Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on September 2nd, 2025

Queen's Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor are reportedly preparing to enter the wine business by allowing their band's iconic crest for use on bottles of vino. May and Taylor, according to the UK tabloid The Sun, have filed paperwork to protect their logo across a range of goods, including wine, sparking speculation that a branded bottle could soon hit shelves. "Queen are joining the wine game," a source told the paper. "Booze has proved to be a very lucrative market and they're throwing their hats into the ring. It's all very early days but the plan is to get the trademark approved and then get moving on production." This isn't the first time the legendary prog-rockers have attached their name to a spirits brand. In 2014, the band launched Killer Queen Vodka in tribute to their late frontman Freddie Mercury, who died in Nov. 1991 at the age of 45. Named after their 1974 hit, Killer Queen Vodka was distilled seven times and filtered through quartz sand and birch charcoal, with guitarist May describing the Latvian production facility as "the Willy Wonka chocolate factory for adults." - Music-News.com, 9/2/25...... Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne announced his engagement to his girlfriend financier Mala Gaonkar on Sep. 1, and has shared an instrumental playlist on social media ahead of his nuptials in the coming week. Taking to Instagram stories, Byrne shared a 42-track playlist of instrumental numbers that will play at his wedding dinner. "I'm getting married this week and made an almost entirely instrumental playlist while our guests eat an amazing and spicy dinner," Byrne told fans, sharing a link to an Apple Music playlist. "My sense is that words and lyrics can be distracting - the ear goes to them, especially if it's a song one knows. So, I opted for buoyant instrumentals that will create a hopeful and joyous atmosphere and that folks can also ignore at the same time," he mused. The playlist has a focus on Latin music, featuring tracks by artists including the Mexican Institute of Sound, Son Rompe Pera, El Alfa, Caf Tacvba and the Meridian Brothers. Also appearing on the wedding playlist are tracks by Herbie Hancock, an instrumental version of Post Malone's "Wow" and Brian Eno's "An Ending (Ascent)." Byrne revealed that he was engaged to Gaonkar in an interview with The Times while discussing the song "Moisturizing Things" from his forthcoming album Who Is The Sky, which is due for release on Sept. 5 via Matador Records. "My fiance will sometimes come at me with greasy hands, ready to smear my face. And at one point I thought, 'What if I wake up and really looked younger?'" he said. "But there's a message, too. About how people judge us by the way we look. You learn a lesson you didn't expect at the start." Elsewhere in the interview, Byrne once again quashed the idea of a full-blown Talking Heads reunion, saying that the task would be "a fool's errand." Byrne will launch a worldwide tour behind the new album in the US in September, before performing in the UK next spring. - New Musical Express, 9/2/25...... Ringo Starr's drummer son Zak Starkey is urging Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose to return a master recording of a song that he claims could raise $2 million for charity. The track in question is a star-studded cover of the classic T-Rex song "Children Of The Revolution," which sees Rose team up with his Guns N' Roses bandmates Slash and Duff McKagan, along with Elton John and Starkey's father, Beatles legend Ringo Starr. According to Loudwire.com, the cover stems back to 2017 when Guns N' Roses and The Who -- for whom Starkey played drums for many years -- played it at the Rock In Rio festival, and it was recorded for a long-mooted (and still unreleased) charity album. Now, Starkey has launched a public appeal, pushing for Rose to stop procrastinating and let the song be shared to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Taking to Instagram, Starkey wrote: "Dear Axl Rose, please give me my master of this track back. Me and Sshh [Liguz, Starkey's wife] spent three years making this Bolan tribute for teen cancer." He added that himself, Sshh and Ringo Starr "arranged to include a modulating section for Slash's guitar, another for Duff's bass solo and plenty of room for Elton before you asked Sshh if you could sing it. It's a drag that the record is on the shelf, as Christie's [auction house] have advised it could generate $2M for teen cancer," he concluded. "C'mon bro." As for the whole charity album, Starkey hinted at other guest contributors, saying: "It's a full album with more than one Beatle, a Smith a Pretender, an Ashcroft, an Iggy and many more. Soon (to) come." - NME, 8/27/25...... After declaring "this guy (Pres. Donald Trump) is out of control" and "we need a real president" earlier in 2025, Neil Young debuted a new anti-Trump song, "Big Crime," at a gig in Chicago's Huntington Bank Pavilion on Aug. 27. Young posted the song's lyrics on his Neil Young Archives site, along with complete audio of the soundcheck. "No more great again/ There's big crime in DC at the White House," he sings. "Don't need no fascist rules/ Don't want no fascist schools/ Don't want soldiers on our streets/ There's big crime in DC at the White House." The track appears to be inspired by the president's declaration of a "crime emergency" in Washington DC in early August, while placing the district's police department under federal control and deploying approximately 800 National Guard troops, as well as FBI and ICE agents, to the area. The Canadian-born folk-rocker's long history of protest songs include the recent tracks "Let's Roll Again" and "If You're A Fascist, Get A Tesla," both direct jabs at Elon Musk and the billionaire class. He also played at a Fighting Oligarchy rally organized by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez this year, and publicly defended his fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Bruce Springsteen during his spat with Trump. Footage of Young's "Big Crime" performance in Chicago can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 8/29/25...... In related news, it is now apparent why '70s disco star Gloria Gaynor made the list of upcoming Kennedy Center Honorees recently chosen by Pres. Trump. Although her fans -- particularly in the LGBTQ+ community -- were urging Gaynor to "walk out the door" during the upcoming Kennedy Center Honors gala set for later in 2025, it turns out the "I Will Survive" singer has offered her financial backing to Republican campaigns for the last few years. A report from MediasTouch.com has revealed that, according to FEC records, Gaynor donated almost $22,000 to right-wing politicians starting in 2023, including candidates like Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson and Senators Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz and Marsha Blackburn. Gaynor -- whose donations were recorded under her birth name Gloria Fowles -- regularly processed these donations through WinRed, a Republican fundraising platform. FEC records do not show any evidence, however, that Gaynor donated directly to Pres. Trump's re-election campaign. After Gaynor was announced as an honoree for this year's honors, many fans urged the singer -- who is widely considered a gay icon thanks to her perennial anthem "I Will Survive" -- not to accept the honor or attend the ceremony out of protest for Trump's mistreatment of the LGBTQ+ community. One such fan was The View's Ana Navarro, who highlighted the twice-impeached president's attacks on "the rights and history of women, people of color and LGBTQ" in her plea for Gaynor to not accept the award. Gaynor has repeatedly declined to define her political affiliations in the past. In a 2017 address to the Library of Congress, for example, Gaynor insisted that she is "not a political person" and that she was "not about to really become political." - Billboard, 8/27/25...... Many top rock icons from the 1980s including Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Poison, Skid Row, Warrant and Ratt are set to be featured in a new Grammy Museum Mississippi "Wildest Decade in Music" exhibit. Aiming to tell the story of what it calls "one of the most under-appreciated eras in rock history," the exhibit will explore how hair metal and glam metal became so popular and why their fans remain loyal to this day. The exhibit will feature artifacts, instruments and memorabilia from bands of the '80s hair and glam metal scene, and bands from the pre-glam '70s scene, and fans will also have the opportunity to have their photo taken in front of a large backdrop depicting the exterior of the iconic L.A. Sunset Strip venue Whisky a Go Go. "Not only is this genre of music one of my personal favorites, but the bands who were launching their careers on the Sunset Strip during this decade made an impact on young people that has lasted for generations," says Emily Havens, executive director of Grammy Museum Mississippi. "We're here to give the bands of hair metal and glam metal their due credit and tell the story of one of the most under-appreciated genres of music in rock history." Grammy Museum Mississippi, in Cleveland, Miss., is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. An exclusive pre-opening event will be held Thursday, Sept. 25, at 6 p.m., featuring a reception and program with stories and conversation from members of Twisted Sister. This event is reserved for exhibit sponsors and Grammy Museum Mississippi members. - Billboard, 8/28/25...... On Sep. 1 Def Leppard announced new 2026 tour dates for the UK and Europe, which will see them break out "surprises and classics." The iconic arena rockers announced 11 new shows for the summer of 2026, taking place around the UK and Europe. New dates kick off in Sweden on June 13, and continue with follow-up shows in Finland, Switzerland, and Germany on June 16, 19 and 23 respectively. From there, six UK shows are scheduled, commencing at the Belsonic in Belfast on June 26, and continuing with stops at Glasgow's OVO Hydro, and a homecoming show at Utilita Arena in Sheffield. The tour wraps with stops at The O2 in London, the BP Pulse LIVE in Birmingham and the Co-Op Live in Manchester at the start of July. From there, the band will play a festival slot at Wacken Open Air at the end of the month. Speaking about the upcoming dates, frontman Joe Elliott said: "We're looking forward to playing Radio 2 in the Park in Chelmsford this weekour only UK date of 2025. But we're also very buzzed to announce our UK and Euro dates in 2026! Playing to our home crowd and our fans in Europe is very important to us, and we'll be bringing a brand new show that will feature some surprises as well as the classics! See you soon!" To warm up for the European tour, Def Leppard will be playing a month-long residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas throughout February. - NME, 9/1/25...... A little over a year after his run of farewell concerts in the UK in June 2024, Barry Manilow now says "I don't wanna say goodbye!" and announced new dates for his "Last Last Tour" in the country next summer. The "Copacabana" singer will return to U.K. for a six-night tour that takes place in arenas in Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Cardiff, Birmingham and London (June 9-17, 2026). Manilow played 15 sold-out concerts at the London Palladium in May and June 2024, and has performed a number of "final" concerts in U.S. cities throughout 2025 including Boston, Philadelphia, Oakland and Sacramento. He also hosts a regular residency in Las Vegas, which continues through 2026. "I swear, I SWEAR I really meant it when I said goodbye to everyone in the UK on the last night of our fantastic run at the great London Palladium," Manilow, 82, said in a statement. "The audiences there were fantastic as usual and that last night was very moving, knowing that I wouldn't be seeing my U.K. friends anymore... But I guess 'leave 'em wanting more' was a good rule to follow. After all, I'm 100-years-old and any day now I'm probably going to lose my hair, gain a big pot belly and need a cane to dance around to 'Copacabana.'" He continued, "But, as of now I can still run around the stage, I can still hit the high F Natural at the end of 'Even Now' and I still look fabulous! But I said goodbye and I meant it. Sort of. There was just one thing. I don't wanna say goodbye! So we're coming back. We're going to have a great, big Barry Manilow concert! Hope you all come. We'll have a ball! Love, Barry." - Billboard, 9/1/25...... A late Tennessee sheriff who inspired a Hollywood movie about a law enforcement officer who took on organized crime killed his wife in 1967 and led people to believe she was murdered by his enemies, authorities disclosed on Aug. 29. Authorities acknowledged that the finding will likely shock many who grew up as fans of Sheriff Buford Pusser and watched 1973's Walking Tall, which immortalized him as a tough but fair sheriff with zero tolerance for crime. The movie was remade in 2004, and many officers signed up with law enforcement because of his story, according to Mark Davidson, the district attorney for Tennessee's 25th judicial district. "There is enough evidence that if Pusser, the McNairy County sheriff who died in a car crash seven years after his wife's death, were alive today, prosecutors would present an indictment to a grand jury for the killing of Pauline Mullins Pusser," Davidson said. Investigators also uncovered signs that she suffered from domestic violence. Prosecutors worked with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which began reexamining decades-old files on Pauline's death in 2022 as part of its regular review of cold cases, according to TBI director David Rausch. Agents found inconsistencies between Buford Pusser's version of events and the physical evidence, received a tip about a potential murder weapon and exhumed Pauline's body for an autopsy. At the time, some residents in the community told CBS affiliate WREG-TV that they were caught off guard as agents swarmed the cemetery and moved Pusser's headstone. "This case is not about tearing down a legend. It is about giving dignity and closure to Pauline and her family and ensuring that the truth is not buried with time," Davidson said in a news conference streamed online. "The truth matters. Justice matters. Even 58 years later. Pauline deserves both." Pauline's autopsy revealed she had a broken nose that had healed prior to her death. Davidson said statements from people who were around at the time she died support the conclusion that she was a victim of domestic violence. Pusser's legend was captured in the 1973 film Walking Tall, starring Joe Don Baker, and in a 2004 remake starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The 2004 movie remake doesn't mention Pusser by name and is set in Washington state. Pusser died in August 1974 in a car wreck, ironically the day he agreed to portray himself in the Walking Tall sequel. - CBSnews.com, 9/1/25...... Canadian actor Graham Greene, who was Oscar-nominated for his role in Dances with Wolves and was appointed a member of the Order of Canada, died on Sep. 2 following a long illness. He was 73. Born in Ohsweken, Ont., on the Six Nations Reserve, on June 22, 1952, Greene moved freely between stage, TV and movies throughout his career. Among his many accolades: A Dora Mavor Moore award in 1989 for outstanding performance by a male in a leading role for "Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing"; a Grammy in 2000 for best spoken word album for children, for Listen to the Storyteller; and a Canadian Screen Award this year for best supporting performance in a comedy film for Seeds. In 2015 Greene was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada "for his achievements as a pioneering and versatile actor of the stage and screen." He received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in 2021. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Kicking Bird in the 1990 film Dances with Wolves, losing to Joe Pesci in GoodFellas. The epic western film won seven Oscars that year, including best picture and best director (for Kevin Costner, who also starred), but did not take home any acting prizes despite three nominations. "He was a great man of morals, ethics and character and will be eternally missed... You are finally free," Greene's agent Michael Greene (no relation) told Deadline.com magazine. Greene's wife, Hilary Blackmore, was reported to be at his side when he died. He is also survived by a daughter, Lilly Lazare-Greene, and a grandson, Tarlo. - Canoe.com, 9/2/25.

Neil Young performed his 1987 track "Long Walk Home," first recorded with Crazy Horse on their album Life, live for the first time since 1989 during an Aug. 23 concert in Wantagh, N.Y. The protest song deals with the experience of living in a country that prides itself on personal liberty, while still engaging in systemic violence. With these themes remaining relevant in current times, Young made a change to some of the lyrics -- switching the line "from Vietnam to old Beirut" from the studio version to "from Canada to old Ukraine" for the 2025 live performance. Fan-shot footage of the performance can be viewed on YouTube. In July, Young and the Chrome Hearts dusted off the rarity "Ambulance Blues" at a concert in the Netherlands -- marking its first live appearance in over 50 years. He released his first studio album with the Chrome Hearts, Talkin' to the Trees, in June. - New Musical Express, 8/23/25...... A source close to Paul McCartney claims Sir Paul is not only nearing completion on his follow-up to 2020's McCartney III album, but the 83-year-old musician is said to be plotting a return to his homeland for a UK tour in 2026. "Paul has been working on the album all year and initially hoped it would be out by the end of this year but as with most things plans change," according to the source. "It's not quite finished but the majority of the album is done and Paul is really proud of it." The source added that Macca also wants to tour behind the new LP: "As for live shows he's told his team he wants to tour the UK again, so live gigs next year are also happening." Until then, McCartney will be busy with a fall US tour which launches on Sept. 29 in Palm Desert, Calif., and run through a Nov. 25 gig in Chicago. - Music-News.com, 8/26/25...... The UK's BBC One channel abruptly pulled a new Ozzy Osbourne documentary titled Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home from its schedule on Aug. 18 just hours before it was slated to air with no explanation. According to a BBC report, the network had been expected to air the doc on that evening, it "has postponed the screening without giving reasons or a new transmission date." However a BBC spokesperson told US Weekly that "the film has moved in the schedules and we'll confirm new [transmission] details in due course." Described as a "moving and inspirational account" of the final chapter of Osbourne's life, Coming Home was filmed over three years with participation from his wife/manager Sharon Osbourne, and two of the couple's children, Jack and Kelly. The doc was originally pitched as a chronicle of the Osbourne's return to England after years of living in Los Angeles, serving as a kind of bookend to the family' beloved 2002-2005 MTV reality show, The Osbournes. Osbourne died on July 22 at age 76, two weeks after performing his final show at his home soccer stadium, Villa Park, in Birmingham, England. - Billboard, 8/18/25...... In other Ozzy-related news, his daughter Kelly Osbourne is firing back at professional womens wrestler Becky Lynch for making "disrespectful" comments about Ozzy just a month after his death. On Aug. 25, Lynch insulted the late Black Sabbath frontman's home city while appearing on Netflix's WWE RAW, which aired live from Birmingham, England. During a round of on-camera trash talk between Lynch and her soon-to-be opponent Nikki Bella ahead of their upcoming Women's Intercontinental Championship match in Paris, the former had a harsh response to the latter's request that they fight right then and there. "I'm not wrestling in Birmingham," Lynch goaded. "The only good thing that came out of here died a month ago. But in fairness to Ozzy Osbourne, he had the good sense to move to L.A., a proper city," she added as the surrounding crowd booed. "Because if I lived in Birmingham, I'd die too." The following day, Kelly posted on her Instagram Stories page that Lynch was a "disrespectful dirtbag" and quipped, "Birmingham would not piss on you if you were on fire. Shame on the WWE for allowing such things to be said about my father and his home!!!" Born in the Aston area of his beloved Birmingham, UK on Dec. 3, 1948, Osbourne was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021. - Billboard, 8/26/25...... Legendary author Stephen King revealed that he "never liked" Black Sabbath in a recent Reddit "Ask Me Anything" session as he promoted the latest movie adaptation of one of his novels, The Long Walk. Set in a dystopian US and ruled by a totalitarian regime, the movie focuses on a group of young men who enter an annual walking contest in which they must maintain a speed of at least three miles per hour or be killed, with the remaining walker declared the winner. When asked in the AMA session what playlist he would have for the fictional walk. He replied with two selections, one reflecting his taste at the time of the novel's publishing (1979) and his tastes now. "Back then I would have picked 'Get Together,' by the Youngbloods, 'Eve of Destruction,' by Barry Maguire (sic), 'Carol,' by the Rolling Stones, 'Subterranean Homesick Blues,' by (Bob) Dylan, maybe 'Summertime Blues,' by Eddie Cochran, 'Rock and Roll is Here to Stay,' by Danny and the Juniors." He continued: "Now I'd load my playlist with AC/DC, Rancid, Metallica, Stones, (Bruce) Springsteen. Not Black Sabbath, I never liked them. Music has often featured in King's books as a cultural indicator for the period in which they are set. In turn, his work has inspired several artists, including "Ride The Lightning" by Metallica (the title is a phrase from King's book The Stand) and "Pet Sematary" by Ramones, which borrowed its title from his 1983 novel. In 2007, he compiled a list of "The 24 Greatest Rock Songs Ever Made" for Entertainment Weekly. Several Stephen King adaptations have been scheduled for 2025, with The Long Walk hitting cinemas in September, and a new version of The Running Man arriving in November. The Life Of Chuck, based on a short story by King, is now playing in cinemas, while The Monkey came out in February. Meanwhile, the bard of horror recently described Pres. Donald Trump's second term in office as a "horror story," and called for his impeachment. - NME, 8/28/25...... Musician/producer Steve Wilson of The Porcupine Tree, who began remixing classic albums in 2009 by the likes of Black Sabbath, The Who, Van Morrison, Chic, Tears For Fears and others, has explained why he only decided to remix Sabbath's 1972 set Volume 4 from the band's catalog. "The tapes were lost," Wilson admitted in an interview with Noise 11 (available on YouTube). "So, that's a classic example. And this has happened a few times over the years with me. The will to do it was there. The record company wanted to do it, the manager wanted to do it, I wanted to do it, and then they couldn't find the tapes." Wilson however said they found outtake reels of the band running through different takes of Volume 4 songs, and "we did what we could... which [is] fascinating if you're a fan of that record." Wilson then explained some more of the background information about the status of master multi-track tapes of Sabbath's other albums. He said: "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to mix the actual album, because the multi-track tapes have, as with the whole Sabbath catalog, they've pretty much disappeared, sadly." - NME, 8/24/25...... Shortly after giving an interview with AARP magazine to promote the American leg of The Who's "The Song Is Over" farewell tour, guitarist Pete Townshend and Who frontman Roger Daltrey sat down with The New York Times on Aug. 25 to open up about if The Who may play more live shows after their current farewell tour comes to an end (The Who's 1982 tour was also billed as their final dates, and was captured in a live album titled Who's Last). When asked if these 2025 U.S. dates actually do mark the definitive end of The Who, Townshend cheekily responded: "Are you suggesting we're swindling the public? The fact is, we are willing to swindle them. That's what we've done our entire life. Why stop?" Townshend continued, "It's in Roger's hands. If we don't extend, would we be in breach of contract? Would we be in swindle-land if we came back and played all those important venues we've left off the list, like Duluth," he added. "I'm 80, I don't like being away from my family, my studios, my dogs and my friends. I'm not looking to spend the next five years of my life waiting to drop dead on the stage The end of the tour could give Roger and I permission never to call each other again. I hope that doesn't happen." Daltrey continued, saying that there will likely be some upcoming shows added in the future, but perhaps not a full tour. "We're not giving up as a band. We might do a couple of residencies. Hopefully, Pete and I won't stop making music." - Billboard, 8/26/25...... Fans of Judas Priest could soon be treated to the unlikely pairing of Priest frontman Rob Halford and the late popular music crooner Tony Bennett. Although best known for his piercing screams and iconic vocal chops with Judas Priest, Halford has long been vocal about his affinity for non-metal genres, like country and jazz music -- in 2022, he even teamed up with Dolly Parton for a special rendition of Parton's "Jolene" as the musicians were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They later teamed up again on her album Rockstar. Now, Halford has revealed that he's also a big fan of the late Tony Bennett. Speaking to UltimateClassicRock.com , Halford shared: "There's so many musical things I want to do I was singing Tony Bennett in the shower the other day and I listened to my voice and I'm going, 'Do I dare to consider something like this?'" He continued: "And then I go, 'I'm an old man; I can do what I f---ing want!' And I love Tony Bennett; I was sad, like a lot of us where, when he passed. He as an icon and a beacon. I love all kinds of singers. My love for what the voice can do is always so attractive to me the ideas, the imagination, like [Lady] Gaga doing her thing in Vegas when she does the jazz side of stuff." However Halford added that he doesn't have concrete plans on putting that album together just yet: "So, yeah, I'd love to do that. I don't know how I would go about it, but I better get a move on if I'm going to do something like that. I wouldn't have dared to have done this back in the day." In other news, it was announced earlier this year that Judas Priest are due to get their own documentary film soon, and it's being co-directed by Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello. - NME, 8/26/25...... KISS' Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have reunited for a World Of Tanks Modern Armor collaboration following the band's 2023 farewell tour. Running from Aug. 26 through Sept. 15, this year's annual Metal Fest is a celebration of KISS. "The in-game music event delivers an electrifying KISS-themed experience," promises developers. "Players can take on two thrilling challenges loaded with exclusive KISS-inspired rewards, try an all-new PvE mode on a specially designed map, enjoy daily gifts, and more." The Metal Fest features four premium tanks, with each one inspired by a classic KISS character -- The Demon, The Starchild, The Spaceman, and The Catman. Each one will also blast their 1975 hit 'Rock And Roll All Nite' when it's selected by players from their garage. "All four KISS personas come alive as fully animated 3D Hero Commanders, complete with custom voiceover," continued the press release on X/Twitter, with KISS icons Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley recording custom audio for the collab. KISS wrapped up the final scheduled date of their extensive Farewell Tour back in Dec. 2023 at Madison Square Garden. Just after they left the stage, the band announced that they were about to move into their "new era"' and were planning on doing some shows using virtual avatars -- similar to that of the hit ABBA Voyage shows. No virtual KISS concert has been announced yet but Stanley and Simmons will be performing together in Las Vegas in November as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations for the KISS Army fanclub. - NME, 8/27/25...... The UK tabloid The Sun is reporting that former The Police frontman Sting is being sued by his former Police bandmates over lost royalties. Sting (real name Gordon Sumner) was the ex-frontman/primary songwriter of the best-selling late '70s/'80s London trio, and he's reportedly being taken to court for "substantial" damages by guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland. It follows years of legal disputes between the group. "Lawyers tried repeatedly to reach an out-of-court settlement but hit a stalemate," The Sun reported. "Andy and Stewart decided there was no alternative than court so pressed the button. They say they are owed millions in lost royalties." The case is said to have been listed at London's High Court under "general commercial contracts and arrangements." Sting appears as a defendant along with his company, Magnetic Publishing Limited. Formed back in 1977, The Police charted such smash singles as 1983's "Every Breath You Take" before breaking up in the mid-'80s. Sting, who is credited as the sole songwriter on the track, reportedly earns £550,000 a year in royalties from that song alone. A spokesman for Sting denied the legal action was related to "Every Breath You Take," per the article. However, they did not elaborate on the case. The Police have reunited on numerous occasions in the past, with their most recent shows taking place in 2008. In 2021, Sting said that he regretted reforming the trio in 2007, calling the tour that followed "an exercise in nostalgia". He explained at the time that he preferred being a solo artist due to the "total freedom" it offered. "It's not a power thing, at all; it's just about producing exactly the brand and style of music that feels right for you," he said. Sting's hugely successful post-Police solo career includes headlining the Isle Of Wight Festival and Latitude festivals, and will embark on his "Sting 3.0" tour in Europe in the fall. - NME, 8/25/25.