Posted by Administrator on March 27th, 2025
On Mar. 27 ABBA and their ABBA Voyage team announced the virtual concert residency is receiving a "small" revamp this May for its third anniversary in London. "When we first opened we never imagined that we'd still be in London 3 years on. We're very grateful that so many of you have joined us," the band said in a press release. "Of course, the reason for us being able to sustain our concert for so long is because of our incredible audience. As we say in Sweden Vilken resa!" As a result, the band will be implementing "a little something to our concert" beginning on May 27, three years to the exact date that ABBA Voyage first launched, although details surrounding the exact changes being made remain under wraps. ABBA Voyage first kicked off in May 2022, and was due to wrap in Nov. 2024, but has since been extended to Jan. 2026 due to overwhelming demand. Once the show wraps in London, the band intend on bringing the Voyage experience around the world, including Asia, Australia and North America, with details of the itinerary to be announced later. - New Musical Express, 5/27/25...... 
Bob Dylan kicked off his 2025 "Rough & Rowdy Ways" tour on Mar. 25 at the Tulsa Theater in Tulsa, Okla., opening with "All Along The Watchtower" (which according to Dylanologists is his most played track, racking up a total of over 2,285 times performed live), then treating the audience to 16 additional tracks, including performances of "It Ain't Me," "I Contain Multitudes," "Black Rider," "My Own Version of You," "To Be Alone With You," "Watching The River Flow," "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and more. A bulk of the night's performance saw the icon play the majority of his 2020 LP Rough And Rowdy Ways. To wrap up the show, he ended with "Every Grain of Sand." Elsewhere, the night revealed that Dylan's previous touring drummer Jim Keltner was replaced by Anton Fig, who previously was the drummer with Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band. Fig and Dylan have a history of working together dating back the 1985 "Empire Burlesque sessions." - NME, 3/26/25...... As Elton John promotes the upcoming Apr. 4 release of Who Believes In Angels?, his new collaborative effort with Brandi Carlile, the Rocket Man revealed in a Smartless podcast on Mar. 25, his 78th birthday, that the project left him confronting his mortality. "I wrote a song at the end of the album and I just get the lyrics, Bernie Taupin's lyrics," John explained. "I'm writing the verse, like, 'Oh, this is really pretty.' And then I get to the chorus and of course it's about my death. When you get to my age, which is near 100, you think, 'How much time have I got left?'" he continued, before his thoughts turned to husband David Furnish and sons Zachary and Elijah. "You've got children, you've got a wonderful husband, you just think about mortality. And so when I got to the chorus, I just broke down for 45 minutes -- and it's all on film." The sessions were recorded as part of the film Elton John: Never Too Late, which was released in October to widespread acclaim. The titular song "Never Too Late" will also be released on Who Believes in Angels? and was recently up for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. The latest episode of the Smartless podcast was released to subscribers on Mar. 25, and will be officially released to all listeners on Mar. 31. Meanwhile, in a new interview with Carlisle with Rolling Stone UK, Elton said talent shows like The X Factor and American Idol are "the worst" for aspiring artists, and has instead advised them to "go and play in a pub." "Just keep trying to play live," Elton advised. "That's the way you improve as a musician and songwriter. It doesn't matter if you're playing to 40 people. The more experience you get playing to nobody, the better." The singer continued: "....backbone is so important, because the worst thing that can happen to you in the industry are things like X Factor and instant fame on television where you have no experience of playing live. You get put on stage, you go, and you can't do it. That's the worst thing. American Idol -- just the worst. Take risks. Go and play in a pub." - Billboard/NME, 3/26/25...... Home Box Office has announced a new, two-part Billy Joel will premier on the premium cable channel this summer. Billy Joel: And So It Goes is directed by Susan Lacy -- who created PBS' American Masters series and has previously helmed HBO docs such as docs Jane Fonda in Five Acts, and Spielberg -- and Jessica Levin, who produced those projects as well as The Janes. The upcoming doc "will examine the life and music of Billy Joel, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting." It also includes access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs, along with one-on-one interviews. The doc announcement comes after the Piano Man recently revealed that he was postponing months of touring due to an undisclosed medical condition. - NME, 3/26/25...... Nancy Wilson of Heart didn't mince words about her view of the current state of the US and the world in a new interview with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Wilson noted that the band's third single, 1975's "Crazy on You," was written as a critical response to the Vietnam War, though the lyrics have found themselves relevant once again. "We were kind of embarrassed at that time to call ourselves American because of the dirty politics of the Vietnam War," Wilson explained. "To be as subtle as possible, it's more embarrassing now." The discussion also focused on the likes of 1977's "Barracuda," which had been initially written about a sleazy industry figure of the time. However, with reference to an infamous quote from Pres. Donald Trump, Wilson conceded the track "is even more relevant in the salacious billionaire culture with the grab-them-by-the-(expletive) mentality." "These songs will be there long after we are gone," she added, before focusing on the contemporary prevalence of the sexism that inspired "Barracuda." "I think for women in the culture the pendulum will come back again, and there'll be another renaissance in the arts to push back against the oppression of the cranky old rich white guys," Wilson added. "I hope I am alive to see that next revolution." In 2018, Nancy's bandmate sister Ann Wilson claimed that the Seattle band's "Barracuda" could be used by just about any candidate in the 2020 election if they desired. "I think anybody but Trump," she clarified. - Billboard, 3/24/25...... 
Former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham has teamed up with his former bandmate Mick Fleetwood once again, with the pair reuniting in the recording studio recently. News of the pair's musician reunion was detailed on Threads by Swedish producer Carl Falk, shared a photo from the studio where Fleetwood has been working on a new solo album. The sessions have ostensibly also seen Fleetwood working with The War on Drugs' Adam Granduciel. "Slightly unreal moment to sit with Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood to play Lindsey the album we have been working on," Falk wrote. "And to see his genuine happiness for Mick to finally do his own album and offering to play guitar and to sing on it. Can't wait to finish this one." Another post shared by Falk captured Buckingham in the studio with his guitar in hand. "Mick and Lindsey together again, what a flawless guitar player," the caption wrote. Currently, no official details from Fleetwood have been announced in regard to the content or release of the forthcoming album. Buckingham departed Fleetwood Mac in 1987, but rejoined in 1997 as part of the band's classic lineup reunion of himself, Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, John McVie and Christine McVie. He remained with the band until the 2018 announcement he would no longer be touring as part of Fleetwood Mac. The departure occurred almost a year after the release of Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie, an album which featured the band's lineup with the exception of Nicks. Until 2025, it was the most recent collaboration between Buckingham and Fleetwood. - Billboard, 3/25/25...... "Live Odyssey," described as "a celebration of the rich tapestry of British music... offering a unique experience for music lovers of all ages" through "a groundbreaking tribute to the sounds that shaped Britain," is set to launch on May 22 in the London borough of Camden. John Lennon's sister Julia Baird will be unveiling a multi-sensory immersive exhibit dedicated to the late Beatles member on its opening which "details the early years that shaped Lennon through to a life of stratospheric fame with The Beatles." "This is the brutally honest story of The Beatles legend by his sister Julia, who reveals the unorthodox childhood they shared, memories of their mother, renewed family bonds, and the many sides of John Lennon," according to a press release. Elsewhere in the exhibition, fans will move through six different rooms, each immersing guests in a different musical era and recreating the sights, sounds, and cultural moments that define each decade. Also included in the list of acts set to be represented are The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Sex Pistols, David Bowie, Oasis, Duran Duran, Radiohead, Coldplay, Adele and many more. Tickets for the experience are currently on sale, and a portion of sales will support the Music Venue Trust. - NME, 3/25/25...... Bruce Springsteen was a late addition to the lineup for an all-star tribute to Patti Smith on Mar. 26 at New York's Carnegie Hall. The sold out "People Have the Power: A Celebration of Patti Smith" celebrated the 50th anniversary of the punk poetess' legendary 1975 debut album, Horses. In addition to Springsteen, the show also featured appearances from R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, Bangles singer Susanna Hoffs, Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde, and such celebrities as Sean Penn, Scarlett Johansson and Michael Shannon. Springsteen and Smith's relationship also stretches back nearly 50 years, when the Boss was struggling to figure out how to finish his song "Because the Night" and his engineer, Jimmy Iovine -- who was also producing Smith's 1978 album Easter at the time -- suggested he give it to Smith. She worked it over and added new lyrics in honor of her husband, the MC5's Fred "Sonic" Smith, and it became her highest-charting single to date, hitting No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Smith will also be hitting the road for a Horses anniversary tour, slated to kick off in Dublin, Ireland on Oct. 6 and criss-cross Europe for a month before landing in Seattle on Nov. 10 for a run of shows that will keep her on the road through a Nov. 29 gig in Philadelphia. - Billboard, 3/25/25...... In other Springsteen news, the rocker has personally praised British actor Stephen Graham for his portrayal of his late father, Douglas "Dutch" Springsteen in the upcoming Springsteen biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere. After filming wrapped on the movie -- which stars Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen -- the Boss sent one of "the most gorgeous texts I've ever had in my life," according to Graham. "I'm racing to get to the airport, and I got this text, and it was so beautiful," Graham told Edith Bowman on her Soundtracking podcast. "It just said: 'Thank you so much. You know, my father passed away a while ago and I felt like I saw him today. Thank you for giving me that memory.' I was crying reading the text, do you know what I mean?.... You couldn't ask for anything more, you know, to share that with someone was gorgeous. He's a lovely man." The biopic, slated for release later in 2025, covers the musician's life during the making of his 1982 classic album Nebraska. - Music-News.com, 3/24/25...... 
Just 15 months after performing their final concert, KISS have announced their return to the live stage with a one-off "unmasked" concert as part of the KISS Army fan club's 50th anniversary celebrations. The show was announced via an email sent to fans (viewable on Instagram), confirming that the group would be performing as part of the three-day "KISS Army Storms Vegas" event, which runs from Nov. 14 - 16 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Though a full rundown of activities are said to be released soon, the headline of the message is KISS' intention to perform a makeup-free show as part of the event. According to the email, the concert also promises "a special live performance from former KISS member Bruce Kulick, along with other special guests, activities, exclusive experiences and more." While it's unclear if Kulick plans to perform with the band or separately as part of the event, the guitarist had previously been an official member from 1984 until 1996, playing on five KISS albums. The performance will be the band's first since Dec. 2023, where they wrapped up their "End of The Road Tour" with a two-night stand at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Despite their large-scale farewell tour (their second, after 2001's fittingly-titled "KISS Farewell Tour"), fans had speculated that the band could indeed take to the stage again at some point. Bassist Gene Simmons was quick to nix that claim, clarifying the band's plans in an interview with Rolling Stone in Nov. 2023. "I'll say right here, right now, my hand on the Bible, it will be the final KISS-in-makeup appearance," he declared. KISS had previously appeared without their makeup in 1983, beginning their "unmasked"' era alongside the release of their Lick It Up album. This era would continue until 1996, when the group readopted their iconic look ahead of their highly-anticipated "Alive/Worldwide Tour." News of the forthcoming show also coincides with the fact that Simmons recently postponed 17 dates on his forthcoming tour to 2026. An announcement confirmed that the dates were not related to Simmons' health, but offered no further details. This same tour also generated notice after Simmons revealed he would be offering fans the chance to serve as his "personal assistant & band roadie for the day." - Billboard, 3/23/25...... Ozzy Osbourne has confirmed he'll perform from a throne -- possibly even a flying one -- at what's being billed as Black Sabbath's final-ever performance on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. Osbourne, 76, has dealt with neck and spinal injuries as well as Parkinson's disease and now occasionally uses a wheelchair, but he says he's determined to make this moment count. Ozzy's longtime collaborator and guitarist Zakk Wylde teased that the frontman could be airborne during the event -- quite literally. "With Oz and his throne that just flies over the stadium or whatever, [where he] shoots out buckets of water and does everything like that," Wylde said in a new interview with Riff X's Metal XS. "So if Oz has a great time and it's just, like, 'I wanna go out on the road again,' it's just, like, 'Good. Let's do it again.' He added, "Ozzy was just sitting at the chair and he was singing 'Mama, I'm Coming Home,' and it sounded great. So hopefully we'll just do this, and then Oz will go, 'Let's just fire up the machine again and we'll do another tour'." "Everybody's gonna be playing Sabbath songs, it's gonna be pretty mind-blowing," he added. Although Ozzy won't be delivering a full set, the "Back to the Beginning" concert is shaping up to be a metal fan's dream, with other heavy metal icons including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera and Anthrax also participating. - Billboard, 3/24/25...... Dead & Company paid tribute to late Grateful Dead bassist and co-founder Phil Lesh on the first weekend of their their 2025 Las Vegas Sphere residency. Dead & Company returned to the venue after a wildly successful residency last year, which saw the band perform in front of the Sphere's 240-foot screens from May to July 2024. Closing out their first weekend of the 2025 residency, the band performed "Box Of Rain" -- which was Lesh's signature track with GD -- as their final song on Mar. 22. It marked the first time the band have performed the song since his passing. The band is due to perform 15 more dates between now and May 17. Lesh died in Oct. 2024 at the age of 84. - NME, 3/24/25...... 
The '60s "British Invasion" band The Searchers, who are known to be "longest-running band in pop history," are set to play their last ever show at the Glastonbury 2025 music festival. The Liverpool band, best known for their their version of The Drifters' hit "Sweets For My Sweet," "Sugar And Spice," "Love Potion No. 9," and "Don't Throw Your Love Away,", will end nearly 70 years of touring with their debut at Worthy Farm on the Acoustic Stage on June 27, after the line-up was announced on Mar. 22. Founding member John McNally told BBC News: "A Glastonbury debut at 83, can anyone top that? I don't think life gets any better, does it? There will be a few nerves, but in a good way, and we'll be nicely warmed up from our shows in June. We can't wait to see our fans again for this incredible final farewell." Bassist and singer Frank Allen, who joined the group in 1964, added: "I have played shows across the world with The Searchers for over 60 years; Glastonbury has always been an ambition that has eluded us -- until now. The Searchers are finally performing at the greatest music festival of them all. What a way to round off a tour and a career. I can't wait to get up on stage and give our fans one final blast." - NME, 3/23/25...... Legendary crooner Johnny Mathis announced his retirement from live performing via a Facebook post on Mar. 26. "As many of you may already be aware, Johnny Mathis is approaching his 90th birthday this year," the statement reads. "So, it's with sincere regret that due to Mr. Mathis' age and memory issues which have accelerated, we are announcing his retirement from touring and live concerts." The post notes that all shows scheduled after June 2025 will be canceled, as his final show will take place May 18 at the Bergan Performing Arts Center in Englewood, NJ. Known for such tunes as "Wonderful! Wonderful!" and "It's Not for Me to Say," Mathis was honored by the Recording Academy with the Lifetime Achievement Award and he was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for three separate recordings: in 1998 for "Chances Are," in 2002 for "Misty" and in 2008 for "It's Not for Me to Say." His achievements also include more than 70 albums on the Billboard Hot 200 LP chart (including the No. 1s Johnny's Greatest Hits, in 1958, and Heavenly, in 1959), 34 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart (including the No. 1 "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" with Deniece Williams in 1978) and 50 entries on the Adult Contemporary airplay chart. His Greatest Hits project spent 490 weeks on the Billboard 200, and was the longest-charting album by a solo artist until 2020. - Billboard, 3/26/25..... The '70s ska revival band The Specials have shared a new single to honour the "fallen heroes" of ska. The new track, "When A Light Goes Out," was aired for the first time during a special event at the 2 Tone Museum in London. It is co-written by founding members of The Specials -- Lynval Golding, Mark Adams and Nikolaj Torp Larson -- and pays respects to giants of the ska genre. Proceeds will go to the Specialized Project & Tonic (Music For Mental Health) charities. The event came just days after the late Specials frontman Terry Hall would have celebrated his 66th birthday. Hall died in Dec. 2022 after being diagnosed with cancer months earlier. He was 63 years old. The rest of the band celebrated the milestone with a post on Instagram, wishing the singer a "happy heavenly birthday." - NME, 3/21/25....... Another beloved '70s UK band, Madness, announced on Mar. 25 they'll embark on a major "Hits Parade" UK arena tour this December. Kicking things off at Sheffield Utilita Arena on Dec. 4, the Nutty Boys will perform 13 dates across the country, culminating with a special hometown show at London's The O2 on Dec. 20. Madness will also be joined by very special guest Squeeze. Celebrating their biggest hits that have defined their lengthy career, Madness will be performing all the classics from their iconic, extensive back catalogue and fan favourites including "Our House," "It Must Be Love," "House Of Fun," "Baggy Trousers," "One Step Beyond," and more. Throughout their career, the band have had 11 UK top ten albums, 15 top ten singles and have won a multitude of awards including a prestigious Ivor Novello. Known for their high energy, raucous sets, Madness have performed on the top of Buckingham Palace as part of the Queen's Jubilee celebrations and set the record for the biggest ever audience for the BBC's Live New Year's Eve Broadcast -- the most watched TV music event of 2018. - Music-News.com, 3/25/25...... 
Larry Tamblyn, founding member of the '60s garage band The Standells and brother of actor Russ Tamblyn, died of as yet undisclosed causes on Mar. 21. He was 82. The frontman and keyboardist's death was announced by his nephew, Dennis Tamblyn, in a Facebook post. "My uncle Larry Tamblyn passed away today," Dennis posted. "I have very fond memories of him and his family over the years. He lived an incredible life. He was in a band called The Standells, whose hit song 'Dirty Water' is still played to this day whenever the Red Sox or the Bruins win a home game. They also played on an episode of The Munsters." Tamblyn continued: "A few years ago, The Standells played at Hotel Congress here in Tucson, Ariz., and Larry stayed with me. It was so great to hang out with him and catch up. He was still making music well into his later years. You will be missed, Uncle Larry." Mr. Tamblyn, who is the younger brother of Twin Peaks actor Russ Tamblyn and uncle of actress Amber Tamblyn, was born in Los Angeles on Feb. 5, 1943. The Standells were formed in 1962 by Tamblyn, guitarist Tony Valentino, bassist Jody Rich and drummer Benny King. In 1966, they recorded their most famous hit "Dirty Water" which is still played after every Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins home win. It peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard charts. "Dirty Water" became the band's calling card, acting as one of the anchors of both the 1972 Nuggets garage rock compilation as well as a sports anthem for a number of Boston-area professional teams. In addition to 1965 episodes of The Munsters, The Bing Crosby Show and Ben Casey, The Standells also appeared in such low-budget films as Get Yourself A College Girl (1964) and Riot On Sunset Strip (1967). After taking a long break to pursue a solo career, Mr. Tamblyn performed again under the band's name in 2009 with bassist John Fleck, guitarist Paul Downing and drummer Greg Burnham. They released their final album Bump in 2013. That same year former drummer Dick Dodd, died aged 68 after battling cancer. In addition to his work with the group, Mr. Tamblyn released an autobiography, From Squeaky Clean to Dirty Water: My Life with Sixties Garage Rock Trailblazers the Standells, in 2022. In Dec. 2023, Mr. Tamblyn was inducted into the California Music Hall of Fame by his brother. - NME, 3/23/25.
The late The Ramones frontman Joey Ramone will be the subject of a new children's book, Gabba Gabba We Accept You: The Wondrous Tale Of Joey Ramone. Due on June 27 via the record label Drag City, the book "tells the story of a misfit kid who grew up to be a punk rock hero," according to a press release. "The challenging times that Jeffrey Ross Hyman endured before becoming Joey Ramone speak to young folks navigating the complexities of growing up, via teachable punk stuff: being your own person with your own compass, embracing uniqueness, etc.... [and] affirm everyone has a place in the world," it adds. The book's announcement can be viewed on Drag City's X page. Meanwhile, a legal battle has ensued over a planned Joey Ramone biopic, with Pete Davidson in the lead, with Johnny Ramone's estate suing Joey's brother Mickey Leigh over the biopic. It was claimed that Leigh -- real name Mitchel Hyman -- "covertly developed an unapproved and unauthorized Ramones-based biopic" based on his "one-sided recitation of the history of the Ramones." He counter-sued Johnny's widow Linda Cummings-Ramone, calling her attempts to shut down the biopic as "baseless and flimsy." Hyman also later filed a lawsuit against her for allegedly "exploiting" the Ramones' legacy. - New Musical Express, 3/20/25...... 
The Eagles have added eight more dates to their ongoing residency at Las Vegas' Sphere. Their remaining dates at the mind-bending venue will be on Apr. 4, 5, 11 and 12, with four late summer dates on Sept. 5, 6, 12 and 12. Their original string of gigs kicked off on Sept. 20, 2024, and feature ticket prices beginning at $175. Ensuring that they get into the hands of fans, presale registration is available now at https://eagles.com, and begins Mar. 25) at 1 p.m. ET. Live Nation and SiriusXM presales will launch on Mar. 26 at 1 p.m. ET. Limited VIP ticket packages will go on sale on Tuesday as well at 1 p.m. ET and include premium seats, exclusive merch and parking. Vibee, the hotel & experience package partner for the Eagles Sphere residency, has packages including a concert ticket and two-night stay at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas -- the only resort attached to Sphere -- with guests receiving priority entry to the venue, commemorative keepsakes and more. Vibee packages for the existing and newly announced dates are available now at Eagles.vibee.com. When the Eagles began their residency at Las Vegas' Sphere in September, they also debuted a "Third Encore" fan experience at the neighboring Venetian Resort. The space allowed fans to go inside a re-creation of the famed West Hollywood Troubadour venue where the California rockers got their start in the 1970s and where legend has it that Don Henley and Glenn Frey. Live Nation's travel and music company Vibee expanded the VIP experience to include a Hotel California pop-up, paying tribute to the band's 1976 album and its immortal title track. The most interactive piece of the space is three hotel room doors that open to three different moments in the song, with each room number representing the time code of the corresponding lyrics. Room 052 takes you to a "dark desert highway," with a circa-1970s car dashboard leading the way; room 118 has a "mission bell" hanging above the doorway; and room 354 leads to a spooky mirrored hallway in search of "the passage back to the place I was before." - Billboard, 3/18/25...... Speaking of Sin City, on Mar. 19 Rod Stewart announced another six-pack of residency shows at Las Vegas' the Colosseum for this fall. "Las Vegas! You wanted more, so here we go I've added more shows! I'll be back at @colosseumatcp this September and October, Can't wait to see you all for another round of unforgettable nights," Stewart wrote on Instagram on Mar. 18. Tickets for the shows, which are slated to take place on Sept. 24, 25, 27 and Oct. 1, 3 and 4, went on sale on Mar. 21 through Ticketmaster. Stewart, 80, began a trio of shows at the Colosseum on Mar. 19, and also plays there on Mar. 21 and Mar. 22. After that he heads to Europe, with shows in Lithuania, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Italy and Portugal through mid-May. He will return to Europe in November for more gigs in Germany, as well as stops in Switzerland, Austria, Bulgaria and Greece. - Billboard, 3/19/25...... Neil Young announced on his Neil Young Archives site on Mar. 20 that he's cancelling a recently-announced free concert in Ukraine over safety concerns. Earlier in March, Young shared word of the forthcoming gig in the war torn country, revealing that his upcoming European tour with The Chrome Hearts would be preceded by his debut performance in the country. "We are currently in talks and will make the announcement of details here at NYA," he wrote on his Archives website. While specifics were not forthcoming, the tour is set to begin in Rättvik, Sweden on June 18, meaning the as-yet unannounced Ukrainian show would have ostensibly occurred in the immediate lead-up. However now the "Heart of Gold" singer says the show is no longer going ahead as initially planned. "We had a good venue, close to a shelter, but the changing situation on the ground was too much," he posted. "I could not in good conscience take my crew and instruments into that area. My apologies to all. Ukraine is a great country with a good leader. Slava Ukraini." In February, Young posted a message titled "Leader of the Free World No More" in which he said "under [Pres. Donald Trump's] leadership, the US has lost its standing. Loyalists will never be stronger than Patriots, and Patriots are in the majority here in the USA. Our Patriots will take to the streets to peacefully demonstrate. There will be a moment of truth in our country and we will show the world who we really are. The USA will again be the leader of the Free World." - Billboard, 3/20/25...... 
'70s stars Queen and Herbie Hancock will be among the 2025 recipients of Sweden's prestigious Polar Music Prize. The Polar Music Prize, founded in 1989 by ABBA manager/publisher/lyricist Stig "Stikkan" Anderson, is presented at a ceremony in Stockholm in the presence of the Swedish royal family. Each Laureate will receive a cash award of one million Swedish Krona (approx. 74,082 GBP and $93,897 USD). Previous prize Laureates include Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Chuck Berry, Led Zeppelin, Patti Smith, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon and Elton John, among others. This year's ceremony will be held on May 27, at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm and is set to broadcast live in Sweden on TV4 at 8 p.m. CET. "We are highly and deeply honoured to be given the Polar Music Prize this year," the three surviving Queen members -- Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon -- said in a statement. "It's incredible, thank you so much." Hancock, 84, said: "The Polar Music Prize is a prestigious honour, and I am both thrilled and humbled to be a recipient. The Laureates who have come before me have left an indelible mark on humanity through their profound examples of inspiration and dedication." - Billboard, 3/18/25...... In related news, Elton John has been named the 2025 recipient of the Glenn Gould Prize, which was established in 1987 by The Glenn Gould Foundation to honor the legacy of legendary Canadian pianist Glenn Gould. Gould, whose 1956 album Bach: Goldberg Variations is considered a classic, died in 1982 at age 50, and he received a posthumous lifetime achievement award from the Grammy Awards' Recording Academy in 2013. "After spending decades admiring the virtuosity of Glenn Gould's work, I am awestruck and honored to receive this award," Sir Elton said in a statement. The Glenn Gould Prize is awarded biennially and includes a CDN$100,000 cash award for the Laureate, who also selects an exceptional young artist to receive the CDN$25,000 Glenn Gould Protege Prize. The prize will be presented to John during a special gala celebration to be held in Toronto this fall. Previous recipients include Philip Glass, Leonard Cohen, André Previn, Pierre Boulez and Yo-Yo Ma. In other Elton news, a concert special showcasing the Rocket Man and his recent collaborator Brandi Carlile, An Evening With Elton John and Brandi Carlile, will air on CBS on Apr. 6 at 8-9 p.m. ET/PT and stream on Paramount+. In a concert filmed on Mar. 26 at London's iconic Palladium Theatre and accompanied by a live band, John and Carlile perform songs from their new album, Who Believes in Angels?, which is due Apr. 4 via Interscope Records. The musicians will also play a selection of their individual greatest hits, and an unreleased track by Carlile. Between these solo and duo performances, the two stars will engage in an intimate sit-down conversation on stage that promises to "pull back the curtain on their 20-year friendship, the journey behind their latest collaboration and share intimate footage from their process," according to the press release. Additionally, throughout the evening, those closest to the stars -- who are both LGBTQ icons -- will pay tribute to the artists' careers. John and Carlile are also set to be the musical guests on NBC's Saturday Night Live on Apr. 5 in an episode hosted by Jack Black. It will be John's fourth time on SNL, after musical performances in 1981 and 1992 and a hosting/performing double stint in 2011. - Billboard, 3/20/25...... 
In an interview with Rolling Stone, the Grateful Dead's Bobby Weir suggested it's possible for the GD to reunite as a trio following the 2024 passing of bass player Phil Lesh. Lesh died in October, at the age of 84, and before his passing, Weir, 77, and bandmates Bill Kreutzmann, 78, and Mickey Hart, 81, had been planning a 60th anniversary reunion tour with Lesh. But should the band reunite, Weir admits he couldn't replace his beloved bandmate. "I think when Phil checked out, so did that notion, because we don't have a bass player who's been playing with us for 60 years now," he said. "And that was the intriguing prospect. I think you need somebody holding down the bottom. Phil had all kinds of ideas that were pretty much unique to him. I grew up with Phil holding down the bottom in his unique way." Asked about reuniting as a three-piece, he added: "I suppose I could go back out. I wouldn't put anybody in his place, so it would be a trio at this point. It'd be me and two drummers. I'd have to think about that. I haven't thought about it -- it's just now occurring to me that it's a possibility that we could do that, since you asked. I guess we'll just see what the three of us can pull together." In Dec. 2024, the trio turned up with Lesh's son, Grahame, to be honoured by then-Pres. Joe Biden at the Kennedy Center Honors. In 2015, Weir, Lesh, Kreutzmann, and Hart reunited for a "farewell tour," in which they claimed the five shows would be their last together. - Music-News.com, 3/21/25...... Stevie Wonder will headline the UK's BST Hyde Park festival for the third time when he performs on the Great Oak Stage on July 12. The R&B legend will join an already packed roster of BST Hyde Park 2025 headliners that includes the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Zach Bryan, Sabrina Carpenter, Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, Jeff Lynne's ELO, the Doobie Brothers, Stevie Winwood and Dhani Harrison during various evenings from June 28-July 13. Wonder's U.K. tour will kick off his "Love, Light & Song" U.K. tour with a July 3 show at the Lytham Festival in Lancashire, followed by a July 5 gig at Co-Op Live in Manchester, a July 7 stop at Utilita Arena in Birmingham and a July 9 gig at Blackweir Field in Cardiff. Wonder was recently on hand at a memorial for Roberta Flack at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, N.Y. - Billboard, 3/17/25...... Alice Cooper is coming out for British heavy metal legends Iron Maiden to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Cooper, who was inducted into the RRHOF himself in 2011, shouted out the band -- who are set to head out on the road this summer with their "Run For Your Lives" tour of the UK and Europe -- during a Q&A session on the Rock Legends Cruise in February. When the "School's Out" singer was asked which artists he'd like to see inducted into the Rock Hall, Cooper mentioned Maiden, saying: "I mean, come on -- Iron Maiden. How can you diss Iron Maiden? They have their own army out there." Alice also commented on the Rock Hall's pivot to include non-rock acts. "It's really hard for me to put somebody, let's say, like Missy Elliott in with The Who," he admitted. "I was in there going, 'Come on. It's rock and roll bands - that's what rock is. But then I kind of loosened up that idea. Even Dolly Parton said, 'I don't belong in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame,' but then she made a rock record. I don't think anybody begrudges her that, but I would still I would prefer to see an Iron Maiden in there before I would see some of these other ones." Iron Maiden have been eligible to join the RRHOF since 2004, although they've only been nominated twice, in 2021 and 2023. Cooper meanwhile has confirmed two upcoming shows for the UK later this summer, marking his only performances in Scotland and Wales for 2025. - NME, 3/17/25...... 
A Vancouver, B.C. record store owner has discovered he that he bought, unbeknownst to himself, a rare and unknown Beatles recording from 1962. A few years ago, Rob Frith of Neptoon Records bought a reel-to-reel tape labelled "Beatles demo." But he didn't bother to actually listen to it; he just assumed someone had put a Beatles bootleg on the tape. Recently as he was transferring some tapes at broadcaster Larry Hennessey's recording studio and brought along the Beatles tape. "All of a sudden, it was like the Beatles are in the room playing," he said, a sense of astonishment still in his voice. "The quality was that good." Turns out, it really was a Beatles demo -- a legendary session they recorded on Jan. 1, 1962, for Decca Records. Decca rejected the band, which is arguably the biggest mistake in music history. Instead, EMI signed the Beatles a few months later and they became a worldwide sensation. The tape features the Beatles' original drummer Pete Best, not Ringo Starr. Most of the songs are covers like "Money," "To Know Him is to Love Him" and "The Sheik of Araby." But there are three original songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney: "Like Dreamers Do," "Hello Little Girl," and "Love of the Loved." Not all 15 recordings in the Decca session have been officially released, although it's been widely bootlegged. Five songs from the session were officially released on the Beatles Anthology I in 1995. Whoever sold the Beatles tape probably didn't know what it was: they didn't hype it to Frith. "I actually can't remember who I bought it from," Frith said. "I think it was an engineer that worked in Vancouver for years and years that was moving." Frith won't be able to legally reproduce the music on the tape for copyright reasons. But it has value as an artifact: a copy of the Decca sessions that once belonged to Beatles manager Brian Epstein, which had only half the recordings, sold for 62,500 pounds (about CDN$117,000) in 2019. - Canoe.com, 3/19/25...... Marty Callner, an acclaimed TV and music video director responsible for numerous music videos, concert specials, and stand-up performances, passed away at his home in Malibu from natural causes on Mar. 17. He was 78. Helming specials featuring Robert Klein, Redd Foxx, Robin Williams and Myron Cohen, Callner also directed 1981's The Pee-Wee Herman Show, having discovered comedian Paul Reubens at The Groundlings in Los Angeles. Callner shifted his focus towards music with names such as Diana Ross, Paul Simon and Liza Minnelli, before rising to prominence as an unsung hero of the entertainment world through his prolific career directing music videos. Alongside videos for beloved names such as Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, Heart and The Bangles, Callner was responsible for some of the most memorable music videos in history. His impressive resum includes Cher,'s "If I Could Turn Back Time," Twisted Sister,'s "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock," Whitesnake,'s "Here I Go Again" and "Is This Love," Poison,'s "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," and numerous clips for Aerosmith,, including "Livin' on the Edge," "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)," and "Love in an Elevator." His career would also boast numerous live concert specials, including a number of famed pop stars of the '90s and '00s, including Madonna, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and NSYNC. - Billboard, 3/20/25...... Former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, known as much for his gregarious personality as his vicious right hook, died on Mar. 21. He was 76 years old. A two-time heavyweight champion, he also won gold at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and later saw success, in his post-boxing career, pitching the now-omnipresent countertop grill that bears his name. Foreman's family announced his death in a post on Instagram, and they provided no cause of death. "A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two-time heavyweight champion of the world, He was deeply respected -- a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name -- for his family," it reads. Born Jan. 10, 1949, Foreman was the fifth of seven children and grew up "in the toughest neighborhood in Houston," he wrote in his book George Foreman's Guide To Life: How to Get Up Off the Canvas When Life Knocks You Down, which was published in 2003. "I didn't have a lot to look forward to in life," he wrote. "At least I didn't think I did. I was hungry all the time; I dropped out of school in the eighth grade; I relied on my size and my fists to make my way." At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Foreman, then 19, had already developed what ESPN would go on to call his "wrecking ball fists," and defeated Soviet opponent Jonas Cepulis. The referee had to stop the fight before the end of the second round. Foreman won his first heavyweight title at just 24 with a stunning knockout of the then-undefeated world champion Joe Frazier in 1973. Billed as "The Rumble in the Jungle," Foreman's most famous fight ended in his first professional loss to Muhammad Ali in Oct. 1974. He surrendered the heavyweight title in the knockout loss. But he would regain the belt after a 10-year retirement in a fight in 1994 against Michael Moorer at 45 years old. In the pivot to entrepreneur, Foreman saw success in the 1990s promoting the "George Foreman Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine," a staple on TV infomercials and home-shopping channels, which was known for its ridged and slanted cooking surface that was designed to allow fat to slide off the grill. There's hardly a single lesson I've learned in life that didn't come the hard way... Everyone in life goes through a hard time sometime, but you can't let that define who you are," he wrote in his 2003 book. "What defines you is how you come back from those troubles and what you find in life to smile about." - ABC News, 3/21/25...... 
Jesse Colin Young, the co-founder and vocalist for late '60s folk-rockers The Youngbloods, passed away at his Aiken, S.C. home on Mar. 16, according to his wife/manager Connie Young. He was 83. Born Perry Miller in New York City in 1941, Mr. Young grew up in a musical household and was encouraged by his parents to learn piano from a young age. Attending Massachusetts' Phillips Academy on a scholarship, Mr. Young studied guitar but was expelled, later enrolling in Ohio State University after high school before transferring to New York University. Deciding to become a full-time musician in the early '60s, he adopted the Jesse Colin Young moniker from famed western outlaws Jesse James and Cole Younger, and Formula One innovator Colin Chapman. Mr. Young issued his debut album, The Soul of a City Boy, in 1964 via Capitol Records, before following it up with Young Blood on Mercury in 1965. That same year, Mr. Young teamed up with guitarist and folk singer Jerry Corbitt with whom he would form The Youngbloods, named for his recently-released album. The band's second single, "Grizzly Bear," from their 1967 self-titled debut album, gave them their first success when it reached No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The album also featured a version of the Chet Powers-penned "Get Together." The single would only hit No. 62 on the Hot 100 upon its release, but was reissued in 1969 where it went to No. 5, ultimately going Gold, and defining the musical sound that accompanied the peace-loving attitudes of the '60s. "As the frontman of The Youngbloods, he immortalized the ideals of the Woodstock generation with 'Get Together,' an international hit that called for peace and brotherhood during the turbulent 1960s," a statement released following Young's passing noted. "During the decades that followed, Young expanded both his audience and his artistic range, releasing a string of solo albums that mixed socially conscious lyrics with top-tier guitar skills and gorgeous vocals." The Youngbloods would split in 1972 following five albums, though would later reform in late 1984 for a brief tour. Mr. Young returned to his career as a solo musician upon the band's initial breakup, with his most successful record, 1975's Songbird, peaking at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart upon its release. In 2012, Mr. Young retired from performing following a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease, though he returned to the stage in 2016, with Dreamers arriving as his final album in 2019. "An acclaimed songwriter, singer, instrumentalist, producer, label owner, podcast host, and longtime social/environmental activist, [Young] has established a permanent place in America's musical landscape -- while continuing to make modern music that's every bit as vital as his work during the counterculture era," the statement issued upon Mr. Young's passing concluded. Mr. Young is survived by his wife and manager, Connie; their children Tristan and Jazzie Young; and two children from his first marriage, Juli and Cheyenne Young. - Billboard, 3/17/25...... Lenny Schultz, a former stand-up comic and star of Laugh-In, died on Mar. 16 at his home in Delray Beach, Fla. He was 91. A frequent guest on late night shows in the 1970s and 1980s, Mr. Schultz was a pioneer among a crop of comedians that embraced wacky and "out-there" comedy. People in the audiences of shows he starred in like Laugh-In would chant "Go crazy Lenny," in order to get him to bust out some of his zanier bits. When he wasn't playing weird characters like the Bionic Chicken, part of what Mr. Schutlz did so well was adding sound effects to his stand-up bits. In his his classic 1977 bit "It Started with a Bang," Mr. Schutlz recounted the formation of the solar system, with an incredible bit that anthropomorphized various explosions as well as the planets themselves. Even though his stand-up career was thriving, Mr. Schultz stuck with his job -- for more than a decade -- as a gym teacher, leaving clubs early when it was a school night. "The next day I'm in a smelly gym with kids! It was crazy!" he noted. In his stand-up act, he often was assisted by his second wife, Helen, who helped him with his sound cues and myriad props (they were married from 1965 until their 1982 divorce). She said he endured two bouts with COVID in his later years. The humble, funny, and delightfully weird Mr. Schutlz was often praised by such comedic legends as Jerry Seinfeld, Billy Crystal, John Stewart and David Letterman. His legacy lives on in the wide world of physical comedy, and anytime a comedian dares to step outside of anything remotely normal. - Men's Journal, 3/18/25.
Speaking to NYC radio station Q104.3 on Mar. 16, Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson revealed that several drummers reached out to his band to audition for late Rush drummer Neal Peart's job after Peart passed away in Jan. 2020 of brain cancer at age 67. Lifeson was asked if he and bassist Geddy Lee have considered reforming the band with a new drummer. "Oh, well, yeah, of course, because we're bombarded by it all the time," Lifeson said. "After Neil passed, it didn't take more than a few minutes before we started getting e-mails from all kinds of drummers who wanted to audition for the band, thinking that we were just gonna replace somebody that we played with for 40 years who wrote all the lyrics for our music." He continued: "I don't know what some of these people were thinking. So, yeah, we've had the conversation, because we can't avoid it." Rush last performed together for a farewell tour in 2015 playing 35 headline shows across North America. In 2022, Lifeson and Geddy Lee reunited in public to perform as part of the tribute shows in Los Angeles and London for late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. The pair also participated in a Peart tribute concert in Los Angeles in Sept. 2020. Peart's full interview can be streamed on 
A new documentary claims that The Doors frontman Jim Morrison could still be alive. In Before the End, a new film created by Doors superfan Jeff Finn, conspiracy theories will be examined that suggest Morrison may have faked his own death after becoming disillusioned with the fame and attention his success had brought him. It will examine the "evidence" of the theories that Morrison may still be alive, including one revolving around a man named "Frank X," who works in maintenance in Syracuse, N.Y., but who some believe is actually Morrison in disguise. Morrison was found dead in the bathtub of his apartment in Paris by his girlfriend Pamela Courson on July 3, 1971. He was 27 years old at the time, with the official cause of death listed as heart failure. The trailer for Before The End has been shared on 
Canadian pop music legend Anne Murray will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 Junos in Vancouver, B.C. on Mar. 30. Nova Scotia native Murray, the most Juno-awarded artist in the history of Canada's national music honours, has won 25 Juno Awards. "Canada's National Arts Centre has been honoured to support countless Canadian performing artists from the beginning of their careers to the international stage, including this year's honouree, Anne Murray," says Christopher Deacon, President and CEO of the National Arts Centre. Presented by the National Arts Centre/Centre National des Arts, Murray will be the first performer to receive the recognition since it was awarded to Pierre Juneau in 1989. Murray, the singer behind such classics as "Snowbird" and others has sold over 55 million albums and has won four Grammy Awards, including best female pop vocal performance in 1978 for 
Time to "turn it up to 11" once again. The highly anticipated sequel of the 1984 comedy, 
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell has told Guitar Player magazine that his "conscience is clear" and he "doesn't torture himself" over his bandleader Tom Petty's 2017 death from an accidental drug overdose. Petty's death at age 66 sent shockwaves through the rock community, especially after a coroner's report determined that a mix of opioids -- including fentanyl and oxycodone -- in his system contributed to a fatal "mixed drug toxicity." The rock legend had gone through periods of drug use throughout his life, but famously got clean in 1999 when his future wife, Dana York, convinced him to go to rehab. Campbell, 75, explained that while he recognized Petty was no longer sober near the end of his life, he felt it was impossible to get through to his longtime bandmate of over 40 years. "With Tom it was like, 'Your private life is yours, and mine is mine. I can see what you're doing, but out of respect for you, I'll trust you'll do the right thing. If you need me, call me,'" he recalled. "I could have gone to him and said, 'Hey, you've got to cut this s--- out,' which I kind of did once to the manager. But the thing with Tom was, you could say that and he would just look at you like, 'But I'm Tom Petty. I'm going to do whatever I f---ing want. Get out of my face.'" Campbell, who will release a memoir about his career with Petty called 
Former J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf has just released a new book, 
A first-of-its-kind jazz and super club in Chicago's West Loop built and designed in honor of legendary Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia was announced on Mar. 10 by venue impressario Peter Shapiro. Shapiro has long collaborated with original members of the iconic 1960s band through projects like the "Fare Thee Well" concerts honoring the band's 50th anniversary, and also worked as the long-time promoter for late GD founding member Phil Lesh. For the new club, he has enlisted the help of Garcia's family members, including his daughter Trixie Garcia, who said the inspiration for Garcia's was "a live music club with a comfortable atmosphere for artists and guests... A place where Jerry could get his musical fix without going on the road." The 300-capacity concert venue will feature a full bar and restaurant, according to Shapiro, adding that the concept for Garcia's comes from iconic old supper and jazz clubs of yesteryear, including New York's Birdland, Harlem's esteemed Bill's Place or the Spotted Cat on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. A full list of shows at the new venue can be found at GarciasChicago.live. - Billboard, 3/10/25...... A two-hour Ringo Starr special, Ringo & Friends at the Ryman, is currently streaming on-demand on the Paramount+ channel for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers. The special, which premiered on Mar. 10 on the CBS network, celebrates the music and legacy of Starr through the lens of country music. The Beatles drummer brought his love of country to life with two concerts taped at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on Jan. 14-15. In an exclusive clip from Billboard on 
In other pop idol news, '60s hitmaker Tommy James was forced to end a recent concert in Las Vegas an hour into the performance after suffering from exhaustion. James, 77, was singing "Do Something to Me" at the Golden Nugget casino on Mar. 7 when he was forced to stop the performance and take a breather before he could finish the 90-minute set. His rep said the reason was that he had been up early for his five-hour flight to Sin City. The rep confirmed the "Draggin' the Line" singer was back in New Jersey and doing "fine working on his Sirius XM radio show Gettin Together with Tommy James." James and his band The Shondells are next due onstage on Mar. 15 in Tulsa, Okla. The musician is best known as the frontman of the rock band, who had a string of hits in the '60s with "Mony Mony," "Crimson and Clover" and "I Think We're Alone Now." James is a prolific artist, having released 12 solo studio albums and eight albums with the Shondells. More than 300 musicians have recorded renditions of his songs with three of the covers reaching the Top 10 on the hit parade in the 1980s: Joan Jett's "Crimson and Clover," Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now," and Billy Idol's "Mony Mony." - Music-News.com, 3/10/25...... Michael Jackson's eldest son Prince Jackson attended the Sydney, Australia opening night of "MJ: The Musical" at Lyric Theatre, Star City on Mar. 8. This isn't the first time Prince has shown his support for the production, which debuted on Broadway in 2022 and has since expanded globally. In Mar. 2024, he attended the London preview night alongside his siblings, Paris Jackson and Bigi Jackson, continuing their tradition of honoring their father's legacy. Two years prior, he and Paris made an appearance at the 2022 Tony Awards, where "MJ: The Musical" was nominated for multiple awards, including Best Musical. The siblings introduced the cast's performance of "Smooth Criminal "that night, with Prince reflecting on their father's deep love for musicals. "A lot of people seem to think our dad Michael Jackson changed popular music forever. And who are we to disagree?" he said during the awards show. "But what people may not know is that he loved musicals, on film and on the stage." Following its success in New York, the musical has expanded to London's West End, a U.S. national tour, and now Australia, where it will run in Sydney before moving to other cities. The four-time Tony Award-winning production transports audiences back to 1992, inside the high-stakes creative process of Jackson's "Dangerous World Tour." Through the lens of an MTV documentary crew, the musical explores not just Jackson's signature moves and music, but his relentless artistic vision and the challenges behind the scenes. Tickets for "MJ: The Musical" are available now at mjthemusical.com.au. - Billboard, 3/10/25...... Legendary KISS bassist Gene Simmons is giving fans the chance to live out their dreams of rock stardom by letting them be his roadie for a day with his Gene Simmons Band -- but it comes with a hefty price tag. As Simmons prepares to mount a tour with his band in April, the rocker has launched a handful of "Experiences" in which fans can purchase ahead of the upcoming dates. One of them is the "Gene Simmons Bass Experience," which allows you (and three guests) the chance to meet Simmons after the stage. The other of these experiences (dubbed "The Ultimate Gene Simmons Experience"') allows the purchaser to become "Simmons' personal assistant & band roadie for the day." This package costs a total of $12,495 (in addition to the original ticket price), and also includes a bass guitar that had been used by Simmons during a KISS rehearsal. Only one experience per concert is available, with 26 dates currently scheduled across North America between April and August. More info can be found at www.genesimmonsaxe.com. - Billboard, 3/10/25...... Native Englishman and current Connecticut resident Keith Richards is being honoured with a new Connecticut residents award. Richards, who has been living in The Constitution State since 1985, was awarded the Connecticut Governor's Award of Excellence on Mar. 5, which recognizes creativity, passion and generosity in the area. The Rolling Stones guitarist is the first person to receive this award, and he was given a custom-designed medallion during a ceremony at The Westport Library in Westport, Conn. Gov. Ned Lamont, a self-professed Stones fan, praised the veteran musician for his music career and his contributions to local charitable causes. "Well, thank you very much. And thank you Connecticut," Richards while accepting the award. "You kind of get lost for words with something like this around your neck. All I gotta say is, you know, I've been here for 40 years, and it's been a great place for me. The family's had a great life, The kids grew up great and incredibly happy about everything." Meanwhile, the Stones have been reported to be scrapping their plans to tour across the UK and Europe in 2025. According to the UK paper The Times, in late January the group announced they have opted against a return to touring later in the year. This reportedly came following a proposed multi-million pound stop at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium being rejected, amid other shows across Europe. - NME, 3/9/25...... 
Kraftwerk kicked off the North American leg of their "Multimedia" world tour at Philadelphia's Franklin Music Hall on Mar. 6, then performed on Mar. 8 at the Pittsburgh venue Stage AE Outdoors and on Mar. 10 in Montreal. Some of the tracks played by the German electronic-pop pioneers include "Autobahn," "Airwaves," Spacelab," "Neon Lights," and "Radioactivity." The encore at the Philidelphia gig included "The Robots" and "Planet of Visions." Ralf Hütter & co. announced the tour back in December. In total, 27 dates have been lined up for March and April 2025, including March stops in Montreal, Boston, Brooklyn, New York, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Orlando, Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Kansas City, Mo. In April, they'll visit Denver, Portland, Ore., Vancouver, B.C., Indio, Calif, Salt Lake City, Indio, Calif., and Austin, Tex., before wrapping in Dallas on Apr. 24. Some fan-captured footage from the opening gigs have been shared on 
Punk rock pioneer Brian James, founding member of English band The Damned, died on Mar. 6. He was 70. The news of the guitarist's death was shared with fans via a post on 
As Jethro Tull released 
Heart's Ann Wilson has been performing in a wheelchair on Heart's "Royal Flush" tour because she suffered a nasty fall five days before her tour kicked off. Wilson, 74, postponed Heart's 2024 tour last summer after being diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer and undergoing surgery, but she has since completed treatment and revealed her current health woes are down to a recent tumble. During a recent episode of her After Dinner Thinks With Ann Wilson podcast, she explained: "I think some people thought that I was in a wheelchair because of cancer, which I just kicked its ass and I'm nice and clear now. It's not about cancer. It's about me being a klutz and missing a step and falling into a parking lot and busting my elbow in three places and then having to have it pinned back together with screws and all that kind of stuff." She went on to add: "In other ways, I'm perfectly fine. It's just I don't have the use of my left arm right now. So it's hard to navigate when you just have one hand and your other whole arm is in a sling. And you don't have the same balance. So I had to get used to that. And singing on stage, I really think that the pain level is still way too high for me to take it out of the sling so I chose to sit because then I can just concentrate on singing and not on keeping my balance and having somebody out there catching me when I reel to the side." Heart kicked off its current tour in Las Vegas on Feb. 28 and they will continue performing across North America this spring and summer until they wrap with a set at The Great Allentown Fair in Allentown, Penn. on Aug. 27. - Music-News.com, 3/7/25...... On Mar. 5 Pink Floyd released the trailer for the newly restored version of their concert film Pink Floyd At Pompeii MCMLXXII on 
Paul McCartney is giving a little help to his late friend Joe Cocker as the "blue-eyed soul" singer is a contender for the class of 2025 
Trailblazing "Godfather of Soul" James Brown has placed a new song on a Billboard chart for the first time since 1993 as "Bad," his co-billed collaboration with rapper 310babii, has reached No. 37 on the music industry outlet's Rhythmic Airplay chart dated Mar. 8. The new single samples Brown's "The Boss" from his 1973 album, Black Caesar. For Brown, who died in 2006 at age 73, "Bad" is the legend's maiden appearance on the Rhythmic Airplay chart, which launched in Oct. 1992. It's his first new recording on any Billboard songs chart since 1993's "Can't Get Any Harder," which netted a No. 76 high on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Some of his best-known recordings, including "I Got You (I Feel Good)," "Living in America" and "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto" banked time on digital song sales or other charts in recent years due to commercial syncs or holiday-fueled consumption. From 1958-1986, Brown accumulated his 91 Billboard Hot 100 hits, with a No. 3 career high through "I Got You (I Feel Good)" in 1965. Thanks to his storied career, Brown was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's inaugural 1986 class alongside legends such as Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley and Little Richard. The official video of 310babii & James Brown's "Bad" can be viewed on 
Dan Fogelberg's breakthrough 1974 second album 
Joey Molland, the guitarist and last surviving member of the Beatlesque '70s rock band Badfinger, passed away on Mar. 1 while surrounded by his longtime partner, Mary, his two sons and other family members, according to a post on Badfinger's Facebook page. He was 77. While a cause of death was not specified, Molland had faced ongoing health challenges in recent years, including a recent battle with pneumonia. "Thank you, Joey for keeping the band's music alive for so long and for being a friend to us all," the Facebook post read. The Welsh band Badfinger, originally known as The Iveys, was one of the first acts signed by The Beatles' Apple Records. Molland joined the group in 1969, after the recording of their debut album, Magic Christian Music, which featured the Paul McCartney-written hit "Come and Get It." The song reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1970. Molland's first album with Badfinger was 1971's 
Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes are revisiting their 1999 collaboration with an 
Nick Simmons and Evan Stanley, the sons of KISS' Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, have recorded 10 songs together, and the pair recently shared photos with fans on 
As the divisiveness in American politics grows increasingly sharper, veteran classic rock producer Bob Ezrin has said he plans to renounce his US citizenship and make a full return to his native country of Canada from his most recent US base, Nashville. Ezrin explained to the UK paper The Globe that the current polarized state of American politics and society is the driving force behind this move. "In the last few years, it seems as if America is split in half," Ezrin says. "The voices of a radical right have become so much louder. Conspiracy theories abound, people are armed to the teeth, and it's just a different place than the place I went to." Already a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Ezrin was recently named as a recipient of the lifetime artistic achievement award by The Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation, honoured for a legendary discography that includes milestone albums by such international stars as Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, U2, Deep Purple, Rod Stewart, Nine Inch Nails, Kiss, Lou Reed, Taylor Swift and many more. He received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year in 1981 as producer of Pink Floyd's 
Robert John, the Brooklyn-born singer-songwriter whose inimitable voice lent itself to a number of Billboard Hot 100 hits including 
David Johansen, frontman with glam rock band New York Dolls, died on Mar. 1 at his home in New York City. He was 75. "David Johansen died at home in NYC on Friday afternoon holding hands with his wife, Mara Hennessey, and daughter Leah, surrounded by music, flowers and love," his rep said in a statement. "He died of natural causes after nearly a decade of illness." The news of Johansen's death comes after the punk pioneer announced in early February that he was battling stage 4 cancer and a brain tumor. The musician was diagnosed in 2020, and after a fall that broke his back in two places in Nov. 2024, he decided to share his story. "We've been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, carrying on, but this tumble the day after Thanksgiving really brought us to a whole new level of debilitation," revealed Johansen, who also acted and has appeared in films such as Scrooged and TV shows including Oz. "This is the worst pain I've ever experienced in my entire life. I've never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency. Thank you." The Staten Island-born Johansen joined the Dolls in 1971, playing his first show with the group at a homeless shelter on Christmas Eve that year. Favoring simple, sloppy rock n' roll over the increasingly complex and conceptual rock music of the early '70s, New York Dolls made up for what they lacked in technical mastery and professionalism with attitude, gender-bending fashion (women's clothes and high heels) and gobs of lipstick. Gigging around Manhattan in 1972, the group steadily increasing in popularity among young, disaffected audiences looking for something different and the NYC art crowd. The group's self-titled 1973 album is a no-notes distillation of their rough-and-tumble, campy take on the straight-forward, blues-boosted rock n' roll of the '50s. "Personality Crisis" is a wild, careening send-up of self-obsessed people manufacturing drama for attention that rings as true today as it did half a century ago; "Looking for a Kiss" opens with a cheeky reference to The Shangri-Las; and while the Dolls weren't renowned for their lyricism, "Frankenstein" is a clever metaphor for the lumbering, confused and patched-together New York City of the '70s. Despite inspiring countless punks, glam rockers, heavy metal bands and Morrissey (who cites seeing the band on TV as a watershed moment in his life),