Posted by Administrator on September 8th, 2024
Billy Joel's Madison Square Garden special won three Creative Arts Emmy awards on Sept. 7 during a ceremony held at the Peacock Theater at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles. The Joel special, Billy Joel -- The 100th Live at Madison Square Garden won for best sound editing; lighting design/lighting direction; and technical direction and camerawork. But it lost the top award in its field, Outstanding Variety Special (pre-recorded) to the Dick Van Dyke special 98 Years of Magic. This is the second year in a row that award went to a show celebrating a TV legend in his or her 90s, with Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love winning in 2023. As the executive producer/performer of the MSG special, Joel would have won his first Primetime Emmy if the program had won. He has won five Grammys and a Tony. Also taking home a Creative Arts Emmy that evening were The Beach Boys, with their eponymous Disney+ special winning for outstanding sound mixing for a nonfiction program. An edited presentation of the awards from both nights of the Creative Arts Emmys will air on Sept. 14, at 8:00 p.m. PT on FXX, and it will be available for streaming on Hulu. The 76th Emmy Awards will be broadcast live from the Peacock Theatre on Sept. 15, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/5 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT on ABC. The broadcast will be available for streaming the next day on Hulu. - Billboard, 9/8/24...... 
The first ever authorized feature-length documentary about the life of Jimi Hendrix is being planned by director Bao Nguyen, who helmed the Netflix documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, about the making of the 1985 smash hit charity single "We Are the World," earlier in 2024. To be titled Jimi, the film will, according to a press release, tell the story of a "transformational period in music history when Jimi Hendrix set the world -- and his guitar -- on fire." "Through this film, I hope to capture the vibrant atmosphere of the 1960s music scene, and his meteoric rise to superstardom, culminating in the legendary show at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival -- a triumphant homecoming where his incendiary performance didn't just set his guitar alight -- it ignited a cultural shift that changed the course of music history," Nguyen says. The late guitar god's sister, Janie Hendrix, has endorsed the project, saying: "Just as Bao Nguyen has achieved in his films highlighting the lives of other iconic figures who influenced pop culture, this presentation of Jimi's London experience will be inspiring and informative -- a story told the way it should be." Meanwhile, another Hendrix-related doc, Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision, is due out Oct. 4. It's an exploration of the iconic studio in New York. Hendrix died in 1970 at the age of 27 and his estate has never given permission for a full-length documentary, until now. - New Musical Express, 9/7/24...... As his new solo album Luck and Strange hit stores on Sept. 6, David Gilmour has revealed details of his forthcoming tour behind the new LP, his first concert trek in eight years. It kicks off on Oct. 9 with the first of six shows at London's famed Royal Albert Hall. He'll also play four Los Angeles area dates -- starting Oct. 25 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., and moving to three concerts at the Hollywood Bowl -- and five at Madison Square Garden in New York, wrapping up Nov. 10. "I'm thinking more modern times than old times," Gilmour says of the setlist, "but there'll be some songs from the '70s, '80s, '90s. All the way through, there'll be some stuff, but I'm focusing perhaps a bit more on the new album and the newer material." And, he hopes, there will be more new material in less than the nine years he took before making Luck and Strange. "My intention is to gather some of these people together and get back and start working on something else in the new year," Gilmour says. "What you want is a few things to get started with and hope it all starts flowing, and that's what I'm hoping will happen." A preview of Luck and Strange is currently available for streaming on Spotify.com. Meanwhile, Gilmour has told Rolling Stone magazine that it would be a "dream" to sell Pink Floyd's catalog, not because of the financial gain the sale would bring but it would allow him to het out of the "mud bath" with his former bandmate Roger Waters. "I am not interested in that from a financial standpoint. I'm only interested in it from getting out of the mud bath that it has been for quite a while," he said. The "mud bath" he refers to is most likely referring to the tension between him and Waters which has run for a number of years now. While it has gone on for decades, it came to a head again recently when Gilmour attacked Waters with claims of anti-Semitism. It kicked off in Feb. 2023, when Gilmour's wife Polly Samson shared a tweet in which she accused Waters of being "anti-Semitic to [his] rotten core," as well as "a [Vladimir] Putin apologist and a lying, thieving, hypocritical, tax-avoiding, lip-synching, misogynistic, sick-with-envy, megalomaniac." Gilmour then re-shared Samson's tweet, adding that "every word [is] demonstrably true." Waters himself issued a statement in response, which saw him describe Samson's comments as "incendiary and wildly inaccurate" and continued that he "refutes [them] entirely". He added that he was "taking advice as to his position" regarding the claims. Elsewhere in the interview, Gilmour said that he finds it "boring" talking about his disagreements with Waters. "As I said before, he left our pop group when I was in my 30s, and I'm a pretty old chap now, and the relevance of it is not there. I don't really know his work since. So I don't have anything to say on the topic." - Billboard, 9/6/24...... 
A new David Bowie documentary is claiming that the lyrics to one of Bowie's signature songs, "Heroes," was inspired by a day in 1977 he spent with his erstwhile girlfriend Clare Shenstone, instead of about an embrace the rock icon witnessed between his producer Tony Visconti and Visconti's girlfriend, German singer Antonia Maass, at the Berlin Wall. Bowie himself had given that as the key inspiration for the song's lyrics, but now a new BBC documentary, Bowie in Berlin, has cast doubt on the song's backstory. The doc claims that "Heroes," the title track to Bowie's 1977 studio album, in fact contains a lot of specific details about "an extraordinary day" Bowie and Shenstone, a model, actor and artist who had a relationship with Bowie in the mid-1970s, spent together in the German capital. Shenstone, a model, actor and artist who had a relationship with Bowie in the mid-1970s, claims that in fact the song contains a lot of specific details about "an extraordinary day" the two spent together in Berline. She says she told Bowie that morning about a dream she had in which she was swimming with dolphins, which she claims Bowie then referenced with the line, "I wish you could swim/Like dolphins can swim." Shenstone says the couple later crossed into East Berlin via Checkpoint Charlie. "We spent a couple of hours at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the guards were goose-stepping," she said. "We held hands very tightly and just took it all in, it was so extreme as an experience. We walked along the other side of the wall. There were spotlights and you could see the guns silhouetted and we were holding hands and he took my other hand and he kissed me. It was so beautiful." Shenstone says when she later heard the song, she recognized that day "immediately." "I knew what each word meant, and it described exactly from moment to moment what that day was about," she said. Bowie In Berlin is set to air on BBC Radio 4 on Sept. 14. - New Musical Express, 9/7/24....... Alex Van Halen has shared a snippet of "Unfinished," the last song he recorded with his late brother Eddie Van Halen, on Instagram. It was recently reported that the last song that Alex and Eddie ever wrote together would be included in the audiobook version of Alex's new memoir, Brothers. While the drummer has previously been absent from the public eye following Eddie's death in 2020, he made a rare statement sharing his motivations for writing the book. "This is my tribute to my brother; my way of saying goodbye," he said. "Ed, I love you and miss you. When I see you again, I'm gonna kick your ass!" It's set for release on Oct. 22 via HarperCollins. A series of VH family photos also appears alongside the Instagram snippet of "Unfinished." - NME, 9/6/24...... Bruce Springsteen will be among the headliners at the 18th annual "Stand Up for Heroes" benefit, which will take place on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, as part of the New York Comedy Festival. Springsteen and his wife Patti Scialfa, Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, Norah Jones, Jon Stewart, Questlove and Mark Normand are confirmed for the annual benefit, which raises awareness and funds for the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The charity's mission is to ensure that our nation's veterans, service members, and their families have stable and successful futures, and the event will take place at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center in Manhattan and feature performances by these and other stars of music and comedy. In the past, Springsteen -- who is a regular at the event -- has peppered his set with dirty jokes such as this one he told at the 2022 event: "During sex, you burn off as many calories as if you ran 8 miles," he said. "But who can run 8 miles in 30 seconds? Got that off the Internet." Tickets are on sale at the event's website. - Billboard, 9/5/24...... A federal judge issued a temporary order on Sept. 3 prohibiting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his campaign from playing Issac Hayes' "Hold On, I'm Coming" at rallies. Judge Thomas Thrash Jr. sided with Hayes' estate weeks after Hayes' heirs accused Trump of using the song without a license. "I do order Trump and his campaign to not use the song without proper license," the judge said at a hearing, as reported by CNN. The judge's order bars the campaign from continuing to publicly perform the song at future rallies while the case plays out, but the judge denied a request for a more expansive order that would have forced the campaign to pull down videos of rallies in which the song can be heard. An attorney for the Hayes estate did not immediately return a request for comment. An attorney for Trump confirmed that the order was issued, though he stressed that the campaign had already agreed to stop using the song at rallies. Hayes' estate sued Trump in August, accusing the campaign of using "Hold On" at rallies and in video recordings of those events. Hayes co-wrote the 1966 song, which was performed and released by the duo Sam & Dave. The estate then went a step further, filing a federal lawsuit on Aug. 16 against Trump, his campaign, the Republican National Committee and others. The case accused the campaign of infringing copyrights, but also of violating federal trademark law -- essentially claiming that the campaign's use of the song made it appear that Hayes or his heirs had endorsed Trump's bid to return to the White House. The campaign has claimed that its use of Hayes' song was covered by a so-called blanket license it purchased from BMI, which grants political campaigns the legal right to perform millions of different copyrighted songs at rallies. But the Hayes estate says it withdrew the song from that catalog in June -- and that the Trump campaign was notified of the change in writing. It's also unclear if such a license would cover the use of the song in video recordings of the rallies. - Billboard, 9/3/24...... 
The Guess Who has settled a legal battle over trademark rights to the legendary Canadian band's name. In a statement, former GW principals Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings said they had reached a deal to resolve their lawsuit against fellow original members Jim Kale and Garry Peterson -- ending a legal battle among the four original members of the band best known for hits like "American Woman" and "These Eyes." Under the deal, Bachman and Cummings said they will acquire full control over the trademark to the band's name. Monetary terms and other aspects of the agreement were not disclosed in the announcement, and no legal papers announcing the settlement have yet been filed in court. "We are pleased to have reached a resolution that honors our shared history and allows us to move forward with a new sense of purpose and camaraderie," Bachman said, with Cummings adding that they were "committed to preserving and celebrating the legacy for our fans." Attorneys for Kale and Peter didn't immediately return a request for comment. As recently as April, their attorneys called the lawsuit "a complete farce" and threatened to "hold Bachman and Cummings accountable for their wrongful and extortionate conduct." The battle between the members of The Guess Who was just the latest clash between bandmates over the legal rights to classic group names. Journey, Stone Temple Pilots and Jefferson Starship have all fought protracted litigation over their trademarks, as have members of The Rascals, The Ebonys, The Commodores and The Platters. - Billboard, 9/4/24...... Queen guitarist Brian May has revealed that he recently suffered a minor stroke that resulted in damage to his left arm. May, 77, described a "health hiccup" last week that made him temporarily unable to control the hand he uses to pick out chords on his guitar, even as he assured his fans that he's on the mend. "I think good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days and I say this because it was in some doubt because that little Health hiccup that I mentioned happened about a week ago and what they called it was a minor stroke and all of a sudden -- out of the blue - I didn't have any control over this arm so was a little scary," May said in a video posted on his website in which he wiggled his left hand as proof that he's getting better. "I have to say I had the most fantastic care and attention from Frimley Hospital where I went blue lights flashing the lot. Very exciting!!," he added. May said he initially didn't want to say anything because, "I really don't want sympathy. PLEASE DON'T DO THAT cuz it'll clutter up my inbox and I hate that." The good news, he said, is that he's okay now and that he's listening to his doctors, who have "grounded" him, which means no driving, no flying and no raising his heart rate too high. The health update came as May is busy promoting his recently aired new documentary, Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me, which chronicles his decades long campaign to end the UK's annual culling of badgers. His video can also be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 9/4/24...... In related news, May's fellow rock icon Elton John took to Instagram on Sept. 3 to reveal that he has been struggling with a "severe eye infection" that left him "with only limited vision in one eye." "I am healing, but it's an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sigght returns to the impacted eye," Sir Elton added. John then thanked the doctors and nurses that have been caring for him, noting that he's "been quietly spending the summer recuperating at home, and am feeling positive about the progress I have made in my healing and recovery thus far." He signed the note with his name, "with love and gratitude." Meanwhile, Elton and his husband David Furnish attended the world premiere of Disney+ documentary Elton John: Never Too Late at the Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on Sept. 6. The film starts and ends with the Rocket Man performing at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles -- in 1975 after his big breakthrough and again in 2022 on his farewell tour -- while looking back at his prolific time as an artist in the '70s, including his unhappiness behind the scenes with his abusive boyfriend-manager John Reid, and an addiction to cocaine and alcohol. "This remarkable time in music history, where was rock and roll going to go? And the answer was Elton John," said director R.J. Cutler in an interview the following day. "Suddenly, Elton becomes a pop writer because he can write for guitar now (after Davey Johnstone joined the band). I mean, it's really a fascinating evolution from singer-songwriter to massive pop star." The documentary gets a limited theatrical run on Nov. 15, and later streams on Disney+ on Dec. 13. - Billboard, 9/3/24...... Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) has announced details of a second 2025 UK and Ireland spoken word tour. His "I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right" UK tour began in May. The shows promised to see the singer deliver an "untamed, unscripted and uncensored" spoken word session. Lydon will be visiting England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales next autumn, 2025. A press release says next year's events will see Lydon reflecting on "Sex Pistols, Public Image Limited (PiL), his art and his life's story during informal evenings of conversation and audience questions." Speaking about the event, Lydon said: "I could be shit. I could be shite. I'm left-handed. John Lydon or John Rotten." The new tour will launch on Sept. 10, 2025, in Dundalk, Ireland and wrap on Nov. 24 at the Hippodrome in London Golders Green. - NME, 9/4/24...... Cher is reportedly "in talks" for the legends slot at the 2025 edition of the legendary UK Glastonbury rock festival. According to a report by The Sun, the "Believe"' hitmaker is said to be in "meaningful talks" with the event organisers and is already planning to fit the festival around some plans for some headline shows in the UK. "Cher is practically the legend of all pop music legends. She would be incredible," a source told the outlet. "It's been a long time coming but she is finally in meaningful talks with Glastonbury about playing the legend's slot. Everything is very much in the planning stages but Cher is hoping to play a handful of shows in the UK next year and Glastonbury could be one of them. The idea of a full-scale tour just doesn't interest her anymore." MailOnline.com reported that it had contacted a representative for Cher for comment on the rumours, however there has not yet been an official comment from the singer's team. Shania Twain took on the slot at this year's edition, while Yusuf/Cat Stevens played in 2023. Performers previous to that include Diana Ross, Barry Gibb, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant and Kylie Minogue. - NME, 9/3/24...... According to founding Judas Priest member and bassist Ian Hill, the band are planning to re-release their debut album Rocka Rolla with a new mix. Hill revealed the plans for a 50th anniversary edition of Rocka Rolla during an interview on the Talkin' Rock with Ian Hill podcast, which can be viewed on YouTube. He said: "It's just been re-engineered by Tom Allom after all of these years. The multi-tracks were in remarkably good condition, and he's changed some of the sounds, made it more modern and obviously remixed it. And he's done a great job." He continued, noting that he believes it will be released soon: "It's just coming out shortly, I believe. It's only a few weeks away, I'm sure it is. Yeah, but he's redone it. It's gonna be re-released, which is great news. It's finally got the production it's always needed." Rocka Rolla was released on Sept. 6, 1974, and is best known for songs like "One for the Road," the title track and "Run of the Mill." Judas Priest most recently released their 15th studio album, Invincible Shield, in March this year. - NME, 9/3/24...... 
An expanded, deluxe edition of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' Long After Dark is set to be released in October. The new version of the hard rocking 1982 album will arrive in stores on Oct. 22, more than 40 years after it was first released. Set to arrive via Geffen/UMe on Oct. 18, the new variant will come as a double disc and contains seven recordings that remained unreleased up until now. These include Petty's "Never Be You," which became a chart-topping hit for Rosanne Cash in 1984, as well as "Don't Make Me Walk the Line" and "Ways To Be Wicked." The latter was released as a single by Lone Justice in 1985. The other bonus tracks include four songs that were filmed for a French TV Special at the Record Plant in Hollywood -- the same site where much of 'Long After Dark' was recorded. "Despite it being a golden era of The Heartbreakers playing at the height of their powers, it is widely known as the band's most misunderstood and underrated success," reads a press release. Ahead of the album re-release, the fan favorite "Straight Into Darkness" has been shared with a new video. The new version of the 1982 album will arrive as a triple-disc set containing 2 CDs and a Blu-ray audio disc with additional hi-res stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes of the album and bonus track, and as a double black vinyl. It also comes with remastered audio, plus liner notes from journalist David Fricke, and commentary from both Petty producer Jimmy Iovine and filmmaker Cameron Crowe. - NME, 9/2/24...... '50s-inspired musician Screamin' Scott Simon of the band Sha Na Na died on Sept. 5 in Ojai after a long battle with sinus cancer, his daughter Nina Simon announced. He was 75. A member of Sha Na Na from 1970 until they quit touring in 2022, Simon sometimes played the piano with his feet as he belted out such hits as Jerry Lee Lewis' "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and Danny & the Juniors' "At the Hop." Simon and Sha Na Na performed in the 1978 film adaptation of Grease as "Johnny Casino and the Gamblers," playing six doo-wop numbers in the high school dance scenes. Meanwhile, Simon partnered with Louis St. Louis to write "Sandy," sung by John Travolta. The film's soundtrack went on to become one of the top albums of all time, with sales of more than 30 million copies. While Sha Na Na primarily played classic '50s and '60s songs, Simon composed multiple songs and solo albums performed by the band and by himself on records and on TV. In addition to his daughter, survivors include his wife, Deborah; another daughter, Morgan; stepson Nick; and granddaughters Rocket and Naomi. - The Hollywood Reporter, 9/6/24...... Will Jennings, the Oscar- and Grammy-winning co-writer of Titanic's "My Heart Will Go On" and other hit songs by Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood and Whitney Houston, died on Sept. 7 at his home in Tyler, Tex. He was 80. During his career, the superstar lyricist and Songwriters Hall inductee co-wrote six songs that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: Barry Manilow's "Looks Like We Made It" (1977); Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes' "Up Where We Belong" (1982); Winwood's "Higher Love" (1986); Houston's "Didn't We Almost Have It All" (1987); Winwood's "Roll With It" (1988); and Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" (1998). Mr. Jennings also collaborated with Clapton on "Tears in Heaven," which hit No. 2 on the Hot 100 and topped the Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks in 1992. The tribute to Clapton's late son, who died tragically in a high rise apartment building accident, also earned the pair a song of the year trophy at the 35th annual Grammy Awards. Mr. Jennings won best original song at the Academy Awards in 1983 for co-writing An Officer and a Gentleman's "Up Where We Belong" alongside Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie. He took home the same honor in 1998 for the Titanic classic "My Heart Will Go On," which he co-wrote with composer James Horner (who died in 2015). The Dion-sung ballad also won Grammys for record and song of the year. He is survived by his wife, Carole, and his sisters, Joyce and Gloria. - Billboard, 9/7/24...... 
Bossa nova producer, composer, pianist and song interpreter Sergio Mendes died at home in Los Angeles on Sept. 5 after struggling with complications from Covid. He was 83. The legendary Brazilian superstar, whose career spanned more than three dozen albums released across six decades, helped craft the modern sound of crossover Brazilian pop thanks to such indelible hits as "Mas Que Nada" and "Magalenha." Beginning in his teens, Mr. Mendes -- who was born on Feb. 11, 1941 in Rio de Janeiro -- focused on dreams of becoming a classical pianist before being inspired by the then bubbling bossa nova explosion in the late 1950s that put a jazzy spin on the popular samba style. After moving to the U.S. in 1964, Mr. Mendes formed the first in a series of eponymous bands, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '65 and released The Swinger From Rio album, with contributions from his mentors, Antnio Carlos Jobim and American jazz trumpeter Art Farmer, followed by a live album recorded with his Brasil '65 crew, In Person at El Matador. Bouncing between recordings for Atlantic Records and Capitol, Mr. Mendes released albums at a furious pace throughout the late 1960s, quickly cementing his status as one of the premier ambassadors for the swinging bossa nova sound. But it was when he signed to jazz great Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss' A&M Records that Mr. Mendes' album sales and chart success began to take off thanks to the renamed Brasil '66's debut single, the Jorge Ben-penned "Mas que Nada." His output continued apace in the 1970s, when he released more than a dozen albums, including 1970's Stillness, which featured new lead vocalist (and later wife) Gracinha Leporace and Love Music, his third album with the reconfigured band -- now known as Brasil '77. The familiar formula continued apace, mixing songs by Jobim with covers of well-known tunes by Stevie Wonder and Leon Russell. He continued to release music throughout the 2000s, including his final studio album, 2020's In the Key of Joy. In addition to his Grammy award (for 1992's Brasileiro) and two Latin Grammys, Mr. Mendes was nominated for an Oscar in 2012 for his theme song to the animated film Rio, Real in Rio. Mendes was also profiled in the 2020 documentary Sergio Mendes: In the Key of Joy. His final performances took place in Nov. 2023 during a series of well-received shows in Paris, London and Barcelona. In an Instagram tribute, longtime friend and label boss Alpert wrote, "Sergio Mendes was my brother from another country passed away quietly and peacefully. He was a true friend and extremely gifted musician who brought Brazilian music in all its iterations to the entire world with elegance a joy." - Billboard, 9/6/24...... British pop art pioneer Derek Boshier, who collaborated with David Bowie and The Clash, among others, died on Sept. 6 at the age of 87. The Portsmouth-born artist was known for his work within the British pop art world and took pride and inspiration from his working-class roots. Upon finishing his studies at the Royal College of Art in London in 1962, he went on to teach at the Central School of Art and Design, where one of his students was The Clash frontman Joe Strummer. Mr. Boshier would go on to design the band's second songbook which featured a collection of the artist's drawings and paintings. In 1979, Boshier had a successful art exhibition titled "Lives," which caught the attention of Bowie who requested an introduction with Mr. Boshier. From there, the two would go on to have a friendship lasting over three decades that saw Mr. Boshier contribute to the design of Bowie's thirteenth studio album Lodger that same year. According to the artist's publicist, Mr. Boshier was one of the recipients of a handwritten note by the icon prior to his death in 2016. The note saw the "Let's Dance" singer praise Mr. Boshier for his art book at the time, with Bowie telling Mr. Boshier that his work "cascades down the generations." - NME, 9/6/24...... 
Legendary British bass guitarist Herbie Flowers, who contributed to recordings by the likes of David Bowie, Lou Reed, Elton John, Cat Stevens, Bryan Ferry, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr to name a few, died of as yet undisclosed causes on Sept. 5, according to a close family member. He was 86. His start as a musician came in 1956 when, aged 18, he was conscripted into the Royal Air Force. There, he played the tuba as a bandsman, before eventually taking up double bass shortly followed by electric bass. Once his military service was complete, he spent a brief period as a bandsman on the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth. Eventually, he began working as a session musician, lending his talents to producers such as Shel Talmy, Mickie Most, Steve Rowland, Richard Perry, Gus Dudgeon and Tony Visconti. In 1969, Mr. Flowers became a founding member of the group Blue Mink. Their biggest hit was "Melting Pot," which reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart that year. Alongside Blue Mink, he was also a member of T. Rex, Rumplestiltskin and Sky. By the end of the 1970s alone, it was estimated that Mr. Flowers had played bass on 500 hit recordings. Perhaps his most famous contribution was the bassline he wrote for Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" -- taken from his seminal 1972 album Transformer. It was the only song by Reed to reach the Top 20 in the US charts. Mr. Flowers also played on Bowie's 1974 album Diamond Dogs and on his 1969 single "Space Oddity." The official X page for Bowie wrote of Mr. Flowers' "incredible musicianship over many decades," and said the bassist be "sorely missed." "Though we've not managed to have it officially confirmed, if the news is correct, we are very sad to learn of the passing of Herbie Flowers in the last couple of days," the statement read. "His work with Bowie and associates over the years is too long to list here. Aside from his incredible musicianship over many decades, he was a beautiful soul and a very funny man. Our thoughts are with his family and friends." - NME, 9/8/24.
The BBC announced on Aug. 13 that Brian May will host a one-off documentary on their network about his work in the field of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and how to prevent it without resorting to badger culling. The Queen guitarist has been a long-time opponent of badger culling in the U.K. and the documentary, Brian May: The Badgers, The Farmers And Me, follows him on a four-year project to eradicate the disease -- which can devastate cattle populations -- without harming the badgers. "I don't blame people for being suspicious of me in the beginning, because, you know, I'm a guitarist," said May. "You know I'm a rock star. What am I doing? Why would I have some contribution to make? I came in to save the badgers. I now realise that to save the badgers, you have to save everybody because it's a mess. It's a tragic human drama where people's hearts are broken," he added. The show sees him team up with vet Dick Sibley and farmer Robert Reed -- whose farm was chronically infected with bTB -- to eliminate the disease without badger culling. May says he hopes to show the wider farming community that he's found "the real source" of the disease's spread and they can thus change their policies, and that his documentary will "outrage viewers" about the practice of badger culling. The documentary will air on Aug. 23 at 9:00 pm on BBC Two. Meanwhile, May recently responded to the news that Aerosmith would be retiring, explaining that the announcement "brought a tear" to his eye. "The career of Aerosmith is truly something to celebrate forever. All things must pass -- but the inspiring work of Aerosmith will live on -- along with the memories of truly one of the most awesome bands to ever hit a stage," he said in part on social media. - New Musical Express, 8/13/24....... Speaking of Aerosmith, the Boston-based rockers' final show has just been uploaded to 
In other 2024 presidential campaign-related news, the estate of Isaac Hayes has filed a lawsuit against Republican candidate Donald Trump over what they allege is copyright infringement, stating that the late artist's song "Hold On, I'm Coming" was used on "multiple occasions during various political rallies" of Trump's without authorization. The paperwork, dated Monday, Aug. 11, identifies 134 counts copyright infringement at campaign rallies from 2022-2024. "We demand the cessation of use, removal of all related videos, a public disclaimer, and payment of $3 million in licensing fees by August 16, 2024. Failure to comply will result in further legal action," reads a statement posted on Hayes' son, Isaac Hayes III. However, given no choice, the paperwork reads, that legal action could extend to "federal litigation." The family also posted their intent to sue Trump on 
Devo recently popped in to NPR's Tiny Desk studio for a raucous four-song set for the public radio series that featured one obscure track they hadn't performed live in more than four decades. With founding singer/keyboardist Mark Mothersbaugh leading the charge alongside brother and longtime guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh and original bassist Gerald Casale, the group bounded out of the gate with the bluesy, bouncing rarity "It Takes a Worried Man." The song -- inspired by the folk/roots classic "Worried Man Blues" -- was originally recorded for the little-seen 1982 nuclear panic comedy Human Highway, which was directed by Neil Young, who also co-starred alongside Dean Stockwell, co-writer Dennis Hopper and Devo, who played radioactive waste garbage men in orange outfits and hard hats accented by plastic tubes that snaked down into the band member's noses. In addition to Mothersbaugh's sermon-like breakdown about how everyone is just going for that "big ice cream cone in the sky," the song featured a wiggy keyboard solo from the frontman, who, alas, was not wearing the band's signature red flower bucket hat. Devo ended the set with another song from their 1978 debut 
George Harrison's 1971 The Concert For Bangladesh live charity album, featuring Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell and more, is set to arrive across streaming platforms for the first time. Not only will it come with all of the astonishing performances from the line-up, it will also contain a new bonus track: the original studio version of Harrison's song "Bangla Desh," which was released as a single in July 1971. All net proceeds after taxes will be donated to the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF at the US Fund for UNICEF. Held across two sold-out concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden back in August 1971, the concerts are considered to be the first major music benefit of its kind and saw the music icon assemble a star-studded event for a common humanitarian goal. Harrison organized the shows in a bid to raise both awareness and funds for the 10 million East Pakistani refugees who had fled over the border into India, and were facing challenges including the threat of hunger and disease. Setting the precedent that music could be used to serve a higher cause, the MSG shows saw the former Beatle team up with Ravi Shankar, and invite Dylan, Starr, Russell, Eric Clapton and Billy Preston to perform at the non-profit event. By the point they took to the stage, little public attention had been drawn to the crisis in East Pakistan/Bangladesh and few outside of the region were aware of how to help those affected. "The musicians were great. I mean they completely put down their own egos to play together and to do something because the whole vibe of that concert was that it was something bigger than the lot of us," Harrison said at the time. The concerts were later turned into a 
Lou Reed's songwriting work before he joined the seminal New York rock band Velvet Underground has been compiled into a single album, Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65. The album's opening track is The Primatives' "The Ostrich" that features Reed on lead vocals. Other artists featured include The Beachnuts, The Hi-Lifes, Ronnie Dickerson, The Hollywoods, The Roughnecks and The Surfsiders. The compilation album is due for release on Sept. 27 via Light in the Attic, in partnership with Reed's widow Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive. - NME, 8/14/24...... A release date for the forthcoming Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown has been set for Christmas Day (Dec. 25) in the United States, according to a post by Searchlight Pictures on Aug. 6 on 
Even as Rod Stewart was forced to cancel what was supposed to be the 200th, and final, show in his 13-year Las Vegas residency on Aug. 7 due to strep throat, the indefatigable pop legend announced the same day that he'll resume his residency in 2025. "Vegas, I'm having too much fun for this to end so we are coming back for an encore!," Sir Rod posted on 
A star-studded tribute album to Talking Heads' acclaimed film Stop Making Sense has debuted atop Billboard's Compilation Albums chart for the week dated Aug. 10. First released as a digital download and via streaming services in May, 
Late folk-country icon John Denver has returned to the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, as a writer via MGK (formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly) and Jelly Roll's new single, "Lonely Road." The track, released July 26, launches at No. 33 on the Hot 100 with 10.5 million official streams, 646,000 in radio airplay audience and 12,000 sold in the United States in the week ending Aug. 1, according to Luminate. The song, MGK's fourth top 40 Hot 100 hit and Jelly Roll's seventh, reimagines Denver's breakthrough anthem as a recording artist, 
Comedian/actor Steve Martin has turned down a chance to portray Democratic presidential hopeful Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, on the upcoming 50th season of 
During the Apr. 21 episode of the long-running talent competition series American Idol, host Ryan Seacrest and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Lionel Richie revealed which artists will constitute the 
The Eagles have flown back onto the charts with their new best-of collection, 
Former Pink Floyd guitarist-vocalist David Gilmour has announced 
Deep Purple have shared details of a new studio album titled 
10cc's Graham Gouldman has announced a new solo album that includes collaborations with Sir Brian May, Sir Ringo Starr, Hank Marvin and Albert Lee. Gouldman will release his sixth solo LP, I Have Notes, via British independent record label Lojinx on July 5. As well as the four above named legends, Graham is also joined on the record by Nashville-based singer/songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman, who has previously worked with the likes of Bette Midler, Trisha Yearwood and Neil Diamond. The two artists co-wrote "We're Alive," the first single from the record, which also features guitarist Gordon Kennedy -- who has played with Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton and Garth Brooks. Queen guitarist May, 76, joins the 77-year-old Graham on literal space-ballad "Floating In Heaven," while Beatles legend Ringo, 83, adds his talent to "Couldn't Love You More" which is inspired by The Fab Four. I Have Notes will be released on vinyl LP, CD and digital on July 5. Gouldman's work with 10cc continues to endure in the build up to next year's 50th anniversary of the band's iconic album 
Mike Pinder, the last surviving original member of the veteran psychedelic prog rock band The Moody Blues, died on Apr. 24 at his home in Northern California of undisclosed causes. He was 82. Moody Blues bassist John Lodge shared a statement from Pinder's family on Facebook, in which they wrote, "Michael Thomas Pinder died on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 at his home in Northern California, surrounded by his devoted family. Michael's family would like to share with his trusted friends and caring fans that he passed peacefully. His final days were filled with music, encircled by the love of his family. Michael lived his life with a childlike wonder, walking a deeply introspective path which fused the mind and the heart." It continued, "He created his music and the message he shared with the world from this spiritually grounded place; as he always said, 'Keep your head above the clouds, but keep your feet on the ground.' His authentic essence lifted up everyone who came into contact with him. His lyrics, philosophy, and vision of humanity and our place in the cosmos will touch generations to come." Born in Erdington, Birmingham England on Dec. 27, 1941, Pinder co-founded the group in May 1964 with multi-instrumentalist/singer Ray Thomas, singer/guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist/singer Clint Warwick. Laine and Warwick left the band in 1966 after the release of 1965's debut album, The Magnificent Moodies, and were replaced by guitarist Justin Hayward and bassist Lodge. Pinder and Laine co-wrote all the original songs on Moodies, which included the band's wistful, R&B influenced breakthrough single, "Go Now." The new lineup released one of the landmark early prog rock albums, 
The album also featured what would become the group's signature mind-trip single, "Nights in White Satin," which rose to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart when it was re-released in 1972. Pinder's experimentation with the then-new mellotron helped it become a staple of prog and psychedelic recordings by groups including Yes, Genesis and King Crimson. His explorations continued on the Moody's 1968 album In Search of the Lost Chord, another concept LP which explored the concepts of inner exploration and discovery. He contributed vocals to the propulsive single "Ride My See-Saw" and is the credited songwriter on the mind-tripping psychedelic journey through the universe "The Best Way to Travel." The group's 1972 LP, 
Taylor Swift's new album 
Barbra Streisand has recorded a new song, "Love Will Survive," for the upcoming Sky/Peacock original series The Tattooist of Auschwitz. The track recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra was composed by two-time Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer in collaboration with Emmy-nominee Kara Talve and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter Walter Afanasieff (Mariah Carey); the song's lyrics were penned by Grammy and Golden Globe nominee Charlie Midnight; Afanasieff and Peter Asher produced the track. "Because of the rise in antisemitism around the world today, I wanted to sing 'Love Will Survive' in the context of this series, as a way of remembering the six-million souls who were lost less than 80 years ago," Streisand said in a statement. "And also to say that even in the darkest of times, the power of love can triumph and endure." The song, Streisand's first-ever recording for a TV series, will be released by Columbia Records on Apr.25, a week before the series launches globally on streaming on May 2. Zimmer also composed the original score for the six-part limited series starring Harvey Keitel, Melanie Lynskey, Jonah Hauer-King, Anna Prchniak and Jonas Nay. It tells the story of a Slovakian Jewish man, Lali (Hauer-King), who in 1942 was deported to the Nazi death camp where more than one million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. The series will be available beginning May 2 on Sky Atlantic and the NOW streaming service in the UK and Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, as well as Peacock in the U.S. and Stan in Australia. - Billboard, 4/17/24...... The Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Okla., has announced the recipients of its inaugural Bob Dylan Center songwriter fellowship. Tega Ethan, a 25-year-old singer-songwriter from Nigeria, and Taylor Zickfoose, a 28-year-old native of Washington state, were selected by global panel of leading artists and songwriters, including Juliette Armanet, Patty Griffin, John Mellencamp, Carla Morrison and Nas, and reviewed by executives at BDC in Tulsa, Okla. and Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). Each fellowship includes a $40,000 project stipend, public engagement and presentation opportunities, dedicated time in the Bob Dylan Archive to study the legendary artist's creative process, roundtrip airfare to Tulsa and accommodations, mentorship from the music publishing giant's songwriters and executives, recording time, and more. Nearly 600 works were submitted from around the world, organizers say, based on the criteria that applicants were 18 years or older and unsigned to a publishing agreement of any kind at the time of the Fellowship start date, May, 1, 2024. Announced last August, the fellowship is to be awarded each year to two standout talents, through an initiative that identifies, mentors and develops rising talent, doing so with the resources of the BDC. - Billboard, 4/17/24...... In a new interview with Mark Goodman and Alan Light on the 
Director Peter Jackson, who helmed the Beatles' The Beatles: Get Back documentary series in 2021, has announced that director Michael Lindsay-Hogg's legendary 1970 documentary 
Co-founding The Allman Brothers Band singer-guitarist Dickey Betts passed away on the morning of Apr. 18 following a battle with cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 80. "It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the Betts family announce the peaceful passing of Forrest Richard 'Dickey' Betts (December 12, 1943 -- April 18, 2024) at the age of 80 years old," his family announced on his 
During his stint in the group the unpredictable, mustachioed Betts -- who famously inspired the wildman character Russell played by Billy Crudup in director Cameron Crowe's rock-themed film