An acoustic guitar once owned and played on stage by Eric Clapton was the priciest collectible sold at a memorabilia sale hosted by Julien’s Auctions that took place November 19-20 at the Hard Rock Café in New York City.
The instrument, a 1968 Martin D-45 model that was played by Clapton at the debut live performance of his group Derek and the Dominos at London’s Lyceum Theatre in June 1970, fetched $625,000. The guitar was gifted by Clapton to singer/guitarist Dave Edmunds in 1976.
Another Clapton collectible, a partially handwritten working draft of the lyrics to Eric’s classic song “Layla” written on a Miami Beach, Florida, hotel’s stationery, was auctioned for $37,500.
Selling for the second-highest price at the auction was a 1976 Gibson Explorer electric guitar owned and stage-played by U2‘s The Edge, which brought in $437,500. Another guitar that belonged to The Edge, a blue Gibson Les Paul model, went for $96,000.
A cream-colored Fender Stratocaster Vintage ’57 reissue electric guitar that Pink Floyd‘s David Gilmour owned and played on stage with the band during the 1980s and ’90s sold for $200,000.
A Martin D-28 acoustic guitar that the late Elvis Presley played both on stage and off during the mid-to-late ’70s fetched $187,500.
An electric guitar belonging to another member of U2, frontman Bono, a green 2005 Gretsch Irish Falcon model, brought in $115,200. The instrument was signed in gold marker by Bono, who also drew gold flowers on it.
Also, an EVH Fender “Frankenstrat” guitar that the late Eddie Van Halen played on stage and that he and his brother, Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen, both signed, sold for $83,200.
Billy Hinsche, one-third of the 1960s boy band Dino, Desi and Billy and a longtime member of The Beach Boys‘ touring band, died Saturday at the age of 70.
Hinsche’s passing was announced in an online message by his childhood friend Lucie Arnaz, whose brother, Desi Arnaz Jr., and the late Dean Paul Martin — the respective sons of Desi Arnaz & Lucille Ball and Dean Martin — were the other two members of Dino, Desi and Billy.
“One of the finest humans, friends, storytellers and musicians, on the entire planet just went home to rest. Billy Hinsche has died,” Lucie wrote. “Giant cell carcinoma. Only diagnosed a couple weeks ago. It ravaged him like an out of control train.”
Lucie also revealed that Billy’s 95-year-old mother, Celia, died the same day within six hours of his passing.
Hinsche was born in the Philippines, and during his childhood he moved with his family to Beverly Hills, where he met Arnaz and Martin in school. Dino, Desi and Billy formed in 1964 and scored a pair of top-40 hits the following year with “I’m a Fool” and “Not the Lovin’ Kind,” which reached #17 and #25, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100.
The trio disbanded in 1969, and Hinsche, who played multiple instruments, went on to tour and record frequently with The Beach Boys from the 1970s through the 1990s.
Hinsche also worked on solo projects by The Beach Boys’ Carl, Brian and Dennis Wilson, and he toured in Brian’s backing band in 2007. He also served as musical director for Beach Boy Al Jardine‘s solo band.
In addition, Hinsche’s sister Annie was the late Carl Wilson’s first wife.
Beach Boys frontman Mike Love, Brian Wilson and Jardine all posted tributes to Hinsche on their social media pages.
Sammy Hagar is famously known as the Red Rocker, but he may be donning silver and black this afternoon, when he’ll be performing during the halftime show at the Las Vegas Raiders’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Sin City’s Allegiant Stadium.
Hagar will be joined by guitarist Vic Johnson, a member of Sammy’s backing groups The Circle and The Wabos, and the two musicians will be accompanied by the Raiders House Band.
Hagar’s set will include renditions of his former band Van Halen‘s “Right Now” and his 1982 solo song “There’s Only One Way to Rock.”
“It’s going to be a blast to come out…and rock the Raiders’ halftime show,” says Hagar in a statement. “I have a great deal of respect for [Raiders owner] Mark Davis and it’s incredible what he and the team have brought to Las Vegas, which is like a second home to me…I’ve done some cool things in my life, and this is up there.”
Sammy recently wrapped up a run of sold-out “Sammy Hagar and Friends” residency shows at the Las Vegas venue The Strat.
Hagar becomes the latest in a series of music stars who have performed at Raiders home games this season, joining Carlos Santana, electronic music artist DJ Marshmello and rappers Ludacris, Too $hort and Ice Cube.
The Raiders-Bengals game begins at 4:05 p.m. ET/1:05 p.m. PT.
Meanwhile, Hagar and The Circle will wrap up their 2021 tour schedule next month with the “A Toast to Texas” trek, a four-show outing taking place December 3 in Fort Worth, December 4 in San Antonio, December 6 in Austin and on December 8 in Houston.
Visit RedRocker.com for more details about Hagar’s itinerary.
Sony Music Entertainment/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts, an archival film and album focusing on the performances that Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band gave during a series of historic, star-studded environmental-themed shows in New York City, got its release today on DVD, Blu-ray and audio formats.
The film and companion audio feature The Boss and his band playing 13 songs at two of the MUSE benefit concerts, aka the “No Nukes” concerts, which took place in September 1979 at Madison Square Garden. Ten of the performances are previously unreleased.
The movie was edited by longtime Springsteen collaborator Thom Zimny using the original 16-millimeter film, and the audio was remixed by lauded engineer Bob Clearmountain.
Earlier this week, a video premiered on Springsteen’s YouTube channel featuring Bruce, E Street guitarist “Little Steven” Van Zandt and longtime Springsteen manager Jon Landau discussing the No Nukes performances with Zimny, intercut with footage from the shows.
At one point, Zimny comments that it was great to see two of the E Street Band’s late members, sax player Clarence Clemons and keyboardist Danny Federici — who died in 2011 and 2008, respectively — performing so vibrantly at the concerts.
“Clarence was probably at his greatest. Danny also,” Bruce notes. “And it was just a certain peak moment in one of the many chapters of the band.”
The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts is available now as a two-CD/DVD or two-CD/Blu-Ray set, a two-LP vinyl package, and on digital audio and video formats.
Here’s the full track list:
“Prove It All Night”
“Badlands”
“The Promised Land”
“The River”
“Sherry Darling”
“Thunder Road”
“Jungleland”
“Rosalita Come Out Tonight”
“Born to Run”
“Stay”
“Detroit Medley”
“Quarter to Three”
“Rave On”
Former Blue Öyster Cult members Albert Bouchard and Joe Bouchard have teamed up for a special livestream event that’s scheduled to premiere this Saturday, November 20, at 3:30 p.m. ET at Volume.com.
The show will feature the musical brothers performing songs as well as taking part in a Q&A.
Albert tells ABC Audio that he and Joe will be playing selections from their respective solo careers and well as a few Blue Öyster Cult classics.
The virtual event is free for those who sign up for a Volume.com membership. Viewers are encouraged to “tip” the artists during the event.
The Bouchard brothers also make up two-thirds of the band Blue Coupe, along with founding Alice Cooper group bassist Dennis Dunaway.
Meanwhile, Albert recently released a sequel to his 2020 concept album Re Imaginos, titled Imaginos 2 — Bombs over Germany (minus zero and counting).
The new album continues the story based on the writings and poems of late Blue Öyster Cult manager, producer and songwriter Sandy Pearlman about an alien conspiracy that comes to fruition during the late 1800s and early 1900s through the actions of an evil character named Imaginos.
Re Imaginos itself is a reimagined version of the 1988 Blue Öyster Cult concept album, Imaginos.
Last week, Bouchard premiered a music video for one of the Imaginos 2 tracks, “OD’d on Life Itself,” which you can check out on the Deko Entertainment label’s YouTube channel. Blue Öyster Cult originally released their own version of the tune on their 1973 album Tyranny and Mutation.
Legendary drummer Carmine Appice, best known for his work with Vanilla Fudge, Cactus and Rod Stewart, is releasing a box set gathering together many recordings by his star-studded Guitar Zeus project, including several previously unheard bonus tracks.
The Guitar Zeus 25th Anniversary box set, due out December 17, is a limited-edition 39-track collection that includes all of the songs from 1995’s Camine Appice’s Guitar Zeus and 1997’s Guitar Zeus 2: Channel Mind Radio. It also features two versions of an unreleased song called “Mystified” that showcase respective solos by KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer and ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian.
An impressive list of famous musicians contributed their talents to the Guitar Zeus tracks, including Brian May, Slash, Neal Schon, Elliot Easton, Richie Sambora, Vivian Campbell, Mick Mars, Edgar Winter, Leslie West, Denny Laine, Zakk Wylde, Ted Nugent, Pat Travers, Dweezil Zappa, Bruce Kulick, Steve Morse, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal and Yngwie Malmsteen.
The collection also features rough mixes of four Guitar Zeus tracks created so that guitarists can play along at home.
“I consider Guitar Zeus one of the best projects, if not the BEST project I’ve done,” Appice says. “I hope you enjoy this 25th year celebration of some of the greatest rock [guitarists] ever put together.”
Two versions of the box set can be pre-ordered now at DekoEntertainement.com and MerchBucket.com, both featuring four vinyl LPs, three CDs and a booklet containing new interviews and rare photos.
The pricier “Mega-Bundle” version of the set also comes packaged with a Guitar Zeus t-Shirt, an autographed photo of Appice, and a limited-edition Guitar Zeus necklace.
You can check out a video for the version of “Mystified” featuring Thayer at Deko Entertainment’s YouTube channel.
Here’s the box set’s full track list:
“Mothers Space” — featuring Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal
“Gonna Rain” — featuring Richie Sambora
“Mystify” — featuring Derek Sherinian*
“Nobody Knew” — featuring Brian May
“Where You Belong” — featuring Slash
“Out of Mind” — featuring Neal Schon
“This Time Around” — featuring Yngwie Malmsteen and Dug Pinnick
“Nothing” — featuring John Norum
“Doin’ Fine” — featuring Vivian Campbell
“Under the Moon and Sun” — featuring Mick Mars and Edgar Winter
“Code 19” — featuring Zakk Wylde
“Angels” — featuring Char
“Guitar Zeus, Pt. 1” — featuring Jennifer Batten
“Days Are Nights” — featuring Ted Nugent
“Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” — sung by Carmine, featuring Pat Travers
“Safe” — featuring Neal Schon
“Dead Wrong” — featuring Dweezil Zappa
“Trippin’ Again” — featuring Ty Tabor
“Even Up the Score” — featuring Ted Nugent
“Dislocated” — featuring Paul Gilbert
“Stash” — featuring Stevie Salas and John McEnroe
“Perfect Day” — featuring Warren DeMartini
“Killing Time” — featuring Ty Tabor
“So Long” — featuring Doug Aldrich
“My Own Advice” — featuring Kenji Kitajima
“Guitar Zeus, Pt. 2” — featuring Leslie West and Jennifer Batten
“Mystify” — featuring Tommy Thayer*
“Time to Set Alarms” — featuring Elliot Easton and Bob Daisley
“Where You Belong” — featuring Paul Gilbert
“Cruzin” — featuring Denny Laine
“Couldn’t Be Better” — featuring RaiZi
“Snake” — featuring Bruce Kulick
“4 Miles High” — featuring Steve Morse
“Surrender” — featuring Chris Biggiani*
“GZ Blues” — featuring Seymour Duncan and Steven Seagal
“This Time Around” (music rough track – guitar play along)**
“Days Are Nights” (music rough track – guitar play along)**
“Where You Belong” (music rough track l – guitar play along)**
“Guitar Zeus” (music rough track – guitar play along)**
Chaka Khan and Stephanie Mills faced off Thursday in the Verzuz “Night for the Queens” event, and for the two veteran R&B stars, it was an evening of mutual affection.
“It’s not many sisters in this business that can get together without stupid-a** competition,” Chaka said to Stephanie, who added, “‘Cause this is not a competition, this is sisterly love right here.”
Mills kicked off the 90-minute show with an a cappella riff of “Ease On Down the Road,” from The Wiz. Khan began her set with her Rufus hits “Once You Get Started” and “Everlasting Love,” although her vocals were not up to her usual high standards.
Both singers are mothers, and each performed with their children during the show. Mills teamed with her 20-year-old son Farad, who has Down syndrome, to sing part of “Never Knew Love Like This Before.”
“This is my baby,” said the proud mom. Later, Khan welcomed daughter Indira to join her on the Rufus classic “Sweet Thing.”
Mills’ song list also included “What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin’,” “I Feel Good All Over,” “(You’re Puttin’) A Rush on Me” and “Sweet Sensation.”
Chaka’s repertoire featured “I Feel for You,” “Papillon,” “A Night in Tunisia,” “Tell Me Something Good,” “Angel,” “Stay,” “Ain’t Nobody” and her closer, “I’m Every Woman,” which had Mills, Indira and the audience singing along.
The audience at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles also sang with Stephanie as she belted out her signature song, “Home,” from The Wiz. The most poignant moment occurred when she sang the verse, “And the love that we share can never/ Never, ever be taken away,” while pointing directly at Chaka.
The next Verzuz battle will match Bone Thugs-N-Harmony against Three 6 Mafia on Thursday, December 2.
The studio version of “Can’t Help Thinking About Me” also will appear on the recently announced Bowie box sets Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001) and TOY (TOY:BOX), which will be released on November 26, 2021, and January 7, 2022, respectively.
The live rendition of “Can’t Help Thinking About Me,” which is exclusive to the digital single, was recorded at London’s Maida Vale Studios on October 25, 1999, for a BBC Radio show hosted by presenter Mark Radcliffe.
The original recording of “Can’t Help Thinking About Me” was the first song David released under the name David Bowie.
In conjunction with the single’s release, a video of Bowie performing “Can’t Help Thinking About Me” at the Elysée Montmartre in Paris in October 1999 has been posted on David’s official YouTube channel.
As previously reported, TOY was a planned album that Bowie recorded in 2000 that featured updated versions of songs that date from 1964 through 1971.
The full TOY album will get its first official release as part of Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001), an expansive collection that also includes remastered editions of five 1990s Bowie studio albums, a previously unreleased live album and a compilation of rarities.
The TOY (TOY:BOX) set also will include the originally planned TOY album, as well as alternative mixes of the TOY tracks and tunes intended as B-sides, and stripped-down, mostly acoustic mixes of the songs.
It’s only a matter of days until Christmas songs are back on the radio — but which one is the greatest of all time? According to Billboard, that honor goes to Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
On Friday, the service unveiled its Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs chart, and spoke to the Grammy winner, who reminisced about creating the 1994 smash-hit.
“When I wrote [it], I had absolutely no idea the impact the song would eventually have worldwide,” she said. “How could I? It was so early on in my career and most young artists, at that time, weren’t really making Christmas music at the onset of their careers.”
That gamble paid off. The Economist said that, as of 2017, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” had amassed over $60 million in royalties and was now considered the best-selling holiday single by a female artist.
When looking back at what makes the song so special, Mariah hints that her mood at the time may have something to do with it.
“When writing [it], I was tapping into a bittersweet mixture of longing and festiveness,” she recalled. “I had grown up wishing I could have a functional family Christmas like the ones I saw on TV or in the movies, but truth is…that never happened! So, I wrote the song for the little girl in me filled with holiday spirit.”
The singer shared the big announcement to Instagram, and called the honor “truly humbling.”
Rounding out the top five of Billboard‘s newest list of all-time greatest holiday songs chart are Brenda Lee‘s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Bobby Helms‘ “Jingle Bell Rock,” Nat King Cole‘s “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” and Burl Ives‘ “A Holly Jolly Christmas.”
Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant‘s new collaborative album with acclaimed country-bluegrass artist Alison Krauss, Raise the Roof, got its release today. Coinciding with its arrival, the duo has announced plans for a 2022 tour, their first outing together in 12 years.
Plant and Krauss have confirmed 10 U.S. dates, kicking off June 1 in Canandaigua, New York and running through a June 16 concert in Atlanta. Those shows will be followed by a European trek that’s mapped out from a June 26 performance in London’s Hyde Park through a July 21 date in Berlin.
Tickets for the U.S. concerts go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 3, while a series of pre-sale offers will be available starting Monday, November 29.
Check out the duo’s tour schedule and buy tickets at PlantKrauss.com.
As previously reported, Plant and Krauss will celebrate Raise the Roof‘s release today with a special livestream performance that’s set to premiere at both Robert’s and Alison’s YouTube channels starting at 1 p.m. ET. It will feature the debut performances of several of the album’s songs from Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville.
The duo also is scheduled to appear tonight on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Saturday on CBS Saturday Morning.
Raise the Roof is Plant and Krauss’ second joint album, following 2007’s Grammy-sweeping Raising Sand. The record is primarily a covers collection paying tribute to “legends and unsung heroes of folk, blues, country and soul music,” although it does include one original called “High and Lonesome” that Plant co-wrote with producer T Bone Burnett.
