The Travel Channel is rolling out a show featuring Ozzy, Sharon and son Jack Osbourne called The Osbournes Want To Believe. The 8 episode season opens at 10pm (eastern) on August 2, Each edition will feature Jack presenting video evidence of paranormal events for his parents to judge the validity of.
Jack says, "My parents have always lived on the edge, even when it comes to the supernatural. I'm convinced they just haven't seen enough evidence, so I'm making them watch the most undeniable footage caught on camera, including a few from my own personal experiences."
The already delayed 2020 Rock Hall of Fame induction has now been cancelled. John Sykes, the new Chairman of the Foundation, announced that the Hall and HBO will replace the traditional ceremony with an HBO special honoring the inductees by telling each band or artist's "...stories of their incredible contributions to music and impact on a generation of artists that followed them.
The program honoring the Doobie Brothers, T-Rex, Nine Inch Nails and the others gaining entry this year will air on HBO and stream on HBO Max starting November 7 at 8pm.
Scorpions members are working together toward completing an album begun last year. Klaus Meine says the disruption caused by the pandemic has complicated the creative process but told Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged that he and Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs managed to spend some time together in the studio in May and June before shifting into a Zoom mode. Drummer Mikkey Dee, who joined the group from Motorhead after Lemmy Kilmister's death, contracted the virus while in Sweden but has recovered.
An elder statesman of Southern Rock has died. Charlie Daniels, the venerable leader of the CDB, died of a hemorrhagic stroke today at 83. A road warrior for decades, Daniels and his band worked its way from from roadhouses to arenas and stadiums and became an unlikely but significant player on three Bob Dylan albums. Called on to contribute a guitar part on one song during a Bob Dylan Nashville Skyline album session in Nashville, Daniels was packing up and moving out when Dylan interrupted his departure by announcing "I don't want another guitar player. I want him."
The surging popularity of Southern Rock in the 1970's propelled Daniels and his band to great heights. amassing multiple awards and selling close to 15 million albums. Success never went to that head under the giant hat, he never lost his appreciation for his fans and did a lot of good through the funds raised during his Volunteer Jam benefit concerts.
The Allman Betts Band will release Bless Your Heart on August 28th. We like the throwback touch of album cover art that replicates the wear an lp that's been around a long time for the second album from band fronted by descendants of Allman Brothers Band.
We hope our US based friends are finding ways to make this July 4th holiday enjoyable despite the awkward circumstances most are contending with. Crankin' up some great tunes always helps.
Bob Dylan wanted Robbie Robertson to play on his Rough and Rowdy Ways album, but the former Band guitarist turned down the invite citing other commitments. Speaking with Rolling Stone, Robertson said he would have loved for it to happen but was "...slammed with work" related to his own album's release and the scoring he was doing for Martin Scorsese on The Irishman.
He apparently declined the offer after a phone call from Dylan that included him reading Robbie some lyrics, and said he planned to let Dylan know, "God, I'm sorry I Wasn't available then, but let's see if we can cause some trouble down the line."
Had it worked out, it would have been Robertson's first studio session with Dylan since the Band backed Bob on Planet Waves in 1974.
He always went out of his way to let fans know how much he appreciated their interest in him and hs music. We will miss him. RIP Benny. From his obit...
BENNY MARDONES DIES AT 73
After Battle with Parkinson’s Disease
I am deeply saddened to announce that Benny Mardones, artist and writer of 3x Billboard Charted Record “INTO THE NIGHT”, has died at 73, says long time friend and record producer, Joel Diamond.
Benny died peacefully at his home in Menifee, CA on June 29, 2020 with his loving wife at his side. He died from complications of Parkinson’s disease. Benny was born Ruben Armand Mardones in Cleveland, Ohio on November 9,1946.
"I have lost my husband and the love of my life. Not a day went by without Benny telling me how much he loved me. When he knew the end was coming and near coma, he would ask me to come close and struggle to sing “I’ve Got You” (click: https://youtu.be/zfJuJcfTLx4). For the last 12 years he would often surprise me with the most beautiful bouquet of flowers and a note attached saying in Danish “Jeg Elsker Dig” (I Love You)," said Jane.
Benny was raised in Savage, Maryland and later moved to Syracuse, NY, where he became their “Hometown Hero”. He then moved to Woodstock, NY, and most recently for the past 20 years has resided in Southern California. Benny joined the Navy right after high school and fought in the Vietnam War.Benny Mardones is a name you might not be familiar with, but as soon as you hear the first “signature” chords (click: https://youtu.be/m20bgdHdNk8) of "Into The Night", you will instantly know the song and the artist. He exploded onto the music scene in 1980 and was quickly nicknamed "The Voice," a title earned because of his incredible range as well as his soulful and passionate performances. "Into The Night" has been played over 8 Million times and to this day is still one of the most frequently played rock tunes in America.
As part of his legacy, Benny’s final wish and his ultimate gift was to donate his body after-death to Parkinson’s for advanced medical research and education.
A Memorial Service will be announced in the near future.
"Life has a beginning and an end for all of us, but one thing that will always be said of Benny Mardones is that he definitely squeezed the tube-of-life completely dry", said Joel Diamond.
Ringo Starr's 80th birthday celebration goes online July 7 with virtual appearances from guest including Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Peter Frampton, Elvis Costello, Steve Earle, Gary Clark Jr., Keb Mo, Ben Harper, Michael McDonald and Willie Nelson.
As big a drag as this global health crisis has proven to be, having to cut back a lot of collective engagement activities has created a lot more time to devote to exploring online rabbit holes like YouTube. It's amazing how many unexpected things turn up. This morning, we followed a lead from Best Classic Bands via Music Fest News that led to this 1964 recording of Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna guitar great Jorma Kaukonen and Janis Joplin working through some tunes together.
The latest indication that wealthy people not spending money on lavish vacations, expensive restaurants and the other perks of having lots of discretionary income are eager to buy rare collectibles is word that the original artwork for Led Zeppelin's debut album has sold at auction for close to $325,000. Created by art student George Hardie for the equivalent of about $1,200, the stipple tracing of a photo of the Hindenburg airship disaster of 1937 had been expected to top out at about $30,000 at the Christie's auction. The now 76 year-old artist who became an academic lecturer on illustration says the original was found in a folder at the bottom of a chest in his studio. The label applied to the outside of the folder by a partner of the artist when it was tucked away read, "G's pension fund".
Billy Gibbons added a tantalizing tidbit to his previous assurances that ZZ Top is working on new material with the intention of putting out a new album after this prolonged period of not being able to tour or record together. Speaking with Live Signing, the Top guitarist said, "We're getting ready to go back in the studio" and added that there's a good chance Jeff Beck will join him, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard when they do. The two guitar greats got together in London about a year ago and have stayed in touch since. Billy credits Beck as "... a guy that not only is still doing it like we'd like to do it - he is inventing things on the guitar that probably wasn't really designed to be done and yet he's doing it."
The 1959 Martin D-18 guitar Kurt Cobain played during Nirvana's 1993 MTV Unplugged set shattered the previous record amount paid for an iconic guitar when it brought a top bid of $6 million Saturday (6/19). Just 7 bidders were vying for the guitar during the final round of bids according to Julien's Auctions. The previous high bid for an individual guitar was set when David Gilmour's Black Stratocaster sold for $3.95 million.
Todd Rundgren is riding out the physical distancing at his home in Kauai, Hawaii, where he has passed the time developing a streaming TV series he will premiere on his 72nd birthday this coming Monday (6/22). Future episodes of The Todd's Honest Truth will stream at onlocalnation.com every other week starting on July 3.
Rundgren told the Oakland Press he researched streamed offerings of other musicians during the pandemic and found most to be 'slack and low energy'. He plans a more impressive presentation. He'll have to if he expects fans to pony-up the $15 per episode cost to view each one.
Bruce Hornsby has a new release due on August 14th that will include a demo he and the late, great Leon Russell recorded together 25 years ago. Non-Secure Connection draws on a range of styles and subjects that the former leader of The Range, the Noisemakers and informal member of the Grateful Dead observes is consistent with hem feeling his music "...has never been a part of any trend that defied any era of music during my 34 years of doing this."
Classic Yes front man Jon Anderson returns with a solo album on July 31 that had been made available for a limited time on his website and at concerts. Making it all the more interesting to longtime Yes fans, 1000 Hands features Anderson working with group veterans Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Alan White, Steve Howe and Trevor Rabin.
The Doobie Brothers will have an additional wait for their long overdue induction into the Rock Hall OF Fame which has been pushed into November due to the pandemic, but the guys are sounding good from their respective spaces on this isolation collaboration.
Sweet bassist Steve Priest passed away Thursday (6/4) at 72. The co-founding member of the group best known for Ballroom Blitz, Fox on the Run and Love is Like Oxygen had a stage presence once described as looking "like a navvy who'd stolen all your makeup" and helped drive the group that merged punk,glam and heavy metal. No cause of death was announced.
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