GUNS N' ROSES: Axl's First Ozzy Meeting
Guns n' Roses frontman Axl Rose revealed that he'd never met Ozzy Osbourne before Saturday's Back to the Beginning concert in Birmingham, England. Rose posted on his social media, "Wow! What an event! Extremely overwhelming! Really great crowd! Was very emotional for everyone! MET OZZY! Crazy we'd never met before! He was really great! Was great to meet Sabbath!" "Was hard as I imagine for anyone to watch his struggles while at the same time everyone was rooting for him and massively respecting the challenges he took head on and he did it! Was great to meet Ozzy's family and see friends and peeps in all the bands and the business. A huge thank you again to Ozzy, Sharon, Black Sabbath and all the fans for having us!" On Monday Ozzy posted a photo of the meeting with the caption, "My first time meeting Axl Rose, at my age you don’t get to meet many legends, seriously an utter gentleman." Rose and GNR played four Sabbath covers during their set -- "It's Alright," "Never Say Die," "Junior's Eyes" and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath."
"Back To The Beginning" Livestreamed To 5-Million Worldwide
A concert drawing 40-thousand fans is nothing to sneeze at. But a worldwide audience of over 5-million? The Guardian reports that Black Sabbath's farewell concert over the weekend
reportedly drew that many viewers to its livestream. The event was more than just a grand exit for the band; profits from the show will be shared equally between the charities Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice.
RINGO: Sets Sam Straight
Ringo Starr, who celebrated a birthday Monday (yesterday), is on top of the bio-pic being made about him, one of four films in production from director Sam Mendes about The Beatles, each from their own perspective. He tells The New York Times he met with Mendes in April in London where they spent two days going over the script line by line. “He had a writer — very good writer, great reputation, and he wrote it great, but it had nothing to do with [my first wife] Maureen and I. That’s not how we were. I’d say, ‘We would never do that.” He adds that he and Mendes are now on the same page. “He’ll do what he’s doing, and I’ll send him peace and love.” Ringo also met with actor Barry Keoghan who will portray him. Asked by NME how Keoghan should play his dad, Zak Starkey said, "Get a big rubber nose. I don't know what else to say. He doesn't look anything like my dad, does he? You can fix anything, can't you? You can certainly give someone a big rubber nose." Trying to be a little serious, he added, "The thing about my dad is his personality. He sold The Beatles to America, he’s the one with the charisma. Pulling that off will be hard. He’s just himself." He also thinks imitating his father on the drums is "impossible. Nobody can play like my dad. Good luck to him, but he’ll be the first guy who can pull it off. "My dad’s unique – the greatest rock ’n’ roll drummer in the world, still. He’s better now than he was then." The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event is scheduled to open in April 2028.
PAUL & RINGO: With a Little Help From Each Other
In celebration of his birthday yesterday (Monday), Ringo Starr was profiled in The New York Times, and Paul McCartney discussed their close to 70-year friendship. Noting that “nothing lasts forever," in reference to the deaths of John Lennon and George Harrison, McCartney says, "We grasp onto what we have now because we realize that it’s very special. It’s something hardly anyone else has. In fact, in our case, it’s something no one else has. There’s only me and Ringo, and we’re the only people who can share those memories.” McCartney also talked about Ringo's drumming. “Even though I’ve played with other drummers, he’s the best. Ringo has got a certain feel that is very difficult for other drummers to capture. “He’s Ringo. And nobody else is.” And, Ringo says the one thing he wasn't during his early days in The Beatles was a songwriter. “It’s hard to come to the front when you’ve got John and Paul,” he says. “I’d say, ‘I’ve got this song.’ And halfway through they’d all be laying on the floor laughing, because I wasn’t writing new songs. I was writing new words to old songs.”
McCartney adds, “We’d say, ‘Yeah, that’s a great one. That’s a great Bob Dylan song.”
And, McCartney remembered Ringo's birthday, posting a photo of them on social media with the caption, "A very happy birthday to my dear friend, Ringo (or should I say, Sir Richard). I hope you have a wonderful day full of love."
NASH, LYNNE, WAKEMAN & NOVA: Among the Walking Wounded
Three British musicians -- Graham Nash, Jeff Lynne and Rick Wakeman -- plus one Canadian -- Aldo Nova -- are the latest to be dealing with health issues. Graham Nash broke his patella (kneecap) in a fall about six weeks ago, but he's going forward with his tour. He posted a video on Instagram showing him walking with a cane, captioning it with, "I’ve been laying low, taking things slowly but surely and am well on the healing path! “Most importantly, I feel great, my spirits are up, I’m not in pain, and I’m doing everything I should be to get stronger each day.”
As for his tour, he adds, "If it’s okay with all of you, I might just have a seat for our shows this time around and sing you some songs like that. “Hope you won’t mind. I’ve still got the best band playing with me and we are ready to make you smile. Your good energy will be part of what will boost me up each day. So, here I come! One small but steady step at a time.” Nash starts his tour tomorrow (Tuesday) in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Jeff Lynne, of Electric Light Orchestra fame, is also not letting a broken bone interfere with his tour. He broke his left hand, which prevented him from playing guitar at the opening of his Jeff Lynne's ELO UK farewell tour Saturday in his hometown of Birmingham, England. He told the audience at the Utilita Arena, “I’ve had a guitar in my hand all my life, but not tonight. Nothing would keep me away from you.” While he didn't say how he broke his hand, there is talk on social media that he had a run in with a door on a taxi. Joining Lynne at Saturday's show was
George Harrison's son, Dhani (prn: Danny), who played acoustic guitar on two Traveling Wilburys songs – “Handle With Care” and “End of the Line.” His dad and Lynne were in the super group along with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. Lynne takes his tour to Manchester, England on Wednesday followed by the finale in London's Hyde Park on Sunday.
Unfortunately for former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, his ailment is a little more serious as he has to undergo surgery, resulting in the postponement of his U.S. tour. His spokesperson says, "It is with great regret that Rick Wakeman has to postpone his Strictly Wakeman tour of the U.S. with Hayley Sanderson in July as his doctors have recommended that he undergo surgery this month to correct an ongoing health issue. "Please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for any rescheduled dates. When further information about the shows is available, ticket holders will be informed. Rick's UK tour with the English Rock Ensemble in October and other ongoing commitments are not affected." Wakeman was scheduled to start his nine-date tour on July 18th in Richmond, Virginia with stops in Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, New Hampshire, New York State and Pennsylvania through July 31st.
Aldo Nova has found out that life is not a fantasy as he's suffered a severe back injury after a fall, leading to the cancellation of his tour. His wife, Sylvia Bechard, says, "Due to an unfortunate fall down a flight of stairs, Aldo has suffered a cervical spine fracture at the level of C1, which is a serious injury. Fortunately, he does not need spinal surgery but has to wear a special neck brace for up to a year depending on his progress. I will keep you updated on a regular basis.” His canceled shows are:
·7/9 - Cincinnati, OH - Ludlow Garage
·7/25 - Menhaga, MN - Mid-Summer Music Fest
·8/30 - Saint Charles. MO - Family Arena
·10/10 - Akron, OH - Goodyear Theater
·10/11 - Columbus, OH - The King of Clubs
·11/21 - Las Vegas, NV - Golden Nugget
How Lynyrd Skynyrd Are Honoring Gary Rossington's Final Wishes
Before his death in March 2023, Gary Rossington, the last original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, expressed his desire for the band to continue after his passing. Damon Johnson, a guitarist who had previously played with Alice Cooper and Thin Lizzy, joined the group in 2021 and was mentored by Rossington. The band's commitment to honoring Rossington's legacy led them to release a live album, "Celebrating 50 Years — Live at the Ryman," featuring special guests. Johnny Van Zant believes Rossington would be proud of the album and the band's dedication to keeping the music alive.
Trailer For Scorpions Biopic Drops
In the last few weeks, we'd learned there was a biopic about the legendary career of Scorpions in production. Now, we get to see what the film will look like. A new trailer for the film "Wind of Change" just dropped. "This film tells the untold story of the legendary rock band Scorpions," the film's visual effects supervisor Connor Thomas said under the YouTube video of the trailer, "and how their music helped bring down the Berlin Wall and inspire change across the Soviet Union." No release date for the film has been announced.
Scorpions To Record 60th Anniversary Hometown Show For Live Album
Scorpions will be recording their upcoming hometown show for a live album. The sold out show is taking place in Hanover, Germany on July 5th. The recorded album, titled "Coming Home Live," will reportedly feature some of Scorpion's biggest hits. It'll be available on CD and vinyl on November 14th.
ROD STEWART: Do Ya Think He's a Thief?
Rod Stewart wrote in his 2012 autobiography, Rod: The Autobiography, that he "unconsciously plagiarized" the melody from Brazilian singer Jorge Ben's 1976 song "Taj Mahal" for use in his 1979 hit "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" Ben sued and the case was settled out of court. But now, Stewart is singing a different tune, telling The Times of London that he "nicked it.” He justifies it by adding that after Ben sued him, he "never earned a penny out of it [and] all the royalties went to UNICEF.” And that's not all. Stewart also consciously lifted the song's signature synthesizer riff from the string arrangement on Bobby Womack's "(If You Want My Love) Put Something Down on It." Ironically, he says it's perfectly okay to lift a line from any song's arrangement as long as the core melody line is not copied.
Meanwhile, Jim Cregan, Stewart's guitarist on "Sexy," said it was "inspired in part" by The Rolling Stones' "Miss You." And the late keyboardist Ian McLagan, Stewart's bandmate in the Faces who played electric piano on "Miss You," said, "It's a rip-off of 'Miss You.'" The melodies are very similar. Stewart starts his U.S. tour today (Tuesday) in Raleigh, North Carolina.
RANDY BACHMAN: So, About Bands With Little to No Original Members...
When it comes to bands who made their mark in the '60s, '70s and '80s, there aren't too many who still employ all their original members, or those who were part of their most famous lineup. Case in point, Randy Bachman's new version of Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
On Facebook, he says, "The bulk of musicians in my era were born in the 1940s. Think about that. Eight decades ago. Many have the drive and desire to continue, but mentally or physically [they] can't. Many have passed on. "Sometimes the public demands to know why someone isn't playing; that is their business, not ours to discuss publicly. To continue with stand-ins for former band members with those who can and still want to play has little to do with money and a lot to do with making people happy through music, despite the road being incredibly hard on your body at any age. "They access physio (physical therapy), massage, chiropractor -- all sorts of things to keep playing. Musicians have the right to do that and fans have the right to know the lineup and pay to see who they want to. "Across 60 years, I have played with so many different iterations of the bands I was in. Sometimes a band member had to leave the road due to illness or injury but we continued a tour. Sometimes there are emergencies at home. The music was still good, the people were happy. You work with what you have and create the sound as close to the original as possible. Putting on a great show is always the goal. The end. Rock on."
Next year, a then 82-year-old Bachman and 78-year-old Burton Cummings will tour together as The Guess Who with members of Cummings' band backing them up.
Iconic Elektra Titles To Be Released On Vinyl
Rhino Entertainment is set to release an extensive collection for titles under Elektra Records as part of the label's 75th Anniversary celebration. Titles from the collection will be released every Friday this month and will feature work by Third Eye Blind, The Doors, The Stooges, Anita Baker, The Cars and more. The series encompasses acclaimed albums released from the '60s through the '90s.They will be available at participating brick-and-mortar stores across the country, with select titles also available at Rhino.com.
IN OTHER NEWS
Steve Miller’s “Rock’n Me” is featured in a new Kia commercial for its Sportage X-Pro SUV. Miller performed the song in concert for the first time 50 years ago this past Saturday, July 5th, when he was second on the bill to Pink Floyd at the Knebworth Festival in England.
David Gilmour posted a video on Instagram of him receiving the O2 Silver Clef Award from music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins for his outstanding contributions to music at the O2 Silver Clef Awards last Wednesday in London.
Guns N’ Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed will release his second album, Rock 'N' Roll Chose Me, on August 22nd. The first single, “Falling Down 2gether” is out now on YouTube. Reed is the second longest serving member of GnR behind Axl Rose.
Jason Bonham’s son and John Bonham’s grandson, Jager Henry, has released a new song, “Help.” He also produced a video for it, which you’ll find on YouTube.
Roger Waters has posted photos on Instagram of his last visit with Marianne Faithfull who died this past January 30th at 78. He writes, “I had lunch with her and her grandson Oscar Dunbar last summer. They were working on her new song, ‘Love Is’. It is finished. Oscar sent it to me… It is very beautiful. Fitting last words from a great lady… Sleep tight my lovely.” You can listen to the song on YouTube.
Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson has shared a lyric video for "Gods of War" from his reissue of More Balls to Picasso, which comes out July 25th. Check it out on YouTube.