Posted by Administrator on August 30th, 2023
Peter Hince, a former roadie for Queen who for 13 years had a front row seat and backstage pass to some of the legendary English band's greatest moments, has released an archive of hundreds of photographs and memories -- many never seen before -- in his forthcoming book Queen Uncovered. Hince is a photographer, writer and for well over a decade was the head roadie for Queen. The book covers his life on the road and in the studio with Queen, relaxing at parties, filming iconic music videos and much more. Queen Uncovered is being published on Oct. 12 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Queen's first major tour. Queen + Adam Lambert's 20-date, 13-city fall US tour gets underway on Oct. 5 in Baltimore. - Music-News.com, 8/26/23...... The 1979 movie Winter Kills is like a cicada -- a flop when it was first released, this wild, funny political thriller has resurfaced in theaters to new acclaim, this time with the blessing of auteur Quentin Tarantino. It all has something to do with the unimaginably vast conspiracy behind an assassination. The cast: Jeff Bridges, John Huston, Anthony Perkins and, in a cameo, Elizabeth Taylor as a White House courtesan. Winter Kills is currently in limited release and also available on Amazon. - People, 8/28/23...... 
Surviving The Who co-founders Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey planted trees in the Royal Gardens on the Royal Sandringham Estate of King Charles and Queen Camilla on Aug. 28 to help support the UK's Heritage Live sustainability initiative. Heritage Live hosted a series of inaugural outdoor concerts on the fourth weekend in August during which it strived to reduce the impact on the environment, and The Who performed a set packed with their greatest hits there on Aug. 28 after planting the trees. Tree planting is just one initiative devised with simplicity and effectiveness in mind -- other initiatives will include analysing every aspect of the events and reducing reliance on one-use plastic. Heritage Live aims to become a model of sustainability by engaging local communities surrounding the venues it works with. "I was very pleased to be asked by Heritage Live to plant this tree at Sandringham," Daltrey told reporters. "I am thrilled that the Laurel Oak has been planted adjacent to the oldest tree in Sandringham Gardens, a 700 year old Veteran Oak." His bandmate Townshend added that "Planting this tree is a great way of acknowledging Heritage Live's sustainability initiative. I hope this Tilia 'Winter Orange' has a happy life in Sandringham Gardens." Other artists performing during the special events in Norfolk were Sir Van Morrison and Robbie Williams. - Music-News.com, 8/29/23...... Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have added another first to their legendary Beatles Billboard pop chart history by having the first song that shared credited billing between the two, or any of the four Beatles including John Lennon and George Harrison, enter the charts outside the group. Dolly Parton's version of the Fab Four classic "Let It Be," featuring Paul and Ringo, arrived on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart at No. 2, the Country Digital Song Sales at No. 15, and No. 22 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart for the week dated Sept. 2. The new version of "Let It Be" is set to be included on Parton's 30-song album Rockstar, which will drop Nov. 17. The Beatles' original topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in 1970. The closest such occurrence previously happened with McCartney and Starr both received credit on Give My Regards to Broad Street, which hit No. 17 on the now defunct Top Videocassettes Sales and No. 30 on Top Videocassettes Rentals charts in 1985. Other collaborations between former Beatles include Harrison's All Things Must Pass LP on which Starr played drums on several tracks, and all three living Beatles at the time contributed to Harrison's 1981 No. 2 single "All Those Years Ago." Meanwhile, both McCartney, 81, and Starr, 83, have busy schedules in the coming weeks. Starr resumes touring with his All Starr Band Sept. 15 in Lake Tahoe, Nev., and will release the four-song EP Rewind Forward on Oct. 13, and McCartney's Got Back Tour hits Australia on Oct. 18. - Billboard, 8/28/23...... 
Elton John is reportedly "back home and in good health" after being hospitalized for one night following a fall and suffering minor injuries at his home in the south of France on Aug. 27. A spokesperson for the 76-year-old singer, who recently completed his 5-year-long Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour on July 8, said the star "visited the local hospital as a precautionary measure" and was "immediately discharged this morning and is now back at home and in good health." Sir Elton, who has walked with a visible limp for several years, assured fans he was okay after a British tabloid claimed he was "frail" alongside a picture of the rocker being helped into a wheelchair at an airport in Germany in June 2022. At the time, John said after a "rousing" two-and-a-half hour show he arrived at a closed Leipzig airport and faced an "extremely long walk" to his plane. He said he accepted a wheelchair ride to rest his hip; a previous hip injury had caused the postponement of his world tour due to a fall that doctors suggested required surgery. - Billboard, 8/28/23...... A special Grammy Museum event in Los Angeles on Aug. 23 commemorated the 50th anniversary of Marvin Gaye's seminal 1973 album Let's Get It On. Moderated by UMe vp of A&R Harry Weinger, the panel of special guests included Motown great Smokey Robinson, songwriter/producer Jimmy Jam and Gaye biographer David Ritz (Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye). Gaye's children Marvin III and Nona were also in attendance. "Two of the greatest things that happened at Motown was when Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye produced their own music," said Smokey Robinson during the confab. "Listening to this sounds like music in heaven to me," added Jam of Let's Get It On. "It's a brilliant and sublime album with very powerful messages. With Marvin, the deeper you dig the better it gets." Weinger premiered several tracks from the deluxe edition, including "The Shadow of Your Smile" ("Marvin wanted to be the 'Black Sinatra'; he could sing anything," said Robinson) and the instrumental "Perfection" with Herbie Hancock on piano and Gaye writing/producing. Drawing "ahhs" from the audience was remix guru John Morales' stripped-down mix of "Just to Keep You Satisfied" that exquisitely showcases Gaye's searing vocals. On Aug. 25, Ume released a 50th anniversary digital reissue of Let's Get It On which boasts 33 bonus tracks, 18 of which are previously unreleased and include songs from a lost session by jazz icon Hancock. The new package replaces a deluxe edition of the album first issued in 2001. - Billboard, 8/26/23...... Cliff Richard is releasing a new orchestral album of his greatest hits to celebrate his 65 years in the music industry. Sir Cliff, 82, will release Cliff with Strings -- My Kinda Life on Nov. 3 which features his most popular songs and favourite tracks reworked with arrangements by Chris Walden. From his debut UK number one single "Living Doll," released in 1959, as well as other number one hits "Summer Holiday," "The Young Ones" and "We Don't Talk Anymore," plus songs like "Wired for Sound," "Carrie," "My Kinda Life" and "The Best of Me" -- which was Cliff's 100th single -- the 12-track collection brings new life to Richard's original vocal recordings with beautiful new orchestral and string arrangements. The singer has also included his hit duet "Suddenly" with late actress-and-singer Olivia Newton-John -- who passed away in Aug. 2022 at the age of 73 from cancer -- which featured on the 1980 film Xanadu. Taken from one of their last performances together at Cliff's 75th birthday concert on Oct. 14, 2015, the new arrangement brings an emotional beauty to the two voices in harmony. Cliff with Strings -- My Kinda Life will be available digitally and on CD on East West Records on Nov. 3, with the vinyl release following on Nov. 24. - Music-News.com, 8/29/23...... Seventies icon John Travolta was spotted hanging out with hard rockers Pantera after a stadium concert by Metallica at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. on Aug. 25. Pantera was the opening act, and the Saturday Night Fever star was among the revellers hanging out in the dressing room after the show. Others getting involved in the festivities included Mötley Crüe members Tommy Lee and John 5 as well as Game Of Thrones star Jason Momoa. Pantera has shared what unfolded backstage on their Instagram account. - NME, 8/28/23...... 
Seventies stars including Mark Hamill and Henry Winkler are among those across the entertainment industry reacting to the latest development in former US president Donald Trump's sensational legal saga. Trump was booked and released in Atlanta's Fulton County jail on Aug. 24, amid 13 charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia. Following his arrest, he shared an image of his mugshot on X/Twitter, constituting his first post on the social media platform in two years (the former president was banned from the site in Jan. 2021 but his account was reinstated after Twitter was purchased by Tesla tycoon Elon Musk.) "Wonder if he's tired of winning yet," wrote Star Wars actor Hamill, alongside the mugshot and the hashtag "#MAGAMugshot". Earlier that day, Hamill had also shared a quip punning on his Star Wars catchphrase: "May The Fourth Arrest Be With Him." Meanwhile, Happy Days actor Winkler picked up on the merchandising aspect, writing: "How will T.p use his mug shot to make money???," with "The Fonz" adding shortly after, "The tee shirt is already for sale !! Omg." Others reacting to the Trump mugshot included Rosie O'Donnell, John Cusak, Kathy Griffin, Piers Morgan and Michael Rapaport. - Independent.co.uk, 8/27/23...... Bernie Marsden, the beloved original guitarist for Classic Rockers Whitesnake and co-writer behind some of the band's biggest hits, died on Aug. 24. He was 72 years old. A cause of death has not been shared, but the BBC reported that he passed after an illness. Marsden's family shared the news via a statement posted to the rocker's Instagram page, along with a photo of Marsden smiling at the camera. "On behalf of his family, it is with deep sadness we announce the death of Bernie Marsden. Bernie died peacefully on Thursday evening with his wife, Fran, and daughters, Charlotte and Olivia, by his side. Bernie never lost his passion for music, writing and recording new songs until the end," reads the post. Marsden, who was from Buckingham, performed in bands as a teenager before getting his professional start with the rock band UFO in 1972. He went on to co-found Whitesnake with former Deep Purple singer David Coverdale in 1978, co-writing some of the band's biggest hits including "Here I Go Again," "She's a Woman" and "Trouble." The rock and blues guitarist, who contributed to Whitesnake's first five albums from 1978-1982, also went on to have a solo career, and performed with a number of other bands including the Moody Marsden Band and Alaska. He most recent solo project, Trios, was released in Aug. 2022. David Coverdale is among those to have paid tribute to the late musician, writing that he was "honoured" to have shared the stage with Marsden. "I've just woken up to the awful news that my old friend & former Snake Bernie Marsden has passed," he wrote on X/Twitter. "My sincere thoughts & prayers to his beloved family, friends & fans. A genuinely funny, gifted man, whom I was honored to know & share a stage with. RIP, Bernie." - Billboard/NME, 8/25/23...... 
Veteran TV game show personality Bob Barker, who became a household name over a half century of hosting such shows as Truth or Consequences and The Price Is Right, died on Aug. 26 at his home in Los Angeles, according to his publicist Roger Neal. He was 99 years old. Mr. Barker was working in radio in 1956 when producer Ralph Edwards invited him to audition as the new host of Truth or Consequences, a game show in which audience members had to do wacky stunts -- the "consequence -- if they failed to answer a question -- the "truth," which was always the silly punchline to a riddle no one was ever meant to furnish. (Q: What did one eye say to another? A: Just between us, something smells.) He stayed with the show for 18 years -- including several years in a syndicated version. Meanwhile, he began hosting a resurrected version of The Price Is Right on CBS in 1972, taking over duties from Bill Cullen. It would become TV's longest-running game show and the last on a broadcast network of what in TV's early days had numbered dozens. "I have grown old in your service," the silver-haired, perennially tanned and dapper Mr. Barker joked on a prime-time television retrospective in the mid-'90s. Mr. Barker, also a longtime animal rights activist, was also praised by his longtime friend and estate co-executor Nancy Burnet in a statement: "I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally." Mr. Barker retired in June 2007, telling his studio audience: "I thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years." He also spent 20 years as host of the Miss USA Pageant and the Miss Universe Pageant, and had a memorable cameo appearance on the big screen in 1996, sparring with Adam Sandler in the movie Happy Gilmore. In 1994, the widowed Mr. Barker was sued for sexual harassment by Dian Parkinson, a Price Is Right model for 18 years. Barker admitted engaging in "hanky panky" with Parkinson from 1989-91 but said she initiated the relationship. Parkinson dropped the lawsuit in 1995, saying it was hurting her health. Neither that uproar, or another dispute with Price Is Right model Holly Hallstrom who claimed she was fired in 1995 because the show's producers believed she was fat, affected Mr. Barker's goodwill from the audience. Born in Darrington, Wash., in 1923, Mr. Barker's family moved to Springfield, Mo., where he attended high school. He served in the Navy in World War II. He married Dorothy Jo Gideon, his high school sweetheart; she died in 1981 after 37 years of marriage. They had no children. Mr. Barker was given a lifetime achievement award at the 26th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 1999. He closed his acceptance remarks with the signoff: "Have your pets spayed or neutered." Among those honoring Mr. Barker on Twitter/X was his Price Is Right replacement Drew Carey. "Very sad day for the Price Is Right family, and animal lovers all over the world. There hasn't been a day on set that I didn't think of Bob Barker and thank him. I will carry his memory in my heart forever.#RIPBobBarker," Carey posted. Mr. Barker will be remembered in a one-hour The Price Is Right: A Tribute To Bob Barker special airing on CBS on Aug. 31 at 8-9 p.m. ET/PT and streaming on Paramount+. An encore broadcast will air on Labor Day during the regular weekday timeslot for The Price Is Right, 11 a.m. to Noon ET/10 a.m.-11 a.m. PT. - AP, 8/26/23.
In 1979, a 17-year-old singer-songwriter in rural Washington state named Donnie Emerson put out an LP with his brother Joe called Dreamin' Wild, a vanished, forgotten vanity project until it resurfaced to serious acclaim four decades later. But to Donnie the delayed triumph felt more like heartbreak, reminding him of his failures since. His story is told in the new film Dreamin' Wild, with Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea) in the titular role, and Zooey Deschanel as his wife. In a 2012 interview Donnie told The New York TImes, "I went into the world, and I got convoluted." That's exacty what the terrific performance by Affleck, who has few equals when in comes to the layered nuances of grief and regret, conveys. Dreamin' Wild is in theaters now, and its original soundtrack is available on vinyl and MP3. - People, 8/21/23...... 
Carlos Santana has apologized to the transgender community after a video clip circulated showing legendary guitarist aking anti-trans statements during a concert in Atlantic City, N.J., in July. "When God made you and me, before we came out of the womb, you know who you are and what you are. Later on, when you grow out of it, you see things, and you start believing that you could be something that sounds good, but you know it ain't right," Santana says in the clip. ""Because a woman is a woman and a man is a man -- that's it. Whatever you wanna do in the closet, that's your business. I'm OK with that." On Aug. 24 the "Smooth" guitarist told Billboard in a statement that he deeply regretted what he said onstage. "I am sorry for my insensitive comments. They don't reflect that I want to honor and respect all person's ideals and beliefs," he wrote. "I realize that what I said hurt people and that was not my intent. I sincerely apologize to the transgender community and everyone I offended." In another statement obtained by Billboard, the "Black Magic Woman" said that he wanted to "honor and respect all person's ideals and beliefs whether they are LGBTQ or not." He continued, saying that he would "pursue this goal to be happy and have fun, and for everyone to believe what they want and follow in your hearts without fear. It takes courage to grow and glow in the light that you are and to be true, genuine, and authentic. We grow and learn to shine our light with Love and compliments." Santana is far from the only performer to share negative comments about the trans community in recent weeks -- Alice Cooper recently shared his thoughts on gender-affirming care for trans kids with Stereogum.com, saying he was "afraid... it's a fad" and he felt children were not mature enough to make major decisions about their gender identity. "I find it wrong when you've got a 6-year-old kid who has no idea. He just wants to play, and you're confusing him telling him, 'Yeah, you're a boy, but you could be a girl if you want to be. I mean, if you identify as a tree & I'm going, 'Come on! What are we in, a Kurt Vonnegut novel? It's so absurd, that it's gone now to the point of absurdity." The 75-year-old shock rocker than took aim at "the whole woke thing" at large, claiming that society has taken progressive language too far. "Who's making the rules?" he asked. "It's getting to the point now where it's laughable. If anybody was trying to make a point on this thing, they turned it into a huge comedy. I don't know one person that agrees with the woke thing." In May, KISS guitarist Paul Stanley called gender-affirming care "a sad and dangerous fad," making similar claims to Cooper about children "playing" with gender rather than understanding their identity. Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider backed up Stanley's comments, saying "there was a time where I 'felt pretty' too. Glad my parents didn't jump to any rash conclusions." Both Stanley and Snider have since walked back their comments. - Billboard, 8/24/23...... Priscilla Presley has opened up about her last moments with late daughter Lisa Marie Presley, who died on Jan. 12 at age 54 after suffering from what was reported at the time as a cardiac arrest. On Jan. 10, Lisa Marie and her mother attended the Chateau Marmont in LA together to celebrate Austin Butler winning Best Actor at the 2023 Golden Globes for his titular role in Elvis. "We had just gotten there, you go down all these stairs," Priscilla recently explained to The Hollywood Reporter. "I tripped a little bit because I had these high heels on, and she started laughing so hard. I started laughing. We hadn't even had a drink yet. [Lisa Marie] goes, 'Oh my God, Mom, you can't even have a drink'. It was fun, a fun memory. Then we sat down and ordered drinks, and she says, 'Mom, my stomach hurts really bad'. We immediately got up and left." Lisa Marie's ex-husband Danny Keough called Priscilla two days later to tell her that her daughter had been hospitalized. "I got right in the car, but she was already gone," Priscilla remembered. "I still can't believe it. I don't wish this on any mother." Upon confirming Lisa Marie's death, Priscilla described her "beautiful daughter" as "the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known." In July, a new coroner's report confirmed that Lisa Marie had passed away due to a "sequelae of a small bowel obstruction." - New Musical Express, 8/24/23...... 
Paul McCartney announced on his Instagram account on Aug. 23 he'll be performing his first concert in Mexico City in six years on Nov. 14 at the Mexican capital's Foro Sol as part of his international Got Back Tour. "I'm very excited to say that I'm going to Mexico to give some concerts with my Got Back Tour in November," Sir Paul said in a press release. "I have very good memories of Mexico. Every time we're there we have a great time. So let's create more wonderful memories let's rock let's roll. And let's have a party! Party!," he added. Macca's Got Back Tour kicked off on Apr. 28, 2022, in Spokane, Wash., and toured 13 U.S. cities. In June 2022, the former Beatle headlined the Glastonbury Festival in England. After his visit to Mexico, McCartney will continue his tour in Brazil, where he has five concerts scheduled between November and December. - Billboard, 8/24/23...... In other Beatles-related news, Ringo Starr released "Rewind Forward" on Aug. 23, the first single and title track from his forthcoming four-track EP which will drop on Oct. 13. Rewind Forward also will feature "Feeling the Sunlight," which he recorded with his old bandmate Paul McCartney. Commenting on the EP's title, Ringo said, "Rewind Forward was something I said out of the blue -- it's just one of those lines like a 'Hard Day's Night'. It just came to me. But it doesn't really make sense. I was trying to explain it to myself and the best I can tell you about what it means is: sometimes when you want to go forward you have to go back first." The EP also features the tracks "Shadows on the Wall" and "Miss Jean," which saw Ringo collaborating with other "old and new friends," including long-time collaborators Steve Lukather and Joe Williams who wrote the opening song "Shadows on the Wall." The EP also features contributions from Benmont Tench, Mike Campbell, Ian Hunter, Joe Walsh and Steve Dudas, among others. All songs were recorded at Ringo's home studio in Los Angeles except "Feeling the Sunlight," which was largely recorded in Britain. The new EP is the first fresh material Ringo has put out since his previous EPs Zoom in, Change the World and EP3 which dropped in Sept. 2022. Ringo will kick off a 14-city North American autumn tour with his All Starr Band on 17 Sept. 17 at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, Canada. - Music-News.com, 8/23/23...... On Aug. 21 Bob Dylan announced 18 North American fall dates for the latest leg of his Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour, which he launched in 2021. Dylan announced the news on Instagram alongside the tour's promotional poster: an old school film-inspired advertisement featuring a couple dancing in the shadows while a menacing skeletal figure looks at the viewer. The outing will kick off on Oct. 1 with the first of two dates at the Midland Theatre in Kansas City, MO, before moving on to St. Louis on Oct. 4 for a three-night stand at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago. He'll then play a pair of shows in Milwaukee at the Riverside Theater on Oct. 11 and 12 and gigs in Indianapolis (10/16), Cincinnati (10/20), Akron (10/21), Erie, Pa. (10/23), Rochester, N.Y. (10/24), two gigs in Toronto (10/26, 27), and Montreal (10/29) before wrapping in Schenectady, N.Y. on Oct. 30. Meanwhile, Universal Music Publishing Group and The Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, OK, have announced that a Bob Dylan Center Songwriter Fellowship will be awarded each year to two promising songwriters, an initiative that "identifies, mentors and develops rising talent, doing so with the resources of the Bob Dylan Center." Each Fellowship includes a $40,000 project stipend, public engagement and presentation opportunities, dedicated time in the Bob Dylan Archive to study the legendary artist's creative process, roundtrip airfare to Tulsa and accommodations, mentorship from the music publishing giant's songwriters and executives, recording time, and more. Joining the initial judges panel are Juliette Armanet, Patty Griffin, John Mellencamp, Carla Morrison and Nas. Eligible creators from around the globe can submit their work from now through Oct. 18, 2023. To meet the Fellowship criteria, entrants must be 18 years or older and unsigned to a publishing agreement of any kind at the time of the Fellowship start date, May, 1, 2024. For further details visit bobdylancenter.com/songwriterfellowship. - Billboard, 8/21/23...... 
Black Sabbath is teaming up with the adventure lifestyle clothing brand Roark for a new collection of retro-inspired tees, shorts and more. The apparel line officially dropped on Aug. 23 with an Instagram announcement and features a limited edition mix of running tops, bottoms and an active bomber jacket all decorated with the iconic heavy metal band's logo and photos from the past. The collection infuses both brands' styles infuses heavy metal rock, youth and activeness into each piece. The photos used are also a nod to "the wild night in 1972 that the band spent in Roark's hometown of Laguna Beach," according to a press release. In other Sabbath-related news, co-founding member Geezer Butler has opened up about his battle with depression over the years. Speaking in a new interview with NPR's Bullseye With Jesse Thorn, the bassist opened up about how he first experienced depression during his early days in the band. "I wasn't depressed all the time. Just the occasional bout would come on me," Butler said. "At first, when it was getting really bad Back then nobody ever said anything about depression or anything like that, and people were terrified to mention that you might be depressed because you automatically thought you were gonna be taken away to a mental hospital and be locked away forever. So you couldn't talk about it to people in case that happened. One day I got a really bad bout of depression and I went to the doctor and he said, 'Oh, go down the pub and have a couple of pints. Or take the dog for a walk or something. You'll be all right.' And it was, like, 'No, I'm not gonna be all right. It doesn't work like that.' And that kept happening." The bassist went on to say that he wouldn't talk to anybody about his condition and he was often accused of being "moody and miserable." Butler went to say that it wasn't until the 1990s that he was eventually diagnosed with depression. "I was living in St. Louis at the time, and I had a bit of a nervous breakdown. And I went to this doctor, the usual doctor, and I just explained everything to him and he told me that I was clinically depressed and he put me on Prozac. And after six weeks, I finally came out of the depression. And I thought, 'Oh, yeah. This is what I'm supposed to feel like.' And ever since that, I've been OK." Butler recently released his memoir, Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath, which traces the founding member's personal and professional life - Billboard/NME, 8/23/23...... The Rolling Stones have apparently cryptically announced their new album Hackney Diamonds in an advertisement in the Hackney Gazette, a newspaper from a company which markets itself as "specialists in glass repair." But upon closer inspection, several clues point to the fact it could actually be the Stones' new album. Firstly in the title their iconic tongue logo is used to dot the "i" in the brand name Diamonds. In the ad's body text, there are several references to their hits including "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Gimme Shelter" and "Shattered." The font used for Hackney Diamonds is also the same as the one used on their 1978 album Some Girls and the ad also says "established in 1962," the same year that band formed. The link to their website (www.hackneydiamonds.com) also allows users to register their interest but the conditions list Universal Music Group, which handles the Rolling Stones' back catalog. - NME, 8/22/23...... Two members of The Isley Brothers are headed for a long court battle over the legal rights to the group's name. On Aug. 23, Judge Thomas M. Durkin refused to dismiss Rudolph Isley lawsuit, which accuses brother Ronald Isley of improperly attempting to secure a federal trademark registration on the "The Isley Brothers" -- a name Rudolph claims is supposed to be jointly owned. Lawyers for Ronald had argued that the case should be tossed out because Rudolph surrendered any control over the name when he left the band. But in a ruling that noted the "unique circumstances" of band-name disputes, Judge Durkin said it could move forward toward trial: "Defendant's motion is denied." Barring a settlement, the ruling means the case will head into discovery, in which both sides will gather evidence to support their arguments, and then to an eventual jury trial. A spokeswoman for Ronald Isley did not immediately return a request for comment. Band names are a constant source of trademark disputes, with both current and former members of such acts as Journey, Stone Temple Pilots, Jefferson Starship, The Rascals, The Ebonys, The Commodores and The Platters disagreeing about who has the right to keep using a famous title. - Billboard, 8/24/23...... 
In 1978, Queen proclaimed that "fat bottom girls make the rockin' world go 'round," but the art-rockers' racy song is nowhere to be found on a new release of the British quartet's Greatest Hits. Recognized as the U.K.'s all-time best-selling album, Queen's early career compilation is now available on kids' audio platform Yoto, where according to a statement listeners can "rock out to" 16 classic tracks. But "Fat Bottomed Girls," one of the Rock And Roll Hall of Famers' naughtier songs, is missing from the published tracklist. The blurb accompanying the album points out that "the lyrics in some of these songs contain adult themes, including occasional references to violence and drugs." The songs are the original and unedited recordings, and that "parental discretion is advised" when playing the songs around younger children. "Fat Bottomed Girls" doesn't make the cut on Yoto, most likely due its lyrical content. On it, the late Freddie Mercury sings, 'Left alone with big fat Fanny/ She was such a naughty nanny/ Big woman, you made a bad boy out of me." Released in 1981, Queen's Greatest Hits set last year passed 1,000 weeks on the UK's Official Albums Chart Top 100, becoming just the third album to do so, and the first by a British act or a rock band; and became the first album to shift seven million chart sales in the U.K. The hits compilation crossed the six million threshold back in 2014. - Billboard, 8/21/23...... Iconic soul singer Al Green has made his return to music by sharing a cover of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day." The track is the first new music that the 77-year-old American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer has recorded in five years, and follows his cover of Freddy Fender's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" which he worked on in 2018 and shared two years later. The new track also sees him reunited with members of the Hi Rhythm Section, and was recorded back in February at the Sam Philips Recording studio in Memphis, Tenn. "I loved Lou's original 'Perfect Day'," Green said in a statement. "The song immediately puts you in a good mood. We wanted to preserve that spirit, while adding our own sauce and style." What's more, the cover of "Perfect Day" also sees him collaborate with alternative R&B singer, RAYE. The British artist contributes warm, soulful backing vocals throughout the track, as he takes the main lead. "Perfect Day" first appeared on Lou Reed's classic 1972 LP Transformer. In addition to releasing the new cover, Green has also announced details of new live performances, set to take place later in 2023. The two new shows, taking place in November, will follow his previously scheduled date at the Yaamava Theater in Highland, Calif. on Sept. 30. The first of the two new gigs will be held at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Mich. on Nov. 24, while the second show will take place in The Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo. the following day. Prior to his cover of "Before the Next Teardrop Falls," Green last released new music in 2008, in the form of his last album, Lay It Down. - NME, 8/22/23...... The late Prince's Paisley Park Enterprises announced on Aug. 24 that it will release a super deluxe edition of the iconic funk-rocker's 13th studio album, Diamonds and Pearls. The 1991 album -- which marked Prince's first album with backing band The New Power Generation -- will be reissued through a partnership with Sony Music and will be available through all physical, digital and streaming partners. It will contain a total of 47 previously unreleased tracks, in addition to an unreleased two-hour concert from Prince's vault, and be released in three formats: a deluxe edition with a double CD or four LPs on 180 gram vinyl, and the remastered album will contain, depending on the buyer's choice, a single CD, a double off white "pearl" colored 180 gram vinyl LP (US only), or a double clear "diamond" colored 180 gram vinyl LP with download and streaming. The new edition of Diamonds and Pearls will arrive on Oct. 27. - Billboard, 8/24/23...... 
On Aug. 21 DEVO confirmed to the UK paper The Guardian that their current world tour will be the Ohio-based new wave band's last after 50 years together. DEVO frontman Mark Mothersbaugh explained why the band had decided to wrap up the live portion of their career. "Are you married?" he asked. "Imagine you had four wives and you worked together. It's tricky being in a band." DEVO bassist Gerald Casale went on to explain that the band's "fully formed" identity meant that they were not necessarily vulnerable to people who want to 'grab you when you're malleable and change you'," adding that "they couldn't do that to DEVO because the armour was too strong." He went on to explain that the seamless nature of the band's concept could cause friction creatively. "You've got a body of work informed by a whole manifesto and philosophy," Casale said. "Do you let go and move on to the next thing? You want change, otherwise you're stale, but you don't want to be contrived." Mothersbaugh also joked that he was 'looking forward to 20733'. "We'll play 100th anniversary Devo shows and then maybe retire," he mused. DEVO has been praised by the likes of David Bowie and Iggy Pop throughout their career, while Nirvana's Kurt Cobain once said: "Of all the bands who came from the underground and made it in the mainstream, DEVO were the most challenging and subversive of all." DEVO's recent sold-out show at London's Eventim Apollo on Aug. 19) marked the end of their European tour, and they now have a string of upcoming US dates kicking off in November. In March, a new full-length DEVO documentary, DEVO, was announced. It will be helmed by American Movie (1999) and Fyre (2019) director Chris Smith. - NME, 8/21/23...... Fleetwood Mac co-founder Mick Fleetwood announced on Aug. 20 that he plans to hold a benefit concert for the victims of the Hawaii wildfires. Many people have died or are missing in the expansive wildfires, and the blazes have destroyed Maui's historic Lahaina Town. Among the damage was Fleetwood's restaurant, which was completely destroyed. Sharing a statement, he said: "This is a devastating moment for MAUl and many are suffering unimaginable loss. Fleetwoods on Front Street has been lost and while we are heartbroken our main priority is the safety of our dear staff and team members. On behalf of myself and my family, I share my heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the people of MAUI." Now, Fleetwood has revealed to ET Canada his plans for a special gig to help raise funds for those affected. "I've already got a lovely sort of catalog of people that are concerned," he said. "I will remain mute on who they are, but I will either become part of something that we can do on a grand scale, which is great. Anything is great, and playing in Honolulu, about two weeks from now, and that concert's becoming -- Henry Kapono who lives in Oahu, was celebrating the 50th anniversary of his career -- well, I'm going to be doing that show, supporting. So, all of this is unfolding is something I feel I can be a part, or really be spearheading. And it's not now, but music heals, and music does its version of what I'm doing now!" - NME, 8/20/23...... 
Bob Feldman, the influential songwriter and producer behind some of the biggest hits of the 1960s including "My Boyfriend's Back" and "Hang On, Sloopy," has died at the age of 83, according to a statement from his close friend, musical collaborator and business partner Richard Gottehrer. "It's with great sadness that I announce the passing of Bob Feldman, my friend and legendary songwriting partner, in Grand Canyon Music and FGG Productions Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Myself," Gottehrer wrote in a statement sent to Billboard. "As a team we go back to the 1960's and the Brill Building days where we wrote and/or produced classics like 'My Boyfriend's Back,' 'I Want Candy,' 'Hang on Sloopy' and 'Sorrow,' which was eventually recorded and became an everlasting hit by David Bowie. We were even an 'Australian' band that called ourselves The Strangeloves. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Feldman and his neighbor Jerry Goldstein would frequently write songs together before meeting Gottehrer in 1962. The group also produced The McCoys' Hot 100 No. 1 smash "Hang on Sloopy -- which endures as an unofficial theme song at Ohio State University sports events -- all while making it big in their own group, The Strangeloves. As a band, they scored Hot 100 top 40 hits with "I Want Candy" (No. 11), "Cara-Lin" (No. 39) and "Night Time" (No. 30). Bow Wow Wow famously covered "Candy" in 1982, taking it back to the Billboard Hot 100 (it reached No. 62 that July). Mr. Feldman was also a published author, releasing his own book of verse, lyrics and memoirs in 2019 titled Simply Put! Thoughts and Feelings from the Heart. Mr. Feldman is survived by his two daughters, Kyle and Mahri. He is also the biological father of actor Corey Feldman, who emancipated himself from Bob and his mom Sheila as a teenager. - Billboard, 8/24/23...... Actress Hersha Parady, whose three-season run as Walnut Grove schoolteacher Alice Garvey, wife of Jonathan Garvey (played by former L.A. Rams star Merlin Olsen) on Little House on the Prairie came to an unforgettable, dark end for fans of the beloved NBC drama, died on Aug. 23 in Norfolk, Va., in the home of her son, Jonathan Peverall. Parady, 78, succumbed to a brain tumor according to her son, and he had set up a GoFundMe page to help with expenses. Parady and Olsen were introduced as a married cople on the Michael Landon-created Little House during the season four opening episode, "Castoffs," in Sept. 1977. On the sixth-season installment "May We Make Them Proud," which aired as a two-hour episode during a sweeps ratings period in Feb. 1980, Alice races into the School for the Blind, which has caught fire, to save some children inside, including Mary and Adam's (Melissa Sue Anderson, Linwood Boomer) infant son. Alice finds the baby and tries to break through an upstairs bedroom window to escape, but both wind up perishing in the blaze. Some viewers mistakenly thought Parady had used the doll that stood in for the infant as a "battering ram." "They did not rig the windows to break easily and I'm not, as Michael Landon pointed out a lot, a meek, delicate woman, so when I try to bust something, I usually succeed," Parady once said in an interview for the Little House Memories tribute site. Parady was up for the part of Caroline Ingalls on Little House before Karen Grassle was hired but made her first appearance on the show during the third season in 1976 as Eliza Ingalls, the sister-in-law of Landon's Charles Ingalls. She wound up playing Alice on 35 episodes. After Little House, Parady appeared in the films Raw Courage (1984) and The Break (1995) and on series including Unsolved Mysteries, Second Noah and Kenan & Kel, where she played Principal Dimly. Parady was married to producer John Peverall, who shared the best picture Oscar in 1979 for his work on The Deer Hunter. In addition to her son, survivors include her siblings, Patty, Kenny and Bobby. - The Hollywood Reporter, 8/24/23...... 
Ray Hildebrand, the "Paul" in the '60s pop duo Paul & Paula, passed away "peacefully" according to his family in Kansas City, Mo. on Aug. 18. He was 82. Born Dec. 21, 1940, in Joshua, Tex., Mr. Hildebrand met his singing partner Jill Jackson (Paula) while attending Howard Payne College (now called Howard Payne University) in Brownwood the Lone Star State. Though never romantically involved, Paul & Paula landed a string of teenage love songs on the pop charts, including "Young Lovers," "First Quarrel," "First Day Back at School," and "Something Old, Something New," and their best-known hit, the multi-million-seller from 1963 "Hey Paula," which Hildebrand penned. The single logged three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Mercury Records chief Shelby Singleton signed the pair, and reissued "Hey Paula" on its Phillips subsidiary. It was also Singleton who renamed the pair as Paul & Paula, apparently concerned that an act named Ray and Jill singing about "hey, hey Paula" and "hey, hey Paul" was a bridge too far. Paul & Paula released two albums and a Christmas-themed set, before disbanding in 1965, Hildebrand keen to complete his college education and pursue a different musical direction. The pair would remain friends, and occasionally reunited for special gigs. A devout Christian, Mr. Hildebrand traveled the country later in life sharing his music and faith, and worked with The Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is preceded in death by his wife, Judy Hendricks, and survived by his daughter, Heidi Sterling, and son Mike Hildebrand, both of Kansas City. - Billboard, 8/21/23.
A three-judge panel from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal found on Aug. 18 that the lawsuits of two Michael Jackson sexual abuse accusers, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, should not have been dismissed by a lower court, and that the men can validly claim that the two Jackson-owned corporations that were named as defendants in the cases had a responsibility to protect them. It's the second time the lawsuits -- brought by Robson in 2013 and Safechuck the following year -- have been brought back after dismissal. The two men became more widely known for telling their stories in the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland. A judge who dismissed the suits in 2021 found that the corporations, MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc., could not be expected to function like "the Boy Scouts or a church where a child in their care could expect their protection." Jackson, who died in 2009, was the sole owner and only shareholder in the companies. Now the higher court judges have disagreed, writing that "a corporation that facilitates the sexual abuse of children by one of its employees is not excused from an affirmative duty to protect those children merely because it is solely owned by the perpetrator of the abuse." They added that "it would be perverse to find no duty based on the corporate defendant having only one shareholder. And so we reverse the judgments entered for the corporations." Jonathan Steinsapir, attorney for the Jackson estate, said they were "disappointed" in the ruling. Robson, now a 40-year-old choreographer, met Jackson when he was 5 years old. He went on to appear in three Jackson music videos. His lawsuit alleged that Jackson molested him over a seven-year period. Safechuck, now 45, said in his suit that he was 9 when he met Jackson while filming a Pepsi commercial. He said Jackson called him often and lavished him with gifts before moving on to sexually abusing him. - AP, 8/18/23...... Former Saturday Night Live cast member David Spade has recalled the time in Nov. 1991 when David Bowie was the musical guest on the show, and suggested that he himself play a receptionist that "stops you because he thinks they're better than you," rather than the celebrity who was never seen. "This [sketch] is so f---ing funny," Spade recalls Bowie telling him in a phone conversation at the time. "'This is exactly my life and these people I see.' And he goes, 'One tweak: Can I play the receptionist?'" Bowie added that it was "the funnier part" and that playing himself was "kind of boring" because "everyone's seen that." However, Spade turned down the request because he hoped it might become a recurring character. Spade also said he couldn't believe that he refused the legendary musician's suggestion, who came back with: "Well, what if the sketch never gets on [the show]?" But in the end, the sketch did not get picked up as a recurring one, and Spade recalled Bowie coming up to him at the end of the episode to say: "Hey, sorry man, I get what was going on and I shouldn't have been, like, a little chilly about it." - NME, 8/19/23...... Music from The Band's catalog has gained in streaming sales after the Aug. 9 death of band co-founder Robbie Robertson. The Band's catalog is paced by a No. 1 re-entry for classic song "The Weight" on Billboard's LyricFind U.S. and LyricFind Global tallies, which rank the fastest momentum-gaining tracks in lyric-search queries and usages in the U.S. and globally. According to LyricFind, 'The Weight" spiked by 1,878% in lyric usages and searches in the Aug. 4-10 tracking week. Globally, the count was up 1,846%. The Band songs "Chest Fever" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" appear at Nos. 6 and 9 on the U.S. survey, followed by Robertson solo tracks "Showdown at Big Sky" (No. 12) and "Somewhere Down the Crazy River" (No. 17). "Crazy Fever" (No. 15) and "Showdown at Big Sky" (No. 20) also made the Global list. The Band also racked up 4.7 million official on-demand streams in the U.S. Aug. 4-10, up 56% from 3 million the previous week (July 28-Aug. 3). The group also accrued 4,000 paid song downloads, up 815%, and moved 2,000 in album sales, a 278% surge. Robertson's solo material, meanwhile, earned 499,000 on-demand streams, a jump of 644%. - Billboard, 8/17/23...... 
In a new interview with People magazine, David Byrne said that he regrets the way Talking Heads split up, explaining that he was a "little tyrant" at the time. "As a younger person, I was not as pleasant to be around," Byrne says. " When I was working on some Talking Heads shows, I was more of a little tyrant. And then I learned to relax, and I also learned that collaborating with people, both sides get more if there's a good relationship instead of me telling everybody what to do. I think [the end] wasn't handled well. It was kind of ugly." The group, whose members have had a complicated relationship since their breakup in 1991, recently announced that they would be reuniting for a Q&A at the Toronto International Film Fest in celebration of the 40th anniversary of their legendary concert film, Stop Making Sense. The event will mark the band's first public appearance together in over 20 years. Talking Heads previously reunited in 1999 to promote the 15th-anniversary reissue of their film, and in 2002, they came together to perform four songs at the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony which marked their only live performance since 1984. Earlier in 2023, Talking Heads honored Seymour Stein, the founder of their Sire Records label, after his passing at the age of 80. - NME, 8/17/23...... Elton John was spotted at a dinner party also attended by actor Kevin Spacey on Aug. 16, one month after giving testimony in the actor's sexual assault trial in the UK. In a video uploaded by a band named The Snugglers on Instagram, the pair are seen alongside John's husband David Furnish having dinner at restaurant La Petite Maison in Nice, France. On July 26, Spacey was cleared of nine sexual offence charges in London after a four-week trial, including seven counts of sexual assault, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity. Spacey was accused of the charges by four men, in incidents alleged to have taken place between 2001 and 2013. John and Furnish both provided evidence in the trial, where they shared recollections around a 2001 party hosted by them at the latter's home in Windsor. In testimony via video link, John said Spacey had attended the annual White Tie and Tiara Ball in 2001, but not any other year. One of Spacey's alleged victims claimed he was sexually assaulted by the actor on the way to the ball in 2002, which Spacey denied attending. In Furnish's testimony, he remembered Spacey attending the ball in 2001, saying "as an Oscar-winning actor, there was a lot of excitement he was at the ball." Ahead of the trial, Spacey denied all the charges and described the prosecution's case against him as "weak." Spacey will be featured in the upcoming thriller Control, where he provides the voice of the main antagonist, later in 2023. - NME, 8/18/23...... It was announced on Aug. 17 that Primary Wave Music has purchased the publishing rights of Styx member Dennis DeYoung, encompassing the majority of his compositions and master recordings. This includes Styx hits "Come Sail Away," "Babe," "Mr. Roboto," "Lady," "The Best of Times," and more. Primary Wave has recently also acquired entirely or an interest in the publishing and/or recording artist royalty income of members of such bands as Kool & The Gang, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Doors, The Ramones and Huey Lewis and the News. - Billboard, 8/17/23...... 
The BMI music rights organization has announced it will present ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons with its Troubadour Award on Sept. 18, during a private reception at BMI's Nashville office. While Gibbons is also known as a premier guitarist and entertainer through his musical accomplishments with ZZ Top, this accolade honors his songwriting work, as a composer who has "made a profound impact on the creative community as their craft continues to set the pace for generations to follow," according to a press release. As the chief songwriter for ZZ Top, Gibbons' writing credits include "Sharp Dressed Man," "Legs," "Cheap Sunglasses" and "La Grange," the lead single from the band's breakthrough album 
Chic's Nile Rodgers is condemning a far-right political party in Switzerland known as the Swiss People's Party (SVP) for allegedly using a "sound-alike" version of the Sister Sledge hit "We Are Family," which Rodgers wrote and produced, for a political video. "I wrote 'We Are Family' to be the ultimate song about inclusion and diversity at all levels, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion or sexual orientation," Rodgers posted on his X (Twitter) account on Aug. 15. "I condemn its use by the SVP (Swiss People's Party) or anyone else not keeping with the values of the song and all decent people. The purpose of the song is to bring joy to all with no exclusions!," he added. Rodgers also said that music publishers who own an interest in the song including Hipgnosis Songs, Sony Music, and WarnerChappell "are all working to have the SVP cease and desist their use of the song." The SVP have yet to respond to Rodgers' claims. - NME, 8/16/23...... The Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame inside Boston's Boch Center Wang Theatre has announced a new Bruce Springsteen will open on Sept. 13. "Bruce Springsteen: Portraits of an American Music Icon" will feature an intimate look at "The Boss" through the lens of close friends, photographers, and family members. Curated by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, the exhibit will include over 40 photographs from six notable Springsteen photographers: Danny Clinch, Ed Gallucci, Eric Meola, Ron Pownall, Barry Schneier, Pamela Springsteen and Frank Stefanko. The FARHOF museum also showcases instruments and items of historical significance from such artists as Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, Odetta, Josh White, Oscar Brand, and many more. Tour tickets are $25 for adults and $17 for children, and for more info visit www.farhof.org. - Music-News.com, 8/19/23...... In other Springsteen-related news, the rocker posted on his 
Music industry giant Jerry Moss, who co-founded A&M Records with Herb Alpert and was ultimately inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, passed away at his home in Bel Air, Calif., on Aug. 16, according to a statement released by his family. He was 88. For more than 25 years, Alpert and Mr. Moss presided over one of the industry's most successful independent labels, releasing such blockbuster albums as Alpert's Whipped Cream & Other Delights, Carole King's 
Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, Alice Cooper has told the Ohio radio station QFM96 that he believes the Beatles would "absolutely" have reunited if John Lennon hadn't been murdered in 1980, a decade after the rock legends split acrimoniously. "Absolutely," Cooper said. "Here's the thing about them. When they were after each other's throats, when it came to the breakup and all that stuff, if anybody in the Vampires back in those days -- that was our drinking club -- if anybody said anything bad about Paul, John would take a swing at you, because that was his best friend. If anybody said anything about John to Paul, Paul would walk out of the room. He'd just walk out. Because you are not allowed to talk about their best friends. They were best friends no matter what was going on in the whole thing." Alice, 75, suggested Lennon wanted to make their music "more political" and that McCartney wasn't keen. He added: "One went one way, and one went the other. I think John wanted to be more political. Paul was not into that that much." The Coop's '70s L.A. drinking club, which also included the likes of Lennon, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon and Harry Nilsson, shares a name with his current supergroup the Hollywood Vampires with Johnny Depp, Joe Perry, and more. Meanwhile, Cooper has released the third single from his new LP 
Stevie Nicks has shared a lengthy statement on how the recent wildfires that have devastated several areas near her home in Lahaina, Hawaii, have affected her and her neighbors. "As I am sure you have heard -- the island, Maui, where I own a house I have been staying at since the 80s -- and the small village, city, most magical place on earth, Lahaina, burned to the ground over the last few days," the Fleetwood Mac frontlady posted on 
Marvin Gaye's landmark 1973 album 
The artist and anarchist behind the Sex Pistols' iconic artwork in the 1970s, Jamie MacGregor Reid, died on Aug. 8. He was 76 years old. In a touching ode, the John Marchant Gallery announced the sad news of his death on Aug. 9. "We sadly announce the passing of Jamie MacGregor Reid January 16, 1947 - August 8, 2023; artist, iconoclast, anarchist, punk, hippie, rebel and romantic. Jamie leaves behind a beloved daughter, Rowan; a granddaughter, Rose; and an enormous legacy. Universal Majesty, Verity, Love, Infinite." The punk visual artist -- who was best known for "Dcollage," the opposite of a collage -- created the ransom-note style newspaper cutting lettering that he famously used on the cover of the Pistols' 1977 song "God Save The Queen," depicting a young Queen Elizabeth II with the track's title slapped across the royal's eyes and mouth. The iconic artwork was based on Cecil Beaton's photograph of the late monarch. John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) & Co. re-released their classic hit in time for the sovereign's Platinum Jubilee last June. The song, originally released in 1977 during The Queen's Silver Jubilee, was banned by the BBC and most radio stations but reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Charts. It is widely believed that the song was deliberately kept from the No. 1 spot on the charts due to its anti-royal stance. Reid created the lettering style for the cover artwork while designing the Suburban Press, a radical political magazine he ran for five years. It was also used on the classic Pistols album 
Actress Suzanne Somers, 76, revealed in a July 31 Instagram post that her breast cancer has returned. First diagnosed in 2000, the 
Statues of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have been unveiled in the Rolling Stones legends' hometown in the London borough of Dartford. Designed and made by Stones fan Amy Goodman, the statues aim to capture the same energy and intensity that they bring to each of their performances, with Jagger shown mid-way through one of his trademark struts up and down the stage, while Richards is leaning back as he plays his "Micawber" Fender Telecaster -- which was gifted to him from another rock veteran, Eric Clapton. Unveiled at the town's One Bell Corner on Aug. 8, Dartford council official Jeremy Kite said: "In terms of culture and music, you do not get much more influential than the Rolling Stones. Their music has changed the face of popular music and these lads from Dartford are now two of the most recognisable and loved people in the world," and added that the local community have had "a long-held desire" to acknowledge the band's roots to the small town. The rock stars' ties to the area stem back to the early '60s, when Jagger and Richards (then known as Keith Richard) met as teenagers on the platform of Dartford's train station, and went on to form the iconic rock group the following year (1962). The statues can be viewed on 
Former The Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon (née Johnny Rotten) has told the UK's Uncut magazine that he is being stalked by a woman who claims to be his daughter, saying the woman's behavior has left him distressed to the point where he's filed a police report. The topic came up during the interview where he was asked about the meaning of the song "Walls" on Lydon's later band Public Image Ltd' new album 
William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning director of such iconic 1970s films as 
Robbie Robertson, the beloved Canadian guitarist, songwriter and frontman of The Band, died after an as yet undisclosed long illness on Aug. 9. He was 80. The Toronto, Ontario-born Mr. Robertson began playing guitar at age 10, and at just 16 years old he joined drummer Levon Helm in The Hawks, the backing band for Ronnie Hawkins. The Hawks went on to play with Bob Dylan on his legendary Going Electric tours in 1965 and 1966, and recorded the seminal "basement tapes" with the legend before changing their group's name to The Band. They released their debut Music From Big Pink album in 1968, which featured the Robertson-penned classic, "The Weight," and the group performed at the legendary original Woodstock Festival in 1969. Mr. Robertson was the sole writer of The Band's first four hits on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart -- "The Weight" (No. 63), "Up on Cripple Creek" (No. 25), "Rag Mama Rag" (No. 57), and "Time to Kill" (No. 77). He was also the sole writer of the biggest hit Joan Baez ever had, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," which reached No. 3 in 1971. After eight years as a band, Robertson ended the group in 1976, culminating in The Band's legendary farewell concert, The Last Waltz. Dylan, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Neil Diamond and Joni Mitchell all joined the group for the performance at San Francisco's Winterland and a 
His sixth and final solo album, Sinematic, was released in 2019. The Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2008. Robertson never won a Grammy in competition, despite five nods over the years, but he won five Juno Awards in his native Canada, including three in 1989 -- album of the year (for his eponymous solo debut album), male vocalist of the year and producer of the year (in tandem with Daniel Lanois). Tributes from Mr. Robertson's famous friends and admirers poured in on social media following the news of his death. "The music world lost a great one with the passing of Robbie Robertson," Neil Diamond 
The estate of late singer/songwriter Dan Fogelberg has inked a deal with music mogul Irving Azoff's IAG agency, a partnership that draws on one of the deepest professional and personal relationships of Azoff's life. Azoff and Fogelberg dropped out of the University of Illinois together in 1970s to find fame in fortune in L.A., moving into a one-bedroom apartment in West Hollywood from which Azoff oversaw Fogelberg's budding career. Under his guidance, Fogelberg, who died in Dec. 2007 at age 56 from cancer, became one of the leading singer-songwriters of the '70s and '80s. For nearly 20 years, he was a mainstay on adult contemporary radio, scoring such top 10 hits as "Longer," "Heart Hotels," "Same Old Lang Syne," "Leader of the Band" and "Rhythm of the Rain." On Aug. 4, IAG announced it had acquired the controlling interests in a broad range of Fogelberg's rights, including name, image, likeness, sound recordings, audiovisual works and music publishing. The company declined to reveal the purchase price or the exact percentage it owns. His widow, Jean Fogelberg, controls the rest. "We started IAG [because] we wanted to have a place for clients and friends, but none of it goes deeper than Dan," says Azoff, who notes that he's still reeling from Dan's untimely death. "He was my closest friend. He played piano at my wedding when we walked down the aisle. We struggled together; we struck gold together." Nearly 16 years after Fogelberg's death, Azoff says it's time to reintroduce the artist to a new generation. "His catalog and songs stand the test of time," he says. Jean Fogelberg says she hopes to show a more well-rounded portrait of her late husband, including highlighting some of his harder-edged songs along with his progressive bluegrass (or "newgrass") period. "It always 'bothered him' that he wasn't widely known for his musical breadth," Jean says. To remedy that, IAG is already in talks with filmmakers about a documentary that would cover the musician's rich history. She's also writing a biography of Dan, based in part of 22 hours of recordings she made of Dan "talking about his life." And she feels the move has Dan's blessing: "I remember the main thing he told me about Irving was, 'When I'm gone, if you need anything, ask Irving. He'll be there for you.'" - Billboard, 8/4/23...... Speaking of IAG, Cher has also explained why she recently made a deal with the company for her past sound recordings and compositions: "I trust Irving." Cher, an Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy winner, has partnered with Azoff's Iconic Artists Group to expose new generations to her prolific, six-decade-long music career. Like many acts on IAG's growing roster, Cher has a relationship with Azoff that goes back to the '70s, when they were introduced by Cher's sister, Georganne LaPiere, who was a close friend of Azoff's. "I've never worked with her professionally," he says, "but obviously have been a fan." Cher says her decision to make a deal with IAG came down to the respect Azoff shows artists. 'I trust Irving," she says. "If he has a great idea, I respect him. And if I have a great idea, I know he will listen attentively. My voice will be heard." IAG's first project with Cher will celebrate the 25th anniversary of 'Believe," her electro-pop hit that arrived in Oct. 1998 and was Billboard's No. 1 song of 1999. Cher, who is managed by Roger Davies and Lindsay Scott, concluded her last major tour in 2005 and a Las Vegas residency in 2011. Asked if she plans to tour again, she replies: "I don't know," although she says there will not be live performances tied to the anniversary of"'Believe": "I'm not going to be ready that soon." She would also like to explore releasing a box set of her lesser-known songs, including some of her more recent recordings. "Some of my favorite, favorite songs weren't hits," she says. "I wasn't a very good singer until, oh, my God, I was 40. I met my teacher [Adrienne Angel]. She made me a real singer." - Billboard, 8/2/23...... 
Peter Gabriel has returned to the Billboard airplay chart for the first time since 2008 -- and as a lead artist since 2002 -- with "Road to Joy," the latest taste from his upcoming and long-awaited album I/O. A specific release date for the former Genesis frontman's LP not been announced, but the artists has released a new song from the album during every full moon each month, with the 12th set for December. It's his first album of original material since Up in 2002. "Road to Joy" marks Gabriel's first entry on an airplay ranking since he was featured on Big Blue Ball's "Burn You Up, Burn You Down," which peaked at No. 18 on Adult Alternative Airplay in 2008. His last time as a lead artist on Adult Alternative Airplay (which began in 1996) prior to "Road to Joy" had been in 2002, when "More Than This" peaked at No. 20. His four No. 1 hits on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart include "Shock the Monkey," "Sledgehammer," "In Your Eyes" and 'Digging in the Dirt." He has tallied three top 10s on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart, one each in the '80s (So, No. 2), '90s (Us, No. 2) and '00s (Up, No. 9). - Billboard, 8/3/23...... In an interview with Today show host Hoda Kotb on Aug. 3, Tony Bennett's widow Susan Benedetto revealed the last words Tony said before his passing on July 21 at age 96 following a years-long battle with Alzheimer's disease. "He would tell me that he loved me," said Susan. "He would wake up every day and still say that. He woke up happy every day. Even if he had had a bad day or night, he didn't remember it. That was the only blessing. He woke up happy. And he's just like, 'Susan. You're the best thing that ever happened to me.' And he would say that to me all the time." Benedetto and Bennett tied the knot in 2007, more than 20 years after their first meeting at one of his concerts in 1985. She also revealed that he sang one of his classic tracks before passing away. "He sang 'Because of You.' We were getting him up to exercise, and so it was easy to just latch onto the piano," she said. Her full interview can be viewed on 
While The Hollies' 1974 hit 
Motörhead icon Lemmy Kilmister has had more of his ashes scattered the mud at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. The famed UK heavy metal band played Wacken countless times during their decades-long career, and some of his ashes were spread as part of Wacken's "Lemmy Forever" festivities opening the festival in late July. "Lemmy coming back to Wacken is an enormous honour for us -- words can hardly express how enormous," said festival co-organiser Thomas Jensen. "We will create a place of remembrance for him that does justice to his significance for an entire genre and beyond." Jensen continued: "There has always been a special connection between Motörhead and Wacken Open Air; hardly any band has played here more often The fact that his journey also ends here will forever hold a special meaning." Some of Lemmy's ashes were already used to create tattoos for Motörhead's tour manager and production assistant. Meanwhile, the artist had also requested before his death for his ashes to be placed inside bullets and sent to his loved ones. Earlier in 2023, the band's rare 1998 cover of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" was finally released on all major streaming platforms. - New Musical Express, 8/3/23...... Actor Mark Margolis, who turned in a commanding performance as the vindictive drug runner Hector Salamanca on the hit series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, died on Aug. 3 at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City following a short illness. He was 83. A protegé of Stella Adler who did double duty as the legendary acting teacher's personal assistant, Mr. Margolis also stood out as the Bolivian henchman Alberto the Shadow in Brian De Palma's Scarface (1983); as the gravelly voiced landlord Mr. Shickadance looking for the rent in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994); and, from 1998-2003, as the HIV-infected mob boss Antonio Nappa on HBO's Oz. The Philadelphia native was also featured in several movies from acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky, including Pi, The Wrestler, Black Swan and Noah. After studying for a short time with Alder's rival, Lee Strasberg, Mr. Margolis made his onscreen debut as a surly airplane passenger in the X-rated The Opening of Misty Beethoven (1976), then had small roles in Going in Style (1979), De Palma's Dressed to Kill (1980) and Arthur (1981) before his nasty Alberto was killed by Al Pacino's Tony Montana in Scarface. "I am just a journeyman actor," he once said. "Truth to tell, six months after Scarface, I had to take a job with a real estate development friend for a few months just to get by." Mr. Margolis was praised on Instagram by his fellow Breaking Bad star, Bryan Cranston. "Mark Margolis was a really good actor and a lovely human being. Fun and engaging off the set, and (in the case of Breaking Bad and Your Honor) intimidating and frightening on set. His quiet energy belied his mischievous nature and curious mind & And he loved sharing a good joke. & Rest now, Mark and thank you for your friendship and your exceptional body of work." He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, whom he married in June 1962, son Morgan Margolis, and three grandsons. - The Hollywood Reporter, 8/4/23...... 
Paul Reubens, the comic actor behind beloved character Pee-wee Herman, died on July 30 after a what was described as a long and brave battle with cancer. He was 70. Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness," read a message on Reubens' Facebook and Instagram pages. "Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit." Included with the announcement was a message from Reubens himself. "Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years," he wrote. "I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have love you all so much and enjoyed making art for you." Reubens created the goofy, childlike character Pee-wee Herman in the 1970s while he was in the Los Angeles improv group The Foundlings. Pee-wee was always dressed in a light gray suit and red bowtie, and had a signature laugh. Pee-wee appeared not only on the 1980s Saturday morning children's show Pee-wee's Playhouse, but also in feature films Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), which was directed by Tim Burton, and Big Top Pee-wee (1988). The character didn't get another feature-length adventure until 2016, when Pee-wee's Big Holiday arrived as a Netflix original. During Pee-wee's Playhouse's run, the show won 18 Daytime Emmys, and earned Reubens four nominations for outstanding performer in a children's series. The actor also received three Primetime Emmy nods during his career: art direction for a variety or music program in 1989 for "Christmas at Pee-wee's Playhouse"; guest actor in a comedy series in 1995 on Murphy Brown; and variety, music or comedy special in 2011 for "The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway." His success was nearly derailed in 1991, when he was arrested for indecent exposure at an adult movie theater in Sarasota, Fla., and paid a $75 fine. He ran afoul of the law again in 2001, when police seized images from his erotica collection. He was ultimately pleaded guilty in 2004 to an obscenity charge, and was fined $100 and placed on probation for three years, during which he agreed to register as a sex offender. Devo frontman Mark Mothersbaugh praised Reubens as a longtime friend and an artist who "changed the trajectory of my career. "He always had a good personality and a good heart," Mothersbaugh told Yahoo Music. "It's just shocking and sad that he's gone." - Billboard, 7/31/23.