Posted by Administrator on May 29th, 2014
The Rolling Stones returned to the road on May 26 with a high-energy, two-hour-plus show in Oslo, Norway, their first gig since the band interrupted their 2014 would tour due to the suicide of Mick Jagger's girlfriend, fashion designer L'Wren Scott. Playing to a sold-out crowd of 23,000, Jagger did not mention the death of Scott, but proved himself proficient in Norwegian-language between-song patter. The band played numbers from their vast catalog of hits, including a rendition of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" featuring a local youth choir, and ended their set with fireworks. The Stones interrupted their tour in March and later rescheduled all their Australia and New Zealand tour dates upon news that Scott-- Jagger's companion since 2001 -- had committed suicide. - AP, 5/27/14.
A federal judge in Pennsylvania has ordered sanctions against the attorney preparing to sue Led Zeppelin for "Stairway to Heaven," claiming that lawyer Francis Malofiy behaved "in a flagrantly unprofessional and offensive manner" over the course of a different case which concerned a songwriter named Dan Marino who claimed that he had created the basic melody, chord progressions and tempo for the Usher song "Bad Girl." Malofiy has claimed that Led Zeppelin stole the intro for their 1971 song "Stairway to Heaven" from Spirit's 1968 track "Taurus," and says that he will file a copyright infringement lawsuit and seek an injunction to block the release of the Led Zeppelin IV reissue. The recent sanctions against the attorney could distract from that pursuit, however. "Whether Malofiy should be removed from practice is a question properly answered in another forum," wrote Judge Paul Diamond, who is presiding over the Marino/Usher case. 
The Eagles have announced they'll take their "History of the Eagles" world tour to Australia and New Zealand in February of 2015 for a string of eight arena dates, open-air shows and winery concerts. Starting at the Perth Arena on Feb. 18, the band will play a total of eight venues, including the iconic Hanging Rock in Macedon on Feb. 28 and the Hope Estate winery in the Hunter Valley on March 7. The trek wraps-up March 14 at Mt. Smart Stadium in Auckland, N.Z., the band's first visit to the country in 20 years. The retrospective "History Of the Eagles" world tour kicked off on July 6, 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky. Along the way, the legendary American group re-opened L.A.'s Forum with a 28-song set. The band, currently comprised of Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, last played in Australia in 2010, and in New Zealand back in 1995. Meanwhile, Queen is also preparing to travel down under in late summer for shows in Australia's four biggest cities. With singer Adam Lambert handling the vocals of late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, the tour will mark Queen's first tour of Australia since 1985 and, according to promoter Paul Dainty, "may be the last chance Australian fans have to see one of the greatest rock bands in history." The Queen + Adam Lambert Australian Tour will kick off in Perth Aug. 22, then travel to Sydney on Aug. 26 and Melbourne on Aug. 29, before wrapping at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Sept. 1. Queen will tour the US later this year. In still more tour news, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers announced on May 20 they will be hitting the road late this summer in support of their new studio album Hypnotic Eye. Petty and Co's. 28-date North American tour will hit arenas and stadiums through early October, including stops at San Francisco's Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival and the band's first ever concert at Boston's Fenway Park. Opening for the band will be special guest Steve Winwood. Hypnotic Eye is due July 29 via Reprise Records. - Billboard, 5/22/14.
A spokeswoman for Paul McCartney said on May 22 that the former Beatle is expected to make a full recovery after being treated in a Tokyo hospital for a viral infection. On that same day, the 71-year-old McCartney canceled more concerts due to take place in Japan and South Korea in late May, after previously having postponed two shows in Tokyo. His treatment has been touted as "successful" and no other specifics of his ailment were given by the hospital, however a Japanese newspaper cited diarrhea and vomiting among his ailments and noted that the musician was admitted "on the safe side." "[Paul] will make a complete recovery and has been ordered to take a few days rest," according to a statement issued by his spokeswoman Perri Cohen. "Paul has been extremely moved by all the messages and well wishes he has received from fans all over the world," she added. McCartney, who rarely cancels concerts, traveled to Japan after wrapping a South American tour and issued a statement to fans saying that he hated to disappoint his fans in Japan and Korea. McCartney is expected to resume his "Out There" tour on June 14 in Lubbock, Tex., the first of 19 scheduled US dates. The tour ends Aug. 13 at San Francisco's Candlestick Park. - Reuters/Billboard, 5/22/14.
Pink Floyd is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its 1994 chart-topping album The Division Bell with a 
Carlos Santana says he is planning a concert aimed at encouraging and motivating the development of young black and Latino men in the wake of Trayvon Martin's death and Donald Sterling's racist comments. He wants to hold the event next year in Florida and is working with singer and longtime civil rights activist Harry Belafonte. "I'm a person who with passion believes that we can change the world, we can transform hate and fear forever with the right songs and the right timing," said Santana, whose latest LP, 
On May 21, the parents of the 27-year-old woman who was killed during the filming of the planned Gregg Allman biopic Midnight Rider sued Allman and the movie's producers, a railroad company and others they accused of being responsible for the tragedy. The lawsuit, filed in Chatham County State Court, targets a total of 10 individuals associated with Midnight Rider including eight corporations including CSX Transportation, which owns the railroad tracks where the crash occurred, and Rayonier Performance Fibers, a subsidiary of forest-products manufacturer Rayonier that owns the land surrounding the crash site. Filmmakers "selected an unreasonably dangerous site for the filming location; failed to secure approval for filming from CSX; concealed their lack of approval from CSX from the cast and crew ... and otherwise failed to take measures to protect the safety of the Midnight Rider cast and crew," the lawsuit charges. It was filed on behalf of Jones' parents, Richard and Elizabeth Jones of Columbia, South Carolina. Sarah Jones, a 27-year-old camera assistant, was killed when a freight train slammed into a film crew in southeast Georgia. In an interview with AP on Apr. 10, her parents said the film's producers needlessly put workers at risk the day their daughter was killed, and that they had hired attorneys to help them hold someone accountable. "They did so many wrong things on so many levels, it's just unbelievable," Richard Jones said. "This should not have happened. It's senseless." Allman's attorney said during the same hearing that the singer was distressed by the crash and his reputation had been harmed by his association with the project. Producers suspended work on the movie indefinitely the week following the accident. Actor William Hurt, who was to star as Allman and was at the scene of the crash, later issued a statement saying he informed producers he would no longer work on the film. Meanwhile in related news, two former members of Heart are suing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for using their likenesses in promoting the 2013 induction ceremony even though they were not inducted. Bassist Mark Andes and drummer Dennis Carmassi, who were members of Heart from 1982-1993, say their likenesses and the songs they performed were used to promote Heart's induction into the Cleveland-based hall and museum, and "that when fans and fellow musicians offered them congratulations for their success, they were humiliated to explain that they were inexplicably not chosen for induction." - AP/Billboard, 5/22/14.
Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry recently told Rolling Stone magazine that Aerosmith may never release another album. "Our contract to Sony is fulfilled and we're free agents right now. We're trying to figure out what that means. I don't even know if making new albums makes sense anymore. Maybe we'll just release an EP every six months. I don't know what the future looks like," Perry said. Perry added he was disappointed with the tepid reception to Aerosmith's last album, 2012's Music From Another Dimension!, debuted at No. 5 on the charts before disappearing without a trace. It was the band's first collection of original songs in over a decade, and none of its four singles even scraped the Billboard Hot 100. "I'm obviously disappointed it didn't work out the way it was supposed to," says Perry. "But on the other hand, once a record is out, it's out forever. Maybe in two years someone might hear a song off it and go, 'What was that song? It should have been on the radio.' And it might hit a wave again." Meanwhile, Perry is planning to release a long-awaited autobiography about his music career. 
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young have announced they're finally ready to release a box set of live recordings from their 1974 reunion tour, after years of rumors, premature announcements and even disagreements over its title. CSNY 1974 hits shelves on July 8 in a variety of formats, including a 3 CD/DVD set, a Pure Audio Blu-Ray (192kHz/24-bit) and a 16-track single CD. There will also be a limited edition set of 1,000 copies featuring a coffee table-sized book and six 180-gram 12" vinyl records. "This is the most difficult project I've ever done in my recording life," says Graham Nash, who co-produced the project with Joel Bernstein. "That's largely because of other people's agendas and trying to please four people at the same time. It only took us a year to actually do the physical work, but it took three or four years to get that work together." Nash says one issue they faced was Neil Young's intense focus on audio quality. "Neil Young, God bless his cotton socks, has always wanted the audio to get as close to the recording experience as possible," says Nash. CSNY's 1974 reunion trek was one of the most ambitious tours attempted up until that point. They played 30 shows at American arenas and stadiums as well as one gig at Wembley Stadium in London, with the group playing upwards of 40 songs over a four-hour period during some shows. "It was a very challenging tour," says Nash. "We tried to keep our spirits up and keep ourselves focused as a band, but with all the chaos going on and the distractions and the drugs, I'm amazed we got away with what we did, quite frankly." A pre-order of CSNY 1974 is available on the band's 
David Bowie has reportedly given his blessing to a proposed The Man Who Sold the World concert featuring his old backing band the Spiders From Mars featuring longtime Bowie producer Tony Visconti and veteran musician Mick "Woody" Woodmansey. The group will perform the 1970 album in its entirety and by joined by an ensemble of ten musicians including Spandau Ballet saxophone player Steve Norman and Heaven 17's Glenn Gregory. The event will take place at London's The Garage on Sept. 17. Visconti said the album is key in Bowie's career: "The Man Who Sold The World became the blueprint for the rest of David's career. Virtually everything he's done since, you can trace back to something on that album." Mick Woodmansey added the LP was the first he and late Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson played on. "It was his first step into rock'n'roll. It got critical acclaim, but we never toured it, and in the live shows the album tracks never got touched on. So the idea of being able to go out and finally play some of those great tracks live was just so exciting," Woodmansey said. - New Musical Express, 5/23/14.
A hologram resembling Michael Jackson performing the previously unreleased track "Slave to the Rhythm" was among the highlights at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 18, 2014 in Las Vegas. Beginning with a synchronized SWAT team dancing until a curtain dropped and Jackson was seen sitting in a Dangerous-like throne, the spectacle featured the hologram singing the upbeat dance number, which appears on the late pop star's recently released 
Legendary '60s/'70s singer Franki Valli has been tapped to help celebrate July 4 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in 2014 by headlining the annual "Capitol Fourth" show, which draw hundreds of thousands of people to the National Mall each year. Valli said he's honored to be performing in the nation's capital for Independence Day because "it's an important day for any American." The trademark falsetto of Valli, who turned 80 on May 3, propelled the success of The Four Seasons in the early 1960s, and also topped the charts as a solo artist in 1975 with 
Paul McCartney has cancelled two Tokyo concerts, as well as a makeup performance for one that was also nixed, as the legendary musician battles a virus. Sir Paul posted on his official "Out There Japan Tour 2014" site on May 18 that his doctors wouldn't allow him to perform the Tokyo shows after his condition "did not improve overnight." "I was really hoping that I'd be feeling better today. I'm so disappointed and sorry to be letting my fans down," he said. McCartney, 71, became ill on May 16, and canceled his concert at the National Stadium in Tokyo at the last minute the following evening. But he had promised to be well enough to perform Sunday and do an additional concert Monday. Organizers said McCartney's scheduled performance was still on for May 21 at Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, the same venue where the Beatles took the stage during their visit to Japan in 1966. His tour continues to Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka on May 24, then to Seoul, before hitting several U.S. venues, including Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Macca has teamed up with a robot called "Newman" who is on parol in a museum full of humans for his new video for his song "Appreciate." "I woke up one morning with an image in my head of me standing with a large robot. I thought it might be something that could be used for the cover of my album New but instead the idea turned out to be for my music video for 'Appreciate'," he said. - AP/New Musical Express, 5/18/14.
The Steve Miller Band is marking the 40th year of its classic 
A lawyer representing deceased Spirit guitarist Randy California is claiming Led Zeppelin stole the intro for their 1971 single 
The Beach Boys have announced a summer 2014 tour to mark the 50th anniversary of their 1964 single "Fun Fun Fun." Kicking off on May 25 in Louisville, Kentucky, the tour will also perform at several European festivals, including two shows at Hampton Court on June 24 and 25, before returning to North America for much of the rest of the year. There are more European dates scheduled for later in 2014, including a series of four shows at British racetracks. "Year after year, it's been a great source of inspiration to see the happiness our music has brought to multiple generations of Beach Boys fans in so many parts of the world," singer Mike Love said in a statement. "This summer I'm particularly excited for the Jones Beach [N.Y.} show, which is such a terrific, iconic venue. It will be very special to share the stage with some old friends and bandmates, Al Jardine and David Marks." The tour also marks the introduction of singer and guitarist Jeffrey Foskett, who has worked regularly with the group since 1981, as a permanent member of the Beach Boys touring band. He'll replace Mike Love's son Christian, who left the group to pursue a solo career. Love, who owns the rights the band's name following a series of legal battles, released a statement in 2012 which said: "The post-50th anniversary configuration will not include Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks. The 50th Reunion Tour was designed to be a set tour with a beginning and an end to mark a special 50-year milestone for the band." Wilson, Jardine and Marks performed with Love and the rest of the band at London's Royal Albert Hall. Jardine and Marks will make special guest appearances on the forthcoming tour. The Beach Boys are expected to announce further shows for later this year. - New Musical Express, 5/15/14.
Bee Gees legend Barry Gibb kicked off a summer US tour on May 15 at the Boston Garden, taking a break midway through the show to sing Bruce Springsteen's 1984 Born in the U.S.A. track "I'm on Fire." Gibb was returning a favor to the Boss, who played the Bee Gees' 
Jerry Vale, a beloved American crooner known for his high-tenor voice and romantic songs in the 1950s and early 1960s, died on May 17 at his home in Palm Desert, Calif. He was 83. Born Genaro Louis Vitaliano, Mr. Vale started performing in New York supper clubs as a teenager and went on to record more than 50 albums. His rendition of "Volare," ''Innamorata" and "Al Di La" became classic Italian-American songs. His biggest hit was "You Don't Know Me," and his recording of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in the 1960s was played at sporting events for years. Mr. Vale, who remained a popular club act after his albums failed to make the charts in the 1970s, also appeared as himself in the movies Goodfellas, Casino and the TV series The Sopranos. He was a friend of fellow Italian-American crooner Frank Sinatra, and he was an honorary pallbearer at Sinatra's funeral on May 20, 1998. - AP, 5/18/14.
Kerri Kasem, the daughter of legendary TV and radio personality Casey Kasem, is adamant her father has been "kidnapped" by his wife Jean Kasem and believes he might be at a Native American reservation in Washington state. On May 12, a Los Angeles judge ordered an investigation into the whereabouts of 82-year-old Kasem, who suffers from advanced Parkinson's disease and can no longer communicate verbally but does recognize family and friends, after an attorney for Jean Kasem claimed he has "no idea" where the entertainer is, except that he is no longer in America. Kerri Kasem, who has been seeking a temporary conservatorship, was appointed her father's caretaker by the judge, and says she is taking the necessary steps to file a missing persons report for her ailing dad. Kerri also claims that Jean has refused her and her siblings access to their father, and that she's extremely concerned for her father's health. Casey Kasem, who for decades hosted radio music countdown shows American Top 40 and Casey's Top 40, retired in 2009. Besides the famed countdown shows, he was also the voice of Shaggy in the cartoon Scooby-Doo and an announcer for NBC. He was a popular DJ and occasional actor before American Top 40 began in 1970. Jean Kasem, 60, was an actress with roles in Ghostbusters and Cheers. - WENN.com, 5/14/14.
Stevie Nicks, who is preparing to head out on tour with a reunited Fleetwood Mac, says she's in the midst of finishing up a new solo album tentatively titled 24 Karat Gold: Songs From the Vault. According to Nicks, the album will feature lost and stray tracks that she's written and recorded through the years, but never made it onto an album. The selections for 24 Karat Gold, also the title of a widely bootlegged Nicks album available on YouTube, were all newly recorded, and co-produced by Nicks, Dave Stewart and Waddy Wachtel. During her acceptance speech for a BMI Icon Award in Los Angeles on May 13, Nicks said she recorded "18 tracks in three weeks" for the new album, and that it's the "fastest I have ever recorded." 24 Karat Gold, which Nicks hopes to release in October via Warner/Reprise, will be the followup to Nicks' 2011 studio effort, In Your Dreams, which was also co-produced by Stewart. It debuted and peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart and has sold 199,000 in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. Fleetwood Mac, meanwhile, is also working on new music and will kick off a concert tour starting Sept. 30 in Minneapolis. It will be the band's first trek with singer/songwriter Christine McVie since The Dance Tour in 1997. - Billboard, 5/14/14.
Bob Dylan surprised fans on May 12 when he posted a cover of a 1954 hit for Frank Sinatra, "Full Moon and Empty Arms," on his official website. A spokesman for the rock legend says the track is "definitely from a forthcoming album" of cover songs that Dylan will release later in 2014. While the rep wouldn't confirm an album title, Dylan posted a jazz LP-influenced image of himself with the phrase "Shadows in the Night." "Full Moon and Empty Arms" has been covered by everyone from Robert Goulet to The Platters, but Sinatra's rendition remains the most famous. Dylan's last few albums were strongly inspired by popular music from this era. The 72-year-old musician will kick off a European leg of his Never Ending Tour on June 16 in Cork, Ireland. It will run though July 17 in Pori, Finland. - Rolling Stone, 5/13/14.
Ozzy Osbourne was honored for his continued sobriety on May 12 at the 10th annual MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit, a night that saw performances from Osbourne, Metallica, Beth Hart and Keb Mo. Beth Hart performed the Black Sabbath hit "Changes" in honor of the co-founding Sabbath vocalist, and Metallica performed Ozzy's solo hit, "Diary of a Madman." The Eagles' Joe Walsh, a recovering substance abuser himself, also spoke at the event in support of Ozzy and other recovering musicians. Walsh, who recalled touring with Osbourne when the former was in the James Gang and the latter was fronting Black Sabbath the first time, said it's "really a battle to get sober." "It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do and Ozzy is a real buddy and he has his set of demons, but he's stacked up some days of consecutive sobriety here and he's never been better," he said later in an interview with Billboard. "He's a new guy and I'm just so happy he hasn't fallen on the side of the road. He's still up and going, nobody knows why or how, but power to him. He's got a clear head and he's a powerful guy when he's sober." Walsh also says he is recording a solo album, and that the Eagles have some new material in the works, but doesn't say if those will ever see the light of day. "We've got some stuff in the can," he says, adding, "I've got a blues album." The Eagles will also be back to tour the west coast this fall, according to Walsh. - Billboard, 5/13/14.
An online Bruce Springsteen museum will feature 300 artifacts when it launches in June at BlindedByTheLight.com. The date coincides with the 30th anniversary of his platinum-selling 1984 album Born in the U.S.A., and collects handwritten lyrics, concert posters, report cards and more, with more to be added in subsequent months. The site's Facebook page currently features images of a number of Springsteen artifacts, including a passport photo, his driver's license and the lyrics to a song called "Henry Boy" that would become "Rosalita." The site's founder, Michael Crane, has previously contributed to exhibits at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and intends to offer up contest prizes on the site every six months. The first offering is original album artwork autographed by Springsteen, with Crane noting that he would give away the singer's 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible, in which Springsteen wrote "Born to Run." Springsteen and the E Street Band are currently on a tour that ends on May 18 in Connecticut. - Rolling Stone, 5/12/14.
Motown legend Smokey Robinson has announced he'll release an album of duets with such musician friends as Elton John and James Taylor, among others. Entitled Smokey & Friends and due in September via Verve Records, the LP is helmed by music producer and American Idol judge Randy Jackson, and draws from Robinson's extensive catalog of hits as a member of the legendary Miracles, as a solo artist and as the writer of classics the Motown icon penned for other acts, including Marvin Gaye and the Temptations. Elton John will harmonize with Robinson on the 1965 classic "The Tracks of My Tears," which John calls "the greatest pop song ever written." Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress, the single peaked at No. 2 R&B and No. 16 pop. Taylor contributes to the Gaye signature hit "Ain't That Peculiar," another R&B/pop classic from 1965 that was produced by Robinson, who also co-wrote the song with fellow members of the Miracles. Additional "Smokey & Friends" collaborations featuring contemporary and classic artists will be announced soon. - Billboard, 5/14/14.
Robert Plant says his forthcoming solo LP will "sound right at a Jamaican party." "It's really a celebratory record, but it's very crunchy and gritty, very West African and very Massive Attack-y," Plant recently told Rolling Stone magazine about as-yet-untitled album. "There's a lot of bottom end, so it might sound all right at a Jamaican party, but I'm not sure it would sound all right on NPR." Plant added he will be on the road with his backing group, the Sensational Space Shifters throughout much of the summer and his future plans are unclear, though he has been talking with Alison Krauss about recording a follow-up to their successful 2007 LP Raising Sand. On May 2, Plant cancelled his upcoming tour of Spain in July due to "scheduling conflicts," which contradicts some online reports that he was cancelling the tour due to "exhaustion." Meanwhile in other Led Zeppelin-related news, Jimmy Page was honored with a doctoral degree from the Berklee College of Music in Boston on May 10. The iconic guitarist delivered the commencement address to nearly 900 Berklee graduates, telling them that "their love of music will sustain them through the unexpected twists and turns that lie ahead." Page also participated in a private listening session for the upcoming 
In conjunction with Michael Jackson's latest posthumous LP 
"My paintings seem to make the strongest impression on people who are, well, who are crazy," Giger said in a 1979 interview. "If they like my work they are creative... or they are crazy." His 1976 lithograph, "Necronom IV," was the basis for the Xenomorph creature that debuted in Ridley Scott's 1979 space horror Alien and appeared in its many sequels. He won the Academy Award for Best Achievement for Visual Effects for Alien in 1980 and contributed designs to 1986's Poltergeist II: The Other Side, 1992's Alien 3, 1995's Species and 2012's Prometheus, among other films. He was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2013. Prog-rock trio Emerson, Lake and Palmer's 1973 album 
Peter Gabriel has canceled a planned May 10 concert in Kiev, Ukraine, over security concerns in the Eastern European country, which has been experiencing ongoing political turmoil. "Due to the on-going unrest in Ukraine it has become clear that the security of the touring personnel and equipment cannot be guaranteed during the planned visit to the country and this has presented us with significant logistical difficulties that we have been unable to resolve," a statement on Gabriel's official web site reads. "Any delays or damage as result of the situation in Ukraine would not be insured and would also potentially jeopardize future shows on the tour, something which we feel we also have to consider," it continued. According to the statement, there are hopes that the situation will resolved "in a positive and peaceful fashion" and the singer would still be able to perform in Ukraine "in the not-too-distant future." Gabriel, who was recently honored with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Apr. 10 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, is the latest in a string of international acts, including Depeche Mode and Aerosmith, who have canceled or postponed their Ukrainian or Russian shows in the past year due to the turmoil in Ukraine and strained relations between Russia and the country. - The Hollywood Reporter, 5/9/14.
Jimmy Page's self-titled 2010 "photographic autobiography," which was published as a limited edition in 2010, will hit major bookstores in October with a price tag of around U.S. $54. 
Members of the Cars, Blondie, the Romantics and the Chesterfield Kings have formed a new "supergroup" called the Empty Hearts who will release a debut album on Aug. 5. The Cars' Elliot Easton, Blondie drummer Clem Burke, Romantics lead singer Wally Palmar and Chesterfield Kings bassist Andy Babiuk say their new project is an attempt to get back to the garage and play straightforward rock 'n' roll. Also helping out on the debut is former the Faces pianist Ian McLagan and Ramones producer-engineer Ed Stasium. Savoy Label Group's 429 Records will release 
"Xscape," the title track from Michael Jackson's 
An electric 1962 Rickenbacker guitar owned and played in the studio by George Harrison is headed to auction. The late Beatles legend's Rickenbacker 425 will be up for grabs on May 17 at Manhattan's Hard Rock Cafe, where it's estimated to fetch up to $600,000. According to the Julien's Auctions website, Harrison purchased the guitar in 1963 at Fenton's Music store in Mount Vernon, Illinois, during a two-week trip to visit his sister, Louise. While the Rickenbacker 425 isn't as easily recognizable as some of his other guitars (including his various Gretsch models, 12-string Rickenbacker or Fender Telecaster), Harrison did use the axe onstage during the Fab Four's first appearance on the TV show Ready Steady Go! in October 1963 and on Thank Your Lucky Stars in December 1963. He also played the guitar on the band's week-long tour of Sweden and during Abbey Road studio sessions for "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (which also featured the recording of "This Boy.") The auction will also feature a rare copy of Beatles '65 signed by each of the Beatles which is expected to bring up to $300,000. The auction will also feature more rock memorabilia, including Jimi Hendrix's Sears Silvertone electric guitar, which is estimated to sell for $100,000. Meanwhile in other Beatles-related news, the band's 1964 movie A Hard Day's Night will be screened in more than 50 cities across the US over the Fourth of July weekend to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the film's premiere at London's Pavilion Theatre in 1964. - Rolling Stone/AP, 5/9/14.
Eric Clapton is planning a star-studded tribute album to his late friend, singer/songwriter J.J. Cale who wrote two of Clapton's biggest hits ("After Midnight" and "Cocaine") as well as for being a pioneer of the "Tulsa Sound." 
Robert Plant has signed a new worldwide record deal with Nonesuch/Warner Bros. Records, who will release his tenth solo LP on a date to be announced soon. The label says the Led Zeppelin alum's new LP will feature his roots and psychedelic-inspired backing band, The Sensational Space Shifters. Plant and the Space Shifters are spending this summer on tour, with dates in Europe that include festival stops at Pinkpop, Glastonbury and Montreux. Their live shows have been "getting the Led out" with re-imagined versions of familiar Led Zepp songs along with Plant's own solo material. Plant's new album will be the followup to his 2010 set, Band of Joy, which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. Plant has charted 13 solo albums on the album chart, including seven top 10 efforts. Of those, his highest charting release was his Grammy Award-winning "Raising Sand," with Alison Krauss. It peaked at No. 2 on the chart and spent 72 weeks on the list " his longest-charting effort. It has sold 1.6 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. Meanwhile, a trailer for the forthcoming reissue of Led Zeppelin's second album has been released. A new song, "La La," ill appear on the second disc of Led Zeppelin II and the album's companion audio will also include alternate mixes of five songs from the album plus backing tracks to "Thank You" and "Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman)." On June 2 the 
Paul McCartney's current tour might be named "Out There," but he was really "up there" on Apr. 28 when he played Quito, Ecuador, which sits at 9,350 feet above sea level. The show at the city's Estadio de Liga venue was the Beatles legend's first concert ever in Ecuador, and to mark his visit local authorities teamed up with the country's Beatles fan club to greet Sir Paul by creating a giant logo for his latest album, NEW, on the Pichincha Mountain, a local landmark, where it is visible throughout the entire city. Macca's three-hour concert included a special rendition of "All You Need Is Love" on the piano, a song currently being used in a global tourism advert for Ecuador. McCartney is currently on the South American leg of his Out There tour, having previously performed in Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Peru and Ecuador. He will next visit Europe and then North America, then return to Japan and also make his debut in Korea in June. As previously reported, he is also set to play the final concert ever at San Francisco's Candlestick Park on Aug. 14. - The Hollywood Reporter, 5/2/14.
Forty years after their third studio album 
Paul Simon and his wife, the singer Edie Brickell, appeared in court in Norwalk, Conn., on Apr. 28 following their arrest two days earlier on disorderly conduct charges after officers investigated a 911 call made by Simon at their residence. The police report indicates that Brickell, 48, and Simon, 72, became physical with each other during an argument inside a cottage on their New Canaan property that houses a recording studio. Brickell told officers she confronted her husband after he did something to "break her heart," according to police, but she did not provide any details. She told police he shoved her during the argument, and she slapped him. The report indicates Simon called 911 and then hung up, prompting the police response. Simon suffered a superficial cut to his ear, and Brickell, who smelled of alcohol, had a bruise on her wrist, according to the police report. The couple were allowed to remain on the property, but Simon agreed to spend the night in a second home in Manhattan, police said. Both said in court they did not consider the other a threat, and no protective order was issued. "Both of us are fine together," Simon told Superior Court Judge William Wenzel. "We had an argument and it's atypical of us and neither one of us has any fear or any reason to feel threatened." Simon and Brickell are due back in court on May 16. Two days after appearing in court, the pair released a new musical collaboration, "Like to Get to Know You," which is described as a sweet three-minute acoustic duet. It opens with sentiments of estrangements and then longingly noticing other couples getting along, before returning to a tender chorus: "I wouldn't trade places with anyone, none of them. Cause I'd like to get to know you again." - New Musical Express/Billboard, 5/1/14.
The handwritten notes for of the most famous rock songs of all time, Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," is to be auctioned by Sotheby's this summer. The auctioneer is offering a working draft about the 1965 song about a debutante who becomes a loner when she's cast from upper-class social circles for an estimated $1-2 million. The draft is written in pencil by a 24-year-old Dylan on four sheets of hotel letterhead stationery with revisions, additions, notes and doodles: a hat, a bird, an animal with antlers. The stationery comes from the Roger Smith hotel in Washington, D.C. "How does it feel To be on your own" it says in his handwriting. "No direction home Like a complete unknown Like a rolling stone." Scrawls seem to reflect the artist's experimentation with rhymes. The name "Al Capone" is scrawled in the margin, with a line leading to the lyrics "Like a complete unknown." Another note says: "...dry vermouth, you'll tell the truth..." Sotheby's says it is "the only known surviving draft of the final lyrics for this transformative rock anthem." The auction is June 24 as part of Sotheby's rock and pop music sale. In related news, Mick Jagger sang a rendition of Dylan's "Just Like a Woman" at a celebrity-filled memorial service on May 2 for his longtime companion, fashion designer L'Wren Scott, who committed suicide in March. The service, held at St. Bartholomew's Church in Manhattan, was followed by a reception. Others attending included actresses Julianne Moore, Meg Ryan, Renee Zellweger, and Ellen Barkin as well as film director Martin Scorsese. Fans lined against barricades to take photos. A small private funeral was held for Scott in Los Angeles in March. - AP, 5/2/14.
The new Carole King stage production "Beautiful - The Carole King Musical" has received seven Tony Awards nominations, including Best Musical and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for Jessie Mueller. It was also recognized for its book and actors in featured roles. The multiple Carole King nominations come just months after the influential singer-songwriter was honored as MusiCare's 2013 Person of the Year. Several famous faces, including Lady Gaga, Steven Tyler, Pink and more paid tribute to her at an event in Los Angeles in January. "It is my absolute privilege to be honoring such an incredible woman, a true musical genius named Carole King," Gaga said, referencing King's "You've Got a Friend." "[I used to] crank this song so high - and I really believed so much, Carole, that you were my friend. Thank you so much for the way you sing right to us." The American Theatre Wing's 68th Annual Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. on June 8, with Hugh Jackman hosting. - Rolling Stone, 4/29/14.