Category: Oldies News

Cleopatra RecordsRick Springfield lends his talents to the latest in a series of digital singles pairing Badfinger guitarist Joe Molland with various pop and rock musicians on new versions of songs by the famed U.K. power-pop band. The new track, which is available now, is an updated rendition of “Love Is Gonna Come at Last,” a Molland-penned tune from Badfinger’s 1979 album Airwaves. Springfield sings lead and plays guitar on the tune, while Molland contributes backing vocals and bass. “Badfinger has always been one of my all-time favorite bands,” says…

Warner MusicFifty years ago this Saturday, January 16, rock fans got their first taste of that little ol’ band from Texas, ZZ Top, when the trio — singer/guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist/singer Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard — released its debut album. The record, which was aptly titled ZZ Top’s First Album, was produced by the band’s manager, Bill Ham, and recorded at Robin Hood Studios in Tyler, Texas, outside of Dallas. Ham went on to produce the group’s first 10 albums. The album failed to chart on the Billboard…

Reprise RecordsMore than a year after first mentioning the project on his Neil Young Archives website, Neil Young has announced full official plans to release an archival concert album and video called Way Down in the Rust Bucket on February 26. The previously unreleased album and film document a November 1990 show Young played with Crazy Horse at the Santa Cruz, California, club The Catalyst. The concert featured Neil and his famous backing group playing three sets, and included eight of the 10 tunes from their then-new album Ragged Glory,…

Gabe Ginsberg/Getty ImagesYoko Ono has informed a federal judge in New York that she has reached a settlement with her late husband John Lennon‘s former personal assistant that would end her lawsuit that alleged copyright infringement. The deal ends 20 years of litigation and requires Frederic Seaman to pay $5000 and stop speaking about Lennon. “Seaman is precluded from making any statements to a third party concerning or relating to John Lennon individually or as a member of the Beatles, Yoko Ono Lennon or Sean Lennon other than an attorney-client…

UMeIn 2015, KISS frontman Paul Stanley launched his side project, Paul Stanley’s Soul Station, to explore his love of R&B and soul music. Now the group is set to release its debut album, Now and Then, on March 5. The 14-track collection, available for pre-order now, features nine classic soul and R&B covers, plus five originals. In advance of the album, Soul Station has digitally released its rendition of The Five Stairsteps‘ 1970 hit “O-O-H Child.” You also can check out the track at the group’s official YouTube channel, along…

Polygram/UMe/Mercury StudiosJust a reminder: That recent documentary focusing on The Go-Go’s will be released on DVD, Blu-ray and digital formats on February 5, and the film also will be available via rental services the same day. The film, aptly titled The Go-Go’s, charts the history of the all-female band, from its start as part of the Los Angeles punk scene and its fast rise to stardom in the early 1980s, to its 1985 breakup and subsequent multiple reunions. The doc was directed by Alison Ellwood, and features new interviews with…

Sylvain Sylvain with David Johansen of New York Dolls in 2011; Marc Broussely/RedfernsSylvain Sylvain, founding rhythm guitarist of the influential glam-punk band New York Dolls, died Wednesday of cancer, according to a message on his official Facebook page. He was 69. The note reads, “Sylvain battled cancer for the past two and 1/2 years. Though he fought it valiantly, [Wednesday] he passed away from this disease. While we grieve his loss, we know that he is finally at peace and out of pain. Please crank up his music, light a…

Slaven Vlasic/Getty ImagesRob Thomas is preparing to say goodbye to his best friend Samy, his ailing senior dog, and is going above and beyond to make sure he’s comfortable. “So our Samy has a host of problems. But the one that is the most pressing is his kidneys are failing,” the Matchbox Twenty frontman explained. “We know that this is what we are going to lose him to but we know we can buy some real time and give him a good quality of life.” To keep Samy comfortable, Thomas gives his Pomeranian “IV fluids twice…

Credit: Danny ClinchBruce Springsteen has joined President-elect Joe Biden‘s Inauguration Day festivities. The Boss has been added to the lineup of performers for Celebrating America, an upcoming TV special airing the night of January 20. Foo Fighters and John Legend also have joined the event’s bill. According to a press release, Springsteen, the Foos and Legend will be performing from “iconic locations across the country.” The concert also will feature previously performers Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, and singer-songwriter Ant Clemons. Additional performances will be announced leading up…

Credit: Julie FogertyEx-Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty‘s Fogerty’s Factory album, which was issued on CD and digitally in November, gets its vinyl release today. The 12-track collection features mostly of new versions of CCR tunes and Fogerty solo songs that John recorded with his three youngest children — sons Shane and Tyler, and daughter Kelsy. Most of the performances were recorded at Fogerty’s Los Angeles-area home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many debuted as part of a series of videos posted on John’s YouTube channel. John tells ABC Audio that…