The Sex Pistols released a "Pistol Mint Commemorative Coin" on May 30 ahead of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee celebration on June 3 celebrating her 70 years on the throne. The nickel-plated coin features artist Jamie Reid's Union Jack flag design on the front, with a high quality decal of his depiction of the Queen sporting a lip piercing on the back. It comes days after the Sex Pistols reissued their controversial 1977 single "God Save The Queen," which includes the lyrics "God save the queen / She ain't no human being / And there is no future / In England's dreaming." The single was seen as an anti-monarchy protest song, released around the time of the Queen's Silver Jubilee in the summer of 1977. Despite being banned by the BBC at the time, the song reached No. 2 on the UK's singles chart. Meanwhile, director Danny Boyle's new Sex Pistols biopic Pistol premieres on Hulu (and Disney+ where Hulu isn't available) on May 31. - New Musical Express, 5/30/22...... 
After a 40-year wait, Swedish pop sensations ABBA made their eagerly-anticipated return to the live stage on May 26 and although none of the real-life musicians were actually onstage performing, all four of them were present in London, making a rare public appearance at the premiere of their virtual live concert "ABBA Voyage." Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Faltskog walked the red carpet and received a rapturous standing ovation when they appeared onstage together at the end of the much-hyped show, which features de-aged digital avatar versions of the band -- or "ABBA-tars," as the show's producers insist on calling them -- and takes place in a new purpose-built 3,000-capacity ABBA Arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London. Billed as a "Concert Like No Other," the launch was attended by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, as well as several music stars and VIPs, including Kylie Minogue, Zara Larsson, Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, Kate Moss and Keira Knightley. To create the digital versions of Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Frida, technicians from George Lucas' special effects company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) spent five weeks inside a Stockholm movie studio filming the four band members -- now all in their 70s -- performing their back catalog, while wearing figure-hugging motion-capture suits. For now, the concert runs to just over 90 minutes and 20 songs, spanning some of ABBA's biggest hits ("Mamma Mia," "Thank You For The Music," "The Winner Takes It All," "Knowing Me Knowing You") alongside fan favourite album cuts ("The Visitors," "Hole In Your Soul," "When All Is Said And Done") and two tracks from last year's comeback album, also called Voyage ("Don't Shut Me Down" and "I Still Have Faith In You"). The show is currently booked to run in London for least the next 12 months, hosting between seven and nine gigs a week, including two weekend matinees. - NME, 5/27/22...... Pink Floyd has joined the popular social platform TikTok, using their tracks "Breathe (In the Air)" and "Another Brick in the Wall" for their first two videos on May 30. The first features a hypnotic spinning pyramid set to "Breathe (In the Air) to commemorate the pending 50-year anniversary of their seminal album The Dark Side of the Moon, which turns half-a-century old in the spring of 2023. Posted just hours later, Floyd's second video is more straightforward in heralding their arrival on the popular social media platform. Text appears on the screen reading "PINK FLOYD NOW ON TIKTOK over "Another Brick in the Wall from 1979's The Wall. "We don't need no education/ We don't need no false control/ No dark sarcasm in the classroom/ Teacher, leave..." the late Syd Barrett intones before the clip abruptly cuts off. After just one day on the app, the veteran prog rockers have amassed more than 7,500 followers. In April, the band released "Hey Hey Rise Up," their first single in almost 30 years -- with surviving members David Gilmour and Nick Mason (sans Roger Waters) recruiting Ukrainian vocalist Andriy Khlyvnyuk for the charity track. Proceeds from the song are being donated to the Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Fund. - Billboard, 5/30/22...... Elvis Costello announced on May 30 that he's reuniting with his old bandmate Allan Mayes to release, as he calls it, "the record we would have cut when we were 18, if anyone had let us." Costello says the album will be titled Rusty: The Resurrection of Rust, and will be based on songs the duo played 50 years ago as part of Rusty, the first band Costello was ever in. (Back then, he was known as D.P. McManus.) Rusty will drop June 10 and feature six songs from the band's 1972 set lists, including "Surrender to the Rhythm" and "Don't Lose Your Grip on Love" by Nick Lowe; Jim Ford's "I'm Ahead If I Can Quit While I'm Behind"; a mashup of Neil Young's "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" and "Dance, Dance, Dance"; and two originals titled "Warm House" and "Maureen and Sam." "By the summer of '72 we were playing up to five or six nights a week, Costello reminisced in a lengthy letter posted to his official website. "I was still at school, supposedly studying for my A Levels. Once I got a job, we had to schedule our Rusty gigs around my shift work as a computer operator until early in 1973, when I decided to leave Liverpool looking for something and took to this long and crooked road," he continued. Five years later, Costello would release his debut album, My Aim Is True, under his stage name, led by his debut single "Less Than Zero." Nearly five decades later, Costello has most recently dropped his 32nd studio set, 2022's The Boy Named If and signed a publishing deal for his entire catalog with BMG. - Billboard, 5/30/22...... Neil Young announced on his Neil Young Archives site on May 26 that he's releasing Toast, a previously shelved album he recorded with Crazy Horse back in 2001, on July 8 via Reprise Records. The news came alongside a track from the new album titled "Standing In The Light Of Love" -- a rough and raw, barn-stomping rock'n'roll tune -- which has been shared on YouTube. Young has previously described the song as "sort of like a Deep Purple hit." He also said that Toast, which is named for the San Francisco studio in which it was recorded, is "an album that stands on its own in [his] collection." He cited the record's melancholic tone as a reason why it never left the studio, explaining it was "so sad [and] I couldn't handle it at that time. 2001." The release of Toast comes amid Young's ongoing series of archival reissues. In April, he released the "Official Release Series Volume 4" box set, comprising three classic albums from the 1980s -- one of his own, and two collaborative efforts -- as well as a rare EP that was only ever sold in Australia and Japan. His most recent album was another effort with Crazy Horse, 'Barn', which landed in Dec. 2021. - NME 5/28/22...... 
KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons announced on May 29 that the band are retiring out of "self-respect" and because of the "love" for their fans. "The reason for stopping touring is because of pride and self-respect and a love and admiration for the fans," Simmons told Full Metal Jackie on an episode of KLOS' Whiplash, which can be streamed on omny.fm. "The last thing you wanna be is to be a world-champion boxer and stay in the ring too long. It's only a matter of time until your legs are not gonna be able to hold you up, and you're gonna lose," Simmons said. KISS announced back in 2018 that they would embark on one massive final tour, before hanging up their iconic costumes. They currently have a number of concerts booked for Europe and Australia this summer -- including a headline slot at the UK's 2022 Download Festival -- and then they'll return to North America at the end of the year for a few more festivals, which is everything they have officially left on the schedule. They also plan to reschedule their Las Vegas residency, which was cancelled late in 2021 due to Covid-19. - NME, 5/29/22...... In a new installment of Billboard's "Behind the Setlist" podcast, Ann Wilson of Heart talked about her song selection for her concert at Seattle's Neptune Theater on Oct. 13. "You want to give people an experience, you want to have an experience yourself. And if the set is designed right, it's just like a natural momentum...some make the transition to live and some just don't work," says Wilson, who played three songs from her 2022 album Fierce Bliss, including "Greed," "Black Wing," and a cover of Queen's "Love of My Life." The Neptune Theatre setlist also featured several songs by rock icons, including John Lennon's "Isolation," The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again," Aerosmith's "Dream On" and Led Zeppelin's "Going to California." Wilson's entire interview can be streamed on Spotify.com. - Billboard, 5/27/22...... The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., the former home of the Grand Ole Opry and now it its 130th year as one of country music's most revered performance venues, has been designated by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as an official Rock & Roll HOF Landmark. During a ceremony held at the Ryman on May 26, Mark Fioravanti (president of Ryman Hospitality Properties), Greg Harris (president/CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame), Nashville Mayor John Cooper and the band Old Dominion gathered to unveil a historic marker to commemorate the milestone. "It's spiritual, and it's one of the reasons she's called the Mother Church. Like any good mother, she commands respect and makes you feel at home. As Music City and Country Music continue to expand around her, she remains the center of the family," Old Dominion singer Matthew Ramsey said in a statement. "She's a beacon and a bucket list experience for us all, creators and fans alike." The Ryman joins 11 other rock 'n' roll landmarks throughout the country, including the Austin City Limits studio, King Records, Surf Ballroom, Whisky a Go Go and others. There are 351 members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and one of those members, Bonnie Raitt, performed at the Ryman on May 26 and paid tribute to the Ryman's contributions to the history of rock 'n' roll music. "The Ryman has played an important role not only in the history of Nashville, but in country music and rock & roll as well," Raitt said via a statement. "This stage holds a special place in my heart as I'm able to perform live with many of the incredible Nashville songwriters in the audience whose work has enriched my life and music. I'm honored to help pay tribute to of one of America's great rock & roll venues." - Billboard, 5/27/22...... Def Leppard released its 12th studio album, Diamond Star Halos, on May 27. The new LP features "Kick," a Top 40 debutant on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in April, the rockers' first ranking on that tally since Mar. 2003. To celebrate the new release, the band recently performed on SiriusXM's "Small Stage Series" and Jimmy Kimmel Live, a warm-up for its "The Stadium Tour" with Mötley Crüe, Poison and Joan Jett, which is scheduled to kick off June 16. Diamond Star Halos can also be streamed on Spotify.com. - Billboard, 5/27/22...... The city of London has announced its intentions to honour Jimi Hendrix with another Blue Plaque. The plaque will be located at the Hard Rock Hotel in Marble Arch and will be unveiled on June 10 alongside the "Experience Hendrix L.L.C" event. The location marks Hendrix's last London residence, which was then known as the Cumberland Hotel. Hendrix also wrote the lyrics to "Look Over Yonder" and "Suddenly November Morning" on the hotel's stationary. As part of the celebrations, there will be a screening of the Grammy-nominated documentary Music, Money, Madness... Jimi Hendrix In Maui as well as a question-and-answer session with Jimi's sister Janie Hendrix, his producer and engineer Eddie Kramer, and the film's director John McDermott. Music, Money, Madness... has also been shared on YouTube. The first Blue Plaque honouring Jimi was unveiled in 1997 at his 1968-69 Mayfair residence. - NME, 5/29/22...... 
As the new Tom Cruise-starred Top Gun sequel Top Gun: Maverick is currently the most popular movie in theaters across the U.S., Kenny Loggins has reflected on his 1986 song "Danger Zone" which was used in the original Top Gun and utilized again in Maverick. As Loggins explains in his upcoming Still Alright: A Memoir, due out June 14, the iconic Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated musician wasn't even among the top choices to record the high-octane number written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for the 1986 Top Gun soundtrack. But, through a series of events, Loggins went on to rock the song, which became arguably his most synonymous hit, instantly cemented in pop culture as a quintessential '80s anthem. Although "Danger Zone" was a solid number when Moroder and Whitlock wrote it, Loggins says he had to tinker with the tune -- chord changes and lyrics -- for the final product to be a massive hit. In fact, as he notes in his memoir, Kenny did enough to merit a co-writing credit, but that would have torpedoed Moroder and Whitlock's eligibility to submit the required number of songs from Top Gun for Oscar consideration. So, Loggins' name was kept off the tune and subsequently Moroder and Whitlock's "Take My Breath Away" won for best original song. It would be more than a decade, after Moroder sold his catalog to Warner Bros., before Loggins would be properly compensated and credited as "Danger Zone" co-writer. Loggins, who has two upcoming shows in July at the Hollywood Bowl with his former partner and collaborator Jim Messina, told The Hollywood Reporter hat Cruise told him backstage during an appearance both made on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2018 that a new Top Gun "would not be Top Gun without 'Danger Zone'." "I thought maybe he was trying to be nice, but he meant it, and I was very pleased," Loggins said. He added that "when I went in there to record "Danger Zone," I was thinking of Tina Turner and that aggressive growling that she did. So, that's what my performance was influenced by, Tina's style." Loggins also commented on his former partner and collaborator Jim Messina who will be sitting in for a few numbers during his two Hollywood Bowl performances in July: "We just came to a place where we felt we could do it again, and we got this tremendous offer from the Hollywood Bowl. And we thought, 'OK, do we want to do that again?' So, we're exploring that answer. This may be the last of the Loggins-Messina shows -- or maybe not. It depends on how it goes, how strong it feels and what the vibes are in the room." - The Hollywood Reporter, 5/27/22...... Van Morrison has announced he's issuing legal proceedings against Northern Irish politician Robin Swann over an opinion piece published in 2020. The Health Minister criticized the Northern Irish singer-songwriter's stance on Covid-19 restrictions in a Rolling Stone op-ed published in Sept. 2020, according to BBC News. In the piece, Swann described the songs Morrison wrote on the issue as "dangerous" and a "smear" on those involved in the public health response to the virus. In his songs, released in 2020, Morrison protested against the Covid-19 lockdowns and claimed scientists were "making up crooked facts" about the virus to "enslave" the population. A spokesperson for Morrison has confirmed the Celtic crooner has filed for legal action against both Swann and Northern Ireland's Department of Health as co-writers of the Rolling Stone article. "We confirm that legal proceedings have been issued against Mr Robin Swann MLA and the Department of Health as co-publishers of an op-ed in Rolling Stone," the spokesperson said. In 2021, Swann took legal action against Morrison after the singer called him "very dangerous" during a June 2021 dinner. - Music-News.com, 5/31/22...... 
Rare footage from one of Led Zepplin's most iconic concerts -- held at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1970 -- has been unearthed and uploaded to YouTube courtesy of YouTuber ikhnaton. Captured on 8mm film, the brief clip was shot during Led Zep's Sept. 19, 1970 performance at the famed venue. The footage jumps in places, but isn't too fragmented, as it's synced to bootleg concert audio. In it, we see Robert Plant sing the signature opening to "Immigrant Song," before the clip moves into "Heartbreaker," with Jimmy Page's searing guitar mastery on full display. The show is dubbed "one of their best ever" by the band's own website, and comments from fans under the clip would agree. "I was at the afternoon show that day. Saw them 5 times over the years but they were the best ever on this day. None of the sloppiness that became part of their charm over time. Plant's voice was super strong almost as high as the studio!," wrote user DemoMan. - NME, 5/27/22...... Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has said that "heavy metal" started off as a "sarcastic" term before it was coined as a name for a musical genre. Speaking in a new interview with Eddie Trunk, which be streamed on Spotify.com, Butler said the term was used derogatorily at first, with Sabbath being "stuck with it" in the early 1970s. "When we were on tour in America -- I think it was the second tour in the [United] States -- I read this review, and the guy said, 'This isn't music; it sounds like a bunch of heavy metal being smashed together,'" Geezer recalled. "Somehow that got over to England, and from then on it was like the sarcastic thing they used to apply to us - 'this isn't music, it's a load of heavy metal being smashed together.' And for some reason we got stuck with it." - NME, 5/27/22...... Michael Jackson's red "Thriller" jacket is getting a brand new (temporary) home. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is now the new destination for fans to view the King of Pop's iconic jacket, as it entered the museum's Legends of Rock exhibit on May 26 as a featured artifact, ahead of the 40th anniversary of Thriller. "We are thrilled to display Michael Jackson's jacket from his groundbreaking music video for 'Thriller' -- one of the greatest videos of all time and the title track to the best-selling album of all time," said Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator Amanda Pecsenye in a statement. "It's an iconic artifact from Jackson's monumental career." The jacket -- which is owned by the Verret family in Austin -- was transported to the Rock Hall in Cleveland, Ohio, under "high level security," and will remain in the exhibit for at least a year, according to a press release. - Billboard, 5/26/22...... Bob Dylan's original parchment bearing the lyrics to his 1965 classic single "Like a Rolling Stone" -- which are surrounded by various doodles and feature clear edits to his notes -- is currently listed on the memorabilia site Moments in Time for a staggering seven-figure sum. And if that proves too pricey for fans, they've also got the opportunity to splash out on the handwritten lyrics for another of Dylan's 1965 tracks, "Mr. Tambourine Man," which the website is listing for sale for $425,000. According to TMZ.com, Dylan's team sold the lyric sheets to a collector over a decade ago and they are now going on sale to the public. Although both songs were released in the same year, they feature on two different albums, with "Like a Rolling Stone" appearing on Highway 61 Revisited and "Mr. Tambourine Man" taken from Bringing It All Back Home. Meanwhile, a new version of Dylan's 1963 track Blowin' in the Wind is expected to sell for at least $750,000 when it goes to auction in London on July 7. It will be available on a unique Ionic Original format disc, and marks the first time in 60 years the music legend has re-recorded the song. - Bang Showbiz, 5/30/21...... Paul McCartney appeared to show his support for actor/musician Johnny Depp during his Orlando gig on May 28, as the Hollywood actor awaits the verdict of his defamation trial against his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard. Although it could be entirely coincidental, the Beatles legend -- who turns 80 in June -- showed a clip of his music video for "My Valentine," which features Depp, on giant screens behind him while playing the Camping World Stadium in Florida, in what is being reported as a show of solidarity for the Pirates of the Caribbean star. Depp claims a 2018 op-ed written by Heard falsely implies that he is a domestic abuser -- which he has vehemently denied -- and that it has left him struggling to land roles in Hollywood. Depp is suing for $50 million, while Heard is countersuing for $100 million -- accusing Depp of orchestrating a "smear campaign" against her and describing his lawsuit as a continuation of "abuse and harassment." Meanwhile, after several weeks appearing in court in Fairfax, Virginia, Depp travelled across the pond to give a surprise performance alongside his musician friend, Jeff Beck, during his show at Sheffield City Hall in England on May 29. The pals performed their 2020 cover of John Lennon's 1970 hit "Isolation," as well renditions of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing," according to videos of the concert shared on social media, in which the Sweeney Todd star appeared on good form. - Bang Showbiz, 5/30/22...... 
Alan White, longtime drummer of Yes, has died at age 72 "after a short illness," the English prog rock band announced on Instagram on May 26. "The news has shocked and stunned the entire YES family. Alan had been looking forward to the forthcoming UK Tour, to celebrating his 50th Anniversary with YES and their iconic Close To The Edge album, where Alan's journey with YES began in July 1972," the band shared on Instagram alongside a photo of their drummer of 50 years. "He recently celebrated the 40th Anniversary of his marriage to his loving wife Gigi. Alan passed away, peacefully at home," the post added. The band's tribute noted that White was "considered one of the greatest drummers of all time." White -- who was born in County Durham, England, on June 14, 1949 -- joined Yes in the summer of 1972, after original drummer Bill Bruford left to join King Crimson. Prior to that, John Lennon in 1969 invited him to join the late Beatle and Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band; White contributed to Lennon's Imagine album, including the iconic title track. His work with Lennon also resulted in White's collaboration with another Beatle -- he played drums on George Harrison's 1970 release All Things Must Pass. Yes found chart success in the United States with hits such as "Owner of a Lonely Heart" off 1983's 90125; the song reached the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 in Jan. 1984. Other hit singles include "Roundabout," from 1971's Fragile, which peaked at No. 13. White and the band were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. In announcing White's death, Yes noted that the band's 50th anniversary Close to the Edge tour in the U.K. would be dedicated to its beloved drummer. White is survived by his wife Gigi, his kids Jesse and Cassie, and two grandchildren. - Billboard, 5/25/22...... Producer, music arranger and music director Bill Walker died on May 26. He was 95 years old. Mr. Walker served as the musical director on The Johnny Cash Show on ABC, which ran from 1969 to 1971. In the '70s and '80s, Mr. Walker also wrote, arranged and conducted music for network and syndicated television. Among his credits are 15 years of the CMA Awards for CBS, The Grand Ole Opry at 50, Nashville Remembers Elvis on His Birthday, Ann-Margret's Rhinestone Cowgirl and Opryland in Russia. He also composed music for movies featuring Kirk Douglas, Tony Franciosa, Robert Mitchum, George Kennedy and Gregory Peck. - Billboard, 5/27/22...... Veteran actor Bo Hopkins, known for his roles in such iconic films as The Wild Bunch and American Graffiti, died on May 27 at the age of 80. Mr. Hopkins appeared in more than 100 film and television roles in a career that spanned more than five decades. He picked up the nickname "Bo" thanks to a character of the same name he played in "Bus Stop," his first off-Broadway play. His television appearances included The Phyllis Diller Show, The Virginian, Gunsmoke, The Wild Wild West, The Rockford Files, Charlie's Angels, The A-Team and The Andy Griffith Show. His first shot at a regularly scheduled TV series came in 1973 in medical drama Doc Elliott, which lasted one season. Although he began his career playing heavy, trigger-happy cowboys or sadistic rednecks, he later evolved into more "law-abiding" roles as he got older. In 2020, Mr. Hopkins appeared in his final film, Hillbilly Elegy, directed by Ron Howard, his American Graffiti co-star. Mr. Hopkins is survived by his wife of 32 years, Sian Eleanor Green; his son, Matthew Hopkins and his daughter, Jane Hopkins. - Reuters, 5/29/22...... 
Ronnie Hawkins, the Arkansas-born rockabilly singer who called Canada home for more than 60 years, died on May 29 after a lengthy illness. He was 87. Mr. Hawkins, also known as "The Hawk" or "Rompin' Ronnie," had an ear for talent. His band The Hawks -- which he originally formed during his days at the University of Arkansas -- served as a farm team for many musicians, most notably Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson, who went on to back Bob Dylan before creating The Band. While he remained a U.S. citizen, Mr. Hawkins received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto in 2002. He was also made an Honorary Officer of the Order of Canada in 2014. Mr. Hawkins relocated to Canada after country star Conway Twitty told him rockabilly musicians could make a lot of money there, and he lived in a 6,800-square-foot home he called "Hawkstone Manor Estate" on Stoney Lake in the Kawarthas, which was put up for sale in 2017. Mr. Hawkins was diagnosed in 2003 with pancreatic cancer and given a few months to live. His choice of alternative treatment was covered in the documentary Ronnie Hawkins: Still Alive and Kickin'. "Ronnie was the godfather. The one who made this all happen," Robbie Robertson said in a Facebook post. "He had us rehearsing constantly into the wee hours. We balked about it, but we got better and better. Our goal whether we knew it or not." - Billboard, 5/29/22...... Charles Siebert, the stage-trained actor perhaps best known for portraing the snooty Dr. Stanley Riverside II on all seven seasons of the CBS drama Trapper John, M.D., has died. He was 84. On the big screen, the accomplished Mr. Siebert showed up in such films as The Other Side of Midnight (1977), Blue Sunshine (1977), Coma (1978), And Justice for All (1979), All Night Long (1981), White Water Summer (1987) and Eight Men Out (1988). Mr. Siebert played Helen Kelle's father in the 1979 NBC telefilm The Miracle Worker that starred Melissa Gilbert as Helen and Patty Duke as teacher Annie Sullivan. Mr. Siebert appeared on all 151 episodes of the M*A*S*H spinoff Trapper John, M.D., which aired from 1979-86. His character, the head of emergency services at San Francisco Memorial Hospital, often clashed with surgeon "Trapper" John McIntyre, played by Pernell Roberts. He became a TV director on the Fox Television series in 1982 and went on to helm episodes of such other shows as Knots Landing, Pacific Blue, Silk Stalkings, Pensacola: Wings of Gold, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess through 2001. His TV credits also include All in the Family, N.Y.P.D., Kojak, Police Woman, The Rockford Files, The Incredible Hulk, Maude, Mancuso, FBI and Murder, She Wrote. Survivors include his second wife, Kristine, whom he married in 1986, and children Gillian and Christopher, a musician with the band Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers. - The Hollywood Reporter, 5/31/22.
In an interview with the London paper The Sun's "Bizarre" column, Björn Ulvaeus insisted that ABBA's 2021 album Voyage will be the last new music from the Swedish quartet, also comprised of Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson. "When you do a thing like that, you don't know how people will receive it. It was with such pride that we released that album," Ulvaeus said when asked if ABBA plans on releasing new music. "I don't think there will be any more music with ABBA. I think that was definitely our last album," he added. ABBA are currently in London to visit their new digital show featuring their "Abba-tars" on May 27 at their purpose-built arena in Stratford, east London. Even though the upcoming holographic show is "performed" by their avatars on stage, all four members of ABBA are expected to attend the premiere, with such ABBA-philes as Sir Elton John and Kylie Minogue also expected to attend. The 90-minute set features pre-recorded classics mixed with the band's new numbers such as "Don't Shut Me Down." Ulvaeus, 77, also admitted it was "very emotional" seeing his younger digital likeness performing: "It's very emotional at times. The life-size avatars that you see on stage together with the live musicians, you have to pinch yourself. Even I get the feeling that they really are there. There seems to be a common reaction of, 'What the hell was that?!' Jaws were dropping to the ground. This is layer on layer of music, emotion and illusion in a beautiful texture." - Music-News.com, 5/25/22...... 
As the United States is forced to face the aftermath of its latest mass shooting -- this one at an elementary school in Uvalde, Tex., on May 24 that resulted in the death of 19 children and two adults as well as the 18-year-old male perpetrator -- singer/songwriter legend Don McLean has announced he's pulling out as one of the entertainers at a National Rifle Association annual meeting set for Houston, Tex., on May 28. "In light of the recent events in Texas, I have decided it would be disrespectful and hurtful for me to perform for the NRA at their convention in Houston this week," McLean said in a statement on May 25. "I'm sure all the folks planning to attend this event are shocked and sickened by these events as well. After all, we are all Americans. I share the sorrow for this terrible, cruel loss with the rest of the nation," the "American Pie" singer added. Despite the Ulvade shooting being the deadliest school shooting in the US since the Sandy Hook, Conn., massacre in 2012, the NRA has announced its convention and "Grand Ole Night of Freedom" concert will go forward in Houston, roughly 275 miles from Uvalde, on May 28 with performances from such country stars as Lee Greenwood, Jacob Bryant and T. Graham Brown. Larry Gatlin and former Restless Heart lead singer Larry Stewart, also scheduled for the concert, announced on May 26 that like McLean they would also be pulling out of the show. The event is part of a three-day NRA celebration of "firearms and the second amendment" with scheduled speeches from former Pres. Donald Trump, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. The Gun Violence Archive reports that, including the Uvalde tragedy, the U.S. has seen 212 mass shootings in the first 145 days of 2022. - Billboard, 5/25/22...... A new recording by Bob Dylan of his folk classic "Blowin' in the Wind" and produced by Grammy-winning producer T Bone Burnett using his patented "Ionic Original" disc format is headed to auction. The new "Blowin' in the Wind," Dylan's first recording of the song since 1962, is the first recording to use the tech from Burnett's NeoFidelity Inc., and will go under the gavel during auctioneer Christie's sale in July as part of its "Classic Week" in London, with an estimated bid range between $752,000 and $1.2 million. "Sixty years after Bob first wrote and recorded 'Blowin' In The Wind', he is giving us a new recording of his song; one that is both deeply relevant for our times and resonant with decades of the artist's life and experience. We're grateful to Christie's for their belief in the 'Ionic Original' and for presenting Bob's masterful recording to the world in a unique and meaningful way," Burnett said in a statement. He added that the tech used to create the recording "advances the art of recorded sound and marks the first breakthrough in analog sound reproduction in more than 70 years, achieving dramatic improvements in listening experience and durability." In April, Burnett revealed that he's been in the studio with Dylan using the new high-fidelity medium that the producer said represents the first breakthrough in analog sound reproduction since the 1950s. The Dylan recordings -- which have not been specifically detailed -- will be issued in a format that resembles vinyl, though Burnett has promised it will be "a whole new medium." A photo accompanying the announcement showed Burnett holding the aluminum platter on which "Ionic Originals" releases will be available. The upcoming auction will coincide with Dylan's 60th anniversary as a recording artist, and Christie's is offering exclusive in-person chances to listen to the new recording before the auction on a by-appointment basis in Los Angeles (June 8) and New York (June 15) as part of the public pre-sale exhibition in London (July 2-7). - Billboard, 5/25/22...... 
Saying he's simply "got the jones to play live very badly," Bruce Springsteen announced on Instagram on May 24 that he and The E Street Band will embark on their first tour together since their 14-month global "The River Tour" that kicked off in 2016. "After six years, I'm looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year," Springsteen said in a press statement. "And I'm looking forward to once again sharing the stage with the legendary E Street Band. See you out there, next year -- and beyond," he added. While the U.S. arena dates have yet to be announced, the European stadium trek kicks off Apr. 28, 2023, in Barcelona, Spain. The planned European stops also include Dublin, Paris, Ferrara, Rome, Amsterdam, Landgraaf, Zurich, Dsseldorf, Gothenburg, Oslo, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Vienna, Munich and Monza. Additional cities and shows in the U.K. and Belgium will be announced at a later date. Springsteen & The E Street Band last reconnected to perform on Saturday Night Live in Dec. 2020, where they launched live versions of two songs from their most recent studio album, Letter to You. The Boss dialed in to SiriusXM's "E Street Radio" station on May 24 to chat with host Jim Rotolo about their 2023 tour. "It's kind of mind boggling to be honest with you and it doesn't feel that long, but, you know, we stayed busy over that time, but still it's... I'm really... I've got the Jones to play live very badly at this point," he said. "So, I'm deeply looking forward to getting out there in front of our fans." Given the long break, Springsteen told Rotolo that he's "aching to play, but also to travel and see their fans all over the globe... and feel that life again and see their faces again." The entire interview can be streamed on YouTube. - Billboard, 5/24/22...... Aerosmith announced on May 24 that they have cancelled their "Deuces Are Wild" summer Las Vegas residency dates due to frontman Steven Tyler recently voluntarily checking himself into a drug rehabilitation facility. The residency had been slated to kick off at Park MGM's Dolby Live on June 17 and run until Dec. 11, however the band announced in an Instagram post the June and July dates will not be going ahead due to Tyler suffering a relapse following recent foot surgery. "As many of you know, our beloved brother Steven has worked on his sobriety for many years. After foot surgery to prepare for the stage and the necessity of pain management during the process, he has recently relapsed and voluntarily entered a treatment program to concentrate on his health and recovery," the band wrote. "We are truly sorry to inform our fans and friends that we must cancel our first set of Las Vegas Residency dates this June and July while he focuses on his well-being," they added. The band said they will now start the residency on Sept. 14 and will let fans know any further updates "as soon as we can." The residency already had two dates scheduled for October, five dates in November and four dates in December. Aerosmith had also been expected to perform at the UK's 2022 Glastonbury festival after previously being confirmed for the 2020 edition. However, the band are not on this year's line-up. In March, they announced that longtime drummer Joey Kramer would be taking a "temporary leave of absence" from band. - NME/Billboard, 5/24/22...... 
Iggy Pop was among the honorees of the prestigious Polar Music Prize during a Royal Ceremony held in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 24. "Godfather of punk" Pop and the Parisian classical musical collective Ensemble Intercontemporain are the 2022 Laureates, while singer/songwriter Diane Warren, who was named a Laureate in 2020 but that year's ceremony was postponed until 2021 and then canceled as the pandemic continued to surge around the globe, also was finally able to accept her honor at the 2022 ceremony. Pop, Ensemble Intercontemporain and Warren all received their awards from King Carl XVI Gustaf at the Scandinavian city's Grand Hotel. The prize was founded by ABBA manager Stig Andersson in 1992, and over the last 30 years recipients have included Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell and B.B. King, among others. - Billboard, 5/24/22...... The artist lineup for the highly anticipated soundtrack for the upcoming Baz Luhrmann-directed Elvis Presley biopic Elvis was revealed on May 23, with contributions from the likes of Stevie Nicks, Jack White, Eminem & CeeLo Green, Tame Impala, Jazmine Sullivan and Gary Clark Jr., among many others. The lineup was revealed in an Instagram post, however it doesn't yet reveal which Elvis songs the artists will each be recording. Also featured on the announcement is hot rising singer Doja Cat, whose dynamic "Vegas" was previously released as the soundtrack's first single. The song interpolates Big Mama Thornton's 1952 seminal rock & roll song "Hound Dog," which was later famously recorded by Presley. Elvis stars Austin Butler as The King, and will officially hit theaters on June 24. The film's release date was pushed back a number of times due to Covid-19, including after Tom Hanks, who plays Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker, contracted the virus in Australia, where he was filming the biopic. A trailer for Elvis has been shared on YouTube. - Billboard, 5/23/22...... In related news, the first teaser trailer for Moonage Daydream, a new documentary featuring the late David Bowie's personal archives and unseen performance footage, has been shared on YouTube. Helmed by Brett Morgen (Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, Jane), the rockdoc promises to take viewers on an "immersive" journey through via "sublime, kaleidoscopic imagery, personal archived footage, unseen performances" that are anchored by Bowie's music and words. In the teaser, Bowie speaks off-camera about the importance of life. "It's what you do in life that's important, not how much time you have," he says as a montage of performance clips spanning his 50-year career and other behind-the-scenes imagery plays out. Moonage Daydream is the first film to be supported by the David Bowie Estate, which granted director Morgen unprecedented access to its collection -- some 5 million assets -- in 2017. Moonage Daydream premiered on May 23 at the Cannes Film Festival, and will be released worldwide in September, with firm dates set to be announced. Meanwhile, it was recently announced that Bowie's iconic 1972 breakthrough LP The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars will be getting a special 50th anniversary re-release via Parlophone Records on June 17, with two special edition vinyl LP's containing all 11 of the original's tracks being made available online. - NME, 5/23/22...... 
Ringo Starr will make his debut on the blockchain in June, announcing a collection of non-fungible token (NFT) artworks dubbed "The Creative Mind Of A Beatle." The collection features five of Starr's original art pieces -- two paintings, one Bansky-esque self-portrait, and two hybrid works -- each being minted as editions of four. Each piece will come with a physical print of the corresponding artwork, signed by Ringo, as well as an audio recording of Starr performing an original composition inspired by the piece, written for and released exclusively through the collection, on the drums. "I am excited to join this digital art community," Ringo said in a video announcing the collection he posted on Twitter on May 24, "and look forward to continuing to learn and build in Web3... I've been doing art for many, many years, with paint, stencils, digitally, spin art and I'm honoured to be part of this community." As for why Starr chose to jump onboard the NFT train, he explained: "It's really important to have a platform to display your art and to be in control of how it is shared and appreciated." "The Creative Mind Of A Beatle" will be opened as an online auction, accessible via Julien's Auctions, on June 13. Each of the 20 NFTs will launch with a starting bid of $1,000 (£800), with an unspecified portion of the final proceeds being donated to Starr's own charity, The Lotus Foundation. However the collection's existence has been widely derided by Beatles fans, with almost all of the 70-plus replies to its announcement on Twitter being negative. "I love Ringo and I find his art very tasteful, but the majority of us Beatles fans are not in favour of the concept of NFTs," one fan wrote, while another pleaded with the artist: "In the name of peace and love please stop." Meanwhile, Ringo is set to kick off an ambitious tour of North America with his All-Starr Band this summer, beginning with back-to-back shows in Ontario on May 27 and 28. The tour will roll into June with a further 20 shows, before picking back up in September for another 19 dates. - NME, 5/25/22...... The Eagles have just confirmed a number of additional special guests for their BST Hyde Park show in London on June 26. Singer/songwriter Cam, Nashville artist Morgan Wade, London band The Wandering Hearts and New Jersey-raised musician Patrick Droney will all perform before the Eagles in June, with more artists set to be announced soon. The Eagles previously confirmed that they will be supported on the London date by Robert Plant + Alison Krauss and Little Big Town. On June 17, the band will kick off their 2022 European leg in Arnhem, Netherlands, followed by shows in Liverpool, UK (6/20), Edinburgh, UK (6/22), Dublin (6/24) and the London show. 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. - NME, 5/24/22...... 
A Johnny Cash mural on a water tower in his Arkansas hometown of Kingsland has been shot by a rifle in a "very sensitive area." The silhouette of Cash was shot last earlier in May, causing the water tower to leak. Kingsland Mayor Luke Neal said the vandalism caused the painting to appear as if the "Ring of Fire" hitmaker was "taking a leak" on the town. "Somebody shot our water tower, shot the silhouette of Johnny Cash," Neal explained. "It's been leaking for the last almost week." Neal told local news channel THV-11 that the tank loses 30,000 gallons of water every day that the leak continues. "You kind of run on a tighter budget in small towns like this, because it's really all you've got to work with. And things like this can set you back a little bit," he said. Neal estimated it will cost around $5,000 to repair, with crews having to drain the tower before they can begin. Police arrested a suspect, Timothy Sled, on May 12 and charged him with two felonies -- criminal mischief and impairing the operation of a vital public utility -- for allegedly shooting the tower. If convicted, he could face up to 16 years of prison. The mural, which stands at Cash's exact height of 6'2' (1.88m), was originally painted on the water tower in March 2021. A news story of the incident from a local TV station can be viewed on YouTube. Cash was born in Kingsland, Ark. in 1933 to poor cotton farmers. His family left when he was three years old and settled in nearby Dyess. He returned to his birthplace in 1994, when a local post office was named in his honor. - Music-News.com, 5/20/22...... Drummer Alan White of the prog-rock band Yes has been forced to pull out of the band's 50th anniversary "Close To The Edge" UK and Ireland tour due to illness. The 72-year-old White, who also played drum on John Lennon's classic 1971 LP Imagine, has been forced to miss the upcoming run that will mark five decades of the seminal progressive rock band and celebrate its 1972 album, Close to the Edge. While will be replaced by his friend and fellow sticksman Jay Schellen, who has been a stand-in for Alan on several occasions, for the run, which kicks off in Glasgow, Scotland on June 15, and wraps on June 29 in Cork, Ireland. The band will also make stops in Manchester (6/17), Nottingham (6/18), Liverpool (6/20), London (6/21), York (6/22), Birmingham (6/24), Newcastle (6/26) and Dublin (6/28). - Music-News.com, 5/23/22...... In a recent interview with Classic Rock magazine, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he "can't walk properly these days" as a result of an injury sustained in a quad bike accident at his estate in Buckinghamshire, England, in Dec. 2003, and is set to undergo surgery to treat an existing neck injury. Osbourne said he still faces lasting damage from his injuries, which also included a broken collarbone, eight ribs, and a neck vertebra. "I'm just waiting on some more surgery on my neck," he revealed. "I have physical therapy every morning. I am somewhat better, but nowhere near as much as I want to be to go back on the road." Ozzy was also asked if he often thinks about mortality. "At f---ing 73, I've done pretty well. I don't plan on going anywhere, but my time's going to come," the shock rocker said. - Music-News.com, 5/23/22...... As Roxy Music prepares to kick off its first jaunt in 11 years in September in Canada -- an international treck that will include three UK dates to celebrate its 50th anniversary -- the band's guitarist Phil Manzanera says the tour would be "beneath" former Roxy member Brian Eno. "What would he do for the songs he wasn't on? Just hang around? It would be a bit beneath him," Manzanera told Mojo magazine of the glam rock legends' tour which will be the first time he, Bryan Ferry, Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson have performed together on stage since 2011's "For Your Pleasure" tour. The 71-year-old Manzanera joked however that he would like to see their American fans get "glammed" up and wear feathers to honor Eno's androgynous style. "In fact, I want people to come dressed up, glammed up! I want to see people in feathers, in tribute to Eno," he quipped. Eno -- who played synths in Roxy Music and was backing vocalist briefly between 1970 and 1973 -- will not be part of the reunion, though he's allegedly been invited. - Music-News.com, 5/22/22...... 
American actor Ray Liotta, who starred in director Martin Scorsese's 1990 blockbuster crime film Goodfellas, died in his sleep on May 26 in the Dominican Republic, according to the Dominican Republic General Directorate of Cinema. He was 67. Liotta died in bed at a hotel where he was staying with his fiance Jacy Nittolo while filming Dangerous Waters, said his publicist Jennifer Allen. Liotta had a leading role in the film about a sailing holiday that goes awry when family secrets are revealed. A cause of death was not specified, cinema officials said. According to media reports, an emergency service team had entered the hotel, and his body was transferred to the forensic institute of Santo Domingo. Liotta was born Dec. 18, 1954, in Newark, N.J. His many starring roles included playing mobster Henry Hill in Goodfellas and baseball player Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams. He is also known for films including The Many Saints of Newark and Something Wild. He leaves behind a daughter, Karsen Liotta, 23. - Reuters, 5/26/22.
After writing an anti-streaming Facebook post on July 15, Neil Young announced on July 29 he is pulling the majority of his music from streaming services. "AM radio kicked streaming's ass. Analog Cassettes and 8 tracks also kicked streaming's ass, and absolutely rocked compared to streaming," wrote Young, who has long complained about streaming's subpar sound quality. "Streaming sucks. Streaming is the worst audio in history. Streaming has ended for me. I hope this is ok for my fans," he added, then went on to say "it's not because of the money." Now, only five of Young's albums from the '80s and early '90s remain on various streaming services. The singer did, however, say that he would allow his albums back on streaming services if the audio quality was improved. - Billboard, 7/29/15...... Meanwhile, Neil Young and other artists including the Doors, Journey and Bonnie Raitt have settled a copyright dispute with the BBC after withdrawing their music from the venerable broadcaster earlier in July. By withdrawing from the UK's Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS), the four artists also left the BBC's collective agreement with the organization. As a result, BBC DJs were asked not to play songs by the artists, or tracks which sampled them, in order to avoid breach of copyright. Now it appears a settlement has been reached on the use of the band's content on radio, and on July 27 the BBC released a statement confirming the return of the artists to the airwaves: "The BBC has been able to find a licensing solution by working together with the music publisher Wixen Music UK and with the MCPS... however the rights are not available for television or other audio visual use via the BBC's collective licensing arrangements with MCPS." Effectively, that means that the BBC will now be free to play those artists' songs on the radio, but can't lay the tracks over their latest inspirational documentary. - NME, 7/27/15...... In a recent interview with Britain's Q magazine, the Who guitarist Pete Townshend revealed that '90s alternative rock icon Morrisey once asked him to produce two of his solo albums, and he rejected the offer. "Morrissey asked me to produce albums for him after the Smiths, twice," Townshend said. However, he added that despite the fact that he "really loves [Morrisey's former band] The Smiths," he rejected the offer because he would have preferred to work with Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. Townshend also revealed that he kept the letters that Morrissey originally sent him requesting that he produce his albums. - New Musical Express, 7/28/15...... 
Rocker Ted Nugent has added his two cents to the current controversy over the death of "Cecil the lion" in Zimbabwe, which was recently slain by an American dentist on a big game hunt. The dentist and part time trophy hunter, Walter Palmer of Minnesota, and his guides reportedly led Cecil out of a national park, shot him with a bow and arrow, tracked him for 40 hours, killed him with a rifle and beheaded him. "The whole story is a lie," Ted Nugent posted on his website in response. "It was a wild lion from a 'park' where hunting is legal & ESSENTIAL beyond the park borders." While only 30,000 of the black-maned lions are estimated to be left in the wild, and 600 of them (2%) are said to be harvested every year through both legal hunting safaris and poaching, Nugent maintains that "all animals reproduce every year & would run out of room/food to live w/o hunting. I will write a full piece on this joke asap. God are people stupid." Walter Palmer issued a statement saying that "I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion," although he has been cited for illegal poaching of exotic animals in the past. - The Hollywood Reporter, 7/29/15...... Former Pink Floyd principal Roger Waters headlined the 2015 Newport Folk Festival in Fort Adams State Park, R.I., on July 24. Appearing for his first live performance since the end of his Wall tour in 2013, Waters was joined by a host of guest artists and played an entirely acoustic set that featured material from his time with Pink Floyd as well as new and old solo material. Surprises in the set included a new song, "Crystal Clear," as well as covers of material by Bob Dylan, Levon Helm and Buddy Guy. My Morning Jacket, a last minute addition to the festival line-up, joined Waters on stage after having played their own set earlier in the day. Waters and the band performed Pink Floyd classic "Wish You Were Here" together. This year's Newport festival is also notable for the return of the same guitar that Bob Dylan played there in 1965 after "going electric." The Fender Stratocaster, which was bought in 2013 by Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay for a staggering $965,000, was brought to the festival by the curator of Irsay's rare guitar collection. "Dylan's guitar is home," said festival producer Jay Sweet on July 24. - NME, 7/27/15...... Paul Simonon of the Clash and Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music will team up with Afrobeat legend Tony Allen for a performance at a festival in Italy during August. Simonon, Manzanera and Allen will perform alongside Italian musician Ligabue, Columbian singer Andrea Echeverri and London-based violinist Anna Phoebe at a concert at the La Notte della Taranta in Salento in south Italy on Aug. 22. Manzanera will also serve as the festival's Maestro Concertatore this year. - NME, 7/28/15...... 
Singer/songwriter Janis Ian of 
Pop songstress Dionne Warwick has reacted to the recent passing of her second cousin, Bobbi Kristina Brown, the daughter of late superstar singer Whitney Houston and R&B singer Bobby Brown. "Our family has had its share of sorrow these past few years," Warwick told People magazine on July 27, the day Bobbi Kristina died. "Bobbi is now sitting in the lap of our Heavenly Father and is now reunited with her beloved mother. She will be missed and I send many thanks for all of the prayers that were being said for her." Warwick appeared on the Bravo channel's Watch What Happens Live on July 26 just hours after news of Bobbi Kristina's death was made public. She said then, "She was a sweetheart, she will be missed -- she was a good girl. It's not easy. It's [manageable] because of our faith that Bobbi is with a much bigger and more powerful person, or thing, that she's in much better hands now." Bobbi Kristina, 22, had been in a medically induced coma since she was found unconscious in a bathtub at her Roswell, Ga., home on Jan. 31 and rushed to a nearby hospital. A preliminary autopsy released on July 27 stated that there was "no obvious underlying cause of death and no significant injuries were noted... No previously unknown medical conditions that could have contributed to death were identified." - Billboard, 7/27/15...... New research by the Musixmatch organization has shown that the Beatles rate low on the "verbose scale," in other words, Beatles music does not have a wide vocabular. Musixmatch compiled the 100 most linguistically dense songs of the top 93-selling artists ever, then compared the word count of these songs by their unique word use, the total number of words used and how often they used a new word to find the artist with the widest vocabulary. Not entirely surprisingly, hip-hop artists come out on top, with Eminem taking a considerable lead with a phenomenal word count of 8,818. The other top four artists are Jay-Z (6,899 words), Tupac Shakur (6,569 words), Kanye West (5,069) and Bob Dylan, who has a lexicon of 4,883 words, making him the top folk artist in the chart, as well as the musician who uses a new word in his songs most frequently, an average of one every nine words. Michael Jackson, Katy Perry and Neil Diamond have smaller vocabularies than the average, while Paul McCartney has a higher word count as a solo artist (1,903) than with the Beatles (1,872). The average word count, Musixmatch says, is 2,667 words. - AP, 7/27/15...... 
In other Fab Four-related news, Yoko Ono has announced she is teaming up with several artists including Death Cab for Cutie, Sparks, Mike Snow, Jack Douglas and her son Sean Lennon for a new album which will be a follow-up, of sorts, to her 2007 LP Yes, I'm a Witch. Yes, I'm a Witch Too, which boasts 16 tracks including "Mrs. Lennon" with guests Peter, Bjorn and John, is due on Jan. 22, 2016. - New Musical Express, 7/29/15...... The producers of a planned blues documentary on Chicago's music scene, including contributions from Jack White and Bob Dylan, are seeking financial support in order to secure rights to the music they are celebrating. Born In Chicago is being directed by John Anderson, who also directed the 2005 Brian Wilson documentary SMiLE, and documents the progression of the blues genre as it evolved in the city during the '50s and '60s. The team behind the film have launched a 
Ahmed Best, the actor who provided the voice for the Jar Jar Binks character in the Star Wars series movie Episode I: The Phantom Menace, has revealed in a new interview with Vice magazine that Michael Jackson once lobbied for the role of Jar Jar Binks in the film. As a connoisseur of children's films and fantasy in general, the late King of Pop was interested in joining the cast of the Star Wars prequels during the '90s, and Best recounted a post-concert meeting at Wembley arena between himself, Jackson, Phantom Menace actress Natalie Portman, and the movie's director, George Lucas. "We were taken backstage and we met Michael. There was Michael and Lisa Marie [Presley]. George introduced me as 'Jar Jar' and I was like, That's kind of weird. Michael was like, 'Oh. OK.'" Later at a party Best said he questioned Lucas why he introduced him as Jar Jar, and Lucas said: "Well, Michael wanted to do the part but he wanted to do it in prosthetics and makeup like "Thriller."' George wanted to do it in CGI. My guess is ultimately Michael Jackson would have been bigger than the movie, and I don't think he wanted that." - Billboard, 7/24/15...... In other Michael Jackson news, the rights to a song co-written by the pop star for the long-running animated series The Simpsons have been sold to an anonymous buyer for $38,500. "Do The Bartman" was originally released in 1990, featuring on the album The Simpsons Sing the Blues. It was reportedly co-written by Michael Jackson, also featuring backing vocals from the late singer. The sale allegedly includes "both BMI and Sony Publishing royalties" from the song, as well as royalties for collection of other songs by Bryan Loren, who co-wrote and produced the song with Jackson. In 1998, Simpsons creator Matt Groening said in an interview that "It has always been amazing to me that no-one ever found out that Michael Jackson wrote that song." However, Loren is claiming the sole songwriting credit for "Do the Bartman," despite Groening's statement. "While it's true, along with me, Michael Jackson does sing backing vocals.... And so, obviously, he was involved. Perhaps this tidbit of info is not as sensational as saying MJ co-wrote the song, but I assure you, he did not," he said. - New Musical Express, 7/22/15...... Musicians Flo & Eddie of the '60s pop group The Turtles have lost a bid to halt SiriusXM's $210 million settlement with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) over music recorded prior to 1972. Flo & Eddie had earlier filed a class action lawsuit questioning if SiriusXM could play pre-1972 music (when federal copyright laws were changed to cover sound recordings) without authorization or royalties, and filed again earlier in July calling for the settlement to be halted to wait on their case. The pair received a landmark summary judgment ruling in their favor in Sept. 2014, and months later, in May 2015, they had another huge win when they received certification of their proposed class of musicians who recorded songs prior to 1972. SiriusXM appealed the certification, and the court stayed the case pending the ruling. The Ninth Circuit hasn't yet ruled in the case. - The Hollywood Reporter, 7/23/15...... Neil Young is once again taking aim at the Monsanto corporation in a new Facebook post and short video, which warns citizens about a "dark act up for a vote in the House of Representatives [that] takes away the rights of people to vote for or against things like GMO (genetically-modified seed) labeling in their states." Accompanying his political warning is a 10-minute documentary from his film company, Shakey Pictures, called Seeding Fear. The mini-doc details the experience of famer Michael White, one of the few farmers who successfully stood up to Monsanto in court and is legally permitted to speak about it. - Billboard, 7/23/15...... 
A director for the forthcoming documentary about the late innovative rocker Frank Zappa, which is due in 2017, has been named. Alex Winter, who famously starred with Keanu Reeves in 1989's Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, has directing credits that include Freaked and Forever as well as documentaries like Downloaded, which profiled Napster's Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning. The production will have exclusive access to the Zappa Vault, a collection of unseen visual and audio recordings, in addition to previously released video clips, interviews and concert recordings. Winter says that "our tale will be told primarily in Frank's own words; he will be our guide through this journey." In a statement, Zappa's widow, Gail Zappa, praised Winter and said "We couldn't be happier to be working with Alex, an extraordinary filmmaker in his own right." - The Hollywood Reporter, 7/23/15...... In other rock biopic news, actor Don Cheadle's new Miles Davis movie, Miles Ahead, will make its world premiere as the closing night film at the New York Film Festival, which runs from Sept. 25 through Oct. 11. Miles Ahead has been a long-time passion project for Cheadle, who stars as the jazz musician and directs for the first time. The film concentrates on Davis' reemergence in 1980 after his so-called "silent period" in the late 1970s. The film does not yet have distribution in North America. - AP, 7/22/15...... Bette Midler wrapped her Divine Intervention Tour with two London shows on July 18 and 19 with a total of $32 million grossed. The final performances of the pop diva's latest trek -- her first touring production since 2004 -- drew 22,991 fans and grossed $3.2 million, the second-highest gross on the tour. Midler's concerts were good for a fourth place in Billboard Box Office top tours list for July 14-20, behind the Grateful Dead, Taylor Swift and Kenney Chesney. - Billboard, 7/23/15...... Led Zeppelin has shared a stream for a previously unreleased version of their track "When The Levee Breaks," alternatively titled "If It Keeps On Raining." The alternate recording appears on the reissue of 1982 album Coda, released after drummer John Bonham's death, and set to be reissued in a 
Drummer Alan White of the prog-rock band Yes says his band plans to soldier on after the recent death of bassist and sole constant Yes member Chris Squire. "It's certainly going to be hard without him, but he called me and asked me to keep everything going regardless of what happens," says White, who's been part of Yes since 1972 "So absolutely we're moving ahead. I'm gonna do it for him." And White says he's confident that after talking to the other members of Yes and from fan reaction following Squire's June 27 death from acute erythroid leukemia at the age of 67, few will have a problem with that decision to continue. "Everything has been pretty positive in that regard," White notes. "[The fans] are behind the band and want the band to keep moving forward here. It doesn't seem like anybody's kind of given up on the band, which is really encouraging and it'll help us move things forward. Things can't just stop, you know? We've got to maintain the Yes name and... meet the high standards of musicianship Chris created." Yes will embark on its Cruise To The Edge Tour in November in Miami, and also has a UK tour planned in the spring of 2016. The group released a new album, "Heaven & Earth," last year, but White thinks it will be awhile before Yes entertains recording again. "I think it's too early days yet to really venture into thinking like that," the drummer says. "We just want to get the band on an even keel first, I think, before we even think about writing new stuff." - Billboard, 7/21/15...... Could New Jersey governor and 2016 presidential hopeful Chris Christie be accused of a flip-flop? Interviewed by the conservative website LifeZette, Christie and his wife Mary Pat both immediately responded with "Bon Jovi" when asked "Bruce Springsteen or Jon Bon Jovi?" in a lightning round. Christie had previously declared his love for all things Springsteen in an interview with The Atlantic, where he claimed to have attended over 130 show in a 40-year period. In a statement, Jon Bon Jovi -- who admits his allegiance lies with democratic presidential candidateHillary Clinton -- confirmed he had given Christie approval to use his songs. "My friendships are apolitical," the rocker said, "and yes, I absolutely gave him permission to use my songs." Springsteen famously took a shot at Christie in 2014 in an appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon with a song parody of "Born To Run" entitled "Governor Chris Christie's Fort Lee, New Jersey Traffic Jam." Gov. Christie had previously asked Springsteen to perform at his 2010 inauguration party, but the longtime Democrat declined. - Billboard, 7/22/15...... AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was released on bail on July 20 after he was arrested just 10 days into his home detention sentence for drugs possession and threats to kill. A New Zealand newspaper reported that Rudd, 61, was hosting prostitutes at his home on North Island on July 18 when he was arrested again for carousing with the prositutes. He was ordered to appear in court on Aug. 3 to enter a plea to the charges, and will be required to undergo drug and alcohol testing upon police request. - New Musical Express, 7/20/15...... 
Singer/songwriter Kenny Loggins, who wrote and recorded the famous tune "House at Pooh Corner" and released an album based on the song, Return to Pooh Corner, in 1994, says he's planning a return to children's music. "It's the direction I want to take the rest of my career," Loggins says. "It's very comfortable for me; I feel very confident in that arena and I know what's needed. Right from the beginning I saw that most children's music is just unlistenable, and my goal was to make a record the parents would love as much as the children." Loggins says his new projects will include a new uptempo kids album, All Join In and a collection of lullabies that includes a new treatment of "Danny's Song," his hit with Jim Messina that also became a top 10 charting cover for Anne Murray. Loggins says he's currently shopping for labels. "My hope is to place the uptempo record and the lullaby record and maybe get a third-record deal." Loggins performs five songs on a new episode of the Disney XD animated series Penn Zero Part-Time Hero, which premiered on July 24. He'll also have a song in an episode of Disney's Phineas and Ferb that airs in September. - Billboard, 7/21/15...... Actor Alex Rocco, the veteran tough-guy actor with the gravelly voice best known for playing mobster and Las Vegas casino owner Moe Greene in the acclaimed 1972 film The Godfather, died on July 18 of as yet unnanounced causes. He was 79. Rocco, who studied acting with the late Leonard Nimoy, a fellow Boston-area transplant, also was the voice of Roger Meyers Jr., the cigar-smoking chairman of the studio behind "Itchy and Scratchy" on The Simpsons, and he played Arthur Evans, the father of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character, on the stylish Starz series Magic City. Rocco also won an Best Supporting Actor Emmy in 1990 for his role in the short-lived CBS series The Famous Teddy Z, and also had regular roles on The Facts of Life, The George Carlin Show, Three for the Road, Sibs and The Division. - Yahoo News, 7/19/15...... Actor Theodore Bikel, a prolific stage and screen performer and political activist who created the role of Captain Georg Von Trapp in the original Broadway production of "The Sound of Music," died of natural causes on July 21 at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 91. Conversant in a number of languages, Bikel's background and versatility led to a wide, multinational range of roles. Often playing authority figures, the native of Vienna starred as a Dutch doctor in The Little Kidnappers (1953); a Germany submarine officer in The Enemy Below (1957); a French general in The Pride and the Passion (1957); Russian military men in Fraulein (1958) and The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming (1965); and a Hungarian phonetics expert in My Fair Lady (1964). Other memorable feature credits include The African Queen (1951), I Want to Live! (1958), See You in the Morning (1989), Crisis in the Kremlin (1992) and Shadow Conspiracy (1996). On television, Bikel made hundreds of appearances, co-starring as Henry Kissinger in the 1989 ABC miniseries The Final Days and guesting on shows as diverse as The Twilight Zone, Gunsmoke, All in the Family, Law & Order, JAG, Columbo and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also had recurring roles on the primetime soaps Dynasty and Falcon Crest. - The Hollywood Reporter, 7/21/15.
Cindy Williams, the dynamic actress best known for playing the bubbly Shirley Feeney on the hit 1970's-80's sitcom 
The lighthearted Laverne & Shirley proved to be a ratings hit and earned six Golden Globe nominations, including two for Best Comedy Series and one for Williams in the Best actress in a Comedy category. She also appeared in several standout films, most notably, George Lucas' acclaimed 1973 film 
Veteran rock journalist Gary Graff is set to release an Alice Cooper biography, 
Michael Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson will star as the King of Pop in an upcoming biopic, Michael, the film's distributor Lionsgate announced on 
On Jan. 30 The Who announced a 2023 UK tour where they will be accompanied by an orchestra on each date. The tour is the rock legends' first tour in six years and will kick off on July 6 in Hull, after which they will play a mixture of indoor and outdoor shows across the country before wrapping in Brighton on July 23. The nine-date run of shows will see the band return to Edinburgh for the first time in over 40 years (July 7 and 8), while they will also perform in Derby, on July 14, for the first time since 1966. UB40 featuring Ali Campbell will be joining them on all shows, apart from Edinburgh and London. "Having not toured the UK for six years, it's great that at this time of our careers we have the chance to go to places that are not on the usual touring map -- Edinburgh Castle and Derby, as well as the other cities across the country that we haven't been to for decades, will make this very special for me," said Who frontman Roger Daltrey in a statement. "This opportunity will give our UK Who fans the chance to hear our current show, which, with the addition of an orchestra, takes our music to new heights." "Roger initially christened this tour with an orchestra 'Moving On!' I love it," guitarist Pete Townshend added. "It is what both of us want to do. Move on, with new music, classic Who music, all performed in new and exciting ways. Taking risks, nothing to lose. I'm really looking forward to bringing this show to the UK." The Who toured the US with an orchestra at the end of 2022. At one show in Long Island, they surprised fans by playing "Young Man's Blues," which they have only ever performed live six times in the last 40 years. - NME, 1/30/23...... Journey took a break from their running feud among band members to deliver a harmonious concert at the Choctaw Grand Theatre in Durant, Okla., on Jan. 27. Journey's two-hour show, the first of two nights, was generally harmonious and upbeat, with the sextet's three focal points -- frontman Arnel Pineda, guitarist Neil Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain -- dominating the spotlight. Pineda, who replaced long-departed frontman Steve Perry in 2008 and sounds exactly like him, was in constant motion, running, jumping, waving, pointing and leading singalongs. Schon soloed constantly, opening the first song "Only the Young" with a burst of noise on his PRS NS-15 guitar and improvising with hard rock power chords in unexpected ways at the ends of rock radio fixtures "Wheel In the Sky" and "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'," and Cain anchored "Feeling That Way" and "Who's Crying Now" on his red piano. "It's good to be back. All together again," Cain told the audience of about 3,000. It was a unifying sentiment after months of Journey acrimony, which saw Cain and Schon battling in court over Schon's expenditures on Journey's American Express card and Cain's participation in an event at former Pres. Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago resort. - Billboard, 1/28/23...... Queen's Brian May has doubled down on the reason why his famous glam-rock band "could never" play the UK's Glastonbury festival. May previously ruled out playing the festival held at Worthy Farm after clashing with Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis over the badger cull. Eavis previously called May a "danger to farming" and criticized the guitarist's opposition to the controversial cull, arguing that the process aims to fight against the impact that bovine tuberculosis can have on infected cattle. As a result, May insisted that Eavis' comments would prevent the band from playing at Glastonbury, even if it became a remote possibility. "We won't [play Glastonbury] and there are a lot of reasons for that. One of them is that Michael Eavis has frequently insulted me, and I don't particularly enjoy that. What bothers me more is that he's in favour of the badger cull, which I regard as a tragedy and an unnecessary crime against wildlife," he previously said. May has now reiterated his stance on performing at the festival, telling The Sun newspaper in a new interview: "Would I ever do it? No. As the man who runs it advocates killing badgers for no good reason and I could never level with that. Have they tried to book us? I think the feeling is mutual so I think they understand how I feel." Despite May's comments, Eavis claimed in the past that the band were "not quite our thing" and said that Queen's manager had sent him a "hand-written postcard" in an unsuccessful attempt to secure a headline slot for the band. The 2023 Glastonbury festival is due to take place on June 21-25, but so far only Elton John has been revealed as a headliner. - NME, 1/26/23...... 
Legendary Motown songwriter Barrett Strong, who more than 73 years ago declared "Money (That's What I Want)" -- for the first hit single from the Motown empire, died on Jan. 29 in Detroit of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 81. Mr. Strong's canon of enduring songs include "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" for Marvin Gaye and also Gladys Knight & the Pips, 
Tom Verlaine, frontman for the influential '70s New Wave band Television, died on Jan. 28 following a brief illness. He was 73. Born Thomas Miller on Dec. 13, 1949, Verlaine was raised in Wilmington, Del., before moving to New York City in 1968 and taking on his stage name. He formed Television, who became an influential fixture of NYC's punk rock scene at CBGB in the '70s, establishing an early residency at the legendary Lower East Side club, with bandmates Richard Hell, Billy Ficca and Richard Lloyd. With Television he brought his signature guitar work and songwriting to two albums, 1977's landmark