VVN Music

Watch: Roger Waters Announces His Final Wall Show

2012-05-25T01:34:00.000-04:00

Roger Waters has been on the road touring with The Wall for almost two years and has made it clear that, when this tour ends, it will be the last of his performing days.

The original tour was set to end in Philadelphia, PA on July 14 but, in the following video, Waters announces one last HUGE show in Quebec City, Canada on July 21. Plans are to build the largest Wall ever at over 800 feet wide.

Will this really be the end of Waters' music career? We doubt it as he has recently said he still has the "fire in his belly." He may never tour again on this massive scale, but it's a good bet that we'll see or hear him again in some capacity in the future.

Eric Burdon to Release New Album in September

2012-05-25T01:09:00.000-04:00

Til Your River Runs Dry is the new album from Eric Burdon, set for release this September.

Eric recorded the album in New Orleans across 2010 with further work done in California in 2011.

“I started feeling that I needed to use this album as a catharsis, to express my own truth,” Eric said in a statement. “It took longer than any other album, not because of time spent in the studio, but because of the subject matter of the songs I wanted to put out there,” Eric explains. The result is a deeply intimate, honest self-portrait as well as unsparing look at religion, politics and the environment. “During the making of this record, we lost Bo Diddley, one of my greatest influences. There were many things I would have said to him, if I’d realized that his time was limited.”

Eric is listed by Rolling Stone as one of the 100 Greatest Voices of All Time. Bruce Springsteen paid homage to Eric at SXSW this year. Eric joined Bruce and the E Street Band on stage in Austin to perform We Gotta Get Out Of This Place.

Til Your River Runs Dry will be released through ABKCO on September 18.

The first single is Memorial Day. Listen to it here.

Flaming Lips to Try and Break Jay-Z's Record For Most Concerts in One Day

2012-05-25T00:28:00.001-04:00

The Flaming Lips have done some pretty wacky things throughout their career but this time they've set a goal that will take a lot of hard work. The Wayne Coyne fronted group is looking to break the record for the most concerts in one day.

On June 27, the group has scheduled eight concerts in one day in eight different cities in the south. If successful, they will break the record held by Jay-Z who played in seven cities in one day back in 2006.

Wayne Coyne said in a press release:

Like when the Sex Pistols did their one and only American tour, the weird mid-south (Memphis to New Orleans), has something very absurd about it when contrasted with radical visionary musicians. … Elvis and Jazz were at one time radical, but are now mainstream tourist attractions. … I don’t remember if I was asked or if I volunteered. … But, I’ve accepted the job of, not DRIVING, but commandeering the Magical Mystery Merry Prankster bus. … I’ve accepted the attempt at breaking the world record of performing 8 shows in 24 hours. And I’ve explained to the music freaks at MTV, VH1 and CMT that I am not a host. … But, I always liked the way Jerry Lewis would get all sweaty toward the end of his yearly telethon. … To play and sing Flaming Lips songs at 8:00 in the morning… Well… I’m open to new experiences…

Look for MTV to stream the shows live.

Watch: Official Video for Bruce Springsteen's Rocky Ground

2012-05-24T23:32:00.000-04:00

Bruce Springsteen has released the video for Rocky Ground, one of the best songs from his recent album Wrecking Ball. There's no actual Springsteen in the video but, instead, a series of hands writing out the lyrics for the song superimposed over (mostly) black and white images of the downtrodden in stark cityscapes.

Review and Set List: Thin Lizzy & Guns N' Roses @ Echo Arena, Liverpool, England

2012-05-24T22:04:00.000-04:00

by Rich Denton

With a stonking hangover courtesy of the Sound City finale, Jo and Jamie head to the Echo Arena to finish off a fantastic weekend of live music in Liverpool, with Guns N' Roses. Would Axl turn up on time? Would he turn up at all?

As we arrive, Thin Lizzy were doing a fine job of motivating the crowd of 'older' rockers urging everyone to stand up; "Rock and Roll is not meant to be comfortable". Classics such as Whiskey in the Jar and The Boys are Back in Town provide the highlights of their set, like a trip down memory lane viewed through an iPhone screen! Lead singer Ricky Warwick competently fills the shoes of the late Phil Lynott with his excellent vocals, although the hair, leather pants, scissor stance and self-indulgent guitar solos do seem a bit cliché nowadays. Quote of the day comes courtesy of a young steward, who when asked if Thin Lizzy had started, replied, "No, I don't think she's on yet!" Awww, bless!

It's been 19 years to the week since I last saw Guns N' Roses at Milton Keynes Bowl and I was apprehensive about what to expect from Axl Rose and co. Axl leads his new band to the stage at 11pm after keeping the growingly impatient crowd waiting, who were united in a chorus of pantomime boos. Maybe all we need is just a little "Patience"!

Surprisingly, Axl's still got it, looking and sounding on fine form as the crowd (and reviewer) go mad for Welcome to the Jungle. Just as we were getting into it, Axl stops the show and threatens to go home because of people throwing "S**t" (actually Axl, it was probably p**s!). He restarts the show, complete with pyrotechnics even louder than the guitars, launching into So Easy and Mr Brownstone and sending the mosh pit into a frenzy. A self-initiated prompt of 'Guns N' Roses' chanting provides a suitable interlude to display the talents of Richard Fortus and DJ Ashba on guitar and Dizzy Reed on piano.

The mix of classic GNR hits interlaced with instrumental jams became the theme for the rest of the gig but the crowd were much more appreciative of the former. With a nod to the Who and Pink Floyd, this is turning out to be a showcase of the best of 80's rock, which judging by the exodus of a number of bemused people, was probably a bit tedious for anyone other than the hardened fans. The audience soon pick up for Live and Let Die and You Could Be Mine proving Axl is the star of the show, however, Slash's presence was missed for the classic guitar intro for Sweet Child O' Mine, which was only one duff note from perfect.

Despite the late start, GNR deliver a mammoth 3 hour set delivering all the classics and much much much more. Winding to a close with Night Train (which I have now missed thanks Axl!) they finally finish at 2am with Paradise City (well, at least I think they did...in truth, the late hour, worsening hangover and lack of stamina has got the better of me and I head home before the end; something I wouldn't have dreamed of first time around!).

So, if you're thinking of seeing Guns N' Roses, take food and supplies; it may be a long night! More endurance than performance? Maybe, but I'm still a fan.

The set list:

Thin Lizzy

Are You Ready
Jailbreak
Don't Believe a Word
Killer on the Loose
Waiting on an Alibi
Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me In Its Spotlight)
Still in Love With You
Whiskey in the Jar
Suicide
Emerald
Rosalie
Black Rose
Cowboy Song
The Boys Are Back in Town

Guns N' Roses

Main Set

Chinese Democracy
Welcome to the Jungle
It's So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Sorry
Rocket Queen
Estranged
Richard Fortus Guitar Solo
Instrumental Jam
Live and Let Die
This is Love
Motivation
Dizzy Reed Piano Solo
Street of Dreams
You Could Be Mine
D.J. Ashba Guitar Solo
Sweet Child O' Mine
Instrumental Jam
Axl Rose Piano Solo
November Rain
Glad to Be Here
Don't Cry
Civil War
Better
Knockin' on Heavens Door
Nightrain

Encore

Instrumental Jam
Madagascar
Whole Lotta Rosie
Instrumental Jam
Patience
Instrumental Jam
Paradise City

Bobby Womack Declared Cancer Free

2012-05-24T21:49:00.000-04:00

With all the bad news that has been occurring this year, it is great to hear that Bobby Womack has been declared free of cancer.

The R&B great and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member had announced he was suffering from cancer back in March. At the time, Womack had been in the hospital suffering from pneumonia when the colon cancer was discovered and diagnosed as 1st stage, indicating that it was very localized.

Today, the following announcement was made on Womack's Facebook page:

We're delighted to announce that Bobby Womack has successfully undergone surgery for suspected colon cancer. A tumour was removed last night which turned out to be cancer free. We wish him all the best in his recovery from the operation. Thank you for all your kind messages and support.

Womack's new album, The Bravest Man in the Universe, will be released on June 12.

Lionel Richie's Tuskeegee Now the Second Biggest Selling Album of 2012

2012-05-24T19:03:00.000-04:00

Almost five months of 2012 are in the books and, as expected, Adele's album 21 is the top selling album (as it was in 2011) with sales, so far, of 3.3 million copies. The big surprise is the album at number 2.

Lionel Richie's country duets album of some of his greatest hits, Tuskegee, is the second biggest selling album of the year, moving 789,000 copies. For an artist who seemed to be on every fifth record played on the radio in the early-80's, it's a triumphant comeback. His last album, 2009's Just Go, peaked at number 26 and has sold only 95,000 copies to-date. His two previous albums, 2004's Just For You and 2006's Coming Home, shifted a total of 207,000 and 449,000 respectively. As pointed out by Billboard, that means that Tuskegee has sold more copies then Richie's last three albums combined.

The album in third place is also a bit of a surprise, but it got there for a totally different reason. Whitney Houston's Greatest Hits has sold 784,000 so far this year, the vast majority since her passing on February 11.

Preview: Music From Another Dimension - Aerosmith

2012-05-24T17:58:00.000-04:00

Artist: Aerosmith
Title: Music From Another Dimension
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Label: Columbia
Format(s): CD, DD

For the first time in eleven years, Aerosmith will release an album of original material with Music From Another Dimension. The set will be out on Columbia on August 28.

The album is produced by Jack Douglas who previously helmed their albums Toys in the Attic, Rocks and Honkin' on Bobo, and is said to be more of a throwback to their 70's sound versus the more slickly produced material from over the last couple of decades.

Joe Perry told Billboard, "This record is different from the recent past, say the last 20 years, where everybody is getting in the studio and throwing down their songs. This record is a lot more band-written stuff than there has been in the recent past."

The group performed the first single, Legendary Child, last night on American Idol.

Aerosmith's last album of original material was 2001's Just Push Play. They also released the blues cover album Honkin' on Bobo in 2004.

Track List:

What Could Have Been Love
Beautiful
Street Jesus
Legendary Child
Oh Yeah
We All Fall Down
Another Last Goodbye
Out Go the Lights
Love Three Times a Day (Hello Goodbye)
Closer
Shakey Ground
Lover A Lot
Freedom Fighter
Up On The Mountain

Elton John Hospitalized, Cancels Four Shows

2012-05-24T16:30:00.001-04:00

TMZ has reported that Elton John has been hospitalized for a "serious respiratory infection."

The website reports Elton was cared for at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He reportedly checked in at 6am on Wednesday morning and underwent several tests.

The star has been completing his Greatest Hits Tour since last year but has been told he needs to have 'complete rest and antibiotic treatment to prevent damage' for at least a week, according to the site.
It means he has called off four of shows he was due to give in Las Vegas over the weekend.

'It feels strange not to be able to perform these Million Dollar Piano concerts at the Colosseum... I love performing the show and I will be thrilled when we return to the Colosseum in October to complete the 11 concerts,' he said. 'All I can say to the fans is, 'Sorry I can't be with you.''

The site reports the 65-year-old star has now been released from the medical centre.
In 2009, Elton was hospitalised for an aggressive bout of influenza.

Music City Walk of Fame to Enshrine Steve Winwood, Funk Brothers' Bob Babbitt

2012-05-24T01:39:00.001-04:00

Steve Winwood

When you think of Nashville (aka Music City), you think of country music but stars from many different genres have worked in the city and made major contributions to the industry through that work. That is the basis for the wide variety of artists that have been enshrined on the Music City Walk of Fame.

Stars number 59 and 60 will be presented on June 5 when British rock icon Steve Winwood and Bob Babbitt of Motown's Funk Brothers are enshrined.

Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, said of Winwood's selection "We are pleased to induct music icon Steve Winwood into the Music City Walk of Fame, as he is a perfect example of the diverse music that comes out of Nashville. It is the immense talent and creative contributions by Mr. Winwood and the inductees before him that make Nashville, Music City."

Winwood has many ties to Nashville, including a part-time home since the late-80's. His major hit Roll With It was recorded in Music City along with many other projects. His wife, Eugenia, is from Trenton, TN.

Bob Babbitt

Babbitt has also lived in Nashville since the mid-80's. During his early days in the industry, he lived in Detroit and played with the Funk Brothers who backed a majority of the artists on the Motown labels, playing on records that have sold over 100 million copies and have reached the top 40 on over 200 occasions. Since the heyday of Motown, he has continued to work with the Funk Brothers and has also played on numerous sessions in Music City.