Pulse Music

Taylor Swift says it's a "dream come true" to have Paramore touring with her.

Taylor and Paramore's Hayley Williams have been friends for years and Swift says she's "constantly floored and inspired" by her talent.

She went on to say, "We came up alongside each other as Nashville teenagers writing our own music, so it feels insanely special to kick off the tour together nearly two decades later."

Williams commented back: " This is really huge. It's a big deal that we even got thought of, you know? So I'm stoked. We can't wait."

Other artists joining Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour include HAIM, Phoebe Bridgers, MUNA, and beabadoobee.

TL;DR:

• Taylor Swift says it's a "dream come true" to have Paramore touring with her.
• Taylor and Paramore's Hayley Williams have been friends for years.
• Other artists joining Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour include HAIM, Phoebe Bridgers, MUNA, and beabadoobee.

Members of NSYNC and Backstreet Boys raised more than $150,000 in a single night, to benefit a nonprofit honoring the late Aaron Carter.

This week's event was co-hosted by Lance Bass (NSYNC) and Carter's twin sister, Angel Conrad. Performers included Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean, as well as Nick Carter who is also brother to Aaron.

Others taking the stage included Brad Fischetti of LFO, Ryan Cabrera, Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees, and B. Howard.

Throughout the night, friends and loved ones shared fond memories of Aaron and the show ended with all the performers on stage singing John Lennon's "Imagine."

Aaron Carter, who struggled with mental health issues, died in November. All the proceeds raised went to On Our Sleeves, a national movement to break stigmas around children's mental health.

TL;DR:

Coming on March 24th is Pink Floyd's new 50th anniversary deluxe box set edition of 1973's The Dark Side Of The Moon. The package includes the CD and gatefold vinyl of the newly remastered studio album and Blu-Ray + DVD audio featuring the original 5.1 mix and remastered stereo versions. Also featured is the new Blu-ray disc of Atmos mix plus CD and LP of The Dark Side Of The Moon -- Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974.

Also issued separately that day on CD and first ever vinyl release of The Dark Side Of The Moon - Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974. The concert was taped in November 1974 as part of the band's winter tour and now features artwork of an original 1973 line-drawn cover by George Hardie.

The new book Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon: 50th Anniversary, part of the deluxe box offering, will also be published separately by Thames & Hudson and "showcases rare and previously unseen photographs taken during The Dark Side Of The Moon tours of 1972-1975 and was created with the involvement of the band members."

Pink Floyd is also calling on fans to help create new videos for the classic set:

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary release, Pink Floyd also invite a new generation of animators to enter a competition to create music videos for any of the 10 songs on the iconic 1973 album. Pink Floyd has a rich history of collaborating with animators from the beginnings of the band (Ian Emes, Gerald Scarfe, etc.), and in some cases the visuals that accompany the songs have become synonymous with the music itself.

The 50th Anniversary will be no exception. The band would like to give all animators an opportunity to present a fresh take on these timeless aural works. Animators can enter up to 10 videos, one per song on the album.

A winner will be selected from a panel of experts which will include Pink Floyd's Nick Mason, Aubrey 'Po' Powell (Pink Floyd's creative director) and the BFI (British Film Institute).

The deadline for submissions is November 30th 2023. To enter and for more information go to https://pinkfloyd.com/tdsotm50/.

Although David Gilmour is obviously proud of the band's accomplishments, he finds the exploitation of their album's major anniversaries -- like that of The Dark Side Of The Moon -- slightly off-putting: "I hate to be reminded of my album's birthdays, because I just know that the record company and other people are going to want to celebrate it by promoting it again (and) get poor unsuspecting punters (laughs) another copy. It's our pivotal, breakthrough album. How could I not love it, it's just brilliant. It's the point where our career moved into a different gear -- for better and for worse. Our lives changed forever at that point. There was a lot of good, and some bad, that went along with that."

The Kid Laroi has released what seems to be part one of a two song series. He dropped "Can't Go Back To The Way It Was (Intro)" on Thursday (1-19). It's the first from his upcoming album called The First Time.

Along with it, he posted a stripped-down video that shows him in a raw and thoughtful state, contemplating his own memories before surprising fans at the end.

The Kid Laroi will release the next song, "Love Again" next Friday, January 27.
TL;DR:

• The Kid Laroi has released what seems to be part one of a two song series. He dropped "Can't Go Back To The Way It Was (Intro)"
• "Love Again" will be released next Friday, 1/27.

The artists and presenters appearing at this year's MusiCares event have been announced. Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jr. and its inaugural artist Smokey Robinson have been tapped as joint 2023 the MusiCares Persons of the Year. The pairing marks the first time the organization has chosen two separate performers -- although it had been known to give the nod to bands in the past.

The tribute concert will take place on February 3rd at the Los Angeles Convention Center two nights before the Grammy Awards ceremony.

Among the talent appearing at this year's event will be Lionel Richie, Michael McDonald, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Dionne Warwick, Valerie Simpson, Mumford & Sons, Sheryl Crow, and Trombone Shorty, among others. Music veteran and keyboardist Greg Phillinganes serving as the evening's Musical Director.

Motown legend Martha Reeves says that the credit for the classic Motown sound is due in large part to Motown founder Berry Gordy's friendship with Smokey Robinson: "They were the best of friends. Smokey and Berry met right after high school. And I understand that Smokey showed Berry a book of poems, and Berry showed him the art of making them into songs."

Reeves, who got her break at Motown while working as a secretary, considered Smokey both a creative leader and driving force at the label: "I thought Smokey Robinson & The Miracles were, like, the Number One group. And Smokey was the writer and the lead singer and the idol. He was our Elvis Presley, he was our George Harrison, he was our Johnny Mathis. He was our everything."

BTS member Jin has shared photos of himself in military uniform.

In his first message since enlisting, (translated from Korean) he gave fans a positive update and wrote, "I'm having a good time. I'm posting a photo with permission from the military. ARMY, always be happy and stay well." It was reposted by band member Jimin.

In one image, you see Jin standing at attention in the snow in his military camo, brown boots, and beret, hands firmly by his sides, as he stares forward with intent, while wearing a mask.

According to CNN, Jin has completed his five weeks of basic training, and has since been selected to serve as an assistant instructor at the Yeoncheon army base in northern Gyeonggi province.

30-year-old Jin recently became the first member of the septet to begin his mandatory stint in the South Korean army.

TL;DR:

• BTS member Jin has shared photos of himself in military uniform.
• Jin has completed his five weeks of basic training.
• He's now serving as an assistant instructor at the Yeoncheon army base in northern Gyeonggi province.

On the same day Fall Out Boy announced their upcoming eighth album, founding guitarist Joe Trohman announced that he was taking a break from the band.

He posted: "Without divulging all the details, I must disclose that my mental health has rapidly deteriorated over the past several years. So, to avoid fading away and never returning, I will be taking a break from work which regrettably includes stepping away from Fall Out Boy for a spell."

Following his announcement, a few hours later, he did perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Trohman has been with the band since its early 2000s formation in the suburbs of Chicago, alongside singer Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, and drummer Andy Hurley.

Trohman thanked his bandmates and family for "understanding and respecting his "his difficult, but necessary, decision."

TL;DR:

Happy 74th birthday this Sunday (January 22nd) to former-Journey frontman, the great Steve Perry. 2023 finds Perry riding high on the success of his fall 2018 comeback album, Traces, which was his first Top 10 solo album. The album entered the Billboard 200 Albums Chart at Number Six and the magazine's Current Rock Album Chart at Number Two.

Earlier this month it was reported that Steve Perry dropped his legal claim against Journey's corporate entity for trademarking the titles to 20 of its songs. Guitarist Neal Schon posted on a social media the letter he'd received from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which states, quote, "Petitioner, without the written consent of Respondent, filed a withdrawal of the petition for cancellation on January 4, 2023. . . In view thereof. . . the petition for cancellation is denied with prejudice." This means that Perry cannot file that same suit again against the corporation.

2021 saw the release of Perry's first Christmas collection, titled, The Season. The new holiday set clearly resonated with fans, peaking at Number Four on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart and hitting Number Six on the magazine's Top Album Sales listing.

That year, also Steve Perry released a revamped version of the Traces album, titled, Traces: Alternate Versions And Sketches.

Traces marked a long awaited return from Perry, who is best remembered for his tenure in Journey in which he wrote or co-wrote such standards as "Don't Stop Believin'," "Any Way You Want It," "Who's Crying Now?" "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)," "When You Love A Woman," "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin,'" "Open Arms," "Be Good To Yourself," "Stone In Love," "Still They Ride," "Feeling That Way," and "Lights." Perry scored a solo Top 10 hit with 1984's "Oh, Sherrie," which peaked at Number Two.

Journey's last album with Steve Perry was 1996's Trial By Fire, which reunited the classic Escape/Frontiers lineup of Neal Schon on guitar, Ross Valory on bass, Jonathan Cain on keyboards, and Steve Smith on drums. The album peaked at Number Three on the Billboard 200 charts -- with its single, "When You Love A Woman" hitting Number One on the magazine's Adult Contemporary chart. Perry left Journey in 1998 rather than be forced into hip-surgery so that the band could tour behind Trial By Fire. He briefly reunited with the band onstage in 2017 to make an acceptance speech during their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.

Steve Perry made headlines back in 2014 by performing encore cameos at concerts by alternative band Eels in Los Angeles, California; Washington, D.C.; and St. Paul, Minnesota. The rock world began buzzing over a Perry comeback -- or a possible return to fronting Journey -- after his show stealing renditions of such favorites as "Open Arms" and "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'."

In 2020, former-Journey bandmate Neal Schon offered an invitation for Perry to join his side band Journey Through Time onstage during their then-upcoming Northern California gigs. In October 2018, during a chat with Rolling Stone, Perry made it clear that despite Schon's frequent offers, he's choosing to pass on working with him, explaining, "I'm not sure that's possible without stirring up hopes of a (band) reunion. Please listen to me. I left the band 31 f***ing years ago, my friend. You can still love someone, but not want to work with them. And if they only love you because they want to work with you, that doesn't feel good to me."

Steve Perry recalled joining Journey in 1977 during the recording of the following year's Infinity album and partnering with Neal Schon: "I certainly was the new kid on the block when I joined them, but I was okay with that -- bring it on! And wasn't afraid of reachin' and I think we pushed each other. The more I would reach, the more I was demanding on him to do something and the more he would come up with things, the more I'd be demanding him to come up with something that would work with him. It was a very important driving force."

Steve Perry told us that the passage of time only further solidifies his opinion of how incredible Journey was during its heyday: "What a great band we once were. What a great band. I think the older get the more I'm able to look back at the forest now, 'cause I certainly walked out of the trees. I think everybody was just following their heart and their nose and following that lead. Just doing what we do. We're a band. We record, we rock, we instinctually reach for what we believe's a good idea -- and argue about stuff, agree, disagree and move forward. And we were just crankin'."

When we last caught up with Steve Perry, he told us it was a long road-- both personally and creatively -- to get from the end of Journey to where he is today: "When I left the group, 31 years ago -- in about February of '87, I think -- when I first said, 'I'm walkin' away,' I lost my passion for it and that was frightening to me because I discovered a passion for music and singing when I was, like, six, seven years old; and it had never left me, and it had gone away and that scared the hell outta me. So, I knew the only thing I could do was stop. After an incredible, amazing ride -- being in a band like Journey, it was like being in a satellite circling the Earth for a while. It was time to come down and land in my hometown again and reconnect."

We asked Steve Perry if it seems like he's coming back to an entire new world -- or does the music business feel like home sweet home to him: "I don't know if it's coming back into anything familiar because it seems like everything's changed. I've changed, the world is different, the whole process is different -- but somewhat the same, y'know, as far as trying to let people know that I have new music. But, it seems so different, y'know? It really does; we have an Internet now, we have downloading, we have streaming, we have not a lot of retail out there, and so now, more importantly that ever -- and I feel personally good about this -- it's more about the music now, because of the change of the world than ever before."

The ongoing massive success of "Don't Stop Believin'" doesn't surprise Steve Perry, who told us he was aware of the sing's potential by the reaction it received in the concert halls: "It's a funny thing, because though those other songs were hits -- bonafide radio hits -- whenever we played 'Don't Stop Believin'; if you see the Journey DVD live, it's 1981 Houston, it's called. If you see that DVD that was filmed in Houston back then, that song gets a response like it's getting now to the live audience. So my, point is, during the live shows that song always got a great response -- it just wasn't a radio hit."

Just released is The Collection: Slash, a premium, hardcover coffee-table photo book where the Guns N' Roses guitarist gives the personal lowdown on all of his classic instruments used throughout his career on stage and in the studio.

The book is available now in Custom, Deluxe, and Standard editions via Gibson.com. The Collection: Slash Custom edition is the only edition of the book limited to 500 copies worldwide, and hand-signed by Slash himself.

Due to the success of the premium Custom and Deluxe editions, Gibson Publishing announced a new Standard edition of The Collection: Slash. The Standard edition "offers a widely accessible version of the coffee-table book featuring 364 pages in hardcover, in a slightly more compact size." The Collection: Slash Standard edition sells for $149.

Slash told us a while back about meeting late guitar legend Les Paul, who was his personal hero: "Really the most memorable thing was when he and I first met, and he really had no clue who I was, and we were sort of thrown onstage together. And so he sort of, y'know, basically wiped the stage floor up with me that particular night, and so jamming with Les for the rest of my career was sort of like a barometer of how good I was getting on guitar from that point on."

Guns N' Roses will next perform on June 30th at London, England's Hyde Park.

The Zombies are heading back on the road in support of their latest album, titled Different Game, which drops on March 31st. The band, led by original members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent, will kick off their 2023 dates later in the month on board the On The Blue Cruise, with a Southern run to follow in March.

Zombies keyboardist and songwriter Rod Argent told us that the way he and the band go about things is no different than in the "Swinging Sixties": "We always approach what we're doing exactly the same as we did when we first started out. We still get completely energized by being able to write new music, record it, and play it in front of appreciative audiences. That's still the excitement we feel, and we feel very privileged to be in that position."

JUST ANNOUNCED: The Zombies tour dates (subject to change):

January 28, 29, 30 - On The Blue Cruise
February 1, 2 - Caribbean Sea - On The Blue Cruise
March (TBA) - Austin, TX - SXSW Film & Music Festival
March 18 - San Antonio, TX - Aztec Theatre
March 21 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
March 22 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
March 24 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
March 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 - Caribbean Sea - Flower Power Cruise

It was 48 years ago today (January 20th, 1975) that Bob Dylan's 15th studio set, the groundbreaking, Blood On The Tracks, was released. The album, which was Dylan's return to his Columbia Records following a two-album deal with David Geffen's Asylum, is considered not only Dylan's comeback album, but his crowning artistic statement.

Blood On The Tracks hit Number One on March 1st, 1975 for the first of its two-week run, and has gone on to receive double platinum status in the U.S. and in 2015 was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Highlights on the set include such instant Dylan standards "Tangled Up In Blue," "Shelter From The Storm," "You're A Big Girl Now," "Idiot Wind," and "Simple Twist Of Fate," among others.

The initial sessions for Blood On The Tracks took place over four days in New York City in September, 1974. Soon thereafter, the album was mastered and "white label" review copies began to circulate. Upon further listening, Dylan went on to re-recorded five of the tracks at Minneapolis Sound 80 Studios beginning in late December of '74.

Bob Dylan, who still dips heavily into his backlog of 1960's and '70s tunes during his shows, was asked about the composition of his groundbreaking work across his first two decades as a songwriter: "There's a magic to that and it's not Siegfried & Roy-kinda magic, y'know, and it's a different kind of a penetrating magic. And, y'know, I did it. . . I did it at one time."

Before his production work took top priority in his life, the late-Phil Ramone was behind the boards as an engineer on such groundbreaking albums as Paul McCartney's 1971 set Ram, Paul Simon's 1973 There Goes Rhymin' Simon collection, and Bob Dylan's 1975 masterpiece, Blood On The Tracks: "John Hammond was there, and Bob Dylan, myself, and a couple of other people around there. The original recording didn't have a lot of extended stuff on it, and then there was a delay in the original recording and then they put other instruments on when he went to Minnesota. The public knows one version, the bootlegger knows the other."

We asked Rolling Stone contributing editor, and Dylan connoisseur, Austin Scaggs -- the son of the legendary Boz Scaggs -- what exactly makes Blood On The Tracks, perhaps, the most original album in Dylan's catalogue: "Obviously, Blood On The Tracks is totally the breakup of the marriage -- the autobiography. Y'know, you can listen to any of those Blood On The Tracks songs and really be able to define them and put them into context and know where they're coming from. Maybe there's something about that?"

Elvis Costello has been a longtime die-hard Bob Dylan fan and told us that Dylan's best work doesn't need to be measured against his life to be fully effective: "Blood On The Tracks, which is a very harrowing record in many ways emotionally -- but it isn't a better record if you were to be possessed of the idea that that was an exact representation of Bob Dylan's life at that time. It's a good record because the songs are very vivid and, y'know, a couple of them delve into some pretty hard territory -- and that's what makes them persuasive."

In 2018, Bob Dylan released the critically acclaimed More Blood, More Tracks - The Bootleg Series Vol. 14. The press release for the box set read in part: "The six-disc full-length deluxe version includes the long sought after complete New York sessions in chronological order including outtakes, false starts and studio banter. The album's producers have worked from best sources available, in most cases utilizing the original multi-track session tapes."

It was 59 years ago today -- January 20th, 1964 -- that arguably the most important rock album of all time was released, the Beatles' Meet The Beatles.

Although, it wasn't the first Beatles record released in America; Vee-Jay's Introducing The Beatles beat the band's Capitol Records debut by just short of six months, it was Meet The Beatles, with its hit chart-topper "I Want To Hold Your Hand" that kick started the post-Kennedy '60s, the British Invasion, and completely revolutionized how music was written, played, sung, and produced -- not to mention help change the fashion world all but overnight. In short, Meet The Beatles ushered in the modern era.

The album, which had an advanced order of 240,000 units, was a cobbled-together version of the group's second album, the UK chart-topper, With The Beatles, and featured 12 songs -- 10 John Lennon - Paul McCartney compositions, one by George Harrison and one then-popular show tune.

The tracklisting to Meet The Beatles is:

Side One: "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "I Saw Her Standing There," "This Boy," "It Won't Be Long," "All I've Got To Do," and "All My Loving."

Side Two: "Don't Bother Me," "Little Child," "Till There Was You," "Hold Me Tight," "I Wanna Be Your Man," and "Not A Second Time."

During his 2012 keynote address at Austin's South By Southwest music festival, Bruce Springsteen recalled first encountering the Meet The Beatles album: "The Meet The Beatles album cover -- those four head shots -- I remember I saw 'em in J.J. Newbury's. When you ran down to the five and 10 cent store; there were no record stores -- there weren't enough records, I don't think, in those days. There was a little set by the toys, where they sold a few albums. I remember running in and seeing that album cover -- those four head shots. It was like the silent gods of Olympus. Your future just sort of staring at you in the face and that's too cool -- I'm never gonna get there, man. Never."

Paul McCartney is well aware of the importance of the Beatles, both as a musical and social force. But he maintains that the group was able to shine because of the strength and freedom accorded the children of the 1940's: "We were lucky to be placed in the right point in time, when our generation was finding its feet. As we say, the 'Post-War Period' -- now, suddenly, all these people were 20 and looking for something exciting to do. The freedom was there, the money situation wasn't bad -- there were a lot of jobs and things at that point. And, yeah, so I think we were lucky, we were excited. I think the chemistry of the four of us was very special. I always think of it as four corners of a square; you couldn't do without any corner."

On February 1st, 1964, Meet The Beatles entered Billboard's Top 100 LP listings at Number 92, jumping the next week to Number Three, and the following week -- February 15th, 1964 -- hitting Number One for the first of 11 weeks.

On May 2nd, 1964, Meet The Beatles was replaced in the top spot by The Beatles' Second Album -- marking the first time an artist had replaced themselves in the U.S. charts.

Meet The Beatles, which sold 750,000 copies in its first week on sale, stayed in the Top 30 for a further 25 weeks, the Top 100 for 62 weeks, and the Top 200 for 71 weeks.

An estimated five million units of Meet The Beatles were sold by December 1966.

ELO's Jeff Lynne, Sade, Glen Ballard, Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Teddy Riley, and Liz Rose lead the inductees for the 2023 Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF), which will be held on June 15th at Manhattan's Marriott Marquis Hotel. Additional special award honorees will be announced soon.

Between 1975 and 1986 ELO scored 15 Top 20 hits -- all written and produced by Jeff Lynne. Over the years, he created such ELO classics as "Evil Woman," "Showdown," "Mr. Blue Sky," "Livin' Thing," "Do Ya," "Xanadu," "Sweet Talkin' Woman," "Telephone Line," "Turn To Stone," and "Don't Bring Me Down," among so many more.

In addition to co-writing "When We Was Fab" with George Harrison -- along with all the Traveling Wilbury tracks, including "Handle With Care" and "End Of The Line" -- Jeff Lynne collaborated with Tom Petty on such classics as "Free Fallin," "I Won't Back Down," "A Face In The Crowd," "Runnin' Down A Dream," "Yer So Bad," "Learning To Fly," and "Into The Great White Open."

Jeff Lynne posted a message on his Facebook page, which read: "I'm very excited about this honor. Songwriting has always been my passion. This means so much to me. Thank you Songwriters Hall of Fame!"

SHOF Chairman Nile Rodgers said, "The music industry does not exist without songwriters delivering great songs first. Without them there is no recorded music, no concert business, no merch . . . nothing, it all starts with the song and the songwriter. . . The 2023 slate represents not just iconic songs but also diversity and unity across genres, ethnicity and gender, songwriters who have enriched our lives and, in their time, literally transformed music and the lives of billions of listeners all over the world."

Jeff Lynne has always been the heart and soul of ELO, serving as the band's songwriter, producer, guitarist and lead singer. We asked him about what it took to create the soundtrack to several generations' lives: "Some of them took longer. I mean, it always happens that way. Some songs, you can do in 10 minutes and it's like, ‘Wow -- got it!' -- and the idea's all there, y'know, all the ideas are there, all you've gotta do is arrange it. But sometimes you can get a couple of bits and it might be six months before you finish it. You put it away and go on to something else and then bring it out again. Every song's different, really. It takes you where it wants to go -- for me anyway."

Jeff Lynne admitted to us that he has an ELO production swimming around in his head every time he begins writing another song: "All the songs I write I think of ‘em as an ELO thing, ‘cause I'm doing it. So they all sound like that to me, because I'm the writer, so they all become ELO songs. Unless somebody asked me for a song particularly, and I have to write one for somebody else."

Bret Michaels has just dropped a new solo single, titled "Back In The Day." The Poison frontman describes the track as "a modern-day throwback to a feel-good road trip anthem."

The tune will definitely be one of the highlights of Michaels' setlist during his 2023 "Parti-Gras" North American summer tour dates with road regulars Night Ranger and Jefferson Starship. Joining the festivities at assorted stops throughout the dozen-city trek will be former-Journey singer Steve Augeri and Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath.

We caught up with Bret Michaels and he told us exactly what fans can expect from the tour this summer: "This is a combination of Jimmy Buffet. . . I have all the DJ's in between all our sets spinning -- so, it's a little like a Jimmy Buffet-Sammy Hagar-meets-Pitbull-meets-Poison. What I mean is, it's got this high-energy level but it's got DJ's in-between. There's no down time. So they get there, we've got all kinda things set up. It's gonna be, like, a circus of awesomeness and a celebration of the fans, the bands and the music."

Bret Michaels next performs on January 27th at Cincinnati's Hard Rock Cincinnati.

During an interview on The Jason Lee Show on Revolt, Cardi B opened up about getting plastic surgery. When Jason asked why she's not out more after having her son Wave in 2021, she said, "I didn't wanna pop out after I had my son, because I told you I wanted to get my body done first. And it's, like, a lot of people thought that when I gave birth, I automatically went to do surgery. No, I literally waited like seven months to do surgery, because you have to."

When asked why she decided to get plastic surgery, she said, "I always wanted to do certain things. People be assuming that when you do surgery or something, you're insecure about yourself or you hate yourself. And that's just not the truth. … If I wanna correct something or do a little something, something, I don't give a f*ck. I'm gonna do it. I like being perfect. I like a certain type of body for myself."

Cardi also spoke about her 2020 nose job. Lee reminded her that when they were at Kris Jenner's house, Kim Kardashian gave her a list of recommended surgeons. Cardi confirmed she contacted a couple of those doctors, but didn't say whether or not she used their services.

Cardi added that she has no plans of getting any more plastic surgery.

CARDI BLAMES 'THE INTERNET' FOR WHY SHE DIDN'T SUBMIT 'WAP' FOR GRAMMY CONSIDERATION

Meanwhile, Cardi also revealed that she didn't submit "WAP" for Grammy consideration because she was worried about what the internet would say. She explained, "You know what?This is something that — it's like, I need to stop letting the internet control my life. Because I didn't want to submit ‘WAP' because I was afraid that if I win or if I… You know what's so crazy? The internet got me even afraid of winning. That is insane."

Sam Smith was spotted taking a stroll in New York City with designer Christian Cowan. The couple were arm-in-arm and one photo showed Smith giving Cowan a kiss on the forehead.

The two have been close since at least December, when they appeared in a photo together on a trip to the White House. They were there to celebrate President Biden officially signing the Respect for Marriage Act.

In a recent interview with British GQ, Smith talked about having three boyfriends.

The four-time Grammy winner, will release a new album on January 27.

TL;DR:

• Sam Smith was spotted taking a stroll in New York City with designer Christian Cowan.
• One photo showed Smith giving Cowan a kiss on the forehead.

Stephen A. Smith has apologized to Rihanna after making comments about her upcoming Super Bowl Halftime performance next month. During a Wednesday appearance on Sherri Shepherd's Fox daytime talk show, Smith was asked about Rihanna's performance.

He responded, "Ladies and gentlemen, she's a lot of things — she's spectacular, actually — and congratulations on new mama-hood. There's one thing she's not: She ain't Beyoncé."

He continued, "We know she's not Beyoncé." Sherri responded, "Beyoncé performed, but she's had her time. Now it's Rihanna."

Stephen later apologized on social media, saying that he "meant it as no disrespect." He called Rihanna "phenomenal" and "a sister" and said she's "gonna be great" during her performance.

He said, "I want Rihanna to know you're a superstar, you're sensational, you're spectacular. You're no joke, and you are a worthy person to be doing Super Bowl halftime show."

A previously unseen photo of John Lennon and Paul McCartney has just surfaced. The Daily Beatle published the shot of the two Beatles posing on March 3rd, 1963 during the band's first British tour outside of Hanley's Gaumont Theatre, with the tour's headliner, Helen Shapiro. The photo was snapped taken "by a young female fan from Stoke-on-Trent."

According to the report: "This was the final night of the Helen Shapiro package tour. By this time the Beatles had been elevated in the line-up from playing the first spot on the bill to the final act in the first half."

Paul McCartney admits, that for him, the ascent to fame was actually the most fun time to be a Beatle: "The earliest days of the Beatles were very exciting. On the one hand, you're just in the little town you'd grown up in -- with your friends and your relatives that you know. And you're doing work in that town, like we were -- we were playing lunchtime sessions at the Cavern. And then suddenly for us it was like, you're starting to play theaters and ballrooms and they're abroad, and you're branching out a lot, you're doing a lot of traveling. I mean, those were very tiring days -- crazy days, really, but there was a lot of fun in those days."

Fall Out Boy announced on Wednesday (1-18) that a new album will be out in March. And earlier this week, they revealed a new single and video for "Love From The Other Side." The band posted cover art which features a dog attempting to eat bubbles.

Through a press release, bass player Pete Wentz described the band and said they've been "an ongoing art project for 20 years."

In a social media post they reflected on the past year and their tour. In what seemed to be a description of the album title or possibly lyrics, they wrote: "I have a tendency to get a little sad whenever I think about anything…but I also feel pure joy when I think that I exist at the same time as whales." And added, "So much for stardust."

The name of the album is So Much For Stardust and will be out on March 24^th.

TL;DR:

Gene Simmons praised Abba for their "undeniable songwriting".

In an interview with Goldmine magazine, the KISS bassist talked about the iconic band's greatest hits and said, "If I'm riding in my car and ABBA music comes on, I turn it up and that's the sign of greatness."

Their 2015 song, "Dancing Queen" is in the Grammy Hall of Fame. With nearly 400 million albums sold worldwide, 17 #1 hits and over 16 million weekly global streams, Abba is one of the world's most successful music acts of all time.

Simmons also mentioned a few other artists whose songs stand out to him, including The Beach Boys, Bee Gees, The Killers, and The Four Seasons.

TL;DR:

• Gene Simmons praised Abba for their "undeniable songwriting".
• He said, "If I'm riding in my car and ABBA music comes on, I turn it up and that's the sign of greatness."

Dua Lipa will serve as one of the co-chairs for this years' Met Gala. She posted her excitement on Instagram on Wednesday (1-18). The lineup of co-chairs spans a wide range of pop culture and includes Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel, and Roger Federer. The A-list fashion event happens every first Monday in May.

Consequence of Sound reported on Wednesday (1-18) that Phoebe Bridgers will be on two new albums coming out in the near future. Look for her to add her talents to music by The National, Arlo Parks, and Boy Genius. No other details were revealed.

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that a Michael Jackson biopic is in the works and has named Antoine Fuqua as producer. He most recently directed Will Smith in Emancipation. Lionsgate says the movie will "address all aspects of Jackson's life," including allegations of child sex abuse as well as the incredible impact of his music. So far, no casting decisions have been made regarding who will portray Michael Jackson.

"America's Band" -- the Beach Boys -- will be honored on February 8th with the taping of CBS' A Grammy Salute To The Beach Boys. Tickets are available for the event, which will happening in Los Angeles at the Dolby Theatre.

Although details remain scarce, during a chat with Consequence Sound last month, Weezer leader Rivers Cuomo spoke about the band's involvement in the upcoming TV event: "We're in the midst of figuring out which Beach Boys songs we want to cover, and oh my God, it's incredibly fun. It feels so good to play and sing these songs. And I'm reminded of how much I used them as a model when I was first starting out writing songs for Weezer."

We asked Beach Boys frontman Mike Love if he attributes the group's legendary harmonies to him and his cousins -- Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson -- all sharing a bloodline: "Well, that, that is responsible for the vocal blend, except Alan Jardine is a great singer. He's able to blend and sing with the best of them. And that was always the search for that fourth part; 'cause Brian was obsessed with four-part harmony, y'know, vis-a-vis the Four Freshman. But the Beach Boys have been distinguished by their incredible harmonies and that's due in large part to Brian's obsession or penchant for structuring, y'know, great chord progressions and great harmonies and he's a master at that."

The band's primary songwriter and producer Brian Wilson is a man who has literally logged thousands of hours in the recording studio. When asked to name his favorite Beach Boys track -- he didn't hesitate: "Ah, 'California Girls.' That's my favorite, 'cause of Mike (Love's) singing. My biggest memories are working with the voices. Giving the guys chords to sing and parts to sing. That's my favorite."

The Beach Boys' Al Jardine told us that the most enduring and beloved tracks on Pet Sounds -- such as "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Sloop John B," and "God Only Knows" -- have always held a special place in his heart: "It's some of the most touching music that Brian has ever produced. And how can you not feel the depth and breath of it, y'know and feel it, in your heart? It just touches me deeply."

No airdate has been announced for CBS' A Grammy Salute To The Beach Boys. For ticket info, logo on to: https://tinyurl.com/59w4htnv

Foo Fighters and Green Day are set to headline Harley Davidson homecoming festival in July. The festival will take place July 13th-16th at multiple venues across Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Foo Fighters will perform on July 15th in Veterans Park to celebrate the Milwaukee motorcycle company's 120th anniversary. Green Day will play the park on July 14th. Social Distortion, Phantogram and KennyHoopla will open for Green Day on July 14th. On July 15, Cody Jinks, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and White Reaper will open for Foo Fighters.

Machine Gun Kelly fired back at critics this week that have been condemning his fashion choices.

The 32-year-old, who is constantly in the news due to his extreme wardrobe, posted to naysayers: "You can't comment about my style if you have none." And then later wrote, "Keep your insecurities to yourself."

The Grammy nominee's posts come one day after his appearance at the Dolce & Gabbana Men's Fall/Winter show in Milan. There he wore a silver outfit complete with an embossed trench coat, matching trousers, and a crop top that showed off his midriff tattoos.

TL;DR:

• Machine Gun Kelly fired back at critics that condemned his fashion choices.
• He wrote: "You can't comment about my style if you have none."