Latest news with #JoeCocker
Otago Daily Times
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
A tale of two stadiums, and both may have unhappy endings
Joss Miller considers Dunedin's past and present stadium quandaries. Forsyth Barr Stadium was opened with considerable fanfare in 2011, having been finished just in time for the Rugby World Cup that year and was the venue for several of those games. The decision in March 2008 to proceed with its construction was controversial. The cost was substantial and has been borne primarily by the city's ratepayers. Its predecessor Carisbrook had its origins back in 1883 and hosted its first rugby international in 1908. It enjoyed a remarkable era as a venue primarily for rugby and cricket but also for concerts and other events. Compelling arguments were were put forward as to how it could be modernised and brought up to 21st century standards for a fraction of the cost of the proposed new roofed stadium. Despite that, a decision was made to proceed with the new stadium construction. I witnessed the final tier 1 international rugby test at Carisbrook in 2010 and what a wonderful, but sadly nostalgic, occasion that was. The first rugby match at Forsyth Barr Stadium took place in August 2011 between the West Coast and North Otago, heralding in a new era. Having Rugby World Cup games later that year was something of a bonus. The Canterbury earthquakes of 2010-11 had devastating consequences for Christchurch and environs, including the loss of Lancaster Park's Jade Stadium, its primary rugby venue and events centre. To some extent we became a beneficiary of their misfortune and in the decade from 2011, Dunedin continued to host rugby tests and also attracted a number of top international concerts and artists. Major events, however, have declined in the last three years with the Dunedin stadium idle for much of the time. Christchurch's new roofed stadium is due to open in April next year as a rugby and multi-events centre. It is likely this added competition will put even more strain on Forsyth Barr Stadium's already tenuous financial situation. Though the Carisbrook clock can no longer be turned back, its history should not be forgotten. Its location was ideal in many ways, situated in the city's south and with ample suburban parking. In contrast, Forsyth Barr Stadium, on the edge of studentville, is a real bottleneck and poses significant challenges for vehicles and pedestrians during major events. Carisbrook had a variety of stands, each unique, with the terraces a special feature. Capacity crowds of about 40,000 spectators were common for test matches. Top-level international cricket matches also attracted very large numbers. It was a multipurpose venue hosting groups such as The Chills and Shihad as well as Joe Cocker and many other performers. These are all memories now but, in my opinion, there was a very strong case for continuing with Carisbrook. Looking forward though, as we must do, it is still appropriate and necessary that questions are asked, and answers sought as to the financial state of Forsyth Barr Stadium and the vision for its future. We were recently told that the current life expectancy of the stadium is 30-35 years, a troubling prospect indeed. Was the duration of the stadium ever mentioned or discussed at the time the decision to proceed was made and has this become a permanent financial burden for Dunedin ratepayers? Unfortunately, it looks like a tale of two stadiums could well have sad endings for both. — Joss Miller is a retired Dunedin lawyer.
Telegraph
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Video reveals air guitar was born in Hampstead, not Woodstock
According to lore, air guitar was invented in 1969 when Joe Cocker played at Woodstock. Cocker plucked an invisible instrument during the opening bars of With A Little Help From My Friends, a performance that has gone down in history. However, a newly unearthed video has revealed the first recorded air guitar performance was given by a little-known band called Rupert's People, in a film taken on Hampstead Heath in 1968. The group had not been asked to bring their instruments – so the director asked them to improvise. The footage has been inspected by Juha Torvinen, the world's most senior air guitar judge, who said: 'This must be the first known recording of a person playing air guitar. This discovery gives a whole new perspective to the phenomenon of air guitar.' Rupert's People were a psychedelic pop band from North London consisting of Rod Lynton on vocals and lead guitar, Ray Beverley on bass, John Tout on keyboards and Steve Brendell on drums. In 1968, they were preparing to release a song titled I Can Show You and met up on the Heath to record a promo. Steve Brendell recalled: 'The director brought along his 16mm camera and a reel-to-reel tape deck to blast out the song to make sure we were in sync. But the plans changed because we didn't bring any of our instruments. We just turned up, dressed in our stage outfits. 'It was all, 'Hey, man,' very laidback in the 1960s. The director said, 'Fine, why don't you just mime in that case?' So we did – and air guitar was born.' The moment was captured in the black and white, two-minute film. Rupert's People never hit the big time, although they didn't leave the music business. Brendell went on to work for the Beatles as a film and tape librarian – on his first day at work in 1969, he doubled for Ringo Starr in the test shoot for the Abbey Road album cover. After the Beatles broke up in 1970, he went on to work as an assistant to John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the UK and New York, accompanying Lennon on anti-Vietnam War demonstrations. Three members of the band played on Lennon's track Imagine. Lynton became an executive with Atlantic Records, working with the Rolling Stones; Beverley became a commercial artist, and worked on George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album cover; and Tout, who died in 2015, joined the band Renaissance. The discovery of the film was made by Scott and Naomi Jones, the husband-and-wife investigative team who tracked down Sir Paul McCartney's missing bass in 2023. Stolen in 1972 from the back of a van belonging to a Wings sound engineer, it was eventually found in a loft in Hastings, East Sussex. In the course of their research they interviewed Brendell and watched the film. Scott Jones said: 'It's a fun discovery but an important one. It gives Rupert's People a place in rock'n'roll history.' Air guitar now has its own world championship, which takes place in Finland each August. The contest began in 1996 and attracts competitors from all over the world, playing their invisible instruments on stage. The organisers say that air guitar promotes world peace, and use the slogan: 'You can't hold a gun while you play the air guitar.' Juha Torvinen, the lead judge, has inspected the Rupert's People footage and confirmed that it is the earliest known recording. As for the band, they are ever hopeful of chart success and are re-releasing I Can Show You on Cherry Red Records. 'We always thought Rupert's People would be world famous one day, and it looks like that day has finally arrived 57 years later,' the band said.
The Independent
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bassist Carol Kaye tells AP she's declining Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, 'Permanently'
Carol Kaye, a prolific and revered bassist who played on thousands of songs in the 1960s including hits by the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel and Barbra Streisand, told The Associated Press on Friday that she wants no part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 'I've declined the rrhof. Permanently," the 90-year-old Kaye said in an email to the AP. She said she has sent a letter to the Hall saying the same thing. Her remarks come two days after a Facebook post — since deleted — in which she said 'NO I won't be there. I am declining the RRHOF awards show.' Kaye was set to be inducted in November in a class that also includes Joe Cocker, Chubby Checker and Cyndi Lauper. She said in her deleted post that she was 'turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.' Kaye's credits include the bass lines on Simon & Garfunkel's 'Homeward Bound,' the Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations' and the Monkees' 'I'm a Believer." Along with drummer Hal Blaine and guitarist Tommy Tedesco, she was part of a core of heavily used studio musicians that Blaine later dubbed 'The Wrecking Crew.' Kaye hated the name, and suggested in her Facebook post that her association with it was part of the reason for declining induction. 'I was never a 'wrecker' at all,' she wrote, "that's a terrible insulting name.' Kaye's inductee page on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame website makes no mention of the moniker. Hall representatives had no immediate comment. Many artists have been inducted in their absence or after their death, and in 2006 the Sex Pistols became Hall of Famers despite rejecting their induction. In 2022, Dolly Parton initially declined her induction, saying someone more associated with rock 'n' roll should get the honor. But she was convinced to change her mind and embrace the honor. ___ Dalton reported from Los Angeles.
Associated Press
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Bassist Carol Kaye tells AP she's declining Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, 'Permanently'
NEW YORK (AP) — Carol Kaye, a prolific and revered bassist who played on thousands of songs in the 1960s including hits by the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel and Barbra Streisand, told The Associated Press on Friday that she wants no part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 'I've declined the rrhof. Permanently,' the 90-year-old Kaye said in an email to the AP. She said she has sent a letter to the Hall saying the same thing. Her remarks come two days after a Facebook post — since deleted — in which she said 'NO I won't be there. I am declining the RRHOF awards show.' Kaye was set to be inducted in November in a class that also includes Joe Cocker, Chubby Checker and Cyndi Lauper. She said in her deleted post that she was 'turning it down because it wasn't something that reflects the work that Studio Musicians do and did in the golden era of the 1960s Recording Hits.' Kaye's credits include the bass lines on Simon & Garfunkel's 'Homeward Bound,' the Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations' and the Monkees' 'I'm a Believer.' Along with drummer Hal Blaine and guitarist Tommy Tedesco, she was part of a core of heavily used studio musicians that Blaine later dubbed 'The Wrecking Crew.' Kaye hated the name, and suggested in her Facebook post that her association with it was part of the reason for declining induction. 'I was never a 'wrecker' at all,' she wrote, 'that's a terrible insulting name.' Kaye's inductee page on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame website makes no mention of the moniker. Hall representatives had no immediate comment. Many artists have been inducted in their absence or after their death, and in 2006 the Sex Pistols became Hall of Famers despite rejecting their induction. In 2022, Dolly Parton initially declined her induction, saying someone more associated with rock 'n' roll should get the honor. But she was convinced to change her mind and embrace the honor. ___ Dalton reported from Los Angeles.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Outkast, The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Chubby Checker & More to Join 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class: Full List
Chubby Checker, whose 'The Twist' was a global smash in 1960, has been eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since the first class was inducted in 1986, but he was never even nominated until this year. Despite having been ignored for decades, he made it in his first time on the ballot. So did first-time nominees Bad Company, Joe Cocker and Outkast, as well as Cyndi Lauper and The White Stripes, who had each been nominated once before, and Soundgarden, which had been nominated twice before. These seven acts were all inducted in the performer category. More from Billboard Becoming Chris Cornell: Inside the Early Days of Soundgarden Maynard James Keenan Says 'Modern Miracles' Might Be Required for Ozzy Osbourne to Perform at Final Show Former MTV VJ Matt Pinfield Shares New Recovery Update Following Stroke The inductees were announced by Ryan Seacrest on ABC's American Idol on Sunday night (April 27). There are six other inductees this year in other categories. Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon are set to receive the musical influence award; Philly Soul producer Thom Bell, English studio pianist/organist Nicky Hopkins and studio bass guitarist Carole Kaye (who was part of the fabled Wrecking Crew of top L.A. studio musicians) will receive the musical excellence award; and producer and label executive Lenny Waronker will receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award. Sadly, several of these people didn't live to see their inductions. Hopkins died in 1994 at age 50; Zevon in 2003 at 56; Chris Cornell of Soundgarden in 2017 at 52; and Bell in 2022 at 79. Checker had to wait even longer for induction than Cher, who was finally inducted last year, 59 years after Sonny & Cher's breakthrough smash 'I Got You Babe.' With Outkast and Salt-N-Pepa both being inducted this year, this is the sixth consecutive year that one or more rap acts has been in the induction class. With Lauper, Salt-N-Pepa, Meg White of The White Stripes and Carol Kaye being inducted this year, this is the fourth consecutive year that four or more female acts were in the induction class. Bell won the first Grammy Award ever presented for producer of the year, non-classical, in 1975. By coincidence, Waronker was among the other nominees in the category that year. Waronker was also nominated for record of the year that year for producing Maria Muldaur's classy and sexy 'Midnight at the Oasis.' Waronker's many other hits as a producer include Gordon Lightfoot's Hot 100-topping 'Sundown,' Rickie Lee Jones' 'Chuck E.'s in Love' and Randy Newman's 'I Love L.A.,' which Dawes performed as the opening song on this year's Grammy telecast. Carol Kaye, 90, is this year's oldest inductee. Checker and Waronker are both 83, but will both be 84 by the time of the Nov. 8 induction ceremony. All of the artists who were induced in the performer category have landed top five albums on the Billboard 200. Three of them reached No. 1: Bad Company (Bad Company, 1974), Outkast (Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, 2003) and Soundgarden (Superunknown, 1994). Three more reached No. 2: Chubby Checker (Your Twist Party, 1962), Joe Cocker (Mad Dogs and Englishmen, 1970) and The White Stripes (Icky Thump, 2007). Lauper climbed as high as No. 4 twice, with She's So Unusual in 1984 and True Colors in 1986. Both of the artists who are receiving musical influence awards made the top 10. Salt-N-Pepa reached No. 4 with Very Necessary in 1994. Zevon hit No. 8 with Excitable Boy in 1978. Lauper won the Grammy for best new artist in 1985. She's the sixth artist who was a past winner of that award to go on to a Rock Hall induction. Outkast won the Grammy for album of the year in 2004 for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. André 3000 was nominated again in that category at this year's ceremony for New Blue Sun. Two of the inducted acts are duos – Outkast (André 3000 and Big Boi) and The White Stripes (Jack White and Meg White). The other seven nominees in the performer category were denied admission to the Rock Hall – this year, anyway. Oasis and Mariah Carey were both passed over for the second year in a row. Both were surprising snubs – Oasis is reuniting for a global tour in 2025; Carey's profile, never low, has been boosted in recent years by her status as the uncontested Queen of Christmas. Of the other passed-over artists, Joy Division/New Order were previously on the ballot in 2023; this was the first time on the ballot for The Black Crowes, Billy Idol, Maná and Phish. The voters showed no love for brother acts this year. Oasis includes Liam and Noel Gallagher; The Black Crowes includes Chris and Rich Robinson. Maná was vying to become the first rock en español act to make the Rock Hall. Joy Division/New Order was vying to join the short list of two related acts being inducted in tandem, following Parliament/Funkadelic in 1997 and The Small Faces/Faces in 2012. Phish, which won this year's fan vote, has never landed a Hot 100 hit, but the band is a powerhouse live attraction, as evidenced when it played the Sphere in Las Vegas in April 2024. Idol was a mainstay of early MTV – as was Lauper, who did get in. In an interview with Vulture, Idol said of his guitarist Steve Stevens, 'Because of our special relationship, if I get in, they will induct him as well.' This would have echoed Pat Benatar's induction three years ago, where the Rock Hall inducted both Benatar and her husband and musical partner, Neil Giraldo. But it's academic, as Idol didn't make it this year. The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction will be live on Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. The 2025 ceremony will once again stream live on Disney+, with a special airing on ABC at a later date and available on Hulu the next day. The 2024 ceremony aired on New Year's Day. Here's the full list of 2025 inductees: Bad Company Chubby Checker Joe Cocker Cyndi Lauper Outkast Soundgarden The White Stripes Salt-N-Pepa Warren Zevon Thom Bell Nicky Hopkins Carol Kaye Lenny Waronker Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
