Jon “Johnny Z” Zazula, co-founder of the influential label Megaforce Records, has died at age 69.
According to Variety, Zazula passed Tuesday while surrounded by family and friends in Florida. A statement posted to the Megaforce Instagram reads, “The world of rock and metal would not be what it is today without Jon Zazula. Jon’s love of music and musicians was unwavering. A giant was lost today. Rest In Peace Jon.”
Zazula launched Megaforce alongside his wife, Marsha Zazula, in 1982, and soon signed a then-unknown Metallica to their first-ever record deal. Megaforce would eventually become the home of artists including Anthrax and Testament.
Marsha Zazula passed away in January 2021.
The story of Megaforce Records — and of the Zazulas’ relationship — is detailed in Jon’s 2019 book Heavy Tales: The Metal. The Music. The Madness.
CD and digital versions of Moody Blues singer/bassist John Lodge‘s new live album, The Royal Affair and After, were released in mid-January, and now a limited 180-gram vinyl edition of the record pressed on blue vinyl has arrived.
As previously reported, the 10-track album features performances by Lodge and his solo group, The 10,000 Light Years Band, from a Las Vegas concert they played during their stint on the Yes-headlined 2019 Royal Affair Tour and from their subsequent U.S. headlining trek.
Coinciding with the arrival of the blue-vinyl LP, Lodge has debuted a video for his rendition of the classic 1971 Moody Blues ballad “Isn’t Life Strange” on his official YouTube channel.
The Royal Affair and After includes renditions of several well-known Moody Blues songs, including “Isn’t Life Strange,” “Ride My See-Saw” and “Nights in White Satin,” the latter two of which features guest vocals by current Yes frontman Jon Davison.
Also on the album, is a version of the Days of Future Passed interlude “Late Lament” written by late Moody Blues drummer Graeme Edge that features a recording of Graeme reciting the spoken-word piece made especially for Lodge’s tour.
“I’m absolutely delighted by the incredible reaction to the album,” says Lodge says. “[I]t truly is ‘the soundtrack of my life’…It also makes me so very happy that Graeme did his special performance of ‘Late Lament’ for the album, he will be deeply missed, but always stay with us in our hearts and on this album.”
Lodge will launch a new U.S. solo tour on March 8 in Norfolk, Connecticut. Visit JohnLodge.com to check out his full schedule.
Meanwhile, a black 180-gram vinyl version The Royal Affair and After will be released on February 11.
Here’s the LP’s track list:
Side One
“Steppin’ in a Slide Zone”
“Saved by the Music”
“Legend of a Mind”
“Late Lament” (with Graeme Edge)
“Nights in White Satin” (with Jon Davison)
Side Two
“Sunset”
“Gemini Dream”
“Isn’t Life Strange”
“I’m Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)”
“Ride My See-Saw” (with Jon Davison)
Graham Nash has joined Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and others in asking that his music be removed from Spotify because the streaming service has been hosting Joe Rogan‘s popular podcast, which many medical and scientific professionals have charged with spreading potentially harmful misinformation about COVID-19 and the vaccines.
Nash has issued a statement explaining his decision to have his solo recordings pulled from Spotify, which also appears to reference comments Rogan made in an Instagram video posted Monday in which the host addressed some of the accusations regarding his podcast.
“There is a difference between being open to varying viewpoints on a matter and knowingly spreading false information which some 270 medical professionals have derided as not only false but dangerous,” Graham writes. “Likewise, there is a difference between misinformation, in which one is unaware that what is being said is false, versus disinformation which is knowingly false and intended to mislead and sway public opinion. The opinions publicized by Rogan are so dishonest and unsupported by solid facts that Spotify becomes an enabler in a way that costs people their lives.”
In Rogan’s video, he denies “trying to promote misinformation,” adding, “I’m not trying to be controversial. I’ve never tried to do anything with this podcast other than just talk to people and have interesting conversations.”
After Young and Mitchell announced they were removing their music from Spotify, the company announced that it will be adding content advisories before podcasts that discuss COVID-19.
“Personally, there are plenty of individuals and views on Spotify that I disagree with strongly,” wrote Spotify chief executive Daniel Ek. “It is important to me that we don’t take on the position of being content censor while also making sure that there are rules in place and consequences for those who violate them.”
Following Meat Loaf‘s death at age 74 on January 20, the powerhouse singer’s albums and songs have shot up the Billboard charts like, well, bats out of hell.
First of all, Meat Loaf’s classic 1977 album Bat Out of Hell re-entered the Billboard 200 at #13, one spot higher than it originally peaked back in 1978. The album, which has been certified 14-times Platinum by the RIAA, moved 28,000 album equivalent units during the most recent week-long tracking period, according to MRC Data, a 3,677% increase from the previous week.
Bat Out of Hell also debuted at #1 on the Top Rock Albums chart and re-entered the Catalog Albums tally at #1.
Meanwhile, Meat Loaf’s chart-topping 1993 sequel album Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell re-entered the Billboard 200 at #91 after notching 10,000 album equivalent units during the latest tracking period, a 2,320% surge from the previous week.
Bat Out of Hell II included Meat Loaf’s only #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).” The tune has now debuted at the top of the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart and Hard Rock Streaming Songs tally.
Those two songs were streamed 4.4 million and 4.5 million times in the U.S., respectively, during the most most tracking week, accounting for 40% of Meat Loaf’s song streams.
As for Meat Loaf’s epic Bat Out of Hell track “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” it debuted at #1 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs and Hard Rock Streaming Songs charts.
Looking at Meat Loaf’s overall catalog, it amassed 21.1 million on-demand official audio and video streams in the U.S. during the latest tracking period, a 1,422% increase from the previous week, according to MRC Data reported by Billboard.
Lawyers for Nirvana have responded to Spencer Elden‘s latest filing in the ongoing lawsuit over the Nevermind cover, Rolling Stone reports.
In documents obtained by the magazine, Nirvana’s legal team calls Elden’s complaint, which was amended in January for the second time following the original lawsuit’s filing in August 2021, “strike three.”
“This case must end,” the motion reads.
As previously reported, Elden’s suit alleged that the artwork for Nirvana’s Nevermind constituted child pornography. The now-iconic cover features a photo of Elden, then a four-month-old baby, swimming naked underwater while reaching for a dollar bill.
Surviving Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, as well as the late Kurt Cobain and his widow, Courtney Love, were among the defendants named in the suit.
In November 2021, Elden filed his first amended complaint with additional allegations, including that cover photographer Kirk Weddle, another named defendant, also took photos of Elden “dressed up and depicted as Hugh Hefner,” the notorious founder of Playboy.
The next month, Nirvana filed to dismiss Elden’s case, declaring not only that his claims were “not serious” and “absurd,” but that the statute of limitations on his allegations had expired. A judge then granted Nirvana’s request this past January, but allowed for Elden to amend and refile his suit, which he did just before the deadline last month.
Nirvana’s lawyers now argue “the time has run” on Elden’s suit, and request dismissal with prejudice, meaning he could no longer refile.
“Elden’s decision to not sue these defendants for the past 30 years, despite his decades-long knowledge of their same and unvaried conduct, is dispositive of his claim,” the motion reads. “It is as simple as that.”
After moving them several times, Aerosmith has now permanently canceled their planned European tour dates because of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a Facebook message the band writes that the tour, which was to have taken place in June and July of this year, has been scrapped due to “related uncertainty around travel logistics and the continued presence of COVID restrictions and other issues.”
“The health, safety and well being of our fans is our number one priority,” the band continues, adding, “We will be back to rock out with everyone and we hope to have some exciting news to announce soon…Until then, take care and we deeply apologize for any inconvenience.”
The tour was originally supposed to take place in 2020, but it was then moved to 2021, and then to this year. The last time Aerosmith played live was February 15, 2020 as part of their Deuces Are Wild Las Vegas residency.
The band’s only live date this year is now its September 8 show in Fenway Park in Boston with Extreme. It was originally supposed to have taken place in 2020 to celebrate Aerosmith’s 50th anniversary.
In 2019, an eclectic group of music stars took part in a U.S. tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Beatles‘ The White Album, and now, a similar-themed trek has been announced for this March with a lineup that includes some of the same artists.
The 2022 “It Was Fifty Years Ago Today: A Tribute to The Beatles” tour will feature Todd Rundgren, Christopher Cross, founding Moody Blues and Wings member Denny Laine, Badfinger‘s Joey Molland, former Chicago singer/bassist Jason Scheff and Rascal Flatts‘ Jay DeMarcus performing songs from two classic Fab Four albums — 1965’s Rubber Soul and 1966’s Revolver.
The artists also will showcase tunes from their own respective bands or solo careers.
The trek gets underway on March 1 in Montclair, New Jersey, and currently is plotted out through a March 27 show in Kansas City, Missouri. Additional performances will be announced soon.
“This time we thought: Wouldn’t it be great if we played the best songs The Beatles ever recorded for a change?” notes Rundgren, who also took part in the 2019 tour, as did Cross, Molland and Scheff. “Rubber Soul and Revolver are the boys peaking in front of our eyes and redefining what pop music would be for the foreseeable future. This is going to be fun.”
Adds Cross, “It’s always a pleasure playing these classic songs with great artists and friends.”
Laine, meanwhile, says, “The Moody Blues met The BEATLES in the early ’60s and were invited to join them on their second British tour. The thought of performing some of their classic songs with such a revered cast on this tour will bring back not only those moments in time but also fond memories as a member of Wings.”
Check out a full list of confirmed tour dates at GlassOnyonPR.com.
Def Leppard has reached a new deal with Primary Wave Music that pours some sugar on the original agreement that the British rockers struck with the music publishing company back in 2009.
The deal, which was announced on Monday, expands Def Leppard’s partnership with Primary Wave, as the company has acquired a bigger stake in the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers’ music publishing catalog, as well as in the income stream involving their master royalties.
The new agreement involves many of the group’s classic songs, including “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Rock of Ages” and “Photograph.” Def Leppard’s catalog features two albums that have sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. — 1983’s Pyromania and 1987’s Hysteria — and the band is one of only five rock groups that have achieved this milestone.
Def Leppard’s 2009 deal with Primary Wave involved the company marketing and administering the band’s song catalog.
“With Def Leppard celebrating 45 years as a band this year, we at Primary Wave are beyond excited on further partnering with them in a more meaningful way,” says Primary Wave executive Rob Dippold. “We are thrilled to continue building and elevating not only the band’s musical body of work but their impact in pop culture and the industry in general.”
The Netflix series Emily in Paris is so popular that it’s easy to forget that its star, Lily Collins, has a father who’s even more famous than she is — but she reminded fans of that fact yesterday on Instagram.
Lily’s dad, Phil Collins, celebrated his 71st birthday on Sunday, and she posted a sweet tribute to him, sharing a photo of herself as a baby on his shoulders. She wrote, “Happy birthday, Dad. I may no longer fit in your arms or sit comfortably on your shoulders but you continue to hug me tightly when I need it most.”
“We may not get to spend time together that often but when we are face to face, you really do see me,” she added. “You may not always believe it but please trust me when I say, no matter how old I get or what life may bring, I will always need you.”
“Whether I’m proudly watching you up on stage, laughing at home together playing trivial pursuit, I’m forever grateful for the moments and memories we share,” Lily concluded. “Especially the ones I now cherish as an adult myself. Thank you for inspiring me and supporting the woman I am today. I love you to the moon and back again.”
Lily is Phil’s daughter with his second wife, Jill Tavelman. He also has a son and a daughter with his first wife, Andrea Bertorelli, and two sons with his third wife, Orianne Cevey. His eldest son with Cevey, Nicholas, is serving as the drummer for Phil’s current tour with Genesis, which starts its next leg in March.
Lily, who was born in England but raised in the U.S., is a Golden Globe-nominated actress who’s appeared in numerous movies and TV series.
The Steve Miller Band will travel from “Swingtown” to Sin City this spring to play a two-show engagement at Las Vegas’ Venetian Resort on May 13 and 14.
Tickets for concerts at the resort’s Venetian Theatre will go on sale to the general public this Friday, February 4, at 10 a.m. PT.
An artist pre-sale will be available starting Tuesday, February 1, at 10 a.m. PT, while Live Nation customers and members of The Venetian Resort’s Grazie loyalty program can purchase pre-sale tickets beginning Wednesday, February 2, at 10 a.m.
You can purchase tickets via Ticketmaster.com, VenetianLasVegas.com, the box offices at the resort, and by calling 702-414-9000 or 866-641-7469.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Steve Miller and his backing group are preparing to return to touring for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
So far, the band has only two other confirmed performances on their itinerary — a May 15 headlining appearance at the Beachlife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, and an August 22 concert at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.
