THE DOORS: Details out about upcoming movie
Here are some details about Break on Thru: A Celebration of Ray Manzarek and The Doors, which has its world premiere on April 28th at the Asbury Park Music and Film Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
The concert documentary was shot at the February 12th, 2016 memorial concert at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood, on what would have been Manzarek's 77th birthday. Doors guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore were joined by Stone Temple Pilots bassist Robert De Leo, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins and keyboardist Rami Jaffee; guitarist Brian Ray from Paul McCartney's band; Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins; Gov't Mule and then-Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Haynes;John Doeand Exene Cervenka of X; and a few others.
The film was directed by Justin Kreutzmann, the son of Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, and includes some vintage footage of The Doors. The show was a benefit for the fight against cancer, which claimed Manzarek on May 20th, 2013.
The set of Doors tunes includes:
- "When the Music's Over"
- "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)"
- "Love Me Two Times"
- "Soul Kitchen"
- "Backdoor Man"
- "Moonlight Drive"
- "Riders on the Storm"
- "L.A. Woman"
- "Light My Fire"
John Densmore will be on hand for a panel discussion about the film at its Asbury Park premiere.
DAVID BOWIE: Reissues on the way for Record Store Day this year
Three David Bowie vinyl reissues are on tap for Record Store Day on April 21st.
Welcome to the Blackout (Live London ’78) is a three-LP set drawn from two shows that year. The "Let’s Dance" 12-inch features demo and live versions of the track. And the third release is the U.S. promo-only 1977 compilation Bowie Now, which has tracks from Low and Heroes.
The day before Record Store Day, a 45th anniversary reissue of 1973’s Aladdin Sane will be out on silver vinyl.
DONNA SUMMER: Husband previews upcoming bio-musical
Donna Summer's life and legacy is the basis for a stage musical. Her husband Bruce Sudano says it's "an inspiring story, a hopeful story, working through obstacles and winning." Summer: The Donna Summer Musical goes into previews later this month in New York.
He says, "We're not telling a fictional story, we're telling a very factual story. The show is not so much about showing the stardom; it's about showing the struggle within the stardom."
This wasn't the first attempt at a Donna Summer musical. Bruce says that he and Donna -- long before she became ill with cancer -- worked with a team, including Oscar-winning composer Al Kasha, on a show with mostly original tunes. The success of Jersey Boys changed that thinking. Longtime friends of Four Seasons co-founder Bob Gaudio, they saw the potential for a musical incorporating classic songs.
Summer draws on several key members of the Jersey Boys creative team, including Tony-winning director Des McAnuff. But there is a key difference in how they tell Donna's story.
Bruce Sudano talked about using different actresses -- LaChanze, Ariana DeBose and Storm Lever -- to play Donna at different points in her life:
"We have three Donna's -- it covers three time periods of her life. The young Donna is called Duckling; the middle Donna is called Disco and the more mature Donna is called Diva. I think it takes the pressure off of any one person to try to be Donna."
Smokey Robinson got some laughs at the expense of Lionel Richie when he was introduced by the Commodores founder at the Gentleman of the Year Awards in L.A. The Motown legend quipped, "Thank you, Smokey," and explained, "When people see him, they call him Smokey and when they see me, they call me Lionel. It's been going on forever."
Studio Time, a collection of outtakes by Bill Wyman and His Rhythm Kings, will be out in April. The tracks come from eight different recording sessions and include two from March 1987, before the band’s actual formation.
Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke’s daughter Lola -- who stars in the Amazon TV series Mozart in the Jungle -- has posted a video for “Monster,” a track from her upcoming debut album. In June, she’ll open a U.S. tour for the Australian band Middle Kids.
Rock Iconz statues of Axl Rose, Duff McKagan and Slash from Guns n' Roses will be released this summer. The limited edition figures stand about eight-and-a-half-inches tall.