In early September, Stevie Wonder announced he is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his landmark 1976 18th studio album, Songs in the Key of Life, with a world tour on which he will play the entire LP. And now, he's released a four-track EP to the double-album featuring previously unreleased tracks. On Sept. 28, Wonder dropped the EP featuring a quartet of classic-sounding previously unreleased tracks from the session personally curated by the singer and newly mixed by the album's original recording and mixing engineers, John Fischback and Gary O Adante. Songs in the Key of Life debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart and spun off two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles in "I Wish" and "Sir Duke," as well as winning Album of the Year at the 1977 Grammy Awards. Wonder's new EP can be streamed on Spotify.com. - Billboard, 9/28/26...... 
Earth, Wind & Fire's classic tune "September" has entered the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart for the first time since 1979. While the song normally gains popularity every Sept. 21 (the track's opening lyric is "do you remember the 21st night of September"), this year's cycle produces an added dimension to its success, sparking its first return to the Hot 100 since its original release cycle in 1979. "September" reentered the Hot 100 at No. 45 on the list dated Oct. 3, its first appearance since the chart dated March 10, 1979, when it ranked at No. 83. The song peaked at No. 8 and now adds an 18th week on the chart across its entire history. With the revived "September," EW&F have claimed their first Hot 100 visit since "Sunday Morning" in 1993. The R&B icons count 33 Hot 100 hits in their career, including seven top 10's and a No. 1, "Shining Star," in 1975. "September" first appeared on the 1978 greatest-hits The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1, which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. - Billboard, 9/30/26....... Billy Joel reassured a fan asking about his well publicized brain disorder that it "sounds a lot worse than it actually is" during a his first-ever live call-in special on his SiriusXM "The Billy Joel Channel" on Sept. 24. Joel also answered questions about his favorite songs and lyrics, and the call-in gave one fan an opportunity to ask about an update on his Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus diagnosis in 2025. "I know people are worried about me because they read that I have a brain disorder, which sounds a lot worse than it actually is," said Joel to a fan named Mary from Texas. "I'm OK. My balance isn't that good. Lost a little bit of my hearing, but that may have to do with my age, too, and the rock and roll life and the loud volume probably didn't help. But I'm fine. I want people to not have to worry about me. I'm OK. And I appreciate your call," he said. Joel, who joked at the top that he's got a "face made for radio," also answered a call from a fan from Racine, Wisc. who wondered after performing with everyone from Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen to Olivia Rodrigo, was there anyone he never got a chance to play with that he regrets missing? "I would have liked to have performed with John Lennon. And when he was shot, that was a horrible, horrible thing for me," Joel said of Lennon's murder by a crazed fan on Dec. 8, 1980. "It was like, he was like my old brother, my older brother to me. So, John Lennon would have been one of them. I'm trying to think, I love Steve Winwood. I think he's a terrific guy." Joel's SiriusXM call-in can be streamed on YouTube. - Billboard, 9/30/26...... Meanwhile, Billy Joel's erstwhile touring partner Elton John opened London's Apple Music Hall on Sept. 28, performing a one-off show for 600 fans at the brand-new venue at Battersea Power Station. Elton performed solo at the piano and moved through an hour's worth of career-spanning favorites, including "Rocket Man," "Bennie And The Jets," "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me," "Your Song," "Tiny Dancer" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," and the show was streamed live globally across Apple Music platforms, as well as projected onto the outside of the venue. Guests at the show included TV host Graham Norton, DJ Peggy Gou and Apple Music global creative director and Apple Music 1 host Zane Lowe, among others. The performance marked John's first U.K. show in more than three years, following his headline set at Glastonbury Festival in June 2023, where he concluded his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour. Since then, the superstar has made only a handful of live appearances, most recently performing at Brazil's "Rock In Rio" festival on Sept. 7. Footage from the performance can be viewed on Instagram. - Billboard, 9/29/26...... 
Posting on Instagram on Sept. 28, Rod Stewart announced plans to retire from mounting major tours in the future, while stressing that he's not going away entirely. "Ladies and gentlemen, after much deliberation and sadness, I have to announce that next year will be my last tour ever, ever," Stewart said. "I'm not retiring, but this will be the last rock 'n' roll tour. So I want to thank you for everything you've given me and hopefully I've given you something in return." Dressed in white pants and matching shirt and a gold brocade jacket, Stewart then leaned over to a piano and began pounding on one of the keys as he shout-sang, "So please come out and see me on the tour! It's gonna be great!" The caveat that it was his last rock tour might leave some wiggle room for Stewart to hit the road in the future to perform songs from his series of early 2000's well received American Songbook albums of pop standards. The European leg of Stewart's tour is slated to kick off on Apr. 23, 2027 at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, and include stops in Belfast, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester and London before moving on to Amsterdam, Antwerp, Berlin and other cities before winding down on July 24 at ZAG Arena in Hannover, Germany. Stewart was forced to cancel some dates on his "One Last Time North American" tour after a series of medical issues disrupted the outing, including pausing his concert in Utah after nearly fainting on stage and doubling over in discomfort. On Aug. 9, Stewart called off the remaining dates on his North American tour following a minor medical procedure. The cancellation impacted planned shows in Kansas City, Las Vegas, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado and a run of gigs in Mexico. Stewart, 81, has been touring for more than 60 years as both a solo act and as a member of the Faces, as well as the vocalist in the Jeff Beck Group. He's been on the road with his "One Last Time" trek since 2024 and earlier in 2026 told British sports chat show talkSPORT that after next year's shows he was planning to call it a day on major tours. - Billboard, 9/28/26...... The Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood has opened a new exhibition of his paintings and sketches of Jimi Hendrix at the Handel Hendrix House museum -- Hendrix's former apartment on Brook Street, Mayfair in Central London. Alongside previously unveiled paintings and sketches of the guitar legend created by Wood, the collection will also feature two new, unseen original portraits made by Wood. As well as being a longtime admirer of Hendrix, Wood was a friend of the legendary musician, having met him when he first moved to London in 1966. At the time, Wood was playing bass for The Jeff Beck Group -- and went on to briefly share a house with Hendrix in Holland Park. "I got to know him when he was a name that was already on people's lips," Wood says. "People like Eric Clapton would say, Have you seen this new phenomenon? And with the people that were in the know back in the 60s, the word would pass around very quickly that, OK, you've got to see this new boy in town." Wood says he "got a nice invitation from the people that run the 25 Brook Street who are preserving Jimi and his famous neighbor... Jimi came along and revolutionised the whole way people played guitar, so when they asked me to exhibit my renditions of Jimi, I was very honoured. I had just done a few [artworks] before I even knew that I was going to have an exhibit here, but now I've topped up the collection with a few new images." Wood says now that Rod Stewart has announced his final tour, a reunion of his old band Faces is off the table for the time being. "While I'm touring with my band and while Rod is touring with his band, we'll let those things go on their run, but then we'll carry on. We have a lot of good Faces stuff in the bag." - New Musical Express, 10/1/26...... Roger Waters and his son Harry Waters have announced details of Legacy: A Pink Floyd Show, a new touring production celebrating the golden era of Pink Floyd. The show will focus on Floyd's 1971-1979 period, with songs drawn from The Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall. The concerts will run for more than two hours and aim to reproduce the original recordings as closely as possible. Legacy has been created under Roger's direction, with Harry serving as musical director and leading a 10-piece band on B3 organ, piano and vocals. Roger Waters himself is not scheduled to perform in the shows. "We are going to authentically recreate the albums as close to note-for-note as we possibly can," Harry said. The stage production has been developed by Roger's team and will incorporate imagery inspired by Pink Floyd's original visual work, displayed across high-definition LED screens. "These songs have meant so much to so many people for so many years, and I'm excited for audiences to come together and experience them live again," Roger said. "Harry has assembled a terrific band, and I can't wait for fans around the world to see the special show we've created together." Harry added: "I fell in love with the music immediately. It really had an impact on me, irrespective of any bias because it was dad's music. I still love it deeply to this day." The extensive tour will begin in Columbus, Ga. on Feb. 15, 2027, and will ultimately visit more than 100 cities across North America and Europe. European shows will be announced at a later date. The tour's announcement can be viewed on Instagram. - NME, 9/29/26...... 
The new Paul McCartney documentary Man On The Run, was screened at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles on Sept. 28, and the presentation was followed by a Q+A with McCartney and documentary director Morgan Neville and hosted by filmmaker Judd Apatow. Set between about 1968 and 1980, Man On The Run starts with Paul on his isolated Scottish farm with his wife, Linda McCartney, and growing family, wrestling with what to do with his newfound freedom. The Beatles had called it quits -- "it was John Lennon's idea," says McCartney -- but the world didn't know it yet. Over the course of its runtime, Man On The Run shows McCartney as he makes his way back to headlining arenas across America and all the bumps along the way to get there. Unflinching, the documentary does not shy away from addressing the critics panning of much of McCartney's solo work, the murder of John Lennon, his brief stint in a Japanese prison and his bold choice to sue the Beatles. Key figures like daughters Stella and Mary McCartney, Mick Jagger, Denny Laine, Laurence Juber, Chrissie Hynde, Joe English, as well as Paul himself, shared stories for the documentary. Linda, who passed away in 1998, also shared several stories via archival footage, voice-over, and photos. Man On The Run is also currently available on Amazon Prime. Elsewhere, McCartney's ex-fiance Jane Asher has revealed that she has no plans to watch Sam Mendes' forthcoming quartet of Beatles biopics, in which she will be portrayed by Lucy Boynton (Bohemian Rhapsody). Asher, now 80, dated Paul from 1963 until 1968, with the couple announcing their engagement in 1967 before separating the following year. In an interview with The Telegraph, Asher revealed that the filmmakers had contacted her about the project. "They approached me about it, of course, but I said my usual," she explained, referring to her long-standing decision not to discuss her relationship with the famous Beatle publicly. Asked what she made of Boynton being cast as her, Asher replied: "Well, of course, Lucy is beautiful. But I won't watch the films, otherwise everyone will ask me what I thought." She went on to explain that she had made a conscious decision decades ago to stop answering questions about her time with McCartney. "People would offer me money to talk about it, all sorts of things," she said. "But I won't discuss it. It was so long ago." The couple met in 1963, when she interviewed The Beatles at the Royal Albert Hall as a teenager. McCartney later moved into the Asher family home in London, where he lived for several years. The relationship fed into a number of songs written during one of The Beatles most prolific periods, including "And I Love Her" and "I'm Looking Through You." "For No One," from 1966's Revolver, has also long been associated with difficulties in the relationship. Asher announced that their engagement had ended during a BBC television appearance in 1968. McCartney married Linda McCartney in 1969, remaining with her until her death in 1998. He later married Heather Mills in 2002 before their divorce in 2008, and has been married to Nancy Shevell since 2011. - Billboard/NME, 9/29/26...... In other Beatles-related news, Ringo Starr is among numerous musicians and celebrities who have donated unique items for auction in Housing Works' second annual "Turn It Up!" auction. Founded in 1990 by people living with HIV/AIDS and their allies, Housing Works emerged during the AIDS crisis in response to the urgent need for housing, healthcare, and support for people living with HIV/AIDS. Over the decades, the New York City nonprofit has expanded its work to address housing instability, homelessness, healthcare access, HIV/AIDS, and social justice. Ringo donated an autographed Housing Works T-shirt, and other items include original artworks by David Byrne and Joan Baez, a signed drum head from Def Leppard's Rick Allen, and a color print of Bob Gruen's iconic photo of John Lennon standing in front of the Statue of Liberty. Of the Lennon photo, the entry on the auction site reads: "The US government was trying to deport John Lennon because of his support for the peace movement during the Vietnam war so I suggested we take a picture at the Statue of Liberty to illustrate that America was supposed to welcome people," Gruen wrote. "Since Lennon's death, this photo has taken on a new meaning as people think of John Lennon in terms of personal freedom similar to the Statue of Liberty." - Variety, 9/29/26...... 
Willie Nelson and Family's Farm Aid went forward on Sept. 26 in Virginia Beach, Va., despite a storming Noreaster that shut down major music events throughout the New York region. Highlights included Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts offering a veritable greatest-hits set of ballads including "Comes a Time," "Old Man" and "Harvest Moon," as well as "Lost Highway" and "Earth Girl." Through the years, Farm Aid fans never quite knew which flannel-shirted Neil Young would show up -- the master of acoustic ballads or the guitar-slashing rocker -- but on that night fans got both. After the mellow tunes, out came "Old Black," Young's vintage electric guitar, and the Chrome Hearts -- with Nelson's younger son, Micah Nelson, on second guitar -- roared through "Powderfinger" and "Rockin' in the Free World" with Young's newly ad-libbed line in the chorus. "Take America Back!" he shouted. Nelson once again made his classic "Whiskey River" the opener of his set, also playing such favorites as "On the Road Again" and "Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" with a non-stop pace. "Angels Flying Too Close to the Ground," with Nelson's amazing solo on his trusty guitar, Trigger, gave the couples in attendance time for a slow dance. Then once more, Nelson gathered the day's musicians around him for the traditional closing of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and" I Saw the Light." Earlier in the evening, former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell performed with his band the Dirty Knobs. Campbell shared lead vocals with the Knobs guitarist Chris Holt on the Heartbreakers hits "Even The Losers" and "Running Down A Dream." In John Mellencamp's hit-laden Farm Aid set, "Rain on the Scarecrow" was once again a standout as he sang: "This land fed a nation/ This land made me proud/ And son, I'm just sorry/ There's no legacy for you now." In its 41st year, Farm Aid is the longest running concert for a cause. Since 1985, the festival launched by Nelson, Young and Mellencamp -- and now boasting Dave Matthews, Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff on its board -- has raised $90 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture. - Billboard, 9/27/26.
Elton John will make his first public U.K. performance in over three years when he plays London's Apple Music Hall on Sept. 28. The surprise performance at the the newly remodeled 600-capacity venue at Battersea Power Station will be the Rocket Man's first U.K. performance since the wrapped his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour at Glastonbury Festival in June 2023. John has sporadically performed live since, most recently at Brazil's Rock in Rio festival on Sept. 7. On Sept. 22, Apple announced the opening of its new state-of-the-art space which features a 48-speaker spatial audio system and a customizable 38-foot-wide stage. In 2014, Elton performed a private concert at the venue to mark the building's residential and commercial redevelopment. Other artists including Baby Keem, Skye Newman and Troye Sivan will help christen the new venue with concerts between Oct. 2 and Dec. 2. - Billboard, 9/25/26...... 
In a new interview with Vulture magazine, Todd Rundgren took aim at Taylor Swift, claiming she has "ruined music" and called her the "apotheosis of mediocrity." Rundgren is the producer of Meat Loaf's classic 1977 set Bat Out of Hell which he has previously said he approached partly as a spoof of Bruce Springsteen. After being asked which contemporary artist he would target if he were making an album intended as a parody, he replied: "Taylor Swift, of course. There's an argument to be made that she ruined music. It's an understandable phenomenon. It's just that, to me, Taylor Swift is the apotheosis of mediocrity." The veteran singer-songwriter-producer then offered his theory for why female artists have come to dominate mainstream pop, arguing that a shift began in the 1990s when young male consumers increasingly spent their money on video games rather than records. "Back in the '90s, boys stopped spending money on music and started spending it on video games, and that left the music market with, 'Well, where do we go here?'," Rundgren explained. "And they said, 'Well, there's all these young girls and they've got their allowances, too. Why don't we start making music for young girls instead of Pearl Jam or something like that?'" He went on to name Swift alongside Lady Gaga and Pink, but singled out Gaga for praise as a "real musician" and a "classically trained piano player." Returning to Swift, Rundgren said: "Taylor Swift doesn't do anything particularly great except grow hair. She's not a great singer. She's not a great songwriter. She's not a great dancer." Rundgren's comments come shortly after Swift released The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore, an expanded version of her 2025 album featuring four newly recorded tracks. - New Musical Express, 9/26/26...... Posting on Instagram on Sept. 21, Ozzfest announced it will come to the U.S. for the first time in nearly a decade after previously announcing a show in Birmingham, U.K. "Ozzfest will come to the U.K. and U.S. @theozzfest," with the caption promising, "More Info Coming Soon!!! Where are you hoping Ozzfest 2027 will pop up?" In August, Ozzfest said the hard rock festival would take place at Villa Park, Birmingham, the 42,000-capacity stadium that hosted Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne's farewell show "Back to the Beginning", which took place in July 2025. The event dates and lineup have not yet been shared for the Villa Park show, nor for Ozzfest concerts in other cities. Meanwhile, the trailer for the new Back to the Beginning theatrical film has been shared on YouTube. The minute-long trailer for the film documenting the late Ozzy's final show is packed with emotion, tension, tears and, of course, the indomitable spirit of the Blizzard of Ozz himself. "There's never been a precedent for a show like this," says the event's musical director, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello in voice-over as the camera pans over the 45,000 metalheads who gathered at Villa Park in Birmingham, U.K. on July 5, 2025 to celebrate Ozzy's nearly six-decade career in music. "Millions of people around the world who got to say, 'thank you Black Sabbath. Thank you Ozzy,'" Morello continues over footage of Osbourne performing with Sabbath at the gig. Back to the Beginning is set to debut in theaters worldwide on Oct. 28. Elsewhere, the woman who was confirmed to be the mysterious figure on the cover of Black Sabbath's 1970 self-titled debut LP has announced that she has created a new rock opera, inspired by AI and Alice in Wonderland. The woman on the cover had gone unidentified for decades until 2020 when Rolling Stone magazine shared that she was a model named Louisa Livingstone, with photographer Keith Macmillan saying he chose her for the role because she's five feet tall, and as a result, the landscape around her would look bigger. Since then, Livingstone has been releasing music of her own too, including two tracks inspired by her time on the Sabbath cover: "Witch Woman" and "The Woman by the Mill." More recently, she has been releasing music under the alias Indreba, including a five-song album called Alice, which dropped in August. Livingstone says the inspiration for Alice came to her as a memory of her father reading Lewis Carroll's classic 1871 novel to her as a child, and over time she has seen the premise through the lens of panpsychism -- the notion that all objects and items possess some form of consciousness. That, she shared, led to her exploring the narrative of "myself (or Alice) falling in love with AI", but going on to realise that it is "just a beautiful illusion along with everything else on the internet." She added that the album was about "getting back to being oneself and nature," and that she did use some AI assistance to produce the album. - Billboard/NME, 9/22/26...... 
On Sept. 24 The Beach Boys abruptly cancelled their "Pet Sounds 60" tour dates which was intended to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their seminal 1966 LP Pet Sounds. In July, the iconic American band had rescheduled the dates until September to allow co-founding member Mike Love time to rest and "recharge." Now, the band have axed their shows in Massachussetts, Pennsylvania, and two shows in South Carolina. No explanation was given for the cancellation. Venues planned to host the Beach Boys such as the Univest Performance Center in Quakertown and Alabama Theatre in North Myrtle Beach have said the cancellation was due to "circumstances beyond [our] control." Now the band are apparently going to restart the tour on Oct. 9 at the Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington, Ill. Multiple concerns for Mike Love's health on tour have been noted as the tour has gone by. After one May 30 concert, a reviewer for Slate said the singer's voice was "reduced to a whisper, all warbled, strange, and barely there." Days after that review went up, The Beach Boys axed a series of dates due to Love suffering from an unspecified illness. Love is the only remaining original member of the band left, following the exit of Bruce Johnston earlier this year and the recent death of their iconic frontman Brian Wilson, who died last June aged 82. In January of 2026, the BB released their lost experimental album Adult/Child after almost 50 years, recorded in 1977 and reportedly shelved due to the band's label and Wilson's bandmates not fully believing in the project. - NME, 9/24/26...... After a campaign by Rush members to erect a public art memorial to their late bandmate drummer Neil Peart that began in 2020, Rush singer Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson have presented a check for $785,000 to the Neil Peart Commemorative Task Force Fundraising sub-committee to go toward the $1 million for a Peart memorial in his hometown of Lakeside Park in St. Catharines, Ontario. "This public art memorial will be far more than a tribute to Neil Peart; it elevates the park into a world-class cultural landmark," St. Catherines city manager Eric Lamothe said. "We are thrilled to see a space that is already a beloved destination for residents and tourists become a global beacon for enthusiastic music fans to gather, reflect, and celebrate an icon for generations to come." The campaign launched in 2020 in an effort to place a statue or plaque dedicated to drummer and lyricist Peart in the park that inspired the song "Lakeside Park" on Rush's 1975 Caress of Steel album. The concept for the memorial includes two larger-than-life bronze sculptures of Peart, which will be connected by a pathway offering "experiential and interpretive features providing insight into Peart's personal and professional legacies, including his time with the band," according to the City of St. Catharines site. The memorial park is officially slated to open in late 2027, and a rendering can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 9/23/26...... 
Giles Martin says the newly unearthed John Lennon song "Little Girl" appearing on the definitive Super Deluxe edition of The Beatles's 1965 album Rubber Soul is "just a little ditty... don't expect 'Strawberry Fields' or 'In My Life' from it." The recording is just as Martin describes -- strong in fidelity but clearly unfinished and light on lyrics, with plenty of la-la's as placeholders. "John was playing around with the word 'girl' quite a lot," Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin, notes. "'You can run for your life if you can, little girl'; obviously 'Girl' was on the record; You know, he liked words. He was obsessed with Dylan Thomas, etc. So it's a valid sketch of the songwriting of the period." He adds that there was never a notion of doing more with "Little Girl" than including it amid the wealth of rarities, outtakes, alternative versions and studio chatter included on the new Rubber Soul release, which includes a 4CD/5LP edition featuring new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes alongside the original mono mix and the original Capitol U.S. album version. The Super Deluxe edition of Rubber Soul hits stores on Oct. 2. Elsewhere, Martin says the new four-part series of Beatles films he's working on with director Sam Mendes are "gonna be very good." "I think they'll trigger a new wave of Beatlemania, to be honest with you," he says. - Billboard, 9/22/26...... Lionel Richie has undergone a procedure to correct his atrial fibrillation, an erratic heartbeat often caused by inefficient blood flow that can cause dizziness and fatigue. Richie, who recently posponed a number of shows on his headlining arena tour with Earth, Wind & Fire has been experienced heart issues off and on since the tour kicked off June 24 at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn. While performing his '80s hit "Dancin' on the Ceiling," Richie told the audience he was feeling shaky and then sat down. "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down," he said. He then took an unscheduled intermission and ultimately did not return to stage. Then following his Aug. 29 concert in St. Louis, he checked himself into a local hospital to have some tests run. Richie struggled at times during the normally high energy show, according to TMZ.com, asking for a chair during concert closer, "All Night Long." A rep for Richie says the former The Commodores member and '80s superstar is doing great and his doctor said "everything went perfectly," but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon." As he recuperates, Richie has canceled the next three scheduled shows in San Francisco on Sept. 26, Chicago on Sept. 30 and Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 2. (The latter two dates were already rescheduled from the earlier postponements.) The next concerts on his schedule are a six-show residency at Las Vegas' Encore Theater at the Wynn starting Oct. 14. - Billboard, 9/22/26...... 
Gary "Angry" Anderson, the feisty frontman of the '70s and '80s Australian band Rose Tattoo, one of the hardest-rocking bands to emerge from Australia in the 1970s, died on Sept. 21. He was 79. "It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Gary 'Angry' Anderson on the eve of Monday 21 September 2026, surrounded by his loved ones here in Australia," reads a statement from Rose Tattoo. Anderson had suffered a heart attack in August while Rose Tattoo was on tour in Europe. The singer was hospitalized in Germany and the remainder of the group's 50th anniversary tour was scrapped, including planned shows in Australia. With Anderson at the mic, Rose Tattoo enjoyed a string of hits in '70s and '80s including "Bad Boy for Love," "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw" and "We Can't Be Beaten." Rose Tattoo was the quintessential Aussie pub rock band, and induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame came in Rose Tattoo was in 2006, in a class that included Helen Reddy. Often clad in leather or a simple singlet, revealing his arms-length collection of tattoos, Angry Anderson always looked hard as nails and as angry as his nickname. But he was a softy at heart. Raised in the school of hard knocks, Anderson was a passionate advocate for disadvantaged young Australians, his work recognized with Anderson made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1993 for services to the community. He also had several movie roles, including a spot alongside Tina Turner in 1985's Max Mad 3: Beyond Thunderdome, and was a familiar face on Australian TV. - Billboard, 9/23/26.
Barbra Streisand is slamming what she describes as the "unchecked ego" of Pres. Donald Trump after the president hinted he may order the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts demolished. Posting on her official website, Babs began by recapping some of the history of the Washington, D.C., cultural institution. "In 1964, in the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy's shocking assassination, Congress passed legislation designating the National Cultural Center as a living memorial to him," she wrote. "Re-naming the Cultural Center in JFK's honor was a fitting choice, because he was a true champion of the arts." She continued: "In 2008, I was deeply honored to be included in the 31st annual class of Kennedy Center Honorees," she continued. "For me, and for so many artists, that honor represented something larger than a career recognition. It represented a belief in the importance of art to the life of a democracy." The icon went on to say that because of her personal history with the center, she finds it "galling and painful to witness" the twice-impeached POTUS' large-scale shake-up of the Kennedy Center that has been ongoing since his second term began. "When Donald Trump attempted to put his name alongside the late President Kennedy's on the building's entrance, the move was met with widespread opposition from artists and much of the public," she shared. "And now, a thoroughly defeated Trump has announced that the Kennedy Center is being closed for what the completely stacked board describes as a major renovation. Oddly, when Trump's name was still on the building, there was no discussion of closing it!" She added that "You can easily imagine my indignation at seeing this revered institution become the subject of such a bitter struggle over one man's name and unchecked ego," before encouraging American readers to ensure that they vote in the upcoming midterms. Pres. Trump's push and pull with the Kennedy Center first began at the beginning of his second White House term, when he replaced much of the board and installed himself as chair. In December, that board voted to officially change the name of the institution to the Trump-Kennedy Center, which a federal judge blocked in May. - Billboard, 9/17/26...... Talking Heads announced on Sept. 18 they'll reunite later in the month to launch a new channel on SiriusXM, which will play their back catalogue and feature a special conversation between the members. The channel, titled Talking Heads Radio, which runs until from Oct. 1 to Oct. 22 on in-car satellite radios, and until Oct. on the SiriusXM app, promises "five decades of music from David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth, as well as a special reflective conversation between the group, which airs at noon on launch day. The conversation will be recorded live in front of an audience in New York on Sept. 28, with the Q&A hosted by Este Haim of the pop trio Haim. Talking Heads made their first public appearance together in over 20 years in 2023. They reunited for a Q&A at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 11 to celebrate the anniversary of their iconic concert film Stop Making Sense. When asked then about the potential to perform together again, Weymouth said the group were "just savouring the moment." SiriusXM's announcement of the reunion can be viewed on 
The late Tom Petty's backing band The Heartbreakers made an emotional return to the stage on Sept. 16 at the Americana Honors and Awards show to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award. Founding members Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch and Ron Blair were joined by country superstar Chris Stapleton for a three-song tribute built around some of Petty's most enduring classics. They opened with "American Girl," a track long synonymous with the band's legacy and Petty's unmistakable voice. Campbell acknowledged the weight of the moment as he addressed the audience. He said: "It's true, we haven't played together since 2017, and it's really emotional and sweet to be here. We have two more songs, and we're so happy to have Chris up here with us. It's great to see you all, I think you know this one." The group then moved into "Breakdown," from their 1976 self-titled debut album. For the night's final number, Steve Ferrone and Scott Thurston -- both key members of the band's later eras -- stepped onstage to help deliver "You Wreck Me" from Petty's 1994 solo album Wildflowers. Stapleton introduced the Lifetime Achievement Award with a tribute to Petty's influence, saying "words cannot express how much that catalog of music means to me," and afterward Petty's daughter Adria Petty accepted the award on behalf of her father, thanking Stapleton for bringing the musicians back together. Campbell reflected on the devastating loss of his beloved bandmate: "We'll probably be grieving until the last day I live. But I'm OK, and we're OK, and he's OK, and the music is alive thanks to you." The appearance marked The Heartbreakers' first performance together since the death of frontman Petty in 2017, and the first time the original line-up had played together in more than two decades. - Music-News.com, 9/18/26...... Queen drummer Roger Taylor released his seventh solo album, Violence Insane In a Beautiful World, on Sept. 18. Recorded at Taylor's home in the U.K., the 10-track LP takes its theme from the opening track, "A Beautiful World," which extols the virtues of the planet while acknowledging the challenges of current times, ending with the warning "don't f--- it up." "It's about how this is a beautiful world that we live in, and with all this terrible violence and everything let's not screw it up," Taylor, 77, says. "It's a very simple point, really, but a fairly important one. We're in a bad state in most of the world at the moment -- more wars, more needless deaths and insane violence. There are times when I despair for what we're leaving our children, our grandchildren, but I hope it gets better." The track "Spit In His Eye," meanwhile, posits an attitude of defiance -- "You can never surrender," Taylor notes -- while "Chump" is a direct shot at a certain U.S. president with a surname that rhymes with the title. Taylor and his band, which includes several musicians from the Queen + Adam Lambert lineup, will tour behind the new album with a quick six-concert swing through the U.K., starting Sept. 21 in Newcastle and wrapping Sept. 29 in Swansea. "I feel very content to keep it in the U.K. right now," he says -- while Queen + Adam Lambert has been quiet since its early 2024 dates in Japan. Although guitarist Brian May is "in pretty good shape" following some recent health scares, Taylor is "not sure he'd be up for doing the whole grueling tour." "I've always loved touring. I think [May] loved it up to a point, and then not, up to a point." Nevertheless the two, who reside nearby and "see quite a lot of one another," are looking at other ways to present Queen in the future -- possibly an ABBA Voyage style virtual concert as well as at the Sphere in Las Vegas, which he and May have both visited "and were pretty blown away by that." Taylor, 77, says "maybe there won't be a next (album) -- but I hope there will be. ""I just love to work. I think if you're in a creative industry, work is precious, and I think it keeps you going," he says. "The idea of retiring and doing nothing is anathema to me. It's nice to think you might be slightly relevant, in a tiny way." - Billboard, 9/18/26...... Actor and sometime musician William Shatner has made his heavy metal live debut, performing covers of Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica and Motörhead. The 95-year-old Star Trek legend played a warm-up show at Chicago's Park West on Sept. 19 with his newly-formed metal band The *uckers, playing a six-song set ahead of his appearance at Riot Fest the following day, where the band played a 40-minute set. Shatner had teased the unlikely new chapter in his musical career ahead of the performance, writing on social media: "I have explored space. I have explored time. Now I explore distortion." The *uckers' forthcoming record is also set to feature an array of prominent metal and rock guests, including Queen's Brian May, Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford, Disturbed bassist John Moyer and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. In August, Shatner appeared to accidentally reveal that the band had been booked for Coachella 2027, telling CNN that they were due to perform a 30-minute set at "the one in the desert" next spring. The festival has yet to officially confirm Shatner as part of its 2027 line-up. Fan-captured footage of The *uckers' performance of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and other metal classics can be viewed on 
A spokesperson for Billy Joel has confirmed that the Piano Man is not dead after a Google glitch on Sept. 17 that claimed the 77-year-old had passed away. The search engine included an information box on the singer/songwriter legend, which stated his date of death as Sept. 17, sparkng a flurry of concern online. But Joel's publicist confirmed to 
Famed psychedelic pop artist Peter Max, whose colorful, psychedelic pop art expressed the optimism of the "flower power" movement of the 1960s and graced everything from postage stamps to a cruise ship, died on Sept. 14. He was 88. No cause was given, but he had been suffering from advanced dementia. Mr. Max began his career in graphic design in the 1960s, and his swirly, colorful, instantly recognizable designs epitomized the era's "flower power" art. But thanks to his prolific output and fun, accessible style, Mr. Max's work remained popular well into the 21st century. He was the official artist for several sporting events including the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the Indianapolis 500, the World Cup, the World Series and many other events. His art appeared on a Boeing 777 airplane and a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, and his portrait subjects ranged from U.S. presidents to Taylor Swift. But in his first flush of success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, his murallike tableaus of flowers, the cosmos and cartoonish figures -- all in vivid colors like turquoise, orange and neon green -- seemed to be everywhere. Dorm room walls were plastered with his posters. Household furnishings like clocks and bedspreads sported his designs. He even created covers for the Manhattan Yellow Pages, a business phone directory distributed to millions of people. Mr. Max himself was featured on the cover of Life magazine in 1969, his trademark dark, bushy mustache framing a hearty grin. "We will remember his extraordinary creativity, his warmth, his curiosity, and the way he saw beauty and possibility everywhere," his son Adam Max said in the statement announcing the death. "His art became part of American culture, but the man behind that art -- the father we knew and loved -- is the person we will miss most." Born Peter Max Finkelstein in 1937 to a Jewish family in Berlin, Mr. Max's family fled Nazi Germany for Shanghai when he was a baby and later spent time in Tibet, Israel and Paris before settling in New York City when Max was 16. By then, he said in an interview, he was already "a huge fan of American culture": comics, movies and "all the jazz music." He studied in New York at the Art Students League, the School of Visual Arts and Pratt Institute. In 1961, he opened a graphic design studio with friends. His bold, unique style was an immediate hit with ad agencies, publications, the corporate world and in pop culture. That led to a booming commercial business. "My work was really, I would say, almost exploited," he said. "It was on mugs, it was on bedsheets, it was on dresses, it was on silks and scarves and ties -- 70 product lines." Mr. Max's work has been featured in dozens of museum exhibitions around the world. New York's Museum of Modern Art owns seven of his works. The art for the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" is sometimes mistakenly attributed to Mr. Max, but the design for the album cover and Yellow Submarine movie are officially credited to the late Heinz Edelmann. Mr. Max claimed in a 2012 interview he did the original "Yellow Submarine" design before handing it off to Edelmann. But the website for New York's Park West gallery, a longtime dealer of Max's art, described Max's involvement in "Yellow Submarine" as "early consulting work." Mr. Max was, however, friends with the Beatles and many other celebrities. He also had a deep interest in Eastern spirituality. He brought "Swami" Satchidananda Saraswati to the U.S., and helped him popularize yoga here. His first marriage to Elizabeth Nance ended in divorce. In addition to his son, he is survived by a daughter, Libra Astro. - Associated Press, 9/16/26.
Roger Waters has sent a social media message to British pop star Ed Sheeran regarding Sheeran's decision to remove rapper Macklemore from his tour for making pro-Palestine comments on stage. The controversy started when Macklemore made an impassioned speech on-stage while opening for Sheeran, calling for "all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality" and for a "free Palestine," which prompted the Israeli-American Council to call for his removal from the tour, claiming the rapper had used his platform to "advance a one-sided political agenda." Macklemore then shared a social media message claiming New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, who is Jewish, had started a campaign against Sheeran to drop him or the shows couldn't go ahead. Now, Roger Waters has weighed in on the discussion, and showed his backing for Macklemore, while calling Sheeran a "little prick." "Ed Who," Waters began a video message he posted on 
Columbia/Legacy Recordings announced on Sept. 15 that a huge 39-CD Bob Dylan box set, The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1976 Live Recordings will drop on Nov. 6. With 381 tracks -- 371 of which have never been released up until now -- the set fully captures Dylan's 1976 tour. The trek kicked off on Apr. 18, 1976 in Lakeland, Fla., and spanned 27 dates -- concluding in Salt Lake City on May 25 that year. This is the first time the performances have become available for fans to listen to since the shows. Included in the release is a 3LP set of the complete May 16 Fort Worth show, remixed from the original multi-track tapes, and Dylan's rendition of "Going, Going, Gone" from that show has been shared on 
The first-ever authorized rockumentary on Def Leppard, Long Live Def Leppard, is slated for release in theaters in early 2027. Directed by Jeff Feuerzeig (The Devil and Daniel Jonston), the film is an all-access account of the U.K. rockers' rise from humble beginnings in working class Sheffield to global chart domination in the 1980s and 1990s with such hits as their No. 1 smash "Love Bites," as well as their other top 10 hits "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (No. 2), "Armageddon It" (No. 3) and "Hysteria" (No. 10). The film was produced in collaboration with the Joe Elliott-led Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group that has sold 110 million albums worldwide; the group also features guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen, who along with Elliott, will be featured in new interviews. It will feature never-before-seen footage, with writer/director/producer Feuerzeig saying in a statement that his connection to the band goes back to their rise to fame with 1981's breakthrough sophomore album High 'n' Dry. Def Leppard concluded a residency run at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in February, then began a European tour this summer. They'll play the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla. on Oct. 15 before moving on to a run of shows in Mexico and Central and South America later than month into November. - Billboard, 9/11/26...... Meanwhile, a new documentary showcasing late Rush drummer Neil Peart debuts on Sept. 16 at the Toronto International Film Festival. Peart, the much-admired drummer-lyricist for the Toronto-based prog-rock trio, died in 2020 at the age of 67 from a brain tumour, but his friendships with and inspiration to other drummers -- as well as his two surviving bandmates -- live on in the touching and funny film. The documentary, which will also get a nationwide Canadian broadcast on Sept. 23 on CBC/CBC Gem, finds Rush bassist-singer Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson playing songs like "Working Man" and "Dreamline" with other drummers from such bands as Tool, The Police, King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Red Hot Chili Peppers, and it becomes obvious very quickly just how demanding Peart's drumming parts are to play. - Canoe.com, 9/14/26...... 
Original Journey bassist Ross Valory has confirmed he will not be rejoining the band on its ongoing "Final Frontier Tour." Valory, who was fired alongside drummer Steve Smith in 2020, says he has made peace with his departure and has no desire to revisit the past. Speaking on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Valory explained that the legal fallout between him and the band is firmly behind him. "We made what I think is a very reasonable settlement, and everyone moved on with their lives," Valory said. "I certainly have, and I believe that everyone else involved has just moved on. I'm no longer a part of the organization or the brand, so my position now, at best, is a casual observer. So it was many years ago, and we all move on. Everybody gets on with their lives." Asked whether he had been approached about returning, Valory made it clear the answer is no -- and compared the speculation to long-running fan hopes for a Steve Perry comeback. He said: "Not that I know of, no. And there's been rumours for years about Steve Perry returning, and he has to keep telling people, 'No, I'm just not doing it.' And you understand it from the fans' standpoint that's what they really want. The hardcore fans want to see everybody together. But I don't see that happening." Valory added that Journey's legacy is ultimately defined by the music, not the lineup, and praised the current incarnation for delivering what audiences expect. "It's about the songs. Regardless of which band has too few, (or) how many original members, it's a matter of being able to go onto that stage and provide for, let's say the average ticket buyer, they want to hear the songs, they want to hear them like they heard them on the record," Valory noted. "And as long as any band can do that, there's no reason to consider who's in the band and who's not. And Journey's one of those bands that continues to do that." Formed in 1973, Journey have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, earning induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. The band's history has been marked by financial disputes, trademark battles and lawsuits between members. The "Final Frontier Tour" is set to wrap on Nov. 28, with guitarist Neal Schon previously suggesting Journey will continue without keyboardist Jonathan Cain once the run ends. - Music-News.com, 9/15/26....... The Beatles have shared an early version of their Rubber Soul track "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," with George Harrison putting his sitar mastery on display, on 
Bob Mackie, the dress designer whose legendarily glitzy gowns were the go-to for stars including Cher, Barbra Streisand, Carol Burnett, Tina Turner and Miley Cyrus, died on Sept. 14. He was 87. "It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today," reads a statement on his 
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Bruce Springsteen said he has no regrets about the political message behind his recent "Land of Hope and Dreams Tour." "I'm old now and I do what I want to do," he said. "This was the show I wanted to make, the story I wanted to tell." The 20-date tour, which which kicked off Mar. 31 in Minneapolis and wrapped May 30 in Philadelphia, followed the Jersey rocker's January release of "Streets in Minneapolis," which was a protest song written in response to the death of Rene Good and Alex Pretti during confrontation with federal immigration authorities. He opened the shows with Edwin Starr's 1970 protest song 
Stevie Wonder is gearing up for a six-date U.S. tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his seminal album, 
In an interview on his SiriusXM channel on Sept. 9, Billy Joel opened up about how a diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus last year revealed the unexpected damage his concerts were causing to his brain. Joel, 77, described going to see a doctor after suffering from balance problems that made it feel like he was "on a boat." After giving him the diagnosis, his neurologists recommended implanting a shunt in his brain to reliever some of the pressure. "So I agreed to do the shunt," Joel said, noting that he initially said he'd "pass" on the suggestion of the surgery that entailed drilling a hole through his skull to implant the shunt, in order to stop the progressive condition from getting worse. "But then I read up on it and I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory. You know, I don't want to lose my marbles," Joel said. "It's hard to tell what's age and what's a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain and it actually improved things." And while he said his memory, balance and ability to function all improved after the procedure, the bad news was that his doctors also advised him to stop performing live because they said the physical effects of playing loud rock shows might cause further damage. "I realized, and the doctors told me this, because of my job, which is playing rock 'n' roll music very loud, that it was giving me something like a concussion every time I did a show," the singer said. "It was causing damage to my brain nerves and I could be losing more brain cells the more shows I did and I realized that means I shouldn't be doing this right now." And so, Joel canceled his planned 2025 tour dates after playing his last full show on Feb. 22, 2025 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Near the end of his set, he did a microphone spin and then fell down during "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," which led to the diagnosis. The singer revealed the condition to fans three months later after canceling the rest of his planned gigs. Since the diagnosis and surgery, Joel has only performed in public once, on Jan. 2, when he hopped on stage with a Billy Joel tribute band called Turnstiles at a show in Wellington. Fla., where he performed "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Big Shot" with the group. His full SiriusXM broadcast can be streamed on 
Graham Nash has ruled out any Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young reunions between himself and surviving bandmates Stephen Stills and Neil Young. Asked if there may be a reunion with some combination of the singers during an interview with The Arts Fuse, Graham replied: "David [Crosby] was the heartbeat of the band and since he has passed away I don't think the rest of us will ever collaborate again. Also, Stephen has retired and Neil won't play any CSN songs so if you want to hear them you have to come see me!" Questioned about what he's most proud of, and what he regrets, Graham said: "I am most proud of the ability I have to speak to and perform for my fellow human beings. I've tried my best to make them shake their ass and think at the same time. My only regret was being on tour both when my father passed and when my mother died. In neither case was I able to see them before they had gone." Graham has tackled some contentious topics through his songs during his career, including war, immigration and nuclear power, and says he has no plans to stop doing that. "I'm a human being, a member of the human race, and I have to talk about what's going on with me right now," he said. - Music-News.com, 9/8/26...... Tom Jones says he was fired from the British version of The Voice over ITV's "financial difficulty with insurance," and that the network later described the change as an effort to refresh the coaching lineup. Jones made clear that he would have preferred to remain in his coaching role, writing in an 
In her new memoir, 
KISS has scored its highest-charted title on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart in more than a decade, as its new live album 
London's Wembley Park has unveiled a 30 ft. anamorphic mural of Freddie Mercury across its Spanish Steps to celebrate what would have been the Queen frontman's 80th birthday on Sept. 5. Titled "I'm Mr. Mercury," the hand-sprayed vinyl artwork was created by British street artist Frank Styles. Applied across all 58 Spanish Steps -- which connect Wembley Stadium and OVO Arena Wembley -- the installation features a monochromatic portrait of Mercury set against graphic elements inspired by his life and passions. Designed as an anamorphic image, the complete portrait aligns when viewed from a marked yellow circle opposite the steps. Moving away from the specific viewpoint causes the artwork to resolve into abstract shapes and lines. The surrounding design includes koi carp, reflecting Mercury's love of Japanese culture and his London home's garden, alongside winged female figures referencing his Virgo star sign and the Queen crest he designed. Quotes and selected lyrics also trace up the steps toward Wembley Stadium. Commenting on the artwork, Queen's manager Jim Beach said: "Freddie was known to millions around the world as the frontman of Queen but off stage, he was a quiet and humble man, happy at home surrounded by the things he loved most. 'I'm Mr. Mercury' perfectly captures the beautiful complexity of Freddie." Artist Styles added: "As a trained graphic designer himself, Freddie was very aware and precise about the visual feel and so I have endeavoured to follow his ethos in the conscious creation of this mural." "I'm Mr. Mercury" is free to view and will remain on display through to Dec. 2026. - Music-News.com, 9/5/26...... Roger Daltrey has confirmed that Zak Starkey has rehearsed with The Who, ahead of a possible reunion tour just over a year after his departure from the group after the two had an "acrimonious" fallout after a gig in 2025. Speaking to LifeMinute.com, Daltrey said of the drummer: "He's not Keith Moon, but he's come very close." When asked directly if a reunion with Starkey was possible, Daltrey replied: "I don't know. We did a rehearsal recently, and Zak was the drummer. We love Zak, but sometimes the road doesn't like Zak. Sometimes it gets on top of him, and it becomes difficult." He continued: "He was drumming at the rehearsal, and we did the rehearsal to see if we can possibly do shows next year. Still hit the notes, still get the drive. Who music demands an incredible amount of drive, and without that, it would be Herman's Hermits without the Herman." The flare up between Starkey, Daltrey and Townshend started during a 2025 performance of "The Song Is Over" when Daltrey stopped and complained that he could not hear the key over the drums, and the band were subsequently reported to have fired Starkey following an "acrimonious" fallout. Starkey said he was "surprised and saddened" by the decision, maintaining that he did not believe there had been a problem with his performance. Days later, Townshend announced that Starkey was "not being asked to step down." However, in May The Who confirmed that the drummer had left the band again, stating that "the time has come for a change". Starkey disputed the suggestion that he had chosen to leave, claiming he had been asked to "lie" and say he had quit to pursue other projects. "I love The Who and would never have quit," he wrote at the time. In August, Starkey appeared to be playing with The Who again, with both he and Daltrey confirming that they had rehearsed together. - NME, 9/3/26...... 
Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen has been appointed a Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in recognition of his contribution to the country of his birth and his remarkable career and influence on musicians around the globe. Van Halen was appointed Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion (Ridder in de Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw) on Sept. 1 in Nijmegen, the Dutch city where he and his brother Eddie spent a good chunk of their childhood. It's one of the country's highest civilian orders, given only to those who "make extraordinary contributions" to society. Van Halen, 73, was on hand for the ceremony at the Berchmanianum, the academy building of Radboud University, where mayor Hubert Bruls presented the royal honor and spoke of Van Halen's role in writing a "remarkable chapter in the history of rock music." Speaking on the sidelines, Van Halen remarked: "My cousin organized most of this. I'm very grateful. I think institutions like this are important in people's lives because it adds a dignity and a gravity to what we do. Whether it's actually deserved or not, that's another question. But we can live up to it. That's the whole thing, is you got to have something to live up to." Alex also signed Nijmegen's Book of the City, a tome reserved for distinguished visitors, inking his name in its pages alongside Bruce Springsteen and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. "Alex still feels a connection with Nijmegen," reads a statement from the city, "and Nijmegen in turn honors the band." Alex's band Van Halen was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. They scored five No. 1 albums on the Billboard chart and more than 20 hits on the Hot 100 songs chart, including the 1984 smash single "Jump," which logged five weeks at No. 1. - Billboard, 9/3/26...... Stevie Nicks' Fleetwood Mac classic "Landslide" will appear on the soundtrack of the upcoming movie Practical Magic 2. The news comes two days after Nicks and Olivia Rodrigo sang the song together at the latter's inaugural Daisy Chain Fields charity festival in Irvine, Calif. After Daisy Chain Fields, leading lady Sandra Bullock -- who stars opposite Nicole Kidman in the original Practical Magic and upcoming sequel -- reshared a video of Nicks and Rodrigo performing together and wrote, "Angel voices that are part of an upcoming film." It led to initial speculation that the two singer/songwriters were planning to team up on a collaborative song for the fantasy romance, rather than contribute separately. Nicks was one of three special guests who joined Rodrigo onstage at Daisy Chain Fields, alongside Sara McLachlan and Alanis Morissette. Practical Magic 2 hits theaters Sept. 10. - Billboard, 9/2/26...... Sean Ono Lennon and his longtime girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl announced the birth of their first child, a boy, on Sept. 1. The news came in an 
David Byrne has written a song for a "scathing" new Elon Musk documentary, and the lyrics are reportedly only comprised of the billionaire's quotes. The new feature-length documentary is made by Alex Gibney, whose previous projects include Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief, The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley, and the Oscar-winning Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room. Described as a "definitive and unvarnished examination" of the billionaire tycoon, Musk is set to open in cinemas on Oct. 16, and has already been criticized by Musk -- who described the 235-minute film as a "hit piece." Now, it has come to light that David Byrne has made a song especially for the documentary, and it will be comprised entirely of Elon Musk quotes. The former Talking Heads frontman wrote the song alongside composer Daniel Pemberton (Project Hail Mary), and it is titled "Let Me Sell You A Dream." "I asked for good quotes from the Martian and found more of them online," Byrne told Variety. "I'm sure he loves dropping these wild statements, and those became the lyrics. All his own words. No editorialising. Straight from the man's mouth to mine." - NME, 9/3/26...... Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has signed on as executive producer for the forthcoming documentary Freedom Theatre. Directed by Rishi Pelham, the film follows resistance fighter turned artist Ahmed Tobasi as he fights to keep a theatre open in the middle of the Jenin refugee camp in Palestine. Variety reports that the film took five years to shoot, and is intended for a tour of film festivals, heading to Venice this month to look for potential distribution partners. Pelham told the outlet: "I didn't intentionally set out to make this film. I kept returning to Jenin, to the theatre, to the camp, and over time the story insisted on being told. What drew me in was the tension between two worlds: the black-box rehearsal room, sealed and controllable, and the camp outside, alive, volatile, and impossible to contain. Slowly, these spaces began to bleed into one another." Roger Waters has been a longtime supporter of Palestine. In 2024, he urged followers on social media not to vote for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the US election due to their respective stances on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. More recently, last July, he voiced his support for Palestine Action after the organisation was proscribed as a terrorist group under the Terrorism Act 2000. - NME, 9/2/26...... Gary Glitter has pleaded not guilty to eight charges of historical sexual offences in the UK against a girl aged between eight and 11. The disgraced singer and convicted child sex offender, whose real name is Paul Gadd, entered his pleas at Southwark Crown Court on Sept. 2. Appearing via video link from prison, the 82-year-old denied four charges of indecent assault of a girl under 13, two counts of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and two counts of indecency with a child under 13. Gadd replied that he was "absolutely not guilty" to two of the charges before repeating "not guilty" to the remaining six. All eight counts relate to the same complainant and the alleged incidents occurred between March 1978 and December 1981. Gadd has been accused of giving the girl chocolate and inviting her to his home in West London, where the offences are said to have taken place. Judge Tony Baumgartner remanded Gadd in custody and adjourned proceedings ahead of a three-week trial set to start in November 2027. Gadd rose to fame as Gary Glitter during the 1970s, releasing hits including "Rock And Roll (Parts One And Two)" and "I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)." He is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2015 of sexual offences against three schoolgirls. - NME, 9/2/26...... 
Gloria Steinem, the celebrated author and activist who became the most visible symbol of the U.S. women's movement and remained a fierce and eloquent advocate for equality for six decades, died on Sept. 2 at her home in New York City, according to a post on her