Classic Hits

So, how close did Elton John come to being accidentally killed by Ed Sheeran when filming their “Merry Christmas” music video? According to the behind-the-scenes footage, pretty darn close.

Sir Elton took to Instagram on Monday to share the harrowing moment when Sheeran kicks at a bunch of presents and sends a Christmas bell sailing through the air. Thankfully, Elton is looking down at the time because he’s too busy playing the piano — so the shiny gold bell narrowly misses his head.

The moment is even slowed down to show just how close it came, with the bell whizzing past the singer’s left ear and temple.

As Elton looks up after that heavy prop clatters across his grand piano, Ed steps into frame while sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

“Better luck next time, @teddysphotos,” Elton captioned the video and threw in the crying laughing emoji.

Sheeran previously revealed that he nearly took out the 74-year-old pop-rock legend when speaking to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe about the “Merry Christmas” music video.

“I kick a present, but the present had a big metal bell on top of it…the bell flew past his head and would’ve cracked him in the head,” Ed admitted, saying that it almost “killed him.”

Better luck next time, @edsheeran 😂#MerryChristmas pic.twitter.com/jMBZwf6thh

— Elton John (@eltonofficial) December 6, 2021

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

A new surfing-themed music video for the recent remix of Paul McCartney‘s 2020 song “Slidin'” by Radiohead‘s Ed O’Brien has debuted at McCartney’s official YouTube channel.

The clip was directed by filmmaker Jack McCoy and is dedicated to the ocean charity Surfrider Foundation Australia and the organization’s work spreading awareness about the importance of protecting the coastlines from pollution and other environmental disruptions.

The video features thrilling slow-motion footage of acclaimed free surfer Craig Anderson and other surfers riding giant waves.

McCartney, who previously has collaborated with McCoy on other videos with ocean-conservation themes, contacted Jack about making a clip for “Slidin’,” a song from his 2020 solo album McCartney III that he felt lent itself to be accompanied by surfing and ocean scenes.

“As soon as I heard the song I said to myself ‘Craig Anderson’,” McCoy explained. “I called on some of Craig’s friends to provide me with some amazing footage and made what became the official video for the track.”

He added, “With Paul’s blessing, Craig and I chose to dedicate the video to Surfrider Foundation to help beat the drum with their ongoing fight for our coastline, in particular the current fight to STOP PEP11, a proposal to drill for oil and gas off [Australia’s New South Wales] coastline.”

McCoy ended up making another “Slidin'” video using O’Brien’s remix for the song, which Ed created for the recent McCartney III Imagined compilation.

O’Brien noted that creating the McCartney remix “was a lot of fun,” recalling, “The winter was dark and a second lockdown was imminent, but working on this track with [producer] Paul Epworth was a moment of light.”

McCoy also is working on a new video project with McCartney in support of Surfrider Foundation Australia that features nine world-class free surfers.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

David Lee Roth apparently won’t be jumping into retirement quite as early as he initially planned.

Back in October, the 67-year-old founding Van Halen frontman shocked fans when he announced that he’d retire after the five-show Las Vegas residency at the House of Blues that he’d recently scheduled for New Year’s Eve and early January 2022, but he’s now extended the engagement for four more performances.

The new concerts, which were added because of “popular demand,” are scheduled for January 14, 15, 21 and 22. Tickets for the shows go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 10, at 10 a.m. PT, while a Ticketmaster pre-sale begins on Tuesday, December 7, at 10 a.m. PT, and a Roth fan pre-sale starts on Wednesday.

The previously announced concerts for the “David Lee Roth Rocks Vegas” residency are scheduled for New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and January 5, 7 and 8.

Roth discussed his decision to add dates to the residency in a video message released on Monday that’s been transcribed by Blabbermouth.net.

“I had no idea how many of you wanted to pay to see me go,” the singer said with a laugh. “So I’m putting more tickets on sale, instead of doing the wrong thing and p***ing more people off.”

He added, “Just when I get out, they drag me back in…Look, I’m vulnerable. I feel sensitive. If I sound that way to you, I’m in the middle of my first retirement. And I’m gonna extend my world goodbye tour of Las Vegas at the House Of Blues for two more weekends — like any good f***ing barbecue. Just like you would, if you could.”

pic.twitter.com/2sLwn81nH0

— David Lee Roth (@DavidLeeRoth) December 6, 2021

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The deluxe 50th anniversary reissue of The Doors‘ classic 1971 album L.A. Woman was released Friday.

The three-CD/one-LP collection features a newly remastered version of the album on one CD, and two CDs of unreleased studio outtakes, as well as a new stereo mix of the original album pressed on 180-gram vinyl.

Doors guitarist Robby Krieger tells ABC Audio that the deluxe reissue is “a good package,” noting that the unreleased material includes “some cool stuff…that you’ve never heard before.”

He says one standout tracks is an alternate version of “Riders on the Storm” that’s “almost better than the [original] one, but not quite.”

Some of the outtakes are cover tunes that The Doors recorded on one specific day that they devoted to blues material, because, according to Krieger, frontman Jim Morrison “was totally into the blues at that point.”

Robby recalls, “He kept saying, ‘Hey, when are we gonna do some blues? Come on. Blues, blues, blues.’ And then we said, ‘OK, Tuesday will be Blues Day.’ So, oh, he was so happy.”

Krieger remembers, however, that the notoriously unpredictable Morrison didn’t show up to the Tuesday session, “so Wednesday became Blues Day.”

The previously unreleased blues covers featured on the L.A. Woman box set include renditions of Junior Parker‘s “Mystery Train” and Big Joe Williams‘ “Baby Please Don’t Go.”

The unreleased bonus tracks also include multiple consecutive takes of four L.A. Woman songs — “The Changeling,” “Love Her Madly,” “Riders on the Storm” and the title track.

Doors drummer John Densmore tells ABC Audio that he thinks the L.A. Woman box set is the most interesting of the band’s deluxe reissues, noting that there’s “more little…behind-the-scenes things that make it really special.”

Here’s the track list of L.A. Woman reissue’s CDs:

Disc One: Original Stereo Mix Remastered
“The Changeling”
“Love Her Madly”
“Been Down So Long”
“Cars Hiss by My Window”
“L.A. Woman”
“L’America”
“Hyacinth House”
“Crawling King Snake”
“The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)”
“Riders on the Storm”

Bonus Tracks
“Hyacinth House” (Demo)
“Riders on the Storm” (Sunset Sound Version – Original Demo)*

Disc Two: L.A. Woman Sessions, Part 1
“The Changeling”*
“Love Her Madly”*
“Riders on the Storm”*
“L.A. Woman” (Part 1)*

Disc Three: L.A. Woman Sessions, Part 2
“L.A. Woman” (Part 2)*
“She Smells So Nice”*
“Rock Me Baby”*
“Mr. Mojo Risin'”*
“Baby Please Don’t Go”*
“L.A. Woman” (Part 3)*
“Been Down So Long”*
“Get Out of My Life Woman”*
“Crawling King Snake”*
“The Bastard Son of Jimmy & Mama Reed (Cars Hiss by My Window)”*
“Been Down So Long”*
“Mystery Train”*
“The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)”*

* = previously unreleased.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The University of Florida has awarded the late Tom Petty an honorary doctorate of music.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that the school’s board of trustees voted unanimously on Friday to present the special degree to Petty, who was born and grew up in Gainesville, Florida, where the university is located.

According to the newspaper, University of Florida provost Joseph Glover read a motion to award the doctorate to Petty, who died in 2017 at age 67 of an accidental drug overdose.

During his declaration, Glover mentioned a variety of Tom’s career achievements, including induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, three Grammy awards, a MusiCares Person of the Year honor, the ASCAP organization’s Golden Note Award, Billboard magazine’s Century Award, and a U. of Florida Distinguished Achievement Award.

“Petty…is widely considered among the most distinctive and influential musicians of the past 50 years,” Glover said. “His presence remains significant as seen by abundant radio airplay and the popularity of events in his honor, such as the Tom Petty birthday bash held annually in Gainesville.”

The provost also noted that Petty’s solo hit “I Won’t Back Down” “has become a mantra at athletic events” at the university, and that he personally heard the school’s president, Kent Fuchs, sing it.

Later on during the meeting, Fuchs announced that Petty’s music will be played after the university’s fall commencement events later in December.

A video of the University of Florida trustees board meeting can be viewed at Trustees.UFL.edu. Glover’s reading of the motion to honor Petty begins around the 54-minute mark.

Petty never attended the University of Florida, but according to FloridaGators.com, he worked as a groundskeeper at the school while pursuing his music career. He later performed at the university in 1993 and 2006.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Longtime Elton John guitarist Davey Johnstone will release his first solo album in nearly 50 years, Deeper than My Roots, on February 4.

The project was a true family affair, as Johnstone’s youngest son, Elliott, sings lead vocals on most of the album, his son Charlie recorded many of the basic tracks at his home in California and contributed keyboard and backing vocals, and his son Jesse played drums on some of the songs.

In addition, Davey collaborated with his oldest son, Tam, and Jesse to write, record and produce the two instrumental tracks that are featured on the album: “Black Scotland” and “Walt Dizney.”

Johnstone has premiered the lead single from Deeper than My Roots, the melancholy “Melting Snow,” which is sung by his son Elliott and features Davey’s longtime Elton John band mate Nigel Olsson on drums. The song is accompanied by a lyric video that debuted at the Spirit of Unicorn Music label’s official YouTube channel.

Former Paul McCartney and Wings drummer Denny Seiwell also lent his talents to three songs. The album includes a pair of bonus tracks, including a cover of The Beatles‘ “Here, There and Everywhere.”

Johnstone recorded Deeper than My Roots while Elton’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour was forced off the road because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The trek is scheduled to relaunch on January 19 in New Orleans.

Davey’s only other solo album, Smiling Face, was released in 1973. You can pre-order Deeper than My Roots on CD now at CherryRed.co.uk.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

“Go Easy on My Heart”
“One Look in Your Eyes”
“Meh Amour”
“Walt Dizney”
“Melting Snow”
“You Lied to Me”
“Deeper”
“Boxer in the Corner”
“Black Scotland”
“The Final Quarter”

Bonus Tracks
“Here, There and Everywhere”
“All the Time in the World”

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The deluxe 50th anniversary reissue of The Doors‘ classic 1971 album, L.A. Woman, got its release today.

As previously reported, L.A. Woman: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is available as a three-CD/one-LP set featuring a newly remastered version of the album on CD, two bonus CDs of unreleased studio outtakes, and the new stereo mix of the original album pressed on 180-gram vinyl.

To celebrate the reissue’s release, the first-ever official music video for the Doors hit “Riders on the Storm” has premiered at the band’s official YouTube channel.

The clip, directed by the award-winning team of Brendo Garcia and Adriano Gonfiantini, combines live-action footage with digital animation and follows a mysterious woman as she takes a surreal, psychedelic journey on a motorcycle through the California desert and into Los Angeles.

The video features a number of Easter eggs alluding to aspects of Doors history, including a woman tied crucifixion-style to a streetlight, a reference to the image that appears inside L.A. Woman‘s original gatefold sleeve; Barney’s Beanery, one of Jim Morrison‘s favorite LA-area bars; and the Alta Cienega Motel, where Morrison once lived.

Other classics songs featured on L.A. Woman include the hit “Love Her Madly,” the title track, and “The Changeling.”

Among the unreleased tracks is the original demo of “Riders on the Storm,” and covers of Junior Parker‘s “Mystery Train,” John Lee Hooker‘s “Crawling King Snake,” Big Joe Williams‘ “Baby Please Don’t Go,” and Lee Dorsey‘s “Get Out of My Life Woman.” Also among the bonus tracks are multiple consecutive takes of “The Changeling,” “Love Her Madly,” “Riders on the Storm” and “L.A. Woman.”

In related news, L.A. Woman has just been RIAA-certified triple-Platinum for album equivalent sales of three million copies in the U.S.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Next year will mark ABBA‘s 50th anniversary as a band.  Just in time for that major milestone, the Swedish superstars have released their first, official Christmas song, “Little Things.”

The gentle tune centers on the joy parents feel waking up on Christmas morning and imagining what it’ll be like to watch their children open presents under the tree.

ABBA also delighted fans on Friday with the track’s official music video, which follows a group of school-age children putting on their own ABBA tribute concert using motion-capture technology and other innovations.  The group says they wanted to honor the “next generation of geniuses” who will harness future technological advances to stage even greater shows.

“Little Things” is featured on ABBA’s new album, Voyage, which is their first in 40 years. The track is available to stream and purchase now.  Proceeds from the single will benefit UNICEF’s Global Child Protection Fund.

The group released a joint statement Friday explaining why they wanted to turn the track into a charity single.   

“We think it is impossible to eradicate poverty without the empowerment of women. That’s why we support UNICEF in protecting girls from sexual violence and empowering them through the Global Child Protection Fund,” Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad said.  “We have done so for many years with our song ‘Chiquitita’ and now we have decided to give Unicef a Christmas gift in the form of a second song: ‘Little Things’ from our album Voyage.”

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Styx and REO Speedwagon will sail away together next year on a U.S. co-headlining tour, and they’re taking Loverboy with them as their special guest.

The Live & Unzoomed Tour kicks off on May 31 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and is plotted out through an August 21 concert in Wantagh, New York. The trek, which currently features 35 dates, includes one show in Canada, an August 16 event in Toronto.

To announce the tour, a hilarious video has premiered on YouTube featuring Styx’s Tommy Shaw, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin and Loverboy’s Mike Reno chatting via Zoom about what they’ve been up to at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tickets for various dates of Live & Unzoomed Tour will go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 10, at 10 a.m. local time at LiveNation.com. Styx and REO Speedwagon will be making available VIP packages and exclusive pre-sales starting Monday, December 6, at 10 a.m. local time at StyxWorld.com and REOSpeedwagon.com.

Citi cardmembers will be able to buy pre-sale tickets for the U.S. shows beginning Tuesday, December 7, at 10 a.m. local time; visit CitiEntertainment.com for more details.

“I can’t think of a better way of touring the USA next year than with good friends we’ve known for years and performed with on many a stage,” Shaw says in a statement. “What a great night of music this will be!”

Adds Cronin, “Tommy and I have done a number of Zoom performances together during the pandemic, and REO and Styx are ready to go get UnZoomed, and out on the road for our fifth U.S. tour together. Add our great friends Mike Reno and the Loverboy guys, and I am totally psyched.”

Meanwhile, Reno declares, “Best tour of the summer…guaranteed.”

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Motown legends The Temptations will continue their 60th anniversary celebrations next year when they release a new studio album titled Temptations 60 on January 28.

The 12-track collection includes the recently released single “Is It Gonna Be Yes or No,” which was written, produced and features guest vocals by fellow Motown great Smokey Robinson.

Temptations 60 offers a mix of modern and classic influences and, reflecting the group’s historic catalog, offers a mix of love songs and topical tunes.

In addition to Robinson, who produced and co-wrote many of The Temptations’ early recordings, the album features contributions from a number of other producers with whom the group has collaborated over the years, including current Journey drummer Narada Michael Walden, Dennis Nelson, and Thomas “TC” Campbell.

Otis Williams, the last surviving original Temptations member, executive-produced the album and co-produced five of the tracks.

“Our new album carries with it, our legacy, our love of music and our hope that through our music we can uplift and bring people together,” Williams says. “Most of all, we want fans to enjoy it and share it with family and friends around the world. It’s a thank you gift from our hearts to all of our fans, past, present and future.”

Among the songs Otis co-produced is an updated version of “Come On,” which Williams first recorded in 1959 with his pre-Temptations outfit The Distants. The tune also features a special monologue about The Temptations’ history.

Longtime Temptations singer Ron Tyson, who joined the group in 1983, also co-produced two tracks on the album.

Temptations 60 kicks off with “Let It Reign,” which showcases the talents of Queens, New York, rapper K. Sparks. You can pre-order the album now.

Here’s the full Temptations 60 track list:

“Let It Reign” — featuring K. Sparks
“When We Were Kings”
“Is It Gonna Be Yes or No” — featuring Smokey Robinson
“Time for the People”
“Elevator Eyes”
“My Whole World Stopped Without You”
“You Don’t Know Your Woman (Like I Do)”
“How Do You Spell Love”
“Calling Out Your Name”
“I Want It Right Now”
“Breaking My Back”
“Come On”

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