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5/9/08

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN PERFORMS 'DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN' AND 'BORN TO RUN' IN THEIR ENTIRETY AT NEW JERSEY BENEFIT

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed a special fundraiser on Wednesday night (May 7th) at Red Bank, New Jersey's Count Basie Theatre and for the first time performed Springsteen's 1978 album Darkness On The Edge Of Town and 1975's Born To Run back-to-back and in their entirety, according to backstreets.com.

Proceeds from the fundraiser went to the refurbishing of the 82-year-old theater. Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa currently serves on the Board of the Basie Foundation.

The band was introduced by NBC news anchor -- and longtime Springsteen fan -- Brian Williams who touched upon the recent death of E Street Band keyboardist Danny Federici by saying, "Great families endure. And great, great bands endure. The netting is just to keep the larger pieces of debris from falling down, and if there's an entity that could cause the big ones to fall, it's this group here... Ladies and gentlemen, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band!"

• Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's setlist:
  Darkness On The Edge Of Town -- "Badlands," "Adam Raised A Cain," "Something In The Night," "Candy's Room," "Racing In The Street," "The Promised Land," "Factory," "Streets Of Fire," "Prove It All Night," and "Darkness On The Edge Of Town."
• After an intermission the band returned to perform Born To Run with the periodic help of a horn section Springsteen called the Mighty Max Horns featuring Mark Pender on trumpet, LaBamba on trombone, Jerry Vivino and Ed Manion on saxes.
• Born To Run -- "Thunder Road," "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," "Night," "Backstreets," "Born To Run," "She's The One," "Meeting Across The River," and "Jungleland."
• The show's encores included the Darkness On The Edge Of Town outtake "So Young And In Love, "Kitty's Back," "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)," and a cover of Eddie Floyd's Raise Your Hand."
• The benefit raised money for the theater's renovation, which will begin this summer. Money raised at the show will also go towards various other programs though the theatre, including the Cool School which includes "workshops with seasoned professionals for aspiring actors, musicians and dancers of all ages."
• Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kick off their European tour on May 22nd in Dublin, Ireland. The band will be back in the U.S. on July 27th to kick off a three-night stand at New Jersey's Giants Stadium.

BEATLES FAN CREATES FAKE REUNION ALBUM ONLINE BY OVERDUBBING GROUP AND SOLO DEMO TAPES

An enterprising and talented fan has created a virtual Beatles reunion album and posted his results on youtube.com, according to the Beatles fan website Abbey Road Best (abbeyrd.best.vwh.net).

A man identified as Octavio has taken rare Beatles and solo demo tracks and added appropriate "Beatlesque" sounding instrumentation to essentially create the album that never was. One of Octavio's "outfakes" of the third unfinished mid-'90s Beatles reunion track "Now And then" recently duped some longtime fans into thinking that they were actually hearing an unreleased Beatles reunion performance.

Among the demos that have been overdubbed are such rarities as Paul McCartney's 1968 version of "Goodbye" which morphs his 1968 demo with Mary Hopkin's 1969 version; George Harrison's All Things Must Pass-era demos of "Nowhere To Go" and "I Don't Wanna Do It"; John Lennon's late '70s and 1980 demos of "India," "You Saved My Soul," "Help Me To Help Myself," "Grow Old With Me," and others.

• All of the tracks are created to sound very much like the Beatles' Anthology reunion tracks "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love," which were produced by ELO's Jeff Lynne.
• Octavio has started his own blog virtualbeatles.blogspot.com which provides the audio to the tracks. The videos, which mainly consist of photo montages, can be accessed by logging on to youtube.com/user/gaius476.

VIVID OFFERS $100,000 FOR PROOF JIMI HENDRIX SEX TAPE IS FAKE

Adult film company Vivid Entertainment has issued a challenge to Jimi Hendrix's estate to prove its claim that Vivid's just-released sex video featuring the late rock icon is a fake. According to Undercover News, Jimi Hendrix The Sex Tape allegedly features Hendrix and two women having sex more than 40 years ago. After the tape was released, Experience Hendrix, the family company controlling the Hendrix estate run by Jimi's sister Janie, immediately said it as fake. On Thursday (May 8th), Vivid has offered Experience Hendrix $100,000 if they can prove that claim.

Vivid co-chairman Steven Hirsch says, "Vivid took considerable time and spent a substantial sum of money to authenticate the footage and we are very comfortable that this is the real thing. We believe that those who say otherwise are relying on their emotions to make unsubstantiated claims. If Experience Hendrix can prove definitively that it's not Jimi Hendrix on this footage then we will pay them $100,000."

• Experience Hendrix has not responded to the challenge yet, but the rocker's former tour manager, Neville Chesters, says he's "positive" it's Jimi in the eight-millimeter footage. He also speculated that the film was probably developed in Germany because it would've been difficult to get sexually explicit film, especially a bi-racial sex act, commercially developed in the U.S. back then.
• Hendrix's girlfriend Kathy Etchingham has said she didn't think the footage was authentic, although she reportedly has only seen still images, not the film itself. But in her 1973 book, An Intimate Biography of Jimi Hendrix, Etchingham said, "He went really crazy about cinefilming. He would also get friends of his to film naked women running around his room."

JON BON JOVI DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM DOCUMENTARY

Bon Jovi has a documentary in the works to coincide with its 25 year anniversary. The band has recently brought a film crew out on the road to shoot interviews and other footage. Award-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple is behind the new film. Singer Jon Bon Jovi says he hopes to dig up some archived footage as well, but tells us he doesn't know exactly what to expect from the film: "I'm not sure. And I think that's partly the beauty of it and the fear that's driving it. I was interested because people have been offering us boatloads of money to write a memoir. And I'm not ready to write a biography yet because it's too soon. This story is half told. I'd like to catch the moments while the moments are happening. And look back on the 25 years while the moments are fresh. With this because I'm making it and it's either going to tell the truth or it's not coming out."

• There's no word on when the DVD will come out.
• Bon Jovi plans to announce a show at Central Park this summer.
• Bon Jovi will tour Europe in May and June and then return from some U.S. dates in July.

BRYAN ADAMS STRIPS DOWN SONGS FOR TOUR

Bryan Adams recently kicked off a solo acoustic tour, which stops in Albany, New York tonight (Friday, May 9th). He's playing a mixture of hits and tracks off his upcoming album, called 11. During the brief tour, Adams tells us he's stripping down the tunes and playing them acoustically: "They all work acoustically because they were all written on an acoustic guitar. The album started out as an acoustic record and we halfway through I sort of switched gears and decided to make sort of an acoustic rock record. When I play the songs live, it actually sort of led me into the path into this next tour -- my first North American acoustic tour. And I feel confident enough with these songs -- and songs in the past -- that the show is going to be more interesting. Just hearing the songs stripped down completely myself and the guitar."

• Adams' new album will come out next Tuesday (May 13th). The set will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores nationwide and on WalMart.com in CD and MP3 format.
• Adams recorded 11 -- named for its chronological order among his releases, as well as for the number of tracks it has -- in hotel rooms and backstage concert venues throughout Europe over the past two years.

FLASHBACK: THE ROLLING STONES BEGIN RECORDING '(I CAN'T GET NO) SATISFACTION'

It was 43 years ago tomorrow (May 10th, 1965) that the Rolling Stones began recording their signature tune "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" at Chicago's legendary Chess Studios.

Co-writer Keith Richards began writing the song in the early hours of May 7th, while the group was on tour in Clearwater, Florida. In the middle of the night, Richards woke up with the distinctive eight-note riff in his head and recorded it on a portable tape recorder he traveled with. According to Richards, the actual tape contains 15 seconds of the song's riff and "40 minutes of him snoring."

The next morning, Richards played the demo to Mick Jagger with the simple instructions that, "The line that goes with this riff is 'I can't get no satisfaction.'" Jagger immediately wrote a set of lyrics that were considered risqué for 1965. He recalled to the BBC that, "The lyrics to this were truly threatening to an older audience. This song was perceived as an attack on the status quo."

• When the group began sessions for the song on May 10th at Chicago's Chess Studios -- where their idols Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Howlin' Wolf had recorded their classic hits -- Richards experimented with a new Gibson Fuzz Box for his guitar. He had originally intended for a horn section to supply the song's introduction, but it was the rest of the band -- which then included the late Brian Jones on guitar, bassist Bill Wyman, and drummer Charlie Watts -- that convinced him to keep the "fuzz guitar" on the track despite Richards' fear that it sounded "too gimmicky."
• Years later, Richards said that he originally thought the song would only be good for use as an album track, admitting to author Phillip Norman that, "I never thought it was commercial enough to be a single."
• "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" debuted on the Billboard Top 40 on June 19th, 1965, and on July 10th it hit Number One, topping the charts for four weeks. Over the years, the song has been covered by artists as diverse as Otis Redding, Devo, and Britney Spears.
• Although the song would remain a live staple for the group until 1972, it was retired from live performances until 1981. The group opened the majority of their 1997-1998 Bridges To Babylon Tour with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," marking the first time the song was not performed as a concert's closing number or as an encore.

TINA TURNER ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

Tina Turner announced her first tour in eight years yesterday (May 8th). The Tina Turner Live North American Tour kicks off on October 1st in Kansas City, Missouri and will hit 17 cities before wrapping on December 8th in Montreal.

Turner said in a prepared statement that her appearance at the Grammy Awards earlier this year played a big part in deciding to return to the road: "After performing with Beyonce at the Grammy Awards, the response was overwhelming. Everywhere I went people were asking me when I was going back on tour. So after a lot of thought and planning, I can answer the only way I know how -- See you in Kansas City where we'll kick the tour off!"

• Tina Turner North American tour dates (subject to change):
  October 1 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
  October 3 - Chicago, IL - United Center
  October 6 - Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena
  October 13 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
  October 14 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center
  October 19 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
  October 22 - Sacramento, CA - Arco Arena
  October 24 - Phoenix, AZ - Jobing.com Arena
  October 30 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
  November 2 - Fort Lauderdale - Bank Atlantic Center
  November 5 - Orlando, FL - Amway Arena
  November 9 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
  November 13 Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
  November 16 - Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden
  November 23 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
  November 26 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
  December 3 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum
  December 8 - Montreal, QB - Bell Centre
• Turner's last world tour which she had said was her last, dubbed Twenty Four Seven, was rated Pollstar's most successful tour of 2000.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DONOVAN!!!

Happy Birthday to singer-songwriter Donovan, who turns 62 tomorrow (May 10th). Donovan, whose last name is Leitch, is best known for his string of '60s hits including "Mellow Yellow," "Hurdy Gurdy Man," "Jennifer Juniper," "Atlantis," and the 1966 Number One hit "Sunshine Superman."

Donovan recently published The Autobiography Of Donovan: Hurdy Gurdy Man, which shed new light on his early life and his friendships with Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and the Rolling Stones. The book also revealed Donovan's part in collaborating on several Beatles songs, including "Yellow Submarine" and "Rocky Raccoon." Donovan also released the career-spanning box set Try For The Sun: The Journey Of Donovan, played a series of live dates with rocker John Mellencamp, and appeared on stage with Beach Boys' Mike Love at a recent lecture on Transcendental Meditation.

• Donovan says that he has always defied genres, using different instruments and song structures to create his own unique style: "The rejection by the British folk world over me popularizing folk music and wanting to fuse different elements -- even on the first record, putting strings. I thought it was absolutely ridiculous. What socialism were they involved with, as if folk music could only be listened to (by) the folk world, to the folk world audiences, is a very elite kind of way of looking at things. That, I couldn't deal with that."

5/8/08

THE WHO'S PRODUCER SAYS NEW COVERS PROJECT WILL CREATE A PAST THAT NEVER EXISTED

Producer T-Bone Burnett who's signed on to produce the Who's upcoming covers album says that the project will pick up where the band's pre-fame R&B group the High Numbers left off.

Burnett, who produced Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' recent Grammy Award-winning Raising Sand album and is touring with the duo, says that Roger Daltrey is keen on selecting hardcore R&B cuts for the still unnamed project: "I've been a High Numbers fan for some time because I love that 'I'm The Face (If You Want It, Babe)' And Roger is a really great singer and we started going through material. And it's very interesting, the songs he... You start realizing, 'Oh yeah, that's where he's coming from.' You know you can discover more about him going through this old stuff. We're essentially going to be creating a past that never existed, you know? We've picked out about five or six where we've said, 'Yeah, let's do these' and we'll probably do about 15."

• There's been no word as to when the album will begin production. Several weeks ago Pete Townshend posted a long message on the band's official website thewho.com claiming that he would be taking an hiatus from Who activities for the near future and was pulling out of a planned tour and recording sessions with the band set for this fall. As of now all future Who plans are in limbo.
• On June 15th Roger Daltrey perform with Peter Frampton and others as part of the charity super group playing the London International Music Show at ExCel London. Part of the proceeds from the show by the band dubbed the RD Crusaders will go to Daltrey's patron charity, Britain's Teenage Cancer Trust.
• The Who's only scheduled appearance of the years is set for July 12th in Los Angeles when the band receives the only award at the 2008 VH1 Rock Honors. The show will be broadcast on VH1 on July 17th.

DAVID GILMOUR TO RELEASE NEW LIVE SET

Pink Floyd's David Gilmour has a new live set on the way. In September, he'll release Live In Gdansk, the last show of his 2006 summer tour. The gig, which was recorded in front of 50,000 people at the shipyards in Gdansk, Poland, find Gilmore backed by the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra featuring a 40-strong string section. Highlights include the performance of "A Great Day for Freedom" with the orchestral arrangement of the late Michael Kamen, and a guest appearance by prominent Polish pianist Leszek Mozdzer, who reprised his piano part from On an Island's "A Pocketful Of Stones."

• Last fall, Gilmour released a DVD called Remember That Night - Live From The Royal Albert Hall.
• Glimour's most recent solo album, On an Island, came out in 2006.

NEW DEF LEPPARD DEBUTS AT NUMBER FIVE

Def Leppard's new album, Songs From the Sparkle Lounge, debuted at Number Five this week, marking the band's 11th consecutive Top 20 album. It has been catching some buzz thanks to the single "Nine Lives," featuring country singer Tim McGraw. The set was recorded last year at vocalist Joe Elliot's Dublin studio. But the material was mostly written in 2006 while Def Leppard was on tour and dubbed their backstage area "The Sparkle Lounge." Elliot tells us how the most recent tracks came about: "What we tend to do with in this one is like 'Alright, let's sit down and try write some songs.' If we were out buying records these are kind of songs we want to buy. We just sat down and wrote songs that we thought were meaningful songs. That's why there are songs on the album that are individually written by people because they just took the song and rolled with it, which we've never really done much in the past."

• Def Leppard kicks off a U.S. summer tour August 1st in Nashville.

PAUL McCARTNEY GIVING HIS LATEST ALBUM AWAY WITH BRITISH NEWSPAPER

Paul McCartney will be giving away his most recent album with copies of the May 18th edition of London's Mail On Sunday.

Uncut.co..uk reported that Memory Almost Full which was released last June, is expected to now reach up to 2 million homes through the giveaway. The album peaked at Number Three in the U.S. and Number Five in the UK and has sold over $1.5 million copies world wide. The album was McCartney's first for the Starbucks co-owned record label Hear Music and benefited greatly at having the album sold at the Starbucks Coffee stores.

• The Mail On Sunday's managing director Stephen Miron told Music Week, "If you look at how he came to do the Starbucks' album deal, it was a result of feeling unhappy with the music industry and looking at alternative ways of distribution. I can't think of anyone else who has come up with the right alternative distribution than us."
• Previous album artists who have participated in giveaways through The Mail On Sunday include Prince, Simply Red, and UB40. Kinks cofounder Ray Davies participated in a similar giveaway with his last album with The London Times. 
• Paul McCartney has two live dates planned for next month; he'll next perform on June 1st in Liverpool, England at the FC Anfield Stadium and in the Ukraine on June 14th in Kiev's Independence Square, in a show called the Independence Concert. The Liverpool and Kiev shows are so far his only scheduled dates of the year.

In other Beatles-related news:

George Harrison's son, 29 year old Dhani (pronounced Danny) Harrison is planning on hitting the road in the U.S. this fall according to Britain's Daily Express.

Dhani, who co-produced his dad's 2002 posthumous album Brainwashed, has been releasing songs online by his band Thenewno2 (pronounced The New Number Two) over the past couple of years.

A source told the paper, "Dhani isn't a big attention seeker but it's understood he hopes to go on the road in the autumn. Dhani will be keen to keep things low key and they'll be playing small venues, but there's bound to be a lot of interest."

• Dhani's most high profile gig so far was the 2002 Concert For George at London's Royal Albert Hall in which he was part of the backing band playing behind Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, among others.

NEIL YOUNG TO RELEASE MUSIC AND VIDEO ARCHIVE ON BLU-RAY DVD's

Neil Young will be releasing his video and music archive on Blu-Ray DVDs. AFP reported that Young announced on Tuesday (May 6th) at the Java One conference in San Francisco that he'll be partnering with Sun Microsystems Inc. for a ten disc set marking the first set of Neil Young Archive releases.

Young explained why he decided to finally release his archives on Blu-Ray DVD's, saying, "It is important for me that the user experience the high resolution music along with the archival visual material. Previous technology required unacceptable quality compromises. The technology had not yet evolved to that capability. I am glad we waited and got it right."

• The ten-disc set, powered by Java technology, will be released later this year contain his music from 1963 to 1972.
• The Neil Young Archive will be "a biography of the musician's career showing movies, letters, manuscripts, videos and a chronology of music released and unreleased."
• Neil Young will next perform on June 27th in Madrid, Spain.

PETER BUCK SAYS THAT PRESIDENT BUSH MIGHT MAKE A GOOD McDONALD'S MANAGER

R.E.M.'s Peter Buck took a swipe at President George W. Bush in the current issue of Uncut magazine, saying that his competence level is perfect for a management position at McDonald's.

In the magazine Buck answered fans' questions on a wide range of subjects and when asked what career he would give President Bush if he could have him switch professions, Buck answered, "Well, since he's failed at everything else he's done, he needs to step down the management level a little. There's probably a McDonald's that could use management, and he seems like the kind of purse-mouthed snot nose who'd be great at terrifying 13-year-olds."

Buck went on to say, "A lot of what he's done is betray the working people. I mean, I'm a rich white guy, and as much as I disagree philosophically with everything they do -- it's only been good for me -- on a personal level, if you don't count the environment and the deaths."

• Last month R.E.M. released their latest album called Accelerate.
• They will appear on the PBS show Austin City Limits on May 24th. The band's tour kicks off on May 23rd and continues in North America, before traveling to Europe in July.

KID ROCK TEAMING WITH LYNYRD SKYNYRD FOR SUMMER DATES

Kid Rock is teaming up with Southern classic rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd for a series of summer shows beginning on August 8th in Oklahoma City. The two acts will preview the trek when they share the stage at New York's Madison Square Garden on May 15th, the first time that Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd will have ever appeared at the world famous arena. Kid Rock continues his road work in support of his 2007 album, Rock 'N' Roll Jesus, which debuted at Number One on the Billboard album chart last fall.

• The latest single from Rock 'N' Roll Jesus is "All Summer Long." A video for the track will arrive in the next few weeks.
• Kid Rock and his Twisted Brown Trucker Band will perform "All Summer Long" on the May 14th edition of Late Show with David Letterman.

5/7/08

THE POLICE ANNOUNCE FINAL CONCERT

The Police will play their last show ever this summer in New York. Details about the fundraising event will be announced soon, but according to Billboard.com, the show will likely be held at an indoor venue with proceeds going to production of arts programming for public television stations Thirteen/WNET and WLIW New York. Tickets will be available nationally online via the Thirteen/WNET and WLIW Web sites.

The Police will also donate $1 million to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's MillionTreesNYC initiative, which plants trees all over New York City. Sting said, "Some people may be surprised to know that the greatest single contribution to greenhouse gases is deforestation. We all want cleaner and cooler air, and planting trees is the best way to achieve that." He added, "We have a long history in New York. We came here first in 1978. We want to leave a gift that will last for decades."

• During a press conference on Tuesday (May 6th), Mayor Bloomberg gave each member of the Police a key to New York City, while Sting gave the mayor an all-access backstage pass that he said could be used at "any Police concert."
• The Police are on tour this summer, playing amphitheaters, arenas and stadiums located mainly in North America and Europe.
• Elvis Costello & the Imposters will open for the shows.

SQUEEZE HEADING BACK ON THE ROAD

Squeeze have announced a 13-city U.S. tour kicking off on August 21st in Washington, D.C. and ending on September 16th in Seattle, Washington.

The band's current lineup features original members Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford who wrote all of Squeeze's best known hits.

• Squeeze tour dates (subject to change):
  August 21 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club  
  August 22 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre  
  August 25 - Torrington, CT - Warner Theatre  
  August 26 - Foxborough, MA - Showcase Live!  
  August 29 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre  
  August 31 - Highland Park, IL - Ravinia Festival At Ravinia Park  
  September 3 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium  
  September 5 - Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa  
  September 9 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre  
  September 10 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre  
  September 13 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery  
  September 15 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom  
  September 16 - Seattle, WA - Showbox At The Market
• Glenn Tilbrook says that Squeeze songs tend to stay the same or change dramatically once performed live: "Unless you're gonna completely go back to the drawing board, it's hard to unpick the arrangement from the song. I'm thinking of something like 'Another Nail For My Heart,' or say, for instance, like 'Tempted' -- something which is so firmly wedded to the style that it was recorded, and the fact that it's so tightly written, there isn't a lot of room to play about. There are Squeeze songs like 'Take Me I'm Yours' or even 'Black Coffee In Bed' that lend themselves much more to being tweaked about in one way or another."
• Last year the band released a live album from their 2007 U.S. tour called 5 Live.
• Squeeze will next perform on July 12th in Chichester, UK at a venue TBA.

JOHN MELLENCAMP - STEPHEN KING MUSICAL POSTPONED UNTIL AT LEAST NEXT YEAR

The musical co-written by John Mellencamp and Stephen King has been which was supposed to open in April at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre has been postponed, according to The Associated Press.

The theatre announced the postponement to subscribers that the musical, called, Ghost Brothers Of Darkland County had been pushed back due to "unanticipated scheduling problems which could not be resolved in time for the production... Members of the creative team realized the script would not be ready by spring 2009." The Alliance Theatre hopes to have the show ready for the 2009-2010 season.

• When the collaboration was first announced in February, the Alliance Theatre described the piece as "a sultry Southern gothic mystery with a blues-tinged, guitar-driven score." The musical, which is Mellencamp and King's first collaboration, takes place in 1957 in the fictional town of Lake Belle Reve, Mississippi and focuses on the legend surrounding the deaths of three children.
• Mellencamp is heading out on the road for a summer tour which kicks off on July 8th in Philadelphia and runs through August 2nd in Berkley, California. Lucinda Williams will open most of the dates on the tour.
• On July 15th Mellencamp releases his latest album, called Life, Death, Love And Freedom, which is his first for the Starbucks co-owned label Hear Music.

STEVE WINWOOD SAYS 'NINE LIVES' GREW OUT OF SOUNDCHECK JAMS WITH CURRENT BAND

Steve Winwood says that his new album Nine Lives was born out of soundchecks with his current band.

Winwood talked about the album to The New York Post and explained how the collection, which is his first studio set in five years, came together musically, saying, "We recorded our sound checks, jams and practices over the last four or five years. And much of the inspiration for this record came out of what the band played. Traffic used to work like that, with songs borne out of jams and improvs, so I guess I've gone full circle."

Winwood says that the experimentations with world music that were a cornerstone of his work in Traffic can also be found in his latest album Nine Lives: "In the early days of Traffic we were trying to combine rock with jazz, with folk, with other kinds of ethnic music -- be it Japanese folk music or Afro-Caribbean music. I mean that, in a way, I feel is the musical common thread which goes right through now. Because what I'm still trying to do is to mix all these elements."

• Eric Clapton contributes lead guitar to the album's first single, "Dirty City."
• Steve Winwood will next perform with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on May 30th in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. He'll be opening for the band through the end of August.

YES PLANS SET LIST FOR ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Yes is getting ready to kick off its 40th anniversary tour in July. The Close to the Edge and Back outing will pass through 25 cities, eventually winding down in August. Yes is currently working out a set-list for the upcoming trek. Singer Jon Anderson tells us what fans can expect at the show: "Well, on tour now you really have to play the songs you want to play. And they really are, you know, 70 percent from the '70s, a couple of songs from the '80s and two or three songs from the '90s."

• Anderson said, "It's been five years since our last tour. We're all very excited to play to all of our fans, a lot of which have been with us for almost 40 years. A lot of marriages don't even last that long."
• The line-up will include Anderson, guitarist Steve Howe, bassist Chris Squire and drummer Allan White. Oliver Wakeman will sit in on keyboards for his father, Rick Wakeman, who will be sitting out this tour.
• A new edition of Yes' 35th anniversary world tour DVD came out last month.
• A live album featuring previously recorded material is in the works and could be released this year.

PAUL McCARTNEY REPORTEDLY HIT UP MICK JAGGER FOR TOURING ADVICE

Paul McCartney has reportedly asked Mick Jagger for his advice on staying fit and happy while out on the road. McCartney is in the process of planning an upcoming world tour which will be his first road trek since his 2005 U.S. tour.

A source told monstersandcritics.com, "Paul is really good friends with Mick. Despite rumors of rivalry, they've been mates since they started out in the sixties. Mick has advised him to take a relaxing break before he embarks on the tour and then to try and factor one or two days more than usual between shows if possible. He said that it is the traveling that is the really tiring thing."

• Last year the Rolling Stones wrapped up their two-year A Bigger Bang tour. The Stones' Martin Scorsese-directed concert movie Shine A Light, which was filmed at New York City's Beacon Theatre, is in theaters now.
• McCartney has yet to announce any tour dates, but will perform on June 1st in Liverpool, England at the FC Anfield Stadium and in the Ukraine on June 14th in Kiev's Independence Square, in a show called the Independence Concert. The Liverpool and Kiev shows are so far his only scheduled dates of the year.

In other Beatles/Stones-related news:

Britain's The Telegraph reported that in a recently unearthed letter from the producer of the film The Clockwork Orange, that while in pre-production Mick Jagger had expressed an interest in portraying the lead role of "Alex" made famous by Malcolm McDowell. The letter also claims that the Beatles were reportedly considering writing and recording the film's score.

In a letter dated February 2nd, 1968, producer Si Litvinoff wrote to prospective director John Schlesinger: "This film should break ground in its language, cinematic style and soundtrack (the Beatles love the project and Mick Jagger and David Hemmings have both been keen to play Alex). After you've read the script and novel, I'm sure you will see the incredible potential we all see in this project."

• Schlesinger went on to pass on the film which was eventually directed by Stanley Kubrick and released in late 1971.

METALLICA DRUMMER HINTS AT 'MISSION METALLICA' CONTENT

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich told a Los Angeles radio station on Monday (May 5th) that the band's new web site, MissionMetallica.com, will showcase the kind of "making-of-the-album" features usually found these days on a DVD accompanying a CD release. Ulrich explained, "We thought, instead of doing the usual DVDs and all that, why don't we just do it on the Internet and people can kind of tune in every day, watch clips, contests, get updates for what's going on with the record and kind of watch the last couple of months of song titles, album titles, final mixes...So it's kind of a little bit of a countdown type of thing. It should be fun."

• MissionMetallica.com launches on Monday (May 12th). Ulrich also told the station, "Knock on wood, this week should be our last week in the studio," adding that the group expects to get its ninth album out in September.
• Ulrich said that fans can expect to hear new material "about five minutes after we finish playing it -- thanks to the Internet," although he did not say how soon the band will begin playing some new songs live.

·         Metallica will top the bill for the annual "Weenie Roast" festival sponsored by Los Angeles radio station KROQ-FM. The show, scheduled for May 17th at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, California, will also feature sets from the Offspring, the Raconteurs, Rise Against, Pennywise, the Bravery, Seether, Scars On Broadway and more. This date joins two previously announced Metallica shows on May 16th in Tucson, Arizona and in mid-June at Tennessee's Bonnaroo festival.

FLASHBACK: GEORGE HARRISON RELEASES 'ALL THOSE YEARS AGO'

It was on this day 27 years ago (May 7th, 1981) that George Harrison released his tribute to John Lennon, called "All Those Years Ago." The song is notable for being the first record since the Beatles' 1970 breakup to feature all three surviving group members, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr.

According to several sources, the song was originally taped the year before for inclusion on Starr's 1981 Stop And Smell The Roses album. Harrison had written the song with different lyrics for Starr to sing, with the song's basic track featuring himself on guitar and Starr on drums. The song was left off the album, and after Lennon's murder in 1980, Harrison revamped the song into a tribute to his late bandmate.

In early 1981, Harrison, Paul and Linda McCartney, and Wings co-founder Denny Laine recorded the song's distinctive backing vocals at Harrison's home studio Friar Park. The vocal sessions were supervised by legendary Beatles producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick, who at the time were recording with McCartney for his Tug Of War album.

• Denny Laine who had known the Beatles intimately since touring with them in the mid-'60s while still in the Moody Blues, says that there was no difference between watching Harrison and McCartney recording in the '80s and during their '60s heyday: "They were just the same as they always were. The same as the public sees them. You know, they just had a sort of natural way of doing things. They weren't any different in front of me and Linda than they would have been when they were in a Beatles session. They're just Paul and George as you know them."
• "All Those Years Ago," which peaked at Number Two on the charts, was featured on Harrison's Somewhere In England album.

5/6/08

ROGER DALTREY SAYS HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE SAVED HIS SON'S LIFE

Roger Daltrey says that homeopathic medicine saved the life of his now 27-year-old son Jamie.

Daltrey spoke to timesonline.co.uk and revealed that homeopathic medicine proved to be the last hope in saving Jamie's life when he fell ill as an infant, recalling, "I had a very, very dramatic experience with my son when he was nine-months-old. He had gastro difficulties, started throwing up, could not keep any food down and turned into skin and bone. At the hospital, they did every test to him, and in the end they just handed him back to me. My wife and I were in bits. My poor baby. The kid was dying. It was terrifying. I thought, there's got to be something. I'd heard of homoeopathy, so I found a local guy in the Yellow Pages and took my boy there."

He went on to say, "He gave him some powders. Within two weeks he was putting weight on, keeping the food down. The trouble recurred periodically for a couple of years, but he's now 27, a fit and healthy young man."

• Daltrey says that his family's not alone in being touched by the wonders of homeopathic care: "The bizarre thing is that I've got a chiropractor friend in L.A. whose baby landed up in exactly the same state. He thought he was about to lose him. But I recommended homoeopathic remedies, and he recovered too. That's God's honest truth. Now I bet doctors would say, 'Oh they'd have got better anyway'. But I can't believe that."
• When asked about whether there are any simmering tensions between he and Pete Townshend over future Who plans, Daltrey said, "Nah, he has an incredibly strong constitution. Despite all the stories about acrimony, we do get on very well. It's a very affectionate relationship. We've been working together for 45 years now, so don't ever try to get between us. But we have got completely separate heads. The band is my life and it is all I ever wanted out of my career. For Pete, it's just a section of his work, so there's two different agendas."
• On June 15th Daltrey perform as part of the charity supergroup playing the London International Music Show at ExCel London. Joining Daltrey will be Lulu, Argent's Russ Ballard, former Peter Frampton, Foreigner and Bad Company bassist Rick Wills, and others. Part of the proceeds from the show by the band dubbed the RD Crusaders will go to Daltrey's patron charity, Britain's Teenage Cancer Trust.
• Daltrey says that he's come to realize that between Who projects, he need s to constantly work his vocal cords to keep them limber: "I've got to keep singing. The one thing I have, really...I knew it, and that's why I've kept doing it. I knew if I ever stopped singing, I wouldn't be able to do this. So I just make sure I keep singing, keep the voice in...Singing seven gigs a year (with the Who) is not good enough for a singer. You've got to keep doing it, especially singing the way I sing. I could do some serious damage if I stopped, so I've got to keep going. And I don't want to start another rock band."

JOHN FOGERTY ADDS U.S. SUMMER DATES

John Fogerty has added an extra West Coast show for Friday (May 9th) in Sparks, Nevada to his brief U.S. itinerary before heading out later this month on an extended European tour.

Fogerty has also just added seven U.S. shows for later this summer, kicking off on August 4th in Sheburne, Vermont.

• John Fogerty U.S. tour dates (subject to change):
  May 9 - Sparks, NV - John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel/Casino
  May 10 - Kelseyville, CA - Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa - Amphitheatre
  August 4 - Shelburne, VT - Green At Shelburne Museum
  August 5 - Gilford, NH - Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion
  August 7 - Canandaigua, NY - Constellation Brands - Sands PAC
  August 8 - Wallingford, CT - Chevrolet Theatre
  August 10 - Bethlehem, PA - Bethlehem Musikfest at Musikfest Grounds
  August 30 - Copper Mountain, CO - Copper Mountain Resort
  August 31 - Aspen, CO - Jazz Festival;
• Fogerty's most recent album, Revival, was nominated for the Grammy for last year's Best Rock Album.

T-BONE BURNETT HOPES FOR A LED ZEPPELIN REUNION TOUR

T-Bone Burnett is out on the road playing some Led Zeppelin songs with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. But the producer says he also wouldn't mind seeing a full Led Zeppelin reunion tour. Although he's close with Plant, Burnett says he doesn't know if Zeppelin plans to reunite for more shows. He tells us that it would be great if it happened though: "You know we don't talk about it much, but I certainly hope they do it soon. I heard the show was unbelievably great. People I know that went to it - Sam Shepard's son went -- Jesse Shepard -- and he said it was a completely life-changing experience. I had that same life-changing experience 30 years ago or something."

• Plant and Krauss will kick off a U.S. tour on June 2nd in Roanoke, Virginia. They are among the more than 125 artists performing at the seventh annual Austin City Limits Music Festival, scheduled for September 26th, 27th and 28th at Bilker Park in Austin, Texas.
• The pair won "Wide Open Country Video of the Year" at the Country Music Television Awards recently for the song "Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On)."
• Burnett produced Plant and Krauss' album, Raising Sand.
• Led Zeppelin reformed for a one-off reunion show last year in London.

ALLEGED RINGO STARR BURGLER DIES IN POLICE CUSTODY

Police are investigating the death of an alleged burglar who died days after breaking into Ringo Starr's exclusive luxury apartment block in London's Chelsea district, according to sundaymirror.co.uk.

The unnamed 32-year-old intruder was held by security guards after he entered the private block until the police came. Once in police custody, he collapsed and was taken to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where he died four days later.

• The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the man's death and whether he was looking to harm Starr or merely steal from him and his wealthy neighbors.
• In 1999 a schizophrenic Liverpool man Michael Abram broke into George Harrison's Friar Park mansion and stabbed him repeatedly, puncturing his lung.

In other Beatles-related news:

A new comedy documentary called Desperately Seeking Paul McCartney will premiere on May 18th at Los Angeles' Vine Theatre.

The film focuses on Ruth Anson-Sowby, who in 1964 was a teenage reporter for KABC-TV in Los Angeles. During the Beatles' 1964 L.A. press conference prior to their first legendary show at the Hollywood Bowl, Anson-Sowby asked McCartney if he had any marriage plans, to which McCartney replied, "only if you'll marry me." The film tries to answer Anson-Sowby's nagging question of "what if I had said 'yes.'"

• For more information on Desperately Seeking Paul McCartney, log on to myspace.com/dearpaul.

METALLICA TOPPING LOS ANGELES FESTIVAL BILL

Metallica will top the bill for the annual "Weenie Roast" festival sponsored by Los Angeles radio station KROQ-FM. The show, scheduled for May 17th at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, California, will also feature sets from the Offspring, the Raconteurs, Rise Against, Pennywise, the Bravery, Seether, Scars On Broadway and more. This date joins two previously announced Metallica shows on May 16th in Tucson, Arizona and in mid-June at Tennessee's Bonnaroo festival.

• Metallica also has a slew of European dates on tap beginning later this month and extending throughout the summer.
• Rumors continue to circulate that Metallica will co-headline this summer's edition of OzzFest with Ozzy Osbourne. Sources have indicated that the long-running metal festival tour is being transformed into a one or two-day event, possibly to be held in Dallas.

5/5/08

MAY PANG CLAIMS JOHN LENNON WANTED THE BEATLES TO REUNITE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

John Lennon's former girlfriend May Pang claims that the musician was seriously considering a live Beatles reunion. Pang, who was Lennon's companion during his mid-1970's separation from Yoko Ono, revealed the details of Lennon's plans to California's Cerritos College radio station, saying, "John really thought about it at one point, and we were considering it early on in '74, just for the hell of it. Harry Nilsson wanted to be a part of it. We said, oh, that would be a good idea -- a one-off (show), and we would do it in the fall. We were thinking about upstate New York, like Syracuse, because Ringo (Starr) couldn't be in New York City. We were in the middle of a lawsuit and he didn't want to be subpoenaed."

• Pang went on to say that, "We had been hanging out with Ringo a lot in L.A. and it just came out of conversation, hanging out: 'Oh, wouldn't it be great if we did this one gig,' and they'd start talking about it. 'Yeah, well, why don't we do this, and George (Harrison) would do that, and Paul (McCartney would do)...' So it was just thrown around, and everybody was like, well...let's do that... It was early in '74 when it was discussed... But, obviously, certain things were not meant to be."
• Pang, who prior to her affair with Lennon, was his and Yoko's personal assistant had recent released her second book on her time with Lennon, a photo book called Instamatic Karma. The book features previously unseen shots of Lennon during his legendary "Lost Weekend" from 1973 to 1975. Included is a previously unseen photo of Lennon and McCartney from April 1974 taken in Santa Monica, California
• Although Pang never got to see Lennon reunite onstage with his former bandmates, in April 1974 she was on hand the night Lennon and McCartney reunited at L.A.'s Record Plant West recording studio. The tapes of the heavily inebriated performance, which also includes Stevie Wonder and Harry Nilsson, have been widely bootlegged throughout the years: "Had they known it was on, I don't know if Paul would've approved. It wasn't for that. It was just at the end of the session, it was the end of the first session of the Harry Nilsson (Pussycats album), Paul just walked in. He couldn't believe that the session was over. So when Paul showed up with Linda it was quite a surprise that three drummers that we had -- Jim Keltner, Ringo (Starr) and Keith Moon had all gone home -- they're going out to party! So Paul comes in and they start talking 'Hey!' -- now they hadn't seen each other in years. It was as if they saw each other just yesterday."
• Pang's relationship with Lennon broke down in February 1975 just as the pair was making plans to join McCartney in New Orleans while he recorded the Wings album Venus And Mars.
• Among the highlights in Instamatic Karma are photos of Lennon, who had reunited with his son Julian after not seeing him for more than two years, along with shots of Lennon recording with Harry Nilsson and hanging out with Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney.

BOSTON'S NEW MEMBER LEAVES HOME DEPOT TO GEAR UP FOR TOUR

Boston's new member, Tommy DeCarlo, is getting ready to go out on tour with the band next month -- something he never could have dreamed of. That's because just last year, DeCarlo was working at a Home Depot in Charlotte, North Carolina and had never been in a band before. But he did have a MySpace page. Shortly after Boston singer Brad Delp committed suicide last year, DeCarlo posted a few of his own covers of Boston songs singing over a karaoke track. His voice sounded so close to Delp's that a MySpace visitor urged him to contact Boston's management.

According to USA Today, Tom Scholz's wife got the note. Scholz said, "My wife was at her computer playing our tunes, and I asked her whether it was us playing live. She said, 'It's some guy in North Carolina singing your songs.' I said, 'I know Brad's voice, and that's Brad.' She turned it up, and only when I heard the backing track did I know it wasn't us." DeCarlo came in for an audition and got the job on the spot. He'll join Boston's other new member, Stryper frontman Michael Sweet, on tour and on the group's new album due out next year.

• Boston's tour runs from June through August.
• DeCarlo and Sweet join Boston veterans Jeff Neal, Kimberley Dahme, Gary Pihl and Scholz.

BOB DYLAN SET FOR A HANDFUL OF NORTH AMERICAN DATES

Bob Dylan will be playing a handful of North American dates this month just prior to his three month European tour. Dylan will play one U.S. show in Massachusetts before hitting five cities throughout Canada.

• Bob Dylan North American tour dates (subject to change):
  May 16 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
  May 17 - Lewiston, ME - Androscoggin Bank
  May 19 - Saint John, NB - Harbour Station
  May 20 - Moncton, NB - Moncton Coliseum Complex
  May 21 - Halifax, NS - Halifax Metro Centre
  May 23, 24 - St. John's, NL - Mile One Centre
  August 10 - Baltimore, MD - The Virgin Mobile Festival at Pimlico Race Track
• Dylan's extended European tour runs from the end of May through July.
• In 2006 her released his critically acclaimed album Modern Times which earned him his first Number One album in over 30 years.
• Last month Dylan was awarded an honorary Pulitzer Prize marking the first Pulitzer given to a member of the rock community.
• Bob Dylan has finished writing his first children's book, named Forever Young after his classic 1974 song. The book, for kids ages three and up, will be released on October 6th.

ROD STEWART'S SON CLEARED OF ASSAULT

Rock star Rod Stewart's son is in the clear now that a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has dismissed four felony charges against him, E! Online reports. Sean Stewart was accused of throwing bricks at a couple as they drove past a Hollywood party in April 2007. He was charged last June with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count each of throwing a substance at a vehicle and vandalism with over $400 damage.

In their assault and battery civil suit, Tobalus and Ericka Stein said Stewart and some friends unleashed an unprovoked assault as they drove by the party at approximately 4 a.m. They also said Stewarts, et al. began "swinging their arms at, punching, throwing bricks and other items at them and striking the bodies of plaintiffs as well as striking the (truck)." Stewart pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and was ordered to stand trial. But prosecutor Bradley Lieberman said Friday (May 2nd) he was "unable to proceed" with the case, so the judge was forced to dismiss it.

• Stewart's attorney said the whole thing was a case of mistaken identity, adding that her client was "very relieved." However, the civil suit is still pending.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, FRANK SINATRA, ALBERT EINSTEIN AND OTHERS INDUCTED INTO NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME

Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Albert Einstein and Yogi Berra were among the inaugural inductees to the New Jersey Hall of Fame yesterday (May 4th), according to The Associated Press. Other inductees saluted yesterday at Newark's New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark included inventor Thomas Edison, Meryl Streep, astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, football coach Vince Lombardi, educator Clara Barton, author Toni Morrison, African-American abolitionist Harriet Tubman, publisher Malcolm Forbes, and philanthropist Robert Wood Johnson II.

• A prerequisite for induction was that all inductees must have lived in the state for at least five years. Organizers made an exception to that rule for Underground Railroad pioneer Harriet Tubman.
• Officials are currently raising money to build a permanent museum for the Hall. The inaugural class was chosen via the Internet after the 25 finalists were announced in 2006.
• Bon Jovi drummer and New Jersey native Tico Torres explained the allure of music coming from New Jersey: "We grew up very close to New York, I Mean it's only minutes away. And New York's always been a Mecca for world music. There's always been a saying -- 'If you made it in New York, you made it worldwide.' You know being from Jersey, it's more street and attitude, and you get a lot of musicians that come from out of that because of it."

5/2/08

JIMI HENDRIX ESTATE 'STRONGLY DISPUTES' AUTHENTICITY OF SEX TAPE

The recent alleged Jimi Hendrix sex tape is not authentic, says the Seattle-based company that owns the late singer's recordings and songs. Experience Hendrix LLC issued a statement saying, "The family company of Jimi Hendrix are aware of the release of the adult videotape which alleges to contain illicit footage of Jimi Hendrix. We strongly dispute the claimed authenticity and affirmatively state that Experience Hendrix is neither involved in, nor have we authorized the distribution of this film."

• The statement went on to say, "Further, we deplore this unsubstantiated exploitation of Jimi Hendrix. We view the release as nothing more than a callous attempt to trade on the image and reputation of a deceased artist who is unable to defend himself against such an outrageous and baseless assertion. We are highly offended by the disgraceful portrayal."
• The news of a sex tape surfaced earlier this week when Vivid Entertainment announced it would be releasing old footage of Hendrix having sex with two women. Vivid says the video was shot in a dimly-lit hotel room about 40 years ago, but some Hendrix experts say it's clearly not the guitar legend.

QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS MAKE HEADWAY ON NEW ALBUM

The Queen + Paul Rodgers album is taking shape. The band, which features the former Bad Company and Free frontman on vocals, plans to release the set, called The Cosmos Rocks, later this year. Its the first new studio album from Queen since singer Freddy Mercury died in 1991.

According to RollingStone.com, the first single, "C-lebrity," sounds like a mixture of Free's "All Right Now" and Queen's "Somebody to Love." Other tracks include "We Believe," and "Call Me," which May says sounds like it would fit right in on Queen's 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack. As for having Rodgers serve as frontman in Mercury's place, he says Mercury would have been fine with it. May says, "I feel like he's still very much part of the band. We reference him every day. He always really enjoyed Paul's work. He used to have a go at me in the studio when I tried to have him sing bluesy stuff. He'd say, 'Brian, you're trying to make me fucking sound like Paul Rodgers, and I can't do it!'"

• Queen + Paul Rodgers will tour Europe in the fall.

LED ZEPPELIN GETS BEST LIVE ACT AWARD AND TALKS FUTURE PLANS

Led Zeppelin will receive the Best Live Act honor at the upcoming Mojo Awards, set to take place on June 16th in London. The band reunited last fall to play a show at London's O2 Arena, and since then, there had been talk about another gig or tour, but nothing has materialized. Singer Robert Plant recently told Uncut magazine, "I really enjoyed it. And hopefully, one day we could do it again for another really, really good reason."

• As for a CD release of the show, it's still up in the air. Guitarist Jimmy Page said there are no plans just yet, adding, "It was recorded, but we didn't go in with the express purpose of making a DVD to come out at Christmas, or whatever. We haven't seen the images or investigated the multitracks. It's feasible that it might come out at some distant point, but it'll be a massive job to embark on."
• Meanwhile, John Paul Jones wouldn't reveal anything when asked about a possible reunion album. All he said was, "I'm not too certain about anything at the moment. I've got no idea what's going to happen, but I'd certainly like to play with Jimmy again."

RICHIE SAMBORA COULD BE LOOKING FOR LOVE

Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora could replace Poison's Bret Michaels on the next season of the dating reality show Rock of Love, according to OK! magazine. Michaels recent finished his second season and chose contestant and actress Ambre Lake as the winner and his girlfriend. Now a new bachelor needs to join the show. An insider said Sambora is "perfect for TV. If you thought Bret (Michaels) was must see TV, you ain't seen anything yet. Richie is going to be a train wreck looking for love."

• Sambora and actress Heather Locklear broke up last year after 10 years of marriage. Since then, he had a fling with Locklear's former pal Denise Richards.
• Sambora was recently charged with two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as driv