LED ZEPPELIN: 13 in 45
Thirteen minutes of previously unseen Led Zeppelin concert footage from 1979 has been posted online after lying in a drawer for 45 years. It's from their concert in July 1979 at the 2000-seat Falkoner Centre in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was the second of two warm-up shows prior to their final UK shows at Knebworth the following month. Lennart Ström shot the 8mm footage and since stumbling upon it had it scanned by Reel Revival Film here in the U.S. and color corrected by The Pink Floyd Research Group, before being matched with an audio recording from the show. Ström tells LedZepNews.com, "We brought the Super 8 camera to test a new film that would work indoors. It was no problem getting the camera in, it was quite small and I think I had it in my trousers on my back. Filming wasn’t that often done in those days. They looked more for audio equipment."
The film contains snippets of 17 songs -- "The Song Remains the Same," "Black Dog," "Nobody’s Fault But Mine," "Over the Hills and Far Away," "Misty Mountain Hop," "Since I’ve Been Loving You," "No Quarter," "Hot Dog," "Rain Song," "White Summer," "Kashmir," "Trampled Underfoot," "Sick Again," "Achilles Last Stand," "In the Evening," "Stairway to Heaven" and "Whole Lotta Love" -- as well as a clip of Jimmy Page's guitar solo. You can watch the footage on YouTube.
PAUL McCARTNEY: Here's a Clue for You All?
Paul McCartney fans are questioning if his performance Sunday on Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary special of The Beatles' 1969 song, "The End," was a tip of the hat to the show's late cast member Chris Farley. On February 13th, 1993, McCartney did a sketch with Farley in which Farley said, “‘In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.’ Is that true?"
Is it a coincidence, seeing as how McCartney could have chosen numerous other songs to perform instead of the medley that closes out the Abbey Road album -- "Golden Slumbers," "Carry That Weight" and "The End." Sunday's performance was McCartney's fifth and first since 2012.
Ozzy Osbourne Was Stopped By His Wife From Reading For A Role In "Pirates of the Caribbean"
Twenty-five years ago last month, January 11th, Sharon Osbourne quit as manager of the The Smashing Pumpkins after only three months, saying she had to resign "for medical reasons: Billy Corgan was making me sick." Well, all has been forgiven as not only is Corgan participating in Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's final show on July 5th in Birmingham, England, but Sharon is the latest guest on Corgan's The Magnificent Others podcast. During the episode, she talked about the "biggest mistake" she made being Ozzy's manager. “He got offered to go and read for Pirates of the Caribbean, and I’ve never said this to anyone, and I said no. Now wouldn’t he have been perfect?”
Corgan agreed saying He would have been perfect! Maybe it’s not too late, but God bless.”
While Sharon didn't say what role Ozzy was offered to read for, two of his peers, Keith Richards and Paul McCartney made cameos in the Disney franchise -- Richards as Jack Sparrow’s father Captain Teague in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and McCartney as Sparrow’s Uncle Jack in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. In his cameo, McCartney sings "Maggie Mae" – a traditional Liverpudlian folk song, which The Beatles did on their Let it Be album.
GREEN DAY: Throw Mud for Movie
The movie inspired in part by Green Day is looking for people to take part in a mud fight.
A casting call for New Years Rev is seeking "punks, alts, hardcore, emo and rockers" between the ages of 18 and 30 who will “appear as attendees of a pop-up rock show at an outdoor location." Filming will take place in Oklahoma City between February 24th and 27th, with one day set aside for “rain and mud fight” event similiar to Green Day’s set at Woodstock '94.
New Years Rev is about a trio of musicians who mistakenly think they're opening for Green Day on New Year's Eve in Los Angeles. The film, written and directed by Lee Kirk, is already under production in Oklahoma.
Red Hot Chili Peppers Seeking $350M For Recorded Music Catalog
Red Hot Chili Peppers are looking to sell their music catalog for about 350-million-dollars. Thedeal would be in addition to the 140-million-dollars Hipgnosis Songs already paid the band for the publishing rights to their music in 2021. According to Billboard, the band owns the rights to all 13 of their studio albums and other releases under Warner Music.Altogether, Red Hot Chili Peppers are looking at a total of roughly 500-million-dollars for their music.
PHIL COLLINS: Can't Turn it on Again
At the moment, Phil Collins is done making music. In an interview with Mojo magazine, he says, "I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens, but I’m not hungry for it anymore... “The thing is, I’ve been sick, I mean very sick.” Collins, 74, has not been well since 2007 due to neck problems that required surgery, and nerve damage that makes him unable to play drums. His last album was 2010's Going Back, a collection of Motown covers.
SMASHING PUMPKINS: Corgan Talks Sabbath Jam
Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins said he's amazed to be part of the final Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne gig in Birmingham, England on July 5th. Corgan told NME, "Black Sabbath are my favorite all-time band in my heart. I’ve loved Sabbath since I was a kid. I’ve gotten to work with Tony [Iommi] on a solo album, and I’ve been around Ozzy many times. I’m just in total awe to be involved. When that line-up came out, I couldn’t help but be like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I’m a part of this, this is so cool.'" Corgan will be part of the day's supergroup led by musical director Tom Morello, and the two of them will get to perform with Morello's childhood friend, Tool guitarist Adam Jones. Corgan explained, "Adam, Tom and I all grew up in the same sort of general vicinity. Tom had this idea – what he calls ‘The Illinois Boys’ – that The Illinois Boys would get together and play, so that’s cool. I love it."
KANSAS: Cancer in the Wind
The reason for Kansas postponing two shows last weekend and canceling one in March is because last Tuesday singer Ronnie Platt was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Taking to social media, he says, "Before everyone gets all excited, it has a 99% survival rate, and it has not spread. It’s contained to my thyroid. I just have to have my thyroid removed. Go through some rehab time and be right back in the saddle. "I sincerely appreciate everyone’s positive thoughts and prayers. I have some absolutely amazing people going to bat for me, as it has been put to me, this is just a bump in the road and will be behind me very soon! So everyone please CARRY ON!" Platt, who joined the band in 2014, is 62. Last Friday's show in Catoosa, Oklahoma has been rescheduled for November 21st. The February 15th in Durant, Oklahoma has been rescheduled for November 22nd, and their show on March 1st in Lake Charles, Louisiana has been cancelled. The band apologizes for the inconvenience and hopes to be back on the road soon. All tickets will be refunded at point of purchase.
Heartbreakers Drummer Stan Lynch Announces New Band, Drops First Single
Stan Lynch, former drummer of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, has formed a new band…The Speaker Wars. Lynch met Texas singer-songwriter Jon Christopher Davis in Nashville, and together they decided to start a band instead of pursuing solo projects. Then they gathered a full lineup, featuring Jay Michael Smith on guitar, Brian Patterson on bass, Steve Ritter on percussion, and Jay Brown on keyboards…and recorded an album. The band’s self-titled debut album is due out on May 30th. Ahead of the project dropping, The Speaker Wars have released their first single, “You Make Every Lie Come True.”
STYX: Circling With a New Album
Last week, on the day before Styx set out for Miami to board the Rock Legends Cruise, they finished the final song for their new album. Tommy Shaw, in a Q&A onboard the cruise [with Premiere Radio's Sal Cirrincione], said it's titled Circling From Above, and it will be out in late May -- just as they start, on May 28th in Greenville, South Carolina, their Brotherhood of Rock tour with the Kevin Cronin Band and special guest, former Eagles guitarist Don Felder. Shaw said "It's mixed. It goes down the line now to go through the process of becoming an album. That just takes a little while, but the hard part is done and we are thrilled. Can't wait!"
This is their 18th studio album and third since 2017. Styx released their last album, Crash of the Crown, in 2021. They'll resume their tour next Wednesday, February 26th, in Phoenix.
Phish Extends Lead In HOF Vote
Phish has expanded their lead on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Fan Ballot. More than 100 thousand Phish-Heads have cast their votes for Phish, while no other nominee has reached 60-thousand votes. Billy Idol is second with almost 59-thousand votes, followed closely by Soundgarden with just over 57 thousand. Cyndi Lauper holds down fourth place with a little over 50-thousand votes. Bad Company, Joe Cocker and Chubby Checker round out the top seven and are the only other nominees with at least 40-thousand votes.The top seven finishers on the Fan Ballot -- up from the top five in previous years -- will be included with all the ballots for the official vote. Fan voting runs through April 21st.
Phish Adds Summer Dates
A recent first-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee is adding summer dates to their 2025 tour. Phish announced shows on June 20th, 21st and 22nd at Southern New Hampshire University Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire. This comes after a two-month break following eight Pacific Coast shows in April. In addition to Manchester, Phish-Heads can also catch multiple performances this summer at Austin, Texas; Boulder, Colorado; and North Charleston, South Carolina, among others. The summer tour wraps up in Saratoga Springs, New York with shows on July 25th, 26th and 27th.
Tears For Fears Message To Paul Waller
It's been said that Tears for Fears' 1989 hit "Sowing the Seeds of Love" had a not so subtle message to former Jam frontman Paul Weller.After The Jam disbanded, Weller teamed up with former Dexy's Midnight Runners keyboardist Mick Talbot to form Style Council. While much of The Jam's music was politically-themed, Style Council's music was more pop-oriented. Whereas The Jam never charted in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100, Style Council cracked the top 30 in 1984 with "My Ever Changing Moods." As for Tears for Fears' supposed message in"Sowing the Seeds of Love," "Kick out the style, bring back the jam" at the end of the second verse is reportedly directed at Weller.
Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam & Metallica guitars and more could be yours
Sonic Guild Seattle is hosting an online auction to raise money to support emerging musicians in the Seattle metro area. The auction features unique items, including hand-signed guitars, created specifically for this event. The auction began on Feb. 19 and will close on Feb. 28. Sonic Guild Seattle is a music non-profit organization that aims to help emerging musicians with their career development needs.
IN OTHER NEWS
Brian May launched his Gibson Custom Brian May SJ-200 12 String acoustic guitar Tuesday with a performance at the Gibson Garage in London. He did Queen’s “Love of My Life,” a cover of “So Sad (to Watch Good Love Go Bad)” by The Everly Brothers, and “Love Token,” from his 1992 album Back to the Light.
Faithfull, a biopic on the late Marianne Faithfull, is in production with Freya Allan
from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes in the lead role, and British actor Jojo Macari from Sex Education on Netflix will play Mick Jagger, who she dated from 1966 to 1970. Marianne died this past January 30 at the age of 78.
Former Yes, King Crimson, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, and Genesis (touring) drummer Bill Bruford has come out of retirement after hanging up his sticks in 2009. He tells Rolling Stone, “I have no intention of doing big stadium stuff. It doesn’t really work that way. The group I’m with is called the Pete Roth Trio. We are playing jazz festivals and jazz in small theaters and clubs and pubs in the U.K. and Europe.”
John Oates will headline a benefit for Hurricane Helene Relief in western North Carolina on June 20th in Banner Elk, North Carolina.
An exhibit of photos taken by Paul McCartney will go on display at the Gagosian Beverly Hills art gallery from April 25th to June 21st. He has signed some prints that are for sale with a portion of the proceeds going to aid recovery and relief efforts from the fires in Southern California.