Believe it or not - John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen have never collaborated musically.  The two have shared the stage - but never worked together on a song - until now.  Mellencamp has shared a new song and video for his song with The Boss titled Wasted Days -  an upbeart acoustic anthem.

Mellencamp had teased that  the pair were teaming up in the studio at Clive Davis’ virtual 2021 Grammy gala earlier this year.

The pair were spotted at the Jersey Shore together earlier this month by Susan Fimiani

Disclaimer - the RNR family LOVES Portugal. The Man.  

We've hung out with them preshow at the 9:30 Club, they damn near had to kick us out of Merriweather Post Pavilion after our late night pool party, and then there's the Firefly antics we can't really reveal the full details of ... 

So when word of a 2022 tour came - and covers of 2 90's alt rock hits - that include their upcoming tour mates - we were stoked.  

Below you can check out their take on LEN's iconic summer jam “Steal My Sunshine”, which features Cherry Glazerr and an amazing version of Eels' “Novacaine For The Soul” with Sir Chloe. 

Oh yeah - and about that 2/26/22 date with the Lords of Portland at The Anthem you know we're gonna make more memories that night .

Earlier this month - Pearl Jam played their first show in three years in New Jersey - with a set that included the live debuts of several songs from Gigaton.  

This past weekend- they took the show to the west coast's Ohana Festival.  And during their headlining set - the band was joined on stage by their good friend - Brandi Carlile - who joined them in the performance of the 1994 hit "Better Man" 

Don't miss our livestream performance with Brandi Carlile this Friday (10/1) as we celebrate her new album - In These Silent Days - HERE 

In 1979, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band performed at Musicians United for Safe Energy - two benefit concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden.  

42 years later- footage of the show are being released in a new concert film and album, The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts (three of the songs from the performance were featured in a 1980 documentary No Nukes).

The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts is a 90-minute composite of the two performances and features their performances of “The River,” “Born to Run,” “Badlands,” Thunder Road,” as well as appearances from Jackson Browne, Tom Petty and Rosemary Butler. 

Frequent Springsteen collaborator Thom Zimny - who edited the original 16mm film said:

“I quickly realized that these were the best performances and best filming from the Band’s legendary ’70s, and dedicated myself to bringing out the full potential of the footage...Having worked as Bruce’s principal director and editor for the last 20 years, I can say without reservation that this newly re-edited, re-mixed and restored 90 minute film is the gold standard for Bruce and the Band live during one of their greatest creative periods.”

The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concert will be released digitally on November 16, with a physical release set for November 19 on vinyl, DVD, Blu-Ray, and CD. The film will be available to rent digitally on November 23.

In April of 1990, Krist Novoselic and Kurt Cobain - who were in garage band - from Seattle -  called Nirvana began working on their second album.  The band had not had a steady drummer at this point -  but in September of that year,  Buzz Osborne of the Melvins introduced Novoselic and Cobain to 21 year old drummer Dave Grohl, whose Washington, D.C. based band Scream had recently broken up - and got him an audition for the band.  

Novoselic recalls - "We knew in two minutes that he was the right drummer." 

Grohl said - "I remember being in the same room with them and thinking, 'What? That's Nirvana? Are you kidding?' Because on their record cover they looked like psycho lumberjacks... I was like, 'What, that little dude and that big motherfucker? You're kidding me'."

The band went on to record their major label debut album - Nevermind - released September 24, 1991.  The label, DGC, hoped to sell 250,000 copies of the record.   Nevermind went on to become cultural phenomenon,  selling more than 10 million copies.  

On the 30th anniversary of the record - Dave Grohl spoke to NME on the record’s legendary opening track and lead single Smells Like Teen Spirit:

“I liked the riff that Kurt [Cobain] came up with because it’s percussive. Those muted, stabbing strums in-between the chords really leant to the pattern of the drum riff. 

To be honest, at that point, we were listening to a lot of Pixies – it was Bossa Nova [era]. And we were just having fun, really. We were just coming up with new song after new song every day. Krist Novoselic, I believe, has boombox recordings of all of these – riff ideas that were never used, songs that were shaped into songs for Nevermind – some of them...

...Of course, no-one had any psychic foresight to imagine that the song (Smells Like Teen Spirit) would go on to do what it did. We just fuckin’ rocked it in a little rehearsal space that was like a barn. I didn’t know what the lyrics were; Kurt’s melody pattern changed every other time we played it and it wasn’t really until we got into the studio to record it that I realised the power of the song. And not just lyrically or musically, but the groove of the song – it was really powerful. 

I think everyone was more focused on songs like In Bloom or Lithium or Breed, nobody really paid too much attention to Teen Spirit while we were recording it. We just thought it was another cool song for the record."

30 years later ... it's still a pretty cool song

The Rolling Stones album Tattoo You turned 40 this year - and to celebrate, the band is releasing a deluxe reissue of the album that will contain 9 new tracks. 

Today - the band unveiled an official music video for “Living In The Heart Of Love”.  

The Charles Mehling directed video pays tribute to long time Stones drummer -   Charlie Watts, who passed away this summer, with scenes of him playing with the band in the era of the album, including several close-ups.

The clip ends with the words “Charlie is my darling.”

The Rolling Stones will play their first 'official' show without Watts on drums on September 26. 

The Lumineers will release their first new album in over two years in January 2022.   

And while we wait for the full album - the band has given us a taste - releasing the album's title track - BRIGHTSIDE.  

Singer/guitarist/co-founder Wesley Schultz explains: 

“The song ‘BRIGHTSIDE’ was recorded in a single day...It’s like a 15-year-old’s fever dream, an American love story in all its glory and heartbreak. The last couple left, on the run from something and all alone…”

The LP BRIGHTSIDE will be out  Jan. 14, 2022 ... 

Pearl Jam played their first concert in three years over the weekend - with a headling set at the Sea.Hear.Now Festival in New Jersey.  

During the show - they paid tribute to Charlie Watts (mixing the Rolling Stones’ “Waiting on a Friend” woven into the band’s performance of “Wishlist”), gave local legend Bruce Springsteen a nod (covering  “My City of Ruins”) and debuted plenty of songs from their latest album, Gigaton.  

The band's set included live debuts of  “Superblood Wolfmoon,” “Quick Escape,” “Seven O’ Clock,” “Never Destination” and “Take the Long Way,” and “Dance of the Clairvoyants”

Pearl Jam will is set to resume touring in Europe in June 2022  ... we hope to get rescheduled US dates sooner than later 

Earlier this summer - Tori Amos announced a run of 2022 European tour dates and a tease of a new album.  

Today - we got some details on the new album. ‘Ocean To Ocean’ her follow-up to 2017’s ‘Native Invader’, will be released October 29 via Decca Records, and  inspired by Amos’ time during the pandemic lockdown.

“This is a record about your losses, and how you cope with them.  Thankfully when you’ve lived long enough, you can recognise you’re not feeling like the mom you want to be, the wife you want to be, the artist you want to be.  I realised that to shift this, you have to write from the place where you are. I was in my own private hell, so I told myself, then that’s where you write from – you’ve done it before…”

Regarding the album’s inspirations, she adds: “If you processed troubling things by traveling, that was taken off the table.  My pattern has been to jump on a plane and go to the States. I would travel just to have new experiences. I had to find a chair instead, and ‘travel’ like I did when I was five – in my head.”

EUROPEAN & UK TOUR ON-SALE NOW!
All the 2022 European & UK shows are now on-sale to the public. For dates and ticket links visit at https://t.co/l5vRyRtu4R
More news regarding the new Album and US Tour later in 2021 coming soon! pic.twitter.com/LNWr7g3GDP

— tori amos (@toriamos) July 16, 2021

As noted above - Amos announced a run of European tour dates for early 2022 - here's hoping she comes stateside after! 

Rick Astley's hit (?) "Never Gonna Give You Up" was released in July 1987.  The Smiths broke up in July of 1987.  

Coincidence ? Proabably ..  

But in 2021 - The Smiths are still broken up and Astley has announced he'll be   joining UK band Blossoms for two Smiths tribute shows in October - one in London and Manchester.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Rick Astley (@officialrickastley)

In advance of these shows - Blossoms brought out Astley, at a London show earlier this week for a 'warm up'... Of course video of them performing classic Smiths single "This Charming Man" has hit the web -along with a rehearsal video of "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Rick Astley (@officialrickastley)

Many people are claiming Astley sounds better than Morrissey - but The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr is not among them. He took to twitter to say "This is both funny and horrible at the same time." He also tweeted that he'd met Blossoms "a few weeks ago and they elected to not mention it. Nice...Must’ve slipped their minds."

If you've watched Tedd Lasso - you are probably aware that the show's theme song is performed by Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons.  

As the Apple TV series wraps up its second season - they've released the S2 soundtrack (exclusively on Apple Music) and instead of the show's theme - the record opens with  Jeff Tweedy covering Mumford's  song.  

Tweedy takes a minimal approach that is pretty much as Jeff Tweedy as you can Jeff Tweedy - and dare we say - an improvement to Mumford's folk rock track.   

Foo Fighters can't seem to sit still for long ... so is the case with drummer Taylor Hawkins - who somehow found time to form a new band this past year- in addition to completing a Foos album and a Bee Gees cover album ... 

The new band, NHC, features  “the best lead guitarist in alternative rock” Dave Navarro (Jane’s Addiction)  and bassist Chris Cheney, who Hawkins played with while touring with Alanis Morissette and in his solo band The Coattail Riders.  (The name comes from their initials)

You can check out two tracks the band have released, Feed The Cruel and Better Move On, below: 

The band will make their live debut opening for Pearl Jam at the Ohana Festival in Dana Point, California on October 2. Meanwhile, . 

In 2011 - The Black Keys released their incredible 7th studio album - El Camino.  And to celebrate its 10th anniversary, Dan and Patrick are giving it the deluxe reissue treatment.  

But this isn't no ordinary re-issue, El Camino (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) will be available in several formats including a Super Deluxe edition of five vinyl LPs or four CDs, featuring a remastered version of the original album, a previously unreleased Live in Portland, ME concert recording, a BBC Radio 1 Zane Lowe session from 2012, a 2011 Electro-Vox session, an extensive photo book, a limited-edition poster and lithograph, and a “new car scent” air freshener.

A three-LP edition, which include the remastered album and the live recording, will also be available, as well as a special fan club version of the three-LP set. The Super Deluxe version will also be available digitally. Pre-order El Camino (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) here: https://TheBlackKeys.lnk.to/ElCaminoTen

EL CAMINO (10TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION) FORMATS

Super Deluxe: 5LP Vinyl, 4CD and Digital:

Original remastered album, previously unreleased full live concert and BBC Session Recorded in 2012, 2011 Electro-Vox Session, photo book, limited-edition poster and lithograph, “new car scent" air freshener

Deluxe: 3-LP vinyl and Snowy White 3-LP Vinyl (fan club only) Original remastered album, previously unreleased full live concert

EL CAMINO (10TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION) Track Listing

Remastered El Camino Album

Lonely Boy

Dead And Gone

Gold On the Ceiling

Little Black Submarines

Money Maker

Run Right Back

Sister

Hell Of A Season

Stop Stop

Nova Baby

Mind Eraser

Live in Portland, ME

Howling for You

Next Girl

Run Right Back

Same Old Thing

Dead and Gone

Gold on the Ceiling 

Thickfreakness

Girl is on my mind

I’ll Be Your Man

Little Black Submarines

Money Maker 

Strange Times

Chop and Change 

Nova Baby

Ten Cent Pistol

Tighten Up

Lonely Boy

Everlasting Light

She’s Long Gone

I Got MineElectro Vox Session (Super Deluxe Edition only)

Dead and Gone

Gold on the Ceiling 

Howlin’ For You

Lonely Boy

Money Maker

Next Girl

Run Right Back

Sister

Tighten Up  

Zane Lowe BBC Session (Super Deluxe Edition only)

Howlin’ For You

Next Girl

Gold on the Ceiling 

Thickfreakness 

I’ll Be Your Man

Your Touch

Little Black Submarines 

Dead and Gone

Tighten Up

Lonely Boy

I Got Mine 

Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen have quickly become our new favorite indie rock duo ... and to follow up their single   “Like I Used To” the two have teamed up for a cover of The Velvet Underground & Nico’s classic “Femme Fatale” - for the forthcoming tribute album I’ll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico, (out next week on September 24)

Other takes from the album include Iggy Pop & Matt Sweeney giving a go “European Son,” Courtney Barnett with “I’ll Be Your Mirror,” Matt Berninger reimagine “I’m Waiting for the Man,” and Kurt Vile & the Violators perform “Run Run Run.” 

Here it below and pre-order the tribute album here.

Foo Fighters open venues ... it's what they do ...  as Dave Grohl pointed out last night during their sold out 9:30 Club show - the famed venue's first post pandemic show.  They also played the first (two) shows at The Anthem in DC and the first post pandemic show at NYC's Madison Square Garden.  

The 9:30 Club show was epic ... in true FF Fashion ... playing for nearly 2.5 hours - they rolled through the hits, covers, and some DEEP tracks! 

Here are some pics and videos from the show : 

But it was another comment Dave made that caught everyone's attention at 815 V St last night - while reminiscing about the 'old 9:30 Club' , Dave let the cat out of the bag - sharing the news that the team that runs the 9:30 Club will be opening a new club next door  - one that will resemble the old 9:30 Club in size and appearance.  Dave also joked that Foo Fighters will play the first show there too! 

Dave also revealed that while in town - he had been recording with his old band SCREAM at Inner Ear Studios in Northern Virginia! 

Earlier this summer - Lana Del Rey released three songs from her upcoming album, Blue Banisters (due out October 22) 

Today - the singer released a 4th track from the album, “Arcadia,” as well as the full tracklist and artwork.

Del Rey released the song along with a  self-directed video:  

01 Textbook
02 Blue Banisters
03 Arcadia
04 Interlude - The Trio
05 Black Bathing Suit
06 If You Lie Down With Me
07 Beautiful
08 Violets for Roses
09 Dealer
10 Thunder
11 Wildflower Wildfire
12 Nectar of the Gods
13 Living Legend
14 Cherry Blossom
15 Sweet Carolina

Sometime this year - we will be getting a solo album from Eddie Vedder.  Today, the Pearl Jam front man  has released  “Long Way”  the first single from said forthcoming album Earthling. 

For this record, Eddie Vedder worked with Grammy award winning producer Andrew Watt

A limited-edition 7-inch vinyl which features "Long Way" & "The Haves", is available for pre-order HERE. 

ICYMI - each month, lead Talking Head David Byrne, shares a themed playlist on his website (DavidByrne.com)

His September playlist includes his favorite songs that make him cry.

His description of the list:

"No surprise, a fair number of country and alt country songs here. But there are also some heartbreaking soul songs, some contemporary RnB, dance pop and some contemporary singer songwriters. Obviously, to have this effect on us, the song and delivery have to connect to us in ways we can relate to- a tragic accident is not affecting, but a tragic accident that happens as a vet is driving to a reunion with his wife and child, now THAT’S heartbreaking.

Dreams within reach, visible, graspable, but then dashed to a thousand pieces. A small business goes bankrupt, not so moving, but the owner being a refugee who overcame impossible odds to achieve this dream -- only to have it snatched away by a rapacious landlord... Now, we’re more engaged. Maybe it’s the specifics that pull us in?

Why do we like this? Why do we luxuriate in sadness and heartbreak? I’ll bet there are way more tragic and melancholy songs than happy ones. Does it somehow paradoxically make us feel better to connect and feel the ache?"

Full Tracklisting:

Made In The Dark - Hot Chip
Boulder to Birmingham - Emmylou Harris
Am I Too Blue - Lucinda Williams
Red Dirt Girl - Emmylou Harris
Heart Like A Wheel - Kate & Anna McGarrigle
Down Low - Teddy Thompson
Go Leave - Kate & Anna McGarrigle
Sweet Old World - Lucinda Williams
The Dark End of the Street - James Carr
Orphan Girl - Gillian Welch
Across the Borderline - Ry Cooder
To Cry About - Mary Margaret O'Hara
Calling All Angels (Remix Version) - Jane Siberry
That's How I Got To Memphis - Solomon Burke
Caroline Says II - Lou Reed
I Keep a Close Watch - John Cale
To Be Lonely - Joan As Police Woman
My Mom - Chocolate Genius
The Best Thing - Doveman
Home is Where It Hurts - Camille
My Body Is a Cage - Arcade Fire
Tennis Court - Lorde
Nearly Midnight, Honolulu - Neko Case
Everyone Else In The World - Stina Nordenstam
I'm Getting Ready - Michael Kiwanuka
Ya Sudan - Sinkane
River - Joni Mitchell
Love Is Everything - Jane Siberry
Green Light - Lorde
Desperately - Sam Dew
exile (feat. Bon Iver) - Taylor Swift
The Last Time I Saw Richard - Joni Mitchell
You Don't Know Me - Willie Nelson
He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones
Permanently Lonely - The Little Willies
Don't Ask Me To Be Friends - Teddy Thompson
Just Walkin' Out the Door - Willie Nelson
I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton
I Threw Away the Rose - Merle Haggard & The Strangers
Why Can't He Be You - Patsy Cline
Pray You Catch Me - Beyonce
Mother (Ultimate Mix) - John Lennon
everything i wanted - Billie Eilish
Some Things Last a Long Time - Sharon Van Etten
Sad Song - Lou Reed
Older - Sasha Sloan
Paper Wings - Gillian Welch
La Vita - Beverly Glenn-Copeland
Dancing On My Own - Robyn
A Case of You - James Blake

One of the special things about music festivals is the unknown about what could happen when you have so many musicians in the same space ... 

One of those magical moments happened at the BottleRock Napa Valley Festival when Dave Grohl joined Guns and Roses during their encore performance of Paradise City (!) 

The only issue with this reunion of former foes: it happened after the fest's strict 10pm curfew - forcing organizers to cut the sound :/

Lucky for those of us who were not in Napa for the show - fans have shared footage to the web ... including the band continuing to play after the house sound was cut off 

This isn't the first time Grohl and GN'R jammed - the two teamed up for Paradise City in 2017 in Oklahoma City