Classic Rock
Billy Joel Reintroduced Himself to the World with The Stranger: The Opus
Listen via: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts | Stitcher | Radio Public | Pocket Casts | RSS The Opus podcast is back with Episode 1 of Season 19, this time taking us inside the legacy of Billy Joel’s breakthrough record, The Stranger. Advertisement Related Video Everyone loves an underdog story, and despite its legendary status, that’s the story of The Stranger. It was Joel’s fifth full-length, but in some ways it felt like his debut. Despite having a few hits to his name, his genius had been hampered by a string of overly slick producers who didn’t connect with his musical vision. He may not have known that his career was on the chopping block, but he knew that his next record had to be ...
Brian Johnson Has “Been Told Not to” Discuss AC/DC’s Future Plans
Brian Johnson has apparently been told to not to speak about AC/DC’s future plans, including whether or not the band will tour again. The singer was very guarded in a new interview with Eddie Trunk on Sirius XM’s Trunk Nation, refusing to answer some questions about the band’s touring and recording plans. Johnson hasn’t performed with AC/DC since departing their 2016 “Rock or Bust Tour” due to hearing loss, and the band hasn’t played live since September 20th of that year (when Axl Rose had filled in on vocals). When asked by Trunk if AC/DC would perform live again, Johnson replied [as transcribed by Blabbermouth]: “I’m not answering that. Why should I? First of all, there’s five members in this band, and to ask one member isn’t fair.” Advertisement Related Video Johnson returned to AC/DC ...
Journey’s Neal Schon Hits Bandmate Jonathan Cain with Cease and Desist over Mar-A-Lago Performance
Journey’s Neal Schon has hit bandmate Jonathan Cain with a cease and desist over Cain’s performance of “Don’t Stop Believin’” at Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort. In November, Cain participated in a singalong of “Don’t Stop Believin’” with Trump sycophants Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Kari Lake. The performance struck a nerve with Schon, who fired off a cease and desist. “Although Mr. Cain is free to express his personal beliefs and associations, when he does that on behalf of Journey or for the band, such conduct is extremely deleterious to the Journey brand as it polarizes the band’s fans and outreach. Journey is not, and should not be, political,” Schon’s attorney wrote in a letter (via The Guardian). Advertisement Related Video “Mr. Cain’s unauthorized af...
Pearl Jam’s 10 Best Deep Cuts
This article originally ran in 2020, but we’re dusting it off for Eddie Vedder’s birthday on December 23rd. Pearl Jam 30 continues with a look at the band’s finest Deep Cuts. Be sure to see all of our Pearl Jam content, old and new, here. The idea of a deep cut usually isn’t so complicated. They’re the padding, the filler, the less marketable tracks buried deep on records or used as buffers between the singles both band and record company pin their joint hopes on. Of course, what’s beautiful about deep cuts is that once we’ve grown tired of the singles we’re urged to consume again and again, we stumble upon these afterthoughts, and they can often become our favorite songs off a record. Advertisement Pearl Jam kinda throw a wrench into that idea, though. First off, the band at one point wer...
Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain Quietly Battled Laryngeal Cancer a Couple Years Ago
Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2020, but thankfully is now cancer-free. The metal veteran actually revealed his cancer battle last year in an inconspicuous interview with the University of Miami’s School of Medicine that has just been picked up by Blabbermouth. McBrain started noticing a change in his voice in 2019 that served as a cause of concern. He initially chalked it up to a habit he’s developed while drumming: “When I play drums with the band, I actually sort of scream and yell while I play, like a Judo guy slapping the mat.” However, he eventually felt that there was something more to his vocal issues this time around. “When you are lying down in a quiet room and you speak and hear your voice in your head and have a cold, you sound differen...
Bob Dylan Says He’s a Fan of Eminem, Metallica, and Wu-Tang Clan
Bob Dylan likes modern music so much that he literally wrote the book on it — or, at least, a book on it: the contentious The Philosophy of Modern Song. The legendary musician went into further detail about his own personal listening habits, however, in a new Q&A with The Wall Street Journal, revealing that his roster of favorite artists includes Eminem, Metallica, Wu-Tang Clan, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, and more. Firstly in the interview, Dylan talked about how he first fell in love with music in the 1950s, turning to new-at-the-time sources like the radio, portable turntables, and jukeboxes: “Without postwar technology these songs may have dissipated and been overlooked,” he said. “The recording process brought the right people to the top, the most innovat...
Pink Floyd Release 18 Live Albums from The Dark Side of the Moon Era: Stream
Nearly one year after quietly dropping a dozen live albums on streaming services, Pink Floyd have once again surprise-released another batch of live performances, this time containing 18 recordings from their Dark Side of the Moon era. The new collection follows the band from January 23rd, 1972 to December 9th, 1972 as they developed and refined their career-defining 1973 LP, which went on to sell 24.8 million copies worldwide and stands as one of the highest selling albums of all-time. Among the performances are the group’s four-night run at London’s Rainbow Theatre, three Japan shows, and US stops to Chicago and Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl. In addition, a 5-song compilation, titled Alternate Tracks 1972, includes rare demos and remixes of “Time,” “On the Run,” and more. See the full list...
Dino Danelli, The Rascals Founder and “One of the Greatest Drummers of All Time,” Dead at 78
Dino Danelli, a founding member of The Rascals and one of the foundational drummers of early rock and roll, is dead at the age of 78. His passing was announced in a Facebook post by friend and Rascals historian Joe Russo. Russo didn’t cite an exact cause of death, but noted, “His primary challenges were coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure, but there were many others.” Born in 1944 in Jersey City, New Jersey, Danelli co-founded the Young Rascals in 1965 with guitarist Gene Cornish, keyboardist and vocalist Felix Cavaliere, and singer Eddie Brigati. Together they scored a No. 1 hit with a cover of Rudy Clark and Arthur Resnick’s “Good Lovin’,” and they matched the feat with the original tune “Groovin’.” Advertisement Related Video In 1968 the band rechristened themselv...
Get Reintroduced to Billy Joel’s The Stranger on New Season of The Opus Podcast
The Opus returns this holiday season with a true gift for music fans. Season 19 of the hit music history podcast from Consequence Podcast Network and Sony Legacy is set to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the album that made Billy Joel a world renowned star: The Stranger. With episode one debuting on December 22nd, The Opus: Billy Joel’s The Stranger will track the entire story of the career-making collection. Long Island’s favorite son had had a handful of hits to his name (“Piano Man,” “New York State of Mind,” “The Entertainer”) at the time, but he’d yet to see an album crack the Top 10. His genius was on the verge of going down as underappreciated, but Joel made a bet on himself when approaching his fifth studio effort. He brought his touring band into the studio, linked up with ...
Ozzy Osbourne Unsure About Touring Again: “I Just Can’t Fucking Walk Much Now”
Ozzy Osbourne hasn’t toured since various injuries and ailments forced him off the road beginning in late 2018. While he currently has an oft-postponed UK/European tour on the books for Spring 2023, the metal legend isn’t sure if he’ll be able to honor those dates, saying, “I just can’t fucking walk much now.” It’s been a rough four years for Osbourne, who contracted a staph infection in fall 2018; caught pneumonia in early 2019, at which time he suffered a serious fall at his home that dislodged previously-inserted metal rods in his back; and revealed an ongoing battle with Parkinson’s disease in early 2020. In June of this year, he underwent a major neck surgery that his wife Sharon stated would “determine the rest of his life.” While he has been able to release two well-received albums ...
First Aid Kit Cover “Songbird” in Honor of Christine McVie: Watch
First Aid Kit have paid their respects to the late Christine McVie by covering Fleewood Mac’s classic McVie-penned track “Songbird.” Watch their rendition of the song below. Shot by Olof Grind backstage at the Cardiff International Arena, First Aid Kit’s Johanna and Klara Söderberg omit the piano that dominates the original “Songbird” for a stark, finger-picked acoustic guitar. The sisters trade the lines of the verses before uniting for the chorus, harmonizing, “And I love you, I love you, I love you/ Like never before.” McVie passed away on November 30th following a brief illness. Her bandmates Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks shared heartwarming tributes to the artist, as did a number of musicians who counted Fleetwood Mac as an influence. Advertisement Related Video First Aid Kit recent...
Led Zeppelin to Stream “Celebration Day” Concert for Free on YouTube to Mark 15th Anniversary
Led Zeppelin’s 2007 “Celebration Day” concert stands as their last show ever, barring any future reunions. To mark the historic gig’s 15th anniversary, the legendary band is streaming the entire performance for free on YouTube on Saturday (December 10th). On December 10th, 2007, Zeppelin reunited to play the O2 Arena in London to celebrate music executive Ahmet Ertegun, who had passed away a year earlier. Original members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones were joined by drummer Jason Bonham, son of late Zeppelin member John Bonham. The show marked the band’s first performance since their 1995 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, and was considered a triumph, earning far more acclaim than previous one-off reunions in the ’80s and ’90s. Advertisement Related Video Among the cl...
