Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

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.