Rockphiles Blog

MICHAEL JACKSON August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009

One of the great international entertainers, Michael Jackson, died after suffering an apparent heart-attack at his rented home in Holmby Hills in Los Angeles.  He was 50. 

As reported below, Michael was poised for a come-back tour, starting in the UK next month.

His sister LaToya was seen running from the ER at UCLA Medical Center in tears, soon after Michael was transported by paramedics.  Early reports indicate Michael was already dead when the EMTs arrived at the house, shortly after noon today.

So far, the doctor will not sign the death certificate, and detectives from the LAPD have just arrived at the house to investigate the cause of death.

DOORS DOCUMENTARY TO SCREEN AT LA FILM FESTIVAL 6/21 and 6/24

  After screenings at Sundance and the Berlin Film Festival, and a pit-stop to allow Johnny Depp to add the final narration, the Doors documentary, "When You're Strange" will screen at the LA Film Festival on June 21 and June 24.  The film is not listed on the LA Film Festival official site, because of its late admittance.  The tickets are $12. There are 306 seats left for June 24 and 400 seats left for June 21 - at least, that was this morning!

Call 866-345-6337. Ignore the prompts, stay on the line, they'll pick up. Phone hours 10 am to 7 pm.

Sunday, June 21

Time: 10 pm
Place: Festival Theater - Westwood

Wednesday, June 24

Time: 2 pm
Place: Regent Theater - Westwood

PHIL SPECTOR SENTENCED TO 19 YEARS TO LIFE

Los Angeles Superior Court judge Larry Fidler has sentenced Phil Spector, 69, to 19 years to life for his second-degree murder conviction in the producer's second murder trial.  Spector shot actress Lana Clarkson in 2003, after they met at the House of Blues, where Clarkson was working as a hostess.  Fidler accepted the prosecution's recommendation of an additional 4 years on gun charges.  Spector is expected to appeal.

More here from MSNBC.

DYLAN AND MACCA TO COLLABORATE

Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney are expected to get together this summer, to collaborate on an album project, according to Britain's Daily Express.  Both artists have homes close to each other in Los Angeles.

Dylan and McCartney first met in London in the mid-60s.  Dylan introduced the Beatles to marijuana, and his influence changed the course of their songwriting.

MICHAEL JACKSON IN REHEARSAL FOR 50 DATES IN THE UK

Make of it what you will, but Michael Jackson is in rehearsal for 50 - yes, 50 - dates in London at the O2 Arena.  The gig begins July 8, 2009 , and winds up on February 24, 2010.  Schedule.

He's rehearsing here in Burbank, with Kenny Ortega (High School Musical, Dirty Dancing) choreographing.   

LA Times.

GEORGE HARRISON RECEIVES STAR ON THE WALK OF FAME

George Harrison received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today, located outside the Capitol Records building on Vine Street.  The ceremony was attended by his wife Olivia, son Dhani, former Beatle-bandmate Paul McCartney (in a surprise appearance),  co-Wilburys Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, a horde of fans, friends, Capitol executives, and assorted well-wishers. 

More here from MSNBC.

PHIL SPECTOR CONVICTED OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER

This just in from the Los Angeles Superior Court, where producer Phil Spector, 69, was retried for the death of actress Lana Clarkson, after a hung jury in the first trial. He could receive a sentence of 15 years to life in prison.

Judge Larry Paul Fidler gave the jury the option of convicting or acquitting Spector of the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter, but the jury returned with a second-degree murder conviction.

Prosecutors portrayed Spector as a "demonic maniac" and "a very dangerous man" around women, while the jury heard testimony from five women who said Spector threatened them with a handgun.

"This case is about a man who has had a history of playing Russian roulette with the lives of women," Deputy District Attorney Truc Do said in her closing argument last month. "Five women got the empty chamber. Lana got the sixth bullet."

Spector's lawyers argued the prosecution's case was based on circumstantial evidence, while contending Clarkson took her own life in despair over her failed acting career. 

I hope this has brought some peace and vindication to Lana Clarkson's family. 

CLAPTON-BECK U.S. TOUR DATES

Mr. Clapton and Mr. Beck are in the house for a touring season here in the US, after dates in Japan in February.  This is the set list from Saitama (as is the photograph), which will probably be the same for the US leg.

Feb 22 Saitama Super Arena, Saitama:

The first set JEFF BECK (17:09 to 18:01)

1.The Pump

2.You Never Know

3.Cause We've Ended As Lovers

4.Stratus

5.Angel(Footsteps)

6.Led Boots

7.Goodbye Pork Pie Hat/Brush With The Blues

8.Bass Solo(include Freeway Jam)

9.A Day In The Life

10.Big Block

11.Where Were You

12.Peter Gunn Theme

The second set ERIC CLAPTON (18:28 to 19:21)

1.Driftin'

2.Layla

3.Motherless Child

4.Running On Faith

5.Tell The Truth

6.Key To The Highway

7.I Shot The Sheriff

8.Wonderful Tonight

9.Cocaine

10.Crossroads

The third set ERIC CLAPTON with JEFF BECK (19:25 to 20:10)

Eric Clapton (gtr/vocs)

Jeff Beck (gtr)

Doyle Bramhall II (gtr/vocs)

Willie Weeks (bass)

Chris Stainton (keys)

Abe Laboriel Jr.(drums)

Sharon White (vocs)

Michelle John (vocs)

1.You Need Love

2.Listen Here/Compared To What

3.Here But I'm Gone

4.Outside Woman Blues

5.Little Brown Bird

6.Wee Wee Baby

 -encore-

7.I Want To Take You Higher

The US tour schedule :

4 Apr - Public Hall Cleveland OH - ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION (Jeff Beck)

6 Apr -Scranton PA Cultural Center

8 Apr -Philadelphia PA The Electric Factory

9-10 Apr - NYC - NY Fillmore NY Irving Plaza

11 Apr -Mashantucket CT MGM Grand at Foxwoods

13 Apr -Boston MA House of Blues

15 Apr - Cleveland OH House of Blues

16-17 Apr - Chicago IL Park West

18 Apr - Milwaukee WI Turner Hall Ballroom

21-22 Apr - Los Angeles CA El Rey Theatre

23 Apr - Oakland CA Fox Theatre

 

THE RRHOF - 2009

I received the following email recently:

"I’m working on behalf of Positively Cleveland and my team mate had sent you an email several weeks ago about the Rock Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony events. As the induction ceremony gets closer, I wanted to keep you and your readers informed about the latest news. There’s an awesome new website called Rock Immortal, created by the Rock Hall of Fame, where fans of the artists being inducted this year can help to create a digital monument for the artists. The site also has all of the latest info about the events leading to the ceremony!

Fans can upload images, videos and stories in tribute to their favorite 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee!

You can check out Rock Immortal at: www.rockimmortal.com

We’d love for you to pass the Rock Immortal site on to your readers!! Let me know if you have any questions about the site!"

There you have it.  You don't want to know what I think, except Little Anthony is waaaaay past due, as are Wanda Jackson and Jeff Beck.  Btw, the team mate never sent me anything.  Please let me know what you think.

TICKETBASTARD STRIKES AGAIN? CAVEAT EMPTOR.

It's been reported to me that Ticketmaster might be up to no good when it comes to the pre-sale of tickets for the Crosby, Stills & Nash concert dates in the UK this summer.  It would appear that 3A Entertainment, promoters of the shows, made duplicate seat allocations to both Seetickets and Ticketmaster for the Crosby Stills Nash concert scheduled for Manchester on July 10, 2009. 

The CSN fan discovered that the 5th row Block A ticket, which was originally bought through Seetickets' Friday presale, was also for sale (at twice the price) through Ticketmaster's 'Marketplace' website tab.  

 

Despite repeated telephone assurances from Seetickets that the original purchase was valid, that the seat was safe and that the Ticketmaster website details were wrong, this was completely untrue.  Seetickets informed the fan verbally today that the promoter, 3A Entertainment, issued duplicate ticket information to both Ticketmaster and Seetickets, that Ticketmaster had precedence and that the Seetickets seat was therefore no longer valid.  As a result of this duplicitous behaviour, the concertgoer had to pay £200+, through Ticketmaster, to buy two tickets adjacent to the seat originally bought in good faith from Seetickets for £50.   The concertgoer states:

 

"It was my decision to pay this 'proximity' premium one might argue, but I have waited 38 years to see this band perform live. I wanted a decent seat for this event, thought I had one and will not be fobbed off with a third rate seat subsequently offered by Seetickets as a consolation prize.

 

Besides myself, I assume that many other concertgoers have suffered the same disappointment today, through what appears to be, at best, the promoter's incompetence, or at worst an egregious attempt to gouge ticket prices. 

 

I have no way of establishing to whom my original Seetickets' seat was allocated.  Ticketmaster might argue that they are only acting as the facilitator for other legitimate sellers on their 'Marketplace' site and have acted in good faith. However, recent events involving Bruce Springsteen and Ticketsnow remain front and centre in the minds of many concertgoers and the finger of suspicion may still remain despite the public assurances.

 

This state of affairs is simply not good enough and my heart tells me that heads should roll for this debacle which can but add only further disrepute to the industry."

Take heed, all those concerned in what appears to be a cavalier disregard for the rights of the fans.  You cannot continue to get away with this sort of behavior without paying the same high price you expect fans to pay. 

BROWNE v. McCAIN

One of the more disturbing aspects of the McCain campaign was the illegal use of music created by artists who had very essential differences with the Republican party.  Jackson Browne, a long-time liberal, went to law to correct unauthorized use of his 1978 hit, "Running On Empty." The Federal courts have jurisdiction, and the issue is First Amendment rights.

The case is now cleared for trial, after a Federal judge denied motions by the Republican party to have the case dismissed. Jackson has passed the first hurdle.  The outcome will set a legal precedent for the rights of politicians to appropriate works of art without the permission of the creator of the work, as if somehow politicians are above the law. 

Case progress so far here.