#WhatsHappening for January 29, 2017

Good morning, guys and gals. Hope you're having a great weekend. If you missed Saturday Night Karaoke last night, you missed a boat-load of fun, so make sure you join us next weekend!

I have some, uh, quirks- to say the least. I freely admit that I'm not a people person, but I do try to treat all my singers fairly. Of course, there are some thing that'll put you on my bad side pretty damned quickly. Here's a couple from last night:

"You should be nicer to people," said to me by someone who didn't come up for their turn until the third time I called them- and then wanted me to wait "a few minutes" for their friend to sing with them. Said person didn't like it when I said, "no can do, there's too many people here waiting to sing, so either I start the song now and you sing, or you go to the bottom of the list." 

I cut people slack when they're in the restrooms (though I do tease them about it when they come rushing out), but smoking? Doing a shot? Finishing your turn at darts? Nah. Those things will be there in four minutes when your song is over. And when there are numerous singers (like last night), it's quite selfish of you to expect me to hold everyone up because you aren't ready.

I'm no pharmacist, or nurse, or transcriptionist. Do schools even teach penmanship any more? For fuck's sake, print your goddamned name- don't scrawl your fucking signature. I literally put someone in for a song as "Dude with Shitty Handwriting."

Other than those two? Seriously, great crowd. Everyone had fun, and that's the important thing (well, that and me getting paid- I don't do it for free!).

Oh, and one other thing. I try my damnedest not to get political (during shows). Booze doesn't mix well with it and you guys aren't there to here me (or anyone else) climb on a soapbox (though I have been known to do it sometimes). That said, there's this:At the same time, let me just say this:

Everyone, regardless of where they're from, the color of their skin, the person they love, or the god they worship (or don't, as the case may be) is welcome to sing with us.

My only condition: Don't be a dick.

Transcripts of the 9-1-1 call show that Allman Brothers Band drummer Butch Trucks committed suicide, according to his wife- Melinda- who told dispatchers that her "husband just shot himself" with a pistol and said she witnessed Trucks pulling the trigger.

First responders to the scene say that Trucks was still breathing when they arrived, but didn't live long afterwards.

Investigators refused to comment, saying only that Trucks passed away at home, and that an official investigation was underway. Results from the autopsy performed by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office won’t be known for weeks.

Court records show Trucks had been under financial distress, selling his Palm Beach condo in 2011 and having the IRS file liens against his current residence and seeking additional taxes for 2013 and 2014 totaling over half a million dollars.

Long time Black Sabbath keyboardist Geoff Nicholls died yesterday after battling lung cancer. Guitarist Tony Iommi confirmed the news on Facebook.

"I'm so saddened to hear the loss of one of my dearest and closest friends Geoff Nicholls," Iommi wrote. "Geoff and I have always been very close and he has been a real true friend to me and supported me all the way for nearly 40 years. I will miss him dearly and he will live in my heart until we meet again. Rest in peace my dear friend."

Nicholls joined the group after Ozzy Osbourne was canned in 1979, first appearing on the 1980 album Heaven and Hell. He left the group in when Osbourne returned (and who could blame him, really?).

Birthdays today include: Jonny Lang; Adam Lambert; Marcus Verre of Living In A Box; Eddie Jackson of Queensrÿche; Rob Manzoli of Right Said Fred; Louie Perez of Los Lobos; and Charlie Wilson of the Gap Band. #MusicalBirthdays

#WhatsHappening for January 26, 2017

Hi kids. We're almost there. Yay!

Butch Trucks, one of the founding members of The Allman Brothers Band died Tuesday night. 

Trucks told Billboard magazine in an interview last year that he "was about to head back to school and get a degree in math and teach...when Duane knocked on my door with Jaimoe, and then the Allman Brothers happened. Duane decided he wanted two drummers -- he told Jaimoe, 'If James Brown can have two drummers, so can I!' -- and Jaimoe kept telling me, 'Butch is your guy. Butch is the guy!'" 

"We had all these jams, and I think Duane decided that he was gonna find out what I was made of...It's like he reached inside of me and flipped a switch and this light went off in me and said, 'Dammit, you're a good drummer!' Once I started doing that Duane said, 'OK, he's got it in him' and he added me to the mix and changed my life forever."

The Jacksonville native was 69. No cause of death has been announced. 

Sam Hunt is heading out for a 29 date North American tour this summer. 

Tickets for the tour go on sale February 3rd, and the dates include a stop in Atlanta at the Verizon Amphitheater on July 13.. 

Maren Morris, Chris Janson, and Ryan Follese will open for Hunt.

A neon marquee from the legendary LA club Whisky a Go Go has sold at auction. 

The 13-foot-long sign brought in a final bid of $48,300 Wednesday night at the Saco River Auction Company in Maine. The buyer asked not to be identified- I'm guessing because they felt like an idiot for paying that kind of money for a neon sign, especially considering that the sign doesn't bear the venue's full name. (Signs are my regular, day-to-day gig. A sign that size would cost you, at most, ten grand.)

The British postal service is commemorating David Bowie with a limited-edition run of 10 postage stamps featuring covers of the late singer's albums and images from his tours.

The Royal Mail stamps include the art from Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane, Heroes, Let's Dance, Earthling, and Blackstar- his last album.

"For five decades David Bowie was at the forefront of contemporary culture, and has influenced successive generations of musicians, artists, designers and writers,” said Philip Parker, the Royal Mail’s stamp strategy manager,. “Royal Mail’s stamp issue celebrates this unique figure and some of his many celebrated personas.”

Queen is hitting the road this summer, once again enlisting Adam Lambert to handle the vocal duties for a 25 city North American tour that kicks off June 23 at the Gila River Arena in Phoenix.

The group promises a "new show specially designed and created for this outing."

Tickets for the tour go on sale February 3 via Live Nation. The closest they get to our area is an August 2 stop at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Birthdays today include: Andrew Ridgeley of Wham!; Anita Baker; Norman Hassan of UB40; Eddie Van Halen; Lucinda Williams; David Briggs of Little River Band; Derek Holt of Climax Blues Band; and Huey "Piano" Smith. #MusicalBirthdays

#WhatsHappening for January 24, 2017

Hey kids. Hope all's well.
Me, I'm still in shock that the Falcons are going to the Super Bowl.

Rod Stewart and Cyndi Lauper are teaming up for an American tour this summer. Both are said to be recording new albums, and will be releasing them ahead of the tour.
The tour kicks off in Hollywood, Florida on July 6 wraps in Houston in August.
Tickets go on sale Friday via LiveNation.

Billboard.com headline: Why Beyonce Could Be the Next Bob Dylan
Are you fucking kidding me?

Mumford & Sons say they'll be adding three shows to their May schedule.
The band is already on top to open for U2 and headline at the Hangout Music Festival.
Tickets for the new dates- in Louisville, Burgettstown (PA), and Camden (NJ)- go on sale Friday.
"When the band are on the road, they don’t always get the chance to visit all the places they’d like to," the band said via their website. "It’s an opportunity to catch up with a few cities they haven’t been to recently and have a party."

NASCAR has announced that Lady Antebellum will be performing a pre-race concert at next month's Daytona 500.
The trio performed at the track before the 2008 July race and last year's Country 500 festival.
It was also announced that Owen Wilson would be grand marshal for the race and Jordin Sparks would be performing the national anthem.

Birthdays today include: Jools Holland of Squeeze; Matthew Wilder; Neil Diamond; Aaron Neville; and Ray Stevens. #MusicalBirthday

#WhatsHappening for January 18, 2017

Hey kids- happy hump day!

Did I know Lady Gaga was performing the Super Bowl halftime show this year?

Yet another reason not to watch.

Bob Seger has posted a tribute song to the late Glenn Frey on the the one year anniversary of the Eagles founder's passing.

Seger told Rolling Stone the song is "obviously not meant to be a hit. There's no chorus per se or title section or anything. The idea was just to honor his memory and talk, very specifically, about my impression of him in 1966 when we first met."

Frey and Seger both grew up in Detroit and were both part of the local rock scene there during the mid-1960s. You can check out the track here.

John Legend, Metallica, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban will be among the performers at next month’s Grammy Awards.
The Late Late Show host James Corden will be emcee for the event, which will take place February 12 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Additional performers will be announced in the weeks leading up to the show.

Lollapalooza is expanding again, announcing a new set of shows in France this summer. The festival will be held at the Hippodrome de Longchamp in Paris on July 22 and 23. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
The Weeknd, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Imagine Dragons, Alt-J, Marshmello, and Glass Animals are among the performers appearing. You can see the complete lineup here.

Birthdays today include: Jonathan Davis of Korn; DJ Quik; Bob Rosenberg of Will To Power; Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins; and Bobby Goldsboro. #MusicalBirthdays 

#WhatsHappening for January 15, 2016

Hey kids, Welcome to Sunday. Hope you've had a great weekend so far. Me, I've been taking it easy and sleeping a lot to try to shake the crud that just won't seem to fuck off.

1976 Program Cover

After 146 years, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be folding their tents in May. 

Owner Kenneth Feld said in a statement on the circus' website that the Feld family "made the difficult business decision that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® will hold its final performances in May of this year. Ringling Bros. ticket sales have been declining, but following the transition of the elephants off the road, we saw an even more dramatic drop. This, coupled with high operating costs, made the circus an unsustainable business for the company."

While the animal lover in me is happy that the creatures will be retired from performing and the stress it puts on them, the kid in me- who went to the circus and loved it (and even got to walk in the clown parade once)- is saddened by the news.

Tower of Power members David Garibaldi and Marc van Wageningen were being treated in an Oakland hospital after being struck by a passenger train outside the venue where they were scheduled to play Thursday night. 

Group manager Jeremy Westby called the incident an "unfortunate accident" and said the men were "responsive and being treated..." 

Reports were unclear as to why the men were on the tracks, but it's known that pedestrians often cross them in the area with trains running across and in between streets, including right outside Yoshi's- where the band hand a show scheduled.

3 Doors Down announced on its Twitter page Friday that they will be a part of the official inaugural celebration next week. In addition to previously announced performances, Toby Keith, Jon Voight, Jennifer Holliday, DJ Ravidrums, The Piano Guys, Tim Rushlow of Little Texas, Larry Stewart of Restless Heart, Marty Roe of Diamond Rio, and Lee Greenwoodwill also participate.

The 2017 Bonnaroo lineup has been announced, and U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Weeknd, and Major Lazer are the headliners for the June festival. 
The lineup was released last Wednesday. Tickets are on sale now. 

American Horror Story has been renewed for three more seasons. 
Here's hoping they rally from last year's weak offering.

Bon Jovi has announced they will be giving up and coming artists a chance to open for them on their upcoming tour. 
Performers who want a chance to share the stage with the band can upload videos of original music and concert Live Nation reps will select 10 finalists that the band's management will pick the winners from.
"Every great band starts small and builds their rep one show at a time," Jon Bon Jovi said. "That's the opportunity we were given, and now we want to pay it forward. If you're ready for the arena stage, submit your audition tapes and join us in playing for the best audiences in rock music."

Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham have been working with Mick Fleetwood and John McVie on a new set of songs- but it's not a Fleetwood Mac disc that's on the way, it's a duets album from the pair. 
"All these years we've had this rapport, but we'd never really thought about doing a duet album before," Buckingham told the Los Angeles Times. "There is that album that I did with Stevie back before we joined the band, but other than that, it's all been Fleetwood Mac or solo."
No release date has been set for the album.

Birthdays today include: Lisa Velez of Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam; Adam Jones of Tool; Douglas Elwin Erikson of Garbage; Boris Blank of Yello; Melvyn Gale of ELO; Martha Davis of The Motels; and Edward Bivins of The Manhattans. #MusicalBirthdays

#WhatsHappening for January 12, 2017

Hey kids. It's Thursday. One more day until we can kick off the weekend.

Just FYI- the weather forecast for Saturday is calling for a high of 64° and a low of 49°, so we don't have to worry about being icebound again.

Today's word of the day (via email from Arcamax): 

malversation \mal-vur-SAY-shun\ (noun) - Misconduct, corruption, or extortion in public office. 

I think we're going to need to keep this one handy.

So, there's evidently a comedy coming out called Urban Myths that has cast Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson and Stockard Channing as Elizabeth Taylor.

The only shot I could find that wasn't scary.

And the film has managed to upset the Jackson family.

The first issue for them: Fiennes is white. Yes, I realize Mike was African American- I just wonder if he did. I don't buy the skin disease thing (unless it was directly related, somehow, to the incredible amounts of plastic surgery he underwent). Also, it's a comedy. Still, I guess I get their reasoning. I'm guessing Eddie Murphy would've jumped the the chance to play MJ. 

The second issue: "...(How) obviously intentional it was for them to be this insulting..." Paris Jackson, via Twitter. Ms. Jackson, please see pretty much any comedy. There is always some level of insult.

Third issue (via same series of tweets): Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor "worked through blood sweat and tears for ages to create such profound and remarkable legacies." That they tarnished themselves. So the filmmakers are calling them out on it.

We all want to idolize our friends and family. They'd be the first to tell you they don't deserve it.

Richard Carpenter has filed suit against Universal Music Group to recover what he claims are millions in royalties owed from licensing Carpenters songs for online services.

The suit seeks more than $2 million in royalties and was also filed on behalf of the estate of his sister, Karen Carpenter.

The suit is one of a number filed after an appellate court ruled in a case involving Eminem's record label that music downloads from services such as iTunes should result in higher royalty payments for digital downloads than for physical recording is sold.

Carpenter says the duo's "recordings are among the best sellers in the history of popular music and after 48 years continue to contribute a substantial amount to UMG/A&M's annual bottom line. It seems only fair that these companies account fairly to my sister's estate and to me."

Birthdays today include: Melanie Chisholm of Spice Girls; Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan; Rob Zombie; Charlie Gillingham of Counting Crows; Per Gessle of Roxette; Cynthia Robinson of Sly & The Family Stone; and William Lee Gordon of Oak Ridge Boys. #MusicalBirthdays

#WhatsHappening for January 10, 2017

Hey, hi, howdy kids. Hope you're doing well so far this week.

After last weekend's wacky weather, I'm just hoping for consistent temperatures for a while so my sinuses can recover.

As of now, the forecast is fine and we're on for our first Saturday Night Karaoke of the new year. Get ready, get set, get there!

The Associated Press reports that Carrie Fisher's death certificate lists the actress/author/all-around-bad-ass's cause of death as a heart attack. 

The LA County Department of Public Health says more investigation is needed todetermine the underlying cause of the heart attack itself. 

Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, were interred during a joint funeral in Hollywood last week. Relatives said they are planning a public memorial for both.

Elvis Presley's Graceland estate is set to open up a new, 200,000 sq ft entertainment complex of exhibits and restaurants focused on the life and career of Elvis Presley this March. 

The addition to the property will be located across the street from Presley's longtime home- which has been a museum since the King's death in 1977.

Elvis Presley Enterprises, which operates the property, says Priscilla Presley will attend the grand opening of the 140 million expansion.

Nine Inch Nails, Frank Ocean, A Tribe Called Quest, Tame Impala, and Solange are among the acts who'll appear at the 2017 edition of New York's Panorama Festival.

This year's Festival will be held July 28-30 at Randall's Island Park and feature sets from Alt-J, Justice, MGMT, Spoon, Belle & Sebastian, Cashmere Cat, and Angel Olsen, as well.

Tickets go on sale Friday to the general public and AmEx holders are eligible for a presaly that begins Thursday.

Additional, announced performers include Future Islands, Tyler, the Creator, Girl Talk, DJ Shadow, Vance Joy, Nick Murphy, Nicolas Jaar, Vince Staples, Jagwar Ma, Mitski, Glass Animals, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, and Cloud Nothings.

Birthdays today include: Chris Smith of Kris Kross; Aerle Taree of Arrested Development; Joey Santiago of The Pixies; Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies; Shawn Colvin; Luci Martin of Chic; Pat Benatar' Donald Fagen; Cyrill Neville of the Neville Brothers; Aynsley Dunbar of Jefferson Starship; and Rod Stewart. #MusicalBirthdays

#WhatsHappening for January 8, 2017

Hey, hi, howdy from the cozy confines of the karaoke compound. Well, cozy inside, anyway. It's currently a brisk 16° out, and we've still got ice from Friday night's rain/snow- which is why Saturday Night Karaoke was called off. We'll try again next weekend.

Rumor has it (get it?) that Adele has tied the knot with long-time boyfriend Simon Konecki after the couple was spotted wearing gold rings on their left hands.

Representatives for both gave "no comment" answers when asked for confirmation. 

"Being in such an amazing relationship with someone that's so there for me and so loyal and is really part of my core now," Adele told interviewers. "That's what made me write about everything I've ever done, because I've got his love."

BMI organizers say that singer Kim Burrell will not be performing during the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Honors.

The announcement Friday comes amid the backlash against Burrell over a sermon she gave calling homosexuality "perverted." She has been dropped from a scheduled performance on Ellen and had her show "Bridging the Gap with Kim Burrell" canceled from Texas Southern University's KTSU radio station. 

In a statement, BMI's spokesperson said the show "is an annual celebration of gospel music and its many talented songwriters. Given the controversy surrounding this year’s co-honoree Kim Burrell, we have asked her to not take part in the ceremony in order to allow the focus to remain on the songwriters and their music. BMI was founded over 76 years ago with an open door policy to welcome songwriters across all genres, and that same spirit of tolerance, diversity and inclusiveness continues today."

BMI also said that Burrell would no longer be honored at the show, in addition to being pulled from the ceremony.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again- you have a right to speak your mind, and I will defend that right no matter how much I may disagree with what you say. You do not, however, have a right to be immune to the consequences of that speech.

On the plus side, I'm sure the President-elect would welcome Ms. Burrell's performance at his inaugural ceremonies.

As I'm sitting here, penning this, "Carrie 2: The Rage" is on in the background (hey, it's 3 in the morning, there aren't a lot of choices). Way to gut the story, screenwriters. Instead of it being a creepy, supernatural tale- it's a "genetic" trait that Carrie and whatever this girl's name is have psychokinetic abilities? Boooooooo!

British police have been questioning family and friends of George Michael in an effort to establish facts about his Christmas Day death.

A statement from Thames Valley Police on Friday said the investigation is "standard practice in cases such as this to allow the coroner to determine the circumstances of the death."

They also added that, "contrary to media reports," a major crime unit has not been put in charge of the investigation. "As part of Thames Valley Police’s investigation on behalf of Oxfordshire Coroner into this unexplained but non-suspicious death officers are establishing facts which include taking statements."

Post-mortem tests on Michael were inconclusive and the results of more expansive tests are pending.

Birthdays today include: Sean Paul; Jeff Abercrombie of Fuel; R. Kelly; Mike Reno of Loverboy; Terry Sylvester of the Hollies; Robby Krieger of The Doors; Marcus Hutson of the Whispers; and Dame Shirley Bassey.

Today also marks the births of musical giants Elvis Presley and David Bowie.

#MusicalBirthdays

#WhatsHappening for January 2, 2017

Good morning, kids. Welcome to the New Year. I don't know about you, but I'm glad it's almost time to go back to work- maybe now the folks around my neighborhood can lay off the mortar fire that had been going on since Friday.

I've been watching The Twilight Zone pretty much all weekend (yes, despite the fact that I have the entire series on BluRay). It really is one of the best shows ever to run on television and its resilience, despite its age, is wonderful.

Take, for instance, this closing narration from "He's Alive" (1963), written by Rod Serling:

"Where will he go next, this phantom from another time, this resurrected ghost of a previous nightmare – Chicago? Los Angeles? Miami, Florida? Vincennes, Indiana? Syracuse, New York? "Anyplace, everyplace, where there's hate, where there's prejudice, where there's bigotry. He's alive. He's alive so long as these evils exist."
"Remember that when he comes to your town. Remember it when you hear his voice speaking out through others. Remember it when you hear a name called, a minority attacked, any blind, unreasoning assault on a people or any human being."
"He's alive because through these things we keep him alive."

Or this, from "Deaths-Head Revisited" (1961), also by Serling:

"There is an answer to the doctor's question: All the Dachaus must remain standing."
"The Dachaus, the Belsens, the Buchenwalds, the Auschwitzes – all of them. They must remain standing because they are a monument to a moment in time when some men decided to turn the Earth into a graveyard. Into it they shoveled all of their reason, their logic, their knowledge, but worst of all, their conscience. And the moment we forget this, the moment we cease to be haunted by its remembrance, then we become the gravediggers."
"Something to dwell on and to remember, not only in the Twilight Zone but wherever men walk God's Earth." 

These words are no less powerful- or pertinent- today than they were 50+ years ago.

And how many people are willing to ignore the lessons they taught.

"Maybe this outfit will
make people forget
I haven't been popular
in a decade."

You know what's more surprising to me than Mariah Carey's failure at the New Year's Eve festivities? It's the fact that people still actually think she's talented. Lip synching (or not lip synching) through a song that was popular 25+ years ago- yeah, that's a show I want to see.

Oh, wait... no, I don't.

Psst...
Doesn't Lacey look like a tanning lotion OD?
Oh... sorry about the OD joke!

After years and years in developmental limbo, a stage musical based 2004's "Mean Girls" will finally premiere later this year.

No casting has been announced for the musical- which is being partly scripted by Tina Fey, writer of the movie- and neither have plans for a New York run. The show is set to debut at the National Theatre in Washington on October 3rd.

Fey's husdand, Jeff Richmond, will compose the music for the show.

Wonderfully amusing movie- but a musical? And, will their "Cady" suffer a post-show meltdown- turning into an raging alcoholic, drug addict?

Attorneys for Run-D.M.C. have filed suit against Walmart, Amazon, Jet and others for more than $50 million over alleged trademark infringement.

The suit claims that the defendants "trade on the goodwill of RUN-DMC" by using the group's name and, in some cases, its logo, on shirts, purses, patches and other products and that these items "confuse the public as to the source of origin and endorsement of its products.

In addition to the $50 million, the suit seeks attorney's fees, accounting of all sales of the defendants' products that were advertised as being related to Run-D.M.C. or directly use its trademark and an injunction and restraining order against sales and promotion of these products. 

That is some scary hair.

The Kinks' co-founder Ray Davies has made the Queen’s 2017 New Year Honours list.

The honor makes Davies now Sir Ray Davies. 

"Initially I felt a mixture of surprise, humility, joy and a bit embarrassed but after thinking about it, I accept this for my family and fans as well as everyone who has inspired me to write," Davies told the BBC.

Interestingly, his brother Dave- the other founder of the band- was not honored.

Wallingford, CT police say two people were dead and two injured after a shooting outside a Meek Mill concert Friday night. A spokesperson said officers responded to reports of shots fired outside the Oakdale Theatre and the two wounded had suffered "non-life-threatening injuries" were taken to hospitals.

The names and ages of the victims haven't been released and there was no information on suspects released- nor was the violence linked to the performance or the rapper.

Sales of George Michael's Ladies and Gentlemen- The Best of George Michael saw a 5625% jump after his death on Christmas day, reappearing at #8 on Billboard's album chart this week.

Birthdays today include: Doug Robb of Hoobastank; Ricky Van Shelton; and Chick Churchill of 10 Years After. #MusicalBirthdays