Ringo Starr confirmed on Nov. 27 he'll be selling statues of his iconic "peace" hand gesture, to raise money for the Lotus Foundation. Starr will sell 250 stainless steel versions of the "peace & love" statue for £4,200, while 250 bronze pieces will also be available, costing £1,600. According to Julien's Auctions (who are selling the statues) "each life-sized artwork features Ringo Starr's hand forming his iconic peace symbol, mounted upon a square black base that reads 'Peace & Love.' Each hand artwork is housed in a Ringo Peace & Love box and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity hand signed by Ringo Starr. The listing goes on to describe "Starr's iconic peace symbol" as his "signature greeting and enduring message to the world for the last five decades." The money raised will go towards lotus-foundation.org, which supports charitable projects aimed at helping people deal with substance abuse, domestic abuse, homelessness, cancer as well as animals in need. In November, Ringo was forced to cancel the last five dates of his current North American tour, after contracting Covid-19 for a second time in two weeks. - NME, 11/27/22...... 
Britain's Royal Mint is celebrating The Rolling Stones' 60th anniversary with a new collectible coin. The new £5 ($6.04) coin features a silhouette image of the iconic band performing -- frontman Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, and the late drummer Charlie Watts -- as well as the band's name in what is described as "their classic 1973 font." The Royal Mint notes in its Instagram announcement that the coin is one of the last of 2022 to be released bearing the image of the late Queen Elizabeth II. In a statement included in the Royal Mint's announcement, the Stones said they "are delighted to be honored by way of an official UK coin... Even more significant that the release coincides with our 60th anniversary." The new coin is the fifth in the Royal Mint's "Music Legends'" series, which celebrates legendary British artists including Queen, Elton John, David Bowie and The Who. Similar coins on the mint's website from the Music Legends series range from £15 ($18.12) to £465 pounds ($561.92). Meanwhile, the band announced on Nov. 30 that it's prepping a definitive collection of live music. The 24-track GRRR Live! is due Feb. 10 via Mercury Studios and features live performances of some of their biggest hits, including "Honky Tonk Women," "Start Me Up," "Get Off of My Cloud," "Paint it Black" and "Miss You," and feature duets with the likes of Lady Gaga, John Mayer and Gary Clark Jr., The Black Keys, Bruce Springsteen and former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor. GRRR Live! will be available in a variety of formats -- 3LP black, 3LP colored white, 3LP red, 2CD, DVD + 2CD, BluRay + 2CD -- with the BluRay and digital versions including Dolby Atmos. In still more Stones-related news, rising singer Dua Lipa is hinting at a possible collaboration with Mick Jagger. On Nov. 26, Lipa shared shared a photo on Instagram of her posing in the studio next to Jagger. "Sweeeet weeeek," the pop star captioned a carousel of pictures of her smiling with Mick, including one with a pair of Polaroids of the two sitting atop a music studio's soundboard controls. Lipa previously worked with Elton John for their "Cold Heart" collaboration, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, and spent 36 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. - Billboard, 12/2/22...... Musicians and other luminaries including a past US president are reacting to the passing of Fleetwood Mac member Christine McVie on Nov. 30 at age 79. McVie's former bandmate and longtime creative collaborator Lindsey Buckingham shared a touching, handwritten note on Instagram calling her death "profoundly heartbreaking." "Not only were she and I part of the magical family of Fleetwood Mac, to me Christine was a musical comrade, a friend, a soul mate and a sister," Buckingham wrote. "For over four decades, we helped each other create a beautiful body of work and a lasting legacy that continues to resonate today. I feel very lucky to have known her. Though she will be deeply missed, her spirit will live on through that body of work and that legacy." Fleetwood Mac founding drummer Mick Fleetwood tweeted that "Part of my heart has flown away today.. I will miss everything about you Christine McVie. Former US Pres. Bill Clinton, posted to Twitter that he was "saddened by the passing of Christine McVie. "'Don't Stop' was my '92 campaign theme song -- it perfectly captured the mood of a nation eager for better days," Pres. Clinton wrote. He included a short video with his message, in which the one of Mac's most beloved singles -- co-written by McVie, who also sang it alongside guitarist Lindsey Buckingham -- unspools amid footage of the Clinton family on the campaign trail. The video notes that the tradition of presidential campaign songs dates back to 1800, when Pres. John Adams supporters sang "Liberty and Adams." McVie was also mourned on Twitter by fellow musicians Sheryl Crow, Duran Duran, Susanna Hoffs and Diane Warren, among others. - Billboard, 11/30/22...... 
In a new interview with The New Yorker magazine, Neil Young says that he will only go on tour again in the future if it can be done in a completely sustainable environmental manner. Young said that he's "not sure I want to" mount a full tour again but if he were to change his mind it would have to be a with a completely environmentally sustainable plan. "I have a plan. I've been working on it with a couple of my friends for about seven or eight months. We're trying to figure out how to do a self-sustaining, renewable tour. Everything that moves our vehicles around, the stage, the lights, the sound, everything that powers it is clean. Nothing dirty with us. We set it up; we do this everywhere we go." Young added that "this is something that's very important to me, if I'm ever going to go out again... and I'm not sure I want to, I'm still feeling that out. But if I'm ever going to do it, I want to make sure that everything is clean." And once his own tour is sustainable, he says it "can keep on going with another headliner." "It's about sustainability and renewability in the future, loving Earth for what it is. We want to do the right thing. That's kind of the idea." Young has not performed in public since 2019. His latest comments echo ones made in December of last year, when he said he wouldn't be returning to touring until Covid-19 was "beat" and the pandemic was over. "I don't care if I'm the only one who doesn't do it," he said during an interview with Howard Stern. 2022 saw the world's first high-profile eco-friendly stadium tour in the form of Coldplay's world tour for its new album Music For The Spheres. The measures included cutting direct emissions by 50% compared to the band's last tour in 2016 and 2017, using 100% renewable energy and having solar installations at every venue. - New Musical Express, 11/30/22...... The B-52s announced on Nov. 30 that they'll cap off their "Farewell Tour" which kicked off last summer on May 5, 2023 with a residency at Las Vegas' Venetian Resort's Venetian Theatre. After that, the following dates are: May 6, May 10, May 12, May 13, Aug. 25, Aug. 26, Aug. 30, Sept. 2 and Sept. 3. In 2019 they played a summer farewell tour in the UK after celebrating their 40th anniversary the year prior by co-headlining a North American tour with Boy George & Culture Club and Thompson Twins' Tom Bailey. The US new wave band released their last studio album, Funplex, in 2008. - NME, 11/30/22...... Elton John has been confirmed as the first headliner for the UK's legendary Glastonbury Festival in 2023. The Rocket Man will play a headlining slot on the Pyramid Stage on June 25, 2023, it was announced by the festival on Twitter on Dec. 2. "We are incredibly excited to announce that the one and only @EltonOfficial will headline the Pyramid Stage on Sunday night at Glastonbury 2023, for what will be the final UK show of his last ever tour," organisers tweeted. "This will be the final UK show of Elton's last ever tour, so we will be closing the Festival and marking this huge moment in both of our histories with the mother of all send-offs. We are so very happy to finally bring the Rocket Man to Worthy Farm!," Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis said in a separate statement. Posting on Instagram, John said that he "couldn't be more excited" to be headlining "the greatest festival in the world" next summer. "Every week I speak to new artists on my radio show and Glastonbury is often cited as a pivotal moment in launching their careers -- the festival's genuine, enthusiastic support for the best emerging talent is something I've long admired. Thank you for having me Emily Eavis for my final UK show -- it's going to be emotional." The Glasonbury announcement comes after John teased that he had "one final date" to announce for his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour, which he's vowed will be his last ever live concerts. The pop icon is due to embark on a run of UK and Ireland gigs next spring. No other acts have yet been confirmed for Glastonbury '23. Meanwhile, Elton commemorated World AIDS Day on Dec. 1 by looking at the road ahead in HIV/AIDS research in a new interview with E! News. "We need to keep up the energy, momentum and conversation around HIV so it doesn't feel like something in the past," he said. "At the Elton John AIDS Foundation, we're committed to advocating with local partners and governments and big campaigns to draw attention and end AIDS by 2030." John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 as a means of funding medical research into eradicating HIV and AIDS. In the 30 years since, the organization has grown to become one of the largest independent AIDS charity organizations in the world. In honor of World AIDS Day, luxury fashion brand Saks Fifth Avenue announced their new partnership with John's foundation. Along with producing live events and a merchandise collection for the new venture, Saks also donated $1 million to the Rocket Fund, one of the foundation's campaigns to spread resources and awareness around the globe. - NME/Billboard, 11/30/22...... 
An immersive experience celebrating '70s reggae legend Bob Marley is heading for its U.S. premiere in early 2023, complete with photographs, lots of music and even a pair of the reggae giant's footwear. The multi-room exhibit "Bob Marley: One Love Experience" will open in Los Angeles on Jan. 27 at Ovation Hollywood, following runs in London and Toronto. The 15,000-square foot experience includes previously unseen photographs, concert videos, lyric sheets, rare memorabilia like guitars, a soccer jersey, sneakers and art that highlight Marley's influence. There are also a Marley-branded jukebox and a few foosball tables. One area celebrates the Marley family's legacy and philanthropy. Inside, a 2,000-square foot "One Love Forest "promises to take visitors on a trip to Jamaica in a multi-sensory environment, which also features a cannabis garden. Fans are greeted with headphones at the Soul Shakedown studio to groove out to the curated playlist in the silent disco. Tickets are available exclusively via Fever on Dec. 7. Born in rural Jamaica in 1945, Marley rose from the gritty Kingston slum of Trench Town to global stardom in the 1970s with hits like "No Woman, No Cry," "3 Get Up, Stand Up," and "I Shot the Sheriff." His lyrics promoting social justice and African unity made him an icon in Jamaica and other countries. He died from cancer in 1981 at age 36. - Billboard, 12/1/22...... Dolly Parton has achieved her 48th top 10 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart (dated Dec. 3) with the debut of her new hits collection, Diamonds & Rhinestones: The Greatest Hits Collection. The album, released Nov. 18, earned 19,000 equivalent album units, with 15,000 in album sales, according to Luminate. The 23-track album includes songs released between 1971 and 2019, including 10 No. 1's on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1974-89, from "Jolene" to "Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like That." Among those leaders are her two No. 1's on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100: "9 to 5" (1981) and "Islands in the Stream," with Kenny Rogers (1983). Parton extends her record for the most Top Country Albums top 10s among women, pushing six ahead of Loretta Lynn's 42. She also remains the only woman with top 10's in every decade since the list began in Jan. 1964. Her top 10 totals by decade: 1960s -- four; '70s -- 18; '80s -- 11; '90s -- five; 2000s -- three; '10s -- four; and '20s -- three. Parton has netted eight Top Country Albums No. 1s, most recently A Holly Dolly Christmas, which bowed on top in Oct. 2020. In between that set and her latest, Run, Rose, Run debuted at its No. 4 best this March. Meanwhile, Dolly revealed during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Nov. 30 that she will title her new rock-themed album Rock Star and it will drop next autumn. After the country superstar was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November, she announced that she was working on her first-ever rock record. She promised covers of Prince's "Purple Rain," The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," and Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird," and also noted that she is currently approaching artists regarding guest appearances. - Billboard, 11/29/22...... German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk have announced two shows in Ireland in the summer of 2023. The group will play Limerick's King John's Castle on June 28, followed by a show at Dublin's Trinity College on June 29 as part of the Trinity Summer Series. The newly-announced Ireland shows are just two of four dates Kraftwerk have scheduled for 2023, in addition to Italy shows in Firenze on July 7 and Genova July 8. The current tour dates fall shortly after Glastonbury Festival 2023, which runs from June 21-25, raising the possibility Kraftwerk featuring on the '23 line-up. Kraftwerk has performed at a number of festivals in 2022, including MEO Kalorama and Field Day 2022. - NME, 11/28/22...... 
Nov. 30, 2022 marked the exact 40th anniversary of Michael Jackson's 1982 landmark album Thriller. The LP helped usher in the music business' comeback from massive layoffs and a worldwide recession, along with the explosive growth of MTV and the adoption of the CD. Jackson's follow-up to 1979's Off the Wall took off instantly, beginning with the opening single, "The Girl Is Mine," a duet with Paul McCartney designed to cross the album over to a white radio audience. All seven of Thriller's singles would land in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, and the album would spend 37 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Thriller coaxed fans back into record stores to buy multiple copies, thus providing labels with resources to market Madonna, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper and, later, hair-metal bands. At the end of 1981, CBS Records, which owned Epic at the time, took in $1 billion in revenue, its worst earnings since 1971; by the end of 1983, its net income increased 26% to $187 million. Famously, Thriller's sales run kept going and going -- it spiked after every new single and video, and surged after Jackson did the moonwalk during NBC's Motown 25 anniversary special in May 1983. Today, Jackson's label, Sony, claims Thriller as the best-selling global album of all time; in the U.S., according to the Recording Industry Association of America, it is 34 times platinum, behind the Eagles' Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, at 38 times platinum. Even as Jackson's legacy is tainted with allegations of child sexual abuse in HBO's 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, the album has generated 3.87 million U.S. album-equivalent units in the past 10 years, including 1.2 million in physical album sales, according to Luminate. - Billboard, 11/30/22...... Bob Dylan has apologized to his fans following the controversy over "hand-signed" copies of his latest book, The Philosophy Of Modern Song, which were inscribed using an "autopen" for a nearly $600 special edition. Dylan explained on his Facebook page on Nov. 25 that his "error in judgement" was partly due to a "bad case of vertigo" that made signing his new Simon & Schuster-published book difficult during the Covid-19 pandemic. "I've been made aware that there's some controversy about signatures on some of my recent artwork prints and on a limited-edition of Philosophy of Modern Song," Dylan wrote. "I've hand-signed each and every art print over the years, and there's never been a problem. However, in 2019 I had a bad case of vertigo and it continued into the pandemic years. It takes a crew of five working in close quarters with me to help enable these signing sessions, and we could not find a safe and workable way to complete what I needed to do while the virus was raging. So, during the pandemic, it was impossible to sign anything and the vertigo didn't help. With contractual deadlines looming, the idea of using an auto-pen was suggested to me, along with the assurance that this kind of thing is done 'all the time' in the art and literary worlds. Using a machine was an error in judgment and I want to rectify it immediately. I'm working with Simon & Schuster and my gallery partners to do just that." Following the early November release of the book, fans who spent $599 on a limited-edition run of 900 copies -- which came with a letter of authenticity from Simon & Schuster -- began sharing images of their autographs through social media, only to find that they were exactly alike with no variation. Buyers quickly came to the conclusion that the special edition had been inscribed using an autopen, which prompted the publisher to issue an apology and offer refunds. On Nov. 20, Simon & Schuster announced it would provide each purchaser with an immediate refund. - Billboard, 11/27/22...... Motörhead have shared a previously-unreleased track called "Bullet In Your Brain" on YouTube. The stomping song was recorded during the sessions for the iconic rock band's 22nd and final studio album, Black Magic, which came out back in 2015. On Nov. 30, an expanded reissue of the album will be released on Feb. 24. Titled Seriously Bad Magic, the collection boasts two previously unreleased cuts: "Greedy Bastards" and "Bullet In Your Brain." The latter track is now available to stream as a preview. It arrived with an official music video featuring exclusive, never-before-seen footage of Motörhead recording Black Magic in the studio. - NME, 12/1/22...... 
Gene Cipriano, the always busy woodwind player who soloed on tenor sax for Tony Curtis in Some Like It Hot and recorded with everyone from Miles Davis, Rosemary Clooney and Frank Sinatra to Glen Campbell, Paul McCartney and Olivia Newton-John, died Nov. 12 of natural causes at his home in Studio City, Calif. He was 94. Perhaps the most recorded woodwind player in show business history, Mr. Cipriano played soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass saxophones, all the clarinets and flutes, the oboe and bass oboe, the piccolo and the English horn. Affectionally known as "Cip," the session musician performed as a member of the Academy Awards Orchestra in the neighborhood of 60 times since 1958. (At the 1977 show, he exchanged "yo's" with Barbra Streisand, who had just arrived at the podium after having won for "Evergreen.") Mr. Cipriano on oboe is heard at the start of Sinatra's melancholy "It Was a Very Good Year," and he performed on several of Campbell's early hits, including "Wichita Lineman" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." Like Campbell, he was an occasional member of The Wrecking Crew, the fabled set of studio musicians who recorded with the likes of The Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, The Monkees, Nancy Sinatra and Sonny & Cher. After he relocated to California, composer Henry Mancini gave him his big break on "Peter Gunn." "That got me started because it became such a hot item and then all the other leaders said, 'Well, get me those guys who played with Henry Mancini,'" he noted in another 2019 interview. Mr. Cipriano also performed on Elvis Presley's NBC comeback special in 1968. Over the years, he recorded with Shorty Rogers, Harry Nilsson, Neil Diamond, Thelonious Monk, Elton John, Frank Zappa, Gerry Mulligan, Helen Reddy, Barry Manilow and Seth MacFarlane. He also played on many Emmy and Grammy telecasts. In 2006, he recorded his own CD, First Time Out, a collection of jazz tunes. In addition to his son Paul, survivors include his other children, Genie, Suzanne and Fred; grandchildren Grant and Alicia; great-grandchildren Natalie and Emily; and sister Marie. His wife of 43 years, Frances, died in 1996. - The Hollywood Reporter, 11/27/22.
Christine McVie, the beloved Fleetwood Mac singer, songwriter and keyboardist who contributed some of the band's biggest hits including "You Make Loving Fun," "Don't Stop" and "Everywhere," died on the morning of Nov. 30. She was 79. According to a statement from her family posted to Facebook, McVie "passed away peacefully at hospital this morning" with family around her after a "short illness." "She was in the company of her family," the statement continued. "We kindly ask that you respect the family's privacy at this extremely painful time, and we would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally." The British-born McVie was a steady presence and personality in a band known for its frequent lineup changes and volatile personalities -- notably fellow singer-songwriters Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. Christine's death is the first among the most famous incarnation of the veteran band, which also included her ex-husband John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood. In recent years, the band had toured without Buckingham, who was kicked out in 2018 and replaced on stage by Mike Campbell and Neil Finn. Fleetwood Mac started out as a London blues band in the 1960s, and evolved into one of the defining makers of 1970s California pop-rock, with the talents of McVie, Nicks and Buckingham anchored by the rhythm section of Fleetwood and John McVie. During its peak commercial years, from 1975-80, the band sold tens of millions of records and fascinated fans as it transformed personal battles into melodic, compelling songs. The McVies' breakup -- along with the split of Nicks and Buckingham -- was famously documented on the 1977 release Rumours, among the bestselling albums of all time. McVie, born Christine Anne Perfect in Bouth, Lancashire, on July 12, 1943, came from a musical family. Her father was a violinist and music teacher and her grandfather played organ at Westminster Abbey. She had been playing piano since childhood, but set aside her classical training once she heard early rock records by Fats Domino and others. While studying at the Moseley School of Art, she befriended various members of Britain's emerging blues scene and, in her 20s, joined the band Chicken Shack as a singer and piano player. Among the rival bands she admired was Fleetwood Mac, which then featured the talents of blues guitarist Peter Green along with the rhythm section of Fleetwood and John McVie. 
By 1970, she had joined the group and married John McVie. Few bands succeeded so well as Fleetwood Mac, which has sold well over 100 million records, against such long odds. Green was among the many musicians who left the group, and at various times Fleetwood Mac seemed on the verge of ending, or fading away. It was rescued by unexpected returns and interventions and one of rock's most fortuitous and lucrative hunches. While spending time in Los Angeles, drummer Fleetwood learned of a young duo from California, Buckingham and Nicks, that had recorded the little known album Buckingham Nicks. Impressed by their sound, he initially planned to ask just Buckingham to join, but the guitarist insisted the band also include Nicks, his girlfriend at the time. The new lineup proved almost instantly magical. Nicks and Christine McVie formed a lasting friendship, agreeing that as two of the rare women in rock they would always stand up for each other. And the harmonies and music making of Nicks, Buckingham and Christine McVie insured that such albums as Fleetwood Mac, Rumours and Tusk had an enviable quality and variety of songwriting and vocal styles. But the group's overwhelming success also led to inevitable conflicts and the desire for solo work. Over the following decades, Nicks became a star in her own right. McVie released solo albums, including Christine McVie and Christine Perfect, as well as a 2017 collaboration with Buckingham, Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie. Fleetwood and John McVie were there at the founding of Fleetwood Mac and were the only ones to remain all the way through. McVie departed in the 1990s, when she was seemingly done forever with the rock star life. By 2014, she had changed her mind. "I just wanted to embrace being in the English countryside and not have to troop around on the road. I moved to Kent, and I loved being able to walk around the streets, nobody knowing who I was," she said of her hiatus during a 2022 interview with the UK's The Guardian. "Then of course I started to miss it. I called Mick and asked: 'How would you feel about me coming back to the band?"' she said. "He got in touch with everybody and we had a band meeting over the phone and they all went: 'Come baaaack!!' I felt regenerated and I felt like writing again." Following the sad news, McVie's bandmates shared a joint statement to the official Fleetwood Mac Twitter page. "There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie," the message read. "She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure. She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life. We were so lucky to have a life with her." 
The statement concluded, "Individually and together, we cherished Christine deeply and are thankful for the amazing memories we have. She will be so very missed." Nicks also mourned her "best friend in the whole world" with Haim lyrics on Twitter. "A few hours ago I was told that my best friend in the whole world since the first day of 1975, had passed away," she shared in a handwritten letter, alongside a tender photo of the duo. "I didn't even know she was ill... until late Saturday night. I wanted to be in London; I wanted to get to London - but we were told to wait. So, since Saturday, one song has been swirling around me in my head, over and over and over. I thought I might possibly get to sing it to her, and so, I'm singing it to her now. I always know I would need these words one day." Nicks then wrote out the lyrics to a verse and the chorus from Haim's "Women in Music" Pt. III track, "Hallelujah," in which Alana Haim details the feeling of finding out that her own best friend had died. "I had a best friend but she has come to pass / One I wish I could see now / You always remind me that memories will last / These arms reach out / You were there to protect me like a shield / Long hair, running with me through the field / Everywhere, you've been with me all along / Why me? How'd I get this hallelujah?" Nicks signed off her poignant note by writing, "See you on the other side, my love. Don't forget me." - Billboard/AP, 11/30/22.
A "lost" album by the Alan Parsons Project that was recorded 33 years ago will finally see the light of day on April 1. In 1981, Alan Parsons and his late partner Eric Woolfson were locked in tense contract negotiations with their labed Arista Records that weren't going anywhere, so they decided to quickly record an album called The Sicilian Defence to fulfill contractual obligations, which was subsequently shelved when the two parties came to terms. Named after the title of a tactical move in the game of chess, The Sicilian Defence will get its first-ever release on Apr. 1 as part of 
On March 27, the "classic '70s" lineup of Fleetwood Mac announced on NBC's Today Show that this year they'll be heading out on their first tour with keyboardist/vocalist Christine McVie in 16 years. The 34-date/33-city "On With the Show" tour will start in Minneapolis on Sept. 30 and finish in Tampa on Dec. 20, visiting most major markets in the US and Canada in between. Fleetwood Mac have also said that they will be recording a brand new album with McVie, who revealed that she would be rejoining the band at the beginning of 2014. Drummer Mick Fleetwood told a Hawaiian paper that Christine McVie had been writing new songs for the group, and they would be recording together very soon. McVie, who is responsible for some of the band's biggest hits including "Say You Love Me," "Don't Stop" and "You Make Loving Fun," first joined Fleetwood Mac in 1970 after marrying the group's bassist, John McVie. She continued on with the group for the next 28 years as main songwriter, vocalist and keyboard player in the band, which also includes Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Fleetwood Mac last mounted a full-scale tour in 2012, and this will be Christine McVie's first time on the road with the band since 1998's "The Dance" tour. McVie recently revealed that she decided to quit the band because of a "fear of flying." "It was a real phobia," she told Rolling Stone. "I also bought a house in England and decided, to a degree, I was really tired of the road. I wasn't just burned out, but I was tired of traveling and living out of a suitcase. I'm quite a domestic person by nature and the nomad thing had got a bit stale on me, really." - Billboard, 3/27/14.
A British TV show is claiming that it has discoverd the true cause of Elvis Presley's death in 1977, and it isn't overeating or overdosing on drugs. Channel 4's Dead Famous DNA suggests that the singer suffered from heart muscle disease after performing tests on a lock of the music legend's hair, which was acquired through a friend of Elvis' barber and the results were analyzed by Dr. Stephen Kingsmore in Kansas. Kingsmore contends that it could be the genetic disease and not Presley's unhealthy lifestyle in his later life that could be to blame for his early death. However, he states that they cannot be totally sure that the hair they were testing is from Elvis. "I'm massively confident that it's Elvis' DNA, but I can't prove it. I can't tell you 100 per cent that is Elvis' DNA. That's not possible." Meanwhile, an actor portraying Presley is featured in an 
A collection of unfinished Bob Dylan songs from the 1960s are being reimagined by artists including Elvis Costello and members of the bands Mumford & Sons, My Morning Jacket, Dawes and Carolina Chocolate Drops. The all-star cast of musicians has convened to take two dozen Dylan tunes, purportedly written around 1967 during the singer's "Basement Tapes" period, and put them to music, with a planned album and Showtime TV special in the works. According to producer T-Bone Burnett who is helming the project, he and Costello set out to capture the magic of Dylan's original "Basement Tapes" session, which saw the folk singer and The Band record in a house in upstate New York, especially in terms of its creative process. All musicians involved were in on the process, often contributing multiple interpretations to the same lyric. While Dylan isn't involved in creating the music aside from his original songwriting contributions, he has given the project his blessing. The two dozen unfinished Dylan songs are being recorded in Los Angeles' Capitol Studios. - Billboard, 3/25/14.
Forty years after the release of their debut album, Kiss have finally made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine on its Apr. 10 issue. Marking the band's upcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the cover image is a classic 1975 photo of the band's original lineup: Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, plus Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, who were both gone from the band by the early Eighties. The cover story, by Rolling Stone senior writer Brian Hiatt, tells the sad, hilarious and triumphant story of one of the biggest rock bands ever, taking an in-depth look at the founding members' lives and careers. Stanley and Simmons also explain precisely why they won't be reuniting for a performance at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Stanley and Simmons offered to allow the former members to jam with Kiss' current lineup, featuring guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, but Ace and Peter found that proposition deeply insulting. "I won't be disrespected," Criss says. "How can you put me in the Hall of Fame and then tell me to go sit over there in the corner while another guy puts on my makeup and plays? That's an injustice. To the fans, too." Meanwhile, Frehley has announced he will release his first solo album in half a decade this summer. Space Invader, due on June 24, will feature "at least" nine new songs and a cover of the Steve Miller Band's "The Joker. It will be Frehley's first release under a record deal with eOne Music. - Rolling Stone, 3/27/14.
Southern Rock icon Charlie Daniels is releasing a tribute album to Bob Dylan, with whom he contributed session work for Dylan's 1969 album Nashville Skyline, as well as the rock bard's Self Portrait and New Morning LP's. Daniels says he's "always been a big fan" of Dylan's, and his new album, 
Also covered on Off the Grid is "You Gotta Serve Somebody," a song that Daniels says has always spoke to him. "I'm a Christian, and I think Dylan hit a nerve with that one. When it comes down to it, you are going to serve somebody. There's only two entities that you can serve. It might be the Devil or it might be the Lord. It puts it pretty plain." Off the Grid: Doin' it Dylan is due April 1. Meanwhile in other Southern Rock news, the Allman Brothers Band announced on Mar. 24 that they will postpone their remaining four dates at the Beacon Theatre on Mar. 25, 26 and 28 as Gregg Allman recovers from bronchitis. Allman was forced to sit out shows on the previous Friday and Saturday, and his manager says he is under a doctor's care. Allman, 66, has had health issues in the past, including a 2010 liver transplant. The band, which started its annual run at the Beacon on Mar. 7, is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. - Billboard/AP, 3/24/14.
A collection of drawings and manuscripts by John Lennon will be auctioned by Sotheby's on June 4 in New York City. The items are being put up for sale by Tom Maschler, who worked with Lennon on his In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works books. Lennon wrote the books and created the drawings for them in the 1960s. Among the items in the auction is a manuscript from 1965 called "The Singularge Experience of Miss Anne Duffield," which is expected to sell for $40,000 to $60,000. On March 21, a letter from Lennon to Phil Spector blaming The Who drummer Keith Moon and singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson for urinating on a console at an LA recording studio went up for auction in London, with an estimated value of £6,000. The three musicians shared a studio in Los Angeles during Lennon's infamous "Lost Weekend" in the early 1970s, and Lennon was moved to complain to Spector, who was producing his latest album Rock 'N' Roll, about their behavior after Capitol Records threatened to evict them. Titled "A Matter Of Pee," the letter is written in red felt tip pen on lined paper, and was given by Lennon to session guitarist Jesse Ed Davis, who played on 1974's Walls And Bridges and 1975's Rock 'N' Roll. 
In related news, Paul McCartney has reportedly blocked an auction of his old clothes and a piece of paper with some lyrics written on it. A spokesperson for Omega Auctions of Liverpool says Macca's lawyers prevented a cape, suit and a scrap of paper with three lines of a song from being sold by them. The items are believed to have been given to McCartney's former housekeeper and nanny Rose Martin about 30 years ago by his late wife Linda McCartney. The family of Mrs. Martin, who died aged 92 in 2013, had hoped to raise £30,000 from the sale of the items. However, auctioneer Paul Fairweather said: "Unfortunately, the lawyers have claimed that Sir Paul would never have given any clothing away." Other items up for sale during the Mar. 20 auction included the 1907 Bechstein Concert Grand piano used to compose the title track to the 1965 film Help!, which was also used by McCartney to compose "Yesterday." The instrument sold for £57,500. Jackets worn by George Harrison and Ringo Starr in Help! went for £54,000 and £61,100. - AP/New Musical Express, 3/23/14.
Cher kicked off her 49-date North American "Dressed To Kill" tour at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on Mar. 22 with a selection of her classic hits and trademark outrageous costumes. Three songs into the show, the 67-year-old pop icon broke into a monologue where she confessed that some of her costumes didn't fit right, that she couldn't remember the words to two of her songs, and that she broke the nail on her middle finger. But the sold-out, multi-generational crowd still adored her every word and move, and her distinctive voice was in good form, aided by a collective of female backup singers. Cher arrived on stage atop a pedestal in a glittering goddess gown -- complete with an elaborate, feathery headdress -- while singing the feminist anthem "Woman's World" from her latest album, Closer to the Truth, keeping the audience entertained during costume changes with video clips from her films, and footage of her alongside her late, former husband Sonny Bono. The only sliver of disappointment came when Cher told them this truly was the last time she'd hit the road: "I swear to God, this is my farewell, farewell tour," she said. "I'll be my mother if I do another concert," which was met with a chorus of boos. 
Meanwhile on the same day another famous '70s diva, Aretha Franklin, held an exclusive and small party in New York City for her 72nd birthday, which came on Mar. 25. In attendance was Franklin's longtime musical collaborator, record exec Clive Davis, along with actor Denzel Washington,, who Franklin thanked for attending. Just hours earlier, she saw him onstage in the Broadway play, "A Raisin In the Sun." Speaking to reporters, the Queen of Soul said that she's working on new music with rapper Andre 3000 and singer-songwriter and Madonna producer Babyface. "Babyface is working on the tracks," she said. Earlier in March, Franklin performed at the White House alongside Patti LaBelle, Jill Scott and other soul singers. "What a shoutin' good time we had," she exclaimed. "The White House is still rocking right now!" - Billboard/AP, 3/23/14.
AC/DC singer Brian Johnson made a surprise appearance at Billy Joel concert at New York's Madison Square Garden on Mar. 21 for a jam of the AC/DC classic "You Shook Me All Night Long." Joel introduced Johnson about halfway through the show, saying Johnson was part of one of the best bands he'd ever seen live. The packed arena erupted when Joel and his band began playing the rock anthem with Johnson on lead vocals. The show was part of a series of concerts by the Piano Man at the Garden, who has been playing there monthly as an artist-in-residence. The show included a mix of Joel standards such as "Uptown Girl" and "Big Shot" as well as less-played songs, such as "The Ballad of Billy the Kid." Meanwhile, Joel has officially announced the launch of The Billy Joel Channel on SiriusXM featuring music and interviews from the singer's 50-year career. The channel goes live at 6 p.m. ET on Mar. 26 and will run through June 25 via satellite on channel 4, online and through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App. The Billy Joel Channel will play music from throughout the pianist's career, starting with his mid-1960s work with The Echoes to the myriad classics he recorded as a solo artist. It will also feature cuts from his upcoming live album, 
Rush has announced they are planning a worldwide tour in 2015 to celebrate their 40-plus years as a band. Little is known in terms of specifics about the tour, other than its potential spring 2015 start date. That said, guitarist Alex Lifeson notes that he thinks the band is "probably going to lean towards making it a real sort of fan event, and really try to put something together that's very pleasing for the fans across the board. That's always been difficult, for us to sort of balance things." Though it formed in 1968, Rush didn't release a proper album until 1974, its self-titled effort -- 40 years ago. Drummer Neil Peart also joined the band that year. Rush wrapped up its tour behind its latest album Clockwork Angels in 2013, and opted to take 2014 off. - Rolling Stone
Legendary stoner duo Cheech and Chong have announced they are teaming up again with director Jay Chandrasekhar (a veteran of the Broken Lizard comedy troupe) for a new film, their first in more than two decades. "[Jay is] working on a script right now for us," Tommy Chong recently told Rolling Stone magazine. "We've had some preliminary meetings. It looks really good. It looks really funny. It will be about us going to a festival called the Burning Joint. All sorts of shenanigans happen. It's going to be a lot of fun." Though the pair have appeared together in various films over the years, this would mark the first official Cheech & Chong movie since their 1983 sequel Still Smokin'. Given Chandrasekhar's stoner-friendly resume, which includes Broken Lizard vehicles like Super Troopers and Beerfest, the director seems like an ideal match for the doper duo. Chong says he hopes the as-yet-untitled project will begin filming this summer. Cheech and Chong also announced that they have recorded a new song with veteran funk band War and will tour with the group this summer. "That L.A. Sunshine" will be featured on 
A representative for Mick Jagger is slamming rumors that the Rolling Stones frontman split from his current girlfriend, fashion designer L'Wren Scott, before she apparently committed suicide on Mar. 17. Scott, 47, as found hanging from a scarf in her Manhattan, New York apartment, and a report in the New York Post tabloid suggested Jagger had ended the relationship before the tragedy. "The story in the New York Post [about] a split between Mick Jagger and L'Wren Scott is 100 per cent untrue. There is absolutely no basis in fact to this story. It is a horrible and inaccurate piece of gossip during this very tragic time for Mick," the rep for Jagger said in a statement. The 70-year-old Jagger, who has been dating Scott since 2001, was in Australia for a Rolling Stones' tour Down Under when she passed away. The band arrived in Perth on Mar. 16, but cancelled a show scheduled there three days later after hearing of the tragedy, also postponing the remainder of their "14 On Fire" tour of Australia and New Zealand, "I am still struggling to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way," Jagger said in a post on his official website, mickjagger.com. "She had great presence and her talent was much admired, not least by me." News of Scott's tragic death also shocked friends, clients and fellow designers. It was unclear if Scott had shown any signs in her work or personal life indicating she was depressed or suicidal. Although Hollywood stars such as Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams and Penelope Cruz were pictured in the designer's sleek, form-fitting creations on the red carpet, her company reportedly had mounting debts. - WENN.com, 3/18/14.
Scott Asheton, drummer for legendary punk-rock band the Stooges, died on the evening of March 15 of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 64. Asheton's death was confirmed by Stooges frontman Iggy Pop the following day via a statement on his Facebook page. "My dear friend Scott Asheton passed away last night," Pop said. "Scott was a great artist, I have never heard anyone play the drums with more meaning than Scott Asheton. He was like my brother. He and Ron have left a huge legacy to the world. The Asheton's have always been and continue to be a second family to me. My thoughts are with his sister Kathy, his wife Liz and his daughter Leanna, who was the light of his life." Asheton co-founded the Stooges in 1967 along with Pop, bassist Dave Alexander, and his brother, guitarist Ron Asheton, who died in 2009. The band released three raw, genre-defining albums -- 1969's The Stooges, 1970's 
Veteran comic David Brenner, one of the most frequent visitors on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show in the 1970s and 1980s, died in his New York City home on Mar. 15 after battling cancer. He was 78. Brenner, who was raised in working-class south Philadelphia and graduated with honors from Temple University, was a former documentary filmmaker who decided to give comedy a try in 1971, and his career soared after his first appearance on The Tonight Show in January of that year. Brenner went from being nearly broke to overwhelmed by a then-hefty $10,000 in job offers the day after he was on the show, and he went on to appear on the show more than 150 times both as a guest and subsitute host. Brenner took a brief stab at upping his TV fame with the 1976 sitcom Snip, and the lanky, always sharply dressed comedian also briefly hosted his own syndicated talk show in 1987 and starred in four HBO specials. Brenner wrote five books, including the post-9/11 I Think There's a Terrorist in My Soup, published in 2003. His last HBO special, David Brenner: Back with a Vengeance, debuted live in 2000. In a statement, his family said he left a last laugh: A final request that $100 in small bills be placed in his left sock "just in case tipping is recommended where I'm going." Besides son Cole, Brenner is survived by his wife, Ruth, sons Wyatt and Slade and a grandson, Wesley, according to a statement from the family. - AP, 3/16/14
Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page announced on March 14 that the band will reissue its first three albums as 
As a 
The Rolling Stones played China on March 12 for the first time since their debut there in 2006, headlining the Shanghai Mercedes-Benz Arena with a setlist altered due to government censorship. The band had been set to play the country for the first time in 2003 but the gigs were cancelled due to the Sars crisis. When they did play there, in 2006, songs including "Brown Sugar," "Honky Tonk Women" and "Let's Spend The Night Together" were banned by the Chinese Ministry Of Culture. The band's Shanghai setlist included their 1971 song "Dead Flowers" and their classic "Street Fighting Man," the latter having been chosen by fans on the Stones' social media channels. Former member Mick Taylor is on tour with the band and joined them in Shanghai for songs including "Slipping Away" and "Midnight Rambler." Their "14 On Fire Tour," which kicked off with their first ever gig in the Middle East in February, will hit Singapore on Mar. 15 as they make their way through Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Meanwhile, Stones guitarist Keith Richards has announced he's writing a children's book. Richards, 70, says the book will be called Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar, and will published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. "Gus" is Gus Dupree, Richards' beloved musician-grandfather. In a statement issued by the publisher, Richards said the book was based on his experience with Dupree. "I have just become a grandfather for the fifth time, so I know what I'm talking about," says Richards. "The bond, the special bond, between kids and grandparents is unique and should be treasured. This is a story of one of those magical moments. May I be as great a grandfather as Gus was to me." One of Richards' daughters, Theodora Richards, will provide illustrations for the book. - New Musical Express/AP
In a recent interview with Guitar World magazine, Gene Simmons of Kiss claimed he once had to talk Eddie Van Halen out of leaving his namesake band and joining up with Kiss. "He was so unhappy about how he and [David Lee] Roth were -- or weren't -- getting along. He couldn't stand him. And drugs were rampant," Simmons said. Simmons says Van Halen took him out to lunch at a diner across the street from New York's record plant studio. "Eddie said, 'I want to join Kiss. I don't want to fight anymore with Roth. I'm sick and tired of it. But I told him, 'Eddie, there's not enough room. You need to be in a band where you can direct the music. You're not going to be happy in Kiss.' I talked him out of it. It didn't fit." Meanwhile, Simmons' bandmate Paul Stanley recently told Billboard that "95 percent of the autobiographies by any of my contemporaries would be better suited on a roll of soft paper, so at least you could use it for something." Stanley, who will soon release his own autobiography, 
Former Grateful Dead member Bob Weir helped kick off the 11th MusicNOW Festival at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati on Jan. 12. Weir treated the audience to a rapturously received set of Dead classics, Bob Dylan covers and a dose of cowboy songs from his recent solo album, 
Carpenters surviving member Richard Carpenter filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group on Jan. 11 over digital royalties he contends are owed from the licencing of Carpenters songs for online services such as Apple's iTunes. The lawsuit seeks more than $2 million in royalties and is also being filed on behalf of the estate of his sister, Karen Carpenter, who died in 1983. The suit, which also names Universal subsidiary A&M Records, is one of a number of lawsuits filed after a 2010 appellate court ruled in a case involving Eminem's record label that music downloads from services such as iTunes should result in higher payments to artists. That ruling called for artists to receive substantially higher royalty payments for digital downloads of their music than they do when a physical recording is sold. Richard Carpenter says he has been unable to resolve the dispute without suing. "The Carpenters recordings are among the best sellers in the history of popular music and after 48 years continue to contribute a substantial amount to UMG/A&M's annual bottom line," he wrote in a statement. "It seems only fair that these companies account fairly to my sister's estate and to me." - AP, 1/11/17...... Author William Peter Blatty, the novelist and Oscar-winning screenwriter most famous for landmark 1973 horror film 
In related news, Marie Osmond told Yahoo Finance that she'd be willing to perform at Trump's inauguration, though she has not yet been asked. "I think when it comes to our country we need to unite. I think we should all support our president whether we're happy or sad. This is America," the 57-year-old "Paper Roses" singer said. Osmond has previously performed at multiple inaugurations, including Ronald Reagan's in 1981. - JustJared.com/Yahoo Finance, 1/10/17...... Tony Booth, the artist who created several posters for the Beatles in Liverpool in the early 1960s, died on Jan. 11 after a battle with cancer. He was 83. Mr. Booth made the iconic signs for the Fab Four and other Merseybeat bands in the 1960s, and in recent years, made replicas of the posters for fans and had written a book about them which his son hopes will be "part of his legacy." One of his last projects was to produce posters for The Cavern club's 60th anniversary, which it is celebrating throughout January 2017. - BBC.com, 1/12/17...... Tommy Allsup, a guitarist for Buddy Holly who lived nearly 58 additional years because he lost a coin flip to ride on the doomed flight of Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, died on Jan. 11. He was 85. Mr. Allsup would have been aboard the plane except that he flipped a coin with Valens for a seat on the plane. After Holly's death, Mr. Allsup finished the tour with Waylon Jennings, then moved to California and joined Liberty Records as a session guitarist. At the studio, he made a quick rise and began producing and working with such greats as Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys, Willie Nelson and Bobby Vee. Paul McCartney once called Mr. Allsup "one of the finest guitar players in the world." - AP, 1/12/17...... Singer Buddy Greco, a jazz pianist, vocalist and Las Vegas mainstay who recorded more than 60 albums and had a hit with a version of "The Lady Is a Tramp," died on Jan. 10 in Las Vegas. He was 90. Born in South Philadelphia, Mr. Greco toured and recorded with famed bandleader Benny Goodman, performed on dozens of TV variety shows and was a popular act at The Desert Inn in Las Vegas. He often sat in with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. of The Rat Pack and collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Lena Horne and many others. Mr. Greco signed with Sinatra's Reprise Records and in 1966, and hosted his own TV special in 1965. His other notable songs included "Around the World," "Girl Talk," "MacArthur Park" and "The More I See You." In Nov. 2016, a frail-looking Mr. Greco appeared at his induction into the Las Vegas Entertainment Hall of Fame. - AP, 1/11/17.
Billy Joel appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Jan. 9 in New York, and among the highlights was when hos Stephen Colbert asked the Piano Man to name his five favorite songs from his career. Joel said he actually favors album tracks over the hit singles, naming off the following: "Vienna," "And So It Goes," "You May Be Right," "She's Right on Time" and "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant." Joel capped his appearance with a stirring performance of "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)." - Billboard, 1/10/17...... A special David Bowie tribute concert was held in Brixton, UK, on Jan. 8 to celebrate what would have been the late music icon's 70th birthday. Bowie's actor friend Gary Oldman curated the event, and the show also featured members of Bowie's old band including guitarists Adrian Belew and Earl Slick, pianist Mark Garson and bassist Gail Ann Dorsey -- who fronted a number of legendary tracks including "Space Oddity" and "Young Americans." The three-hour charity show also featured special guests including La Roux, Tom Chaplin, Simon Le Bon, members of Spandau Ballet and many more. The gig was the first in a series of events organized by Bowie's former bandmates, with others taking place on Jan. 10 at New York's Terminal 5, Jan. 25 at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, and Feb. 2 in Tokyo's Dome City Hall. On Jan. 8 a group of 130 Bowie fans also gathered at London's Olympic Studios for a group meditation to commemorate Bowie's birthday. The memorial was followed by a playback of Bowie's 1972 album The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars and 1974's Diamond Dogs, which was recorded in the very same building. Meanwhile, a new EP of Bowie music to mark this birthday, and is available on Spotify.com. As well as the single "Lazarus," the No Plan EP also features tracks recorded for the acclaimed musical of the same name. - New Musical Express/Billboard, 1/9/17...... The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has issued the death certificate for Carrie Fisher, and it confirms that the Star Wars actress died of a heart attack, but added more investigation is needed to try to determine the underlying cause. Under "cause of death" it says "cardiac arrest/deferred." The "deferred" designation indicates that more investigation is needed by the county coroner, usually in the form of toxicology tests that can take several weeks to complete. Fisher suffered the heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles on Dec. 23. According to the certificate, she died at age 60 on Dec. 27 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and lists "writer" as the occupation in which Fisher spent most of her life. Fisher's mother, legendary actress Debbie Reynolds, died the following day at another Los Angeles hospital, after having her own medical emergency while making memorial plans for her daughter. The pair were laid to rest on Jan. 6 at Hollywood Hills Cemetery, with Fisher's remains reportedly inside a porcelain urn in the shape of a large Prozac pill. Fisher's brother, Todd Fisher, said his sister bought the urn years ago and it was her favorite possession. "She loved it, and it was in her house, and Billie and I felt it was where she'd want to be," he said. Among the other stars buried at Hollywood Hills are Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, Dick Van Patten, Liberace and Florence Henderson. - AP, 1/10/17...... 
Foreigner has announced it will mount a 40th anniversary tour on July 11 in Syracuse, N.Y., with longtime pals Cheap Trick and drummer Jason Bonham and his band as openers. Founding Foreigner member Mick Jones says that original Foreigner members Lou Gramm, Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood will be appearing on select dates. "They're not on the whole tour, but there will be some appearances," Jones says. "It's the right time to do this. I'm looking forward to that and we'll see how it goes, and I'm sure it'll go down well." Foreigner's extensive 2017 tour schedule includes U.S. dates which start on Jan. 30, 37 summer dates that run through Sept. 9 in Auburn, Wash., and a European tour that begins May 20 in Switzerland. A two-disc, 40-track anniversary compilation with some brand new material is also in the works, while Jones will be publishing his memoir, A Foreigner's Tale, due out this spring. Jones formed Foreigner during 1976 in New York, and the band released its debut album a year later. - Billboard, 1/8/17...... Stevie Wonder was honored on Jan. 7 at the 10th Annual Heaven Gala Celebration, which encourages screen professionals and entertainers to support and volunteer their time to programs such as hospitalized youth, homeless shelters and special needs centers. The evening featured such special guests as John Legend and Quincy Jones, and concluded with a moving performance by Wonder of such classic songs as "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life." - The Hollywood Reporter, 1/8/17...... Former UFO and Scorpions member Michael Schenker will release Michael Schenker Fest "Live" Tokyo, a new live recording and filmed concert, on Mar. 24. Filmed and recorded Tokyo International Forum on Aug. 24, 2016, the concert features guest appearances from some of the greatest rock vocalists who have worked with Schenker including M.S.G.'s Gary Barden and Graham Bonnet, and Robin McAuley of the McAuley Schenker Group. Says Schenker, "It's a miracle that after all these years, something like this took place with the original band members of M.S.G. Being able to go back to those days and celebrate the music is an exciting experience for us, as well as for old and new fans. To being able to re-experience, and for the new audience to get a feel of what it was like, is incredibly enjoyable." - Noble PR, 1/9/17...... 
Producers of a new Jimmy Buffett-inspired musical announced on Jan. 6 that the show, called "Escape to Margaritaville," is eyeing a Broadway debut in the spring of 2018. After the production has its previously-announced world premiere at San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse on May 9-June 25, the show will make three additional tryout stops in New Orleans, Houston and Chicago. "Its always been a dream of mine to make it to Broadway!" said Buffett in a statement. "Escape to Margaritaville" tells the original story of a tropical island resort and its charming bartender-singer who falls for a beautiful, career-minded tourist. - The Hollywood Reporter, 1/6/17...... In a new interview with radio station Planet Rock, Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi revealed that a lump recently found in his throat wasn't cancerous. Iommi, 68, said he received the good news on Christmas Day: "I had the treatment when I got back from [touring] South America. I went in for the throat [operation]. They found a lump at the back of my sinus, in the throat, and we had to have it checked in case it may have been cancerous. But it turns out it wasn't, which I found out on Christmas Day, which is brilliant." In November, it was rumoured that Black Sabbath might consider releasing new music in 2017. While Iommi has ruled out future touring for the band, the guitarist answered "maybe" when the notion of recording new Black Sabbath material was posed to him. - New Musical Express, 1/6/17...... In other Black Sabbath-related news, Ozzy Osbourne's daughter Kelly Osbourne has revealed in her forthcoming book, 
Former Deep Purple member Glenn Hughes says he's "thrilled to be coming over to tour the UK and Europe this month and February" for a tour that's set to kick off on Jan. 20 in Newcastle. "My band will now be a four piece. On guitar is Sren Andersen, on drums Pontus Engborg, and on keyboards Jay Boe," Hughes says. "Song selections will be a mix from my new album