def Leppard, Motley Crue and Poison. The tour kicks off June 16 in Atlanta. Visit JoanJett.com for her full itinerary.

Here’s the complete track list of Changeup:

“(I’m Gonna) Run Away”
“You’re Too Possessive”
“Long Time”
“Victim of Circumstance”
“Coney Island Whitefish”
“Love Is Pain”
“Oh Woe Is Me”
“You Drive Me Wild”
“Frustrated “
“Bad Reputation”
“Fake Friends”
“Fresh Start”
“Soulmates to Strangers”
“Make It Back”
“Fragile”
“I Love Playin’ with Fire”
“Cherry Bomb “
“I Want You”
“Crimson and Clover”
“A 100 Feet Away”
“Androgynous”
“You Don’t Know What You’ve Got”
“School Days”
“Good Music”
“Light of Day”

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Neil Young will release three new installments of his Official Bootleg Series of archival live albums on May 6, all solo acoustic performances dating back to the early 1970s.

The albums are Royce Hall 1971, which documents a show that took place on January 30 of that year on the UCLA campus; Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 1971, which captures a February 1 concert at the famed Los Angeles venue that brought Young’s 1971 tour to a close; and Citizen Kane Jr. Blues (Live at The Bottom Line 1974), featuring a surprise club gig that Neil played in New York City on May 16, 1974.

The albums will be released on CD and via digital formats on May 6, while vinyl LP versions will follow on June 3. Fans who pre-order CD or vinyl versions of the releases will also receive a high-res digital download of the records on May 6.

The Royce Hall 1971 and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 1971 albums were mixed from the original analog master tapes, while Citizen Kane Jr. Blues has been restored and remastered from the best available source recording.

One performance from each album has been made available as an advance digital track: “Journey Through the Past” from Royce Hall; “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” from Dorothy Chandler Pavilion; and “Revolution Blues,” from Citizen Kane Jr. Blues.

Young launched his Official Bootleg Series in October 2021 with Carnegie Hall 1970.

Here’s the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 1971 track list:

“On the Way Home”
“Tell Me Why”
“Old Man”
“Journey Through the Past”
“Cowgirl in the Sand”
“Heart of Gold”
“A Man Needs a Maid”
“Sugar Mountain”
“Don’t Let It Bring You Down”
“Love in Mind”
“The Needle and the Damage Done”
“Ohio”
“See the Sky About to Rain”
“I Am a Child”
“Dance Dance Dance”

Here’s the Royce Hall 1971 track list:

“On the Way Home”
“Tell Me Why”
“Old Man”
“Journey Through the Past”
“Cowgirl in the Sand”
“Heart of Gold”
“A Man Needs a Maid”
“See the Sky About to Rain”
“Sugar Mountain”
“Don’t Let It Bring You Down”
“Love in Mind”
“The Needle and the Damage Done”
“Ohio”
“Down by the River”
“Dance Dance Dance”
“I Am a Child”

And here’s the Citizen Kane Jr. Blues (Live at The Bottom Line) track list:

“Pushed It Over the End”
“Long May You Run”
“Greensleeves”
“Ambulance Blues”
“Helpless”
“Revolution Blues”
“On the Beach”
“Roll Another Number (For the Road)”
“Motion Pictures”
“Pardon My Heart”
“Dance Dance Dance”

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Def Leppard has debuted a music video for “Kick,” the recently released first single from the band’s forthcoming 12th studio album, Diamond Star Halos, which is due out May 27.

The clip features the British rockers playing the catchy anthem inside a “Wall of Death” motorcycle carnival ride for an audience of flamboyantly dressed circus performers and other glammed-out misfits. You can watch the video now on Def Leppard’s official YouTube channel.

As previously reported, Diamond Star Halos is a 15-track collection that’s the band’s first album of new original tunes since 2015’s self-titled effort. You can pre-order it now as a deluxe package, a two-LP set and digitally, among other configurations.

Diamond Star Halos includes two duets with acclaimed country/bluegrass artist and longtime Def Leppard fan Alison Krauss — “This Guitar” and “Lifeless.” In addition, famed David Bowie pianist Mike Garson plays on two songs — “Goodbye for Good This Time” and “Angels (Can’t Help You Now).”

The album was recorded remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, with frontman Joe Elliott laying down his vocals in Ireland, bassist Rick Savage recording his parts in the U.K., and guitarists Phil Collen and Viv Campbell and drummer Rick Allen recording their contributions in the U.S.

Diamond Star Halos will arrive in advance of Def Lepard’s 36-city Stadium Tour of North America with Mötley Crüe, Poison and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. The trek gets underway June 16 in Atlanta, and is mapped out through a September 9 concert in Las Vegas.

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Back in 1985, as the U.S. and the Soviet Union were in the grip of the Cold War, and the nuclear threat was looming, Sting recorded the song “Russians,” in which he sang, “What might save us, me and you/is if the Russians love their children too.”  Sadly, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the message is relevant once again, which is why he’s released a new charity version of the song.

Profits from “Russians (Guitar/Cello version)” will go to HelpUkraine.center, a volunteer storage center set up by Ukrainian business owners to receive humanitarian and medical aid from all over the world.  It accepts donations of goods, as well as money to purchase products such as medicine.

“I’ve only rarely sung this song in the many years since it was written, because I never thought it would be relevant again,” Sting says in a statement. “But, in the light of one man’s bloody and woefully misguided decision to invade a peaceful, unthreatening neighbor, the song is, once again, a plea for our common humanity.”

He adds, “For the brave Ukrainians fighting against this brutal tyranny and also the many Russians who are protesting this outrage despite the threat of arrest and imprisonment — We, all of us, love our children. Stop the war.”

As Sting sings in the song, “There’s no such thing as a winnable war/It’s a lie we don’t believe anymore.”

You can watch Sting and cellist Ramiro Belgardt perform the song on YouTube.

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A new archival Rolling Stones concert album, Live at the El Mocambo, featuring performances from two Toronto club shows that the British rock legends played on March 4 and 5, 1977, will be released on May 13.

The album, which will be available as a two-CD set, a four-LP collection on either black or neon vinyl, and digitally, features The Rolling Stones’ full March 5 concert plus three bonus performances from the previous night.

In advance of the album, two performances have been released today via digital formats — renditions of “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)” and “Rip This Joint.”

The concerts at the 300-capacity El Mocambo club were booked as secret shows, where attendees had won the tickets to see Canadian rock group April Wine. The Stones were billed as the support act for the two nights, under the moniker The Cockroaches. When fans got to the venue, it was April Wine that opened the show, followed by, well, you know who.

The Stones’ set list included such covers as Muddy Waters‘ “Mannish Boy,” Bo Diddley‘s “Crackin’ Up,” Big Maceo‘s “Worried Life Blues” and Willie Dixon‘s “Little Red Rooster,” as well as classic originals like “Honky Tonk Women,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and “Tumbling Dice.” The band also presented live of “Worried About You,” which later would be released on 1981’s Tattoo You.

Only four songs from the El Mocambo concerts have been officially released previously, appearing on 1977’s Love You Live album alongside many tracks that were captured during The Stones’ 1975 and ’76 tours.

Live at the El Mocambo can be pre-ordered now.

As previously announced, The Stones launch their 60th anniversary tour June 22 in Madrid.

Here’s the full two-CD track list:

CD 1
“Honky Tonk Women”
“All Down the Line”
“Hand of Fate”
“Route 66”
“Fool to Cry”
“Crazy Mama”
“Mannish Boy”
“Crackin’ Up”
“Dance Little Sister”
“Around and Around”
“Tumbling Dice”

CD2
“Hot Stuff”
“Star Star”
“Let’s Spend the Night Together”
“Worried Life Blues”
“Little Red Rooster”
“It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)”
“Rip This Joint”
“Brown Sugar”
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash”
“Melody”
“Luxury”
“Worried About You”

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Love reigned over Zak Starkey this week! People reports that on Monday, Ringo Starr‘s oldest son and The Who‘s touring drummer since the 1990s got married to his longtime partner and fellow musician, Sharna “Sshh” Liguz.

According to the the magazine, the nuptials took place in West Hollywood, California, at the Sunset Marquis, and featured an intimate gathering of family and friends.

Ringo was on hand to give his son away, while two other rock greats, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder and former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, served as Zak’s best men. Zak played in Marr’s group Johnny Marr & The Healers during the late ’90s and early 2000s.

Zak, 56, and Sharna, 37, have been a couple for almost 20 years, and picked Monday to get hitched because it was the first birthday of their daughter, Luna Lee Lightnin.

In a statement shared with People, Zak and Sharna wrote, “After 18 years together, Luna’s umbilical cord kinda tied the knot but we wanted to make it official and share with our friends and family in the U.S., before doing the same in Jamaica and the U.K.”

Starkey also posted a message on his Instagram page on Wednesday that reads, “Great to be solid with the greatest girl in the world. And to celebrate Luna’s no1 birthday. Thanks to everyone who came from near far wide abstract and online. Our dearest friends in da USA — great to see u at our wedding and experience true party stamina. Feels great to be wed to the woman I have loved for 18 years.”

Zak and Sharna record and perform together as the rock duo Sshh, and also co-founded the record label Trojan Jamaica.

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Today would have been Aretha Franklin‘s 80th birthday, so let’s show the late Queen of Soul some major respect.

Widely considered one of the all-time greatest vocalists, Franklin started singing gospel music as a child in the Detroit church where her father was minister. In 1960, at age 18, she signed to Columbia Records and experienced some R&B chart success. Her career really took off after signing to Atlantic Records in 1967.

For Atlantic, Franklin recorded the now-classics “Respect,” “Chain of Fools,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” and many more.

Franklin was also part of the civil rights movement of the ’60s. She sang at events with Martin Luther King Jr., and “Respect” became a civil rights anthem. When King was assassinated in 1968, Franklin performed at his funeral.

Aretha’s hits continued through the ’70s. After leaving Atlantic Records, she signed to Clive Davis‘ label, Arista, in 1980. With Arista, she racked up hits like “Who’s Zoomin’ Who” and “Freeway of Love.” In 1987, she became the first female performer inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Around this time, Aretha also recorded duets with various artists, including Eurythmics and George Michael. She and Michael scored a #1 hit with “I Knew You Were Waiting for Me.”

In 1994, Franklin was saluted at the Kennedy Center Honors and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Her other honors included the National Medal of the Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Sadly, Aretha died of pancreatic cancer in August 2018. She was 76.

Last August, the well-received Aretha biopic Respect was released. It starred Jennifer Hudson, whom Franklin had chosen to portray her.

Also last year, Rolling Stone published its updated “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list. At #1? Aretha’s “Respect.”

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