Facebook.com/InterlockenFestivalNew details have been revealed about the recently announced inaugural Interlocken Music Festival, which is scheduled to take place September 5-8 at Oak Ridge Farm in Arrington, Virginia.
A new addition to the bill is John Fogerty, who will join veteran jam band Widespread Panic to perform a set of his classic Creedence Clearwater Revival material. Widespread Panic also is slated to play a second night at the festival without Fogerty.
Meanwhile, Grateful Dead spinoff group Furthur, which previously was announced as part of the Interlocken lineup, has been confirmed to perform on three of the festival's four days. During one of its sets, Furthur will play the Grateful Dead's classic 1970 album Workingman's Dead in its entirety.
Another previously revealed performer, The Black Crowes, now is confirmed to perform on two nights during the musical extravaganza.
Other artists who were part of the Interlocken fest's initially reported lineup include Neil Young & Crazy Horse, The String Cheese Incident and country star Zac Brown. Early bird general admission tickets and VIP packages will go on sale Thursday, May 23, at 10 a.m. ET. Visit InterlockenFestival.com for more details.
The Albright Entertainment GroupThe Edgar Winter Band and Rick Derringer will return to take part in the second annual edition of the Rock'N'Blues Fest tour, which will feature a variety of veteran artists who showcase the merger of rock 'n' roll and the blues. Joining Winter's group and Derringer on this year's lineup will be two Woodstock legends -- Ten Years After and Canned Heat -- as well as Canadian guitar whiz Pat Travers.
The 2013 Rock'N'Blues Fest tour is scheduled to get under way on July 27 in Las Vegas and currently is plotted out through an August 24 stop in Clearwater, Florida. A total of 19 shows have been confirmed, although more dates are expected to be announced for the trek soon.
Ten Years After's current lineup features three of the group's four original members -- drummer Ric Lee, bassist Leo Lyons and keyboardist Chick Churchill. Sadly, founding singer/guitarist Alvin Lee died in March at the age of 68. Speaking about the upcoming outing, Ric Lee says in a statement, "We are…excited to tour the U.S. as we pay tribute to band-mate Alvin Lee, while igniting a new wave of youthful excitement and appeasing long-term fans."
Winter, meanwhile, promises that his band "will be doing a new and very different show" from last year's Rock'n'Blues concerts. He adds that because 2013 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of The Edgar Winter Group's classic album They Only Come Out at Night, "we intend to celebrate the occasion by playing some of the songs from that album I haven't done in years."
Here are all of the announced Rock'n'Blues Fest tour dates so far:
7/27 -- Las Vegas, NV, The Cannery Casino 7/28 -- Saratoga, CA, The Winery 7/30 -- San Diego, CA, Humphrey's by the Sea 8/2 -- Anaheim, CA, The Grove 8/3 -- Flagstaff, AZ, Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill Park 8/4 -- Tucson, AZ, Fox Tucson Theatre 8/7 -- Minneapolis, MN, The Zoo 8/9 -- Chicago, IL, Country Club Hills Theater 8/10 -- Sterling Heights, MI, Freedom Hill Amphitheater 8/11 -- Yonkers, NY, Empire City Casino 8/13 -- Westbury, NY, NYCB Theatre 8/14 -- Glenside, PA, The Keswick Theater 8/15 -- Providence, RI, The Park Theater 8/16 -- Englewood, NJ, Bergen Performing Arts Center 8/17 -- Rama, Canada, Casino Rama 8/18 -- Kettering, OH, Fraze Pavilion 8/21 -- Hampton, NH, Hampton Beach Casino 8/22 -- Hyannis, MA, Melody Tent 8/24 -- Clearwater, FL, Ruth Eckerd Hall
Jane Rose/KeithRichards.comA public library in Dartford, England, apparently can’t get satisfaction from Keith Richards.
The veteran rocker admits he still owes fines for books he borrowed and failed to return to the library decades ago, the Mirror reports. The newspaper quotes Richards as saying, “I’ve still got overdue fines from about 50 years ago. They must be astronomical by now.”
The Mirror estimates that with a 15 pence a day fine, plus interest and administrative fees, Richards could be facing a library bill of about 3,000 pounds, approximately $4,547.
The 69-year-old Richards says he felt right at home in the quiet atmosphere of the library in Dartford. “To me it was a place where you get a hint there was somewhere called civilization.” The hard-living guitarist adds, “It was the only place where I would willingly obey the laws, like silence. It was somewhere I could find out about things I was interested in.”
When contacted by the newspaper, a receptionist at the Dartford Library was unable to determine quickly how much Richards owes in fines. “For fines going back 50 years, it’s going to be tough to work out exactly how much is owed,” says the receptionist, adding, “We’d have to check the archives.”
Meanwhile, the U.K. tabloid The Sun cites experts who estimate that Richards actually owes the library around 20,000 pounds in overdue fines. That’s approximately $30,000.
Facebook.com/EltonJohnElton John joins a growing list of famous rockers, including The Rolling Stones and Bon Jovi, who will perform headlining sets at London's famous Hyde Park this summer.
Elton and his band will serve as the main attraction at a July 12 concert that also will feature Kinks frontman Ray Davies, plus Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and several other artists. The event, part of Hyde Park's British Summer Time series, will showcase singer/songwriters.
"I am truly honored to be headlining the Songwriters evening of the new British Summer Time series," says John in a statement. "This will be the first time in eight years that I have played with a band at Hyde Park…The audiences there are always amazing, and to be sharing the bill with two of Britain's great songwriters, Ray Davies and Elvis Costello, will only make the night that much more special."
Tickets for the concert will be available for purchase by the general public at BST-HydePark.com starting this Thursday at 4 a.m. ET.
The Rolling Stones are scheduled to play Hyde Park on July 6 and 13, while Bon Jovi's show is slated to take place on July 5.
Legacy RecordingsFrom punk pioneers to musical innovators who cross-pollinated rock with reggae, hip-hop and other genres, The Clash blazed a fiery trail during the 1970s and '80s that influenced and inspired countless bands that emerged in their wake.
Now, the group's surviving members have designed and compiled a massive new box set titled Sound System that collects all five of the U.K. rockers' studio albums along with a plethora of demos, singles, B-sides and outtakes; promotional videos; concert footage; memorabilia; and much more.
Scheduled to be released on September 10, Sound System features a total of 12 discs, including the three CDs of extra material and a DVD. Among the bonus tunes are previously unreleased tracks from The Clash's very first recording session at Beaconsfield Film School in 1976, demos the band laid down for the Polydor label in November 1976 and performances from a December 1978 concert at The Lyceum Theatre in London.
The DVD, meanwhile, contains interview and concert footage shot by director Julien Temple and frequent Clash collaborator Don Letts, unreleased performances from a 1977 show at England's Sussex University, footage from the band's famous spring 1981 run of shows in New York City and a career-spanning selection of promo clips.
Sound System comes housed in a boom box-shaped case that also features a booklet, fanzines, a poster and collectible dog tags, badges and stickers. In celebration of the box set, Clash guitarist Mick Jones, bassist Paul Simonon and drummer Topper Headon have lent their voices to a quirky video in which they discuss the concept behind Sound System.
In conjunction with the arrival of Sound System, The Clash also is putting out CD and vinyl box sets featuring just the remastered versions of their studio albums. In addition, a compilation called The Clash - Hits Back, featuring 33 of the group's most popular songs, will be issued as a two-CD set and a three-LP vinyl collection on September 10. The retrospective's track list is based in part on a set that the band played at a famous 1982 concert held at London's Brixton Fair Deal venue.
To find out more details about the upcoming Clash releases, visit TheClash.com.
Gonzo DistributionA new two-CD/DVD set featuring highlights from 1970's star-studded Kralingen Music Festival in the Netherlands is scheduled to be released on July 2. The Dutch Woodstock 1970 offers rare vintage performances by such beloved rock acts as Santana, Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds, T. Rex and Canned Heat.
Among the memorable tunes featured on the set are Santana's "Jingo," the Jefferson Airplane classic "White Rabbit," and the early Pink Floyd psychedelic gem "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun." The DVD contains footage originally included in a feature film that focused on the 1970 Kralingen festival, as well as additional previously unreleased performances from the event.
Other artists that also contributed songs to the collection include The Soft Machine, Country Joe, Dr. John and Al Stewart.
Here's the complete track list for The Dutch Woodstock:
DVD Santana, "Gumbo" Al Stewart, "Zero She Flies" Canned Heat, "Human Condition" Canned Heat, "The World's in a Tango"/"So Sad" Quintessence, "Giants" Jefferson Airplane, "Won't You Try Saturday Afternoon" It's a Beautiful Day, "Wasted Union Blues" Pink Floyd, "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" Country Joe, "Oh Freedom" Dr. John and the Night Trippers, "Mardi Gras Day" Family, "Drowned in Wine" It's a Beautiful Day, "Bulgaria" T. Rex, "By the Light of the Magical Moon" The Byrds, "Old Blue" The Flock, "Big Bird" Soft Machine, "Esther's Nose Job" Jefferson Airplane, "White Rabbit"/"The Ballad of You and Me and Pooniel" Santana, "Savor"/"Jingo" Pink Floyd, "A Saucerful of Secrets"
CD 1 Cuby and the Blizzards, "Dust My Blues" Canned Heat, "Human Condition"/"So Sad" Livin' Blues, "Big Road Blues" Al Stewart, "Zero She Flies" Quintessence, "Giants" East of Eden, "The Sun of East"/"Irish Theme" Country Joe, "Freedom" Dr. John and the Night Trippers, "Mardi Gras Day" Family, "Drowned in Wine"
CD 2 Santana, "Gumbo"/"Savor"/"Jingo" Jefferson Airplane, "White Rabbit"/"The Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil" It's a Beautiful Day, "Wasted Union Blues"/"Bulgaria" T. Rex, "By the Light of the Magical Moon" The Byrds, "Old Blue" The Flock, "Big Bird" Soft Machine, "Esther's Nose Job" Pink Floyd, "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"/"A Saucerful of Secrets"
Henry Diltz/Elektra RecordsIn the wake of Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek's death Monday at age 74 after a battle with bile-duct cancer, the group's two surviving members, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore, have penned tributes to their longtime band mate.
After issuing a brief initial statement about Manzarek's passing on Monday, Krieger later posted a longer homage on his official Facebook page. In the message, Krieger notes that Manzarek and late Doors singer Jim Morrison "were the two most unusual people I have ever known." He then points out that while Morrison "was obviously a genius" whose unique qualities were immediately apparent, Ray "was a late bloomer."
Krieger continues, "The real Ray didn't appear until after Jim was gone. He was constantly doing projects with different people, producing, playing with different poets. He always saw the good side of people, and that was his genius."
The guitarist goes on to praise Manzarek for being "the only guy at UCLA that saw something good about Jim. Everyone else thought of Jim as a phony or worse. He saw the genius of Jim's words and the rest is history."
Lastly, Krieger notes that Ray "sure did influence my life, and I hope yours [too]. I'll always be grateful to John for introducing me to Ray and Jim, and I'll never forget them."
As for Densmore, he writes of Manzarek in an extended Twitter post, "There was no keyboard player on the planet more appropriate to support Jim Morrison's words." Then, speaking directly to his late band mate, he declares, "Ray, I felt totally in sync with you musically. It was like we were of one mind, holding down the foundation for Robby and Jim to float on top of. I will miss my musical brother."
Meanwhile, a TMZ report has revealed some new details about Manzarek's illness and the treatment he sought to cure it. Sources close to the keyboardist's side group The Manzarek-Rogers Band revealed to TMZ that Ray was at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, the facility in which he died, because it's a world-class clinic that specializes in treating the rare cancer that killed him. The sources reported that Manzarek told his band mates about his condition in March, and he went to Germany not long after that.
Oklahoma County SheriffSince a devastating tornado ripped through Moore, Oklahoma, on Monday, killing at least 24 people, the world has taken to Twitter and Facebook to express their support, send out prayers and wishes, and talk about how people can help. Among those reacting were many veteran rock stars. Here's a roundup of some of these artists' thoughts about the tragedy:
Kansas: "The band KANSAS would like to extend our thoughts and prayers to those affected by the recent storms in Oklahoma and the Midwest. For those looking to help, you can donate to the Red Cross by texting RedCross to 90999 or at RedCross.org."
Styx: "Our hearts are broken for Oklahoma. Let's all continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers."
Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry: "My sympathies for those who lost families and homes from the tornado that hit Oklahoma. #Climate #climatechange"
REO Speedwagon bassist Bruce Hall: "While I'm so thankful that my family and friends in [Oklahoma City] are safe, my heart is breaking for those that have suffered such great loss. When we are asked 'where is your favorite place to play?' The Zoo Amp is always on that list. Oklahoma has stood by REO Speedwagon for 40 years and now we will stand by Oklahoma as they continue to Ride this Storm Out, re-build and come back stronger. If you are able, please donate to the Red Cross disaster relief fund."
Alice Cooper: "Thoughts and prayers going to everyone in [#Oklahoma] and the surrounding areas with these #tornados..."
Slash: "Horrible what the people in Oklahoma just went thru. The devastation they're facing now. & the lives they've lost."
Ex-Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan: "If you have it, please help the #Oklahoma tornado victims by donating to the Red Cross http://redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999."
Former GN'R drummer Matt Sorum: "I love you Oklahoma My heart is broken for you. Prayers for you."
Photo: David LeveneThe Zombies recently expanded their plans for a U.S. summer tour. The veteran British group's initial series of stateside dates will visit the East Coast and the Midwest, kicking off June 13 in Englewood, New Jersey, and running through a July 7 show in Arlington, Massachusetts. The band also has a brief West Coast visit mapped out for late August and early Septmeber.
Among the events The Zombies have lined up is a free concert in New York City's Central Park on June 16. Prior to the show, founding Zombies members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent will take part in a paid panel discussion with Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme, all about the 1960s British Invasion.
Here are all of The Zombies' confirmed U.S. tour dates:
6/13 -- Englewood, NJ, Bergen Performing Arts Center 6/14 -- Uncasville, CT, Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Casino 6/15 -- New York, NY, Central Park SummerStage (free concert & paid panel discussion) 6/16 -- Rockville, MD, Parilla Center for the Performing Arts 6/17 -- Annapolis, MD, Rams Head On Stage 6/20 -- Jim Thorpe, PA, Penn's Peak 6/21 -- Glenside, PA, Keswick Theatre 6/22 -- Uniontown, PA, State Theatre 6/23 -- Buffalo, NY, The Tralf Music Hall 6/26 -- Albany, NY, Summer at the Plaza -- Empire State Plaza (free concert) 6/28 -- Chicago, IL, Mayne Stage 6/29 -- Milwaukee, WI, SummerFest 6/30 -- Cleveland, OH, Beachland Ballroom 7/3 -- North Truro, MA, Payoment Performing Arts Center 7/5 -- Hamden, CT, Hamden Summer Concert Series (free concert) 7/6 -- Plymouth, NH, Flying Monkey Performance Center 7/7 -- Arlington, MA, Regent Theatre 8/29 -- Portland, OR, Aladdin Theatre 8/30 -- Spokane, WA, Riverfront Park (free concert) 8/31 -- Ferndale, WA, Silver Reef Casino 9/1 -- Seattle, WA, Bumbershoot Festival
Photo: Brian LoweLast month, Rush and Heart finally were welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after each being passed over for the honor for more than a decade. One legendary rock band that continues to be overlooked by the Rock Hall, much to the chagrin of its rabid fans, is KISS.
The group's longtime frontman, Paul Stanley, also is apparently pretty frustrated by the snub, while pointing out that the powers that be behind the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame shouldn't necessarily be considered the authorities in charge of choosing which artists deserve to be recognized.
"Look, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is marketing," he declares during a recent interview with The Huffington Post. "You've got a bunch of faceless people in a back room who trademark a name that sounds very official. Well, if you had thought of it first, you would have been the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
As a case in point, Stanley notes that late singer/songwriter Laura Nyro -- best known for writing hits for Blood, Sweat & Tears, The Fifth Dimension and Barbra Streisand -- has even beaten KISS into the Rock Hall.
"I am one of the biggest Laura Nyro fans," the singer/guitarist maintains. "I still listen to that stuff incessantly. Laura Nyro does not belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Songwriter Hall of Fame? Absolutely."
Stanley also notes that many established musicians, including Lenny Kravitz, Garth Brooks and Pearl Jam's Mike McCready, have acknowledged that KISS has had a major influence on their own music and careers. "It's absurd for anybody to look around and hear the acts and artists who cite us as an inspiration, and then tell me that we're not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," insists Stanley.
Despite his complaints, Paul says he could take or leave KISS being inducted into the Rock Hall, but says he'd like the band to be acknowledged for the sake of its fans. "I would certainly accept on their behalf because it seems to be a major sore spot for them," he says. "But I don't need the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
Facebook.com/pages/Ray-ManzarekThe rock world is reacting to the news of the death of original Doors member Ray Manzarek. The keyboardist died Monday at age 74 at a medical clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, after a long battle with bile-duct cancer.
Joe Perrytweeted, “I am very saddened by loss of Ray Manzarek now he's with Jim. They mean as much to me today as they did 40 years ago."
Slashtweeted, “RIP Ray Manzarek words cannot express...” and added, "The Doors represent the LA sound to me. It was the 1st band I remember hearing when I came from England; 'Light my fire,' I'll never forget."
Flea wrote on Twitter, “Wow. Ray manzarek. Bless his heart. One of a kind rock original. Grateful to have jammed with him once. R.I..P.”
Billy Idoltweeted, “Sad to hear about Ray Manzarek passing. I was lucky to get a chance to rock out with him & the other two Doors.. cheers mate say hi to Jim.”
Krist Novoselicwrote, “Thanks for the great music Ray Manzarek!”
Alice Coopercommented, “Ok it is OFFICIAL. Ray Manzarek is dead. Mind blown. RIP Ray.”
Three Dog Nighttweeted, “RIP Ray Manzarek, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors.”
Flowers were placed on Manzarek's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Monday afternoon by the Hollywood Historic Trust. Manzarek's star is in front of the Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood.
Manzarek is also being remembered by the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood, the famed Sunset Strip club where The Doors were the house band in the 1960s before they gained international fame. A rep for the Whisky a Go Go tells TMZ.com Manzarek is being honored on the club’s marquee for the rest of the week. The marquee message reads: "Rest in Peace Ray Manzarek Thanks for all the memories."
The Roxy, another L.A. rock club, posted the following message on its marquee: “We love you Ray Manzarek. You will always light our fire. RIP.”
Eagle Rock EntertainmentAfter 50 years together, The Rolling Stones are continuing to thrill audiences on their current 50 and Counting Tour. Fans can find out how it all began for the band by checking out the Crossfire Hurricane documentary, which hits stores on DVD and Blu-ray today. The film charts the history of the rock legends from their formation in the early 1960s through the arrival of guitarist Ronnie Wood in the mid-'70s.
The movie, which was directed by acclaimed filmmaker Brett Morgen, features candid new interviews with all four current Stones -- Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Wood -- as well as with former members Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor. The documentary also offers a bevy of rare and previously unreleased archival footage, including concert performances, TV appearances, news segments and more.
In addition, the DVD and Blu-ray discs boast several bonus features, including footage of the Stones performing in Germany in 1965 and at the NME Poll Winners concerts of 1964 and '65, as well as a 1964 appearance on the U.K. program The Arthur Haynes Show.
Crossfire Hurricane was given its theatrical premiere last October in London, and it debuted on U.S. television the following month as a two-part HBO special. The DVD sells for $14.98, while the Blu-ray is priced at $19.98. The film also is available for purchase as a digital download.
Facebook.com/BonJoviBon Jovi is currently out on the European leg of its Because We Can world tour, and the band has still got a long way to go. After Europe, the New Jersey rockers play the U.K., then return to the U.S. for summer stadium dates, and then they head to Brazil and Australia. But no matter where the band plays, the one thing that strikes Jon Bon Jovi about the fans in the audience every night is their ages: young, old and everything in between.
Describing Bon Jovi fans as "multi-generational," Jon tells ABC News Radio that he's proud of the group's broad appeal, especially since they've been making records for decades.
"We've been around for 30 years and we're doing the kind of business that we do out on the road...we're very lucky. We're very blessed," he says, adding, "I think this is that kind of a band that has crossed to a place where the songs are both your parents' songs and your songs."
Attempting to explain this concept, Jon points to The Rolling Stones, who, of course, have been around a lot longer than Bon Jovi, but whose tunes also have staying power.
"Those songs are just a part of the patchwork of what is pop culture. And you just think that they've always been around and that band has always been around," Jon tells ABC News Radio. "And so we've been around long enough that songs like 'Livin' on a Prayer,' 'Wanted Dead or Alive'... those are in the vernacular now. They're just a part of the patchwork of pop culture. And your mom might know it as well as you do because it's been on the radio for 27 years."
Bon Jovi performs in Oslo, Norway, on Tuesday night. There's still no word as to when guitarist Richie Sambora will rejoin the tour, if at all. He recently wrote on Twitter, regarding his absence, "Thanks 4 your notes & concerns. I'm doing f**king great. This is a private matter but please know I love the band and you fans!"
Vanguard RecordsJohn Fogerty has unveiled the collaboration he and the Foo Fighters recorded for his upcoming album, Wrote a Song for Everyone, which includes new renditions of some of his classic Creedence Clearwater Revival tracks. Fogerty and the Foos' version of CCR's 1969 hit single "Fortunate Son" is now streaming at RollingStone.com.
Wrote a Song for Everyone is set to arrive at all of the usual outlets on May 28. In addition to the Foo Fighters, other well-known artists are featured on the release, including Bob Seger, Kid Rock, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, Jennifer Hudson and country stars Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert.
Here is the complete track list for Wrote a Song for Everyone:
"Fortunate Son" (with Foo Fighters) "Almost Saturday Night" (with Keith Urban) "Lodi" (with Shane Fogerty & Tyler Fogerty) "Mystic Highway" "Wrote a Song for Everyone" (with Miranda Lambert featuring Tom Morello) "Bad Moon Rising" (with Zac Brown Band) "Long as I Can See the Light" (with My Morning Jacket) "Born on the Bayou" (with Kid Rock) "Train of Fools" "Someday Never Comes" (with Dawes) "Who'll Stop the Rain" (with Bob Seger) "Hot Rod Heart" (with Brad Paisley) "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" (with Alan Jackson) "Proud Mary" (with Jennifer Hudson featuring Allen Toussaint and the Rebirth Brass Band)
Credit: David BergmanJon Bon Jovi has opened up about the day his 19-year-old daughter overdosed on heroin.
"It was horrible, a horrible moment. It was my worst moment as a father," he tells the British newspaper The Daily Mirror.
The 51-year-old rocker recalls getting a 2 a.m. call from his daughter Stephanie Bongiovi, who was phoning him from a hospital near her upstate New York college.
"The first thing she said, 'I'm all right,' but then she said this is what happened," Bon Jovi remembers. "You wake up, you shake it off and put your shoes on and say, 'OK, I am on the way home.'"
Bongiovi, a student at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, and her 21-year-old companion, Ian Grant, were initially arrested in November and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Those charges were later dropped because of a New York state law that prohibits prosecution of people who have overdosed, as well as those who help them seek medical care.
For Bon Jovi, who says he has never touched drugs despite his rock-star life, the incident was a wake-up call as a father.
"She was by no means sticking needles in her arms," he tells the Mirror. "But there's a lot of synthetic stuff in the world and a lot of temptation and access and pressures that just a generation ago you and I didn't know about.”
Bon Jovi also discusses with the Mirror lead guitarist Richie Sambora abruptly leaving the band's tour for "personal reasons."
"Love him, spoken to him once. I talked to him once, once in six weeks and 18 shows," Bon Jovi says. "He's not fired; we didn't have a fight. It certainly isn't about money."
Blind Pig RecordsRay Manzarek, founding keyboardist of The Doors, died Monday at age 74 at a medical clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, after a long battle with bile-duct cancer. At his side was his wife of 45 years, Dorothy, as well as his brothers Rick and James Manczarek.
In a statement, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said, in part, "Ray Manzarek of the Doors was a gifted keyboardist and a founding member of one of the most influential and enduring groups of the ‘60s. He and his bandmates helped shape the sound of rock music, and...have cemented their place in music history as one of the preeminent and original bands of our time. Our industry has lost a legendary and passionate musician."
Ray co-founded The Doors in Venice Beach, California, in 1965 with singer and fellow UCLA film student Jim Morrison, along with guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. Driven by Morrison's charismatic stage presence, powerful voice and poetic lyrics, as well as Manzarek's hypnotic, jazzy keyboards, the band soon shot to stardom on the strength of such classic hits as the chart-topping "Light My Fire" and "Hello I Love You." The group continued to release popular albums and singles until Morrison's death from heart failure at age 27 in July 1971. On the strength of The Doors' enduring body of work, the band has gone on to influence and inspire countless other artists, while selling more than 100 million albums worldwide.
After The Doors broke up in 1973, Manzarek continued his music career, releasing a number of solo albums and collaborative albums. From 2001 until his death, Manzarek performed Doors music in a popular touring group with Krieger that most recently was called the Manzarek-Krieger Band. Manzarek also has recorded albums with blues guitarist Roy Rogers and poet Michael McClure, has produced music by such bands as Echo and the Bunnymen and X, and has written a memoir and two novels.
Commenting on Manzarek's death, Krieger said in a statement, "I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today. I'm just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him."
Besides his wife and brothers, Manzarek is survived by a son, Pablo Manzarek, as well as three grandchildren -- Noah, Apollo and Camille. No official funeral plans have been confirmed. The family is suggesting that rather than sending flowers, fans can make a donation in honor of Ray to StandUp2Cancer.org.
Capitol RecordsRod Stewart's latest album scored a #7 debut on the Billboard 200 chart, but it's made an even bigger splash on the other side of the pond. Time, the first full-length collection of original tunes the singer's released in more than 20 years, has topped the U.K.'s Official Albums Chart.
The milestone not only marks Stewart's eighth #1 album overall in his home country, it also gives him a U.K. record for the most years between chart-topping releases: 34. Rod's last album to reach #1 was 1979's Greatest Hits Volume 1 compilation. The previous record was held by Tom Jones, whose album Reload topped the Official Albums Chart in 2000, 32 years after Jones's studio effort Delilah did.
"Well, knock me down with a feather," Stewart commented to OfficialCharts.com. "Just goes to show there's still plenty of songs left in the old violin. Thank you!"
By the way, the worldwide record for the most years between chart-topping albums is 38 years, set by Bob Dylan, whose 2009 release Together Through Life was his first #1 on the Billboard 200 since and 1970's New Morning.
Chapman BaehlerStone Temple Pilots may be without a lead singer, but that hasn’t stopped the group from making new music. They've partnered with Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington to create a new single, "Out of Time," which they debuted at an event on Los Angeles over the weekend. You can score a free download of the studio version of "Out of Time" at StoneTemplePilots.com.
"Chester has a one-of-a-kind voice that we've admired for a long time," said guitarist Dean DeLeo in a statement. "We know Linkin Park will always be his priority, but we thought it would be cool to try something together. We managed to find the time to record a song and we're all really happy with the result."
Bennington adds that he was thrilled to get the chance to collaborate with Stone Temple Pilots on "Out of Time." "I've loved STP since I was 13 years old and they've had a huge influence on me," says Bennington. "When the opportunity came up to do something creative with them, I jumped at the chance. The guys in Linkin Park have been incredibly supportive of me undertaking this project while I've continued to work on new music with LP."
STP has yet to reveal if Bennington has recorded more music with them, or indeed if he'll take over for former frontman Scott Weiland, who was dismissed from the band in February.
Jim McCrary/RedfernsOne-time Derek and the Dominos drummer Jim Gordon, who's been in prison since killing his mother in 1983, was denied parole last month and won't be able to apply for it again until at least 2018. According to Rolling Stone, a transcript from the hearing reveals that a California parole-board panel considers the 67-year-old musician "a danger to society if released from prison," noting that he's unwilling to take court-ordered medication.
Gordon stabbed his 71-year-old mother to death at her Los Angeles-area home in June 1983. At the time of his arrest, he claimed that he was driven to the act because he'd been hearing the voice of his mother tormenting him for years.
Rolling Stone reports that Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Alexis de la Garza told the panel that Gordon continues to exhibit symptoms of schizophrenia and that he's "medically and psychologically noncompliant." He added that the musician "is seriously psychologically incapacitated, and he is a danger when he is not taking his medication."
The transcript of the proceedings also reveals that at a 2005 hearing, Gordon thought that his mother was still alive. In addition, before the new hearing, the drummer would not meet with his lawyer, who unsuccessfully attempted to get the hearing pushed back until next year.
The panel suggested that Gordon needed to seek help for substance abuse, noting that it would make a final decision in August regarding the next hearing not taking place for another five years.
In addition to playing drums for Derek and the Dominos, Gordon also composed the famous piano coda that's heard at the end of the band's classic song "Layla." He also drummed on dozens of other popular albums, including The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, John Lennon's Imagine, George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, Steely Dan's Pretzel Logic and Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen.
Before killing his mother, Gordon had experienced years of erratic behavior that included abusive incidents with women, problems with substance abuse and violent confrontations with fellow musicians. He also had checked himself into hospitals seeking help on many occasions.
The Albright Entertainment GroupThe Edgar Winter Band and Rick Derringer will return to take part in the second annual edition of the Rock'N'Blues Fest tour, which will feature a variety of veteran artists who showcase the merger of rock 'n' roll and the blues. Joining Winter's group and Derringer on this year's lineup will be two Woodstock legends -- Ten Years After and Canned Heat -- as well as Canadian guitar whiz Pat Travers.
