Saturday, May 22, 2010
Underworld are offering, "Scribble," their first new song in nearly 3 years as a free download via their official Web site. The track will be available until June 21st when the song gets released as a single.
Friday, May 21, 2010
With his new studio album, Scream, just about to hit stores, Ozzy Osbourne has been talking about his 30th anniversary editions of his 1980 album, Blizzard Of Ozz, and 1981's Diary Of A Madman due out around Thanksgiving. Since both albums featured late guitarist Randy Rhoads, they have been looking at some rare video footage of Rhoads and the band that will also see the light of day.
Jazz pianist/bandleader/composer Hank Jones, 91, died on May 16th in a New York Hospital after a brief illness. Jones earned a Grammy lifetime achievement award last year among many awards received during his 7 decade career. Most often he is heard and remembered as the pianist that accompanied Marilyn Monroe's performance of "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy. As a bandleader, he recorded over 60 albums and made many more as a sideman. During the 1980s, Jones performed more as a sideman on many albums only to return as a band leader in 1995 for Steal Away.
Former Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and recent Heaven & Hell vocalist Ronnie James Dio, 67, lost his over 6 month-long battle with stomach cancer on Sunday at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston. Tons of tributes have poured in that have one thing in common -- they call him the nicest man in metal. Wife and manager, Wendy Dio, released a statement after his passing: "Today my heart is broken. Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m....Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away. Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all. We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us. Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss. Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever." Fans are being encouraged to post their condolences on their official Facebook page.
AC/DC's Iron Man 2 soundtrack dropped 3 spots to #6 on the U.K. Albums chart. Celine Dion's Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert debuted at #11. Slash's Slash debuted at #17. Billy Ocean's The Very Best Of Billy Ocean fell 7 places to #29. Glee Cast's Glee The Music: Season One Vol. 1 dropped 5 spots to #30. Paul Weller's Wake Up The Nation fell 16 places to #31. Glee Cast's Glee: The Music: The Power Of Madonna dropped 21 spots to #33. Glee Cast's Glee: The Music: Season One Vol. 2 fell 5 places to #35. Madonna's Celebration dropped 18 spots to #38. Gorillaz's Plastic Beach fell 16 places to #40.
Elvis Costello has canceled his two concerts in Israel this summer due to what he called "grave and complex" sensitivities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Costello released a statement via his website saying "...there are occasions when merely having your name added to a concert schedule may be interpreted as a political act that resonates more than anything that might be sung..."
Axl Rose has filed a $5 million countersuit against Irving Azoff's Front Line Management claiming they violated the consent decree by coercing and bullying artists to do what he wants. Rose says that Azoff tried to sabotage Guns N' Roses leaving them no other option but to reunite the original band. According to the lawsuit, "Upon realizing that he couldn't bully Rose and accomplish his scheme, Azoff resigned and abandoned Guns N' Roses on the eve of a major tour, filing suit for commissions he didn't earn and had no right to receive." Rose says that this cost him more money in production startup and rehearsal expenses. He claims breach of fiduciary duty, constructive fraud and breach of contract. The suit is also linked to the U.S. Justice Department's recent antitrust lawsuit that sought to stop the merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation over concerns of the new company having too much control of the artists and venues. Azoff's company does artist management, concert and touring promotion and ticket sales which Rose alleges he promotes or punishes artists according to how they follow his orders. Azoff's original lawsuit, filed in March, claimed Rose violated an oral agreement to pay 15% of earnings or nearly $2 million from the concert tour.
Elton John is scheduled to headline, Mawazine World Rhythms, Morocco's biggest music festival this week despite calls by conservative Islamists including Mustapha Ramid that say the "stages should not be used to allow a person with such a degree of debauchery to perform because we have to shield the young from such influences."
Things were looking good for Bret Michaels' recovery from a brain hemorrhage in time to appear at the finale of NBC's Celebrity Apprentice. That was until a mini stroke sent the Poison frontman back to the hospital. Test results revealed a small hole in his heart, according to People magazine. Doctors don't see a link between the two conditions but they have voiced concerns as the type of stroke (a transient ischemic attack) is often a precursor to a more severe stroke. It is believed that the hole they found can be treated and could be the reason for the mini stroke. According to his publicist, Michaels has been discharged from the hospital and is now receiving outpatient care. Meanwhile, there are plans to air a half-hour special sneak peak of Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It on Memorial Day. The reality series is tentatively scheduled to premiere this fall.
As a way to raise funds in support of the Rett Syndrome Research Trust, Vince Clarke has put the official BPI plaque certifying more than 250,000 copies in U.K. singles sales for Yaz's "Nobody's Diary" on eBay. The bidding ends on May 26th and is currently up to nearly $1,300.
Yep Roc Records has released a 13-track digital sampler, Songs From The Vault: Volume One, which features unreleased bonus tracks from the label's artists including Dave Alvin, John Doe, Paul Weller and Robyn Hitchcock. Head over here to preview and get free downloads of those tracks.
R.E.M. have completed the second phase of recording their follow-up to Accelerate with producer Jacknife Lee. They plan to head back to the studio in the summer to continue work with a tentative 2011 release expected. In the interim, the band will release an expanded 25th anniversary double-CD and digital edition of their 1985 album, Fables Of The Reconstruction, on July 13th.
The The have released a new album, Tony: The Soundtrack By The The, via Lazarus. The album is the first volume in Matt Johnson's Cineola series. It can be purchased here.
Mission U.K. frontman Wayne Hussey discovered a complete unreleased recording from their 1996 sessions for the 'Blue' album. The song, "She's Gone Away," will surface on, Hope, a benefit album for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. The album will be available at http://www.stayindie.com/Hope/ and includes contributions by Alien Sex Fiend, New Model Army, Gene Loves Jezebel and Andi Sex Gang & Marc Almond. Meanwhile, a Mission U.K. compilation, Dum Dum Bullet, of rare B-sides, demos, new songs and a remix of "Dumb" will be released on June 29th.
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