Dick Clark, Entertainment Icon Nicknamed 'America's Oldest Teenager,' Dies at 82 Dick Clark attends Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2011 in Times Square in this Dec. 31, 2010 file photo in New York City. (Andrew Walker/DCNYRE2011/Getty Images) By JULIA KATHAN and SHEILA MARIKAR Dick Clark, the music industry maverick, longtime TV host and powerhouse producer who changed the way we listened to pop music with "American Bandstand," and whose trademark "Rockin' Eve" became a fixture of New Year's celebrations, died today at the age of 82. Clark's agent Paul Shefrin said in statement that the veteran host died this morning following a "massive heart attack." Born in Mount Vernon, N.Y., on Nov. 30, 1929, Richard Wagstaff Clark began his lifelong career in show business began before he was even out of high school. He started working in the mailroom of WRUN, a radio station in upstate New York run by his father and uncle. It wasn't long before the teenager was on the air, filling in for the weatherman and the announcer. To read the rest of the story, click here.

The Love Language are one my very favorite current bands. Here they are performing under Johnny Mercer's Pier in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

I saw them in '79 and then again in '08. I enjoyed both of those concerts but I'm also very content with those being the only two times I've ever seen Van Halen. At least I got to see them with their original line up in '79. Eddie seemed to be in pretty good shape in '08 but he seems to be in even better health now. That's pretty impressive as it looked like his personal demons were about to get the best of him there at one time.

Garth Hudson and Robbie Robertson Send Prayers to Levon (from Relix) Levon Helm’s two surviving The Band co-founders, Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson, have both issues statements about the drummer’s condition. As previously reported, The Band drummer is “in the final stages of his battle with cancer.” In message on his homepage, Hudson—The Band’s keyboardist—stated, “I am too sad for words right now. Please continue praying for Levon and family.” He also posts a link to the video above. Hudson and Helm first met as members of Ronnie Hawkins’ Hawks and continued to perform together through the latter day Band’s final shows in the late ’90s. In recent years, the musicians have continued to collaborate at Helm’s Midnight Rambles as well as at select other dates. Earlier this year, Hudson and Helm played a special tribute to Band co-founders Rick Danko and Richard Manuel at Helm’s studio before the drummer underwent a medical procedure. Band guitarist Robbie Robertson and Helm also started performing together in The Hawks but their relationship has been strained since The Band parted ways for the first time in the late ’70s. Though the two musicians have not performed together in years, Robertson posted the following message on his Facebook page: Last week I was shocked and so saddened to hear that my old band mate, Levon, was in the final stages of his battle with cancer. It hit me really hard because I thought he had beaten throat cancer and had no idea that he was this ill. I spoke with his family and made arrangements to go and see him. On Sunday I went to New York and visited him in the hospital. I sat with Levon for a good while…, and thought of the incredible and beautiful times we had together. It was heartwarming to be greeted by his lovely daughter Amy, whom I have known since she was born. Amy’s mother, Libby Titus, and her husband, Donald Fagen, were so kind to help walk me through this terrible time of sadness. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sandy. Levon is one of the most extraordinary talented people I’ve ever known and very much like an older brother to me. I am so grateful I got to see him one last time and will miss him and love him forever.

You can listen to a stream of Rush's "Headlong Flight" from Clockwork Angels here. The album is due for release on June 12th.

You can adjust the Timezone settings by going to your user profile. To do that, click on the arrow adjacent to your username in the upper right corner of the screen. Then select "My Settings" from the drop down menu.

Considering this has never even been promised in an official capacity I'd say it's pretty demanding to expect it of Jimmy Page. As for the Lucifer's Rising soundtrack, the vinyl release is the only time it's ever been officially released.

The third annual Hopscotch Music Festival will be held on Thursday, September 6th - Saturday, September 8th in Raleigh, North Carolina. Click on the poster to go to the website.

Introducing Charles Bradley. I recently posted a video of his cover of Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" in the Covers thread but I'm including it in this thread as well. http://youtu.be/c8jCu-PHGEQ

I'm as huge a fan of Jimmy Page and Zeppelin as you're likely to find but I didn't purchase this. Nor does the release of this or the Death Wish II soundtrack upset me in the least. I already own the Death Wish II soundtrack on vinyl so this release didn't really interest me. If you're expecting people to protest these releases and refuse to purchase them, you're fighting a losing battle. Obviously lots of fans are interested in them or they wouldn't be buying these records and posting about them here. When and if Page decides to record and release new music that's up to him. Typing in all caps and throwing a temper tantrum like a child on a message board isn't going to accomplish anything except maybe to make you look foolish and perhaps even worse, selfish. A very wise man once sang, "you don't always get what you want but sometimes you get what you need". Perhaps you'd be wise to take a step outside, take a deep breath and shake it off. It's not worth getting all upset about.

I don't think there's a single song I don't like at all but I've never been all that fond of "Candy Store Rock". That said, I don't always skip it either.

I missed the part where someone was forcing you at gunpoint to purchase it. Others seem to be quite happy to have it. It may have been available as a bootleg release for years but for him to officially release it and as a limited edition at that is quite another thing altogether. Just be thankful that he's releasing anything at all.

I'm listening to a live stream from the Jefferson in Charlottesville, VA where Megafaun and the Drive-By Truckers are playing tonight. Megafaun just finished their set, prior to the Truckers taking the stage the pre-show house music is The Band.

From RollingStone.com: Grateful Dead 'Touch of Grey' Live in 1989 On Thursday, April 19th, the Grateful Dead Second Annual Meet-Up at the Movies 2012 will take fans down memory lane with a one-night in-theater concert event. The Meet-Up will feature a previously unreleased gig recorded July 18th, 1989 in Wisconsin's Alpine Valley Music Theatre. The two-and-a-half hour concert – which includes this rendition of their hit "Touch of Grey" – will be presented in its entirety along with a pre-show featuring previously unseen photos of the band. This week also sees the release of a definitive 14-DVD box set entitled All the Years Combine: The DVD Collection. Featuring 12 complete concert films, the set includes The Grateful Dead Movie (1977), which was screened in theaters last year for the inaugural Meet-Up. To watch the Grateful Dead's performance of "Touch of Grey" from Alpine Valley in 1989, click here.

New interview from the Dallas Observer with Brent Best of Slobberbone where, once again, the question of what is and what isn't "alt.country" rears it's ugly head. As you'll see from the article, Slobberbone took a few years off where Brent did some solo shows and formed a new band called the Drams before reforming Slobberbone in 2009. They've toured fairly extensively since then but still no new record (or shows in North Carolina). Brent Best Talks About Going Solo, The Legacy of Slobberbone and Having Rachel Maddow As a Fan

Thanks for sharing your stories. I had always wanted to catch one of Levon's Rambles up in Woodstock but alas, that'll never happen now. A few years ago he even did one at MerleFest in North Wilkesboro, NC. I missed that one but several of my friends that were in attendance are still raving about it. It was one of my older brothers that turned me onto The Band, at least beyond the music I knew from the radio. Back in the 70's and 80's we'd spend countless hours out at his place in the country just hanging out, spinning records and making mixtapes. We listened to a lot of stuff by The Band but the one that seemed to get played the most often was Stage Fright. Around a year or so ago I was out at his place to celebrate his birthday when he told me someone had given him a refurbished turntable. The first album to get played that night? You guessed it, Stage Fright. Several years ago I gave this same brother a copy of Levon's Dirt Farmer. I hate to admit it but I had to explain to him who Levon was, even though my brother is as well versed in The Band as almost anyone I've ever met, at least as far as their music is concerned. Once he started listening I'm sure he made the connection. Even though Levon's voice sounded different post-cancer it was still pretty unmistakable.

You might wanna check the New Albums Being Released in 2012 thread as I posted the video for this song there just the other day.

I never did see The Band, at least the version that included Robbie Robertson. They were scheduled to play The Attic in Greenville, NC back in '86 but the night before the show Richard Manuel hung himself in his motel room in Florida. Years later, they were part of an afternoon of music billed as "Music From Big Pink" that played at Woodstock '94. In addition to The Band, the other musicians on stage that day included Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen from Hot Tuna, Roger McGuinn, Bruce Hornsby, Bob Weir and Rob Wasserman. I was fortunate enough to be in attendance at that one. I was camped not far away, up on a hill from the South Stage so it was only a short stroll down to where they were playing.

From Levon Helm's website:

"While Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar were scampering around in Pampers and playing with wooden blocks, Charle Gearheart and the Goose were fusing country and rock sounds like nobody else, plumbing the depths of hillbilly, folk, bluegrass and rock music almost two decades before any of that 'No Depression' stuff became tres chic. Goose Creek's unique country-rock hybrid had an earthier, more organic sound than just about anything coming out of Nashville circa 1971-74." - Rev. Keith Gordon, Blurt Magazine The YouTube description for this concert:

No, it doesn't because they spelled it "Led" on purpose so people wouldn't confuse it with "Lead".

Anyone else remember this story from several years back? System Of A Down Looks Into Holographic Touring

DBTs on a couple STP commercials featuring guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Mike Cooley doing the voiceovers. http://youtu.be/SxdJn6tQWSk