Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on November 17th, 2020

A joint interview with Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift in the new issue of Rolling Stone magazine reveals that the former Beatle had planned to jam with the pop sensation on her massive hit "Shake It Off" at the ill-fated 2020 Glastonbury Festival in the UK. The two were set to headline the Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage, before the festival was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic. "Wow, it would've been so fun to play Glastonbury for the 50th anniversary together," Swift said, to which McCartney replied: "It would've been great, wouldn't it? And I was going to be asking you to play with me." "Were you going to invite me?" Swift said. "I was hoping that you would. I was going to ask you." "I would've done 'Shake It Off'," McCartney revealed, which Swift then said "would have been amazing." The interview took place in McCartney's London office in October, and opens with Swift describing the 78-year-old music legend dancing around and singing to Motown hits during the shoot and indulging her request that he hand-write her favorite lyric of his and sign it, which she promises to "cherish forever." The pair then fall into easy conversation about recording their recent albums, their shared love of numerology, performing under pseudonyms, and their reluctance to jump up and perform at celeb-packed parties. McCartney and Swift may get the chance to perform together at Glastobury 2021, which is currently set to go ahead. "The plan would be to rebook the 2020 bill, it will move everything, including our 50th-anniversary celebration to 2021," according to the festival's lawyer Ben Challis. - Billboard/New Musical Expess, 11/13/20...... A deluxe 50th anniversary reissue of the Grateful Dead's classic 1970 album American Beauty has debuted at No. 3 on Billboard's Album Sales Chart for the week ending Nov. 5, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. The Grateful Dead/Warner/Rhino release sold 21,000 copies in the U.S. and marks the band's biggest sales week for any album in nearly 25 years. American Beauty also sold particularly well on vinyl, with 9,000 copies sold and debuted at No. 1 on the Vinyl Albums Chart. The release is one rung ahead of another debuting Grateful Dead title, the live from-the-vaults album Dave's Picks Vol. 36: Hartford Civic Center, Hartford CT - 3/26 & 3/37/87, which bowed at No. 4 with 20,000 copies sold. The reissue of American Beauty is the second Dead album in 2020 to get a 50th anniversary reissue from Rhino, following Workingman's Dead. "We are incredibly proud of the Grateful Dead's chart success this week," says Rhino/Warner exec Mark Pinku. (American Beauty) remains my personal favorite and continues to serve as a perfect entry to the Dead's unparalleled catalog to many new fans as it did for me back in 1983." - Billboard, 11/12/20...... A 30-minute, 8 song soundboard recording of Van Halen in 1975 before they shot to fame three years later with their eponymous debut album has resurfaced and been shared on YouTube. Featuring founding members Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony, the gig saw Roth engaging in some of his patented stage patter in between VH covers of ZZ Top ("Chevrolet"), Deep Purple ("Maybe I'm a Leo"), the Edgar Winter Group ("And We All Had a Real Good Time"), the Rolling Stones ("Brown Sugar"), the James Gang ("Walk Away"), Johnny Winter ("Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo") and Sugarloaf ("Don't Call Us, We'll Call You"). The set also includes an early version of VH's Women and Children First album track "Fools," then called "I Live With Fools." - Billbaord, 11/13/20...... In related news, Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang Van Halen recently told Howard Stern during an interview on his Sirius XM radio show that towards the end of 2017, his dad was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. "The doctors were like, 'You have six weeks'," Wolfgang told Stern, adding that his father went to Germany to receive treatment and "whatever the f--- they do over there, it's amazing, because I got three more years with him." He goes on to say that things took a turn for the worse for his father in early 2019, when Eddie was involved in a motorcycle accident. Eddie was later diagnosed with a brain tumour, and received gamma knife radiosurgery to treat the illness. "But as time went on, shit kept stacking up and stacking up. It just never let up," Wolfgang added. He also confirmed that his dad was serious about embarking on a Van Halen "classic line-up" reunion tour before he became too ill to perform. "That's important, to let people know, that yeah, that was real, and we were so excited about it," Van Halen told Stern. "It just didn't pan out." Wolfgang's interview with Stern can be streamed on YouTube. - NME, 11/17/20...... The contemporary rock band Bleachers has shared a new collaboration with Bruce Springsteen on YouTube called "Chinatown" which sees Bleachers frontman Jack Antonoff and The Boss taking turns to sing the song's chorus. Speaking about "Chinatown," Antonoff said: "It starts in NYC and travels to New Jersey. That pull back to the place I am from mixed with terror of falling in love again. Having to show your cards to someone and the shock when you see them for yourself. Thinking you know yourself and where you are from.... Having to see yourself through somebody who you want to stay..." Antonoff added that "it's the honour of a lifetime to be joined by him." "He is the artist who showed me that the sound of the place I am from has value and that there is a spirit here that needs to be taken all over the world," he said. - NME, 11/16/20...... A newly remastered video of alternative fave Morrisey and David Bowie performing T. Rex's "Cosmic Dancer" has been shared on YouTube. Filmed at the Inglewood Forum in Los Angeles on Feb. 6, 1991, the "Cosmic Dancer" cover was officially released on streaming services on Nov. 13. A 7" double A-side single featuring this version of "Cosmic Dancer," as well as Morrissey's 2020-recorded cover of The Jam's "That's Entertainment," will be released on Feb. 19, 2021. The front and back of the sleeve for the single features photographs of Bowie with Morrissey that were taken in New York City by Linder Sterling. Meanwhile, a new Bowie live album called called No Trendy Rchauff hits stores on Nov. 20. - NME, 11/16/20...... In the December issue of Britain's GQ magazine, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page says that the coronavirus pandemic made him think about making a return to performing live. Page said that being in lockdown inspired him to think about getting back out on the road. "When we first went into lockdown I thought, 'Right, now's the time to start thinking about coming back at some point and being able to perform'," adding that the cancellation of concerts all over the world in order to stop the spread of COVID-19 has strengthened his belief that "music means nothing" without live shows. Page added that he's "worried" about the future of the arts and the lack of opportunities for new artists on the rise to perform live. "It's such a very sad and desperate time and what this virus has done internationally to families, to the arts, and everything we love and hold dear and the whole concert situation, it does worry me," he said. "I will never be one of those people who'll record alone and send someone a file. I never went into music in the first place to do that, it was for playing together and this is what it means. We need to play with people, we need gigs and we need community. Because without that, music means nothing." - NME, 11/14/20...... Alice Cooper has shared a cover of the Velvet Underground's "Rock & Roll" from his upcoming album Detroit Stories on YouTube. In 1971, the band Detroit recorded their own version of "Rock & Roll," which was produced by Cooper's longtime producer Bob Ezrin. Cooper's bright, raw take on "Rock & Roll" was -- like the rest of Detroit Stories -- also produced by Ezrin and features Detroit's Steve Hunter on guitar and Johnny "Bee" Badanjek on drums. Cooper will release the 15-track Detroit Stories on Feb. 26, 2021, via earMUSIC. - NME, 11/13/20...... In a new interview with Eon Music, Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler says there "definitely" won't be any more Sabbath shows, and that his Deadland Ritual "supergroup" may also be finished. "There will definitely be no more Sabbath -- it's done," he said. Butler added that Deadland Ritual "had an album worth of songs to record, then COVID struck, which put an end to recording, so I'm not sure if Deadland Ritual will ever carry on." Black Sabbath performed their farewell concert in 2017 with a string of arena concerts, which concluded with a two-night homecoming in Birmingham, however fans have hoped of a potential reunion ever since. - NME, 11/12/20...... Jack Furnish, the father of Elton John's husband David Furnish, has died at age 90. Elton and David Furnish announced the passing in an emotional post on Instagram on Nov. 15, alongside two old pictures of his dad when he was younger, and two of Jack holding his grandchildren -- Elton and David's sons Zachary, nine, and Elijah, seven -- when they were newborn babies. "My father passed away peacefully last night at the age of 90. Dad overcame the traumas of his own family being torn apart by both World Wars," David wrote in the accompanying caption. "He sought solace and comfort in the loving arms of my mother, and built a platform of solid and loving familial stability in which we could all flourish... Thank you for all that did for me Dad. You encouraged me to be independent and strong. To believe that I could achieve my goals in life through hard work and kindness. Lessons that I pass on to my own sons every day." - Music-News.com, 11/16/20...... Des O'Connor, a beloved British entertainer, TV presenter and singer died on Nov. 14 after a fall at his home in Buckinghamshire a few days prior. He was 88. Mr. O'Connor was known for his decades-long prime-time TV career, including shows such as Des O'Connor Tonight and Today With Des And Mel. He was also a successful pop singer, having recorded 36 albums and achieved four top 10 singles across a career spanning several decades. In 2008, Mr. O'Connor was made a CBE for his services to entertainment and broadcasting in the Queen's birthday honours. "Des, who was 88, was so well-loved by absolutely everyone. He was a joy to work with -- he was talented, fun, positive, enthusiastic, kind and a total professional," his longtime agent and family friend Pat Lake-Smith said in a statement. "He loved life, and considered enthusiasm almost as important as oxygen. He adored his family -- they were everything to him. He is survived by his wife, Jodie, their son, Adam, and his four daughters, Karin, TJ, Samantha and Kristina." Kim Wilde also paid tribute to Mr. O'Connor on Twitter, recalling "gorgeous memories of singing 'Something Stupid' with Des O'Connor" and an accompanying picture of the pair performing. "Thanks for the memories you lovely man," she added. - NME, 11/15/20.

Bruce Springsteen, his wife Pattie Scialfa, Sheryl Crow and country star Brad Paisley will be among the performers at the "Stand Up For Heroes" night to honor the nation's veterans and their families on Nov. 18. The annual event, which is going virtual for the first time due to the coronavirus pandemic, will highlight inspiring moments, surprises and stories of resilience from those who have served in the United States military. Hosted by Jon Stewart, the 14th annual "Stand Up for Heroes" event airs on Nov. 18 at 9 p.m. EST on ABC News Live, TikTok, Facebook Watch, Cheddar, Twitch and Armed Forces Network. - Billboard, 11/10/20...... Ringo Starr inducted his late friend and fellow musician Marc Bolan of T. Rex into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during a virtual ceremony on Nov. 7. "People knew him as a great musician, a songwriter, a guitarist, but he was also a poet," Starr said of his glam rock friend, who died in a car crash in 1977. "And he was really proud of that. He was always telling me that he was the Number One selling poet in Britain. In fact, his poetry was as important to him as his music. He had great style and was really unlike anyone else I have ever met." Ringo added: "He was a great performer, just incredible. And that's why I called the film we did together Born to Boogie, because he really was. I told Marc, I'll bring the camera and everything else, you just bring yourself. We had a lot of fun together. I remember lots of laughter. We lost him way too young, but in his short life, he made over 12 albums that are as far out and ahead of their time as he was. With the help of [producer] Tony Visconti and his band T. Rex, Marc's style started a lot of trends. They called it glam rock with singles such as 'Get It On', 'Children of the Revolution', and, of course, 'Born to Boogie'." Starr's speech concluded: "But it was always just great music to me. And that's why people are still listening to T. Rex today. There's no doubt they believe in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- finally. And I'm very proud to welcome them in right now. Peace and love to [T. Rex members] Marc, Mickey, Steve, and Bill, and peace and love to all the fans from me and T. Rex. Peace and Love." Alongside Bolan, Nine Inch Nails were also inducted, with Iggy Pop giving a speech to welcome Trent Reznor and co., while Depeche Mode also joined the revered list. The Doobie Brothers and Whitney Houston were also among the 2020 inductees. - New Musical Express, 11/8/20...... In other Rock and Roll Hall of Fame news, president and CEO Joel Peresman has announced the annual event is permanently changing its ceremony schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic. The news comes after it was announced earlier in 2019 that the 2020 ceremony, which was originally set to take place in May, would move to November and take place in virtual form following the global crisis. For years, the people behind the Hall Of Fame would announce in the autumn the nominations for the next year's inclusions. At the beginning of the year they would then unveil the list of artists being inducted before the grand all-star induction ceremony. However, Peresman has now announced that the Hall Of Fame's whole schedule has permanently changed. "We moved the timing of the ceremony," he said of this year's event. "We're going to move the ceremony permanently so it's in the fall of each year because of COVID." He continued: "We're also moving the nomination process. Normally, the nomination process starts in September, we announce the nominees in October, and then we announce the inductees in January. This time the nomination meetings will happen in January, so we'll announce the nominees in February and start that voting process then." While it's not clear whether next year's ceremony will be held in person, Peresman said it is "hopeful by next fall in some form that we'll be able to get together again." - NME, 11/3/20...... On Nov. 11 Alice Cooper announced that his next album will spotlight his early roots in his hometown of Detroit. Cooper says Detroit Stories will drop in Feb. 2021 and explore how the Motor City helped to popularize "angry hard rock" in the US. "Los Angeles had its sound with The Doors, Love and Buffalo Springfield," said Cooper. "San Francisco had the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. New York had The Rascals and The Velvet Underground. But Detroit was the epicentre for angry hard rock. After not fitting in anywhere in the US (musically or image-wise) Detroit was the only place that recognized the Alice Cooper guitar-driven, hard rock sound." Produced by his longtime producer Bob Ezrin, Detroit Stories will also be available in vinyl and digital formats and feature a number of veteran musicians from the Detroit scene, including MC5's Wayne Kramer, Detroit Wheels drummer Johnny 'Bee' Badanjek and bassist Paul Randolph. Cooper will release the first single from his 21st solo LP, a cover of Velvet Underground's "Rock and Roll," on Nov. 13. - NME, 11/11/20...... AC/DC shared the raucous track "Realize," the second single from their upcoming 17th studio album Power Up, on Spotify.com on Nov. 11. Written by guitarist Angus Young and late brother rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, "Realize" features singer Brian Johnson singing typically unsubtle AC/DC lyrics "Those moments just pass you by/ Gonna take you to paradise/ Move it/ Make you prove it, yeah/ Breakin' out/ Break it down/ Feel the chill, feel the chill/ Movin' down your spine." Due out on Nov. 13, the Brendan O'Brien-produced Power Up is the veteran Aussie rockers' first new music since 2014. Brian Johnson recently teased that they have more than enough new material in their archives to record another album after Power Up. "Most of Power Up came from ideas before [2008's] Black Ice, when Malcolm and Angus would sit together for five days a week and run through ideas," Johnson explained. "Malcolm was meticulous, he'd write down everything and when exactly they'd done it; categorise it. There's more than enough for another album, probably two." In other AC/DC-related news, a YouTuber named Lars von Retriever has shared a clip that mashes up the band's "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" with various speeches by US Pres. Donald Trump. The upload fuses the title track of AC/DC's 1976 album with some of Trump's recent rants -- including his recent accusations of "voter fraud" in regards to Pres. Elect Joe Biden's election victory. Earlier in 2020, Lars von Retriever shared a video in which Trump delivered the lyrics to Iron Maiden's "Run To The Hills." His latest video has registered over 22,600 views and almost 3,000 "likes" on the site so far. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 11/11/20...... In a new interview with the UK music mag Uncut, Paul McCartney shared his admiration for fellow legendary rock veteran Bob Dylan, and says that he "wishes he could be a bit more like him." When asked about his reaction to Dylan's latest acclaimed LP Rough and Rowdy Ways, Sir Paul said: "I always like what he does. Sometimes I wish I was a bit more like Bob. He's legendary... and doesn't give a shit! But I'm not like that. His new album? I thought it was really good. He writes really well. I love his singing -- he came through the standards albums like a total crooner. But, yeah, I like his new stuff. People ask me who I'm a fan of and Bob Dylan and Neil Young always make the list." McCartney is currently giving interviews promoting his upcoming album McCartney III, which drops on Dec. 11. - NME, 11/11/20...... In other Beatles-related news, crowds of New Yorkers came together to sing John Lennon's "Imagine" to celebrate former Vice President Joe Biden being formally called the winner of the 2020 US Presidential election on Nov. 7. In videos posted to social media, crowds at the city's Washington Square Park are seen singing "Imagine" in the park to toast Biden's victory. The footage was then retweeted by Lennon's official Twitter account, along with the hashtag: "#IMAGINE". The song also became an unofficial anthem in the global struggle against the coronavirus earlier in 2020. - NME, 11/7/20...... In related news, the relatives of late rocker Tom Petty say they were "touched" after Petty's "I Won't Back Down" was featured during a celebration of the Biden victory at a rally held at his home base of Wilmington, Del., on Nov. 8. During the event, Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris walked out to "Work That" by Mary J. Bliges, while Biden chose Bruce Springsteens track "We Take Care Of Our Own" as his entry song. Then, together, they marked the historic occasion by joining hands as Petty's "I Won't Back Down" was blasted through the speakers and confetti released into the air. A representative for Petty's family has since taken to Twitter to share their elation at the politicians' choice of music for the victory event. "We were all so touched to see Tom included on such an important night in America," they posted. "Congratulations @joebiden and @kamalaharris." In June, Petty's estate issued a cease and desist order to the Trump campaign after the same song was played at a Trump rally in Oklahoma. "Trump was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind," Petty's loved ones wrote. - Music-News.com, 11/8/20...... Meanwhile, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger celebrated the Joe Biden victory with a post on his Twitter account on Nov. 7. "I'm so looking forward to coming back to an America free of harsh words and name calling and be amongst people who I know have common ground and harmony," Jagger wrote to his 2.2 million followers. "It's a challenge but it can be done!" Like the Tom Petty estate, Jagger has previously objected to the Trump campaign playing his band's songs at their rallies, specifially "You Can't Always Get What You Want." - Billboard, 11/7/20...... In other Rolling Stones news, guitarist Keith Richards has spoken about the band's upcoming 60th anniversary in 2022, saying that "the plans are to still actually all be alive" by the time the milestone comes around. In an interview with GQ magazine, the 76-year-old Richards said "Well, the plans are to still actually all be alive" when asked about their 60th anniversary. Apart from that, at our age, I don't know. I haven't heard of any plans, but I'm sure there are things being made. First off, I'm going to get through this year and see how we handle next year. Because I think at the moment, there are more problems than a Rolling Stones celebration. Although I'm very glad that we're all here, but I'll leave it at that if I can." Richards further confirmed that the Stones have been working on a new album, which he says was "halfway in the works before [the] shit hit the fan" -- a reference to the coronavirus pandemic. "I was trying to progress a few things along, but there's not a lot one can really do except wait for the vaccine," the guitarist said. Richards also reflected on his own mortality in the interview, saying that "every day is a pleasure." "I mean, I don't wish to defy anybody's predictions and I'm really not interested in them," he added in reference to the interviewer's observation that "people have been wondering in interviews when you're going to die for the last 50 years." "But I'll croak when I croak and everybody will know," Richards added. - NME, 11/10/20...... In an interview with the website TalkRADIO.co.uk on Nov. 10, Queen guitarist Brian May revealed how Queen initially thought their Live Aid performance was "kind of ok," failing to realize that they had delivered one of the most iconic performances of all time. "It was so strange kind of reliving it for the movie," May said, referring to the smash 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. "They recreated it so incredibly faithfully, and to be there on that set was really spine chilling; it brought it all back. And at the time, we weren't aware of what an epoch-making thing it was, really. We came off [thinking], 'Well, that went kind of OK.' But we didn't realise that it had made such a lasting impression on the ether... It sort of lives on, doesn't it?" Hailing the talents of the late Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury, he added: "He had a great spatial awareness, and that's something very important. "If you're working with people on a stage, you need to have musical contact, but you also need the kind of physical chemistry going on -- the awareness of where you are and where you're aiming your energy. Freddie was wonderful for that, and we just clicked from the very beginning." - NME, 11/11/20...... Genesis member Phil Collins is disputing his ex-wife Orianne Cevey's "scurrilous" and "grossly exaggerated" claims that he refused to shower and lived in squalor after becoming a recluse after the former couple split for the second time earlier in 2020. In the latest development in a court battle over Cevey and her new husband Thomas Bates being evicted by Collins from a beachfront Miami compoind she once shared with Collins, Cevey claimed Collins became a recluse in 2019, refusing to socialize, turning his back on music and reportedly abusing painkillers, all while also failing to take care of his personal hygiene for months as he allegedly started living in squalor. "Philip's stench became so pervasive that he became a hermit, refusing to interact personally with any people," Cevey declared in the legal documents. However, Collins has disputed his ex's version of events in a response filed to court by his lawyers, calling her allegations "immaterial and impertinent" to the case and even going as far as likening her claims to a means of "extortion." "They are scandalous, scurrilous, unethical and, for the most part, patently false or grossly exaggerated," Collins' attorneys wrote. "These false and scandalous allegations are again included only so that they can be delivered by defendants to the media to try to damage Phil Collins' reputation in an effort to extort money." - Music-News.com, 11/10/20...... On Nov. 10 a new David Bowie album called No Trendy Rchauff was announced on the Bowie Instagram page. The album will arrive via Parlophone on Nov. 20 as part of the rock icon's posthumous "Brilliant Live Adventures" series, which comprises six previously unreleased live Bowie recordings from between 1995 and 1999. No Trendy Rchauff, the second release in the series, was recorded at the Birmingham NEC in Dec. 1995, and follows Ouvrez Le Chien, which dropped on Oct. 30. The 15-track No Trendy Rchauff features rare live performances of "Jump They Say" and "Strangers When We Meet" as well as two versions of "Hallo Spaceboy." The third installment in the "Brilliant Live Adventures"' series is due to arrive by the end of 2020, with the remaining three records set for release at some point in early 2021. Meanwhile, distributors of the new Bowie biopic Stardust have confirmed it will be released in UK theaters by the end of 2020. British distributor Vertigo Releasing has secured the rights to the film in the UK, which is set for release in the US on Nov. 25. The first screening recently took place at a socially-distanced opening night gala in London, with the film's director Gabriel Range in attendance. Stardust stars actor/musician Johnny Flynn as Bowie as he travels across the US in 1971, shortly before he saw widespread acclaim by reinventing himself as Ziggy Stardust. - NME, 11/10/20...... Alex Trebek, the beloved longtime host of the TV game show Jeopardy!, died at home on Nov. 8 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80. Mr. Trebek, who started out in radio and on shows in his native Canada before becoming a fixture of American TV for 36 years as the steady hand of the juggernaut Jeopardy!, reportedly passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Born George Alexander Trebek on July 22, 1940 and growing up in Sudbury, Ontario, Mr. Trebek's father immigrated from Ukraine; his mother was French Canadian. Mr. Trebek grew up working class with his sister Barbara in the nickel-mining town, and after working his way through college and graduating with a degree in philosophy, he worked in radio and TV for 12 years in his native Canada. He made the move to Los Angeles in 1973 for The Wizard of Odds, and hosted many game shows, including High Rollers and Double Dare, before landing Jeopardy! in 1984. For 36 years, Mr. Trebek, with his wit, pronunciation panache and steady hand, and the quiz show became "part of the fabric of American life," with him hosting nearly 8,000 episodes and the show winning 35 Emmys. Mr. Trebek announced that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2019 and fans showered him with support. Mr. Trebek is survived by his wife of 30 years, Jean Currivan, and their two children, Matthew and Emily, and Nicky, his first wife Elaine Callei's daughter. Among those paying tribute to Mr. Trebek after learning of his passing was "American Pie" hitmaker Don McLean, who was requested to attend a 2019 Christmas party hosted by Mr. Trebek. "There was not the slightest hint of self-pity or weakness in this man. He was elegant and dignified as you saw him on television," said McClean of Trebek's demeanor at the Dec. 18 party for 150 in Studio City, Calif., where Trebek said having the singer perform would be the realization of a "longtime dream" of his. "Old school for sure and someone who we all can learn from," McLean added. "I thought of him often afterward and I'll think of him in the future and maybe try to be a little more like him." - DailyMail.co.uk/Billboard, 11/8/20.