Eddie Vedder’s Solo Album ‘Earthling’ to Feature Collabs With Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Ringo Starr!
Eddie Vedder has stacked the deck on his upcoming second non-soundtrack solo album, Earthling. The Pearl Jam singer revealed that the 13-track collection will feature collaborations with a number of fellow rock/pop icons, including Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and Ringo Starr.
Vedder also dropped the driving new single “Brother the Cloud,” the third song he’s previewed so far from the album due out on Feb. 11 on Seattle Surf/Republic Records. “If I could wish, wish it away/ I would bleed out my knees and pray/ If I could give all that I have/ To bring him back today/ These are but dreams/ As sad as it seems/ They never go away,” Vedder sings urgently on the song’s guitar-driven chorus, while dreaming about pulling a lost friend out of the abyss.
Earthling, the follow-up to Vedder’s 2011 Ukulele Songs solo album, was produced by Grammy-winning producer Andrew Watt (Ozzy Osbourne, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber), and will be accompanied by the singer’s first solo tour in more than a decade. Vedder previously released the songs “Long Way” and “The Haves” from the collection, which also features backing from Watt, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and former RHCP guitarist — and Pearl Jam touring musician Josh Klinghoffer.
The nine-date Earthling tour slated to kick off on Feb. 3 with a two-night stand at the Beacon Theatre in New York will feature an all-star backing band anchored by Smith, guitarist Watt, Klinghoffer, Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney and Ed’s longtime friend and Frames frontman Glen Hansard.
Credits: Gil Kaufman – Billboard Magazine
Neil Young Unveils Documentary on Making of New Album BARN:
Directed by Daryl Hannah, the film captures Young and Crazy Horse recording the album in an old farm shed.
Back in December, Neil Young and Crazy Horse released BARN, an album recorded in a restored 19th century farm shed. Now, they’ve released a documentary on the making of the album. Stream it for free via YouTube below.
Recorded in the Summer of 2021, BARN (the album) marked Young’s 14th long player with Crazy Horse, and saw the folk veteran reunite with longtime bandmates Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina, and Nils Lofgren. Directed by Young’s wife Daryl Hannah, BARN (the film) takes an organic approach to documenting the recording process. Single shots depict the band recording entire songs, which is Hannah’s attempt to show the group’s chemistry and prove that no studio tricks polished the album’s finished product.
The documentary enjoyed a limited run-in theaters last month to coincide with the album’s December 10th release before screening through AARP Members Only Access. Now, YouTube has exclusive streaming rights, but Blu-ray copies are for sale here.
BARN isn’t the only album Young has released as of late: on Christmas, he gifted fans with Summer Songs, a previously unreleased album from 1987. Before that, he unearthed the 1990 Crazy Horse live album and concert film Way Down in the Rust Bucket, 1982’s previously unreleased Johnny’s Island LP, a bootleg of his 1970 Carnegie Hall concert, and the “lost” 1971 live album and concert film Young Shakespeare.
Hopefully all of this content will tide over Young’s listeners for a while, since the ever-opinionated 76-year-old recently declared that he won’t tour again until we “beat” COVID-19. Anyone know when that will be?
Credits: Consequence.Net – Carys Anderson
JETHRO TULL’S IAN ANDERSON ON THE ROLLING STONES: “THEY OWE EVERYTHING TO AMERICAN MUSIC”
Jethro Tull singer Ian Anderson has shared his honest opinion on The Rolling Stones ‘music while speaking about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and said that The Stones owes American music what they have.
The Rolling Stones is an English rock band formed in London in 1962. During its ongoing active career since the early ’60s, The Rolling Stones released 30 studio albums, 33 live albums, 48 video albums, 20 compilation albums, 77 music videos, 3 EPs, 121 singles, 15 box sets, and many more things.
For some of those rock fans, The Rolling Stones is one of the most important rock bands for rock and roll music. Fans believe that they are the pioneer of the rock genre, and over 200 million albums sales are proof of that. Also, due to their commercial success, The Rolling Stones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
During his recent interview with Misplaced Straws, Ian Anderson commented on his band Jethro Tull‘s current Rock and Roll Hall of Fame situation, also mentioning The Rolling Stones and their music. At first, the singer said he was okay with not being inducted into the Rock Hall with Jethro Tull.
“So far, it’s a sense of relief that I haven’t had to face the embarrassing prospect of being invited into the Hall of Fame, to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Anderson said.
Ian Anderson Claims ‘The Rolling Stones Owe Everything To American Music’
Later then, Ian Anderson detailed The Rolling Stones ‘musical style. According to him, the Rock Hall is an American institution about American-inspired music, which is not necessarily exactly rock and roll. When he mentioned The Rolling Stones, Anderson claimed that, as an English band, they owes everything to American music. “I’ve maintained the position that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an American institution about American-inspired music,” Anderson says. “It doesn’t necessarily preclude musicians of other nationalities, but I think it’s gotta be essentially about American music.
“Not necessarily exactly rock and roll, so we’re not talking about Chuck Berry, Little Richard, or Elvis Presley or whatever, but we’re talking broadly speaking pop and rock music. There is a certain sort of American styling, certainly.
“The Rolling Stones for example would fit that perfectly. Because they owe everything to American music, whereas I guess Jethro Tull, apart from the first album, I would say, not a lot of Americana in the musical styles that I tend to work with. “So, I don’t think we are appropriate as inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.”
In the continuation of his words, Ian addressed Jann Wenner as the person who decides who will be inducted into the Rock Hall. Saying that Jann had a huge dislike of Jethro Tull, Anderson added that he thinks that Jethro Tull does not belong there.
“But the other side of the coin is when the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame opened its doors, it did so with a few Jethro Tull exhibits, which I provided to them, and they were in Cleveland when the place was shiny and new, and I went to take a look,” he reveals.
“It’s not as if we’re divorced from that whole thing entirely but, I think there’s a slight difference when it comes to being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and luckily, I’m not gonna be faced with the embarrassment of having to claim that I’m washing my hair that night and I can’t actually come to wherever it is they do such things.
“Historically, Jann Wenner, who is, as I know, still one of the kingpins who sit on that board and decide who will be admitted through its grand portals, he’s always had a huge dislike of Jethro Tull, from Rolling Stone days onwards. So, we’re not on his list of favorites for sure, and that’s fine.
“That’s fine by me, but genuinely, I respect the institution of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame enormously, but I don’t think we really belong in there, and I can think of a few artists who probably do who are not part of that. They owe so much to American music.
“And American music owes something to them too, because they have continued to keep that flame of musical Americana alive throughout the world, even if they are not citizens of the US.”
Credits: By Sami Altintas / Metalcastle.net
Brian May to make acting debut in BBC children's TV series, Andy, and the Band
The Queen guitarist is set to star as the Godfather of Rock, who helps Andy and the Odd Socks overcome a “global rocktastrophe” Brian May is set to make his acting debut on a BBC children’s show entitled Andy and the Band.
The show – which airs in the UK on the BBC’s children’s channel, CBBC, and on-demand service, iPlayer – follows Andy Day and his band, the Odd Socks, and its second season is due to commence January 24, with its first episode, Planet Rock, featuring the Queen legend as the Godfather of Rock.
In the episode – which centers around inclusivity – May’s Godfather of Rock will join Andy and the Odd Socks for the “best jam ever while also helping them overcome a global rocktastrophe”.
“The Odd Socks seek the Godfather on Planet Rock for an emotional reunion with the band’s guitarist, Rio, after he loses his confidence and even his air guitar,” a press release explains.
“When the Godfather reminds Rio how much he loves to play with the Odd Socks, his belief returns, and the cave is filled with dazzlingly beautiful air guitars. The Odd Socks then jam with the Godfather of Rock, and whilst they’re playing, he magically shows Rio how all his fans across the world have also regained their confidence and in turn their air guitars.”
A single by Andy and the Odd Socks featuring Brian May, also titled Planet Rock, will be released February 18.
“I have loved working with the Odd Socks!” May says. “Playing the role of their Godfather of Rock was actually a very emotional experience. The episode is a wonderful message of hope to kids who lose their self-confidence.
“The symbolic use of air guitar is beautifully apt. And on a broader scale I absolutely align with Andy and the Band in their quest for every kid to feel proud of their individual qualities. I’m backing their anti-bullying campaign to the hilt!”
Says Andy Day: “We famously played our very first gig at Glastonbury festival, so of course the next step was to invite Brian May, one of the world’s greatest guitarists, to join us for a special episode of the TV show.
“Working with Brian has been a musical dream come true, as I am huge Queen fan, but most importantly he completely understood the ethos and message of inclusivity we share in everything we do.”
Last month, the Queen guitarist tested positive for Covid, documenting his recovery process on social media, which involved plenty of rest and recuperation with the help of his Red Special.
“The shocking day finally came for me,” he said. “The dreaded double red line. And yes – definitely no sympathy please – it has been a truly horrible few days, but I’m okay. And I will tell the tale.”
Credits: Sam Roche – Guitar World
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