Pulse Music

The Who returned to Cincinnati for the first time since the band's December 3rd, 1979 concert tragedy. On that day -- at the city's Riverfront Coliseum -- 11 fans died and another 23 concert-goers were injured during a stampede while entering the band's concert.

The tragedy -- which all but eradicated festival concert seating for nearly two decades -- happened when thousands of fans who were lined up outside the venue to make a mad dash for the stage upon the arena opening, rushing through only a few doors opened by the venue, flooding the lobby area, leaving nearly a dozen fans dead in their wake. During the concert's penultimate number last night, a video montage featuring photos of the 11 victims played under "Love Reign O'er Me."

The Who chose local band Safe Passage to serve as their openers last night. Both drummer Mike Smikin and frontman Walt Medlock were in the crowd during the 1979 Riverfront Coliseum melee and attended nearby Finneytown High School, where three of the 11 victims had attended.

Ahead of the concert, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey tweeted a message to fans, which read: "May we ask you to pause for a moment today and give some thought for the following young people who lost their lives in Cincinnati on December 3, 1979."

All proceeds from last night's Cincinnati show went to The P.E.M. Memorial Scholarship Fund For Finneytown High School Seniors. The fund is named in honor of three Finneytown students who died at the concert -- Steve Preston who had graduated in June 1979 along with Jackie Eckerle and Karen Morrison -- who both would've graduated in 1982.

Pete Townshend spoke frankly about the Cincinnati tragedy in his new two-hour Audible Original mini-biography, titled Somebody Saved Me. He felt the Who should've put their tour on hold and stayed in the city out of respect for the dead: "What we have to remember is that at Cincinnati, nobody died inside the venue -- they died trying to get in during a soundcheck. Y'know, this was not our fault but we were made to feel like it was. And it was just devastating. The very next day, we had a gig in Buffalo and we got on the plane and we went to Buffalo. And, when we get to Buffalo, Roger runs out onto the stage and he says, 'Let's do a great rock n' roll gig for the kids that died at Cincinnati!' And I just remember thinking, 'I know what you mean, Rog, and I know where your heart is -- but this is just a crock of beep. Y'know, we should be in Cincinnati.'"

In 2015, a tribute to the victims was finally unveiled at Riverfront Coliseum -- now renamed U.S. Bank Arena -- and housed on the plaza level between the arena and the Great American Ball Park.

In the summer of 2018, Roger Daltrey visited Finneytown High School to pay tribute to the students of the school that were killed at Riverfront Coliseum: "I don't know whether any of you understand, but the policemen and fire (units) wanted to get the crowd out. They wanted to us not to play. And it was our manager, who said, 'If you do that, there will be a problem.' He really has never been thanked for what he did that night, 'cause he had huge rounds with him, which would've made their rescue job so much harder."

Britney Spears announced on Instagram Saturday (May 14th) that she suffered a miscarriage.

In a message co-signed by her fiancée, Sam Asghari, the pop star wrote, "It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that we have lost our miracle baby early in the pregnancy. This is a devastating time for any parent. Perhaps we should have waited to announce until we were further along however we were overly excited t share the good news. Our love for each other is our strength. We will continue trying to expand our beautiful family. We are grateful for all of your support. We kindly ask for privacy during this difficult moment."

Asghari added in the comments, "We will have a miracle soon."

Spears announced she was expecting after the couple returned from their vacation to Maui in April.

Two months after his death, The Wanted's Tom Parker is publicly thanking Ed Sheeran for paying his medical bills while he battled brain cancer.

On Saturday, (May 14th), The Sun published an excerpt from Parker's memoir, Hope, that read, "I've never publicly said this before (and he'll probably be mad that I'm doing it now) but Ed is a very special man. He even helped out with my medical bills when I was seeking other treatment options and having private immunotherapy."

The "Glad You Came" singer added that Sheeran's actions "meant the world" to him and his wife.

In October 2020, Tom announced that he had been diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma. He died less than two years later, on March 30th, at the age of 33.

Comning on June 24th is the long-awaited Eric Clapton documentary and soundtrack to Nothing But The Blues. The set features 17 previously unreleased tracks recorded during "Slowhand's" tour behind his Grammy-winning 1994 blues collection, From The Cradle. The critically acclaimed 1995 documentary has gotten a 4K upgrade with newly remixed audio.

The collection is set for release in multiple formats, including a "Super Deluxe Limited Edition" boxed set, CD, Blu-Ray, DVD, and digitally.

Eric Clapton has long cited blues legend Robert Johnson as one of his his biggest musical influences. Clapton told us he knows what he'd say if he had the chance to meet him: "'Thank you!' (laughs) Or, 'Can you show me how to do that? What tuning?' I mean, if I knew I was gonna meet him, I would probably sit down and write out a questionnaire, 'cause there are some things that it'd be crazy not to ask him. At the same time, I'd probably banish the whole thing and just say 'Thank you,' and be as humble as possible, 'cause that's often the nicest thing to do."

Eric Clapton next performs on May 17th in Zürich, Switzerland at Hallenstadion.

The tracklisting to Nothing But The Blues is:

"Blues All Day Long"
"Standin' Round Crying"
"Forty-Four"
"It Hurts Me Too"
"Early In The Morning"
"Five Long Years"
"Crossroads"
"Malted Milk Blues"
"Motherless Child"
"How Long Blues"
"Reconsider Baby"
"Sinner's Prayer"
"Every Day I Have The Blues"
"Crosscut Saw"
"Someday After A While"
"Have You Ever Loved A Woman"
"I'm Tore Down"
"Groaning The Blues"
"Ain't Nobody's Bizness"
"Driftin" - Bonus Track
"County Jail Blues" - exclusive to two-LP vinyl

Justin Bieber took the stage at KeyBank Center just hours after a man allegedly gunned down at least ten people in a racially motivated attack in Buffalo.

Before playing to the packed house on Saturday (May 14th), the "Peaches" singer called for a moment of silence acknowledge the tragedy.

A few people could be heard hooting and hollering in a clip posted to Bieber's Instagram, prompting the singer to write, "To the people who couldn't stay silent to honor the lives that were so tragically lost, I urge you to ask yourself why?"

Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron missed his first show with the band in 24 years on Thursday night (May 12th) after testing positive for Covid. For the band's Northern California appearance at the Oakland Arena, touring member Josh Klinghoffer and longtime Jeff Ament collaborator Richard Stuverud both handled drum duties during the show. The band allowed a fan, named Josh Arroyo, to drum on the show's final tune -- "Yellow Ledbetter."

Blabbermouth reported, "Klinghoffer was behind the kit for set opener, a cover of Neil Young's 'Rockin' In The Free World,' as well as 'Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town,' 'Why Go,' and 'Corduroy,' before Stuverud stepped in for the tracks 'Quick Escape' and 'Superblood Wolfmoon.'"

Prior to performing "Why Go," Eddie Vedder told the crowd: "Matt Cameron is a true artist and he's a force of nature. However, even his superhero status could not prevent him from testing positive. This damn Covid thing yesterday. We've been scrambling for 24 hours because after 25 months of. . . We were supposed to be here 25 months ago. We've been waiting and we've been waiting. Postponing wasn't an option and for us neither was canceling. We didn't want to pull the plug and we couldn't pull the plug. We've got our group here, we've got our equipment here and, most importantly, you're here. So, lucky for us, we have some friends, and one of our friends has already been on our team this tour -- the multi-talented, multi-faceted, multi-instrumentalist playing behind the drum kit right now, Mr. Josh Klinghoffer. Like the Shohei Ohtani of rock n' roll. Let's let the s*** hit the fan and hopefully it's good s***."

Bassist Jeff Ament has collaborated with Richard Stuverud on several projects over the years and not too long ago shed light on their strong musical chemistry: "I've been playing kind of off and on with Richard Stuverud for like 22 years, or something like that. So, y'know, when I first built my studio in Montana, he was the first guy that came out and made music with me, and he's just always been like one of those guys creatively that we push each other in really cool ways and we just always come up with really, like, satisfying music, y'know?"

Coming on June 10th is The Rolling Stones Singles 1963-1966 box set. The limited-edition set includes reproductions of the first 18 seven-vinyl singles and extended play records as originally released by Decca and London Records. The tracks are all remastered by 12-time Grammy Award-winning engineer Bob Ludwig.

According to the announcement: "The set, replete with period-correct picture sleeve art, will also come with a 32-page book with extensive liner notes by Stones authority Nigel Williamson, as well as rare photos and ephemera plus a set of five photo cards and a poster, all housed in a hard-shell box. A companion second vinyl box set in the series, The Rolling Stones Singles 1966-1971, will be released next year."

Although Keith Richards has been known to be blunt when describing late-Rolling Stones co-founder Brian Jones' horrible attitude around those closest to him as the 1960's progressed, he's the first to admit that the guitarist's musical prowess pushed the band's aural boundaries during their first decade as a band: "Brian would be able to walk into a studio and no matter what instrument was lying around, even though he'd never played it before, he would. . . he'd be able to knock something out of it, very, very quickly, y'know? Hence, we used to use vibraphones and stuff -- mainly just because they were lying around the studio -- and everybody thought ‘What a wonderful bit of orchestration,' but it was sheer accident and Brian's ability to be able to get something out of an instrument."

Mick Jagger said that although the Stones played up their bad boy tendencies during their first decade as a band, he's still amazed at how quickly the establishment chose to embrace the band: "But, y'know, in a funny way, we didn't really have a (laughs) choice, y'know? 'Okay, I'm gonna be an anti-hero now -- now I'm not going to be!' I had no real idea that our kinda slight scruffiness was going to turn into this anti-heroic act. In some ways, we were swept along with the tide, but we helped ourselves propel ourselves along with it."

The Rolling Stones' 14-stadium European run kicks off on June 1st in Madrid, Spain and plays through July 31st in Stockholm, Sweden.

During a recent appearance on SiriusXM's The Howard Stern Show, Jane's Addiction's Perry Farrell and Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan spoke about how each having less than happy childhoods has bonded the two musicians. The pair -- along with their respective bands -- will be on the road this fall for a 32-city arena run and spoke candidly about their early lives on Stern.

During the appearance to promote the tour, Farrell, whose mother committed suicide when he was three, discussed his connection with Corgan, who spent time living without either of his birth parents during his childhood: "Y'know, it's just because out of respect I don't want to bring up something that might hurt you real bad. Y'know, (by asking) 'How did your mother treat you or what happened to you' -- unless you're ready to talk about it. But, much like (Jane's guitarist) Dave Navarro, I find that people that have been really nailed in life. . . Like I say -- that's the obstacle. If they can jump over the obstacle, they've gott a whole lotta news to tell people, y'know? They become messengers. Yeah -- I know about your past and I know about your childhood. I don't talk about it, but I do feel a kindred spirit."

Smashing Pumpkins next perform on May 17th at Oklahoma City's Zoo Amphitheatre.

TAYLOR SWIFT PROMOTES BOYFRIEND'S NEW SERIES: Taylor Swift used her Instagram Story to show support for her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn's, newest project. On Sunday (May 15th), the "Cardigan" singer shared a positive Time magazine review of the new series, Conversations With Friends, which stars the actor. Swift added, "Can confirm it's phenomenal."

PANIC! AT THE DISCO TEASES NEW MUSIC: It looks as if Panic! At the Disco will be releasing new music on June 1st. The band is teasing their forthcoming release at the website shutupandgotobed.com. When users submit their age, bedtime and email address, the site's "calculator" produces a message that says, "Don't Be A Diva, It's Time To Be Free! If you're going to bed at time you need to wake up at 6!01."

JOE JONAS SUPPORTS NICK'S TEAM: Joe Jonas and his wife, Sophie Turner, spent their Sunday (May 15th) watching Joe's younger brother play softball. The couple, who is expecting their second child together, cheered on Nick Jonas as his softball tea, the Happy Valli's, played in Los Angeles. According to E! News, Nick's wife, Priyanka Chopra, was also in attendance.

It was 56 years ago today (May 16th, 1966), that the Beach Boys released their legendary Pet Sounds album. The album, which included the group's classic hits "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Sloop John B.," and "God Only Knows," was like most of the group's early work; the brainchild of their leader and producer Brian Wilson. Wilson had retired from the road in 1964 to write and produce material while the other members -- brothers Dennis and Carl Wilson, cousin Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston -- spent up to 150 days a year on the road. Pet Sounds is the first complete Beach Boys album to mainly feature session backing musicians, and is considered rock's first symphonic album.

Although upon release, Pet Sounds was considered something of a chart failure in the U.S., where it peaked at Number 10, in Britain the album was hailed an instant classic, inspiring major works from rock's greatest songwriters, including John Lennon and Paul McCartney and the Who's Pete Townshend.

Wilson sketched out his ideas thematically with lyricist Tony Asher, and together they created a romantic, coming-of-age concept album, which dealt with such adult themes as pre-marital sex, leaving home, and coping with emotional and romantic limitations.

Brian Wilson told us that he included the band's then-current single "Sloop John B." on Pet Sounds at the Beach Boys' record company's request: "No, I wanted it to be a single but when they said 'album,' I said 'fine,' that was okay with me. I said it would help the album. Y'know, it would help it sell and it would fit perfectly."

Al Jardine says that the group was amazed by the progress that Wilson had made both musically and lyrically while they were away on tour: "We were just in a touring mode almost constantly up to that point. We'd just come back from Japan and it was a total revelation to us. I mean, we hadn't heard anything like that, other than like, y'know, like 'Let Him Run Wild' was kind of in that vain, in that vernacular. If you remember that one, I loved that one. And when I heard these other songs I went 'Well, that's an exponential leap' (laughs)."

Jardine recalled the workmanlike atmosphere while recording the album's intricate harmonies: "We'd be all alone, just the four (sic) of us in this gigantic cavern of a recording studio called Columbia -- Columbia Studios on Sunset Boulevard. I mean. . . It was like being inside of a giant space station (laughs) and you're trying to sing these tender and beautiful and moving harmonies and stuff. And we did it. Somehow we pulled it off. But it was strange, like living in a vacuum."

The late-Glen Campbell was one of many studio musicians who played on the album. He told us a while back that he would often listen to the box set of Pet Sounds sessions to recall his time in the studio with Wilson: "He'd tell you all that stuff, where he wanted it, how he put it together. You can listen to the making of the records. I've sat and listened to that CD, I stick it in my car just so I can recall and it takes everything away, and I can listen to what we were doing in the studio, 30 something, 40 years ago."

We asked Mike Love whether it's true that he always had a problem with Brian Wilson changing the Beach Boys' musical formula: "Well, people have said the same thing about Pet Sounds, that I didn't like Pet Sounds. That's a bunch of crap, because I went with Brian to play Pet Sounds for the A&R guy at Capitol Records. We played it for him, I named the album (laughs). Because at the end of the record, he didn't know what to call the record. And at the end of the record you have this dog barking at the sound of this train going by. And I said, 'Well, why don't we call it Pet Sounds?' Double entendre, of course."

The album has often battled the Beatles' Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club albums on "Greatest Albums" lists. Over the years, Paul McCartney has called "God Only Knows" his favorite song of all time.

Due to record company red tape, Pet Sounds wasn't certified gold -- marking 500,000 copies shipped to stores -- until February 2000. Two months later, it was certified platinum for 1 million copies shipped.

Brian Wilson and his band have often performed the entire Pet Sounds album as part of his solo shows. A live album, titled Pet Sounds Live In London, was released in 2002.

In 2006 and 2007, Wilson and Al Jardine performed the Pet Sounds album in its entirety at a handful of shows.

During the Beach Boys' 2012 50th anniversary shows, the group played five songs from Pet Sounds in its nightly setlist -- the title track, "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows," "Sloop John B.," and "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times."

We asked Brian Wilson how it feels to see his most beloved musical creation realized on stage night after night over 50 years after its release: "Well, I wrote it when I was about 20. . . oh, I think 24. We reproduce it onstage exactly like the album. Feels great. It's easier to do Pet Sounds. Smile is kind of a rough album to do."

We asked Brian Wilson if after all these years, he's ever gotten sick talking about the back-story of how he created Pet Sounds: "No, no, no -- I love to, 'cause it's probably one of the best albums we ever did."

FAST FORWARD

The Beach Boys will kick off their 60th anniversary celebrations on June 17th with the deluxe and expanded release of its 2003 Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys collection.

The 80-track set will feature four Pet Sounds tracks -- "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Sloop John B.," "God Only Knows," and "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times."

It was 38 years ago tonight (May 16th, 1983) that the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever TV special aired on NBC. Motown 25 aired to instant critical acclaim and went on snag the 1984 Emmy Award for Best Variety Program. Apart from Motown's greatest acts from the 1960's reuniting onstage for the first time in years, Motown 25 has earned a place in pop culture as the night that millions of viewers watched Michael Jackson moonwalk to his then-current single "Billie Jean" from his recently released album Thriller.

Earlier that night Jackson had reunited with the original Jackson Five -- Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon Jackson, along with younger brother Randy -- for a medley of their early Motown hits, including "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save," "Never Can Say Goodbye," and "I'll Be There."

The Temptations -- including former vocalist Eddie Kendricks -- and the Four Tops squared off during a battle of the bands trading off their legendary Motown hits. Other acts included Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and Marvin Gaye, who was fresh off his recent hit "Sexual Healing," and sat at the piano and performed an emotional version of his 1971 classic "What's Going On." Smokey Robinson reunited with the Miracles for a medley of their hits, and teamed up with Linda Ronstadt for renditions of the group's "Ooh Baby Baby" and "Tracks Of My Tears."

The evening's only sour note came during the reunion between the Supremes, when Diana Ross, in an effort to position herself between Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, was seen shoving Wilson to the side, feeding rumors that the feud between Ross and Wilson which had been brewing since the late-'60s was still running high.

The late-Mary Wilson admitted to us that although many stars shone brightly that night, the Supremes were nowhere near the belles of the ball: "Our place was really not that fulfilling for me, let's put it that way. It was not like 'The Supremes,' it was more, like, Marvin Gaye, or Jackson Five, or Michael Jackson -- and Diana Ross, of course. But as the Supremes we were really no longer the queens. Our era had ended."

Ironically, the Supremes performed their final single with Ross, "Someday We'll Be Together" -- the recording of which neither Wilson or Birdsong appeared on.

Martha Reeves explained says that Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. always had the eye and ear for talent, and feels that Motown's golden era is a direct result of Gordy's vision: "He had chosen the best of the amateur shows. I had competed with them, the groups that turned into the Miracles, the Supremes and the Temptations at 'Hitsville U.S.A.' So he went out and made a sweep of the city, and found the most talented (acts)."

Late-Temptations lead singer Dennis Edwards explained that the group always made the visual aspect of their performances a priority: "They said when they first came out they seen so many groups standing up singing, they said in order to be different, let's be visual. So the idea of the Temptations was to sing a song 'when I got sunshine' -- we all reach for the sun, 'when it's cold outside' we grab our coats and pull on the collar like it's cold. So it sort of became like a show and a visual as well. Y'know?"

Otis Williams, the soul surviving member of the original Temptations lineup, told us that Motown's success was due to a team effort: "Well, it's a culmination of things that made Motown unique. You can't just signify one thing. I mean, you speak of all the great, talented people that came together, the songwriters, the producers, the engineers, the everyday workers, y'know? So it's the embodiment of a whole lot of wonderful people with a single purpose designed to make something very special. And little did we know it would become such an icon 50 years later, so. . . "

Motown songwriter Eddie Holland, who with his brother Brian and partner Lamont Dozier is responsible for most of the label's classic hits by the Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas and the Four Tops, credits Gordy for encouraging all of the label's talent: "Berry Gordy being a creative person himself, believed in giving creative people their head, their freedom. This is what he did. The only other thing I would hear him say to a person, whether it was me or anybody else -- he'd say, 'That record is smash! You better keep cutting while you're hot!' He believed that once you're in that space, that zone, that you keep cutting (records) 'cause it may be gone."

Smokey Robinson told us that Berry Gordy was very honest and straightforward when describing what Motown's mission was going to be: "In explaining his dream to us, the day we started Motown, he said, 'We're gonna make music that's gonna have a great beat, tells some great stories, and it's gonna be music that everyone can enjoy.' Which is what we set out to do, and apparently it's what we did."

Diana Ross says that she will always be grateful to Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. and his creative team at the label for giving her and the other Supremes their start: "To be able to do what I love to do. To be able to sing and to be able to travel. And to be able to wear beautiful clothes and stand on stage, and somehow stand in front of an audience and do what I love to do, which was my life's gifts, my blessing to be able to sing, Berry Gordy gave me that opportunity. Motown gave me the opportunity to shine."

Berry Gordy told us how he remembers the beginning of Motown: "We did it so fast and so good. And we did it with love and competition and a lot of philosophies that I got from my father and it happened so fast. And being a black kid from Detroit, you know. It happened so fast. And so people had to figure out reasons why it happened. And they came up with all this stuff. And therefore, we had all kinds of rumors all over the country and the world about our successes."

In 2014, The Motown 25: Yesterday-Today-Forever TV special was finally released in several different DVD configurations. The special is available in one, three, and six-DVD versions, each featuring a heaping selection of bonus material.

Metallica's James Hetfield shared an emotional moment with his bandmates and fans while on stage on Thursday (May 12th) in Brazil. In between songs, he told the crowd, "I've gotta tell you I wasn't feeling very good before I came out here. (I was) feeling a little bit insecure, like I'm an old guy, (I) can't play anymore — all this bullsh** that I tell myself in my head, so I talked to these guys, and they helped me — as simple as that. They gave me a hug and said, 'Hey, if you're struggling onstage, we've got your back.' And I tell you, it means the world to me."

Hetfield was join by bandmates Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo who joined Hetfield in a group hug. He told the crowd, "And seeing you out there, I… I am not alone. I am not alone, and neither are you."

Metallica limited their tours to just 50 shows a year back in 2017 because Hetfield explained that's what his body could handle, according to Loudwire.com.

For anyone watching Jessica Biel's new show, Candy… You may not have realized that you were also watching Justin Timberlake make a cameo.

In an unannounced appearance, Timberlake acted in a fake mustache and fake hair and looked nothing like himself as he played a deputy named Diffy.

Although the two have been married for 9 years, Initially, Biel had no idea that he was interested in the part. To get the job, Timberlake approached her producing partner, instead of her.

Candy is a five-part limited series in which Biel plays the main character. It's streaming now on Hulu.

TL;DR:

• Justin Timberlake make a cameo on wife, Jessica Biel's new show on Hulu, Candy
• Timberlake appeared in a fake mustache and fake hair and looked nothing like himself as he played a deputy named Diffy.

The long wait is over, with the release today (May 13th) of the Rolling Stones' 1977 El Mocambo Tavern gigs in Toronto. The band's latest vault collection, the 23-track Live At The El Mocambo, is available as a double CD, digitally, a four-LP black vinyl, and a four-LP neon vinyl set.

According to legend, the band's March 4th performance billed the Stones as the Cockroaches and the opening act for April Wine; as it turned out, April Wine served as the Stones' opening act. The new package features the entirety of the March 4th, 1977 set -- along with a trio of tracks from the March 5th show not played the night before.

Although four selections from the famed '77 Canadian club shows found their way onto that year's double concert album, Love You Live, the tapes of the El Mocambo shows -- in varying quality -- have made the rounds on the underground for decades.

It was on February 27th, 1977, while in Toronto for the 500-seat El Mocambo dates, that Keith Richards was arrested for possession of heroin. Richards was awakened by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who found five grams of cocaine and 22 grams of heroin in his room, among other substances. Richards was charged with "possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to traffic."

Although Richards was eventually released on $25,000 bail, due to the trafficking charge, he faced a minimum seven-year prison term if found guilty. Richards, who due to his growing and public drug use had been on the wrong side of the law since 1967, was now facing the most serious criminal charge of his life.

He eventually received a suspended sentence after the court concluded that Richards did not bring the drugs into the country, but rather purchased them while in Canada.

In 1977, while promoting Love You Live on England's The Old Grey Whistle Test, Mick Jagger and Ron Wood talked about the El Mocambo performances: "(Mick Jagger): We also wanted to do something different from this usual, 'Hi everybody,' y'know, 100,000-seater stadium, so that why we did the. . . (Ron Wood): That's how there's no Side Three (on the album). Side Three is all the El Mocambo, which is pulled from just two nights that we did in Toronto at that 300-seater club, they were all standing, actually, but that's my favorite side."

The full tracklisting to The Stones' Live At The El Mocambo is:

"Honky Tonk Women"
"All Down The Line"
"Hand Of Fate"
"Route 66"
"Fool To Cry"
"Crazy Mama" - live premiere
"Mannish Boy"
"Crackin' Up"
"Dance Little Sister" - live premiere
"Around And Around"
"Tumbling Dice"
"Star Star"
"Hot Stuff"
"Let's Spend The Night Together"
"Worried Life Blues
"Little Red Rooster"
"It's Only Rock and Roll (But I Like It)"
"Rip This Joint"
"Brown Sugar"
"Jumpin' Jack Flash"
"Melody" - live premiere
"Luxury"
"Worried About You" - live premiere

The Doobie Brothers -- featuring Michael McDonald -- kick off their 2022 dates tonight (May 13th) with the first show of an eight-night Las Vegas residency at the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood.

Just published in celebration of the band's 50th anniversary is the career-spanning memoir Long Train Runnin' - Our Story, written by Doobies co-founders Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons with Chris Epting.

We caught up with guitarist Pat Simmons and asked him if the 50th anniversary shows with Michael McDonald have been as satisfying for him as they've been for the fans: "It's been, just kinda what I hoped it would be. Of course, havin' that kind of catalogue, being able to play all the songs that we recorded through the years that have been more memorable. We're better players and, y'know, we can deliver the songs in a more meaningful way at this point in our lives, I think for a number of reasons. Y'know, we're a lot of years with your instrument and performing the songs -- and understanding the lyrics (laughs). When we first recorded the songs, I mean, we were virtually learning the songs in the studio. Y'know, I like to know what a song is about and, y'know, it just helps you be more real in your behavior while you're (laughs) up there performing."

Charlie Puth is grieving the death of his beloved dog, Brady. At age 30, he's had the dog for half his life.

He posted, "Brady the King Charles Cavalier moved on to puppy heaven last night after spending an amazing 15 years here on earth."

In an interview a few years back he talked about how Brady calmed him when he was nervous about his first date, so he took Brady with him. He called him, "an excellent wingman."

Friends and fans flooded the comment section of Puth's post after he shared the news, with many offering their condolences.

TL;DR:

• Charlie Puth is grieving the death of his beloved dog, Brady. At age 30, he's had the dog for half his life.
• He posted, "Brady the King Charles Cavalier moved on to puppy heaven last night after spending an amazing 15 years here on earth."

Coldplay says they are committed to making their tour as sustainable and low carbon-impact as possible. Now they're facing backlash by partnering with Neste -- a Finnish oil company that has ties to deforestation.

Some perceive that Neste's partnership with Coldplay is an effort to hide the company's controversies and false statements about sustainable energy.

The band explained in a statement that they aimed to reduce overall CO2 emissions by 50% compared with their 2017 tour through the partnership. They plan to do that by using renewable energy and making use of the alternatives available in the cities they're performing in. The band even used renewable waste made up of recycled cooking oils and byproducts to fuel their touring plane.

They had approached various electric car manufacturers to supply the batteries and expertise so they could power their shows with renewable energy as well.

Then they received criticism for their collaboration with BMW, which is an influential lobbyist in preventing the EU from reaching zero emissions by 2035.

This week, Coldplay reacted to the backlash and reiterated that they are still "trying their best," but say the changeover is a work in progress.

TL;DR:

• Coldplay is committed to making their tour as sustainable and low carbon-impact as possible.
• Now they're facing backlash by partnering with Neste -- a Finnish oil company that has ties to deforestation.
• Coldplay says the changeover is a work in progress.

Lindsey Buckingham has announced that due to Covid, he's been forced to postpone his first-ever solo European tour. The Fleetwood Mac legend had to scrap the final four dates of his just-wrapped North American tour when members of his touring outfit contracted the virus -- and now it's been revealed Buckingham also fell ill.

A message regarding the tour was posted on Lindsey Buckingham's social media platforms which read:

It is with great sadness that we are announcing the postponement of Lindsey's European tour. Along with other members of his band and crew, Lindsey contracted COVID-19 at the end of his latest North American tour, forcing that to end prematurely.

Unfortunately, he's still recovering and has no choice but to move the upcoming tour to a later date. This is heartbreaking for Lindsey, he was so excited to come to Europe for the first time as a solo artist this spring.

We're currently working on rescheduling the dates and hope to have some news to share on that very soon.

POSTPONED: Lindsey Buckingham European tour dates:

May 17 - Dublin, Ireland - The Helix
May 19 - Glasgow, Scotland - SEC Armadillo
May 21 - Liverpool - Philharmonic Hall
May 22 - London, England - The Palladium
May 24 - Ghent, Belgium - Capitole
May 25 - Paris, France - La Cigale
May 26 - Utrecht, Netherlands - TivoliVredenburg Grote Zaal
May 28 - Berlin, Germany - Theater am Potsdamer Platz
May 30 - Stockholm, Sweden - Cirkus
May 31 - Oslo, Norway - Folketeateret
June 2 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Heartland Festival 2022 at Egeskov Castle

Lindsey Buckingham received great reviews for his most recent album, 2021's self-titled set. He told us his songwriting has always been fueled by the muse with him often unsure how a song will turn out once it springs to life: "You have someplace to start, you put some color on the canvas, and you have a basic idea what you think it might be, but, y'know, you're gonna allow the work to define itself and to lead you where it wants to go. Y'know, that's why the writing is sort of, part and parcel with the production because you have to, sort of, allow yourself be meditative and subconscious and deal in that realm and not think of anything in terms of anything being too concrete."

Camila Cabello is set to headline this year's UEFA Champion's League opening game ceremony. She made the big announcement with a colorful video of "Havana." In it, she struts across a stage in a blue dress, and as she spins around, the dress turns into a flowing pink gown. The showdown between Liverpool and Real Madrid will take in France on May 28.

Harry Styles' song, "As It Was" remains the biggest song in the world. It's now in its 5^th week at #1 on both Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts. The two charts are based on streaming and sales activity from more than 200 territories around the world.

Adele seemed to be putting breakup rumors to rest by posting cuddly photos of herself and boyfriend, Rich Paul. The loved-up display was posted after Paul was spotted in Miami with his client Labron James on Adele's 34^th birthday.

Shawn Mendes is showing off his abs in a new advertising campaign for Tommy Hilfiger.

Posing in a barren field, he donned classic, sexy looks including half buttoned tee shirts and low rise jeans revealing the waistband of his Tommy Hilfiger underwear. And in one photo, you can see his toned abs as he's photographed dressing.

The partnership is part of an environmentally friendly initiative. And in a press release, Mendes said, "Everyone has a role to play in creating a more sustainable future and I'm inspired to see what we can achieve."

For his upcoming Wonder: The World Tour, Mendes will wear custom-made Tommy Hilfiger pieces and the brand plans to donate $1 million to offset the environmental impact of the tour.

The campaign is set to launch May 16.

TL;DR:

• Shawn Mendes is showing off his abs in a new advertising campaign for Tommy Hilfiger.
• The partnership is part of an environmentally friendly initiative.
• The campaign is set to launch May 16.

It was 52 years ago Saturday (May 14th, 1970) that Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) released their single "Ohio" as a tribute to four students killed by National Guardsmen on May 4th, 1970 during anti-war protests at Ohio's Kent State University.

David Crosby and Neil Young were together in the days following the shootings, and were both distraught over the senseless killings and found themselves discussing, arguing, and replaying the tragic events, until Young took a guitar and sat alone and composed "Ohio." The song, which was recorded right away, was rush-released only ten days after the shootings.

A while back, Graham Nash and David Crosby shed light on how the group made the decision to put social politics above their chart success: (Graham Nash): "We put out 'Ohio' in 12 days with a 45 (picture sleeve) cover of the Constitution with four bullet holes in it and we killed our own single. (David Crosby): We had 'Teach Your Children' halfway up the charts goin' for Number One and Nash pulled it. (Nash): Do you think out managers were happy? Do you think our record company was happy? I don't think so. But, y'know what? They let us do what we want. They realized we are a different kind of band. For me, bringing out the point of 'Ohio' and the slaughter of our students with their God given constitutional right to address grievances of their government. That was more important than me having a hit with my song."

David Crosby recalled to us a trip with Crosby, Stills, & Nash to the university's campus in memorial to the students: "We went back to Kent State not long ago, to the site where those Guardsmen murdered those four kids. And the looks on faces of parents and people there (and) students who were there when it happened, parents and kids that it happened to -- when we stood there and sang 'Ohio' . . . I got a great job. I got a great thing to do in life, and if I have to do it in public, then I have to do it in public."

CSNY's "Ohio," backed with "Find The Cost Of Freedom," was released on May 14th, 1970 and peaked at Number 14 on the singles charts. Both songs were eventually included on the band's 1974 greatest hits collection So Far.

It was 46 years ago this week (May 15th to May 27th, 1976) that the Rolling Stones' Black And Blue topped the Billboard 200 album charts for the first of four nonconsecutive weeks. The album, which was the band's 6th U.S. chart-topper, was recorded at Munich's Musicland Studios like its predecessor, It's Only Rock N' Roll. With the defection of guitarist Mick Taylor just before the album began production, the band used various players to fill in for Taylor -- with the sessions serving as auditions to fill his role on a permanent basis.

Among the players that sat in during the 1974 and 1975 sessions were Jeff Beck, Harvey Mandel, Wayne Perkins, and Taylor's eventual replacement, Ron Wood -- who played guitar on only two tracks, added vocals to several others, and became an official member just prior to the album's release. Billy Preston, who was touring with the Stones during this period, served as the album's primary keyboardist -- although longtime Stones sideman Nicky Hopkins was also featured.

The album's lead single "Fool To Cry" returned the Stones to the U.S. Top 10 after a two-and-a-half year absence, although it's followup, Black And Blue's lead track, "Hot Stuff," stalled at a disappointing Number 49.

None of the eight tracks recorded for Black And Blue featuring Jeff Beck made their way on to the album. The only track featuring Beck, "Slave" -- originally titled, "Black And Blue Jam," and alternately, "Vagina," which also featured backing vocals by Pete Townshend -- was eventually remixed and released on 1981's Tattoo You collection, along with another Black And Blue outtake, "Worried About You."

Although he had appeared on 1974's It's Only Rock N' Roll and toured with the band in 1975, Ron Wood says that joining the Rolling Stones in the mid-'70s was hardly smooth sailing: "Well, it was a fragile ship when I joined because they'd been through many ups and downs, and there was kind of a grey cloud."

Bill German, the author of Under Their Thumb -- How A Nice Boy From Brooklyn Got Mixed Up With The Rolling Stones And Lived To Tell About It, and the editor of the legendary Stones fanzine Beggars Banquet, recalled 1976's Black And Blue as being an under-the-radar treasure: "The first thing I remember is getting it and (thinking) there isn't enough songs on it . (Laughs) There's only eight songs, and then I heard that it was kind of patched together -- y'know that they didn't have one singular (lead) guitarist on there. And it's like, 'What -- Who are these other guys? I know that Ron Wood was touring with them and he's, like, a member of the band now, but why isn't he on this track or that track?' But I really did enjoy a lot of the songs on there. For me, y'know, it was my first taste of reggae -- they were doing 'Cherry, Oh Baby' on there. And, y'know, they were ahead of the curve on that! 'Memory Motel' I liked, y'know, Keith (Richards) has his little snippet singing in there. I like that whole album."

Although the Stones are renowned for their hard partying ways throughout the 1960's and '70s -- with Black And Blue marking the end of Keith Richards' heroin period, Mick Jagger admitted that having that type of fun never amounted to memorable music once inside the studio: "Well, y'know, if you take lots drugs and you get drunk all the time, you don't really prod. . . People thought for a while that would produce tremendous sort of creative ability -- I don't think it really does. I'm not saying you shouldn't go out and have a good time, but if you try to work when you're completely out of your mind, it make the work much longer. (Laughs) It just takes forever to do."

Happy Birthday to Stevie Wonder, who turns 72 today (May 13th)!!! 2021 saw Stevie Wonder' duet with Elton John on "Finish Line," from Elton's latest album, The Lockdown Sessions. The video, which features new and archival footage of people of all creeds, races, and denominations celebrating the big moments in life, also includes vintage shots of Elton and Wonder from back in the 1970's.

Back in October 2020, Wonder released his first new music in 15 years. "Where Is Our Love Song" was a tune he began writing way back in 1968; and the second track -- "Can't Put It In The Hands Of Fate" -- featured Busta Rhymes and Rapsody alongside backing vocals from five of his nine children. Rolling Stone reported at the time, "Proceeds from the song's sales will benefit Feeding America, which, Wonder says, has requested $1 billion in donations to help families in need around the country." The tracks were issued under Wonder's own Republic Records, marking his first break from Motown in nearly 60 years.

In June 2020, Wonder posted a video on social media, titled "The Universe Is Watching" in which he spoke at length on race relations in the country and how America can move beyond what he believes is Donald Trump's overt race baiting and prejudice.

Wonder quoted from his 1973 Innervisions classic "Visions," reciting "I'm not one who makes believe/ I know that leaves are green/ They only turn to brown/ When autumn comes around/ I know just what I say/ Today's not yesterday/ And all things have an ending."

He spoke about how he commemorated Juneteenth, despite the fact that it's not a nationally recognized day, saying, "As a matter of fact, there are three states that still do not recognize it: North Dakota, South Dakota and Hawaii. How did it feel to celebrate freedom that we're still fighting for? It felt, and feels, too familiar."

Stevie Wonder was born Stevland Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950, and later on legally changed his last name to Morris. At 12-years-old, "Little Stevie Wonder" had his first Number One hit with "Fingertips - Part 2," recorded live in concert. Listen closely and you'll hear the musicians struggling to keep up with Wonder as he improvises; at one point, one musician can be heard shouting, "What key? What key?"

In October 22nd, 2017, Stevie Wonder kneeled while performing "The Star Spangled Banner" in Austin during his performance the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix at Circuit of America. TimeOut.com reported that Wonder performed a hit-packed setlist that included a surprise version of Carole King's "You've Got A Friend." Wonder addressed the crowd, stating, "I've never seen the color of my skin, nor the color of your skin. What I want you to know is that we are in a race, we here, all of us here, a race against time, (so) it's time for all the leaders, all the people, all of us to come together in the spirit of unity so we can move this world to a positive form."

It was during his harmonica medley of John Lennon's global peace anthem "Imagine" with "The Star Spangled Banner," that Wonder took a knee in solidarity with the NFL players raising awareness of ongoing social inequality, which inspired audience members to follow suit.

Wonder got married in July 2017 under a cloak of secrecy at L.A.'s Hotel Bel-Air to third wife, Tomeeka Bracy. News only became public a week later because, according to Vintage Vinyl News, "Every guest, including family members, had to sign a confidentiality agreement that included a penalty of $1 million if they talked to the press. . . Reportedly, the best man and bridesmaids were made up of some of Wonder's nine children."

Among the 160 high profile guests attending the nuptials -- which featured Wonder serenading the bride -- were John Legend, Babyface, Pharrell, and Usher.

Wonder and Bracy who was 42 at the time, have been together since 2012 and have two children together. Wonder was first married to songwriter Syreeta Wright from 1970 to 1972 and Kai Millard Morris from 2001 to 2012.

2015 saw Wonder playing a string of concerts featuring his 1976 classic Songs In The Key Of Life being performed in its entirety, the star-studded CBS Songs In The Key Of Life -- An All-Star Grammy Salute, and his induction of Bill Withers into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In December 2014, Wonder welcomed his ninth child, daughter Nia.

Stevie Wonder's shows have always featured a wide selection of songs spanning his entire career. He spoke about the allure of playing full album concerts: "I have thought about doing performances of different works or, y'know, that whole deal, because as much as they are albums, based on vinyl and CD and all that kind of thing. But, I think something like Songs In The Key Of Life, it's an actual concept and project that you do that music; y'know, thank God it's, y'know, stood the test of time and all that."

Stevie Wonder and his second wife Kai Millard Morris divorced in 2015. Under the terms of the split, Stevie will pay $25,000 a month in child support for their two children. The couple agreed on joint custody, with Stevie permitted to take the children on tour with him on a "limited basis."

Martha Reeves, who was still working as a receptionist at Motown when Wonder first auditioned for the label, recalled that he was unlike anything they had seen or heard before: "Stevie Wonder, when he came to audition, played every instrument in the studio. Then he surprised everybody by puling this harmonica out of his jacket pocket and playing the harmonica, that nobody (laughs) at Motown had ever played."

Not long before her death in February 2021, the Supremes' Mary Wilson recalls the first time she ever met Stevie Wonder, prior to the recording of his first Number One hit "Fingertips - Part 2": "Stevie Wonder was brought to the studio by Ronnie White of the Miracles. We were at that time Berry Gordy's shadow. Wherever he would go we would go (laughs). So he said 'I have this young kid coming in and I want you guys to listen to him.' Stevie Wonder was going on nine, or something like that, it was just like watching a little genius! (laughs)"

The Temptations' late-frontman Dennis Edwards remembered immediately being floored by Wonder's talents: "The first time I met him, man, I was at Motown -- of course Stevie was a little kid. He plays all the time. Every time you hear him he's swinging. All you've got to do is speak and Stevie knows who you are. He can't see and he's like 'Dennis!' It's like. . . when I first met him I'm like 'How does he know who I am?' Y'know?"

Wonder, who has been writing songs since he was a child, said that he's never taken his talent for granted: "As I many times do, I'll say, 'God, let me come up with a song, let me think of a song, let me this, let me that.' It's a magical thing that happens, so I'm still -- I'm a lover of music. I'm a very fortunate person in that the thing that I love I'm able to do and support my family as well."

He says that he wants to hit the road again with a new multimedia type show. Wonder says that he's eager to incorporate an orchestra and a dance troupe into the show: "I've also thought about doing a thing where I perform with part of my group, maybe similarly to the thing that we did with Natural Wonder. Some symphony orchestra as well as use of dancers, like either the Dance Theatre of Harlem or a combination of various dance companies and do that kind of thing, when we do a combination of dance and music. Because obviously, dancing is meant to be done with music, and music is to be done with dancing."

Wonder's last studio album, A Time To Love, peaked at Number Five in 2005.

In September 2008 Wonder was named by the Library Of Congress as the 2008 recipient of the prestigious Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

In 2009 Wonder released first concert DVD Live At Last -- A Wonder Summer's Night, which was filmed over two nights at London's O2 Arena.

Also in 2009 he was chosen by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace, with a special mission to help people with disabilities.

In 2010, Wonder was awarded the Commander of Arts and Letters award from French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand.

For the past few years the Motown icon has been working on two projects: The Gospel Inspired By Lula, an inspirational work inspired by his late mother, and the concept album Through The Eyes Of Wonder, about experiencing life as a blind person. Wonder was also set to record an album of duets with Tony Bennett with Quincy Jones producing.

Wonder was previously married to singer-songwriter Syreeta Wright from 1970 to 1972. Since then, he's had several long-term relationships and has fathered nine children -- including daughter Aisha Morris, who's part of Wonder's backing band.

In July 2013, following the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin, Stevie Wonder vowed to boycott performing in Florida until the state abolishes its Stand Your Ground gun law. During a 2013 concert in Quebec City, Quebec, Wonder told the crowd: "The truth is that -- for those of you who've lost in the battle for justice, wherever that fits in any part of the world -- we can't bring them back. What we can do is we can let our voices be heard. And we can vote in our various countries throughout the world for change and equality for everybody. That's what I know we can do. Where I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world. Because what I do know is that people know that my heart is of love for everyone and when I say everyone, I mean everyone. As I said earlier, you can't just talk about it. You gotta be about it. We can make change by coming together for the spirit of unity."

Saturday (May 14th) marks the seventh anniversary of the death of the truly legendary, B.B. King, who died at the age of 89 following a series of strokes, and passed away in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas. B.B. King had long suffered from Type II diabetes and canceled a tour in October 2014 due to ill health. He never performed live again.

Best known outside of the blues world for classic songs like "The Thrill Is Gone," King was a touring artist for over a half-century, averaging 275 shows a year. He also released more than 50 albums since the 1940's, was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame, won 15 Grammy Awards -- including a Lifetime Achievement Award -- and was the recipient of Kennedy Center Honors from President Bill Clinton in 1995.

Ranked Number Six on Rolling Stone's 2011 list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time, King influenced generations of blues and rock guitarists and was one of the biggest blues artists to cross over from regional success to mainstream and commercial fame within his own lifetime.

B.B. King was born in Mississippi as Riley B. King on September 16th, 1925 and worked in the cotton fields as an orphan before starting on the path that made him a living legend and a national treasure.

Longtime friend and frequent collaborator Eric Clapton was the first to offer up a eulogy to King posting a video online, which said in part: "I just wanted to express my sadness and to say thank you to my dear friend B.B. King. I want to thank him for all the inspiration and encouragement he gave to me as a player over the years and for the friendship that we enjoyed. There's not a lot left to say because his music is almost a thing of the past now and there are not many left that play it in the pure way that B.B. did. If you're not familiar with his work I would encourage you to go out and find an album called B.B. King Live At The Regal, which is where it all really started for me as a young player."

Rita Washington, the 13th of B.B. King's 15 children, and among those battling for custody of King in his final days, was quoted by The New York Post's Page Six as saying: "My dad grew up with a broken heart . . . He left here with a broken heart. He didn't have his loved ones with him. God has given him wings. He's there with family now."

B.B. King was among the first of the famed bluesmen to be able to break down the intricacies of the form and discuss the structure of the blues to the general public: "Most of the tunes that I play is of a 12-bar pattern. Which is, some people call the regular traditional type of blues, even though I like jazz and sometimes I find a lot of fun in trying to play just a little bit for my own amusement; which would be eight or 32-bar-type things. Now, there are blues that I play that are eight-bar-type of blues that I play, but not as much as I do with 12-bar-type-things. So, what I meant about my time -- not the beat. The beat. . . they usually say I'm pretty good, that I drive quite a bit while playing on the beat. But for instance, a 12-bar tune, I allow the end at about 15-bars (laughs), y'see, because that's when (laughs) anybody listening don't pay it any attention, but anyone trying to play with ‘em, that's when you have problems."

King jokingly recalled what prompted his initiation into the blues: "Before the army, I was a spiritual singer, y'see; but when in went in the army I started singing' blues -- and I think most guys do (laughs)."

Through his career, B.B. King was always cognizant that the blues needed to be a living breathing force and that performing live and maintaining an audience was the only way to ensure that: "As long as you're able to play to people, that's the thing that's important to me, is being able to have an audience. Being able to know that there are people that like what you do, or your artistry. At one time I thought that it was dying out too fast, but today, I feel that it's dying out as we've known it. Of course now, don't misunderstand -- we've got so many talented people that are continuously creating the music. The music is being created or, shall we say, new ways to play old music is being created all the time, and believe it or not, some very wonderful sounds are coming from it."

When we caught up to him just prior to his 2015 death, we asked B.B. King what his favorite song was after all these years. Not surprisingly, the guitarist went with his 1970 signature tune, "The Thrill Is Gone": "I'd have to go with 'The Thrill is Gone,' because if I didn't play that at night I'd probably get tomatoes thrown at me. One night in New York, about two in the morning, I pulled it out and had a great rhythm section that morning and, boy, the minute we started, it clicked. I could hear it right then."