Out Now: Yes Goes Big With Super Deluxe Edition Of 'Fragile'

 

Yes's fourth album, Fragile, first reached the American Top 10 in February 1972. Reaching platinum in the U.K. and double platinum in the U.S., the record launched the group to new heights with hits like "Roundabout" and its B-side, "Long Distance Runaround."

Rhino is behind an extensive reissue of Fragile featuring a newly remastered version of the original album on both CD and vinyl, plus rare and unreleased recordings. A Blu-ray disc completes the collection with Steven Wilson's new mixes, including the album in Dolby Atmos and 5.1 Mix DTS-HD MA.

Available now, Fragile (Super Deluxe Edition) is includes four CDs, one LP, and a Blu-ray Disc. Renowned audio engineer Bernie Grundman cut lacquers for the set's LP. 

Reflecting on the naming of the album, Jon Anderson states, "It was a magical experience….the music was wonderful…but Fragile was the word I suggested for the name of the album because being in a band was a very fragile experience for everyone….you're never sure who’s gonna be around next week….and if the album would do well…"

Fragile marked keyboardist Rick Wakeman's debut with Yes, which included Jon Anderson (lead vocals), Chris Squire (bass, vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), and Steve Howe (guitar). After he joined in the summer of 1971, the band recorded nine songs for the album, four group arrangements ("Roundabout"), and five individual compositions, including Anderson's "We Have Heaven" and Howe's instrumental "Mood For A Day."

Fragile (Super Deluxe Edition) introduces a new remix of the album and instrumental mixes by Wilson. In addition, two discs of rarities provide a glimpse of the album's creative journey, from early versions of "Roundabout" and "South Side Of The Sky" to unreleased live recordings from the Fragile Tour, including "Long Distance Runaround / The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)."

Fragile holds a special place in Yes' history as the first album to feature artwork by English artist Roger Dean, whose style is now synonymous with the band. Music journalist Syd Schwartz describes the deep connection between the two. "Few marriages of sound and vision are as perfectly suited as Yes and Roger Dean – it was like they grabbed the same shooting star simultaneously. The iconic Yes logo was still an album away, but Fragile established a cosmic vibe forever associated with Yes..."

Catch Yes co-headlining this summer with Deep Purple performing around the US and Canada. See a full list of dates below.

Tour Dates

Aug 14 Hollywood, FL Hardrock Live 

Aug 15 Tampa, FL Hardrock Live 

Aug 17 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 

Aug 19 FT. Worth, TX Dickies Arena 

Aug 21 Cincinnati, OH PNC 

Aug 22 Detroit, MI Michigan Lottery Amp. 

Aug 23 Chicago, IL Credit Union Amp.

Aug 25 Toronto, ON Budweiser 

Aug 27 Montreal, QC Bell Centre

Aug 28 Gilford, NH Bank NH 

Aug 30 Camden, NJ Freedom Mortgage 

Aug 31 Holmdel, NJ PNC Arts 

Sept 1 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach 

Sept 3 Bridgeport, CT Hartford Healthcare

Sept 4 Saratoga Springs, NY Broadview

Sept 6 Bethel Woods, NY Bethel Woods 

Sept 7 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube 

Sept 8 Scranton, PA Montage

OUT TODAY! America's Gerry Beckley Releases Self-Titled 10th Solo Album

Gerry Beckley, singer, songwriter, performer and co-founder of America, releases his 10th solo album, titled simply Gerry Beckley, TODAY!  For the album, Beckley says there was a pragmatic reason for putting his own name as the title for his 10th solo outing. "There wasn't an obvious title that was leaning in its favor, and I've never done a self-titled album, so it felt like, OK, this might be it," he says with a small chuckle.

With America on an open-ended hiatus from touring, Beckley found time to go through some of the songs he had put away for a rainy day. Beckley had a lot to choose from -- chronologically, stylistically, topically. For instance, "Crazy," dates back more than 10 years, first written between breaks of America's then-grueling tour schedule. Working with longtime producer and collaborator, Jeff Larson, Beckley explains "Jeff and I found it on a hard drive, and I thought, 'That's pretty good. Gimme some time,'" remembers Beckley, who maintains studios in his two residences of Venice, CA and Sydney, Australia. "So, I went in and just did a bunch of extra stuff, layered it up, and it came out great.

But it was one of those songs that I'd forgotten about." Beckley also likens it to the America smash "Sister Golden Hair," "in that it's not about anybody in particular. There's not a relationship I'm dancing around. But it's just themes that I've had in my head."

Beckley plays the bulk of the instruments on 12 tracks but gets help from a core group of players that includes former Chicago bassist Jason Scheff, guitarist Steve Fekete, drummer Brian Young and backing vocalists Jeff Larson and Brian Eichenberger. Nick Lane and Matt Combs, also longtime musical fellow travelers, arranged horn and string parts, respectively.

"I tend to do things in layers," says Beckley, who mixed the album himself. He cites influences such as Tom Petty's Wildflowers and, more recently, The 1975. "I've been kind of dipping back into the Wall of Sound stuff and using more echoes and just making it bigger. It might not sound like that at first, but if you were to put some headphones on and listen you start to notice little things that make the songs work."

All told, Gerry Beckley continues a musical path that's now in its seventh decade and, in Beckley's mind, a continuing conversation between a songwriter and his audience. "I'm proud of all (the albums)," he says. "But I really like this album a lot. I think the sum of all the parts is really great. And I can't wait to do more."

Neil Young Cancels Tour

Neil Young and Crazy Horse has announced that illness among “a couple of us” will end the rest of their tour plans.

The 78-year-old Young and his band last appeared in May. Young didn’t specify who among the group is ill or the problem.

Canceled are seven Canadian shows Young planned in July, plus three U.S. shows he had scheduled for late September at the Hollywood Bowl, Southern California’s Ohana Fest, and Kentucky’s Bourbon & Beyond Festival.

Young said in a statement on his website that the unnamed band members fell ill at some point after their last gig on May 22 at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan.

“The Love Earth Tour has been a great experience for us so far,” Young’s message to fans began. “GREAT AUDIENCES AND MUSIC. WE HAVE HAD A BLAST!”

He continued, “When a couple of us got sick after Detroit’s Pine Knob, we had to stop. We are still not fully recovered, so sadly our great tour will have a big unplanned break. We will try to play some of the dates we miss as time passes when we are ready to rock again! We know many of you made travel plans and we apologize for the inconvenience. Thanks for your understanding and patience.”

Young concluded, “Health is # 1…. We want to stay and do more shows and more albums for you…. and for for us…. With love and thanks to all of you from Crazy Horse….. Neil, Micah, Ralph and Billy… Love Earth.”

Young has an album release on Friday. Early Daze is a collection of previously unreleased recordings that Young made with Crazy Horse in 1969.

Eagles Add More Sphere Las Vegas Dates

 

The Eagles have announced four additional shows for the band’s residency at SPHERE in Las Vegas, now featuring a total of 16 shows over eight exclusive weekends, from Friday, Sept. 20 through Saturday, Dec. 14.  The Sphere residency will offer fans the ultimate connection to the band’s legendary catalog in an immersive experience that only Sphere can provide. The general on-sale for the four new weekend shows will begin Friday, July 12 at 10 AM PT at eagles.com.

EAGLES – LIVE IN CONCERT AT SPHERE dates:

• Friday, September 20
• Saturday, September 21
• Friday, September 27
• Saturday, September 28
• Friday, October 11
• Saturday, October 12
• Friday, October 18
• Saturday, October 19
• Friday, November 1
• Saturday, November 2
• Friday, November 8
• Saturday, November 9
• Friday, December 6
• Saturday, December 7
• Friday, December 13
• Saturday, December 14

Tickets start at $175 and will reflect all-in pricing, meaning the ticket price listed is inclusive of taxes and fees. 

To assist in getting tickets directly into the hands of fans, advance Artist presale registration is available now at eagles.com powered by Seated. The Artist presale begins Tuesday, July 9 at 10 AM PT. A Live Nation presale begins Thursday, July 11 at 10 AM PT. 

Vibee is the Hotel & Experience Package partner for the Eagles Sphere residency. Vibee packages include a 2-night stay at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas - the only resort attached to Sphere – with guests receiving priority entry to Sphere, commemorative keepsakes, and access to a fan experience. Vibee Hotel & Experience packages are available now at Eagles.vibee.com.

Limited VIP Ticket Packages will be available Tuesday, July 9, at 10 AM PT at eagles.com and include premium seats, exclusive merchandise, parking & more.

These shows will utilize Sphere’s next-generation technologies, including the world’s highest-resolution LED display that wraps up, over, and around the audience, creating a fully immersive visual environment. The venue also features the world’s most advanced concert-grade audio system, Sphere Immersive Sound, powered by HOLOPLOT, which delivers audio with unmatched clarity and precision to every guest.

BEAT Tour, Performing 1980s King Crimson Music, Adds Dates To 2024 Tour

 

From the moment BEAT went on-sale, tickets flew out of box offices across North America.  Tour Producer Angelo “Scrote” Bundini shares, “Due to overwhelming demand, Adrian, Steve, Tony and Danny have decided to extend the BEAT tour with an additional 21 shows in order to perform these incredible King Crimson albums for even more fans. We are adding many additional cities alongside second and even third appearances in various regions. Sixty five dates in total! The audience has spoken loudly so BEAT is responding in kind.”  

Former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin band together with guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and Tool drummer Danny Carey for the first time to create BEAT, a creative reinterpretation of the three iconic 80s King Crimson albums - Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair.

Belew reflects, “The 1981 through 1984 King Crimson created a music all its own. Timeless. Beautiful. Complex. Fierce.  For the fans who lived through it then, and the ones who never got to witness it, our aim is to bring it to life again. A monumental task but we're going for it!  There are not enough exclamation points to express my excitement!”

Vai adds, “Being a part of this ensemble is an extraordinary privilege and opportunity to perform some of the most beloved, timeless, and monumental music of the 80’s (and beyond) with truly inspired musicians. This music resonates deeply with me. Adrian, Tony and Danny are unique musicians with an otherworldly insight into presenting rich musical complexities in a very accessible way, and I am looking forward to searching each other’s musical minds in real time on stage. I’m sure sparks will fly.” He continues, “Father Robert Fripp is one of our historical geniuses. His highly specific and exceptionally brilliant guitar technique is studied and revered. His contribution to the quality of my musical life, and so many others is supreme. I can assure the fans of KC that I will be putting my best foot forward to respect this great music with the care and intensity it deserves. Did I say ‘sparks will fly?’”

Levin offers, “This is going to be quite a tour. Revisiting some of my favorite music is a treat in itself, but in company of this stellar lineup, I expect to have my musical butt kicked! And it’s also great that we’re not just playing a few shows, we’re hitting it hard. So, Road Dogs are coming to your area soon.”

Carey shares, “I am very excited to share the stage with three of my favorite musicians on the planet. Tony, Steve and Adrian have always been a source of inspiration for me since the beginning of my career, and now to be able to share a bit of my musical journey with them is a dream come true. There’s nothing better to make some sparks fly and light a fire under your ass than getting out of your musical comfort zone, and I can’t think of any other three guys I’d rather do this with.  I think I can speak for all of us when I say I hope all of our fans are as excited as we are about this tour.”         

The vision for this undertaking emanated from initial dialogue between Angelo Bundini aka Scrote and Adrian Belew. Tour Producer Bundini recalls, “When Adrian called me to help bring his idea to fruition, I immediately thought it best to focus on the 80s albums: Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair. These three records famously marked Adrian and Tony's entry into King Crimson. Their fluid, melodic virtuosity, and Fripp's and Bruford's dramatic precision created a totally unique, dynamic push and pull that would influence nearly every rock musician and/or band going forward for years, if not decades, to come.” 

Both a meet & greet and a VIP tour package are available for purchase. The M&G includes one premium ticket in the first five rows, early entry, pre-show meet & greet, personal photograph captured, limited edition autographed poster, BEAT challenge coin, tote bag, an exclusive merch item, and an official laminate and lanyard. There is limited availability with pricing set at 200.00. For the VIP tour package, buyers will receive one premium reserved seat in the first 15 rows, a limited edition BEAT tour poster autographed, the challenge coin, an exclusive tour merch item, and a commemorative laminate and lanyard.  Availability is limited at a cost basis of 100.00. For all new appearances being announced today, a third VIP option has been made available. For 300.00, fans will receive the complete package detailed above, with front row seating guaranteed.

Visit BEAT-tour.com for tickets.

The complete updated itinerary of planned appearances follows below. 

9/12 - San Jose Civic - San Jose, CA (SOLD-OUT)

9/13 - Blue Note Napa Summer Sessions at Meritage Resort - Napa, CA

9/14 - The United Theater on Broadway - Los Angeles, CA (SOLD-OUT)

9/15 - City National Grove of Anaheim - Anaheim, CA #

9/17 - Humphrey’s Concerts - San Diego, CA (SOLD-OUT)

9/18 - Celebrity Theatre - Phoenix, AZ 

9/20 - The Paramount Theatre - Austin, TX (SOLD-OUT)

9/21 - Bayou Music Centre - Houston, TX                          

9/22 - Majestic Theatre - Dallas, TX (SOLD-OUT)

9/24 - The Eastern - Atlanta, GA (SOLD-OUT)

9/26 - The Parker - Fort Lauderdale, FL (SOLD-OUT)

9/27 - Hard Rock Live - Orlando, FL                            

9/28 - Ruth Eckerd Hall - Clearwater, FL                        

9/29 - Charleston Music Hall - Charleston, SC #

10/01 - Knight Theater - Charlotte, NC (SOLD-OUT)

10/02 - Carolina Theatre of Durham / Fletcher Hall - Durham, NC (SOLD-OUT)

10/04 - Warner Theatre - Washington, DC (SOLD-OUT)

10/05 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY #

10/06 - Keswick Theatre - Glenside, PA (SOLD-OUT)

10/08 - Carpenter Theater in Dominion Energy Center - Richmond, VA

10/09 - Count Basie Center - Red Bank, NJ (SOLD-OUT)

10/11 - Shubert Theatre - Boston, MA (SOLD-OUT)

10/12 - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom - Hampton Beach, NH (SOLD-OUT)

10/14 - Rebecca Cohen Auditorium - Halifax, NS (SOLD-OUT)

10/15 - Casino New Brunswick - Moncton, NB                         

10/17 - Theatre Maisonneuve - Montreal, QC (SOLD-OUT)

10/18 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON (SOLD-OUT)

10/19 - Kodak Center - Rochester, NY (SOLD-OUT)

10/21 - The Egg - Albany, NY (SOLD-OUT) 

10/22 - Palace Theatre - Greensburg, PA (SOLD-OUT)

10/23 - Santander Performing Arts Center - Reading, PA #

10/25 - Agora Theatre - Cleveland, OH #

10/26 - Taft Theatre - Cincinnati, OH (SOLD-OUT)

10/27 - Masonic Cathedral Theatre - Royal Oak, MI #

10/28 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN                         

10/30 - Murat Theatre - Indianapolis, IN                      

11/01 - Copernicus Center - Chicago, IL (SOLD-OUT)

11/02 - The Riverside Theater - Milwaukee, WI                       

11/03 - Orpheum Theater - Madison, WI                           

11/04 - State Theatre - Minneapolis, MN #

11/06 - Paramount Theatre - Denver, CO (SOLD-OUT)

11/08 - The Theater at Virgin Hotels - Las Vegas, NV                        

11/09 - Humphrey’s Concerts - San Diego, CA                       

11/10 - The United Theater on Broadway - Los Angeles, CA                    

11/18 - B of A PAC - Thousand Oaks, CA               

11/20 - San Jose Civic - San Jose, CA                           

11/21 - Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort - Reno, NV                               

11/22 - Keller Auditorium - Portland, OR                           

11/23 - McDonald Theatre - Eugene, OR                            

11/25 - Orpheum Theatre - Vancouver, BC                      

11/26 - Moore Theatre - Seattle, WA                            

11/30 - The Venue at Horseshoe - Hammond, IN                         

12/02 - UB Center For The Arts - Buffalo, NY                            

12/03 - Mortensen Hall at the Bushnell Center - Hartford, CT                           

12/04 - F.M. Kirby Center - Wilkes-Barre, PA                   

12/06 - Lynn Auditorium - Lynn, MA                               

12/07 - Tropicana Showroom - Atlantic City, NJ                     

12/08 - Kings Theatre - Brooklyn, NY                         

12/10 - Brown Theatre - Louisville, KY                        

12/11 - The Factory - St. Louis, MO                         

12/13 - The Criterion - Oklahoma City, OK                

12/14 - Majestic Theatre - San Antonio, TX                    

12/16 - Revel - Albuquerque, NM                  

12/17 - Fox Tucson Theatre - Tucson, AZ                             

12/18 - Yaamava’ Theater - Highland, CA 

 # - Very limited remaining availability

Gibson Custom Commemorates Jeff Beck With 'YardBurst' 1959 Les Paul Standard

 

Gibson has introduced the Jeff Beck Signature “Yardburst” 1959 Les Paul Standard from Gibson Custom. In honor of Gibson’s 130th anniversary, only 130 of these guitars handmade by the expert luthiers of the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, TN, are a part of a limited run, aged to match the original by the Murphy Lab in the highly coveted Dark Cherry Sunburst finish. 

“Jeff was enormously proud to have owned the original of this guitar,” says Sandra Beck, wife of the late guitarist. “He was aware and fully supportive of the amazing job and love that Gibson Custom provided to create this instrument and would have hoped that this guitar will give hours of pleasure to those who play it.”

Jeff Beck, who passed away in 2023, is considered one of the best guitarists in history, capable of playing virtually anything in his own unique, soulful style. He got his start playing in the Yardbirds, making groundbreaking music on a ’59 Les Paul Standard. The “YardBurst” is a faithful recreation of this guitar, complete with identifiable traits, such as the classic white bobbin humbuckers and black single-ply pickguard. 

“Jeff was a trailblazer, the guitar hero of our guitar heroes and admired by his contemporaries,” says Cesar Gueikian, CEO of Gibson. “Jeff played an instrumental role in the cultural significance of the Gibson Les Paul early in his career during the Yardbursts’ era. Just like Jeff was influenced by Les Paul, he influenced many iconic musicians to create their art with a Gibson Les Paul. We are proud to pay tribute to Jeff.”

Playing alongside some of the greatest artists in rock, blues, and jazz, over the course of Beck’s distinguished 50-plus-year music career, he earned him eight Grammys and two inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – once as a member of the Yardbirds, and again as a solo artist. In the summer of 2016, Beck celebrated his five decades of music with an extraordinary concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl. 

Beck famously replaced Eric Clapton as the Yardbirds’ lead guitarist in 1965 and later went on to form The Jeff Beck Group, which featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood on bass. Their two albums — Truth (1968) and Beck-Ola (1969) — would become musical touchstones for hard rockers in the years to come. The constantly evolving Beck’s next move — a power trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, which released Beck, Bogert and Appice (1973), once again shattered people’s preconceptions of what a rock guitarist was supposed to sound like.

Music has always shared space with Beck’s love of hot rods. After the success of his groundbreaking 1975 jazz-fusion classics Blow By Blow and Wired, both produced by Sir George Martin, Beck began devoting more time to his fleet of cars, but 1985’s Flash kept him in the spotlight as he earned the Best Rock Instrumental Grammy for the song “Escape.” A second Grammy came with Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop With Terry Bozzio And Tony Hymas,” a third for “Dirty Mind” from the You Had It Coming album in 2001, and a fourth Grammy win for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for “Plan B” in 2004. 2009 saw the release of the platinum-selling Performing This Week… Live At Ronnie Scott’s, which earned him a fifth Grammy for  his rendition of the Beatles' “A Day in the Life.”

In June 2010, Beck paid fitting tribute to his mentor, the great Les Paul, celebrating what would have been the pioneering guitarist’s 95th birthday. But it was Beck’s astonishing 2010 solo album, Emotion & Commotion, that brought about two additional Grammys; Beck was nominated in five categories before bringing home three: Best Rock Instrumental Performance for “Hammerhead” and Best Pop Instrumental Performance for “Nessun Dorma,” both from Emotion & Commotion, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for “Imagine,” his collaboration with Herbie Hancock. 

His Rock ‘N’ Roll Party Honoring Les Paul album was nominated for a 2012 Grammy for Best Rock Album. In 2016, he released Loud Hailer, and in 2017, Live At The Hollywood Bowl was released. A new musical collaboration with Johnny Depp, the 13-track album 18, was released on July 15, 2022, and featured a mix of Depp vocals with a wide range of instrumental covers from Celtic and Motown to John Lennon, the Beach Boys, and The Velvet Underground.

Jeff Beck recorded with everyone from Stevie Wonder and Buddy Guy to Tina Turner and Mick Jagger, and so many more. Beck will forever be regarded by his peers and worldwide by his multitude of fans as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, thanks to his ability to make impossible sounds effortless.

Visit Gibson.com for more info on the Signature “Yardburst” 1959 Les Paul Standard.

Visit JeffBeck.com for more info on Jeff Beck.   

Todd Rundgren's 'Liars Live' Coming To Blu-ray

Todd Rundgren's Liars Live, a 160-minute concert comprising material from the 2004 album, Liars, is coming to Blu-ray Disc on July 19. The show was filmed on June 9, 2005, in Albany, NY, also features other songs from Rundgren's extensive catalog.  

Rundgren and his band, which includes Utopia members Kasim Sulton, Jesse Gress, and Prairie Prince, delivers 19 songs, including the classic "Hello It's Me," as well as a cover of The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."