Monday, April 22, 2019

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on April 27th, 2019



'70s artists are well represented on a new pop-up SiriusXM radio channel counting down the top songs of the 1980s and 1990s. Olivia-Newton John's "Physical" crowned the 1980s chart, while Santana and Rob Thomas' "Smooth" was named the most popular song of the 1990s. "Physical" led the weekly Billboard Hot 100 for a then-record-tying 10 weeks, beginning in November 1981, with "Smooth" leading the Hot 100 for 12 weeks, beginning in October 1999, marking Santana's first No. 1 a record 30 years after the Carlos Santana-fronted act's first appearance on the chart. SiriusXM partnered with Billboard for the pop-up channel countdowns. - Billboard, 4/24/19...... Meanwhile, SiriusXM has announced special Willie Nelson programming in the last weekend of April to celebrate the country icon's 86th birthday on Apr. 30. "Willie Nelson's 4-Day Birthday Weekend" gets underway on the curated Willie's Roadhouse channel on Apr. 27 at 7:00 p.m. EDT, featuring a conversation between Nelson and his daughter Paula and his full 45-minute Luck Reunion performance. It will be repeated on Apr. 28 at 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Apr. 29 at noon and 6 p.m. and Apr. 30 at midnight and 8:00 p.m. - Billboard, 4/26/19...... Cameron CroweA musical based on the beloved '70s-themed acclaimed 2000 movie Almost Famous will have its world premiere in San Diego on Sept. 13 at The Old Globe Theater, producers Lia Vollack announced on Apr. 26. The city is the hometown of the movie's director, Cameron Crowe, and is based on his own teenage adventures as a writer for Rolling Stone magazine, and where he set the story. "The story has always been a personal one for me and it is a special thrill that we are coming to the Old Globe," Crowe said in a statement. "We used to live in an apartment on Sixth Street across from Balboa Park and the Old Globe. I first met [rock critic] Lester Bangs less than a mile away from where the 'Almost Famous' musical will open. It all feels a little bit like fun destiny to bring this story about loving music back to San Diego, where it all began." The show will open the 2019-2020 season at the Old Globe, with the musical's book written by Crowe based on his Oscar-winning screenplay, with music by two-time Tony winner Tom Kitt and lyrics by Kitt and Crowe; the show will be directed by Tony nominee Jeremy Herrin. Set in 1973, the story unfolds in the twilight of the Watergate-besieged Richard Nixon presidency, and follows idealistic 15 year-old aspiring music journalist William Miller. "'Almost Famous' is about a young man finding his place in the world and the indelible characters he meets along the way, featuring classic hits, in addition to the new songs by Kitt," according to a press release. Casting and other news about the show, which is co-produced by Columbia Live Stage, will be announced at a later date. - Billboard, 4/26/19...... A&M Records co-founder and '60s band leader Herb Alpert will hold his annual Herb Alpert Award in the Arts (HAAIA) event in New York on May 13. Alpert, 84, established HAAIA 25 years ago in response to cutbacks in government funding for the arts, and he says the situation hasn't changed. "The politicians don't get it," says Alpert. "The heart and soul of a country is shaped by its artists." Each year, the Herb Alpert Foundation offers a $75,000 prize (it previously was $50,000) to boundary-pushing midcareer artists, one each in the categories of dance, film and video, music, theater and visual arts. During his 50-year career, the Los Angeles native led The Tijuana Brass, won nine Grammys and, with his partner Jerry Moss, co-founded A&M Records, which the two sold to PolyGram in 1989. But he remains humble: "We started out very inconspicuously in my garage," he says of his early days. Using the funds from album royalties and the A&M sale, he established the foundation to support arts education, inspired by his decision to pick up a trumpet in his own school's music class. Alpert says he removes himself from both the process of selecting winners and the logistics of running HAAIA so there's "no corruption," but his discerning taste and generous spirit permeate the awards nonetheless. "The artists that we gravitate toward," he says, "have that certain something." - Billboard, 4/26/19...... In related news, Paul McCartney is criticizing the UK government after Liverpool's Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) reportedly lost £16 million in funding. The institution, which the former Beatle co-founded, claims a "series of errors, made in 2016, cost the institute in potential funding and a further £160,000 for the initial steps of a judicial review." An investigation has now been launched by the Parliamentary Ombudsman over how the Office for Students disqualified LIPA. "I helped to bring LIPA into life during very difficult times for Liverpool. It is now a highly respected institution all over the world," said Sir Paul in a statement. "Our funding was recently affected by what to me, and the heads of every university in Liverpool, was a flawed process. LIPA is my passion and part of my legacy. It would not be fair to allow injustice to affect its future. I sincerely hope the Government will correct this error and help us to continue our work successfully into the future," he added. - New Musical Express, 4/25/19...... In other Beatles-related news, the 2009 John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy is being adapted as a musical for the theatre stage. Based on a book written by the late Beatle's half-sister Julia Baird, the film Nowhere Boy depicted Lennon's teenage years and starred Aaron Johnson as the musician. Kristin Scott Thomas, David Morrissey and Anne-Marie Duff also starred, while Sam Taylor-Wood made her directorial debut with the movie. The musical will largely follow the narrative that was set out in the original film, which focused on the Quarrymen-era Lennon and the relationships he had with his mother, Julia Lennon, and Julia's older sister, Mimi Smith. The musical's producer, Dayna Lee, said that, as was the case with the movie, this focus on Lennon's aunt and mother will depict "two very different women, very powerful in different ways." Lennon's wido Yoko Ono is aware of the project "but has no involvement." As with the film version of Nowhere Boy, the musical will not include Beatles songs -- but will instead use rock and roll hits from the late 1950s. - NME, 4/23/19...... Bruce SpringsteenIt was revealed on Apr. 25 that Bruce Springsteen's first new studio album in more than five years will be released on June 14 by Columbia Records. Western Stars, Springsteen's 19th LP, draws inspiration from the Southern California pop records of the late '60s and early '70s. It was primarily recorded at the musician's home studio in New Jersey, with additional recording in California and New York. "This record is a return to my solo recordings featuring character driven songs and sweeping, cinematic orchestral arrangements," said Springsteen in a statement. "It's a jewel box of a record." Western Stars' 13 tracks -- all written by Springsteen -- are described as "encompass[ing] a sweeping range of American themes, of highways and desert spaces, of isolation and community and the permanence of home and hope." Western Stars was co-produced by Springsteen with Ron Aniello, who also produced the artist's last two studio albums, 2012's Wrecking Ball and 2014's High Hopes. Patti Scialfa, a long-time member of Springsteen's E Street Band who has been married to the musician since 1991, provided vocals and contributed vocal arrangements on four tracks. The first single and video from Western Stars, "Hello Sunshine," was released on Apr. 26. The four-minute, mid-tempo ballad features the Boss's melancholy vocals over a quickly strummed acoustic guitar, with a repeating piano figure coming in as the song's chorus is introduced with a touch of pedal steel guitar. - Billboard, 4/25/19...... Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer was absent during the eighth night of the band's "Deuces Are Wild" Las Vegas residency at the Park MGM on Apr. 23. He was replaced by his drum tech, John Douglas, after the 68-year-old suffered a minor accident, the band later told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "Joey had a minor accident and is totally fine, but he hurt his shoulder in the process so he won't be playing tomorrow," read the statement, which did not describe the injury. Douglas also replaced Kramer for the band's Apr. 26 show. - Billboard, 4/26/19...... A new David Bowie demo collection called The Mercury Demos after his former label will be released by Rhino/Parlophone Records on June 28. Songs on the album were recorded live in one take in the late musician's flat in 1969, and feature Bowie singing and playing guitar and Stylophone. John "Hutch" Hutchinson also appears on guitar and vocals. The 10-track LP will also include an early version of "Space Oddity," which according to a press release will be "presented in its true context for the first time." The rest of The Mercury Demos will be comprised of Bowie originals including "Conversation Piece" and "An Occasional Dream," a cover of Roger Bunn's "Life Is A Circus," and Lesley Duncan's "Love Song." The latter was later covered by Elton John for his 1971 album Tumbleweed Connection. "Janine" features a brief section sung to the melody of the Beatles' "Hey Jude." The album will be released in a replica of the original tape box and will feature one mono 33 1/3 RPM vinyl, one print, two photo contact sheets, and sleeve notes by Mark Adams. The collection will follow another box-set called Clareville Grove Demos. That set will also include a version of "Life Is A Circus" and will mark the 50th anniversary of "Space Oddity." - New Musical Express, 4/26/19...... Paul Simon announced on Apr. 23 that he's donating all net proceeds from his upcoming 2019 Outside Lands Festival performance to two environmental organizations, the San Francisco Parks Alliance and Friends of the Urban Forest. The Outside Lands Festival will take place Aug. 9-11 at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Other performers will include Childish Gambino, Kacey Musgraves, Mavis Staples, Twenty One Pilots, Lil Wayne, Blink-182 and Ella Mai. Simon, 77, retired from touring last year but plans to perform occasionally at benefit concerts. In a statement, Simon says he's "pleased to be playing in San Francisco with its well-deserved reputation for being in the forefront of environmental issues." - AP, 4/23/19...... Actor Taron Egerton, the star of the upcoming Elton John biopic Rocketman, says he understands why gay actors would feel more suited to the role of Elton. "It's easy for me to sit here as a white, heterosexual man and say I should be able to play a part I want. But I completely understand why a gay actor would feel that this is an opportunity for which they would be better suited," Egerton recently told the UK's Attitude magazine. "The way I feel about it is that Elton asked me to play him in a movie about his life. I am proud and privileged to be playing this person who happens to be gay. I want to live in a world where people are excited about playing people who are different from themselves. I believe that there is something inclusive and progressive about that," he added. Rocketman is set to premiere in the U.K. on May 2 and the U.S. on May 31. - NME, 4/25/19...... Donald FagenSteely Dan brought their sophisticated ecstasy to their new Vegas residency, dubbed "Reelin' In the Chips 2," at the Venetian at its debut on Apr. 24, with band co-founder Donald Fagan fully front and center after the death of Walter Becker in 2017. The team accompanying Fagen in 2019 is a practically flawless assortment of instrumental pros -- much like the cast of studio pros who played on Steely Dan's '70s albums -- whose every guitar riff, horn vamp or silky backup vocal brings to mind the original studio version without feeling like a slavish recreation. Before delving into "FM (No Static At All)," the title track to the forgotten 1978 comedy starring Martin Mull, Fagan noted: "This is a song we wrote -- I'm talking about my partner Walter Becker -- for a movie that was kind of a stinker. It was okay, could have used a little help on the screenplay." Fagen and his band also trotted out such classics as "Reelin' In the Years," "Peg," "My Old School," "Hey Nineteen," "Aja" and "Dirty Work." "I hope we're good -- or at least passable," Fagen told the crowd at one point. - Billboard, 4/25/19...... Meanwhile, Sting announced on Apr. 24 that he'll headline a new Las Vegas residency, "Sting: My Songs," beginning May 22, 2020. The 16-show residency will take place at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and explore Sting's decades-long catalog, including his hits with The Police and his solo work. "I'm thrilled to announce that my brand new Las Vegas residency "Sting: My Songs" will be opening at the legendary Caesars Colosseum in May of 2020!," Sting tweeted on Apr. 24. Before he heads to Vegas, Sting has a string of projects in the works: He'll tour the United Kingdom with Shaggy (they won the best reggae album Grammy this year for their collaborative album 44/876); he has a number of solo shows in the United States and around the world; and he will release a new album that re-imagines some of his biggest hits, My Songs, on May 24. - Billboard, 4/24/19...... The producers of an upcoming new Michael Jackson musical have said that production will continue regardless of controversial claims made against the pop star in recent documentary Leaving Neverland. "We're not judge and jury," director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon recently told The New York Times. "In our process, we're facing [the controversy] pretty much head on, but we're also studying the many facets of Michael Jackson." Meanwhile, a former bodyguard of Jackson's, Matt Fiddes, has defended the late singer despite allegations in the Leaving Neverland documentary. Fiddes, who owns a string of martial arts schools across the UK with a business empire worth a reported £30 million, recently posted on Instagram it was "now to defend a friend @michaeljackson who was always so great to my family and staff." He claims that key facts were left out of the film which details accounts of two subjects named Wade Robson and Jame Safechuck who claim they were sexually abused by the singer. "I have sat back and watched the circus which we got used too over the years," he added. "People forget this man was and still is the most famous man in the world. The biggest target in the world. And he wanted his life to be a "mystery." He understood the media value of that. And it has backfired on him in death sadly." - New Musical Express, 4/25/19...... The Prince estate and Warner Bros. Records announced on Apr. 25 the upcoming release of an album of 14 previously unreleased Prince demos, marking the latest posthumous release from the late musicians's vast vault of career-spanning material. The focus of Originals is 14 songs Prince wrote for other artists, including Apollonia 6, The Time, The Bangles, Sheila E., Vanity 6, Kenny Rogers and Martika. Tracks on the LP, which were selected by Troy Carter on behalf of the Estate and Jay-Z, will begin streaming exclusively on TIDAL for two weeks beginning June 7, before Warner Bros. releases the collection on all download and streaming partners and CD on June 21. A 180s gram 2-LP and limited-edition deluxe 2CD-2LP format will follow on July 19. - Billboard, 4/25/19...... Motown Records launched new mentorship programs for Detroit-based musicians and startups on Apr. 25. The legendary label says the two new programs are aimed at fostering local talent and entrepreneurs. The first program, dubbed the Motown Musician Accelerator, will offer individualized coaching, industry introductions and a $20,000 grant to four musicians or musical groups during a 12-week program slated to launch in summer 2019. A second component of the Accelerator program will involve quarterly workshops conducted by industry professionals that will offer information and advice on distribution, booking and touring and songwriting, among other topics. "Detroit has always been a creative hub for new talent and development," said Motown president Ethiopia Habtemariam in a statement. "Being able to provide the necessary support, funding and programming to help them grow in their careers is an absolute honor for us." - Billboard, 4/25/19...... Rick Springfield'80s pop hitmaker Rick Springfield, who released his debut album in 1974, will release Orchestrating My Life, a collection of his tunes with orchestral accompaniment, on Apr. 26. Springfield said he was inspired to release the new album, which features such key hits as "Don't Talk to Strangers," "Affair of the Heart," "Human Touch" and "I've Done Everything For You," after being invited to Germany to play six weeks of orchestral concerts in 2018. The Orchestrating My Life arrangements got their U.S. debut on Mar. 30 at the Saban Theatre in Los Angeles. Ahead of the album, Springfield has released an orchestral version of his iconic 1981 hit, "Jessie's Girl." Meanwhile, Springfield has just completed his second novel, World on Fire, and is "in the middle" of a third, which he says "is going good and bad, like it always does. I'd like to finish it f---ing soon, but it'll be done when it's done." - Billboard, 4/25/19...... Netflix announced on Apr. 25 that Martin Scorsese's upcoming Bob Dylan tour documentary will be released by the studio on Netflix and in selected cinemas on June 12. Scorsese's new film chronicles Dylan's famed "Rolling Thunder Revue Tour," which took place during 1975-76 and saw the musician performing with the likes of Joan Baez, Mick Ronson and T-Bone Burnett. Titled Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese, the film has been described as "part documentary, part concert film, part fever dream." It will feature on-camera interviews with Dylan, and, according to a press release, promises to "capture the troubled spirit of America in 1975 and the joyous music that Dylan performed during the fall of that year." A companion 14-CD box set, The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings, will also be released in June and is now available to pre-order on Dylan's official website. - New Musical Express, 4/25/19...... Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood has unveiled a series of new paintings, including a Picasso-inspired picture that honours his band. Entitled "Abstract Stones," the painting is one of five different works of art Wood began selling online as hand-signed prints on Apr. 26. "I call it The Picasso Stones. It's my interpretation of Picasso's painting The Three Dancers," Wood said. "Looking at the original, I was inspired to do my own take featuring the boys. I did a few versions and each one was slightly different and more honed than the last. I had great fun doing it. Picasso did his own take on a lot of artists but I bet he never thought no one would ever do a take on him. I hope and think he'd be flattered, but also a bit shocked and pleasantly surprised at my take on his work." Wood has also painted a set of his own personal interpretations of classic Stones tour posters: "Bridges to Babylon," "Urban Jungle" and "Voodoo Lounge." They can be viewed and purchased on Wood's official site. - NME, 4/25/19...... In other Rolling Stones news, Mick Jagger made his first appearance since undergoing heart surgery earlier in the month on Apr. 18 at the premiere of his partner Melanie Hamrick's new ballet in New York. Jagger reportedly remained backstage for the opening night "Porte Rouge," which includes choreographed dance routines to Stones classics such as "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Paint It Black." Although he wasn't spotted by attendees, the 75-year-old musician made his presence known by sharing a message over the PA. "Mick Jagger here. Hope you enjoy this wonderful new ballet and the music," he told the audience. An insider said that the frontman stayed out of view as he "didn't quite look like Mick Jagger" following his recent operation. Backstage sources added that he stayed for the entire show and congratulated dancers. - NME, 4/24/19...... Ozzy Osbourne's son Jack Osbourne has given an update on his dad's health following Ozzy's cancellation of his 2019 tour after being hospitalized with pneumonia. "He's doing really well," said Jack during an appearance on The Jenny McCarthy Show. "He's good. He's getting back on his feet, so he's good." Elsewhere in a recent chat with People magazine, Jack said that Ozzy is "back to being his cynical old self," which he claimed "is always a good sign." In February, the rock star was forced to postpone dates in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. He then postponed all upcoming 2019 shows due to a subsequent fall. - NME, 4/24/19...... A new Frank Zappa-based holographic tour, "The Bizarre World of Frank Zappa," made its world premiere on Apr. 22 at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, N.J. The show combines holographic performances, surreal visuals and a live band of Zappa collaborators for a maximalist tribute. The show is a joint effort between the Frank Zappa Family Trust and Eyellusion, a hologram production company that is simultaneously reuniting the late Ronnie James Dio with his Dio bandmates. "It really takes you on the emotional journey that Frank was about," Eyellusion co-founder and CEO Jeff Pezzuti says. "But even if you know nothing about Frank, you're still going to enjoy the show, just based on the visuals." Although the idea never came to fruition during his lifetime, Zappa shared his vision for consumer-grade holograms in his 1989 memoir The Real Frank Zappa Book. "[It would] generate free-standing 3-D images, in any size, on your coffee table at home, or on a stage for theatrical use." He even came up with a company name: Intercontinental Absurdities. - Billboard, 4/23/19...... Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel will reproduce two episodes of classic '70s Norman Lear sitcoms for a new ABC Primetime special on May 22. Kimmel will stage episodes of All in the Family and The Jeffersons with an all-star cast, including Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei as Archie and Edith Bunker. - The Wrap/ComingSoon.net, 4/23/19...... Ken KerchevalActor Ken Kercheval, best known for portraying oil tycoon Cliff Barnes on the 1978-1991 CBS soap opera Dallas, died in his hometown of Clinton, Ind., on Apr. 21. He was 83. A spokeswoman of the Frist Funeral Home confirmed his death and did not provide additional information, however Mr. Kercheval had been a heavy smoker and had part of his lung removed in 1994 after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Mr. Kercheval and Larry Hagman as his rival J.R. Ewing were the only two stars who appeared on Dallas for its entire 14-season run. Mr. Kercheval was a recurring character for the first two seasons, but was then upped to a regular in the 1979-1980 season. He reprised his role in the 1996 Dallas reunion, the 2004 CBS reunion special and the 2012-2014 TNT revival. He was among five series stars who directed episodes, taking the helm for two episodes for Seasons 13-14. When Dallas viewers asked him when Cliff was "finally going to get J.R.," Mr. Kercheval always answered: "This Friday night!" Born on July 15, 1935, in Wolcottville, Ind., and raised nearby in Clinton, Mr. Kercheval attended the Indiana University to major in music and drama, and later studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York with Sanford Meisner. In the 1960s, Mr. Kercheval appeared on Broadway in Mike Nichols' "The Apple Tree" and Harold Prince's "Cabaret." He also had roles in films like Pretty Poison, Rabbit Run and Sidney Lumet's Network and F.I.S.T. His small-screen career was prolific, with appearances on Search for Tomorrow in the 60s and early 70s, CHiPs, The Love Boat, Murder, She Wrote, ER, and more. - MSN.com, 4/24/19.

Fans of Prince are tweeting tributes to the late funk rocker, who died on Apr. 21, 2016, in his Paisley Park estate in Minnesota, on the third anniversary of his death. "Three years since Prince died & whilst time may fly, his music will last forever," posted one fan, while another said: "Thank you for the amazing music you made, your memory will live forever." Meanwhile, the memoir Prince was working on at the time of his death has been given an Oct. 29 release date, publisher Random House announced on Apr. 22. Titled The Beautiful Ones, the 288-page book will combine Prince's unfinished manuscript with rare photos, scrapbooks and lyrics. First announced just weeks before Prince's 2016 death, the book will include an introduction by The New Yorker writer Dan Piepenbring, whom Prince had chosen as a collaborator. The memoir, which spans from the artist's childhood to his early years as a musician to the cusp of international stardom, is an exclusive partnership with the Prince Estate. - New Musical Express/AP, 4/21/19...... Eric ClaptonEric Clapton announced on Apr. 22 that he'll play three dates in the Western US this September before presenting the fifth iteration of his Crossroads Guitar Festival later the same month. Slowhand will play San Francisco's Chase Center on Sept. 11, Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena on Sept. 13, and Phoenix's Talking Stick Resort Arena on Sept. 14 before his two-day Crossroads Festival gig, which is set for Dallas' American Airlines Center on Sept. 20-21. The festival has announced a superlative group of ax-slingers, with 2019's roster boasting Gary Clark, Jr., Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Billy Gibbons, James Bay and more. Clapton will be the only artist playing both nights of Crossroads, whereas every other player is split between Friday and Saturday's slate of performances. Proceeds from the event will benefit Clapton's Crossroads Centre in Antigua, his facility for chemically-dependent persons focused on treatment and education. - Billboard, 4/22/19...... Photographic portraits of Joni Mitchell by veteran rock photographer Norman Seeff have gone on display at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. Seeff's latest photo book, The Joni Mitchell Sessions, was released in Dec. 2018 captures Mitchell in a variety of moods and looks from her 1970s heyday, from 1972's Court and Spark shoot through 1975's bathing-suited Hissing of Summer Lawns work and on through to a concluding set of mysterious poses for her Don Juan's Reckless DaughterLP in 1977. "I usually like to be extemporaneous, which is dangerous," Seeff told the audience during a recent preview of his full exhibit at the Grammy Museum. "Working with Joni is also dangerous," he added with a fondness. The Grammy Museum will mount a larger exhibition of Seeff's Mitchell portraits later in 2019. - Billboard, 4/22/19...... The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, the sailing vessel and environmental organization launched 50 years ago by the late folk icon and green activist Pete Seeger, announced on Apr. 22, which is "Earth Day," that Mavis Staples and Ani DiFranco will headline its annual festival on June 15, followed by the Wailers and Railroad Earth on June 16. Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival, which takes place at Croton Point Park on the banks of the Hudson River, 30-plus miles north of New York City, is billed as "the country's oldest and largest music and environmental festival." The 2019 Clearwater Festival, as it's commonly known, will recognize the centennial of Seeger's birth, on May 3, 1919, and the 50th anniversary of the launch of the sloop Clearwater on May 17, 1969. Seeger, who passed away in 2014 at age 94, conceived of the Clearwater in the early 1960s with a simple goal. "We're going to build a boat to save the river," he said of the vessel, a 106-foot-long replica of the wooden Dutch sloops that sailed the Hudson in the 19th century. With Seeger's inspiration, and the commitment of multiple generations of leaders, crew and volunteers, the sloop has achieved much more. The festival will also feature several co-headliners, including Lone Bellow, Del McCoury Band, Tom Paxton & the DonJuans, Tom Chapin and Joanne Shenandoah. - Billboard, 4/22/19...... Steve PerryServing as the keynote speaker at the Pop Conference 2019 at the Seattle Museum of Pop Culture' on Apr. 20, former Journey frontman Steve Perry spoke of how personal loss affected his music, and how he sees his songs as "little ghosts in time." "I'm a pretty melancholy kind of guy," Perry said when asked how grief affects writers' songs. "I kind of live in a melancholy state all the time. For me, is that too much sadness? I don't know. It does keep me centered, it keeps me in the moment. Am I a depressive guy? I don't know, I call it melancholy. I write music that I think speaks from that place." Perry then brought up the loss of his partner Kellie Nash, who died in 2012 after a battle with cancer. They were together for a year and a half before she passed away. "When I had my profound loss with Kellie [Nash] a few years back, I agree that being pulled into that moment deeper than I ever experienced before was a new place, to where everything that mattered, I thought, fell off," Perry said. "I sought professional help to really learn how to grieve, because I didn't know how." Perry also spoke about his most recent solo album, 2018's Traces. "It's a complex record because there are two songs I wrote that were about profound grief -- one called 'In the Rain,' which is the darkness of grief, pictures that stare back in silence, by myself; the other one is a song called 'Most of All,' a little but more uplifting, but still about loss," said Perry. "Those songs were written before I met Kellie, which was really bizarre." He later spoke of the "haunting" aspect of music. "Some of the recordings are little ghosts in time, and they have a tendency to remain that to us personally, but they are invisible until they hit your inner ear and they go in your mind and they recall spots where you first heard that song, what it means to you, what's going on today. They conjure all these emotions." - Billboard, 4/21/19...... Concert promoter Michael Lang, who is heading one of the two planned 50th anniversary Woodstock festivals later in 2019, is pushing back against rumors that his Woodstock 50 festival has been cancelled after an email alerting agents that a ticket on-sale has been postponed. "Woodstock is a phenomenon that for fifty years has drawn attention to its principles and also the rumors that can be attached to that attention," Lang, one of the co-founders of the original 1969 event in Bethel Woods, N.Y., told Billboard. "It's just more rumors." Tickets for the three-day event with headliners The Killers, Dead and Co, Imagine Dragons and Jay-Z had been set to go on sale on Apr. 22 in honor of Earth Day. No new date has been announced, and the delay has prompted concern from managers and agents with acts playing the multi-genre festival. - Billboard, 4/19/19...... The Rolling Stones released a new career-spanning greatest hits compilation titled Honk on Apr. 19, ahead of their recently postponed North American leg of their "No Filter" tour. The collection collects hits and classic cuts from every Stones album from 1971's Sticky Fingers to 2016's covers album Blue & Lonesome. The album comes in 3 CD, 4 LP and digital formats, with 36 essential tracks, including "Brown Sugar," "Tumbling Dice," "Angie," "Miss You," "Emotional Rescue" and "Start Me Up." A deluxe version also has a bonus disc of 10 live tracks recorded during the band's recent tours, including "Dead Flowers" with Brad Paisley, "Bitch" with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, "Wild Horses" with Florence Welch and "Beast of Burden" with Ed Sheeran. "All the very best hits in one spot! #HONK is available to stream and download at @AppleMusic. Add it to your library today! #therollingstones #applemusic #bestof #listennow," the band tweeted on Apr. 19. The Stones recently postponed the launch of the 17-date North American leg of their tour after singer Mick Jagger underwent heart valve replacement surgery. The 75 year-old singer is reportedly recuperating and expected to make a full recovery. - Billboard, 4/19/19...... Alice CooperThe supergroup Hollywood Vampires have released the lead single, "Who's Laughing Now," from their forthcoming second album Rise, which will drop on June 21. The 16-track effort from the group, which features Alice Cooper, Joe Perry and Johnny Depp, will contain mostly original material written by the band -- unlike their 2015 debut, which featured covers of songs by The Who, Spirit, The Doors, Harry Nilsson, Badfinger and others. "Rise is not only a totally different animal than the first Vampires album, it is unique to anything I've ever been a part of," says Cooper in a statement. "I approached it very differently than I usually do when working on an album. Each of us; Joe, Johnny, Tommy, and myself have written songs on this album. What is different though is that I didn't try to change any songs to be more 'Alice-like.' Because each of us has different influences, the sound of this album is very cool. I think that with this album, we are establishing what the Vampires' sound really is, whereas with the first album, we were more tipping our hats to our fallen rock 'n' roll brothers." The band has also announced a 7-city tour behind the new LP which will kick off on May 10 in Las Vegas. Additional dates include Los Angeles (5/11), San Francisco (5/12), Denver (5/14), Albuquerque, N.M. (5/16), Scottsdale, Ariz. (5/17) and Indio, Calif. (5/18). - Billboard, 4/18/19...... Drummer Jason Bonham has retracted a recent story about Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page purportedly giving him his first line of cocaine when he was just 16. On Apr. 19, Bonham issued a statement to "unconditionally retract all derogatory and defamatory comments relating to Mr J Page." "It is wholly untrue that Mr J Page offered me any illegal substances either when I was a minor or at all," Bonham wrote on his website. "I apologize to Mr Page, unreservedly, for making these unfounded and untrue comments about him. Out of my long held respect for Mr Page I will make no further comments on the interview and I agree to make no further comments which Mr Page might view as disparaging, either now or in the future." Bonham, the son of late Led Zepp drummer John Bonham, made headlines earlier in April after telling SiriusXM talk show host Howard Stern how the guitar icon offered him the drug at a hotel while the band was on tour. "Jimmy was the first one to ever give it to me," Bonham previously told Stern. "We got called to his room. I was 16 at this point, and there was a woman on the floor with a collar on, meowing, and he had this grinder thing and he turned it over and he went, 'Here you go,' and I went, 'Thanks.' He's like, 'You've done this before, right?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, of course I have.'" The original anecdote came after Bonham previously stood in for his dad at several Led Zepp reunions -- including the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and their comeback performance at Ahmet Ertegun's O2 Arena tribute concert in 2007. - New Musical Express, 4/19/19...... Pop hitmaker Sheryl Crow has released "Redemption Day," the lead single from her forthcoming final album of duets, which is due out this summer. The poignant tune is a duet with Johnny Cash, who previously recorded the tune. Penned by Crow in 1996 after a trip to Bosnia with Hillary Clinton, "Redemption Day" was featured on the singer's 1996 self-titled album. After Johnny Cash heard the tune in 2003, he approached Crow about the song's lyrics and later recorded it himself. His version was released on the posthumous American VI: Ain't No Grave in 2010. The country legend is one of several duet partners featured on Crow's forthcoming release on the Big Machine imprint the Valory Music Co. Additional collaborations include Keith Richards, Stevie Nicks and St. Vincent. - Billboard, 4/19/19...... Michael McDonaldFormer Doobie Brothers member and '80s solo star Michael McDonald has inked a new worldwide publishing deal with Kobalt Music, the company announced on Apr. 18. The worldwide agreement includes administrative, creative and global synch services for the former Doobie Brother's entire catalogue and any future works. "Having penned some of the most significant songs of the last fifty years, Michael's catalogue is a treasure trove of hits," Kobalt exec Merril Wasserman-Serling said in a statement. "Michael continues to write and I'm certain that more great songs are on the horizon. It's an honor to welcome him to the Kobalt family and look forward to working closely with him and his team." "I'm very excited about my new affiliation with Kobalt Music Publishing," McDonald added. "I look forward to working with... Merril Wasserman... and the entire Kobalt team in the years ahead." McDonald is currently on a North American co-headling tour with Chaka Khan. He continues to collaborate with other artists, including recent work with Barbra Streisand, Thundercat and Nashville duo Johnnyswim. - Billboard, 4/18/19...... Fleetwood Mac announced the rescheduled date for their upcoming North American tour on Apr. 18 after cancelling a handful of shows earlier in April due to the illness of a band member. The previously scheduled show in Boston at TD Garden has been shifted to Oct. 28, while a show in Quebec City at Centre Videotron will now take place on Oct. 30. New dates have also been announced for shows in Toronto (11/1), Philadelphia (11/3), Winnipeg (11/7), Calgary (11/10) and Edmonton (11/12). However the Mac will not be making up a planned appearance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in May, which was to be a replacement act after the Rolling Stones had to cancel their performance due to Mick Jagger recent surgery. All previously held tickets will be honored for the new dates. - Billboard, 4/18/19...... During a performance in Vienna, Austria on Apr. 17, Bob Dylan called out fans for taking photos after he nearly fell over during the concert. After nearly wiping out on a foldback wedge, the rock icon gathered himself and paused when a fan broke his "no photos" rule. "Take pictures or don't take pictures. We can either play or we can pose. Okay," Dylan grumbled to the audience before taking his seat at the piano for a rendition of "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry." This isn't the first time that Dylan has taken issue with fan photography at gigs. As Rolling Stone reports, a New York show last year had ushers shining flashlights at anyone they spotted using a phone, with repeat offenders threatened with being removed from the show. Dylan's European tour continues, including a headline performance at Roskilde Festival in June as well as performing at London's Hyde Park with Neil Young in July. Meanwhile, Dylan is expected to help open his new whiskey distillery in downtown Nashville, Tenn. next fall under the brand "Heaven's Door," in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of his classic Nashville Skyline album. - New Musical Express, 4/18/19...... Berry GordyA 60th anniversary Motown concert featuring a slew of famous Motown acts including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson was aired on CBS on Apr. 21. The "Motown 60: A Grammy Celebration" concert, which was held on Feb. 12 in Los Angeles, also featured Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr., who told the packed Microsoft Theater that he wanted his label to "bring people together from all walks of life through a legacy of love." "My dream came true," added Gordy, who started the African American label in 1959, building a roster that included superstar artists such as Ross and The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and The Temptations. Ross, who was once signed to Motown as lead singer of The Supremes, brought attendees to their feet when she opened her set singing to Gordy while sitting next to him. After singing a couple of songs onstage, she returned back to Gordy and sang "My Man." The event was hosted by Robinson and Cedric the Entertainer. - AP, 4/17/19...... Accomplished British songwriter Les Reed, who penned songs for the likes of Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby and Shirley Bassey, has passed away at age 83, his family has confirmed. The Woking-born songwriter was the co-writer of Jones' hits "Delilah" and "It's Not Unusual," the latter which was released in 1964 and became Jones' debut single and first No. 1 hit. It also featured Mr. Reed as arranger and pianist. The pair reprised their success with "Delilah" in 1968, which reached the Top 10. In 1959, Mr. Reed joined The John Barry Seven as a pianist, and developed his career as a songwriter in the 1960s, writing hits for artists including Lulu, Herman's Hermits and The Dave Clark Five. Tom Jones paid tribute to Mr. Reed on Twitter, describing him as a "gifted songwriter who was instrumental in penning many a hit, incl two important songs for me. Les was a lovely man, whose legacy will live through his music." Mr. Reed was born in Woking, Surrey, in 1935. He is survived by his daughter, Donna, and grandsons. - The BBC, 4/16/19...... Soul music songwriter Kent "Boogalo" Harris, who wrote hits for such acts as The Coasters, Bo Diddley and The Platters, has reportedly died of cancer at his Southern California home at age 88. Mr. Harris's stock and trade in the 1950s was writing catchy novelty songs such as "Shopping For Clothes" for The Coasters and "Cops and Robbers" for Diddley. He also wrote for his own family group, The Harris Sisters (later called The Dimples Harris Trio), who had several modest hits during the decade, and recorded and performed with his own act, Boogaloo and His Gallant Crew. Mr. Harris also became an entrepreneur, opening a Los Angeles record store in the 1960s and forming his own record label. He also continued to write and producer for a number of R&B and jazz artists, including Adoph Jacobs and Jimmy Ellis. Mr. Harris continued to work into the new century, reportedly contributing to the music of the somewhat maligned Eddie Murphy movie, Norbit. He also would perform his delightfully humorous repertoire around the U.S. with his Boogaloo and His Gallant Crew. - AP, 4/16/19.

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