MUSIC NEWS: TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
SAM SMITH CREDITS TOM PETTY AND JEFF LYNNE FOR ``STAY WITH ME''
Sam Smith's representatives confirm he's now given songwriting credit for his song ``Stay With Me'' to Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne. Smith's reps tell Rolling Stone the publishers of Petty's song ``I Won't Back Down'' contacted Smith's publishers to point out the common elements with ``Stay With Me.'' Smith and his co-writers were not familiar with ``I Won't Back Down'' but they acknowledged they sounded similar. Smith's reps say it's ``a complete coincidence'' but they came to ``an immediate and amicable agreement.''
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TOM DELONGE LEAVES BLINK-182
Guitarist Tom DeLonge is no longer in Blink-182.
Rolling Stone reports DeLonge has left the band ``indefinitely,'' according to bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker. Hoppus and Barker say they were set to play a festival and record a new album, but DeLonge ``kept putting it off without reason.'' They say they got an email from DeLonge's manager a week before they were due to hit the studio that said DeLonge didn't want to participate in any Blink-182 projects because he wants to focus on other non-musical endeavours. Hoppus and Barker say, ``No hard feelings, but the show must go on for our fans.'' They recruited Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio to play with them for the Musink Festival in Orange County, California, in March. DeLonge has not commented on the split.
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NORTHEAST SNOW FORCES CANCELLATION OF MUSIC EVENTS
The snowstorm bearing down on the Northeast is forcing several concert cancellations in New York. Marilyn Manson postponed last night's show until Thursday. Ne-Yo's show tonight has been postponed indefinitely. The Backstreet Boys were supposed to do promotional events for their ``Show 'Em What You're Made Of'' documentary in New York but say they are unable to travel there.
Steve Earle postponed last night's concert to a date to be named.
Motion City Soundtrack have moved tonight's show to tomorrow. Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake are being extra sure: they're postponing tonight's show to June.
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PHILLIP PHILLIPS MAKES LEGAL CHALLENGE AGAINST ``AMERICAN IDOL'' PRODUCER
``American Idol'' winner Phillip Phillips is taking on the show's parent companies in a case that could have huge implications. The Hollywood Reporter reports Phillips filed a petition with the California Labor Commissioner, saying ``Idol'' producer 19 Entertainment and its affiliates are in violation of the Talent Agencies Act. That's a California law that says only licensed talent agents can find employment for clients. Phillips says 19 has manipulated him into taking gigs that are beneficial to the company rather than him, such as a show promoting JetBlue in 2013 where he wasn't paid. Phillips also says he didn't know the name of his ``Behind the Light'' album until 19 announced it publicly. A 19 spokesperson says the company has always worked in Phillips' best interests and will defend itself vigorously. If successful, Phillips' case could pave the way for other reality show competitors getting out of contracts they feel are oppressive.
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MEGHAN TRAINOR WRITES WITH HARRY STYLES
Meghan Trainor didn't know what to expect when Harry Styles of One Direction wanted to write a song with her because she knew One Direction didn't write their own music. She says she was so impressed, she asked Styles who could have hurt him like that. The song is called ``Someday Maybe'' and Trainor says it's about breaking up with someone and seeing that person with someone else, but thinking maybe there's a chance of getting back together when you're both 50. Trainor says it's a duet and she's got to find the right people to sing it.
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DROPKICK MURPHYS TO WISCONSIN'S GOVERNOR: ``WE LITERALLY HATE YOU''
Dropkick Murphys are not mincing any words in asking Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to stop playing one of their songs. The band tweets to Walker, ``Please stop using our music in any way...we literally hate you!'' Walker's entrance music Saturday at the Iowa Freedom Summit was the Dropkick Murphys song ``I'm Shipping Up To Boston.'' The band is a big supporter of union rights, while Walker worked to end collective bargaining for public workers in Wisconsin. Walker's spokesman had no immediate comment.
John Mellencamp also took issue with Walker using his music, but Walker continued to play Mellencamp's songs anyway.
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CARRIE UNDERWOOD REMAKES FOOTBALL THEME FOR SUPER BOWL
Carrie Underwood has recorded a Super Bowl version of her ``Sunday Night Football'' song. Underwood's performance of ``Waiting All Day For Sunday Night'' will be changed to ``Waiting All Day For A Super Bowl Fight.'' It will include lyrics mentioning the Patriots and the Seahawks. The Super Bowl is Sunday.
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DIRECTOR: KURT COBAIN MOVIE IS ``BRUTAL'' AND ``UGLY''
The director of a documentary about Kurt Cobain says it's important for the public to stop making Cobain out to be a god. Brett Morgan says for the past 25 years, Cobain has ``represented heroin chic.'' He says his film, ``Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck'' is ``brutal and it's ugly and it's dark and you don't want to look at it,'' but he felt it represented reality. The film tells Cobain's story through home videos, Cobain's writings and drawings, archived interviews and animation. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday and will air on HBO in May.
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PETER FRAMPTON AND GIBSON COPY HIS BELOVED GUITAR
Peter Frampton and Gibson Guitars are copying one of Frampton's beat-up old guitars. It's a Les Paul Frampton nicknamed ``The Phoenix.'' Frampton thought it was destroyed in a plane crash in 1980 but it was later found in the possession of a musician in the Caribbean who didn't know it was Frampton's. It wasn't just any guitar, but Frampton's absolute favourite, and the one he played on ``Frampton Comes Alive.'' Frampton writes on his Facebook page Gibson is doing a limited run of replicas of The Phoenix, down to the burn marks from the crash.
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ADAM LEVINE WILL PLAY THE OSCARS
Adam Levine will have an Oscars spotlight moment. He tweets he will sing at the Oscars. Levine performed the Oscar-nominated song ``Lost Stars'' in the film ``Begin Again,'' and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirms he'll sing it on the show. He didn't write the song, so if it wins, he doesn't get the trophy. Gregg Alexander of New Radicals and Danielle Brisbois would get the Oscar instead. The Oscars are February 22.
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RICK SPRINGFIELD IS BACK AT ACTING BUT STILL INTO MUSIC
Look for Rick Springfield to pop up as an actor in the coming year. Springfield recently finished filming ``Ricki and the Flash'' with Meryl Streep. It will be released this summer.
He's also working on the second season of the HBO show ``True Detective.'' Springfield's first love is music, though. He will release a CD and DVD called ``Stripped Down'' that contains highlights of his solo storyteller concerts from the past year. That comes out February 24. He's also currently on tour with that storyteller show.
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IMAGINE DRAGONS ARE READY TO ROCK
Imagine Dragons is ready to rock you _ in the sky.
The Grammy-winning band and Southwest Airlines announced Monday that the group will perform a surprise Live at 35 concert at 35,000 feet on a Feb. 24 flight.
Southwest will launch a sweepstakes on Feb. 3 for a fan and three friends to win tickets for the flight as well as concerts on the ground.
The Ultimate Destination Dragons tour will also visit venues in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, where the rock band is based.
Imagine Dragons will release its sophomore album, ``Smoke + Mirrors,'' on Feb. 17. It's the follow-up to 2012's multi-platinum ``Night Visions,'' which includes the hits ``Radioactive,'' ''It's Time`` and ''Demons.``
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MORE GRAMMY NEWS
The Recording Academy and Hyundai announced Tuesday that Mark Ronson will serve as ambassador for the 2015 Grammy Amplifier, the organization's program for mentoring artists. This year's curators include Ziggy Marley, the Band Perry and singer-songwriter Allen Stone.
Artists can enter submissions starting Tuesday; the program will mentor 25 finalists. The top three will each win a recording session with a Grammy-winning producer, film a music video and earn a performance spot at a music festival or as an opening act for a top artist.
The program is in its third year. Past celebrity participants include David Guetta, Ariana Grande, Kendrick Lamar, Hunter Hayes and Robert Glasper.