Classic Rock
Elton John Claims Billboard Record with 50-Year Span Between Top 40 Hits
50 years after first striking gold with “Your Song,” Sir Elton John has now tallied his 58th Top 40 hit. His Dua Lipa-assisted “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” rose to No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, allowing him to pass Michael Jackson’s previous record of Top 40 appearances (excluding holiday songs) spanning 46 years, eight months, and three weeks. “Your Song” climbed to No. 38 on the chart dated December 19th, 1970, marking a span of 50 years and 10 months between The Rocket Man’s very first Top 40 hit and his latest. Prior to “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix),” John last scored a Top 40 hit in 1999 with his LeAnn Rimes collaboration “Written in the Stars.” “A lot of it is, of course, due to Dua Lipa’s popularity and the brilliant PNAU remix, but I feel very, very content and happy that I’m ...
Judas Priest’s Rob Halford “Still Shook Up” by Richie Faulkner’s Heart Emergency
Judas Priest singer Rob Halford is “still shook up, emotionally” after witnessing guitarist Richie Faulkner being rushed to a hospital for what turned out to be life-saving emergency heart surgery. The metal band was forced to postpone the remaining dates on its US tour, but Halford has “good news” to share regarding Faulkner’s recovery. As we’ve reported, Faulkner was onstage performing “Painkiller” at the end of Judas Priest’s recent set at Louisville’s Louder Than Life festival when his “aorta ruptured and started to spill blood” into his chest cavity. He immediately underwent a 10-hour surgery at the Rudd Heart and Lung Center at UofL Health – Jewish Hospital, where five parts of his chest were replaced with mechanical components. Heavy Consequence just caught up with Rob Halford to di...
KISS’ Gene Simmons Has Spinal Tap Moment During Concert Platform Malfunction: Watch
KISS singer-bassist Gene Simmons nearly fell when a descending platform malfunctioned during the band’s concert on Saturday (October 9th) in Tampa, Florida. The scary moment occurred as KISS descended to the stage for the opening number “Detroit Rock City.” As Simmons, Paul Stanley, and guitarist Tommy Thayer dropped down on separate risers, the crowd gasped when Simmons’ platform suddenly became uneven and started wobbling. Simmons held his balance until the platform appeared to right itself, though it continued to shake unsteadily. The platform never made its way all the way down, leaving Simmons suspended for a while longer than his bandmates, until he finally hopped onto the stage and continued playing the song. Advertisement Related Video The incident was like something out of th...
The Rolling Stones Remove “Brown Sugar” from Setlist: “I Don’t Want to Get Into Conflicts”
Despite the tragic recent passing of their longtime drummer Charlie Watts, The Rolling Stones are carrying on with their US tour, which commenced in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 26th. However, fans who were lucky enough to catch the band’s first few dates have noticed that one very popular Stones hit, “Brown Sugar,” hasn’t made the cut in the setlist so far. If you’ll recall, the opening line to “Brown Sugar” goes: “Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields.” While the lyric has widely been interpreted as a critique of slavery, a recent interview with The Los Angeles Times indicates that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards feared the line would be misconstrued in 2021. “I’m trying to figure out with the sisters quite where the beef is,” Richards said. “Didn’t they understand ...
Parents Start Petition to Remove Iron Maiden-Loving School Principal for “Satanic” Imagery
A group of “concerned parents” in Canada have started a petition to remove a high school principal who loves Iron Maiden, claiming that the imagery associated with the legendary metal band is “satanic.” Sharon Burns, principal of Eden High School in St. Catherines, Ontario, has proudly displayed her love of Iron Maiden and heavy metal on her social media pages. Her Twitter handle reads, “Principal at Eden High School. Growth Mindset Practitioner. Fueled by metal & ska. & chickens.” One image she posted shows her flashing the metal horns hand gesture in front of an Iron Maiden license plate and banner. Another picture shows a figurine of Maiden’s skeletal mascot on her car dashboard with a handwritten sign that reads “Eddie 666.” Advertisement Related Video The Change.org petition, ...
Tom Morello Defends Friendship with Ted Nugent: I Have the “Right to Be Friends with Anybody”
Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello has once again defended his unlikely friendship with right-wing rocker Ted Nugent. The pair make an odd couple, for sure, considering Morello’s left-leaning politics and associations with anarchy and socialism. In a new interview, the guitarist stressed the importance of keeping an open dialogue with those you disagree with. “I reserve the right to be friends with anybody,” Morello told NME. “I reserve the right to confront opinions I disagree with, with open heartedness and love, or by throwing a brick. That’s up to me.” Advertisement Related Video He continued: “In the case of Ted, I know he’s become this right-wing caricature but there have been several times where I have reached him on issues that you might be surprised about. But he ...
Alice Cooper on His New Audio Memoir, the Legacy of “School’s Out,” and Who Should Play Him in a Movie
When Audible announced its ongoing “Words + Music” audio program — in which some of rock’s biggest names combine storytelling with music — it made perfect sense that legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper participate in the series. As evidenced by his newly-released entry, Who I Really Am: The Diary of a Hollywood Vampire, Alice tells great story after great story. Throughout the audio memoir, he is comparable to a “rock ‘n’ roll Forrest Gump” — recounting experiences in which he crossed paths with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Syd Barrett, Frank Zappa, John Lennon, and Keith Moon, among others. Additionally, you’ll hear new acoustic versions of “School’s Out,” “Is It My Body” (a tune from which a line was plucked from for the title of his Audible release), “Poison,” and other classics. Advertis...
Paul Stanley Sets New Timeframe for Final Show of KISS’ Farewell Tour
Paul Stanley has revealed new plans for KISS‘ ongoing “End of the Road” farewell tour, which the band now plans to wrap up in early 2023. The final outing was supposed to conclude with a July 17th, 2021, concert in New York City, but because the band essentially lost a year and a half to the pandemic, that timeframe has significantly shifted. “I believe strongly by the beginning of 2023 we will be finished,” Stanley told Ultimate Classic Rock, adding that KISS will likely stick with New York being the last city they play. “It seems only natural to be in New York. That is where the band started, and that was really the background for the band getting together and writing these songs and played loft parties and played clubs starting with an audience of probably 10 people. It seems we should ...
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Share New Song “High and Lonesome”: Stream
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss did not write an original song for their Grammy-winning 2007 album Raising Sand, and 11 out of the 12 tracks on the upcoming sequel Raise the Roof are covers. But “High and Lonesome” is a novelty: an all-new tune, co-written by Plant and producer T Bone Burnett that’s as fun as anything in Plant’s recent discography. The bluesy track chugs along on a four-note guitar riff, accompanied by crisp drumming and occasionally punctuated by urgent smacks of hand claps. Plant triples-up phrases like, “I must find my love,” and “Does she still think of me,” putting a swanky little lean into the first word. Krauss and Burnett sing backup vocals, with the latter adding a ghostly whisper and the former flickering above Plant’s topline like smoke above a fire. Check o...
Wolfgang Van Halen Marks One Year Since Eddie Van Halen’s Death: “I Miss You So Much It Hurts”
Wolfgang Van Halen has marked today’s one-year anniversary of his father Eddie Van Halen’s passing with a heart-wrenching tribute on social media. In the year since the legendary Van Halen guitarist passed away, Wolfgang’s achievements have been incredible. He scored a No. 1 rock hit with his first single (“Distance”) under his solo moniker Mammoth WVH. His debut album landed at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums chart and No. 12 on the overall Billboard 200 tally. And he just completed a tour opening for the mighty Guns N’ Roses, even joining them onstage for “Paradise City” at the last two shows. Sadly, Eddie never had the chance to experience his son’s massive solo success. As Wolfgang points out in his message to his late father, there’s “so many things I wish I could share with you....
David Lee Roth Remarkably Almost Predicted the Exact Date of His Retirement Back in 1991
It appears that David Lee Roth predicted his recent retirement announcement 30 years ago, almost to the exact day. In the music video for his 1991 solo single “A Lil Ain’t Enough,” the longtime Van Halen frontman looks into a crystal ball and gazes into his future. At first, he sees a billboard that reads: “Diamond Dave And THE ABSOLUTE FINAL TOUR.” Then, a Delorean-esque vehicle pulls up, and out from the suicide doors steps an overweight, aged Roth. The date “October 10th, 2021” flashes across the screen while spacesuit-wearing paparazzi bombard the singer. Advertisement Related Video If only Roth had a waited just a few more days, he would have been spot-on. Last week, Diamond Dave announced that his upcoming five-date Las Vegas residency would be his final shows ever. He implied that h...
Ringo Starr, Chad Smith, Nandi Bushell Among 100-Plus Drummers on Charity Cover of Beatles’ “Come Together”: Stream
Ringo Starr, 11-year-old YouTube sensation Nandi Bushell, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, and Pearl Jam’s Matt Cameron are among 100-plus drummers who appear on a cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together” for charity. The “Drum Together” cover supports WhyHunger, a charity that works to end hunger in the United States and abroad. The star-studded list of performers also includes Max Weinberg (E Street Band), Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Gene Hoglan (Testament), Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge), Ray Luzier (Korn), Simon Kirke (Bad Company), and many more. An unprecedented undertaking, the drum-centric cover successfully combines an astounding number of percussionists onto one 10-minute track. Sync’d video brings their performances to life, as each artist appear...
