November 10th marked the 50th Anniversary of the Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald ... immortalized forever by Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 #1 smash hit.
It's interesting just how timely Lightfoot's ballad really was at the time of its release. I don't know that much of the world at large was really aware of this incident at the time that it happened ... yet today the story has taken on Titanic proportions.
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was a U.S. Great Lakes freighter that first launched in 1958. It was the largest of its kind on The Great Lakes and was carrying a load of iron ore when it went down, sinking in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975, during a storm, killing all 29 crew members. Its sinking has become one of the most famous shipwreck stories not only in the Great Lakes, but throughout the world, primarily thanks to Gordon Lightfoot's hit ballad. (kk)
Thanks to Halloween airplay and streaming, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" returned to The Top Ten for the first time since its release in 1984.
According to Billboard, it has charted EVERY Halloween since 2018 ... but this year thanks to a surge in airplay and a drop-off of other current Top Ten Hits, Jackson was able to achieve the unthinkable. The song will never go out of style ... and should remain a Halloween staple till the end of time. (Or at least until Billboard redoes their calculation method again! lol) kk
Kent -
It was mentioned that Wild Wayne's all time favorite was RUNAWAY by Del Shannon. I don't know how many of your readers will remember but I always did like Lawrence Welk's instrumental version months later in 1962 (Dot). Even though I don't know it, but I have been told that the LP version is somewhat longer than the single.
Larry
Despite the fact that I’d never heard it until you mentioned it today, Lawrence Welk’s version of “Runaway” went to #56 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart in 1962. (Not something I ever thought “Mr. Bubbles” would take on, but hey, Welk charted nationally 36 times with pop singles that also included his instrumental version of hits like “Blue Velvet,” “The Beat Goes On” and “Green Tambourine,” so why not!
The only version I could find is from his album “Champagne Music” so I’m not sure if this is longer than the single version or not … but I still thought I’d share it with the class. Thanks, Larry! (kk)
And, speaking of “Runaway” and Del Shannon, Tom Cuddy just sent me a link to a new Del Shannon documentary posted to YouTube …
OUT OF TIME - THE DEL SHANNON STORY:
https://youtu.be/gR42H2TDcUE?si=58tBNFnFmmNjr9B2
And, speaking of Wild Wayne, Frank B tells us …
In Two Weeks (November 23rd) Wild Wayne Starts His 50th Year On WWUH Radio.
He's Going To Re-Play Two Interviews A Week From Past Shows.
Some Go Back As Far Back As 1977. Should Be Interesting.
I Really Don't Remember Him Doing Many Interviews Since I've Been Listening, 2006.
I Guess He Did Most Of Them Earlier In His Career.
I Do Remember Him Interviewing Hilton Valentine Of The Animals (My Favorite British Group.)
I Wouldn't Mind Hearing That One Again.
FRANK B.
Tom Cuddy sent us a flurry of interesting pieces to share …
Who is the best-selling classic
rock artist to still not be in the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame?
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-best-selling-rock-artist-still-not-in-the-hall-of-fame/?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=topic/entertainment
Did you watch this year’s induction ceremony? I’m sorry, but this has to be the most BORING ceremony I’ve ever seen! 4 ½ hours long and MAYBE one hour of material I’d ever care to see again!
There were some very emotional moments that probably meant the most to me … seeing these artists react to the true HONOR of being inducted in a day and age where MOST artists dismiss The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as meaningless and completely out of step with reality. (And I will admit to being one of those for several years now.)
I can say from personal, hands-on experience that the Chubby Checker segment was significantly edited down from the actual presentation ceremony at The Des Plaines Theatre … and that’s a real shame as some of the second tier inductions got considerably more screen time than Chubby did as a true artist inductee.
Thankfully, you can watch the COMPLETE induction (courtesy of the video that I took and posted to YouTube) here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLOkrG7egRU
And, speaking of Chubby Checker …
Kent:
Did you happen to notice that in the two pics of Chubby Checker you ran this past week, he was wearing the same tie in both photos!
It must be his favorite tie as he was wearing it proudly as he posed with you, and then, on a different day, he was wearing the identical tie with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons!!
What are the odds?!
-Tom Cuddy
I did NOT notice (until you pointed it out!) Chubby Checker is (to quote Gibbons and ZZ Top) one Sharp Dressed Man … so I’m sure he just wanted to be captured in his very best for both photos! (kk)
Here’s a mew “on camera” interview with Tommy James …
MONKEE MICKY DOLENZ LAUNCHES HIS SECOND CHILDREN’S BOOK
“LALU TOOT TOOT” WITH HIS DAUGHTER AMI DOLENZ
‘Everyone teases Lalu with the nickname “Lalu Toot-Toot” because all he does all day long is make bird noises on the flute he’d carved out of a piece of bone. They stop laughing, however, when his musical talent saves the day — and everyone in the clan, including his parents, see him in a brand-new light.’
Legendary former (and forever) Monkees singer MICKY DOLENZ released his first children’s book GAKKY TWO-FEET in 2006, which sowed the seeds for an eventual follow-up. His second book — LALU TOOT TOOT (FriesenPress) — a charming and fanciful tale about the world’s first musical instrument — is being released exclusively via Micky’s website (www.MickyDolenz.com) on November 6, just in time for the holidays.
Says Dolenz, “This is my second foray into the world of ‘anthro-mythology,’ which is a fantasy fictionalization that depicts seminal moments in the human experience. In my first children’s book [Gakky Two-Feet] I imagined the moment our ancestors evolved from walking on all fours into the bi-pedal creatures that we are today. Lalu Toot-Toot imagines that moment when humans discovered/invented the first musical instrument. Current anthropological theory holds that this moment took place approximately 50,000 years ago; the evidence being the discovery of a flute carved out of the bones of a bear found in a cave in Slovenia. Named ‘The Neanderthal Flute,’ it is the oldest known musical instrument in the world.”
The illustrations in the book are from Ami Dolenz, Dolenz’s eldest daughter, an accomplished actress and artist in her own right with a certificate from the Emily Carr University of Art + Design.
Ami wrote and illustrated her first children’s book, HAROLD AND AGATHA: THE MYSTERIOUS JEWEL and currently resides in Canada with her husband.
Meanwhile, Micky is already gearing up for 2026 with a brand new stage show ...
HE’S STILL A BELIEVER —
MICKY DOLENZ: 60 YEARS OF THE MONKEES
Famed rock ‘n roll icon and ceaseless entertainer Micky Dolenz — still going strong as ever now at age 80 — will be back in 2026 with a brand-new live show called “MICKY DOLENZ: 60 YEARS OF THE MONKEES” — a tuneful celebration marking the legendary TV show and the timeless music.
“MICKY DOLENZ: 60 YEARS OF THE MONKEES” celebrates one of pop culture’s most beloved bands and the unforgettable music that defined a generation. In this brand-new show, Micky takes audiences on a joyful, musical journey through The Monkees’ history — performing the hits in chronological order, from the chart-topping classics to the fan favorites — all told with his signature warmth, wit, and stories.
Says Dolenz: “I’ve spent nearly my entire life either in front of or behind the cameras or microphones. Much of what I’ve been able to share with the world has come from this thing called ‘The Monkees’ - this wacky musical-comedy TV show about a band struggling for success. Interestingly, on the show, The Monkees never actually made it. Off screen, however, we sold out concerts all over the world. Mike put it perfectly when he said, ‘When we first played, all by ourselves, it was like Pinocchio becoming a real little boy."
I remain proud of what I’ve achieved in my time, particularly with my late great and still-beloved Monkee brothers Davy, Peter and Michael. What I want to do, as the 60th anniversary of that wonderful moment is upon me, is to look back and share with the fans the sheer joy of what we accomplished — and what it all still means to so many.
“THE MONKEES” TV show — featuring Dolenz, along with castmates Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones — became an instant phenomenon. The show won two Emmys and the records sold in the millions.
According to Billboard, "In 1967, The Monkees set a record by having four albums reach the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart in a single year, a feat that has not been equaled since.”
“MICKY DOLENZ: 60 YEARS OF THE MONKEES" will begin in February, 2026, and the year-long tour will include a one-time commemorative show in LA (to be announced shortly) on September 12th - 60 years to the day when The Monkees TV show debuted on NBC.
“60 YEARS OF THE MONKEES TOUR DATES”
2/12/2026 – Solana Beach, CA / Belly Up· 2/13/2026 – Cerritos, CA / Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
3/3/2026 – Nashville, IN / Brown County Music Center
3/5/2026 – Royal Oak, MI / Royal Oak Music Theatre
3/7/2026 – New Buffalo, MI / Silver Creek Event Center
4/12/2026 - Landsdowne, PA / Landsdowne Theater
4/15 & 16/2026 – Vienna, VA / The Barns
4/18/2026 - Tarrytown, NY / Tarrytown Music Hall
4/19/2026 - Huntington, NY / Paramount
5/7/2026 - Tulsa, OK / Tulsa Theater
5/9/2026 - Dallas, TX / Majestic Theatre Dallas
5/11/2026 - Austin, TX / Paramount Theatre - Austin
5/13/2026 - San Antonio, TX / Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
5/15/2026 - Gulfport, MS / Island View Casino
5/24/2026 - Jeffersonville, IN / Abbey Road on the River
6/26/2026 - Orlando, FL / Hard Rock Live Orlando
6/28/2026 - Clearwater, FL / Capitol Theatre
7/11/2026 - Lakeside, OH / Hoover Auditorium
9/12/2026 - Los Angeles, CA / to be announced
10/3/2026 - Atlantic City, NJ / Borgata Music Box
10/15/2026 - Greenburg, PA / The Palace Theatre
10/17/2026 - North Tonawanda, NY Riviera Theatre and Performing Arts Center
11/6/2026 - Northfield, OH / MGM Northfield Park - Center Stage
Betcha they find a way to sneak in a date at either The Arcada Theatre and/or The Des Plaines Theater somewhere along the way, too! (kk)
Congratulations to Pam Pulice and her Dick Biondi documentary ...
It just won the "Best Of The Fest" Award in the 24th Annual Hugh Moore Route 66 International Film Festival this past weekend!
Great news, Biondi fans! "THE VOICE THAT ROCKED AMERICA - THE DICK BIONDI STORY" took home the "Hugh Moore Best of Fest" award at the 24th Route 66 International Film Festival this weekend in Springfield, IL. The Festival was a two-day event which ran November 7 & 8, 2025 at the Hoogland Center for the Arts in downtown Springfield. Special thanks to the Director of the Route 66 International Film Festival, Lana Wildman, and the wonderful board and volunteers who were so good to us and all of the filmmakers who attended. You really went above and beyond to make your festival so special. . . thank you!
Pam
Singer/Songwriter Kenny Nolan, who is nominated for The Songwriters Hall of Fame again this year, has just released a brand new holiday song … “Jing Jang Jingle”
Brimming with jazzy piano flourishes, festive jingling bells and Nolan’s gift for crafting irresistible hooks, the song is a spirited and lighthearted ode to holiday joy. The new track comes on the heels of his recent nomination to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Stream “Jing Jang Jingle” HERE.
“Jing Jang Jingle” highlights the playful side of Nolan’s songwriting and continues his legacy of creating irresistible melodies and choruses made for singing along. The release marks only the second holiday song in Nolan’s storied career, underscoring how rare and special the moment is for fans. It follows the acclaimed release of his first new album in years, “Oh, Peaceful Mountain,” a project that showcased his limitless growth and creative spirit with explorations into blues, folk and country alongside his signature balladry.
Best known for his era-defining hits "I Like Dreamin'" and "Love's Grown Deep," Nolan is also an award-winning songwriter whose work has resonated across generations and musical genres. His repertoire includes unforgettable hits such as “My Eyes Adored You” by Frankie Valli, "Masterpiece" by Atlantic Starr, "Shoot ‘em Up Movies" by The Deele and "Penny for Your Thoughts" by Tavares, to name just a few. One of Nolan's most iconic compositions, "Lady Marmalade," was recorded multiple times – by Labelle, Christina Aguilera/Lil’ Kim/Mya/P!nk and All Saints - each achieving number one success. In 2023, Nolan reissued two of his albums to streaming services for the first time, "I Like Dreamin'" and "A Song Between Us."
Good Luck, Kenny! (kk)
David Salidor tells us about a new coffee-table book that sounds quite interesting …
THE CHURCH STUDIO ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF SANCTUARY OF SOUND: THE CHURCH STUDIO STORY - BY FOUNDER TERESA KNOX (HK Publishing)
“For music fans who habitually and meticulously study the liner notes of record albums and CDs for the names of players and studios … this book is full of dates, times, and locations. Finally, a detailed, definitive, organized and thorough look at the historic Church Studio in Tulsa, which illustrates what made Leon Russell tick. Russell was indeed a master of time and space.”
--Mark Bego; author of JOE COCKER With a Lot of Help from His Friends
Leon Russell was one of the most prolific artists ever: He wrote “A Song for You” which has been recorded by over 200 artists, including Aretha Franklin; Michael Buble; Whitney Houston; Neil Diamond; Cher; Amy Winehouse; and Joe Cocker. He also assembled with Joe Cocker the infamous Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour in March of 1970.
The tour featured Cocker and Russell and spanned 48 cities over 60 days. The performances in New York City on March 27 and 28 were recorded and later released as a live double album.
Russell also had his own recording studio, in Tulsa, called The Church (1972), where Russell, with partner Denny Cordell, recorded some of music’s greatest artists, including Eric Clapton; George Harrison; Willie Nelson; The Gap Band; Tom Petty (Mudcrutch), Michael Bolton; Freddie King; Bob Marley; JJ Cale; Phoebe Snow; Don Nix; Mary McCreary, Dwight Twilley; Ringo Star; Bob Seger; Jimmy Buffet; Bonnie Raitt; Stevie Wonder; Oak Ridge Boys; Kansas; Richard Torrence; and of course, Leon Russell as himself, and as Hank Wilson.
Now, educator and historic preservationist Teresa Knox is set to release her highly anticipated book, Sanctuary of Sound: The Church Studio Story (HK Publishing), inviting readers on an immersive journey through the remarkable legacy of one of America’s most storied musical landmarks.
This deluxe 12x12-inch, 344-page volume presents the full saga of The Church Studio — chronicling its inception as land granted by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, its transformation into a sacred church, and, in 1972, its celebrated rebirth as a recording studio under the legendary musician and producer Leon Russell. Under Russell’s ownership, The Church Studio became a creative epicenter, shaping American music history and hosting a constellation of acclaimed artists, and serving as the headquarters of the trailblazing music label, Shelter Records.
Today, The Church Studio stands not only as a world-class recording studio, museum, and event venue, but is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places for its profound contributions to the American musical landscape.
Today, the studio continues its historic recording session, which have included recent sessions by: Kenny Loggins; Dropkick Murphys; Tommy Emmanuel; Bill Champlin; John Ford Coley; George Thorogood; Southall; The Mountain Goats; Elle King; Wade Bowen; Michael Martin Murphey; Turnpike Troubadours; John R. Miller, and Disney's Jordan Fisher have recorded.
Also, Taj Mahal, who won a Grammy in 2025 for Swingin’ Live at The Church, which was completely recorded there.
Sanctuary of Sound offers:
· Expansive, full-color pages featuring rare, never-before-seen photographs and images from The Church Studio Archives, including never before seen photos of Leon, Denny Cordell; Don Nix; Claudia Linnear; Joe Cocker; Shelter Records ... and more!
- Rich historical narrative tracing the site’s journey from its earliest days through its rock & roll prominence to its modern-day renaissance.
- Insightful stories and milestones highlighting Leon Russell’s influence and the artists who made history within its walls.
Sanctuary of Sound is an essential must-have for music fans, historians, photography enthusiasts, and anyone inspired by the enduring spirit of American creativity. It also makes a thoughtful and unique holiday gift—perfect for the music lover in your life. For more information and/or to order YOUR copy, please visit: schoolofhardknox.com/sanctuary-of-sound/
The proceeds from the book benefit The Church Studio Music Foundation, a 501(C)(3) organization.
Look for a new Rolling Stones book coming this December.
Harvey Kubernik fills us in ... and sends some pictures courtesy of Gary Strobl thru The Henry Diltz Archives ... and to Gary Pig Gold for the Forum concert poster.
New Rolling Stones book Due for December
IS EVERYBODY READY FOR THE NEXT BAND?
A Multi-Voice Narrative – Get Your Ya Ya’s Out Album and 1969 Tour
by Harvey Kubernik ©2025
In November, 1969, the Rolling Stones toured the United States for the first time in three years. Gone was founding member Brian Jones, replaced by Mick Taylor from John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Gone, too, were the Top Ten-laden 30-minute sets played over inadequate PA systems to crowds of screaming, teenagers.
In their place was a fully-fledged 75-minute rock show drawing heavily on the albums Beggar’s Banquet and Let It Bleed, using lighting and theatrics rock audiences had never witnessed before. Terry Reid, B.B. King and Ike & Tina Turner were the opening acts.
The Rolling Stones rocked across America with a tour whose essence is captured in the live album Get Yet Ya-Ya’s Out, heralded by many as the finest live rock album of all time.
Is Everybody Ready For The Next Band? - A People’s History Of the Rolling Stones 1969 US Tour by Richard Houghton mixes contemporaneous press reports with previously unpublished first-hand accounts of the Rolling Stones on their 24-date US tour that has gone down in history as the template that others then followed. From an un-publicized opening night in Fort Collins, Colorado, through to the tragic events at Altamont, California a month later, this is the story of one of the most infamous rock tours of all time in the words of more than 130 people who were there.
November,
2025, marks the 56th anniversary of 1969’s Rolling Stones trek. Is Everybody Ready
For The Next Band? - A People’s History Of the Rolling Stones 1969 US Tour is scheduled for publication in December, 2025, by
Spenwood Books.
The Rolling Stones’ November, 1969, concerts at Madison Square Garden yielded the 1970 monumental Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!, the band’s definitive live album. It was produced by the Rolling Stones and Glyn Johns.
“The Stones were a better live band than any other band at that time,” explained Bill Wyman, bass player of the Rolling Stones in a 2004 interview I conducted with him.
“The band was great live always. I’m not saying they were the greatest songwriters or the greatest recording artists, but they were the best live band wherever you went. You could go up on stage and blow everybody away no matter who they were.”
What did Wyman think contributed to the live concert dynamic of the Rolling Stones, besides the obvious chemistry the group members had together?
“Practice. Doin’ them little clubs in the beginning,” he emphasized. “Going through all of that learning process, that apprenticeship. Starting off not thinking about being rich and famous and having a career and making a record or going on TV or touring America. Or going out in a limousine like kids think now when they go into a band. None of that. It was let’s play this music and if people like it, that’s a bonus. And if we got a bit of change in our pockets, that was a bigger bonus. And it was that simple.
“I always thought … As long as me and Charlie could get it together, then the rest of the band could do what they’d like and it worked. And that’s what happened in the studio, and that’s what happened live. Me and Charlie were really always on the ball, always straight, always together and had it down.
“If we had our shit together, we got it right. What he was doing and what I was doing, standing next to him and watching his bass drum, and all that, which a lot of bass players don’t do, stupidly, once we got our thing going, and the group was there, then anything could happen. That’s all there was. There was simplicity. It wasn’t how many notes you played, it’s where you left nice holes and I learned that from Duck Dunn and people like that,” remarked Wyman in our conversation.
“Once you’re on the stage it’s just some floor boards in spite of it,” detailed Keith Richards before a 1999 Rolling Stones show with me discussing his band in concert setting.
“And you’re not really aware of everything you are seeing. In a way, maybe when you write songs without even knowing it, you’re kinda saying, ‘Can I do this live?’ And so, in a way you add that in. You don’t know if it’s gonna work, but I guess you keep in the back of your mind is ‘We’re making a record here.’ What happens if they all like it and we gotta play it live? So, in a way, that maybe in the back of the mind it sets up the song to be playable on stage.”
On November 8th I saw two concerts from the band at The Fabulous Forum in Inglewood, CA, as they launched their 1969 US tour. The 11:30 pm - 5:30 am experience debuted selections from Let It Bleed. That’s when I heard the Mick Jagger/Keith Richards composition and ABKCO copyright “Gimme Shelter” for the first time …
I remember when KMET-FM in Los Angeles first spun “Gimme Shelter” from an acetate they acquired just before Let it Bleed shipped to retail outlets. I was stunned.
Photographer and writer Heather Harris described the song as “an anthem of dread.” It fit the mood of many young people just then, a time of social and political unrest.
After the Rolling Stones’ 1969 tour conclusion, the band had organized one more booking on Saturday, December 6th, for a free show that featured the Flying Burrito Brothers, Santana, Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead (who chose not to perform) in a free thank you concert acknowledging their successful 1969 US tour that has always been reported as the disastrous Altamont free concert.
And contrary to popular belief, many people who went to Altamont that afternoon and evening had a good time and left with a sense of wonder and delight.
Take into consideration actor/poet Harry E. Northup, who was at this infamous gig.
The Stones played "Brown Sugar" live on that stage for the first time during the Altamont appearance.
Northup has made a living as an actor for over 30 years, acting in 37 films, including Mean Streets, Over the Edge (starring role), Taxi Driver and The Silence of the Lambs. Northup is that rare American actor who is also an accomplished poet with nine books of poetry published.
“I was working in Hollywood as a waiter at the Old World Restaurant on the Sunset Strip,” emailed Harry.
“My first wife, Rita, and I had arrived in Los Angeles, from New York City on March 5, 1968. That day we got an apartment in Santa Monica and that night I got a job as a waiter at the Old World. I came to L.A. to work in the movies. I worked at night and auditioned for movie and TV roles in the day. We hung out at the beach and went to every rock 'n roll concert that we could at the Santa Monica Civic, Palladium and Venice Beach.
“Rita and I and our 10-month-old son, Dylan, drove to San Francisco, CA, on the 5th day of December, 1969, in our blue and white Volkswagen van. It had a bed in the back. We slept in it in the Haight. The morning of the 6th, we ate at Brother Juniper's -- I remember seeing a black man, sitting next to us, with a cross cut into the top of his head -- and then we drove to Altamont. It was slow going when we got near the Speedway. We parked on the side of the road and walked a long way. We took turns carrying Dylan.
“At the concert, we met five long-haired surfer guys and three girls we knew from Santa Monica. It was a gray day. It seemed like half a million people were there. We had driven up Pacific Coast Highway many times from Santa Monica to see the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, among others, in Golden Gate Park & other venues, but had never been at a gathering this large.
“Most of the time, we stayed on the perimeter and danced. My wife loved the Stones. She pranced and pointed and sang like Mick. She had seen the Beatles at Shea Stadium years before. (Harvey Keitel, who was my fellow student in Frank Corsaro's Method acting class in Manhattan, had introduced her to me at the one party that I had given in New York City in the five years that I lived there, from 1963-1968. He also introduced me to Martin Scorsese, who hired me to play The Rapist in his first feature, Who's That Knocking At My Door in 1968. Marty hired me to act in his first six features and first TV show. Bette Midler, by the way, sang Bob Dylan's ‘A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall’ at that same party.)
“We shared joints, people gave us food: fruit, juices, sandwiches. Our surfer friends danced, held Dylan. Once, I snaked my way down to the left side of the stage just as the Rolling Stones sang ‘Jumpin' Jack Flash.’ It was electric. I saw a young woman, who kept trying to climb up onto the stage and at each attempt, a Hells Angel, who wore a wolf's head kicked her in the face. She must have been a masochist, because she kept going back for more. I headed back to our group. We danced and had a wonderful time. The Stones and Santana were tremendous. We felt renewed.
“It
was a long slow journey back to our VW. It wasn't until we were driving south
on the 5 Freeway that we heard, on the radio, about the killing at Altamont.
“In 1970, I saw Gimme Shelter, by the Mayles Brothers, which showed the
violence in all its vividness. In 1973, I played the Vietnam vet who destroys
his own homecoming in Scorsese's first masterpiece, Mean Streets.
Scorsese utilized ‘Jumpin' Jack Flash’ on the soundtrack for Johnny Boy's (Robert
De Niro) entrance into the bar.”
Aww, thanks so much for remembering, Kent. Hope you and Frannie are doing great!!! Hope to see you at the Ides Christmas show on December 20th. Megon McDonna is our special guest. Please spread the word!
Your pal Jimmie
The Ides Of March put on an AWESOME Christmas show ... well worth seeing. Hope to see some of you out there.
More details here: https://oshows.com/event/the-ides-of-march-christmas-show-3/
Joe Jackson has a new album (his 22nd) coming out next April, just ahead of his extensive world tour.
The new LP, titled “Hope And Fury,” is Joe’s first new release since 2019’s “Fool.” (Jackson’s last major chart hit was 1984’s “You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)”) [#13]
Here is a complete list of next year’s tour dates:
NORTH AMERICA
MAY
11 –
Poughkeepsie, NY – Bardavon 1869 Opera House
13 – Montreal, QC – Place Des Arts – Théâtre Maisonneuve
14 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
16– Rochester, NY – Kodak Theatre
17 – Detroit, MI – Masonic Cathedral
19–20 – Chicago, IL – Park West
22 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theatre
23– Minneapolis, MN – Pantages Theatre
27 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue
28 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
30 – San Francisco, CA – Curran Theatre
31 – San Diego, CA – Balboa Theatre
JUNE
2 –
Los Angeles, CA – Orpheum Theatre
3 – Tucson, AZ – Fox Theatre
5 – Albuquerque, NM – Kimo Theatre
6 – Boulder, CO – Chautauqua Auditorium
9 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
10 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
12 – Omaha, NE – Admiral
14 – Austin, TX – The Paramount Theatre
16 – Houston, TX – Heights Theatre
17 – Dallas, TX – Majestic Theatre
19 – San Antonio, TX – Empire Theatre
21 – New Orleans, LA – The Joy Theatre
24 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
26 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage
27 – Charlotte, NC – Knight Theatre
29 – Orlando, FL – Steinmetz Hall @ Dr. Phillips Center
JULY
1 –
Ft. Lauderdale, FL – The Parker
2 – Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theatre
7 – Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre
8 – New Brunswick, NJ – State Theatre
10 – Providence, RI – Uptown Theater
11 – Portland, ME – State Theatre
14 – Medford, MA – Chevalier Theatre
15 – Stamford, CT – Palace Theatre
17 – Philadelphia, PA – The Lansdowne Theater
18 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
EUROPE
SEPTEMBER
24 –
Cork, IRELAND – Cork City Hall
27 – Dublin, IRELAND – 3Olympia Theatre
29 – Bristol, UK – Beacon
OCTOBER
1 –
Cambridge, UK – Corn Exchange
2 – Bournemouth, UK – Pavilion Theatre
4 – London, UK – Palladium
5 – Liverpool, UK – Philharmonic Hall
7 – York, UK – Barbican
9 – Glasgow, UK – Saint Luke’s
12 – Paris, FRANCE – L’Olympia
13 – Lyon, FRANCE – Le Radiant-Bellevue
14 – Toulouse, FRANCE – Théâtre du Casino Barrière
17 – Porto, PORTUGAL – Casa da Musica
18 – Lisbon, PORTUGAL – Aula Magna
20 – Madrid, SPAIN – Teatro La Latina
21 – Valencia, SPAIN – Teatro La Rambleta
23 – Barcelona, SPAIN – Paral·lel 62
25 – Bordeaux, FRANCE – Théâtre Femina
27 – Lille, FRANCE – Théâtre Sebastopol
28 – Stuttgart, GERMANY – Liederhalle/Hegelsaal
31 – Bremen, GERMANY – Metropol Theater
NOVEMBER
1 –
Munich, GERMANY – Circus Krone
2 – Berlin, GERMANY – Admiralspalast
4 – Essen, GERMANY – Lichtburg
5 – Hamburg, GERMANY – Fabrik
7 – Darmstadt, GERMANY – Staatstheater
9 – Zürich, SWITZERLAND – Kaufleuten
11 – Bologna, ITALY – Teatro Duse
12 – Rome, ITALY – Auditorium Parco Della Musica (Sala Sinopoli)
14 – Milan, ITALY – Teatro Lirico
16 – Vienna, AUSTRIA – Globe
17 – Cologne, GERMANY – Gloria
18 – Luxembourg – den Atelier
20 – Antwerp, BELGIUM – De Roma
21 – Brussels, BELGIUM – Ancienne Belgique
24 – Ghent, BELGIUM – Vooruit
26 – Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS – Nieuwe Luxor
28 – Eindhoven, NETHERLANDS – Muziekgebouw
29 – Groningen, NETHERLANDS – De Oosterport
DECEMBER
1 – Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS – Royal Theatre Carré
Speaking of upcoming tours, the Bachman-Cummings / Guess Who Reunion has announced their tour dates for 2026, none of which include US appearances. (I can’t believe that this won’t change … it is far too lucrative not to tour The States!)
But as of right now, these are the only confirmed dates:
January
31st – Niagara Falls, ON – OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino
February 23 - 27 – Rock Legends Cruise XIII, sailing from Fort Lauderdale, FL
May 26th – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre
May 27th – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre
May 29th – Laval, QC – Place Bell
May 30h – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
June 1st – Hamilton, ON – TD Coliseum
June 2nd – London, ON – Canada Life Place
June 5th – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre
June 6 – Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Centreth
June 8th – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
June 10th – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
July 19th – Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Bluesfest
August 23rd – Vancouver, BC – The Pacific National Exhibition
Hopefully there are enough summer dates open to add some US stops to this itinerary. (kk)
Meanwhile, The Eagles have announced what they are calling their final dates at The Sphere in Las Vegas (extending their “residency” their thru March of next year. These new dates will make their number of appearances there 56!
Eagles at Sphere in Las Vegas 2026
January
23-24 and 30-31
February 20-21 and 27-28
*NEW DATES: March 20-21 and 27-28
(Tickets are available here)
Finally, if you, like MILLIONS of others of us out there are totally hooked on these true crime documentaries that are running non-stop on the cable channels these days, then you'll love this one ...
Thanks to Clark Besch, who sent me this ...
This has to be the funniest sketch I've seen on Saturday Night Live in the past twenty years! (kk)
