Rock Music

When you think of legendary rock guitarists, Eddie Van Halen immediately pops into your mind ... and so do his equally famous Kramer Guitars -- and one of them can now be all yours ... but only if you have some very deep pockets!

That's right ... the late music virtuoso's striped 1985 Kramer studio guitar is hitting the auction block on GottaHaveRockAndRoll.com starting today, through March 13.

And the piece of guitar history is expected to fetch between $1,000,000 and $1,500,000, with a starting bid of $700,000.

Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith says some rappers absolutely warrant induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ... even if not everyone -- or every rock star -- agrees.

We got Chad at LAX and our photog asked him if rap music belongs in the HOF ... and Chad wasted no time giving his answer.

Gene Simmons feels otherwise ... the KISS rocker slammed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on a recent episode of the "LegendsNLeaders" podcast, saying ... "Hip-hop does not belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, nor does opera, symphony orchestras ... it's called the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame."

Chuck D didn't mince words when addressing Gene Simmons' comment that rappers shouldn't be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ... he told us KISS is rock, but they got no roll.

ICYMI ... Simmons slammed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on an episode of the "LegendsNLeaders" podcast, saying, "Hip-hop does not belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, nor does opera, symphony orchestras ... it's called the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame."

Chuck D says he's well acquainted with Gene Simmons' views, as the KISS member "seems to say this every 3 years."

9 AM PT -- Kid Rock just posted a video on X denying reports he lip-synced his performance of "Bawitdaba" during the Turning Point USA Halftime Show. His deejay, Paradime, even flew out to rap the song with him live ... to prove they know the lyrics.

It looks like even Kid Rock had to go back and watch Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show ... because the country-rap-rock star delivered his critique of BB's performance on Fox News last night.

Rock told Laura Ingraham on "The Ingraham Angle" ... "Like most people, I didn't understand any of it. I saw there's a lot of dancers and a lot of big to-do stuff. And, you know, he said he wanted to have a dance party; it looked like he had one."

And while Rock admitted it wasn't his "cup of tea," he revealed he doesn't have any beef with BB. He's more upset with the NFL.

He clarified ... "I don't fault that kid for doing the Super Bowl, getting in front of a global audience. I fault the NFL for putting him in that position and Turning Point for having to come out and have an alternative for people to watch. You know, it's just -- poor kid."

Chuck Negron -- one of the founding members and frontman of rock band Three Dog Night -- has died.

The singer died on Monday at his home in Studio City, CA surrounded by family, according to his obituary. A cause of death has not been immediately revealed, but the singer battled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), for decades, and suffered from heart failure at the end of his life.

Negron was born in 1942 and raised in the Bronx, New York, and moved to Los Angeles to play basketball for California State University. During this time, he explored music as he had grown up singing in doo wop groups.

Bruce Springsteen went for the jugular on his new track "Streets of Minneapolis" ... trashing the Trump Administration's attitude and actions against the city and its ongoing unrest.

Springsteen dropped the track accompanied by a statement n his website, explaining he wrote the song on Saturday, recorded it Tuesday, and released it today ... he dedicated it to the citizens of Minneapolis, immigrant neighbors, and the memories of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both shot and killed by federal agents in the city this month.

Springsteen makes several references to "King Trump" and brands federal officers "thugs."

He also calls out "dirty lies" pushed by Trump adviser Stephen Miller and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who both defended the actions of the federal officers who killed Pretti and falsely labeled him a terrorist.

Noem claimed Pretti brandished a gun at the agents who shot him ... though video later showed he never touched his firearm, which he was legally permitted to carry. Miller also alleged without evidence Pretti "tried to murder federal agents."

Springsteen's song finishes with a pledge to "remember the names of those who died on the streets of Minneapolis."

Springsteen isn't the only one who's spoken out about the unrest in the Twin Cities recently ... celebrities like Billie Eilish and Jimmy Kimmel have been loud about federal immigration activity in Minnesota.

Beloved Scorpions bassist Francis Buchholz, who also played for Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock band, has died.

The German rock star passed away Thursday following a private battle with cancer, his family announced on social media Friday. They noted he "departed this world peacefully, surrounded by love" and thanked fans for their unwavering support over the years.

Francis was a lifelong musician, who started playing bass in a high school band. He got together with Uli Jon Roth, Jürgen Rosenthal and Achim Kirschning in the early '70s to form a band called Dawn Road ... and they eventually joined Scorpions, alongside Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker.

Francis' first release with Scorpions was 1974's "Fly to the Rainbow" ... and he was involved in every one of their projects through 1990's "Crazy World." They're best known for their 1984 rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and the 1990 ballad "Wind of Change."

Francis stepped away from the band in 1992 but teamed up with Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock to play bass in their 2012 tour. He contributed to Temple of Rock's 2013 album "Bridge the Gap" and 2015’s "Spirit on a Mission."

He was 71.

John Mellencamp's had a wild life on the road ... but he's not crazy about overexcited fans at his shows these days -- especially when they're liquored up.

On Wednesday's episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," the singer-songwriter talked touring, and he explained why he decided to move away from arena shows and started playing smaller venues -- the fans just got too wild!

Mellencamp recalled playing to audiences of more than 20,000 where "everybody was drunk and I was just kind of the cheerleader" ... sure, it might be fun for folks on the floor, but the experience apparently took a toll on the singer.

He then said he was tired of "being a f****** clown" and wanted to get back to being a real musician ... so he started playing theaters, which he says left his fanbase "pissed."

Still, enough of his fans stuck around for him to continue his career -- because he's gonna head out on the road this summer on another cross-country tour.

Some stars out there really love the limelight, and others just have things to do and places to be ... can you guess who this frequent flyer is?

We ran into this rock star at the airport a while back and tried to get his opinion on music and movies ... but he must've really had somewhere to get to, because he headed towards his gate real fast!

Chris Rea, who maintained a multi-decade career as a singer and songwriter, has died.

A spokesperson for the performer's family told BBC News he died Monday in a hospital after a "short illness." His family -- including his wife Joan and daughters Josephine and Julia -- was at his side when he died.

Rea was born in Middlesbrough, England, in 1951, one of seven children raised by an Irish mother and an Italian father who owned an ice cream factory and cafes.

He began his musical career at an early age, and he joined several bands before his first single, "So Much Love," debuted in 1974. He released his debut album, "Whatever Happened To Benny Santini?", four years later.

Rea's first major hit, "Fool (If You Think It’s Over)," was released the same year, and it ended up reaching the number 12 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Rea received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist the following year.

Rea released several albums throughout the 1980s, and his most enduring hit, "Driving Home for Christmas," debuted in 1986.

The musician was also a noted fan of motorsports and took part in the 1993 British Touring Car Championship, reports The Guardian.

Rea was 74 years old.

Like it or not, the Christmas magic really does come for us all ... including rockers like Marilyn Manson!

We caught up with the singer while he was heading through LAX and asked for his opinions about the holiday season ... turns out he likes Christmas just as much as the next guy!

Gary "Mani" Mounfield, who established himself as one of alternative rock's premier bassists through his work with The Stone Roses, has died.

The performer's death was announced by his brother Greg in a Facebook post Thursday ... the bassist's sibling wrote he was sharing the post "with the heaviest of hearts." Mounfield's cause of death wasn't revealed in the post.

Mounfield was mourned on X by The Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown and Liam Gallagher of Oasis, who called the bass player his "hero."

Mounfield joined The Stone Roses in 1987 and played on the band's only two albums, "The Stone Roses" and "Second Coming." The band broke up in 1996, reunited in 2011, and remained together until 2017.

Mounfield joined Primal Scream following The Stone Roses' initial breakup, staying with the band until 2011.

Mounfield also collaborated with numerous other artists over the course of his career ... he was a member of the supergroup Freebass, which included The Smiths' bassist Andy Rourke and Joy Division's Peter Hook.

Mounfield is survived by his twin sons, Gene and George. His wife Imelda died in 2023.

Mounfield was 63 years old.

Roger Waters might be rock royalty ... but he's definitely not a friend of Ozzy Osbourne's family, who slammed the Pink Floyd bassist in the newest episode of "The Osbournes Podcast," released Wednesday.

The surviving members of the family made no secret of their dislike for Waters during the podcast -- the first released since Ozzy's death in July -- and Ozzy's widow Sharon broached the topic by calling Waters "one of the most sick individuals" she'd met in years.

The put-downs from Sharon and her children, Jack and Kelly, grew harsher and harsher, and plenty of four-letter words were used as they slammed Waters.

It looks like the lights are finally going down on Journey's time as a band ... because they just announced they will be heading out on a farewell tour next year.

The legendary arena rock band announced the dates for the first leg of the "Final Frontier" tour, which will mark the beginning of the end of their run, which kicked off back in 1973, reports Variety.

Neal Schon, the band's last remaining original member, issued a statement about the shows, which he described as "a thank-you and the beginning of what’s next."

Longtime Philadelphia radio DJ Pierre Robert has died, according to Beasley Media Group, the parent company of his longtime station 93.3 WMMR-FM.

Robert was found dead at his home Wednesday, and a cause of death wasn't immediately released, according to 6ABC in Philadelphia.

Robert was originally from California. He began his career in San Francisco, and later moved to Philadelphia and started at WMMR in 1981.

It looks like Jon Bon Jovi's getting back on the road again ... because he just announced the dates for his upcoming "Forever" tour.

The singer and his band are set to make their big return to the stage in July 2026 for four nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City, before they fly across the pond for a string of dates in the UK and Ireland, according to Variety.

Jon released a statement to go along with the announcement, describing himself as "deeply grateful" for the patience of both his fans and his band members in planning the tour.