PINK FLOYD: Famous Lineup Bid Farewell 20 Years Ago
20 years ago today (July 2nd, 2005), a who's who of musicians came together for performances in London, Rome, Berlin, Tokyo, Philadelphia and Barrie, Canada. The Live 8 concerts, organized by Bob Geldof, who did the same with Live Aid 20 years earlier (July 13th, 1985), were held in support of the U.K.'s Make Poverty History campaign and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. Arguably the best lineup of talent was in London's Hyde Park, which saw Pink Floyd reunite with Roger Waters for the first and final time, The Who, Paul McCartney with U2, Elton John, Coldplay, George Michael, Annie Lennox, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Sting, R.E.M., and many others.
Pink Floyd did a five-song set: "Breathe (In the Air)," "Breathe (Reprise)," "Money," "Wish You Were Here" and "Comfortably Numb." David Gilmour said "I was pushed into it a little bit, kicking and screaming. Roger [Waters] rang me up and said, would I do it. I thought that it is a very good cause and that I'll probably kick myself if I didn't do it. Especially for my kids to be able to see something like this for once in their lives. Some of them are too young to have seen me performing, so."
Two of the songs Paul McCartney performed -- "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" with U2, and "The Long and Winding Road" -- were available to download through iTunes 40 minutes after the performance. It was the first McCartney-Beatles song, featuring a Beatle, to be available on iTunes, as McCartney and the Fab Four had yet to make their music available for download. And performing elsewhere were Bryan Adams, Deep Purple, Barenaked Ladies, Celine Dion, Neil Young, Randy Bachman and Tom Cochrane in Canada. Brian Wilson, a-ha, Green Day and Roxy Music in Berlin. Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Def Leppard, Eagles and Stevie Wonder in Philadelphia. Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet in Rome.
GN'R & GRATEFUL DEAD: A Day to Riot
July 2nd seems to be a good day to riotâŠ. or to start one. Just ask Guns N' Roses and the Grateful Dead. On July 2nd in 1980, the Dead's Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, along with their manager Danny Rifken, were arrested for inciting a riot at the San Diego Sports Arena after they tried to interfere in a drug-related arrest. And in 1995, 17 people were arrested as thousands of fans rioted outside the Dead's concert in Noblesville, Indiana. Then there's Axl Rose, who on this day in 1991, provoked a riot during a Guns N' Roses concert outside of St. Louis when he jumped off the stage to attack a fan who was videotaping the concert. 60 people were hurt.
Other events that made the police blotter on that date include David Crosby pleading guilty to a gun possession charge in New York 2004. He was fined $5000 and given a conditional discharge -- meaning he'd spend time in jail if he were arrested again. And in 1976, Tina Turner left her husband Ike Turner after a bloody fight in their limousine. Later in the month she filed for divorce.
GREEN DAY: And Now Here's "Wonderwall"
A Green Day fan blew his shot to play guitar while Billie Joe Armstrong sang Monday night at the end of the band's show in Luxembourg. Armstrong has been closing Green Day shows with âGood Riddance (Time of Your Life)â for many years, and once in a while invites a fan on stage to play guitar while he sings it. The fan invited up Monday night decided to play the beginning of Oasis's âWonderwall" instead. Armstrong cursed when the fan started playing, took the guitar off the fanâs shoulder and told him, âWrong song, wrong song.â The fan then was ushered off the stage by a crew member as Armstrong did the song by himself. The video caught the eye of Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, who reacted to the video by writing, âBest song of the night."
Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's Four Previous Farewell Tours
Ozzy Osbourne, the king of farewell tours, will play his fifth and final retirement show with his original Black Sabbath bandmates in just a few days. This comes after four previous farewell tours, including the 'No More Tours' Tour in 1992 and 'The End' Tour with Black Sabbath in 2016-2017. Despite health issues and cancellations, Osbourne remains determined to end his performing career on his own terms. The Back to the Beginning show coming up on Saturday July 5 will feature guest stars like Metallica and Guns N' Roses, all leading up to a full Black Sabbath reunion.
Billy Corgan Shares Thoughts On Being Included In Black Sabbath Concert
Billy Corgan is sharing his thoughts on being included in Black Sabbath's final concert lineup. In a recent conversation, The Smashing Pumpkin's frontman said he's "truly humbled and honored" to be a part of the "Back to the Beginning" event.  Corgan also said that the more he thinks about it, the more he's amazed he has the chance to share the stage with Black Sabbath. Along with it being Sabbath's farewell show, "Back to the Beginning" will also mark Ozzy Osbourne's last live performance. The lineup also includes Tool, Metallica. Guns N' Roses, and many others. The show happens in Birmingham, England this Saturday, July 5th.
BONO: Says Goodbye to the U.S. "Secret Agents"
Bono joined former Presidents George Bush and Barrack Obama in a video conference call addressing the United States Agency for International Development workers who lost their jobs due to President Trump's dismantling of the organization. Bono referred to the department as the âsecret agents of international developmentâ before reading a poem about the agency, referencing the children who will die of malnutrition due to Trumpâs actions. According to a study, upwards of 300,000 people worldwide might die due to these cuts.
In May, during his appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, Bono discussed what would happen if USAID was shut down. âThereâs food rotting in boats and warehouses. There is 50,000 tons of food. The people who knew the codes -- who were responsible for distributing that aid -- were fired. Thatâs not America, is it? "To destroy, to vandalize, it felt like with glee, that these life support systems were being pulled out of the walls. [One aide worker said], âWe donât have the funds, we have to choose which child to pull off the IVs.â It just seems to me, I donât know if âevilâ is too strong a word, but what we know about pure evil is that it rejoices in the deaths, in the squandering of human life -- particularly children. It actually rejoices in it. And whether itâs incompetence, whether itâs unintended consequences, itâs not too late for people.â
ZZ TOP Announces Vinyl Box Set Covering Their Albums From 1979 To 1990
Rhino is releasing a vinyl box set of ZZ Top's next five albums, titled From the Top (1979â1990), featuring DegĂŒello, Loco, Eliminator, Afterburner, and Recycler. The box set includes 3,000 individually numbered copies, cut from the original stereo master tapes and pressed on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl. Fans can preorder the set exclusively at rhino.com. ZZ Top will also be hitting the road for more dates on their Elevation tour this summer, starting in Sioux City, Iowa, after a performance at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
Wolfgang Van Halen Drops "WVH" From Mammoth WVH
Wolfgang Van Halen is dropping the WVH from his band Mammoth WVH. In a recent interview, Wolfgang said he's always referred to the band as Mammoth, but didn't have the trademark. "Now it's official." The single "The End" was released in May under the name Mammoth. The name comes from his late father Eddie Van Halen's first band, also called Mammoth.
SIMPLE MINDS: A Doc, a Reissue and Now a Memoir
Simple Minds members Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill are following up their Everything is Possible documentary with a memoir. Our Secrets Are The Same will be published on October 2nd. Their publisher says the book "traces the arc of working-class aspiration, social change, chemical awakenings, cultural infiltration, unwavering drive and thrilling creative fusion. Along the way, there are brushes with David Bowie, Bob Dylan, U2 and Nelson Mandela. Breakfast with Alice Cooper. Dinner with Lou Reed. And a few scrapes with the boys in blue." The memoir will be published just a couple weeks before the 40th anniversary edition of Once Upon a Time is released on October 17th.
PRETENDERS: Chrissie Take Shots at Today's Composers
Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders used the passing of composer Lalo Schifrin to take aim at people making music for movies and TV today. Hynde writes that Schifrin, who passed away last week at age 93 and wrote the iconic Mission: Impossible theme, was "by far and away my favorite soundtrack composer. Anyone who came to see one of our shows in the last couple years will recognize him by our walk on music... "Iâve seen so many films and television series lately ruined by crappy incidental music. The bar was set high by Schifrin. Of course now any idiot can compose on their laptop...or âinterior designersâ who buy a stack of fashion magazines and then go onto destroy a good hotel with their phony credentials. Or low-vibrational minds who called themselves therapists and then go onto [screw] up other people (and sabotage the language with terms like âself esteem'â). Or people who can stand on their heads and then call themselves yogis... "No, they donât make âem like they used to."
Debbie Harry Addresses the Future of Blondie: 'I Ran Into a Wall'
Debbie Harry of Blondie has revealed that the band is in a state of limbo, with plans for a new album in the fall and potential biopic and documentary projects in the works. Following the death of drummer Clem Burke, Harry is reflecting on the band's future and considering decluttering her space for a fresh start. Despite rumors of retirement, Blondie's legacy remains uncertain as Harry navigates this transitional period. The band currently has no scheduled concerts, leaving their future open-ended. Harry celebrated her 80th birthday yesterday (July 1st) and recently said she plans to put together an exhibit of her stage clothes.
New Grateful Dead photo exhibit to open in Los Angeles
A new photo exhibit titled "An American Beauty: Grateful Dead 1965â1995" is set to open in Los Angeles in July at the David Kordansky Gallery. Curated by photographer Jay Blakesberg and his daughter, the exhibit will feature 28 large photos and 32 smaller prints showcasing the band's 60-year career. The exhibit aims to provide insight into the core of the Grateful Dead experience, highlighting the energy between performers and the audience. Opening on July 15, the exhibit will be accompanied by a panel discussion and a coffee-table book featuring photographs from well-known Dead photographers, available for pre-order starting July 12.
Marilyn Manson covers Phil Collinsâ âIn the Air Tonightâ
Marilyn Manson released a cover of Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight" along with the B-side track "As Sick As The Secrets Of (Sleep)" on a maxi CD single. The cover follows Manson's previous renditions of 80's classics like "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" and "Tainted Love." Manson will be embarking on the second leg of his 'One Assassination Under God Tour' this fall in support of his 12th studio album. The tour kicks off on August 7th in Sturgis, South Dakota and includes stops in Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, and Lisbon, Portugal. Manson's cover of "In the Air Tonight" is streaming now on his website.
IN OTHER NEWS
Phil Collins will mark the 40th anniversary of his third album, 1985âs No Jacket Required, by re-releasing it on September 12th. No Jacket (Fully Tailored) will be available as a four-LP vinyl box set with additional live and rare material; and one Blu-ray audio disc featuring a new Dolby ATMOS mix of the album. Among the rarities are a stripped-down performance of âOne More Nightâ live at the BBC and âLong, Long Way to Goâ from Live Aid on July 13th, 1985.
The Outlaw Music Festival stop last night (Tuesday) in El Reno, Oklahoma was canceled. An "extreme weather event" in Ridgedale, Missouri Sunday led to that night's show being canceled, and much of the equipment and instruments of the festival's artists were damaged and waterlogged. Festival organizers hope to replace everything in time for the show Friday in Austin, Texas that will feature Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and others.
The Beatles have hired Tom Greene as the Chief Executive Officer of Apple Corps Ltd., effective September 2025. He replaces the retiring Jeff Jones, making him only the third CEO of the company. Their late roadie Neil Aspinall was the first. Greene is currently the COO of BLAST, a competitive entertainment company working with the biggest video game developers and publishers in the world on the production, commercialization and audience growth of their esports programs. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison and Sean Lennon say, âWe have a lot of exciting plans and Tomâs experience and vision make him the perfect person to join us in making it all happen.â
George Harrisonâs widow, Olivia, like Paul McCartney, also attended Englandâs Glastonbury
 festival last weekend. She posted videos on Instagram of Neil Young performing âHarvest Moon,â as well as her and Georgeâs son Dhani [pr: Danny] performing with Mereki.
Doors guitarist Robby Krieger has posted on Facebook a video of himself in the studio, writing, âYou can always find me in the studio with a guitar. Nothing else matters when Iâm there.â
Sting has posted a video on Instagram in which he talks about his Il Palagio estate in Italyâs Tuscany region. There is a winery on the estate, and they also produce honey and olive oil.
Sammy Hagar has posted another video on Instagram from his vacation in Portugal in which he explains that in order to look like a local and not a tourist, buy a hat like a local would wear. But his wife Kari pointed out that it wasn't working because he was wearing a Sammy Hagar Cabo Wabo Beach Club T-shirt. Hagar will be in Birmingham, England to take part in the final Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath show, Back to the Beginning