Legendary music producer Sir George Martin, often referred to as the so-called “fifth Beatle,” passed away at age 90.
With a career that spanned more than six decades, Martin produced all but one of The Beatles’ albums, including 1967’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which became the first rock album to win the Grammy for Album of the Year.
Martin won six Grammys throughout his career and had 23 number-one singles in the U.S. In addition to The Beatles, he produced works by such artists as Elton John, Jeff Beck, Kenny Rogers, Cheap Trick and others.
Among his many honors, Martin was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and received a knighthood in 1996.
You don’t often associate rock ‘n’ roll with daylight, but that’s exactly when actress Jamie Lee Curtis wishes more rockers would hit the stage.
While talking to The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet, the Oscar-nominated actress revealed her preference for going to bed early, and offered up a “taunt” and a “suggestion” to stars like Bruce Springsteen, U2 and Coldplay to do shows earlier in the day so she could enjoy them before her bedtime.
“U2, do a matinee. Coldplay, do a matinee,” she says. “What about a 12-noon concert, Coldplay? What about it?”
Addressing The Boss, she offers, “Bruce Springsteen, do a f***ing matinee. You’re old. Why wouldn’t you let me come see you, Bruce Springsteen, in your glory days — pun intended — and do it at noon or one o’clock? Two o’clock. Two o’clock matinee — theater in New York, two o’clock.”
She adds, “I will come and hear your five-hour concert, Bruce, at two o’clock, then I’m gonna be home and in bed by 7:30.”
Some classic rock and roll performances from the ’70s and ’80s have just become available on YouTube for the first time in nearly 50 years.
A new YouTube channel has just launched dedicated to the popular ’70s/’80s late night music program The Midnight Special. It features clips of the show’s classic performances from stars like Elton John, David Bowie, Tina Turner, Fleetwood Mac and more.
“The Midnight Special was a groundbreaking and revolutionary show that pushed the boundaries of what was possible on television as not one broadcaster had programming available after 1:00 AM back then,” the show’s producer/creator, Burt Sugarman, tells Deadline. “I insisted on live performances in front of an audience, there was no lip syncing.”
He adds, “I’m thrilled that it will be available for all fans, as well as a new generation of viewers who may not be familiar with the show. Audiences can enjoy hours of classic performances and interviews from the biggest stars of that era.”
Other of the hundreds of artists who appeared on The Midnight Special, which ran from 1972 to 1981, include Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, KISS, Aretha Franklin and more, in addition to comedians like Billy Crystal, Richard Pryor, George Carlin and others.
South By Southwest kicks off Friday and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers The Zombies will be there for several shows, which frontman Colin Blunstone is thrilled about.
“It’s a very exciting place to be, Austin at South by Southwest,” Blunstone tells ABC Audio. “There are bands playing everywhere, in every doorway and every bar.”
And as it turns out, when he says everywhere he means it.
“I remember one of our early ones, I really hope we play back there, it’s someone’s bicycle shop, you know, Fred somebody’s bicycle shop,” he recalls. “And somebody said to me afterwards, ‘What a great name for a club.’ And I said, ‘No, it’s not a club, it’s a bicycle shop. We just play in there amongst the bicycles.’” He adds, “You know you just play in the strangest places and in some ways, it sort of adds to the excitement really.”
The Zombies will also be celebrating their new documentary, Hung Up On A Dream, which will have its world premiere at the festival on March 12, with another screening on March 17.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” Blunstone says of the doc. “They did follow us, there will be some live playing in it and there is some old video, as well. I’m sure it’ll be great. The people who filmed it are wonderful professionals and made us feel very easy.” (
U2‘s Adam Clayton is helping his fellow bassists out there. The rocker has teamed up with Fender for their first-ever all-tube bass combo amp in 40 years, dubbed the Adam Clayton ACB 50 Amp. It is described as being perfect “for the studio, club or arena stage.”
“I’ve worked very hard with Fender on the Adam Clayton ACB 50 Bass Amp and I’m immensely proud of our creation,” Clayton shares. “I always found when I was starting out that it was very hard to find an amp that offered the mid-range distorted sound that I liked. This amp offers it in spades.” He adds, “It’s also very versatile, and if you’re moving around a lot or if you don’t have much space where you practice, then this is the amp for you.”
The amp is made of black textured vinyl, with a chrome panel, chicken head knobs and an aged silver grille cloth. It is available now for almost $2,200.
Van Morrison is giving fans one more taste of his new record, Moving on Skiffle, before it’s finally released on Friday. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer just shared the new track “Freight Train,” his interpretation of the American folk song written by Elizabeth Cotten in the early 20th century.
The 23-track Moving on Skiffle is being released as a two-CD set, as a two-LP vinyl package, on cassette and via digital formats. It features a variety of cover tunes reworked by Van, including the already released “Worried Man Blues,” “This Loving Light of Mine” and “Streamline Train.”
Van is set to promote the album with a series of European dates, including March 13, 14 and 15 at The Stables in Milton Keynes, England, and April 6 and 7 at Whitla Hall in Belfast, Ireland. He hits the U.S. in September with a three-night Las Vegas stand at the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. A complete list of dates can be found at vanmorrison.com.
E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt, Sam & Dave’s Sam Moore, Darlene Love and Steve Earlehave been chosen as the honorees for the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music’s first-ever American Music Honors.
The inaugural event will take place April 15 at the Pollak Theatre at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey, the home of the Bruce Springsteen Archives. Jon Stewart has been tapped to host the evening.
“American Music Honors aims to celebrate those artists who have demonstrated artistic excellence, creative integrity, and a longstanding commitment to the value of music in our national consciousness,” Robert Santelli, founding executive director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music, says. “All of our inaugural honorees are worthy of acknowledgment and appreciation.”
Springsteen, his wife, Patti Scialfa, and E Street Band member Garry Tallent will serve as presenters, along with Southside Johnny Lyon of Southside Johnnyand the Asbury Jukes. The night will also feature the Disciples of Soul as the house band.
“This event showcases the ‘American Music’ part of our name and mission,” Patrick Leahy,Monmouth University president and board chair of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music, adds. “By honoring American music greats, such as those named today, and by creating dynamic education and public programs, along with major museum exhibitions, we make valuable contributions to the understanding and importance of American music in our lives.”
Sir Rod Stewart is paying for a British fan to receive life-changing medical treatment in America.
Sunday Express reports Rod met a 20-year-old fan named Abi Evans, who has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and has lost the ability to walk, at a charity auction. Mayo Clinic describes the condition as a disorder that affects one’s connective tissue.
Evans told the outlet the legendary singer wanted to know about her condition. “I told him … I have a paralyzed stomach and nerve damage in my legs which means I can’t walk, but there was a possibility of treatment abroad that could make me better,” she recalled.
Evans said Stewart offered to help her obtain the treatment. “He is sending me to get stem cell treatment in America,” she said, adding he said he “is going to help in a number of other ways.”
“I explained how a rare condition like mine hugely benefits from awareness, that leads to advances in research. He understood that and with his profile said he would help,” she explained. Evans said Stewart wants to “make life a bit better for other people with the condition as well.”
Former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle has paid tribute to his late bandmate Gary Rossington, who passed away Sunday at the age of 71. Pyle, who replaced original drummer Bob Burns in 1975, tells Rolling Stonethat after hearing the news of Rossington’s death he went back and looked at the final texts they sent to each other.
“I’ve already gone back, looked at them, and read the entire thread between Gary and I,” he tells the mag. “And I will cherish these texts for the rest of my life.”
Talking about the band, Pyle shared, “When Bob, Gary and [singer] Ronnie [Van Zant] got together in Bob’s carport on the west side of Jacksonville, Florida, they put something together that went worldwide.” He added, “Everyone will remember Gary as a road dog, trouper, songwriter, and one of the greatest guitar players that ever lived. He just loved being onstage.”
And while Pyle went on to sue members of Lynyrd Skynyrd over a movie about the band’s 1977 plane crash that killed Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines and others, he says he’s ready to put that in the past. Pyle notes, “I don’t want to ever talk about it again — the music business did not kill our love for the music, it never did. Gary’s place in music history is rock solid. Fly on, fly high, our free bird brother.”
Rossington was the final living member of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd, and with his death Pyle is now the only living Lynyrd Skynyrd member inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the band. “As it turns out, being the last living member of Lynyrd Skynyrd is not all it’s cracked up to be,” Pyle says. “It’s painful, and I’m trying to process it and deal with it.”
David Bowie released his ninth studio album, Young Americans, which was considered a departure from his glam-rock style, focusing more on soul and R&B influences.
The album, which featured backing vocals by a then-unknown singer named Luther Vandross, debuted in the Billboard 200 top 10 in the U.S. and remained on the chart for 51 weeks.
The album’s second single, “Fame,” became Bowie’s first number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The album’s first single, the title track, peaked at 28 on the chart.
