Posted by Administrator on October 29th, 2023
On Oct. 27 it was announced that The Who's Tommy rock musical will return to Broadway in 2024. Tommy, featuring music and lyrics by Pete Townshend, started as a concept album in 1969 and debuted on Broadway in 1993. Now a reimagined version of the classic will return for a new run at New York's Nederlander Theatre in Mar. 2024. Previews are due to start on March 8 before the official opening on Mar. 28. "I can't wait to see how this newly empowered show connects with younger Broadway audiences today," Townshend said in a statement. "I hope the younger ones come, for they will identify in an entirely new and important way with Tommy's tumultuous life. Meanwhile, longtime fans of TOMMY, The Who and all their music will be blown away by this new show," he added. The news comes after Townshend recently revealed that he was working on a new rock opera based on his novel The Age of Anxiety. A teaser for the the reimagined Tommy has been shared on YouTube. - NME, 10/27/23...... 
As Halloween approaches, Billboard has compiled the "20 Biggest Halloween Songs" based on their Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements. Representing the '70s are The Edgar Winter Group's head-banging hit "Frankenstein" (No. 1, 1973) at No. 4, Cher's eerie "Dark Lady" (No. 1, 1974) at No. 8, Cliff Richard's rockin' "Devil Woman" (No. 7, 1976) at No. 16, Santana's witchy "Black Magic Woman" (No. 4, 1971) at No. 18, and The Charlie Daniels Band's rollicking "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" (No. 3, 1979) at No. 19. Coming in at the top of the list is Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers endearing 1962 hit "Monster Mash," followed by Ray Parker Jr.'s campy 1984 smash "Ghostbusters" and Post Malone feat. Ty Dolla $ign's vibey "Psycho" from 2018. Interestingly, Michael Jackson's "Thriller," a perennial Halloween staple which peaked at No. 4 in 1984 and spent 22 weeks on the chart, doesn't quite make the list. - Billboard, 10/27/23...... Speaking of "Thriller," a new 40th anniversary tribute to the King of Pop's 1982 mega-selling album of the same name will debut on Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. ET on Showtime and will stream on Paramount+ (for Paramount+ With Showtime subscribers). Usher, Mary J. Blige, will.i.am, Mark Ronson, Misty Copeland, Maxwell, "Thriller" video director John Landis and more are all interviewed for Thriller 40, which includes never-before-seen footage behind the making of the classic. A trailer for Thriller 40 has been shared on YouTube. - Billboard, 10/27/23...... Elton John has praised Madonna in a new social media post for her "advocacy & compassion" during her current "Celebration Tour." On Oct. 26, Sir Elton shared a photo from Madonna's tour, showing the singer standing in a floating rectangle as the faces of thousands of people who died throughout the HIV/AIDS crisis swirled around the stage. John took a moment to praise his peer for bringing visibility to an ongoing issue. "We're deeply moved by the heartfelt tribute from @madonna during her Celebration Tour performance of 'Live to Tell', honouring the 40.4 million people we've lost to AIDS," John wrote in the caption. "Thank you, Madonna, for your advocacy and compassion, and for raising important awareness of the ongoing mission to end AIDS. With 39 million people living with HIV today, 9.4 million of whom are not currently on life-saving treatment, we must keep using our voices and platforms to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live full and healthy lives," he added. Both John and Madonna have been vocal advocates for people living with HIV/AIDS over the years, with Elton starting his Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 and Madonna being one on of the first celebrities to lend her support to patients living through the outset of the epidemic. - Billboard, 10/27/23...... The Eagles have announced the dates for their final "The Long Goodbye" tour of North America. So far, 29 dates in 21 cities have been announced for the tour, which will feature Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit as well as Vince Gill and Deacon Frey playing "as many shows in each market as their audience demands," according to the statement. Country Music Hall of Fame member Gill began playing with the Eagles in 2017 alongside Deacon, son of late Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey, who died in 2016. The tour will kick off on Sept. 7, 2024 with two shows at New York's Madison Square Garden, then visit such major markets as Boston, Newark, NJ, Denver, Indianapolis, Detroit, Atlanta, St. Paul, MN, Inglewood, CA, Phoenix, Houston and Chicago before wrapping in Toronto, Ontario on Mar. 13, 2025. - Billboard, 10/25/23...... Dolly Parton is commemorating the release of her new rock music-themed album Rockstar with a special movie event on Nov. 15, two days before the album hits stores. "Dolly Parton Rockstar: The Global First Listen Event" will give fans the opportunity to listen select songs from the album before it is released. The 60-minute film also includes clips of music videos for the new album an interview with with Dolly, and behind-the-scenes footage as well as a rare performance of her hit single "9-to-5." The movie will only be screening in movie theaters on Nov. 15 with encore showing occurring in select theaters on Nov. 16. A trailer for Rockstar can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 10/25/23...... The Rolling Stones have charted their eighth No. 1 album in Australia with their new LP Hackney Diamonds. Hackney Diamonds is also the legendary British band's 34th top 10 title down under, and they first led the national chart back in 1964 with their debut, self-titled album. Meanwhile, the Stones have shared a new live video on YouTube for their Hackney Diamonds track and latest single "Sweet Sounds of Heaven," which was filmed during a live concert for their album launch party in New York on Oct. 19. Stones guitarist Keith Richards recently told the Apple Music 1 podcast that the new album's song "Bite My Head Off" which features Paul McCartney on bass felt "like the old days." "I felt that it was bloody time... I've known Paul for 60 years, just about. Although him and John [Lennon] did do a few backup vocals with us in the '60s. Great fun to play with." He continued: "At the end of it, I just said, 'Well, that's just like the good old days,'" Richards recalled of the McCartney's studio session with the band. - Billboard, 10/27/23...... 
Speaking of the Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have announced details of the release of their "final song" "Now And Then," along with news of expanded reissues of their 1973 "Red" and "Blue" greatest hits albums. "Now and Then" will arrive on Nov. 2 at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT from Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe, and it marks the last song written by John Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison and Starr. McCartney and Starr finished the song together, more than 40 years after its inception. The double A-side single also includes a sweet full-circle moment, as it's paired with "Love Me Do," featuring the original cover art shot by Ed Ruscha. Both songs have been mixed in stereo and Dolby Atmos. Additionally, a 12-minute Now and Then -- The Last Beatles Song documentary film will arrive on Nov. 1. The Oliver Murray-written doc will tell the story behind the track and will feature exclusive footage and commentary from McCartney, Starr and Harrison, as well as Sean Ono Lennon and The Beatles: Get Back director Peter Jackson. "Now and Then" begins in the late 1970s, when John recorded a demo with vocals and piano at his home in New York's Dakota Building. In 1994, his wife, Yoko Ono Lennon, gave the recording to Paul, George and Ringo, along with John's demos for "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love." Those two songs were released as singles in 1995-96, reaching No. 6 and No. 11, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2022, Paul and Ringo set out to complete "Now and Then." In addition to John's vocal, the song includes electric and acoustic guitar recorded in 1995 by Harrison; Starr's new drum part; and bass, guitar and piano from McCartney, who also added a slide guitar solo inspired by George. "It was the closest we'll ever come to having him back in the room, so it was very emotional for all of us. It was like John was there, you know. It's far out," Starr said of the process in a press statement, with McCartney adding, "It's quite emotional. And we all play on it, it's a genuine Beatles recording. In 2023 to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven't heard, I think it's an exciting thing." Meanwhile, on Nov. 10, expanded editions of The Beatles/1962-1966 (often called "The Red Album") and The Beatles/1967-1970 ("The Blue Album") will be released in 2023 Edition packages by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe. The original editions, released in 1973, three years after The Beatles' break-up, reached No. 3 and No. 1, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 200. - Billboard, 10/26/23...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, the 1980 assassination of John Lennon is being documented in a new series by Apple TV+. John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial is narrated by actor Kiefer Sutherland and will look into the pre-meditated crime and its aftermath by troubled fan Mark David Chapman, who fatally shot the former Beatle outside of his New York City apartment block on Dec. 8, 1980. Makers of 3-part docu-series were "granted extensive Freedom of Information Act requests from the New York City Police Department, the Board of Parole and the District Attorney's office," according to a press release, and the series includes interviews with Lennon's friends and Chapman's defence lawyers, psychiatrists, detectives and prosecutors. A premiere date has not yet been confirmed. Chapman pleaded guilty to the crime. In 1981 he was ordered to receive psychiatric treatment and was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. In 2021 he was denied parole for the 12th time. His story was previously dramatized onscreen in the 2007 film Chapter 27, which starred Jared Leto. - New Musical Express, 10/27/23...... A new George Harrison biography from Beatles biographer Philip Norman, George Harrison: The Reluctant Beatle includes Harrison's sarcastic reaction to being stabbed 40 times in a 1999 incident at his home, which left the musician fighting for his life. The moment took place when George and his wife Olivia Harrison became victims of a home invasion, and upon hearing someone break into his home, the guitarist got out of bed to investigate. From there, he was soon confronted by a man named Michael Abram who was holding a knife. An altercation followed as Harrison attempted to wrestle the knife out of Abram's hands, however, the intruder managed to get on top of the Beatle and stabbed him 40 times. He only stopped upon being struck over the head with a lamp by Olivia. In the book, the incident is described in detail and it is also revealed how Harrison described the attack to his son Dhani Harrison with a darkly witty sense of humor. According to Dhani, Harrison described Abram by saying: "He wasn't a burglar and he certainly wasn't auditioning for the Traveling Wilburys." Harrison had already been diagnosed with cancer at the time, and of the 40 stab wounds, one punctured his lung. It was presumed by doctors that the attack worsened his condition. He died of cancer in 2001 -- two years after the incident. - NME, 10/24/23...... HarbourView Equity Partners has announced the acquisition of Fleetwood Mac's recorded royalties owned by Christine McVie's estate. McVie, who died in Nov.2022 at age 79, was the keyboardist and one of the vocalists in Fleetwood Mac as well as one of its primary songwriters. Financial terms of the transaction was not disclosed. Harbourview's portfolio includes more than 24,000 songs across master recordings and publishing income streams. - Billboard, 10/25/23...... Sting has announced a run of outdoor UK and Ireland headline shows for 2024. The soloist and former The Police frontman is due to play five special concerts in the two contries next June in continuation of his "My Songs" world tour. Sting's tour begins in Cheshire on June 14, then hits Cork (6/18), Belfast (6/19), Suffolk (6/22) and Sherwood (6/23). Per a press release, Sting is set to be joined on stage by "an electrifying rock ensemble." He'll share the bill with Blondie at the Cork and Belfast dates. - NME, 10/27/23...... 
A new Canadian Broadcast Corporation investigation that calls into question the Indigenous identity of singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie has opened up a broad conversation about identity and appropriation. The bombshell investigation, which aired Oct. 27 on the YouTube channel of the Canadian series The Fifth Estate and began streaming on CBC on Oct. 27, says some of Sainte-Marie's family members believe her claim to Indigenous heritage "is built on an elaborate fabrication." Sainte-Marie has previously said that she was adopted by her parents, Italian-Americans Albert and Winnifred Santamaria, and grew up in the predominantly white Christian suburb of Wakefield, Mass. Later, as a young adult, she was adopted by Emile Piapot and Clara Starblanket Piapot of the Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan in accordance with Cree law and customs. The documentary, which was made without participation of Sainte-Marie herself, features an interview with her younger cousin Bruce Santamaria, who disputes her claim of adoption. It also features quotes from other family members, including references to alleged sexual abuse. The investigation hinges on her birth certificate, which CBC obtained, which lists her presumed adopted parents as her birth parents and her race as white. Ahead of the investigation, Sainte-Marie has released a video on Instagram in which she affirms herself as "a proud member of the Native community with deep roots in Canada." She also put out a written statement entitled "My Truth As I Know It." "I am proud of my Indigenous-American identity, and the deep ties I have to Canada and my Piapot family," it reads in part. One of Canada's most decorated musicians, Sainte-Marie has won the Polaris Music Prize, seven Juno Awards, an Academy Award for Best Original Song (for co-writing the music for "Up Where We Belong" from An Officer and a Gentleman), and is the recipient of the Order of Canada and the Governor General's Performing Arts Award. Buffy Sainte-Marie, who is 82, retired from touring earlier in 2023 for health reasons. - Billboard, 10/27/23...... KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley has responded to rumors that his flamboyant shock-rock band may be next in line to play Las Vegas' impressive new music venue The Sphere once the residency of Irish rockers U2 there ends. "I can't speak to it in any other way except to be honest with you about how I feel now, and the way I feel today is I can't really see that happening," Stanley told Ultimate Classic Rock. "As far as I'm concerned, we're done." The comments come in light of KISS currently playing the last leg of their ongoing tour. The tour is the latest of their impressive number of farewell tours over the years -- with the first dating back 23 years -- and is set to end with a final ever performance in Madison Square Garden, New York, in December. KISS had been scheduled to play a 2021-2022 residency at Vegas' Zappos Theater, however it was called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Another act reported to be considering the possibility of playing at The Sphere -- which features a 16k wraparound LED screen and 167,000 speakers -- are The Eagles. - NME, 10/24/23...... The B-52s were forced to cancel a concert at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 25 due to the "sorrow and pain" of the Israel-Hamas war. The B-52s were set to play at an official state dinner for the Australian PM Anthony Albanese, hosted by the US Pres. Joe Biden, however the Athens, GA, trio -- who are named after a US bomber aircraft -- instead attended the state dinner as guests. Presidential military bands provided "instrumental music" in the group's place. "While we had initially planned for the legendary B-52s to perform their iconic dance and party music, we are now in a time when so many are facing sorrow and pain, and we have decided to make adjustments to the entertainment portion of the evening," First Lady Jill Biden said in a statement. - NME, 10/26/23...... Marie Osmond will make her soap debut playing wealthy Countess Von Frankfurt on CBS's The Bold and the Beautiful on Oct. 27. Tracey Bregman and Kate Linder will join the TV icon for a special five-part event. - People, 10/30/23...... The cause of death of Three's Company actress Suzanne Somers has been revealed. The 76-year-old's death certificate, which was obtained by The Blast, reveals that a string of underlying conditions that also contributed to her Oct. 15 passing.The document cites "breast cancer with metastasis to the brain" as her immediate cause of death, with a biopsy confirming the discovery, and hypertension, the term for high blood pressure, and hydrocephalus -- a build up of fluid on the brain -- were listed as additional underlying conditions. The certificate also indicated Suzanne had suffered from hydrocephalus for over a year. The document also confirmed that Somers was buried at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, Calif., just three days after she passed away. - Bang Showbiz, 10/26/23...... 
Groundbreaking African-American actor Richard Roundtree, who rose to fame in the lead role of the 1971 action thriller Shaft, died on Oct. 24 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer with his family at his bedside. He was 81. Mr. Roundtree's career spanned five decades and included everything from his most popular "blaxploitation" role to a very early appearance on As the World Turns in 1956 to being a Season 2 main cast member on Ava DuVernay's OWN series Cherish the Day in 2022. However he is best known for playing detective John Shaft in the 1971's Shaft and its sequels, Shaft's Big Score! (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973) as well as the short-lived 1973 Shaft TV series. For his performance in the original film, Mr. Roundtree was nominated for a New Star of the Year Golden Globe and hailed as the first Black action hero. More importantly, the films made John Shaft a cultural hero, a symbol of Black power onscreen, at the box office and beyond. The Academy Awards took notice, as Isaac Hayes' propulsive "Theme from Shaft" won the Oscar that year for Best Song - Original for the Picture. Decades later, Mr. Roundtree reprised his role in the 2000 John Singleton-directed movie Shaft starring Samuel L. Jackson and the 2019 Tim Story-directed sequel. In 2000, Shaft was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. It was cited for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Shortly thereafter, it was named one of the best films ever made by The New York Times. Mr. Roundtree's many film credits also include 1981's Inchon, in which he appeared opposite Laurence Olivier and Ben Gazzara, 1984's City Heat opposite Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds as well as Se7en, George of the Jungle, Body of Influence, Amityville: A New Generation and What Men Want. He was last seen in 2022's Paul Weitz comedy Moving On. On television, Mr. Roundtree played slave Sam Bennett in the acclaimed 1977 miniseries Roots. He had major roles on such series as Generations, 413 Hope St., Alias, Diary of a Single Mom, Buddies, Desperate Housewives, Soul Food, Being Mary Jane and Family Reunion. "Richard Roundtree, The Prototype, The Best To Ever Do It!! SHAFT, as we know it is & will always be His Creation!!," Samuel L. Jackson wrote in an IG tribute following Mr. Roundtree's death. "His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I'm sure a lotta y'all's, too." - Deadline.com, 10/24/23.
Stevie Nicks has been announced as one of the presenters for the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, set for Nov. 3 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. In 2019, Nicks became the first woman to be inducted into the Hall twice, after having first been inducted with Fleetwood Mac in 1998. Nicks will be joining her fellow '70s superstar Elton John, who will induct his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, as one of the previously announced presenters. This year's inductees include Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners, along with DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray for musical influence; Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Taupin for musical excellence; and Don Cornelius for the Ahmet Ertegun Award (formerly known as the non-performers award). The induction ceremony will be broadcast live coast-to-coast via Disney+ on Nov. 3 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and will be available to stream following the ceremony. ABC will air a three-hour prime-time special, The 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, featuring performance highlights and standout moments on Jan. 1, 2024 (8-11 p.m. ET), available the next day on Hulu and Disney+. - Billboard, 10/24/23...... 
The Rolling Stones rolled out their 26th studio album, Hackney Diamonds, on Oct. 20. The LP is the Stones' first new album of original music since 2005's A Bigger Bang, which climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 200 albu m chart. Hackney Diamonds also is the first since the death of band's drummer Charlie Watts, who passed away at age 80 in 2021. It features the previously released collaboration with Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder, "Sweet Sounds of Heaven," plus tracks like "Bite My Head Off," with bass from Paul McCartney and "Get Close" and "Live By the Sword," both of which have piano from Elton John. Hackney Diamonds can be streamed in full on Spotify.com. According to data published by the U.K.'s Official Charts Company, Hackney Diamonds is on track to become the band's 14th U.K. No. 1, putting them behind only the Beatles with 15 No. 1's. The Stones were joined by Lady Gaga for a surprise album launch party on Oct. 19 at Racket NYC in New York City. "It seems we always launch our albums in New York," frontman Mick Jagger told the crowd at the intimate New York City venue. "We've done it in a blimp. We've done it on a flatbed truck going down 5th avenue," he said, reading from a teleprompter. "We were missing launches so much that we had to make another album and come back and re-launch it." The Stones performed a seven-song set which kicked off with their 1978 Some Girls track "Shattered," and were joined by Gaga for their encore of their new collaborative track "Sweet Sounds of Heaven," easily the highlight of the night. Meanwhile, the Rolling Stones have escaped a lawsuit over their 2020 song "Living in a Ghost Town" -- at least for now. On Oct. 18, a federal judge in Louisiana dismissed a lawsuit, originally filed in March, from a Spanish songwriter who calls himself Angelslang who claimed that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards copied "Ghost Town" from a pair of his little-known songs. Judge Eldon E. Fallon ruled that his Louisiana federal court lacked jurisdiction over Fernandez's case. In doing so, he pointed out that Jagger and Richards are Brits, Fernandez lives in Spain, and the Rolling Stones have "only performed in New Orleans four times." The judge only tossed the case "without prejudice" -- meaning Fernandez is free to re-file the lawsuit in a more appropriate location. In the lead-up to the ruling, lawyers for the band argued that the case should have been filed somewhere in Europe. - Billboard, 10/20/23...... On Oct. 20 Neil Young surprised fans by announcing that he's unveiling a new album, Before and After, on Dec. 8. According to a press release, Before and After will feature an "eclectic" fresh takes of the Canadian singer/songwriter's favorite lesser-known tracks from his vault and be available in four formats: CD, vinyl LP; clear vinyl LP (Limited Edition available only from Indie outlets and Young's Greedy Hand online store), and Blu-Ray disc featuring Atmos mix, Binaural mix and Hi-Res 96/24 stereo. - Billboard, 10/20/23...... 
In a new interview with the U.K. paper The Sun's "Bizarre" column, Pete Townshend revealed he's turning his 2019 novel The Age of Anxiety into a "full opera" that will be soundtracked by new songs. "I am still developing the score and recording the music," the 78-year-old the Who guitarist said. "I am also working on a documentary about the project, from its inception in 2007 until today. I'm probably two years off completing it, at which time I hope to perform it with a full opera and a cast of guest singers." Townshend says the show will explore society's fears for the future with the impact of global warming and terrorism looming large, the detrimental effects of social media and how that is producing a generation of people with mental health issues. He previously created the rock operas Tommy in 1969 and Quadrophenia in 1973. Meanwhile, the Who's Roger Daltrey is working on his own passion project, a biopic about the band's late drummer Keith Moon, who died aged 32 in 1979 from an accidental drugs overdose. "I've written a film script about his life because I have never met anyone in my life similar to Keith. He was the funniest man I ever met. But he couldn't control his talent," Daltrey noted in a previous interview. - Music-News.com, 10/23/23...... Nile Rodgers & Chic have announced a U.K. tour for summer 2024 with special guest Sophie Ellis-Bextor. The "Good Times" hitmakers will be performing five shows across the UK next year starting at The Piece Hall in Halifax in June 16, also visiting Southampton on June 23, Bedford (7/7), Llangollen (7/11) and Margate (7/13). "Thrilled to announce we're bringing the 'Good Times' back across England and Wales in 2024!," Rodgers shared in an X/Twitter post on Oct. 23. "Mark your calendars because we're gonna light up the night, celebrate life, and dance like there's no tomorrow." Elsewhere, Rodgers features in Duran Duran's latest single "Black Moonlight." - New Musical Express, 10/23/23...... '70s country/pop crossover singer Tanya Tucker is one of three new inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn. Tucker made her debut in 1972 as a precocious 13-year-old talent with the top 10 Billboard Hot Country Songs hit "Delta Dawn," and swiftly went on to rack up six No. 1 Country Songs hits before she turned 18. Tucker's songs with mature themes, such as "What's Your Mama's Name," and "Would You Lay With Me (in a Field of Stone)," helped redefine the boundaries for women in country music. She also blazed her own trail in terms of image, thanks to her edgy cover artwork of her 1978 album TNT, which featured Tucker in leather, while the music embraced rock and pop. Accepting her honor on Oct. 22 at the CMA Theater, Tucker called her journey to the Hall of Fame "a 52-year experience -- and I've had a lot of ups and downs." She thanked her three children, who were in attendance, as well as members of her management and touring teams and paid tribute to her father, champion and early manager, Beau Tucker. Also inducted that evening were songwriter Bob McDill and Patty Loveless. - Billboard, 10/23/23...... 
Robert Plant performed the Led Zeppelin classic "Stairway To Heaven" for the first time during a U.K. charity concert at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire on Oct. 21. Held for The Cancer Platform, the live show was developed by the Cancer Awareness Trust and organised by former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor. One of the main highlights of the evening -- dubbed "An Evening With Andy Taylor And Special Guests" -- arose with a performance from Plant, who broke out the Zeppelin tracks "Thank You," "Black Dog" and "Stairway To Heaven." The latter marked his first time singing the track in 16 years. The last time he sang the iconic Led Zeppelin IV track in public was back in 2007 at London's O2 Arena, later released as the Celebration Day concert film. Footage of the moment can be viewed on Instagram and YouTube. - NME, 10/23/23...... In a new interview with The Los Angeles Times, Cher says that she "buried" her feud with '80s pop queen Madonna "a long time ago." The topic arose when the 77-year-old diva was asked if she knew that Madonna was using old interview clips of her during her ongoing "Celebration" tour dates. According to the Times, the footage embedded in the recent run of live shows sees Cher calling Madonna "mean" in a past interview. "It seems to me when you reach the kind of acclaim that she's reached you should be a little bit more magnanimous, and a little bit less of a c---," she says in the clip, also describing Madonna as a "spoiled brat." "I said a lot worse than that," Cher responded. "I actually like her. But come on." When asked if she thought Madonna could be mean too, she added: "She can be. We buried that hatchet a long time ago because I called her something so much worse, and she forgave me." Cher released her first-ever Christmas album, Christmas on Oct. 20. - NME, 10/23/23...... Barry Manilow announced on Oct. 24 that he'll play his final shows in the U.K. in 2024 during a nine-show residency at the legendary London Palladium music venue between May 24 and June 2. "In 1978, The London Palladium is where I began my love affair with the British public," Manilow said in a presser. "These shows will be my last full concerts in Britain and I wanted to end where I began -- at the London Palladium." Manilow will kick off the final UK run with a one-off show at the new Manchester Co-op Live arena on May 19, playing a hit-packed show, including "Could it Be Magic," "Copa Cabana" and "Can't Smile Without You." Despite these being his final shows in the UK, Manilow says he still loves to perform his most famous tracks at his shows and could never grow tired of them as the audience makes him feel like he's "never heard" the songs before. Manilow kicks off a 20-show residency stateside at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Nov. 10, wrapping on Mar. 9, 2024. - Music-News.com, 10/24/23...... 
The estate of Tom Petty has released three previously unheard songs by the artist to commemorate what would have been his 73rd birthday on Oct. 20. The estate has reissued Petty's 2010 blues album with The Heartbreakers, Mojo, with two new songs added to it called "Help Me" and "Mystery Of Love." Petty once said that Mojo was "where the band [The Heartbreakers] lives when it's playing for itself." Meanwhile, the other new song, 'What's The Matter With Louise', was recorded around the same time as the songs from Petty's 1994 album Wildflowers. It is now available for streaming on Amazon Music. Fans can check out "Help Me" and "Mystery of Love" on YouTube. In addition, the 2021 Mary Wharton-directed documentary Tom Petty: Somewhere You Feel Free has now been added to Amazon Prime for the first time. - NME, 10/22/23...... Joni Mitchell is the subject of an episode of the new music biography series from BBC Radio 4 called Legend that explores the extraordinary life stories of pioneering artists who changed music forever. As Mitchell celebrates her 80th birthday in 2023, the BBC's Jesca Hoop explores the singer/songwriter's extraordinary story to reveal the life behind the legend. Mitchell's Legend episode is available to listen to across six weeks on BBC Radio 4, and on BBC Sounds and podcast feeds everywhere. Through Mitchell's archive, fresh interviews, narration, immersive sound design and an original score, Legend trace sthe story of an extraordinary life and explore what makes Joni a singular artist: the genius of her lyrics; her incredible talent as guitarist, painter and producer; and her restless drive for innovation. Meanwhile another special, Joni Mitchell: Verbatim, will mark the iconic singer/songwriters 80th birthday on Nov. 7, 2023. Incorporating previously unheard interviews, studio out takes, rare demo recordings and archive dating back to her very first radio interview recorded in 1964, Verbatim is the story of Joni's life and career -- told in her own words. - Music-News.com, 10/23/23.
Kicking off his 2023 tour of Australia, Paul McCartney played the Beatles classic "She's A Woman" for the first time in nearly 20 years at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Oct. 18. His first performance in over a year, the Adelaide gig spanned across nearly three hours and included a mix of his solo hits, as well as discography with the Beatles and Wings. "She's A Woman," originally the Fab Four's B-side to "I Feel Fine" and their last single release of 1964, was last played live by Macca in 2004. Elsewhere in the setlist, McCartney opened the show with "Can't Buy Me Love" -- the same as seen in previous dates of his "Got Back" tour -- before launcing into the Wings tracks "Junior's Farm" and "Letting Go." No tracks from his latest album McCartney III were featured in the 39-song setlist, although he did bring out songs such as "Come On To Me," "My Valentine," "Maybe I'm Amazed" and "Dance Tonight" from his solo discography, and even an old pre-Beatles The Quarrymen number, "In Spite Of All The Danger." His "She's A Woman" performance has been shared on 
Pop-rock-funk legend Sly Stone released his first ever memoir, 
Never one to shy away about sharing her feelings about former US president Donald Trump, Cher has told the UK paper 
Actress Piper Laurie, a three-time Oscar nominee who starred in such films as The Hustler and Carrie, died on Oct. 14. She was 91. Born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit on Jan. 22, 1932, Ms. Laurie was plucked out of Los Angeles High School at age 17 and signed to a Universal contract for $250 a week, which would run up to $1,750 a week after seven years. She made her debut as Ronald Reagan's daughter in the 1950 film Louisa and then went on to star in a series of undistinguished comedies and musicals, including a foray into the Francis the talking mule series called Francis Goes to the Races. She negotiated herself out of her contract with Universal in the mid-'50s after a series of ingenue roles in mediocre films and turned in an impressive supporting performance in Robert Wise's Until They Sail (1957), with Jean Simmons, Paul Newman and Joan Fontaine. She scored her first Oscar nomination for her work opposite Newman in 1961's classic poolhall drama The Hustler, in which she played an alcoholic who memorably tells Newman's character, "Look, I've got troubles and I think maybe you've got troubles. Maybe it'd be better if we just leave each other alone." Though she informally retired to raise a family for more than a decade, Ms. Laurie returned to film and television in the mid-'70s and racked up an impressive roster of characterizations, including Oscar-nominated turns in Carrie and in Children of a Lesser God, in which she played Marlee Matlin's icy mother. She also began regular work on television in such TV movies as In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan; the Judy Garland biography Rainbow; and 1981's The Bunker, in which she played Magda Goebbels to Anthony Hopkins' Hitler. Her last film appearances included Eulogy (2004), in which she stood out as the matriarch of a dysfunctional family; The Dead Girl, in which she played another cruel mother, this one bed-ridden; Hounddog, as the stern grandmother of rape victim Dakota Fanning; and Hesher, in which she memorably shared a bong with the stranger, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who insinuates himself into her household. Ms. Laurie's manager Marion Rosenberg confirmed the news of her death to Variety, writing, "A beautiful human being and one of the great talents of our time." - Variety, 10/14/23...... Actor Mark Goddard, best known for his role in the 1960's sci-fi series Lost in Space, died on Oct. 10 after being hospitalized for pneumonia, his wife Evelyn posted on Facebook. "I'm so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10th," she wrote. "Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. We were hopeful when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center, but then doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis for which there is no cure. He received excellent care at the beautiful Pat Roche Hospice Home and was able to die peacefully and with dignity," she added. After starring as Major Don West on Lost in Space, Mr. Goddard guest-starred on a number of series and starred with Liza Minnelli on Broadway in the musical "The Act" in 1978. His last major appearance was in 2010's Soupernatural, but he reprised his signature role as Don West in the BluRay special Lost in Space: The Epilogue in 2015. Tributes poured in for the actor, including one from his former Lost In Space co-star Billy Mumy, who posted Mr. Goddard was "a truly beloved friend and brother to me for 59 years.... The last words we exchanged were 'I love you.'" - Bang Showbiz, 10/13/23...... Phyllis Coates, the first actress to play Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane on television, only to leave the Adventures of Superman after just one season, has died. She was 96. Ms. Coates, who also appeared in Republic Pictures serials and in such films as I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, died on Oct. 11 of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, her daughter Laura Press told The Hollywood Reporter. - The Hollywood Reporter, 10/16/23...... 
Suzanne Somers, best known for playing the ditzy blonde Chrissy Snow on the hit 1977-1981 sitcom 
A Jimi Hendrix Experience cover of the title track of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album has been newly unearthed and released to the public for the first time. The track, which has been shared on 
On Oct. 12 it was revealed that Michael Jackson's leather jacket from his 1984 Pepsi commercial will be auctioned off by Propstore.com. The auction house will be selling the custom-made black and white jacket and over 200 original pieces of music memorabilia on Nov. 10 in one of the biggest ever sales of entertainment collectors' items. Bids on the late King of Pop's garment -- which has no size or manufacturer label -- will start at $100,000, but estimates predict it will fetch between $200,000 and $400,000. For the Pepsi ad filmed in New York City, Michael changed his 1983 hit single "Billie Jean"' to create a jingle referencing Pepsi's "New Generation" of customers, which co-starred a 12-year-old Alfonso Ribeiro before he found fame on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Michael starred in the commercial with his brothers from the Jackson Five and they earned a reputed $5 million -- a record fee at the time -- from PepsiCo in 1983. The jacket is being sold by Wendell Thompson who was gifted the item when he met the pop legend in 1980 aged 12. Thompson -- whose father was Jackson's hairdresser in Florida -- was given the piece of pop history in Dec. 1983 when he was visiting Orlando for the opening of the Michael Jackson room at the Hotel Royal Plaza, originally named The Royal Inn and now called B Resort Spa. Thompson's auction lot also includes the original Polaroid photo of him receiving the jacket, a hand-signed photo from Jackson, The Making of Thriller book, Making Michael Jackson's Thriller LaserDisc and Pepsi set pics. When filming a second Pepsi commercial with his siblings, Michael's hair notoriously caught fire after a pyrotechnics effect went wrong and he sustained second degree burns on his scalp. The incident has been attributed to the start of the Michael's painkiller addiction, a struggle that lasted up until his death on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50 from "acute Propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication." Make-up artist Karen Faye -- who worked with Jackson for 27 years -- testified in a later court case: "I never saw anything like that in my life. This was someone I knew and he was on fire. All his hair was gone and there was smoke coming out of his head." The auction will also include items from other music legends including John Lennon, The Beatles, David Bowie, George Michael, Michael Jackson, Oasis, AC/DC, KISS, Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, Queen, Elvis Presley and Amy Winehouse. - Music-News.com, 10/12/23...... On Oct. 13, ABBA's Agnetha Faltskog released 
Rod Stewart has turned down what could likely have been one of the biggest paydays in his vaunted career over what he says are the repressive policies of the Saudi Arabian government. "I'm grateful that I have a choice whether or not to perform in Saudi Arabia," the "Maggie Mae" singer wrote in an 
Leo Sayer has been forced to cancel his scheduled UK live shows after becoming "very ill," the 
Rudolph Isley, a founding member of the iconic R&B group The Isley Brothers, died on Oct. 11 of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 84. After years of singing gospel in the church, Rudolph formed The Isley Brothers with his siblings Ronnie, O'Kelly and Vernon Isley in 1954 when he was just a teenager. A year later, the group temporarily disbanded after 13-year-old Vernon was killed after getting hit by a car. In 1957, the group rebanded with Ronnie as the lead vocalist, and the trio left their hometown of Cincinnati, Oh., for New York City. There, they recorded their first tracks including "Angels Cried" and "The Cow Jumped Over the Moon," and signed a deal with RCA Records in 1959. They released their first album, Shout!, that same year. The trio added their younger brothers Ernie and Marvin Isley and Rudolph's brother-in-law Chris Jasper into the band in 1971. On the Billboard charts, The Isley Brothers have charted two albums top the all-genre Billboard Hot 200 album chart: The Heat Is On in 1975 and Body Kiss in 2003. Over on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, the group has six No. 1 hits, including "Fight the Power Part 1," "Take Me to the Next Phase," "I Wanna Be With You," "Don't Say Goodnight," "The Pride (Part 1)" and "It's Your Thing." Rudolph left The Isley Brothers in 1989 to pursue becoming a Christian minister. However, he has often reunited with his brothers over the years, including when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, an honor that was presented to them by Little Richard. "There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother," Rudolph's brother Ronald said in a statement. "Our family will miss him. But I know he's in a better place." - Billboard, 10/12/23.
The 
Legendary NYC punk godfathers The Ramones have been channeled by the pop-punk trio Blink-182 in a video for their new single "Dance With Me" that dropped on Oct. 5. In the video which has been shared on 
On Oct. 4 the Eagles announced the dates for their swansong "The Long Goodbye" tour. The trek will feature fellow Rock and Roll Hall of famers Steely Dan as openers for the tour, which is slated to kick off Sept. 7, 2024 with two-night stand at New York's Madison Square Garden, then hit Boston (9/11, 13), Newark, NJ (9/16, 17) and Belmont Park, NY's UBS Arena on Sept. 20. The 23-date/15-city tour also visits such major markets as Denver, Indianapolis, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Raleigh and St. Paul, Minn. before wrapping with two nights at Inglewood, Calif.'s Kia Forum on Jan. 5 and 6, 2025. "The Eagles have had a miraculous 52-year odyssey, performing for people all over the globe; keeping the music alive in the face of tragic losses, upheavals and setbacks of many kinds," read a statement from the group. "Credit and thanks go to our longtime management team, our dedicated road crew, and our exceptional backup musicians for providing skilled and steadfast support, throughout these many years. We know how fortunate we are, and we are truly grateful." - Billboard, 10/4/23...... Paul McCartney launched his new A Life in Lyrics podcast on Oct. 4 with the first episode breaking down the creation of the Beatles' 1966 classic "Eleanor Rigby." In episode one Sir Pual explains where the title for the song came from, sharing that the name for the song came from a grave that he and his late bandmate John Lennon saw. "There is a grave which John and I wandered around endlessly talking about our future," he recalled in the podcast. "And there is a grave there [with the name Eleanor Rigby]. I don't remember ever having seeing that gravestone but it's been suggested to me that psychologically I would have seen it." He also shared where the famous lyric "wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door" originated from, attributing the words to his mother and her love and use of Nivea cold cream. "My mum's favourite was Nivea and I love it to this day. It kind of scared me a little that women used quite so much cold cream, and it was my dread, when I got older and got married, that I would marry someone who would [wear a lot of cold cream] and put one of those big shower caps on and the curlers and have masses of things. So that played on my mind quite a bit, so she's wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door," he said. McCartney: A Life In Lyrics, based on McCartney's best-selling book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present was co-produced by Pushkin Industries and iHeartPodcasts. Superfans can binge all of the first season immediately with a 
The Exorcist: Believer, the latest in the demonic franchise based on the 1973 horror classic 
Legendary NFL linebacker Dick Butkus, perhaps the greatest player to ever suit up in that position, died "peacefully in his sleep" at his home in Malibu, Calif., on Oct. 5. He was 80. Mr. Butkus patrolled the middle for the Chicago Bears' "Monsters of the Midway" for nine seasons -- from 1965 to 1974 -- stuffing the stat sheet and striking fear into the hearts of opponents in the process. A five-time first team All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Mr. Butkus was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All-1960s and All-1970s teams and was inducted as a player in 1979. He was a Chicago legend through-and-through -- born in the Windy City and becoming a college football legend at Illinois before he was selected by the Bears with the third overall pick in the 1965 NFL draft. His impact was immediate as he intercepted five passes and recorded seven fumble recoveries, both career highs, while earning his first All-Pro honor, and continued to shine from there. Mr. Butkus retired in May 1974 after nine seasons, hastened by a 1970 knee injury, finishing his career with 22 interceptions and 27 fumble recoveries. Mr. Butkus went on to appear in a number of movies and TV shows following his retirement, including the motion picture Any Given Sunday and most notably on NBC sitcoms Hang Time and My Two Dads. "Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the NFL's all-time greats," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Dick's intuition, toughness and athleticism made him the model linebacker whose name will forever be linked to the position and the Chicago Bears." In 1985 the Butkus Award was established, honoring the top linebacker in college football. Since 2008, Mr. Butkus' foundation has overseen the award, with the best high school and NFL linebackers also honored. A moment of silence was held for Mr. Butkus before the Oct. 5 game between the Washington Commanders and the Bears. - USA Today, 10/6/23.
In a recent interview with Vulture.com, Stevie Nicks says "there's no reason" to continue on with Fleetwood Mac after the November 2022 death of Fleetwood Mac keyboardist/singer Christine McVie. "We did go out on the road and do a year-and-a-half tour with [Lindsey Buckingham replacements] Neil Finn and Mike Campbell," Nicks said. "We had a really great time and it was a huge tour. That was there in the realm of possibility. But when Christine died, I felt like you can't replace her. You just can't. Without her, what is it? You know what I mean?" Nicks is currently in the midst of a solo tour as well as a co-headlining tour with Billy Joel, and recently unveiled her very own Barbie Music Collector doll from Mattel. Decked out in a Rumours-esque black outfit and feathered '70s hair, the doll will be released in November. "My Stevie @Barbie has been with me now for several months," Nicks later posted on 
The legendary 1985 Live Aid charity mega-concert featuring such top rock stars as Queen, U2, David Bowie and Paul McCartney is being made into a musical that will be staged in London in 2024, it was announced on Oct. 2. Titled "Just For One Day," the production has received the blessing of Live Aid organizer and former The Boomtown Rats frontman Sir Bob Geldof, who told BBC News that no actors will be trying to imitate the original performers. "This isn't a tribute thing. I wouldn't have anything to do with that," he said. "So, there isn't a person dressed up as Freddie [Mercury] wearing a crap moustache. The songs drive the drama along." The plot of "Just For One Day," named after a line in Bowie's song 'Heroes', will balance a behind-the-scenes look at how Band Aid and Live Aid came together, with a love story inspired by real events. "The story is based on actual testimony from the day," Geldof noted. "It's real people telling their story throughout this. So it's complex theatre." "Just For One Day" has been green-lit with the full permission of the Band Aid Charitable Trust, which will receive 10% of every ticket sale. John O'Farrell, who wrote the "Mrs Doubtfire" musical, originally conceived the play with musical director Luke Sheppard. Live Aid, held on July 13, 1985 to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia, was attended by about 72,000 people at London's Wembley stadium, and, simultaneously more than 89,000 people at the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, US. An estimated 1.9 billion people from across 130 countries watched the TV broadcast. - NME, 10/2/23...... It appears the years-long copyright battle against contemporary pop star Ed Sheeran over whether he copied his hit "Thinking Out Loud" from Marvin Gaye's iconic No. 1 '70s single 
The Who's classic 1971 set 
A massive 55-song Tina Turner compilation titled 
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat and champion of liberal causes who was elected to the Senate in 1992, died on Sept. 28 at her home in Washington, D.C. She was 90. Ms. Feinstein, the oldest sitting U.S. senator, broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, and was a passionate advocate for liberal priorities important to her state -- including environmental protection, reproductive rights and gun control -- but was also known as a pragmatic lawmaker wo reached out to Republicans and sought middle ground. Ms. Feinstein was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969 and became its first female president in 1978, the year SF Mayor George Moscone was gunned down alongside Supervisor Harvey Milk, a local champion of gay rights, at City Hall by Dan White, a disgruntled former supervisor. Ms. Feinstein found Milk's body. After Moscone's death, Ms. Feinstein became San Francisco's first female mayor. In the Senate, she was one of California's first two female senators, the first woman to head the Senate Intelligence Committee and the first woman to serve as the Judiciary committee's top Democrat. Her death came after a bout of shingles sidelined her for more than two months earlier in 2023. When she returned to the Senate in May, she was frail and using a wheelchair, voting only occasionally. Pres. Joe Biden, who served with Ms. Feinstein for years in the Senate, called her "a pioneering American," a "true trailblazer" and a "cherished friend." - AP, 9/29/23.