Bob Weir plans to ride back in time to the early 70's, when Grateful Dead albums and set lists included songs like Cumberland Blues, Me & My Uncle, Jack Straw, Deal and El Paso. Relix magazine talked with Weir about the project, the idea for which developed out of some recent work he's done with Josh Ritter. The plan is to, '...downplay the emphasis on the playing and pay up the emphasis on storytelling', according to Weir. The bi-coastal recording of the album will include Scott Devendorf of The Nationals,The Walkman's Walter Martin and former Yellowbirds guitarist Josh Kaufman.
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Outdoorsman, hunter and unfiltered opinionist Ted Nugent has taken to Facebook to discount stories about the shooting of a lion apparently lured outside the safe confines of a preserve. Calling the accounts of the story 'a lie', the Nuge went on to contend that the animal ventured into an area where '... hunting is legal and essential' because animals would '...run out of room/food to live without hunting.' Nugent also apparently plans to deliver what he called a 'full piece on this joke ASAP', adding, 'God people are stupid.' 
A Doobie Brothers cover band stands to get a big profile boost thanks the original band's contention that the faux Doobie band's name is similar enough to their's to confuse fans. A suit filed by the Doobie Brothers Corporation and Doobro Entertainment seeks to bar the Doobie Decibel System from continuing to use that name. The claim is the similarity is intended to '...trade on the fame and reputation, or to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive consumers.' We have a hard time believing that fans of the real band would be fooled by the name into thinking the Doobie Brothers is now playing happy hours. If they got a cease and desist notice, The Doobie Decibel System might consider enlarging it for poster purposes or putting it on the front of their bass drum. Oh wait, IT's A DUO... there is no drummer! If they're forced to change it, Doobious Claim might be an appropriate one to go with.
Dave Grohl is doing three sessions daily playing air drums in synch with John Bonham on Led Zeppelin songs. the Nirvana and Foo Fighters veteran says that down time since the fall from a stage that resulted in a broken leg has turned his once oversized right calf has dwindled to a '...sad little chicken wing'. He's getting his kick drum pedal leg back in shape by wailing away on Zep tracks. No doubt Bonzo would be happy to hear that his awesome drum parts are helping restore strength to Dave, who told Q magazine, 'Sports doctors, take note.'
With the remastered, expanded edition Led Zeppelin albums project behind him, Jimmy Page says he is looking forward to performing live again. The guitarist told the Toronto Star that the all consuming process of putting together the Zep reissues was undertaken with the goal of being able to redirect his energy into performing live again once they were finished. He also said what he will be playing will draw in part from things he heard while working on the Zeppelin sets. The final trio of Zeppelin reissues comes out July 31.
The market for one-of-a-kind documentable Beatle items continues to sizzle. The double-breasted suit coat Ringo sported in scenes on the set for the movie Help! sold Friday.png)
Condolences to Gregg Allman, whose mother, known as Mama A, passed away Friday 
Ann Wilson will release some new solo songs and head out on a short solo tour in September. The Ann Wilson Thing,as the side project is known, does not signal a rift between Ann and her sister Nancy; Heart will continue, but the small venue dates Ann has planned give her chance to, '...rock the blues up close and personal', as she puts it. Fans attending shows will also hear some fresh arrangements on songs she sings in Heart. Dates set so far include the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach CA (9/21), City Winery in New York City (10/7), Rams Head in Annapolis, MD (10/9 & 10), Wolf Trap Barns (10/12 & 13) and City Winery in Nashville, TN (10/15).
Def Leppard is apt to land in the cross hairs of Donald Trump if a quote being attirbuted to Vivian Campbell prevents the candidate from a reported intro opportunity for the group's concert at the Iowa State Fair. CNN has apparently confirmed that Trump's campaign had secured an intro opportunity for the boisterous bad boy of the Presidential race when Def Leppard plays the Fair on a day The Donald was scheduled to be in town. Informed of the plan, guitarist Vivian Campbell said, 'I really, really, really hope there's no truth to this rumour. Def Leppard have never been a political band, and if we were, I for one wouldn't be associating my name with this clown.' Given the thumping Trump has unleashed on his opponents and critics in the campaign, we expect he'll have some choice words about the band if the intro opportunity gets pulled.
A hot July night on the Jersey shore got hotter Saturday night
Less than two weeks after being sentenced to 8 months of house detention and days after announcing that he would contest that sentence 
The Eagles have been announced as recipients of a 2015 Kennedy Center Honor. The awards presentation will take place on December 5th in DC. It will be interesting to see whether the contentious relationship Don Henley and Glenn Frey have with some former members will stand in the way of past and present members sharing the spotlight that night. Others being honored that evening include singer-songwritter Carole King, film director and producer George Lucas, actresses Cicely Tyson Rita Moreno and Boston Pops conductor Seiji Ozawa..png)
We agree with Neil Young's contention that the low grade of sampling and file formats used by streaming services makes online listening inferior to just about any other forms of listening, but we also think he hasn't produced a decent sounding album in decades, so it's ironic that he is pulling his music off Spotify and other services. Young wrote on his Facebook page, 'Streaming has ended for me. I hope this is ok for my fans. It's not because of the money, although my share(like all the other artists) was dramatically reduced by bad deals made without my consent. It's about sound quality. I don't want my music to be devalued by the worst quality in the history of broadcasting or any other form of distribution.'
Even though he avoided jail time when a judge opted to sentence him to 8 months of home detention after he was convicted on drug charges and threatening to kill a man, there appears to be little chance Phil Rudd will win back his place behind the drums in AC/DC. That's not keeping Rudd from putting up a fight over the sentence of having to hole up in his mansion. An appeal has been filed on his behalf to vacate or reduce the sentence. The judge in the case dismissed Rudd's contention that he stood to lose upwards of $10 million due to being unavailable to tour with AC/DC, saying the claim had no basis since there was no indication he is any longer in the group.
