Acoustic Hot Tuna Set To Tour This Summer & Fall

 

With continual creativity and finesse Acoustic Hot Tuna sets out touring across the United States July, August and September. Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady's joy in playing unfiltered riffs, swapping notes and smiles, has delighted them and thrilled their audiences for seven decades, 

Hot Tuna has brought a wealth of emotions to their music through deep perceptions and tremendous talent. Members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy recipients they are always injecting fresh energy into their sound with constant improvisation taking their musical horizons further. 

Hot Tuna and related 2024 Tour

June 22  River of Time Boutique & Gallery, Athens, Ohio (Jorma Kaukonen & John Hurlbut)  

July 11  Natalie's Music Hall, Columbus, OH  

July 13 & 14 Fur Peace Station, Pomeroy, OH  

July 19  Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg, PA  

July 20 Arrowwood Farms, Accord, NY  (w/Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams & More)

July 21  Paramount, Huntington, NY 

Aug 18 & 19  The Iron Horse, Northampton, MA  (Jorma Kaukonen)

Aug 21  Narrows Ctr for the Arts, Fall River, MA  (Jorma Kaukonen)

Aug 23  One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME  (Jorma Kaukonen)

Aug. 25  Double Performance Center, Essex Junction, VT  (Jorma Kaukonen)

Sept 12,13,14,15  Egyptian Theatre, Park City, UT  

Sept 19  Lincoln Theatre, Mount Vernon, WA 

Sept 20  The Rialto, Tacoma, WA  

Sept 21  Aladdin Theatre, Portland, OR  

Sept 23  McDonald Theatre, Eugene, OR  

Sept 24  Van Duzer Theatre, Arcata, CA  

Sept 26, 27, 28  Freight and Salvage, Berkeley, CA  

Sept 30  Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara, CA  

Oct 01  Belly Up Tavern, Solano Beach, CA  

Oct 03 & 04  Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, AZ  

Oct 05  The Rialto Theatre, Tucson, AZ  

Acoustic Hot Tuna except where noted

Styx & Foreigner Announce Tour Companion Album ‘Renegades & Juke Box Heroes’ Picture Disc and Limited-Edition Vinyl

 

"Cold As Ice,” “Too Much Time On My Hands,” “Juke Box Hero,” “Renegade” and more! Nothing sounds more like the soundtrack of summer than Styx and Foreigner’s biggest hits. Recently announced as inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Foreigner hits the road in June co-headlining the Renegades & Juke Box Heroes trek with Styx and special guest John Waite. Adding to the excitement, a special limited-edition companion album called Renegades & Juke Box Heroes will be available exclusively at tour stops starting at the June 11 tour launch in Grand Rapids, MI at the Van Andel Arena, and at select retail on July 12.

 

Available as a picture disc or in elegant silver vinyl, the album features both bands’ greatest hits  mastered for vinyl by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound with lacquers cut by Joe Nino-Hernes. Tracks include Foreigner's hits, including “Feels Like The First Time,” “Cold As Ice,” and “I Want To Know What Love Is,” alongside Styx hits “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights),” “Come Sail Away,” and “Renegade.” 

 

Just 1,000 copies of the picture disc and only 5,000 individually numbered copies of the silver edition are available. A 13-track CD featuring all three artists and including the vinyl tracks is also available. The songs are available on all digital outlets. The picture disc will be available on thew Foreigner and Styx websites, and the silver edition will be available on Amazon on July 12.

The Renegades & Juke Box Heroes tour launches today in Grand Rapids, MI, at the Van Andel Arena. John Waite’s hit songs, “Missing You” and “When I See You Smile” will help ensure a summer evening of feel-good anthems. Tickets are going fast, available at LiveNation.com. For more information, please visit foreigneronline.com or styxworld.com.

 

With more Billboard Top 10 hits than Journey, and just as many as Fleetwood Mac, Foreigner is one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 80 million. Responsible for some of rock and roll’s most enduring anthems, including “Juke Box Hero,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Urgent,” “Head Games,” “Say You Will,” “Dirty White Boy,” “Long, Long Way From Home” and “I Want To Know What Love Is,” Foreigner still rocks the charts more than 40 years into the game with massive airplay and continued Billboard Top 200 album success.  

 

Styx have committed to rocking audiences far and wide by entering their second decade of averaging over 100 shows a year, and each one of them is committed to making the next show better than the last. Styx draws from over four decades of barn burning chart hits, joyous singalongs, and hard-driving deep cuts. From “Lady” and “Miss America,” to “Come Sail Away” and “Renegade,” the band draws on an unlimited cache of ways to immerse one’s mind and body in their signature sound. More recently, the band released 2017’s The Mission (their first new studio album in 14 years at the time), followed by and 2021's Crash Of The Crown. 

 

Foghat Release New Video From Top 10 Blues Album, 'Sonic Mojo'

Foghat has released the latest live video for "Black Days & Blue Nights" from their first album in seven years, Sonic Mojo. The song was written by the current lineup — founding drummer Roger Earl, lead singer/guitarist Scott Holt, slide lead guitarist/engineer/co-producer Bryan Bassett, bassist/vocalist Rodney O’Quinn, and their manager Linda Arcello-Earl — about the band’s original lead slide guitarist Rod Price, who passed away in 2005. 

Price first joined the band in 1971 when Roger Earl, Dave Peverett, and Tony Stevens decided to leave Savoy Brown to create a new group, which they later named Foghat. In search of a guitarist, they placed an ad in the U.K’s Melody Maker magazine. Roger Earl recalls: “We auditioned several guitarists, many of them very good, but to the best of my recollection, Rod was the only one who played slide. His slide playing was very intense with this incredible vibrato. Dave and I looked at each other…he was the one.”

Check out the video for "Black Days & Blue Nights" below.  

Roger Earl: “This song is our Ode to Rod Price. Our manager Linda and I began writing the song, because she had also managed Rod for a few years after he left Foghat in 1980. We felt compelled to write something about him. Rod was a complicated man. He was a beautiful soul, and we were good friends when he joined the band. However, after four or five years on the road, it started to wear on him. He was seeking a more peaceful existence. We were touring relentlessly and although Dave and I loved it, it was tough on Rod.”­­­

Bryan Bassett: “I have fond recollections of my time spent touring with Rod Price. The year was 1991. I was touring Europe with Lonesome Dave and it was an anniversary year for the band Foghat, the band having been formed in 1971. Dave asked Rod to join us on our European trip and he decided he would. I had a blast traveling around the continent with Rod, studying his playing style up close and personal, as well as becoming friends. We often roomed together and talked about many things outside of music. I had just met my soon-to-be wife Julie and my discussions with Rod about maybe getting married were very important to me. We also spoke about many different styles of music. He was a particular fan of Philip Glass and many other classical composers. I saw a side of Rod many may not have seen. Most knew him only from his powerful stage presence. I cherish the memories and the time I with spent him.”

Scott Holt: “Rod Price was the lynchpin of the guitars in Foghat. He was the lead guitar player and he created the sound that became Foghat. ‘Slow Ride’ doesn’t exist without that iconic drum intro and Rod Price’s slide playing.”

Rodney O’Quinn: “Rod Price! One of the most electrifying slide players I’ve ever heard. His vibrato was amazing and off the charts. All I can say is he was electrifying!”

Manager Linda Arcello-Earl: “When I started working for Foghat In 1976, I was put ‘in charge’ of Rod. He had the best giggle, fun to be around, incredibly talented, and very insecure. Making decisions on things like buying furniture for his new home was a real challenge. We had some laughs decorating! Rod and I were good friends, and I totally respected his extraordinary talent. The Stone Blue tour in 1978 totally did him in. On the road eight days a week, they had very little time off. When he left Foghat in 1980, I managed him and a new band he put together called Nightwatch. We recorded six tracks up at Bearsville Studios in 1982 and did a brief Northeast club tour and had a good couple of years before things started to fall apart. I am working on releasing the Nightwatch recordings in the very near future.”

Upon its release, Sonic Mojo soared to the top spot of the Billboard “Blues Albums” chart, where it hasn’t left the Top 10 for the past 26 weeks! It’s the first time the band — which originated in 1971 —has ever landed at #1 on any of Billboard’s charts after a new album release.

Sonic Mojo was released November 10, 2023 on their own label, Foghat Records, and is distributed by Select-O-Hits (part of the Sun Records family) in the U.S. by Proper Music in the U.K., and in Europe via Metalville Records. It’s available in various formats including a single CD boasting 12 electrifying tracks in a stunning six-page digipak and digital copies here. For vinyl enthusiasts, there’s a limited edition 180gram, neon purple vinyl version featuring 11 tracks and a gatefold jacket. Plus, extra special CD and vinyl bundles, complete with exclusive merchandise, can be found here.

The album’s first three singles, “Drivin’ On,” “She’s a Little Bit of Everything” (co-written by the late Kim Simmonds from Savoy Brown) and “I Don’t Appreciate You” are streaming on the band’s official YouTube page.

Check out the band’s itinerary below:

6/7/2024 - Ruth Eckerd Hall - Clearwater, FL   

6/9/2024 - The Plaza Live - Orlando, FL   

6/15/2024 - The Parker - Fort Lauderdale, FL  

6/29/2024 - Buffalo Run Casino & Resort - Miami, OK  

7/18/2024 - Moondance Jam - Walker, MN  

7/20/2024 - Sunset Point Park - Kimberly, WI   

7/26/2024 - Washington County Fair - West Bend, WI   

7/28/2024 - Montana State Fair 2024 - Great Falls, MT   

8/10/2024 - Beaver Dam Amphitheater - Beaver Dam, KY   

8/11/2024 - Bethlehem - Musikfest, PA 

8/17/2024 - Saskatoon Festival - Saskatoon, SK   

8/22/2024 - Blue Gate Perf Arts Center - Shipshewana, IN    

8/24/2024 - Gatlinburg Convention Center - Gatlinburg, TN   

8/31/2024 - Nugget Casino Resort - Sparks, NV   

9/13/2024 - Sozo Sports Event Center - Yakima, WA  

9/20/2024 - Mccain Auditorium - Manhattan, KS  

9/23/2024 - Bloomsburg Fair - Bloomsburg, PA   

10/4/2024 - Odawa Casino - Petoskey, MI    

10/26/2024 - Homochillo River Festival - Meadville, MS  

11/2/2024 - Agave Caliente Terraza - Cathedral City, CA  

11/23/2024 - The Family Arena - St. Charles, MO  

11/30/2024 - Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin - DellsBaraboo, WI   

1/26/2025 - Belly Up - Solana Beach, CA   

2/13/2025 - Rock Legends Cruise XII - Miami, FL   

For more info, visit foghat.com.

Pete Townshend's 'Live In Concert 1985-2001' Box Set Announced

UMe has announced Pete Townshend's Live In Concert 1985-2001, a 14-CD box and digital set featuring seven long-out-of-print live albums by Pete Townshend.

Newly remastered by Jon Astley, the set gathers together for the first time all of the live solo recordings that were only available via Pete Townshend’s website, Eel Pie. All of the albums have been out of print for two decades. The set comes out on July 26.

The box set features expanded deluxe packaging in a CD sized box with new art by longtime Townshend collaborator Richard Evans, sleeve notes by band archivist Matt Kent, a new exclusive Pete Townshend interview, and rare photos and memorabilia in a hard-backed book.

The live shows included in the box set are Pete Townshend’s Deep End, live at Brixton Academy in London recorded on November 1 and 2, 1985, featuring David Gilmour from Pink Floyd on guitar; a live full rendition of Pete’s album Psychoderelict and more recorded at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, on August 7, 1993, during Townshend’s only full solo tour; an intimate show from The Fillmore in San Francisco on April, 30, 1996, around the time of his first solo compilation album CoolWalkingSmoothTalkingStraightSmokingFireStoking. 

The Who guitarist returned to his old stomping ground for the first time in 30 years with Live At The Shepherd’s Bush Empire November 9,  1998. There are also as two nights at London’s Sadlers Wells Theatre, usually home to ballet and modern dance shows, presenting music from Life House. It was the only time a full Life House show has been attempted and the only times some of those songs were ever performed. There's also two shows from the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, where the Tommy musical ran, on June 22 and 23, 2001.

The shows included in this box set were all previously released online through Eel Pie. There was only one run of each CD, and they all quickly became collector’s items. While Townshend has often performed short solo sets for charitable reasons for, amongst others, Amnesty International, The Prince’s Trust and his own Double O charity, which helps victims of domestic abuse and those suffering from addiction, full solo shows have been few and far between. When he has put on an entire solo show, the setlists have been picked from his own output, specific Who songs, and cover versions of artists who have influenced him over the years.

Speaking of performing solo or performing with a band that wasn’t The Who, Pete Townshend said, “I always have too much to do, too much responsibility, and not enough time. I have to live enough life to provide me with inspiration and context for my songs, I have to then spend enough time in my home studio finessing songs so they feel worthy of my band (The Who), then I have to re-record them with that band, then speak eloquently about them to the media, justifying my creative divergences, then I must tour endlessly behind the new music, continuing to celebrate the old stuff as well, and then start all over again. The idea that I would do all that for The Who and then do it for myself as well is simply plain insane. And yet for a while I tried. It didn’t go well. One career is enough.”

As Who and Townshend archivist Matt Kent puts it “When Pete Townshend plays a solo show it isn’t just a concert, it is an EVENT. These CDs represent just how good these events are.”

Pre-order Pete Townshend's Live In Concert 1985-2001.

Deep Purple Release New Song And Video From Upcoming Album

Following the single "Portable Door," Deep Purple has released "Pictures Of You," the second song from their upcoming album =1.

The new song is now available for streaming and as instant gratification track with all digital download pre-orders for =1. Additionally, the single is offered as part of a four-track bundle which features two previously unreleased live recordings from 2022 in Milan, Italy: "When A Blind Man Cries" and "Uncommon Man."

The single will be released on CD and 12” vinyl on June 28th, with each format being strictly limited to 5,000 pieces worldwide, and each copy being numbered by hand.

Accompanying the new single release is the official music video for "Pictures of You," which you can check out below. 

=1 encapsulates the band’s philosophy of unity amidst complexity, promising an album that resonates deeply with their five decades spanning hard rock legacy. Produced once again by iconic Bob Ezrin, =1 captures the purest classic Deep Purple sound, without relying on nostalgia.

=1 will be released on July 19th via earMUSIC as Ltd. CD+DVD (Digipak), CD (Jewelcase), 2LP Gatefold (black, 180g), Ltd. Purple 2LP Gatefold (180g), Ltd. Crystal Clear 2LP (180g) and Ltd. Box Set (CD+DVD Digipak, 2LP black Gatefold, 3x exclusive 10” vinyl editions feat. live recordings from Deep Purple’s 2022 tour, exclusive Collector’s T-shirt, 2x exclusive guitar picks, 1x exclusive art print, 1x exclusive lanyard, and the chance to win a Golden Ticket giving access to every show on the Deep Purple ‘=1 MORE TIME’ tour). All LPs include a 12-page LP sized booklet.

The bonus DVD features the approx. 60 minute documentary Access All Areas joining Deep Purple backstage on tour and providing an exclusive look behind the scenes.

Further exclusive items are available via the official album store: Ltd. 2LP Picture Disc, Ltd. Cassette, strictly limited canvas signed by all band members – limited to 150 items only and various other merchandise items.

Pre-order Deep Purple's =1.

In celebration of the new album, Deep Purple will perform more than 60 concerts worldwide this year during their ‘=1MORE TIME’ tour.

=1 MORE TIME TOUR DATES

Aug. 14 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live

Aug. 15 – Tampa, FL @ Seminole Hard Rock Event Center

Aug. 17 – The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Aug. 18 – Durant, OK @ Choctaw Casino – Grand Theater

Aug. 19 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena

Aug. 21 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center

Aug. 22 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

Aug. 23 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

Aug. 25 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage

Aug. 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre

Aug. 28 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion

Aug. 30 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Aug. 31 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

Sept. 1 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

Sept. 3 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater

Sept. 4 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPAC

Sept. 6 – Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Sept. 7 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live

Sept. 8 – Scranton, PA @ The Pavilion at Montage Mountain

Tickets are available at deeppurple.com.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens' Classic 'Foreigner' Remastered And Set For Reissue On July 26

Since 2020, Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ iconic 1970s albums have steadily been lovingly remastered and reissued in celebration of their enduring popularity more than a half century later. Now, following acclaimed multi-format reissues for Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman, Teaser and the Firecat, Harold and Maude, and most recently Catch Bull At Four, the legendary singer-songwriter’s classic 1973 album, Foreigner, will be released in a variety of newly remastered formats on July 26 via A&M/UMe.

Foreigner showed enormous artistic ambition and courage with Cat boldly stepping away from his signature acoustic sound in order to freely explore the heat and love of the soul and R&B genres. Recorded in the heart of Jamaica, the album reached No. 3 on both the U.S. and U.K. album charts. 

The album will be available on vinyl for the first time since its original release, on both 180-gram black vinyl and limited edition 180-gram blue vinyl, with a replica 12” lyric card insert. The blue vinyl pressing can be purchased exclusively at CatStevens.com, uDiscover Music and Sound of Vinyl.

Foreigner will also return to CD for the first time since its reissue in 2000, complete with a 16-page booklet. The new remaster will also be available for streaming in both standard and stunning hi-resolution audio. The initial production run of the vinyl and CD versions will feature the super rare color front cover, originally released only on the original A&M pressings in 1973.

Pre-order Foreigner

Foreigner, released in 1973, was Cat Stevens’ fifth LP with Island Records/A&M and represents the adventurous, risk-taking streak in his character. In addition to the radical shift away from his more familiar acoustic sound in favor of a smoother, more luxurious American sound, the album is also entirely self-produced - the first time Stevens had worked fully independently in this way. He chose to record predominantly in Jamaica and recruited an all-star band from the R&B world including drummer Bernard Purdie, guitarist Phil Upchurch and the Tower of Power horn section in order to help realize his soulful vision. 

As a result, Foreigner is simply one of the most creative of all Stevens’ albums: the entire first side consists of the 18-minute opus, “Foreigner Suite,” which transports the listener on an epic journey of compelling grooves and deeply layered lyrical meaning, and the album’s second side includes the Top 40 hit, “The Hurt,” which exemplifies the authenticity of Stevens' relationship with soul music. Foreigner is essential listening for anyone who truly wishes to understand the range and courage that underpins Cat Stevens’ artistry.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens offers, "We’re all foreigners. Say to an American or a European, that he’s a foreigner and he’ll say, 'No, you’re the foreigner!' But we’re all foreigners here, in a wider sense. We're all looking for freedom and accommodation within humanity."

In addition to Foreigner being re-released, Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ timeless trilogy, 1970’s Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman and 1971’s Teaser and the Firecat are being pressed on limited edition 180-gram color vinyl, with each LP receiving a unique color variant: Mona Bone Jakon on Sky Blue, Tea for the Tillerman on Mint Green, and Teaser and the Firecat on Neon Orange. The albums will each boast the remastered 2020 audio and be released on July 5.

Pre-order Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman, and Teaser and the Firecat color vinyl.

John Lennon’s Lost ‘Help!’ Guitar Auctioned For $2.9 Million

An iconic acoustic guitar used by John Lennon during the 1965 sessions for the Beatles’ Help! album set a new record last Wednesday (May 29) when it sold for $2.9 million at a Julien’s auction. The auction at the Times Square Hard Rock Café where the 1964 Framus Hootenanny acoustic guitar went under the gavel came after the instrument went missing for nearly half a century.

Julien’s said the sale made it the most expensive Beatles guitar to ever sell at auction. “We are absolutely thrilled and honored to have set a new world record with the sale of John Lennon’s lost hootenanny guitar,” said Julien’s CEO David Goodman in a statement. “This guitar is not only a piece of music history but a symbol of John Lennon’s enduring legacy. Today symbolizes what we do best at Julien’s – creating opportunities for people to reconnect with the cultural touchstones that have shaped the moments that matter most throughout their lives. Today’s unprecedented sale is a testament to the timeless appeal and reverence of The Beatles’ music and John Lennon.”

The Framus 12-string — which was also used by late Beatles guitarist/singer George Harrison during the sessions for 1965’s Rubber Soul and was heard and seen on the Help! album and movie — was purchase via a phone bid from an undisclosed buyer. The guitar went missing for nearly 50 years after Lennon gave it to Peter & Gordon’s Gordon Waller, who he and Paul McCartney had been writing songs for. Waller, in turn, gave it to his manager, who stashed it in an attic of his home, according to Julien’s.

Julien co-founder Darren Julien said in a video that a British man found the guitar and its case in his parent’s attic when they were moving out and promptly reached out to the auction house, who authenticated it with a Beatles expert. The guitar was initially valued at an estimated $600,000-$800,000 before selling to the anonymous buyer for $2,857,500.

In 2015, another Lennon acoustic guitar sold at auction for a then-record $2.4 million.