Posted by Administrator on March 27th, 2024
Grammy-winning guitarist-vocalist George Benson is reuniting with his former label, Warner Bros. Records, who released his breakthrough 1976 album Breezin' that topped the pop, R&B and jazz charts, propelled by the top 10 crossover hit, "This Masquerade." In addition to new music arriving later this year, the artist and Warner Music Group are celebrating the reunion with a previously unreleased YouTube video featuring Benson in a live performance of the track "Lady Blue" in the late '70s. "When I joined WB Records the first time, it caused an explosion in my career as a musician and quest to become a singer," said Benson, who was already a renowned jazz guitarist when he joined the lable, in a press release. "The exposure from that union has given me a life that I never imagined. Nothing but good has come from this partnership and today the inspiration continues on," he added. Benson recorded 12 albums for WB between 1979 and 1993, including the platinum-certified albums In Flight (1977), Weekend in L.A. (1978), and Give Me the Night (1980). He is also a 10-time Grammy winner, out of 25 nominations, and his cover of Leon Russell's "This Masquerade" won Record of the Year in 1976. Benson is set to perform at the Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 18. - Billboard, 3/26/24...... 
On Mar. 24 Roger Daltrey celebrated his final performance as the curator of the annual Teenage Cancer Trust concerts after 24 years with an all-star performance of one of The Who's most beloved songs, "Baba O'Riley." The "Ovation" concert at London's Royal Albert Hall ended with the 80-year-old Daltrey singing the Who's go-to show-closing 1971 epic, with Robert Plant, Eddie Vedder, Glen Hansard, Kelly Jones of the Stereophonics, and Pete Townshend's brother Simon Townshend. In fan-shot video shared on YouTube, Daltrey takes the lead with Vedder, Plant, Jones, Hansard and Townshend leaning in to add group backing vocals. Pete Townshend performed with the Who earlier in the run and was slated to be on the "Ovation" lineup but had to miss the Mar. 24 show to be in New York for the opening of the revamped "Tommy" on Broadway. Though Daltrey is stepping down from his post, after the encore, he told the crowd, "I'm not going away from the Teenage Cancer Trust. I've completed the job I set out to do. We're going to get curators to do a year rather than doing 20 years... But I've got other work to do for the charity that is kind of more important because we live in a day where our NHS [National Health Service] everyone knows is very questionable even surviving. We are part of that service, though we are a charity If the NHS goes down, I want to make sure this charity doesn't go down with it." Among those thanking Daltrey for his TCT work with videos posted on social media were Paul McCartney and Nile Rodgers. Introducing himself as "Paul here, your friend of a million years," McCartney said: "Thank you for your 24 years of incredible service to Teenage Cancer. You've made so many kids happy and healthier and all of us connected with it want to thank you, so much," he began. "So what we say is [sings] 'thank you Roger, thank you so, you're a hero and you better know' -- That's one of the best songs I've ever written." Nile Rodgers also thanked Daltrey, saying: "It's Roger's last year curating these amazing gigs for Teenage Cancer Trust, and what an incredible 24 years it's been, showcasing the biggest names in music and comedy for a brilliant cause -- 600 hours of live music, reunions, supergroups, and of course rock n roll." Their messages can be viewed on X/Twitter. Daltrey has hosted and curated the fundraising shows since 2000, raising more than $40 million to date. He will still be an Honorary Patron of the charity, despite stepping down as curator of its annual concert series. - Billboard, 3/26/24...... Bruce Springsteen will be recognized for his "outstanding contribution to the craft of songwriting," as well as his "impact on the UK's cultural landscape," when he is honored as the first international songwriter outside the UK to receive the prestigious Ivors Academy Honor during an Amazon Music ceremony in London on May 23. The Boss will also be the irst American musician in the organization's 80-year history -- as well as the 27th musician overall -- to become an Academy Fellow, which is the highest honor one can receive from the institution. "I'm proud to be the first international songwriter to be recognized by The Ivors Academy," Springsteen said of the prize in a statement. "In addition to recognizing my songwriting, the award stands as a tribute to the fans and friends who have supported me and my work for the last 50 years. This entire country has made me feel welcome every step of the way. For this, I will always remain deeply appreciative," he added. Previous recipients include the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Joan Armatrading and Sting. Meanwhile, the the 74-year-old rock icon has said he's worried that his battle with peptic ulcer disease, which kept him off the road for six months during his latest world tour with the E Street Band, might permanently sideline him. In an interview with the E Street Radio channel, Springsteen told host Jim Rotolo that there was a point recently when he feared he might never perform live again. "Once I started singing, you know, you can rehearse singing, but your voice isn't the same in rehearsal. You don't have that edge of adrenaline that really pushes it into a better place and the thing when I had the stomach problem, one of the big problems was I couldn't sing," said Springsteen, who paused the E Street's planned 2023-2024 world tour in September for a total of 29 shows due to the serious effects of the gastro disease. "You sing with your diaphragm. My diaphragm was hurting so badly that when I went to make the effort to sing, it was killing me, you know?," he added. Thanks to his medical team, Springsteen is back and during the show in Phoenix on Mar. 19 -- originally slated for Nov. 30 -- he rocked through 29 songs without even mentioning the medical issue until the final song of the set. "I had a motherf----r of a bellyache," he told the crowd near the end of the two hour and 45 minute set. - Billboard, 3/26/24...... 
Ahead of a new Beach Boys documentary set to air on Disney+ in May, the band will release their first-ever and only autobiography, The Beach Boys, on Apr. 2. Surviving band members including Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston have chronicled their journey to fame and the success that followed in an autobiography that the title claims is "in their own words." Boasting 408 pages, The Beach Boys will include a detailed history about the band through their unique perspective providing a more intimate look at the band's history. The official description also says that the text will be accompanied with "iconic images, never-before-seen negatives and rare ephemera." Lindsey Buckingham, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Ray Davies, Bob Dylan, Def Leppard, David Lee Roth, Roger McGuinn, Graham Nash, Jimmy Page, Carly Simon and Pete Townshend are among the lineup of famous musicians who were tapped to contribute to the book. "There's love in the music and people can relate to the love, regardless of whether you're two years old or 92 years old," Brian Wilson said in a description of the book for Amazon.com. "For me, music is about love. Love is the message I want to share. I hope people feel that in my music. That makes the hard work worth it." - Billboard, 3/26/24...... Willie Nelson announced on Mar. 26 that his 4th of July Picnic will be moving to Philadelphia, PA for the first time. The country/pop superstar's annual concert, which he started in 1973, will be held at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, N.J., just outside Philadelphia, the birthplace of America. "I am thrilled to bring the 4th of July Picnic to Philadelphia for the first time in our storied history," Nelson said in a statement. "It's an honor to host such an extraordinary lineup of talent in the birthplace of our country. We can't wait to celebrate Independence Day with you," he added. Willie, now 91, first held the 4th of July Picnic more than 50 years ago in 1973 at Hurlbut Ranch in Dripping Springs, Tex. Over the decades, artists on the bill have included Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, The Charlie Daniels Band, Rita Coolidge and Leon Russell. The 2023 event was held at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Tex., and featured Tyler Childers, Dwight Yoakam, Shakey Graves and Sierra Ferrell, among others. Though this is the first stop in the Philly area, the picnic has been held outside Texas before, including at The Gorge in Quincy, WA, in 2007 and Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO, in 1978. On May 31, Nelson will release his latest album The Border, and will, once again, headline his annual Outlaw Music Festival Tour, which kicks off June 21 in Alpharetta, GA, and features many of the same artists as will appear at the July 4 event. - Billboard, 3/26/24...... AC/DC has announced its support act for the band's 2024 UK Wembley Stadium and European tour. The Pretty Reckless, a New York rock group comprised of frontwoman Taylor Momsen, alongside Jamie Perkins, Ben Phillips and Mark Damon, will be performing in the UK for first time since 2022 when they traveled outside the US for their "Death by Rock and Roll Tour." The tour dates with AC/DC are set to kick off in Germany on May 17, and will see them play numerous shows across Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland, before heading to the UK for two shows at Wembley Stadium on July 3 and 7. From there, the tour will head abroad again for remaining shows in Germany, Slovakia, France, Ireland and more. - New Musical Express, 3/25/24...... Van Morrison and The Corrs are the latest acts to be confirmed for the Forest Live 2024 festival set for Westonbirt Arboretum in Tetbury in Gloucestershire, UK, on July 7 and 6, respectively. The picturesque venue will also play host to acclaimed American jazz, blues and soul singer Gregory Porter on July 4, pop star Anne-Marie on July 5, and disco icons Nile Rodgers and CHIC on July 12. Forestry England uses the money raised from tickets for Forest Live to maintain the beautiful natural areas and run vital conservation projects, including planting trees. Tickets can be obtained through the ForestLive.com website. - Music-News.com, 3/22/24...... 
After becoming a staple within pop culture, notably being featured in the famous final scene of HBO's The Sopranos series finale "Made in America" as well as numerous theatrical films including Rock of Ages, Glee and Monster, Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" has been named as "the biggest song of all time" by Forbes magazine. According to the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), "Don't Stop Believin'" is now an 18-times-platinum-certified single, meaning that the track has moved more than 18 million units between pure sales and other forms of consumption like streaming in the US alone. Before reaching this honor, in May 2013, "Don't Stop Believin'" had only hit quadruple platinum status. Journey's founding member and lead guitarist Neal Schon took to X/Twitter to celebrate the achievement. "We now officially have the biggest song in the world ever in the history of music! Congratulations to all," he wrote. Former Journey frontman Steve Perry also took to his Instagram account to celebrate, writing: "To be part of such a moment as this made me reflect on my parents. By that I mean, though I lost them both years ago, I was so happy for them because they are truly the reason this is happening. My dad was a singer and both of them were very musical. So on behalf of my Mom and Dad, I thank every one of you for so many years of support." Upon it's release in Oct. 1981, "Don't Stop Believin'" earned the #9 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, becoming one of Journey's biggest hits. The track appeared on the band's seventh studio LP Escape which landed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 200 upon its release, and was certified a Diamond seller by the RIAA in July 2021 for at least 10 million sales in the US, making it the band's most successful studio album and second most successful album overall behind Greatest Hits. Journey announced on Feb. 27 that they'll kick off a 50th anniversary tour of the UK and Ireland this autumn in Cardiff's Utilita Arena on Oct. 30. - NME, 3/22/24...... Ryan Coogler, the director of the recent action flick Black Panther, is set to produce an as yet untitled "jukebox movie musical" based on the music of Prince. The film, which has been in the works since 2018, has a script by Bryan Edward Hill, who has written for comic books including Kilmonger and Ultimate Black Panther. In January, it was announced that Prince's Purple Rain film and soundtrack would be adapted into stage musical. The adaptation is set to feature a score by the late Prince, with a book by Pulitzer Prize-finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, who is currently enjoying the Broadway run of his acclaimed drama "Appropriate." Jacobs-Jenkins' book will be based on the original Purple Rain screenplay, which was written by Albert Magnoli (who also directed the original film) and William Blinn. - Billboard, 3/23/24...... Elvis Presley's ex-wife Priscilla Presley has shut down a rumor suggesting she is in love with her former Dallas co-star Patrick Duffy. Presley, 78, dispelled the "unbelievable" rumor during a Q&A event at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn., on Mar. 23. "Now there's this whole big thing out there that I love Patrick Duffy, and I'm reading this in a magazine that someone showed me yesterday," Priscilla said as she discussed her career after her divorce from Elvis in 1972. "I'm going, 'This is unbelievable, really, this is so crazy.'" The Naked Gun actress did not specify the article she was referring to. However, she claimed that the dating speculation began after she spent time with Duffy and his partner Linda Purl at a Dallas cast reunion event at the Burbank Marriott Convention Center on Mar. 1. "I hadn't seen him in a long time, and it was a great reunion," she explained. "Patrick told me how happy he was, and we talked to the audience and they had questions for us and that's it." Presley played Jenna Wade in Dallas for six seasons between 1983 and 1988. Jenna was the high school sweetheart of Duffy's character Bobby Ewing. In addition to Dallas, Presley appeared in all three Naked Gun films and made appearances on TV shows such as The Fall Guy, Melrose Place, Spin City and Dancing with the Stars. - Music-News.com, 3/26/24...... 
Joni Mitchell's catalog of classic tunes has been restored to Spotify.com, a week after her old friend Neil Young allowed his song canon to return to the popular streaming music platform. Mitchell pulled her music from Spotify in early 2022 in solidarity with Young over their concerns about the vaccine and Covid-19 misinformation being spread on the platform's popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Though Mitchell, 80, has not as yet formally commented on her music's return to Spotify, in a note on her official website posted at the time of the boycott she explained, "I've decided to remove all my music from Spotify. Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue." Earlier in March, Young said in a post on his Neil Young Archives site that the end of Spotify's exclusive deal with Rogan led to the restoration of his music to the service. "My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at Spotify," Young's post read -- in a clear reference to the Joe Rogan podcast, though he never mentioned the show, or its host, by name. Since February, the Rogan podcast has been available on a variety of platform, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and YouTube. At the time of Mitchell's boycott not all of her music was actually removed from Spotify. While such iconic titles as 1970's Ladies of the Canyon, 1971's Blue and 1974's Court and Spark went away during the pull-out, her four Geffen Records albums from the 1980s and early 1990s were still available. - Billboard, 3/22/24.
Ozzy Osbourne's wife Sharon Osbourne has opened up about the couple's decades-long marriage in a new interview with the UK's Daily Mirror paper. Sharon revealed that she and Ozzy had once tried marriage guidance counselling -- but it only lasted 30 minutes. "No matter how much bad behaviour or who's wrong or right in a certain situation, I love him," she explained. "He's the only man other than my dad that I've ever loved. I just adore him. And I knew what he was before I married him," she added. Reflecting on Ozzy's well publicized struggles with drugs and alcohol, she added: "But in my youth, being naive, I thought, 'I can change Ozzy. He won't drink when he's with me. I'll make him a nice home and nest and we'll be happy ever after.' But that's not real life. I knew what he was. I knew he had addictions and I took it on. We can't go for a week without each other. It's ridiculous." Sharon also says that Ozzy has "always been inappropriate with women." "We have a nurse at home, quite a large Russian lady, and she bent over him and he goes, 'Tell me, did you breastfeed your kids?' And I'm like, 'You cannot say those things now. The world today is different. You cannot talk to a woman like that. You can get into trouble'," she said. Earlier in 2024, Sharon revealed she once tried to take her own life after discovering that Ozzy was having an affair with a celebrity hairdresser, which went on for four years between 2012-2016. Ozzy and Sharon temporarily separated following the revelation. Sharon said she was "used to" her husband "always" having groupies, adding: "But when he knows the name of the person, where they live and where they work it is a whole different thing as you are emotionally invested. I took, I don't know how many pills." In January, Sharon revealed that Ozzy, who has ongoing health issues, was planning "two more shows to say goodbye" before he fully retires from performing live. - New Musical Express, 3/21/24...... 
In other Ozzy-related news, the historic Birmingham pub where Ozzy and Black Sabbath once played has been granted secured listed status by the UK's Department of Culture, following fears it may be knocked down. The Crown venue on Station Street, also regarded by some as the "birthplace of heavy metal" was one of the buildings at risk on that street, as is the Electric -- the UK's oldest working cinema which was shut down earlier in March. Now however, the Crown has been listed as Grade II by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England, helping to secure its future on the street. The iconic space, first erected in 1881, has been empty for 10 years now, and initially, Birmingham Open Media had planned to buy and restore the pub, however the organisation lost its funding and faced competition from a developer wanting to use the site for housing. The listed status comes after more than 15,000 people signed a petition, calling for the street to be saved and regarded as "a site of civic pride, cultural value and historic asset." The new status gives the venue more protection from re-development. Not only did Black Sabbath famously play many of their first shows at the site, but it also saw acts including Thin Lizzy, The Who, Supertramp, Duran Duran, Status Quo and Judas Priest headline earlier in their careers. Black Sabbath's Toni Iommi, one of the Crown's biggest backers, celebrated the news with a post on Instagram. - NME, 3/18/24...... Speaking of Judas Priest, the iconic heavy metal band has landed its third No. 1 album on Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums chart for the week dated Mar. 23. Invincible Shield, released on Mar. 8, has bowed with 25,000 equivalent album units earned March 8-14 in the U.S., according to Luminate. Of that sum, 23,000 units are via album sales. Priest's previous leaders on Top Hard Rock Albums, which began in 2007, are 2014's Redeemer of Souls and 2018's Firepower. Invincible Shield starts at No. 6 on Billboard's Top Rock & Alternative Albums and at No. 4 on Top Rock Albums. It is the band's 19th studio album, and its first in six years. The album also replaces Queen's Greatest Hits on the Top Hard Rock Albums tally, which has topped the chart every week since Nov. 4, 2023. Invincible Shield's lead single, "Crown of Horns," currently sits an No. 28 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. - Billboard, 3/20/24...... Michael Jackson's son Blanket Jackson is asking a Los Angeles judge to order his grandmother Katherine Jackson to stop using money from the late pop superstar's estate to fund her ongoing legal battles against the estate's executors over their recent $600 million deal with Sony. In court filings dated Mar. 18, Blanket is arguing that the estate shouldn't foot the bill for Katherine's pending appeal, in which she's challenging a 2023 ruling that gave co-executors John Branca and John McClain approval to proceed with an unnamed transaction. While the disputed deal itself is not explicitly named in legal documents, it appears to be the Jackson estate's estimated $600 million deal to sell part of the singer's catalog to Sony. Both Blanket and Katherine initially opposed the estate's proposed transaction, but after the judge ruled last year that the deal could move forward, Blanket and Jackson's other children accepted the decision. Katherine opted instead to keep fighting, filing an appeal that remains pending. In December, Katherine filed motions asking that the estate pay for her legal bills stemming from her objections, including the ongoing appellate case. But in his filing on Monday, Blanket said it would be "unfair" to force him and his siblings to pay for that case, since his grandmother's efforts face "long odds." Blanket did argue however that the estate should, in fact, pay Katherine's legal bills for her initial opposition to the deal -- arguing that she had presented "essential evidence" about the proposed transaction and that "all heirs and beneficiaries benefited from this court's scrutiny." - Billboard, 3/21/24...... Metallica was among the performers honoring Elton John and Bernie Taupin during the 2024 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at DAR Constitution Hall on Mar. 20 in Washington, DC. John and his songwriting partner Taupin were honored with the Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song at the ceremony, which was hosted by Billy Porter. Ahead of the event, Metallica said they were "beyond excited and proud to have been invited to perform at the "very special event" before describing John and Taupin as a "legendary songwriting team." The group opened the show with a rendition of "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" from John's 1973 double album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, footage of which has been shared on X/Twitter. In addition, Annie Lennox covered "Border Song" from John's 1970 self-titled album and joined Joni Mitchell and Brandi Carlile for a joint performance of Elton's 1983 hit "I'm Still Standing." John closed the night with a live rendition of his 1970 classic track "Your Song." The invitation-only ceremony is scheduled to air on PBS in the US on Apr. 8. - NME, 3/21/24...... 
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band returned to the stage on Mar. 19 at Phoenix, Arizona's Footprint Center after Springsteen took an extended 6-month break from the road as he suffered from peptic ulcer disease that caused him to postpone 29 dates on his world tour with the band. The Boss, clad in a red and black checkered shirt with rolled-up sleeves and black jeans, was in top form from show opener "Lonesome Day" and fully had his sea legs back by third song, "No Surrender," when he gave his first trademark shout out, "Cmon, Steve!" beckoning for his brother-in-music for over half a century, Steven Van Zandt, to join him on the mic. Unlike the setlists from earlier shows on this tour that seemed slightly more reflective and wide-ranging, the latest show was more of a high-octane, freight train of a rock show. Springsteen and the band barreled through 29 songs, passionately delivering mainly full-on rockers, in 2 hours and 45 minutes. The only break between songs was the few seconds it took for Springsteen to change guitars and, other than a few asides, he only addressed the audience for the speech before "Last Man Standing" and after "Backstreets." He never brought up his illness until right before the closing song when he apologized to anyone inconvenienced by the Phoenix date shifting from Nov. 30 to Mar. 19, adding, "I had a mother-----r of a bellyache." His 7-song encore included a rendition of the Isley Brothers' classic "Twist & Shout," after holding up a suggestion sign from a member of the audience to the band. - Billboard, 3/20/24...... Songs by '70s artists The Doobie Brothers, Donna Summer and Charlie Pride are among ten recordings that were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame on Mar. 20, following a two-year period in which the Hall was put on hiatus for a reevaluation. Several changes were made during the hiatus period. The number of inducted recordings is down significantly from 25 to 30 in prior years. And while past classes have included repeat inductions by such Hall of Fame mainstays as The Beatles and Ella Fitzgerald, all of this year's choices are by first-time inductees into the Hall. The as usual eclectic selection of artists chosen include the Doobies' 1979 No. 1 smash "What a Fool Believes," Donna Summer's 1977 No. 6 hit "I Feel Love" (her longest charting single), and country star Charlie Pride's 1971 signature song "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'." This year's class, which also includes songs and albums by the likes of Guns N Roses, Lauryn Hill and De La Soul, will be saluted at the Grammy Museum's inaugural Grammy Hall of Fame Gala and concert on May 21 at the NOVO Theater in Los Angeles. - Billboard, 3/20/24...... The US tabloid The New York Post is reporting that the Eagles could be headed for a residency at the spectacular new venue the Sphere in Las Vegas. The Post reported claims made by various sources, stating that the country-rock veterans will enjoy a 10-week residency in Las Vegas later in 2024. The report claims that the official announcement is set to be made soon, and the booking will see the band perform in the impressive new venue from September through to December. If the Eagles do play the Vegas residency, the dates would come as an extension to their ongoing farewell shows, held as part of itsd "Long Goodbye" tour. The final run of tour dates kicked off in Sept. 2023, and is expected to run up until 2025. Currently, the last show officially listed on the schedule is planned for Arnhem in The Netherlands, and will take place on June 15. For the farewell tour, founding member Don Henley -- alongside Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Vince Gill and Deacon Frey -- plan to play "as many shows in each market as their audience demands." A spokesperson for the Sphere declined to shed light on the situation, telling the Post, "We do not comment on any artists performing at Sphere except for those who have been announced." - NME, 3/20/24...... During a concert in Toledo on Mar. 17, John Mellencamp called out a "cocksucker heckler" who kept asking him to "play some music." According to footage shared by an audience member on TikTok, the 72-year-old singer is seen sharing an anecdote with his crowd between songs, however, after a few seconds he is interrupted by a fan urging him to "play some music." "What do you think I've been doing, you cocksucker?" the Indiana rocker replied. "Here's the thing, man. You don't know me. You don't f----ing know me." "Hey Joe, find this guy and let me see him after the show," Mellencamp added, going on to continue with his anecdote before being interrupted again. "Guys, I can stop this show right now and just go home and I tell you what I'm going to do. Since you've been so wonderful, I'm going to cut about 10 songs out of the show," he said. From there, he began to play the "Jack & Diane" solo, before deciding: "Y'know what? Show's over." Mellencamp then left the stage and the house lights went up, but he eventually returned to the stage and performed a few more songs to close off the night. - NME, 3/19/24...... 
On Mar. 18 Jeff Lynne's ELO announced the dates for the classic rock group's final run of North American dates. The 27-date "Over and Out Tour" is slated to kick off on Aug. 24 in Palm Desert, Calif. and keep the "Evil Woman" band on the road through late October, with stops including Seattle (8/27), Vancouver (8/28), San Francisco (9/1), Toronto (9/9), Pittsburgh (9/10), Cincinnati (9/14), New York (9/16), Boston (9/23), Chicago (9/27), Denver (10/2), Detroit (10/9), Houston (10/16), Phoenix (10/21) and Sacramento (10/23) before winding down on Oct. 25 with a show at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale on Mar. 22, and more info can be found at JeffLynnesELO.com. The original ELO released a dozen albums through 2001's Zoom -- plus the 1980 soundtrack to Xanadu featuring Olivia Newton-John -- as well as two credited to Jeff Lynne's ELO -- 2015's Alone in the Universe and 2019's From Out of Nowhere. The 2019 tour supporting the latter album was the last time Lynne, 76, was on the road. - Billboard, 3/18/24...... The BBC is celebrating ABBA's 50th anniversary with an hour-long documentary, When Abba Came to Britain, as part of a Saturday night full of ABBA specials on BBC Two on Mar. 23. Another special is called More ABBA at the BBC, and there will be further programming across the BBC, including BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. The "Dancing Queen" hitmakers -- Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad -- made the UK their home from 1974 to 1982, and the film "examines their ground-breaking legacy," from winning Eurovision with "Waterloo" to ABBA Voyage, their record-breaking, first-of-its-kind avatar show in London. Viewers can expect "previously un-transmitted interviews with ABBA" with unseen footage thought to be lost. It will include interviews with the likes of Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie and indie pop group Blossoms, who cite ABBA as an influence. - Music-News.com, 3/18/24...... On Mar. 18 The Who's Roger Daltrey announced a new "semi-acoustic" solo tour of North America this summer. Daltrey posted on the Who's official Instagram account and announced nine dates in June that will see the frontman perform "The Who hits and rarities along with solo music and stories about his incredible 60 year career" with the help of an "electric/acoustic" band. The tour will kick off in Vienna, Va. on June 12 before heading to Niagara Falls two days later. Other dates throughout the tour will see Daltrey and his backing band perform in Bethel, NY (6/16), Port Chester, NY (6/18), Boston (6/20), Lenox, Mass. (6/22), Detroit (6/25), Indianapolis (6/27) and Highland Park, Ill. (6/29). In December, Townshend said that the Who will have talks about where they go next, after playing their most recent show at the Sandringham Estate last summer. "I think it's time for Roger and I to go to lunch and have a chat about what happens next. Because Sandringham shouldn't feel like the end of anything but it feels like the end of an era." Meanwhile, pop and contemporary Christian artist Ryan Ellis, who was nominated for a Grammy for best contemporary Christian music performance/song this year for "God Problems," has been named a celebrity ambassador for Daltrey's and Pete Townshend's Teen Cancer America charity. As part of his role, Ellis will perform at the fifth annual Rockin' Polo Match, a TCA fundraiser taking place June 15 at Will Rogers State Park in Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades. The charity, funded by Daltrey and Townshend, is dedicating to getting specialized and appropriate care for teen cancer patients, who often fall in a gap between pediatric and adult oncology treatment. - NME, 3/19/24...... 
On Mar. 19 Deep Purple announced details of a new UK arena tour set for later in 2024. Called the "'One More Time" tour, the dates comprise five shows across the country, and will see frontman Ian Gillan and co. run through live renditions of their biggest hits including "Smoke on the Water," "Highway Star" and "Soldier Of Fortune." The dates kick off with an opening night at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham on Nov. 4, before resuming two days later with a show at London's O2 on Nov. 6. A gig at the First Direct Arena in Leeds is scheduled for the following night (11/7), and the tour wraps up with slots at Manchester's AO arena and Glasgow's OVO Hydro -- set for Nov. 9 and 10 respectively. Support for the UK shows will come from '90s indie-rock legends Reef, and tickets go on general sale on Mar. 22. Ahead of embarking on their UK shows, Deep Purple are set to head down under next month, and play a series of Australian festival slots alongside rock icons including Blondie, Alice Cooper, Placebo, Wolfmother and more. A run of European tour dates will then follow, and run throughout the summer. Deep Purple will also soon launch a deluxe version of their classic 1972 album Machine Head. Machine Head - 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition will be available beginning Mar. 29 as a 3-CD/LP/Blu-ray set. The new version will feature new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes by Dweezil Zappa, as well as the original 1974 quadraphonic mix. It also features two live albums: one recorded at the Paris Theatre in London in Mar. 1972, and a previously unreleased set recorded at the casino in Montreux in 1971. - NME, 3/19/24...... Longtime Styx bassist Ricky Phillips has departed the US hard rock band after a 21-year tenure. Phillips, 71, split duties with original bassist Chuck Panozzo for 21 years but has decided to take a break from the road to focus on a studio project close to home. In a statement, Phillips said: "Dear Friends, after touring for 50 years with The Babys, Bad English... Tina Turner, Belinda Carlisle... and writing, touring, and co-producing... with Ronnie Montrose, to name a chosen few... I'm taking a breather." He continued: "My last 20+ years of touring and recording with my friends in Styx has come to an end. I am taking a break from the road. I'm not retiring, just taking a break. Presently, I have accepted an offer to co-produce a project in a studio close to home. I've known since I was a kid that live performance is in my blood so, in time I will post any future engagements or commitments. But for right now, Melissa and I will share coffee talk and meals from home... with our critters close by." Phillips contributed to four Styx albums, the most recent being 2021's Crash of the Crown, and worked with Led Zeppelin legend Jimmy Page and Whitesnake vocalist David Coverdale on their 1993 Coverdale/Page LP. - Music-News.com, 3/21/24...... Byron Janis, hailed as one of the great pianists of the 20th century, died on Mar. 14 at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He was 95. The rare student of Vladimir Horowitz, Mr. Janis made a dazzling Carnegie Hall debut at age 20 and performed major concertos from Chopin, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Liszt and Prokofiev. During his 85-year career, he covered composers from Bach to David W. Guion and performed major piano concertos from Chopin, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Liszt and Prokofiev. He occupied two volumes of the 1999 Mercury Philips series Great Pianists of the 20th Century and recorded for Philips, EMI, Sony and Universal as well. Mr. Janis performed six times by four sitting presidents at the White House, and among his awards were the Commander of the French Legion d'Honneur for Arts and Letters, the Grand Prix du Disque, the Stanford Fellowship from Yale and the gold medal from the French Society for the Encouragement of Progress (he was the first musician to receive that honor since its inception in 1906). He composed the scores for major musical productions of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Hans Brinker," and wrote one for The True Gen, a 2013 documentary on the 20-year friendship between Gary Cooper and Ernest Hemingway. He is survived by his wife, Maria Cooper Janis, daughter of two-time Oscar-winning actor Gary Cooper. - The Hollywood Reporter, 3/17/24...... 
M. Emmet Walsh, the familiar character actor in such films as Blade Runner, Blood Simple, Ordinary People, Knives Out, My Best Friend's Wedding, Slap Shot and more than 200 other films and TV shows spanning a half-century, died on Mar. 19. He was three days short of turning 89. His manager Sandy Joseph told Deadline.com that Mr. Walsh died of cardiac arrest at Kerbs Memorial Hospital in St. Albans, VT. Born on Mar. 22, 1935, in Ogdensburg, NY, Mr. Walsh was raised in rural Vermont. He began his screen career guesting on late-1960s TV series before landing bit parts in films including Alice's Restaurant, Little Big Man and Escape from the Planet of the Apes. He continued to guest-star in episodes of popular 1960s and 70s series including Bonanza, All in the Family, Ironside, The Bob Newhart Show, McMillan & Wife, The Rockford Files, The Waltons, Starsky and Hutch, James at 16, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and many more. He also appeared on the big screen in such '70s hits as Serpico, Straight Time, The Jerk, They Might Be Giants, Whats Up, Doc? and Slap Shot, in which he played sportswriter Dickie Dunn, who was "Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing." The prolific actor with the hangdog face and trademark paunch continued to work regularly into the 1980s up to the 2020s, appearing in popular pics including the Coen brothers' 1984 debut Blood Simple, and also appeared in the Robert Redford prison drama Brubaker (1980), Academy Award winner Ordinary People (1980), Best Picture Oscar nominee Reds (1981), Ridley Scott's sci-fi classic Blade Runner (1982), the Chevy Chase comedy Fletch (1985), horror pic Critters (1986) and more. His most recent roles included Knives Out, The Righteous Gemstones and Sneaky Pete. In 1979, he established the Blarney Fund Education Trust, which provides scholarships to Vermont students. Mr. Walsh is survived by his niece Meagan Walsh; nephew Kevin Walsh (Renee); and grandnephews Emmet and Elliot. Film critic Roger Ebert once created the "Stanton-Walsh Rule," which held that no movie featuring either Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmet Walsh in a supporting role can be altogether bad, though he admitted it wasn't an infallible rule. "I approach each job thinking it might be my last, so it better be the best work possible," Mr. Walsh once said. "I want to be remembered as a working actor. I'm being paid for what I'd do for nothing." - Deadline.com, 3/20/24.
Knopfler, meanwhile, recently released a re-recorded version of his song "Going Home" for Teenage Cancer Trust, featuring Brian May, Bruce Springsteen, Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton and Ronnie Wood. After being teased earlier in 2024, the track officially dropped on Mar. 15 on 
During his Luck Reunion concert in Spicewood, Tex. on Mar. 14, Willie Nelson and Kermit the Frog delivered a sweet duet of The Muppets' classic "Rainbow Connection." With Kermit on banjo and Nelson on guitar, the pair delivered a tender, heartwarming cover of the classic song, which was originally released in 1979 for The Muppet Movie. Kermit's rendition -- performed by Jim Henson -- reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart and earned an Academy Award nomination for best original song. In addition to "Rainbow Connection," the two icons also treated the crowd to a rousing gospel medley featuring selections such as "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," "I'll Fly Away" and "Hard to Be Humble." Footage of Willie and Kermit's duet has been shared on 
Neil Young announced on Mar. 12 that he's bringing his music back to Spotify more than two years after requesting its removal from the popular streaming platform. In Jan. 2022, Young published an open letter asking Spotify to pull down his catalog, citing what he called the spread of vaccine misinformation on the wildly popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast, which was then hosted exclusively on the streaming platform. Several other artists, including Joni Mitchell, Indie.Arie and Young's Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young bandmates David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, subsequently followed suit, though CSN/CSN&Y and Aries music have since been restored to the service. Mitchell's catalog remains absent. Now in a new post on his Neil Young Archives website, Young said the end of Spotify's exclusive deal with Rogan led to his decision to restore his music to the service. "My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at Spotify, the post reads -- a clear reference to the Joe Rogan Experience, though Young never mentions it by name. "I cannot just leave Apple and Amazon, like I did Spotify, because my music would have very little streaming outlet to music lovers at all, so I have returned to Spotify, in sincere hopes that Spotify sound quality will improve and people will be able to hear and feel all the music as we made it," Young continued, before giving a shout out Qobuz and Tidal, where his catalog also lives, as "High res streaming options." Young concludes his post by stating his hope that Spotify "will turn to Hi Res as the answer and serve all the music to everyone. Spotify, you can do it! Really be #1 in all ways. You have the music and listeners!!!! Start with a limited Hi res tier and build from there!" A longtime advocate of high-resolution audio, Young once launched his own (now-defunct) high-res audio download platform, Pono, in 2015 before shuttering it two years later. It has been estimated that the absence of Young's catalog on Spotify had cost him roughly $300,000 in lost recorded music and publishing royalties by Sept. 2023. - Billboard, 3/12/24...... Patti Smith will be among the headliners of London's Somerset House Summer Series this summer. The iconic central London venue will host the series again beginning in July, from the 11th to the 21st. Smith will close out the series, which also features the likes of Smino, Hak Baker, The Amazons, Hania Rani and The Big Moon, on July 21. - NME, 3/16/24...... Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed has described the script for the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael as "startlingly disingenuous." Given the project's connection to the Jackson estate, it is unclear whether the film will explore the most controversial aspects of the singer's life, including the allegations of child sexual abuse. However, according to Reed, who has read a draft of the script, the film makes a point to discredit Wade Robson and James Safechuck, the two men who allege that Jackson sexually assaulted them in the 2019 docuseries Leaving Neverland. "Jackson is only ever seen caring for children with childhood cancer, or dancing with a little girl in a wheelchair, or tucking up multiple little boys, mostly his nephews, at sleepovers," Reed said of the script. "It feels like the creators of the movie have been stuck in a room with John Branca and just told what to write." Michael will be directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer, Brooklyn's Finest) and Jackson's own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will play the King of Pop in the film. The movie has been confirmed to receive a theatrical release in the US on Apr. 18, 2025, per production house Lionsgate. A UK release date is yet to be announced. - NME, 3/14/24...... Jack and Kelly Osbourne have revealed who they think should play their famous parents in a biopic about the couple. Speaking on a recent episode of 
Steve Harley, the frontman of the '70s band Cockney Rebel, has died at age 73. The news was confirmed by his family in a statement, who said: "We are devastated to announce that our wonderful husband and father has passed away peacefully at home, with his family by his side." Harley, who had been receiving cancer treatment, had cancelled a run of shows in late 2023, writing on his website at the time that it was a "heartbreaking decision, but necessary in order to fight a "nasty cancer." His family continued that they knew Harley would be "desperately missed by people all over the world... Whoever you know him as, his heart exuded only core elements. Passion, kindness, generosity. And much more, in abundance." Born Stephen Nice, the musician grew up in London, and while working as a local journalist in the early 1970s, he started busking and playing in the city's folk scene. He formed the glam rock group Cockney Rebel in 1972 with Jean-Paul Crocker, Stuart Elliott, Paul Jeffreys and Milton Reame-James, and they were quickly signed by EMI Records. The band had early success with singles such as "Judy Teen" and "Mr. Soft," but they began to fall apart due to other members wanting to write more of the group's material. Harley reformed the band with a new line-up, including Elliott, Jim Cregan, Duncan Mackay and George Ford, and renamed them Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. Their first single together, 
Eric Carmen, the former leader of the '70s power pop band The Raspberries before setting out on an internationally successful solo career, died on Mar. 11. He was 74. "It is with tremendous sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of Eric Carmen," a message posted by his wife of eight years, Amy, to his website, Facebook and X account reads. "Our sweet, loving and talented Eric passed away in his sleep, over the weekend. It brought him great joy to know, that for decades, his music touched so many and will be his lasting legacy," she added. Over his long career which began in the 1960s, Carmen scored three top five hits on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart: the No. 2-peaking 
The second LP, 
Elton John's AIDS Foundation has announced it raised $10.8 million dollars for AIDS research at its 32nd Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on Mar. 10, 2024 in West Hollywood, Calif. The money from the event will go toward the organization's Rocket Fund, a fundraising initiative meant to "redouble the fight against AIDS everywhere," according to the organization's website. "So far, this has been an extraordinary year beyond my wildest dreams, including the honor of achieving the EGOT, but it's tonight's gathering that is the ultimate highlight," John said in a statement following the event. "I'm so grateful to everyone who comes out each year to have a lot of fun and do a whole lot of good together. We've been loud and proud about showing compassion and ending the dreadful stigma that follows HIV, and we won't stop until we achieve our mission." Hosted by John, his husband David Furnish, Neil Patrick Harris and others, featured a star-studded guest list that included Sharon Stone, Donatella Versace, Danny DeVito, and more. During the evening, a multimillion-dollar live auction saw the organization sell off a number of luxury items, including a bedazzled Yamaha piano signed by Elton, two pinball machines, two pairs of Chopard earrings and a custom-made Rolex for his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour." At the night's close, John performed alongside the evening's musical guests, R&B-pop trio Gabriels, to his 1989 hit "Are You Ready for Love," recreating an iconic moment from the UK's Glastonbury 2023 when Gabriels lead singer Jacob Lusk joined John onstage for the track. In still more Elton news, country star Kacey Musgraves has claimed the Rocket Man used to have a cardboard cut-out of his husband and sons in his dressing room. "I'll never forget Elton playing in Nashville and getting to catch up with him in his dressing room after with all the Gucci and sunglasses lying around," Musgraves, 35, told The Times newspaper. "And a big cardboard cut-out of his husband and kids." Insiders in John's camp recently revealed that the "Candle in the Wind" singer has been working on a "top secret" new album that could be released later in 2024. A source told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: "It's all been very top secret, but Elton is back in the studio working on a new album. Time frames are always movable, but the fourth quarter has been pencilled in terms of a release date." - Billboard/Music-News.com, 3/11/24...... John Lennon and Yoko Ono's son Sean Lennon wished his mom Yoko a happy Mothers Day during the Mar. 10 Academy Awards show. Mar. 10 was not only the date of the Oscars ceremony, but it's also Mother's Day in the U.K. During filmmakers Dave Mullins and Brad Booker's emotional Best Animated Short win for "WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko, Sean Ono Lennon" -- Sean made sure to give his mom an extra special shout-out -- even though the "wrap-it-up" music was already playing. "My mother turned 91 this February," he told the audience. "Can everyone say 'happy Mother's Day to Yoko'?" At his request, the audience in front of him wished Ono a happy holiday in unison. Ono and John collaborated a number of times before Lennon was fatally shot in 1980, notably on "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)." The track has gone down in history as a classic Christmas tune, reaching its latest peak of No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2022 -- more than 50 years after it was first released. - Billboard, 3/10/24...... In other Beatles-related news, Paul McCartney will be among the artists paying tribute to the late Jimmy Buffet with a "Keep the Party Going" concert on Apr. 11 during an all-star concert at the Hollywood Bowl. The Live Nation/Hewitt Silva presents show will also feature performances from the Eagles, Jon Bon Jovi, Zac Brown, Jackson Browne, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Mac McAnally, Pitbull, The Coral Reefer Band and more special guests to be announced later. Tickets for the celebration of life event will go on sale to the general public on Mar. 15. Buffett died at his home in Sag Harbor on Long Island, N.Y., on Sept. 1, 2023 from skin cancer. He was 76 years old. Earlier in Marh, the video for his single "The University of Bourbon Street" -- from his final studio album, November's Equal Strain on All Parts -- was released. On the album Buffett performs a tribute to his favorite city with help from the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. - Billboard, 3/11/24...... The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael will reportedly address the allegations of child sexual abuse against the singer. Given that Michael has the approval of the Jackson estate, it had been unclear whether the film would explore the most controversial aspects of his life, but a new report suggests it will. Puck News' Matthew Belloni has obtained an early draft of the script, and says that the film "wants very much to convince you Michael is innocent," adding that it goes to "great lengths to minimise and downplay the actual claims and eviscerate the Chandlers." In 1993, Evan Chandler, a dentist and screenwriter based in Los Angeles, accused Jackson of sexually abusing his 13-year-old son Jordan Chandler. The case was concluded when the two parties reached a financial settlement in 1994. In 2013, four years after Jackson's death, the choreographer Wade Robson filed a lawsuit against the Jackson estate, saying the King of Pop had sexually abused him between the ages of seven and 14. Another man, the former child actor James Safechuck, also came forward with allegations. The director of the documentary Leaving Neverland, which documented Robson and Safechuck's allegations, recently criticized the making of the new biopic, saying it "will glorify a man who raped children". Robson and Safechuck have requested that their joint trial starts before the release of Michael. The film has been set for an Apr. 18, 2025, per production house Lionsgate. A UK release date is yet to be announced. It was announced in Jan. 2023 that Michael's own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will play the late pop superstar in the film. Jaafar is the son of Michael's brother Jermaine Jackson. This will be the 27-year-old's film debut, although he has appeared in the Lifetime reality show The Jacksons: Next Generation. - New Musical Express, 3/9/24...... 
As Chicago reaches its 57th year of existence in 2024 after being formed by trombonist Jim Pankow, keyboardist/singer Robert Lamm, trumpeter Lee Loughnan and saxophonist Walt Parazaider in 1967, Pankow looks ahead at the band's future, while sharing stories of rock and roll excess from the past, in a new interiew with Billboard. "It was eternity, not being able to work for a year and a half," says Pankow. "So here we are. This is our 57th year and, gosh, it just keeps getting better. I have to pinch myself because this phenomenon is never ending. And, man, we're going to do this as long as we can." Earlier in March, the band hit another milestone: on Mar. 6, Chicago played its 50th show at Las Vegas' Venetian Theater, the first act to reach that landmark. The 1,815-seat venue at the Venetian allows fans to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band in a much smaller setting than its other 80-to-90 annual shows. Pankow says the current lineup, in his opinion, is the strongest lineup in the history of the band. "The band is firing on all cylinders. There's no weak spots in the personnel. We have trimmed the fat and we are just slamming. Being on stage with my fellow bandmates is a joy every night that I will never tire of. Who would have thought more than a half century later that it's still an amazing experience? More amazing than ever." Pankow said each era of Chicago is "defined in a unique way -- you can't really compare because it's a completely different time." But the recording of the band's first album Chicago Transit Authority will always be the most special to him. "I'll never forget walking into Columbia Recording Studios in New York City, standing in front of a mic and knowing that this is going on tape forever," he says. "We were very frightened young men. And that music was the embodiment of the idea of what this band is all about." Pankow said if asked to choose which Chicago song to put in a time capsule, it would be "Beginnings" from the first album. "It's one of the songs in the repertoire that I get to stretch out on and solo on. So, I always like that." Although Parazaider retired from touring in 1967, Pankow says he, Lamm and Loughnan are "going to do this until we cannot be believable anymore." "As long as we can get up there and we can kill it every night, I pray to God that we can do that. At this point there is no end in sight. We're at the top of our game. I say, 'Retire to what?'." Chicago will head out on a co-headlining tour with Earth Wind & Fire this summer for the sixth time. - Billboard, 3/8/24...... The Stone Pony, the Asbury Park, N.J. club brought to national fame by local superstar Bruce Springsteen, is celebrating its 50th birthday in 2024. In Feb. 1974, New York native Jack Roig opened the Ocean Avenue club, situated across from the Asbury Park boardwalk, and it also became the birthplace of Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. The Jukes started playing regularly at the Pony in 1974 as one of the venue's first house bands -- and early incarnations included future E Street Band member Little Steven Van Zandt. The Boss began to hang around soon after. The 1976 record release party for the Jukes' debut, I Don't Want To Go Home, helped put the club on the map. Springsteen, members of the E Street Band and legendary singers Ronnie Spector and Lee Dorsey made guest appearances at the concert, which was simulcast across the region including on major Philadelphia rock station WMMR-FM. The sound of Asbury Park -- a merging of rock'n'roll and horn-fueled R&B and soul -- was a hit. The modest-looking venue also helped drive the revitalization of Asbury Park, and its 4,500-capacity outdoor Summer Stage has hosted stars from Elvis Costello to Blondie, Green Day to Demi Lovato, as well as local favorites like Springsteen over its 50-year history. The modest building, painted white stucco on the outside with a simple rectangular floor plan, will continue its storied legacy with anniversary shows throughout the year. The Jukes played there Feb. 16 and Feb. 17 (although Southside Johnny left the second show early and was briefly hospitalized for dehydration, according to a band spokesman). Roig says that "the future of the community has gotten so much brighter with new things coming through." "The Pony is a symbol that we don't have to let go of our past to embrace our future. The Pony is a symbol of both those things." - Billboard, 3/8/24...... The Wolfgang Van Halen/David Lee Roth feud continues as Van Halen has fired back at Roth after the Van Halen frontman blasted him in a viral rant earlier in 2024. "I guess I'm honored (Roth) even thinks about me as much as he seems to," Wolfgang, 32, said during a recent interview with Atlanta radio show The Morning X. "I seem to have been born into this Van Halen drama that has come way before me," he continued. "And now that my dad isn't here to be a target, I guess he went to the next best thing." Roth, one of the founding members and lead singers of VH, went off on the band's bass player and son of the late Eddie Van Halen and actress Valerie Bertinelli in a scathing rant posted to his YouTube channel in January. The segment began with Roth doing a spoof interview with "our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" as the fake personality tells listeners he was hired "because of my talent," in what many perceived was a thinly veiled swipe at Wolfgang taking over as the band's bassist in 2006. "I would have this job anyway, even if my dad wasn't God. I know you agree. I'm on every church wall, and I would be on that church wall if my dad wasn't God I just want people to know I got this job because of my talent," the Jesus impersonator continued. Roth then started to rant about Wolfgang -- who replaced original VH bassist Michael Anthony -- claiming that the youngster complained that the singer didn't pay attention to him onstage. "This f---in' kid! He's complaining the entire tour like I'm not paying enough attention to him on stage," Roth says. "Like Santa Claus on Christmas coming down the chimney and popping out on Christmas and saying, 'Nobody is paying attention'. I'm giving him the best, everything I've got, in front of twenty, thirty thousand people at a clip, and he's complaining to everybody around me -- the business manager, the security guy, the clothing lady -- 'Dave's not paying enough attention to me.'" But in his conversation with The Morning X, Wolfgang said, "You have to take what he says with a grain of salt." "He also said that he wrote 'Eruption" and came up with (Eddie's custom guitar) the Frankenstein Strat," Wolfgang added. Wolfgang added that he's not planning on participating in a summer VH tribute tour featuring former VH vocalist Sammy Hagar and Anthony. "No way. I don't want to play that music without my dad," he said. - Canoe.com, 3/8/24...... 
The Australian film production company HALO Films announced on Mar. 8 that a "loose biopic" based on the life of late AC/DC frontman Bon Scott is currently in the works. The film -- titled The Kid From Harvest Road -- will not be a faithful retelling of Scott's life, but rather a "fictionalised narrative set in the 1960s," according to HALO. The company explains that by working around a loose retelling, the movie "can offer a more imaginative exploration of Scott's character and experiences". The studio continued: "Focusing on his formative years in Fremantle allows for a deeper dive into the influences and events that shaped him as a person and ultimately as the iconic frontman of AC/DC. It also provides an opportunity to explore the cultural landscape of the time, including the burgeoning music scene and social dynamics of the era." Young Australian actor Lee Tiger Halley, who stars in Netflix's Boy Swallows Universe, will play Scott in the film. A release date for The Kid From Harvest Road has yet to be announced, as the film is expected to begin shooting in earl 2025.Scott fronted AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980. He sang on the band's first six albums, spanning from their debut High Voltage, through 1979's Highway To Hell. Brian Johnson was tapped to replace Scott just weeks after the latter's death, and went on to record the smash LP Back in Black and has been with the band ever since. In celebration of their 50th anniversary as a band, AC/DC are set to release limited edition gold vinyl pressings of their entire album catalogue. Each of the limited edition albums come with an album-specific 12"x12" print featuring new AC/DC 50 artwork suitable for framing. All nine albums are available for pre-order now and are set for release on Mar. 15. The band recently announced a huge UK and European stadium tour for 2024 as well as a new drummer and bassist for said shows. The Australian rock legends will perform 21 dates in 10 countries this summer, which will mark their first tour in Europe for eight years. - NME, 3/8/24...... Cher and her son Elijah Blue Allman have been asked to reach an agreement over bid for Allman's conservatorship. Cher's bid for a conservatorship over Allman's finances, which began in Dec. 2023, was rejected in January, but now they've been granted a three-month grace period to try to reach an agreement outside the court. Cher had argued, via her lawyers, that "she feared that her son would not be alive within the year" if he was left in control of his money," due to the 47-year-old Allman's"history of drug use" and a "schizoaffective disorder" diagnosis. However, that bid was denied as Allman returned a clean drug test and appeared to have successfully managed his finances. Allman's lawyers said in early March they believe Cher intends to drag out the process until he can no longer afford to pay for legal representation. "We are concerned that this is an effort to continue this case further and further until Mr. Allman is left dry," Steven Bremer, Allman's attorney said during a hearing. Bremer added he could not see how the two parties could come to an agreement independently. "This is not like a family law matter where several issues need to be resolved," he said. "There is one issue and that is the conservatorship of my client... I'm not certain what middle ground we can find." - Music-News.com, 3/7/24...... Ozzy Osbourne's wife Sharon Osbourne has slammed singer Adele, accusing her of using a "fake" cockney accent. The former X Factor judge took aim at the London-born singer during the Mar. 7 episode of Celebrity Big Brother -- criticizing the "Rolling In The Deep"' singer as exaggerating her accent. I think she plays the whole 'Oh, love, oh I'm Adele... I'm so English,'" she said to her housemates during the UK reality show, putting on a heavy cockney accent. It's like, cut the crap, you don't talk like that anymore, just sing, just be true to who you are," she continued. "But she does all this old English, you know?" Since entering the Big Brother house on Mar. 4, Sharon has also called out fellow housemate James Corden -- namely for his habit of "constantly" name-dropping. Before entering the reality show, Sharon lashed out at rapper Kanye West, saying he "f----ed with the wrong Jew this time ater West was accused of sampling a Black Sabbath song without the band's permission on his new album Vultures. - NME, 3/8/24...... 
Steve Lawrence, the charismatic Grammy- and Emmy-winning crooner who delighted audiences for decades in nightclubs, on concert stages and in film and television appearances, died on Mar. 7 in Los Angeles of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 88. Mr. Lawrence partnered with the late Eydie Gormé, his wife of 55 years, in the very popular lounge act Steve & Eydie. Born Sidney Liebowitz in Brooklyn on July 8, 1935, Mr. Lawrence broke into show business with his boyish good looks, silky voice and breezy personality after winning a talent competition on Arthur Godfrey's CBS talent show and signed with King Records as a teenager. The singer chose to stay old school and resist the allure of rock 'n' roll. "It didn't attract me as much," Mr. Lawrence once said. "I grew up in a time period when music was written by Irving Berlin and Cole Porter and George and Ira Gershwin and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and Sammy Cahn and Julie Stein. Those people, I related to -- what they were writing -- because it was much more melodic." Mr. Lawrence's smooth stylings were heard on dozens of solo albums, starting in 1953 with an eponymous LP. In 1963, he topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks with the Gerry Goffin-Carole King pop ballad "Go Away Little Girl." The single became the first in history to reach No. 1 by two different artists, after Donny Osmond recorded 
The Eagles/Don Henley "stolen notes" trial came to a stunning end on Mar. 6 after Manhattan prosecutors decided to drop a criminal case against three men accused of trying to sell stolen notes linked to the band's 1976 album 
On Mar. 6 the Doobie Brothers and their former member Michael McDonald announced they are reuniting for their first album in 44 years. The Doobies' 50th anniversary reunion tour is heading into its third year, and co-founders Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons say they're stoked about the band's next album, which it's finishing work on with McDonald. The singer/keyboardist was with the Doobies from 1975-1982, McDonald has been back in the fold since the band's anniversary tour was first announced in 2019 and then delayed by the pandemic. Produced by John Shanks -- who also produced the band's 2021 effort Liberte -- the new album will be the Doobies' first in 11 years, and the band's first with McDonald since 1980's One Step Closer. It will also be the first Doobies album to include McDonald, Simmons and Johnston since 
'70s pop star Gary Glitter is being sued in the UK by one of his victims over alleged psychiatric damage caused by his past sexual abuse. The claim against the disgraced Glitter has been brought by one of the victims to which Glitter was convicted in 2015 of abusing, along with two other young victims, with the incidents taking place between 1975 and 1980. In the lawsuit, the victim, who has not been publicly identified, is seeking compensation for the psychiatric damage she suffered at his hands when she was just 12 years old -- with her lawyer describing it as "the worst kind" of abuse. "What we have is severe and profound consequences as a result of abuse that I think is fair to say is of the worst kind," her lawyer, Jonathan Metzer, told the court during a hearing in London on Mar. 5. "In summary, it has had profound and long-lasting consequences for my client's life ever since." Glitter -- whose real name is Paul Gadd -- did not attend the London hearing and was not represented by a lawyer. The court was also told that he had not so far engaged with the civil case. The plaintiff has previously secured a "default judgment" in her claim -- a ruling in her favor over Gadd's liability. Glitter had several chart hits in the '70s but later fell from grace around 20 years later, when he was arrested and imprisoned for possessing thousands of images of child abuse. From there, he was later expelled from Cambodia in 2002 following reports of sex crime allegations, and was convicted of sexually abusing two girls, aged 10 and 11, in Vietnam in 2006. The latter saw him spend two and a half years in jail. Further allegations against him came to light when he was the first person named and arrested under the UK's Operation Yewtree -- an investigation by the Metropolitan Police following the Jimmy Savile scandal. - New Musical Express, 3/6/24...... Sammy Hagar has won a court order barring an allegedly unauthorized Hollywood location of the "Red Rocker"'s Cabo Wabo Cantina from continuing to use the chain's name and branding while their dispute plays out before a judge. In a preliminary injunction issued on Mar. 5, a Los Angeles federal judge sided with Hagar's company, Red Head Inc., and ruled franchisee Robert Azinian was prohibited from using "Cabo Wabo" trademarks for any purpose, including a new location on Hollywood Boulevard that sparked the rocker's lawsuit. Judge George H. Wu's order came amid an escalating legal dispute between Hagar and his former business partner over Cabo Wabo Cantina -- a brand of Mexican-themed eateries started by the Van Halen rocker in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in 1990 and later franchised into locations in Las Vegas and Hollywood. He said Hagar's company was likely to eventually win the lawsuit, and that it would face so-called "irreparable harm" if Azinian was able to continue using the Cabo Wabo Cantina branding while the case played out. - Billboard, 3/5/24...... After premiering in the US on Valentine's Day, the new Bob Marley biopic One Love has become the seventh all-time highest-grossing music biopic. The film, which stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as reggae legend Marley, has grossed $82.8 million in the U.S. and Canada Mar. 3, according to boxofficemojo.com. The 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody claims the top spot, with a domestic gross of $216.4 million to date. Rami Malek won an Oscar for best actor for playing the band's charismatic lead singer Freddie Mercury. - Billboard, 3/3/24...... 
The Black Sabbath classic "Paranoid" has joined the elite streaming "Billions Club" on Spotify.com. Recognized as a classic of the heavy metal genre, "Paranoid" is the title track from the band's 
Late Queen singer Freddie Mercury's $38 million London home has officially hit the market for the first time since his death. The peaceful home, named Garden Lodge, first caught the eye of the Queen frontman in 1980 after he toured the Kensington property himself. He was so taken by its beauty and charm that he decided to purchase it "on the spot," according to a press release from Knight Frank, which holds the current listing. After Mercury bought the Neo-Georgian style home, he worked alongside interior designer Robin Moore Ede to transform it into a true reflection of himself and his eclectic style. After his death in 1991, the rock legend left his treasured estate to his close friend and former fiance Mary Austin, who has decided to list the property after more than 30 years. Freddie composed the Queen classic on the home's grand piano before his death at age 45 due to complications of AIDS. - People, 2/29/24...... Jim Beard, a solo artist and touring keyboardist for Steely Dan for the past 16 years, died on Mar. 2 at age 63 from complications of a sudden, as yet undisclosed illness, a spokesperson for the group has confirmed. Born in Ridley Park, Penn. on Aug. 26, 1960, Beard took clarinet, saxophone and sting bass lessons as a teenager and studied jazz at Indiana University, where he played in a bar band that featured session drummer Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, John Fogerty) and trumpet player Chris Botti. He joined the live Steely Dan band in 2008 for the Think Fast Tour and in addition to performing with the long-running jazz-influenced rock group -- including at his final show with the band on Jan. 20 in Phoenix, Ariz. He was also a touring member of the Eagles on their Long Goodbye tour. Between tours with such jazz greats as Pat Metheny and John McLaughlin's Mahavishu Orchestra, Beard recorded six solo CDs and taught at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, the Mason Gross School of Arts at Rutgers University, and variouis other universities. - Billboard, 3/6/24.