Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on September 4th, 2019

The Rollling Stones wrapped their No Filter Tour in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Aug. 30, nearly two years after the legendary rockers kicked it off in Hamburg, Germany. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood were said to have been in top form for the show that had to be moved up one day due to the threat of Hurricane Dorian, delivering a powerful show that included their bevy of hits including "Start Me Up," "Honky Tonk Woman" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want." After opening with their classics "Jumping Jack Flash" and "It's Only Rock and Roll (But I Like It)," the band tore through 20 songs, ending with an encore of "Gimme Shelter" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." The first leg of the No Filter Tour started on Sept. 9, 2017 with two shows in Germany and ended in France at the end of October of that year. The Stones remained in Europe for the second leg from May into July, and the tour became one of the most successful treks of 2017 and 2018. However in March 2019, the shocking news came that the North American leg, consisting of 17 shows, had to be postponed because Jagger had to undergo heart valve replacement surgery in April. Jagger, 76, promised the band would be back to make up all the dates after he recovered. In the end, the band, which has been together for 57 years, lived up to that promise. Meanwhile, it was revealed by The Telegraph music critic Neil McCormick on Aug. 28 that Keith Richards uses a motorized ashtray that sucks in ciggie smoke so as not to piss off Mick Jagger. "Today I learned that Keith Richards has a motorised ashtray that absorbs smoke, so his habit won't upset Mick Jagger backstage," McCormick tweeted. McCormick also posted that Richards uses a hotel bell to summon his guitar technician. Although Richards, 76, continues to smoke, he revealed in December 2018 that he'd given up alcohol. - TheDailyMail.uk/New Musical Express, 8/31/19...... Gerry Beckley of America has shared a video of a new ballad called "Calling" from his upcoming album, Five Mile Road, which drops on Sept. 20. "It's one of the closest to what I would consider one of my strengths, which is a ballad of that sort," Beckley says, noting that "Calling" is one of his favorites from the new set. "I'm really proud of the tune. It's a pretty simple theme, and I think I did a good job of getting it across. We spend a lot of time away from the ones we know and love. I think you'll find that elsewhere around the album, too." Five Mile Road is Beckley's sixth solo album and the follow-up to his 2016 set Carousel. Beckley co-produced it with Jeff Larson and wrote all the songs except for "Life Lessons," which he co-wrote with his frequent collaborator, actor/musician Billy Mumy. America released their last album, Lost & Found, in 2015, the Beckley and partner Dewey Bunnell's first album of original material in eight years. Beckley predicts that "with the right guidance there could easily be another one or two America projects in the future." But now, the group is focusing on its 50-year anniversary celebration it began in 2019, leading up to the actual golden anniversary of the band's formation, in London, in 2020. He says the group has a number of commemorative projects on tap -- ranging from the single disc Golden Hits that's already out to a couple of planned box sets -- as well as a biography that's been written by Jude Warne. America was recently profiled on CBS Sunday Morning and will be featured on Dan Rather's The Big Interview on Nov. 26. "The band is in great shape. The schedule's pretty full, and we thought rather than wait 'til the actual day, let's kick it off as being the 50th year... we like doing it this way. The challenge has been to spread everything throughout the year so they don't just stack up on each other." - Billboard, 9/4/19...... Ozzy Osbourne's wife Sharon Osbourne has lashed out at UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn amid claims that Corbyn has facilitated the rise of anti-Semitism in the Labour party. Osbourne, who is of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, told the UK paper The Sun, "Oh my God, I hate him so much.... I want to physically hurt this man. He is the most arrogant, ugly f---. I want to hurt him." Corbyn as always denied he is anti-Semitic. Osbourne's comments come ahead of her appearance on the TV program Who Do You Think You Are, which sees her investigating the experiences of her father Don Arden as a Jewish soldier for the British Army during World War II. - New Musical Express, 9/3/19...... Never one to shy away from controversy, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters showed up at a pro-Julian Assange rally in London on Sept. 2 and joined protesters advocating for the Wikileaks founder's release from prison. "How do we put ourselves in the position of a Julian Assange in solitary confinement," Waters asked the crowd. "Or with that kid in Syria or Palestine or Rohingya, being blown to bits by these people in this building here?" A video of Waters' speech and a performance of the 1975 Pink Floyd hit "Wish You Were Here" has been posted on Bruce Springsteen's latest album YouTube. - Billboard, 9/3/19...... Rock photographer Jay Blakesberg will release Jerry Garcia: Secret Space of Dreams on Oct. 15, a fine art photography book featuring 139 photos of the late Grateful Dead singer/guitarist performing in shows from September 1978 through April 1995. The 208-page hardcover book's foreward was written by Grammy-winning singer/guitarist John Mayer, who is currently touring with the Dead spin-off group Dead & Company, replacing Garcia in the band. The book also features an introduction from journalist/musician/radio host and Grateful Dead historian David Gans, who delves into the mythology around Garcia, as well as an essay from the guitarist's daughter, Trixie. Garcia died in Aug. 1995 at age 53 of a heart attack. - Billboard, 9/4/19...... A new Robbie Robertson and The Band documentary entitled Once Were Brothers has proved to be the hottest ticket at the Toronto International Film Festival, which is set to premiere the film at the gala's opening night on Sept. 5. Once Were Brothers, the first-ever Canadian documentary to win the coveted opening night spot, is directed by Canadian director Daniel Roher and presents the people, the era and the extraordinary music of The Band through present-day conversations with Robertson and various colleagues including Ronnie Hawkins, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Martin Scorsese and Eric Clapton. Robertson, 76, shows no signs of slowing down and much is made of his work ethic in the documentary. On Sept. 20, he'll release Sinematic, his first new solo effort in eight years. Robertson says Sinematic was influenced by the new The Band documentary and his work on Martin Scorsese's upcoming movie, The Irishman. Robertson added he's already working on another collaboration with Scorsese, the score for Killers of the Flower Moon. He's also preparing a special 50th anniversary re-release of The Band's eponymous 1970 debut album, and writing the second instalment of his memoir, Testimony. - WENN/Canoe.com, 9/4/19...... Neil Young and Crazy Horse have shared a video from a new song, "Milky Way," from their upcoming album Colorado and confirmed the new album will be released on Oct. 25 via Reprise Records. Colorado's 11 songs were recorded mostly live in a studio in the Rocky Mountains near Telluride, Col., and co-produced by Young and John Hanlon, with additional mixing at Rick Rubin's Shangri-La Studios in Malibu, Calif. The follow-up to Young and Crazy Horse's acclaimed 2012 set Psychedelic Pill, it will will be available in high-resolution audio through the Neil Young Archives (NYA) and come on a three-sided, double vinyl album with a bonus 7" vinyl single with two non-album tracks, the live solo "Rainbow of Colors" and "Truth Kills." Crazy Horse's current lineup features longtime bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina and guitarist Nils Lofgren. Fans will be able to get a glimpse into the Colorado writing and recording process in the upcoming documentary Mountaintop Sessions, one of 15 films Young has announced are in the works. - Billboard, 8/30/19...... A volume of lyrics by Lou Reed called I'll Be Your Mirror has been updated and republished on Aug. 3 after several years out of print. Named after a song from the Velvet Underground's iconic 1967 album The Velvet Underground with Nico, I'll Be Your Mirror has been updated with lyrics from Reed's final album Lulu, his controversial collaboration with Metallica. It will also feature new introductions from Reed's widow Laurie Anderson, movie director Martin Scorsese and journalist James Atlas. Though Lulu was panned by critics at the time of its release, the avant-garde record was still praised by the likes of David Bowie, who called it Reed's "greatest work," Laurie Anderson revealed in a speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which Reed was inducted into in 2015. I'll Be Your Mirror will be published as an e-book, hardback trade edition and a limited edition. Only 250 copies of the latter will be printed, each priced at £100. Pre-orders begin Octo. 8 on publisher Faber & Faber's website. - New Musical Express, 9/4/19...... The companion film to Bruce Springsteen's latest album Western Stars has been given an Oct. 25 release date by Warner Bros. Pictures. The studio acquired the film, which marks Springsteen's directorial debut, following its world premiere at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. Springsteen partnered with long-time collaborator Thom Zimny on the documentary, which features archival footage and personal narration, in addition to Springsteen performing all 13 songs on Western Stars. The LP debuted at No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 1 in the U.K. and Australia. - Billboard, 9/4/19...... The UK's Royal Mail announced on Sept. 9 it is honoring Elton John's half-century of contributions to music with an upcoming set of 12 UK postage stamps, including eight that honor the singer's classic albums. Among the records featured on the collection of commemoratives are his acclaimed 1972 breakthrough album Honky Chateau, as well as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy and Made in England. Other stamps in the collection will feature images of John performing live throughout his five-decade career, from a 1973 show at the Hammersmith Odeon in London to a 2018 show at Madison Square Garden in New York. Sir Elton is only the second individual solo music artist to be featured on a set of stamps from the Royal Mail, following a 2017 edition honoring David Bowie. Images of the stamps can be viewed on Twitter, and can be purchased on the Royal Mail website. - Billboard, 9/3/19...... The Association of Independent Music Awards honored Blondie frontwoman Debby Harry with an Oustanding Contribution to Music award on Sept. 3. Now in its 20th year, the AOIMA honors leading independent artists, labels and industry figures. - Billboard, 9/4/19...... The Motown Museum announced on Sept. 4 that Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. is donating $4 million toward a project to expand a museum housed in the Detroit building where he built his music empire. Gordy's gift coincides with Motown's 60th anniversary and is the largest individual donation to the project which was officially announced in 2016. "I'm excited about the future of Motown Museum and happy to support it," Gordy said in a statement about the 50,000 square-foot multi-media attraction. "Not only will the expanded museum entertain and tell the stories of talented and creative people who succeeded against all odds, but it will also inspire and create opportunity for people to explore their dreams the way I did mine. I couldn't be prouder to be a part of that." Gordy launched Motown in 1959 with an $800 loan from his family's Ber-Berry Co-op trust and moved the label to Los Angeles in 1972 before selling it in 1988. His late sister, Esther Gordy Edwards, founded the museum in the former "Hitsville U.S.A." headquarters on West Grand Boulevard in 1985. When Edwards died in 2011, Gordy -- who has previously donated properties, artifacts and money to the museum -- credited her with turning "the so-called trash left behind... into a phenomenal world-class monument at the spot where Hitsville started." Museum expansion plans include interactive exhibits, a performance theater, recording studios, an expanded retail area and meeting spaces. - AP, 9/4/19...... A new Beatles mural has been unveiled in the seaside resort of New Brighton, U.K., yards from the old Tower Ballroom where the band played on multiple occasions during the 60s. Opened to the public on Sept. 1, the historic work of art is situated in New Brighton s Victoria Quarter and has huge cultural, musical and historical significance, according to Explore Liverpool. The wall mural is located on Mason Street and sees the Beatles running towards the site of the old Tower Ballroom, where they played 27 times between 1961-1963. Unveiled as a symbol of hope, the mural comes one week after International Beatles Week, 50 years after The New Brighton Tower Ballroom burned down and 100 years after The New Brighton Tower was destroyed. - New Musical Express, 9/2/19...... In other Beatles-related news, Paul McCartney has revealed in a new interview with the London Times that one of his grandsons was recently mugged at knifepoint. McCartney, who didn't share which grandchild it was, said his grandson felt like "a coward" after it happened." "He was saying the worst thing was that he should have just thumped the guy; he came back and felt a coward," McCartney explained. "I said, 'No, no, no, no! The guy had a knife and you don't know, the guy might be able to use that knife'." Sir Paul then recalled an occasion during his childhood when he was mugged for his watch. "When I was a kid it was four guys and they nicked my watch," he admitted. "I was of a similar age. I just happened to be on my own, bigger kids came along and it was the same feeling. [I thought at the time] 'I have got to learn karate and be a black belt -- and then I'll get 'em!' It was the worst thing." - NME, 8/31/19...... KISS singer/guitarist Paul Stanley has weighed in on the recent rash of mass shootings in the U.S. after the most recent attack in Odessa and Midland, Tex., by a man in his mid-30s using an AR-style rifle resulted in the deaths of seven people and the wounding of at least 22 more, including a 17-month-old baby girl. "We don't have more 'crazy' or 'mentally unstable' people in the US," Stanley tweeted on Sept. 1. "What we DO have are commonplace mass shootings with automatic and semi-automatic high powered firearms. THAT cannot be disputed. Tell me what we and our government must do. Prayers and sympathy are not enough." Stanley posted his thoughts over a picture of the aftermath of the most recent Texas shooting. A short time later, Stanley added some response to those who said the veteran rocker should mind his own business. "I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER but am asking for everyone's thoughts. Anyone who thinks I should 'stay in my lane' should leave now," he wrote. "This is MY house. If you DO have opinions why shouldn't I? In this case I will leave up some of those dopey comments for your enjoyment. Not again." - Billboard, 9/2/19...... Cable channel HLN will premiere a new David Cassidy documentary, David Cassidy: How It Really Happened, on Sept. 8 at 9:00 p.m. EDT. The special delves into Cassidy's death in 2017 at age 67 from organ failure related to alcoholism. "He was happiest on stage. But happiness off stage was hard to find, and Cassidy was keeping gloomy secrets from everyone he loved. In the end, even his death was surrounded by mystery leaving his family, friends and fans with more questions than answers," the network said in a statement. - The Orlando Sentinel, 9/4/19...... Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont sponsored another 50th anniversary Woodstock tribute on Aug. 30 at the annual fair in Woodstock, Conn., which included a battle of the bands. Gov. Lamont, who says his parents would not let him attend the original 1969 festival in New York, spent $17,000 of his own money to finance the tribute. Gov. Lamont, wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt and dancing, served as a judge for the bands, who were required to play at least one song from the original Woodstock. The winner, a band called Last Licks, received $7,500. Gov. Lamont, a Democrat, was joined on stage by Republican state senator George Logan who played a Jimi Hendrix-style national anthem on his guitar, just as he had done at Gov. Lamont's inaugural ball in January. - AP, 9/1/19...... John Travolta's latest film, The Fanatic, has bombed at the U.S. box office in its opening weekend. The Fanatic, directed by Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst, took in a paltry $3,153 on Aug. 30 from 52 cinemas, with final totals for the Labor Day weekend yet to be confirmed. The psychological thriller stars Travolta as Moose, an avid movie fan who becomes obsessed with fictional action hero Hunter Dunbar. When Moose is cheated out of his chance to meet Dunbar, Moose's actions take a increasingly terrifying turn. An official synopsis teases that Moose's fixation turns from "stalking to ambition of destroying the star's life." The movie is said to have been inspired by the real-life story of a fan that once stalked Durst. The Fanatic's poor showing marks the Saturday Night Fever star's fourth box office bomb in a row, according to The Hollywood Reporter. - NME, 9/3/19...... Crystal Gayle will release her latest LP, You Don't Know Me, on Sept. 6 via BFD Records. The 15-song project will be the "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" singer's first album in 16 years and finds her teaming up with her sisters, Loretta Lynn and Peggy Sue, on a cover of Dolly Parton's "Put It Off Until Tomorrow." "I am honored that my sisters, Loretta Lynn and Peggy Sue, wanted to sing with me on my new album," Gayle says. "'Put It Off Until Tomorrow' is one of our favorites and it's a song that we have performed together many times in concert. Dolly Parton and Bill Owens -- Dolly's uncle -- wrote this song, and I love the original hit by Bill Phillips with Dolly singing harmony." A video for "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 9/4/19...... Late actor Marlon Brando, who was close friends with Michael Jackson and was interviewed by prosecutors when they investigated allegations of child molestation against Jackson in 1994, is quoted in a new podcast as saying that the King of Pop was once reduced to tears when Brando asked the singer about sexual abuse allegations. Recalling a conversation he'd had with Jackson at his Neverland Ranch, Brando told prosecutors: "I had asked him if he was a virgin and he just sort of laughed and giggled." He added that Jackson was uncomfortable with the "f-word" and too embarrassed to about his sex life. Details of Brando's conversation were revealed by podcast series "Telephone Stories: The Trials of Michael Jackson" after creator-producer Brandon Ogborn secured a transcript of a sworn statement and checked its authenticity with Los Angeles Superior Court judge Lauren Weis. Weis previously investigated Jackson during her 23-year stint as a prosecutor with the LA County district attorney. Brando also said that he continued to grill Jackson about the allegations of child abuse against him, which made the singer cry and admit that he hated his father. "With this mode of behavior that's been going on, I think it's pretty reasonable to conclude that he may have had something to do with kids," Brando said. "My impression was that he didn't want to answer because he was frightened to answer me." Jackson was not charged with molestation in 1994 but he went to trial in 2005 and was subsequently acquitted on all counts. - NME, 8/30/19.

Sitcom actress Valerie Harper, best known for playing the brash, Bronx-accented upstairs neighbor to Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) on The Mary Tyler Moore Show beginning in 1970 before starring in her own spinoff Rhoda four years later, died on Aug. 30 after being diagnosed with lung and brain cancer. She was 80. Born in Suffern, N.Y., in 1939, Ms. Harper attended Gotham's Young Professionals School in high school and studied ballet. She started in show business as a dancer/chorus girl on Broadway in 1959 in "Li'l Abner," and went on to perform in Broadway shows such as "Wildcat" and "Take Me Along" and at Radio City Music Hall. After being introduced to the Second City improv theater by her roommate, actress Arlene Golonka, Ms. Harper met Second City performer Dick Schaal, and then moved to Hollywood where she was called to audition for the part of the funny, imperfect Rhoda Morganstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. While Moore's "spunky" Mary Richards character was happily single (a rarity for the era), the Rhoda character was her opposite, an outspoken, wisecracking woman in her thirties who seemed desperate to find a husband. Rhoda's Jewish heritage was often emphasized in the series, and her fans were surprised to find out that Harper wasn't Jewish in real life. Ms. Harper's Rhoda character proved to be so popular that CBS spun off the series Rhoda, which ran from 1974-1978. Rhoda returned to New York to work as a window dresser with a more self-confident persona. Her whiny sister Brenda was played by Julie Kavner, and her husband for part of the series was played by David Groh. Ms. Harper's role as Rhoda Morgenstern garnered supporting actress Emmys in 1971, '72 and '73 and an Emmy nom in '74. The character started her own business decorating store windows and eventually split up with her husband Joe, finishing out the show as a divorcee who frequented singles bars. "Even with all the feminism we had gone through, being married was equated with success," she once told the TV Academy. In 1986, Ms. Harper starred in the NBC series Valerie, but left after two years in a salary dispute. The series continued without her, with several name changes before finally becoming The Hogans, and she won a $1.4 million judgment against Lorimar Productions and 12.5% of the profits. Ms. Harper went on to guest on familiar series such as The Love Boat, Melrose Place, That '70s Show, Sex and the City, Hot in Cleveland and Desperate Housewives. On the big screen, Ms. Harper had roles in Freebie and the Bean (1974), Blame it on Rio, The Last Married Couple in America and, more recently, the horror pic Shiver. She ran for president of the Screen Actors Guild in 2001, but lost to Melissa Gilbert. Later in her career, she returned to the stage, portraying such figures as Golda Meir and Tallulah Bankhead, and won a Tony for the latter role in "Looped" in 2010. A vocal supporter of the women's movement, Ms. Harper campaigned to get the Equal Rights Amendment passed. Though she was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago, she continued working and competed on Dancing With the Stars in late 2013. Ms. Harper is survived by her second husband, Tony Cacciotti, and their adopted daughter, Christina. Christina tweeted the news of her mom's passing on Aug. 30: "My dad has asked me to pass on this message: 'My beautiful caring wife of nearly 40 years has passed away at 10:06am, after years of fighting cancer. She will never, ever be forgotten. Rest In Peace, mia Valeria. - Anthony.'" Ms. Harper's Mary Tyler Moore Show co-star Ed Asner told People that his friend was "a brilliant artist with a myriad of ideas on how to make the character more interesting; and was a fighter for those less fortunate.” Later on Twitter, the 89-year-old posted the actress was “a beautiful woman, a wonderful actress, a great friend and with balls bigger than mine... Goodnight beautiful. I’ll see you soon.” - Variety, 8/30/19.