Month: October 2023

Rush’s Geddy Lee will embark on a North American spoken-word tour this November. The tour, dubbed “My Effin’ Life in Conversation”, will be in support Lee’s upcoming memoir of the same name, which arrives on November 14.

The “My Effin’ Life in Conversation” tour will begin on Nov. 13 in New York and conclude on Dec. 7 in Toronto. The spoken-word trek will find Lee joined onstage by a special guest interviewer as he reflects on his family and childhood, his time in Rush and personal memories with his bandmates Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. Lee will read passages from his memoir, My Effin’ Life, and answer fan questions at each stop.

Lee said in a statement: “Writing this book has meant spending so much time living in the past. I’ve never lived my life looking anywhere but forward, which is why I resisted doing this kind of thing for so long. Being in a band all those years was reassuring because it was an ongoing thing. It felt like it was forever. There was always unfinished business: the next record, the next set design, the next tour. It’s been the theme of my life. But you need a lot more determination to proceed in the world of music without the comfort of your bandmates, and I can only hope that finishing this book will release me to return to what I do and love best.”

Tickets for the “My Effin’ Life in Conversation” tour are on sale beginning Friday, October 6th at 10 am local time via Ticketmaster, with each ticket purchased including a copy of the book. Head here for more information.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

The legendary Stevie Nicks is the latest celebrity to be officially honored with her own Barbie doll – and it’s already sold out in less than 24 hours. Mattel posted on social media: “Soulful stage presence Spellbinding style With a career that’s touched generations of music lovers, @StevieNicks is the latest legend to be celebrated as part of the Barbie Music Series, bringing her inspiring story and chart-topping career to artists and audiences of all ages. #Barbie #YouCanBeAnything”

Nicks, 75 inspired her new doll as part of Mattel’s Music Collector Series Barbie doll collection. Barbie has previously released dolls in the likeness of Tina Turner, Elton John, Gloria Estefan, David Bowie and other music artists. The doll is inspired by Nicks’ look on the 1977 Fleetwood Mac “Rumours” album cover: a long black dress with draped sleeves and black shoes. It has Nicks’ recognizable bangs, wears a moon pendant and carries a tambourine with flowing ribbons, which Mattel calls ‘a bewitching look that emulates her spellbinding style.’

Mattel said in a statement: “As the lead singer of Fleetwood Mac and a critically acclaimed, chart-topping solo act, Stevie Nicks has been a major influence and source of inspiration and adoration for artists and audiences around the world, especially to women in the rock and roll industry. Known for her captivating stage presence and signature style, she has left an indelible imprint on the worldwide music industry.”

Nicks wrote on X, (previously known as Twitter): “My Stevie @Barbie has been with me now for several months. When Mattel came to me asking if I would like to have a Barbie made in the “Rumours” cover style I was very overwhelmed. Of course I questioned “would she look like me? Would she have my spirit? Would she have my heart…” When I look at her, I see my 27 year old self~ All the memories of walking out on a big stage in that black outfit and those gorgeous boots come rushing back~ and then I see myself now in her face. What we have been through since 1975~ the battles we have fought, the lessons we have learned~ together. I am her and she is me. She absolutely has my heart. Thank you Mattel for working with me to make Stevie Barbie so pretty and so soulful and so real; she means the world to me!”

Stevie Nicks to be immortalized as Barbie

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Bruce Springsteen has dropped the new track, “Addicted to Romance,” to be featured in the end credits of the upcoming movie ‘She Came to Me.’ The 74-year-old Springsteen collaborated with his wife and bandmate, Patty Scialfa, and The National’s Bryce Dessner on the song, which is written by Springsteen and orchestrated by Dessner, who co-produced the track with Ron Aniello.

She Came to Me, which stars Peter Dinklage, Anne Hathaway, and Marisa Tomei, centers around a composer who is struggling to complete the score for his next opera and goes out searching for inspiration. Director Rebecca Miller recently told Variety how she got an original song from Springsteen for her film. “I really love Bruce’s music. For the end of ‘She Came to Me,’ we wanted an original song. I had a secret wish it might be Bruce, but I was reluctant to ask. I felt it was so unlikely, and frankly, I was a bit shy.” After some urging from Dessner, Miller reached out to Springsteen; revealing: “Bruce and his wife ended up watching the film, and, to my delight, they both loved it! Bruce said he’d take a few days to see if anything came to him for a song.”

She Came to Me debuts in theaters nationwide on October 6. Take a listen to ‘Addicted to Romance” – here.

Editorial credit: Ben Houdijk / Shutterstock.com

AXS TV will be hosting a special “Heavy Metal Halloween” event, including a new documentary focusing on the 1982 “Metal Massacre” compilation, which helped launch the careers of Metallica, RATT, and many more. The documentary film, titled “Metal Massacre: The Story Of The Legendary Album,” will debut on October 28 at 9 p.m. ET. An encore presentation will follow at 11 p.m. ET.

According to a film synopsis: “Packed with all-star interviews, rare photos, the film tells the story of the groundbreaking 1982 Metal Massacre vinyl compilation—a sonic celebration of the burgeoning Los Angeles Metal scene, which helped launch the careers of iconic acts Metallica and Ratt, and ultimately led to the birth of the legendary independent record label Metal Blade Records. The film boasts priceless commentary and anecdotes from Metal Blade founder Brian Slagel and his friend and collaborator John Kornarens, two metalheads with a dream who made Metal Massacre a reality; as well as Metallica members Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield; Ratt frontman Stephen Pearcy; and Black N’ Blue singer Jamie St. James, among many others.”

Metal Massacre featured various unsigned metal bands, including the then-unknown Metallica, who contributed the song “Hit the Lights.” Metallica’s James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich are featured in the doc, as are Metal Blade founder Brian Slagel and Stephen Pearcy of Ratt.

AXS TV’s ‘Heavy Metal Halloween’ programming lineup will also include various docs and concert films about artists including Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper and Judas Priest. Take a look at the trailer for Metal Massacre: The Story of the Legendary Album – here.

AXS TV premiering ‘Metal Massacre’ rock doc

Editorial credit: edwar cress / Shutterstock.com

Foo Fighters announced North American stadium tour dates for Summer 2024. Foo Fighters shared on their socials: “The first 2024 U.S. Shows Announced for Everything or Nothing At All Tour!!! Public on sale is Friday, October 6th at 10am local time. More to come…Tickets to all upcoming shows here: https://FooFighters.lnk.to/Shows“

The new leg of Foo Fighter’s Everything or Nothing at All Tour will kick off at New York’s Citi Field (for the first time since 2015) on July 17th and 19th, and will see the band make stops at 10 stadiums, including shows on August 9th/11th at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Support on the various dates will come from Pretenders, The Hives, Mammoth WVH, Amyl and The Sniffers, Alex G and L7.

To give fans the best chance to buy tickets at face value, those who purchase tickets for the Everything or Nothing at All Tour and can’t attend will have the option to resell their ticket to other fans at the original price paid using a face value ticket exchange, including Ticketmaster’s Face Value Exchange (tickets are mobile only and restricted from transfer). This applies to all shows except those in New York and Colorado where Face Value Exchange cannot be mandated.

The general on sale for tickets begins Friday, October 6th at 10 am local time via Ticketmaster. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday, October 3rd at 10 am local time until Thursday, October 5th at 10 pm local time.

Editorial credit: Antonio Scorza / Shutterstock.com

Porno for Pyros have postponed their 2023 reunion tour to finish working on new material, less than a week before they were set to hit the road. The Porno for Pyros lineup includes founding members Perry Farrell, drummer Stephen Perkins, guitarist Peter DiStefano, and original bassist Martyn LeNoble. Since their most recent reunion, the band has been teasing new music since they reunited, with DiStefano sharing on Instagram: “Porno For Pyros writing and recording new music,” along with a photo of Farrell and himself.

The band in a statement on their social media pages: “We are beyond thankful for all of your support these last 30 years, and are anxious to celebrate our 30th anniversary with you Whilst rehearsing for our first tour in 25 years, we’ve also been in the studio creating new music that we were hoping to get to you in time for these shows. Unfortunately, we have had to move the dates for the upcoming tour as we were not able to begin our campaign in time. So, we’ve pushed the tour a few months from now, in order for everyone to hear and appreciate the new material that is finally finished.”

The 21-date Horns, Thorns En Halos Tour  commemorating the band’s 30-year anniversary, was scheduled to start Sunday, October 8) in Wheatland, California before wrapping up at Stubb’s in Austin, Texas on November 20. The tour alsonmarks the first time in 25 years that Porno for Pyros has toured together; the band played their last full-length concert at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 17, 1998 before breaking-up. Porno for Pyros reunited in 2009 for singer Perry Farrell’s 50th birthday and a Lollapalooza live-stream event in 2020, and the band played their first full show in more than 20 years at the Rockville Festival in Daytona Beach, Florida in May 2022.

Editorial credit: MPH Photos / Shutterstock.com