BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Bio-pic is "Fantastic"
Bruce Springsteen is pretty proud of his upcoming bio-pic Deliver Me From Nowhere, which focuses on the time when he made the Nebraska album. Springsteen told Variety, "It’s an interesting concept, because it’s only a couple of years out of my life. It’s ’81, ’82 and centered around the creation of that particular record while I was simultaneously recording Born in the USA and also going through some personal difficulties that I’ve been living with my whole life. But it’s fantastic."
Springsteen added that he was impressed by the man playing himself, Jeremy Allen White, and how the film's production staff captured that time in his life “I was on tour during a lot of it, so they filmed a good amount of it without me there. But I was on set sometimes. It was interesting to see it played out, to see your grandmother’s house again, and to go inside and get a general feeling of what it was like when you were very young. So I enjoyed all those parts of it.” “Deliver Me From Nowhere” is due out later this year.
METALLICA: March Right Into a Video Game
Metallica have added a bonus prize to their annual Metallica Marching Band Competition.
They've announced that the "Collegiate Division 1" first place winner will have the opportunity to record a Metallica song and the EA Sports College Football game theme, both of which will be used in a future edition of the game. Metallica says, "If you need a refresher on the competition, we’re challenging marching bands to craft the most exciting, unique and impressive performances of our music. Bands who enter will have access to a library of marching band charts for Metallica songs, provided by Hal Leonard." Marching bands have until November 1st to enter at MetallicaMarchingBand.com.
In other Metallica news, they just broke a 43-year-old attendance record held by The Who. Over 47,500 fans attended their show at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York Saturday night, breaking the record of 47,319 set by The Who in 1982.
Sammy Hagar Says New Song Inspired By Eddie Van Halen Dropping Friday
Sammy Hagar is dropping a new song that was heavily inspired by former bandmate Eddie Van Halen. This Friday, Sammy, with help from Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony and Kenny Aaronoff, will release "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight." The song came to Hagar a year ago after a dream about Van Halen that deeply affected him. "This song is my final bow to that part of my life," says Hagar. "It's not meant to be anything more than a 'thank you' - with love, with respect, and with one hell of a guitar solo." A video will follow days after, then on April 30, fans at the launch of Hagar's Las Vegas residency will see the song's first live performance at the kick-off show at Dolby Live at Park MGM.
ROCK HALL: Fan Vote Final Standings
The Rock & Roll Fan Vote wrapped up Monday and Phish, who led throughout, finished with 330,000 ballots cast. With over two-and-a-half million ballots cast, the final order, with the number of votes rounded up, was:
1.Phish - 330,000
2.Bad Company - 281,000
3.Billy Idol - 260,500
4.Cyndi Lauper - 237,000
5.Joe Cocker - 234,000
6.Soundgarden - 233,000
7.Chubby Checker - 203,000
8.The Black Crowes - 165,200
9.Mariah Carey - 138,000
10.Joy Division + New Order - 120,500
11.The White Stripes - 110,500
12.Outkast - 108,000
13.Oasis - 99,500
14.Mana - 34,500
So, what this means is that Phish, Bad Company, Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper and Joe Cocker -- the top five vote getters -- will comprise a “fans’ ballot” that will be tallied along with the other ballots to determine the 2025 Inductees. The Class of 2025 will be announced later this week with the ceremony set for the fall in Los Angeles.
Billy Idol Explains Why He Thinks He Deserves Fans Vote For Induction Into The Rock Hall
Billy Idol is explaining why he thinks he deserves fans' vote for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In a conversation with The Independent, the singer said his reason is because he's "just incredible." He said it's amazing that he went from "punk rock in England to mainstream success in the States." Idol also explained that he hasn't stayed "in his lane" as he took risks, like coming to the U.S. Billy Idol is one of 14 artists listed for induction into the Rock Hall of Fame this year, alongside Oasis, Soundgarden, The White Stripes and The Black Crowes.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees to Be Revealed Live on 'American Idol'
The next class of inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will be announced live on American Idol this Sunday, April 27. Host Ryan Seacrest will reveal the artists who will receive the honor this year, with James Taylor serving as a guest mentor for the themed episode. The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles in the fall, with a date yet to be announced. The unlikely combination of American Idol and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has drawn criticism from Oasis' Liam Gallagher, who expressed his disdain for the Rock Hall.
PAUL McCARTNEY: Preview Latest Photo Exhibit
Paul McCartney has done a video preview of his latest photo exhibit. "Rearview Mirror: Photographs, December 1963-February 1964" is opening on Friday at the Gagosian Art Gallery in Los Angeles and will run until June 21st. The collection includes photographs that were recently rediscovered by McCartney and have never been shown before, as well as some that were featured in his 2023 photography book Eyes of the Storm. Check out the video on YouTube. McCartney also signed some prints that are for sale with a portion of the proceeds going to aid recovery and relief efforts from the fires in Southern California.
ALICE COOPER: A Full Band Reunion
After various reunions over the past 15 years, the original Alice Cooper band has finally done a full reunion album. The Revenge of Alice Cooper, due out July 25, features all four surviving members -- Alice Cooper, guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neal Smith. It also includes a special appearance by the late guitarist Glen Buxton, who died in 1997. Buxton's guitar work appears on "What Happened to You," which was built from a riff from one of his old demo tapes. The album was produced by Cooper's long-time collaborator
Bob Ezrin. The album's first single, "Black Mamba," will debut tomorow (Tuesday) on Cooper's syndicated radio show, Alice's Attic. Cooper told Billboard that recording a full album was pretty easy. "It was very much like this was our next album after [1973's] Muscle of Love. Isn't that funny after 50 years? All of a sudden it just falls into place."
The surviving members of the group have joined Cooper on multiple tracks on three albums over the past 15 years -- 2011's Welcome 2 My Nightmare, 2017's Paranormal and 2021's Detroit Stories.
Zak Starkey Leaks All-Star T Rex Cover
It's been quite a week for Zak Starkey. Fired, then not fired, from behind the drum kit for the Who, now Zak has leaked a new song that features some very big names. The cover of the T. Rex classic "Children Of The Revolution" was originally recorded for an intended benefit album that has (at this point) not yet become reality. On board for the track alongside Starkey: Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses, Elton John and Zak's dad, Ringo Starr. The song was intended for a proposed benefit album for the Teenage Cancer Trust, which has yet to see the light of day. On his socials, Zak said, "Ringo/Elton/Axl/Duff/Slash. C’mon amazing people...let’s get this record out and [help] these teenagers who, as musicians, we rely on so much. If we wait much longer some of the these brave young people may not have enough time to hear it."
DEF LEPPARD's RICK ALLEN Is Still Dealing With Trauma Of Being Assaulted: 'Hopefully I Can Put It Behind Me Soon'
Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen admits he still has some issues from when he was assaulted in 2023 outside a hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In a conversation with Eddie Trunk he said, "I've been going through some challenging times, kind of related to what happened in Florida... So I've been trying to deal with that the best that I can, and really I just needed to take a break from some of the side projects that I was busy with, just so I could spend more time at home." One of those side projects is attending exhibitions of his art, which he was slated to do on the Monsters of Rock Cruise last month but he decided pull out of the event.
"I did go out and I did a cruise, and I realized that I was finding it difficult to be around a lot of people like that. And so I decided, 'You know what, Rick? Don't try and bite off more than you can chew. Just deal with this, deal with what's in front of you. Spend as much time as you need to at home.'"
Allen will be out in the public this Friday when his Raven Drum Foundation holds its second annual benefit concert at the Cutting Room in New York City. Ex-KISS drummer Peter Criss will receive the Legacy Award from the foundation.
FOREIGNER To Perform With Orchestra In Las Vegas In March 2026
Foreigner has announced a Las Vegas residency for March 2026 at the Venetian Theatre, where they will perform with a 20-piece orchestra. The shows, scheduled for March 6, 7, 11, 13, and 14, will celebrate the band's 50th anniversary. Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 25. Before the residency, Foreigner will head out on a year-long tour, with singer Kelly Hansen missing some international shows due to residency issues. In his absence, Luis Maldonado and Geordie Brown will handle vocal duties, with special appearances by original singer Lou Gramm.
PETER FRAMPTON: Comes to 75
Peter Frampton hits a milestone today (Tuesday) as he turns 75. Born on April 22nd, 1950 in Beckenham, Kent, England, he was seven when he found his grandmother's banjolele (part banjo / part ukulele) in the attic and taught himself how to play. This paved the way to his teaching himself guitar and piano. Influenced by guitarists Hank Marvin from The Shadows,
Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran, one of Frampton's early bands was The Preachers, which were produced and managed by Rolling Stones' bassist Bill Wyman.
From there he went onto The Herd and Humble Pie -- where he developed his guitar style -- before going solo in 1971. After four studios albums, he hit pay dirt in 1976 with Frampton Comes Alive! It was number-one album on the Billboard album chart for 10 weeks and sold more than eight-million copies in the U.S. -- 17-million worldwide. Comes Alive was both a blessing and a curse as not only did it bring him fame and fortune but also branded him a pop star. So, it's no surprise that winning the Grammy in 2007 for Best Pop Instrumental Album for Fingerprints is, as he told us last year, one his proudest moments. "You can just understand why that just is one of my highlights, which I think people have been waiting for that for so long. 'If he would just stop singing we'll give him a Grammy.'" Frampton has released five albums since Fingerprints, and, despite his battle with Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM), a disabling muscle disease, he has another one in the works. He just finished the first leg of his Let’s Do It Again tour, with the second leg starting on June 13th in Seattle.
WEEZER: More Movie Details Revealed
More details have leaked out about that movie Rivers Cuomo mentioned Weezer were making during the band's set at the first weekend of Coachella. TheInSneider.com reports that the film is a mockumentary in the style of This Is Spinal Tap that is about a rivalry between Weezer and Dogstar, the band that features Keanu Reeves on bass. That taps into the real history of the two bands, as Weezer played their first show as an opener for Dogstar in 1992 at Raji’s in Los Angeles. Last year Weezer and Dogstar played together again at the Lodge Room in Los Angeles. Reports describe the film as a cross between Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Weezer will co-star along with Juliette Lewis, Eric Andre, Johnny Knoxville and Ben Schwartz. Schwartz was already seen filming something for the movie at a Weezer show in Los Angeles last fall.
IN OTHER NEWS
Brian May, who performed at the first weekend of Coachella, joining Benson Boone on "Bohemian Rhapsoody," was represented at the second weekend as Boone brought out a cardboard cutout of the Queen guitarist during "Bohemian Rhapsody." He told the audience, "I would like to let you all know, on Brian’s behalf, he would’ve loved to have been here, but he unfortunately had to fly out, so we came up with that idea and he sends his love." And looking ahead to next year, the 2026 edition of Coachella will take place April 10th through 12th and the 17th through 19th at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Tickets go on sale May 2nd.
Marley, the 2012 documentary about Bob Marley from director Kevin Macdonald, will be available on streaming platforms for the first time and in a deluxe DVD reissue on Friday.
The late Tom Petty makes an animated appearance in Snoop Dogg's video for his cover of Petty's "Last Dance With Mary Jane." You can watch it on YouTube.
Bruce Springsteen has released an official lyric video for "Blind Spot" from Tracks 2: The Lost Albums, which is due out June 27th. Check it out on YouTube.
Patti Smith has paid tribute to Pope Francis who died Monday at the age of 88. Posting a photo on Instagram of dandelion growing between cobblestones, she writes, “This is a little flower a dandelion humble yet strong. I saw it this morning and was moved. Farewell dear Pope Francis. Nature and poetry and the suffering shall miss their champion.”
R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills joined his bandmate Peter Buck and Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ singer Kevn Kinney at their show Sunday at the Rialto Room in Athens, Georgia. Mills sang R.E.M.’s “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville” and played bass on the Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ songs “Fly Me Courageous,” “Honeysuckle Blue” and “Straight to Hell.”