Following ‘Masked Singer’ reveal, John Oates talks new single and Daryl Hall

December 14, 2023 by WDNY Radio

John Oates was revealed as The Anteater on Fox’s The Masked Singer Wednesday night.

After removing the head of his costume, Oates said, “I’ve done a lot of crazy stuff my career. This is one of the best things I’ve ever done.”

During his time on the show, John sang hits like Chuck Berry‘s “Johnny B. Goode,” Backstreet Boys‘ “I Want It That Way,” Marc Cohn‘s “Walking In Memphis” and Justin Timberlake‘s “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”

Following his unmasking, Oates announced on Instagram that he has a new single coming out: “Get Your Smile On” arrives Friday.

Speaking with Billboard, Oates says he wasn’t crazy about the Anteater costume, but then, “I thought maybe it was a subtle connection between ‘Maneater’ and Anteater, which I thought might be a subtle clue without being a clue.”

“At a certain point they convinced me it’s cool, but I’m still not sure it’s true.”

About his new single, Oates said, “It’s a song I wrote during COVID — I wanted to write something really positive — and this is a great time to put it out, with all proceeds from the download of the song going to Teen Cancer America.”

Asked if the show had been a “distraction” from his current legal battle with his musical partner Daryl Hall, Oates said, “Any time I can talk about music and not the other stuff, that’s better.” When Billboard expressed hope that he and Daryl might perform together again one day, John said, “Yup, we’ll see.”

The Rolling Stones dropping second set of replica vinyl singles

December 14, 2023 by WDNY Radio

As fans of The Rolling Stones continue to enjoy their latest release, Hackney Diamonds, they’ll soon be able to enjoy some of The Stones’ classic tracks in a whole new way.

A new limited-edition collection, The Rolling Stones Singles 1966-1971, will be released February 2, featuring reproductions of 18 7-inch vinyl singles and EPs.

Among the songs featured in the set are “Paint It Black,” “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” “She’s a Rainbow,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Honkey Tonk Women” and “Brown Sugar.” It also includes the 7-inch EP of “Sympathy for the Devil,” which comes with remixes of the song by Fatboy Slim and Neptune.

Each single includes period-correct picture sleeve art. The set also includes a 23-page book with rare photos and liner notes by Stones expert Nigel Williamson, as well as photo cards and a poster. All songs were remastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Bob Ludwig.

This is the second volume of replica singles released by The Stones. The Rolling Stones Singles 1963-1966 was released in 2022.

The Rolling Stones Singles 1966-1971 is available for preorder now.

On This Day, December 14, 1986: Elton John records Sydney concert for future live album

December 14, 2023 by WDNY Radio

On This Day, December 14, 1986…

Elton John headlined a concert at the Sydney Entertainment Center in Sydney, Australia, which was released as the live album Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

The concert was the final night of John’s Tour De Force of Australia and New Zealand. It featured two sets, one with his 14-piece band and a second with the 88-piece Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Known for his flamboyant costumes, John dressed as Mozart for the orchestra set.

The album, which featured performances of “Your Song,” “Madman Across the Water,” “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” “Candle in the Wind” and more, was released June 13, 1987.

Taylor Swift parties with Blake Lively, Miles Teller on her birthday

December 14, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Travis Kelce was back in Kansas City for mandatory practice, but Taylor Swift still managed to have a happy birthday in New York City on Wednesday.

Page Six reports that Taylor and Blake Lively were seen entering the cocktail lounge Outer Heaven December 13. Taylor was wearing a black minidress decorated with a sparkly night sky, along with black platform heels. Newsweek reports that she and Blake were also seen at nightclub The Box with Miles Teller and his wife, Keleigh. On her way in, paparazzi serenaded Taylor with “Happy Birthday.”

Blake directed Taylor’s video for “I Bet You Think About Me,” which Miles and Keleigh starred in.

Meanwhile, Page Six reports that throughout the day, there were dozens of flower deliveries at Taylor’s New York City apartment. It’s not clear who they were from.

Taylor actually started her birthday celebrations a day early, as Page Six notes, stepping out Tuesday night with pal Selena Gomez, along with Miles and Keleigh. On Wednesday, Selena posted a selfie of the two of them on her Instagram Story, showing Taylor kissing her while snapping the pic. “Happy Birthday to the goddess that is Taylor Swift,” reads the caption.

Hulu drops reality show about Diddy

December 14, 2023 by WDNY Radio

A reality series in the making about Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ life and family has been dropped by Hulu.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project backed by production company Fulwell 73 was in early stages before the plug was pulled following multiple sexual assault allegations against Diddy.

The fourth and most recent complaint, filed in New York federal court this month, alleged Diddy and Bad Boy President Harve Pierre sex trafficked and raped a woman identified as Jane Doe when she was 17.

Three previous suits were filed in November, including the bombshell first complaint by singer Cassie, who accused him of years of sexual and physical abuse.

The former couple settled Cassie’s suit a day after it was made public.

Eighteen brands have severed business ties with Diddy amid the claims, Rolling Stone says, including accessory company House of Takura, undergarment and shapewear line Nuudii System and skin care brand Tsuri.

Diddy has denied the allegations, first through lawyers, then with a statement from his personal social media accounts.

“I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, family and for the truth,” the statement reads.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Beatles exhibit closing in January

December 14, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Fans of The Beatles only have a couple more weeks to make it to Cleveland to check out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s The Beatles: Get Back to Let It Be exhibit.

The exhibit was created as a compliment to Peter Jackson’s Emmy Award-winning docuseries Get Back. After a nearly two-year run it’s set to close on January 10.

As part of The Beatles celebration, the Rock Hall has been hosting “Beatles Friday” events — the last one is scheduled for December 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It includes a screening of The Beatles Rooftop Concert, which was their last live performance, and “From The Vault,” featuring memorable clips of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison from the Rock Hall’s induction stage.

There’s also a Beatles trivia game show, with prizes awarded to winners; a Beatles set performed by the Rock Hall’s house band, The Mechanics; and fan meetups.

The Beatles: Get Back to Let It Be features a host of Beatles memorabilia, including John Lennon‘s eyeglasses, Harrison’s handwritten lyrics for “I Me Mine” and McCartney’s handwritten lyrics to “I Got A Feeling.” There are also three screening rooms with video footage from the three locations featured in the series: Twickenham, Apple Studios and the Apple Corps rooftop.

More info can be found at rockhall.com.

Lance Bass is in a “Better Place” for the holidays thanks to his kids

December 14, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Lance Bass is gearing up for Christmas with his husband, Michael Turchin, and their twins, Violet and Alexander. He says his beloved family holiday traditions are mostly about one thing: food.

“I definitely bring a lot of my family traditions to the table, literally,” he tells ABC Audio. “Some of my mimi’s dishes, I fix every single holiday and I make sure my kids are forced to love it, which they do anyway. But now they’re finally at that age where they can help in the kitchen.”

Lance is also convinced that Alexander could be a great chef, because he loves his little play kitchen.

“He’s mixing and he’s pretending to taste it and then mix again,” Lance says. “I’m like, ‘How do you know this already? What are you watching?'”

Lance notes his whole family are great cooks, so maybe “it’s just kind of in his blood.”

“I’m excited for him to help me more in the kitchen,” he adds of baking holiday treats. “And I think that’s how I’m going to show my love to them, is just being in that kitchen.”

Lance says spending Christmas in the kitchen, his “happy place with them,” is quite a change from the holidays of the past.

“We didn’t have kids and I’d go home to Mississippi maybe for Christmas. Then we’d go to Miami Beach, where my, you know, husband’s from. So we always spent the holidays on the road. But now I want to start those traditions at home. So now we spend it here.”

“We wake up Christmas morning and Santa has come,” he adds. “We definitely open up that one gift the night before, because c’mon, it’s usually pajamas … but yeah, those are the things I love doing.”

Beyoncé is this close to billionaire status

December 14, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal

As a couple, Beyoncé and Jay-Z have reached billionaire status.

On her own, Queen Bey needs to earn a couple more bucks to enter the billion-dollar club.

Forbes estimates the “Renaissance” queen has now amassed a net worth of $800 million.

The recent funds deposited in Beyoncé’s massive bank account — calculated at $540 million in June — include a music catalog now worth about $300 million and the estimated $100 million (post tax) earned from her record-breaking Renaissance World Tour.

The global road show brought in revenue upward of $579 million, making it one of the top 10 highest-grossing tours in history, per Billboard.

Other factors that help to put money in Bey’s pockets include her box office #1 concert movie, Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé, which grossed $27.4 million during opening weekend; her media, fashion and lifestyle businesses: Parkwood Entertainment, Ivy Park, her perfume collection and more; as well as the wide array of ventures she has with Jay-Z, including a real estate portfolio and art collection.

In the words of IAG Chairman Dennis Arfa, “Beyoncé is big business.”

Watch Dave Matthews pay tribute to Jimmy Buffett with “A Pirate Looks at Forty” cover

December 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Dave Matthews has shared a cover of the Jimmy Buffett song “A Pirate Looks at Forty” in honor of the late musician.

The performance was recorded during Matthews’ recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show. You can watch it streaming now on YouTube.

Dave Matthews Band previously covered “A Pirate Looks at Forty” during a concert in September, just a day after Buffett passed away at age 76.

“Whether planned or coincidence, every time I ran into Jimmy it was like seeing an old friend,” Matthews wrote following Buffett’s death. “He was brilliant and a genuinely good and generous man. We didn’t know each other that well. We weren’t old friends, but that’s how I felt around him. He is loved by so many because that’s how he made us all feel.”

Watch The Darkness rehearse with Ed Sheeran ahead of onstage collaboration

December 13, 2023 by WDNY Radio

The Darkness‘ show in London on Saturday, December 9, featured a surprise appearance by Ed Sheeran, who performed an opening set and joined the band for a joint rendition of their song “Love Is Only a Feeling.” The English rockers have now shared a video capturing their rehearsal with Sheeran ahead of the onstage collaboration.

The clip features frontman Justin Hawkins jamming an acoustic guitar alongside the “Shape of You” star backstage in a dressing room. You can watch it streaming now on YouTube.

Along with the rehearsal footage, The Darkness will premiere a live video of “Love Is Only a Feeling” soon.

Sheeran previously crossed over into the rock world thanks to his collaboration with Bring Me the Horizon. He’s also been working on a song with Cradle of Filth.

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