Posted by Administrator on May 15th, 2015
The Rolling Stones will take part in their first ever Twitter Q&A on May 18, and are promising to personally respond to select questions with videos and text responses with their official @RollingStones Twitter account. "#AskTheStones! The Rolling Stones are doing their first ever twitter Q&A! Tweet us your questions, answers on Monday 10am PST/ 6pm BST," the band tweeted on May 14. The band announced on Mar. 31 that they will embark on a 15-date North American "Zip Code Tour" this summer, beginning with a May 24 show in San Diego. - NME, 5/14/15...... 
Queen guitarist Brian May will become knighted by the U.K's new king Charles III in 2023, it was announced on Dec. 30. May was among music industry professionals recognized in the 2023 New Year Honours List, an annual tradition celebrating the achievements and service of exceptional individuals from across the U.K., and receives a knighthood for services to music and his charity work. May was previously made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2005. Becoming a knight or a dame is one of the highest-ranking awards in the British honours system, followed by CBE, the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). A knighthood or damehood entitles recipients to use the title of sir or dame if they wish to do so. The Honours List awardees are presented by the reigning monarch, currently King Charles III. Record producer and businessman Millar, best known for his work with Sade, is also to be made a knight for services to music and charity. May co-founded British rock band Queen in 1970 and continues to tour and record with the group. In total, 1,107 people are recognized on the 2023 New Year Honours List, spanning all walks of life. The awarding of honours is overseen by the U.K. Cabinet Office with nominations submitted by either government departments or members of the public. A selection committee then produces a list of honourees, which is submitted to the British monarch, King Charles, for approval. - Billboard, 12/30/22...... In a new interview with Cleveland.com, AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson said that he "would be up for" writing new music with the Aussie hard rock legends. Johnson, who said he has "been told not to" talk about AC/DC's future plans by his bandmates, discussed his hopes for his own future in music. "I would love to do music again, whether it'll be guesting with somebody, whether it be actually playing live with the boys," he said. "I've heard that term 'hell freezes over' a million times before with people saying 'I'm not doing that again'. But I'd be up for it. I think everybody hopes to make more music. But I feel like now the next thing I've got is, I want to jump into my race car, put the helmet on and just go racing." In a previous interview with Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation show, Johnson revealed that he had been forbidden from speaking about what might happen in the future. Asked if he would perform with AC/DC again, he replied: "I'm not answering that. Why should I? First of all, there's five members in this band, and to ask one member isn't fair." - NME, 12/30/22...... Former Beatles Paul McCartney and the late John Lennon have notched their first Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 hit parade simultaneously for the first time since the 1980s. For the week ending Dec. 31, McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" re-entered the chart at No. 32 (after it hit No. 28 two years ago), while Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (credited to John & Yoko/The Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir) hit a new high at No. 38, which is its first time in the Top 40. McCartney and Lennon had, until now, not placed simultaneously in the US with songs outside the band since the Feb. 25, 1984, chart, when Lennon's "Nobody Told Me" surged 12-7, became his eighth and most recent top 10, and McCartney's "So Bad" ranked at No. 37. The Beatles last ranked in the Hot 100's top 40 with "Real Love" and, before that, "Free as a Bird," in 1995-96. - Billboard, 12/29/22...... Ex-Motörhead drummer Mikkey Dee has paid tribute to the late Lemmy Kilmister on the seventh anniversary of his death on Dec. 28. Posting on 
A California woman filed a sexual assault complaint against Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler on Dec. 27 under a California law that allows for long-delayed sexual abuse cases. Repeating allegations she's made publicly in the past, Julia Holcomb claims Tyler used his "power as a well-known musician and rock star" in order to "gain access to, groom, manipulate, exploit" and sexually assault her for three years starting in 1973, when she was just 16 years old. Although the lawsuit does not name Tyler, listing only an anonymous John Doe defendant, Holcomb's lawyers repeatedly quote from Tyler's memoir Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? when referring to the alleged perpetrator, who they identify as a "leading member of a world-famous rock band." "She was 16, she knew how to nasty, and there wasn't a hair on it," Tyler wrote in a provocative passage in the book and is quoted in the lawsuit. "I was so in love I almost took a teen bride." The lawsuit alleges that Tyler convinced Holcomb's parents to grant him guardianship over her -- an accusation that also came with quotes from his memoir: "I went and slept at her parents' house for a couple of nights and her parents fell in love with me, signed paper over for me to have custody, so I wouldn't get arrested if I took her out of state." The lawsuit also claims Tyler impregnated Holcomb but later "pressured and coerced" her into eventually aborting the pregnancy. Holcomb made similar accusations in a 2011 article published by the anti-abortion website LifesiteNews, and she made the same claims in 2020 during an appearance on Tucker Carlson's television show on Fox News. The new lawsuit, which included claims for sexual battery, sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotion distress, was filed just days before the expiration of California's Child Victims Act, which temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for sexual abuse lawsuits. After a three-year window of availability, the deadline to file such long-delayed lawsuits is Dec. 31. Representatives for Tyler have yet to comment on the suit. - Billboard, 12/30/22......Pink Floyd have revealed that they've raised £500,000 for humanitarian charities aiding those affected by the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war thanks to their recent benefit single "Hey Hey Rise Up." "We, like so many, have been feeling the fury and the frustration of this vile act of an independent, peaceful democratic country being invaded and having its people murdered by one of the world's major powers," Pink Floyd frontman David Gilmour said in a press statement. "I hope ["Hey Hey Rise Up"] will receive wide support and publicity. We want to raise funds for humanitarian charities, and raise morale. We want express our support for Ukraine and in that way, show that most of the world thinks that it is totally wrong for a superpower to invade the independent democratic country that Ukraine has become," he added. The track was released in Apr. 2022 as Pink Floyd's first new song in nearly three decades. At the time Gilmour, who has a Ukrainian family and had already spoken out against the war, said the track was recorded just weeks prior as a show of solidarity to those fighting against Russia's invading military. In a statement shared on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), the band confirmed that they'd reached the momentous half-million-pound milestone. £450,000 reportedly came from single sales and streaming revenue, while the remaining £50,000 was contributed by Gilmour and bandmate Nick Mason (the only other member of Pink Floyd involved in making "Hey Hey Rise Up"). The money, they wrote, will be distributed between five humanitarian charities: Hospitallers, The Kharkiv And Przemy[l Project, Vostok SOS, Kyiv Volunteer and Livyj Bereh. The band also encouraged fans to embark on their own philantrophy, writing alongside a link to a page of resources: "Let's see what else we can do this winter. It would be great if you feel able to contribute to any of these charities directly." Pink Floyd recently uploaded a suite of archival live albums from before their Dark Side Of The Moon era -- as well as a five-song EP of alternative tracks from 1972 -- to streaming services. - NME, 12/27/22...... In related news, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has recorded a message sharing his well-wishes with Ukrainian "heavy metal maniacs." In a clip posted on 
Emmy-winning newswoman and celebrity interviewer Barbara Walters, who blazed the way as the first woman to become a TV news superstar during a career remarkable for its duration and variety, died on the evening of Dec. 30 at her home in New York, according to her publicist. She was 93. During nearly four decades at ABC, and before that 12 years at NBC, Ms. Walters' exclusive interviews with rulers, royalty and entertainers brought her celebrity status that ranked with theirs, while placing her at the forefront of the trend that made stars of TV reporters. Late in her career, she gave infotainment a new twist with The View, a live ABC morning weekday show with an all-female panel for whom any topic was on the table and who welcomed guests ranging from world leaders to teen idols. With that side venture and unexpected hit, Ms. Walters once said she considered The View the "dessert" of her career. Ms. Walters made headlines in 1976 as the first female network news anchor, with an unprecedented $1 million salary that drew gasps. Her drive was legendary as she competed -- not just with rival networks, but with colleagues at her own network -- for each big "get" in a world jammed with more and more interviewers, including female journalists following in her trail. "I never expected this!" Ms. Walters said in 2004, taking stock of her success. "I always thought I'd be a writer for television. I never even thought I'd be in front of a camera." But she was a natural on camera, especially when plying notables with searing questions. "I'm not afraid when I'm interviewing, I have no fear!" Ms. Walters told the AP in 2008. In May 2014, she taped her final episode of The View amid much ceremony to end a five-decade career in television (although she continued to make occasional TV appearances ). During a commercial break, a throng of TV newswomen she had paved the way for -- including Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, Robin Roberts and Connie Chung -- posed for a group portrait. Ms. Walters' first marriage to businessman Bob Katz was annulled after a year, and her 1963 marriage to theater owner Lee Guber, with whom she adopted a daughter, ended in divorce after 13 years. Her five-year marriage to producer Merv Adelson ended in divorce in 1990. She wrote a bestselling 2008 memoir Audition, which caught readers by surprise with her disclosure of a "long and rocky affair" in the 1970s with married U.S. Sen. Edward Brooke. Ms. Walters' self-disclosure reached another benchmark in May 2010 when she made an announcement on The View that, days later, she would undergo heart surgery. She would feature her successful surgery -- and those of other notables, including Clinton and David Letterman -- in a primetime special. She is survived by her daughter, Jacqueline Danforth. Among the numerous musicians and celebrities paying tribute to the TV legend on social media include Paul McCartney, Jennifer Hudson, Barbra Streisand and Paris Hilton. - AP, 12/30/22...... Pelé Ginga, the legendary Brazilian soccer player who won a record three World Cups and was undeniably part of the pop culture (appearing even on The Simpsons), passed away on Dec. 29 in São Paulo, according to his agent, Joe Fraga. He was 82. Known as one of the world's greatest atheletes, he had been treated for colon cancer since 2021 and was hospitalized for the past month, according to the AP. Pelé was also a singer-songwriter, and he got his music published over the years too, from the 1977 LP Pelé to his single "Acredita No Vio (Listen To The Old Man)," featuring Rodrigo and Gabriela, just two years ago. Pelé's song "Esperana," an upbeat pagode song about youth performed with a children's choir, was written by him in honor of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. - Billboard, 12/29/22...... 
Canadian country singer Ian Tyson, known for such notable singles as "Four Strong Winds" (covered by Neil Young among many others), "The Old Double Diamond," "Someday Soon" and "You Were on My Mind" (the latter of which he sang alongside Sylvia), passed away on Dec. 29 on his ranch in southern Alberta, Canada. He was 89. Mr. Tyson was an integral figure in the Canadian folk scene, making his official debut to the world of country in 1956 at the Heidelberg Cafe in Vancouver in 1956. He would go to play with a rock and roll band called The Sensational Stripes. After meeting Sylvia Fricker in 1959 the pair would perform as Ian & Sylvia, graduating from part-time performers to becoming a full fledged musical act in 1961, and marrying each other by 1964. The duo then began performing with the assistance of a band, founding and fronting the group The Great Speckled Bird in 1969. By 1989, Mr. Tyson was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, alongside Sylvia -- whom he divorced from in 1975 -- in 1992. Two years later in 1994, Mr. Tyson was granted the honor of becoming a Member of the Order of Canada in 1994; he also received Governor General's Performing Arts Award and was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2003 and 2006 respectively. - Billboard, 12/29/22...... Trailblazing English fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, known as the "Queen of Punk Design," died "peacefully and surrounded by her family," in Clapham, South London, on Dec. 29. She was 81 years old. Ms. Westwood was born in Glossop, England, on April 8, 1941, and was a schoolteacher when she married Derek Westwood in 1962. The couple divorced 1965, and shared a son named Ben. She soon met her brother's friend, Malcolm McLaren, and began dating. They welcomed a son, Joe, and opened a small clothing store together that changed its name over the years, from Let It Rock and Sex to Seditionaires and finally, Worlds End. McLaren also managed the Sex Pistols, and Ms. Westwood became the band's outfitter. After her relationship with McLaren ended, Ms. Westwood created her eponymous brand which masterfully combined elements of history with a provocative, modern twist. The designer rose to prominence in the fashion world in the 1970s, thanks to her anti-establishment punk styles and controversial, androgynous designs. The new wave style icon was also a passionate activist, and frequently channeled issues like climate change into her runway looks. - Billboard, 12/29/22.
A Paul Simon TV tribute called Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon aired on CBS on Dec. 21, and participants on the two-hour special including Elton John, Dustin Hoffman and Herbie Hancock, who spoke warmly about Simon's songs. Elton called Simon "one of the greatest songwriters of all time" and recalled early days when he and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin would sit "on the floor with our headphones listening to [Simon & Garfunkel's] Bookends just in complete awe of the songs -- the way you wrote the songs and the sounds. As a songwriter, you are the bees' knees." Hoffman, whose signature role was 1967's The Graduate which Simon scored, said, "Quite simply, The Graduate would not be The Graduate without Simon's songs." Herbie Hancock said, "Paul Simon is a truly global citizen of this musical world -- a daring and visionary artist who is open to our entire musical universe." Among those performing Simon's songs during the special were Dave Matthews, Eric Church, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks and Bonnie Raitt, with the man of the hour himself, Simon, closing out the show with performances of "The Sound of Silence, "Graceland" and "American Tune." Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon is available to stream on demand on Paramount+. - Billboard, 12/22/22...... As the 20th anniversary of the death of late The Clash frontman Joe Strummer occurred on Dec. 22, a group of his fans marked the milestone by busking in front of a mural of Strummer painted on the side of a bar in New York's East Village named Niagara. Strummer died on Dec. 22, 2002 from an undiagnosed heart defect at age 50. Meanwhile, Strummer's widow, Lucinda Tait, has revealed that the late punk legend hoped to reform The Clash for a performance in 2003, just months before his unexpected death. Shortly before Strummer died, The Clash were announced as inductees for the 2003 class of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. That was followed by a surprise reunion between Strummer and his former Clash co-frontman, Mick Jones, during a benefit concert in London -- the first time they'd performed together since May of 1983. That brief reunion may have signalled a proper comeback for The Clash, as Tait recently said in an interview with the online music mag Consequence: "Joe definitely wanted The Clash to play at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame." Tait conceded, however, that no plans had been formalized between the band themselves, with Strummer apparently making it clear to herthat the prospect "was all dependent on everybody wanting to do it," which "was not a given." Nevertheless, she continued: "I think he would have liked it. Yes, I think he would have liked The Clash to have played at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Earlier in 2022, a new box set featuring music by Strummer and his post-The Clash band The Mescaleros was released. Joe Strummer 002: The Mescaleros Years dropped on Sept. 16 via Dark Horse Records and was the first time a comprehensive anthology of the band's work had been collated. Prior to that release, The Clash shared a new special edition of their Combat Rock album in May, featuring 12 additional tracks compiled by the surviving members of the iconic band. - New Musical Express, 12/22/22...... 
The ongoing feud between members of Journey received a new wrinkle on Dec. 22 when Journey guitarist Neal Schon filed a cease and desist order to his bandmate, keyboardist Jonathan Cain, over a November 2022 performance at former president Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago resort. During the show, Cain performed the band's iconic hit "Don't Stop Believin'" at the Florida complex with Trump and Trump acolytes including Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Kari Lake in attendance. In a letter to Cain -- whose wife Paula White-Cain is a former "spiritual advisor" to Trump -- Schon's lawyer wrote: "Although Mr. Cain is free to express his personal beliefs and associations, when he does that on behalf of Journey or for the band, such conduct is extremely deleterious to the Journey brand as it polarises the band's fans and outreach. Journey is not, and should not be, political. Mr. Cain's unauthorised affiliation of Journey with the politics of Donald Trump has the band's fans up in arms, as is demonstrated by a sample of the attached emails and Twitter comments. This has caused, and continues to cause, irreparable harm to the Journey brand, its fan base and earning potential, especially in light of the forthcoming tour.... He should not be capitalising on Journey's brand to promote his personal political or religious agenda to the detriment of the band." In response, Cain said: "Schon is just frustrated that he keeps losing in court and is now falsely claiming the song has been used at political rallies." Schon previously sued Cain in November over allegations that he was refused access to the band's credit card, with Cain responding by alleging that Schon added over $1 million (£ 830,000) in personal expenses to the card in question. - NME, 12/22/22...... In a new interview with SiriusXM's The Beatles Channel, Paul McCartney said it was difficult for him to properly grieve and put into words what John Lennon meant to him after his former Beatles bandmate was killed in late 1980, and he helped process it by writing the song "Here Today" on his 1982 solo album Tug of War. "It was difficult for everyone in the world, 'cause he was such a loved character, and such a crazy guy. He was so special. It had hit me, so much so that I couldn't really talk about it," McCartney said, explaining that he felt unable to share in the mass outpourings of tributes and collective grieving that took place following Lennon's death. "I remember getting home from the studio on the day that we'd heard the news he died, and turning the TV on, and seeing people say, 'Well, John Lennon was this,' and, 'What he was was this,' and, 'I remember meeting him then.' It was like, 'I don't know, I can't be one of those people. I can't just go on TV and say what John meant to me.' It was just too deep. It [was] just too much. I couldn't put it into words." McCartney then went on to describe how, after some time, "once the emotions had sort of settled a little bit," he was partially able to process Lennon's death through writing "Here Today," which closes out the first side of Tug Of War. The song's lyrics imagine what Lennon's answers to hypothetical questions McCartney posted would be. "I was in a building that would become my recording studio, and there were just a couple of little empty rooms upstairs," McCartney said. "So, I found a room and just sat on the wooden floor in a corner with my guitar, and just started to play the opening chords to 'Here Today'." The entire interview can be heard on 
Brian May has hit back at criticism of 25-year-old rocker Yungblud's performance of Queen's "We Are The Champions." May, 75, was recently flooded with people's opinions, many of them derogatory, after he re-shared Yungblud's rendition of the 1977 hit for Apple Music, which he hailed "very classy." He had captioned the clip: "Every now and then, while idly scrolling in the park, you come upon something that makes you go 'wow.' And you just have to press that 'follow' button. Very classy." May compared the negative comments to those the late frontman Freddie Mercury received in the early days of joining Queen. Responding to the hater, he wrote: "Well, this has been an eye-opener for me. I'm smiling quietly at all the 'no' comments. I remember so clearly the same kind of derision being poured on Freddie when we started out as Queen. As soon as I see someone who can inspire such strong reactions, positive and negative, I'm sure this person is a star performer." He added: "But just carry on kicking if you need to; perhaps it will make you feel better! I think the rest of us will keep an open mind." The high praise from May comes after another rock icon, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, honored Yungblud for carrying the torch for rock 'n' roll in the 21st century by presenting him with a guitar inspired by the late Buddy Holly's Gibson J-45. Yungblud said it was a "dream come true" to be recognized by Jagger, and that he's keen to work with the Stones now. "I'd love that," he said. "We're in contact, we've met and if the opportunity arises, absolutely." - Music-News.com, 12/21/22...... Dolly Parton has expounded on a "secret song" she wrote and placed in a time capsule to be unearthed when she reaches age 99, but now says it has "driven her crazy." The song was written and recorded for the opeining of the country legend's Dollywood DreamMore resort and was buried in a time capsule. The theme park's staff have been strictly instructed not to touch the capsule, which is not set to be dug up till the theme park's 30th anniversary in 2045. Parton will be 99 when the song is dug up, and she revealed that she was impatient for it to be unearthed because "I might be there, I might not be!" "You have no idea how that has bothered me. I wanna go dig that up so bad. It's a really good song!" the country superstar told host Kelly Clarkson during a recent appearance on her syndicated show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. "They weren't expecting me to be there at all, and I probably won't be. I might be there, who knows," Dolly told Clarkson. "I figure it'll probably disintegrate and nobody will ever hear it, that's what bothers me, to think that it's going to be a song that nobody's ever gonna hear, if it rots in there before they open it." Parton first discussed the song's existence in her 2020 book Songteller: My Life In Lyrics. At the time, she described placing the song in the capsule as "like burying one of my kids, putting it on ice or something, and I won't be around to see it brought back to life." - NME, 12/21/22...... 
Legendary "Sound of Philadelphia" producer and songwriter Thom Bell passed away on Dec. 22 in Bellingham, Wash. He was 79 years old. Throughout the late '60s and early '70s, Bell wrote and produced a number of hits, particularly with The Delfonics, The Stylistics and The Spinners. Some of his most well-known works include The Delfonics' "La-La Means I Love You," The Stylistics' "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)," "You Are Everything" and 
Elton John appeared before a US Senate appropriations subcomittee on foreign operations in Washington, D.C. on May 7 to urge the panel to help eradicate AIDS by funding a global program to fight the disease. "The Aids epidemic is not over, and America's continued leadership is critical," Sir Elton told the legislators. "You have the power to maintain America's historic commitment to leading the global campaign against this disease. I'm here today to ask you to use that power." John, who founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, has said he believes US congressional support could help bring about the end of the disease in his lifetime, and he told the panel that "America's continued leadership is critical." "You have the power to maintain America's historic commitment to leading the global campaign against this disease. I'm here today to ask you to use that power," he added. The event was set up to discuss plans for HIV/Aids relief fund Pepfar, which was established in 2003 and renewed in 2008 by Pres. George W. Bush's administration. - New Musical Express, 5/7/15...... Rapper Kayne West met with Cher as the two attended the Met Gala in New York on May 4 and thanked her for popularising Auto-Tune, which she used in her 1998 smash "Believe." West's wife, Kim Kardashian, posted an image of the encounter on Instagram, and Cher told her Twitter fans that she enjoyed meeting the couple, describing Kardashian as "very gracious" and stating that West "thanked me for Autotune." She added: "They were sweet, & seemed 2 be having fun." West first ventured into the world of Auto-Tune with his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak. He also adopted the technique for his additional albums My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Yeezus. - NME, 5/7/15...... Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne has joined the board of directors of music royalty collectors SoundExchange, with aims of securing the "long-term value of music." Byrne has spoken previously about the effect the internet has had on the music industry. In his new position at SoundExchange, he will sit amongst other artists and record label representatives, and advocate for new policy on streaming. Byrne says he is aiming to "fight on behalf of all creators for fairness and the long-term value of music," using his experience as a musician to his advantage. Meanwhile, Byrne will curate this year's Meltdown festival at London's Southbank Centre, which takes place between Aug. 17-28. - NME, 5/9/15...... 
Fans of late The Doors frontman Jim Morrison have begun a campaign to preserve his childhood home in Albuquerque, N.M., and designate it as a historical site to be placed among a list of tourist attractions in the city. "Living in Albuquerque for a while, I think he should have a spot here," says Doors historian Anthony Gomez, who added Morrison spent several important years in the city before his family relocated to Alexandria, Virginia. Morrison lived in Albuquerque and attended Monroe and Wilson middle schools from age 12 to 14 while his father, George S. Morrison, worked at Kirtland Air Force Base. In the biography No One Here Gets Out Alive, Morrison speaks of witnessing a car accident in the desert involving an American Indian family where some might have died. The accident, which likely happened in New Mexico, was dramatized in the Oliver Stone-directed movie The Doors, and is thought to have later influenced his songs, poetry and interviews. Morrison, who was born in Florida, died in July 1971 at the age of 27 in a Paris bathtub. - AP, 5/6/15...... Country music legend Willie Nelson confirms the rumor that he once smoked pot on the roof of the White House in Washington, D.C., in his new autobiography 
Movie production companies White Horse Pictures and Studiocanal have announced they will launch international sales of a new Beatles documentary directed by Ron Howard that will focus on the Fab Four's touring years -- presenting unseen footage from early performances -- at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. The untitled film, first announced in July 2014, is produced with the full cooperation of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison. White Horse's Nigel Sinclair, Scott Pascucci and Brian Grazer of Imagine Entertainment are producing with Howard; exec producers include Apple Corps Ltd.'s Jeff Jones and Jonathan Clyde, along with Imagine's Michael Rosenberg and White Horse's Guy East. Howard's film is aimed at exploring The Beatles' inner world -- how they made decisions, how they related to each other -- along with their musical ability and complementary personalities. Footage will include performances at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, engagements in Hamburg and their final public concert in Candlestick Park in San Francisco in 1966. The Beatles' Ed Sullivan Show appearance in 1964 caused their popularity to explode. When the band stopped touring, they had performed 166 concerts in 15 countries and 90 cities. This project was originally brought to Apple Corps by One Voice One World, which had invited Beatles fans to send in clips of home movies and photos. - Variety, 5/5/15...... A dispute over the health and wealth of ailing blues guitar legend B.B. King was tossed out of a Nevada court on May 7 by a judge in Las Vegas who said two investigations found no evidence that King was being abused. The ruling in Clark County Family Court keeps the 89-year-old musician's longtime business manager, Laverne Toney, in legal control of his affairs. Three of King's 11 surviving children -- Karen Williams, Rita Washington and Patty King -- said outside court they suspect Toney is stealing money and neglecting King's medical needs while blocking them from seeing their father in home hospice care. They vowed to keep fighting. "We lost the battle, but we haven't lost the war," Williams vowed. Toney and B.B. King's lead lawyer, Brent Bryson, denied the allegations, said visits can be scheduled as they've always been, and called the sisters' efforts a money grab. "It's all about money," Bryson said. "Mr. King is no longer out able to tour at this particular time so there's no money coming in. The only way they can get money now is by filing a frivolous type of action." King was married several times and had 15 biological and adoptive children, four of which have died. His eldest surviving daughter, Shirley King, who tours as "Daughter of the Blues," said the dispute between family members and Toney has been months in the making. - AP, 5/7/15...... 
Errol Brown, the lead singer and co-founder of '70s funk band Hot Chocolate, died on the morning of May 6 after a battle with liver cancer. He was 71. Brown penned Hot Chocolate's biggest hit, 
Eric Clapton celebrated his milestone 70th birthday on May 1 by rocking New York City's Madison Square Garden before a sold-out crowd. Helping out Slowhand at his birthday party (though he actually turned 70 on Mar. 30) were a few of his guitar-playing friends, including John Mayer, Jimmy Vaughan and Derek Trucks, as well as vocalist/keyboardist Paul Carrack, who performed "You Are So Beautiful," popularized by late Clapton friend Joe Cocker. Clapton also dedicated a song to his beloved mentor, 89-year-old B.B. King, who earlier in the day announced that he is in hospice care in Las Vegas. Clapton, as usual, kept his loyal fans entranced, thrilling with songs like "I Shot the Sheriff," "Crossroads" and "Layla," and "Cocaine." "I want to thank you for helping me celebrate," he said as the show ended. "This is the best birthday I ever had." - AP, 5/4/15...... Elton John has extended his worldwide tour Down Under for a series of winery and arena dates in Australia this winter. The addition to Elton's "All The Hits Tour" will start Dec. 5 at the Hope Estate winery, then he'll visit Brisbane (12/8), Melbourne (12/11), Geelong (12/12), and Adelaide (12/15) before wrapping on Dec. 19 in Sydney. Since playing his first ever show in Oz on Oct. 17, 1971 in Perth, the British rock legend has played Australia 179 times. Elton also married sound engineer Renate Blauel in Sydney back in 1984 (the marriage last three years). "Australia has been one of my favorite countries to tour in ever since my first visit there at the start of my world-wide career in 1971," Elton said in a statement. "Some of my most memorable concerts have taken place in venues all across the continent. The Australian audiences always seem to bring out the best in us, and I am certain there will be many more fantastic evenings when we visit in December," he added. In the interim, John will kick off a European tour on May 31 at the Kent Event Centre in the U.K., then travel across the pond for a U.S. trek to begin Aug. 8 at the Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena. - Billboard, 5/4/15...... In other news Down Under, longtime AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has spoken publicly for the first time following his recent arrest and subsequent exit from the band. Speaking to Australia's A Current Affair, TV show, Rudd said: "I was pretty stressed at the time. I got back [to Australia] and the people who I had working for me for this [album] launch -- it was a total f---ing disaster. So I was really pissed off." The musician, who has been replaced by former drummer Chris Slade in the band's current line-up, also addressed his departure from the group. "I wrote them a letter, I tried to get in contact with Angus [Young, guitarist]... I've had no contact with anybody. I'm very disappointed... But, you know, that's life. I'm sure they're having a great old time I'm sure they're really enjoying playing. I'm sure it really sounds great." Rudd also seemed keen on rejoining the band in the future, saying "There'll be another tour and another and I'll be on it. It'll go until we all die. We'll probably all have to be dead before it stops... I've seen the errors of my ways... It's onward and upward from here." - New Musical Express, 5/5/15...... 
Southern Rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd say they're planning on releasing a new LP sometime in 2016. Guitarist Gary Rossington, the sole surviving original member of the group, says "the record business is so different now, but they want us to do a new album with new material and we're gonna do it." Rossington continued: "We've been writing it a little bit here and there, and through the years we've written songs we never really used 'cause we didn't have enough time to record them. So we're gonna get do some new material here. I'm not sure when it's gonna come out; it'll probably end up being next year 'cause we're so busy with material this year, but we hope to record it in the fall." If a new album materializes, it will be the follow-up to 2012's Last of a Dyin' Breed, which debuted at No. 14 on Billboard's Hot 200 album chart. In the meantime, Skynyrd will release 
James Taylor debuted a new single, "Angels of Fenway," at the legendary Boston baseball venue on May 3. The song was played on the P.A.system before the Red Sox' game against the New York Yankees, accompanied by a video with highlights of the century-old rivalry. "Angels of Fenway, hear our prayer," the chorus goes. "We have been chastened. We have been patient." The song follows his Red Sox fandom through three generations, from the sale of Babe Ruth to the team's cathartic 2004 World Series title. Taylor says he inherited his love for the team from his father and grandmother, and said he continued to follow the team after his family moved from there to North Carolina. He returned for high school in the Boston suburb of Milton -- during the lean years of the early 1960s -- and said he became a Fenway regular in the '90s through his wife's friendship with Boston Symphony Orchestra conductor Seiji Ozawa. Taylor added he has sung at Fenway Park about a half-dozen times, including the national anthem before Game 2 of the 2004 World Series. He is scheduled to play a concert at the ballpark with Bonnie Raitt on Aug. 6. - AP, 5/3/15...... Fleetwood Mac fans will remember how the University of Southern California marching band famously backed the '70s rock stars on their track "Tusk" in 1979, and Mac singer/guitarist Lindsey Buckingham appeared at USC's Bovard Auditorium on Apr. 29 for a two-hour speech interspersed with several performances, including "Never Going Back Again," "Go Your Own Way," and "Tusk" with the current USC marching band. "It's a great time for Fleetwood Mac," Buckingham said, crediting the return of Christine McVie. "It's a very karmic time for the band, in that if you look at this perhaps as the beginning of the last act then it's very appropriate for her to return," he said. "[And] we're playing to many generations of people and they all seem to be enjoying it the same." Before the night ended, students got to ask questions, one of which wondered whether today's artists will have the staying power of Fleetwood Mac. In his answer, Buckingham referenced current pop sensation Taylor Swift. "I actually like Taylor Swift," he said. "I admire what she's been able to do on some levels. There are a ton of really good people out there. I don't think music is any less vital. I think it's a little harder to churn out interfaces with sociology. When I was a kid and Elvis Presley broke through to a middle class, white audience, it was a sociological phenomenon that lasted through the Beatles and even a bit through Fleetwood Mac," he added. - Billboard, 5/1/15...... It has been announced that the Grateful Dead's last-ever concert will be screened in U.K. cinemas this summer. The band's final outing will be shown at 250 cinemas across the U.K. on July 6, the day after the band plays its farewell concert at Chicago's Soldier Field, where their last performance with late frontman Jerry Garcia took place in July 1995. Venues are still to be announced, with tickets going on sale on May 13. - NME, 5/5/15...... The 2015 Billboard Music Awards will feature a performance by Van Halen. The event, set for the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on May 17, will also be telecast on ABC beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT. The lineup of performers also includes previously announced acts Kelly Clarkson, Hozier, Nick Jonas, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith. - Billboard, 5/1/15...... 
Speaking to the London Times on May 3, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters argued that the perceived "takeover by Silicon Valley" has meant that it's hard for modern musicians to make a living. "I feel enormously privileged to have been born in 1943 and not 1983," Waters said. "To have been around when there was a music business and the takeover by Silicon Valley hadn't happened, and in consequence, you could still make a living writing and recording songs and playing them to people. When this gallery of rogues and thieves had not yet injected themselves between the people who aspire to be creative and their potential audience and steal every f----ing cent anybody ever made." Waters also declared that a reunion of the surviving classic '70s Pink Floyd lineup is "out of the question." "Life after all gets shorter and shorter the closer you get to the end of it and time becomes more and more precious and in my view should be entirely devoted to doing the things you want to do. One can't look backwards," he said. In November, Pink Floyd secured their first No. 1 album since 1995 with its latest -- and apparently final -- album The Endless River. - NME, 5/3/15...... In an interview with Britain's The Sun newspaper on Mar. 30, Paul McCartney drew similarities between his recent writing sessions with rapper Kanye West and those he held with late bandmate John Lennon. "When I wrote with John, he would sit down with a guitar. I would sit down. We'd ping-pong till we had a song. (Writing with West) was like that. We sat around and talked an awful lot just to break the ice. One of the stories I told him about was how I happened to have written Let It Be. My mom came to me in a dream when she'd died years previously. I was in a bit of a state - it was in the sixties and I was overdoing it. In the dream she said, 'Don't worry it's all going to be fine, just let it be.' And I woke up and thought, 'Woah' and wrote the song." Sir Paul collaborated with West earlier in 2015 on two songs, "Only One," a homage to the "Stronger" hitmaker's late mother Donda, and "FourFiveSeconds," a collaboration with Rihanna. - WENN.com, 5/1/15...... An attorney for Joni Mitchell said on May 4 that the ailing singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell may be released from the hospital in a few days. Attorney Alan Watenmaker cited Mitchell's possible release as the reason for why one of the singer's longtime friends needed to be appointed as her conservator during a court hearing earlier in the day. A judge agreed and gave Leslie Morris emergency powers to make decisions about Mitchell's health care and lifestyle. Morris, Mitchell's friend of more than 40 years, recently petitioned to become the Grammy winner's conservator because there are no relatives who could serve. Morris' petition, accompanied by a doctor's statement, stated that Mitchell was unconscious and unable to participate in her care. Mitchell's official website has said she is expected to make a full recovery. - AP, 5/4/15...... 
R&B legend Ben E. King, best known for his hit song 
Organizers of the annual "A Capitol Fourth" Independence Day celebration announced on June 13 that Barry Manilow will headline the event. The famous '70s crooner will perform a patriotic medley he first performed nearly 30 years ago for the reopening of the Statue of Liberty. The concert at the U.S. Capitol, attended by thousands of visitors, leads up to a massive fireworks display on the National Mall and is simulcast on PBS and NPR stations across the country. Other performers have not yet been announced. - AP, 6/13/15...... The Rolling Stones' 
Van Morrison was knighted by Britain's Queen Elizabeth on June 12 for his services to music and tourism in Northern Ireland, the inspiration for many of his classics. Morrison was born in Belfast, and many of his wistful, mystical songs are set on the streets of the city. The acclaimed Celtic crooner is among more than 1,000 people recognized by the queen in her annual Birthday Honors list, and joins his fellow previously knighted countrymen Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger and several others in the British pantheon. Others knighted this year include actors Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock), Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Twelve Years a Slave), and Kevin Spacey (American Beauty). - AP, 6/12/15...... Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson has told a Niagara Falls newspaper that the Canadian power trio's current 40th anniversary tour of North America could be their last. "This tour is the first tour where we're really looking at it that way," Lifeson said. "It's a lot tougher at 61 than it was at 21. And we're all feeling the aches and pains of our advancing years. I have had arthritis for a long time and it's just a little more in the forefront, in terms of my hands. And you know [drummer] Neil's [Peart] had this chronic tendonitis in his arm and his shoulders are starting to feel it, you know he plays so hard, so it only stands to reason that you need to warm up, you need to get in shape." Lifeson added that the band members work out in a gym "four or five times a week" and don't just "sit around eating chips and smoking pot." But Lifeson says he doesn't see Rush disbanding anytime soon, and would consider multiple night residencies at such venues as Radio City and Massey Hall. - New Musical Express, 6/13/15...... As the ABBA musical "Mama Mia!" prepares to finally end its epic 14-year run on Broadway in September after grossing a mind-boggling $2 billion from more than 40 international stage adaptations, the Swedish quartet's Bjorn Ulvaeus said in a recent rare interview that you'll never see an ABBA reunion tour. "I don't know if ever those speculations will stop," said Ulvaeus. "But it's kind of good to be the only group that never came back. Because I think we're virtually the only group that could have a reunion that hasn't had one." Ulvaeus hasn't recorded a song under the ABBA banner since 1982, and he and his fellow bandmates have fiercely maintained in the 33 years since that they never intend to do that again. Ulvaeus also said there was "a huge resistance from me and the rest of us" for the new ABBA Museum in Stockholm which opened in 2013, "but the City of Stockholm wanted it, and it seemed to be a good thing for Stockholm, and anything that's good for Stockholm I'm for it." He also teased that "There might be another musical in us, you never know." - Billboard, 6/11/15...... Speaking of Sweden, Emmylou Harris was among the honorees of Sweden's Polar Music Prize on June 9 in Stockholm. Harris gave an emotional acceptance speech that moved the assemblage to tears as she concluded, "I have only one regret on this magical evening, that my beloved parents, Walter and Eugenia, did not live to share this with me. It didn't matter to them if I was successful or not, they only cared for my happiness. Their unconditional love carried me through good times and bad and will abide with me whatever the future holds, 'til my journey ends." - Billboard, 6/9/15...... 
Former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty, who has embarked on a 41-city summer tour of the U.S., says he has no plans to reunite with remaining members of the band. "Through the years I have left that question open. I think it's safe to say the longer time you spend on the earth the more you realize you don't know everything that's gonna happen, but the other fellas recently made it difficult for me to do it," the 70-year-old musician told the Associated Press on June 11. Fogerty is also prepping the release of his memoir named after one of CCR's most famous songs, 
Peter Frampton has teamed up with AxCent Tuning Systems LLC to promote a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdfunder.com to raise $1 million to manufacture and market an affordable, mass-consumer edition of its Performer computer-controlled guitar tuning system. The device resides inside the guitar and makes use of an external app, allowing players to change tuning in seconds and without having to switch instruments. In addition the Frampton, the tuner has been used by such guitarists as Jimmy Page, Graham Nash, Tom Keifer and Mark Slaughter. "I've been a gadget freak and therefore an engineer for my own records for many, many years," Frampton says. "It's very interesting to me." Meanwhile, Frampton is on the road this summer with Cheap Trick and his own headlining shows, and says he has recorded nine songs so far for a new album he hopes to have ready for release later this year or in early 2016. - Billboard, 6/10/15...... Fleetwood Mac was forced to cancel a gig in Manchester, UK, on June 12 on their current European tour due to illness. The group posted on the Manchester Arena website announced the cancellation, and said that the "July 1 show will go ahead as planned." The band are also due to headline gigs in London, Glasgow and Leeds later this summer. - NME, 6/12/15...... AC/DC tour manager Garry Van Egmond has confirmed that estranged band drummer Phil Rudd will not be joining AC/DC for their upcoming gigs in New Zealand. In April, Rudd pleaded guilty to charges of threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis. Rudd has been unable to play live with AC/DC on their current world tour as he awaits trial. However, he could theoretically play with the band in New Zealand this December as he lives in the country. Van Egmond added that there was "no confirmation that Phil has left the band permanently" but added: "All I can say is that Phil will not be playing in the New Zealand concerts." Rudd was due to be sentenced on the recent charges on June 26, but the verdict was recently pushed back to July 9. - NME, 6/11/15...... The Tubes have announced a 40th anniversary tour of the UK with a 9-date trek that kicks off in Bristol on Aug. 3. The San Francisco-based rock band, who are best rememberd for their 1983 single "She's a Beauty," will also visit Brighton (8/4), Southampton (8/6), London (8/7), Manchester (8/8), Glasgow (8/9), Leeds (8/11), Edinburch (8/12) and Wolverhampton (8/13). In 1977 the Tubes toured the UK, but many of their shows were banned due to British censorship (their 1975 debut album included the controversial rock anthem "White Punks on Dope"). - Noble PR, 6/10/15...... Former The Little House on the Praire star Melissa Gilbert has been charged by the Internal Revenue Service for failing to pay more than $360,000 in federal income taxes. The IRS reportedly filed a tax lien against Gilbert in February and details emerged after she recently announced that her family was moving from a rented home in Howell, Michigan, to another area home. Gilbert blames the 2011-2013 tax debt on a stalled acting career, the economy and divorce. In a statement to the Detroit News, she says that "like so many people across the nation, the recession hit me hard" and there was a "perfect storm of financial difficulty for me." She added that she's negotiated a payment plan with the IRS. - AP, 6/12/15...... 
Jim Ed Brown, a member of the country music trio The Browns and a star of the Grand Ole Opry for more than a half-century, died on June 11 after a battle with lung cancer in a Franklin, Tenn., hospital near Nashville. He was 81. Mr. Brown was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in March with his sisters Maxine and Bonnie, and The Browns' 1959 crossover smash 
Christopher Lee, the mystical British actor whose haunting, intimidating performances as Count Dracula, the Frankenstein monster and Fu Manchu made him an icon of horror films and the cinematic embodiment of villainy, died on June 7 at Westminster Hospital in London of respiratory problems and heart failure. He was 93. Mr. Lee, who as bad guy Scaramanga battled Roger Moore's James Bond in 1974's 
A modern-style Oregon house once owned by Steve Miller Band principal Steve Miller has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Architectural historian Diana Painter of Oregon's Historic Preservation Office says the house, which was designed by architect and UC Berkley faculty member Winifred Scott Wellington and built in 1951 just outside Williams, is admired as "one of the finest examples of post-World War II modern-style architectural design in southern Oregon and a rare example in Josephine County," according to architectural historian Diana Painter. Miller owned the house from 1976 to 1986. It is now owned by a nonprofit foundation founded by William J. and Sarah Wagner that operates the 400-acre property as a nature center, botanical garden, school and community center. - AP, 6/8/15...... Aretha Franklin performed at a memorial service for her late father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin, at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit on June 7. The Sunday service featuring gospel music and a free soul food buffet, with several people sharing their memories of Franklin's father and her brother, the Rev. Cecil Franklin. The "Queen of Soul" appeared nearly two hours into the service to perform the gospel tune "The Old Ship of Zion," with some in the audience crying. C.L. Franklin would have turned 100 this year, according to the Detroit News. - AP, 6/8/15...... The iconic '60s girl group The Supremes will be the focus of a new exhibit at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on June 25. Legends of Motown: Celebrating the Supremes will chronicle the trio's legendary reign through rare artifacts from the private collection of founding member Mary Wilson. On June 24, Wilson will take center stage for the museum's interview/Q&A series, "A Conversation With." Founded as the Primettes in Detroit by Wilson, Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, The Supremes became the most popular female group of the '60s thanks to a string of No. 1 R&B and pop hits including "Where Did Our Love Go?," "Baby Love" and "Stop! In the Name of Love." The exhibit will run through spring 2016. - Billboard, 6/5/15...... Legendary Queen of Funk Chaka Khan was the featured performer on the opening night (June 3) of Celebrate Brooklyn's 37th season. Khan, 62, heated up the unseasonably chilly park with an 18-song set that spanned her greatest hits, while showcasing her still-vibrant voice on tunes such as "I Feel For You," "I'm Every Woman," "Tell Me Something Good" and "Everlasting Love." - Billboard, 6/4/15...... Carlos Santana and his wife and band member Cindy Blackman performed the National Anthem before game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 7 at the Golden State Warriors ' Oracle Arena. The Santanas belted out a Jimi Hendrix-esque version of the "Star-Spangled Banner" on drums and electric guitar, and there wasn't a lyric to be heard. The pair also posed with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. - Billboard, 6/7/15...... 
Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson is in the midst of a press tour to promote his new biopic Love & Mercy, which premiered in US theaters on June 5. Wilson, 72, has been rushing to screenings, giving interviews and posing for photos at a Los Angeles hotel and says the new movie is "a trip." "The first time I watched it, it was like a real test for my emotions," Wilson said in his typical clipped diction. "It portrays me so well that I felt like I was being pushed into the movie. Ten years in the making, Love & Mercy stars Paul Dano and John Cusak at different periods in his life and takes an unflinching look at the musician's powerful creative energy and debilitating mental illness. Wilson, who released his latest studio LP 
Pink Floyd's David Gilmour has announced his new solo album, Rattle That Lock, will be released in September 2015 and feature collaborations with Roxy Music's Phil Manzanera, Jools Holland and Gilmour's own wife, Polly Sampson. During an event at the 2015 Borris House Festival of Writing and Ideas in Carlow, Ireland on June 5, Gilmour performed two new songs from the upcoming LP, "Girl With A Yellow Dress" and "Boots On The Ground." Gilmour will tour the UK and Europe behind the new LP for the first time in nine years beginning in Croatia on Sept. 12 and visiting various cities in Europe before heading to the UK for three consecutive nights at London's Royal Albert Hall on Sept. 23-25. Gilmour and Pink Floyd topped the UK album charts in 2014 with the release of Pink Floyd's final album, The Endless River, which was the band's first release in 20 years. Meanwhile in other Pink Floyd news, former member Roger Waters has announced that he will be releasing a concert film, titled Roger Waters - The Wall. The film, which follows Waters' 2010-2013 "The Wall Live" tour, was first shown at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival and will now be released in theatres worldwide for one day only on Sept. 29. It was the largest worldwide tour ever undertaken by a solo artist and was the first time any Pink Floyd member had played their 1979 concept album The Wall in two decades. - New Musical Express, 6/9/15...... Elton John has apologized for remarks he made during his concert at Kingsholm Stadium in Gloucester, UK, on June 7. Irritated by female security guards who were manning the crowd, Sir Elton said, "Lighten up you lot, it's not f---ing China so piss off! You get a f---ing uniform on and you think you're Hitler... we're not having it, piss off!" Following the outburst, John reconsidered his words and uttered a lengthy apology to the staff. "I do apologize, whoever told the stewards to be restricting that, that's their f---ing fault and not hers," he said. "So I apologize to her and I would be willing to apologize to her face. So if she comes up now I'll give her a big hug, come on. You're doing your job. But it's so frustrating, if people want to wave their hands don't tell them to stop. It's a musical event." - NME, 6/8/15...... A previously unreleased Led Zeppelin song called "Sugar Mama" which will be included in a 
Patti Smith paid tribute to several of her lost idols, including Lou Reed, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones' Brian Jones, during her Field Day 2015 performance on the Main Stage in London on June 7. Before "Elegie," the final song from her seminal 1975 LP 
Mr. Bugliosi, meanwhile, died of cancer in L.A. on June 6 at age 80. After securing death sentences for Manson and the others in 1972 -- sentences commuted to life in prison when California's death sentence was abolished -- he retired from the DA's office, after winning 105 of his 106 felony trials, including 21 murder convictions. According to his publisher, Simon & Schuster, his Helter Skelter was "the biggest selling true crime book in publishing history." Manson, 80, remains incarcerated at Corcoran State Prison in California. He has been denied parole 12 times. - New Musical Express/CNN, 6/9/15...... Thoroughbred horse racing's elusive