Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on January 21st, 2025

A new 50th anniversary vinyl reissue of David Bowie's ninth album Young Americans will arrive via Parlophone Records on Mar. 7 -- the same day the original collection was released back in 1975. The disc will be available on a half-speed mastered LP and a picture disc LP with a poster, pressed from the same master. Per a press release on X, the follow-up to 1974's Diamond Dogs saw Bowie "broaden his musical horizons once more, embracing what he called 'Plastic Soul'." The now-classic single "Fame" (co-written by John Lennon and Bowie's then-guitarist, Carlos Alomar) would give the late icon his first No. 1 in the US. The Young Americans album -- featuring the lead single of the same name -- was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, Penn., with a band that featured Mike Garson (keys), the late Luther Vandross (vocals) and David Sanborn (saxophone). Sessions also took place at New York City's Electric Lady and the Record Plant. Produced by Bowie's longtime collaborator Tony Visconti, the full-length project had been partly inspired by the "Philly Sound." - NME, 1/16/25...... On Jan. 21 Lynyrd Skynyrd announced a summer four-city UK arena tour set to begin on July 15 at the Manchester AO Arena. The run will mark the first new dates for the legendary Southern Rock band in England since 2019, as well as the half century since the band's debut, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd. "Celebrating 50 Years of Lynyrd SkynyrdUK Tour" dates also include Birmingham (16/7) and Brighton (18/7) before wrapping at London's OVO Arena Wembley on July 19. "It's about the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and what it stands for, what the fans are all about," frontman Johnny Van Zant said in a statement. "There's nothing like getting out there, playing a great show with Skynyrd and seeing people love this music." In 2023, the band announced that they would be continuing following the passing of guitarist Gary Rossington, the only member of Skynyrd to play on all of their albums and was the last surviving member of the original line-up. Opening for the band on the tour will be Blackberry Smoke, and £1 from every ticket sold will go to supporting grassroots music via the newly launched Live Trust. - New Musical Express, 1/21/25...... Steve Lukather of Toto has criticized the alternative band Weezer for its cover of Toto's hit "Africa," calling the circumstances surrounding it "weird." Weezer covered the tune in 2018 following a fan-driven campaign, and Toto returned the favor the same year with their take on Weezer's "Hash Pipe." Although Toto gave their seal of approval at the time, now it seems that things aren't so friendly between the two bands. Speaking to host Matt Pinfield on his New & Approved podcast, Lukather provided some new insight into their relationship, after Pinfield mentioned Cuomo "loving" "Africa." Lukather quickly interjected, saying: "I don't know about him loving the song, man. I don't think that's the case at all." He went on to say that he didn't believe the cover was done in good faith, but that Toto had the last laugh anyway. "I think he did it to take the piss out of it and it blew up in his face," he told the podcast. "Now he's gotta play it every night!" Lukather continued, saying that Cuomo wasn't so open to him: "I tried to reach out to this guy and be friendly and it just got weird," he explained. "I don't want to get into it, but peace and love. It was good for them, it was good for us. God bless." Meanwhile Toto is preparing for a 2025 UK and European headline tour, which includes a stop at London's Wembley Arena. - NME, 1/20/25...... The lineup for the 2025 MusiCares Person of the Year benefit gala held in tribute to the Grateful Dead in Los Angeles was revealed on Jan. 20, as The Hollywood Reporter announced the artists attached to the Grammy Week event scheduled for Jan. 31 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Dead & Company (which includes Grateful Dead co-founders Bob Weir and Mickey Hart), John Mayer, Mick Fleetwood with Stewart Copeland, Norah Jones, Vampire Weekend, Dwight Yoakam, Sammy Hagar and the War on Drungs are among those set for the event, as well as previous GD collaborator Bruce Hornsby. Andy Cohen will be the MC. Original GD members Weir, Hart and Bill Kreutzmann will be recognized for their contributions to music, their philanthropic efforts and the groups pioneering role in fostering communities through their concerts and activism. Two of the bands founding members, the late Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh, who passed away in Oct. 2024, will be honored posthumously. It was confirmed that the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year event will go on as planned last week, amid the wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles area. The announcement came a day after the Recording Academy said the Grammys are still on for Feb. 2. The MusiCares Person of the Year gala raises funds for the support of the MusiCareshealth and human services programs. - Billboard, 1/20/25...... Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton has shared "Sound of a Train," the debut single of his new band Close Enemies, on YouTube. Announced by Hamilton in 2024, Close Enemies kicked off a US tour on Jan. 8 in Philadelphia and a full length album from the band is thought to be in the works although as yet, no release date or album title has been revealed. The tour will also hit Pawling, N.Y. (1/23), Nashville (1/25) and Chicago (1/28) before wrapping in Chicago on Jan. 29. Close Enemies is made up of Hamilton, a founding member of the UK band The Babys, alongside drummer Tony Brock, guitarists Peter Stroud and Trace Foster and singer Chasen Hampton. Foster was Hamilton's bass technician in Aerosmith, and Stroud has previously worked with names including Sheryl Crow and Don Henley. - NME, 1/20/25...... Carole King's 1975 children's album Really Rosie is being rereleased on vinyl on Feb. 28 to commemorate its 50th anniversary. A collaboration with the late legendary children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, Really Rosie featured 11 songs which she composed and performed, with story and lyrics by Sendak. The project encompassed an animated TV special that aired on CBS on Feb. 19, 1975 and also a soundtrack album. The album did very well, reaching No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart and later receiving a Grammy nod for Best Recording for Children. Another reason for Really Rosie's success was King didn't "dumb down her songwriting just because the songs were aimed at kids." AllMusic.com called it "that rare children's album with the wit and intelligence to capture the imaginations of adult listeners as well." Really Rosie was co-produced by industry legend Lou Adler, who produced all of King's albums from Tapestry (1971) through Thoroughbred (1976), and Sheldon Riss. King voiced the title character in the TV special, which was released on VHS in 1993 but has never been released in its entirety on DVD. The stage production of "Really Rosie" has remained a staple for children's theater groups since premiering in 1978. - Billboard, 1/17/25...... Neil Young and his new band The Chrome Hearts shared their first single, "big change is coming," on YouTube on Jan. 17. Stylised in all lower-case, the boisterous, defiant track captures a rock song in its purest form. "Big change is coming, you know what you gotta do/ Big change is coming, could be bad or it could be good," Young promises throughout, while huge guitars and drums drive the track forward. "For seven decades, [Young's] songs have addressed where life has been and where it is going," according to a press release. "'big change Is coming' takes another big bold step in looking at where that might be. The way this new song confronts the big questions facing life right now makes it an instant thriller," it adds. Young and Chrome Hearts are scheduled to headline one of the nights at the UK's Glastonbury Festival later in 2025. Young recently announced that he is set to release his "lost" album Oceanside Countryside from the '70s, and shared his praise for the "great" new Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown. - NME, 1/17/25...... Queen guitarist Brian May's wife has shared a health update about her husband following his minor stroke in Sept. 2024. At the time, May told fans about the minor stroke he experienced, saying it came on "all of a sudden, out of the blue,"and left him without any control over one of his arms. He said the incident was "a little scary" but praised the "fantastic" medical care he had received. Throughout his recovery, his actress wife Anita Dobson has shared updates with fans. Late last year, she revealed that while it was "a challenge", he had regained use of the affected arm. Late last year, she revealed that while it was "a challenge," he had regained use of the affected arm. The most recent update, given in an interview with the UK paper The Sun, seems to be as encouraging, with the 75-year-old saying her husband was "stable." "The start of the year has been up and down," she said. "We both had the flu but we took the kids to Lapland. 15 of them." "Brian is stable now," she added, noting that he had "never been happier" since they moved to the countryside. She said long-time animal rights activist May "loves the birds and the animals" and spends his time feeding "the birds and the badgers, foxes and pheasants." The Doctor Who actress also said they're "taking each day as it comes," adding: "It makes you realise that at any minute it could be you. You don't have to necessarily be old, It could be anyone." In 2020, the guitarist was admitted to hospital after suffering a heart attack caused by an arterial disease. He told fans that he was "very near death" after doctors found he had three congested arteries. Queen wrapped up a run of tour dates with Adam Lambert in February of 2024, and do not have any other live shows scheduled currently. - NME, 1/18/25...... Although Devo's song "Uncontrollable Urge" from its 1978 album Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! was never released as a single, its use in the MTV staple Ridiculousness earns its author, Devo co-founder and vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh, an estimated $1 million per year. When Ridiculousness first launched in 2012, the viral video series used a cover of "Uncontrollable Urge" by host Rob Dyrdek. Over 12 years later, the program boasts over 1,500 episodes, becoming a staple of MTV in the process. Famously, the show saturates the network so much that in Aug. 2020, the industry outlet The Ringer noted it was played on repeat for 36 hours straight. Two months earlier, Variety noted that 113 of a single week's 168 hours (or 67.3%) were filled with episodes of Ridiculousness. For Mothersbaugh -- who has penned music for beloved series such as Rugrats and Pee-wee's Playhouse, and scored films for directors such as Wes Anderson -- the revenue from the ubiquity of Ridiculousness generates around $1 million annually, according to estimates from his wife and manager Anita Greenspan. "I've written so many other songs for films and television shows," Mothersbaugh recently explained to Rolling Stone. "I would've been shocked [years ago] if you told me this is the one that would become this prime source of income." Devo's biggest single on the pop chart, however, is 1980's "Whip It," which peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 after being issued as the second single from their Freedom of Choice LP. - Billboard, 1/16/25...... After 50 years of touring with the likes of Montrose, Van Halen and his own successful solo tours, Sammy Hagar says he's sick of touring and plans to concentrate on residencies at major night clubs instead for his live performing. Hagar, 77, made the admission to The Miami Herald ahead of a recent guest appearance at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, where he expressed his disdain with the grueling nature of the touring cycle. "I don't think I want to go on tour anymore. I hate to say that, because I don't want to piss my fans off, Hagar explained. "I'll go out and do a one-off show and do things like that, but the residency is going to give me a good extension of my career. That's what Im hoping for," he adds. The Red Rocker's comments came just months after his The Best of All Worlds Tour, which saw him perform throughout the U.S., Canada, and Japan. Even then, a series of Birthday Bash performances throughout Mexico and Las Vegas followed, with 2025 set to feature a number of performances for Hagar, namely his "The Best of All Worlds Tour Residency" in Las Vegas throughout April and May. "With this, I don't have to travel, I don't have to unpack and pack and get on an airplane every day, he continued. "You know, at my age, it hurts my shoulders to do all this. And I have to perform. I'm a performer, at the end of the day. I keep telling my manager, 'Don't take any tours, let me do this residency. If I like it enough, Ill do another one. And if that's successful I'll do another one, and I can squeeze a few more years out of my career." Hagar last released a studio album, Crazy Times, in 2022, with his band The Circle. That album was also promoted with a series of dates throughout North America, though it remains their last large-scale tour to date. - Billboard, 1/16/25...... Actor David Schwimmer revealed that during his previous career as a process server one of the more prominent interactions he had was with rock icon Rod Stewart. "One summer after my freshman year in college, I was just looking for work," Schwimmer said during an appearance on CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. "And my mom said, 'Well, you can be a process server for me. My mom was a divorce lawyer. So I was the guy who would pop out of the bushes and serve you divorce papers. At the time I was 18, and I'm like James Bond. Im not James Bond! 'Cause you're tipped off as to where they might be. As he continued, Schwimmer turned his focus to one of his more famous "targets during this line of work." "Once, and oh man, thank goodness I've never run into him since, added, "but I served Rod Stewart. I don't even know if he knows. I don't think he knows. "He knows now, replied host Stephen Colbert before jokingly giving Schwimmer some sage advice. "Change your locks, man. He is vengeful." Stewart was previously married to Alana Stewart from 1979 to 1984, which coincides with the timeframe of Schwimmer's time as a process server. In 1990, Stewart married Rachel Hunter, though they would divorce in 2006 following a separation in 1999. Since 2007, hes been married to Penny Lancaster-Stewart. Stewart is set to hit the road once again in February, performing across the U.S. before returning to Las Vegas to continue his Caesars Palace residency. He's also confirmed to play Glastonbury 2025. - Billboard, 1/15/25...... Bob Dylan's original lyrics to his 1960s hit "Mr. Tambourine Man" have sold at auction for a whopping $500,000, almost 60 years to the day after Dylan first recorded it. The lyrics were sold via Juliens Auctions alongside a number of other Dylan items -- including a signed oil painting and numerous pieces of original art -- which were originally part of the personal collection of late American journalist Al Aronowitz. Famed for introducing Dylan to The Beatles in 1964 and for being the first manager of The Velvet Underground, Aronowitz spoke about his unique connection to "Mr. Tambourine Man" in a 1973 article -- of which an original version was included in the sale: "Bob Dylan wrote 'Mr. Tambourine Man' one night in my house in Berkeley Heights, N.J., sitting with my portable typewriter at my white formica breakfast bar in a swirl of chain-lit cigaret [sic] smoke, his bony, long-nailed fingers tapping the words out on my stolen, canary-colored Saturday Evening Post copy paper while the whole time, over and over again, Marvin Gaye sang 'Can I Get a Witness?' from the 6-foot speakers of my hi-fi in the room next to where he was, with Bob getting up from the typewriter each time the record finished in order to put the needle back at the start." Aronowitz continued, "At the breakfast bar I found a waste basket full of crumpled false starts. I took it out the side door to empty it into the trash can when a whispering emotion caught me, like a breeze that sometimes gently stops you cold just because of its own ghostly power to make you notice it. I took the crumpled sheets, smoothed them out, read the crazy leaping lines, smiled to myself at the leaps that never landed and then put the sheets into a file folder. I still have them somewhere." The lyrics as sold made up two pages of yellow paper which contained three progressive drafts of the lyrics, typewritten and providing an insight into Dylans writing process. The lyrics are believed to date back to March of 1964, based upon the information available. Dylan first began performing "Mr. Tambourine Man" privately in 1964, eventually recording the track as part of a number of takes on Jan. 15, 1965. The song was later included as the first song on the acoustic side to Dylan's fifth album, Bringing It All Back Home, in Apr. 1965. Though "Subterranean Homesick Blues" from the same album was Dylan's first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, "Mr. Tambourine Man" would become his first to top the chart, albeit when The Byrds released a cover as their debut single that same month. Meanwhile, Dylan has seen his massive back catalog earn 11.6 million U.S. on-demand streams in the week ending Dec. 26 following the release of the new acclaimed Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown. - Billboard, 1/19/25...... Ringo Starr celebrated the release of his new country album Look Up with two concerts at Nashville's famed Ryman Auditorium on Jan. 14 and Jan. 15. Each show featured Starr welcoming a star-studded lineup of his fellow music luminaries, including Sheryl Crow, Jack White, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, The War and Treaty, Jamey Johnson, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Mickey Guyton, Sarah Jarosz and Larkin Poe. Legendary producer/musician T Bone Burnett, the producer of Look Up, hosted the show, welcoming artists throughout the evening, as some performances featured artists in collaboration with Starr, while other performances featured the evenings guest offering solo performances. "I feel blessed tonight, with all these great players coming out," Starr told the audience, as he performed a selection of songs from Look Up with the other musicians. The show concluded, appropriately, with an all-star singalong of The Beatles classics "Yellow Submarine" and "With a Little Help From My Friends," which saw additional artists join Starr onstage, including rock and country music trailblazer Brenda Lee (the Beatles once opened for Lee back in the 1960s, prior to the Fab Four's breakthrough). - Billboard, 1/16/25...... In related news, Ringo's son Zak Starkey says he was "s------g my pants" before playing the iconic Liverpool venue The Cavern for the first time with his band Mantra of the Cosmos. Interestingly, Zak had only visited his dad's home city once before and had never stepped foot inside the famous music venue where the legendary Liverpool band -- which also included Paul McCartney and the late John Lennon and George Harrison -- started out. That all changed when Zak's group -- completed by Happy Mondays' Shaun Ryder and Bez and former Oasis bassist Andy Bell -- played two shows there in one day, with Zak admitting it was a "surreal" experience. Ahead of the gigs, former Oasis drummer Zak contacted the group's guitarist Noel Gallagher for some reassurance. The Wonderwall hitmaker sings on the supergroup's latest single, "Domino Bones (Gets Dangerous)," which was launched at the Cavern gig. Zak told the Liverpool Echo: "It was very surreal. I was s------g it -- proper s------g it until I got on there and it was amazing. The music is like holy music isn't it." Recounting his conversation with Noel, he added: "Before I was ss------g my pants. I was sitting in my room, and I text Noel saying I was s------g it. He said, 'Get down there and get on, what are you talking about?'" Ahead of the gigs, Zak spoke about playing the venue his parents used to go on dates to. The musician -- whose late mother Maureen worked as a hairdresser in Liverpool -- said: "Can't believe I've never even been there. There's a great deal of family heritage at the Cavern, aside from the Beatles, my parents courted there who knows I may have even been conceived there." - Music-News.com, 1/20/25...... David Lynch, the iconic experimental filmmaker known for his dark, surrealist vision in the television classic Twin Peaks, as well as films including Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet, died on Jan. 16. He was 78. His death comes just five months after he announced that he was housebound over fears he'll contract COVID-19 after being diagnosed with emphysema from many years of smoking. At the time, he added that he wasn't planning to make another film. "I would try to do it remotely, if it comes to it, Lynch said. "I wouldn't like that so much. The Missoula, Montana, native, was a one-time painter who enrolled in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts before he shifted his focus to making films. His breakthrough came via 1977's Eraserhead, which became popular in the midnight movie underground circuit. Among his many notable films include 2001's Mulholland Drive starring Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts and Laura Harring; and 1986's Blue Velvet, starring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper and Laura Dern. On the small screen, he was best known as the visionary behind the mystery drama series Twin Peaks, which ran for two seasons from 1990 to 1991 and returned for a third season in 2017. The series won three Golden Globes and two Emmys, as well as a 1991 Grammy for best pop instrumental performance for the Angelo Badalamenti-composed theme music. Lynch also directed several music videos for artists including Nine Inch Nails and Moby. "There's a big hole in the world now that he's no longer with us," his family said in a statement. "But, as he would say, 'Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole. It's a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.'" - Billboard, 1/16/25...... Legendary baseball player/broadcaster/comedian Bob Uecker, the voice of his hometown Milwaukee Brewers who after a short playing career earned the moniker "Mr. Baseball" and honors from the Hall of Fame, died on Jan. 16 after a battle with small cell lung cancer since early 2023. He was 90. Mr. Uecker was best known as a colorful comedian and broadcaster who earned his nickname during one of his numerous appearances on Johnny Carson's late night show. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Mr. Uecker was a beloved member of the baseball community and a pillar of the sport in Wisconsin. He signed his first professional contract with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956 and reached the majors in 1962. He'd last six seasons in the big leagues as a backup catcher, finishing with a .200 average and 14 homers. He won a World Series ring with St. Louis in 1964 and also played for Atlanta and Philadelphia. Career highlights? I had two," he often joked. "I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets." Even as his celebrity status grew nationwide, Mr. Uecker savored the opportunity to continue calling games to fans in his hometown. "To be able to do a game each and every day throughout the summer and talk to people every day at 6:30 for a night game, you become part of people's families," Mr. Uecker once said. "I know that because I get mail from people that tell me that. That's part of the reward for being here, just to be recognized by the way you talk, the way you describe a game, whatever." Mr. Uecker was honored by the Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick award in 2003 and spent nearly 20 minutes keeping the Cooperstown, N.Y., crowd of about 18,000 in stitches. Mr. Uecker was honored by the Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick award in 2003 and spent nearly 20 minutes keeping the Cooperstown, New York, crowd of about 18,000 in stitches. "I still -- and this is not sour grapes by any means -- still think I should have gone in as a player," he quipped. But Uecker's comedy was just a part of his abilities. His warm storytelling and delivery made Uecker a natural to become one of the first color commentators on network TV broadcasts in the 1970s with ABC. In the '90s, he teamed up with Bob Costas and Joe Morgan for the World Series. From there, Mr. Uecker reached most households as one of the Miller Lite All-Stars in popular commercials for the beer brand based out of Milwaukee and Uecker later launched his TV acting career in 1985 on the ABC sitcom Mr. Belvedere. Uecker played George Owens during the successful 122-episode run of the series that lasted six years, as the head of the family and sports writer in a home that brings in a butler who struggles to adapt to an American household. The Brewers announced Mr. Uecker's death, calling it "one of the most difficult days in Milwaukee Brewers history." In a statement released by the club, Mr. Uecker's family said he had battled small cell lung cancer since early 2023. "Even in the face of this challenge, his enthusiasm for life was always present, never allowing his spirit to falter," the family said. - CBSNews.com, 1/16/25...... Former Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake guitarist John Sykes has died at age 65. "It is with great sorrow we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer," according to a statement on social media. "He will be remembered by many as a man with exceptional musical talent but for those who didn't know him personally, he was a thoughtful, kind, and charismatic man whose presence lit up the room." The statement continued, "He certainly marched to the beat of his own drum and always pulled for the underdog. In his final days, he spoke of his sincere love and gratitude for his fans who stuck by him through all these years." Sykes joined Thin Lizzy in 1983, appearing on their album Thunder and Lightning. He then joined Whitesnake in 1987, contributing to two of their albums. - Music-News.com, 1/21/25.

On Jan. 14 Bob Dylan created a TikTok account days before the popular social media platform could get banned in the US. "Explore the world of Bob Dylan, now on TikTok. #bobdylan," stated the caption of the first, and currently only, post which features a series of clips from various Dylan eras soundtracked to songs including "Like a Rolling Stone," "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," and "Hurricane." Dylan's move comes as TikTok has announced plans to cease operations in the US on Jan. 19 unless the Supreme Court blocks or delays its ban. This, however, would be a last resort if the Supreme Court decides to enforce laws that will force the Chinese-owned platform to sell to a third party and break ties with parent company ByteDance. ByteDance has said that it has no intentions to sell the app. Dylan's last-minute attempt to see what TikTok is about follows a pattern in his behavior. In 2024, Dylan started to use X (formerly Twitter) more than he did before, posting birthday wishes and general messages on top of his usual announcements, as new Twitter owner Elon Musk was driving people away from the platform. Meanwhile, actor Timothée Chalamet rode a Lime bike into London for the UK premiere of the Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. Once he hit the red carpet, Chalamet got off the bike and ended his ride using his mobile phone before turning to get photographed. Dylan has praised Chalamet's performance in the film, describing him as a "brilliant actor" and saying he is "sure he's going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me." The film will hit cinemas on Jan. 17 in the UK. - New Musical Express, 1/15/25...... As Elvis Presley fans recently celebrated what would have been the King of Rock & Roll's milestone 90th birthday on Jan. 8, Elvis' granddaughter Riley Keough says her late mother Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Jackson "were in love" when they were married in 1994. In a conversation with podcast host Alex Cooper on Cooper's Call Her Daddy show on Jan. 15, Keough, 35, shed some rare insight on her mom's romance with the King of Pop. "The one thing I know is that they were in love, and that their love for one another was genuine," Keough told Cooper. "Everything else I don't know, because I wasn't there for it." Lisa Marie -- Elvis' only child, who died at 54 years old in Jan. 2023 -- shared Riley and late son Benjamin Keough with first husband Danny Keough. Lisa Marie was later married to Jackson from 1994 to 1996, after which she wed Nicolas Cage (2002-04) followed by music producer Michael Lockwood (2006-21), with whom she shared twin daughters. Riley also reflected on how her childhood changed with Jackson -- who died in 2009 -- entered the picture. "Our life wasn't crazier," she said candidly. "That already existed: the press, the crazy, the paparazzi and all that. I think when she saw Michael's life, there were things he had that she didn't have," continued the Daisy Jones & The Six actress. "Before that, she was with my dad, and their life was very simple. She didn't have 10 million assistants. She didn't need all that, and I think that changed." Keough's full Call Her Daddy interview can be heard on Spotify.com. Meanwhile, Elvis' ex-wife and Riley's mom Priscilla Presley paid tribute to Lisa Marie on Jan. 12, the second anniversary of her late daughter's death. Next to an Instagram post featuring a picture of Lisa Marie crouching down, with a slight smile on her face, Priscilla wrote, "I miss you more than words can say. I wish I could hold you, talk to you, see your smile just one more time. I wish you could see how much you are still loved, how deeply you are missed by all of us who carry you in our hearts." The message cued to a lilting instrumental version of the 1972 Elvis hit "Always on My Mind" and signed "Mom," was a poignant memorial for the late singer who died of a heart attack in Jan. 2023 at age 54. - Billboard, 1/15/25...... The Sex Pistols have announced the upcoming release of three live albums from their raucous 1978 US tour. For the first time, fans will be able to relive the punk legends' ferocious concerts that led to their demise at their final concert at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco on Jan. 14, 1978 -- before they reformed in 1996. The sets were recorded at South East Music in Atlanta, Ga., on Jan. 5, Longhorns Ballroom in Dallas, Tex., on Jan. 10, and the finale at Winterland Ballroom. The first vinyl, available in red, from the Atlanta gig will be available from Feb. 28. The white vinyl of the Dallas concert goes on sale on Mar. 28, and the San Francisco vinyl, in blue, on Apr. 25. All three shows will also be available digitally and on CD. - Music-News.com, 1/14/25...... The Eagles announced on Jan. 15 that they are pledging $2.5 million to FireAid, the benefit concert for Los Angeles wildfire victims set for Jan. 30 at the Intuit Dome. There is no word whether the Eagles, who are currently in the middle of a residency at Sphere in Las Vegas, will play the show, and no acts have been announced for the benefit yet. The event, billed as "an evening of music and solidarity" and produced by longtime Eagles manager Irving Azoff and his family alongside concert promoters Live Nation and AEG Presents, with proceeds donated toward an organization created to rebuild Los Angeles infrastructure, as well as support displaced families and advance fire prevention technologies and strategies. The timing works in their favor to take advantage of artists in town for the Grammys, which are slated for Feb. 2. An estimated 1,000+ people in the music community in Los Angeles are also being supported by MusiCares -- the non-for-profit arm of The Grammys and Recording Academy. MusiCares says scores of people had been in touch since they launched their "Fire Relief Effort" on Jan. 8. The series of wildfires, which began on Jan. 7, have led to the confirmed deaths of 24 people, the evacuation of more than 180,000 residents and an estimated 12,000 buildings destroyed. It has been confirmed that the 2025 Grammys will proceed as planned and raise funds for those hit by the LA wildfires. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 1/15/25...... In related news, Ringo Starr has announced he is taping special L.A. wildfire relief concerts at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium on Jan. 14 and 15 to give a little help to his friends in the West. The former Beatle's upcoming concert special will air this spring on CBS and Paramount+, with some of the proceeds benefiting wildfire relief amid the ongoing crisis in the Los Angeles area. Titled "Ringo & Friends at the Ryman," the two-hour special will find Starr performing songs from his new country album, Look Up, which arrived Jan. 10. He'll be joined by a star-studded list of friends on stage, including Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle -- both of whom collaborated on the drummer's new LP -- as well as Sheryl Crow, Rodney Crowell, Mickey Guyton, Emmylou Harris, Sarah Jarosz, Jamey Johnson, Brenda Lee, Larkin Poe, The War and Treaty, and Jack White. Ringo will also delve into his life and career as his guest stars reflect on their own personal memories of his influence in the special. Proceeds from the show will go toward the American Red Cross supporting people affected by the fires devastating L.A. County. Meanwhile, Starr has revealed that he and Elton John's mum left one of the Rocket Man's gigs due to not knowing any of his songs. Speaking to The Sunday Times about an Elton concert that he attended at London's Wembley Stadium, Starr said: "He came on and said, 'I'm only going to do the new album.' Me and his mother left after three tracks because we didn't know them." Addressing why he no longer introduces new songs during his All-Starr Band shows, the drummer said: "The band sounds great. We have a fun time and we just do it. In the late '90s I would put in, like, two or three from the new album, and you could feel the room empty. It happens to everybody." Elsewhere in the chat, Ringo also addressed his vocals, admitting that he is not a fan of his voice. "I can hold a tune, as long as it's in my key," he told the paper. "And it just worked out with the Beatles because John and Paul were great writers. That's what made us. I'd get one song. And a couple of them were really good, you know, 'With a Little Help from My Friends' and 'Yellow Submarine.' They're still huge and I still do them on tour. They wrote me a lot of really nice songs." - Billboard/NME, 1/14/25...... David Bowie lieutenants Tony Visconti and Woody Woodmansey have announced details of a new 8-city UK Bowie tribute tour for 2025, which will see them celebrating the music and life of the late rock superstar. Visconti was Bowie's long-time producer and friend, as well as the bass player on his early LP The Man Who Sold The World, while Woodmansey was one of the Spiders From Mars and the artist's drummer from between 1970 and 1973. They will perform live renditions of some of Bowie's best known songs as part of the supergroup Holy Holy. The tour launches on May 15 in London at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, followed by dates in Leeds (15/5), Birmingham (16/5), Manchester (18/5), Newcastle (21/5), Oxford (29/5) and Bristol (30/5) before wrapping at Liverpool's O2 Academy on May 31. Bowie passed away in Jan. 2016 at the age of 69. - NME, 1/14/25...... In a new interview with the Speaking with Podpakas podcast, original AC/DC singer Dave Evans revealed the story behind how the hard-rocking Aussies came up with their name. Evans recalled how the members were writing music together as part of an unnamed band, when Alan Kissacks, a man involved with putting the band together, told them that they had secured a New Year's Eve slot at Australia's Chequers nightclub. "We had to get a name because it was only in a few weeks. So we started tossing names around between us, but no one could agree," Evans explained. "I had some really great names, but they didn't like them. What we said was that, [in time for] the next rehearsal, we'd all come with three names each, put them in a hat and we'd pick one out. And whatever it was, that was what we were gonna call ourselves," he added. According to Evans, he arrived with three potential names the following day, but the band decided to scrap the idea after being suggested the name "AC/DC" by a relative. "When we all arrived together, Malcolm Young said to us, 'Look, my sister-in-law' [wife of his older brother, George] has suggested a name AC/DC'. And I thought it's an easy name to remember and it was on the side of a lot of electrical appliances," Evans told Podpokas. AC/DC means alternate current and direct current [and] a lot of appliances were AC/DC. I thought: 'Free advertising free advertising on the side of all these appliances, and it's easy to say, and it means power.' It all went through my head very quickly. And I said yes." Concluding, he recalled: "Malcolm looked at us and said, 'Well, shall we call ourselves AC/DC?' And we all put our hands up. It was unanimous. We all shook hands and we were AC/DC those three names [I came up with], I went home and threw them away." According to Evans, he arrived with three potential names the following day, but the band decided to scrap the idea after being suggested the name "AC/DC" by a relative. "When we all arrived together, Malcolm Young said to us, 'Look, my sister-in-law' [wife of his older brother, George] has suggested a name AC/DC'. And I thought it's an easy name to remember and it was on the side of a lot of electrical appliances," Evans told Podpokas. "AC/DC means alternate current and direct current [and] a lot of appliances were AC/DC. I thought: 'Free advertising free advertising on the side of all these appliances, and it's easy to say, and it means power.' It all went through my head very quickly. And I said yes." Concluding, he recalled: "Malcolm looked at us and said, 'Well, shall we call ourselves AC/DC?' And we all put our hands up. It was unanimous. We all shook hands and we were AC/DC those three names [I came up with], I went home and threw them away." AC/DC is set to play 13 stadium shows across the US and Canada throughout April and May. The band wrapped up the 2024 UK and European leg of the trek in Dublin's Croke Park on Aug. 17. Their ongoing "Power Up" tour is in support of AC/DC's 17th and latest studio album of the same name, which was released in 2020. - NME, 1/13/25...... After a tumultuous relationship with incoming president Donald Trump over the use of their songs at his political rallies, the Village People took to Facebook on Jan. 13 to announce that they have "accepted an invitation from President Elect Trump's campaign to participate in inaugural activities, including at least one event with President Elect Trump." The post continued: "We know this won't make some of you happy to hear however we believe that music is to be performed without regard to politics. Our song Y.M.C.A. is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign where our preferred candidate lost. Therefore, we believe it's now time to bring the country together with music which is why VILLAGE PEOPLE will be performing at various events as part of the 2025 Inauguration of Donald J. Trump." According to TheHill.com, the group will perform at Trump's "victory rally" at Capital One Arena in Washington, and at the Liberty Inaugural Ball. "Y.M.C.A.," along with "Macho Man," were popular song choices at Trump campaign rallies during his 2020 and 2024 campaign rallies. In December, Village People frontman Victor Willis doubled down on why he chose to let the president-elect play "Y.M.C.A." at rallies and events, saying he "didn't have the heart" to block the usage -- despite originally asking Trump to stop in 2020 -- upon realizing that the politician seemed to "genuinely like" and was "having a lot of fun" with "Y.M.C.A." Plus, as Willis noted, the dance tune has only "benefited greatly" in terms of chart placements and sales for the group since the twice-impeached Trump incorporated it into his campaign. - Billboard, 1/13/25...... Rod Stewart and wife Penny Lancaster have been appointed ambassadors for The King's Foundation. The couple have come on board as King Charles III celebrates 35 years of his charity, which focuses on practical education and training programs aimed at building stronger communities and transforming lives. Stewart, who just turned 80, and Lancaster, 53, join other celebrity ambassadors including Sienna Miller, David Beckham and Naomi Campbell. "We are so pleased to be coming on board as ambassadors for The King's Foundation and look forward to lending our support to this worthwhile cause, particularly during such a significant year for the charity," the "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" singer said. Penny added, "As a volunteer special constable, the Foundation's approach to building communities -- and how access to green spaces can help build better, healthier places -- is particularly important to me. It's an honour to be working with the Foundation and I can't wait to meet more of the inspiring people who both learn with and work for the organisation." The couple are set to visit the charity's headquarters, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, later in January. During the visit, they will meet staff at the health and wellbeing centre to learn more about their perimenopause programs and support services. Stewart has been a long-time supporter of King Charles' other charities, including the Prince's Trust (now the King's Trust) which helps disadvantaged young people access business opportunities that may not be available to them in their everyday lives. Stewart will play the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City on Feb. 23. - Music-News.com, 1/14/25...... Speaking with Boston radio station WBUR, Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton revealed that he and his former bandmates "could do something" in the future if frontman Steven Tyler was willing. Hamilton said that while Tyler is well underway with his "healing process" after seriously injuring his voice during a gig in 2024, the chances of the band making any new announcements are slim. "Steven's healing process is going really, really well, but it goes at its own pace," he said. "Maybe Aerosmith will do something in the future, but it's a big 'if', and the last thing I want to be doing is to try and push Steven in that direction. If we do anything in the future, it would come from him." The comments come after the bassist was asked last summer how hopeful he is, on a scale of one to 10, that the band will reunite. "On the hope scale, I'm somewhere between seven and nine. We won't be doing any tours from now on, but I'll always have hope that other types of opportunities will come along," he told AARP magazine. "This isn't the first time black clouds have been on our horizon -- and somehow the sun managed to come out. Time and hope are all we have at the moment," he added, while also dismissing hopes for a Las Vegas residency. Aerosmith's final live show, at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY in Sept. 2023, was held as part of their "Peace Out" tour, which began earlier that year but only saw the band play three nights, before rescheduling the rest of the dates after Tyler injured his larynx. Hamilton said in 2024 he "can't imagine" the band continuing with a new singer, and added: "I'm sure all of us have music in our future and it will manifest itself in ways that we haven't planned yet. I've been playing in a band with some good friends. We have a bunch of really good songs and we hope to be putting them out soon and hopefully doing some gigs." Shortly afterwards, the bassist announced details of his first shows with a new band called Close Enemies. - NME, 1/13/25...... Remembering late legendary soul singer Sam Moore of Sam & Dave who passed away on Jan. 10 at age 89, Bruce Springsteen shared a heartfelt message on Instagram on Jan. 11. "Over on E Street, we are heartbroken to hear of the death of Sam Moore, one of America's greatest soul voices. There simply isn't another sound like Sam's soulful tenor in American music," the Boss wrote. He continued, "Having had the honor to work with Sam on several occasions, he was a sweet and funny man. He was filled with stores of the halcyon days of soul music, and to the end had the edge of deep authenticity in his voice I could only wonder at." The two friends shared both the stage and studio over the years. Moore contributed backing vocals to several tracks on Springsteen's 1992 album, Human Touch, while Springsteen reciprocated on Moore's 2006 song "Better to Have and Not Need." One of Springsteen and Moore's most memorable live performances took place at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary concert in New York in Oct. 2009, where they joined the E Street Band to perform "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Comin'." Moore passed away in Coral Gables, Fla. The cause of death was complications from surgery. - Billboard, 1/11/25.