Elton John has a long association with the Academy Awards, hosting his annual Elton John AIDS Foundation pre-Oscars event for the last 29 years. But the Rocket Man wasn't so impressed with this year's Oscars ceremony on Apr. 25, saying it "looks like it's coming from a Starbucks somewhere." Commenting on the telecast during his annual viewing party, John told his co-host Neil Patrick Harris that his disappointment in the Oscars was pandemic-related. "I wish we could be there. It's more fun. This is the only way we could do it," Elton said. Nielsen figures saw the TV ratings for the 2021 Oscars telecast drop by 5%, with 9.85 million viewers in total tuning in. In 2020, the Academy Awards were watched by 23.6 million viewers and earned a 5.3 rating, versus this year's 1.9 rating. However, those figures are in line with ratings for live TV viewership broadly, which has been steadily decreasing for some time. - NME, 4/29/21...... 
Genesis announced on Apr. 29 they'll be mounting their first North American tour in 14 years this fall. The English prog-rockers' "The Last Domino?" tour will visit major cities across the Eastern U.S. and Canada, with Phil Collins' son Nic Collins helping out on drums, with longtime Genesis lead guitar and bass player Daryl Stuermer also performing alongside Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. Kicking off on Nov. 15 at Chicago's United Center, the tour will also hit Washington, D.C. (11/18), Charlotte (11/20), Montreal (11/22), Toronto (11/25), Buffalo (11/27), Detroit (11/29), Cleveland (11/30) and Philadelphia (12/2). Genesis will also play a two night stand at New York's Madison Square Garden on Dec. 5 and 6 and then hit Columbus, Belmont Park, NY, and Pittsburgh before wrapping on Dec. 15 at TD Garden in Boston. The 2021 tour marks the first time Genesis has performed stateside since 2007's "Turn It On Again: The Tour." In the meantime, the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2010. Tickets for all shows will be available first through a presale powered by Ticketmaster Verified Fan on May 5, followed by the general public on-sale on May 7. - Billboard, 4/29/21...... In more prog news, Yes's Rick Wakeman has joined forces with jazz saxophonist Justin Swadling on an upcoming collaboration. Wakeman and Swadling will release their new single, "Into the Light," on May 14. According to a press release, the genre-bending track "brings together Swadling's already mighty talent to create an outstanding record with the soloistic talents of a true Brit" and "penned amid the COVID-19 pandemic, 'Into The Light' carries a message of hope." Wakeman recently admitted he has no idea how the entertainment industry will recover from the global health crisis. "There's going to be massive job losses and companies going down. I truly don't know how the entertainment industry is going to recover. And we will have an anger period, because in this country people always look for someone to blame," he said. The 71-year-old Wakeman, who played on the iconic David Bowie tracks "Changes," "Life on Mars?" and "Hunky Dory," recently performed alongside Bowie's long-time band member Mike Garson and Yungblud for the "A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day!" live-stream Bowie tribute concert in January to mark what would have been David's 74th birthday. Wakeman has a 16-date U.K. tour planned for the fall, kicking off on Nov. 28 in Basingstoke's The Anvil, hitting London's Cadogan Hall on Dec. 10, and wrapping on Dec. 21 at the Hull City Hall. - Music-News.com, 4/30/21...... A new 4-hour KISS biopic, Biography: KISStory, is set to air on the A&E cable channel in June over two nights. KISStory, which is separate to the band's upcoming biopic Shout It Out Loud which will apparently air on Netflix,h as the support of the members of KISS, with Paul Stanley calling it "really terrific." Featured artists in the film are set to include Dave Grohl and Tom Morello. A description of KISStory reads: "After 50 years of rocking and rolling all night and partying every day, the #1 Gold Record selling band of all time, KISS, shares their story of success before finally smashing their last guitar and extinguishing the fire-breathing demon. Through the Biography lens we are able to give fans a backstage pass to a two-night event that honors the legacy of the rock icons behind KISS," a press release added. "This documentary event is a special tribute to a one-of-a-kind band and the incredible Kiss Army fanbase that has idolized them for generations." - NME, 4/29/21...... 
A new massive collection of Jim Morrison's poetry, lyrics and writings, The Collected Works of Jim Morrison: Poetry, Journals, Transcripts, and Lyrics, will hit stores on June 8, publisher HarperCollins announced on Apr. 26. The book was created in collaboration with the late the Doors frontman's estate and boast almost 600 pages of writings. The anthology was inspired by a posthumously discovered list by Morrison entitled "Plan for Book," and will include poetry, lyrics and audio transcripts of Morrison reading his work, accompanied by a compelling mix of 160 visual components. The Collected Works of Jim Morrison also includes a foreword by novelist Tom Robbins, introduction by editor Frank Lisciandro, and a prologue by the rocker's sister, Anne Morrison Chewning. - Billboard,4/26/21...... Ozzy Osbourne says he has 15 songs done for his next studio album, the follow-up to 2020's Ordinary Man. "I've done 15 tracks," Ozzy told Metal Hammer of progress on the record. "It's kept me alive, you know. These past two years, I've been in a terrible fucking state between the accident [a fall at home that left him seriously injured and then the pandemic. It's kept me sane; I've needed the music," Ozzy says. "I struggle a bit, but slowly but surely we're getting there," he added. "My only concern right now is finishing the bloody thing. We've got the same production time as the last time, so there's definitely going to be some similarities. But you'll just have to wait and see what you think," he added. Osbourne's producer, Andrew Watt, recently revealed the new studio LP is set to feature an all-star cast of backing musicians, including members of Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica. - New Musical Express, 5/1/21...... A new Blondie documentary titled Blondie: Vivir en la Habana is set to premiere at the UK's Sheffield Doc Fest in June. The film, following frontwoman Debbie Harry and the New York new wave band, will focus on the band's time in Cuba collaborating with local musicians. Blondie were invited to perform in Havana as part of a cultural exchange through the Cuban Ministry of Culture. Guitarist Chris Stein had long wanted to visit Cuba while being in the band for over 40 years. A short film was shot by artist and director Rob Roth, also called Blondie: Vivir en la Habana, which has now turned into the feature. Harry, Stein and Clem Burke all narrate the film, which "invites us into their magical moments of performing alongside incredible musicians," per a press release. Blondie: Vivir en La Habana will screen at Sheffield Doc Fest between June 4-13. - NME, 4/29/21...... 
Tom Jones has become the oldest male to claim a Number 1 on the UK's Official Albums Chart as his new album Surrounded By Time topped the chart after its Apr. 23 release. At 80 years and 10 months old, Sir Tom set a new UK Official Chart record as the oldest male to claim a No. 1 album on the Official Albums Chart, and the oldest artist ever to do so with an album of new material, overtaking Bob Dylan, who topped the chart at 79 years old in June 2020 with Rough And Rowdy Ways. Surrounded By Time is Tom's fourth No. 1 album and his first since 1999's Reload. He's also the first Welsh soloist to land a UK chart-topper in nine years, since Marina & The Diamonds' Electra Heart in 2012. "I am thrilled beyond words with the reception for Surrounded By Time, and to now hold these UK chart records is tremendous, just unbelievable," Jones told OfficialCharts.com. "I am so proud of everyone who helped me create this music, I had a ball working with them and to get this result is just incredible. It's wonderful that the public has allowed me to be musically expressive at my time of life and have shown their support. I am forever grateful," he added. - Music-News.com, 4/30/21...... A week after revealing he was "in agony" after testing positive for the Covid-19 virus, Ted Nugent has opened up on his recent battle with the virus in a new edition of his Spirit Campfire show (which has been shared on YouTube), saying he's "never been so scared in all my life." Nugent announced in April that he had contracted the virus, before denying that he had previously called coronavirus a hoax. The controversial right-wing singer has attracted criticism for his views on the ongoing pandemic over the last year. Reflecting on his experience with Covid on Apr. 29, he said: "I never am a sympathy guy. I'm a tough guy. I'd rather err on the side of 'tough guy.' Five [or] six days ago, it was really scary. I didn't think I was gonna make it. I literally couldn't function for about 20 hours, and then they came and they rescued me... I've never been so scared in all my life. I've had the flu three or four times in my life," he continued. "I'm in bed and I'm giving birth to swampage -- I mean, I go through six boxes of Kleenex an hour. Okay, that's the flu, and you've got a headache and you've got body aches. Maybe you've got some diarrhea, and just overall pain." Nugent added: "I don't struggle to express myself. The six-foot-two, 225-pound headache [this time] was like nothing I have ever experienced. I mean, from my tip of my toes to the top of my hair, I literally was dizzy and weak and struggled to get up to go to the bathroom. And I would lay in the bathtub a couple of times a day with the water as hot as I could take it just to divert." After reporting that he had contracted Covid, Nugent denied saying that the virus was "not a real pandemic," and hit out at press reports that detailed his stance on coronavirus. "Saying that I claimed Covid-19 was a hoax. False," he told fans on Facebook Live. "I've always said... We have actually footage of me saying, if not hundreds, thousands of times... Of course there's a Chinese virus. Hello? Who thinks that I claimed there's no Chinese... There's a Chinese virus. They call it Covid-19. I'm well aware of that." Nugent has also claimed that online critics of his celebrated his recent coronavirus diagnosis and denounced them as "satanic." "...You have to know that there is a Satanic cult that is just demonic in their hatred and celebrating -- literally celebrating -- other people's suffering. I'm afraid that's the Democrat party. They are a Satanic cult. They literally throw gasoline on the fire of hurt, pain and suffering. Both literally and figuratively," he said. - NME, 4/29/21...... 
A previously unreleased version of an early Fleetwood Mac hit called "Need Your Love So Bad" has been released, featuring vocals from the late Peter Green and a newly recorded guitar track from Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. The new take on the 1969 hit is one of two new versions of Fleetwood Mac classics that have been recorded to celebrate the release of Peter Green -- The Albatross Man, a new book in tribute to the late Fleetwood Mac guitarist which arrives in October. The second track, meanwhile, sees Metallica's Kirk Hammett playing guitar on a version of the 1971 classic "Man Of The World," which also features Mick Fleetwood on drums. While Gilmour recorded his guitar part relatively recently, Green's vocals have been newly unearthed and are thought to have been recorded in the mid-1960s in his mother's attic. Gilmour, a close friend of Green, also performed his signature "Albatross" at last year's Peter Green tribute concert, which featured a performance from Hammett too. Green, the co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, died in July 2020 at the age of 73. The unreleased version of "Need Your Love So Bad" can be streamed on YouTube. - NME, 4/29/21...... Patti Smith and Arlo Parks will be among the headliners at the 2021 Manchester UK International Festival, which will also screen a new film starring Cillian Murphy. The event will take place between July 1 and July 18, and will see its participating artists reflect on ideas such as love and human connection in a post-coronavirus world. Smith will perform two nights (July 7/8) as a Manchester Internation Festival exclusive, taking to the stage for her first concerts since the Covid crisis began. Arlo Parks, meanwhile, will be accompanied by a string section for her biggest headline show to date on July 9. Venues for both performances are yet to be confirmed. The Cillian Murphy-starring film All Of This Unreal Time is set to receive its world premiere as an immersive installation between July 2-4. - NME, 4/28/21...... Olivia Newton-John has taken to Instagram to mourn the loss of her longtime cancer nurse Emma Cohen, who died in April. In her tribute, Newton-John revealed the impact Cohen had on her during her battle with the disease: "My heart is still in shock and so saddened to learn of the sudden loss of the very special Emma Cohen. Emma took care of me at a very vulnerable time in my life when I was a patient on her unit at the @onjcancercentre in 2018. She ensured my stay was safe and comfortable, always had practical advice for me, showed strong leadership skills and had a great sense of humour. She was a bright, energetic and powerful woman with a huge future ahead of her, and we connected on our mission to help patients on their cancer journey." Newton-John was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer -- her third battle with disease -- in 2017. And Olivia -- who didn't reveal Cohen's cause of death -- admitted she will "miss seeing (Emma's) lovely face" at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, where Emma worked. The Cancer Nurses Society of Australia -- on which Cohen served as a board director -- revealed she died after a "short illness" on Apr. 9. - Music-News.com, 4/29/21...... American astronaut Michael Collins, who stayed in the lunar command module when fellow Apollo 11 crew members Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon in 1969, died on Apr. 28 after a battle with cancer, according to his family. He was 90. Often described as the "forgotten" third astronaut on the historic mission, Mr. Collins remained alone for more than 21 hours until his two colleagues returned in the lunar module. He lost contact with mission control in Houston each time the spacecraft circled the dark side of the moon. "Not since Adam has any human known such solitude as Mike Collins," the mission log said, referring to the biblical figure. "I know that I would be a liar or a fool if I said that I have the best of the three Apollo 11 seats, but I can say with truth and equanimity that I am perfectly satisfied with the one I have," Collins said in comments released by NASA in 2009. Born in Rome on Oct. 31, 1930, Mr. Collins was the son of a U.S. army major general and, like his father, attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., graduating in 1952. Like many of the first generation of American astronauts, Mr. Collins started out as an air force test pilot and in 1963, he was chosen by NASA for its astronaut program. Mr. Collins's first voyage into space came in July 1966 as pilot on Gemini X, part of the missions that prepared NASA's Apollo program. The Gemini X mission carried out a successful docking with a separate target vehicle. His second, and final, space flight was the historic Apollo 11. Mr. Collins avoided much of the media fanfare that greeted the astronauts on their return to Earth, and was later often critical of the cult of celebrity. After a short stint in government, he became director of the National Air and Space Museum, stepping down in 1978. He was also the author of a number of space-related books. His strongest memory from Apollo 11, he said, was looking back at the Earth, which he said seemed "fragile." "I really believe that if the political leaders of the world could see their planet from a distance of 100,000 miles, their outlook could be fundamentally changed. That all-important border would be invisible, that noisy argument silenced," he said. His family's statement said they know, "how lucky Mike felt to live the life he did." With Mr. Collins's death, only four astronauts who have walked on the moon are still living, and the last human being who orbited or set foot on the moon did so in Dec. 1972. - CBC.ca, 4/28/21...... 
60s hitmaker Marianne Faithfull released a new album, She Walks in Beauty, on Apr. 30. A collaborative effort with Warren Ellis of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, the album is a new collection of poetry and music recorded shortly before and during the first coronavirus lockdown in the UK. Faithfull, 73, was hospitalised in March 2020 after developing coronavirus symptoms and after 22 days of treatment, she was discharged from hospital and returned to her London home in April. She now says her battle with coronavirus may have robbed her of the ability to sing. "The damage has been very bad," she recently told the LA Times. "It's my lungs, my memory and fatigue. It couldn't be worse. I don't know if I will ever be able to sing again. I have singing practice once a week, and I'm doing my best, but it's very hard. I love touring, and it's breaking my heart that I might possibly not be able to do it again. But I think there are ways around that, like filming. I might be able to do five shows one day: London, Paris, Berlin and two others. But I won't be able to travel. I'm in Europe and here I'll stay. That's OK. I really am European." - NME, 4/28/21...... Actor Johnny Crawford, who became a child star as the son of The Rifleman, passed away peacefully on the evening of Apr. 29 with his wife by his side after battling Alzheimer's disease and contracting Covid-19. He was 72. "It is with great sadness that we share the news of Johnny Crawford’s passing," the website posted. "We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends and fans around the world." Crawford rose to stardom after being cast in the ABC series The Rifleman which ran for five seasons. Crawford played the son of a western rancher Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) who was also a union Civil War veteran. His role in The Rifleman led him to be Emmy-nominated for best supporting actor in a dramatic series. Before playing young McCain, Crawford was one of the first Mouseketeers on The Mickey Mouse Club. He also made appearances in many TV series aired in the 1950s including The Lone Ranger, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Loretta Young Show. He also worked in music. In 1962, his song "Cindy's Birthday" peaked on the Billboard charts at No. 8. He is also credited with performing the song "Easy Come Easy Go" featured on 2004 film Hellboy. Friends in entertainment remembered Crawford on Twitter as an "inspiration" and a "dear friend." "My dear friend #JohnnyCrawford just passed away. I pray for his wife Charlotte as she was by his side. Johnny was a real cowboy and will be greatly missed," wrote Happy Days actor Scott Baio. - USA Today, 5/1/21.
Paul McCartney was among numerous the numerous musicians and other stars tweeting out awareness of the 50th annual Earth Day celebration on Apr. 22. As global warming's effects continue to push the Earth's climate to a tipping point, the former Beatle and long-time environmentally conscious vegetarian had a very simple message in his Earth Day tweet: "Sir Paul McCartney Has an Important Reminder - Celebrating #EarthDay. It's the only one we've got ! - Paul pic.twitter.com/2xwqAHdbVB." - Billboard, 4/22/21...... Elton John held a virtual pre-Oscars party on Apr. 25 ahead of the annual Oscars ceremony that evening. John, who has famously been hosting viewing parties for the Academy Awards since 1992, gave fans the chance to watch the live-streamed event for $19.99 (£14.99). The event was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, with rising singer Dua Lipa as a musical guest, performing alongside Elton. "Now more than ever, we need to ensure that one pandemic does not override another, and we cannot forget the 38 million people living with HIV globally who need our care, love and support so we hope everyone joins us for this special one-of-a-kind Oscar Pre-Party," John posted on Twitter announcing the event. - NME, 4/23/21...... 
As the celebrity gossip site Deadline.com posted a link to an article on Twitter revealing that a new KISS biopic is being bid on by Netflix, KISS singer/guitarist Paul Stanley deployed a short-but-sweet message to the KISS Army: "True!" According to Deadline, Netflix is nearing a deal for the flick, which has the working title Shout It Out Loud, a standout song from the band's 1976 album Destroyer. To be directed by Joachim Rnning, the film could be the next big musical biopic in the wake of Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman. The tale will likely focus on the unlikely friendship of Stanley and bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, and the classic lineup with Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss. KISS has said they will wrap up their career with the final date of their "End of the Road Tour," which which kicked off in January of 2019. - Billboard, 4/22/21...... The legendary residential Rockfield Studio located in Wales where Queen laid down its iconic "Bohemian Rhapsody" track and also played host to a number of other famous rock acts including Rush, Iggy Pop, Simple Minds, The Pogues and George Michael will be the subject of a new documentary called Rockfield: The Studio on the Farm. The movie, which chronicles a dream hatched by brothers Kingsley and Charles Ward in 1963 to build a recording studio in a farmhouse attic on their family farm deep in the Welch countryside, will be available as a WatchNow@Home direct-to-consumer release before hitting other platforms. Robert Plant, Black Sabbath, Oasis and Coldplay will be among the artists appearing in the film, directed by documentarian Hannah Berryman (Miss World 1970 and Bedlam). Director Berryman said in a statement that "the intensity of the 'make or break' nature residential recording [which] almost broke some bands... also produced tracks that have stood the test of time, and maybe you can hear everything that went on this isolated farm in that music, the pleasure and the pain." A trailer for Rockfield can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 4/22/21...... The Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood has shared he's been given the all-clear after his second diagnosis. Wood was diagnosed with rare and aggressive small-cell cancer during the coronavirus lockdown, the second time that he had fought the disease after he previously beat lung cancer in 2018. "I've had cancer two different ways now," Ronnie told England's The Sun paper. "I had lung cancer in 2017 and I had small-cell more recently that I fought in the last lockdown." Small-cell cancer is often found in the lung, but it can also affect the prostate, pancreas, bladder or lymph nodes. Opening up on his latest experience of cancer, Wood explained that working on paintings of his wife Sally and their four-year-old twins kept his spirits up. He also believes that staying sober for a decade and the concept of a "higher power" helped him through his latest fight. "When you hand the outcome over to your higher power, that is a magic thing," he said. "That brings you back to the (AA and NA's) Serenity Prayer: 'Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change'. That's incredible. What will be will be, it's nothing to do with me. All I can do is stay positive in my attitude, be strong and fight it, and the rest is up to my higher power." Wood previously admitted that it "could have been curtains" after his 2017 diagnosis, when he underwent a five-hour operation to have part of his lung removed. - NME, 4/26/21...... The '70s L.A. pop-rock duo Sparks has reunited with their former producer Todd Rundgren after 50 years for new single called "Your Fandango," which has been shared on YouTube. Speaking about the collaboration, Sparks -- made up of brothers Ron and Russell Mael -- said: "It's been a truly heartwarming experience to once again be working with Todd, our first-ever producer, after a brief 50-year hiatus." Rundgren added: "It's been a long way since Simple Ballet, but we finally got the old dance troupe back together!" On Apr. 19, it was announced that Sparks have written a musical titled "Annette" which is set to star Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. The film, which is set to open the Cannes Film Festival, is directed by Holy Motors' Leos Carax and sees Driver playing a stand-up comedian opposite Oscar-winner Cotillard's character, who is an internationally famous singer. Sparks also recently revealed that they're working on new music in the studio. - NME, 4/24/21...... 
Talking to London's The Times's "Saturday Review" section, Van Morrison claims he's had a "very negative reaction" for exercising "freedom of speech" in his songs. The Celtic crooner, 75, who has been open about his criticism of Covid-19 lockdowns and released three protest songs in 2020 and launched a campaign to save live music amid the coronavirus pandemic, says he is concerned people are being silenced for expressing alternative views. "The only other person who has any traction or motivation to speak out about what's going on, to get out there and question things, is Eric [Clapton]. A few people got a petition together to end the lockdown, but nobody pays attention to petitions, do they? If I can write about it, I do. Poetic licence, freedom of speech... these used to be OK. Why not now? I don't understand it. Some people call it a cult. It is like a religion. Whether anyone agrees with me or not is irrelevant. Just as there should be freedom of the press, there should be freedom of speech, and at the minute it feels like that is not in the framework. If you do songs that are an expression of freedom of speech you get a very negative reaction." Morrison added he doesn't think it's "a given" that live music will return any time soon. "I heard that some music promoters met with the people at Imperial College who are running the whole thing. Well, really, Klaus [Schwab], the executive chairman of the World Economic Forum] is running the whole thing. Your guess is as good as mine because freedom is not a given any more. You have to fight for it. That's where the blues come in." Morrison's views on the state of the world are explored on his new album Latest Record Project: Volume 1, which he whittled down to 28 songs from more than 50 tracks he's written over the last 18 months, though he insisted inspiration doesn't come easily. "I write in the morning, every day from breakfast until lunch, and for that time I'll be concentrating fully. Inspiration doesn't come down the chimney. You have to work at magic." - Music-News.com, 4/25/21...... Meat Loaf has paid tribute to his long-time collaborator, producer/songwriter Jim Steinman, who passed away from kidney failure on Apr. 20 at age 73. The Texas-based rocker paid tribute to Steinman on Twitter with a photo collage of their golden years, and a nod to the winged mammal in that most famous 1970s album. "Coming here soon, My brother Jimmy," Meat Loaf posted. "Fly Jimmy Fly." Steinman was a composer on Meat Loaf's rock-opera juggernaut Bat Out Of Hell which yielded the classics "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth," "Paradise by the Dashboard Light," "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" and is now a diamond certified platinum seller in the US. The duo returned to the well for 1993's Bat Out of Hell II, Back Into Hell, and its enduring hit "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)." Meat Loaf and Steinman returned to the well for 1993's Bat Out of Hell II - Back Into Hell, and its enduring hit "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)." - Billboard, 4/20/21...... Meanwhile, Alice Cooper has spoken more in detail about his bout with coronavirus at the end of 2020. "All it really did with me was it knocked me out," Cooper told Good Day Rochester in a new interview. "For three weeks, I felt like I went 12 rounds with [boxing legend] Roberto Duran; I was just beat up. And then every day, you feel a little bit better, then you feel a little bit better, feel a little bit better, and after about a month, you start feeling pretty good. And so now I'm a walking antibody." Cooper revealed in February that he had received his vaccination alongside his wife, Sheryl, at an immunization facility in Phoenix, Arizona -- and stressed the importance of getting the jab to everyone else. "We already had Covid but we're getting vaccinated anyway," Cooper said in a brief clip, per AZCentral. "Everyone out here has been really nice and you don't feel like you're in danger of anything. So come on out. If you haven't been vaccinated, come on out." Cooper adds he is now "feeling pretty good" and adds his health is "at least 95 per cent" of what it was before he contracted the virus. The shock rocker is now gearing up for a return to the stage, headlining his "Coopstock" benefit concert on Apr. 24 April in Mesa, Ariz. KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer, former Foreigner singer Lou Gramm, and Asia are also scheduled to perform. - New Musical Express, 4/25/21...... 
Never one to mince words, former Sex Pistols member John "Johnny Rotten" Lydon has called director Danny Boyle's Sex Pistols biopic series "the most disrespectful shit I've ever had to endure" and claims the project was green-lit without his consent. In an interview with London's Sunday Times, the singer reacted to recent publicity shots promoting the six-part series Pistol. "I think that's the most disrespectful shit I've ever had to endure. I mean, they went to the point to hire an actor to play me but what's the actor working on? Certainly not my character. It can't go anywhere else [but court]," Lydon said. Pistol, which has been created for TV by Craig Pearce (The Great Gatsby) and written by Pearce and Frank Cottrell-Boyce, began filming lin March, although no official premiere date has been confirmed yet. Elsewhere in the interview Lydon said "it's not like we're complete strangers" in reference to his claims that he wasn't contacted by Boyle, having previously met the director during preparations for the 2021 London Olympics opening ceremony. He added: "Sorry, you think you can do this, like walk all over me -- it isn't going to happen. Not without a huge, enormous f---ing fight. I'm Johnny, you know, and when you interfere with my business you're going to get the bitter end of my business as a result. It's a disgrace." A spokesperson for the Pistol production told the paper that Boyle contacted Lydon's management company about the planned series but "ultimately direct contact was declined." Pistol is based on guitarist Steve Jones' 2018 memoir Lonely Boy: Tales From A Sex Pistol, and is being made as a limited FX series. Boyle, who serves as director and executive producer, has described the Sex Pistols' breakthrough as "the moment that British society and culture changed forever." - NME, 4/25/21...... In related news, Tom Jones is reportedly in talks for a movie biopic, but says he isn't ready to "tell-all" just yet. Sir Tom, 80, says he has been in discussions regarding a movie about his life like Elton John's Rocketman and the Freddie Mercury/Queen film Bohemian Rhapsody. But Jones says he's not sure he is willing to share every detail about his life and career with the world on the big screen just yet. Appearing on Alan Carr's "Life's a Beach" podcast, he said: "Well there's been talk of it, yes. But then I'd have to tell-all. So I don't think I'm ready to tell-all yet. Y'know what I mean, it's one of those things. We're thinking about it." Although Tom didn't divulge who he'd like to play him in a biopic, he is adamant on it being an actor opposed to an actor-singer like Taron Egerton in Rocketman. "Well I think it would be better to get an actor because there are actor-singers who have come forward. But I think the best thing to do is get a really good actor like Elton John did. You've got to get an actor to play the part, then the music -- you get somebody to do. I'll either do [the music] myself or somebody who can do a soundalike. There are Tom Jones soundalikes out there. Y'know younger fellas. But the acting is the important part." Jones released his 41st studio album, Surrounded By Time, on Apr. 23. - Music-News.com, 4/24/21...... During a worldwide listening party for the new John Lennon deluxe John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band reissue, Ringo Starr remembered his old bandmate as "a brilliant artist and a brilliant man." As Tim Burgess' latest Twitter Listening Party turned its attention to the upcoming release, the famous drummer wrote on Twitter: "It's so incredible, the emotion on this record, just mind blowing. The sparseness of the band, the force of John Lennon. That's why he's one of the greats." Addressing suggestions that Lennon frequently worried about the quality of his singing voice, Starr wrote: "John always wanted a lot of echo on his voice. He had a great voice and when he was singing, he gave all of that. I don't feel personally he was insecure about his voice. Everybody wants to be someone else, to be different." In his final tweet about the experience, Starr added: "It is an incredibly cool record. It's a beautiful record and he was a beautiful man and I'm privileged to feel he was my friend. Great to be a part of Plastic Ono Band." - NME, 4/25/21...... In other Beatles-related news, a movie theater where Liverpudlians John Lennon and George Harrison spent their teenage years attending has been saved from demolition. The Abbey Cinema in Wavertree, Liverpool which featured in the Fab Four's personal writings and the original lyrics of their 1965 song "In My Life," officially closed in 1979. The cinema, which was designed by renowned architect and Liverpool City Council leader Sir Alfred Ernest Shennan, first opened in 1939. It has since been used as a bingo hall, snooker club and, most recently a Co-op supermarket, which closed its doors in 2020. UK supermarket chain Lidl has called for the building to be knocked down to make way for a new store, but a petition has been started on Twitter to preserve the building by Save Britain's Heritage, Historic England, which has now given it a Grade II listed status. - NME, 4/22/21...... The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced it has opened a new exhibit featuring props and outfits from several Super Bowl halftime performances by the likes of Prince, Stevie Wonder, Katy Perry, and more. Unveiling the "Biggest Show On Turf: 55 Years Of Halftime Shows" exhibition on Apr. 23 at the Cleveland hall and museum, the display comes ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft which is coming to the city on Apr. 29-May 1. Located on the museum's main floor, fans can walk the same line as Canadian superstar The Weeknd, snapping selfies next to the flashing lights and neon signs. Elsewhere, the outfit Prince wore during his Super Bowl XLI performance can be found inside a glass case, while U2 frontman Bono's American Flag jacket from U22 s 2002 Super Bowl performance dedicated to the victims of 9/11 is also featured. Scattered throughout the exhibit are photos and video from just about every major Super Bowl halftime show, including footage of Michael Jackson standing frozen for 90 seconds at the start of his performance at 1993 s Super Bowl XXVII. More info can be found on the RRHOF's website. - NME, 4/24/21...... 
Frank Zappa's official Twitter page announced on Apr. 23 that the eclectic rocker's last ever American concert is set to be immortalised on a new live album, Zappa '88: The Last U.S. Show. The album showcases Zappa's legendary show at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY on Mar.h 25, 1988, and is preceded by the live single "I Ain't Got No Heart." The gig, which took place five years before Zappa's death from cancer in 1993, features 29 previously-unreleased performances, including The Allman Brothers' "Whipping Post," Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," and a Beatles medley featuring "Norwegian Wood," "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," and "Strawberry Fields Forever." Zappa '88 was produced by Zappa's son Ahmet Zappa alongside Joe Travers, and the "I Ain't Got No Heart" single can be previewed on YouTube. The 2CD/digital album will drop on June 18 via Zappa Records/UMe. - Billboard, 4/23/21...... In a new interview with The London Times, Mick Fleetwood opened up on the future of Fleetwood Mac, admitting that the rock icons will eventually find "a classy way to say goodbye." The famously tumultuous group have endured their fair share of drama in recent years, with lead guitarist Lindsay Buckingham being fired by the band in 2018 and replaced on tour by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell and Crowded House's Neil Finn. Fleetwood said: "I've really enjoyed being re-connected with Lindsey, which has been gracious and open. And both of us have been beautifully honest about who we are and how we got to where we were." He added of a potential reunion: "Strange things can happen. I look at Fleetwood Mac as a huge family. Everyone plays an important role in our history, even someone like [early '70s] guitarist Bob Welch, who was huge and sometimes gets forgotten. "Lindsey's position in Fleetwood Mac will, for obvious reasons, never been forgotten, as it should never be forgotten. "My vision of things happening in the future is really far-reaching. Would I love to think that [reunion] could happen? Yeah. I'd love to think that all of us could be healed, and also respect the people who are in the band, Neil Finn and Michael Campbell." And while Buckingham's return might not be set in stone, Fleetwood is instead hoping that the band will get the chance to perform once more after the coronavirus pandemic subsides. "We've all been shocked that life can change so very quickly, but you're talking to the dude who never gives up. We are still a band. We have not broken up," he said. Whatever happens with Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood said he's open to working with Buckingham in any capacity. "I know for a fact that I intend to make music and play again with Lindsey," he said. "I would love that. It doesn't have to be in Fleetwood Mac." - NME, 4/22/21...... 
The Bay City Rollers' frontman Les McKeown, who was recruited by the group in 1973 and fronted the Scottish pop-rockers during their most successful period and selling more than 100 million records worldwide, passed away "suddenly" on Apr. 20 of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 65. The news was announced on Apr. 22 by McKeown's family on his official Facebook page. "It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of our beloved husband and father Leslie Richard McKeown... We are currently making arrangements for his funeral. We thank you and ask for privacy after the shock of our profound loss. Thank you. Keiko and Jubei McKeown," the post reads. The Bay City Rollers, who were arbitrarily named by the group's mentor/manager Tom Paton by sticking a pin in a US map and hitting Bay City, Mich., scored their first English hit in 1971. During their '70s heyday, the Bay City Roller's fandom was frequently compared to that of the Beatles and the tartan uniform-clad group were often mobbed by fans during appearances. McKeown, a native of Edinburgh where the band was formed in 1970, sang lead vocals on a number of the group's biggest tracks including "Saturday Night", "Remember (Sha-La-La-La)" and "Shang-a-Lang." Alongside McKeown and bassist Alan Longmuir, the line-up during this period also featured Eric Faulkner and Stuart Wood on guitars and Longmuir's brother Derek Longmuir on drums. Differences in the group led McKeown to leave in 1978, after which he launched his own lucrative solo career. The BCR reunited for a series of reunion shows in 2015 and McKeown released an album The Lost Tapes in 2016. The album was a collection of previously unheard and unreleased tracks that McKeown recorded on cassette whilst on tour with the group throughout the 1970s. Just days before his passing, McKeown was promoting an extensive, 49-date-tour for the Bay City Rollers on social media. - NME, 4/22/21...... Burlesque dancer and sex icon Tempest Storm, who counted Elvis Presley, JFK, Nat King Cole and Mickey Rooney among her many playmates -- died on Mar. 20 in Las Vegas. She was 93. The "Tempest in a D Cup," as she was widely known, was one of the top stars during the golden age of burlesque. Alongside strippers like Lili St. Cyr, Blaze Starr and Gypsy Rose Lee, Tempest Storm raised the tease to an art form and became part of the wider popular culture as the sexual revolution kicked off. She was the last of the great legends in the golden age of burlesque," pal and business partner Harvey Robbins told the New York Post. "She was perhaps the biggest of all." Storm was born Annie Blanche Banks in Georgia in 1928, and after a childhood filled with grinding poverty and sexual abuse she fled to Hollywood where she worked as a waitress. With her gigantic breasts, a customer suggested burlesque and Tempest Storm was born. By 1956, she was the highest-paid burlesque performer in the world with a 10-year $100,000 contract. The silver screen beckoned with 1955's Teaserama (co-starring Bettie Page) and a number of Russ Meyer films. Storm performed for the final time in 2010 and had recently been suffering from dementia. She was married four times and had a daughter. - Canoe.com, 4/24/21.
Only a few months after he claimed the Covid-19 virus was "not a real pandemic," Ted Nugent revealed on Apr. 20 he was in agony after testing positive for the virus. In the video shot at his Michigan ranch, Nugent repeatedly uses racist slurs to refer to Covid-19 and reiterates his previous stance that he wouldn't be getting the vaccine because he claims wrongly that "nobody knows what's in it." Nugent, a supporter of former Pres. Donald Trump, previously called the pandemic a "scam" and railed gainst public health restrictions, pushing the theory by conservative media that suggests the official death count from the coronavirus is inflated. Later speaking to fans on Facebook Live, Nugent denied ever claiming Covid-19 was a hoax. "The lies I've seen that I've been doing these public appearances knowing I had the Covid-19. False," he raged. "Saying that I claimed Covid-19 was a hoax. False. I've always said... We have actually footage of me saying, if not hundreds, thousands of times... Of course there's a Chinese virus. Hello? Who thinks that I claimed there's no Chinese... There's a Chinese virus. They call it Covid-19. I'm well aware of that." Nugent went on to discuss why he had previously criticised lockdowns on social media -- having questioned why the U.S. wasn't "shut down for Covid 1 through 18" (the reason is pretty simple, the number 19 refers to 2019 -- the year when the disease was first discovered). The "Cat Scratch Fever" singer ended the rant by saying: "You stupid motherf-----s. The left is such a great source of comedy. Keep it up. Richard Pryor isn't around anymore. We can't rely on him for the ultimate comedy, so we rely on the comfortably numb nuts, uncomfortably dumb nuts." In March, Nugent attracted more criticism after claiming that the official reported death toll from coronavirus is significantly higher than actual deaths. "They claim five hundred thousand people have died from Covid-19," he said in another Facebook stream. "Bullshit. I believe that medical examiners in all 50 states have gone, 'I put down on the death certificate that he died of asphyxiation, but they made me put Covid.' He also recently responded to allegations of racism, calling himself "the anti-racist." - AP/NME, 4/20/21...... Styx announced on Apr. 20 they are hitting the road this summer with a brand new tour with alternative faves Collective Soul. "WE ARE BACK! Excited to announce a 2021 tour with our brothers from @CollectiveSoul as we return live on stage this summer! Get tickets on Friday, April 23 at 10 AM ET for the majority of dates at found.ee/styx-tour," the band posted on their 
ABBA's Bjrn Ulvaeus has teased the band's forthcoming "Abbatar tour," promising that it "still sounds very much ABBA." In a new interview with the London Times, Ulvaeus discussed how his former bandmates Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad's vocals were now in a lower pitch -- "about one tone lower, perhaps" -- but promised that the sound fans would hear on the tour would still be "very much Abba." Discussing the process of creating the avatars, Ulvaeus said the band were "photographed from all possible angles" and made to "grimace in front of cameras." "They painted dots on our faces, they measured our heads," he said. Iin 2017, it was announced that ABBA would reunite in digital form in 2019, performing as "Abbatars" for the first time since they split in 1982. When the reunion tour was then delayed, the Swedish pop icons announced in 2018 that they would be sharing two new tracks: "I Still Have Faith In You" and "Don't Shut Me Down," which was then expanded to five new tracks as a reward to fans waiting for the reunion tour due to Covid-related delays. Meanwhile, in another interview with BBC Breakfast, Ulvaeus ruled out any upcoming ABBA biopics in the near future, despite the success of recent biopics on Queen and Elton John. "I don't think we would want that actually, I certainly know myself I wouldn't want an actor -- not while I'm alive -- to play me on the big screen and I don't think the others would like that either," he said. - New Musical Express, 4/17/21...... Paul McCartney, Robert Plant and Stevie Nicks are among over 150 music and entertainment stars who have signed a new open letter to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling for a reform to the music streaming economy. The letter, from the Musicians' Union in association with the Ivors Academy and the #BrokenRecord campaign, says that the law around streaming revenues and royalty payments "has not kept up with the pace of technological change" in the music industry. It comes as British MPs are currently examining the economic impact that music streaming is having on artists, record labels and the wider music industry as part of the 'Economics Of Music Streaming' inquiry. The inquiry has seen the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Commons Select Committee examining the business model since last year and whether or not the model is fair to songwriters and performers. The involved artists say they've written the new letter "on behalf of today's generation of artists, musicians and songwriters here in the UK," and call on the government to adapt the law in order to "put the value of music back where it belongs -- in the hands of music makers." The letter adds that the law has "not kept up with the pace of technological change and, as a result, performers and songwriters do not enjoy the same protections as they do in radio." It goes on to suggest that "only two words need to change in the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act...so that today's performers receive a share of revenues, just like they enjoy in radio," and that the proposed change "won't cost the taxpayer a penny but will put more money in the pockets of UK taxpayers and raise revenues for public services like the NHS." Over the last year, a host of artists have spoken out about the outdated and unfair streaming economy model. Nadine Shah has been one of the most vocal critics, saying last year that payments are "paltry" and meant she was unable to pay her rent, meaning she had to move back in with her parents for a time. - NME, 4/20/21...... Two Bob Dylan biographers have been trading insults over the authenticity of each other's work. Howard Sounes, who wrote the 2001 bestseller Down The Highway: The Life Of Bob Dylan, has responded to Clinton Heylin's insults in his new book 
Who knew Alice Cooper's famous track "Poison" could be so soothing to infants? Re-recorded versions of that song and several others from Cooper's catalog have been released in a new album titled Lullaby Versons of Alice Cooper featuring soothing instrumentals of "Poison," "School's Out," "Under My Wheels," and more. The album has been released in partnership with Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, the company which creates "beautiful lullaby versions of your favourite artists," via Roma Music Group. You can listen to the album via Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and more at 
Composer/producer Jim Steinman, an acclaimed songwriter behind a number of major hits for Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Celine Dion and Air Supply, died suddenly on Apr. 20 of as yet undisclosed causes, according to the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. He was 73. Steinman, from New York, was also a talented record producer, arranger, pianist and singer. Steinman was best known for his work on Meat Loaf's 1977 debut studio album 
Former Vice-President Walter "Fritz" Mondale, who served as vice president under then-Pres. Jimmy Carter before waging his own unsuccessful White House bid in 1984, died on Apr. 19 at home in downtown Minneapolis surrounded by family. He was 93. Born to a Methodist minister and music teacher in southern Minnesota in 1928, the former Democratic vice president was a steadfast supporter of social justice. By the time he graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School, he was deeply involved in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party -- Minnesota's wing of the Democratic Party. He served as the state's attorney general starting in 1960 and later was named to the US Senate to fill the seat left vacant by Hubert Humphrey, who was elected Lyndon Johnson's vice president. Mr. Mondale represented Minnesota in the Senate from 1964 until 1976, when he signed on as Carter's running mate. Pres. Carter remembered Mr. Mondale in a statement as a "dear friend" and "the best vice president in our country's history." "During our administration, Fritz used his political skill and personal integrity to transform the vice presidency into a dynamic, policy-driving force that had never been seen before and still exists today. He was an invaluable partner and an able servant of the people of Minnesota, the United States, and the world," Pres. Carter continued. He served as Carter's No. 2 between 1977 and 1981, but his time as vice president came to an end when Ronald Reagan and his running mate, George H. W. Bush, defeated Carter and Mondale in 1980 -- a loss that Democrats wouldn't recover from until 1992, when Bill Clinton helped the party win back control of the White House. Still, Mr. Mondale would win the Democratic presidential nomination himself in 1984, and make history by naming a woman, US Rep. Geraldine A. Ferraro of New York, as his running mate before ultimately losing in a landslide to Reagan. In a statement, Ferraro's family remembered Mondale as a "hero" who "opened the doors of opportunity and forever changed what was possible in our country for women and girls." Mr. Mondale later served as both the US ambassador to Japan and the envoy to Indonesia under Clinton. His last race was in 2002, when he served as Minnesota's DFL Senate candidate, filling the ballot position of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, who had died shortly before the election in October of that year. Mr. Mondale was defeated in the race by Republican Norm Coleman. Current Pres. Joe Biden memorialized Mr. Mondale on Apr. 19, calling him a "dear friend and mentor." He said the Minnesota Democrat was one of the first people to greet him in the Senate, and was his first call when former Pres. Barack Obama asked him to consider the vice presidency. "It was Walter Mondale who defined the vice presidency as a full partnership, and helped provide a model for my service," Pres. Biden said in a statement. Mr. Mondale is preceded in death by his wife, Joan Mondale, who died in 2014, and daughter, Eleanor, in 2011. - CNN.com, 4/20/21.
Saturday Night Live player and The King of Staten Island actor Pete Davidson has been tapped to portray punk icon Joey Ramone in Netflix's upcoming I Slept With Joey Ramone biopic. The announcement was made on Apr. 15, the 20th anniversary of the Ramones frontman's death at age 49 after a seven-year battle with lymphoma. Based on the 2010 memoir of the same name by Ramone's brother, Mickey Leigh, the project is being written by Davidson and Big Time Adolescence director Jason Orley and is being made in cooperation with Ramone's estate. STXfilms chairman Adam Fogelson said that Leigh "not only collaborated with his big brother's band -- he has irreplaceable memories of and insights into Joey Ramone, having supported him when no one else would and witnessed him overcome adversity in the most dramatic way," adding that Davidson "is perfect for this role and we're excited he and Jason will be bringing this icon of rock to life and thrilled to be collaborating once again with our friends at Netflix." Ramone (born Jeffrey Hyman) co-founded the group that kicked off the punk revolution in the U.S. with his childhood friends Doug Colvin (Dee Dee Ramone) and John Cummings (Johnny Ramone), with all the members taking on family-like pseudonyms inspired by Beatle Paul McCartney's early stage name. The famously fractious "brothers" never achieved the breakthrough chart success Ramone craved, even as the group toured the world relentlessly from 1976 until their breakup in 1996. Critical response to the casting of Davidson as Joey Ramone has been mixed, with critic Evan Rytlewski writing ""This is good casting. Pete Davidson is a meh comedian and a boring public figure but sometimes a surprisingly decent actor in roles that don't ask him to do much," while Variety's Manori Ravindran calling the casting "bullshit" and saying Joey "deserves better than this, damn it!" - Billboard/NME, 4/15/21...... Mick Jagger has teamed up with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl for a surprise song about the Covid-19 pandemic, "Eazy Sleazy." The two rock icons released the song, which touches on the lockdown, Zoom calls, masks, anti-vaxxers, and more, on Apr. 13. "I wanted to share this song that I wrote about coming out of lockdown, with some much needed optimism -- thank you to Dave Grohl for jumping on drums, bass and guitar, it was a lot of fun working with you on this-hope you all enjoy Eazy Sleazy!" the 77-year-old Jagger posted on 
In other Mick Jagger news, the Rolling Stones frontman has explained why he has never finished writing his memoirs, describing the process as "simply dull and upsetting." In a new interview with BBC 6 Music News' Matt Everitt on Apr. 14 on the release of "Eazy Sleazy," Jagger said that he hadn't found the motivation to resume work on that project. "I could've done that [writing his memoirs], yeah. It was a thing that people started doing, writing," he said. "I think in the '80s I started it and I was offered a lot of money -- the money was the seductive part of it! So when I actually started to get into it I really didn't enjoy it... reliving my life, to the detriment of living in the now. "If you wanna write an autobiography, this is not a process you can just do in a week -- it takes a lot out of you. It takes a lot of reliving emotions, reliving friendships, reliving ups and downs." Asked by Everitt if he ever intends to finish and publish his autobiography, Jagger replied: "Not any moment soon." Jagger previously said in 2014 that anyone wanting to read his memoirs should "look it up on Wikipedia", while in 2017 the writer and publisher John Blake claimed to have a copy of the singer's unfinished manuscript and described it as "a little masterpiece." - NME, 4/14/21...... Speaking of memoirs, AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson has announced he'll release his own autobiography, The Lives of Brian: AC/DC, Me, and the Making of Back in Black, this fall. The book will dive into Johnson's life from his upbringing in New Castle Upon Tyne, England, and his years in glam rock band Geordie to his success replacing the late Bon Scott in AC/DC. The Lives of Brian is due Oct. 26 via Penguin Books is available for pre-order on 
A new David Bowie compilation called 
Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford took to Instagram on Apr. 10 to share a video encouraging people to get vaccinated for the Covid-19 virus in order to "get those amazing vibes and feelings back faster." "Hi everyone. This is your metal god, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, sending you a massive shoutout of thanks to our metal community for doing the right thing by getting the life-saving vaccine that will eventually eradicate COVID-19 around the world," Halford began his 
Roger Waters, Brian Eno and Tom Morello were among the artists performing a special livestream fundraiser on Apr. 10 for musicians in the Gaza Strip in Palestine. Proceeds from the "Live for Gaza" gig will go to the Delia Arts Center, a Gaza-based organization that helps local musicians with training, equipment and community. Waters performed his 1992 track "The Bravery of Being Out of Range," while Eno has created a special audiovisual piece specifically for the concert. The piece, titled "Celeste," was created with his brother Roger. "For decades now, in my bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave and in my solo work and as a radio broadcaster, I've been promoting freedom and justice through music," Tom Morello said in a statement. "A way to connect people across the globe, a way to have a shared, common experience of enjoying music and playing music together like we're gonna do," he added. Meanwhile, Roger Waters has revealed his rescheduled dates for his "This Is Not a Drill" summer 2022 tour, which was originally set to launch in July 2020 but postponed due to the global pandemic. Waters will launch the 36-date trek on July 6, 2022, in Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena. The 36-date/31-city show will tour throughout North America, hitting major markets such as Toronto (7-8, 9), Chicago (7-26), Atlanta (8-20), Nashville (8-27), Denver (9-6) and Los Angeles (9-27, 28). Dates are currently scheduled to close out on Oct. 8, 2022, at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Waters said in a 
In a new interview with Guitar Player magazine, Queen guitarist Brian May revealed that Queen have been in the studio working on new music -- although so far nothing good has come out of the sessions. May says he, Roger Taylor and Adam Lambert have actually tried to lay a few things down but that so far it hasn't gone quite according to plan. When asked if the band had any plans to release new music, May responded: "I always say, 'I don't know.' It would have to be a very spontaneous moment. Actually, Adam, Roger and myself have been in the studio trying things out, just because things came up. But up to this point we haven't felt that anything we've done has hit the button in the right way. So it's not like we're closed to the idea, it's just that it hasn't happened yet." May added that the cooronavirus pandemic has also made it a lot harder to think about making a record. "And to be honest, life has now taken a turn in which it's very difficult to explore an avenue like that," he said. "Things may change, but I don't think they're going to change very fast." - NME, 4/10/21...... The '70s L.A. pop-rock duo Sparks has revealed that they're working on new music in the studio in a new 
In conjunction with the announcement of a new box set collating four of her iconic albums from the late 1960s and early '70s, Joni Mitchell has shared a 2021 remastered version of one of her album Blue's most beloved tracks, "A Case of You," on 
Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood has been honored with a Freedom of the City award by the city of London. Wood confirmed the award in a handwritten note that he shared on his website on Apr. 7, in which he said that he was "humbled and honoured" to receive the award, before going on to reminisce about his London upbringing: "As a child, I saw the city from the canals and over the years I've seen it from many different perspectives. Despite my career in music and art taking me all over the world, I am never happier than when coming home to this great city where I was born. It is a lovely surprise to be recognised with this award and it has made me, Sally [Humphreys, his wife] and my twin girls Alice and Gracie very proud." The Rolling Stones offered their congrats to Wood on their 
It was announced on Prince's 
Cher is apologizing for a tweet she made about Minneapolis native George Floyd on Apr. 2 in which she suggested she could have prevented his death. Cher posted a tweet about a conversation she'd had with her mother about the legal proceedings. "Was talking with Mom & She Said 'I Watched Trial Of Policeman Who Killed George Floyd, & Cried," she wrote in the now-deleted tweet. "I Said 'Mom, I Know This Is Gonna Sound CRAZY, But.. I Kept Thinking .....Maybe If I'd Been There,...I Could've Helped." Cher was immediately criticized by Twitter users for making Floyd's death about her and having a "white saviour complex." "If the fire fighter EMS who tried to intervene didn't succeed, you sure had no chance," one Twitter user said. "What a post!! Mindboggling. Do you think you have some kind of magical power? Police would not allow anyone to interfere in their business." Responding on her 
Speaking of Elvis, Tom Jones has said he picked up tips from both Elvis and Frank Sinatra early in his career, however they contradicted each other. "Elvis was always buying my records and he would pass comment on them. I did an album called 'From The Heart' that was all old standards and he said, 'Tom, we don't do that. You leave that to Frank Sinatra...'" Sir Tom continued in his interview with Music Week: "But then at the same time, I'd go to a bar and Frank Sinatra would be there and I'd have a drink with him and he'd go, 'Tom, you need to do more standards, f--- that rock and roll stuff... So I had Elvis Presley pulling on me to do more rock and roll tunes and Sinatra telling me to do 'Fly Me To The Moon'! As a singer it's not a bad position to be in, is it?" Jones also described Elvis, Sinatra and others including Sammy Davis Jr. as "real people." "All the people I've met, the bigger they are the nicer they are. Elvis Presley was one of the nicest fellas you could ever wish to meet... You'd meet these people like Jerry Lee Lewis, he was crazy but he was great. We had a night out together and became really great friends," Jones added. - Music-News.com, 4/5/21...... The Sex Pistols co-founding bassist Glen Matlock has said he thinks his former iconic punk band would've made more than one album if they had stayed together. Matlock, 64, who formed the Sex Pistols with Johnny Rotten, Steve Jones and Paul Cook -- left in 1977 and was replaced by Sid Vicious before the release of their one and only album 
Letters and memorabilia from the storied days the Beatles spent in Hamburg, Germany before rising to international fame in 1963 are set to go up for auction in London in May. The Fab Four played over 250 shows in Hamburg between Aug. 1960-Dec. 1962, with the heavy experience they gained gigging and some of the relationships they formed there helping to propel them to fame the following year. The new auction lot will include previously unseen letters, work permits, photos, drawings, poems and more. Some of the items were sent by the band to late photographer Astrid Kirchherr, who was engaged to former Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe after meeting them in Hamburg. The Beatles remained close to Kirchherr and wrote her after they returned to the UK. In one letter that is going up for auction, George Harrison invited her to visit him and Ringo Starr in their new flat and instructed her not to put his name on the envelope when she wrote back. In another, John Lennon told her: "I'm really sorry you are so sad and uncertain about yourself. You must know that Cyn [Lennon's first wife Cynthia], I and the other Beatles will always feel the same about you. You will always be Stuart's Astrid to us." In that letter, John also shared the news that Cynthia was pregnant with "this little John inside her" -- aka his first son Julian. The items will go under the hammer at Bonhams auction house in London on May 5. "The Beatles' time in Hamburg was absolutely crucial to them," Bonham's head of entertainment memorabilia Katherine Schofield told the UK paper The Guardian. "It's fair to say that they came to Germany as boys and left as men." Astrid Kirchherr died in May 2020, a few days before her 82nd birthday. She had taken the Beatles' first-ever known photograph when they were still a five-piece. She also was the person who first suggested the band cut their hair into their iconic mop-top style. - NME, 4/4/21...... In other Beatles-related news, a new video for John Lennon's 1970 song "Look at Me" from his LP John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band has been released ahead of a 50th anniversary 
Morris "B.B." Dickerson, a founding member of War, died peacefully at a Long Beach, Calif., hospital on Apr. 2 after a long, undisclosed illness. He was 71. Dickerson, who was born in 1949 in Torrance, Calif., and got his start on the bass guitar at the age of 12, helped develop War's signature sound co-writing and playing on tunes like 
Sony Music Publishing, the publishing arm of music label giant Sony, announced on Mar. 31 they have acquired Paul Simon's entire song catalog for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition give SMP the rights to six decades of Paul Simon classics including "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Graceland," "The Boxer" and "The Sound of Silence." Covering his work with Simon & Garfunkel as well as his solo material, the deal follows several recent similar agreements by such other established artists as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, David Crosby, Stevie Nicks, Lindsay Buckingham and Blondie -- all of whom have sold rights to their catalogues, in part or full, to various labels' publishing arms and companies. SMP president Jon Platt noted in a statement that Simon's "remarkable body of work has generated an enduring influence on our culture and consciousness [whose] music resonates deeply as a cultural touchstone for people all over the world" and that it was an "incredible honor" to represent him. Before the deal, the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter had an administration deal with Universal Music Publishing Group, in which an artist still retains ownership over copyright. His recorded music contract remains with Sony Music Entertainment. It has been estimated that Simon's recorded music catalog generated $945,000 in 2020 in music publishing performance and mechanical revenue from streams, sales and radio play. Simon performed the last concert of his career in 2018 in Queens, playing a 26-song set close to his childhood home. - Billboard/NME, 3/31/21...... A federal judge has once again dismissed a class action lawsuit against Universal Music Group filed by Tom Petty's widow Jane Petty over a June 1, 2008, warehouse fire on the Universal City backlot in L.A. that destroyed up to 500,000 master recordings in the record company's archive vaults. On Mar. 29, U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt tossed out Jane Petty's amended lawsuit against UMG and barred her from refiling the case. Her second lawsuit hinged on her late husband's 1984 exclusive artist recording agreement signed with MCA, a predecessor in interest to UMG, and whether that contract required the label to share the insurance settlement funds. UMG had previously argued that Tom Petty's artist contract only required the company to share money generated when the artist's works were licensed. The judge's latest decision hinged on a marital settlement agreement signed in 1998 by Tom and Jane Petty, the chief plaintiff in the case. - Billboard, 3/29/21...... Elvis Costello has shared a new six-track EP of French-speaking tracks featuring Iggy Pop and more on 
The Grateful Dead announced on Mar. 30 they're honoring their 1977 album Terrapin Station with an officially licensed Grateful Dead Dancing Terrapin Bobblehead. To make it particularly appealing to the Dead fans, the band is releasing a limited number of 1,977 bobbleheads worldwide to represent the year the album was released, and each item is individually numbered. The hand-painted bobbleheads from Kollectico, which feature two terrapin turtles playing instruments on a red stand, are currently available on 
Akron, Oh. Mayor Dan Horrigan has proclamed Apr. 1 "DEVO Day" in the New Wave icons' hometown in an to whip Mark Mothersbaugh & co.'s fans into shape and vote for them in the 
Paul McCartney's 
G. Gordon Liddy, the undercover operative whose bungling of the