The Red Hot Chili Peppers family is getting bigger.
Bassist Flea tellsE! News that his wife, fashion designer Melody Ehsani, has given birth to their first baby together. The couple got married in 2019.
“I haven’t been doing a lot of sleeping,” Flea shares. “But I’ve been doing a lot of floating on a cloud of love.”
The newborn is the 60-year-old musician’s third child, joining 34-year-old Clara Balzary and 17-year-old Sunny Bebop Balzary.
Even before becoming a new father again, Flea’s already had a big year. He and RHCP released not one but two albums in 2022, Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen, and he also has a role in the new movie Babylon.
Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Dave Grohl dug up the rarity “Marigold” during a performance on a concert stream Monday supporting the Chicago charity program Letters to Santa.
“Marigold,” as Grohl fanatics will tell you, is the only song to be released by both Nirvana and Foo Fighters. It was included as a B-side on Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box” single, while the Foos recorded it for their 2006 live album, Skin and Bones.
Grohl had last performed “Marigold” in 2010.
You can watch footage of Grohl’s latest “Marigold” rendition now via the fan-run Foo Fighters Live Instagram page.
In addition to lending a hand to Letters to Santa, Grohl’s been celebrating the holiday season with The Hanukkah Sessions, his annual cover series with producer Greg Kurstin spotlighting Jewish artists.
As we reported, Shirley Watts, widow of the late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, passed away December 16, and now Charlie’s bandmate Ronnie Wood is paying tribute to her.
Next to a picture of a young Charlie and Shirley, Ronnie writes that he and his wife, Sally, are “very sad to hear about the death of our friend Shirley Watts. We will miss you so much, but take comfort that you are reunited with your beloved Charlie.”
He adds, “Our thoughts and prayers are with their daughter Seraphina, granddaughter Charlotte, and son-in-law Barry, much love to you all at this very sad time.”
Charlie and Shirley wed in 1964, before the Rolling Stones took off, and were together until the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s death on August 24, 2021.
Performances by Nile Rodgers & Chic and former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora helped bring in big bucks for charity.
Earlier this month, Rodgers headlined Nordoff Robbins‘ charity carol service, stepping in for The Who after they had to cancel. According to U Discover Music, the event wound up bringing in about $150,000 for the charity, which will be used to fund music therapy for vulnerable people living with life-limiting illness, disabilities or feelings of isolation.
The concert, which took place at St. Luke’s Church in the Chelsea area of London, had Rodgers & Chic performing such classics as “Le Freak,” “We Are Family” and “Good Times,” while Sambora treated the crowd to Bon Jovi hits “Livin’ On A Prayer,” “It’s My Life” and “Wanted Dead Or Alive,” plus a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
It was a busy year for Paul McCartney, including a long-awaited headlining set at the United Kingdom’s Glastonbury Music Festival. Now he’s reflecting on the experience in a new essay for the BBC, in which he also shares some personal behind-the-scenes photo from the big day.
“Festivals are special, but Glastonbury is particularly so and it’s a big event in lots of people’s year,” he shares. “Because it had been cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid, it became more important to pull it off.”
Sir Paul writes that Bruce Springsteen agreed to join him all the way back in 2020 and “he kept his promise two years later,” adding that it was “very exciting” having both The Boss and Dave Grohl as his special guests.
“It’s a pretty impressive scene for people in the audience,” he writes. “But we get the whole view up on the stage with the flags and the hills going back forever, so it was quite a big deal that they said yes to joining me in that experience.”
McCartney says it’s “a magical thing” seeing the emotions music can bring out in people. “Then you’ve got the spirituality of the place,” he shares. “When you have an event like Glastonbury and everyone comes together with good vibes and energy, I’m very happy to be part of that.” Check out the behind-the-scenes photos here.
t’s not surprising to hear that Bob Dylan has some definite thoughts on how we should listen to music, but you may be surprised by some of the artists he’s enjoying these days.
In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, Dylan shares that he listens to music on CDs, satellite radio and streaming, although he mentions the latter has made music “too smooth and painless.”
“I do love the sound of old vinyl though, especially on a tube record player from back in the day,” he shares, noting, “the tone quality is so powerful and miraculous, has so much depth, it always takes me back to the days when life was different and unpredictable.”
Dylan says these days he discovers new music “mostly by accident, by chance,” or thanks to recommendations from others. When it comes to live music he says he’s seen gone to two Metallica concerts and “made special efforts to see Jack White and Alex Turner.”
As for which contemporary artists he listens to he says he likes Oasis’ Liam and Noel Gallagher, as well as Julian Casablancas, Grace Potter, Royal Blood, Celeste, Rag and Bone Man, Wu-Tang, Eminem, Nick Cave, and Leonard Cohen, sharing that he enjoys “anybody with a feeling for words and language, anybody whose vision parallels mine.”
Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin cover Pink‘s “Get the Party Started” for night two of this year’s The Hanukkah Sessions.
The pop star, who is Jewish, joined the Foo Fighters frontman and the producer for a rendition of her 2001 single during the pair’s recent show at the Largo club in Los Angeles. Compared to Pink’s usual, often acrobatic arena show, the performance was much more minimalist, with her vocals accompanied only by Grohl’s drums and Kurstin’s keyboards, as well as some background singers, including Tenacious D‘s Jack Black.
You can watch the Hanukkah Sessions’ version of “Get the Party Started” streaming now on YouTube.
For TheHanukkah Sessions, which is now in its third year, Grohl and Kurstin release a cover of a song by a Jewish artist for each of the holiday’s eight nights. This year’s edition began with a version Blood, Sweat & Tears‘ “Spinning Wheel” featuring director Judd Apatow.
The last two Hanukkah Sessions spawned covers of artists including KISS, Beastie Boys, Bob Dylan, Drake, Lisa Loeb, Ramones, Amy Winehouse and Billy Joel.
Terry Hall, lead singer of the influential British band The Specials, has died, the band announced on social media. He was 63. In addition to his work with that band, he also co-wrote The Go-Go‘s debut single, “Our Lips Are Sealed,” with his then-girlfriend, Jane Wiedlin.
The band writes that Hall, “our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced,” has passed away “following a brief illness.”
The statement described Terry as “one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls,” adding, “His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life … the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love.”
The Specials were part of the United Kingdom’s two-tone movement, which blended Jamaican ska — an early form of reggae — with punk and new wave. They’re best known for songs like “Gangsters,” “A Message to You, Rudy,” “Free Nelson Mandela” and, most famously, “Ghost Town,” which captured the mood of the civil unrest and riots experienced in the U.K. in the summer of 1981.
Hall was also a member of Fun Boy Three, which he formed with two other Specials members after they’d left the group. During that time, Hall and Wiedlin had a brief affair and co-wrote “Our Lips Are Sealed,” which was first recorded by the Go-Go’s in 1981 on their debut album, Beauty and the Beat. It was then recorded by Fun Boy Three in 1983.
On Twitter, Wiedlin writes, “Gutted to hear of the passing of #terryhall. He was a lovely, sensitive, talented and unique person. Our extremely brief romance resulted in the song Our Lips Are Sealed, which will forever tie us together in music history. Terrible news to hear this.”
Sharon Osbourne is obviously back on her feet after being rushed to the hospital for a “medical emergency” over the weekend. As reported, The Osbournes matriarch fell ill while shooting a paranormal-themed show with her son Jack, who later updated the stay was brief, and his “mum” was back home.
Page Six reports former The Talk co-host Sharon was seen shopping at the James Perse store in Beverly Hills on Monday, and seemingly back to her feisty self: The publication noted she “seemed irritated” at the paparazzi who snapped her picture.
Osbourne later updated fans with a cheery Christmas tree picture on Instagram featuring a smiling Husky dog, noting, “Back home and doing great! Thank you for all the ❤️.” Amanda Klootz and Carrie Ann Inaba were among the first of tens of thousands to chime in with their relief in the replies.
Jack Osbourne noted on a now-vanished Instagram Story on Saturday that he was, “gonna leave it to [his mom] to share about when she is ready.”
With Christmas music playing everywhere these days, there’s a good chance you’ve heard Paul McCartney’s Christmas classic “Wonderful Christmastime” at least once. While some hear a sweet holiday tune, others have some wild theories about the track, and McCartney is finally setting the record straight.
In a Q&A posted to his website, Sir Paul shoots down a theory the song is about people practicing witchcraft because of the supposed line, “The moon is right, the spirit’s up,” which some think is a chant.
“Oh yeah. Well, thank goodness they found me out. This is completely true and in actual fact I am the head wizard of a Liverpool coven,” Paul says with a laugh. “Either that … or it’s complete nonsense. And you know it’s the latter!”
One of the main problems with the theory is the lyric is actually “the mood is right,” not the “moon is right.” Paul notes, “The thing is about this stuff, it’s so easy to convince half the people in the world. You do have to be a little bit careful!”
When it comes to Christmas, Paul says one of his traditions is to pull out a recording of instrumental holiday tunes he made for his family in the studio. And while fans have heard rumblings about this album, it doesn’t sound like they’ll ever actually get to hear it.
“I’ve often thought it’s good enough if people would like it released, and I’ve thought I could do it for charity or something, but never really felt strongly enough to make a decision,” he says. “It’s just a family record, and I’ll pull it out again this Christmas.”
