Elton John has a long association with the Academy Awards, hosting his annual Elton John AIDS Foundation pre-Oscars event for the last 29 years. But the Rocket Man wasn't so impressed with this year's Oscars ceremony on Apr. 25, saying it "looks like it's coming from a Starbucks somewhere." Commenting on the telecast during his annual viewing party, John told his co-host Neil Patrick Harris that his disappointment in the Oscars was pandemic-related. "I wish we could be there. It's more fun. This is the only way we could do it," Elton said. Nielsen figures saw the TV ratings for the 2021 Oscars telecast drop by 5%, with 9.85 million viewers in total tuning in. In 2020, the Academy Awards were watched by 23.6 million viewers and earned a 5.3 rating, versus this year's 1.9 rating. However, those figures are in line with ratings for live TV viewership broadly, which has been steadily decreasing for some time. - NME, 4/29/21...... 
Genesis announced on Apr. 29 they'll be mounting their first North American tour in 14 years this fall. The English prog-rockers' "The Last Domino?" tour will visit major cities across the Eastern U.S. and Canada, with Phil Collins' son Nic Collins helping out on drums, with longtime Genesis lead guitar and bass player Daryl Stuermer also performing alongside Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. Kicking off on Nov. 15 at Chicago's United Center, the tour will also hit Washington, D.C. (11/18), Charlotte (11/20), Montreal (11/22), Toronto (11/25), Buffalo (11/27), Detroit (11/29), Cleveland (11/30) and Philadelphia (12/2). Genesis will also play a two night stand at New York's Madison Square Garden on Dec. 5 and 6 and then hit Columbus, Belmont Park, NY, and Pittsburgh before wrapping on Dec. 15 at TD Garden in Boston. The 2021 tour marks the first time Genesis has performed stateside since 2007's "Turn It On Again: The Tour." In the meantime, the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2010. Tickets for all shows will be available first through a presale powered by Ticketmaster Verified Fan on May 5, followed by the general public on-sale on May 7. - Billboard, 4/29/21...... In more prog news, Yes's Rick Wakeman has joined forces with jazz saxophonist Justin Swadling on an upcoming collaboration. Wakeman and Swadling will release their new single, "Into the Light," on May 14. According to a press release, the genre-bending track "brings together Swadling's already mighty talent to create an outstanding record with the soloistic talents of a true Brit" and "penned amid the COVID-19 pandemic, 'Into The Light' carries a message of hope." Wakeman recently admitted he has no idea how the entertainment industry will recover from the global health crisis. "There's going to be massive job losses and companies going down. I truly don't know how the entertainment industry is going to recover. And we will have an anger period, because in this country people always look for someone to blame," he said. The 71-year-old Wakeman, who played on the iconic David Bowie tracks "Changes," "Life on Mars?" and "Hunky Dory," recently performed alongside Bowie's long-time band member Mike Garson and Yungblud for the "A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day!" live-stream Bowie tribute concert in January to mark what would have been David's 74th birthday. Wakeman has a 16-date U.K. tour planned for the fall, kicking off on Nov. 28 in Basingstoke's The Anvil, hitting London's Cadogan Hall on Dec. 10, and wrapping on Dec. 21 at the Hull City Hall. - Music-News.com, 4/30/21...... A new 4-hour KISS biopic, Biography: KISStory, is set to air on the A&E cable channel in June over two nights. KISStory, which is separate to the band's upcoming biopic Shout It Out Loud which will apparently air on Netflix,h as the support of the members of KISS, with Paul Stanley calling it "really terrific." Featured artists in the film are set to include Dave Grohl and Tom Morello. A description of KISStory reads: "After 50 years of rocking and rolling all night and partying every day, the #1 Gold Record selling band of all time, KISS, shares their story of success before finally smashing their last guitar and extinguishing the fire-breathing demon. Through the Biography lens we are able to give fans a backstage pass to a two-night event that honors the legacy of the rock icons behind KISS," a press release added. "This documentary event is a special tribute to a one-of-a-kind band and the incredible Kiss Army fanbase that has idolized them for generations." - NME, 4/29/21...... 
A new massive collection of Jim Morrison's poetry, lyrics and writings, The Collected Works of Jim Morrison: Poetry, Journals, Transcripts, and Lyrics, will hit stores on June 8, publisher HarperCollins announced on Apr. 26. The book was created in collaboration with the late the Doors frontman's estate and boast almost 600 pages of writings. The anthology was inspired by a posthumously discovered list by Morrison entitled "Plan for Book," and will include poetry, lyrics and audio transcripts of Morrison reading his work, accompanied by a compelling mix of 160 visual components. The Collected Works of Jim Morrison also includes a foreword by novelist Tom Robbins, introduction by editor Frank Lisciandro, and a prologue by the rocker's sister, Anne Morrison Chewning. - Billboard,4/26/21...... Ozzy Osbourne says he has 15 songs done for his next studio album, the follow-up to 2020's Ordinary Man. "I've done 15 tracks," Ozzy told Metal Hammer of progress on the record. "It's kept me alive, you know. These past two years, I've been in a terrible fucking state between the accident [a fall at home that left him seriously injured and then the pandemic. It's kept me sane; I've needed the music," Ozzy says. "I struggle a bit, but slowly but surely we're getting there," he added. "My only concern right now is finishing the bloody thing. We've got the same production time as the last time, so there's definitely going to be some similarities. But you'll just have to wait and see what you think," he added. Osbourne's producer, Andrew Watt, recently revealed the new studio LP is set to feature an all-star cast of backing musicians, including members of Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica. - New Musical Express, 5/1/21...... A new Blondie documentary titled Blondie: Vivir en la Habana is set to premiere at the UK's Sheffield Doc Fest in June. The film, following frontwoman Debbie Harry and the New York new wave band, will focus on the band's time in Cuba collaborating with local musicians. Blondie were invited to perform in Havana as part of a cultural exchange through the Cuban Ministry of Culture. Guitarist Chris Stein had long wanted to visit Cuba while being in the band for over 40 years. A short film was shot by artist and director Rob Roth, also called Blondie: Vivir en la Habana, which has now turned into the feature. Harry, Stein and Clem Burke all narrate the film, which "invites us into their magical moments of performing alongside incredible musicians," per a press release. Blondie: Vivir en La Habana will screen at Sheffield Doc Fest between June 4-13. - NME, 4/29/21...... 
Tom Jones has become the oldest male to claim a Number 1 on the UK's Official Albums Chart as his new album Surrounded By Time topped the chart after its Apr. 23 release. At 80 years and 10 months old, Sir Tom set a new UK Official Chart record as the oldest male to claim a No. 1 album on the Official Albums Chart, and the oldest artist ever to do so with an album of new material, overtaking Bob Dylan, who topped the chart at 79 years old in June 2020 with Rough And Rowdy Ways. Surrounded By Time is Tom's fourth No. 1 album and his first since 1999's Reload. He's also the first Welsh soloist to land a UK chart-topper in nine years, since Marina & The Diamonds' Electra Heart in 2012. "I am thrilled beyond words with the reception for Surrounded By Time, and to now hold these UK chart records is tremendous, just unbelievable," Jones told OfficialCharts.com. "I am so proud of everyone who helped me create this music, I had a ball working with them and to get this result is just incredible. It's wonderful that the public has allowed me to be musically expressive at my time of life and have shown their support. I am forever grateful," he added. - Music-News.com, 4/30/21...... A week after revealing he was "in agony" after testing positive for the Covid-19 virus, Ted Nugent has opened up on his recent battle with the virus in a new edition of his Spirit Campfire show (which has been shared on YouTube), saying he's "never been so scared in all my life." Nugent announced in April that he had contracted the virus, before denying that he had previously called coronavirus a hoax. The controversial right-wing singer has attracted criticism for his views on the ongoing pandemic over the last year. Reflecting on his experience with Covid on Apr. 29, he said: "I never am a sympathy guy. I'm a tough guy. I'd rather err on the side of 'tough guy.' Five [or] six days ago, it was really scary. I didn't think I was gonna make it. I literally couldn't function for about 20 hours, and then they came and they rescued me... I've never been so scared in all my life. I've had the flu three or four times in my life," he continued. "I'm in bed and I'm giving birth to swampage -- I mean, I go through six boxes of Kleenex an hour. Okay, that's the flu, and you've got a headache and you've got body aches. Maybe you've got some diarrhea, and just overall pain." Nugent added: "I don't struggle to express myself. The six-foot-two, 225-pound headache [this time] was like nothing I have ever experienced. I mean, from my tip of my toes to the top of my hair, I literally was dizzy and weak and struggled to get up to go to the bathroom. And I would lay in the bathtub a couple of times a day with the water as hot as I could take it just to divert." After reporting that he had contracted Covid, Nugent denied saying that the virus was "not a real pandemic," and hit out at press reports that detailed his stance on coronavirus. "Saying that I claimed Covid-19 was a hoax. False," he told fans on Facebook Live. "I've always said... We have actually footage of me saying, if not hundreds, thousands of times... Of course there's a Chinese virus. Hello? Who thinks that I claimed there's no Chinese... There's a Chinese virus. They call it Covid-19. I'm well aware of that." Nugent has also claimed that online critics of his celebrated his recent coronavirus diagnosis and denounced them as "satanic." "...You have to know that there is a Satanic cult that is just demonic in their hatred and celebrating -- literally celebrating -- other people's suffering. I'm afraid that's the Democrat party. They are a Satanic cult. They literally throw gasoline on the fire of hurt, pain and suffering. Both literally and figuratively," he said. - NME, 4/29/21...... 
A previously unreleased version of an early Fleetwood Mac hit called "Need Your Love So Bad" has been released, featuring vocals from the late Peter Green and a newly recorded guitar track from Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. The new take on the 1969 hit is one of two new versions of Fleetwood Mac classics that have been recorded to celebrate the release of Peter Green -- The Albatross Man, a new book in tribute to the late Fleetwood Mac guitarist which arrives in October. The second track, meanwhile, sees Metallica's Kirk Hammett playing guitar on a version of the 1971 classic "Man Of The World," which also features Mick Fleetwood on drums. While Gilmour recorded his guitar part relatively recently, Green's vocals have been newly unearthed and are thought to have been recorded in the mid-1960s in his mother's attic. Gilmour, a close friend of Green, also performed his signature "Albatross" at last year's Peter Green tribute concert, which featured a performance from Hammett too. Green, the co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, died in July 2020 at the age of 73. The unreleased version of "Need Your Love So Bad" can be streamed on YouTube. - NME, 4/29/21...... Patti Smith and Arlo Parks will be among the headliners at the 2021 Manchester UK International Festival, which will also screen a new film starring Cillian Murphy. The event will take place between July 1 and July 18, and will see its participating artists reflect on ideas such as love and human connection in a post-coronavirus world. Smith will perform two nights (July 7/8) as a Manchester Internation Festival exclusive, taking to the stage for her first concerts since the Covid crisis began. Arlo Parks, meanwhile, will be accompanied by a string section for her biggest headline show to date on July 9. Venues for both performances are yet to be confirmed. The Cillian Murphy-starring film All Of This Unreal Time is set to receive its world premiere as an immersive installation between July 2-4. - NME, 4/28/21...... Olivia Newton-John has taken to Instagram to mourn the loss of her longtime cancer nurse Emma Cohen, who died in April. In her tribute, Newton-John revealed the impact Cohen had on her during her battle with the disease: "My heart is still in shock and so saddened to learn of the sudden loss of the very special Emma Cohen. Emma took care of me at a very vulnerable time in my life when I was a patient on her unit at the @onjcancercentre in 2018. She ensured my stay was safe and comfortable, always had practical advice for me, showed strong leadership skills and had a great sense of humour. She was a bright, energetic and powerful woman with a huge future ahead of her, and we connected on our mission to help patients on their cancer journey." Newton-John was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer -- her third battle with disease -- in 2017. And Olivia -- who didn't reveal Cohen's cause of death -- admitted she will "miss seeing (Emma's) lovely face" at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, where Emma worked. The Cancer Nurses Society of Australia -- on which Cohen served as a board director -- revealed she died after a "short illness" on Apr. 9. - Music-News.com, 4/29/21...... American astronaut Michael Collins, who stayed in the lunar command module when fellow Apollo 11 crew members Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon in 1969, died on Apr. 28 after a battle with cancer, according to his family. He was 90. Often described as the "forgotten" third astronaut on the historic mission, Mr. Collins remained alone for more than 21 hours until his two colleagues returned in the lunar module. He lost contact with mission control in Houston each time the spacecraft circled the dark side of the moon. "Not since Adam has any human known such solitude as Mike Collins," the mission log said, referring to the biblical figure. "I know that I would be a liar or a fool if I said that I have the best of the three Apollo 11 seats, but I can say with truth and equanimity that I am perfectly satisfied with the one I have," Collins said in comments released by NASA in 2009. Born in Rome on Oct. 31, 1930, Mr. Collins was the son of a U.S. army major general and, like his father, attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., graduating in 1952. Like many of the first generation of American astronauts, Mr. Collins started out as an air force test pilot and in 1963, he was chosen by NASA for its astronaut program. Mr. Collins's first voyage into space came in July 1966 as pilot on Gemini X, part of the missions that prepared NASA's Apollo program. The Gemini X mission carried out a successful docking with a separate target vehicle. His second, and final, space flight was the historic Apollo 11. Mr. Collins avoided much of the media fanfare that greeted the astronauts on their return to Earth, and was later often critical of the cult of celebrity. After a short stint in government, he became director of the National Air and Space Museum, stepping down in 1978. He was also the author of a number of space-related books. His strongest memory from Apollo 11, he said, was looking back at the Earth, which he said seemed "fragile." "I really believe that if the political leaders of the world could see their planet from a distance of 100,000 miles, their outlook could be fundamentally changed. That all-important border would be invisible, that noisy argument silenced," he said. His family's statement said they know, "how lucky Mike felt to live the life he did." With Mr. Collins's death, only four astronauts who have walked on the moon are still living, and the last human being who orbited or set foot on the moon did so in Dec. 1972. - CBC.ca, 4/28/21...... 
60s hitmaker Marianne Faithfull released a new album, She Walks in Beauty, on Apr. 30. A collaborative effort with Warren Ellis of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, the album is a new collection of poetry and music recorded shortly before and during the first coronavirus lockdown in the UK. Faithfull, 73, was hospitalised in March 2020 after developing coronavirus symptoms and after 22 days of treatment, she was discharged from hospital and returned to her London home in April. She now says her battle with coronavirus may have robbed her of the ability to sing. "The damage has been very bad," she recently told the LA Times. "It's my lungs, my memory and fatigue. It couldn't be worse. I don't know if I will ever be able to sing again. I have singing practice once a week, and I'm doing my best, but it's very hard. I love touring, and it's breaking my heart that I might possibly not be able to do it again. But I think there are ways around that, like filming. I might be able to do five shows one day: London, Paris, Berlin and two others. But I won't be able to travel. I'm in Europe and here I'll stay. That's OK. I really am European." - NME, 4/28/21...... Actor Johnny Crawford, who became a child star as the son of The Rifleman, passed away peacefully on the evening of Apr. 29 with his wife by his side after battling Alzheimer's disease and contracting Covid-19. He was 72. "It is with great sadness that we share the news of Johnny Crawford’s passing," the website posted. "We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends and fans around the world." Crawford rose to stardom after being cast in the ABC series The Rifleman which ran for five seasons. Crawford played the son of a western rancher Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) who was also a union Civil War veteran. His role in The Rifleman led him to be Emmy-nominated for best supporting actor in a dramatic series. Before playing young McCain, Crawford was one of the first Mouseketeers on The Mickey Mouse Club. He also made appearances in many TV series aired in the 1950s including The Lone Ranger, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Loretta Young Show. He also worked in music. In 1962, his song "Cindy's Birthday" peaked on the Billboard charts at No. 8. He is also credited with performing the song "Easy Come Easy Go" featured on 2004 film Hellboy. Friends in entertainment remembered Crawford on Twitter as an "inspiration" and a "dear friend." "My dear friend #JohnnyCrawford just passed away. I pray for his wife Charlotte as she was by his side. Johnny was a real cowboy and will be greatly missed," wrote Happy Days actor Scott Baio. - USA Today, 5/1/21.
Paul McCartney was among numerous the numerous musicians and other stars tweeting out awareness of the 50th annual Earth Day celebration on Apr. 22. As global warming's effects continue to push the Earth's climate to a tipping point, the former Beatle and long-time environmentally conscious vegetarian had a very simple message in his Earth Day tweet: "Sir Paul McCartney Has an Important Reminder - Celebrating #EarthDay. It's the only one we've got ! - Paul pic.twitter.com/2xwqAHdbVB." - Billboard, 4/22/21...... Elton John held a virtual pre-Oscars party on Apr. 25 ahead of the annual Oscars ceremony that evening. John, who has famously been hosting viewing parties for the Academy Awards since 1992, gave fans the chance to watch the live-streamed event for $19.99 (£14.99). The event was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, with rising singer Dua Lipa as a musical guest, performing alongside Elton. "Now more than ever, we need to ensure that one pandemic does not override another, and we cannot forget the 38 million people living with HIV globally who need our care, love and support so we hope everyone joins us for this special one-of-a-kind Oscar Pre-Party," John posted on Twitter announcing the event. - NME, 4/23/21...... 
As the celebrity gossip site Deadline.com posted a link to an article on Twitter revealing that a new KISS biopic is being bid on by Netflix, KISS singer/guitarist Paul Stanley deployed a short-but-sweet message to the KISS Army: "True!" According to Deadline, Netflix is nearing a deal for the flick, which has the working title Shout It Out Loud, a standout song from the band's 1976 album Destroyer. To be directed by Joachim Rnning, the film could be the next big musical biopic in the wake of Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman. The tale will likely focus on the unlikely friendship of Stanley and bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, and the classic lineup with Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss. KISS has said they will wrap up their career with the final date of their "End of the Road Tour," which which kicked off in January of 2019. - Billboard, 4/22/21...... The legendary residential Rockfield Studio located in Wales where Queen laid down its iconic "Bohemian Rhapsody" track and also played host to a number of other famous rock acts including Rush, Iggy Pop, Simple Minds, The Pogues and George Michael will be the subject of a new documentary called Rockfield: The Studio on the Farm. The movie, which chronicles a dream hatched by brothers Kingsley and Charles Ward in 1963 to build a recording studio in a farmhouse attic on their family farm deep in the Welch countryside, will be available as a WatchNow@Home direct-to-consumer release before hitting other platforms. Robert Plant, Black Sabbath, Oasis and Coldplay will be among the artists appearing in the film, directed by documentarian Hannah Berryman (Miss World 1970 and Bedlam). Director Berryman said in a statement that "the intensity of the 'make or break' nature residential recording [which] almost broke some bands... also produced tracks that have stood the test of time, and maybe you can hear everything that went on this isolated farm in that music, the pleasure and the pain." A trailer for Rockfield can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 4/22/21...... The Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood has shared he's been given the all-clear after his second diagnosis. Wood was diagnosed with rare and aggressive small-cell cancer during the coronavirus lockdown, the second time that he had fought the disease after he previously beat lung cancer in 2018. "I've had cancer two different ways now," Ronnie told England's The Sun paper. "I had lung cancer in 2017 and I had small-cell more recently that I fought in the last lockdown." Small-cell cancer is often found in the lung, but it can also affect the prostate, pancreas, bladder or lymph nodes. Opening up on his latest experience of cancer, Wood explained that working on paintings of his wife Sally and their four-year-old twins kept his spirits up. He also believes that staying sober for a decade and the concept of a "higher power" helped him through his latest fight. "When you hand the outcome over to your higher power, that is a magic thing," he said. "That brings you back to the (AA and NA's) Serenity Prayer: 'Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change'. That's incredible. What will be will be, it's nothing to do with me. All I can do is stay positive in my attitude, be strong and fight it, and the rest is up to my higher power." Wood previously admitted that it "could have been curtains" after his 2017 diagnosis, when he underwent a five-hour operation to have part of his lung removed. - NME, 4/26/21...... The '70s L.A. pop-rock duo Sparks has reunited with their former producer Todd Rundgren after 50 years for new single called "Your Fandango," which has been shared on YouTube. Speaking about the collaboration, Sparks -- made up of brothers Ron and Russell Mael -- said: "It's been a truly heartwarming experience to once again be working with Todd, our first-ever producer, after a brief 50-year hiatus." Rundgren added: "It's been a long way since Simple Ballet, but we finally got the old dance troupe back together!" On Apr. 19, it was announced that Sparks have written a musical titled "Annette" which is set to star Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. The film, which is set to open the Cannes Film Festival, is directed by Holy Motors' Leos Carax and sees Driver playing a stand-up comedian opposite Oscar-winner Cotillard's character, who is an internationally famous singer. Sparks also recently revealed that they're working on new music in the studio. - NME, 4/24/21...... 
Talking to London's The Times's "Saturday Review" section, Van Morrison claims he's had a "very negative reaction" for exercising "freedom of speech" in his songs. The Celtic crooner, 75, who has been open about his criticism of Covid-19 lockdowns and released three protest songs in 2020 and launched a campaign to save live music amid the coronavirus pandemic, says he is concerned people are being silenced for expressing alternative views. "The only other person who has any traction or motivation to speak out about what's going on, to get out there and question things, is Eric [Clapton]. A few people got a petition together to end the lockdown, but nobody pays attention to petitions, do they? If I can write about it, I do. Poetic licence, freedom of speech... these used to be OK. Why not now? I don't understand it. Some people call it a cult. It is like a religion. Whether anyone agrees with me or not is irrelevant. Just as there should be freedom of the press, there should be freedom of speech, and at the minute it feels like that is not in the framework. If you do songs that are an expression of freedom of speech you get a very negative reaction." Morrison added he doesn't think it's "a given" that live music will return any time soon. "I heard that some music promoters met with the people at Imperial College who are running the whole thing. Well, really, Klaus [Schwab], the executive chairman of the World Economic Forum] is running the whole thing. Your guess is as good as mine because freedom is not a given any more. You have to fight for it. That's where the blues come in." Morrison's views on the state of the world are explored on his new album Latest Record Project: Volume 1, which he whittled down to 28 songs from more than 50 tracks he's written over the last 18 months, though he insisted inspiration doesn't come easily. "I write in the morning, every day from breakfast until lunch, and for that time I'll be concentrating fully. Inspiration doesn't come down the chimney. You have to work at magic." - Music-News.com, 4/25/21...... Meat Loaf has paid tribute to his long-time collaborator, producer/songwriter Jim Steinman, who passed away from kidney failure on Apr. 20 at age 73. The Texas-based rocker paid tribute to Steinman on Twitter with a photo collage of their golden years, and a nod to the winged mammal in that most famous 1970s album. "Coming here soon, My brother Jimmy," Meat Loaf posted. "Fly Jimmy Fly." Steinman was a composer on Meat Loaf's rock-opera juggernaut Bat Out Of Hell which yielded the classics "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth," "Paradise by the Dashboard Light," "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" and is now a diamond certified platinum seller in the US. The duo returned to the well for 1993's Bat Out of Hell II, Back Into Hell, and its enduring hit "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)." Meat Loaf and Steinman returned to the well for 1993's Bat Out of Hell II - Back Into Hell, and its enduring hit "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)." - Billboard, 4/20/21...... Meanwhile, Alice Cooper has spoken more in detail about his bout with coronavirus at the end of 2020. "All it really did with me was it knocked me out," Cooper told Good Day Rochester in a new interview. "For three weeks, I felt like I went 12 rounds with [boxing legend] Roberto Duran; I was just beat up. And then every day, you feel a little bit better, then you feel a little bit better, feel a little bit better, and after about a month, you start feeling pretty good. And so now I'm a walking antibody." Cooper revealed in February that he had received his vaccination alongside his wife, Sheryl, at an immunization facility in Phoenix, Arizona -- and stressed the importance of getting the jab to everyone else. "We already had Covid but we're getting vaccinated anyway," Cooper said in a brief clip, per AZCentral. "Everyone out here has been really nice and you don't feel like you're in danger of anything. So come on out. If you haven't been vaccinated, come on out." Cooper adds he is now "feeling pretty good" and adds his health is "at least 95 per cent" of what it was before he contracted the virus. The shock rocker is now gearing up for a return to the stage, headlining his "Coopstock" benefit concert on Apr. 24 April in Mesa, Ariz. KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer, former Foreigner singer Lou Gramm, and Asia are also scheduled to perform. - New Musical Express, 4/25/21...... 
Never one to mince words, former Sex Pistols member John "Johnny Rotten" Lydon has called director Danny Boyle's Sex Pistols biopic series "the most disrespectful shit I've ever had to endure" and claims the project was green-lit without his consent. In an interview with London's Sunday Times, the singer reacted to recent publicity shots promoting the six-part series Pistol. "I think that's the most disrespectful shit I've ever had to endure. I mean, they went to the point to hire an actor to play me but what's the actor working on? Certainly not my character. It can't go anywhere else [but court]," Lydon said. Pistol, which has been created for TV by Craig Pearce (The Great Gatsby) and written by Pearce and Frank Cottrell-Boyce, began filming lin March, although no official premiere date has been confirmed yet. Elsewhere in the interview Lydon said "it's not like we're complete strangers" in reference to his claims that he wasn't contacted by Boyle, having previously met the director during preparations for the 2021 London Olympics opening ceremony. He added: "Sorry, you think you can do this, like walk all over me -- it isn't going to happen. Not without a huge, enormous f---ing fight. I'm Johnny, you know, and when you interfere with my business you're going to get the bitter end of my business as a result. It's a disgrace." A spokesperson for the Pistol production told the paper that Boyle contacted Lydon's management company about the planned series but "ultimately direct contact was declined." Pistol is based on guitarist Steve Jones' 2018 memoir Lonely Boy: Tales From A Sex Pistol, and is being made as a limited FX series. Boyle, who serves as director and executive producer, has described the Sex Pistols' breakthrough as "the moment that British society and culture changed forever." - NME, 4/25/21...... In related news, Tom Jones is reportedly in talks for a movie biopic, but says he isn't ready to "tell-all" just yet. Sir Tom, 80, says he has been in discussions regarding a movie about his life like Elton John's Rocketman and the Freddie Mercury/Queen film Bohemian Rhapsody. But Jones says he's not sure he is willing to share every detail about his life and career with the world on the big screen just yet. Appearing on Alan Carr's "Life's a Beach" podcast, he said: "Well there's been talk of it, yes. But then I'd have to tell-all. So I don't think I'm ready to tell-all yet. Y'know what I mean, it's one of those things. We're thinking about it." Although Tom didn't divulge who he'd like to play him in a biopic, he is adamant on it being an actor opposed to an actor-singer like Taron Egerton in Rocketman. "Well I think it would be better to get an actor because there are actor-singers who have come forward. But I think the best thing to do is get a really good actor like Elton John did. You've got to get an actor to play the part, then the music -- you get somebody to do. I'll either do [the music] myself or somebody who can do a soundalike. There are Tom Jones soundalikes out there. Y'know younger fellas. But the acting is the important part." Jones released his 41st studio album, Surrounded By Time, on Apr. 23. - Music-News.com, 4/24/21...... During a worldwide listening party for the new John Lennon deluxe John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band reissue, Ringo Starr remembered his old bandmate as "a brilliant artist and a brilliant man." As Tim Burgess' latest Twitter Listening Party turned its attention to the upcoming release, the famous drummer wrote on Twitter: "It's so incredible, the emotion on this record, just mind blowing. The sparseness of the band, the force of John Lennon. That's why he's one of the greats." Addressing suggestions that Lennon frequently worried about the quality of his singing voice, Starr wrote: "John always wanted a lot of echo on his voice. He had a great voice and when he was singing, he gave all of that. I don't feel personally he was insecure about his voice. Everybody wants to be someone else, to be different." In his final tweet about the experience, Starr added: "It is an incredibly cool record. It's a beautiful record and he was a beautiful man and I'm privileged to feel he was my friend. Great to be a part of Plastic Ono Band." - NME, 4/25/21...... In other Beatles-related news, a movie theater where Liverpudlians John Lennon and George Harrison spent their teenage years attending has been saved from demolition. The Abbey Cinema in Wavertree, Liverpool which featured in the Fab Four's personal writings and the original lyrics of their 1965 song "In My Life," officially closed in 1979. The cinema, which was designed by renowned architect and Liverpool City Council leader Sir Alfred Ernest Shennan, first opened in 1939. It has since been used as a bingo hall, snooker club and, most recently a Co-op supermarket, which closed its doors in 2020. UK supermarket chain Lidl has called for the building to be knocked down to make way for a new store, but a petition has been started on Twitter to preserve the building by Save Britain's Heritage, Historic England, which has now given it a Grade II listed status. - NME, 4/22/21...... The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced it has opened a new exhibit featuring props and outfits from several Super Bowl halftime performances by the likes of Prince, Stevie Wonder, Katy Perry, and more. Unveiling the "Biggest Show On Turf: 55 Years Of Halftime Shows" exhibition on Apr. 23 at the Cleveland hall and museum, the display comes ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft which is coming to the city on Apr. 29-May 1. Located on the museum's main floor, fans can walk the same line as Canadian superstar The Weeknd, snapping selfies next to the flashing lights and neon signs. Elsewhere, the outfit Prince wore during his Super Bowl XLI performance can be found inside a glass case, while U2 frontman Bono's American Flag jacket from U22 s 2002 Super Bowl performance dedicated to the victims of 9/11 is also featured. Scattered throughout the exhibit are photos and video from just about every major Super Bowl halftime show, including footage of Michael Jackson standing frozen for 90 seconds at the start of his performance at 1993 s Super Bowl XXVII. More info can be found on the RRHOF's website. - NME, 4/24/21...... 
Frank Zappa's official Twitter page announced on Apr. 23 that the eclectic rocker's last ever American concert is set to be immortalised on a new live album, Zappa '88: The Last U.S. Show. The album showcases Zappa's legendary show at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY on Mar.h 25, 1988, and is preceded by the live single "I Ain't Got No Heart." The gig, which took place five years before Zappa's death from cancer in 1993, features 29 previously-unreleased performances, including The Allman Brothers' "Whipping Post," Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," and a Beatles medley featuring "Norwegian Wood," "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," and "Strawberry Fields Forever." Zappa '88 was produced by Zappa's son Ahmet Zappa alongside Joe Travers, and the "I Ain't Got No Heart" single can be previewed on YouTube. The 2CD/digital album will drop on June 18 via Zappa Records/UMe. - Billboard, 4/23/21...... In a new interview with The London Times, Mick Fleetwood opened up on the future of Fleetwood Mac, admitting that the rock icons will eventually find "a classy way to say goodbye." The famously tumultuous group have endured their fair share of drama in recent years, with lead guitarist Lindsay Buckingham being fired by the band in 2018 and replaced on tour by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell and Crowded House's Neil Finn. Fleetwood said: "I've really enjoyed being re-connected with Lindsey, which has been gracious and open. And both of us have been beautifully honest about who we are and how we got to where we were." He added of a potential reunion: "Strange things can happen. I look at Fleetwood Mac as a huge family. Everyone plays an important role in our history, even someone like [early '70s] guitarist Bob Welch, who was huge and sometimes gets forgotten. "Lindsey's position in Fleetwood Mac will, for obvious reasons, never been forgotten, as it should never be forgotten. "My vision of things happening in the future is really far-reaching. Would I love to think that [reunion] could happen? Yeah. I'd love to think that all of us could be healed, and also respect the people who are in the band, Neil Finn and Michael Campbell." And while Buckingham's return might not be set in stone, Fleetwood is instead hoping that the band will get the chance to perform once more after the coronavirus pandemic subsides. "We've all been shocked that life can change so very quickly, but you're talking to the dude who never gives up. We are still a band. We have not broken up," he said. Whatever happens with Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood said he's open to working with Buckingham in any capacity. "I know for a fact that I intend to make music and play again with Lindsey," he said. "I would love that. It doesn't have to be in Fleetwood Mac." - NME, 4/22/21...... 
The Bay City Rollers' frontman Les McKeown, who was recruited by the group in 1973 and fronted the Scottish pop-rockers during their most successful period and selling more than 100 million records worldwide, passed away "suddenly" on Apr. 20 of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 65. The news was announced on Apr. 22 by McKeown's family on his official Facebook page. "It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of our beloved husband and father Leslie Richard McKeown... We are currently making arrangements for his funeral. We thank you and ask for privacy after the shock of our profound loss. Thank you. Keiko and Jubei McKeown," the post reads. The Bay City Rollers, who were arbitrarily named by the group's mentor/manager Tom Paton by sticking a pin in a US map and hitting Bay City, Mich., scored their first English hit in 1971. During their '70s heyday, the Bay City Roller's fandom was frequently compared to that of the Beatles and the tartan uniform-clad group were often mobbed by fans during appearances. McKeown, a native of Edinburgh where the band was formed in 1970, sang lead vocals on a number of the group's biggest tracks including "Saturday Night", "Remember (Sha-La-La-La)" and "Shang-a-Lang." Alongside McKeown and bassist Alan Longmuir, the line-up during this period also featured Eric Faulkner and Stuart Wood on guitars and Longmuir's brother Derek Longmuir on drums. Differences in the group led McKeown to leave in 1978, after which he launched his own lucrative solo career. The BCR reunited for a series of reunion shows in 2015 and McKeown released an album The Lost Tapes in 2016. The album was a collection of previously unheard and unreleased tracks that McKeown recorded on cassette whilst on tour with the group throughout the 1970s. Just days before his passing, McKeown was promoting an extensive, 49-date-tour for the Bay City Rollers on social media. - NME, 4/22/21...... Burlesque dancer and sex icon Tempest Storm, who counted Elvis Presley, JFK, Nat King Cole and Mickey Rooney among her many playmates -- died on Mar. 20 in Las Vegas. She was 93. The "Tempest in a D Cup," as she was widely known, was one of the top stars during the golden age of burlesque. Alongside strippers like Lili St. Cyr, Blaze Starr and Gypsy Rose Lee, Tempest Storm raised the tease to an art form and became part of the wider popular culture as the sexual revolution kicked off. She was the last of the great legends in the golden age of burlesque," pal and business partner Harvey Robbins told the New York Post. "She was perhaps the biggest of all." Storm was born Annie Blanche Banks in Georgia in 1928, and after a childhood filled with grinding poverty and sexual abuse she fled to Hollywood where she worked as a waitress. With her gigantic breasts, a customer suggested burlesque and Tempest Storm was born. By 1956, she was the highest-paid burlesque performer in the world with a 10-year $100,000 contract. The silver screen beckoned with 1955's Teaserama (co-starring Bettie Page) and a number of Russ Meyer films. Storm performed for the final time in 2010 and had recently been suffering from dementia. She was married four times and had a daughter. - Canoe.com, 4/24/21.
Actor/director/writer/producer Garry Marshall, a beloved figure in show business responsible for such TV hits as 
Queen has issued a statement saying that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's use of their 1977 classic "We Are the Champions" during Day 1 of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland on July 18 was "unauthorized" and "against our wishes." "An unauthorised use at the Republican Convention against our wishes," the band tweeted on July 19. Also on the same day, Queen's publishing company, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, weighed in: "Sony/ATV Music Publishing has never been asked by Mr. Trump, the Trump campaign or the Trump Organization for permission to use 'We are the Champions' by Queen. On behalf of the band, we are frustrated by the repeated unauthorized use of the song after a previous request to desist, which has obviously been ignored by Mr. Trump and his campaign." Sony/ATV went on to say that the band "does not want its music associated with any mainstream or political debate in any country," and that it does not want "We Are the Champions" "to be used as an endorsement of Mr. Trump and the political views of the Republican Party." "We trust, hope and expect that Mr. Trump and his campaign will respect these wishes moving forward," the statement concluded. In June, Queen guitarist Brian May had cautioned the Trump campaign to refrain from using the rousing ballad, saying "permission to use the track was neither sought nor given... We are taking advice on what steps we can take to ensure this use does not continue." - Billboard, 7/19/16...... In related news, the '60s pop band The Turtles is threatening to sue the Republicans for using its No. 1 1967 smash "Happy Together" as the GOP kicked off its convention earlier in the day. Turtles lead singer Howard Kaylan tweeted on July 18 that "We never approved this use... Now we call the laywers." In addition to Queen and The Turtles, several other musicians -- including Adele, Neil Young, the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith and REM -- have refused to let the controversial politician use their music at his rallies. Meanwhile, cover of David Bowie's "Station to Station" by the house band at the convention, led by GE Smith of Saturday Night Live fame, has also raised eyebrows by some. The traditionally conservative audience was treated to the "Station to Station" lyric "It's not the side-effects of the cocaine / I'm thinking it must be love." - Billboard/New Musical Express, 7/19/16...... Paul McCartney was joined onstage by Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir during Macca's concert at Boston's Fenway Park on July 17 for jams of Wings' "Hi, Hi Hi" and the Beatles' classic "Helter Skelter." Weir's Dead & Company had just completed a two-night stand at the same venue, and Weir stuck around to perform with the Beatles legend for the first time ever. After the Boston gig, McCartney's One on One summer tour continued to Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Penn. - Billboard, 7/17/16...... In other McCartney news, a letter from Paul to the late Prince sold at auction for $14,822 on July 17. In the letter, McCartney greeted Prince as "Dear Princely person" and asked his fellow musician to help him set up the Liverpool Institute For Performing Arts. Sir Paul wrote that he was contacting "friends and all good people" asking for donations. He also told Prince: "One of these days you'll have to come and teach a class some moves!!" It is unknown if Prince made good on McCartney's request, as the vast majority of Prince's contributions to charity were made anonymously. Meanwhile, former Police frontman Sting has recorded a tribute to Prince as part of his first straight pop album in 17 years. Sting is putting the finishing touches on 57th & 9th, which will include "50,000," a ballad written the week Prince died in April. The album is named after the intersection in New York where Sting is recording 57th & 9th, which is produced by Sting's new manager, Martin Kierszenbaum. - NME, 7/19/16...... 
Alice Cooper says he's "tired of the rhetoric -- the mudslinging -- the media frenzy" going on in the current political scene in both the US and the UK, and is launching simultaneous campaigns to become both President and Prime Minister, respectively. On his just launched website aliceforprimeminister.com, the '70s shock-rocker outlines his manifesto, which includes "Getting Brian Johnson back in AC/DC, a snake in every pot, no more pencils no more books," and "adding Lemmy [Kilmister] to Mt Rushmore." Other amusing points include "a ban on talking during movies in theatres" and a "ban on taking selfies, except on a designated National Selfie Day." "He is asking his fellow Americans, his British friends and all those around the world who are disillusioned with their leaders, to join The Wild Party," according to a press release. "Alice Cooper is tackling the everyday concerns discussed among his fellow woman and man - the ordinary, decent hard working (and rocking) people he meets and entertains every day while performing nearly 100 concerts a year around the world." To accompany the campaign, the Coop has recorded a new version of his classic track "Elected," which originally came out in 1972. - New Musical Express, 7/15/16...... Diana Ross's summer tour hit the legendary Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on July 15, for her first L.A. performance in nearly three years. Descending from the ceiling of the Bowl stage on a swing while singing her smash single "I'm Coming Out," the Supremes legend then tore through a hits medley of "More Today Than Yesterday," "My World Is Empty Without You," "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Come See About Me" and "You Can't Hurry Love." Ross also treated the crowd to a salute to the late Billie Holiday and the Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues in which she starred, performing "Don't Explain" and "Good Morning Heartache." Ross dedicated the latter tune to her former love and Motown label boss, Berry Gordy. She encored with a cover of Gloria Gaynor' "I Will Survive," "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)," and a reprise of "I Will Survive." Ross played a second show at the venue the following night. - Billboard, 7/16/16...... Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Heart, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Cheap Trick kicked off their co-headlinging Rock Hall Three For All Tour at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in suburban Detroit on July 14. All three bands have a touring history together -- tour headliner Heart and Cheap Trick date back to the '70s, and Heart and Jett have hit the road together extensively during the past couple years. "We all know each other and like each other, so it's cool," Heart's Ann Wilson said. Though the three acts did not collaborate at all during their sets, they made a point of paying homage to their own heroes as well as showcasing their respective repertoires. Cheap Trick payed homage to The Move with "California Man," Joan Jett covered Sly & the Family Stone's "Everyday People," and Heart paid tribute to Led Zeppelin with covers of "Immigrant Song" and "Misty Mountain Hop." The tour runs through Sept. 23. - Billboard, 7/15/16...... 
Speaking of Led Zeppelin, the band has announced it will release 
Jeff Beck is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his solo career in 2016, with a new album called 
Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry was hospitalized on July 10 after having a health scare as he was performing with the superband Hollywood Vampires during their performance at the Coney Island Ampitheater in Brooklyn. Perry, 65, was forced to leave the stage as the band performed a cover of Spirit's "I Got a Line on You." After the incident, fans and fellow artists tweeted their support for Perry, who is said to be in stable condition, including Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, who on July 13 said he is "really concerned" about his longtime bandmate. "It's starting to scare me a little bit," said Tyler. "I know they're putting out nothing, but he's recovering, he's really good, he fainted, exhaustion. But I know my brother. He's just about the only other guy that's as passionate about his art as I am," added Tyler, who is on the road promoting his new album 
In addition to his groundbreaking musical talent, late rock icon David Bowie also had a keen eye for fine art and modern British classics, and he amassed a collection of more than 400 objects d'art over his lifetime. Now Sotherby's Fine Art Auctions has announced it will publicly display the Bowie-owned paintings by "many of the most important British artists of the 20th Century" in November before putting them under the hammer in a three-part sale. The "Bowie/Collector" collection will be exhibited from Nov. 1-10 at Sotherby's in London, with review exhibitions also to be held in New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong. "Art was, seriously, the only thing I'd ever wanted to own," Bowie told the New York Times in 1998. "It can change the way that I feel in the mornings." Meanwhile, Bowie's final album Blackstar, which was release on Jan. 8 and only two days before his death, has been named the best selling vinyl LP of 2016 to date. According to the vinyl publication The Vinyl Factory, Blackstar has sold 57,000 copies on vinyl so far this year, ahead of Adele's latest effort 25, which has sold 36,000 vinyl copies. - Billboard/NME, 7/14/16...... Pink Floyd's David Gilmour played his first ever concert at the historic Pompeii Ampitheatre in Italy on July 10. The 2,600 strong crowd was treated to an audio visual spectacle featuring lasers, pyrotechnics and a setlist featuring songs from throughout Gilmour's career, including the Pink Floyd classics "The Great Gig in the Sky" and "One of These Days" as well as selections from his latest solo album, Rattle That Lock. The ancient Roman stone ampitheatre was famously buried in ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, and only uncovered after the Second World War. In 1971, Gilmour and the other members of Pink Floyd played there, with no audience present, for their 1972 concert film Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii. Gilmour's 2016 Rattle That Lock World Tour will continue in Italy, Germany, France and Belgium before wrapping with a five night stand at the Royal Albert Hall in London. - New Musical Express, 7/11/16...... An unexpected power cut during a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert in Paris on July 11 forced the New Jersey rocker to keep the crowd entertained by signing autographs and chatting with fans in close proximity to the stage, even joining his bandmates for an impromptu conga line. Once power was returned to the AccorHotels Arena after 20 minutes, The Boss launched into a rendition of his 1984 hit "Dancing in the Dark." The concert was the first of two gigs at the venue, with the band also performing there on July 13 before heading to Rome on July 16 to continue the European leg of his The River tour. - NME, 7/12/16...... Meat Loaf says he's signed up to a diet and fitness regime after he recently collapsed on stage during a gig in Canada. Meat Loaf, whose real name is Marvin Lee Aday, was playing a concert in Edmonton, Alberta when the incident occurred. He had previously cancelled shows in Moose Jaw and Calgary earlier in the week due to illness. "I'm okay. Weak. I've gotta go to physical therapy," Meat Loaf told Classic Rock magazine. "I had back surgery and knee surgery within the last two years, and the knee surgery failed, so I haven't been able to work out on tour." He added that he is now on a diet and has "lost getting close to 20 pounds now... So we're trying to watch out for my health and make it easier onstage." Meat Loaf says he plans to lose another 15 before he takes his tour to the U.K. behind his forthcoming album, 
The lyrics of Stevie Wonder's song "As" were quoted by Dallas Police Chief David Brown during a memorial service for five Dallas police officers who were fatally shot by a deranged gunman on July 7. Chief Brown said, among other lyrics: "Just as hate knows love's the cure, you can rest your mind assure that I'll be loving you always." Brown received a long, loud standing ovation from those in attendance. The five who died were shot during a protest against the police killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. Nine officers and two civilians were injured in the attack. Three days later on July 10 during a concert in the UK in Hyde Park for the British Summertime Festival, Stevie Wonder urged his fans to choose "love over hate" and expressed dismay over the troubles in the world. Wonder played his 1976 Grammy-winning album 
Chaka Khan released a statement on July 10 announcing that she and her sister, Yvonne Stevens, also known as Taka Boom, have both entered a drug rehabilitation program to battle their addictions to prescription drugs. Khan, 63, said the recent death of Prince motivated her to seek treatment and that said she has been battling an addiction to the same medication that led to Prince's untimely death on Apr. 21. "Unfortunately, I will miss concert appearances over the summer," she said. "However, it's vital that I put my health and well-being first. I know that I am disappointing some of my fans, but I also know they would want me to recover and be well and healthy." Khan said that she and her sister "agreed we would take this journey together and support each other through the recovery." The Grammy-winning Khan had one of her biggest hits with the Prince-penned song "I Feel For You," and the two were longtime friends. An autopsy found that Prince died of an overdose of fentanyl, a powerful opioid painkiller. - AP, 7/10/16...... The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on July 12 that it was closing the books on the unsolved case of the '70s hijacker known as D.B. Cooper, reasoning that its crime-fighting resources would be better used elsewhere. The famous case began on Nov. 24, 1971, when when a dark-haired man who called himself Dan Cooper, dressed in a business suit and tie and believed to be in his mid-40s, boarded a Northwest Orient Airlines flight in Portland, Oregon, bound for Seattle. After take-off, the man handed a flight attendant a note claiming he had a bomb in his briefcase and opened it to show a mass of wires and red sticks, according to the FBI's account of the incident. The aircraft safely landed in Seattle, where the man freed 36 passengers in exchange for $200,000 in cash from the airline and four parachutes, but kept several crew members aboard as the plane took off again, ordered this time to fly to Mexico City. At some point during that flight, at an altitude of about 10,000 feet (1.9 miles), the man executed one of the most flamboyant getaways in criminal history, leaping out of the back of the plane into the night with a parachute and the ransom money. Whether Cooper survived the jump over a rugged, wooded landscape somewhere between Seattle and Reno, Nevada, has never been confirmed, and his true identity has never been established. The FBI said that evidence obtained during the course of the investigation "will now be preserved for historical purposes at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C." - Yahoo News, 7/12/16...... Oscar-winning director Michael Cimino, best known for the 1978 Vietnam war epic 
Electric Light Orchestra mastermind Jeff Lynne announced on Sept. 24 that his band will release their next album, 
Aretha Franklin shared the stage with Pope Francis in Philadelphia on Sept. 27 during the pope's first-ever tour of the U.S. in the fourth week of September. Franklin led an all-star lineup at the Festival of Families in Philly, one of the events organized by the Vatican-sponsored World Meeting of Families, which brought Francis to the City of Brotherly Love after visits in Washington and New York. Hosted by actor Mark Wahlberg, the festival blended song, prayer and testimonials on the joys and challenges of family life and also featured Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and the American rock band The Fray. Franklin, 73, performed "Amazing Grace" and "Nessun Dorma" from the opera "Turandot," and told reporters earlier that she planned to present Pope Francis with a gift: a box set of sermons by her father, civil rights activist and preacher C.L. Franklin. Meanwhile, it has been announced that Pope Francis will release a rock album. According to Rolling Stone, the album, titled Wake Up!, will drop on Nov. 27 and feature the Holy Father speaking on a variety of world issues in Italian, English, Spanish and Portuguese, with contemporary music in the background. One song from the album, "Wake Up! Go! Go! Forward!," is a mix of post-rock and electroncia. - AP/NME, 9/26/15...... Stevie Wonder headlined the third annual Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas on Sept. 26, an event that features performances, world-class street art, and culinary demonstrations on 18 sprawling blocks in the city's downtown. Wonder's performance began at 10:45 p.m., and the Motown legend tore into the desert air with one classic cut after another, including "Higher Ground" and "Master Blaster (Jammin')." The 65-year-old legend never seemed to tire as he glided through more of his classic ballads and closed strong with "Superstitious," "Sir Duke" and "Living for the City." - Billboard, 9/26/15...... James Taylor participated in an intimate conversation and special performance for fans during a benefit appearance at the Grammy Museum in L.A. fon Sept. 25 for the museum's popular "An Evening With" series, which benefits its music education program. During a career-spanning interview, a humble Taylor touched on everything from his early career start and longtime friend/mentor, guitarist Danny Kortchmar, to drug addiction, the creative process and his own style of playing ("I don't play up the neck. It's not particularly fancy but it has served me quite well"). Then he and his longtime keyboardist Larry Goldings segued into a suite of classic tunes, including "Something in the Way She Moves," "Sweet Baby James," "Line Em Up," and, of course, "Fire and Rain." The appearance capped a whirlwind week of promotional appearances on TV behind his latest album, 
Ringo Starr, who will kick off his latest All-Starr Band tour in San Francisco on Oct. 1, is also promoting his latest book of photography, 
Country music legend Kenny Rogers announced during an appearance on the Today show on Sept. 25 that he'll embark on a world tour in 2016 that will be his last. "I've done this long enough. There's a fine line between being driven and being selfish, and I think I crossed that line when I was younger," Rogers said. "I really want to be there with my kids and my wife. I don't see enough of them. And I have some things on my bucket list." Meanwhile, Rogers is gearing up for another North America holiday season trek. His "Once Again It's Christmas Tour," behind his new Christmas album Once Again It's Christmas, starts Nov. 12 at Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Details of the 2016 tour haven't been announced yet. Over the course of his career, Rogers has received three Grammys, 11 People's Choice Awards, 18 American Music Awards, eight Academy of Country Music awards and six CMA awards. - Billboard, 9/25/15...... In an interview with Piers Morgan for the UK TV show Live Stories, former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten) claimed that he was once banned by the BBC after speaking out against sex offender Jimmy Savile. During the interview, Lydon described Savile as being "into all sorts of seediness," adding, "We all know about it but we're not allowed to talk about it. I know some rumours." Lydon claims he was banned by the BBC after a 1978 interview in which he was critical of Saville. "I'm very, very bitter that the likes of Savile and the rest of them were allowed to continue. I did my bit, I said what I had to. But they didn't air that," he said. Lydon and his post-Sex Pistols group, Public Image Ltd, released their 10th studio album, What The World Needs Now, on Sept. 4 and launched an eight-date tour of the UK in Bristol on Sept. 25. - New Musical Express, 9/24/15...... As the 1975 camp classic 
Gladys Knight has released "Just a Little," the first single from her forthcoming LP, which is expected in 2016. Available on all digital platforms on Sept. 25, the upbeat track teams the seven-time Grammy Award winner with fellow Grammy winner and producer Symbolyc One, aka S1 (Kanye West, Beyoncé). "We just wanted to have fun," says Knight. "Most of the singles I've released prior to this were ballads. I wanted something we could dance to." - Billboard, 9/24/15...... A man disguised as late legendary soul singer Rick James is being sought by police after robbing a credit union in Indianapolis on Sept. 19. Witnesses said the suspect sported a wig that looked very much like James's signature long braids with beads, and an accomplice was dressed as the Youngblood Priest from 1970s blaxploitation classic Super Fly. The robbers have not yet been apprehended by police. - Billboard, 9/24/15...... Sony Classical Records has announced it will reissue every 
The Bay City Rollers, the tartan-touting '70s pop phenomenon who scored chart-topping hits on both sides of the Atlantic, have announed they're reuniting as a three-piece group for a one-off concert in December. The reunited BCR will feature three of the group's classic five-man lineup -- Les McKeown, Alan Longmuir and Stuart Wood -- and are promising "a very special Christmas present to all the fans that have kept the faith with the band over the years" with a gig at Glasgow's Barrowland Ballroom on Dec. 20. The trio have reportedly been working on a new single called "Boomerang," and is in talks with another original bandmate, Eric Faulkner, to rejoin the group sometime in the future. "You think we're doing it for money but we're doing it for the glory of Scotland and the glory of the tartan," McKeown said at a recent press conference. "(We're) taking the Scottish name all around the globe. That's what we're doing it for -- to see our fans again one more time," he added. Initially known as The Saxons, the BCR scored a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1976 with "Saturday Night," from its 
Appearing on Stephen Colbert's new late night gabfest The Late Show on Sept. 21, Don Henley called out controversial Republican 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump, who also appeared on the show earlier, during one of his song performances. "You don't have to be right, Donald, all the time," Henley sang on "Too Much Pride," a track from his new album 
The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced it will add a new honor to its annual induction awards gala in 2016. The Curtis Mayfield Award will recognize a promising singer/songwriter "whose work reflects the inspiration, spirit and soul" of the late R&B/soul pioneer, according to SHOF president/CEO Linda Moran. Mayfield, who was inducted into the SHOF in 2000, wrote more than 1,700 songs during the course of his career, and his catalog includes such iconic songs as "People Get Ready," "Keep on Pushing" and "Superfly." The Curtis Mayfield scholarship award coincides with the 60th anniversary of Mayfield's career in music. Earlier in 2015, plans for a multi-faceted Mayfield salute were announced which include a documentary, the repackaging of classic material and the release of a recently discovered cache of songs and memorabilia. "It's time to celebrate and re-evaluate Curtis' legacy," Mayfield's widow Altheida in a statement. "He was a genius who always stood on his own." - Billboard, 9/22/15...... Speaking of songwriting, the world's most popular English language song, "Happy Birthday to You," is now potentially free from copyright after a federal judge ruled on Sept. 22 that filmmakers challenging Warner/Chappell Music's hold on the song should be granted summary judgment. According to the opinion from U.S. District Judge George H. King, "Because Summy Co. never acquired the rights to the Happy Birthday lyrics, Defendants, as Summy Co.'s purported successors-in-interest, do not own a valid copyright in the Happy Birthday lyrics." The ruling means that Warner/Chappell will lose out on $2 million a year in reported revenue on the song. Unless the defendants are granted a request for an appeal, which is not guaranteed, or unless someone else comes forward with a valid claim of ownership to the song, filmmakers like director Jennifer Nelson -- who sued in 2013 over demands as much as six figures to license " will no longer have to pay to feature "Happy Birthday" in motion pictures and television shows."Happy Birthday to You" dates to late 19th century work by a schoolteacher named Patty Smith Hill and her sister Mildred Hill. - The Hollywood Reporter, 9/22/15...... Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler joined the country band The Cadillac Three onstage during a sold-out performance at the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville, Tenn., on Sept. 19. Tyler jammed with the band during their encore for a version of Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion." Tyler -- who is working on his country debut album for Dot Records -- told the audience after the performance that he was joining the band and that they would then be changing their name to "The Cadillac Four." - Billboard, 9/21/15...... 
A newly-surfaced video in which a Beatles-era John Lennon appears to mock disabled people at a Beatles gig during the 1960s has ignited a new controversy on Twitter and other social media. In the clip from the U.K. TV show It Was Alright, which aired on Sept.19, Lennon encourages the screaming crowd to "clap their hands and stomp their feet," while he speaks with a speech impediment and makes awkward clapping and stomping movements that one Twitter user describes as "distasteful learning disability impressions." In the U.K. paper The Independent, Lorainne Bellamy, a spokeswoman for the disability charity Mencap, who herself has a learning disability, acknowledged the footage was five decades old but said it was "shocking and painful to watch." "Times may have changed," she said, "But I always find it hard to believe how such famous people can have these horrible views about real people." It Was Alright documents many controversial moments from the era, and also features similar moments from the 1970s and 1980s. - New Musical Express, 9/22/15...... In other Beatles-related news, New York auction house Heritage Auctions has sold the first recording contract ever signed by the Fab Four for more than $90,000. The contract, from 1961, was for a recording of a rock and roll version of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean," which was recorded in Hamburg, Germany, and released only in that country. But the single, and the contract, is notable because it led to the Beatles being discovered by manager Brian Epstein, who soon guided the band to international fame. The "My Bonnie" session was before Ringo Starr joined the Beatles. Drummer Pete Best signed the contract along with John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Heritage Auctions did not identify the buyer, who paid $93,750. - Associated Press, 9/19/15...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, a cover of the Beatles song "And I Love Her" by late alternative rock icon Kurt Cobain will soon be released on vinyl. Cobain's take on "And I Love Her"' first appeared in Brett Morgen's Cobain documentary Montage of Heck earlier in 2015. The song will be featured on as-yet-untitled 7" vinyl LP that is being labelled as a Cobain "solo album" and will feature unheard music from the Nirvana frontman. The LP is due on Nov. 20, two weeks after a DVD of the Montage of Heck film is released. - NME, 9/22/15...... Citing a busy travel schedule, Aretha Franklin has announced she is postponing two upcoming concerts in Oklahoma, in Durant on Oct. 17 and Tulsa on Oct. 22. Franklin, who lives in Detroit, is notoriously afraid of flying and only travels by tour bus. She says she's not prepared to travel so far again after driving to the West Coast this summer. The 73-year-old R&B great, who is set to perform on Sept. 26 during Pope Francis's visit to the City of Brotherly Love, says she will reschedule the Oklahoma dates. - AP, 9/21/15...... 
Another famous R&B singer, Patti LaBelle, scolded an audience member during a Sept. 19 gig in Vancouver when she lost her cool after the man, who was among several people invited onstage for a rendition of the LaBelle hit 
Speaking of baseball, Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra died of natural causes on Sept. 22 at his home in New Jersey, according to Dave Kaplan, the director of the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center. He was 90. Renowned as much for his unique way of turning a phrase as for his record 10 World Series championships with the New York Yankees, Mr. Berra was known for such