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Wake Me Up: The Rolling Stones team with up Keurig for iced coffee kit

ABC/ Ida Mae Astute

The Rolling Stones want to help their fans wake up in the morning. The band has teamed up with Keurig for a new limited edition “Start Me Up” iced coffee kit.

The kit features all you need for a Rolling Stones morning, including a custom-designed K-Iced Brewer with the band’s Hot Lips logo, a matching tumbler and a special K-Cup coffee Pod blend, which is described as having “electrifying notes of strawberry” to give fans the “uncapped energy of The Rolling Stones.”

“We’re thrilled to be branching into the iced coffee space with Keurig,” the band said in a statement, according to Rolling Stone. “We’ve collaborated to bring this limited-edition product to life and give fans a new way to fuel their day.”  

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are even helping set the morning mood, hand-picking songs for a branded Spotify playlist to enjoy with the iced cup of Joe.

The “Start Me Up” iced coffee kit goes on sale June 6 for $139.99, with a 10-count of the K-Cup Pod and the tumbler, also sold separately for $10.99 and $12.99, respectively. Those interested can sign up for more info at Keurig.com.

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Tool’s Maynard James Kennan shows off his KISS fandom

Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Tool frontman Maynard James Kennan is letting his KISS fandom fly, showing off his collection of posters and memorabilia on social media.

“Everyone has their coping mechanisms. As a child growing up in 70's Ohio, mine was @kissonline,” he writes on Instagram next to a video showing his haul. “I had ALL the posters but at some point I thought I'd lost them. Recently found them all rolled up in a chest I'd forgotten about in the attic.”

One of those items was what he calls “the Holy Grail of KISS posters,” an early poster with the note "New On Casablanca Records and Tapes." He says, "The back has all four autographs.”

He continues, “All this rediscovered joy was punctuated this weekend when I was able to play not once, but twice, on the same festival as @kissonline with @puscifer and @toolmusic. And in Ohio no less.#fullcircle“

Maynard then reminded fans that Puscifer is currently on tour, telling them, “Life is Short. Regret Sucks. Come see us while you still can.”

Puscifer's tour hits Rochester, New York, on Tuesday, May 30. A complete list of dates can be found at puscifer.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Musicians union upset David Byrne & Fatboy Slim musical features no musicians

Al Pereira/Getty Images

A musical with a score by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim is getting pushback from a musicians union, because it doesn’t use a live band. 

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians is unhappy that the show Here Lies Love plans to use a prerecorded track, as it has in previous runs of the show.

“A show with no live music and just pre-recorded tracks is absolutely an existential threat to Broadway- and is a cultural threat to musical theater worldwide,” Local 802 President and Executive Director Tino Gagliardi says. He suggests that “by using just pre-recorded tracks it not only cheapens the art it’s putting jobs and livelihoods at risk.” 

Local 802 says their agreement with the Broadway League requires any musical in a Broadway theater to have at least 19 musicians. The show has reportedly asked for a “special situation” stipulation to bypass the rule. Adrian Bryan-Brown, a spokesperson for the production, says the "process is ongoing," adding they "will continue to work in good faith with the union to move through the steps of the contractual process."

Hear Lies Love originally played at New York’s Public Theater 10 years ago, and had runs in London and Seattle. It’s described as a “disco pop” musical that puts audiences in an immersive setting, with standing room tickets so the audience can dance through the show. Its story is a dramatic telling of the Philippines' former first lady Imleda Marcos' rise to power and then her hard downfall. 

The musical will begin preview performances at the Broadway Theatre on June 17 and then open July 20.

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Protester with Israeli flag rushes stage at Roger Waters’ Frankfurt show

Mark Wieland/Redferns

Roger Waters' This Is Not A Drill tour has been met with a lot of controversy in Europe, and it turns out his show in Frankfurt, Germany, didn’t go off without a hitch this weekend.

Fan-shot footage shows protesters in the audience holding up the Israeli flag, and another protestor rushing the stage and pulling out the flag. 

As previously reported, Waters opted to leave out certain elements of his show for the Frankfurt audience, including his wearing of a coat that some felt looked like an SS costume. He said he made “this small — but, I hope, significant — gesture” because the venue where the show took place is the site of where over 3,000 Jews were detained and abused in November 1938 before being sent to concentration camps.

Waters' This Is Not A Drill tour continues through Europe. It hits Birmingham, England, on Wednesday, May 31. A complete list of dates can be found at rogerwaters.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


AC/DC’s Brian Johnson shares “eagerness” to get back onstage

Jason Squires/WireImage

AC/DC is one of the big-name rock acts set to headline the upcoming Power Trip festival in Indio, California, and it sounds like they're raring to go.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers never got to tour behind their 2020 album, Power Up, because of the COVID-19 lockdowns, and frontman Brian Johnson says they can’t wait to finally get to play it live.

“I’m so excited because three years ago we did get together (before) ‘Power Up’ the album came out,” he tells the Fuelling Around podcast. “We started to rehearse in Amsterdam. Phil (Rudd) was back on drums ... Honestly, I’ve never heard the band so tight.”

And it sounds like Power Trip may be just the beginning, with Johnson noting, “The most important thing about it all is the eagerness we all feel, the juices are running again.” 

As for the festival itself, Johnson says, “I think it’s just a statement to say that rock 'n' roll is a legitimate form of music.” The lineup includes Ozzy OsbourneMetallicaGuns N’ RosesTool and Iron Maiden.

“It’s going to be in a beautiful valley, near Coachella, but I don’t get involved in that kind of thing,” he says. "I just like to turn up, get up and just rock my little socks off until I drop.”

Power Trip is going down October 6 to 8 in Indio, California. Tickets are on sale now.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Tina Turner told longtime friend she was "ready to go anytime"

Tina Turner in 2018; Franziska Krug/Getty Images

A longtime friend of Tina Turner tells People that the late Queen of Rock 'n' Roll was ready to embrace the end of her life.

Stephen Sills — that's Sills, not Stills — is a designer who helped decorate Tina's home in the South of France and visited her every year in Switzerland. Speaking to People, he says, "She told me two years ago, she said, 'Stephen, I'm ready to go anytime. I'm not scared of death. I've had a wonderful last part of life. I've enjoyed it, but I'm tired.'"

Sills says after Tina received a kidney from her husband, Erwin Bach, in 2017, she "struggled with dialysis," but stayed upbeat. He recalls calling her house three weeks ago to check in with Tina.

"I said, 'How's she doing?' [The housekeeper] said, 'She's happy and she's comfortable. Everything's good,'" he recalls.

"She was such an amazing friend and she had such a force of creativity," Sills continues. "The Tina Turner persona of performing, that was a made-up person. We used to talk about it, and she created that and it was a beautiful image. But she was absolutely positive and energetic and interested and curious. She was just an amazing person."

The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer died May 24 at her home near Zurich, Switzerland, after what was described as "a long illness." She was 83.

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Def Leppard’s 'Drastic Symphonies' debuts at #4 on U.K. chart

Mercury Records

Def Leppard has a new top five album in the U.K. The band’s recent release with the Royal Philharmonic OrchestraDrastic Symphonies, debuted at #4 on the Official U.K. album chart.

“Wow. For us to get to No 4 in the UK charts with 'Drastic Symphonies' is just very, very special,” frontman Joe Elliott shared upon hearing the news. “Especially as this album has us doing something very different in reimagining some of our biggest hits along with hidden gems with The amazing Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.”

He then thanked their British fans, adding, "We are grateful and truly humbled.”

The album is the band's ninth top 10 record on the U.K. chart.

Def Leppard is currently on the European leg of their Stadium tour with Mötley Crüe. It hits Krakow, Poland, on Wednesday, May 31. A complete list of dates can be found at defleppard.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Elton John promises "special guests" for Glastonbury show, talks "sporadic" future live plans

Craig Sjodin/ABC

Elton John's final show on British soil comes June 25, when he'll rock the U.K.'s prestigious Glastonbury Festival for the very first time — and he says it won't be the same show fans have been seeing during his Farewell tour.

Speaking to BBC Radio 2, Elton said it's the first time he's been asked to play the gig, noting, "But it's just come at the right time ... this is the most wonderful way to sign off in Great Britain."

He then teased, "I've built a different set list ... it's gonna be much different. I've got guests who — I can't tell you who they are — but it's gonna be wonderful. I'm really looking forward to it."

At Elton's last U.S. show, which took place at Dodger Stadium, he also had special guests —Kiki Dee, Brandi Carlile and Dua Lipa — but presumably, his Glastonbury guests will be different.

Elton's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which started way back in 2018, will finally come to an end in July in Stockholm, Sweden. When asked by BBC Radio 2's Scott Mills if he thinks he'll miss it when it's all over, Elton laughed, "No way! I do not wanna fly anywhere. I don't wanna go anywhere. I just wanna be still for a few months, thank you."  

Elton says after the tour wraps he'll take a vacation for a few months, then he has no plans. However, he hasn't ruled out live performances entirely, though they'll be "sporadic." 

"I really don't want to tour again," Elton, 76, said firmly. "Doing a theater thing for two or three weeks might be appealing, but honestly, that's in the distant future. I'm not going back to Vegas. If I do anything, it will be here [in England]."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Hollywood Vampires postpone shows due to Johnny Depp’s ankle injury

RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Hollywood Vampires have put their tour on pause to let Johnny Depp recover from an ankle injury.

The band, which also includes Aerosmith’s Joe PerryAlice Cooper and Tommy Henriksen, announced they are postponing three tour dates this week to give Depp time to heal.  

“Johnny has sustained a painful injury to his ankle following his recent appearances and has been advised by his doctor not to travel,” reads the band’s announcement. “He is devastated by this turn of events, but looks forward to resting up so all four Vampires can bring their absolute best to the tour in Europe.” 

The three shows — in Boston; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Bethel, New York — have all been moved to July.

Hollywood Vampires kick off their European tour in Bucharest, Romania, on June 8. A complete list of tour dates can be found at HollywoodVampires.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Roger Waters responds to criticism over his This Is Not A Drill tour

Mark Wieland/Redferns

Roger Waters has commented on the controversy surrounding his concert in Berlin earlier this month.

As previously reported, Waters faced backlash for using images of Anne Frank and a pig with a Star of David on it, as well as what looked like an SS soldier costume. It even sparked a criminal investigation, with the police looking into “the suspicion of incitement of the people.”

But in an Instagram post, Waters calls the controversy “bad faith attacks from those who want to smear and silence me because they disagree with my political views and moral principles.”

“The elements of my performance that have been questioned are quite clearly a statement in opposition to fascism, injustice, and bigotry in all its forms,” he writes. “Attempts to portray those elements as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated," noting they've been in his shows since the '80s.

Waters says he’s spent his life “speaking out against authoritarianism and oppression wherever I see it” and doesn’t plan to stop. He notes, “Regardless of the consequences of the attacks against me, I will continue to condemn injustice and all those who perpetrate it.”

Waters also shared a clip from his recent Frankfurt show in which he told the audience he was leaving out certain elements because the venue is the site of where over 3,000 Jews were detained and abused in November 1938 before being sent to concentration camps,

“So, that is why I’m making this small, but I hope significant, gesture tonight,” he says. “It is to show that I can’t possibly understand the feelings of the relatives of those men, or what it was like in 1938 in Frankfurt all over the rest of Germany, but I do know the history and my heart is beating hard now.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Rod Stewart calls off sale of his music catalog after deciding deal wasn't "right"

Dave Simpson/WireImage

Rod Stewart was all set to become the latest rock legend to cash in by selling off his music catalog, but he's now called off the deal.

Music Week reports that Rod, 78, had been negotiating with Hipgnosis Songs, which has purchased the catalogs, publishing rights or significant stakes in the catalogs of Justin TimberlakeFleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVieSoundgarden's Chris Cornell, the Red Hot Chili PeppersNeil Young and dozens of other artists, writers and producer.

However, he's now opted to retain ownership of his catalog and terminated the sale. In a statement provided to Music Week, Sir Rod says, “This catalogue represents my life’s work. And it became abundantly clear after much time and due diligence that this was not the right company to manage my song catalogue, career or legacy.”

Rod's recorded music output includes not just his solo work, but his recordings with The Faces and Jeff Beck Group

The U.S. leg of Rod's current tour starts July 29 in Sparks, Nevada.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


On This Day, May 30, 1987: David Bowie kicks off his Glass Spider Tour

On This Day, May 30, 1987 ...

Rocker David Bowie kicked off his Glass Spider tour in support of his album Never Let Me Down.

The tour was known for its elaborate set design, which included what looked like a giant spider with light-up legs. It was described at the time as “the largest touring set ever.” It took 43 trucks to move and weighed an estimated 360 tons.

Bowie was joined by Peter Frampton on the tour, along with dancers choreographed by Toni Basil.

In addition to songs from Never Let Me Down, the set list included such Bowie classics as “China Girl,” “Fashion,” “Heroes,” “Let’s Dance,” “Fame” and “Modern Love."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Kansas’ Richard Williams on band’s 50th anniversary tour: It’s “a celebration of the entire career”

Emily Butler Photography

Kansas kicks off their 50th anniversary tour on June 2 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and guitarist and founding member Richard Williams is certainly excited to be celebrating such a big milestone.

“Fifty, it's a big number, it's half a century,” Williams tells ABC Audio. “Suddenly there's like a 'whoa' moment that's, like, 'Wow, 50 years, that's a lot.'” He described the tour as "a celebration of the entire career."

Williams says when Kansas first got together, their biggest dream was simply “to record an album and then get it played on the radio if we were lucky,” and then possibly get to open for some big national acts.  

“We couldn't imagine dreaming beyond that,” he says. “You know, the world stage and being a headlining act and continuing to make records and all that was so distant that it wasn't even a thought. That wasn't a dream. ... the last 49 years have been all gravy.”

And at 73, Williams has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. He insists fans shouldn’t expect to hear news of a retirement tour, noting, “What’s the point, unless it’s a money grab.” 

Williams adds, “It’s really more a matter of how long can I do it. According to my doctors, I’m in great shape. Barring, you know, illness or death, I’m here. I’m going to be doing this until I can’t.” 

Kansas currently has dates confirmed through January 28, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A complete tour schedule can be found at kansasband.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Pink Floyd shares trailer for 'The Dark Side of the Moon' eclipse event documentary

Sony Music

As part of the ongoing 50th anniversary celebration of The Dark Side of the MoonPink Floyd recently held a special event that coincided with a rare solar eclipse. That event is now being turned into a documentary, and the band is giving fans their first peek at it.

The rockers just released a teaser trailer for Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon 50th Ningaloo Eclipse, which lets fans experience the once-in-a-lifetime event at a secluded beach at Ningaloo (Nyinggulu) Marine Park in Exmouth, Western Australia, in April. 

A handful of fans won a trip to the beach, where they listened to Dark Side in full — timed so that the closing line, “but the sun is eclipsed by the moon,” would play at the exact moment of the eclipse.

So far the documentary doesn’t have an exact release date, but it is expected to be out sometime in September.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Lenny Kravitz’s mom helped make him a style icon

ABC

Lenny Kravitz has always been one of the more stylish rockers out there, but early on some friends questioned his style choices. 

Discussing a black skirt a former girlfriend made him when he was a teenager, Kravitz tells the latest issue of Highsnobiety, "My friends were like, 'Your mom's going to freak.' We were all nervous.”

But it turns out there was no real need to worry. He says that his mother, The Jeffersons star Roxie Roker, looked him “up and down" and then gave him some advice, sharing, "If you're gonna wear that skirt, you got to change them shoes."

He adds, "One thing about my mother, she never judged anybody. She just loved." 

Kravitz discusses how his background, being both Caribbean-American and Jewish-Ukrainian, helped influence his style. He shares, "Growing up between cultures and religions and types of people in my family, by virtue of me being multiracial ... I grew up in the middle of all this beauty.”

But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have some regrets about his style choices. "It happens all the time," although he says now he has more of a "who cares?" attitude about it.

"You're not going to grow if everything's perfect all the time," he says.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


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