Music – Page 406 – 105.7 WDNY

Zak Starkey talks relationship with The Who as he readies one-man show

February 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Drummer Zak Starkey is set to take the stage at New York’s Gramercy Theatre Friday for a one-man show, Zak Starkey … Who?: An Evening of Drums and Conversation. He’ll take fans through his life and career, which will likely include his almost 30 years playing drums for The Who.

Starkey tells ABC Audio that even though his dad is Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, it was seeing The Who that made him want to learn to play the drums. And it turns out his dad wasn’t much help with that.

“I asked my dad for a drum lesson, and he gave me one lesson,” Starkey says. “Then the next day he said, ‘Now try this.’ I said, ‘I can do that.’ He said, ‘Well, you’re on your own.’ And that was it.”

Starkey began playing with The Who in 1996, and he says it felt “amazing” when he got the gig after being such a fan.

And while he and The Who parted ways in 2025 following an onstage disagreement between Starkey and Roger Daltrey, Starkey says he still has a good relationship with both Daltrey and Pete Townshend. In fact, he recently talked to Daltrey, who wished him luck with the show and gave him some advice.

“He told me to be myself, everything would be fine,” says Starkey. He notes of the issues that led to his split with the band, “It’s just some crazy s*** got out of hand … but we were still friends all the time through it.”

The Who wound up going on a farewell tour of North America in 2025 without Starkey behind the drum kit. As for whether he thinks it really was The Who’s final tour, Starkey wouldn’t speculate.

“If you think you know what those two guys are going to do, they’ll do something different.”

Parker McCollum says idea for new single ‘just kind of fell out of my brain’

February 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Parker McCollum’s new single, “Killin’ Me,” is from the deluxe edition of his self-titled album, due out March 20. He says when he came up with the melody for the song he knew he had to, as he puts it, “chase it.”

Parker explains that his pals Randy Rogers and Monty Criswell were visiting him at his ranch for some hunting and “driving fast,” and then they’d write songs in the evenings.

“We were actually in the middle of another song and I started playing that melody, just kind of out of nowhere,” Parker recalls. “And I stopped both of them and I said, ‘This melody, I just don’t know where this just came from but we got to chase it.'”

Once they decided to do that, Parker says, “We kind of got into the ‘every move you make is killin’ me’ [idea] and just loved [it], whenever that just kind of fell out of my brain, and chased that whole idea.” He adds that it “turned out to be a great song on the record.”

As previously reported, the video for “Killin’ Me” stars Parker’s wife, Hallie Ray Light McCollum. The couple is expecting their second son this summer.

Meanwhile, Parker McCollum Deluxe Edition arrives the same day Parker plays his fourth consecutive show at the Houston Rodeo.

‘Even Flow’ of oxygen: Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder quit smoking after conversation with Martin Short

February 20, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Eddie Vedder is just breathing a bit better after a conversation with an unlikely source convinced him to quit smoking.

As the Pearl Jam frontman revealed during an interview with the Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey and David Spade, said conversation took place during the COVID-19 pandemic while on the phone with former SNL cast member Martin Short.

Vedder said that he started smoking again during the pandemic after initially trying to quit, and told Short that when the comedian called to check in on him.

“I said, ‘Well, I’m frustrated with myself, I’m smoking again,'” Vedder recalled.

Short then asked if Vedder was smoking cigarettes or pot. When Vedder said cigarettes, Short replied, “Oh, are you still waiting for more literature on that?”

“And that was the last time I ever had a cigarette,” Vedder said.

He added, “Maybe not really, but it makes for a better story.”

Also during the podcast, Vedder reminisced about Pearl Jam’s 1994 SNL performance, during which the band had the rare opportunity to play three songs instead of the usual two.

Primus’ Les Claypool releasing ‘Frizzle Fry: Phantoms of Barrington Hall’ illustrated book

February 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Primus frontman Les Claypool has written a new illustrated book called Frizzle Fry: Phantoms of Barrington Hall.

Named after Primus’ 1990 debut album, Frizzle Fry: Phantoms of Barrington Hall is described by publisher Z2 Comics as an “illustrated storybook for adults” that “expands Primus’ warped mythology and surreal humor, as it presents a tale allegedly based on the band’s unbelievable experiences during their early years playing shows in Berkeley and the East Bay.”

The description continues, “Fans may think they know Frizzle Fry from the song and the album of the same name, but this story explodes the band’s universe into a new form of psychedelic life on every page, capturing the off-kilter spirit Primus fans have come to expect, in a way that only Primus can.”

You can preorder your copy now via Z2Comics.com.

In the meantime, you can catch Primus on tour with two other Claypool projects, The Claypool Lennon Delirium and Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, kicking off in May.

Joni Mitchell’s Juno Lifetime Achievement Award tribute to feature Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell

February 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Joni Mitchell is getting the Lifetime Achievement Award at Canada’s 2026 Juno Awards, and the artists who will help celebrate her have just been announced.

Fellow Canadian singers Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell will pay tribute to Mitchell with a performance at the award show, taking place March 29 at TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

The 82-year-old Mitchell is being celebrated for her “outstanding artistic contributions and enduring impact on global music culture,” according to a press release.

Mitchell is already a four-time Juno Award winner. The Junos, handed out by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, are the Canadian equivalent to the Grammys.

The Lifetime Achievement Award adds to the many honors Mitchell has already received over the course of her career. In her native Canada, she was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1981 and received Canada’s highest honor, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement, in 1991. She was also named Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 2002 and was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.

In the U.S., Mitchell was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. She also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2021 and the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2023.

Nashville notes: Lainey Wilson’s Down Under adventures, Brad Paisley’s benefit and more

February 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Lainey Wilson’s been Down Under touring Australia and New Zealand, and she’s been having a great time. In an Instagram video, she lists all the cool things she’s gotten to do besides work, including holding koalas and meeting Bindi Irwin. She adds in the video, “We have gotten to do it all, while playing some of the best shows I have ever played in my entire life … Australia and New Zealand, y’all know how to act up!”

Brad Paisley has announced a benefit comedy show in April to raise money for his nonprofit The Store, a food pantry that operates like a supermarket, allowing people to select the groceries they want. Called Groceries with Dignity & Comedy Without with Brad Paisley & Friends, it’ll take place at Zanies in Nashville. Tickets go on sale Friday.

CMA vocal group of the year The Red Clay Strays will headline this year’s RiverBeat Music Festival, taking place May 1-3 in Memphis. The other two headliners for the event are Dave Matthews Band and rap icons Wu-Tang Clan. Tickets are on sale now.

Mumford & Sons premiere video for ’Prizefighter’ track ‘The Banjo Song’

February 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Mumford & Sons have premiered the video for “The Banjo Song,” a track off the band’s upcoming album, Prizefighter.

The clip doesn’t feature any banjos, and instead follows a group of people as they dance around a room. The dancers were cast by event organizer Streets of Soul from attendees of its club nights in England.

“These are the dancers that always brighten up our dancefloors, the ones that love to dance,” Streets of Soul says. “We brought them together with their different styles, energy and flair. We saw how quickly they all became one … their differences became their joy and their connection.”

You can watch the video for “The Banjo Song” on YouTube.

Prizefighter, the follow-up to 2025’s Rushmere, drops Friday. It also includes the Hozier collaboration “Rubber Band Man.”

Music notes: Gracie Abrams, Zara Larsson and more

February 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Gracie Abrams and her boyfriend, Paul Mescal, were in attendance at a London screening of Paul McCartney’s upcoming documentary, Man on the Run. The two snapped a photo with The Beatles legend on the red carpet. Mescal is set to play McCartney in Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles films, The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event, which are currently in production and expected to hit theaters in April 2028.

Zara Larsson just wants a nice Wikipedia photo. In a TikTok video, the singer complained that someone keeps changing the photo to one she doesn’t like and vowed to keep changing it ack. “I will never stop changing that picture to a nice one,” she tells the camera. “I will never stop.”

Freya Skye has announced dates for her Stars Align tour in the U.S., Australia and Europe. The U.S. leg kicks off Sept. 19 in Santa Barbara, California, and runs through Oct. 14 in Hollywood, Florida. Freya’s debut EP, stardust, was released last week.

Hozier joined Sam Smith onstage for Sam’s residency at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. The two performed Hozier’s hit “Take Me to Church.” “Thank you so much for coming out my friend,” Sam wrote on Instagram. “Honoured to sing that song with you. And to do it at the Castro!! What an honor.”

Late AC/DC frontman Bon Scott’s 80th birthday to be marked by events, new merch and more

February 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Original AC/DC frontman Bon Scott would have turned 80 this year, and the Bon Scott estate, along with its exclusive licensing/merchandising partner Perryscope Productions, has announced lots of plans to celebrate the milestone.

The official Scott YouTube channel will offer new video content as part of a deal with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, plus there will be video of new interviews from Scott’s friends and peers, including Sammy Hagar, Anthtrax’s Scott Ian and Rick Springfield.

There will also be a whole host of Bon Scott tribute events, including the 20th anniversary Bonfest: The International Bon Scott Rock Festival May 1-2 in Kirriemuir, Scotland, along with the third annual Bon’s Birthday Bash in New York on July 6. In addition, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is planning a one-night-only screening of the AC/DC concert film Let There Be Rock: The Movie.

Plus, the estate has plans for a whole host of merchandising this year. They include limited-edition collectibles like 1-ounce gold and 10-ounce silver bars from the Perth Mint with Scott’s name and likeness; posters, T-shirts and more featuring exclusive artwork by graphic artist Reg Mombassa; and Knucklebonz’s third Bon Scott edition collectible, based on AC/DC’s 1978 Powerage tour.

There will also be apparel options, with a variety of limited-edition T-shirts, including a Bon 80 shirt and a “heritage” Tartan shirt from Dixxon Flannel Co, based on the officially registered Bon Scott tartans.

More info can be found at BonScottOfficial.com.

Scott was born July 6, 1946. He died Feb. 19, 1980, at age 33.

Kendrick Lamar talks about Baby Keem’s musical talent in new ‘Booman’ episode

February 19, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The rollout for Baby Keem’s new album, Ca$ino, continues with the release of another “Booman” episode. “Booman III,” the third episode from the project’s accompanying documentary series, features the return of his first cousin once removed Kendrick Lamar, who talks about his initial reaction to Keem’s musical talent.

“Was I surprised? No, I wasn’t surprised,” he began. “You know why? Because it started off with beats. And I was like, ‘OK, I see what went down here.’ When I think of the gamers, it just makes sense.You have to be locked in to sound and tech; it all goes hand in hand. So when he started first sending me beats and s***, I was like, ‘OK, I can see you do this,’ and he was really good.”

“What I was surprised at was when he started rapping,” K. Dot continued. “I was like, ‘Damn, you actually good at this, too.’ That threw me for a loop, because he understood melodies and patterns more than any young cat that I’ve heard.”

Kendrick said Keem “was the best” of “a thousand f****** cousins” and “a thousand friends that rap and do music” when he was just “14, 15 years old.”

“Booman III” is now available to watch on YouTube. Ca$ino is set to arrive on Friday.

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