Allbutforgottenoldies.net Music News Digest: Week Of September 16, 2018

September 24, 2018 by Amy Gold

During the week of September 16, 2018, Paul McCartney's latest release, "Egypt Station," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making this his first chart topping album since "Tug Of War" (1982) and his eighth overall.

The Monkees announced their first holiday album, "Christmas Party," which is due out on October 12, 2018 and features new recordings by surviving band members Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork and early recordings by the late Davy Jones. A new box set titled "KISS: The Solo Albums -- 40th Anniversary Collection" will be coming out on October 19 as a limited-edition collection consisting of four albums first released in September 1978 by each band member: Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley. "Timeless: The All-Time Greatest Hits" by The Bee Gees, which includes a career-spanning collection of 21 classic songs, will be coming out October 26 on vinyl. The Beach Boys announced a new Christmas album, "Reason For The Season," which is due out on October 26 and includes a mix of holiday classics and original songs. Bob Dylan's 14th installment of his ongoing Bootleg Series will be coming out on November 2. Titled "More Blood, More Tracks," this upcoming collection gathers together outtakes and incidentals from the recording of his 1975 album, "Blood On The Tracks. Also, Big Brother & The Holding Company's breakout album, originally released in 1968 under the name, "Cheap Thrills," will be re-released on November 30 in commemoration of its 50th anniversary under its original intended name, "Sex, Dope, And Cheap Thrills." This re-release includes all tracks from the original album plus 25 previously-unreleased studio outtakes.

Gladys Knight is among the featured performers at the upcoming 2018 Carousel of Hope Ball to take place in Los Angeles on October 6, 2018. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band announced their farewell tour which will kick off on November 21 in Grand Rapids, MI. Dubbed "Turn The Page," this upcoming 26-date trek wraps up on May 2, 2019 in Houston, TX and will cover many states across the country. KISS also announced its upcoming "End Of The Road" farewell tour which will take place worldwide over a three-year period beginning in early 2019, with the details to be released at some later date. The Beach Boys will launch a 22-date holiday tour beginning on November 16 in Chattanooga, TN and ending on December 30 in Denver, CO, covering many states. Also, James Taylor will perform a series of 12 concerts to take place next year in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace from April 17 through May 11.

(For more information about the above news items, please see below for a list of sources with links.)

On September 21, 2018, Earth, Wind & Fire and fans on YouTube commemorated the 40th anniversary of the 1978 smash hit, "September."