Ozzy Osbourne Getting His Own Paramount+ Documentary
Paramount+ has a new Ozzy Osbourne documentary on the way, “Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now.” The doc will explore the rocker’s struggles since his 2019 fall and Parkinson’s diagnosis, as well as the role music has in his life. The film captures his resilience, as he admits, “There’s been times when I thought my number was up,” but he credits music with saving him. It also follows Ozzy’s journey to a potential final performance with Black Sabbath on July 5th in Birmingham. Sharon Osbourne shares “this film is an honest account...we hope that story will inspire people that are facing similar issues to Ozzy.” The doc is set to come out later this year.
Filming began in 2022 during the sessions for his 13th album, Patient Number 9, and will continue through his final performances -- solo and with Black Sabbath -- on July 5th in his hometown of Birmingham, England. In addition to Ozzy and his family, the film will feature interviews with Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses, Robert Trujillo from Metallica, Billy Idol, Tool's Maynard James Keenan, Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Zakk Wylde, producer Andrew Watt and others. It's slated to be released later this year.
Neil Young, Billy Idol, More To Headline "Light Up The Blues" Fundraiser
Stephen Stills and his wife Kristen will once again host the Autism Speaks Light Up the Blues 7 concert on April 26th at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Joining them are Neil Young, Billy Idol, Cat Power, Linda Perry, Christina Applegate and two of Stills’s sons -- Chris and Oliver Stills. Proceeds benefit Autism Speaks. Stephen and Kristen’s son Henry was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and is profiled in the 2007 documentary Autism: The Musical. The event, which started in 2013, has featured legends such as John Mayer, Patti Smith, and Willie Nelson in the past. Tickets for the concert go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. PT at Ticketmaster.com
NIRVANA, BILLY JOEL, R.E.M.: Unplugged and Storytellers Come to Streaming
The MTV and VH1 archives are finally moving into the streaming age. Paramount+ announced
that they've gotten the rights to show over 100 episodes of MTV Unplugged and VH1's Storytellers. Some of the episodes have sat the in vaults of each channel for over 20 years.
The Unplugged episodes include Aerosmith, Alanis Morissette, Alice in Chains, Allman Brothers, Annie Lennox, Bob Dylan, Bryan Adams, The Cranberries, Crowded House, Dashboard Confessional, Duran Duran, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Hall & Oates, John Mellencamp, KISS, Korn, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Neil Young, Nirvana, Oasis, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow, Soul Asylum, Staind, Sting, Stone Temple Pilots and The Wallflowers.
The Storytellers episodes include The Bee Gees, Billy Joel, The Black Crowes, Bruce Spingsteen, Christina Aguilera, Coldplay, Counting Crows, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Dave Matthews Band, David Bowie, Def Leppard, ELO, Eurythmics, Foo Fighters, Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, No Doubt, Pete Townshend, Phil Collins, Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks, The Pretenders and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.
Santana Announces New Album -- New And Unreleased Material
A new Santana album is due out next month. "Sentient" contains both new and unreleased material, as well as re-workings of previous songs. The first single is the unreleased version of a collaboration with Smokey Robinson. In a press release, Santana says they did two versions of the song, and what's on the album is the version where "I went to the studio and did my own thing."The album is set for a March 28th release, a few weeks before a two-week U.S. tour.
KEITH RICHARDS: Remembers His "Totally Singular, Unique" Friend
When Marianne Faithfull died on January 30th, Keith Richards released a statement saying, "My heartfelt condolences to Marianne’s family! I am so sad and will miss her!!" Now, in an interview with Rolling Stone, he has gone into detail about her and their friendship. Here are a few excerpts:
"Marianne was a great friend and a very strong woman. It was interesting to watch her grow up through the years. The first time I met her, she had just got out of convent [St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Convent School]. Mick [Jagger] and I looked at each other and said, “Is that what they’ve got behind those walls, man?” [Laughs.] "She was managed by Andrew Oldham, who was the Stones’ manager in the beginning. He had said to Mick and me, 'Look, we really need songs if we are going to get things happening here. I mean, look at The Beatles.' I go, 'Yeah, but we’re a blues band.' Andrew said, 'Go in the kitchen for the night, and I’ll lock you in and see what you come up with.' And I’m saying, 'Well, OK.' ... We struggled through the night in this kitchen, and we did actually come out with 'As Tears Go By.' "We played it to Andrew the next day, and ... within a week, he’s playing me a dub of Marianne singing it, and I go, 'Wow, this is pretty quick. Who’s this girl?' And Andrew introduced us..."We became very good friends a few years later, when she was living with Mick... "There’s sort of a vein of Marianne that runs through a certain number of the Stones’ Sixties songs. She’s definitely behind them somewhere. I can hear her influence in 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want' and some of the songs around the time of Beggars Banquet. 'Sister Morphine' [the Sticky Fingers cut she co-wrote] was pretty much finished by the time I’d gotten to it. When I heard it, I thought, 'Now she’s really setting it down.' She did have her moments with the devil, but there again, it’s probably one of the best dope songs that there is. It’s a beautiful visual, too...
"She should be remembered as being Marianne Faithfull. She was a totally singular, unique character who stood her own ground, and I think she should be proud of what she did...
“I’ve kind of known and expected to hear [she had passed] for quite a while. She’s not been well. It’s a very sad thing.” Marianne was 78.
EURYTHMICS, BLUR, CLASH, RADIOHEAD: On a Silent Album
Annie Lennox of Eurythmics, Damon Albarn of Blur, Kate Bush, Billy Ocean, Ed O'Brien of
Radiohead, Dan Smith of Bastille, The Clash and Yusuf a.k.a. Cat Stevens are among the artists that "appear" on a new silent album. 1000 UK Artists released the album Is This What We Want?, filled with 12 silent tracks, to protest the U.K. government's planned changes to copyright law. The proposal states that AI developers will be able to use creators' content on the internet to help develop their models, unless the rights holders elect to "opt out." The 1000 UK Artists say the change would make it easier for AI companies to train models using copyrighted work without a license.
The album features "sound recordings of empty studios and performance spaces," and is to show an example of what the artists believe the new law could do to their works. The track listing for the record spells out the message: "The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies."
State Songs Considered From Prince And Bob Dylan
Minnesota legislators are considering a bill that will include additional state songs. A group of state senators introduced legislation that includes Purple Rain, composed by Prince and the Revolution, and Girl from the North Country, composed by Bob Dylan. The bill was referred to the State and Local Government Committee. The current state song is Hail Minnesota, it was established in 1945.
Roberta Flack, John Lennon Former Neighbors
John Lennon's two sons are remembering Roberta Flack, not just as a great performer, but also as a family friend and neighbor. Julian Lennon said the four-time Grammy winner was a neighbor of his dad's in New York City "and a dear friend of our family."Sean Ono Lennon called Flack "an incredibly kind woman" and "uniquely talented." Flack died on Monday at the age of 88.
IN OTHER NEWS
In celebration of what would have been George Harrison’s 82nd birthday Tuesday, Eric Clapton has posted a video on Instagram of himself, George, Ringo Starr, Phil Collins, Elton John and others performing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” in 1987 at the Prince’s Trust Rock Gala. Also paying tribute are Paul McCartney, Harrison's widow Olivia, and Julian Lennon.
With The Rolling Stones putting off touring England and Europe until next year, Keith Richards says they may do more recording instead. They recorded over 20 songs during the sessions for their last album, 2023’s Hackney Diamonds, which contained just 12.
Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes have shared another track from the expanded reissue of Live at the Greek due out on March 14th. Check out "The Lemon Song," which was recorded during a soundcheck, on YouTube.
Alice Cooper and Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden are among the headliners at this year's Rocklahoma festival, August 29th through the 31st in Pryor, Oklahoma.
Iggy Pop and Devo are the headliners at this year's edition of Project Pabst at Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon on July 26th and 27th.
Sting and Shaggy will release a new single and video, "Til a Mawnin," on Thursday ahead of their headlining performance at the Reggae Rise Up Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida on March 13th.