Neil Young has opened up about his love for current wife Daryl Hannah in new song called "Earth Girl" on his new album with his band The Chrome Hearts, Second Song. Young has revealed the song is one of his favorites on the new LP, telling Mojo magazine: "It has two melodies in it -- one melody on top of another. One has a lot of words that come fast, and the other one is more gentle. That's one of my favourite songs. I know it describes my love for Daryl pretty well." Young tarted dating the Splash star in 2014 after splitting from his second wife Pegi Morton earlier that year and the couple went on to tie the knot in 2018. Now Young has confessed it took him his "whole life" to find his true love, telling the publication: "It took my whole life to find it, but then when I was there, I was going: 'There are no worries here of any consequence'. We are very close together in our life experiences. As artists, we understand each other. We understand the space and the time that's required to do whatever it is we want to do." - Music-News.com, 9/18/26...... 
Barbra Streisand is slamming what she describes as the "unchecked ego" of Pres. Donald Trump after the president hinted he may order the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts demolished. Posting on her official website, Babs began by recapping some of the history of the Washington, D.C., cultural institution. "In 1964, in the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy's shocking assassination, Congress passed legislation designating the National Cultural Center as a living memorial to him," she wrote. "Re-naming the Cultural Center in JFK's honor was a fitting choice, because he was a true champion of the arts." She continued: "In 2008, I was deeply honored to be included in the 31st annual class of Kennedy Center Honorees," she continued. "For me, and for so many artists, that honor represented something larger than a career recognition. It represented a belief in the importance of art to the life of a democracy." The icon went on to say that because of her personal history with the center, she finds it "galling and painful to witness" the twice-impeached POTUS' large-scale shake-up of the Kennedy Center that has been ongoing since his second term began. "When Donald Trump attempted to put his name alongside the late President Kennedy's on the building's entrance, the move was met with widespread opposition from artists and much of the public," she shared. "And now, a thoroughly defeated Trump has announced that the Kennedy Center is being closed for what the completely stacked board describes as a major renovation. Oddly, when Trump's name was still on the building, there was no discussion of closing it!" She added that "You can easily imagine my indignation at seeing this revered institution become the subject of such a bitter struggle over one man's name and unchecked ego," before encouraging American readers to ensure that they vote in the upcoming midterms. Pres. Trump's push and pull with the Kennedy Center first began at the beginning of his second White House term, when he replaced much of the board and installed himself as chair. In December, that board voted to officially change the name of the institution to the Trump-Kennedy Center, which a federal judge blocked in May. - Billboard, 9/17/26...... Talking Heads announced on Sept. 18 they'll reunite later in the month to launch a new channel on SiriusXM, which will play their back catalogue and feature a special conversation between the members. The channel, titled Talking Heads Radio, which runs until from Oct. 1 to Oct. 22 on in-car satellite radios, and until Oct. on the SiriusXM app, promises "five decades of music from David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth, as well as a special reflective conversation between the group, which airs at noon on launch day. The conversation will be recorded live in front of an audience in New York on Sept. 28, with the Q&A hosted by Este Haim of the pop trio Haim. Talking Heads made their first public appearance together in over 20 years in 2023. They reunited for a Q&A at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 11 to celebrate the anniversary of their iconic concert film Stop Making Sense. When asked then about the potential to perform together again, Weymouth said the group were "just savouring the moment." SiriusXM's announcement of the reunion can be viewed on Instagram. Meanwhile, David Byrne has released an expanded edition of his 2025 solo album Who Is The Sky?, featuring two new songs. Who Is The Sky? was Byrne's first studio record since 2018's American Utopia and featured contributions from Hayley Williams, St. Vincent and The Smile's Tom Skinner. To mark its one year annivesary, Byrne has shared an expanded version featuring four bonus tracks including new single "My Madness," which has been shared on YouTube, and previous single "¿Cul Es La Razn?" "Here's my most recent album now expanded with 2 songs that were cut, not because they weren't good (I hope) but to give the initial album a nice variety of grooves and subjects," Byrne says. Byrne is also set to release his new book, Sleeping Beauties: Why Good Ideas Go Dormant and How They Wake Up, on Oct. 8. Published by Penguin Random House, the book centers on philosophical questions including why some ideas are considered ahead of their time and naturally move back into the spotlight when the world is ready for them. In November, he'll embark on a book tour of the U.K. - New Musical Express, 9/18/26...... Ozzy Osbourne's final concert will get a theatrical run in November. Ozzy & Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning will hit theaters beginning on Oct. 28, with tickets going on sale on Sept. 24 at BackToTheBeginning.com. The 100-minute film, produced by Mercury Studios, chronicles the farewell show by Osbourne and his Black Sabbath bandmates -- guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward -- in a marathon all-day hard rock gathering in Sabbath's hometown of Birmingham, U.K. at Ozzy's beloved Aston Villa football club's home stadium at Villa Park on July 5, 2025. The concert featured both solo sets from Osbourne and a reunion of the original Sabbath lineup for the first time in more than two decades, along with such rock acts as Alice in Chains, Anthrax, Guns N' Roses, Sammy Hagar, Steven Tyler and members of Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink-182 and many more. Osbourne, who battled a variety of medical issues in the final years of his life and had trouble standing and walking near the end of his life, sang from a gilded throne during the event, which took place 17 days before his death at 76 on July 22, 2025. - Billboard, 9/16/26...... 
The late Tom Petty's backing band The Heartbreakers made an emotional return to the stage on Sept. 16 at the Americana Honors and Awards show to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award. Founding members Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch and Ron Blair were joined by country superstar Chris Stapleton for a three-song tribute built around some of Petty's most enduring classics. They opened with "American Girl," a track long synonymous with the band's legacy and Petty's unmistakable voice. Campbell acknowledged the weight of the moment as he addressed the audience. He said: "It's true, we haven't played together since 2017, and it's really emotional and sweet to be here. We have two more songs, and we're so happy to have Chris up here with us. It's great to see you all, I think you know this one." The group then moved into "Breakdown," from their 1976 self-titled debut album. For the night's final number, Steve Ferrone and Scott Thurston -- both key members of the band's later eras -- stepped onstage to help deliver "You Wreck Me" from Petty's 1994 solo album Wildflowers. Stapleton introduced the Lifetime Achievement Award with a tribute to Petty's influence, saying "words cannot express how much that catalog of music means to me," and afterward Petty's daughter Adria Petty accepted the award on behalf of her father, thanking Stapleton for bringing the musicians back together. Campbell reflected on the devastating loss of his beloved bandmate: "We'll probably be grieving until the last day I live. But I'm OK, and we're OK, and he's OK, and the music is alive thanks to you." The appearance marked The Heartbreakers' first performance together since the death of frontman Petty in 2017, and the first time the original line-up had played together in more than two decades. - Music-News.com, 9/18/26...... Queen drummer Roger Taylor released his seventh solo album, Violence Insane In a Beautiful World, on Sept. 18. Recorded at Taylor's home in the U.K., the 10-track LP takes its theme from the opening track, "A Beautiful World," which extols the virtues of the planet while acknowledging the challenges of current times, ending with the warning "don't f--- it up." "It's about how this is a beautiful world that we live in, and with all this terrible violence and everything let's not screw it up," Taylor, 77, says. "It's a very simple point, really, but a fairly important one. We're in a bad state in most of the world at the moment -- more wars, more needless deaths and insane violence. There are times when I despair for what we're leaving our children, our grandchildren, but I hope it gets better." The track "Spit In His Eye," meanwhile, posits an attitude of defiance -- "You can never surrender," Taylor notes -- while "Chump" is a direct shot at a certain U.S. president with a surname that rhymes with the title. Taylor and his band, which includes several musicians from the Queen + Adam Lambert lineup, will tour behind the new album with a quick six-concert swing through the U.K., starting Sept. 21 in Newcastle and wrapping Sept. 29 in Swansea. "I feel very content to keep it in the U.K. right now," he says -- while Queen + Adam Lambert has been quiet since its early 2024 dates in Japan. Although guitarist Brian May is "in pretty good shape" following some recent health scares, Taylor is "not sure he'd be up for doing the whole grueling tour." "I've always loved touring. I think [May] loved it up to a point, and then not, up to a point." Nevertheless the two, who reside nearby and "see quite a lot of one another," are looking at other ways to present Queen in the future -- possibly an ABBA Voyage style virtual concert as well as at the Sphere in Las Vegas, which he and May have both visited "and were pretty blown away by that." Taylor, 77, says "maybe there won't be a next (album) -- but I hope there will be. ""I just love to work. I think if you're in a creative industry, work is precious, and I think it keeps you going," he says. "The idea of retiring and doing nothing is anathema to me. It's nice to think you might be slightly relevant, in a tiny way." - Billboard, 9/18/26...... Actor and sometime musician William Shatner has made his heavy metal live debut, performing covers of Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica and Motörhead. The 95-year-old Star Trek legend played a warm-up show at Chicago's Park West on Sept. 19 with his newly-formed metal band The *uckers, playing a six-song set ahead of his appearance at Riot Fest the following day, where the band played a 40-minute set. Shatner had teased the unlikely new chapter in his musical career ahead of the performance, writing on social media: "I have explored space. I have explored time. Now I explore distortion." The *uckers' forthcoming record is also set to feature an array of prominent metal and rock guests, including Queen's Brian May, Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford, Disturbed bassist John Moyer and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. In August, Shatner appeared to accidentally reveal that the band had been booked for Coachella 2027, telling CNN that they were due to perform a 30-minute set at "the one in the desert" next spring. The festival has yet to officially confirm Shatner as part of its 2027 line-up. Fan-captured footage of The *uckers' performance of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and other metal classics can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 9/20/26...... 
A spokesperson for Billy Joel has confirmed that the Piano Man is not dead after a Google glitch on Sept. 17 that claimed the 77-year-old had passed away. The search engine included an information box on the singer/songwriter legend, which stated his date of death as Sept. 17, sparkng a flurry of concern online. But Joel's publicist confirmed to Newsday that he is still among us. "Billy's not dead," the singer's publicist, Claire Mercuri, said firmly. "I was just emailing with him." oel is yet to address the error himself on social media. Joel has been battling health issues recently, which caused him to cancel tour dates in 2025. On social media, he announced he had been diagnosed with a brain disorder, normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), which affects a brain disorder that can cause problems with hearing and balance. In January, he played live for the first time since his diagnosis, appearing alongside his own tribute act, a band named Turnstiles, in Florida. Joel's daughter, Alexa Ray, said in March that her father is "doing great". "He's lost weight as he's on his diet" she told The Hollywood Reporter. "I'm so proud of him. He's such a trooper, so resilient and committed to being healthy and proactive. He's a fighter." - NME, 9/18/26...... Sting has said that he doesn't see AI technology as "competition" because it can't replicate genuine human emotion. Appearing on BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, he said: "I think AI can make perfectly serviceable pop music that you might hear in a railway station or a hotel lobby, and you can hear it, but would you listen to it? Because AI has never had its heart broken, it doesn't have a story, it has a borrowed story, so you're not really hearing a song. So, in that sense, I don't feel any competition so far, people still want to come and see live concerts, they want to see a human being, a vulnerable human being who can make mistakes and not a machine that is perfect." However the 74-year-old musician warned there is a "danger right now with AI potentially destroying the labour economy." - Music-News.com, 9/21/26...... The U.K.'s National Album Day on Oct. 17 will feature its largest-ever lineup of exclusive limited-edition releases and classic reissues for its annual celebration, including exclusive pressings from legendary acts including Pink Floyd, The Who, New Order, The Pretenders, George Michael, Suede, Pulp and Sade. Additional standout releases include 50th-anniversary editions of Bob Dylan's Desire on marbled vinyl and Donna Summer's Four Seasons Of Love, alongside special pressings for Bryan Ferry's Boys and Girls and Aretha Franklin's Aretha's Gold. Organised jointly by the BPI and ERA, National Album Day aims to unite record labels, independent record shops, and high street retailers in promoting album discovery. All exclusive titles will be available at participating physical and online music retailers across the UK on Oct. 17, with full pre-order details accessible via the official National Album Day platform. - Music-News.com, 9/18/26...... Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey is trying to drum up support for him to be behind the kit during the 2027 tour of alternative faves Oasis. Starkey previously toured with Oasis between 2004 and 2008, however Liam and Noel Gallagher decided to use another sticksman when they made their long-awaited return last year for the Oasis Live '25 tour, opting for Joey Waronker. Alongside a clip of him drumming on an unreleased Liam Gallagher track, Zak recently posted on Instagram: "My money's on this dude for O LIVE 27. (sic)" Zak confirmed he had tallks about being part of the 2025 run, but was ultimately unable to commit to the gig, saying it was discussed with Noel [Gallagher], but I was in The Who." Starkey says he adored his time with Oasis: "It was just f------ great fun and fantastic rock'n'roll, start to finish... We were the greatest live band in the world, I think, at that time. It was like a f------ comet coming at you." - Music-News.com, 9/18/26...... 
Famed psychedelic pop artist Peter Max, whose colorful, psychedelic pop art expressed the optimism of the "flower power" movement of the 1960s and graced everything from postage stamps to a cruise ship, died on Sept. 14. He was 88. No cause was given, but he had been suffering from advanced dementia. Mr. Max began his career in graphic design in the 1960s, and his swirly, colorful, instantly recognizable designs epitomized the era's "flower power" art. But thanks to his prolific output and fun, accessible style, Mr. Max's work remained popular well into the 21st century. He was the official artist for several sporting events including the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the Indianapolis 500, the World Cup, the World Series and many other events. His art appeared on a Boeing 777 airplane and a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, and his portrait subjects ranged from U.S. presidents to Taylor Swift. But in his first flush of success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, his murallike tableaus of flowers, the cosmos and cartoonish figures -- all in vivid colors like turquoise, orange and neon green -- seemed to be everywhere. Dorm room walls were plastered with his posters. Household furnishings like clocks and bedspreads sported his designs. He even created covers for the Manhattan Yellow Pages, a business phone directory distributed to millions of people. Mr. Max himself was featured on the cover of Life magazine in 1969, his trademark dark, bushy mustache framing a hearty grin. "We will remember his extraordinary creativity, his warmth, his curiosity, and the way he saw beauty and possibility everywhere," his son Adam Max said in the statement announcing the death. "His art became part of American culture, but the man behind that art -- the father we knew and loved -- is the person we will miss most." Born Peter Max Finkelstein in 1937 to a Jewish family in Berlin, Mr. Max's family fled Nazi Germany for Shanghai when he was a baby and later spent time in Tibet, Israel and Paris before settling in New York City when Max was 16. By then, he said in an interview, he was already "a huge fan of American culture": comics, movies and "all the jazz music." He studied in New York at the Art Students League, the School of Visual Arts and Pratt Institute. In 1961, he opened a graphic design studio with friends. His bold, unique style was an immediate hit with ad agencies, publications, the corporate world and in pop culture. That led to a booming commercial business. "My work was really, I would say, almost exploited," he said. "It was on mugs, it was on bedsheets, it was on dresses, it was on silks and scarves and ties -- 70 product lines." Mr. Max's work has been featured in dozens of museum exhibitions around the world. New York's Museum of Modern Art owns seven of his works. The art for the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" is sometimes mistakenly attributed to Mr. Max, but the design for the album cover and Yellow Submarine movie are officially credited to the late Heinz Edelmann. Mr. Max claimed in a 2012 interview he did the original "Yellow Submarine" design before handing it off to Edelmann. But the website for New York's Park West gallery, a longtime dealer of Max's art, described Max's involvement in "Yellow Submarine" as "early consulting work." Mr. Max was, however, friends with the Beatles and many other celebrities. He also had a deep interest in Eastern spirituality. He brought "Swami" Satchidananda Saraswati to the U.S., and helped him popularize yoga here. His first marriage to Elizabeth Nance ended in divorce. In addition to his son, he is survived by a daughter, Libra Astro. - Associated Press, 9/16/26.
A new book about Freddie Mercury features the late Queen frontman's personal notes and alternative "Bohemian Rhapsody" lyrics. Authored by Mercury's longtime friend, Mary Austin, A Life in Lyrics: The Official Creative Legacy of Freddie Mercury opens a window into the private creative world behind the rocker's legacy. It brings together handwritten drafts, rough ideas, unused verses and visual notes from Mercury's creative work, reaching from his pre-Queen days through his solo years. Among the archive are early versions of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and several drafts connected to "Don't Stop Me Now," alongside complete songs that never made it into the studio. Personal photographs and recollections also add intimate context throughout the book. - Billboard, 9/15/26...... 
Roger Waters has sent a social media message to British pop star Ed Sheeran regarding Sheeran's decision to remove rapper Macklemore from his tour for making pro-Palestine comments on stage. The controversy started when Macklemore made an impassioned speech on-stage while opening for Sheeran, calling for "all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality" and for a "free Palestine," which prompted the Israeli-American Council to call for his removal from the tour, claiming the rapper had used his platform to "advance a one-sided political agenda." Macklemore then shared a social media message claiming New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, who is Jewish, had started a campaign against Sheeran to drop him or the shows couldn't go ahead. Now, Roger Waters has weighed in on the discussion, and showed his backing for Macklemore, while calling Sheeran a "little prick." "Ed Who," Waters began a video message he posted on Instagram. "This is a little message for Ed Sheeran," he said, before showing an image of United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese behind him, as well as an unnamed woman from Gaza pictured with tears in her eyes. "I just have a little message for [Sheeran]," Waters added. "There are two kinds of people in this world. There's people who do the right thing -- the rapper Macklemore would be one of those people. "And there's people -- many of them, sadly -- little f excuse me, I nearly used the F-word then pricks like you who do the wrong thing. Goodbye." Waters has been a longtime supporter of Palestine. In 2024, he urged followers on social media not to vote for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the US election due to their respective stances on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. More recently, last July, he voiced his support for Palestine Action after the organisation was proscribed as a terrorist group under the Terrorism Act 2000. - NME, 9/16/26...... In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Bruce Springsteen revealed he has two albums on the way -- one of which is completed and another he's still working on, but that he would like to release first. "I'm currently working on a couple of records. I did finish one, and it is done. I'm in the process of working on this other one, which, because of the nature of the material, felt like it should come out first," he said. "So that's the situation I'm in. I'm trying to finish that up, and I'd like to release that first. And then this other record that I made, which is not time-relevant, it can come out at any time and it'll work," he added. When asked whether they are solo efforts or E Street Band records, Springsteen said: "It's a surprise." No title, release date or further information has been shared for either album. The Boss has also revealed that his wife and fellow E Street Band musician Patti Scialfa is in remission from cancer. "As you know, Patti's been living with her multiple myeloma for over eight years, but now thankfully she is in remission," he said. Scialfa first publicly discussed her 2018 diagnosis in the 2024 documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band, explaining that the condition had weakened her immune system and led to limited appearances for her on tour. Meanwhile, Springsteen has shared a "Philadelphia Freedom Cut" from his "Land Of Hope And Dreams" US tour, which captures footage of his live show. The official video, shared on YouTube, comes as his show in Philadelphia on May 30 was filmed in its entirety, and is set to be released in four segments. This is the first of the four segments of footage, and captures the first seven songs of the tour's Philadelphia finale -- held at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. To open the show, The Boss played Motown classic "War" before following it with classic track "Born in the U.S.A." and "Death to My Hometown." More details about the remaining footage from the show will be released soon, and all three additional segments are set to be released chronologically throughout the rest of 2026. Elsewhere, Springsteen has defeated a second attempt at litigation over his use of a New Jersey man's 1967 Pontiac GTO in the album art for his 2022 cover collection Only the Strong Survive. On Sept. 15, a New Jersey appeals court affirmed the earlier dismissal of a lawsuit brought against Springsteen by the family of deceased classic car collector Louis Billotti. The case had also targeted Sony Music, which owns Springsteen's label Columbia Records, and his longtime manager Jon Landau. Billotti died shortly before the LP's release, and the man's son alleged in a 2023 lawsuit that Springsteen had orally promised to pay his father additional money if the car photos ever ended up on an album cover. Springsteen denied making any such promise, and a trial court judge threw out the case last year due to insufficient evidence. Billotti's estate appealed. The New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division ruled Tuesday affirmed the dismissal, saying there isn't a single witness or document to back up the younger Billotti's description of a conversation relayed to him by his late father, a legal situation known as "double hearsay," which must clear a high bar to be deemed admissible as evidence in court. - NME/Billboard, 9/14/26...... 
Columbia/Legacy Recordings announced on Sept. 15 that a huge 39-CD Bob Dylan box set, The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1976 Live Recordings will drop on Nov. 6. With 381 tracks -- 371 of which have never been released up until now -- the set fully captures Dylan's 1976 tour. The trek kicked off on Apr. 18, 1976 in Lakeland, Fla., and spanned 27 dates -- concluding in Salt Lake City on May 25 that year. This is the first time the performances have become available for fans to listen to since the shows. Included in the release is a 3LP set of the complete May 16 Fort Worth show, remixed from the original multi-track tapes, and Dylan's rendition of "Going, Going, Gone" from that show has been shared on YouTube. During the tour, Dylan reunited with his old girlfriend Joan Baez to perform a moving set of duets across many dates, including performances of "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Railroad Boy." Earlier this summer, Dylan wrapped up the US leg of his 2026 "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour. The UK and European leg of the tour kicks off in Norway in October. - NME, 9/15/26...... Dionne Warwick has teamed with a fellow Grammy-winning songstress, R&B/pop singer Mya, and platinum-selling rap star Saweetie for a new song in conjunction with International World Peace Day, "One Heart Can Change the World." The song is being released Sept. 25 and, according to a press release, "the day is dedicated to strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples." Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker, the United Nations' International Good Will Ambassador, is the single's narrator. Also appearing on "One Heart Can Change the World" are Grammy-winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari and sound healer Ana Netanel. "I was part of the supergroup that united for USA For Africa in 1985 with a Michael Jackson/Lionel Richie-penned song produced by Quincy Jones, 'We Are the World'," Warwick commented. "This groundbreaking musical collaboration was aimed at raising awareness for famine relief in Ethiopia. I was also joined in 1986 by my friends Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder on the Burt Bacharach/Carole Bayer Sager anthem 'That's What Friends Are For,' a No. 1 Grammy-winning song with all proceeds to this day benefiting the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR.) I have seen just how powerful a song for a call to action can be," she added. - Billboard, 9/14/26...... Tony Iommi has revealed why he turned down the chance to make one final Black Sabbath album with members of the original line-up. In a new interview with Classic Rock, Iommi shared that Andrew Watt, who produced Osbourne's final two albums (2020's Ordinary Man and 2022's Patient Number 9), had approached him about making a Sabbath album with the original line-up. "I'd met Andrew Watt when he was producing Ozzy," Iommi said. "He was very keen and a bit too excited. He also didn't know what it was like working with the original Sabbath, working with Bill [Ward]. Also, we'd done 13, and I didn't like the idea of: 'Now here's another album'," he added. The line-up for 13, in addition to Ozzy and bassist Geezer Butler, was completed Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave drummer Brad Wilk after original drummerBill Ward chose to not participate due to a contractual dispute. At one point, Osbourne said Black Sabbath would record "one more album" after 13, but in 2015 he revealed that the band had "opted against" it and that they would be too old by the time it was completed. "It would take three or four years to write and record an album, by which time I'll be f----ing 73 or 72 or something, so we decided just to do a farewell tour," Osbourne said at the time. The band did later reunite in 2025 at the huge "Back To The Beginning" event at Birmingham's Villa Park. The gig saw both Sabbath and Ozzy stage their last-ever shows, and it marked the first time the original members had played alongside each other since 2005. The performances were held just over two weeks before Osbourne passed away in July 2025, aged 76. - NME, 9/14/26...... 
The first-ever authorized rockumentary on Def Leppard, Long Live Def Leppard, is slated for release in theaters in early 2027. Directed by Jeff Feuerzeig (The Devil and Daniel Jonston), the film is an all-access account of the U.K. rockers' rise from humble beginnings in working class Sheffield to global chart domination in the 1980s and 1990s with such hits as their No. 1 smash "Love Bites," as well as their other top 10 hits "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (No. 2), "Armageddon It" (No. 3) and "Hysteria" (No. 10). The film was produced in collaboration with the Joe Elliott-led Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group that has sold 110 million albums worldwide; the group also features guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen, who along with Elliott, will be featured in new interviews. It will feature never-before-seen footage, with writer/director/producer Feuerzeig saying in a statement that his connection to the band goes back to their rise to fame with 1981's breakthrough sophomore album High 'n' Dry. Def Leppard concluded a residency run at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in February, then began a European tour this summer. They'll play the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla. on Oct. 15 before moving on to a run of shows in Mexico and Central and South America later than month into November. - Billboard, 9/11/26...... Meanwhile, a new documentary showcasing late Rush drummer Neil Peart debuts on Sept. 16 at the Toronto International Film Festival. Peart, the much-admired drummer-lyricist for the Toronto-based prog-rock trio, died in 2020 at the age of 67 from a brain tumour, but his friendships with and inspiration to other drummers -- as well as his two surviving bandmates -- live on in the touching and funny film. The documentary, which will also get a nationwide Canadian broadcast on Sept. 23 on CBC/CBC Gem, finds Rush bassist-singer Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson playing songs like "Working Man" and "Dreamline" with other drummers from such bands as Tool, The Police, King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Red Hot Chili Peppers, and it becomes obvious very quickly just how demanding Peart's drumming parts are to play. - Canoe.com, 9/14/26...... 
Original Journey bassist Ross Valory has confirmed he will not be rejoining the band on its ongoing "Final Frontier Tour." Valory, who was fired alongside drummer Steve Smith in 2020, says he has made peace with his departure and has no desire to revisit the past. Speaking on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Valory explained that the legal fallout between him and the band is firmly behind him. "We made what I think is a very reasonable settlement, and everyone moved on with their lives," Valory said. "I certainly have, and I believe that everyone else involved has just moved on. I'm no longer a part of the organization or the brand, so my position now, at best, is a casual observer. So it was many years ago, and we all move on. Everybody gets on with their lives." Asked whether he had been approached about returning, Valory made it clear the answer is no -- and compared the speculation to long-running fan hopes for a Steve Perry comeback. He said: "Not that I know of, no. And there's been rumours for years about Steve Perry returning, and he has to keep telling people, 'No, I'm just not doing it.' And you understand it from the fans' standpoint that's what they really want. The hardcore fans want to see everybody together. But I don't see that happening." Valory added that Journey's legacy is ultimately defined by the music, not the lineup, and praised the current incarnation for delivering what audiences expect. "It's about the songs. Regardless of which band has too few, (or) how many original members, it's a matter of being able to go onto that stage and provide for, let's say the average ticket buyer, they want to hear the songs, they want to hear them like they heard them on the record," Valory noted. "And as long as any band can do that, there's no reason to consider who's in the band and who's not. And Journey's one of those bands that continues to do that." Formed in 1973, Journey have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, earning induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. The band's history has been marked by financial disputes, trademark battles and lawsuits between members. The "Final Frontier Tour" is set to wrap on Nov. 28, with guitarist Neal Schon previously suggesting Journey will continue without keyboardist Jonathan Cain once the run ends. - Music-News.com, 9/15/26....... The Beatles have shared an early version of their Rubber Soul track "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," with George Harrison putting his sitar mastery on display, on YouTube. Dubbed "Second Version -- Take 2," the recording comes as the first original version of the now-classic song was recorded during the first day of sessions for Rubber Soul and featured Harrison's new discovery, the sitar. The band were unhappy with that version, so recorded three more takes nine days later. On Take two, the first attempt featured John Lennon's acoustic guitar, Paul McCartney's bass, Ringo Starr on drums and George playing drone notes on sitar. George added more sitar on tracks two and three, and John and Paul's vocals were also recorded on track three. While the final version opens with an instrumental version of the verse melody, this this arrangement opens with double-tracked sitar playing the bridge section. Speaking about how the instrumental was used, George previously shared: "It felt very familiar to me to listen to that music. Around that time I'd bought a cheap sitar in a shop called Indiacraft in London. When we were working on 'Norwegian Wood', it just needed something and it was quite spontaneous. I picked the sitar up and kind of found the notes. We put it on and it seemed to hit the spot and that was it." The song is set to feature on the new expanded special edition of Rubber Soul, which is released on Oct. 2. - NME, 9/14/26...... Cheetah Chrome, the co-founding drummer of the legendary punk band Dead Boys, has died aged 71. His death was announced by the band on Sept. 13 in a statement on Instagram. "We are incredibly sad to announce the news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Cheetah Chrome," the statement read. "Cheetah was a true original, an architect of the punk rock movement. A one-man hurricane tearing up the musical landscape with his feral guitar riffs and manic energy. Beyond all that Cheetah was also just a really sweet guy that loved rock-roll. No cause of death has been provided. Cheetah (real name Eugene Richard O'Connor), first joined the band Rocket from the Tombs before forming Dead Boys alongside fellow RFTT members Stiv Bators and Johnny Madansky. As Dead Boys, they released two albums: 1977's Young, Loud and Snotty and, the following year, We Have Come for Your Children. The band broke up in 1980 and later reunited for a series of live performances -- first in 1987, again in 2004 and once more beginning in 2017. They never released another studio album. The band also featured prominently in Lech Kowalski's iconic 1980 punk documentary D.O.A.: A Right of Passage. After Dead Boys disbanded, O'Connor went on to pursue several solo projects, as well as working as a session musician and touring with GG Allin. Dead Boys had planned to reunite in 2027 to mark their 50th anniversary. O'Connor is survived by his wife, Anna O'Connor, and his 14-year-old son Rogan, who reside in Nashville. - NME, 9/14/26...... 
Bob Mackie, the dress designer whose legendarily glitzy gowns were the go-to for stars including Cher, Barbra Streisand, Carol Burnett, Tina Turner and Miley Cyrus, died on Sept. 14. He was 87. "It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today," reads a statement on his Instagram page. "He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do. His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world." The post was accompanied by a photo of the designer flashing his signature smile while seated at his drafting table surrounded by colored markers and sketches. Born in Monterey Park, Calif. on March 24, 1939, Mr. Mackie dropped out of Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and began working as an apprentice designer at Paramount Studios before renowned film costume designer Edith Head took him under her wing as a sketch artist. One of his first gigs out of college was the iconic skin-tight mesh dress covered in crystals worn by Marilyn Monroe when she serenaded Pres. John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in 1962; social media influencer Kim Kardashian wore the dress at the 2022 Met Gala. The combination of his sketching skills, eye for attention-grabbing looks and love of Hollywood glamour helped land Mr. Mackie -- also known as the "Sultan of Sequins" -- his first big break when singer/actress Mitzi Gaynor hired him to design the costumes for her Las Vegas revue, and then later for her TV specials, which earned him Emmy awards in 1976 and 1978. He also scored another major gig early in his career when he was tapped to be the costumer for The Carol Burnett Show, a hugely popular weekly sketch series that ran from 1967-1978, for which he cranked out dozens of outfits per week. The gig helped make Mr. Mackie the go-to designer for some of the eras biggest stars. He met Cher on the set of the Burnett show and began a long friendship and professional collaboration with the singer that included him becoming the official costumer for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and, later, one of the singer/actresses' favorite designers. Over the years, their creative partnership would spawn some of the most outrageous, talked-about red carpet outfits of all time, including the sheer, sequin- and feather-covered "nude illusion gown" she wore at the 1974 Met Gala, where she was escorted by Mr. Mackie, and the black, belly-baring two-piece with a giant feathered headdress she wore to the 1986 Academy Awards. Among their other legendary collabs is the "seat belt" outfit Cher wore in the "If I Could Turn Back Time" video, which famously consisted of a sheer black bodysuit with garters, thin black strips of fabric covering Cher's private parts and not much else. A 32-time Emmy nominee, Mr. Mackie was nominated for three Oscars in his lifetime -- for Lady Sings the Blues (1973), Funny Lady (1976) and Pennies From Heaven (1982) and won nine competitive Emmy Awards and one honorary award, as well as a Tony in 2019 for The Cher Show, for which he created more than 450 outfits. Mr. Mackie debuted the Bob Mackie Barbie collection in 1982 and in 2002 he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. "My dear Bob has gone up to heaven. Knowing him, he's bringing Sequins, Beads, & his sketch pad," Cher posted in tribute on X on Sept. 15. "Good nite sweet Prince." - Billboard, 9/14/26.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Bruce Springsteen said he has no regrets about the political message behind his recent "Land of Hope and Dreams Tour." "I'm old now and I do what I want to do," he said. "This was the show I wanted to make, the story I wanted to tell." The 20-date tour, which which kicked off Mar. 31 in Minneapolis and wrapped May 30 in Philadelphia, followed the Jersey rocker's January release of "Streets in Minneapolis," which was a protest song written in response to the death of Rene Good and Alex Pretti during confrontation with federal immigration authorities. He opened the shows with Edwin Starr's 1970 protest song 
Stevie Wonder is gearing up for a six-date U.S. tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his seminal album, 
In an interview on his SiriusXM channel on Sept. 9, Billy Joel opened up about how a diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus last year revealed the unexpected damage his concerts were causing to his brain. Joel, 77, described going to see a doctor after suffering from balance problems that made it feel like he was "on a boat." After giving him the diagnosis, his neurologists recommended implanting a shunt in his brain to reliever some of the pressure. "So I agreed to do the shunt," Joel said, noting that he initially said he'd "pass" on the suggestion of the surgery that entailed drilling a hole through his skull to implant the shunt, in order to stop the progressive condition from getting worse. "But then I read up on it and I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory. You know, I don't want to lose my marbles," Joel said. "It's hard to tell what's age and what's a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain and it actually improved things." And while he said his memory, balance and ability to function all improved after the procedure, the bad news was that his doctors also advised him to stop performing live because they said the physical effects of playing loud rock shows might cause further damage. "I realized, and the doctors told me this, because of my job, which is playing rock 'n' roll music very loud, that it was giving me something like a concussion every time I did a show," the singer said. "It was causing damage to my brain nerves and I could be losing more brain cells the more shows I did and I realized that means I shouldn't be doing this right now." And so, Joel canceled his planned 2025 tour dates after playing his last full show on Feb. 22, 2025 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Near the end of his set, he did a microphone spin and then fell down during "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," which led to the diagnosis. The singer revealed the condition to fans three months later after canceling the rest of his planned gigs. Since the diagnosis and surgery, Joel has only performed in public once, on Jan. 2, when he hopped on stage with a Billy Joel tribute band called Turnstiles at a show in Wellington. Fla., where he performed "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Big Shot" with the group. His full SiriusXM broadcast can be streamed on 
Graham Nash has ruled out any Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young reunions between himself and surviving bandmates Stephen Stills and Neil Young. Asked if there may be a reunion with some combination of the singers during an interview with The Arts Fuse, Graham replied: "David [Crosby] was the heartbeat of the band and since he has passed away I don't think the rest of us will ever collaborate again. Also, Stephen has retired and Neil won't play any CSN songs so if you want to hear them you have to come see me!" Questioned about what he's most proud of, and what he regrets, Graham said: "I am most proud of the ability I have to speak to and perform for my fellow human beings. I've tried my best to make them shake their ass and think at the same time. My only regret was being on tour both when my father passed and when my mother died. In neither case was I able to see them before they had gone." Graham has tackled some contentious topics through his songs during his career, including war, immigration and nuclear power, and says he has no plans to stop doing that. "I'm a human being, a member of the human race, and I have to talk about what's going on with me right now," he said. - Music-News.com, 9/8/26...... Tom Jones says he was fired from the British version of The Voice over ITV's "financial difficulty with insurance," and that the network later described the change as an effort to refresh the coaching lineup. Jones made clear that he would have preferred to remain in his coaching role, writing in an 
In her new memoir, 
KISS has scored its highest-charted title on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart in more than a decade, as its new live album 
London's Wembley Park has unveiled a 30 ft. anamorphic mural of Freddie Mercury across its Spanish Steps to celebrate what would have been the Queen frontman's 80th birthday on Sept. 5. Titled "I'm Mr. Mercury," the hand-sprayed vinyl artwork was created by British street artist Frank Styles. Applied across all 58 Spanish Steps -- which connect Wembley Stadium and OVO Arena Wembley -- the installation features a monochromatic portrait of Mercury set against graphic elements inspired by his life and passions. Designed as an anamorphic image, the complete portrait aligns when viewed from a marked yellow circle opposite the steps. Moving away from the specific viewpoint causes the artwork to resolve into abstract shapes and lines. The surrounding design includes koi carp, reflecting Mercury's love of Japanese culture and his London home's garden, alongside winged female figures referencing his Virgo star sign and the Queen crest he designed. Quotes and selected lyrics also trace up the steps toward Wembley Stadium. Commenting on the artwork, Queen's manager Jim Beach said: "Freddie was known to millions around the world as the frontman of Queen but off stage, he was a quiet and humble man, happy at home surrounded by the things he loved most. 'I'm Mr. Mercury' perfectly captures the beautiful complexity of Freddie." Artist Styles added: "As a trained graphic designer himself, Freddie was very aware and precise about the visual feel and so I have endeavoured to follow his ethos in the conscious creation of this mural." "I'm Mr. Mercury" is free to view and will remain on display through to Dec. 2026. - Music-News.com, 9/5/26...... Roger Daltrey has confirmed that Zak Starkey has rehearsed with The Who, ahead of a possible reunion tour just over a year after his departure from the group after the two had an "acrimonious" fallout after a gig in 2025. Speaking to LifeMinute.com, Daltrey said of the drummer: "He's not Keith Moon, but he's come very close." When asked directly if a reunion with Starkey was possible, Daltrey replied: "I don't know. We did a rehearsal recently, and Zak was the drummer. We love Zak, but sometimes the road doesn't like Zak. Sometimes it gets on top of him, and it becomes difficult." He continued: "He was drumming at the rehearsal, and we did the rehearsal to see if we can possibly do shows next year. Still hit the notes, still get the drive. Who music demands an incredible amount of drive, and without that, it would be Herman's Hermits without the Herman." The flare up between Starkey, Daltrey and Townshend started during a 2025 performance of "The Song Is Over" when Daltrey stopped and complained that he could not hear the key over the drums, and the band were subsequently reported to have fired Starkey following an "acrimonious" fallout. Starkey said he was "surprised and saddened" by the decision, maintaining that he did not believe there had been a problem with his performance. Days later, Townshend announced that Starkey was "not being asked to step down." However, in May The Who confirmed that the drummer had left the band again, stating that "the time has come for a change". Starkey disputed the suggestion that he had chosen to leave, claiming he had been asked to "lie" and say he had quit to pursue other projects. "I love The Who and would never have quit," he wrote at the time. In August, Starkey appeared to be playing with The Who again, with both he and Daltrey confirming that they had rehearsed together. - NME, 9/3/26...... 
Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen has been appointed a Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in recognition of his contribution to the country of his birth and his remarkable career and influence on musicians around the globe. Van Halen was appointed Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion (Ridder in de Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw) on Sept. 1 in Nijmegen, the Dutch city where he and his brother Eddie spent a good chunk of their childhood. It's one of the country's highest civilian orders, given only to those who "make extraordinary contributions" to society. Van Halen, 73, was on hand for the ceremony at the Berchmanianum, the academy building of Radboud University, where mayor Hubert Bruls presented the royal honor and spoke of Van Halen's role in writing a "remarkable chapter in the history of rock music." Speaking on the sidelines, Van Halen remarked: "My cousin organized most of this. I'm very grateful. I think institutions like this are important in people's lives because it adds a dignity and a gravity to what we do. Whether it's actually deserved or not, that's another question. But we can live up to it. That's the whole thing, is you got to have something to live up to." Alex also signed Nijmegen's Book of the City, a tome reserved for distinguished visitors, inking his name in its pages alongside Bruce Springsteen and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. "Alex still feels a connection with Nijmegen," reads a statement from the city, "and Nijmegen in turn honors the band." Alex's band Van Halen was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. They scored five No. 1 albums on the Billboard chart and more than 20 hits on the Hot 100 songs chart, including the 1984 smash single "Jump," which logged five weeks at No. 1. - Billboard, 9/3/26...... Stevie Nicks' Fleetwood Mac classic "Landslide" will appear on the soundtrack of the upcoming movie Practical Magic 2. The news comes two days after Nicks and Olivia Rodrigo sang the song together at the latter's inaugural Daisy Chain Fields charity festival in Irvine, Calif. After Daisy Chain Fields, leading lady Sandra Bullock -- who stars opposite Nicole Kidman in the original Practical Magic and upcoming sequel -- reshared a video of Nicks and Rodrigo performing together and wrote, "Angel voices that are part of an upcoming film." It led to initial speculation that the two singer/songwriters were planning to team up on a collaborative song for the fantasy romance, rather than contribute separately. Nicks was one of three special guests who joined Rodrigo onstage at Daisy Chain Fields, alongside Sara McLachlan and Alanis Morissette. Practical Magic 2 hits theaters Sept. 10. - Billboard, 9/2/26...... Sean Ono Lennon and his longtime girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl announced the birth of their first child, a boy, on Sept. 1. The news came in an 
David Byrne has written a song for a "scathing" new Elon Musk documentary, and the lyrics are reportedly only comprised of the billionaire's quotes. The new feature-length documentary is made by Alex Gibney, whose previous projects include Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief, The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley, and the Oscar-winning Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room. Described as a "definitive and unvarnished examination" of the billionaire tycoon, Musk is set to open in cinemas on Oct. 16, and has already been criticized by Musk -- who described the 235-minute film as a "hit piece." Now, it has come to light that David Byrne has made a song especially for the documentary, and it will be comprised entirely of Elon Musk quotes. The former Talking Heads frontman wrote the song alongside composer Daniel Pemberton (Project Hail Mary), and it is titled "Let Me Sell You A Dream." "I asked for good quotes from the Martian and found more of them online," Byrne told Variety. "I'm sure he loves dropping these wild statements, and those became the lyrics. All his own words. No editorialising. Straight from the man's mouth to mine." - NME, 9/3/26...... Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has signed on as executive producer for the forthcoming documentary Freedom Theatre. Directed by Rishi Pelham, the film follows resistance fighter turned artist Ahmed Tobasi as he fights to keep a theatre open in the middle of the Jenin refugee camp in Palestine. Variety reports that the film took five years to shoot, and is intended for a tour of film festivals, heading to Venice this month to look for potential distribution partners. Pelham told the outlet: "I didn't intentionally set out to make this film. I kept returning to Jenin, to the theatre, to the camp, and over time the story insisted on being told. What drew me in was the tension between two worlds: the black-box rehearsal room, sealed and controllable, and the camp outside, alive, volatile, and impossible to contain. Slowly, these spaces began to bleed into one another." Roger Waters has been a longtime supporter of Palestine. In 2024, he urged followers on social media not to vote for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the US election due to their respective stances on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. More recently, last July, he voiced his support for Palestine Action after the organisation was proscribed as a terrorist group under the Terrorism Act 2000. - NME, 9/2/26...... Gary Glitter has pleaded not guilty to eight charges of historical sexual offences in the UK against a girl aged between eight and 11. The disgraced singer and convicted child sex offender, whose real name is Paul Gadd, entered his pleas at Southwark Crown Court on Sept. 2. Appearing via video link from prison, the 82-year-old denied four charges of indecent assault of a girl under 13, two counts of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and two counts of indecency with a child under 13. Gadd replied that he was "absolutely not guilty" to two of the charges before repeating "not guilty" to the remaining six. All eight counts relate to the same complainant and the alleged incidents occurred between March 1978 and December 1981. Gadd has been accused of giving the girl chocolate and inviting her to his home in West London, where the offences are said to have taken place. Judge Tony Baumgartner remanded Gadd in custody and adjourned proceedings ahead of a three-week trial set to start in November 2027. Gadd rose to fame as Gary Glitter during the 1970s, releasing hits including "Rock And Roll (Parts One And Two)" and "I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)." He is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2015 of sexual offences against three schoolgirls. - NME, 9/2/26...... 
Gloria Steinem, the celebrated author and activist who became the most visible symbol of the U.S. women's movement and remained a fierce and eloquent advocate for equality for six decades, died on Sept. 2 at her home in New York City, according to a post on her