Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on August 9th, 2020

Jimi Hendrix's Japanese sunburst electric guitar that he used in the early 1960s has sold for more than £160,000 at auction. The late guitar god used the instrument after he was discharged from the U.S. Army in 1962 and played it during his time in New York as a musician for the likes of The Isley Brothers, Wilson Pickett, Slim Harpo and Ike and Tina Turner. The guitar was estimated to be worth $50,000 (£38k) before the auction, but was bought for a winning bid of $180,000 (£138k). When auction fees were added to that price, its total became $216,000 (£165k). Hendrix left the guitar with his friend Mike Quashie when he moved to London in 1966 and Quashie provided a signed and notarised letter of provenance before he died in 2019. The guitar was said to be "in well-loved condition" but had no strings on it as auction house GWS Auctions wanted to "keep it in its original state." - NME, 8/9/20...... On Aug. 7 Roger Waters shared a video on YouTube of a socially distanced performance of two cuts from Pink Floyd's 1979 album The Wall. Waters paid tribute to the inspiration of the song "Vera," the famous British World War II singer Vera Lynn, who passed away in June. In a statement, he said: "The Vera in question is Vera Lynn. She was an English singer, songwriter, very popular during the Second World War. Her biggest hit was 'We'll Meet Again'. She was widely known as the 'Forces' Sweetheart'. Our Vera, who is very fondly remembered back in Blighty, died six weeks ago aged 103. So she had a bloody good innings, bless her." The song then transistions into a grand orchestral rendition of "Bring the Boys Back Home." During a break, Waters spoke to the camera to address Pres. Donald Trump on recent events in the US. Referencing the controversial deployment of federal officers in Portland he said: "Yeah, bring the boys back home, particularly from Portland, you big f---ing brick." In June, Waters announced he'll be releasing his Us + Them concert film on Amazon video later in 2020. - New Musical Express, 8/7/20...... Just a few days after announcing the purchase of Barry Manilow's song catalogue, Hipgnosis Songs has continued its spending spree with the the acquisition of Blondie's catalog. The company founded by Merck Mercuriadis and its investment advisor The Family said in a letter to the London Stock Exchange on Aug. 5 that it will buy 100% of Blondie principals Debbie Harry and Chris Stein's writer's share and neighboring rights (Sound Exchange) royalties in their Blondie catalogs, a total of 197 songs. "We are so happy to be working with a progressive company," say Harry and Stein in a joint statement. "We are looking forward to the future with Hipgnosis' forward thinking team." Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Hipgnosis Songs has previously acquired the catalogs of the likes of Bon Jovi, Chainsmokers and Mark Ronson. - Billboard, 8/5/20...... Fans of The Clash can celebrate the famous '70s punk band with two new Clash jigsaw puzzles this fall. Zee Productions will release two 500-piece puzzles depicting the album cover for the band's 1978 album Give 'Em Enough Rope and the cover of their 1979 single, "English Civil War," on Oct. 9. "Punk Legends The Clash Come To Rock Saws!," Zee Productions posted on Instagram. "All The Young Punks take note! The punk rock revolutionaries The Clash are coming to Rocksaws with a pair of awesome 500 piece puzzles," it added. They added that "both puzzles are currently on pre-order, and supplies are very limited so act fast!" - NME, 8/5/20...... On May 6 Black Sabbath announced they'll be releasing a 50th anniversary edition of their classic 1970 album Paranoid. The 5-LP/4CD edition Paranoid re-release arrives on Oct. 9 and will also feature the vinyl debut of two of the band's concerts from 1970 as well as a rare 1974 Quad Mix of the album. The 5-LP set also comes with a hardbound book, extensive new linear notes featuring interviews with all four band members as well as rare photos, a poster and a replica of the tour book sold during the tour. The Paranoid Super Deluxe 5-LP set can be pre-ordered on Black Sabbath's website. - NME, 8/6/20...... In related news, Ozzy Osbourne's eldest daughter Aimee Osbourne has spoken of her decision to not take part in her family's hit MTV reality show, The Osbournes. Speaking to New York's Q104.3 radio station, musician Aimee said: "To me, I'd grown up around having a pretty well-known dad anyway, and I always really valued my privacy within that family. For me personally, for who I am, as far as morally, and also just to give myself a chance to actually develop into a human being as opposed to just being remembered for being a teenager, it didn't really line up with what I saw my future as." Aimee went on to say that The Osbournes "definitely worked great for the rest of my family," but explained she "just knew it was never something that I would have been able to consider realistically." Aimee recently released her first new music in four years with "Shared Something With The Night," which was released under her ARO moniker. Meanwhile, Ozzy's other daughter, Kelly Osbourne, has lashed out at an insenstive troll who applauded her father's Parkinson's disease diagnosis. "Heard your father is dying that's great now we can get ridden of another a**hole (sic)," the callous user wrote anonymously on Instagram. Kelly, who has 2.1 million followers on Instagram, shot back at the poster: "Seems like you need some attention???" adding, "So here you go you disgusting mother f*****!!!!! I won't be praying for you!!!!!!" - NME/Music-News.com, 8/5/20...... Patti Smith announced on Aug. 8 that she'll perform a special show at the Murmrr Theatre in New York on Sept. 4 featuring excerpts from her 2019 book, Year of the Monkey. The punk poetess will also perform a handful of songs with longtime bandmate Tony Shanahan. The event, billed as Smith's only worldwide staged program of 2020, will also be filmed by cinematographer Matthew Schroeder, and, according to the show's description, will "be a high-end multi-camera visual and sonic experience." Tickets went on sale on Aug. 7 and cost $30. Each come with a new paperback copy of Year Of The Monkey. In July, Smith and backing band Sidewalk Collective announced they'll release a third and final album in their "Perfect Vision" trilogy. Peradam shine a light on French writer Ren Daumal, whose most famous book compares the meaning of life to an alpine ascent. - New Musical Express, 8/8/20...... In a new lengthy interview with the UK's GQ magazine, Paul McCartney dismissed the idea of following such rock icons as Aerosmith for a Las Vegas residency, and right now he isn't crazy about following the likes of Bruce Springsteen for a Broadway show either. "That's something I've been trying to avoid my whole life," McCartney said of a Vegas residency. "Definitely nothing attracts me about the idea. Vegas is where you go to die, isn't it? It's the elephant's graveyard. As for Broadway, the Sir Paul says he's "not really" sold on that idea either. "Some people would like me to do it, as they say I've got plenty of stories and plenty of songs, but one of the things that's holding me back at the moment is that Bruce has just done it, you know?," McCartney said. "It feels a bit like, "Oh, suddenly I'll do it now then!' So I think that's made me a little reluctant to follow in his footsteps or follow a trend," he added. While he's not completely against a Broadway stint, McCartney explained that he would "just prefer to play with the band to a bigger audience, or even smaller... I don't mind little clubs." Elsewhere in the interview, Macca opened up about the time he sued the Beatles in order to "save their music and company, Apple." "The only way for me to save The Beatles and Apple -- and to release Get Back by [director] Peter Jackson and which allowed us to release Anthology and all these great remasters of all the great Beatles records -- was to sue the band," he explained. "If I hadn't done that, it would have all belonged to Allen Klein. The only way I was given to get us out of that was to do what I did. "I said, 'Well, I'll sue Allen Klein' and I was told I couldn't because he wasn't party to it. 'You've got to sue the Beatles.'" Paul also commented on John Lennon's 1971 solo song "How Do You Sleep?," saying he found the lyrics criticizing him "hurtful": "But then you hear the stories from various angles and apparently people who were in the room when John was writing that, he was getting suggestions for the lyrics off Allan Klein. So, you see the atmosphere of 'Let's get Paul. Let's nail him in a song...' And those things were pretty hurtful." - NME/PageSix.com, 8/5/20...... Neil Young made it official on Aug. 4 -- he'll definitely bring a copyright lawsuit against Pres. Donald Trump after announcing in late July that he was "reconsidering" the move. Young's suit, filed on Aug. 4 in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York, claims the Trump campaign has used such songs as "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Devil's Sidewalk" "as a theme song" for "a divisive, un-American campaign of ignorance and hate." "The complaint is not intended to disrespect the rights and opinions of American citizens, who are free to support the candidate of their choosing," according to the complaint, but noted Young could not "good conscience cannot allow his music to be used" in this way. His complaint states the Trump campaign had played both of these songs numerous times at rallies and political events including as recently as the Tulsa rally on June 20. "Trump did so without neither a license nor Young's permission to play those two songs at any public political event," the lawsuit notes. Young's complaint states that Trump's campaign has willfully ignored his wishes to not play those songs and has proceeded to play them despite not having the required licenses. The complaint is asking Trump's campaign be permanently stopped from publicly performing those songs, as well as any other Neil Young songs. He is also asking the Trump campaign be ordered to pay his statutory damages between $750-$150,000 for each infringement as well as reasonable attorney fees. Young has been critical of Trump since the 45th president used "Rockin' in the Free World" to announce his candidacy for president back in 2016. The Trump campaign has yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit. - Billboard, 8/4/20...... Creem: America's Only Rock 'N' Roll Magazine, a new documentary on the legendary '70s and '80s rock magazine Creem, opened on Virtual Cinema on Aug. 7 and is available for free streaming on YouTube. Founded in 1969 by Detroit headshop mogul Barry Kramer, the magazine epitomized the wild excess of rock and roll in the early 1970s and its pages were packed with the sex and debauchery of the biggest stars of the era. Creem's writers, who included Lester Bangs, Jaan Uhelszki, Nick Tosches, Charles Bukowski and future director Cameron Crowe, also participated in rock excess: Bangs once wrote a review of the J. Geills Band while they were still playing, then smashed his typewriter at the end; Uhelszki convinced KISS to let her on the stage, in full makeup, and the writer even performed on the band's seminal number "Rock and Roll All-Nite." After Barry Kramer OD'd on nitrous oxide with a dry-cleaning bag over his head in 1981, ownership of the famed rock journal was left to his then 4-year-old son, JJ Kramer. JJ says he now has plans for a Creem TV channel, a website, and maybe even a relaunch of the magazine. - WENN/Canoe.com, 8/7/20...... A 1999 David Bowie concert in Paris will be available for streaming beginning on Aug. 14. Something in the Air (Live Paris 99) was originally recorded on Oct. 14 1999 at Paris' Elyse Montmartre and features a 15-track setlist packed with 12 previously unreleased recordings and three tracks used as B-sides for singles from Bowie's "Hours" album. Before the concert, Bowie received France's highest artistic order -- the Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Footage from the performance can be viewed on YouTube. In May, another previously unreleased 1999 live album from Bowie, LiveAndWell.com, was made available digitally. Originally available on the now-defunct BowieNet, the record never received a commercial release after it was shared on the online platform 19 years ago. - New Musical Express, 8/6/20...... The estate of Tom Petty has shared "There Goes Angela (Dream Away)," a previously unheard recording from the late rocker's 1994 Wildflower sessions, on YouTube. The new recording follows a previous release from the Wildflower sessions back in June, "You Don't Know How It Feels." The former track was discovered by his daughter, Adria Petty, after sorting through his music following his death in 2017. - NME, 8/6/20...... Bruce Springsteen is featured on a new single called "AUATC" (Ate Up All Their Cake) from Bon Iver's latest album, Season 5. The band have also released an accompanying music video for the song and shared it on YouTube. "Bon Iver acknowledges our position within and use of capitalistic practices. We recognize our privilege and commit to using our platform to challenge capitalism everywhere," the band posted on Twitter. - NME, 8/6/20...... Wayne Fontana, the lead singer of the '60s pop group The Mindbenders, passed away on Aug. 7 at Steppinghill Hospital, Stockport, U.K., after what was described as a "long illness." He was 74. Fontana and The Mindbenders scored a big hit with "The Game of Love" in 1965. The Manchester, U.K. native, whose real name was Glyn Geoffrey Ellis, formed the band in 1963 and derived his stage name from Elvis Presley's legendary original drummer, D.J. Fontana. After scoring a hit with "Game of Love," Fontana left the group that same year and tried his hand as a solo act. His only notable chart success was with the 1967 song "Pamela, Pamela," one of several songs written for him by iconic British songwriter and 10cc member Graham Gouldman, a bandmate of Mindbenders guitarist Eric Stewart. His final single, "The Last Bus Home," was released by UK Polydor in 1976, after which he mostly walked away from the music business. - Billboard, 8/7/20...... Founding Molly Hatchet guitarist Steve Holland has died at the age of 66. No cause of death was given for the guitarist born in 1954, who appeared on the Southern Rock band's first five albums, including 1979's breakthrough Flirtin' With Disaster. Holland left Molly Hatchet in 1984 and later formed a group called Gator Country, named after the second track on Hatchet's 1978 self-titled debut album. In February, the band posted an image of Holland, seated in a wheelchair and looking frail, on the Gator Country Facebook page thanking fans for their support over the years. He was said to be suffering from an "extremely low" red blood cell count and was scheduled to receive a transfusion. - Billboard, 8/3/20.

Indie music publishing company Mojo Music & Media announced on Aug. 4 it has acquired 50% of Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen's music publishing catalog which consists of more than 400 songs, which includes such hits as "I Want You To Want Me," "Surrender" and "Dream Police." Nielsen wrote or co-wrote the vast majority of the Cheap Trick catalog, and as the songwriter he retains full ownership of the writer's share. Nielsen sold half of his publishing stake in his own songs to Mojo, and half of a co-publishing deal that covered about 10 songs. "I'd almost given up on the chance of finding a publisher who actually knew all my songs and had a vision for how to keep them alive for another 1,000 years or so," Nielsen said in a statement. "Turns out, [Mojo CEO] Mark [Fried] & The Mojo's are it! I'm looking forward to all the noise we're gonna make together." - Billboard, 8/4/20...... Van Morrison announced on Aug. 4 that he's signed on to play two "socially distanced" shows with reduced limited capacity in London at Camden's Electric Ballroom on Sept. 5 and 6. Tickets for the event are on sale now with a maximum of 10 tickets for two households or "bubbles." In July, the Irish crooner was confirmed a headliner at the UK's first socially-distanced venue, The Virgin Money Unity Arena at Newcastle Racecourse, on Sept. 3. Morrison will also play several dates at the Electric Ballroom in London this fall, and be the final headliner for the 2021 Kew the Music event on July 6 next year. - New Musical Express, 8/4/20...... Bette Midler is encouraging her fans to support the costume designers who are facing indefinite unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Timelines for reopening of entertainment venues continue to shift; shutdown could last anywhere from eight to eighteen months. Members know their survival is in jeopardy; their orders have largely been cancelled or delayed indefinitely," the Divine Miss M posted on Twitter on Aug. 2, and linked to the Costume Industry Coalition (CIC) site for more information. "Collectively, the CIC Members are facing a $4.5 million shortfall between July 1 and December 31, when they calculate rent, employee health insurance, liability insurance and utilities. Visit the AGA (Artisans Guild of America) website to learn how you can get involved," she added. - Billboard, 8/3/20...... Meanwhile, Bette Midler's erstwhile piano player Barry Manilow has had his song catalogue acquired by Hipgnosis Songs Fund. "Barry Manilow is an international treasure. He's an incomparable artist, songwriter, arranger, musician and performer," Hipgnosis Songs founder Merck Mercuriadis said in a statement. Financial terms of the deal, which includes such hits as "Mandy," "Can't Smile Without You," "Copacabana (At the Copa)" and "I Write the Songs," were not disclosed. "Merck has created a new type of music company and I'm looking forward to being part of the family at The Family Music and Hipgnosis Songs," Manilow said in a statement. - Billboard, 8/3/20...... Elton John took to social media on July 30 to celebrate 30 years of being sober. John, 73, shared snaps of his Alcoholics Anonymous coin and a celebratory cake as he marked the milestone, and in the accompanying caption, he reflected on what could have happened had he not made a positive change to his life. "Reflecting on the most magical day having celebrated my 30th Sobriety Birthday," Sir Elton wrote. "So many lovely cards, flowers and chips from my sons, David, friends in the Program, staff at the office and in our homes. I'm truly a blessed man. If I hadn't finally taken the big step of asking for help 30 years ago, I'd be dead. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart to all the people who have inspired and supported me along the way," he added, besides heart, praying hands, and halo emojis. - Music-News.com, 7/30/20...... The Rolling Stones are expected to release a video for their previously unreleased song "Scarlet," a collaboration with Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, on Aug. 6 at 7pm BST on their official YouTube channel. Featuring Paul Mescal, the video will also contain a special introduction from Stones frontman Mick Jagger. The band tweeted that "you won't want to miss & set a reminder here: https://t.co/H2JWfmmIvV pic.twitter.com/DtgVVl3rSG." "Scarlet" will feature on the band's forthcoming expanded edition of their 1973 album Goats Head Soup, which arrives on Sept. 4 and will feature 10 previously unreleased tracks and a full Stones concert from 1973. - New Musical Express, 8/3/20...... Cable TV's A&E network has announced a premiere date for an Ozzy Osbourne episode of their venerable series Biography. Biography: The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne was first announced back in January with a teaser trailer and was initially scheduled to make its premiere at the SXSW Festival in Texas in March before the festival was cancelled due to the explosion of the coronavirus pandemic. A&E now says the documentary, which chronicles the heavy metal icon's life and career, will debut on Sept. 7 in the U.S., though it is not yet known when and where it will be available for the rest of the world. A trailer for the documentary can be viewed at Vimeo.com. - New Musical Express, 8/2/20...... The BBC announced on Aug. 3 that a new Bob Marley documentary titled When Bob Marley Came to Britain is coming to the BCC2 later in August. In a press release, the BBC said the doc will "reveal how [Marley's] presence helped influence British politics, culture and identity, during a time of massive social and civil unrest in the UK -- and how his universal message of One Love and unity helped inspire a generation of Black British youth... It was in Britain that Marley established himself as an international artist, recorded some of his most successful albums and performed some of his most memorable concerts." When Bob Marley Came to Britain is narrated by Obaro Ejimiwe and include rare archive footage and interviews with several Brits who knew the reggae legend personally. - NME, 8/3/20...... Rod Stewart's wife Penny Lancaster revealed on the U.K. TV show Loose Women on Aug. 3 that Rod has been helping her cope with menopause symptoms that began during the coronavirus lockdown. Lancaster, 49, said she has found the past few months tough because of her side effects, but gushed that Rod and their two sons, Alastair, 14, and Aiden, nine, have been extremely helpful. Lancaster recounted one incident when everything went wrong while cooking dinner and "I ended up throwing the dinner across the kitchen." "I just screamed and burst into tears. The boys came and hugged me. Rod said, 'Just give mummy a minute.' So, we're lucky that we've got that open discussion," she said. The ex-model added: "What's really confusing for me, I'm trying to explain to my husband and the boys what's going on, but I don't really know myself... I don't know what's happening." In June, Stewart and Lancaster celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary with a socially distanced takeaway meal in London's Hyde Park. - Music-News.com, 8/4/20...... Michael Eavis, the founder of the U.K.'s legendary Glastonbury Festival, has said he is "uncertain if next year's festival will go ahead, but that he is "moving heaven and earth to make it happen." Speaking to ITV News, Eavis said fans might have to wait until 2022 for the return of the festival, which was due to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year with Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar headlining. Speaking about the difficulty of ensuring social distancing, Eavis said: "500 people is ok isn't it. But my job, 250,000 altogether is too many people I suppose isn't it really. I'm still hoping I'm going to be running next year and I'm going to be moving heaven and earth to make sure that we do. But that doesn't mean it will necessarily happen. That is just wishful thinking really." In related news, organizers of the 2021 edition of the U.K.'s Download Festival have announced KISS will top the bill for next year's event, which will occur on the weekend of June 4-6 at Donington Park, Leicestershire. KISS, Iron Maiden and System Of A Down had been scheduled to headline the metal festival in 2020 but it was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of staging this year's event, a virtual Download Festival was screened with hours of footage from previous events. - New Musical Express, 8/3/20...... It has been revealed that Michael Jackson performed an "elaborate presentation" while auditioning for the first X-Men movie. The film's producers say the late pop icon tried out for the role of mutants boss Charles Xavier, and according to Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter, the King of Pop was one of three A-list hopefuls for the comic book adaptation. Mariah Carey and basketball star Shaquille O'Neal were also among those who came in to read for various roles in the 2000 blockbuster but it was Jackson's "elaborate presentation" that really impressed the film bosses. Donner says Jackson played them his 1996 short film Ghosts, in which he played a "60-something white mayor." "I said to him, 'Do you know Xavier is an older white guy?'," said Donner. "And Michael said, 'Oh yeah. You know, I can wear make-up.'" Donner revealed Jackson was "never seriously considered" for the part, which ultimately went to Sir Patrick Stewart. - Music-News.com/The Hollywood Reporter, 8/4/20...... The final live performance of Fun House by The Stooges' original lineup has been released and shared on YouTube. The performance is set to appear on a new live Stooges album called Live at Goose Lake: Aug. 8 1970 which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Aug. 8, 1970, concert. The Stooges performed their 1970 album, Fun House, in full at the concert, and the recording features the Stooges' founding members Iggy Pop (vocals), Ron Asheton (guitar), Scott Asheton (drums) and Dave Alexander (bass). Alexander was allegedly fired after the gig for turning up too drunk to play. Live at Goose Lake will be available on CD and vinyl. Two limited-edition coloured vinyl variants, a purple and a cream-coloured press, will also be available. - NME, 8/1/20...... A Year With Swollen Appendices, a diary and essay collection first released in 1996 by Brian Eno, is being reissued in a special 25th anniversary hardcover and e-book re-issue via publisher Faber and Faber. The reissue, which will be available in the U.K. on Nov. 19 and in the U.S. on Feb. 9, 2021, will contain a new introduction by Eno alongside essays he penned on working with David Bowie, U2 and more. Faber and Faber editorial Director Alexa von Hirschberg says her company is "thrilled to be bringing Brian Eno's 1995 diary and "appendices' back into print. [It] is an intimate time capsule of the mind and working practices of a formidable thinker and creator at a pivotal point in history. It is an indispensable read." - NME, 8/1/20...... David Byrne launched a new monthly radio show, Here Comes Everybody, on Aug. 1 on the Sonos Sound System Station in the Sonos App and will made available online on Aug. 2 via Mixcloud. Subsequent episodes will air on the first day of each month. Speaking about the new show, the former Talking Heads frontman said: "I make a new playlist every month! I try not to repeat songs, but sometimes one can't help going back to something one loves. The playlists for this radio show are very often thematic -- movie scores, current releases, South Indian surprises, Turkish pop. You may not like them all, but then come back next month and there it will be & the music you have been waiting for your whole life." - NME, 8/1/20...... Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, a close friend of AC/DC, says the Aussie hard rockers have recorded their next album, but its release has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. "This is gonna be a miracle of technology," Snider said of AC/DC's new LP. "What will be achieved, the reuniting of the band that we know for one more album, is gonna be uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time. Because nothing goes on forever. But this is the ultimate 'one more time'," he added in the interview with ABC Audio. Snider previously claimed that AC/DC have joined forces once more with their former members, vocalist Brian Johnson and drummer Phil Rudd, on a new record. An AC/DC reunion was first rumoured in 2018 amid claims that the band were working on a new album that would feature the work of their late rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young on "every track." - New Musical Express, 7/30/20...... A new statue honoring Prince has been installed at the funk-rocker's Paisley Park compound in Minnesota. The statue, which is a copy of the Prince's iconic "Love Symbol," stands over 3 metres high and almost 2 metres wide, and can be viewed on Instagram. Honouring Prince's famous "Purple Rain' song, the statue is purple and is positioned at the entrance to Paisley Park where fans can take photos and pay further tribute. Prince debuted the "Love Symbol' -- which combined traditional male and female symbols -- in 1992 with an album of the same name. In 1993, he famously changed his legal name to the symbol and was referred to as "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince." "With the challenges that our world is currently facing, we are happy to share a piece that showcases this expression of creativity and freedom," said Paisley Park's Executive Director, Alan Seiffert. - NME, 8/1/20...... In a new interview with Mojo magazine, Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan revealed he makes his own furniture, including an oak table and mahogany desk. "I've built quite a bit of furniture," said Gillan. "I once made a mahogany desk for my daughter, and an oak table when I was ill with hepatitis and had three months off. I did it with planks of Japanese oak, a handsaw, sandpaper and glue." Deep Purple's latest album, Whoosh!, was released in June with studio wizard Bob Ezrin producing the band's 21st LP, his third effort for the band. On working with Ezrin for a third time, Purple guitarist Steve Morse said: "We've included everything that made the whole band smile, including Bob Ezrin. We've always enjoyed making music and having the incredible luxury of a loyal audience." - Music-News.com, 8/3/20...... Stevie Nicks shared a new entry in her "journal" on Twitter on July 29 in which she asked people to become "spiritual warriors in the coronavirus age," imploring others to "wear a mask and stay in as much as possible." Dated July 17, the journal entry references both Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's "Our House" and the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" as Nicks begins by saying that she is "just happy to be awake, immersed in music." "Feeling slightly euphoric and inspired to be alive and still be able to feel young and safe here," she writes. "Right here in this moment, I feel hope. I feel happy. I feel safe.... If everyone could just wear a mask and stay in as much as possible -- you might be able to find this magical place I have found, in the early morning when everyone sleeps. And when you wake up, make it your mission to do all that you can to stop the virus before someone you know falls really ill. Because then, you will be too late. Your life will be forever changed," she added, before writing "in order for us all to get back to our former lives -- we must all change into spiritual warriors. We must make it our mission to fight the virus; otherwise there is nothing left. If we don't get ahead of this now, we will live with such guilt and regret that that it will destroy us. You can't go back. You can't push rewind. Nicks closed by saying, "I want to go back on the road. I want to sing for you again. I want to put on those high black suede platform boots and dance for you again. I want you to forget the world and sing with me. Please don't throw this world away. Please don't give up on humanity and let this virus win this war. It's up to us now -- because nobody is helping us. Nobody is coming to our rescue. No one." - NME, 7/30/20...... Neil Young has shared a new live performance of his 2006 song, "Lookin' for a Leader," with edited lyrics that criticise Donald Trump's presidency and reflect on Young's support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The full performance, which include the lyrics "Yeah, we had Barack Obama/ And we really need him now/ The man who stood behind him/ Has to take his place somehow," was uploaded to Young's website NeilYoungArchives.com. "Lookin' for a Leader" originally appeared on Young's 2006 album Living With War. - NME, 7/30/20...... Director Alan Parker, who helmed such movies as Midnight Express, Evita and Bugsy Malone, died on the morning of July 31 following a long illness. He was 76. Parker rose to prominence in the 1970s and made a splash with his first feature film, 1976 gangster musical Bugsy Malone. He went on to earn his first Oscar nomination for best director for 1978's Midnight Express, which won Oliver Stone the Best Screenplay prize. He frequently revisited his penchant for musical movies with hits such as Fame, The Commitments and Evita, starring Madonna, while he was also the man behind the camera for 1982's Pink Floyd - The Wall, based on the rock band's album of the same name. His other credits included Angela's Ashes, Shoot the Moon, Angel Heart and 2003 thriller The Life of David Gale, which became his final movie. Parker was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services to the film industry in 1995, and was knighted in 2002. - WENN/Canoe.com, 7/31/20...... Actor Wilford Brimley, who had a lengthy career on camera dating back to the 1970s with over 70 acting credits, passed away on the morning of Aug. 1 at his home in Utah. He was 85. Sources with direct knowledge of Mr. Brimley's health say he was in an ICU wing of a hospital on dialysis, and very sick for days. Mr. Brimley started out as mostly a TV actor, landing one-time roles on TV series like How the West Was Won, Kung Fu, The Oregon Trail and then eventually had a recurring part on The Waltons. He went on to star in a bunch of TV movies, including The Wild Wild West Revisited, Amber Waves, Roughnecks, Rodeo Girl and The Big Black Pill. In the 1980s, Mr. Brimely started breaking out into more traditional films, appearing in flicks like The Stone Boy, Country, High Road to China, 10 to Midnight, Tough Enough, Jackals, End of the Line and several other B-movies where he'd often play an authority figure or a grandfatherly figure with his deep, comforting Southern accent. He was perhaps most known for roles in cult classic films like Cocoon, The Natural, The Thing and Hard Target. He went on to star in countless other movies and shows, notably on Our House, in which he starred in over 40 episodes, as well one-off appearances in hit series like Walker, Texas Ranger, Seinfeld, and many others. The iconic actor was also the face of Quaker Oats cereal throughout the '80s and '90s, and -- maybe even more memorable -- his classic diabetes ads for Liberty Medical, which was often spoofed, but also beloved. Mr. Brimley was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in 1979, and managed the disease ever since then, with the American Diabetes Association honoring him for his lifetime of advocacy in 2008. He is survived by his wife, Beverly, and his three children. - TMZ.com, 8/1/20.