After becoming perched atop the UK's top album chart, AC/DC's new album Power Up has debuted at No. 1 in the US on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart and Hard Rock Albums chart for the week ending Nov. 28. In its debut tracking week (Nov. 13-19), the set earned 117,000 equivalent album units, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. Of that sum, 111,000 are from album sales. The band now has a total of four No. 1 albums on the Top Rock Albums chart, which began in 2006, also including Black Ice (2008); Iron Man 2 soundtrack (2010), and Rock or Bust (2014-2015). AC/DC has the same amount of No. 1's on the Hard Rock Albums chart, which began in 2007. - Billboard, 11/25/20...... In a new interview with GQ magazine, Ozzy Osbourne said that catching COVID-19 would be particularly risky for him because his respiratory health is weak . "I've got emphysema, so if I get this virus, I'm f---ed," the 71-year-old heavy metal legend says. He added that being older does not help things. "Once you're 70, the floodgates open and everything goes downhill. Mind you, I've got away with it for a long time." To protect himself during the pandemic, Osbourne said he is trying his "hardest" to stay shielded. "If I go out, I wear a mask, but I don't like wearing a mask, so I don't go out much," he said. - NME, 11/27/20...... 
Ever wonder what the hell happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears, the band with David Clayton-Thomas' soulful vocals and a boisterous horn section behind such hits as "You've Made Me So Very Happy," "Spinning Wheel" and "And When I Die"? So does award-winning director John Scheinfeld (The U.S. vs. John Lennon, Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary and 2020's Herb Alpert Is...) who will write, produce and direct a BS&T documentary called What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears? that could premiere as early as the end of 2021. The rockdoc will feature highlights from the more than 65 hours' worth of found footage, including a 1970 U.S. State Department-sponsored tour behind the communist-controlled Iron Curtain, including Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland. A crew chronicled that tour with the intent of releasing a live film, but the footage allegedly disappeared and the movie was never released. Although BS&T continued recording, they eventually faded away from the charts. What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears? will examine the politics surrounding the tour, the story of a band caught as a tool between the political Right and Left, a corrupt U.S. president, and even the intrigue that ultimately involved the FBI and CIA. "John Scheinfeld is a unique combination of filmmaker, historian and detective," says BS&T's Bobby Colomby, who went on to a career as a Columbia Records A&R executive. "He asked me a simple question: 'What the hell happened to Blood Sweat & Tears?' My convoluted answer somehow ignited an engine inside of John that was the beginning of an unexpected adventure: creating a documentary film to reveal the answer to this decades old question. This won't be your typical music doc, in any way, shape or form." Producers are looking for photos and memorabilia of the band from 1968 through 1971. To submit, go to BloodSweatandTearsDoc.com. - Billboard, 11/23/20...... Actor Idris Elba will sit down with Paul McCartney for a new one-off BBC One special, it was announced on McCartney's Twitter account on Nov. 27. "This December, @BBCOne and @BBCRadio2 will air a world exclusive special featuring Paul in conversation with @IdrisElba. Find out more: https://t.co/vpoxSccqfl #IdrisMeetsPaul," the post states. The special will see the Beatles legend discussing his writing process, while Idris will seek to understand what continues to inspire the singer some 50 years into his career. "I am a massive fan of Paul s! His work has inspired and driven me as a musician, and once I get through the shock of sharing the stage with him, I m excited to talk about his music and craft. What an honour! Looking forward to sitting with you Paul," Elba posted, with Sir Paul responding "I'm looking forward to sitting down to a chat with the mighty Idris!" Also in the works is a release of Paul's "secret" 2018 show at Liverpool's Cavern Club, where Macca performed a 28-song set to 250 lucky gig-goers. The release date is to be confirmed. Meanwhile, McCartney has revealed he uses a teleprompter at his live shows in case he forgets the lyrics to the Beatles' songs. In an interview on a recent edition of the SmartLess podcast, the 78-year-old said: "Sometimes I'll be doing a song, like 'Eleanor Rigby' [released in 1966] or something, and I'm on autopilot. And I'm starting to think, 'Oh, what am I gonna have for dinner? Maybe you won't have the soup but maybe you'll just go for the main course'. Then I go, 'Stop!' because I'm singing 'Eleanor Rigby'! I've separated myself not only from Paul and fame, but a couple of bits in my head are going in different places. Sometimes that breaks down and I forget the song. I have a teleprompter." McCartney has also reflected on the 80th anniversary of the birth of his former bandmate John Lennon on Oct. 9 in an interview with Uncut magazine. McCartney explained how Lennon's birthday had sparked a mixture of emotions from him. "That was happy sad. It reminds me he was murdered -- but it also reminds me of the fantastic times we had. I tend to think back to early times," he said. He added that he still mentally consults Lennon while writing. "We collaborated for so long, I think, 'OK, what would he think of this? What would be say now?' We'd both agree that this new song I'm taking about is going nowhere," he explained. "So instead of sitting around, we'd destroy it and remake it. I started that process yesterday in the studio. I took the vocal off it and decided to write a new vocal. I think it's heading in a better direction now." - NME, 11/27/20...... 
Thanks to a $15 sale on all vinyl albums at Walmart, Queen's 1981 Greatest Hits LP has finally entered the Top 10 in the US, ranking at No. 8 on Billboard's Hot 200 Album Chart for the week ending Nov. 28. Greatest Hits was first released in Oct. 1981 and has been reissued multiple times over the ensuing decades, however until now a 1992 edition of the album came closest to the Top 10, peaking at No. 11 on Oct. 10, 1992. In the week ending Nov. 19, Greatest Hits sold 24,000 copies across all formats, with vinyl LPs accounting for 23,000 of that sum. Other artists who took more than 10 years to reach the Hot 200's Top 10 include greatest hits albums by Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, Prince, Phil Collins and David Bowie. - Billboard, 11/25/20...... In other Queen news, guitarist Brian May has paid an emotional tribute to Freddie Mercury on the 29th anniversary of the legendary singer's 1991 death. Posting on Instagram, May shared two mirrored images of Mercury relaxing in a dressing room before a performance with the caption "Missing you Freddie, on this day. Rest in Peace. Rock in Eternity. Bri." Mercury passed away at his home in Kensington, UK on Nov. 24, 1991, only 24 hours after he had confirmed his battle with HIV/AIDS. Tributes also came from an official Twitter account run by Mercury s management, which shared a photo of the singer in full flight during a Queen performance. - New Musical Express, 11/24/20...... Keith Richards says he's taken up gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic after finding some unexpected downtime. "I spent the whole summer actually admiring the garden and also doing a bit of gardening myself -- watering the veggies and the stuff. I got into a more normal way of life, which is un-normal," the Rolling Stones guitarist recently told Goldmine magazine. Richards, who recently quit cigarettes and alcohol, explained how he sheltered from the virus at his home in America with his wife Patti. When asked if he feared contracting the virus, he said: "Oh yeah. In this particular area, New York and Connecticut, it was very heavy at the beginning. It's been pretty well controlled since but this is about the only place in the whole country where it is... I've been in hiding, basically. Hunkering down with the family and a few friends because we have to stay in a bubble you know. I've been out to a restaurant with outdoor seating a couple times but now it's getting a bit chilly so we're eating in. Thank God the wife's a good cook, bless her heart!" - NME, 11/26/20...... In other Rolling Stones news, the band has just launched a new global e-commerce shop following the opening of their London flagship store, RS No.9 Carnaby. Complete with a fully immersive, 360-degree virtual shopping experience, the online version of their Soho store allows customers to step inside the shop from anywhere in the world. Situated at 9 Carnaby Street in London, the shop stocks a wide range of Stones records and memorabilia, including "an exclusive mix of collections and collaborations for fans of all ages" and a bespoke T-shirt customisation station. Fans can visit the new e-shop at the RS No.9 Carnaby's official website. - NME, 11/26/20...... Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and Elton John are among the musical guests who have been confirmed to appear on NBC's Saturday Night Live during the month of December. Springsteen and his band, who previously appeared on the late night comedy show in 2015, will appear in an episode airing Dec. 12 hosted by Timothe Chalamet. - NME, 11/25/20...... 
An all-star lineup of Australian artists performed a tribute to late pop singer Helen Reddy at the 2020 ARIA Awards. Tones and I, Amy Shark, Marcia Hines, Christine Anu, Montaigne, the McClymonts and host Delta Goodrem were among those who covered Reddy's iconic feminist anthem "I Am Woman" live from the ceremony at The Star in Sydney. Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard introduced the performance, honouring the legendary singer-songwriter's continued dedication to her activism throughout her life. "I was carried away by her power and potential," Gillard said, reflecting on first hearing Reddy sing "I Am Woman" as a child. The powerful tribute has been shared on YouTube. Reddy passed away in September, aged 78, following a lengthy battle with dementia. Her life was immortalised in 2019 in the biopic I Am Woman, directed by Unjoo Moon and starring Tilda Cobham-Hervey. - NME, 11/25/20...... It has been announced that a documentary of Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood's live tribute to the late Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green will be shown in UK cinemas on Mar. 23 and 28, 2021. In February, prior to the coronavirus pandemic, a concert was held at the London Palladium to celebrate the music of Green, who passed away at age 73 in July, and the original incarnation of Fleetwood Mac. A physical copy of the accomanying album will also arrive on Apr. 30 and will include event photos and quotes from each artist who performed on the night as well as photographs of the concert, rehearsals and behind the scenes shots. A Blu-Ray of the concert film and the full recording on double CD and quadruple vinyl will also be released. - NME, 11/24/20...... As the new Frank Zappa documentary Zappa was released for sale and rent on Nov. 27, director Alex Winter has shared his thoughts on the influential late musician. "He was much more than this groovy, mustachioed rock guitar guy," said Winter. "He was a political satirist and he was an artist and a filmmaker. ... I really wanted to just tell what I considered to be an extraordinary life story of somebody engaged in a very interesting period of American history." Winter says much of the material comes from Zappa himself. "He would hang out with his friends in his basement and he would slap on a film camera or a video camera, and they would talk for hours about all the things that interested them. "From a documentary standpoint, it's like dying and going to heaven but it's also a curse, right?" Winter said. "I looked at it and I thought, 'There's the next six years of my life,' and it was." Asked what he thought Zappa would make of the documentary, Winter quipped that he would likely loathe it. "If you're Frank Zappa, the last thing you'd want is your whole life put together and tied with a neat little bow... He'd be like 'please, please don't do this for me." - WENN/Canoe.com, 11/25/20...... 
A drum kit played by late Rush drummer Neil Peart between 1974 and 1977 is expected to fetch more than $100,000 (£75,000) at Bonhams' Music Memorabilia auction set for Nov. 23-Dec. 9. The coveted Slingerland kit features dual blue heads printed with Rush's logo and Neil Peart's name, as well as chrome-wrapped Tom-toms with an original head signed by Peart himself. Bonhams says it expects the drum kit, which Peart used for his first performance with Rush on Aug. 12, 1974 and used as his main drum set until 1977, will sell for approximately $104,000 (£77,695) to $157,000 (£117,290). Peart, who was widely considered to be one of the greatest drummers of all time, passed away in January 2020 after a lengthy battle with brain cancer. - NME, 11/23/20...... In related news, the silver trousers that Iggy Pop wore during The Stooges Raw Power era are going up for auction. The metallic, studded trousers were worn by the frontman on the sleeve of the 1973 album, as well as at several performances at the time. The item will go up for auction on Dec. 2 at 10:00 am PT ia Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills as part of the auction house's "Icons & Idols: Trilogy Rock 'N' Roll"' sale. An online catalog lists the guide price for the trousers as $800-$1,200 (£602-£904). - NME, 11/22/20...... Dena Dietrich, a veteran actress who gained pop-culture renown for her turn as a hoodwinked Mother Nature in a decade-long series of margarine commercials, died on Nov. 21 at a health-care facility in Los Angeles. She was 91. From 1971 until about 1981, the lanky Ms. Dietrich appeared as Mother Nature in commercials for Chiffon margarine, a substitute for butter that came in a soft tub and was made out of hydrogenated cottonseed oil. Her pleasant character would taste the product and think it was real butter, only to be informed by the narrator that it wasn't. "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature," she would say with a scowl before unleashing Zeus-like thunder and lightning. The commercials closed with the melodic line, "If you think it's butter but it's not, it's Chiffon." Ms. Dietrich also starred opposite Peter Falk and Lee Grant in the original 1971-73 Broadway production of "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" and played the sister of Bea Arthur's Dorothy on a 1991 episode of NBC's The Golden Girls. - The Hollywood Reporter, 11/24/20.
The first trailer for the upcoming Bee Gees documentary How Can You Mend a Broken Heart has been shared on YouTube. The first feature-length film about the three famous siblings from Oz, Broken Heart will chronicle the stratospheric rise of Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb and screen in UK cinemas for one night only on Dec. 3. Meanwhile, a narrative biopic based on the life and career of the Bee Gees is also in the works, courtesy of Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King and screenwriter Anthony McCarten. Bradley Cooper is reportedly in line to play Barry Gibb in the film, which will be produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment and Paramount Pictures. - NME, 11/20/20...... In related news, rapper Nelly has been cast as the late Chuck Berry in a forthcoming biopic about rock & roll pioneer Buddy Holly named Clear Lake. Nelly will portray Berry, who died in 2017, in the film, with Ruairi O'Connor cast as Holly. The film will "tell the story of how Holly and other famous musicians of the late 1950s gave birth to rock & roll while changing the trajectory of civil rights in America," according to Variety.com. - NME, 11/19/20...... 
A recently published article in the New England Journal of Medicine has revealed that country superstar Dolly Parton played a key role in funding the research that aided the development of a major vaccine for Covid-19. Parton reportedly chipped in $1 million of her own money to aid research by the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville since the start of the pandemic. The Vanderbilt research has subsequently played a key role in the development of a vaccine from U.S. biotechnology firm Moderna, which was announced on Nov. 16. The Moderna vaccine boasts nearly 95% protection against the disease, and follows the announcement of a separate immunization from pharmaceutical firm Pfizer a week earlier. In the footnotes of the medicine journal, it is confirmed that the funding came from the "Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund." Announcing the gesture back in April, the Grammy-winning singer wrote on Instagram: "My longtime friend Dr. Naji Abumrad, who's been involved in research at Vanderbilt for many years, informed me that they were making some exciting advancements towards that research of the coronavirus for a cure. I am making a donation of $1 million to Vanderbilt towards that research and to encourage people that can afford it to make donations." It's believed that Dolly and Dr. Abumrad became friends after the singer was involved in a car accident and underwent treatment at Vanderbilt in 2014. Parton can currently be seen in Netflix's latest yuletide offering, Christmas on the Square, which features 14 of her original songs and will make its worldwide debut on Nov. 22. - New Musical Express, 11/17/20...... "Distance," a tribute to late guitar god Eddie Van Halen by his 29-year-old son Wolfgang Van Halen, is on track to debut in the Top 5 of Billboard's Rock Digital Song Sales chart for the week ending Nov. 28. In a press release, Wolfgang said "As my pop continued to struggle with various health issues, I was imagining what my life would be like without him and how terribly I'd miss him. While the song is incredibly personal, I think anyone can relate to the idea of having a profound loss in their life." Wolfgang says he finished the song before Eddie's death, and the track became a "favorite" of his dad's. "Distance," which has been shared on YouTube, is also garnering immediate airplay across mainstream rock radio and could debut on the next Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart after drawing spins on 30 reporting stations to the ranking in its first two days of release. Meanwhile, Wolfgang is pushing back at rumours he'll "replace his dad" in Van Halen. During a Nov. 16 interview on Howard Stern's Sirius XM radio show (which can be viewed on YouTube), Wolfgang said those rumors were "f---ing stupid." "You can't have Van Halen without Eddie Van Halen. I'm not my dad. I'm not going to replace him... I've spent my life making sure I'm not like him and I'm my own person.... outside of maybe a tribute show at some point down the line and archival releases further down the line, it's done." Wolfgang continued: "I don't have a dad anymore and I'm coming to terms with that. So, I think fans can come to the terms with the fact that we're not going to have Van Halen anymore. The music is going to live on forever but you can't continue without Eddie Van Halen." - NME, 11/18/20...... 
An anonymous buyer paid $495,000 at auction on Nov. 19 for a trove of Bob Dylan documents including the rock icon's musings about anti-Semitism and unpublished song lyrics. Boston-based R.R. Auction says the collection was privately held by the late American blues artist Tony Glover, a longtime Dylan friend and confidante. A majority of the key pieces went to a bidder whose identity was not made public. The collection included transcripts of Glover's 1971 interviews with Dylan and letters the pair exchanged, revealing that Dylan had anti-Semitism on his mind when he changed his name from Robert Zimmerman, and that he wrote "Lay Lady Lay" for Barbra Streisand. Glover, who died in 2019 and whose widow Cynthia Nadler put the items up for auction, and Dylan broke into music in the same Minneapolis coffeehouse scene and remained close throughout the years. Meanwhile, former president Barack Obama called Bob Dylan "one of the greatest examples" of social consciousness in music during a surprise appearance on YouTubers Fred and Tim Williams' TwinsthenewTrend channel. The 44th president recalled how Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" earned its place on the playlist for both his presidency and his best-selling new memoir, A Promised Land. "I've been a Bob Dylan fan for a long time, partly 'cause I'm just older," Obama told the Williams twins. "He was part of that kind of social conscience that was in rock music, and then later in hip-hop music. Look, I'm like everybody else, I like music about girls and cars and, you know, rock and roll and hip-hop. But whenever you can find some musicians that really have a message about how America might be, how the world might be, that always is something that I pay attention to. And he's one of the greatest examples of that." - AP/Billboard, 11/21/20...... Bruce Springsteen performed three acoustic tracks at the 2020 "Stand Up For Heroes" virtual benefit concert on Nov. 19. The Boss, accompanied by his wife and E Street Band bandmate Patti Scialfa, performed "House Of A Thousand Guitars" from his new Letter To You album in an empty New Jersey bar. The New Jersey rocker also played a solo-acoustic version of "Long Walk Home" from his 2007 album Magic before teaming up with Scialfa again for a rendition of "I'll See You In My Dreams" from his new album. The performance, along with songs by the likes of Sheryl Crow and Brad Paisley has been shared on YouTube. - NME, 11/20/20...... AC/DC's new album Power Up has become the Aussie rockers' fourth No. 1 album in the UK according to OfficialCharts.com, selling 62,000 copies and becoming the fastest-selling album in the UK to date. AC/DC's Angus Young thanked fans for their support. "A very big thank you to everyone who put in their time, effort and creativity to get PWR/UP to Number 1! Also a big shoutout to all our fans, old and new. You are, and always have been, our guiding inspiration," he told OfficialCharts.com. Power Up is AC/DC's first No. 1 album in the UK since 2010's Iron Man 2 soundtrack. - NME, 11/20/20...... 
What is probably the most infamous souvenir of the tragic assassination of John Lennon on Dec. 8, 1980 in front of his New York City apartment building is being put up for auction. The copy of John and Yoko Ono's then new LP Double Fantasy signed by John at the request of Mark Chapman five hours before he was slain by Chapman is being put up for sale by Goldin Auctions, with bidding opening on Nov. 23 at 2:00 am EST (5:00 am GMT). Police markings from the investigation appear on both the front and back of the record sleeve. The album will have an opening bid of $400,000 (£301k). Earlier this year, Chapman apologized to Yoko "for the pain that I caused to her." "I think about it all of the time," he said at a hearing in New York, where the 65-year-old inmate was denied parole for the 11th time. - NME, 11/21/20...... In other Beatles-related news, the release of Paul McCartney's forthcoming album McCartney III has been delayed one week to Dec. 18 due to what Sir Paul describes as "unforeseeable production delays." A post on Macca's Facebook on Nov. 19 says that "Unforeseeable production delays have forced the release date of Paul's all-new all-Paul album 'McCartney III' to be moved back one week to December 18, 2020. Thank you to everyone for your patience, support and excitement for the album. We can't wait for you to hear it!" McCartney III is the long-awaited final part of his McCartney solo album trilogy, following 1970's McCartney and 1980's McCartney II. - NME, 11/20/20...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, the 19-year-old grandson of Ringo Starr and Gene Gallagher, the 19-year-old son of Oasis member Liam Gallagher, have pleaded guilty after being charged with attacking an Indian security guard in a convenience store in May 2019. The pair, along with model Noah Ponte, 20, pleaded not guilty on Nov. 20 to an assortment of charges stemming from a fight at a Tesco Express shop in north London. Gallagher allegedly stole a can of beer at around midnight after the shop had stopped selling alcohol. Officials at Wood Green Magistrates Court heard he then told a South Asian worker: "You bloody Indians. Go back to where you came from. You're not wanted here." The trio is then claimed to have attacked members of staff before leaving the store. Gallagher and Ponte are also accused of racially aggravated assault, while Sonny is facing two charges of assault by beating two Tesco workers. All three only spoke to plead not guilty to the charges. - WENN/Canoe.com, 11/22/20...... Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's eldest daughter Aimée Osbourne has confirmed that casting is set to begin on the forthcoming Ozzy and Sharon biopic. "Yes, it's still happening, and I've been helping them with that as well," Aimée said of the film that was first announced in the summer. "I think we're getting ready to start casting too, which is really exciting. Finding the right kind of actors to portray them is going to be challenging, but we're looking forward to finding some newcomers," she said. "I think authenticity, vulnerability, charisma, all those kinds of things will needed to play them, because they're just both so unique. It's definitely going to be challenging, and as excited as I am, it's going to be intense to find someone who can embody a challenging mix of characteristics for both of them. But I have faith we will find the right people," she added. The film is said to skip Ozzy's original tenure in Black Sabbath and fast forward to when he left the band in the late 1970s and began dating Sharon. Sharon previously discussed how she doesn't want the film to be "squeaky, shiny clean" like Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. Sharon also recently announced she is self-quarantining again after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19. "We're all on lockdown," Sharon said from home at the top of her daytime talk show The Talk, and that one of her assistants who she works with at home had tested positive for the disease. "She's (my assistant) doing OK, but can you believe it? This is my second lockdown." - NME/Music-News.com, 11/20/20...... 
Kiss are set to close out 2020 with a "Kiss 2020 Goodbye" virtual special on Dec. 31 at the Atlantis in Dubai. Kiss is promising "the biggest & baddest concert event and pyrotechnics show of the year" when they take the stage at 5:00 p.m. BST, with tickets ranging from $40 (£30) for a standard ticket, all the way up to $1,000 (£750) for deluxe tickets which includes all manner of Kiss merchandise and memorabilia. "In true KISS fashion, they are bringing the biggest & baddest concert event and pyrotechnics show of the year, proving once again, that KISS never does anything small," according to a press release. "The massive stage production and FREE pre-show will be brought directly into your living room at 9 pm LIVE from Atlantis Dubai on December 31st!" - NME, 11/21/20...... The music of Queen is now officially available on the popular social media app TikTok. Up to 10 of the band's classic hits -- including "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Another One Bites The Dust," "Don't Stop Me Now" and "We Will Rock You" -- have been made available on the app for fans worldwide to use in their video creations. Other hits from their back catalog on TikTok include "Under Pressure," "We Are The Champions," "I Want To Break Free," "Somebody To Love," "Killer Queen" and 'Radio Ga Ga." The account was launched in partnership with the band and its label partners Universal Music Group and Hollywood Records. To commemorate the band's music arriving on TikTok, a hashtag challenge has been launched globally, encouraging fans to #SingWithQueen. The Queen TikTok page can be viewed at tiktok.com@queenofficial. - NME, 11/19/20...... In a new interview with BBC News, Keith Richards joked that he "might get a new wheelchair" to celebrate the Rolling Stones' 60th anniversary two years from now. "I don't know [how I plan to celebrate]. I might get a new wheelchair," he said, then reflected wistfully that "this particular life" has "been pretty exceptional." "I'm really at a loss sometimes to sort of figure out how the hell I got here," he admitted. "But the music is the thing that keeps you going, so that's what I try and concentrate on." The Rolling Stones, who formed in 1962, are set to celebrate 60 years together in 2022. - NME, 11/19/20...... The Who's Roger Daltrey has branded Elton John "arsey" as he reignited the row between the two over Elton's alleged snub of the Daltrey-organised Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) gigs in 2018. Daltrey said at the time that John "should answer his bloody emails" in regards to the annual charity gigs, claiming that he had played at events organised by John's charity "three times," but a rep for Elton says that they were "slightly perplexed by his claims" because "each time prior commitments meant Elton was unfortunately unable to take part." "No one here has any recollection of Roger performing at any Elton John AIDS Foundation events 'three times' either, which makes it all the stranger," the rep added. In a recent inteview with the UK's Daily Mirror paper, Daltrey recalled the incident by claiming that he "wasn't making a big deal out of it, but then Elton got arsey about it." Daltrey also claimed that Elton remains hard to get hold of. "I've had the same number 40 years. But when you get to Elton's status as a monstrous, massive star... it's not easy to get hold of these guys." Daltrey did add that he was still holding out hope that John would one day join the line-up for his TCT gigs, adding: "I've done a couple for his AIDS charities and foundation." Daltrey is among the artists who will perform at the Nordoff Robbins-organised charity livestream event "The Stars Come Out To Sing At Christmas" on Dec. 15. - NME, 11/18/20...... 
Gibson Guitars has recreated two classic guitars based on instruments once played by Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix's 1969 Flying V and 1967 SG Custom are being made available for fans to buy, with both models looking and sounding like the guitars Hendrix actually played. Both also come with official photos of the late guitar legend and a collection of anecdotes and personal images from the archives of Eddie Kramer, his renowned engineer, producer, and collaborator. Hendrix played the Flying V throughout the Band of Gypsys era and during his legendary set at the Isle of Wight Festival on Aug. 31, 1970. He was seen performing with the 1967 SG Custom on his national television debut on The Dick Cavett Show on July 7, 1969. The guitars, which will retail for $9,999 (£7,548) each, can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 11/19/20...... Bruce Swedien, the longtime engineer for Michael Jackson and who has also worked with the likes of Paul McCartney, Jennifer Lopez and Donna Summer, passed away on Nov. 16, according to his daughter Roberta Swedien. "My dad, Bruce Swedien, passed away peacefully last night, November 16th. He was 86," Roberta posted on Facebook on Nov. 17. "A legend in the music industry for over 65 years and 5-time Grammy winner, he was known for his work with Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and many more. He had a long life full of love, great music, big boats and beautiful marriage. We will celebrate that life. He was loved by everyone. Rest in peace dear sweet Daddy-ji. We will love you forever, Bea and Roberta." Mr. Swedien worked with Quincy Jones on Jackson's 1979 album Off The Wall, along with his classic albums Thriller and Bad. Over the years, he also worked with Mick Jagger, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan and Barbra Streisand. - NME, 11/17/20...... British football agent and music publicist Eric Hall, who organized the Sex Pistols' infamous 1976 expletive-filled interview on The Today Show with Bill Grundy, has died at age 73. The flamboyant Hall, known for his trademark catchphrase "Monster Monster," first cut his teeth as a publicist for EMI Records in the 1970s. It was at EMI that Hall first met Queen's Freddie Mercury, claiming in later years that the band's 1974 hit "Killer Queen" was written about him. Hall, who was born in Bethnal Green in 1947, also worked as Elton John's tea boy in his formative years and went on to promote the likes of Frank Sinatra, Queen and T. Rex. - NME, 11/17/20.
A 
In the December issue of Britain's GQ magazine, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page says that the coronavirus pandemic made him think about making a return to performing live. Page said that being in lockdown inspired him to think about getting back out on the road. "When we first went into lockdown I thought, 'Right, now's the time to start thinking about coming back at some point and being able to perform'," adding that the cancellation of concerts all over the world in order to stop the spread of COVID-19 has strengthened his belief that "music means nothing" without live shows. Page added that he's "worried" about the future of the arts and the lack of opportunities for new artists on the rise to perform live. "It's such a very sad and desperate time and what this virus has done internationally to families, to the arts, and everything we love and hold dear and the whole concert situation, it does worry me," he said. "I will never be one of those people who'll record alone and send someone a file. I never went into music in the first place to do that, it was for playing together and this is what it means. We need to play with people, we need gigs and we need community. Because without that, music means nothing." - NME, 11/14/20...... Alice Cooper has shared a cover of the Velvet Underground's "Rock & Roll" from his upcoming album 
Des O'Connor, a beloved British entertainer, TV presenter and singer died on Nov. 14 after a fall at his home in Buckinghamshire a few days prior. He was 88. Mr. O'Connor was known for his decades-long prime-time TV career, including shows such as Des O'Connor Tonight and Today With Des And Mel. He was also a successful pop singer, having recorded 36 albums and achieved four top 10 singles across a career spanning several decades. In 2008, Mr. O'Connor was made a CBE for his services to entertainment and broadcasting in the Queen's birthday honours. "Des, who was 88, was so well-loved by absolutely everyone. He was a joy to work with -- he was talented, fun, positive, enthusiastic, kind and a total professional," his longtime agent and family friend Pat Lake-Smith said in a statement. "He loved life, and considered enthusiasm almost as important as oxygen. He adored his family -- they were everything to him. He is survived by his wife, Jodie, their son, Adam, and his four daughters, Karin, TJ, Samantha and Kristina." Kim Wilde also paid tribute to Mr. O'Connor on Twitter, recalling "gorgeous memories of singing 'Something Stupid' with Des O'Connor" and an accompanying picture of the pair performing. "Thanks for the memories you lovely man," she added. - NME, 11/15/20.
Ringo Starr inducted his late friend and fellow musician Marc Bolan of T. Rex into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during a virtual ceremony on Nov. 7. "People knew him as a great musician, a songwriter, a guitarist, but he was also a poet," Starr said of his glam rock friend, who died in a car crash in 1977. "And he was really proud of that. He was always telling me that he was the Number One selling poet in Britain. In fact, his poetry was as important to him as his music. He had great style and was really unlike anyone else I have ever met." Ringo added: "He was a great performer, just incredible. And that's why I called the film we did together Born to Boogie, because he really was. I told Marc, I'll bring the camera and everything else, you just bring yourself. We had a lot of fun together. I remember lots of laughter. We lost him way too young, but in his short life, he made over 12 albums that are as far out and ahead of their time as he was. With the help of [producer] Tony Visconti and his band T. Rex, Marc's style started a lot of trends. They called it glam rock with singles such as 'Get It On', 'Children of the Revolution', and, of course, 'Born to Boogie'." Starr's speech concluded: "But it was always just great music to me. And that's why people are still listening to T. Rex today. There's no doubt they believe in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- finally. And I'm very proud to welcome them in right now. Peace and love to [T. Rex members] Marc, Mickey, Steve, and Bill, and peace and love to all the fans from me and T. Rex. Peace and Love." Alongside Bolan, Nine Inch Nails were also inducted, with Iggy Pop giving a speech to welcome Trent Reznor and co., while Depeche Mode also joined the revered list. The Doobie Brothers and Whitney Houston were also among the 2020 inductees. - New Musical Express, 11/8/20...... In other Rock and Roll Hall of Fame news, president and CEO Joel Peresman has announced the annual event is permanently changing its ceremony schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic. The news comes after it was announced earlier in 2019 that the 2020 ceremony, which was originally set to take place in May, would move to November and take place in virtual form following the global crisis. For years, the people behind the Hall Of Fame would announce in the autumn the nominations for the next year's inclusions. At the beginning of the year they would then unveil the list of artists being inducted before the grand all-star induction ceremony. However, Peresman has now announced that the Hall Of Fame's whole schedule has permanently changed. "We moved the timing of the ceremony," he said of this year's event. "We're going to move the ceremony permanently so it's in the fall of each year because of COVID." He continued: "We're also moving the nomination process. Normally, the nomination process starts in September, we announce the nominees in October, and then we announce the inductees in January. This time the nomination meetings will happen in January, so we'll announce the nominees in February and start that voting process then." While it's not clear whether next year's ceremony will be held in person, Peresman said it is "hopeful by next fall in some form that we'll be able to get together again." - NME, 11/3/20...... 
On Nov. 11 Alice Cooper announced that his next album will spotlight his early roots in his hometown of Detroit. Cooper says 
In other Rolling Stones news, guitarist Keith Richards has spoken about the band's upcoming 60th anniversary in 2022, saying that "the plans are to still actually all be alive" by the time the milestone comes around. In an interview with GQ magazine, the 76-year-old Richards said "Well, the plans are to still actually all be alive" when asked about their 60th anniversary. Apart from that, at our age, I don't know. I haven't heard of any plans, but I'm sure there are things being made. First off, I'm going to get through this year and see how we handle next year. Because I think at the moment, there are more problems than a Rolling Stones celebration. Although I'm very glad that we're all here, but I'll leave it at that if I can." Richards further confirmed that the Stones have been working on a new album, which he says was "halfway in the works before [the] shit hit the fan" -- a reference to the coronavirus pandemic. "I was trying to progress a few things along, but there's not a lot one can really do except wait for the vaccine," the guitarist said. Richards also reflected on his own mortality in the interview, saying that "every day is a pleasure." "I mean, I don't wish to defy anybody's predictions and I'm really not interested in them," he added in reference to the interviewer's observation that "people have been wondering in interviews when you're going to die for the last 50 years." "But I'll croak when I croak and everybody will know," Richards added. - NME, 11/10/20...... In an interview with the website TalkRADIO.co.uk on Nov. 10, Queen guitarist Brian May revealed how Queen initially thought their Live Aid performance was "kind of ok," failing to realize that they had delivered one of the most iconic performances of all time. "It was so strange kind of reliving it for the movie," May said, referring to the smash 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. "They recreated it so incredibly faithfully, and to be there on that set was really spine chilling; it brought it all back. And at the time, we weren't aware of what an epoch-making thing it was, really. We came off [thinking], 'Well, that went kind of OK.' But we didn't realise that it had made such a lasting impression on the ether... It sort of lives on, doesn't it?" Hailing the talents of the late Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury, he added: "He had a great spatial awareness, and that's something very important. "If you're working with people on a stage, you need to have musical contact, but you also need the kind of physical chemistry going on -- the awareness of where you are and where you're aiming your energy. Freddie was wonderful for that, and we just clicked from the very beginning." - NME, 11/11/20...... Genesis member Phil Collins is disputing his ex-wife Orianne Cevey's "scurrilous" and "grossly exaggerated" claims that he refused to shower and lived in squalor after becoming a recluse after the former couple split for the second time earlier in 2020. In the latest development in a court battle over Cevey and her new husband Thomas Bates being evicted by Collins from a beachfront Miami compoind she once shared with Collins, Cevey claimed Collins became a recluse in 2019, refusing to socialize, turning his back on music and reportedly abusing painkillers, all while also failing to take care of his personal hygiene for months as he allegedly started living in squalor. "Philip's stench became so pervasive that he became a hermit, refusing to interact personally with any people," Cevey declared in the legal documents. However, Collins has disputed his ex's version of events in a response filed to court by his lawyers, calling her allegations "immaterial and impertinent" to the case and even going as far as likening her claims to a means of "extortion." "They are scandalous, scurrilous, unethical and, for the most part, patently false or grossly exaggerated," Collins' attorneys wrote. "These false and scandalous allegations are again included only so that they can be delivered by defendants to the media to try to damage Phil Collins' reputation in an effort to extort money." - Music-News.com, 11/10/20...... On Nov. 10 a new David Bowie album called No Trendy Rchauff was announced on the 
Alex Trebek, the beloved longtime host of the TV game show Jeopardy!, died at home on Nov. 8 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80. Mr. Trebek, who started out in radio and on shows in his native Canada before becoming a fixture of American TV for 36 years as the steady hand of the juggernaut Jeopardy!, reportedly passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Born George Alexander Trebek on July 22, 1940 and growing up in Sudbury, Ontario, Mr. Trebek's father immigrated from Ukraine; his mother was French Canadian. Mr. Trebek grew up working class with his sister Barbara in the nickel-mining town, and after working his way through college and graduating with a degree in philosophy, he worked in radio and TV for 12 years in his native Canada. He made the move to Los Angeles in 1973 for The Wizard of Odds, and hosted many game shows, including High Rollers and Double Dare, before landing Jeopardy! in 1984. For 36 years, Mr. Trebek, with his wit, pronunciation panache and steady hand, and the quiz show became "part of the fabric of American life," with him hosting nearly 8,000 episodes and the show winning 35 Emmys. Mr. Trebek announced that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2019 and fans showered him with support. Mr. Trebek is survived by his wife of 30 years, Jean Currivan, and their two children, Matthew and Emily, and Nicky, his first wife Elaine Callei's daughter. Among those paying tribute to Mr. Trebek after learning of his passing was "American Pie" hitmaker Don McLean, who was requested to attend a 2019 Christmas party hosted by Mr. Trebek. "There was not the slightest hint of self-pity or weakness in this man. He was elegant and dignified as you saw him on television," said McClean of Trebek's demeanor at the Dec. 18 party for 150 in Studio City, Calif., where Trebek said having the singer perform would be the realization of a "longtime dream" of his. "Old school for sure and someone who we all can learn from," McLean added. "I thought of him often afterward and I'll think of him in the future and maybe try to be a little more like him." - DailyMail.co.uk/Billboard, 11/8/20.
James Taylor shared a special performance of "America the Beautiful" on Election Day (Nov. 3) on 
Hall & Oates principal Daryl Hall has shared his thoughts on the 1980 H&O hit "You Make My Dreams" recemt;u passing the landmark of one billion total streams. "The song is certainly an antidote to the uncertainty of the world we live in now," Hall told the UK paper The Sun. "It still feels very current to me because I've been playing the song for all these years. Time really doesn't play a big factor in the way I look at anything really, but especially music," says Hall, who adds the song "wrote itself." "I remember writing the song, sitting in my apartment in New York City. I had a Yamaha CP 30 piano, which is a very distinctive sounding electric piano. And I started playing that riff, it just spoke to me... I wondered if it was too happy? Could I think of something a little more complicated? And I tried but it is what it is. It really just wrote itself." - Music-News.com, 11/6/20...... In an episode of Oprah Winfrey's new Apple TV+ series The Oprah Conversation, Stevie Wonder said he thinks America is "so close" to not being "the land of the free." Winfrey asked the Motown legend if he thought America was in a "fragile decade" right now. "Without question," Wonder replied. "Most importantly, we are so close to not being the nation that people talk about. We can talk about being the land of the free and the home of the brave, 'give me your tired' and all of that. And then there are people who hate." He continued: "I don't care what ethnicity you are, what color you are. The great thing about being blind, for me, is that I don't see color but I do see the spirit. If your spirit's not right, I can just feel it." - NME, 11/6/20...... Jimmy Page confirmed on his 
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Elton John's songwriting partner Bernie Taupin says he "continually encourages" Sir Elton to work on a new album. Taupin says John was planning on working on some of the songs he had sent him during his downtime in Australia when he was due to be touring there. "I did send him probably close to 16 or 18 things when he was in Australia. The original plan was that he was going to write when he was in Australia because he had so much free time down there because he was going to stay there for the duration of the Australian and New Zealand tour." However, Taupin added that: "(Elton) felt that he wanted to write... (but) that didn't happen." Taupin says that when Elton finally does "put digits to piano" he believes the tunes he sent him will turn out to be "very special": "I think we might come up with something very special. Being that he's not going to hit the road potentially until the end of next year, that gives him plenty of time. I would love to see him start to do some work. As I say, I continually encourage him to do so. How we would do it, I'm not sure. I've got some ideas in my head that he might be interested in. But I really, really would love to get back on track and back in the game." John's last studio LP was 2016's Wonderful Crazy Night. - Music-News.com, 11/5/20...... The new David Byrne film American Utopia, which is based on Byrne's smash Broadway hit of the same name and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September before screening at the London Film Festival in October, has been given a UK release date. Universal announced it will be releasing the Spike Lee-directed American Utopia on VOD services and on DVD from Dec.14, in light of the coronavirus restrictions facing UK cinemas at the moment. The Broadway show played at New York City's Hudson Theatre from Oct. 2019 to Feb. 2020, and also toured the UK between Oct. and Nov. 2018. Byrne is joined by 11 musicians from around the world onstage, while Lee films the production with 11 camera operators. The show performs a number of songs from Byrne's album of the same name, but also features a number of hits by Byrne's former band Talking Heads including "Burning Down The House" and "This Must Be The Place." - NME, 11/5/20...... A new 2021 charity calendar being marketed to fans of The Clash will help raise funds for The Joe Strummer Foundation, an organization set up in the singer's memory to develop new music talent in the U.K. and overseas. The calendar allows Clash fans to delve into iconic imagery from Strummer's solo career, and features around 123 record sleeves from Strummer's solo career. Fans looking to spread a bit of holiday cheer can also purchase a set of Joe Strummer Christmas cards too, with a new design created for 2021. Both items can be purchased on the 
In an emotional post on 
Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ken Hensley, a former member of the '70s hard rock band Uriah Heep, died on Nov. 5. He was 75. "I received devastating news this morning from Ken's manager Steve Weltman that Ken Hensley has passed away," Hensley's former bandmate Mick Box posted to 
The Eagles have soared to their best Billboard chart sales week in over a decade with their new concert LP, 
A live cover of the T. Rex classic "Cosmic Dancer" by David Bowie and alternative rocker Morrissey is set to be released as a digital download and streaming on Nov. 13. A vinyl version of the single will then be released on Feb.19, 2021. On the other side of the single will be a cover of The Jam's "That's Entertainment," though as Morrissey's official website points out, it is not the same version of the track as the 1993 version available on the internet. Bowie and Morrissey paired up for the cover during a Morrissey concert at The Forum in Los Angeles in 1991, and it has been widely circulated online in the two decades since. A clip of the "Cosmic Dancer" collaboration has been shared on 
Neil Young has shared details of the upcoming 50th anniversary reissue of his classic 1970 set After the Goldrush, which was originally released on Sept. 19, 1970. Due on Dec. 11 via Reprise Records, 
A U.K. release date for the upcoming Bee Gees documentary How Can You Mend A Broken Heart has been announced. The first feature-length documentary about the band is set to screen in UK cinemas for one night only on Dec. 3. Directed by Frank Marshall (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), the rockdoc promises an intimate look at the lives and careers of Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb. "Like so many people around the world, I've loved the Bee Gees' music all my life," Marshall said in a statement. "But it wasn't until I did my first interview with Barry, almost 3 years ago, that I began to discover their uncanny creative instincts, their musical gifts, their humor, and the brotherhood and family that made them so unique." He added: "It's been such an honor to be involved in this movie and celebrate the massive impact The Bee Gee's have had on popular music." Meanwhile, it was recently announced a narrative biopic based on the life and career of the Bee Gees is also in the works, courtesy of Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King and screenwriter Anthony McCarten. - NME, 10/29/20...... Appearing on her chat show The Talk, Ozzy Osbourne wife Sharon Osbourne revealed that her and Ozzy's credit cards were recently "maxed out" by a fraudster. Sharon said she was first made aware of the crime when attempting to buy a birthday present for daughter Kelly Osbourne. "I give my credit card and they come back and say, 'Do you have another credit card? It didn't go through.' I say, 'Just try it again'... still didn't go through.... I hand them Ozzy's." She added: "Then, they come back and go, 'Do you have another one? It didn't go through.' Someone rang up charges and maxed out Ozzy's card and my card. I called through to the credit card company and they go, 'No, no, no, you're maxed out, so is Ozzy.' I'm like, 'I don't go to that store, or to that store.'" When asked if it was fraud, Sharon confirmed the crime, before adding that all of the fraudulent transactions on her card are currently being processed. - NME, 10/29/20...... Phil Collins will take back control of his beachfront Miami mansion from ex-wife Orianne Cevey in January, 2021, according to his attorney. The former Genesis frontman has been fighting for the property which Cevey is allegedly occupying with her new husband, according to a Miami newspaper. According to attorney Collins' attorney Jeffrey D. Fisher, Cevey and her new husband have now agreed to leave by mid-January 2021, claiming in a statement to the New York Post's gossip column "Page Six" that: "Mr. and Mrs. Bates' plan to hold Phil Collins' house as hostage to leverage a settlement during a protracted court case was upended by the new judge's bold decision to complete the injunction hearing next week." Fisher also said Collins' memorabilia, such as Collins' extensive The Alamo artefacts and music collection, will be removed from the residence, and she will maintain a 50% interest in the mansion, according to the Post. The warring ex-couple, who have two teenage sons, were married for nine years before splitting in 2008, a divorce that cost the rocker more than $46 million (£35 million). However, they reconciled in 2016 before separating again earlier this year, after which Cevey married businessman Bates in August. - Music-News.com, 11/1/20...... 
The official trailer for the forthcoming Frank Zappa documentary Zappa has been shared on