R.I.P. Christine McVie.  Her family announced the passing of the 79 year old keyboardist, singer and songwriter of Fleetwood mac today in an announcement that read in part. " we would like everyone to kee Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredicle human being, and revered musician who was loved universally."  Founding drummer and band namesake Mick Fleetwood posted, "This is a day where my dear sweet Friend Christine McVie has taken to flight.. and left us earthbound folks to listen with bated breath to the sounds of that “song bird”….. reminding one and all that love is all around us to reach for and touch in this precious life that is gifted to us.

Part of my heart has flown away today..

I will miss everything about you

Christine McVie

Memories abound.. they fly to me.

 

Born Christine Perfect on July 14, 1943, she took the last name of her husband and Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie. She joined the group in 1971 and reunited with them in 2024 following a long hiatus. Rock In Peace, Christine.

 

Comments and much of the feedback we got from our post wishing former Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre a happy birthday a few days ago made it evident that a lot of fans of the band feel Jethro Tull was a better group when Martin and some of the other members Ian Anderson shed from the group were still in it. Anderson has been the undisputed leader of Tull throughout its multiple lineups, but Barre is measured by many fans to have been as vital to the group's sound instrumentally as Anderson.

The current line-up does have capable players, but it seems most fans consider the classic lineup's better. The next chance win them over comes next spring, when Anderson and company release the follow-up to The Zealot Gene, the 22nd album put out under the name Jethro Tull. That album was five years in the making before finally coming out in January, 2022. The next has come together much faster and could well have been out before the new year were it not for pressing delays. The title and release date are still pending, but we'll be interested to hear it.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hardcore Stones fans and vinyl junkies might want to grab this up. The 16 LP collection includes all of the Rolling Stones 1960's albums pressed on 180 gram colored vinyl. The 186 song boxed collection gets released January 20, 2023.

Master recordings and demos of songs planned for inclusion on the second album by Todd Rungren's early band Nazz have been collected in a new boxed release titled Nazz: Lost Masters & Demos. Most of the more than two dozen songs never got released, but some ended up on Nazz III, an album released after the group's demise. The 4 LP / 3 CD configurations each include a booklet including liner notes and an interview with engineer James Lowe, who worked with Nazz and continued with Todd on Rundgren's first three solo albums. The boxed sets will be released December 2.

 

Peter Gabriel recently posted a photo of his studio and, even though it wasn't accompanied by any comments regarding a new album being close to ready, his posting it raised hopes and expectations. Gabriel has since confirmed not only the upcoming release of i/o, an album he's been working on for quite some time, but an international tour that will feature him with Tony Levin, David Rhodes and Manu Katche. European dates open with a May 18th concert in Krakow, Poland. Gabriel brings the tour to North America for his fist US concerts since 2016. North American tour dates and the album's release date are expected to be announced soon.

U2 front man Bono's autobiographical book Surrender: 40 songs, one story is now out. The 500 page book tells his life story in chapters associated with songs and drawings he has done. In a release about the book he states, "Surrender is a word freighted with meaning for me. Growing up in Ireland in the seventies with my fists up (musically speaking), it was not a natural concept. I am still grappling with this most humbling of commands. In the band, in my marriage, in my faith, in my life as an activist. Surrender is the story of one pilgrim's lack of progress... With a fair amount of fun along the way". The singer embarks on a multiple city international book tour that starts today in New York City.