As part of the ongoing 50th anniversary celebration of The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd recently held a special event that coincided with a rare solar eclipse. That event is now being turned into a documentary, and the band is giving fans their first peek at it.
The rockers just released a teaser trailer for Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon 50th Ningaloo Eclipse, which lets fans experience the once-in-a-lifetime event at a secluded beach at Ningaloo (Nyinggulu) Marine Park in Exmouth, Western Australia, in April.
A handful of fans won a trip to the beach, where they listened to Dark Side in full — timed so that the closing line, “but the sun is eclipsed by the moon,” would play at the exact moment of the eclipse.
So far the documentary doesn’t have an exact release date, but it is expected to be out sometime in September.
Lenny Kravitz has always been one of the more stylish rockers out there, but early on some friends questioned his style choices.
Discussing a black skirt a former girlfriend made him when he was a teenager, Kravitz tells the latest issue of Highsnobiety, "My friends were like, 'Your mom's going to freak.' We were all nervous.”
But it turns out there was no real need to worry. He says that his mother, The Jeffersons star Roxie Roker, looked him “up and down" and then gave him some advice, sharing, "If you're gonna wear that skirt, you got to change them shoes."
He adds, "One thing about my mother, she never judged anybody. She just loved."
Kravitz discusses how his background, being both Caribbean-American and Jewish-Ukrainian, helped influence his style. He shares, "Growing up between cultures and religions and types of people in my family, by virtue of me being multiracial ... I grew up in the middle of all this beauty.”
But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have some regrets about his style choices. "It happens all the time," although he says now he has more of a "who cares?" attitude about it.
"You're not going to grow if everything's perfect all the time," he says.
For many, Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and in addition to fun things like the beach and barbecues, lots of people look forward to summer concerts. Well, according to a new StubHub report, some concerts are more popular than others this season.
While Taylor Swift is the top In-Demand Global Artist of the summer based on sales, Bruce SpringsteenandThe E Street Band’s summer tour ranks high up there at #4, thanks to his 31 tour stops, which kick off August 9 and 10 at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. Metallica also lands in the top 10 at #8.
The ranking was determined by cumulative global ticket sales on StubHub and viagogo for concerts taking place between Memorial Day, May 29, and Labor Day, September 4.
Meanwhile, Dead & Company land at #2 on the Top Group Acts for summer list, with Metallica at #3 and Guns N’ Roses landing at #8.
Asia is celebrating their reunion album Phoenix with a new reissue. BMG Music has just released a special double vinyl edition of the 2008 studio record, the first time it's ever been available on vinyl.
Phoenix was released two years after the band’s four original members — John Wetton, CarlPalmer, Geoff Downes and Steve Howe — reunited for a 2006 sold-out world tour.
Phoenix was the first album with all four original members since Wetton's departure in 1983, and the foursome reconvened for two more records after that, 2010’s Omega and 2012’s XXX, before Howe left to concentrate on his work with Yes.
The Phoenix double vinyl, which is available now, comes with an exclusive CD-sized art card, signed by Palmer and Downes, while supplies last.
John Mellencamp doesn’t take kindly to loud concertgoers, at least not on his current Live and In Person tour. In fact, he almost cut his recent concert in Cleveland short because of one rude and loud member of the audience.
According to the Cleveland Scene, signs posted in the Connor Palace lobby read “this show respects theater etiquette," and at one point Mellencamp even told concertgoers, “I don’t like people screaming from the f***** audience." But that didn’t stop one attendee.
Mellencamp was saying something that the outlet suggested “could be construed as criticizing the U.S.” when one loud concertgoer screamed at him to “play the f****** music.” Well, Mellencamp didn’t like that.
“Listen, hey, you guys, if these people don’t shut the f*** up I’m just going to leave, OK?” Mellencamp told the crowd. “Because I’m not used to this crap. Look, guys, if I wanted to play in this type of drunken environment, I’d play outside or I’d play in an arena.”
The audience did eventually quiet down and the show went on, with Mellencamp treating the crowd to such classics as “Small Town,” “Pink Houses,” “Jack & Diane” “Hurts So Good” and more.
Mellencamp's Live and In Person show is set for a second night in Cleveland on Friday, May 26, with shows confirmed through June. A complete schedule can be found at mellencamp.com.
John Fogerty’s concerts usually include him performing his Creedence Clearwater Revival classic “Proud Mary,” but the song took on special meaning at his concert in Manchester AO Arena Thursday night.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer took time out of his show to pay tribute to the late Tina Turner, who turned “Proud Mary” into a classic, projecting an image of him, Tina and his two sons on the screen behind him.
“I toured with Tina way back about the year 2000,” he says in fan-shot footage posted on YouTube. “Of course Tina recorded my song 'Proud Mary' way back about 1971 and it was a breakthrough song for her, also a signature song.”
He added, “I saw her like every week with that red dress on and Ike (Turner) had girls dancing in the background … she was amazing.”
He then dedicated the song to Tina, noting, “This is the first good song I ever wrote.”
Fogerty previously paid tribute to Turner on his Instagram account and recently shared that same picture, writing, “Beyond her immense talent, she was incredibly kind-hearted and gracious. Her warmth and genuine spirit touched the hearts of everyone she encountered. It was an absolute privilege to know such a kind soul.”
Roger Waters is facing even more trouble because of his current This Is Not A Drill tour.
As previously reported, Waters has been getting backlash for his recent Berlin concert for the use of images of Anne Frank and a pig with a Star of David on it, as well as Waters dressing as what appeared to be an SS soldier. Well, now a report claims it's sparked a police investigation.
Jewish News reports police in the German city have opened a criminal investigation into the concert, looking into “the suspicion of incitement of the people,” specifically with regard to the soldier uniform Waters wears in the show.
“The context of the clothing worn is deemed capable of approving, glorifying or justifying the violent and arbitrary rule of the Nazi regime in a manner that violates the dignity of the victims and thereby disrupts public peace,” Police Chief Inspector Martin Halweg says. “After the conclusion of the investigation, the case will be forwarded to the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office for legal assessment.”
So far there hasn’t been a response from Waters. He’s due to bring his This Is Not A Drill tour to Frankfurt, Germany, on Sunday, May 28. A complete list of dates can be found at rogerwaters.com.
Stewart Copeland is dropping a new album of reworked classics from his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band The Police next month, and he’s just shared his new take on the 1979 Reggatta de Blanc hit “Message in a Bottle.”
Police Deranged for Orchestra is due out June 23, and this new version features vocals from Amy Keys, Carmel Helene and Ashley Tamar, although it doesn’t stray too far from the original.
“The form of this song is a diamond, impervious to my every effort of derangement,” Copeland explained on social media, “so this version follows the path of the original song, but I did have fun with spreading Andy’s (Summers) guitar part around the orchestra. Andy is, in fact, kind of a one-man orchestra.”
In addition to “Message in a Bottle,” Police Deranged includes new versions of such Police hits as “Every Breath You Take,” “Roxanne,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” and “Don’t Stand So Close To Me," all arranged for a full orchestra.
The Beatles released their classic album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts ClubBand in the U.K., with the U.S. release coming days later on June 2.
The album, considered by many to be the greatest record of all time, featured such future Beatles classics as the title track, “A Day in the Life,” “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “With a Little Help From My Friends,” “When I’m 64” and more.
The album has sold over 32 million copies worldwide, and is one of the highest-selling albums of all time. It spent 15 weeks on top the Billboard album chart and spent 113 consecutive weeks in the Top 200.
Sgt. Pepper's was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1993, and in 2003 it was chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.
A new reimagining of the musical version of The Who’s Tommy, featuring a cast of 28, a nine-piece band and brand new staging, is set to open at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre next month, and now fans are getting their first look at it.
A new video shows behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals for the project, including interviews with The Who’s Pete Townshend and the show’s director, Des McAnuff.
“In 1969, when I originally wrote ‘Tommy’ with The Who, nobody had ever written popular music songs about trauma, nobody talked about bullying. Then, working with Des on the staged theater piece, we broke the established rules for a musical show,” Townshend shares. “Now, the current generation is breaking all of those rules again—and what Des is suggesting is that we honor that."
He adds, "I can’t wait to see how this show connects with Chicago today,” noting that the city “has always been a special place for me.”
McAnuff shares, “In many ways, I think the world has caught up to Tommy Walker, which makes it exciting to revisit The Who’s Tommy for a new generation who, possibly more than any other, has a broad appetite for all kinds of music and storytelling.”
Previews are set to begin June 13 and opening night is set for June 26. The production runs through July 23. Tickets are on sale now.
Based on The Who’s 1969 album and 1975 film, the original production of Tommy opened at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California, on July 1, 1992. It opened on Broadway on April 22, 1993, and closed on June 17, 1995. It won five Tony Awards, including Best Direction for McAnuff and Best Original Score for Townshend.
Def Leppard has been very busy the last week or so promoting not only their new album, Drastic Symphonies, but their book Definitely Def Leppard. And now the band is sharing a look at what they’ve been up to.
In a new behind-the-scenes vlog for their YouTube channel, Def Leppard gives fans a peek at their promotional tour, including rehearsals for their recent BBC2 Piano Room performance with an orchestra.
“One of the best experiences of my life, absolutely brilliant," guitarist Rick Savage says of the performance, where the band played three songs, including “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” “It’s so great to play live with an orchestra in a completely different environment, sitting down, being able to play as more of a musician than just a performer.”
Drummer Rick Allen adds, “I’ve never quite experienced playing those songs before in that way ... just being in the same room with the orchestra, just, what a wonderful experience.”
There’s also footage of Def Leppard at a London book signing for their book Definitely Def Leppard and at London’s Royal Festival Hall, where they did a Q&A with fans about the book.
And now that promotion is over, Def Leppard has something else to focus on. They are currently on their U.K./European Stadium tour with Mötley Crüe. The tour hits Munich, Germany, on May 27. A complete list of dates can be found at defleppard.com.
Queen’s Brian May is featured on a the brand new song from British artist Sam Ryder. The tune, “Fought & Lost,” features a guitar solo from May, with Ryder’s voice sounding quite similar to late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
“Some of you know what this is,” May shared on Instagram. “But I’d like the rest of you folks to wonder, just for half a minute, who you’re listening to, on this glistening new track ... and what it might be telling us.”
"Lost & Found" may sound familiar to fans of the Apple TV series Ted Lasso. The song appeared in the recently released penultimate episode of the third season.
"This is a song for the hope seekers & the faith keepers. The ones who foster the dream and keep its fire burning regardless of the knock backs, the almosts, the falls & the failures," Ryder shares. "This is a song for the down but never out’s, not to be sung cold eyed, muttered and muted, but to be belted towards the heavens as if wrenched from the spirit itself …for defeat looms in that glimmer of a moment right before life’s magic is spun."
Roger Waters is once again facing the possibility of having a show canceled because of his political beliefs.
The Belfast Telegraph reports British Labour MP Christian Wakeford has expressed concerns about the rocker’s scheduled June show at Manchester’s AO Arena.
“The city of Manchester has a rich and vibrant history in which those of different faiths and backgrounds have lived together, as well as stood together through difficult times and times of division,” Wakeford told the House of Commons. “So I’m concerned to note that Roger Waters is due to play at the AO Arena in Manchester next month.”
Wakeford pointed to Waters’ recent Berlin show, which has been getting backlash for the use of images of Anne Frank anda pig with a Star of David on it, as well as Waters dressing as what appeared to be an SS soldier.
That show sparked a tweet from the State of Israel’s official account, reading, “Good morning to every one but Roger Waters who spent the evening in Berlin (Yes Berlin) desecrating the memory of Anne Frank and the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust.”
Wakeford asked that the House of Commons “agree with me that concerts like this have no place in our society and shouldn’t go ahead." Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt did indicate that she would “make sure that all relevant departments have heard (Mr Wakeford’s) concerns today.”
Waters’ May show in Frankfurt was initially banned by the local government due to Waters' perceived antisemitism, before a court overturned the ruling. Billboard reports that at the Berlin show, Waters projected a message that read, “The show will start in 10 minutes and a court in Frankfurt has ruled that I am not an antisemite… just to be clear, I condemn antisemitism unreservedly.”
Queen of Rock 'n' Roll Tina Turner continues to be remembered on social media following her death on Wednesday at age 83.
Former President Barack Obamatweeted, “Tina Turner was raw. She was powerful. She was unstoppable. And she was unapologetically herself—speaking and singing her truth through joy and pain; triumph and tragedy. Today we join fans around the world in honoring the Queen of Rock and Roll, and a star whose light will never fade.”
In a statement, Vice President Kamala Harris called Turner “a spectacular woman whose life was a testament to all those who believe in what can be, unburdened by what has been.”
She added, "Her life was not free from hardship. Throughout her life, she faced racism, sexism, and domestic violence. As she later put it, experiences that 'could have shattered me, instead became fuel for my journey, propelling me upward.'” She concluded, “Tina Turner was simply the best.”
Among the other tributes:
U2 - "RIP @tinaturner The Queen of Rock and Roll. And The Queen of Goldeneye,” referring to her 1995 James Bond song, which Bono and The Edge wrote.
Ringo Starr – “God bless Tina Turner, peace and love to all her family Ringo, peace and love.”
Brian Wilson – “I’m so sorry to hear about Tina Turner. I loved Tina and her voice and energy – she was one of the greats. 'River Deep, Mountain High' will always be one of my favorite songs. And nothing beats her version of 'Proud Mary.' I loved her musical too. Love & Mercy.”
Sting – “Beautiful Tina, no one like her, simply the best.”
John Oates– “I had the pleasure of backing up #TinaTurner when she surprised everyone at Live Aid and hit the stage with (Mick Jagger). Pure energy, dynamic singer, and one-of-a-kind performer. The music world just lost a true queen of soul.”
Priscilla Presley – “Tina Turner was one of Elvis' favorite performers. When she took the stage, it was pure magic. I remember how she held an audience with an energy that was undeniably pure Tina! She has left a remarkable legacy and will be sorely missed by all.”
Guitarist Steve Stevens – “There are music giants, there are legends and then there’s Tina Turner. Put on our planet to do exactly what she accomplished….. EVERYTHING.”
Huey Lewis – “Sad about the passing of Tina Turner. She was a dynamite performer and a super sweet person. A rock and roll pioneer!”
Rick Astley – “What a woman, what a life, what a voice! One of the GREATS! Such sad news.”
Fans hoping to see ABBA reunite next year are apparently out of luck.
There’s been a lot of speculation that the group would get back together to perform at the 2024 Eurovision Song contest because, not only is it happening in their native Sweden, it’s also the 50th anniversary of when ABBA won Eurovision with their song "Waterloo."
While that does sound like it would be the perfect time for a reunion, ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson have already shut the speculation down.
"I don't want to," Andersson tells BBCNewsnight, "and if I don't want to, the others won't. It's the same for all four of us — someone says, 'no' — it's a no."
Ulvaeus adds, “We can celebrate 50 years of Abba without us being onstage.”
ABBA won Eurovision with their classic song in 1974. Sweden then went on to win the contest an additional six times, with the most recent win coming just this year.
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