Wednesday, August 27, 2008

GRAHAM NASH: Watching History Unfold

Graham Nash is at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this week. Last night he and David Crosby performed at one of the events associated with the convention, but Nash is really looking forward to Barack Obama's acceptance speech on Thursday night. Nash tells us, "This is gonna be history." Nash, an avid photographer, plans to document the proceedings with the three cameras he brought along. He also plans to attend meetings and talk with senators and congressmen, particularly about their thoughts on the nuclear issue. --Sal Cirrincione

PINK FLOYD: Rhythm Section Only

Pink Floyd was honored with the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm, Sweden last night for their "monumental contribution over the decades to the fusion of art and music in the development of popular culture." Sweden's King Gustaf presented the award, which comes with a cash prize of 156-thousand dollars. Roger Waters and Nick Mason were the only band members on hand, with Mason saying he was sorry David Gilmour and Rick Wright could not attend. Waters paid tribute to his 96-year old mother, saying, "If there is any humanity and empathy in my work, which I think there is, I would rather owe it to her." Also honored was American operatic soprano Renee Fleming.

The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by the late Stig Anderson, publisher, lyricist and manager of ABBA. Previous winners include Paul McCartney, Elton John, B-B King, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

PAUL McCARTNEY: More Dates?

Paul McCartney will definitely perform in Tel Aviv, Israel next month, his spokesman says. But according to his guitarist Brian Ray, there could be more shows. He writes on his MySpace blog, "I will be traveling to London to rehearse with Paul for some upcoming shows, far, far away. No big tour plans to report at the moment, but stay tuned." The latest rumor has Macca performing in Tenerife, off the West Coast of Africa, on December 6th. His spokesman says he knows nothing about that.

BOB SEGER: Must Be Something in the Water

Bob Seger is battling a little writer's block. Speaking to a Detroit radio station, he said, "I've been trying to write and the writing gods haven't been with me." He also confirmed our story from April that said he would be recording in May, but he says they were just demos. While we wait for his first album since 2006's Face the Promise, you can check out Seger on the new Little Feat album, Join the Band, in stores this week. He sings "Something in the Water." Seger's background singer, Shaun Murphy, is in Little Feat.

AC/DC: The Three Faces of Ice

A-C/D-C's upcoming album Black Ice will be available with three different collectible covers. Each design features the standard A-C/D-C logo in yellow, red or white. The only thing that's the same on each cover is a caricature of guitarist Angus Young at the top. Black Ice hits Wal-Mart stores on October 20th.

The first single from Black Ice, "Rock and Roll Train," hits the airwaves tomorrow, but it's already available as a ringtone and a ringback from Verizon.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: The Latest Scuttlebutt

With Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band bringing their Magic tour to an end Saturday in Milwaukee, the rumor mill is churning with what's next for the band. One rumor has them playing a show later this year at New York's Yankee Stadium before it's demolished. Another says they'll perform at the Super Bowl on February 1st followed by another European tour. As for new C-Ds, there is continued talk of a Darkness on the Edge of Town 30th anniversary collection and another E Street Band album reportedly recorded at the same time as Magic. Springsteen's spokeswoman was unavailable for comment.

GENESIS: Third and Final

Genesis will release their third and final box set of re-issued albums. Due for release November 11th through Rhino, The Beginning 1970-1975 contains the band's second through sixth studio albums with Peter Gabriel. It will be available in the S-A-C-D/C-D Hybrid and D-V-D Dual Disc formats featuring digital surround sound and new stereo mixes by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. In addition to videos and new interviews with the band, the set also features bonus tracks, including four songs recorded in 1970 for a documentary on painter Mick Jackson that were recently discovered. A booklet accompanies each album -- Trespass, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

LYNYRD SKYNYRD: On Target for '09

SAMMY HAGAR: Tres Cabos

Sammy Hagar opens his third Cabo Wabo Cantina this week in Fresno, California. Last night was the first of three private openings before the doors open to the public Friday. Hagar's son Aaron is providing the grand opening entertainment, and Sammy is expected to visit soon, but that date is being kept secret. Hagar's former Van Halen bandmate Michael Anthony is expected at the new Cabo next week. Hagar's other two Cantinas are in Lake Tahoe, Nevada and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where Hagar host his annual Birthday Bash on October 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th and 13th -- his 61st birthday. Hagar performs at a benefit for the Throckmorton Theater in his hometown of Mill Valley, California tonight.

OZZY: Jack Produces Doc

Ozzy Osbourne's son Jack is producing a documentary about his famous father. Shooting on the film started in January, and Jack has scored interviews with all the members of Black Sabbath, the numerous members of Ozzy's solo band, family and friends. Jack tells Rolling Stone, "I'm trying to paint a realistic picture of who my father is. I think The Osbournes, to a degree, tarnished the public's perception of my dad as a bit of a senile, funny, bumbling guy. Yeah, my dad can be that guy, but it's not him. I think that almost discredited who he is as an artist." Jack doesn't know exactly when the documentary will be done, but he hopes to have enough completed to premiere at next year's Ozzfest.

BRIAN WILSON: "Lucky" Appearances Next Week

Brian Wilson's release of his new C-D That Lucky Old Sun will be backed by a variety of media tie-ins. MySpace will premiere a new "Artist on Artist" conversation between Wilson and singer-actress Zooey Deschanel on Tuesday. That evening, V-H-1 Classic will premiere a 30-minute documentary showing Wilson and his band at Capitol Studios in Hollywood and probes his creative inspirations and the development of his new song cycle. Brian Wilson -- That Lucky Old Sun airs at 8:00 p-m [ET]. The next night, Brian and his band will perform a song from the album on Jay Leno's Tonight Show.

IN OTHER NEWS

Steely Dan wrap up their summer tour tonight with the second of two shows in Santa Rosa, California. They have just announced a date for November 22nd in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Jimmy Buffett will open another Margaritaville restaurant, this one in the Mohegan Sun hotel and casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. The grand opening is scheduled for September 29th.

Judas Priest will perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live on A-B-C on Tuesday.

KISS singer-guitarist Paul Stanley will show off his artwork at two Wenworth Galleries in Atlanta on September 19th and 20th.

Entertainment News

BRAD PITT: Two Snaps Up

People magazine paid a reported 16-million dollars to have a photographer snap pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and their new twins. W magazine is saving money -- by hiring Brad to shoot his own family for the cover of their November issue. Turns out, photography, like architecture, is a long time hobby of Brad's. Unlike the rest of us, he gets to exhibit his hobby on the cover of glossy magazines.

TOM CRUISE: Injured Extras Want Millions

A dozen movie extras injured on the set of Tom Cruise's upcoming Nazi movie Valkyrie want Tom to show them the money -- 11-million dollars, to be precise. The extras were injured when the side panel of a truck burst open during filming in Berlin last year. A lawyer for the injured dozen has sent a letter to Cruise, business partner Paula Wagner and United Artists demanding payment, but they haven't filed suit yet.

LINDSAY LOHAN: Meet the New Mom

Lindsay Lohan is getting a new stepmother. Her dad, Michael Lohan, who finally sorted out his divorce from her mother -- and may or may not have fathered a child with another woman 13 years ago -- is ready for another trip down the aisle. The ex-con-turned-minister has popped the question to his girlfriend, Erin Muller, who is about two years older than Lindsay.

Lindsay and her real mom, Dina Lohan, had dinner in New York with Samantha Ronson and her real mom, Ann Dexter-Jones, on Sunday night.

KATE HUDSON: Hair Tangle

Kate Hudson is being sued over hair care products. Hudson and her partner in eco-friendly hair products, David Babaii for Wildaid, are accused of ripping off a lab that claims it developed the stuff. Los Angeles-based 220 Laboratories says it agreed to develop and manufacture the line around the so-called "Vanuatu Complex," which comprises samples of environmental life and volcanic ash found on the VanuatuIslands. But the lab claims that, after its scientists cooked up the recipe, Hudson and company took the recipe and had it manufactured by a competitor for less money. Kate has pushed the products on the Home Shopping Network.

BRITNEY SPEARS: No VMAs

Britney Spears management is shooting down reports that the singer will perform on the September 7th MTV Video Music Awards. A statement released by Spears' manager yesterday said, "Contrary to media reports, Britney was never slated to perform on this year's VMA's. She's in the middle of recording her next album, which is going amazingly well, and her focus remains on the studio." MTV had fanned the flames about a possible Spears performance slot by saying they were in discussions with the singer. Last year, an appearance by an out-of-shape and out-of-synch Spears doing "Gimme More" caused a buzz. She'd previously been a fixture on the VMA's stage, highlighted by her infamous lip-lock with Madonna in 2003.

NICOLLETTE SHERIDAN: Bolts From Bolton

Nicollette Sheridan and Michael Bolton have broken off their engagement. The Desperate Housewives star and the singer had been engaged since March 2006, and say that the split was amicable. The couple were together for five years in the 1990s, split and got back together in 2005.

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: The Musical

Kathie Lee Gifford is following in the footsteps of "Little Orphan Annie," the "Phantom of the Opera" and Eva Peron -- and being turned into a musical. She Can't Believe She Said That, a satirical, unauthorized musical bio-pic of the Today show co-host, begins performances at an off-Broadway New York City theater next month. The play will chronicle three decades of Kathie Lee's life, with Heather Laws as the star. Other stars portrayed in the musical include Regis Philbin, Frank Gifford and Kathie Lee's first husband, Paul Johnson.

JENNA JAMESON: Breeder

Porn star Jenna Jameson has confirmed that she's expecting a baby with her boyfriend, mixed martial arts fighter Tito Ortiz. It will be the first child for the 34-year-old woman of 10-thousand simulated orgasms. But forget a third marriage. Jenna tells Us magazine, "I think I'm gonna stay unmarried and just go for the babies. I'm following in Angelina's footsteps."

AMERICAN IDOL: New Judge Ready to Rumble

We talked to new American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, who tells us there could be friction with Simon Cowell right out of the gate. DioGuardi says, "I'm just going to be myself, and at times I can be feisty. I'll fight for what I believe in. I'm sure that's going to have a ripple affect... It's hard for me to tell you what my style is going to be, because the four of us haven't sat together yet. I think my style is going to pretty much be just being me, being myself, and having my own spin."