Daily Digest: Fleetwood Mac, Mumford & Sons, Neon Trees, Elton John
In the latest music news, Fleetwood Mac truly unites, Mumford & Sons breaks up, Neon Trees frontman comes out as gay and Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road readies 40th anniversary
The New Adventures of Old Christine
Although bassist John McVie‘s cancer scare placed a damper on world tour plans while he sought treatment last year, it seems as if the tour is back on. And in a big way. Christine McVie, who has not performed with the legendary band since a 1998 reunion tour (or since guest appearing at a London show last year), is back on board. The “On With the Show” tour will kick off September 30 in Minneapolis, Minnesota and will finish up on Dec. 20 in Tampa, Fla. Tickets go on sale April 7. The band also includes Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham.
A flyer for the actual reunion has been drawn up for the special occasion (seen at immediate right).
Mumford Goes Numbford
Out with the banjo…and everything else for English Americana alt-rock band Mumford & Sons. In a relatively short period (and after securing a big Grammy Album of the Year win for Babel), Mumford & Sons looks like they are calling it quits, according to recent reports. Adding to the alarming news are quotes coming from band banjo player Winston Marshall via Vulture. “I wish I had something to say about Mumford & Sons. It was a good time,” Marshall says. “It’s over. We had a good time, though, you know. It was good.” There is still room for a reunion, something Marshall does not rule out. But he is not brushing off his outspoken perception of the banjo itself. “I think ‘killed’ is an understatement,” he says when asked if Mumford & Sons “killed” the banjo. “We murdered it. We let it, yeah — fuck the banjo. I fucking hate the banjo.”
Neon as the Rainbow
Gay and Mormon – this seems to properly describe Neon Trees’ frontman Tyler Glenn. The Provo, Utah singer recently opened up to Rolling Stone about his sexuality and the band’s reaction to his coming-out announcement. “I had my crushes on guys throughout high school, but it was never an overwhelming thing until my twenties,” Glenn admits. “Then I’d be dating girls and in love with my straight friend and it was the worst feeling in the world.” About his religion: “We were always taught, and I hate this word, ‘tolerance.” He decided to come out as gay publicly after being inspired by athletes like Michael Sam and other celebrities who have decided to do the same thing.
Hello Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
“It was the height of our powers.” That is what Sir Elton John had to say about his 1973 double-LP magnum opus, which is getting the box set treatment this year as it celebrated a huge milestone of 40 years of rockin’ and rollin’. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, which has gone platinum eight times since its release, will be released in various forms, including a massive 4-CD/1-DVD box set featuring remastered versions of the classic album, “Live at Hammersmith” performances, a huge 100-page hardback book with a new essay and rare photos and memorabilia and a disc containing cover versions from contemporary acts like Miguel, Emeli Sandé, Hunter Hayes, Ed Sherran and The Band Perry.
Below check out this interview featuring John and songwriter Bernie Taupin speaking about the special album in length with NME magazine.
DAILY DIGEST is a roundup recap of current events and headlines that involves the music industry. Although HiFi Magazine reports news throughout the week, the stories compiled for the Daily Digest column are usually deemed as events “bubbling under the radar.”
