Posted by Administrator on December 7th, 2024
Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson has announced her engagement to her longtime boyfriend and bandmate/producer Justin Long. Paris, 26, is the only daughter of King of Pop Jackson and released her debut album, Wilted, in 2020. Paris addressed her sexuality on Instagram in 2018 after a fan asked if she was bisexual. "That's what you guys call it so I guess, but who needs labels," she said a the time in later-deleted post. In the end she said, "and i'm not 'bisexual,' i just love people for people. i don't label myself so please don't label me." Paris, who began dating Long in 2022, announced the engagement with a series of pictures on Instagram. - Billboard, 12/6/24...... 
Alice Cooper, his daughter Calico, and Guns 'n Roses guitarist Slash have teamed up for a motorcycle-themed kids song called "Freewheelin'." The high-energy track, which can be streamed on YouTube, sees Alice and Calico sing "I'm freewheelin' on my new bike / It's the best thing that I like / Now you're freewheelin' riding by yourself / Pedalling faster without any help," describing the joys of riding a bike while Slash throws in an electrifying guitar solo. The song is featured in the children's album Solid Rock Revival, which also features the likes of Judas Priest's Rob Halford and Run DMC's Daryl "DMC" McDaniels and was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Children's Music Album category in 2025. Proceeds from the LP benefit Cooper's Solid Rock Teen Centers -- a nonprofit organisation providing free after-school training in music, dance, art, and more for teens ages 12-20. Cooper was recently announced as an opening act for the pop-punk New Jersey band My Chemical Romance's 2025 US stadium tour, a somewhat divisive choice after the shock rocker's comments in 2023 that being transgender was mostly "a fad." - New Musical Express, 12/6/24...... German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk announced a 2025 North American tour on YouTube on Dec. 5. Kicking off in Philadelphia on Mar. 6, the 25-city run includes the group's previously announced performances at Coachella 2025. This tour celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the group's fourth album, Autobahn, widely considered one of the essential blueprints for electronic music, along with Kraftwerk's first U.S. tour in 1975 behind the LP. Following the trek, the group will also perform in June at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes, U.K. On the upcoming trek, called the Multimedia Tour, the four-man group will include original Kraftwerk member Ralf Hütter, who co-founded Kraftwerk with Florian Schneider in Düsseldorf, Germany, in 1970. (Schneider passed away in 2020 at the age of 73.) The 2025 tour announcement comes with a corresponding video by pro skateboarder and noted Kraftwerk fan Tony Hawk, with the clip showing the skater and three pals doing skate tricks while dressed in the de facto Kraftwerk uniform of a crisp shirt and tie. Kraftwerk, who will also co-headline the the inaugural Forever Now festival in the UK on June 22, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. - Billboard, 12/5/24...... In a Facebook post on Dec. 2 defending President-elect Donald Trump's use of the Village People's iconic disco song "Y.M.C.A." at his campaign rallies, VP frontman Victor Willis says he'll sue if the song is referred to as a "gay anthem," but legal experts say he's unlikely to win. Willis sharply denied that he had intended the track to be aimed at the gay community -- calling it a "false assumption" and "completely misguided." But he also went a step further than that, warning that next month his team would "start suing each and every news organization" that refers to "Y.M.C.A" as a "gay anthem," calling such a description "defamatory." "The song is not really a gay anthem other than certain people falsely suggesting that it is," Willis wrote in the post. "And this must stop because it is damaging to the song." However top attorneys who specialize in media law say that if Willis does sue "because it was not written to be a gay song because of the simple fact I'm not gay," such claims would face serious obstacles in court. "Mr. Willis' threatened libel claim would be a nonstarter for numerous reasons," says Adam I. Rich, a music and free speech attorney at the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine. Rich says for starters, to prove such an accusation -- also known as libel -- Willis would need to show that an offending news outlet had made a statement of fact that's capable of being proven false, and not merely a statement of opinion that he disagrees with -- a form of speech safeguarded by the First Amendment. Another, even more basic problem for any lawsuit against media outlets is the fact that Willis is a "public figure" -- a status that makes it very hard to win a defamation lawsuit. Under U.S. Supreme Court precedents, he'd need to prove that offending statement (either calling his song a "gay anthem" or claiming a hidden lyrical meaning) was not only factually false, but that the writer knew it was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. Released by the Village People in Oct. 1978, "Y.M.C.A" eventually reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was emblematic of the late-1970s disco craze. The buoyant track and its trademark alphabetic dance have become one of music's enduring phenomenons, blasted for years at sporting events, wedding dance floors and, of late, Donald Trump rallies. - Billboard, 12/5/24...... 
A new trailer for the upcoming Led Zeppelin authorized documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin features previously-unheard audio from late Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. Soundtracked by the band's 1969's track "Whole Lotta Love," the trailer (available on YouTube) features visuals of the band's kaleidoscopic career, interspersed with recent interviews with surviving band members. "The first time we played together, it was stunning," Bonham says at the end of the trailer. "It was like a gift from heaven, wasn't it?" The doc has been in the works for some years, with director Bernard MacMahon helming the project following the success of his 2017 exploration into U.S. roots music, American Epic. Featuring the participation of the three surviving members -- singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, and bassist John Paul Jones -- the project was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019, at which point it was noted as being in the post-production phase. "When I saw everything Bernard had done both visually and sonically on the remarkable achievement that is American Epic, I knew he would be qualified to tell our story," Page said at the time. Becoming Led Zeppelin is set for release in IMAX cinemas on Feb. 7. - Billboard, 12/5/24...... In other Zeppelin news, Jimmy Page has teamed up with Gibson Guitars to launch new EDS-1275 Doubleneck VOS custom guitar, modeled after the one he defined in the 1970s after the guitar was introduced in 1958. Gibson and Page joined forces in a new partnership at the start of the year, and first shared a limited Collector's Edition version of the guitarist's iconic double neck axe back in March as part of Gibson's celebration of its 130-year history. Priced at just under $8,800, the spec of the new variant includes a double-cutaway one-piece mahogany body, both necks having a 12" radius, bound Indian rosewood fretboards, aged cellulose nitrate parallelogram inlays and more. "The Gibson EDS-1275 allowed him to play the numerous 6 and 12-string acoustic and electric guitar parts of 'Stairway to Heaven' during live performance," a description from Gibson reads. "He also later used the EDS-1275 for 'The Song Remains the Same', 'The Rain Song', 'Celebration Day', 'Tangerine', and more recently live at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in a November 2023 tribute to Link Wray." More information can be found on the Gibson.com website. - NME, 12/5/24...... Brian May's wife Anita Dobson has shared another update on the musician after he suffered a stroke earlier in 2024. "He's much better now, he's stabilised now, which is brilliant," Dobson told the UK's The Mirror paper on Dec. 5. "I just hope we don't have any more reoccurrence." She continued: "He's got the use of that arm, which was a bit of a challenge, back now. So, yeah, he's good to go now. He's playing the piano quite a lot in the house. He likes a lot of Beethoven. I love it - the piano in the house is really, just very relaxing. He didn't actually try [to play an instrument] until after he'd recovered quite a bit. And then he very slowly started to pick up an acoustic guitar and gradually just exercise the muscles. And it very quickly came back." She added: "He's just retraining the messages from your brain to that arm, that it's actually okay to do what it used to do. It was scary. And also being a genius for someone like that. His brain's overloaded, that's what it is. He's too clever for his own good." The Queen guitarist, 77, told fans about the health scare in a post on social media in September, but assured his followers that he was on the road to recovery. He explained that the "minor stroke" came on "all of a sudden, out of the blue," and left him without any control over one of his arms. He said the incident was "a little scary" before recalling the "fantastic" medical care he had received. "The good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days," he said at the time. Later, actor Dobson (EastEnders) explained that her husband was "doing great" and said the couple were "very pleased" with the progress he was making. She went on to say she was "completely confident" that May would "make a full recovery." Queen wrapped up a run of tour dates with current frontman Adam Lambert in February, and do not have any other live shows scheduled currently. Meanwhile, Queen Extravaganza, the official tribute band of Queen, are due to embark on a UK and Ireland tour in 2025. The upcoming gigs will celebrate the 50th anniversary of "Bohemian Rhapsody." - NME, 12/5/24...... On Dec. 4 the Grateful Dead touring ensemble Dead & Co. announced it will reprise its Dead Forever residency at Las Vegas' Sphere in 2025 in celebration of its 60th anniversary. The 18 shows, slated to take place from March to May, follow the band's 30-date run at Sphere in 2024, which grossed $131.8 million. Dead & Co. is comprised of founding Dead members Bobby Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, alongside Jeff Chimenti, Oteil Burbridge and John Mayer. Kreutzmann played with Dead & Co. from 2015 to 2022 but sat out its 2023 final tour and 2024 Sphere residency; a representative for Dead & Co. confirmed Kreutzmann will not perform with the band at Sphere in 2025. "[The Sphere is] a marvel in terms of what you can do visually with it during a show," Weir says. "It was an interesting challenge for us -- but I thought we met it." "Very cool, very cool, Sphere, very cool," Hart adds. - Billboard, 12/5/24....... As Sean Lennon and the rest of his family prepare to mark the 44th anniversary of father John Lennon's death in New York City in 1980 on Dec. 8, Sean recently told BBC Radio 6 that his dad's untimely passing has had an impact on countless individuals throughout the world. No more have felt that impact, Sean says, than his mother Yoko Ono. Sean claimed that Yoko "never has moved on from that relationship" since John's passing, but agreed that the recent rerelease of John's 1973 LP Mind Games was something of a "love letter" to his parents. "I've never put it that way but I would say it's my best effort to try to be a good son," Sean said. Sean touched on his parents' relationship around the record's creation. At the time of Mind Games' writing, John was in the midst of the 18-month "lost weekend"' period in which he was separated from Ono. "A lot of people said like, 'Yoko wasn't around for this record, why are they featuring her in the booklet' or something," Lennon began. "And I think there's a lot of history, there's a lot of assumptions made about that time period because they were sort of on their way towards that famous separation that people called The Lost Weekend. But the truth is, even when they were apart they were always talking, so I don't think they ever really broke up, all his stuff was still in the apartment with my mum, it's not like they had a real separation. And on top of it, all my dad was thinking about was her. You look at the album cover, it's a collage of my mum literally the size of a mountain, and he's this little tiny thing sort of fading into the background" he continued. "And I think it's clear what his view of my mum was in his life. She was monumental, obviously. And the whole album is about her." - Billboard, 12/4/24...... In a new interview with Planet Rock radio's podcast, Uriah Heep founding guitarist Mick Box revealed that the band will continue to tour after their 2025 UK farewell dates, which were announced at the end of September. Uriah Heep announced the UK leg of their final tour will kick off in Birmingham on Feb. 19, with the string of headline shows also seeing them play Bristol, Gateshead, Glasgow, Manchester, London and Bexhill through Feb. 27. "Well, it'll take two to three years to go around, and then once we've done that, we'll still be doing festivals and weekend work and stuff like that, but the long arduous tours we're not gonna do anymore," Box told Planet Rock. "And I don't think it's logistically possible now with the way things are with carnets for equipment to get through territories. Bus prices tripled. And we did 11 flights the other month and five of them were cancelled, so it's getting really hard to make those things work," he added. Box then went on to discuss his plans for life post-Uriah Heep. "I guess we'll do [some] writing and go in the recording studio and do other aspects of the of the game," he said. "But as I say, we're still gonna be touring, still gonna be playing. It's just that we're not doing the really long stuff. We'll do it in sections rather than a whole long splurge." Box's full interview can be viewed on YouTube. The Heep's 25th and most recent full-length record, Chaos & Colour, came out in early 2023. The band's current line-up consists of Box alongside Phil Lanzon, Bernie Shaw, Russell Gilbrook and Dave Rimmer. - NME, 12/4/24...... Posting on X/Twitter on Dec. 4, Bob Dylan has given his stamp of approval to the upcoming Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, as well as its starring actor, Timotheé Chalamet. "There's a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!). Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role," the rock legend wrote. "Timmy's a brilliant actor so I'm sure he's going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me. The film's taken from Elijah Wald's Dylan Goes Electric -- a book that came out in 2015. It's a fantastic retelling of events from the early '60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport. After you've seen the movie read the book," he added. Also starring Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz and Scoot McNairy, the biographical drama was directed by James Mangold, who has revealed that the "Blowin' in the Wind" artist personally gave feedback on the script. - Billboard, 12/4/24...... 
On Dec. 3 Eric Clapton announced a run of UK headline shows for 2025. "Eric will return next year to London's @RoyalAlbertHall for a limited run of 3 shows," his X/Twitter post reads. "Additionally, he will play just one show outside the capital, at Nottingham's @nottinghamarena, his first show in that city since 2008." Clapton will play Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena on May 18 -- his first stop in the city since 2008 -- then head to London for three performances at the historic Royal Albert Hall on May 21, 23 and 24. Clapton played four concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall this May following gigs in Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham, Dublin and Manchester. Slowhand has since hit the road in Europe, South America and North America. He released his 22nd solo studio album, Meanwhile, online in October. Physical editions of the record will come out in January. - NME, 12/4/24...... The creators of the hit Broadway play "Stereophonic" have reached a settlement to resolve a copyright lawsuit claiming they stole elements of the show from a memoir about the infamous recording of Fleetwood Mac's 1977 album Rumours. The deal will resolve a case, filed in October by music producer Ken Caillat, that called playwright David Adjmi's Tony Award-winning show an "unauthorized adaptation" and "willful infringement" of the 2012 book Making Rumours, a memoir detailing his work on the famed album. Terms of the deal were not disclosed in court filings, and neither side immediately returned requests for comment. "Stereophonic" debuted on Broadway last fall, eventually winning five Tony Awards including best play, best direction of a play and best featured actor in a play. Featuring the music of Arcade Fire's Will Butler, it tells the story of a fictional rock band struggling to record an album in the mid-1970s. Critics quickly noted the similarities to the difficult process behind Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, which featured high tensions and heavy drug usage. A reviewer for the Wall Street Journal said the play was "fictionalizing Fleetwood Mac"; another critic said the play "isn't literally about Fleetwood Mac, but c'mon." In their Oct. 2 lawsuit, Caillat and co-author Steven Stiefel said the hit play "presents a nearly identical story arc as Making Rumours," told from the same perspective of a sound engineer in a recording studio, about five characters who are "undeniably analogous to the members of Fleetwood Mac." If the case had gone to trial, it would have presented tricky legal questions. Under U.S. law, historical events cannot be monopolized under copyrights, and nobody can claim exclusive ownership over the real story behind the making of Rumours. But specific creative elements of how such a story is told can be protected by copyrights, and film, TV and stage producers often license non-fiction books as the basis for their works. - Billboard, 12/4/24...... More than a decade since it first launched, Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer has announced the closure of his Rockin' & Roastin' Coffee line. Kramer announced the news via a message shared to the coffee brand's website on Nov. 29, citing "no realistic alternative" to its impending closure. "To all of Rockin' & Roastin"s loyal subscribers and my coffee loving fans along the way - It is with deep deep sadness that we have had to make the decision to close the business of Rockin & Roastin' Coffee," the message read. "After the years of working to recover from the devastation to our business from the impact of Covid, significant increases in the cost of doing business and the tragic, painful loss of my wife, Linda, there just is no realistic alternative but to close our proverbial doors." Kramer closed the post by noting that all orders received through Saturday, Nov. 30 would be filled, but no orders will be taken thereafter. Rockin' & Roastin' Coffee was first launched by Kramer in 2012 after years spent on the road as a touring musician and being subjected to copious cups of bad coffee. "I set out to streamline my experiences and become a coffee expert," he said. "I knew I had to come up with something that would satiate even the most discerning java enthusiast. After countless amounts of research (I might be an honorary chemist by now), sampling endless batches and hitting the presses in nearly every continent, my Rockin' & Roastin' Coffee dream was born. The result? Some of the finest, purest kick-ass coffee on the planet, sure to please the palate of any 'coffee-sseur.'" In 2013, Rockin' & Roastin' Coffee landed a hotel partnership deal, and in 2016, Joey Kramer's Rockin' & Roastin' Cafe opened its doors in North Attleboro, Mass., about 40 miles outside Aerosmith's birthplace of Boston. - Billboard, 12/1/24...... 
Barry Manilow announced on Dec. 3 that he signed on for a "lifetime residency" at his longtime venue: the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. "It's been an incredible journey performing at the International Theater," the "Copacabana" singer said in a statement about signing on the dotted line to continue his long run at the resort's International Theater. "David Siegel and the Westgate team have been like family to me, and I am deeply grateful to have the opportunity to call Westgate home for the rest of my career." Earlier this year, Manilow set a new Sin City record when he passed Elvis Presley's run of 636 performances at the venue. Manilow launched his "The Hits Come Home" residency at the Westgate Hotel in 2021, marking the third Vegas hotel at which the "Mandy" singer has had a residency. He set up shop at the Las Vegas Hilton from Feb. 2005 to Dec. 2009, during which he had two shows, "Manilow: Music and Passion" (which was filmed for a Primetime Emmy-winning PBS special) and "Ultimate Manilow: The Hits." He followed with his "Manilow Paris Las Vegas" at the Paris Hotel & Casino at Las Vegas in March 2010, which ran through Dec. 11, 2012. Manilow will be back on stage at the International in December when he kicks off his annual run of "A Very Barry Christmas" holiday shows on Dec. 5, followed by gigs on Dec. 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14. His 2025 International Theater dates begin on Feb. 13. Tickets are on sale now through the Westgate Resorts website. Manilow performed across the U.S. this summer as part of his "Last Concerts" tour, winding down with a series of five shows at New York's Radio City Music Hall in October. On Dec. 19, Manilow and his band will perform a medley of holiday carols on the NBC special A Very Barry Christmas. The singer will also be performing a selection of his greatest hits, including "Copacabana" and "Mandy," in the special which originates from the Westgate and airs at 10:00 p.m./9:00 central. - Billboard, 12/3/24...... Talking Heads' Jerry Harrison and King Crimson's Adrian Belew have announced their 2025 "Remain In Light" UK and European tour on Instagram. The five-date run will see Harrison and Belew make their way across the EU and UK beginning with a gig in Stockholm on May 18. From there, the duo will make stops in cities such as Oslo, Copenhagen, Cologne, Warsaw and Luxembourg before heading over to the UK with stops in Manchester and Wolverhampton. The tour will wrap up on June 7 in London. The tour is named "Remain In Light" which also serves as the title of Talking Heads' 1980 LP. It marked the third and final of the band's albums to be produced by Brian Eno, and saw a number of additional musicians brought in to contribute to the LP, including Belew, who played guitar. - NME, 12/3/24...... One year after playing their final live appearance at New York City's Madison Square Garden on Dec. 2, 2023, KISS are celebrating the show with a new video recap of the performance. "One year ago, today -- December 2, 2023 -- The last KISS Tour ever reached The End Of The Road with one final epic performance at Madison Square Garden in New York City!" the group wrote on social medoa. "Re-live the magic of that night with this awesome MSG concert recap." The video has been shared on YouTube. Across 23 tracks, the band waved goodbye to their legions of fans with a fitting set full of their famous hits and live favorites -- complete with their trademark stage spectacle. The concert, played before a 20,000-strong crowd, was also streamed live via PPV.COM. Notably, the final show was accompanied by the news that the group intend to live on as digital avatars after their split. The band made the surprise announcement at the end of the show, with vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley telling fans "your love, your power, has made us immortal... The new Kiss era stars now!" - Billboard, 12/2/24...... Elton John made it to the opening night of his new musical in London on Dec. 1, but the pop icon admitted that he could hear the show, but could not see any of it. John, 77, said he struggled to watch the stage debut of "The Devil Wears Prada" because, as he told the audience, "I haven't been able to come to man of the previews because, as you know, I have lost my eyesight." He added, "So it's hard for me to see it, but I love to hear it and, boy, it sounded good tonight." The singer wrote the score for the stage musical based on the beloved 2006 movie about an eager young journalist (Anne Hathaway) trying to make her mark at a fashion magazine lorded over by an imperial, demanding editor (Meryl Streep). John recently told Good Morning America's Robin Roberts that he suffered an eye infection this summer that has turned into a complete loss of vision in his right eye, which has impacted his ability to work on new music. "I unfortunately lost my eye sight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the South of France," said Elton. "It's been four months now since I haven't been able to see. And my left eye is not the greatest." John teased a new album last year, but now that project is up in the air as the manages his poor vision. "There's hope and encouragement that it will be okay," John said. "But I'm kind of stuck in the moment, because I can do something like this, but going into the studio and recording& I don't know. Because I can't see a lyric, for start." John's most recent album was 2021's Record Store Day reissue of a shelved late 1960s album Regimental Sgt. Zippo. - Billboard, 12/2/24...... 
AC/DC have announced they will hit the road in spring 2025 for their first U.S. tour in nine years. The 2025 "Power Up" North American tour is slated to hit 13 stadiums across the nation from April through May. The outing is slated to kick off on Apr. 10 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN, before moving on to Arlington, TX, Pasadena (CA), Vancouver, Las Vegas, Detroit, Foxborough (MA), Pittsburgh, Landover (MD), Tampa, Nashville and Chicago before winding down on May 28 at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland. The North American swing in support of the band's 2020 Power Up album is an extension of the 2024 European leg of the tour, which also filled stadiums. - Billboard 12/2/24...... Roger Daltrey has added two huge outdoor gigs to his 2025 "Alive And Kicking And Having Fun" UK tour. The first of The Who frontman's new shows will be held in Halifax on July 30, and comes as part of the "TK Maxx presents Live at the Piece Hall" series. The second will be held on Aug. 8, and is as part of the Margate Summer Series at Dreamland. "Here we go again! After touring the US with this band of phenomenal musicians, I can't wait to get back on the road in the UK with these shows," Daltrey said in a new statement on Instagram. "It's a joy to be on stage performing and sharing familiar songs in an unfamiliar way." Now, two new shows have been confirmed for next summer, and each will see him backed by a nine-piece band and playing the hits from across his solo discography and time with The Who. The shows come as an extension to his already announced tour dates for the UK next year. These include a slot at London's Palladium, as well as gigs in Brighton, Dundee, Glasgow, Manchester and more. Daltrey, who kicked off a solo, semi-acoustic North American tour on Dec. 6, recently told Billboard that he's "sick" of fans looking up his setlists on the internet ahead of his live shows: "Too many people reveal songs. There's no surprises left with concerts these days, because everybody wants to see the setlist. I'm sick of it. The internet's ruined the live shows for me. Who wants to know what's coming next? People forget about surprises. I can't stand it." - NME, 12/2/24...... Legendary Motown icon Smokey Robinson will perform his first UK show in over 15 years next summer at the Love Supreme Jazz Festival in East Sussex. The festival returns next summer to Glynde Place in East Sussex from July 4 to July 6. Robinson will also perform at Boston's Boch Center Wang Theatre on Dec. 8. Robinson also co-hosts the Dec. 11 Christmas special A Motown Christmas on NBC at 9:00 p.m./8 central. Co-host Halley Bailey will join Smokey and such stars as The Temptations, Gladys Knight, Jamie Foxx and Jordan Sparks. - Music-News.com/TV Guide, 12/3/24.
Speaking to The Empire Files podcast, Roger Waters has attacked Thom Yorke of Radiohead over his stance on the Israel-Palestine issue. Waters revealed that he had an email exchange with Yorke after signing an open letter urging Radiohead not to play in Israel as "a system of apartheid has been imposed on the Palestinian people." Waters said: "I wrote [Yorke] a sort of email that went, 'I'm sorry if you thought I was being confrontational'. He wrote back and he said, 'Normally, people on one side of an argument at least have the decency or the grace or the something to have a conversation.' So then I wrote him back, and I said, 'Thom, the people in BDS (the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement) have been trying to have a conversation with you for months! And so have I!'" Asked how the conversation concluded, Waters replied: "That the guy's a complete prick!" Waters also addressed the criticism Radiohead member Jonny Greenwood faced when working on a musical project with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa this summer. "It's complete bullshit," he said. "There is no argument to be made. There is the oppressed and the oppressor. The oppressed are the indigenous people of Palestine, the oppressor are the settler-colonial visitors from North America and North Europe There is nothing difficult to understand. It is not a conflict. It is a genocide, Thom and Jonny!" Greenwood performed with Tassa in Tel Aviv in May, and the day before, he reportedly participated in protests calling for hostages held in Gaza to be released and new elections to be held. Waters' complete interview can be viewed on YouTube. - New Musical Express, 12/1/24...... 
Appearing on the pilot episode of John Mayer's new SiriusXM show How's Life on Nov. 28, Billy Joel debuted an unheard song called "Every Time." Asked by Mayer if he had any parts of an unfinished song he would be comfortable sharing with listeners, Joel revealed that there was indeed a "spare part" that he had been toying with for "years and years and years and years." He said he "had always told myself I was going to do something with this, something's going to happen with this. It's a really nice piece of music." Confirming that he did not think anyone had ever heard it, he began to play a dramatic, moody solo piano break named "Every Time." He quipped, "The thought behind that was, 'I'll screw it up every time'." Joel and Mayer appeared on stage together in October in Los Angeles for a rendition of Joel's The Bridge track "This Is The Time" for only the second time in public. Joel's interview with Mayer can be streamed on YouTube. Joel recently announced two new UK live shows -- in Edinburgh and Liverpool -- for June 2025, and has also announced a string of new tour dates across the US for 2025 with support from Sting and Stevie Nicks. - NME, 11/29/24...... Speaking to the UK sports radio show talkSPORT on Nov. 27, Rod Stewart said his upcoming performance at the UK's Glastonbury festival in the Sunday teatime Legends slot will "cost him a fortune," but he has no regrets. Stewart told the hosts that he required no time to mull over the offer, claiming he accepted the opportunity to perform "immediately." "It's a great honour, it's going to cost me a fortune to do it - $300,0000," Stewart explained. "I've got to bring all my band back from America, of course Glastonbury don't pay for that. But I don't care if it cost me $1,00,000, I would have done it. It's a great honour. It really is the greatest honour," he added. "I'm proud, ready and more than able to pleasure and titillate my friends at Glastonbury in June." This will be Stewart's first appeance at the festival since he headlined the festival's Pyramid stage in 2002. He will return to North America in March as part of his "One Last Time" 2025 tour. With various dates scheduled betwen March and August, he'll also be returning to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas throughout March, May and June for more shows in his extended Vegas residency. Meanwhile, the "Maggie May" singer has slammed British TV host Gregg Wallace for allegedly "bullying" his current wife, Penny Lancaster. Stewart, 79, has been married to wife number three Lancaster, 53, since 2007, and in 2021 she was a contestant on the BBC's Celebrity MasterChef. Rod says Penny was "humiliated" by Wallace, 60, while she was competing on the show and he was a judge. Wallace is currently suspended from the BBC show following accusations of past inappropriate sexual comments -- which he has denied. Taking to Instagram, Sir Rod unleashed on the disgraced host, writing, "So Greg Wallace gets fired from Master Chef. Good riddance Wallace... You humiliated my wife when she was on the show, but you had that bit cut out didn't you? You're a tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully. Karma got ya. Sir Rod Stewart." Wallace has been accused by 13 people of making inappropriate sexual comments while working with him across various iterations of the MasterChef show over a 17-year period. Wallace's lawyers told the BBC that it is "entirely false" that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. An investigation by Masterchef's production company Banijay UK is ongoing. - Billboard/Music-News.com, 11/28/24...... In other Glastonbury festival news, Nile Rodgers has accidentally confirmed that he and Chic will be performing at Glastonbury 2025. Taking to the stage at London's Roundhouse for the UK's Rolling Stone Awards on Nov. 28, the musician accepted the award for Music Icon and let slip that he was already preparing to get up to some havoc with previously announced headliner Rod Stewart at the Worthy Farm site. "We're going to have a blast because we follow him directly," Rodgers joked. "Rod and I have been friends for 80 gazillion years, so that means he's gonna play tricks on me He's probably gonna pinch my bum, because he always does that. I don't know what the hell he gets out of that." He continued: "We're gonna have a great time together. I don't know who's in his current band, but we'll probably be jamming. Regardless of what the world may think, Rod Stewart and I, we really love each other. We really are quite close." Usually, the first line-up poster for Glastonbury is unveiled in early March, meaning no further artists are confirmed for roughly four months. Rodgers was soon notified by someone that his appearance hadn't been announced, to which he laughed and responded: "Am I not supposed to give that away? I always say too much." The first batch of general admission tickets for Glastonbury 2025 sold out in just 35 minutes on Nov. 15, following a sale of coach/ticket packages three days prior. This year, organizers introduced a new online queuing system to purchase tickets -- which divided customers. - NME, 11/29/24...... 
Responding to rumors that actor Barry Keoghan will portray him in an upcoming four-part Beatles biopic, Ringo Starr recently told Entertainment Tonight that "I think it's great... I believe he's somewhere taking drum lessons. I hope not too many!" Keoghan is already an Oscar nominee, thanks to his work in 2022's The Banshees of Inisherin. Starr's interview can be viewed on the Entertainment Tonight website. Although no official casting announcements have been announced yet, other actors rumored to be circling the project include Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney and Charlie Rowe as George Harrison. Early in 2024, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced four separate Beatles biopics -- one focusing on each member of music's most iconic band. Sam Mendes, the Oscar-winning director whose credits include American Beauty (1999), Skyfall (2012) and 1917 (2019), will helm all four films and produce them through his Neal Street Productions. "I'm honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies," Mendes said in a statement at the time. - Billboard, 11/27/24...... In other Beatles news, a handwritten letter which sees John Lennon pitching a new band to Eric Clapton is set to be auctioned in December. The eight-page letter, which is dated Sept. 29, 1971, is a draft of the final version which was sent to Clapton that same year. The contents of the letter show the beginnings of what could have been an interesting chapter in the story of rock music, with Lennon asking Clapton to form a new band. "You must know by now that Yoko (Ono) and I rate your music and yourself very highly, always have," the letter begins. As Lennon continues, he touches on Clapton's then-current dark period, which was marred by heroin addiction and a retreat from public appearances. "Eric, I know I can bring out something great, in fact greater in you that had been so far evident in your music," Lennon adds. "I hope to bring out the same kind of greatness in all of us, which I know will happen if/when we get together." The letter ultimately pitches the idea of Clapton performing as part of the prospective band, which would have included previous Plastic Ono Band members Klaus Voorman, Jim Keltner, Nicky Hopkins and Phil Spector. "And of course we had YOU!!! in mind as soon as we decided," it continues. By the time of the letter's writing, Clapton had previously performed as part of the Plastic Ono Band, appearing as part of the iterations of the group that existed between September and December 1969. Ultimately, Clapton would turn down Lennon's offer of joining the John's "supergroup." The draft of the letter also includes numerous corrections and edits, though it's unknown what the final version that was sent to Clapton looked like. Helmed by International Autograph Auctions Europe SL, the missive will go to auction on Dec. 5 for an expected sale of £100,000 - £150,000 (approximately $104,000 - $157,000), with bidding registrations already open. This isn't the first time the letter has gone up for sale, however, with a 2012 auction expecting the item to sell for a total of $30,000. The letter can be viewed on the autographauctions.eu website. - Billboard, 11/26/24...... 
Some of the ashes of late Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister are set to go on display at Stringfellow's strip club in London. Kilmister, who is considered to be one of the most influential figures in metal rock history, died in Dec. 2015 at the age of 70, shortly after learning he had been diagnosed with cancer. Stringfellow's, founded by late UK businessman and nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow, was a popular destination for the Motörhead frontman, who was a longtime friend of Stringfellow's. For the display, the ashes will be arriving on Dec. 18, and set to be displayed in an urn shaped like the singer and bassist's trademark cavalry hat. A ceremony will be held to celebrate the permanent fixture arriving in the venue, and is set to be attended by Lemmy's bandmate, guitarist Phil Campbell. "Stringfellow's always held a special place in Lemmy's heart. He loved the rock'n'roll spirit Peter brought to the club, he loved the relaxed environment, and he certainly loved the view," said Motörhead manager Todd Singerman. "I know he's relieved he can get back to enjoying one of his favorite places on the planet!" This is far from the first time that Lemmy has made headlines for the location in which his ashes will be displayed -- a convoy of 55 Harley Davidson bikers escorted a bust of his ashes to Nottingham Rock City earlier this summer. As well as that, some went to Los Angeles Rainbow Bar & Grill, some got scattered at the Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany, and Metallica's James Hetfield has even had some of the ashes incorporated into a spade tattoo on his middle finger. In February of this year, it was confirmed that plans to erect a statue of Killmister in the town where he was born had been approved by Stoke-on-Trent City Council. - NME, 11/28/24...... In a recent appearance on CBS This Morning, the Grateful Dead revealed that they were planning a 60th anniversary prior to the death of GD member Phil Lesh, who died on Oct. 25 at age 84. Surviving band members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart said that a reunion project for the Grateful Dead's 60th anniversary had been in the works, with plans for the four members to get together and jam once more. "We were going to see where it goes," Weir said. "But we were just going to play the four of us. And now there's only three of us." "I was hoping that we could play with him again one more time," added Kreutzmann. "So that was my sadness on that one, 'cause I know he wanted to play with us again, too." "We were kickin' it around," Weir continued. "In fact, we were gonna get together and kick some songs around tomorrow." The Grateful Dead first formed in 1965 and performed for 30 years with various lineups until their split following the passing of lead guitarist and vocalist Jerry Garcia in 1995. The four musicians previously reunited for the 50th anniversary "Fare Thee Well" concert in 2015. Lesh, Weir, Kreutzmann and Hart will be saluted in December as part of the prestigious 2024 Kennedy Center Honors, with 2023 recipient Queen Latifah hosting. - Billboard, 11/27/24...... The Beach Boys have announced a huge outdoor concert in the UK next year as their only show in Britain for 2025. The iconic California-based band's "The Sounds of Summer" tour will hit Englefield House in Berkshire on on July 20. "Rock On" hitmaker David Essex is on board to perform as a special guest, as well as "To Sir With Love" singer Lulu, who earlier this year announced her retirement from touring after 60 years in music. The current iteration of the BB will not feature founding member Brian Wilson, who retired from touring in 2022 and was recently placed under a court conservatorship due to a "major neurocognitive disorder." This summer, the band was joined on tour by Full House actor John Stamos, who played drums with the band for 16 shows as they commemorated the 50th anniversary of their 1974 compilation album Endless Summer. An authorized documentary directed by Frank Marshall, The Beach Boys, was also released in 2024. It was touted as a "celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music." - NME, 11/29/24...... 
The Kinks have launched their own variety of premium loose leaf teas, inspired by the hits from their discography. Posting the announcement on X/Twitter on Nov. 25, the band says each variation is a nod to their discography, and has been blended and roasted in Sussex. They include "Waterloo Sunset," "Victoria" and "Autumn Almanac." "We're thrilled to share The Kinks' tea collection, which is available to pre-order now! Sit down and have a cuppa with your Kinks tea and teapot, and then you can do the dishes with your Kinks tea towel! Hallelujah!," the band posted, along with a link at TheKinksTea.com. According to a press release, "The theme and lyrics of each song is mirrored in the blends and corresponding packaging, creating an all round sensory experience for the discerning tea drinker. With black, herbal and low caffeine teas included in the range, they can be enjoyed at any time of the day, any day of the year. Or even, all day and all of the night. It also draws light to the lyrics "Tea in the morning, Tea in the evening, Tea at supper time," which featured on their 1971 album Muswell Hillbillies. As well as the different tea blends, a range of ceramic teapots and teacups are also available, as well as a bespoke Kinks tea towel. The teas come in packs of 100g, and are priced at £6 each. The ceramics and accessories are all limited edition and range between £12 and £50. News of the new tea range comes amid long-running rumours that the band could be reuniting. While the group have never formally split, brothers Dave and Ray Davies have had a tumultuous relationship over the years. In 2023, frontman Ray said a potential Kinks reunion remained "in the lap of the gods," and would only come to fruition if they could lock in "a show that gives us the credit we deserve." In 2021, the Kinks staged a livestream event, titled The Moneygoround, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their classic album Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part One. More recently, member Dave Davies reacted to what hes described as a "fucking horrible AI cover of one of the bands songs, and also spoke out after spotting his Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame trophy being put up for auction on eBay. Formed in 1963, the original four members of the Kinks -- Dave, his brother Ray, bassist Pete Quaife and drummer Mick Avory -- were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990, reuniting for the first time in many years. - NME, 11/26/24...... The last filmed show of the '70s ska band The Specials with lead singer Terry Hall, before his untimely death in 2022, is set to air on UK television. The Specials: Live From Coventry Cathedral was filmed in the band's hometown in 2019 as part of their 40th anniversary tour over a four-day engagement at the local landmark. The band announced its release on social media yesterday on Nov. 28. The concert film will now be screened for the first time via Sky Arts on Dec. 20 at 9:00 pm UK time. The final performance of The Specials with Hall took place on Aug. 20, 2022 at Ottery St. Mary in Devon as part of the Beautiful Days Festival. Hall, the band's charismatic frontman and a mental health advocate, passed away at the age of 63 after a "brief illness." The band's bassist, Horace Panter, subsequently confirmed that Hall had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that had spread to his liver. - NME, 11/29/24...... Legendary musician, composer and producer Brian Eno has spoken to the BBC World Service programme In The Studio about his creative process and the innovative ways music can be used for the good of the planet. The documentary follows Eno into the studio as he works in collaborative partnerships on new material that list "Earth" as co-writer. On climate change, Brian says: "I notice that hardly any of our politicians are talking about the most important problem. The most important problem isn't a few immigrants coming into the country on boats. The most important problem isn't China developing AI. The most important problem is that the ship is sinking, and it's happening quite fast, and a lot of my friends and people I knew were also concerned about this issue. What can we do about it? Those people in government aren't doing anything about it. How can the rest of us do anything, well, we have to somehow take it into our own hands." In 2021 Eno founded the ground-breaking organisation EarthPercent, a charity which aims to raise $100 million by 2030. The money -- from royalties of partner artists -- is being used to reduce the environmental impact of the music industry. Among the musicians with whom he is currently collaborating are Coldplay, Nile Rogers, Michael Stipe, Anna Calvi and Louis VI. The In The Studio program aims to "take you into the minds of the world's most creative people, with unprecedented access." - Music-News.com, 11/30/24...... 
Marshall Brickman, the Oscar-winning screenwriter whose wide-ranging career spanned some of Woody Allen's best films, the Broadway musical "Jersey Boys" and a number of Johnny Carson's most beloved sketches, died on Nov. 29 in Manhattan, his daughter Sophie Brickman told The New York Times. He was 85 and no cause of death was cited. Best known for his extensive collaboration with Allen, beginning with the 1973 film Sleeper, Mr. Brickman and Allen co-wrote the acclaimed films Annie Hall (1977), Manhattan (1979) and Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993). The loosely structured script for Annie Hall, in particular, has been hailed as one of the wittiest all-time comedies. It won Mr. Brickman and Allen an Oscar for best original screenplay. In his acceptance speech (Allen skipped the ceremony), Mr. Brickman referenced one of the film's many oft-quoted lines, saying: "I've been out here a week, and I still have guilt when I make a right turn on a red light." "If the film is worth anything," Mr. Brickman told Vanity Fair in 2017, "it gives a very particular specific image of what it was like to be alive in New York at that time in that particular social-economic stratum." Mr. Brickman and Allen had met in the early 1960s, when Allen was breaking through as a stand-up comedian. Mr. Brickman was brought on to write jokes for him. At the time, he had been playing banjo for the folk group the Tarriers. In one of the many twists of Mr. Brickman's career, it was an album he and his college roommate Eric Weissberg recorded that later made the soundtrack to 1972's Deliverance, including "Dueling Banjos." Mr. Brickman, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was the son of Jewish socialists Abram (who fled Poland during WWII) and Pauline (Wolin) Brickman, who was from New York. They later moved to the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, where Mr. Brickman grew up. His start in show business, after graduating from the University of Wisconsin with degrees in science and music, came with the Terriers, replacing actor Alan Arkin in the group. By the late '60s, Mr. Brickman was head writer for Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show. There, one of his most enduring contributions were the Carnac the Magnificent sketches, during which Carson played a "mystic from the East" who could divine answers to unseen questions. Mr. Brickman's other TV credits included Candid Camera, The Dick Cavett Show and The Muppet Show. Mr. Brickman wrote and directed the 1980 film Simon, starring Arkin as a psychology professor brainwashed into believing he's from outer space. He also directed 1983's Lovesick, with Alec Guinness as the ghost of Sigmund Freud, and 1986's The Manhattan Project, about a high schooler who builds a nuclear weapon for a school project. With Rick Elice penning the music, Mr. Brickman wrote the Broadway musical "Jersey Boys," about the 1960s rock group The Four Seasons. It ran on Broadway for 12 years beginning in 2005, and was later adapted into a movie helmed by Clint Eastwood. He and Elice also wrote the 2010 musical "The Addams Family." He is survived by his wife, Nina, daughters Sophie and Jessica, and five grandchildren. - AP, 12/1/24.
Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson is reassuring fans he isn't at death's door after revealing that he had been diagnosed with an incurable lung disease and that his "days are numbered." In an interview with veteran newsman Dan Rather on the US TV channel AXS, Anderson said he had been diagnosed with the lung condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). "I'm going to tell you something I've never told anybody in public before -- I am suffering from an incurable lung disease which I was diagnosed with a couple of years back." Anderson said he "struggles" with the condition. "I have what are known as exacerbations: Periods when I get an infection, it turns into severe bronchitis and I have maybe two or three weeks of really a tough job to go out there onstage and play. Fingers crossed, I've gone 18 months now without an exacerbation." He said he believes one of the main factors in contracting the disease was his exposure to smoke machines during live performances with Jethro Tull. But Anderson has now clarified his "days are numbered" statement: "After all, I am 73 years old this August! But I should be OK for a few more years if COVID doesn't get me first." He says that the COPD "has no impact at all on my daily life as long as I don't catch a cold or flu virus and suffer the subsequent heavy bronchitis which, for me, historically follows since I was a young man." - WENN/Canoe.com, 5/14/20...... Alice Cooper has just written and recorded "Don't Give Up," a new single inspired by the COVID-19 lockdown. In a press release, Cooper says he penned the song from isolation at home, where he is recording his new album, before working with his longtime producer Bob Ezrin using remote technology to complete the record. "'Don't Give Up' is out today! It's a song about what we've all been going through right now and about keeping our heads up and fighting back together," Alice explains. "And whatever you do - Don't Give Up!" The song debuted on 
In 1974 and early 1975, Neil Young recorded a 12-track album called Homegrown that he shelved in favor of his 1973-recorded Tonight's the Night album. Now the Canadian singer/songwriter is making the unheard LP, one of the great "Holy Grails" of his unreleased catalogue, available on June 19 on all formats via Reprise Records. "I apologize. This album Homegrown should have been there for you a couple of years after Harvest," Young posted on his Neil Young Archives site. "It's the sad side of a love affair. The damage done. The heartache. I just couldn't listen to it. I wanted to move on. So I kept it to myself, hidden away in the vault, on the shelf, in the back of my mind.... but I should have shared it." Young says Homegrown is "actually beautiful." "That's why I made it in the first place. Sometimes life hurts. You know what I mean. This is the one that got away," he says. Young says Homegrown is "the unheard bridge between Harvest and Comes A Time, featuring different mixes of songs that turned up on later albums, such as "Star of Bethlehem" (on 1977's American Stars 'n Bars), "Little Wing" and "This Old Homestead" (on 1980's Hawks & Doves), and "White Line" (on 1990's Ragged Glory). Homegrown is "coming your way in 2020," Young concludes, "the first release from our archive in this new decade. Come with us into 2020 as we bring you the past." - Billboard, 5/15/20...... Rod Stewart was so moved after seeing video of a Welsh student nurse named Natasha Jenkins reuniting with her three children following a five-week stay at a Cardiff, Wales hospital where she had spent 22 days on a ventilator, that he decided to get in touch with the COVID-19 survivor so he could send her a $6,000 (£5,000) cheque to help with expenses. "My house phone rang one day, and it was a lady saying, 'I'm calling on behalf of Rod Stewart,'" Jenkins, 35, told People.com. "She said, 'I'm from his PR company. He'd like to send you something.'" Jenkins was pleasantly surprised to receive the call, and two days later, she received an envelope containing a signed promotional picture of the "Maggie May" hitmaker -- and the generous gift. "I was like, 'Wow!' I was only expecting a card or something!" she exclaimed. Jenkins says she plans to hold on to the extra funds unless absolutely necessary. "The money is just going to be put away until I need it really," she said. "There's not too much I can do at the moment but it's just one less worry isn't it, the money issues and everything. It's just so sweet." The nurse also shared her story on Facebook showing off Stewart's personal, handwritten note, which read, "Hi Natasha, a small gift to help you through rough times." - Music-News.com, 5/16/20...... Streams of Little Richard's catalog of classic rock & roll hits have soared by 2,228% after the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician died on May 9 from bone cancer at age 87. On May 9-10, songs by Richard drew 4.1 million on-demand U.S. streams, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. The sum represents a whopping 2,228% surge from the previous two days, May 7-8, during which his songs were streamed 175,000 times. Leading the pack was his 1955-56 hit "Tutti Frutti," which earned 412,000 streams on May 9-10, up 1,210% from 32,000 on May 7-8. His 1958 smash "Good Golly Miss Molly" also racked up 367,000 streams on May 9-10, up 985%, followed by 1956's "Long Tall Sally" (255,000 streams, up 1,056%). As for digital song sales, Little Richard's catalog sold 10,000 downloads on May 9-10, up 6,928% from a negligible amount on May 7-8. Lyrics to his songs are also in demand on LyricFind U.S., with "Good Golly Miss Molly" placing at No. 4 on its top lyrics searches, followed by "Long Tall Sally" (No. 6) and "Lucille" (No. 7). - Billboard, 5/13/20...... 
Former The Doobie Brothers member Michael McDonald has released live covers of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and the 1965 Burt Bacharach-Hal David penned Jackie DeShannon hit "What the World Needs Now Is Love," and McDonald says there's nothing random about his decision. "We always end our evening with one of those two songs, or both," says McDonald, who's slated to inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Doobie Brothers on Nov. 7. "We've tried to make our live shows leave people with a sense of community and a little something more important than just all of us getting together to hear some live music... And the mindfulness of being a community is always important -- especially now," he says from quarantine in his home near Santa Barbara, Calif. McDonald says he's also been working on a new studio album, the follow-up to 2017's Wide Open, and is also planning an EP of material he's been working on with local musicians in a converted barn studio on a ranch his friend owns north of Santa Barbara. A summer 2020 Doobies tour, with McDonald joining the existing lineup of the band, is slated to kick off July 9 in West Palm Beach, Fla., and has not yet been postponed or canceled, although he says "I can't imagine we'll go out this summer or any time soon." The Doobies Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction has been moved back six months and he says the band is "pretty geared up to go do it -- but such is everybody's fate these days." "I know I'm really looking forward to it, and I hope all the other guys are up for it come next year," he says. - Billboard, 5/13/20...... A YouTuber who goes by the moniker of Funk Turkey has created an AC/DC song using Artificial Intelligence called "Great Balls" and shared it on 
ABBA announced on May 14 it will be reissuing its entire back catalogue on colored vinyl for the very first time. All eight of the Swedish pop group's albums will be neatly collected in a box set titled 
The surviving members of the Beach Boys, who have been touring in two separate camps since completing their 50th anniversary tour in 2012, could all reunite in 2021 for a 60th anniversary tour. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Beach Boys co-founder Mike Love, who heads up one of the camps says he is "not against anything like that in terms of another proper Beach Boys reunion." "Anything that's creative and done for positive reasons is good with me," says Love. "We will continue thinking about stuff like that and see what we can do." In March, Al Jardine told a concert industry publication that a full BB reunion tour "will happen... we'll probably do about 20 or 30 [shows] together next year," although Love says he has not spoken with Jardine about a reunion "specifically." "Al's a really good singer, but he's been travelling and performing with Brian Wilson, [and] Brian has some serious health issues," Love said. "We are in a very fortunate and blessed position to be able to do music for a lifetime. It's pretty amazing. I can remember when my cousin Brian was a young boy. He sang "Danny Boy' sitting on my Grandma Wilson's lap. So that's how far back we go musically." Brian Wilson's manager, Jean Sievers, says no one has spoken to Brian about a 60th anniversary tour, however. In February, Wilson urged fans not to attend a Beach Boys show that had been organized by Love as it was taking place at the Safari Club International Convention, a group that supports trophy hunting. - NME, 5/14/20...... Elton John says he's "thrilled" to be the focus of an episode of the BBC television series Killing Eve, in which Villanelle's younger brother Bor'ka is revealed to be a superfan of the musician. In the episode "Are You From Pinner?," which is the name of John's English hometown, several references to Elton's music appear throughout the episode, as well as an inner table rendition of John's hit "Crocodile Rock," and a later scene which sees Bor'ka buy tickets to see the musician live. "#KillingEve is such a groundbreaking series and I was thrilled to be included in this week's episode," John said on Instagram, sharing a still from the episode which sees Villanelle wearing heart-shaped glasses just like John. "I think the glasses suit you @jodiemcomer! = the caption added. - NME, 5/13/20....... Pink Floyd guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour has paid tribute to his late former bandmate Syd Barrett by covering some of the singer-songwriter's solo songs during a lockdown performance, and sharing them on 
Astrid Kirchher, the legendary German Beatles photographer and collaborator who is renowned for taking the first ever photograph of the Beatles in her hometown of Hamburg, when they were an unknown five-piece combo, has died at age 81 of as yet undisclosed causes. Enjoying a lengthy collaborative relationship with the Beatles, Ms. Kirchherr is also known as the person who first suggested that the band cut their hair into what would become iconic "mop tops." She was also engaged to one-time Beatles guitarist Stuart Sutcliffe before his death in 1962. "Astrid was intelligent, inspirational, innovative, daring, artistic, awake, aware, beautiful, smart, loving and uplifting," Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn posted in tribute on Twitter. "Her gift to the Beatles was immeasurable." Also among the many fans paying tribute to Ms. Kirchherr on social media, where she was referred to as "the sixth Beatle," was George Harrison's widow Olivia Harrison. "Astrid is and was the sweetest woman, so thoughtful and kind and talented, with an eye to capture a soul. Our family loved her and none more than George. I am truly saddened but honoured to have known her," Olivia said. Ms. Kirchherr's photography of several iconic photos of the band was collated into a 2018 book, Astrid Kirchherr with the Beatles. - New Musical Express, 5/16/20...... Phil May, the frontman of the influential 1960's rock band The Pretty Things, died on the morning of May 15 at hospital in Kings Lynn, England, according to a rep for the band. He was 75 and died from complications after falling off his bicycle and undergoing emergency hip surgery. The Pretty Things, who formed in 1963, were peers of the Rolling Stones, and featured former Stones bassist Dick Taylor in their line-up on guitar. The band's 1968 album SF Sorrow has gone down in rock history as one of the first rock & roll concept albums, and The Pretty Things were publicly adored by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie, who covered one of their tracks on his 1973 album Pin-Ups. In 2014, May was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, and while the band never officially broke up, May did take a break from touring following the diagnosis. The band played a "Final Bow" gig in Dec. 2018, at which they were joined on stage by Van Morrison, Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and more. The band continued to release iconic and influential recordings, right up to the present day, with a new album due for release this year. Among those paying tribute to May was Dave Davies of The Kinks, who called him "a very talented guy" who "will be sorely missed." - NME, 5/16/20.
On May 7, Bob Dylan released his third new track of 2020, "False Prophet," and announced on 
The original Led Zeppelin debut album artwork designed by English graphic designer/illustrator George Hardie is scheduled to be auctioned off in June, with the iconic cover based on a famous Hindenburg disaster image by photographer Sam Shere expected to bring an estimated $20,000 to $30,000. "In terms of rarity, this is a unique object... I don't think you can get rarer than that," said senior specialist Peter Klarnet of Christie's Auctions, which will conduct the sale between June 2-18 in New York. "(The cover) marked a major turning point in the history of pop music, heralded by the debut of Led Zeppelin. It was louder, bolder than what had come before and would come to define the shape of hard rock for generations." George Hardie produced his take on the photo while studying at the Royal College of Art in London in 1969. His friend, photographer Stephen Goldblatt, had recommended his work to Led Zeppelin, with Jimmy Page later suggesting he use Shere's Hindenburg photo. Led Zeppelin reportedly paid Hardie only £60 for his efforts, though he is said to have discovered a note reading "George's pension fund upon finding the original tracing years later." - New Musical Express, 5/9/20...... The Rolling Stones' recent quarantine anthem "Living in a Ghost Town" has surged on the Billboard rock charts after being released on Apr. 23. It rose 3-1 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart dated May 9, becoming the band's first No. 1 on that list and selling 16,000 downloads in its first full tracking frame (Apr. 24-30), according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. On the all-genre Rock Airplay Chart, it jumped 44-34 fueled by its No. 21 debut on Adult Alternative Songs and early airplay on mainstream rock stations. The song becomes the Stones' highest-ranking song on a Billboard airplay chart since "Doom and Gloom," which peaked at No. 10 on the Adult Alternative Songs chart in Nov. 2012. "Living in a Ghost Town" is expected to appear on the band's new album that the legendary rockers have been recording for several years, the follow-up to their 2016's covers set Blue & Lonesome and their first album of newly-written material since 2005's A Bigger Bang. - Billboard, 5/6/20...... In a new interview on Sirius XM/s "Trunk Nation" radio show, Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi says he's "not opposed to doing anything" with his iconic heavy metal band, which hasn't performed since Feb. 2017. "It was great to be able to go out and do a final tour," Iommi said. "I think that it would be good, if we could do [a one-off show]. The hard thing is, certainly with Sabbath, because it's such a big thing, you can't just do an occasional show, because of the crew, and you have the whole setup. It would have to be a year or an 18-month tour... I'm not opposed to doing anything; I just would do it in a different way." In April, Iommi revealed that he's been in touch with Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne on a daily basis during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown "and that people had been keeping an eye on him too." "Neighbours have dropped a note through the door asking if I want any shopping, the guitarist said of being stuck indoors at his home in Worcestershire. "They're looking out for the poor old sod!," he said. - New Musical Express, 5/6/20...... 
The late Ricky Nelson's sons Matthew and Gunnar Nelson are marking what would have been the 80th anniversary of their dad's birthday on May 8 with a 2-hour documentary called Ricky Nelson Remembered that, according to Matthew, "tells the stories behind the songs, with videos playing behind us with people like Paul McCartney, John Fogerty and Kris Kristofferson talking about our pop, and words from the man himself." "He had this wonderful, silent strength, and a kindness and gentleness," Gunnar mused of his father, who died in a plane crash on Dec. 31, 1985. "We're doing this show not because we have to, but because we want to." The special can be streamed on the 
Florian Schneider, co-founder of the German electronic pop band Kraftwerk, died after a short battle with cancer on May 6, just a few days after of his 73rd birthday. Schneider formed the influential group and multimedia project with Ralf Hütter in 1970. With its use of electronic instruments that included homemade and custom-built devices, Kraftwerk has been credited with pioneering the electronic music and influencing several music genres, including including hip-hop, synthpop and rock. Schneider -- who played the synthesizer, vocoder, flute, sax and more, as well as provided vocals -- left the band in 2008 after four decades. The late David Bowie once recognized Schneider and Kraftwerk's influence by titling his mostly instrumental track "V-2 Schneider" on his 1977 album "Heroes" after the musician. Though nominated for the Rock Hall of Fame six times, the influential electronic band has yet to be inducted. Prior to his death, Kraftwerk had announced that the band would be embarking on a summer tour of North America to celebrate the group's 50th anniversary, which unfortunately had to be canceled due to the global coronavirus pandemic. - Billboard, 5/6/20...... Actor/comedian Jerry Stiller, known for his role as cantakerous fathers on the TV sitcoms Seinfeld and The King of Queens, has died at age 92 of natural causes, his actor son Ben Stiller posted on Twitter on May 11. "He was a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Anne for about 62 years. He will be greatly missed. Love you Dad," Ben posted. Jerry Stiller was part of a 1960s comedy team Stiller and Meara with wife Anne Meara, who died in 2015 at age 85. Stiller and Meara worked together in the Compass Players comedy troupe before forming their own team. By the 1960s, they had become a popular comedy duo on U.S. television and appeared 36 times on The Ed Sullivan Show. Their act included skits such as an interview with the biblical Jonah after his encounter with the whale and parodies of TV commercials. Mr. Stiller later did some Broadway work and appeared in films including Airport 1975 and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. He was in his mid-60s when he got what would become his signature acting role -- Frank Costanza, father of ne'er-do-well George Costanza (played by Jason Alexander) on Seinfeld, a tense, bombastic man always on the verge of apoplexy. The show, one of the most highly regarded in U.S. TV history, was in its fourth season at the time but Mr. Stiller said he had never watched a minute of it and had to ask, "Who's Seinfeld?" Mr. Stiller also had roles in both the 1998 and 2007 versions of the movie Hairspray and appeared in films starring son Ben such as Zoolander and The Heartbreak Kid. He is also survived by a daughter, Amy Stiller, also is an actress. - Reuters, 5/11/20.
An authorized Ramones exhibit will open at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas on July 4, and Rhino Records has announed a series of reissues and remastered, upscaled Ramones videos. To mark the group's 50th anniversary, the Ramones and Rhino Records are launching a year-long celebration that will include the only authorized exhibition dedicated to the seminal punk band. The show organized and curated by the Punk Foundation in collaboration with late guitarist Johnny Ramone's wife Linda Ramone and Ramones Production Inc., will feature the band's music, memorabilia, along with public and member's only performances, artist conversations, interactive experiences, artist-led tours and other events. The museum will also host a 4th of July bash featuring the Ramones tribute band Mama's Boy. In addition, between now and the end of 2026, the band and Rhino will announced a series of physical reissues and releases, as well as tribute performances and newly remastered, upscaled videos for such classics as "I Wanna Be Sedated," "Psycho Therapy," "Rock N' Roll High School," "Sheena is a Punk Rocker," "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)," "We Want the Airwaves," "Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?" and others. - Billboard, 4/24/26...... In other '70s punk news, the 2026 edition of the CBGB Festival in NYC will feature a mix of classic and contemporary punk and new wave acts, topped by former Smiths singer and solo performer Morrissey, as well as punk godmother Patti Smith, Interpol and the Sex Pistols, featuring charter members guitarist Steve Jones, bassist Glen Matlock and drummer Paul Cook, with singer Frank Carter subbing in for original vocalist Johnny Rotten/John Lydon. The event honoring the legendary punk club in New York's East Village that beginning in 1973 was the launching pad for the first wave of American punk acts such as the Ramones, Smiths, Television, Blondie and the Talking Heads, among many others, will take place on Sept. 26 at Under the K Bridge Park in Brooklyn. Also on this year's bill, classic acts Buzzcocks, Bikini Kill, Agnostic Front, Circle Jerks and Haywire, as well as contemporary acts keeping the flame alive such as Upchuck, Militarie Gun, High Vis, Bad Nerves and Panic Shack. A CBGB Festival poster can be viewed on 
A 5-bedroom home in Benton, Ill., where a young George Harrison visited in Sept. 1963 just before he shot to worldwide fame with the Beatles, is up for sale. Harrison made his unassuming trip, when he shopped for records and bought a guitar from local shops, to visit his sister Louise Harrison Caldwell's home at 113 McCann St., about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis, and the house had a date with the wrecking ball in 1995. However a group of activists including Louise, who moved away in the late 1960s, stepped in to save it. In the mid-1990s, a state agency bought the five-bedroom bungalow built in 1935 from a subsequent owner with plans to flatten it for parking. Beatles mega-fan Robert Bartel of Springfield, a Beatles author and documentarian, alerted the media and Fab Four loyalists. Local investors repurchased it from the state and opened the "Hard Day's Nite Bed and Breakfast," featuring the couch Harrison traded guitar licks on and stacks of other loaned Beatles memorabilia, including a bevy from Bartel. The bed-and-breakfast closed in 2010. Benton resident Grady Adams has since operated it as regular bed-and-bath apartments but now wants to sell, listing it for $105,000. Brian Calcaterra, Benton's director of economic development, suggested the city draft an ordinance to protect the house from demolition by a new owner, but Benton Mayor Lee Messersmith said the city council has not discussed the matter. Harrison never returned to Benton, though, dying in 2001 at 58. Caldwell was 91 when she died in 2023. Meanwhile, Harrison's ex-wife Pattie Boyd has wondered aloud who will play her in the upcoming Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes. Boyd, a model and photographer who was married to the guitarist between 1966 and 1977 before she married Eric Clapton (who wrote the song "Layla" for her), posted on 
The first reviews for the new Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, starring his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson, are in, and critics are apparently not thrilled with the big-screen story of the King of Pop. On Apr. 21, reviews of Michael were allowed to begin on rottentomatoes.com, and the film has a 32% critics score. A score of around 60% is generally considered to be a good rating. The UK critics in particular have not been so kind to the movie, with the BBC calling the film "a bland and barely competent daytime TV movie" and gave it one star, and The Guardian proclaiming that the "clichéd Jackson biopic is bland, bowdlerised and bad," while the Independent dubbed it a "risible biopic" that turns Jacko into "a 20th-century Jesus." But across the pond, the reception was somewhat more favorable, with The Hollywood Reporter writing: "If you're even remotely nostalgic for the time when his songs were ubiquitous on pop charts, at parties and on dance floors worldwide, the movie will be a warm rush of transporting pleasure," it gushed. Also complimentary is USA Today, sharing that, "Jaafar may share his late uncle's megawatt smile, lithe frame and Bambi eyelashes. But his liquid dance moves -- highlighted as he teaches gang members the footwork in the 'Beat It' video -- and soft-spoken cadence are studied to perfection." Meanwhile, Leaving Neverland MJ biopic director Dan Reed has criticized the new MJ biopic, claiming that the musician was "worse than Jeffrey Epstein' -- the notorious late millionaire alleged pedophile. Reed directed the HBO-produced, two-part Leaving Neverland back in 2019, which focused on interviews with Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who alleged that they were sexually abused as children by Jackson. In 2024, Reed slammed the then-upcoming biopic Michael as "startlingly disingenuous," claiming it discredits Robson and Safechuck's experiences with the singer. Now that the film has hit theaters, he's questioned why the new biopic failed to acknowledge the abuse allegations against Jackson. "It says that people don't care that he was a child molester. Literally, people just don't care," Reed said in a new interview with Hollywood Reporter. "I think a lot of people just love his music and turn a deaf ear. And short of having actual video evidence of Michael Jackson engaged in sexual intercourse with a seven-year-old child, I don't know what would be sufficient to change these people's minds. "How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of being a child molester?" he added. - Music-News.com/NME, 4/22/26...... Kraftwerk have lost one of the longest-running copyright cases in music history over a sample of their song "Metall Auf Metall." The dispute centres around a short excerpt of the 1977 track that was used in the 1997 song "Nur Mir" by German rapper Sabrina Setlur, produced by Moses Pelham and Martin Haas. It began as a domestic German copyright claim in the late '90s, and Kraftwerk members Ralf Hütter and the late Florian Schneider were initially successful in their case that the unlicensed use of their song constituted infringement. However, that ruling was subsequently appealed, overturned and referred on several occasions to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), resulting in a three-decade long legal battle over the regulation of sampling in Europe. A 2019 ruling held that sampling a recognisable section of a recorded song can amount to copyright infringement unless the sample is changed to the point that it becomes no longer identifiable. Now, a ruling on Apr. 14 in the CJEU's court in Luxembourg has ruled that a song can qualify as a "pastiche" if it evokes an existing recording in a recognizable but transformed form, but remains "notably different" from the original and engages in "artistic or creative dialogue" with the original. This represents a defeat for Kraftwerk, as it effectively confirms that Pelham and Haas' use of the sample falls within the "pastiche" category. Kraftwerk's "Multimedia"' UK and Ireland tour is set to kick off in Dublin on May 17 and will take in a total of 17 dates, including three in London's Royal Albert Hall on June 4, 5 and 6. It wraps in Edinburgh on June 9. - NME, 4/21/26...... Ronnie Wood has announced some UK and European headline shows for his 2026 solo tour. The Rolling Stones guitarist confirmed in March that he'd be taking to the stage at the legendary Paradiso in Amsterdam on Sept. 7. He later added a second night at the venue due to demand. Now, he's shared details of two extra gigs in the UK and Germany. Wood will play at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London on Aug. 21, before heading to E-Werk in Cologne on Sept. 3. Imelda May is set to appear on stage with Wood and his band at the forthcoming concerts. "I'm looking forward to kickin' ass with my back catalogue and some new songs -- look out London!" Wood said in a statement. Wood will also support Eric Clapton at his huge show at the Sandringham Estate this summer. - NME, 4/21/26...... 
Alan Osmond, the eldest singing member of the '70s family singing group The Osmonds, died on Apr. 20 in the group's native state of Utah of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 76. The family revealed that Osmond died surrounded by his wife Suzanne and their eight sons. Osmond -- who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1987 -- and his nine siblings grew up as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ogden, Ut., getting their start in music singing in their church choir. At age nine, he started a barbershop quartet with brothers Wayne, Merrill and Jay Osmond in 1958, with the squeaky clean group quickly picking up gigs at Disneyland in L.A. and frequent guest spots NBC's The Andy Williams Show variety hour from 1962-1967. Alan, referred to as "No. 1" by his younger brothers, took up the mantle as the group's leader, with the family band originally forming as a way to raise money for hearing aids for their hearing impaired older brothers, Virl and Tom Osmond. In 1963, the brothers were joined by younger sibling and future break-out star Donny Osmond, then six-years-old, who made his debut on the Williams show, turning the quartet into a quintet. A few years later, their youngest brother, Jimmy Osmond, joined the band as well. The Osmonds, who were known as "one-take Osmonds" for their efficiency, precision and constant rehearsing, moved on to The Jerry Lewis Show from 1967-1969 and slowly morphed from a vocal group to a pop/rock group, signing to MGM Records and recording at the famed Muscle Shoals studio in Alabama. It was there they recorded their only No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit, 1971's Jackson 5-esque bubblegum pop bop 
Dave Mason, the veteran singer-songwriter and guitarist with Traffic and brief Fleetwood Mac member as well as a successful '70s solo artist, died on Apr. 19 at home in Gardnerville, Nev. He was 79. The news was confirmed in a statement from his publicist, who said: "On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dave Mason. On Sunday, April 19, the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame inductee, celebrated songwriter, musician, singer and author passed away peacefully at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada," the 
Mason also released a string of solo albums in the '70s and '80s, including