Classic Hits

Neil Young has announced plans to release a new studio album titled Barn with his frequent backing band Crazy Horse, due out on December 10.

Young revealed the news in a post on NeilYoungArchives.com, while making available one of the album’s tracks, “Song of the Seasons,” exclusively to paid subscribers to the website.

According to information posted on the site, Barn was recorded “high in the Rockies” at Le Mobile Remote Recording Studio, with Crazy Horse’s current lineup — the founding rhythm section of bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina, and multi-instrumentalist Nils Lofgren, who rejoined the band in 2018 after previously playing with the group during the early 1970s.

Neil says “Song of the Seasons” is the oldest song on Barn, and was “written about this time last year.” According to the website, the track was recorded in June of this year.

Barn is a follow-up to Young and Crazy Horse’s 2019 album, Colorado.

In other news, Young recently announced that he’s preparing an expansive audio and video collection titled Harvest Time that will feature various outtakes and film footage recorded during the time he was making his classic 1972 album, Harvest. He notes that Harvest Time, which will include “[a]lmost two hours of Harvest rarities,” will arrive in 2022.

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Cyndi Lauper‘s album True Colors — featuring the hit title track, plus “Change of Heart” and more — came out 35 years ago today, on October 14, 1986.  To celebrate, she’s releasing an expanded digital edition of the album tonight at midnight, Rolling Stone reports.

The expanded edition features two bonus songs: a remix of the number-one title track, and its B-side, “Heading for the Moon,” which has never been available on streaming services until now.  There’s also a “True Colors” Instagram filter.

In her Rolling Stone interview, Cyndi reveals that the song “True Colors” was written for Canadian country-pop singer Anne Murray, who turned it down.  Initially, Cyndi wasn’t sure it was right for her, but tells Rolling Stone, “When I heard our demo, I realized it had intimacy, and intimacy was the the most important thing.”

Explaining that she recorded it after a friend died of AIDS, Cyndi notes that “True Colors” was “for me, and his partner who was left behind, and his friends who loved him, to comfort us.”  Now, of course, it’s become an LGBTQ anthem.

Cyndi also reveals that some of her favorite contemporary artists are Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift. “She’s always been a wonderful writer, but [that last COVID record] was poetry,” Cyndi says of Taylor.

“The only thing I don’t like about new music — when I listen to what the top new music is, there’s a lot of men, not a lot of women,” Cyndi points out. “But [there are] so many great musicians out there now. It’s a good time to be listening. I’m always listening, always learning.”

 

 

 

 

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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2021 will be welcomed into the hallowed institution at a ceremony held on October 30 in Cleveland.  To celebrate the new inductees, a special exhibit will open at the Rock Hall museum in the city on Sunday, October 24.

The display will feature items from all of this year’s inductees, which include Foo Fighters, Todd Rundgren, The Go-Go’s, Tina Turner, Carole King and JAY-Z in the main Performers category; Early Influence honorees Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron; and, in recognition of Musical Excellence, Randy Rhoads, Billy Preston and LL Cool J.

The exhibit’s opening will take place on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Celebration Day event, which offers free admission to the museum for Ohio residents.

Among the exhibit’s many highlights will be costumes and/or instruments contributed by all five members of The Go-Go’s.

A red lace dress that Turner wore in the music video for her hit “Private Dancer” also will be part of the exhibit, as will an Acrosonic piano and bench used by King.

Rundgren has contributed an embroidered purple suit that he wore in concert in 1978, and while he was recording his live album Back to the Bars.

The late Preston will be represented by a Casio Voice Arranger VA-10 keyboard he used to play.

In addition, the exhibit will feature a video presentations and playlists for the various honorees.

For more details about the exhibition, visit RockHall.com.

The 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. An HBO special focusing on the event will premiere at a later date.

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We’re not sure just how many Tuesday afternoons he’s enjoyed or how many nights in white satin he’s spent during his life, but Moody Blues singer/guitarist Justin Hayward celebrates his 75th birthday today.

Born in Swindon, England, Hayward played in a number of groups as a teenager before joining The Moody Blues in 1966 after the band’s original frontman, Denny Laine, exited following release of their 1965 debut album.

With a knack for writing melodic and emotional ballads and rock tunes, Hayward soon made a major impact on the band, contributing the classic songs “Nights in White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon” to The Moody Blues’ groundbreaking second album, 1967’s Days of Future Passed, a concept record that married the group’s songs with symphonic interludes by the London Festival Orchestra.

While all of the band members contributed songs to The Moody Blues’ albums, most of their hits were written and sung by Hayward.

Among the many memorable tunes Hayward has penned for the band are “Question,” “The Story in Your Eyes,” “The Voice,” “Your Wildest Dreams” and “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere.”

When the band went on hiatus for several years during the 1970s, Hayward teamed up with Moodies singer/bassist John Lodge to release the 1975 collaborative album Blue Jays, which peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200. He then launched a moderately successful solo career that coincided with his work with The Moody Blues.

Hayward was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Moody Blues in 2018. The band continued to tour until late 2018; Hayward has focused on his solo career since then. His latest solo release is a two song EP that came out in 2020. He wraps up a U.S. solo tour on Friday in Clearwater, Florida.

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Bruce Springsteen and wife Patti Scialfa have lent their talents to a new song by Dion, “Angel in the Alleyways,” which has been released as an advance track from the doo-wop and rock ‘n’ roll legend’s star-studded upcoming studio album, Stomping Ground.

The blues- and gospel-influenced tune, which is available for streaming now, features Scialfa delivering backing vocals and Springsteen playing harmonica and guitar.

Meanwhile, a music video for “Angel in the Alleyways” has debuted on Dion’s official YouTube channel. The clip features footage of Bruce and Patti in their home studio, and of Dion by himself singing and playing acoustic guitar at an 11th century Spanish monastery that was rebuilt in Miami in the 1950s, and also performing with a full backing band.

In the album’s liner notes, Dion writes of the song, “I gave Patti a simple, raw demo of ‘Angel in the Alleyways,’ with just my guitar and vocal. What you’ll hear now is what Patti made of it. There are five verses, and she treated each of them in a unique way. This is her gift. The lady’s imagination is unlimited. Her husband contributed the right tones on guitar and harmonica. They are my dream team. They truly make me feel loved.”

Springsteen and Scialfa also are featured on “Hymn To Him,” a song on Dion’s previous album, 2020’s Blues with Friends.

As previously reported, Stomping Ground will be released November 5 and, in addition to Springsteen and Scialfa, the album includes guest appearances by Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Peter Frampton, ZZ Top‘s Billy Gibbons, Boz Scaggs, Rickie Lee Jones and more. In addition, The Who‘s Pete Townshend penned liner notes for the record.

You can pre-order Stomping Ground now. Here’s the full track list:

“Take It Back” — with Joe Bonamassa
“Hey Diddle Diddle ” — with G.E. Smith
“Dancing Girl ” — with Mark Knopfler
“If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll ” — with Eric Clapton
“There Was a Time ” — with Peter Frampton
“Cryin’ Shame ” — with Sonny Landreth
“The Night Is Young ” — with Joe Menza and Wayne Hood
“That’s What The Doctor Said ” — with Steve Conn
“My Stomping Ground ” — with Billy Gibbons
“Angel in the Alleyways ” — with Patti Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen
“I’ve Got to Get to You ” — with Boz Scaggs, Joe Menza and Mike Menza
“Red House ” — with Keb’ Mo’
“I Got My Eyes on You Baby ” — with Marcia Ball and Jimmy Vivino
“I’ve Been Watching ” — with Rickie Lee Jones and Wayne Hood

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Another day, another chart record for Sir Elton John.

Earlier this week, he officially registered 50 years of top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and now he’s set a similar record for longevity back home in the U.K.  Specifically, he’s now the only act in the history of the U.K. singles chart to score a top-10 hit in six different decades, thanks to his Dua Lipa collabo, “Cold Heart.”

“Cold Heart” is Elton’s 33rd top 10 on the chart.  His first one came in 1971, with “Your Song.” Overall, he scored 10 top 10s in the ’70s, seven in the ’80s, eight in the ’90s, seven in the 2000s, one in the 2010s, and one in this decade.

Overall, Elton’s notched seven number-one singles but that number could increase to eight, because “Cold Heart” is poised to take over the top spot this week, dethroning Ed Sheeran‘s “Shivers.”

In other Elton news, the U.K. tabloid The Sun reports that he’s going to have to miss a reception honoring his late friend, Princess Diana. The October 19 event will celebrate the unveiling of a statue of the late princess, and Elton was invited by Diana’s son, Prince William. However, The Sun has confirmed he’s sent his regrets because he’s recovering from a hip operation.

A source told The Sun, “Elton underwent hip replacement surgery at the start of the month. It went well and he is on the mend but is taking things slow.“

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Red Hot Chili Peppers might have some new music to play on their 2022 worldwide tour.

As drummer Chad Smith tells Rolling Stone, the band’s next record, their first with guitarist John Frusciante back in the fold since 2006’s Stadium Arcadium, is “almost done.” The album also reunites the Peppers with longtime producer Rick Rubin, who was absent from 2016’s The Getaway after working on every RHCP album from 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik through 2011’s I’m with You.

Smith explains that work started on the new album amid the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which they isolated themselves together and started writing.

“We could just plow through and write, and that’s what we did,” Smith shares. “It was kind of a blessing, because we want to come out with new music and play some new songs. It’s gonna be great when we finally go out next year and have a record to play, and a bunch of other stuff, obviously.”

As for what we can expect from the album, Smith teases, “It sounds like Red Hot Chili Peppers, but it’s different and new.”

He adds, “We really like it and we’re proud of it and it has to start there. If other people like it, great. If people compare it to this or [say] it doesn’t sound like that, we have no control over that. But yeah, we’re all really happy with the record.”

Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 2022 tour begins with a European run in June. It’ll launch in the U.S. in July.

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“Brown Sugar” is one of The Rolling Stones‘ biggest hits and most popular songs, but the classic’s potentially racially and culturally insensitive subject matter and lyrics apparently have prompted the band to stop playing it in concert.

A recent Los Angeles Times article, which featured a new interview with Stones members Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, noted that the band had performed “Brown Sugar” 1,136 times in concert, although the song has been left off the group’s set lists for its current No Filter Tour of the U.S.

“You picked up on that, huh?” Keith Richards commented to the Los Angeles Times when asked about the tune’s omission. “I don’t know. I’m trying to figure out with the sisters quite where the beef is. Didn’t they understand this was a song about the horrors of slavery? But they’re trying to bury it.”

“Brown Sugar,” which spent two weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971, includes Jagger-penned lyrics that appear to be about a slave trader and a slave master abusing Black women.

On the subject of not currently performing the song, Jagger told the newspaper, “We’ve played ‘Brown Sugar’ every night since 1970. So sometimes you think, ‘We’ll take that one out for now and see how it goes.’ We might put it back in.”

Richards added of the matter, “At the moment I don’t want to get into conflicts with all of this s***. But I’m hoping that we’ll be able to resurrect the babe in her glory somewhere along the track.”

It’s worth noting that in 1995 Rolling Stone interview, Jagger reflected with apprehension about “Brown Sugar’s” lyrics, telling the magazine, “I never would write that song now. I would probably censor myself.”

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Chicago will return to The Venetian Resort Las Vegas next year for a limited run of shows.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will perform six shows at the hotel’s Venetian Theatre: February 16, 18, 19, 23, 35 and 26. Tickets go on sale to the general public this Monday, October 18, at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster, VenetianLasVegas.com, or by calling 866-641-7469.  It’ll be Chicago’s fifth consecutive year playing at the venue.

In fact, Chicago just wrapped a three-night stint at the Venetian Theatre last month.  The Vegas venue was also the last place that Chicago played in 2020 before they had to cancel their tour plans due to the pandemic.  The legendary group also has a variety of concerts scheduled in other U.S. cities through December 17.

The Venetian shows in September featured pretty much every song you’d want to hear from Chicago, from early material like “Make Me Smile,” “Saturday in the Park” and “Beginnings,” to mid-period hits like “Call On Me” and “If You Leave Me Now,” to the 1980s-era hits “You’re the Inspiration,” “Hard Habit to Break” and “Hard to Say I’m Sorry.”

2022 will mark Chicago’s 55th consecutive year of touring.

 

 

 

 

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The estate of the late David Bowie is launching a year-long celebration dubbed Bowie 75, commemorating what would have been the influential rock legend’s 75th birthday.

The campaign will begin with the opening of two themed pop-up stores at significant locations in two cities that David called home during his life — London and New York.

The shops will open on October 25, 75 days before the 75th anniversary of Bowie’s January 8 birthday. One will be located in New York at 150 Wooster Street, near the downtown Manhattan neighborhood where David lived for many years, while the other will open in London at 14 Heddon Street, where the cover of Bowie’s classic album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was shot.

Both stores, which will remain open until late January 2022, will offer immersive experiences treating fans to a career-spanning look at Bowie’s music, art, fashion and more.

The Bowie 75 shops will feature audio and high-def video screening rooms presenting 360 Reality Audio listening and viewing experiences, including rare behind-the-scenes footage. They’ll also offer limited-edition releases of Bowie apparel, memorabilia, collectibles, CDs and vinyl LPs; photo galleries; art installations; and special guest appearances.

In addition, fans will be able try on versions of some of Bowie’s iconic outfits and take photos of themselves wearing them in front of specially designed sets.

For more details about the stores, visit Bowie75.com.

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