Thursday, July 3, 2025

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on July 9th, 2025

Sting was forced to cancel a concert in Italy on July 7 due to severe weather conditions. Sting was scheduled to perform in the Parco Ragazzi del '99 park in Bassano del Grappa, a city in north-east Italy, as part of his ongoing Sting 3.0 tour, however the show was called off abruptly due to severe thunderstorm warnings. "The mayor of Bassano del Grappa wisely said it would have been too dangerous for the performance to take place with the possibility of lightning and extremely high winds last night," Sting, 73, posted on Instagram. He continued, "The safety of my audience, band and crew is paramount. I promise we will return as soon as we can." Sting kicked off his tour on May 25, 2024, and is set to perform in Rome and Udine next. - Music-News.com, 7/7/25...... Roger WatersAfter the UK Government proscribed the political group Palestinian Action as a terrorist group under the government's Terrorism Act 2000 on July 5, Roger Waters has voiced his support for the group and declared his independence from the government. The proscription now means membership or public support for the group is classed as a criminal offense, and could result in up to 14 years of jail. In a three-minute video posted on X, the Pink Floyd co-founder praised Palestine Action as a "great organization," adding they were "nonviolent" and "absolutely not terrorists in any way." Waters also showed viewers a sign he was making from cardboard saying "Roger Waters supports Palestine Action," along with: "Parliament has been corrupted by agents of a genocidal foreign power. Stand up and be counted. It's now. This is the moment. I am Spartacus" (referring to the famous scene in the 1960 movie of the same name). He went on to declare July 5 as "Independence Day 2025," adding: "I declare my independence from the Government of the UK, who've just designated Palestine Action a terrorist, proscribed terrorist organization." Organizations such as Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) have responded to the video on X, writing: "We have reviewed the video posted by Roger Waters. Palestine Action has been proscribed. Anyone expressing support for it contrary to section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 commits a criminal offence. We stand ready to privately prosecute offenders in instances where an offence has been made out and the authorities fail to act." Waters has previously denied accusations of anti-Semitism in his support for Palestine. In 2023, CAA published a documentary of the musician named The Dark Side Of Roger Waters. Upon watching it, Waters slammed the film as "a flimsy, unapologetic piece of propaganda." - New Musical Express, 7/8/25...... The recently released Bruce Springsteen compilation Tracks II: The Lost Albums has debuted at No. 7 on both the Billboard Top Album Sales and Americana/Folk Albums charts for the week of July 12, with 14,000 equivalent album units sold. Released June 27, Tracks II boasts 83 songs via seven previously unreleased Springsteen albums, with 74 of the songs available in any form for the first time. "The Lost Albums were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released. I've played this music to myself and often close friends for years now. I'm glad you'll get a chance to finally hear them," Springsteen is quoted in a Columbia/Legacy press release. The album was released in nine-LP and seven-CD physical editions. Meanwhile a 20-track condensed edition of Tracks II, Lost and Found: elections From the Lost Albums debuted at No. 22 on Americana/Folk Albums (5,000 units). A behind-the-scenes promotional video for Tracks II hosted by essayist Erik Flannigan can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 7/8/25...... Black SabbathThe long-awaited Black Sabbath farewell concert took place at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK on July 5. Billed as "Back to the Beginning," the epic production ran for 11 hours after getting underway at 1:00 p.m. Birmingham time and was hosted by actor Jason Mamoa. Before five solo songs by Ozzy and his touring band ("I Don't Know," "Mr. Crowley," "Suicide Solution," "Mama, I'm Coming Home" and "Crazy Train) and four songs by Ozzy and his fellow Black Sabbath bandmates -- Tony Iommi (guitar), Bill Ward (drums) and Geezer Butler (bass) -- ("War Pigs," "N.I.B," "Iron Man" and "Paranoid"), a number of artists performed covers of Sabbath material. British rocker Yungblud performed Sabbath's "Changes" with an all-star band; Anthrax performed "Electric Funeral" from Sabbath's 1970 album Paranoid, and Guns N' Roses took on "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" in their set. Footage of Sabbath's final performance has been shared on X. The concert, organized by Ozzy's wife/manager Sharon Osbourne alongside Live Nation, also featured performances by Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink-182 and more. Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler formed part of a "supergroup" which also featured Sammy Hagar, members of Rage Against The Machine and more. Osbourne's last full gig was in 2018, and he has undergone multiple surgeries and experienced numerous health problems, including Parkinson's disease in recent years. - Billboard, 7/5/25...... Barbra Streisand has extended her Billboard chart record with the Top 40 debut of The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two. The star-studded release debuted at No. 31 on the July 12-dated Billboard Hot 200 chart, giving Babs her 55th Top 40-charted album. She has now extended her record for the most Top 40 albums among women in the history of the chart since its debut in 1956. Among women, Aretha Franklin and Madonna have the second-most Top 40 albums, with 26 each. Secret of Life also bowed at No. 4 on the Top Album Sales chart. - Billboard, 7/7/25...... The UK's Royal Mint has announced on Instagram that it will honor the 50th anniversary of hard rockers Iron Maiden with a with a specially designed coin. Designed by artist Albert "Akirant" Quirantes, Iron Maiden's mascot "Eddie" is featured at the very center of the coin, and there's also plenty of easter eggs referencing the band's career on the intricately-designed coin. Speaking about the coin, Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood said: "Having Eddie on an official UK coin is a continuation of his incredible odyssey since we unearthed him back in 1980. We've been on stamps, beer bottles, plane tails and now legal tender! The detail Akirant has managed to pack into the design is superb -- there are little nods to virtually every chapter of our journey as a band." Iron Maiden are in the midst of their monstrous European and UK "Run For Your Lives" tour, which kicked off on May 28 in Budapest. During the trek the band has performed a special setlist containing only songs from their first nine studio albums, from their self-titled debut to Fear Of The Dark. - NME, 7/8/25...... Jon KingThe acclaimed English band Gang of Four concluded their farewell tour in Amsterdam on July 5. The hugely influential post-punk band, fronted by Jon King, played their classic 1979 LP Entertainment! in full at the start of the show at Amsterdam's Parisido, followed by a second set packed with their other material, including "I Love A Man In Uniform," "To Hell With Poverty" and "Elevator." In April, the band's original bassist Dave Allen passed away at the age of 69 after living for a several years with early onset dementia. He was replaced on the tour by L7 and Belly bassist Gail Greenwood. In 2020, Andy Gill, guitarist and founding member of the band, also passed away at the age of 64 following a short respiratory illness. Footage from the final show can be streamed on YouTube. In 2024, Gang of Four announced that they would be heading out on tour for the final time for a string of shows, dubbed "The Long Goodbye," in North America, the UK and Europe during which they would play Entertainment! in its entirety. At a show earlier this year in Boston, Gang Of Four were joined by Belly's Tanya Donnelly for "We Live As We Dream, Alone," and Mission Of Burma's Roger Miller for "What We All Want." - NME, 7/6/25.

Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant has paid tribute to Liverpool football star Diogo Jota, who tragically died in a car accident in nothern Spain on July 3 at the age of 28. The Portuguese international footballer's 25-year-old brother was also killed in the crash. "What a tragic loss. The dimming of a bright, shining light. Thank you for your magic, Diogo," Plant posted on X later the same day. Plant is a lifelong supporter of the West Midlands club, having grown up in the Black Country. He was made Vice President of the club in 2009 and regularly attends home matches at Molineux. - New Musical Express, 7/3/25...... Debbie HarryInterviewed by Vanity Fair, Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry said she can't see herself "being on stage as Blondie" after the April 2025 death of Blondie drummer Clem Burke at age 70 after a battle with cancer. When asked what she was "most proud of," Harry responded: "I think the things I get most teary-eyed about are the relationships, good fortune, and the luck I've had working with some wonderful, exotic, talented people. Great minds." She went on to liken "keeping a rock band together for 50 years" to "a marriage," before touching on the changes to Blondie's touring line-up. Blondie co-founder Chris Stein no longer performs live with the group due to ongoing health issues. "It's sad that with Clem's passing and without having Chris on stage, I can't see myself being on stage as Blondie, even though I am the face of Blondie. But I'm proud of the music, and I would still like to do music... I want to feel that little spark of creativity, surprise -- those things. There's a little tingle of that, and I hope that will be there for me." Before Burke's death, Blondie were already scheduled to release a new album at some point in 2025. However, an exact release date is not yet known. The album would be the follow-up to 2017's Pollinator, helmed by Grammy-winning producer John Congleto. In the same interview Harry, who turned 80 on July 1, opened up about undergoing cosmetic surgery when asked whether she had ever felt any "pressure" to look good. "It's always been a tool for me. It's not like I started having cosmetic surgery as a kid in school -- I think nowadays a lot of girls are getting cosmetic surgery when they're 10, 11 years old," she responded. "God bless if it improves their lives and they feel happy. But as far as me having cosmetic surgery, it made me feel better about myself. Maybe it made me feel happy, or more confident. It was just something that I felt necessary at the time... women being attractive, and being a selling point, is clearly showbiz... if you're going to be in the business, be in it." - NME, 7/3/25...... Days before he takes the stage for what is being billed as his final show with Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne has announced an upcoming collaboration with alt makeup brand Jolie Beauty. Osbourne, known for rocking copious amounts of eyeliner, has linked up with the Birmingham, UK-based brand for a collection of cosmetic and makeup products under the banner Ozzy Osbourne x Jolie Beauty. "We're not slowing down, this collab's a one-way ticket on the Crazy Train. No brakes. No rules. Just pure, unfiltered rock 'n' glam mayhem," the company wrote in an Instagram post announcing the limited-edition collab on July 1. "This collaboration is a testament to Ozzy's impact on the gothic and alternative communities, and a celebration of his legendary influence on music, fashion, and creativity," Jolie Beauty CEO Jolie Cashmore said in a statement. Back in 2022, Ozzy released the Ozzy Osbourne Collection, a 21-piece beauty set with a 14-shade "Ozzy Bat Palette" shaped like a flying nocturne as well as another in a coffin-shaped case featuring shades inspired by some of the rocker's most beloved songs, including "Zombie Stomp" and "Iron Man." In other Black Sabbath-related news, the group's early recordings when they were known as Earth is being released on July 25 as Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes. The first-time release of the early songs from Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward and bassist Geezer Butler as Earth will drop on Big Bear Records, the Birmingham blues/jazz label founded by the band's first manager, Jim Simpson. The four musicians first joined forces in 1968 as the Polka Tulk Blues Band before briefly trying on the Earth moniker to record a number of demos in 1969 that were never released. - Billboard, 7/2/25...... AerosmithCould Aerosmith make one last live return after announcing in 2024 that they would be retiring from touring in the wake of Steven Tyler's serious vocal injury -- fracturing his larynx as well as having damaged vocal cords? Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry hinted as much during a recent appearance on SiriusXM radio's Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk podcast. When asked if fans could ever see the band on stage again, Perry said: "Well, yeah, I'm always hoping, but going on the road, it's a big deal pulling that together," with the 74-year-old axman adding: "There's so much planning, and what it takes out of you physically, it's a lot more than people realize. It's one thing when you're doing it when you're 25 or 30, but it's another when you're starting to get up there like us. It's a really physical thing, going out on stage." Perry says he's also sure that Tyler, 77, would be able to sing a full concert again if he could get the strength back in his voice. Asked if Tyler could perform a full show, Perry said: "You know, I think he would. I think it's just a matter of getting there, you know? I mean, it's like, you know, I mean, we're up there, man. I've got enough left in me. I still wanna do [a final Aerosmith show]... So, we'll see what happens." Meanwhile, Perry will be touring across the US this summer with his group The Joe Perry Project. - Music-News.com, 7/1/25...... Ringo Starr has reportedly told the director of the upcoming four-part Beatles biopic that he should rewrite parts of the script. According to the New York Times, Starr worked with director Sam Mendes for two days to go over the scripts for the drummer's individual film. Ringo, according to the report, "offered extensive notes" to Mendes to ensure it was an accurate reflection of his life -- particularly of his childhood growing up in Liverpool and of his first marriage to Maureen Starkey Tigrett. "He had a writer -- very good writer, great reputation, and he wrote it great, but it had nothing to do with Maureen and I. That's not how we were. I'd say, 'We would never do that,'" Ringo is reported as saying. However after the edits, Starr said he was satisfied. "But he'll do what he's doing," he said of Mendes, "and I'll send him peace and love." The films are expected to be released in early 2028. In the same interview, Ringo said he still thinks he's 24 when he looks in the mirror. Starr, who turns 85 on July 7, said: "It blows me away. I look in the mirror and I'm 24. I never got older than 24," he told the Times, adding to himself, "But guess what? You did." Since 1989, Ringo has toured the world with his Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, and credited performing regularly with how he maintains his energy. "I love what I'm doing. When I first started... my mother would come to the gigs. She would always say, 'You know, son, I always feel you're at your happiest when you're playing your drums,'" the Liverpool native recalled. "So she noticed. And I do." - NME/Music-News.com, 7/3/25...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, the Beatles' Apple Corps Ltd. has announced that Tom Greene has been appointed as its new CEO, effective in September. Greene joins the company having previously fulfilled an operating role for the Harry Potter franchise, including stints running Pottermore Publishing and Wizarding World Digital, a joint venture between Warner Bros and Pottermore. His most recent role was as COO of Blast, an entertainment company working with the video game developers and publishers on production, commercialization and audience growth of their Esports programs. "It is a huge honour to lead Apple Corps into this new phase of its history," Greene said in a statement. "Like so many people around the world, I grew up in a household obsessed with The Beatles and their music. At a time when the world might need more of the Beatles' spirit, there are so many new and innovative ways to bring their unique magic to all generations of fans. I cannot wait to get started," he added. Greene will be replacing Jeff Jones after 17 years as Apple Corps' CEO, during which he oversaw the band's foray into video games (The Beatles: Rock Band), a number of films and documentaries directed by the likes of Ron Howard and Peter Jackson, and the band's "final song," "Now and Then." - Billboard, 7/1/25...... Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan's co-headlining Outlaw Music Festival Tour has been temporarily delayed after a powerful storm damaged gear during a recent stop in Missouri, forcing the cancellation of their July 1 show in Oklahoma. The June 29 concert at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Mo., was abruptly cut short when heavy rains and high winds swept through the venue. According to a statement from organizers, festivalgoers were evacuated for safety, but not before the storm reportedly waterlogged artist instruments and damaged key production equipment. As a result, the July 1 show at Lucky Star Amphitheater in El Reno, Okla., has been canceled. The tour is expected to resume July 4 in Austin, Tex., where Nelson traditionally hosts his annual 4th of July Picnic. That show, taking place at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater, is set to feature Dylan, The Avett Brothers, The Mavericks, Tami Neilson, and Asleep at the Wheel. - Billboard, 6/30/25...... Rod StewartRod Stewart reunited with his Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood during the celebrated mid-afternoon legend's slot at the Glastonbury 2025 festival on June 29. Backed by an extended string section and strains of bagpipes, Stewart went into the smooth rock of opener "Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me)," before greeting the audience with: "Enjoy yourselves ladies and gentlemen, please. Music brings us together - we need music!" Joined by Wood, the pair played the 1971 Faces classic "Stay With Me." The other major guests were Simply Red's Mick Hucknall, who joined Stewart in a huge singalong duet of the Philly soul classic "If You Don't Know Me By Now," and '60s hitmaker Lulu, who sang "Hot Legs" with Stewart. Shortly into the 21-song set, Rod said: "There's been a lot about the Middle East recently and quite rightly so, but I want to draw your attention to the Ukraine with the next song," before launching into his version of The O'Jays' "Love Train." Stewart's support for Ukraine has been ardent since 2022, when he rented out a home for a family of refugees from the country. He also took a moment to bid a happy birthday to festival founder Michael Eavis, who was wheeled out by his daughter Emily and waved to a loud ovation from the vast Pyramid crowd. Fan-shot footage of Stewart kicking off his show has been shared on X. - NME, 6/29/25...... In addition to being a famous shock-rocker and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Alice Cooper is a well-known host of radio shows such as Nights With Alice Cooper and Alice's Attic. Now Alice is among the 2025 inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame, becoming just the second person to be inducted into the RRHOF as well as the Radio Hall of Fame (James Brown was the first). On June 30, the Museum of Broadcast Communications announced the selection of 10 new inductees -- nine individuals and one broadcast team -- into the Radio Hall of Fame for 2025. They will be honored at the in-person 2025 Radio Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on Oct. 30 at the Swissotel Hotel in Chicago. The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. The Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations of the Hall in 1991. Also being inducted is former MTV VJ Martha Quinn, who gained pop-culture immortality as one of the five original VJs when that culture-shaking channel launched in 1981, along with Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, J.J. Jackson and Nina Blackwood. Quinn is the first of these five VJs to join the Radio Hall of Fame. - Billboard, 6/30/25...... AC/DC fans down under can't seem to get enough of their favorite head-banging group, as a second show in Perth has been added to the group's upcoming 2025 Australian tour. The newly added concert, at Optus Stadium on Dec. 8, caps off the West Coast leg of their 2025 Australian tour. Since tickets went on sale on June 26 to high demand, second shows were previously added in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and now Perth. Their Power Up tour marks AC/DC's first national run in nearly a decade. It follows the band's ARIA No. 1 album Power Up, released in 2020, which marked their sixth No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. - Billboard, 6/30/25...... Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, a fire-and-brimstone Pentecostal preacher who wrote nearly 50 books and dozens of study guides and commentaries on the Bible, died on July 1 in a Baton Rouge, La., hospital after suffering a cardiac event on June 15. He was 90. In 1987, he co-authored Religious Rock n Roll: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing with Robert Paul Lamb, in which he argued that the rise of the Contemporary Christian Music is as an extension of "worldly" entertainment interests. Swaggart recorded numerous gospel albums and had two cousins who made it big in music: rock 'n' roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis (who was also born in Swaggart's hometown of Ferriday, La.) and country music star Mickey Gilley. By 1984, Swaggart had overtaken Robert Schuller and Oral Roberts as America's top televangelist. The Jimmy Swaggart Telecast reached nearly 2 million viewers a week on 500 stations. His monthly magazine, The Evangelist, was distributed to more than 800,000 households. In 1988, Swaggart was tailed by the son of a rival New Orleans preacher to a motel where he was photographed checking into a room with a prostitute. Five days later, he tearfully delivered what came to be known as "I have sinned" speech on live television, an image that has become iconic. The national presbytery of the Assemblies of God defrocked Swaggart, removing his credentials and ministerial license. He countered by becoming an independent and non-denominational Pentecostal minister, establishing Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, based at the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge. A second scandal involving another prostitute three years later further diminished Swaggart's popularity. Even so, Swaggart was senior pastor of Family Worship Center until his death. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Francis, a son, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. - Billboard, 7/1/25...... Roger Waters and David GilmourPink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has announced he's bringing his "This Is Not A Drill" tour to cinemas worldwide with This Is Not A Drill - Live from Prague - The Movie. Set for global release by Sony Music Vision and Trafalgar Releasing, the film will have limited screenings on July 23 and 27. Recorded and filmed during Waters' impactful performance at Prague's O2 Arena on May 25, 2023, the movie has been meticulously edited by long-time collaborator Sean Evans. Billed by Waters as his "first ever Farewell Tour," the show is Waters' statement against what he describes as a "corporate dystopia," dedicated to those fighting for "the soul of humanity." The film features 20 classic Pink Floyd and Roger Waters tracks, including "Us & Them," "Comfortably Numb," "Wish You Were Here," and "Is This The Life We Really Want?," alongside Waters' recently celebrated new song, "The Bar." Tickets for worldwide cinema screenings are on sale now at www.rogerwaters.film. Beyond the big screen, the live audio and visual recording will be released on Aug. 1 via Legacy Recordings in Blu-ray, CD, vinyl, DVD and digital audio formats. In other Pink Floyd-related news, David Gilmour was honored with the prestigious O2 Silver Clef Award at the 49th annual O2 Silver Clef Awards on July 2. Gilmour was presented with the award by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, recognizing a career that has shaped generations of music lovers. During his speech, Gilmour praised "the wonderful Nordoff and Robbins music therapy charity," adding: "My relationship with them goes back 50 years -- thank you to them for this award and for the miraculous work they do, and have done since then." Gilmour was among 12 artists across a wide range of music genres who were recognized for their contributions to music. The event raised over £715,000 for Nordoff and Robbins, the UK's largest music therapy charity. - Music-News.com/NME, 7/1/25.

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on June 24th, 2025

Neil Young kicked off his headlining set at the UK's Glastonbury Festival on June 28 with an acoustic rendition of "Sugar Mountain," before he was joined by his backing band The Chrome Hearts for a Crazy Horse number, "Be The Rain." After a brief introduction, Young and the band dove into a trio of rock classics: "Cinnamon Girl," "Fuckin' Up" and "Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)." He then slowed things down with a pair of acoustic songs "The Needle and the Damage Done" and his 1992 hit "Harvest Moon." Young and the band also treated the audience to a number of lengthy tunes in full, such as the 10-minute-plus cuts "Sun Green" and"'Love and Only Love." He also broke out the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young track "Name Of Love"' before ending his set with the Harvest hit "Old Man" and 1991's "Rockin' In The Free World" and "Throw Your Hatred Down" as encores. Although the BBC had announced it was going to livestreaming Young's Glasto set, they ultimately left it off their coverage plans after the folk icon banned their coverage. "At the artist's request, we won't be livestreaming Neil Young's set. Our plans, including those for our TV highlights shows and on-demand coverage, continue to be finalised right up to and during the festival," a spokesperson for the BBC said. The announcement came after Young threatened to pull out of Glastonbury earlier this year due to BBC's involvement as he bemoaned how the festival had fallen "under corporate control." In related news, Paul McCartney was spotted at the side of the stage during Irish rock band Inhaler's set on the festival's "The Other Stage" on June 27. Sir Paul's brief cameo can be viewed on X. McCartney himself headlined Glastonbury back in 2022. - New Musical Express, 6/29/25...... Paul McCartneySpeaking of Paul McCartney, the Beatles legend has named three of his favorite albums of all time. Responding to a message in an ongoing segment on his website, "You Know The Answer," Macca's responded to a fan named Alex, who wrote: "My partner and I have recently been discussing the albums and songs that have soundtracked our lives. Are there any albums that take you back to certain periods in your life? And does performing your own music evoke similar memories?" In his considered response, McCartney listed records by The Band, The Beach Boys and Neil Young as ones that have stuck with him. "My favourite albums by other people tend to be: 'Music from Big Pink' by The Band, 'Pet Sounds' by the Beach Boys, and 'Harvest' by Neil Young," he said. "They are the three classics that I love to listen to, and they all remind me of certain times in my life. When I perform my own songs, the great thing is that they often bring back memories of recording them. That can often entail memories of John and George in the studio - sweet memories!" Following the death of Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson earlier this month, McCartney shared a moving tribute sharing his strong admiration for the late singer on Instagram. "I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while," he wrote in part. Meanwhile, Ozzy Osbourne has said he'd be "honored" to collaborate with McCartney during a new episode of his SiriusXM radio show Ozzy Speaks. When co-host Billy Morrison asked him who he'd like do a duet with, Osbourne immediately responded with "Paul McCartney." However the metal icon then expressed some hesitation: "I would be honored but I couldn't," perhaps because during a previous attempt to duet with the musician, Ozzy said McCartney said he "couldn't improve on the bassline that was there." "I said, 'Are you kidding? You could piss on the record and I'd make it my life'." - NME, 6/27/25...... Paul Simon canceled two concerts in the last weekend of June scheduled for the Academy of Music in Philadelphia in order to undergo a "minor medical procedure." "Regretfully, Paul Simon must cancel two shows tonight June 28 and tomorrow night June 29 -- at Philadelphia's Academy of Music," read the statement on Simon's Instagram account. "Paul has been struggling with chronic and intense back pain. Today it became unmanageable and demands immediate attention. Unfortunately we have to cancel these shows at this time, as we don't have the ability to reschedule them. We are hopeful after this minor surgical procedure which has been scheduled in the next few days, Paul will be able to complete the tour as well as look into returning to make up these dates," the statement continued. Though Simon, 83, had indicated his tour back in 2018 was a farewell tour -- at the time, he'd said he was suffering from significant hearing loss -- in Feb. 2025, he announced a spring/summer tour after making an appearance on the televised SNL50 celebration. His 2025 tour, which made it to New York City just before Philadelphia, began in April and has dates scheduled through early August. It is scheduled to make stops in Long Beach, Calif.,, on July 7, followed by stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver and Seattle. - Billboard, 6/28/25...... Late The Grateful Dead member Phil Lesh's son Grahame Lesh has announced he'll be celebrating the 60th anniversary of the GD with a "Heart of the Town" concert series co-organized by the San Francisco Giants, Peter Shapiro's Relix GD fanzine, and Jonathan Shank's Terrapin Station Entertainment. The Heart of the Town will take place from July 31 to Aug. 2 at Pier 48 in San Francisco. Performing alongside Lesh are more than 20 artists in the Dead's orbit, including brothers Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith from the group Dawes, Black Crowes contributor Jackie and American jazz keyboard player and composer John Medeski. Other contributing artists include Melvin Seals, Eric Krasno, Karina Rykman, Tommy Hamilton, Karl Denson, Neal Francis, Duane Betts and Jake Peavy. The series will open July 31 show with doors at 7 p.m. and showtime at 8 p.m. Shows on Aug. 1 and 2 will follow larger concerts by Dead & Company at Golden Gate Park, serving as an unofficial after-party with doors opening at 10 p.m. and showtime at 11 p.m. - Billboard, 6/26/25...... Bob Dylan performed his classic '60s track "The Times They Are A-Changin'" for the first time since 2010 during his set in Franklin, Tenn., on June 25 as part of the "Outlaw Music Festival 2025 10th Anniversary Tour" alongside Willie Nelson. After opening the set with his 1979 track "Gotta Serve Somebody," the 84-year-old Dylan then went into "The Times They Are A-Changin'," offering a slow rendition on which he played piano and harmonica while accompanied by his band. It's not the only rarely-played hit the folk/rock legend has brought out on the tour, however. When the tour began, he played "Mr. Tambourine Man" for the first time in 15 years, while "All Along The Watchtower," which he hasn't played much in the last decade, has made frequent appearances on the tour. Dylan's latest "The Time They Are A-Changin'" live performance can be streamed on X. - NME, 6/27/25...... The cause of death of Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson on June 11 at age 82 has been revealed. According to the death certificate obtained by TMZ.com, the musician's immediate cause of death was listed as respiratory arrest, with sepsis and cystitis also listed as contributing causes. According to Advanced Cardiac Life Support training, respiratory arrest is when a person stops breathing -- which often happens at the same time as cardiac arrest -- but still has a pulse. The death certificate also notes that the musician had several other significant conditions: neurodegenerative disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure and chronic kidney disease. His date of death was also confirmed to be June 11. Meanwhile, the Beach Boys have returned to the Billboard Hot 200 album chart for the first time in over a decade after Wilson's passing. The group's greatest hits set Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys jumped 52-14 on the June 28-dated chart. The album also made its debut on Billboard's Top Streaming Albums chart, bowing at No. 20. Sounds of Summer was released in 2003 and initially debuted and peaked at No. 16 on the June 28, 2003-dated chart. The Beach Boys were last in the Top 40 of the Hot 200 chart in 2012 when the then-new studio album That's Why God Made the Radio debuted and peaked at No. 3 and spent four nonconsecutive weeks inside the top 40. In total, The Beach Boys have placed 56 albums on the Hot 200, with 22 of them reaching the top 40. - Billboard, 6/26/25...... AC/DC have plugged in additional stadium dates for Australia's "Power"-hungry fans. Just hours after tickets went on sale for the legendary rock band's 2025 stadium tour on June 26, promoter TEG Van Egmond announced second dates in Melbourne (11/16), Sydney (11/25) and Brisbane (12/18). The "Power Up Tour" now spans eight dates in Oz, kicking off Nov. 12 in Melbourne and wrapping Dec. 18 in Brisbane, marking AC/DC's first full national tour of Australia in nearly a decade. The band will play shows in each of the country's five major cities -- Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane -- with support from Australian punk outfit Amyl and the Sniffers. AC/DC last visited Australian shores during the band's 2015 "Rock or Bust" tour, which saw over 520,000 tickets sold across 11 dates, including shows in Auckland and Wellington. - Billboard, 6/26/25...... Olivia Newton-JohnSpeaking of Australia, one of the country's most famous daughters, Olivia Newton-John, has a new documentary about her life and career in development. On June 24, Deadline.com published a press released reporting that Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Nicole Newnham is working on a project about the late Hollywood singing legend for Netflix. The film will chronicle ONJ's childhood in England and Australia as well as her early pursuit of a career in the music industry. In addition, the documentary will explore her rise to fame alongside John Travolta in the iconic 1978 musical film, Grease. "In her own words, through vivid archival and via reminiscences from close friends and collaborators, we'll follow Olivia's journey as the world falls madly in love with her and she ascends to the height of fame, only to be confronted by challenges of epic proportions," a summary reads. "By discovering how to stay true to her beliefs, Olivia changed our culture for the better, bending it towards kindness, inclusivity, and love." Newton-John died at the age of 73 in 2022 following a battle with breast cancer. The film will be produced by R.J. Cutler, whose last project was a documentary about Martha Stewart for Netflix. - Music-News.com, 6/25/25...... Forget about all that recent "farewell" talk from Foreigner -- the band's upcoming change of singing guard, from Kelly Hansen to Luis Maldanado, may well make for a more productive Foreigner, according to bassist Jeff Pilson. "There's just a lot of forward movement, and the band is incredibly excited," Pilson, who's been with Foreigner since 2004 (and was also part of Dokken), says. "What started off as being a farewell tour now ended up being Kelly's last tour and (the band) moving forward." Back in 2022 Kelly Hansen positioned himself as the primary driver behind Foreigner's Historic Farewell Tour, which began the following year. "This catalog of songs, it's extremely challenging for a rock tenor vocalist like myself to sing," he explained at the time. "I never thought in a million years I'd be singing these songs in the (original) keys at this age (then 61), and I don't know how much longer I can do that at the level I need toIf I'm not doing it for real, I shouldn't be doing it." Foreigner's farewell tour got under way during the summer of 2023 and has been extended a couple of times since, due to demand -- bolstered by the band's long-awaited induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Oct. 2024. The lead vocalist change may also open the door for fans to hear more music for Foreigner in the near future. The group has recorded two Spanish-language tracks sung by Maldonado, who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, including a duet version of their classic "I Want to Know What Love Is" with Joy Huerta of the Latin Grammy-winning duo Jesse & Joy. Pilson says more of those are planned. Pilson adds he's also sifting through additional unreleased and in-progress recordings, and hopes some brand new material will be recorded as well. Original Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm has indicated he's definitely on board to contribute in whatever manner he can. And Pilson adds that Foreigner founder/guitarist Mick Jones -- who had to retire from touring due to Parkinson's Disease -- remains "really supportive" of Foreigner continuing and releasing new music. - Billboard, 6/25/25...... Stevie Nicks has announced eight additional dates for her upcoming North American tour later this year. In April, the former Fleetwood Macsinger and songwriter confirmed that she would be playing across the US and Canada with an original run of nine dates in August and October. Now, the tour has been extended, with a show at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on Aug 8 now set to kick off the string of dates. Extra shows have also been added in Hollywood, Fla. (9/3) and Detroit (9/7), as well as Portland (10/1), Sacramento (10/4), Atlantic City (10/18), Charlotte (10/21 and Hartford (10/25). A press release at the time of the original announcement indicated that "Nicks will continue to enchant audiences with her unmistakable voice, poetic lyrics and transcendent live performances" at the gigs. She had been due to play some shows with Billy Joel this summer, but the "Piano Man" singer has been forced to cancel all of his upcoming tour dates following a diagnosis with the brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus. - NME, 6/23/25...... Eddie Van Halen's musician son Wolfgang Van Halen has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming Black Sabbath farewell concert over tour commitments. Speaking to WRIF Detroit recently, Wolfgang explained of the situation: "I, unfortunately, had to back out because the Creed tour starts the day after, and I wouldn't be able to pull it off -- unfortunately. I'm very excited to watch it, but I unfortunately had to back out." The farewell Sabbath concert, dubbed "Back To The Beginning," is set for July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK. - NME, 6/26/25...... Steven Van ZandtLongtime E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt has revealed he's being forced to sit out several upcoming shows with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as he recovers from emergency surgery. Van Zandt shared the news via X on June 23, revealing that what initially felt like food poisoning turned out to be appendicitis. He was treated in San Sebastin, Spain, following a show in the city and praised the medical team for their swift care. Springsteen and the E Street Band are in the midst of a European stadium run, with the next stop scheduled for Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on June 27, followed by back-to-back dates at Milan's San Siro Stadium on June 30 and July 3. "I'm hoping to get back on stage for at least one of the shows in Milan," Van Zandt added. "Thank you all for all the good vibes. See you soon." Van Zandt last performed onstage with Springsteen in San Sebastin on June 24. No formal announcement has been made regarding a fill-in, though the band has adjusted their lineup in the past to accommodate health-related absences. - Billboard, 6/24/25...... Typographer Jim Parkinson, the artist behind Rolling Stone magazine's iconic logo, died on June 27 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. He was 83. The San Francisco Bay Area native attended California College of Arts and Crafts, where he graduated in 1963, and worked as an artist at Hallmark Cards, where he moved from "drawing rabbits" to the lettering department, where he honed his craft. In 1971, he was hired to create lettering and drawings for Rolling Stone, which was headquartered in San Francisco at the time. Mr. Parkinson was enlisted to redesign its logo in 1977, in time for the magazine's 10th anniversary. A few years later, he brought new life to the design with the now-iconic elongated tail on the "R." That rework became the longest-running version of the logo, lasting until 2018. (He was also behind a flatter version that ran from 2018 through 2022.) He went on to design logos for dozens of other publications, including Esquire, Variety, The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times, and logos for bands including Credence Clearwater, Kansas and the Doobie Brothers. Mr. Parkinson died in Oakland and is survived by his wife and book artist Dorothy Yule. A memorial for him is also expected in the fall. - Billboard,...... Bill Moyers, the former White House press secretary who became one of television's most honored journalists, died on June 26 in a New York City hospital. He was 91. Mr. Moyers' son William said his father died at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York after a "long illness." On the day Pres. John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Mr. Moyers was in Austin helping with the presidential trip. He flew back to Washington on Air Force One with newly sworn-in Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson, for whom he held various jobs over the ensuing years, including press secretary. In 1967, Mr. Moyers became publisher of Long Island-based Newsday and concentrated on adding news analyses, investigative pieces and lively features. His next venture was in public television and he won critical acclaim for Bill Moyers Journal, and interview series. He was chief correspondent of CBS Reports from 1976 to 1978, went back to PBS for three years, and then was senior news analyst for CBS from 1981 to 1986. His projects in the 21st century included Now, a weekly PBS public affairs program; a new edition of Bill Moyers Journal and a podcast covering racism, voting rights and the rise of Donald Trump, among other subjects. Over the years, the Hugo, Okla., native was showered with numerous honors, including more than 30 Emmys, 11 George Foster Peabody awards, three George Polks and, twice, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Gold Baton Award for career excellence in broadcast journalism. In 1995, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. Mr. Moyers married Judith Davidson, a college classmate, in 1954, and they raised three children, among them the author Suzanne Moyers and author-TV producer William Cope Moyers. Judith eventually became her husband's partner, creative collaborator and president of the production company they founded in 1986. - AP, 6/26/25...... Lalo SchifrinComposer/conductor Lalo Schifrin, who composed the unforgettable instrumental theme from Mission: Impossible among countless other iconic series and movies, died on June 26 at age 93. Born Boris Claudio Schifrin on June 21, 1932, Mr. Schifrin was a second-generation musical talent. His father was the concert master for the Buenos Aires Philharmonic for more than three decades. The younger Schifrin began playing piano at the tender age 5. When he was about 16, his classmates turned him to jazz records, and he was hooked for life. He studied music and law for four years at the University of Buenos Aires, and received a scholarship to the Paris Conservatory of Music in 1952. In 1956, Mr. Schifrin returned to Buenos Aires, formed his own jazz band and became active writing music for TV and radio programs.Mr. Schifrin arrived in New York City in 1958, and reconnected with early mentor Dizzy Gillespie in 1960, and worked on Gillespie's hit album, Gillespiana, which brought both musicians Grammy nominations. Mr. Schifrin received 19 Grammy nominations spanning 40 years (1962-2002) and multiple genres (both jazz and pop) and skillsets (composition, arrangement and performance), and won four Grammys. He received four Primetime Emmy nominations -- three for Mission: Impossible and one for his music for David Wolper's The Making of the President 1964. He received six Oscar nominations, five for scores (Cool Hand Luke, The Fox, Voyage of the Damned, The Amityville Horror and The Sting II) and one for a song, "People Alone" from The Competition (1980), which he co-wrote with lyricist Will Jennings. For all he accomplished, Mr. Schifrin's Mission: Impossible theme is unquestionably his greatest hit. His music for that drama series, which aired on CBS from 1966-73, brought him two Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy nominations and high placements on the Billboard charts. The theme reached No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 in Jan. 1968. It won a Grammy for best instrumental theme in 1968 and was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2017. Mr. Schifrin also wrote the pitch-perfect theme song for Mannix (also produced by Geller), which helped that Mike Connors P.I. series stay on the air for eight years (one year longer than M:I). His other TV themes include The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Medical Center, Starsky & Hutch, T.H.E. Cat and Petrocelli. His other film scores, not already named, include The Cincinnati Kid, Bullitt, Enter the Dragon and all three Rush Hour films. He is survived by his wife, Donna; sons Will, a TV writer (The Fairly OddParents), and Ryan, a writer-director (Abominable); a daughter, Frances; and four grandchildren. - Billboard, 2/26/25...... Walter Scott Jr., whose buttery vocals alongside his identical twin Wallace Scott were the hallmarks behind hitmaking R&B group The Whispers, died on June 26 in Northridge, Calif., after a six-month battle with cancer. He was 81. The Los Angeles-based quintet is best known for its spate of R&B hits in the '80s such as its first No. 1 with dance anthem "And the Beat Goes On," followed by the sensual ballad "Lady," the up-tempo groove "It's a Love Thing" and the group's second No. 1 with another dance track "Rock Steady," which also reached No. 7 on the Hot 100. All told, The Whispers charted 15 top 10 R&B hits, beginning in 1970 with the group's No. 6 breakthrough ballad "Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong." The quintet also counts eight top 10 R&B albums in its catalog including two No. 1s: The Whispers and Love Is Where You Find It. Recording for various labels including Soul Clock, Janus and Soul Train, The Whispers began to hit its stride in 1978 after signing with Dick Griffey's Solar Records, scoring No. 10 on the R&B chart with "(Let's Go) All the Way" followed by the top 15 "(Olivia) Lost and Turned Out." A year later came "And the Beat Goes On." In addition to their elegant vocals and scintillating harmonies, the group was heralded as well for its smooth dance routines onstage, making The Whispers a concert draw well into the 2000s. The Whispers were inducted into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2014. Mr. Scott is survived by his wife, Jan, two sons, three grandchildren and brother Wallace. - Billboard, 6/27/25...... Bobby ShermanBobby Sherman, one of the top teen heartthrobs of late 1960s and early '70s, died after a battle with kidney cancer on June 24. He was 81. "It is with the heaviest heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Bobby Sherman," his wife, Brigitte Poublon, announced alongside actor John Stamos in an Instagram post. "Bobby left this world holding my hand -- just as he held up our life with love, courage and unwavering grace through all 29 beautiful years of marriage," Poublon added. "I was his Cinderella, and he was my prince charming. Even in his final days, he stayed strong for me. That's who Bobby was -- brave, gentle and full of light." Mr. Sherman was a teen idol just before, and briefly concurrent with, Donny Osmond and the late David Cassidy. But there was a difference: Mr. Sherman was 26 in 1969 when "Little Woman" became his first smash hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 3. By comparison, Cassidy was 20 in 1970 when The Partridge Family topped the Hot 100 with "I Think I Love You." Osmond was just 13 in 1971 when The Osmonds topped the Hot 100 with "One Bad Apple." Being older than his rivals may have shortened Sherman's run at the top. His entire Hot 100 career, from first hit to last, spanned just two and one-half years. Mr. Sherman first rose to fame playing youngest brother Jeremy Bolt on the TV series Here Come the Brides, which aired on ABC from 1968 to 1970. One of his brothers was played by David Soul, who also went on to become a pop hitmaker. Soul topped the Hot 100 in 1977 with the ballad "Don't Give Up on Us." He died in Jan. 2024 at age 80. Here Comes the Brides had a zesty theme song, "Seattle," but even with two singers in the cast, it was Perry Como who had a top 40 hit on Hot 100 with the song in the spring of 1969. But Como's No. 38 hit was nothing compared to the enormous success Sherman had with both singles and albums from 1969-71 on Metromedia Records. Sherman's first smash, "Little Woman" reached No. 3 for two weeks in Oct. 1969 -- while The Archies' "Sugar, Sugar" was in its third and fourth weeks at No. 1. These hits proved that bubblegum could do big business. Mr. Sherman followed "Little Woman" with three more top 10 hits in 1969-70 -- "La La La (If I Had You)," "Easy Come, Easy Go" and "Julie, Do Ya Love Me." All four of these hits were certified gold by the RIAA. Mr. Sherman also had three top 20 albums on the Hot 200 -- Bobby Sherman, Here Comes Bobby and With Love, Bobby. All three of these albums were likewise certified gold. Born Robert Cabot Sherman Jr. on July 22, 1943, in Santa Monica, Calif., Mr. Sherman grew up in Van Nuys, Calif., with his sister Darlene. (Future songwriting legend Diane Warren also grew up in Van Nuys.) Bobby ShermanHe first recorded for Starcrest Records in 1962, and was a regular on Shindig!, the pop music TV show which aired on ABC from 1964-66. Mr. Sherman made one-off appearances in such series as Honey West, The Monkees and The Partridge Family, the latter appearance serving as a "back-door pilot" for his own ABC series Getting Together. But his chart fortunes cooled over the summer of 1971. When the fall season began in September, ABC did not include Getting Together in its highly successful Friday night lineup, which consisted of The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, Room 222, The Odd Couple and Love, American Style. Instead, ABC slotted it to compete against the CBS juggernaut All In The Family on Saturday nights, when it was clobbered in the ratings by TV's top hit of the 1970s, and it was cancelled after 14 episodes. In 1974, Mr. Sherman guest-starred on an episode of the Jack Webb series Emergency!, which eventually led to a second career -- as a paramedic. He volunteered with the Los Angeles Police Department, working with paramedics and giving CPR and first aid classes. For more than a decade he served as a medical training officer at the Los Angeles Police Academy. Mr. Sherman also became a reserve deputy sheriff in 1999 with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department in California, continuing his CPR and emergency training of new deputy hires. He retired from the sheriff's department in 2010. Mr. Sherman appeared on TV periodically through the 1970s and into the mid-1980s, usually on such popular but decidedly middle-brow fare as The Love Boat, Fantasy Island and Murder, She Wrote. In 1997, he played himself on an episode of one of TV's classiest comedies, Frasier. In 1998, he appeared in The Teen Idol Tour with former members of Herman's Hermits and The Monkees. Mr. Sherman's first wife was Patti Carnel; the couple had two sons. Mr. Sherman married Brigitte Poublon in July 2010 in Las Vegas. Mr. Sherman and his second wife co-founded the Brigitte & Bobby Sherman Children's (BBSC) Foundation. Its mission is to provide students in Ghana with an education and music program, and to provide tools to pursue higher education. Poublon announced Mr. Sherman's stage 4 cancer diagnosis on Facebook on Mar. 25, writing: "As many of you know, Bobby has been retired for some time and is no longer able to participate in cameos, sign autographs, or make appearances. It is with a heavy heart that we share Bobby has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. During this challenging time, we kindly ask for your understanding and respect for our privacy." - Billboard, 6/24/25.

In celebration of 18 years of marriage, Rod Stewart and his wife Penny Lancaster revisited three memorable locations in June. The legendary singer and the former model began dating in 1999. They became engaged in Paris in 2005, and married in a medieval monastery in Portofino, Italy, nearly two decades ago. After their wedding on 16 June 2007, the couple enjoyed their honeymoon on the Lady Ann Magee yacht, which was moored in Portofino. Ringing in their anniversary, the pair revisited these memorable locations with a journey on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Giving an insight into their holiday, Lancaster shared a photo of herself and Stewart in front of the train. She captioned her Instagram post: "Entering a bygone era @vsoetrain from Paris where we got engaged, to Portofino where we got married 18 years ago. It's totally magical Sir Rod Stewart xxxx." Stewart and Lancaster have two sons, Alastair, 19, and Aidan, 14, together, and Stewart has six other children from previous wives. His upcoming compilation album, Ultimate Hits, is out on 27 June. - Music-News.com, 6/20/25...... QueenThe 40th anniversary of the historic 1985 Live Aid benefit concert will be commemorated with radio and TV specials in the UK and US. On July 13, the UK's Greatest Hits Radio will re-broadcast the legendary 1985 benefit concert in its entirety in a 10-hour special by British radio veteran Simon Mayo. Titled Live Aid Relived, the program will feature performances by David Bowie, Paul McCartney, The Who, U2 and Queen, whose iconic 21-minute Live Aid set is widely regarded as one of the greatest live performances of all time, among others. The broadcast will run from noon local time, and include commentary from other Live Aid performers like Spandau Ballet frontman Martin Kemp and cast members from the upcoming Live Aid musical "Just For One Day." The special will close with the final episode of Live Aid: 40 Years On, a documentary series featuring interviews with Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, Queen's Roger Taylor and Brian May, and promoter Harvey Goldsmith. Originally broadcast to 1.9 billion people across 150 countries, Live Aid was a global benefit event staged at London's Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia's JFK Stadium to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. The concert raised over 114 million but has also since faced criticism regarding perceptions of African nations and aid distribution. Geldof, co-founder of the Band Aid Charitable Trust and the man behind the original concert, said the re-broadcast serves as a reminder of music's enduring power. "Thank you Greatest Hits Radio for hopefully letting people know that they are not powerless in the face of human monstrosity," Geldof said. "What better time than now to know and understand the power of music and what it can achieve." Meanwhile in the US, the CNN special Live Aid: When Rock 'n' Roll Took On the World is a four-part series that tells the story of how Geldof and U2's Bono inspired the largest global music events in history. It features interviews with several Live Aid principals and global leaders of the time, along with rare archival footage of performances and backstage. It premieres on the network on July 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. - New Musical Express/CNN, 6/23/25...... In related news, The Who's Pete Townshend has offered a ringing endorsement of the above mentioned Live Aid musical, "Just For One Day - The Live Aid Musical," currently being staged at London's Shaftesbury Theatre. Townshend even admitted he loves "the show more than I did the gig," a high compliment for the theatrical retelling of the iconic 1985 concert. Adding to the buzz, the musical's original cast recording has just released its latest single, a surprising rendition of The Who's classic "Pinball Wizard" sung by an actor portraying Live Aid promoter Harvey Goldsmith. The Just For One Day - The Live Aid Musical (Original Cast Recording) is set to drop on July 18 in the US on vinyl and MP3. - Music-News.com, 6/21/25...... As Paul McCartney turned 83 years old on June 18, the Beatles icon shared a message on social media thanking fans for helping him "celebrate this special day." In her own birthday tribute to Paul, Barbra Streisand posted a photo of herself and Paul sitting in a recording studio with the caption "To Paul... Happy Birthday. Hope you're celebrating with a little help from your friends... including me. xo Barbra," referring to the 1967 Beatles hit, "With a Little Help from My Friends." Streisand, 83, also shared the image via Instagram Stories with the song as the soundtrack. The pair recently collaborated on a cover of the Macca-penned "My Valentine" for her upcoming duets album, The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two, which drops on June 27. Accordingly, Paul gushed over the recording session in a blog post shared in May. "(It was) nerve-wracking. Nail-biting! I did the session with her in L.A. and I was pretty terrified. I think the session was about three hours, you know, a normal kind of session, and it was produced by my friend Peter Asher," he explained. "But it started off with a big 40-piece orchestra on the Sony lot, which is one of the old Hollywood film studios; it's very impressive. And we were on The Barbra Streisand Scoring Stage, so no pressure there!" - Music-News.com, 6/19/25...... Angus YoungOn June 23 AC/DC announced they're planning a long-awaited stadium tour of their native Australia for November and December of 2025, marking their first national run since 2015. The rockers' Power Up tour will kick off Nov. 12 at Melbourne Cricket Ground and includes stops in Sydney (11/21), Adelaide (11/30), Perth (12/4) and Brisbane (12/14), with tickets going on sale via TEG Van Egmond. The tour follows AC/DC's massive European and North American legs earlier in 2025, and continues the band's celebration of their 2020 studio album Power Up, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. The release became AC/DC's third No. 1 album in the U.S., joining 2008's Black Ice and 1981's For Those About to Rock (We Salute You). It also marked their 26th charting album on the Billboard 200, and 10th top 10 overall. The Australian shows will feature support from Amyl and the Sniffers, who frontwoman Amy Taylor called the "highlight of my literal life" when announcing the news on social media. AC/DC's current lineup features guitarist Angus Young, vocalist Brian Johnson, rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, drummer Matt Laug and bassist Chris Chaney. - Billboard, 6/23/25...... The Jacksons announced on June 19 they're preparing to release their first album since the death of their beloved older brother and band member Tito Jackson, who passed away in Sept. 2024 at the age of 70 after suffering a fatal heart attack. The legendary family pop group, which is now comprised of original Jackson 5/Jacksons members Jackie Jackson and Marlon Jackson, have continued the family band and will share their first studio project since 1989's 2300 Jackson Street "soon." Jackie told the UK paper Daily Star: "We got a new album coming up soon, as The Jacksons. I can't talk a lot about it but it's the brothers, and it's gonna be great." In the meantime, fans can catch The Jacksons at Audley End House and Gardens in Essex, UK, on July 19, as part of the Heritage Live Festivals series. Jackie said of the huge outdoor gig: "Fans should bring their dancing shoes. "We'll be doing all our hit songs." - Music-News.com, 6/19/25...... Neil Young kicked off his summer European tour with his band Chrome Hearts at the Dalhalla open-air theatre in Rättvik, Sweden, on June 18 when they wheeled out such classics as "Like A Hurricane," "Cinnamon Girl," "The Needle and the Damage Done" and "Harvest Moon," with fans in attendance saying the setlist was "wonderfully left field." The show kicked off with a solo from Young, an acoustic version of "Sugar Mountain" that gave way to "'Be The Rain" once the rest of the band joined him. The track comes from Young's 2003 rock opera Greendale, and hasn't had a live outing since 2014. Young's run of dates will see the Canadian musician make his way across Europe with stops in Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, along with a headlining set at the UK's Glastonbury Festival in June, followed by a headline slot at BST Hyde Park in July. In August, they'll head over to the US for a 15-date run across the country starting with a gig on August 8 at the PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, and will make further stops in Richmond, Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto, New York, Chicago, Denver, Vancouver and more before wrapping up on September 15 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. A clip of his Rättvik performance of "The Needle and the Damage Done" can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 6/21/25...... Dolly PartonIn one of the most unlikely musical pairings imaginable, 80's "hair band" Mötley Crüe has recruited country music legend Dolly Parton for a duet version of the Crüe's classic single "Home Sweet Home." Parton joins in on the chorus of the 1985 power ballad, and takes the lead on the second verse. The reimagined "Home Sweet Home," released June 20 and available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more, will be featured on From the Beginning, an upcoming Mötley Crüe singles collection spanning four decades of music to be released on vinyl via BMG on Sept. 12 -- the date that also kicks off the group's 10-show residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas, which runs through Oct. 3. The band has also shared a "Dolly Crue" music video for "Home Sweet Home" paying homage to the original visual on YouTube. In a joint statement about the collaboration with Parton, the band writes, "'Home Sweet Home' was first released in 1985 as a single from our Theatre of Pain album. For an icon like Dolly Parton to sing on a song that has not only meant so much to us but to all the fans through the years, is a career high that means a lot to us." Meanwhile, Dolly Parton has just announced a six-concert run at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The mini-residency, titled "Dolly: Live in Las Vegas," runs from 4 to 13 December and coincides with the busy National Finals Rodeo. "To say I'm excited would be an understatement," said Parton, who hasn't toured regularly in nearly a decade, in a statement. "I haven't worked Vegas in years, and I've always loved singing there. I'm looking so forward to the shows in The Colosseum at Caesars, and I hope you are as well. See you there." - Billboard/Music-News.com, 6/20/25...... Although prolific recording bassist Carol Kaye was set to receive the Musical Excellence Awards at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony later in 2025, the retired 90-year-old musician says she's "turning down" her induction. In a post on Instagram, Kaye revealed that she wouldn't be attending this year's ceremony. "I am declining the [Rock & Roll Hall of Fame] awards show" she wrote, adding that she was "turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits." She continued that she took issue with the "Wrecking Crew" label that she was associated with, a loose collective of studio musicians in the 60s and 70s who would play on countless Top 40 hits of the time. "You are always part of a TEAM, not a solo artist at all," she continued in her post. "There were always 350-400 Studio Musicians (AFM Local 47 Hollywood) working in the busy 1960s, and called that ONLY," she continued. "Since 1930s, I was never a 'wrecker' at all that's a terrible insulting name." This year's Rock Hall inductees were revealed in April, with Joe Cocker, Bad Company, Warren Zevon, Cyndi Lauper and The White Stripes amongst the names being honored this year. - NME, 6/19/25...... Headlining the Isle Of Wight Festival on June 20, Sting performed a set filled with hits from his acclaimed catalog and longstanding career, including The Police hits "Message In A Bottle" and "Roxanne," along with his latest solo single "I Wrote Your Name Upon My Heart." The performance marked Sting's first live performance on the island since his 2008 reunion show with The Police, and was part of his ongoing Sting 3.0 World Tour which showcases selections from his vast catalog through the lens of a tight three-piece combo. In January, Sting announced that he was pulling out of his next few public engagements as he recovered from a temporary throat infection. On June 1, he played a rescheduled show in Phoenix. After a special joint performance with Billy Joel at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 8, he embarked on a run of Latin American shows. - Music-News.com, 6/21/25...... Suzi QuatroIn a recent interview with the UK's The Daily Express, Suzi Quatro insisted that she was "never a sex, drugs and rock and roll girl" at the height of her 70's fame. Quatro, 75, came to global prominence in the 1970s with hits like "Devil Gate Drive," "48 Crash" and "Stumblin'," but admitted as she gears up for another tour that she always knew that she was going into a "profession" above all else. "I'm celebrating 62 years in the business next year," Quatro said. "It's a big tour across the UK- an entertaining two-hour rock and roll show with all the hits and a few surprises. I play the piano, drums and a seven-minute bass solo... I take you on a journey through my life." She continued: "I'm the rehearsal queen. I rehearse as if it was a live show, running around. If I'm not working, then I make sure I'm going to the gym. It means on stage, I still have that energy. I've partied, had the odd room wreck but I was never a sex, drugs and rock and roll girl. I was brought up in a musical family. My dad told me aged 15, 'Suzi, you've found what you want to do in life. This is a profession. If there's 10 people or 10,000 in the audience, everyone's paid to see you, and you owe them'. That's been embedded in me." Meanwhile, Quatro admitted that she will "take to [her] grave" that she attained the sort of fame when she did at a time when it was all a male-dominated indisutry, and insisted that she did it all without "stripping off" for her audience: I'll take to my grave that I was the first female rock musician to have worldwide success. There are many more female musicians today, but they tend to be too influenced by male opinion. I wore a jumpsuit, but I showed no flesh. You don't have to strip off to be sexy." - Music-News.com, 6/22/25...... Cher and the late Gregg Allman's son Elijah Blue Allman has reportedly been discharged from hospital after being treated for a drug overdose. Earlier in June, the celebrity gossip site TMZ.com reported that the musician, 48, had been rushed to a hospital in Southern California after emergency services responded to a call about a man "behaving erratically." A spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (SBCSD) later shared that "deputies located drugs inside the home" and an investigation was ongoing. On June 22, insiders confirmed to TMZ that Elijah had returned to his property near Joshua Tree and "continues to recover." - Music-News.com, 6/23/25...... R&B singer-musician-producer Cavin Yarbrough, half of the duo Yarbrough & Peoples, passed away on June 19 owing to complications from heart disease. He was 72. Yarbrough & Peoples are best known for their crossover dance/funk hit "Don't Stop the Music." Released in 1980, the song spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 1981 and also reached No. 19 on the Hot 100 singles chart. The RIAA gold-certified single was featured on the pair's also gold-certified debut album, The Two of Us, which topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for two weeks and rose to No. 16 on the Hot 200 albums chart. The duo went on to score another Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with "Don't Waste Your Time" in 1984. Its engaging mix of R&B, soul, funk, pop and dance -- graced by its smooth and spirited vocals -- also sparked three additional top 10s on the chart during the pair's '80s heyday: "Heartbeats," "Guilty" and "I Wouldn't Lie." Born in Dallas, Yarbrough was a classically trained pianist who first met fellow Dallas native Peoples as youngsters taking piano lessons. The pair's friendship and creative bond later led to establishing their own band. It was Charlie Wilson of The Gap Band who discovered Yarbrough & Peoples, bringing them to the attention of Lonnie Simmons, who signed them to his Los Angeles-based label, Total Experience Records. "He was the love of my life, my protector. Now he's my guardian angel," Yarbrough's wife and longtime music partner, Alisa Peoples, said in a statement. - Billboard, 6/22/25...... Mick RalphsLegendary rock guitarist Mick Ralphs, the co-founding guitarist of Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, has died at age 81. The musician's Bad Company bandmates announced his death on their official social media account on June 23, and a cause of death was not shared. Born on May 31, 1944 in Hereford, England, Mr. Ralphs formed a group called Silence in the late Sixties with Verden Allen, Overend Watts and Dale Griffin. They got a record contract in early 1969 and went to London with vocalist Stan Tippens to record under producer Guy Stevens, who renamed the band Mott the Hoople after a 1967 novel by Willard Manus. Tippens was replaced by Ian Hunter a few months later, and the group recorded its eponymous debut album in Aug. 1969. Mott became a big live attraction in England, even though its records sold relatively poorly. After the release of its 1972 album Brain Capers, the band was ready to disband when David Bowie stepped in to give it a focused glam-rock image and a breakthrough single in the form of "All The Young Dudes." Bowie produced Mott's album of the same name, and "All The Young Dudes" earned them a top British single later in 1972, with the song reaching No. 37 in the US. In 1973, the band released its masterpiece, the self-produced Mott, with the British hit singles "Honaloochie Boogie" and "All the Way from Memphis." Despite its success, the band began to fall apart; Allen left because the band rarely recorded his songs, and Mr. Ralphs quit because he was upset over Allen's departure and that one of his songs, "Can't Get Enough," was beyond the singing range of either himself or Hunter. Mick RalphsThe song would become a Top 5 US hit the next year for Mr. Ralphs' next band, Bad Company. Formed with former Free members Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke and former King Crimson member Boz Burrell, the band recorded its self-titled debut album in only ten days with a minimum of overdubs in Ronnie Lane's mobile studio. Led by its first single "Can't Get Enough," the album went to No. 1 worldwide and sold over four million copies. Bad Company went on to sell over 12 million albums worldwide, with their second and third albums, Straight Shooter and Run With the Pack, also going platinum. The group disbanded in 1982, with Rodgers releasing a solo album and then forming The Firm with ex-Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. In a statement shared alongside the news of Mr. Ralphs' passing, Paul Rodgers celebrated the life of his friend. "Our Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground. He has left us with exceptional songs and memories," Rodgers wrote. "He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humour. Our last conversation a few days ago we shared a laugh but it won't be our last. There are many memories of Mick that will create laughter." Drummer Simon Kirke shared his own tribute to the band's post, calling Ralph "a dear friend, a wonderful songwriter, and an exceptional guitarist," and simply adding, "We will miss him deeply." The news of Mr. Ralphs' death comes just two months after Bad Company was announced as one of the inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2025, which the band called a "fitting tribute to the band's enduring influence" in their memorial post for the guitarist. The band will be formally inducted to the Hall of Fame on Nov. 8. - Billboard/The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock, 6/23/25.

Saturday, June 14, 2025

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on June 19th, 2025

Janis Ian will be among the honorees at the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony, set for the Mead Center for American Theatre in Washington, D.C., on June 21. The WSHOF is celebrating its fifth anniversary with workshops and panel discussions on June 20, followed by the awards ceremony the following evening. Ian was nominated for a Song of the Year Grammy in 1976 for her bittersweet 1975 hit "At Seventeen." In April, a new Ian documentary, Breaking Silence (named after the album that came out when she came out as a lesbian), debuted in US cinemas. Previous WSHOF inductees include Roberta Flack, Naomi Judd, Gloria Estefan, Loretta Lynn, Valerie Simpson, Toni Basil, Cynthia Weil and Olivia Newton-John. - Billboard, 6/18/25...... Carly SimonCarly Simon, known for some of the most provocative album covers of the 1970s including No Secrets and Playing Possum, is defending rising singer Sabrina Carpenter for the backlash she's received for the suggestive cover of her upcoming Man's Best Friend album. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Simon said, "She's not doing anything outrageous. It seems tame. There have been far flashier covers than hers. One of the most startling covers I've ever seen was [The Rolling Stones'] Sticky Fingers. That was out there in terms of sexual attitude. So I don't know why she's getting such flak." The artwork for Man's Best Friend shows Carpenter on her knees with her hand on a suit-wearing man's thigh, as that same figure grabs a fistful of her blonde hair. Critics have claimed that the cover artwork is over-sexualized and anti-feminist, while fans of Carpenter have called such critiques misogynistic, saying the tongue-in-cheek cover is part of Carpenter's established sex-positive brand. While Simon joked that "touching the man's knee" was "going over the line a little bit," she said Sabrina shouldn't worry too much about negative reactions to her work. "Any press is good press, so I wouldn't worry about the press. And as far as her being salacious, I certainly don't think it's that," Simon said. "I mean, look at all of the people who dress much more scantily. She's so beautiful, and she should be proud of herself and the way she looks. I don't see anything wrong with that." - Billboard, 6/18/25...... Ozzy Osbourne shared a livestream announcement on Instagram on June 18 promising fans who can't make it to Birmingham, England on July 5 for Black Sabbath's final ever "Back to the Beginning" show that the event will be livestreamed. "Your prayers answered!" reads a bold font message of Ozzy, followed by vintage footage of the metal icon saying "it's time to go back to the beginning." Osbourne, 76 and plagued with a number of health problems, recently said he's determined to make it to the final show by Sabbath -- with original bandmates guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Bulter and drummer Bill Ward -- in their hometown of Birmingham no matter what it takes. He also recently said on his Ozzy Speaks SiriusXM show that he will make it to the stage in Villa Park "by hook or by crook." The livestream ticket will cost $29.99 and include access to watch the entire show, which also features the likes of Metallica, Mastodon, Anthrax, Pantera and Alice in Chains, beginning at 10 a.m. ET on July 5, with VOD replay access to rewatch the whole event from July 5th shortly after the event's conclusion until 10 a.m. ET on July 7. Meanwhile, Ozzy has teamed up with canned water company named Liquid Death to sell empty cans of iced tea that contain his DNA. Dubbed "Infinite Ozzy," the new collaboration comprises 10 empty cans that the Black Sabbath legend drank from. These cans were then re-sealed to contain his DNA, and are now about to be sold for $450 a piece (£335). The process of re-sealing the cans was held at a laboratory, and the metal veteran personally signed each one himself. "Once technology and federal law permit, fans can use this DNA to try to clone Ozzy in the future and enjoy him for hundreds of years to come," Liquid Death's publicity team said, explaining what sparked the idea for the partnership. Osbourne chimed in, saying: "Clone me, you bastards." - Billboard/NME, 6/18/25...... The back catalog of The Beach Boys has surged following the sad news of the passing of group leader Brian Wilson on June 11 at age 82. The group's catalog surged 184% in equivalent album units earned in the US in the week ending June 12, growing to 31,000, according to Luminate. Plus, the act's classic 1966 album Pet Sounds has reentered the Billboard Hot 200 album chart -- and at its highest rank in nearly 60 years. On the Billboard 200, Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys, released in 2003, jumped 180-52 (15,500 units; up 71%) and Pet Sounds reentered at No. 136 (11,000; up 1,335%). For the latter, it returns to the chart for the first time since July 2015, and to its highest rank since Feb. 18, 1968, when it ranked at No. 110. It peaked at No. 10 in 1966 and is one of 13 top 10 albums for the group. Overall on-demand official streams of the group's songs increased by 126% to 26.7 million, while their collected songs sold 19,000 (up 1,132%). The act's most-streamed song of the week was "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (2.28 million; up 78%), while the top-selling song was "God Only Knows" (4,000; up 3,382%). On the Digital Song Sales chart dated June 21, "God Only Knows" debuts at No. 7, while "Wouldn't It Be Nice," the second-biggest-selling Beach Boys song of the week, debuts at No. 18. "Woudn't It Be Nice" reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966, while its follow-up single, "God Only Knows," hit No. 39 later that same year. Both are from Pet Sounds. In total, The Beach Boys boast 35 top 40-charted hits on the Hot 100. The group's catalog is also making waves on the LyricFind U.S. and Global charts, where "God Only Knows" bowed at No. 1. LyricFind's US chart features five Wilson-penned songs in all, with "God Only Knows" followed by "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (No. 2), "Don't Worry Baby" (No. 4), "Sloop John B" (No. 7) and "Good Vibrations" (No. 9). - Billboard, 6/17/25...... Bruce SpringsteenA two-and-a-half minute teaser trailer for the forthcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere was shared on YouTube on June 18. The clip opens with titular star Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen sitting in a Camaro on a car lot as he tells the salesman that he's never owned a new vehicle before. "It's awfully fitting for a handsome devil rock star," the salesman says, tipping his hat that he knows exactly who his low-key, famous client is. "Well that makes one of us," White replies. We next see Springsteen in his New Jersey bedroom with his guitar tech Mike Batlan (Paul Walter Hauser) as he works out the stripped-down sound of the title track of his acclaimed 1982 acoustic album Nebraska. "Don't need to be perfect," he tells Batlan, "I want it to feel like I'm in the room by myself." The trailer ends with triumphant footage of a sweat-drenched White howling "Born to Run" on stage with the E Street Band. Deliver Me From Nowhere, which tells the story behind the making of Nebraska, is scheduled to hit US theaters on Oct. 24. - Billboard, 6/18/25...... Meanwhile, as Springsteen continues his "Land of Hope & Dreams" tour across Europe, he took some time to give a wide-reaching interview with The New York Times which was published on June 18. How would Springsteen, who performs a setlist every night that he says "addresses our current situation" under Donald Trump's administration, describe the current situation? "It's an American tragedy," he told the paper. "I think that it was the combination of the deindustrialization of the country and then the incredible increase in wealth disparity that left so many people behind. It was ripe for a demagogue. And while I can't believe it was this moron that came along, he fit the bill for some people." Reflecting on Trump's first few months in office since winning a second term, Springsteen added that "what we've been living through in the last 70 days is things that we all said, 'This can't happen here. This will never happen in America.' And here we are." But despite everything, though, the New Jersey rocker says he still has a lot of hope for the future of the country he's spent his career writing about in his songs. Why? "Because we have a long democratic history," he said. "We don't have an autocratic history as a nation. It's fundamentally democratic, and I believe that at some point that's going to rear its head and things will swing back." He added, "Let's knock on wood." Meanwhile, Springsteen has confirmed that a new compilation dubbed Tracks III: The Lost Albums is finished, with another five "lost" albums on the way. The news comes as Springsteen is preparing to release seven never-heard-before records on June 27 as part of a compilation dubbed Tracks II: The Lost Albums, which features 83 songs that were written across his expansive career -- all offering an insight into his life and work as an artist. In keeping with the structure of Tracks II, Tracks III won't be a jumble of unreleased songs, but rather full, complete albums that previously didn't make the light of day. "[There are] five full albums of music," he told The Times, adding that it will be that release that will see him pretty much clear out his vault. "There was a lot of good music left," he added, before sharing that the material in Tracks III will date back to the same time he shared his 1973 debut Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., all the way up to 2024. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 6/18/25...... Bruce Springsteen isn't the only Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member upset with Donald Trump these days -- Heart's Nancy Wilson, who along with her bandmate and sister Ann Wilson are proud daughters of a Marine Corps major, blasted the president in a pointed Instagram post on June 14 for their 1977 hit "Barracuda" being played without Heart's permission during a military parade held in Washington, D.C. earlier that day. "Barracuda,' written and performed by Ann and I, is a powerful piece of music that was never intended for political use," Nancy said in the post. "As daughters of a U.S. Marine Corps major, we hold a deep and abiding respect for the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces. On a day meant to honor that service, it's important that music used in such settings reflects not only the tone of the event but also the wishes of the artists who created it," added Wilson, who drove home her point by wearing a "No Kings But Us" hat on a day when a historic number of Americans took to the streets from coast to coast to protest many controversial actions taken by the Trump administration. Nancy noted that "Barracuda" was initially written about a sleazy industry figure at the time, though she twisted it to fit the current commander in chief, saying the song is "even more relevant in the salacious billionaire culture with the grab-them-by-the-(expletive) mentality," the latter phrase a reference to an infamous sexist comment from Trump. Previously, the Wilson sisters sent a cease and desist order to former Alaska governor Sarah Palin when she played "Barracuda" at the 2008 Republican National Convention. - Billboard, 6/16/25...... In an interview with RadioTimes.com on June 17, Rod Stewart said although he lives "literally half a mile away" from Pres. Donald Trump, he's no longer friends with with real estate mogul-turned-politician. "I'm not a great fan of Trump," said Stewart, who has a residence in West Palm Beach, Fla., and is scheduled to headline the UK's Glastonbury festival on June 29. "I knew him very, very well. I used to go to his house... We're both on the beach. I used to go to his Christmas parties. He's always been a bit of a man's man. I liked him for that. But he didn't, as far as I'm concerned, treat women very well." Stewart added that he thinks becoming the leader of the US changed his former pal for the worse. "Since he became president, he became another guy," the musician said. "Somebody I didn't know." Stewart says he definitely doesn't consider Trump a friend now, citing one policy issue in particular as unforgivable. "No, I can't anymore," he said. "As long as he's selling arms to the Israelis -- and he still is. How's that war ever gonna stop?" - Billboard, 6/18/25...... Fred SchneiderTwo of the '70s and '80s quirkiest bands -- The B-52s and DEVO -- have announced they're hitting the road together this fall for their first-ever joint tour. The 11-date co-headlining "Cosmic De-Evolution" tour will feature the two beloved New Wave bands hitting the road together starting on Sept. 24 in Toronto at the Budweiser Stage, followed by shows in Clarkson, Mich. (9/25), Mansfield, Mass. (10/2), Holmdel, N.J. (10/4), Wantagh, N.Y. (10/5), Mountain View, Calif. (10/16), Los Angeles (10/18), Charlotte, N.C. (10/24), Alpharetta, Ga. (10/25) and Austin, Tex. (11/1) before winding down on Nov. 2 at Houston's Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. "In 2022, I swore I'd never get on a tour bus again" said B-52s singer Fred Schneider in a statement. "But we were careful to say to our fans that we would still perform in special situations that don't require all of the awful tour travel. Our Vegas residency is going great, and when we were offered the chance to do a small run of shows with Devo, we all said this is an extraordinary opportunity we couldn't say no to." DEVO co-rounder Mark Mothersbaugh added, "The B-52s had one of the best sounds of any of the bands out there in the late 70's early 80's -- 'Rock Lobster' is one of my favorite songs -- DEVO used to sing it to Booji Boy after DEVO shows. It was either fate or luck or the SNL anniversary that brought us all together to create this amazing chance to go out on tour. All I can say is Cosmic Devolution is REAL!" - Billboard, 6/16/25...... The Who frontman Roger Daltrey was among the notable figures recognized in King Charles III's Birthday Honours list on June 14. Daltrey, 81, was celebrated for his outstanding contributions to music and his long-standing charitable work -- particularly with the Teenage Cancer Trust, where he has served as a patron since 2000. "It is a wonderful honour for me and especially for Teenage Cancer Trust," Daltrey said in a statement shared on Instagram. "I accept this award not only for myself but on behalf of all the unsung heroes who have given their energy towards making the Teenage Cancer Trust the success it has become." Over the past two decades, Daltrey has played a key role in organizing the charity's annual concert series at London's Royal Albert Hall, which has raised more than £36 million (approximately $48 million). Meanwhile, Ringo Starr has fired a shot at "little man" Roger Daltrey after Ringo's son Zak Starkey was fired as drummer for The Who not once but twice earlier in 2025. In a new Rolling Stone interview posted on June 16), Zak opened up about his current relationship with the band and how his famous dad feels about the tabloid tussle. Asked what his father thought of the bizarre back-and-forth, Starkey said, "He [Ringo] said, 'I've never liked the way that little man runs that band,'" in seeming reference to Who frontman Daltrey. But would Zak come back if Daltrey and Who guitarist Pete Townshend re-re-rehired him? "Of course I would," Zak said. "The Who, you just don't know what's going to happen. If you think something is going to happen, the opposite happens. If you second guess Pete, he will play the opposite. You have to go with whatever you're doing, and not think." - Billboard, 6/14/25...... In related news, Zak Starkey, Sean Ono Lennon and James McCartney have collaborated on original music for the first time. The team-up arrives via supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos' upcoming single "Rip Off," which Starkey teased on his Instagram account on June 16. Mantra of the Cosmos is the new supergroup formed by Starkey alongside Happy Mondays members Shaun Ryder and Bez and Ride's Andy Bell. Vocals on "Rip Off" are shared between Sean, James and Shaun on the wistful track. Speaking to the UK paper The Telegraph, however, Starkey dismissed any suggestions it was a mini-Beatles reunion. "No it's not," Starkey said in regards to any similarities to their fathers' band. "It's like Mantra of the Cosmos with them in it. It's Sean of the Cosmos and James of the Cosmos, it's still my band." In response to The Telegraph interviewer suggesting he needed Dhani Harrison, son of George Harrison, for a full house, Starkey responded: "No I don't. Why do I?" - Billboard, 6/16/25...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, the Beatles tribute band Bootleg Beatles is auditioning for a new "Paul McCartney". The act, established in 1980, has gone on to play huge, notable shows in the UK and elsewhere, including the Queen's Jubilee celebrations in 2002. They've also played Glastonbury multiple times, and are due to perform at this year's festival on the Acoustic Stage on the evening of June 29. In a recent statement shared to Instagram, the band wrote: "We're very sad to announce that Steve White, our fab Macca for over 10 years, is retiring from full-time touring with BB's this Autumn. He has been an outstanding contributor to this wonderful BB 'institution' and we all wish him well with his future musical projects." The tribute band went on to say that "the search is on" for a new bassist, who has the "look, the voice, bass guitar and keyboard skills" of Sir Paul. Those interested can apply to auditions@bottlegbeatles.com. - NME, 6/17/25...... Waylon JenningsLate country music legend Waylon Jennings' son Shooter Jennings has revealed that three of Waylon's previously unheard albums are on the way, with the first one, Songbird, set to drop on Oct. 3 via his Son of Jessi/Thirty Tigers label. The album's title track is a version of Fleetwood Mac's 1977 track "Songbird," written by the band's Christine McVie, and has been shared on YouTube ahead of the album's release. Shooter says the project began in the summer of 2024, when he was sifting through numerous high-resolution multi-track transfers in his dad's studio recordings. He noted that he discovered "an audio record of an incredibly profound artist and his legendary band through their peak period of creative expansion." The albums will feature music recorded by Waylon and his band The Waylors from 1973-1984. Waylon Jennings, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, died in Feb. 2002. - Billboard, 6/16/25...... On June 18 Stevie Wonder announced the first support acts for his headline show at London's BST Hyde Park 2025. Opening for Wonder will be Mercury Prize and BRIT Award-winning jazz outfit Ezra Collective, US soul trio Thee Sacred Souls, Oxford-born soul singer Elmiene, and Leeds Grammy-winner Corinne Bailey Rae. Wonder is set to return to the summer concert series on July 12, following bill-topping sets there in 2016 and 2019. The gig will come as part of Wonder's 2025 "LOVE, LIGHT & SONG" UK tour, which also includes performances in Lytham, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff. Wonder is headlining this year's BST Hyde Park along with Neil Young, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Zach Bryan, Noah Kahan and Jeff Lynne's ELO. - NME, 6/18/25...... Cher's troubled son Elijah Blue Allman was hospitalized on June 14 after authorities in Southern California found him "acting erratically." Allman, who is Cher's son with her late second husband, Allman Brothers Band legend Gregg Allman, was rushed to the hospital after L.A. police responded to a report that a man had been "acting erratically" in a home in the Mojave Desert. He "was being evaluated by medical personnel," and deputies "located drugs inside the home," officials said in a statement shared with People.com. The investigation is ongoing. In late 2023, Cher applied for a conservatorship over her son, at the time claiming Elijah Blue was "substantially unable to manage his financial resources" due to severe mental health and substance abuse issues." He had been set to receive assets from a trust set up by his late father, who died in 2017, but documents filed by Cher's lawyers said she was concerned that "any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah's life at risk." Cher had filed two temporary conservatorship requests, but both were denied in Jan. 2024. It was later reported in April that Allman had filed an objection to Cher's request, in which he stated that he felt he was not only not in need of a conservatorship, but also believed his mother would be "unfit to serve." US media reported that Cher and Allman agreed to pause court proceedings in May 2024 to try and resolve the matter privately, and in September, the family reached a private settlement. - NME, 6/17/25...... Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water, Jaws is back again. 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's seminal monster thriller, and Universal Studios is pulling out all the stops for its golden year. This includes a special primetime broadcast of Jaws on NBC with an introduction from Spielberg himself. On June 12, NBC announced a special primetime telecast of Jaws as part of Universal's 50th-anniversary festivities for the film. Jaws will re-air on NBC on June 20, at 8:00 p.m. ET. NBC added that the broadcast will have an introduction from Spielberg. Jaws will also stream exclusively on NBC's streaming service, Peacock, through July 14. The platform is also launching a dedicated Jaws collection with the original film and its three franchise sequels and a new documentary, Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story. - Esquire.com, 6/16/25...... Lou ChristieLou Christie, the '60s hitmaker who reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1966 with "Lightnin' Strikes," died at his home on June 18 after a short illness, his wife, Francesca, told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 82. With his signature falsetto, Mr. Christie broke out with two songs in 1963 for Roulette Records that he penned with longtime collaborator Twyla Herbert -- "The Gypsy Cried" and "Two Faces Have I" -- and had a follow-up Top 20 hit to "Lightnin' Strikes" for MGM Records in 1966 with the somewhat racy "Rhapsody in the Rain." He also made it to the Top 10 again in 1969 with his Buddah Records hit "I'm Gonna Make You Mine." Mr. Christie, born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco in Glen Willard, Penn., on Feb. 19, 1943, and Herbert -- a classically trained musician who was nearly 22 years older than him -- wrote hundreds of songs together. In 1960, he joined the vocal group The Classics and first recorded for Starr Records. He recorded his last album in 2004, and more recently toured with another famous falsetto singer, Frankie Avalon, and Fabian as a member of Dick Fox's Golden Boys. In addition to his wife, a British beauty queen he married in 1971, he is survived by the couple's daughter, Bianca. Their son, Christopher, died in 2014 in a motorbike accident at age 46. - Music-News.com, 6/18/25.

The Beach Boys co-founding member Al Jardine has paid tribute to his former bandmate Brian Wilson, who died on June 11 at age 82. In a press statement, Jardine said, "Brian Wilson, my friend, my classmate, my football teammate, my Beach Boy bandmate and my brother in spirit, I will always feel blessed that you were in our lives for as long as you were," he wrote, also honoring their late bandmates and Brian's brothers Carl and Dennis Wilson, who died in 1998 and 1983 respectively. "I think the most comforting thought right now is that you are reunited with Carl and Dennis, singing those beautiful harmonies again. You were a humble giant who always made me laugh and we will celebrate your music forever. Brian, I'll really miss you still I have the warmth of the sun within me tonight," added Jardine, who recently confirmed that he is also set to take Brian's solo band out on tour to promote his new EP release Islands in the Sun this summer. Mike LoveMeanwhile, as Beach Boy Mike Love was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame during a ceremony on June 12 in New York City, he also honored the one-time BB leader Wilson. "Gratitude is the main emotion I feel," Love told the audience. After thanking his wife, children, band and crew, he added, "I especially want to thank my cousin, Brian Wilson. I believe he's here with us. He's my first cousin but brother in music together." Love continued, noting that their partnership "set the stage for some of the most successful collaborations all time... I do feel his presence." Sharing "gratitude, love and peace" with the crowd, he added, "I pray that through music, art and kindness, the world heals and love prevails." After honoring Wilson, Love performed some of his best-loved co-written songs, including "Good Vibrations," "Kokomo" and "I Get Around," as most of the audience rose to their feet, singing along. Love was accompanied by Full House cast member John Stamos on guitar, who has been performing with the Beach Boys for four decades now, and introduced Love. Other '70s-related musicians inducted into the SHOF that evening include George Clinton and The Doobie Brothers members Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons. Elsewhere, other Brian tributes originated from Bruce Springsteen, who posted a thoughtful tribute to the late singer-songwriter on Instagram by calling him "the most musically inventive voice in all of pop, with an otherworldly ear for harmony." "He was also the visionary leader of America's greatest band, The Beach Boys," Springsteen continued. "If there'd been no Beach Boys, there would have been no 'Racing In The Street.' Listen to 'Summer's Gone' from The Beach Boys' last album That's Why God Made The Radio and weep." "Farewell, Maestro. Nothing but love and a lovely lasting debt from all of us over here on E Street," added the New Jersey rocker. And Paul McCartney, who inducted Wilson into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000, wrote on Instagram, "Brian had that mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special. The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time." Sir Paul continued: "I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while. How we will continue without Brian Wilson, 'God Only Knows'. Thank you, Brian. - Paul." The CBS television network has announced it will honor the life of Wilson by re-airing the 2023 special A Grammy Salute to the Beach Boys on June 15 9-11 p.m. ET/PT. The live concert special was taped at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb. 8, 2023, three days after the 65th annual Grammy Awards were held in Los Angeles. The special originally aired on Apr. 9, 2023, and was No. 1 in its time period with 5.18 million viewers and was the night's No. 2 primetime broadcast in viewers. It featured performances by the likes of Beck, Brandi Carlile, John Legend, Norah Jones, John Legend, Michael McDonald, My Morning Jacket, Mumford & Sons, Lee Ann Rimes, St. Vincent and Weezer, among others. - New Musical Express/Billboard, 6/12/25...... Streams by Sly & the Family Stone have surged 563% following the death of the band's legendary frontman, Sly Stone, on June 9 at age 82. Stone's catalog combined for 2.5 million U.S. on-demand audio streams June 10 and 11, the two days following his death -- up 563% from 385,000 streams over the same period the previous week, according to Luminate. Among the most-streamed classics across those two days: "Everyday People" (up 168% to 326,000 streams, following a Cher-and-Future-assisted bump two weeks ago), "Dance to the Music" (up 408% to 174,000) and "Thank You Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin" (up 378% to 169,000). - Billboard, 6/12/25...... Steve HoweIconic '70s prog-rockers Yes have announced a new fall tour which will see them play their 1971 album Fragile in its entirety. Officially dubbed "The Fragile Tour 2025 - The Album Series," the newly-announced run of shows will launch on Oct. 1 in Wallingford, Conn., and sees the English band performing a total of 31 dates until Nov. 16. Per a press release, the tour setlist will include Fragile in full along with a number of other "classic cuts." The lengthy 31-date tour also includes stops in Atlantic City, N.J. (10/4), Glenside, Penn. (10/8, 9), Washington, D.C. (10/14), Durham, N.C. (10/16), Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (10/19), Charleston, S.C. (10/22), Atlanta (10/24), Memphis (10/25), Louisville (10/27), Cincinnati (10/20), Indianapolis (10/30), Milwaukee (11/4), Denver (11/9), Inglewood, Calif. (11/13), and Alpine, Calif. (11/14) before wrapping at the Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev., on Nov. 16. Released in Nov. 1971, Fragile was the fourth studio LP from the group, and their third to be released in a 16-month span. It also became their most successful release up to that point, with its Jan. 1972 single "Roundabout" reaching No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Yes also embarked on a 115-date tour in support of Fragile, which the presser describes as "a vital part of the band's history, and marked the moment when Yes became a headline act in the US." "We were at the height of our creativity, determined for success," says guitarist Steve Howe. "It gave us confidence, further than our own in-stock belief, we'd crafted this unusual but noticeable musical twist to rock and what later became prog," he added. Of the original lineup which recorded Fragile in 1971, only Howe remains an active member. Drummer Bill Bruford would depart the group in 1992, while both vocalist Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman would depart in 2004. Bassist Chris Squire would remain with the band through all iterations until his passing in 2015. - Billboard, 6/11/25...... The Rolling Stones are reportedly working on a new album which they will support with a new tour. According to a report in the UK's The Sun paper, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Steve Jordan have been together working on a follow-up to 2023's Hackney Diamonds since April, and now have 13 songs that they completed at Metropolis Studios in West London. It also claims that the band are in talks with their record label over a release date for the record, which would be their 25th studio LP. "Originally, the plan was for them to bring their huge US tour to the UK and Europe this summer but promoters couldn't get the dates to work," a source told the paper. "Instead the Stones decided to get back into the studio and put down their next album. It's massive for their fans who didn't get a chance to see them live this year." The report also claims that renowned producer Andrew Watt -- who produced and co-wrote three songs on Hackney Diamonds -- is working with the band again for the upcoming album. As yet, nothing has been officially confirmed by the Stones regarding a new album, nor have they shared any plans for upcoming live shows. The members have, however, expressed interest in sharing more music. Ahead of Hackney Diamonds being released, Jagger told The New York Times that he wouldn't consider it to be the "last Rolling Stones album" as the members were already around "three-quarters through the next one." In Nov. 2023, Richards shared a similar sentiment with SirusXM, saying: "There's plenty more stuff left over. There'll always be another [album] until we drop This is what we do. We've gotta see this Rolling Stones through." - NME, 6/11/25...... Speaking of Mick Jagger, his 1985 "Dancing In The Street" duet with David Bowie which helped raise money for the Live Aid charity, will be re-released in a limited edition white vinyl EP version to mark the single's 40th anniversary. The two rock icons teamed up to cover the Motown classic -- co-written by Marvin Gaye and two other songwriters -- in 1985 to raise money for Live Aid, and its official music video was screened just before Bowie took to the stage in London at the Wembley Stadium event. Jagger and Bowie's studio version of the song was then released on Aug. 27, with all the proceeds benefiting famine relief. It topped the UK singles chart for four weeks, and reached No. 7 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100. Parlophone Records is reissuing the cover song on limited edition white 123 vinyl on Aug. 29 -- two days after its milestone anniversary. This remastered physical version brings together all of the song's mixes for the first time. Additionally, 30% of the retail price from the sale of this single will be donated to the Band Aid Charitable Trust. In a new statement to accompany the announcement, Jagger recalled: "We had such a laugh doing 'Dancing In The Street' with both the song recorded in the studio and the video done in one day. Remarkable how we pulled it off, really." - NME, 6/10/25...... The Bee GeesVeteran director Ridley Scott of Alien fame has announced he'll start shooting his planned Bee Gees biopic in November 2025. Scott, 87, says the project will tell the story of brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb from their childhood right up to the present day, covering their incredible impact on disco due to the soundtrack they created for 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever -- which starred John Travolta as dancer/hardware store employee Tony Manero -- and the deaths of Maurice and his fraternal twin Robin. "It's really about the brothers and how close the brothers were as a gifted family," Scott told the website Collider.com. "They're really very much a family. I think Barry very much was the leader of them, but then Robin also had the voice initially and was also a very good writer. They were a fulfilled team. It is lovely to see this drawn out from scratch. We'll go from eight years old to the end." Scott said he's started the casting process for the three siblings but is remaining tight-lipped on who may take on the roles as the "Night Fever" hitmakers. He said: "I've already got my footprints and handprints, or requests is a better way of putting it, on those names. And no, I can't say who they are." - Music-News.com, 6/10/25...... Bob Dylan has narrated the trailer for MGK's (formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly) new album. After mysteriously posting a video of MGK on his Instagram page, Dylan seems to now be the narrator of the trailer for the rapper's new album Lost Americana -- expected to be released on Aug. 8. In a teaser video which has been shared on YouTube, Dylan is heard calling the upcoming album "a personal excavation of the American dream." "It's a sonic map of forgotten places, a tribute to the spirit of reinvention and a quest to reclaim the essence of American freedom," says Dylan as a video mongtage of MGK looking out into the mountains plays. "From the glow of neon diners to the rumble of the motorcycles, this is music that celebrates the beauty found in the in-between spaces. Where the past is reimagined, and the future is forged on your own terms." While MGK is yet to publicly confirm that it is the real Dylan who is narrating the video, he shared a black and white photo of the folk icon on his Instagram stories. Variety has reportd a source confirming to the outlet that it is Dylan. This comes after Dylan left some fans confused back in February after he shared footage of MGK performing live on Instagram. Previously, Dylan's social media only had posts relating to his upcoming live shows and an assortment of clips from old movies. - NME, 6/10/25...... An "irreplaceable" purple baritone Fender Telecaster guitar belonging to Heart's Nancy Wilson has been recovered by Atlantic, City, N.J. police after a woman who said she'd bought it from its suspected thief surrendered it to authorities. Detectives said surveillance video showed the suspect handing the Telecaster over to the woman, who put the instrument in her car, which was parked several blocks away from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino venue where Heart had been scheduled to perform. Police employed automated license plate readers to identify the vehicle and then tracked its location to find the woman, who voluntarily surrendered the guitar. A 57-year-old resident of Pleasantville, N.J., who the woman said she bought it from for an undisclosed amount, has been charged with burglary and theft. The Telecaster -- and a vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin that Heart guitarist Paul Moak has played for more than 25 years that has still not been recovered -- were nicked the night before the veteran band kicked off their "An Evening With Heart" summer tour on May 31. Officials said Bennett has a long criminal record and was previously arrested in April for a prior burglary. Before Wilson's custom-built guitar was recovered, the band co-founder said in a statement, "These instruments are more than just tools of our trade -- they're extensions of our musical souls. The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me, and Paul's mandolin has been with him for decades. We're heartbroken, and we're asking for their safe return -- no questions asked. Their value to us is immeasurable." - Billboard, 6/11/25...... David ByrneFormer Talking Heads frontman David Byrne has announced a new solo album, Who Is the Sky?, featuring contributions from Hayley Williams, St. Vincent and Tom Skinner, among others. Byrne's 11th solo album will be the follow-up to his acclaimed 2018 set American Utopia and is due out on Sept. 5 via Matador Records. Byrne previewed the album on June 10 with a video for the universalist anthem called "Everybody Laughs" about the emotions and feelings we all share. "Everybody laughs and everybody cries/ Everybody lives and everybody dies/ Everybody eats and everybody loves/ Everybody knows what everybody does," Byrne sings over strummed acoustic guitar and a bouncy rhythm in the clip in which the camera scoots from left to right as dozens of people act out the lyrics and bust into an impromptu marching band performance when they're not dancing with selfie sticks. Produced by Kid Harpoon (Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles), the 12-track album contains "more story songs than usual" according to Byrne. "I suspected that intimate orchestral arrangements would bring out the emotion I sense is there in these songs," Byrne said. "It's something that folks don't always hear in my work, but this time for sure I thought it was there." Byrne will hit the road with a new live show featuring a 13-person troupe of musicians and dancers to support the album on a world tour slated to kick off on Sept. 14 at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence, R.I., winding down on Dec. 6 in Miami, Fla. In early 2026, he'll tour behind the new album in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the U.K. A video for the new single "Everybody Laughs" can be viewed on YouTube - Billboard, 6/10/25...... The late Quincy Jones was remembered during a tribute at the 2025 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 9 in Los Angeles. Lucky Daye, Luke James and Miles Caton joined forces to pay homage to Jones, who died at age 91 in November. The trio's performance was short yet sweet, as they delivered a soothing rendition of the sultry "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)" as part of the in memoriam segment at the 2025 BET Awards. Prior to the 2025 BET Awards, the Grammy Awards and Oscars earlier this year each delivered star-studded tribute performances to Quincy Jones. - Billboard, 6/9/25...... Rodney Brown, drummer on 1967's "Funky Broadway," a Dyke & the Blazers classic and one of the first hit songs to use a variation on the word "funk" in its title, died May 17 of unknown causes in an unknown location. He was 78. Brown's distinctive skipped-beat syncopation on "Funky Broadway," a track covered by many artists, most notably Wilson Pickett with a Billboard Hot 100 No. 8 hit later that year, turned out to be influential. Clyde Stubblefield employed a similar technique on James Brown's "Funky Drummer," released in 1970, which became a widely sampled breakbeat on numerous hip-hop classics. "'Funky Broadway' started the funk beat that was heard around the world," says Lucius Parr, a veteran Phoenix guitarist whose '70s band, the Soul Keepers, featured Brown on drums. "'Funky Broadway' had a break where they gave Rodney this drumbeat solo -- 'wiggle your waist, baby, shake, shake, shake,' all that stuff. It was just Dyke and the drummer." Brown, a lifelong resident of Phoenix and the last surviving member of the Dyke & the Blazers original line-up, played in bands sporadically after leaving the group. At the time of his death, he was working in real estate. "Funk started right here in the desert," he said in 2004, "and we were part of the group that started it." - Billboard, 6/13/25...... Alice CooperThe original Alice Cooper band have announced details of a one-off intimate show in London at the Union Chapel on July 24. It comes in celebration of the reunion of the original Alice Cooper line-up, which includes Cooper, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith and Michael Bruce. Back together, the four-piece are set to share their first studio album in over 50 years, The Revenge of Alice Cooper, which is due out on July 25 via earMUSIC. The new LP marks the first time all four members have come together for new material in over half a century. It also sees them reunite with producer Bob Ezrin and pay homage to the sound they captured in the early '70s. Presented by both earMUSIC and Rough Trade, the one-night-only event will be hosted by Sir Tim Rice and available to just 900 fans. It will also offer attendees a first listen to the album in a one-off playback session, as well as a deep dive interview with the band members and a rare Q&A session from the audience. For those unable to get tickets, the night will be shared in a global livestream via the earMUSIC and Alice Cooper YouTube channels, as well as TalkShopLive. More info can be found on Cooper's Instagram page. Meanwhile, Cooper and his current band are set to head out on a North American co-headline tour later in 2025 with Judas Priest. The 22-date trek kicks off in Biloxi, Miss., in September. - NME, 6/9/25...... Frederick Forsyth, a British author of thrillers who frequently made the bestseller lists, sold 70 million books and saw his novels The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File and The Dogs of War, among others, adapted into films, died on June 9 at his home in Jordans, England. He was 86 years old. The New York Times confirmed Mr. Forsyth's death, which his literary representative, Jonathan Lloyd, said "followed a short illness." The Day of the Jackal was adapted into a 1973 film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Edward Fox and Michael Lonsdale. Fox played the professional assassin known only as the "Jackal" who is hired to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle in the summer of 1963. The film was a critical and box office success, and was also turned into a series in 2024 starring Eddie Redmayne. Mr. Forsyth's 1972 novel The Odessa File was adapted into the 1974 film of the same name directed by Ronald Neame and starring Jon Voight, Maximilian Schell and Maria Schell. Born in Ashford, Kent, Mr. Forsyth joined the BBC and was sent to Biafra to cover the war raging in Nigeria. In 1969 he decided to use his experience as a Reuters reporter in France as the basis for a thriller. Within 35 days he'd completed The Day of the Jackal, which has sold some 10 million copies. Despite becoming an established author with the success of The Day of the Jackal, which earned him a three-book publishing deal, he undertook missions to Rhodesia, South Africa and, at the height of the Cold War, East Germany. In his 2015 autobiography, The Outsider: My Life in Intrigue, he disclosed that he had been working for Britain's MI6 for more than two decades, starting when he was asked to provide information about the Biafran War. He is survived by two sons from his first marriage to model Carole Cunningham, Frederick Stuart and Shane Richard. His second wife Sandy Molloy, whom he married in 1994, died in 2024. - Variety.com, 6/10/25.