Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on May 6th, 2024

During the final night of their joint tour at Le Zénith in Paris, France, on Mar. 29, Slash and Kennedy brought out Wolfgang Van Halen as a surprise guest for a rendition of AC/DC's 1979 hit, "Highway to Hell." "We're honored that we've been able to tour with this next gentleman and his band, 'cause I think he's one of the most talented people on the planet," Kennedy said while introducing WVH to the stage. The performance began with Slash playing the iconic "Highway to Hell" riff with the rest of the band joining in. Bassist Todd Kearns provided lead vocals with both Kennedy and Van Halen joining in on the chorus. Van Halen also provided an electrifying guitar solo. Earlier that night, Kennedy joined opener Mammoth WVH onstage for a rendition of the latter's track "Take a Bow." Van Halen and Slash performed together at the Oscars alongside Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson for the actor's Barbie track "I'm Just Ken." - NME, 5/2/24...... Legendary R&B singer Al Green has reacted to modern rapper Kendrick Lamar sampling Green's song "What a Wonderful Thing Love Is" for Lamar's new track "6:16 in LA," which is another diss at Lamar's rival Drake. Produced by Willie Mitchell, Green's "What a Wonderful Think Love Is" originally appeared on Greens's I'm Still In Love With You album, which was released in Oct. 1972 and peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 200 LP chart. Green took advantage of the spotlight by tweeting out the YouTube link to his sampled track. "What a Wonderful Thing Love Is," he simply wrote to X on May 3. That prompted plenty of Green's fans to urge the "Let's Stay Together" artist to clear the sample so "6:16 in LA" could properly land on streaming services. It's still unclear if Green cleared the sample for further commercial use. Lamar isn't the only rapper to sample "What A Wonderful Thing Love Is"; Kanye West previously used it on "Out the Game," which landed on Consequence's Take 'Em to the Cleaners mixtape om 2004. - Billboard, 5/3/24....... In related news, Bruce Sudano, Donna Summer's widower, has reacted to Kanye West's attemped sampling of Summer's 1977 hit "I Feel Love" for his track "Good (Don't Die)" on his Vultures 1 album. Sudano confirms that the estate had turned down West's request to sample the song, then took action when a version of it was released on Spotify with changed words and another singer, issuing a public statement to label it copyright infringement. The track was subsequently removed from streaming versions of the album but is on the physical edition and was played at public listening parties prior to its release. "It's a very unfortunate situation," says Sudano. "All of these things are very subjective. I try to view it through Donna's lens and how she would protect her catalog in the right way. Kanye is a great artist, but wrong is still wrong." He notes that previous samples used by Beyoncé -- including on "Summer Renaissance" from 2022's Renaissance -- were handled properly, with Beyoncé even insisting on having the track played in-person for Sudano rather than simply sending a virtual file. Sudano -- whose songwriting credits beyond Summer include songs for Jermaine Jackson, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire and others, has released his latest solo album, Talkin' Ugly Truth, Tellin' Pretty Lies, which finds him exploring a "fuller, more contemporary type of production." "Over these past years since Donna passed away (in 2012), I started this solo thing from a very stripped-down acoustic guitar thing," Sudano says. "Now I've worked up to a fuller, more of a contemporary type of production. It still starts with a song I could sing just with my guitar and then we produced it afterwards, so maybe that's why it's connecting more than what I've done before." Sudano will tour behind his new LP in September, with dates in Austin, Tex. (9/11), Baton Rouge, La. (9/13), Mobile, Ala. (9/14), Nashville (9/19) and Madison, Tenn. (9/21). - Billboard, 5/3/24...... Performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 2, the Rolling Stones played "Time Is On My Side" for the first time in 25 years. One of their first festival appearances since releasing their acclaimed latest album Hackney Diamonds in 2023, their set also included a number of tracks from Hackney Diamonds, fan favorites, and tour debuts, as well as a live rendition of "Time Is On My Side" for the first time in two decades, footage of which has been shared on YouTube. The moment saw them invite Irma Thomas to the stage, and took place exactly 50 years after they recorded the cover of the Jerry Ragovoy track. It was their first time performing the cover since 1998, and the second time since 1982. "In 1964, which is a very long time ago, we heard this great song on the radio by this amazing singer," frontman Mick Jagger told the crowd, introducing Thomas to the stage. "We recorded it and it became our first kind of hit in America. The lady that did the song first, she's the Soul Queen of New Orleans! I'd like to bring out on stage now to sing the song with us." The performance marked the Stones' debut at the N.O. jazz festival. Originally, they had been booked to perform at the event back in 2019, but were forced to cancel the slot due to the frontman undergoing heart surgery. During the set, Jagger took time to voice his opinion on Louisiana's newly elected Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, dinging the conservative politician for what the rock singer said were his regressive policies. "We're an inclusive group. We like to include everyone," Jagger said during a performance of the band's 1969 classic "You Can't Always Get What You Want," according to the Shreveport Times. He then noted that Landry was in the house, adding a special, pointed message for the first-term governor. "The governor is here and we'd like to include him, even though he's trying to take us back to the Stone Age," he said. Though Jagger, 80, didn't specify what he meant by the comment, Landy, 53, was quick to respond with a joke about the indefatigable Jagger's age. "You can't always get what you want," Landry tweeted. "The only person who might remember the Stone Age is @MickJagger. Love you buddy, you're always welcome in Louisiana! #LoveMyCountryMusic." Jagger has apparently not responded yet to Landry's tweet, though he did post a pic of the band's set and thanked the festival and special guest Thomas for joining them on stage for the 1964 tune "Time Is on My Side" for their first performance of that track since 1998. In other Stones-related news, the band is releasing a limited-edition rum to commemorate their Hackney Diamonds tour. The new Hackney Diamonds edition of Crossfire Rum is a bottle worthy of being displayed, as it features an all-black base with gold-yellow accents and an updated version of of the band's logo. In addition to receiving the new rum, fans will take home a keepsake box that also comes with the rock group's flagship Crossfire Hurricane Rum. The complete boxed set will be released gradually across the country to align with the Stones' tour schedule -- including on the official Crossfire Hurricane website -- at a retail price of $125. Concertgoers will also have the opportunity to buy the rum at the venue. - NME/Billboard, 5/3/24...... Stevie Wonder will be one of the 2024 recipients of the George Peabody Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Music and Dance in America, the highest honor bestowed by the Peabody Institute. In addition, Wonder and the other honoree, dancer Misty Copeland will deliver addresses for the Peabody Conservatory's 2024 graduation ceremonies on May 22. Copeland, the first dancer to receive the George Peabody Medal, will address undergraduates at the morning ceremony; Wonder will speak at the afternoon ceremony for graduate students. The following day, Johns Hopkins University will present an honorary doctorate to Wonder at its commencement ceremony. Wonder, a 25-time Grammy winner, won album of the year with three consecutive studio albums in the 1970s, a feat that has yet to be duplicated. In 1999, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. - Billboard, 5/2/24......On May 3, David Gilmour posted on X announcing a residency at London's legendary Royal Albert Hall venue this fall in support of his fifth solo effort Luck and Strange, which is due Sept. 6 via Sony. The Royal Albert Hall shows will be the former Pink Floyd guitarist's first live shows in eight years. Gilmour last played live publicly as a solo artist in 2016, when he embarked on a similar residency at the Royal Albert Hall. No further dates for 2024 have been confirmed as yet. Gilmour shared his plans to return to the stage recently, saying his last tour was "too robotic, and some people would have been better off in a Pink Floyd tribute band.... "So I thought we'd get people who are genuinely creative and give them a little more space. That's the plan. So we're going to have some of the younger guys alongside Guy [Pratt] and the Webb Sisters, who sang with Leonard Cohen on his last tours." His RAH dates will fall on Oct. 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15. - NME, 5/3/24...... During the latest episode of his SiriusXM Ozzy Speaks podcast, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he's holding out hope for an Oscar win at some point, because after all, he wouldn't be the first rock star to receive one. When Ozzy's cohost, Billy Morrison, asked the 75-year-old rocker whether there's an accolade he hasn't yet achieved but wants to in the future. "Oscar," the former Black Sabbath frontman answered immediately. "You asked me what award I haven't gotten," he continued, clarifying that he wouldn't necessarily pursue the award through acting. "No, Elton John got one for a song." Indeed, Sir Elton has not just one Oscar, but two, both for best original song. In 1994, he took home the prize for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" in competition with two more of his own Lion King songs, "Circle of Life" and "Hakuna Matata." More than two decades later, he won for "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from his own 2019 Dexter Fletcher-directed biopic Rocketman. Osbourne can be heard talking about his Oscar aspirations on YouTube. - Billboard, 5/2/24...... Composer Huang Ruo and composer, saxophonist, and flautist Anna Webber are among 10 2024 recipients of the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts (HAAIA). The awards were founded and conceived by legendary musician and music mogul Herb Alpert and his wife, Grammy-winning vocalist Lani Hall. They are presented annually to 10 "risk-taking, mid-career artists" working in the fields of dance, film/video, music, theater and visual arts. Alpert and the Tijuana Brass were one of the hottest acts of the 1960s, with five No. 1 albums on the Billboard Hot 200. Their 1965 smash "A Taste of Honey" won a Grammy for record of the year. As a soloist, Alpert has topped the hit parade with both vocal and instrumental hits -- "This Guy's in Love With You" (1968) and "Rise" (1979), respectively. He's the only solo artist who has achieved that feat. With his late partner Jerry Moss, Alpert co-founded A&M Records in 1962, turning it into one of the most successful independent record labels in history. The label was home to Sergio Mendes & the Brasil 66, Carpenters, Joe Cocker, Supertramp, The Police, Janet Jackson and dozens more successful acts. Alpert and Moss received a trustees award from the Recording Academy in 1997. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and in 2012, Alpert was awarded the National Medal of Arts by Pres. Barack Obama. - Billboard, 5/2/24...... Appearing on the 6 Music podcast with host Chris Hawkins, Sean Ono Lennon discussed his parents' legacy, working with James McCartney and a the collaboration potential with other musical Beatles children. "Well it was really special for me," Sean said when asked about his "Primrose Lane" collaboration with James. "It actually happened quite some time ago, so I wasn't sure if the song was going to come out or not. He had made another record since we'd worked on that song. And so I was very surprised when he gave me a text and said "Hey, can we put 'Primrose Hill' out?" and I was like "Well, it's about time I was hoping you would put it out!" So yeah, I was thrilled you know. I thought he had forgotten about it or whatever." Lennon continued: "But it happened very naturally. I think a lot of people, I've been seeing just the comments section (which I guess one should avoid) but I've noticed that people kind of assume we're trying to start something or we were doing it in order to fulfil something for the Beatles fans. I was just at his flat in London and he was telling me about a girl he had a crush on, and he was sort of writing a song about it and he kind of wanted me to help him. And so all I really did was say "Well hey, where did you guys go on your first date?" and he was like "Well we went and had a picnic on Primrose Hill and we sat on Primrose Hill" and I said alright and I just wrote that down "we sat on Primrose Hill," "Next what happened next?" and I just sort of took a dictation really of him telling me the story about his memories and his feelings. So that's all I really did. I didn't do much. I just sort of helped him get his ideas down, you know?" When asked about a potential collaboration with other musical Fab Four children, Sean said, "That seems like it would take a lot more planning than we're probably able to deal with. But we all like each other and we're all friends and I do support what they do. I mean I love Zac [Starkey]'s new band Mantra of the Cosmos, it's really cool. It's really cool, what I've heard so far. And you know Dahni [Harrison] and I are very close because we've been working together indirectly I guess through Beatles stuff and I really love his last album and the one he did with [inaudible] that Mongolian band... Basically I'm open to working with people with whom I feel a natural affinity. But I'm not gonna do it because of some expectation or some other idea, if that makes sense." - Music-News.com, 5/5/24...... It took him 61 years to do it, but Sir Paul McCartney has replied to a declaration of love from a fan of the Beatles named Adrienne after she declared her love for him. In 1963, Adrienne was interviewed on CBS ahead of the Fab Four's first ever visit to the US, where she excitedly proclaimed: "I love The Beatles and I'll always love them!... Even when I'm 105 and an old grandmother, I'll love 'em. And Paul McCartney, if you are listening, Adrienne from Brooklyn loves you with all her heart!" Now, Macca has finally got round to reciprocating the love. "Hey Adrienne, it's Paul," he said in a video on Instagram that opens with the original clip of Adrienne. "Listen, I saw your video, I'm in Brooklyn now, I'm in New York, I finally got here. We got an exhibition a photo exhibition. Come along and see it," McCartney wrote. The post also included a caption, reading: "And Adrienne from Brooklyn in you are listening, Paul McCartney from Liverpool loves you too." Although Adrienne passed away in 1992, her family saw it and posted their own response to Sir Paul, thanking him for his warm albiet belated response to their beloved late mother. The exhibition in question is "Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm," which is being held at the Brooklyn Museum until Aug. 18. Meanwhile, a newly restored version of the Beatles' classic 1970 documentary film Let It Be is set to premiere on the Disney+ streaming channel on May 8. Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, Let It Be was first released in cinemas 54 years ago and has been difficult to obtain since -- prompting considerable bootlegging. It features footage of the Fab Four while they were writing and recording their 12th and final studio album of the same name in Jan. 1969 at London's Twickenham Film Studios. As he did for the 2022 docuseries Get Back, which features extra archive material from the Let It Be shoot, acclaimed filmmaker Peter Jackson has used state-of-the-art digital technology to restore the 55-year-old film reels to crisp, modern quality. - New Musical Express, 5/4/24...... Richard Tandy, the longtime keyboardist for Electric Light Orchestra has died of as yet undisclosed causes at the age of 76. Tandy's death was revealed by his former bandmate and ELO leader Jeff Lynne on X on May 1, writing: "It is with great sadness that I share the news of the pass of my long-time collaborator and dear friend Richard Tandy. He was a remarkable musician & friend and I'll cherish the lifetime of memories we had together." Birmingham native Tandy joined Electric Light Orchestra after the release of the band's debut album in 1972, initially playing bass guita but soon becoming the group's permanent keyboardist. Through ever-changing line-ups, Tandy remained a core member with Lynne and ELO drummer Bev Bevan until the band's split in 1986. Tandy was the only other longtime member of the group besides Lynne to participate in the band's reunion in the 2000s, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Electric Light Orchestra in 2017. Tandy's tenure with ELO runs from 1972 until 1896, 2000 until 2001 for the band's reunion and finally between 2014 and 2017. Tandy, who served as Lynne's right-hand man in the studio, is perhaps best known for his contributions on several of ELO's biggest hits which have gone on to become classics such as "Mr. Blue Sky," "Xanadu" with Olivia Newton-John, "Evil Woman," "Telephone Line," "Strange Magic" and more. Lynne and Tandy had also also collaborated on non-ELO projects, including the Electric Dreams soundtrack. In 2015, Lynne and Tandy performed with Ed Sheeran at the 57th Grammy Awards, playing "Evil Woman" and "Mr. Blue Sky." In 1985, Tandy formed the Tandy Morgan Band with Dave Morgan and Martin Smith, both of whom were touring members for ELO. In 1985, the Tandy Morgan Band released the concept album Earthrise. - NME, 5/2/24...... In a brand-new Top 40 list from the UK's Official Charts Company, Fleetwood Mac's 1977 LP Rumours has taken the top spot in a countdown of the best-selling vinyl albums of the 21st Century that were originally released between 1970 and 1999. Commissioned by the UK's Greatest Hits Radio as part of its Vinyl Revival Day, songs from the chart were played on the station on May 2, and was a fundraiser for Cash for Kids Day to combat holiday hunger. Having fallen out of favor in the CD era of the 1990s, vinyl sales have been on the rise for several years now. In fact, this surge in popularity resulted in the UK's Office of National Statistics including them in their 2024 basket of goods and services reflecting changing consumer tastes -- an indication of just what a mainstream purchase vinyl records are now becoming. Originally released in 1977, Rumours tops this chart having sold just under 280,000 copies on vinyl this millennium. The best-selling album of all time in the UK -- Queen's Greatest Hits -- only made it to number five on this chart and is trumped by albums from Pink Floyd (The Dark Side of the Moon), Nirvana (Nevermind) and Oasis (What's The Story Morning Glory). - Music-News.com, 5/2/24...... Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and went down with the ship as the captain in Titanic, died on May 5, his agent Lou Coulson said. He was 79. Hill joined The Lord Of The Rings franchise in the second film of the trilogy, 2002's The Two Towers, as Theoden, King of Rohan. The following year, he reprised the role in Return of the King, a movie that won 11 Oscars. In Titanic, Hill played Captain Edward Smith, one of the only characters based on a real person in the 1997 tragic romance starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The film also won 11 Academy Awards. Hill first made a name for himself as Yosser Hughes in Boys From the Blackstuff, a 1982 British TV miniseries about five unemployed men. - AP, 5/5/24...... Veteran soap actress Marla Adams, best known for her Emmy-award winning role as Dina Abbott Mergerson in The Young and the Restless, passed away on Apr. 24 in Los Angeles. She was 85. Ms. Adams joined the soap in 1982 and returned over the years for guest stints, winning a Daytime Emmy Award in 2021. A recurring storyline focused on her alter ego's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease, and the Alzheimer's Association have thanked her for raising awareness of the degenerative condition. She made her on-screen debut in Elia Kazan's Splendor in the Grass alongside Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty and went on to star in The Secret Storm as the villainous Belle Clemens. She also made appearances in TV shows such as Happy Days, Matlock, The Golden Girls and Who's the Boss. She is survived by children Gunnar and Pam, grandchildren Gefjon and Stone, and great-grandson Remi. - Bang Showbiz, 4/29/24...... 1950's rock & roll legend Duane Eddy, known for his influential style as well as hits such as "Rebel-'Rouser" and "Peter Gunn," died of cancer on Apr. 30 in Franklin, Tenn., according to his wife, Deed Abbate. He was 86. Born in April 26, 1938, in Corning, N.Y., Mr. Eddy began playing guitar as a young child. He went on to become one of few artists in the past century to find national fame purely as an instrumentalist, notching 27 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 such as "Rebel-'Rouser," which peaked at No. 6 in 1958; "Forty Miles of Bad Road," which peaked at No. 9 in 1959; and "Because They're Young," which peaked at No. 4 in 1960. He also had 10 albums chart on the Billboard 200. He was the last surviving artist to chart in the top 10 of the inaugural Hot 100, which was published on Aug. 4, 1958. The other artists in the top 10 that week were Ricky Nelson, Perez Prado, Bobby Darin, Elvis Presley, Kalin Twins, The Coasters, Jack Scott, The Johnny Otis Show and Peggy Lee. In 1987, Mr. Eddy released a self-titled album -- his first record in 20 years -- featuring guest appearances from music greats like Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Fogerty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Cropper and many more. That year, he also performed on McCartney's "Rockestra Theme." Mr. Eddy was also a Grammy-decorated musician, winning on his first-ever nomination in 1987 as a featured artist on The Art of Noise's remake of "Peter Gunn" in the best rock instrumental performance category. In 1996, he earned a second Grammy nod as a featured artist on Doc Watson's "Thunder Road/Sugarfoot Rag" for best country instrumental performance. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. "Duane inspired a generation of guitarists the world over with his unmistakeable signature 'Twang' sound," a rep for Mr. Eddy told Variety. "He was the first rock and roll guitar god, a truly humble and incredible human being. He will be sorely missed." Those paying tribute to Mr. Eddy on social media include Mick Fleetwood, Dave Davies and Nancy Sinatra. - Billboard, 5/1/24.

Prince fans can celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Purple One's iconic film and soundtrack LP Purple Rain with a new book that features rare photography and track-by-track analysis from music journalist and author Andrea Swensson. Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years features a forward by Maya Rudolph -- a longtime Prince fan -- who will introduce what you can expect from the book as well as the artist's impact in the music world. Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years drops on May 21 and can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com. In January, it was announced that Purple Rain would be adapted into stage musical. - Billboard, 4/30/24...... Appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show on May 1, Cher revealed the reasons why she prefers to date men who are half her age of 77 years. "I'm really shy when I'm not working and kind of shy around men," Cher told host Jennifer Hudson the singer's daytime talk show. But here's the real kicker: "And the reason I go out with young men is because men my age or older -- well, now they're all dead -- but before they just never, they were always terrified to approach me and younger men were the only ones that would." "They're bold," Hudson contributed, with Cher laughing, "Yeah! Raised by women like me!" The topic came up after Cher's latest romance with 38-year-old music exec Alexander "A.E." Edwards, which began in late 2022 after Cher posted an Instagram pic of the two holding hands. Cher also confirmed that she'd once turned down a date with Elvis Presley, also for good reason. "It was because I was nervous and I knew of the people around him and it wasn't that they were bad people, it's just that I was kind of nervous of his reputation," she explained. The "Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves" singer also talked about how she still has it so together at her age, giving her late mom credit for good genes. "I stole my mom's voice and used it to become Cher." She also revealed that Tupac Shakur is now one of her favorite artists, and that the late rapper was the person who introduced her to Edwards. The full interview can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 5/1/24...... In other Cher-related news, songs by the "Believe" singer and '70s disco queen Donna Summer are enjoying streaming bumps thanks to the MTV show RuPaul's Drag Race. With season 16 of the show hosted by drag queen Ru Paul officially over, songs featured in lip syncs have earned a 28.1% increase on average in total on-demand streams, including UGC (user-generated content), according to Luminate. The song that earned the biggest bump of the season was Cher's 1974 hit "Dark Lady," which featured as the "Lip Sync For Your Life" song for episode four. which aired on Jan. 26. On that day, "Dark Lady" earned 9,180 streams; the following day, on-demand streams for the song spiked to 38,183, marking a 315.9% increase in on-demand streams for Cher. Meanwhile, two Donna Summer songs nabbed similarly impressive streaming bumps thanks to a pair of lip-sync showdowns on this season of Drag Race. "This Time I Know It's for Real," Summer's song used in a lip sync on Apr. 12, secured a 180.9% increase in on-demand streams the day after the episode aired. "Dim All the Lights," used in the episode 11 lip sync on Mar. 15, also earned a 96.4% increase in on-demand streams the day following the episode. Other artists whose songs enjoyed streaming bumps include Janet Jackson and Kylie Minogue. - Billboard, 4/29/24...... Interviewed by the UK music mag Uncut on May 1, David Gilmour shared his plans to tour for the first time in eight years, behind his upcoming album Luck and Strange. The former Pink Floyd guitarist said he had "an unwillingness to revisit the Pink Floyd of the '70s", but would be more likely to perform songs from other decades. "Yeah, they might be better represented," he said. "I mean, at least one from the '60s. The one we've done in the past is 'Astronomy' (from the 1967 LP The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn). That's always entertaining and fun and gets people off to a happy start." Gilmour continued: "There's songs from the Momentary Lapse Of Reason and The Division Bellalbums. I mean, I think 'High Hopes' is as good as anything we ever did at any time." Gilmour also spoke about the amendments he made to his touring band, reasoning: "It was all too robotic, and some people would have been better off in a Pink Floyd tribute band. So I thought we'd get people who are genuinely creative and give them a little more space. That's the plan. So we're going to have some of the younger guys alongside Guy and the Webb Sisters, who sang with Leonard Cohen on his last tours." Finally, Gilmour teased there was more unreleased material to come, saying he was planning more recording dates once the tour was finished, "which will practically force me to concentrate (on writing more songs). I mean, we've got plenty more pieces of half-formed music that we can get started on. The intention is to get something else out as soon as possible." In the same interview Gilmour, who often recorded with Pink Floyd in the same studio of the Beatles -- Abbey Road Studios London -- called the 2021 Peter Jackson-directed Beatles documentary Get Back a "hard watch." He specifically noted "Paul (McCartney) being domineering and and John (Lennon) ducking back because of the moment he was in at the time and George (Harrison) leaving and coming back." "Horrible, really, I mean it's lovely for us to watch, but I'm surprised Paul allowed it," he said. - New Musical Express, 5/1/24...... The estate of John Lennon has partnered with the company behind the popular smartphone app Lumenate for a series of meditation mixes, developed from the former Beatles member's 1973 track "Mind Games." On May 1, the project was unveiled and aims to help people reach a relaxed, meditative state, and "help guide your mind into deeper states of consciousness." In the newly transformed mixes, various sound design techniques and processes have been applied to the original 1973 recordings by Lennon and, in some instances, have been enhanced with additional instrumentation from producer Sean Ono Lennon, who is also the son of John and Yoko Ono. The song was written by Lennon after reading the 1972 book Mind Games: The Guide to Inner Space, by Robert Masters and Jean Houston, which offered brain training exercises to help people take a more positive outlook. The song then came as the title track for the album of the same name and has gone on to become a cult classic. "John was trying to convey the message that we all play mind games. But if we can play mind games, why not make a positive future with it -- to be a positive mind game? 'Mind Games' is such an incredibly strong song," said Yoko Ono of the track. "At the time, people didn't quite get the message because this was before its time. Now, people would understand it. I don't think in those days people knew they were playing mind games anyway." Nine mixes of the Lennon track are included, and each comes paired with "a unique, deeply immersive light sequence," to allow users to "users to see, hear and feel the music like never before." The Mind Games Meditation Mixes have launched in conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month in May. It is available for free via the Lumenate app. Meanwhile, in March it was reported that the guitar John Lennon used in the 1965 movie Help! would be headed to auction after being lost for 50 years. - NME, 5/1/24...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, Ringo Starr's new EP Crooked Boy is now available on streaming platforms after being originally released on exclusive vinyl for Record Store Day. The four-track EP was co-written with Linda Perry, who Starr previously worked with on the tracks "Coming Undone" and "Everyone And Everything." "I love what Linda did and I think all the songs are all great but one thing I did ask her was to write me a rocker," Ringo said in a statement. "And that's 'Gonna Need Someone' and I love it! Nick Valensi (of The Strokes) plays guitars on it -- and on all of the EP -- and he is great." The release of Crooked Boy is accompanied by the visuals for one of its tracks, "Gonna Need Someone," and can be viewed on YouTube. The full EP can be previewed on Spotify.com. - NME, 4/28/24...... Barbra Streisand is explaining her thought process after sharing a since-deleted Instagram comment when she asked if actress-comedienne Melissa McCarthy was on the diabetes and anti-obesity medication Ozempic. It started when McCarthy posted two pics on Instagram on Apr. 29 of herself attending the Center Theatre Group gala with Hairspray director Adam Shankman. "Pastels only to honor the incredible @matthewbourne13 at the @ctgla gala last night with this fella @adamshankman !!" McCarthy wrote in the caption. "Thiiiiis much closer to my dream of dancing on stage." "Give him my regards did you take Ozempic?" Streisand commented, and sharp-eyed fans noticed and theorized that the legendary singer-actress must have accidentally thought she was sending a direct message instead of a public comment. Ozempic is a diabetes and anti-obesity medication that has risen in popularity among influencers and celebrities in recent months. Streisand soon deleted the comment, and took to her X profile to offer an explanation. "OMG -- I went on Instagram to see the photos we'd posted of the beautiful flowers I'd received for my birthday," she posted on X. "Below them was a photo of my friend Melissa McCarthy who I sang with on my Encore album. She looked fantastic! I just wanted to pay her a compliment. I forgot the world is reading!" - Billboard, 4/30/24...... Billy Joel performed his 1983 tribute to his then-partner Christie Brinkley, "Uptown Girl," during his Apr. 26 show at Madison Square Garden. In a fan-shot video shared on Tik Tok, the 70-year-old Brinkley was spotted in the audience smiling and dancing along to the international smash hit. "Billy Joel wrote 'Uptown Girl' about his then-partner Christie Brinkley," read text over the clip. "Tonight she watched him sing the song he wrote about her to all of Madison Square Garden." In his 2014 biography, Billy Joel: The Definitive Biography, Joel revealed that he originally wrote the classic about all of the models in Manhattan, but changed the initially plural title of the song to singular when he began dating Brinkley. Brinkley and Joel tied the knot in 1985 and welcomed their daughter Alexa Ray Joel that same year. They were married for nearly a decade before divorcing in 1994. - Billboard, 4/29/24...... The Rolling Stones kicked off their highly anticipated Hackney Diamonds tour to a fired-up audience at the sold-out NRG Stadium in Houston, Tex., on Apr. 28. Fans erupted as the legendary rockers launched into their classic repertoire, treating fans to iconic hits such as "Gimme Shelter," "Paint It Black," and "Start Me Up." The band also delighted the crowd with fan-favorite deep cuts like "Out Of Time" and music from their new album Hackney Diamonds, such as "Angry," "Mess It Up" and "Sweet Sounds Of Heaven." The Stones closed out the show with their signature hit, "Satisfaction." While in Houston, frontman Mick Jagger had an out-of-this-world experience when he stopped by the headquarters of the National Aereonautics Space Administration (NASA). "Thanks @nasa for being so welcoming to us and great to be shown around by astronauts Josh Cassada, Bob Hines and Jessica Meir," Jagger captioned a series of photos from his visit to the Johnson Space Center that he posted on Instagram. In the pics, the 80-year-old rocker is seen smiling in front of the mission control center, which features a sign welcoming him on the screen inside. He also is seen trying on a VR headset to explore the moon virtually, experiencing a spacecraft simulator, and posing alongside the astronauts. The Hackney Diamonds tour will make stops in a total of 16 cities across the US and Canada, with stops in Houston, Glendale, Las Vegas, Seattle, East Rutherford, Foxboro, Orlando, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Denver, Chicago, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Santa Clara. Additional tickets have been released in select cities. The Stones will also make a stop at this year's New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for a special performance on May 2. Jagger recently told the UK paper Daily Mirror that his missed the "chaos and quirkiness" of late Stones drummer Charlie Watts "Of course, it's hard," Jagger said. "I mean, it's all my life ever since I was 19 or whatever, it's always been Charlie. Of course, it's emotional, but you have to get past that in life. I love Charlie and all the things, but I still want to carry on making music." Meanwhile, former Stones bassist Bill Wyman told the same news outlet that the band "refused to accept that I had left" for more than two years. "I left in 1991 but they would not believe me," the 87-year-old Wyman said. "They refused to accept I had left. It was not until 1993, when they were starting to get together to tour in 1994, when they said, 'You have actually now left, haven't you?' And I said, 'I left two years ago'. They finally accepted it, so they say I left in 1993." Wyman explained he decided to quit because he had "had enough" and wanted to do other things with his life. He said: "I just had enough. It was half my life and I thought, 'I have got other things I want to do'. I wanted to do archaeology, write books, have photo exhibitions and play charity cricket. I used to read about ancient cultures while I was on the road and take photos as well. I just had this whole other life I wanted to live." He added: "The weird thing is ever since I've left, up until the present day, I still dream I'm on tour, like we are in a dressing room or we are in a hotel. I still dream those dreams and I dream of other friends like David Bowie. They are all very nice but very confusing." - Music-News.com/Billboard/Music-News.com, 4/29/24...... In a new interview with UK's The Metro newspaper, Dionne Warwick said she refuses to listen to her own music, although shed by happy to watch herself "live" in an ABBA-style hologram avatar show. "Oh, yeah. I'd love to see me. But I don't listen to my music. I listened to it one time when I recorded it," the 83-year-old iconic singer told the Metro's "60 Seconds" column. "I am so critical I will say things to myself like, 'Why didn't you sing this other note?' or 'Why didn't you do it this way?' So I refrain from listening to me. I listen to my peers," she added. Warwick admitted she would rather listen to the likes of Johnny Mathis, Tina Turner and "a lot of Brazilian music" instead. She said she "fell completely in love" with Brazil when she first toured there in the 1960s, and feels "a mutual love affair" with the people and their music. When it was suggested that there is a big difference between Brazilian music and her own, she replied: "I describe it as happy music. Music that makes you smile, makes you move." While some people may try to label her sound, Dionne is keen to point out that music should simply be enjoyed for what it is: "I don't categorise music. Music is music. They try to put you into a box all the time. But you can't put me into a box." Warwick will kick off an 10-date UK tour on May 4 in Scarborough, also visiting Gateshead (5/5), Edinburch (5/7), Glasgow (5/9), Birmingham (5/11), Salford Quays (5/12), London (5/14), Bristol (5/16), Southend-On-Sea (5/19) and Belfast (5/26) before performing stateside at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif. on Aug. 18. - Music-News.com, 5/1/24.