Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on July 20th, 2015

The 2015 Newport Folk Festival, which is set for July 24-26 in Fort Adams State Park, R.I., will mark the 50th anniversary of Bob Dylan famously "going electric" with a closing-night Dylan tribute to be performed by a still-secret lineup of artists. On July 25, 1965, the famous 24-year-old folkie strode onstage in a black leather jacket and launched into a searing, distortion-filled, three-song electric set that brought boos from folk purists but thrilled others. After his controversial set, Dylan returned to play the Newport Folk Festival only once, in 2002. Festival organizers say there is a standing invitation for him to play whenever he wants, but he will not be performing this year. The Fender Stratocaster guitar he played that night was auctioned for nearly $1 million, the highest price ever paid for a guitar at auction. On July 14, a new book exploring the concert in detail by Elijah Wald, Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night that Split the Sixties, was published by Dey Street Books. - AP, 7/19/15...... With his remastering sessions for Led Zeppelin's final three albums, Presence, In Through the Out Door and Coda in the can and set for release on July 31, Jimmy Page says he's set to pursue a "new project" that will be a "live return." "The one thing I haven't been seen to be doing recently is playing guitar. So now I've got the opportunity to put all my drive into playing the guitar and working out what way to present myself next," Page recently told New Musical Express. "I think it's safe to assume that will be a new project. I don't know who with yet because I haven't had a chance to work on it, but I've got material that's written I want to revisit and well, it's an exciting time," he added. In Sept. 2014, Page revealed that he planned to start a new group that would perform career-spanning tracks from his back catalogue, along with "some new material." Page also said the remastered Led Zeppelin catalog represents "closure" to "the recording world, the studio world of Led Zeppelin." - New Musical Express, 7/17/15...... Just days after being sentenced to home detention for threatening to kill a man who used to work for him, former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has been arrested again in by authorities in New Zealand, who have not disclosed the reasons for the latest arrest. Rudd's latest arrest came on July 19 and he is currently behind bars, though his lawyer, Craig Tuck, says he is due to appear in court on July 20 for a bail application. Rudd was sentenced to eight months of home confinement on July 9 after pleading guilty to threatening to kill a former employee and possession of methamphetamine and marijuana. AC/DC is currently using Welsh drummer Chris Slade for its Rock or Bust album tour, but hasn't said whether it plans on replacing Rudd with Slade permanently. - AP, 7/19/15...... After revealing in March that he was releasing a new solo album, Pink Floyd's David Gilmour has released the tracklisting for the new LP, called Rattle That Lock and set for worldwide release on Sept. 18. In addition to the title track, Rattle That Lock's 10 songs include "5 A.M," "Faces Of Stone," "A Boat Lies Waiting," "Dancing Right In Front Of Me," "In Any Tongue," "Beauty," "The Girl In The Yellow Dress," "Today" and "And Then." His longtime writing partner Polly Samson contributes lyrics to the new album, which is co-produced by Gilmour and Roxy Music's Phil Manzanera. Gilmour also announced he'll play four U.S. dates in 2016 behind the new album, opening at L.A.'s Hollywood Bowl on Mar. 24, Toronto's ACC on Mar. 31, Chicago's United Center on Apr. 8 and Madison Square Garden in New York on Apr. 11. Before then, he'll tour the U.K. and Europe in September. - Billboard, 7/16/15...... Local Asbury Park, N.J., bar band Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers' set on July 18 at the Wonder Bar had a surprise guest, Bruce Springsteen, 15 minutes into the show. The Boss, who produced the band's 1995 album American Babylon, jammed with Grushecky on 15 songs, including "Racing in the Street," "Adam Raised a Cain," "Darkness on the Edge of Town," "Save My Love," "Atlantic City" and "Pink Cadillac." Thanks to rabid texting among those in the 300-capacity venue, it didn't take long before a crowd gathered on the sidewalk, trying to listen in to the show. Springsteen took notice, dedicating "Light of Day" -- and leading the through the chorus of classic "Land of 1,000 Dances" -- to the "people out in the street." Also performed that evening was "Code of Silence," a song co-written by Springsteen and Grushecky that won the pair a Grammy Award in 2004. - Billboard, 7/19/15...... One More For the Fans!, a new Lynyrd Skynyrd CD/DVD tribute set out July 24, features performances by surviving members of the seminal Southern Rock band along with 19 other artists, including Peter Frampton, Gregg Allman, Gov't Mule, John Hiatt, Trace Adkins, Alabama, Aaron Lewis and more. Coordinated by musical director Don Was, the concert took place on Nov. 12, 2014 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, the same venue where Skynyrd's 1977 live double-LP set One More From the Road was recorded. Lynyrd Skynyrd is currently on tour in North America, with dates booked into early October. - Billboard, 7/17/15...... Queen has announced it will release a deluxe 18-LP vinyl collection of all 15 of its studio albums on Sept. 25. Reported to be five years in the making, the remastered Queen Studio Collection box set will also come with a 108-page hardback book which features introductions to each album, quotes from Queen themselves, hand-written lyrics, rare photographs, memorabilia, and information on singles and videos. Also, a limited-edition Queen-themed record player manufactured by Rega will be available to coincide with the box set. "Queen always had a special fondness for vinyl, the medium in which they first began to create, around 1970," the band said in a press release. "As a matter of principle, every Queen studio album was offered at the time of original release on vinyl, even well into the era when CDs had taken over as the medium of choice for most of the public," it added. - NME, 7/16/15...... In related news, '70s rockers the Faces will release a career-spanning vinyl box set of all four of its studio albums, as well as a fifth disc of non-LP singles. 1970-1975: You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything is named after the band's final single and will also feature a variety of extras, such as outtakes and rehearsal recordings. Due out on Aug. 28, the set will feature the Faces' four studio efforts, 1970's First Step, 1971's Long Player and An Nod Is as Good as a Wink...to a Blind Horse, and 1973's Ooh La La. The set will also be available on compact disc. - NME, 7/19/15...... A new Sly & the Family Stone MP3 box set, Live At The Fillmore East October 4th & 5th, 1968, documents four concerts by the famous '70s funksters just 10 months prior to their legendary 1969 Woodstock performance. Dropping on July 17, the set features four shows at the legendary New York venue that capture the group at the height of its powers. The band's label, Epic, had planned to release a live album from the Fillmore shows in 1969, but tabled those plans in favor of a new studio album with the band's next single, "Everyday People," was a smash. The recordings subsequently became widely circulated bootlegs but appear in pristine form on Sony Legacy's new four-disc set, whose booklet includes comments by surviving members of the group. - Billboard, 7/16/15...... Gene Simmons of Kiss, who happens to be a friend of 2016 Republican presidential contender Donald Trump, appeared on CNN Tonight with moderator Don Lemon on July 15 to discuss Trump's controversial campaign so far. While he joked that asking him about presidential politics was like "people asking Jeb Bush about what he thinks of Led Zeppelin," Simmons did say that Trump has been "ungentlemanly" and is "better and smarter" than his recent comments suggest. "Fear creates all times of havoc. Sometimes it creates hate," Simmons said about Trump's comments regarding Mexican immigrants. Regardless, Simmons called Trump a great father, a friend and a "straight shooter." The shock-rocker also had a few kind words for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton -- "She has a lot to say and a lot to offer." - Billboard, 7/16/15...... Neil Young has been fined $10,000 after his 23-song set went past a city noise curfew in the Detroit-area DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Mich., on July 14. Young's encore of two songs, "Don't Be Denied" and "Roll Another Number," lasted 10 minutes past the mandatory 11 p.m. curfew and triggered a $1,000-per-minute fine. The venue is in close proximity to residential areas and the curfew has been in place since the early 2000's. Meanwhile, Young has announced he is withdrawing his music from all streaming services, saying "I don't need my music to be devalued by the worst quality in the history of broadcasting." In a post on his Facebook page, the folk-rocker said: "Streaming has ended for me. I hope this is ok for my fans. It's not because of the money, although my share (like all the other artists) was dramatically reduced by bad deals made without my consent. It's about sound quality. I don't need my music to be devalued by the worst quality in the history of broadcasting or any other form of distribution. I don't feel right allowing this to be sold to my fans. It's bad for my music. For me, It's about making and distributing music people can really hear and feel. I stand for that. When the quality is back, I'll give it another look. Never say never." Young has spent the better part of the past two years pushing adoption of high-fidelity audio, and as of July 15 his music was still available to stream on Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music. - Billboard, 7/15/15...... The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., announced on July 15 that Carole King and the Eagles will be among the six honorees of the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors. Also recognized with the honor this year will be actresses Rita Moreno and Cicely Tyson, Star Wars creator George Lucas, and acclaimed music director Seiji Ozawa. The Kennedy Center Honors culminates in a gala performance Dec. 6 in Washington, featuring top entertainers. The show will be broadcast Dec. 29 on CBS. - AP, 7/15/15...... Prolific rock songwriter and producer Buddy Buie, known for his collaborations with the '60s band Classics IV and '70s Southern Rock hitmakers The Atlanta Rhythm Section, died on July 18 in Dothan, Ala., after suffering a heart attack. He was 74. After an initial success producing and writing hits for the Jacksonville, Fla., quintet Classics IV, which charted four Top 40 hits in 1968 and 1969 including "Spooky," "Stormy," "Traces" and "Everyday With You Girl," Buie hooked up with the Atlanta Rhythm Section in 1974, becoming its manager and co-writing several of their hits. Buie was a profilic songwriter, penning 340 songs in the BMI catalog, nearly all of them crafted in Eufaula, Ala., on Thomas Mill Creek, where he had a small fishing trailer. An Alabama native who spent most of his songwriting career in Atlanta, Buie was inducted into both the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. His songs were covered by such diverse artists as Wynonna Judd, Garth Brooks, Gloria Estefan, Travis Tritt, David Sanborn, Carlos Santana and John Legend, and his music also appeared in several films and TV shows, including Lost in Translation, Just Like Heaven and The Fighter. "Just last week Buddy shared his enthusiasm, and support, for the band, saying he wanted to come hear the new songs we added to the show. We will miss Buddy's contributions, musically, professionally, and most of all personally," The Atlanta Rhythm Section posted on its official Facebook page on July 18. - RNN/AP, 7/19/15.

Paul McCartney issued a statement on July 10 speaking out against Britain's new Tory government, which has proposed the 2004 Hunting Act be amended to allow the return of fox hunting. "The people of Britain are behind this Tory government on many things but the vast majority of us will be against them if hunting is reintroduced," Sir Paul said. "It is cruel and unnecessary and will lose them support from ordinary people and animal lovers like myself," he continued. A day earlier, the Conservatives proposed an amendment which would allow foxes to be hunted if it was done in order to protect other animals, and the pack could be allowed to flush a fox out of hiding but not kill it. The proposals will be voted upon in Parliament on July 15. Also on July 9, Queen's Brian May slammed the pro-hunting group Countryside Alliance in a debate with its representative Jim Barrington on BBC Newsnight, and later labeled them as "a bunch of lying bastards." "There is no justification for the hunting of foxes on the grounds of control of foxes," the Queen guitarist and animal activist said. "They breed them to hunt, it's all about people out there trying to catch foxes for fun, they like causing pain and this is what [Prime Minister David] Cameron is endorsing." - New Musical Express, 7/10/15...... Meanwhile, Rod Stewart is livid that a photo of him wearing a seal skin coat is being used in an ad for the controversial industry. Stewart posted on his Facebook page on July 14 that as he was in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, to play a concert he stopped in a store to pick up capes for some of his crew, and that he obliged the store's manager to pose for a photo wearing a seal skin jacket. Stewart says he regrets that he didn't check what the jacket was made of and is upset the photo is being used as an advertisement for an industry he does not support. But the Always in Vogue store's manager, Darren Halloran, claims Stewart and his entourage were indeed informed and it's possible he wasn't aware of the politics surrounding the seal industry. Stewart headlined an outdoor summer festival in St. John's on July 11. On July 14, Stewart appeared on CBS's Late Late Show with James Corden and candidly recalled tales of his rowdy tour days in the 1970s with the Faces. "We were outrageous with the Faces. In what way? Drinking and a shagging. And a drinking and a shagging. That's what we did. And smashing up hotel rooms," the 70-year-old said. With Corden accompanying, Stewart also performed his Cat Stevens-penned hit "The First Cut Is the Deepest," his 1979 smash "Do You Think I'm Sexy," and "Ooh La La," a Faces classic from 1973. - The Canadian Press/Billboard, 7/15/15...... A double-breasted black woolen jacket worn by Ringo Starr in the 1965 Beatles movie Help! is being auctioned by Boston-based RR Auctions from July 16 through July 23. Starr's dapper jacket is among nearly 500 items for sale in a "Marvels of Modern Music" online auction, including a 1971 letter written by Doors frontman Jim Morrison from Paris to a couple in Beverly Hills, Calif., and a 1980 custom-designed Hamer electric guitar used by Johnny Ramone. - AP, 7/9/15...... In an essay published Rolling Stone magazine, Tom Petty says he regrets using the Confederate flag in the 1980s during his Southern Comfort Tour and calls it "downright stupid." While Petty said he grew up in Gainesville, Fla., where the flag was the "wallpaper of the South," he asks his fellow Southernors to take a step back and ask themselves what that symbol looks like to African-Americans. "The way we're losing black men and citizens in general is horrific," he writes. "What's going on in society is unforgivable. As a country, we should be more concerned with why the police are getting away with targeting black men and killing them for no reason. That's a bigger issue than the flag." - Billboard, 7/14/15...... Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters has unveiled a trailer for his upcoming concert film, Roger Waters The Wall. First screened at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, the film will be released in theateres worldwide for one day only on Sept. 29. It follows Waters' "The Wall Live Tour," which ran between 2010 and 2013 and was seen by nearly four million people. It was the largest worldwide tour ever undertaken by a solo artist and was the first time any Pink Floyd member had played their 1979 concept album The Wall in two decades. Meanwhile, Waters is scheduled to headline the 2015 Newport Folk Festival, which runs from July 24-26 in Fort Adams State Park, R.I. It will be his first peformance ever at the legendary festival, and his first live show since Sept. 2013. - New Musical Express, 7/13/15...... Las Vegas' Clark County Coroner issued a statement on July 13 saying an autopsy sought by two of B.B. King's 11 adult children shows the cause of death was Alzheimer's disease with other physical conditions. Daughters Karen Williams and Patty King had alleged that King's business manager, LaVerne Toney, and his personal assistant, Myron Johnson, hastened their father's death through poisoning. Brent Bryson -- a lawyer for King's estate, Toney and Johnson -- called the claims defamatory and libelous. The ruling by the coroner closes the official investigation of the death of King, who died on May 14 while in hospice care at his Las Vegas home at age 89. - AP, 7/13/15...... NBC has cast newcomer Alvia Lind, age 7, to portray Dolly Parton in its upcoming Coat of Many Colors movie about the country music icon. Based on Parton's humble upbringing, Coat of Many Colors is a family-oriented faith-based story about the incidents in Parton's and her family's life around the time she was 9 years old. The movie is set in the Tennessee Great Smokey Mountains in 1955. Lind, whose acting credits include the Lifetime Will Ferrell movie A Deadly Adaption as well as Masters of Sex and Transparent, says she was surprised when Parton herself called to inform her she had gotten the part after a call-back audition. - The Hollywood Repoerter, 7/13/15...... In other country music news, country artists Kris Kristofferson, Charley Pride and Jim Lauderdale were honored on July 11 for their life-long musical contributions at the 32nd Annual American Eagle Awards during a Nashville trade show gathering of the National Association of Music Merchants. Rosanne Cash and the Oak Ridge Boys performed in celebration of this year's honorees. - AP, 7/12/15...... The BBC announced on July 10 that it will no longer play or use music from Neil Young, The Doors, Journey or Bonnie Raitt after those artists withdrew from the UK's Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS), no longer wishing to be accept the society's licensing agreements. The BBC's legal department says the organization had no means of paying those artists when their songs were broadcasted and due to fear of copyright infringement, will not be able to do so until an agreement is reached with their publishers. As well as the music by the artists, the BBC have also blacklisted any covers of their songs by other artists or tracks that sample their music. Wixen Music, the rights representative of these artists, eleased a statement in response to the news saying: "The BBC can use Neil Young and The Doors any time they negotiate a license with us to do so in a given programme. All we are saying is that we wont pre-approve uses or fees if the clients have not had an opportunity to review and approve the uses and fees. In the USA, where these artists are based, TV uses are approved and fees negotiated by the artists and songwriters, or their representatives, and our clients are not used to blanket pre-agreed uses and fees." - NME, 7/10/15...... Joan Jett has issued a statement denying she had any knowledge of a recent claim by her former Runaways bandmate Jackie Fox that she was once raped by the Runaways' manager Kim Fowley after a roadie insisted she take a Quaalude pill and did so while Jett and others watched. "Anyone who truly knows me understands that if I was aware of a friend or bandmate being violated, I would not stand by while it happened," said Jett in a statement. "For a group of young teenagers thrust into 70s rock stardom there were relationships that were bizarre, but I was not aware of this incident. Obviously Jackie's story is extremely upsetting and although we haven't spoken in decades, I wish her peace and healing," added Jett, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April. Kim Fowley died of bladder cancer in Jan. 2015. - Billboard, 7/10/15..... Guitarist Billy Zoom of the legendary late 70's L.A. punk band X revealed on July 9 that he is battling bladder cancer and is set to begin chemotherapy later in July. Zoom, 67, is known for his "punkabilly" riffs, wide stance, famous coif, and constant onstage grin. The announcement stunned X fans who have come to enjoy an ongoing succession of X reunion tours that have lasted far longer than the group's original tenure did. In the first day of a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Zoom's treatment, over 700 donors pledged more than $40,000 toward the stated goal of "$50,000 to Help Billy Zoom Kick Cancer's Ass." Although X has undertaken at least eight national U.S. tours since 1998, they haven't recorded any new material as a unit during that 17-years-and-running resumption. - Billboard, 7/10/15...... Kinks guitarist and co-founder Dave Davies has announced he'll perform a rare concert at London's Islington Assembly Hall on Dec. 18, 2015. Davies will be performing solo songs from his several critically acclaimed albums, hits and Kinks classics which showcase his unique writing style along with the revolutionary guitar sound he created and such classics as "You Really Got Me." Davies' band will feature guitarist Jonathan Lee, bassist Tom Currier, and drummer Dennis Diken of the Smithereens. Tickets went on sale on July 13. - Noble PR, 7/10/15...... Music City Mayhem "Female Rock Vocalist of the Year" and bassist extraordinaire Jasmine Cain has been nominated for Best Alternative Rock Band for the 9th Annual Nashville Independent Music Awards (NIMA). NIMA9 will take place at 3rd & Lindsley (818 3rd Ave S.) on Aug. 29. The NIMA nomination highlights a breakout year for Cain, who is set to self-release her 5th studio album, White Noise, on July 24. Cain will embark on a 31-date US tour on July 17 in Indianapolis, opening for Night Ranger. The tour continues through Nov. 21. - 1888 Media, 7/13/15...... Songwriter/producer/composer Michael Masser, who worked with such artists as Whitney Houston, Diana Ross and Gladys Knight, died in Rancho Mirage, Calif., on July 9. He was 74. Masser's compositions included Houston's "The Greatest Love of All," Ross' "The Last Time I Saw Him" and "Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You" by Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson. In 2007, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. His first big hit came with Ross' chart-topping recording of "Touch Me In the Morning," which he co-wrote and co-produced. That was followed with Ross' "Theme from 'Mahogany' (Do You Know Where You're Going To?)," which he co-wrote with Gerald Goffin and also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. After learning of his passing, Diana Ross posted a remembrance on Twitter the following day: "Michael Masser. so many memories He will live on. through his beautiful songs Touch me in the morning, It's my turn Theme from Mahogany." - Billboard, 7/10/15...... John Vickers, a Canadian-born opera singer nicknamed "God's tenor" for his inimitable voice and strong Christian beliefs, died on July 10 in the Canadian province of Ontario after a struggle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 88. Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, in 1926, Mr. Vickers sang as a child in church choirs and aspired to study medicine before winning a scholarship to the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He made his Royal Opera debut in 1957, and the following year he performed at Germany's Bayreuth festival, going on to become one of the world's leading performers of Richard Wagner. From 1960, he was a regular at New York's Metropolitan Opera, where his signature roles included Benjamin Britten's "Peter Grimes." - AP, 7/13/15...... Omar Sharif, the dashing Egyptian-born actor known for his roles in such epic films as Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, died on July 10 in Cairo after suffering a heart attack. He was 83. With his dark eyes, debonair demeanor and exotic accent, Mr. Sharif was considered one of the most handsome men on the planet, his looks getting as much attention as his acting ability. He earned an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in Lawrence of Arabia and won a Golden Globe Award for it and Dr. Zhivago. His other film credits include the parody film Top Secret! created by the Airplane! team, and he appeared as the Sorcerer in a production of Gulliver's Travels. In the 1990s, he had both a perfume and a brand of cigarettes named after him. "My great friend Omar Sharif has passed away. I will always miss him. He was one of the best," tweeted his friend Antonio Bandaras, who starred with Mr. Sharif in 1999's The 13th Warrior. - CNN, 7/10/15...... Longtime Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler, nicknamed "The Snake" for his ability to elude defensive players, died on July 9 in Gulfport, Miss., after a battle with colon cancer. He was 69. A native of Foley, Ala., Stabler played collegiately under legendary head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant at the University of Alabama. He led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated season in 1966 and was an All-American in 1967. Stabler was also a four-time Pro Bowl selection and was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1974, when he led the league in touchdown passes with 26. Prior to the 1980 season, Stabler was traded to the Houston Oilers, where he played for two seasons before finishing his NFL career for three seasons with the New Orleans Saints from 1982-84. In his professional career, Stabler threw for 27,938 yards, 194 touchdowns and 222 interceptions. After Stabler retired from the NFL, he worked as a color commentator for CBS NFL telecasts and also called Alabama games on the radio until 2009. "When you think about the Raiders you think about Ken Stabler. Kenny loved life. It is a sad day for all Raiders," former Oakland Raiders head coach John Madden said in a statement. - Yahoo News, 7/10/15.