Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on June 10th, 2022

Speaking on her UK chat show The Talk, Sharon Osbourne revealed her husband Ozzy Osbourne is set to undergo a "very major operation" in June that will "determine the rest of his life." Sharon said that she plans on joining Ozzy in Los Angeles for the operation on June 13 "and I have to be there... it's really going to determine the rest of his life." In May, Ozzy revealed to Classic Rock magazine that he's waiting to have neck surgery as he "can't walk properly these days" due to lasting damage from a 4-wheeler accident in 2003, however it is unclear whether the surgery Sharon spoke of is the same neck surgery Ozzy mentioned. Osbourne has recovered from accidents and several bouts of illness over the past few years and in January of 2020, he confirmed a "challenging" diagnosis with Parkinson's disease. In April, Sharon revealed he had tested positive for Covid-19. - New Musical Express, 6/10/22...... The Public Broadcasting System is set to premiere a new documentary about legendary Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson, Long Promised Road, on June 14 and 9:00 p.m. Eastern/8:00 p.m. Central (check local listings at pbs.org). The latest installment in PBS's American Masters series lets the at-time tentative and vulnerable Wilson -- who turns 80 on June 20 -- look back at a life of remarkable ebbs and flows. "The Brian you see goofing around? That's Brian to me," says his good friend, Rolling Stone editor Jason Fine, who for 70 hours spirited Wilson around southern California to meaningful spots from his past for the documentary. "He's engaged and curious and funny in ways people don't really know." Fine adds that from a young age, music was Wilson's salvation over beatings from an overbearing father and later in life, a virtual nine-year imprisonment by psychologist Eugene Landy. "Music gave him joy. And the recognition that his music did that for others -- I think it took him till now for that to register," Fine adds. - TV Guide, 6/13/22...... After being perched at the top of Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart for 34 straight weeks, Elton John and Dua Lipa's "Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)" has become the second-most popular song on that chart since it began in Jan. 2013. Luminate (formerly MRC Data) reports that "Cold Heart" drew 23.4 million all-format radio airplay audience impressions and 8.4 million U.S. streams and sold 3,300 downloads in the May 27-June 2 tracking week. Only Marshmello and Bastille's "Happier" has led longer on this chart: for 69 weeks in 2018-20. In other chart action, a remake of KISS's "I Was Made for Lovin' You" by House Gospel Choir has debuted at No. 46 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. The song hit No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in Aug. 1979, representing a notable disco turn for the glam rockers. Meanwhile, venerable British rockers Def Leppard have reached the top of the Top Hard Rock Albums chart for a fourth time with its new album Diamond Star Halos. In the May 27-June 2 tracking week, the LP earned 34,000 equivalent album units, with 32,000 units via album sales, according to Luminate. Halos also debuted at No. 2 on the Top Rock Albums chart. On the all-format Hot 200 album chart, the new set bows at No. 10, marking Def Leppard's eighth Top 10. The lead single from Halos, "Kick," hit No. 34 on Mainstream Rock Airplay, the band's first appearance on the list since "Four Letter Word" reached No. 30 in 2003. - Billboard, 6/9/22...... Cher, a longtime idol of the LGBTQ+ community, announced on June 8 she's giving back to the community by releasing a line of products through luxury Italian fashion house Versace. Perfectly timed for Pride Month, the collection, appropriately titled CHERSACE, is a collaboration between Cher and Donatella Versace. Available through the kqzyfj.com website, the line consists of black shirts emblazoned with the fashion house's ornate logo in a rainbow and bedazzled rainbow variant, embroidered logo socks, and a baseball cap with Cher's signature decorating the side. Prices for the items range from $125 and $3,350 and all proceeds will go to Gender Spectrum, which specializes in helping the LGBTQ+ community, particularly children and young people. Cher posted a snapshot on Instagram of her wearing a bedazzled T-shirt from the collection on Instagram and captioned the image, "Maybe it's me, but I think this Versace t-shirt is kinda giving Cher." - Billboard, 6/8/22...... The legendary rags-to-riches tale of country icon Dolly Parton told in storybook form is currently the No. 1 children's women's biographies book on Amazon.com. Written by New York Times best-selling author Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Christopher Eliopolous, I Am Dolly Parton uses storytelling and adorable illustrations to spotlight one of country music's brightest stars. Released on June 7, the book is also No. 3 on the roster of all children's books on Amazon. It is part of the "Ordinary People Change the World" series, which is inspired by the PBS Kids TV show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, and encourages kids to dream big. - Billboard, 6/8/22...... Blondie announced on June 8 it will release its first-ever box set on Aug. 26. Blondie: Against the Odds 1974-1982 is a 124-track collection that will include their first 6 Chrysalis studio albums along with 36 previously unissued recordings as well as a two volumes of liner notes, and track-by-track commentary from band members Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Clem Burke, Jimmy Destri, Nigel Harrison and Gary Valentine. A 120-page illustrated discography, dozens of previously unpublished photos, and essays from producers including Mike Chapman also complement the set. All tracks are remastered from the original analog tapes and the set comes in a variety of formats, including a super-deluxe 10-LP collector's edition, a deluxe 4LP vinyl version and deluxe 8-CD and 3-CD editions. In a statement, frontwoman Harry said: "I am excited about this special collection. When I listen to these old tracks, it puts me there like I am a time traveler. As bad as it was sometimes, it was also equally as good. No regrets. More music." - Billboard, 6/8/22...... Speaking of Blondie, former Sex Pistols member Glen Matlock is currently touring as part of Blondie's live band and says he is relieved to be outside the UK now due to "terrible, turgid Tories." Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Matlock said: "I think one of the things is that, you know, how worse off we would be if [Boris] Johnson was a president, that would be even worse. I'm really quite pleased to be out of England at the moment, the terrible, turgid Tories have just been getting on top of me." Matlock continued: "So to be touring, as I have been, I got asked very last minute to play with Blondie, we've been touring over here (in the US) and I just not long got back from Mexico, it's been really quite refreshing to do something different and step outside and see how other people see us." The Sex Pistols' notorious anti-monarchy hit "God Save The Queen" was reissued on June 3 and hit the top spot in England exactly 45 years after it was notoriously denied Number One by the BBC. The band also released a commemorative coin celebrating the song's anniversary. - NME, 6/6/22...... A June 5 concert by British alternative faves Coldplay at New Jersey's the Meadowlands featured a special surprise guest -- Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen. And, because it was New Jersey and because Coldplay frontman Chris Martin happens to have a very special tribute to the state's musical patron saint tattooed on his arm, of course the crowd went bananas when the Boss strolled out to play a mini 2-song set on the satellite "C" stage on the stadium floor. June 5 was the second of a two-night stint at MetLife Stadium and as Springsteen was slipping on an acoustic guitar amid the traditional lusty "BRUUUUUUCE!" chants, he noted that he was surrounded by superfans on, and off, the stage. "Hello, New Jersey!" Springsteen said, "Well, like Chris said, he had this song tattooed on his arm for a while, so I guess I've gotta sing it." The song in question is the title track from Springsteen's 2009 Working on a Dream album -- Martin has the title on his left bicep -- and the two harmonized on the chorus during the unplugged performance, with Martin taking the second verse, including the lines: "Rain pourin' down, I swing my hammer/ My hands are rough from working on a dream/ I'm working on a dream." Springsteen stuck around for one more, with Martin backing him up on a stripped-down take on the Born in the USA track "Dancing in the Dark." Fan footage of the Springsteen cameo has been shared on YouTube. - Billboard, 6/6/22...... During a BBC Radio 2 interview in the midst of the recent Queen Elizabeth II platinum jubilee celebration, Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor revealed that they recently uncovered a previously unheard song featuring late founding vocalist Freddie Mercury's vocals. "We did find a little gem from Freddie that we'd kind of forgotten about," Taylor told host Zoe Ball in the chat. "And it's wonderful. Actually, it was a real discovery." While Taylor and May did not reveal the track's title, other sources have reported it to be "Face It Alone." Taylor called it "a very passionate recording" and confirmed that the song will be available in September and that it was recorded during 1988 sessions for the band's penultimate album with Mercury, The Miracle, which included the singles "I Want It All" and "Scandal." May said that he and Taylor had been considering releasing the song but also thought "Oh no, we can't really rescue that." But they went back again recently and with some help from studio wizards May said they were able to spruce up the recording. Meanwhile in other Queen news, the band has reached a new chart milestone in their native UK with their 1981 album Greatest Hits. The LP has reached 1,000 weeks on the Official Albums Chart Top 100, becoming just the third album to do so, and the first by a British act or a rock band. The hits collection, which originally enjoyed four weeks at No. 1, is one of the prog-rockers' ten No. 1 UK albums, and it's recognized as the best-selling album in British recorded music history with more than six million copies sold. Only albums by Bob Marley and the Wailers (Legend) and ABBA (Gold - Greatest Hits) have notched more time on the same chart with 1,032 and 1,048 weeks, respectively. - Billboard, 6/7/22...... The Rolling Stones paid tribute to their '60s rivals the Beatles by performing their John Lennon and Paul McCartney-penned hit "I Wanna Be Your Man" for the first time since 2012 at their Liverpool concert on June 9. The Stones performed in Liverpool for the first time in more than 50 years, at Anfield Stadium, having last played at the legendary Empire Theatre in 1971. During the show, frontman Mick Jagger revealed they were planning to cover Liverpool FC anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" by Gerry And The Pacemakers as they were at the football ground, which drew a mixed reaction of boos and cheers from the audience. He said: "But, we decided instead to do a cover of a song written by some other local lads so we're doing this especially for you Liverpool, OK?" Jagger, along with fellow surviving Stones Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood also dedicated the show to late drummer Charlie Watts, who died in 2021 aged 80. Mick told the crowd: "In 1962 we met a drummer called Charlie Watts and this is our first tour in England we've done without him so we'd like to dedicate this show to Charlie." The Stones will travel to Amsterdam for a show on June 13, then be back on UK soil for a pair of BST Hyde Park shows on June 25 and July 3. They kicked off their 60th anniversary tour of Europe on June 1 in Madrid and it runs through July 31 in Stockholm. - Music-News.com, 6/10/22...... Todd Rundgren and former King Crimson and David Bowie guitarist Adrian Belew have shared details of a "Celebrating David Bowie" tribute tour that's due to hit North America in the fall. Rundgren and Belew will be joined by a roster of versatile musicians including Spacehog's Royston Langdon, Fishbone's Angelo Moore and Jeffrey Gaines on the 15-date tour to pay tribute to the late, influential British musician. Bassist Angeline Saris, drummer Michael Urbano, saxophonist Ron Dziubla, and guitarist Scrote (Angelo Bundini), who put together the first "Celebrating David Bowie" tour in 2017, are also in the tour's backing band. The tour will commence in San Diego on Oct. 6, also visiting Beverly Hills (10/7), San Jose (10/8), Anaheim (10/9), Prior Lake, Minn. (10/13), Quebec City (10/17), Montreal (10/18) and Annapolis, Md. (10/31). In November, it hits Atlanta (11/3), Buffalo (11/5), Nashville (11/7), Denver, (11/10), Albuquerque (11/11), and Tuscon (11/12) before wrapping in Phoenix on Nov. 13. - NME, 6/6/22...... Lou Reed's widow Laurie Anderson and Light in the Attic Records announced on June 6 they have created a partnership for the release of a "Lou Reed Archive Series" that will kick off on Aug. 26 with a rarities-packed release titled Words & Music, May 1965. The album features never-before-heard versions of such future Velvet Underground classics as "Heroin," "I'm Waiting for the Man" and "Pale Blue Eyes," all presented in their earliest-known incarnations. It will drop on what would have been the late punk godfather's 80th birthday; he died in 2013 at age 71 of liver disease. A 6-song digital EP, Gee Whiz, 1958-1964, will drop on Oct. 7 and feature the folk covers and original blues recordings from 1963-64. - Billboard, 6/6/22...... Paul Vance, writer of the hit '60s novelty song "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini," died on May 30 at age 92, his daughter Paula revealed via Facebook. A cause of death was not revealed. "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini," which was released in June of 1960 and performed by Brian Hyland, reaching the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The song became a staple of Mr. Vance's, adding to an impressive catalogue that already contains hits co-written alongside partner Lee Pockriss, such as Perry Como's 1958 signature song "Catch a Falling Star." The tune also earned Mr. Vance a Grammy nomination in 1958 -- the first year of the awards -- for song of the year, while Como's recording nabbed him a Record of the Year nod. Other notable tunes by Mr. Vance and Pockriss include Clint Holmes' 1973 hit "Playground In My Mind," David Geddes' 1975 Top 5 track "Run Joey Run," and Natalie Cole, and Esther Phillips and Dee Dee Warwick's cover of "I Haven't Got Anything Better To Do " (originally performed by Astrud Gilberto). He is survived by his children Paula, Joseph, Philip and Connie Vance. - Billboard, 6/6/22...... Iconic '70s folk rock singer Jim Seals, who teamed with fellow musician Dash Crofts on such 1970s soft-rock smashes as "Summer Breeze," "Diamond Girl" and "We May Never Pass This Way Again," has died of an undisclosed chronic illness at his home in Nashville. He was 80. His death was announced on June 7 by several people, including John Ford Coley, who had formed the '70s duo England Dan and John Ford Coley with Seals' older brother, Dan Seals. Further details were not immediately available. "This is a hard one on so many levels as this is a musical era passing for me," Coley wrote. "And it will never pass this way again as his song said. He belonged to a group that was one of a kind. I am very sad over this but I have some of the best memories of all of us together. Rest In Peace Jimmy." Mr. Seals and Darrell George "Dash" Crofts were Texas natives who had known each other since they were teenagers and had previously been in The Champs, which before they joined had a hit single with "Tequila," and a group including Glen Campbell. They formed Seals and Crofts in the late 1960s and over the next several years were among a wave of successful soft-rock groups that included America, Bread and England Dan and John Ford Coley. The pair racked up three Top 10 Billboard hits including "Summer Breeze," "Diamond Girl" and "Get Closer" (featuring Carolyn Willis). Their other popular songs included "Hummingbird," "You're the Love" and "We May Never Pass This Way Again." Seals and Crofts also released the controversial "Unborn Child," an anti-abortion song that came out the year after the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision and was banned by some radio stations. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times in the '90s, Mr. Seals said of the song: "It was our ignorance that we didn't know that kind of thing was seething and boiling as a social issue. On one hand we had people sending us thousands of roses, but on the other people were literally throwing rocks at us. If we'd known it was going to cause such disunity, we might have thought twice about doing it." Two of the duo's albums, Summer Breeze and Diamond Girl, made the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, at No. 7 (Dec. 1972) and No. 4 (Aug. 1973), respectively. Summer Breeze went on to be the No. 2 most popular album of the year on Billboard's chart recap for 1973 (behind only War's The World Is a Ghetto). Seals and Crofts broke up in 1980 but reunited briefly in the early 1990s and again in 2004, when they released the album Traces. Mr. Seals also performed on occasion with his brother Dan, who died in 2009. He is survived by his wife, Ruby, and their three children. Brady Seals, a member of country band Little Texas and Mr. Seals' cousin, wrote on Instagram: "I just learned that James 'Jimmy' Seals has passed. My heart just breaks for his wife Ruby and their children. Please keep them in your prayers. What an incredible legacy he leaves behind." - Associated Press, 6/7/22...... Alec John Such, bassist and an original member of Bon Jovi who was credited as bringing the band together, has died at 70, the band announced on Twitter on June 5. "We are heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of our dear friend Alec John Such," the group's statement said. "He was an original... Alec was always wild and full of life. Today those special memories bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. We'll miss him dearly." Such was a member of Bon Jovi when they released the No. 1 albums Slippery When Wet (1986) and New Jersey (1988), both of which topped the Billboard 200. The Yonkers, N.Y. native remained with the group through 1994 and was replaced by bassist Hugh McDonald. - Billboard, 6/5/22.

Former Genesis frontman and '80s solo star Peter Gabriel is planning to release his first new solo album in 20 years later in 2022, according to his longtime drummer Manu Katché. In an interview with the French magazine L'Illustr, Katché said Gabriel's band are "finishing our new album" and will take it out on a world tour next year. In 2020, Gabriel told the UK's Uncut that "I'm excited by what is being cooked at the moment -- I have been slowed down quite a lot by lockdown, we've not been able to have Dickie my engineer here -- but I have enough songs that I like to make a record I'm proud of." Gabriel's activity of late also includes contributing to Arcade Fire's latest acclaimed album WE, lending vocals to the song "Unconditional II (Race and Religion)." He also stopped by London's O2 stadium to watch his former band Genesis' final show ever earlier in 2022. - New Musical Express, 6/5/22...... A bevy of '70s artists including Rod Stewart, Queen, Elton John and Diana Ross performed at the United Kingdom's Platinum Party At the Palace at Buckingham Palace on June 4 in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's 70th anniversary on the throne. Although the 96-year-old monarch attended some of the opening ceremonies on June 2, she opted not to attend the star-studded London concert in her honor or her beloved Epsom Derby on June 4, as well as a special service of Thanksgiving in her honor at St. Paul's Cathedral on June 3. The Party At the Palace was kicked off by Queen + Adam Lambert in an open-air show outside the palace to the delight of thousands of the Queen's well-wishers, followed by performances from Duran Duran, Stewart (who led a rendition of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline"), opera singer Andrea Bocelli, and John, who sang his hit "Your Song" remotely as his image was displayed on the front wall of the palace. Ross closed the show with a medley of several of her biggest hits, her first U.K. live performance in 15 years. - Billboard, 6/4/22...... In related news, the Sex Pistols' notorious anti-monarchy anthem "God Save The Queen" has become the biggest-selling single in the UK after the 1977 hit was reissued on June 3. "God Save The Queen" hit the UK's top of the pops exactly 45 years after it was notoriously denied Number One after being banned by the BBC. The protest song was officially released by the band via Virgin Records in May 1977. Despite being banned, it reached number two on the UK's singles chart (the track was listed as a blank on the latter to avoid causing offence) though fans believed it was kept from top spot in purpose. The irreverent punk band's signing to Virgin and re-release of the single came after the band had been controversially dropped by their previous label A&M, prompting the destruction of 25,000 unreleased copies of "God Save The Queen." Only a handful of copies of the original A&M release are known to survive, with one selling for £13,000 back in 2019. Meanwhile, former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten), said in a recent interview with British talk show host Piers Morgan that he is "actually really, really proud of the Queen for surviving and doing so well." "I've got to tell the world this. Everyone presumes that I'm against the royal family as human beings, I'm not," Lydon said. "I'm actually really, really proud of the Queen for surviving and doing so well. I applaud her for that, and that's a fantastic achievement. I'm not a curmudgeon about that." - New Musical Express, 6/5/22...... Elton John took to Instagram on June 3 to assure fans that he's in "top health" after a tabloid report claimed he was "frail" alongside a picture of the rock legend being helped into a wheelchair at Leipzig Airport in Germany in late May. In the pic, the 75-year-old Rocket Man was seen wearing a Gucci track suit and mask as he was transferred to a wheelchair while in Germany for two shows on his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour. "I want to thank all my fans for reaching out to ask about my health, after the tabloids ran a silly story about my 'looking frail' in a wheelchair," Elton wrote. "The true story is that I'm in top health, loving my shows and playing and singing at my very best. I give 100% every night and never want to disappoint, especially after everyone has waited so long to get back to seeing shows. Your response to every show has been phenomenal and I'm loving every minute of it." John explained that after a "rousing" two-and-a-half hour show, "we arrived at Leipzig airport just before curfew, to find part of the airport had closed. It was an extremely long walk to get to the plane, so my team kindly laid on a wheelchair so I could rest my hip after doing the show. That's all folks." He added that the following night he played another "blockbuster" gig in Bern and he was looking forward to his June 4 show at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy. Meanwhile, Elton has announced his curated support acts for his upcoming concert at BST Hyde Park in London on June 24. Joining John at the sold-out gig will be a hand-picked line-up featuring Rina Sawayama, Gabriels, Let's Eat Grandma, BERWYN, Thomas Headon, Tom A Smith and Juanita Euka. The full details of the show can be found on BST Hyde Park's Twitter page. It is possible that the BST show will be Elton's final ever London tour date. - Billboard/NME, 6/3/22...... The Doobie Brothers posted on Twitter on June 4 that they've been forced to reschedule several concert dates set for June after members of their touring party tested positive for Covid-19. The Doobies said their June shows in Indiana, Georgia, Florida and North Carolina have been moved to July. "We want to apologize to our fans," the band posted. "Several members of the Doobies touring party came down with Covid and we had no choice but to reschedule the below dates. We look forward to seeing you all very soon." The concerts are part of the Doobie Brothers' North American tour celebrating their 50th anniversary. The trek features founding band members Tom Johnston, Pat Simmons and John McFee reunited with their later member, Michael McDonald. - Billboard, 6/4/22...... One day after a Virginia jury awarded actor Johnny Depp more than $10 million in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard in a sensational trial, guitar legend Jeff Beck announced that he has a full-length collaborative album due out this summer with the former Pirates of the Caribbean star. "I met this guy five years ago and we've never stopped laughing since. We actually made an album. I don't know how it happened. It will be out in July," Beck told a crowd at the Sage Gateshead in Gateshead, England during a June 2 show in which Depp joined him on stage for a run of songs that included covers of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" as well as the John Lennon song "Isolation," a cover of which the pair released in 2020. A fan's recording of Beck's comments can be viewed on Twitter. Depp surprised fans earlier in the week at Beck's May 28 show in Sheffield, England when he jumped on stage to perform "Isolation" and the other covers, then did it again on May 29 and 30 during Beck's gigs at Royal Albert Hall in London. Before becoming one of Hollywood's most in demand actors, Depp harbored dreams of rock stardom and over the years has collaborated with everyone from Iggy Pop to Marilyn Manson and the supergroup Hollywood Vampires, featuring Alice Cooper and Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry. - Billboard, 6/3/22...... Just call him "Dr. Ringo." Beatles legend Ringo Starr finally made it to Boston on June 2 to receive his honorary degree from the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Berklee originally announced that Starr would receive a doctorate in music at commencement ceremonies in May, but Ringo was unable to attend then and instead addressed the graduating class in a recorded statement. In the video, Starr banged around on a drum kit before sending his customary "peace and love" greeting while congratulating the class of '22. "I'm a doctor at last! I never went to college, but I certainly have had a lot of experience making music, so I supposed I earned this in my own way," he said. But with Ringo and his All Starr Band in town for a show, the school held a special ceremony earlier in the day to honor his lifelong contributions to the music scene that featured performances of Starr's hit songs, arranged and performed by Berklee students. Starr, 81, told the story of how he picked up drumming when he was 13 and very ill and someone brought some percussion instruments to the hospital to keep him busy. He was hooked. Starr, 81, told the story of how he picked up drumming when he was 13 and very ill and someone brought some percussion instruments to the hospital to keep him busy. He was hooked. "I just wanted to be a drummer from that moment on," he said. "It was my big dream and it's still unfolding. I get to play with great guys, like the band here. It's just a great life I lead." Gregg Bissonette, the drummer in the All Starr Band, and Berklee President Erica Muhl provided opening remarks. Starr recently kicked off his first tour since 2019 with the ASB by announcing an NFT collection comprised of digital artworks accompanied by signed canvas prints created by himself. - AP, 6/3/22...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, John Lennon's son Julian Lennon has released an official cover of his late dad's peace anthem "Imagine," and shared it on Spotify.com. In April, Julian performed the track for the first as part of the "Stand Up For Ukraine" campaign, a global fund-raising effort broadcast from Warsaw, Poland, and shared it on YouTube. At the time, he wrote "Today, for the first time ever, I publicly performed my Dad's song, 'Imagine'" adding: "The song reflects the light at the end of the tunnel, that we are all hoping for." A portion of the proceeds from the new release will be donated to Ukraine refugee relief through Lennon's nonprofit, The White Feather Foundation to Global Citizen. - NME, 6/1/22...... Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang Van Halen has lashed out at the reality TV show Autopsy for a new episode based around the 2020 death of his dad. Autopsy digs into the stories behind the death of public figures, and its network Reelz shared a sneak peak on May 31 into its new special, Autopsy: The Last Hours Of Eddie Van Halen. Set to air on Reelz on the evening of June 5, a synopsis of the special says in part: "Often relying on alcohol and other substances to maintain his creativity Eddie would spend many years in and out of rehab. He was a workaholic often pushing his body to the limits in order to perform while secretly battling illness. Eddie died at the age of 65 from cancer but if caught early Eddie's disease had reasonable survival rates so what exactly happened? Now renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Hunter will analyse every detail of his life in order to piece together what else may have been going on in his body, ultimately leading to his untimely death." In response to the show being teased, Wolfgang shared an angry response on Twitter, calling the show "disgusting and "heartless." "F--- [Reelz], f--- everyone that works on this show, and f--- you if you watch it. F---ing disgusting trying to glamorise someone"s death from cancer. Pathetic and heartless," he posted. In November 2020, Wolfgang released his debut solo single, "Distance," a cut from his debut album. The proceeds from the sale of the track were donated to the Mr Holland"s Opus Foundation (MHOF), reportedly in "support of school music programs and as a dedication to his late father." - NME, 6/2/22...... Stevie Nicks has joined the countless Democratic politicians, gun control advocates and fellow musicians in the fight to end gun violence and strengthen gun laws in the United States, sharing a statement on Twitter on June 1 in response to the devastating mass shooting at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school that killed 19 children and 2 adults. "My hope for this country is that the lawmakers just find a way to make buying an assault rifle -- more difficult," the Fleetwood Mac frontlady wrote. "There is just no reason to have a gun that would disintegrate a deer -- or a small animal, if you are, indeed, an honorable hunter. When those guns go into the hands of obviously disturbed people, it gives them a sense of unbelievable power that they have never felt before. Power, used in a bad way, is the opposite of 'power' used in a good way. Once people have felt the power of those guns, they are never the same. They are addicted. And then there is no turning back," she added. Nicks then urged lawmakers to "make it really hard for them to get that gun," adding, "No one is trying to take away guns from people who get them for a good reason. Guns are not toys. Background checks are not that hard." Saying that she's "dying inside" for the victims of the recent Robb Elementary School shooting, Stevie asked lawmakers "do you want to be remembered as the people who finally gathered together in unity and empathy -- as the people who stopped it?" On the same day as Nicks' post, multiple people were killed in yet another mass shooting on a hospital campus in Tulsa, Okla. - Billboard, 6/1/22...... As the hotly anticipated Elvis Presley biopic, Elvis, is set to premiere in American theaters on June 24, Presley's estate is attempting to require local Elvis impersonators in Las Vegas who perform weddings to obtain a license. "As the guardians of the Elvis Presley estate, it is our responsibility to safeguard his legacy, said a spokesperson for Authentic Brands Group. "This includes ensuring that all products, services and advertisements utilizing Elvis' name, image or likeness are officially licensed by Elvis Presley Enterprises." The development comes weeks after ABG sent a cease and desist letter to a number of Las Vegas chapels where Presley impersonators officiate weddings, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. Notably, Nevada's law on the right of publicity expressly allows for the legal use of a celebrity's likeness by "impersonators in live performances" -- likely a nod to the long-standing and beloved tradition of Elvis look-alikes in Las Vegas. Whether performing a marriage ceremony counts as such a "performance" is unclear. In its statement to Billboard, ABG says that this move is less about using those tools to elbow out the fleet of Elvis impersonators who perform weddings in Las Vegas, and more about closely partnering with them. "Elvis is embedded into the fabric of Las Vegas history," ABG's statement concludes, "and we are committed to protecting and expanding his legacy for generations to come." - Billboard, 6/1/22...... As the Rolling Stones kicked off their "SIXTY"' anniversary tour at Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Spain on June 1, Keith Richards has reflected on why he thinks the band have stuck it out for six decades. "Life's just too interesting to die. Anything I wanted to do had to be done -- I couldn't slack off. And hey, there was just an awful lot of cocaine involved," Richards told the UK paper The Sun. "Sixty years is a hell of a long time. How do you do that? I think the most important thing is that the people in the band want to stay together. That helps! We had our ups and downs, of course. But in the end we always noticed that we are more creative together. And, of course, across these -- my God! -- six decades, you have got used to each other. The special thing about being part of a well-rehearsed group is knowing the others so well that you can predict up to a certain point what is going to happen next," he added. The Stones' opening night saw Sir Mick Jagger, 78, Ronnie Wood, 75, Richards and 65-year-old drummer Steve Jordan power through the 19-song set list with ease. A special tribute to late sticksman Charlie Watts, who died aged 80 in 2021, started the show with a video montage played during "Street Fighting Man." The Stones' European trek concludes in Stockholm, Sweden on July 31. - Music-News.com, 6/3/22...... In a new interview with Classic Rock magazine, Graham Nash says he "took full advantage" of the coronavirus pandemic by throwing himself into writing and recording a new solo album, as well as teaming up with his old Hollies bandmate Allan Clarke. Nash says he couldn't be happier with the work they've done. Nash said: "I took full advantage of the lockdown. What I've been doing is making music remotely. I am one track from finishing a new solo record, done remotely. Also, it isn't mixed yet but I've finished recording a new album with my friend Allan Clarke. Allan has been my oldest friend -- I've known him since I was six years old and that means he has been my friend for 74 years. He quit The Hollies many years ago because he didn't feel that he could reach those high notes on those beautiful songs that he did. But Allan has been singing unbelievably well and I'm very happy with this record." Meanwhile, despite his advancing years, Nash says he still loves getting out on the road and wouldn't tour if he didn't enjoy it as much as he does. "It's only my calling. I've been lucky enough to be rich enough not to ever worry about money again in my life, and it gives me great freedom," he said. "I want to be there, I don't have to be in the middle of Elgin, Illinois, in the pouring rain. I don't have to be here, I want to be here. And it shows! People are leaving these theatres with gigantic smiles on their faces and that's what I want," he added. - Music-News.com, 6/5/22...... Dave Smith, known as "the father of MIDI" and the founder of Sequential Synth, has died at age 72. "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Dave Smith has died. We're heartbroken, but take some small solace in knowing he was on the road doing what he loved best in the company of family, friends, and artists," said an announcement on the Sequential website. Smith invented a range of synths that were used by electronic artists throughout the 1980s as well as by Radiohead on their experimental "Kid A." Taking to Twitter, The Cure's Roger O'Donnell wrote: "So sad to hear of Dave Smith's death. He started Sequential Circuits who made some of the most iconic synths from the early '80s until now. He invented MIDI!!! The Prophet 5 is one of the greatest synths ever made, he will never be forgotten. Great man and a dear friend." Also paying tribute to Smith on social media were Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. - NME, 6/2/22.