On May 16, a federal judge issued a ruling that gave Ed Sheeran a second victory in a copyright case over the 1973 Marvin Gaye hit "Let's Get It On." Less than two weeks after Sheeran won a trial over whether his "Thinking Out Loud" hit infringed on "Let's Get It On," a federal judge has dismissed a second, closely-related copyright case accusing him of copying the same iconic song. U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton had ruled in the fall of 2022 that Sheeran would need to face a jury trial in the second case, just like he did in the recent showdown in Manhattan federal court. Now Judge Stanton has issued a surprise decision reversing himself and dismissing the case without a trial. Stanton says he could rule on the matter himself, without the help of a jury, that the combination of simple elements that Sheeran allegedly stole (a chord progression combined with a harmonic rhythm) was not unique enough to be covered by copyright law in the first place. "It is an unassailable reality that the chord progression and harmonic rhythm in "Let's Get It On" are so commonplace, in isolation and in combination, that to protect their combination would give "Let's Get It On" an impermissible monopoly over a basic musical building block," Judge Stanton wrote, echoing the arguments that Sheeran's attorneys made throughout the recent trial in early May. After critics and the public quickly noticed similarities between the two songs -- with one reviewer calling it an "incredibly obvious successor" to Gaye's famed slow jam -- Sheeran was sued by the heirs of Ed Townshend who co-wrote " Let's Get It On" with Gaye. Sheeran and his co-writer Amy Wadge were leared by jurors of infringing on that song on May 4, but Sheeran still faced another case filed by Structured Asset Sales, an entity owned by industry executive David Pullman that owns a separate one-third stake in Townsend's copyrights. Last October, Judge Stanton ruled in that case that the pop star would need to face a jury of his peers. The judge said there was "no bright-line rule" for deciding whether Gaye's selection and arrangement of common musical elements were creative enough to warrant copyright protection. Although the latest ruling is a victory for Sheeran, it's not the end of the road for the "Thinking Out Loud" litigation. Both the verdict earlier in May and the new ruling can still be appealed, which could take years to resolve. And Structured Asset Sales has also indicated it's pursuing a third, more novel case based on a different copyright covering Gaye's more famous recorded version of the song. - Billboard, 5/16/23...... 
Village People frontman Victor Willis has sent a cease and desist letter over a video of former US president Donald Trump and a Village People look-alike group dancing to the group's 1979 hit "Macho Man." The letter, from Willis and Village People manager (and Willis' wife) Karen Willis specifically calls out a recent video from Mar-a-Lago showing Trump dancing along to the Village People's "Macho Man" while a group of people -- dressed up just like the Village People -- dance behind him. Karen asserted that U.S. trademark law "protects against the unauthorized use of the Village People image and trade dress." "To be certain, the use of the group's image and likeness at Mar-a-Lago was unauthorized. Though my husband has tolerated your client's use of his Village People music, we cannot allow such use by him to cause public confusion as to endorsement," she added. The 45th president's use of Village People hits like "Y.M.C.A." and "Macho Man" has been a frequent (and surreal) part of the soundtrack for his campaign rallies and events over the years. Victor Willis did, indeed, tolerate it for a while, writing on Facebook in Feb. 2020, that he had not asked Trump to stop because "our music is not being used for a specific endorsement." But Willis' tune changed in June 2020 amidst the uprising against racial injustice and Trump's demand that law enforcement officers clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square in Washington D.C. with tear gas, batons, and explosive devices so he could stage a photo op in front of St. John's Episcopal Church. "If Trump orders the U.S. military to fire on his own citizens (on U.S. soil), Americans will rise up in such numbers outside of the White House that he might be forced out of office prior to the election," Willis wrote at the time, adding: "And I ask that you no longer use any of my music at your rallies especially 'Y.M.C.A.' and 'Macho Man.' Sorry, but I can no longer look the other way. In her letter to Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina, Karen Willis "requested" that Trump "cease and desist any such further unauthorized use of the Village People image in association with the songs and his campaign (or in his personal capacity)."She continued: "Otherwise, we shall be forced to bring suit preventing further use, not only of the Village People trademarked images and trade dress, but of the music as well (and we'd hate to have to do that) but such combined use causes public confusion and is suggestive of endorsement." She demanded Trump and his lawyers respond to their cease and desist within 10 days. Tacopina's office did not immediately return a request for comment. - Rolling Stone, 5/15/23...... A double live album recorded by Gordon Lightfoot at London's legendary Royal Albert Hall on May 24, 2016 will be the final album released by the late Canadian singer/songwriter on July 14. At Royal Albert Hall will be Lightfoot's fourth concert set, following 1962's Two Tones at the Village Corner, 1969's Sunday Concert, and 2012's All Live. The 26-track At Royal Albert Hall is described in a press release as "an unembellished live mix of that night's performance, without edits, overdubs, remixing, or re-sequencing. It captures every song performed in the order they were played, down to the encore by Gordon and his band -- Rick Haynes on bass, Barry Keane on drums, Mike Heffernan on keys, and Carter Lancaster on guitar." It is being released via Linus Entertainment, the Canadian independent label that released Harmony, Lightfoot's last studio album with his band, in 2004. (A subsequent studio album, Solo, did not feature his band.) In addition to such major hits as "If You Could Read My Mind," "Sundown," "Carefree Highway" and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," the collection also features songs that have never previously appeared on a live album, including "The Watchman's Gone," "Sea of Tranquility," "Now and Then," "All the Lovely Ladies," "Drifters," "Beautiful," "Did She Mention My Name," "Sweet Guinevere," "Never Too Close," "Don Quixote," "Minstrel of the Dawn," "I'd Rather Press On" and "Waiting for You." In the weeks prior to his death, Lightfoot reportedly insisted that this live album be released as soon as possible. He approved the cover artwork and made it clear that no changes were to be made to the recording. - Billboard, 5/15/23...... Willie Nelson announced on May 16 that his recent "90th Birthday" concerts will be getting a limited theatrical release in June. Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90 features all the special performances honoring the 12-time Grammy winner held on Apr. 31 and May 1 in Los Angeles, including performances by Nelson and the likes of Keith Richards, Neil Young, George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Snoop Dogg and many more. As he reaches his 9th decade, the Texas-based actor, activist and songwriter is having a banner year. He was recently honored with an educational endowment at the University of Texas' LBJ School of Public Affairs, he'll be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later in 2023, and a new book about his songwriting called Energy Follows Thought: The Stories Behind My Songs will hit stores Oct. 31 via William Morrow. Long Story Short will be shown in theaters on June 11, with encores on June 13 and 14, and tickets are on sale now at willienelson90experience.com. In other Willie news, the country star made a surprise cameo at the 2023 Academy of Country Music Awards at the Star Theater in Frisco, Tex., on May 11. Although Nelson couldn't be there in person, he FaceTimed a call with co-hosts Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks during the livestream on Amazon Prime Video. "Thank you, Dolly, for sending those beautiful flowers for my birthday," Nelson said. "Garth, I guess your birthday gift is still on the way?" Pretending to look sheepish, Brooks explained he must have left "the tracking number in my other pants." - Billboard, 5/16/23...... 
In 1973, Kansas was signed to '60s hitmaker Don Kirshner's Kirshner Records and built a loyal following with its first three albums, released between Mar. 1974 and Sept. 1975, and nonstop touring before 1976's quadruple-platinum Leftoverture and its massive hit, "Carry On Wayward Son." After came 1977's Point of Know Return and its even more popular lead single, "Dust in the Wind," which hit No. 6 in 1978. Those back-to-back successes cemented the Midwestern prog-rock band's status as an AOR stalwart and helped the group become a sturdy heritage act, sustaining it through lineup changes (nine additional members over the years) and 11 more studio albums. The good news is that -- as it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year -- Kansas has plans to "carry on" well into the future. Fans consider the group's current lineup -- David Ragsdale, Phil Ehart, Ronnie Platt, Richard Williams, Tom Brislin and Billy Greer -- to be one of its strongest, an opinion supported by its most recent albums -- including 2020's The Absence of Presence. Ehart and Williams say there's new music on tap for 2024, but at the moment they're reveling in a golden anniversary with 2022's three-disc Kansas anthology, Another Fork in the Road -- 50 Years of Kansas, and an anniversary tour starting June 2 and running, so far, into January. When asked how Kansas doesn't have the typical "heartland" rock band sound that everyone expects to come from that part of the country, Ehart said: "I think it has to do with the time period. When we were forming, it was right at the time the band Emerson, Lake & Palmer was coming out, Yes was coming out, Genesis. That stuff was just starting to hit the United States and those bands were influencing Kerry [Livgren], who was our main songwriter at the time -- not necessarily that we would be copying them, but it showed us you could play different time signatures and things like that. We could do a song like "Carry On Wayward Son"; all the different changes in that song might not have been performed before, especially on a single." When asked if the band has ever come close to calling it quits, Ehart says: "Well... no. We can't find a reason to, you know? First of all, we love it. And when we play, people come to see us. We've sold millions and millions and millions of records and had millions of people buy tickets and come to our concerts. We've done really well, so we can't find a reason to not do it. If we were sick and tired of it we would quit, but we're not." - Billboard, 5/15/23...... BMG Music announced on May 15 it has acquired rights to some of The Pointer Sisters' most popular records, including their share of the U.S. publishing rights to the 1982 hit song "I'm So Excited." The deal includes The Pointer Sisters' share of artist royalties for the original masters to nine albums the group released between 1978 and 1988 on Planet and RCA Records. That includes their 1983 multi-platinum record Break Out and its Grammy Award-winning tracks "Jump (For My Love)" and "Automatic." BMG also acquired 100% of the group's share of U.S. publishing (which was recaptured when the group exercised their termination rights) and their co-publishing royalties in the rest of the world for "I'm So Excited." They also acquried 100% of the master copyrights for the re-records and certain neighboring rights. BMG declined to disclose the terms of the deal, which was finalized in late 2022 but not acted upon until recently because of the death of Pointers Sisters member Anita Pointer on Dec. 31 at age 74. The Pointer Sisters earned pop success and critical acclaim with three Grammys -- the first in 1974 for their song "Fairytale," which peaked at No. 13 on the pop chart and won for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. The song was a rarity at the time -- a country hit written by two black songwriters, Anita and Bonnie Pointer, in an era dominated by white male stars -- and led to The Pointer Sisters becoming the first African American group to perform on the Grand Ole Opry program. The Pointer Sisters won two more Grammys in 1984 for "Jump (For My Love)" and "Automatic," which won best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal and best vocal arrangement for two or more voices, respectively. The Pointer Sisters acquisition was one of 45 acquisitions BMG made in 2022 when the company spent a record 509 million euros ($536 million) on acquisitions and new publishing deals with artists. - Billboard, 5/15/23...... 
Elvis Presley's ex-wife Priscilla Presley and their actress granddaughter Riley Keough have reached a settlement over the estate of their daughter Lisa Marie Presley, who died on Jan. 12 at age 54 after suffering a heart attack. After her death, Priscilla disputed a 2016 amendment to Lisa Marie's will. The 77-year-old alleged she and former business manager Barry Siegel had been removed as co-trustees and had been replaced by Riley and Benjamin Keough without her knowledge. Lisa Marie's son Benjamin died at the age of 27 in 2020. But on May 16, lawyers acting for Priscilla and Riley announced the two parties had reached a settlement at a Los Angeles court. Details of the agreement remain under wraps. "They have reached a settlement. Families are happy. Everyone is happy. Unified and together and excited for the future," Priscilla's lawyer Ronson Shamoun told reporters, while Riley's attorney Justin Gold added: "(Riley) would not have agreed to the settlement if she was not happy with it." In a statement to People magazine, Priscilla insisted they had "resolved all confusion" related to the case. "As a family, we are pleased that we resolved this together," she said. "My family and I hope that everyone will grant us the privacy we have needed to properly grieve Lisa Marie and spend personal time together. We love and appreciate all of you and the Presley family is stronger than ever." One of the requests Priscilla reportedly wanted in the settlement was to be buried beside Elvis at the Graceland mansion when she dies, however since Elvis' mother and father are buried to his left and right, exhuming one of them to be buried elsewhere is not likely to happen. Both parties plan to file a motion to seal the settlement agreement. Meanwhile, Riley Keough paid tribute to Lisa Marie on the first Mother's Day since her death on May 14 by posting a message to Instagram. "Lucky to have had the best and most deeply loving mama I could have asked for," Riley wrote, including a vintage pic of Lisa Marie cradling her as a baby alongside Keough's dad, musician Danny Keough. Keough's Daisy Jones & the Six co-star, Sam Clafin was among a number of fellow stars offering Riley some love (via heart emoji) later in the day, along with Lindsay Lohan, Rosanna Arquette and others. - Music-News.com, 5/16/23...... Just before his fellow Swedish artist Loreen won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest for their native country, ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus addressed viewers at home with a special message on the annual show's impact. "The lives of some of the acts that you've seen tonight could be about to change forever," Ulvaeus said in a video filmed remotely, aired while votes for this year's grand finalists were being counted. "When ABBA walked onto that stage, we couldn't even have imagined, 50 years later, we would have a museum about us, and that we would perform as avatars in 'ABBA Voyage.' Our international success all began with Eurovision. So I want to say to all the acts who are waiting nervously right now -- I just want to say 'good luck', and who knows where this journey will take you?" ABBA won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with their classic song "Waterloo," which in 2005 was voted the best winning song in the event's then-50-year history. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of that win, which is fitting -- with Loreen having taken out the top prize on May 13, Eurovision will return to Sweden for its 2024 edition. Ulvaeus' Eurovision 2023 message can be viewed on Twitter. - New Musical Express, 5/14/23...... Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne and rising artist St Vincent have performed a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Chemical Love" together live. The pair, who have collaborated together frequently in the past, performed the rendition of Wonder's song at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on May 10. The event was held to honor Byrne, filmmaker Spike Lee and real estate lawyer, Claire Wood. St Vincent, aka Annie Clark, performed a short set of songs at the event including "New York," "Los Ageless" and "Dancing With A Ghost" from her 2018 album Masseduction before joining forces on stage with Byrne to cover "Chemical Love" from the Jungle Fever soundtrack -- a film directed by Lee. Speaking about their decision to cover the song, Byrne said: "We kind of wanted to tie Spike into this somehow, so this is a song from Jungle Fever, specifically 'Chemical Love' by Stevie Wonder," he explained. "It takes a little bit of nerve for us to do it," Byrne added. Footage of the performance has been shared on Twitter.com. - NME, 5/13/23...... In a new interview with Classic Rock magazine, producer Tony Visconti feared late Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott was on the verge of death when he spent three days "bedridden." Visconti, best known for his decades-long partnership with David Bowie, produced the Thin Lizzy LP's Bad Reputation, Live and Dangerous and Black Rose: A Rock Legend in the 1970s, and after the incident, he wasn't afraid to address Phil's drug use with him one-on-one. "When Phil was bedridden for three days, I was very frightened," Visconti told Classic Rock. "I seriously thought he was going to die in his hotel room. When he emerged I had a good heart-to-heart talk with him about his drug abuse, but he assured me, as always, that he had it under control." The producer added: "We really didn't waste too much time due to drugs in the studio, but the emotional strain was terrible on me." Lynott, who had a chronic addiction to heroin and alcohol, died of pneumonia and heart failure due to septicaemia in 1986, at the age of 36, after collapsing due to his drug misuse. - Music-News.com, 5/15/23...... Olivia Newton-John's posthumous new album Just the Two of Us: The Duets Collection (Vol. One) contains 17 of the beloved late singer's final recordings, including classic tracks with the likes of Dolly Parton, Cliff Richard, Michael McDonald, John Travolta, Paul Anka, Barry Gibb, Richard Marx and Mariah Carey. Brand new fan favorites like "Window in the Wall" feature Olivia's daughter Chloe Lattanzi and "Stone in My Pocket" with Beth Nielsen Chapman and Amy Sky. Also contributing to Olivia's new album is Marie Osmond, who recently marked 12 years of marriage with motivational speaker Steve Craig. The 63-year-old "Paper Roses" singer marked the anniversary in a recent Instagram post in which she called Craig -- who she remarried 26 years after their divorce in 1985 -- "the love of my life." - People, 5/22/23...... 
Former That '70s Show star Danny Masterson "drugged women's drinks so he could rape them, then relied on his prominence in the Church of Scientology to avoid consequences for years," a prosecutor told jurors in a Los Angeles courtroom on May 16 in closing arguments at the actor's trial. "The defendant drugs his victims to gain control. He does this to take away his victims' ability to consent," Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson told the jury of seven men and five women. "You don't want to have sex? You don't have a choice. The defendant makes that choice for these victims. And he does it over and over and over again," he added. Masterson, 47, is on trial for rape for a second time after the first ended in a mistrial in December, with a jury hopelessly deadlocked on all counts. The new jury is expected to get the case on May 17 when prosecutors complete their final rebuttal. Masterson has pleaded not guilty to raping three women at his home between 2001 and 2003. His attorney, Philip Cohen, told jurors during his closing that inconsistencies in the women's stories that he said D.A. Anson downplayed are essential and should make it easy for jurors to have reasonable doubt of Masterson's guilt. Masterson has pleaded not guilty to raping three women at his home between 2001 and 2003. His attorney, Philip Cohen told jurors during his closing that inconsistencies in the women's stories that he said Anson downplayed are essential and should make it easy for jurors to have reasonable doubt of Masterson's guilt. Anson took aim at the Church of Scientology, of which Masterson is a member and all three women are former members, throughout her argument, emphasizing that church authorities kept the women from accepting what had happened to them and from reporting it to police for years. "The church taught his victims, 'Rape isn't rape, you caused this, and above all, you are never allowed to go to law enforcement,"' she said. "In Scientology, the defendant is a celebrity and he is untouchable." The church has denied having any policy discouraging members from going to law enforcement. Fewer than half of jurors voted to convict Masterson on any count after the first trial. His attorney emphasized on May 16 that even if they believe it is likely he is guilty, they must acquit. "If you say, 'I think he is probably guilty,' you know what that leads to?" Cohen said, then made a buzzer sound. "Not guilty." - AP, 5/16/23.
Streams of recently deceased Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot's songs have spiked 290% after his death from natural causes in Toronto on May 1 at age 84. Lightfoot's most popular U.S. song, "If You Could Read My Mind," bowed atop Billboard's Digital Song Sales with 10,000 sold, up 4,162%, for the week of May 13. His "Sundown" (9,000 sold, up 2,976%), "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (7,000, up 3,429%) and "Carefree Highway" (4,000, up 4,283%) also entered that survey's Top 10, at Nos. 3, 5 and 10, respectively. The four songs encompass Lightfoot's career Billboard Hot 100 pop chart top 10s. "Mind" reached No. 5 in Feb. 1971; "Sundown" reigned for a week in June 1974; "Highway" hit No. 10 that November and "Edmund Fitzgerald" peaked at No. 2 in Nov. 1976. All four songs also appear on the more specialized Rock Digital Song Sales chart at Nos. 1-3 and 5, respectively. They're joined by 1975's "The Soul Is the Rock" (No. 12; 2,000 sold). On the all-format Billboard Hot 200 album chart, Lightfoot's Gord's Gold collection returns at No. 95 thanks to 11,000 units, up 3,086%. It's the set's first appearance on the chart since Jan. 1977, after it reached No. 34 a year earlier. Gord's Gold also reached No. 3 on the Americana/Folk Albums chart, and Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Top Country Albums (No. 17 on both). His overall album consumption totaled 20,000 equivalent album units, up 511% from 3,000. Of that sum, 6,000 units were via album sales. His radio airplay audience vaulted by 317% to 3 million impressions, from 730,000. - Billboard, 5/10/23...... 
The estate Syd Barrett has partnered with their music publishing arm, Syd Barrett Music Ltd, to launch an official YouTube channel to launch a YouTube channel for the late Pink Floyd co-founder's solo work."The channel is a natural extension of Syd Barrett's existing online presence and will consist of artistic interpretations of his solo music, with accompanying music and lyrics," the estate said in a statement. "Together with the Swedish animator, Alex Teglbjaerg, known as The Artist on the Border, there will be new animated music videos released on an ongoing basis. It will initially focus on the solo songs which originally appeared on An Introduction To Syd Barrett (2010)." So far, Teglbjaerg has worked his magic on "Terrapin," "Dark Globe" and "Dominoes" from Barrett's '70s albums The Madcap Laughs and Barrett. "There isn't all that much filmed Syd Barrett out there," Peter Barrett said on behalf of the family. "You've already seen most of the material and the few bits that pop up are quickly placed in the digital public domain. We want to take his quirky and poetic lyrics and translate them into images." Barrett co-founded Pink Floyd with Roger Waters and Nick Mason in 1965 as a teen. He was slowly replaced by David Gilmour as he battled an addiction to psychedelic drugs, leaving the group officially in 1968. He died from pancreatic cancer in 2006 at age 60. A new Pink Floyd documentary, Have You Got It Yet? The Story Of Syd Barrett And Pink Floyd, will premiere in UK cinemas on May 15. - Music-News.com, 5/11/23...... After her well known nemesis Donald Trump was convicted of sexually assaulting and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll on May 9, Bette Midler took to Twitter.com to declare it was "a solid win for E. Jean." "#TRUMP, formerly Donald J Drumpf, must pay #EJeanCarroll $5million for sexual abuse and defamation. A solid win for E Jean," Midler posted soon after the verdict was announced. In a second tweet, Midler said: "The GOP is proud to present our candidate for the highest office n the land, former president, registered sex offender, convicted felon of 17 counts of tax fraud and under investigation for treason and theft of top secret government documents." Oscar-nominated director and former All In the Family cast member Rob Reiner tweeted: "Fact. A man Indicted for campaign finance crime of paying hush money to a porn star and found guilty of Sexual Abuse is poised to be the Republican nominee for President" and then later, "Looks like lying every minute of your life isn't a winning way to live. Looking at you, George and Donald," also referring to currently embattled congressman Rep. George Santos. - Billboard, 5/10/23...... Three months after her surprise win at the Grammys for Song of the Year and Best American Roots Song, Bonnie Raitt's "Just Like That" has been nominated for Song of the Year at the 2023 Americana Honors & Awards. Four of the five nominees for Song of the Year were written by solitary songwriters, a sign that the "songwriting-by-committee" approach currently popular in mainstream pop music has not yet come to the Americana sector. The Americana Music Association announced the nominees for its 22nd annual Americana Honors & Awards on May 9 at the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville. The winners will be announced during the Americana Honors & Awards on Sept. 20 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The program is the marquee event of AmericanaFest, which returns for its 23nd year on Sept. 19 and runs through Sept. 23. - Billboard, 5/9/23...... 
Dolly Parton's long-awaited first ever album of rock songs, Rockstar, has been given a Nov. 17 release date. The sprawling 30-track, 2-CD/4-LP set will bring such an A+ list of collaborators to the project, including Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Lizzo, Sting, Chris Stapleton, Debbie Harry, Elton John, John Fogerty, Joan Jett, Steven Tyler, Peter Frampton and Kid Rock. The set will feature nine original tracks and 21 rock anthems, including "Every Breath You Take," "Night Moves," "Free Bird," "Purple Rain" and "We Are the Champions." "Let It Be" will feature Parton with McCartney, Starr, Frampton and Mick Fleetwood. Meanwhile, the cover art features strong '80s vibes, with Parton sitting on a motorcycle, holding a black guitar and clad in a black, studded-leather outfit slightly reminiscent of the one she wore during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. In a statement, Dolly said she was "very honored and privileged to have worked with some of the greatest iconic singers and musicians of all time" and that "I hope everybody enjoys the album as much as I've enjoyed putting it together!" On May 11, Parton debuted her first single from the album, "Rockstar," during the 58th annual Academy of Country Music Awards. - Billboard, 5/9/23...... On May 8, Ted Nugent lashed out at what he describes as the "liars and haters" who forced the cancellation of an upcoming concert in Birmingham, Ala., after a social media backlash. The controversy started when it was announced that the diehard conservative and Donald Trump supporter would be performing at Birmingham's Avondale Brewing Co. venue on July 18 as part of his "Adios Mofo" farewell tour. The post about the concert had thousands of comments protesting the show and Nugent's right-wing political views, which led to venue to cancel the show. "We have heard the concerns of the Avondale community, which is so important to us, and in conjunction with our partners, have taken the necessary steps to to cancel the Ted Nugent concert scheduled for July 18," the venue wrote. Nugent reacted by taking to Twitter on May 5 for a brief rebuttal: "liars & haters drunk on stupid incapable to debate me-https://t.co/P56ILUnziG." Nugent has also recently come under fire recently for his transphobic tweets and remarks, most recently blasting Anheuser-Busch for working with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. His history of disturbing remarks also includes saying that survivors of the Parkland school shooting are wrong to blame the NRA for mass shootings and that the Florida students calling for gun control have "no soul" and are "mushy brained children." - Billboard, 5/8/23...... A legal team representing Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has asked a judge to strike a claim of intentional inflection of emotional distress (IIED) "based on statements" Tyler made in memoirs. In April, Tyler denied all allegations from a recent lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting a minor named Julia Misley (known as Julia Holcomb at the time) who accused him of sexual assault and battery dating back to the 1970s, when she was a minor. In the suit, Misley claimed that they were both involved in a sexual relationship for about three years and that the musician convinced her mother to grant him guardianship over her when she was 16. The lawsuit also referenced Tyler's memoirs, in which he recalled that he "almost took a teen bride" and described how her parents "signed a paper over for me to have custody, so I wouldn't get arrested if I took her out of state." Tyler's lawyers stated that all claims are "barred" as the claimant gave "consent," and added that Tyler should be granted immunity as he was "caretaker and/or guardian" at the time. Now in a new filing, his lawyers are arguing that the parts of Misley's suit based on the memoir make it a "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation" (SLAPP) because, "The conduct complained of arises out of statements made in Tyler's published memoirs. Such conduct implicates Tyler's right to free speech." In response, Misley's attorney, Jeff Anderson, told Rolling Stone that Tyler's position "frivolous" and "his efforts to continue to profit and protect himself is both sordid and salacious." Tyler has yet to issue a comment in response to Anderson's statement. - NME, 5/8/23...... 
Former The Commodores member and '80s solo superstar Lionel Richie and current pop sensation Katy Perry were absent from their duties on the May 7 episode of American Idol for a good reason: the judges were busy performing at King Charles III's coronation concert at Windsor Castle in London a day after England's new monarch was seated in a ceremony rich with tradition and mega-charged pomp. Some 20,000 people gathered at the castle for the show that saw Richie performing "All Night Long" and the Commodores' "Easy" for the royals and their invited guests. The AP reported that Princess Charlotte and her mother, Kate, Princess of Wales sang along as Perry performed her hit "Roar" while decked out in a gold foil ball gown as drones formed into the shape of a lion to honor the new king's coat of arms. Perry closed out the show with "Firework," which she dedicated to the king, saying, "Thank you for bringing out the firework in so many young people." There was even a fly-by from Top Gun franchise actor Tom Cruise, who appeared in a video message saying, "Pilot to pilot. Your Majesty, you can be my wingman any time." A minor controversy from Richie's performance erupted on social media after some fans thought his voice sounded unusual, with some branding it as being "completely different" to their expectations. "Is someone disguised as Lionel Richie because that is not his voice! Sounds completely different," wrote one viewer. Another agreed, writing: "Lionel Richie's voice sounds totally different. I wouldn't recognise it!" A third also weighed in on the debate, saying: "What the hell has happened to Lionel Richie's voice? He sounds completely different and is terrible live!" Not all fans were convinced that the singer's voice was different to usual, however, with many also taking to Twitter to share their appreciation for the performance, which can be viewed on YouTube. "Ok so several people seem to disagree with me," explained one user. "But I think Lionel Richie is still great and I really enjoyed his performance!" Although the "Hello" singer has yet to explain any possible reasons behind the change in his voice, e has previously spoke about a mysterious throat illness he experienced in the '90s, which left him needing to undergo four different surgeries. "You don't want anybody fooling around down there. This is [my] identity," he told People magazine, explaining his worry about the procedures. "I never really thought that it would end." - Billboard/NME, 5/8/23...... In related news, the king's coronation has also been celebrated with the service and pre-service music recorded and released by Decca Records on the same day of the coronation (May 6). The Official Album of the Coronation is set to be more than four hours long and will feature all music and spoken word from the global event, including Andrew Lloyd Webber's coronation anthem called "Make a Joyful Noise," with performers including Sir Bryn Terfel CBE, Pretty Yende, Roderick Williams OBE and Alis Huws. The Official Album of the Coronation was available digitally on May 6, before the physical version of the album will be available for purchase in stores starting on May 26. - Billboard, 5/5/23...... Peter Gabriel released a new single, "Four Kinds of Horses," from his upcoming album i/o on May 5 to coincide with the full moon. Speaking about i/o, the former Genesis frontman said: "Some of what I'm writing about this time is the idea that we seem incredibly capable of destroying the planet that gave us birth and that unless we find ways to reconnect ourselves to nature and to the natural world we are going to lose a lot. A simple way of thinking about where we fit in to all of this is looking up at the sky... and the moon has always drawn me to it." Gabriel says the new single explores "the interesting overlap of religion and peace on the one hand and violence and terrorism on the other," and was inspired by the Buddhist parable of the same name, "which describes different ways a student can approach their spiritual practice." The single, which features his daughter Melanie Gabriel on backing vocals, is the latest track to be shared from i/o following "Panopticom" and "The Court." Peter went on to describe "Horses" contributor Brian Eno's synths as "sounding like electric worms," while Melanie's vocals provide "another lovely moment for a dad." "Four Kinds of Horses" can be streamed on YouTube. While i/o has yet to be given a release date, the star is set to head out on a 2023 headline tour of Europe, North America and the UK beginning on May 18 in Krakow, Poland. He'll also visit countries including Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK through June 25. In the fall, he'll launch a North American tour on Sept. 8 in Quebec, followed by a tour of most major American markets that will wrap on Oct. 21 in Houston. - NME, 5/7/23...... 
As Buddy Guy is announcing his retirement from the road, the 86-year-old legendary bluesman has revealed to Guitar Player magazine that the Rolling Stones once camped in a van to see him perform live. "After I became friends with them, they told me they'd slept in a van to watch me play," Guy told the magazine. I said, 'Man, y'all play better than me,' and they're like, 'No! We got it all from you! We didn't know it was possible to play the blues with a Strat until we saw you.'" According to legend, the Stones named themselves after Muddy Waters' 1950s blues classic "Rollin' Stone," and incorporated blues into their signature style. However frontman Mick Jagger was annoyed that some people had no idea who the black artists that they took inspiration from were. "America wasn't ready for Muddy, B.B. or anybody until the British had to come and tell White America who B.B. King and Muddy Waters were," Guy said in his interview. "There was an American television show called Shindig and they were trying to get the Rolling Stones. And Mick Jagger said, 'I'll do it if you let me bring on Muddy Waters.' White America said, 'Who the hell is that?' and he got offended. He said, 'We named ourselves after his most famous record!'" - Music-News.com, 5/6/23...... South American singer Rita Lee, known as the "Queen of Brazilian Rock" for hits like "Ovelha Negra," "Mania de Voc" and "Now Only Missing You," died on May 8 after a battle with lung cancer. She was 75. Known for her fusion of psicodelia with pop, MPB, bossa and new wave, the Latin Grammy Award-winning artist was one of Brazil's most successful singer-songwriters. Lee got her start with the group Os Mutantes before launching a fruitful solo career and in Nov. 2022, she was recognized with the Latin Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award, but unfortunately could not attend to receive it at the ceremony in Las Vegas. Born on Dec. 31, 1947 in So Paulo, Lee began her career with the band Os Mutantes and recorded albums with the band Tutti Frutti, including 1975's Fruto Proibido. In 1979, she released the LP Rita Lee -- which included classics such as "Mania De Voc," "Lana Perfume" and "Caso Srio" -- in collaboration with her husband, the multi-instrumentalist Roberto de Carvalho, in an artistic partnership that continued into the 1980s with a long list of radio hits and massive concerts. In later decades she made acoustic recordings such as Aqui, Ali, em Qualquer Lugar, a collection based on songs by the Beatles. In 2015 she celebrated her career with a CD collection, and the following year she published an autobiography in which she described herself as a "rebel" and "hippie communist." A public wake was held at the So Pãulo planetarium on May 10, the family said in the statement, adding that according to Lee's wishes, her body had been cremated. Lee is survived by her husband and collaborator Roberto do Carvalho and three children. - Billboard, 5/9/23...... 
Daytime soap actress Jacklyn Zeman, who became one of the most recognizable actors on daytime television during 45 years of playing nurse Bobbie Spencer on ABC's General Hospital, died of cancer on May 10. She was 70. "I am heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Jackie Zeman," General Hospital producer Frank Valentini wrote on Twitter. "Just like her character, the legendary Bobbie Spencer, she was a bright light and a true professional that brought so much positive energy with her work." Zeman joined General Hospital in 1977 as Barbara Jean, who went by Bobbie, and was the feisty younger sister of Anthony Geary's Luke Spencer. Bobbie had worked as a teen prostitute and given up a baby for adoption but had managed to turn her life around and become a nurse at General Hospital. Zeman's portrayal of Spencer was a spirited, upbeat woman who was as sweet as pie but who also had a sense of self. She didn't suffer fools and had no problem revoking the niceties if warranted. Bobbie has been a fascinating person for me to play," she said in an interview in 1982. "I get to do & all the things that most women think about but wouldn't dare." Laura Wright, who plays Bobbie's daughter Carly Spencer, posted to Instagram that she was "so grateful to have shared so many years with this beautiful woman.... Jackie told the best stories -- she had an INCREDIBLE spirit and she lived such an amazing life & saying she will be missed is an understatement." Outside soap operas, Zeman worked as a Playboy Bunny to help pay for college and also acted in commercials. She had a role in 1982's National Lampoon's Class Reunion and appeared in a string of TV movies, including the ABC Afterschool Special "Montana Crossroads" in 1993. She also had a series regular role as Sofia Madison in the crime drama series The Bay, earning her a fifth Emmy Award. Her last appearance on General Hospital was in April for the wedding of her character's grandson. The same month, she also celebrated the show's 60th anniversary by posting a video on Instagram to fans. "A great, big heartfelt thank you to the very special people who have been watching us and supporting us and keeping us on the air all these years. We love you," she posted. Zeman was married and divorced three times, first to Glenn Gordon and later to Steve Gribbin and disc jockey Murray "Murray the K" Kaufman. Her survivors include two daughters, Cassidy and Lacey, from her marriage to Gordon. - AP, 5/11/23.
Founding Village People member Victor Willis is lashing out at controversial comedian and TV personality Joan Rivers after she used a racial stereotype to describe Justin Bieber's odd fashion sense. On her show Fashion Police on Aug. 1, Rivers was criticizing Bieber for wearing a colourful Alexander McQueen sweater and baggy, black leather pants with a matching leather skirt (complete with a black hat and a chunky gold chain) for a trip to a Whole Foods supermarket in California, when she said: "That little b---h just gets on my nerves" before addressing the 20-year-old hitmaker directly: "You are not a big black thug, you are just like your shoes -- ordinary and completely white." Rivers' fellow panellists, including singer/TV personality Kelly Osbourne, laughed off the remark, but Victor Willis claims the crass funnywoman should be taken to task for her "racist" comment. Willis, who portrayed the traffic cop in the band, took to his Twitter account and Facebook page on Aug. 3, where he shared the offending clip and urged fans to condemn the veteran comic. "What Joan Rivers Said Is No Laughing Matter! It's Racist! And She Has A History Of This. Time To Shut Her Down! What Say You?," he wrote. In July, Rivers made headlines when she angrily walked out of a CNN interview with host Fredricka Whitfield, saying, "I really am going, because all you've done is negative." Rivers was on to promote her latest book, Diary of a Mad Diva, when Whitfield pressed the comedian on whether she thinks her own humor is mean and questioned her decision to wear a fur coat on her book cover. The incident came a day after Rivers said that she thought President Obama was already our first gay president and that Michelle was "a trans." - WENN.com, 8/5/14.
Kiss's Gene Simmons has declared he's "on the side of Donald Sterling" in the controversy over the former L.A. Clippers owner's infamous racist rant to his girlfriend over the phone, which she recorded and released to the public. In an interview for The Wall Street Journal for the new AMC series 4th and Loud -- about the Kiss-branded Arena Football League team L.A. Kiss -- Simmons was asked if he had followed the Sterling incident. "I'm on the side of Don Sterling," he replied, before his position was even asked. Although he admits that Sterling is "heinous," he opines that he should have been let off with a fine, since the rant occurred in private. Simmons goes on to insinuate that all people make racist rants or off-color jokes in private: "Because you say an off color joke or make a racist rant privately, that causes you to lose a job -- nobody would have a job!" Simmons also linked a loss of privacy to Sterling's fate: "I'm on the side of free speech in the privacy of your own home or privacy of the situation. Big brother has finally crawled in bed with us." In an ironic twist, Simmons claimed earlier in the interview that he supported changing the name of NFLs Washington Redskins, which many people feel is a racist nick. Donald Sterling's rant also prompted Victor Willis of the Village People to demand the L.A. Clippers quit playing the Village People's 
In an explosive article in Mojo magazine, singer Marianne Faithfull claims that her ex-boyfriend, aristocrat Jean de Breiteuil, of supplying the drugs that killed The Doors legend Jim Morrison. Morrison is alleged to have died of a heroin overdose in Paris, France in 1971, but as no autopsy was performed, the exact cause of his death is still disputed. Faithfull claims she knew something terrible was about to happen the day Morrison died and chose to stay away from the apartment that the singer/poet shared with his partner Pamela Courson when de Breiteuil was planning a final visit. "I could intuitively feel trouble. I thought, 'I'll take a few (sedative) Tuinal and I won't be there. And he went to see Jim Morrison and killed him," she told Mojo. But Faithfull insists the drug overdose was an accident: "The smack (heroin) was too strong? Yeah. And he died. And I didn't know anything about this. Anyway, everybody connected to the death of this poor guy is dead now. Except me." Courson was found dead in her Hollywood apartment on Apr. 25, the victim of a suspected heroin overdose. - WENN.com, 8/6/14.
English actress Gabrielle Drake, the sister of cult folk artist Nick Drake, has announced the first authorized Nick Drake biography will be published this autumn. Gabrielle has compiled and edited Nick Drake: Remembered For A While, which will feature handwritten lyrics, letters from Drake to his parents and words from his string arranger Robert Kirby and his producer Joe Boyd. A deluxe edition of the book will come complete with a 10" vinyl record featuring five previously unreleased recordings from a "lost" 1969 BBC John Peel session, comprising alternative versions of "Time Of No Reply," "River Man," "Three Hours," "Bryter Layter" and "Cello Song." Meanwhile, six previously unheard Nick Drake recordings have been removed from auction following a dispute over their ownership. The tapes were described as being in "pristine" condition and were recorded in 1968, before the 1969 release of the iconic folk singer's 1969 debut album Five Leaves Left. The recordings were put up for auction by his friend, singer Beverley Martyn, who was married to the late John Martyn. However, lawyers representing the late singer's estate and his record company have questioned Martyn's ownership and the sale has been postponed. "I looked after them for 38 years, treasured them," said Martyn, stating that she believes she is the rightful owner of the tapes. "I know the person who made the tape and they are happy for me to have it. The Drake family even offered to buy it off me eight years ago for 2,000." Drake died of a drug overdose on Nov. 25, 1974. - New Musical Express, 8/6/14.
Actress Marilyn Burns, who became a cult movie superstar after starring in the 1974 horror film 
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland has been criticized for removing the ashes of DJ Alan Freed, who is credited with coining the term "Rock 'n' Roll." Executive Director of the museum Greg Harris says the ashes were moved from their current location because the RRHOF "is moving away from exhibiting remains since ashes don't help tell a story" and that "museum community colleagues across the country agree." Harris says that Freed's ashes will still be "very prominent" in the Hall Of Fame, and pointed out that the museum's radio studio is named for him, "and there are many touch points in the Hall that relate to Freed." But Lance Freed, Alan Freed's son, said he believed that the entire exhibit dedicated to his father was being removed. Freed's ashes were moved to a new location reportedly to make way for a new exhibit featuring Beyonce's costumes. "Rock 'n' roll isn't just about yesterday," said Harris of the new additions. "It continues to evolve, and we continue to embrace it and refine our operations." - New Musical Express...... A James Brown tribute concert has been set for Aug. 13 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in conjunction with the new Mick Jagger co-produced Brown biopic Get on Up, which hit screens in the U.S. on Aug. 1. Several former members of Brown's band, including Wee Ellis, Fred Wesley, Danny Ray, Clyde Stubblefield, Jab'o Starks and Mousey Thompson, have been confirmed to participate. The concert was organized by jazz bassist and huge Brown fan Christian McBride, who worked with Brown in 2006 on a big band concert at the Hollywood Bowl. - Billboard
Revered rock guitarist/songwriter Dick Wagner, a former member of Alice Cooper's and Lou Reed's touring bands who also recorded with such rock acts as Kiss and Aerosmith, died on July 30 of respiratory failure in a Scottsdale, Ariz., hospital. He was 71. The Iowa-born, Detroit area-raised Wagner was a self-taught guitarist who was asked to back Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison on one-off gigs in the Sixties, and by the end of the decade he had rose to prominence as the frontman for the rock group the Frost and, after moving to New York City in the early Seventies, as a member of Ursa Major. The latter group, whose original group featured keyboardist Billy Joel, recorded with Alice Cooper producer Bob Ezrin, who recognized Wagner's talent and brought him in to play additional guitar on their 
Linda Ronstadt was honored with a prestigious National Medal of Arts by Pres. Barack Obama during a ceremony at the White House on July 28. "I had a little crush on her back in the day," Pres. Obama revealed as he hung the medal around the 11-time Grammy-winning singer's neck. The honor was a particularly special moment for the 68-year-old Ronstadt, who didn't make it to her induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April since Parkinson's disease limits her ability to travel. A military aide brought her into the East Room by wheelchair, but she walked to the stage to receive her award as a citation was read honoring her "one-of-a-kind voice" that paved the way for generations of women artists. Eleven other recipients were awarded the 2013 National Medal of Arts, as America's highest award given to artists and their patrons, including DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg and Dominican-American writer Julia Alvarez, author of In the Time of the Butterflies. - AP, 7/29/14.
Eric Clapton's new album 
The family of Michael Jackson is reportedly "disappointed and saddened" following reports in late July that Jackson's Neverland Ranch has been put up for sale. Forbes magazine reported that the Colony Capital group, whose owner Tom Barrack has been managing partner of the property since 2007, have decided to place the property on the market after debts involved in the outlandish home of the late pop star reached $50 million. While "Bubbles" the chimp, the amusement rides, and zoo animals are long gone, the Peter Pan-inspired tudor house and sprawling, 2,600-acre property that make up Neverland are still in tact, and have been restored and readied for potential sale. Although Colony Capital has yet to announce an asking price, a nearby 8-bedroom ranch covering "only" 250 acres is on the market for over $21 million. The Jackson Estate is reportedly not happy with the decision, with an unnamed representative telling Forbes that they are "frustrated, bitterly disappointed, and saddened that it has come to this... Sadly, Michael lost control of Neverland during his life as a result of advice from a former manager." Jackson purchased Neverland in 1988 for $19.5 million and turned into a fantasy home complete with carnival rides and other over-the-top features. He lived there for nearly two decades until he essentially abandoned it in the wake of his 2005 acquittal on charges he molested children at the ranch. Neverland became the setting of several infamous pop culture events, including the 1991 wedding of Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky, as well as Jackson's 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, which was seen by 90 million viewers. Colony Capital took control after purchasing a $23.5 million note on the ranch in 2008, during a financially challenging period for Jackson. He died in a Los Angeles mansion he was renting a year later, on June 25, 2009, of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication. In other Jackson-related news, the producer of a new Queen album featuring vocals by Freddie Mercury and Jackson has been confirmed. William Orbit announced the news in a tweet which said: "Am definitely working with QUEEN. Amazing songs. Thats all Im saying for now. Watch this space." - William Orbit (@WilliamOrbit) July 29, 2014. Orbit, who has produced Blur, Madonna and Britney Spears, previously announced in July 2013 that he was producing a duet between Mercury and Michael Jackson, which is likely to feature on the new Queen album. Mercury and Jackson recorded three unreleased songs during the sessions for Jackson's classic 1982 album Thriller. The three songs were subsequently re-recorded, but not as Jackson/Mercury duets. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 8/1/14.
In a new interview with the U.K. music publication Uncut, Robert Plant says he is "disappointed and baffled" by his former Led Zeppelin bandmate Jimmy Page and his attempts to fuel the Led Zep reunion rumor mill. "I feel for the guy," Plant says. "He knows he's got the headlines if he wants them. But I don't know what he's trying to do. So I feel slightly disappointed and baffled." Plant even mentions a failed attempt at collaborating with Page in an acoustic format. "A couple of years ago, I said, 'If you've got anything acoustic, let me know. I'll give it a whirl. It was hands across the water. He just walked away. But we couldn't do anything proper. The weight of expectation is too great." Led Zeppelin's last show was a one-off performance on December 10th, 2007 honoring late Atlantic Records executive Ahmet Ertegun at London's O2 Arena. Ever since, Page has publicly expressed interest in pursuing a full tour, and Led Zep'sexpansive remastering/reissuing campaignhas brought the conversation back into national headlines. 
In May, Page told The New York Times that he was ready to hit the stage with Zeppelin once more -- but blamed the lack of progress on a disinterested Plant. "I was told last year that Robert Plant said he is doing nothing in 2014, and what do the other two guys think? Well, he knows what the other guys think. Everyone would love to play more concerts for the band. He's just playing games, and I'm fed up with it, to be honest with you. I don't sing, so I can't do much about it. It just looks so unlikely, doesn't it?" The following month Plant fired back at Page in a press conference, saying,"I think he needs to go to sleep and have a good rest, and think again. We have a great history together and like all brothers, we have these moments where we don't speak on the same page, but that's life." Meanwhile, the LZ camp has revealed it will be reissuing two more albums in the fall. The reissue of the group's untitled fourth album -- known as 
Legendary rock producer and recording artist Brian Eno has written a strongly-worded letter about the current conflict between Israel and Palestine. In a post published on former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne's website, Eno says he "can't keep quiet any more" about the conflict and describes a picture he saw on the news that day of a Palestinian man carrying his four year old son's remains in a plastic bag. He goes onto express his dismay that America refused to support a proposed UN resolution to set up an international inquiry into accusations that Israeli actions could amount to war crimes. "What is going on in America?" Eno writes. "I know from my own experience how slanted your news is, and how little you get to hear about the other side of this story. But -- for Christ's sake! -- it's not that hard to find out. Why does America continue its blind support of this one-sided exercise in ethnic cleansing? WHY?" Eno then details a 2013 trip he took to Israel, where he witnessed the tensions first hand. He then goes onto describe what he calls the Israeli "settler militias" who have the "notion that they had an inviolable (God-given!) right to the land, and that 'Arab' equates with 'vermin' -- straightforward old-school racism delivered with the same arrogant, shameless swagger that the good ole boys of Louisiana used to affect. That is the culture our taxes are defending. It's like sending money to the Klan." David Byrne, who collaborated with Eno on such albums as My Life in the Bush of Ghosts in 1981 and Everything That Happens Will Happen Today in 2008, also included a note explaining why he decided to put Eno's passionate letter online. "I received this email last Friday morning from my friend, Brian Eno," Byrne writes. "I shared it with my office and we all felt a great responsibility to publish Brian's heavy, worthy note." - New Musical Express, 7/31/14.
Dwina Gibb, the widow of late Bee Gees legend Robin Gibb, and their son R.J. Gibb are releasing the best of sessions that Robin Gibb recorded a few years before cancer took his life in May 2012. Entitled 50 St. Catherine's Drive, an album named for the singer's birthplace in the Isle of Man, the album will also include a few demos recorded as late as July 2011. - Rolling Stone...... A second Northwest Indian tribe has canceled a scheduled Ted Nugent show at its casino, three days after Idaho's Coeur D'Alene Tribe canceled Nugent's Aug. 4 show over his "racist and hate-filled remarks." Now the Puyallup Tribe announced on July 31 that it's canceling Nugent's concerts scheduled for Aug. 2 and 3 at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash. Puyallup spokesman John Weymer says the tribe had been getting a lot of pressure from critics of the ultraconservative musician, who is known for advocating hunting and gun rights. - AP...... A David Bowie documentary about the touring art exhibition "David Bowie Is," which premiered at London's Victoria and Albert Museum last year, will run in more than 100 movie theaters in the United States on Sept. 23. That same day, the exhibition itself -- which consists of photos, costumes and other items from the David Bowie Archive -- will open at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art and will remain on view until Jan. 4. - Rolling Stone...... An online campaign to get Ozzy Osbourne knighted has attracted over 21,000 signatures. The campaign, being organised by 65-year-old fan Helen Maidiotis, states that the Black Sabbath frontman deserves the honour for his "significant contribution to the music industry." When asked about the campaign in a recent interview, Osbourne said: "I've heard about that. Getting knighted? I can't imagine anything better. And my wife [Sharon] would become a Lady, which would be pretty cool." - New Musical Express
Paul Simon and his wife Edie Brickell were arrested at their home in New Canaan, Conn., on Apr. 26 over an apparent domestic dispute. In a statement, the New Canaan Police Dept. said officers responded to a location at approximately 8:20 p.m. where they found probable cause to arrest both Simon and Brickell. They were released, and expected to be arraigned in Norwalk Superior Court the following Monday. Simon, 72, and Brickell, 48, were married in 1992 and have three children together. Simon is a 12-time Grammy winner and a member of The Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as half of the duo of Simon and Garfunkel and as a solo artist. Brickell is best known for the hit "What I Am" from the 1988 debut album Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars, with the New Bohemians. More recently, she recorded a Grammy-winning album with comedian Steve Martin. The pair have a home in New Canaan, about 40 miles northeast of New York City, and representatives for Simon have yet to comment on the incident. - QMI Agency/AP, 4/28/14.
As NBA franchise Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is embroiled in a controversy sparked by several minutes worth of racist remarks allegedly made over a phone call with his girlfriend, former Village People member Victor Willis posted on Twitter on Apr. 27 that he is banning the L.A. Clippers from using the Village People's smash 1979 hit 
Gregg Allman is urging director Randall Miller, who is planning a biopic about Allman based on is autobiography My Cross to Bear, not to proceed with production of the film, titled Midnight Rider, after the tragic death of camera assistant Sarah Jones during its filming on Feb. 20 of this year. "I am writing to you as one human being to another, and appealing to you from my heart. I am asking you from a personal perspective not to go forward," Allman said in a personal letter to Miller amid reports that the director was looking to resume shooting on the controversial film starring William Hurt as Allman in L.A. Allman says he was initially excited about the film, but his feelings have changed after Jones death. "When the idea of you producing the film first came about, I was genuinely excited about the possibility of sharing my story with fans around the world. Unfortunately, all of that changed for me on Feb. 20 of this year," the Allman Brothers Band cofounder wrote. "While there may have been a possibility that the production might have resumed shortly after that, the reality of Sarah Jones tragic death, the loss suffered by the Jones family and injuries to the others involved has led me to realize that for you to continue production would be wrong." Allman continues by urging Miller to not continue out of respect for Jones, indicating he should view the situation as a human being, not a filmmaker. "Your desires as a filmmaker should not outweigh your obligations as a human being. I am asking you to do the right thing and to set aside your attempts to resume the production out of respect for Sarah, her family and the loss that all of us feel so deeply." Jones was killed when she was struck by a train during filming on a narrow trestle bridge in Doctortown, Ga. Local and national authorities are now investigating her death, with Miller suspending production in the wake of the accident. - The Hollywood Reporter, 4/26/14.
Tom Petty was honored with the ASCAP Founders Award at the 31st annual edition of the Pop Awards on Apr. 23 in Hollywood, Calif. "Songwriting, songwriters and artists, is the job most people in the band don't want. It's long, lonely work -- you sit there waiting for magic," Petty told a full ballroom of music publishers at Loew's Hollywood Hotel. "My generation used it to speak to the world, to put in our two cents about the way the world should work and how we should be treated. Through my heroes, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, I learned what a good song might be," he added. Petty insisted he had never changed over his 40-year career. "I'm still just a shit kicker from Gainesville. I just have a lot nicer house," he said. Performing in tribute to Petty and his band the Heartbreakers was Lucinda Williams and her band, who played a slowed-down version of "Rebels" and a ragged "Running Down a Dream." To celebrate ASCAP's 100th year, songs from its list of its 100 biggest hits were played between speeches and during walk-ups -- Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing," Eurhythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" and Martha and the Vandellas' "Dancing in the Streets" among them. 
Meanwhile in other award show news, David Bowie hinted that he is working on a new album in a tongue-in-cheek message of support to his record label boss. Bowie sent a message of congratulations to Columbia US chairman Rob Stringer, who picked up the Strat Award at the Music Week Awards in London on Apr. 24. Bowie released his last album 
On Apr. 23, the California Supreme Court refused to review the involuntary manslaughter conviction of Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray, rejecting his lawyer's petition without comment. A state appeals court upheld Murray's conviction earlier this year and then refused to reconsider its decision. Murray's attorney, Valerie Wass, said her client will take his fight to federal court. "We're greatly disappointed, but we intend to pursue this in federal court," she said. Murray was convicted in 2011 and served two years in jail after authorities charged him with giving Jackson a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol in 2009 while the singer prepared for a series of comeback concerts. He was released in October because of a change in California law requiring nonviolent offenders to serve their sentences in county jails and as a result of credits for good behavior. Since his release, Murray has been traveling and spending time with family, "trying to get his life back together." Wass said. She added the federal appeal she plans to file will focus on media coverage of the trial and exposure of the unsequestered jury to the Internet. Meanwhile, the tracklisting for Jackson's upcoming posthumous album 
Paul McCartney has just tacked two new West Coast dates onto his expanding "Out There" U.S. tour, including a farewell show on Aug. 14 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the venue where the Beatles played their final full concert as a group on Aug. 29, 1966. It will be the last show to be played at the former home stadium of the Giants and the 49ers before the historic venue is demolished. According to The San Francisco Chronicle, the city's mayor, Ed Lee, personally invited McCartney to close the venue when McCartney played at the Outside Lands festival last summer. "Sir Paul McCartney is a class act, and I am very grateful that he's coming back to Candlestick to help us give this iconic landmark the goodbye it deserves," Lee told the paper. "To add a concert like this, one that's not only just great on a purely entertainment level, but one that is rooted in the city's history and musical history, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event." McCartney will also be playing at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium on Aug. 10, another venue he hasn't performed in since that final run of Beatles concerts in 1966. It will also be his first major L.A. show since his two-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl in 2010. - Rolling Stone, 4/27/14.
Grammy-winning '70s country/pop singer Glen Campbell has been moved into a care facility three years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in early 2011. "He was moved to an Alzheimer's facility last week," a family friend told People magazine. "I'm not sure what the permanent plan is for him yet. We'll know more next week." Campbell, 78, had been suffering from short-term memory loss in recent years, and he and his wife Kim initially revealed his condition because he'd hoped to give a series of goodbye concerts, in conjunction with an album called Ghost on the Canvas, which was released later in 2011. Although that album was expected to be his last, he released his 62nd solo album, See You There, in December 2013. Campbell's latest health setback came just days before the documentary of that final tour, titled Glen Campbell... I'll Be Me, got its world premiere Apr. 18 at the 2014 Nashville Film Festival. Campbell was named both CMA Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year in 1968, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. His 
A new Alice Cooper "doc opera" dubbed Super Duper Alice Cooper debuted on Apr. 17 at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, with a showing on April 22 at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles and screenings at theaters around the country starting on April 30. The revealing film includes a load of rare footage, extensive interviews with Cooper, manager Shep Gordon and original Alice Cooper bassist Dennis Dunaway, as well as commentary from Elton John, Iggy Pop, John Lydon, Dee Snyder and Bernie Taupin, the latter of whom talks for the first time about his role in hooking Cooper on cocaine while they were working on the 1978 album From the Inside. "They came to us and said, 'You can't just do a documentary on Alice Cooper. You've got to make it something that's as theatrical as the character,' " Cooper says. "I said, 'I agree with that. What's your idea?' And they said, 'We love the idea of a Jekyll and Hyde thing, 'cause you are Jekyll and Hyde, basically. The guy who walks around all day and does interviews and plays golf and goes to church, that's Dr. Jekyll. And your stage character is Mr. Hyde.' I said, 'Well, I love that. That's great.' And it certainly is not going to look like everyone else's documentary." A DVD version of Super Duper Alice Cooper is due out June, with outtakes and more from the interviews. A special VIP Edition will also include a set of commemorative panties, recalling the stunt used for Cooper's 1972 School's Out album. Cooper, meanwhile, is gearing up for a European tour that starts May 30 in the Czech Republic, and then for a swing as the special guest on Motley Crue's farewell tour, which starts July 2 in Grand Rapids, Mich. He's also putting the finishing touches on his next album, a mostly covers tribute to the "Hollywood vampires" crowd (John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, the Who's Keith Moon and others) he partied with during the early 70s, though he's also written four new songs for the project. He's currently adding guest musicians, though Cooper won't reveal any names yet. - Billboard, 4/17/14.
Paul McCartney has confirmed another six dates on the 2014 U.S. "Out There" tour. Paul makes his first ever appearance in Lubbock, Tex., the hometown of his beloved Buddy Holly, on June 14. Other stops include Dallas, Atlanta, Jacksonville (his first ever full headline show there), Nashville and Salt Lake City. McCartney, currently touring South America, was forced to cancel the first of two shows in Chile on Apr. 21 after his equipment failed to show up. He was due to play at the Movistar Arena in Santiago on that evening, but has now rescheduled the date to Apr. 23 after a plane carrying all his gear didn't arrive on time. McCartney's south American tour will continue this month in Uruguay, Peru and will see him play Ecuador and Costa Rica for the first time. The tour will then head to Asia and the US later on in the year. 
In other Beatles-related news, John Lennon and Yoko Ono explain their love for one another in a revealing interview animated by PBS' Blank on Blank series. "When I was singing about 'all you need is love, I was singing about something I hadn't experienced; I'd experienced love for people in gusts, and love for things, trees, things like that, but I hadn't experienced what I was singing about," Lennon says in one of the interviews, which were conducted between 1969 and 1972 by Howard Smith. The episode, whimsically animated by Patrick Smith, features the voices of Lennon and Yoko explaining their relationship a few years after they had met. Ono, who was 32 when she met Lennon, revealed that she had given up hope on finding real love and had become cynical before meeting the Beatle. For his part, Lennon said that for all his singing about love, he felt like he really experienced it after he met Ono. - PaulMcCartney.com/New Musical Express/Rolling Stone, 4/22/14.
Neil Young quietly released a new covers album, A Letter Home, on Apr. 18 via Jack White's Third Man Records without formal announcement. The 12-inch vinyl release came out a day before Record Store Day and is being sold through physical retailers and their websites for around $20 plus shipping. A Letter Home includes covers of classics by the likes of Bob Dylan ("Girl From the North Country"), Willie Nelson ("On the Road Again"), Gordon Lightfoot ("Early Morning Rain"), Bruce Springsteen ("My Home Town") and the Everly Brothers ("I Wonder If I Care As Much"), among others. Many of these songs have been a part of Young's live set over the past few months. On his website, Young describes the collect as "rediscovered songs from the past recorded on ancient electro mechanical technology captures and unleashes the essence of something that could have been gone forever." The album will also be released in a deluxe package that will include a CD, a download card, a making-of DVD and two vinyl records. The limited edition set will retail for $109.98, but a basic CD version will also be offered for $13.99. 
Meanwhile, Young's old friend who contributed backup vocals to his 1972 smash album Harvest, Linda Ronstadt, has roared back onto the Billboard Hot 200 album chart with a new compilation album, 
An attorney representing Aretha Franklin says the Queen of Soul is seriously considering a lawsuit against the satirical website Thenewsnerd.com after it posted a story about a fabricated dustup between Franklin and Patti LaBelle, which Franklin later vehemently denied. Franklin's lawyer, Arnold Reed, contends Thenewsnerd.com's notice of its satirical intent is buried, rendering it ineffective. "What good is a disclaimer when one has to dig deeper than a six-foot grave to find it," Reed said in a statement. Reed acknowledges he case would be fraught with difficulties for the prosecution both constitutional and cultural, after a landmark precedent case in which Jerry Falwell unsuccessfully sued Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt. In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court prohibited public figures and officials from recovering damages when the item in question "could not reasonably have been interpreted as stating actual facts about the public figure involved." - Billboard, 4/18/14.
A Colorado man who acknowledged stealing the luggage of '70s rocker Peter Frampton last year at Denver International Airport has been given a 60-day suspended jail sentence followed by two years of probation. Thornton, Col., resident John Allen Papelbon, 52, was sentenced on Apr. 18 and ordered to pay $8,884 in restitution. He pleaded guilty to theft of between $2,000 and $5,000, acknowledging he took seven pieces of luggage from DIA last year. Authorities say airport surveillance video from Oct. 27 shows a man matching Papelbon's description walking way with luggage after Frampton arrived in town to perform in Beaver Creek. - AP, 4/19/14.