Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on January 1st, 2023

Speaking on his latest The Roth Show podcast, former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth said he misses working with VH co-founder and guitarist Eddie Van Halen, saying it was "better than any love affair. Despite often locking horns with Eddie during his tenure in VH, Roth referred to Eddie as "my dear departed Ed" and said he "had a ball with Ed." "Walt Disney once said, 'You know what? My love affair with Mickey Mouse was better than any love affair with a woman I ever had.' I've gotta tell ya: playing with Ed, writing songs with Ed, presenting those songs with Ed was better than any love affair I ever had," Roth said. "And some of those songs, I think, might last forever -- or until the last syllable of time, like Shakespeare said. They became anthems. Where are they playing 'Jump' right now?," he added. Roth was in and out of the band, last playing with them in 2015. Eddie died in Oct. 2020 at the age of 65. Roth's complete show can be heard on YouTube. Meanwhile, David has shared a solo version of the 1980 VH hit "Everybody Wants Some" on YouTube. It arrived just a few months after another unreleased track, "Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway," in which he looked back nostalgically on his time in VH. Roth originally planned to retire in 2021 and was scheduled to cap off his career with a farewell residency in Las Vegas, but the shows were canceled due to the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. - New Musical Express, 12/30/22........ Queen guitarist Brian May will become knighted by the U.K's new king Charles III in 2023, it was announced on Dec. 30. May was among music industry professionals recognized in the 2023 New Year Honours List, an annual tradition celebrating the achievements and service of exceptional individuals from across the U.K., and receives a knighthood for services to music and his charity work. May was previously made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2005. Becoming a knight or a dame is one of the highest-ranking awards in the British honours system, followed by CBE, the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). A knighthood or damehood entitles recipients to use the title of sir or dame if they wish to do so. The Honours List awardees are presented by the reigning monarch, currently King Charles III. Record producer and businessman Millar, best known for his work with Sade, is also to be made a knight for services to music and charity. May co-founded British rock band Queen in 1970 and continues to tour and record with the group. In total, 1,107 people are recognized on the 2023 New Year Honours List, spanning all walks of life. The awarding of honours is overseen by the U.K. Cabinet Office with nominations submitted by either government departments or members of the public. A selection committee then produces a list of honourees, which is submitted to the British monarch, King Charles, for approval. - Billboard, 12/30/22...... In a new interview with Cleveland.com, AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson said that he "would be up for" writing new music with the Aussie hard rock legends. Johnson, who said he has "been told not to" talk about AC/DC's future plans by his bandmates, discussed his hopes for his own future in music. "I would love to do music again, whether it'll be guesting with somebody, whether it be actually playing live with the boys," he said. "I've heard that term 'hell freezes over' a million times before with people saying 'I'm not doing that again'. But I'd be up for it. I think everybody hopes to make more music. But I feel like now the next thing I've got is, I want to jump into my race car, put the helmet on and just go racing." In a previous interview with Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation show, Johnson revealed that he had been forbidden from speaking about what might happen in the future. Asked if he would perform with AC/DC again, he replied: "I'm not answering that. Why should I? First of all, there's five members in this band, and to ask one member isn't fair." - NME, 12/30/22...... Former Beatles Paul McCartney and the late John Lennon have notched their first Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 hit parade simultaneously for the first time since the 1980s. For the week ending Dec. 31, McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" re-entered the chart at No. 32 (after it hit No. 28 two years ago), while Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (credited to John & Yoko/The Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir) hit a new high at No. 38, which is its first time in the Top 40. McCartney and Lennon had, until now, not placed simultaneously in the US with songs outside the band since the Feb. 25, 1984, chart, when Lennon's "Nobody Told Me" surged 12-7, became his eighth and most recent top 10, and McCartney's "So Bad" ranked at No. 37. The Beatles last ranked in the Hot 100's top 40 with "Real Love" and, before that, "Free as a Bird," in 1995-96. - Billboard, 12/29/22...... Ex-Motörhead drummer Mikkey Dee has paid tribute to the late Lemmy Kilmister on the seventh anniversary of his death on Dec. 28. Posting on Twitter, Dee reflected on the time that has passed since Lemmy died. "My Motörhead days are forever welded in to my backbone. It's a huge part of who I am and the Motrhead family is as steady as a rock, forever," he wrote. "Lemmy, I miss you and think about you a lot but I am quite certain you are rocking the house and raising hell wherever you are." Kilmister passed away in 2015 at the age of 70, just two days after revealing that he had prostate cancer. His death certificate also confirmed that cardiac arrhythmia and congestive heart failure also contributed to his passing. Motörhead disbanded shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, an expanded edition of Motörhead's last album Bad Magic, which was originally released in 2015, will be arriving on February 24. Titled Seriously Bad Magic, the collection boasts two previously unreleased cuts: "Greedy Bastards" and "Bullet In Your Brain." - NME, 12/29/22...... Gloria Butler, the wife of Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler, revealed on Instagram on Dec. 25 that Geezer has been diagnosed with pneumonia. Gloria jokingly explained that Geezer's diagnosis came after two days of analysis, following negative tests for the flu, Coved-19, strep and tonsillitis: "I said, 'Well, he's positive for being a pain in my arse,'" she quipped. "Day [two] at [the doctor's], he was told he has pneumonia. Although still positive for being a pain, I now feel guilty for thinking that." Butler himself has not yet addressed his illness, though he has been active online, sharing a Christmas message of his own on Instagram. The iconic bassist has kept a relatively low profile since Black Sabbath disbanded in 2017, though in March of 2022, he linked up with the band Apocalyptica to perform on their standalone single "I'll Get Through It." - NME, 12/27/22...... A California woman filed a sexual assault complaint against Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler on Dec. 27 under a California law that allows for long-delayed sexual abuse cases. Repeating allegations she's made publicly in the past, Julia Holcomb claims Tyler used his "power as a well-known musician and rock star" in order to "gain access to, groom, manipulate, exploit" and sexually assault her for three years starting in 1973, when she was just 16 years old. Although the lawsuit does not name Tyler, listing only an anonymous John Doe defendant, Holcomb's lawyers repeatedly quote from Tyler's memoir Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? when referring to the alleged perpetrator, who they identify as a "leading member of a world-famous rock band." "She was 16, she knew how to nasty, and there wasn't a hair on it," Tyler wrote in a provocative passage in the book and is quoted in the lawsuit. "I was so in love I almost took a teen bride." The lawsuit alleges that Tyler convinced Holcomb's parents to grant him guardianship over her -- an accusation that also came with quotes from his memoir: "I went and slept at her parents' house for a couple of nights and her parents fell in love with me, signed paper over for me to have custody, so I wouldn't get arrested if I took her out of state." The lawsuit also claims Tyler impregnated Holcomb but later "pressured and coerced" her into eventually aborting the pregnancy. Holcomb made similar accusations in a 2011 article published by the anti-abortion website LifesiteNews, and she made the same claims in 2020 during an appearance on Tucker Carlson's television show on Fox News. The new lawsuit, which included claims for sexual battery, sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotion distress, was filed just days before the expiration of California's Child Victims Act, which temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for sexual abuse lawsuits. After a three-year window of availability, the deadline to file such long-delayed lawsuits is Dec. 31. Representatives for Tyler have yet to comment on the suit. - Billboard, 12/30/22......Pink Floyd have revealed that they've raised £500,000 for humanitarian charities aiding those affected by the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war thanks to their recent benefit single "Hey Hey Rise Up." "We, like so many, have been feeling the fury and the frustration of this vile act of an independent, peaceful democratic country being invaded and having its people murdered by one of the world's major powers," Pink Floyd frontman David Gilmour said in a press statement. "I hope ["Hey Hey Rise Up"] will receive wide support and publicity. We want to raise funds for humanitarian charities, and raise morale. We want express our support for Ukraine and in that way, show that most of the world thinks that it is totally wrong for a superpower to invade the independent democratic country that Ukraine has become," he added. The track was released in Apr. 2022 as Pink Floyd's first new song in nearly three decades. At the time Gilmour, who has a Ukrainian family and had already spoken out against the war, said the track was recorded just weeks prior as a show of solidarity to those fighting against Russia's invading military. In a statement shared on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), the band confirmed that they'd reached the momentous half-million-pound milestone. £450,000 reportedly came from single sales and streaming revenue, while the remaining £50,000 was contributed by Gilmour and bandmate Nick Mason (the only other member of Pink Floyd involved in making "Hey Hey Rise Up"). The money, they wrote, will be distributed between five humanitarian charities: Hospitallers, The Kharkiv And Przemy[
l Project, Vostok SOS, Kyiv Volunteer and Livyj Bereh. The band also encouraged fans to embark on their own philantrophy, writing alongside a link to a page of resources: "Let's see what else we can do this winter. It would be great if you feel able to contribute to any of these charities directly." Pink Floyd recently uploaded a suite of archival live albums from before their Dark Side Of The Moon era -- as well as a five-song EP of alternative tracks from 1972 -- to streaming services. - NME, 12/27/22...... In related news, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has recorded a message sharing his well-wishes with Ukrainian "heavy metal maniacs." In a clip posted on YouTube, Halford is seen wearing a Santa hat. "Hello, heavy metal maniacs of Ukraine!" he says. "It's your Metal God. I'm sending you all of my love, all of my strength, all of my power to each and every one of you. I love you so much. Slava Ukraini (English: 'Glory to Ukraine'). Stay strong, stay heavy, stay metal. Oh, yeah!" Judas Priest are set to support Ozzy Osbourne on tour in the UK and Europe in 2023. - NME, 12/27/22...... Emmy-winning newswoman and celebrity interviewer Barbara Walters, who blazed the way as the first woman to become a TV news superstar during a career remarkable for its duration and variety, died on the evening of Dec. 30 at her home in New York, according to her publicist. She was 93. During nearly four decades at ABC, and before that 12 years at NBC, Ms. Walters' exclusive interviews with rulers, royalty and entertainers brought her celebrity status that ranked with theirs, while placing her at the forefront of the trend that made stars of TV reporters. Late in her career, she gave infotainment a new twist with The View, a live ABC morning weekday show with an all-female panel for whom any topic was on the table and who welcomed guests ranging from world leaders to teen idols. With that side venture and unexpected hit, Ms. Walters once said she considered The View the "dessert" of her career. Ms. Walters made headlines in 1976 as the first female network news anchor, with an unprecedented $1 million salary that drew gasps. Her drive was legendary as she competed -- not just with rival networks, but with colleagues at her own network -- for each big "get" in a world jammed with more and more interviewers, including female journalists following in her trail. "I never expected this!" Ms. Walters said in 2004, taking stock of her success. "I always thought I'd be a writer for television. I never even thought I'd be in front of a camera." But she was a natural on camera, especially when plying notables with searing questions. "I'm not afraid when I'm interviewing, I have no fear!" Ms. Walters told the AP in 2008. In May 2014, she taped her final episode of The View amid much ceremony to end a five-decade career in television (although she continued to make occasional TV appearances ). During a commercial break, a throng of TV newswomen she had paved the way for -- including Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, Robin Roberts and Connie Chung -- posed for a group portrait. Ms. Walters' first marriage to businessman Bob Katz was annulled after a year, and her 1963 marriage to theater owner Lee Guber, with whom she adopted a daughter, ended in divorce after 13 years. Her five-year marriage to producer Merv Adelson ended in divorce in 1990. She wrote a bestselling 2008 memoir Audition, which caught readers by surprise with her disclosure of a "long and rocky affair" in the 1970s with married U.S. Sen. Edward Brooke. Ms. Walters' self-disclosure reached another benchmark in May 2010 when she made an announcement on The View that, days later, she would undergo heart surgery. She would feature her successful surgery -- and those of other notables, including Clinton and David Letterman -- in a primetime special. She is survived by her daughter, Jacqueline Danforth. Among the numerous musicians and celebrities paying tribute to the TV legend on social media include Paul McCartney, Jennifer Hudson, Barbra Streisand and Paris Hilton. - AP, 12/30/22...... Pelé Ginga, the legendary Brazilian soccer player who won a record three World Cups and was undeniably part of the pop culture (appearing even on The Simpsons), passed away on Dec. 29 in São Paulo, according to his agent, Joe Fraga. He was 82. Known as one of the world's greatest atheletes, he had been treated for colon cancer since 2021 and was hospitalized for the past month, according to the AP. Pelé was also a singer-songwriter, and he got his music published over the years too, from the 1977 LP Pelé to his single "Acredita No Vio (Listen To The Old Man)," featuring Rodrigo and Gabriela, just two years ago. Pelé's song "Esperana," an upbeat pagode song about youth performed with a children's choir, was written by him in honor of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. - Billboard, 12/29/22...... Canadian country singer Ian Tyson, known for such notable singles as "Four Strong Winds" (covered by Neil Young among many others), "The Old Double Diamond," "Someday Soon" and "You Were on My Mind" (the latter of which he sang alongside Sylvia), passed away on Dec. 29 on his ranch in southern Alberta, Canada. He was 89. Mr. Tyson was an integral figure in the Canadian folk scene, making his official debut to the world of country in 1956 at the Heidelberg Cafe in Vancouver in 1956. He would go to play with a rock and roll band called The Sensational Stripes. After meeting Sylvia Fricker in 1959 the pair would perform as Ian & Sylvia, graduating from part-time performers to becoming a full fledged musical act in 1961, and marrying each other by 1964. The duo then began performing with the assistance of a band, founding and fronting the group The Great Speckled Bird in 1969. By 1989, Mr. Tyson was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, alongside Sylvia -- whom he divorced from in 1975 -- in 1992. Two years later in 1994, Mr. Tyson was granted the honor of becoming a Member of the Order of Canada in 1994; he also received Governor General's Performing Arts Award and was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2003 and 2006 respectively. - Billboard, 12/29/22...... Trailblazing English fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, known as the "Queen of Punk Design," died "peacefully and surrounded by her family," in Clapham, South London, on Dec. 29. She was 81 years old. Ms. Westwood was born in Glossop, England, on April 8, 1941, and was a schoolteacher when she married Derek Westwood in 1962. The couple divorced 1965, and shared a son named Ben. She soon met her brother's friend, Malcolm McLaren, and began dating. They welcomed a son, Joe, and opened a small clothing store together that changed its name over the years, from Let It Rock and Sex to Seditionaires and finally, Worlds End. McLaren also managed the Sex Pistols, and Ms. Westwood became the band's outfitter. After her relationship with McLaren ended, Ms. Westwood created her eponymous brand which masterfully combined elements of history with a provocative, modern twist. The designer rose to prominence in the fashion world in the 1970s, thanks to her anti-establishment punk styles and controversial, androgynous designs. The new wave style icon was also a passionate activist, and frequently channeled issues like climate change into her runway looks. - Billboard, 12/29/22.

Speaking to radio show host Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation recently, AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson said he has "been told not to" talk about AC/DC's future plans by his bandmates. Asked if he would perform with AC/DC again, he replied: "I'm not answering that. Why should I? First of all, there's five members in this band, and to ask one member isn't fair." Trunk then asked Johnson if he personally would like to be back on stage with AC/DC, to which he responded: "Eddie, I cannot answer that. I've been told not to by everybody. It's the official line." Johnson hasn't performed live with the band since 2016 when he was forced to leave their "Rock Or Bust" tour due to hearing problems. Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose filled in for him for the rest of the tour. Later in the conversation, the Trunk asked if Johnson would like to make another album with the band. "It's getting tabloidy here," Johnson said. "You're getting tabloidy. If I say one thing, it'll be blown out of all proportion. You just can't afford to talk now. There's too much blabber on the Internet. And I'm not on any kind of Face-thing or social media at all -- never have been. It's just gossip." AC/DC's latest album, Power Up, was released in 2020 -- their first since 2014's Rock Or Bust. - NME, 12/22/22...... A Paul Simon TV tribute called Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon aired on CBS on Dec. 21, and participants on the two-hour special including Elton John, Dustin Hoffman and Herbie Hancock, who spoke warmly about Simon's songs. Elton called Simon "one of the greatest songwriters of all time" and recalled early days when he and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin would sit "on the floor with our headphones listening to [Simon & Garfunkel's] Bookends just in complete awe of the songs -- the way you wrote the songs and the sounds. As a songwriter, you are the bees' knees." Hoffman, whose signature role was 1967's The Graduate which Simon scored, said, "Quite simply, The Graduate would not be The Graduate without Simon's songs." Herbie Hancock said, "Paul Simon is a truly global citizen of this musical world -- a daring and visionary artist who is open to our entire musical universe." Among those performing Simon's songs during the special were Dave Matthews, Eric Church, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks and Bonnie Raitt, with the man of the hour himself, Simon, closing out the show with performances of "The Sound of Silence, "Graceland" and "American Tune." Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon is available to stream on demand on Paramount+. - Billboard, 12/22/22...... As the 20th anniversary of the death of late The Clash frontman Joe Strummer occurred on Dec. 22, a group of his fans marked the milestone by busking in front of a mural of Strummer painted on the side of a bar in New York's East Village named Niagara. Strummer died on Dec. 22, 2002 from an undiagnosed heart defect at age 50. Meanwhile, Strummer's widow, Lucinda Tait, has revealed that the late punk legend hoped to reform The Clash for a performance in 2003, just months before his unexpected death. Shortly before Strummer died, The Clash were announced as inductees for the 2003 class of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. That was followed by a surprise reunion between Strummer and his former Clash co-frontman, Mick Jones, during a benefit concert in London -- the first time they'd performed together since May of 1983. That brief reunion may have signalled a proper comeback for The Clash, as Tait recently said in an interview with the online music mag Consequence: "Joe definitely wanted The Clash to play at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame." Tait conceded, however, that no plans had been formalized between the band themselves, with Strummer apparently making it clear to herthat the prospect "was all dependent on everybody wanting to do it," which "was not a given." Nevertheless, she continued: "I think he would have liked it. Yes, I think he would have liked The Clash to have played at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Earlier in 2022, a new box set featuring music by Strummer and his post-The Clash band The Mescaleros was released. Joe Strummer 002: The Mescaleros Years dropped on Sept. 16 via Dark Horse Records and was the first time a comprehensive anthology of the band's work had been collated. Prior to that release, The Clash shared a new special edition of their Combat Rock album in May, featuring 12 additional tracks compiled by the surviving members of the iconic band. - New Musical Express, 12/22/22...... The ongoing feud between members of Journey received a new wrinkle on Dec. 22 when Journey guitarist Neal Schon filed a cease and desist order to his bandmate, keyboardist Jonathan Cain, over a November 2022 performance at former president Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago resort. During the show, Cain performed the band's iconic hit "Don't Stop Believin'" at the Florida complex with Trump and Trump acolytes including Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Kari Lake in attendance. In a letter to Cain -- whose wife Paula White-Cain is a former "spiritual advisor" to Trump -- Schon's lawyer wrote: "Although Mr. Cain is free to express his personal beliefs and associations, when he does that on behalf of Journey or for the band, such conduct is extremely deleterious to the Journey brand as it polarises the band's fans and outreach. Journey is not, and should not be, political. Mr. Cain's unauthorised affiliation of Journey with the politics of Donald Trump has the band's fans up in arms, as is demonstrated by a sample of the attached emails and Twitter comments. This has caused, and continues to cause, irreparable harm to the Journey brand, its fan base and earning potential, especially in light of the forthcoming tour.... He should not be capitalising on Journey's brand to promote his personal political or religious agenda to the detriment of the band." In response, Cain said: "Schon is just frustrated that he keeps losing in court and is now falsely claiming the song has been used at political rallies." Schon previously sued Cain in November over allegations that he was refused access to the band's credit card, with Cain responding by alleging that Schon added over $1 million (£ 830,000) in personal expenses to the card in question. - NME, 12/22/22...... In a new interview with SiriusXM's The Beatles Channel, Paul McCartney said it was difficult for him to properly grieve and put into words what John Lennon meant to him after his former Beatles bandmate was killed in late 1980, and he helped process it by writing the song "Here Today" on his 1982 solo album Tug of War. "It was difficult for everyone in the world, 'cause he was such a loved character, and such a crazy guy. He was so special. It had hit me, so much so that I couldn't really talk about it," McCartney said, explaining that he felt unable to share in the mass outpourings of tributes and collective grieving that took place following Lennon's death. "I remember getting home from the studio on the day that we'd heard the news he died, and turning the TV on, and seeing people say, 'Well, John Lennon was this,' and, 'What he was was this,' and, 'I remember meeting him then.' It was like, 'I don't know, I can't be one of those people. I can't just go on TV and say what John meant to me.' It was just too deep. It [was] just too much. I couldn't put it into words." McCartney then went on to describe how, after some time, "once the emotions had sort of settled a little bit," he was partially able to process Lennon's death through writing "Here Today," which closes out the first side of Tug Of War. The song's lyrics imagine what Lennon's answers to hypothetical questions McCartney posted would be. "I was in a building that would become my recording studio, and there were just a couple of little empty rooms upstairs," McCartney said. "So, I found a room and just sat on the wooden floor in a corner with my guitar, and just started to play the opening chords to 'Here Today'." The entire interview can be heard on YouTube. - NME, 12/22/22...... In other Beatles-related news, Benny Andersson of ABBA recently spoke to Record Collector magazine about how his Swedish quartet was influenced by the Fab Four. "They were always with their style in a way, much more than we were, but what they did was, you heard a song with them, then the next single was nothing close to the previous one, or the third, or the fourth, or the fifth," Andersson told the publication. "At that time, you needed to have some diversity, no?" Andersson said having two vocalists on their records, by singers Agnetha Faltskog and Frida Lyngstad, also gave their sound a boost. "You have John [Lennon] and Paul [McCartney], or you have Fleetwood Mac, you have the Eagles: it's great to have two singers, because that makes a difference between the tracks as well." - Music-News.com, 12/23/22...... Brian May has hit back at criticism of 25-year-old rocker Yungblud's performance of Queen's "We Are The Champions." May, 75, was recently flooded with people's opinions, many of them derogatory, after he re-shared Yungblud's rendition of the 1977 hit for Apple Music, which he hailed "very classy." He had captioned the clip: "Every now and then, while idly scrolling in the park, you come upon something that makes you go 'wow.' And you just have to press that 'follow' button. Very classy." May compared the negative comments to those the late frontman Freddie Mercury received in the early days of joining Queen. Responding to the hater, he wrote: "Well, this has been an eye-opener for me. I'm smiling quietly at all the 'no' comments. I remember so clearly the same kind of derision being poured on Freddie when we started out as Queen. As soon as I see someone who can inspire such strong reactions, positive and negative, I'm sure this person is a star performer." He added: "But just carry on kicking if you need to; perhaps it will make you feel better! I think the rest of us will keep an open mind." The high praise from May comes after another rock icon, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, honored Yungblud for carrying the torch for rock 'n' roll in the 21st century by presenting him with a guitar inspired by the late Buddy Holly's Gibson J-45. Yungblud said it was a "dream come true" to be recognized by Jagger, and that he's keen to work with the Stones now. "I'd love that," he said. "We're in contact, we've met and if the opportunity arises, absolutely." - Music-News.com, 12/21/22...... Dolly Parton has expounded on a "secret song" she wrote and placed in a time capsule to be unearthed when she reaches age 99, but now says it has "driven her crazy." The song was written and recorded for the opeining of the country legend's Dollywood DreamMore resort and was buried in a time capsule. The theme park's staff have been strictly instructed not to touch the capsule, which is not set to be dug up till the theme park's 30th anniversary in 2045. Parton will be 99 when the song is dug up, and she revealed that she was impatient for it to be unearthed because "I might be there, I might not be!" "You have no idea how that has bothered me. I wanna go dig that up so bad. It's a really good song!" the country superstar told host Kelly Clarkson during a recent appearance on her syndicated show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. "They weren't expecting me to be there at all, and I probably won't be. I might be there, who knows," Dolly told Clarkson. "I figure it'll probably disintegrate and nobody will ever hear it, that's what bothers me, to think that it's going to be a song that nobody's ever gonna hear, if it rots in there before they open it." Parton first discussed the song's existence in her 2020 book Songteller: My Life In Lyrics. At the time, she described placing the song in the capsule as "like burying one of my kids, putting it on ice or something, and I won't be around to see it brought back to life." - NME, 12/21/22...... Legendary "Sound of Philadelphia" producer and songwriter Thom Bell passed away on Dec. 22 in Bellingham, Wash. He was 79 years old. Throughout the late '60s and early '70s, Bell wrote and produced a number of hits, particularly with The Delfonics, The Stylistics and The Spinners. Some of his most well-known works include The Delfonics' "La-La Means I Love You," The Stylistics' "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)," "You Are Everything" and "You Make Me Feel Brand New," The Spinners' "Rubberband Man" and "Mama Can't Buy You Love" by Elton John. Alongside his "Mighty Three" collaborators Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff Bell is credited with co-creating "The Sound of Philadelphia." Together, the trio founded Philadelphia International Records in 1971. Born in Jamaica in 1943, Bell moved to Philadelphia with his family as a child. He played drums and studied classical piano as a child, and performed alongside Gamble in their band The Romeos in his teen years. His first big break came when he began working as a session player and arranger for Cameo Records. After working with The Delfonics in the late '60s -- including writing and producing the Grammy-winning "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" -- the early '70s saw him teaming up with songwriter Linda Creed. The pair wrote and produced several hits for Te Stylistics, including "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)," "You Are Everything," "People Make The World Go Round," "Betcha By Golly, Wow," "I'm Stone In Love With You" and others. Bell also helped revitalize The Spinners following their move to Atlantic Records, producing five gold records for the group, including "I'll Be Around," "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love," "Games People Play" and "Rubberband Man." His other notable works included teaming Dionne Warwick with The Spinners for their No. 1 duet "Then Came You" in 1974, producing Dionne's 1975 album Track Of The Cat, collaborating with Deniece Williams in the early 1980s, and working with Elton John on the 1979-released The Thom Bell Sessions EP. That EP featured both "Mama Can't Buy You Love" and the Spinners-backed "Are You Ready For Love." Among his many accolades was Producer of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 1975, and in 2017, was honored by the Recording Academy at the Grammy Salute to Music Legends. In 2006, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Both Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff paid tribute to him in press statements. "Tommy and I have been best friends for over 60 years," Gamble said. "Leon Huff and I were proud to have him as part of our Mighty Three music writing team, which helped create our signature brand of TSOP. He was a great talent and my dear friend. The name of Gamble Huff and Bell will last forever. Rest in peace buddy!" In his own statement, Huff added: "Thom Bell was my favorite musician, arranger, songwriter, and music producer of all time. It was my esteemed honor and pleasure to work with him creatively and as a business partner. Rest in peace." Bell is survived by wife Vanessa and his children, Royal, Troy, Tia, Mark, Cybell and Christopher. - NME, 12/23/22.