Father of KISS’ Paul Stanley dies at 101

Father of KISS’ Paul Stanley dies at 101
Father of KISS’ Paul Stanley dies at 101
Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images

KISS‘ Paul Stanley is mourning the death of his father, William Eisen, who has passed away at 101 years old.

“My dad William Eisen has left this earth after 101 years & 7 months,” Stanley tweeted Sunday alongside a photo of him and his dad.

“His thirst for knowledge never [waned],” the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer added. “He could speak on virtually any subject. His pride in my accomplishments was heartwarming as was seeing his love of my family. He said he’d always be with me and he will.”

Stanley, 69, and KISS are currently off the road after playing the KISS Kruise earlier this month. Their planned Las Vegas residency, which was scheduled to kick off in December, was recently canceled.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABC-TV comedy inspired by Alanis Morissette’s life in development

ABC-TV comedy inspired by Alanis Morissette’s life in development
ABC-TV comedy inspired by Alanis Morissette’s life in development
Michael Stewart/WireImage

While some of the things that Alanis Morissette has experienced in her career seem like no laughing matter, she’s teaming with ABC to develop a comedy based on her life, Deadline reports.

Alanis is serving as an executive producer for the show, which called Relatable, and she’ll also write original music for it. The show focuses on a 40-something married woman with three kids who spent her early years as a rock star famous for her “anthems of female rage and teen angst” — sound like anyone you know?  The comedy will apparently arise from her inability to get her children to listen to her.

The characters, according to Deadline, are “fictional and non-biographical,” though Alanis’ life will “loosely inform” the show.

A documentary on Alanis will also air later this month on HBO, though the singer has publicly denounced the film.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Ticket sales for Billy Joel’s Houston show put on hold following Astroworld concert disaster

Ticket sales for Billy Joel’s Houston show put on hold following Astroworld concert disaster
Ticket sales for Billy Joel’s Houston show put on hold following Astroworld concert disaster
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Billy Joel announced last week that tickets for his show on September 23, 2022, at Houston’s Minute Maid Park would go on sale this Friday. However, those plans have now been put on hold following the tragedy at this weekend’s Astroworld festival, which left eight people dead and hundreds more injured.

“Out of respect for the Houston community after the events at Astroworld on Friday, organizers for the upcoming Billy Joel concert scheduled for Minute Maid Park in Houston…announced they are delaying the on sale until further notice,” reads a statement on Billy’s website. “Organizers will provide an update shortly on when ticket sales will begin.”

On Friday night in Houston, the Astroworld festival, organized by and featuring rap superstar Travis Scott, ended in disaster when the crowd of 50,000 surged forward; many fans were crushed or trampled and multiple people collapsed. 

The concert’s promoter reportedly agreed to halt the show, but Scott continued to play. Two concertgoers have already filed lawsuits in the festival’s aftermath as of early Monday. 

Scott has said he’ll pay funeral costs for the victims, and will provide refunds for anyone who bought tickets to the event.  He described himself as “absolutely devastated” by the tragedy, and said he is “working closely with everybody to get to the bottom of this.”

 

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Paul McCartney disagrees that The Beatles are the greatest band of all time

Paul McCartney disagrees that The Beatles are the greatest band of all time
Paul McCartney disagrees that The Beatles are the greatest band of all time
© Mary McCartney

So, The Beatles are the greatest band of all time, right? Not if you ask Paul McCartney.

Sir Paul himself feels that The Everly Brothers deserve the honor.

British newspaper the Daily Mail reports that, according to a passage in his new book The Lyrics, the former Beatle says he and band mate John Lennon were plenty inspired by the pioneering American rock ‘n’ roll duo.

“The biggest influence on John and me was The Everly Brothers. To this day, I just think they’re the greatest,” McCartney expressed. “And they were different.”

“You’d heard barbershop quartets, you’d heard [British pop trio] the Beverley Sisters — three girls — you’d all heard that. But just two guys, two good-looking guys? So we idolized them. We wanted to be them,” he remarked.

The Everly Brothers, comprised of brothers Don and Phil Everly, are credited for pioneering the country-rock genre.  The duo also experimented with infusing pop elements into their music, which include the hit singles “Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up Little Susie” and many more. Other artists influenced by the duo included Simon & Garfunkel, The Beach Boys, The Bee Gees and The Hollies.

Don passed away in August of this year.  He was predeceased by Phil, who died on January 3, 2014.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Elton John is now the oldest person ever to top the Australian charts

Elton John is now the oldest person ever to top the Australian charts
Elton John is now the oldest person ever to top the Australian charts
Interscope Records

After topping the charts in this native Britain, Elton John’s “Cold Heart” — his collaboration with Dua Lipa and Australia’s Pnau — has now hit number one in Australia, and it’s earned him yet another chart record.

As Billboard notes, Elton is now, at 74 years and seven months, the oldest person ever to top the official Australian singles chart.  The previous record-holder was Paul McCartney, who was 72 when he hit number one with the 2015 song “FourFiveSeconds,” a collaboration with Rihanna and Kanye West.

“Cold Heart” is also Elton’s first number-one in Australia since 1997’s “Something About the Way You Look Tonight”/”Candle in the Wind 1997.”  He’s had three there overall.  Meanwhile, it’s Dua’s first Australian number one, and the first for Pnau as well.

“Cold Heart” is from Elton’s album The Lockdown Sessions, which features collaborations with Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj and other artists.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Camila Cabello lists LA home for $4 million, shows off new tattoo

Camila Cabello lists LA home for  million, shows off new tattoo
Camila Cabello lists LA home for  million, shows off new tattoo
Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Global Citizen

Camila Cabello will soon be looking for a new place to live: She’s selling her Los Angeles home for nearly $4 million, the Dirt website reports.

Camila bought the place in the Hollywood Hills in 2019 for just over $3 million. It’s the same home where she and boyfriend Shawn Mendes were in residence back in March when someone broke in, stole the keys to Shawn’s Mercedes G Wagon and made off with it. The vehicle was later recovered.

As a result of the theft, the 3,500-square-foot residence now features a state-of-the-art security system, as well as a pool, outdoor fireplace and kitchen, two-car garage, fireplaces, spa-like bathroom and recording studio.

As for where Camila will go next, she and Shawn were reportedly house-hunting in her native Miami last year.

In other Camila news, she showed off her new tattoo on Instagram: It’s a coil of braided sweet grass on the nape of her neck.  The singer got the ink in honor of the non-fiction 2013 book Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, which Camila says “changed my life.”

“After I read it, I knew I’d never look at the earth and all of it’s inhabitants the same,” Camila gushed on Instagram. “It taught me about reciprocity, about the gift and wisdom in Mother Nature, and that when we heal the Earth, we heal ourselves,” she wrote, adding a quote from the book: “All flourishing is mutual.”

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Travis Scott to pay for funeral costs of those for victims of Astroworld festival tragedy

Travis Scott to pay for funeral costs of those for victims of Astroworld festival tragedy
Travis Scott to pay for funeral costs of those for victims of Astroworld festival tragedy
Travis Scott performs at the 2021 Astroworld festival; Rick Kern/Getty Images

Travis Scott announced Monday he will pay all funeral costs for those who died during the Astroworld festival last Friday in Houston, Texas.

The “Highest in the Room” rapper, who organized and headlined the event, is also providing free one-on-one online therapy for those in need. BetterHelp, in conjunction with Travis, is offering free counseling sessions with a licensed therapist for those who sign up on its website.

The National Alliance on Mental Health, NAMI, has also established a hotline, available Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. This hotline can be reached at 1-844-CJ NAMI 1, 844-256-2641.

As the investigation continues into the fatal incident, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner tweeted Monday, “We are asking for everyone to be considerate of the grieving families during this incredibly difficult time. Please continue to lift them up in prayer.”

As previously reported, Scott will issue full refunds for attendees who bought tickets to the event. Festival performer Roddy Rich also announced he is donating his “net compensation to the families of this incident.”

Scott was scheduled to headline this weekend’s Day N Vegas Festival, but he has cancelled his performance.

In statements on social media, Scott said he was “absolutely devastated” by what happened and is “working closely with everybody to get to the bottom of this.”

Eight people died and hundreds were injured when the crowd of 50,000 rushed the stage during Scott’s performance. Two concertgoers have already filed lawsuits in the festival’s aftermath as of early Monday.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

‘Led Zeppelin IV’ RIAA-certified 24x Platinum on 50th anniversary of album’s release

‘Led Zeppelin IV’ RIAA-certified 24x Platinum on 50th anniversary of album’s release
‘Led Zeppelin IV’ RIAA-certified 24x Platinum on 50th anniversary of album’s release
Atlantic Records/Swan Song

With Led Zeppelin celebrating the 50th anniversary today of the release of its classic 1971 untitled studio album, better known as Led Zeppelin IV, comes news that the record has just been certified 24 times Platinum by the RIAA for notching 24 million equivalent album unit sales in the U.S.

This moves Led Zeppelin IV into a tie with The Beatles‘ White Album for the fifth-best-selling album ever in the States.

The only albums ahead of Zeppelin IV are the Eagles‘ Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, at 38-times platinum; Michael Jackson‘s Thriller, at 34-times platinum; the Eagles’ Hotel California, at 26-times platinum; and AC/DC‘s Back in Black, at 25-times platinum.

Led Zeppelin recorded most of Led Zeppelin IV‘s basic tracks while staying at a country house called Headley Grange in Hampshire, England, using The Rolling Stones‘ mobile studio.

Led Zeppelin IV featured several of the band’s best-known tunes, including perhaps their most famous song of all, the epic rock anthem “Stairway to Heaven.”

Robert Plant recalls that he was at Headley Grange when he began writing the lyrics for “Stairway to Heaven.”

“I was sitting next to Jimmy [Page] in front of the fire…He’d written this chord sequence and was playing it to me,” Plant remembers. “I was holding a pencil and paper and suddenly my hand is writing the words ‘There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold…’ I sat there, looked at the words and almost leaped out from my seat. Looking back, I suppose I sat down at the right moment.”

Late drummer John Bonham said around the time of Led Zeppelin IV‘s release that he felt it was the best album the band had made up till that time.

“I love it,” he added.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

See Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in first look at ‘Yellowstone’ spin-off ‘1883’

See Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in first look at ‘Yellowstone’ spin-off ‘1883’
See Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in first look at ‘Yellowstone’ spin-off ‘1883’
Paramount+

The teaser for the Yellowstone prequel 1883, starring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, is finally here.

A preview of the spin-off series debuted Sunday during the Yellowstone season 4 premiere, giving fans a first look at the Grammy-winning country music couple as James and Margaret Dutton.

“I heard a thousand stories, but none could describe this place,” a voiceover says in the minute-long clip. “The road west is filled with failures. It was a dream, and the dream is coming true. We are in the land of no mercy now.”

Tim and Faith, both 54, are joined in the show’s cast by Sam Elliott, Billy Bob Thornton, Isabel May and LaMonica Garrett.

1883 is described as “a stark retelling of Western expansion” and will follow “the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America … fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana.”

Tim has previously starred in films such as Friday Night Lights and The Blind Side, while Faith starred in The Stepford Wives and Dixieland.

The series premieres Dec. 19 on Paramount+.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Adele’s UK special taping attracts Dua Lipa, Emma Thompson, Idris Elba, Mel B & more

Adele’s UK special taping attracts Dua Lipa, Emma Thompson, Idris Elba, Mel B & more
Adele’s UK special taping attracts Dua Lipa, Emma Thompson, Idris Elba, Mel B & more
L-Dua Lipa, R-Idris Elba attend Adele’s TV special taping; Ricky Vigil M/GC Images

Adele recorded her upcoming special for British TV over the weekend at the London Palladium, and of course, it attracted quite the star-studded crowd.

The British tabloid The Sun reports that the audience included Harry Potter star Emma Watson, Oscar-winner Emma Thompson, Idris Elba, Spice Girl Mel B, Dua Lipa, Boy George, Naomi Campbell and British rapper Stormzy, in addition to a group of “superfans.” Of course, Adele’s boyfriend Rich Paul was also in attendance.

According to The Sun, Adele was very emotional, telling the audience how nervous she was, and even crying at one point. But she also laughed and joked with the audience during a Q&A session.

One attendee told the paper, “Adele was really emotional to be back up on stage again and performing these new songs which are incredibly raw. She sang one track called ‘Hold On,’ which she said had helped her through the toughest times of her divorce.”

The fan added. “She said it makes her feel really proud now when she listens to it because she’s come such a long way to feel happy again.”

The special, An Audience with Adele, will air November 21.  According to The Sun, in addition to “Hold On,” Adele sang the new songs “Easy On Me,” “Love Is a Game” and “I Drink Wine,” as well as past hits like “Rolling in the Deep” and “Hello.”

Adele also sang one tune that wasn’t part of the setlist for her upcoming CBS TV special: the London-inspired  “Hometown Glory,” which was the first song she ever wrote.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.