Posted by Administrator on August 14th, 2024
A rep for Frankie Valli has confirmed the 90-year-old Four Seasons legend is doing fine after he appeared to struggle during an Aug. 3 show in Saratoga, Calif. During the concert, Valli appeared weak and struggled to lip-sync to some of his biggest hits during his performance. A video of the show, which has since gone viral on social media, showed the "My Eyes Adored You" singer holding onto a handrail as he struggled to climb a short flight of stairs. The clip also showed the musician lip-syncing to his 1978 hit "Grease," but seemingly struggling to keep up with the track. Soon after the video was posted, fans began questioning why the nonagenarian is still performing live. But in an Aug. 14 statement to The New York Post, his rep says, "Frankie is doing just fine and super happy to still be performing. The audiences are filling venues and listening to some great music. [He is] doing what he loves to do at 90. We should all be so lucky." - Music-News.com, 8/14/24...... 
The BBC announced on Aug. 13 that Brian May will host a one-off documentary on their network about his work in the field of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and how to prevent it without resorting to badger culling. The Queen guitarist has been a long-time opponent of badger culling in the U.K. and the documentary, Brian May: The Badgers, The Farmers And Me, follows him on a four-year project to eradicate the disease -- which can devastate cattle populations -- without harming the badgers. "I don't blame people for being suspicious of me in the beginning, because, you know, I'm a guitarist," said May. "You know I'm a rock star. What am I doing? Why would I have some contribution to make? I came in to save the badgers. I now realise that to save the badgers, you have to save everybody because it's a mess. It's a tragic human drama where people's hearts are broken," he added. The show sees him team up with vet Dick Sibley and farmer Robert Reed -- whose farm was chronically infected with bTB -- to eliminate the disease without badger culling. May says he hopes to show the wider farming community that he's found "the real source" of the disease's spread and they can thus change their policies, and that his documentary will "outrage viewers" about the practice of badger culling. The documentary will air on Aug. 23 at 9:00 pm on BBC Two. Meanwhile, May recently responded to the news that Aerosmith would be retiring, explaining that the announcement "brought a tear" to his eye. "The career of Aerosmith is truly something to celebrate forever. All things must pass -- but the inspiring work of Aerosmith will live on -- along with the memories of truly one of the most awesome bands to ever hit a stage," he said in part on social media. - New Musical Express, 8/13/24....... Speaking of Aerosmith, the Boston-based rockers' final show has just been uploaded to YouTube in 4K video. The band's last gig took place on Sept. 9, 2023 at the UBS Arena in Elmont, NY and no one -- including the band themselves -- knew it would be their last. The concert was part of their "Peace Out" tour, which kicked off last year, but the band only played three nights, before rescheduling the rest of the dates after frontman Steven Tyler injured his larynx. The night saw the Rock & Roll Hall Of Famers perform their hits such as "Sweet Emotion," "Love in an Elevator," "Livin' on the Edge" and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." They also went on to perform a cover of bluesman Rufus Thomas' "Walking the Dog" and played their song "Bright Light Fright" -- taken from their Draw The Line album -- for the first time since 1994. Ironically, their final live song was "Happy Birthday to You," bringing out a giant chocolate cake to celebrate guitarist Joe Perry's 73rd birthday the following day. Aerosmith's last studio, Music From Another Dimension!, arrived in 2012. Steven Tyler's last studio album, We're All Somebody from Somewhere, was released in 2016. - NME, 8/12/24...... John Oates, formerly of Hall & Oates, will be honored for his contributions to the art of songwriting when he is honored with BMI's Troubadour Award on Sept. 16 in Nashville. "John Oates has enriched Nashville and its music scene with his special blend of soulful storytelling and guitar playing," said BMI Nashville exec Clay Bradley in a statement. "His influence has elevated our community to be more accepting and open to all genres of music. We are proud to honor him as this year's BMI Troubadour." Oates began his BMI affiliation in 1972, and he has previously been named a BMI Icon for his influence on generations of songwriters. Among his accolades are 10 BMI pop awards and 30 BMI Million-Air Awards for songs including "Maneater," "I Can't Go For That," "Out of Touch" and "Sara Smile." As a member of Hall & Oates, he has recorded 21 albums and earned six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers. Hall & Oates were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. Oates moved to Nashville in 2010 and embedded himself in Nashville's Americana music community, releasing several solo projects, including 2020's Live in Nashville and his most recent, 2024's Reunion. The Troubador Award recognizes a songwriter who has made "a profound impact on the creative community as their craft continues to set the pace for generations to follow," according to BMI. The upcoming invitation-only event will include tribute performances and commemorative speeches from special guests, in addition to a cocktail reception and dinner. Previous Troubadour Award winners include Billy Gibbons, John Hiatt, John Prine and Lucinda Williams. - Billboard, 8/13/24...... The Jewish women's group backing Democratic presidential candidate Vice Pres. Kamala Harris announced on Aug. 12 that Barbra Streisand will join in the latest virtual gathering of their voters supporting Harris on Aug. 15 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Described as "thousands of pumped up Jewish women ready to get Kamala elected," the group aims to "show [its] enthusiasm and support" for Harris and newly appointed running mate Tim Walz. Streisand will serve as a guest speaker and share "why she's so passionate about electing Kamala Harris as our next president," according to a press release. Streisand was one of the first major musicians to voice her support for Harris when president Joe Biden dropped out of the race last month, shortly after which he endorsed his second-in-command for the role. All genders and Jewish allies are also welcome to join the e-meeting, according to the event's website. Those interested in attending can register online. Black women, Hispanic women, White "dudes," Black men, Asian Americans, Native Americans and members of the LGBTQ+ community have also all put together virtual voter-led meetings in support of Harris. - Billboard, 8/12/24...... 
In other 2024 presidential campaign-related news, the estate of Isaac Hayes has filed a lawsuit against Republican candidate Donald Trump over what they allege is copyright infringement, stating that the late artist's song "Hold On, I'm Coming" was used on "multiple occasions during various political rallies" of Trump's without authorization. The paperwork, dated Monday, Aug. 11, identifies 134 counts copyright infringement at campaign rallies from 2022-2024. "We demand the cessation of use, removal of all related videos, a public disclaimer, and payment of $3 million in licensing fees by August 16, 2024. Failure to comply will result in further legal action," reads a statement posted on Hayes' son, Isaac Hayes III. However, given no choice, the paperwork reads, that legal action could extend to "federal litigation." The family also posted their intent to sue Trump on X. As recently as July 31, in Harrisburg, Pa., Trump has been using "Hold On, I'm Comin' to close his rallies -- prompting the family's legal action. Hayes and David Porter wrote "Hold On, I'm Coming," which was recorded by soul duo Sam & Dave and issued on the Stax label in 1966, peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hayes died Aug. 10, 2008, at the age of 65. For the "Theme from Shaft," he was awarded the Oscar for best original song in 1972, making him just the third Black person, after Hattie McDaniel and Sidney Poitier, to win an Academy Award in any competitive field. Scores of top artists and songwriters have also objected to the Trump campaign's use of their songs at political rallies since he first ran for president in 2015 -- among them The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Adele, Rihanna, Neil Young, Steven Tyler, Village People and the estates of Tom Petty and Sinead O'Connor. - Billboard, 8/12/24...... Gloria Gaynor is suing one of her former producers, Joel Diamond, for $2 million, claiming he and the companies he controls "utterly failed to live up to their obligations to keep Plaintiffs apprised of how their work was being licensed and used, while wrongfully exacting economic benefits they were not entitled to by exploiting that very relationship." According to the court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Gaynor's attorneys allege the producer "concealed and suppressed all payments to Gaynor," and that Diamond falsely claimed ownership of several of her songs, including "I've Been Watching You," "You're All I Need to Get By" and the disco anthem "I Am What I Am." The "I Will Survive" singer alleges Diamond also listed himself as a co-writer on at least one song. "At no time did Gaynor write a song with Diamond. To her knowledge, Diamond has never been a songwriter," the complaint states. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Diamond countered, "I am in the process of retaining counsel. The allegations are demonstrably false. The written contract is very clear and has been in place for 40 years. Sony has acknowledged that I own 100 per cent of the rights. Any statement contrary to this fact is defamatory and I intend to exercise my legal rights to the fullest extent." Meanwhile, Gaynor is preparing for two concerts later in 2024 -- Aug. 30 in Cardiff, Tramshed, UK and Oct. 30 in Carteret, NJ. - Music-News.com, 8/12/24...... Rod Stewart's Instagram account revealed on Aug. 9 that the "Maggie May" singer has tested positive for COVID-19, leading to the cancelation of two summer concerts that were originally scheduled for Aug. 9-10. "We regret to announce that tonight's Rod Stewart concert in Stateline, NV and his August 10 show in Lincoln, CA have been postponed, as the singer recovers from a summer strain of Covid-19," the statement said, hours before he was expected to take the stage. The shows have already been rescheduled, his team announced on the same update. Stewart, 79, is set to perform at Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln, Calif., on Aug. 18; two days later he'll take the stage at Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys in Stateline, Nev., on Aug. 20. The statement also shared that "ticket holders should hold on to their tickets as they will be honored for the rescheduled shows." Stewart's illness follows the singer missing the 200th show of his long-running Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace on Aug. 7, when he cited strep throat as the reason for his absence. At the time, he noted on Instagram, "Most people can work with strep throat but obviously not me. I'm absolutely gutted. I've been looking forward to this concert for so long. My deepest regrets for any inconvenience this has caused." Those who missed out on his Vegas run will get another chance to catch the star at Caesars Palace in 2025, at encore dates of his residency show during select weekends in March, May and June of next year. "Vegas, I'm having too much fun for this to end so we are coming back for an encore! Don't miss The Encore Shows Las Vegas Residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace March 12-22 & May 29-June 8!" Stewart wrote to fans on Aug. 7. Tickets for Stewart's 2024 concert dates went on sale on Aug. 12. - Billboard, 8/10/24...... Elton John took to Instagram on Aug. 10 to congratulate rising American singer Chappell Roan on "the meteoric rise of a midwestern princess." The "Good Luck Babe" singer recently achieved her first UK Number One album with The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess almost a year after its release. John took to Instagram to praise her efforts, sharing a picture of the two together and writing: "Congratulations to @chappellroan on her first UK Number 1 album. The meteoric rise of a midwestern princess -- Brilliant pop music that brings the world together at a much needed time." John has also praised Roan's song "Red Wine Supernova" in 2023, and the pair appeared together on his Apple Music podcast Rocket Hour, and discussed her rapid rise to fame. "I rang you the other night and said, 'Listen, I'm not stalking you, but I'm as excited about your album's success as you are,' he said. "It's wonderful to see true talent being recognized." - NME, 8/10/24...... 
Devo recently popped in to NPR's Tiny Desk studio for a raucous four-song set for the public radio series that featured one obscure track they hadn't performed live in more than four decades. With founding singer/keyboardist Mark Mothersbaugh leading the charge alongside brother and longtime guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh and original bassist Gerald Casale, the group bounded out of the gate with the bluesy, bouncing rarity "It Takes a Worried Man." The song -- inspired by the folk/roots classic "Worried Man Blues" -- was originally recorded for the little-seen 1982 nuclear panic comedy Human Highway, which was directed by Neil Young, who also co-starred alongside Dean Stockwell, co-writer Dennis Hopper and Devo, who played radioactive waste garbage men in orange outfits and hard hats accented by plastic tubes that snaked down into the band member's noses. In addition to Mothersbaugh's sermon-like breakdown about how everyone is just going for that "big ice cream cone in the sky," the song featured a wiggy keyboard solo from the frontman, who, alas, was not wearing the band's signature red flower bucket hat. Devo ended the set with another song from their 1978 debut Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, the galloping, herky jerky "Come Back Jonee." - Billboard, 8/9/24...... On Aug. 9 David Gilmour released a new track, "Dark and Velvet Nights," from his upcoming album Luck and Strange on YouTube. The groovy rock track was written by Gilmour and his wife Polly Samson and is about their loving relationship. In a statement about the track, Gilmour said: "The music sprang out one day. It was so exciting to have come across this groove. Polly had given me a beautiful poem for our wedding anniversary, which was sitting on the desk right next to me, so I picked it up and sang it on the track, to hear what it would sound like with words. I played it to Polly, and she said, 'Lovely, great, I'll need fiddle with it a bit.' So she added a couple of verses, and there it was -- very serendipitous." Gilmour is due to perform several concerts this year, marking his return to the stage for the first time in eight years. It includes five shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Luck and Strange will drop on Sept. 6. - NME, 8/9/24...... In a new interview with Record Collector magazine, Pete Townshend revealed that he was "very sexually attracted" to Rolling Stones' frontman Mick Jagger. Townshend -- the guitarist and co-founder of The Who -- has previously identified as pansexual, an orientation defined by attraction to people regardless of sex or gender identity. In the interview, Townshend revealed that he had what he would consider "a couple of homosexual affairs", saying: "I tried them out, and I very much enjoyed them." He continued: "I've made a couple of really close friends that I'm still friendly with today. But it wasn't what worked for me, sexually speaking - and didn't fit into my life, somehow." The guitarist also reflected on one sexual attraction he experienced with Jagger, saying: "I was very sexually attracted to [Jagger]. And possibly to a few other people in my life." Back in 2012, Townshend publicly defended the size of Jagger's penis after Keith Richards claimed in his autobiography Life that the singer had a "tiny todger." In a press conference, the guitarist said: "What I remember of the size of Mick Jagger's penis -- I remember it as being huge and extremely tasty." He also discussed his feelings about the "Sympathy For the Devil" singer in his own 2012 autobiography Who I Am, writing: "Mick is the only man I've ever seriously wanted to f---." - NME, 8/9/24...... On July 24 at the Old Marylebone Town Hall in London, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood's son Tyrone Wood married Faye Harris, the daughter of Iron Maiden guitarist Steve Harris. Tyrone's mother is Ronnie's ex-wife, former model Jo Wood, while Faye's mother is Steve's ex-wife, Lorraine Jury. - People, 8/19/24...... 
George Harrison's 1971 The Concert For Bangladesh live charity album, featuring Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell and more, is set to arrive across streaming platforms for the first time. Not only will it come with all of the astonishing performances from the line-up, it will also contain a new bonus track: the original studio version of Harrison's song "Bangla Desh," which was released as a single in July 1971. All net proceeds after taxes will be donated to the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF at the US Fund for UNICEF. Held across two sold-out concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden back in August 1971, the concerts are considered to be the first major music benefit of its kind and saw the music icon assemble a star-studded event for a common humanitarian goal. Harrison organized the shows in a bid to raise both awareness and funds for the 10 million East Pakistani refugees who had fled over the border into India, and were facing challenges including the threat of hunger and disease. Setting the precedent that music could be used to serve a higher cause, the MSG shows saw the former Beatle team up with Ravi Shankar, and invite Dylan, Starr, Russell, Eric Clapton and Billy Preston to perform at the non-profit event. By the point they took to the stage, little public attention had been drawn to the crisis in East Pakistan/Bangladesh and few outside of the region were aware of how to help those affected. "The musicians were great. I mean they completely put down their own egos to play together and to do something because the whole vibe of that concert was that it was something bigger than the lot of us," Harrison said at the time. The concerts were later turned into a triple album box set and a feature film -- raising millions of dollars for UNICEF. Its official trailer can be viewed on YouTube, and a preview can be streamed on Spotify. - NME, 8/9/24...... The Sex Pistols members Glen Matlock, Paul Cook and Steve Jones joined forces with British singer Frank Carter on Aug. 13 to play the Pistols' 1977 classic Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols in its entirety to raise funds for Bush Hall in Shepherd's Bush, west London. Now, following an "overwhelming response" to the sold-out gigs, the Pistols and Carter have confirmed that they'll be returning to London for another live concert, at the O2 Forum Kentish Town on Sept. 26. In a statement, guitarist Jones said: "The response to the Bush Hall shows has been overwhelming and it's a privilege to help out a local venue like that. And it became obvious that there are many more fans who want to see us." He continued: "Playing with Frank has been such a pleasure that we wanted to extend the fun. So Kentish Town, here we come." Earlier in 2024 Bush Hall revealed that it needed to raise 42,000 through crowdfunding to prevent it from losing its music status, as it saw a 24.5% decrease in live music bookings in 2023. - NME, 8/14/24...... George Underwood, the artist behind some of David Bowie's most iconic album covers, has donated a new painting to an upcoming War Child charity exhibition. War Child, the charity that provides support to children and their families in conflict zones across 15 countries, recently announced "Sound & Vision" -- "an innovative fundraising exhibition and global online auction." The annual exhibition, curated by Art On A Postcard, will see artists respond to an iconic lyric in order to raise awareness and funds for children impacted by conflict. For its inaugural year, Underwood is among 33 leading contemporary artists who have created work inspired by the Bowie lyric "We like dancing and we look divine," taken from the late singer's 1974 hit "Rebel Rebel." The exhibition will take place at 180 Studios, London on Sept. 26 and 27, and a global, online auction will run from Sept. 17 to Oct. 1. After meeting at school, Underwood and Bowie formed a band. However, their musical partnership didn't last after Underwood punched Bowie in a fight over a girl. In later years, however, Underwood created artwork for some of Bowie's biggest albums, including Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust, as well as the first T. Rex album cover. During his life, Bowie was an avid supporter of War Child. In 1994, alongside Brian Eno, Bowie curated "Little Pieces from Big Stars," an innovative exhibition raising funds for the charity. - NME, 8/8/24...... 
Lou Reed's songwriting work before he joined the seminal New York rock band Velvet Underground has been compiled into a single album, Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65. The album's opening track is The Primatives' "The Ostrich" that features Reed on lead vocals. Other artists featured include The Beachnuts, The Hi-Lifes, Ronnie Dickerson, The Hollywoods, The Roughnecks and The Surfsiders. The compilation album is due for release on Sept. 27 via Light in the Attic, in partnership with Reed's widow Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive. - NME, 8/14/24...... A release date for the forthcoming Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown has been set for Christmas Day (Dec. 25) in the United States, according to a post by Searchlight Pictures on Aug. 6 on X. The James Mangold film starring Timothee Chalamet in the titular role will hit cinemas across the UK on Jan. 17. The film's release date comes after its first trailer arrived in July. A Complete Unknown also stars Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz and Scoot McNairy. The biopic is set to explore Dylan's meteoric rise as a folk singer to concert halls and the top of the charts, his transition to using the electric guitar in the '60s, his rise to fame, and his subsequent achievement of icon status in the folk-rock music industry. - NME, 8/7/24...... A yellow Schecter Cloud electric guitar owned and played by Prince is currently up for auction at GottaHaveRockandRoll.com. This particular guitar was part of Prince's inventory and was used during performances and rehearsals. It was also a main part of testing due to it being a prototype for the Schecter range that he had commissioned for general sale. What is also rare about the guitar is that it was the prototype and therefore does not contain the stamped Schecter serial number below the 'Diamond Series' logo on the headstock, this is due to it being built for Prince himself rather than general sale. It was instead entered into the PRN MUSIC CORP inventory. The guitar, now owned by one of Prince's guitar techs, is finished in yellow with symbol inlays which was said to have been one of Prince's favorite combinations for the cloud. It also comes with a hard flight case with a soft purple lining. Bidding starts at $60,000 and is estimated to sell for over $100,000. - Music-News.com, 8/13/24.
With a new documentary of his '70s band Wings set to debut in cinemas in September, Paul McCartney says he "enjoyed looking back" for the film, titled One Hand Clapping. "It's so great to look back on that period and see the little live show we did," Paul said. "We made a pretty good noise actually. It was a great time for the band, we started to have success with Wings, which had been a long time coming." Directed by David Litchfield, One Hand Clapping details the recording sessions for the band's the live studio album of the same name at London's Abbey Road Studios back in 1974. The footage, much of it rare, was filmed back in the '70s at the height of Wings' fame for a TV special which was never aired. It now features a new introduction from the Beatles legend as well as a "backyard session" with the musician performing Buddy Holly songs and unreleased track 'Blackpool" on his acoustic guitar. The documentary will also feature previously unseen Polaroid photographs from the recording sessions. Marc Allenby, CEO of Trafalgar Releasing, said of the documentary release: "This cinematic experience will transport audiences back to a golden era of rock and roll while captivating new fans with the magic of this iconic band. It's a must-see event for music lovers of all generations." - Music-News.com, 8/9/24...... 
Even as Rod Stewart was forced to cancel what was supposed to be the 200th, and final, show in his 13-year Las Vegas residency on Aug. 7 due to strep throat, the indefatigable pop legend announced the same day that he'll resume his residency in 2025. "Vegas, I'm having too much fun for this to end so we are coming back for an encore!," Sir Rod posted on Instagram. "Don't miss The Encore Shows Las Vegas Residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace March 12-22 & May 29-June 8!," he wrote along with footage of himself in his signature wild-pattern outfits singing his 1971 classic "Maggie May." The news came just a few hours after Stewart, 79, announced that illness required him to cancel what was slated to be the final show in his long-running residency at Caesars Palace. "I'm desperately sorry to miss this 200th show celebration," he wrote on Instagram. "Most people can work with strep throat but obviously not me. I'm absolutely gutted. I've been looking forward to this concert for so long. My deepest regrets for any inconvenience this has caused." In that post, he teased "thankfully we'll now be returning in 2025 and I hope to see you all there." - Billboard, 8/8/24...... Bob Dylan played his classic track "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" for the first time in almost a decade at an "Outlaw Music Festival" touring stop in Boise, Idaho on Aug. 7. As he co-headlines with Willie Nelson on the tour, Dylan has been making headlines for putting obscure reworks into old standards. However, now he is digging back into his own catalogue of tracks to surprise audiences and keep his set lists unpredictable. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35," the opening track on his classic 1966 LP Blonde on Blonde and features the iconic chorus "everybody must get stoned," was played live for the first time since 2016. Fan shot footage of the performance can be viewed on YouTube. Also, Dylan's track "Spirit on the Water" was back on the setlist for the first time since 2018. When the "Outlaw Music Festival Tour" kicked off, Dylan started it off with a typically unpredictable setlist of '50s blues and country covers and deep cuts. His opening set included versions of Willie Dixon's "My Babe," Chuck Berry's "Little Queenie" and Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart," as well as four separate songs from his own 2012 album Tempest, including "Long And Wasted Years" and "Scarlet Town." Meanwhile, the Timothe Chalamet-starring biopic of the musician, titled A Complete Unknown, is set to hit cinemas this winter. Chalamet has reportedly been working with the same team that assisted Austin Butler for Elvis. - New Musical Express, 8/8/24...... Country star Zach Bryan had quite a surprise for fans attending his concert at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on Aug. 8, bringing out guest performers Bruce Springsteen, The Lumineers and Shane Gillis, who performed with Bryan throughout the show. Springsteen, who recently collaborated with Bryan for "Sandpaper" on his latest album, The Great American Bar Scene, joined Bryan on stage to perform "Atlantic City." "An absolutely insane night at the Linc," one fan posted on X. It's not the only time The Boss has joined Bryan for a surprise performance. On Mar. 27, Bryan joined the rocker onstage at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, where they performed two tracks, including the pair's collaboration "Sandpaper." Fans of Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" will instantly recognize the chugging beat on "Sandpaper," which is identical to the feel of his 1984 hit. Bryan has also previously covered Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. classic "I'm on Fire" on several occasions, live and in the studio. - Billboard, 8/8/24...... With the last two surviving original The Who members -- Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey -- coming to the end of their illustrious careers, there has been discussion of the band making another album, with Townshend seeming the more enthusiastic between the pair. Speaking to TheDailyBeast.com, Townshend, 79, said: "I don't know what's gonna happen with The Who. I'm hoping Roger [Daltrey] and I can find some common ground and find some way to work again, possibly without an orchestra, because I think we've done that. But also, there's this sense that we're in the last tour period of our career. Are we just hoping to do what Bob Dylan does and just keep going?" He explained that he's "encouraged" by Daltrey's solo tour, and likes the idea of them putting a small band together. But, he says, "Roger and I don't converse. We don't talk. So, it might be difficult to land on something that we both share an interest in. But it's there for the taking, I think." TheDailyBeast then asked Townshend if he'd like to get Daltrey, 80, into the studio to make an album and promote it with a tour, but he said he wasn't going to "bully" his bandmate into it. "I don't want to have the job that I used to have around the time of 'Quadrophenia', which is bullying everybody in The Who to do exactly what I want to do," he said. "It was no fun. And at the end of that, Roger knocked me out. I asked for it, but he knocked me out." He added: "Anyway, I'm hopeful. I'm certainly not saying that we won't do anything, but Roger and I do have a bit of a river to cross. And once we cross that river, we'll see what happens." - NME, 8/7/24...... 
A star-studded tribute album to Talking Heads' acclaimed film Stop Making Sense has debuted atop Billboard's Compilation Albums chart for the week dated Aug. 10. First released as a digital download and via streaming services in May, Everyone's Getting Involved: A Tribute To Stop Making Sense arrives at No. 1 on the Compilation Albums tally after its July 26 release on CD and vinyl. Combined, all configurations of the album, digital and physical, sold a little over 2,000 copies in the U.S. in the week ending Aug. 1 according to Luminate -- with nearly all the sales from its CD and vinyl formats. The effort boasts acts such as Miley Cyrus, Lorde and Paramore covering songs performed by Talking Heads in its celebrated 1984 film Stop Making Sense. A restored version of Stop Making Sense premiered on Sept. 11, 2023, at the Toronto International Film Festival before garnering a general theatrical release later that month. On Aug. 18, 2023, a remastered edition of the Stop Making Sense soundtrack was released, boasting the complete concert for the first time. On Everyone's Getting Involved, the cover songs are ordered in the same sequence as they are performed in the Stop Making Sense film. Among the tracks are "Psycho Killer" (covered by Cyrus), "Heaven" (The National), "Burning Down the House" (Paramore), "Once In a Lifetime" (Kevin Abstract), "Genius of Love" (Toro y Moi featuring Brijean) and "Take Me to the River" (Lorde). Meanwhile, Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense soundtrack has entered the Soundtracks chart at No. 8, Vinyl Albums at No. 7, Indie Store Album Sales at No. 3 and Top Album Sales at No. 16. - Billboard, 8/8/24...... Journey announced the cancellation of their UK and Ireland 50th anniversary arena tour on Aug. 6. The famous AOR band had been due to embark on their "Freedom Tour" in late October with special guests Cheap Trick, but now it has been confirmed in a brief statement that the 11-date tour has been scrubbed. "Due to circumstances beyond the band's control, Journey's UK and Ireland tour is unfortunately cancelled," the message reads. "Refunds will be made from your point of purchase." As of Aug. 6 the band had not yet announced the news on their official social media accounts. However, the shows have been listed as cancelled on Ticketmaster, and their planned London concert has also been removed from The O2's website. The scrapped UK and Ireland leg would have followed Journey's current run of North American stadium shows with Def Leppard, which is set to conclude in early September. The cancellation comes shortly after Journey keyboardist/rhythm guitarist Jonathan Cain reportedly filed a new lawsuit against bandmate Neal Schon while on tour in the US. According to Bloomberg Law, the suit was filed on the grounds of frustrations over Schon's "expenses related to the tour," including "budgeting and spending" of the band's credit card over personal expenses. In other Journey news, Schon recently recalled to the UK paper The Guardian of being "terrified" when the band's iconic track "Don't Stop Believin'" was used in Glee. "I was terrified by that because I thought it was a teenybopper show, not so cool for us," Schon revealed. "Little did I know that it would open up a younger generation to our music. I'm a rocker and a blues guy, and we always joke that if I think something is too schmaltzy, it's usually gonna be big!" "Don't Stop Believin'" was named as the Biggest Song Of All Time by Forbes magazine in March this year, going 18x platinum. - NME, 8/6/24...... Memphis, a new 111-track, five-disc box set that mines recordings from five different locations in Mississippi-born Elvis Presley's adopted hometown in Tennessee, is due Aug. 9 from RCA/Legacy. Presley's recording sessions in the Sun Recording Studio, the American Studios, the Stax Studio, the Mid-South Coliseum and Graceland Mansion's Jungle Room are featured on the set. On three of the studio discs, previously released tracks are remixed strictly using the instrumentation from the core tracking session, leaving out material that was overdubbed at a later date. "By not having the additional strings and backing vocals, there [is] an intimacy to it that would reveal things that we hadn't heard before," says Memphis producer Ernst Jorgensen, a well-established Presley authority. "So songs come out with a different feel to them." The Presley package coincides with the 70th anniversary of his seminal recording of "That's All Right," the 1955 single that launched his career. - Billboard, 8/6/24...... David Gilmour has declared his upcoming solo album, Luck and Strange, has some of the "best" music he's made since the classic 1973 Pink Floyd album The Dark Side Of The Moon. "It's over 50 years now since 'The Dark Side Of The Moon'," Gilmour said in a new interview with Prog magazine. "My feeling is that this album is the best album I've made in all those years since 1973 when 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' came out." Elsewhere in his chat, Gilmour teased that he'll soon begin work on a follow-up to Luck And Strange, and is eagerly anticipating reuniting with several of the album's collaborators: "Our plan is just to get this one out and run it and then do another one straight away. I will be working with all these people again." Recorded over five months in Brighton and London, Luck And Strange is set for release on Sept. 6. Gilmour is due to perform several concerts behind the new album across the globe this year, marking his return to the stage for the first time in eight years. The tour will stop in Rome, London, Los Angeles and New York from Sept. 27 through Nov. 9, with several shows at each stop. - NME, 8/6/24...... 
Late folk-country icon John Denver has returned to the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, as a writer via MGK (formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly) and Jelly Roll's new single, "Lonely Road." The track, released July 26, launches at No. 33 on the Hot 100 with 10.5 million official streams, 646,000 in radio airplay audience and 12,000 sold in the United States in the week ending Aug. 1, according to Luminate. The song, MGK's fourth top 40 Hot 100 hit and Jelly Roll's seventh, reimagines Denver's breakthrough anthem as a recording artist, "Take Me Home, Country Roads," which wound its way to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1971. Denver tallied 14 top 40 hits of his own through 1982, when "Shanghai Breezes" reached No. 31. He recorded four No. 1 singles, among seven top 10s. Denver, who died in 1997, appears in the Hot 100's top 40 as a writer for a second time in the past decade -- with both via reworkings of "Take Me Home, Country Roads." In Oct. 2016, "Forever Country," by Artists of Then, Now & Forever, hit No. 21. The song, released in celebration of 50 years of the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, is a medley of three favorites: "Take Me Home, Country Roads," Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" and Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again." The all-star track also spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart. "Lonely Road" concurrently debuts at No. 5 on the Hot Rock Songs chart, No. 7 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and No. 13 on Hot Country Songs. Denver's enduring original "Take Me Home, Country Roads" has drawn 931 million official on-demand streams in the U.S. to date. It has also totaled 230 million in radio reach and sold 1.8 million downloads. - Billboard, 8/5/24...... During the encore of a show on Sammy Hagar's "Best of All Worlds" tour with drummer Jason Bonham, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and guitar god Joe Satriani at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Michigan on Aug. 2, Hagar, 76, took a moment to acknowledge the then-new information and give Aerosmith props for their longevity and spirit. "We had some crazy news today," Hagar told the audience. "We got here this afternoon sometime and we're all sitting around backstage and a friend of ours that works for Aerosmith came and said, 'Yeah, Aerosmith called retirement today. They quit. They stopped.' God bless 'em. It's a horrible thing. What a great f---ing loss." Hagar added, "we love those guys. We all grew up with those guys. You grew up with them, we grew up with them, Mike and I. They've been our competitors to Van Halen for f---ing 10 years. You know what I'm saying? 'F--- those guys.' No, no, no, but we really do like them. It's just that we're mad at them. But anyway, what a shame." A video of Hagar's comments can be viewed on YouTube. Three months after rescheduling the remaining dates on their "Peace Out" farewell tour, Aerosmith announced their official retirement from touring on Aug. 2 due to frontman Steven Tyler's ongoing vocal cord injury. - Billboard, 8/5/24...... The third annual Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp for women only will take place Dec. 5-8 in Los Angeles and feature such rock legends as Nancy Wilson (Heart), Lita Ford (The Runaways), Sheila E. (Prince), Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper) and Rhonda Smith (Jeff Beck). "Rock Fantasy Camp for women is a meaningful gathering of women together. As a military brat I never felt constrained by my gender," Nancy Wilson says. "Encouraging women to wield their power outside confining gender expectations is always a happy task for me." The capacity for the camp is around 80 campers divided into up to 14 bands. Each band is assigned a counselor who mentors them throughout the four days and helps prepare the musicians for the closing concert where they play with the rock headliners at the Viper Room on the Sunset Strip. The counselors themselves are a constellation of heavy hitters, including Roxy Petrucci (Vixen), Eva Gardner (P!nk), Jennie Vee (Eagles of Death Metal), Julia Lage (Vixen), Jennifer Oberle (Sarah McLachlan) and Britt Lightning (Vixen), who also serves as the event's musical director. The camp is open to musicians of all levels, who are evaluated beforehand to make sure they are placed in the appropriate band and each participant is sent a song list to start rehearsing. The four days are filled with rehearsals, masterclasses, Q&As and jam sessions. More info can be found at www.rockcamp.com. - Billboard, 8/5/24...... 
Comedian/actor Steve Martin has turned down a chance to portray Democratic presidential hopeful Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, on the upcoming 50th season of NBC's Saturday Night Live, which premieres on Sept. 28. With Maya Rudolph's wildly popular impression of Kamala Harris on SNL, fans clamored to see who the late-night comedy show would pick to play Harris' new running mate, Tim Walz. With similar hairstyles and their signature glasses, many fans quickly drew comparisons between Walz and Martin, who's been a frequent SNL guest but never a formal cast member. According to the Los Angeles Times, SNL producer Lorne Michaels called Martin to offer him the role on the upcoming 50th season premiere, but the "King Tut" singer declined. "I wanted to say no and, by the way, he wanted me to say no," Martin said. "I said, 'Lorne, I'm not an impressionist. You need someone who can really nail the guy.' I was picked because I have gray hair and glasses." Although Martin initially leaned into the fun, writing on social platform Threads that he "just learned that Tim Walz wants to go on the road with Marty Short," he also noted the impression comes with a long-term commitment of performing on the show. "It's ongoing," Martin told the Times. "It's not like you do it once and get applause and never do it again. Again, they need a real impressionist to do that. They're gonna find somebody really, really good. I'd be struggling." Rudolph, for her part, will reportedly her Emmy-winning role on the show as Kamala Harris. She reportedly pushed the shooting schedule for the comedy series Loot from August to January to accommodate playing the role through the election season. She first played Harris in 2019 when the then-California senator was running for president and continued with the role after she was announced as Joe Biden's running mate. - AP, 8/7/24.
Three months after rescheduling the remaining dates of their "Peace Out" farewell tour, Aerosmith officially announced their retirement from touring with an Aug. 2 
The never-ending legal feud between Journey members Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon has erupted once again, with Cain filing a new lawsuit against Schon over claims that his "exorbitant" spending is threatening to cripple the band's touring operations. In a complaint made public in Delaware court on July 30, Cain claimed that Schon's alleged spending -- including unilaterally chartering private jets and charging personal expenses to their shared American Express card -- has led to a "deadlock" that must be resolved. "The deadlock between the company's directors is now interfering with the company's ability to take even the most basic actions and is causing significant disruptions in the smooth operation of the company," Cain's lawyers write, adding that the problems "pose a severe threat of harm to the company and to Journey's storied history of musical greatness." Legal battles are nothing new for Schon and Cain, the two key remaining members of the iconic rock band that's still a big ticket seller decades after its "Don't Stop Believin'" heyday. In 2022, Schon sued Cain over allegations that his bandmate had unfairly blocked his access to the Amex account, "interfering" with the band's activities and delaying payments to crew members and vendors. A few months later, Cain countersued -- claiming he had placed those restrictions on the Amex to stop Schon from "misusing" the company card, including spending $400,000 in a single month. The new case largely rehashes those same disagreements over spending -- like Cain claiming that Schon has "spent up to $10,000 per night for hotel rooms for him and his wife" during their most recent tour. But in technical terms, the new case focuses narrowly on the governance of Freedom 2020 Inc., a Delaware-based corporate entity they created to operate Journey's touring. Since Cain and Schon each control exactly 50% of the company, the lawsuit says the two have reached an impasse that has spilled into other aspects of the band's operations, like managing their staffers. The lawsuit claims the strife between Cain and Schon has also led to other problems, including disagreements about whether to accept an advance from AEG for their most recent tour, the purchase of cancellation insurance and other problems. - Billboard, 8/2/24...... Ted Nugent has teamed up with his son Rocco Winchester Nugent on a new song about the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. The mid-tempo track, "Who Shot Trump," featuring laconic vocals from Rocco -- who usually records under the name "rocco, moon" -- was recently uploaded to 
A new Fleetwood Mac live album, Mirage Tour '82, will be released on Sept. 20 in 
U.S. House of Representatives speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries announced on Aug. 1 that a bronze statue of country icon Johnny Cash will become the first professional musician to take its place in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. The tribute to Cash will be unveiled during a ceremony in the Capitol's Emancipation Hall on Sept. 24. The eight-foot tall statue of a stern-looking Cash holding a Bible and a guitar was designed by sculptor Kevin Kresse, who says he "couldn't be happier with these choices for Arkansas... I'm also extremely proud to be a native son of Arkansas, getting this opportunity to sculpt an Arkansas icon for the nation's Capitol." Cash, born in Dyess, AR, will be enshrined alongside civil rights activist Daisy Bates, whose statue was put in place in May. With his signature rumbling baritone voice and songs of faith, murder, longing and love, Cash was a beloved country outlaw best known for such iconic tracks as "I Walk the Line," "Ring of Fire," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Man in Black" and "Daddy Sang Bass," and many others. Cash's enshrinement will place him in good company alongside such historic figures as Amelia Earhart, inventor Thomas Alva Edison, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Andrew Jackson, Hellen Keller, astronaut John Swigert, Jr., George Washington and many others. Johnson, Jeffries, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Cash's family are expected to attend the unveiling. Cash died in 2003 at age 71 due to respiratory failure tied to complications from diabetes. The announcement and a picture of the statue can be viewed on 
In an interview with Britain's Mojo magazine, the L.A.-based pop duo Sparks says they "feel an obligation" to continue making high-quality music. Sparks, made up of brothers Ron and Russell Mael, have released 26 albums in a career spanning more than half a century but refuse to let the standard of their work diminish as they are always gaining new fans. "There are so many newer fans that have kind of come our way of late," Ron said. "We feel an obligation, which we always do, to keep the quality high. We're lovers of pop music, and we think it's a disservice to pop music to come out with stuff that isn't cool." Sparks are preparing to release another new album in 2025 and Ron explained that the band are going against convention by making their music more "aggressive" as they grow older. "I think that the assumption for a band that, say, has been around for as long and has made as many albums as we have -- I won't mention years - is that we would be introspective and mellow down a touch," says Ron, 78. "You know, the usual things where musicians try to come to grips with mortality and all those sorts of things. We're not like that. It still has a pretty high degree of aggression to it, I think." Russell, 75, added that the forthcoming album will be "consistent" with the "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" band's previous material. "I think it's consistent with the lyric universe that Sparks has always had, with some issues that are maybe not treated so much in normal pop music, or issues that are, treated in a way that's not clichéd," he said. - Music-News.com, 7/28/24.
Billy Joel concluded his historic 10-year residency at Madison Square Garden in New York City with a sold-out show on July 25. To mark the occasion, The Tonight Show talk show host Jimmy Fallon joined the Piano Man to present him with a banner celebrating 150 shows at the New York venue. "Congratulations," Fallon said. "I love you. New York City loves you. The world loves you. You've given us all great memories of being here. And now we get to watch you get a memory. You're never going to forget this night here." Joel's two youngest daughters, Della, eight, and Remy, six, then took to the stage to join dad as he performed his 1978 hit "My Life." Joel was also joined on stage by Guns N' Roses star Axl Rose, with the duo performing renditions of Wings' "Live and Let Die" and AC/DC's "Highway to Hell." Fan video of the Rose and Joel performances has been shared on 
Speaking to The Sunday Mirror, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason discussed the potential to forge a Pink Floyd reunion via artificial intelligence. "It would be fascinating to see what AI could do with new music. If you tried to run it as a sort of 'Where did Pink Floyd go after?'," Mason said. "The thing to do would be to have an AI situation where David [Gilmour] and Roger [Waters] become friends again," he continued, adding: "We could be like ABBA by the time we've finished with it." Mason also spoke of the feud between Waters and Gilmour, who declared Pink Floyd was over in 2015 by saying the band had "run its course," and Waters, expressing disappointment that it had overshadowed the band: "In a 55-year career, most of it was great fun. We were enormously privileged to be in a successful band and tour the world and hang out with really interesting people. It's a gold card to meet all sorts of your favourite sportsmen and actors." Mason, who currently plays some of Floyd's earlier music as Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets alongside Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp and bassist Guy Pratt, also reflected on continuing to perform Floyd songs. "The best thing about keeping the thing going is for our benefit," he said. "It makes sense to keep it going rather than shutting it down. I also enjoy it because the more time passes, the more you can look at it with a rosier glint." Gilmour has also discussed the possibility of an ABBA-style Floyd show, saying he would agree to it under "a series of very, very difficult and onerous conditions." "I thought the images of them were sort of OK, but they weren't ever going to convince me it was real," he once said of his experience watching ABBA's Voyage show. "If you're down the sort of mosh pit end of the thing and it's all going on, it's probably great. The best moment for me was when the live band played a song ['Does Your Mother Know'] on their own." When asked if a Pink Floyd hologram show would ever be a possibility, he answered: "If someone came up with all the money and all the brilliant ideas -- and then once we've agreed to a series of very, very difficult and onerous conditions -- I'd say, 'Yeah, OK.'" - New Musical Express, 7/28/24...... Actor Jeremy Allen White, star of the FX comedy-drama series The Bear and was tapped back in January to play Bruce Springsteen in an upcoming biopic, has apparently been texting with the Boss in the hopes of meeting him in London to prepare for his upcoming role. White revealed to Variety that he has "texted and emailed" Springsteen in the run up to the New Jersey rocker's July 27 show at London's Wembley Stadium. "I'm really excited to see him perform," White said, cheekily adding that Springsteen texts "like a boss." The film is reportedly set to explore the making of Springsteen's 1982 classic album Nebraska. Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Hostiles) will write and direct the film, which is based on Warren Zane's 2023 book, Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska. In other Bruce news, Springsteen will be in Toronto, Canada, in early September during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival for the debut of longtime collaborator Thom Zimny's Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, a documentary that follows the singer-songwriter's latest world tour. He also recently took part in Mark Knopfler's star-studded charity re-recording of "Going Home," which also featured the likes of Brian May, Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton, Ronnie Wood and many more. - NME/Canoe.com, 7/27/24...... 
Pete Townshend has released a new box set of live solo performances, 
During her set at Glasgow's OVO Hydro stadium on July 24, Stevie Nicks opened up about the health condition that had impacted her UK tour earlier in July and led to her postponing shows in Glasgow and Manchester, with her camp stating she had "sustained a leg injury" and required a "minor surgical procedure" as a result. "I don't know what happened," she told the audience. "I just got this weird infection, and it just went crazy." Nicks went on to say that she was staying at a "fabulous castle" in Scotland with some of her crew at the time, adding: "We get here days early because we want to be here for a few days." She continued: "I finally just looked at my assistant -- it was like two in the morning -- and I said, 'I think we need to go to emergency'. She looked at me and I said, 'I'm not kidding! I think we need to go to the hospital'. And so our butler -- this wonderful man -- throws us in his BMW Sedan, and off we sped through the night to a hospital." Nicks confirmed that she spent two days in hospital. "They let me go back to the castle, and we cancelled this show," she explained. "This whole tour I've been fighting what started here, and I would be damned if I wasn't coming back here." Fan shot footage of Nicks's speech can be viewed on 
It has been revealed that William L. Calley Jr., a junior Army officer who became the only person convicted in connection with the My Lai Massacre of 1968, died on Apr. 28 at a hospice center in Gainesville, Fla. He was 80. The Washington Post obtained a copy of his death certificate from the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County. The Post was alerted to the death, which was not previously reported, by Zachary Woodward, a recent Harvard Law School graduate who said he noticed Mr. Calley's death while looking through public records. Although he was once the country's most notorious Army officer, a symbol of military misconduct in a war that many considered immoral and unwinnable, Mr. Calley had lived in obscurity for decades, declining interviews while working as a jeweler in Columbus, Ga., not far from the military base where he was court-martialed and convicted in 1971. A junior-college dropout from South Florida, Mr. Calley found a home in a military that was desperately trying to replenish its lower ranks as the war escalated in Vietnam. Mr. Calley was quickly tapped to become a junior officer, with minimal vetting, and was soon promoted to second lieutenant, commanding a platoon in Charlie Company, a unit of the Army's Americal Division. The company sustained heavy losses in the early months of 1968, losing men to sniper fire, land mines and booby traps as the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong launched coordinated attacks in the Tet Offensive. On the morning of Mar. 16, 1968, the unit was airlifted by helicopter to Son My, a patchwork village of rice paddies, irrigation ditches and small settlements, including a hamlet known to U.S. soldiers as My Lai 4. Over the next few hours, Mr. Calley and other soldiers in Charlie Company shot and bayoneted women, children and elderly men, destroying the village while searching for Viet Cong guerrillas and sympathizers who were said to have been hiding in the area. Homes were burned, and some women and girls were gang-raped before being killed. An Army investigation later concluded that 347 men, women and children had been killed, including victims of another American unit, Bravo Company. A Vietnamese estimate placed the death toll at 504. For more than a year and a half, the details of the atrocity were hidden and covered up from the public. A report to headquarters initially characterized the attack as a significant victory, claiming that 128 "enemy" fighters had been killed. Gen. William C. Westmoreland, the top commander in Vietnam, praised American forces at My Lai for dealing a "heavy blow" to the Viet Cong. - The Washington Post, 7/28/24.
After weeks of mounting pressure from fellow Democrats to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, Pres. Joe Biden announced on July 21 that he was doing just that -- shortly after which he endorsed his own vice president, Kamala Harris, to take on the role instead. Among the many musicians of all generations to immediately throw their support to Harris were '70s superstars Barbra Streisand and Carole King. Streisand posted a fierce defense of the Biden-Harris administration on 
A pair of John Lennon's tinted glasses along with a collection of photographs taken of The Beatles at Abbey Road Studio in London are set to go up for auction on July 31 at Farleigh Golf Club in Surrey, UK. According to BBC, Lennon's glasses -- a pair of round specs with blue-tinted lenses -- were gifted to a man who was visiting Abbey Road Studios by the late musician himself back in 1968. Speaking about the specs, a spokesperson for Catherine Southon Auctioneers & Valuers said that they were handed to the man by Lennon after the man saw them placed on top of a piano. "The young man saw the spectacles lying on the piano and went to pick them up but was told by his then girlfriend to leave them, to which Lennon replied, 'It's OK, he can have them'," they said. They are expected to reach roughly £3,000 at the auction. A collection of 33 black and white photos taken at Abbey Road will also be auctioned along with the copyright for an estimated £200 to £300. The photographs include shots of Lennon and his bandmates Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr as well as producer George Martin snapped on the day of the photoshoot for the band's Abbey Road album cover of the band walking across a zebra crossing. - NME, 7/22/24...... In an interview with LifeMinute, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford said that his cancer was still in remission, four years after being diagnosed with the disease. Back in 2021, Halford revealed that: "I had my little cancer battle a year ago, which I got through and that's in remission now, thank God," he said at the time. "That happened while we were all locked down, so things happen for a reason as far as time sequence of events. I have nothing but gratitude to be at this point in my life, still doing what I love the most." Now, he's spoken about still being in remission following his treatment. He explained: "I always take an opportunity to thank the Lord for me being here still, but also my great medical team. And guys, be proactive. Make sure you get your blood work done, your PSA [prostate-specific antigen] checked. I couldn't believe how efficient and the love and the care and the attention that health workers give to each and every one of us." "I had my prostate removed," he continued. "I had some meds and follow-up treatment found a little bit more stuff, so we had to go in for two months of radiation treatment. You do what you've gotta do. The important thing is to stay optimistic, stay positive." He added: "I love my family, my healthcare people that want the best for you. So you can push through it. So anybody that's struggling with that right now, keep that heavy metal faith. With all the due care and diligence and attention, you'll survive." Halford's full interview can be streamed on 
Appearing on Good Morning Britain on July 19, Scottish pop legend Lulu opened up about her hearing problem. "If you're 75 I don't think your hearing is going to be good as it used to be," Lulu, 75, explained. "But if you're in the rock 'n' roll business, if you're a performer, and a lot of them... are deaf!" She added, "They have no hearing at all." Lulu then revealed that she had recently had her hearing tested. "And yes, moderate hearing loss but you know me, I don't want to not hear people!" she said. "I want to hear everything and my music." The 
Prolific songwriter-producer Jerry Fuller died of lung cancer on July 18 at his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. He was 85. Mr. Fuller wrote two songs that reached No. 1 on hit parade: Ricky Nelson's "Travelin' Man" in 1961 and Al Wilson's 
Abdul Kareem "Duke" Fakir, the last of the original Four Tops and a stalwart of Motown's golden age died from heart failure on July 22. He was 88. Mr. Fakir, who co-founded the Four Tops in 1953, had been in poor health, including bladder cancer and had retired from touring late last year. Mr. Fakir was born in Detroit on Dec. 26, 1935; his father was a factory worker who'd come over from what is now Bangladesh. He played football, basketball and ran track in high school, meeting Stubbs through neighborhood football games; the two began singing after separately attending a variety show, eventually recruiting Payton and Benson to form the group, first called The Aims but later changed to avoid confusion with the Ames Brothers. The Four Tops recorded without success for several labels -- including Chess, Red Top, Riverside and Columbia -- and supported Billy Eckstine before signing with Motown in 1963. The group started out recording standards for the label's Workshop Jazz Records imprint, but when the songwriting/production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland gave The Tops "Baby I Need Your Loving" in mid-1964, it hit No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, which opened the floodgates for a string of hits that included "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)," "Reach Out I'll Be There," "Standing in the Shadows of Love" and "It's the Same Old Song." The Tops had several stints with Motown, and away from that company it also had hits with "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)," "Are You Man Enough" and "When She Was My Girl." The Tops were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. Fakir accepted a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the band in 2009. "Reach Out I'll Be There" was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 20AbA22. With his glasses and angular frame, Mr. Fakir was arguably the most recognizable of The Tops and maintained his leadership in the group following the deaths of Levi Stubbs in 2008, Renaldo "Obie" Benson in 2005 and Lawrence Payton in 1997 (his son Lawrence Payton Jr. is part of the current lineup). In addition to his memoir, Mr. Fakir was also working on a stage musical based on The Four Tops' story. "I'm at such a loss," said Otis Williams of The Temptations. "He is now with Levi, Lawrence and Peyton, singing for God. I miss you and love you, brother." Mr. Fakir is survived by his wife, Piper, five sons, 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. - Billboard, 7/22/24...... 
Influential British blues musician John Mayall, whose band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for the likes of Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other rock superstars, died on July 22 at his home in California. He was 90. "Health issues that forced John to end his epic touring career have finally led to peace for one of this world's greatest road warriors," a post on his 
Forbes magazine has declared Bruce Springsteen a billionaire by a "conservative" estimate. On July 19, the publication reported the Boss, 74, had reached an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion. In terms of other musicians who've crossed into billionaire status, he ranks under Jay-Z ($2.5 billion), Rihanna ($1.4 billion) and Taylor Swift ($1.3 billion). Much of Springsteen's wealth comes from his decades-spanning catalog, which he sold back to his longtime label -- Sony's Columbia Records -- for a whopping $500 million in 2021, the largest deal ever for an individual body of work. At that point, his recordings had racked up 65.5 million sales in the U.S., including his iconic multiplatinum albums Born In The U.S.A. and The River. Springsteen has had only praise for his label, Columbia Records, who he says "have treated me with the greatest respect as an artist and as a person." The New Jersey rocker has also remained a touring force well into the later years of his career, with his 2023 world tour selling more than 1.6 million tickets and generating $380 million in revenue, according to Pollstar. He and his E Street Band are currently on tour again, with dates planned all the way up through July of 2025. Springsteen has also nabbed another chart first; recently making his debut on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for his appearance on Zach Bryan's "Sandpaper." It also marked Springsteen's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in over 15 years. The track entered at Nos. 26 and 71 on the respective charts. Springsteen showed up to duet with Bryan on "Sandpaper" on March 27 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. The song is drawing comparisons to Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" -- one of seven Hot 100 top 10s from his Born in the U.S.A. album in 1984-86 -- which Bryan has covered in concert. Meanwhile, England fans' embrace of Springsteen's 1984 classic "Dancing In The Dark" to sing the praises of footballer Phil Foden at the Euros 2024 has paid off -- the song has re-entered the UK Top 40 for the first time in 39 years. The last time "Dancing In The Dark" was in the Top 40 was Apr. 1985. - Billboard/Music-News.com, 7/19/24...... Attorneys for Priscilla Presley filed a scathing lawsuit against four of her former business partners over allegations of elder abuse and fraud, accusing them of a "meticulously planned" scheme to drain Elvis Presley's ex-wife of "every last penny she had." In a complaint filed on July 18 in Los Angeles court, lawyers for Presley, 79, accuse Brigitte Kruse, Kevin Fialko, Vahe Sislyan and Lynn Walker Wright of fraudulently convincing her to give them power over nearly every aspect of her life -- and then abusing that control to steal her money. Calling Kruse a "con-artist and pathological liar," high-profile L.A. attorney Martin Singer, who now represents Presley, says the defendants took more than $1 million from Priscilla and convinced her to sign a deal that would give them 80% of her future income. "The fact that the plaintiff in this case is internationally recognized actress, author, and cultural icon & demonstrates both how effective the defendants' plan was (and needed to be), and how anyone can be a victim of elder abuse and fraud," Singer writes. The new case comes eight months after Kruse's company, Priscilla Presley Partners, filed its own lawsuit against Priscilla in Florida. That case claimed that Presley illegally turned her back on Kruse and Fialko after they had helped her "dig herself out of impending financial ruin," including negotiating the deal that led to last year's Priscilla biopic. But in the new lawsuit, Singer argues that the earlier case was merely a cover for Kruse and Fialko's alleged misdeeds. Singer and Priscilla's other attorneys say that Kruse and the others "established a personal relationship" with her and then used it to "isolate her from her long-time business and financial advisors," whom they argued were "deceitful or incompetent" and causing her to lose money. Once they had isolated her, the lawsuit says, Kruse and the others took steps to "fraudulently induce" Presley into signing over power of attorney, giving them control over her trusts and bank accounts, and signing deals with "sham" companies like Priscilla Presley Partners. One of those deals, the lawsuit says, gave the defendants "an exclusive license to exploit and profit off of her name, image, and likeness, and to control and receive virtually all of her income from any of her professional ventures." Neither side has yet to comment on the lawsuit. - Billboard, 7/19/24...... 
On July 18 Paul McCartney sent a special message to Cincinatti at the debut of his "Liverpool Oratorio" opera. While the city did not get the get the breathlessly hoped-for drop-in from the former Beatles icon at the world premiere of the Cincinnati Opera's take on Sir Paul's "Liverpool Oratorio," they did get a very special message from the night's absent guest of honor. "Hello, Cincinnati! Good evening. I'm so excited to hear that the Cincinnati Opera is putting on my Liverpool Oratorio," McCartney said in a pre-taped message that played for the capacity crowd in Cincinnati Music Hall's 2,300-capacity Springer Auditorium before the opening night of the fresh take on his first classical composition. "This work is really special for me because it was the first large scale thing like this that I'd done, and it's largely based on a lot of events from my childhood. The school I went to& the teacher, Miss Inkley, who was the only female teacher in a school of a thousand boys. So it's really true, as it says in the opera, where she says, 'Hello, boys. You can call me, 'Sir,'" McCartney continued. "Well, as 11-year-olds, it's a little difficult to make sense of that. But anyway, I love the piece, and I love that you're doing it there in Cincinnati. So I hope you have a great evening. Thank you very much for putting it on. I wish I was there with you, but I can't be there. So I'm here. So have a great one. Thank you." And though the 82-year-old Beatle wasn't on hand to see the Opera's high-energy take on his eight-movement homage to his hometown, in the weeks leading up to the debut the city was blanketed with a blizzard of posters, social media messages and memes encouraging locals to help "Get Paul to the Hall." The effort was intended to spur interest in the $1.3 million original production that over the course of 90 minutes tells the story a "war baby" named Shanty, who, like McCartney, comes into a fiery world engulfed in the air raid blitz of WWII. At the final dress rehearsal on July 16, the cast was dialed in to the tale that mixes hope, tragedy, redemption and joy into a joyous spectacle that unfolds on a massive map of Liverpool. After its debut more than 30 years ago, the piece written for orchestra and vocalists has not been performed very often, but the energy and spirit of the Cincinnati Opera's refreshing version seems destined to give the Liverpool Oratorio a second life. Photos from the production can be viewed on 
The 2024 Kennedy Center Honors will feature a mix of the psychedelic and the soulful with a touch of jazz. Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt and jazz trumpeter/pianist/composer Arturo Sandoval will be among this years class announced on July 18 that also includes legendary director Francis Ford Coppola and New York's Apollo theater. In a first, The Apollo theater in Harlem in a special honor as an "iconic American Institution." "It goes without saying that the Kennedy Center Honors represents the highest of reaches for artistic achievement," the Grateful Dead's surviving members wrote in a joint statement. "To be recognized alongside the artists who have in the past received this honor is beyond humbling. The Grateful Dead has always been about community, creativity, and exploration in music and presentation.... so it also must be said that our music belongs as much to our fans, the Dead Heads, as it does to us. This honor, then, is as much theirs as ours." In a statement, Raitt said, "I am deeply honored and thrilled to have been chosen to receive one of this year's Kennedy Center Honors. I have long been an admirer of the awards and have been so blessed to be able to participate in several shows honoring others.... I want to extend my sincere thanks to all who have chosen me to receive this honor. I look forward to the upcoming ceremony and festivities, which I know will be one of my life's peak experiences." The Kennedy Center Honors celebrates individuals whose unique contributions to American arts and culture at an event where the the honorees are seated in the box tier of the Kennedy Center Opera House while their peers pay homage with performances and tributes. The event that will take place at the John F. Kennedy Center For the Performing Arts in WasThe Greatest Night in Pop, a deep dive into the 1985 recording session that produced "We Are the World," has been nominated for an Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special Emmy award-- and Lionel Richie is celebrating the accomplishment. "I am still amazed by what we accomplished in 1985 and I'm even more amazed after receiving an Emmy nomination for 'The Greatest Night In Pop,'" the Richie wrote in a statement. "It has been an absolute joy to be able to bring this moment in history to life alongside @netflix. A big thank you and congratulations to all of the artists and participants for making 'We Are The World' happen, and thank you to the @televisionacad for recognizing our documentary." The documentary follows the group of 45 all-star musicians -- Richie included -- who gathered together Jan. 25, 1985, as they "checked their egos at the door and recorded a song to benefit African famine relief that would alter global pop culture history," the official synopsis for the film reads. The Greatest Night in Pop included never-before-seen footage of the song's planning and writing process, as well as Henson Studios where the recording of the track took place. The film is also up for Directing For a Documentary/Nonfiction Program and Sound Editing For a Nonfiction or Reality Program. - Billboard, 7/17/24...... 
Bob Newhart, the beloved stand-up performer whose droll, deadpan humor showcased on two critically acclaimed CBS sitcoms vaulted him into the ranks of history's greatest comedians, died on the morning of July 18. He was 94. Jerry Digney, his longtime publicist, said the Chicago legend died at his Los Angeles home after a series of short illnesses. George Robert Newhart was born on Sept. 5, 1929, in Oak Park, Ill. He grew up a Cubs fan and participated in the team's victory parade down La Salle Street after Chicago took the National League pennant in 1945. Mr. Newhart never dreamed of being in show business; in fact, such a gaudy profession ran against the Midwestern grain of his personality and perhaps was why he would connect with Middle America. After attending St. Ignatius College Prep and then earning a degree in commerce from Loyola University, Mr. Newhart spent two years in the Army and then flunked out of law school. He then worked as an accountant with U.S. Gypsum and then the Glidden Co., which sold paint. Somehow there's a connection between numbers and music and comedy. I don't know what it is, but I know it's there," he once said in an interview with a college business professor. "I know it's a case of 2 and 2 equals 5 in terms of a comedian. You take this fact and you take that fact and then you come up with this ludicrous fact." To combat the tedium at work, Mr. Newhart and a friend would amuse themselves by making prank phone calls. He refined those into what was then his signature comic bit: having a one-sided phone conversation (the audience got to imagine what the other side of the chat was like). He and his pal also sold a syndicated radio show in which they did five-minute comedy routines five days a week for $7.50 a week. In 1972, MTM Enterprises cast the modest comic as clinical psychologist Bob Hartley, who practiced in the real-life Newhart's favorite burg, Chicago.