Rush has a lot of emotional baggage associated with the Forum in Los Angeles. The band wrapped their R40 Live tour at the venue in 2015, which marked their final show with drummer Neil Peart before his death in 2020. Then in 2022, bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson reunited at the Forum to play a tribute concert to late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.

Now, Rush is preparing to return to the Forum again to launch their highly anticipated Fifty Something tour, which will mark their first since Peart's passing. Speaking with Classic Rock magazine, Lee calls beginning the tour at the Forum a "supremely stupid idea."

"It's a massively stupid idea, because we're going to be so emotional already, that first show without Neil, and then to be in that building," Lee says. "What the f*** was I thinking?"

As emotional as that first night back might be, Lee and Lifeson are looking forward to the tour, which will feature Anika Nilles on drums.

"Well there's only one thing you look forward to, and that's playing," Lifeson says. "I'm looking forward to that feeling of being on stage and playing and getting lost in the song and hitting every note correctly."

"I've got one goal, and that's to be better than I was ten years ago," Lee adds. "Which is tough. It's a real challenge."

"But that's the goal," Lifeson continues. "And honestly, that's what is driving me in this whole thing. We're at this stage now where I've committed to it. And all I want at the end of the day is for us to be Rush and to be amazing."

The Rush Fifty Something tour kicks off June 7 with the first of four shows at the Forum and is currently scheduled into 2027.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

You may not know saxophonist Dick Parry's name, but if you're a Pink Floyd fan, you've heard his work on some of the band's best-known tracks. Guitarist David Gilmour has paid tribute to Parry, who he says passed away on May 22 at 83 years old.

"My dear friend Dick Parry died this morning. Since I was seventeen, I have played in bands with Dick on saxophone, including Pink Floyd," Gilmour wrote on Instagram. "His feel and tone make his saxophone playing unmistakable, a signature of enormous beauty that is known to millions and is such a big part of songs such as Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Wish You Were Here, Us and Them and Money."

Gilmour continued, "He played in the last band I had that included Rick Wright for the On An Island Tour and at Live 8 with Pink Floyd." 

Gilmour also shared several photos of him playing with Parry throughout the years, including one of a performance in Cambridge, England in 1963, years before they'd experienced any success.

In addition to the songs that Gilmour named, Parry also played on the 1994 Pink Floyd album, The Division Bell, and joined the band for every live performance from 1973 to 1977, and again in 1994.

Floyd wasn't the only legendary band Parry played with: He toured as part of The Who's brass section in 1979 and 1980, and played on Who bassist John Entwistle's 1975 solo album, Mad Dog.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

It seems progress is being made on a sequel to the Michael Jackson biopic Michael.

Lionsgate Studios Motion Picture Chair Adam Fogelson said he's "really excited about the progress we’re making" on a sequel to Michael during the company’s quarterly earnings call on Thursday.

"All the conversations that we’ve been having with all of the appropriate parties continue to go exceptionally well, and I would say that there is a ton of incredibly entertaining Michael Jackson story, and much of the biggest and most popular parts of his music catalog that were not touched upon in the first film,” Fogelson said on the call.

As for what events from Jackson's life would be covered in a potential second film, Fogelson said the studio "can go forwards and backwards in telling this story."

"There are so many other events that happened, even in the time frame of the original movie, that weren’t touched upon. So we’re very, very confident that we’ve got an incredibly entertaining movie that will appeal once again to a global audience as the pieces come together," Fogelson said.

The Lionsgate executive also said the studio has "25% to 30% of a second movie already shot from the prior production activity."

"Obviously that will have some benefit ultimately. But we’ll make sure we make a big and satisfying movie for a global audience once again, so I wouldn’t want to quantify exactly what that’s going to look like. But undoubtedly that 25% to 30% will be material,” Fogelson said.

Michael opened in theaters on April 24. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film starred the King of Pop's nephew Jaafar Jackson and also featured Colman Domingo, Miles Teller and Nia Long.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Paul Mescal is portraying Paul McCartney in the upcoming quartet of Beatles films being made by Sam Mendes, so Amazon Music has tapped Mescal to interview McCartney about his new album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane.

The Boys of Dungeon Lane: In Conversation with Paul McCartney & Paul Mescal premieres Monday on Amazon Music and Amazon Live, and there's a sneak peek of it on Instagram. In it, McCartney and Mescal sit in the "Dungeon Lane Cafe," have tea and chat.

"There's this actor, Peter Ustinov," McCartney says. "And he said he liked doing interviews, because it allowed him to know what he was thinking."

"About a project?" Mescal replies. "About anything," McCartney answers.

"How do you feel about being interviewed?" Mescal asks McCartney. "You know what? It depends if I like the person," smiles McCartney. 

"OK, bro," laughs Mescal, as McCartney continues, jokingly, "Which is where we're running into a problem."

And yes, Mescal really called Sir Paul McCartney "bro."

The Boys of Dungeon Lane is out May 29.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Madonna is going to release a sequel to her 2005 album, Confessions on a Dance Floor, so would it be so strange for her to do a sequel to her 2006 Confessions Tour?

The Confessions Tour kicked off May 21, 2006 — exactly 20 years ago Thursday — and Madonna paid tribute to it on Instagram by posting a montage of scenes of herself onstage during that trek. She wrote in the caption, "Happy 20th anniversary!! Confessions Tour-Part 1."

The words "Part 1" grabbed fans' attention, with one commenting, "TOUR PART ONE???!?" and another writing, "COME ON NEW TOUR!"

In April, when asked if Madonna would be touring, her manager, Guy Oseary, said, "I'm not sure yet."

After he was initially misquoted as saying that he wasn't sure she'd ever tour again, he later clarified, "That's ridiculous. Of course she will tour again. She wants to share her music with her fans. Not sure yet the plans. Stay tuned!"

Madonna's most recent outing was her Celebration Tour, which ran from 2023 to 2024 and grossed over $225 million.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Elton John got an honor that nobody has ever received before Thursday in London.

He was named the first-ever president of The Ivors Academy, a U.K. not-for-profit that works to support, empower and celebrate songwriters and composers. The Academy also hands out the Ivor Novello Awards aka the Ivors, which honor Britain and Ireland's best songwriters.

Elton got the honor because he's "reached the pinnacle" of his profession and is "committed to giving back by supporting the community and advancing the Academy’s mission to protect the future of music." It's an ambassadorial role, which will see Elton advocate for rights and recognition for music creators worldwide.

In addition to being named president, Elton was given an Ivors Academy Honour, a special award that recognizes his work in championing new and emerging talent, which he does each week through his Apple Music show, the Rocket Hour.

Accepting his awards, Elton said, "To be able to write a song, it is such a personal, wonderful thing. ... We're an amazing country that produces great songwriting. ... The new music that I hear inspires me, and I can't thank them enough for keeping me young."

At the event on Thursday, Harry Styles was on hand to pay tribute to his musical hero, Thom Yorke of Radiohead. The late George Michael was also honored. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Phil Collins will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for a second time on Nov. 14, but as of now, he doesn't plan on taking the stage to sing any of his countless hits.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Collins says that even though he is "healthier now than I have been for quite awhile," he still doesn't think he's in good enough shape for the event. "They asked me if I would perform, and I said 'no,' y'know, 'cause you've got to be match fit to do something like that," he explains. 

"Match fit" is a term usually applied to athletes: It means being in good enough shape to play a game or, as they say in the U.K., a match.

"You can't just go onstage and -- you're gonna have to rehearse," he continues. "And then by that point, if you've not been singing, your voice is gonna be shot and then that's not gonna be good. So, I'd rather not do it."

That doesn't mean that Collins has given up on the idea of making music or playing live.

"But whether I would go out again, I would contemplate -- yeah," he says. "I mean, I'm constantly saying to myself, 'I've gotta go back down into my studio at home.'"

"I've got lots of lyrical ideas that I write down. And there are things that are half-formed and a couple of things that are finished," he adds. "So, y'know, there's things that I can get my teeth into to start working on."

Despite his health struggles, Collins notes, "When I look back, I've lived a charmed life. I've really enjoyed most of it -- 99% of it."

Collins is already in the Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Neil Young has released reissues of his '90s albums Harvest Moon, Unplugged, Sleeps with Angels and Mirror Ball.

All four titles were previously collected into vinyl and CD box sets in 2025 as part of Young's Official Release Series reissue campaign, but are now available as standalone releases.

Harvest Moon was released in 1992 and served as a sort of spiritual successor to Young's classic 1972 album, Harvest. It was followed in 1993 by Unplugged, which Young recorded as part of MTV's Unplugged performance series.

1994's Sleeps with Angels found Young back together with his frequent backing band, Crazy Horse, while 1995's Mirror Ball was recorded with members of Pearl Jam.

Young's most recent album is 2025's Talkin to the Trees, which he recorded with his band the Chrome Hearts. A live album with the Chrome Hearts called As Time Explodes is due out May 29.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On This Day, May 22, 1976 ...

Paul McCartney & Wings hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Silly Love Songs,” which spent five weeks on top of the chart.

The tune, from the 1976 album Wings at the Speed of Sound, was McCartney’s answer to critics who suggested he only wrote lightweight love songs.

“Silly Love Songs” was McCartney’s fifth #1 as a solo artist and his 27th #1 as a songwriter, which was a new record.

According to the Beatles Bible, although McCartney continues to tour to this day, he hasn’t played "Silly Love Songs" live since the Wings Over the World Tour in 1976.

Fans can learn more about McCartney’s post-Beatles career, including the formation of Wings, in the documentary Man on the Run, which is available to stream on Prime Video.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Back in 1964, Paul McCartney played The Ed Sullivan Show with The Beatles. And on Thursday night, he returned to the same venue to turn out the lights on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Sir Paul returned to Ed Sullivan Theater, as it was renamed in 1967, to sit for an interview with Colbert on the host's final broadcast, and then performed The Beatles' "Hello Goodbye," with Colbert singing backup, along with Elvis Costello, former bandleader Jon Batiste and the show's staff.

During the interview, Colbert asked McCartney if the theater still brings back memories. "When you close your eyes, do you hear the girls screaming?" "Yeah," McCartney replied as the women in the audience screamed wildly.

"How often does that happen to you at this point?" Colbert asked when the screams died down. "Often," said McCartney.

McCartney also reminisced about how, when The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, they got makeup put on them for the cameras and "it was, like, bright orange." "That’s very popular in certain circles these days,” joked Colbert.  “Now we know where it started. Thanks a lot, Paul McCartney!"

Sir Paul also talked about the romantic vision The Beatles had of America as "the land of the free, the greatest democracy," adding, "That was what it was. It still is, hopefully."

Prior to "Hello Goodbye," Colbert, Costello and Batiste performed an obscure Costello song, "Jump Up."  Then, as "Hello Goodbye" faded out, Colbert went to turn out the lights, and beckoned McCartney to join him. He threw the switch, the building went dark, and it was then sucked into a wormhole and spit out into a snow globe, being sniffed at by a dog. We then heard Colbert's voice saying, "C'mon Benny, let's go," and the show ended.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Legendary singer/songwriter Bob Dylan turns 85 on Sunday.

While Dylan has been called one of the greatest American songwriters, not many people are as effusive about his singing voice. But the love of his songwriting has led many artists to cover Dylan’s songs, sometimes landing bigger hits than Dylan himself.

Here’s a look at some of the more iconic Dylan covers:

“All Along the Watchtower” – Dylan’s version came out in 1967, but the song is probably most recognized for Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 rendition, which appeared on the Jimi Hendrix Experience album Electric Ladyland. The song has subsequently been covered artists like Pearl Jam, U2 and Dave Matthews Band.

“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” – Dylan’s 1973 version peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It saw renewed popularity thanks to Guns N’ Roses’ 1987 cover, which was recorded for the Tom Cruise movie Days of Thunder and appeared on Guns' album Use Your Illusion II.

“Make You Feel My Love” – Lots of artists have covered Dylan’s 1997 love song, including Billy Joel for his 1997 Greatest Hits Volume III compilation, although he called it "To Make You Feel My Love." Other notable covers include Adele’s take, which appeared on her debut album, 19, and Garth Brooks’ version, using Joel's title, which was featured in the 1998 movie Hope Floats.

“Mr. Tambourine Man” – Dylan’s version was released in March 1965, but it became a huge success when the Byrds released their take a month later as their debut single, which went to #1. Both versions have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

“Blowin’ in the Wind” – Just one month after Dylan’s 1963 release of the song, Peter, Paul & Mary released their cover, which spent five weeks at #1 and won two Grammys. Both versions have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Liverpool bar, record store and music venue The Jacaranda has changed its name in honor of the upcoming release of Paul McCartney’s latest solo album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane.

In a post on Instagram, the bar announced that they’ve teamed with McCartney and renamed themselves The Maccaranda.

“In celebration of our former performer and customer’s new album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, out 29 May, we’ve temporarily changed our name,” the venue wrote. “Pop by The Maccaranda and try Paul’s own cocktail, the Maccarita.”

The Maccaranda is set to host a The Boys of Dungeon Lane pre-release listening party on Friday. They are also selling a special edition of the album, which comes in black or pink vinyl and includes a 1960 replica Jacaranda Club membership card, among other things.

The Jacaranda opened in Liverpool in 1957 and was a well known spot for up-and-coming artists; Beatles members John Lennon, Stuart Sutcliffe, George Harrison and McCartney, were frequent visitors.

The bar’s first manager, Allan Williams, became The Beatles’ unofficial manager and arranged their 1960 residency in Hamburg, Germany. He also introduced the band to their future drummer, Ringo Starr.

McCartney’s The Boys of Dungeon Lane features songs about McCartney’s childhood in Liverpool, early adventures with future Beatles bandmates Harrison and Lennon, and more. It comes out on May 29.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Bonnie Raitt has penned a tribute to Stephen Colbert, who is signing off The Late Show Thursday night.

“As we’re forced to say goodbye to one of our most brilliant, hilarious and beloved shows, @colbertlateshow, I want to thank Stephen and his incredible team for the eleven years of astonishing gifts they’ve given us all,” she wrote on Instagram next to a photo of one of her appearances. “How insane that the number one show in that time slot is being booted off the air because some in power can’t take a joke or alternative points of view.”

“Here’s hoping that after a wee, well-deserved break, you’ll find a way to once again illuminate and delight us in an exciting new chapter,” she added. “We need you more than ever.”

Raitt then thanked Colbert for “your kindness in having us on your show,” and for "showcasing the incredible talents" of his bandleaders Jon Batiste and Louis Cato. She noted, “What an honor for us all.”

The post concluded, “God bless and til next time, here’s to us all still speaking our truths to power.”

CBS announced the The Late Show's cancellation in July 2025, noting it was a financial decision. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

A new biography on legendary guitarist Jeff Beck is set for release this summer.

Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story is described as the “first biography to fully capture the life, music, and mystery of this singular artist.”

The book was written by Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill, who also wrote Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen. It's compiled from over 30 hours of Beck interviews, as well as contributions from the guitarist's friends and collaborators, including Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, actor Johnny Depp and music exec Clive Davis.

“This is the book Jeff deserves,” says Depp. “It’s honest, thoughtful, and true.”

Blow by Blow will be released July 14, and it will be celebrated with what’s described as an “all-star tribute concert” July 16 at The Cutting Room in New York City. It will also feature an interview and book signing with the authors.

The authors will also take part in a book signing and Q&A at Book Soup in Los Angeles on July 23.

Beck came to prominence in the '60s as a member of The Yardbirds, with future guitar legends Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. He later went on to have a successful solo career, fronting his own Jeff Beck Group.

Beck was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: in 1992 as a member of The Yardbirds and again in 2009 for his solo work.

Beck passed away Jan. 10, 2023, from bacterial meningitis. He was 78.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

HBO has announced the airdate for Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson's documentary about R&B legends Earth, Wind & Fire.

Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial VS That’s the Weight of the World) is set to debut June 7 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

HBO has also dropped the trailer for the film, soundtracked by the band’s iconic tunes “September” and “Let’s Groove Tonight.” It features lots of archival footage of the band, as well as interview bites from President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, Lionel Richie and others.

According to the film’s description, the doc traces the band’s "genesis through late founding member Maurice White, chronicling their evolution, highs and lows, and relevance from the 1970s into the present day while exploring the deep philosophical and spiritual meaning behind their message and music.”

The film includes interviews with current Earth, Wind & Fire band members Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson, as well as contributions from former members, Stevie Wonder, H.E.R. and Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea.

Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial VS That’s the Weight of the World) will have its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 3 at the Beacon Theatre in New York, followed by a live performance by Earth, Wind & Fire and The Roots.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band are currently on their Land of Hope and Dreams tour, and during the shows The Boss has been very vocal regarding his feelings about President Donald Trump and his administration. Well, E Street Band guitarist Stevie Van Zandt says Springsteen’s outspokenness has led to them receiving death threats while on tour.

“It's a very specific political theme to this tour and there's been a lot of threats, death threats. Usually there's always some, but this time it's been increasing,” Van Zandt told U.K. outlet The Mail in an interview. “The band, Bruce, we've had to beef up security and, you know, it's mostly just talk.”

“And it's not like we're saying something that's not true or we're saying something that's so really particularly controversial, but it's specifically political,” he noted.

“So, the FBI and others have been really watching things and been overly concerned about it, as they should be,” he added. “We want the fans to be safe and feel safe. So we really go the extra mile with extra security for that reason alone.”

Springsteen & The E Street Band have four shows left of the tour, and will play Cleveland on Friday and Boston on Sunday. The tour was supposed to wrap on May 27 with an outdoor show in Washington, D.C., but after having to postpone a show due to Philadelphia sports teams in the playoffs, the tour will now wrap May 30 in Philly.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood are the latest musicians set to take part in the BBC Radio 2 show Tracks of My Years.

Jagger and Wood have just been announced as guests on the May 31 episode, where they’ll reveal the 10 songs that have soundtracked their lives.

Their appearance comes ahead of the release of The Rolling Stones’ new album, Foreign Tongues, which drops July 10. The album, produced by Andrew Watt, is the band’s 25th studio album and their first since 2023’s Hackney Diamonds.

Jagger and Wood aren’t the only Rock & Roll Hall of Famers appearing on Tracks of My Years in May. Paul McCartney, whose new album The Boys of Dungeon Lane comes out May 29, is a guest on the May 25 episode.

Interestingly, McCartney makes a guest appearance on Foreign Tongues. He also appeared on Hackney Diamonds.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Saturday Night Live has just released two bonus Paul McCartney performances that didn’t make it on air when he was the musical guest on the show’s May 16 season finale.

During the show, McCartney performed three tracks: The Boys of Dungeon Lane single “Days We Left Behind,” the classic Wings track “Band on the Run” and the solo single “Coming Up.”

But the SNL audience was apparently treated to more, and now fans at home are getting a look at McCartney's performances of The Beatles classics “Help!” and “Drive My Car.” “Help!” featured a cameo by the night's host, Will Ferrell, who added cowbell to the song.

Both performances featured Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith behind the drum kit and singer Ingrid Michaelson on backing vocals. You can also see the cast of the show dancing along on the side of the stage.

McCartney's SNL appearance came ahead of the release of his new solo album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, which is out May 29.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On This Day, May 21, 1979…

Elton John became the first western act to play the former U.S.S.R., when he kicked off a four-night stand at the Bolshoi Oktyabrsky (Great October) Concert Hall in Leningrad.

After the opening night concert, Elton was reportedly asked to tone down his show and refrain from playing a cover of The Beatles’ "Back in the U.S.S.R.," but he continued to keep the song in his set.

The Leningrad shows were followed by four shows in Moscow at the Rossiya Concert Hall, with the final night broadcast live in Europe by the BBC.

Songs played during the shows included “Your Song,” “Daniel,” “Rocket Man,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and more.

The concerts were recorded for a documentary, To Russia... with Elton, that featured footage from the final Moscow show.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Bruce Springsteen was the final announced musical guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Wednesday night, and he let his feelings be known as to who he thinks is responsible for the late night talk show’s cancelation.

“I am here in support tonight for Stephen because you’re the first guy in America who’s lost a show because we got a president who can’t take a joke,” said The Boss, noting that CBS’ new owners, Larry and David Ellison, “feel they need to kiss his a** to get what they want.”

He added, “Stephen these are small minded people that got no idea what the freedoms of this beautiful country are supposed to be about. This is for you.”

Springsteen then performed his protest song “Streets of Minneapolis,” which he released in January. He said he wrote the song in “response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” including the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

The Late Show premiered on CBS in 1993, with David Letterman as host. Colbert took over when Letterman left in 2015.

CBS announced the show's cancelation in July, noting it was a financial decision. Stephen Colbert will sign off The Late Show on Thursday; no guests for the finale have been revealed.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.