Roger Waters speaks at the United Nations Security Council about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Roger Waters made a Zoom appearance at the United Nations Security Council Wednesday after being invited by Russian diplomats. He called for an “immediate cease-fire” to Russia’s war on Ukraine during his speech, saying he was speaking for the voiceless majority.

“The voiceless majority is concerned that your wars — yes, your wars, for these perpetual wars are not of our choosing — that your wars will destroy the planet that is our home,” the Pink Floyd star said in the speech. “And along with every other living thing, we will be sacrificed on the altar of two things: profits from the war to line the pockets of the very, very few and the hegemonic march of some empire or other towards unipolar world domination. That road leads only to disaster.”

The focus of the meeting was Russia’s war with Ukraine. Waters called Russia’s invasion illegal, but argued it was not unprovoked. 

“I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” Waters said. “I condemn the provocateurs in the strongest possible terms.”

Waters called the Security Council a “toothless chamber,” but suggested that was a good thing: “I can open my big mouth on behalf of the voiceless, without fear of my head getting bitten off. How cool is that?”

He also shared some advice he heard from his mom as a young child, offering, “Read, read, read. Find out everything you can about whatever it is.”

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David Bowie’s handwritten “The Jean Genie” lyrics sell at auction for over $68,000

Sony Music

The handwritten lyrics to David Bowie’s 1972 Aladdin Sane single “The Jean Genie” have brought in big bucks at auction. The BBC reports that the lyric sheet sold for over $68,000 at Omega Auctions in England this weekend.

Bowie gave the lyric sheet to Neal Peters, the founder of the Davie Bowie fan club, in the ’70s. It includes 18 handwritten lines on a piece of A4 lined paper. It is autographed and dated by the rock legend.

According to Omega Auctions’ Dan Hampson, the original owner was “in possession of this incredible set for a few years,” noting he “decided to sell after seeing the amazing price achieved when we sold the ‘Starman’ lyrics last year.” The “Starman” lyrics went for over $245,000.

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Metallica raises $4 million for charity through Helping Hands concert & ’Blacklist’ tribute album

Blackened Recordings

Metallica has raised $4 million for charity in between the band’s recent Helping Hands benefit concert and 2021’s Metallica Blacklist tribute album.

Helping Hands, which took place in December, brought in $3 million for Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation, which supports causes including workforce education, and hunger and disaster relief.

The concert featured a rare acoustic set by the “Enter Sandman” metallers, as well as an electric performance, including the live debut of the ‘Tallica single “Lux Æterna.” Greta Van Fleet opened the show, while St. Vincent made a surprise appearance during Metallica’s rendition of “Nothing Else Matters.”

Meanwhile, the Metallica Blacklist album raised $1 million for charities chosen by artists who participated in the project, which features 53 covers of songs off Metallica’s 1991 Black Album in honor of its 30th anniversary. The first round of donations is going to charities picked by Weezer, Miley Cyrus, Ghost and Volbeat, among others.

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Scorpions’ “Wind of Change” video joins YouTube’s Billion Views Club

Island Def Jam

Scorpions is the latest band to join YouTube’s Billion Views Club. The rockers’ 1991 hit “Wind of Change” just surpassed 1 billion views on the site. 

“1 Billion views on the ‘Wind of Change’ video!!! What a milestone,” the band shared on social media. “Thank you to all the Rock Believers for watching.”

“Wind of Change” was featured on the German band’s 11th studio album, Crazy World, and topped the charts in several countries, peaking at four in the U.S. The lyrics, written by the band’s lead singer, Klaus Meine, celebrate the end of the Cold War.

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Journey’s Neal Schon teases “surprise” at upcoming Austin show; fans think it’s Gregg Rolie

AEG Presents

Journey is currently on their 50th anniversary tour, and it looks like there’s something special in store for fans going to their upcoming show in Austin, Texas.

Guitarist Neal Schon took to social media to tease what he’s calling a “special surprise” at the February 22 show in Austin. While he didn’t say anything else, fans think they know what it is.

Schon has said in the past that he was hoping to get Journey’s original keyboardist, Gregg Rolie, to join the tour. Fans think that’s what Schon’s teasing, especially since Rolie currently lives near Austin.

“Yes, a surprise… I wonder who lives in Texas,…hmmm, I wonder….who could it be??” one fan commented alongside a keyboard emoji, with another adding, “I’m gonna take a swing and say Mr. Rollie [sic] is gonna join you guys haha I hope my guess is right brother. Love it man, you deserve it.”

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What do Soundgarden & Rage Against the Machine have to do to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

Courtesy of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

While their contemporaries NirvanaPearl JamRed Hot Chili PeppersRadiohead and Nine Inch Nails are already in, Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine still haven’t been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This could finally be their year, though, as both the “Black Hole Sun” and the “Killing in the Name” rockers are among the 2023 nominees to be inducted.

Speaking with ABC Audio, Jason Hanley, Rock Hall’s vice president of education and visitor engagement, says, “Clearly, both of those bands are very, very deserving of the honor.”

In making Soundgarden’s case, Hanley says Chris Cornell and company “did do something different” from the rest of the bands of the ’90s grunge scene.

“They had a different rock sound that was maybe a little more rooted in heavy metal than some of the others,” he says.

Rage, meanwhile, was not only “impactful” with their political activism, but also with their “innovative” music.

Tom Morello‘s guitar playing alone could get them inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” Hanley laughs. “Not to mention the great lyrics and the presentation of it, that mixed hip-hop style and rock.”

Soundgarden is a second-time Rock Hall nominee, while Rage has been on the ballot four times previously, the most for any artist among this year’s potential inductees.

“I think maybe the issue is these bands often keep ending up on the ballot with a lot of other new names that keep coming out,” Hanley says.

Indeed, eight of the 2023 nominees are on the ballot for the first time, including The White StripesJoy Division and New OrderWillie Nelson and Missy Elliott. Meanwhile, artists including Iron Maiden and Kate Bush are among returning nominees.

The 2023 Rock Hall inductees will be announced in May.

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Megadeth sued over ’The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead!’ artwork

Megadeth has been sued for copyright infringement by the person who created the artwork for the band’s latest album, The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead!

In the suit, which was obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, artist Brent Elliott White, who created art for previous Megadeth albums, alleges that the thrash metallers used his his work for the cover of The Sick “all without having paid [White] and without his permission.” It names Megadeth, frontman Dave Mustaine and the label Universal Music Group among the defendants.

When details of The Sick were first announced in June 2022, White claims that, “Without a signed agreement with Plaintiff in place and without paying Plaintiff anything for his work, Megadeth knowingly released Plaintiff’s artwork and — shockingly to Plaintiff — credited its lead singer, Dave Mustaine, for the album’s ‘Art Concept.'”

White says he then reached out to Universal Music Group, reiterating that they “don’t have a contract or art release or usage agreement.” White alleges that, “Defendants attempted to force Plaintiff to accept the same terms as for the first Megadeth album he provided artwork for,” which he had previously stated “would not be acceptable.”

By the time The Sick was eventually released in September 2022, White says he still did not have a contract or usage agreement with the defendants, thus they were using his artwork “without his permission.”

The suit also alleges that Megadeth improperly licensed White’s artwork to third parties.

“To date, Megadeth has still failed to pay Plaintiff for the work he performed for Megadeth,” the suit reads. “Moreover, Plaintiff has not been credited for his artwork.”

Reps for Megadeth and UMG have not responded to The Hollywood Reporter’s request for comment.

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Stars chime in on Steve Albini’s Steely Dan hate

Brian Rasic/Getty Images

Music producer Steve Albini recently went on a Twitter rant about how much he hates Steely Dan, and now other artists have chimed in on the debate.

“I will always be the kind of punk that sh*ts on Steely Dan,” he tweeted. “Christ the amount of human effort wasted to sound like an SNL band warm up.”

But apparently not everyone agrees with Albini’s take, with rockers like Jenny Lewis and St. Vincent, plus actor Ben Stiller, not afraid to show their love for the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. 

“i f***ing love steely dan,” wrote Lewis, with Stiller commenting on her tweet, “Me too.” And St. Vincent agrees,  tweeting, “For the record – I F***ING LOVE STEELY DAN.” 

But not everyone disagrees with Albini’s take. Americana artist Jason Isbell chimed in that his wife, fellow Americana artist Amanda Shires, is anti-Steely Dan, too. He tweeted, “My wife hates Steely Dan so much she’s starting a fan group called the Albini Babies.” Albini responded, “Sir please pass on from me to your kind missus the highest appropriate compliment. She is a good woman. And now I’ll leave you be.”

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On This Day – February 8, 1975: Bob Dylan’s ‘Blood on the Tracks’ enters the ‘Billboard’ album chart

On this Day, February 8, 1975:

Bob Dylan’s fifteenth studio album Blood on the Tracks enters the Billboard 200 album chart, eventually peaking at number one. 

The album, Dylan’s return to Columbia Records after two albums with Asylum, featured such future classics as “Tangled Up in Blue,” “Idiot Wind,” “Shelter from the Storm” and others.

Considered one of Dylan’s greatest albums, Blood on the Tracks was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015. It has made several best-of album lists, including Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, landing at nine in 2020.

The album was certified double Platinum by the RIAA, and remains one of Dylan’s best-selling studio releases.

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Iron dance: Black Sabbath-inspired ballet to premiere in England

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

As pioneers of heavy metal, Black Sabbath has inspired countless bands over the years. Now, the “Iron Man” outfit has inspired something a bit more unexpected.

England’s Birmingham Royal Ballet, based out of Ozzy Osbourne and company’s hometown, has announced Black Sabbath – The Ballet. The production will consist of three acts and will feature “re-orchestrated” versions of classic Sabbath tunes, including “Iron Man,” “Paranoid” and “War Pigs,” as well as “original new compositions” inspired by the band.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how this all develops!” says Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. “Black Sabbath have always been innovators and never been predictable, and it doesn’t come any more unpredictable than this! I’d never imagined pairing Black Sabbath with ballet but it’s got a nice ring to it!”

Black Sabbath – The Ballet will premiere September 23 at the Birmingham Hippodrome theater. For more info, visit BRB.org.uk.

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