FLEETWOOD MAC: Did Lindsey Buckingham quit or was he fired?
While we wait to hear from Lindsey Buckingham as to whether he quit or was fired from Fleetwood Mac, one of his two replacements, Neil Finn from Crowded House, has commented on his new job.
He says, "Two weeks ago I received a wonderful invitation to be a part of a truly great band. A few days later I was standing in a room playing music with Fleetwood Mac. It felt fresh and exciting, so many great songs, a spectacular rhythm section and two of the greatest voices ever. Best of all, we sounded good together. It was a natural fit. I can’t wait to play."
Just last month, Finn performed at a benefit on Maui and was joined by Mick Fleetwood on Crowded House's "Don't Dream it's Over."
Finn will handle Buckingham's vocals on the band's tour later this year while the other new member, Mike Campbell from Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, will cover the guitar parts.
Meanwhile, fans are chiming in regarding this latest drama in the Mac family. Among the comments:
- "No Lindsey equals no Fleetwood Mac. Is the guy from the Heartbreakers going to sing 'Never Going Back Again'? Give me a break. A bunch of 70 year olds acting like children."
- "Without Lindsey, the band is mediocre at best. Terrible move ... I’m gonna keep my money in my pocket."
- "'Firing' Buckingham is a terrible move. Your ticket sales are going to suffer tremendously."
- "I didn't manage to get tickets for the last tour and was desperate to see the Rumours line-up just once..."
- "No Lindsey? I hope it’s not due to irreconcilable differences. Won’t be the same without him. He has that unmistakable voice. I’m truly disappointed."
- "It’s not Fleetwood Mac anymore without Lindsey. Shame on you rest of the band... See when your gigs are half full."
- "Nothing against the newbies coming in, especially Mike Campbell from TP & the Heartbreakers, but they don't belong here."
- "After all you've been through you couldn't work out your differences for the sake of your fans? This is BS."
- "Waited for years for Christine McVie to return and it was worth every penny. This news: I just saved $500 so I guess that makes up for it. Thanks for the memories."
- "I have no idea what went down but seriously. Was whatever it was worth going out on this sort of note? You can't put it aside and be grown up enough to say lets just do this one more time before our time here is done?"
RICK SPRINGFIELD: Being honored for his activism
Rick Springfield will be honored later this month for his activism in raising awareness of mental-health issues.
The singer-actor, who has long battled depression, will receive the 2018 Beatrice Stern Media Award from Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services on April 26th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in L.A.
He tells Mount Pleasant, Michigan's Morning Sun, "It’s not something I sought... In the music business, accolades provide milestones and markers along the way to gauge one’s career. But this type of award draws attention to serious issues like depression. When I’m down, it inspires me to read about other people who have dealt with it and survived. So if I can provide that for someone else, I’m glad to talk about it."
The Hirsch organization, whose mission is to erase the stigma of mental illness, has previously honored Quincy Jones, Rosalynn Carter, Dustin Hoffman, Annette Bening, Carrie Fisher, Terry Bradshaw, Ronda Rousey, Melissa Rivers and Judy Collins.
THE BEATLES: Hand-written "Hey Jude" lyrics up for sale
Talk about perfect timing. With The Beatles' classic "Hey Jude" marking its 50th anniversary this year, Paul McCartney's hand-written lyrics for the song are up for sale.
The price: $375,000 from Los Angeles-based Moments in Time. This historic piece of paper is said to be the one John Lennon taped to his microphone stand during a video recording -- but not the one Americans saw on The Smothers Brothers TV show in October 1968. (New York Post)
THE PRETENDERS: Documentary coming on Chrissie Hynde
A BBC documentary that follows Chrissie Hynde around the globe comes to home video on April 25th.
Alone With Chrissie Hynde tracks The Pretenders' mainstay in Paris, London, New York, Nashville and her hometown of Akron, Ohio. She discusses her passion for music, painting and social issues. Unlike in many profiles of famous people, Hynde does the talking -- we'll be spared the typical parade of industry insiders.
Cameras capture sessions while the Alone album was recorded in Nashville, along with performance clips from the CD, as well as archival footage of classic tracks such as "Brass in Pocket" and "Back on the Chain Gang." As a bonus, there's a 1981 concert performance by The Pretenders' original lineup taped by German TV.