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Promoters of a UK concert being held to honor the late, famed music producer Ahmet Ertegun have announced the lineup will feature a performance by the surviving original members of Led Zeppelin. Ertegun, who had founded Atlantic Records in 1947 had passed away last December at the age of 83. The concert will be held this coming November 26 at the O2 in London. The deceased John Bonham's son Jason Bonham will take his father's place on the drum riser just back of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. Ertegun had a thriving passion for jazz, soul and blues and had encouraged both Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones to incorporate a blues derived style in their material. Other rock luminaries announced as performers at the event include Pete Townshend, Bill Wyman and Foreigner. (September 13, 2007)
UPDATE: Due to Jimmy Page having undergone a minor injury, the concert has been postponed to December 10, 2007. Page had accidentally fractured his finger and decided it would be best to push back the concert date so as to give the injury some time to heal. In a statement to the media, Page said "Led Zeppelin have always set very high standards for ourselves, and we feel that this postponement will enable my injury to properly heal, and permit us to perform at the level that both the band and our fans have always been accustomed to.” It was announced that refunds will be available and that tickets bearing the original date will be honored on the postponed date.

It's almost old news by now, but we wanted to make sure it's official: Van Halen will be reuniting with original vocalist David Lee Roth for a tour of 50 dates across North America. This tour will mark the first time Van Halen and Roth have performed togther since 1985 when Roth had left the band for a solo career. With Roth's departure, Van Halen continued touring and performing, first bringing in Sammy Hagar as Roth's replacement. Former Extreme singer Gary Cherone had joined the band barely long enough to record one album before Hagar returned. After one reasonably successful album, Roth's solo career quickly went south. Jokes about the band's reunion with Roth have been recently flying around fast and thick. In a monologue last week, Conan O'Brien said Van Halen and Roth had actually wanted to reunite sooner, but it never happened until now because they weren't desperate enough. The sad part is that Conan's comedic insight on this might be a lot closer to the truth than what's typical for late-night humor. (August 12, 2007)
UPDATE: It's been confirmed that Eddie Van Halen's 16 year old son Wolfgang will be playing bass on the tour and likely on the next album as well. Former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony had already departed to pursue other activities - one of which is reportedly going on tour with none other than Sammy Hagar.

Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee is seemingly not too thrilled over a recent brush with reality - namely his involvement with two "reality TV" shows. Lee and the band are reported to be suing a manager who they claim self-servingly coerced Lee into participating in the shows for Lee's personal benefit at the expense of the band. The suit states that while Lee was involved in the production of Tommy Lee Goes to College and Rock Star: Supernova, the band's 2006 European tour was plagued with 40 cancellations and suffered an estimated $8 million loss in ticket and merchandising sales, all attributable to Lee's absence. The suit contends that both TV shows were ratings disasters and detrimental to Lee's music career. Besides co-managing the band, the manager named in the $20 million plus suit is also Lee's personal manager. (June 19, 2007)

ZZ Top has canceled their upcoming European tour to allow time for bassist Dusty Hill to undergo medical treatment for a growth in his inner ear. The benign growth has reportedly reached a size large enough to diminish Hill's hearing. The legendary Texas trio's European tour was originally scheduled to start June 15 and run into early July with a North American tour starting in mid July. (May 16, 2007)

The legendary executive music producer Ahmet Ertegun who had passed away last December was honored this week in New York at a tribute attended by scores of artists who's careers had been touched by his vision and guidance. As co-founder of the originally rhythm and blues oriented label Atlantic Records in 1947, Ertegun was at the forefront of overseeing early R&B's transition toward a "southern sound" and an eventual integration with rock'n'roll - something well reflected by his label's diverse roster of artists. Over the past half-century, Atlantic Records was either "home" to or affiliated with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Joe Turner, Wilson Pickett, Ray Charles, Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Led Zeppelin, Yes, AC/DC, Genesis, Phil Colins and The Rolling Stones. In addition to having received numerous music industry awards and honors, Ertegun was a co-founder of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Prior to his death on December 14, 2006, the 83 year old Ertegun had been in a coma for six weeks after sustaining head injuries resulting from a fall backstage at a concert celebrating former U.S. president Bill Clinton's 60th birthday. (April 22, 2007)

The long-time head of The Beatles' record label has stepped down. Sixty-four year old Liverpool native Neil Aspinall has quit as the top executive of London based Apple Corps. The company has already announced his successor as music industry executive Jeff Jones who will assume the title of CEO. Aspinall's relationship with the Beatles goes all the way back to the days when he was their driver. The relationship was so solid, he was often refereed to as "the fifth Beatle." Aspinall's management style was as cautious as it was conservative. He disdained titles and formalities. It was his strategy to not allow the re-issue of Beatle songs on multi-artist compilations. When the CD format arrived in the early eighties, he withheld re-issuing the Beatles catalog for several years until he could secure a preferential royalty rate. The lag also gave producer-engineer George Martin a good deal of time for completing his remastering work prior to the initial 1986 CD releases. Aspinall was originally an acquaintance of former Beatle Pete Best. After serving as their driver, the trainee accountant eventually became their road manager. When The Beatles started up Apple Records in 1968, Aspinall was their unanimous choice to head the new organization. His near forty year term in that post was testimony of Aspinall's great loyalty and sense of duty toward the surviving Beatles - Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr as well as the families of the late John Lennon and George Harrison. (April 11, 2007)

A careless office cleaner had allegedly sent cardboard boxes containing valuable early photographs of The Beatles off to a waste compactor where they were destroyed. According to a report in Britain's The Daily Telegraph, the incident occurred at the office of an EMI executive where several photos had been packed in readiness for a transfer to an EMI archive branch. In a legal writ filed against the outside-contracted cleaning firm Crystal Services, EMI claimed the boxes had been labeled with a hand-written note explaining that contents were "not rubbish" and were "not to be moved." Both of these claims were reportedly denied by the defendants. One of the photos from a 1963 session had been used on the cover of the Beatles' Please Please Me Album. It shows the fab-four in an indoor multi-story atrium setting, leaning slightly forward over a railing and looking downwards toward the camera. That famed photo along with a similar one taken by photographer Angus McBean had also been used on the covers of separate "red" and "blue" compilation albums released in 1973. EMI and Apple Records claim that a total of seven Beatle photos along with another 452 transparencies and negatives worth almost $1.5 million (US) were destroyed in the incident. The works of the now-deceased McBean had been on display at a special exhibition last year at Britain's National Portrait Gallery. (April 7, 2007)

Vocalist Brad Delp of the band Boston was found dead in his New Hampshire home yesterday. A spokesman for the Atkinson, N.H. police said the cause of death was still under investigation, but foul play was not suspected. The 55 year old singer has fronted numerous Boston classics including Foreplay/Longtime, More Than A Feeling and Don't Look Back. Delp was an original 1976 founding member of the legendary classic rock band which was the creative brainchild of guitarist Tom Scholz. Comments from Scholz and other band members were not yet available for this report. (March 10, 2007)
UPDATE: The family of Brad Delp has issued a formal public statement in which they claim Brad's death was a suicide. This statement was issued shortly after the publication of our original report.

Apple Inc. and Beatles affiliated Apple Corps. have reached an agreement that allows the renowned computer and iPod manufacturer to continue gracing it's products with the coveted "Apple" logo. The two companies had previously been locked in a protracted, two decade name dispute. A 1991 agreement had allowed Apple Inc. to use the "Apple" name and fruit logo provided they did not enter the music business. In the view of Apple Corps., that condition lapsed roughly a decade later when Apple Inc. began selling iPod targeted music downloads through their iTunes music store. In May of last year, a British court upheld the 1991 agreement, ruling that it had not been violated. An appeal had been filed. The newest settlement gives Apple Inc. legal ownership of all the "Apple" related trademarks. This allows the manufacturer to continue using the familiar name and logos on their music related products and services. Apple Inc. will in turn license specific trademarks back to Apple Corps. Each side agreed to cover their own legal costs. Further details and terms were not disclosed. Apple Inc. had recently dropped the term "computer" from their corporate name. (February 5, 2007)

It's been reported the Eagles are about to release their first album of all-new material in 28 years. Founding lead vocalist Don Henley, quoted in the Las Vegas Review Journal said "It's coming out in 60 to 90 days, if we don't kill each other first." The band had been in Las Vegas performing a private concert at one of that city's major venues. The Eagles had formed in the early seventies and capping off a considerably successful near-decade string of albums and singles, their last studio album of new material was 1979's The Long Run. Since their disbanding in 1982, Henley had enjoyed moderate success as a solo artist. In 1994 the band reformed for a tour. The line-up featured Henley, and legacy members Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, and Timothy Schmit. (January 31, 2007)

Famed early eighties trio The Police will reunite to perform at the 2007 Grammy® Award ceremony this February 11. Sting, Andy Summer and Stewart Copeland had dissolved the reggae inspired band in 1986 following a successful 4 year run. Sting is currently on tour in Europe promoting his latest album. (January 30, 2007)

Hold the phone on a published rumor that Tom Petty was planning to hang up his guitar sometime this year. An article in the July issue of Rolling Stone hinted the veteran rocker had planned to retire in 2007. Turns out this was as much of a surprise to Petty as it may have been to anyone else. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Petty denied having announced any retirement plans. He was quoted in a recently published Times article as saying "You never know how things are going to turn out, and I didn't see this year coming, but maybe next year will be even better." (January 2, 2007)

With the death of James Brown on Christmas Day, the end of 2006 marks the end of an era in popular music. The flamboyant singer and minister had passed away shortly after being admitted to an Atlanta Ga. hospital with congestive heart failure. At an age when most performers are either long retired or have drastically scaled back their schedules, the 73 year old Brown had showed no signs of slowing down right up to his death. Brown was in fact all set to embark on a multi-city tour in the months ahead. On December 28, Brown's body had arrived by horse-drawn carriage back where his career had began - New York city's famed Apollo Theater, where it would lie in state as thousands of fans filed by paying their respects. Brown is survived by four children with the status of a possible fifth child under a cloud of controversy. Brown's estate agents had disputed claims made by Tomi Rae Hynie, the child's mother, that she was in fact legally Brown's wife. The dispute arose out of Hynie's alleged incomplete documentation for the annulment of her previous marriage. A private remembrance ceremony was held today just outside of Augusta, Ga. with a larger public service set for tomorrow at Augusta's James Brown Arena. Brown's energetic performing style and signature "half-beat" rhythm made a lasting mark on four decades of gospel, soul, rock'n'roll and blues music. They remain a part of his legacy. (December 29,2006)

Former Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher has been awarded a 40% share in the musical copyright royalties from commercial sale and use of the group's 1967 hit song A Whiter Shade of Pale. Claiming he alone had composed the song's distinctive organ riff, Fisher had sued vocalist Gary Brooker over royalties that Booker and his publishing company had previously collected. Booker had always claimed to be the sole composer of the song's score. In documenting his decision, the presiding Judge wrote: "I have come to the view that Mr. Fisher's interest in the work should be reflected by according him a 40 per cent share of the musical copyright" Booker and lyric writer Keith Reid have stated they intend to appeal the decision. (December 21, 2006)

An academic who fought a quarter-century of endless government red-tape to obtain copies of the FBI's surveillance documents on John Lennon has finally prevailed in his quest. Historian Jon Wiener told the LA Times that while the papers yield new insight into Lennon's ties with various leftist/pacifist groups in London during the early 70s, there's no indication Lennon was ever considered a serious threat. The FBI had opposed the release of the documents on the grounds that doing so could result in diplomatic or economic sanctions against the U.S. by an unnamed foreign government that was said to have provided the original information under a mutual agreement of confidentiality. Some previously released files which Weiner had obtained in 1997 after wining a lawsuit against the government indicate the agency kept a close watch on Lennon's activities from 1971 to 1972. The report's remaining pages were later released from the tenacious grasp of Justice Department lawyers following a federal Judge's order in 2004. Mark Rosenbaum, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California said the documents portray "government paranoia at a pathological level." The ACLU had assisted Weiner with representation in the case. (December 20, 2006)

It has been announced that The Doors and the Grateful Dead will be presented with lifetime achievement awards at the 2007 Grammy® award ceremonies. (December 20, 2006)

Two past members of Procol Harum have appeared before a British magistrate seeking a decision as to how the copyright and royalty revenues from the top-ten 1967 song A Whiter Shade of Pale are to be divided among them. The legendary song has held up well over the decades and still evokes memories of the famous 1967 "summer of love" to many. Former organ player Matthew Fisher is suing vocalist Gary Brooker and his publishing company over the royalties Brooker has collected exclusively to date. Fisher, who left the band in 1969, claims to have composed both the organ melody as well as the distinctive 8-bar Hammond organ solo which his lawyer states were "crucial to the success of the song." Brooker's defense lawyers were skeptical of how long Fisher had waited before bringing his claim before the court, referring to the situation as "bizarre and obviously prejudicial." In his defense, Brooker claimed the organ parts were influenced by Johann Sebastian Bach's "Air on the G String" and "Sleepers Awake" and were composed by himself and lyricist Keith Reid before Fisher joined the band in March 1967. (November 14, 2006)

A foursome of Black Sabbath alumni have leapt ahead to the next stage in their musical careers with the formation of a new band: Heaven and Hell. Legendary metal rockers Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Ronnie James Dio are planning to take the new band on an international tour throughout 2007. As Sabbath "survivors," change is nothing new to these guys - Black Sabbath had undergone numerous personnel changes since it's formation in 1969 with Dio having replaced founding vocalist Ozzy Osbourne in the early eighties. The new band is said to have taken their name "Heaven and Hell" from Sabbath's 1980 song of the same name. Works for me! (October 28, 2006)

To a few acquaintances he had a seemingly loose grip on reality. To others he was simply a quiet neighbor who kept to himself while caringly tending to his garden. Yet to many others he was a creative genius with a vision for the ages. Such was the range of personas inhabited by Pink Floyd co-founder Syd Barrett before his death at the age of 60 on July 7, 2006. A statement from the band said "We were very upset and sad to learn of Syd Barrett's death. Syd was the guiding light of the early band lineup and leaves a legacy which continues to inspire." Barrett who's actual first name was Roger but preferred using "Syd" as an artist, had co-founded Pink Floyd in 1965 with fellow musicians Nick Mason, Roger Waters and Richard Wright. The band’s sophisticated sound and multi-faceted concert performance which made use of images and light found a strong following among the more progressive members of London's fledging psychedelic movement. Unfortunately, by the time the band’s first album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was released in 1967, Barrett’s increasingly frequent use of LSD was rapidly weakening his already fragile mental stability. He left Pink Floyd in 1968, a mere three years after the band’s formation. Over the following decades with the exception of releasing two little-known solo albums, Barrett had essentially withdrawn from his musical past and had settled down to a quiet domestic life in suburban Cambridge England. He shunned fan and media attention, preferring to occupy his time with activities like gardening, cycling or painting. Following Barrett's departure, Pink Floyd went on to record the legendary 1973 album Dark Side Of The Moon with new band member David Gilmour. It’s lyrics harbored many themes and references toward mental illness no doubt inspired by Barrett’s condition. To this day, that album is widely regarded by fans and critics alike as a benchmark masterpiece of progressive rock. A subsequent album, Wish You Were Here with it's hauntingly beautiful extended-length track "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" comprised yet an even more poignant tribute to Barrett. The band’s recurring thematic exploration of mental illness surfaced yet again on 1979’s The Wall. Although Barrett was known to have Diabetes, the exact cause of his death has not yet been officially released. (July 11, 2006)

Seventies-era keyboard and vocal musician Billy Preston who had played and recorded with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones has died at the age of 59. Preston’s health had been deteriorating following chronic liver failure in 2002. He had been in a coma since last November while residing in a specialized Arizona care facility. The Texas born Preston had become a close friend of the late George Harrison who eventually invited him to play with The Beatles at the Let It Be sessions held at a London film studio in early 1969. The Beatles had later affirmed that Preston’s presence within the session's tense atmosphere helped maintain an air of civility during a time when their inter-personal feuds were threatening the music/film project if not signaling their finish as a band. Preston’s solo career took-off after winning a best instrumental Grammy for his 1973 instrumental Outta Space. He had already penned Joe Cocker’s iconic You Are So Beautiful and later made a national TV appearance as a guest musician on the debut 1975 Saturday Night Live show. He performed at George Harrison's The Concert for Bangladesh and almost three decades later at the Concert for George, a tribute following Harrison’s 2001 death from cancer. He ultimately played keyboards on several solo records released by ex-Beatles Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon. Other Preston session credits included Aretha Franklin's Young, Gifted and Black, Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks and Sly and The Family Stone's There's a Riot Goin' On. He also toured and recorded with the Rolling Stones, playing on legendary albums such as Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street. He eventually suspended his relationship with the ‘Stones in the mid-seventies following a dispute over song composition credits. In spite of that, he returned two decades later to play on the 1997 Bridges to Babylon album. This era also had it’s troubled side as several of Billy Preston’s personal problems led to run-ins with the law. In 1992, he was ordered to spend nine months at a drug rehab center following no-contest pleas to cocaine and assault charges. In 1997, he was sentenced to three years in prison for violating his original probation. The following year he had pleaded guilty to insurance fraud and agreed to testify against other defendants connected with an alleged $1 million scam. We remember Billy Preston for his soulful keyboard artistry and his affectingly cheerful, upbeat vocal style. (June 6, 2006)

It's ironic that Paul McCartney and future ex-wife Heather Mills are publicly blaming the media for their breakup. It seems that it was only a few months ago (come to think of it, it was) when they were enthusiastically posing with a forlorn looking seal pup in front of a gaggle of media reporters and lenses while protesting the annual Canadian Maritime seal hunt. Like many celebrities, Sir Paul and Ms. Mills sought "fair weather" media coverage with lots of reporting on the good, charitable things they do and nary a word about nastier personal stuff such as how McCartney’s children by his first wife Linda Eastman reportedly refuse to speak to or generally not involve themselves with Mills. Linda died of cancer in 1998. McCartney and Mills married four years later in 2002. The lesson here is that short of owning your own outlet and publishing your own stories, you simply can't have and don't get it both ways. Others are already speculating about hidden motives on part of both Paul and Heather. Meanwhile, we doubt that very many in the media are shedding huge tears of guilt over their supposed part in this. (May 26, 2006)

Keith Richards is reported to have suffered undisclosed injuries after accidentally falling from a palm tree while vacationing with his wife at an exclusive South-Pacific island resort. A spokesman for Suva Private Hospital in Fiji's capital city later verified the 62 year old Rolling Stones guitarist had been admitted to that hospital but provided no further details. It was reported later that Richards had been transferred to a hospital in Auckland New Zealand. We wish Keith a speedy recovery and will relegate speculating just what he was doing up a palm tree to a future topic! No official statement has yet been released with regards to what effect Richard's alleged injuries will have on the Stones' Bigger Bang World Tour. The tour's last scheduled stop prior to the incident was in Wellington New Zealand on April 18. (May 1, 2006)

It's the battle of the Apples. A nice shiny green, 3D looking specimen versus a sleek iconic graphic with a small bite (byte?) taken out of it. Symbolism aside, the real battle is between the legendary Apple Corps founded by The Beatles in 1968 and California based Apple Computer Inc. In 1991 the two "Apples" came to an agreement brought on by the similarity of their names - with the outcome being essentially that Apple Computer agreed to not get involved in the music business. Of course, anyone who's even slightly up to speed on the pop-culture of the last five years knows that today's Apple Computer organization is very much involved in the music business. Apple Corps had claimed that Apple Computer violated the 1991 agreement by starting their iTunes on-line digital music download store. By the time you're reading this, a hearing will have been held in a London courtroom, where the two sides will begin arguing their respective cases before judge Martin Mann. By the way, the judge has already admitted that he owns an Apple iPod player. Although many songs are available for the good judge to download, Beatles songs are not to be found among them. Apple Records has not yet licensed The Beatles music catalog for purchase by digital download. (Mar 28, 2006)

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The reports and commentary on this page are based on reports from a variety of on-line and print media resources. In rare cases where direct quotes are used, the editor will endeavor to name the original source that reported the quote.