Drummer Ginger Baker has won a civil case
against
Liniwe Noko and First National Bank over the illegal siphoning of money
out of his bank account. Baker had been forced to go with the
civil trial since the criminal trial against Noko keeps being delayed
and his own debts are mounting. Noko, an employee of FNB, was
hired part-time as a personal secretary to manage his affairs and was
arrested in April 2007 on 27 charges of fraud or theft. The
criminal case resumes in March. In hopes to ease his money
problems, he has an autobiography, Hellraiser, on the way.
On Thursday, a federal judge overseeing lawsuits surrounding the 2003
Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people has endorsed a $176
million settlement for survivors and victims' relatives.
Victims could start receiving their money within months.
Elton John recently told BBC Radio that, as a recovered drug abuser, he
is happy to help people if they want the assistance. One
person that he has been helping is rapper Eminem.
According to Heaven & Hell drummer Vinny Appice, surgery on his
shoulder went well and he could be back behind the kit in about 4
months. "I would like to thank all the fans, friends, family
for the kind wishes for my shoulder surgery recovery. It's
been five weeks and I am feeling stronger each day. I should
be hitting those drums soon!!!"
Steven Tyler has been forced to cancel his benefit appearance later
this month in Concord, New Hampshire, for Child and Family Services to
raise money to fight substance abuse among young people as he is
currently in rehab for pain management and addiction to prescription
drugs. Hopes are to reschedule once Tyler is back on the road
to recovery.
The health of Slayer bassist/vocalist Tom Araya has forced the
cancellation of their tour with Megadeth due to kick off on Jan.
18th. According to their manager, "Tom gave various medical
treatments more than a fair shot but they haven't handled the problem,
so he's biting the bullet and is scheduled for back surgery at the end
of the month."
A memorial to Dan Fogelberg will be erected at Riverfront Park in
Peoria, Illinois. A dedication ceremony for the monument
(reportedly 3 boulders etched with some of his lyrics) is expected to
be held later this year.
The Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel soundtrack climbed 13 spots
to #7 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Glee Cast's Glee:
Season One: The Music Vol. 2 climbed 5 places to #11. Glee
Cast's Glee: Season One: The Music Vol. 1 climbed 3 spots to
#18. Michael Jackson's This Is It soundtrack fell 9 places to
#22. Michael Jackson's Number Ones dropped a spot to #33.
Reba McEntire's "Consider Me Gone" has earned its 3rd consecutive week
on top of the Billboard Country Songs Chart and the USA Today/Country
Aircheck Chart. This also marks her 4th decade with a #1
single.
Foreigner's latest single, "When It Comes To Love," has started the new
year by jumping into the Adult Contemporary Airplay Charts at
#17. A video for the track can be seen by members at
www.ForeignerOnline.com.
Queen's Absolute Greatest dropped a spot to #15 on the U.K. Albums
chart. Foo Fighters' Greatest Hits fell 5 places to
#34. Rod Stewart's Soulbook dropped 23 spots to
#36. Fleetwood Mac's The Very Best Of Fleetwood Mac fell 14
places to #37. Whitney Houston's The Ultimate Collection held
steady at #39.
Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" retained the #7 spot on the U.K.
Singles chart after 27 years from the song's original release.
Poison frontman Bret Michaels will release his new single, "Nothing To
Lose," on Feb. 16th via all digital media outlets. Pretty
well timed as Michaels and Cyndi Lauper will appear on the 3rd season
of NBC's Celebrity Apprentice on Mar. 14th.
Former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder will release his next Recoil
album, Selected, in the spring. According to Wilder, "The
collection is made up of my personal favourites, remastered and edited
together into what I consider a cohesive and total listening
experience."
Peter Gabriel will release his orchestral rock covers album, Scratch My
Back, on Feb. 15th via Virgin. In return, the artists that he
covered will cover Gabriel's songs for a future album to be titled I'll
Scratch Yours.
Duran Duran's reissues have been coming in chronological order and EMI
have now announced the release of Arcadia's So Red The Rose for
April. Meanwhile, the band (on "Boys Keep Swinging"), John
Frusciante (with Swahili Blonde on "Red Money") and Mick Karn (on
"Ashes To Ashes") are among the acts paying tribute to David Bowie on
an album due out in May via Manimal Vinyl. All proceeds will
go to the U.K. charity Warchild.
Ear Music have announced plans to release a double-CD/DVD set from
Savatage entitled Still The Orchestra Plays: Greatest Hits Volume 1
& 2. The set contains 3 new tracks recorded last year.
Lenny Kravitz took to Twitter earlier this week and cleared the air
about, "Another Day," a song he recorded with Michael Jackson before
the singer's death. The song surfaced online urging Kravitz
to disavow any part of the song being leaked. The 90 second
clip is not the mixed version in Kravitz's vault and includes a DJ
speaking over the track that wasn't on the version they worked
on. Kravitz says, "I produced it for him; I wrote the song
and played all the instruments for him on the track. It was
one of the most amazing musical experiences I've ever had. It
was done by two people who respect each other and who love
music." He hopes the final and complete version will see the
light of day. Meanwhile, the Associated Press is reporting
that prosecutors are prepared to seek an indictment of Jackson's doctor
Conrad Murray on a charge of involuntary manslaughter.
The Pretenders will see the release of a new live CD/DVD, Pretenders:
Live In London, on Feb. 9th via E1 Music. The 100 minute
performance CD includes a bonus DVD and will also be available on
Blu-ray disc.
Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie has announced that he has been
working on his new studio album, The Great War, due out this spring.
Zakk Wylde's band Black Label Society will head into the recording
studio during the next two months to work on their next album due out
in the summer via E1 Music.
Paul McCartney has recorded some bass parts for a song that will appear
on Travis frontman Fran Healy's solo debut album (tentatively titled
Wreckorder.)
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, a new biopic about
U.K. punk rock artist Ian Dury opens in U.K. theaters today.
Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr has a new project. According
to him, "Somehow I had tuned into the boy that I used to be, the
passionate kid that I had left behind, and mysterious as that all was,
there was no denying how thrilled I was to be reconnecting with the
energetic outlook and liberating values at the core of that distantly
familiar character. Rapidly I then began considering what kind of songs
could be created if I could immerse myself "now" in engaging fully with
that young ghost. LOSTBOY AKA! is the result of that curiosity, and I
am exhilarated by it. No mere dance with the past - thanks to the
vision of co-writer and producer Jez Coad - much of these songs feel to
me that they could be signals from tomorrow. It’s only a
first step, but I can easily imagine taking this new relationship much
further in parallel with the continuing great story of Simple
Minds." A Web site (at www.lostboyaka.com) has been launched
with a mailing list urging you to "get found May 2010."
Christian metal act Crystavox has signed with Roxx Productions for the
release of The 20 Year Mix, a DVD and 'best of' collection.
Usually you hear about a new artist borrowing from the 80s but you
don't often hear about them giving back. Lady Gaga is the
exception as she has written the song "You Murdered My Heart" for
Michael Bolton and is planning a duet with Boy George according to The
Sun.
Sony Music has created an extensive partnership with SPV that will last
for several years and include an option to purchase SPV in the
end. The deal will keep the label running despite holding
insolvency proceedings last year. This is good news for
Skinny Puppy and Die Krupps as their delayed albums now have tentative
release dates in spring.
Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley will see the reissue of his 1988
Frehley's Comet album, Second Sighting, in a package with his 1988 EP
Live + 1 via Wounded Bird Records on Jan. 26th.
Yoko Ono recently hinted to The Daily Express and fans during a web
chat that she's considering writing her memoirs. "I would
love to do it. I just have to find the time." She
also said that it would be her "next book, which will be written in the
next five years." As recently as 2007, Ono has dismissed the
idea as the things she would write about "may hurt someone" or their
children.
Rage will release their new studio album, Strings To A Web, on Feb.
5th. Their special 2-track single "Into The Light/Purified"
will be released on Jan. 15th.
American soul trumpeter/bandleader/producer Willie Mitchell, 81, died
in Memphis on Jan. 5th more than 2 weeks after suffering cardiac
arrest. Mitchell is best known for his work with Hi Records
and his production on some of Al Green's biggest hits. He was
also a recording artist that released 1981's Willie Willie Willie and
1986's That Driving Beat. During the decade, he would also
work on albums by Green, Keith Richards, Tony Bennett, Paul
Butterfield, Jesse Winchester, Bill Black, Willie Banks, Lynn White,
Billy Always and O.V. Wright.