Billboard is reporting that Dionne Warwick is planning the final album of her storied career, DWuets, and its first single, "Ocean in the Desert," will arrive on Mar. 20. In addition, DWuets will feature the first-time collaboration of Warwick, a five-time Grammy winner, and Grammy-winning songwriter Diane Warren. Commemorating that occasion, the album borrows part of its title from the duo's initials. Warren, also a 17-time Oscar songwriting nominee, wrote all the songs on DWuets, while Warwick's manager/son Damon Elliott produced all of the album's duets. Among the performing collaborators on DWuets are Emmy-, Tony- and Grammy Award-winner Cynthia Erivo, as well as rising and newly minted Grammy winner Kehlani, who contributes to the second single. Warwick and Erivo initially met when the latter performed "Alfie" while honoring Warwick at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2023. "Alfie," a pop (No. 15) and R&B (No. 5) hit for Warwick in 1967, is one of three of the songstress's classics inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, along with "Walk on By" and "Don't Make Me Over." Warwick's other accolades include a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Of working with Erivo, Warwick commented in the press announcement, "It was such a joy to be in the studio harmonizing with such a talented entertainer as Cynthia. We immediately bonded and had so much fun recording this beautiful song." "It was so warm being in the studio with Dionne; it was like a mother-daughter relationship," added Erivo. "This experience was like the godmother of music coming in and saying to me 'I knight you.'" - Billboard, 3/9/26...... 
On Mar. 10 Alice Cooper announced details of a new "definitive autobiography," Devil On My Shoulder, confirmed plans for a new UK Q&A book tour. The memoir, the shock-rocker's first, is set to be published by Ebury Spotlight on Oct. 8, and promises to lift the lid on the huge career and the intriguing personal life of the 78-year-old rock icon. It promises to explore how Alice's two personas -- the theatrical, elaborate rock star, and the sober pastor's son who played him and has been married for 50 years -- intertwine. "Alice is still on tour around the world today, a proper senile delinquent playing hundreds of gigs every year, while I myself am reformed," Cooper said. "And with the benefit of hindsight and a certain maturity, I'd like to describe our journey to hell and back together, because it's not only rock stars who can lose their way." It will also reveal how the rocker, real name Vincent Damon Furnier, began the group 'Alice Cooper' in the late '60s, and later went on to adopt the name as his own moniker, and later change it legally after becoming lost in the character's identity. "I was born Vincent Damon Furnier but, seduced by my character's reputation, changed my name legally to Alice Cooper, and in the process lost sight of who I really was," Cooper added. "The mild-mannered, all-American boy I'd once been became a monster and a mortal danger to himself." There will also be anecdotes that feature some of Alice's most famous acquaintances, including Salvador Dal, Bob Hope, John Lennon, Groucho Marx, Vincent Price, Frank Sinatra, Bette Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Gerald Ford and Andy Warhol and others, as well as deeper topics explored. To celebrate the upcoming release, Cooper will be headed out on a UK book tour later in 2026, which kicks off on Oct. 11 at the New Theatre in Cardiff. From there, there are stops at the Cambridge Corn Exchange (Oct. 12), London Palladium and Brighton Dome over the following three-nights. Dates wrap up in Manchester (Oct. 16), Stockton (Oct. 17), Glasgow (Oct. 19) and Wolverhampton (Oct. 20). Cooper will also be among the headliners at the UK's "Louder Than Life" summer festival alongside the likes of Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Tool, Limp Bizkit, and others. In 2025, Alice reunited with his original group for an intimate show in London, and shared his first album with them in over 50 years, titled The Revenge Of Alice Cooper. - New Musical Express, 3/10/26...... Elton John will be honored with the 15th Glenn Gould Prize Laureate at an all-star Canadian gala in Toronto on May 9. Diana Krall, The Beaches, Ron Sexsmith, Jeremy Dutcher, LOONY, Emily D'Angelo, Ryan Wang and more -- all handpicked by John, who will be in attendance -- are to perform at the event at the city's Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort. Often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of the Arts," the Glenn Gould Prize recognizes a living individual of any nationality or creative field for a lifetime of artistic achievement that has enriched humanity. "In selecting Elton John, we chose to honour someone whose artistic achievements have been transformed into profound social impact," said former prime minister Kim Campbell, who serves on the prize jury. "He has used his success to change lives, embodying the very highest ideals of the arts." Established in 1987, the Prize includes a $100,000 award for the Laureate, who also personally selects a young artist to receive the $25,000 Glenn Gould Protgé Prize, celebrating the vital role of mentorship. Through the Elton John AIDS Foundation, founded in 1992, John has also helped raise over $650 million US for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care worldwide. John is also married to Torontonian David Furnish and the couple have two children. - Canoe.com, 3/9/26...... 
The BBC is reportedly planning a major televised tribute to David Bowie this summer, stepping in to fill the gap left by the off-year of the Glastonbury Festival. The UK paper The Mirror reports that the broadcaster is preparing a star-studded celebration of the late music legend -- who died aged 69 in Jan. 2016 following a private cancer battle -- featuring a roster of high-profile performers backed by an all-star band and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Organisers reportedly want the event to serve as a long-overdue national salute to Bowie, whose influence continues to shape generations of artists. One source described the project as "a thank you to David Bowie and a celebration of his continued influence among today's artists," adding that the scale of the show will be unlike anything previously staged for the late icon in the UK. All proceeds from the concert will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust and the music-therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins, echoing Bowie's long association with charitable causes. Despite the artist's towering legacy, the UK has never hosted a Bowie tribute concert of this magnitude. The largest to date took place at New York's Carnegie Hall four months after his death in 2016, featuring performances from Debbie Harry, Cyndi Lauper and Michael Stipe. Meanwhile, the Bowie supergroup Holy Holy, featuring musicians who closely collaborated with the rocker including drummer Woody Woodmansey and Tony Visconti, will embark on a farewell tour of the UK this fall. The 12-date run begins in Glasgow on Sept. 3, and concludes in Hull on Sept. 19, with a London show at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on Sept. 10. - Music-News.com, 3/10/26...... A huge statue of Ozzy Osbourne is set to be unveiled at the UK's Hellfest this summer in tribute to the late Heavy Metal pioneer. Ozzy's wife, Sharon Osbourne, shared the news at the MIDEM music industry conference in Cannes, France on Mar. 4, and gave fans a glimpse of the statue, too. Oh, there he is. Look at him, a rock god," Sharon said while images of the in-progress statue were shown on a screen. "That is going to debut at Hellfest, and that is June 18th. And the whole family will be there to see it. And it's such a great tribute. It's amazing. So, I can only thank [Hellfest director] Ben [Barbaud]. Just bless you. It's an amazing piece of art." This year, Hellfest will run from June 18 to June 21, with Bring Me The Horizon, Iron Maiden, Limp Bizkit and The Offspring headlining. Ozzy's statue can be viewed during Sharon's interview on YouTube, about 48 minutes into the video. Meanwhile, Sharon has revealed that she's planning to take the Ozzy exhibition that's currently at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to "tour the world." "Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero" was originally opened by Sharon on June 25, 2025, to coincide with the band's historic "Back To The Beginning" concert at Villa Park on July 5. It would serve as Black Sabbath and Ozzy's final show before his death two weeks later. - NME, 3/5/26...... 
Interviewed in a cover story for the new People magazine, Valerie Bertinelli describes herself as "a survivor" after her last relationship, with writer Mike Goodnough, ended in a difficult breakup in 2024, two divorces, struggles with weight, and being sexually abused at 11, which she reveals in her new memoir, Getting Naked. "I had no plan to reveal this," the former One Day at a Time and celebrity chef star says. "This was going to be a book about teaching people how to love themselves. Then I had a huge anxiety attack at the end of '24 that really brought me to my knees, and I knew I needed to do more work, and that's when I really dug deep." Asked why she decided to reveal it now, Bertinelli says: "If I can help anybody, then great. Now, this has taken me 10 years at least [but] I don't feel shame about it anymore... I guess because I'm healing from it, and it's not so scary anymore. I can say it out loud. I was sexually assaulted. It doesn't feel like it owns me anymore." Bertinelli, 65, says there will "always be a huge part of my heart that contains Ed (Eddie Van Halen, her first husband)." "He gave me the greatest gift: our son (Wolfgang Van Halen). Would we have ever been intimate again? I don't think so. But I've never loved another man the way I loved Ed." Up next for Val: On May 9 she returns to acting in the Lifetime movie Love, Again alongside Eric McCormack, which she calls "a gorgeous love story." - People, 3/16/26...... Tommy DeCarlo, who spent nearly 20 years singing with classic rockers Boston following the death of original vocalist Brad Delp, died on Mar. 9. He was 60. DeCarlo's family confirmed his death on social media, noting that he'd been diagnosed with brain cancer last September. "It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our Dad, Tommy DeCarlo, on Monday, March 9th, 2026. He fought with incredible strength and courage right up until the very end," the family wrote. "During this difficult time, we kindly ask that friends and fans respect our family's privacy as we grieve and support one another. Rest in peace, Dad." "When I first began to listen to Boston as a young teenager, I absolutely loved Brad's voice," DeCarlo penned in a bio on the official Boston website. "It wasn't like I was trying to sing like Brad; it was just that I loved to sing along with him." At the time, in the mid-70s, Boston was one of the biggest rock groups in the world, with their 1976 self-titled debut quickly went platinum on the strength of hits like "More Than a Feeling" and "Peace of Mind." In 2007, after Delp died by suicide, DeCarlo joined the band. He spent the next two decades touring with Boston. He leaves behind his wife, Annie, and his two adult children, Talia and Tommy Jr. - Music-News.com, 3/10/26...... 
Iconic counterculture musician Country Joe McDonald of Country Joe and the Fish, whose Vietnam War protest anthem "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag" became a defining song of the 1960s protest movement, died at his home in Berkeley, Calif., on Mar. 9 from complications related to Parkinson's disease, according to his wife. He was 84. Born Joseph Allen McDonald on Jan. 1, 1942, in Washington, D.C., Mr. McDonald rose to prominence as the frontman of Country Joe and the Fish, a San Francisco Bay Area psychedelic rock band that emerged from the counterculture scene in the mid-1960s. The group blended politically charged lyrics with psychedelic rock and became closely associated with the anti-war movement of the era. McDonald's most enduring composition, "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag," became a rallying cry for Vietnam War protesters. The song reached global notoriety during Mr. McDonald's solo appearance at the 1969 Woodstock festival, where he led the crowd through the now-famous "Fish Cheer," a call-and-response chant that encouraged hundreds of thousands of attendees to spell out an expletive before launching into the anti-war anthem. The performance was later included in the documentary film Woodstock. Reflecting on the song decades later, McDonald said its message was intentionally aimed at political leadership rather than soldiers fighting in the conflict. "The important thing about the Fixin' to Die Rag was that it had a new point of view that did not blame soldiers for war," McDonald told TheStreetSpirit.com in a 2016 interview, adding, "It just blamed the politicians, and it blamed the manufacturers of weapons. It didn't blame the soldiers. Someone who was in the military could sing the song, and the attitude is, 'Whoopee, we're all going to die'. Most peace songs of the era blamed the soldiers for the war." Country Joe and the Fish released their debut album, Electric Music for the Mind and Body, in 1967. The record helped establish the band within the San Francisco psychedelic rock movement alongside groups such as Jefferson Airplane and Grateful Dead. After the group dissolved in the 1970s, Mr. McDonald continued recording and performing as a solo artist, releasing dozens of albums across folk, rock and politically themed songwriting. His 1986 album Vietnam Experience revisited the cultural impact of the war that had defined much of his early work. Before launching his music career, Mr. McDonald served in the U.S. Navy from 1959 to 1962. He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1965 and soon co-founded Country Joe and the Fish in Berkeley with guitarist Barry "The Fish" Melton. Although his commercial peak came during the late 1960s counterculture era, Mr. McDonald remained active in music for decades, performing at festivals and continuing to write songs reflecting on war, politics and social change. His music became closely intertwined with the protest-song tradition of the late 1960s, a period when artists increasingly used popular music as a platform for political expression. Alongside figures such as Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, Mr. McDonald helped shape the soundtrack of the anti-war movement, using satire and sharp political commentary to capture the frustrations of a generation confronting the Vietnam War. He worked with Vietnam War veterans' associations, and continued writing and performing up until the 2010s. - Billboard, 3/9/26.
Paul McCartney has paid tribute to his "dear old mate" and former The Quarrymen bandmate Len Garry, who died on Mar. 2 of pneumonia at the age of 84. Sir Paul shared a photo on Instagram of the original Quarrymen in tribute with the caption: "My dear old mate from the Quarrymen, Len Garry, has passed away. He was a lovely guy and I'm sad to see him go but glad that we had so many fun times together. Rest in Peace Len, Love Paul." McCartney and Garry began making music together as schoolboys and were both part of The Quarrymen's first steady line-up, which also consisted of John Lennon, Colin Hanton, Rod Davis, Pete Shotton and Eric Griffiths. Lennon was already part of the band when McCartney joined in 1957, which was how they first met. George Harrison later joined the group on bass and after numerous line-up and name changes, they became the Beatles. A further tribute shared on The Quarrymen's social media said: "He will be sorely missed by us and Beatle fans across the globe. Our thoughts are with Len's family and friends at this difficult time." - NME, 3/4/26...... 
Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, Ringo Starr has announced his next album will be titled Long Long Road and released on Apr. 24. Featuring the likes of Sheryl Crow and St. Vincent, the 10-track record was co-written by Ringo and legendary producer T Bone Burnett, who he worked with on his 2025 record Look Up. It will also feature appearances from Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle and Sarah Jarosz. "I'm blessed to have T Bone in my life right now and working with me on these records," Ringo said in a statement. "After we did the last record, which I love listening to, this one just sort of happened. I like to say sometimes I make the right moves, like you can go left or right at any point, and one of the right moves was hooking up with T Bone for Look Up, and now for this one, which I'm calling Long Long Road, because I've been on a long long road." The album was recorded in Nashville and L.A. and largely features the same musicians as Look Up. The country and Americana-influenced record was particularly influenced by late rockabilly legend Carl Perkins. Ringo said: "I recorded two Carl Perkins songs with The Beatles, and both T Bone and I wanted one on this record and he found this beautiful track I'd never heard before, I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore." Ringo and his All Starr Band will kick off a 10-date spring tour on May 29 in Temecula, Calif., also visiting San Diego; Charlotte, N.C.; Tuscon; Lincoln, Neb.; Paso Robles, Calif.; Albuquerque; San Jose; and Tempe, Ariz. before wrapping at L.A.'s Greek Theatre on June 15. - Music-News.com, 3/4/26...... Sharon Osbourne confirmed on Mar. 4 that Ozzfest will be resurrected in her late hubby Ozzy Osbourne's home town of Birmingham, UK as a two-day event at Villa Park, the home grounds of the Aston Villa Football Club, which also served as the site of Osbourne's final "Back to the Beginning" Black Sabbath farewell concert in 2025. We want to do two days in Aston Villa and then come to America," Sharon said on The Osbournes podcast before making a call-out to all the Ozzfest fans out there to let her know where the festival should visit and who they want to see in its latest incarnation. In keeping with Ozzy's push to showcase new, up-and-coming talent on Ozzfest, Sharon also said the team behind Ozzfest is looking for those kinds of bands right now, "because that's what your dad would want." Meanwhile, a huge statue of Ozzy is set to be unveiled at Hellfest in Clisson, France this summer in tribute to the late heavy metal icon. "Oh, there he is. Look at him, a rock god," Sharon said during an appearance on the MetalXS podcast while images of the in-progress statue were shown on a screen. "That is going to debut at Hellfest, and that is June 18th. And the whole family will be there to see it. And it's such a great tribute. It's amazing. So, I can only thank [Hellfest director] Ben [Barbaud]. Just bless you. It's an amazing piece of art." This year, Hellfest will run from June 18 to June 21 with a line-up including Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Limp Bizkit, Tom Morello and The Offspring, among many others. Also Sharon recently revealed that she's planning to take the Ozzy exhibition that's currently at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to "tour the world." "Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero" was originally opened by Sharon on June 25, 2025, to coincide with the band's historic "Back To The Beginning" concert at Villa Park on July 5. It would serve as Black Sabbath and Ozzy's final show before his death two weeks later. Following Ozzy's death on July 22, 2025, the exhibition was extended until Jan. 2026 with the blessing of the Osbournes. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 3/5/26...... 
Longtime Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston has told Rolling Stone that he plans to retire from touring to focus on songwriting and recording. Johnston, 83, added that he still intends to join the band for special performances, specifically the upcoming July 2-4 gigs at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles as part of the events celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary. After touring and recording with the BB for 61 years and performing upwards of 6,000 concerts, Johnston says "it's time for Part Three of my lengthy musical career." "I can write songs forever and wait until you hear what's coming!!! As my major talent beyond singing is songwriting, now is the time to get serious again," he continued. "In addition, I'm currently working on developing a speaking-engagement chapter of my career -- inspired in part by Cary Grant, who long ago made a similar move after his movie career... I might even sing 'Disney Girls' & 'I Write The Songs',!! he wrote, the latter in reference to, respectively, one of the handful of songs he wrote for the band, as well as the 1976 No. 1 Barry Manilow hit he penned. "This isn't goodbye, it's see you soon. I am forever grateful to be a part of the Beach Boys musical legacy." With the exception of a 2012 world tour in support of the That's Why God Made the Radio album, Johnston has been the only other old-school member of the group to tour with cofounding BB member Mike Love for the past 28 years. He originally joined in band in 1965, four years after its founding, to help fill in for musical mastermind Brian Wilson when he stepped aside to focus on studio recordings. After splitting in 1972 to pursue solo work and songwriting, Johnston returned in 1978 and had been a reliable touring and recording member ever since. Love becomes the lone original-era member still touring with the band; fellow co-founder singer/rhythm guitarist Al Jardine stopped touring with the Love-led version of the BB in 2012. Chris Cron, the lead singer for the BB tribute act Pet Sounds Live, will replace Johnston in the touring version of the group. - Billboard, 3/5/26...... 
Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1973 track "Free Bird" has netted big gains on multiple Billboard charts dated Mar. 7 after the song became the unofficial anthem for the U.S. men's and women's hockey teams at the 2026 Winter Olympics. "Free Bird" returns to Hot Rock & Alternative Songs at No. 15 on the strength of 3.2 million official U.S. streams (up 35%), 343,000 in radio airplay audience (up 17%) and 3,000 downloads sold (up 217%) in the week ending Feb. 26, according to Luminate. Older songs are allowed to re-enter rankings such as Hot Rock & Alternative Songs if in the top half of chart points and with a meaningful reason for their return. The driving anthem, from Skynyrd's breakthrough LP Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, blared after the U.S. men's and women's teams scored during the Olympics. The women's squad won the gold medal Feb. 19, following up its 2018 win, while the men's team triumphed among all nations for the first time since 1980 on Feb. 22. Each team added its third total gold medal, with the men's team also having won in 1960 and the women's, in 1998. "Free Bird" reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 during its original chart run in 1975. The set peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, becoming the first of the band's 12 top 40 entries, through Last of a Dying Breed (No. 14, 2012). - Billboard, 3/3/26...... Paraphrasing one of his most famous songs, Barry Manilow gave a cheery health update on Instagram on Mar. 3 after being forced to postpone his recent tour due to lung cancer surgery. "Well, looks like I made it and I look fabulous, right?," the 82-year-old singer said. Manilow, looking healthy and energetic, added, "You know, with everything that's going on in the world, I wanted to check in and share some good news. In fact, it's great news." Manilow's new single, "Once Before I Go," currently sits at No. 26 on the Mar. 7-dated Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The latest charting extends the Brooklyn-born singer's run of six decades, beginning in 1974 with his classic breakthrough hit "Mandy" and reaching into this year. "How do you like that?" Manilow asked about his single's success. "Like my grandmother once said, next thing you know, they'll be walking on the moon." Manilow thanked industry legend Clive Davis for suggesting the moving ballad -- written by acclaimed songwriters Peter Allen and Dean Pitchford and produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Demonte Posey -- as well as all the radio stations for playing it and fans for listening to the track. He also thanked everyone who has reached out with messages of support over the past few months as he dealt with his health emergency. "It's been a long ride and since I have no patience, it's been agony," he said. "But I am getting stronger and I have great doctors and wonderful friends and family, but I am so looking forward to getting back on stage." In February, Manilow revealed that he needed to reschedule some more shows and take additional time to recover from a January operation related to stage one lung cancer diagnosed last year. Following the tough visit with his surgeon, he postponed the first batch of 2026 arena dates originally scheduled to run from Feb. 27-March 17. Though Manilow is rescheduling his first 13 arena shows, he said at the time that his doctor felt it was still "likely" he could perform in Las Vegas on Mar. 26-28 and Apr. 2-4. His Mar. 26 Vegas residency show is still listed on his official website, which also lists an Apr. 13 show at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, N.Y. as his next confirmed non-residency date. - Billboard, 3/3/26...... 
After a recent round on the Rock Legends Cruise, The Guess Who principals Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman have announced they will be taking their recent ownership of The Guess Who moniker on the road this spring. The duo kicks off its "Takin' It Back Tour" at home with previously announced Canadian dates that begin May 26 date in Moncton, N.B. The U.S. run starts in late June, when it brings the show south of the border for two dozen concerts staring June 25 in Shakopee, Minn., wrapping on Aug. 23 in Vancouver, B.C. Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder opens the headlining dates. The tour marks the first time in 23 years Cummings and Bachman have toured as The Guess Who, following last year's legal triumph over what they call "the fake Guess Who," run for decades by bassist Jim Kale and drummer Garry Peterson, who cofounded the band with Bachman as Chad Allan & the Reflections during 1962 in Winnipeg. "It was enough already. They tarnished what we created," Cummings, who joined in 1966, told Billboard in a Zoom call with Bachman. "I remember I went on Facebook and talked to people and there were a lot of remarks about the fake Guess Who, about the band going on stage and kind of dishonoring the songs. So Randy and I are out here now, honoring the history of The Guess Who." Bachman adds, "You can only sit around for so long and watch people tarnish something you built, something that's intangible -- that's called a reputation. It's with music, it's with fans. It's making music that is the soundtrack of our lives, and everybody who hears it and buys it falls in love with it and cherishes it. To see it stolen and not given justice and then hearing about it from your fans was terrible. So be able to be part of that again and see the reaction of the fans, it's really special." The duo say they plan to keep The Guess Who on the road for the foreseeable future, but they say new music will have to wait. "There's no time for that right now," says Cummings, who released a solo album -- A Few Good Moments -- during 2024. "Right now, let's get out there and rekindle the legacy that has been tarnished. New music may come later, but that's not on our agenda right now. We're going out to rebuild what the fake band broke down." The band's ambitious 35-city North American tour will wrap in Vancouver, B.C. on Aug. 23. - Billboard, 3/3/26...... A group of siblings who claim they were abused by Michael Jackson have brought new child sex trafficking claims against the King of Pop's estate. Four of the five Cascio siblings -- Edward, Dominic, Marie-Nicole and Aldo -- alleged in a federal lawsuit filed on Feb. 27 that Jackson raped and molested them as children over the course of more than a decade, including at his Neverland ranch and while on the road for the Dangerous world tour and HIStory world tour in the 1990s. The fifth sibling, Frank Cascio, has made similar sex abuse claims in a separate pending legal proceeding. "Jackson groomed and brainwashed each plaintiff," reads the lawsuit, filed by attorney Howard King. "After the abuse started, he isolated them emotionally, and sometimes physically, from responsible adults and from each other. He plied them with drugs and alcohol. He showed them pornography, including pictures of unclothed children, to normalize the abuse and desensitize them. He made them fear and distrust others by convincing them that not only his life, but also their lives and the lives of their family members, would be destroyed if anyone found out what he was doing to them." A lawyer for Jackson's estate, Marty Singer, denied the Cascios' allegations in a Feb. 27 statement and said the new lawsuit is a "desperate money grab" and "transparent forum-shopping tactic in their scheme to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars from Michael's estate and companies." - Billboard, 3/2/26...... Legendary Notre Dame college football coach Lou Holtz died on Mar. 4. He was 89. In his five-decade career, Mr. Holtz led football teams at several universities, including William & Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota and South Carolina. During his time with Notre Dame, he led the team -- known as The Fighting Irish -- to 100 victories. He won 249 total games across his 33 seasons of coaching. "Among his many accomplishments, we will remember him above all as a teacher, leader and mentor who brought out the very best in his players, on and off the field, earning their respect and admiration for a lifetime," Notre Dame said in a statement. The long-time Republican spoke at the party's convention in 2020 to endorse Donald Trump for president. Pres. Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honour, that December. "Holtz is remembered for his enduring values of faith, family, service, and an unwavering belief in the potential of others," his family said in a statement. Videos of his inspirational speeches to his players before games earned him fans in the years after his coaching career ended. Following his sport career, he went on to become a commentators for broadcasters ESPN and CBS. - The BBC, 3/4/26...... 
On Mar. 4 the Los Angeles City Council officially designated the iconic The Brady Bunch house in the San Fernando Valley as a Historic-Cultural Monument. The house was used for exterior shots only on The Brady Bunch and recently underwent a $1.9 million renovation to transform the interiors to match the show sets on HGTV's A Very Brady Renovation. The current owner, Tina Trahan, opened up the property for a limited run of tours in Nov. 2025. "Long before it became a pop culture pilgrimage site and backdrop for countless photo ops, the Brady Bunch House helped shape America's vision of family life in the late 1960s and early '70s -- especially the idea of a blended family," Adrian Scott, president of the L.A. Conservancy, told the Los Angeles Times. He added: "We're thrilled to see it now designated as a Historic-Cultural Monument, ensuring the Brady Bunch -- and their iconic home -- remain part of Los Angeles' story." On Jan. 15, the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted to recommend the house, located at 11222 Dilling St., in Studio City, as a landmark. The Planning and Land Use Commission approved the designation a month later, and the city council made the final unanimous approval. The Brady home was first constructed in 1959 by architect Harry M. Londelius, according to the Times. It was later used in exterior shots of during The Brady Bunch's entire run from 1969 to 1974. All of the shows interior scenes were filmed on a studio set nearby. A $1.9 million renovation by HGTV brought in 28 million viewers as the Brady siblings helped perfect the 2,000 sq. ft., addition. In 2023, Brady superfan Trahan and her husband Chris Elbrecht, a former chief executive of HBO, purchased the property for $3.2 million, but at the time Trahan described it as "her worst investment ever." The network subsequently filmed a limited series entitled A Very Brady Renovation, in which hosts Drew and Jonathan Scott worked with fellow HGTV stars and the actors who played all six Brady kids to transform the interior of the home to match what was seen in the show. - People, 5/5/26.
The new U.K. Elvis Presley compilation 
Archival footage of David Bowie, who appeared in director David Lynch's original Twin Peaks series, is being included in the Showtime Twin Peaks sequel, Twin Peaks: The Return. Bowie played FBI agent Phillip Jeffries in the original series, one of the select few FBI agents involved with the "Blue Rose" task force who mysteriously disappeared and reappeared in the late 1980s. A number of scenes in the new show indicate that the agent is alive and well, and working on a plot centering around "Evil Coop" and the infamous green ring. In an episode that aired on Aug. 14, Lynch integrated the footage of Bowie from the early episode "Fire Walk With Me," rather than recasting the role or integrating new material. Lynch also tweeted that he was dedicating the episode to the late rock star. - Billboard, 8/14/17...... In an interview with Rolling Stone, Ringo Starr has revealed how his new collaboration with his former bandmate Paul McCartney on a track from Starr's upcoming album 
In related news, Country legend Willie Nelson was forced to cut a concert short on Aug. 13 after he experienced breathing problems. Nelson's concert at Salt Lake City's USANA Amphitheatre was abbreviated after the singer experienced respiratory problems and checked into a local hospital. A few hours after the incident, the octogenarian music legend, who has battled with a string of health complaints in recent months and years, took to his official website to reassure worried fans: "This is Willie I am sorry to have to cut the SLC show short tonight The altitude got to me I am feeling better now & headed for lower ground - Willie Nelson." Nelson's latest album, 
Former Doobie Brothers member and '80s solo star Michael McDonald is preparing to release 
Deep Purple has just embarked on what they've dubbed The Long Goodbye Tour, which will see the hard rock icons playing at least 65 dates around Europe, North America and South America. The tour will be Deep Purple's final tour of big treks around the world, very much like their classic rock counterparts Black Sabbath and Judas Priest have done. Guitarist Steve Morse, who effectively took over founding member Ritchie Blackmore's slot in 1994, says the band is currently working on what could be its final album and "my guitar playing is more sensitive to the music, the song." Morse adds the upcoming album will "have an awesome producer, Bob Ezrin, who we didn't have before. It was just the band and Roger [Glover, bassist]." - Billboard, 8/8/17...... Bruce Springsteen announced on Aug. 9 that he's prepping for an epic eight-week run of Broadway performances at the 1,000-capacity Walter Kerr Theatre this fall that will mix singing, storytelling and readings from his 2016 memoir, 
As Bonnie Raitt nears the end of her summer road trip with James Taylor, the veteran singer and blues guitarist says it's one of the more satisfying adventures in her long and highly collaborative career. "We're having such a great time," Raitt told Billboard. "The two bands love each other, and James and I have known each other since I was 20 and he was not much older and I opened for him at Harvard University. And of course we've worked together on a lot of different environmental shows. I don't get to see him that much -- at the Grammys, and occasionally we'll run into each other at benefits. This is the first time we've toured together. We've been talking about doing this for a long time, and it just worked out in my schedule." Raitt and Taylor wrap up their trek on Aug. 11 at Boston's iconic Fenway Park, where both have musical roots. "There's a lot of love and appreciation" of each other, according to Raitt, who joins Taylor for a rendition of "Close Your Eyes" to close each night. "We did Fenway together in 2015, and it was so special. It never gets old. It's been really warm, and the audiences have been incredible. To hear that many people hushed quiet on the ballads is really an extraordinary thing for me. I could keep doing this for a very long time." Raitt, a longtime supporter of environmentalism, nuclear anti-proliferation and other liberal causes, also weighed in U.S. Pres. Donald Trump: "Things have gotten more absurd and more difficult and more scary and depressing than I ever even expected. Every day is a challenge. We just have to try to stay in the positive solutions and to try be active and promote what I can to make a change happen... I have to figure out what times of the day I'm strong enough to take it but not look away too much, either." - Billboard, 8/7/17...... In related news, founding Journey guitarist Neal Schon is feuding with his bandmates over the controversial 45th American president, recently tweeting up a storm about his anger over a White House visit and meeting with Pres. Trump last week by Journey members, singer Arnel Pineda, keyboardist Jonathan Cain and bassist Ross Valory. "I will remain strong and consistent with the belief we've always shared and agreed upon -- Journey should never be used and exploited by anyone, especially band members for politics or any one religion," Schon posted on Aug. 3. "I've been here since 1972 and this has always been our belief. This was with intent to exploit the brand and use the name. Journey was not there -- 3 individual members were Cain Valory and Pineda whom I found ... Tours are done all the time but it could have been privately," he added. In a tweet on Aug. 7, Schon denied that he's leaving the group over growing tensions, although he hinted that those tensions have been running high for "close to 2 years." Keyboardist Cain is married to Trump's spiritual advisor, Pastor Paula White, one of the religious leaders who participated in Trump's January inauguration. Schon did hint that he might be forming a new version of Journey, and denied that the rift is about Trump or politics, telling one skeptical fan that the group had been invited to the White House several times, including during the Obama administration. - Billboard, 8/7/17...... 
A long-rumored 3D version of Michael Jackson's famous short for his 1983 hit "Thriller" is set to make its world premiere at the 74th annual Venice Film Festival in Italy, which runs from Aug. 30 through Sept. 9. In making the announcement on Aug. 7, the Jackson estate also said the accompanying The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller documentary -- originally available on VHS between 1983-1990 and not available for purchase in any format since then -- will be screened at the festival. With its nearly 14-minute running time and feature film aesthetics, Thriller redefined the traditional video when it opened at the Avco Theatre in Los Angeles in 1983 for a sold-out three-week run. The short film was directed by John Landis (Animal House, Trading Places), who also co-wrote the script with Jackson after Michael was inspired by Landis' 1981 film An American Werewolf in London. This will mark the first time the Thriller short is ever screened in a cinema, something Landis says he and Jackson always intended. "But we didn't just restore Thriller," Landis added. "We enhanced it -- like in that scene in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy and the others are being buffed and polished inside Emerald City." Thriller remains the only music video to be inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. - Billboard, 8/7/17...... In a recent interview with DJ John Perry of Chicago's 95 WIIL Rock, Ozzy Osbourne responded to claims that rock is dead with a simple denial -- "I'm still alive." "I'm still alive," he said, "[But] I never thought in my lifetime I'd see the demise of records. I never use the computer. It's totally changed. A lot of people steal music now, so a lot of people can't afford to do it anymore." When asked about his ongoing career, Ozzy confirmed that he has no plans to retire soon. "I think I'll do this till the day I die," he continues. "It's not a job; it's a passion. It's great. It pays well." Ozzy and Black Sabbath played their final show in February of this year, at the NEC Arena in their hometown of Birmingham, UK. - New Musical Express, 8/7/17...... In an interview with the London Daily Mail on Aug. 6, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood revealed he refused to undergo chemotherapy after a recent cancer scare because he did not want to lose his hair. Wood said that the possibility of chemotherapy had been discussed but that he decided against it. "It's more I wasn't going to lose my hair," he said. "This hair wasn't going anywhere. I said, 'No way.' And I just kept the faith it would be all right." Wood, who underwent a five hour operation to have a growth in part of his lung removed earlier in 2017, added that he'd been surprised that he hadn't fallen ill sooner after his life of hedonism. "I had this thought at the back of my mind after I gave up smoking a year ago: 'How can I have got through 50 years of chain-smoking -- and all the rest of my bad habits -- without something going on in there?'" the guitarist said. Wood also told the mag that he's kicked cigarettes by using the "heavy duty" nicotine inhibitor Champix and he's fine now, and will be going for regular check-ups. Meanwhile, the Stones will kick off their upcoming 13-date No Filter Tour of Europe on Sept. 9 in Hamburg, Germany, wrapping on Oct. 22 in Paris. - New Musical Express, 8/7/17.
Paul McCartney announced on Feb. 18 that he'll be hitting the road in 2022 for his first live shows in three years. Macca's "Got Back" arena/stadium tour is slated to kick off on April 28 at Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash., his first-ever show in that city. The 13-city, 14-date outing will also find the Beatles legend playing East Rutherford, N.J.'s MetLife Stadium for the first time since 2016 on the tour's wrap date June 16. "I said at the end of the last tour that I'd see you next time. I said I was going to get back to you. Well, I got back!," McCartney, 79, said in a statement. Other stops on the 13-city, 14 date tour include Seattle (5/2, 3), Oakland, Calif. (5/6), Los Angeles (5/13), Fort Worth, Tex. (5/17), Winston Salem, N.C. (5/21), Hollywood, Fla. (5/25), Orlando, Fla. (5/28), Knoxville, Tenn. (5/31), Syracuse, N.Y. (6/4), Boston (6/7) and Baltimore (6/12). Tickets for the tour will go on sale to the general public beginning Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. local time. McCartney concluded his 39-date, 12-country "Freshen Up" tour in July 2019. - Billboard, 2/18/22...... In other Beatles-related news, a statue of the band's early manager, Brian Epstein, has been given planning permission by Liverpool council, according to a 
After revealing he is a big fan of cryptocurrency earlier in February, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons said on Feb. 20 that he'll accept cryptocurrency as payment for his Las Vegas mansion, which he recently put on the market for $13.5 million (£9.93 million). "I have been an outspoken proponent of cryptocurrency from the beginning. It is the future of money, and it just makes sense to offer interested parties the option of using cryptocurrency to purchase the estate," said Simmons, who bought the house in 2021 for $10.8 million (£7.95 million) but says that he and his family rarely stay at the property. The property, which can be viewed on 
In a new interview with The New Yorker, Stevie Nicks revealed she has nearly 50 years of meticulous journals to help jog her memory. "When I keep my journal, it's big, like a telephone book, because I always feel that that will never get lost. So what I do is I write on the right side of the page, and then on the left-hand side I write poetry, which I usually take right out of my prose," Nicks told actress/writer Tavi Gevinson. "So lots of times, when I go back to them, it's to look at the poetry for songs. I would rather spend the time writing a new journal entry than going back and reading old journal entries, because if you go back you're not going to go forward. I just try to keep going forward," Nicks said. The 73-year-old musician also opened up about her burgeoning friendship with rising singer Lorde ("a really great writer and she's really good at doing her own recorded stuff"), the very important, prescient advice she gave to pop star Katy Perry in a hotel lobby 10 years ago ("We don't have rivals. That's just ridiculous."), and what she's learned from her longtime bandmate Christine McVie. The full interview can be read at 
Although he's attracted an extremely loyal base of fans throughout his career as one of the most famous pop crooners in history, authorities in New Zealand have decided Barry Manilow's music is good for deterring protestors upset about the country's Covid-19 mandates. Some of Manilow's biggest hits, including "Mandy" and "Could It Be Magic," were played on a 15-minute loop in an attempt to disperse the crowds in Wellington on Jan. 14. Truckers and other people participating in NZ's ongoing "Freedom Convoy" congregated at the parliament building, camping out in front of the government headquarters to protest the vaccine mandate issued by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. (Similar protests originated in Canada, with a convoy of truckers making their way to Ottawa to air their grievances about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.) The federal government hit back at the unrest clogging up public spaces by putting together a playlist featuring the greatest hits of Manilow, English pop singer James Blunt, an out-of-tune version of Celine Dion's Titanic theme "My Heart Will Go On," and even Los del Rio's inescapable 1996 dance hit "Macarena." The playlist -- interspersed with promotions for Covid-19 vaccines -- was the brainchild of Trevor Mallard, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, and the decision to use the music was not made by law enforcement. However the crowds of protestors fought back by playing Twister Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It." The move is a bit ironic, given lead singer Dee Snider's full and vocal support for vaccine requirements at concerts and other live events as well as Covid-19 vaccination in general. Snider even condemned anti-mask protestors for using the song back in Sept. 2020, slamming their stance as "moronic." - Billboard, 2/14/22...... Diana Ross is among the headliners confirmed for The Los Angeles Philharmonic's upcoming celebration of the Hollywood Bowl's 100th season this summer. Beginning in June, the Hollywood Bowl will host shows with Ross, Sheryl Crow, John Fogerty, Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina, Boyz II Men, Billie Eilish, The Roots, Duran Duran, Ricky Martin, Grace Jones, TLC, and more. The venue will also feature a tribute to Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra with special guests Eilish, Debbie Harry, Diane Reeves and Brian Stokes Mitchell. The famous outdoor venue's centennial season will also feature 10 nights with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a Fourth of July fireworks celebration, and the free 101 Festival, which includes two nights of music at the Bowl and neighboring venue The Ford. In addition, the LA Phil will perform alongside beloved movies for the "Film at the Bowl" series. This year's titles will include Back to the Future, Amadeus, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 and more. In honor of the iconic venue's 100th anniversary, the LA Phil is releasing a limited-edition book, Hollywood Bowl: The First 100 Years, by Derek Taub. In addition, a vinyl box set of seven LPs will also be available featuring recordings from the Hollywood Bowl between 1928 and 2021. The book and box set will be exclusively sold at LA Phil and Hollywood Bowl stores beginning opening night. The current Hollywood Bowl season is scheduled to run from June 11 through Sept. 29. - Billboard, 2/15/22...... 
American conservative satirist P.J. O'Rourke, died on Feb. 15 of complications from lung cancer. He was 74. Known as "one of the major voices of his generation," O'Rourke defied the leftward trend of American humour -- particularly the "gonzo" style of irreverent journalism popularized by writers like Hunter S. Thompson -- by offering a more conservative, but equally cutting and iconoclastic, critique of the nation's culture and politics. O'Rourke authored over 20 boooks, including the best-sellers A Parliament of Whores and Give War a Chance. A member of the Baby Boom generation, O'Rourke first debuted on the national stage as editor of the storied humour magazine National Lampoon in the 1970s. He went on to work as a freelancer for Atlantic Monthly, Esquire and Vanity Fair, and serve as foreign-affairs desk chief for Rolling Stone. One of his more memorable lines was that Democrats promise that government will make you "smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn," while "Republicans say that government doesn't work -- then get elected and prove it." O'Rourke was a fellow at the conservative Cato Institute, but also a regular guest on the left-leaning MSNBC news network and a panellist on the the NPR faux-game show, Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. He frequently criticized Democratic presidents, but in 2016 endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton over Republican Donald Trump. "His insightful reporting, verbal acuity and gift at writing laugh-out-loud prose were unparalleled," his publisher Grove Atlantic said in a statement. A native of Toledo, Oh., O'Rourke attended college at Miami University, and earned a graduate degree in English from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He was married twice and had three children. - The BBC, 2/16/22.
Sting announced on Feb. 10 that he's selling his entire song catalog -- from his early days in The Police through his long solo career -- to the Universal Music Publishing Group. The deal brings Sting's publishing and master recordings back together under the UMG roof and gives the label group a strong hand in licensing both his Police and solo classics. While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Billboard previously reported that Sting had been shopping a music asset bundle that produced an annual royalty income stream of about $12-$13 million, and he was looking at a roughly $360 million payday. "I could never have imagined that someday I would get to lead a company that will be the guardian of Sting's remarkable songwriting legacy," UMPG chairman & CEO Jody Gerson said in a statement. "Every one of us at UMPG looks forward to this work with a sense of honor, responsibility and enormous excitement about what we can achieve for his music in the future," the statement added. For his part, Sting said: "I am delighted to have Jody and the team at UMPG curate and manage my song catalog... It is absolutely essential to me that my career's body of work have a home where it is valued and respected." That catalog includes such songs as "Roxanne," "Every Breath You Take," "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You," "Fields Of Gold," "Message in a Bottle" and "Englishman in New York." Between the Police and his solo career, Sting has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, according to UMG, which has been Sting's label home for his entire career through A&M, Interscope and Cherrytree Records. - Billboard, 2/10/22...... Neil Young has debunked an internet conspiracy theory that his music publishing is overseen by the Covid-19 manufacturer Pfizer. In a since-deleted letter posted to his NeilYoungArchives.com website, Young addressed the rumour that his recent highly publicized views on vaccines were dictated to him by Pfizer -- who, according to the conspiracy theory, own Young's music publishing. However the misunderstanding seems to stem from the fact that a former CEO at Pfizer now serves as a senior advisor for asset manager Blackstone, which currently has a partnership with music publisher Hipgnosis -- with whom Young presently works. In his letter, Young described the conspiracy theory as "clever but wrong," while also quipping "so much for Pharm Aid" -- a reference to both the common conspiracy theory trope of "big pharma" and his own charity Farm Aid. "The publishing share Hipgnosis has in my copyrights is in the Hipgnosis Songs Fund, that is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange," Young explained. "The Blackstone investment went into a separate Hipgnosis Private Fund, and none of that money was used for the Hipgnosis Songs Fund. Pfizer has not invested in Hipgnosis, but a past Pfizer CEO is a senior advisor for Blackstone," he added. The "Pharm Aid" conspiracy is part of an ongoing conservative backlash against Young -- most recently expressed by right-wing American rocker Ted Nugent, who described Young as a "stoner birdbrain punk" for his recent protest against Spotify and podcast host Joe Rogan. Speaking on his "Friday Free For All" edition of The Nightly Nuge on 
Actor Kingsley Ben-Adir has been confirmed to portray Bob Marley in a forthcoming biopic of the reggae legend. Ben-Adir, who most recently portrayed '60s activist Malcolm X in One Night in Miami, will portray Marley in the as-yet-untitled film by Paramount Pictures. It was first announced back in 2018 that a Marley biopic, produced by Ziggy Marley, was in the works, before Reinaldo Marcus Green, director of Oscar-nominated tennis drama King Richard, was revealed to be attached to the film in 2021. In an interview at the time, Green said that the film will focus on the making of Marley's classic album Exodus with The Wailers, which he recorded after moving to London following an unsuccessful assassination attempt in Jamaica. Meanwhile, an immersive Bob Marley exhibition has recently opened in London. The Marley "One Love Experience" eceived its global premiere at the Saatchi Gallery before heading out on a multi-city U.K. tour. According to a press release, the "unique experience will showcase unseen Marley photographs and memorabilia whilst immersing audiences on a journey through his lifestyle, passions, influences, and enduring legacy." - NME, 2/12/22...... On Feb. 11 Paul McCartney issued a statement through PETA to both show his support for the nonprofit animal rights organization's new "Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics European Citizen's Initiative" to uphold the ban of animal testing for cosmetic items, and vehemently oppose the European Chemical Agency's current practices. "We all thought the battle was over and that cosmetics tests on animals in Europe were a thing of the past, but sadly, that's not the case," Sir Paul's statement reads. "The European Chemicals Agency continues to demand the use of thousands of rabbits, rats, fish, and other animals in cosmetics ingredients tests. But you can help put a stop to it. No animal should suffer for beauty, so if you re an EU citizen, please go to SaveCrueltyFree.eu and sign the European Citizens Initiative to protect the ban. Signing the petition takes only a minute and it will help save lives," he added. The Beatles legend also teamed up with PETA for his 78th birthday in 2020, when a video for the organization titled "Glass Walls" showed how horrific animal slaughterhouse conditions are. Most recently he urged leaders at COP26 -- the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference -- to address that animal agriculture has a detrimental effect on the environment. - Billboard, 2/11/22...... In other Beatles-related news, the Fab Four's legendary final concert on the rooftop of Apple Corps' Savile Row headquarters on Jan. 30, 1969 is getting an extended theatrical run in the UK market in 2D beginning on Feb. 18. The concert will be optimized for IMAX screens, digitally remastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Remastering) technology. Director Peter Jackson said in a statement that he is "excited to partner with Disney to bring Get Back to an entirely new stage and give Beatles fans everywhere a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch and hear their heroes in the unrivalled sight and sound of IMAX." The 65-minute concert is included in the new Beatles documentary 
Heart legend Ann Wilson has shared a new single, "Greed," taken from her upcoming solo LP 
The veteran British rock band Status Quo says its baffled by the enduring popularity of its cover of the John Fogerty track "Rockin' All Over the World." Status Quo covered the song in 1977, and though artists including Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay and Bon Jovi have offered their take on the song over the years, Status Quo's version is viewed as the definitive one and remains one of their most popular anthems across the world. "I don't know why ours has become this classic 'raaaawk' song," Status Quo singer/guitarist Francis Rossi says. "We played Sweden Rock festival and all these people dressed head to toe in black were in front of the stage going, 'This is great!' I'm looking at them going, 'What the f---- are you thinking?... Even my dental hygienist sent me something the other day to say they were all singing it at some wedding reception," he added. Rossi recalled the band being skeptical when late SQ guitarist Rick Parfitt originally brought the track to his mates. "It sounded a bid piddly, to be honest. But me and Rick used to joke that we could Quo-up anything with a guitar on it. So that's what we did...," Rossi recalled. He added that he has particularly fond memories of kicking off their set at the legendary Live Aid charity concert in 1985 with the song. "Nobody wanted to go on first, so we went, 'F--- it, we'll do it -- get the f--- on, get the f--- off.' But when we started playing that song, there was a total sense of euphoria. Everything slotted in. The sense of love from the audience was something else." Status Quo will kick off a spring tour of the UK on Feb. 27 in Belfast, then later begin a fall run on Nov. 25 in Aberdeen. - Music-News.com, 2/6/22...... Producer-director Ivan Reitman, whose wildly successful comedies of the '70s and '80s included the madcap, wildly successful frat comedy 
Musician Ian McDonald, a multi-instrumentalist who co-founded the highly influential prog rock outfit King Crimson and later became a founding member of the hard rock group Foreigner, died on Feb. 9 at his home in New York City. He was 75. McDonald's rep said the musician "passed away peacefully [while] surrounded by his family," and while no cause of death has been officially provided, his son said he died of cancer. Born in Osterley, England on June 25, 1946, McDonald gravitated to music as a youth, learning to play multiple instruments -- guitar, keyboards and reeds -- and playing in rock bands and orchestras. "I really liked jazz -- the big bands, Stan Kenton, stuff like that," he said. "When the rock 'n' roll came around, it didn't seem like a great leap to me. There was a great energy there that appealed to me." Guitarist Robert Fripp recruited McDonald, along with drummer Michael Giles, for the first lineup of King Crimson and the recording of the landmark 
I just apply myself to whatever situation I'm in and try to make things as musical as possible. That's what I do, and that's what I look for when I produce records." McDonald was cut loose from Foreigner when Jones let half the band go in 1980, but bygones were bygones when he began playing occasional reunion dates 37 years later. "I actually left King Crimson sort of myself -- with Foreigner it was a different situation," McDonald explained. "Mick wanted to pare the group down to a four piece, so that's what happened. I didn't make the cut." He managed to stay busy, however, recording with former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett and Roxy Music/Uriah Heep/UK/Asia bassist-vocalist John Wetton. He reunited with Fripp to play on Judy Dyble's 2009 album Talking With Strangers and was also part of the 21st Century Schizoid Band with other King Crimson alumni. He worked with former King Crimson bandmate Greg Lake and Keith Emerson during their duo shows in 2019, and a guest performance with Asia in 2009 appeared on the group's Spirit of the Night: Live two years later. His first solo album, Drivers Eyes, came out during 2009, followed by Take Five Steps a decade later. Original Foreigner keyboardist Al Greenwood posted a message to his