Elton John took to Twitter on Nov. 30 to announce a new three-part documentary to accompany his latest album, The Lockdown Sessions. "Surprise! Just in time for the holidays, I'm taking you 'Inside the Lockdown Sessions.' Watch as I go deep into the making of my latest album with all of my collaborators, only on @AppleMusic," John wrote, accompanying the post with a 30-second teaser from the film, Inside The Lockdown Sessions. Streaming exclusively on Apple Music, the film features appearances from Stevie Nicks, Miley Cyrus, Rina Sawayama, Eddie Vedder and other musicians who collaborated with Elton on the new LP. Stevie Nicks also took to Twitter to share a snippet of the documentary in which she speaks of their collaboration on "Stolen Car." "You're in the backseat with Stevie and Elton, going down the PCH [Pacific Coast Highway] & It's a good duet, it's the right song and it's always magical," Nicks said in the clip, with John adding, "For her to be on it, it's just incredible." The Lockdown Sessions debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart, while his "Cold Heart collaboration featuring Dua Lipa saw the Rocket Man become the first artist to have a U.K. Top 10 single in six different decades. - Billboard, 12/1/21...... 
Ted Nugent has weighed in on the recent controversial decision by a Wisconsin jury to acquit 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse of fatally shooting two men and wounding another at a 2020 racial justice protest in the city Kenosha. "Now is the time to optimise the thankfulness for this unique, wonderful, one-of-a-kind American dream, by taking advantage of examples of where good overcomes evil, where good overcomes bad and the ugly. The ultimate example of that is that Kyle Rittenhouse implemented, executed perfect self-defense," Nugent posted on YouTube. "If you're against Kyle Rittenhouse, you're on the side of evil," he continued. "If you're against Kyle Rittenhouse, you think that evil should win over good. That's exactly what that means. If you are saying, 'Thank you, God,' 'Thank you, the Kenosha jury,' 'Thank you, the Kenosha judge,' 'Thank you, Kyle Rittenhouse,' because good people believe in good over evil, if you really believe that, a family -- hallelujah -- isn't enough.... People against self-defence that are voicing against Kyle Rittenhouse, those people are sick. That is an evil sickness, to think that good people should surrender to life-threatening evil. That's what we're looking at here," he added. Meanwhile, Nugent previously claimed that the US doesn't have a gun problem. - New Musical Express, 12/1/21...... Raise the Roof, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' new collaboration has risen to the top of multiple Billboard charts for the week ending Dec. 4. The album starts at No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums, Americana/Folk Albums and Bluegrass Albums charts with 40,000 equivalent album units earned (38,000 in album sales) in the week ending Nov. 25, according to MRC Data, following its Nov. 19 release. The LP is Plant and Krauss' second top charter on the Top Rock Albums, following their first collaborative album Raising Sand's two-week reign beginning in Nov. 2007. Their initial team-up also went on to win the Grammy Award for album of the year in 2009, while its track "Please Read the Letter" won for Record of the Year. Plant previously topped the Americana/Folk Albums chart in 2017 with Carry Fire and in 2007 Raising Sand rose to No. 2 on the Top Country Albums Chart, on which Raise The Roof has risen to No. 3 so far. On the all-genre Billboard Hot 200, Raise the Roof enters at No. 7, marking Plant's ninth solo top 10 and Krauss' fifth. - Billboard, 12/1/21...... Two thorougly American pop music acts -- Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson and Windy City stalwarts Chicago -- announced a co-headlining summer 2022 tour on Nov. 30. Their 25-city outing is slated to kick off on June 7 at Ak-Chin Pavilion in Phoenix, Ariz. and visit a mix of major and smaller markets including Los Angeles (6/9), Salt Lake City (6/14), Kansas City (6/20), Dallas (6/24), Tampa (6/28) and Cincinnati (7/23) before wrapping in Clarkston, Michigan's DTE Energy Music Theatre on July 26. Wilson will be joined by his BB co-founder singer/guitarist Al Jardine and South African singer/guitarist Blondie Chaplin, who was briefly a member of the legendary surf pop band from 1972-1973. Tickets for the Live Nation-produced tour go on sale on Dec. 3. - Billboard, 11/30/21...... 
Perhaps no other band is as uniquely British as Queen, and the country has once again confirmed its love for the legendary art-rockers by making Queen's 1981 greatest hits collection Queen - Greatest Hits the most-streamed album in the U.K. from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, based on data provided by the Official Charts Company. Freddie Mercury and Co.'s hits-stacked set is already recognized as the U.K.'s biggest-selling album of all time, shifting more than 6 million units since its release. It's also logged 973 weeks (and counting) on the Official U.K. Albums Chart. Coming in at No. 2 on the list of most streamed classic albums is Fleetwood Mac's 1977 Rumours, while Oasis' sophomore album from 1995 (What's The Story) Morning Glory? comes in at No. 3. ABBA's Gold - Greatest Hits from 1992 comes in at No. 4, with Bob Marley's 1984 career retrospective with The Wailers, Legend, completes the Top 5. The full Top 200 can be viewed at Greatesthitsradio.co.uk. In other Queen-related news, Brian May has taken to Instagram to explain that his words were "subtly twisted" to suggest he is unfriendly toward the trans community during a recent interview with press at ITV's Palooza event in London. "Yes -- I was ambushed and completely stitched up by a journalist at the recent ITV event," May posted. "And it's led to a whole mess of press stories making it look like I'm unfriendly to trans people. Nothing could be further from the truth. My words were subtly twisted," he added. Speaking to The Mirror paper on Nov. 23, May seemed to criticize the Brit Awards -- U.K.'s biggest music event -- for removing separate male and female categories for the solo artist prizes. This move was, according to organizers, aimed at rewarding artists "solely for their music and work, rather than how they choose to identify or as others may see them." - Billboard/The Hollywood Reporter, 11/29/21...... Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have shared tribute to their late Beatles bandmate George Harrison on the 20th anniversary of the latter's passing. McCartney took to Twitter to share an old image of himself and "the quiet Beatle" in the studio with a caption reading: "Hard to believe that we lost George 20 years ago. I miss my friend so much. Love Paul." Meanwhile Ringo took to Instagram to share an image of him and Harrison smoking cigars, saying: "Peace and love to you George I miss you man. Peace and love Ringo." Harrison also received a tribute from his widow, Olivia Harrison, who shared a video to her Instagram page that featured a psychedelic photo of Harrison's face set to his song "Within You Without You," and ended with the words, "We love you, George." In other Beatles-related news, Yoko Ono has shared an article on Twitter which says the new Peter Jackson-directed Beatles documentary, Get Back, dispels rumours that she broke up the group. Yoko's Nov. 27 post to her 4.6 million Twitter followers was titled "Beatles Fans Think 'Get Back' Dispels The Idea That Yoko Ono Broke The Band Up." Ono has been blamed for breaking up of the Beatles since the group called it quits in 1969. The Beatles: Get Back is currently available to stream on the Disney+ channel in the US and the UK.- NME, 11/29/21...... 
The Eagles announced on Nov. 27 that the group will play eight new dates in the US beginning on Feb. 19 in Savannah, Ga. The California country-rockers then hit Charlotte, NC (2/21), Orlando, Fla. (2/24), Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (2/25), Tampa, Fla. (2/28), Raleigh, NC (3/2), and Atlanta (3/4) before wrapping their US leg in Austin, Tex. on Mar. 19. On June 17, they'll kick off a European leg in Arnhem, Netherlands, followed by shows in Liverpool, UK (6/20), Edinburgh, UK (6/22), Dublin (6/24) and London (6/26). Each stop will feature a choir and an orchestra accompanying the band for a run through of their classic 1976 LP Hotel California before an interval followed by a set of the band's greatest hits. The Eagles will join Elton John, Pearl Jam and Duran Duran and more at the BST Hyde Park 2022 festival. - NME, 11/27/21...... Neil Young has announced he'll release a collection of demos recorded in 1987 that the prolific musician says he doesn't even remember recording. Posting to his Neil Young Archives on Nov. 27, Young explained that the Summer Songs demos were labeled with the same date when they were found recently, and that "they all have a very similar unique sound." "To give you an idea of place and time, Farm Aid and the Bridge School Concerts had just begun their long runs," he said, referring to the run of benefit concerts he performed that decade, starting in 1985 with Farm Aid. Young added that several of these demos offer lyrics "significantly different from their subsequent master album releases," promising "several completely new and unheard verses." While a firm release date for the demos is still unconfirmed, he wrote that these songs will be included in his upcoming compilation release Neil Young Archives Volume III. Young added there's also a possibility of the demos being issued as a "separate Archive album before that." Meanwhile, Young will release his 41st studio album, Barn, on Dec. 10. - NME, 11/30/21...... Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath has shared a new song titled "Scent of Dark," his first new music in eight years. Besides a classical piece that he wrote for Birmingham Cathedral in 2017, it's Iommi's first new single proper since song releases from Sabbath's 2013 album 13. The guitarist has also launched a perfume under the same name as part of a collaboration with perfumer Sergio Momo, who features on "Scent of Dark." An accompanying music video shared on YouTube sees Iommi sample his new perfume inside Sudley Castle in Winchcombe, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. Iommi will also contribute to Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne's upcoming solo album. "I wrote the whole track and played on it and played the solo on it," he recently told Rolling Stone. "It's horrible, really.... No. I'm joking. No, it's good. It's really good. And I like what Ozzy sang on it. I think he did a really good job. And I think they had Chad [Smith], of Red Hot Chili Peppers play drums on it. I've left it in their hands now." According to a recent financial statement issued by Sony, Osbourne's next solo album is "anticipated over the next six months." - NME, 11/27/21...... 
An aptly named collaboration between Dionne Warwick and Chance the Rapper called "Nothing's Impossible" has been shared on YouTube. "For those of you asking about the song with @chancetherapper& well, it's out NOW," Warwick announced on Twitter on Nov. 26. "I gotta tell you, I am so excited. Yes, I am," Warwick said in the video clip. The pair revealed the song was in the works back in January, after connecting on Twitter a month before. Warwick had first initiated contact by poking fun at Chance with some pointed comments that had her trending on Twitter: "Hi, @chancetherapper," she wrote on Twitter on Dec. 5. "If you are very obviously a rapper why did you put it in your stage name? I cannot stop thinking about this," she added, before declaring herself "Dionne the Singer." Proceeds from the new single will go to SocialWorks, a Chicago-based nonprofit that Chance founded to empower the youth through the arts, education and civic engagement, and Hunger: Not Impossible, a text-based service connecting kids and their families in need with prepaid, nutritious, to-go meals from local restaurants. - Billboard, 11/26/21...... Retrospectum, the most comprehensive exhibition of Bob Dylan's visual art to be held in the U.S., went on display on Nov. 30 in Miami at the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum. Forty new pieces by the 80-year-old songwriting legend and Nobel laureate will be showcased for the first time. Featuring more than 180 acrylics, watercolors, drawings and ironwork sculptures, the exhibit will kick off the same week as Art Basel Miami Beach and will run through Apr. 17 with no future stops announced yet. "Retrospectrum includes some of Dylan's works from the 1960s, starting with pencil sketches he made of his songs such as "Highway 61 Revisited and "Like a Rolling Stone," according to a press release. "His pieces, loaned from private collections around the world, also include abstract sketches from the 1970s, and covers six large rooms. But the vast majority was created in the past 15 years," it added. - Billboard, 11/27/21...... Rosalie Trombley, a Canadian broadcast legend and trailblazer for women who was immortalized by Bob Seger in his 1973 single "Rosalie" as "everybody's favorite little record girl," died on Nov. 23. She was 82. Seger sang, "she knows music... she's got the power" in his 1973 song about Trombley, who for nearly two decades served as music director of the influential top 40 station CKLW-AM/The Big 8, situated in the Canadian border city of Windsor across from Detroit. "Rosalie was an icon, a trailblazer, and our friend," Seger posted on Facebook upon learning of her passing. "Through her hard work and incredible instincts, she achieved a rare level of influence and power in music. When she got behind your record other stations would follow suit. She was literally a gatekeeper to national success and we were so fortunate to have her support, especially on many of our early records. She was an integral part of our journey and we are eternally grateful. We will miss her," he added. Trombley started as a receptionist at The Big 8 before ultimately being named as the station's music director, a role she held from 1967 to 1984. She was known as "the girl with the golden ear," pushing songs by the likes of Elton John, Alice Cooper, The Guess Who, Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Anka and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Other artists Trombley has been credited with helping break at top 40 are KISS, Andy Kim, The O'Jays, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Parliament-Funkadelic, Queen and Aerosmith. - Billboard, 11/29/21...... 
Legendary Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, known for revolutionizing American musical theater with such achievements as "Company," "Sweeney Todd," "Sunday in the Park With George" and "Into the Woods," died on Nov. 26 at his home in Roxbury, Conn. He was 91. Sondheim was mentored by the famous composers Oscar Hammerstein II and Leonard Bernstein en route to collecting nine Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, an Oscar and eight Grammys during his incomparable career. In the late 1950s, he put words to Bernstein's music for the original production of "West Side Story" ("Maria," "America"), then collaborated with Jule Styne on "Gypsy" ("Everything's Coming Up Roses"). The movie soundtrack to "West Side Story" -- with lyrics by Mr. Sondheim -- spent 54 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart. That marks the most weeks atop the 65-year old chart, since the list began regularly publishing on a weekly basis in March of 1956. "Send in the Clowns" his somberly plaintiff plea from "A Little Night Music," the 1973 play inspired by Ingmar Bergman's "Smiles of a Summer Night," has been recorded by such notable singers as Frank Sinatra, Judy Collins and Barbra Streisand. The only composer-lyricist to win a Tony in three consecutive years, Mr. Sondheim earned his last competitive Tony for 1994's "Passion," received a Best Original Song Oscar in 1991 for Dick Tracy's "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)," performed by Madonna, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014. In 2010, the Henry Miller Theater on West 43rd Street in New York was renamed for him. "I'm interested in the theater because I'm interested in communication with audiences," he once said. "Otherwise, I would be in concert music. I'd be in another kind of profession. I love the theater as much as music, and the whole idea of getting across to an audience and making them laugh, making them cry -- just making them feel -- is paramount to me." - The Hollywood Reporter, 11/26/21.
Former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant has suggested how the recent "Beatles vs. Rolling Stones" feud that has flared up between Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger can be resolved. In October, McCartney branded the Stones as "a blues cover band," with Jagger hitting back at Sir Paul's comments during a recent Stones concert in L.A., pointing out that McCartney was in attendance and joking that "he's going to join us in a blues cover later." In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Plant played down the rift between the two bands and said "I don't think there's any fighting... They've known each other since 1963. They love each other desperately." As for resolving the feud Plant quipped that McCartney "should just play bass with the Stones." On another topic, Plant has admitted to BBC Radio 4 that the recent legal challenge over Led Zep's classic track "Stairway To Heaven" was "unpleasant" and "unfortunate." "What can you do? I just had to sit there, I was instructed to sit directly opposite the jury, don't look at them but just don't look at anybody, just sit there for eight hours. As much as I am musical, I cannot comment on anything musical. I just sing," he said. "There are zillions and zillions of songs that were carrying the same chord progression, so it was very unfortunate, and it was unpleasant for everybody," he added. - New Musical Express, 11/25/21...... 
Queen guitarist Brian May has slammed the UK's Brit Awards for its recent decision to scrap gendered categories, describing the "frightening" move as "a decision that has been made without enough thought." Earlier in November the Brit Awards scrapped four awards -- male solo artist, female solo artist, international male solo artist and international female solo artist -- in favor of two gender-neutral categories -- artist of the year and international artist of the year. Organizers said the change was to reward artists "solely for their music and work, rather than how they choose to identify or as others may see them" and was part of the event's "commitment to evolving the show to be as inclusive and as relevant as possible, however May took aim at the UK's biggest awards for giving into "woke culture" as he saw it and even suggested that Queen, and even the late Freddie Mercury, would have struggled in the current climate. "It's a decision that has been made without enough thought," May told The Mirror newspaper at ITV's Palooza event in London on Nov. 23. "A lot of things work quite well and can be left alone. "I get so sick of people trying to change things without thinking of the long-term consequences," he added. "Some of these things are an improvement, some of them are not," he added. Referring to cancel culture, May felt there was an "atmosphere of fear everywhere because people are afraid to say how they really think," before adding, "I think so many people are feeling, 'Hang on, this isn't quite right.' But they don't dare say anything. Eventually, there will be some kind of explosion." In other Queen-related news, fans of the band can see the premiere of the new Freddie Mercury documentary The Final Act on BBC TWO on Nov. 27 at 9:00 p.m. GMT. The film is also available on BBC iPlayer. - The Hollywood Reporter/Music-News.com, 11/26/21...... On Nov. 25 Elton John added two special shows in his hometown of Watford UK to his Farewell Yellow Brick Road world tour. "I'm so excited to finally announce that as part of the #EltonFarewellTour, I will be returning to perform at the home of @WatfordFC, Vicarage Road, for two nights: Sun 3 & Mon 4 July 2022," John posted to his Twitter account. Elton said that he "simply had to play Vicarage Road a final time as part of my Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour... My relationship with the club, with the fans, the players and the staff over the years have meant the world to me. Through the good times and the bad, Watford have been a huge part of my life." Elton will play Watford's Vicarage Road Stadium on July 3 and 4, 2022 in his final UK dates before performing several Covid-19 make-up shows in London in Apr. 2023. Several of his North American dates will run through the second half of 2022. - NME, 11/25/21...... Pink Floyd's "Their Mortal Remains" exhibition is in its last few months of residency at the Vogue Multicultural Museum in Los Angeles, its first U.S. stop on an international tour. The audio-visual tour tells the comprehensive and chronological story of the space-rock pioneers through relics of its history, including original artwork, diary pages, tour gear, interviews, personal photos and more. Fans of the band can see the string of rustic coins used to make the sound effects on "Money," the giant inflatables used on The Wall and Animals album covers, and the original kaleidoscopic lens gifted to photographer Vic Singh by George Harrison of The Beatles whih he used to create a prism effect for The Piper at the Gates of Dawn's album cover. The exhibit debuted at England's Victoria and Albert Museum in 2017, and it will stay at the Vogue Multicultural Museum in Los Angeles up until Jan. 2022. - Billboard, 11/24/21...... 
Don McLean has reacted to Taylor Swift's recent breaking of his record of having the longest song to hold the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. At 8:42, McLean's epic 1972 rock and roll tribute "American Pie" had held the record for nearly a half-century, but now pop queen Swift's "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)," at 10:13 long, has officially become the longest No. 1 hit of all time. "There is something to be said for a great song that has staying power," McLean told Billboard. "'American Pie' remained on top for 50 years and now Taylor Swift has unseated such a historic piece of artistry. Let's face it, nobody ever wants to lose that #1 spot, but if I had to lose it to somebody, I sure am glad it was another great singer/songwriter such as Taylor," he graciously added. - Billboard, 11/23/21...... Ringo Starr has launched a new MasterClass Course on "Drumming & Creative Collaboration," a 10-part lesson with themes including "Ringo's Early Days," "Drum Kit Essentials," "Navigating Your Kit," "Playing With Feel," "Turning Life Into Lyrics," "Connecting With Your Audience" and much more. "Now the 9-time Grammy Award winner wants to inspire new and seasoned drummers alike," according to a MasterClass description. "Through demonstrations behind the kit and personal stories from his time in The Beatles, Ringo shares his principles for creative collaboration, finding your unique playing style, and embracing your musical journey with joy." Fans can sign up for Ringo's course at MasterClass.com. For those who don't have a MasterClass account, signing up gets you access to the hundreds of courses on MasterClass' site for $15/month (billed annually). - Billboard, 11/22/21...... In other Beatles-related news, Paul McCartney is among the famous rockers auctioning off guitars to help musicians impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Macca's Yamaha BB-1200 Electric Bass Guitar that he played on Wings tours in the late '70s is one of several instruments belonging to iconic rockers such as McCartney, Elton John, Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen, Ronnie Wood and others to be auctioned on Dec. 11 at an "Guitars Icons: A Musical Instrument Auction to Benefit Music Rising" sale at Van Eaton Galleries in Los Angeles. Bids can also be made online. - NME, 11/24/21...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, the actors playing The Beatles in the forthcoming biopic of their late manager Brian Epstein called Midas Man have been revealed. Jonah Lees (The Letter For The King) is set to portray John Lennon while musician Blake Richardson (from the band New Hope Club) will appear as Paul McCartney. Leo Harvey-Elledge has been lined up to portray George Harrison, with Campbell Wallace appearing as Ringo Starr. Elsewhere, Peaky Blinders' Adam Lawrence will play original Beatles drummer Pete Best, and former NBC talk show host Jay Leno will portray the late variety show host Ed Sullivan. A release date for the Sara Sugarman-directed Midas Man is yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile, John Lennon's son Julian Lennon says that the new Peter Jackson-directed Beatles documentary The Beatles: Get Back was a "life-changing" experience that "made me love my father again." On Nov. 18, Julian and his half-brother Sean Lennon attended a special screening of the documentary in Los Angeles ahead of an event held by Paul McCartney's daughter Stella McCartney. "What an Amazing night," Julian reflected in an Instagram post after the event. "Firstly seeing Get Backand then [attending] Stella's event afterwards. The One True thing I can say about it all is that it has made me so proud, inspired & feel more love for my/our family, than ever before. The film has made me love my father again, in a way I can't fully describe," he added. The three-part The Beatles: Get Back premiered on the Disney+ channel on Nov. 25. - NME, 11/25/21...... 
Lindsey Buckingham has given retroactive credits to two songwriters whose track he'd accidentally plagiarised after forgetting that it wasn't his demo. Buckingham has paid Blinker The Star's Jordon Zadorozny and Medicine's Brad Laner a flat monetary sum, also providing them with co-writing credits and a portion of publishing for his song "Swan Song," which was found to have plagiarized the pair's "Mind's Eye." Zadorozny noticed that Buckingham's song, which appears on his new self-titled album, sounded remarkably similar to the collaborative track that he wrote with Laner more than 20 years ago. In 2000 Buckingham was the producer of two songs for Zadorozny, which he went into the studio Medicine's Laner on bass to record. "When this unintentional and inadvertent usage was raised to Lindsey, he quickly realized his mistake and a friendly resolution was made by all parties," Buckingham's manager told Spin magazine. - NME, 11/24/21...... On Nov. 24 Ozzy Osbourne announced that he has rescheduled his UK and European "No More Tours 2" shows for the second time due to Covid-19 restrictions. The gigs in question, which were originally announced back in Sept. 2018, have already been postponed a number of times due to Osbourne's ill health and, more recently, the pandemic. Most recently, the gigs, which will see Osbourne supported by Judas Priest, were scheduled to begin in Jan. 2022, but continued Covid restrictions in Europe have now pushed back the dates again. The shows will begin in Helsinki on May 3 next year, with European dates running throughout the rest of the month. The UK leg will then begin in Nottingham on May 31 before the tour finishes with a hometown show in Birmingham on June 14. A 2023 tour of the UK will commence in Newcastle on June 2. Announcing the postponement, Ozzy said: "Due to the ongoing uncertainty with full capacity events & travel logistics in much of Europe, we have come to the difficult decision to postpone my 2022 tour to 2023." - NME, 11/24/21...... Hank Williams Jr. was among the nominees into the Country Music Hall of fame during a ceremony on Nov. 21 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's CMA Theater in Nashville. Williams Jr. was inducted as the Veterans Era artist, while Marty Stuart was inducted as the Modern Era artist, and Dean Dillon was inducted in the Songwriter category, one of three non-artist categories that rotate each year. For this year's ceremony, the performers included a star-studded lineup that included previous CMA entertainer of the year winners Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, George Strait and Eric Church. - Billboard, 11/22/21...... 
Brian Wilson and Jim James of My Morning Jacket have teamed up for a new song titled "Right Where I Belong." The song sees Wilson slipping back into the baroque pop mode that made his legendary band The Beach Boys an enduring iconic band since the release of Pet Sounds in 1966. "Right Where I Belong" is also featured in the soundtrack of the upcoming Brian Wilson biopic Long Promised Road, whose soundtrack hit stores on Nov. 26 via Lakeshore Records. "Right Where I Belong" has also been shared on YouTube. The upcoming documentary will follow Wilson and Rolling Stone editor Jason Fine as they revisit locations from his past, and provide an insight into his personal life. The film will also feature interview excerpts with James, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Nick Jonas, Taylor Hawkins, and fellow former Beach Boy Al Jardine. - NME, 11/24/21...... Margo Guryan, a singer/songwriter who found acclaim 30 years after her debut, has died at age 84. Ms. Guryan was a songwriter signed to Atlantic Records in the late 1950s, but found notoriety 30 years later when her solo record resurfaced. She hailed from New York and had her songs recorded by established musicians such as Harry Belafonte, Mama Cass Elliot, Claudine Longet, Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry, as well as jazz artist Chris Connor. Her song "Take a Picture" was released by Bell Records in 1968, and she found modest success with her song "Sunday Morning." Her success as a solo artist, however, was stifled by her aversion to performing. In 2001, she told a Phoenix, Ariz. publication that she found performing live fun, but the weeks leading up to any performance made her sick. Roughly 30 years later, "Take a Picture" became a sleeper hit primarily in Europe and Japan. - Billboard, 11/22/21...... Billy Hinsche, a longtime collaborator with The Beach Boys and a former member of the 1960s pop band Dino, Desi and Billy, died on Nov. 20 of cancer. He was 70. Mr. Hinsche's passing was announced on Instagram by actress Lucie Arnaz, a longtime friend and brother of Dino, Desi and Billy's Desi Arnaz Jr.. In an unfortunate turn of events, Hinche's mother also died the same day at age 95. "One of the finest humans, friends, storytellers and musicians, on the entire planet just went home to rest," Arnaz said, noting she had known Hinsche since childhood. "We were like brother and sister," she said. "We lost a great friend, family member, and forever member of The Beach Boys band on Saturday. We'll miss him greatly," Beach Boys co-founder Mike Love said via Twitter. "Love & Mercy Billy Hinsche," tweeted the band's Brian Wilson. Hinsche composed music for Dino, Desi & Billy and had numerous other contributions, including co-writing "Away" with Dennis Wilson. He also collaborated with Warren Zevon, Joan Jett, America and many other artists over his lengthy career. Hinsche, who held a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of California Los Angeles, produced several documentary films featuring his time with The Beach Boys. He also released his own music. Hinsche's sister, Annie Wilson, was married to the late Carl Wilson, who died in 1998 of cancer. Hinsche sat on the board of the Carl Wilson Foundation, which funds cancer research and assists those with the disease. - Billboard, 11/21/21...... Jay Jacobs a retired music agent who worked with the William Morris Agency and once represented artists including The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel and Diana Ross, has died at Hersholt Place at the Motion Picture Home after being diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in early 2021. Mr. Jacobs, who was born in Philadelphia, began his career in the mail room of the William Morris Agency in New York in 1961. He went on to become an agent and a founding member of the William Morris music department, where he booked acts "from country to jazz to R&B," says the MPTF profile. Mr. Jacobs, who also worked at ICM for a few years before retirement, is survived by two children. - Billboard, 11/20/21.
Former Led Zeppelin frontman announced on Nov. 19 that he and his recent collaborator Alison Krauss will launch their first joint tour in over a decade in Canandaigua, NY, on June 1, 2022. The 18-show run will also hit such major US and European markets as Chicago (6/7), Indianapolis (6/9), Philadelphia (6/12), Atlanta (6/16), and London, England (6/26) before wrapping in Berlin, Germany on July 20. Plant and Krauss's first duet album in 12 years, 
Former Journey vocalist Steve Perry's first ever holiday album, 
A previously unseen video of David Bowie performing an early single called "Can't Help Thinking About Me" has been shared on 
Genesis performed their 1980 single "Misunderstanding" for the first time in 37 years during a concert at Chicago's United Center on Nov. 15. It was the first show on the prog-rock legends' "Last Domino?" tour's US leg. Genesis hadn't played the track since their "Mama" tour in 1984 before incorporating a segment of it into a live medley in 1988. Genesis drummer/vocalist Phil Collins also made it a part of his solo gig setlists in 2004. Genesis were forced to postpone their remaining UK appearances for 2021 "due to positive Covid-19 tests within the band." It was subsequently confirmed that the group will return to fulfil the London dates in Mar. 2022. Genesis will return to Canada on Nov. 22 for the first time since 2007 on their "Last Domino?" tour. But the Phil Collins who will greet Torontonians on Nov. 25 and 26 at Scotiabank Arena is a far cry from the Energizer Bunny-like figure who appeared onstage in 1976; he now performs from a chair, having suffered a devastating neck injury in 2007 that caused severe nerve damage to his hands and left him unable to drum. The "Last Domino?"' tour, which kicked off in Birmingham, UK on Sept. 20, marks Genesis' first live shows in 14 years. Ahead of the UK leg beginning, Collins ruled out any further dates, saying these will be the last Genesis shows ever. - NME, 11/17/21...... Eric Clapton has doubled down on his anti-vaccine comments on Robert F Kennedy Jr's podcast, The Defender. Clapton reaffirmed his views on the podcast of RFK Jr, a prominent anti-vaccine activist, while also opening up about the effect his stance had on his relationships with others. "Over the last year, there's been a lot of disappearing, a lot of dust around with people moving away quite quickly, and it has, for me, refined the kind of friendships I have. And it's dwindled down to the people that I obviously really need and love," Clapton said. "And inside my family that became quite pivotal...I've got teenage girls and an older girl who's in her thirties, and they've all had to kind of give me leeway because I haven't been able to convince any of them. I think my wife is now seeing it the same way as me," he added. Clapton has been vocal about his opposition to lockdown restrictions and vaccinations throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and in December 2020, he teamed up with fellow skeptic Van Morrison for the track "Stand and Deliver," one of many anti-lockdown songs Morrison recorded and which were met with significant backlash. - NME, 11/19/21...... Singer/songwriter/musician Keith Allison, a former member of the '60s pop band Paul Revere & the Raiders and who performed on songs recorded by Sonny & Cher, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson and The Monkees, died at his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif., on Nov. 17. He was 79. Allison was a member of Paul Revere & the Raiders from 1968-75, singing and playing bass, guitar and organ. In 1967, he co-wrote with bandmate Mark Lindsay the bluegrass song "Freeborn Man," recorded by him, Glen Campbell, Jerry Reed and scores of others over the years. He contributed to albums by The Monkees, including their self-titled 1966 debut, 1967's Headquarters and 1968 Head, and he co-wrote "Auntie's Municipal Court" with fellow Texan Michael Nesmith for another 1968 album, The Birds, the Bees & The Monkees. Allison played guitar and harmonica on Sonny & Cher's mega-hit "The Beat Goes On," recorded in 1966. A year later, Columbia Records signed him and released the album Keith Allison in Action. In Los Angeles for a taping of Dick Clark's ABC afternoon variety show Where the Action Is, Allison was hanging out with the crew and caught on camera, and viewers mistook him for Paul McCartney. He then became a permanent Action cast member. Allison scored the Peter Sellers film Where Does It Hurt? (1972) and wrote and sang the title song. He also wrote and recorded four tunes for Dennis Quaid's The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981). In the '70s, he toured with Johnny Rivers and the group headlined by Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. As an actor, Allison played Captain James J. White in the Civil War epic Gods and Generals (2003) and showed up on episodes of Blossom, 7th Heaven and The Love Boat. Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Tina Stern, and a celebration of his life is being planned. - The Hollywood Reporter, 11/19/21...... Philip Margo, a founding member of the 1960s group The Tokens, the doo-wop foursome behind the '60s hit 
Mick Rock, the aptly-named photographer who snapped the greats of rock music -- from David Bowie to Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and more --- and created some of the genre's most iconic album covers, has died at age 72. Rock's passing was confirmed with a message posted on his 
In other Stones-related news, The Who frontman Roger Daltrey has labeled the Rolling Stones as "a mediocre pub band" in a new interview with Amazon's The Coda Collection streaming channel, but also took the opportunity to praise Mick Jagger. "You've got to take your hat off to [Jagger]. He's the number one rock 'n' roll performer," said Daltrey when asked about The Who's contemporaries including the Stones and Led Zeppelin, but then criticized the Stone's musicianship. "But as a band, if you were outside a pub and you heard that music coming out of a pub some night, you'd think, 'Well, that's a mediocre pub band!'," he said. Daltrey's comments follows Paul McCartney in recently criticizing the music of the Stones, with the Beatles legend recently calling Jagger and co. "a blues cover band." "I'm not sure I should say it, but they're a blues cover band, that's sort of what the Stones are. I think our net was cast a bit wider than theirs," he said. Daltrey is currently on a solo UK tour, with the shows consisting of "a unique mix of music and conversation that is built around Roger's musical journey." After opening the tour in London and Brighton, he'll next visit Southend (11/19), Oxford (11/21), Glasgow (11/24), Newcastle (11/26), Liverpool (11/29), Portsmouth (12/1) and Bournemouth (12/2). - NME, 11/14/21...... ABBA announced on Nov. 16 that they're giving fans a special Christmas gift with the release of a new yuletide single titled "Little Things" on Dec. 3 via Universal Music. "Little Things," which appears on the Swedish pop quartet's new mega-selling studio album 
A new immersive Bob Marley "One Love Experience" exhibit will premiere globally in London in 2022 before embarking on a multi-city tour. According to a press release, "this unique experience will showcase unseen Marley photographs and memorabilia whilst immersing audiences on a journey through his lifestyle, passions, influences, and enduring legacy." The exhibit's "One Love Music Room" will feature giant art installations designed to celebrate the late reggae legend's accolades while a multi-sensory experience can be discovered in the One Love Forest. The exhibition will also boast a live listening experience at the "Soul Shakedown Studio." The exhibit will open at London's Saatchi Gallery on Feb. 2, 2022 for a limited 10-week run before embarking on a multi-city tour. "We've been wanting to launch a Bob Marley touring exhibit for many years and we're thrilled to see it come to life and debut in London, which had a very special place in Daddy's heart," says Cedella Marley, CEO-Bob Marley Group Of Companies. "The experience can be enjoyed by all generations and we look forward to continuing to spread Daddy's music and message to the globe," she added. Fans are also requested to submit artwork to be featured as part of the experience at 
In a new interview with 
American blues guitarist Robert Cray has pulled out of his opening gig for Eric Clapton's upcoming tour after Clapton released a song comparing Covid-19 lockdowns to slavery. Cray, a Black man born into a segregated community in 1953 Georgia and who has frequently collaborated with Clapton in the past, said he sent Clapton an email after he heard Clapton's song "Stand and Deliver," a joint release with his fellow Covid skeptic Van Morrison, last December. "Do you wanna be a free man / Or do you wanna be a slave? / Do you wanna wear these chains / Until you're lying in the grave?," go the lyrics, a comparison which Cray took issue with. Cray said he sent Clapton an email and that "his reaction back to me was that he was referring to slaves from, you know, England from way back." Cray said the two shared another email exchange before he stepped back and cut ties completely with Clapton, making contact one last time to formally scrap his planned stint opening for Clapton on tour. In August, Clapton followed "Stand And Deliver" (which itself was met with significant backlash) with another politically charged anti-lockdown song, "This Has Gotta Stop." On it, he declares: "You wanna claim my soul, you'll have to come and break down this door." In July, he vowed never to perform at a venue that required proof of vaccination as a condition of entry (however two months later, he did indeed perform at such a venue). Then in October, it was reported that Clapton had donated £1,000 and lent his own van to UK anti-lockdown music group Jam For Freedom, congratulating its founder on doing "great work." Clapton was also the subject of a recent article in Rolling Stone magazine titled "The Dark Side of 'God'" which explored his history of making a "full-tilt" racist rant one time during a 1976 concert along with his more recent controversial opinions about vaccines. - New Musical Express, 11/12/21...... ABBA's latest album 
In other Beatles-related news, the childhood home of George Harrison, where as a teen he rehearsed with Paul McCartney and John Lennon, is up for auction. According to a listing from Omega Auctions, the Harrison family moved into the spacious three-bedroom family home at 25 Upton Green in Liverpool in 1949 when the late singer/guitarist was six-years-old and lived there for the next 12 years as George began his rise to superstardom as part of the Fab Four. "During this period the house became a regular rehearsal venue for The Quarrymen and then latterly The Beatles," reads the description. "There are numerous pictures of George inside and outside the property." Though the Harrisons moved out in 1962, the home reportedly still contains some of the original features from the star's time, including the "bath, sink, some original doors, hanging rails in wardrobes and outbuildings complete with original doors and decor." Harrison learned to play guitar in the home, which the family moved out of when the Beatles were just beginning their ascent to global superstardom. The auction house currently has the home listed for $216,000-$270,000; the auction is slated to take place on Nov. 30. A video tour of the property can be viewed on 
Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has urged men to get their "prostate checked" after his cancer battle. Halford was diagnosed with prostate cancer amid the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, but, fortunately, he is in remission. Halford, 70, explained to MariskalRock the reason he updated his version of his 
Graeme Edge, best known as the longstanding drummer, poet and founding member of prog-rock icons The Moody Blues and the only Moodies member to perform on all 16 of their albums, passed away on Nov. 11 of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 80. Mr. Edge's passing was confirmed in a statement shared to the Moody Blues' 
The post office of The Isle of Man issued a special set of stamps on Nov. 3 celebrating the musical career and the tireless charitable work of superstar singer/songwriter/producer and Barry Gibb. Gibb, the last surviving member of the legendary The Bee Gees, was born at the Jane Crookall maternity home in the Isle Of Man's capital Douglas on Sept. 1, 1946, and lived on the island until 1955 when the family moved first to Manchester, then emigrated to Australia in 1958 before returning to the UK in 1967. He currently resides in Miami in the US. "I was born and bred on the ancient, mystical, magical Isle Of Man, and I have very fond memories of growing up there, so to appear on a set of its stamps is not only a wonderful surprise, but also an honour and a privilege," Gibb said in a statement. The seven stamps feature Barry at various stages in his incredible musical career, including the filming of the Bee Gees' 1969 TV special Cucumber Castle, on the set of the 1977 film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, on tour in Europe in 1989, and a solo concert at the Glastonbury Festival in England in 2017. The stamps can be viewed and purchased at the 
Former The Commodores member and '80s solo superstar Lionel Richie has signed an exclusive publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), it was announced on Nov. 4. Richie's new relationship with the world's second largest music publisher will include some of his most iconic songs, like "All Night Long (All Night)" "Hello," "Lady," and "Dancing On the Ceiling," among others. It also sees Richie's publishing and records united under the Universal Music Group (UMG) umbrella after a six-year stint with Kobalt Music Publishing, a relationship first announced in September 2015. Richie remains in contract with Capitol Records for his master recordings. The Alabama-born Richie became a member of The Commodores in 1974, and launched his solo career in 1982 with a self-titled solo album. He has earned a total of 32 Grammy nominations and eight total wins, also appearing as a judge on American Idol and holding residencies in Las Vegas. - Billboard, 11/4/21...... Lionel Richie's "Endless Love" duet partner, Diana Ross, has hinted she'll be playing the legendary Glastonbury festival in the UK in the summer of 2022. Ross, who released her first studio album in 15 years, 
AC/DC has just joined YouTube's elite "billion views club" as its track "Thunderstruck" has crossed the one-billion views mark on the video streaming platform. Although "Thunderstruck" boasts intricate guitar work, a relentless build-and-release tension, and hellhound shriek vocals from AC/DC vocalist Brian Johnson, it may not exactly be the top AC/DC song that comes to mind, unlike their Bon Scott-era classics "Highway to Hell" or "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," or their highest Billboard Hot 100 charting hit, "Moneytalks." That "Thunderstruck" is such a YouTube favorite may be explained by the fact that many of the band's classic hits with stronger mainstream recognition preceded the MTV music video era (although "You Shook Me" did receive a second video in the format's golden era when AC/DC did the soundtrack to the bizarre killer-vehicle movie Who Made Who); "Thunderstruck," meanwhile, came out well after MTV debuted and before music videos became a scarce commodity on cable TV. Also, a strong argument could be made that the inclusion of "Thunderstruck" in both Iron Man 2 and Deadpool 2 has gone a long way toward establishing it as the go-to AC/DC rocker for new generations. - Billboard, 11/3/21...... The Eagles have announced a new support act for its 2022 European stadium tour, which it will kick off on June 17 at the Gelredome in Arnhem, Netherlands. On June 26, they'll headline British Summer Time in London's Hyde Park with special guests Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Now, it has been confirmed that the Alabama country group Little Big Town will also open for Eagles at British Summer Time -- as well as their other European dates. The Eagles will join the likes of Elton John, Pearl Jam and Duran Duran at BST Hyde Park 2022, with Adele scheduled to make her long-awaited live return across two nights (July 1/2). Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the Eagles had planned to make a UK comeback this summer to bring their "Hotel California" tour to London's Wembley Stadium. - NME, 11/3/21...... Elton John has unveiled his very first collection of eyewear in a new partnership with Sam's Club for US retailer Walmart. "Elton John Eyewear celebrates confidence, self-expression and authenticity," John said in a statement. "The line is designed to have something for everyone, so no matter who you are, you can always Look Yourself. It's not just about glasses, it's about changing the way people see themselves," he added. The Foundations Collection includes 60 frames in total, with each design available in prescription, non-prescription, sun and reader categories. Frames are priced from $95-$100 (£70 - £74). In addition, executives at Walmart will support the mission of the Elton John AIDS Foundation's by donating a minimum of $1 million annually in order to help increase HIV education and awareness and encourage individuals to take the first steps toward a healthier future. "Our customers and members are going to love this collection," a Walmart exec says. "We're thrilled to celebrate Elton John's creativity and iconic style by launching a fun, on-trend eyewear collection that will help customers feel their best, all at an everyday low price. On top of that, we're proud to shine a light on the work of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and donate a portion of the sales to their important mission," she added. - Music-News.com, 11/2/21...... The son of '70s soul icon Gladys Knight has been sentenced to serve two years in prison for failing to withhold payroll taxes for the restaurants that bore his mother's name, federal prosecutors in Atlanta said. Shanga Hankerson, 45, opened his first restaurant, Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles, in Atlanta in 1997. Over the next several years, he opened at least three more locations in Georgia and Washington, D.C., and according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine "willfully disregarded his tax obligations for many years." During his sentencing on Nov. 3, Hankerson, who pleaded guilty in July, was also ordered to serve a year of supervised release following his prison sentence and to pay more than $1 million in restitution, having failed to remit more than $1 million in payroll taxes from at least 2021 to 2016. Gladys Knight won a legal battle to sever ties to the business in 2017, and her son was ordered to stop using her name, likeness and memorabilia, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. - AP, 11/5/21...... 
Stevie Wonder will bring back his annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Dec. 18. "In a most challenged time throughout the world is when we show up to show our deepest love and commitment to helping those to still enjoy this holiday season," Wonder said in a release announcing the event. "It is my joy to be able to return and present House Full of Toys," he added. Wonder, who underwent a kidney transplant in 2019, last hosted House Full of Toys in 2018. The 25-time Grammy winner then welcomed a lineup of special guests that included Anderson .Paak and Ella Mai. On behalf of Wonder's nonprofit organization, We Are You Foundation, concertgoers are asked to bring an unwrapped toy or gift to the holiday event to help children, people with disabilities and families in need. Tickets for the 23rd annual House Full of Toys 2021 event go on sale to the public on Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. ET via AXS.com. - Billboard, 11/3/21...... Ronnie Wilson, one of the founding members of long-running sibling R&B/funk act The Gap Band, died on Nov. 3 after suffering a stroke the previous week which sent him into a coma he never recovered from. He was 73. "The love of my life was called home this morning, at 10:01am," Wilson's wife, Linda Boulware-Wilson, wrote in a Facebook post. "Please continue to pray for The Wilson, Boulware, and Collins family, while we mourn his passing. Ronnie Wilson was a genius with creating, producing, and playing the flugelhorn, Trumpet, keyboards, and singing music, from childhood to his early seventies. He will be truly missed!!!" Wilson formed the group in 1967 with his brothers Charlie and Robert Wilson in Tulsa, Okla., and they scored a series of Billboard R&B hits over a 40-year career during which they released 15 albums and such beloved singles such as "Shake," "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops Up Side Your Head)," "Early in the Morning," "Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)" and one of their highest-charting singles, 1982's No. 31 Hot 100 funk bop "You Dropped a Bomb on Me." The brothers originally named their group the Greenwood Archer Pine Street Band -- for the three streets in the Black part of Tulsa that were attacked by a white mob during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre -- and they released their full-length debut, Magicians Holiday, in 1974, that same year contributing to fellow Oklahoman Leon Russell's album