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On this day in 1975, John Lennon made his last appearance on T-V as a guest on Tom Snyder‘s Tomorrow show on N-B-C. On the same night, Ringo Starr was a guest on N-B-C’s Smothers Brothers Show. Tom and Dick joined him for “The No No Song” and screened the video clip of “Snookeroo.”

Today Bob Dylan releases album number-46, Together Through Life, his first disc with new material since 2006. It contains 10 songs, nine of which he co-wrote with longtime Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. Why put the album out now? Dylan says on his website, “This particular album was supposed to come out next fall sometime — September, October… We made it last year and it was supposed to be put away for a year. But then the guys from the record company heard it and decided that they would like to put it out in early spring and not wait for the movie.” The movie he refers to is My Own Love Song, which features one of the songs off the album, “Life Is Hard.”

Dylan will celebrate today’s release with a show tonight in Wales.

visit

www.bobdylan.com

The Moody Blues — Live at the Isle of Wight will be released on D-V-D May 26th by Eagle Vision. The 11-song performance, running nearly 80 minutes, includes such classics as “Questions,” “Tuesday Afternoon,” “Ride My See Saw” and “Nights in White Satin.” There’s also a 20-minute mini-documentary on the historic show.

More than 40 years after it’s initial release, the WHO’s third album “Sell Out” has been given the proper respect it deserves with a bonofide remastering and specially packaged 2-cd reissue.  Those who aren’t familiar with the project will learn to appreciate the insanely ironic blend of mastercraft pop and thematic context of the project.  “Sell Out” was deliberately intended as such…those “mock” adversetisements that adorn the front and backside of the album jacket was a parody of the albums’ intent, but history has now revealed the band’s management had in fact attempted to sell-off a stake of the album to a variety of corporate names to pay for production costs and sweeten the paycheque.  Creatively the idea was to mimic pirate radio – which in the day was the only means to experience the latest pop sounds – given the poverty of “needle time” on the country’s legislated corporate broadcaster – the BBC.  Sample the mock commercials, but savour too the truly great pop craftsmenship of the songs therein…Pete Townsend – to quote a friend – “…is a gawwd”!!

Commercially speaking, “Sell Out” boasted the brilliant “I Can See For Miles” – a record Pete “…spat on the English record buying public” given its average showing on the British charts. 

“Sell Out” comes complete with both the original mono and stereo mixies on 2 cds…including extensive liner notes written by Dave Marsh and Who biographer Andy Neil.

Former Procol Harum keyboardist Matthew Fisher is appealing last year’s London Court of Appeals ruling that said he is not entitled to royalties from the band’s 1967 hit “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” Fisher claims he is responsible for the song’s signature organ line. In 2006 he was awarded 40 percent of the copyright, but that decision was overturned last year. He has now taken his case to the Law Lords, the U-K’s Supreme Court, with the hearing expected to last two days.

Elton John performed his 241st and final Red Piano show at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas last night. The first of a planned 75 shows took place in February 2004, but the demand was so great that Elton kept extending the residency. He’ll do the Red Piano show in Europe later this year.

Elton resumes his Face-to-Face tour with Billy Joel on May 2nd in Fargo, North Dakota.

I saw Jeff perform at the concert hall back in ’97, although I remember very little of the show itself.  This wasn’t owing to any recreational vices perse, simply that I haven’t followed Jeff’s solo career as closely as might his hard-core fans.  I have the first album “Truth”, but I don’t remember Jeff performing his opus “Beck’s Bolero” that night.  Most of what I know of his career was his legacy with the Yardbirds and that which he recorded with Rod Stewart.  My greatest thrill was getting to meet Jeff after the show, having a picture taken and procuring his signature on one of my Yardbirds lps.  I also asked Jeff to confirm the legend behind “Happenings 10 Years Time Ago”, that in fact both he and Jimmy Page exchanged lead guitar on the recording, albeit they recorded their submissions on opposite sides of the globe.  A wonderful night to be sure.

On the heels of his recent induction into the RnR Hall of Fame, this past Tuesday night Jeff was performing at the El Ray in Los Angeles before a sold out room that included Paul McCartney!  The LA Times reported that Jeff was joined onstage by none other than Rod Stewart, who belted out a couple of rousing renditions of “People Get Ready” and later “I Ain’t Superstitious”!  I can only imagine the delight of the audience to see and hear the magic once again!  One has to wonder if this might lead to something more???  Here’s hoping.  Jeff’s new cd and dvd/blue ray disc “Live at Ronnie Scott’s” is now in stores…get it!!

Congratulations to James Jewel Osterburg who turns 62 today (1947).  Most of you know him as IGGY POP…founding member of the legendary STOOGES and godfather of the punk movement.  Not just another pretty face, it should be noted that James was initially considered as a replacement for Jim Morrison with the Doors following the Lizard King’s untimely passing in 1971. 

The Moody Blues, who just wrapped up a swing through the West Coast, will be back this summer for an extensive North American tour from July 17th in Tucson, Arizona through September 5th in St. Louis.