SAMMY HAGAR: Mixing It Up Sammy Hagar started his latest Las Vegas residency Wednesday night at Dolby Live at Park MGM and wasted no time in digging through the archives for rarely played songs. He opened with Chickenfoot's "Soap on a Rope," which he hadn't done since 2018, going into Van Halen's "Mine All Mine" for its first performance since 2016. From there it was a mixture of 10 Van Halen songs, including "Somebody Get Me a Doctor" with Michael Anthony on vocals and six Hagar songs, and guitarist Joe Satriani was given the spotlight for "Surfing With the Alien."
Hagar, who is promising a different opening song each night, will play shows two and three tonight (Friday) and Saturday, followed the final three next Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Hagar and the band will then go on a U.S. tour in June followed by the U.K. in July before returning to Vegas for five more shows from September 18th through the 26th.
DAVID GILMOUR: Guitar Sets Record Price
The black Fender Stratocaster that Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour played on Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall set a record for the most expensive guitar sold at auction Thursday when Christie's brought the hammer down at $12.1 million. It was part of the three-day sale of memorabilia that belonged to the late Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise. He paid $5.245 million for the "Black Strat" in 2019, which at the time set a record. Estimated to come in between $2 and $4 million, the sale doubled the
previous record of $6 million paid in 2020 for the 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic guitar that Kurt Cobain played during Nirvana's performance on MTV Unplugged in 1993.
And another Cobain guitar, the Fender Mustang used in the video for Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," also broke the record, selling for $6.907 million. Also besting the Cobain sale Thursday was Jerry Garcia's “Tiger,” which went for $10 million. Garcia played it from 1979 to 1989, as well as during his final performance with The Grateful Dead at Chicago’s Soldier Field on July 9th, 1995. It was estimated to sell for $1 to $2 million. Other big sellers on the first day, which took in over $84-million, were:
· Ringo Starr's Ludwig drum kit that he played from May 1963 to February 1964 -- $2.393 million
· Ringo's Beatles logo drum head used on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 -- $2.881 million
· John Lennon's 1964/'65 stage-played Rickenbacker guitar -- $1.270 million
· John Lennon's Broadwood upright piano that he composed "A Day in the Life" on -- $3.247 million
· George Harrison's Gibson SG Standard that he used from 1966 to 1968 -- $2.271 million
· Paul McCartney's handwritten lyrics for "Hey Jude" -- $1.016 million
· Eric Clapton, Jackie Lomax and Todd Rundgren Gibson SG Standard, known as "The Fool" -- $3.003 million
· Eric Clapton's Martin 000-42 acoustic guitar used on MTV Unplugged -- $4.101 million
· David Gilmour's Martin D-35 acoustic guitar used to record "Wish You Were Here" -- $2.393 million
· Bob Dylan's handwritten lyrics for "The Times They Are A-Changin'" -- $2.515 million
The sale continues today (Friday) and Saturday. For details go to Christies.com.
JOURNEY & LED ZEPPELIN: Patenting and Trademarking Their Future
Journey and Led Zeppelin have been keeping the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office busy. Journey founder and guitarist Neal Schon has filed to have Journey Beyond trademarked for the name of the band following their current Final Frontier tour, and for sound recordings, video releases, and merchandise. Interestingly enough, he's not the only one wanting to trademark the name. Genesco Brands, which owns the Journeys trademark for clothing, filed for and received an extension on the typical 30-day trademark opposition period after Schon's application was published in the Trademarks Official Gazette. Until we know exactly what beyond has in store for Journey, their tour continues tonight (Thursday) in Quebec City followed by Montreal this Friday.
Led Zeppelin continues to try and trademark Led Zeppelin Experience in the U.S. This past December, their application was rejected by the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office, explaining that it's "confusingly similar to the registered mark ‘Led Zeppelin.'" So with three months to respond and revise their application, they did just that, requesting a three-month extension to make their case that they should be awarded control of the trademark. However, the extension has yet to be granted. In 2028, Jason Bonham was touring as Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience when the band asked him to no longer use Experience. "They have plans for the terminology, Led Zeppelin Experience. And I was like, 'Um, okay, but I need to keep the logo, JBLZE.' One, I have the tag on my car, and two, I have a huge backdrop that I paid for last year. For me it's about the music. So the name of it -- I just wanted to keep the logo. So I said, 'I got it. Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening.' I don't know what they have planned, but I said, 'Okay, I will clear the way so they can do what they wish.'" In 2018, Zeppelin and Jason's mom Pat set up a U.K. business named Company 2018, which carries out “activities of exhibition and fair organizers.” They also own trademarks for “The Led Zeppelin Experience” in the U.K. and Europe. They're due to expire in November 2027.
PEARL JAM: Band Has Itself an Author
Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready has joined the likes of Iron Maiden, Gorillaz, Blondie,
“Weird Al'' Yankovic, Machine Gun Kelly, Sublime, Yungblud and many others who have published graphic novels. McCready says Farewell to Seasons is "a story I’ve been developing for many years, inspired by the creativity, community and chaos of the Seattle music scene.
Farewell to Seasons is a historical fantasy set in that world, and alongside the graphic novel there will also be a 'lost' rock opera connected to the story, featuring original music written from the perspective of David Williams, one of the main characters. I’ve had a great time bringing this project to life, and I hope people enjoy the journey as much as I did creating it."
Farewell to Seasons will be published as a standard edition on October 6th, as well as a deluxe edition that contains the rock opera, which will not immediately be available on streaming services or digital platforms. Details at Z2Comics.com.
Chris Robinson Says Ending His Brotherly Feud Paved The Way For Oasis' Reunion
For many people, it once seemed that Liam and Noel Gallagher would never reconcile. The famous feuding brothers of Oasis had been fighting for decades, so what would suddenly inspire them to reconcile and mount a hugely successful comeback tour? Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes says ending his own rift with brother and bandmate Rich Robinson (and reuniting the band after six years apart) had something to do with it. "I don’t care what Noel or Liam say. They are that heavily influenced by how Rich and I’s relationship is going,” he claimed on "Rolling Stone’s" "Nashville Now" podcast. "I would say we’re the barometer to their family dynamic. That’s just a fact," he says. "And I’d like to see either of them deny it." It's certainly plausible; the two bands know each other well, have toured together and stay in touch.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: For St. Paddy's Day Bruce Springsteen has released a cover of The Pogues' "A Rainy Night in Soho." It's the first track off 20th Century Paddy - The Songs of Shane MacGowan, a tribute album to the band's
late frontman Shane MacGowan, and it's available now on all streaming platforms. The album, whose title was inspired by MacGowan as 20th Century Paddy is one he had always wanted to make himself. It will be out on November 13th and also features contributions from Imelda May and Johnny Depp, David Gray, Dropkick Murphys, Glen Hansard, Steve Earle, Jesus and Mary Chain, Tom Waits and many others. 50% of artist royalties will be donated to Dublin Simon Community to provide lifesaving housing and healthcare for those experiencing homelessness.
Springsteen says, "Shane was all naked bottomless humanity. Threatening to force us to ask ourselves if we were living deeply, authentically. He was raw, hilarious, no apologies and profound. His soul was filled with the transgressive and ecstatic properties of the saints.”
In May of 2023, Springsteen paid a visit to the ailing MacGowan, after which his wife Victoria said, "What an amazing honor and a beautiful experience to get a visit from The Boss. Such a truly wonderful man and a total genius.” And when Springsteen returned to Ireland a year later, he performed "A Rainy Night in Soho" during his three shows there.
MacGowan was 65 when he passed from pneumonia in 2023.
Film Of John Lennon And Yoko Ono's One To One Concerts Hitting Theaters
John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "One To One" concerts are hitting theaters. The concert film, titled "Power to the People," captures John and Yoko's historic concerts in August of 1972 at Madison Square Garden. They were Lennon's only full-length performances after The Beatles' breakup in 1970. The footage has been restored, re-edited, and remixed by a team led by the couple's son Sean Ono Lennon. "Power to the People" will be in theaters nationwide on April 29th and May 3rd.
OZZY: Has Been Reborn
Ozzy Osbourne has been resurrected as a girl. Ozzy Matilda Osbourne was born on March 5th to Ozzy's son Jack and wife Aree, and the elder Ozzy knew of his daughter-in-law's pregnancy before a heart attack took him last July 22nd at 76. Jack recently said that his wife's pregnancy helped mourn the loss of his father. "I think it's been partly a healthy distraction, partly healing -- probably in that kind of 'full cycle' category, in a weird way. It's very much taken energy out of the grieving side of things and parked in a bit more hopefulness." Little Ozzy is Jack and Aree's second daughter, and Jack's fifth -- he has three with his ex-wife, Lisa.
IN OTHER NEWS
The late Bob Weir’s side project, Wolf Bros, featuring Don Was, will continue. Their first show, a festival date, will be announced next week. Weir died this past January 10th from lung issues at 78.
Bruce Springsteen’s latest archival concert release is from June 22nd, 2000 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. It’s the fifth of 10 nights at the “World’s Most Famous Arena” on his reunion tour with The E Street Band. Among the 25 songs are the premiere of “Another Thin Line,” which he co-wrote with his friend Joe Grushecky, and the first concert performance of “Secret Garden” off his 1995 Greatest Hits album. You can buy the album on Nugs.net.