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Classic rockers Guns N' Roses have announced a North American tour for later this year, and they're bringing along both Alice in Chains and The Pretenders.I have to say, when I first heard that these bands were going to be performing on GNR's upcoming tour, I was a bit surprised.  Although less so with Alice in Chains.  I'll explain my line of thinking here.  I'll admit that both Alice in Chains and The Pretenders are now considered classic rock, much in the same wa …

As you may have heard, the Cure are headlining a tour of North America this summer.   Beginning on May 10, at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, this tour, called The Lost World Tour, will find the band visiting a large number of major US and Canadian cities. The Lost World Tour will be the first that the new wave, goth, dark wave, alternative rock, post punk (whatever you'd like to refer to them as) band has performed in North America since 2019.  Tickets went on sa …

Las Vegas, Nevada (or Sin City, or City of Lost Wages, or whatever you want to call it) is not exactly what one would title the haven of alternative rock.  However, that seems to be changing...quickly. I say that, because I was very surprised when a year or so ago, Morrissey (yeah, that Morrissey) had a residency at, of all places, Caesars Palace.  Seems like someone who had a hit song with the lyrics Hang the DJ would find Las Vegas and Caesar's Palace, the haven for all …

  It's going to feel a lot like the early 1990s, during the fall of 2022, as The Smashing Pumpkins and Jane's Addiction are going to be co-headlining a tour of North America. Called The Spirits on Fire Tour, the concerts will begin on October 2, in Dallas, Texas and end on November 19, at the Hollywood, Bowl in LA.  Tickets are on sale now. The Smashing Pumpkins have had and with this upcoming tour, a busy 2022.  They're currently finishing up the Rock Invasion 2 Tour and …

Kathy Valentine, the original and current bass player, for the 1980s pop music phenomenon, The Go-Go's, has released her autobiography.  Titled All I Ever Wanted: A Rock 'n' Roll Memoir, Kathy goes behind the scenes of The Go-Go's from their beginnings to their collapse and eventual resurrection, as a band. This is not a scathing tell-all filled with gossip and backstabbing.  On the contrary, Kathy Valentine's book delves deep into her personal life, from her upbringing in …

Vicky Cornell, the widow of the late Soundgarden singer-songwriter, Chris Cornell, has predicted that the last album Soundgarden were recording, before Chris Cornell's sudden and unexpected death, will eventually be released.   Although Vicky has been in the press more lately because of her dispute with the surviving members of Soundgarden, she is quoted recently telling USA Today, “All of Chris' music, including Soundgarden, will see the light of day, because ther …

Can you believe this?  Devo's Freedom of Choice, the 3rd album, by the legendary New Wave band, that contained their groundbreaking hit, Whip It, is 40 years old. When discussing writing the tracks that appeared on Freedom of Choice, Devo co-founder and bassist, Gerald Casale, said that they were modelling the songs after classic and current R&B and were heavily inspired by the Gap Band and early Prince.  Knowing that they would lose both their record contract with …

The Foo Fighters are touring in 2020 and they're naming the shows after a van. Yes, you read that right.  The classic alternative rock band are about to embark on the The Van Tour 2020, which is named after the old Dodge van that the band toured around in, back in 1995, to launch their now legendary career.  With shows set in many of the original cities that they performed in back then, the band will be playing larger venues than the clubs where they got their start.&nb …

                      I realize I'm a little late to the game on this announcement - it's been a bit of a challenge to stay on top of and report news in the rock n roll world while running and overseeing Rocker Rags, during the peak holiday shopping season.  So, I do apologize.However, as you may have heard, or maybe not, John Frusciante is rejoining the Red Hot Chili Peppers, for his 3rd stint, with the classic alternative ro …

                         6 1/2 years following the recording, Soundgarden are releasing: Soundgarden: Live from the Artists Den.   This concert was originally recorded on February 17, 2013, at the Wiltern Theater, in Los Angeles, California, and was the final show, of the band's winter US tour, in support of their most recent album, at the time, King Animal.  Playing to a sold out crowd, the almos …