Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on October 17th, 2026

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter on Oct. 15, Billy Joel revealed he's "not allowed to drive" after stepping away from the stage in 2025 and is preparing to auction off his beloved collection of over 70 vintage motorcycles. Announcing he was canceling his previously scheduled 2025-2026 tour at the time, Joel said that the brain disorder he'd been experiencing had "been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance" and that he was undergoing physical therapy under his doctor's instructions. In his Hollywood Reporter interview, Joel said, "I have to take a series of tests before I know," adding, "I can't drive right now. I'm not allowed to drive." He said a neurologist informed him that "every time you do a show, it's like you're getting a concussion." Billy continued: "I'm into my 70s now, and I realized I can't ride as much as I used to. I don't want to die like a bug on a windshield. So I thought I'd put a lot of them on auction." He said his brain disorder makes riding a bit "iffy," and he realized "it's time for me to turn it over to somebody else." In September, The Piano Man said that he didn't want people worrying about his health. "I know people are worried about me because they read that I have a brain disorder, which sounds a lot worse than it actually is," he said on SiriusXM when taking calls from fans. "I'm okay. My balance isn't that good. Lost a little bit of my hearing, but that may have to do with my age, too, and the rock and roll life and the loud volume probably didn't help. But I'm fine. I want people to not have to worry about me. I'm okay." Joel has been collecting and restoring vintage bikes for decades, and for 15 years, he ran 20th Century Cycles on Long Island, a shop for storing and servicing his bikes that doubled as a free museum to showcase his collection before shuttering the business in 2025. The auction of his personal motorcycle collection is scheduled for Nov. 20 and 21. - Rolling Stone, 10/15/26...... More than six decades after becoming a permanent resident of the U.S., Canadian-born Joni Mitchell has officially become a United States citizen. The legendary singer/songwriter shared the news via an Instagram post on Oct. 13, posting a photo of herself smiling while holding a miniature American flag. She also uploaded a video showing her being applauded as she stepped forward during her citizenship ceremony. "A journey that began 62 years ago," she captioned the post, and did not provide further details about her decision to pursue American citizenship. Born in Fort Macleod, Alberta, in 1943, Mitchell first moved to the U.S. in the mid-1960s, settling in Los Angeles and becoming a defining figure in the Laurel Canyon music scene alongside fellow singer/songwriters and musicians such as members of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Over the decades, Mitchell built a catalog that would influence generations of artists, earning her a place among the most celebrated and recognized songwriters in popular music. Her relationship with the U.S., however, has not always been straightforward. During a 2024 performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Mitchell made her political feelings known with a blunt expletive directed at then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. She followed it with a lament about her inability to vote as a Canadian citizen, jokingly referring to herself as "one of those lousy immigrants." Mitchell, who celebrates her 83rd birthday on Nov. 7, leaves an extraordinary legacy behind her and has spent decades influencing American music. - Billboard, 10/13/26...... Roger Waters has called Metallica frontman James Hetfield a "complete prick" who has "an IQ of about three" after Hetfield made comments during a Metallica show at the Las Vegas Sphere on Oct. 10 criticizing other artists with "bullshit agendas" about the world's issues. "Metallica is not here, like some other entertainers, to influence you with their bullshit, OK," he shared. "No bullshit. We're here to forget about all the outside shit, OK? Metallica's agenda is love, energy and heavy music, baby!" Although Hetfield didn't mention any names, some fans have speculated that it could be a nod to rapper Macklemore, who was dropped as a support act for Ed Sheeran's "Loop" tour after making a speech calling for a "free Palestine," or possibly other younger artists including Hayley Williams, who criticized ICE during her recent concerts, or even Tom Morello who recently enlisted Jack Black, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen and more for his politically-charged "Power To The People" festival. Now, former Pink Floyd star Waters has shared his thoughts on the comments made by Hetfield, calling him a "prick." "Can we stop talking about this prick?" he said when making a guest appearance on Katie Halper's podcast. "I'm so bored with him. He's just showing that he's a complete prick. He's got an IQ of about three, and why we're talking about him, I honestly don't know, because he's a nobody." Waters continued: "He may have a few hundred million dollars or whatever, but he's a prick, and he's no musician. I heard them playing acoustic instruments, and they couldn't. It was appalling." Metallica have been largely apolitical over the years, and back in 2017 Hetfield said that he wanted to keep his thoughts about Donald Trump to himself, arguing that politics "separates" people. Footage of Hetfield's swipe at other artists has been shared on X, and Waters' comments can be viewed on Instagram. - New Musical Express, 10/16/26...... The early '80s English rock supergroup Asia is returning with its first studio album in 12 years, Indigo. Asia's history is almost too perfectly engineered to be true: four musicians drawn from major prog-rock acts of the 1970s -- John Wetton of King Crimson, Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Steve Howe of Yes and Geoff Downes of the Buggles -- came together in 1982 to form a supergroup that quickly became something much bigger, with their self-titled debut reportedly selling as many as 80,000 copies a day. Then came changes. Wetton gave way to John Payne on lead vocals as the 1980s became the 1990s, and Asia continued producing chorus-driven, highly melodic rock. In 2006, the original four reunited for three albums and tours before members once again began peeling away. Wetton died in 2017, following the release of Asia's 2014 studio album, Gravitas. Downes now leads a new lineup of Asia with vocalist Harry Whitley on Indigo, and the collection balances radio-ready rock with ambitious progressive explorations while honoring the band's legacy and his songwriting partnership with Wetton. There are the radio-friendly songs of their 1982 debut similar to "Heat of the Moment" and "Only Time Will Tell," but also longer, more experimental pieces that allow the musicians to stretch. Indigo doesn't erase or replace either chapter of the band's history. Instead, it shows how Asia can sound when its history is allowed to evolve. Indigo arrives on Nov. 6, and he official video for the album's first single, "Arcadia," can be streamed on YouTube. - Canoe.com, 10/15/26...... Neil Young is raving about the new controversial Tom Cruise film Digger, calling it "the best film I have ever seen." Co-written and directed by Oscar-winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman, The Revenant) and follows oil tycoon Digger Rockwell (Cruise) as he tries to save the lives of thousands from an environmental disaster that he's behind. The satirical black comedy also features plenty of genre-twists which divided critics, who largely panned the film. While the movie has struggled at the box office -- only taking in $20 million against a production budget of $160 million and is on track to become one of the biggest flops in Hollywood history -- several artists have praised the film. Actress Anne Hathaway called it "smart, trippy, aggressive, funny and ambitious" in a glowing review on her Letterboxd account, and Neil Young has shared a lengthy blog post where he calls Digger the "best movie I've ever seen." "None of the reviews I have read describe this film adequately, in my opinion. They seem to miss the overall effect and most of them are negative," he wrote. "This film lives in a world of art. It is its own best review. Don't read any other reviews and forget this one before you see Digger." He went on to say that it would be "misleading" to view Digger as your typical Tom Cruise blockbuster. "I do not view this film as a commercial venture. Rather it is an artful film of our times. The things that are said in Digger are a direct reflection of today's political and social world. The film is so full of artful expression and radical change ups, that it may be too much to take in for those expecting a commercial film like we are used to today." He described Digger as a "must see for those frustrated by the lack of genuine engagement present in much, if not all, of today's offerings," and encouraged fans to see it with "an open mind." "Stick with it when you are sure it is no good. Stay. Don't be confused by its approach. This is the greatest film -- work of art I have seen, and that's just my opinion," he continued. "You must stay open and see it. Forget everything I said." The Digger official trailer can be streamed on YouTube. - NME, 10/16/26...... Former Black Sabbath and Deep Purple singer/bassist Glenn Hughes has told fans that he is on the mend after undergoing another major heart procedure. In an Instagram post on Oct. 16, Hughes said he is "Now Home after an 8 day stay, and a 10 hour open heart surgery operation, called aortic valve replacement, exactly the same procedure I had done in 2013, at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, Westwood, LA." Hughes, 75, praised his doctor, the head of cardiothoracic surgery at UCLA, and the staff and assured fans, "Each day as I move forward, I am getting my energy back. There is only love in my life. There are no mistakes." In August, Hughes announced that he was retiring from touring effective immediately, calling off a planned six-week tour due to health issues and giving up on life on the road after half a century on doctor's advice that he needed heart surgery. "This past year, I've had some health issues. The results from numerous MRIs, CT scans, and an echocardiogram have alerted my medical team, that I need another open-heart surgery," he wrote at the time. "I really have no option and no choice as health is my number one priority. Grateful to have been chosen with a life full with the gift of music Thank you for walking beside me." Beginning his career as the singer of the British funk-rock band Trapeze in the early 1970s, Hughes got the chance of a lifetime when he was tapped to replace Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover in 1973, where he sang alongside lead singer David Coverdale on three albums. After Deep Purple's original breakup, Hughes struck out on his own, releasing his 1977 solo debut, Play Me Out, the first of more than a dozen solo LPs he's released. He played with a number of bands throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, including stepping in to sing lead vocals on the 1986 Black Sabbath album Seventh Star. In his new post, Hughes kept a chin-up attitude about his health, writing, "Everything is in its right place. Never believe that there is something wrong in your life. You are where you're supposed to be. Going through those experiences that are necessary for you right now. When you become angry at yourself, because you don't like the experiences that you are going through, you are hindering your growth. Rather be grateful, & thankful, for every experience that you're going through." - Billboard, 10/16/26...... The deluxe reissue of The Beatles' 1965 LP Rubber Soul has risen to the top of Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart, also claiming first place on the publication's Top Album Sales and Vinyl Albums charts. In the week ending Oct. 8, Rubber Soul earned 58,000 equivalent album units in the United States, up 1,626% from the previous period's 4,000, according to Luminate. Of its 58,000-unit sum, 50,000 copies are via album sales, which allows the set to reenter the all-genre Top Album Sales chart at No. 1, the band's eighth leader since the chart launched in 1991. It also tops Vinyl Albums with 24,000 copies being sold via the vinyl configuration, the English quartet's seventh top spot on the 15-year-old chart. Rubber Soul becomes The Beatles' seventh No. 1 on Top Rock Albums, which began in 2006. It first reigned in 2007 with Love (the companion album to its Cirque du Soleil show) and had most recently reigned via a similar reissue of Revolver in 2022. Reissues of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 2017 and Abbey Road in 2019 have also topped the chart in previous years; for the reissues, all versions of the album are combined for tracking and charting purposes. Rubber Soul was reissued in a variety of configurations, including a four-CD, five-LP reissue includes original and new mixes of the album as well as demos and alternate session takes. It also contains a home demo of the previously unheard song "Little Girl" that was written and recorded by John Lennon. Meanwhile, Paul McCartney has claimed he can remember details of his birth. Appearing on Amy Poehler's podcast Good Hang on Oct. 13, Paul explained that he believes can actually remember being born. These things, you don't know if you've made it up. But I have this feeling that I kind of remember being born," he began. "I was born in a place in Liverpool called Walton Hospital, which was a real old Victorian thing; I think it had been something else before a hospital." Sir Paul went on to list some details of the hospital, however he emphasized that he is unsure whether the memories are real or if he had dreamed them up later. "So, I kind of remember white tiles, very sort of hygienic white tiles and chrome instruments and a clanging, because I was a forceps birth. They had to pull me out," the 84-year-old continued, adding: "I don't know if it's true." Also on the podcast, Macca cleared up an annoying "tall tale" that he says filmmakers keep getting wrong about The Beatles. When Poehler asked who was the tallest Beatle, McCartney said a bit defensively, "We were all the same height," holding up a finger in emphasis. "You really were," Poehler said with a sly smile as she willfully opened the Pandora's box. "You know I've got a thing about that, do you?" McCartney shot back as Poehler feigned ignorance and let out a laugh. After Poehler said "You really were," McCartney said: "Oh my God. Well, we were all the same height and Ringo [Starr] was a bit smaller." Elsewhere, the animal rights group PETA has sent an official letter to the UK's Omega Auctions asking for 43 Elswick Street, the Liverpool house where McCartney first learned to play the guitar, to be donated to the charitable organization. With the property set to go under the hammer, PETA aims to transform the historic home into a dedicated museum celebrating the music legend's lifelong advocacy for animals and the planet. In the letter, PETA highlights how McCartney has spent decades using his global music platform, voice, and influence to encourage environmental stewardship and kindness toward animals. As a committed vegetarian, McCartney once famously declared, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian." Alongside his daughters Mary and Stella McCartney, he has carried forward the legacy of his late wife, Linda McCartney, through impactful global initiatives such as Meat Free Monday, inspiring millions worldwide to leave animals off their plates. Finally on the Fab Four front, Sean Ono Lennon has clarified fan speculation about how his deceased dad John Lennon divided inheritance between him and his half brother Julian Lennon. Replying to a post on X on Oct. 11 in which someone presumed, "One guy inherited most of the estate, the other largely cut out and forced to engaged in decades-long litigation in pursuit of a comparatively small share of it. Unbearably painful and enraging for the one, surely pretty darn awkward for the other. That they remain friends (and largely always were) is testimony to the redemptive power of being a chill dude with broad implications for the wider world." The comment was tied to a post from Sean a day earlier of the Lennon brothers enjoying a nice day out in nature to celebrate his 51st birthday and, according to Sean, the commenter got it all wrong. "Julian and I inherited the same amount from our dad," he wrote. "Our trusts were equal. Although his was slightly more, but negligibly so." Sean is the adult son of John and wife Yoko Ono and Julian, 63, is Lennon's eldest, from his six-year marriage to his first wife, Cynthia Lennon. The two appear to have developed a close relationship and often share pictures together on their socials, including posing together at the 2021 Los Angeles premiere of Peter Jackson's Beatles miniseries Get Back. - Billboard/Music-News.com, 10/15/26...... On Oct. 15 Blondie announced their first new album in nine years, High Noon, will be released on Feb. 26 via BMG Music. According to a release, the 13-track set mixes their "classic punk/new wave energy with dance music and Latin rhythms" on songs that feature contributions from former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, former Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock, and Beirut's Zach Condon, among others. It is also the last recording co-founders singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein made with late drummer and fellow co-founder Clem Burke before his death in 2025. "This album is classic Blondie -- an amalgamation of all our different influences and eras into something new," said Harry in the statement. "This music feels grounded in the present, shaped by who we are and how we're living now." High Noon will be the New Wave icons' first LP of new material since 2017's Pollinator, and like that album, High Noon was produced by John Congleton, and the group said that following Burke's death at 70 from cancer in Apr. 2025 the record took on added meaning. "It's been a long, strange ride, and somehow here we are with another Blondie album," said Stein of the latest from the band formed in New York in 1974, which now stands as one of the last remaining groups still making new music from an era that spawned the likes of Talking Heads, The Ramones, Television and Patti Smith. "I'm not sure what the f--- I'm supposed to say at this point, except that we're incredibly grateful for all your support over the years." The new album's first single, the Johnny Marr-penned "Spectral Eyes," can be previewed on Spotify.com. - Billboard, 10/15/26...... The Rolling Stones have announced a release date for a deluxe edition of their 25th album Foreign Tongues, just five months after its July release. The update, dubbed Foreign Tongues, Loose Lips, is due out on Nov. 27 from Capitol Records and it will feature five new songs from the sessions for the LP that has already spawned the singles "Rough and Twisted," "In the Stars," "Jealous Lover" and "Mr. Charm." It will feature the previously issued iTunes bonus track "Bad Luck Hideaway," a duet between singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards that was recently made available across other digital platforms as the B-side the latest streaming single "Mr. Charm." Also included will be "Who You Callin' Crazy," featuring British jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine, which was released digitally on Oct. 16. The other songs include "Where There's a Will," "Human Tide," and "She Still Comes Around," none of which have been previously available. All five extra songs will be available in a standalone vinyl edition, as well as in a deluxe 2CD edition and across all digital formats. The vinyl edition -- which will come on heavyweight red vinyl -- will feature all five Loose Lips songs on LP, alongside the original Foreign Tongues album. - Billboard, 10/14/26...... Al Jardine says that despite years of animosity and legal battles between himself and fellow founding The Beach Boys member Mike Love, he still feels for his former longtime bandmate after seeing footage of the 85-year-old Love struggling during a recent performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. "It's shocking and I was really depressed," Jardine told Rolling Stone about his concern for Love performing with the surf pop legends at a time when the last remaining original member of the group is struggling with his health. "I had to really shake myself out of it just to get onstage. Just the optics of it were just awful and I'm speechless," Jardine, 84 said of the feelings he had watching Love remain seated during the band's show and sing the occasional background as the bandleader told the audience that he's been "going through some health issues for quite a while." That same night Jardine, the only other surviving member of the BB, was playing his own show with fellow former BB band members Bruce Johnston and David Marks at the Cerritos Center for the Performing arts in Cerritos, Calif. His gig also featured appearances from Carnie Wilson (late BB founder Brian Wilson's daughter and member of the 1990s group Wilson Phillips), Marilyn Wilson (Brian Wilson's first wife), as well as Jan and Dean's Dean Torrence. Asked if he thinks Love's band are going to play more shows, Jardine said: "That's just not right, that I can see. Obviously, he's a total pro. He wants to be onstage, but he just doesn't know how not to do it. He doesn't know what else to do, so I think he's trapped." Love has sued ardine several times over his use of the Beach Boys name, including in 2003 for touring under the names "Beach Boys Family & Friends," claiming that the gigs represented unfair competition with the Love-led Beach Boys. The Beach Boys have a handful of upcoming dates on their schedule, including a Nov. 11 performance at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park in Orlando, Fla., and a Nov. 13 show at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Bristol, Va., as well as a May 8, 2027 booking at River Cree Resort and Casino in Enoch, Alberta, Canada. - Billboard, 10/14/26...... Led Zeppelin has finally allowed "Stairway to Heaven" to be used on screen in the trailer for the upcoming movie Narnia: The Magician's Nephew because of their love for C.S. Lewis. The pioneering heavy metal band have never let the original recording of their iconic 1971 track be licensed for use in a film or TV series before, but filmmaker Greta Gerwig says she was able to convince them for her latest offering. Speaking during a Q+A with former late night TV host Stephen Colbert, she said: "They had not let it be used in anything. I was so moved that they allowed me to use the song." Gerwig said she spoke to Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, who wrote the song, and got them to personally sign off on using the song in marketing for Narnia. "I showed them and I talked to them, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. They did it because they saw the heart of the story in the film and they, too, love C.S. Lewis, and they have a reverence for his work. The whole thing was very fortuitous. I'm so happy that it got to be this song," she sad. Gerwig added she was determined to use "Stairway" in her film's first trailer as a way of introducing her adaptation. "It's an epic song. It's an amazing song. It's a narrative. It's about a spiritual journey. It's about the true path of enlightenment and spirituality, and then this path of false idols and the wrong roads you can go down. And I was like, 'This is exactly the story of this movie.'," she noted. Led Zeppelin have rejected several approaches to use "Stairway" on screen in the past. In 1992's Wayne's World, the titular character did play the opening notes in the guitar store, but the band forced them to remove the snippet from broadcast, video and foreign releases. The band also rejected a proposal by director Cameron Crowe for the song to be used in his 2000 film Almost Famous. Starring Daniel Craig and Cary Mulligan, Narnia: The Magician's Nephew will open in theaters on Feb. 12, 2027, before arriving on Netflix on Apr. 2. The full official trailer can be viewed on YouTube. - Music-News.com, 10/16/26...... Michael Jackson's legendary 1993 Super Bowl halftime performance is getting a documentary titled Spectacle: Michael Jackson at the Superbowl. Directed by Bao Nguyen, whose previous credits include Netflix's The Greatest Night in Pop, the feature-length documentary will explore the behind-the-scenes journey that brought Jackson's halftime show to life. The film will also include never-before-seen footage of the pop superstar and his team, giving fans a new perspective on a performance that helped reshape one of television's biggest annual events. A newly released teaser, available on YouTube, shows a glimpse of the spectacle, with footage of Jackson commanding the stage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., in his signature military-inspired outfit as thousands of fans fill the venue, chanting his name. The clip also previews the documentary's title before revealing its February premiere on Hulu and ESPN. Jackson's appearance at Super Bowl XXVII on Jan. 31, 1993, marked a turning point for the halftime show. Instead of a typical intermission between the game's two halves, the performance was an event of its own. It helped establish the halftime stage as a destination for some of the biggest names in music. Elsewhere, MJ has surged to the front of the pack in the race for the UK's Official biggest album of 2026 as the third quarter comes to a close. Following the release of the cinematic biopic Michael in April, public interest in the King of Pop's legendary musical catalogue has reached a massive fever pitch. His 2005 compilation release, The Essential Michael Jackson, has now amassed over 508,000 UK chart units this year alone. That impressive tally sees the late icon overtake Olivia Dean's acclaimed record The Art of Loving at No. 2, as well as Harry Styles' Kiss All The Time. - Billboard/Music-News.com, 10/13/26...... For the 36th time, Sammy Hagar has celebrated his birthday with a star-studded bash at his Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Hagar celebrated turning 79 on Oct. 13 over three nights -- Oct. 9, 11 and 13 -- with guest-filled rock n' roll festivities, and says he already has his eye on turning 80 with a different kind of party next year. "My dream would be to play somewhere where I can accommodate every ticket request, and everybody who never got to be at the Bash could come to this final bash," Hagar told Billboard. Hagar says that this year he received 100,000 requests for about 1,600 tickets over the three nights, a number that continues to grow every year. "I would love to be able to say to everyone, 'Guess what? You're all gonna be able to get a show.' If I have to play four or five nights somewhere, maybe I play a big stadium, maybe we block off the whole town of Cabo and do it for free. I don't know what we're gonna do yet, but I do know for my 80th birthday, that would be the dream." For this year's bash, Hagar assembled a house band reuniting him with members of his Waboritas -- guitarist Vic Johnson and bassist Mona Gnader -- joined by drummer Kenny Aronoff from Chickenfoot and Hagar's recent Van Halen-oriented Best of All Worlds band, and guitarist Stevie Salas. Hagar says he plans on focusing on his "Red Rocker" years in 2026, which, he adds, will include the entire debut album from Montrose from 1973. "The musicians wanted to do that stuff," Hagar explains. "I'm really looking forward to doing the full Montrose record. That's gonna be pushing my ass, lemme tell ya. I was 24 years old!" - Billboard, 10/13/26...... Sir Cliff Richard celebrated his 86th birthday on Oct. 14 alongside his devoted fans at a special afternoon tea event held at London's Intercontinental Hotel on Park Lane. Hosted by UK radio legend Ken Bruce, the gathering marked the upcoming release of his 48th studio album, Only Number Ones, with the music icon exclusively sharing a selection of new tracks with those in attendance. Fans who secured entry by pre-ordering the album were treated to photos with the "Devil Woman" singer and enjoyed a classic afternoon tea featuring sandwiches, scones, and bespoke desserts. During the event, Sir Cliff was presented with a birthday cake to celebrate his milestone year. Guests also heard an exclusive preview of "My Sweet Lord" and his brand-new version of "Oh, Pretty Woman" --a track originally taken to No. 1 in the UK by Roy Orbison 62 years ago, which Sir Cliff officially released on his birthday. "I am so thrilled to have been able to celebrate my 86th birthday with my fans," said Sir Cliff. "They have always been very special to me and are the reason why I continue to make music and tour. They helped me all of these years to get to number one, and it is great that I am now able to give back with my own versions of number one tracks that I personally love." Arriving on Nov. 27 in the UK and Dec. 4 in the US via major streaming platforms and retailers, Only Number Ones sees Sir Cliff put his signature touch on iconic chart-toppers spanning eight decades. The record features covers of tracks originally made famous by The Beatles, The Everly Brothers, The Monkees, Elvis Presley and Harry Styles, alongside a fresh 2026 rendition of "White Christmas." - Music-News.com, 10/15/26.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on October 12th, 2026

Jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine has revealed that The Rolling Stones are back in the studio, and he played "another session" with Mick Jagger for the band. "I've just done another session a couple of weeks ago with him [Jagger] for The Rolling Stones," Pine told BBC Radio 3's Private Passions. "Mick's an amazing artist," he added. "That whole pop world is completely different to anything that I know." Pine has worked with Jagger before, playing saxophone on his 1993 solo album Wandering Spirit. Recalling those sessions, he said: "I played on one version of Mick Jagger's solo album and they threw it away and then I get a call, 'Can I come out to LA tomorrow and play on another version of the same album?' Mick Jagger? Of course!" There has been no official confirmation that the latest session is intended for the next Stones album, but the news follows Jagger revealing in June that he had already begun writing again before the band's latest effort, Foreign Tongues, had even been released. Asked whether the album could become the middle instalment of a run of three Stones records, Jagger replied: "Yeah, it could be a trio [of records] I've already started writing songs anyway." "They could be for other people though," he added. "When you write a song, you sometimes decide, 'That's not for me, but it could be for the Chili Peppers' or whatever. I'm very open-minded to it. I've got a lot of stuff, and not all of it's suitable for The Rolling Stones. It shouldn't stop me writing them, you know. If you get an idea, just write it." - New Musical Express, 10/10/26...... Barry Manilow canceled two shows on his residency at the International Theater at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino after walking off the stage on Oct. 8 after only two songs, reportedly telling the crowd, "Talk amongst yourselves," and didn't come back. Manilow, 83, had only just returned to the venue for what his team called a "triumphant welcome-back concert" following a weeks-long break, but is reportedly struggling with a bout of bronchitis and "had to cancel his Friday and Saturday shows," a representative for the musician and the venue told Variety. The illness carries particular significance for the "Copacabana" singer. He disclosed in Dec. 2025 that he had been diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer, discovered after doctors ordered scans while he was recovering from a bout of bronchitis; he subsequently underwent surgery. The health issues repeatedly postponed his Westgate residency, originally set to begin in February, before he returned to the stage in the U.K. and resumed Vegas dates in July. In late August, he announced another break after a demanding summer run, saying "we were pushing a little too hard." His team has not said whether upcoming dates -- the residency is listed to continue Oct. 15 -- will be affected. Manilow's Westgate residency has made him one of Vegas' most enduring headliners, with his tally of shows at the venue surpassing Elvis Presley's record. Attendees have said they later received refund emails from Ticketmaster for the canceled shows. - Billboard, 10/10/26...... Co-founding Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill announced his retirement from the British heavy metal group on Oct. 9, effective immediately. "It is with heavy hearts that we are sending out this personal message from our Ian.he has been the backbone of Judas Priest for so long and will be greatly missed by us all," Judas Priest posted on Instagram. The post also contained a lengthy personal message from Hill, 75, who opened by describing his answer to the frequent question of how long he could continue with the band he joined with his childhood friend, guitarist K.K. Downing, in 1970, a year after original vocalist Al Atkins founded the "Breaking the Law" group in Birmingham, England. "I've always answered, 'until my performances suffer,'" Hill wrote. "I hate to say it, but that time has come. For some years now, I've been struggling with the onset of the evil arthritis, which is now in an advanced state in my left shoulder and right hand, established in my right shoulder, and present in both knees. I've been fighting this with painkilling pills, gels, and recently with cortisone injections in my shoulder and hand." Hill added that even though he was able to play his basslines on the songs for Priest's upcoming album, it was unclear if he'd be able to finish out the band's most recent European tour without incident. The band asked Uriah Heep bassist Davey Rimmer to step in for Hill on Sept. 21 during Priest's show at London's Eventim Apollo. Hill said he had to skip that show after "snapping a tendon" in his left shoulder just before the encores at a gig in Brussels on Sept. 18. In light of the various health issues, and the fact that he's "neglected my family life for fifty-seven years," Hill said he's made the hard decision to retire and spend his remaining years "making up for it, and doing things with them before it involves one of 'em pushing me around in a wheelchair." Hill is the only Judas Priest member to appear on all 19 of the band's albums, from their 1974 debut, Rocka Rolla, through the upcoming, as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2024's Invincible Shield. After spending all summer on the road in Europe on their "Faithkeepers" tour, the band has a long layoff before its next gig in June 2027 at a pair of festivals in Norway and Denmark. - Billboard, 10/9/26...... On Oct. 8 Def Leppard announced an extensive 2027 North American arena tour that will take the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame rockers from coast to coast and up through Canada from early spring through summer. The 45-date outing featuring support from Goo Goo Dolls and The Struts is slated to kick off on Mar. 2 at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., and feature stops in Montreal (3/5), Detroit (3/7), Toronto (3/9), Boston (3/17), Nashville (3/19), Chicago (3/25), Denver (3/29), Los Angeles (5/1), San Francisco (5/5), Seattle (5/9), Vancouver (5/14), Houston (6/1), St. Louis (6/7), Tampa (6/13), Atlanta (6/17), Cleveland (6/21), New York (6/23) and Philadelphia (6/27) before winding down on July 2 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The band closed out their third residency at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace in February and have an upcoming run of October gigs in Hollywood, Fla., followed by several stops in Mexico, and shows in El Salvador, Costa Rica and Ecuador. They will close out their 2026 schedule with November gigs in Colombia, Argentina and Chile. Def Leppard will also be the subjects of an upcoming feature-length documentary, Long Live Def Leppard, which is slated for release in theaters in 2027. - Billboard, 10/8/26...... Journey drummer Deen Castronovo was reportedly rushed to hospital on Oct. 8 after falling ill during Journey's performance at BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. A reporter for a local paper posted on X that Castronovo "had a medical emergency after two songs" and "was helped off the stage," later posting that the show continued after a 20-minute delay. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, co-founder and lead guitarist Neal Schon then told the crowd that Castronovo was en route to the hospital and that the band's drum tech, Steve Toomey, would fill in. Later during the show, Schon dedicated the concert to Castronovo. "This concert's for Deen tonight. I'd love you all to pray for him. Everybody's been going through a lot. I think he's going to be fine." Journey are making their final go-round with a lineup featuring Castronovo, Schon, Jonathan Cain, and singer Arnel Pineda, who joined the group in 2007, replacing original lead singer Steve Perry. Castronovo, 62, played drums and contributed vocals for Journey from 1998 until 2015, and later rejoined the group. A former member of Bad English and Hardline, he has also played for the late Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Vai, Paul Rodgers and GZR, with Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler. Journey's ongoing "Final Frontier" North American tour expanded in May with the announcement of 40 additional concerts. Journey has yet to share an update on Castronovo's condition. - Billboard, 10/9/26...... Art Garfunkel postponed his upcoming UK tour on Oct. 10 after being diagnosed with a respiratory infection. Garfunkel had been due to bring his "What A Wonderful World"' tour to Watford, Manchester, Wolverhampton and London in mid-October, beginning at the Watford Colosseum on Oct. 13. Now all four shows have now been postponed, with Garfunkel revealing that a visit to his doctor during rehearsals led to the diagnosis. "During rehearsals for my upcoming concerts, I nearly postponed a scheduled appointment with my physician," the 84-year-old crooner said in a statement. "Thankfully, my wonderful wife, Kim, insisted that I keep it. As it turns out, I have been diagnosed with a respiratory infection, and my doctor has advised me to take some time to rest and recover." He continued: "My heart is broken that I must postpone these performances. At this season of my life, to be so warmly received by audiences and surrounded by so much love is a gift beyond words. Singing for you has always been one of the greatest joys of my life, and the thought of disappointing you saddens me deeply." The venues are currently working to reschedule the performances, and ticket holders have been advised to retain their tickets while new dates are arranged. "I promise you that I will return to the stage and sing for you as soon as my health allows," Garfunkel added. "Please don't worry about me. I'm in good hands, and I expect to be just fine." His next currently listed show is at L'Olympia in Paris on Oct. 21, followed by a series of US dates beginning in Virginia on Oct. 30. - NME, 10/10/26...... After Steven Tyler teased that Aerosmith would play their first gigs in three years in an Instagram post earlier in October, the band announced on Oct. 7 that two shows will take place at the legendary Hollywood Bowl on Oct. 29 and Nov. 1 and be headlined by the "Sweet Emotion" band along with The Black Crowes, the group's "Walk This Way" collaborators Run-DMC, Heart, producer Andrew Watt (Ozzy Osbourne, Rolling Stones), Billy Idol, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan, Eric Church, Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell and bassist Mike Inez, Train singer Pat Monahan, Sammy Hagar and Tom Morello. The official photo released for the outing also suggests that the band's full classic lineup will be on hand for the shows, including founding drummer Joey Kramer, who hasn't played with the group in six years, since stepping away in 2020 due to health issues. The announcement also noted that lineups will vary by night and additional "legendary" artists, special guests and surprise appearances will be revealed later. - Billboard, 10/8/26...... The deluxe reissue of The Beatles' classic 1965 LP Rubber Soul features an 88-page hardbound book featuring a brand new written introduction by Paul McCartney, who reveals how the album's legendary cover came to be. "Our friendship with the photographer Robert Freeman, who had lived in the same block of flats at John, meant that he was an obvious choice to take the cover photograph," Sir Paul writes. "We did the session with Robert, and he showed us the results. The method he used in those days was to project the images he had taken on to a white piece of cardboard the shape and size of an album cover. While we were choosing a suitable shot the piece of cardboard slipped backwards, giving the image an elongated shape. When things like this happened with The Beatles, instead of just thinking it was a mistake, we grabbed hold of the idea and said, 'That's perfect. If you print it with this stretched shape it will echo the title of 'Rubber Soul". Robert liked the idea and that is what we did." The Super Deluxe Special Edition of Rubber Soul comes as either a 5-LP box-set or a 4-CD box-set, with 68 tracks and a selection of previously unreleased session recordings and home demos. Meanwhile, a special edition of McCartney's 2026 solo album The Boys of Dungeon Lane has been released with four new songs written around the same time as the original record. One of the new tracks is an alternate "Flip Mix" version (available on YouTube) of "Home To Us" -- the tender duet that saw McCartney reunite with his Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr for their first solo collaboration. Other new songs on the special edition of the album include brand new, previously-unreleased songs called "City Fox," "One Night Stand" and "Chelsea Boots." The album is available digitally now, and physical copies will be released on Dec. 9. Vinyl formats include a limited edition 2LP orange and blue marble vinyl featuring a zoetrope etching, and all new editions of the album come with a new artwork. Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, The Beatles' milestone of reaching 100 weeks on Billboard's Hot 200 albums chart has been joined by Taylor Swift and her latest album The Life of a Showgirl. Swift has become only the second act to spend at least 100 weeks on top of the chart, joining The Beatles, who have logged 132 weeks at No. 1. The Fab Four was last on top with the greatest hits set 1, which spent its eighth and final week atop the list dated Feb. 3, 2001. Among all acts, Elvis Presley has the third-most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with 67. NME/Billboard, 10/8/26...... Cher's follow-up to her bestselling memoir Cher: Part One: The Memoir has been scheduled to drop on Apr. 20, 2027, and is now available for pre-order. Part Two will be available in hardcover, paperback, audiobook and ebook formats. The book is listed at 480 pages, adding to the already considerable 432 pages delivered in the first tome. Clearly, the "Believe" singer has a lot more to say. The first installment was an instant No. 1 New York Times bestseller as well as a global No. 1 bestseller, giving Cher's memoir a strong start ahead of its highly anticipated conclusion. Among the many striking revelations in Cher: Part One: The Memoir regarding her ex-husband Sonny Bono's volatile behavior, the Oscar and Grammy winner also recounted being pursued by Warren Beatty at 15 and helping Tina Turner navigate an abusive marriage to Ike Turner. The memoir is available in paperback, hardcover, ebook and audiobook formats, with the latter narrated by the author herself. - Billboard, 10/8/26...... Oscar-winning actress Eva Marie Saint, who starred in such memorable classic films as On the Waterfront and North by Northwest, died on Oct. 6 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 102. The delicate, fine-boned actress, one of the first breakout talents from early television, won her Academy Award as best supporting actress for On the Waterfront in 1955, making her the oldest living Oscar winner. She played Edie Doyle in the Marlon Brando starring film, with the New York Times writing in its review, "Amid scenes of carnage, she gives tenderness and sensitivity to genuine romance." As Ms. Saint raised her family from the late 1950s on, she returned to acting intermittently, and many of her later appearances were onstage and on television, most notably in the ABC series Moonlighting and later as Clark Kent's adoptive mother in the 2006 movie Superman Returns. One of her most memorable roles was as the cool but seductive blonde spy in Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 spy thriller North by Northwest. "Not only does she provide the requisite icy sex appeal as Eve Kendall, a shadowy secret agent, but she also proves to be much more than a standard damsel in distress," Variety wrote in an appreciation on her 97th birthday. Ms. Saint made her TV debut on Camp Hoop La, then became a regular on One Man's Family. Other TV credits include Philco Playhouse, Robert Montgomery Presents and Studio One. After North by Northwest, she appeared in Exodus and All Fall Down. The latter, directed by John Frankenheimer and co-starring Warren Beatty, saw her give one of her best dramatic performances. She was the spiritual but scorned wife in 1965's Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton adultery tale The Sandpiper and then appeared in a better vehicle, Norman Jewison's comedy The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming, in 1966. Other roles include Loving, 36 Hours and Grand Prix. On Broadway she acted in "The Lincoln Mask" in 1972 and then, opposite Henry Fonda, in "The First Monday in October" in 1979. The actress had a recurring role on the ABC series Moonlighting, starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis, as Shepherd's mother. She returned to film again in the 2000s, appearing in films such as I Dreamed of Africa (2000), Because of Winn-Dixie and Don't Come Knocking (2005) and 2006's Superman Returns, in which she played Martha Kent. In 2014 she made her final bigscreen appearance, in the Akiva Goldsman written and directed Winter's Tale. Her husband, TV director Jeffrey Hayden, died in 2016. Survivors include her two children, Darrell and Laurette, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren. - Variety, 10/7/26...... NFL Hall of Famer Mike Ditka, the former tight end, Super Bowl-winning coach of the Chicago Bears, and TV analyst whose gruff "Iron Mike" style was parodied on Saturday Night Live, died on Oct. 9. He was 86. The cigar-smoking Mr. Ditka said his "Iron Mike" nickname derived from his upbringing in a Pennsylvania steel town, but his brusque manner and short temper contributed to his tough image. He became a larger-than-life character, whether he was sticking a wad of gum on a photographer's camera lens or berating a referee behind his trademark sunglasses. His persona was so large that he inspired a recurring sketch on SNL in the early '90s known as "Bill Swerski's Superfans." Created by Robert Smigel and Bob Odenkirk, the skit had several Chicago sports fans (played by Smigel, George Wendt, Joe Mantegna, Mike Myers, Chris Farley, et al) sitting around a table at Ditka's sports bar, drinking, smoking and gorging themselves on assorted meats while extolling the greatness of "Da Bears" and the Windy City's other teams. Born on Oct. 18, 1939, in Carnegie, Penn., Mr. Ditka was recruited by 40 schools coming out of Aliquippa High and chose the University of Pittsburgh to stay close to home and pursue a career in dentistry. He was a three-sport star at Pitt, also excelling in baseball and basketball. (The Panthers retired his No. 89 in football, and he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1968.) The Bears selected Mr. Ditka fifth overall in the 1961 draft, and he won Rookie of the Year honors after catching 58 passes and scoring 12 touchdowns, extraordinary numbers for a tight end in that era. After retiring from playing, he was hired by Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry as an assistant coach in 1973, and spent nine years on Landry's staff as Dallas captured three NFC titles and won another Super Bowl. He coached the Bears from 1982-92, guiding the 1985 team to a Super Bowl rout of the New England Patriots 22 years after winning an NFL championship with Chicago as a standout player. The 1985 Bears, widely considered among the most dominant teams in NFL history, went 15-1 during the regular season before trouncing three playoff opponents by a combined 91-10 margin. Mr. Ditka was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988, and also worked as an analyst for NBC and CBS, and later appeared as an ESPN commentator on a variety of platforms. Mr. Ditka was married twice and had four children, Michael III, Mark, Megan and Matthew. "It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, Mike Ditka," his family said in a statement. "While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach and leader of the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family. Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever." - AP, 10/10/26.

A rare Led Zeppelin single that the band ordered to be recalled and destroyed has been found on the UK version of Antiques Roadshow. Taping the show in Wales, a man named Caerphilly Castle brought in a seven-inch single of the group's classic "Whole Lotta Love," telling antiques expert Marc Allum how he managed to get his hands on it. "I was looking for records to start a disco and out of his bag came a couple of records and he went 'you can have those'," he told Allum, to which the expert said that the vinyl was only ever released in the US and "shouldn't really exist" in the UK. "There are a lot of myths and stories that build up around these things, and I heard that 500 were pressed and they went out," he continued. "This came about apparently because there was a kind of disparity between the relationship between the band, the management and the record company, and Led Zeppelin the band hadn't agreed to have any singles released." Allum also noted that there were some finger marks and light scratches on the vinyl, and while it was "difficult to put a value on," he estimated that it could fetch around £1,000 at auction. Castle also said that despite its rarity, the people who came to his disco were not "impressed" with it, and that "it cleared the dance floor" when he would put it on. "It's been with me for 55 years and I will probably give it to my daughters to do what they want to do with it. I don't think I will play it again as it will devalue it," he added. "Whole Lotta Love"' was the opening track for the band's 1969 second album Led Zeppelin II, which also featured such classic Led Zep numbers as "What Is and What Should Never Be," "The Lemon Song" and "Ramble On." "Whole Lotta Love" was certified gold in the US and had a rare single pressing of 500 copies made by Atlantic Records. The band had a strict no-single rule throughout their career, and only wanted their music to be released as full albums. As a result, their manager Peter Grant ordered all copies of the single to be recalled and destroyed. - New Musical Express, 10/6/26...... Elvis Costello has revealed he once pitched himself as the bandleader for the now-canceled CBS late night talk show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Interviewed on the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, Costello said that he pitched himself for the job before the show's original bandleader, Jon Batiste, got the gig. "It was an impulsive thing to put myself forward," Costello said of his offer to have himself an his band, the Impostors, serve as the house band on the show that was canceled by the network and aired its final show on May 21 of this year. Costello said when host Stephen Colbert asked his advice about the role, "I said, 'What about me?' And I think he thought I was joking, and I said, 'No, I'm not joking.'" While a Colbert spokesperson did not comment on the report, Costello said there were "serious discussions" about him taking on the role that he said he pitched after watching acts such as the long-running Tonight Show house band The Roots deftly navigate a four-show-a-week gig while also recording new music and avoiding the grind of touring. Costello, 72, who noted that after he pitched himself (and his band) he quickly realized the idea might not work for them, as they're scattered across the U.S. and Europe, including France-based keyboardist and longtime collaborator Steve Nieve. "I started to think about how much it asked of my bandmates, that they would all have to relocate," said Costello, who is the only member of the group based in New York, where the show taped. "It would have never worked. We would've been asking an awful lot, and the money involved and everything would've been unbelievable to relocate three band members to New York," he added. Though he missed out on the Colbert gig, the "Veronica" singer ended up making an appearance on the May 21 Late Show finale, where the host sang the My Aim Is True deep cut "Jump Up" with Costello, Batiste and his bandleader successor, Louis Cato, as part of a medley that featured a Paul McCartney-led "Hello Goodbye." - Billboard, 10/6/26...... Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, Dave Matthews and Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler were among the musicians participating in the inauguaral edition of Tom Morello's "Power To The People" festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md., on Oct. 3. Held to "bring together artists, fans, activists, organizations and community leaders for an unforgettable day celebrating the power of music and collective action to inspire change," the event organized by the Rage Against The Machine frontman saw some unique collaborations when it kicked off early that day. One of the biggest moments of the festival came when School of Rock star Jack Black took to the stage alongside Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Cypress Hill, Tom Morello, Public Enemy's Chuck D, and Anthrax's Scott Ian to break out a cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," which has been shared on YouTube. One of the most star-studded moments of the festival was the all-star jam session that came at the very end of the night, which started out with Springsteen on the stage solo, performing his politically charged song "Streets Of Minneapolis," before inviting Baez to join him for a cover of Bob Dylan's "Chimes Of Freedom." The collaboration with Springsteen at the one-day festival comes on the heels of Morello touring with The Boss on the New Jersey rocker's "Land Of Hope And Dreams" tour earlier in 2026. - Billboard, 10/6/26...... In a recent interview with London's The Times, Queen guitarist Brian May revealed that his legendary band won't be touring again. "A close family friend died when we were in the States, so I said to my tour manager, 'I'll just nip home for a few days and come back'," May, 79, said. "She looked me in the eyes and said, 'You know you can't do that.' I love to play, I love to travel, but the trade-off is sacrificing your freedom. I have a wife (actress Anita Dobson), grandchildren and a lot of astrophysics I want to do, so I'm thinking maybe 50 years is enough." Since 2005, May and his co-founding Queen bandmate Roger Taylor have toured with singers Paul Rodgers and Adam Lambert filling in for the band's late frontman Freddie Mercury. Queen and Lambert, who have worked together since 2011, concluded their last tour in Feb. 2024. Later that year, May suffered a "minor stroke" and was temporarily unable to use his left arm. He has since made a full recovery. - Music-News.com, 10/6/26...... Alice Cooper released his third memoir, Devil On My Shoulder, on Oct. 6, and says he wants to set the record straight with this one -- or as straight as it can be. "I've rarely allowed facts to get in the way of telling a good story," Cooper says of his earlier memoirs." He even acknowledges in the new book's preface, "I'd go as far as to say I've been the most outrageously unreliable interviewee of all time, weaving a tangled web of embellishments and exaggerations as I went alonguntil even I couldn't separate fact from fiction." Devil On My Shoulder is certainly the most detailed account of Cooper's "eviloution," from growing up in Detroit through the original Alice Cooper band's formation in Phoenix, its time in Los Angeles and subsequent rise to notorious -- and often reviled -- superstardom with horror-show onstage theatrics and big hits such as "Eighteen," "School's Out" and "No More Mr. Nice Guy." He leaves some of the legends dangling -- maintaining that "I still don't know who had the chicken" that he threw into the audience at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival Festival in 1969 -- while he comes clean about others, including the mundane origins of the Alice Cooper name. "The real story at the time was not as good as the one that was a like... the reincarnation of the witch and the Ouija board and all of that," he says. "I just said, 'Look, it's a better story.' What we learned at that point was you didn't have to (say) it, you just have to not deny it." Cooper launches a national book tour in the US on Oct. 7 in New York City and will also appear at the NYC Comic-Con the following day, before heading overseas to promote the memoir on Oct. 11 in Cardiff, Wales. He'll also be doing book-siginings in Cardiff, Brighton, London, Manchester, Stockton, Glasgow and Wolverhampton. On Nov. 2, he'll participate in a Q&A at Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of fame and on Nov. 5 greet fans in Livonia, Mich. at Rock City Music. Alice kicks off a 16-date fall U.S. tour on Oct. 27 in Clearwater, Fla., wrapping on Nov. 21 in Reno, Nev., and beginning a "Welcome To Our Nightmare" residency at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Nov. 27-29 and Dec. 4-6. - Billboard, 10/6/26...... Heavy metal pioneer and Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi has helped raise more than £15,000 to launch a brand-new scholarship supporting the next generation of musical talent in Birmingham. The funds were generated during a sell-out headline event, "An Evening with Tony Iommi," held at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's Bradshaw Hall. Fans travelled from across North America, South America, and Europe to pack the venue, kicking off the night with a stunning string quartet performance of Black Sabbath's classic "Paranoid" by Conservatoire students in the group Jezt. Hosted by legendary U.K. sports broadcaster and close friend Gary Newbon, the evening saw Iommi reflect on his extraordinary life and career. The guitar icon discussed the origins of his pioneering sound, which was forged after an industrial factory accident at age 17 cost him the tips of his fingers. Drawing inspiration from jazz great Django Reinhardt, Iommi crafted makeshift prosthetic tips and adapted his technique, paving the way for the birth of heavy metal. - Music-News.com, 10/6/26...... Roxy Music have shared a previously unreleased early demo of "Pyjamarama," taken from their forthcoming expanded reissue of their 1973 sophomore effort For Your Pleasure. Featuring only Bryan Ferry's voice and acoustic guitar, it also documents the first time the Roxy Music frontman had written a song using the instrument. The demo, available on Spotify.com, was recorded while Ferry was staying alone at a remote cottage in the Derbyshire Dales, where he retreated amid the band's hectic touring schedule to concentrate on writing their second album. Roxy Music have also shared a newly recovered performance of "Pyjamarama" from Top Of The Pops in Mar. 1973 on YouTube. The tape had been missing from the BBC archive, but was recently rediscovered in a collection belonging to mobile disco DJ Roger Hill. Due out on Nov.r 6 via UMR/Island EMI, the Super Deluxe edition spans three CDs and a DVD, featuring songwriting demos, rehearsals, AIR Studios outtakes, BBC sessions, instrumentals and archive TV and concert footage from 1972 and 1973. Roxy Music most recently reunited for a 50th anniversary tour in 2022, with Ferry, Manzanera, Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson performing together for the first time in more than a decade. - NME, 10/3/26...... Grammy-winning songwriter Jimmy Webb will be profiled on PBS' long-running series Great Performances on Oct. 30. Jimmy Webb: American Songwriter will include a Webb concert recorded in Feb. 2026, in which he takes the stage to perform such classics as "Wichita Lineman," "Highwayman," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Galveston" and "MacArthur Park." Webb is joined by guest artists Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett, Ashley Campbell (Glen Campbell's daughter), all of whom perform and offer commentary. The program also features archival clips of Webb's hits sung by the original artists: Campbell, The 5th Dimension and Richard Harris and a notable cover version of "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer, who took a disco version to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. - Billboard, 10/6/26...... A new David Bowie tribute called "Bowie80" started on Oct. 5 with a series of events celebrating what would have been the iconic musician's 80th birthday on Jan. 8, 2027. As part of the collection, there will be special events, releases, anniversaries, collaborations and fan experiences around the world, as well as limited-edition merchandise made especially for the occasion. To kick off the initiative is a new partnership with Nordstrom, who will be celebrating the music legend with three immersive shops in its Seattle, NYC, and Chicago flagships. Each will hold a range of exclusive and limited-edition collections, and collaborations also come from Undercover, Marc Jacobs, Paul Smith and AllSaints. Also in the US, there is a celebration of Bowie from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, which is hosting a retail pop-up that will run from mid-November up until January across its museum store, online shop, and airport location. The Rock Hall will also be holding some fan events, including Bowie-themed presentations, trivia, and an exhibition. More details about the latter, including the photographers included in the exhibition will be announced at a later date. Limited edition merchandise for the celebration of Bowie's 80th birthday will be launched by Perryscope Productions, longtime merchandising representatives for Bowie, on his webstore. Other new events as part of "Bowie80" include "Strange Fascination" -- a major photography exhibition celebrating the artistry and evolution of the songwriter -- which is held at Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York City and West Hollywood next February, as well as a new live symphonic concert production called "BOWIE (breaking) GLASS." On top of all that, there will also be another collaboration with the V&A in London for "Bowie80" -- this time showing artefacts from Bowie's 90,000-item archive. After launching in London, it will head on tour, going to Dundee and Blackpool in 2027, before visiting further venues in 2028 and 2029. - NME, 10/5/26...... Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has teased the band my perform their first live show in more than three years in a stort video with famed rock photographer Ross Halpin posted on Instagram. In the video, 78-year-old Tyler climbs a ladder outside the famed Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles to affix some letters to its iconic marquee, with Halfin along to help with the spelling. "Y H W," Halfin says in the video as Tyler shouts, "Gimme the O! Ampersand! Ampersand!" "Don't you miss performing?" Halpin asks. "Of all the things I ever missed, I miss my mind the most," Tyler responds as the two enjoy smoothies and gaze at the marquee with the dates Oct. 29 and Nov. 1 on it. Aerosmith were forced to abandon their planned final outing, "Peace Out" Farewell Tour, in Sept. 2023 due to Tyler's fractured larynx, which the singer suffered just three shows into what was booked as their last road hurrah. The tour was first postponed, then subsequently canceled and the band announced a retirement from touring. Tyler and bandmate Joe Perry then went on to record an Aerosmith EP with rapper Yungblud, 2025's One More Time, and Tyler has made a few singing appearances, including a six-song set at the annual Grammy Awards benefit for his Janie's Fund and last summer's massive "Back to the Beginning" farewell concert by Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. - Billboard, 10/6/26...... AC/DC brought out Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl during their set on Oct. 2 at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium. "Hey everybody, we got something to tell you. You better listen up close now. A very good friend of ours asked us today if he could come up and join us on the stage for 'Highway for Hell'," singer Brian Johnson told the crowd. "And we said, 'Yes Dave, you can.' David Grohl!" The MetLife show marked the final date of AC/DC's "Power Up" Tour in support of the band's 2020 album, Power Up, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. AC/DC has not announced additional dates beyond the "Power Up" Tour. At the end of their show, Johnson told the audience, "Good night, hope we'll see you again." Footage of Johnson introducing Grohl can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 10/3/26...... Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Oct. 3, Paul McCartney revealed how he wound up performing at Taylor Swift's much-ballyhooed marriage to Travis Kelce on July 3 at Madison Square Garden. "Did you know you were gonna sing going in?" host Jimmy Kimmel asked, getting the scoop for the general public, whose curiosity about the wedding still lingers. "Yep. She asked me to do it," McCartney said, verifying that the song he sang was the 1964 Beatles classic "I Want to Hold Your Hand." "That was her request? Or she asked you to pick a song?" was Kimmel's next question. "Yeah, it was, yeah," Macca answered, then added that he'd hoped Swift would join in on the performance since she was on the stage already. "I said, 'You should sing along. You should sing to" Sir Paul recounted, then paused. "Your man." Seemingly forgetting the name of Swift's husband for a moment, after a quick laugh from the audience and a nudge from Kimmel he came back with: "I know. Travis." "Seems like reasonable advice," Kimmel quipped of McCartney's idea for a live wedding-day collab with Swift, and then wrapped the interview, which has been shared on YouTube. Elsewhere, Phil Collins has seemingly reignited his long-running feud with McCartney -- suggesting that the Beatles legend was behind him being taken out of a documentary. The spat between the two dates back over 20 years ago, when the singer, drummer and Genesis member was allegedly on the receiving end of a belittling comment from McCartney when he met him at Buckingham Palace. Collins opened up about the supposed incident in 2016, saying that he approached McCartney and his then-wife Heather Mills at the palace in 2002 and asked them to sign a "first edition of The Beatles by Hunter Davies". "I said, 'Hey Paul, do you mind signing this for me?' And he said, 'Oh Heather, our little Phil's a bit of a Beatles fan,' Collins claimed. "And I thought, 'You f---. You f---'. Never forgot it." "He has this thing when he's talking to you, where he makes you feel [like], 'I know this must be hard for you because I'm a Beatle. I'm Paul McCartney and it must be very hard for you to actually be holding a conversation with me.'" Since then, the two seemed to have put the feud to one side. In 2018, Collins announced details of a huge, 59-track box set that featured the Beatles star, and earlier this summer he said that he "wish[ed]" that he never spoke publicly about the feud -- particularly as they had now "made up." Now though, it looks like the feud could come back again, as Collins has made a sly quip, suggesting that McCartney could be the reason why a mention of him was taken out of a Beatles documentary. Speaking at a Q&A in London with Steven Wilson to celebrate 45 years of his 1981 album Face Value, Collins shared that he was originally mentioned in The Beatles Anthology documentary. "The one feather in my cap, which I'll never forget, was with The Beatles Anthology. The three got the tapes out of "Tomorrow Never Knows." And they were playing it on the multi-track," he said. "I thought, 'The Beatles mentioned my name'," he added. "I went back to watch it recently and they'd taken it out. It's not there anymore I don't know, maybe McCartney didn't like it." McCartney has not publicly responded to the comments made by Collins. - Billboard/NME, 10/3/26...... In other Beatles news, the deluxe reissue of the quartet's 1965 classic Rubber Soul is on track to hit No. 1 on the U.K.s Official Albums Chart, exactly 60 years after its last appearance at the top. Should the Fab Four clinch the top spot, it will be their first chart-topping album milestone since Oct. 2019, when their Abbey Road reissue similarly rebounded back to the summit. Holding the record for more weeks at No. 1 than any other act in U.K. chart history, the group is once again poised to roll back the years and reign supreme. This newly enriched Rubber Soulreissue brings together 24 early session recordings, including 20 previously unreleased takes and three captivating home demos. Fans have been particularly excited to discover early versions of timeless classics like "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out," alongside a rare, previously unheard John Lennon demo titled "Little Girl." - Music-News.com, 10/5/26...... Former The Doobie Brothers member and '80s solo star Michael McDonald has reconnected with a son he put up for adaption at age 14, nearly 6 decades later. McDonald made contact a year and a half ago with biological son Michael Goessling, who recalls putting it together over a preliminary phone call that he was related to a rock star. Adopted as a baby, 59-year-old Goessling told NBC that he never knew his biological parents until last year, when he received a letter informing him that they wanted to meet him. His first conversation with McDonald was over the phone. "I just said: 'What a voice that guy has!'" Goessling said. "It just sounded so familiar, but I couldn't place it. Finally, I just said: 'Are you Michael McDonald?' And he chuckled and he said, 'Yeah, I'm afraid so.'" Goessling also figured out the identity of his birth father after McDonald told him he was a musician with a gig that night at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater. A quick Google search showed that the Doobie Brothers were booked for the venue on that date. "There are still days I wake up, and my first thought is I am coming out of the craziest dream, and it's been a year and a half," Goessling added. "I'm still trying to get my head around all of it." Back when McDonald was 14, he had a child with his middle-school girlfriend. The pair put the child up for adoption, and the musician went on to replace Tom Johnston as the lead singer of the Doobie Brothers. McDonald has five Grammys to his name and helped the Doobie Brothers score Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 "What A Fool Believes," as well as other top 10 hits such as "Real Love" and "The Doctor." Goessling also told NBC that he never harbored resentment for his biological parents -- who he says are still good friends -- for putting him up for adoption. "I just wanted to thank them for the choices they made on my behalf and for giving me a shot in this world, and how grateful I was for that," he said. "They were always heroes in my story." - Billboard, 10/2/26...... Alexander Skarsgård appears in the the video for the new The Rolling Stones single "Mr. Charm" as a sweat-soaked, shirtless dancer in front of a flaming tree. The band dropped the video for the latest Foreign Tongues single on Oct. 1 and it is a feast for the eyes and senses. The Henry Scholfield-directed clip, which can be viewed on YouTube, has a pretty simple premise: Skarsgård shows up to sleepy Palmdale, Calif. with his Blue Steel gaze to charm the locals and hoof his way through town. The scene opens at an old gas station, where the Pillion actor struts up in his red cowboy boots, tight black jeans, chest full of silver necklaces and fringed buckskin jacket (but, as noted above, no shirt), strikes a pose, checks his 'fit in the mirror and then slinks around making everyone fall in love with him. The lyrics to the classic Stones rocker say it all: "I could show you places that you have never seen/ And fill your mind with images of tantalizing dreams/ And caves full of crystals shot through with pinks and greens/ And no man's land in the Darkest Days of 1916/ Call me Mr. Charm, Mr. Charm, Mr. Charm/ Call me Mr. Charm, Mr. Charm, Mr. Charm," Mick Jagger sings. "Mr. Charm" is the latest single from Foreign Tongues, which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 200 in July. Previous videos from the album have also featured some Hollywood stars, including Anya Taylor-Joy and Charles Melton in "Jealous Lover" and Odessa A'Zion in "In the Stars." - Billboard, 10/2/26...... As the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 50th anniversary commemoration ramps up, original drummer Stan Lynch is adding his own tribute with "High Flying Bird," a sentimental song and video dedicated to his late musical cohort. The song will appear on upcoming Origins 1971-1978 box set, out Nov. 6, and curated by Petty's daughter, Adria. "At the time I had this song I had started years ago that was evoking my feelings towards Tom, but that's such a touchy, personal thing," Lynch says. "I wasn't sure I would ever want to put out a song with that kind of through-line. But then when I saw all the (archival material), I kind of went, 'Hey.'" Despite the acrimony over his departure from the Heartbreakers 32 years ago, Lynch -- who subsequently came back to good terms with all of his bandmates -- is feeling positive about what's going on in the band's orbit these days. In recent years he filled in on drums for guitarist Mike Campbell's Dirty Knobs band, and on Sept. 16 Lynch joined the other Heartbreakers at the 25th Annual Americana Honors & Awards in Nashville, where the group performed with Chris Stapleton in front and also received a Lifetime Achievement Award. - Billboard, 10/2/26...... The Beach Boys have canceled another planned comeback gig -- this one on Oct. 9 in Bloomington, Ill. -- after gradually cancelling all their dates over the past three months. Facebook post by the Grossinger Motors Arena says the show has been "cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances." Co-founder and frontman Mike Love has been taking time to "recharge" following an unspecified health ailment, according to recent reports. The group last played a public show on July in Valdosta, Ga., following a sketchy few months where Love appeared gaunt and sang in a raspy, diminished voice. A month later, the group postponed all their shows until late September so that Love had additional time to rest. But when September came, the four planned concerts were cancelled without explanation. Love and the rest of the touring band, including frequent guest John Stamos, came together on Oct. 3 for a private show in Dana Point, Calif. Few details of that show have come out, but a photo uploaded to the group's fan forum shows Love seated in a chair onstage. Al Jardine, the only other living member of the original BB lineup, continues to tour with veteran members of Brian Wilson's backing group. - Music-News.com, 10/6/26...... R&B icon Freddie Jackson, known for such hits as "You Are My Lady," "Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)" and "Love Me Down," died on Oct. 5. He was 70. Born in Harlem, N.Y., on Oct. 2, 1956, Jackson began singing as a youth in his church choir. At that point in time, he met his later record producer and songwriting partner Paul Laurence. As a member of Laurence's group LJE (Laurence Jones Ensemble), Jackson began playing clubs in New York before relocating west in the late '70s to join the California funk band Mystic Merlin. After returning to New York, Jackson reteamed with Laurence at Hush Productions, where he sang on demos and doing background vocals for Melba Moore, Evelyn "Champagne" King and Angela Bofill. Stepping out on his own, he hit his stride as a solo singer with Capitol Records in 1985 with the R&B No. 1 "Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)," which reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100. He received two Grammy nominations in 1986 -- best new artist and best R&B vocal performance, male, for "You Are My Lady." From there, Jackson churned out a string of 10 No. 1 R&B gems -- as well as several top 10 singles -- between 1985 and 1992. All told, Jackson logged 35 entries on the R&B songs chart with his silky-smooth tenor: 19 went top 10, and with 10 reigning at No. 1. On the albums front, Jackson scored four No. 1s on the R&B chart: Rock Me Tonight, Just Like the First Time, Don't Let Love Slip Away and Do Me Again. He also earned a top 10 slot for Time for Love. Jackson continued to record well into the 2000s (including 2006's Transitions and 2010's For You), and remained a popular concert and festival draw. His additional career credits include the 1989 soundtrack for the film All Dogs Go to Heaven ("Love Survives" with Irene Cara), an appearance as a singer on a 1989 episode of The Golden Girls ("Two Rode Together") and a cameo in the 1990 movie King of New York. "It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved Freddie Jackson, who went home to rest last night," his family posted on Instagram. "Freddie was more than a legendary voice. He was a kind, generous soul who loved his fans, his family, his friends and his music with everything he had. To everyone who ever sang along, danced or felt something when Freddie took the stage: thank you." No cause of his death has been revealed. - Billboard, 10/6/26.

Favorite Seventies Artists In The News

Posted by Administrator on September 22nd, 2026

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.