Rock News

Celebrated indie rock producer James Ford revealed on Instagram on Friday (January 17) that he has recently been diagnosed with acute leukemia. Ford – who has production credits on acclaimed records like Florence + the Machine’s Lungs, Arctic Monkeys’ AM, HAIM’s Days Are Gone, Depeche Mode’s Memento Mori, Blur’s The Ballad of Darren, and Fontaines D.C.’s Romance – revealed that he “was feeling pretty rough in the run up to Christmas suspecting burnout but on Xmas eve things took a turn for the worse,” and that he “had a scary few weeks where I was very ill.” Ford was then given his cancer diagnosis, admitting “It’s a huge shock and while it’s very clear in my mind how serious this is, it is curable, and as of today I’m starting pretty aggressive chemo to treat it.” Ford is currently receiving treatment at London’s renowned St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he says he is feeling “confident, upbeat, and ready to fight.” (Consequence of Sound)

On Saturday night (January 18), a surprise 80th birthday party for Rod Stewart was thrown by his wife, Penny Lancaster. The birthday boy was joined for the festive occasion by his old Faces bandmate and longtime friend, Ronnie Wood. The pair of rock legends were joined for the outing by Lancaster and Wood’s wife, Sally, along with other revelers including Jools Holland, who released a 2024 collaborative album with Stewart, Swing Fever. The Rolling Stones guitarist shared a photo of the two couples on Instagram on Sunday, captioning his post, “🥳😎🎂Really fun night celebrating Rod’s 80th!” Wood also shared an Instagram story capturing the musicians enjoying the night together which was soundtracked by Stewart’s 1972 classic, “You Wear It Well.” Stewart, whose actual birthday was on January 10, shared an Instagram post of his own featuring throwback photos of the singer. “Thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes – 80 years young! 🥂,” he wrote. “What an incredible journey it’s been – from unforgettable moments on and off the stage to earning some truly special honors along the way.” (People) 

During a recent interview with YouTube personality Rick Beato, singer Maynard James Keenan was asked by the host to share what he thinks are the “best-sounding” albums from each of his three bands: Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer. “With Tool, I think it would be Lateralus,” Keenan responded. “There’s just a balance to it. There’s some sonics attached to Ænima, but I feel like Lateralus, there were some things happening with that that were unexpected.” Maynard continued, “A Perfect Circle, I think part of the new album, the first half of the new album [Eat the Elephant], I feel like was there. But overall, I would think that Thirteenth Step is probably the one.” As for Puscifer – which Maynard revealed earlier in the interview is releasing a new album sometime this year – the singer claimed, “I feel like Existential Reckoning is the one. It’s an eccentric album. It’s definitely a sonic landscape. It’s a soundtrack more than it is an album.” (Consequence of Sound)

Def Leppard kicked off their 2025 run of live dates over the weekend without guitarist Viv Campbell. The English rock legends performed in Leon, Mexico on Saturday (January 18), and did so without Campbell, who sat out the gig while he was recovering from his recent cancer treatment. John Zocco – Phil Collen’s guitar tech as well as Def Leppard’s photographer – sat in for the ailing 62-year-old rock veteran. “Vivian Campbell cannot be with us tonight,” frontman Joe Elliott announced to the crowd. “He’s just recovering from some treatment for his cancer. So, please say hello to the guy that’s standing in for him tonight, Mr. John Zocco on guitar.” Campbell was initially diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma back in 2013, and while he announced he was in remission the following year, the cancer returned in 2015 and the musician has been fighting it ever since. Def Leppard's next scheduled performance is on May 15 in Puerto Rico. (Ultimate Classic Rock)

Scorpions drummer Mikkey Dee was diagnosed with sepsis over the holiday season, and due to his ongoing recovery of his illness, the German metal legends have been forced to postpone their upcoming Las Vegas residency. Dee went through a near-death experience due to his blood infection, undergoing medical treatment in his hometown of Gothenburg. The drummer initially claimed he was going to recover in time to take part in the Vegas residency that was scheduled to start on February 28, but the Scorpions took to Instagram on Friday (January 17) to announce that they were postponing their upcoming Sin City run. “We regret to inform you that due to Mikkey Dee’s ongoing recovery from his recent hospitalization, we have made the decision to postpone our Coming Home to Las Vegas Residency to August 2025,” they wrote. “The health and well-being of our brother is of the utmost importance. We wish Mikkey a full and speedy recovery and look forward to rocking with you all again soon!” (Billboard)  

Neil Young just shared his new single, “Big Change,” the first song lifted from his forthcoming new album with the Chrome Hearts called, Talkin’ to the Trees. Young and the Chrome Hearts –  featuring Spooner Oldham on organ, Micah Nelson on guitar, Anthony Logerfo on drums, and Corey McCormick on bass – recorded the new album last year at the historic Shangri-La studios in Malibu, California, with producer Lou Adler. The group initially recorded seven songs in only two days, returning to the studio a few weeks later to cut three more tunes and finish the album. “In my humble opinion, this is shaping up to be a completely unique and soulfully introspective album of songs,” Young’s longtime engineer John Hanlon wrote in a post on the Neil Young Archives. Hanlon said the new tunes “run the gamut from a palette of beautiful acoustic style pastels to in-your-face loud, irreverent rock ‘n roll paint splatter on the canvas in the vein of a Jackson Pollock painting.” (Rolling Stone)

In 1991, Spin Doctors dominated the radio with their hit singles, “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and “Two Princes,” leading to worldwide sales of over 10 million copies of their debut album, Pocket Full of Kryptonite. Spin Doctors are now ready for a comeback, announcing the release of their first album in 12 years, Face Full of Cake, and rousing lead single, “Still A Gorilla.” The band – whose original lineup is intact except for the absence of bassist Mark White – will be playing a record release show on April 12 at the Brooklyn Bowl, along with an appearance at the Boston Calling Festival and a four-night residency at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City, Utah from June 5-8. “Spin Doctors fans are going to be knocked out by this new record,” frontman Chris Barron said. “It’s got that vintage Spin Doctors sound of ear candy and denser material that harkens back to Pocket Full Of Kryptonite but with years of experience under our belts.” (Rolling Stone) 

Mumford & Sons just announced the upcoming release of their new album, RUSHMERE, on March 28 via Glassnote. The group co-produced RUSHMERE with award-winning producer Dave Cobb, and the 10-track collection will be the first new record from the Grammy Award-winning band in seven years, dating back to 2018’s Delta. On Friday (January 17), the British folk-rock group also shared the title-track of the new project, which nods back to Mumford’s acoustic, banjo-driven sonic origins. The group also shared an album trailer for their new collection, and revealed the striking cover art for RUSHMERE, as well as the complete tracklist, which features a collaboration with Grammy-winning folk singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham on a song titled, “Blood on the Page.” As of now, the only live date that Mumford & Sons have scheduled is a performance at the Under the Big Sky Festival in Whitefish, Montana this July. (Consequence of Sound)

On January 26, Coldplay are set to play the biggest concert of their entire career at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium in India. The historic performance – which will take place on Republic Day, a national holiday in India commemorating the adoption of their constitution – will also be streamed exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar, as the streaming platform makes a major move into featuring live music content. In addition to broadcasting Coldplay’s entire live show, the stream will also include exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the band as part of what Disney+ Hotstar promises will be a “seamless and immersive experience.” “Namaste to all our friends in India,” frontman Chris Martin said in an Instagram reel. “We’re so happy to tell you that on the 26th of January, our show from Ahmedabad is streaming live on Disney+ Hotstar, and you can watch it from wherever you are in India. We hope you can join us — we’re so excited to come to your beautiful country.” (Variety)

During an auction at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville on Saturday (January 18), 60 personal items from Bob Dylan sold for $1.5 million. The artifacts came from the personal collection of the late rock journalist Al Aronowitz, and were part of Julien’s Auctions event, Celebrating Bob Dylan: The Aronowitz Archive, T Bone Burnett & More. The highlight was the sale of Dylan’s typewritten draft of the lyrics to “Mr. Tambourine Man” for $508,000. Other notable sales included Dylan’s 1983 Fender Telecaster going for $222,250, signed handwritten lyrics for “Blowin’ in the Wind” selling for $44,450, and an original 1968 oil painting by the singer going for $260,000. “My family and I are thrilled with the auction,” Al Aronowitz’s son Myles said in a statement. “These items were evidence of the unique and intimate place my father had in musical and cultural history with his good friend Bob Dylan, and all the other iconic artists of his day.” (Rolling Stone)

The lineup for the upcoming FireAid benefit concert has just been revealed, topped by music superstars Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Green Day, and a special No Doubt reunion. The January 30 fundraiser for Los Angeles area fire victims will take place at L.A.’s Intuit Dome, but the amount of artists committing to take part in the benefit show has required the event to expand to also include performances at Inglewood’s Kia Forum. Additional artists appearing at FireAid include Stevie Nicks, Katy Perry, Jelly Roll, Pink, Joni Mitchell, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sting, Tate McRae, Rod Stewart, and the debut live collaboration between Dave Matthews and John Mayer. Event organizers, which include Live Nation, AEG Presents, and the Azoff Company, promise “additional artists to be announced shortly.” FireAid will start at 6 p.m. PT, with tickets on sale at noon PT on January 22. The event will be broadcast simultaneously by iHeartRadio, Apple Music, Netflix, Paramount+, Prime Video, Max, SiriusXM, SoundCloud, and YouTube, along with select AMC Theatres, with viewers able to submit donations throughout the event. (Rolling Stone)

Malibu’s celebrated Shangri-La recording studio miraculously survived the Palisades fire that recently decimated much of that area. The space is now owned by legendary producer Rick Rubin, but the studio was originally built in the mid-70s under the creative guidance of the Band and Bob Dylan. The Band’s 1975 record, Northern Lights – Southern Cross, was the first album to be recorded at Shangri-La’s renovated studio, with Eric Clapton’s No Reason To Cry soon following, along with classic albums from Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Crosby Stills and Nash, Jackson Browne, Mark Knopfler, and Keith Richards. Since Rubin took over the studio, legendary artists like Adele, U2, Pearl Jam, Lady Gaga, Metallica, Eminem, Harry Styles, and many others have recorded there. In 2019, the iconic studio was the subject of a four-part Showtime documentary series titled, Shangri-La. While over 200 musicians and producers throughout the Los Angeles area have sadly lost everything in the recent fires, Shangri-La has thankfully survived so a new generation of artists can record there. (Ultimate Classic Rock)

In a new interview with the Miami Herald, Sammy Hagar revealed that he doesn’t want to do any more full scale tours. The 77-year-old singer wants to focus on residencies instead, like his upcoming 9-show run in Las Vegas this spring. “I don’t think I want to go on tour anymore,” he told the publication. “I hate to say that, because I don’t want to piss my fans off. I’ll go out and do a one-off show and do things like that, but the residency is going to give me a good extension of my career.” Hagar is pushing for future bookings like his Best Of All Worlds Vegas residency that kicks off on April 30, which he hopes will “squeeze a few more years out of my career.” “I keep telling my manager, ‘Don’t take any tours, let me do this residency,’” Hagar says. “If I like it enough, I’ll do another one.” (Consequence of Sound)

In a new interview with Classic Rock, guitarist Alex Lifeson says that he doesn’t want to take part in a Rush reunion tour despite his close friendship with bassist Geddy Lee. The legendary prog rock band finished their final R40 Tour in 2015, and following drummer Neil Peart’s death in 2020, Lifeson is content to let the band’s legacy end there. He continues to play with his old bandmate, “Once a week I go to Ged’s — it’s in the calendar,” and admits, “some days I wake up wanting to go out and tour again and some days I don’t.” But Lifeson is proud of how Rush ended their run. “For forty years Rush included Neil, and I don’t think putting some new version together would have the same magic,” he says. “Rush went out on a high note playing as well as ever with one of our best stage shows on R40. I guess I’d rather be remembered for that legacy than returning as the top Rush tribute band.” (Rolling Stone)

Ringo Starr took to the stage at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium for two celebrated shows this week (January 14-15), where he was joined by an impressive array of fellow music superstars. The Beatles legendary drummer was celebrating the release of his new country album, Look Up, and was also recording a forthcoming TV special titled, Ringo and Friends at The Ryman, which will air this spring on CBS and stream on Paramount+. Look Up co-writer and producer T Bone Burnett stood side-stage serving as the emcee for the festivities, which also honored Sun Records icon Carl Perkins. The shows featured guest performances by Jack White, Billy Strings, and Sheryl Crow, as well as Country Music Hall of Famers Paul Franklin, Emmylou Harris, and Brenda Lee. The pair of concerts also featured appearances by the War and Treaty, Jamey Johnson, Rodney Crowell, Mickey Guyton, Sarah Jarosz, and Larkin Poe, and helped raise funds for the American Red Cross while aiding those impacted by the California wildfires. (The Tennessean)

In a new interview with Guitar World, Linkin Park guitarist Brad Delson shared the reasons why he quit playing live with the band he co-founded. Linkin Park is currently touring behind their first album in seven years, From Zero, but Delson decided that he wouldn’t take part in their live shows. Delson said the group’s down time following the 2017 death of frontman Chester Bennington gave them “the opportunity to really think qualitatively about the band – what energizes us, where we feel most fulfilled, and where we thrive.” Delson realized that, “I really thrive in the studio. I love making new things. That’s why I decided to focus my energy on that area.” Delson revealed he still plays a role in LP’s live show. “Even though I’m not onstage, I put a lot of my creative love into it,” he shared. “I’ve always been obsessed with the setlist, the concept of the show, and how it flows. I worked really hard on it; that’s no different than the past.” (NME)

My Morning Jacket announced on Wednesday (January 15) that they are releasing a new album titled, Is, on March 21, their first studio LP in nearly four years. MMJ also shared the album’s lead single, “Time Waited,” which features a sample from pedal steel legend Buddy Emmons' classic tune, “Blue Jade.” “I made a loop of that piano intro and listened as I went for a walk, and all these melodies started coming to me,” frontman Jim James said. Is was recorded at Los Angeles’ Henson Recording Studios by acclaimed producer Brendan O’Brien, marking the band’s first time working with an outside producer in nearly 10 years. “Up until now I’ve never been able to let go and allow someone else to steer the ship,” James says. “It almost felt like an out-of-body experience to step back and give control over to someone who’s far more accomplished and made so many more records than us, but in the end I was able to enjoy the process maybe more than I ever have before.” (Rolling Stone)

Bush took to Instagram on Tuesday (January 14) to announce dates and details of their forthcoming North American tour in the spring. The alt-rock band will be joined by special guest opening acts Rival Sons and Filter on select dates of the run, which continues Bush’s Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour. The newly announced jaunt features a series of Canadian shows and East Coast gigs, and gets underway on April 21st in Victoria, British Columbia, and finishes up on May 13th in Silver Spring, Maryland. Bush is also scheduled to play two spring festivals, Welcome to Rockville on May 16th in Daytona Beach, and the Boardwalk Rock Festival on May 17th in Ocean City, Maryland. Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale has also revealed the title of Bush’s forthcoming studio album, I Beat Loneliness. “Well, it’s one of those weird titles,” Rossdale recently told iHeart Radio. “It’s an infinite title because you can never beat loneliness; you can just only beat it temporarily.” (Consequence of Sound)

The Eagles have announced that they have donated $2.5 million to the upcoming FireAid benefit concert taking place on January 30 at L.A.’s Intuit Dome. The show, organized by Eagles manager Irving Azoff, will aid victims displaced by the wildfires that have decimated Los Angeles over the past week, as well as help rebuild the parts of the city that have been destroyed. The official lineup has not yet been announced, and there is no word whether the Eagles, who are currently in the middle of a residency at Sphere in Las Vegas, will play the show. FireAid is being billed as “an evening of music and solidarity,” and will be produced by the Azoff family alongside ticketing and booking giants Live Nation and AEG Presents. Proceeds from the show will go towards supporting displaced families, funding an organization created to rebuild Los Angeles infrastructure, and advancing fire prevention technologies and strategies in the area. (Billboard) 

On Wednesday (January 15), the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival revealed its stacked 2025 lineup. The celebrated music festival will feature high-profile headlining sets from Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, hometown rap superstar Lil Wayne performing with The Roots, Lenny Kravitz, Kacey Musgraves, John Fogerty, Luke Combs, Santana, and Burna Boy. New Orleans Jazz Fest 2025 is set to take place over eight days this spring – from April 24th-27th and May 1st-4th – at the Fair Grounds Race Course in the Big Easy. The rest of the lineup includes notable acts like HAIM, Cage the Elephant, My Morning Jacket, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, Kamasi Washington, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Cheap Trick, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Harry Connick Jr., Margo Price, Irma Thomas, Branford Marsalis, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Morris Day & the Time, James Bay, Taj Mahal & The Phantom Blues Band, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, and many more. Tickets to both weekends of the festival are on sale now. (Consequence of Sound)