EMI Offering New Lennon Releases In Honor Of His 70th
This October 9th, John Lennon would have turned 70 years old. Variety.com reports that music distributor EMI is marking the milestone by offering a new Lennon release this October. EMI is offering a remastered version of Lennon's 1980 hit "Double Fantasy," a greatest hits LP, an eleven-CD collectors' set, and a four-CD box set. Lennon's widow Yoko Ono oversaw work on the "Fantasy" remaster. Regarding the project, Ono says in a statement, quote, "'Double Fantasy Stripped Down' really allows us to focus our attention on John's amazing vocals -- By stripping down some of the instrumentation the power of the songs shines through with an enhanced clarity."
The greatest hits CD will be called "Power To the People: The Hits," and it will contain 15 signature tracks from Lennon's solo career. John Winston Lennon was born in Liverpool, England on October 9th, 1940. He died from an assassin's bullet on December 8th, 1980 at age 40.
Springsteen To Rerelease "Darkness" This Fall
Bruce Springsteen is re-releasing his album "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" later this year. RollingStone.com reports that the deluxe edition may contain as many as ten outtakes along with the original tracks from the 1978 album. That's according to E-Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt, who recently told a UK radio station, quote, "We're doing a little bit of fixes on some 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' outtakes, which is going to be a really fun reissue coming for Christmas." In addition to the polished up outtakes, the Boss' engineer is reportedly culling through the vaults for unreleased material from the "Darkness" era of the late 1970s. There's no word yet if the deluxe package will include a concert DVD.
"Darkness On The Edge Of Town" was Springsteen's fourth studio album. It contains the tracks "Racing In The Streets," "Prove It All Night," and "Streets Of Fire."
Prince Of Darkness Wants A "Brummie" To Play Him, Just Not Jasper Carrott
Ozzy Osbourne is getting specific about the type of actor he'd like to play him in an upcoming biopic about his life. Ozzy told the UK's "Sunday Mercury" recently that he'd prefer an unknown from his hometown of Birmingham, England to a Hollywood heavyweight. The Prince of Darkness said, quote, "I'd like to get a Birmingham guy to play the young lad in it because Americans can't do a good Brummie accent." Not all "Brummies" need apply for the job, however. In this month's "Classic Rock" magazine, Osbourne quickly shot down the suggestion that Birmingham's "next most famous former resident," comic Jasper Carrott could embody the Ozzy role. Regarding the 65-year-old Carrott, Osbourne says that anyone who makes that casting suggestion to his wife and manager Sharon Osbourne should expect a punch in the mouth.
As to his upcoming world tour, Ozzy told "Classic Rock," quote, "I'm fit, I'm raring to go. I'm going to places I've never been before. Turkey, Istanbul, places like that." The global trek is in support of Ozzy's latest studio album, "Scream," which was released last Tuesday in the U.S.
Bret Michaels Still On The Road To Recovery
Bret Michaels is continuing on the road to recovery following a brain hemorrhage this spring. People.com reports that the Poison frontman is experiencing some minor side effects in connection with the medical scare. Janna Elias, Vice President of Michaels Entertainment comments, quote, "While Bret may be out on the road and performing, he is still not 100 percent. He still has pain from the chemical meningitis, short term memory loss and gets fatigued quicker than normal." Elias added that Michaels is performing right now because he believes in the healing power of music.
In related news, Michaels is reportedly among those under consideration to replace Simon Cowell as a judge on the FOX hit "American Idol." In a recent "Parade" magazine article, the rocker said he'd put his own spin on the job and was meeting with the show's producers in Los Angeles.
Mustaine Reflects On "Big Four" Concerts
Megadeth's Dave Mustaine is checking in with fans now that metal's "Big Four" concerts have wrapped up overseas. The outspoken frontman says that the shows that assembled Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, and Metallica on the same bill, were all about the fans. Mustaine wrote on Megadeth.com, quote, "I don't know if we delivered for everyone, but for the tens of thousands of people each night, and ultimately hundreds of thousands of fans over the entire run of the Big Four festivals -- affectionately dubbed "Sonisphere" -- it seemed to me that the fans were finally able to put aside the silly stuff that the press has kept on life support for so many, many years."
Sonisphere reached the masses last Tuesday when the festival's four-hour show in Sofia, Bulgaria was beamed live to movie theaters around the globe. For more information about the concert film, visit www.thebigfourlive.com.
"Russians" Singer-Songwriter Sting Announces Moscow Concert
The man who sang about "Russians" during the 1980s Cold War is Moscow-bound this fall. Sting announced on Tuesday that he'll take his "Symphonicity" tour to the Russian capital of Moscow for a special performance on September 15th. The rocker's currently halfway through his trek through North America. The tour features Sting's most recognized hits reworked live with the help of the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Sting's "Symphonicity" tour hits Cruzan Amphitheater in West Palm Beach, Florida this Friday, July 2nd. He'll play his last North American date on July 31st in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Today's Birthdays
The Sweet guitarist Andy Scott is 61.
Dire Straits' Hal Lindes is 57.
Little River Band frontman Glenn Shorrock is 66.
Guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen is 47.
Today In History
In 1966
The Beatles played the first of three shows at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo.
In 1972
The Rolling Stones began a North American tour in Vancouver, British Columbia.
In 1975
Cher and Gregg Allman were married. While they filed for divorce ten days later, the split wasn't finalized until 1979.
David Bowie began filming on the movie "The Man Who Fell to Earth."
Yes released the album "Yessongs."
In 1977
The first of two Kiss comics from Marvel Comics was released. The red ink used in the printing was said to contain small amounts of blood from each of the band members.
In 1978
Jethro Tull, Robert Palmer, and Flo & Eddie were among the guests on "The Midnight Special."
In 1981
Jerry Lee Lewis was rushed to a Memphis, Tennessee, hospital, where doctors discovered a two-inch hole in his stomach.
In 1983
The Everly Brothers announced that they were working together again and would perform in London. It was their first concert as a duo in ten years.
In 1984
Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing In The Dark" peaked at number two on the pop singles chart.
In 1985
John Lennon's psychedelic, Flower Power-era Rolls Royce was sold for more than two-million-dollars at an auction in New York.
In 1986
Steve Winwood released the album "Back in the High Life."
In 1987
Starship released the album "No Protection."
In 1988
The Beach Boys released the single "Kokomo."
In 1989
Surviving members of The Beatles sued The Dave Clark Five's Dave Clark to block him from selling copies of the TV show "Ready Steady Go!" that featured The Beatles. The two parties eventually settled out of court.
In 1990
Pink Floyd was the headliner at the Knebworth Festival in England.
In 1994
Virgin Records shipped The Rolling Stones album "Voodoo Lounge" early after several radio stations began playing bootleg copies.
In 1999
The "Eric Clapton and Friends" benefit concert for Clapton's rehab center in Antigua took place at New York's Madison Square Garden. Bob Dylan was among the "friends" who participated. The concert raised a million dollars for the center.
In 2001
The 30th anniversary of the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison were commemorated at the Gathering of the Vibes festival in Red Hook, New York. Former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek performed and served as emcee, while former Band of Gypsys drummer Buddy Miles also took the stage.
In 2004
David Bowie cancelled the remainder of his European tour as he continued his recovery from what at the time was said to be treatment for a pinched nerve in his shoulder. He'd actually had angioplasty surgery several days earlier to open a blocked artery.
In 2006
The Beatles-based Cirque du Soleil show "LOVE" opened at The Mirage in Las Vegas. Former Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr and Beatle widows Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison were among those who attended the premiere.
President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Elvis Presley's Graceland.
In 2007
AC/DC's Brian Johnson and Cliff Williams and former Rainbow and Deep Purple singer Joe Lynn Turner launched the Classic Rock Cares tour in Fort Myers, Florida. The trek raised money for the John Entwistle Foundation, which provides instruments and music education for underprivileged children.
Carlos Santana and Yusuf Islam, the singer-songwriter previously known as Cat Stevens, took part in the Challenge Future Conference, an international peace conference in Bochum, Germany.
In 2009
U2 launched their 360 Degrees tour in Barcelona, Spain. The show included a salute to the late Michael Jackson as well as the start of a nightly tribute to imprisoned Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Longtime Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham announced that singer John Sykes had left the group. Consequently, the band cancelled the rest of their summer tour.
New releases included Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer's memoir "Hit Hard: A Story Of Hitting Rock Bottom At The Top," Levon Helm's album, "Electric Dirt," and Ted Nugent's CD and DVD "Motor City Mayhem."
###
|
|
|
Corporate Offices
Be on the Radio?
Get your business out
