Music Blogs

Following week upon week of dreary news about photogenic troublemakers with memorable names and tenuous links to the music business, we can't help but be thrilled to note that two of this week's biggest stories involve two middle-aged men--one of whom is in fact still living! That would be Bruce Springsteen, the man and the legend, who this week announced the Oct. 2nd release of a brand new album titled Magic, his first recording with the E Street Band since 2002's The Rising. Several of us here at Y! Music Central were recently treated to an early listen of some new tracks and were especially taken with the guitar-laden rocker "Radio Nowhere," which we can only hope will get on the radio somewhere, if you catch our drift! Big buzz is that Bruce & Co. will soon be embarking on a European and American tour, and we plan to be there--if only to again witness Clarence Clemons playing his sax while spinning around in a circle onstage, surely the sort of image one needs to see but once to never forget--yet, oddly, to nevertheless want to see again and again! It's kind of hard to explain!

Speaking of things that might puzzle visiting aliens, all of Memphis was abuzz and hot, hot, hot last week as thousands gathered to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley's passing. With temperatures soaring to 105 degrees, fans of all ages, shapes and sizes marched near Graceland and Elvis Presley Boulevard, holding related candlelight vigils and much, much more. Some heat-related injuries and at least one related death were reported by officials, but all things considered, it appeared to be a very orderly outpouring of long-term love for the King Of Rock & Roll. And those who care about such things may note that the nonstop interest in All Things Elvis results in an estimated $40 million of cash generated a year--which, according to Forbes magazine, made him the second-highest dead celebrity of 2006, surpassed only by Kurt Cobain. Talk about a list everyone's dying to get on!

Now that we've discussed two different cultural icons, let's talk about yet a third! And that would be the Widow Cobain herself, Miss Courtney Love, who proudly announced to Harper's Bazaar that she now weighs 139 lbs., a figure that perhaps only has relevance when one learns that the former singer of Hole had a short while ago been all the way up to 182!  I for one am stunned--not so much that she weighed this much, but, frankly, that I wrote the previous sentence! And I went to college and everything!  "I've lost a lot of weight," Miss Love told the colorful mag, "and I have done it through being quite disciplined." Intriguingly, the magazine's cover is dated September rather than April!

And while we're on a roll discussing individuals who have profoundly affected the shape of music and indeed all of world culture as we know it, let's not overlook this week's 50 Cent incident. Apparently Mr. Cent was so riled over the early leaking of an upcoming single and video from his forthcoming album Curtis, he allegedly ripped a plasma TV from his office wall and--even more boldly--threw his cellphone through a window! But perhaps most astounding of all: According to published reports, America's Favorite Oft-Shot-At Rapper actually "erupted" right then and there! Like a volcano! Don't know about you, but I sure think that would've been something to see! Like, does he still have a head and everything? Weird!

That being said, though, the week's biggest story of all surely has to the one that took place at a Seattle karaoke bar on August 9th. When an unfortunate Coldplay fan took to the stage to belt out his own unique take on his fave band's track "Yellow," a woman in the audience--after loudly declaring, "Oh no, not that song. I can't stand that song!"--jumped up, rushed the stage, told the man his singing "sucked," and then pushed and punched him in a effort to finally shut him up. Police were soon called and the woman--described in one account as "a little hippie girl"--was eventually hauled off to jail after assaulting a police officer!

Normally we'd add a funny rejoinder and end here, but...well...there's no need!

THIS WEEK'S TOP 10 STORIES:

1) The Boss Is Back In Town: Bruce & E Street Band return with album & tour

2) The King Is Dead, Long Live The King: Memphis swoons with burnin' Elvis love

3) Diet Tips Of The Rich And Famous: Courtney Love on that bothersome "food" issue 

4) 50 Cent Conspicuously Miffed: Video leak less than ideal, says he

5) Judge Just Says No To Jackson Custody Claim: Even weirder than usual, many agree

6) Violent Femmes In Whopper Of A Lawsuit: Fast-food association leaves bitter aftertaste

7) Man punched for singing Coldplay song: Radiohead fans likely also nervous 

8) Jazz legend Max Roach dies at 83: Master drummer leaves rich legacy

9) "Posh" Spice Returns With Book Of Fashion Tips: "Look good" potential key tip

10) Foxy Brown Charged In Blackberry Assault: Technology claims another victim

written by Dave DiMartino 8/17/07