Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on August 14th, 2024

A rep for Frankie Valli has confirmed the 90-year-old Four Seasons legend is doing fine after he appeared to struggle during an Aug. 3 show in Saratoga, Calif. During the concert, Valli appeared weak and struggled to lip-sync to some of his biggest hits during his performance. A video of the show, which has since gone viral on social media, showed the "My Eyes Adored You" singer holding onto a handrail as he struggled to climb a short flight of stairs. The clip also showed the musician lip-syncing to his 1978 hit "Grease," but seemingly struggling to keep up with the track. Soon after the video was posted, fans began questioning why the nonagenarian is still performing live. But in an Aug. 14 statement to The New York Post, his rep says, "Frankie is doing just fine and super happy to still be performing. The audiences are filling venues and listening to some great music. [He is] doing what he loves to do at 90. We should all be so lucky." - Music-News.com, 8/14/24...... The BBC announced on Aug. 13 that Brian May will host a one-off documentary on their network about his work in the field of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and how to prevent it without resorting to badger culling. The Queen guitarist has been a long-time opponent of badger culling in the U.K. and the documentary, Brian May: The Badgers, The Farmers And Me, follows him on a four-year project to eradicate the disease -- which can devastate cattle populations -- without harming the badgers. "I don't blame people for being suspicious of me in the beginning, because, you know, I'm a guitarist," said May. "You know I'm a rock star. What am I doing? Why would I have some contribution to make? I came in to save the badgers. I now realise that to save the badgers, you have to save everybody because it's a mess. It's a tragic human drama where people's hearts are broken," he added. The show sees him team up with vet Dick Sibley and farmer Robert Reed -- whose farm was chronically infected with bTB -- to eliminate the disease without badger culling. May says he hopes to show the wider farming community that he's found "the real source" of the disease's spread and they can thus change their policies, and that his documentary will "outrage viewers" about the practice of badger culling. The documentary will air on Aug. 23 at 9:00 pm on BBC Two. Meanwhile, May recently responded to the news that Aerosmith would be retiring, explaining that the announcement "brought a tear" to his eye. "The career of Aerosmith is truly something to celebrate forever. All things must pass -- but the inspiring work of Aerosmith will live on -- along with the memories of truly one of the most awesome bands to ever hit a stage," he said in part on social media. - New Musical Express, 8/13/24....... Speaking of Aerosmith, the Boston-based rockers' final show has just been uploaded to YouTube in 4K video. The band's last gig took place on Sept. 9, 2023 at the UBS Arena in Elmont, NY and no one -- including the band themselves -- knew it would be their last. The concert was part of their "Peace Out" tour, which kicked off last year, but the band only played three nights, before rescheduling the rest of the dates after frontman Steven Tyler injured his larynx. The night saw the Rock & Roll Hall Of Famers perform their hits such as "Sweet Emotion," "Love in an Elevator," "Livin' on the Edge" and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." They also went on to perform a cover of bluesman Rufus Thomas' "Walking the Dog" and played their song "Bright Light Fright" -- taken from their Draw The Line album -- for the first time since 1994. Ironically, their final live song was "Happy Birthday to You," bringing out a giant chocolate cake to celebrate guitarist Joe Perry's 73rd birthday the following day. Aerosmith's last studio, Music From Another Dimension!, arrived in 2012. Steven Tyler's last studio album, We're All Somebody from Somewhere, was released in 2016. - NME, 8/12/24...... John Oates, formerly of Hall & Oates, will be honored for his contributions to the art of songwriting when he is honored with BMI's Troubadour Award on Sept. 16 in Nashville. "John Oates has enriched Nashville and its music scene with his special blend of soulful storytelling and guitar playing," said BMI Nashville exec Clay Bradley in a statement. "His influence has elevated our community to be more accepting and open to all genres of music. We are proud to honor him as this year's BMI Troubadour." Oates began his BMI affiliation in 1972, and he has previously been named a BMI Icon for his influence on generations of songwriters. Among his accolades are 10 BMI pop awards and 30 BMI Million-Air Awards for songs including "Maneater," "I Can't Go For That," "Out of Touch" and "Sara Smile." As a member of Hall & Oates, he has recorded 21 albums and earned six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers. Hall & Oates were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. Oates moved to Nashville in 2010 and embedded himself in Nashville's Americana music community, releasing several solo projects, including 2020's Live in Nashville and his most recent, 2024's Reunion. The Troubador Award recognizes a songwriter who has made "a profound impact on the creative community as their craft continues to set the pace for generations to follow," according to BMI. The upcoming invitation-only event will include tribute performances and commemorative speeches from special guests, in addition to a cocktail reception and dinner. Previous Troubadour Award winners include Billy Gibbons, John Hiatt, John Prine and Lucinda Williams. - Billboard, 8/13/24...... The Jewish women's group backing Democratic presidential candidate Vice Pres. Kamala Harris announced on Aug. 12 that Barbra Streisand will join in the latest virtual gathering of their voters supporting Harris on Aug. 15 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Described as "thousands of pumped up Jewish women ready to get Kamala elected," the group aims to "show [its] enthusiasm and support" for Harris and newly appointed running mate Tim Walz. Streisand will serve as a guest speaker and share "why she's so passionate about electing Kamala Harris as our next president," according to a press release. Streisand was one of the first major musicians to voice her support for Harris when president Joe Biden dropped out of the race last month, shortly after which he endorsed his second-in-command for the role. All genders and Jewish allies are also welcome to join the e-meeting, according to the event's website. Those interested in attending can register online. Black women, Hispanic women, White "dudes," Black men, Asian Americans, Native Americans and members of the LGBTQ+ community have also all put together virtual voter-led meetings in support of Harris. - Billboard, 8/12/24...... In other 2024 presidential campaign-related news, the estate of Isaac Hayes has filed a lawsuit against Republican candidate Donald Trump over what they allege is copyright infringement, stating that the late artist's song "Hold On, I'm Coming" was used on "multiple occasions during various political rallies" of Trump's without authorization. The paperwork, dated Monday, Aug. 11, identifies 134 counts copyright infringement at campaign rallies from 2022-2024. "We demand the cessation of use, removal of all related videos, a public disclaimer, and payment of $3 million in licensing fees by August 16, 2024. Failure to comply will result in further legal action," reads a statement posted on Hayes' son, Isaac Hayes III. However, given no choice, the paperwork reads, that legal action could extend to "federal litigation." The family also posted their intent to sue Trump on X. As recently as July 31, in Harrisburg, Pa., Trump has been using "Hold On, I'm Comin' to close his rallies -- prompting the family's legal action. Hayes and David Porter wrote "Hold On, I'm Coming," which was recorded by soul duo Sam & Dave and issued on the Stax label in 1966, peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hayes died Aug. 10, 2008, at the age of 65. For the "Theme from Shaft," he was awarded the Oscar for best original song in 1972, making him just the third Black person, after Hattie McDaniel and Sidney Poitier, to win an Academy Award in any competitive field. Scores of top artists and songwriters have also objected to the Trump campaign's use of their songs at political rallies since he first ran for president in 2015 -- among them The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Adele, Rihanna, Neil Young, Steven Tyler, Village People and the estates of Tom Petty and Sinead O'Connor. - Billboard, 8/12/24...... Gloria Gaynor is suing one of her former producers, Joel Diamond, for $2 million, claiming he and the companies he controls "utterly failed to live up to their obligations to keep Plaintiffs apprised of how their work was being licensed and used, while wrongfully exacting economic benefits they were not entitled to by exploiting that very relationship." According to the court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Gaynor's attorneys allege the producer "concealed and suppressed all payments to Gaynor," and that Diamond falsely claimed ownership of several of her songs, including "I've Been Watching You," "You're All I Need to Get By" and the disco anthem "I Am What I Am." The "I Will Survive" singer alleges Diamond also listed himself as a co-writer on at least one song. "At no time did Gaynor write a song with Diamond. To her knowledge, Diamond has never been a songwriter," the complaint states. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Diamond countered, "I am in the process of retaining counsel. The allegations are demonstrably false. The written contract is very clear and has been in place for 40 years. Sony has acknowledged that I own 100 per cent of the rights. Any statement contrary to this fact is defamatory and I intend to exercise my legal rights to the fullest extent." Meanwhile, Gaynor is preparing for two concerts later in 2024 -- Aug. 30 in Cardiff, Tramshed, UK and Oct. 30 in Carteret, NJ. - Music-News.com, 8/12/24...... Rod Stewart's Instagram account revealed on Aug. 9 that the "Maggie May" singer has tested positive for COVID-19, leading to the cancelation of two summer concerts that were originally scheduled for Aug. 9-10. "We regret to announce that tonight's Rod Stewart concert in Stateline, NV and his August 10 show in Lincoln, CA have been postponed, as the singer recovers from a summer strain of Covid-19," the statement said, hours before he was expected to take the stage. The shows have already been rescheduled, his team announced on the same update. Stewart, 79, is set to perform at Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln, Calif., on Aug. 18; two days later he'll take the stage at Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys in Stateline, Nev., on Aug. 20. The statement also shared that "ticket holders should hold on to their tickets as they will be honored for the rescheduled shows." Stewart's illness follows the singer missing the 200th show of his long-running Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace on Aug. 7, when he cited strep throat as the reason for his absence. At the time, he noted on Instagram, "Most people can work with strep throat but obviously not me. I'm absolutely gutted. I've been looking forward to this concert for so long. My deepest regrets for any inconvenience this has caused." Those who missed out on his Vegas run will get another chance to catch the star at Caesars Palace in 2025, at encore dates of his residency show during select weekends in March, May and June of next year. "Vegas, I'm having too much fun for this to end so we are coming back for an encore! Don't miss The Encore Shows Las Vegas Residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace March 12-22 & May 29-June 8!" Stewart wrote to fans on Aug. 7. Tickets for Stewart's 2024 concert dates went on sale on Aug. 12. - Billboard, 8/10/24...... Elton John took to Instagram on Aug. 10 to congratulate rising American singer Chappell Roan on "the meteoric rise of a midwestern princess." The "Good Luck Babe" singer recently achieved her first UK Number One album with The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess almost a year after its release. John took to Instagram to praise her efforts, sharing a picture of the two together and writing: "Congratulations to @chappellroan on her first UK Number 1 album. The meteoric rise of a midwestern princess -- Brilliant pop music that brings the world together at a much needed time." John has also praised Roan's song "Red Wine Supernova" in 2023, and the pair appeared together on his Apple Music podcast Rocket Hour, and discussed her rapid rise to fame. "I rang you the other night and said, 'Listen, I'm not stalking you, but I'm as excited about your album's success as you are,' he said. "It's wonderful to see true talent being recognized." - NME, 8/10/24...... Devo recently popped in to NPR's Tiny Desk studio for a raucous four-song set for the public radio series that featured one obscure track they hadn't performed live in more than four decades. With founding singer/keyboardist Mark Mothersbaugh leading the charge alongside brother and longtime guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh and original bassist Gerald Casale, the group bounded out of the gate with the bluesy, bouncing rarity "It Takes a Worried Man." The song -- inspired by the folk/roots classic "Worried Man Blues" -- was originally recorded for the little-seen 1982 nuclear panic comedy Human Highway, which was directed by Neil Young, who also co-starred alongside Dean Stockwell, co-writer Dennis Hopper and Devo, who played radioactive waste garbage men in orange outfits and hard hats accented by plastic tubes that snaked down into the band member's noses. In addition to Mothersbaugh's sermon-like breakdown about how everyone is just going for that "big ice cream cone in the sky," the song featured a wiggy keyboard solo from the frontman, who, alas, was not wearing the band's signature red flower bucket hat. Devo ended the set with another song from their 1978 debut Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, the galloping, herky jerky "Come Back Jonee." - Billboard, 8/9/24...... On Aug. 9 David Gilmour released a new track, "Dark and Velvet Nights," from his upcoming album Luck and Strange on YouTube. The groovy rock track was written by Gilmour and his wife Polly Samson and is about their loving relationship. In a statement about the track, Gilmour said: "The music sprang out one day. It was so exciting to have come across this groove. Polly had given me a beautiful poem for our wedding anniversary, which was sitting on the desk right next to me, so I picked it up and sang it on the track, to hear what it would sound like with words. I played it to Polly, and she said, 'Lovely, great, I'll need fiddle with it a bit.' So she added a couple of verses, and there it was -- very serendipitous." Gilmour is due to perform several concerts this year, marking his return to the stage for the first time in eight years. It includes five shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Luck and Strange will drop on Sept. 6. - NME, 8/9/24...... In a new interview with Record Collector magazine, Pete Townshend revealed that he was "very sexually attracted" to Rolling Stones' frontman Mick Jagger. Townshend -- the guitarist and co-founder of The Who -- has previously identified as pansexual, an orientation defined by attraction to people regardless of sex or gender identity. In the interview, Townshend revealed that he had what he would consider "a couple of homosexual affairs", saying: "I tried them out, and I very much enjoyed them." He continued: "I've made a couple of really close friends that I'm still friendly with today. But it wasn't what worked for me, sexually speaking - and didn't fit into my life, somehow." The guitarist also reflected on one sexual attraction he experienced with Jagger, saying: "I was very sexually attracted to [Jagger]. And possibly to a few other people in my life." Back in 2012, Townshend publicly defended the size of Jagger's penis after Keith Richards claimed in his autobiography Life that the singer had a "tiny todger." In a press conference, the guitarist said: "What I remember of the size of Mick Jagger's penis -- I remember it as being huge and extremely tasty." He also discussed his feelings about the "Sympathy For the Devil" singer in his own 2012 autobiography Who I Am, writing: "Mick is the only man I've ever seriously wanted to f---." - NME, 8/9/24...... On July 24 at the Old Marylebone Town Hall in London, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood's son Tyrone Wood married Faye Harris, the daughter of Iron Maiden guitarist Steve Harris. Tyrone's mother is Ronnie's ex-wife, former model Jo Wood, while Faye's mother is Steve's ex-wife, Lorraine Jury. - People, 8/19/24...... George Harrison's 1971 The Concert For Bangladesh live charity album, featuring Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell and more, is set to arrive across streaming platforms for the first time. Not only will it come with all of the astonishing performances from the line-up, it will also contain a new bonus track: the original studio version of Harrison's song "Bangla Desh," which was released as a single in July 1971. All net proceeds after taxes will be donated to the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF at the US Fund for UNICEF. Held across two sold-out concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden back in August 1971, the concerts are considered to be the first major music benefit of its kind and saw the music icon assemble a star-studded event for a common humanitarian goal. Harrison organized the shows in a bid to raise both awareness and funds for the 10 million East Pakistani refugees who had fled over the border into India, and were facing challenges including the threat of hunger and disease. Setting the precedent that music could be used to serve a higher cause, the MSG shows saw the former Beatle team up with Ravi Shankar, and invite Dylan, Starr, Russell, Eric Clapton and Billy Preston to perform at the non-profit event. By the point they took to the stage, little public attention had been drawn to the crisis in East Pakistan/Bangladesh and few outside of the region were aware of how to help those affected. "The musicians were great. I mean they completely put down their own egos to play together and to do something because the whole vibe of that concert was that it was something bigger than the lot of us," Harrison said at the time. The concerts were later turned into a triple album box set and a feature film -- raising millions of dollars for UNICEF. Its official trailer can be viewed on YouTube, and a preview can be streamed on Spotify. - NME, 8/9/24...... The Sex Pistols members Glen Matlock, Paul Cook and Steve Jones joined forces with British singer Frank Carter on Aug. 13 to play the Pistols' 1977 classic Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols in its entirety to raise funds for Bush Hall in Shepherd's Bush, west London. Now, following an "overwhelming response" to the sold-out gigs, the Pistols and Carter have confirmed that they'll be returning to London for another live concert, at the O2 Forum Kentish Town on Sept. 26. In a statement, guitarist Jones said: "The response to the Bush Hall shows has been overwhelming and it's a privilege to help out a local venue like that. And it became obvious that there are many more fans who want to see us." He continued: "Playing with Frank has been such a pleasure that we wanted to extend the fun. So Kentish Town, here we come." Earlier in 2024 Bush Hall revealed that it needed to raise 42,000 through crowdfunding to prevent it from losing its music status, as it saw a 24.5% decrease in live music bookings in 2023. - NME, 8/14/24...... George Underwood, the artist behind some of David Bowie's most iconic album covers, has donated a new painting to an upcoming War Child charity exhibition. War Child, the charity that provides support to children and their families in conflict zones across 15 countries, recently announced "Sound & Vision" -- "an innovative fundraising exhibition and global online auction." The annual exhibition, curated by Art On A Postcard, will see artists respond to an iconic lyric in order to raise awareness and funds for children impacted by conflict. For its inaugural year, Underwood is among 33 leading contemporary artists who have created work inspired by the Bowie lyric "We like dancing and we look divine," taken from the late singer's 1974 hit "Rebel Rebel." The exhibition will take place at 180 Studios, London on Sept. 26 and 27, and a global, online auction will run from Sept. 17 to Oct. 1. After meeting at school, Underwood and Bowie formed a band. However, their musical partnership didn't last after Underwood punched Bowie in a fight over a girl. In later years, however, Underwood created artwork for some of Bowie's biggest albums, including Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust, as well as the first T. Rex album cover. During his life, Bowie was an avid supporter of War Child. In 1994, alongside Brian Eno, Bowie curated "Little Pieces from Big Stars," an innovative exhibition raising funds for the charity. - NME, 8/8/24...... Lou Reed's songwriting work before he joined the seminal New York rock band Velvet Underground has been compiled into a single album, Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65. The album's opening track is The Primatives' "The Ostrich" that features Reed on lead vocals. Other artists featured include The Beachnuts, The Hi-Lifes, Ronnie Dickerson, The Hollywoods, The Roughnecks and The Surfsiders. The compilation album is due for release on Sept. 27 via Light in the Attic, in partnership with Reed's widow Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive. - NME, 8/14/24...... A release date for the forthcoming Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown has been set for Christmas Day (Dec. 25) in the United States, according to a post by Searchlight Pictures on Aug. 6 on X. The James Mangold film starring Timothee Chalamet in the titular role will hit cinemas across the UK on Jan. 17. The film's release date comes after its first trailer arrived in July. A Complete Unknown also stars Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz and Scoot McNairy. The biopic is set to explore Dylan's meteoric rise as a folk singer to concert halls and the top of the charts, his transition to using the electric guitar in the '60s, his rise to fame, and his subsequent achievement of icon status in the folk-rock music industry. - NME, 8/7/24...... A yellow Schecter Cloud electric guitar owned and played by Prince is currently up for auction at GottaHaveRockandRoll.com. This particular guitar was part of Prince's inventory and was used during performances and rehearsals. It was also a main part of testing due to it being a prototype for the Schecter range that he had commissioned for general sale. What is also rare about the guitar is that it was the prototype and therefore does not contain the stamped Schecter serial number below the 'Diamond Series' logo on the headstock, this is due to it being built for Prince himself rather than general sale. It was instead entered into the PRN MUSIC CORP inventory. The guitar, now owned by one of Prince's guitar techs, is finished in yellow with symbol inlays which was said to have been one of Prince's favorite combinations for the cloud. It also comes with a hard flight case with a soft purple lining. Bidding starts at $60,000 and is estimated to sell for over $100,000. - Music-News.com, 8/13/24.

With a new documentary of his '70s band Wings set to debut in cinemas in September, Paul McCartney says he "enjoyed looking back" for the film, titled One Hand Clapping. "It's so great to look back on that period and see the little live show we did," Paul said. "We made a pretty good noise actually. It was a great time for the band, we started to have success with Wings, which had been a long time coming." Directed by David Litchfield, One Hand Clapping details the recording sessions for the band's the live studio album of the same name at London's Abbey Road Studios back in 1974. The footage, much of it rare, was filmed back in the '70s at the height of Wings' fame for a TV special which was never aired. It now features a new introduction from the Beatles legend as well as a "backyard session" with the musician performing Buddy Holly songs and unreleased track 'Blackpool" on his acoustic guitar. The documentary will also feature previously unseen Polaroid photographs from the recording sessions. Marc Allenby, CEO of Trafalgar Releasing, said of the documentary release: "This cinematic experience will transport audiences back to a golden era of rock and roll while captivating new fans with the magic of this iconic band. It's a must-see event for music lovers of all generations." - Music-News.com, 8/9/24...... Even as Rod Stewart was forced to cancel what was supposed to be the 200th, and final, show in his 13-year Las Vegas residency on Aug. 7 due to strep throat, the indefatigable pop legend announced the same day that he'll resume his residency in 2025. "Vegas, I'm having too much fun for this to end so we are coming back for an encore!," Sir Rod posted on Instagram. "Don't miss The Encore Shows Las Vegas Residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace March 12-22 & May 29-June 8!," he wrote along with footage of himself in his signature wild-pattern outfits singing his 1971 classic "Maggie May." The news came just a few hours after Stewart, 79, announced that illness required him to cancel what was slated to be the final show in his long-running residency at Caesars Palace. "I'm desperately sorry to miss this 200th show celebration," he wrote on Instagram. "Most people can work with strep throat but obviously not me. I'm absolutely gutted. I've been looking forward to this concert for so long. My deepest regrets for any inconvenience this has caused." In that post, he teased "thankfully we'll now be returning in 2025 and I hope to see you all there." - Billboard, 8/8/24...... Bob Dylan played his classic track "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" for the first time in almost a decade at an "Outlaw Music Festival" touring stop in Boise, Idaho on Aug. 7. As he co-headlines with Willie Nelson on the tour, Dylan has been making headlines for putting obscure reworks into old standards. However, now he is digging back into his own catalogue of tracks to surprise audiences and keep his set lists unpredictable. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35," the opening track on his classic 1966 LP Blonde on Blonde and features the iconic chorus "everybody must get stoned," was played live for the first time since 2016. Fan shot footage of the performance can be viewed on YouTube. Also, Dylan's track "Spirit on the Water" was back on the setlist for the first time since 2018. When the "Outlaw Music Festival Tour" kicked off, Dylan started it off with a typically unpredictable setlist of '50s blues and country covers and deep cuts. His opening set included versions of Willie Dixon's "My Babe," Chuck Berry's "Little Queenie" and Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart," as well as four separate songs from his own 2012 album Tempest, including "Long And Wasted Years" and "Scarlet Town." Meanwhile, the Timothe Chalamet-starring biopic of the musician, titled A Complete Unknown, is set to hit cinemas this winter. Chalamet has reportedly been working with the same team that assisted Austin Butler for Elvis. - New Musical Express, 8/8/24...... Country star Zach Bryan had quite a surprise for fans attending his concert at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on Aug. 8, bringing out guest performers Bruce Springsteen, The Lumineers and Shane Gillis, who performed with Bryan throughout the show. Springsteen, who recently collaborated with Bryan for "Sandpaper" on his latest album, The Great American Bar Scene, joined Bryan on stage to perform "Atlantic City." "An absolutely insane night at the Linc," one fan posted on X. It's not the only time The Boss has joined Bryan for a surprise performance. On Mar. 27, Bryan joined the rocker onstage at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, where they performed two tracks, including the pair's collaboration "Sandpaper." Fans of Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" will instantly recognize the chugging beat on "Sandpaper," which is identical to the feel of his 1984 hit. Bryan has also previously covered Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. classic "I'm on Fire" on several occasions, live and in the studio. - Billboard, 8/8/24...... With the last two surviving original The Who members -- Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey -- coming to the end of their illustrious careers, there has been discussion of the band making another album, with Townshend seeming the more enthusiastic between the pair. Speaking to TheDailyBeast.com, Townshend, 79, said: "I don't know what's gonna happen with The Who. I'm hoping Roger [Daltrey] and I can find some common ground and find some way to work again, possibly without an orchestra, because I think we've done that. But also, there's this sense that we're in the last tour period of our career. Are we just hoping to do what Bob Dylan does and just keep going?" He explained that he's "encouraged" by Daltrey's solo tour, and likes the idea of them putting a small band together. But, he says, "Roger and I don't converse. We don't talk. So, it might be difficult to land on something that we both share an interest in. But it's there for the taking, I think." TheDailyBeast then asked Townshend if he'd like to get Daltrey, 80, into the studio to make an album and promote it with a tour, but he said he wasn't going to "bully" his bandmate into it. "I don't want to have the job that I used to have around the time of 'Quadrophenia', which is bullying everybody in The Who to do exactly what I want to do," he said. "It was no fun. And at the end of that, Roger knocked me out. I asked for it, but he knocked me out." He added: "Anyway, I'm hopeful. I'm certainly not saying that we won't do anything, but Roger and I do have a bit of a river to cross. And once we cross that river, we'll see what happens." - NME, 8/7/24...... A star-studded tribute album to Talking Heads' acclaimed film Stop Making Sense has debuted atop Billboard's Compilation Albums chart for the week dated Aug. 10. First released as a digital download and via streaming services in May, Everyone's Getting Involved: A Tribute To Stop Making Sense arrives at No. 1 on the Compilation Albums tally after its July 26 release on CD and vinyl. Combined, all configurations of the album, digital and physical, sold a little over 2,000 copies in the U.S. in the week ending Aug. 1 according to Luminate -- with nearly all the sales from its CD and vinyl formats. The effort boasts acts such as Miley Cyrus, Lorde and Paramore covering songs performed by Talking Heads in its celebrated 1984 film Stop Making Sense. A restored version of Stop Making Sense premiered on Sept. 11, 2023, at the Toronto International Film Festival before garnering a general theatrical release later that month. On Aug. 18, 2023, a remastered edition of the Stop Making Sense soundtrack was released, boasting the complete concert for the first time. On Everyone's Getting Involved, the cover songs are ordered in the same sequence as they are performed in the Stop Making Sense film. Among the tracks are "Psycho Killer" (covered by Cyrus), "Heaven" (The National), "Burning Down the House" (Paramore), "Once In a Lifetime" (Kevin Abstract), "Genius of Love" (Toro y Moi featuring Brijean) and "Take Me to the River" (Lorde). Meanwhile, Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense soundtrack has entered the Soundtracks chart at No. 8, Vinyl Albums at No. 7, Indie Store Album Sales at No. 3 and Top Album Sales at No. 16. - Billboard, 8/8/24...... Journey announced the cancellation of their UK and Ireland 50th anniversary arena tour on Aug. 6. The famous AOR band had been due to embark on their "Freedom Tour" in late October with special guests Cheap Trick, but now it has been confirmed in a brief statement that the 11-date tour has been scrubbed. "Due to circumstances beyond the band's control, Journey's UK and Ireland tour is unfortunately cancelled," the message reads. "Refunds will be made from your point of purchase." As of Aug. 6 the band had not yet announced the news on their official social media accounts. However, the shows have been listed as cancelled on Ticketmaster, and their planned London concert has also been removed from The O2's website. The scrapped UK and Ireland leg would have followed Journey's current run of North American stadium shows with Def Leppard, which is set to conclude in early September. The cancellation comes shortly after Journey keyboardist/rhythm guitarist Jonathan Cain reportedly filed a new lawsuit against bandmate Neal Schon while on tour in the US. According to Bloomberg Law, the suit was filed on the grounds of frustrations over Schon's "expenses related to the tour," including "budgeting and spending" of the band's credit card over personal expenses. In other Journey news, Schon recently recalled to the UK paper The Guardian of being "terrified" when the band's iconic track "Don't Stop Believin'" was used in Glee. "I was terrified by that because I thought it was a teenybopper show, not so cool for us," Schon revealed. "Little did I know that it would open up a younger generation to our music. I'm a rocker and a blues guy, and we always joke that if I think something is too schmaltzy, it's usually gonna be big!" "Don't Stop Believin'" was named as the Biggest Song Of All Time by Forbes magazine in March this year, going 18x platinum. - NME, 8/6/24...... Memphis, a new 111-track, five-disc box set that mines recordings from five different locations in Mississippi-born Elvis Presley's adopted hometown in Tennessee, is due Aug. 9 from RCA/Legacy. Presley's recording sessions in the Sun Recording Studio, the American Studios, the Stax Studio, the Mid-South Coliseum and Graceland Mansion's Jungle Room are featured on the set. On three of the studio discs, previously released tracks are remixed strictly using the instrumentation from the core tracking session, leaving out material that was overdubbed at a later date. "By not having the additional strings and backing vocals, there [is] an intimacy to it that would reveal things that we hadn't heard before," says Memphis producer Ernst Jorgensen, a well-established Presley authority. "So songs come out with a different feel to them." The Presley package coincides with the 70th anniversary of his seminal recording of "That's All Right," the 1955 single that launched his career. - Billboard, 8/6/24...... David Gilmour has declared his upcoming solo album, Luck and Strange, has some of the "best" music he's made since the classic 1973 Pink Floyd album The Dark Side Of The Moon. "It's over 50 years now since 'The Dark Side Of The Moon'," Gilmour said in a new interview with Prog magazine. "My feeling is that this album is the best album I've made in all those years since 1973 when 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' came out." Elsewhere in his chat, Gilmour teased that he'll soon begin work on a follow-up to Luck And Strange, and is eagerly anticipating reuniting with several of the album's collaborators: "Our plan is just to get this one out and run it and then do another one straight away. I will be working with all these people again." Recorded over five months in Brighton and London, Luck And Strange is set for release on Sept. 6. Gilmour is due to perform several concerts behind the new album across the globe this year, marking his return to the stage for the first time in eight years. The tour will stop in Rome, London, Los Angeles and New York from Sept. 27 through Nov. 9, with several shows at each stop. - NME, 8/6/24...... Late folk-country icon John Denver has returned to the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, as a writer via MGK (formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly) and Jelly Roll's new single, "Lonely Road." The track, released July 26, launches at No. 33 on the Hot 100 with 10.5 million official streams, 646,000 in radio airplay audience and 12,000 sold in the United States in the week ending Aug. 1, according to Luminate. The song, MGK's fourth top 40 Hot 100 hit and Jelly Roll's seventh, reimagines Denver's breakthrough anthem as a recording artist, "Take Me Home, Country Roads," which wound its way to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1971. Denver tallied 14 top 40 hits of his own through 1982, when "Shanghai Breezes" reached No. 31. He recorded four No. 1 singles, among seven top 10s. Denver, who died in 1997, appears in the Hot 100's top 40 as a writer for a second time in the past decade -- with both via reworkings of "Take Me Home, Country Roads." In Oct. 2016, "Forever Country," by Artists of Then, Now & Forever, hit No. 21. The song, released in celebration of 50 years of the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, is a medley of three favorites: "Take Me Home, Country Roads," Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" and Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again." The all-star track also spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart. "Lonely Road" concurrently debuts at No. 5 on the Hot Rock Songs chart, No. 7 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and No. 13 on Hot Country Songs. Denver's enduring original "Take Me Home, Country Roads" has drawn 931 million official on-demand streams in the U.S. to date. It has also totaled 230 million in radio reach and sold 1.8 million downloads. - Billboard, 8/5/24...... During the encore of a show on Sammy Hagar's "Best of All Worlds" tour with drummer Jason Bonham, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and guitar god Joe Satriani at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Michigan on Aug. 2, Hagar, 76, took a moment to acknowledge the then-new information and give Aerosmith props for their longevity and spirit. "We had some crazy news today," Hagar told the audience. "We got here this afternoon sometime and we're all sitting around backstage and a friend of ours that works for Aerosmith came and said, 'Yeah, Aerosmith called retirement today. They quit. They stopped.' God bless 'em. It's a horrible thing. What a great f---ing loss." Hagar added, "we love those guys. We all grew up with those guys. You grew up with them, we grew up with them, Mike and I. They've been our competitors to Van Halen for f---ing 10 years. You know what I'm saying? 'F--- those guys.' No, no, no, but we really do like them. It's just that we're mad at them. But anyway, what a shame." A video of Hagar's comments can be viewed on YouTube. Three months after rescheduling the remaining dates on their "Peace Out" farewell tour, Aerosmith announced their official retirement from touring on Aug. 2 due to frontman Steven Tyler's ongoing vocal cord injury. - Billboard, 8/5/24...... The third annual Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp for women only will take place Dec. 5-8 in Los Angeles and feature such rock legends as Nancy Wilson (Heart), Lita Ford (The Runaways), Sheila E. (Prince), Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper) and Rhonda Smith (Jeff Beck). "Rock Fantasy Camp for women is a meaningful gathering of women together. As a military brat I never felt constrained by my gender," Nancy Wilson says. "Encouraging women to wield their power outside confining gender expectations is always a happy task for me." The capacity for the camp is around 80 campers divided into up to 14 bands. Each band is assigned a counselor who mentors them throughout the four days and helps prepare the musicians for the closing concert where they play with the rock headliners at the Viper Room on the Sunset Strip. The counselors themselves are a constellation of heavy hitters, including Roxy Petrucci (Vixen), Eva Gardner (P!nk), Jennie Vee (Eagles of Death Metal), Julia Lage (Vixen), Jennifer Oberle (Sarah McLachlan) and Britt Lightning (Vixen), who also serves as the event's musical director. The camp is open to musicians of all levels, who are evaluated beforehand to make sure they are placed in the appropriate band and each participant is sent a song list to start rehearsing. The four days are filled with rehearsals, masterclasses, Q&As and jam sessions. More info can be found at www.rockcamp.com. - Billboard, 8/5/24...... Comedian/actor Steve Martin has turned down a chance to portray Democratic presidential hopeful Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, on the upcoming 50th season of NBC's Saturday Night Live, which premieres on Sept. 28. With Maya Rudolph's wildly popular impression of Kamala Harris on SNL, fans clamored to see who the late-night comedy show would pick to play Harris' new running mate, Tim Walz. With similar hairstyles and their signature glasses, many fans quickly drew comparisons between Walz and Martin, who's been a frequent SNL guest but never a formal cast member. According to the Los Angeles Times, SNL producer Lorne Michaels called Martin to offer him the role on the upcoming 50th season premiere, but the "King Tut" singer declined. "I wanted to say no and, by the way, he wanted me to say no," Martin said. "I said, 'Lorne, I'm not an impressionist. You need someone who can really nail the guy.' I was picked because I have gray hair and glasses." Although Martin initially leaned into the fun, writing on social platform Threads that he "just learned that Tim Walz wants to go on the road with Marty Short," he also noted the impression comes with a long-term commitment of performing on the show. "It's ongoing," Martin told the Times. "It's not like you do it once and get applause and never do it again. Again, they need a real impressionist to do that. They're gonna find somebody really, really good. I'd be struggling." Rudolph, for her part, will reportedly her Emmy-winning role on the show as Kamala Harris. She reportedly pushed the shooting schedule for the comedy series Loot from August to January to accommodate playing the role through the election season. She first played Harris in 2019 when the then-California senator was running for president and continued with the role after she was announced as Joe Biden's running mate. - AP, 8/7/24.