Classic Hits

When a lot of people didn’t know where their next paycheck was coming from, Billy Joel made sure his band did. 

During a recent interview, Joel revealed that he made sure the money kept flowing for his band members during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though live shows were shut down. 

“I did pay them full salary for a year,” Joel told Howard Stern on Stern’s satellite radio show. “I have a great band, I’m so happy to have them on stage.”

The “Piano Man” went on to explain that he wanted to express his appreciation for the team that stuck by him through all these years, even when he had some financial issues of his own. 

“I don’t do as many gigs as I used to do…back in the day when I had some money issues, I wasn’t able to take care of the band the same way I am now. I wasn’t able to compensate them…and I wanted to take care of the band,” said Joel.

Joel is set to kick off an 11-stop tour on November 5, starting in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

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2021 just keeps on getting better for Elton John. After scoring his first number-one single in his native U.K. in nearly 20 years with “Cold Heart” two weeks ago, his latest album, The Lockdown Sessions, has debuted at number one on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.

The Lockdown Sessions, which features Sir Elton singing with everyone from Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks and Charlie Puth to Miley Cyrus, Eddie Vedder and Lil Nas X, is Elton’s first chart-topper in Great Britain since 2012.

On Instagram, a delighted Elton writes, “This album is all about the capacity for music to bring people together to form new friendships and connections. And right now I couldn’t feel more connected to my amazing fans in the U.K. who made this happen.”

He continues, “When I started collaborating with some of my favorite artists at the start of the pandemic, I couldn’t have dreamt in my wildest dreams it would lead to a number one album. I am so proud of what we have created and thrilled that it has connected with our fans to such a degree. It shows the spirit of collaboration and togetherness that can still happen in the most trying circumstances.”

Elton’s songwriting partner Bernie Taupin didn’t co-write any of the tunes on The Lockdown Sessions — with the exception of “Cold Heart” — but he still jumped into Elton’s comments section to write, “Yea buddy congratulations.”

Elton’s last #1 U.K. album was 2012’s Good Morning to the Night, which featured dozens of his old hits remixed and spliced together by Australian dance duo Pnau, the same team who similarly put together “Cold Heart.”

 

 

 

 

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Paul McCartney apparently is now claiming that he wrote the opening lines to the classic 1967 Beatles song “A Day in the Life,” which previously had been attributed to the late John Lennon.

The Daily Mail reports that in McCartney’s upcoming book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, he claims that when he wrote the lyrics “He blew his mind out in a car/ He didn’t notice that the lights had changed,” he was thinking about Guinness heir Tara Browne, who was killed in a 1966 car crash.

The newspaper points out that Lennon had once said that Browne “was in my mind when I was writing that verse,” while McCartney was quoted as saying in a 1997 biography that when the song was being written, he envisioned the lines being about “a politician bombed out on drugs who’d stopped at some traffic lights and didn’t notice that the lights had changed.”

Paul then added that the lyrics had been attributed to being about “Tara Browne, which I don’t believe is the case.”

The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present will be published this Tuesday, November 2. A new video trailer promoting the book has been posted on McCarntey’s official YouTube channel that shows clips of Paul chatting with British comedian and podcast presenter Bob Mortimer about different aspects of the book and his career.

Topics Sir Paul touches on in the trailer include writing songs with Lennon, and forgetting the lyrics to “Blackbird” while he was performing at New York’s Grand Central Station in 2018. The video also captures McCartney checking out the new exhibit focusing on his book that will be opening at the British Library in London on November 5.

You can pre-order The Lyrics now.

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AC/DC‘s “Thunderstruck” video has officially struck one billion views on YouTube.

The clip is the first AC/DC video to reach the milestone. It’s also one of the few ’90s videos to hit the one billion views marks, along with Nirvana‘s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Metallica‘s “Nothing Else Matters,” Guns N’ Roses‘ “November Rain,” The Cranberries‘ “Zombie,” 4 Non Blondes‘ “What’s Up,” and Whitney Houston‘s “I Will Always Love You.

The “Thunderstuck” video, which was uploaded to YouTube in November 2012, captures a live performance of the song, which was the lead single from AC/DC’s 1990 album The Razors Edge. It memorably features a unique, close-up angle of Angus Young‘s guitar playing.

“Our video for Thunderstruck just passed a billion views on YouTube,” AC/DC tweeted in response to the news. “Thank you fans!”

AC/DC released their latest album, Power Up, last November. It reunites the surviving members of the band’s classic Back in Black lineup, and is dedicated to their late guitarist, Malcolm Young.

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Today marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Duane Allman, the co-founder and masterful slide-guitar player of The Allman Brothers Band.

Allman was killed in a motorcycle crash in Macon, Georgia, a few months after the group released its classic live album At Fillmore East. He was 27.

At the time of his passing, Duane had established himself as one of rock’s most highly regarded guitarists. Prior to The Allman Brothers Band’s formation, Duane played with his brother Gregg in a number of groups, including The Allman Joys and The Hour Glass, the latter of which released two studio albums.

In 1968, Duane began working as a session musician at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and went on to perform on recordings by artists including Aretha Franklin, Laura Nyro, Wilson Pickett, Otis Rush, Percy Sledge, Boz Scaggs and Delaney & Bonnie.

The Allman Brothers Band were formed in 1969 and released their self-titled debut album that year. Combining rock, blues and jazz, the group quickly became known for their captivating concerts, which included extended jams that showcased the guitar interplay between Duane and Dickey Betts.

The band’s second album, Idlewild South, was released in September 1970 and broke into Billboard 200’s top 40. That year, Duane also contributed slide guitar to the only studio album by Eric Clapton‘s short-lived band Derek & the Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.

The Allman Brothers’ breakthrough album was At Fillmore East, which was released in July 1971 and reached #13 on the Billboard 200. It’s widely considered one of the greatest live rock albums of all time.

Duane also is featured on most of The Allmans’ hit 1972 album Eat a Peach, which was released about four months after his passing.

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Otis Williams, the last surviving original member of The Temptations, celebrates his 80th birthday this Saturday.

Williams continues to perform with the legendary Motown quintet, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and he tells ABC Audio, “I’m still enjoying it, 60 years later. Turning 80, and still having fun.”

As for the enduring popularity of his group’s music, Otis says, “We never [would’ve] imagined that people would still be loving The Temptations 60 years later, because…show business can be very fickle…I’m very happy that we’ve had long stalwart fans to enjoy us.”

The Temptations have had so many classic songs, but Williams says his all-time favorite is one of their earliest and biggest hits, the 1964 chart-topper “My Girl,” which was co-written by Smokey Robinson.

Otis says that when Smokey first brought “My Girl” to The Temptations, Otis didn’t realize what a classic it was.

Williams says that changed “when the strings and horns were added to such a wonderful melody and the structure of the song, [which] gave it a whole ‘nother kind of daylight.“

Otis tells ABC Audio that he’s glad that the group has been able to start playing concerts again after a 16-month layoff because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he’s also excited that the Broadway musical based of the group’s story and music, Ain’t Too Proud, has reopened.

Williams says he’ll celebrate his 80th birthday in New York City, and he and The Temptations will be going to a performance of Ain’t Too Proud that day.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Otis will take part in a virtual Q&A event at New York’s City College Center for the Arts that will be streamed live for free at 7:30 p.m. ET. Visit CityCollegeCenterfortheArts.org for more details.

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The Go-Go’s are among the artists being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday in Cleveland, and drummer Gina Schock says she’s excited that the whole band will be taking part in the ceremony.

Schock tells ABC Audio that at one point, singer Belinda Carlisle wasn’t sure if she was going to make the event because of a scheduling conflict, which really upset Gina.

“When I heard she might not be able to make it, I was like, ‘You’re f***ing kidding me!'” Schock recalls. “[T]hen I just thought, ‘I’m gonna let it go. It’s gonna work out the way it’s supposed to.’ Belinda was freaked out, you know. Called me up in tears…[But] it all worked out…[A]ll five of us are gonna be on that stage playing Go-Go’s songs.”

Schock says the band will be performing three songs at the ceremony.

Drew Barrymore will be inducting The Go-Go’s at the event, and while Gina notes that the actress wasn’t necessarily the band’s choice to do the honors, she’s happy about it.

“[I]t couldn’t be better, because [Drew] is a real fan, and has been forever,” Schock says.

Meanwhile, Gina shared how she felt about some of the other artists being inducted alongside her group.

“I’m a huge fan of the Foo Fighters…What can I say? I love them,” she declares. “And Tina Turner, she’s an icon…[And] I was a Todd Rundgren fan for years…[H]e’s iconic in the business as a producer, songwriter, musician.”

As previously reported, this year’s other inductees include Carole King and Jay-Z in the main Performers category; Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron for Early Influence; and Randy Rhoads, Billy Preston and LL Cool J for Musical Excellence.

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With Halloween taking place this Sunday, we checked in with shock rocker Alice Cooper to find out what his plans are for the scary, spooky holiday, and found out some exciting news.

Cooper, who wrapped up his 2021 U.S. tour in support of his latest studio album, Detroit Stories, last week, tells ABC Audio, “I would love to be home with my grandkids, taking ’em trick or treating, except I’m gonna be in the studio in Nashville recording the next album.”

The 73-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer reveals he’s actually “already working on three different albums,” although he doesn’t share any specifics about the projects.

He adds, “I mean, to me, that’s what I was put on Earth to do, is to make records and entertain audiences, you know, and do my shows.”

Cooper says he has no plans to retire because he still feels he hasn’t come up with his best material, and he still loves performing for his fans.

Alice shares a story about how Bob Dylan responded when someone asked him when he was going to retire.

“[H]e goes, ‘I write songs, I sing songs for an audience. That’s what I do,'” Cooper says with a laugh. “It doesn’t matter how much money or anything like that…It has everything to do with, I haven’t written my best songs yet.”

Cooper adds, “Paul McCartney would tell you the same thing. He’d say, ‘I haven’t written my best songs yet, so I’m gonna go do another album.’ And as long as the audience is still there for me, I will keep going until they don’t show up anymore.”

Alice’s next scheduled performance will be in February 2022 on the Monsters of Rock Cruise, followed by a European tour kicking off in May.

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With The Go-Go’s being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 30, AXS TV will launch a three-day celebration of the all-female group at the AXS.tv website and the network’s app, kicking off on Friday, the 29th.

“The Go-Go’s Weekend Giveaway” streaming event will include exclusive interviews, performances and more, as well as offering fans the chance to win a prize pack. Among the programs that will stream during the weekend are two episodes of At Home and Social featuring, respectively, singer Belinda Carlisle and drummer Gina Schock.

Carlisle’s episode is a brand-new installment that will feature her reminiscing about The Go-Go’s being part of Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip scene and revealing how she found out about the group’s Rock Hall induction.

Schock will be featured chatting about her new photo book, Made in Hollywood: All Access with The Go-Go’s, sharing some of her favorite pics from the book and discussing how she’s getting ready for the induction ceremony.

The weekend special also will include an episode of Rock & Tell featuring Gina displaying some of her favorite pieces of memorabilia. In addition, a Go-Go’s-themed edition of Nothing but Videos will highlight six of the group’s classic music videos, as well as the clip for their 2020 single, “Club Zero.”

As for the giveaway, five winners will be chosen to receive a prize pack that includes Schock’s Made in Hollywood book and a copy of the 2020 documentary The Go-Go’s. To enter, you can visit AXS.tv through Sunday, October 31.

In other news, The Go-Go’s will take part in a Q&A event at the Rock Hall museum in Cleveland on Friday that will stream live online at 12 p.m. ET on YouTube and Facebook.

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U.K. officials have announced plans to create an “immersive, world class” attraction focusing on The Beatles in the band’s hometown of Liverpool, the Liverpool Echo reports.

In a speech on Wednesday, U.K. Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that two million pounds, equivalent to about $2.8 million, would be allocated for a Fab Four-themed attraction that would be located on Liverpool’s waterfront.

According to the Echo, the plans, which are in the very early stages, may feature hologram technology similar to what will be used for the upcoming virtual ABBA concert experience that’s opening in London in spring 2022.

Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram tells the newspaper that the plans for the Beatles attraction are “the culmination of many years of hard work to help develop this exciting project for our region,” adding, “This would be a truly world-class, cutting-edge immersive Beatles experience.

Rotheram noted that the attraction “would bring even more visitors from across the globe to build on our unique position as home to the single most influential musicians to walk the planet.”

Reflecting on the band’s impact on the city’s economy and cultural significance, the Mayor said, “The Beatles helped to firmly cement Liverpool on the map in the ’60s. Their legacy still draws millions of visitors over half a century later, which adds millions of pounds to our economy every year.”

The Echo pointed out, however, that the announcement about the monetary allotment did draw criticism from some local residents, who argued that the funds could be better spent to address such issues as poverty and deprivation.

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