Neil Diamond Donating ‘Sweet Caroline’ Royalties to Boston Bombing Victims


Echoes of the horror left by the Boston Marathon bombing will continue to reverberate for years, especially for its victims — but we can all take comfort in the good deeds inspired by this despicable act, among them a touching gift from none other than Neil Diamond.


Performances of Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline,’ an unofficial anthem for the city of Boston, rippled through baseball stadiums in the days after the bombing, and Diamond turned out for a live rendition of his own at the Red Sox home game on April 20. It’s all added up to a nearly 600 percent sales increase for the song — and Diamond is donating royalties from recent sales to the bombing victims.

Rolling Stone reports that Diamond’s been affected by the violence on a deeper level; in fact, he says he’s working on new music inspired by what he calls “an infestation” of darkness. “I’m writing now and obviously affected by this situation in Boston, so I’m writing about it just to express myself,” he explained to the magazine. “I’m writing about the general situation, not just about this bombing in Boston, but what we’re going through with all of these tragedies — shootings and so on and so forth.”

We can expect to hear the results of Diamond’s labors sooner than later; as he explained earlier this week, “With a little bit of help from the man upstairs, I’ll have it finished by the weekend.”

source: ultimateclassicrock.com

Former Krokus Drummer Dani Crivelli Dies


Drummer Dani Crivelli, who played with the Swiss metal band Krokus from 1987-1989, has passed away. The band revealed his death in a statement on their web site on Sunday (April 21).


Crivelli played in a band called Ain’t Dead Yet with fellow Krokus members Many Maurer and Tony Castell before joining Krokus in 1987.

The drummer performed on the ‘Heart Attack’ album in 1988, then embarked on a tour with the group that included North America. Directly after the tour that lineup of Krokus split, with Marc Storace and Fernando Von Arb leaving, while Crivelli participated in a new lineup that was short-lived and produced no new material.





The group’s statement reads:
We are saddened to report to you that our ex-Krokus drummer Dani Crivelli passed away. Our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.

Also a native of Solothurn, Switzerland, Dani (far left) joined KROKUS in 1987, replacing Jeff Klaven. You can listen to him on the band’s 1988 HEART ATTACK release that included KROKUS staples like “Rock’n'Roll Tonight” and “Wild Love”. He always kept in contact with the band over the years. We liked his straight forward, but true words about music and life. He will be missed but will keep on drumming in Rock’n'Roll heaven!
No cause of death has been announced.

source: ultimateclassicrock.com

Flat Pack


The newest addition to Hard Graft’s line of bags, the Flat Pack ($305), is perfect for when you need something that can carry your personal stuff with ease, without the unnecessary bulk. It easily fits your iPad, Macbook Air, or Macbook Pro with just enough room for those little extras such as your wallet or phone. It is crafted from quality leather and wool, features a black cotton lining, subtle padding for everyday comfort, and adjustable hinged straps.

source: gearmoose.com

Fujifilm FinePix XP200


Fujifilm has announced the addition of a new rugged camera to their XP series, the Fujifilm FinePix XP200 ($300). Setting an even higher standard for weather-proof digital compact cameras, the FinePix XP200 is waterproof up to 15 meters, shockproof, sand and dust-proof, and freeze-proof—rendering it virtually indestructible in any environment.

It boasts a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor capable of shooting up to 10 frames per second, an exclusive “Burst Mode Button” for switching into continuous shooting mode on the fly, HD video recording capabilities, and is Wi-Fi enabled so you can instantly transfer your images to your other smart devices. By far the camera of choice for those breathtaking outdoor adventures. Available this May in black red, blue or yellow.

source: gearmoose.com

Ozzy Osbourne apologizes to family for drink and drugs binge


Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne apologized on Tuesday for bingeing on drink and drugs over the last year and a half but said he was not getting a divorce from his wife Sharon.

The British singer’s comments on his Facebook page were a response to media speculation about the state of his marriage, with reports that he and Sharon had split up after more than 30 years and were living separately.

“Just to set the record straight, Sharon and I are not divorcing,” Osbourne, 64, said on his Facebook page. “I’m just trying to be a better person.”

He said he had been drinking and taking drugs for the last year and a half and had been in a “very dark place”, but has now been sober for 44 days.

Osbourne, who made his name as lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, has frequently spoken over the years about his battle with drugs and alcohol and has spent time in rehabilitation clinics.

“I would like to apologize to Sharon, my family, my friends and my band mates for my insane behavior during this period … and my fans,” wrote Osbourne.

The Osbournes have become one of Hollywood’s most famous couples since starring in a reality television show, “The Osbournes”, alongside two of their children, Jack and Kelly, which gave an insight into their family life in Beverly Hills.

Son Jack also dismissed the rumors of a family bust-up.

“Last time I check (sic) a lot of British news papers weren’t amazing sources of accurate information. Moving on…” he wrote on Twitter.

Sharon Osbourne, 60, was a regular panelist on U.S. reality TV talent show “America’s Got Talent” and played out a battle with colon cancer in public.

source: interaksyon.com

Paul McCartney Spokesman Shoots Down Rumors of Upcoming Nirvana Collaboration


It looks like Paul McCartney’s not collaborating with the surviving members of Nirvana again, after all. A report from earlier this week, citing an unnamed source at McCartney’s label, has been quickly debunked by the former Beatle‘s spokesman.


The Macca Report, a popular fan site, initially offered the intriguing nugget as part of an anonymously sourced song-by-song preview of McCartney’s still-unnamed forthcoming solo album, with other highlights including details on new tracks allegedly recorded with both Eric Clapton and Bruce Springsteen, and several previously unreleased song titles.

But no one previously knew about a second song recorded with Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear of Nirvana. McCartney had memorably performed a new original ‘collaboration called ‘Cut Me Some Slack” with the same trio as part of the 12-12-12 benefit concert for Sandy relief.

Not so fast, though, says Steve Marinucci of Beatles Examiner. He followed with his own story quoting a representative from McCartney’s camp as saying the entire so-called leak was “bogus.”

The giveaway, according to both Marinucci and Beatlefan editor Bill King? McCartney’s final track in the original story’s song-by-song run down was titled ‘April Fool’s Day.’

source: ultimateclassicrock.com

Paul McCartney’s ‘Wings Over America’ Reissue to Kick Off With Theatrical ‘Rockshow’ Viewing


Paul McCartney and Wings will reissue ‘Wings Over America‘ on May 28 in a number of different formats with a cornucopia of bonus features. However, the most intriguing prospect may be the May 15 theatrical release of ‘Rockshow,’ a live concert film shot in 1975 and 1976 during the Wings Over the World Tour.


The film will be shown on 500 movie screens worldwide and include an introduction by McCartney. The documentary will also be available on DVD with the deluxe edition box set. In addition, fans will find the 75-minute ‘Wings Over the World’ television special alongside the two-disc remastered album and a bonus audio disc of songs recorded live at San Francisco’s Cow Palace.

Four books come with the deluxe edition box set, including a 110-page commemorative book with interviews by music journalist David Fricke. There’s also a tour itinerary that includes photos, art work, tour posters and set lists. Linda McCartney’s photo book ‘Look’ finds McCartney and his band mates in every day life, and ‘The Ocean View’ contains sketches and drawings of Wings by artist Humphrey Ocean.

This remastered package is dedicated to the band’s late members, Linda McCartney and Jimmy McCulloch. Joe English and Denny Laine rounded out the band.

source: ultimateclassicrock.com

Skate Guitars


We’ve seen skateboards turned into some cool wall art as well as unique furniture, but neither are quite as original or functional as Skateboard Guitars ($1,000). Crafted in Argentina by luthier Ezequiel Galasso and pro skateboarder Gianfranco de Gennaro Gilmour, these electric guitars are born from once-thrashed skateboards outfitted with original whammy bars, pickups, and other hardware, complete with all of the chips, scratches, and scuffs that make each one unique.

source: gearmoose.com

NS2 Air Monitors



With the new Airplay technology on the Nocs NS2 Air Monitors ($449), you can stream all of your favorite playlists straight from your personal computer, Mac, iPod, iPad, and of course, your iPhone from anywhere in your house,via a Wi-Fi connection. They are also quality built, crafted with hand-built rubber coated cabinets, kevlar reinforced woofers, and silk dome tweeters, giving them powerful bass notes and equally balanced mid and highs, along with a durability that will stand up to years of hip-hop abuse.

source: gearmoose.com