The Arch Interview: JOE WALSH
JOE WALSH is opening for BOB SEGER at Scottrade Center on Thursday, April 4th. This is the ARCH INTERVIEW with Joe Walsh, conducted by Jay Philpott. In this quick 8 minute conversation, Joe talks about his exploits doing morning radio shows (when Jay first met him in 1988), his sobriety and latest album “Analog Man”, his good friend from St. Louis Bob Heil (who invented the guitar effect known as the “talk box”), Bob Seger, the Eagles documentary and summer tour and his next musical project. Get details about the show and buy tickets HERE.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/15/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
A new book is on the way about Robert Plant. TheBookseller.com says former “Q” and “Kerrang!” editor Paul Rees is developing “Robert Plant: A Life,” which will cover the rock legend’s career from his pre-Zeppelin days as a folk singer in Britain through “Raising Sand,” his 2007 Grammy-winning collaboration with bluegrass singer Alison Krauss. HarperCollins is publishing the book. “Robert Plant: A Life” is slated for an October release in the UK, and will be available in the U.S. in January.
Bon Jovi continue to promote their new album, “What About Now?” The New Jersey rockers were featured on Fox’s “American Idol” performing the album’s lead-off single, “Because We Can.” Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora is a fan of the Fox reality show, and calls it “a star-maker.” Prior to their appearance the guitarist told St. Louis’ KTVI that “Idol” is “a show that actually really brings quality talent to the world.”
Wayne Newton is losing his exotic animals. “The Las Vegas Review-Journal” says a bankruptcy judge has given the new owners of the singer’s Casa de Shenandoah estate permission to sell the 280 birds, mammals, and fish on the property. Zoological Wildlife Conservation Center and the Sloth Captive Husbandry Research Center in Rainier, Oregon have purchased the animals for 27-thousand-300-dollars. Newton’s collection included 150 lovebirds, a pair of two-toed sloths, wallabies, African penguins, and several dozen koi. He originally purchased the animals as another attraction to the planned theme park and museum he was intending to develop at CDS. But Wayne won’t have to say goodbye to all of his furry, feathered, and fishy friends. He’ll be keeping his Arabian horses, and 50 of the animals sold will remain at CDS.
Katy Perry may be getting ready to reveal the details of her short marriage to Russell Brand – with a book. According to “The Sun,” Perry has inked a three-point-two million dollar deal to pen an autobiography titled “Part Of Me,” as a follow-up to her 2012 3-D concert movie. While the concert movie did follow the star as she toured shortly after her divorce, the “Part of Me” book will reportedly delve into the topic even further. A source tells the paper that several publishers have been courting Katy for some time and she finally decided to go ahead with it “so fans don’t have a one-sided story” when Brand puts out another one of his deeply personal “Booky Wook” memoirs. Last month, Brand hinted that Katy would be a part of the third installment of his series, saying during a Comic Relief web chat that “you can’t write things about your life and not include things that happened in your life.”
Michael Buble is having a baby boy. Shortly after a recent hospital visit, the singer told the “New York Post” he and his wife, Argentinian model Luisana Lopilato, found out they’re expecting a son. Buble told the paper that the sonogram was “pretty clear” and they are “thrilled” with the news. The couple has been sharing the events of their pregnancy with fans since their January announcement via YouTube. The video featured footage from the baby’s ultrasound set to Buble’s hit “Haven’t Met You.” The singer released his latest single “It’s A Beautiful Day” last month, and his new album is expected out sometime this year.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/14/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Axl Rose is facing a new lawsuit. An Australian fan is suing the Guns N’ Roses singer after being hurt at the band’s show in Perth Saturday night. Darren Wright tells “The West Australian” that he suffered mouth injuries when Rose tossed his cordless microphone into the crowd during the show’s finale. He says he couldn’t see anything through the bright lights and explosions, and all of a sudden he was “whacked in the mouth.” Wright admits at first though he’d been punched, and it took him “a few seconds to realize what was going on.” He says he could “feel bits of teeth” in his mouth, and then someone was “climbing through” his legs trying to get the microphone. Wright explains that he doesn’t “harbor any ill feelings” toward Axl, and he doesn’t think the singer “intended to do it,” but he wants compensation for his dental work. Wright says he’s received an apology from the tour promoter, who has offered to give him an autographed microphone. But he says a signed mic won’t fix his teeth or pay the estimated five-thousand-100-dollars in medical bills he’ll be incurring.
Eric Clapton is launching what could be one of his last tours. The guitar legend is heading out on a 17-date North American tour, which he’s kicking off in Phoenix, Arizona Thursday night. The tour will not be coming to St. Louis, so if you want to see him for what might be the last time, you’ll have to travel to shows nearest St. Louis in Oklahoma City (March 20th) and Nashville (March 23). The Wallflowers are on board as the opening act.
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler says there’s one country star he’d like to work with. When asked to name who he’d be willing to serve as an intern, the singer tells “Us Weekly” his choice is “blonde with all the hits. Taylor Swift. She’s hot.” But it’s not just her looks that the 64-year-old rocker finds appealing. He adds that Taylor is “beyond talented,” and that he’ll “have to write a song with her.” If Tyler does collaborate with the 23-year-old country-pop sensation, it won’t be the first time he’s worked with a young female country singer. Carrie Underwood — who just turned 30 last Sunday — and 18-year-old Lauren Alaina — who competed on “American Idol” when Tyler was a judge — both make guest appearances on Aerosmith’s latest album, “Music From Another Dimension.”
It was Michael McDonald in triplicate last night on NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” The former Doobie Brother made a surprise appearance on the show to sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” with himself…McDonald sang the song with musical guest Justin Timberlake and Fallon. They did their best Michael McDonald impersonations — complete with white wigs and facial hair.
It’s a big day for Stevie Nicks at South By Southwest. The Fleetwood Mac frontwoman will be taking part in a special interview session at the Austin, Texas event, and her documentary “In Your Dreams” will be screened. In addition, she’s slated to join John Fogerty, Rick Springfield, and others for another performance with Dave Grohl’s Sound City Players. Grohl will also be giving the keynote address at the event.
Lady Gaga isn’t letting her hip injury take interfere with being a trendsetter. The star posted some photos of her brand new wheelchair – dubbed “The Chariot.” It’s made of 24-carat gold and black leather and was designed by Ken Borochov, of luxury label Mordekai. He released a statement saying that Gaga’s team commissioned him to create “The Chariot” following her injury, and that he was determined to make it “fit only for a queen.” The hardware on the fabulous, yet functional, wheelchair also includes a footrest, recliner and a pull-out canopy shade to protect the Mother Monster from any unwanted sunlight. Borochov has designed a number of items for Gaga’s onstage looks in the past, as well as the gold claw she wore to the launch of her FAME fragrance, but “The Chariot” was his first wheelchair.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/13/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Eagles fans will be able to pick up their own copies of the band’s two-part documentary next month. “History of the Eagles” will be released in a couple of different sets. The two movies will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in packages that also include a third disc of never before released concert footage of the Eagles’ performing in Landover, Maryland back in 1977, during their “Hotel California” tour. The digi-pak also comes with a special booklet. Meanwhile, a limited edition “Super Deluxe Box Set” will include the three discs as well as a 40-page book, stills from the film, a limited edition lithograph, and ten other photographs. “History of the Eagles” will be in stores on April 30th.
A new Stevie Nicks documentary is heading to theaters. “In Your Dreams” is slated for a special screening in select cinemas across the U.S. on April 2nd. The film documents the Fleetwood Mac singer’s efforts as she worked on her 2011 solo album, and gives insight into her creative process. Nicks recorded the project in her home studio with Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart serving as her producer. Stevie says the time she spent developing the album with Dave was “the greatest year” of her life, and they made the film because she wanted to share their creative process with her fans. So far more than 50 theaters are slated to show “In Your Dreams,” with more outlets expected to be added. Ticket information and a list of participating cinemas are available at InYourDreamsMovie.com.
Justin Timberlake‘s new album “The 20/20 Experience” doesn’t drop until next week, but industry sources are already predicting that it will have a huge debut week. The long-awaited album – his first in seven years – is expected to sell at least 500-thousand copies in its first week, easily giving it the number one spot on the Billboard 200 when it debuts. It would be Timberlake’s second solo album to debut at number one, as his “FutureSex/LoveSounds” sold 684-thousand when it came out in 2006. If “The 20/20 Experience” does break the 500-thousand mark, Justin could score the best sales week for an album in four months. It could also be only the fifth album to do so since the beginning of 2012, putting it in the company of Adele’s “21,” Taylor Swift’s “Red,” Mumford & Sons’ “Babel” and One Direction’s “Take Me Home.”
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/12/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Rumors of a Rolling Stones tour continue to rumble. Billboard.biz says “multiple sources” are claiming a North American tour is in the works. Word is the band will play arenas across the U.S. and Canada during the first half of this year. But it won’t be an extensive road trip, and will reportedly include fewer than 20 shows. The band is expected to make their official tour announcement later this month.
Tina Turner is demonstrating that age is simply a number. The music legend is on the cover of the German “Vogue’s” April issue. And at 73, she’s now the most senior figure to grace the front of the fashion magazine. Tina is featured in a dark blue silk Armani gown, with the caption “Simply the best!” Stylist Nicola Knels prepped her for the shoot, which was done by the photography duo Claudia Knoepfel & Stefan Indlekofer. Prior to Turner, Meryl Streep had been the oldest person ever to be featured on a “Vogue” cover. The Oscar-winning actress appeared on the front of the American “Vogue’s” January 2012 issue when she was 62.
ABBA’s Agnetha Fältskog is making a comeback. The singer is marking her return to music with the single “When You Really Loved Someone,” which she unveiled Monday. Agnetha admits she “never thought” she’d ever sing again, but says that when she heard some of the songs proposed for her album she “just couldn’t say no.” Her upcoming disc, titled “A,” also features one song she co-wrote. Agnetha explains that she “hadn’t written any music for a long, long time,” but she “sat at the piano, and suddenly it was there.” Fältskog’s “A” is slated for release in May. “When You Really Loved Someone” is available now.
David Bowie, Eric Clapton, and Bon Jovi all have albums arriving in stores today. Bowie is offering up his first collection of new studio material in a decade with “The Next Day.” The project, which is his follow up to 2003′s “Reality,” features the singles “Where Are We Now?” and “The Stars (Are Out Tonight).” Clapton’s latest, “Old Sock,” is a collection of covers. The 12-track set includes his own versions of some of his favorite songs, some of which date back to his childhood. He’s also welcomed a number of guests who lend their talents to the disc. Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, and Chaka Khan are some of Clapton’s collaborators on the project. Bon Jovi’s album, “What About Now?,” ends the wait for new music from the New Jersey rockers. The disc, which is their first since 2009′s “The Circle,” features the single “Because We Can.”
Fans can now judge for themselves if the seven-year wait for Justin Timberlake‘s return to music was worth it. The singer has decided to stream his new album “The 20/20 Experience” in full on iTunes, a week ahead of its release. The album will be available to stream until March 19th, when it’s officially released. JT may be looking to capitalize on his promotional activity this week, which includes a week-long stint performing on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” He’s also coming off his fifth time hosting “Saturday Night Live,” which saw its season-high in ratings thanks to his star power. Fans have already had a chance to hear a number of the album’s ten new tracks.
Justin Timberlake’s recent “Saturday Night Live” sketch mocking Hugo Chavez has prompted a slew of conspiracy theories from conservative bloggers. NBC decided against posting the clip on NBC.com or Hulu, saying it was simply a way to defer the complicated rules regarding the digital use of musical rights, as Justin had changed the copyrighted words to Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind.” But some conservatives are saying there’s more to it than that. The claim is that NBC’s decision to not put the clip online is evidence of the mainstream media’s extreme liberal bias. Others are criticizing the network for being overly political correct. Glenn Beck’s conservative blog “The Blaze” and BreitBart.com are among the sites calling out the network for not making the clip available online. Some angry reader comments bring up the fact that NBC had no problem posting clips of Tina Fey’s famous Sarah Palin impressions – although there were no copyright issues present there.
Music power couple Beyonce and Jay-Z are said to be among a dozen high profile celebrities and political figures who have fallen victim to a hacker. According to TMZ.com, the perpetrator has posted detailed information about his victims’ finances, social security numbers and credit card info online. Both the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI are on the case. The list of victims also reportedly includes Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, actors Mel Gibson and Ashton Kutcher and reality TV stars Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/11/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Vince Neil is recovering from a bout of kidney stones. He was performing with Motley Crue in Sydney, Australia when he had an attack, which forced the group to end their Sunday night show early. Both Mick Mars and Nikki Sixx used Twitter to voice their regrets to the fans. Mars tweeted his “apologies for a short set,” adding that Vince “Went straight from the stage to the hospital.” Sixx said that Neil “had to be rushed to the hospital for internal pain, and promised to “update you on his progress.” Setlistfm.com says Motley Crue played seven songs as well as a drum and guitar solo before Sixx made an announcement to the crowd. He said Neil had been in pain the entire night, and that he needed to go to the hospital.
Justin Timberlake is enjoying yet another successful go at hosting “Saturday Night Live.” In his cold open, he impersonated Sir Elton John, singing a eulogistic “Candle in the Wind” at Hugo Chavez’s funeral. Besides taking on the late-controversial Venezuelan president, Justin also brought some major star power with him. Knowing that expectations were high, he brought in backup for his monologue from some SNL greats. Steve Martin, Paul Simon, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Martin Short, Tom Hanks, Alec Baldwin and Candice Bergen welcomed him to the “Five-Timers Club” for members who have hosted “SNL” at least five times. In another sketch revolving around a dating game show, Justin and Andy Samberg reprised their suave singing duo characters from their memorable “D*** in a Box” Digital Short. Timberlake also poked fun at his acting career with a spoof on a typical romantic comedy trailer, with Nasim Pedrad playing his love interest. He also brought hip-hop star Jay-Z to the stage during one of his musical performances on the show. Justin’s episode took “Saturday Night Live” to a 14-month high, bringing in the highest ratings of the year for the show so far. His new album, “The 20/20 Experience” is out on March 19th. Now, Justin Timberlake heads back to NBC for a week-long run on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” Starting tonight, the singer will spend the week on the late night show.
Sammy Hagar won’t be reopening his New Jersey restaurant after all. Sammy’s Beach Bar & Grill on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City was among the places that took a hit when Hurricane Sandy struck last fall. In early November Hagar posted pictures of the destruction, along with the caption reading “Hope all Redheads and BB&G staff are safe and dry! Here is a look at the damage – we will rebuild!” But now Sammy’s revising his plans. A website update says Hagar has been through “months of ongoing discussions,” and “has regretfully been unable to come to terms with Caesars Entertainment on the rebuilding of the Sammy Beach Bar & Grill at Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino.” But Hagar’s not abandoning the area. The post adds that Sammy “continues to explore a new partnership in the region,” and that he remains committed to supporting the Atlantic City community through his Hagar Family Foundation.
Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson have officially announced their upcoming collaborative tour. The two generations of shock rockers are coming together this summer for the “Masters of Madness” trek. Only a few dates have been announced for the month-long upcoming road trip, which is slated to run from June 1st through the 28th. Just three confirmed stops are posted on their respective websites — Salt Lake City on June 4th; St. Charles, Missouri on June 25th; and Rockford, Illinois on June 28th.
Dee Snider is the latest to leave on NBC’s “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice.” After Plan B fell short in Sunday night’s challenge, the Twisted Sister frontman was shown the door. The teams were tasked with making an interactive three dimensional photo experience for Universal Orlando’s new marketing campaign. While Power’s project manager Omarosa quickly took control of her team and laid out her vision of bringing “Harry Potter” and “Despicable Me” to life, Snider decided to use his team’s celebrity as the focal point for their project. Because Power had the more creative idea they were spared from the scrutiny of the boardroom. Meanwhile, Donald Trump ripped Plan B for their simplistic design. He became even more upset after learning that Penn Jillette had pitched a more creative idea that Dee rejected. It came down to Snider, Stephen Baldwin and Gary Busey on the chopping block. While Dee argued that Gary’s limited skill set contributed to the team’s downfall, ultimately the responsibility fell on Dee as project manager.
Adele may have booked herself another huge gig in the U.S. According to “Daily Mail,” the singer has been asked to perform at the First Lady’s forthcoming 50th birthday bash, alongside a White House favorite – Beyonce. A source tells the paper the First Lady is already planning a huge, star-studded party to bring in her 50th, which is scheduled for January 17th, 2014. The paper adds that Adele “graciously accepted” Mrs. Obama’s invitation and waived her usual fee for private performances. The British singer will reportedly be singing a selection of the First Lady’s favorites at next year’s party.
Mariah Carey has released her video for the song “Almost Home,” which she recorded for this weekend’s box-office hit “Oz: The Great And Powerful.” The video was directed by the star’s frequent collaborator David LaChapelle, who has shot a number of her album covers and her “Loverboy” video. The video has the “American Idol” judge singing from a stool in black and white before switching into a land of color with clips from the Disney film starring James Franco. “Almost Home” came out last month, and was featured on last Thursday’s first elimination episode of “American Idol.” In a statement, Carey said the song is a “feel-good record” that “works beautifully with the film.” “Oz: The Great and Powerful” opened at number one at the box-office this weekend, bringing in 80-point-three million dollars.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/8/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Clarence Clemons‘ family is taking legal action over his death. William Clemons — the brother of the late E Street Band sax player — reportedly filed a malpractice suit last year, and last month the case received the go-ahead to proceed to a jury trial. The suit alleges that Clarence was advised to go off blood thinners for his carpal tunnel surgery, and wasn’t given a blood thinner during or after the procedure, which could have caused his stroke. Soon after he died, Clemons’ widow Victoria told “Rolling Stone” that Clarence had “lost sensation in his index finger and thumb,” just prior to suffering the stroke, and was “seriously concerned” about how it would affect his sax playing. Clarence died on June 18th, 2011, six days after the stroke.
Ozzy Osbourne’s daughter Kelly spent the night in the hospital after collapsing on the set of her E! series “Fashion Police.” In a statement to “Us” magazine, Osbourne’s rep confirmed that Kelly was hospitalized yesterday after fainting, and last night was “awake, alert, and in stable condition.” The spokesperson added that Kelly was being held overnight “for observation as a precautionary measure.” But the rep didn’t confirm reports that Kelly had suffered a seizure. According to TMZ, Osbourne was sitting in a chair shooting “Fashion Police” in front of a full studio audience when she turned to Melissa Rivers and said she wasn’t feeling well. She then reportedly fell out of her chair and started shaking. Kelly apparently stabilized a few moments later but her camp wanted to have her checked out at the hospital. Photos online show her being taken away by stretcher. Joan Rivers told TMZ cameras Thursday afternoon that she had visited with Kelly and declared her “fine.”
Justin Bieber says he’s doing better after an onstage scare during his concert at London’s O2 Arena Thursday night. The 19-year-old singer collapsed after experiencing shortness of breath but insisted on finishing his show – against doctor’s orders – before he was taken to a local hospital. He tweeted later that he was “getting better” and thanked fans for pulling him through. He didn’t offer any explanations as to why he fell ill, only saying that they were still “figuring out what happened.” Eyewitnesses gave their account of what they saw from the audience to E! News. During “Beauty and the Beat,” the singer seemed to be walking toward the exit when he collapsed on the staircase. His manager Scooter Braun then appeared with Bieber’s friend, Jaden Smith, to inform the audience that the pop star was getting emergency medical attention and would return. Braun told the crowd that the star had been complaining about being “very low of breath” throughout the show, and later tweeted that he was proud of his “tough kid,” calling him a “true pro.”
America has chosen its top ten finalists for season 12 of “American Idol.” Concluding the first week of live shows, the top ten female and male contestants showed America what they had on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s two-hour live episodes. It all led up to Thursday’s first live eliminations, cutting the number of hopefuls down by half. The selected top ten have secured a place on the show’s summer tour. “American Idol” will continue on Wednesdays and Thursdays on Fox. Next week’s results show will feature performances from last season’s winner Phillip Phillips and Bon Jovi.
The top ten “American Idol” finalists and their hometowns:
Paul Jolley – Palmersville, TN
Burnell Taylor – New Orleans, LA
Curtis Finch Jr. – St. Louis, MO
Devin Velez – Chicago, IL
Lazaro Arbos – Naples, FL
Janelle Arthur – Oliver Springs, TN
Candice Glover – St. Helena Island, SC
Angie Miller – Beverly, MA
Amber Holcomb – Houston TX
Kree Harrison – Nashville, TN
Comedy fans and music fans alike are hoping Justin Timberlake strikes gold this weekend as he takes on “Saturday Night Live” for the fifth time. Expectations are high, as the singer’s previous experiences “going live from New York” have already earned him four Emmys. It will be his first time hosting since Andy Samberg of “The Lonely Island” comedy troupe left the NBC show, leaving JT without a partner for his usually memorable “Digital Shorts,” like “Motherlover,” “3-Way” and, of course, his special present “in a box” that earned him an Emmy in 2007. Justin will be taking on double-duty, appearing as a musical guest as well. He’ll also be spending the whole of next week on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” promoting his much-anticipated third solo album “The 20/20 Experience,” which is out on March 19th.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/7/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Hawaii’s privacy bill named for Aerosmith‘s singer is one step closer to becoming law. The “Hawaii Reporter” says the Hawaii State Senate has passed the Steven Tyler Act, which is aimed at protecting celebrities from the paparazzi and other overzealous photographers. The measure was approved by a large margin, with just two senators voting against it. Tyler and Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood — who lives in Maui — gave testimony at a hearing on the bill last month. Other stars, including Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee, Quiet Riot’s Frankie Banali, Guns N’ Roses’ Dizzy Reid, and Neil Diamond also submitted statements in support of the measure. Opponents say the bill is too vague and infringes on First Amendment rights. The Steven Tyler Act is now headed to the Hawaii House of Representatives.
Justin Timberlake is the host and musical guest on this week’s “Saturday Night Live.” He’ll appear just a couple of days ahead of the release of his new album “The 20/20 Experience,” which hits stores on March 19th. It will be his fifth time hosting the NBC sketch show. Past appearances have earned the singer a number of Emmy Awards, particularly for his musical contributions in the “Digital Short” series. Justin will also be spending an entire week at NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” from March 11th to March 15th.
Kelly Clarkson has been announced as one of the performers for this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards. Coming off her Grammy win last month, Kelly will be joining some of country music’s biggest stars on stage, including Carrie Underwood, “The Voice” judge Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert. The ceremony will air live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 7th on CBS.
British rock vet Alvin Lee has died. A statement on Lee’s official website said the Ten Years After co-founder and singer and co-founder passed away Wednesday from “unforseen complications following a routine surgical procedure.” His best known song was “I’d Love to Change the World”.
Prince is being honored with a special tribute concert. Elvis Costello, Booker T., and Bettye LaVette are among the stars slated to participate in the event tonight at New York’s Carnegie Hall. The Roots, Talib Kweli and Bilal are also on board for the show, which is serving as the famed venue’s annual fundraiser for music education. Proceeds from the event will go to children’s music programs such as the American Symphony Orchestra’s Music Notes and Little Kids Rock. Prince joins an all-star list of artists honored by the concert hall. In the past, the fundraiser concert has honored the Rolling Stones, R.E.M., Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Bob Dylan.
Alice Cooper appears to be planning to hit the road with Marilyn Manson. While there’s been no official announcement about that, Pollstar.com does show the two shock rockers will be teaming up for one show in Pittsburgh on June 23rd.
Miley Cyrus is making some changes to her staff as she gears up for her musical comeback. According to “E! News,” she’s hired veteran manager Larry Rudolph, just a month after partnering with RCA Records to distribute her highly anticipated new album. Rudolph is best known for managing Britney Spears.
Ringo Starr is the subject of an upcoming exhibit at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. “Ringo: Peace & Love” will explore the career of the former Beatles drummer through a variety of memorabilia including never before seen photographs, personal letters, and documents. Museum officials say visitors will even have a chance to take a drum lesson of sorts with the legendary rocker through an interactive exhibit. The limited-run exhibit is set to open on June 12th.
Bruno Mars has scored his first number one album with “Unorthodox Jukebox.” The singer’s sophomore album jumped to the top spot on the Billboard 200 this week, selling 95-thousand copies, during its 12th week on the chart. At Number two is the new release called “Amok” from the band Atoms For Peace, which includes Thom Yorke of Radiohead and Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/6/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
The plaque some believe represented the final resting place of the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury is gone. The UK’s “Daily Mirror” just reported the discovery of the memorial marker at Kensal Green cemetery in West London last week. The bronze plaque included the inscription “In Loving Memory of Farrokh Bulsara,” which was the singer’s given name, along with dates that match Mercury’s birth and death and the phrase “Always To Be Close To You With All My Love” — written in French. It was signed with the letter “M.,” which fans believe is Freddie’s longtime friend and heir Mary Austin. Some also suspect Austin removed the plaque after its existence was made public. Mercury was cremated after his death in November 1991, and Austin has admitted to knowing what was done with his ashes. But she’s also said she promised Freddie that she would never reveal the location of his remains, and she intends to keep her word.
A new comic is recounting the breakup of The Beatles. Bluewater Productions is behind the book, called “Paul McCartney: Carry That Weight,” which tells the story from McCartney’s perspective. Publisher Darren Davis says the author attempted to get Paul’s input without success, and the former Beatle had no hand in creating the book. He adds that it’s a comic and is “meant to be fun but educational as well.” The 24-page comic arrives in stores today. “Paul McCartney: Carry That Weight” is Bluewater’s third Beatles-related comic. The 2009 book “The Beatles Experience” covers the group’s entire history, including the band’s formation, rise to fame, breakup, and after the split. The biographical “John Lennon” comic arrived in 2011.
The upcoming Marvin Gaye biopic has new leading man. Deadline.com says Lenny Kravitz has dropped out of the project, while former “Law & Order” star Jesse L. Martin is once again looking to take on the part. Back in 2008 Martin was slated to star as the R&B legend in a film James Gandolfini was producing, but delays led him to abandon the role. However, the Julien Temple-directed film, titled “Sexual Healing,” is reportedly set to start shooting later this month. It’s unclear what led to the switch from Kravitz to Martin, but there were rumors last fall that Gaye’s son was unhappy that Kravitz had been cast in the lead role.
Sammy Hagar‘s next album just might include a Montrose reunion. The Red Rocker says in a new Facebook post that he recently met up with fellow surviving Montrose members Bill Church and Denny Carmassi, and they “recorded some new music last week.” He adds that it “was amazing,” and that they “still have that Montrose chemistry.” Hagar also promises to “keep ya all posted.” Sammy had been trying to organize a Montrose reunion when the band’s founder and namesake Ronnie Montrose died last year. He, Church, and Carmassi performed together at a special tribute concert for Ronnie last April, with Joe Satriani filling the gap left by the guitarist.
Carly Rae Jepsen says the Boy Scouts of America can call her, “maybe,” when they start welcoming gay members. The Canadian pop singer tweeted Tuesday that she was canceling her appearance at a Boy Scouts of America concert in West Virginia this summer. Jepsen, whose song “Call Me Maybe” was one of the biggest hits of last summer, said the Scouts’ ban on gay members conflicts with her personal beliefs. The rock group Train, who is also scheduled to participate in the 2013 National Scouting Jamboree, has also threatened to back out of the July event unless the Scouts overturn the ban. According to People.com, Jepsen was apparently moved to back out of the Jamboree by a petition started by gay Eagle Scout Derek Nance. He said in a statement that he was “thrilled” that Carly Rae and Train had joined him in standing up for “what is right,” adding that he hoped the Boy Scouts of America also choose to be brave when the organization holds their vote addressing the gay ban in May.
Taylor Swift is firing back at Tina Fey and Amy Poehler for the joke they made at her expense during January’s Golden Globes. In an interview with “Vanity Fair,” the country star didn’t address them directly, but instead quoted something that broadcast vet Katie Couric once told her – “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.” Taylor did say that she’s used to her love life being mocked in the press, but feels it’s “frankly a little sexist” that the media portrays her as “some clingy, insane, desperate girlfriend” when all she does is write about her feelings like any other artist. The joke in question was over Fey and Poehler insisting that she “stay away” from Michael J. Fox’s son. Poehler responded to Taylor’s comments in a statement to “The Hollywood Reporter.” She apologized and said she does feel bad if the joke upset her. Poehler continued saying, “I am a feminist and she is a young and talented girl. That being said, I do agree I am going to hell. But for other reasons. Mostly boring tax stuff.”
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/5/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Sir Ozzy? A campaign is under way at Causes.com urging Queen Elizabeth to recognize the rock icon with a knighthood. The online petition is addressed to “Honours and Appointments Secretariat – Cabinet Office (U.K.) David Spooner,” and outlines why the undersigned believe Osbourne is worthy of the honor. It mentions Ozzy’s “40 years of service to the music industry,” explaining that Osbourne has been a great inspiration and entertainer both as Black Sabbath’s vocalist and as a solo artist. The petition adds that the recognition is “well deserved and long overdue.” The Queen has two annual lists in which she names British citizens for national awards. The Queen’s Birthday Honours list comes out in June, and the New Year’s Honours list is unveiled at the end of each year.
Adele is back home in London after several weeks in Los Angeles leading up her big Oscars performance. She marked her return by tweeting a photo a toy souvenir she brought back for her baby – a mini Oscar statue that reads “Best Son.” The 24-year-old called it an “epic trip” and thanked Hollywood for having her and her family. She was there mainly to prepare for her performance of “Skyfall,” which was her first since giving birth last October. Not only did Adele bring home an Oscar in her luggage, she also had to pack a Golden Globe and a BRIT award.
The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir is finding new success with his variety show on the web. The “Marin Independent Journal” says 40-thousand people a week are tuning in for a new webcast of Bob Weir’s “Weir Here,” which he webcasts Wednesdays at approximately 8:30 p.m. Eastern. Shows feature performances and conversations with some of his famous friends at his San Rafael Studio, and Weir also takes questions from fans. In typical Dead fashion, Weir hosts the show in a t-shirt and sandals. The show’s producer says “It’s free Wednesday night entertainment” and “a good time to be a Deadhead.” The next installment of “Weir Here” is set for tomorrow night. More details on the show can be found at www.tristudios.com.
Here’s some MAD GENIUS creativity that’s re-titled “Call Me A Hole”: A mashup of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me maybe” with Nine Inch Nails’ “Head Like A Hole”.
Stevie Nicks, John Fogerty, Rick Springfield have another date set with Dave Grohl’s Sound City Players. The all-star group is heading south this month — or more specifically, South by Southwest. They’re set to take the stage at the Austin, Texas festival on March 14th. It’s the same night Nicks will be featured in a special interview session, and her documentary “In Your Dreams” will be screened. Meanwhile Grohl will also be on hand to deliver the event’s keynote address. The SXSW edition of the somewhat fluid lineup will also include Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen, Rage Against the Machine’s Brad Wilk, Fear’s Lee Ving, and others. The show is supporting Grohl’s “Sound City” documentary. The film’s soundtrack is due in stores on March 12th. Meanwhile, the Sound City Players are set to shut down Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles today. The band is taping a special concert for ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” The performance will air on Tuesday night’s episode of the late-night show, which starts at 10:35 p.m. StL time.
Van Halen will be performing at least one show in the U.S. this year. The band has been tapped as one of the headliners for this summer’s Rock USA festival in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Van Halen is scheduled to close out the four-day event, which will take place from July 17th through the 20th.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/4/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Simon Cowell is taking his search for talent to the Internet. According to
“The Hollywood Reporter,” the “American Idol” and “X Factor” creator’s Syco Entertainment empire has announced plans to launch a new project called “The You Generation.” “The You Generation” is a global online talent contest that will go beyond singing, seeking entries from people with “unconventional and original talents.” The contest will start this month, and is expected to run for a year. Syco will seek auditions in different categories every two weeks. Those interested can upload their videos to Syco’s YouTube channel, where they’ll be viewed and judges by the public and professionals. A prize will be given out every two weeks, and a grand prize will come at the end of the year. Some of the categories listed so far include musicians, photographers, makeup artists, chefs and even magicians. The “You Generation” will be available in 15 languages and in 26 countries around the world.
Adele has reportedly signed on to record the theme for the next James Bond movie. According to “The Sun,” the franchise is “thrilled” with how well “Skyfall” has been received and is hoping to replicate that success with the next film in the series. A source tells the paper that producers would like Adele to become as synonymous with Bond as Dame Shirley Bassey, who sang some memorable Bond themes like “Goldfinger” and “Diamonds Are Forever.” Apart from picking up the Oscar for Best Original Song, Adele’s “Skyfall” has earned her a Golden Globe and Brit Award.
Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” won’t have a repeat winner after all. During Sunday’s premiere of the NBC show’s all-star sixth season, Trump repeatedly questioned why Bret Michaels, the only returning champ, decided to come back. And when the rocker found himself in the boardroom at the end of the day, Trump let him know exactly how he felt, and fired him.
Tommy Lee is being sued. The Motley Crue drummer is being accused of assault stemming from an incident on a Florida beach last summer. Lawyer Robert Dixon, who’s representing Freddy Hernandez, has issued a statement saying his client was met with violence when he encountered Lee on the beach last July and began taking photographs of the rocker. He claims Lee “touched and/or struck Freddy Hernandez without his permission, by hitting his camera, while Mr. Hernandez was holding said camera.” He says Mr. Hernandez suffered injuries as a result. The suit was recently filed in Palm Beach County circuit court. Dixon doesn’t specify what he and Hernandez are seeking in damages.
A reunion of the original Kansas is coming up this summer. The band has announced plans for a special show that will feature guest appearances from making plans for a special event to mark their four decades as a band. The group has scheduled a special show featuring guest appearances from former members Dave Hope, Kerry Livgren, and Robby Steinhardt, and will mark the first time the band’s original lineup has hit the stage together in over 30 years. Kansas is organizing the special concert in celebration of their 40th anniversary. The show will be staged in two parts. It will open with Kansas performing with a 35-piece orchestra. The band will then return to the stage following an intermission to play their typical set. Drummer Phil Ehart says Dave, Kerry and Robby will be “playing on different songs with the current band through the whole show.” He adds that the intermission won’t be a break in the action, but they have “some great stuff planned” for that portion of the show as well.
Prince is planning to hit the road this spring. The reclusive rocker gave a dynamic performance Friday night on NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” which Fallon introduced by saying Prince would be launching a West Coast trek in April. Prince then demonstrated what concertgoers might if he plays any shows. His two-song set paired his most recent release, “Screwdriver,” with 1979′s “Bambi.” He closed the performance with the vintage tune, which ended with him tossing his guitar into the air and letting it smash to the stage as he walked off.
Former Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan is part of a new group. He’s on board for Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready’s star-studded side project. McCready tells Billboard.com the still-untitled band also features ex-Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin. The guitarist says the trio met up and wrote some new material, and adds that they’ve also been working on some of the unreleased demos from McCready and Martin’s other band, Mad Season. Mike says they’re currently trying to find some singers to work on the new music as well. And while there’s no specific release plan for any of the material, McCready would like to put it out on his new label. He says it would be great to eventually release some of the new songs on vinyl 45s via his Hockeytalkter Records, which takes its name from his three-year-old son’s pronunciation of the word “helicopter.”
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 3/1/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Eric Clapton says he’s ready to bring his touring career to a close. Clapton, who’ll turn 68 later this month, tells “Rolling Stone” he intends to retire from the road when he’s 70. He says his decision has nothing to do with performing, and calls the time he spends on stage “easy.” Clapton explains that the traveling is a “struggle” for him, and “the only way you can beat that is by throwing so much money at it that you make a loss.” He adds that going through immigration and security checkpoints are unpleasant hassles, in part because he can “never get it right.” Eric admits that when he’s going through the airport screening he always forgets something that sets off the detectors, and he ends up having to be searched. While Clapton isn’t going to stop performing, and says he’ll continue to play one-off gigs and special events, he’s not interested in touring much longer.
PETA is going after Beyonce for the second time this year. This time, it’s for a pair of Isabel Marant sneakers custom-made for the star by footwear design house PMK. The shoe is made from a number of exotic animal skins including stingray, ostrich, crocodile and anaconda. It’s been appropriately named “The King Bey.” PETA has issued a statement criticizing Beyonce for putting her name on the kicks, saying that it’s a high price to pay for the creatures “who were beaten and skinned alive or cruelly farmed and killed.” The animal activists noted that while they may be different from the “cats and dogs we share our home with,” these animals are “highly sensitive living beings who try hard to avoid capture.” Last month, PETA slammed Beyonce for the black leather bodysuit she wore during her Super Bowl halftime performance. The outfit included iguana and python skin. At the time, they encouraged the singer to follow in the trend of fashion-forward celebrities like Natalie Portman and Anne Hathaway who have gone what they call “cruelty free.”
Bob Seger fans are getting a taste of his most recent work. Seger and his Silver Bullet Band performed the new song “All the Roads” at their tour launch in Toledo, Ohio Wednesday night. A clip of the performance was posted on YouTube. UltimateClassicRock.com says Seger is working on a new album, but at his show he didn’t indicate whether “All the Roads” will be included on the upcoming disc. According to Setlist.fm, Bob’s 20-song concert was packed with such classics as “Old Time Rock and Roll,” “Turn The Page,” “Beautiful Loser,” and “Katmandu,” while he also dusted off “Like A Rock” and some other hits he hasn’t performed in years. Bob and the Band wrapped up the night with two two-song encores. They’ll play here in St. Louis (with Joe Walsh) on April 4th at Scottrade Center.
David Bowie fans can now listen to his long-awaited new album in its entirety. Bowie announced on Facebook Thursday evening that “The Next Day” is available to stream as a worldwide exclusive via the iTunes Store. The stream will be available until the album’s release date, which for U.S. fans will be March 12th. Bowie has already released two singles from the set — “Where Are We Now?” and “The Stars (Are Out Tonight),” which just arrived earlier this week. But fans are encouraged to talk about their other favorite tracks from the album on Bowie’s Facebook page, where their comments will give them a shot a winning signed-by Bowie deluxe copies of “The Next Day.”
Even the combined power of a slow sales week and Amazon sale wasn’t enough to lift Bruno Mars‘ “Unorthodox Jukebox” to number one on the Billboard 200. The singer’s sophomore album was expected to land the top spot earlier this week after Amazon MP3 started offering it at the discounted price of one-dollar-and-99 cents. There were also no major releases for the tracking week. Unfortunately the album jumped just one spot to number two, with Mumford & Sons’ “Babel” taking number one for the second consecutive week. Mars has had a number of number one singles on the Hot 100, including “Locked Out of Heaven,” but has yet to see an album top the charts. His debut “Doo-Wops & Hooligans” peaked at number three. His latest single “When I Was Your Man” jumped to number three on the Hot 100 this week as well.
Bret Michaels admits that being the only previous winner on “The Celebrity Apprentice” isn’t something that plays in his favor. He feels like his earlier success on the NBC reality show puts him at “a major disadvantage.” He calls it “the Super Bowl syndrome,” explaining that “when a team comes back that has won it, everyone is gunning for them.” But Bret says he still wanted to compete on the show again because “it’s a great opportunity for charity.” The singer will be working to raise money for his own Bret Michaels Life Rocks Foundation, which supports a variety of organizations including medical, military, and animal charities. Michaels’ competition this time around includes Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, who was previously featured on the show last year. While Dee was fired in the eighth week, he still raised 325-thousand-dollars for the March of Dimes. This time around Snider will be supporting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Other all-stars include Gary Busey, Stephen Baldwin, Dennis Rodman, La Toya Jackson, and Penn Jillette. “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice” begins this Sunday.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 2/28/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
The latest dramatic turn in the career of Stone Temple Pilots finds the band firing its frontman Scott Weiland. A one-sentence announcement was released by STP’s publicist on Wednesday, simply stating “Stone Temple Pilots have announced they have officially terminated Scott Weiland.” Weiland recently announced a solo tour, during which he planned to play the entirety of STP’s first two albums, Core and Purple. Oddly, Weiland just spoke to Rolling Stone yesterday about rumors he had been fired from the band, and told the magazine, “STP has not broken up. I haven’t quit. I haven’t been fired.” Wednesday afternoon, Weiland released an official statement, saying, “I learned of my supposed ‘termination’ from Stone Temple Pilots this morning by reading about it in the press. Not sure how I can be ‘terminated’ from a band that I founded, fronted and co-wrote many of its biggest hits, but that’s something for the lawyers to figure out. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to seeing all of my fans on my solo tour which starts this Friday.” STP reunited in 2008 after five years apart, released a self-titled album in 2010 and have toured extensively in recent years.
After touring the world last year promoting Push And Shove, No Doubt is back in the studio working on a new album. The band posted on a message on their website explaining that they became inspired to write while on tour.
Janet Jackson is pretty adept at living her life on the sly, and on Monday, she admitted that she married her Qatari businessman boyfriend, Wissam Al Mana, last year. The admission came in order to squash media reports about an upcoming wedding. “The rumors regarding an extravagant wedding are simply not true. Last year we were married in a quiet, private, and beautiful ceremony,” Jackson and Al Mana said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. “Our wedding gifts to one another were contributions to our respective favorite children’s charities.”
Aerosmith and Modern Lovers are going head to head in the Massachusetts legislature. “The Patriot Ledger” says Representative Marty Walsh recently submitted a bill to designate the Modern Lovers’ “Roadrunner,” from their 1976 self-titled debut album, the official state rock song. The measure prompted Representatives James Cantwell and Josh Cutler to team up on a bill of their own to give the honor to Aerosmith’s 1973 hit “Dream On.” Both bands hail from Massachusetts, and both songs are on the “Rolling Stone” list of the “Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” While a number of Massachusetts locations are referenced in the lyrics to “Roadrunner,” Cantwell believes “Dream On” should get the nod because Aerosmith is “so well associated with Massachusetts.” He adds that “Dream On” carries a positive message, and cites its use in the trailer for the Oscar-winning film “Argo” as proof of its ongoing relevance. Massachusetts already has two other official songs. Arlo Guthrie’s “Massachusetts” is the state folk song, and Lenny Gomulka’s “Say Hello to Someone from Massachusetts” is the state polka song.
The guys in Styx believe their label owes them a lot of money, and they’re taking legal action to get what they’re due. According to TMZ.com, they claim in their lawsuit that A&M Records created a “phony business model” so the company could “avoid its royalty obligations” from digital downloads and ringtones. They further allege that A&M pocketed a significant percentage of profits that rightfully belong to the group, saying that for every dollar they were paid they should have received “anywhere between two and five dollars.” Styx filed their suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court last Friday. The band hasn’t said exactly how much money they’re seeking, but will let that figure be determined at the trial.
Brian Wilson and Jeff Beck are going to camp. They’ve both signed on for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp taking place in Las Vegas from April 18th through the 21st. The rock legends are serving as “guest star performers,” and will be on hand to jam with the campers. Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camps give participants the chance learn about the music industry directly from those in the business, and fulfill their rock star dreams by meeting and performing with some of rock’s biggest stars. Chicago’s Danny Seraphine; Dino, Desi, & Billy’s Billy Hinsche; and bassist Billy Sheehan, who has played with David Lee Roth, Steve Vai, and Mr. Big; are among the “rock star counselors” for this particular camp session. Other upcoming camps will feature Vai, Sammy Hagar, Lita Ford, and Def Leppard. Vai, Hagar, and Ford will join in on the camp running from March 5th through the 9th. Ford and Def Leppard are set for the April 4th through 7th camp session. All of the upcoming fantasy camps will take place at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Vegas. Additional details are available at RockCamp.com.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 2/27/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Billie Joe Armstrong is coming clean about his struggles with alcohol and prescription drug abuse. In the upcoming issue of “Rolling Stone,” the Green Day frontman says he had been dealing with the problem for years. He admits he usually couldn’t predict where he’d end up at the end of the night, and he’d often wake up the next morning on someone else’s couch after a “complete blackout.” Armstrong says he doesn’t even remember much of his onstage meltdown at last fall’s iHeartRadio Festival, confessing that he had to ask his wife just how bad it was the next day. And when he talked to his manager, Billie Joe says he was told to return to Oakland and check himself into rehab “immediately.” You can read Armstrong’s full “Rolling Stone” cover story when it hits newsstands this Friday.
Chris Brown is opening up about his rocky relationship with Rihanna. The British newspaper the “Mirror” caught up with the singer at Elton John‘s AIDS Foundation Oscar fundraising party Sunday where he told the publication that he’s “learned a lot” since the night of his now infamous attack on his pop star girlfriend. He also calls the incident the “deepest regret” and “biggest mistake” of his life. He didn’t go into the actual details about the altercation, but he does indicate that a fight spiraled out of control. Brown was arrested and eventually sentenced to five years probation for the attack on Rihanna. He also came under fire from many in the entertainment industry. Chris says he was only able get through the intense scrutiny because of the support he had from his fans and those close to him. He says his fan base has been “incredible.” Brown also spoke about his recent reconciliation with Rihanna. Since their break up, Chris says the two have done some “serious making up.” He adds that he “worked hard” to earn Rihanna’s forgiveness.
The “Law & Order: SVU” episode that’s said to be based on Chris Brown’s 2009 assault of Rihanna is set to air tonight. Although NBC hasn’t confirmed whether the episode was actually inspired by Rihanna and Brown’s story, the previews suggest many similarities. The network has described the episode as revolving around a young rising singer who is badly beaten by her hip-hop star boyfriend. In one preview, a tabloid is shown with the singer’s bruised and battered face on the cover, which may remind viewers of the infamous photo of a battered and bruised Rihanna. The show is bringing on a number of guest stars for the episode, including Perez Hilton, Dave Navarro and Wendy Williams. “Arrested Development” star Jeffrey Tambor will be playing the hip hop star’s defense attorney.
Adele‘s “21″ has reached a new high. The International Federation of Phonographic Industry’s latest numbers for worldwide album sales are in and “21″ is on top for the second year in a row. In 2012, the album sold eight-point-three million copies worldwide. That’s down from 2011′s 18.1 million – but still the best-selling. It’s the first time an album has topped the global charts for two consecutive years since the group started recording worldwide numbers in 2001. Taylor Swift‘s “Red” was the runner-up, moving five-point-two million copies all over the world. Carly Rae Jepsen‘s “Call Me Maybe” was the named the best-selling single worldwide last year, moving 12-point-five million copies, followed by Gotye‘s “Somebody That I Used To Know” and Psy‘s “Gangnam Style.”
Bobby Brown will spend nearly two months behind bars for driving under the influence. Brown was in court on Tuesday to face charges of DUI and driving on a suspended license stemming from his arrest in Los Angeles last October. He pled “no contest” to the charges and was sentenced to 55 days in jail. Brown will also have to serve four years probation, as well as an 18-month alcohol program. The singer has to show up to begin serving his sentence by March 20th. Until then, he has to complete three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week. This marks Brown’s third DUI conviction.
Pink is the latest star to get drawn into the never-ending rumors about “The X Factor” judges’ panel next season. She was reportedly approached about a spot on the Fox show, but turned down the offer because reality show judging just isn’t her cup of tea. She said that with a brutally honest attitude like hers, the audience would end up hating her “more than they already do.” She added that Simon “is the only person who gets away with it because he’s got an accent. And he’s a man.”
Russell Brand‘s next book could include a few chapters about his short-lived marriage to Katy Perry. In a web chat with the site “Heatworld” to promote his upcoming Comic Relief gig, the eccentric English comedian said he plans to write a third installment of his “Booky Wook” personal tell-all series. He hinted that his 2011 divorce from Katy could be a subject he would touch on. He said that “you can’t write things about your life and not include things that happened in your life,” implying that addressing the high-profile romance would be unavoidable.
The final resting place of rock legend Freddie Mercury may no longer be a mystery. More than two decades after the Queen frontman succumbed to AIDS, fans are claiming to have found the place where his cremated ashes were buried – the Kensal Rise cemetery in West London. According to the “Daily Mirror” fans apparently came across a plaque in the cemetery that reads, “In Loving Memory of Farrokh Bulsara,” which was the singer’s birth name. The dates of birth and death also match up with Mercury’s. The plaque also includes a sentence in French, and is signed “M.,” which fans believe is a reference to Mary Austin, Mercury’s former girlfriend who inherited his London home following his death.
Bret Michaels is once again competing on “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Host Donald Trump says he’s not sure it was a wise move, since Bret’s a previous winner. But he says he understands the motivation. Michaels won “The Celebrity Apprentice” in dramatic fashion in the spring of 2010. While the challenge had been taped several months earlier, the final boardroom meeting to name the winner aired live — less than five weeks after Michaels underwent surgery after suffering a brain hemorrhage. And just three days before the finale he’d been hospitalized again for a “warning stroke.” As the “Celebrity Apprentice” winner, Michaels earned 250-thousand-dollars for the American Diabetes Association. This time around he’s working to raise money for his own Bret Michaels Life Rocks Foundation, which supports a variety of organizations including medical, military, and animal charities. The all-star season of “The Celebrity Apprentice” begins on NBC on Sunday.
Music industry sales are down but not out for the count in the new digital landscape. According to new figures reported by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, global sales rose last year for the first year since 1999. The point-three percent growth — a reported 16-point-five-billion-dollars in total revenue — is barely a speck when compared to the revenue rise recorded at the industry’s peak more than a decade ago. In 1999, the music industry logged 38-billion-dollars in revenue. Still, industry insiders see the new growth as a sign that the global recording industry has finally turned a corner in the battle to compete in the piracy-plundered digital age.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS FOR 2/26/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Elton John raked in six-million-dollars for his AIDS Foundation with his annual Oscars viewing party Sunday. “The Los Angeles Times” says Steven Tyler was among those on hand for the event. The Aerosmith frontman also offered up five nights at his Maui vacation home as an auction item, which had the Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and TV personality Chelsea Handler in a bidding war. But neither of them will be making the trip. An unnamed guest placed the 230-thousand-dollar winning bid. U2′s Bono and “American Idol” judges Randy Jackson and Nicki Minaj were also in attendance, along with Britney Spears, Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden, model Heidi Klum, actor Jim Carrey, Kim Kardashian, and many others. R&B singer Chris Brown was there as well — without Rihanna — and wasn’t driven off by Oscar host Seth MacFarlane’s joke about his 2009 assault on her. To the contrary, Brown was reportedly the last of the A-listers to leave the party.
Bon Jovi‘s upcoming album promotion includes an appearance on “American Idol.” The group will be featured on the Fox reality show next month. They’re slated to perform “Because We Can,” the lead-off single from “What About Now,” on the “Idol” results show Thursday, March 14th. The “Idol” date comes two days after the album arrives in stores. The episode will also feature last year’s “Idol” winner Phillip Phillips, who’ll sing his hit “Gone, Gone, Gone.”
Janet Jackson is putting those engagement rumors to rest. The pop superstar says she’s not engaged – she’s married. Janet came clean about her secret marriage to billionaire businessman Wissam Al Mana in a post on her website Monday. The message reads: “The rumours regarding an extravagant wedding are simply not true. Last year we were married in a quiet, private, and beautiful ceremony. Our wedding gifts to one another were contributions to our respective favourite children’s charities.” The statement added, “We would appreciate that our privacy is respected and that we are allowed this time for celebration and joy. With love, Wissam and Janet.”
Taylor Swift apparently believes turnabout is fair play. The country-pop superstar — who has a reputation for writing songs about her exes — says she has no objections to a former boyfriend penning a tune about her. She tells the UK’s “InStyle” magazine “that’s how it works,” and if it happens she’s “not gonna complain about it.” Swift explains that she’s “not gonna sit there and say, ‘I’m the only one who can write a song about this relationship,’” but feels it’s “fair game.” Swift’s dating history includes a few musicians. Her most recent ex is British pop singer Harry Styles from the group One Direction.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 2/25/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Here is the complete list of winners for the 85th Academy Awards:
BEST PICTURE
“Argo”
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook”
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained”
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Anne Hathaway, “Les Misérables”
BEST DIRECTOR
Ang Lee, “Life of Pi”
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
“Amour” (Austria)
MUSIC (SCORE)
“Life of Pi,” Mychael Danna
MUSIC (SONG)
“Skyfall” from “Skyfall”
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
“Brave”
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
“Argo,” Chris Terrio
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
“Django Unchained,” Quentin Tarantino
CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Life of Pi”
PRODUCTION DESIGN
“Lincoln”
COSTUME DESIGN
“Anna Karenina”
MAKEUP
“Les Misérables”
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
“Searching for Sugar Man”
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
“Inocente”
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
“Paperman”
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
“Curfew”
FILM EDITING
“Argo”
SOUND EDITING
“Zero Dark Thirty” (tie)
“Skyfall” (tie)
SOUND MIXING
“Les Misérables”
VISUAL EFFECTS
“Life of Pi”
Multiple Grammy winner Adele can now add an Oscar to her award shelf. The “Skyfall” singer picked up the award for Best Original Song for the James Bond theme, which she performed at the Academy Awards on Sunday night.
Many of Beyonce‘s UK fans were disappointed to find out that the star’s eleven-date tour sold out in just 12 minutes on Saturday morning. The fans, who were prepared to shell out hundreds of pounds on tickets to see “Queen Bey” in action, found Ticketmaster UK crashed due to the high traffic on the website. While many are now trying their luck on resale sites and eBay, some started taking their anger out on Twitter. Ticketmaster’s Twitter page responded by apologizing to fans and reminding them that Beyonce was indeed “the most popular solo artist in the world!” The “Mrs. Carter Show” world tour actually added three extra dates to the UK leg in light of the demand before tickets went on sale to the general public. The tour kicks off in Belgrade, Serbia this April. The North American leg will start at the Los Angeles Staples Center in June and will come to a close at the Barclays Center in August.
Rihanna has picked up one of Hollywood’s least honorable awards. The singer’s acting debut, playing Raikes in the flop “Battleship,” has earned her a Razzie award for Worst Supporting Actress. The Golden Raspberry Foundation recognizes the worst in film on the day before the Academy Awards, and last year’s “Battleship” found itself nominated in several categories, including Worst Picture, which it lost to “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.” Rihanna played a naval officer who joins in the fight against an alien invasion. She beat out her co-star Brooklyn Decker, who was also nominated for Worst Supporting Actress.
Apparently Instagram is having some issues with the way Madonna is expressing herself. The photo sharing company sent the Queen of Pop a warning letter, asking her to adhere to the site’s set of “community guidelines,” or risk getting kicked off. The letter does appear to be a standard warning sent out to any Instagram user that appears to be posting photos that are in violation of their rules. It’s unclear which photos the site is referring to, but the star did post some racy images that could be considered mature content. She also posted two photographs of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, which is against Instagram’s rules of users sharing photos that weren’t taken themselves. Madonna took a screen shot of the letter and posted it, causing many of her 152 followers to start bashing the site.
Steven Tyler estimates his past cocaine habit probably cost him upwards of five million dollars. In an interview with Australia’s “60 Minutes” last week, the Aerosmith frontman told the TV program he “snorted half of Peru” in his early days as a rock star and probably spent between five and six million dollars to do it. Tyler was responding to a claim he made in his memoir “Does the Noise In My Head Bother You?” in which he said he spent 20-million-dollars on cocaine in the 1970s and ’80s. He told the show this week that the number in the book was exaggerated, offering up the adjusted numbers as more realistic. Tyler has been candid about his former drug addiction in recent years – the highs and lows of it all. In a 2011 interview with Matt Lauer for NBC’s “Dateline,” the 64-year-old rocker said at his worst he “needed cocaine” but added that it also took his children and his marriages away. Having had more than a few stints in rehab over the years, the former “American Idol” judge considers himself sober these days.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 2/22/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
The house where Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born to Run” was born is up for sale, and there appears to be quite a bit of interest. Real estate agent Susan McLaughlin tells Jersey’s “Asbury Park Press” that within a week of listing the property she’s received roughly 80 phone and e-mail inquiries. She describes the five room, two-bedroom, one-bath house as a “Landmark Jersey Shore Cottage.” The house is located on West End Court in Long Branch, New Jersey. Springsteen rented the house in 1974 and ’75. It’s where he wrote the material for the “Born to Run” album.” The asking price for the home is 349-thousand-dollars.
Former Eagle Don Felder is calling the band’s recently unveiled two-part documentary “OK” but not exactly “accurate.” Felder, whose firing 12 years ago sparked now resolved lawsuits on both sides, tells Billboard.com there’s “a lot” missing from the film. He explains that many matters “weren’t discussed,” and “a lot of issues” weren’t “brought to the forefront.” He adds that the movie “glorified” the work of Don Henley and Glenn Frey while giving “very little credit” to everyone else involved in their recordings. That includes former band members Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, producer Bill Szymczyk, and himself. Felder also says the documentary made it seem like “everything was fine and dandy a lot of the time, which really was not the case.” He admits they “had some fun times,” but there was “always a lot of friction and tension going on” — even between Henley and Frey. But Felder says the movie makes them look like “they’d been best buddies since ’71.” Felder admits he was also surprised to see “the anger that was displayed, and the bitterness, especially from Glenn” in recalling his departure from the band. Don says he was “taken aback” that Frey “was still so angry about all of that,” especially since he’s “been way past it for about ten years now.” Showtime is currently airing “History of the Eagles,” with the next broadcasts coming up on Saturday and Sunday.
Justin Timberlake is returning to “Saturday Night Live.” “SNL” is welcoming back the pop star for his fifth appearance on the NBC sketch comedy series on March 9th, playing host and musical guest. The appearance will come ten days before Timberlake drops his third solo album “The 20/20 Experience” on March 19th. Past “SNL” appearances have proved quite rewarding for the singer, having earned a number of Emmy Awards for his musical contributions and guest acting stints. NBC also announced Thursday that Timberlake will be hanging out with late night funnyman Jimmy Fallon for an entire week from March 11th to March 15th. He’ll be performing every night and do sit-down chats with Fallon on Monday and Friday during his visit to “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” that week.
While recovering from hip surgery, Lady Gaga is taking time to thank her “Little Monsters.” Hours after tweeting that she was heading into her procedure early Wednesday, she took to Twitter again later that evening to thank fans for giving her strength. Gaga wrote, in part, “As they wheeled me into surgery today, I thought about all of your pain and perseverance, your unique family situations, school environments, health issues, homelessness, identity struggles — sometimes you are so brave that it terrifies me.” She added, “If you can do it, I can too, and if we stick together we can get through anything.”
Barbra Streisand is among the stars slated to take part in this weekend’s Academy Awards. The music legend has been tapped to give what Oscar producers say will be a “very special performance” during the event. Streisand has only sung at the Academy Awards once before — 36 years ago. Back in 1977 she sang the love theme to “A Star Is Born,” and also won the award for Best Original Song for “Evergreen.” Streisand won her first Oscar in 1968 for Best Actress in “Funny Girl.” She was nominated again in 1973 for her lead performance in “The Way We Were” and for producing the 1991 film “The Prince Of Tides.” The ceremony will also include tributes to James Bond and to movie musicals, which will feature Adele, Jennifer Hudson, Hugh Jackman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and others. Funnyman Seth MacFarlane will host the event, which will air live from Hollywood on ABC Sunday night.
Next week’s episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” may seem familiar to fans of Rihanna and Chris Brown. The episode revolves around a young, rising pop star who has been beaten by her hip-hop star boyfriend. NBC has billed the episode, which is called “Funny Valentine,” as “a familiar story of two celebrities.” The trailer shows two 20-something African-Americans cast as the couple, whose story creates a media circus as the authorities attempt to investigate. But the SVU episode won’t exactly follow what happened between Rihanna and Chris Brown in 2009. The hip-hop star abuser is found dead on the show, complicating matters even further. The episode is set to air on Wednesday at 8 p.m. STL time on NBC, and will include special appearances from Perez Hilton, Dave Navarro and Wendy Williams.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 2/21/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Apparently Adele is still holding a grudge over last year’s BRIT Awards when she flicked off producers after her speech was cut short. She referenced the incident while accepting the award for Best British Single for “Skyfall” via video. While Adele had to send a taped message back home because of Oscar conflicts, a number of U.S. artists popped over across the pond to perform at the award show Wednesday night. Taylor Swift caused a stir with her performance of “I Knew You Were Trouble.” She came on stage in a poofy white wedding gown, which she ripped off provocatively halfway through to reveal a sexy black jumpsuit. Justin Timberlake donned his suit and tie to perform an edited-down version of his latest single “Mirrors.” One Direction took the stage to sing their recently released cover of Blondie’s “One Way Or Another,” which they recorded for Comic Relief.
Lady Gaga is finally getting treatment for her ailing hip. The pop star tweeted Wednesday morning that she was “going in for surgery now,” adding thanks for the love and support she has received. She signed off saying, “I will be dreaming of you.” The “Mother Monster” was forced to cancel her tour after a hip injury left her unable to walk. Reports say she suffered a tear in the muscle that holds her right hip joint in place.
A former Spice Girl has been named the newest judge of “America’s Got Talent.” NBC announced on Wednesday that Melanie Brown, also known as Scary Spice, will be replacing outgoing judge Sharon Osbourne on the talent competition. NBC President Paul Telegdy tells “Entertainment Weekly” that Mel B is a “very frank, strong enduring entertainer” who has a “strong point of view.” He says he felt the show needed the edge that she offers, and that the network feels she is “qualified for the job.” Mel B. will be joining previous judges Howie Mandel and Howard Stern on the show’s upcoming season. “EW” is also reporting that “America’s Got Talent” might not be done recruiting. The show may be considering adding a fourth judge to the table for the first time in its history. Telegdy says it’s possible, if the right person shows their hand. “America’s Got Talent” returns on March 25th.
Kesha‘s documentary series “My Crazy Beautiful Life” now has a preview and release date. The series will premiere on MTV in April, and follows the singer over the course of two years, before and after she shot to fame with “Tik Tok” in 2010. The first-ever preview of the doc shows Kesha at her best – and weirdest. The clip starts off normal enough, showing Kesha at a restaurant with a group of friends. But things take a wild turn when the waiter presents her with a canoli, which she proceeds to “baby bird” into the mouths of several of her friends. She manages to get to nearly everyone in the restaurant, screaming, “It’s professional!” and “I’m the boss!” As the preview indicates, “My Crazy Beautiful Life” gives unprecedented access into the singer’s personal life, as it was filmed by her younger brother. It premieres on April 23rd on MTV at 11 p.m. Eastern.
Pearl Jam‘s landmark debut “Ten” can now change its name to ten-million. According to Billboard.com, the grunge classic is now the newest member of the ten-million-sellers club. It’s the 22nd record to pass the mark since Nielsen Soundscan began tracking sales in 1991, the same year “Ten” was released. Last week, the album sold another four-thousand copies, which brings it’s grand total to about one-thousand copies over ten-million — and counting. But “Ten” still has a long way to go before it catches up with the best-selling SoundScan era release. Metallica’s self-titled smash — also released in 1991 — tops the list with sales of more than 15-million.
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 2/20/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Today marks the tenth anniversary of the Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people in West Warwick, Rhode Island. A decade later, the community is moving forward with plans to honor the victims with something permanent. The Station Fire Memorial Service hopes to break ground on a memorial park at the site of the tragedy later this year. They made the announcement this past Sunday as hundreds of the victims’ friends and family members, as well as many survivors, braved the cold weather and came together to mark the tenth anniversary of the incident. At the ceremony, former Rhode Island Governor Don Carcieri called that night in 2003 the state’s worst tragedy. But he said in some senses, it was also the “finest hour” for first responders and hospital workers who helped save so many lives. All 100 of the victims’ names were also read aloud during the event, followed by 100 seconds of silence. Jack Russell — whose band Great White was onstage when their pyrotechnics ignited the blaze — also tried to honor the victims with a benefit concert earlier this month. “The Boston Globe” says Russell wanted the funds to go toward the planned memorial park, but the Station Fire Memorial Service asked him not to associate himself with the project. They issued a statement saying they “feel the upset caused by his involvement would outweigh the amount of funds raised.” Russell eventually decided to donate any money raised from the show to the son of Great White guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire. However, only about 30 people showed up to the Los Angeles-area gig, which raised an estimated 180-dollars.
Great White’s Jack Russell says there’s a reason why he still rarely speaks about The Station fire. While the rocker has been criticized for his silence — and specifically for not offering up any direct apology for the tragedy — he tells “The Boston Globe” that there’s nothing he can say that is ever “going to make anybody feel any better about it, and sometimes it might make them feel worse.” He adds that he “can’t imagine how people feel who lost like their wife, lost their son, lost their daughter, lost their husband or whatever” in the fire, and that he’ll never truly know “the depth of their pain.” Russell adds that he just always wanted to be a singer, and he hopes that he “put more into this world” than he “took out of it.”
Rush and Leonard Cohen are being recognized for their work in their homeland. They both have multiple nominations for this spring’s Juno Awards, which are the Canadian equivalent to the Grammys. Rush has a bid for Group of the Year, while their most recent studio effort, “Clockwork Angels” is in the running for Rock Album of the Year. Cohen has bids in three categories, including Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and the fan-voted Juno Fan Choice Award. Meanwhile, Rod Stewart’s first holiday album is also getting some Juno attention. The British rocker’s “Merry Christmas, Baby” is among the discs vying for International Album of the Year. Pop singer Carly Rae Jepsen is the top nominee heading into the event, with five chances to win. The 2013 Juno Awards will take place in Regina, Saskatchewan on April 21st.
Select nominees for the 2013 Juno Awards follow:
JUNO FAN CHOICE AWARD
Carly Rae Jepsen
Céline Dion
Drake
Hedley
Justin Bieber
Leonard Cohen
Marianas Trench
Metric
Michael Bublé
Nickelback
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Carly Rae Jepsen
Deadmau5
Johnny Reid
Justin Bieber
Leonard Cohen
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Billy Talent
Marianas Trench
Metric
Rush
The Sheepdogs
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Afie Jurvanen
Arkells
Hannah Georgas
Kathleen Edwards
Leonard Cohen
ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Big Wreck, “Albatross”
Billy Talent, “Dead Silence”
Rush, “Clockwork Angels”
The Sheepdogs, “The Sheepdogs”
The Tragically Hip, “Now For Plan A”
INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Maroon 5, “Overexposed”
Mumford & Sons, “Babel”
One Direction, “Up All Night”
Rod Stewart, “Merry Christmas, Baby”
Taylor Swift, “Red”
MUSIC DVD OF THE YEAR
The Tragically Hip, “Bobcaygeon”
Ten Second Epic, “Better Off”
Pat Metheny, “The Orchestrion Project: Pat Metheny”
Joe Bonamassa, “Live From New York: Beacon Theatre”
Michael Kaeshammer, “KAESHAMMERLIVE!”
Paul McCartney is leading the lineup for this year’s Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. But he’s just one of many stars who’ve signed on for the four-day event, taking place in Manchester, Tennessee from June 13th through the 16th. Other headliners include Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mumford And Sons, while ZZ Top, Gov’t Mule, and Billy Idol are just a few of the other acts who’ll take the stage. Meanwhile, Petty and company are on board for another festival as well. The band has been added to the lineup of this year’s Firefly Music Festival. That event, which will also feature the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Avett Brothers, Alabama Shakes, and others, is set for Dover, Delaware from June 21st through the 23rd. And for those looking for a festival with a harder rock edge, KISS and Motley Crue have been tapped to headline the 2013 Rock Fest. Megadeth, Warrant, and Whitesnake are also on the bill for this event, which is slated for Cadott, Wisconsin from July 18th through the 21st.
Kelly Clarkson is taking on music legend Clive Davis in an open letter. The Grammy winner refutes some of the claims the revered music executive makes about her in his new memoir “The Sound Track of My Life.” In a scathing blog posted on Tuesday, Kelly told her side of the story. She said she was “honored” to work with Davis coming off of her win on the first season of “American Idol,” and “devastated” when he treated her disrespectfully during the recording of her 2007 album “My December.” Kelly said she was obligated to her fans to “clear up his memory lapses and misinformation.” She added that “growing up is awesome” because it means “you don’t have to cower to anyone – even Clive Davis.”
In the memoir, Davis claims Kelly burst into his office “hysterically sobbing” because he had insisted the hit “Since U Been Gone” be included on her album. According to Kelly, that was not the case at all. She did admit to getting emotional in the music legend’s office once, however, saying it was Davis who had insulted her songwriting and instructed her to just “shut up and sing.” Kelly says Davis objected to her song “Because of You” – a song she wrote about the absence of her father that was deeply personal to her. In the letter, Kelly mentions more than once how Davis’ memoir managed to leave out how well the album did commercially.
Beyonce is now also proving her star power on HBO. The singer’s intimate HBO documentary, “Life Is But A Dream,” drew one-point-eight million viewers to the network Saturday. It was the largest audience for the premiere of an HBO documentary in nearly ten years. The only other documentary to come close in recent years was Spike Lee’s 2006 miniseries “When the Levees Broke,” about the devastation in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Beyonce’s doc also delivered three times the ratings of the second season premiere of HBO’s critically acclaimed Sunday series “Girls.”
ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 2/19/13
ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie is confirming that she’s now sporting a “lovely baby bump.” Fergie and husband, actor Josh Duhamel, shared the exciting news via his and her Twitter messages on Monday. Duhamel, star of the new movie “Safe Haven,” was the first to tweet, “Fergie and Me and BABY makes three.” Fergie followed up with a similar tweet that read: “Josh and me and BABY makes three!!!” adding the hashtag “mylovelybabybump.” The couple also included a photo of themselves as children. Pregnancy rumors have chased Fergie and Josh for some time now. Just a few weeks ago, Duhamel answered questions on the subject while promoting his new movie. He told “USA Today,” “It’s happening. But every three months she’s pregnant in the press.” He added that he and Fergie were on their own schedule with starting a family. The couple tied the knot in 2009.
Michael Jackson’s oldest son is taking a different route into the world of show business. “Entertainment Tonight” is introducing Prince Michael Jackson as its newest correspondent. He made his debut Monday night with his first-ever interview with actors James Franco, Zach Braff and director Sam Raimi for the upcoming fantasy adventure “Oz the Great and Powerful.” The 16-year-old was taken under the wing by “ET’s” Brooke Anderson with whom he shared that he’s looking forward to becoming a well-rounded producer, screenwriter and actor someday. Prince also got a little advice about pursuing his dreams from some of his interview subjects.
Robert Plant says he’s not playing spoiler to another Led Zeppelin reunion. The rocker tells Australia’s “60 Minutes” that surviving bandmates Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones are “both Capricorns” and they “don’t say a word,” but they are “quite contained in their own worlds” while he’s left looking like the hold-out. But Plant insists he’s “not the bad guy,” and implies that he’d be up for reviving Led Zeppelin — next year. Regarding a reunion, Plant says “you need to speak to the Capricorns,” because he’s “got nothing to do in 2014.” The reunion question has continued to crop up since 2007, when the band got back together for an Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert in London. Over the years Page and Jones have said they intended to keep the reunion going following the one-off event, but Plant wasn’t interested. Last fall, as they were promoting the new concert DVD “Celebration Day,” Plant, Page, and Jones were asked numerous times about getting back together, and at every turn said it wasn’t going to happen.
Madonna‘s son is learning that even posts on private social networking accounts can eventually go public. ColombiaReports.com says the pop superstar’s 12-year-old boy Rocco Ritchie posted a photo of Medellin, Colombia on his Instagram account after his mom’s concert in the city last November, and called the city the “cocaine center of Columbia.” His message has now surfaced and is upsetting Medellin residents — for the way he links their community to drugs and for misspelling the name of their country. Some also feel an apology is in order. City promoter Luis Guillermo Sossa calls it “outrageous that this is happening.” He adds that if Rocco truly believes what he posted Madonna needs to talk with him, because “it is an insult to the city that has been so hospitable to her.” Offended residents say there is much more to Colombia than drugs, and that Rocco’s remark shows how little he knows about the South American country.
KC and the Sunshine Band‘s Harry Wayne Casey is proud to be marking the group’s 40th anniversary this year. The singer tells Billboard.com that the band’s longevity is validating, because “for so many years” people tried to put the group down. But he says now he gets “a little bit of the last laugh,” because KC and the Sunshine Band’s hits “are sung at every major sports event, and used in movies and television.” Casey feels that such mainstream use “adds legitimacy to the songs, and gives them some true merit to what they were and what they are.” He adds that he worked very hard on his music. Harry says whenever the band wasn’t on the road he was in the studio. He explains that in the ’70s he lived on a “work all night, sleep all day” schedule, bouncing from one project to another, and didn’t give himself much time for anything else. Casey also admits he had a hard time adjusting to success. He says even though he was famous he went through “a very lonely period” and “felt very isolated” because he didn’t know where he “fit in,” and it’s taken him “40 years to get comfortable with all that.” KC and the Sunshine Band will be marking their 40th anniversary with a tour, and Harry says new music is on the way as well.
Adele has reportedly taken to Eastern medicine to help her case of performance anxiety before the Academy Awards this Sunday. According to the “Daily Star,” the “Skyfall” singer took the advice of her friend Ayda Field, the wife of Robbie Williams – and started taking what’s called belly breathing classes from a leading Indian practitioner. A source tells the paper the daily sessions, in which the singer is being trained to breathe with her diaphragm, is doing wonders for her nerves. The source says Adele is feeling the pressure for her performance of “Skyfall” at the Oscars because she knows all eyes are on her after being out of the spotlight for more than a year. It’s also the first time she’s performed the James Bond theme live. The Academy Awards air this Sunday on ABC.