Pulse Music

RINGO IS BACK WITH 'EP3'

Out today (September 16th) is Ringo Starr's latest EP titled EP3. Joining the famed-Beatles drummer on his third EP over the past year-and-change is longtime All Starr Band member and Toto co-founder, Steve Lukather, along with Linda Perry, Dave Koz, José Antonio Rodriguez, and co-producer Bruce Sugar. The set will be released on vinyl and cassette on November 18th.

Ringo Starr is a rare breed having nothing but love and respect for has past and excitement and pleasure from his work today: "Well, I think the shining hours keep coming. I do, I think they keep coming. You sell yourself short if you think that was the moment. I've had many great moments; I've enjoyed my life, I've been, y'know. . . the gift of being able to play and to still be able to play with musicians like I've got on stage today -- it's a blessing."

'THE BEST OF DARK HORSE RECORDS' SET FOR RECORD STORE DAY

Set for a special Record Store Day release on Black Friday (November 25th) is The Best Of Dark Horse Records: 1974-1977. Limited to only 2,150 U.S. copies, the 12-track album features a sampler from the recently reissued albums that originally appeared on George Harrison's Dark Horse label.

The set includes Harrison-produced tracks by Ravi Shakar and Splinter -- along with selections from Attitudes -- featuring David Foster and solo-Beatles session favorite, drummer Jim Keltner, Stairsteps, Keni Burke, Jiva, and former-Wings guitarist, the late-Henry McCullough.

Back in 1974 upon the launch of Dark Horse Records, George Harrison shed light on how the label grew out of needing to find a home for his work with Splinter and Ravi Shankar as the Beatles' label gradually ceased operation: "There was some talk with Ringo and I, (what) we were planning to do at that time was if John (Lennon) and Paul (McCartney) didn't really wanna know about Apple, we were just going to get the rights to take over Apple Records. And then we just put a new logo under new management, bring in a couple of new people and keep going. That sort of thing couldn't happen because of the Beatles' settlement -- y'know, it was all business legalities. It was just like a hold on it. It was just, sort of, stuck in a limbo."

The tracklisting for The Best Of Dark Horse Records: 1974-1977 is:

Side A
Ravi Shankar - "I Am Missing You"
Ravi Shankar - "Dispute & Violence"
Splinter - "Costafine Town"
Splinter - "Lonely Man"
Attitudes - "Ain't Love Enough"
Attitudes - "Sweet Summer Music"

Side B
Stairsteps - "From Us To You"
Stairsteps - "Time"
Keni Burke - "Give All You Can Give"
Henry McCullough - "Lord Knows"
Henry McCullough - "Mind Your Own Business"
Jiva - "Take My Love"

RINGO ROCKING RECORD STORE DAY

Ringo Starr is getting in on the Black Friday (November 25th) Record Store Day action with two new releases.

The previously-unissued 2019 Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band Live At The Greek Theater 2019 will be limited to only 2,000 copies. The band included Santana and Journey's Gregg Rolie, Toto's Steve Lukather, Average White Band and Paul McCartney sideman Hamish Stuart, and Men At Work's Colin Hay.

Also coming is a blue vinyl-edition limited to 500 copies of Ringo's 1983 Joe Walsh-produced favorite, Old Wave. The RSD release will include a bonus 45 r.p.m. of the 1978 version of the album's standout ballad "As Far As We Can Go (Early Version)."

Joe Walsh, who co-wrote and produced the Old Wave album, has been part of several All Starr Band tours and married Marjorie Bach -- the sister of Ringo's longtime wife, and former 007 Bond girl, Barbara Bach.

Ringo spoke about himself and Walsh and the entirely new existence the pair finds themselves in decades after Old Wave: "It's a different life we lead now. We both, actually got our share of ‘medication' (laughs), y'know, for many years and we both pulled out of that life and now, y'know, we're a couple of healthy guys, livin' a life. We're playing a lot; I'm playing every chance I get -- y'know, he's Eagle-ing, or he's out solo. And we're brother-in-law(s) now. He's my brother-in-law -- not only my best friend."

It was 52 years ago Sunday (September 18th, 1970) that Jimi Hendrix died at the age of 27, about two months shy of his 28th birthday. Five decades later, the events surrounding his death remain sketchy at best, with the only clear fact being that the coroner report stated that Hendrix had asphyxiated in his own vomit, which mainly consisted of red wine. Monika Dannemann, his girlfriend at the time, has long contended that he was alive when placed in the ambulance.

Coming on November 18th is Jimi Hendrix Experience - Los Angeles Forum: April 26, 1969. The new archival set will be issued on double-LP vinyl and CD -- as well as all digital platforms.

Back in 2016, a new rare plant was named after Hendrix. The AP reported San Diego State University claimed that former grad student Mark Dodero, supposedly discovered the plant, which has a tremendous lifespan, while listening to Hendrix's "Voodoo Child. According to the report, "The plant. . . is less than a foot tall with pinkish-white flowers that dies in summer and re-sprouts in fall. Found in Baja California, Mexico, has been christened 'Dudleya hendrixii' or 'Hendrix's liveforever.'"

ODD CIRCUMSTANCES OF HENDRIX'S DEATH

Hendrix aide James "Tappy" Wright claimed in his recent memoir Rock Roadie that Hendrix's final manager Michael Jeffery confessed to killing the legendary guitarist a year after Hendrix's death in September 1970. According to Wright, Jeffery claimed that he plied a semi-conscious Hendrix with enough pills and alcohol to kill him so that he could collect insurance money and not risk Hendrix breaking their management agreement.

Wright, who also roadied for Elvis Presley and Tina Turner, among others, said that Jeffery said in his confession: "I had to do it, Tappy. You understand, don't you? I had to do it. You know damn well what I'm talking about. . . I was in London the night of Jimi's death and together with some old friends . . . we went round to Monika's (Dannemann's) hotel room, got a handful of pills and stuffed them into his mouth . . . then poured a few bottles of red wine deep into his windpipe. I had to do it. Jimi was worth much more to me dead than alive. That son of a bitch was going to leave me. If I lost him, I'd lose everything."

Jeffery, who died in 1973, had told Wright that he had taken out a $2 million policy out on Hendrix, which named him as the chief beneficiary.

The official cause of Hendrix's death was "barbiturate intoxication and inhalation of vomit."

The events surrounding Hendrix's death have always been shady, especially when it comes to how Hendrix was found and who exactly called for an emergency crew -- neither things which are ever out of the ordinary in an O.D. case.

FRIENDS AND FANS REMEMBER JIMI HENDRIX

Eddie Kramer, who was the engineer on the Jimi Hendrix Experience albums Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold As Love, and Electric Ladyland, recalled his memories of Hendrix's death: "We had just completed Electric Lady Studios, and we were halfway through a record which was going to be called The Cry Of Love. I spoke to Jimi a week before he died, and he was very positive, and was looking forward to coming back to America. His death was an unfortunate accident, there's no question about that."

Journey guitarist Neal Schon first saw Hendrix play when he was only in his teens, and says that he was simply the greatest guitarist he ever saw perform: "Y'know, if I had to pick one guy, I'd probably say Jimi Hendrix, just because he was so innovative in inventing the electric guitar, almost reinventing it."

Steve Miller told us that even today, Hendrix's talent still manages to floor him: "Y'know, and I was just watching the film of Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival, and just had to stop and sit down and watch and admire what an (laughs) amazing performer he was (laughs) -- just how great."

One of Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley's greatest rock moments was July 17th 1970 -- the day he got to become his idol Jimi Hendrix's roadie: "I roadied for Jimi Hendrix, believe it or not, at his last concert at New York's Randall's Island a couple of months prior to his death. I snuck in backstage and they put me to work. I'm setting up Mitch Mitchell's drums, I mean it was bizarre. Back in those days they didn't have laminates and stick-on passes, it was just free love and free everything. I had hair down to here and yellow hot-pants on and a snakeskin star so obviously they thought I was in one of the bands. So I just walked backstage and looked at the guy and he just let me walk backstage. And when they realized I wasn't in a band they just put me to work."

Aerosmith's Brad Whitford has been a mainstay of the ongoing Experience Hendrix outings, which celebrate and bring to life Hendrix's legendary music live on tour. Whitford spoke about the personal difficulty of mastering Hendrix's style: "Well, first of all, you can never really play it like Jimi played it, anyways, so probably what most of us do is some guys will be incredibly faithful to a recording that exists, but there's a lot of license. Y'know, you have hints of the music, but then there's a lot of improvising going on, adding your own flavor to it, which is, y'know, it's great. That's the great part of it, y'know, you're honoring his music and his songs."

Janie Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix's step-sister and president and CEO of Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix, told us that Hendrix was always good to his father Al and was about to buy the family a new house -- but one a bit different than the one he'd grown up in as a boy: "He was gonna come stay with us, and he told my dad to go look for a house on Mercer Island, which here it's a little island that you can get to via bridge. It was where all the upper-class people lived, and he wanted him to go find a house in that area, and he was going to come stay with us."

Carlos Santana told us that he's always felt a tight connection with Hendrix, whom he met in the late-'60s in San Francisco: "Jimi and I, we went together for a long, long time, and his father came to my house, and I miss them. Y'know, I miss Jimi's father, and I miss Jimi terribly."

Stephen Stills spent hours jamming with Hendrix and recalled that Hendrix turned him on to restringing lefty guitars for righties for a better sound: "Jimi showed me up close and personal, something about the positioning with the pickups made them sound better upside down. But I had a '50s lefty Strat, and that went away. Somebody nabbed it."

Woodstock promoter Michael Lang recalls trying to talk Hendrix out of his closing spot at the legendary 1969 festival: "I think they came in Sunday morning. I asked them if they wanted to go on earlier. And Michael (Jeffery, Hendrix's manager) said 'No, we definitely want to close the show.' I said 'Well, closing the show might not be good idea. It's running approximately 12 hours behind. Chances are you're going to be closing in the morning,' and they sort of insisted on it. Unfortunately, most of the audience was gone by the time Jimi played. But he played an unbelievable set."

Chicago trombonist and co-founder James Pankow recalls the band touring with Hendrix being a life-changing experience: "That was quite an experience. He was a god, if you will. He could snap his fingers and disappear into thin air, in a matter of speaking. He was psychedelic ladyland. Musically he was daring and innovative as anybody was -- if not more. I mean, an African-American who played guitar left-handed, a trio who had a bigger sound than big ensembles, and did music that was not only expressive, but was characteristic of the day."

Band Of Gypsys bassist Billy Cox was asked what he thinks Jimi Hendrix would have accomplished had he not died in 1970: "I get asked that question quite often, and we were gravitating toward more, like, The Rays Of The New Rising Sun. We were gravitating toward classical music, I think. We would've taken those modes into a classical vein. And then he had thought about perhaps maybe going to Juilliard, and there's no telling. (He) always talked about it."

Harry Connick, Jr. has announced his Christmas tour that kicks off November 18^th in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Stops include Washington, D.C., New York City, Denver, and Los Angeles. He'll play 29 shows and wrap the tour on Christmas Eve in San Francisco. Tickets for A Holiday Celebration Tour are available on his website.

Marking the best sales week of his career, Yungblud has landed his first top 10 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart. His self-titled third studio album debuted at #3 having sold 13,000 copies in the U.S. The album has now topped the charts in 6 different countries. Yungblud also made a splash entering the top 10 on the Vinyl Albums chart.

It was 58 years tonight (September 16th, 1964) that the groundbreaking Shindig! first aired on ABC-TV. Shindig! was the first prime-time rock n' roll program to feature live music. The premiere episode featured live performances by the Righteous Brothers, the Everly Brothers, and Sam Cooke performing his version of Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind." The show was hosted by Los Angeles DJ Jimmy O'Neill, and included regulars Bobby Sherman, the Wellingtons, and Darlene Love, as well as the Shindigger Dancers. During the show's 16-month-run, Shindig! featured classic performances from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Ronettes, Leslie Gore, the Beach Boys, and the Turtles, among many others.

Darlene Love performed weekly on the show as part of the Blossoms -- the backing singers featured within the Shindig! house band. She says that during the show's run she juggled both a solo career and session work on top of Shindig! duties: "When we taped Shindig!, we had to be at the studio at six o'clock in the morning on our tape day. And it ended up being a four-day job, 'cause we'd go into the recording studio and do the tracks -- we put all the backgrounds down of all the singers, or whoever was going to be on the show that week, which would take two days. And then we'd go into the television studio and block. Then the next day we would go in and tape the show. So that was a four-day week, no matter what (else) we did, for two years."

Mick Jagger admitted that the Beatles' opened all the doors for the Stones by recreating the music business in the early-'60s: "They were both rivals and they were also, I mean, they were also showing the way, 'cause they were the first at this kind of. . . They were kind of trailblazers in a lot of ways, and they went to the United States first, y'know, they showed the way, they were big international stars -- because in England, most people have never really been stars outside of England. You had your little patch and that was it. And the Beatles kind of showed you could be big internationally."

Over 55 years after being pegged the bad boys of rock, Jagger admits that the Rolling Stones were particularly mellow seeing as how crazy the rock world became by the end of the 1960's: "In those days, what the press portrayed as wild, was actually in our world now, quite tame, y'know? But, for those days people were very easily shocked. You've got to remember it was still a very shockable society there wasn't the kind of scandal mongering quite in this way as there is now, which is kind sort of scandal on a daily basis -- there's a stable diet of it, I think. But they love scandal, of course, the newspapers, so they used to play it up a lot. So even though we didn't do that many shocking things in the early days (laughs) people were easily shocked."

Shindig! originally started out as a half-hour show but was expanded to an hour in January of 1965. By the fall of 1965 the show was split into two half-hour programs, which aired on Thursday and Saturday nights.

Shindig! was canceled in January 1966 to make room on ABC's schedule for Batman.

Weezer is set to release their next SZNZ EP called Autumn. It's one of a four-part series that corresponds to the different seasons, but also stands for the different eras in the band's history.

According to frontman Rives Cuomo, the music included is dance rock. About the other installments, he said, "‘Spring was the easy-breezy side of Weezer, nobody's really going to object to that. Summer was more like '90s alt-rock." He says that's not the kind of music that the band has traditionally been able to get away with, so it makes for a tricky situation.

Autumn is due September 22.

TL;DR:

• Weezer is set to release their next EP called Autumn on Sept. 22.
• The music included is dance rock.

It was 54 years ago Saturday (September 17th, 1968) that Diana Ross & the Supremes recorded their Number One hit, "Love Child." The song was the group's 11th chart topper, and a bit of a departure for the group, as it focused on a relationship resulting in an out-of-wedlock pregnancy and marked the first Supremes hit not written by longtime songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland. "Love Child" is also notable for being one of the first songs to only feature Ross on the recording, with fellow Supremes Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong replaced by background singers on the session.

All three ladies were present on September 29th, 1968, when the group performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show. However, instead of performing in the group's trademark glamorous make-up and gowns, they were seen performing in sweatshirts, cut-offs, and bare feet to drive home the inner-city nature of the song.

Not long before her death earlier last year, Mary Wilson told us that even during the group's heyday, Motown was one of the cleanest record labels in regard to drug use in the '60s: "We probably fared better than most people, most artists in that time frame. I mean, you would think that there would be more casualties, but there really weren't. I mean, as the time went by, late '60s, then, y'know, people did become more involved in that type of behavior, y'know -- myself included. But early on, we were really quite good."

"Love Child" hit Number One on November 30th, 1968 and held the top spot for two weeks before Motown labelmate Marvin Gaye knocked the song from Number One with "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" -- which went on to top the charts for seven straight weeks.

Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner let it slip that he's been listening to Bruce Springsteen's still-unannounced new album. Springsteen and Wenner joined forces on Tuesday night (September 13th) at Manhattan's 92nd Street Y to promote Wenner's just-published memoir, Like A Rolling Stone.

During a new chat with Billboard, Wenner was asked about the music he listens to and admitted: "I'm kind of stuck with the music I liked when I was young. Give me the (Rolling) Stones. There's a new Bruce (Springsteen) record coming out this fall, which is stunning. I'm listening to that."

There have been recent rumors swirling about what the new Springsteen set would be -- a solo set, or possibly an R&B covers collection -- either with or without the E Street Band. So far, there's been no word from the Springsteen camp on a new release.

Not too long ago, Bruce Springsteen explained the core elements of his songwriting process: "I try to find a character. . . You should find a theme that you're interested in, but that is, sort of, coming up out of, I think, your own psychological needs and point of view at the moment. And then, what happens if you do it right, you start from the inside out and you grow your way into what the record or what the music is going to be thematically about."

Taylor Swift has lost her final attempt to avoid a trial in the copyright lawsuit filed against her for her song "Shake it Off."

Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, the songwriters of 3LW's "Playas Gon' Play" have accused her of lifting the chorus of their song.

Last December, a U.S. District Judge denied her motion to issue a summary judgement, which prompted Swift to file a motion to reconsider. That motion has now been denied and the case is set to go to trial in January.

The writers originally filed the suit in 2017, and the same judge dismissed it, noting that the lyrics in question were "too brief, unoriginal and uncreative to warrant protection under the Copyright Act." The following year, an appellate court ruled that the lyrics' "originality" should be decided by a jury, not a judge.

TL;DR:

• Taylor Swift has lost her final attempt to avoid a trial in the copyright lawsuit filed against her for her song "Shake it Off."
• Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, the songwriters of 3LW's "Playas Gon' Play" have accused her of lifting the chorus of their song.
• The case is set to go to trial in January.

All signs are pointing to a new live Who album coming later this year. Amazon.co.uk posted the pack shot and for The Who Live With Orchestra At Wembley Stadium, which is advertised with a November 4th release date. The double-disc set features sections from the band's July 6th one-off London show, which featured Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder joining the band for the Quadrophenia rocker, "The Punk And The Godfather."

Strangely, the album closes with the acoustic Endless Wire number "Tea & Theatre," which was not performed at the Wembley show and it's unclear where the new live version was culled from. So far there's been no official announcement for the set.

Pete Townshend told us that over 55 years on, it's fascinating to realize that it's the younger generations that are keeping the Who alive and thriving: "It's so strange to have that brand that is bigger than either of us. That when we get together underneath that banner, we're conferred with a magical sprinkling of, y'know, historical stardust that attracts an audience that is not just old fans -- it's curious young people; people who are interested in our legacy, and where we fit into the history of Western music -- and Western sociology."

The tracklist to The Who Live With Orchestra At Wembley Stadium is:

Disc One:

"Who Are You"
"Eminence Front"
"Imagine A Man"
"Pinball Wizard"
"Hero Ground Zero"
"Join Together"
"Substitute"
"The Seeker"
"Won't Get Fooled Again"
"Behind Blue Eyes"

Disc Two:

"Ball And Chain"
"The Real Me"
"I'm One"
"The Punk And The Godfather"
"5:15"
"Drowned"
"The Rock"
"Love Reign O'er Me"
"Baba O'Riley"
"Tea & Theatre"

John Legend's new video for "Wonder Woman" is a tribute to the power and grace of women and he debuted it on his 9^th Wedding Anniversary. There's a romantic twist to the video, it was shot in the Tuscan region of Italy by filmmaker Nabil Elderkin, who originally introduced Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen. Elderkin also directed the video for "All of Me." The couple, who met in 2006 appear throughout the clip.

On Twitter, Legend posted the video with a love note that read: "I married my Wonder Woman 9 years ago today. Happy Anniversary, my love. You never cease to amaze me."

The song is from his 8^th studio album called Legend.

TL;DR:

• John Legend's new video for "Wonder Woman" is a tribute to the power and grace of women and he debuted it on his 9^th Wedding Anniversary.
• It was shot in the Tuscan region of Italy by filmmaker Nabil Elderkin, who originally introduced Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen.
• It's from his 8^th studio album called Legend.

In a recent interview, Billie Eilish reminisced about meeting the British royal family and said it didn't go at all the way she had expected.

Ahead of the big night, she was given an etiquette list that included not shaking hands, not asking questions, not speaking unless spoken to, and how to curtsy. When the then-Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince William and Kate Middleton walked in, she felt so awkward that she suddenly forgot everything. To her surprise, they all actually reached to shake her hand first and she described them as very charming people.

She said it all became very casual and "They were like, ‘What's up? How are you? How's it going?' And I was like, ‘Oh my God.'"

The introductions took place in London during the James Bond film premier for No Time To Die. Eilish and her brother, Finneas co-wrote the theme and were there together.

TL;DR:

• Billie Eilish reminisced about meeting the British royal family and said she was given an etiquette list that included not shaking hands, not asking questions, not speaking unless spoken to, and how to curtsy.
• She felt so awkward that she forgot everything when they walked in.

Earlier this week, Cardi B made a surprise visit to her former middle school in the Bronx's Morris Heights neighborhood and donated a $100,000.

While there, she delivered a motivational speech to some very excited students and answered a few of their questions.

The visit was part of New York's Community Capacity Development organization.

TL;DR:

• Earlier this week, Cardi B made a surprise visit to her former middle school in the Bronx's Morris Heights neighborhood.
• She donated a $100,000.

Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey Baldwin Bieber celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary this week by looking back on their 2018 secret wedding.

Fans online were excited to see their messages to each other publicly posted. He wished his "wifey" a happy anniversary and called her his best friend. Along with it, he posted a photo of them with their dog.

She followed with a series of photos of times they've spend together over the last 4 years. Kim Kardashian and sister Khloe Kardashian were among the list of celebrities that chimed in to wish them well.

TL;DR:

Nicki Minaj is suing a YouTube named Nosey Heaux, born Marley Green, following the release of a video in which she claimed that Minaj is " . . . shoving in all this cocaine up her nose." According to TMZ, the court documents say that she later doubled down and said, "But we all know it's true. I can't even say allegedly with that ‘cause I, we all know it's true. I'm not saying alleged on that. Nicki Minaj is a cokehead."

Minaj's legal team has also said that Green made "vile" comments about the rapper's one-year-old son. Green reportedly told Minaj to get therapy for her infant son because, "Your baby is going to be a rapist, too." Minaj is married to Kenneth Petty, who was convicted of rape in 1995.

In the suit, Green is labeled as a "nobody" whose "main accomplishments in life have been a string of criminal charges, bail jumping and bad debts." Nicki's attorney Judd Burstein said the "cokehead" video garnered 2,000 likes and over 250 retweets on Twitter.

Burstein added, "When this case is over, she will no longer be permitted to use the name ‘Nosey Heaux' because we will take her trademark from her when she does not have enough money to pay the judgment. Anyone else who spreads lies about Nicki will suffer a similar fate. My marching orders are to aggressively sue anyone with a media or social media following who damages her with intentional lies. Eventually, the lesson will be learned."

Minaj has claimed she's never used cocaine and is seeking $75,000 in damages.

It was four years ago today (September 15th, 2018) that Paul McCartney hit Number One album on the Billboard 200 albums chart with his then-latest album, Egypt Station. Egypt Station, which was the former-Beatle's eighth solo chart-topper, marked his first album to enter the Billboard 200 at the top spot. Across the pond, Egypt Station entered the UK charts at Number Three. The collection marked the first time McCartney topped the U.S. album charts since way back in 1982 with Tug Of War.

Billboard reported at the time, "The set, which was released on September 7th via MPL/Capitol Records, launches with a larger-than-expected 153,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending September 13th according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 147,000 were in traditional album sales."

McCartney's previous two albums -- 2013's New and 2007's Memory Almost Full -- had peaked at Number Three. Prior to Egypt Station, the closest he had come to returning to the top spot with a new original studio album since Tug Of War was 1997's Flaming Pie, which stalled at Number Two.

Since the Beatles released their debut single back in 1962, Paul McCartney has learned to weather some tough knocks from his critics over the years: "People said to me, 'Y'know, watch out for the critics, 'cause they'll have their pencils sharpened for you.' They're ready for someone like me, but I'm not really too worried. I've never been worried about critics. They've always damned me for anything I've done. We did 'She Loves You' -- they hated that. We did Sgt Pepper -- they hated that. So, I'm kind of used to being hated, and I don't really care."

McCartney's been known to record endlessly in the studio -- especially after building The Mill, near his home in Sussex, England. Despite the close proximity, McCartney has learned to draw back from going overboard creating new music: "I do fiddle about more now, 'cause I've got my own studio now. If I'm feelin' a bit fed up and just make up a track -- I do that a bit. I tend to try to keep it separate -- 'cause you can, y'know, just get fed up. If you're there all the time, it's not as much fun. So, I try to balance it up. Y'know, just have times when -- like in the summer, I don't work much in the summer. The minute that weather gets good, I just feel soft going in the studio. Unless there's a big album on, or something and you've got everyone in and you've gotta go in. But if I have the choice, then I won't go in. Then I'll go on holiday; do sensible things like that."

FAST FORWARD

Paul McCartney's latest album, 2020's McCartney III, scored him a Top Two hit on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The album earned him the distinction of being the first artist to have a new album in the top two chart positions in each of the last six decades.

McCartney III also went on to top both Billboard's Top Album Sales and Top Rock Albums charts.

The collection hit Number One in England, marking his first chart-topping album in his homeland since 1989's Flowers In The Dirt.

It was three years ago today (September 15th, 2019) that Ric Ocasek, the guitarist and leader of the Cars, was found dead in his Manhattan apartment at age 75. Although he suffered from both a hypertensive heart and coronary artery disease, it was reported he officially died from natural causes.

Ocasek is survived by six sons, two from each of his three marriages. At the time of his death he was estranged from his third wife, supermodel Paulina Porizkova -- who has since revealed, unbeknownst to her, that prior to her husband's death, she had been erased from his will.

Ric Ocasek, who was born Richard Theodore Otcasek in Cleveland, is responsible for some of the most timeless and important pop/rock/new wave classics recorded between 1978 and 1985; literally writing every hit the Cars scored during their original eight-year run. Ocasek, who played rhythm guitar, shared lead vocal duties with late-bassist Benjamin Orr, and wrote such instant radio staples as "Just What I Needed," "Shake It Up," "Since You're Gone," "You Might Think," "Good Times Roll," "Touch And Go," "Drive," "Moving In Stereo," "Tonight She Comes," "Heartbeat City," "Let's Go," "Magic," and "My Best Friend's Girl."

The Cars split in 1988 and reunited in 2011 for their first album in 24 years, titled Move Like This. In 2018 the band was finally inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. Between 1982 and 2005 Ocasek released seven solo albums.

Ric Ocasek told us that looking back on the band's glory years, both on and off the stage, the Cars delivered to not only themselves and their fans, but to other groups coming up in the late-'70s and early-'80s: "I like the fact that we were a good pop band. I thought we had some integrity about it. I think we cared about, like, the commercial side and the art side; we tried to make it interesting in both ways. And when we were in the Cars, we were pretty focused on, like, what we thought was good music, y'know, besides our own. And we would go to radio stations and try to play, y'know, other people's records that we liked, that we thought were new on the scene. And we tried to promote, like, y'know, kinda music and art together."

After the Cars' split, Ocasek became an in-demand record producer manning the boards for the likes of Weezer, No Doubt, Suicide, Romeo Void, Hole, Nada Surf, Black 47, and others.

Ric Ocasek's work on Weezer's 1994 "Blue" album -- which included such hits as "Undone (The Sweater Song)," "Buddy Holly," and "Say It Ain't So" -- resulted in sales of over 15 million units worldwide. Weezer's Rivers Cuomo admitted the failure of the band's followup album -- Pinkerton -- led them to reunite with Ocasek ASAP: "We decided to use a producer this time around because we screwed up the last record so bad that no one would play it on the radio. . . Yeah, Ric kind of seems like a permanent part of our crew now. . . Yeah, he gives you advice about all kinds of things that no one else can give you, because they haven't been through the type of experiences that he has and we have." SOUNDCUE

At the Cars' 2018 Rock Hall induction, guitarist Elliot Easton took time out to thank Ric Ocasek for providing the group with an unforgettable repertoire of hits: "It all begins with a great song. Without that none of this would exist. The music business, radio, Hall of Fame -- all of it. Without a great song, there's nothing. And in Ric Ocasek we had an incredible songwriter (applause). Songs. . . (applause) that's right. Whose songs gave the band such a wonderful platform and framework for the rest of us to be creative and do the best work of our lives -- and they still sound great today. Thanks Ric."

When Ric Ocasek took to the podium, he saluted his nearest and dearest: "Most importantly, I'd like to thank my loving family, because they know me pretty well -- but they still like me anyway (laughter)."

Britney Spears is fighting back against claims of body-shaming after being accused by fans doing so in a social media post, and supposedly being unfollowed on Instagram by Christina Aguilera.

Britney posted on Instagram on Tuesday (September 13th), "By no means was I being critical of Christina's beautiful body, it is what it is !!! I flew to see her show once and the main thing I noticed was the difference of our people on stage !!!"

She added, "By no means did I even mention Christina, look at my post !!! I was inspired by her show and she is a beautiful woman of power … Thank you @xtina for inspiring me !!!"

On Monday (September 12th), Britney shared a post, which said, "I found there was only one way to look thin: hang out with fat people." In the caption, referring to her lengthy conservatorship, Britney wrote, "I wish I could have chosen the nannies for my children … my dancers … I mean if I had Christina Aguilera's dancers I would have looked extremely small 💃💃💃… I mean why not talk about it ?? Don't you think my confidence would have been a bit better if I could choose where I lived, ate, whom I called on the phone, dated and who was on stage with me !!! It's hard sometimes now I see how much of my womanhood was stripped away at that time and every person sat back and didn't say a thing !!! Anyways … I will be here talking bout things people NEVER talked about 🙄🙄🙄 !!!"

Reports then surfaced that Xtina had unfollowed her on IG, which prompted Britney's explanation: "To be honest, I'm not trying to be critical of anybody. What I posted is a projection of the insecurities I deal with all the time as a result of how my parents and the media have treated me. I would never intentionally body shame anybody because I know what it feels like … I struggle with this because of how I feel about myself, not because I hate how anybody looks."

Set for release on November 4th is the deluxe reissue of John Mellencamp's 1985 classic, Scarecrow. The new box set includes two CD's of newly remixed and remastered songs -- plus previously unreleased bonus tracks and alternate versions, a booklet full of rare photographs and all new liner notes by acclaimed author and music critic Anthony DeCurtis.

The set features an Atmos and new hi-resolution stereo mix of the album, along with bonus tracks in hi-resolution stereo on Blu-ray Disc, a 180g half-speed LP, an original picture sleeve of the "Small Town" seven-inch single, lithographs, and poster.

Scarecrow was released on August 5th, 1985 and spent a whopping 28 weeks in the Billboard Top 10. The album, which was an FM, AM, and MTV staple, spent three weeks at Number Two. The album featured three Top 10 hits -- "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." (#2); "Lonely Ol' Night" and "Small Town" (#6). Two other tracks were MTV staples and major Top 30 hits -- "Rain On The Scarecrow" (#21) and "Rumbleseat" (#28).

Although John Mellencamp keeps an eye on the remastering and archiving of his back catalogue, he admitted to us -- it's far from his favorite thing to do: "My rearview mirror in that fashion doesn't work very well. Y'know, it's already on tape and you can't really go in and take that bass part off and put a new bass part on. Y'know, so there's nothing creative about it. It's just a matter of, you know, technology and I'm not even really that interested."

The tracklist to John Mellencamp's deluxe reissue of Scarecrow:

CD 1: Original Album Remixed & Remastered

1. Rain On The Scarecrow (2022 Mix)
2. Grandma's Theme (2022 Mix)
3. Small Town (2022 Mix)
4. Minutes To Memories (2022 Mix)
5. Lonely Ol' Night (2022 Mix)
6. The Face Of The Nation (2022 Mix)
7. Justice And Independence '85 (2022 Mix)
8. Between A Laugh And A Tear (2022 Mix)
9. Rumbleseat (2022 Mix)
10. You've Got To Stand For Somethin' (2022 Mix)
11. R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. (A Salute To 60's Rock) 2022 Mix
12. The Kind Of Fella I Am (2022 Mix)
13. Small Town (Acoustic Version) 2022 Mix

CD 2: Rare & Previously Unreleased

1. Under The Boardwalk (2022 Mix)
2. Lonely Ol' Night (Rough Mix)
3. Between A Laugh And A Tear (Writer's Demo)
4. Carolina Shag
5. Cold Sweat (2022 Mix)
6. Rumbleseat (Writer's Demo)
7. Smart Guys
8. R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. (A Salute To 60's Rock) Rough Mix
9. Minutes To Memories (Rough Mix)
10. Shama Lama Ding Dong
11. Small Town (Writer's Demo)

Blu-ray Audio Disc: Dolby ATMOS

1. Rain On The Scarecrow (2022 Atmos Mix)
2. Grandma's Theme (2022 Atmos Mix)
3. Small Town (2022 Atmos Mix)
4. Minutes To Memories (2022 Atmos Mix)
5. Lonely Ol' Night (2022 Atmos Mix)
6. The Face Of The Nation (2022 Atmos Mix)
7. Justice And Independence '85 (2022 Atmos Mix)
8. Between A Laugh And A Tear (2022 Atmos Mix)
9. Rumbleseat (2022 Atmos Mix)
10. You've Got To Stand For Somethin' (2022 Atmos Mix)
11. R.0.C.K. In The U.S.A (A Salute To 60's Rock) (2022 Atmos Mix
12. The Kind Of Fella I Am (2022 Atmos Mix)
13. Small Town (Acoustic Version) 2022 Atmos Mix