Stuff that Caught my eyes on the Web...
RUSH FILM CONCERT FOR POSSIBLE DVD FOOTAGE
Rush filmed their July 22nd show in Alpharetta for what could end up becoming bonus footage for an upcoming DVD release. According to the Rush fan site Power Windows, a DVD featuring Rush's 2007 Rotterdam, Netherlands appearance is expected out sometime later this year, and it could include footage of the recent Verizon Wireless Encore Park show. Click HERE to check out some still shots from the show.
Rush's current concert leg wrapped up last Tuesday night (July 24th) in Indianapolis, Indiana. The group has been out behind its 18th studio album, Snakes & Arrows, which marked Rush's first set of all-new material since 2002's Vapor Trails.
Advice to Grads from Uncle Ted
No one says it like the Motorcity Mad Man and proving it again this past week, as Ted Nugent has offered his words of advice to newly-graduated high school and college students. In an op-ed piece printed in the Detroit News, the rocker provides a few personal pointers, which he calls "Uncle Ted's proven modus operandi for a quality of life." Nugent begins with "Nobody owes you a thing. Everything you will get out of life will be based solely on what you put into it."
In terms of money, he advises, "Be frugal. Live responsibly within your means. Bling-bling is not making ends meet." He ends by telling graduates, "Have fun. Life is not a dress rehearsal. Live smart, live good. Rock hard."
Other advice includes:
"Take care of your precious, sacred temple. Eat smart and stay clean. Do not smoke, use drugs, eat or drink too much or chew on glass sandwiches. Partaking in these mindless misadventures will shorten your life."
"Do not complain. Any spineless whiner can do that. Instead, look for solutions to tough problems. This will earn you respect from your boss and get you promoted."
"Never do anything for money. Do what you do exceedingly well and thoroughly enjoy, and money will come looking for you."
"Avoid negative people and slobbering hippies like the plague. They never accomplish anything. Surround yourself with positive people who are better than yourself and will mentor, help and guide you honestly."
"Remember Rosa Parks. Be prepared to defy stupid laws and regulations wherever you find them. Raise hell. Vote smart."
"Famous philosopher and legendary San Francisco police detective, my hero Dirty Harry, once said, 'A man has got to know his limitations.' This is good advice."
"Trust your gut feelings. Only trust people who have earned your trust. Trust but verify. Never trust the French."
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...and Ozzy made the news too
Ozzy Osbourne has accepted an undisclosed financial settlement and an apology from a newspaper that he sued for libel, according to the Associated Press. The U.K.'s Daily Star reported that Osbourne was ill and fell over twice just before the start of the nationally televised Brit Awards, England's equivalent to the Grammys. The report also claimed that the 59-year-old Osbourne had to be driven around the awards venue in an electric cart. Attorneys for Osbourne told a London court on Thursday (June 5th) that the allegations were never verified with Osbourne or his representatives before being published.
Catchin' up on some Classic Rock news....
UNEARTHED TRACK FROM ORIGINAL LYNYRD SKYNYRD MAY BE RELEASED SOON
Guitarist Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd says he has unearthed an old track recorded by the original version of the band in the 1970s, and may be releasing it as a bonus track on an upcoming CD.
Rossington explains the story: "Going back in the archives, actually, I found this old song that we did with the original band, with Ronnie Van Zant singing, you know, Leon (Wilkeson)'s on bass, and Bob Burns is on drums. It's a cool track, it's called 'Cottonmouth Country.' And we never put it out with (producer) Al Kooper on the first or second album, you know, we just kind of left it sit there. And never finished it."
He explains that the band might release the song as a bonus track on their next album: "It's pretty well done, but the recording isn't as good as it should be, but we might put that out as a bonus track on it, so that's a whole new Skynyrd song nobody's heard. It's pretty wild, pretty cool lyrics. It's about the swamps, you know."
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BRIAN MAY SAYS HE DIDN'T KNOW FOR YEARS THAT FREDDIE MERCURY WAS GAY
Brian May says that it wasn't until halfway through Queen's career that he realized that Freddie Mercury was gay.
May spoke in depth about Mercury and the band in Q magazine's latest issue, commemorating 50 years of British rock. May recalled, "Fred was very flamboyant, but I had absolutely no idea he was gay. It was only in the 1980s that he started bringing men backstage who had that particular Adonis look. When I shared a room with him on tour in the early days I can assure you it was girls who generally stayed overnight."
He went on to add, "He seemed then what these days you would call metrosexual. He was into his hair, his clothes. We all were, but he definitely led the way with regard to preening."
...Brian didn't know he was gay...c'mon, now....
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SHERYL CROW SAYS SHE AND FLEETWOOD MAC STILL FIGURING OUT IF THEY WANT TO COLLABORATE
Sheryl Crow says that despite her recent comments about joining up with Fleetwood Mac for a 2009 tour, definitive plans are far from being announced.
Crow told Sun Media, "We don't even know -- all that stuff is rumors. We are just in the middle of figuring out if we want to collaborate, and what we're going to be doing, and what that's going to look like."
Crow says that as die-hard fan of the band, joining them onstage would be a dream come true: "It would be so much fun. And I'm a huge fan of Fleetwood Mac -- the band and the people, obviously the music. And also I just love Stevie (Nicks). I grew up really idolizing her, and then when I got to work with her, like, 10 years ago, I think I was stunned by how much of an artist she really is -- a fully-realized artist, not just a songwriter."
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NEW PETE TOWNSHEND BIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED
Out now in the U.K. is a new biography Who Are You: The Life of Pete Townshend. The first draft of the book, which was written by noted Who scholar Mark Ian Wilkerson, so impressed Townshend that it led to an exclusive interview for the book, as well as to interviews with Townshend's youngest brother and touring Who bandmate Simon Townshend, Townshend's former brother-in-law and engineer Jon Astley, and other key players in Townshend's life.
Eddie Vedder provides the book's forward.
The book which is only out in the UK will be published in the U.S. in September. For more information, log on to townshendbio.com.
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