Don't forget your passport this weekend!

Roger Daltrey was in luck earlier this month when a Who found his passport while shopping at a local Budgens supermarket in Kent, England. According to virginmedia.com, Who fan Lisa Gillespie spotted the passport which Daltrey had inadvertently dropped, and called Britain's Virgin Radio, which made the incident a minor news story.

Gillespie told London's The Express, "If I could get a message to him, I would say that I didn't mean to cause such a stir. I just wanted to get the passport back to him so he could go on tour in America. I contacted Virgin Radio because I know DJ Christian O'Connell is friends with Roger from some charity work they did together and he's not the easiest person to contact. I couldn't just call information and ask for Roger Daltrey!"

Life after Cougar, Sheryl and Obama

John Mellencamp says that his latest album, Life, Death, Love And Freedom, harkens back to the honesty of the classic American folk music. Mellencamp commented on the brutal honesty and darkness reflected in the album's songs, telling Rolling Stone, "If you listen to Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, those were traditional topics in American folk songs -- the songs are about the parts of life that most people don't really want to discuss. Which doesn't necessarily work for pop music that record companies really want to put it out. I made this album for me."

He's adamant that after 30 years in the business his opinion is the only one that matters to him: "I'm trying to live up to what a guy my age should be doing. I'm trying not to look silly. You know, it's like people say, 'Hey, you're a rock star, man.' And I don't see myself that way anymore. I'm just, like, a journeyman electrician or something."

Mellencamp makes no apology for making music that isn't as immediately accessible or radio-friendly as his classic hits. He says that he recognized that some fans were upset that he allowed Chevy to use his 2007 song "Freedom's Road" for their TV spots: "I don't think people like the idea that I did that. But you know what? I've done so many things in my career people didn't like. If I thought it was the end of the line every time I did something' that people didn't like, hell, I'd been done with Johnny Cougar."

T-Bone Burnett, who produced Life, Death Love, And Freedom, says that he walked away from the sessions a bigger fan then ever of Mellencamp as both an artist and a man.

T-Bone Burnett recently produced Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' Grammy Award-winning album Raising Sand.

John Mellencamp will next appear at Farm Aid on September 20th in Mansfield, Massachusetts at the Comcast Center. Among the other musicians appearing on the bill are Arlo Guthrie, Dave Matthews, Jakob Dylan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kenny Chesney, Neil Young, Steve Earle, the Pretenders, and Willie Nelson.
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Sheryl Crow will stop by the Democratic National Convention today to perform at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver. She'll help close out the event on the same night Barack Obama accepts the Democratic presidential nomination. Crow is expected to play three songs at around 5:30 p.m., and the performance will air live on TV. She'll then head over to her already-scheduled concert at the Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend, Oregon.

Crow has been very active in the campaign so far. She performed in Denver last weekend and has offered to give away digital copies of her album to anyone who gets three people to register to vote. Crow recently told Extra, "I like to think of myself as an artist and a songwriter and I feel like my voice is better utilized if I'm encouraging people to exercise their right and their freedom to vote safely in this country. To please get registered and make their voice heard rather than endorse a candidate."

Cat is out of the bag...

The details have been revealed regarding Jimmy Page's team up with R&B pop singer Leona Lewis on Sunday night (August 24th) during the closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

British session bassist Guy Pratt, best known for playing in Pink Floyd during their post-Roger Waters era, had posted on Tuesday (August 19th) on his website (guypratt.ricardopadua.com): "You may also be interested to know that when Jimmy Page and Leona Lewis perform 'Whole Lotta Love' at the end of the Olympics, that's me playing bass on it."

The post has since been removed, according to the Led Zeppelin fan site lemonsqueezings.blogspot.com.

The Band Plays On...

The Dave Matthews Band performed on Tuesday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles despite the news that saxophonist LeRoi Moore, absent from the group's current tour after suffering an injury in June, had died earlier that day. According to People, Matthews paid tribute to his late bandmate one song into the show, saying, "We all had some bad news today. Our good friend LeRoi Moore passed on and gave his ghost up today and we will miss him forever." The audience shouted Moore's name out as the band resumed playing, with Matthews later adding, "It's easier to leave than be left."

Leroi Moore 1961-2008

It's about 11:30pm(Tuesday)... And I just got back to my apartment and was greeted with the devastating news that Leroi Moore, Saxophonist from the Dave Matthews Band had tragically passed away. I know why you come to my site, and I know why you listen to EHM, its because of your love for music. And for the most part I know we love it all but we do all have our favorites. For me, DMB is music. I've admired everything about them as a whole from their musicianship to their ability to be a team both on stage and off. Out of all musicians I've probably followed DMB the closest.

At a time when Nirvana, Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, and Rage Against the Machine ruled the music scene (and believe me, I love everyone of those bands and still do to this day) I felt like it was a great time for music, but also a very angry rebellious time...

Then all of a sudden came this acoustic guitar, singer song writer based band with a violin and a saxophone and a rhythm section fooling around with time signatures like I had never heard before. And even though at times they sported flannel, their message was totally different.

Just a few memories to sum up Leroi:
I remembered the first time I saw the band perform and the first time I saw Leroi, I thought to myself, "Why is this jerk wearing sun glasses inside? Is he trying to look like the sax player from The Simpsons?" Then the more I followed the band I had realized that he wore those glasses because of his terrible stage fright. I remember thinking to myself, how could someone so great and so talented have an insecurity like stage fright? I found it to be a very endearing quality. The lack of ego quality he had that reverberated throughout the rest of the band.

I read somewhere that after DMB had become popular and a critical success, Leroi went back to his Saxophone teacher for more lessons. That just blows me away...

Leroi had this great quality of almost demanding that you listen to his every move on stage. I remember one time, during a solo, he snuck in a line of Somewhere Over The Rainbow. It was probably a total of 4 and a half seconds, but it was so well placed in the song and almost not even noticeable that you had to really pay attention to realize what he had done. To me that speaks volumes about the type of person he was. He would do something not for the recognition, but just because it was right... and it would create beautiful music.

Most of the time the Leroi's position in the band was to break out a killer solo... to be the center of attention. And after he was done doing his job... killing a solo... he would sneak back in to the darkness of the stage, where it was hard to see him and just enjoy his fellow band mates.

Its hard to put words to it, but in an era where everyone has a website (throat clearing), blog, or myspace, or a youtube page... where we are all looking to reap some reality show glory... he was the exact opposite of that.

Leroi Moore was subtle... He was a genius... and most of all he didn't need to hear that from anyone to be the person that he was...

Its rare when you can realize or pinpoint when someone helped shape your life. Sadly it really only occurs once you've lost something or someone. But I'm sure much like yourself, music has shaped my life and the Dave Matthews Band has been the biggest influence of that shaping. I started this only wanting to say a few words, but I guess once I started I couldn't stop. So if this was too long for you, sorry. I also don't want to come off sounding all dramatic.

Don't get me wrong...

I never knew Leroi personally, but I speak from the heart of a fan that is simply thankful for what he contributed to my life and this world.

Four of U2's new songs have reportedly been leaked online. According to British tabloid The Sun, a fan passing by frontman Bono's home in the south of France heard the music blasting, then recorded the tracks and uploaded them on YouTube. Possible song titles include the title track, "No Line on the Horizon," "Moment of Surrender," "For Your Love," and "Sexy Boots," which could be the first single. The set is expected to be released this November.

From the time I started to post this, fifteen minutes later, I discovered this story to be untrue. In fact several sources on the web have started to imply that this story was leaked from the U2 camp in order to create buzz for the upcoming album.
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Jimmy Page is slated to close out the 2008 Olympics on August 24th with a performance with R&B pop singer Leona Lewis, according to gigwise.com. It's still unknown if between Page and Lewis will be performing a newly-written collaboration or a song from one of their respective catalogues. Their Olympic performance marks the first time that the pair has ever performed together.

Losing a Legend

Legendary music pioneer Jerry Wexler died over thw weekend at his home in Siesta Key, Florida of congestive heart failure at age 91, according to Billboard.

Wexler is best known for his years as one of the heads of Atlantic Records, along with partners Herb Abramson and Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun, and played a pivotal role in the careers of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Roberta Flack, and many others.

Solomon Burke paid tribute to Wexler, telling The Associated Press, "He loved black music, R&B music and rhythm and blues was his foundation. He had a feeling for it, he had the knack to keep it going in his heart and recognize the talent that he felt was real. Jerry Wexler didn't change the sound of America, he put the sound to the public. He open the doors and windows to the radio stations... and made everybody listen."

Throughout his 50-plus year career, Wexler produced or co-produced such seminal tracks as Aretha Franklin's "Respect" and "Chain Of Fools"; Wilson Pickett's "In The Midnight Hour"; Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman"; Dusty Springfield's "Son Of A Preacher Man"; and Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody," among others.

Wexler is directly responsible for bringing the Stax-Volt label into the mainstream, and helping develop the Muscle Shoals' FAME studio sound into becoming a driving force in R&B and rock radio.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

Wexler started his career in 1947 at BMI writing continuity copy to plug the organization's songs for radio stations. That same year he joined the staff of Billboard and coined the phrase "Rhythm & Blues" to replace the term "race records" for music made by black artists.

In 1951 Wexler joined Atlantic as a partner and began establishing hits with R&B legends Ruth Brown, Joe Turner, the Drifters, and Ray Charles -- including producing such classics as "I've Got A Woman," among others.

In the 1960's Wexler signed a distribution deal with the Memphis-based Satellite Records, which soon became known as Stax Records, and launched the careers of Carla Thomas, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. and the MG's, among many others.

Wexler was the point man for Atlantic in launching such subsidiary labels as the Rolling Stones' Rolling Stones Records, Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records, and Capricorn Records, which catered to numerous Southern rock acts as the Allman Brothers Band, Elvin Bishop, and the Marshall Tucker Band.

Running On Empty to Shea Stadium During Elvis Week... huh?

Jackson Browne has filed a lawsuit against Sen. John McCain and the Republican National Party for using his 1977 song "Running On Empty" in a campaign commercial for McCain without Browne's approval. Rolling Stone reported that the TV spot mocks Sen. Barack Obama for suggesting that Americans could try to conserve gas through tire inflation.

Browne's attorney, Lawrence Iser, stated that aside from the illegal use of the song, the implication that Browne -- whose liberal political leanings are public knowledge -- supports McCain is entirely misleading, explaining, "In light of Jackson Browne's lifelong commitment to Democratic ideals and political candidates, the misappropriation of Jackson Browne's endorsement is entirely reprehensible, and I have no doubt that a jury will agree."

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It was 43 years ago today that the Beatles played their legendary concert at Shea Stadium in New York City. The show was the first on their 1965 U.S. summer tour, and it was also the first-ever open air stadium rock concert.

The group flew into New York on August 13th and a day later taped a five-song performance for The Ed Sullivan Show to be broadcast the following month. Sullivan returned the favor by introducing the group the next night at Shea, in front of a sell-out crowd of 55,600 fans.

The Beatles, who performed on a makeshift stage near where second base would normally be, earned a whopping $160,000 for their 30-minute set -- which was a record payout at that time.

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Tomorrow (August 16th) marks the 31st anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. Presley died of a heart attack on August 16th, 1977 at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 42 years old.

The city of Memphis is currently winding down its annual Elvis Week, which features various Elvis-themed concerts, celebrations, charity benefits, guest lectures, as well as a special mass in honor of "The King." Late tonight, thousands of fans are expected to show for a candlelight vigil at Presley's grave at his Graceland estate, which will be webcast live over the Internet.

Cleveland Rocks? More like Cleveland Sucks!

Even with all the one hit oneders (That Thing You Do is one of the best movies ever!!!) that have failed, and the embarrassing 80's decade there is still no greater Rock and Roll failure then the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...

But all music lovers, myself included, can't deny that even though its a failure... its our failure, and a little sense of pride tends to develop.

The reason why I bring this all up is because Billy Joel joined New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in Manhattan yesterday to announce the upcoming New York City annex to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and Museum, which will open in November and remain in the city for two years.

The Associated Press reported that along with Joel and Mayor Bloomberg, Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner and music mogul Clive Davis were also on hand for the announcement of the 25,000 square foot annex, to be located at 76 Mercer Street in Manhattan's Soho district.

The annex will house such items as Bruce Springsteen's 1957 Chevy, one of John Lennon's pianos, Elvis Presley's motorcycle jacket, and a handwritten poem by Jim Morrison. There will also be multiple exhibits, including "New York Rocks," which spotlights such key New York rock landmarks as CBGB's, Studio 54, and the Chelsea Hotel, as well as such artifacts as Billy Joel's work notebook used during the creation of his 1977 album The Stranger.

Another exhibit, called "Moments To Movements,'' will present artifacts from memorable moments in rock history, such as a white Vox electric guitar from the Beatles, the necklace Jimi Hendrix wore at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival, and handwritten lyrics to the Grateful Dead's "U.S. Blues."

The annex will also feature the "Immersive Theatre" which will show footage of seminal rock performers including Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Who, Patti Smith, and others.

Todd Mesek, the vice president for marketing and communications for the Rock Hall told bloomberg.com that the annex hopes to raise awareness and funds for Cleveland's museum: "We're reaching out to other markets to extend our mission to collect, preserve and interpret the historic significance of rock and roll music. It's part of a larger strategy that includes the redesign of the Cleveland museum and returning the inductions there.''

The new annex will coincide with the upcoming refurbishing of the Rock Hall and the preparation for the 2009 induction ceremony, which will take place in Cleveland at the Hall rather than in New York City.

Tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum annex can be purchased in advance through rockannex.com starting in October.

I love one of a kind items...

Former Beatles manager Brian Epstein's personal copy of the group's first management contract is expected to sell for around $475,000 at an auction next month in London, BBC News reports. The 1962 document was signed by all four musicians, as well as George Harrison and Paul McCartney's fathers, as George and Paul were under 21 at the time and needed parental consent. Ringo Starr signed under his real name, Richard Starkey. Epstein didn't sign the contract himself until eight months later, after he'd fulfilled his promise to get the group a recording deal.

The contract states that Epstein was entitled to 25 percent of the Beatles' earnings, provided they made 200 pounds per week. His duties included all publicity for the group as well as advising them on clothing, makeup, and "construction of the artists' acts."

Other items up for bid in the September 4th auction include a grand piano used in the recording of The White Album and Hey Jude, which is expected to sell for close to $760,000. The lyrics to "Sexy Sadie," hand-engraved onto a piece of wood by John Lennon while in India in 1968, are expected to fetch a little over $100,000.
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Steve Winwood says that he may team up once again with Eric Clapton -- if the aging rock stars can get a little rest. He tells the Edmonton Sun, "We've both got a busy schedule in the summer. Since we're both getting on (in years) now, we've decided we need a bit of rest after that. So we'll take a breather and perhaps think of doing something after that."

Winwood's busy schedule includes opening for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' current summer tour. Which I had the pleasure of seeing first hand and both acts were fantastic. One of the best shows I've ever seen! And when Winwood came back out on Stage with TP & The Heartbreakers'... Holy $h!t...