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.