Appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, '80s teen idol Rick Springfield revealed that he once killed a Viet Cong soldier as a teenager while staying at a Navy encampment near Da Nang in 1968. Springfield, who released his first US album in 1974 and became a household name in 1981 with his Working Class Dog album, said the base came under attack and he ended up helping fire mortars from a defensive position. At the time, Springfield said he was too young to fully understand the gravity of what was happening around him. The next day, he was told that one of the mortars that he had fired had killed a Viet Cong fighter. Decades later, the memory is still difficult for him to process. "I think it's still there," Springfield told host Joe Rogan, explaining that he struggles with the knowledge that he was involved in the death of another person, even though it happened during wartime and he had little understanding of what he was doing at the time. "It's hard for me to face that I was responsible for the end of a life." Springfield's signature hit "Jessie's Girl" topped the pop chart in Sept. of 1981, the same year he first played the role of Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital. He acted on the long-running soap opera through 2014. The full podcast with Springfield and Rogan can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 9/10/26...... 
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 "War" and closed them with Bob Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom," also giving a speech criticizing Pres. Donald Trump's administration. When asked about the possibility of losing fans who support the president, Springsteen essentially shrugged, saying he has spent his career making the records and shows he wants to make, then finding the audience for them. "I'm sure there were people, and I've read things where people were vehement about the content of the show," he said. "And that's just the way the chips fall." Springsteen is planning at least one more political-adjacent appearance before the midterms, joining Tom Morellos for a show in Washington, D.C. in October. He's also bringing the Land of Hope and Dreams tour to online screens. The first seven songs from the Philadelphia performance are already streaming on YouTube as "Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour (Philadelphia Freedom Cut)," with the remaining concert set to come in additional installments. - Billboard, 9/10/26...... Dionne Warwick will be honored at the 2026 Angel Ball, the signature fundraiser of Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research, set for Oct. 19 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The black-tie event is held annually in memory of songwriter Denise Rich's daughter, Gabrielle Rich Aouad, who died at the age of 27 from acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Five-time Grammy winner Warwick, 85, has charted 12 top 10 songs on the hit parade and received several major career accolades in recent years -- a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2019, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2023 and the award for musical excellence from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2024). Also being honored that night is actress Lynda Carter (star of TV's Wonder Woman), and two-time Grammy-winning reggae star Shaggy will perform. - Billboard, 9/10/26...... AC/DC was has been forced to cancel a show at Toronto's Rogers Stadium set for Sept. 16 after the venue suffered major damage in a recent storm. The band had been slated to play one of the last shows on their two-year, 90-date "Power Up" tour in Toronto, but according to a press release, the venue "was unfortunately unable to find an alternative venue that could accommodate everyone" despite "every effort being made to find potential solutions for the show to move forward in Toronto." The remaining three gigs left on the tour include a Sept. 12 at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, a Sept. 25 stop at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. and the final show at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sept. 29. - Billlboard, 9/10/26...... Speaking on Virgin Radio's Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Queen drummer Roger Taylor hinted that his band is considering an ABBA Voyage-inspired show. Taylor said he and Queen guitarist Brian May "talk because we live near each other" and admitted there's "a possibility of doing something," noting how rapidly live-show technology has evolved. When Evans suggested the idea was like "going on tour with Freddie [Mercury]," Taylor pushed back, stressing that Freddie could never be replaced -- though he acknowledged that avatar-style performances are "sort of" in the same realm. It marks a shift in tone from Taylor's earlier stance. He previously said that while he "had a good time" and "enjoyed" Swedish group ABBA's hologram show, but he wasn't convinced by the projections, though he believes technology has advanced significantly since its 2022 debut. "I didn't find the actual projections that convincing," he said at the time. "I do think technology now has come so much further since the ABBA show started, I think a lot more can be done." May, meanwhile, is "very taken" with the idea of a Queen hologram show -- but he wouldn't want a hologram version of Queen while the surviving members are still performing. But once the band is "gone," he's open to a full digital production. - Music-News.com, 9/11/26...... 
Stevie Wonder is gearing up for a six-date U.S. tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his seminal album, Songs in the Key of Life, which was first released in Sept. 1976. According to an Instagram post announcing the gigs, the Motown legend will celebrate the LP on an 18-date outing slated to kick off on Oct. 13 at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, U.K. The tour will then hit Paris (10/15), Copenhagen (10/18), Oslo (10/20), Stockholm (10/22), Hannover (10/24), Cologne (10/26), Amsterdam (10/28), Dublin (11/1), London (11/3), Manchester (11/8) and Glasgow (11/11) before heading back to the U.S. for a run of winter shows at Madison Square Garden in New York beginning Nov. 19, followed by gigs in Chicago (11/21), Washington, D.C. (11/23) and two shows at Detroit's Fox Theatre (12/8 & 9) before winding down with a show at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Dec. 19. Songs in the Key of Life, Wonder's 18th studio LP, was released on Sept. 28, 1976 and as a double-album with a four-track bonus EP and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. It spun off two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles in "I Wish" and "Sir Duke" and won Album of the Year at the 1977 Grammy Awards. In addition to those two singles, the album features such classics as the opening track, "Love's in Need of Love Today," "Isn't She Lovely" and "Pastime Paradise," with the latter the source for Coolio's 1995 hit "Gangsta's Paradise." According to a press release, Wonder, 76, will perform the entire album on the tour. "At a time when the world continues to search for connection, healing and joy, the messages at the heart of Songs in the Key of Life feel as urgent and necessary today as they did in 1976," read the release. "Songs like 'As,' 'Love's in Need of Love Today,' 'Sir Duke' and 'Isn't She Lovely' remain woven into the emotional fabric of generations around the world, reminding audiences not only where they've been, but who they are." - Billboard, 9/10/26...... Journey is extending their "Final Frontier Tour" with 40 additional North American dates this fall. Newly announced dates include five Canadian cities this fall, including a Nov. 4 stop at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena. The veteran classic rockers will also play Edmonton at Rogers Place on Sept. 24; Calgary at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sept. 26; Saskatoon at SaskTel Centre on Sept. 27; and Winnipeg at Canada Life Centre Sept. 29. The newly announced leg begins Sept. 12 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and concludes with a hometown finale show on Nov. 28 at Chase Center in San Francisco. Led by founder and lead guitarist Neal Schon, the group will bring a career-spanning show featuring songs including "Don't Stop Believin'," "Any Way You Want It," "Faithfully" and "Lights." The current lineup also features Jonathan Cain (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals), Arnel Pineda (lead vocals), Deen Castronovo (drums, vocals), Jason Derlatka (keyboards, vocals) and Todd Jensen (bass, vocals). Since forming in 1973, Journey has earned 19 top 40 singles, 25 gold and platinum albums, and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. - Canoe.com, 9/11/26...... 
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 YouTube. Meanwhile, the Piano Man is mourning the death of his early bandmate Jon Small, who recently died of cancer at age 79. He and Small played together in the Hassles, a Long Island band that released two albums in the late 1960s. The pair later formed Attila, a hard-rock duo built around drums and organ, releasing a self-titled album in 1970. The Hassles were inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2025. Their partnership ended abruptly after Joel fell in love with Small's wife, Elizabeth Weber, while Joel was living with the couple. The episode -- long part of Joel's lore -- is revisited in the recent documentary And So It Goes, where both men reflected on the fallout with striking candor. - Billboard, 9/10/26...... KISS have reportedly recorded a "special" new song written by frontman Paul Stanley. While the veteran rockers retired from the stage after a final concert at New York's Madison Square Garden in 2023, guitarist Tommy Thayer says fans can expect new music from the band even though they will no longer be performing live. "We did record a great new song that Paul wrote. That's probably about as much as I can tell you right now," Thayer told Guitar World magazine. "KISS has always believed in making things an event. So whatever new music comes, it has to feel special and have a reason for existing," he added. "You don't make another KISS record just because you're supposed to make another KISS record." Thayer's comments come just months after Gene Simmons suggested new music might be coming after he revealed the band had been recording in the studio together. However, Simmons has previously suggested any new songs they create may feature in their avatar-based KISS show, which is slated to launch in Las Vegas in 2028. - Music-News.com,...... Elton John played a 24-song set during the fourth day of "Rock in Rio" music festival at Rio 2016 Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sept. 7. When John decided to move his performance up by 65 minutes, many assumed it was weather-related. After all, thunderstorms had battered the City of Rock for the previous three days and a grim weather forecast had been announced, and a man nearing 80 could hardly be blamed for wanting to avoid a late-night downpour. But the real reason was different. Sir Elton wanted to take the stage early enough to deliver a full concert: 24 songs over two hours and 15 minutes, considerably longer than a typical festival set. Even the rain seemed to cooperate, letting up in time for the audience to hear him sing. John explained that he decided to come to Brazil even after wrapping his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour" in July 2023 because the country had been left off the itinerary. "I felt a little mean about that," he said. "I accepted Rock in Rio's invitation to thank you once again for all the love you've shown me throughout my career." And the setlist was, in fact, almost an expanded version of the "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" show: 20 of the night's 24 songs were also part of the sold-out, 23-song set he used during the final stretch of the tour. - Billboard, 9/8/26...... 
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 Instagram post, "I love the show and really appreciate the audience." He said ITV offered him a smaller position that would involve appearing on the program without being part of the competition from its outset, an arrangement he said he was not enthusiastic about. "There's never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who's still pretty good at his job," the Welsh crooner concluded. An ITV spokesperson said, "While he will no longer be a full-time coach on series 15, we continue to talk to Sir Tom Jones and his team about his involvement in the next series." Jones has been a fixture of The Voice UK since its 2012 debut, aside from sitting out one season, and he's coached three winners during his tenure. He is currently appearing on the show's 14th season alongside will.i.am, Kelly Rowland and McFly's Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones. - Billboard, 9/8/26...... Cliff Richard has announced his 48th studio album, Only Number Ones, will drop on Nov. 27. The LP will see the music legend putting his unique stamp on classic and contemporary number ones spanning eight decades, including "Spirit In the Sky," "Oh Pretty Woman," "Return To Sender," "Sign of the Times," and a new version of "White Christmas." "I suggested to Warner Music that I record an album of songs that made it to No.1. Thank heavens they agreed!!," Sir Cliff says. "I listened to dozens of songs and chose 12 of my favourites. This record is my tribute to fabulous artists who had recorded wonderful tracks that achieved the number one position." Only Number Ones, which was produced by Sam Hollander and Josh Edmondson and recorded in February this year, will also be released as a deluxe edition. Richard, 85, is the third best-selling artist in UK singles chart history behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley, is giving fans the chance to celebrate his 86th birthday with him at afternoon tea on Oct. 15 -- the day after his actual birthday -- at the InterContinental Hotel in Park Lane, London. - Music-News.com, 9/8/26...... 
In her new memoir, I Once Knew a Guy Named Charlie, Jaclyn Smith revealed that she and her fellow Charlie's Angels costars Farrah Fawcett and Kate Jackson received multiple offers -- including one to pose nude in Hustler for an astonishing amount of money -- after the show's popularity exploded. After the series debuted on Sept. 22, 1976, it took off -- fast, Smith recalls. "Overnight we were on the cover of every magazine, every tabloid. We were offered six-figure endorsement deals. Hustler magazine offered us a million dollars each to pose nude (we declined)." Smith, who played Kelly Garrett, at least wanted more money than she was paid on the series about a detective agency run by the mysterious Charlie. She wrote elsewhere in the book that she was the lowest-paid angel in the first season compared to costars Fawcett (Jill Munroe) and Jackson (Sabrina Duncan). Smith wrote that her paycheck was $3,000 per episode compared to Fawcett's $5,000 and Jackson's $10,000. (By the fifth and final season, she earned $100,000.) Smith summed up the enduring appeal of the story during a PaleyFest event in April at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. "It was three women chasing danger instead of being rescued from it," she said. "Independent, not defined by the man in their life, and it gave women permission to step out of the mold." - Entertainment Weekly, 9/10/26...... A 50 Years of Punk documentary is set to premiere in UK cinemas on Sept. 18. Directed by Mark Sloper who has helmed films on Sid Vicious and other punk artists, the 78-minute film marks five decades since the explosion of the punk movement on London's King's Road. The film features archival footage alongside exclusive interviews with key figures who shaped the era, including Glen Matlock, Vivienne Westwood, Hugh Cornwell, Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies and Gaye Advert. Ahead of the nationwide cinema release, a special preview screening followed by a live Q&A session with director Mark Sloper will take place at the Showroom Cinema in Sheffield on Sept. 16, at 8:00 PM. - Music-News.com, 9/8/26.
In a new interview with the UK paper The Guardian, Art Garfunkel hinted that he is considering "leaving America" due to global warming and Pres. Donald Trump. "I don't like America's position at all," the legendary pop singer said. "I'm not aboard, and I'm thinking of leaving the country, frankly. It's real that the planet is getting warmer, that the water's rising, that so many people are starving," he added. Garfunkel continued: "When Donald Trump took over Venezuela, are those the new rules? Just take over a country and run it? It's shocking, and you think: how on earth are we gonna change the presidency?" His comments come eight months after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicols Maduro in Caracas and brought him to the United States to face federal charges. But despite his pessimism he added: "Trump won't last forever. So we've got to hope." Garfunkel, 84, is gearing up for his 2026 "What a Wonderful World Tour" and is scheduled to play London's Royal Albert Hall in October. - New Musical Express, 9/6/26...... 
KISS has scored its highest-charted title on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart in more than a decade, as its new live album KISS Destroys Anaheim '76 debuts at No. 8 on the list dated Sept. 5. KISS Destroys Anaheim '76 commemorates the 50th anniversary of the group's Aug. 20, 1976 show at the Anaheim Stadium, where the band played to its largest audience at the time: 42,000. As part of KISS' "The Spirit of '76 Tour" (also known as the "Destroyer Tour"), the recording was newly mixed for its first official public release across an array of physical and digital formats. The album boasts recordings of KISS favorites like "Detroit Rock City," "Strutter," "Shout It Out Loud" and "Rock and Roll All Nite." The set has also debuted on an array of other Billboard charts: Indie Store Album Sales (No. 8), Vinyl Albums (No. 16), Top Hard Rock Albums (No. 12), Top Rock & Alternative Albums (No. 48) and the overall Billboard 200 (No. 173). On the latter, the set marks KISS' 37th chart entry. The archival project brings the band to its highest rank on the Top Album Sales tally since 2012, with the group's final studio album, Monster, debuted and peaked at No. 3 in Oct. 2012. - Billboard, 9/3/26...... Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has recalled his final conversation with Ozzy Osbourne, which took place the night before the Heavy Metal icon died. Appearing on the Loudwire Nights podcast, the guitarist reflected on the grief he'd experienced for his former bandmate. "He was really happy with it, that we could do it, you know," Iommi said of the historic 2025 "Back to the Beginning" charity concert. Iommi then went on to discuss his last chat with Osbourne. "In fact, I spoke to him the night before he passed," he remembered. "He said to me, 'I really feel tired and really worn out'. I said, 'Well, you're bound to really, it's been a lot of stress and pressure and stuff like that'. And the next thing, the next day, [he's] gone." The guitarist opened up about how he still struggles to believe that Osbourne is no longer around, saying: "It still feels like he's there." He admitted that he found some elements of the gig hard, because of the frontman's ill health. "It was difficult because seeing Ozzy sitting in a throne is not the way I see him," Iommi explained. "Always [when] we've been on stage, he's been running around, and he'd run up to Geezer [Butler] and pull a face jokingly and come over to me and pull a face or the drummer or whatever. We always had a little laugh on stage and enjoy when he'd run about." Iommi continued: "But at 'Back To The Beginning', of course, he's in a throne, and I couldn't see him, which felt very unusual. I stood back by Bill [Ward]. But it was a great moment, and I'm really glad we could get the opportunity to do it, because I mean, God, we didn't know he was going to go that quick. "But he did. There's memories that will remain there, from rehearsals to the whole thing I am glad that we could do that gig." - NME, 9/4/26...... 
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 Instagram post from the couple in which they proudly cradled their bundle of joy between them with the caption, "@charlottekempmuhl and I have created a Human Bean! His name is Aurelius. Thank You!" Ono Lennon is wearing a black shirt, black sailor's cap and black eyeglasses, as Muhl stands beside him a flowing white top, with Aurelius splitting the difference as he sleeps in Ono Lennon's arms in a black and white striped onesie. The newborn is the first grandchild of Yoko Ono and late Beatles member John Lennon, who was murdered by shooter Mark David Chapman outside The Dakota apartment building in New York on Dec, 8, 1980 when Ono Lennon was just five years old. Ono Lennon, 50, shared several other snaps, including on in which he stares intently into the lens while snuggling with Aurelius, as well as one of his partner of nearly 20 years, 39-year-old Muhl. She is an American-born model and Ono Lennon's bandmate in their band The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger. The couple got well-wishes from a number of musicians and actors, including drummer Zak Starkey, son Ringo Starr who wrote "Amazing," as well as actresses Liv Tyler and Ione Skye, Bijou Phillips and former Lennon/Ono publicist Elliot Mintz, who wrote, "there are some moments in life that are perfect. this is one of them." Earlier in 2026, Ono Lennon released the third studio album with his longtime collaborator, Primus' Les Claypool, The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy. - Billboard, 9/2/26...... 
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 social media page. She was 92 and had recently completed a memoir, to be released this fall. "Gloria's greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard," the post said. "Her words, actions, and example gave people permission to be their truest selves." Ms. Steinem began her career as a journalist, notably reporting in 1963 on degrading conditions in Hugh Hefner's Playboy empire -- an undercover assignment she later came to regret. She credits a meeting six years later, where women spoke out in favor of abortion rights, with changing her career path. "That speak-out was the beginning of activism for me," Ms. Steinem, who had undergone a secret illegal abortion herself at age 22, told the AP in an email in 2022, reflecting on the reversal of Roe v. Wade. "Either our control over our own bodies is equal, regardless of sex or race, or we're not living in a democracy." Born on Mar. 25, 1934 in Toledo, Oh., Ms. Steinem was in her 30s when she joined the editorial board of New York magazine, and her writing became more political. In 1969, she went to cover an abortion rights hearing. She had never told anyone about her illegal abortion at 22, in London. That was the moment, she has said, that triggered her career as a women's rights activist. Ms. Steinem founded the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971 along with Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm and Bella Abzug. Time hardly slowed Ms. Steinem down; through her 80s, she was traveling the globe and speaking out on issues of importance to her. These included everything from genital mutilation to Korean reconciliation, but it was equality for women that took precedence. "Being a feminist means that you see the world as whole instead of half," she once said. "It shouldn't need a name, and one day it won't." As the years went on, Ms. Steinem's visibility endured. A few days after her 85th birthday, she was leading a women's "talking circle" at an off-Broadway play celebrating her life, where one by one, women in the audience -- many fighting tears -- rose to thank her and tell their own stories of discrimination. In 2020, her life was the subject of a feature film, The Glorias. On Jan. 21, 2017, when hundreds of thousands of women gathered in Washington in their pink "pussy hats" for the historic Women's March, it surprised nobody that the keynote speaker, and the most rousing, was Ms. Steinem. "We are linked," she told the crowd. "And this is a day that will change us forever because we are together." Ms. Steinem was remembered on social media by the likes of Madonna, Carole King, Bette Midler, Jennifer Lopez, Diane Warren and Miss Piggy. "Thank U for fighting for us Gloria. Fight in Power Forever," Diane Warren posted on Instagram. Carole King also reflected on the generations who will continue Steinem's work, sharing a photo of the activist in her younger years. "As we elders, our daughters, and our granddaughters continue the fight for power, equality, and respect, we hold you in our hearts with love and gratitude," the singer/songwriter wrote. "Rest in peace and power." Bette Midler paid tribute to Steinem's role in reshaping what women believed was possible, writing that she and the women who worked alongside her "lit the way for every woman with a dream." "We owe her so much," Midler added. "Thank you, Gloria, and bravo." - AP, 9/3/26.
In related news, '70s/'80s hitmaker Christopher Cross delivered a lighthearted apology to Canadians at a recent concert in Toronto on Aug. 30, telling the audience that he's "sorry and embarrassed" that the U.S. president has embroiled the United States in a trade war with the Great White North. In between songs at RBC Amphitheatre, the "Sailing" singer took a moment to address the ongoing tensions between his home country and the one he was visiting. "I want to tell you how much we love your country and appreciate your country very much," Cross said on behalf of his band. "I'm just very sorry and embarrassed that we have an ahole for a president." Cross also asked the Canadians in the crowd not to "give up" on America. "We have an election coming up, and we're gonna do our best to fix it," he continued. "Then we'll be buying all your s--t again and you'll be buying all our s--t... we can be victims of corporate greed together." Then Cross said that was "enough preaching." "I'm sure you'll be reading in the paper where I've been ejected from my country, but that's OK. I wanted to say what I had to say," he added. The U.S. and Canada have been at odds since August, when trade negotiations between the two countries turned to the implementation of tariffs affecting the prices of a number of products. Cross's latest album, Take Me As I Am, was released in 2017. His two U.S. No. 1 hits include "Sailing" (1980) and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (1981). - Billboard, 9/1/26...... Rod Stewart's wife Penny Lancaster has assured his fans that he'll "come back stronger than ever" following his heart operation. Stewart, 81, was forced to cancel the remaining dates on his 2026 North American tour in August to recover from a routine coronary stent procedure. Sharing an update on his health, Lancaster told the Press Association that the "Maggie May" musician was "back at full speed in his day-to-day activities" and will eventually be strong enough to perform again. "I mean, he does not sit down, I can never find him, he's, you know, he's got his hobbies, I mean he's just been in the gym working out, but we were under strict instructions about the level of workout he could do, and it's a gradual, build him up, build him up, kind of thing," she said. "But he's going to come back stronger than ever, I found it hard enough as it was to slow him down so now he feels like he's got a new lease of life." Lancaster added that Stewart was "devastated" to cancel his tour dates and "can't wait to see his fans again" when he gets back out on the road next year. Lancaster, who has been married to the rocker since 2007, also pointed out that Stewart's high-energy performances are similar to "running a sprint." "I did have to explain to the doctor what Rod's performances are like, he doesn't just sit down on a stool or behind a piano, he runs around for nearly two hours with four different costume changes because he's sweating through everything," she stated. In addition to the last dates on his "One Last Time Tour," Stewart also had to cancel his Encore Shows residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. A stent is a small tube that acts like a scaffold to help keep a narrowed or blocked artery open, restoring blood flow. - Music-News.com, 1/9/26...... The estate of Prince released a funky, career-spanning 10-song vault collection called 
Dolly Parton was laid to rest in a private family funeral in Nashville, Tenn., on Aug. 28, three days after her passing at age 80. The country legend was buried next to her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who died in 2025 at 82. Dolly's great niece, Lainey Parton confirmed details about the private ceremony in an 
The Who's Pete Townshend says he's "working on getting well" so he can play with his legendary band "in the future," after announcing he was pulling out of Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival due to ongoing health issues. Townshend, 81, has suffered damage to his left foot and is experiencing balance problems. Despite pushing hard to recover in time for the Sept. 26 and 27 event at the Moody Center in Austin, Tex., he says the long flight from the U.K. isn't sensible in his current condition. "I'm so sorry to say that due to damage to my left foot, and subsequent issues with my balance, I cannot commit to travel to appear at the upcoming Crossroads Festival in Austin," Townshend posted to X/Twitter. "I so desperately wanted to appear, and have battled to get in shape, and I am improving, but the long flights from London, and the jetlag on my return, would cause backtracking I really can't afford." Townshend has instead made a generous $50,000 donation to Clapton's Crossroads Center -- a drug treatment clinic near St Philip's, Antigua -- via his own charity, Double O, which supports addiction-recovery organizations. He continued: "I am making a $50,000 donation to the festival cause from my charity Double O, and one day I hope I can accept Eric's invitation to appear with him. He has now asked me several times. There has always been some issue, in this case it is my recovery from my knee replacement in February of 2025, and some complications." He closed by saying, "Meanwhile I will keep working on getting well so I can work with Roger [Daltrey] and The Who in future." The post was captioned: "We love you @PeteTownshend_, feel better and we are so appreciative of your donation (sic)." The Who played what was billed as their last ever shows in 2025. Meanwhile, it appears that The Who is re-hiring drummer Zak Starkey ahead of a possible European tour after an acromonious split between the two parties in 2025. "We had a rehearsal recently to make sure we can think about doing some shows in Europe," Starkey recently told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Roger Daltrey added that Starkey had been behind the kit and that "it sounded great." Starkey later shared a screenshot of the report on 
R&B icon Gladys Knight has announced that she is "easing into fewer performances" to spend more time with her family. Knight, 82, recently posted on 
The celebrity gossip site TMZ.com is reporting that Lionel Richie checked himself into intensive care shortly after his performance in St. Louis on Aug. 29. The outlet reported the news of the Grammy winner's hospitalization amid his "Sing a Song All Night Long" tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. During the show, he had asked his team to bring him a chair while performing encore song, "All Night Long." The American Idol judge, 77, previously cut a concert short in St Paul, Minnesota, on 24 June after falling ill on stage. During that show, which was the first of his tour, Richie told the crowd he was feeling dizzy and performed "Dancing on the Ceiling" while seated, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down," he joked, before sitting down at a piano to perform "Three Times a Lady" and then taking an impromptu intermission. Richie postponed two shows in the aftermath of that incident, as his doctors advised he "rest and return to full health." The former The Commodores member and '80s/'90s superstar later assured fans he was "doing well" in an Instagram post. Thank you for every message, every kind word, and for all your love. I'm doing well, and I'm grateful for all of you," he shared. Richie is next scheduled to perform on Sept. 26 in San Francisco. - Music-News.com, 9/1/26...... The Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter have announced a raft of new dates for their forthcoming winter "50 Years Of Punk" tour. Earlier in 2026, they announced an arena tour marking five decades since punk's most momentous year, with 1976 seeing the original line-up play a series of legendary gigs in now mythic venues like The Marquee, The 100 Club, The Nashville and the El Paradiso strip club. A series of headline dates kicking off at Dublin's 3Arena on Dec. 7 along with further dates at Edinburgh's Corn Exchange (12/9), Glasgow's O2 Academy (12/10), and London's Brixton Academy (12/18) and Eventim Apollo (12/20) were initially announced. Now further dates at Leeds O2 Academy (12/4), Newcastle NX (12/5), Liverpool Olympia (12/12), Birmingham O2 Academy (12/14), Portsmouth Guildhall (12/15) and Bristol Prospect Building (12/16) have been added to the schedule. A flurry of incendiary shows came before they recorded 1977's seminal 
"Dolly's heartfelt wish was that Dollywood always remain a place of joy, hope and togetherness a space where families and friends could honor her memory, not with silence, but with laughter, music and shared dreams," a statement on its website by park president Eugene Naughton said in part. "While we grieve her loss, we are honored and committed to carry her light forward. Her legacy will continue to shine in every melody sung, every smile shared and every dream kindled within these gates." Parton has made frequent visits to the park over the years, including its 40th anniversary celebration in Mar. 2025, which took place less than two weeks after the death of her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean. She was scheduled to appear at Dollywood a couple of weeks prior to her death to support the opening of its new NightFlight Expedition ride, but canceled due to then-unspecified health issues. Elsewhere, Dolly's Imagination Library program has been honored by the Library of Congress. The organization shared a tribute to the singer on Aug. 25, shortly after news of her dying at the age of 80 was shared earlier that day. "The Library is devastated to learn of the passing of @DollyParton, a music legend and titan of children's literacy," the federal establishment wrote on 
In a new interview with E! News, Ozzy Osbourne's son Jack Osbourne promised that the forthcoming Ozzy biopic will be for the people, not "artsy, esoteric." "I have this mantra, and I always say it, when in meetings with my mom or doing anything with the family business. It's, 'give the fans what they want,'" said Jack. "That's our people, that's who we're catering for, that's what my dad wrote music for, that's what he toured for, it's why we did the shows we did. It's been a big theme." Jack revealed that the script for the film being developed by Sony Pictures and Polygram Entertainment in conjunction with the family is already finished and that the call is out for directors now for the project that has not yet announced a shooting schedule or potential release date. The good news is that the family already has someone in mind for the title role, but it's too early to reveal who that is. "I'm not allowed to say, but conversations have been had, and if it all works out, it's gonna be awesome," Jack said. An Ozzy biopic was first revealed by Osbourne's widow Sharon Osbourne in 2021 that would chronicle the couple's 45-year love affair. "Our relationship at times was often wild, insane and dangerous but it was our undying love that kept us together," Sharon said at the time. - Billboard, 8/27/26...... Barry Manilow announced on Aug. 26 that he's taking a break from his Las Vegas residency at the International Theater at Westgate that had been planned to kick off in late August, as well as six shows scheduled for September in order to rest and recuperate from his battle with stage 1 lung cancer. "Hi everybody - Barry here," he wrote in an 
Bruce Springsteen announced on Aug. 25 he is returning for another year of supporting veterans at the annual "Stand Up for Heroes" charity event, which in 2026 is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The Boss will perform at the event which raises money for members of the military facing injury or illness, as well as their families, on Nov. 9 at Lincoln Center in New York City. The Resilient, a band that includes wounded U.S. combat veterans, is also on the bill along with Alex Warren, and the event will be hosted by comedian Jon Stewart. This year's benefit will take place three days into the 2026 New York Comedy Festival, which will run from Nov. 6 to Nov. 15. Springsteen has a nearly perfect attendance record at "Stand Up for Heroes," appearing at almost every one of the annual showcases since 2007. - Billboard, 8/25/26...... Eric Clapton and John Mayer have joined forces for a limited-edition guitar collection in aid of charity. On Aug. 26, Billboard's 
TV and movie actress Shelley Fabares, the star of classic sitcoms The Donna Reed Show and Coach and who appeared in three films with Elvis Presley, died on Aug. 22 in Los Angeles. She was 82. Born in Santa Monica, Calif., in January 1944, Ms. Fabares grew up around Hollywood. Her mother, Elsa, started her modeling career at a young age, which led to roles on TV. Ms. Fabares' aunt, Nanette Fabray, was a well-known Broadway star and film supporting player who also transitioned to TV roles. Among Ms. Fabares' early TV breaks was a two-episode stint on The Loretta Young Show in 1954. Her first major film credit came in a supporting role in the 1956 Rock Hudson drama Never Say Goodbye, for Universal International. She had a brief career as a singer during her time on The Donna Reed Show, notching a No.1 hit with her 1961 track "Johnny Angel." She parlayed her TV fame into a series of teen-centric B-movie romps including opposite Fabian in 1964's "Ride the Wild Surf," and she co-starred with Elvis Presley in 1965's Girl Happy, 1966's Spinout and 1967's Clambake. Some of her other TV credits include The Little People, Forever Fernwood, The Practice, Hello Larry, Highcliffe Manor, Fantasy Island, One Day at a Time and The Love Boat. She had a key role on one of the most lauded TV movies of the 1970s, ABC's 
Acclaimed British actor, author, comedian and singer Tim Curry, best known for playing cross-dressing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the iconic 1975 cult movie 
Her 1981 theme song from the movie 9 to 5 (in which she also starred) reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Adult Contemporary chart, a feat she repeated with 1983's Kenny Rogers duet "Islands in the Stream," written for them by The Bee Gees. In total, she topped the Billboard Hot 100 twice and topped the Hot Country Songs chart 25 times. In 1986, she took over the Pigeon Forge, Tenn., theme park Silver Dollar City, and reopened it as Dollywood (with a replica of her childhood home). Trio, her 1987 collaboration with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, was a neo-traditionalist setting for the three singers' exquisite harmonies, and a platinum hit. After her appearance in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias, Dolly returned her focus to recording country music, and rarely performed live for most of the '90s. In 1993, she recorded Honky Tonk Angels with fellow Country icons Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette, and 1999's Trio II became another gold album of collaborations. In 1994, she published her memoir, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business. Dolly returned to the road in the 2000s, touring extensively in North America and Europe, and headlining at England's Glastonbury Festival in 2014. The 2015 TV movie Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors was based on her autobiographical 1971 rags-to-riches song. The same year, Dollywood's DreamMore Resort expanded her theme park. Her other movie credits include Rhinestone Cowboy with Sylvester Stallone and Steel Magonolias with Julia Roberts. Even into her seventies, Dolly's voice, persona and appearance remained remarkably close to what they'd been in the earliest years of her career, maintained by a penchant for plastic surgery. "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap," she would quip. In 2022, she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on her first nomination, and the singer experienced a major resurgence late in her career a year later when Rockstar, largely a collection of rock covers, debuted at No. 3, her pinnacle on the all-genre chart. The album, which featured contributions from Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, goddaughter Miley Cyrus, Lizzo, Elton John and others, also debuted at No. 1 on Top Album Sales chart, providing her with her biggest sales week in the modern era. Though primarily lauded as a country artist, she made detours (with albums and/or songs) into such genres as Americana/folk, bluegrass, children's music, Christian, dance/electronic and pop. The Imagination Library, which provides books monthly to children from birth to age 5 and has donated over 150 million books to date, was one of her many philanthropic projects. In the early days of COVID, she also donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which helped fund the Moderna vaccine. In 2024, Dolly released the album Smoky Mountain DNA: Faith, Family and Fables, which featured the icon performing with members of her extended family, and the project hit No. 1 on Billboard's Bluegrass Albums chart. Countless artists posted tributes to the music and pop culture icon on social media, including Paul McCartney, who posted a thoughtful statement on 
Elton John wrote on his 
Legendary British Invasion pop stars The Hollies have announced the end of their touring career after 63 years, bringing one of England's longest-running rock bands to a close. The news was confirmed in a statement on Aug. 20, which explained that guitarist Tony Hicks was stepping away from touring for health reasons. Drummer Bobby Elliott, the other long-running member still with the group, added that he was also retiring in solidarity with his bandmate. "After more than six decades, The Hollies' touring career will come to a close with immense gratitude to the fans who have supported them around the world," the statement read. Naming themselves after legendary '50s Rock & Roll star Buddy Holly, The Hollies were formed in Manchester in 1962 by childhood friends Allan Clarke and Graham Nash and joined by Hicks in 1963, the band made a successful for Parlophone Records at Abbey Road Studios, while Hicks' former bandmate in The Dolphin, Elliott, followed later in the year, with bassist Eric Haydock completing the classic line-up. The band became known for their distinctive three-part harmonies and became one of the defining bands of the British Invasion, with hits including "I'm Alive," "Bus Stop," "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," "Stop Stop Stop," "The Air That I Breathe" and 
The Beatles' company Apple Corps Ltd have announced a new unique partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG) to handle the licensing and merchandising for the renowned band. Apple Corps, founded in 1968 by The Fab Four to handle their business interests, and UMG announced on Aug. 19 that they had reached a "holistic agreement" that will see the latter "take The Beatles' iconic story to fans across generations and around the world." The deal relates to digital and physical merchandising, licensing, and e-commerce surrounding the legendary band. Apple Corps' headquarters at 3 Savile Row will also be open to the public for the first time in 2027, with a fan experience that promises "seven floors of never-seen-before material from Apple Corps Ltd's extensive archives, rotating exhibitions, a fan store, and the recreation of the original studio where 'Let it Be' was recorded." Tom Greene, CEO of Apple Corps Ltd, said in a press release: "We are delighted to partner with UMG on a new global merchandising deal. There has never been a more exciting time to work on The Beatles as we look ahead to the 3 Saville Row fan experience in 2027, and our biopic movies in 2028. The Beatles message has never been more relevant or needed in the world today, and we look forward to delighting millions of fans with everything we have planned." The announcement comes ahead of director Sam Mendes' four-part Beatles biopic The Beatles -- A Four-Film Cinematic Event, due for simultaneous release in 2028. - NME, 8/20/26...... Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell has revealed that he is once again fighting cancer. In an interview with El Salvadorian station YSKL, the 63-year-old musician discussed his philosophy for keeping a positive, hopeful attitude after revealing in 2013 that he was battle Hodgkin's lymphoma, which he said returned in 2015 and yet again recently. "There's only been one time that I felt it was gonna kill me," Campbell said of his diagnosis. "In the winter of 2023, I got really scared about what was happening and the pace at which it was happening. And I realized at that point that I had to do a donor transplant. It was my only hope to survive I did that in January of '25 . Unfortunately, it didn't stick. So the cancer has returned, and I'm continuing treatments to manage it." Campbell said he plans to try another transplant within the next few years with a different donor to see if that will stick, but in the meantime, he is going to keep performing with the band as well as his side project, the Last in Line, and racing rally cars, a lifelong obsession. "I love cars and I love driving," he said. "And as a child, I thought, 'If I don't play guitar for a living, I'm gonna be a race-car driver.' So I'm very, very, very fortunate and blessed that I get to do both." Campbell, who logged time in Ronnie James Dio's band, Dio, as well as Whitesnake and the British new wave metal band Sweet Savage, joined Def Leppard in 1992 following the death of founding guitarist Steve Clark. Def Leppard are slated to play the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla. on Oct. 15, followed by dates in Mexico and Central and South America in October and November. - Billboard, 8/21/26...... 
Footage has been unearthed from Jimi Hendrix's iconic 1969 Woodstock performance, which was filmed by a drama student who snuck onto the stage. Hendrix's now-legendary gig took place at Woodstock in Bethel, N.Y., in Aug. 1969, where the guitar icon took to the stage with his newly formed band Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, a.k.a. Band of Gypsys. The set closed out the festival, and is now set to mark its 57th anniversary. To mark the occasion, a new film called Jimi Hendrix: Live at Woodstock - A Second Look has been released, and it features rarely seen footage from the show. Some of that new material is recently unearthed footage from 22-year-old drama student Albert Goodman, who snuck onto the stage during the set and filmed some of it using two open-reel videotapes. Goodman hid behind a friend carrying a guitar to get access to the stage, and filmed it from behind percussionist Juma Sultan. He was assumed to be a member of the film crew who were hired to capture footage of the whole show, and his footage shows Hendrix standing just 15 feet in front of him. In the newly unearthed footage, Hendrix is seen playing "Purple Haze," "Voodoo Child," "Message To Love," and his improvised interpretation of "The Star-Spangled Banner," as well as rare footage of him playing "Hear My Train a Comin'." The latter song is available for streaming on 
Ray Stevens is set to be honored with a star-studded concert at Nashville's Opry House on Nov. 9. "Don't Look, Ethel! A Salute to the Musical Genius of Ray Stevens" will be hosted by comedian Cledus T. Judd with performances from Ricky Skaggs, Ronnie Milsap, Jamey Johnson, Gretchen Wilson, Mark Chesnutt, The Gatlin Brothers, Lee Greenwood and many more. "I've always been so fond of the Nashville music community, and I'm truly honored that they would want to do this tribute," Stevens said in a statement. "All my life I've wanted to be successful in the music business and have people appreciate what I create. That's impossible without the fans. I'm so grateful for all of them!" In the 1960s, Stevens' slate of novelty hits such as "Gitarzan" and "Harry the Hairy Ape" earned him pop hits, while he also became an in-demand Nashville studio musician and songwriter, including playing trumpet during recording session for Elvis Presley and playing on Waylon Jennings' recording of "Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line." Stevens also wrote and produced Dolly Parton's 1966 song "Busy Signal." By 1970, he had been called upon as a summer replacement for television host Andy Williams, and in preparing for the gig, he wrote the uplifting track 
Long-tenured ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard, a key part of one of the longest-lasting consistent band lineups in rock history, passed away at his ranch in Richmond, Tex., on Aug. 17. He was 77. A press release from longtime band publicist Bob Merlis confirmed his passing on Aug. 18, stating that Beard was "in hospice care when he passed away at his ranch in Richmond, TX with family members at his side." Born on June 11, 1949, in Frankton, Tex., Beard had served as stickman for the Texas blues-rock trio since 1969, when he made the jump from the more psychedelic-oriented local group American Blues to ZZ Top. At that point, the latter group consisted of Beard, singer-guitarist Billy Gibbons and bassist Billy Ethridge. After Ethridge quit the band and was replaced by Dusty Hill, the band's power-trio lineup was locked in, and would not change for the next half-century. ZZ Top became national rock stars in the mid-'70s with the release of its breakthrough LP 
(Ironically, Beard was the one member of the group to go clean-shaven; "Frank's beard is on his driver's license," quipped Gibbons.) ZZ Top's 1983 album Eliminator spawned a trio of MTV smashes ("Gimme All Your Lovin," "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Legs") and would ultimately be certified diamond by the RIAA, becoming the group's biggest album. While Beard's drumming on the set was somewhat smoothed out by the group's increasingly processed, new wave-friendlier sound, he still helped provide the singles much-needed muscle and backbone under the shiny guitars and synths. (Beard also got married for the second time shortly before the album's release, with he and wife Debbie Meredith remaining together -- with twin sons Rory and Nico born in 1985 -- until his death.) The group released two albums in the 21st century, 2003's Mescalero and 2012's La Futura, and continued to tour with the same three-man lineup it had held since 1969, the longtime consistency of its lineup an extreme rarity among popular rock bands. In 2004, the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2019, it was the subject of the Netflix documentary That Little Ol' Band From Texas. Sadly, the group was finally forced into lineup changes with the