Music – Page 3825 – 105.7 WDNY

Ozzy Osbourne credits “being a devil worshipper” for avoiding COVID-19

October 11, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Ozzy Osbourne has been dealing with a variety of health ailments over the past few years, but luckily, COVID-19 isn’t one of the them. In an interview with Metal Hammer, the Black Sabbath frontman hypothesizes that being the Prince of Darkness may have helped him in that regard.

“My wife had the virus; my daughter had the virus and I never got it,” Osbourne says. “Being a devil worshipper does have its good points!”

It’s unclear whether whether Ozzy meant his daughter Kelly or Aimee contracted COVID-19. His wife Sharon, of course, was briefly hospitalized with the virus late last year, and has since recovered. Two of Ozzy and Sharon’s granddaughters also tested positive.

In addition to his connection with Satan, Ozzy also got the COVID-19 vaccine earlier this year.

As for Osbourne’s other health issues, the 72-year-old tells Metal Hammer he’s “in for more surgery” for his neck, which he injured in 2019 after suffering a fall in his home. He also had a bad case of pneumonia in 2019, as well, and revealed in 2020 that he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

That hasn’t stopped him from making music, though — Ozzy’s next solo album, the follow-up to 2020’s Ordinary Man, is a “work in progress,” he says.

Say It Isn’t So: Happy 75th birthday, Daryl Hall

October 11, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Say it isn’t so! Daryl Hall celebrates a milestone birthday Monday, when he will turn 75. Here are some things you may not know about the blond half of Daryl Hall & John Oates, music’s most successful duo:

–Born Daryl Hohl, Hall met John Oates in 1967 in the service elevator of Philadelphia’s Adelphi Ballroom, where they both were trying to escape a fight between rival gangs.

–Prior to forming a duo with Oates, Hall was released a 1969 album as part of the rock duo Gulliver. He was also one of the group of musicians who, under the name Electric Indian, released the 1969 top 20 hit “Keem-O-Sabe.”

–Hall’s favorite hobby is buying and restoring historic homes. In 2014, he even hosted a show on the DIY Network called Daryl’s Restoration Over-Hall.

–Since 2007, Hall has hosted Live from Daryl’s House, an ongoing concert series that features him duetting with fellow musicians. At first, the series originated from his home in Millerton, NY; now it takes place at his club, Daryl’s House, in Pawling, NY.

–Don’t ever refer to his music as “blue-eyed soul.” Daryl hates the term, insisting, “Soul music is not about race.” He doesn’t like the term “yacht rock” either, and don’t even think about calling them Hall & Oates: It’s Daryl Hall & John Oates. “The reason we’ve always insisted on our full names is because we consider ourselves to be two individual artists, Hall told the San Jose Mercury News. “We’re not really a classic duo in that respect.”

–Daryl Hall and John Oates have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Tribute to Pink Floyd’s ‘Animals’ featuring members of Yes, Jethro Tull and more due in November

October 11, 2021 by WDNY Radio

A veritable menagerie of well-known musicians have lent their talents to a new tribute to Pink Floyd‘s classic 1977 concept album Animals that will be released November 19 on CD and digital formats.

Animals Reimagined: A Tribute to Pink Floyd includes contributions from former Yes keyboardists Rick Wakeman and Patrick Moraz, current Yes singer Jon Davison and bassist Billy Sherwood, longtime Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre, ex-Blue Öyster Cult bassist Joe Bouchard, and many others.

The album, which can be pre-ordered on CD and digitally now, also will be issued as a vinyl LP in 2022.

Among the other artists featured on the tribute project are theatrical psych-rock legend Arthur Brown, Vanilla Fudge/Cactus drummer Carmine Appice, Cutting Crew frontman Nick Van Eede, former Rainbow singer Graham Bonnett, UFO guitarist Vinnie Moore, Utopia bassist Kasim Sulton, Dream Theater frontman James La Brie and keyboardist Jordan Rudess, King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto, jazz-rock guitar great Al Di Meola, and Bauhaus‘ David J.

In advance of the album, a cover of the track “Dogs” recorded by Bonnett, Moore, Sulton, Rudess and Mastelotto has been released as a digital single.

Pink Floyd’s Animals was released in January 1977 and peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200. It has gone on to sell more than four million copies in the U.S. The album, which was written mostly by singer/bassist Roger Waters, featured lyrics that compares the classes of human society with three animals — pigs, dogs and sheep.

Animals Reimagined follows a similar star-studded project released in May that paid tribute to Pink Floyd’s 1975 Wish You Were Here album.

Here’s the Animals Reimagined: A Tribute to Pink Floyd track list, along with the musicians featured on each song and the groups they’re associated with:

“Pigs on the Wing 1” — Nick van Eede (Cutting Crew), Martin Barre (Jethro Tull)
“Dogs” — Graham Bonnet (Rainbow), Vinnie Moore (UFO), Kasim Sulton (Utopia), Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson)
“Pigs (Three Different Ones)” — James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Al Di Meola, Joe Bouchard (Blue Öyster Cult), Patrick Moraz (The Moody Blues/Yes), Billy Cobham (Mahavishnu Orchestra)
“Sheep” — Arthur Brown, Rick Wakeman (Yes), Jan Akkerman (Focus), David J. (Bauhaus/Love & Rockets), Carmine Appice (Cactus/Vanilla Fudge)
“Pigs on the Wing 2” — Jon Davison (Yes), Albert Lee, Billy Sherwood (Yes)

Paul McCartney says John Lennon instigated the breakup of The Beatles

October 11, 2021 by WDNY Radio

It’s been over 50 years since Paul McCartney announced that The Beatles were going their separate ways. While fans still speculate who initiated the breakup, Sir Paul has again set the record straight.

“I didn’t instigate the split. That was our Johnny,” McCartney, 79, said regarding the late John Lennon when talking to BBC Radio 4’s This Cultural Life. The Guardian obtained an advanced copy of the special, which is scheduled to air October 23.

McCartney recalled, “John walked into a room one day and said, ‘I am leaving The Beatles.'”

Paul said that announcement led to “the most difficult period” of his life. He and his band mates Ringo Starr and George Harrison were “left to pick up the pieces” by being forced to keep Lennon’s exit a secret.

“So for a few months we had to pretend. It was weird because we all knew it was the end of The Beatles but we couldn’t just walk away,” Sir Paul reflected.

The pressure eventually got the best of McCartney. He said he became “fed up of hiding it” and admittedly “let the cat out of the bag” when promoting his eponymous debut solo album on April 10, 1970.

McCartney also reflected on the infamous lawsuit he brought against his band mates, saying it was because he didn’t want to be controlled by manager Allen Klein.

“I had to fight, and the only way I could fight was in suing the other Beatles,” he remarked. “They thanked me for it years later.”

McCartney also thinks that, had Lennon stayed, The Beatles “could have” survived for longer. “This was my band, this was my job, this was my life, so I wanted it to continue,” he said.

Taylor Swift’s ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ tops the ’Billboard’ 200

October 11, 2021 by WDNY Radio

After spending last week at the bottom of the Billboard 200 albums chart, Taylor Swift‘s Fearless (Taylor’s Version) skyrocketed to the number-one spot this week and has been certified the second-best-selling album of the year.

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) — the re-recorded version of her 2008 album — jumped to number one after moving a robust 152,000 units the past week, a 1,931% surge. It last peaked at number one in April.

Thanks to Taylor adding limited edition signed CDs and two vinyl LPs for fans to buy, fans snatched up 146,000 album copies, which is an unprecedented 15,807% jump from the past week. Breaking down the number further, 77,000 of the sold copies were CDs and 67,000 were vinyl LPs, while cassettes and digital downloads were tied at 1,000 each. Listeners also streamed the album 8.72 million times.

However, it’s the physical sales that has music insiders buzzing. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) now crosses over 400,000 albums sold — making it the second-best-selling album of the year. Taylor also is behind this year’s best-selling album, as fans snatched up 434,000 copies of her 2020 release, Evermore, since January.

Additionally, Taylor has the seventh-best-selling album of the year, with Folklore moving 228,000 copies in 2021.

Adele responds to fan who wanted to know her “body count”

October 11, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Don’t expect Adele to kiss and tell!

With less than a week until the world is graced with new music from the British singer, she hopped on Instagram Live over the weekend to get fans excited.

During the Live she played a snippet of her upcoming single “Easy on Me,” and also answered some fan questions. However, when one fan tried to get a bit personal, Adele didn’t quite know how to respond.

In a video shared to Twitter the “Rolling in the Deep” singer reads a fan question aloud that asked what her body count is, referring to how many sexual partners she’s had.

Adele responded, “What’s that?” as she continued to scroll through the comment section.

The powerhouse singer also fielded questions about her favorite foods, other artists — yes she’s excited for Beyoncé‘s next album — and her favorite thing to do during lockdown.

“Drink wine, obviously,” she cheekily admitted.

Adele being iconic on Instagram live pic.twitter.com/DRH2MlG464

— loveofhuns x (@loveofhuns) October 10, 2021

Jimmie Allen loves all his ‘Dancing with the Stars’ cast mates, but admits “the biggest crush ever” on Melanie C

October 11, 2021 by WDNY Radio

In his typical upbeat fashion, Jimmie Allen couldn’t be more complimentary about his competitors, heading into his fourth week on Dancing with the Stars.

“Everybody was kinda like I figured they would be,” he tells ABC Audio. “Like, when I saw this cast and we all met at Disneyland, everybody was super cool.”

“Melora [Hardin] is really nice,” he continues. “I talk to Matt James and Iman [Shumpert] a lot, Cody [Rigsby]. Me and [Michael] “The Miz” [Gregory] been talking a lot. He’s funny, yo! I like him. Even little Suni [Lee]. She’s cool. Amanda [Kloots] is really nice.”

“Olivia Jade, she’s super nice, man,” he adds. “You could tell she’s so young. She’s so nervous all the time. She’s really, really nice.”

Of course, there may be one particular favorite for the “Freedom Was a Highway” hitmaker.

“Melanie C is amazing. I mean, I get to hang out with Sporty Spice! Like God, I used to have the biggest crush on her ever,” he reveals.

Jimmie adds, “I’m definitely glad I’m on this season with this group of people. Like I felt like they went out and actually picked cool people, because everybody on the show is really cool. You know, everybody’s getting along.”

But who does Jimmie view as the one to beat?

“All of ’em!” he laughs. “I feel like they all scare me. You know, the cool thing is like, this cast is so different because everyone brings their own thing to the table.”

Tonight, Jimmie and his partner Emma Slater will be doing the Paso Doble to “I’ll Make A Man Out of You” from Mulan for Disney Heroes Night, which starts at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Blondie releases digital EP featuring rare 1981 Christmas tune recorded with hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy

October 11, 2021 by WDNY Radio

With the holiday season approaching, Blondie has released a new three-track EP featuring a rare 1981 Christmas tune called “Yuletide Throwdown” that the band recorded with hip-hop legend “Fab 5 Freddy” Brathwaite, as well as a new remix of the song created by DJ/producer Cut Chemist.

“Yuletide Throwdown” originally was released on a flexi-disc given away by U.K. magazine Flexipop, and was co-written with and co-produced by Fab 5 Freddy. The song features Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry and Freddy rapping Christmas-themed lyrics over what actually is the original music for the band’s chart-topping 1981 smash “Rapture.”

The Yuletide Throwdown EP is available now digitally and via streaming services, while a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl version will be released on November 5, pressed on either black or magenta-colored vinyl.

“Yuletide Throwdown” recently was rediscovered while Blondie was going through its personal archives in preparation for a new box set that will be released in August 2022.

“It has been an impossible amount of time since I believed in Santa Claus, but I could very well believe again if he was Freddy Brathwaite!!” says Harry in a statement. “Some of my best times have been making music with [Blondie guitarist/songwriter] Chris Stein and Freddy B.”

Adds Stein, “Freddy has done as much as any multi-platinum selling Hip-Hop star to promote rap culture.”

Meanwhile, Fab 5 Freddy notes, “In the beginning of my journey into pop culture, Chris & Debbie were among the first to take me and my ideas about hip hop culture seriously and were like mentors to me shining a light along the road and assisting my quest. I’m happy after all this time the world can now hear this fun holiday tune we did way back then!”

The Romantics’ Mike Skill says newly released debut solo album shows fans his sound and his voice

October 11, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Founding Romantics guitarist Mike Skill has just released his debut solo album, Skill…Mike Skill, which is available now via digital formats, with a vinyl version due out later in 2021.

The 12-track collection features Mike’s recently issued version of The Romantics’ 1980 power-pop classic “What I Like About You,” as well as several other songs he released as digital singles over the last few years and some new tunes recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Skill, who has co-written all of his band’s best-known songs, tells ABC Audio that one of the reasons he decided to put together the solo album was that The Romantics weren’t enthusiastic about working on new music during the pandemic.

“So I’m just kind of living in Mike Skill world, and…showing [what] my sound…is, and my voice and my name,” he explains.

One of the album’s tracks, “’67 Riot,” which was first released as a single, features contributions by one of Mike’s guitar heroes, The MC5‘s Wayne Kramer.

Skill says he was initially hesitant to ask Kramer to play on the song, but after Wayne heard it, “he loved it, loved the lyrics, he loved the whole attitude,” noting that the tune “had that throwback sound to late-’60s, ’70s kind of Detroit sound, that…high-energy rock.”

Skill worked on a number of the tracks with longtime Romantics drummer Brad Elvis, while Brad’s wife, singer/musician Chloe F. Orwell, also contributed her talents to some tunes.

Mike says Chloe wrote the lyrics for “Carrie Got Married,” a power-pop anthem that was penned as a sequel to the 1980 Romantics song “Tell It to Carrie.” Chloe also sang and played sax on the soul-flavored track “So Soul Alone.”

For more about the album, visit MikeSkill.com.

Nas teaching MasterClass in hip hop storytelling to help aspiring rappers “find their inspiration”

October 11, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Nas is always on the list in the discussion of the greatest rappers of all-time, and now the iconic MC is sharing his wisdom and experience in a new online course.

He’s teaching a MasterClass in hip hop storytelling that begins October 14.

“I feel like everybody has their own technique. If you take a look at mine, it’s really too much to say in one MasterClass,” Nas tells Complex. “If you take my technique, I think you’ll find that it might be real similar to yours if you’re a writer. You might see things that you do that are similar or that you didn’t see before in yourself. You might find that I gave you something that could add to what you’re doing, and I think that’s important. I think that’s where we’re at in the business: it’s to share.”

In a trailer for the course, he says he will teach students “how to find your inspiration, your flow, and how to turn your life experience into music.”

The Grammy winner grew up in the borough of Queens in New York City. On September 23, he received the key to Queens as he performed a charity concert raising money to help feed the hungry in NYC.

“I’m super honored by it. When you look back and think about humble beginnings, and you realize how much you’ve been putting in… It’s a great county. It’s a great town,” he says.

“To have that honor in 2021 and have my own day, September 23, makes me feel great,” Nas continues. “It makes me want to do something more.”

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