The Rolling Stones No Filter 2021 photo, taken prior to Watts’ death/Credit: J. Rose
A series of videos uploaded to YouTube Tuesday morning shows the Rolling Stones performing their first concert since 2019, and their first show without late drummer Charlie Watts.
According to the Boston Globe, the band performed Monday night at a private concert hosted by Patriots owner Robert Kraft at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, MA.
The Globe reports that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards told the crowd of 300 people that they were dedicating the performance, and their upcoming tour, to Watts, who died August 24 at age 80. Veteran drummer Steve Jordan was behind the kit last night, and will be for the tour.
Carlos Santana has teamed up with Steve Winwood for the third single from the legendary guitarist’s upcoming album, Blessings and Miracles: a cover of Procol Harum‘s 1967 classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale.”
The idea for the two to record the song together came from Santana, who suggested it to Winwood when they were both performing in London’s Hyde Park. “I said, ‘You and I have to do it, but we’re going to do it very sexy, like a Hare Krishna but with congas,’” Santana recalls. “I played the components in his ear, and he said, ‘I hear it, Carlos. You’re right.’”
“So that’s what we did — it’s Santana, Cuban, Puerto Rican in an African way. And man, you talk about sexy,” adds Carlos. “Steve’s voice is so sexy and beautiful.”
Winwood adds, “Carlos has been doing what I’ve been trying to do for the last fifty years, namely combining elements of rock, jazz, folk, and Latin Afro-Caribbean music.”
“Carlos’ genius comes in large part from a wonderful combination of rock music with Latin-Cuban rhythms,” Winwood adds. “I’ve played with Carlos on numerous occasions over the past fifty years and I’m very excited to be working with him again still.”
Blessings and Miracles will be released October 15. Santana has also released the Rob Thomas collaboration “Move” and the Diane Warren/G-Eazy collaboration “She’s Fire” from the album.
L-R: Sarah Dash, Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx; Sony Legacy
Sarah Dash, who co-founded “Lady Marmalade” group Labelle, died on Monday, Billboard reports. She was 76.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Labelle co-founder Patti LaBelle said that she and Dash were “just onstage together on Saturday,” adding, “It was such a powerful and special moment.”
“Sarah Dash was an awesomely talented, beautiful and loving soul who blessed my life and the lives of so many others in more ways than I can say. I could always count on her to have my back,” Patti continued. “That’s who Sarah was…a loyal friend and a voice for those who didn’t have one. She was a true giver, always serving and sharing her talent and time.”
“I am heartbroken, as I know all of her loved ones and fans are,” she added. “But I know that Sarah’s spirit and all that she has given to the world live on. And I pray that her precious memory brings us peace and comfort. Rest in power my dear sister. I love you always!”
LaBelle also posted footage of her and Dash onstage on Saturday, as well as a montage of photos of Dash and the group over the years.
In the ’60s, Dash teamed up with Nona Hendryx and Patti LaBelle in Philadelphia to form a group called The Ordettes. After Cindy Birdsong joined, they renamed themselves The Bluebelles, and then Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. In 1971, a few years after Birdsong left to join The Supremes, they reimagined themselves as the trio Labelle, with a funkier and futuristic visual style and more politically and socially conscious songs.
In 1974, Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” — with its unforgettable chorus of “Voulez-vous couchez avec moi” — hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s parent album Nightbirds, was a top-10 hit and made them the first Black vocal group to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone. After two more albums, Labelle split and all three launched solo careers; in 2008, they reunited for an album and tour.
In addition to releasing a number of solo albums and singles, Dash wrote her autobiography, Dash of Diva, performed sporadically, and sang with the Rolling Stones, as well as with Stones guitarist Keith Richards on his solo album and tour.
After suddenly going dark on Instagram last week, Britney Spears made her triumphant return to the social media service on Monday.
The “Toxic” singer admitted that she found it hard to “stay away” from the app, but revealed that she temporarily deactivated her Instagram in order to enjoy a small getaway with Sam Asghari, her soon-to-be husband.
Spears, 39, also let it slip that she’s still having a tough time wrapping her mind around the fact that she’s engaged.
“Some shots from my weekend getaway to celebrate my engagement with my … holy s*** … FIANCÉ,” she captioned the post. “I still can’t believe it !!!!”
The Grammy winner continued, “I couldn’t stay away from the gram too long so I’m back already.”
Despite her celebratory return, some fans aren’t exactly buying the story and believe that someone else reactivated the account. Fans have begun pointing out that the photos and videos that have been uploaded since Monday don’t show Britney wearing her sparkler, nor the dark cherry-red highlights she had in her hair during last week’s engagement reveal.
In a later video update, Spears explained in the caption that the “red dye came out in the shower and it looked like a crime scene.”
The admission only fueled fans’ concerns that Britney may no longer in control of her Instagram, with some hairstylists offering their expertise with red hair dye.
“Uh red hair dye doesn’t rinse out in a few days… cosmetologist/barber here,” one user remarked, while others shared similar insights.
Neither Britney nor Asghari have addressed the speculation.
As Blake Shelton kicks off the latest season of The Voice, the veteran judge is happy to have some new blood joining the panel, as pop superstar Ariana Grande takes over one of the big red chairs, alongside Kelly Clarkson and John Legend.
“To be honest, I was really excited when I heard that Ariana was coming to join the coaching group here on The Voice for season 21,” Blake says. “I’m always excited to work with somebody new, and she’s incredibly talented and obviously a huge star.”
Of course, that’s about where Blake’s compliments end, since he can’t resist a little good-natured trash talk about his competitors.
“It’s always more exciting for me — the bigger the star, the harder they fall,” he jests. “And it’s always way more exciting to me to beat somebody of her level of popularity than it is just to beat, you know, some loser like Kelly or John, you know.”
You can check out the second night of the new season of The Voice tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
Earlier this month, Vanilla Fudge released a new cover of the classic 1965 Supremes hit “Stop in the Name of Love” that featured the final recording of original Fudge bassist Tim Bogert, who died of cancer in January of this year.
Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice tells ABC Audio that it was his idea to have Bogert — who had retired from the group in 2009 — record a bass part for the track, which the group had started working in in 2019.
“[When] we found out Tim was really ill…I said, ‘Let’s get Tim on this before he passes away,'” Appice recalls. “And in the January [2020], I went to L.A. and got Timmy to play on it.”
Similar to Vanilla Fudge’s 1967 hit version of The Supremes’ “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” the group’s rendition of “Stop in the Name of Love” turns the tune into an extended, multi-part psychedelic epic.
Appice says the arrangement began with singer/keyboardist Mark Stein, with the rest of the band then pitching in ideas. Carmine notes that it was particularly special to lock in his drum parts with Bogert’s signature bass fills.
“[I]t fit like a glove,” he gushes. “It was magic.”
Along with the “Stop in the Name of Love” single, which is available now digitally and via streaming services, Vanilla Fudge released a special audio tribute to Bogert, that features the group’s surviving original members — Appice, Stein and guitarist Vince Martel — sharing recollections about Tim, soundtracked by music from the band.
Vanilla Fudge also has released a music video for “Stop in the Name of Love” that combines vintage footage and photos of the band with lava-lamp style projections that were popular at concert during the late 1960s. The clip also is dedicated to Bogert.
Top Chef‘s Padma Lakshmi has been open about the fact that she gains 10 to 15 pounds while taping each season of the show. So of course, Meghan Trainor was concerned about the issue when she signed on to host the new Peacock cooking competition Top Chef: Family Style. But as Meghan tells ABC Audio, she wasn’t going to let it happen to her.
Meghan started out with two strikes against her: Not only was she required to eat delicious and fattening food every episode, but when she started hosting the show, her son Riley was just two months old. “I was [also] trying to lose my baby weight,” she tells ABC Audio. “So I was on a mission!”
“I worked out every single day before that show — and after that show, sometimes,” she reveals. “But I was the only person — I think I’m the only person in history, dare I say — to lose weight on Top Chef!
Yes, believe it or not, through diligent workouts and a nutrition plan, Meghan was able to avoid packing on the pounds while shooting the series.
“I was very excited. I kept coming in each week telling people, like, ‘We’re another pound down!'” she laughs. “So I worked very hard, and it showed me, too, like, you don’t have to be afraid of carbs and all the treats. Because if you balance it out, you can still lose weight. So I did very well!”
Top Chef: Family Style, which features kids and their relatives competing in teams, will be about halfway through its first season when Meghan’s other show, Clash of the Cover Bands, premieres on E! on October 13. She’s also working on a new album.
If you didn’t get your hands on Lil Nas X’s infamous Satan Shoes, he’s got another exclusive piece of clothing for you.
This time, the singer has teamed up with French designer Jean Paul Gaultier for a limited edition shirt in celebration of his new album, Montero.
The unisex long-sleeved mesh top is decorated with an ornate image featuring a shirtless Lil Nas with angel wings surrounded by tiny winged devils. It’s design was inspired by one of Jean Paul Gaultier’s iconic ‘90s prints.
Much like the controversial Satan Shoes collab with design company MSCHF, only 666 of the Jean Paul Gaultier x Lil Nas X shirts were made. The shirt will set you back nearly $400 and is available for pre-order now.
Shinedown‘s Brent Smith and Zach Myers have announced a tour with their Smith & Myers side project.
The run will kick off November 30 in Memphis, Tennessee, and will wrap up December 18 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tickets go on sale this Friday, September 24, at 10 a.m. local time.
Smith & Myers released two albums, Volume 1 and Volume 2, last year. Both records included a mix of covers and original work.
Shinedown, meanwhile, will continue their current tour this Tuesday in Bonner Springs, Kansas. The group’s headlining run is scheduled to wrap up in October.
Journey’s Jonathan Cain, Neal Schon & Arnel Pineda; Courtesy of Journey
Journey is putting the finishing touches on their first album of new original material since 2011’s Eclipse, and according to band members Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain, the project’s got that classic Journey sound — but with a new twist.
Speaking to Cleveland.com, Schon says of the new music, “We’re moving forward…It still sounds like Journey, but there is definitely a different strut in the rhythm section with Randy and Narada” — referring to the band’s returning bass player Randy Jackson and new drummer Narada Michael Walden, respectively.
The album is being worked on remotely by Schon and Walden on the West Coast, and Cain in Nashville and Florida, the band explains. “It’s typical Journey, I think,” Cain says. “We’re back to our old sound, but it’s got a little bit more on the bottom end.”
“It’s got fire. It’s just a little bit more edge to it. Neal’s playing his butt off, and it’s very driven, very cool. The songs came very interestingly. I like it a lot,” he adds.
One way the new album — which doesn’t have a release date yet — will pay tribute to Journey’s legacy is via the artwork: The package is being designed by Jim Welch, who worked on the classic Infinity, Departure and Escape albums.
The first single from the album, “The Way We Used to Be,” came out in June.
