Posted by Administrator on December 28th, 2023
Speaking on his Paul McCartney: A Life in Lyrics podcast, Paul McCartney has admitted the Beatles classic "Let It Be" was subconsciously inspired by William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." "In those days [at school], I had to learn [Shakespeare] speeches off by heart. So I could still do a bit of 'to be or not to be', or 'O that this too too solid flesh'. And it had been pointed out to me recently that Hamlet, when he has been poisoned, he actually says, 'Let it be' - act five, scene two. He says 'Let be' the first time, then the second time he says, 'Had I but time -- as this fell sergeant, Death, Is strict in his arrest -- oh, I could tell you. But let it be Horatio.'" He added: "I was interested that I was exposed to those words during a time when I was studying Shakespeare so that years later the phrase appears to me in a dream with my mother saying it." Sir Paul, 81, previously explained how the idea for the song came to him in a dream about his mother during the intense writing sessions for the Beatles' 1968 "White Album." His mother Mary Patricia McCartney died of cancer in 1956, when he was 14. He later said: "It was great to visit with her again. I felt very blessed to have that dream. So that got me writing 'Let It Be'." In another interview, he clamed she said to him in the dream: "'It will be all right, just let it be.'" - Music-News.com, 12/28/23...... 
English post-punk legends XTC have expressed mixed opinions about the possibility of reforming, with each member offering different perspectives about the prospect. In a rare new interview with their hometown newspaper, The Swindon Advertiser, the quartet -- frontman Andy Partridge, bassist Colin Moulding, drummer Terry Chambers and guitarist Dave Gregory -- reflected on their legacy and looked to the future. "I think we've all got our own things going as I do sessions at the moment and I'd want to do another EP probably next year as well of my own," said Moulding. "As for reforming now, I can't see it really because we've all got different agendas because Terry wants to tour and Andy doesn't and nor do I so it's hard to reconcile that really. Never say never I suppose because with the internet you're able to record remotely with one another and that could quite feasibly happen with the memories of XTC." Chambers, who still tours with his band EXTC, playing covers of the band's original songs, shared: "It wouldn't be a problem for me as I'm still playing live regularly but as for the others, ask them. My feeling is no, it will never happen." Gregory also agreed that it would be dependant on a number of factors. "If everyone was into it, I would join in but I'm not going to force it and I'm not even going to suggest it," he said. As for Partridge, the frontman stated that it would "horrify" him, unless it was "just a kickabout." "Some of the saddest sights you will see, and hear, are old, fat, bald, hoarse pop groups, waddling around a stage, in front of people trying to relive their youth," he explained. "Move on folks, get your feet out of the nostalgia swamp, it's deadly. I'd leave XTC as it is, a perfectly flawed historical event that left much good music in our vapour trail... The future belongs to the young." The band, known for songs like "Making Plans for Nigel," "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" and "Senses Working Overtime," formed in 1972 and split in 2006. They released 12 original albums between 1977 and 1992, starting with their debut White Music in 1978 and bookending their Virgin discography with Nonsuch in 1992. They released their final two albums, Apple Venus Volume 1 (1999) and Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) (2000), through Cooking Vinyl. - New Musical Express, 12/28/23...... Hall and Oates' John Oates has reflected on his musical partnership with Daryl Hall amid their ongoing legal battle. In November it was revealed that Hall was granted a restraining order against his longtime former musical partner, though details of their legal dispute were unknown at the time. Hall later said he was suing Oates after claiming that he was left "blindsided" by his plan to sell a business stake -- while the latter described the claims as "inaccurate." In a court statement about Oates' alleged breach of their business partnership agreement, Hall accused his bandmate of making a "completely clandestine and bad faith move" by trying to sell a share of their business without consent. Speaking on David Yontef's Behind the Velvet Rope, Oates said: "You can't ignore the fact that the Hall & Oates catalogue of hits and the 50-year career will always trump almost anything that Daryl does on his own or I do on my own, which is okay because I'm very proud of that music. I'm really proud of what Daryl and I created together." Oates said that he doesn't like to "live in the past", adding: "I make the analogy of what it's like when you go to a great museum and you're really excited to go and see all the beautiful paintings or the exhibits or whatever it might be, and then near the end, your feet start to hurt and you say, 'You know what? I can't wait to get out of here.' That's kind of how I feel about it. It's just a matter of living in my present." Earlier in December, Oates was revealed to be "Anteater" on the US version of The Masked Singer. - NME, 12/28/23...... 
It appears that Cher has filed for a conservatorship of her youngest son, Elijah Blue Allman, over fears of alleged "severe" substance abuse issues. According to court documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by People, the singer is requesting to be the sole conservator of her son's estate, claiming he is "substantially unable to manage his financial resources." The doc also states that a conservator is "urgently needed" to "protect Elijah's property from loss or injury," because he is "currently unable to manage his assets due to severe mental health and substance abuse issues." It adds that Allman's estranged wife, Marie Angela King, is not fit to be conservator because of "their tumultuous relationship has been marked by a cycle of drug addiction and mental health crises." It continues: "Elijah is entitled to regular distributions from the Trust, but given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues, [Cher] is concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah's life at risk." The filing concludes that Cher has reportedly "worked tirelessly to get Elijah into treatment and get him the help he needs... [she] loves Elijah immensely and has always acted with his best interests in mind." A hearing for a temporary order is currently set for Jan. 5, 2024, while the hearing for a permanent order will follow on March 6, 2024. In September, Cher was accused of hiring four men to kidnap Allman, 47, as a way to prevent him from seeing King and get him clean from drugs. Cher subsequently denied allegations that she orchestrated a kidnapping. "That rumour is not true," she told People. While the singer declined to comment further, she did confirm that the situation was related to Allman's addiction issues. "I'm not suffering from any problem that millions of people in the United States aren't," she added. - NME, 12/28/23...... In other Cher news, the pop legend has entered the U.K. history books twice as her new holiday single "DJ Play a Christmas Song" has rocketed to No. 20 from No. 41 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart. This makes Cher the first solo artist to land top 40 hits with new material in seven consecutive decades in the U.K., and at 77 years old she becomes the oldest female to snag a top tier hit in the country. Cher beats the previous mark set by Shirley Bassey, who was 70 when "The Living Tree" peaked at No. 37 in 2007. "DJ Play" has also broken records across the pond -- when the single jingled to the top of the Dec. 2-dated Dance/Electronic Song Sales survey, she became the first solo artist to earn a new No. 1 on a Billboard songs chart; the only other act to have at least one new No. 1 on a Billboard songs chart in each of the seven decades from the 1960s through the 2020s is the Rolling Stones. - Billboard, 12/27/23...... Speaking of the Rolling Stones, the band has scored a Christmas No. 1 with their latest album Hackney Diamonds, which jumped from 6-1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, published Friday, Dec. 22, for its second non-consecutive week at the top. Featuring collaborations with Lady Gaga, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, Hackney Diamonds is the band's first album of original material in 18 years since A Bigger Bang, which peaked to No. 2 in 2005. Meanwhile, the Stones have announced they've hired a Tina Turner impersonator as a backing singer for their upcoming US tour. They will joined by former "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical" star Chanel Haynes, who joined the band onstage at their show in Milan in June 2022 to perform "Gimme Shelter" together. A source told the U.K.'s The Sun newspaper's "Bizarre" column: "The Stones had a very close relationship with Tina and Chanel blew them away when she got up on stage with them. Chanel has now been booked as one of their backing singers and will be going out on tour with them across America in the spring." - Billboard/Music-News.com, 12/26/23...... 
Ozzy Osbourne has referenced a scene from the 1975 comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail to squash an online rumor that he had died. "The thing on YouTube, it's got 'Celebrities Who Died Today', and there's a picture of me," Ozzy exclaimed on the Dec. 26 edition of his The Osbournes Podcast. "I'm not dead! I'm not really dead, just a little flesh wound," he said, recalling Monty Python's Black Knight, played by John Cleese, who declares, "Tis but a scratch" and "Just a flesh wound" when Arthur (Graham Chapman) severs his arm. The singer's wife Sharon Osbourne called those who spread the death hoax "sick f**kers." Ozzy, 75, has experienced ill health in recent years and in September, he announced he'd undergone his "final" surgery on his spine, admitting he couldn't "do it anymore." In addition to a spinal injury suffered in a 2003 ATV accident which required metal rods installed in his body, he revealed in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in Feb. 2019. - Music-News.com, 12/27/23...... On Dec. 22 KISS shared a teaser clip on X/Twitter revealing the date when their digitized avatar characters will make their debut. "50 years is a long time, and what the future holds is in the making," Kiss captioned the clip. The 25-second teaser includes previously seen footage of KISS digital avatars and concludes with the message, "2027 - A Show Is Coming." During their the last concert of their "End of the Road" farewell tour at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 2, KISS made a surprise announcement that they will continue on as digitized versions of themselves going forward with a two-minute video on YouTube. "The future is so exciting," Simmons says in the clip amid behind-the-scenes snippets of the band wearing motion capture suits to develop their high-tech avatars. Stanley adds, "We can live on eternally." KISS avatars were created by George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic, in partnership with Sweden's Pophouse Entertainment Group, according to the Associated Press. The companies recently collaborated on the ABBA Voyage show in London, a virtual concert performed by the Swedish pop group. - Billboard, 12/23/23...... In an interview with the U.K.'s HELLO! magazine, Rod Stewart and wife Penny Lancaster have joked that they will need a large marquee tent to be able to host their "huge" family Christmas. "We've got such a huge family Christmas that Rod's been talking about getting a marquee just for the dining table," Lancaster said. Stewart shares eight children with five mothers and now has three grandchildren. The couple, who wed in 2007, did not divulge which of his older children will be visiting them and their sons Alistair, 18, and Aiden, 12. Stewart revealed after Christmas they plan to travel up to Scotland to celebrate Hogmanay. "We've never done a Hogmanay, so this will be our first in Scotland," Rod noted. "There will be whisky galore." While he is now 78, Rod insisted that he is feeling as energetic and agile as ever as he rings in the New Year. "I don't feel my age -- I feel great," he gushed. "I work out a lot and look fantastic." - Music-News.com, 12/25/23...... On Dec. 27 authorities at North Kern State Prison in California confirmed that That '70s Show actor Danny Masterson has been admitted to their prison, and released his first prison mug shot. The photo shows him wearing orange prison attire, with long hair and a beard. In June, the 47-year-old Masterson was convicted of raping two women in his Los Angeles home in 2003. In September, a judge sentenced him to 30 years to life in prison. His wife, actor Bijou Phillips, filed for divorce in the weeks that followed after a marriage of nearly 12 years. Masterson had been held in Los Angeles County jail in the months since while post-sentencing hearings were held and issues resolved, including the turnover of all the guns he owned, some of which had to be located. It will be more than 25 years before he will be eligible for parole. His lawyers said they plan to appeal the conviction. - AP, 12/27/23...... 
Tommy Smothers, one half of the comedic folk duo The Smothers Brothers, died "peacefully at home with his family" on Dec. 26 following a "recent battle with cancer," according to a statement released by his younger brother, Dick Smothers. He was 86. "Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner," Dick said in the statement. "I am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years. Our relationship was like a good marriage -- the longer we were together, the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed." With Tommy on acoustic guitar and Dick on double bass, the duo performed satiric and farcical folk music with a socio-political bent beginning in the late '50s. By the early '60s, they were making regular appearances on various variety programs, from The Judy Garland Show to The Jack Paar Show. The duo released their first album, The Smothers Brothers at the Purple Onion, in 1961, and followed it with several other popular comedy LPs. The Billboard Top 40 1966 album Mom Always Liked You Best! was titled after Tommy's signature phrase, which was often delivered in the midst of staged feuds with his brother, who would play the smarter straight man to Tommy's sillier, innocent persona. Mom Always Liked You Best! and 1963's (Think Ethnic!) were both nominated for the best comedy performance Grammy. Following a one-season sitcom from 1965-1966, The Smothers Brothers Show, the duo landed a network variety show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which aired on CBS from 1967-1969. CBS hoped the show would bring in a younger, savvier audience during a decade marked by massive generational change but ended up getting more than it bargained for. Despite playing an unworldly, stammering goof on television, Tommy was the more liberal and politically driven of the two behind the scenes, pushing their comedy in a direction that gently skewered American culture, religion and the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Following complaints from viewers and sponsors, CBS censors and network execs clashed with the Smothers Brothers, but Tommy was steadfast in refusing to self-censor or kowtow. The show, which boasted performances from edgier acts than what you'd find on most network variety shows, including Cream, Joan Baez, Buffalo Springfield and The Who, was canceled in Apr. 1969 despite the Smothers Brothers having a contract through 1970; the duo filed a breach-of-contract suit against CBS, which they won in 1973 to the tune of $776,300. In June, the same month the show's final episode aired, it won an Emmy for outstanding writing achievement in comedy, variety or music for its platoon of writers, which included a young Steve Martin and the versatile writer/musician Mason Williams, who scored a No. 2 pop hit in 1968 with "Classical Gas." In 1968, cast member Pat Paulsen won an Emmy for special classification of individual achievements for his appearances on the show. He ran for president that year under the slogan "If nominated I will not run, and if elected I will not serve." The duo made a few other TV shows in the '70s, which were less successful than their highly influential Comedy Hour, which is now celebrated as an essential piece of television and cultural history that paved the way for the arrival of NBC's irreverent variety show Saturday Night Live in 1975. They appeared sparingly over the ensuing decades, popping up for a televised 1988 anniversary special and a 2009 episode of The Simpsons. The Smothers Brothers officially retired from touring in 2010, over a half century after their live debut. Tommy Smothers is survived by his children Bo and Riley Rose Smothers, grandson Phoenix, Marcy Carriker Smothers, sister-in-law Marie Smothers, and several nephews and a niece. His son Tom and sister Sherry Smothers preceded him in death. - Billboard, 12/27/23.
Late The Band frontman Robbie Robertson has been shortlisted for a Best Original Score Oscar for his work on the film Killers of the Flower Moon. Killers was the 12th and final film Robertson and director Martin Scorsese collaborated on. Robertson, who died in June at age 80, is vying to become the first composer to be nominated in this category posthumously since the legendary Bernard Herrmann was cited in 1976 for both Obsession and Taxi Driver. Also nominated for Best Original Score was legendary Star Wars composer John Williams for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. This would be Williams' record-extending 49th nod in a scoring category and his fourth for a film in the Indiana Jones franchise. A total of 148 scores were eligible, from which this shortlist was culled by members of the music branch, who will also vote to determine the nominees. The final nominations for the 2024 Academy Awards will be announced on Jan. 23, and the awards will be presented on Mar. 10. - Billboard, 12/21/23...... 
David Gilmour's wife Polly Sampson has been sharing photos on Instagram of her Pink Floyd legend husband working on a "new album" in his recording studio in Brighton, UK. Sampson, an author and lyricist, has posted pics of Gilmour with various artists such as Brian Eno's brother, pianist Roger Eno and Guy Pratt -- who has worked with both Pink Floyd and Gilmour on various occasions. Though there is no exact reason as to what Gilmour's studio sessions are for, the Pink Floyd fansite Neptune Pink Floyd recently reported that Samson had told an Romanian entertainment website that Gilmour is working on an album of original material. If the sessions result in a new album, it would be Gilmour's first since 2015's Rattle That Lock. Since then, he released the standalone single "Yes, I Have Ghosts"' in 2020, and revived Pink Floyd with Nick Mason for the charity track "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" His last live performance was back in 2016 for his six-night residency at London's Royal Albert Hall. - New Musical Express, 12/22/23...... Rising starlet Sydney Sweeney is reacting to claims she was "objectified" for the Rolling Stones' music video for their lead single from Hackney Diamonds, "Angry." Sweeney told the UK's Glamour mag that she "felt hot" in the video, which can be viewed on YouTube, and wore a bustier and studded chaps. "I picked my own outfit out of racks and racks of clothes. I felt so good in it." The Euphoria actress also revealed that the dance moves she performed in the video were unprompted, and that she felt honored to be part of the Rolling Stones' videography. "I'm in a Rolling Stones video. How cool and iconic is that?," Sweeney said. "I felt so good. All the moves, everything I was doing was all freestyle. I mean, who else gets to roll around on the top of a convertible driving down Sunset Boulevard with police escorts? It's the cool things in this career that I had no idea I'd get to do," she added. The music video for "Angry" was released on Sept. 6. The album arrived on Oct. 20 and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart dated Nov. 4. The Stones have claimed the UK's Official Christmas Number 1 album for 2023 with Hackney Diamonds. "It's a wonderful way to round off 2023," the band told Official Charts. "Thank you to everyone for listening to Hackney Diamonds. Have a very happy Christmas and New Year!" Meanwhile, the Stones have shared the official video for their latest single from Hackney Diamonds, "Mess It Up," on YouTube. The clip features British actor Nicholas Hoult and was filmed in the US and helmed by Grammy award-winning director Calmatic. In still more Rolling Stones news, Keith Richards wished his wife Patti Hansen a happy 40th anniversary with a throwback wedding photo he posted on Instagram on his 80th birthday, Dec. 18. "For Patricia, Happy 40th Anniversary! I love you. Keith," Richards captioned the post, which featured a photo of him and Hansen dressed in their wedding attire on the beach and cutting into their cake. Richards adding a black heart emoji to the caption. - Billboard/NME/Music-News.com, 12/21/23...... According to a new report from UK financial sources, ABBA's Voyage avatar concert experience boosted London's economy with nearly £323 million in spending turnover within a one year period. Voyage -- which is continuing to run until at least Nov. 2024 at the 3,000-capacity ABBA Arena in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park -- provided a huge financial boost to London and the East London area around the venue. "The operation and attendee spending are ongoing generators of economic contribution to the local and city-wide economies, demonstrating that as long as ABBA Voyage is in London, it has the potential to contribute to the economic wealth of the city," read the report. Contributing factors included spending on accommodation, food and beverage, transport, shopping and entertainment. Additionally, Voyage has provided employment opportunities to 5,075 workers in London. That includes those directly connected to the concert and sectors impacted by the show including staff in restaurants, sales, hotels and more. - NME, 12/22/23...... Cher took to X/Twitter on Dec. 19 to gush over Kelly Clarkson recent "Kellyoke" cover of Cher's Christmas single "DJ Play a Christmas Song" on Clarkson's eponymous talk show. "KELLY,,,,U ACED IT," Cher wrote. "U GOT THE GIRL VERSION OF MY VOICE. BABE, I AM OUT OF MY MIND OVER UR VERSION.. THE MODULATION GAVE ME & I DONT KNOW, I JUST LOST MY MIND. SISTER U GOT IT." Cher released "DJ Play a Christmas Song" as the lead single from Christmas her first holiday album. The single topped the Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart in November -- giving Cher a record for having a Billboard chart-topper in the last seven decades -- while Christmas debuted atop Billboard's Top Holiday Albums chart earlier in December. Clarkson's take on "the hit "DJ Play a Christmas Song" has been shared on YouTube. Meanwhile, Cher has expressed an interest in playing the esteemed "legends" slot at the UK's Glastonbury festival. Appearing on BBC Radio 2 on Dec. 20 to promote her new Christmas album, host Rylan Clark asked: "There are so many rumours, you haven't done it yet, Glastonbury. Are we ever going to see Cher take on that Legends slot at Glastonbury?" Cher confirmed she would "like to" perform at the festival one day. Clark reiterated: "So hang on, you're saying if I manage to make this happen you'll be on that stage?," to which she replied "Yes." The 2024 Glastonbury fest is set for June 26-30 at Worthy Farm. - Billboard/NME, 12/20/23...... 
Controversial rocker Ted Nugent has set his sights on Taylor Swift, accusing the superstar singer of churning out "poppy nonsense" with "no fire" and "no sensuality." Nugent, who has been a musician since the 1970s and later became a right-wing commentator, was asked his opinions on modern music during an appearance on the The Joe Pags Show podcast, and his thoughts on Swift were particularly unsparing. "So I'm afraid to say in this world that's gone down the toilet in all aspects, I'm afraid the success of Taylor Swift, and God bless her work ethic, God bless her musical dreams, but that's cartoon music," Nugent said. "I mean, it doesn't have any piss and vinegar. There's no fire, there's no sensuality in that. It's all poppy nonsense as far as I'm concerned, and it's the most popular stuff in the world, which is an indictment to the music industry and music fans. They're not looking for that fire from a ZZ Top or from a Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels or from a Brownsville Station or an Amboy Dukes [Nugent's own band from the '60s]. And I miss that. Thank God I'm still around. We still deliver the fire that the Beatles did [at clubs] in Germany." In June, Nugent had also voiced his displeasure for Swift's music -- also labelling it "cartoon music" -- on an episode of his Nightly Nuge podcast. - NME, 12/22/23...... Denny Tedesco, the director/producer of the acclaimed documentary The Wrecking Crew! about an earlier generation of studio musicians who backed '60s pop giants from Frank Sinatra to The Beach Boys, has come out with a follow-up film about five other prominent session musicians titled Immediate Family. Immediate Family showcases Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar, Leland Sklar, Waddy Wachtel, Steve Postell and Russ Kunkel who have played with the likes of Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Phil Collins, Carole King and hundreds of others since the '70s. Shortly after Tedesco's crew started filming in 2019, Wachtel, Sklar, Kortchmar and drummer Russ Kunkel, who'd been known for nearly 50 years as The Section, rebranded themselves as a new band called the Immediate Family. They began playing gigs on their own and added a longtime collaborator, guitarist Steve Postell, for a self-titled 2021 album. Producer Peter Asher's decision to credit the studio musicians on the album covers in the early '70s was a "quantum change" from The Wrecking Crew days, says Sklar, 76. The Section, collectively and individually, went on to perform on Browne's "Running On Empty," Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen," Hall & Oates' "Rich Girl," Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London," Don Henley's "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" and thousands of other classic tracks. "Unlike the Wrecking Crew, we got credit for it as it was happening, not necessarily later," Kunkel adds. "It changed all of our careers. It made us who we are today." Immediate Family documents the band's evolution, complete with funny stories like Zevon insisting on 61 straight studio takes of "Werewolves," before settling on the second take for his album. Conspicuously absent are the usual recollections of drug and alcohol excess that accompany many documentaries about rock touring in the '70s and '80s. "We did talk about drugs here and there, and there are things that are very painful for those guys," Tedesco says. "They took in a lot of things and they survived -- some did, some didn't." - Billboard, 12/20/23...... 
Brian May has shared that he is concerned over the increase in copyright strikes issued against Queen and Adam Lambert concert videos posted on social media. On Dec. 18, May took to his official Instagram page to share a screenshot of a fan's post in which she claimed to have received a strike from both Universal and YouTube over Queen concert videos she posted on the platform. "Hi guys, it looks like Universal and YouTube are now coming for everyone who posts concert videos of Queen and Adam [Lambert]. I got a strike and deleted most of my concert videos. If you get multiple strikes you may lose your channel. Be careful!," she wrote. In the caption of his post which featured the screenshot of the fan's claim, May wrote: "Hi Folks - - i've been watching this for a few days, and I'm very concerned. I've asked our management to look into it, and try to figure out if there is a reason for Instagram and Universal suddenly becoming so Draconian. The decision to take these videos down certainly hasn't come from us, the band. Hopefully we will get an answer soon. Meanwhile, be extra careful and I'm sorry you good folks of good intentions have been put in this position." - NME, 12/19/23...... An unreleased Bob Dylan song is set to feature in a new box set compilation chronicling the British-Irish folk rock band The Waterboys' album This Is The Sea. The track, an instrumental titled "Meridian West," came about in 1985 when The Waterboys were invited to play with Dylan at a session in North London recording studio Church Studios. Dylan had been working on the piece with the musician Dave Stewart when The Waterboys joined in, and the band's frontman Mike Scott happened to record the jam session. When compiling the upcoming re-release project, Scott contacted Dylan and received his authorization to include the track on the box set. The six-CD, 90-track collection is set to be released in 2024. The original album came out in 1985 and featured the band's signature song, "The Whole of the Moon." Meanwhile, Dylan ecently secretly released a 28-track CD of studio outtakes from the soundtrack to 1973's Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid, with copies of the CD popping up at record stores scattered around Europe. Dylan's 50th Anniversary Collection features an alternative rendition of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" along with multiple takes of tracks "Billy Surrenders," "And He Killed Me Too" and "Final Theme." Dylan fanatics have reportedly lined up to buy the disc online for prices over $500. NME, 12/21/23...... Billy Joel was joined by his two daughters -- eight-year-old Della and six-year-old Remy -- during the latest of his Madison Square Garden shows on Dec. 19 for a rendition of "Jingle Bells." The two girls sang the festive classic with their father joining on piano, in a show that also featured Christmas favorites such as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Silent Night" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." At the same show, the Piano Man was joined by Elvis Costello to play a version of Joel's "Allentown" and Costello's "Pump It Up." The show was part of Joel's decade-long monthly concert residency at the legendary New York venue, which is due to come to an end in July 2024. That show will mark the 104th show of the residency and Joel's 150th overall at the venue. - NME, 12/21/23...... 
Former Slade frontman Noddy Holder has revealed the real inspiration behind Slade's festive 1973 hit "Merry Christmas Everybody." Arguably one of Slade's biggest hits, "Merry Christmas Everybody" has become so famous that strangers regularly shout the iconic "IT'S CHRISTMAAAAAAS!" line back to Holder in the street. It still generates £500,000 in royalties every year, 50 years after its original release. However, Holder has now revealed he and bandmate Jim Lea were never intending to write a Christmas song, explaining that its first iteration was conceived in the band's "hippy dippy psychedelic days" in 1967, when it was called "Buy Me A Rocking Chair," and was later discarded. Their label later pushed them to release a Christmas song, prompting them to revive the track and use its melody for "Merry Christmas Everybody." The song was also partly inspired by the success of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Merry Christmas (War Is Over)." "I went to the local pub in Wolverhampton and went back to my mum and dad's after and I sat up all night with a bottle of whisky and wrote the total lyrics that night," Holder told the BBC. Holder said the record company "were making serious dough from us" after the song sold 500,000 records through pre-orders alone before it topped the charts. Despite this, Holder said it was the "hardest song we ever had to record" after drummer Don Powell narrowly escaped death in a car crash in Wolverhampton earlier that year and had to re-learn his instrument. At the time, he could only play the drums for a short while at a time, but their engineer was a "clever cookie" and was able to stitch together the sections of the song they recorded, so that afterwards "you couldn't tell." - NME, 12/16/23...... Julian Lennon has spoken out about his relationship with his half-brother Sean Ono Lennon, saying that rumours of an alleged feud between them are "such bull." The elder son of John Lennon reflected on his relationship with his sibling during a new interview with Esquire, and shut down speculation that there was any feelings of rivalry between them. The conversation arose as he looked back at the red carpet premiere of the Beatles' 2021 documentary series Get Back, which he attended with Sean. Recalling the event, he explained that Sean initially had reservations about attending. "He felt overwhelming pressure. And I didn't particularly want to go. But he said he felt obligated to go," he told the magazine. "So, because I love him so much I said, 'Listen, I'm coming with you. We'll face the demons together.' And it's funny because there's always been, especially in the U.K. press, 'Lennon Sons Feuding,' this, that. We've never had a fight in our life. It's such bull." Julian also revealed that he's been "driven up the wall" by the Beatles' classic "Hey Jude." Paul McCartney wrote the 1968 non-album single about John's break-up with Julian's mother, Cynthia. The couple had separated and John began a relationship with Yoko Ono, whom he married in 1969. "It's a beautiful sentiment, no question about that, and I'm very thankful - but I've also been driven up the wall by it," he told Esquire. "I love the fact that he wrote a song about me and for Mum, but depending on what side of the bed one woke up on, and where you're hearing it, it can be a good or a slightly frustrating thing." - NME, 12/20/23...... 
Jim Ladd, the legendary Los Angeles-based disc jockey whom Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers immortalized in their 2002 song "The Last DJ," died suddenly on Dec. 17 of a heart attack. He was 75. A fixture in the L.A. radio market, Ladd worked up and down the radio dial, including stints at KNAC, KMET and KLOS. He was considered the last "freeform DJ" in the country, allowed to pick his own song selections. Ladd started his career at Long Beach, Calif.'s KNAC in 1969 as FM radio was burgeoning and quickly established himself as one of Southern California's leading rock voices. From KNAC, Ladd moved to KLOS in 1971 and then had stops at Los Angeles stations KMET, KMPC and KLSX before returning to KLOS in 1997, where he stayed for 14 years. After leaving KLOS in 2011, he was quickly picked up by SiriusXM's "Deep Tracks" channel, where he appeared until his death. Over the decades, he was well known for his interviews with such artists as John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Stevie Nicks and Led Zeppelin. The Doors drummer John Densmore paid tribute to Ladd on social media, posting on X/Twitter, ""The Last DJ' has crossed the tracks. There wasn't a more soulful spinner of music. The songs he played were running through his blood, he cared so much for rock n' roll. Irreplaceable & a very sad day, which can only be handled by carrying his spirit forward." Densmore's Doors bandmate Robby Krieger also posted, "Rest in peace, Jim Ladd. He was the best friend in radio The Doors ever had. Even when people forgot about us in the late '70s, he kept playing our music." Ladd inspired "The Last DJ" song, which Petty once told journalist Jim DeRogatis was "about a DJ who becomes so frustrated with his inability to play what he wants that he moves to Mexico and gets his freedom back." SiriusXM is airing tributes to Ladd, who is survived by wife Helene, on "Deep Tracks" as well as other classic rock channels. - Billboard, 12/18/23.
Elton John unveiled his 15 favorite songs from 2023 during his Rocket Hour radio program on Dec. 15. "I'm looking back and choosing some of my favorite songs that I've played on the show this year," he said on the show, before adding on his Instagram account that "2023 has been a fantastic year for new artists and great songs." Among those included on the "Cold Heart" singer's list are artists such as Boygenius ("Not Strong Enough"), Mitski ("My Love Mine All Mine"), Chappell Roan ("Red Wine Supernova"), Stormzy and Raye ("The Weekend") and James Blake ("Loading"), among several others. Elton's list comes at the end of a banner year for the superstar -- his years-long "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour, which officially wrapped in July, became the highest grossing tour in history and the first to ever earn $900 million dollars, according to Billboard Boxscore. John's full list of his favorite 2023 song can be viewed on 
Cher has scored her first Top 40 hit on Billboard's Pop Airplay chart for the first time since 2002 with her new holiday single "DJ Play a Christmas Song." "DJ" debuted at No. 40 on the survey dated Dec. 23 with radio support in such major markets as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Cher last appeared on the chart, which began in 1992 and ranks weekly plays on over 150 mainstream top 40 radio stations, in Mar. 2002 with "Song for the Lonely," which reached No. 38. The carol is from Cher's first holiday LP, 
Former Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera has announced his memoir, titled Revolución to Roxy, will be published in early 2024. With over 100 color and black and white photographs, the book not only covers Manzanera's life and times with Roxy Music, David Gilmour and many of the luminaries of popular music, but also his family history, dating back to the expulsion of the Sephardic Jews from Spain in 1492, via the 1959 revolution in Cuba and the discovery of a Neapolitan Opera musician grandfather. "I've written this memoir for my English and Colombian family, dear friends and music fans, who've followed my musical twists and turns for over half a century," Manzanera notes. "It's a memoir that spans my '50's childhood in Cuba, Hawaii and Venezuela, when everything seemed in the brightest technicolor, to monochrome but very cool '60's London and the start of a music career that continues to enrich my life. Roxy Music is an important part of the story but I hope the reader will find my family history every bit as fascinating as my music adventures: I'm proud to be related to the most famous 17th century Sephardic Jewish pirate of the Caribbean, a British spy and an Italian opera musician." Revolución to Roxy will be published on Mar. 22. - Music-News.com, 12/17/23...... A new Willie Nelson documentary titled Willie Nelson & Family will debut on the Paramount+ streaming platform on Dec. 21 as a four-part series. The film captures the complexity of Nelson, who dreamed in his boyhood of becoming a singing cowboy like his movie idols, and became one of the most acclaimed songwriters and singers of his age, as well as a celebrated actor, author and activist, living through decades of tragedies and triumphs. Nelson speaks throughout the film, in both current and archival interviews (with aging audio often supplemented by helpful subtitles). But the filmmakers also present extraordinary insights from numerous family members, friends and fellow artists, including Dolly Parton, Kenny Chesney, Rosanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, Nelson's longtime bandmate and harmonica player Mickey Raphael and more. "Dad has been homeless, he's had his house burned down, he's been through four marriages, he's been up and down, he's been broke, he fought the IRS, he's lost a child that's what makes him inspiring to me, his resilience in the face of adversity," says Willie's son Lukas Nelson in the film. "Willie Nelson is someone who not only has covered every genre of music, but also has really united people from all sides of the political conflict. All sides of every conflict," says co-director Oren Moverman. "So, yeah, we need him. We need his healing." - Billboard, 12/14/23...... John Oates of Hall & Oates was revealed as "the anteater" on the Dec. 13 episode of reality talent series The Masked Singer. Oates performed a rendition of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B Goode" (shared on 
A graphic novel version of The Who's Pete Townshend's legendary Lifehouse rock opera is hitting stores on Dec. 19. Townshend has been trying to bring his sprawling, dystopian sci-fi epic Lifehouse to life since he first wrote the follow-up to the band's iconic rock opera Tommy in 1970. Through several re-writes, false starts and re-imaginings, Townshend has struggled to bring his epic vision of a future world in which music is outlawed by the tyrannical despot Jumbo 7 -- and saved by a group of idealistic underground rock rebels via a massive, mind- and spirit-melding concert -- to the masses. "I'd gone back to it a few times and tried to get it to make sense and several times I've worked with other creative people, producers and writers who, in a sense, tried to 'fix' what they thought was wrong with it," Townshend says. "But in the case of this graphic novel what happened is people who trusted the original idea and used those [original scripts I wrote in 1971 and a 1978 revision] to create the bulk of the story." The bulk of the original songs Townshend wrote for Lifehouse ended up on The Who's 1971 album, 
Colin Burgess, the original drummer for AC/DC, has died at age 77. AC/DC announced Burgess' death in an 
On Dec. 12 ZZ Top announced they'll be launching their first UK and European tour in five years next summer. The Texas-based rockers will performing in nine countries across the continent including festivals and indoor headline shows, starting in Sweden on June 28 before hitting Norway (6/29), Denmark (7/1), Austria (7/3), Germany (7/5, 6), Paris (7/9), London (7/11) and Germany (7/13, 14), then wrapping at Switzerland's Sion Festival on July 16. "It's been a while since we've been able to check in with our European fans, so it goes without saying that we're excited about coming back this summer," frontman Billy Gibbons said in a press release. "We're looking forward to a good time and that goes for both those in the audience and on stage." Meanwhile, Gibbons teamed up with Slash and Myles Kennedy for a nearly 10-minute cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man" with Warren Haynes' band Gov't Mule at Haynes' 2023 Christmas Jam on Dec. 9. The cover featured vocals from Haynes and Kennedy, along with an extended guitar solo from Slash. The concert marks the 32nd edition of Haynes' annual Christmas Jam, and took place at the ExploreAsheville.com Arena in Asheville, N.C. The charity event raised funds to benefit local non-profits, Asheville Area Habitat For Humanity and BeLoved Asheville. Gibbons also treaed the crowd to a set a ZZ Top songs, including "Jesus Just Left Chicago," "Sharp Dressed Man" and "La Grange." The "Simple Man" cover has been shared on 
In a new interview with Record Collector magazine, Pete Townshend said The Who will have a talk about "what happens next" after the English rock icons wrapped their final orchestral tour date at the Sandringham Estate over the summer. "I think it's time for Roger [Daltrey] and I to go to lunch and have a chat about what happens next," Townshend said. "Because Sandringham shouldn't feel like the end of anything but it feels like the end of an era. It's a question of, really, what is feasible, what would be lucrative, what would be fun? So, I wrote to Roger and said, 'Come on, let's have a chat and see what's there.'" Townshend's comments come after he recently revealed that he is currently working on creating a new rock opera, that will see him take his novel The Age Of Anxiety to the stage, and see it performed alongside a variety of new songs. Townshend released the novel in 2019, and it explored themes of societal anxiety, triggered by things such as global warming and the threat of terrorism. It also saw the musician depict the detrimental consequences of social media on modern life, and how mental health issues are becoming more prominent across younger generations. Meanwhile, The Who's "Tommy" musical is set to return to Broadway in 2024, with previews starting on Mar. 8 at New York's Nederlander Theatre, ahead of the official opening on Mar. 28. Daltrey has also revealed he's working on a biopic about the band's late drummer Keith Moon, who died aged 32 in 1979 from an accidental drugs overdose. - NME, 12/10/23...... After reaching the top of the Billboard album charts with her first ever holiday collection 
Ryan O'Neal, the boyish leading man who kicked off an extraordinary 1970s run in Hollywood with his Oscar-nominated turn as the Harvard preppie Oliver in the legendary romantic tearjerker 
Later roles include So Fine (1981), Partners (1982), Irreconcilable Differences (1984), Fever Pitch (1985), Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987), Chances Are (1989), Zero Effect (1998) and Knight of Cups (2015). Recently, he had recurring roles on the TV series Miss Match and Bones. O'Neal's relationship with Farrah Fawcett began after they were introduced by her then-husband, actor Lee Majors, in 1979. They lived together for years in Malibu; had a son, Redmond, who went on to battle drug addiction (he and his father were arrested at home for drug possession in 2008); and starred together in the 1989 ABC dramatic telefilm Small Sacrifices and as co-anchors on the 1991 CBS sitcom Good Sports. They broke up for a spell after Fawcett caught him in bed with a younger actress but reunited after O'Neal was diagnosed with leukemia. In 2012, he published a memoir, Both of Us: My Life With Farrah, and three years later, he was back with MacGraw for a national tour in Love Letters. O'Neal was married to and divorced from actresses Moore and Peyton Place co-star Taylor-Young before beginning an on-and-off 30-year relationship with Fawcett that ended with her death at age 62 on June 25, 2009. O'Neal had Tatum and a son, Griffin O'Neal, with Moore. Patrick is his son with Taylor-Young. His younger brother, Kevin O'Neal, a regular on the TV version of No Time for Sergeants in the 1960s, died in Jan. 2023. "[My father] meant the world to me," said Tatum O'Neal, who like Redmond often did not get along with her father, in a statement to People. "I loved him very much and know he loved me too. I'll miss him forever, and I feel very lucky that we ended on such good terms," she added. "My dad was 82 and lived a kick ass life," Patrick O'Neal wrote on social media. "I hope the first thing he brags about in Heaven is how he sparred 2 rounds with Joe Frazier in 1966, on national TV, with Muhammad Ali doing the commentary, and went toe to toe with Smokin' Joe. YouTube has it, and trust me, it's so awesome. Ryan by a majority decision." - The Hollywood Reporter, 12/8/23.
On Dec. 7, Def Leppard and Journey took to 
Rush bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee has released two new songs which were recorded during the sessions of his 2000 solo album, My Favourite Headache. Lee released the recordings on Dec. 5 through Elektra Records under the title The Lost Demos, and the tracks -- "Gone" and "I Am You Are" -- grant fans a deeper look into the writing sessions of Lee's only solo album so far. "I loved the songs when they were written and in some ways they feel as fresh and perhaps more relevant all these years later," said Lee in a press release about the new tracks, which were given fresh mixes by Rush's longtime producer and engineer, David Bottrill. 
During the encore of their last ever show on Dec. 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York, KISS made a surprise announcement that the band will live on as digital avatars. "KISS Army, your love, your power, has made us immortal!," vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley said in a video revealing the digital characters as the virtual band launched into a performance of "God Gave Rock and Roll to You." "The new KISS era stars now!" After the concert, part of the KISS' "End of the Road" farewell tour, the quartet shared a two-minute video on 
English rock musician Denny Laine, a co-founding former member of The Moody Blues and a member of the Paul McCartney-led '70s band Wings, died on Dec. 5 of a bacterial infection that followed a serious bout of Covid-19. He was 79. Laine's wife Elizabeth Hines posted the announcement on 
Norman Lear, the legendary TV writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with such shows as 
In other Beatles-related news, a new documentary series about the Dec. 8, 1980 assassination of John Lennon has a claim that Lennon's murderer Mark David Chapman apologized to his group after shooting Lennon dead outside of his New York City apartment block. According to a witness interviewed for the Apple TV+ docuseries, which begins streaming on Dec. 6, Chapman "actually apologized to us... He said: 'Gee I'm sorry I ruined your night'." The witness responded: "You gotta be kidding me, you just ruined your whole life." First announced in October, John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial examines the pre-meditated crime by the troubled Chapman and its aftermath, and its producers were "granted extensive Freedom of Information Act requests from the New York City Police Department, the Board of Parole and the District Attorney's office." It also features interviews with Lennon's friends and Chapman's defense lawyers, psychiatrists, detectives and prosecutors. It also makes use of previously unseen photos from the scene of the crime. The three-part series is narrated by actor Kiefer Sutherland. Its trailer has been shared on 
The Rolling Stones announced on 
In a testament to the enduring popularity of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop's 1983 hit "Beat It" is the latest music video to reach one billion views on YouTube. The streaming giant announced on Nov. 29 that "Beat It" is Jackson's third music video to enter the Billion Views Club, following the Moonwalk-featuring "Billie Jean" and 1996's "They Don't Care About Us." For the period of Nov. 17-23, MJ ranked at #58 on YouTube's U.S. Top Artists chart and at #96 on their Global Top Artists chart. Nearly 15 years removed from his tragic passing, Jackson continues to earn new chart achievements off the strength of his timeless catalog. Earlier in November, Jackson's accidental Halloween anthem "Thriller" re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 21, marking the sixth consecutive year that the song has reappeared on Billboard's marquee singles chart. During its original chart run, the track reached No. 4. - Billboard, 11/29/23...... Mick Fleetwood has paid tribute to his late Fleetwood Mac bandmate Christine McVie on the one year anniversary of her death, while the Irish family band The Corrs have covered McVie's composition "Songbird" in her memory. In a post on 
A judge overseeing the estate of Aretha Franklin has awarded real estate to the late Queen of Soul's sons, citing a handwritten will from 2014 that was found between couch cushions. The decision on Nov. 27 came four months after a Detroit-area jury said the document was a valid will under Michigan law, despite scribbles and many hard-to-read passages. Franklin had signed it and put a smiley face in the letter "A." The papers will override a handwritten will from 2010 that was found at Franklin's suburban Detroit home around the same time in 2019, the judge said. One of her sons, Kecalf Franklin, will get that property, which was valued at $1.1 million in 2018, but is now worth more. A lawyer described it as the "crown jewel" before trial last July. Another son, Ted White II, who had favored the 2010 will, was given a house in Detroit, though it was sold by the estate for $300,000 before the dueling wills had emerged. "Teddy is requesting the sale proceeds," Charles McKelvie, an attorney for Kecalf Franklin, said on Nov. 28. Judge Jennifer Callaghan awarded a third son, Edward Franklin, another property under the 2014 will. Franklin had four homes when she died of pancreatic cancer in 2018. The discovery of the two handwritten wills months after her death led to a dispute between the sons over what their mother wanted to do with her real estate and other assets. One of the properties, worth more than $1 million, will likely be sold and the proceeds shared by four sons. The judge said the 2014 will didn't clearly state who should get it. "This was a significant step forward. We've narrowed the remaining issues," McKelvie said of the estate saga. There's still a dispute over how to handle Aretha Franklin's music assets, though the will appears to indicate that the sons would share any income. A status conference with the judge is set for January. - Billboard, 11/28/23...... Despite being often compared, Van Morrison has insisted that he and Bob Dylan are "worlds apart" in a new interview with Vintage Rock magazine. Morrison, 78, insists what they do because the 82-year-old Dylan is a "songwriter who sings" and he is a singer first. "Well, I'm just nothing like Bob Dylan, so I guess what I was trying to say was, like, I'm coming from the place that I'm a singer first. I'm a singer. Right? And I write songs. So Bob Dylan and I are, like, worlds apart. What he does and what I do, you know, it's nowhere near." He continued: "I am a singer who writes songs, so I was comparing myself more to the singer who writes songs, rather than a songwriter who sings." Morrison's latest project is the covers album Accentuate the Positive, and he insists he is only motivated to do things that inspire him, not what other people want him to do. I can do it, you know?" - Music-News.com, 12/1/23...... What is being touted as the "Holy Grail" of Elvis Presley jewelry -- the King of Rock & Roll's iconic and famous "Lion Claw" necklace -- is being auctioned on the 
Henry Kissinger, a diplomatic powerhouse of the second half of the twentieth century whose roles as a national security adviser and secretary of state under two presidents left an indelible mark on U.S. foreign policy and earned him a controversial Nobel Peace Prize, died on Nov. 29 at age 100. During the 1970s in the midst of the Cold War, Mr. Kissinger had a hand in many of the epoch-changing global events of the decade while serving as national security adviser and secretary of state under Republican Pres. Richard Nixon. The German-born Jewish refugee's efforts led to the U.S. diplomatic opening with China, landmark U.S.-Soviet arms control talks, expanded ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors, and the Paris Peace Accords with North Vietnam. Mr. Kissinger's reign as the prime architect of U.S. foreign policy waned with Nixon's resignation in 1974 amid the Watergate scandal. Still, he continued to be a diplomatic force as secretary of state under Nixon's successor, Pres. Gerald Ford, and to offer strong opinions throughout the rest of his life. While many hailed Mr. Kissinger for his brilliance and broad experience, others branded him a war criminal for his support for anti-communist dictatorships, especially in Latin America. In his latter years, his travels were circumscribed by efforts by other nations to arrest or question him about past U.S. foreign policy. Mr. Kissinger had been active past his centenary, attending meetings in the White House, publishing a book on leadership styles, and testifying before a Senate committee about the nuclear threat posed by North Korea. In July 2023 he made a surprise visit to Beijing to meet Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping. Mr. Kissinger died at his home in Connecticut, according to a statement from his geopolitical consulting firm, Kissinger Associates Inc. No mention was made of the circumstances. It said he would be interred at a private family service, to be followed at a later date by a public memorial service in New York City. - Reuters, 11/30/23.