Classic Hits

Madonna is the latest star to get into the NFT business, but she’s doing it for a good cause

She’s teamed with digital artist Beeple, aka Mike Winkelmann, who made headlines last year when one of his NFT‘s was auctioned off by Christie’s for $69,400,000.  The two have created a three-part digital artwork called Mother of Creation, which “explores the concept of birth via darkness and light in our modern world.” 

The three NFTs will be sold on SuperRare on May 11 with a starting price of one dollar. All the proceeds will go to three charities: The Voices of Children Foundation, The City of Joy Foundation and Black Mama’s Bail Out.

The three parts of the work include Mother of Nature, featuring a blooming tree and new text by Madonna; Mother of Evolution, which features butterflies, lyrics from Madonna’s hit “Justify My Love,” and original music by Igor Bardykin; and Mother of Technology, which depicts how science can illuminate the world and features the poetry of Rumi.

“When Mike and I decided to collaborate on this project a year ago, I was excited to have the opportunity to share my vision of the world as a mother and an artist with Mike’s own unique point of view,” Madonna says in a statement. “It’s been an amazing journey building this together from an intellectual idea to an emotional story, giving birth to art.”

She adds, “Most importantly we wanted to use this opportunity to benefit mothers and children who are most in need right now.”

Madonna and Beeple will be on SuperRare’s Twitter Spaces on May 11 at 7 p.m. ET to discuss the project.

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Red Hot Chili Peppers are the artists confirmed to headline the 2022 Austin City Limits Music Festival, which will take place October 7-9 and October 14-16 in Austin, Texas.

The event’s other headliners are Pink, The Chicks, Paramore, SZA, Kacey Musgraves, Flume and Lil Nas X.

The bill also features dozens of other acts, including Asleep at the Wheel, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Carly Rae Jepsen, James Blake, Phoenix, Spoon, Yungblud and many more.

Some of the artists on the undercard will only play one of the two weekends.

Tickets go on sale today at noon CT. For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit ACLFestival.com.

Red Hot Chili Peppers kick off a world tour in support of their new album, Unlimited Love, on June 4 in Seville, Spain. The North American leg of the trek gets underway July 23 in Denver.

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Last week, Duran Duran celebrated being chosen for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, and today the British New Wave band marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the album that helped put them on the path to worldwide fame, Rio.

Rio was Duran Duran’s second studio effort, following their 1981 self-titled debut. The album featured the band’s first two hit U.S. singles, “Hungry Like the Wolf” and the title track, which peaked at #3 and #14, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. It also included “Save a Prayer,” which reached #2 on the U.K. singles chart, bu wasn’t initially issued as a single in the States.

Helping to propel the popularity of “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Rio” and “Save a Prayer” were the songs’ music videos, all directed by Russell Mulcahy, which featured the band members mingling with models in exotic settings like the jungles of Sri Lanka and on a sailing yacht off the coast of the Caribbean isle of Antigua.

Musically, Rio found the band mixing synth-driven pop and R&B-flavored dance music with world music influences.

Rio peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200, and remains Duran Duran’s highest-charting album in the U.S. The record has been certified two-times Platinum for sales of over 2 million in the States.

In a new interview, Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes tells Yahoo! Entertainment, “[W]hen we finished the Rio album, I looked around and I knew we’d done something special. I didn’t know…whether it would be a hit or a flop or whatever, but I knew when I was listening to it: ‘Yep, this has got really strong songs on it, and this one just feels right.'”

Here’s the full Rio track list:

“Rio”
“My Own Way”
“Lonely in Your Nightmare”
“Hungry Like the Wolf”
“Hold Back the Rain”
“New Religion”
“Last Chance on the Stairway”
“Save a Prayer”
“The Chauffeur”

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U2′s Bono has certainly lived an interesting life, and now we’ll get to read his side of the story in his memoir, Surrender, coming November 1.

The book may be titled after U2’s song “Surrender,” from their 1983 album War, or perhaps “Moment of Surrender,” from their 2009 album No Line on the Horizon. It’s subtitled “40 Songs, One Story,” as each of the book’s 40 chapters is named after a U2 song. 

The book follows Bono, born Paul Hewson, from his childhood in Dublin, to the formation of U2 and its journey to superstardom, to his 20-year career as an activist for causes such as the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty.

Bono also created 40 original drawings for Surrender, some of which are featured in an animated video, in which he reads an extract from the chapter titled “Out of Control.” The extract is from the part of the book where Bono describes writing U2’s first single on May 10, 1978 — his 18th birthday — 44 years ago today.

In a statement about the project, Bono says, “When I started to write this book, I was hoping to draw in detail what I’d previously only sketched in songs. The people, places, and possibilities in my life.”

“‘Surrender’ is a word freighted with meaning for me. Growing up in Ireland in the seventies with my fists up (musically speaking), it was not a natural concept,” he continues. “A word I only circled until I gathered my thoughts for the book. I am still grappling with this most humbling of commands. In the band, in my marriage, in my faith, in my life as an activist. Surrender is the story of one pilgrim’s lack of progress…With a fair amount of fun along the way.”

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Generation Radio, a new supergroup featuring former Chicago singer/bassist Jason Scheff, Journey drummer/singer Deen Castronovo and ex-Rascal Flatts member Jay DeMarcus, has signed a deal with the Frontiers Music label and will be releasing its debut album this summer.

The band, which also features guitarists Chris Rodriguez and Tom Yankton, first began playing shows under the moniker The Rise Above in 2020.

“I know that the band is very excited to have partnered with Frontiers on this first release from Generation Radio,” Scheff says in a statement. “I have a personal great feeling about it, having brought Frontiers to Chicago to release our 36th album [2014’s] Now: Chicago XXXVI, of which I produced and co-wrote the title track. We have a beautiful history together, so it only made sense to bring Frontiers into any of my ongoing projects.”

He adds, “We are booking live dates as we speak and are already talking about getting started on the next record.”

Demarcus, meanwhile, explains, “Any fans of Chicago, Journey, or Rascal Flatts will find something in this record that will resonate with them. To make some music with my friends and heroes is a truly incredible thing.”

In a video message posted on Generation Radio’s Instagram page on May 6, Scheff revealed that the album will be released sometime in August.

According to the band’s official website, Generation Radio has seven concerts on its 2022 schedule, spanning from a May 21 show in Cocoa Beach, Florida, through a September 17 performance in Raleigh, North Carolina.

It’s worth mentioning that longtime Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers drummer Steve Ferrone was part of Generation Radio’s lineup until recently, but it’s not clear if he’s still with the group.

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Peter Gabriel appears on the brand-new Arcade Fire song “Unconditional II (Race and Religion),” from the band’s latest studio album, WE, which was released Friday.

On the track, Gabriel delivers harmonies alongside lead vocals by Arcade Fire’s Régine Chassagne.

In recent interview with the Montreal Gazette, Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler said about the collaboration, “[Gabriel] came to the studio and we had a day to work on it. He does this thing where he double-tracks his voice, high and low. As soon as he put the high vocal down, I was like, ‘Oh s***, that’s Peter Gabriel.'”

You can check out “Unconditional II (Race and Religion)” now at Arcade Fire’s official YouTube channel.  The track and the album also are available via various digital and physical formats.

Gabriel previously recorded an Arcade Fire song, the Neon Bible track “My Body Is a Cage,” for his 2010 covers album Scratch My Back.

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Gospel/soul legend Mavis Staples and Goo Goo Dolls frontman Johnny Rzeznik will be honored at the 20th anniversary benefit for the Little Kids Rock charity, which will take place May 17 in New York City.

Little Kids Rock is a nonprofit with the goal of restoring and expanding music-education programs in public schools.

Staples, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Blues Hall of Fame inductee, will be presented with the Peace & Freedom Award at the gala. With her family group The Staple Singers, Mavis marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., performed at President John F. Kennedy‘s inauguration, and topped the charts. Later on, she sang at the White in front of President Barack Obama and was recognized as a Kennedy Center honoree.

Rzeznik will be honored with the Rocker of the Year prize at the event. Johnny has served as lead singer and guitarist for The Goo Goo Dolls for over 30 years, during which time the band has enjoyed plenty of chat success, including scoring three top-10 hist on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1990s — “Name,” “Iris” and “Slide.”

The event also will include performances from ex-Allman Brothers Band singer/guitarist Warren Haynes, Run-D.M.C.‘s Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels, pop singer Jon Secada and The Voice‘s season-three winner Cassadee Pope.

This year’s benefit will be held at New York City’s Terminal 5, beginning at 6 p.m. ET in May 17. Tickets and tables can be purchased now at LittleKidsRock.org.

To raise additional funds for Little Kids Rock, a silent auction will launch on Tuesday, May 10, at the organization’s website.

Proceeds raised by the benefit and the auction will go toward funding Little Kids Rock programs, teacher training and instrument donations.

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After wrapping up their “Sin City Nights” Las Vegas residency last month, German rockers The Scorpions have now unveiled dates for a full 2022 North American tour in support of their latest studio album, Rock Believer.

The trek, which kicks off August 21 in Toronto, will feature Whitesnake serving as special guests at most of the shows. Whitesnake’s performances also will be part of their own Farewell Tour. Swedish rock band Thundermother also will perform as an open act on The Scorpions’ trek.

So far, 24 shows have been confirmed, and the outing is mapped out through an October 21 concert in Las Vegas.

Tickets for the Rock Believer tour go on sale to the general public this Friday, May 13, at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. Members of The Scorpions’ Rock Zone club will be able to purchase pre-sale tickets starting Tuesday, May 10, at 10 a.m. local time; visit The-Scorpions.com/RockZone for more information. Whitesnake is also offering fans a chance to buy pre-sale tickets. Visit Whitesnake.com for more details.

“After the amazing start we’ve had with our residency in Las Vegas, it’s about time to come back for a real tour to rock the U.S. like a hurricane again,” says Scorpions frontman Klaus Meine. “We can’t wait to see all you Rock Believers out there!”

Adds Whitesnake’s David Coverdale, “Once again it’s time to feel the sting of The Scorpions & the bite of the Whitesnake!!! Can’t wait!!!”

First up for The Scorpions in a European tour that gets underway tonight in Lisbon, Portugal. Check out the band’s full schedule at The-Scorpions.com.

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U2 singer Bono and guitarist The Edge paid a surprise visit on Sunday to a subway station in Kyiv, Ukraine, that’s currently serving as a bomb shelter, where the duo performed a short set that included some of their best-known songs, RTE.ie reports.

In a message posted Sunday on U2’s Twitter feed, Bono and The Edge wrote, “President [Zelenskyy] invited us to perform in Kyiv as a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and so that’s what we’ve come to do.”

According to RTE.ie and various posts on social media, the songs that the two Rock & Roll Hall of Famers performed included “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Desire,” “With or Without You,” “Vertigo,” “Angel of Harlem,” “One,” and “Pride (In the Name of Love).”

Rolling Stone reports that Bono and The Edge also were joined by members of the Ukrainian band Antytila, who are now serving in the Ukrainian military, to perform a version of the Ben E. King classic “Stand by Me.”

Bono changed select lyrics in some of the songs to reference Ukraine, and Russia’s ongoing military invasion of the country.

The singer also addressed the crowd on hand for the performance, telling them, “The people in Ukraine are not just fighting for your own freedom, you are fighting for all of us who love freedom. We pray that you will enjoy some of that peace soon.”

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On Friday, Graham Nash released his new concert album, Live — Songs for Beginners/Wild Tales, which features the folk-rock legend performing his first two solo albums in their entirety, culled from four special shows that took place in September 2019.

“I’d always loved those two albums…and I always wanted to do them live, but I never did,” Nash tells ABC Audio about 1971’s Songs for Beginners and 1974’s Wild Tales. “And then my wife, Amy, one day said, ‘You know, I’d like to see that show. You better put it together.’ And so I did.”

To help organize the shows, which were held at four different venues in the northeastern U.S., Graham enlisted his two main touring musicians — guitarist Shane Fontayne and keyboardist Todd Caldwell — who put together a larger group to present the albums live.

“It was a band that I’d never played with…and they did remarkably well,” Nash points out. “Of course, Shane and Todd gave them the albums and said, ‘This is what we want to do…just learn your parts.’ And…they did. And…I only rehearsed with them probably for about three-and-a-half days.”

The group also included Caldwell’s brother Toby on drums, Thad DeBrock on pedal-steel guitar, one-time Black Crowes bassist Andy Hess and two female backup singers.

To create the live album, Nash says he listened to all four concerts and “chose the best versions of each song.”

Reflecting on the album’s quality, Graham says, “[T]hese tracks sound really good to me. Everyone’s singing good, everyone’s in tune, everyone’s playing well…I’m very proud of this record.”

Live — Songs for Beginners/Wild Tales is available now on CD, as a two-LP vinyl set and digitally.

Here’s the full track list:

Songs for Beginners
“Military Madness”
“Better Days”
“Wounded Bird”
“I Used to Be a King”
“Be Yourself”
“Simple Man”
“Man in the Mirror”
“There’s Only One”
“Sleep Song”
“Chicago”/”We Can Change the World”

Wild Tales
“Wild Tales”
“Hey You (Looking at the Moon)”
“Prison Song”
“You’ll Never Be the Same”
“And So It Goes”
“Grave Concern”
“Oh! Camil”
“I Miss You”
“On the Line”
“Another Sleep Song”

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