Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on October 13th, 2022

In early June, Queen's Roger Taylor and Brian May revealed to BBC 2 host Zoe Ball that they had unearthed a previously unreleased song by the band called "Face It Alone" that had been sung by their late frontman Freddie Mercury. "And it's wonderful... Actually, it was a real discovery. It's from the Miracle [1989] sessions," Taylor said. May added the tune is "beautiful" and "touching," and that "It was kind of hiding in plain sight." On Oct. 13, Queen released and official lyric video of "Face It Alone" on YouTube, with fans also able to pre-order a special 7" vinyl edition of the song, which is due to arrive on Nov. 18. Additionally, the track will appear on a limited collector's edition box set of Queen's 13th studio album The Miracle. The 5-disc release boasts an hour-plus disc of previously unreleased recordings, including six unpublished songs, according to a press release. "Face It Alone" marks the first new Queen/Mercury song to be released in over eight years. Since his 1991 death, the band has released a number of previously unheard tracks featuring the frontman. In 2014, they shared the compilation album Queen Forever, which was comprised of songs recorded in the '80s that had been "forgotten about." - New Musical Express, 10/13/22...... KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley has become the latest celebrity to speak out against rapper Kanye West after the troubled artist recently shared a string of antisemitic and racially insensitive comments. Earlier in October, West was banned from Instagram and Twitter after sharing posts that violated both platforms' community guidelines. On Instagram, he attacked Sean "Diddy" Combs over his response to West's recent gaffe at this year's Paris Fashion Week -- where he donned a shirt emblazoned with the phrase "White Lives Matter" -- by telling Diddy that he would "use [him] as an example to show the Jewish people that told [him] to call me that no one can threaten or influence me." After being booted from Instagram, West took to Twitter, where he wrote that he "[would be] going death con 3 [sic] On JEWISH PEOPLE." Both comments were roundly criticized by celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer, musical colleagues like John Legend and Jack Antonoff, and multiple politicians and organizations that represent Jewish communities. Prospective Twitter owner Elon Musk, meanwhile, said that he has talked to West and "expressed [his] concerns about [West's] recent tweet." Posting on his Twitter account, Paul Stanley has shared a statement aimed at people using West's struggles with mental illness as an excuse for his behavior. West has long been open about his diagnosis with bipolar disorder and struggles with his mental health -- something Stanley has been supportive of in the past, asking fans to have "compassion" for West. "Mental illness IS a disease but [it] should NEVER be used to minimize the danger of hate speech, advocating anti-semitism and violence against religions or ethnicities. We have found ways over centuries to rationalize this behavior and viewed the atrocities that followed. SPEAK UP!," Stanley posted on Oct. 11. West's current string of controversies started on Oct. 5 when he wore a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt at Paris Fashion Week. The stunt drew backlash from many of West's peers in the music and fashion worlds, to which he responded by doubling down and calling Black Lives Matter movement a "scam." West's friends have reportedly become increasingly concerned about his erratic behavior following his recent divorce from celebrity social media influencer and reality star Kim Kardashian. - NME, 10/13/22...... More than three decades after famed pop artist Andy Warhol's passing and six years after pop/funk superstar Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose at his Minnesota home, the two pop culture icons took center stage on Oct. 12 at the U.S. Supreme Court, as the justices weighed a closely-watched copyright case that could have a "far-reaching impact on many creative industries." During a two hour hearing, the high court heard heated arguments over whether the late Warhol made a legal "fair use" of a photograph of Prince when he used it as the basis for a set of his distinctive screen prints -- or merely infringed the copyrights of Lynn Goldsmith, the photographer who snapped it. Both sides claimed the stakes were high, with an attorney for Warhol's foundation warning that a loss would "chill creativity and make "countless works illegal," a result he called "repugnant to copyright and to the First Amendment," while an attorney for Goldsmith countered that a ruling for Warhol would effectively render copyright protection meaningless. "Copyrights will be at the mercy of copycats," argued Lisa Blatt, a veteran Supreme Court litigator at the law firm Williams & Connolly LLP. "Anyone could turn Darth Vader into a hero, or spin off All In The Family into The Jeffersons," without paying the creators a dime. When the Supreme Court releases its decision on the Warhol case in early 2023, it will be the first time in more than three decades the justices have ruled on how creative works are covered by "fair use," a crucial aspect of American copyright law, allowing for the re-use of protected works in certain circumstances. The last time the court did so was a landmark 1991 decision upholding 2 Live Crew's bawdy parody of Roy Orbison's 1964 hit "Oh, Pretty Woman." - Billboard, 10/12/22...... A new Johnny Cash documentary titled Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon will receive a limited run in U.S. theaters on Dec. 5-7. The film, which was announced at CinemaCon this past spring, draws on access to more than 100 tapes that have never been heard before outside of the Cash family. Those tapes were originally recorded for Cash's biography and were provided by Cash's sister, Joanne Cash Yates, and singer/producer/songwriter/author John Carter Cash, the son of Johnny and June Carter Cash. In addition to Yates and Carter Cash, a slew of country and rock artists including Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw, Marty Stuart, Wynonna Judd, Jimmie Allen, Alice Cooper and Franklin Graham, among others, will be featured. The project focuses on the time period surrounding Cash's 1971 album Man in Black, as well as detailing his journey through drug addiction as well as the faith that would influence songs such as "The Man Comes Around," one of the last songs Cash would record before his passing in Sept. 2003 and included on the album American IV: The Man Comes Around. The trailer for The Redemption of an American Icon has been shared on YouTube. - Billboard, 10/12/22...... AC/DC have the inspiration for a new children's alphabet book, The AC/DC AB/CD High-Voltage Alphabet, in the Aussie headbangers' native Australia. Set for release on Nov. 11 via Love Police, an Australian touring agency, merchandising company and record label, the book is designed and produced by Paul McNeil, who also illustrated 2006's M Is For Metal: The Loudest Alphabet Book on Earth, and aimed at pre-schoolers and features the alphabet as depicted with colourful imagery and humour inspired by the band. For instance, "A is for Angus [Young], who thinks it's good luck, to wear a school uniform, and walk like a duck." Or, "C is for Cliff [Williams], who plays on the bass, likes only 4 notes and has a nice face." In a statement, Love Police founder Brian Taranto said it was an "honour" to have worked on the book. "Yeah, it's a kids book, but any AC/DC or music fan will find something on every page," he added. "[McNeil] has done a sweet and rockin' job. We are looking forward to educating another generation of rock and rollers!," he added. Meanwhile, the biography of AC/DC singer Brian Johnson, The Lives of Brian: A Memoir, is also due in October via Penguin Books in the UK and Dey Street Books in the US. - NME, 10/12/22...... The Sex Pistols have claimed the best-selling vinyl single of 2022 in the UK with the re-release of their 1977 classic "God Save the Queen." The single originally (and somewhat controversially) peaked at No. 2 on the UK's Official Singles Chart during Queen Elizabeth II's silver jubilee in 1977 and, in 2022, a limited number of special edition pressings were made available to fans. These special editions sold out on pre-order (as these things often do) so that by September, when the queen sadly passed away and King Charles III took the throne, there was not a single copy left for fans to snap up as the nation mourned. - Music-News.com, 10/12/22...... On Oct. 8, Ozzy Osbourne ditched his cane for a romantic slow dance with wife Sharon Osbourne during a party celebrating Sharon's 70th birthday. In one of the most touching videos from the night, 73-year-old Ozzy -- who has been rehabbing from major surgery on his neck this summer while also battling Parkinson's disease -- approaches Sharon on the dance floor as daughter Kelly Osbourne cues the band to play "their song," James Arthur's romantic "Say You Won't Let Go." After the couple makes their way to the floor, Sharon gently takes Ozzy's cane and hands it to one of their grandchildren before wrapping her arms around the rocker's neck and swaying to the "awww" of the crowd. Sharon later shared a number of special images from the night on her Instagram account, where she wrote, "All my wishes in one room. My [heart emoji] is full." Judas Priest singer Rob Halford was also feeling the moment, commenting, "All you need is love, love is all you need." Other attendees at the lavish event included Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, Ozzy's longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde and Korn's Jonathan Davis. Osbourne recently dropped his Patient Number 9 album and the Osbourne clan will be seen in a new reality series about leaving L.A. and moving back to England. - Billboard, 10/10/22...... A biography of late The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, Charlie's Good Tonight, hit US bookstores on Oct. 11. Written by music journalist Paul Sexton and authorized by Watts' family and featuring forewards from both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the book delves into the incredible life of a man who came from a working class background and served as the anchor and guiding light of one of the world's greatest rock bands from the early '60s until his death in 2021. Exclusive interviews with Watts' family, friends and fellow musicians who knew him best are also included. Meanwhile, a documentary for the Stones' replacement bassist Darryl Jones, has been released. Darryl Jones: In the Blood explores the life and career of the musician, as well examining matters such as race, politics and growing up on the south side of Chicago. Jagger, Richards and Ronnie Wood all feature in the documentary, as does the late Watts in one of his last filmed interviews. "In a band you have to get on with everyone, really," Watts says in the film. "And Darryl is one of those people who -- he's very easy to work with and very pleasant to be around." "He's one of the best bass players in the world," adds Richards. "He played with Miles Davis for five years, and that's no mean resumé, you know?" - Billboard/NME,10/7/22...... "Eddie," a new single by alternative faves Red Hot Chili Peppers honoring late Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen, has been given a live debut during an Austin City Limits performance on Oct. 9, which can be viewed on YouTube. In a press release, Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis explained the story behind the tribute: "Sometimes we don't realize how deeply affected and connected we are to artists until the day they die. Eddie Van Halen was a one of a kind. The day after his death [Chili Peppers guitarist] Flea came into rehearsal with an emotional bassline. John, Chad and I started playing along and pretty soon with all our hearts, a song in his honour effortlessly unfolded. It felt good to be sad and care so much about a person who had given so much to our lives. Although the song doesn't speak to Eddie by name, it talks about his early days on the Sunset Strip and the rock n roll tapestry that Van Halen painted on our minds. In the end, our song asks that you not remember Eddie for dying but for living his wildest dream." "Eddie" is the second preview from the Chili Peppers' new 13th album, Return of the Dream Canteen. - NME, 10/11/22...... In related news, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters says he "couldn't care less about AC/DC or Eddie Van Halen" in an explosive new interview with controversial podcast host Joe Rogan. "[I'm] not really interested in loud rock 'n' roll -- which some people are and they love it, but I couldn't care less about AC/DC or Eddie Van Halen or any of that stuff," he told Rogan. "It's just, who? I don't go, 'Who?' because obviously I know the name. And I'm sure Eddie's brilliant and a great guitar player and wonderful. It just doesn't interest me." Admitting that he's "not very up on rock history," Waters added: "I'm not very interested in most popular music. I mean, there are certain people that I'm great fans of, mainly the writers, the singer-songwriters, you know. So, [Bob] Dylan and Neil Young. But I won't start a long list, because I probably could, but it's that end of the spectrum that I'm more interested in." Waters' full interview can be heard on Spotify.com. Waters is currently underway with the North American leg of his "This Is Not A Drill" tour, which will continue until mid-October. In other Pink Floyd-related news, the sale of the band's music catalogue reportedly has been delayed due to "months of arguing" within the band. The prog-rock icons were said to have attracted interest from investors and companies including Blackstone, Sony Music and Warner Music, with bidding for the songs likely to fetch over $500 million, making it one of the biggest music rights deals ever, but the auction process -- which began in May -- has been hit by delays due to infighting over the tax structure of the deal. According to a report in FT.com, negotiating the deal has been "as difficult as it is possible to be" and bidders have taken to referring to the adviser handling the sale as a "mediator." It is believed Waters' recent controversial comments -- in which he claimed to be on a Ukrainian "kill list" and said Russia had tried to avoid an "unnecessary war" with Ukraine -- have not helped matters, with Floyd's Dave Gilmour and Nick Mason previously releasing a new song to raise money for Ukrainian humanitarian relief. According to Variety, at least one potential buyer may pull out as a result of the outspoken 79-year-old musician's comments, and they may also lower the value of the catalogue. One source said: "The other bandmembers must be furious."- NME/Music-News.com, 10/10/22...... Stevie Nicks has shared a poem and teased a new song while urging her US fans to register to vote ahead of the upcoming 2022 midterm elections. Nicks shared the poem, which is titled "Get It Back," alongside a statement on her Instagram on Oct. 10 addressed to "Friends, Fans and Women of America; from 18 to 100 years old." "At 74 years old, I can honestly say that I am worried about every one of you. Worried about health care, and just in general, worried about your God given rights. You must gather together now. You must register to vote as soon as you can," Nicks writes, pointing out that for many, the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming midterms is Oct. 11. "And you must vote," she adds. Nicks went on to say how the "disintegration of Roe v. Wade will change your life in an unfathomable way" and that "your lives will be in the hands of government officials who do not know you and cannot possibly know what your future should be. Please vote.... And call everyone you know, and ask them to join you. Read the words to my song. I wrote it for you." The Fleetwood Mac frontwoman is currently on a solo North American tour that will run up until the end of October, with Vanessa Carlton supporting on all dates. She is also featured on a new collaborative song with Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, "Face To Face," to raise money for the Ukraine relief effort. All proceeds from the song, which has been shared on YouTube, will go to the Global United24 initiative from the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. - NME, 10/11/22...... The Who surprised fans during a Long Island concert on Oct. 7 with a song the band has played only a handful of times by the band in the last 40 years. "Young Man's Blues" was played during the Who's extra encore at the gig, which according to Rolling Stone has only been played six times in the last 40 years of the band's touring history. The song, which was written by jazz pianist Mose Allison in 1957, added a R&B version of the song into their live set in 1964. It later appeared on the band's powerhouse 1970 live set, Live At Leeds. - NME, 10/8/22...... Vocalist, music arranger and producer Anita Kerr, leader of The Anita Kerr Singers who played an essential role in crafting the sleeker, strings-and-harmonies washed "The Nashville Sound" popular in the 1950s and 1960s, died on Oct. 10. She was 94. Born Anita Jean Grilli in Memphis, Tenn., on Oct. 13, 1927, Ms. Kerr's love for music was evident early, as she played organ and soon began arranging vocal parts for school groups, according to her official website. In her teens, she was hired as a musician for a Memphis radio program. She married Al Kerr and moved to Nashville in 1948, and soon led an eight-voice ensemble for WSM's Sunday Down South program. In 1950, that group, dubbed The Anita Kerr Singers, landed a gig doing backup for Red Foley's "Our Lady of Fatima" on Decca Records, which landed on both Billboard's country and pop charts. Decca then signed Ms. Kerr to do her own records with the vocal group. From there, numerous country artists, including Burl Ives, Eddy Arnold and Ernest Tubb, began using The Anita Kerr Singers on their sessions. In the 1950s and 1960s, alongside vocal group The Jordanaires, the Anita Kerr Singers were one of the most in-demand vocal groups for Nashville session recordings. During her career, she was nominated for seven Grammy awards and won three Grammy trophies. The Anita Kerr Singers won a Grammy for best performance by a vocal group in 1966 for "A Man and a Woman," beating out the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" as well as the Mamas and the Papas' "Monday Monday." A year prior, the Anita Kerr Singers won best performance by a vocal group for "We Dig Mancini," and in the process, beat out the Beatles' nomination in the same category for "Help!." That same year, the Anita Kerr Singers won the Grammy for best gospel or other religious recording (musical) for Southland Favorites by George Beverly Shea and The Anita Kerr Singers. The group also recorded several of their own albums, including Gentle as Morning, Walk a Little Slower and Precious Memories. In May of 2022, author Barry Pugh released the biography Anita Kerr: America's First Lady of Music. - Billboard, 10/12/22...... Veteran disc jockey and music promoter Art Laboe, known for spending 79 continuous years on the radio, of being an innovator of the compilation album, and coining and trademarking the term "Oldies but Goodies," died peacefully on Oct. 7 at his home in Palm Springs after a brief bout with pneumonia. He was 97. One of the first DJs to play R&B and rock 'n' roll on Los Angeles/West Coast radio, Mr. Laboe gets credit for creating the oldies format in radio (he helped set the tone in the '70s at KRTH, known as K-Earth 101). He also owned and operated a nightclub that is now the site of The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. Born Arthur Egnoian in Salt Lake City to an Armenian American family, Mr. Laboe began his professional radio career at KSAN/San Francisco at age 18 in 1943, and he went on to work for several stations in Los Angeles. He also had stops in Palm Springs; Pomona, Calif.; and Reno, Nev. He owned radio stations in Tucson, Ariz., and Fresno, Calif., and in connection with his radio shows presented, promoted and hosted concerts throughout the west. He started Original Sound Record Inc. in 1957 and a year later released the compilation LP Oldies but Goodies Vol. 1, which stayed on a Billboard chart for months. Also in 1958, he hosted for KTLA-TV The Art Laboe Show, a dance program featuring the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Jackie Wilson and Bobby Darin. Through his company Original Sound Entertainment, Mr. Laboe placed thousands of songs in commercials, films and on TV dating to George Lucas' American Graffiti (1973), which paid royalties to the artists heard in the film. Mr. Laboe was on the air as recently as Oct. 9 with his pre-recorded The Art Laboe Connection, the syndicated program that he launched in 1991. "My favorite place to be is behind that microphone, Mr. Laboe once said. "I have one of the best jobs in the world, playing the music, interacting with our listeners, doing their dedications and connecting them with their loved ones." - The Hollywood Reporter, 10/11/22...... Brooks Arthur, the Grammy Award-winning record producer and engineer who worked on hits by the likes of Leiber and Stoller, The Grateful Dead, Burt Bacharach, Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison among many others, died on Oct. 9 aged 86. Born Arnold Brodsky in New York City in 1936, Mr. Arthur cut his teeth in the industry while still in high school, scoring a part-time job in the Decca Records mailroom. From there, he could see how the entire business in action. Several years later, he was tapped by Aldon Music as a songwriter and demo singer, along with the likes of Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. There, he wrote "At the Edge of Tears," recorded by a young Tony Orlando, who would introduce Mr. Arthur to his engineering mentor. The hits would roll on at Associated Studios, where Mr. Arthur engineered cuts for Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich -- The Raindrops' "What A Guy,"The Angels' "My Boyfriend's Back" and more. As his resume grew, so too did his reputation. At Mirasound, he engineered recordings for Leiber and Stoller, and was behind the boards for many classic songs of the era, including The Dixie Cups' "Chapel of Love," The Shangri-Las' "Leader of the Pack," "Hang On Sloopy by The McCoys, and Janis Ian's "Society's Child," becoming known as a chief architect of New York's "girl group sound." Mr. Arthur caught the attention of producer Phil Ramone, who brought the engineer over to his A&R Studios to work on recordings by The Lovin' Spoonful, and several Van Morrison standards, including "Brown Eyed Girl" on which he sang backup vocals. He also engineered more than a dozen Neil Diamond songs including "Cherry Cherry," "Kentucky Woman" and the enduring "Sweet Caroline." He won a Grammy in 1976 for best engineered recording -- non-classical for his work on Ian's Between the Lines LP, which had topped the Billboard Hot 200 in Sept. 1975. He was also music supervisor on all three Karate Kid films, which have enjoyed a renaissance following the Cobra Kai series on Netflix. He is survived by his wife Marilyn and their daughters Jill Arthur Posner and Jacki Arthur Eisenberg. Tributes to Mr. Arthur online include tweets from Adam Sandler (with whom he worked as music supervisor on several of his films), Carole Bayer Sager and Rob Schneider. - Billboard, 10/10/22...... Actress Joan Hotchkis, who played Dr. Nancy Cunningham on the classic '70s sitcom The Odd Couple, died of congestive heart failure on Sept. 27. She was 95. - People, 10/24/22...... Distinguished British actress Angela Lansbury, who kicked up her heels in such Broadway musicals as "Mame" and "Gypsy" and solved endless murders as crime novelist Jessica Fletcher in the long-running TV series Murder, She Wrote, died on Oct. 11 at her home in Los Angeles, according to a statement from her three children. She was five days shy of her 97th birthday. Ms. Lansbury's 75-year career in show business included beloved musicals on stage, iron-fisted matriarchs on film, singing the theme song for the animated movie Beauty and the Beast, being made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II, and the creation of one of television's best loved characters. Ms. Lansbury won five Tony Awards for her Broadway performances and a lifetime achievement award. She earned Academy Award nominations as supporting actress for two of her first three films, Gaslight (1945) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (1946), and was nominated again in 1962 for The Manchurian Candidate and her deadly portrayal of a Communist agent and the title character's mother. Born Angela Brigid Lansbury in London on Oct. 16, 1925, Ms. Lansbury once remarked that it "took me years to get over" her shyness as a child, and after her father's factory was forced into bankruptcy the family lived on money her mother had saved from her theater career. Angela suffered a shattering blow when her beloved father died in 1935, and he tragedy forced her to become self-reliant -- "almost a surrogate husband to my mother." Her mother struggled through red tape to relocate the family to America as England was threatened with German bombings during WW2, and add to their income, Angela at 16 landed a nightclub job in Montreal doing impersonations and songs. Moyna moved the family to Hollywood, hoping to find acting work. Failing that, she and Angela wrapped packages and sold clothing at a department store. An actor friend suggested Angela would be ideal for the role of Sybil Vane in The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was being prepared at MGM. She tested, and studio boss Louis B. Mayer ordered: "sign that girl!" She was just 19 when her first film, Gaslight, earned her an Oscar nomination, but MGM "didn't know what to do" with the new contract player. She appeared as Elizabeth Taylor's older sister in National Velvet, Judy Garland's nemesis in The Harvey Girls, Walter Pidgeon's spiteful wife in If Winter Comes and Queen Anne in The Three Musketeers. Tired of playing roles twice her own age, she left MGM to freelance but the results were much the same: the mother of Warren Beatty in All Fall Down, of Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii, of Carroll Baker in Harlow, and of Laurence Harvey in The Manchurian Candidate, in which she unforgettably manipulates her son and helps set off a killing spree. In the mid-1940s, Ms. Lansbury had a disastrous nine-month marriage to Richard Cromwell, a soulful young star of the 1930s, after finding out he was gay. In 1949, she married Peter Shaw, a Briton who had been under an acting contract to MGM, then became a studio executive and agent. He assumed the role of Ms. Lansbury's manager. They had two children; he had a son by a previous marriage. After her triumphs on Broadway in "Mame" and "Hello, Dolly," in the 1960s, Ms. Lansbury returned to Hollywood to try television. She was offered a lead role in Murder, She Wrote, after All In the Family's Jean Stapleton declined the role. In 2000, Ms. Lansbury withdrew from a planned Broadway musical, "The Visit, because she needed to help her husband recover from heart surgery. "The kind of commitment required of an artist carrying a multimillion-dollar production has to be 100%," she said in a letter to the producers. Her husband died in 2003, and in 2012 she was back on Broadway in a revival of "The Best Man, sharing a stage with James Earl Jones, John Larroquette and Candice Bergen. She also recently co-starred in Emma Thompson's Nanny McPhee and with Jim Carrey in Mr. Popper's Penguins. In 1990, Ms. Lansbury philosophized: "I have sometimes drawn back from my career. To what? Home. Home is the counterweight to the work." In addition to her three children, Anthony, Deirdre and David, she is survived by three grandchildren, Peter, Katherine and Ian, plus five great grandchildren and her brother, producer Edgar Lansbury. - AP, 10/11/22.

On Oct. 6 Dead & Company revealed its final run of 27 dates as it hits the road for the final time in the summer of 2023. The tour kicks off on May 19 in Los Angeles at the Kia Forum and stretches through mid-July, when the tour ends with two nights of shows on July 14 and 15 in San Francisco at Oracle Park. Other major markets on the trek include Phoenix (5/23), Dallas (5/26), Atlanta (5/28), St. Louis (6/7), Chicago (6/9, 10), Cincinnati (6/13), Philadephia (6/15), New York (6/21, 22), Boston (6/25), as well as a three-night stand in Boulder, Col. on July 1, 2 and 3. On Sept. 23, Dead & Company's John Mayer shared a statement on behalf of the band on Instagram saying that the band would be "hitting the road next summer for what will be our final tour" alongside a rose-adorned promotional tour poster for the upcoming summer stint. He also promised it "will surely be an exciting, celebratory, and heartfelt last run of shows." The band includes Mayer, guitarist/vocalist Bob Weir, drummer/percussionists Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, as well as keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and bassist Otiel Burbridge. The group's 2019 tour grossed $40.9 million and sold 486,917 tickets, marking Dead & Company's biggest tour yet, up 16% over 2018's $35.2 million gross. - Billboard, 10/6/22...... A new biography of The Rolling Stones alleges its flamboyant frontman Mick Jagger had flings with two members of the band and calls for the 79-year-old Jagger to be reassessed as a "bisexual icon." In The Stone Age: Sixty Years of The Rolling Stones, rock journalist Lesley-Ann Jones reports Jagger had affairs with Keith Richards in the early days of the band, as well as its former guitarist Mick Taylor. Richards, 78, and Taylor, 73, who was a guitarist with the Stones from 1969 to 1974, are reportedly both listed in a long appendix to the book that details lovers taken by the Stones over the years. Jones also mentions the well known allegation that Jagger once had a tryst with David Bowie (with Bowie's first wife Angie Bowie claiming she once discovered the two in bed together), along with the frontman's alleged affair with Austrian actor Helmut Berger, who introduced Mick to his first wife Bianca Jagger. Jones quotes Keith Richard's ex-wife Anita Pallenberg and Mick's former lover Marianne Faithfull saying they were apparently attracted to each other. Pallenberg, who died in 2017 aged 75, is quoted as saying: "From when I first met them, I saw Mick was in love with Keith." Faithfull says in the book about the rockers: "I had an inkling that there was a sexual undercurrent between them. I knew in some part of my head that Mick was bisexual," and has previously said: "Of all Mick's relationships, the only one that really means anything to him is with Keith." - Bang Showbiz/Canoe.com, 10/6/22...... The estate of late The Ramones frontman Joey Ramone revealed on Oct. 6 it has sold a stake in Joey's publishing income to Primary Wave for $10 million. The acquisition means Primary Wave will both have non-exclusive rights to license the late punk rocker's name and likeness as well as part of his share of publishing royalties for many of the songs in the NYC band's catalog. This does not include his solo works. The deal includes such early punk standards as "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker," "Rockaway Beach," "Do You Remember Rock 'N' Roll Radio" and "I Wanna Be Sedated," among others. It does not include one of the band's signature cuts, "Blizkrieg Bop," as Joey is not listed in its writing credits. The deal includes such early punk standards as "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker," "Rockaway Beach," "Do You Remember Rock 'N' Roll Radio" and "I Wanna Be Sedated," among others. It does not include one of the band's signature cuts, "Blizkrieg Bop," as Joey is not listed in its writing credits. Born Jeffery Ross Hyman, Joey Ramone was a pioneer in punk rock whose defining voice made him the poster child for the counterculture in the late 1970s. The Ramones are one of the most influential bands in history and went on to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and earn a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award. Joey passed away in 2001 after a battle with lymphoma. - Billboard, 10/6/22...... Ozzy Osbourne has announced he's launching his very own range of beauty products with a 21-piece set, including a 14-shade "Ozzy Bat Palette" shaped like a winged creature of the night and another one in a coffin-shaped case, with shades inspired by some of Ozzy's most beloved songs, including "Zombie Stomp," "Crazy Train" and "Iron Man." There is also a "Bark at the Moon" highlighter set, a gothic hand-held mirror with a baroque design featuring a black rose and Ozzy's name on the back and the "Ozzy Bullet" lip stick in a midnight black sheath with a bat imprint on the stick itself. The set from Rock and Roll Beauty and licensing agent Global Merchandising also features candles that conjure dark rock spirits, including "Midnight Woods," "Mulled Cider" and "Fireside." A promo video for the collection has been shared on Instagram. Ozzy recently landed his first No. 1 album on Billboard's Hot 200 sales chart with his Patient Number 9 album. Meanwhile, Osbourne has shared a behind-the-scenes look at his recent official video for the latest single from the album, "One Of Those Days," on YouTube. The new BTS video sees Ozzy getting ready in hair and make-up, behind the wheel of a car in front of a green screen and messing about in a black cloak. - Billboard/NME, 10/6/22...... According to new figures released by the UK's Office for National Statistics, David Bowie-inspired baby names have been on the increase in Britain since the rock icon died in 2016. The Office says the number of boys registered with the name "Ziggy," a reference to his acclaimed 1972 album Ziggy Stardust, at birth in England and Wales rose from 49 to 136 between 2016 and 2021. The number of boys registered with the name "Bowie" also rose from 35 to 78 during the same period. The names grew in popularity for girls too, with 28 girls called "Bowie" and 14 called "Ziggy" in 2021. - NME, 10/5/22...... The Police's 1983 hit "Every Breath You Take" has officially joined YouTube's Billion Views Club, the video streaming service announced on Oct. 5. Originally released as the lead single off the band's 1983 album Synchronicity, the Sting-penned ballad eventually became The Police's sole No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and reigned atop the chart for eight weeks total. It won Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The moody video for the song, available on YouTube, became well-known for its striking black-and-white color palette, and has averaged more than 300,000 views every day so far in 2022. - Billboard, 10/5/22...... Julien's Auctions of Beverly Hills has announced more than 700 lots of Fleetwood Mac memorabilia will go on sale in a a two-day live auction on Dec. 3-4 at their showplace in Beverly Hills and online on julienslive.com. An unspecified portion of the proceeds will benefit MusiCares. "Fleetwood Mac: Property From the Lives and Careers of Christine McVie, John McVie And Mick Fleetwood" includes instruments, awards, wardrobe, equipment and memorabilia from Fleetwood Mac's recordings, live performances and appearances, as well as furnishings, artwork, jewelry, and personal items from the three musicians' homes. One of the most prized offerings is a stage-played Yamaha C3 baby grand piano, known as the "Songbird Piano" and played by Christine McVie while on tour with the band for many years. It would come out at the end of the show for the last song, "Songbird," from Rumours. Julien's has attached an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000 for the piano. An unspecified portion of the proceeds will benefit MusiCares, and the two other members of the "classic" incarnation of the celebrated quintet -- Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks -- are not involved with the auction. In other Fleetwood Mac-related news, Stevie Nicks was joined onstage by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam on the third and final night of Vedder's Ohana Fest in Dana Point, Calif. The two performed Nicks and Tom Petty's 1981 hit "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," which can be viewed on Twitter. Other artists headlining the festival included Jack White, Pink, St. Vincent and Brittany Howard, among many others. Nicks, currently touring the US, recently played shows in Los Angeles and Phoenix and is set to visit The Woodlands, Tex., Alpharetta, Ga., Nashville, Tenn., Charleston, SC, Charlotte, NC, Tampa, Fla. and West Palm Beach, Fla. in October. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 10/6/22...... The reality talent series The Masked Singer had a "very Brady reveal" in its third episode of 2022 on Oct. 5 when the first act sent home, the Mummies, performed the theme from the '60s TV show The Monkees and revealed themselves to be none other than Mike Lookinland, Barry Williams and Christopher Knight -- better known as brothers Bobby, Greg and Peter of 1960s and '70s sitcom The Brady Bunch. "Absolutely awesome," said Williams (aka Greg Brady) of the experience. "It was thrilling to be together performing, we haven't performed together like this for, since the Brady days. Being here was such fun." The Mummies' performance has been shared on YouTube. - Billboard, 10/5/22...... Gregarious spouses Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell host The Real Love Boat, an "exciting and new" dating show inspired by the beloved 1977-86 scripted series. Premering on Oct. 5 on CBS at 9:00 PM/8 C, the competition began in Barcelona, where 10 singles set sail on the Regal Princess cruise ship (more will come aboard at various Mediterranean ports). Their itinerary is full of surprises, such as Love Boat original cast member Ted Lange (bartender Isaac Washington) serving cocktails and offering advice to the passengers and the matchmaking crew in the premiere episode; contestants participate in a talent show to woo potential partners. - TV Guide, 9/26/22...... Elton John has added two more dates to the final leg of his global "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour. The Rocket Man announced on Oct. 4 that he'll play new datesat the The O2 Arena in London on May 30, 2023 and the Utilita Arena Birmingham on June 8, 2023. Meanwhile, Elton and Prince Harry are among those who have launched legal proceedings against The Daily Mail publishers Associated Newspapers for what they describe as "gross breaches of privacy." The group also includes John's husband -- filmmaker David Furnish -- along with actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence. Law firm Hamlins are representing Harry and Frost, with GunnerCooke representing John, Furnish, Hurley and Lawrence. In a statement shared by the BBC, Hamlins allege that those they were representing had been victims of "abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy." Specifically, they accused the publisher of "the hiring of private investigators to secretly place listening devices inside people's cars and homes," as well as "the commissioning of individuals to surreptitiously listen into and record people's live, private telephone calls." Associated Newspapers has denied the allegations. - NME, 10/4/22...... Lawyers representing Bob Dylan are seeking a $50,000 fine, plus repayment of his legal bills, against the lawyers who unsuccessfully accused the singer of sexually abusing a child in 1965, claiming they filed the "heinous" allegations solely to "extract a settlement payment." The lawsuit against Dylan included salacious allegations, but historians quickly pointed out that it wasn't chronologically plausible and the unnamed accuser suddenly dropped the case this summer after Dylan's lawyers accused her of destroying key evidence. Dylan's attorneys say the case never should have been filed, and that the attorneys who did so -- Daniel Isaacs and Peter Gleason -- should not be "permitted to get away scot-free." Dylan's accuser filed her case in Aug. 2021, claiming he had abused her multiple times at Manhattan's Chelsea Hotel in April and May 1965. She said he provided her with drugs and alcohol and "exploited" his status as part of a plan to "sexually molest her." But rock historians and Dylan experts quickly cast doubt on the allegations, saying Dylan was likely away from New York City during most of the time in question. The accuser eventually dropped her case at a July 28 hearing. - Billboard, 10/4/22...... In other Dylan-related news, actors Jeff Bridges and Helen Mirren have been listed as just two of the names who will be reading chapters on the audiobook edition of Bob Dylan's forthcoming essay collection. The book, The Philosophy of Modern Song, contains over 60 essays written by Dylan about songs by artists such as Stephen Foster, Elvis Costello, Hank Williams and Nina Simone. It is set for release on Nov. 1. Sissy Spacek, Oscar Isaac and Steve Buscemi will also be reading essays written by Dylan. Dylan will be returning to the UK in October for a run of UK tour dates. - NME, 10/7/22...... Patti Smith has announced a new book that was inspired by her official Instagram account, A Book Of Days, is due for release on Nov. 15 via Penguin Random House. The book will comprise more than 365 photographs, capturing Smith's "life on and off the road" over the course of one year. Smith, who penned the introduction for A Book Of Days, is set to kick off an accompanying 12-date book tour. Per the listing, she will present a series of "Songs and Stories" at the events. The stint kicks off at Strand Books in New York on Nov. 14. Smith is also the National Book Award-winning author of Just Kids and M Train. Meanwhile, Smith has announced a second live concert with her band at Brooklyn Steel in New York on Dec. 29. She's also set to play at the venue on Dec. 30, which is her 76th birthday. Earlier in 2022, Smith said she has plans to release "one more album." Her 11th and most recent full-length record, Banga, came out back in 2012. - NME, 10/6/22...... Sony Music Entertainment and the estate of Michael Jackson have announced they're celebrating the 40th anniversary of Jackson's legendary 1982 album Thriller with an official "making of" documentary. Directed by journalist, music historian and filmmaker Nelson George, the as yet untitled film is currently in production. It will center on the making of the record-breaking album and the release of the accompanying short films that redefined the music video format. Featuring never-before-seen footage and interviews, the documentary focuses on how the album launched Jackson into mega-stardom and created a pop culture phenomenon that continues to influence the worlds of music, television, dance, fashion and more. Released by Epic Records in 1982, Thriller was Jackson's second studio album as a solo artist. It went on to capture 12 Grammy nominations and a record-setting eight wins, including Album of the Year. It has sold over 100 million albums worldwide and became the first album to be certified triple diamond by the RIAA. - Billboard, 10/4/22...... Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang Van Halen says he felt "a lot of closure" following his legendary father's passing, after performing Van Halen songs at the recent Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts. The 31-year-old performed "On Fire," Hot For Teacher" and "Panama" alongside The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins on vocals, Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl on bass, and Josh Freese on drums at two concerts in tribute to the late drummer. "I feel a lot of closure because my part of the show was a tribute to my father," Wolfgang explained to Classic Rock magazine. "I don't know what it is with some bands but certain personalities just can't get over themselves to work collectively for one purpose. That's been the curse of Van Halen for its entire career. So my playing at the Taylor shows delivered that catharsis without the stresses of dealing with the Van Halen camp, and the players involved," he added. - NME, 10/4/22...... "Love Me Do," the Beatles' debut single, was released on Oct. 5, 1962, a week that "changed the world forever." Now, sixty years later, the song is being celebrated at the house where it was written, 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton, Liverpool. The childhood home of brothers Paul and Mike McCartney, is now cared for by National Trust. The charity is marking the anniversary by asking two up-and-coming Liverpool acts selected by Mike McCartney, Pete Paphides and National Trust representatives, to perform their cover versions of the song, sixty years after its first release. The acts, Ni Maxine and TRAITS, both say their music has been inspired by the music that came from "the birthplace of the Beatles." Ni Maxine is a neo-jazz singer-songwriter. In a lovely coincidence, she lives in the same area of Liverpool as Paul and Mike McCartney did as infants, which is also just across the park from where her mum was raised. TRAITS is an indie pop quintet from Liverpool. Their singer Kieran and lead guitarist Matty met at school in Woolton, near St Peter's Church, again showing how places are weaved into and inspire multiple stories and lives. Ni Maxine and TRAITS' performances premiered on the National Trust YouTube channel on Oct. 5. They will also be given the opportunity to record some of their original music at the house. - Music-News.com, 10/5/22...... In other Beatles-related news, a letter that John Lennon signed on day of his murder in 1980 is is being auctions. The late Beatle's signature is displayed on a legal document that is up for auction through GottaHaveRockandRoll.com on Oct. 4. The typed letter lists three people to whom Lennon gave his proxy to vote at an annual meeting for the Beatles corporations that was happening nine days later in London. It was signed by Lennon on Dec. 8, 1980, hours before he was shot and killed by Mark Chapman outside his New York City apartment block. The document is expected to fetch between $30,000 (£26,366) and $50,000 (£43,943). Meanwhile, in related news, Ringo Starr has cancelled several shows he had planned in Canada for the second week of October, with the Beatles icon putting his tour on hold to recuperate after contracting Covid. After shows in New Buffalo, Michigan and Prior Lake, Minnesota were cancelled over the weekend "due to illness," an official statement from Starr's team confirmed the musician had tested positive for Covid. As a result, five shows that were scheduled for this week in Canada -- in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Lethbridge, Abbotsford and Penticton -- have been axed. Starr had announced the second leg of his All Starr Band tour in April. It kicked off Sept. 23 in Bridgeport, Conn., and is scheduled to end Oct. 20 in Mexico City. The dates had been initially planned for 2020, but as with many other tours, it was sidelined by the global coronavirus pandemic. - NME, 10/4/22...... On Oct. 3, former Fleetwood Mac member Lindsey Buckingham announced he was ending his European tour early due to "ongoing health issues." Buckingham "sends his deepest apologies to all his fans who were planning to attend and hopes to return to Europe in the future," reads a statement on his social channels. Buckingham, 73, was midway through a run of rescheduled UK shows, which were originally set to take place earlier in the year but were postponed when he and members of his band and crew contracted Covid-19. It's unclear what health problems are behind the latest postponement. Buckingham's latest tour is in support of his self-titled seventh studio album from 2021, a recording which he claims was at the heart of his falling out with his Fleetwood Mac bandmates. His full tour statement has been posted on Twitter. - Billboard, 10/3/22...... Rolling Stone magazine is reporting that the FBI had a 270-page file on the late Aretha Franklin after spying on her for 40 years. The Queen of Soul, who died of cancer in August 2018 at 76, was reportedly the target of surveillance, subjected to false phone calls and had her inner-circle infiltrated by spies, according to documents obtained by the magazine from the organization. The lengthy file -- which is heavily redacted -- is reportedly filled with phrases such as "Black extremists," "pro-communist," "hate America," "radical," "racial violence," and "militant Black power" and was filled with suspicion about the singer, her work, and the activists and entertainers she spent time with. The FBI regularly tracked the "Respect" singer's addresses and phone numbers and seemed to be particularly interested in her civil rights work and association with the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Angela Davis. Among the documents obtained by the publication -- some of which are newly-declassified -- is a 1968 report on the funeral plans for King, which described it as a "racial situation." It further noted: "Sammy Davis Jr., Aretha Franklin ... of this group, some have supported militant Black power concept ... [performance at MLK memorial by these prominent entertainers] would provide emotional spark which could ignite racial disturbance in this area." The agency failed in attempts to connect Franklin to the Black Liberation Army and other so-called "radical" groups, with one document detailing Franklin's recording contract with Atlantic Records "just in case" her business dealings could be connected with the Black Panther Party. The FBI have yet to comment on the report. - Bang Showbiz/Canoe.com, 10/3/22...... Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters has shared his belief that he is on a "kill list" of enemies of Ukraine, as well as dismissing evidence of Russian forces' alleged war crimes in the country as "propaganda." Speaking to Rolling Stone, Waters said that "as a taxpayer in the United States," America was "the most evil of all [countries] by a factor of at least 10 times", adding: "We kill more people. We interfere in more people's elections. We, the American empire, is doing all this shit." When it was suggested that the people of Ukraine may disagree with his stance, particularly following months of reports detailing alleged Russian war crimes, Waters replied: "You've seen [those reports] on what I've just described to you as Western propaganda. It's exactly the obverse of saying Russian propaganda; Russians interfered with our election; Russians did that. It's all lies, lies, lies, lies." The musician went on to claim that he was featured on "a kill list that is supported by the Ukrainian government," after the interviewer cited credible testimony from both American and Ukrainian journalists of reported Russian "atrocities." "I'm on the f---ing list, and they've killed people recently... But when they kill you, they write 'liquidated' across your picture. Well, I'm one of those f---ing pictures," Waters said. He is currently underway with the North American leg of his "This Is Not A Drill" tour, which will continue until mid-October, when he and his band play two shows in Mexico City. - NME, 10/4/22...... Grammy winning Country hitmaker Jody Miller, best known for her 1965 hit "Queen of the House," died on Oct. 6 in Blanchard, Okla., due to complications from Parkinson's Disease. She was 80. The Oklahoma native signed to Capitol Records as a folk artist in 1962 and released her debut album, Wednesday's Child is Full of Woe, in 1963. She earned her first Billboard Hot 100 entry with "He Walks Like a Man" in 1964. A year later, Ms. Miller's "Queen of the House," an answer to Roger Miller's (no relation, though both artists were both raised in Oklahoma) "King of the Road," became a crossover hit, traversing the country and pop charts, reaching the top five on the Hot Country Singles chart, and No. 12 on Billboard's Hot 100 pop chart. "Queen of the House" would earn Ms. Miller a Grammy win in the Best Country & Western Vocal Performance-Female Category (she was also nominated for Best New Country & Western Artist that year) in 1966. In the 1960s and 1970s, she ultimately placed 27 entries on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, including five top 5 hits such as "Baby I'm Yours," "There's a Party Goin' On" and "Darling, You Can Always Come Back Home." In the 1970s, Ms. Miller began recording for Epic Records in Nashville, working with renowned producer Billy Sherrill. She also earned another crossover hit with a cover of The Chiffons' "He's So Fine," which netted her a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance-Female). In 2020, Ms. Miller recorded her last project, the upcoming album Wayfaring Stranger, which is slated to release via Heart of Texas Records. - Billboard, 10/6/22...... Country music icon Loretta Lynn, the Kentucky coal miner's daughter whose frank songs about life and love as a woman in Appalachia pulled her out of poverty and made her a pillar of the genre, died on Oct. 4 at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. She was 90. "Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home at her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills," her family wrote on her Twitter page. Over the years she recorded 60 albums, with her most recent being 2021's Still Woman Enough, and topped the US country charts 16 times. Famous for hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough," "The Pill," "Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)" and 'Honky Tonk Girl," she also sold more than 45 million records worldwide. Born Loretta Webb in a one-room rural Kentucky cabin in 1932, the star was one of eight siblings and the daughter of a coal miner which led to her signature song, 1970's "Coal Miner's Daughter." It was made into a 1980 movie of the same name, and Sissy Spacek's portrayal of Ms. Lynn won her an Academy Award and the film was also nominated for Best Picture. Ms. Lynn married her husband Oliver "Doolittle" Lynn when she was 15, and they were together until his death in 1996. It was he who encouraged her to sing professionally and helped promote her early career. They had six children together; the eldest, Betty Sue and Jack, died in 2013 and 1984 respectively. The Academy of Country Music chose Ms. Lynn as the Artist of the Decade for the 1970s, and she was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988. She won four Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008, was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2003, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013. In 2004, Ms. Lynn teamed up with Jack White of The White Stripes who produced her album Van Lear Rose, which went on to become her best-performing album in the US charts at the time, before she topped it with her highest-charting album ever, 2016's Full Circle. "She was such an incredible presence and such a brilliant genius in ways that I think only people who got to work with her might know about," White posted on Instagram. "What she did for feminism, women's rights, in a time period and a genre of music that was the hardest to do it in is just outstanding, and will live on for a long time." Even into her later years, Ms. Lynn never seemed to stop writing, scoring a multi-album deal in 2014 with Legacy Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. In 2017, she suffered a stroke that forced her to stop touring, but she released her 50th solo studio album, Still Woman Enough, in 2021. Ms. Lynn was also paid tribute on Twitter by her fellow Country icon, Dolly Parton: "So sorry to hear about my sister, friend Loretta. We've been like sisters all the years we've been in Nashville and she was a wonderful human being, wonderful talent, had millions of fans and I'm one of them. I miss her dearly as we all will. May she rest in peace." Ms. Lynn is survived by her other four children, Ernie, Cissie, and twins Peggy and Patsy. - AP/NME, 10/4/22...... Activist and actress Sacheen Littlefeather, who famously refused Marlon Brando's Best Actor Award for The Godfather on his behalf at the 1973 Oscars to protest Hollywood's depiction of Native Americans, died on Oct. 2 at her home in Marin County, Calif., of metastasized breast cancer. She was 75. - People, 10/17/22.