MOODY BLUES: Heart's Ann Wilson will induct them into the Rock Hall
It's being reported that Ann Wilson will be inducting The Moody Blues into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 14th in Cleveland after she let it slip during an interview in Standing Room Only.
Ann is a member of the Hall, inducted with Heart in 2013. Howard Stern already announced that he is inducting Bon Jovi. (We will continue keep our promise not to reveal the folks inducting Dire Straits, The Cars, Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe until the Hall is ready to do so.)
In other Moody Blues news, last Friday they released their live film and recording from July 2017 in Toronto of their iconic album, Days of Future Passed.
Promoters had been after the band to do that album in its entirety for many years. But the charts for the orchestra had long since disappeared and it wasn't until 2015 that they decided they could put the wheels in motion after singer and guitarist Justin Hayward met conductor Elliot Davis.
In addition to all of Days of Future Passed, the album also includes such Moodies staples as "I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band),” “Isn’t Life Strange,” “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere,” “Question,” “Ride My See-Saw” "The Voice," "Your Wildest Dreams," "The Story in Your Eyes" and many others.
ALICE COOPER: Set to play King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar
When it came time to cast the role of King Herod, the evil ruler of the Jews in NBC's live production of Jesus Christ Superstar, it wasn't a stretch for the producers to turn to Alice Cooper. After all, he fights and kills people nightly in his stage show, which is why he tells Rolling Stone he wasn't surprised.
"When this opportunity came across, they said, 'Hey, why don't you be in Jesus Christ Superstar?' And I said, 'I'm either Judas or Herod, right?' And they said, 'Herod.' I said, 'OK, I knew that was coming.' ... I look at it purely as a piece of art, and it's directly out of the Bible. I might have a harder time playing Judas than I would playing Herod. It would be hard to play the guy that stabs [Jesus] in the back."
In 1996, Cooper recorded a version of "King Herod's Song" for a London cast recording of the Andrew Lloyd Webber production, though he didn't play the role onstage.
On Sunday night's telecast, John Legend plays Jesus and Sara Bareilles is Mary Magdalene.
ROBBIE DUPREE: "Steal Away" star has new music on the way
Robbie Dupree has a new single out this week.
The Brooklyn, New York native who broke through with 1980's Doobie-esque "Steal Away" is back with "Ordinary Day." He says it's more serious and thoughtful.
"It's called 'Ordinary Day,' I think it's kind of typical Robbie Dupree music, a little deeper topic and it's a little longer than the usual single. Somebody called it a streetcorner symphony. It's about seven and a half minutes long. And it deals with let's say, the apathy that exists in the political and human condition."
Robbie Dupree says his 1980 hits "Steal Away" and "Hot Rod Hearts" were good time music. But the world is a different place today:
"That was in the good times [laughs], we're not in the good times right now. 1980 is a lifetime ago. Those early records, they were more about pop and lightweight love songs and all of that. When I began recording again, a bit older, a bit wiser and I think that the mature music came out of me from that point forward. Nobody wants to hear me singing about girls and cars anymore."
VAN MORRISON: Music legend is single again
Van Morrison is a pretty private person, seldom granting interviews. But he's opened up about the failure of his second marriage.
He writes on his website, "Last week, in Dublin, I was granted a divorce. At my age, I have found it to be a hugely wearying, protracted experience, and I’m relieved that it has finally reached a conclusion. I’d like to thank my family and close friends for providing respite from the storm over the past eight years. You know who you are and I’m eternally grateful."
Morrison and Irish socialite Michelle Rocca met in 1992. They have two children -- a daughter born in 2006 and a son in 2007.
Morrison, who is 72, was recently did some recording with Robbie Robertson in Los Angeles. A source close to Robertson tells us, "Not sure where it will end up yet." Robertson is working on a new album.
Elton John spent his 71st birthday Sunday in Rome, Italy, vacationing with husband David Furnish and their sons Zachary and Elijah. A proud Elton posted an Instagram photo of the hand-drawn cards the kids made for his him.
Steven Tyler, who turned 70 on Monday, performed at the Concert for Our Lives on Maui Saturday night. The show, organized by kids advocating for safer schools and an end to gun violence, also featured Mick Fleetwood, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Jack Johnson.
That one-of-a-kind seven-foot image of Bruce Springsteen made of broken records sold on eBay on Monday for $7700. The money goes to Connecting to Cure Crohn's and Colitis.
Facebook accounts belonging to Pete Townshend and The Who were hacked Monday afternoon. The band’s management says if you “received bogus posts claiming to come from us, please ignore and accept our apologies.”
After seeing a tweet arguing that Stevie Nicks was a lot like Bob Dylan in that her “strength was her writing rather than her singing,” David Crosby said putting her in a sentence with Dylan was “illegal, immoral and fattening.” He added that the tweeter will “have an unwilling sex change if [they] do it again.” Crosby also said that while Stevie can sing, there are “many women who sing rings around her...many.”
Fans attending the Eddie Money show on May 12th in Boca Raton, Florida are urged to bring unopened bags or cans of dog food, toys, or bedding to benefit Big Dog Ranch Rescue of Palm Beach and the Tri County Humane Society.
Brian May took part in a protest Monday in London asking the government to stop all fur sales in the U.K. “No excuse for this disgusting cruelty anymore.”
A four-hour mini-series about Olivia Newton-John, titled Olivia: Hopelessly Devoted to You, will debut next month on Australian TV. Delta Goodrem, whose biggest U.S. success was the duet "I'm Not Ready" with Michael Bolton, plays Olivia. Coincidentally, Goodrem is also a cancer survivor.
Frankie Valli has some spring dates on the books. He performs at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in his native Newark April 5th and 6th, Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut April 14th, right down the road in Austin on May 10th and Welch, Minnesota May 27th.