Rick Wakeman is sharing some more info about his upcoming new album, A Gallery of the Imagination. The Yes keyboardist just announced the record will drop February 24, and he’s also shared the 12-song track list.
Wakeman describes A Gallery of the Imagination as a concept album inspired by his first piano teacher, Mrs. Symes, who taught him a lesson he never forgot: “When you play, you are painting pictures through music.”
“It is a very tactile album,” Rick explains. “I’d like to feel that people can actually touch the music.”
The album is available for preorder now and will come out in a variety of formats, including CD, two-disc CD+ DVD set with surround sound audio and hi-res stereo, two-LP on black vinyl, two-LP on colored vinyl and a super deluxe limited edition set that includes a 24-page book.
A Gallery of the Imagination track list:
“Hidden Depths”
“The Man In The Moon”
“A Mirage in the Clouds”
“The Creek”
“My Moonlight Dream”
“Only When I Cry”
“Cuban Carnival”
“Just A Memory”
“The Dinner Party”
“A Day Spent On The Pier”
“The Visitation”
“The Eyes of a Child”
Gloria Estefan, Cyndi Lauper, Belinda Carlisle and Dolly Parton are wearing their game day best in the new video for “Gonna Be You,” from the upcoming movie 80 for Brady.
The movie, based on a true story, stars Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Sally Field and Lily Tomlin as four best friends who take a trip to the Super Bowl in 2017 to see their hero Tom Brady play. It hits theaters on February 3.
Songwriter Diane Warren recruited Gloria, Cyndi, Belinda, Dolly and Blondie‘s Debbie Harry to sing on “Gonna Be You.” Debbie doesn’t appear in the video, but the other women do, all rocking blinged-out Tom Brady football jerseys with their names on the back and singing the song, intercut with footage of the film.
“What an honor to sing a song by my favorite songwriter with four other women who I have been a fan of for years! It doesn’t get much better than this,” says Belinda in a statement.
Cyndi adds, “This was such a great project to be part of because it was nice to be able to join forces with my pals for the song. Each of these women mean a lot to me. Friendships between women are important and I think Diane’s lyrics captured that. It was really touching. You don’t often see female ‘buddy movies’ so this was fun.”
Dolly says the project was a joy, adding, “This is very exciting to me. I love feeling like I’m still part of something great and being with those gals that we know are great was a thrill.”
And Gloria says, “What an honor to share this incredible experience with women that I have admired for decades!”
Selena Gomez seems to want to shut down reports that she’s dating The Chainsmokers‘ Drew Taggart — or anyone, really.
The New York Postran pictures of Selena and Drew on a “date” at a New York City bowling alley on Sunday and reported they were “making out” like teenagers. But on Thursday, she posted a black-and-white image in a now-deleted Instagram Story — captured by Pop Base — that reads “I Like Being Alone Too Much.”
On the bottom, she added #iamsingle.
A source tells People that Selena and Drew were at the bowling alley as part of a group, not on a one-on-one date.
Drew had recently been linked to Steve Jobs‘ daughter Eve. Before that, he dated model and DJ Chantel Jeffries; the two broke up in April 2021. As for Selena, in November she told Jay Shetty‘s On Purpose podcast that she “still believes and still hopes” for love, adding, “I would rather continue to get my heart broken than to not feel at all.”
This week marked the 40th anniversary of the release of Bryan Adams’ breakthrough album, Cuts Like a Knife. The album, Bryan’s third, was his first U.S. top 10 album and gave him his first three U.S. hit singles: “Straight from the Heart,” the title track and “This Time.” Bryan says credit for much of the album’s success goes to MTV.
Bryan tells ABC Audio that MTV was hugely responsible for the successful 1983 release: “There was a fraternity of probably 10 artists that they put on heavy rotation: Madonna, Dire Straits, Michael Jackson, myself, Duran Duran. And we got played over and over.”
In fact, the video for “Cuts Like a Knife,” starring a Penthouse model named Raquel Pena, was one of the most popular videos of 1983. It was filmed in the empty swimming pool of an abandoned YMCA in LA, which was also the location for the party Bryan’s label threw when the album went Platinum.
“Back then, when MTV first started, it was a cable thing … and not everybody had cable,” Bryan says. “But anyone that did have cable was getting all these songs all the time. So I’m really, really grateful to them. I wish it still existed.”
As previously reported, Bryan and his band performed Cuts Like a Knife in its entirety at London’s Royal Albert Hall in May 2022; the full performance hits streaming on February 3. He believes the album holds up after 40 years.
“It was really exciting to go back and listen to those songs,” Bryan says. “Some of the songs I’d never played ever live. I had to sit in a rehearsal hall for a few days and get my head around it.”
After teasing it with images of a snowflake, Kim Petras has finally revealed her new single, which is called, appropriately, “brrr.”
The industrial-tinged track also comes with a lyric video, in which Kim sings, “You should pull me up closer/Turn the heat up in your Rover/Why don’t you take it out on me/If you think you’re so cold — brrr!”
“brrr” is the follow-up to Kim’s single “If Jesus Was a Rock Star.”
On Monday, Kim will appear on Late Night with Seth Meyers. In addition to giving the debut live performance of “brr,” she’ll sit for her first late-night television interview.
It’s the start of a busy couple months for Kim: She and Sam Smith‘s number-one duet, “Unholy,” will compete for Best Group/Duo Performance at the Grammys on February 5, and the two will also perform “Unholy” at the BRIT Awards on February 11, where it’s up for Song of the Year.
Kim, Spotify’s Songwriter of the Month for January, also just received a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Music Artist. On top of all that, she’ll headline Sydney WorldPride this March in Australia.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Louis Vuitton
J-hope in the Box, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the BTS rapper’s first solo album, Jack in the Box, will hit Disney+ on February 17, the streamer revealed on Thursday.
The documentary offers fans “a never-before-seen look at the creative challenges faced during the album’s preparation process, as well as front row seats to j-hope’s 2022 Lollapalooza performance and the album’s listening party,” according to Disney+.
BTS is currently on break while the group explores solo careers. It is not known when they will reassemble as a unit, but in the meantime, fans can catch the Korean superstars in a par of Disney+ specials: BTS: PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE — LA, an exclusive cinematic 4K concert film featuring BTS’ live performance at Los Angeles’ Sofi Stadium in November 2021; and IN THE SOOP: FRIENDCATION — an original travel reality show with a star-studded cast including V of BTS, who goes on a relaxing trip with The Marvels‘ Park Seo-jun and Parasite star Choi Woo-shik.
If you’ve seen HARDY live, you know he likes to rock. And with his sophomore album, the mockingbird & THE CROW, he’s bringing his rock ‘n’ roll tendencies to the country audience he’s cultivated.
The 17-track record is split in two halves, with the eighth cut — the title track — transitioning from the country/mockingbird side to more rocking CROW tunes.
“It’s a rock ‘n’ roll — half of a rock ‘n’ roll record,” the hit singer/songwriter explains. “It’s also a little bit of my take on, maybe my spin on, country music, as well.”
“And honestly, THE CROW side definitely has a very deep-rooted country lyric,” he adds. “So it kind of opened the door for doing the rock ‘n’ roll thing, but it also opened the door a little more wide open for me to kind of give my own rendition of country music or, like, throw in a very country lyric over a rock ‘n’ roll sonic production, if you will.”
Of course, HARDY’s current hit, “wait in the truck” with Lainey Wilson, falls on the country side.
Next month, he continues the theme on his headlining tour, featuring country chart-topper and fellow Mississippi native Jameson Rodgers, along with rock band Blame My Youth.
HARDY’s second full-length album, which is out now, is also one of the rare country records with a Parental Advisory warning on the front.
Late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury would be turning 77 this fall if he were still alive, and a big party is planned in his honor.
The Official 77th Freddie Mercury Birthday Party 2023 is going down September 2, three days before his real birthday on September 5. It will be held at the Casino Barriere in Montreux, about two hours outside of Zurich, Switzerland. The bash will feature a live performance by the United Kingdom Queen tribute band Live Killers, who’ll celebrate the golden anniversary of Queen’s 1973 self-titled debut album by playing it in its entirety. They also promise Queen hits and some deep cuts.
Tickets for the event go on sale January 27, with proceeds benefiting the Mercury Phoenix Trust, which raises funds for the fight against HIV/AIDs. It was founded by Queen’s Brian May, Roger Taylor and their manager Jim Beach in memory of Freddie, who died from the disease in 1991.
As previously reported, Crosby, Stills & Nash’s Graham Nash has already paid tribute to his late bandmate David Crosby, who died Thursday at the age of 81, and now their fellow bandmate Stephen Stills has offered his thoughts on Crosby’s passing as well.
Stills shared in a statement:
“I read a quote in this morning’s paper attributed to compose Gustav Mahler that stopped me for a moment: ‘Death has, on placid cat’s paws, entered the room.’
I shoulda known something was up.
David and I butted heads a lot over time, but they were mostly glancing blows, yet still left us numb skulls..
I was happy to be at peace with him.
He was without question a giant of a musician, and his harmonic sensibilities were nothing short of genius. The glue that held us together as our vocals soared, like Icarus, towards the sun.
I am deeply saddened at his passing and shall miss him beyond measure.”
The music world is mourning the loss another rock legend with the death of David Crosby Thursday at the age of 81, and many took to social media to pay tribute to the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.
Melissa Etheridge, who had two children with ex-Julie Cypher thanks to Crosby’s sperm donation, shared a picture with Crosby, writing “I am grieving the loss of my friend Beckett and Bailey’s biological father, David,” adding, “He gave me the gift of family. I will forever be grateful to him, Django, and Jan. His music and legacy will inspire many generations to come. A true treasure.”
The Beach Boys‘ Brian Wilsonalso remembered Crosby, noting, “I don’t know what to say other than I’m heartbroken to hear about David Crosby,” adding, “David was an unbelievable talent – such a great singer and songwriter. And a wonderful person. I just am at a loss for words.”
And Carole King also paid tribute, sharing, “My old friend David is gone, but he left us with his words, his music and his beautiful voice,” adding, “My deepest condolences to Jan, Django and everyone who loved David Crosby.”
Other tributes include:
Roseanne Cash – “I can’t begin to say how influential Crosby, Stills and Nash were for me. I’m grateful David Crosby lived, and so very sad he’s gone.”
E Street Band memberSteven Van Zandt – “RIP David Crosby. As a member of The Byrds, 1 of the historically essential Artists that created the Artform of Rock. The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Who, Beach Boys & Yardbirds, showed future generations like us what was possible. We owe him, and them, everything.”
Marianne Faithfull – “‘I don’t like greed, I don’t like ignorance. I really don’t like anger. But I love love.’ – @thedavidcrosby. Rest in peace to the brilliant David Crosby. He will be greatly missed.”
Tom Petty’s official Twitter account – “Tom counted David Crosby as a friend and a hero. He visited often at his house in the valley. He was funny, provocative and electric with talent. His contribution to music will never be forgotten. Our thoughts and love to his family, bandmates and fans.”
The Doors – “The world has lost yet another ethereal fixture of the ‘60s peace and love movement; a legend within his own right, and every group he was a part of. Coming up in the same era as The Doors, David Crosby had the voice and song writing abilities that made him completely unique…”
Sebastian Bach – “As much as I loved his music I loved his thoughts on Twitter as well. Rest In Peace David Crosby ✌️ thank you for the lifetime of inspiration.”
Jason Isbell, who performed with Crosby on Red Rocks in 2019 – “Grateful for the time we had with David Crosby. We’ll miss him a lot.”
Hanson – “We are so sad to hear of the passing of the legendary David Crosby, a man of unbelievable talent. As a small tribute, here’s our cover of CSNY’s ‘Teach Your Children’. Rest in Peace, David.”
Michael Des Barres– “David Crosby stuck to his guns. A difficult and gifted man. Whose talent and taste was immense. His harmonious voice still echoes in Laurel Canyon. A proud man who said what he said, and felt what he felt with no apology. A brilliant songwriter, and an American Icon, RIP.”
