80s Nuts

A few highlights from this week's 80s Nuts newsletter:
(my comments in red)

The June 30, 2005 disappearance of Olivia Newton-John's boyfriend Patrick McDermott during a fishing trip is now in question as he has reportedly been seen on Mexico's Baja Peninsula as recently as 10 days ago according to the Australian Daily Telegraph.  It has also been rumored that McDermott had mounting debts and possible jail time over non-payment of child support looming.
well, once the rumour spreads...

Some sources have told the New York Post that Tom Petty has been in discussions with his lawyers about mounting a legal challenge against the Red Hot Chili Peppers over the similarity of their latest single, "Dani California," to his "Mary Jane's Last Dance."  The Red Hot Chili Peppers' single, "Dani California," still dominates the Modern Rock (7 weeks) and Mainstream Rock (5 weeks) charts.
take Petty on them, they know not what they do.

Meat Loaf has filed a lawsuit against his former songwriting partner Jim Steinman for unfairly filing a patent for the phrase "Bat Out Of Hell" in 1995 even though the singer had used it since both of them worked on the Bat Out Of Hell album which was released in 1977. Meanwhile, Meat Loaf's new studio album will officially be called Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose when it is released on Oct. 31st.
I heard he wanted to take a bat to his knees...

The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences' 10th Annual Webby Awards honored Prince with a Special Achievement award for his digital-music distribution and online music community (The NPG Music Club) which housed the first full-album digital release by a major artist (1997's Crystal Ball.)
They presented him with a digital tongue.

Paul Robb and James Cassidy have reunited to record new music under the Information Society name (vocalist Kurt Harland will not be in the new line-up due to family and work obligations.)  The album, Synthesizer, will feature new vocalist Christopher Anton and keyboardist Sonja Myers.  Some samples of their new music can be heard at www.myspace.com/informationsociety
I wanna know what they're thinking.

George Michael will release his new single, "An Easier Affair," on June 26th (or via download on June 19th.)  He credits his recent arrest on suspicion of possessing Class C drugs in February as inspiration for the song.
The B-side will be "Velcro Zipper Boy"

Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Session Band will perform, "How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Time And Live?," from their new album, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno tonight.  Springsteen has also teamed-up with AOL Music to offer one streaming video clip from every show on his current North American tour the next morning at AOL.
Bruce: Keep on talking about the injustice in our current administration.

In a recent interview with U.K. newspaper The Guardian, Brian Eno has confirmed he has reunited with Roxy Music (and wrote 2 new songs for the upcoming album) but will not be touring with the group.
Eno? Eno? Oh. And on his farm...

According to Bono, U2 plans to start work on their next studio album this summer with hopes to release it next summer.  The singer has also been taking piano lessons from his kid's teacher.
Uh oh. Expect the next album to be keyboard heavy.

One Sydney district has decided to experiment with playing the music of Barry Manilow over loudspeakers in an attempt to drive off "hooligans" in cars playing loud music that annoy residents and scare off customers from local businesses.  It seems a similar experiment with Bing Crosby music was used in an Australian shopping center a few years ago on teen loiterers.
Yea, they're afraid to be caught singing to the songs.

The highly-anticipated reissues of Depeche Mode's albums (Speak & Spell, Music For The Masses and Violator) hit stores this week in a double-disc format (CD and DVD) containing the original album, b-sides, remixes as well as a 5.1 mix and a short film about the album on the DVD.
Ein Oso, did you order these?

Rocker Rob Zombie has signed on to write, direct and produce a new Halloween film.  Due for release in October 2007, the film will be a re-imagining of the Michael Myers character and not be or focus on any of the sequels.
Michael Myers! Oh, I thought they were going to update the movie and use Michael Jackson.

After spending their entire career with Epic, the Indigo Girls have signed a new deal with Hollywood Records that will include a new Mitchell Froom-produced currently-untitled studio album due out Sept. 19th.
Froom FrOOOOOOOM. I think he's closer to fine.

Upcoming Releases: 

Cheap Trick - Rockford
Scritti Politti - White Bread Black Beer 
Depeche Mode - Speak & Spell
Depeche Mode - Music For The Masses
Depeche Mode - Violator
The Bee Gees - Still Waters
The Bee Gees - Size Isn't Everything
The Bee Gees - This Is Where I Came In
Henry Rollins - Sweatbox
The Bee Gees - One Night Only
The New Cars - It's Alive
The Bee Gees - Greatest Hits: The Record

Comments

[cantopopdj]

I'm going to see a documentary on George Michael at the Frameline Film Festival, which runs from 6/15 to 6/25. Also, Pride's on 6/25, so June should be a really fun month, once things get started. But at the moment, it's still a letdown coming back from Atlanta! Isn't NY Pride happening the same time? Do you guys have big plans?

[Peter Lambert]

Hi Paul, coming to the brunch?
Also, that Bee Gees Greatest Hits is the one I have, I think (red and white cover). Why is it being re-released? I thought it was all remastered...

[El MarvelOso]

Cool. Would love to see the documentary on GM. Yes, Pride is the same for San Fran and NYC. No big plans. Just the Sunday thing for me. Too many people.

[El MarvelOso]

Hey Peter. YES! We're coming. We always have a great time. I'm not sure if it's the same Bee Gees Greatest Hits. Maybe this is one CD? The other one was a 2 CD set. Sometimes they just repackage the same album. I know they were going to remaster most of the catalog.