MUSIC NEWS: FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2016
SUM 41 - PLANS
Canadian rock band Sum 41's frontman Deryck Whibley says their new album saved his life. Whibley writes on Facebook the music on ``13 Voices'' represents his journey as they've made the record. Whibley suffered liver and kidney failure brought on by heavy drinking in 2014. Whibley says he had ``to fall in order to rise, and nothing feels better than to have something you love that you had to really fight for.'' A release date has not yet been announced.
---
BLACK SABBATH - FINAL DATES
If you want to see Black Sabbath in the U-S, see them before November 12th or you lose out. Black Sabbath have added three American dates to ``The End'' tour. They're set for Tulsa on November 8th, Houston on November 10th and San Antonio on November 12th. From there, they go to Mexico and South America.
Their last scheduled show for now is December 4th in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The lone Canadian date is August 29th in Toronto.
---
PAUL McCARTNEY - THE MEANING OF LIFE
Paul McCartney once figured out the secret to the universe, but he couldn't figure out what it meant the next day.
McCartney tells a story in the ``Pure McCartney V-R'' documentary series on his website about going to a party with Bob Dylan.
McCartney says he suddenly felt like he was going up a spiral walkway. He yelled to Beatles assistant Mal Evans to get him some paper because he had to write down something important. McCartney says he told Evans not to lose the paper because ``this is the meaning of life.'' Evans gave it back to him the next day and it said, ``There are seven levels.'' McCartney's anthology, ``Pure McCartney,'' comes out today.
---
SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME
Elvis Costello, the late Marvin Gaye and Tom Petty are now in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The induction and awards dinner was held last night in New York. The class of 2016 also includes the songwriting team Nile Rodgers and the late Bernard Edwards and ``Wild Thing'' songwriter Chip Taylor. The night included live performances by Jennifer Hudson and the B-52's, among others.
---
BELLY THE BAND - BELLY THE RAPPER
There's Belly, and then there's Belly. Belly the alternative band has been around since 1991 and recently announced a reunion tour. The Canadian rapper Belly is the one who collaborated with Toronto's The Weeknd on ``Might Not.'' Singer Tanya Donelly of the band Belly says the rapper wasn't on their radar and they clearly weren't on his. She doesn't plan to pursue legal action because she considers them two different entities. She says she and the band are laughing about it. Donelly says when her band started selling out shows for their upcoming tour, she did wonder whether ticket-buyers think they're going to see the rapper.
---
BOBBY BROWN - MEMOIR
One of the claims in Bobby Brown's new memoir is that Whitney Houston smoked pot with their teenage daughter, Bobbi Kristina. The allegation comes from LaPrincia Brown, his daughter with Kim Ward. She says in her father's memoir, ``Every Little Step,'' she was riding in a car with Houston, Bobbi Kristina and her boyfriend Nick Gordon when the three smoked pot together. Bobby Brown also says Houston did her ``share of cheating'' and among her lovers was Tupac Shakur (TOO'-pahk shah-KOOR). Bobby Brown was no angel himself. He claims among his conquests were Janet Jackson and Madonna.
---
BRIAN MAY - TRUMP
Brian May of Queen says Donald Trump neither sought permission to use ``We Are The Champions'' nor did they give it. Trump played the song at a rally after sweeping Tuesday's primaries. May writes on his website he's gotten ``an avalanche of complaints'' about Trump using the song. May says the band is seeking advice to ensure it does not continue. May says regardless of Trump's views, it's against Queen's policy for their music to be used as a political campaigning tool.
---
SNOOP DOGG - BASEBALL
Snoop Dogg appears to have been taking pitching lessons from 50 Cent. Snoop threw out the first pitch at the Padres-Braves game on Wednesday and threw it so far outside he nearly beaned a photographer. Snoop appeared to laugh it off. He has not commented on his throw, but he did post an Instagram video titled ``Padres at Braves at Petco Park'' in which he appears to be smoking an unknown substance.
---
DOLLY PARTON - CHILDREN'S BOOK
Dolly Parton's ``Coat of Many Colors'' continues to have a life of its own. Publishers Grosset and Dunlap plan to make the song into a children's book, out October 18th. It will come with a downloadable song Parton recorded called ``Making Fun Ain't Funny.'' The song was turned into a T-V movie in December. Parton says she gets letters all the time from teachers who say they use ``Coat of Many Colors'' to illustrate being proud of who you are and the consequences of bullying. Parton says she's always been honoured that her ``little song'' has been used that way.
---
RAPPERS MOURN - MUHAMMAD ALI
Muhammad Ali is being remembered in the rap community not just for his strength as a boxer and a person, but for the way he could string words together. Nas (NAHS) says Ali wasn't a rapper but he was ``the first rap superstar.'' Nas says, ``Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee was bigger than all rap hits combined.'' Sean ``Diddy'' Combs says Ali was ``the first great M-C.'' M-C Lyte says she loved hearing Ali scat. Eminem says Ali was ``a constant source of inspiration and a heroic figure.'' Jay Z says Ali ``is literally my hero.''
---
``AMERICA'S GOT TALENT'' - CONTESTANT
If John Hetlinger doesn't get anywhere on ``America's Got Talent,'' Drowning Pool will still welcome him to their stage. Hetlinger, who's an 82-year-old retired aerospace engineer who loves Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, shocked the judges and the audience by singing the Drowning Pool song ``Bodies'' on Tuesday's show. Drowning Pool guitarist C-J Pierce says they'd love to have Hetlinger come on stage and sing a song with them.
Pierce says he loves space and aliens and he'd also want to get Hetlinger ``to open up one of these 'X-Files.'''
---
(The Associated Press)
