Pulse Music

It was 34 years ago tonight (February 8th, 1988) that the Who performed for the last time with drummer Kenney Jones as an official member of the group. The band -- Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, and Jones -- reunited for a three-song set at London's Royal Albert Hall during the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) awards, after receiving the prestigious lifetime achievement award. The group, who hadn't performed live since 1985's Live Aid concert, tore through their hits "Who Are You," "My Generation," and "Substitute," but were hardly at the top of their game. Talks had already begun about the band reuniting for some type of major project in time for their 25th anniversary in 1989.

Townshend told the band he didn't want to tour, preferring instead to record. He tossed around the idea of having outside writers such as Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen contribute material for the album, but nothing came to pass. Townshend has gone on record saying that the band couldn't raise the proper funds to record a new album, and Daltrey was adamant that he wouldn't carry on as the Who with Jones as a member.

Jones was a longtime friend of the group, and co-founded both the Small Faces and the Faces before playing on Who-related projects like the Tommy and Quadrophenia film soundtracks. He was made a full member of the band in late-1978 after drummer Keith Moon died. Jones also drummed on Townshend's first mainstream solo album, Empty Glass, and was featured on the album's standout track, "Rough Boys."

Daltrey was vehemently opposed to naming anyone Moon's replacement, preferring to change drummers on a project-to-project basis. After being out-voted by Townshend and Entwistle, he reluctantly approved Jones joining the band, yet openly criticized his drumming as being wrong for the Who.

With the prospect of a major tour looming, Daltrey gave the band an ultimatum: it was either him or Jones. Townshend, who was always Jones' biggest supporter, eventually sided with Daltrey.

Townshend told author Richard Barnes why he eventually relented: "Although I did promise Kenney that I wouldn't work without him, in the last conversation I had with him I started to get very irritated. He kept saying, 'The It's Hard album is not a great album. I've got a right to make a great album with the Who.' And I thought, 'This isn't true. You were brought in at the end. I've got a right to make a great album with the Who, or Roger, or John has, but you haven't."

Roger Daltrey says that despite never being happy with Jones as the Who's drummer, the two were actually quite close: "I actually got on very well with Kenney, I just didn't feel ever that he was the right drummer. . . And people didn't ever seem to listen to what I was saying. They'd say 'Well Kenny's a great drummer!' And I'd say 'Yes, I know Kenney's a great drummer, but he's not the right drummer!' (Laughs) He's a great drummer! Could you imagine putting Keith Moon in the Faces -- would he have been the right drummer for the Faces? Of course he wouldn't."

Pete Townshend's younger brother, touring Who guitarist Simon Townshend, grew up as a die-hard Who fan. Simon, who caught the Who with Keith Moon well over 30 times, recalled seeing his first Who show with Kenney Jones as the Who's new drummer: "I remember what Pete was wearing. Pete was wearing a Clash t-shirt. I mean, I love Kenney and I love his drumming and he's fantastic, fantastic. But in terms of the Who, my first time seeing Kenney play with the Who was in some respects -- not because of Kenney -- it was because the Who as I knew it had become something different, so I was very, sort of upset, really. Because up until that point all I'd ever saw was the Who as the fireball that they were with Moonie."

Kenney Jones told us that despite Daltrey commenting over the years that Jones was never right for the Who, Jones is quick to point out that he was Townshend and Entwistle's ultimate choice as Keith Moon's immediate replacement: "I think, to be honest, it was a confusing time for him and it was a confusing time for everybody. But, as Pete says, I had the support of Pete and John. I know I fitted, anyways -- not a problem. It's just, y'know, you can't fit in in two seconds flat, you have to find your way around it. Now, obviously I found my way around it. The hardest thing I found when joining the Who, was not actually playing in the Who, it was actually learning the songs in the Who and trying to find my way of playing them."

We asked Kenney Jones -- who stayed close with his Faces bandmates throughout the years -- whether or not he ever held a grudge against the Who for cutting him loose: "It was really something that Roger was flying into the middle, here, y'know? And I thought, 'Okay, this is enough -- 10 years with the Who,' and I thought, 'Fine, I'll just move on, that's great.' I haven't fallen out with any one of them, contrary to what anybody says. Pete and I have played together at the Albert Hall a few times, we speak on the phone quite comfortably. John I saw in different bars and stuff -- we talked, y'know, it's fine. I've seen Daltrey; it's all water underneath the bridge. It's what happened and it's what happened then -- not a problem to me."

Although the financial settlement between Jones and the Who has never been discussed, he eventually relinquished all rights in the band's partnership. In 1989, the Who, with drummer Simon Phillips and a host of additional musicians, undertook the 50-date 25th anniversary The Kids Are Alright tour, hitting North America and then Britain.

Townshend, Daltrey and Jones were all on hand for John Entwistle's funeral in 2002.

Daltrey says that he was glad that Jones chose to participate in the Who's recent retrospective, Amazing Journey: The Story Of The Who, to shed light on the band's career: "It took a lot of courage for Kenney to do that, and indeed for people like (late former manager) Chris Stamp. Y'know, it's a painful part of their past. I'm sure it's still painful for him to have to revisit. The great thing is we're still all friends out of all this and we respect each other and we love each other."

Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey has been the Who's unofficial full-time drummer since 1996. Although Townshend and Daltrey have offered him a permanent spot as the Who's third official drummer, he has declined, preferring to remain a free agent.

In recent years, Jones has formed a new rock trio, the Jones Gang, with ex-Foreigner bassist Rick Wills and one-time Bad Company frontman Robert Hart -- as well as performing in a revamped version of the Faces with Ron Wood and the late-Ian McLagan.

On April 14th, 2012 Jones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of both the Small Faces and the Faces.

In 2018 Kenney Jones published his long awaited autobiography Let The Good Times Roll: My Life In The Small Faces, The Faces And The Who. He Ron Wood and Rod Stewart are currently compiling a new Faces album to feature both new and archival material.

FAST FORWARD

Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey reunited with Kenney Jones on June 14th, 2014 in Surrey, England at Hurtwood Park Polo Club for the "Rock 'n' Horsepower" benefit in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. In January 2014, Jones was diagnosed with prostate cancer and following treatment; the disease has thankfully not spread.

Townshend and Daltrey -- backed by the event's house band -- performed with Jones on drums, marking the first time the three have shared a stage since the '88 BPI awards. The Who performed a rugged five-song set -- "I Can't Explain," "Substitute," "The Kids Are Alright," "Pinball Wizard," and "5:15." Townshend joined in later on the encore of the Rolling Stones' "It's Only Rock N' Roll" -- which he explained was recorded in Ron Wood's house -- which is now Townshend's main London residence.

Other performers included Mick Hucknall, Jeff Beck, John Lodge of the Moody Blues, Procol Harum, Mike + The Mechanics, John Parr -- of "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" fame -- along with Steve Marriott's's daughter, Mollie Marriott.

Foo Fighters are set to play a virtual reality concert in the metaverse on Super Bowl Sunday. According to Rolling Stone, the concert will start at 11:00 pm EST or at the conclusion of the Super Bowl. The show will feature the band performing one of their songs for the first time.

Dave Grohl released a statement, saying that the band will be collaborating with music video directot Mark Romanek, saying, "Foo Fighters love a challenge — from playing the biggest stages in the world to the tiniest clubs to making movies and miniseries… We've pretty much done it all."

She continued, "But we've never collaborated with Mark Romanek on a conceptual set of songs (including one being played live for the first time ever) for a worldwide audience. Join us when we cross that one off the FF bucket list!"

Former-Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke has announced a live weekly Hollywood residency. Blabbermouth reported Gilby Clarke & The Keef Richards will play Hollywood Boulevard's Bourbon Room every Wednesday night beginning February 23rd.

Rounding out the lineup is bassist Sean McNabb from Great White and Dokken, drummer Jimmy D'Anda from Bulletboys and Lynch Mob, along with keyboardist Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis. Drummer Kenny Aronoff -- best known from his years with John Mellencamp and current gig with John Fogerty -- will be behind the kit on March 9th and 16th.

Gilby Clarke told us that no matter what, he'll always be old school when it comes to his listening tastes: "Maybe I'm narrow-minded, I don't know -- but to me it just seems that that music had so much more soul and their experimentation, it just really went somewhere. I hear the slop on the records and I love it. I love the mistakes, I love hearing human beings sitting in a room and playing together, and, like, you can hear that on those records. And, on these records today it just sounds the same and there's just a way of doing it and everybody just follows it."

Last year, Gilby Clarke released his latest studio set, The Gospel Truth. Among the A-listers guesting on the album were Nikki Sixx, Kenny Aronoff, and Stephen Perkins from Jane's Addiction.

Today (February 8th) marks the one year anniversary of the death of Supremes co-founder Mary Wilson. Wilson died suddenly on February 8th, 2021 at the age of 76 at her home in Henderson, Nevada. Wilson is survived by her daughter, son, grandchildren, a sister and brother.

Wilson is the second of the original Supremes to die. February 22nd will mark the 46th anniversary of co-founder Florence Ballard's death at age of 32. The singer died of coronary thrombosis -- a blood clot in one of her coronary arteries. The surviving Supremes are legendary frontwoman Diana Ross, who's now 77, and Ballard's replacement, 82-year-old Cindy Birdsong.

Mary Wilson co-founded the Supremes in 1959, with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard. The group, then known as the Primettes, was signed to Motown in 1960 by founder Berry Gordy, Jr. and went on to become the most successful female act of the 1960's, including a string of five Number One hits in less than a year, and 12 Number Ones overall. Wilson, who held the distinction of being the only member of the Supremes to never quit or be fired, disbanded the group in 1976. She wrote two books on her life and career -- the 1986 bestseller Dreamgirl: My Life As A Supreme, and 1990's Supreme Faith: Someday We'll Be Together. In 2019 Wilson appeared as a contestant on ABC's Dancing With The Stars.

86-year-old Duke Fakir, the sole surviving original member of the Four Tops, spoke to us about his dear friend and one-time finacee, Mary Wilson: "I was speakin' to her just the other day and she said she was feelin' great. She was so full of life, she was so joyful -- a strong woman, too. 'Cause she had been through a lot (and) tried many things. Even, just the other day, I know she was working on some new project on stage. She was probably one of the dearest friends I've ever had and one of the sweetest people I've ever known, honestly."

Upon Mary Wilson's death, members of the Motown family remembered her:

Diana Ross tweeted: "I just woke up to this news, my condolences to you Mary's family, I am reminded that each day is a gift, I have so many wonderful memories of our time together 'The Supremes' will live on, in our hearts."

Berry Gordy, Jr. said: "I was extremely shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of a major member of the Motown family, Mary Wilson of the Supremes. The Supremes were always known as the 'sweethearts of Motown.' Mary, along with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, came to Motown in the early-Sixties. After an unprecedented string of number one hits, television and nightclub bookings, they opened doors for themselves, the other Motown acts, and many, many others. I was always proud of Mary. She was quite a star in her own right and over the years continued to work hard to boost the legacy of the Supremes. Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva, and will be deeply missed."

Lamont Dozier spoke about Wilson: "I got the call this morning early about Mary Wilson. It shocked me, of course. Mary has always been one of those types working and thriving; she's always up and going at 'em, looking for the next hill to climb. . . She was the glue that kept the Supremes together when we had problems in the studio. We had times we used to argue about the songs or whatever parts we should sing. She would always look at the big picture and try to get everyone to settle down and do the job; thinking about our careers more than all this noise you're making. She was good at that, getting everyone together. And she had a good-sounding voice; a sound of her own. She was the sexy one of the group, you might say. I recorded her voice on a couple of songs. She was in the background, holding her own; holding up whatever background we came up with. . . Everybody loved Mary, and everybody appreciated her optimism and her drive. If you had a problem, she would talk you out of it, make you feel like you should hold your head high and stop feeling sorry for yourself. That was why it was such a shock for me that she would go so soon. I thought she would live to be 100."

Motown labelmate Martha Reeves said of Mary Wilson: "She was the beauty and the sunshine of the Supremes. She was beautiful and she was fair. Everybody's heart is broken by her death. We have worked side by side nearly all of our lives. She was always a sweet, darling, professional, beautiful woman. And she held her own. Oh yes, she did. And I was right there with her. Together, we helped keep the legacy of Motown alive. Mary will live with me forever. I hate to even say that it's a loss. She just made her transition. God is good. He gave us a beautiful gift with Mary Wilson, and we'll always cherish it."

Mary Wilson's relationship with Diana Ross -- or lack thereof -- has fascinated the public for 50 years. Wilson said that it's always been perceived as though she is constantly talking about Ross to the press, but she claims that she actually prefers to keep whatever relationship the two share between themselves: "Y'know, if there's gonna be a reunion or if we're just gonna be back embracing each other, y'know, we've gotta stop talking about it. And whenever people talk about it, it's always thought that I'm bringing it up and that I wanna talk about it. I don't talk about it, people ask me."

Over the years Wilson has tried her hand in various off-Broadway productions, and at the age of 57 fulfilled a life-long dream of earning a college education, when she graduated from New York University with a degree in liberal arts. She has also worked tirelessly to raise money for AIDS awareness and prevention, and in 2003 she was named a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. State Department.

Mary Wilson told us that she thrives on the challenges of doing good will work for the nation: "I've been made an ambassador to the United States, I'm one of nine ambassadors to the state department here, a cultural ambassador. And it's been just a tremendous experience for me. So I'm doing a lot of lectures, master classes, and that's really been wonderful."

In 2006, Wilson underwent elective open-heart surgery. She was back onstage performing within a month of the operation.

In a poll by VH1, Wilson was ranked 16th on the channel's list of "Greatest Women Of Rock And Roll."

Mary Wilson made it her mission to establishing a federal law -- banning copycat groups from using the name and likeness of established acts on the road. She appeared at the Illinois State Capitol before the House Consumer Protection Committee, urging lawmakers to side with musicians who are being robbed of their history and livelihood.

Mary Wilson told us that the thrill of performing never diminished over her long and historic career: "When I met Florence (Ballard), Diane (Ross), and Betty McGlown -- who was a fourth member -- when we were 14-years-old, I remember saying that when I met them, I felt this feeling that they completed me, that I felt that this is where I belonged in life. And I still have that feeling. I still absolutely adore it. I really do."

Mary Wilson agreed that the Supremes were such a low priority at Motown in the early days that their material was entirely decided by label chief Berry Gordy Jr. and the songwriters. Wilson recalled how anxious the Supremes were to have a hit: "Y'know, we were still very young and we wanted hit records like Martha & the Vandellas and the Marvelettes because they were the ones having the hits. And I must add that we were the Supremes -- we're the first female group there -- so by these other girl groups coming in and getting hits, y'know, we were really desperate in terms of wanting one."

Wilson admitted that the group's first impression of "Where Did Our Love Go" was that it was a stiff: "We hated the record, okay? So we didn't know very much about what made a hit. All we knew was we had had ten records out prior to that, most of them written by Smokey Robinson -- which were adorable songs -- but when Berry Gordy put us with the writing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, that's when our hits started."

Shortly before his 2018 death, Dennis Edwards, the former lead singer of the Temptations, says that during the Supremes' '60s heyday, Mary Wilson's talent as unfairly overshadowed by Diana Ross' rising star: "Mary was the backbone of the Supremes. I don't think she got the credit she deserved -- but she's getting it now because she's carrying the torch now. Mary was... I think at the time, back in the day, Mary was a bit too quiet. She was sorta like me, we sorta sat back and was hoping for change. Y'know?"

Mary Wilson told us she never tried to conceal her age because it never seemed to be an issue for her: "Oh, I don't have no problem with telling my age. I don't think in age. I've always had this baby face -- it might have something to do with it, and I was carded until I was, like, in my late-30's. That's very embarrassing, OK, and I had children and, and I guess I'm lucky that way."

Billie Eilish stopped performing at her show in Atlanta, Georgia Saturday (Feb. 5th) night to help a fan who was having trouble breathing.

Footage taken by a fan named Danna Macias and shared with E! News showed the "Bad Guy" singer stopping the show to ask her team to find an inhaler for the struggling concertgoer.

Macias told the outlet, "They helped her out of general admission and made sure she was okay. After that, Billie noticed people were struggling, so she asked everyone to take a step back and make room for everyone. Suddenly people started asking for an inhaler, another girl was struggling to breathe. Billie stopped everything!"

Eilish can also be heard throwing shade at Travis Scott in another clip posted by TMZ where she says, "I wait for people to be OK before I keep going."

The performance at the State Farm Arena was Eilish's second stop on her Happier Than Ever World Tour.

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's co-parenting issues spilled out all over social media this past weekend. On Friday (February 4th), Kanye took to social media to call out Kim for allowing their daughter North West to use TikTok against his will. Kardashian released a statement, saying, "As the parent who is the main provider and caregiver for our children, I am doing my best to protect our daughter while also allowing her to express her creativity in the medium that she wishes with adult supervision—because it brings her happiness."

She continued, "Kanye's constant need for attacking me in interviews and on social media is actually more hurtful than any TikTok North might create."

She added, "I wish to handle all matters regarding our children privately and hopefully he can finally respond to the third attorney he has had in the last year to resolve any issues amicably."

Kanye continued to throw shots at Kim, claiming that she accused him of being on drugs and putting a hit out on her. He also claimed that Kardashian won't let the kids go with him to Chicago, although they have joint custody.

He said,"YESTERDAY KIM ACCUSED ME OF PUTTING A HIT OUT ON HER." He continued, "SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT I BEG TO GO TO MY DAUGHTERS PARTY AND IM ACCUSED OF BEING ON DRUGS THEN I GO PLAY WITH MY SON AND I TAKE MY AKIRA GRAPHIC NOVELS AND IM ACCUSED OF STEALING." He added, "THESE IDEAS CAN ACTUALLY GET SOMEONE LOCKED UP. nTHEY PLAY LIKE THAT WITH BLACK MENS LIVES WEATHER SIC ITS GETTING THEM FREE OR GETTING THEM LOCKED UP. IM NOT PLAYING ABOUT MY BLACK CHILDREN ANYMORE."

Red Hot Chili Peppers will issue their first new music since 2016 with the April 1st release of their 12th studio set, Unlimited Love. Pitchfork.com reported the new album was produced by Rick Rubin and marks the return of former guitarist John Frusciante after over a decade away from the band. The Chili Peppers have dropped the first song and video from the set, titled "Black Summer."

The band -- Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, and John Frusciante -- posted a message to fans on social media, which reads:

Our only goal is to get lost in the music. We spent thousands of hours, collectively and individually, honing our craft and showing up for one another, to make the best album we could. Our antennae attuned to the divine cosmos, we were just so damn grateful for the opportunity to be in a room together, and, once again, try to get better. Days, weeks and months spent listening to each other, composing, jamming freely, and arranging the fruit of those jams with great care and purpose. The sounds, rhythms, vibrations, words and melodies had us enrapt.

We yearn to shine a light in the world, to uplift, connect, and bring people together. Each of the songs on our new album UNLIMITED LOVE, is a facet of us, reflecting our view of the universe. This is our life's mission. We work, focus, and prepare, so that when the biggest wave comes, we are ready to ride it. The ocean has gifted us a mighty wave and this record is the ride that is the sum of our lives. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy it.

Guitarist John Frusciante went on to post his own message, saying:

When we got together to start writing material, we began by playing old songs by people like Johnny "Guitar" Watson, The Kinks, The New York Dolls, Richard Barrett and others. Ever so gradually, we started bringing in new ideas, and turning jams into songs, and after a couple of months the new stuff was all we were playing. The feeling of effortless fun we had when we were playing songs by other people, stayed with us the whole time we were writing. For me, this record represents our love for, and faith in each other. ROCK OUT MOTHERF***ERS!

Frontman Anthony Kiedis told us a while back that every record Red Hot Chili Peppers have released is special to the band in its own way: "I feel like every record we make is a milestone. Every record we make sums up where we've been and where we're at when we make it. They all strike me as being very poignant indicators of who and what we are at that point in time."

The tracklist to Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'Unlimited Love' is:

"Black Summer"
"Here Ever After"
"Aquatic Mouth Dance"
"Not the One"
"Poster Child"
"The Great Apes"
"It's Only Natural"
"She's a Lover"
"These Are the Ways"
"Whatchu Thinkin'"
"Bastards of Light"
"White Braids & Pillow Chair"
"One Way Traffic"
"Veronica"
"Let ‘Em Cry"
"The Heavy Wing"
"Tangelo"

Last month, Demi Lovato posted a photo to Instagram with the caption, "A funeral for my pop music," and now they're opening up to Rolling Stone about what that means for their career.

The singer said, "I'd like to put the rest of my music behind me and start fresh in this new era for this next album — but I do that every album cycle. It honestly wasn't a funeral. It was a label meeting and we just all happened to be in black and I was like, ‘Wow, this is like a funeral for my pop music.'"

They added the next album will have a "heavier" sound and be more like their first era.

Lovato can also be heard on the new Winnetka Bowling League single, "Fiimy."

Olivia Rodrigo has been named Billboard's 2022 "Woman of the Year."

The outlet's Editorial Director Hannah Karp said in a statement Friday (Feb. 4th), "Olivia's trajectory to superstardom is the stuff of pop music legend. Her talents as a storyteller and songwriter have made Olivia one of the most authentic and exciting new artists to explode onto the scene in years."

Billboard's "Women In Music" event will be hosted by Ciara on March 2nd and honor artists like Gabby Barrett, Phoebe Bridgers, Doja Cat, Karol G, Bonnie Raitt, Saweetie and Summer Walker.

Reports say that Rihanna and A$AP Rocky plan to get married in Barbados after their baby arrives. According to The Sun Times, a source said, ‘They will be married, for sure. She has told pals she wants to be with him for ever, and he has said the same."

The source added, "There are no plans yet as to when the nuptials will be but it won't be before the baby is born. She has always wanted to get married and A$AP is her forever person."

RiRi and ASAP announced that they were expecting their first child together last week.

Ticketholders to Adele's cancelled Las Vegas residency can now see an impersonator instead, free of charge.

TMZ reports that fans with tickets to Weekends with Adele are being invited to see the Legendary Divas show at the Tropicana in Las Vegas instead.

Look-a-like Janae Longo will be belting out some of the singer's greatest hits. The show also includes tributes to Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, Cher and it's hosted by a Joan Rivers impersonator.

Bruce Springsteen has just issued Tower Theatre - 12/9/95, the latest official bootleg of his ongoing monthly archive series. The show, recorded in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia, was culled from his 1995/1997 solo acoustic tour behind his 1995 Grammy Award-winning album, The Ghost Of Tom Joad.

The set marks "The Boss'" fifth dip into the soundboards from the historic tour, which has also seen the release of Freehold, NJ - November 8th, 1996; Belfast, UK - March 19th, 1996; Asbury Park, NJ - November 26th, 1996; and Nice, France - May 18th, 1997.

The new release features the first dip into the solo acoustic tour's initial leg, and marks the first of vault release from the tour to include all 12 songs from the then-recent The Ghost Of Tom Joad album. Older highlights include acoustic takes of "Darkness On The Edge Of Town," "Born In The U.S.A.," "Adam Raised A Cain," "Blinded By The Light," and the Tunnel Of Love favorite "Spare Parts."

The tracklisting to Bruce Springsteen's Tower Theatre - 12/9/95 is: "The Ghost Of Tom Joad," "Adam Raised A Cain," "Straight Time," "Highway 29," "Darkness On The Edge Of Town," "Murder Incorporated," "Mansion On The Hill," "It's The Little Things That Count," "Born In The U.S.A.," "Dry Lightning," "Spare Parts," "Youngstown," "Sinaloa Cowboys," "The Line," "Balboa Park," "The New Timer," "Across The Border," "Blinded By The Light," "This Hard Land," "Streets Of Philadelphia," "Galveston Bay," and "My Best Was Never Good Enough."

At the time of the Tom Joad tour, Bruce Springsteen explained how and why he downshifted into being a one-man-band solo acoustic troubadour: "I did Nebraska, a record called Nebraska, in 1982 and that was acoustic. And so, when I did the Tom Joad record, I said, 'Well, this is the time now, where I'm gonna. . . Plus I was feelin' closer to my folk voice, I felt like I had something I knew I wanted to say in that voice, rather than sort of the rock n' roll stuff at the moment. Y'know, it just felt like, y'know, where I'd be most valuable and useful to my fans at the moment, y'know? So, that's how I ended out up here by myself. It's a little, little tricky, though (laughs)."

BTS' Jimin, has been released from the hospital following an appendectomy and treatment for Covid-19.

The singer's label, Big Hit Music, confirmed on WeVerse that the K-Pop star was released Saturday (Feb. 5th).

According to the statement, "Jimin was tested positive for COVID-19 and diagnosed with acute appendicitis on Sunday, January 30th and underwent surgery on Monday, January 31st. He has since received inpatient care and tested negative on his PCR test before being discharged from the hospital."

• Former-Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher has teamed up with Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters producer Greg Kurstin for Gallagher's new single, "Everything's Electric." The track, which was co-written by Grohl and Gallagher, will appear on Gallagher's upcoming solo album, titled, C'mon You Know, which drops on May 27th.
  • According to the press release, the pair was attempting to capture the "thunderous dynamics of Beastie Boys' 'Sabotage' with the spiraling tension and danger of the Rolling Stones' 'Gimme Shelter.'" (Billboard)
    
    
• Metallica is once again calling on the masses to help them with their upcoming archival sets. The band, who is currently in pre-production for the box sets covering 1996's Load and the following year's ReLoad, emailed their legion of fans writing, in part: "We're working our way through the catalog to bring you the comprehensive Deluxe Box Sets we've come to love. And now it's time to get started on Load and ReLoad! As you may remember, we asked you for help in putting together the first five box sets and, to make sure there's a fan footprint on all of these releases, we'll be doing that again!"
• The band went on to post: "We're looking for anything and everything you might have from August 1995 through September 1998: live photos (taken by you!) or snaps from a meet & greet, flyers, ticket stubs, backstage passes, and whatever other mementos you may have from that time. Make your mark on these albums by emailing us at submissions@metclub.com to share your story and receive more info about submitting these little pieces of history. Nothing is too small or trivial; share your archives with your fellow fans and have some fun walking down memory lane with us!" (Blabbermouth)
  
  
• Former child-actor Yano Anaya recalled the mayhem on the set of Van Halen's legendary 1984 video for "Hot For Teacher." Anaya, who played the child-version of bassist Michael Anthony, was just 13-years-old at the time, and already Van Halen die-hard. He was asked by Classic Rock if the band was on their best behavior with minors all around the set. Anaya recalled, "Well, their best behavior for Van Halen. 'Cause there was no filter. Alex (Van Halen) was like: 'Hey, man, why don't you go to the back and grab us a couple of beers?' So I walked back there, and Dave Lee Roth was there. He looked at me and went: 'Who the f*** are you? Why is there a kid in our trailer?' And Alex was like: 'Don't worry about it, man, he's part of the cast, he's hanging out with us.'"
• Anya went on to remember, "They had an ice chest in the back with nothing but Coke and Schlitz Malt Liquor beer. So I grabbed two of them and went up the front, and Alex challenged me to a shotgun. I'm like: 'I'm 13-years-old, it's 10:20 in the morning, and I'm a drinking a Schlitz beer with Alex Van Halen.' I drank that one beer, and I was so drunk."
  • He spoke about hanging out with Eddie Van Halen: "I grew the balls to ask him to play the intro to 'Running With The Devil,' which was my favorite song. He took me to the back of the trailer, pulled out a tiny little amp, pulled out his guitar, and literally played the whole thing for me, in person, by myself, just for me. That experience was epic." (Loundersound)

It was 58 years ago today (February 7th, 1964) that the Beatles landed at New York's JFK Airport launching what has become known as the "British Invasion" and forever changing the face of popular music -- along with literally everything that came after -- arguably marking the modern world's cultural "big bang." The group's trip took in three appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show -- one being pre-taped prior to their first live appearance, and two full-scale concerts: the first at Washington, D.C.'s Washington Coliseum on February 11th -- one year to the day of recording their debut UK album, Please Please Me -- and a second show on February 12th at New York's prestigious Carnegie Hall.

Once in New York, George Harrison fell ill with a 102-degree temperature and missed the following day's photo shoot in and around Central Park and a camera blocking session at the midtown CBS studio. He was well enough to recover for the show without incident.

Prior to the visit, on January 20th, 1964, the album Meet The Beatles was released. Although, it wasn't the first Beatles record released in America; Vee-Jay's Introducing The Beatles beat the band's Capitol Records debut by just short of six months, it was Meet The Beatles, with its hit chart-topper "I Want To Hold Your Hand" that kick started the post-Kennedy '60s, the British Invasion, and completely revolutionized how music was written, played, sung, and produced. On February 1st, 1964, Meet The Beatles entered Billboard's Top 100 LP listings at Number 92, jumping the next week to Number Three, and the following week -- February 15th, 1964 -- hitting Number One for the first of 11 weeks.

Despite Paul McCartney's claims, the Beatles did not wait until topping the U.S. charts to come to America. The logistics of waiting until February 1st, 1964 to plan the group's entire itinerary -- including lodging, travel, security, and numerous contracts -- would be nothing short of ridiculous. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" knocked Bobby Vinton's "There! I've Said It Again" out from the top spot and stayed at Number One for a whopping seven straight weeks, before being toppled by the Beatles' own "She Loves You," which after two weeks was overturned on April 4th, 1964 by the band's official new single, "Can't Buy Me Love" -- the same week that "Fab Four" made history by holding down the Top Five positions in the Billboard singles chart.

Sunday night (February 9th) marks the 55th anniversary of the Beatles' American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. Seen by over 73 million viewers, the show has gone on to become one of TV's most iconic moments, much like Neil Armstrong's 1969 walk on the moon. The Beatles performed twice, both opening and closing the program.

Here's Ed Sullivan's legendary introduction from that night's show: "Now yesterday and today, our theater's been jammed with newspapermen and hundreds of photographers from all over the nation, and these veterans agreed with me that the city never has witnessed the excitement stirred by these youngsters from Liverpool who call themselves the Beatles. Now tonight, you're gonna twice be entertained by them -- right now, and again in the second half of our show. Ladies and gentlemen -- the Beatles! (screams)"

The group performed a total of five songs that night: "All My Loving," "Till There Was You," "She Loves You," "I Saw Her Standing There," and their then-current Number One hit "I Want To Hold Your Hand." One of the more memorable parts of the show was during "Till There Was You," when the screen dimmed as each Beatle was highlighted with his name appearing on the screen. John Lennon didn't know it at the time, but an additional caption saying "Sorry Girls -- He's Married" was added under his name.

What many people don't know is that their legendary Sullivan appearance was actually their second of the day. Prior to the live February 9th broadcast, the Beatles taped a future segment for Sullivan's February 23rd show. After that, the audience was cleared for the live broadcast.

Up until the group's break-up in 1970, they continued to send promo clips of their latest singles to be aired on The Ed Sullivan Show -- including "Paperback Writer," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Hello, Goodbye," and "Let It Be."

Ringo Starr recalled that the group was sweating over getting the sound right for the show --- right up to the last minute: "The main thing I was aware of when we did the first Ed Sullivan Show was that we rehearsed all afternoon. Y'know, TV was such bad sound, so we would have 'em, like, tape our rehearsals, and we'd go up and we'd mess with the dials, y'know, that they had in the control booth. So we'd sort of got it all set with the engineer there, and we went off for a break, and -- the story has it, 'cause we didn't see it -- but the cleaner came in (laughs) while we were out, and she came to clean the room and the console, and thought, 'What are all these chalk marks?', and wiped them all off. So then we had a real hasty time trying to get some sound."

George Harrison said the Beatles' appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show even kept the streets safe for the hour that the show was on: "Later, they said that there was the least reported, or there was no reported crime. Even the criminals had a rest for, like, 10 minutes, while we were on."

Paul McCartney said that after all these years, the Beatles' Sullivan Show appearance is usually the first thing fans bring up: "I still get people talking to me about it now. Y'know, it's like, 'Where were you when Kennedy was shot?' Saying, 'Oh, yeah man, I remember -- Sunday night. We didn't know what had hit us.'"

During his last TV interview in April 1975, John Lennon told Tomorrow Show host Tom Snyder that the entire "Beatlemania" era was as confusing and disconcerting to the group as one would imagine: "It was like being in the eye of a hurricane, and you thought -- 'What's going on?' That was about as deep as it got: 'What is happening?' You'd suddenly wake up in the middle of one -- a concert or a happening -- and (think) 'How did I get here? Last thing I remember was playing music in a club and the next minute this."

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

During Bruce Springsteen's 2012 keynote address at Austin's South By Southwest festival, "The Boss" explained what a cataclysmic event the Beatles hitting America in 1964 was: "This was different. 'Shifted the lay of the land; four guys, playing and singing, writing their own material. There was no longer going to be a music producer apart from the singer, a singer who didn't write, a writer that didn't sing. It changed the way things were done. The Beatles were cool, they were classical, they were formal and created the idea of an independent unit where everything could come out of your garage."

In 2010, The 4 Complete 'Ed Sullivan Shows' Starring The Beatles was reissued on DVD. The collection includes the full uncut shows from February 9th, 16th, and 23rd, 1964 as well as the Beatles' September 12th, 1965 return appearance, which was actually taped on August 14th, 1965 -- the day before their historic first concert at Shea Stadium.

Dua Lipa has launched the first issue of her new weekly newsletter called Service95. As described in the press release, it's a global style, culture, and society concierge service created to help the reader make sense of the world.

It's a combination of stories, information, and perspectives that will include little-known hotspots, up-and-coming artists, and grassroots activists.

Service95 is inspired by Dua's lifelong habit of personally curating extensive recommendations and lists. About that she said: "I find huge joy in telling people what I've learned about in any given city and love finding connection in our shared experiences."

The newsletter is free, you can subscribe at Serviec95.com.

TL;DR:

• Dua Lipa has launched the first issue of her new weekly newsletter called Service95.
• It's a combination of stories, information, and perspectives that will include little-known hotspots.
• The newsletter is free, you can subscribe at Serviec95.com.

It was 45 years ago today (February 4th, 1977) that Fleetwood Mac released their masterpiece, Rumours. To date, the album, which spent 31 non-consecutive weeks on top of the Billboard 200 albums chart, has sold over 40 million copies globally. According to the RIAA's current list, Rumours is now tied for the eighth best-selling album in history alongside 1977's Saturday Night Fever soundtrack Shania Twain's 1997 collection, Come On Over.

Rumours spawned four Top 10 singles -- Lindsey Buckingham's "Go Your Own Way," which hit Number 10; Stevie Nicks' "Dreams" -- which remains to this day the band's sole chart-topping single; Christine McVie's "Don't Stop," which peaked at Number Three and "You Make Loving Fun" -- which topped out at Number Nine

Lindsey Buckingham understands that the psychodrama between him and former lover Stevie Nicks -- not to mention the divorce of Christine and John McVie -- was the gasoline that ran the engine of the band, especially during the legendary Rumours album: "One of the real draws of Fleetwood Mac beyond the music in those earlier days was this musical soap opera. And it was a very literal portrayal of what was really going on behind the scenes. Y'know, you could certainly make a case for saying that we made a great deal of success on a career level but we were pretty dismal failures in our personal lives, for any number of years, y'know?"

Stevie Nicks said that the emotional trauma of everyone in the band suffering through a romantic breakup during the album's sessions pushed the group towards cocaine -- which kick-started a decade-long addiction that nearly killed her. As cocaine took over the industry, Nicks says that most people believed it was entirely non-addictive: "Y'know, I thought as I was going through the '70s and cocaine was introduced into everybody's life, and told that it was recreational, and that it was not dangerous. But, y'know, that's what we were told, really. On the other side of that, we were also told, 'Don't ever do heroin, because if you do it once, you'll have to do it every day, because you'll never feel that good again, and you'll be chasing that, that high for the rest of your life.' So, it was like, I was told not to do heroin and told why and didn't. But cocaine, we were all told was cool -- that's why we did it. Of course, then we all got extremely addicted to it."

Although it's been over 45 years since Buckingham and Nicks parted ways as lovers, Lindsey Buckingham says that the public at large can't really grasp how tough it was for him to continue being a bandmate and producer with his former longtime live-in girlfriend during the Rumours sessions: "For me personally, it was difficult to continue to produce songs for Stevie, and to do for her -- do the right thing, obviously -- but in the context of her moving away from me. And it was painful. Obviously, I think the same would be true for John and Christine (McVie)."

Mick Fleetwood told us that Fleetwood Mac -- and particularly with Rumours -- was always able to connect with its fanbase on a pretty intimate level: "The fans that we have, they are involved with the people in this band. I think it's fair to say, and certainly, Stevie, in many ways, would get the lion's share of that, but we're all entities of this . . . the whole. We're not greater than the whole, it's quite apparent (laughs). I think we're all realizing that. And I think they're involved on an emotional level with those people, as opposed to, y'know, when people think of Pink Floyd, they don't think of the people in the band, really."

Christine McVie told us that the members of Fleetwood Mac are connected by a bond that transcends time and distance: "I just think that there's an inextricable chemistry between the five of us, which will never go away, because that just is what it is, y'know, until we're 90 it'll be there. No matter how far we go apart in our different spheres of music, when we get together, it's just something that, y'know, sparks fly."

Recently released are Fleetwood Mac's expanded and deluxe versions of Rumours. The set has been issued in an "Expanded Edition" featuring the original album, the Stevie Nicks-written B-Side "Silver Springs," a live collection of tracks from 1977, and a full disc of session outtakes.

The "Deluxe Edition" tags on a second disc of outtakes, a remastered vinyl version of the album, and the vintage concert doc, titled, The Rosebud Film.

Also out now is the book Making Rumours: The Inside Story Of The Classic Fleetwood Mac Album, by the Mac's legendary co-producer, Ken Calliat. Calliat, who wrote the book with co-author Steve Stiefel, tells the story behind all the 1977 album's classic tracks -- as well as the songs that were bumped from the final lineup.

Making Rumours talks about the creative process, general debauchery, and romantic breakdowns which took place during the 1976 recording sessions between Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, John and Christine McVie and Mick Fleetwood and wife Jenny Boyd -- the kid sister of Pattie "Layla" Boyd, wife of both George Harrison and Eric Clapton.

In addition to Rumours, Calliat went on to co-produce Fleetwood Mac's Tusk, Fleetwood Mac Live, and Mirage albums -- along with their career-spanning box set, The Chain.

The long awaited Rod Stewart / Cheap Trick tour is finally happening this summer. The trek, which due to the pandemic was postponed in both 2020 and 2021, is finally happening and swill hits the South, the East Coast, and Midwest over 19 dates. The tour launches on July 1st at Fort Worth's Dickies Arena and wraps on September 3rd at Tampa's Amalie Arena.

A while back, Rod Stewart explained to us that he's never once considered giving up what he does: "You never outgrow hits, I mean, it's always a big thrill to ya. I'm a committed musician. I love it. I love makin' music, I really love gettin' up and singin' for people. I see the smiling faces and you go home and you think you've sent them all home happy."

Rick Nielsen told us that Cheap Trick is just one of those bands that was so unhip, they actually became cool: "What we did was the total antithesis of everything, of what was going on. We didn't wanna be like anybody else, but we didn't know what we wanted to be. So, it's like, I was always kind of a jerk and a class clown -- so why change into being some charming person? We were being ourselves. At the time, there were so many bands that they tried to look like their mothers and y'know, get their hair done with the same hairspray as their mother's had. And everybody wanted to be the lead singer or the guitar player -- look at me -- I was never gonna be Jimmy Page or, y'know. . . It was all about the music."

RESCHEDULED: Rod Stewart / Cheap Trick tour dates (subject to change):

July 1 - Fort Worth, TX - Dickies Arena
July 2 - Woodlands, TX - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
July 5 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
July 12 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
July 16 - Tinley Park, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
July 19 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
July 22 - Saratoga Springs, NY - SPAC
July 26 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage
July 27 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre
August 12 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center
August 13 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
August 16 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
August 19 - Atlantic City, NJ - Mark G Etess Arena at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
August 20 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium
August 23 - Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
August 27 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion
August 31 - Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
September 2 - Jacksonville, FL - Daily's Place
September 3 - Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena

Just days after undergoing emergency surgery, BTS' Jimin is assuring everyone that he's doing just fine.

The 26 year old updated his fans and said he's recovering and hopes to go home soon. It was reported earlier this week that he was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and Covid-19 over the weekend.

He told fans that he's taking care of himself and not to worry.

Jimin, whose real name is Park Ji-min, was hospitalized with sudden abdominal pain, and underwent successful emergency surgery. He was also experiencing a mild sore throat, and tested positive for Covid while in the hospital.

He confirmed that he did not have any contact with other BTS members while infectious.

TL;DR:

• BTS' Jimin was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and Covid-19 over the weekend and underwent successful emergency surgery..
• He told fans that he's taking care of himself and not to worry.
• He confirmed that he did not have any contact with other BTS members while infectious.

Duran Duran couldn't be happier with their first time being nominated into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Earlier this week, the band was among those tapped for induction -- with the list also including Beck, Pat Benatar, Kate Bush, DEVO, Eminem, Eurythmics, Judas Priest, Fela Kuti, MC5, New York Dolls, Dolly Parton, Rage Against The Machine, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, A Tribe Called Quest, and Dionne Warwick.

The band posted their personal reactions on their official website (DuranDuran.com), with frontman Simon LeBon writing, "Just to make it onto the nominations list is an honor that I never expected to experience. But for sure, this distinction is due in large part to the fact that we have an army of fans around the world who have unwaveringly supported us for the past four decades. We are all extremely grateful to all of you for making this happen."

Bassist John Taylor added, "What a surprise and an honor! To be nominated by such a highly esteemed organization is truly special in this, our fortieth, year. For decades now Duran Duran have been inspired by the incredible support of our beautiful and diverse fanbase around the world. To be considered by the Hall of Famers is truly next level. Let's hope we make the cut!"

Drummer Roger Taylor went on to say, "The feeling was pure gratitude when I heard this morning that we are nominees for the rock n' roll hall of fame . A big thank you to not only the Rock Hall for making us part of the ballot, but also to all the DD fans that have made so much noise. The 12-year-old drummer in me just screamed very, very loudly!"

2021 marked the 40th anniversary of Duran Duran's self-titled debut album. A while back, keyboardist Nick Rhodes told us the band's longevity still boggles his mind: "It seems completely surreal. None of us feel like we've spent three-and-a-half decades in the music business. We still play some songs off that album, off the first album. With the band we all remain very proud of what we've been able to do creatively in the studio -- and for the live shows. It's still, to me, exactly the same as it was when we started out in one way; is that a great song does more for an artist than anything else."

Bassist John Taylor admitted to us that Duran Duran remains a one-of-a-kind chemistry: "The kind of fortune that Duran Duran was sort of happens once in a lifetime, really. It's just like kids that come together that happen to, like, be into the same thing -- just happen to go to the right place, the right time, meet Mr. Big and da-da-da-da. Suddenly, it's a snowball effect."

This year's Rock Hall Inductees will be announced in May 2022. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2022 Induction Ceremony will take place this fall. The date, venue, and on-sale information will be announced later.

Duran Duran kicks off a 12-date European tour on April 29th in Ibiza, Spain.

In an interview with Glamour UK, Selena Gomez revealed her worst beauty disaster ever. She recalled a night out at the Met when she put on too much tanning lotion.

Dressed beautifully in a white Stuart Vevers Coach gown, glittery eyeshadow and wearing diamond jewelry, she didn't realize it until she later saw the photos.

She said her skin looked good at first and then her complexion took on an increasingly orange tint.

She seemed to take it all in stride, two days later she joked about it online and posted a video of a woman running in a beautiful long dress. She captioned it "Me, when I saw my pictures at the Met."

She interviewed with the magazine to promote the 2^nd season of her Netflix series, Only Murderers In The Building.

TL;DR:

• Selena Gomez revealed when she put on too much tanning lotion.
• She said it looked good at first and then her complexion took on an increasingly orange tint.

Saturday (February 5th) marks the 60th anniversary of Ringo Starr first sitting in with the Beatles. Although he wouldn't join the band for another six months -- this was the moment where all four members realized the amazing chemistry between them.

With the Beatles' then-drummer Pete Best ill and unable to make two local gigs, the band called on Ringo, who had a rare day off from drumming duties with Rory Storm & The Hurricanes. Going back to 1960, the two bands has alternated back-breaking sets in Hamburg, Germany's Kaiserkeller Club. Ringo was their first choice to fill in for Best.

Ringo and the Beatles performed two shows that day: their typical lunchtime date in Liverpool at the Cavern Club and an evening gig at the Kingsway Club in Southport.

During his 2015 induction speech for Ringo at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Paul McCartney recalled the "eureka" moment when all the pieces fit and the Beatles found the missing like that made them the "Fab Four": "One night, our drummer then, Pete Best, uh, wasn't available (applause) and, um, so Ringo sat in. And I remember the moment. I mean, Pete was great and we, we had a great time with him, but, me John (Lennon), and George (Harrison), God bless 'em (applause). . . Yeah! Me, John, and George were on the frontline, singing, as we usually were, and now behind us we had this guy that we'd never played with before. And I remember the moment when he started playing and I think it was Ray Charles' 'What'd I Say.' And most of the drummers couldn't nail the drum part -- it was a little difficult to do -- but Ringo nailed it. So. . . . (applause) Yeah! (Laughs) Ringo nailed it!!! (Applause) Woo! And I remember the moment just standing there and looking at John (Lennon) and then looking at George (Harrison), and that was 'the moment.' Y'know, that was the beginning, really, of the Beatles. Anyway (applause)." (1:18 OC: . . . Beatles anyway (applause))

Ringo Starr officially joined the Beatles in the summer of 1962 and played his first date with the band as a full member that August 18th just outside of Liverpool at Hulme Hall in Birkenhead, England.

BTS and Coldplay's collaboration, "My Universe" has now been on the U.K. singles chart for 16 weeks and becomes the fourth-longest-charting track of all-time. According to Forbes, this means that BTS has now broken their own record and "Butter" drops to become the fifth-longest-charting title.

The song has become a much bigger hit in the U.K. than in the U.S. and although it dipped slightly on the charts, a lot of the U.K. success is credited to Coldplay, because it's their homeland.

Rounding out the top 5 biggest hits in the U.K., Pinkfong's "Baby Shark" is still the longest-charting single, Psy's "Gangnam Style" is second place, and "Dynamite," by BTS is 3^rd.

TL;DR:

• BTS and Coldplay's collaborative single "My Universe" has now been on the U.K. singles chart for 16 weeks.
• BTS has now broken their own record and "Butter" drops to fifth-longest-charting title.

Kanye West bought girlfriend Julia Fox and her friends baby Birkin bags for her birthday. According to Rap-Up, Ye celebrated Fox's 32nd birthday at Lucien in NYC on Wednesday night (February 2nd). He also gifted Fox with some expensive jewelry.

IS KANYE WEST INDEPENDENT?

Is Kanye West independent now? In an interview with Complex, Wack 100 has claimed that Kanye is 100% independent now. He said, "He's definitely independent. He's been working on Donda 2. He's got a great team in there with him. He's been up in the air on which direction he's going with it. He's seeing some of the things I can do. Along with Gee Roberson, he's got a nice team around him, so I'm looking forward to that. I'm all in for it. I'm definitely going to join forces, and Voltron with everybody else around it. We could definitely get it done, or whatever way he goes with it. He has my full support."

DONDA 2 is expected to drop on Feb. 22nd.