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Jon Bon Jovi will be honored as the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year at the annual benefit gala, to be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 — two nights before the 66th annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena.

Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares, said in a statement: “MusiCares is thrilled to honor Jon Bon Jovi at the 2024 Person of the Year Gala. His remarkable contributions to rock and roll have not only left an indelible mark on the music industry, but also in the hearts of countless fans around the world. Furthermore, his long-standing commitment to serving food-insecure and unhoused individuals inspires us all. We’re looking forward to celebrating him and the many ways he has made a difference in this world.”

In addition to his musical achievements, Jon Bon Jovi is being recognized for his philanthropic work. In 2006, he established the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, which is dedicated to disrupting the cycle of hunger, poverty and homelessness. The MusiCares Person of the Year ceremony is one of the marquee events featuring during Grammy Week. It includes a cocktail reception, followed by a dinner and concert featuring other artists paying tribute to the honoree. At 61, Bon Jovi youngest solo honoree since Don Henley received the honor at age 59 in 2007. He is also the second New Jersey native to receive the honor, following Bruce Springsteen in 2013.

Bon Jovi said in a statement: “I’m truly humbled to be this year’s MusiCares honoree. MusiCares’ work with music professionals is vitally important in creating much-needed support and wellness programs that cultivate a healthier and more vibrant community for us all. Philanthropic work has been a cornerstone of my life and has always run in tandem to my music career and achievements. Nearly two decades ago when I formed the JBJ Soul Foundation and JBJ Soul Kitchens, I saw firsthand and continue to see today the impact of charitable community-based work. I know this for sure: helping one’s community is helping one’s self.”

For more information about the event or sponsorship opportunities, visit MusiCares.org.

Jon Bon Jovi named 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year

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Heart will perform together for the first time since 2019 on New Year’s Eve in Seattle. A social media post read:  “JUST ANNOUNCED: Seattle’s own Heart are going to ring in the New Year at Climate Pledge Arena on 12/31 with very special guest Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening, and you don’t want to miss it! ” The New Year’s Eve concert will mark the first time Heart has performed together since their last tour in 2019. The current Heart lineup consists of the Wilson sisters, drummer Denny Fongheiser, guitarists Craig Bartock and Ryan Waters, bassist Andy Stoller and keyboardist Dan Walker.

After an incident in 2016 which Ann Wilson’s husband was arrested for allegedly hitting one of Nancy Wilson’s children, many thought that she and her sister weren’t on good terms. But according to Ann, that simply wasn’t true: “It’s a myth. Nancy and I are OK with each other. We just have different ideas for what Heart should be, and we haven’t figured out a compromise yet.”

Ann brought out Nancy as a special guest at one of her solo concerts for a performance of “Barracuda” Earlier this month; and Ann noted that they were at work on new music at the beginning of 2023.

For tickets, head to Ticketmaster.com.

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Original Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy has officially returned to the band after thirteen years.The band announced that they have reunited with the acclaimed drummer and will be entering the recording studio to begin work on their next studio album, their first with Portnoy since 2009’s “Black Clouds & Silver Linings.” Portnoy left Dream Theater in 2010 wanting to concentrate on other projects, and was replaced by Mike Mangini, who played with Dream Theater across five studio albums and accompanying world tours. Mangini will depart the band upon Portnoy’s return.

Portnoy shared: “I am overwhelmed with joy to be returning home and reuniting with my brothers!mThere is so much shared history between us all…so many memories, so much music…to think we’re coming up on 40 years since this journey began! The idea of creating new music together is so exciting and I absolutely cannot wait to hit the road and get to play live for a whole new generation of fans that weren’t ever able to see this lineup before…There’s no place like home!!”

Departing drummer Mike Mangini said in a statement: “I understand Dream Theater’s decision to get Mike Portnoy back at this time. As was said from Day 1, my place was not to fill all the roles that Mike held in the band. I was to play the drums in order to help the band carry on. My main role of keeping our live show working tightly on a nightly basis was an intense and rewarding experience. Thankfully, I got to experience playing music with these iconic musicians, as well as some fun times laced with humor. I also really enjoyed spending lots of time with the crew. And then there’s the GRAMMY win, which was amazingly satisfying. To the fans: thank you so much for being amazing to me. I cherish the pictures I have of you all losing your minds and having fun. Finally, I really love the band, crew and management and wish them and the entire organization all the best.”

Guitarist John Petrucci added: “Mike Mangini’s drumming is otherworldly and I’m extremely grateful for the time he spent with us in Dream Theater. I’m very proud of all the amazing music we made together that culminated in our first GRAMMY win last year and the countless magical moments that we’ve shared on stage over the past 13 years. I wish him all the best of success in his future musical endeavours. I’m incredibly excited to welcome Mike Portnoy back into Dream Theater! As an original founding member, long-time friend and incredibly talented and creative drummer, I know that his return will bring a renewed spirit, passion, and energy into DT that all of us, including our fans, will joyfully welcome. I can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and get back into the studio together!”

Following his split with Dream Theater, Portnoy formed new bands Adrenaline Mob and The Winery Dogs. The former, which he formed with Symphony X singer Russell Allen, and the latter was comprised of a trio with former Poison guitarist Richie Kotzen and Mr. Big bassist Billy Sheehan. Portnoy also drummed with metal band Avenged Sevenfold in 2010. He remains a member of the heavy metal supergroup Metal Allegiance, alongside former Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson and Testament guitartist Alex Skolnick.

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The Beatles surviving band members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr announced Thursday that the band will release a “last” new song, with the help of AI technology.

The song, “Now and Then”, will debut Nov. 2; it is written and sung by late singer-songwriter John Lennon. McCartney and Starr produced new parts for the song, which features guitar parts recorded by Harrison in 1995. A series of social media posts shared the details: “NOW AND THEN. THE LAST BEATLES SONG. OUT 02.11.23. #NowAndThen New expanded and mixed editions of the “Red and Blue” albums to be released 10.11.23.
Pre-order now: https://TheBeatles.lnk.to/NowAndThen”

According to The Guardian, McCartney and Starr completed the track more than four decades later with the help of the same technology used to enhance the audio in Peter Jackson’s docuseries The Beatles: Get Back. Jackson and a sound team led by Emile de la Rey used the software to isolate Lennon’s vocals from the original demo, which Lennon recorded in New York City in the late 1970s. McCartney said in a statement: “There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear. It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it, it’s a genuine Beatles recording. In 2023, to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven’t heard, I think it’s an exciting thing.”  Starr added: “It was the closest we’ll ever come to having him back in the room so it was very emotional for all of us. It was like John was there, you know. It’s far out.”

In addition, on Nov. 10, The Beatles/1962-1966 (often called The Red Album) and The Beatles/1967-1970 (The Blue Album) will be released in 2023 Edition packages. The original editions were released in 1973, three years after The Beatles’ break-up, and reached No. 3 and No. 1, respectively, on the Billboard 200. Preorder and pre-save 1962-1966 and 1967-1970 (2023 Editions) here.

To pre-order ‘Now and Then’, head here: https://TheBeatles.lnk.to/NowAndThen.

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Blink-182 will launch a massive 2024 North American stadium and arena tour in support of their most recent album, One More Time… – their first with Tom DeLonge since 2011.

The ‘One More Time’ North American Tour will begin on June 20 in Orlando, Florida and wrap up on Aug. 15 in Toronto, Ontario Canada). Pierce the Veil will serve as support along the entire run, with Alexisonfire also performing at the very last tour ate.

Tickets go on sale starting Friday, October 27 at 10am local time. Head to blink182.com for further information.

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Green Day is back with new music, releasing a single and music video for the song “The American Dream is Killing Me” as well as announcing their new album, Saviors, their first LP in nearly four years. Green Day also announced a new tour for 2024, featuring Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and the Linda Lindas.

Green Day wrote on social media: “Saviors is an invitation into Green Day’s brain, their collective spirit as a band, and an understanding of friendship, culture and legacy of the last 30 plus years. It’s raw and emotional. Funny and disturbing. It’s a laugh at the pain, weep in the happiness kind of record. * Honesty and vulnerability * What is Saviors about, you ask? * Power pop, punk, rock, indie triumph. disease, war, inequality, influencers, yoga retreats, alt right, dating apps, masks, MENTAL HEALTH, climate change, oligarchs, social media division, free weed, fentanyl, fragility,,..Saviors, out January 19th, 2024. Limited exclusive vinyl is available for pre-order now (link in bio) * The first single “The American Dream Is Killing Me” is out now. Watch the epic video on YouTube * Lots more coming sooner than you think aka Nov 2nd ”

Saviors is slated for release Jan. 19, 2024; to pre-order, head here.
The video for “American Dream is Killing Me” sees Green Day perform amid a zombie apocalypse. Check out the video – here.

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