The 1974 Rolling Stones released It’s Only Rock N’ Roll on this day in 1974.  The group's 12th UK and 14th US album would top the album charts in the states and get to #2 in England and was the final Stones album to feature Mick Taylor.  It also became the first album to be produced by the 'Glimmer Twins' team of Keith Richards and Mick Jagger.  In addition to the core members, the album included contributions from Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins. Billy Preston and Ray Cooper.  The title song's rhythm track was recorded by Faces member Kenny Jones and Taylor's future replacement Ronnie Wood during an informal studio session Mick Jagger attended that also included David Bowie and bassist Willie Weeks.  Mick liked the sound of it so much that he brought the tapes to Keith Richards so he could add more guitar.  The jam would end up being an unofficial audition for Wood who went on to join the Stones after the group had also given consideration to Rory Gallagher, Jeff Beck and Harvey Mandel to take Taylor's place in the band.

Other Noteworthy Classic Rock events on October 18 include...

1926 Chuck Berry born.
1949 REO Speedwagon lead guitarist Gary Richrath born.
1957 Paul McCartney debuts wit the Quarry Men.

1964 The Animals open thier first headlining tour in Manchester, UK.
1964 The Beatles record Eight Days a Week.

1966 The Jimi Hendrix Experience does its first official concert in Paris.

1967 How I Won the War movie with John Lennon opens in London.

1969 Jefferson Airplane's Paul Kantner arrested on marijuana charge.

1975  Paul Simon hosts the second Saturday Night  Live.

1986 Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie marries Portuguese composer Eduardo Quintela..

1988 Traveling Wilburys release debut album.

1989 Axl Rose quits Guns N' Roses during LA Colisseum concert.

1994 Queensryche releases Promised Land. 

2009 Aerosmith does first concert since Steven Tyler fell off stage during South Dakota concert in August.

2007 Robert Plant and Alison Krauss record CMT Crossroads set.

The Genesis reunion tour's final four UK concerts are on hold after the band announced today "...positive Covid-19 tests within the band". The statement doesn't identify who tested positive or whether a single member got more than one positive test or more than one member tested positive. The group called the decision one that caused "...huge regret", and added, "This is a hugely frustrating development for the band who are devastated with this unlucky turn of events." They hope to reschedule the four nights at the Glasgow SSE Hydro that were to take place October 10-13 once they get all band members and crew clear of Covid.

45 years after his first guitar was stolen, Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive veteran Randy Bachman has it back.

Bruce Springsteen's multi page handwritten lyrics to three songs will be auctioned October 28. The most sought after Bruce penned piece in the Bonham's Auction will be his four pages of the words to Thunder Road, expected to go for between $50,000 and $70,000. Also up for grabs are his original lyrics to For You and Night.

Photo: Bonham's Auctions

 November 5 is the drop date for a four disc and double DVD reissue of the group's third album. In addition to fully remixed version of the original album, the set will include 1970 concerts from Tanglewood, MA and the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago and several additional tracks from the album sessions that were not included on the original lp.

Deep Purple has slated November 26 as the release date for an album of cover songs admired by the group that will include versions of songs from a wide range of artists. Among the titles on the 13 track release will be songs from Little Feat (Dixie Chicken), Fleetwood Mac (Oh Well), Bob Dylan (Watching the River Flow), Ray Charles (Let the Good Times Roll), the Yardbirds (Shapes of Things), Cream (White Room) and the Bob Seger System (Lucifer).

 Most bands probably have at least one member whose parents tried to talk out of pursuing a career as a musician, but not many have actual audio, let alone footage, of their conversation, debate or argument over the matter. Alex Lifeson of Rush does. And he and his family handled it better than a lot do.

The first Rolling Stones concert without Charlie Watts was going to be this Sunday when the group's COVID interrupted No Filter tour resumes in St. Louis, but about 300 invited guests of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft got to hear the band do a 15 song set at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro MA, Monday night. 

That same evening across the Atlantic, Genesis launched its long delayed reunion tour with a concert in Birmingham, England. Ailments have hobbled Phil Collins to the point that the former drummer has turned over that role to a son that is the same age Phil was when he first joined Genesis. Nicholas Collins proved to be up to the task when his father, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford shared a stage together for the first time in 14 years. The elder Collins quickly dispelled fears that his frail physical condition would make it difficult for him to sing, but he projected his voice impressively from the perch he remained seated on during the 23 song set. Material wise the evening included songs from all eras of the group's history, although some of the early era songs were presented as interludes in other songs or rearranged - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway bore little resemblance to the original.

October releases to listen forward to include...

Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live (10/1).

Yes - The Quest (10/1).

Grateful Dead - Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 12/10/1970 (10/1).

Doobie Brothers - Liberte (10/1).

Santana - Blessings and Miracles (10/15).

Tom Morello - The Atlas Underground Fire (10/15).

Dream Theater - A View From The Top Of The World (10/22).

Rolling Stones =- Tattoo You - Expanded Anniversary reissue (10/22).

Joe Bonamassa - Time Clocks (10/29).

Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Out of this World Live 1970-1997. (10/29).

Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason - Updated Remix (10/29).

Sammy Hagar and his band The Circle will do a rooftop concert at the Las Vegas Paris resort on September 22. A couple of hundred guests will witness it up close on the roof's party deck, but the set will be and clear to the ear on much of the Strip. He'll follow that one-off concert with a short residency later in the fall at The Strat in Vegas that will include several special guests during its run. The 800 seat venue is being decked out in the style of the Red Rocker's Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, the scene of many wild Sammy Hagar birthday bashes in years past.

Eric Clapton will revisit a collection of songs from his considerable catalog he re-recorded in stripped down form during the pandemic. The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions will feature new versions of Layla, After Midnight, Bell Bottom Blues, Tears in Heaven as well as songs from others, including the early era Fleetwood Mac songs Black Magic Woman and Man of the World. Joining Eric for the sessions were Chris Stainton on keyboards, drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Nathan East. Look for the release in November.

Lindsey Buckingham is still riled up over the reason he got ousted from Fleetwood Mac. When Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac, the then couple had a pact... either both joined or neither would. These days the former couple is light years away from being allied. Lindsey blames his 2018 axing from the group on Nicks and group manager Irving Azoff. The parting of ways came after Buckingham requested the band delay its tour that year so he could do a solo tour in support of his new album. When band members resisted the idea, Buckingham blamed his former partner and Azoff for Mick Fleetwood's decision to replace Buckingham in the group. Stevie Nicks released a statement through her publicist that called Buckingham's account "factually inaccurate" and added, "I did not have him fired. I did not ask for him to be fired, I did not demand he be fired." Azoff called Stevie's account "factual and truthful".

Tuesday's Falcon Heights, Minnesota Doobie Brothers concert went on, but without Michael McDonald. Wednesday the group announced that the next four dates on the tour that reunited the core founding members were being postponed due to "a member of the touring personnel" testing positive for COVID-19. Although the announcement did not specify it was McDonald that tested positive, Patrick Simmons made it evident that was the case when he told the Star Tribune that the keyboard player is "...recuperating and isolating. We hope to have him back in a week or so." We add our rapid recovery wishes for Michael.

A Sotheby's fall auction offers an array of unique collectables of interest to Grateful Dead Fans. Included in the October 7-14, 2021 From the Vault: Property from the Grateful Dead and Friends online auction are a Jerry Garcia 12 string Guild Starfire guitar expected to attract a top bid between $50k and $75k, his favorite McIntosh 2300 Amp with a "Budman" sticker on it and pair of of his skull embroidered jeans. Also up for bids in the auction are equipment head honcho, roadie and Grateful Dead Production's President Lawrance "Ram Rod" Shurtliff's psychedelic jumpsuit, some of the band's equipment cases, stage used amps and equipment and select pieces from the group's massive mid 70's Wall of Sound tour sound system and stage cabinets used by Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart.  

Photos courtesy of Sotheby's

Guitar great Joe Bonamassa will release a new studio album on October 29th. Joe calls the album titled Time Clocks, "probably my most adventurous and involved record to date." Producer Kevin Shirley teamed with legendary sound man Bob Clearmountain on the project. Clearmountain credits the upcoming release as being "...one of the best albums I've mixed in years".

Thursday's (8/26) KISS concert in Burgettstown, PA was cancelled after a test confirmed that Paul Stanley contracted a breakthrough case of Covid-19. The date was just the fourth on the group's farewell tour. All members of the band and its traveling crew are fully vaccinated and most people that get the virus despite being vaccinated have mild symptoms and are only contagious for a brief time after becoming sick, but more dates on the tour are apt to get rescheduled. We pass along rapid recovery wishes to Paul.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will release their first album together in fourteen years on November 19th.
Raise the Roof will feature a dozen tracks and include songs by The Everly Brothers, Allen Toussaint, Merle Haggard, Bert Jansch.  The pair's last album, 2007's Rising Sand collected six Grammy Awards. A 2022 tour is also in the planning.

Those more interested in Plant's musical past than his more recent projects will be more interested in the upcoming 50th anniversary Led Zeppelin documentary.  The as yet untitled doc is the first officially authorized one on the legendary group and will include recent interviews with Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones and archival interview segments with drummer John Bonham. Even Plant, who seldom expresses much enthusiasm about retrospective Zep related things, seems excited about this film being made by American Epic PBS docuseries director Bernard MacMahon, saying that viewing that "...inspired me to contribute to a very interesting and exciting story".  The film is expected to have film festival preview screenings before getting its public release.

The tributes to Charlie Watts are pouring in. This from Pete Townshend struck home for us, as Charlie was such an unassuming and sweet man who loved making music but had little time or interest in the trappings of being a famous musician in one of the world's biggest bands.

“Full Moon. Rainbow. Always a sign. Charlie Watts wept at Keith Moon’s funeral. I wish I was capable of such tears today. Instead, I just want to say goodbye. Not a rock drummer, a jazz drummer really, and that’s why the Stones swung like the Basie band!! Such a lovely man. God bless his wife and daughter, and I’ll bet the horses will miss him too.”

R.I.P. Charlie Watts. The publicist of the Rolling Stones drummer announced that Watts died peacefully in a London hospital today surrounded by his family. The 80 year old mainstay of the band had announced that he would not participate in the group's upcoming resumption of its Covid delayed No Filter tour so he could get medical treatments for throat cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2004.  Watts had been with the band since January 1963 when he left Blues Incorporated to become the Rolling Stones drummer.  Since he also had trained as a graphic designer, Watts also had a hand in the layout and design of the group's early album covers.  Charlie's 58 years behind the kit on every Stones album and tour earned him universal admiration and respect.  His early passion for jazz remained strong throughout his life and he made regular appearances at jazz clubs during breaks between Stones albums and tours.

Guitarist Rickey Medlocke has contracted Covid-19. This development comes just a couple of weeks after Gary Rossington had to leave the group's your to undergo emergency heart surgery. Alabama's guitarist is filling in for Rossington and Medlocke's symptoms have this far been mild. He is resting at home and expects to be ready to rejoin the tour soon. Four Skynyrd dates have been postponed. We wish both members rapid and full recoveries.

The Doobie Brothers will serve-up their 15th album with the October 1 release of Liberté. The group will also hit the road for an extensive 50th anniversary and Rock Hall of Fame induction year tour that will include Michael McDonald. That tour kicks-off at the Iowa State Fair on August 22 and runs through an October 29th date in Allentown, PA. The band has 2022 dates starting in Tampa on June 2nd and ending in London, Ontario on the 30th of that month. Full itinerary at thedoobiebrothers.com/events

The long delayed resumption of the Rolling Stones U.S. No Filter tour will take place without Charlie Watts. A statement from the band says the veteran drummer will sit out the tour to recuperate from an unspecified medical procedure. Watts will be replaced on the tour by Steve Jordan, drummer in Keith Richard's X-Pensive Winos band.

Some years back, Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood set out to present a series of albums paying tribute to musicians that had a big influence on him. He also staged some concerts with the same theme. The one he did at Royal Albert Hall in the fall of 2013 to honor Jimmy featured Wood with Bobby Womack, Paul Weller, Mick Hucknall and Mick Taylor, the Stones guitarist Woody replaced in 1974. Mr. Luck - A Tribute to Jimmy Reed features 18 songs recorded on November 13, 2013. It gets released on September 17th. Wood's tribute to Chuck Berry titled Mad Lad got released in 2019.

ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill died in his sleep at his Houston home last night. The passing of Hill, who had left the group's tour late last week due to a hip problem, was confirmed in an announcement issued by Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard who wrote, "We are saddened by the news today that our Compadre, Dusty Hill, has passed away in his sleep at home in Houston, TX. We, along with legions of ZZ Top fans around the world, will miss your steadfast presence, your good nature and enduring commitment to providing that monumental bottom to the 'Top'. We will forever be connected to that "Blues Shuffle in C." You will be missed greatly, amigo".  R.I.P., Dusty.

What's better than a great guitar tech? A great one that also has the chops to fill-in when you can't do a concert. That was the case for ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill Friday night (7/23). The Texas trio had a date in New Lennox, Illinois but Dusty was out of contention due to a hip injury. Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard called on the band's longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis to pinch hit on bass and slide guitar, and he even played harmonica during the set.

Mick Jagger's decade long curse on England's national soccer team came to an end with the team's recent victory, the first with the Stones Front man in attendance in 10 years, and Jagger broke the law to witness it in person. Mick flew home from France and went to the game in violation of a mandatory quarantine period before going out. He was fined a pittance more than $15,000 for his indiscretion - pocket change to him.

Jim Morrison's estate has authorized a yet to be titled biopic that will focus on the creative aspects of the late Doors front man's music, poetry and art. A production spokesman for the film company says the documentary will delve into recently discovered diaries and notes and will include footage and information about the charismatic singer that has never been revealed. A director hasn't been selected for the project, but the producers are looking for one that will take a much more nuanced approach to Morrison as an artist than Oliver Stone did in his over-the-top 1991 movie that cast Val Kilmer as the singer.

The Immediate Family, a band that includes an all-star lineup of studio greats, will release a self-titled album August 27 and the group will venture out on its first tour beyond California this fall.  Danny Kortchmar (guitar), Waddy Wachtel (guitar), Russ Kunkel (drums), Leland Sklar (bass) have earned legend status in the minds of the more familiar named stars whose albums and tours they have played on. Collectively, that list includes Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Keith Richards, Phil Collins, Warren Zevon, Don Henley and dozens more.  They are joined by guitarist Steve Postell on the album and tour.