COVID-19 Roundup: Paul Rodgers Leads Benefit John Lennon Cover
Paul Rodgers, Jeff Scott Soto and Geoff Downes lead a collaborative cover of John Lennon's 1971 anthem “Imagine,” which they released to benefit a number of good causes amid the coronavirus lockdown.
“I have loved this song all of my life,” Rodgers said. “The lyrics are so ahead of their time, and it would be a better world if we were to be enlightened by them. I am proud to be a part of this reaching out in a new age and a new way.”
You can listen to the song below.
Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp also released a video for their recent Lennon cover of “Isolation.”
Beck said the song came at an appropriate time.
“Johnny and I have been working on music together for a while now and we recorded this track during our time in the studio last year," he explained. “We weren't expecting to release it so soon but given all the hard days and true isolation that people are going through in these challenging times, we decided now might be the right time to let you all hear it. You'll be hearing more from Johnny and me in a little while, but until then we hope you find some comfort and solidarity in our take on this Lennon classic.”
You can watch the new video below.
Bob Dylan has canceled upcoming tour dates, which were supposed to kick off next month. In a tweet, it's explained that "in the interest of public health and safety and after many attempts to try and reschedule these shows for a workable time frame this year, it is with deep regret that we announce the U.S. Bob Dylan shows originally scheduled for June [and] July are canceled."
He followed that up with another tweet that said "We hope to be back out on the road at the earliest possible time once we are confident that it is safe for both fans and concert staff."
Meanwhile, Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante released another Rush cover with members of Testament and Suicidal Tendencies. This time the group covered “Red Barchetta.”
“Sadly, our completion of this video coincides with breaking news of the loss of one of rock ’n’ roll’s greatest pioneers, Little Richard," Benante explained. "On the one hand, it’s difficult to find a more sonically different pair of acts than Rush and Little Richard. On the other, it’s safe to say (and we’re sure the boys from Toronto would agree) that Little Richard blazed a trail for all of us with a force that perfectly fits the subject of ‘Red Barchetta’ – a high-powered sports car from the same time period in which Little Richard was first emerging as an artist. This song is dedicated to him and we hope it brightens up your day.”
You can watch the video below.
There are currently 4.36 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, with 293,134 deaths and 1,611,031 recoveries. Of the 2.45 million active cases, 98 percent are reported to be mild, while 46,330 were serious or critical. In the U.S., the total number of cases stands at 1.41 million, with 83,425 deaths and 296,746 recoveries.