2011 – lyricist Jerry Leiber dies at age 78 on This Day in Rock! He Co-wrote hits like “Hound Dog” and “Jailhouse Rock” and was a key player in the birth or Rock ‘n’ Roll. Composing over 200 tunes covered by Elvis, Buddy Holly, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, James Brown, BB King, The drifters and Peggy Lee, Elvis having recorded over 20 of the tunes himself.
2011 – Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” climbed back to the top of the British albums chart on This Day in
Rock! A week after her death, the album which was released in 2006 is at the top. Songs included: “You Know I’m No Good,” “Love Is a Losing Game” and “Rehab,” which contained the line: “They tried to make me go to rehab. I said ‘no, no, no’.”
Curious… it seems that record companies take advantage of dead artists like Amy and Jim Morrison. One has to wonder if death is part of the artist’s development… at any rate… they are pretty shameless.
2011 – Judge orders Jobs to answer iTunes questions on This Day in Rock!
Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs, who is out on medical leave, has been ordered by a federal magistrate to answer questions from plaintiffs’ lawyers in an antitrust lawsuit related to his company’s iTunes business.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Howard Lloyd, based in San Jose, California, ruled that lawyers representing the plaintiffs in the suit may question Jobs for a total of two hours. He issued the ruling on Monday.
Apple could appeal the ruling to a district judge, but it would likely have to make a case that the magistrate “made a big mistake,” said Professor David Levine at University of California Hastings College of the Law.
An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment, and attorneys for the plaintiffs did not respond to requests for comment.
In the class-action lawsuit, a group of consumers say Apple created a music-downloading monopoly with its iPod player and iTunes store. At issue is a piece of software called Fairplay that allowed only music bought on iTunes to be played on the iPod, according to the complaint.
One competitor, RealNetworks Inc, responded in 2004 by introducing a new technology that would allow customers to play music downloaded from its site on their iPods. Apple quickly announced a software upgrade to iTunes that once more blocked music from RealNetworks, the complaint charges.
“The court finds that Jobs has unique, non-repetitive, first hand knowledge about Apple’s software updates in October 2004 that rendered the RealNetworks’s digital music files once again inoperable with iPods,” Lloyd wrote in his ruling.
The ruling comes amid intense questions about Jobs’ health and whereabouts. Earlier this month an energetic but thin Jobs resurfaced to unveil Apple’s new iPad. His appearance helped reassure investors and fans worried about what his absence might mean for the company.
Apple failed to provide specific examples of how a deposition of Jobs would constitute “undue hardship,” the plaintiffs wrote in a court filing last December.
Lloyd said the deposition of Jobs would be limited to questions about the back-and-forth with RealNetworks in 2004. Apple had sought to prevent the deposition altogether, while the plaintiffs asked to be allowed a broader inquiry.
“By limiting the scope of the deposition, the judge is trying to avoid using this as some sort of tool for embarrassment or annoyance,” Levine said.
Should a district judge uphold Lloyd’s ruling, Levine said it would be extremely difficult for either side to appeal further.
The case is in re Apple iPod iTunes antitrust litigation, Case No. 05-00037, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California.
Apple is involved in a host of other lawsuits, both as a plaintiff and defendant, ranging from disputes over patents to antitrust allegations. On Monday, Apple sued Amazon.com Inc in a bid to stop the online retailer from improperly using its APP STORE trademark, according to a court filing.
(Reporting by Paul Thomasch in New York, Dan Levine in San Francisco and Sakthi Prasad in Bangalore; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick and Derek Caney)
All the facts about rock hisory you need in one easy place. With a database of over 25,000 records and growing daily, we update posts about Elvis, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, Jet, My Chemical Romance and many more. We include Video from YouTube, lyrics, and all the juicy facts that happen to your favorite stars. Tell you friends, leave comments, and enjoy history.
2010 – Tom Petty tells Playboy “There are no record people left in the record business; now it’s some guy who used to be with the leased-car department and got a promotion. Or maybe he was an accountant and now he’s a record-company president. And he hires more accountants and leased-car men”.
2010 – SLAYER’s DAVE LOMBARDO: Video Footage Of Bochum Signing Session Posted Online – Mar. 31, 2010
SLAYER’s Dave Lombardo kicked off his German drum-workshop tour on Sunday (March 28) at House of Drums in Bochum-Wattenscheid.
Fan-filmed video footage of the signing session that followed the clinic has now been posted online and can be viewed below.
Remaining drum-workshop dates:
March 31 – Musik Meisinger – Burghausen
Also appearing is Daniel Schild (BLAZE BAYLEY, SONS OF SEASONS).
Lombardo is a Cuban-American heavy metal drummer best known for his work with American thrash metal band SLAYER. Lombardo’s music career has spanned more than 25 years, during which he has been involved in the production of 29 commercial recordings spanning a number of major genres with bands such as GRIP INC., FANTÔMAS, and TESTAMENT in addition to SLAYER.
Lombardo’s musical interest was sparked by playing along to a SANTANA record with bongo drums and was later influenced by the musical styles of LED ZEPPELIN and KISS.
Lombardo is known as an aggressive heavy metal drummer and his use of the drums have been called “astonishingly innovative”and earned him the title “the godfather of metal double bass” from Drummer World. Over his career, he has had a significant influence on the metal scene, and has inspired many modern metal drummers.
2010 – LONDON (Reuters) – British rock band Pink Floyd won its court battle with EMI on Thursday with a ruling that prevents the record company from selling single downloads on the Internet from the group’s concept albums.
The outcome of a dispute over the level of royalties the band received remained unclear, however, as that part of the judgment was held in secret, the Press Association reported. A source close to the band said those talks were “ongoing.”
Lawyers said it was the first time a royalties dispute between artists and their record companies had been held in private, after EMI successfully applied for a news blackout for reasons of “commercial confidentiality.”
The ruling at London’s High Court is the latest blow to EMI, the smallest of the four major record companies, which is seeking new funds to avoid breaching debt covenants.
EMI sought to play down the court’s decision.
“The litigation has been running for well over a year and most of its points have already been settled,” the company said in a statement.
“This week’s court hearing was around the interpretation of two contractual points, both linked to the digital sale of Pink Floyd’s music. There are further arguments to be heard and the case will go on for some time.”
EMI’s owner Terra Firma is also embroiled in a legal dispute with Citigroup over advice and financing the U.S. bank provided to enable it to buy EMI in 2007.
Several top acts, including Pink Floyd and Queen, are reportedly in talks with other labels, following the exodus of the Rolling Stones and Radiohead since Terra Firma took over.
But EMI added in its statement: “We’re huge fans of Pink Floyd whose great catalog we have been representing for more than 40 years and continue to represent exclusively and internationally.”
Pink Floyd’s back catalog at EMI has been outsold only by that of the Beatles.
The band, whose albums include “The Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Wall,” went to court to challenge EMI’s right to “unbundle” their records and sell individual tracks online.
Judge Andrew Morritt accepted arguments by the group that EMI was bound by a contract forbidding it from selling records other than as complete albums without written consent.
The judge said the purpose of a clause in the contract, drawn up more than a decade ago, was to “preserve the artistic integrity of the albums.”
Pink Floyd alleged that EMI had allowed online downloads from the albums and parts of tracks to be used as ringtones.
But Elizabeth Jones, representing EMI in court, countered that the word record “plainly applies to the physical thing — there is nothing to suggest it applies to online distribution.”
The judge ordered EMI to pay Pink Floyd’s costs in the case, estimated at 60,000 pounds ($90,000), and refused the company permission to appeal.
Pink Floyd’s influential and acclaimed body of work is a valuable commodity. Members Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason all appeared on the 2009 Sunday Times Rich List with personal fortunes estimated at 85 million, 78 million and 50 million pounds respectively.
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato and Mark Trevelyan)
2010 – U.K. Declares Abbey Road A Historic Site
February 23, 2010
2010 – With all the talk about EMI possibly selling Abbey Road Studios, the U.K. government has stepped in and declared it a historic site so that no radical changes can be made. Culture Minister Margaret Hodge declared the iconic venue a “Grade II” listed building, which means that although changes to its interior are permitted, any proposed alterations must respect the character and preservation of the site. In a statement, Hodge said the listing had been granted “overwhelmingly on the historic merit of the studios” and because “it has huge cultural importance and a very special place in the hearts of recording artists and music lovers alike.”
“The Abbey Road Studios have been listed in acknowledgement of their outstanding cultural interest and to ensure that recording artists for generations to come can continue to make and record music in the same rooms as musical icons of years gone by,” said Hodge’s statement. “Music – of whichever genre – is the thread that follows us through all our lives and Abbey Road Studios have produced some of the very best music in the world. It’s a testament to both the importance of music in people’s lives as well as the passion this kind of issue stirs up, that so much interest has been generated by the perceived threat to the future of Abbey Road.”
Among those calling for the studios to be saved were Sir Paul McCartney and Andrew Lloyd Webber, who signaled that he was a potential buyer. However, EMI said over the weekend that it did not want to sell Abbey Road, although it was talking to other parties about revitalizing the site. EMI said it had been in discussions since November 2009 to find ways to regenerate the studios.
“EMI confirms that it is holding preliminary discussions for the revitalization of Abbey Road with interested and appropriate third parties,” the company said in the statement. “We believe that Abbey Road should remain in EMI’s ownership.”
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) — Berry Gordy called Michael Jackson the “greatest entertainer that ever lived” as family, friends, colleagues and fans gathered to remember the King of Pop at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Tuesday.
Michael Jackson’s casket is placed in front of the stage at the Staples Center.
“The more I think and talk about Michael Jackson, I feel the King of Pop is not big enough for him,” Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, said as the crowd rose to its feet. “I think he is simply — I think he is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived.”
Jackson’s golden casket was placed in front of the stage at his memorial as a choir sang.
Several of Jackson’s older brothers served as pallbearers, carrying the coffin to the stage as the Andrae Crouch choir sang “Soon and Very Soon.”
The stage at the Staples Center resembled a church sanctuary with a stain-glassed backdrop.
Mariah Carey was joined by Trey Lorenz singing The Jackson 5′s 1970 hit “I’ll Be there” as a montage of Jackson photographs appeared on arena screens.
Queen Latifah, saying she was on stage to represent “millions of fans inspired by Michael,” said “Michael was the biggest star on earth.” Lionel Richie then performed the song “Jesus is Love.” Stevie Wonder took the stage to sing “Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer.”
Smokey Robinson read personal messages from several of Jackson’s celebrity friends who could not attend.
“Michael was a personal love of mine, a treasured part of my life, part of the fabric of my life, in a way that I can’t seem to find words to express” Diana Ross said in a message read by Smokey Robinson.
Robinson also read a message from Nelson Mandela, saying they had grown close after trips and performances in South Africa.
“We had great admiration for his talent and that he was able to triumph over tragedy on so many occasions in his life. Michael was a giant and a legend in the music industry. And we mourn with the millions of fans worldwide,” Robinson said, relaying Mandela’s message. “We also mourn with his family and his friends over the loss of our dear friend.”
The public memorial began after Jackson’s family and closest friends attended a gathering at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills on Tuesday morning.
Jackson’s family and friends were at the chapel, which can hold about 1,000 people. Seven men carried the golden casket covered in red flowers from Forest Lawn’s Hall of Liberty.
“It wouldn’t be fair for the fans who are going to appear and be here at the Staples Center not to see his casket,” Teddy Riley, a singer who worked closely with Jackson on several albums, said. Watch Riley talk about working with Jackson »
An army of fans poured into Los Angeles from places far-flung, hoping to collectively mourn their idol in a massive ceremony.
Thousands appeared to be on hand, but the atmosphere was peaceful, almost festive. People waited patiently, talking to each other, taking pictures and singing Jackson songs. Some fans were excited, others somber, as they entered the arena.
Parking lots in the area raised their prices, some as high as $30. Airports in Southern California saw a spike in bookings. And several movie theaters in the area announced special screenings of the event, which also will be carried live by some television networks and Web sites.
The first fans — those holding the best seats — began entering the arena at 7:30 a.m. The service is set to start at 10 a.m. (1 p.m. ET).
Deka Motanya, a San Francisco, California, woman who won tickets in the computer lottery, posted a message on Twitter just before 9 a.m. saying she had reached her “not-too-bad seats.” “(M)ichael jackson music playing. people filling in; very organized w/ assigned seats” her message said.
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