Classic Rock
Cobra Kai Creators Really Want to Use Classic AC/DC Song But Can’t Afford It
Even the current No. 1 show on Netflix can’t afford AC/DC! Creators of the popular series Cobra Kai have been hoping to work the legendary rock band’s classic hit “Thunderstuck” into an episode over the course of its four seasons, but the price is too steep. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cobra Kai co-creator Jon Hurwitz revealed that he and the show’s other writers had “Thunderstuck” in mind for a montage in a Season 4 scene in which Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) puts Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) through some grueling Eagle Fang training. And it wasn’t the first time they wanted to feature the iconic 1990 tune. “We had ‘Thunderstruck’ written into the script,” explained Hurwitz. “We’ve written ‘Thunderstruck’ into the script several times over the years, and we’ve never...
John Mayer Tests Positive for COVID-19, Exits Dead & Company Festival in Mexico
Just before flying to Mexico for Dead & Company’s annual festival Playing in the Sand, John Mayer had to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19. The band shared the news in a social media post, while also announcing that Margo Price would now be joining the rock veterans. “Today, just prior to leaving for Mexico, per his physician, @JohnMayer tested positive for COVID-19 and will be unable to perform at the upcoming ‘Playing in the Sand’ event in Riviera Cancun January 7-10,” the band wrote. Mayer becomes the second Dead & Company bandmate to bow out of the festival, after drummer Bill Kreutztmann announced that he would be pulling out due to heart issues. According to the group, “The weekend will now feature Dos Hermanos con Amigos,” referring to founding Grateful ...
David Byrne and Yo La Tengo Cover Yoko Ono’s “Who Has Seen the Wind?” for New Tribute Album: Stream
Canvasback Music and Atlantic Records have announced Ocean Child: Songs of Yoko Ono, a tribute album for the iconic artist curated by Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard. The album, which features an all-star lineup of musicians covering 14 of Yoko Ono’s songs, is out February 18th. As a preview, you can stream David Byrne and Yo La Tengo’s collaborative rendition of “Who Has Seen the Wind?” below. Ocean Child: Songs of Yoko Ono “was born out of both love and frustration,” Gibbard said in a statement. “The ‘love’ part is pretty obvious; It is the seemingly bottomless well of inspiration and enjoyment Yoko Ono’s music has provided me and I must assume everyone else present here on this compilation. The ‘frustration’ part, on the other hand, goes back decades.” “As an advoc...
David Lee Roth Cancels Entire Las Vegas “Retirement” Residency
David Lee Roth’s apparent retirement party will have to wait, as the former Van Halen singer has canceled his entire Las Vegas residency. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer had previously declared the planned gigs at the House of Blues Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino would be his last shows ever. The residency was initially slated to be comprised of five shows, and then expanded to nine when four more dates were added. Heading into the holiday weekend, the first two shows (December 31st and January 1st) were initially postponed “due to unforeseen circumstances related to COVID and out of an abundance of caution for those working and attending the shows.” Then on Monday (January 3rd), the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that all nine shows were canceled. While COVID safety wa...
Rush Pinball Machines Officially Unveiled: Watch Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Record Dialogue
Stern Pinball has unveiled its new Rush machines, including three cabinet variants. Last week, we reported that Stern’s first pinball machine of 2022 would be themed after the iconic progressive rock band. At the time, only a short teaser trailer was available featuring a list of songs and a CGI version of the Fly By Night owl. Now, Stern has given fans a first full glimpse at the Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition Rush cabinets as well as detailing gameplay and the revolutionary Insider Connected feature. Related Video The company set out to “reflect the energy, excitement, and experience of a live Rush concert” as players “travel with Rush through time.” The game will be guided by exclusive concert footage and custom dialogue from Rush members Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee, along with fellow...
David Bowie’s Entire Publishing Catalog Sells for $250 Million
David Bowie’s estate has sold the publishing rights to his entire catalog to Warner Chappell Music, the publishing arm of Warner Music Group. Variety reports that the months-long negotiations ended in a deal estimated to be worth at least $250 million. This deal includes all the beloved classics from Bowie’s peerlessly cool lifetime, like “Heroes,” “Space Oddity,” and “Life on Mars?,” as well as Toy, his elusive 2001 LP that posthumously received its first commercial release in November of last year. As Variety points out, this deal also means that virtually all of Bowie’s music is now part of the Warner system. Last September, Warner acquired the rights to the musician’s recordings from 1968 through 2016 — even including his last few albums that were originally release...
Ted Nugent Is Pissed Off About a 12-Year-Old List of the 100 Greatest Guitarists
A decade old list ranking the 100 greatest guitarists left Ted Nugent in a foul mood over the holidays. As Blabbermouth points out, Nugent went live on YouTube on December 30th to rant and rave about a list originally published by Rolling Stone’s David Fricke in… December 2010. “When you see the Rolling Stone magazine list of greatest guitar players, they list Joan Jett but not Tommy Shaw [of Styx],” griped Nugent. “How do you list the top 100 guitar players and not list Derek St. Holmes?” he continued. “How do you do that? You do that by lying. The same way you get Grandmaster Flash in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You do that by lying. You have to be a liar.” Nugent took particular umbrage with Joan Jett’s inclusion on the list. “You have to have shit for brains,” he continued, “and yo...
Rush Are Getting Their Own Pinball Machine
Rush are the latest legendary rock band to get their own pinball machine. Stern Pinball announced that their first machine of 2022 will be themed around the iconic prog act, sharing a short teaser video featuring a list of featured songs. Although a mockup design for the machine and play field have yet to be revealed, the teaser does depict an impressive CGI rendering of the Fly By Night owl — the kind of graphics one would expect to see on a modern pinball machine as you’re racking up points. Most importantly, the video reveals at least 17 songs that will be featured in the new game — a large playlist compared to other band-themed pinball machines. Fans and players will hear classic tracks such as “Tom Sawyer,” “Spirit of the Radio,” and “Limelight” alongside deeper cuts like “Subdiv...
Alice Cooper Set Money Aside for His Crew When Pandemic Started
Live music was one of the industries hit hardest when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Shock rock icon Alice Cooper saw the writing on the wall and put money aside for his road crew as lockdowns hit last year. In a new interview with Forbes, Cooper revealed that he supported his crew during the tough time before the widespread return of concerts. He only hopes other major acts did the same. “When we saw this coming, we put money aside for our crew,” Cooper said. “We could see that it was… something. So we put money aside as a backup for them. Because we knew that their unemployment would run out, you know? And then they’d have something to go to. I think all responsible bands did that. Hopefully.” Advertisement Related Video Cooper is known for his elaborate stage show and theatrical set piece...
KISS’ Paul Stanley and His Entire Family Infected with Omicron Variant of COVID-19
KISS singer-guitarist Paul Stanley is dealing with his second bout of COVID-19 in the past six months, and this time he’s been infected with the Omicron variant. In fact, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s entire family has tested positive for the new strain. The rock veteran first contracted COVID-19 in August, just a few shows after KISS had resumed their postponed farewell tour. Although Stanley has been a staunch advocate for mask-wearing and vaccines, he faced criticism when he was seen outside a hotel without a mask just days after revealing that he tested positive. On Sunday evening (December 26th), Stanley announced that he had once again contracted COVID-19, writing alongside a selfie on Instagram, “My Omicron face! Yup. My entire family has it. I’m tired and have sniffles. Most ...
Patti Smith Honored With Key to New York City
Patti Smith has been New York City nobility ever since she rose to prominence as one of the initial voices of the city’s punk scene in the 1970s. But now, the multi-hyphenate’s mark on the Big Apple is official: Mayor Bill de Blasio honored Smith with a key to the city today (December 27th). “There are many artists out there, many musicians out there, but there was only one Patti Smith,” de Blasio said at the ceremony. “Patti Smith had an authenticity and has an authenticity that you just didn’t find that many other places — an ability to cut through all the swirl around us and speak some more profound truths.” “I came here in 1967 from a rural area of South Jersey,” Smith added. I had just a few dollars in my pocket, nowhere to stay, no real prospects. But I came here to get a job and see...
Neil Young Drops Surprise Album for Christmas
If all you wanted for Christmas was a new Neil Young album, then you’re in luck. The legendary singer-songwriter has gifted fans with Summer Songs, a previously unreleased album from 1987. You can listen to it now via Neil Young Archives. “Happy Holidays everyone! I think you will enjoy this very cool recording – lost for years, but not forgotten. Now a gift,” Young wrote in a note accompanying the album’s release. The eight-song Summer Songs was originally tracked at Broken Arrow Ranch in Redwood City, California, with Young playing all of the instruments. Though the album was never released, several of the songs later appeared on records such as Freedom, American Dream, Psychedelic Pill, and Harvest Moon. However, “the words of these originals are significantly different from their subse...
