Hagar-Fieri Company Trucks Hijacked, $1 Mil In Tequila Stolen
Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar and celebrity chef Guy Fieri are out more than a million dollars after two trucks carrying tequila from their joint business venture were hijacked. Hagar and Fieri launched Santo in 2019. The trucks were transporting more than four-thousand cases of tequila into the U.S. from Mexico earlier this month when the hijacking happened in Laredo, Texas, which is right on the border. A representative for Hagar told Fox News the hijacking and robbery are believed to be "an organized crime effort." Hagar called the incident a huge setback but added they're glad that nobody was hurt.
ALEX VAN HALEN: Not Right Now
Last month, while Alex Van Halen was promoting his memoir, Brothers, he told Billboard that he wasn't "interested" in participating in Sammy Hagar's The Best of All Worlds tour this past summer, adding that Sammy and Michael Anthony are "not doing the band justice. They can do what they want. It's not my business."
We asked Alex on Friday if he could elaborate and he said, "I can't comment on that." "Everybody has a different angle of looking at what the world should and should not be and I don't want to get into any of that. It's inconsequential in my life. That's all I can say. But Mike, we love you."
Asked if he's upset with Sammy, he said, "That's in the next book." "The history of this band hasn't been written. But I keep going back to the original heart and soul of this band was Dave,
 Ed, Mike and me. End of story. I don't need to add more."
And Sammy, despite his numerous attempts to contact Alex, can't understand why he hasn't heard back. "I'm as questioned as anybody else about why he doesn't want to embrace the era that sold 50-million records. I really wish he would explain that to me. I'm not asking for him to go public. Al, give me a call. And, to me, he unintentionally handed me the legacy, Mike and I, the Van Hagar era. 'It's yours. You're responsible because you're the only one that can go out and do it. I can't do it. You know [David Lee] Roth can't do it and wouldn't do it. So here you go, it's yours.' So, I feel like Mike and I own it. And I'm sorry for him and I hope he heals and becomes my friend again someday."
Although Alex had plans to do a tribute tour with Roth, Michael Anthony and Joe Satriani, he's no longer interested. "No, at this point I think the best tribute would be when we put the movie (bio-pic) together and we do other things and listen to the music the way it was played by the original people. There's a lot of bands out there, I would call them bar lever, that do that, the tribute stuff. And God bless them. I think it's great. More power to you. But when you get to a certain level, I think it was Jimmy Page who said it, 'You know there's a difference between imitation and inspiration. To be an imitator shows that you're a beginner.' That's what you do in the beginning of your career. Again, there's nothing wrong with it, but that's not where Ed and I were at when he died."
So until then, the next best thing is Sammy and his Best of All Worlds band -- Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani and Kenny Aronoff -- who will make a special announcement today (Monday) at 10 a.m. ET.
Alex Van Halen on Sharing Unreleased Eddie Van Halen Music
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Alex Van Halen recently talked about releasing music in late brother Eddie Van Halenâs vault.
In an appearance on âTalk is Jericho,â he said, âWe're gonna go through the 'vault' and go through some of the musical ideas that were there. On the one end of the spectrum is the fact that little licks don't make a song. On the other end of the spectrum, some of those licks are so unbelievably powerful, it's too bad that they ended up in the back of the vault, rather than being records.â Alex continued, âThey will stay there until we figure out how and why and what to do with them. And again, you have to remember, it has to be on the level of where Ed and I, where we used to play. We're not just gonna shovel it in. We have access to some of the greatest musicians on the planet, and a lot of 'em are more than willing to take a chance on some of the stuff. He added there are âprobably three or four records, if not more. Iâm seriousâ in the vault.
Jason Bonham Won't Return To Sammy Hagar's Band
Jason Bonham won't be returning to Sammy Hagar's band for future tour dates. Bonham was forced to drop off Hagar's 'Best of All Worlds' tour earlier this year due to a family health emergency involving his mother.  Kenny Aronoff stepped in to complete the tour. Asked by an Instagram follower if he'd be rejoining Hagar on the road, Bonham responded âSammy has decided to carry on with Kenny; so sadly, no.â This week, Bonham will launch a tour with his Led Zeppelin tribute band Jason Bonham's LZE.
Pearl Jam Live Drops Coming
Pearl Jam fans have access to professional desk recordings of every concert. The band is sharing the release dates for their Australia gigs, and they will all be available next month. Auckland, Night 1 from November 8 will be available on December 3. Night 2 from November 10 will drop on December 6. The November 13th show form the Gold Coast will be out on the 9th. The Melbourne shows will hit December 12 and 15 and the Sydney gigs will drop December 18 and 21. When the live albums are available you can get them for download or on CD at PearlJam.com.
GEORGE & RINGO: "Thankful" in the "Material World"
George Harrison and Ringo Starr have new music out. Starting with Ringo, he's released a second single off his forthcoming country album, Look Up. "Thankful" features Alison Krauss on background vocals and is the only song on the album co-written by Ringo and his producer/engineer Bruce Sugar. "I love this track," says Ringo. "I feel we put an L.A. country sound to it. For the lyrics, I always like to focus on the positive, and for this song in particular, about what we can be thankful for. I hope it brings you some joy and peace and love.â Look
Up, produced by T Bone Burnett, will be released January 10th. Ringo and his All Starr Band will celebrate the album with two shows at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on January 14th and 15th.
Joining Ringo in the "New Music Bin" is his former bandmate George Harrison and the 50th anniversary edition of his second post-Beatles studio album, Living in the Material World.
To celebrate the milestone, his estate is streaming the seven-inch single included in the set, which is a never-before-heard recording of "Sunshine Life For Me (Sail Away Raymond)," featuring The Band's Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, and Rick Danko, alongside Ringo Starr. âThey were doing it for Ringo,â says Harrison's widow Olivia. âBut George did a guide vocal, and he was just trying to teach them how to play it and what the song was. He really loved playing with the Band. He thought they were so free and loose.â Ringo and The Band did record it for Ringo's 1973 album, Ringo.
Switzerland Supreme Court Rules Yoko Ono Rightful Owner Of Lennon's Watch
Switzerland's Supreme Court says Yoko Ono is the rightful owner of a rare Patek Philippe watch now worth nearly five-million dollars that she gave to John Lennon for his 40th birthday. Yoko reportedly bought the watch at Tiffany for 25-thousand-dollars in 1980 and gave it to John just two months before he was shot to death. The watch, which had the inscription "(Just Like) Starting Over," remained in the apartment for more than 25 years until a former employee stole it. He was charged with grand larceny, but took the watch and other stolen items when he was deported to his home country of Turkey in 2007. The watch was eventually sold to a German auction house and was purchased in 2010 by an unidentified Italian man living in China. The Swiss Supreme Court's ruling upheld two lower court rulings that even if the man purchased the watch legally as he claimed, the watch was originally stolen from Yoko Ono, making her the rightful owner.
Springsteen Plays Calgary For 1st Time In 21 Years
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's tour of Canada hit up the legendary Saddledome in Calgary over the weekend - Springsteen's first visit to the city in 21 years. The epic 27-song set included classics like "Hungry Heart", "Prove It All Night", and "Born To Run". Bruce was also feeling the holiday spirit, closing out the first encore with "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town". Springsteen will close out his Canadian tour leg this week with shows in Edmonton and Vancouver - his final tour dates of 2024.
JEFF BECK: Widow Washing Her Hands of His Guitars
Following the lead of Eric Clapton, David Gilmour and Mark Knopfler, the widow of Jeff Beck is parting with over 130 of his guitars, amps and "tools-of-the-trade" when they go up for auction in January at Christie's in London. Sandra Beck says, "These guitars were his great love and after almost two years of his passing it's time to part with them as Jeff wished. After some hard thinking I decided they need to be shared, played and loved again. It is a massive wrench to part with them, but I know Jeff wanted for me to share this love. He was a maestro of his trade. He never lusted after commercial success. For him it was just about the music. He constantly reinvented himself with his musical direction and I could not single out one person, one recording or one guitar as his favorite. I hope the future guitarists who acquire these items are able to move closer to the genius who played them. Thank you all for considering a small piece of Jeff that I am now hoping to share with you.â
Included in the sale is his iconic 1954 "Oxblood" Gibson Les Paul, pictured on the on the cover of his 1975 instrumental album Blow By Blow. It has a pre-sale estimate of $445,000 to $635,000.Â
The guitars will be on display at Christie's in Los Angeles from December 4th to the 6th, followed by London from January 15th to the 22nd with the sale taking place on the 22nd. Details at Christies.com/JeffBeck. Beck died from bacterial meningitis on January 10th, 2023. He was 78.
Bob Seger Car Up For Auction
A 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS, that was once owned by Bob Seger, is up for auction. Seger drove his Dino into the 1980s, where it later changed hands a couple of times and then disappeared into storage. It was restored between 2021 and 2023 in the UK and looks to be in near-flawless condition. See it at Bringatrailer.com. The auction ends on November 25.
RICHIE SAMBORA: More to Come?
Richie Sambora has been on a creative hot streak. Appearing on comedian Howie Mandel's podcast, Howie Mandel Does Stuff, he says, "The writing thing for me, that's the most fun, I think. Because you're kind of making stuff up out of thin air and it materializes into a sonic painting... "It happens all ways, but usually it starts with a title. I need a story⌠Because the story is gonna give you a fabric and then the lyric, you're gonna color it almost like it's a movie soundtrack, 'cause there's a sound for hope. You've gotta go dig around and find them, but that's half the fun."
This past spring, Sambora released four new songs. "It was an interesting way to do things. This is the first time I've ever done it this way. "People don't have the time for the album experience anymore. So I just started going, like, 'Okay I'm just gonna release one song at a clip and see how it's going.'" And last month he released another one, "We'll Get By," which he says is "very, very timely for what's going on now. And I'm lucky because I got, like, two albums on ice, kind of thing, sitting in the can⌠I mean, I have way more than that, actually."
Sambora's last album was 2012's Aftermath of the Lowdown.
Tom Petty Estate Share New Music Video For âNever Be Youâ
The estate of the late Tom Petty has released a music video for the previously unreleased "Never Be You." The song comes from the newly expanded âLong After Dark (Deluxe Edition)â.
The video was directed and animated by Emmy Award-winning Jeff Scher, who has also worked for Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, and Graham Nash. Tom Petty once said of the album, âThere was some music recorded for Long After Dark that didnât get on the record, that I thought wouldâve made it a better album." âLong After Darkâ was the fifth Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album and it reached number nine in the USA.
Pete Townshend on Dealing with Depression
Pete Townshend opened up about dealing with depression. He said about his experience with therapy, âAfter the third year, I realized that the woman counseling me had only said about three words. I was just listening to myself.â Townshend added, âSo now I just write journals. Every morning, I rebuild myself in a sense with tea and coffee, and a few vitamin pills.â Townshend ditched his therapist in the â80s after being a patient for three years.
ELTON: Another Musical and Another Doc
Elton John's latest Broadway musical, Tammy Faye, about the late 1980s televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, had its premiere Thursday night at New York's Palace Theatre. Elton said "It's been a work in progress for about 12 years. These things take time. And it all happened when I watched the documentary, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and it really hit home for me at what a great person she was and how she should feted rather than derided. So, we bought the rights and we decided to write a musical and I wrote the songs with Jason Shears from the Scissor Sisters, and we gradually got it together and we love the show. All I wanted to do is to tell people how great she was as a human being."
Elton, who took a curtain call with the cast Thursday night and said a few words, was particularly taken with Tammy's efforts on behalf of the gay and lesbian community and the fight against HIV/AIDS. She died in 2007 from cancer. She was 65. If you plan to travel to New York to see Tammy Faye, do so immediately as the critics have not been kind with the New York Post calling it a "disaster of biblical proportions," and The New York Times saying, "the show often treats the heroine like a cartoon, and that makes for a tonal mismatch that nags."
One person who was there Thursday who enjoyed it was R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe who says it was a "beautifully moving and soulful telling of the Tammy Faye Bakker story... The show is spectacular with themes that are are pitch perfect for our current times and a standing ovation for the cast and crew. Itâs a tour de force!!!"
Tammy Faye is Elton's fifth show to hit the âGreat White Way,â following, in order, The Lion King, which is still running, Aida, Lestat, and Billy Elliot the Musical. Another show, The Devil Wears Prada, will open on Londonâs West End on October 24th.
KISS: End of Touring Isnât End of Performing
Paul Stanley says he's open to doing more shows with KISS, but not touring. He tells the Daily Times, "Anythingâs possible. KISS is so far from over, though KISS as we know it is done. But, having our hands and our ideas and our fingers in what KISS continues as makes all the sense in the world. âSo, I look forward to whatever comes next without knowing what comes next. But Iâm open to it all.â
Stanley is also getting to work again with his R&B cover band, Soul Station. âWeâre just lining up shows and tours now nationally and internationally. Itâs financially daunting to take a band of that size out, but selfishly, itâs so rewarding for me because those songs mean so much to me.â Stanley was in New Jersey this past weekend, attending his Wentworth Gallery art shows in Atlantic City on Friday and Short Hills on Saturday.
Original King Crimson Member Dies At 80
The artist that gave progressive rock band King Crimson its name has died. Peter Sinfield wrote or co-wrote many King Crimson songs on their early albums, but also wore many hats during that time. In a social media post paying tribute to Sinfield, frontman Robert Fripp called him "King Crimson's original roadie, lyricist, lights operator and live sound engineer." Sinfield collaborated with other acts, such as Roxy Music and Emerson, Lake and Palmer during the 70s, and Leo Sayer, Cliff Richard and Cher in the 80s and 90s. He also co-wrote one of the most popular Christmas songs on rock radio, Greg Lake's "I Believe in Father Christmas." Sinfield died last week at the age of 80.
Stevie Nicks Joins Michael J. Fox At 'Funny Thing' Gala
Stevie Nicks joined actor Michael J. Fox for this year's 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinsonâs' gala in New York City over the weekend. Nicks performed at the event, which was hosted by comedian Denis Leary. Other celebs in attendance included Maggie Rogers, Joan Jett, and Keegan Michael-Key. The annual gala is put on by The Michael J. Fox foundation and raises money for Parkinson's Disease research.
AEW Uses 'November Rain' To Promote 'Full Gear' PPV
Wrestling promotion AEW licensed an iconic Guns N' Roses tune to promote its upcoming Full Gear pay-per-view. After announcing it had licensed "November Rain", AEW unveiled a hype video set to the 9-minute classic on last Friday's episode of AEW Collision, focused on the main event of Jon Moxley vs. Orange Cassidy along with other matches on the card. Full Gear is set for this Saturday, Nov. 23rd.
Def Leppard On The Road in 2025
Def Leppard will headline the Country Thunder festival in Craven, Saskatchewan, July 10th to the 13th. They previously announced three other shows â January 11th at the Harvest Nights Festival in Immokalee, Florida, May 15th in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and August 16th at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.