MUSIC NEWS: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015
OBIT-SCOTT WEILAND
Scott Weiland has died. He was the former frontman for the Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver.
The singer's manager, Tom Vitorino, confirms the death last night to The Associated Press. Vitorino said he learned of Weiland's death from his tour manager but did not provide any details. Weiland's current band, Scott Weiland & the Wildabouts, was scheduled to play at a Medina, Minnesota, concert venue. The venue's website shows the event was cancelled. Local authorities couldn't immediately be reached for comment by the AP. Weiland was dogged by substance abuse problems throughout his career. He was 48.
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SPRINGSTEEN
Bruce Springsteen will kick off a 9-week U.S. tour next year.
On Friday the 66-year-old icon announced The River Tour with the E Street Band, which starts Jan. 16, 2016, in Pittsburgh.
Springsteen will play 24 dates and wrap the tour on March 17, 2016, at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
Tickets go on sale Dec. 11. The tour will also visit Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta and New York's Madison Square Garden.
Friday's announcement of the tour was made the day he released the four-disc ``The Ties That Bind: The River Collection,'' which includes unreleased songs, the original 1980 ``The River'' album and more.
Before the tour, Springsteen will perform on ``Saturday Night Live'' on Dec. 19.
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MORE SCOTT WEILAND
A Toronto man who photographed Scott Weiland & the Wildabouts' show in the city earlier this week says ``something seemed off'' with the singer-songwriter.
Jerry Abramowicz says while Weiland put on a great performance at Adelaide Hall on Tuesday and seemed healthy and sober, ``he did not look happy'' offstage.
A statement on Weiland's Facebook page this morning said the rocker died in his sleep while he and the band were on a tour stop in Bloomington, Minn.
The former lead singer for Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver battled substance abuse problems throughout his career.
But Abramowicz, whose photography can be seen in the liner notes of the band's latest CD, says Weiland didn't seem under the influence of anything during the show in Toronto.
He says Weiland seemed energetic but ``had a real sadness to his eyes'' that shocked him.
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MARIAH CAREY - SICK
Mariah Carey plans to keep up her scheduled holiday shows even as she recovers from a severe case of the flu.
People-dot-com reports Carey was hospitalized on Wednesday. Carey's representative says she's been sick for the past few days but she's doing better now. Carey's next show is Tuesday at New York's Beacon Theatre.
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MEMORIAL MARKER - LIVES LOST - WHO CONCERT
A marker to remember the 11 people killed at a 1979 Who concert in Cincinnati was unveiled last night. Mayor John Cranley dedicated the memorial, accompanied by the families of those killed at what was then Riverfront Coliseum 36 years ago yesterday.
The marker lists the names of those who died. The show was general admission, and the crowd waiting to get in surged when doors opened.
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CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH - NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING
Crosby, Stills and Nash need to brush up on their Christmas songs. The trio was way off key while trying to harmonize on ``Silent Night.'' They were among the performers last night at the lighting of the National Christmas Tree outside the White House. Reese Witherspoon served as the host. Fall Out Boy also performed. President Barack Obama and the first family flipped the switch to light the tree.
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LENNY KRAVITZ - PHOTO EXHIBIT
Lenny Kravitz got sick of the paparazzi and fans following him around when he wanted to go out and shoot photographs, so as a joke he turned the camera on them. He realized he had a different perspective worth photographing. Kravitz unveiled his photos in an exhibit called ``Flash'' that runs this week as part of the Art Basel Miami Beach art fair. Kravitz says art is about taking what's given to you and that's what life brought him. He says the people in his photos show ``curiosity, happiness, pain, intrigue...frustration, love, everything.''
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BOBBY SHMURDA - JAIL
Bobby Shmurda has been denied bail for a sixth time. Billboard reports a judge in Manhattan Supreme Court rejected a bail package put together by Shmurda's family. Shmurda was one of15 people arrested last December on weapons, drugs and conspiracy charges. Shmurda's lawyer, Alex Spiro, declined comment. Spiro is Shmurda's third lawyer in the case. The rapper is due in court again January 11th.
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LOLLAPALOOZA - EXPANDS
Lollapalooza is marking its 25th anniversary by adding an extra day to next year's festival. Founder Perry Farrell says Lollapalooza will be held Thursday, July 28th through Sunday, July 31th, in Chicago's Grant Park. Farrell says he added Thursday to the lineup because of the ``abundance of talent'' that wants to help mark the anniversary.
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PATTI LABELLE - SWEET POTATO PIE GUY
The guy who raved about Patti LaBelle's sweet potato pie on YouTube is now her cooking partner. People magazine reports James Wright Chanel will appear on LaBelle's Cooking Channel show on December 16th, and they will make sweet potato pie. The first time they met was when they filmed the show, and they hit it off right away. LaBelle says they spent Thanksgiving together at her house and Chanel is like her new son. Chanel's review of LaBelle's sweet potato pie on YouTube not only has gotten four-million views, but it prompted a run on the pies at Walmart.
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FRANK TURNER - ``WIZARD OF OZ'' - FACTS
Frank Turner wrote the song ``Next Storm'' about a scene at the end of ``The Wizard of Oz'' in which the townspeople come out after the tornado and see the destruction around them. The only problem is that's not in the movie. Turner says he wrote the song, then watched the movie again, only to find out his memory had failed him. He says he must have shoehorned that scene from another film into his mind. He says he wrote ``Next Storm'' about a movie scene that doesn't actually exist.
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REDFOO - ``ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS''
Redfoo of L-M-F-A-O will appear as himself in the next ``Alvin and the Chipmunks'' movie. His song ``Juicy Wiggle'' also is featured in ``Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip,'' in theatres December 18th.
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COLDPLAY - SUPER BOWL
At the first Super Bowl, in 1967, the halftime entertainment was a pair of college marching bands. Things have come a long way since then, as big-name stars like Michael Jackson, U2, the Rolling Stones, Bruno Mars, Prince and Katy Perry have done the halftime show _ which has become the must-see-T-V, even for non-football fans. This season's headline act will be Coldplay. But the N-F-L is hinting that some of those who have done the show before might join the band onstage. The game _ and show _ are set for Feb. 7th at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
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(The Associated Press)