KISS returned to the stage in the second week of June to perform a five-song set at New York's Tribeca Film Festival. The band performed on June 11 at New York's Batter Park after a screenng of the KISS documentary Biography: KISStory, which set to air on the A&E network in June over two nights. The band's pyro-filled set saw them play "Detroit Rock City," "War Machine" and more before closing the set with their classic hit "Rock and Roll All Nite." "We don't have a permit to make a long show," frontman Paul Stanley said at the end of the show which can be viewed on YouTube. "So this is a little short. It's like a sampling before you get your big meal in August." In August, the band will head out on their Covid-delayed farewell tour. Biography: KISStory is separate from another Kiss project, Shout It Out Loud, which looks likely to air on Netflix. - New Musical Express, 6/13/21...... 
A "remarkable" discovery of a rare David Bowie painting in a donation centre near North Bay, Ontario, Canada, is now up for auction at a Toronto fine art auction house. Bowie, although best known for his iconic music, style and acting, was also a painter, and between 1995 and 1997 he painted about 47 works titled "Dead Heads" (or "D Head") and each included a non-sequential Roman numeral. The consignor of "D Head XLVI" is described by the Cowley Abbott auction house on its blog as being "astonished upon viewing a label which read 'David Bowie' and realizing it was the signature of the artist inscribed on the reverse." Cowley Abbott adds that "after conducting thorough research, which included correspondence with a David Bowie specialist in the United Kingdom, we were able to confirm that the painting is indeed by the famous artist and part of a series that he completed in the 1990s... The chance discovery of this treasure within a pile of discarded goods is quite remarkable." Bowie's "Dead Heads" subjects ranged from himself to band members, friends and acquaintances. D Head XLVI is to be auctioned from June 15-24 and may fetch as much as $12,000. Bowie, who studied art and design, was also a collector, and his paintings "possess the stylistic influences of the German expressionists, Francis Bacon and the London School of painters," said the auction house's website. - Canoe.com, 6/14/21...... Speaking at a June 14 event linked to a campaign to free controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters made it clear he's not a fan of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and recently rejected a lucrative offer from the Big Tech titan for permission to use the 1979 Pink Floyd song "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" in a film to promote the Facebook property, Instagram.com. "So it's a missive from Mark Zuckerberg to me," Waters said. "Arrived this morning, with an offer of a huge, huge amount of money, and the answer is, 'F**k you! No f**king way!'... (It's an) insidious movement of them to take over absolutely everything." The musician read from Zuckerberg's letter, stating, "We want to thank you for considering this project. We feel that the core sentiment of this song is still so prevalent and necessary today, which speaks to how timeless your work is, truly." Waters then added, "And yet they want to use it to make Facebook and Instagram even bigger and more powerful than it already is, so it can continue to censor all of us in this room and prevent this story about Julian Assange getting out. So the general public could go, 'What? What? No! No more!' I will not be a party to this bulls**t, Zuckerberg. You think, 'How did this little p**ck, who started off by saying, 'She is pretty, we'll give her a four out of five', 'She's ugly, we'll give her a one' -- how the f**k did he get any power in anything?' And yet here he is, one of the most powerful idiots in the world." - Music-News.com, 6/14/21...... A reimagined version of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' 1996 album She's The One titled Angel Dream has been announced to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The updated album will be a remixed, remastered and reimagined version of the group's Songs And Music From The Motion Picture She's The One, and is set for release on July 2. Ahead of its official release date, the reissue was released on limited-edition cobalt blue vinyl on June 11 for the first Record Store Day. The album's new title is a nod to its opening track, 'Angel Dream No.2', which can be previewed on Spotify.com. Four unreleased tracks have been added: "One Of Life's Little Mysteries," written by Petty; "Thirteen Days," a JJ Cale cover; "105 Degrees," another Petty original; and "French Disconnection," an instrumental in the same vein as those on the original album. An extended version of "Supernatural Radio" has also been included. Petty's widow Dana Petty said of the album: "These songs are extremely special. I am grateful this record is getting the recognition it deserves. The remix Ryan Ulyate did sounds amazing, and the unreleased gems are a lovely bonus." - NME, 6/10/21...... 
An "Uber Deluxe" 50th anniversary version of George Harrison's first post-Beatles solo effort All Things Must Pass has been announced. The new reissue comes with eight 180g vinyl LPs, five CD and one Blu-ray audio disc, housed in an artisan designed wooden crate. As well as the original album, it contains 47 demos and outtakes (42 of which are previously unreleased). The Blu-ray disc contains high-res stereo of the album in 5.1 surround sound. The crate also contains two books: a 96-page scrapbook designed by Harrison's widow Olivia, a 44-page book of archival interviews with notes from the period, and even 1/6 replicas of Harrison and some yard gnomes as seen on the cover. The original album has been completely remixed from the original tapes, with Harrison's son Dhani Harrison serving as executive producer. Mixing comes from engineer Paul Hicks, whose credits include recent re-workings of The Rolling Stones' Goat's Head Soup and John Lennon's Gimme Some Truth. "The new mix transforms the album by sonically upgrading it -- making it sound brighter, fuller and better than ever before," a press release for the new version reads. The reissue will also be released as an eight LP or five CD plus one Blu-ray set, and as more modest triple vinyl and double CD versions. All will be released on Aug. 6. - NME, 6/10/21...... In a new, lengthy interview with Oracle Films which has been shared on YouTube, Eric Clapton discussed his views on the coronavirus pandemic and his opposition to lockdown restrictions and vaccinations. Speaking to Oracle Films, who describe themselves as "a filmmaking team fighting for open debate and freedom of information," Clapton said he first became "disenchanted and suspicious" with the government during Brexit. During the UK's first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, Clapton said he began to consume "alternative data" about the pandemic on YouTube and from the group of academics behind the Great Barrington Declaration, whose call for "focussed protection" for those at risk from coronavirus and a return to normal life for all others has been widely criticised by numerous public health bodies including the World Health Organisation. "The more I got into that, the more I realised I was distancing myself not only from the government but from the rest of the public too," Clapton said. Later he said he became involved in anti-lockdown communities on apps like Telegram. Describing the fact he had to cancel a world tour as "devastating," Clapton said he considered leaving the UK entirely, but had received backlash in America over his collaboration with Van Morrison, with whom he teamed up in 2020 to record the anti-lockdown track "Stand and Deliver." "The minute I began to say anything about the lockdown here, and my concerns, I was labelled a [Donald] Trump supporter," Clapton said. "I got some pretty heavy feedback." Elsewhere, Clapton criticized celebrities from ethnic minorities encouraging people from similar backgrounds to take the vaccine as "guilt tripping their own communities." "That broke my heart and made me so angry," he said. - New Musical Express, 6/14/21...... Speaking of Van Morrison, the Celtic crooner took aim at Northern Ireland's Health Minister Robin Swann during bizarre anti-lockdown rant in Belfast on June 10. Morrison had been set to perform four gigs at the city's Europa Hotel, but the shows were called off at the last minute. Current coronavirus regulations in Northern Ireland mean that live music is not permitted in either licensed or unlicensed hospitality venues. The Europa Hotel had hoped the gigs would be classed as test events but were advised by the Executive Office to call them off. Morrison, who has been outspoken on his views about the pandemic restrictions and lockdown measures, addressed a crowd who were meant to attend the first concert at a pre-show dinner event. Seen in a clip at the event posted by Stephen Nolan on Twitter, Morrison referred to Swann's previous comments that Van Morrison's anti-lockdown songs are "dangerous," and added: "Well, if I can't affect any change in this situation, I don't have any power or my power is very limited to change this situation. Robin Swann has got all the power. He's keeping in this for over 15 months. All I have to say is if I don't have any power -- and my power is extremely limited, if at all -- Robin Swann's got all the power. So I'd say Robin Swann is very dangerous." - NME, 6/11/21...... In a new post on his Instagram.com page, Elton John has warned that the UK is in danger of losing "a generation of talent" after the government failed to secure a touring breakthrough with the European Union. The UK's failure to negotiate visa-free travel and Europe-wide work permits for musicians and crew in Lord Frost's Brexit deal has long been a topic of discussion, sparking fears that artists will face huge costs to take part in live music tours off the continent which could create a glass ceiling that prevents rising and developing artists from being able to afford to do so. Elton revealed that he -- alongside his partner and Rocket Entertainment CEO David Furnish, promoter Craig Stanley and Lord Paul Strasberger -- met with Lord Frost "to spell out the damage the trade agreement he negotiated with Europe is doing to the UK's music industry." "Despite this looming catastrophe, the government seems unable or unwilling to fix this gaping hole in their trade deal and defaults to blaming the EU rather than finding ways out of this mess," he said. John described touring as "an essential part" of education for artists, but said it risked becoming prohibitive for artists under the current arrangement. "The situation is already critical and touring musicians, crews and support staff are already losing their livelihood," he said. John went on to explain that he was not concerned with the risk for artists on a similar level to himself, who frequent arenas and stadiums. "We are lucky enough to have the support staff, finance and infrastructure to cut through the red tape that Lord Frost's no deal has created," he said. - NME, 6/10/21...... 
Appearing on NBC's morning show Today on June 11, Frankie Valli of The Four Seasons fame said he is "really excited" that Nick Jonas is playing him in a streaming special of his hit Broadway musical "Jersey Boys." The Jonas Brothers star signed on to portray the group's frontman in an upcoming TV event earlier in 2021, and Valli is thrilled at the way the latest incarnation is coming together, because he wasn't convinced the original production would be a hit. "I never thought that Jersey Boys would be the smash hit that it was," Valli said. "I remember seeing it for the first time in La Jolla (in San Diego, California), and the response was so incredible, I couldn't believe it, and when it went to Broadway, I never would have dreamed in a million years that it would last 10 or 11 years the way it did. And it's always exciting because something new is always going on. 'Jersey Boys' has been on cruise ships, has been in almost every country that you can possibly think of, and now it's being filmed for television and Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers is playing Frankie, so I'm really excited about that." Valli also revealed he's been keeping in touch with the "Jealous" hitmaker to help him prepare for the big gig, and he will soon be flying out to watch the cast and crew in action on set in Ohio. "We just talked last week for about 15 to 20 minutes, he's also very excited," Valli shared of his most recent conversation with Jonas. "It will be filmed, I think, somewhere in Cleveland and I will be going there to check it out." Graham King, the producer behind Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody biopic, is working on the special, which will be similar to the "Hamilton" streaming event, which premiered on Disney+ in the summer of 2020. The Broadway production of "Jersey Boys" originally ran from 2005 to 2017, winning four Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It was also adapted into a movie by Clint Eastwood in 2014. - Music-News.com, 6/12/21...... Bruce Springsteen called into his SiriusXM "E Street Radio" channel on June 11 to discuss several upcoming projects, including a reprise of his "Springsteen on Broadway" show, a 2022 tour with his E Street Band, and new collaborations with the likes of The Killers and John Mellencamp. "[Manager] Jon [Landau] mentioned it to me," he said of a request he received to help re-open Broadway after a year-plus lay-off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "I knew we were going to tour with the band next year, so I said, 'Maybe I'll take the time off.'" Instead, Springsteen will be back on the stage for the emotionally charged career retrospective show that will begin again on June 26 and run through Sept 4. Springsteen said he's planning to start rehearsals for the show next week and while he might tweak a few things, they'll probably be small changes because, " I think it's what people expect and that is what I have... There will be some small things, but I don't think too much." He also revealed that he recently spent time in Indiana working on new songs for a fall project with John Mellencamp as well as some recording with one of his biggest musical acolytes, The Killers' Brandon Flowers. "I worked on three songs on John's album and I spent some time in Indiana with him," Springsteen said. "I love John a lot. He's a great songwriter and I have become very close and had a lot of fun with him. I sang a little bit on his record." As for working with Flowers, Springsteen teased that, "It's [Brandon] and I with the band, we have done something that is going to come out soon, in a week or so. I've been staying busy." The full SXM interview can be heard on YouTube. - Billboard, 6/11/21...... 
Veteran American character actor Ned Beatty, known for his roles in such iconic films as 1972's Deliverance and 1976's Network, passed away from natural causes in his Los Angeles home on June 13 surrounded by his family. He was 83. Born in 1937 in Kentucky, Mr. Beatty began his career in the theatre in his 20s. He scored his film debut in director John Boorman's 1972 survival classic Deliverance, opposite Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds. Mr. Beatty picked up his one and only Oscar nomination four years later for his role as Arthur Jensen in Network, in which he delivered a riveting 3-minute monologue. Mr. Beatty also landed Emmy nominations for Friendly Fire and Last Train Home, and a Golden Globe nod for Hear My Song. His other many big and small screen credits also include Toy Story 3, All The President's Men, The Waltons, M*A*S*H, The Rockford Files, Nashville, Rango, The Big Easy, and Roseanne, while he was awarded a Drama Desk Award for "Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play" for his turn in an adaptation of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." "Ned was an iconic, legendary talent, as well as a dear friend," his manager Deborah Miller told Deadline.com. "He will be missed by us all." - WENN/Canoe.com, 6/13/21...... Actor Ernie Lively, whose 100+ acting credits include roles in TV shows like The Dukes Of Hazzard, Hangin' With Mr. Cooper, The X-Files, The West Wing, That '70s Show and more, died in Los Angeles on June 2 from cardiac complications. He was 74. Lively was reportedly surrounded by his wife and all five of his children, including has actress daughter Blake Lively, at the time of his death. His acting career lasted over 50 years after his first break came via The Waltons. He also had roles in Passenger 57 and Turner & Hooch; he also appeared as the father of his daughter Blake's character in both of the Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants films. Prior to his acting career, Ernie was an English professor. He also served as a lieutenant in Vietnam and later a captain in the marine Corps. When not on set, he also mentored many up-and-coming young actors starting out in the industry. - NME, 6/10/21.
AC/DC has shared a high-concept video for their latest single, "Witch's Spell," on YouTube. Featuring animations by the production company Wolf & Crow, shows the Aussie rockers performing while trapped inside a crystal ball and on a set of tarot cards. "Witch's Spell" is the fourth single to the band's 17th studio effort, 2020's Power Up, following "Shot In The Dark," "Demon Fire" and "Realize." In conjunction with this summer's Record Store Day, a limited-edition picture disc featuring "Witch's Spell" on one side, and the Power Up deep cut "Through the Mists of Time" on the other is being made available on that day. - NME, 6/10/21...... 
Bruce Springsteen announced on June 7 he's returning to Broadway on June 26, this time at the St. James Theatre for another run of his successful "Springsteen on Broadway" shows. "I loved doing 'Springsteen on Broadway' and I'm thrilled to have been asked to reprise the show as part of the reopening of Broadway," Springsteen said in a statement. "Springsteen on Broadway" debuted in 2017 at The Walter Kerr Theatre and was extended three times, finally closing in late 2018. In the production, the New Jersey rocker performs 15 songs -- including "My Hometown," "Thunder Road," and "Born in the USA" -- and tells stories about growing up next door in NJ. Some of the stories will be familiar to readers of his autobiography, and he even reads from it. His wife, Patti Scialfa, accompanies him for "Brilliant Disguise." The tentantive end date is Sept. 4, and audience members will be required to provide proof of full Covid-19 vaccination in order to enter the theater. - AP, 6/7/21...... Rod Stewart's model/photographer wife Penny Lancaster recently saved a suicidal individual while working as a Special Constable for City of London police. Lancaster qualified for the role earlier in 2021, after her participation in 2019 UK TV show Famous and Fighting Crime prompted her to apply to the force. Appearing on the Good Morning Britain talk show on June 9, Lancaster revealed she's taken on a variety of tasks during her time on the beat, including helping those thinking about taking their own lives. Asked if she's made any arrests yet, Penny replied: "Not yet, I've had five duties so far, it's been interesting. When you think of policing, you think of the most violent crimes but we're out there to help the most vulnerable and at this particular time there's a lot of incidents on the bridges and I did help someone who was very desperate on the bridge the other night. It can be rewarding in so many ways." She also said no one so far has recognized a famous celebrity has come to their aid. "I'm in uniform. I've got my stab vest, armour, baton, cuffs, I'm dressed as a regular," she said. - Music-News.com, 6/9/21...... "Give Blood," a song which served as the opening track on The Who guitarist/vocalist Pete Townshend's fourth solo album White City: A Novel will be used to promote blood donation for World Blood Donor Day on June 14. Townshend has also allowed Global Blood Fund -- a charity focused on encouraging voluntary blood donation - to produce World Music interpretations of the song in multiple languages for international use to inspire a new generation of blood donors ."Although it is now more than 35 years since I wrote the song 'Give Blood', this is the first time it has actually been used to encourage donation," Pete said in a statement. "Shortage of blood around the world is a huge issue, particularly in poorer countries, and so I was delighted to give permission for Global Blood Fund to use my work to help communicate the need for more donors to come forward," he added. "Give Blood" is being released in several versions, including African English, African English (alternative), African French, Arabic, Spanish, and UK English, and the tracks will e released through multiple channels in the run up to June 14, with national blood services encouraged to "get creative" in how they use materials. - Music-News.com, 6/9/21...... 
The Flying Pig, a UK pub and grassroots music venue that was regularly visited by original Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett and according to legend where Barrett originally met future Floyd guitarist and co-vocalist David Gilmour when it was named The Crown in the late 1950s, is set to be demolished after a decade spent fighting redevelopment plans. The pub's managers Matt and Justine Hatfield, who have lived above the pub for the last 24 years, said they have been given six months to vacate the property. The couple posted on Facebook that they were "deeply saddened to announce that, despite the public outcry and overwhelming love and support for our gorgeous grassroots music venue ad real ale pub, the developer (our landlord) has issued us with 6 months notice to vacate our home and the business premises that is the Flying Pig in October 2021." The Hatfields added that after raising money through a Crowdfunder and an Arts Council cultural recovery grant to see them through the coronavirus pandemic, "we were just getting back on our feet, and business was looking healthy with our music back in the garden. They added: "We can't regret a moment of the last 24 years, and as soon as we know what the future holds for us, we will let you know." The Flying Pig, which also has the distinction of inspiring one of Pink Floyd's most famous album covers in 1977's Animals, has been under threat for over a decade, with plans to redevelop the area first approved by the city council in 2008. After thousands signed a petition in 2019 to save the pub, the plans were adjusted to keep much of the site intact, however those new plans have now been rejected. Ex-Pink Floyd member Roger Waters, meanwhile, recently posted liner notes he wrote for the band's upcoming Animals remaster, claiming his Gilmour wanted them removed because of credit disputes. - NME, 6/8/21...... During a YouTube livestream event on June 7, Ted Nugent repeated the baseless conspiracy theory that the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol was sparked by Antifa and Black Lives Matter activists. "We know that the January 6th event at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., those weren't Trump supporters destroying stuff and breaking windows and being vandals," the controversial right-wing rocker said. "Those were Antifa and Black Lives Matter wearing Trump shirts and hats. I wanna be on record right now for that. Insurrection my ass. So let me make it clear: January 6th wasn't an insurrection. Those were terrorists, like Black Lives Matter and Antifa dressed in Donald Trump shirts doing all the damage. The real Trump supporters were conservatives that believe in God, family, country, law and order trying to stop them." Nugent also questioned why some cops appeared to be "waving them in" and demanded to know the name of the officer who fatally shot one of the insurrectionists: "I wanna know what's going to happen to him." While Nugent has previously made similar claims, FBI director Christopher A. Wray previously testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee that there was no evidence to support claims that Antifa, anarchists or provocateurs who didn't support Trump were involved in the Capitol siege. Five people died during the armed insurrection, including Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick, and former Pres. Donald Trump was widely accused of inciting the attack, having addressed the crowd at a Washington rally only hours prior where he told them to go to the Capitol, "show strength" and "fight much harder." - NME, 6/9/21...... The Rolling Stones have joined Tom Gray's #BrokenRecord campaign which is calling for better streaming revenues for artists. In April, over 150 artists -- including Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Damon Albarn, Chris Martin, Noel Gallagher and Wolf Alice -- signed an open letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking to help reform the streaming economy. Proving unsuccessful, the first letter that went to Johnson received an "interested but non-committal reply" from a junior minister in the business department. The campaign has now enlisted the help of the Stones, Tom Jones, Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, Emeli Sand, Alison Goldfrapp and Pulp's Jarvis Cocker, as well as the estate of the late Clash frontman Joe Strummer, in the hope that they will help change the PM's mind. The letter can be read in full at assets.documentcloud.org. - NME, 6/6/21...... 
Former Fleetwood Mac frontman Lindsey Buckingham announced on Twitter on June 8 that he'll be releasing his first solo album since being fired by the band in 2018. "My new self-titled album is one I've been intending to get out for a couple of years now, but on more than one occasion, unforeseen circumstances necessitated a postponement of plans," Buckingham tweeted. "Now that we're back in gear, I'm thrilled to finally be sharing new music with my listeners!" Buckingham's self-titled seventh studio album is due on Sept. 17, and the musician also shared its first single, "I Don't Mind," on Spotify.com Buckingham also shared a 30-city US tour intinerary behind his new album set to kick off in Milwaukee, WI, on Sept. 1 and visiting such major markets as New York, Atlanta, Los Angels, Austin, Dallas, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and more before wrapping on Dec. 20 in Boulder, CO. Buckingham was fired by Fleetwood Mac in 2018, and band continued to tour without the guitarist, replacing him on the road with Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell and Crowded House's Neil Finn. In March, it was revealed that founding Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood had reconciled with Buckingham, and added he would like to think a reunion of the band's "classic '70s" lineup could happen. - NME, 6/8/21...... Earth, Wind & Fire played their first live show since the coronavirus pandemic began on June 4 with a headlining gig at the Drive-In to Erase MS Gala in the Southern California city of Pasadena. Taking place in the famous Rose Bowl and hosted by former NSYNC vocalist Lance Bass, the gala was the second annual charity show which was created to raise funds for the titular charity Race To Erase MS. Founded by activist Nancy Davis in 1991, the charity seeks to raise both awareness and funds for treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). A clip of EW&F performing "Let's Groove" has been shared on YouTube. The concert, which also featured an auction hosted by cast members of reality TV show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, ultimately raised around US $1.4 million for the charity. In April, EW&F appeared as part of the series VERZUZ alongside The Isley Brothers. The episode was hosted by Family Feud's Steve Harvey. - NME, 6/7/21...... Speaking of the Rose Bowl, Elton John made a surprise appearance for fans of the TV drama Pose at a drive-in event held at the famous venue on June 5. TV mogul Ryan Murphy introduced John and his husband, producer David Furnish, to the stunned audience at the "For Your Consideration" panel at the Rose Bowl, after revealing the two empty chairs onstage had been saved for two huge Pose fans who "wanted to rearrange their vacation to be here." John and Furnish joined Pose stars Billy Porter and Mj Rodriguez, and Murphy's show co-creator and executive producer Steven Canals to take part in a discussion about the series, which is set amid New York City's gender-nonconforming drag ball culture scene in the 1980s and early 1990s, and tackles the AIDS epidemic and its impact on the LGBTQ community. During the event, Elton discussed the drive behind his namesake AIDS Foundation, and revealed he could relate to the journey of actress Dominique Jackson's onscreen character as Elektra Evangelista. "My motto is no one gets left behind. No one should be left behind, no sex worker, no prisoner, no trans person, no intravenous drug user, no gay people," John said. "We have to embrace all of us, we have to embrace everybody. And this is exactly why I love this programme so much. This programme touched me more than any other series because of the journey that these people are on. I mean, I am Elektra. I am totally Elektra," he added. Pose is set to end after its third season, which premiered in the U.S. in May. - Music-News.com, 6/7/21...... In other Elton-related news, actress Courteney Cox has recruited the Rocket Man, along with Ed Sheeran and Brandi Carlile to perform a hilarious send-up of Elton's famous hit "Tiny Dancer" for her fellow actress Lisa Kudrow. Cox took to Instagram on June 6 to upload a 40-second video showing the four stars sitting at a piano and singing a rendition of Elton's 1972 classic "Tiny Dancer." However, the group switched the lyrics to "Tony Danza" in reference to a comment Lisa's character Phoebe Buffay made in season three of '90s sitcom Friends, where she insists the most romantic song is "the one that Elton John wrote for that guy on Who's the Boss? 'Hold me close, young Tony Danza.'" "One of the greatest moments of my life. This one's for you @lisakudrow. #phoebe#tonydanza #tinydancer," Courteney captioned the clip, which racked up over two million views within three hours. The fun video follows the release of Friends: The Reunion, in which the original cast reunited for a TV special, in May. - Music-News.com, 6/6/21...... 
Gladys Knight has announced she'll be returning to the UK for a host of dates in June 22, her first appearances outside of the States since the Covid-19 pandemic struck. The "Empress of Soul" -- who will warm up for the overseas trek with a 2021 summer tour in the US -- will kick off her run of 10 concerts across nine cities on June 18 in Manchester, also visiting Birmingham, Bournemouth, Liverpool, Nottingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Glasgow before wrapping with two show's at London's Royal Albert Hall on June 29 and 30. "UK I have missed you! I can't wait to be back in 2022 and very much look forward to seeing you all soon!," the 77-year-old Knight said in a statement. Since she began her career in the 1950s performing with her backing group The Pips, the Grammy award-winning singer has recorded more than 40 albums and enjoyed No.1 hits on the Pop, Gospel, R&B and Contemporary charts. Her many hits include "Midnight Train To Georgia," "Help Me Make It Through The Night," "The Way We Were," "Baby Don't Change Your Mind," "You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" and James Bond theme "Licence To Kill." - Music-News.com, 6/8/21...... Neil Young has posted on his personal website that a new album with his longtime collaborators Crazy Horse is on the way. "I have five songs ready for the next album, so I think over time the rest will come and we may start recording again soon," Young said. However, he added he doesn't plan to lock in tour dates "until I am sure the audience is safe." Young and Crazy Horse most recently collaborated on the album Colorado in 2019, and Americana and Psychedelic Pill in 2012. Meanwhile, Young revealed he's handed in his new sci-fi book Canary to his publisher after working through edits with his editor. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2018, Young said the book is about a man who "works for a power company and there's corruption in the power company and he wants to expose it." - NME, 6/7/21...... Musician/producer/visual artist Brian Eno launched a new Sonos Radio HD station, called The Lighthouse, on June 8 which will delve into his extensive archive of work. The innovative artist is one of the latest curators to join Sonos Radio HD, which is now available in the US, UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Canada, Austria and France. The Lighthouse will see Eno exclusively share unreleased music from his archive, covering pieces written and composed earlier from his career until now. "The music that will be broadcast from The Lighthouse covers a pretty broad period," he said in a press statement. "The earliest track we have at the moment is from 1990. We will be adding more pieces as time goes on. New pieces will be entering the mix and some of that will go back even further. You will be listening to a sequence of tracks which will be randomly generated, chosen by chance so there is the possibility of odd, I hope exciting collisions -- things that are very slow next to things that are very fast next to things that have no tempo, no pulse at all." Eno's station will include a series of three programs, each hosted by the musician and starting with Program 1. In them, he will give insight into the unreleased material and explain why he has decided to open up his archive to the world. Fans can tune into Program 1 on The Lighthouse on the ad-free, high-definition Sonos Radio HD or for free to all Sonos customers through the in-app Sonos Sound System archive. Listeners everywhere can also hear the show on Mixcloud.com. - NME, 6/8/21...... In an interview with guitarist Joe Bonamassa's Live From Nerdville show which has been shared on YouTube, Aerosmith bassist Brad Whitford has said he's not sure the band's upcoming UK and European tour will go ahead because of visa issues relating to Brexit. Aerosmith's European tour was originally scheduled to take place in 2020 but was pushed back to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was later rescheduled again and is now set to take place in 2022. Whitford told Bonamassa that the band's pending European tour was "a pipe dream right now," citing Brexit and age as two reasons it may not happen. "The European tour, they tried to plan one last year, and they're talking about next year," Whitford said, adding "Nothing's gonna happen for a long time. Sometimes I'm not sure what my partners are thinking when they think that's gonna happen." He continued: "There's another interesting thing about going to Europe now because of Brexit -- it's so much harder to get work visas because of that. That's gonna be a whole other nightmare. I mean, I have my doubts about Aerosmith ever really performing again at this stage, because age is becoming a real factor. And it is what it is." Aerosmith's European tour is now scheduled to kick off on May 29, 2022 in Moscow, Russia and end on July 13, 2022 in Krakow, Poland. - NME, 6/6/21...... 
The Beach Boys have announced that they'll release a huge new box set of their acclaimed early '70s material, Feel Flows - The Sunflower & Surf's Up Sessions 1969-1971, on July 30 via Capitol Records/UMe. The 5-disc and digital set will include newly remastered versions of both albums together with 108 unreleased tracks and live recordings. It will also include alternate versions and mixes, a cappella recordings, radio promotions from the album sessions as well as isolated backing vocal tracks. Feel Flows also comes with a new 48-page book featuring archival interviews with the group and a new set of linear notes. The box set will be available as a 4 vinyl set or as a two-vinyl/two-CD option. To mark the release, the group have also shared a new recording of "Big Sur," a previously unreleased version from the Surf's Up sessions, on YouTube. The Beach Boys most recently made headlines in January when they announced they had joined the likes of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham in selling off the rights to their intellectual property by handing over their copyright to another party. - NME, 6/5/21...... Actor Clarence Williams III, who played Linc Hayes in the 1968-1973 detective series The Mod Squad, died at his home in Los Angeles on June 6 after battling colon cancer. He was 81. Mr. Williams was born in New York City on Aug. 21, 1939, and began his career in a production of "Dark of the Moon," and appeared on Broadway in "The Great Outdoors." His performance in the Broadway show "Slow Dance on the Killing Ground" later won him a Theatre World Award and a Tony nomination. Along with his theatre performances, Williams also starred in several shows and movies, including 52 Pick-Up, Against the Wall, Reindeer Games, Purple Rain, The General's Daughter, American Gangster, Half Baked and Lee Daniels' The Butler. Mr. Williams is survived by his sister Sondra Pugh, daughter Jamey Phillips, niece Suyin Shaw, grandnephews Elliot Shaw and Ese Shaw and grandniece Azaria Verdin. - CNN, 6/7/21.
It features the previously unreleased tracks "Don't Back Down," "Think It Over," "Feel," and "Distance." In February, Wolfgang dedicated a TV performance of the latter song to his late father, with whom he played with in Van Halen. Home videos of Wolfgang as a baby with his dad played behind his new band Mammoth WVH as they performed on the late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, including footage of the pair at the beach and Wolfgang playing the drums. - New Musical Express, 6/3/21...... In other Van Halen-related news, co-founding vocalist David Lee Roth has released a new song titled "Giddy-Up." The track was originally issued to accompany his interactive graphic novel The Roth Project, which debuted online in Nov. 2020 and can be experienced in full at TheRothProject.com. The Roth Project incorporates illustrated visuals with music and narration, all made by Roth. The story blends classic Western with sci-fi themes, imagining a future where artificial intelligence has gained the capability to imitate human behaviour. The 17-chapter comic features original music performed by Roth, written with guitarist John 5 of Rob Zombie's band. "Giddy-Up," which has been shared on 
Webster's Dictionary defines "pansexual" as "a person who is not limited or inhibited in sexual choice with regard to gender or activity," and The Who's Pete Townshend has revealed that he thinks he used to be one. In an interview with The Daily Star's "Wired" column the guitarist/singer said at one point in his life he would have been involved sexually with anybody, regardless of their biological sex, gender or gender identity. "With 'I'm A Boy' [a 1966 The Who single] it's the idea of masculinity and the way that men are seen to be at a time when I often forget, to be homosexual, to be pansexual, as I think I probably was, but not anymore. But I think I was ready to fall into bed with anybody that would have me," Townsend said. He continued: "I think I forget that homosexuality was still illegal, so these adventures had to be couched in vignettes of humour and irony." In February 2021, Townsend told the UK's Uncut mag that he's been working on new music and "wants to make another" record after Covid 19 restrictions ease if it makes financial sense. "If the moment comes, I'll go in and start," he said. The Who's last album was 2019's WHO, their first record in 13 years. - NME, 6/1/21...... KISS vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley is praising a "really good" and "interesting" script for the forthcoming KISS biopic Shout It Out Loud helmed by Pirates of the Caribbean 5 director Joachim Rnning. In an interview with the UK's Download Festival host Kylie Olsson on June 1 ahead of KISS's headline slot at this year's festival, Stanley said: "Look, you get once chance to do it, and I would rather not do it than do it half assed or poorly. Our director is the real deal. He did Maleficent 2, and he's not some hack; he knows how to make movies. It should be great. Casting hasn't begun yet. But that will be interesting too." When Stanley was asked which actor he would like to play him in the forthcoming film in the interview, which has been shared on 
Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters has shared the liner notes for the band's remaster of its 1977 Animals album, claiming his ex bandmate David Gilmour wanted them removed because of credit disputes. Waters is alleging that Gilmour wanted the true extent of his songwriting and artistic contributions buried because, as Rogers put it, Gilmour intended to "claim more credit...than is his due." In a 
Famed American criminal defense attorney F. Lee Bailey died on June 3 under hospice care in Atlanta, Ga., after a period of ill health, one week before his 88th birthday. Mr. Bailey's name first came to nationwide attention for his involvement in the second murder trial of Sam Sheppard, an Army surgeon accused of murdering his wife. He later served as the attorney in a number of other high-profile cases, such as Albert DeSalvo, a suspect in the "Boston Strangler" murders, heiress Patty Hearst's trial for bank robberies committed during her involvement with the Symbionese Liberation Army, and US Army Capt. Ernest Medina for the My Lai Massacre. Mr. Bailey was also a member of the so-called "dream team" in the trial of former football player O. J. Simpson, who was accused of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. For most of his career he was licensed in Florida and in Massachusetts, where he was disbarred in 2001 and 2003 respectively, for misconduct while defending marijuana dealer Claude Louis DuBoc. Following his disbarment, he moved to Maine, where he ran a consulting firm. He later sat for the bar exam in the state of Maine, though in 2013 he was denied a law license by the Maine Board of Bar Examiners, a decision upheld by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in 2014. Mr. Bailey also once participated in a mock trial about the Paul McCartney "Paul Is Dead" rumor that was aired locally in New York City on Nov. 30, 1969, and was never re-aired. He was also the host of the short-lived TV series Good Company on ABC in 1967 and the syndicated Lie Detector show in 1983. Mr. Bailey was married four times and had two sons from his first marriage and another son from his second marriage. - Wikipedia.com
Grammy-winning pop singer B.J. Thomas, known for such million-selling hits as "Hooked on a Feeling" and the No. 1 
Sales soared to over 2 million copies and the tune has continued to find its place in such beloved movies as Forrest Gump and Spider-Man 2. Shortly after his chart-topping single, Thomas fell into substance abuse. He cited meeting his wife Gloria as a turning point, at which point he became a born-again Christian, quit drugs and turned to gospel music as a way of expressing his faith. His 1976 album, Home Where I Belong, earned a Grammy and a Dove Award. Beyond his beloved hits, Thomas also sang the theme song for the sitcom Growing Pains, "As Long As We've Got Each Other," and voiced several commercials for companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. He also appeared in the film Jory and Jake's Corner, and penned his autobiography, also titled Home Where I Belong. Thomas is survived by Gloria, who he was married to for 53 years; their three daughters, Paige Thomas, Nora Cloud and Erin Moore and four grandchildren, Nadia Cloud, Keira Cloud, Ruby Moore and Billy Joe Moore. "I'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to record and perform beautiful songs in pop, country, and gospel music, and to share those wonderful songs and memories around the world with millions of you," Thomas said in a statement when he was first diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in March and was admitted to a Texas health care facility for treatment. A private funeral will be held soon, and the family says in-memoriam donations can be made to Mission Arlington, Tarrant Area Food Bank and the SPCA of Texas. - Variety/New Musical Express, 5/29/21.
KISS are set to appear in a new comic book from comics publisher Dynamite called "Phantom Obsession" beginning in August. A synopsis of the Ian Edginton-written comic reads: "As a young man in 1978, Darius Cho attended a concert of his favorite band, a memory that has stuck with him to this day. Now he is a massively wealthy tech giant, but mysteriously reclusive. Some even believe he may not exist at all, simply serving as a ghostly facade for an endless consortium of corporations. At least until Kiss receives an all-expense invitation to play an exclusive concert for him. Playing for an audience of just Cho, his assistant and a crowd of 'Westworld'-style androids invented by the mega-billionaire, everything seems a little off... Especially when the band wakes up in luxurious accommodations, but with no way to leave, and their powerful talismans stolen from them!" One of the covers for the comics series has been shared on 
If you thought every conceivable aspect of the Beatles' career had been thorougly investigated and documented, think again. The Beatles and India, a new documentary on the Fab Four's time in India in the late '60s, will premiere in the UK in June. The film is co-helmed by first-time director Ajoy Bose, author of Across The Universe - The Beatles In India, and will comprise of rare archival footage, recordings and photographs, eye-witness accounts and expert comments along with location shoots across India. Cultural researcher Pete Compton is Bose's directing partner, and the film will premiere in the UK on June 6 as part of the Tongues On Fire UK Asian Film Festival ahead of a full release in the fall that will coincide with The Beatles and India: Songs Inspired by the Film, a companion album of interpretations of 19 Beatles songs from contemporary Indian artists. The covers will be of songs that the band were inspired to write from their time in India. The first single from The Beatles and India has been released, and features Indian singer-songwriter Nikhil D'Souza performing "India, India," John Lennon's ode to the country. The track has been shared on 
Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, Beatles lieutenant Klaus Voormann remembered the first time he saw George Harrison in an interview with Uncut magazine. Describing an encounter with an early incarnation of the Beatles at Hamburg's Kaiserkeller in 1960, Voormann said: "The first time I saw George he was only 17 years of age. He was very different to how he was later. He was a cocky little boy! This band he was with was completely unknown. George was singing all those funny songs, which he did later on a little bit, when he sat around and played ukulele. He was into songs like 'I'm Henry The Eighth, I Am,' singing it all cockney. He would sing all those Eddie Cochran numbers too, like 'Twenty Flight Rock'." Voormann went on to design the Beatles' Revolver album cover (for which he won a Grammy), play on Harrison's All Things Must Pass solo album, three of Ringo Starr's solo albums and four of John Lennon's solo efforts. He was for a time rumoured to be replacing Paul McCartney in a reformed Beatles project. - NME, 5/26/21...... Elton John and actress Charlize Theron are among the signees of an open letter to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking him to address a new AIDS emergency and the forthcoming G7 summit of world leaders. "We face a new AIDS emergency, and we need your help," the letter begins. "While naturally Covid-19 is currently dominating the agenda, it is vital that you and your fellow leaders also protect and build on what we have achieved in the fight to end AIDS and use that in the struggle against Covid-19," it continues. "The Covid-19 crisis has shut down HIV prevention and treatment services, in many countries literally overnight... Already we have seen a steep increase in rates of adolescent pregnancy, which we know will mean a surge in HIV infections too... The World Health Organisation has highlighted widespread disruption to HIV treatment supply chains... The UK must drive ambitious G7 support for international progress as convenor and by example... The eyes of the world, Prime Minister, are on the UK, and on you." John is founder of his Elton John AIDS Foundation, while Theron is the founder of Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project. The full letter can be read on 
Veteran TV actor Gavin MacLeod, who played a wise-cracking news writer on the classic 1970s sitcom 
Bob Dylan fans around the world marked the milestone 80th birthday of the rock bard on May 24 with festivals, contests, and marathon Dylan radio shows. Dylan's home city of Duluth, Minn. held its 11th annual Duluth Dylan Fest, with fans invited to join the celebration both at the festival and virtually. Fans partied outside his former childhood home, where a young Robert Zimmeran lived until he was six. The largely-virtual event -- owing to the COVID-19 pandemic -- has been running since May 22 and will continue until May 30. Dylan Fest also featured a songwriting contest in the rock legend's honor, along with a poetry contest, lecture, tour, and much more. Elsewhere, in New York -- where Dylan moved to in 1961 to pursue his dream of becoming a music star -- the WFUV radio station at the Bronx's Fordham University played 80 Dylan songs throughout the day. And in Dublin, Ireland -- where Dylan has often visited over the years -- Other Voices hosted a live-stream from the US Embassy titled "Dignity" after his 1994 song. Also on May 24, a new revised and illustrated edition of Robert Shelton's essential Dylan biography 
In other Michael Jackson-related news, the singer's frequent producer Quincy Jones has opened up about meeting Michael for the first time, when the late singer was just 12 years old. Jones, now 88, made the comments while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter as part of their new Icon series. "When he was 12 at Sammy Davis' house, and he told me when we decided to do [The Wiz], he says, "I need you to help me find a producer. I'm getting ready to do my first solo album." Jones, a 28-time Grammy-winning producer, said the young Jackson "knew how to do his homework" when it came to other artists, "whether it was with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly or whoever, James Brown. He was doing some Elvis [Presley] copying, too. 'The King of Pop,' man. Come on!" Jones, who has made several controversial remarks in his later years, went on to say that he wouldn't have worked with Presley, alleging in a new interview that the late singer "was a racist." Pressed on why not, Jones continued: "I was writing for [orchestra leader] Tommy Dorsey, oh God, back then in the '50s. And Elvis came in, and Tommy said: 'I don't want to play with him.' He was a racist mother -- I'm going to shut up now." "But every time I saw Elvis, he was being coached by ['Don't Be Cruel' songwriter] Otis Blackwell, telling him how to sing," he added. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Blackwell told David Letterman in 1987 that he and Presley had never met. - The Hollywood Reporter, 5/25/21...... Elton John and Alice Cooper have recreated an iconic 50-year-old photo of the pair and their friends Bernie Taupin and the late comedian Paul Lynde, with Will & Grace actor Eric McCormack standing in for Lynde. John, Cooper, Taupin and McCormack gathered in Los Angeles on May 22 to celebrate Taupin's 71st birthday when they recreated the memorable photo, later posting both photos on 
Former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant revealed on the latest edition of his 
The UK's Royal Mint launched a new selection of coins to celebrate the legacy of The Who on May 24. Co-founding lead Who singer Roger Daltrey personally visited the Royal Mint to help strike one of the first coins. Images of the new coin reveals that they are printed with recognizable symbols from the band's career, including a Mod logo, a Union flag and a Rickenbacker guitar which is smashing a guitar. When placed together, the symbols on the coin form a pinball table, a knowing nod to the track "Pinball Wizard" and 1969 Who album Tommy, one of the band's most iconic records. The Royal Mint has also employed innovative technology, with a number of coins featuring a special "shockwave" effect, radiating from the speaker and elevating the detail of the coin. Designers and craftspeople at the Mint have developed this effect in honour of the Who's record-breaking loud concert -- a record that was held for a decade. "It's an honour to have a coin produced to celebrate The Who's musical legacy," Daltrey said in a statement. "The coin's design captures the true essence of the band and what we represent. It was a fantastic moment being able to strike one of the very first pieces in the collection and see the range of technologies and processes involved in the making of the coin." The Who are the fourth Brit music act to be honoured by the Royal Mint's music legends series, following the likes of David Bowie, Queen and Elton John. - NME, 5/24/21...... KISS have shared the trailer for the new KISS documentary Biography: KISSstory on 
In other Queen-related news, co-founding guitarist Brian May has warned "there's a possibility" Queen will never tour again. Queen's planned 2021 tour with current frontman Adam Lambert was delayed until next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and May has insisted "people have to face up" to the fact arena shows might never happen again because of the unpredictable nature of the virus. May is quoted by the Daily Star paper's "Wired" column as saying: "Things don't look good at the moment, it's tough. The arena touring that we did was amazing. There's a possibility that we'll never be able to do it again. People have to face up to that it's possible, this virus is very clever and it's evolving faster than we can put up our defences." May, 73, said he's thought about putting on a Queen live-stream gig, but admitted it would be "harder" for the band because their shows are so "interactive" with the crowd. "We've postponed our big tour of Europe and the UK again -- that's going to be 2022," May said. "I hope I'm still alive to do it! It's like another universe that we can't quite touch right now. I suppose we could do a Queen virtual concert - probably harder for us than most because the Queen thing is very interactive." Meanwhile, May took to Instagram on May 20 to reveal he has recently undergone eye surgery to improve his vision. May shared a mirror selfie of himself wearing a face mask and hospital gown and assured fans he was going to be fine. "One Vision! All prepped and waiting... for a little bit of eye surgery," he wrote, quoting the title of Queen's 1985 hit. "I'm in good hands. No need to worry. All in a day's work... it should really improve my focus -- AND my stereoscopic vision." May's eye surgery is the latest in a long line of medical procedures - in 2020, the rocker suffered a heart attack, a stomach haemorrhage, and other complications. - Music-News.com, 5/25/21...... Tom Waits has joined the cast of a new stop-motion animation series dubbed Ultra City Smiths. The show, which will see Waits join as narrator, comes from Steve Conrad, creator of Patriot and Perpetual Grace, LTD. Speaking about the project, Conrad said: "I'm grateful that this group of actors, who could work with whomever they choose on whatever they choose, chose to work with us." Other members of the cast include: The Mighty Boosh's Julian Barratt, John C. Reilly, Jimmi Simpson, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Kristen Bell, Bebe Neuwirth, Tim Meadows and Debra Winger. - NME, 5/22/21...... Blondie are set to release a Cuba-inspired EP to accompany a film about their 2019 performance in Havana, Cuba. The six-soundtrack EP, 
A deluxe reissue of the soundtrack of director Cameron Crowe's acclaimed '70s-themed 1999 film