U2: They're Back
U2 celebrated Ash Wednesday (yesterday) with a new EP that’s now out. Appropriately titled
Days of Ash, it contains five new songs and a poem -- "American Obituary," "The Tears of Things," "Song of the Future," "Wildpeace" (poem), "One Life At a Time," and "Yours Eternally" featuring Ed Sheeran & Taras Topolia. (See below for song links, videos and descriptions of each.) Bono says, “It’s been a thrill having the four of us back together in the studio over the last year… the songs on Days of Ash are very different in mood and theme to the ones we’re going to put on our album later in the year. These EP tracks couldn't wait; these songs were impatient to be out in the world. They are songs of defiance and dismay, of lamentation. Songs of celebration will follow, we’re working on those now… because for all the awfulness we see normalized daily on our small screens, there’s nothing normal about these mad and maddening times and we need to stand up to them before we can go back to having faith in the future. And each other."
Drummer Larry Mullen Jr.: "Who needs to hear a new record from us? It just depends on whether we’re making music we feel deserves to be heard. I believe these new songs stand up to our best work. We talk a lot about when to release new tracks. You don’t always know… the way the world is now feels like the right moment. Going way back to our earliest days, working with Amnesty or Greenpeace, we’ve never shied away from taking a position and sometimes that can get a bit messy, there’s always some sort of blowback, but it’s a big side of who we are and why we still exist.”
Bassist Adam Clayton: "I’m excited about these new songs, it feels like they’re arriving at the right time.”
And The Edge: "We believe in a world where borders are not erased by force. Where culture, language, and memory are not silenced by fear. Where the dignity of a people is not negotiable. This belief isn’t temporary. It isn’t political fashion. It’s the ground we stand on. And we stand there together."
Days of Ash is accompanied by the return of their fanzine, Propaganda, as a one-off digital zine, with a limited-edition print run. It's available now at Propaganda.U2.com. Forty years ago, in February 1986, the first issue of Propaganda was published, embracing attitude, ideas and dialog. In the spirit of those early issues, this standalone EP will be accompanied by a one-off limited edition print run plus digital e-zine titled U2 - Days of Ash: Six Postcards From The Present… Wish We Weren’t Here." This 52-page special publication contains interviews, song lyrics, and notes from the four band members; plus a Q&A interview with Bono. The EP is available now as a digital download, as well as on all DSPs.
FOO FIGHTERS, MUMFORD, DAVE MATTHEWS: Go for Bourbon
Foo Fighters, Mumford & Sons, Chris Stapleton, Dave Matthews Band, Hootie & the Blowfish, Queens of the Stone Age, Kacey Musgraves and The Red Clay Strays are the headliners at this year's Bourbon & Beyond festival. It'll take place at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky from September 24th to 27th. Other acts appearing during the four days include Counting Crows, Foster the People, Goose, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Of Monsters and Men, The War on Drugs, Charley Crockett, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts,
Squeeze, Cheap Trick, Adam Ant, 4 Non Blondes, Portugal the Man, Gary Clark Junior, Father John Misty, Amos Lee, Fitz and the Tantrums, St Paul and the Broken Bones, Violent Femmes,
Buffalo Traffic Jam, Jet and dozens more. Info and ticket links at bourbonandbeyond.com.
Alex Van Halen Details Work On New Album Of Unfinished Van Halen Songs
The album Alex Van Halen is working on with Steve Lukather will include unreleased material he recorded with his late brother Eddie. In an interview with Brazil's Kazagastão, Alex says, "Ed and I had a lot of stuff that we made, that we made musically that we never let go. Many people have asked, what about releasing unreleased stuff? Well, we're not gonna release it in its embryonic form because it wouldn't make any sense. But I've been fortunate enough to have Steve Lukather, who was a good friend of Ed's, and we're working on putting a record together, but it has to be of the quality and the level of where we left it. Not just to say, 'Hey, here's some music that we made. If you like it, that's great.' No. It has to be the quality that we expect..."These are recordings that were going to be the next [Van Halen] record, and that were stopped because [Ed] didn't live that long… The drums are already recorded. The drums, the guitar and the bass (Wolfgang Van Halen) are already in there. What we didn't have is a vocalist, and obviously the subtleties and the glue — we call it the glue or the spackle."
As for working with Lukather, he says, "I can work things out on a keyboard, but it takes me too long to figure it out. And by that time, the moment is gone. I went to Steve's house several times and we played a piece of music and he goes, 'Yeah, I got it. That's it. That's all we need.' Then he can do all the connective tissues. He knows where to put the solo, as far as structure and organization. I have my opinions and he has his, and they are just opinions. So, he can facilitate things that would've taken me 10 times as long. And I love the guy. We've known him for years."
And as for whether it will feature a vocalist, Alex says, "We originally had plans to — I think I can probably say without talking outta school, one of the singers who we really, really, really wanted to use for the new stuff was Paul Rodgers, and he has a relationship with Luke and we grew up on Free and all that, but [Paul] can't do it anymore. And it was very difficult for him to bring himself to say, 'No, I can't. Count me out.' I respect that. I'm saddened and disappointed, but you know, that's life… He knows he can't do it — which I think is better than saying, 'Yeah, I can do it,' and then not be able to do it." They are currently looking for another singer. "I'm 72. We gotta find somebody in that age group who was exposed to the same musical experience that we have. Otherwise, it doesn't have the depth. "I can't remember what the expression is, but there's a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is knowing that a cucumber is a vegetable. Wisdom is knowing where to put it. [Laughs]... "I really believe that the universe will work something out to where this project will come out the best it can possibly be. We have no other intent other than to have it come to fruition."
When completed, it will be Alex Van Halen's first new music since releasing the song "Unfinished" that he recorded with Eddie in conjunction with the audiobook version of 2024 memoir, Brothers.
Jack Osbourne Talks Ozzy's Final Concert, How The Day He Died "Started Normally"
Jack Osbourne sat down with Billy Corgan for his "The Magnificent Others" podcast, and the conversation was largely about his father, Ozzy Osbourne. Two takeaways from the chat: Ozzy always thought he sucked, complaining after every show that he didn't understand why people were cheering...except for after the final concert. "Oh, he was so happy. It was the craziest thing. I ran into the dressing room, and I was like, ‘You did it!'” Jack then got quietly emotional, before adding, “I’m only crying because of [my father’s] joy. He was so happy.” The other big takeaway was that no one knew the day Ozzy died that he wouldn't make it through the day. "He woke up, went downstairs, made some breakfast, had a cup of coffee, and that was it." Check out the entire interview here.
Paul McCartney And Wings Exhibit To Open At Rock Hall Of Fame
Paul McCartney and Wings are the subject of a new exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. According to a press release, it explores McCartney's post-Beatles band, featuring a large collection of artifacts from the singer's personal archives, like instruments, handwritten lyrics, clothing, photos, and more. In addition to the exhibit, which opens on May 15th, the Rock Hall is also set to host an early screening of Paul McCartney and Wings' new documentary, "Man on the Run" on February 21st.
Carmine Appice Puts Together A Classic Rock All-Star Cast For New Cactus Album
Cactus is one of those bands that music geeks know, but most fans have never heard of. An offshoot of Vanilla Fudge, the band originally consisted of legendary drummer Carmine Appice, along with Jim McCarty, Tim Bogert and Rusty Day. Cactus put out four albums in the early 70s, with band tensions leading to a constantly shifting lineup and eventual breakup. Fast forward to 2026, and Cactus, under the leadership of Appice, is bringing an an all-star roster of classic rockers in for a heavy blues album. "Temple of Blues II - All Stars" will feature contributions from Ted Nugent, Billy Sheehan, Bumblefoot, Dee Snider, Pat Travers, Deep Purple’s Steve Morse, Rainbow & Deep Purple’s Joe Lynn Turner, Ozzy Osbourne & Quiet Riot’s Rudy Sarzo, Testament’s Alex Skolnick and many others. No word on when the whole album comes out.
Phish Announces 2026 Tour Dates
Phish has announced it's hitting the road this summer. The band's "Summer Tour 26" kicks off April 16 with a three night-stand in Vegas; the tour will include several multi-night-stands, including stops at Fenway Park in Boston and Madison Square Garden in New York City. As has become a Phish tradition, the trek wraps up with a three night stay in Commerce City, Colorado September 4, 5 and 6. According to the band's announcement on Instagram, fans can request tickets now at tickets.phish.com, ending Monday at Noon ET. Tickets go on sale to the public beginning Friday, February 27 at 10AM Eastern. Visit the band's website for complete tour details. See the current tour itinerary below:
- 4/16-18 – Las Vegas, NV – Sphere
- 4/23-25 – Las Vegas, NV – Sphere
- 4/30, 5/1-2 – Las Vegas, NV – Sphere
- 7/7-8 – Madison, WI – Kohl Center
- 7/10-12 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
- 7/14-15 – Savannah, GA – Enmarket Arena
- 7/17 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
- 7/18-19 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
- 7/21 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater
- 7/22 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
- 7/24-25 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
- 7/27 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
- 7/29 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
- 7/31, 8/1 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park
- 9/4-6 – Commerce City, CO – Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Billy Steinberg Dead At 75
Billy Steinberg, who co-wrote several number one singles in the U.S., is dead at 75-years-old. According to his attorney, he passed away on Monday after a battle with cancer. With his writing partner, Steinberg wrote songs like "Alone" by Heart, "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles, and Madonna's "Live a Virgin," as well as songs recorded by Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, Tina Turner, and more.
IN OTHER NEWS
Journey have been added to the list of performers at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 11th at the Full Throttle Saloon. Other performers during the more than weeklong event are Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Megadeth, Collective Soul, Rob Zombie and Lainey Wilson.
Steve Winwood may be 77, but he wants his fans to know he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He writes on Instagram, “I’m not one of those people who thinks (as a lot of my generation do), that the best music was made in the sixties and seventies, and since then it’s all been going downhill. There’s some great stuff around, and the future holds a lot of very interesting things for me. I’m not finished yet.”
Foo Fighters will perform at the Hollywood Bowl on August 22nd with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Youth Orchestra Los Angeles.
The Billy Idol documentary, Billy Idol Should Be Dead, will finally start hitting theaters in the U.S. on February 27th. Idol and his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens will play acoustic sets at two special premieres -- February 23rd in Los Angeles at the TCL Chinese Theatre and February 25th in New York at the Regal Union Square. Head to BillyIdolShouldBeDead.com for the full schedule of cities where the film will be screened over the next month.
Bryan Adams will do three of his Bare Bones acoustic shows in North Africa in May – the 2nd in Tunisia, and the 5th and 6th in Morocco.
Squeeze broke out a cover of Paul McCartney and Wings' "Junior's Farm" during an appearance on the BBC Radio 2 program Piano Room. Watch it on YouTube.
Billy Joel posted a short video on Instagram of himself and his lookalike 10-year-old daughter, Della Rose, who was dressed like him. There’s also a photo of his eight-year-old daughter Remy seemingly dressed to look like her dad’s second wife, supermodel Christie Brinkley, as she appeared in the video for his 1983 song “Uptown Girl.”
Kinks’ guitarist Dave Davies will be taking photos, shaking hands and signing autographs at the Hollywood Show convention at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel in Burbank on May 29th and 30th.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY:
·In 1964 - A British company shipped a half-ton of Beatle wigs to the US. An American reporter later asked John Lennon, "How do you feel about teenagers imitating you with Beatle wigs?" John replied, "They're not imitating us, because we don't wear Beatle wigs."
·In 1977 - Manfred Mann's Earth Band scored a No. 1 single in the U.S. with their cover of Bruce Springsteen’s "Blinded By The Light." The track was the first single from Bruce's 1973 debut album Greetings from Asbury Park N.J. Manfred Mann's version features several changed lyrics; most notably, Springsteen's "cut loose like a deuce" is replaced by "revved up like a deuce."
·In 1982 - Ozzy Osbourne was arrested in San Antonio, Texas, for urinating on the Alamo.
·In 1984 - The Breakfast Club (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) was released and features Simple Minds’ "Don't You (Forget About Me)."
·In 1985 - Mick Jagger released his debut solo album, She’s the Boss -- including “Just Another Night” and “Lucky in Love.”
·In 1991 - R.E.M. released the single, “Losing My Religion,” as a lead track for their album, Out of Time. “Losing My Religion” went on to become R.E.M.'s highest-charting hit in the US, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and at the 1992 Grammy Awards, it won awards for Best Short Form Music Video and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. In 2017, "Losing My Religion" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.