Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on August 8th, 2025

Brian Wilson's daughter Carnie Wilson has paid tribute to her dad after he was laid to rest in a family ceremony on Aug. 7, almost two months after the Beach Boys co-founder's passing on June 11 at age 82. "Today we laid my Daddy to rest. It was incredibly difficult to see that happen, but at the same time it gave more closure and more of a feeling of restful peace," Carnie wrote in her lengthy post. "The last eight weeks have been extremely challenging and like nothing I've ever experienced. I love and miss him so much and I wish he could come back. There's so many signs that he gives me every day and I know that he's around he can hear me and he can see me. He makes that apparent. I'm so grateful for this," she added. Brian's eldest daughter, Carnie performed in the 1990s pop trio Wilson Phillips with her sister Wendy Wilson and Chynna Phillips -- daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas. The full tribute can be viewed on Instagram. - Billboard, 8/8/25...... Major League Baseball's New York Mets have announced they'll celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Beatles' landmark performance at Shea Stadium in 1965 with a "Beatles Night" at their current Citi Field home on Aug. 15. The old Shea Stadium -- which opened a year before in 1964 -- was home to the Mets and the New York Jets before being torn down in 2009 to make way for Citi Field. The landmark show by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr -- with the screams of 55,000 fans more prevelant than the band's music -- was chronicled in the 50-minute documentary The Beatles at Shea Stadium. During the Aug. 15 game against the Seattle Mariners, the team will honor the historic event, which at the time was the first rock show at a major U.S. stadium. The celebration will kick off with a performance by the band 1964 the Tribute in front of the Shea Bridge at 6:15 p.m. ET, with the first 15,000 fans entering Citi Field getting an exclusive mini Shea Stadium replica. In addition, there will be a fireworks display cued to the Beatles' music after the game and the first pitch will be thrown out by members of the gameday staff who worked the Aug. 15, 1965 concert. A promo for the event has been posted on X/Twitter. - Billboard, 8/8/25...... After playing three sold-out nights on Aug. 1-3 at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park to mark the Grateful Dead's 60th anniversary, the band's drummer Mickey Hart has shared a poignant reflection with fans. "I saw 60,000 people sparking light, in love, entrained big time and coming our way," Hart posted on Instagram. "Different than applause after a song, it sounded more like an ahhhhhh. All the peace and love in proximity generated a collective energy that was shared by all. Very rare stuff indeed," he added. Hart then gave a nod to the GD's late members, including Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter, Phil Lesh and their longtime roadie Laurence Shurtliff, aka Ramrod. "I saw Jerry and Phil and Pigpen hovering over the crowd smiling like Cheshire cats," he said. "I saw Hunter and Ramrod through the beauty of the fog and lights." Each night featured unique setlists and saw a rotating cast of special guests -- including Grahame Lesh, Billy Strings, Sturgill Simpson (as Johnny Blue Skies) and Anastasio -- join surviving members of the psychedelic Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band. - New Musical Express, 8/7/25...... Roger Daltrey has shared that he is "nervous" about making it to the end of The Who's farewell tour, as he has "the potential to get really ill." Speaking to London's The Times, he shared how "gruelling" the live shows can be, and said that he hopes no voice issues arise, nor that struggles from a previous battle with meningitis will get in the way of him completing the gigs. "It's gruelling. In the days when I was singing Who songs for three hours a night, six nights a week, I was working harder than most footballers," he shared. "I'm going to be 82 next year. Fortunately, my voice is still as good as ever. I'm still singing in the same keys, and it's still bloody loud, but I can't tell you if it will still be there in October. There's a big part of me that's going: I just hope I make it through." Daltrey added that his battle with meningitis nine years ago left him with long-term effects, which still make it difficult for him to regulate his body temperature and perform in warmer conditions. Dubbed "The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour," The Who's 16 tour dates are set to kick off in Florida on Aug. 16, and include follow-up shows in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Los Angeles, Illinois, Washington, Nevada and more across September. - NME, 8/4/25...... The cause of death of Ozzy Osbourne have been revealed in a death certificate filed in London on Aug. 5. According to The New York Times, a death certificate filed at a registry in London submitted by Osbourne's daughter, Aime Osbourne, cites cardiac arrest and coronary artery disease among the causes of a heart attack that felled the 76-year-old music legend. The death certificate also noted that Osbourne had Parkinson's disease. Specifically, the certificate, which listed Osbourne's occupation as "songwriter, performer and rock legend," noted that Osbourne died of "(a) Out of hospital cardiac arrest (b) Acute myocardial infarction (c) Coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease with autonomic dysfunction (Joint Causes)." Osbourne died on July 22, with the certificate revealing that an air ambulance flew to his home near the village of Chalfont St. Giles in Buckinghamshire, England that day to provide "advanced critical care." According to the Times, after stopping near Osbourne's home, the ambulance flew approximately eight miles to Harefield Hospital in the London suburb of Uxbridge, where it spent "about an hour" at the hospital with its engines running. Ozzy's family did not reveal his cause of death when they announced his passing, though the star had been open in the years before about treatment for Parkinson's and spinal damage -- and subsequent surgeries -- he'd undergone on his spine and neck. Unable to stand or walk, he performed what as billed as his, and his former band Black Sabbath's, final show on July 5 in their hometown of Birmingham, England. The all-star "Back to the Beginning" concert, which reportedly raised more than $190 million for charities, included the metal icon playing five songs from his solo career and four more with his original Sabbath bandmates while seated on a black throne. Fans flocked to the streets of Birmingham on July 30 for a funeral procession for Osbourne, who was later laid to rest in a private family ceremony in the city. Meanwhile, it has been announced that the final chapter of Ozzy's life will be shown in an intimate documentary, just weeks after his death. The new BBC documentary Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home features footage from the final three years of his life, up to and including his farewell concert. First announced in 2022 as a three-part series, it became a one-hour special as Osbourne's health deteriorated over the years. The film will be broadcast on BBC One at 9 p.m. BST on Aug. 18, and will also be available on the iPlayer service. An international broadcast has not yet been confirmed, nor has a trailer been shared. A biopic based on Osbourne and his relationship with his wife/manager Sharon Osbourne is also in the works. According to Variety, Polygram Entertainment has confirmed that the legendary rock couple's film, first announced in 2021, is still being worked on at Sony Pictures. The film was first announced in 2021, though with no director or cast attached. According to the Polygram, they're "currently in negotiations with a director, which could be confirmed very soon." The rep has also seemingly confirmed that screenwriter Lee Hall (Rocketman, Billy Elliott) is slated to pen the film's script. While a cast has yet to be announced for the biopic, Ozzy said in 2022 that he would like to see an "unknown" actor in the role: "I don't want to have anyone like Johnny Depp act as me. I rather have someone who is relatively unknown." Lastly in Ozzy news, Rod Stewart is under fire for a strange "Forever Young" Ozzy tribute using AI. What was clearly intended as a loving tribute to Stewart's fellow English music legend turned sour when his homage to Osbourne drew rebuke from some commenters. As seen in fan video of the moment, during Stewart's show in Charlotte, N.C. on July 29, the 80-year-old singer posted a bizarre AI-generated video on Instagram of Osbourne mugging for selfies in heaven with a variety of fellow deceased pop, rock and hip-hop stars including: Prince, Tina Turner, Bob Marley, Kurt Cobain, Tupac Shakur, Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury and George Michael, among others. Comments ranged from "We are truly in the end times," to "I've seen some s-tty AI visuals in concerts but this is a new low" and "This is bizarre for many reasons, not the least of which being the fact that Rod Stewart has performed with Ozzy Osbourne. Instead of blasting AI images of Ozzy in heaven, they could show this real & quite lovely picture of Rod Stewart with his arm around the actual Ozzy Osbourne." - Billboard/NME, 8/5/25...... Joan Baez, Graham Nash and Sean Ono Lennon are among dozens of notables from the worlds of film, television, music and related industries who have signed an open letter warning about the rising nuclear threat. Under the headline "No More Hiroshimas, No More Nagasakis: Cultural Leaders for a Future Without Nuclear Weapons," the letter published in The New York Times and Variety on Aug. 6 begins: "Eighty years ago, atomic bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killed hundreds of thousands of people, and changed the course of history. Today, experts believe the risk that a nuclear weapon will be used again -- by accident or on purpose -- is as high as it has ever been. Conflicts are raging in regions with nuclear weapons -- even over nuclear weapons. The only remaining treaty limiting the number of nuclear weapons in the world expires in six months. Emerging technologies and AI pose new unknown risks to already complex systems. We're sliding into a costly and dangerous new arms race under the absurd premise that threatening annihilation keeps us safe. But the ending isn't written yet, and the creative community has a leading role to play in pulling us back from the nuclear brink." Many of the signees -- also including Michael Douglas, James Cameron, Rosanna Arquette, Martin Sheen, George Takei, Julianne Moore and Lily Tomlin -- have been anti-nuclear activists for decades. Nash performed at and helped organize No Nukes: The MUSE Concerts for a Non-Nuclear Future at Madison Square Garden in 1979. Douglas produced and starred in The China Syndrome, a nuclear-themed thriller that was released that same year. - Billboard, 8/6/25...... And now for something completely different: Britain's Royal Mail has issued stamps celebrating the absurdist comedy of Monty Python. Announced on Aug. 7, the 10-stamp series celebrates some of the troupe's most iconic characters and catchphrases, from "Nudge, nudge" to "The Lumberjack Song." Six stamps depict scenes from the sketch-comedy TV series Monty Python's Flying Circus, including "The Spanish Inquisition," "The Ministry of Silly Walks," "Dead Parrot" and "The Nude Organist." Another four mark the 50th anniversary of the cult classic 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, including one showing the limb-losing Black Knight insisting, "'Tis but a scratch." The stamps can be pre-ordered now and go on sale Aug. 14. - AP, 8/7/25...... Col Joye, an Australian rock & roll pioneer renowned for his bringing rock and roll to the top of the local Aussie charts for the first time, has passed away at the age of 89. Born in Sydney in 1936 as Colin Jacobsen, Mr. Joye first began his journey into the world of music in 1957, performing as part of his brother Kevin Jacobsen's group, the KJ Quintet. After being invited to perform at the Jazzorama in the Sydney suburb of Manly, the group's plans to change the name to Col Jay and the Playboys were swiftly nixed in favor of the soon-to-be-famous moniker of Col Joye and the Joy Boys. Though later regretting this name change, the group forged on, and in 1959 Joye and his bandmates hit No. 1 on the Sydney charts with "Bye Bye Baby." That same year, they became the first Australian artist to hit No. 1 on the national charts with "Oh Yeah Uh Huh," which enjoyed four weeks at the top down under. Further top ten hits followed, with the group becoming staples of television program Bandstand throughout the '60s, ahead of Joye's final chart-topper, 1973's "Heaven Is My Woman's Love." Alongside his work on the performance side, Joye and brother Kevin were noted entrepreneurs, setting up their Joye Enterprises and Joye Music companies, alongside their label and talent agency ATA. One of the biggest successes in this field came by way of their signing of The Bee Gees, who came to their attention following a 1961 performance in Queensland. The Bee Gees would later become the first Australian act to have a song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the release of "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" in 1971. The group would repeat that feat a further eight times over the following decade, while the members' younger brother Andy Gibb (himself an ATA signee) would hit number one three times on his own. In 1988, Joye was one of the inaugural inductees into the ARIA Hall of Fame. - Billboard, 8/6/25...... Pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter brought out '70s funk and soul legends Earth, Wind and Fire during her show-stopping set at the Lollapalooza Chicago fest on Aug. 3. The rising singer was joined mid-set by EW&F at Grant Park to perform two of their most beloved tracks: the Grammy-nominated "Let's Groove" and timeless anthem "September." The collaboration marked a cross-generational fusion of pop and soul, with Carpenter trading vocals and dancing alongside the group's founding members. Fans lit up social media within seconds of the surprise appearance, praising the chemistry between the acts and calling the performance "electric," "unexpected," and "pure joy." Footage of the Carpenter/EW&F jam has been shared on Instagram. - Music-News.com, 8/4/25...... British singer-songwriter musician Terry Reid, who was once eyed by Led Zeppelin as their lead singer, died on Aug. 5 of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 75. Considered a "musician's musician," Reid's soulful voice earned him the nickname "Superlungs," as well as offers to front Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, but he declined both offers to pursue a solo career. Reid performed from his early teens, first joining local Cambridgeshire group the Redbeats, and then Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers. By the time he was 16, he was supporting the Rolling Stones on tour along with Ike & Tina Turner and The Yardbirds, and caught the attention of their guitarist Jimmy Page. Page asked Reid if he'd be willing to join a new band he was putting together, but Reid ultimately turned him down -- instead recommending Band of Joy singer Robert Plant, as well as that band's drummer, John Bonham. Reflecting on turning down Led Zep, Reid said he was intent on doing his own thing, telling The Guardian in 2024: "I contributed half the band -- that's enough on my part!" Plant was among those paying tribute, taking to his official Instagram page to write: "He was all of everything such charisma. His voice, his range. His songs, capturing that carefree era... He catapulted me into an intense new world he chose to decline. I listen now to his album The River and shed a tear for my brother in arms." Reid's debut album featured a song he wrote at age 14,"Without Expression," which went on to be covered by the likes of John Mellencamp, REO Speedwagon, The Hollies and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. His immersion in the burgeoning psychedelic rock scene saw more support slots come in later years, and in 1969, he joined Fleetwood Mac and Cream on tour and became a close friend of Jimi . By 1973, he was signed by Atlantic boss Ahmet Ertegun and released cult critical success The River, but eventually left for ABC Records to record follow-up Seed of Memory (1976), after which he did session work with Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley and Jackson Browne. In the early '90s, he released the Trevor Horn-produced comeback record The Drive, and released his final album The Other Side of the River in 2016. A recent GoFundMe page set up to help with the medical costs of Reid, who had been battling various health issues as well as cancer, said he had been "in and out of the hospital, enduring rounds of treatment and uncertainty," which subsequently forced him to cancel a six-week tour set for the autumn. An update later shared on the page said that on Aug. 4, Reid "transitioned peacefully surrounded by those who meant the most to him, his loving wife Annette and his adoring daughters Kelly and Holly." - NME, 8/6/25...... Astronaut Jim Lovell, the commander of the Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 missions, passed away Aug. 7, in Lake Forest, Ill. He was 97 years old. "NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades," acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy posted on nasa.gov on Aug. 8. "Jim's character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount. We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements. From a pair of pioneering Gemini missions to the successes of Apollo, Jim helped our nation forge a historic path in space that carries us forward to upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. As the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 8, Jim and his crewmates became the first to lift off on a Saturn V rocket and orbit the Moon, proving that the lunar landing was within our reach. As commander of the Apollo 13 mission, his calm strength under pressure helped return the crew safely to Earth and demonstrated the quick thinking and innovation that informed future NASA missions. Known for his wit, this unforgettable astronaut was nicknamed Smilin' Jim by his fellow astronauts because he was quick with a grin when he had a particularly funny comeback. Jim also served our country in the military, and the Navy has lost a proud academy graduate and test pilot. Jim Lovell embodied the bold resolve and optimism of both past and future explorers, and we will remember him always." Mr. Lovell was portrayed by Tom Hanks in Apollo 13, the Ron Howard-directed feature about the nearly disastrous mission. He was also a veteran of the earlier Gemini VII and Gemini XII missions. - nasa.gov, 8/8/25.

Dave Edmunds, veteran British solo rocker as well as a former member of the New Wave band Rockpile, is in hospital after reportedly suffering a "major cardiac arrest." Edmunds' wife, Cici, shared the news in a Facebook post on July 29, saying he had briefly "died in my arms," before medics managed to revive him with "heavy CPR." He remains in critical condition in hospital, with Cici adding that he "very clearly has brain damage and severe memory loss" and that the risk of "another major cardiac arrest is high." She added that she believes she has "PTSD from the horrific experience" and asked for fans to send their "prayers and good wishes, and concluded her post by saying: "Dave will have a very long journey ahead of him if he survives. We both have. But knowing that there are kind-hearted people such as you all. Makes this tremendously difficult journey a little easier. Bless you all." - NME, 8/2/25...... A few hundred people gathered at 710 Ashbury St. in San Francisco on Aug. 1 to name the tiny street after legendary Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia on what would have been his 83rd birthday, and as part of a citywide celebration to mark the band's 60th anniversary. Fans in rainbow tie-dye and Grateful Dead T-shirts whooped and cheered as the sign was unveiled, later posing for photos in front of Garcia's childhood home. Harrington Street, which is one block long, will also be called "Jerry Garcia Street." Garcia spent part of his childhood in a modest home in the city's diverse Excelsior neighborhood, living with his grandparents after the death of his father, Jose Ramon "Joe" Garcia. "I hope that you all get a chance to enjoy the music, dance, hug, smile," said daughter Trixie Garcia, growing emotional during her brief remarks. "Cherish what's valuable, what's significant in life." Although Garcia died in 1995, the band's popularity has only grown as younger generations discover the GD's improvisational music, which blended rock, blues, folk and other styles. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of fans are Frisco to commemorate the GD's 60th anniversary with concerts and other activities throughout the city. The latest iteration of the band, Dead & Company, with original GD members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, play Golden Gate Park's Polo Field for three days beginning on Aug. 1, with an estimated 60,000 attendees expected each day. - Billboard, 8/2/25...... Ozzy Osbourne was laid to rest on July 31 at the grounds of his mansion in Buckinghamshire, UK, with approximately 110 close family and friends in attendance at the 250-acre estate. Joining his family were his Black Sabbath bandmates, and other musicians including Elton John, Marilyn Manson, Corey Taylor, Rob Zombie, Zakk Wylde and members of Metallica. Both Wylde and Metallica bassist Rob Trujillo had formerly performed with the heavy metal legend as part of his solo career. A huge floral arrangement was made in the grounds, situated near a lake and spelling out "Ozzy F---ing Osbourne." Yungblud reportedly gave a reading at the funeral. He and Ozzy had remained close since Ozzy and his wife Sharon appeared in the music video for his 2022 song "The Funeral," and a touching moment between them at the final live show recently went viral. After the funeral, Marilyn Manson took to X/Twitter and shared: "Today we laid to rest a beloved friend. I am eternally grateful that you let me into your life, Ozzy. Your inspiration and love will always be with me. "Thank you, Sharon and family for a reverent, beautiful ceremony. Your legacy lives on." The burial took place after thousands of Ozzy fans lined the streets of Birmingham, UK for a funeral procession earlier that day, also leaving flowers and written emotional tributes. Osbourne, 76, died on July 22, just weeks after playing his final live show in his hometown, and raising "a ton" of money for charity along the way. On Aug. 1, Ozzy's 40-year-old TV personality daughter Kelly Osbourne shared a "Not Safe For Work" photo on her Instagram Story in memory of her dad. The outdoor image featured a beautiful display of purple flowers arranged to spell out "Ozzy F---ing Osbourne," set beside a serene pond surrounded by a rolling hill and trees. Also King Charles' Army Band has paid tribute to Ozzy during a Changing of the Guards ceremony outside of Buckingham Palace. With a conductor keeping time, the brass and woodwind instrumentalists play the melody of "Paranoid" over the sound of brash snare drums. Footage of the event has been shared on TikTok. - NME, 8/1/25...... Stevie Nicks announced on Instagram and her other social media on Aug. 1 that her next two months of shows will be postponed as she heals from a recent shoulder injury. "Due to a recent injury resulting in a fractured shoulder that will require recovery time, Stevie Nicks' scheduled concerts in August and September will be rescheduled," the announcement from her team read. Noting that the star will proceed with her shows in October as scheduled, the message concludes, "Stevie looks forward to seeing everyone soon and apologizes to the fans for this inconvenience." The former Fleetwood Mac frontwoman had been slated to perform in a handful of cities across the US and Canada across August and September, including Detroit, Toronto, Boston, Cincinnati and Brooklyn, N.Y. All of the postponed shows have already been rescheduled to new dates in late October, November and the first couple of weeks in December, as listed in the singer's post and on her website. The news of Nicks' injury comes more than three months after she first announced her solo tour in April, writing at the time that she couldn't "wait to share these nights with you." Stevie had also been supposed to tour with Billy Joel in 2025, but the Piano Man similarly had to cancel all of his 2025 and 2026 performances as he battles a condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus. - Billboard, 8/1/25...... Elton John has made an hilarious pop-in for an updated version of Spinal Tap's iconic tribute to Stonehenge, the place where demons dwell, banshees wail and children dance to the pipes of pan in a just-released video for the Spinal Tap song of the same name. "Stonehenge" appears on the new soundtrack album, The End Continues, a companion to the upcoming sequel to the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. The 13-track LP, due out alongside the film, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, on Sept. 12, features a return to some of the farcical band's most beloved tracks with help from John ("Flower People"), Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood ("Big Bottom") and Sir Paul McCartney ("Cups and Cakes"). Elton totally got into the spirit of the "Stonehenge" bit on Instagram, writing, "This was a blast, rocking out with @spinaltap for their new movie, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, and re-recording their epic 'Stonehenge' - this one is best played at volume 11!" The "Stonehenge" clip can be viewed on YouTube. Meanwhile, John has taken to Instagram to commemorate his 35 years of sobriety with a heartfelt message to fans and family. On July 29, he commemorated the anniversary with a photo of handmade cards from his sons, Elijah and Zachary, alongside a bouquet of flowers. "Grateful for all the love on my sobriety birthday," he captioned the post, which drew thousands of comments from fans and friends. John, 78, has long been open about his past struggles with addiction and the transformative power of recovery. His battle with alcohol, marijuana and what he once called his "worst best friend" -- cocaine -- was dramatized in the 2019 biopic Rocketman. In interviews, he has spoken candidly about the extremes of his life during the height of his fame. "It nearly destroyed my soul," he told CBS News in Oct. 2019 of his addiction. "My soul was black, like a charred piece of steak, until I said, 'I need help.' And suddenly, a little pilot light in my soul came along going, 'Yes, I'm still here. I'm still here. I'm still here. I can still be rescued.'" - Billboard, 7/31/25...... On July 31 Brian Eno announced on his Instagram and other social media that he'll play a one-off show at London's Wembley on Sept. 17, which will see artists come "together for Palestine." Titled "Together For Palestine," the event will see Eno, Khaled Ziada, Khalid Abdalla and Tracey Seaward work as executive producers and enlist performances from "artists, musicians and people for whom silence feels impossible." Explaining why he is organising the event, Eno said: "I've had the good fortune to work with some of the world's most remarkable artists for over 50 years. But one of my biggest regrets is that during that time so many of us have remained silent about Palestine. "Often that silence has come from fear, real fear -- that speaking out could provoke a backlash, close doors or end a career. But that's now changing -- partly because some artists and activists have lit the path, but mostly because the truth of what's going on has become impossible to ignore." Earlier in 2025, Eno urged Microsoft Corp. to cut ties with Israel in an open letter, and shared that he would be donating his fee from the Windows 95 chime (which he composed for them) to aid Palestine. - NME, 7/31/25...... David Gilmour has announced a new concert film that will showcase his "Live At Circus Maximus, Rome" shows. The forthcoming film follows on from the Pink Floyd legend heading out on his "The Luck And Strange" tour dates in 2024. Those shows came in celebration of his fifth solo album of the same title, which topped the charts in the UK, Germany, Poland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Portugal and Austria, and made the Top 10 in the US. Gilmour kicked off the tour dates with two warm-up shows at the Brighton Centre, before heading over to the historic Circus Maximus in Rome for six sold-out nights. He followed this up with shows at London's Royal Albert Hall, LA's Hollywood Bowl, and New York's Madison Square Garden. Set alongside the backdrop of the ancient ruins of Rome, the footage of the shows was captured by long-time Gilmour collaborator Gavin Elder. Live At The Circus Maximus will be released on Blu-ray and DVD via Sony Music Vision and Trafalgar Releasing, and shown in cinemas & IMAX worldwide for a limited time beginning Sept. 17. - NME, 7/30/25...... If there was ever any doubt that Zak Starkey's tenure as The Who's drummer was over, Who frontman Roger Daltrey has confirmed it in a new interview. Starkey's time with The Who came to an end in May after a confusing period of contradictory reports, with Pete Townshend finally confirming that "the time has come for a change." Starkey -- who is the son of Ringo Starr -- had been the The Who's drummer since 1996, but after a series of four shows at the Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust in March, frictions between him and the rest of the band appeared to emerge as Daltrey and Townshend informed Starkey that they wanted him to "tighten up his latest evolved drumming style to accommodate our non-orchestral line-up," which he said at the time the drummer had "readily agreed" to do. After he was let go, however, Starkey disputed Daltrey's assertion that he had not been fired but had instead been "retired" as "total bollox." Now, in an interview with London's The Times, Daltrey has addressed the situation. "It was kind of a character assassination and it was incredibly upsetting," he said. Explaining what happened at the Royal Albert Hall, he added: "It is controlled by a guy on the side, and we had so much sub-bass on the sound of the drums that I couldn't pitch. I was pointing to the bass drum and screaming at [Starkey] because it was like flying a plane without seeing the horizon. So when Zak thought I was having a go at him, I wasn't. That's all that happened. Pete and I retain the right to be The Who. Everyone else is a session player." The Who's farewell tour, now with Scott Devours sitting in behind the kit, is set to begin in Florida on Aug.16, and other shows across the month include stops in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New York. - New Musical Express, 8/2/25...... Country music trailblazer and Grand Ole Opry star Jeannie Seely died on Aug. 1 at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tenn., due to complications from an intestinal infection. She was 85. Ms. Seely had been battling health issues since last fall and underwent multiple back surgeries this spring, as well as two emergency abdominal surgeries. Ms. Seely was known as a pioneering country music artist, with songs such as "Can I Sleep in Your Arms" and the Grammy-winning "Don't Touch Me," and was also known as a fierce advocate for women artists and performers. Born in Titusville, Penn., on July 6, 1940, Ms. Seely was singing on a Saturday morning radio show on WMGW by age 11, and by 16 she was performing on TV station WICU in Erie, Penn. At 21, she moved California and eventually landed a job at Liberty and Imperial Records in Hollywood. She began writing songs for Four Star Music and was a regular alongside Glen Campbell on the TV series Hollywood Jamboree. She also earned a recording deal with Challenge Records. In 1964, Ms. Seely earned the most promising female artist honor from the Country and Western Academy (now the Academy of Country Music). She then moved to Nashville and inked a deal with Monument Records, which released her signature song, "Don't Touch Me," in 1966. Inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on Sept. 16, 1967, Ms. Seely soon became the first woman to regularly host Opry segments. She was also a trailblazer when it came to the image of women country entertainers, as she was the first to wear a miniskirt onstage at the Opry. She played her most recent Grand Ole Opry show on Feb. 22 and made more Grand Ole Opry appearances than any other artist in the show's 100-year history, with 5,397 appearances. In 2022, she was honored when she reached her 5,000th Opry appearance milestone. Ms. Seely also recorded several hit duets with Jack Greene, including "Wish I Didn't Have to Miss You," which reached No. 2 on the country singles chart in 1970. "Jeannie Seely was one-of-a-kind across the board: as an entertainer, friend, and human being," said Dan Rogers, Sr., an exec with the Grand Ole Opry and one of Ms. Seely's longtime friends in a statement. "She gave it her all with every single Opry performance. All 5,397 of them. She is loved so much and will never be forgotten." - Billboard, 8/1/25...... Loni Anderson, who played the savvy, high-heeled receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the late '70s/early '80s sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, died on Aug. 3. She was 79. Anderson died at a hospital in Los Angeles after a battle with a "prolonged illness," according to her publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan. "We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother," Anderson's family told the Associated Press in a statement. Airing on CBS for four seasons from 1978 to 1982, WKRP in Cincinnati followed a has-been Ohio radio station attempting a desperate image change by swapping their typical fare of low-impact jams to chart-topping rock and roll. Anderson starred as Jennifer Marlowe, WKRP's empowered, quick-witted receptionist. Known for using her womanly charms to dismiss her boss, Mr. Carlson (Gordon Jump), she often served as a reliable anchor for the station, getting things done despite her incompetent co-workers. She earned two Emmy nods and three Golden Globe nominations for the role. Other cast members included Gary Sandy, Howard Hesseman, Richard Sanders, Frank Bonner, Tim Reid and Jan Smithers. The series made Anderson a household name, although she struggled to escape her typecast as the buxom blonde. She went on to star in the 1983 film Stroker Ace with Burt Reynolds, whom she famously married in 1988. The pair were together until 1994, when their messy divorce became the subject of tabloid fixation. She then went on to appear in dozens of TV movies, including Country Gold, The Lonely Guy A Letter to Three Wives, Stranded, Blondie & Dagwood and Blown Away. She is survived by her husband of 17 years, Bob Flick, as well as her daughter Deidra, son-in-law Charlie Hoffan and son Quinton Anderson Reynolds. - Variety, 8/3/25.