http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html 60 Classic Rock music news and commentary MFAC 2004-2005 Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:37:55 -0600 Super Simple RSS editor*AT*rocknrollzone*DOT*com http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html The classic rock, folk and roots music universe has lost an iconic performer. Levon Helm, legendary drummer and vocalist for The Band has passed away. For the last several days, the ailing 71 year old's family had been holding a bedside vigil until he finally succumbed to the throat cancer he had began battling as far back as 1998. Helm was born to an Arkansas farming family in 1940 and became interested in music at a young age. He later joined fellow Arkansas native Ronnie Hawkin's band The Hawks as a drummer. In the early sixties, Hawkins relocated his band to Canada, where a change of personnel took place with Canadians Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel taking over the lead guitar, bass and keyboard roles with Helm alone remaining from the previous U.S. lineup. In 1965, after the band and Hawkins had parted ways, Bob Dylan recruited them as back up for his first "electric guitar" tour. Helm was dismayed by the hostile reaction the band received from fans accustomed to Dylan's former acoustic guitar sound and retreated back to Arkansas to rethink his future. In 1968 while Dylan was recuperating from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident, Helm rejoined his former band mates to form "The Band." Over the succeeding years, the five musicians amassed a critically acclaimed body of work that although undeniably rock, was highly steeped in folk and Americana. Their most well known songs include Up On Cripple Creek, Stage Fright, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down and The Weight. The band had eventually decided to stop touring, and to mark the occasion, in 1976 staged an invitation-only concert dubbed The Last Waltz. Robertson brought in his friend Martin Scorsese to film a documentary of the event. In 1983, after making a few solo albums, Helm rejoined everyone except Robertson who was off trying his hand at motion picture acting. Helm himself was to later do some acting in movies such as The Right Stuff and Coal Miner's Daughter. Two years after the tragic suicidal death of keyboardist Richard Manuel in 1986, The Band, again without Robertson, released what was to be their final album. Helm spent the following years appearing at numerous musical events such as regional folk festivals, but in spite of a 1998 throat cancer diagnosis, wasn't yet finished with recording. He received separate Grammys for two of his later solo albums: 2007's Dirt Farmer and 2009's Electric Dirt. Rolling Stone magazine had earlier accorded him a spot on their "100 greatest singers of all time" list. Helm is survived by his wife Amy and daughter Sandy, who had performed as a backing singer in his last band. (April 19, 2012) Friday,April 20,2012 11:37 http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html Dick Clark, host of the long running U.S. TV show American Bandstand has died after suffering a heart attack. The 82 year old had been admitted to a Santa Monica CA hospital the previous evening for a reportedly routine outpatient medical procedure. Bandstand's roughly thirty year run, which had began in 1957, made Clark a very ubiquitous TV personality. However, the show was not without it's critics. They denounced it's blatant "cleansing" of rock'n'roll's original rhythm and blues character and saw this as a vain attempt to increase mainstream acceptance and marketability in view of the culturally-conservative parents of the genre's rapidly growing teen-age audience. The result was a blander non-rock "pop" sound which was, none the less, a highly successful catalyst that propelled many bands up to the top of the charts. Controversy arose in 1959 when Clark was investigated for having partial copyright ownership in many of the songs he promoted on his show. Although he was later found to have not acted unlawfully, he chose to divest his outside music business interests and concentrate strictly on Bandstand. More recently, Clark had hosted ABC's "Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve" and had a hand in producing an updated version of his original show which had initially been pitched to several networks in 2004. After some revisions, the show, So You Think You Can Dance was eventually picked up by the FOX network. (April 17, 2012) Wednesday,April 18,2012 18:06 http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html Doobie Brothers drummer Mike Hossack has passed away from cancer at the age of 65. According to his friend and fellow Doobie, Pat Simmons, Hossack had been battling the disease over the last few years. The New Jersey native began playing drums at the age of 12. In early adulthood he joined the U.S. navy and served in Vietnam. Upon returning stateside, his plans to enter a career in law enforcement were averted when he joined a band called Mourning Reign. It wasn't long until he was invited to join a new band from northern California which evolved into the Doobie Brothers. In the early seventies, his talent in the studio was a major force in the sound of several now legendary Doobie songs such as China Grove, Listen To The Music and Long Train Running. In 1973 he left the band to form another group, Bonaroo as well as to pursue some private business interests, including a partnership in a recording studio. He rejoined the Doobies in 1987, initially playing on tour and later back in the studio for the albums Cycles, Brotherhood and the more recent World's Gone Crazy. According to his manager, Mike Hossack died peacefully at his Wyoming home. He is survived by a son and daughter. (March 13, 2012) Tuesday,March 13,2012 17:23 http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html Made-for-TV band The Monkees member Davy Jones has reportedly died of a heat attack at his Florida home. The 66 year old Manchester England native had embarked on an acting career as a child, appearing in British soap operas as well as the London stage production of Oliver! That role eventually landed him "across the pond" in a New York production of the show. In the course of a 1964 promotional cast appearance on the famed Ed Sullivan show, Jones was reportedly mesmerized while he watched off-stage as The Beatles made their first U.S. TV appearance. The experience left Jones determined to move into popular music performance, eventually signing a contract with Screen Gems Pictures and being cast to play a member of a fictional Beatles-like band called "The Monkees." He was joined by Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork. The four quickly found fame as stars of the self-named "Monkees" TV show, but rapidly evolved beyond acting into popular musicians of their own right. Between 1965 and 1969, the group had several top-ten pop chart hits including Daydream Believer, I'm Not Your Stepping Stone and Last Train To Clarksville. In later years, Jones had participated in some of the band's reunion engagements - one of which was as recently as this past summer, as well as occasionally reprising his former Monkees character in guest-appearance roles on various TV shows. He is survived by his wife and four daughters. (Feb 29, 2012) Wednesday,February 29,2012 17:48 http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has been diagnosed with lymphoid cancer. A message posted on the band's Facebook page read "With the news that Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi has been diagnosed with the early stages of lymphoma, his band mates would like everyone to send positive vibes to the guitarist at this time. Iommi is currently working with his doctors to establish the best treatment plan -- the 'IRON MAN' of Rock & Roll remains upbeat and determined to make a full and successful recovery. This comes as Black Sabbath Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) are writing and recording their first album in 33 years in Los Angeles (still set for release this fall) with producer Rick Rubin. They will now go to the UK to continue to work with Tony. Further information will be released as it becomes available." The band had announced a reunion, new album and upcoming world tour in November 2011. (January 10, 2012) Tuesday,January 10,2012 17:08 http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html The highly regarded alt-rock band REM is about to be no more. An announcement posted on the band's website states: "...as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening." The band, consisting of lead vocalist Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry had formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980. While performing on a European tour in 1995, Berry had suffered a cerebral aneurysm, the complications from which had led to his departure from the band in 1997. Even though commonly regarded as an eighties band, REM had experienced most of it's musical success in the nineties decade. The band is best known today for songs such as The One I Love, It's the End of the World as We Know It, Stand, Losing My Religion, Shiny Happy People, What's the Frequency, Kenneth? and Man on the Moon. (September 21, 2011) Wednesday,September 21,2011 18:11 http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html Former lead singer Jani Lane, of the band Warrant has been found dead in a Los Angeles hotel room. Although the L.A. coroner had not released any determination of a cause of death, Lane's ongoing battle with alcohol addiction was well known to his family, acquaintances and colleagues. His manager had indicated the death was alcohol related. Warrant was front and center in the "hair" metal scene that began evolving in the late eighties. Their early nineties song Cherry Pie, written by Lane and promoted by an provocative accompanying music video, had sold over 2 million copies. The model who had performed in the video was in fact Lane's first wife, Bobbie Brown. In 2003, Lane had released a solo album titled Back Down To One, but still played with Warrant on an irregular basis. With his first two marriages having ended in divorce, Jani Lane is survived by a brother, three sisters, his wife Kimberly, two daughters - one each from the two initial marriages and two stepdaughters. (August 14, 2011) Sunday,August 14,2011 15:29 http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html One of the rock era's most recognizable and renowned musicians has died. Saxophonist Clarence Clemons who although in recent years had often performed solo, was best known for his role as a founding member of Bruce Springsteen's legendary E-Street Band. The towering Clemons, nicknamed "big man" by Springsteen and his band mates, had been hospitalized after suffering a stroke at his Florida home six days earlier. Springsteen had posted a tributary message on his website saying "...His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly forty years..." Clemons had last performed with the E-Street band late last year and had recently collaborated with the chart-topping contemporary artist Lady Ga-Ga. He often told others how as a youngster he originally had his heart set on a career in athletics - preferably football, but that became destined to change due to injuries he had sustained in a car accident many years after his father gave him a saxophone for a gift. In 1972, after a period of playing solo at various gigs around New Jersey, Clemons was eventually invited by an appreciative Springsteen to join a new band he was putting together. The E-Street band was born and became increasingly thrust into the era's rock music limelight with the release of albums such as Greetings From Asbury Park and the chart-dominating, critically acclaimed 1976 classic Born To Run. Far beyond being a typical instrumental backdrop, Clemons' masterful backing and solo passages thoroughly electrified songs such as Badlands, Jungleland and Born To Run. The passing of the 69 year old Clemons had been preceded by E-Street band keyboardist and long-time Springsteen acompaniast Danny Federici who had died of cancer in 2008. (June 19, 2011) Sunday,June 19,2011 15:25 http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html Joan Jett and Cherie Currie of The Runaways are taking joint legal action to stop the release of a forthcoming tribute album. The ironically named Take It or Leave It has 36 tracks featuring renditions of Runaways classics recorded by several contemporary bands. The album is scheduled for release at the end of this month. Jett and Currie claim the album project's imaging goes too far in it's use of their likenesses and names for marketing purposes. As it turns out, Jett is no stranger to being in court. The band's former bassist Jacqueline Fuchs having begun a new career as a lawyer, had objected to being portrayed in the 2010 movie The Runaways and wanted the film's production stopped. A compromise of sorts had eventually been reached with Jett and her producers relegating that particular character's role largely to the story line's background. The movie was doubtlessly responsible for a steep rise in the band's profile and marketability - something that Jett and Currie likely contend the producers of the tribute album are only too keenly aware of. (June 13, 2011) Monday,June 13,2011 18:05 http://www.rocknrollzone.com/plugged.html As classic rockers Judas Priest prepare to embark on what's been labeled their "final" tour, the band's guitarist K.K. Downing has stepped down and reportedly will not be taking part. A statement posted on the band's website read "It is with regret that Judas Priest announce that K.K. Downing has formally retired from the band and will therefore not be joining them on their forthcoming Epitaph Tour. The band respects his decision and naturally all wish him well." Faced with the sudden departure, remaining band members singer Rob Halford, guitarist Glenn Tipton, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis mutually decided to continue with the tour. UK guitarist Richie Faulkner has been recruited to take Downing's place. (April 22, 2011) Friday,April 22,2011 10:50