Posted by Administrator on May 16th, 2025
Lawyers for four anonymous housekeepers of Smokey Robinson have confirmed their clients have filed a formal police report against the 85-year-old Motown legend alleging he repeatedly raped them over the course of nearly two decades. "We are pleased to learn that the LA County Sheriff's Department has opened a criminal investigation into our clients' claims of sexual assault against Smokey Robinson," say attorneys John Harris and Herbert Hayden. "Our clients intend to fully cooperate with LASD's ongoing investigation in the pursuit of seeking justice for themselves and others that may have been similarly assaulted by him." Robinson's lawyer Christopher Frost has responded that the housekeepers' claims are "manufactured " and motivated by "unadulterated avarice." Frost notes that police did not launch a criminal probe unilaterally; rather that the Sheriff's Department is required to investigate because the women filed a police report. "We welcome that investigation, which involves plaintiffs who continue to hide their identities, because exposure to the truth is a powerful thing," Frost says. "We feel confident that a determination will be made that Mr. Robinson did nothing wrong, and that this is a desperate attempt to prejudice public opinion and make even more of a media circus than the Plaintiffs were previously able to create." The singer's wife, Frances Robinson, is also named in the lawsuit. The housekeepers claim she did nothing to stop her husband's abuse, despite knowing that he had a history of sexual misconduct and had previously struck settlements with assault victims. The lawsuit also says the Robinsons paid their employees below minimum wage, and that Frances Robinson created a hostile work environment replete with screaming and "racially-charged epithets." Smokey and Frances Robinson have fiercely denied the housekeepers' claims, saying through Frost on May 7 that the "vile, false allegations" are merely "an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon." - Billboard, 5/15/25...... 
Former Journey frontman Steve Perry and country/pop icon Willie Nelson unveiled a new duet version of the Journey hit "Faithfully" on YouTube on May 14. In the gorgeously animated video which turns Journey's 1983 single into a wistful, meditative ballad, Nelson warbles, "Highway run in the midnight sun/ Wheels go round and round/ You're on my mind" over tender acoustic guitar. Later, Perry takes over the opening verse, optioning the vocal up an octave and singing, "They say the road ain't no place to start a family/ Right down the line, it's been you and me." Perry, who fronted Journey at the height of their success from the late '70s to the late '80s and again for a brief period in the mid-'90s, calls his collaboration with Nelson "one of the greatest honors of my life." "[Willie] is one of the most prolific and poetic vocalists I've ever heard... It brought out an emotion in me that only singing with Willie can do," Perry says. Proceeds from the single's sale will be donated to Farm Aid as the nonprofit dedicated to supporting America's family farmers marks its 40th anniversary. - Billboard, 5/15/25...... Speaking of Farm Aid, the lineup for the 40th anniversary version set for Sept. 20 at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, which advocates for American family farmers, has been announced. Nelson will be joined on the bill by fellow Farm Aid board members Neil Young (with his band the Chrome Hearts), John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds) and Margo Price, with the full-day lineup also set to include: Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Trampled by Turtles, Waxahatchee, Eric Burton of Black Pumas, Jesse Welles and Madeline Edwards, with more artists to be announced. Since Nelson introduced the first Farm Aid concert in Champaign, Ill., on Sept. 22, 1985, the nonprofit behind the festival has raised nearly $80 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture, while also building connections in the battles against climate change and social injustice. This year's Farm Aid will once again include its trademarked HOMEGROWN Concessions, with a menu featuring "ingredients that are grown or raised by farmers who use ecological practices and are paid a fair price," the organization states. The HOMEGROWN Village will feature exhibits about soil, water, energy, food and farming. - Billboard, 5/13/25...... In other festival news, headliners of the UK's legendary Glastonbury Festival, set for Worthy Farm in Somerset between June 25 and 29, have been finalized. As previously announced, Rod Stewart will be taking on the coveted Legend Slot on the Pyramid Stage on June 29, with Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts headlining the previous evening as part of his "Love Earth" world tour. The Canadian singer-songwriter had initially pulled out of Glasto '25 due to it being, as he put it, "a corporate turn-off," owing to the festival's partnership with the BBC. Young later backtracked, however, citing "an error in the information received." It'll mark his second time topping the bill at the farm, following his debut appearance in 2009. Other acts of interest to '70s music fans performing at the festival's many stages and areas include Nile Rodgers & Chic, Nick Lowe, Roy Harper, The Bootleg Beatles and George Harrison's son Dhani Harrison. First-timers performing include Alanis Morissette, Noah Kahan, Lola Young, Myles Smith (winner of this year's BRITs Rising Star award), Busta Rhymes, Brandi Carlile and Gary Numan. - NME, 5/15/25...... 
Yusuf/Cat Stevens will release his long-awaited memoir, Cat On The Road To Findout,, on Sept. 18 in the UK. According to a press release, the tome promises to be an "extraordinary soul-baring journey through the triumphs, trials, and transcendental quest of one of music's most enigmatic figures of our time, with fans being able to delve into the "intimate story of his deeply emotive transformation." The presser continues: "More than a memoir, the Yusuf/Cat Stevens' story is a backstage pass to the mind of a man who has lived a thousand lives. From his folk-troubadour beginnings, to the glamorous chaos of 60s pop stardom, to his 70s reign as a generational voice, his songs formed a musical odyssey that intricately recorded the journey to self-discovery. Then came his unexpected departure from superstardom, embracing Islam and leaving fans heartbroken." Yusuf commented: "I've been on an amazing journey, which began in the narrow streets of London, and led me through the most iconic cities, to perform upon the great stage of Western culture, ascending the dizzying heights of wealth, recognition and artistic pinnacles; freely exploring vast ranges of religions and philosophies, wandering through churches, temples, all the way to the Holy abode in Jerusalem -- ignoring myths and warnings -- and crossing the foreboded, desert heartlands, to arrive at the House of One God in Abrahamic Arabia. What finally elevated my perspective was a luminous Book that perfectly alchemized my thoughts, beliefs, with human nature. It taught me Oneness, and my place and purpose within the universe." The tome is illustrated with "dozens of drawings in his own hand and archival imagery, self-penned with raw honesty and poetic insight." Cat On The Road To Findout will be published in hardback, ebook and audiobook format (narrated by the author). The 560-page book, already a Top 5 bestseller in Amazon.com's rock music category, will be published by Constable in the UK on Sept. 18, and by Genesis Publications in North America on Oct. 7. - Music-News.com, 5/15/25...... Already a number one album in the UK, Pink Floyd's archival live LP Pink Floyd At Pompeii MCMLXXII has debuted in the Top 10 across multiple Billboard music charts for the week dated May 17 following its release on May 2, including a No. 3 arrival on the Top Album Sales chart with the band's biggest sales week in over a decade. The album has also debuted at No. 1 on Indie Store Album Sales, No. 2 on Vinyl Albums (with 12,500 copies sold in its first week), No. 2 on Top Rock Albums, No. 3 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums and No. 28 on the overall all-genre Billboard Hot 200. On the latter, Pompeii marks the 15th top 40-charting set for the band and 30th charting album overall. In total, it sold just over 20,000 copies in the US in the week ending May 8, according to Luminate. The album contains the eight performances from the film and was available to purchase as a two-CD set and a double-vinyl package or as a digital download. The CD and vinyl editions have two bonus tracks, while the digital edition has a third bonus cut. The film itself, separate from the album, was also sold as stand-alone Blu-ray, DVD and digital download. With the No. 3 debut on Top Album Sales with 20,000 copies, Pink Floyd has captured its largest sales week for an album in over 10 years. The act last sold more copies of a single album on the Jan. 10, 2015-dated chart, when the band's final studio album, The Endless River, sold 29,000 copies in its seventh week of release. - Billboard, 5/14/25...... 
Pres. Donald Trump's ears must surely be burning after Bruce Springsteen slammed the US president and his administration during the kickoff concert of his "Hopes and Dreams" European tour at Manchester, England on May 14. The New Jersey rocker unloaded on Trump from Manchester's Co-Op Live stage, telling the audience "the mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock and roll, in dangerous times" shortly after walking on stage. "In my home, the America I love, the America I've written about, and has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration," he continued, as captured in a clip filmed by a concertgoer and posted to Instagram. "Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experience to rise with us, raise your voices against the authoritarianism, and let freedom ring," he added. Springsteen went on to sing the trek's namesake song, 2001's "Land of Hopes and Dreams," which includes the lyrics: "Dreams will not be thwarted/ Faith will be rewarded/ Hear the steel wheels singing/ Bells of freedom ringing." In another speech mid-show, the Boss said: "In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world's poorest children to sickness and death," he told fans before singing "My City of Ruins." "And in my country, they are taking sadistic pleasure in the pain that they inflict on loyal American workers, they are rolling back historic civil rights legislation that led to a more just and moral society," he continued. "They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom." The performance marks the first of several tour dates Springsteen and the E Street Band have scheduled this summer. After two more dates in Manchester, he'll perform at venues in France, Spain, Germany and Italy through the beginning of July. - Billboard, 5/14/25...... A KISS fan who paid over $12,000 to be Gene Simmons' "roadie" for a day has spoken about the experience, saying it was "absolutely worth it." Simmons made headlines earlier in 2025 when he announced that he would be offering a fan the chance to be his roadie for a day at the steep price of $12,500 on top of the original ticket price. For the experience, Simmons would join the fan turned-roadie for a meal, help set up for the gig and introduce them during the show and maybe even sing with the musician. The fan -- who is allowed to bring a friend along -- will also receive an autographed bass guitar from Simmons himself. Now, a 52-year-old retired corrections sergeant from New York named Dwayne Rosado has shared about his experience serving as Simmons' roadie. For the experience, Rosado and his 13-year-old son Zach were shadowed by The New York Times to chronicle the process. Speaking to The Times, Rosado said the eye-watering amount was "absolutely" worth it, revealing that he had recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis: "You only live once, and I want to experience life. I'm not going to die with a lot of money. I'm going to die happy." During the live show, Simmons invited Dwayne and Zach onto stage, introducing them: "My father wasn't there when I was growing up, so I'll tell you, it means the world to me to see a good father who stays with his family and makes sure his kids are raised right" (fan-shot footage of the introduction has been shared on YouTube). Afterwards, Dwayne told The Times: "Nothing can beat tonight. It's cemented in Kisstory now, because it's going to be on YouTube and everything else. So I'll get to look back and see that moment forever." Simmons recently postponed his North American tour -- originally set to kick off in April -- to "early 2026." Since the postponement, KISS have announced plans for an "unmasked" show in Las Vegas later this year. It will mark the band's first performance since their 2023 farewell tour. - NME, 5/14/25...... On May 13 Bob Dylan covered The Pogues' "A Rainy Night in Soho" for the first time, and broke out the first live rendition of 'Mr. Tambourine Man' in 15 years. Dylan performed the songs during Willie Nelson's "Outlaw Music Festival Tour" in Phoenix, as he co-headlined the show with Nelson. The "Rainy Night in Soho" performance marked the first time Dylan has put his own spin on the Shane McGowan song, and the moving cover rounded off his 13-song set. Other highlights included the first live performance of his hit song "Mr. Tambourine Man" in 15 years. He broke out the 1965 classic towards the end of the set, introducing it after a rendition of "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry," and it marked his first time playing the song since 2010. He also played "Forgetful Heart" for the first time since 2015, and "To Ramona" for the first time since 2017. As well as classics like "All Along the Watchtower," Dylan also broke out more covers, including his first performance of George "Wild Child" Butler's "Axe And The Wind" and the first cover of Charlie Rich's "I'll Make It All Up To You." Nelson's "Outlaw Music Festival Tour"' is set to run for 36 dates and will include performances from the likes of Billy Strings, Wilco, Sheryl Crow, Waxahatchee, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, and The Avett Brothers. The rock bard's "Soho" performance can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 5/15/25...... 
The story of The Doors is one that has been told many times -- by writers, by filmmakers, by the band members themselves in their respective memoirs. But the new Night Divides The Day: The Doors Anthology puts all of their accounts (and more) alongside each other for the first time ever. The opulent, coffee-table sized 344-page book was created by England's Genesis Publications, in partnership with the Doors camp, as part of the L.A.-based group's 60th anniversary celebration. Featuring about 800 photos and other illustrations (many never before seen), the tome includes new interviews with surviving members Robby Krieger and John Densmore, along with material from the autobiographies and archival comments from Krieger, Densmore and late members Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek. Nirvana's Krist Novoselic wrote the foreword, while Van Morrison, Alice Cooper, Patti Smith and others join members of the Doors' camp in offering commentary throughout the book. Krieger says he's happy that in addition to the limited edition -- 2,000 copies signed by the guitarist and Densmore, with a 7-inch vinyl single featuring rare demo versions of "Hello, I Love You" and "Moonlight Drive" and other memorabilia for $495 -- there's also a standard book store edition, which is available for $64.36 on Amazon.com. The book is one of a number of projects for the Doors' 60th celebration, which began last November with Rhino's High Fidelity audiophile vinyl The Doors 1967-1971 and a Record Store Black Friday vinyl edition of The Doors -- Live in Detroit. That show is also part of a series of concert releases from the Doors' own Bright Midnight label from 1967-1970 streaming for the first time. The group acquired a recently discovered two-channel stereo recording of the final show with Jim Morrison -- albeit a disappointing night on Dec. 12, 1970, at the Warehouse in New Orleans -- that it's working to turn into an official release. "Even 20 years ago, the 40th anniversary, I was telling people I couldn't imagine this happening," Krieger says. "The only ones that have beaten us are the Stones and the Beatles, pretty much. There's plenty of groups out there who were formed around the same time as we did, and they don't have the (continuing) interest that we do. It's definitely (because of) the songs, the words and the music. It was just an amazing combination of people, the four of us, who came together, and it probably happens once every 60 years. We don't take it for granted." - Billboard, 5/14/25...... Speaking of 60th anniversaries, Dead & Company are planning a concert in Golden Gate Park to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Grateful Dead in 1965. If approved by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission, the historic concert will take place 10 years after the band celebrated their 50th anniversary with the "Fare Thee Well" concerts at Soldier Field in Chicago and Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The Aug. 1-3 concert would take place one week before promoter Another Planet Entertainment stages the Outside Lands Festival on Aug. 8-10. The concert would feature surviving GD members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart. Bassist Phil Lesh passed away in Oct. 2024 at the age of 84. The concerts are expected to be attended by 60,000 fans per day, and a formal announcement of the concert is expected after the commission votes to approve the event. - Billboard, 5/12/25....... Former Hall & Oates singer Daryl Hall has expressed his disdain for his music being heavily associated with the contentious "Yacht Rock" genre. Used as a way to refer to the soft pop-rock and blue-eyed soul of the '70s and '80s, the term "yacht rock" was initially coined by makers of a 2005 mockumentary series of the same name. The series itself was a popular one, lasting from 2005 until 2010 and even resulting in a 2024 HBO Dockumentary that explored the genre in deeper detail. However, while the likes of Michael McDonald and even Hall's former partner John Oates have been receptive to the original show, Hall is singing a far different tune. In the latest episode of the Broken Record podcast, Hall told interviewer Justin Richmond that he's far from a fan of the concept. "This is something I don't understand. First of all, yacht rock was a f-king joke by two jerk-offs in California, and suddenly it became a genre," he explained. "I don't even understand it. I never understood it. It's just R&B with maybe some jazz in there. It's mellow R&B, smooth R&B. I don't see what the yacht part is. "People misjudged us because they couldn't label us," he continued. "They always came up with all this kind of crap, soft rock and yacht rock and all this other nonsense. And none of it, none of it really describes anything that I do, really." It's little surprise that both Hall and Oates have differing views on the matter, given that the pair's 2024 dissolution was given an air of finality when Hall claimed in March that they would never again perform together. "That ship has gone to the bottom of the ocean," he explained. "I've had a lot of surprises in my life, disappointments, betrayals, so I'm kind of used to it." - Billboard, 5/12/25...... Lindsey Buckingham has shared a new video on YouTube, reacting to watching rising singer Charli XCX's "Von Dutch" music video for the first time. The rock icon and Fleetwood Mac singer-guitarist posted the video on his official YouTube channel on May 14, showing him sat with his daughter Leelee and sharing his response to the hit song from Charli XCX's Brat album. Before the two began playing the official music video -- which shows the pop star wreaking havoc at an airport -- Leelee began by making a nod to the 2024 phenomenon, asking her 74-year-old father if he had a 'Brat summer', to which he responded "The brattiest!." As the footage began, Buckingham joked that the video was "getting kinda saucy already" as Charli ripped off her trousers in the airport. He then joked about the choice of location, saying "It's not a good place to get saucy." For the most part, Buckingham sat there and looked pretty captivated by the song, being caught off guard when the pop star gets blood on the camera lens and spits on it. "I'm surprised the airport let her do all this stuff," he added, before sharing his final thoughts at the end. "I thought it was very entertaining. I mean there was so much going on, and all in the context of a normal restrictive environment," he summarised before Leelee asked him what he thought Charli XCX was trying to get across in the song. "She's saying, 'Screw you!'" he responded. The "react" video from Buckingham is part of a relatively new series he is introducing on his YouTube channel. Currently there is just one other similar video on his page -- one where he and Leelee look back at the video for his own 1984 song "Slow Dancing." - NME, 5/15/25...... 
King Crimson co-founder Robert Fripp is recovering after undergoing emergency heart surgery in April, the musician revealed in a YouTube video posted with his wife, singer and actor Toyah Willcox, on May 11. In the clip, the 78-year-old explained that he unknowingly suffered a heart attack in early April while traveling to Italy for a performance with The Orchestra of Crafty Guitarists. Fripp said he initially believed his symptoms were related to acid reflux. "I'd been suffering what I considered to be acid reflux for a couple of weeks," he explained. "On the Saturday morning I flew, it felt a little bit more. I was in A+E not quite knowing what was going on other than I knew they were going to do something, and an orderly came along and shaved my balls," Fripp continued. "Now the dear man, I really didn't wish his job on him at that point. Now this is the thing. So you're concerned with my heart, fine. What are you doing shaving my balls?" Upon landing in Bergamo on Apr. 6, Fripp's companions took him directly to a cardiac hospital instead of waiting for a scheduled doctor's appointment. There, doctors discovered dangerously elevated troponin levels, a protein that indicates damage to the heart. "You're supposed to have 10 of these, but you've got 500," a doctor reportedly told him. The guitarist underwent five hours of surgery, followed by intensive care and a second operation. Despite the ordeal, Fripp still managed to perform with the 124-member ensemble at Villa Sancelso. He is now on medication for life and slowly adjusting to the change. "It was stunning. The audience were prepped with orchestral manoeuvres and it really was a magical event for me," he added. Toyah, visibly emotional in the video, praised the medical team and expressed her gratitude. "I'm so proud of you and so grateful to your team who kept us all informed," she said. Fripp also urged fans to take symptoms seriously. "If you think you have heartburn or acid reflux, really look into it. It might be something more." Fripp, widely regarded as one of the most innovative guitarists in rock history, founded King Crimson in 1968. Beyond the band's genre-defying catalog, he's contributed to landmark records from David Bowie, Brian Eno, and Peter Gabriel. In recent years, he's reached a new audience through the couple's viral "Sunday Lunch" YouTube series, where the two cover rock classics with a theatrical twist. - Billboard, 5/13/25...... Soap opera veteran Denise Alexander, best known for her starring roles on long-running sudsers General Hospital and Days of Our Lives, has died at the age of 85. A mainstay in the soap world in the '60s and '70s, Ms. Alexander portrayed Susan Hunter Martin on the NBC drama and Lesley Webber on the ABC series. She began her career in the 1950s, making her Broadway debut in "The Children's Hour," with her film debut coming four years later and appeared as a frequent guest star on primetime television, including The Twilight Zone. Embarking on her eventual soap stardom, the actress debuted in CBS' short-lived sudser The Clear Horizon in 1960, after which she appeared in a 1962 unaired pilot for General Hospital, then titled Emergency Hospital. Three years later, she portrayed a minor character on the show, before returning in full force in 1973; this year also marked her exit from Days, to the chagrin of fans who were unhappy to see her depart as a bad influence and driver of many of the series' dramatic twists and turns. From 1966 to 1973, Ms. Alexander logged over 800 episodes for Days. While there, she also met her longtime husband, Richard Colla, a director and actor who died in 2021. The two were married for over 40 years. In 1984, she departed from GH due to shifting personal priorities and failed contract negotiations (her character was killed off). During this time, she appeared on the soap Another World. However, she returned to GH in 1996 -- as her character was revealed to be alive and with her daughter Laura (Genie Francis) -- off and on through 2009. She returned again in 2013 for the show's semicentennial, as well as 2017, 2019 and her last appearance in 2021. Overall, the actress marked over 1,000 episodes with the series. "On behalf of the entire General Hospital family, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to her family, friends, and longtime fans. May she rest in peace," GH exec producer Frank Valentini wrote in a social media remembrance post. - Deadline.com, 5/10/25.
Elton John and Paul McCartney are among 400 artists recently calling on the UK government to change copyright laws amid the threat from AI. "Creative copyright is the lifeblood of the creative industries. It recognizes the moral authority we have over our work and provides an income stream for 2.4 million people across the four nations of the United Kingdom," reads a letter also signed by the likes of Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Florence Welch, Kate Bush and Robbie Williams. "The fight to defend our creative industries has been joined by scores of UK businesses, including those who use and develop AI. We are not against progress or innovation. The creative industries have always been early adopters of technology. Indeed, many of the world's greatest inventions, from the lightbulb to AI itself, have been a result of UK creative minds grappling with technology," the letter added, also stating "the first job of any government is to protect its citizens" and claiming the proposed bill would "put transparency at the heart of the copyright regime and allow both AI developers and creators to develop licensing regimes that will allow for human-created content well into the future." On May 12, Britain's House of Lords is scheduled to vote on an amendment to a bill that would require AI developers to disclose which copyrighted materials they have used to train their models. So far, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government has expressed reservations about the amendment, favoring an ongoing consultation process instead. The current law allows data mining for non-commercial purposes by default, while for commercial use, rights holders must opt out of data mining. Jimmy Page is another artist who has spoken out previously, writing on Instagram: "The ethical implications are profound. When AI scrapes the vast tapestry of human creativity to generate content, it often does so without consent, attribution, or compensation. This is not innovation; it's exploitation." - New Musical Express, 5/10/25...... 
While a roster of heavy metal greats have been lined up for the upcoming final Black Sabbath "Back to the Beginning" show in Birmingham, U.K. on July 5, one iconic head-banging act is conspicuously absent: Judas Priest. However there appears to be a very good explanation for their absence, according to frontman Rob Halford: they're double-booked. Speaking to LouderSound.com, Halford explained that his band is slated to join the Scorpions in Hanover, Germany on that date for a 60th anniversary celebration of the German rock group. "I had no idea it [the Sabbath show] was happening. It all got announced and was a big deal," Halford said of the Scorpions and Priest concert taking place more than 630 miles away from Ozzy's show. "Suddenly I get this phone call [from Ozzy Osbourne's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne], 'Robbie, I know you've got this gig with Scorpions, but could you consider coming over to do a thing with Ozzy and the guys. He'd love to see you.'" But Halford said as much as he'd like to be on hand for the last run with Ozzy and the gang, trying to pull double-duty would be too difficult. He said Sharon even offered to fly him back to Birmingham on the day of the show to make an appearance a la Phil Collins' legendary Concord flight from London to Philadelphia to play two sets at Live Aid in July 1985, but he thinks it might be "dangerous even with a private plane, there's a word called 'technical', where something could go wrong, or the weather that time of year could cause problems I was absolutely gutted [to miss the show]." Though Halford will not be on hand, former longtime Priest guitarist K.K. Downing will perform at the show alongside members of Limp Bizkit, Smashing Pumpkins, Megadeth, Faith No More, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Megadeth, Soundgarden and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler. - Billboard, 5/9/25...... Motörhead has announced the band's first recording of its classic lineup, featuring Lemmy Kilmister, Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and "Fast" Eddie Clarke, is set for release. The "lost" album The Manticore Tapes came to be when the group set up at Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Manticore Studio in 1976 to rehearse and record with Ron Faucus. Ultimately, the tapes of this session were lost, but have since been recovered, with restoration undertaken by Cameron Webb and mastering done by Andrew Alekel. The result is a record which captures Motörhead in their formative period, fresh from the early lineup which recorded the tracks that would later make up 1979's On Parole album, yet hungry with the ambition that would turn them into one of the U.K.'s biggest heavy exports of the '70s and '80s. Many of the tracks present on The Manticore Tapes are early versions of those found on the band's 1977 self-titled debut and On Parole. This includes the likes of the eponymous "Motörhead," "Vibrator" and "The Watcher." Word of the newly-announced collection also comes alongside the single release of "Motörhead" (available on YouTube), allowing listeners to gain a deeper insight into the evolution of the track as it flirts with R&B and blues before making the leap into the hard rock classic it would become. The Manticore Tapes is officially set for release on June 27, with a deluxe edition also featuring their Blitzkreig on Birmingham '77 live record, and a previously-unreleased single titled "Live at Barbarella's Birmingham '77." - Billboard, 5/9/25...... Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) has taken a swipe at his fellow veteran rockers the Rolling Stones by suggesting they "should retire." Appearing on the U.K.'s Good Morning Britain to promote his upcoming tour with his other band Public Image Ltd., Lydon brought the Stones into the conversation while defending his own career longevity. "If I just sat back and retired, that's just not me. I'm not that kind of person," he said before musing, "By all means, the Rolling Stones should retire." As the program's hosts burst into laughter, Lydon couldn't resist making another jab, saying, "I'm not short of a song idea or two, so there's a difference." However, quick to acknowledge his comments had the potential to cause a stir, he jokingly added, "Hold on, I've offended music lovers!" while screwing his face up into a cheeky scowl. "I'm not sure that you'd worry about causing offense, would you?" host Charlotte Hawkins pressed, to which the 69-year-old firebrand replied, "Certainly not! I mean, to compare music lovers with the Rolling Stones is absurd!" As the hosts tried to pivot to a different topic, Lydon laughed off his comments by making a giant pot-stirring motion and saying, "Give me a big spoon!" Of course, the Stones last released new music with their 2023 album Hackney Diamonds, the band's first full-length of original material in nearly two decades, which debuted in the U.S. at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 200 LP chart. It also topped the chart in the band's native U.K. and eventually took home the Grammy for best rock album the following year. Meanwhile, Lydon and Public Image Ltd. recently unveiled their eleventh studio set, End of World, in 2023, which bowed at No. 33 on the U.K.'s Official Albums Chart. Lydon's full Good Morning Britain interview can be streamed on X.com. - Billboard, 5/8/25...... '90s grunge rock veterans Pearl Jam were joined on stage in Nashville by Peter Frampton on May 8 for a version of their song "Black." Early in their hefty 25-song setlist, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder took the time to introduce Frampton, who he noted the '70s guitar hero is a longtime favorite of the band. "This gentlemen was someone we looked up to," he told the crowd. "Before the Ramones, some of our first guitar heroes, Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend, he was right up there. It was one of the reasons why you loved live records. Later, we decided to release bootlegs because of his influence. He's such an incredible human being on top of it." The musicians jammed on Pearl Jam's grunge ballad "Black" from their classic 1991 debut LP Ten, with Frampton adding some signature shreds and the band throwing in a riff from his 1973 track "Do You Feel Like We Do." Fan-captured footage of the jam has been shared on YouTube. Frampton, meanwhile, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2024 by The Who's Roger Daltrey. - NME, 5/10/25...... 
Speaking of The Who, on May 8 the legendary UK band announced they'll play their final run of shows in North America this coming August and September as part of a farewell tour. The announcement was made by guitarist Pete Townshend at a press conference in London with singer Roger Daltrey appearing via video link. The tour -- named after their 1971 song "The Song is Over," a deep cut on their classic album Who's Next -- kicks off in Newark, N.J. on Aug. 19 and runs through major cities including Philadelphia (8/21), Atlantic City (8/23), Boston (8/26), Wantagh, NY (8/28), New York (8/30), Toronto (9/2, 4), Chicago (9/7), Los Angeles (9/17, 19), Mountain View, Cal. (9/21), Vancouver, BC (9/23) and Seattle (9/25) before wrapping in Las Vegas on Sept. 28. The band has not announced any further shows outside of the U.S. and Canada at this time. Tickets will be available through The Who Fan Club, beginning May 13. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general sale starting May 16 at 10 a.m. local time. More info can be found at www.thewho.com. While the announcement casts doubt over the chances of their farewell tour rolling into the UK and Europe after scheduled shows in North America, they apparently haven't completely ruled it out. "Let's see if we survive this one," Daltrey said during the press conference. "I've just finished a solo tour of the UK. I've got to say that touring America is a damn site easier than touring the UK. For some reason, the UK has made it as difficult as possible to go from A to B. In America, you seem to want to make it as easy as possible -- but we are in the land of 'no'. I don't want to say it won't happen, but equally I'm not confident in saying that there will be." Townshend continued: "I would agree completely. I really enjoyed the last [UK] tour that we did [in 2023], but it was a strange one. We played a lot of open air gigs, but we had an insurance problem, which meant we couldn't play some of the more classic places that one plays on a UK tour. The door is open to us. We could do a week at The O2, a couple of weeks at the Royal Albert Hall, but we don't do consecutive shows. We like to do a show and take a break." - Billboard/NME, 5/8/25...... Screenwriters lined up for the upcoming four Beatles biopics have been revealed, and include three acclaimed Tony-, Oscar- and BAFTA winning scribes. They include Tony Award-winning writer Jez Butterworth (Ford v Ferrari, Spectre) Oscar winner Peter Straughan (Conclave, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and BAFTA- and Tony Award-winner Jack Thorne (Adolescence, Enola Holmes). It is not yet known how the workload will be shared and if each writer will work on their own film or if they will collaborate on all four of the titles that are being collectively referred to at the moment as The Beatles -- A Four Film Cinematic Event. The films mark the first time Apple Corps. Ltd. and the Beatles have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film. Each movie will tell the story of one of the members, with all four intersecting "to tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history," according to a press release. The movies, directed by Sam Mendes and distributed by Sony Pictures, are slated to hit screens in Apr. 2028. - Billboard, 5/8/25...... The final clue on the Jeopardy! game show on May 7 seemed to be way too easy -- at least for any self-respecting Beatlemaniac -- but not one of the contestants got it right. The category was The Grammys and the clue was: "Best New Artists at the 7th Annual Grammys, this band would be nominated the next six years, but not again until the 39th and 67th events." The current champion wrote down "Who is the Marine Marching Band," and the other two contestants wrote down "Springsteen" and "The Rolling Stones," respectively. As host Ken Jennings pointed out, the last answer was closer, but still not right. The correct answer, of course, is the Beatles. They won Best New Artist at the 1965 ceremony, were nominated every year from 1966-1971, and then were nominated again in 1997 (when they won a total of three Grammys for The Beatles Anthology and "Free as a Bird") and earlier in 2025 (when they won best rock performance for "Now and Then"). - Billboard, 5/7/25...... Gene Simmons has clarified that not all members of KISS may appear together at "KISS Army Storms Vegas," the upcoming three-day fan event scheduled for Nov. 14-16 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. "This is much more a fan gathering," Simmons told Farmingdale, N.Y. radio station 94.3 The Shark in a new interview. "The KISS Army are taking over the Virgin Hotel and we will show up, but I don't even know if the entire band's gonna be there. I know Paul [Stanley] and I are gonna be there, and Tommy [Thayer]. Bruce Kulick probably will show up, and we'll jam, answer questions and stuff. It ain't a concert, we're gonna do none of that stuff. I may even bring my solo band up there just for fun." The event will mark KISS's first public appearance since the group wrapped its "End of the Road" farewell tour at New York's Madison Square Garden in Dec. 2023. Simmons previously told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in March that the band would not perform in makeup during the Las Vegas event, staying true to their vow that the MSG show was their final appearance in full costume. "There's no stage show. There's no crew. We won't have 60 people levitating drum sets and all that stuff," he said at the time. "KISS Army Storms Vegas" will celebrate the fan club's 50th anniversary and will feature Q&A sessions with Stanley, Simmons and longtime manager Doc McGhee. Additional performances will include sets from Thayer's former band Black 'N Blue, Sebastian Bach and KISS tribute bands. - Billboard, 5/8/25...... 
Smokey Robinson is denying shocking new claims of sexual assault by four of his former housekeepers, saying through his attorney that the "vile, false allegations" are merely "an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon." In a statement issued on May 7, Robinson's lawyer Christopher Frost says he will "fiercely defend" both Robinson and his wife, Frances, against the $50 million lawsuit claiming the R&B legend raped four different housekeepers over the course of nearly two decades. "As this case progresses, the evidence (the crucial element that guides us) will show that this is simply an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon -- $50 million dollars, to be exact," writes Frost. Frost says he plans to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit and address "numerous aspects of the complaint that defy credulity as well as issues relating to purported timelines, inconsistencies and relationships between the plaintiffs and others." Frost's statement comes one day after Smokey and Frances Robinson were sued in Los Angeles state court by four of their former housekeepers. The employees, suing anonymously, say Robinson forced them to have oral and vaginal sex in his bedroom dozens of times between 2007 and 2024. The housekeepers claim wife Frances shares blame because she did nothing to stop the alleged abuse, despite knowing that her husband had a history of sexual misconduct and that he'd previously struck settlements with assault victims. The lawsuit also says the Robinsons paid their employees below minimum wage, and that Frances Robinson created a hostile work environment replete with screaming and "racially-charged epithets." The settlements cited in Tuesday's lawsuit have not been previously reported, and there's no apparent record of prior sexual assault lawsuits against Smokey Robinson. This means that, if legitimate, the deals were likely struck confidentially and outside of court. Lawyers John Harris and Herbert Hayden, who represent the housekeepers suing Smokey and Frances Robinson, issued a statement later on May 7 responding to Frost's comments: "We stand behind our four clients' truthful claims, which are neither false nor vile, but clearly describe Mr. Robinson's despicable criminal acts." - Billboard, 5/8/25...... Video game company Rockstar Games unleashed the second trailer for its long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI on May 6, and fans are headed back to Vice City. GTA has a penchant for perfectly curating the soundtrack to match the game's vibe, and they did it again with The Pointer Sisters' 1986 hit "Hot Together" playing throughout the trailer to the forthcoming Bonnie and Clyde crime saga. About a minute into the trailer, the groovy instrumental begins to play as the main protagonist duo, Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, reunite when Lucia gets out of prison. The couple rekindle their flame and pick up with they left off, making plays across the city. "Hot Together" arrived as the title track for The Pointer Sisters' 1986 album, which peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 200. The Pointer Sisters grew up in West Oakland and reached mainstream acclaim in the 1970s and 1980s. The R&B/soul group won three Grammy Awards and has seven Billboard Hot 100 pop hits to its name, including "Automatic" and "Jump (For My Love)." The full trailer for GTA VI can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 5/6/25...... Brian James of the punk rock band The Damned was buried at sea on Apr. 28. James, who passed away on Mar. 6 at the age of 70, was laid to rest on the ocean floor by his family -- widow Minna, son Charlie and daughter-in-law Alicia -- and nine of his closest friends in a "very emotional" private ceremony that took place off the coast of Newhaven, East Sussex, England. "A burial at sea is pretty unusual, but it was in his will so we had to do it," Minna told the UK paper The Sun. A source told the publication: "Brian now sleeps with the fishes, which is what he wished for before he died. He was a true original in life and has carried that on in death. The spirit of punk never left him and he was adamant he wanted his final resting place to be at sea." The Damned released three studio albums and produced singles such as "Open Your Eyes," "Dance with Me" and "Method to My Madness." - Music-News.com, 5/8/25...... Ruth Buzzi, the effervescent Emmy-nominated comedian and voice actor who starred on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, died on May 1 at her Texas home, her family announced on Facebook. She was 88. The zany comedian appeared in every episode of the popular variety show that ran for five seasons, playing characters such as the frumpy, hairnet-wearing Gladys Ormphby. On the show, she was known for using her purse as a weapon to whack Arte Johnson's dirty old man character on the park bench. Ms. Buzzi won a Golden Globe and received five Emmy nominations during her run on Laugh-In. The comedian, who was only 30 years old when she became famous for playing a little old lady, told the AP in 2018, "Gladys is the underdog. Gladys embodies the overlooked, the downtrodden, the taken for granted, the struggler. So when she fights back, she speaks for everyone who's been marginalized, reduced to a sex object or otherwise abused. And that's almost everyone at some time or other." Ms. Buzzi later appeared on one of Dan Schneider's Nickelodeon shows, and appeared in a music video by "Weird Al" Yankovic. - AP, 5/5/25...... 
Country music star Johnny Rodriguez, a popular Mexican American singer best known for chart-topping hits in the 1970s such as "I Just Can't Get Her Out of My Mind," "Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico" and "That's the Way Love Goes," died on May 9 in San Antonio from health complications, according to his daughter, Aubry Rodriguez. He was 73. Rodriguez was named the most promising male vocalist at the 1972 Academy of Country Music Awards, and his debut, Introducing Johnny Rodriguez, was nominated for album of the year in 1973. More than a dozen of his albums and singles landed in the Top 10. Rodriguez later said his career suffered after he began to use drugs and alcohol excessively. Born Juan Rodriguez in Sabinal, Texas, in 1951, Rodriguez was discovered at 18 by music promoter Happy Shahan after he was heard singing in a jail cell, where he was briefly held for a minor offense, according to a Ken Burns biography on PBS.org. His musical influences ranged from mariachi to honky-tonk, shaped by his South Texas upbringing. "I was drawn to country music because I could relate more to what they were singing about," he told Burns. "And also it was just like the music of our people. In Mexican music, you have stories. Mexican music and country music said almost the same thing, just in different languages," he said. His debut album,
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