Bagpipers Honor AC/DC And Broke World Record
To mark the start of AC/DC's homecoming tour in Australia Tuesday in Melbourne, 374 bagpipers gathered in the city's Federation Square for "The Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash" where they performed along with the video of AC/DC doing "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" on a flatbed truck there on Swanston Street in 1976. With thousands of onlookers, the gathering set the record for the largest bagpipe ensemble, breaking the record set in 2012 in Bulgaria. And at AC/DC's show that night at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, they played "Jailbreak" for the first time since 1991, and they did the Aussie concert debuts of "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)" and "Riff Raff." AC/DC are back in Melbourne on Sunday.
Little Feat Unveils "The Last Farewell Tour" Date For 2026
Little Feat have announced a spring tour, the first dates on The Last Farewell Tour. They released a statement saying, “Playing is the joy and satisfaction of touring, but it comes with the hard part -- travel, the endless miles on a bus. There's no dodging the wear and tear, and Little Feat has been playing for quite a while. It's definitely not an absolute, never-gonna-play-again statement. This wind-down will take several years to accomplish, and while it does, Feat will continue to perform and record as long as they are able. It’s a retirement from the travel of touring." The tour starts on April 10th in Orlando and runs through May 24th in Thornville, Ohio. They’ll start the year with two cruises -- the Sandy Beaches Cruise from January 11th to the 18th, and the Big Easy Cruise on the 18th to the 24th. Both are out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They’ve also put out a previously unreleased song, “Feathers and a Smile,” written by the band's late co-founder, Lowell George and featuring his daughter, singer-songwriter Inara George.
METALLICA: Hammett to Auction off $10 million Painting
Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett is going to be making a huge profit off his investment in one of the most famous fantasy paintings in the world. Back in 2009 Hammett bought Frank Frazetta's 1967 artwork "Conan the Conqueror (Berserker)” for $1 million directly from the artist, which many in the artworld thought was a huge overpay. Now Hammett is getting the last laugh as it's going up for auction as part of Heritage Auctions’ Hollywood & Entertainment Signature Auction on December 9tth and 10th -- with an opening bid of $10 million. "Conan
the Conqueror (Berserker)” is one of the most recognizable images in fantasy illustration and Hammett featured it in his 2012 book Too Much Horror Business and in the Peabody Essex Museum’s 2017 exhibition "It’s Alive! Classic Horror and Sci-Fi Art from the Kirk Hammett Collection.” Hammett did a video about the painting which you can see on YouTube.
JOE WALSH: Since Life's Been Good He'll Sell
More of the items in Julien’s Auctions' sale of over 800 items belonging to Joe Walsh were unveiled today (Wednesday) at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York. The “Life’s Been Good” collection features 420 guitars and other instruments, three cars, amps, ham radios, 128 pieces of stage wardrobe and clothing, jewelry, furniture, and historic rock and roll ephemera. Bidding is now underway at JuliensAuctions.com for the sale on December 16th and 17th at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California. Walsh says, "One thing you find about human nature is we collect things, and I have acquired too much stuff. I wanted people to have a chance to get a guitar or get something of mine that they may think is valuable. So, it's my way of giving back. And this will help veterans as a portion of the proceeds from the auction will go to VetsAid. And now I will have more room in my warehouse so I can go get more stuff!”
Among the really big-ticket items is the Record Plant and Design FX Location Truck Recording Console, which was used in recording live sets and broadcasts from The Rolling Stones,
Eagles, Elton John, Metallica, Neil Young and Michael Jackson’s 1993 Super Bowl Halftime Show. It's estimated to sell for between $250- and $500,000. Also --
·His 2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider - $150- to $250,000
·2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT-500 - $70- to $80,000
·2008 Hummer H2 - $50- to $70,000
·Moschino brick suit he wore when the Eagles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 — $15- to $20,000. 1966 Framus Strato Gold De Luxe 12-String Electric Guitar, Sunburst — $15- to $20,000
Bidding is now open at JuliensAuctions.com. A portion of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to VetsAid, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity that Walsh started in 2017 to support a variety of national and regional veterans-based charities. To date, VetsAid has disbursed over four million dollars in grants.
Walsh is in Wichita, Kansas this week for his next VetsAid show this Saturday with his Eagles bandmate Vince Gill, Nathaniel Rateliff, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks and Ryan Bingham and the Texas Gentlemen. On Wednesday in Wichita, Walsh paid a visit to veterans at the Senator
Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center. On Friday he’ll attend the street renaming ceremony in his honor outside the INTRUST Bank Arena at the intersection of English and St. Francis.
OZZY: Family Returns to Podcasting
Sharon, Jack and Kelly Osbourne have released a new episode of The Osbournes Podcast, their first since Ozzy died in July and first overall in about a year. In it they openly talk about their grief over the past few months, the reaction from around the world to Ozzy's passing and why they decided to do a new episode. Sharon said, "So many people have reached out to us. I mean, it's just been overwhelmingly wonderful, everybody's reaction, for the loss of Ozzy. And it's just been overwhelming, and I feel so bad. Everybody's reached out to us that we know that we love, thousands and thousands of people who we've never met, and I just want everybody to know that everything that has been sent to us we've read, we appreciate."
The Osbournes also revealed they received condolences from two surprising sources -- President Donald Trump and King Charles. "Hi Sharon, it's Donald Trump, and I just wanted to wish you the best and the family. Ozzy was amazing, he was an amazing guy. I met him a few times, and I always thought he was unique in every way and talented. So I just wanted to wish you the best, and it's a tough thing. I know how close you were. And whatever I can do. Take care of yourself. Say hello to the family. Thanks, bye." Jack said, "Love him or hate him, [Trump] didn't have to call and leave a voicemail." And Sharon, who appeared on Trump's reality show Celebrity Apprentice, said "All I know is he's treated me with respect, your father with respect. He wanted nothing from us -- nothing. [His wife] Melania, the same. Nothing. And they have been great." As far King Charles, Sharon said "He's got a good heart. He didn't have to do certain things that he's done for Ozzy. In the past -- Ozzy's birthday, when Ozzy was sick in hospital with the motorbike accident, he reached out. He's a good, caring man with a good heart, and Ozzy's, as me, we are royalists, and that's it. We respect him, we respect his family, and that's it. And he, again, took the time out of his day to write us, have it hand delivered to us, a note from the King for Ozzy's passing with his condolences, and that says so much."
And Sharon added that she hasn't ruled out a tribute concert, saying that she's been talking to Villa Park in Birmingham where Ozzy and Black Sabbath did their final show, Back to the Beginning, this past July 5th. Watch the entire podcast on YouTube.
(WARNING!!!I t's the Osbournes, so there's cursing, which means it's not safe to air.)
GUNS N' ROSES: Taking a Page from AC/DC
Richard Fortus is the longest serving guitarist in Guns N' Roses, with 23 years under his belt. And when it comes to working with founding guitarist Slash, he took a page from another Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band. Fortus told Guitar World that when Slash rejoined in 2016 he knew he had to figure out a way to blend with the guitarist's iconic tone. He says, "It’s very old-school. I simplified it and approached it in a Malcolm Young [of AC/DC] type of way. For the older stuff, my job is to support what Slash is doing, and for there to be a natural juxtaposition between two guitars." "So I wanted to go with a cleaner type of tone, similar to Malcolm, and how he spits around Angus Young’s tone. It’s the same type of dynamic. It’s also like Joe Perry
and Brad Whitford [of Aerosmith]; you can tell the district guitar tones apart and hear how one supports the other."
NEIL YOUNG & JACKSON BROWNE: Another Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members Neil Young and Jackson Browne, along with Judy Collins,
Tom Paxton and Tom Rush have been elected for induction into the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame in Boston. They've been honored in the Living Artist category, which recognizes "a contemporary performer whose initial impact on the genre was at least 25 years before the year of induction.” Other electees include Aretha Franklin, Leonard Cohen, Muddy Waters, Sister Rosetta Tharpe -- also all members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – and
Mississippi John Hurt in the Legacy Artist category, which goes to “a performer whose initial impact on the genre was at least 45 years prior to the year of induction.” J. Casey Soward, president and CEO of the Boch Center where Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame is located, says, "These inductees represent the heart and soul of Folk, Americana, and Roots music. They gave voice to ordinary people and helped shape the soundtrack of this country; its struggles, its hopes, and its beauty.” The induction ceremony will be held on March 24th at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre in Boston.
ELTON JOHN: Wouldn't it Be Nice if He Wasn't Such a Diva
Elton John reportedly threw a temper tantrum backstage Saturday at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles. He was upset with the show running long as he waited to go on and perform "God Only Knows" in tribute to Brian Wilson, who died on June 11th at 82. Page Six reports that he was heard yelling and asking things like, “What the hell is wrong with you people? Nobody knows what they’re doing!” and adding that his "plane is waiting!" Despite his ranting, everything worked out and he went ahead with his performance, and calmly saying Wilson was "the one that influenced me more than anybody else when it came to writing songs on the piano. It was an evening we would never forget.” You can watch Elton's performance on the stream of the ceremony on Disney+ and Hulu. A condensed version of the show will air on ABC on New Year's Day at 8 p.m. ET.
Kennedy Center Honors Will Feature Ace Frehley Tribute By KISS And Garth Brooks
With Ace Frehley passing just weeks before KISS was to be honored at the Kennedy Center Honors, it's only fitting that the three remaining original members of the legendary band honor their fallen brother. Gene Simmons has said that Ace will be there in spirit, and he will be recognized with a special tribute. "In Ace’s memory, we’re gonna make sure one of the four chairs is empty with Ace’s name, because he deserves to be there in spirit, even if he can’t be there physically." He also revealed that Ace would be honored by another musical legend:
Garth Brooks. "The first person who’s gonna walk out there and talk about how KISS changed his life is Garth Brooks, who’s gonna host a little bit. Then he’s gonna play 'Shout It Out Loud' and knock it out of the park." For some this may seem like an odd choice, but Garth is not only on record as saying KISS helped inspire his legendary concerts, he also recorded (with KISS) their 1976 track "Hard Luck Woman" for the 1994 tribute album "Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved," which got significant airplay on country radio at the time. The Kennedy Center Honors will be held December 7.
Megadeth's Farewell Tour Will Run Three To Five Years, Dave Mustaine Says
Call it "The Long Goodbye"...the really really long goodbye. For fans of Megadeth hoping to see the band on their farewell tour, you'll have plenty of opportunities, according to Dave Mustaine. In a new interview with "Kerrang!" magazine, Mustaine spoke about the band's recently announced "farewell" tour, dubbed the "This Was Our Life" tour, and he explained that it will go on for some time. "We're easily talking about touring for another three to five years," he said. "And if we're going to be doing it for that long then I'll be looking at the birthday I don't even want to think about," he added, referencing the fact that he will turn 70 in 2031. For the dates that have been announced already, visit the band's website.
Mickey Dolenz Announces "60 Years Of The Monkees" Tour
Micky Dolenz is launching a 60th-anniversary Monkees tour next year, performing the band’s hits in chronological order and sharing stories meant to take fans on a “joyful, musical journey.” The "Micky Dolenz’s 60 Years of the Monkees Tour" runs from February to November, with a special Los Angeles show on September 12th marking the exact TV premiere anniversary. The tour kicks off on February 12th in Solana Beach, California. From there he’ll hit cities including Nashville, Dallas, and San Antonio before wrapping up on November 6th in Northfield, Ohio. Tickets go on sale to the general public tomorrow at 10AM local time. Check out the first ten dates for the tour below, and more info at Micky Dolenz’s website here.
IN OTHER NEWS
Heart‘s Nancy Wilson will appear on The Music Makes Us, a new podcast from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame that premieres on November 18th. Nancy took part in last weekend’s induction ceremony, performing with Bad Company and Toni Cornell, daughter of the late Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell.
Graham Nash has announced a spring tour starting on April 4th in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania with 17 shows through May 2nd in Ponte Vedra, Florida.
#SHOTBYADAMS, an exhibit of photos taken by Bryan Adams, will be on display at the Leica Store & Gallery in Los Angeles from November 17th through December 1st. Among the photos are one of a smiling Queen Elizabeth II and the late Amy Winehouse. Adams says, “In #SHOTBYADAMS, I explore the human experience through light, composition, and authenticity. Photography, for me, is about trust and connection — it’s about capturing what exists between the subject and the lens in a single, unguarded moment.”
Sting will star in nine performances of his musical The Last Ship at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York between June 9th and the 14th.
Def Leppard have posted a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram of their performance on October 3rd in Los Angeles at The Who's 10th annual Backyard Concert in support of Teen Cancer America and the UCLA Health Center. Also on the bill were Cheap Trick, Peter Frampton, John Fogerty, The Doobie Brothers, and Eddie Vedder joined The Who on "The Kids Are Alright," and then did the same with Fogerty on "Fortunate Son."
WARNING!!! Video contains expletives!!!
Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers has announced a winter tour that starts January 15th in New Orleans and wraps up February 18th in his hometown of Gainesville, Florida.
Alice Cooper and illusionist Criss Angel have added more dates to their Welcome to Our Nightmare show at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The new dates are April 3rd and 4th, and May 22nd and 23rd. The show opens with three shows March 6th through the 8th.
Zakk Wylde will pull double duty next year as Black Label Society have announced a spring tour that will feature his Black Sabbath tribute band, Zakk Sabbath, as one of the opening acts. The tour starts February 27th in San Antonio, Texas and wraps up May 14th in Nashville. Tickets go on sale Friday.