Dave's Classic Rock Blog

Even before AC/DC's U.S. tour begins, it's being extended.

Tickets for the first 18 dates sold out in minutes. so additional shows have been added to those already scheduled in Chicago, Los Angeles and Oakland.

The North American leg of the band's first world tour since 2000 is set to begin October 28 and run through December 18.

AC/DC Black Ice North American tour schedule:
October 28 - Wilkes-Barre, PA
October 30 - Chicago
November 1 - Chicago
November 3 - Indianapolis
November 5 - Detroit
November 7 - Toronto
November 9 - Boston
November 12 - New York City
November 13 - New York City
November 15 - Washington, D.C.
November 17 - Philadelphia
November 19 - East Rutherford, NJ
November 21 - Columbus, OH
November 23 - Minneapolis
November 25 - Denver
November 28 - Vancouver
November 29 - Seattle
November 30 - Tacoma, WA
December 2 - Oakland
December 4 - Oakland
December 6 - Los Angeles
December 8 - Los Angeles
December 10 - Phoenix
December 12 - San Antonio
December 14 - Houston
December 16 - Atlanta
December 18 - Charlotte

^{Photo courtesy Epic Records}

The rumors turned out to be true. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will fill the time between commercials during halftime at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa on February 1. Organizers have apparently determined that football fans like to rock, too. Since 2005, halftime shows have been anchored by Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones, Prince, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.

Boss & Billy Boost Barack
Springsteen and Billy Joel have never performed together, but on October 16, the two will take the stage together at Manhattan's Hammerstein Ballroom. The occasion is a fundraiser for Obama, so it shouldn't be too much of a shock to learn that tickets will start at $500, with premium packages going for a cool $10,000.

^{Bruce Springsteen photo by Jim Dyson / Getty Images; Billy Joel photo by Rob Loud / Getty Images}

For a band that never really caught on the U.S., Uriah Heep is doing very well, thank you, after nearly 40 years of rock-making.

With 21 studio albums and 12 live albums in their discography, the band has maintained a huge fan base in Europe, where they still fill stadium and arena concert venues. Inexplicably, Heep haven't been able to get beyond cult band status in the States.

The band's fusion of hard rock, heavy metal and prog rock landed them on the list alongside bands like Yes, Genesis and Rush as pioneers of the progessive metal sub-genre.

Uriah Heep's latest album has found its way to the U.S. and Alun Williams has a review of Wake The Sleeper.

Is The Who really The Who without John Entwistle and Keith Moon?

How about Led Zeppelin without Bonzo Bonham? The Doors without Jim Morrison?

Queen without Freddie Mercury? Oops! I think I hit a nerve there. In Lynette Sheffield's world, that's not her Queen.

Whatever the real reason was for the cancellation of a scheduled Beatles concert in 1965, Paul McCartney's much anticipated appearance in Israel this week suggested there were no lingering hard feelings on either side.

Macca has played crowds much larger than the estimated 40,000 at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park, but none were any more enthusiastic. On the eve of the Jewish new year holiday and in the midst of the Muslim Ramadan holy month, McCartney mixed English, Hebrew and Arabic in greeting the crowd, then mixed Beatles and Wings standards, all equally well received.

Security was extensive, but nothing happened to deter McCartney from his stated mission, "I'm bringing a message of peace, and I think that's what the region needs."

^{Photo by Uriel Sinai / Getty Images}

If you want to know how Todd Rundgren really feels about something, just ask.

Whether its about popular performers ("a great technological advance would be for [them] to learn how to play") or current events ("we're living in a world where a lot of the leaders are not really men to admire") Rundgren is likely to have an opinion, and be happy to share it.

As a singer/songwriter/guitarist (Nazz, Utopia, The New Cars, 21 solo albums), producer (Cheap Trick, Patti Smith, The Tubes, Meat Loaf) and pioneer in digital distribution of music and interactive media, Rundgren has built a varied and impressive resume.

His latest solo album, Arena, is about to be released (September 30) and he's more than happy to talk about that, too.

^{Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images}

A sure sign of autumn: the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces its nominees for induction, and the debate resumes over the Rock Hall's relevance, and its puzzling definition of what rock is, and who has performed it or had some undefined "influence" on it.

Well, they're nothing if not consistent. I'm sure you won't be surprised at the usual scarcity of rock artists among the latest crop of nominees:

• Jeff Beck
• Chic
• Wanda Jackson
• Little Anthony and The Imperials
• Metallica
• Run-D.M.C.
• The Stooges
• War
• Bobby Womack

Now that the nominating process is complete, the equally Machiavellian voting begins. Anybody who gets more than 50% of the votes cast gets the honor being able to buy a ticket to the induction ceremony early next year.

Hey, how about those legendary rockers like Chic, Wanda Jackson and Run-D.M.C.? I can't wait to read your comments!

With the band's long history of turnover and turmoil, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that Yes co-founder Jon Anderson isn't happy about his bandmates' tour plans.

To recap: Yes was all set for a big 40th anniversary tour this year, but they had to hit the hold button when Anderson was knocked out of commission with respiratory problems. That was in June. Six months of rest, the doctors said.

Then, a few weeks ago, seemingly out of the blue, came the announcement that the tour was back on, but with a little known Yes cover band vocalist named Benoit David replacing Anderson.

Writing on his website, Anderson makes no secret of how he feels about this. "[W]ith the exception of one phone call from Alan [White, Yes drummer] none of the guys have been in touch since my illness, just to find out how I am doing, and how we will foresee the future for YES. [I'm] disappointed that they were not willing to wait till 2009 when I’m fully recovered."

He says he wishes "the guys" all the best, but, in Anderson's words, "This is not YES on tour."

The tour begins November 4 with White, David, Yes co-founder Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe and keyboardist Oliver Wakeman, son of former Yes keys man Rick Wakeman.

^{Photo (Yes in 1978) courtesy Special Ops Media}

Keyboardist Rick Wright, a founding member of Pink Floyd, has died at the age of 65.

A brief statement on the Pink Floyd website says Wright "died today (9/15) after a short struggle with cancer."

Wright was a primary architect (along with the late Syd Barrett) of the band's early experimental sound. The band reunited for a one-off performance at Live 8 in 2005. In recent years, Wright has frequently toured and recorded with former bandmate David Gilmour.

On his website, Gilmour writes, "Like Rick, I don't find it easy to express my feelings in words, but I loved him and will miss him enormously."

An online "guest book" has been established at legacy.com for those who would like to publicly express condolences.

^{Photo by MJ Kim / Getty Images}

Jimi Hendrix's onstage antics were just as bombastic as his guitar playing. In 1967, he started setting fire to his guitars, first during a London concert then, more famously, during the Monterey Pop Festival. That first incinerated Fender Stratocaster sold at auction this week for just under $500,000. The collector who bought it actually thought it would cost more than that. As he told the BBC, "It's one of a kind from one of a kind."

Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Guitar Player
Choosing to set your guitar on fire is one thing. Getting tackled from behind while you're playing it is quite another. Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher is recovering from a bruised hip and ribs. The nut job who attacked him during a performance at the Virgin Festival in Toronto is looking at an assault charge and a court appearance next month.

Yes, More or Less
When lead singer Jon Anderson developed respiratory problems earlier this year, the Yes 40th anniversary tour had to be scrapped. It's now back on, but without Anderson. Benoit David, a Yes tribute band singer from Montreal, will replace Anderson for the Yes "In The Present" tour, beginning in November. The change is pretty much in keeping with the band's long history of frequent turnover in personnel, so the difference probably won't be as stark as it might be with some other bands.

^{Noel Gallagher photo by ShowBizIreland / Getty Images}