Beatle John Lennon Slain; Shot Down Outside New York Apartment.

Dec. 9, 1980: Former Beatle John Lennon, 40, who led a revolution in popular music that captured the imagination of an entire generation, was shot to death Monday outside his exclusive Manhattan apartment house.

He was rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, less than a mile from the Dakota, the famous apartment building where he lived with his wife, Yoko Ono. Doctors pronounced him dead at the hospital.



Police announced early today that....




Three days before he was gunned down, John Lennon complained about his critics — saying they were just interested in "dead heroes" — and talked optimistically about his family and future, musing that he had "plenty of time" to accomplish some of his life goals.


Lennon's final interview was released to The Associated Press by Rolling Stone on Wednesday, the 30th anniversary of the musician's death. The issue with the full interview will be on magazine stands on Friday. While brief excerpts of Jonathan Cott's interview with Lennon were released for a 1980 Rolling Stone cover story days after Lennon's death, this is the first time the entire interview has been published.

"His words are totally joyous and vibrant and hopeful and subversive and fearless," said Cott in an interview on Tuesday. "He didn't mince words."

Lennon saves some of his harshest words for critics who were perennially disappointed with Lennon's path, in both music and in his life, after leaving the Beatles.

"These critics with the illusions they've created about artists — it's like idol worship," he said. "They only like people when they're on their way up ... I cannot be on the way up again.

"What they want is dead heroes, like Sid Vicious and James Dean. I'm not interested in being a dead (expletive) hero. .. So forget 'em, forget 'em."

He also predicted that Bruce Springsteen, then hailed as rock's bright future, would endure the same critical barbs: "And God help Bruce Springsteen when they decide he's no longer God. ... They'll turn on him, and I hope he survives it."

But Lennon also talked about trying to be a good father to his youngest son, Sean, learning how to relate to a child (he admitted he wasn't good at play) and of his strong bond with wife Yoko Ono: "I've selected to work with ... only two people: Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono. ... That ain't bad picking."

At 40, he was also reflective of what he had accomplished so far in life and exploring life's themes, and remained committed to his goal of peace and love on earth.
"I'm not claiming divinity. I've never claimed purity of soul. I've never claimed to have the answers to life. I only put out songs and answer questions as honestly as I can ... But I still believe in peace, love and understanding."

Cott interviewed Lennon at his apartment and at his record studio. The interview was originally planned for a cover story for Lennon and Ono's upcoming album "Double Fantasy," but in the rush to put out a story after Lennon was shot to death by Mark David Chapman, only snippets were used.

Cott said he never went back to the three hours worth of tapes until a few months ago when he was cleaning out his closet.

"On a strip of magnetic tape, it was sort of a miracle that, first of all, the tape had not degraded after 30 years," he said. "All of this sudden, this guy's voice, totally alive ... just made me feel so inspired that I felt that I should really transcribe the whole thing."

Cott said he was struck by how much he was thinking about his life and mortality.

"There were a lot of strange consideration of where he was and what he felt like sort of in the middle of his journey," Cott said. "I think it was like a mid-life meditation, I was struck by that."
The magazine also included an essay by Ono recalling her final days with her husband.
Ono released a statement Tuesday night in tribute to Lennon.

"On this tragic anniversary please join me in remembering John with deep love and respect," Ono said. "In his short lived life of 40 years, he has given so much to the world. The world was lucky to have known him. We still learn so much from him today. John, I love you!"




Information From Multiple sources on the internet.

Idol Makes It Official: Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler Is In.

Since this has been kicked around for a while, it should come as no real surprise to hear the official announcement today that confirms the rumors stating that Steven Tyler would be occupying one of the judges seats on the next season of American Idol. Joining him as part of the new panel is Jennifer Lopez, a move that will mark the first time in Idol history when all of the judges are musicians and performers.

This brings Idol back to the original 3-judge line-up that endured for seven seasons before they began to tinker with things by adding a fourth judge in season eight and introducing other new gimmicks like the “judges save.” Both Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres will not be returning this season, leaving Randy Jackson as the only original member of the panel.

Departing judge and resident grouch, Simon Cowell, was sometimes criticized for not being a performer, although his personal fortune does speak pretty well of his ability as a talent scout. We may see Tyler cast as a Cowell replacement in the sense that he’s one of those kinds of guys that could come out with just about anything.

The world knows Tyler as the frontman for the legendary Boston rock group Aerosmith, but I think his presence on Idol is going to reveal a new side of the one time “Toxic Twin” that may be a good fit.

Let’s face it, Simon Cowell was great for Idol. Although his shoot-from-the-hip style often came across as a bit too harsh even for a talent show, it’s the kind of thing lot’s of people want to see. Who among us doesn’t slow down for a good look while passing an auto accident on the freeway?

Call it morbid curiosity, human nature or whatever. It is what it is. On the other hand, I don’t dismiss the notion that some people are looking to see how bad it is because they are genuinely concerned for the people involved in the accident. Sometimes the glass is half-full. Anyway, before I wander too far off course, let’s get back to Tyler and American Idol.

Although Twitter is probably not the most scientific of indicators, it’s probably about as close as we’ve come so far to having a sort of instantly-open window into what the public is thinking about a particular subject. You’ve got to think that people tweeting about Tyler signing onto Idol must have at least a passing interest in either the man, the show or perhaps even both.

The quick peek I took at Twitter while the news was breaking indicated that people were split on this one. Some thought it was a terrible idea, while others – some who were admittedly adoring fans of Steven Tyler – think it is going to be great. No real surprise there. These days it seems like we’re further from genuine consensus on anything, including Steven Tyler signing onto American Idol – although this one obviously clocks in as one of the more trivial issues facing mankind today.

That being said (why does everyone seem to be using that line lately?), I’m opting for the wait-and-see approach. I think one of the reasons – perhaps the main reason – Tyler was offered the job was due to the aforementioned “you never know what this guy is going to say” factor. The success of the “New Idol” may be riding on Tyler’s ability to conjure up off-the-wall material to fire at struggling or just plain deranged contestants. That may be a bit too simplistic, but I think few would disagree that a major reason a lot of fans tuned in was to see what Cowell was going to say next.

Aerosmith’s most outspoken member has not come out with a statement or even a tweet regarding today’s announcement thus far. I’ve checked both Joe Perry’s personal website and his Twitter stream and he hasn’t written anything about this yet. I’m guessing he won’t be staying quiet about this too much longer.

What effect this will have on Aerosmith remains – as it has from the start – unclear. Who knows, Tyler on American Idol might actually be entertaining. Although it is a bit strange seeing such a dramatic shift in the show’s key players, and since I feel like I’ve been losing enthusiasm for the show for the past few seasons anyway, maybe this shakeup will end up being a good thing. The people at Fox and 19 Entertainment are surely hoping it will.

Story from: http://www.realrocknews.com/


My Thoughts:

I don't know why Steven would want to do something like this. This just seems strange to me. Is he trying to step away from the band. Wanting to take a break? I have a feeling the Joe Perry is not happy about this. I hope everything works out for one of the Best Rock Band!

In Memoriam: Ronnie James Dio

One of the truly signature voices of hard rock and heavy metal was silenced yesterday, May 16, when the inimitable Ronnie James Dio passed away from stomach cancer. His enormous voice, which had near perfect pitch and could growl, howl, and moan as well as croon and roar above a band playing at full throttle, was instantly recognizable no matter who he played with. Born in New Hampshire, in 1940, and raised in New York, Dio literally spent his life in rock & roll. He began performing in rock & roll and doo wop groups in the 50s. The recorded evidence is on the single “Lover”/”Conquest,” by Ronnie and the Redcaps issued in 1958! Dio was a multi-instrumentalist, playing bass, guitar, piano, drums, and even trumpet. In 1967 he and his cousin formed the Electric Elves, who later transformed themselves into the hard boogieing party band Elf, in which Dio sang and played bass. The band was discovered by Roger Glover and Ian Paice, who took them on the road to open for Deep Purple. When Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple in 1975 to form Rainbow, Elf became his backing band, but shortly thereafter only Dio remained. It was a stormy but creative partnership. Rainbow stormed the charts with tracks that bore Dio’s signature vocal, including the immortal “Man on the Silver Mountain” and “Stargazer.” Dio wrote or co-wrote many of the band’s songs and served as its chief arranger.

Dio left Rainbow in 1978 to front Black Sabbath after Ozzy Osborne left. He recorded two studio albums with the legendary unit, including Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules. Unsatisfied with the band’s direction, Dio left to form his own self-monikered group with Vinny Appice (drums), Jimmy Bain (bass), Vivian Campbell (guitar), and Claude Schnell (keyboards). He wrote, arranged, and sang, and held complete creative control over the band. Given the time period — 1982 — the dawn of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and MTV’s newfound power in breaking acts, the arrival of Dio couldn’t have been better timed. The original band issued four classic albums and a slew of singles, including “Holy Diver” “Sunset Superman,” “All the Fool Sailed Away,” “The Last in Line,” “Rainbow in the Dark,” and others; they sold literally millions of records. The videos for “Rock ‘n’ Roll Children,” “Holy Diver,” and “The Last in Line” helped to define ’80s metal as a prime video medium.

Dio rejoined a new version of Black Sabbath for 1992’s Dehumanizer and left again to perform on his own with a revolving cast of musicians — including Yngwie Malmsteen. Dio reunited with original Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler (drummer Bill Ward dropped out early due to “musical differences” and was replaced by Vinny Appice). The band renamed itself Heaven and Hell and recorded the stellar Live from Radio City Music Hall. Released in 2007, it received universal acclaim and sold well. In April of 2009 the band released its lone studio album The Devil You Know. After returning from a long tour, Dio was diagnosed with cancer in November. He aggressively fought it with multiple chemotherapy rounds and other aggressive treatments. His health appeared to be improving at the beginning of the year and Heaven and Hell planned on returning to the stage for a spring and summer tour. Dio’s health took a turn for the worse in the early spring and Heaven and Hell canceled their touring plans just after releasing a split single with Metallica for Record Store Day in April of 2010.

Dio was a true rock & roll icon; his enormous talent as a vocalist and songwriter seemed to refute age rather than be dissipated by it. He will be missed by not only fans of hard rock, but also by those whose respect he gained from over 50 years in the trenches.

May 17th, 2010 | 3:00 pm est | Thom Jurek

KCTunes.com
The Best Classic Rock from the 60's, 70's & 80's.

KCTunes was started by 1 person in the Kansas City, Missouri Area. When a radio station (KY102 & 99.7KY) closed its doors I needed to do something. I followed these stations from 1977 to September 18, 1997. The Final Song: "Too Many People" by Paul McCartney. KY102 was legendary in the Kansas City & Surrounding area's with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1995) DJ Max Floyd & company. I remember when the last day came a turned on the radio and they where announcing that this was the last day that KY would be on the air, I was shocked. Classic Rock was still big around here and couldn't believe corporate would be closing it down for a different format.

After time when by and I didn't have a radio station that I liked I decided to start my own station on the Internet. This sounded like a great idea my friends said. So I started KCTunes in June 2008. There are benefits broadcasting on the Internet, there is no censorship (RIGHT NOW). Songs are played as they where intended & written. As of now KCTunes has over 12,000 of the Best Classic Rock Songs in it's catalog to date. More and more are added all the time from purchases, donations or friends private collections. This is just the beginning, I have a lot of idea's for the station that will be added at sometime. Next I am getting the software & hardware for "Live" DJ interaction with the listeners. The station has no commercials just continuous music. The station is fully funded by me & Donations that come in.

This is a project of love from me and my Friends to all the Classic Rock Lovers throught out the World!


Please sign the RUSH for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Petition.


Max Floyd web site: http://www.rockandrollgeneral.com/
KY102 web Sites: http://www.kcconfidential.com/?tag=ky102
http://www.broadcastkc.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=91&Itemid=31



Verne Elliott
KCTunes.com

NFL Ignites Protest with The Who for Superbowl Halftime Show

Here in the United States the Super Bowl is big. Really big. Dedicated football fans anxiously await the final showdown of the season all year, and even some people who do not normally watch football find themselves in front of a television for the what is usually the most-watched sporting event of the year.
In addition to being a huge draw for sports fans, the Super Bowl also attracts attention by selecting big-name entertainers to perform during game’s half-time break. Sometimes the events that unfold during half-time even eclipse the game itself. Who does not recall the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” from 2004 when Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake entertained the Super Bowl audience? In contrast, who recalls what teams were facing off for that game?

Yes, many football fans will likely have the answer at the ready, but I sure as heck couldn’t tell you unless I looked it up. In case you were wondering it was the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers.
With the Super Bowl a little over a month away, controversy has already reared its head. With classic rock group The Who lined up to perform during half-time, some child protection groups are protesting the selection due to an incident from 2003 when the group’s guitarist, Pete Townshend, was caught up in a child pornography scandal.
Townshend was investigated by law enforcement officials in the U.K. after accessing a website that was said to have some connection with child pornography. Townsend claimed it was done solely for research on his book project. The book, entitled A Different Bomb was never published.
Townshend says the book was based on an anti-child pornography essay he posted on his personal website during 2002.
After a four-month investigation, authorities concluded that there was no evidence that Townshend had been in possession of any material relating to child pornography, and it was decided that he should be issued a “caution” instead of facing prosecution. Even so, Townshend was included on the U.K.’s Violent and Sex Offender Register for five years.
A later independent investigation added credibility to Townshend’s version of events, even suggesting that he confessed to something he did not do because of pressure from the publicity that resulted.
Even though there is much doubt surrounding Townshend’s guilt, the National Football League has heard from child advocacy groups like “Child AbuseWatch,” who are pressuring the league to cancel The Who’s scheduled performance.
Another group, “Protect Our Children” has asked federal immigration officials to prevent Townshend from entering the country. The group also stated that the NFL’s choice to invite Townshend to perform was a “a slap in the face to victims of child sexual abuse,” and warned the league that it risked a “breathtakingly ugly” public backlash if the performance goes on as scheduled.
This situation is likely to draw more attention, and kick up more of a ruckus until the NFL decides on a course of action. It will be interesting to see how they ultimately react to a series of events which they clearly didn’t expect. I can’t help wondering if there are one or two lower echelon NFL office staffers muttering “I told you so” under their breath.