ALLEN KLEIN, 1932-2009: Former Beatles and Rolling Stones manager Allen Klein, who became infamous for his ruthless deals and resulting fallouts with the bands, passed away on July 4 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 77. During his 50-plus-year-career, Klein's ruthless business practices were controversial, but the New Jersey-born accountant also earned grudging respect for bullying labels into giving lucrative deals to his famous clients, which also included The Animals, The Kinks, Sam Cooke, Herman's Hermits, Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell and Bobby Darin, among others. Klein, who once said Beatle John Lennon hired him to protect his interest in the Beatles because he and wife Yoko Ono wanted "a real shark...To keep the other sharks away," was also the founder of ABKCO Music & Records, one of the biggest independent labels in an industry controlled by multinational corporations. Two of Klein's three adult children work at the company, including son Jody Klein who runs the label, and a spokesman for the family said it would remain in their control. Klein broke into the music business by auditing record labels on behalf of clients, taking half of what they were owed as a fee. In 1963, he negotiated a lucrative deal for Sam Cooke, giving the soul star unprecedented control over his own catalog. He renegotiated the Rolling Stones' contract in 1965, but after the band eventually tired of him, they could only break the pact be giving up the rights to the master recordings of all their pre-1971 classics. In early 1969, he offered to help John Lennon as the Fab Four's idealistic Apple Corps. record company was fast draining the fractured group's coffers. George Harrison and Ringo Starr also warmed to Klein, but Paul McCartney was fiercely opposed to Klein and his ruthless tactics. Klein unsuccessfully tried to secure control of the Beatles' copyrights on behalf of the group, but Michael Jackson ended up with the rights 16 years later. Klein did score a rich recording deal for the Beatles, but relations within the group were past frayed, and it dissolved in 1970. The following year, he reunited with Harrison to put on the all-star Concert for Bangladesh charity shows in New York. Klein is survived by Iris Keitel, a long time companion, his estranged wife Betty, three children, four grandchildren and a sister. - Reuters, 7/5/09.

JACKSON UPDATE: As reaction to Michael Jackson's death continues to dominate the news, the promoter of his ill-fated London O2 Arena residency released footage of one of his final rehearsals on July 2. Jackson's rehearsals took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where a fan memorial will be taking place on July 7 at 10:00 a.m. PDT. The service, which will be televised live by the three major networks -- ABC, CBS and NBC -- as well as cable channels MSNBC and E! Entertainment, received more than 1.6 requests for tickets from fans, even though only 17,500 tickets are being offered to the public. Meanwhile, former Sony Music Entertainment president Tommy Mottola has revealed there are "dozens of (Jackson's) songs that did not end up on any of his albums" and "people will be hearing a lot of that unreleased material for the first time ever...there's just some genius and brilliance in there." Mottola added a separate wing at the label may be set up solely to deal with new Jackson releases. Three of Jackson's albums -- The compilations Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson and his 1982 studio set Thriller -- have sold over 108,000 copies in America since his death on June 25, making them the top three albums in the country. On July 2, Jackson's London O2 concerts promoter AEG Live released a 30-second video snippet of him rehearsing two days before his death, part of more than 100 hours of footage that AEG says could be turned into live albums, a movie and a pay-per-view special. In the fight for custody of Jackson's children, ex-wife Debbie Rowe has reportedly filed papers saying she wants to take care of the two children she bore with Jackson, Prince Michael I and Paris. "They are my flesh and blood. I'm going after my children," she said. The move is likely to cause friction between her and Jackson's mother Katherine Jackson, who has been given temporary custody of the children and is named as the guardian in Jackson's will. Jackson and Rowe divorced in 1999. Jackson's longtime friend and mentor, Motown legend Diana Ross, is apparently unaware she was named in Jackson's will as a potential guardian to his children should his first choice Katherine die or become unable to care for the children, according to friends of Ross. "Maybe she forgot -- though that's the kind of thing I find hard to believe anyone would forget -- but she's saying she was unaware of those arrangements," a friend of Ross' said. Multiple reports also surfaced claiming that Michael is not the biological father of any of his children and that Jackson's dermatologist and Rowe's former boss, Arnold Klein, is the biological father to Prince Michael I, 12, and Paris, 11. As the burial of the pop superstar gradually approaches, an "extremely rare" solid bronze casket with "flame-blue" velvet lining similar to the one Godfather of Soul James Brown was buried in has been selected for Michael. On June 28, the British tabloid The Sun printed gruesome details from his autopsy that painted a tragic picture of a 50-year-old man so frail he weighed only 112 pounds and whose stomach contained no food -- just semidigested pills. Several of Jackson's ribs were broken in the frantic attempt to pump life back into his heart, four needle wounds were near his heart, apparently from failed efforts to restart it by shooting adrenaline directly into the organ. Jackson had lost most of his hair, his haggard face was disfigured by 13 plastic surgeries, and his hips, thighs and shoulders were riddled with needle marks, according to the paper. The Los Angeles coroner's office said a preliminary investigation showed no evidence of foul play. Toxicology tests will take weeks to complete. NBC reported that while no Demerol or OxyContin were found in the house, Jackson was taking anti-anxiety medications and Depravan, a powerful sleep inducer that is normally only administered in hospitals by trained anesthesiologists. Finally, the inevitable "Michael Is Alive!" conspiracy theories are beginning to circulate, with thousands of crazed fans logging onto websites such as MichaelJacksonSightings.com, JacksonFakedHisOwnDeath.com, and MichaelJacksonHoaxDeath.com and entering their theories about how Jackson purportedly "faked his death simply to prepare for the ultimate comeback" as well as uploading photos of Jackson allegedly taken after June 25.

'70s SOUNDBYTES - 7/5: Abba's Benny Andersson has nixed rumours that his legendary Swedish quartet will be reuniting to cover what would have been a sold-out residency by Michael Jackson at London's O2 Arena beginning July 13. "No one has even asked us, and if they asked us they would have 'no' as an answer, because (Jackson's concerts were) going to happen in a week...And even if it wasn't happening in a week, no, no we're not on," Andersson said on July 3. The speculation began after the Jackson's promoter, AEG Live chief David Campbell, told the London Sun that "There's a little foursome out in Sweden we keep talking to" to fill the now gaping vacancy at lone of the city's most important music venues. Andersson releases a new solo CD on July 21, Story of a Heart. - AP...... Stevie Wonder headlined the Montreal Jazz Festival on June 30, giving tribute to his late fellow Motown superstar Michael Jackson before the show began: "We can continue to keep the life and spirit of this manıs music alive forever," he said before opening a generous two-and-a-half hour show with "I Can't Help It," the song he co-wrote on Jackson's classic 1979 set Off the Wall. Wonder also treated the audience to a low-key version of the Beatles' "Michelle" -- a tip of the hat to the city's French majority -- and was joined by the collected voices of the crowd during the song's French-spoken part. The second half was loaded with Wonder's slew of mega-hits, including "Uptight (Everythingıs Alright)," "Superstition," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours," "My Cherie Amour" and "Sir Duke." - Rolling Stone...... Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry says the band's next album is "on the bench, in pieces" until Aeromsith finishes tour in mid-September. His new solo album, however, is "just about ready to go" and Perry is holding a contest to name it via the popular social networking site Twitter.com. If he winds up choosing a fan's idea, the winner will receive a guitar. "It's tough, obviously, without having heard the record for people to name it," Perry notes, "but we may find something really good. There've already been a bunch that are possibilities." The guitarist says his new CD is a departure from his previous solo outing: "The last one was a straight-ahead rocker. This one's got some different things on it." Perry says he hopes to tour behind the new album after it's released. - Billboard...... Van Morrison has lined up a few U.S. shows this summer as the Celtic crooner moves away from showcasing the 40th anniversary of his Astral Weeks set and back to his typically ever-changing live shows. Morrison is confirmed for Boston's Wang Theatre on Aug. 4; Washington, D.C.'s DAR Constitution Hall on Aug. 6 and 7; and Atlantic City, N.J.'s Caesars Ballroom on Aug. 8. - LiveDaily...... AC/DC has added a new date to the next leg of its North American "Black Ice" tour. The outing, which kicks off July 28 in Foxborough, Mass., now includes a Sept. 2 show in San Jose, Calif. Other stops on the 16-city trek include Montreal (8/8); Chicago (8/14); Grand Rapids, Mi. (8/18); Vancouver, B.C. 8/29); and San Diego (9/6) before the tour wraps on Sept. 8 in Anaheim, Calif. - LiveDaily...... The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Oh. is commemorating the 40th anniversary of the original 1969 Woodstock festival with an elaborate new exhibit featuring such artifacts as concert coheadliners Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's performance contract, a letter from the Beatles' Apple Corp discussing potential performances by various artists (which never materialized), the original hand-written plan and press release for the festival, and the vest concert producer Michael Lang wore to the legendary event. The exhibit opened July 3 and will run through Nov. 29. Meanwhile, Woodstock principal Lang has authored a new memoir, The Road to Woodstock: From the Man Behind the Legendary Festival. Lang still remembers plenty about the legendary festival, including a meeting with a curious but non-commital Bob Dylan (who ultimately didn't show), and how he had to beg Richie Havens to open the festival - NME...... The New York Dolls have announced they'll play a one-off gig in London on Dec. 4. The band, which now features founding members David Johnansen on vocals and Sylvain Sylvain on guitar, will perform in the city's HMV Forum. - NME...... Ardent/Fantasy Records has just reissued Big Star's #1 Record/Radio City twofer CD with remastering and two (non-essential) bonus tracks. Coming in September is a Big Star 4-CD box set...... Levon Helm's 2007 comeback from his bout with throat cancer, Dirt Farmer, mainly an acoustic affair. But his new album Electric Dirt -- recorded with Larry Campbell and the rest of the band form Helm's Midnight Ramble gigs at his Woodstock, N.Y. home -- wants to party. The best moment is "Growing Trade," about an invincible old-schooler in a crazy line of work. It might, just possibly, be about the music biz...... Shout! Factory has released a DVD of D. A. Pennebaker's John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band concert documentary, Live in Toronto '69. Lennon hadn't played a real show in three years when he led his ad-hoc band at 1969's Toronto Rock and Roll Revival Festival, and John's bushy hippie beard couldn't hide his stage fright. As the under-rehearsed quintet, featuring guest guitarist Eric Clapton, stumble through a set of rock oldies and two free-form jams with Yoko Ono, Live in Toronto '69 appeals mostly to hardcore Lennon fans...... The hugely successful 1950s rock & roll songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller recall their glory days in Hound Dog, a new memoir named after their Elvis Presley-sung hit. The two Jewish 25-year-olds had been writing together for eight years when they became the hottest songwriting team in the country in 1957, also contributing such chestnuts as "Yakety Yak," "There Goes My Baby," "Smokey Joe's Cafe," "Poison Ivy" and "Stand By Me" to rock history. - Rolling Stone...... Actress Farrah Fawcett was laid to rest on June 30 after a private funeral in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. Her longtime companion, Ryan O'Neal, was among pallbearers who accompanied her casket, covered in yellow and orange flowers, into the church. Her close friends Alana Stewart and Charlie's Angels co-star Kate Jackson were among those paying their respects. Fawcett's and O'Neal's 24-year-old son Redmond, currently serving jail time after a drug conviction, was granted permission to attend the funeral. Fawcett died on June 25 at age 62 after a public three-year battle with cancer that was docuented in a documentary entitled Farrah's Story that aired in May on NBC. - AP...... Veteran actor Karl Malden, the Oscar-winning star who portrayed everything from generals, villains to song-and-dance men in a film career than began in the late 1940s, died of natural causes on July 1 at his home in Brentwood, Calif. He was 97. The son of a Serbian father and a Czech mother, Malden was born Mladen George Sekulovich on Mar. 12, 1912, in Chicago and raised in Gary, Ind. He attended Chicago's Goodman Theatre Dramatic School, then moved to New York, where he made his Broadway debut in Golden Boy in 1937. Malden starred in such Elia Kazan-directed plays as "All My Sons" and "A Streetcar Named Desire," and in 1951 helped Kazan bring "Streetcar" to the silver screen. His film debut came in 1940 with They Knew What They Wanted, and subsequent roles included such notable filkms as On the Waterfront, Baby Doll and Patton. But he was best known to the TV generation as the no-nonsense cop Lt. Mike Stone in the 1972-77 ABC detective series The Streets of San Francisco. He even parlayed his Streets persona into a 21-year stint as spokesman in a series of American Express ads. In 1988, Mr. Malden was elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a position he held from 1989 to 1992. He accepted a lifetime achievement award presented to him by his Streets of San Francisco co-star Michael Douglas from the Screen Actors Guild in 2004. Mr. Malden was surrounded by family, including wife Mona, when he died. The couple celebrated their 70th anniversary in December. - USA Today, 7/1/09.

'70s SOUNDBYTES - 6/30: In the aftermath of the stunning news of Michael Jackson's untimely death on June 25, thousands of fans are expected at a public tribute to the late pop icon scheduled for June 30 at Harlem's Apollo Theater. The venue, where the Jackson 5 won an Amateur Night contest in 1967, is credited with helping to launch the vocal group's career and has served as an impromptu New York-based memorial site to Jackson since his passing. After a eulogy delivered by the Rev. Al Sharpton, a moment of silence is planned for 5:26 p.m. EDT, the time East Coast fans learned that Jackson had died. Top black performers paid tribute to fallen pop star on June 28 during the BET Awards, where his sister Janet Jackson and father Joe Jackson made their first public appearances since the singer's death. Meanwhile, Jackson's parents Katherine and Joe won temporary custody of Michael's three children on June 29 and moved to become administrators of his estate. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted 79-year-old Katherine Jackson temporary guardianship of the children, who range in age from 7 to 12. If Jackson died without a valid will which his parents claim is the case, the number of potential claimants that could emerge seeking custody of the children or a piece of his empire are many. One credible source is reported Jackson did indeed leave behind a will that was drafted in 2002 and it divides his estate among his three children, his mother and some charities, but noticeably leaves out his father Joe, whom he has accused of beating him in his younger years. On June 28, Joe Jackson told reporters that Michael's funeral is still in the planning stages but added that his son would not be buried at his Neverland compound near Santa Barbara, Calif. Media saturation of the "Thriller" singer's death began receding on June 30 as the shock began wearing off and the pace of new developments slowed, nevertheless CBS is putting together another prime-time Jackson special for the evening of June 30, and NBC News has bought the rights to journalist Martin Bashir's lengthy 2003 interview with Jackson for a Monday-night show, after is sister network MSNBC showed it several times over the weekend. It also continued to be the lead story on NBC's Today show and ABC's Good Morning America on June 30. Cable news networks such as CNN, Fox News and MSNBC say their audience remained at twice its normal level during the weekend as people tuned in specifically to learn about Jackson's death. It was also a huge story internationally, where the news kept many Australians home on a Saturday night, and news channels and major newspapers in Germany continued to devote much of their attention to the Jackson story on June 29. Record retailers across the U.S. reported a mad rush on Michael Jackson albums, with many saying that they had quickly run out of their stock of music within 24 hours of the singer's death on June 25. One of the most disturbing sidebars to the story is, according to one respected UK news outlet, at least 12 ardent MIchael Jackson fans have committed or attempted suicide in the wake of the King of Pop's passing. Jackson's longtime friend the Rev. Jesse Jackson is urging the distraught fans "to keep hope alive" in Michael's name and "not self-destruct." - AP...... A federal judge in Boston has ruled Yoko Ono is the rightful copyright holder of rare, intimate footage showing John Lennon and his family in London in 1970. Judge Rya Zobel refused to reinstate a copyright-infringement lawsuit filed by Lawrence, Mass.-based World Wide Video LLC, which says it owns the videotapes. The company says it bought the footage from the man who filmed it, Ono's ex-husband Anthony Cox, but Yoko claims she had an agreement with Cox that the tapes would never be used commercially. - AP...... In other Beatles-related news, Paul McCartney has added a two shows in Boston on Aug. 5-6 and a benefit gig at Atlanta's Piedmont Park on Aug. 15 to his handful of 2009 North American shows. Macca previously scheduled a July 11 concert in Halifax, Nova Scotia, three shows at New York's Citi Field on July 17, 18 and 21, and an Aug. 1 date in Landover, Maryland. The Atlanta concert will benefit the city's Piedmont Park Conservancy. Meanwhile, Sir Paul made a surprise appearance at Neil Young's Hyde Park concert in London on June 27. McCartney performed the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" after Young launched into the epic Sgt. Pepper's finale. The two musicians previously shared the stage together at Young's Bridge School Benefit concert in 2004. - LiveDaily/Rolling Stone...... Also in the UK, Crosby, Stills and Nash performed the country's venerable Glastonbury Festival on June 27. CSN played a host of their hits as well as two selections from their forthcoming Rick Rubin-produced album. Bruce Springsteen also played Glastonbury on June 27, opening his set with a performance of the Clash's "London Calling," then treating fans to a number of more recent songs including "Working On a Dream" and "Radio Nowhere" during his generous 27-song set. - New Musical Express...... Aerosmith performed their 1975 classic album Toys in the Attic in its entirety on June 26 during their show at Long Island's Jones Beach. The Boston-based rockers devoted more than half of their set to the album, also playing such smashes as "Train Kept A Rollin'," "Cryin'," "Dream On" and "Love In An Elevator." Aerosmith also took a few minutes to honor the passing of Micheal Jackson, dedicating "Combination" to the late King of Pop. Also on the bill were ZZ Top, whose set included "Give Me All Your Lovin'," "Sharp Dressed Man," "Legs," "Cheap Sunglasses" and a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady." - Rolling Stone...... Eddie Van Halen married his longtime girlfriend, Janie Liszewski, on June 27. Van Halen, 54, and Liszewski, 39, were wed during an early evening ceremony at the guitarist's estate in Studio City, Calif. Serving as best man was Wolfgang Van Halen, the son of Eddie and his first wife, actress Valerie Bertinelli. Eddie's brother and Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen, who is reportedly also an ordained minister, officiated at the "20-minute, nondenominational service." Bertinelli was also in attendance. - People.com/LiveDaily...... Revered country singer/songwriter Kris Kristofferson will be honored by BMI as the recipient of the music licensing organization's Icon Award on Nov. 10 in Nashville, Tenn. The award is given to songwriters and artists who have had a "unique and indelible" influence on generations of music makers. Past honorees include Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, the Bee Gees, James Brown and Crosby, Stills & Nash. - AP...... Lynyrd Skynyrd kicked off their summer coheadlining tour with Kid Rock on June 26 in West Palm Beach, Fla. Kid Rock and Skynyrd never shared the stage during the show, not even during Kid Rock's Skynyrd-influenced hit "All Summer Long." - Rolling Stone...... Speaking of new/old collaborations, Bob Dylan has made a guest appearance on the new Beastie Boys album. Dylan has reportedly been sampled on a track titled "Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2" after talking about the Beasties on his radio show. "He played one of our songs and was talking about us," says Beastie Boys member Ad-Rock. "He's a big fan." The album is scheduled to drop Sept. 15. - NME...... AC/DC has added a Sept. 2 show in San Jose, Calif. to the next leg of their North American Black Ice tour. The Aussie headbangers' 18-date North American tour is set to launch July 28 in Foxborough, Mass. They'll also hit such markets as East Rutherford, N.J. (7/31); Albany, N.Y. (8/2); Montreal (8/8); Chicago (8/14); Grand Rapids, Mich. (8/16); San Diego, Calif. (9/6) and Los Angeles (9/6). The tour wraps Sept. 8 in Anaheim, Calif. - LiveDaily...... Barry Manilow will join host Jimmy Smits for an Independence Day special in Washington, D.C. dubbed A Capitol Fourth. The multi-artist extravaganza airs live on PBS on July 4 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. - Entertainment Weekly

MICHAEL JACKSON, 1958-2009: Innovative pop/dance singer/songwriter Michael Jackson, arguably the most successful male solo recording and performing artist of all time and whose every move made international headlines, died on June 25 at UCLA Medial Center in Los Angeles. He was 50. The circumstances of his death are not immediately clear, but what is known is Jackson wasn't breathing when L.A. Fire Dept. paramedics responded to a call at a home he had been renting in the city at about 12:30 p.m. PDT. Paramedics performed CPR on his lifeless body, which was described as in "full cardiac arrest," and then transported him to the hospital where doctors were unable to revive him and was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PDT. While others have worked years to win worldwide fame in the music business, for young Michael Joseph Jackson of Gary, Ind., it seemed like a birthright. A founding member of the Jackson 5 and the seventh of nine Jackson siblings, he was bringing his powerful contralto vocals to bear as lead singer for the group at age four. By age 10 he was touring the country, opening for respected Motown acts such as Gladys Knight and the Pips and the Temptations. A year later in 1969, he was an international sensation as the Jackson 5 took over the charts with "I Want You Back," "ABC," "I'll Be There," "Never Can Say Goodbye" and more. Groomed by Motown mogul Berry Gordy, Jackson was encouraged to go solo in 1972, reportedly as an answer to Donny Osmond's rising popularity. His first solo record, Got To Be There, veered between schmaltzy ballads aimed at the pop audience and bits of lightweight fluff aimed at the teenyboppers. Though Jackson found some success during these times, his work always seemed guided by older, more domineering hands and overshadowed both by his brother Jermaine Jackson's ascent as a teen idol and by the continuing work of The Jacksons (as they were re-christened in 1976). It wasn't until 1979's Off the Wall -- co-produced by Quincy Jones, who Michael had met while filming The Wiz -- that the singer's own creative instincts began to emerge. Fusing an unerring pop sensibility with up-to-date R&B grooves and solid songs, that record set the stage for Michael's greatest triumph, 1982's Thriller. At more than 47 million copies sold in the U.S. alone, Thriller still stands as the most successful album ever; a phenomenon fed by Jackson's creative use of music vidoes -- from the dance showcase of the "Billie Jean" clip to the "West Side Story"-style moves of "Beat It" and the horror movie special effects extravaganza, "Thriller." But his tremendous success was dogged by speculation about his private life; his acquisition of the Beatles' song catalog spoke to his business acumen, but reports of severe plastic surgery, his alleged use of hyperbaric oxygen tents and his reclusive nature portrayed him as eccentric as best, disturbed at worst. Although his releases since Thriller have sold in the multi-millions, they were unfairly declaured failures because they didn't match their predecessor's world-record sales. The shine really came off his star in 1993, when a 13-year-old boy accused the pop star of molesting him. The matter was settled out of court, but Jackosn lost big: Pepsi-Cola canceled a decade-long endorsement deal; police raided his Los Angeles home; and he claimed to have a skin-lightening disease called vitiligo and admitted to an addiction to painkillers. Interest in Jackson's recording career faded to the point where his two-CD set HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1 -- which was attacked for anti-semetic lyrics in one song -- fizzled in the amout of time it took to announce both his wedding and subsequent divorce from Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. In 2002, Jackson caused a furor when he playfully dangled his infant son, Prince Michael II, over a hotel balcony in Berlin while a throng of fans watched below. In 2005, he was again cleared of child molestation charges that involved a a 13-year-old cancer survivor at his Neverland mansion near Santa Barbara, Calif., in 2003. Jackson had been accused of plying the boy with alcohol and groping him, and of engaging in strange and inappropriate behavior with other children. In a TV documentary hosted by British journalist Martin Bashir, Jackson had acknowledged sharing his bed with children, a practice he described as "sweet" and not at all sexual. Jackson was in Los Angeles preparing for what was to be his greatest comeback: He was scheduled for an unprecedented 50 shows at a London arena, with the first set for July 13. He was in rehearsals in Los Angeles for the concert, an extravaganza that was to capture the classic Jackson magic: showstopping dance moves, elaborate staging and throbbing dance beats. "For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words," said Thriller producer Quincy Jones. "He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him." - AP/MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide, 6/25/09.

FARRAH FAWCETT, 1947-2009: 1970s TV icon and sex symbol Farrah Fawcett lost her nearly three-year-long battle with anal cancer on the morning of June 25, passing at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. She was 62. Born Feb. 2, 1947, in Corpus Christi, Texas, she was named Mary Farrah Leni Fawcett by her mother, who said she added the Farrah because it sounded good with Fawcett. As a student at the University of Texas at Austin, she was voted one of the 10 most beautiful people on the campus and her photos were eventually spotted by movie publicist David Mirisch, who suggested she pursue a film career. Farrah appeared in a string of commercials, including one where she shaved quarterback Joe Namath, and in such TV shows as That Girl, The Flying Nun, I Dream of Jeannie and The Partridge Family. In 1976, her big break came when she was cast in Charlie's Angels with Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith. The series was about a sexy, police-trained trio of martial arts experts who took their assignments from a rich, mysterious boss named Charlie (John Forsythe, who was never seen on camera but whose distinctive voice was heard on speaker phone.) The program debuted in Sept.1976, the height of what some critics derisively referred to as television's "jiggle show" era, and it gave each of the actresses ample opportunity to show off their figures as they disguised themselves as hookers and strippers to solve crimes. Backed by a clever publicity campaign, Fawcett -- then billed as Farrah Fawcett-Majors because of her marriage to The Six Million Dollar Man star Lee Majors -- quickly became the most popular Angel of all. Her face helped sell T-shirts, lunch boxes, shampoo, wigs and even a novelty plumbing device called Farrah's faucet. Her flowing blond hair, pearly white smile and trim, shapely body made her a favorite with male viewers in particular. But the actress was never able to duplicate her TV success as in the movies her first star vehicle, the comedy-mystery Somebody Killed Her Husband, flopped and Hollywood cynics cracked that it should have been titled "Somebody Killed Her Career." After a short string of unsuccessful movies, Fawcett found critical success in the 1984 television movie The Burning Bed, which earned her an Emmy nomination. As further proof of her acting credentials, she appeared off-Broadway in "Extremities," playing a woman who seeks revenge against her attacker after being raped in her own home. She repeated the role in the 1986 film version. In 1995, at age 50, Fawcett stirred controversy posing partly nude for Playboy magazine. The following year, she starred in a Playboy video, "All of Me," in which she was equally unclothed while she sculpted and painted. In Sep.2006, Fawcett, who at 59 still maintained a strict regimen of tennis and paddleball, began to feel strangely exhausted. She underwent two weeks of tests that revealed she had anal cancer. Actor Ryan O'Neal, Farrah's longtime companion, was at her side when she passed. "After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away," O'Neal said. "Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world." - AP, 6/25/09.

ED McMAHON, 1923-2009: Former The Tonight Show announcer Ed McMahon, the veteran TV personality who was Johnny Carson's sidekick for 30 years and an icon of American popular culture, passed away at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on June 23 after battling a "multitude of health problems the last few months," according to a hospital spokesperson. He was 86. Born Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. on Mar. 6, 1923, in Detroit, the outgoing and affable Mr. McMahon grew up in Lowell, Mass. and began his career with stints as a bingo caller, carnival barker and boardwalk pitchman before becoming a broadcast announcer and TV host. He later trained as a U.S. Marine fighter pilot during World War II and flying missions in Korea in the 1950s. In 1958 he hooked up with Carson on the NBC game show Who Do You Trust?, then in 1962 became Carson's jovial second banana man on The Tonight Show, remaining in that slot until 1992 when Carson retired as host. His drawn-out line "Heeeeeeeeere's Johnny!" and off-camera "Hi-oooooh!" became iconic American catch-phrases, as illustrated in the 1980 horror film The Shining when Jack Nicholson's maniacal character announced "Heeeeeeere's Johnny!" as he burst through a door to menace his wife with an ax. Mr. McMahon was also a leading figure on several other TV shows including the talent show Star Search in the 1980s, as well as being Jerry Lewis's long-time Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon co-host. He also became well-known as the presenter of the American Family Publishing sweepstakes, as well as a pitchman for Budweiser and other companies on numerous TV commercials. His big-screen credits included 1977's Fun With Dick and Jane and 1997's Just Write, and in 1997 he had a regular role in the Tom Arnold-starred sitcom The Tom Show. In 1998, he released his autobiography, For Laughing Out Loud: My Life and Good Times and also authored a book on his Tonight Show tenure, Here's Johnny! In recent years, he made headlines when he defaulted on a $4.8 million mortgage on his six-bedroom Beverly Hills mansion, although he later found a buyer and avoided foreclosure. He also sued Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after he fell in the hospital and broke his neck. Jerry Lewis described Mr. McMahon as "a dear, dear friend" and that "it's hard to imagine doing the (telethon) without him." California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said America had lost "one of its greatest and most memorable television personalities," and former Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen said "He will be sorely missed...he was one of the greats in show business, but most of all he was a gentleman." Besides his wife, Pam, Mr. McMahon is survived by children Claudia, Katherine, Linda, Jeffrey and Lex, all of whom were by his side when he passed. - Reuters/AP, 6/23/09.

'70s SOUNDBYTES - 6/24: Phil Spector was transferred to California's Corcoran prison on June 22 and assigned to a "sensitive needs" facility with a single-person cell rather than the general population. Spector, classified as a medium-security inmate, has reportedly created a list of requests for items he wants in his cell that includes "a TV and an iPod or something like that for listening to music," according to his current wife Rachelle Spector. His wife also claims he was forced to sleep naked on the floor for two nights and to eat out of a bowl with his hands "like a dog" while being housed in his previous jail, the North Kern State Prison. A spokesperson for the prison denied the claims but added any report of misconduct would be investigated. Spector, 69, is serving 19 years to life for the fatal shooting of actress Lana Clarkson at his Los Angeles mansion in Feb. 2003. - AP...... Media outlets in the UK are reporting Michael Jackson has rented 300,000 Swarovski crystals to dazzle fans in his upcoming comeback shows at London's O2 Arena this July. The gems reportedly come in 53 shapes, 40 sizes and 27 colors and are worth over £1 million. "As the King of Pop it is only natural for him to be crowned in crystal," says the vice president of the Swarovski Crystal Business. Meanwhile, fans who registered for a ticket lottery on Jackson's website have another chance to see the singer as extra tickets have been made available. - Bang Media...... Midwestern classic rockers Styx made a suprise appearance at the White House Briefing Room in Washington, D.C. on June 22 after White House press secretary Robert Gibbs ended his daily press corp briefing. Styx members, including guitarist Tommy Shaw, keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, and drummer Todd Sucherman, all fielded questions from the press corp, who were likely thrilled to have a break from queries about Iran and the recession. The band revealed they'd heard rumors that their music was on Pres. Obama's iPod, but they could not "substantiate that claim," Sucherman said. Styx was in the Washington area for their concert that night at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. They were also treated to a private tour of the White House. - Huffington Post/Rolling Stone...... Bruce Springsteen's manager Jon Landau posted a message on Springsteen's official website on June 22 stating that Springsteen's recent holding back of tickets for his upcoming show at the Izod Center in E. Rutherford, N.J. "had nothing to do at all with the breakdown of Ticketmaster's system." The fracas dates back to Feb. 6, when chaos ensued after -- according to the Springsteen camp -- Ticketmaster directed fans to its in-house secondary site TicketsNow in a "bait-and-switch" maneuver. Landau also said a public apology from Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff "which we promptly and graciously posted on our site" substantiates the Springsteen camp's position. The Boss and his E Street Band have three Izod Center shows planned, for Sept. 30, Oct. 2 and Oct. 3. Meanwhile, Springsteen has said he wants to do one of his trademark three-hour marathon shows at his upcoming Glastonbury Festival performance in Pilton, UK on June 27. Normally at a festival performance, the headline act will do a cut-down version of their usual show but Springsteen wants to do the full E Street Band performance. - Billboard/Undercover...... In a recent post on his official website, Kiss guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley says his band is "days from finishing" the follow-up to their 1998 studio set Psycho Circus. "We're about four days from finishing the new Kiss album. Eleven tracks, and it IS everything I've told you. It IS classic. It IS all written within the band. And IT ROCKS BIG TIME!," Stanley posted. Kiss is also reportedly working with mega-retailer Walmart to exclusively market the new CD. Kiss bassist Gene Simmons recently revealed in a Sirius XM radio interview that Walmart will dedicate a "Kiss Korner" area in their stores for the new album, along the lines of AC/DC's massively successful exclusive with the retail giant for their latest album, Black Ice. - Rolling Stone...... Speaking of AC/DC, the Aussie headbangers' 30-year-old track "Highway to Hell" was honored with an Australian Record Association award for the "Most Played Australian Work Overseas" on June 23 in Melbourne. "Highway to Hell," released in July 1979, was the title track from the band's sixth studio album and a surprise winner considering the current international success of Australia's the Veronicas. - Undercover...... The Kinks will be the subject of an upcoming feature-length documentary directed by music video veteran Julien Temple, who also helmed the 2007 the Clash-related rock-doc Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten. Temple previously directed music videos for the Kinks' "Come Dancing" and "Donıt Forget To Dance." Kinks frontman Ray Davies broke the news to Britain's The Independent newspaper, but did not reveal whether Temple's project will be a tour documentary or a biopic. Davies also revealed his brother Dave Davies, who suffered a stroke in 2004, has improved enough to drive an automobile again and that "whatever (Dave) can play, we'll create something around it together" should the band decide to mount a reunion tour. - Rolling Stone...... Def Leppard, Cheap Trick and Poison kicked off their triple-threat tour on June 23 at a near-sold outS usquehana Bank Center in Camden, N.J. In addition to such classic tracks as "I Want You To Want Me" and "Dream Police," Cheap Trick showcased material from their just-released album, The Latest. Def Leppard roared through a selection of their '80s hits, including "Photograph," "Bringin' on the Heartache" and "Rock of Ages," as well as a surprise cover of David Essex's "Rock On." - Rolling Stone...... Elton John's hometown of Harrow, Pinner, UK is considering naming a street after the Rocket Man. According to the local publication Harrow People, the Harrow Council are "considering plans to name a road after its most famous musical son." - New Musical Express...... Barbra Streisand will release a collaborative album with Canadian jazz singer-pianist Diana Krall on Sept. 29. Love Is the Answer will be Streisand's first studio effort in four years, the follow-up to 2005's Guilty Pleasure. Song titles for the album have yet to be announced. - Reuters...... David Bowie's son, filmmaker Duncan Jones recently told the BBC that "it's not out of the question" that he might work with his famous rocker dad one day, but that ideally he "needs to have a few films under my belt" first. "I would have to feel absolutely confident I was a capable director, as I wouldn't want to put any pressure on our valuable relationship," Duncan said. Jones's debut feature film Moon is currently in limited release in the US and will be out in the UK on July 17. Jones added that his father "loved" Moon and that he was "a proud dad" as a result. Moon is a science fiction thriller starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey. - NME...... The Doobie Brothers have extended their current North American tour, which began in May, into late fall. The current Doobies line-up includes founding members and primary songwriters Tom Johnson and Pat Simmons, guitarist John McFee and drummer Michael Hossack. The Doobies are also working on an as-yet untitled new studio set, according to their longtime manager Bruce Cohn. Upcoming dates include Virginia Beach, Va. (6/24); Bethel, N.Y. (6/25) and Wantaugh, N.Y. (6/28) and the tour is set to wrap Nov. 14 in San Francisco. - LiveDaily...... Joseph Brooks, the director, producer and songwriter who wrote Debby Boone's #1 smash 1977 hit "You Light Up My Life," was indicted on June 23 on charges of raping and sexually assaulting 11 women in his apartment on New York's Upper East Side. Brooks, 71, pleaded not guilty to a 91-count indictment and bail was set at $500,000, according to a spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney. Brooks was released and posted bond the following day and his case was adjourned until Aug. 11. Also indicted on charges of knowingly facilitating the crimes, which occurred between Mar. 2005 and Apr. 2008, was Brooks' 42-year-old personal assistant, Shawni Lucier. According to court papers, the victims ranged in age from 18 to 30 and were allegedly lured to Brooks' apartment by postings for acting gigs on Craigslist and a talent website. Prosecutors allege Brooks and Lucier then plied the women with drinks and possibly drugs. Brooks' other songwriting and producing credits include the 1983 cult hit Eddie and the Cruisers. If convicted, Brooks could face at least 25 years in prison. "You Light Up My Life" was 1977's longest-running #1 song, selling nearly five million copies. It also scored an Oscar and two Grammy Awards. - E! Online...... Cher has reportedly signed on for a role in a new contemporary musical dubbed Burlesque that will also star contemporary pop star Christina Aguilera. In the movie, Aguilera will play "an ambitious small-town Iowa girl with a big voice who comes of age in a neo-burlesque club on Sunset Boulevard that's run by Tess (Cher), a former dancer who struggles to keep the club open and gives the young girl a chance to shine." Both Cher and Aguilera are expected to sing in the upcoming film a release date for which has not been announced. Cher's last film role was in 1999's Tea with Mussolini. - Variety/LiveDaily...... Willie Nelson will release an album of standards called American Classics on Aug. 28. The set features duets with such artists as Diana Krall and Norah Jones, including "Fly Me To The Moon," "Baby It's Cold Outside" and Nelson's own hit, "Always On My Mind." - Undercover...... Marianne Faithfull will perform in a handful of US markets this fall, beginning Sept. 24 in New York City. Touring behind her latest album Easy Come, Easy Go, Faithfull will also hit Los Angeles (10/3); San Francisco (10/4); Minneapolis (10/12); Asheville, N.C. (10/15); Knoxville, Tenn. (10/16); Nashville, Tenn. (10/17); and Jacksonville, Fla. (10/21). - LiveDaily...... Ryan O'Neal says he plans to marry his gravely ill partner, Farrah Fawcett. O'Neal, 68, said in an interview with Barbara Walters for ABC's 20/20 that he asked his longtime companion to marry him and "she's agreed." O'Neal says they will tie the knot "as soon as she can say yes." - AP...... Clive Scott, a member of the '70s pop group Jigsaw which scored a #3 US hit in 1975 with "Sky High," died in Ascot, Berkshire, UK on May 10. He was 64. Scott suffered a stroke after falling off a ladder in April and died after undergoing brain surgery. Written in three days by Scott and drummer Des Dyer, who sang lead on the single, "Sky High" became the debut hit for Jigsaw, a Warwickshire group formed in 1966.

'70s SOUNDBYTES - 6/19: Responding to the revelation that her child Chastity Bono has announced her decision to undergo a sex change operation to become a man, Cher says it is a "difficult journey, but one that I will support." "I respect the courage it takes to go through with this transition in the glare of public scrutiny, and although I may not understand, I will strive to be understanding...The one thing that will never change is my abiding love for my child," Cher added in a statement released on June 18. In her 1998 memoir, Chastity Bono recounted how her mother reacted with horror when she came out as a lesbian. Earlier in June, Bono revealed that she is in the process of undergoing a sex change to become a man. - Reuters...... Crosby, Stills and Nash were inducted into the U.S. Songwriters Hall of Fame during a ceremony in New York on June 18. CSN were inducted by James Taylor, who performed a medley of CSN hits. "They speak for a generation. I know that sounds cliche, but it's really true," Taylor said before the ceremony. CSN are only the second-ever group, after Queen, to be inducted together (out of 350 inductees), listed separately as well as together. Other artists honored included Tom Jones, Jon Bon Jovi, Jason Mraz and "Hair" musical writers Galt MacDermot, James Rado and Gerome Ragni. - AP/Uncut.co.uk...... After previously announcing their intentions to play their classic 1975 set Toys in the Attic in its entirety during their summer coheadlining tour with ZZ Top, Aerosmith say they also plan to play 1976's Rocks from beginning to end on the tour. Guitarist Joe Perry says the back will switch a couple of weeks into the tour and play Rocks, but he did not elaborate on whether the group would stay with Rocks or alternate the two albums in their set for the duration of the tour -- or even play another classic Aerosmith album in its entirety. Perry also says lead singer Steven Tyler is having a hard time singing Toys in the Attic's final song, "You See Me Crying," these days, but is working on it and may add the song in future shows. Meanwhile, Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford is set to rejoin the tour in July after taking some time off to recover from a head injury he suffered while getting out of his car in early June. Whitford is due to return on July 7 for a show in Raleigh, N.C. ZZ Top joined the Aerosmith tour on June 16 and will remainon the bill for the remainder of the tour, which wraps Sept. 16 in Auburn Hills, Mich. - Billboard/Undercover...... Steely Dan's Walter Becker says in these tough economic times fans deserve to get "a lttle extra," so they're giving concertgoers a chance to shape their shows with their own requests by drawing up a list of songs for their "Internet Request Nights." "We've been sort of thinking about this and taking about this for some years and never got around to doing it...and this seemed like a good time to do it," says Becker. Steely Dan will also play select albums including The Royal Scam, Aja and Gaucho in their entirety during multi-night stands in Boston, New York and Los Angeles. Becker added there are no plans to record or film shows on the 2009 tour, and their are currently no plans to record a successor to their latest studio effort, 2003's Everything Must Go. - Billboard...... Summer begins on June 21, but former Police frontman Sting says his next album will be inspired by his favorite time of year -- winter. The album, called If On a Winter's Night..., will feature wo original compositions as well as traditional songs, carols and lullabies from the British Isles. If On a Winter's Night... will drop Oct. 27 on the Deutsche Grammophon label. - Billboard...... Paul McCartney has just announced he'll play a show at FedEx Field in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 1. Sir Paul has previously revealed his intention to play three shows at the brand new Citi Field stadium in New York City on July, 18 and 21, with the third night added after the first two gigs sold out within minutes. Meanwhile, Macca is currently working on new songs for the soundtrack to an animated film adaptation of one of his children's books. High On The Clouds will be an adaptation of the ex-Beatle's 2005 book of the same name. Directed by The Lion King director Rob Minkoff, it tells the story of Wirral The Squirrel and its search for an animal sanctuary. - New Musical Express...... In other Beatles-related news, videos of songs by McCartney and late Beatles guitarist George Harrison will be available for download through the iTunes store, with proceeds going to the UK youth charity Prince's Trust. The videos include rare live sessions performances of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with Harrison, Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton and Paul performing "Get Back" in concert with Tina Turner. - Undercover...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, a 1962 contract signed by McCartney, Harrison, Starr and John Lennon before they rose to worldwide fame is up for grabs in a pay-to-enter competition. The contest costs £10 to enter, and in order to win players have to guess what the contract was valued at by a panel of experts in April 2008. The contract can be viewed and more details can be found at Famebureau.com........ Unheard songs by George Harrison recorded in the years before his death are set to be finally released. Former Electric Light Orchestra leader Jeff Lynne is expected to work on the unknown ditties composed by George during the last 15 years of his life. A source says that "Jeff and George were very close and worked together a lot in the later period of George's life" and that "it's felt that he's the right man to work on this material...they could have a real gem on their hands."...... Lucy Vodden, the English girl who was the inspiration for the Beatles' 1967 psychedelic classic "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, is said to be gravely ill. Vodden, 46, was diagnosed with lupus about five years ago after suffering other serious health problems. John Lennon has said that his "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" was inspired after his son Julian Lennon, who attended school with Vadden, brought a home a drawing he made and told his father, "That's Lucy in the sky with diamonds." - NME/The Express UK/MSN.com...... Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen has filed a lawsuit against sneaker manufacturer Nike after the sportswear giant used the trademarked red, white and black splatter-striped color theme on his "Frankenstrat" guitar on one line of their Dunk Lows sneakers. Eddie and his company ELVH Inc. accuse Nike of treading on the trademark that he copyrighted back in 2001 and doing "irreparable harm and damage" to his design. He is seeking both monetary retribution and "the impoundment and destruction of all footwear." In response to the suit, a Nike spokesperson said it's Dunk Low design "is not substantially similar to any of the Van Halen designs, and Nike has not referenced the 'Van Halen' name or image as part of any marketing campaign or promotional material associated with the shoe." At the heart of the conflict is the fact that in May, Eddie released his own footwear line, EVH Shoes, with a more faithful "Frankenstrat" design. But since Van Halen's sneakers lokoe suspiciously like Converse All-Stars, the guitar god could potentially fined himself on the business end of another lawsuit soon. - Rolling Stone...... A new book chronicling the final UK gigs by Led Zeppelin between Aug. 4 and 11, 1979, will be published this summer. Then As It Was: Led Zeppelin At Knebworth 1979 - 30 Years Gone by Dave Lewis collects previously unpublished photos and has fans recalling the band's final shows in their native country. The book is due in August. In other Led Zep-related news, Jimmy Page was on hand for the Los Angeles debut of White Stripes frontman Jack White's new band The Dead Weather at the Roxy Theatre on June 17. - Undercover/NME...... Billy Joel has announced he's splitting from his third wife, Katie Lee Joel. "After nearly five years of marriage, Billy and Katie have decided to separate. The decision is the result of much thought and consideration. Billy and Katie remain caring friends, with admiration and respect for each other," a spokeswoman for the 60-year-old musician said on June 18. She also denied rumours that the 27-year-old Katie's close friendship with fashion designer Yigal Azrouel was the reason behind the split. Joel's previous wives include his former business manager, Elizabeth Weber Small, and supermodel Christie Brinkley. - Music-News.com...... Legendary TV newscaster Walter Cronkite, 92, is reportedly gravely ill according to numerous sources at his former network, CBS. The network began updating his obituary more than a week ago, a source adds. Cronkite, who once held the title of "Most Trusted Man in America," anchored the CBS Evening News for 19 years, until 1981, when he was forced to retire. He then maintained an office at CBS, where he was a special correspondent. - TVNewser.com...... Bob Bogle, the lead guitarist for the U.S. instrumental band the Ventures, died on June 13 in Tacoma, Wash. He was 75. The Ventures, probably best known for performing the theme for the popular TV series Hawaii Five-O which peaked at #4 in the U.S. in 1969, sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and are credited with heavily influencing the surf music genre, and were known as "The Band that Launched a Thousand Bands." They also scored a U.S. #2 hit in 1960 with the catchy instrumental "Walk, Don't Run." Bogle, a former masonry worker, co-founded the Ventures with Don Wilson in 1958 in their native Tacoma. The band was also particularly popular in Japan and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. - Yahoo News/NME

'70s SOUNDBYTES - 6/14: Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band made a rare U.S. festival appearance on the night of June 13 at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tenn. The Boss & Co.'s festival appearances have been mostly in the UK, where such festivals as the Isle of Wight and the Download Festival are also currently underway. Neil Young headlined the Isle of Wight fest on June 14, while ZZ Top, Def Leppard and Journey played the Download event the same day. In other Springsteen news, the Boss has just added a couple of new dates to his summer US itinerary. He'll play an Aug. 19 show in Hartford, Conn., and an Aug. 25 date in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and be the final music act at the soon-to-closed Giants Stadium in E. Rutherford, N.J. on Sept. 30 and Oct. 2, 3, 8 and 9. AP/New Musical Express/LiveDaily...... Jeff Beck recently told the UK publication Word that he turned down an offer from Mick Jaggger to join the Rolling Stone in 1974 after the departure of Stones guitarist Mick Taylor because he didn't think he would be able to fit in with the hard-partying group. "I had this flash that said, 'Don't do it, you'll never get on with Mick and Keith musically because you're heading in a different direction'," Beck said. He added that "If I'd turned left I'd have been a multi-millionaire Rolling Stone -- and dead." Taylor's eventual replacement was Faces guitarist Ronnie Wood, still a member of the band. - Tourdates.co.uk...... In other Rolling Stones news, a slew of remastered later-period Stones albums are being reissued by Universal in June and July. Some Girls, Emotional Rescue, Tattoo You and Undercover all dropped on June 9, while Dirty Work, Steel Wheels, Bridges To Babylon, Voodoo Lounge and A Bigger Bang hit the street on July 14. - Rolling Stone...... A concert promoter who says he made a deal with Michael Jackson's former manager for a reunion concert this summer with the entire family of Jackson musical siblings is filed a $40 million lawsuit against Michael on June 10 in federal court in Manhattan. Allgood Entertainment claims its deal with the "Thriller" singer called for him not to perform elsewhere before the event or for at least three months after it. The lawsuit says Jackson, his manager Frank DiLeo and promoter AEG broke the contract by signing Michael to do a series of concerts at the O2 Arena in London this summer, which may also include a pay-per-view event. At attorney for Allgood says his client isn't looking to stop the upcoming O2 residency, but "for our clients to be involved in the London concerts or be compensated for agreements they entered into." Meanwhile, reclusive pop singer has reportedly made a series of bizarre demands for the London shows, which are set to kick off July 13. In an email to promoters AEG, Jackson said he wants to assemble a children's choir for the shows, made up of "exactly equal" numbers of black, white, Asian and mixed-raced kids, and all of the child singers must be able to do sign language. He also wants to find six marching snare drummers to take part in the shows - though he doesn't want any of them to have beards or stubble. - AP/The Daily Mirror...... John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono was honoured with a Lifetime Acheivement Award during an annual Honours List ceremony sponsored by Britain's Mojo magazine on June 11. "I think it's a great honour, I am just overjoyed. It's really great that I went on stage and people were very warm towards me, I didn't expect that," Yoko said, adding that John would have said "I told you so, man" because "he was the only person who was really believing and promoting my work." Other classic rock acts honoured during the event included the Zombies (Classic Album Award - Odessey And Oracle); Phil Lynott (Icon Award); Billy Gibbons (Les Paul Award); and Mott the Hoople (Hall of Fame). - Tourdates.co.uk...... In other John & Yoko news, an exhibition featuring never before released photos of the couple opened at the Woodstock Museum in Bethel Woods, N.Y. June 12. "Give Peace A Chance: John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Bed-In For Peace" features more than 30 large photographs of the couple's famous protest for peace in Montreal in 1969 and runs through Sept. 7. - Rolling Stone...... In other Beatles-related news, Paul McCartney has revealed that he refrained from voting in the recent European Parliament elections as a protest against British MPs with regard to the expenses scandal. "I didn't vote in the last election," Sir Paul told Britain's The Independent. "All that expenses rubbish has made me disillusioned with British politics. I didn't feel comfortable using my vote to get any of them in power. All of them seem to be up for ripping off expenses and making themselves as powerful as possible and I don't want a part of that." - NME...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, Illinois-based power popsters Cheap Trick will perform the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in its entirety backed by an orchestra for nine shows at the Las Vegas Hilton Theater on Sept. 13-15, 17-19 and 21-23. - AP...... The Eagles are among three music acts set to have their own 24-hour radio show in a new venture by Clear Channel Radio and Front Line Management. The channels will run 24 hours a day and play songs chosen by the artist, interviews and commentary. The program will launch in July with the Eagles, Christina Aguilera and Weezer. Each online channel will feature about 1,000 songs, plus stories and comments from the host. The channels will be updated weekly with new music and content. - Billboard...... Aero Force One (AF1), Aerosmith's official fan club, is looking for the band's "Most Deserving Fan." AF1's contest seeks 37 deserving fans to win an upgrade VIP Package for the band's upcoming "Wheels Up" tour that will include a pass for two to a pre-concert VIP party, an exclusive gift bag and a meet and greet with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. More details can be found at the AF1 website. - LiveDaily...... The Who's "My Generation" and Etta James' "At Last" are among 25 of the latest pieces submitted to the National Recording Registry of the United States Library of Congress. The recordings are filed as audio documents, and are part of an annual endeavor by the Library's National Recording Preservation Board to select "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" pieces that are at least 10 years old. The total number of recordings now stands at 275. - NME...... Former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony will not appear in the new Guitar Hero: Van Halen videogame, according to a spokesman for game maker Activision. Current VH singer David Lee Roth will be the only vocalist to appear in the game, and current bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, son of band leader Eddie Van Halen, will take founding bassist Anthony's place in the game. Also, no Hagar-sung VH songs will be featured in the game. The game was previewed at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles in early June. - NME...... Alice Cooper, distraught after losing a bag containing his obscure horror movie collection at London's Heathrow airport on June 9, is offering fans the chance to meet him in exchange for its safe return. Cooper has issued a statement saying he's offering a pair of tickets and backstage passes to meet him during his upcoming "Theatre of Death" tour in the UK this November to anyone who returns the 22-inch dark greay Oakley rollerbag, which contained the DVDs as well as a laptop computer, to him. Those with information about the bag should email trevor@planetrock.com. - NME...... Kiss bassist/singer Gene Simmons is stoking the running feud between himself and guitarist Carlos Santana, which began five years ago when Santana criticized Simmons for iding his lack of talent behind costumes and theatrics. "He's not a musician, he's an entertainer...A musician doesn't need the mask and the mascara," Santana said. Now Simmons, when asked to comment on Santana's new Las Vegas show, told a local TV interview, "I'm sick and tired of these bands like Carlos Santana looking at his shoes and thinking that's a rock concert... Get off the stage." - Wenn.com...... Now in stores is The Norman Lear TV Collection, a 19-disc anthology from the creator of such milestone '70s sitcoms as All in the Family, the Jeffersons, Maude and Good Times. In addition to the complete first seasons of seven Lear-produced shows, the package also includes six hours' worth of the groundbreaking TV impressario dishing details on such departed stars as Carroll O'Connor and Bea Arthur. - Entertainment Weekly...... Hundreds of David Carradine's close friends and family gathered at the Forest Lawn cemetery in Hollywood on June 14 to honor the late Kung Fu actor, who died in Bangkok, Thailand on June 4. Carradine's family stayed out of sight from a small group of reporters and cameras, and his burial was a private, invitation-only event. In a statement released on June 11, his brothers Keith and Robert Carradine asked for privacy and understanding while the family mourned. Among the mourners were actors Michael Madsen, Jane Seymour, Tom Selleck, Frances Fisher, Daryl Hannah, Lucy Liu and Rob Schneider. A statement released on June 11 by a private pathologist said suicide had been ruled out as a cause of death for Carradine, whose body was found hanging in a Bangkok hotel room. - AP...... Chastity Bono, the 40-year-old daughter of Cher and the late Sonny Bono, has announced (s)he's in the process of undergoing a sex change to become a man. "Chastity has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity" and began the sex-change process earlier this year, according to Bono's publicist. Bono, a writer, activist and reality-TV star came out as gay 20 years ago. In 1995, Bono posed for the cover of the gay magazine The Advocate and began working for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). - AP...... Producer/keyboardist Barry Beckett, who worked with such important pop/rock artists as Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger and Paul Simon as well as numerous country music stars, died at his home in Hendersonville, Tenn., on June 12. He was 66. Beckett, who appeared on such songs as Simon's "Kodachrome" and Seger's "Mainstreet," had been diagnosed with cancer and suffered strokes. His first hit as producer came with the Sanford Townsend Band's "Smoke From a Distant Fire" and his first No. 1 record on the pop charts was Mary MacGregor's "Torn Between Two Lovers." He later was in demand among Nashville's country stars, and produced Kenny Chesney's first two albums. - Reuters...... PBS's Soundstage concert series kicks off its summer season on June 18 with Jackson Browne. It will air at 10:00 p.m. in many markets, but as with all PBS shows, "check local listings."

News items appearing in Super Seventies RockSite!'s "Favorite Seventies Artists In The News" are compiled from numerous printed sources, including Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, Newsweek and USA Today; and numerous online sources, including Associated Press, Billboard, CMT.com, E! Online, LiveDaily.com, MTV News, New Musical Express, Rolling Stone, Reuters, SoundGenerator.com, Undercover, and USA Today.