Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, the three surviving members of Led Zeppelin, visited David Letterman’s “Late Show” Monday night, a first time appearance for Page and Jones to the late night host. The band admitted that they didn’t know what was in store for them at the Honors, that others would be … Continue Reading →
OK, you’ve seen Psy with his “Gangnam Style” video that’s everywhere, where he’s busting those cowboy moves while sending up the elites of his native Seoul. Those weird, “original” dance moves… Hang on. What’s this? Detroit’s own Gino “is a Coward” Washington, dancing a storm up Gangnam style in his “Love Bandit” dance, circa 1981? Was Psy even … Continue Reading →
Sadly, just when the J. Geils Band were in the middle of a nice little uptick in popularity, playing occasional gigs for their rabid fans (especially in Geils hotspots such as Detroit), the group has been riven by a lawsuit filed by guitarist John Geils — the “J.” in “J. Geils.” In the lawsuit, filed … Continue Reading →
Aretha Franklin, in Los Angeles for a Nokia Theatre concert this past week, told Showbiz Tonight’s Nischelle Turner that she still “wouldn’t mind” being a judge on “American Idol” or a similar show. “I think that some of the leading singers should judge singers,” Franklin explained. “I see these different shows, but I dn’t see … Continue Reading →
It was way back in 1980 that Steely Dan released “Hey Nineteen” with its lyric about the teenager who “don’t remember the Queen of Soul..” That was of course just before Aretha Franklin launched her comeback with Clive Davis and Arista Records. Kathie Lee Gifford made the point on the “Today Show” last week that … Continue Reading →
With Steven Tyler’s announcement that he’ll depart “American Idol” to concentrate on Aerosmith and his music, and the subsequent news that Jennifer Lopez won’t stick around either, we have a suggestion. Many of us haven’t been regular viewers of “American Idol” even in its more popular years, but one person who has been a faithful … Continue Reading →
John Fogerty is recording a new album,”Wrote a Song for Everyone,” in which he collaborates with well-known colleagues to re-record songs from his vast catalog of songs. The album is due out Oct. 9 on Vanguard Records. One of the notables Fogerty tapped to take part is Bob Seger, who helped him record a new … Continue Reading →
Watching the trailer for the Leonardo DiCaprio/Carey Mulligan movie “The Great Gatsby” today (the movie comes out at Christmas time) it struck me that this is sort of the hip-hop version of the slim but celebrated F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of the ’20s. Its thumping, modern soundtrack, and what appears to be a hard-edged, hyper-stylized vision of the … Continue Reading →
To add to her boatload of honors, Aretha Franklin received another at the recent TVLand Awards, where she was bestowed with its Music Icon Award by John Legend, and sang a 20 minute set, including “Chain of Fools” and Handel’s “Ombra Mai Fu,” along with some gospel. The awards show airs at 9 p.m. Sunday on … Continue Reading →
Detroit was in the house Monday, as contestants in ABC’s ballroom dance competition cha-chaed, rumba-ed and even did the fox trot to Motown songs. Motown’s own Gladys Knight went first, dancing to “My Girl,” sung by the Temptations. Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. was in the audience, beaming from the front row, and when introduced, … Continue Reading →