Nikki Sixx Says He's Locked And Loaded To Deal With Stalkers
Nikki Sixx is ready to take matters into his own hands when it comes to stalkers. Talking to X, the musician revealed that he no longer posts photos of his youngest daughter because his family has been stalked and threatened multiple times over the last few years. He added "some are in jail now but Ruby doesn't need to be exposed to millions of people." The Motley Crue rocker added "we also live in Wyoming on private property and we are locked and loaded." In 2023, the bassist revealed he was dealing with a "deranged woman from Tennessee" who threatened his family with bodily harm.
U2 Teases First New Album in Nearly a Decade
U2 is set to release their first album in nine years, with the band working on new music that may tie into their 50th anniversary in 2026. The album will follow 2017's Songs of Experience, and no release date or title has been announced yet. The band members are eager for the new album, with guitarist The Edge hinting that some tracks may have an Irish folk music influence. Producer Brian Eno has returned to work with the band, and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. rejoined the sessions after recovering from surgery in 2023. Bono mentioned that the new album might lead to a tour, expressing hope that their fans will continue to support them.
Elton John Announces Academy Awards Viewing Party
Elton John is sharing some details for his annual Elton John Aids Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party. The party will be held on the night of the Oscars, March 15th, at West Hollywood Park. John will host the event alongside his husband David Furnish, and Neil Partick Harris and his husband David Burtka. The singer has yet to reveal the night's entertainment, and has been asking for input from fans. Last year's party featured a performance from Chappell Roan.
BRIAN MAY: Crazy Little Thing Called the World
While Queen guitarist Brian May puts on a brave face in his New Year message, saying there are "new opportunities, new dreams, new challenges, and new fulfillments," he actually finds it hard to be optimistic. In an interview with the Radio Times he says, "I feel despondent about the world of humans. It keeps me awake at night. The cruelty, the ignorance, the lies, the rewriting of history. I think an understanding and love of art and music make it impossible to be the kind of person who wants to go out and be cruel to others. "There’s so much suffering in the world. Why would we want to add to it? We’ve lost the ability to discuss things and respect other people’s point of view, we have a horrendous polarization." His very understandable pessimism notwithstanding, May is working on a deluxe reissue of Queen's second album, Queen 2, for release this year.
DAVID BOWIE: A Fitting Tribute
David Bowie would have turned 79 this Thursday, January 8th, and Saturday marks the 10th anniversary of his death. So, what better way to pay tribute him than by streaming one of his iconic songs. 1977's "Heroes," which was played over the closing credits of the finale of the Netflix series Stranger Things, saw close to a 500% increase in streaming. Prior to the episode, the last five months saw the song averaging around 94,000 streams a day. After the New Year's Eve broadcast that number jumped to 342,000 streams on January 1st, 456,000 on the 2nd, and 470,000 on the 3rd. The suggestion to use the song in the episode came from actor Joe Keery, who plays Steve Harrington in the show. It was also a nod to the Peter Gabriel cover of the song, which was featured in earlier seasons.
SOUNDGARDEN: Learn How to Play "Spoonman"
Matt Cameron teamed up with the folks at Drumeo to show how to play the drum part in Soundgarden's 1994 classic "Spoonman." Cameron goes through the origins of the track and how he came up with the drum intro that's in 7/4 time. Watch it on YouTube.
ZZ Top Were Offered $1 Million Each to Shave Their Beards
ZZ Top was offered $1 million per member to shave their beards on television by Gillette in the '80s, but they turned down the offer. Billy Gibbons confirmed the rumor during a podcast, saying that the band decided to keep their trademark beards. Despite the temptation of the money, ZZ Top's decision to maintain their facial hair made their fans happy. The band's iconic beards have become a trademark and a disguise that turned into a symbol of their identity.
Oasis Shoots Down "James Bond" Theme Song Rumors
It’s time for a new Oasis rumor, apparently. Noel Gallagher is shooting down reports that Oasis has been tapped to record the next James Bond theme song. Following tabloid stories claiming the reunited band was being lined up for the gig, Gallagher told talkSPORT that no one has actually approached them. "This James Bond thing? What, Oasis? No," he said. But he added that he'd be open to it if asked, saying it would be "an absolute honor" and that Bond themes "should be done by Brits, and not Yanks." If it did happen, it would be the first new Oasis material since brothers Noel and Liam reunited for their 2025 tour.
First-Ever Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Recording Released
A piece of rock history has been shared with fans. Over the holidays, Neil Young quietly released the recording of the very first Neil Young & Crazy Horse concert. The February 25, 1970 show at Music Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio, has circulated for years as a bootleg sourced from the soundboard, but now its release is official. The 16-song set includes the debut of "Don’t Let It Bring You Down," the first performance of "Come On Baby Let’s Go Downtown," and Young’s first known live rendition of "It Might Have Been," which he eventually recorded for his "Oceanside/Countryside" album. It's not the first live performance for Young and the band; they played multiple gigs in 1969, but it is the first recorded performance. You can hear it at neilyoungarchives.com.
GUESS WHO: Guess What?
The Guess Who's Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings have long had a contentious relationship. But after sinking a boatload of money into a lawsuit to regain control of band's name and the money that can be made from their upcoming reunion tour, they're making the best of it. As Bachman says, "One plus one equals three." "When we get together, there's like there's a third person in here who goes, 'That's good. That's good. Let's do it together.' There's like an invisible guy between us that kind of glues us together. There's a there's a magic." Cummings says "And I always loved the way he played and he's always liked the way I've sung. I mean, there's a there's a mutual respect and admiration that has never gone away. The music, I think, overrides everything." They've been rehearsing and Cummings says "it sounds great." "We've got real vocal power now. There's seven of us on stage. Six of us are singers. And three guitar players." Their first show is January 31st in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada followed by the Rock Legends Cruise out of Fort Lauderdale at the end of February. That will be followed by a Canadian tour in the spring and summer with former Eagles guitarist Don Felder opening. The Guess Who were the first of three Canadian bands to reunite for tours this year followed by Rush and Triumph.
Vinnie Vincent Not Happy With Lack Of Fan Support For $225 Per Song Price Point On New Music
We told you last month that Vinnie Vincent had put a $225 price tag on his new music...that's $225 for each track. A couple weeks later, it seems the guitarist isn't thrilled with the complaints and lack of sales for his work. On Facebook, he posted his thoughts. "There's no money releasing a record like this with bootlegging thieves at my door. Unless I get compensated for my work, the album stays unheard," Vincent wrote. "It comes down to this; if the fan support is not there which it does not appear to be, this record will not be released. Am I fine with that? Absolutely. 100-percent," he said. "It will be the greatest album of all time, never to be heard, never to be released. If people want my music and think they're punishing me by not buying it because of the price, it matters not to me. They're the ones who will lose out." As to why fans are missing out, the ever-humble Vincent explained, "'Guitarmaggedon' is one of the greatest rock albums of all time. I lived thru 'Meet the Beatles,' 'Led Zeppelin II'... the only difference is these albums are generation tested and have the benefit of fermentation of time. But as for impact and perfection from the first song to last, 'Guitarmaggedon' is a classic."
007: First Light Costar Lenny Kravitz Discusses His Love of James Bond Movies Ahead of His Video Game Debut
Musician and singer Lenny Kravitz is set to make his video game debut in 007: First Light as the character Bawma, a charismatic pirate king with a mysterious edge. Kravitz, a longtime fan of the James Bond films, brings his love for the series to his role in the game. He worked closely with the design team to bring Bawma to life, infusing his own experiences and fashion expertise into the character. While initially portrayed as a villain, hints suggest that Bawma may have a more complex, morally ambiguous role in the game. IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak teases that players will have to wait until the game's release to see how Bawma's character unfolds.
ROB HALFORD Celebrates 40 Years Of Sobriety: 'Four Decades Ago, I Made A Decision To Change The Entire Course Of My Life'
Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford celebrates 40 years of sobriety in a heartfelt video message to fans. Reflecting on his decision to change his life in 1986, Halford emphasizes the ongoing journey of recovery and the importance of honesty, humility, and growth. He credits his higher power, family, friends, and fans for their support in maintaining his sobriety. Halford highlights the transformative impact of sobriety on his life, emphasizing clarity, purpose, and connectivity, and offers hope to those considering taking the first step towards recovery. Despite the changing culture of rock and metal, Halford continues to advocate for sobriety and acknowledges the ongoing challenges of addiction.
They Might Be Giants Announce New EP Eyeball
They Might Be Giants have a new EP on the way. It's called "Eyeball" and it's described as a "warm-up round" for a new studio album. The EP includes the songs "Eyeball," "The Glamour of Rock," "Peggy Guggenheim" and a remix of the title track by The Elegant Too. "Eyeball" will be out on January 15th.
IN OTHER NEWS
Elton John will once again host his annual AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party with an assist from actor Neil Patrick Harris. It will be held on March 15th at West Hollywood Park in West Hollywood, California.
Former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman is working on another memoir, and he says this one will be “different from all the previous ones and will not be a third 'Grumpy Old Rockstar' either. There will be fun anecdotes for sure, but I also want very much to get my musical life down on paper and thoughts as to why things happened and put to bed stuff that has been written in the past that I simply shake my head at.”
Jimmy Page, writing on Instagram, reflected on the events of this day 51 years ago – January 6th, 1975 – when upwards of a thousand Led Zeppelin fans rioted outside Boston Garden while waiting for tickets to go on sale. He says, “Police were called and it all ended with the show being cancelled by Mayor Kevin H. White (who saw red) and, even more, there was apparently a five-year ban put on the band playing the venue. I was blissfully unaware of any of these shenanigans, but the Mayor was, by all accounts, a Rolling Stones fan!” The riot caused $30,000 in damages.
Phil Collins will celebrate his 75th birthday on January 30th and will mark the occasion with the release that day of a color vinyl edition of his two-disc hits collection, The Singles.
Grand Funk Railroad co-founder Mark Farner has produced a video for “Same Game” off his last album, 2024’s Closer to My Home. You can watch it on YouTube.
Mick Jagger sported a leopard mask as he rang in 2026. You can see his look on Instagram.
Keith Richards also posted a New Year message in which he says he hopes to see us all in 2026. One could only hope, as The Rolling Stones have reportedly canceled any tour plans for the year because Richards is apparently not up to it.
Sammy Hagar hosted a 58th birthday party this week for his wife Kari on Maui, which was attended by Mick Fleetwood, Alice Cooper and Duff McKagan. Kari’s birthday is tomorrow, Wednesday, January 7th.
Former Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos, as part of his Bun E's Basement Bootlegs series on YouTube, has posted their show from November 25th, 1973 in St. Paul, Minnesota when they were the house band for Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. This was before Robin Zander joined the band.
