Classic Rock
Penny Lane from The Beatles Song “in Danger of Being Renamed” over Possible Slavery Ties
As the Black Lives Matter movement continues to surge worldwide, citizens and governments alike are being forced to reconsider monuments to heritages of racism. In America, everyone from GWAR to Taylor Swift is calling for the removal of confederate statues, with one petition proposing they be replaced with ones of Dolly Parton. Meanwhile, over in Liverpool, England, folks are seeking to rename the famed Penny Lane — immortalized in the classic song by The Beatles — over its purported connection to the slave trade. It seems many believe the road was named for James Penny, a slave merchant who spoke against abolition in Parliament. Last week, as protests over racial injustice and inequality gripped the country, signs for the street were defaced and graffitied, with “racist” being sprayed ab...
Paul McCartney’s Birthday Wish Is for People to Stop Eating Meat
It’s pretty wild to realize Paul McCartney, the guy who throws cathartic multi-hour-long concerts with ease, will turn 78 years old this year. To preface his birthday on June 18th, he’s written a blog post for PETA in which he details his sole wish for the big day: that people will finally stop eating meat and, ideally, go vegetarian. “All I’ve ever wanted for my birthday is peace on Earth — including for animals,” The Beatles bassist wrote in the blog post. “That’s why this year, I’m urging fans to watch a video I hosted for PETA, titled ‘Glass Walls.’ We called it that because if slaughterhouses had glass walls, who would want to eat meat?” “Whether you’re worried about diseases that spring from slaughterhouses, the animals who suffer terribly and needlessly, or the catastrophic impact o...
Neil Young Unearths Homegrown Track “Vacancy”: Stream
It took 46 years, but next Friday (June 19th) finally brings the release of Neil Young’s Homegrown. The “unheard bridge between Harvest and Comes A Time,” the 12-track LP was recorded between June 1974 and January 1975, but was ultimately locked away as Young “wanted to move on” following his separation from actress Carrie Snodgress. Now, though, Homegrown will finally receive release on June 19th through Reprise Records. To preview the release, Young previously unveiled the album track “Try”. Now, he’s unveiled a second offering in “Vacancy”. Take a listen below. Of the 12 tracks featured on Homegrown, five of them would later find homes on other albums. “Try”, “Vacancy”, and five other songs have been been issued before. You can pre-order Homegrown on vinyl here. [embedded cont...
Paul McCartney Announces Collector’s Edition of Flaming Pie
Paul McCartney has been rolling out special reissues from his catalog as part of his Grammy-winning Archive Collection series for a while now, and it looks like his next release will double as a celebration of his 78th birthday. As it turns out, the newest record to get the archival treatment is his beloved tenth solo album, 1997’s Flaming Pie, which is due out July 31st via MPL/Capitol/UMe. These new Flaming Pie releases include previously unreleased material and bonus tracks. Strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, the Collector’s Edition includes five CDs, four LPs, two DVDs, a marbled art print portfolio of Linda McCartney prints, and his Allen Ginsberg collaboration “The Ballad of the Skeletons” — the first time it’s ever being pressed to vinyl — all wrapped up in a cloth-wrapped c...
Bob Dylan Reveals Rough and Rowdy Ways Tracklist
Bob Dylan has unveiled the track list for his forthcoming new studio album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, which due out June 19th via Columbia Records. The great bard revealed all 10 tracks in a folksy video on his Instagram account. As expected, the tracklist album features previously released singles: “False Prophet”, “I Contain Multitudes”, and, yes, the 17-minute closer “Murder Most Foul”. As previously reported, the album marks his first release of entirely new material in eight years (specifically, 2012’s Tempest). Sadly, he won’t be able to support the album until likely next year as he recently canceled his planned tour. Watch the announcement below, and pre-order your copy of the album here. Editors’ Picks Rough and Rowdy Ways Tracklist:01. I Contain Multitudes02. False Prophet03. M...
REO Speedwagon on Ozark, Camp Cronin, and a New Memoir
Kyle Meredith With… REO Speedwagon Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS REO Speedwagon singer and guitarist Kevin Cronin jumps on the line with Kyle Meredith to talk about all of the big events surrounding the band. That includes their involvement in Ozark, which has since placed several of their classics back on the Billboard charts. Beyond the Netflix series, Cronin also discusses his weekly live stream Camp Cronin, his upcoming memoir, and the stories behind 1990’s The Earth, A Small Man, His Dog, and A Chicken, an album that found the band without longtime member Gary Richrath. Kyle Meredith With… is an interview series in which WFPK’s Kyle Meredith speaks to a wide breadth of...
R.I.P. Rupert Hine, Producer for Rush, The Fixx, and More, Dies at 72
Rupert Hine, who produced two RUSH albums, as well as releases from The Fixx, Howard Jones, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, and more, has died at the age of 72. No cause of death has been revealed. The veteran UK producer’s passing was reported by the Ivors Academy, a songwriting association of which Hine was a board director. “His passion, wisdom, inspiration and his immense kindness will be hugely missed,” stated the organization. Hine produced RUSH’s gold-certified 1989 album Presto, which included the chart-topper “Show Don’t Tell”, and platinum-certified 1991 LP Roll the Bones, featuring the hit “Ghost of a Chance”. It was in the ’80s new wave scene that Hine really made his mark, producing multiple albums by The Fixx, including the platinum-certified Reach the Beach (highlighted by the si...
Brian Wilson Performs “God Only Knows” and “Love and Mercy” on Colbert: Watch
Brian Wilson popped up on Thursday night’s episode of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The Beach Boys singer-songwriter performed two of his most timeless ballads — “God Only Knows” and “Love and Mercy” — remotely from his grand piano. “Hi, this is Brian Wilson everyone,” the old bard announced over his keys. “I just want you guys to know that we’re all in this together.” From there, he dove right into the crescent waves of his veteran falsetto — as angelic as ever. Watch the replay below. Don’t forget: On June 19th, Wilson and legendary songwriter and arranger Van Dyke Parks are reissuing their first collaborative album, 1995’s Orange Crate Art. So, if you’re looking for some rays, well, there you go. In related news, his embarrassment of a cousin Mike Love recently...
John Cale’s Fear Haunts the Velvet Underground Canon
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Radio Public After leaving the Velvet Underground, John Cale split his time between state-of-the-art experimental music and sweet symphonic pop. On his fourth solo album, 1974’s Fear, those two sides finally converged. In the seventh episode of Ghost Echoes, we learn how and stumble into a revelation involving Velvet Underground’s catalogue. For more episodes of Ghost Echoes, subscribe now! Follow on Facebook | Twitter | Podchaser Music and Sound Notes: — The John Cale tracks heard here are “Hello, There” from the album Vintage Violence, the title track from The Church of Anthrax with Terry Riley, “Brahms” from The Academy in Peril, “Child’s Christmas in Wales” and the title track from Paris 1919, and “Baracudda,” “Gun,” “Fear is a Man’s Bes...
Mötley Crüe’s Comeback Tour with Def Leppard Postponed Until 2021 Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard have postponed their co-headlining summer U.S. tour until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Stadium Tour” was meant to be a massive comeback for Mötley Crüe, who had seemingly played their last show ever at the end of 2015. The Crüe signed a legal agreement to never tour again, but blew it up this past November upon announcing their return. The legendary hard-rock act cited the success of the Netflix biopic The Dirt as one of the main reasons for their reunion. The tour would have kicked off June 18th in Jacksonville, Florida, and run through a September 5th gig in Los Angeles. Poison, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, and Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts were set to provide support. According to an announcement, the dates are currently being res...
Dropkick Murphys and Bruce Springsteen Rock an Empty Fenway Park: Watch
The gates around the storied Fenway Park opened today to welcome its first event since the COVID-19 pandemic. In front of stands empty of audience members, Dropkick Murphys took to the baseball diamond for a livestream concert. Though they were alone inside the stadium, Bruce Springsteen joined them remotely near the end of the set for a collaborative performance. Dubbed Streaming Outta Fenway, the special benefit performance marked both the first time Dropkick played a full concert at Fenway, and the first such show of any kind sans an audience at a major US arena or stadium. Springsteen, meanwhile, made history in 2003 by becoming the first musician to play a ballpark-wide concert at Fenway. Thus it was fitting for The Boss to join the Boston Celtic punks for the uniq...
R.I.P. Bob Kulick, Lou Reed Guitarist and SpongeBob Songwriter Dies at 70
Bob Kulick, a veteran session guitarist known for his work with Lou Reed, Meat Loaf, and KISS, has died at the age of 70. News of Bob’s death was revealed by his older brother, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick. “I am heartbroken to have to share the news of the passing of my brother Bob Kulick,” Bruce wrote in a post to Facebook. “His love of music, and his talent as a musician and producer should always be celebrated. I know he is at peace now, with my parents, playing his guitar as loud as possible. Please respect the Kulick Family’s privacy during this very sad time.” Bob himself actually auditioned for KISS in 1972, but was beaten out for the job by Ace Frehley. Nevertheless, he was an active contributor to the band in an uncredited capacity, playing on albums including Alive II, Unm...
