🎸CLASSIC ROCK🎸 NEW Stones Album! | Paperback Writer Inspiration | Pink Floyd 50th Box Set...

Hello Classic Rock Fans!,

In today's Classic Rock Fanzine, we've got The Rolling Stones back in the studio working on their 25th album, Paul McCartney revealing how his aunt inspired "Paperback Writer," and Pink Floyd celebrating the 50th anniversary of Wish You Were Here with an epic deluxe reissue. Plus, we're diving into September 13th rock history with The Beatles, John Lennon, Yes, and celebrating birthdays of rock royalty including Zak Starkey, Dave Mustaine, and Peter Cetera!

🤔 Trivia Question:

What daily newspaper did Paul McCartney flip through at John Lennon's house for inspiration that helped him write "Paperback Writer"?

📰 Classic Rock News:

💿 The Rolling Stones are back in the studio and they're absolutely "hyped up" about it! After winning a Grammy for Hackney Diamonds, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood have been working with producer Andrew Watt at Metropolis Studios in West London since April. They've reportedly laid down 13 songs for what would be their 25th studio album. Keith's son Marlon Richards revealed they're keeping those legendary late-night hours, working "after lunch until two in the morning" despite being in their 80s. The band scrapped their planned European tour to focus on this new music, and honestly, can you blame them for wanting to ride the wave of their recent Grammy success?
Get the full scoop on the Stones' studio sessions!

💿 Here's a heartwarming story that'll make you appreciate family advice: Paul McCartney has revealed that "Paperback Writer" was inspired by a challenge from his Auntie Lil! She told him, "Why do you always write songs about love all the time? Can't you ever write about a horse or the summit conference or something interesting?" So Paul took her advice to heart. The actual inspiration came when he was at John Lennon's Weybridge house, flipping through The Daily Mail looking for song ideas. He told John he wanted to write about someone trying to become a paperback writer, structured like a letter: "Dear Sir or Madam, as the case may be..." The song became The Beatles' tenth number-one single, proving that sometimes the best creative advice comes from family.
Discover the full story behind this classic Beatles hit!

💿 Pink Floyd fans, get ready to wish you were here for this announcement! The band is releasing a massive 50th anniversary edition of Wish You Were Here on December 12th, and it's everything we could have hoped for. The collection features six previously unreleased alternate versions and demos, including "The Machine Song (Demo #2, Revisited)" - an early version of "Welcome to the Machine." But here's the real treasure: 16 live recordings from their April 26, 1975 Los Angeles Sports Arena concert, captured by renowned bootlegger Mike Millard and now getting their first official release, restored and remastered by Steven Wilson. The deluxe box set includes clear vinyl, a replica Japanese 7-inch, and unseen photographs. This isn't just a reissue - it's a complete exploration of one of rock's greatest masterpieces.
Explore all the details of this epic reissue!

💿 Boston's legacy continues to inspire new generations of rock fans, and their story remains one of the most fascinating in rock history. Tom Scholz's journey from MIT engineering graduate to rock icon is the stuff of legend - building a recording studio in his basement, using his Polaroid job savings to create demos, and essentially crafting Boston's debut album at home before submitting the tapes to Columbia Records. The album became one of the best-selling debuts of all time, but success came with a price. The pressure for a quick follow-up led to their second album Don't Look Back, but the band's perfectionist approach and legal battles took their toll. Their story is a reminder that sometimes the greatest art comes from the most unexpected places - like a basement in Boston.
Dive deeper into Boston's incredible journey!

💿 King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard just proved that sometimes the best protest is musical dominance! After pulling their entire 27-album discography from Spotify (citing CEO Daniel Ek's investments in AI military drone technology), the prolific Australian rockers put everything up on Bandcamp at "name your price." The result? They've occupied the top 31 spots on Bandcamp's best-selling list! Their fans didn't just download the music for free - they supported the band so enthusiastically that you have to scroll to #32 to find a non-King Gizzard release. Stu Mackenzie told the Los Angeles Times, "I don't really care about making money from streaming. I just want to make music, and I want people to be able to listen to it." It's a bold experiment in artist-fan relationships and a middle finger to corporate streaming monopolies.
See how King Gizzard dominated Bandcamp!

📺 Today’s Classic Rock TV

Paul McCartney: The Love You Make - Documentary exploring Paul's solo journey from Beatles breakup to Wings' triumph

Hidden Beatles Easter Eggs in Free As A Bird - Discovering secrets in the Beatles' reunion video

John Lennon Power To The People 4LP Vinyl - First look at Lennon's October vinyl release

R.E.M.'s Kenneth Conspiracy Theory Song - How "What's The Frequency Kenneth?" became a cultural phenomenon

Spinal Tap Reunites for IMDb Interview - England's loudest band discusses their comedy classic

Queen's Killer Queen Story - The word that got this video banned three times

Ten Treasured Collection Items - Signed memorabilia and the stories behind them

How Gorillaz Changed Music Forever - The fake band that became a cultural revolution

Arctic Monkeys' Sound Evolution - Why and how their dramatic changes took place

Neil Young Archives Box 6 News - Sleeps With Angles, Mirror Ball and more

📅 On This Day in Rock History

1965: The Beatles released "Yesterday" as a single in the United States, becoming their fifth consecutive number-one hit. The Paul McCartney ballad, featuring only his vocals and acoustic guitar with a string quartet, was a dramatic departure from their usual sound. The band initially refused to release it in the UK because it didn't fit their image, but it topped the American charts for four weeks and became one of the most covered songs in history with over 2,200 versions. The song's intimate arrangement - essentially Paul's first solo performance within The Beatles - proved that rock music could be tender and orchestral, paving the way for countless acoustic ballads to come.
Watch Paul perform this timeless classic live!

1969: John Lennon made his first public solo performance at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival with the hastily assembled Plastic Ono Band. Eric Clapton convinced a nervous Lennon not to back out, and they rehearsed rock 'n' roll standards on the plane to Canada with Klaus Voormann on bass and Alan White on drums. The festival featured Lennon's childhood heroes like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Lennon later said this performance gave him the confidence to tell The Beatles he wanted out the following week. The concert was captured on Live Peace in Toronto 1969, making it the first live album by any Beatle.
Experience Lennon's historic solo debut performance!

1972: Yes released Close to the Edge in the United States, widely regarded as one of the greatest progressive rock albums ever made. The album featured just three extended tracks, with the 18-minute title suite inspired by Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha. The complex arrangements and stressful recording process led to drummer Bill Bruford's departure to join King Crimson, but the album reached #3 in the US and #4 in the UK. Alan White joined just three days before their massive world tour began. The album's combination of Jon Anderson's mystical lyrics and the band's intricate instrumental passages created a template for progressive rock that remains unmatched.
Explore the making of this prog rock masterpiece!

1985: "We Are the World" by USA for Africa won Best Group Video and Viewer's Choice at the second MTV Video Music Awards. The charity single, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, had brought together dozens of music's biggest stars including Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, and Tina Turner to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief. The recording session had featured a sign that read "Check your ego at the door," and the collaborative spirit showed that rock, pop, and R&B artists could unite for a greater cause.
Relive the historic MTV Video Music Awards ceremony!

1991: Nirvana was thrown out of their own Nevermind release party at Seattle's Re-bar after starting a food fight. Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl had smuggled nearly two liters of Jack Daniels into the venue and began ripping down posters before launching tamales and guacamole at each other and the industry executives in attendance. The chaos escalated when someone started rolling beer kegs around, just as Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board agents arrived outside. Owner Steve Wells quickly escorted the band to the sidewalk where they vomited on the curb, making Nirvana possibly the only band ever kicked out of their own album party.
Read about Nirvana's legendary party disaster!

Have a Rockin' Day!
Hippy Pete