MUSIC NEWS: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016
CHUCK BERRY
Chuck Berry took 38 years to make another album because he wanted to be sure it would be good, according to his longtime bass player. Jimmy Marsala says Berry started working on his new album, ``Chuck,'' right after he released his ``Rock It'' album in 1979. ``Chuck'' is set for release next year. Berry's son, Charles Berry Junior, plays guitar on the record and says the songs range from ``hard-driving rockers to soulful, thought-provoking time capsules of a life's work.'' Berry spokesman Joe Edwards says Berry has pretty much retired from touring, but anything's possible. Berry turned 90 yesterday.
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ROCK HALL NOMINATIONS
M-C-5 drummer Dennis Thompson says it's ``very exciting'' to be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 13 years since the last time they were nominated. Thompson says late band members Rob Tyner, Michael Davis and Fred ``Sonic'' Smith would have been thrilled to know about the nomination. He says he still talks regularly with guitarist Wayne Kramer about their ``old man syndromes.'' Meanwhile, Nile Rodgers' reaction to Chic being nominated for the 11th time for the Rock Hall was to quote Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap: ``This one goes to eleven.'' The other nominees are Tupac Shakur, Pearl Jam, Journey, Bad Brains, Depeche Mode, Electric Light Orchestra, Chaka Khan, Joan Baez, the J. Geils Band, Joe Tex, Kraftwerk, The Cars, The Zombies, Yes, Jane's Addiction, Steppenwolf and Janet Jackson. The list of inductees will be announced in December.
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HARRY SHEARER
You'd think Spinal Tap would be zillionaires from songs like ``Stonehenge'' and ``Sex Farm.'' That's not the case, according to bassist Derek Smalls, A-K-A actor Harry Shearer.
He claims in a lawsuit against media conglomerate Vivendi S-A that all that Shearer, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Rob Reiner got for the songs from the movie ``This Is Spinal Tap'' was 98 dollars. Shearer says Vivendi told them their cut of the merchandise profits between the 1984 release of the film and 2013 was 81 dollars. Shearer is seeking 125 million dollars from Vivendi, and he wants the trademarks to the names ``Spinal Tap'' and ``Derek Smalls.'' Vivendi has declined comment on the suit. Guest, McKean and Reiner are not plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
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PRINCE ESTATE
A hearing is set for Friday to determine whether a woman and a girl who say they are related to Prince should be named as heirs to his estate. Court documents made public yesterday indicate attorneys for Prince's siblings and half-siblings are arguing against including Brianna Nelson, who says she's Prince's niece, and Victoria Nelson, who says she's Prince's grandniece. They are claiming descent from Duane Nelson Senior, who the women say was Prince's half-brother. They say while Duane Nelson was not a blood relative, Prince's biological father considered him a son.
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ROBERT ``BIG SONNY'' EDWARDS
Robert ``Big Sonny'' Edwards of The Intruders has died at the age of 74. Edwards died Saturday at a Philadelphia hospital after suffering a heart attack. The Intruders had a number-one R-and-B hit in 1968 with ``Cowboys to Girls.'' Their song ``I'll Always Love My Mama'' is often played on Mother's Day. Fellow Intruder Phil Terry calls Edwards ``the heartbeat of the group.''
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BRIAN WILSON
Brian Wilson still needs a pep talk before getting on a stage. Wilson says the members of his band tell him before concerts that everything's going to be O-K, and he gets over his anxiety by listening to them. Wilson discusses his mental health and other aspects of his life in his new book, ``I Am Brian Wilson.'' He says one of his favourite things in the book was discussing his relationship with his father. He says he knew people would enjoy reading about that.
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``HAPPY TOGETHER''
The New York Court of Appeals is mulling over a case between The Turtles and Sirius X-M Radio over the song ``Happy Together.'' The case centres on whether copyright holders of recordings made before 1972 have a common law right to make radio stations and other entities pay for their use. Flo and Eddie of The Turtles filed the lawsuit, claiming they're entitled to royalties.
Sirius X-M argues the federal Copyright Act was changed in 1972 and it doesn't have to pay. The court heard oral arguments in the case yesterday.
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GWEN STEFANI, BLAKE SHELTON
Gwen Stefani and boyfriend Blake Shelton clean up well. There were guests at the last state dinner hosted by President Barack Obama at the White House last night. The dinner honoured Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife, Agnese Landini. Stefani also entertained, opening with her hit, ``The Sweet Escape.''
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GWEN STEFANI, MILEY CYRUS
It appears Gwen Stefani rather likes working with her boyfriend, Blake Shelton. N-B-C says Stefani will return as a coach for season 12 of ``The Voice,'' which begins in February.
Shelton, Adam Levine and Alicia Keys will be the other coaches.
Miley Cyrus returns as a coach on the following season, which begins in the fall of 2017. The rest of the coaches for that season will be announced later.
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``UPTOWN FUNK'' GETS RIAA DIAMOND AWARD
``Uptown Funk'' by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars has achieved a rare Diamond certification for a single. The Recording Industry Association of America confirms ``Uptown Funk'' is the 13th song to reach Diamond status, for sales of 10 million.
Actually, it's Diamond and then some. The song has sold 12 million copies and been streamed more than 938 million times.
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JAMAICA CELEBRATES PETER TOSH WITH NEW MUSEUM
A museum dedicated to reggae legend Peter Tosh opens in Kingston, Jamaica. Among the items on display at the Peter Tosh Museum are Tosh's M-16 guitar and his unicycle. The museum's opening is meant to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Tosh's song, ``Legalize It.'' His grandson, Dre Tosh, will be among the performers at a tribute concert at the museum on Saturday. The Peter Tosh Museum is near a museum dedicated to another reggae legend, Bob Marley.
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``THE VOICE''-BATTLE ROUNDS END
Blake Shelton had the last steal on ``The Voice'' last night. The Battle Rounds concluded with Team Blake picking up Bindi Liebowitz after she was dropped by Team Adam.
Shelton says we probably haven't heard her best yet and she deserves to stay in the competition. While last night's episode was broadcast, Shelton and girlfriend Gwen Stefani were on the other side of the country. They were guests at President Barack Obama's final state dinner, honouring the Italian prime minister. Stefani also performed.
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(The Associated Press)
