Pulse Music

With rumors swirling again about the possibility of Blink-182 reuniting, Mark Hoppus chimed in to calm things down. When asked about it in a recent interview, he got straight to the point and said there was "no news to share."

The relationship between Tom DeLonge and his estranged bandmates has improved somewhat, with DeLonge reaching out during Hoppus' battle with cancer.

Hoppus recently said that "if and when" Blink has any announcement about anything, the news would come directly from the band.

Blink-182 went on hiatus in 2005, but following a 2008 plane crash that involved Travis Barker, they reunited at the 2009 Grammy Awards. Two years later they recorded and released the album, Neighborhoods. After that, DeLonge lost interest.

TL;DR:

• With rumors swirling again about the possibility of Blink-182 reuniting, Mark Hoppus said he has "no news to share."
• Hoppus recently said that "if and when" Blink has any announcement about anything, the news would come directly from the band.

'70s pop icon Gilbert O'Sullivan is garnering the best reviews of his entire career for his latest album, Driven. The set, which was produced by Andy Wright, is receiving heavy industry whispers for possible Grammy noms and follows on the heels of O'Sullivan's string of sold-out North American shows last spring.

Among the many highlights on the set are collaborations with guest performers KT Tunstall on "Take Love" and Simply Red's Mick Hucknall on "Let Bygones Be Bygones."

Gilbert O'Sullivan is best remembered on this side of the pond for his five Top 40 hits, including 1973's Top Ten favorite "Get Down," the previous year's Top Two smash, "Claire," and his six-week 1972 chart-topping classic -- "Alone Again" (Naturally)." The track topped the American charts for a whopping six weeks, displacing yet another monster 1972 classic "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers, which enjoyed a three-week run on top of the Billboard Hot 100.

Gilbert O'Sullivan's Driven has snagged highly-coveted four-star reviews from both Mojo and Record Collector with a five-star rave from Shindig! O'Sullivan told us that accolades aside, getting the music right is the definitive reward: "The key for me is to maintain two things; a strong melody and a good lyric. But I'm. . . I'm doing well because I think that's the danger of my generation of writers is that we lose it. I mean, I've received the best reviews of my career on this album. I'm truly grateful for that, because I'm not used to getting that (laughs). I'm not used to getting much written about my writing ability -- but what more can I ask for?"

Plans are already in the works for a return to North America in support of Driven early in 2023.

Coming on November 14th is the eagerly-awaited live collection, Creedence Clearwater Revival At The Royal Albert Hall. The project, which is now available for pre-order, also includes the documentary Travelin' Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival At Royal Albert Hall, which comes with a bonus CD of previously released hits.

The film, which is narrated by Jeff Bridges, was directed by Bob Smeaton -- best known for his work on 1995's Grammy-winning The Beatles Anthology and most recently, 2021's critically acclaimed The Who Sell Out documentary. Creedence played two shows at the Albert Hall, hitting the hallowed venue on April 14th and 15th, 1970.

Travelin' Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival At Royal Albert Hall drops on streaming services on September 16th.

According to the press release:

After spending roughly 50 years in storage, the original multitrack tapes were meticulously restored and mixed by the Grammy Award-winning team of producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell, who have helmed countless acclaimed projects together, including The Beatles' Love, 50th-anniversary editions of Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, as well as audio for Peter Jackson's The Beatles: Get Back.

The LP was mastered by the celebrated engineer Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios using half-speed technology for the highest-quality listening experience.

We asked Creedence leader John Fogerty about the blossoming creativity he was enjoying in the late-'60's and early-'70s, which even led him the band to release no less than three albums in 1969, alone: "Young people -- including who I was then -- are quite precocious, immortal; it's not true but that's how you feel. I set out to do something and did it, y'know (laughs)? That was my intention. It's only now, y'know, I'm kind of flabbergasted, that it's like, ‘wow!' I mean, I'm not sure. . . If I set out to do that now, I would also know how remarkably rare and almost impossible it is, and that might preclude the effort in the first place. You don't know that when you're young, you just kind of go ahead and do it."

Demi Lovato is now using "she/her" pronouns again.

The "Sorry Not Sorry" singer told the Spout podcast Tuesday (August 2nd), "Recently, I've been feeling more feminine, and so I've adopted ‘she/her' again. But I think what's important is, like, nobody's perfect."

According to Lovato, she came out as non-binary last year because she was "balanced in my masculine and feminine energy."

She revealed, "When I was faced with the choice of walking into a bathroom and it said ‘women' and ‘men,' I didn't feel like there was a bathroom for me because I didn't feel necessarily like a woman. I didn't feel like a man. I just felt like a human."

Lovato first announced she would use "they/them" pronouns in May 2021 when she came out as non-binary.

Reports say that Beyonce has removed the "Milkshake" interpolation and Kelis' credit from her song "Energy" off of her new album Renaissance -- according to Pop Crave. Last week, Kelis went live on Instagram revealing that she was angry that Beyonce didn't ask for permission to sample her song. Although Kelis sang the song, reports say that Pharrell actually owns the writing credits.

Kelis told fans in an Instagram video, "We know each other we have mutual friends, it's not hard she can contact….It's just common decency." She added, "It was stupid and disrespectful and she should've at least reached out. But the real issue is….Pharrell knows better. This is a direct hit at me he does this stuff all the time it's very petty….It's frustrating…. I'm annoyed is because I know it was on purpose."

Kelis seemingly addressed the news last night when someone commented on her Instagram page, "Hope you happy now lmao." She responded, "obviously lol yeah!"

MONICA LEWINSKY HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT BEYONCE AS WELL

Meanwhile, Monica Lewinsky has responded to Beyonce removing the word "spaz" from her song "Heated" song off of Renaissance. Lewinsky tweeted, "Uhmm, while we're at it… #Partition."

If you've ever wanted to cook like the guys of BTS, look no further than BTS RECIPE BOOK: Book of Tasty Stories, the new official cookbook from the K-Pop superstars.

According to Billboard, the book is filled with recipes adapted from ones used by Jin, Jung Kook, RM, V, Suga, Jimin and J-Hope.

The BTS RECIPE BOOK is available for order now on the band's Weverse shop page for $28 per copy, though shipping will not take place until November.

Carly Rae Jepsen's forthcoming album, The Loneliest Time, will drop on October 21st.

She wrote on Instagram Tuesday (August 2nd), "I'm quite fascinated by loneliness. It can be really beautiful when you turn it over and look at it. Just like love, it can cause some extreme human reactions."

According to a release, The Loneliest Time will be Jepsen's "most introspective body of work to date."

It was 35 years ago today (August 3rd, 1987) that Hysteria, Def Leppard released Hysteria -- its long-awaited followup to 1983's Pyromania. The album was the first to feature Rick Allen drumming after his 1984 car accident, which severed his left arm.

Hysteria also marks the last album to be released prior to the 1991 death of guitarist Steve Clarke from a lethal combination of alcohol and prescription drugs. Clark went on to write and perform on the posthumously released 1992 album, Adrenalize.

Hysteria, which finally hit Number One nearly a year after its release on July 23rd, 1988, spent six non-consecutive weeks on top of the Billboard 200, spawned six Top 20 hits -- including the chart-topping "Love Bites," "Animal" (#19), "Hysteria" (#10), "Pour Some Sugar On Me (#2), "Armageddon It" (#3), and "Rocket" (#12). To date, the album has sold over 35 million copies globally.

When pressed as to whether Hysteria collection feels like it was released over three decades ago, frontman Joe Elliott admitted: "Actually, it doesn't. Y'know, I've been talking to people about this recently and I think if you're, like, wrongfully imprisoned for 30 years -- it's a long time. We're not naive. We realize that, like, (The) Dark Side Of The Moon for Pink Floyd, or Sgt. Pepper's (Lonely Hearts Club Band) for the Beatles, most bands have got one album that they'll forever always gonna be talking about and is always the yardstick, or whatever, is judged against. And if you're lucky enough to make one album like that, you should be blessed and accept it. We don't think of it as an albatross, really."

FAST FORWARD

In 2018, Def Leppard released Hysteria: The Singles, a limited edition, 10-disc vinyl box set featuring all of the seven-inch singles from their 1987 multi-platinum album. The box included all eight vinyl singles for Hysteria -- including Def Leppard's Top Five hits -- "Pour Some Sugar On Me," "Animal," "Love Bites," "Hysteria," "Rocket" and "Armageddon It." The collection also includes two bonus singles, "Excitable"/"Run Riot" (Album Version) and "Love and Affection"/"Don't Shoot The Shotgun" (Album Version).

Hysteria: The Singles is housed in a box with a lift-off lid and features new cover art made up of all 10 of the single's sleeves, including the special Spanish "Animal" single, plus a booklet with a full band discography and an introduction written by frontman Joe Elliott.

2017 saw several deluxe 30th anniversary configurations of Hysteria -- a Super Deluxe Edition, Deluxe Version, One CD Vanilla Version, 2-LP Black Vinyl Version, and a limited edition 2-LP Colored Vinyl Version. The reissues included the album's assorted B-sides and live tracks -- plus the audio from the In The Round In Your Face (Live) concert film on CD for the first time.

Kanye West says Adidas created Yeezy Day without his permission. Yesterday (August 2nd) marked the third annual Yeezy Day, where Adidas re-releases a lot of the popular models from Kanye's sneaker line for two days.

In an Instagram message to Complex, Ye wrote, "Adidas made up the Yeezy Day idea without my approval." He also accused Adidas of re-issuing older styles, designing colorways, and hiring employees all without his approval.

Ye wrote, "Went and hired a GM of Yeezy without my approval. Took talent on the production side and sprinkled them throughout Adidas originals without my approval."

He continued, "When I originally ordered Adidas to make more Yeezy slides, the GM lied to my face and said they didn't have the capacity. Meanwhile, Adidas was copying my slides and making their own versions of the Yeezy slide."

He added, "Yeezy is 68% of Adidas online sales.cGod step in."

It seems as though the love fest between ex-Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm and his former band is over and done with. Over the past few years, Gramm and co-founder and leader Mick Jones have made peace, with Gramm and the original members of the band joining the current lineup for a string of special dates -- but now Gramm isn't holding back on how he feels about the latest incarnation of the band.

Blabbermouth transcribed some of Gramm's recent chat with RockHistoryMusic.com, in which he spoke very candidly about the band's current frontman, Kelly Hansen: "Kelly is all right. He's a good singer. But I think Mick really told Kelly, when he first got in the band, that he had to study me, because he sings those songs with the same musical innuendos and vocal licks and ad-libs as I have. He's mimicking me. His voice doesn't sound like me, but he's singing the songs the way I would sing them. Some people say, 'Well, take it as a compliment, Lou.' I don't take it as a compliment. You're a singer with a big band like that -- use your voice and your style. Don't hang your coat on my hook."

He went on to say, "I don't think he should sing the songs verbatim like me. Maybe sing a couple of parts. But let his own influences show -- show the fans that he's the new singer now, not me."

Regarding him being done with any future special appearances with Foreigner, Lou Gramm admitted, "I think so, yeah. I don't wanna be a part of it. Well, (guitarist) Ian (McDonald) has passed away and (bassist) Ed Gagliardi passed away, even though he wasn't part of the reunions. Two original members of the six are now gone. And Mick is in very poor health. I think when the new Foreigner plays, I've heard that he comes on for one song and then waves and goes offstage. (In the recent past) he would play the whole last half of the set. But then he was in the hospital again for weeks. He had some heart problems and his recovery time was very long and tedious. And I heard that he comes out for one song now -- when he comes on. Most of the time Foreigner has no original Foreigner members in it."

Back in 2007, Lou Gramm told us the chance to be part of Foreigner once again after all the bandmembers have been through meant the world to him: "The lifespan of most bands when Foreigner started was half-a-dozen years, or maybe a little more, and, y'know, there weren't that many reunion tours or things like that going on. Not to say we're the first people who have done that, but I'd say that this is a real enjoyable and satisfying experience to not only look back and remember but to actually stand onstage and do it again after all these years is -- and be able to do it again -- is also very enjoyable, y'know?"

Foreigner performs tonight (August 3rd) in Clearfield, Pennsylvania at Clearfield County Fair & Park.

Lou Gramm performs on August 6th in Binghamton, New York at Otsiningo Park.

Just published is the career-spanning Billy Joel retrospective On Track. . . Billy Joel: Everything Album, Every Song. The 160-page book by author Lisa Torem analyzes the "Piano Man's" entire recorded output from 1971's Cold Spring Harbor through his 2001 Fantasies & Delusions (Music For Solo Piano) classical debut.

Also featured are sections on Billy's live albums, box sets, guest appearances, touring highlights, and cover versions of his songs.

Although former drummer-Liberty DeVitto's first album with Billy Joel -- 1976's Turnstiles -- stalled at a dismal Number 122 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, he explained its classic tunes always served as the backbone to all of Billy's concerts: "Well, the funny thing is, is that when we played live, the live show was always Turnstiles-heavy. We did 'Miami 2017,' 'I've Loved These Days,' 'Angry Young Man's' on that -- 'New York State Of Mind' is on that."

The late, great Phil Ramone was Billy's closest musical confidante and produced such classic multi-platinum albums for Billy as The Stranger, 52nd Street, Glass Houses, Songs In The Attic, The Nylon Curtain, An Innocent Man, and The Bridge. He told us shortly before he died in 2013 that Billy's was a multifaceted man: "But, y'know, he's a wonderful animal. He's just so smart. And of course he comes off playing this tough Long Island kid -- which is part of his background -- but the rest of him is just amazing. He's an amazing guy. Extremely intelligent and well read."

Lars Ulrich is among the many that are amazed with the surprise Top 40 hit status of Metallica's 1986 track "Masters Of Puppets." The tune, which has taken on a new lease on life after being featured in the season four finale of Netflix's Stranger Things, is turning a whole new generation on to the thrash giants. Following the July 11th season finale, "Master Of Puppets" has racked up 17.5 million streams.

Bravewords reported Ulrich spoke to Chicago's Rock 95.5 and touched upon the song -- amazingly -- entering the Billboard single charts at Number 40 and shed light on how Metallica feels about letting their music find new audiences across the spectrum: "We try to be very involved in letting our music be part of these cultural things that are out there and just to connect to fans and get the music out there, but the way this thing has taken off. . . This song is 36-years-old, and it's now in the Top 40 in the UK. It's an eight-minute song! And it's f***ing making a statement."

Ulrich went on to talk about the importance of transcending the band's original audience with their music: "Obviously any opportunity you get to turn new kids or younger kids on to music that may be a gateway into discovering whatever it is, whether it's harder rock or different things, whatever is on their radar, is super cool. But this thing is just crazy. It's kind of hard to fully comprehend, but it's awesome."

When we caught up with Lars Ulrich a while ago, we asked him if it was safe to view him as the glue that holds Metallica together: "Sure. I mean, I can go with that. Obviously, it's a lot more complicated than that, and I find that as I grow older, my world exists less and less in black and whites and more and more in grays in between those, but I've always considered myself to be Metallica's number one fan, and with that comes responsibilities. To keep it going and keep it alive, and to make sure that Metallica is the best it can be at all times."

Metallica next performs on August 11th at Buffalo's Highmark Stadium. After that, the band's only other date on the books is on August 14th at Pittsburgh's PNC Park.

Beyonce has released a statement telling fans that she will remove the word "spaz" from her song "Heated" off of her new album Renaissance after being called out for using albleist language." According to Insider, a representative for Beyonce said in a statement, "The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced."

In other news, singer-songwriter and producer The Dream took to social media to check songwriter Diane Warren about comments she made about the writing credits Beyonce's new album Renaissance. Diane recently tweeted, "How can there be 24 writers on a song?" She later wrote, "This isn't meant as shade, I'm just curious."

The Dream -- who worked on Bey's new album, responded to Warren, saying, "You mean how's does our (Black) culture have so many writers. Well it started because we couldn't afford certain things starting out,so we started sampling and it became an Artform, a major part of the Black Culture (hip hop) in America.Had that era not happen who knows. U good?"

Warren responded, "I didn't mean that as an attack or as disrespect. I didn't know this, thank U for making me aware of it. No need to be mean about it."

Dream responded, "Btw I know it's not a one on one writing contest you looking for from no one over here…… you don't want that smoke And you know I love you, but come on. Stop acting like your records haven't been sampled eyeballs emojicrying laughing emojirocket emoji."

Warren later apologized.

BTS may be able to perform even while carrying out their compulsory military service in South Korea.

According to News1, the country's National Defense Minister said Monday (Aug. 1), "BTS could enlist in the military, and still be given time to practice and perform overseas."

According to Reuters, the minister added, "As many people highly value artists serving in the military, that may help boost their popularity even more."

It has been confirmed by Page Six that Naomi Judd left her only two daughters, Wynonna Judd and Ashley Judd, completely out of her will. According to documents, she appointed her husband of 33 years, Larry Strickland, as the executor of her estate.

Naomi requested that he have "full authority and discretion" over any property "without the approval of any court" or permission from any beneficiary of the estate.

The will was prepared in 2017, nearly five years before Naomi died by suicide on April 30.

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Radar Online reported that Wynonna is "upset" that she was excluded because she formed one-half of the duo, The Judds, with Naomi and "believes she was a major force behind her mother's success."

However, reps for Wynonna and Ashley, did not immediately return Page Six's request for comment.

Naomi's estate is estimated to be worth $25 million.

Details are sketchy and unconfirmed -- but two major Beatles box sets might be coming our way over the next few months.

Beatlefan magazine has heard from two sources that "a multi-disc Revolver box set is planned for October 26th or October 28th." Producer Giles Martin revealed last year that a Revolver set was in the works -- but no official announcement has been made.

Also said to be released around John Lennon's 82nd birthday on October 9th is the already-announced Some Time In New York City box set -- which was also previously said to be coming this year but with zero additional details. Beatlefan's source stated the set will be "including some sort of Blu-ray disc." Again, no official word has been offered from either Lennon's label or estate.

Elephants Memory bassist Gary Von Scyoc (pronounced: Von SY-ock) recorded several albums with John Lennon and Yoko Ono -- and is featured on 1972's Some Time In New York City. He recalled Lennon moving swiftly once he was geared up to record: "He respected us individually as players, and he knew no matter what, if he brought us a song, we were gonna come up with something. As far as John coming with those tunes, he used to come the night of, with a new song, every night -- for two weeks straight. That's how we cut the album. Live in the studio is a whole new thing, because we started laying down the tracks, maybe a half-an-hour after we heard it for the first time."

VetsAid 2022 will feature Joe Walsh reuniting with the James Gang -- bassist Dale Peters and drummer Jimmy Fox -- along with special guest Dave Grohl on November 13th at Columbus, Ohio's Nationwide Arena. Tickets for VetsAid 2022 go on sale to the public this Friday, August 5th.

Rolling Stone reported that for the 2022 benefit, Walsh enlisted an all-Ohio-based group of artists to play: Cleveland-based James Gang and Nine Inch Nails, the Breeders from Dayton, the Black Keys from Akron, and the Warren, Ohio-born Grohl. The show will mark both the James Gang's first gig in 15 years as well as its swan song.

Joe Walsh spoke about VetsAid 2022 in a statement:

It all started in Ohio. Picking up my first guitar as a kid in Columbus set me on a musical journey to Kent State, Cleveland, and then the world.

Now it is a great privilege and humbling opportunity for me to share the stage once again with my original James Gang buddies and with this absolutely incredible group of Ohio rock legends like Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails, the Black Keys, the Breeders, and Dave Grohl.

I believe in Ohio and look forward to celebrating our musical legacy while honoring our veterans with VetsAid 2022.

Joe Walsh told us about the realities of being part of a Gold Star family: "I'm actually a Gold Star kid. My dad was actually killed in the Army Air Corps. I was born in '47, he was killed in '49, and so I kinda grew up without a dad. I eventually got a stepdad, who I love and who's always had my back. But, my first six years of being alive I was dad-less. I always wondered what he was like and I alw. . . Y'know, I didn't have anybody to play catch with or any kind of father figure until my stepfather came along."

We asked Walsh, what is the quickest way to help veterans and their families on a local, grassroots level: "Well, you can find out more about this at VetsAid.org. There's also a network of places, but I would say, anybody listening to this, there are vet organizations all around us. They're small, and they're predominately vet run, but ask around and find something near you, because that's who needs help. Because you can save lives and even if it helps them prevent suicide, you can make a huge difference."

Katy Perry took it upon herself to feed a bunch of drunk club-goers in Las Vegas over the weekend.

A fan account posted a video of the "California Gurls" singer tossing pizza directly out of the box into a crowd.

The 37-year-old switched up her methods, sometimes just flinging slices on their own and other times, putting them on a plate and frisbee-tossing them to fans.

Brian Wilson has scrapped all of his remaining summer and fall dates. Although no official reason was given, a statement cancelling his September 22nd show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium read: "Due to unforeseen health reasons Brian Wilson will not be performing at the Ryman on September 22.⁠​ Brian is bummed to miss this show but looks forward to seeing his fans on the road again."

Although Brian Wilson has been actively touring the world as a solo performer for over 20 years performing on the world's biggest stages, he admitted to us that he still battles crippling stage fright before each and every show: "The first stage, y'know, I call the 'scare segment.' The next one is, 'recuperate from scared,' I'm a little depressed. The next one is anxiety, y'know? And finally the release of anxiety when we first (punches the table), when I first go to the concert, my anxiety goes, 'whish' -- out of my head! It goes right out of my head."

Not too long ago, we asked Brian Wilson if he's ever sat down and thought about how many lives he's changed through his music: "Yes, I have. When I sing it makes me happy. I think I've brought a lot of joy to people, yeah, with my tours, yeah."

CANCELLED: Brian Wilson tour dates:

August 7 - Kelowna, BC - Rock The Lake Music Festival
September 21 - Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Theatre
September 22 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
September 24 - Johnson City, TN - ETSU Martin Center for the Arts
November 18, 19, 20 - Mexico City, Mexico - Corona Capital Festival

The legendary former head of Warner Bros. Records, the globally revered Mo Ostin, died in his sleep of natural causes on July 31st at age 95, according to Variety. Ostin, who was predeceased by his wife and two sons, is survived by his son Michael.

Ostin, who always put the artists and the music first, is directly responsible for helping facilitate so much of the most enduring music of the 20th century. He played a key role in the careers of so many artists that were part of the WEA -- Warner, Elektra/Asylum, Atlantic -- family, including Frank Sinatra, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, the Grateful Dead, the Eagles, James Taylor, the Everly Brothers, Chicago, Paul Simon, George Harrison, America, Fleetwood Mac, Alice Cooper, Tom Waits, the Beach Boys, the Kinks, Elvis Costello, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Talking Heads, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bonnie Raitt, Van Halen, the Doobie Brothers, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, the Traveling Wilburys, Van Morrison, the Ramones, Ice-T, John Fogerty, Ricky Lee Jones, Little Feat, Gordon Lightfoot, Madonna, Metallica -- and so many more.

Warner Records' co-chairman/CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck and co-chairman/COO Tom Corson issued a statement, which reads:

Mo was one of the greatest record men of all time, and a prime architect of the modern music business. For Mo, it was always first and foremost about helping artists realize their vision. One of the pivotal figures in the evolution of Warner Music Group, in the 1960s Mo ushered Warner/Reprise Records into a golden era of revolutionary, culture-shifting artistry.

Over his next three decades at the label, he remained a tireless champion of creative freedom, both for the talent he nurtured and the people who worked for him. Mo lived an extraordinary life doing what he loved, and he will be deeply missed throughout the industry he helped create, and by the countless artists and colleagues whom he inspired to be their best selves.

On behalf of everyone at Warner, we want to thank Mo for everything he did, and for his inspiring belief in our bright future. Our condolences go out to his family at this difficult time.

In 2003 Paul Simon joined Neil Young in inducting Mo Ostin into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a Non-Performer.

Prior to inducting his dear friend and former-label boss, Simon said he absolutely rated Ostin at the top of his profession on every level: "He's an old friend, and he's the guy who signed me to Warner Bros., and he's been my friend -- y'know, a good friend -- ever since. I guess, y'know, you'd have to rate, y'know, rank him with (Atlantic Records founder) Ahmet Ertegun and Clive Davis as, y'know, the greatest music guys of their era."

The following year, the late-great Prince spoke about the freedom at Mo Ostin's Warner Bros. records that allowed him to flourish: Prince thanks Warner Bros. Records for giving him the freedom to create his art: "When I first started out in this music industry, I was most concerned with freedom. Freedom to produce, freedom to play all the instruments on my records, freedom to say anything I wanted to. And after much negotiation, Warner Bros. Records granted me that freedom, and I thank them for that." (:17 OC: . . . them for that)

Nicki Minaj took to social media to address an Instagram account claiming to be her former assistant. The account, register to a Kate Miller, made almost 50 posts about the rapper, threatening to expose secrets.

Kate Miller wrote in one post, "I am Onika ex assistant who she fired for absolutely no proof of fraud with her bank account. I'm exposing all files I have from working for her, Along with the voice messages she sent me regarding many different people."

The account alleged that Nicki owes the IRS $173 million in unpaid taxes, that she paid for her song ‘Freaky Girl' to make it on the music charts and that Nicki and Kenneth Petty named their son Amadeus Cyril Petty.

Nicki went live on Instagram saying that she believes there is an entire fanbase trying to "get rid" of her. She said, "Everyday I learn that y'all getting dumber and f*cking dumber. The other day I was on Twitter and I saw this whole fanbase, b*tch. They marked up a whole spreadsheet saying ‘This what we boutta do to get rid of Nicki finally.' And they was saying all types of sh*t and I just was like woah this is sad right.

She continued, 'I am mind blown that people are this f*cking dumb. That people are really believing that I got somebody that work for me and now they spilling tea, Chile. But, it's not even that. It's the tea sound so f*cking dumb. And for a person to believe it, you would have to be dumb. It's clearly a kid."

Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard spoke frankly about the accession of grunge music in the early-'90s and how it affected hard rock and heavy metal.

Essentially, Gossard believes it was an organic changing of musical tides, telling, Vwmusicrocks.com, "I think there's always renewal in the world, and with that renewal, comes new perspectives. And I think that hard rock was really stagnating at that point in a way that gave an opportunity to what I'll call 'less musically talented' musicians to say, 'Hey, there's another way to play rock songs. There's another way to have songs that are heavy. And there's another way to create chaos and energy from those songs that would be outside the normal color palette of a heavy metal song.'"

He went on to talk about his key influences upon learning to play: "Coming up, I listened to a lot of heavy metal. I listened to a lot of Motörhead. I listened to a lot of Iron Maiden. I listened to a lot of Merciful Fate. I listened to a lot of Led Zeppelin. I listened to all those new wave of British heavy metal bands, and I was into it. This said, as a kid, I didn't really know how to play like that, so I was just doing what sounded right to me. And I think that in the late-'80s, there was a very free attitude about art and music that was brewing in the wake of hard rock, and a lot of people were experimenting with sounds, and the bands formed from there."

Gossard touched upon what was so enticing to rock fans about grunge: "There was something about it that was fresh, that really captured people's ears, and that had a huge effect on it all too. But you know, a lot of those heavy metal bands you're talking about are still around, so clearly they all didn't die. Sure, a lot of them had to regroup, and yes, some did die, but that's part of the life cycle, right? There are still a lot of fans out there who love hard rock, and I'm one of them. I love hard rock, and I always have, but renewal and rebirth are a part of art, I think."

Pearl Jam has always been comfortable looking back, mainly because they never stopped moving forward and breaking new ground. Bassist Jeff Ament told us how that the band's early success offered them opportunities they never could've dreamed of: "There were a lot of benefits that came out of getting as big as we did early on. We were stoked to play in front of a couple of hundred people at the local bar, y'know, and so to go from that to a couple of years later, Rolling Stones are asking us to open for them and Neil Young's asking us to be his band and all that kind of stuff. . . it was a trip."

LOUIS TOMILSON CALLS ONE DIRECTION'S DEBUT ALBUM 'S**T': Louis Tomlinson things that One Direction's debut album "was s**t." He recently revealed to the Smallzy's Surgery podcast that he wasn't a fan of the boy band's 2011 album, Up All Night, saying, "Twelve years ago today the band got formed, but the first album was s**t anyway." He's currently gearing up to release his second solo album which he says he's enjoyed making "20 times more than the first album."

Machine Gun Kelly was recently joined on stage by a six-year-old superfan.

The boy's mom, Emily Jo Smith, told TMZ that Mitchell, a die hard MGK fan, wanted to dress up like his rock hero to attend his Seattle concert last month.

After playing a few songs, the rapper-turned-rocker brought his mini-me on stage where Mitchell surprised him with some Kurt Cobain pins as a gift.