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The University of Florida posthumously awarded Tom Petty an honorary PhD in music on Friday. The rock artist was born in Gainesville, Florida, where the university is located.

The university's board of trustees unanimously voted to honor Petty, who died from an accidental overdose in October 2017. It is not yet known whether there will be a public ceremony to issue the doctoral degree.

"[Petty's] widely considered among the most distinctive and influential musicians over the past 50 years," said University provost Joseph Glover. "His presence remains significant as seen by abundant radio airplay and the popularity of events such as the Tom Petty birthday bash held in Gainesville."

He added, "On the UF campus, Petty's famous 'I Won't Back Down' has become a mantra at athletic events and I personally have heard President [Kent] Fuchs sing it."

Petty was the winner of three Grammy awards, UCLA's Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement, an American Society of Composers award, the Authors and Publishers' Golden Note Award, Billboard's Century Award, and UF's Distinguished Achievement Award in 2006.

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Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin covered Billy Joel's "Big Shot" for night six of their "Hanukkah Sessions" series.

"While he claims a secular Long Island upbringing (and has songs full of Catholic and Italian imagery), Billy Joel remains one of the great Jews of musical scripture - here's his ultimate ode to a true Macher: 'Big Shot!'" Grohl wrote on Foo Fighters' Twitter page, posting a link to a video of a Kazoo-heavy cover of the song.

This is the second year that Grohl has teamed up with the Grammy Award winning music producer to cover famous songs by Jewish artists. Kurstin also is a Jew.

As a routine, the Foo Fighters frontman has been releasing back-to-back covers on all eight days of Hanukkah, which wrapped up on Monday.

In the first five days of this Hanukkah season, they have unveiled covers of Lisa Loeb's classic '90s-era anthem "Stay (I Missed You)," "Blitzkrieg Bop" by The Ramones, Barry Manilow's "Copacabana," Van Halen's "Jump," and Amy Winehouse's "Take the Box", supported by Grohl's teenage daughter Violet.

After a year's hiatus due to the pandemic, Grohl published his first memoir, and Foo Fighters released the band's 10th studio album titled Medicine at Midnight and a Bee Gees covers album.

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Herb Alpert, Burt Bacharach, Merry Clayton, Sérgio Mendes, and Sting are among artists scheduled to perform in a pair of concerts paying tribute to late Jerry Moss, the co-founder of A&M Records.

The Music Center announced two concerts honoring the long-time recording industry executive responsible for discovering and nurturing some of the most influential artists.

Actor Tim Curry and others will make special appearances at "Live At The Music Center: Concerts Celebrating Jerry Moss."

The two-hour concerts will be held at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles on February 11-12, 2022.

The performances and special appearances will feature some of the legendary artists and musicians who Moss discovered. The musical performances will showcase the most celebrated songs produced under his guidance. Larry Klein will serve as music producer and musical director of the concerts.

Proceeds from both concerts will support The Music Center's ongoing efforts to provide free and low-cost access to arts experiences for all Angelenos.

Additional performers will be announced later. Individual tickets start at $82 and are on sale now at musiccenter.org/moss.

(Photo: Eric Ryan Anderson)

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The Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde's recent concert of Bob Dylan covers will premiere on the Veeps.com platform on December 26.

The show, "Chrissie Hynde & Co. Sing Bob Dylan (and Other Songs)," was recorded earlier this year at London's Royal Opera House, following the release of her Dylan tribute album Standing in the Doorway in May.

"We're pleased to announce the 'Chrissie Hynde & Co. Sing Bob Dylan (and Other Songs) Streaming Event' taking place Dec. 26th. Filmed at Royal Opera House, Chrissie Hynde and Co. perform Bob Dylan covers, classic Kinks, Pretenders & more," the singer tweeted.

The concert featured covers of all nine Dylan songs Chrissie recorded for Standing in the Doorway as well as few songs from the Pretenders' 2020 album Hate for Sale. Hynde was accompanied by Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne, Carwyn Ellis on keyboards and Danny Williams on upright bass.

Tickets are available now at Veeps.com for $22.

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Dave Grohl and producer/multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin covered Van Halen's "Jump" on the fourth night of their 2021 "Hanukkah Sessions."

"Quite possibly the loudest and proudest of hard rocking Jews, David Lee Roth has gone on record crediting his Bar Mitzvah preparation as his earliest vocal training," the Foo Fighters frontman and producer captioned the video. "He became a rockstar the day he became a man: Diamond Dreidel DLR and Van Halen.with 'Jump.'"

In the accompanying video, the pair try to imitate some of the moves from the band's original 1984 video, with Grohl crawling on the ground.

Grohl and Kurstin's "Hanukkah Sessions" was launched last year and lasts for eight consecutive days, with a different cover being performed each day.

In the series, the Foo Fighters frontman and producer Kurstin cover Jewish musicians songs every day of the Festival Of The Lights. This year's covers have included Barry Manilow's "Copacabana," Lisa Loeb's "Stay (I Missed You)" and The Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop."

(Photo: YouTube)

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Music icon Elton John recently shared a new documentary, Inside The Lockdonw Sessions, which focuses on the creation of his collaborative album The Lockdown Sessions.

Inside The Lockdown Sessions is streaming exclusively on Apple Music. The doc features Miley Cyrus, Rina Sawayama, Stevie Nicks, Eddie Vedder and more.

"Surprise! Just in time for the holidays, I'm taking you 'Inside the Lockdown Sessions,'" John wrote on Twitter to announce the new film. "Watch as I go deep into the making of my latest album with all of my collaborators."

The Lockdown Sessions is the 5th collaborative album by John. It was released through EMI in the United Kingdom and Interscope Records in the United States on October 22, 2021.

The album was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic after Elton was forced to pause his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour due to the pandemic. The album includes three singles, "Cold Heart (Pnau remix)" with Dua Lipa, "After All" with Charlie Puth, and "Finish Line" with Stevie Wonder.

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Grammy-winning musician and singer-songwriter Joe Jackson has announced a European and U.S. tour titled "Sing, You Sinners!"

The extensive tour will kick off in Limerick, Ireland, on March 13 and wrap up in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 25 after running through 27 U.S. cities.

The same band that played on the English musician's last album, Fool, will be touring with him. They are Graham Maby (Bass, Vocals), Teddy Kumpel (Guitar, Vocals) and Doug Yowell (Drums, Vocals, Electronics).

Each show will feature both the full band and a "mini-set" of Jackson solo. The songs will be drawn from Jackson's whole career, including some that haven't been heard live in many years. Jackson also offers some surprises, including some completely new material.

"We've been dealing with two viruses over the past two years, and the worst - the one we really need to put behind us - is Fear," Jackson said. "Love is the opposite of fear, so if you love live music, come out and support it."

Tour Dates:

March 13 - Limerick, IE @ University Concert HallMarch 15 - Dublin, IE @ Olympia TheatreMarch 17 - York, GB @ York BarbicanMarch 19 - Cardiff, GB @ St. David's HallMarch 20 - Edinburgh, GB @ Assembly RoomsMarch 22 - Manchester, GB @ Albert HallMarch 24 - Birmingham, GB @ Symphony HallMarch 25 - London, GB @ London PalladiumMarch 27 - Portsmouth, GB @ Portsmouth GuildhallMarch 30 - Joué-lès-Tours, FR @ L'Espace MalrauxMarch 31 - Paris, FR @ Salle PleyelApril 2 - Munich, DE @ MuffathalleApril 4 - Frankfurt, DE @ Alte OperApril 5 - Antwerp, BE @ De RomaApril 6 - Brussels, BE @ ABApril 8 - Berlin, DE @ Theater at Potsdamer PlatzApril 10 - Milan, IT @ Teatro LiricoApril 11 - Dijon-Chenôve, FR @ Le CedreApril 12 - Saarbrücken, DE @ CongresshalleApril 14 - Nijmegen, NL @ Concertgebouw De VereenigingApril 16 - Amsterdam, NL @ CarreApril 18 - Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburgApril 19 - Tilburg, NL @ 013April 21 - Bordeaux, FR @ Theatre FeminaApril 24 - Valencia, ES @ Teatro La RambletaApril 26 - San Sebastian, ES @ Victoria Eugenia TheaterApril 29 - Porto, PT @ Coliseu do PortoApril 30 - Lisbon, PT @ Lisbon ColiseumMay 11 - Durham, NC @ Fletcher HallMay 13 - Allentown, PA @ Miller Symphony HallMay 14 - Northfield, OH @ MGM Northfield ParkMay 16 - Ann Arbor, MI @ Michigan TheaterMay 18 - Ithaca, NY @ The State TheatreMay 19 - Boston, MA @ Boch Center Shubert TheatreMay 21 - New York City, NY @ Beacon TheatreMay 22 - Washington D.C. @ Lincoln TheatreMay 25 - Chicago, IL @ Park WestMay 26 - Chicago, IL @ Park WestMy 28 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Pabst TheaterMay 29 - Minneapolis, MN @ Pantages TheatreJune 1 - Boise, ID @ Egyptian TheatreJune 2 - Seattle, WA @ The Moore TheaterJune 4- San Francisco, CA @ The MasonicJune 5 - El Cajon, CA @ The MagnoliaJune 7 - San Luis Obispo, CA @ The Fremont TheaterJune 8 - Las Vegas, NV @ Smith Center for the Performing ArtsJune 10 - Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum TheatreJune 11 - Phoenix, AZ @ Celebrity TheatreJune 14 - Dallas, TX @ Majestic TheatreJune 15 - Austin, TX @ Paramount TheatreJune 17 - New Orleans, LA @ Civic TheatreJune 18 - Birmingham, AL @ The Lyric TheatreJune 21 - Tampa, FL @ Tampa TheatreJune 22 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Parker PlayhouseJune 24 - Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage AtlantaJune 25 - Charleston, SC @ Charleston Music Hall

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Dave Grohl and producer/multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin covered Barry Manilow's "Copacabana" for another edition of their 2021 "Hanukkah Sessions."

"Barry Pincus - not only one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th (or any) century, but a mega-mensch to boot!" says the description accompanying the cover. "So, like a good neighbor, you deserve a break today. So grab a bucket of chicken and let's get stuck on... BARRY MANILOW'S 'Copacabana'!"

Grohl and Kurstin's "Hanukkah Sessions" was launched last year and lasts for eight consecutive days, with a different cover being performed each day.

In the series, the Foo Fighters frontman and producer Kurstin's cover Jewish musicians songs every day of the Festival Of The Lights. They have also covered Lisa Loeb's "Stay (I Missed You)" and the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop" this year.

(Photo: Raph_PH)

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Carlos Santana has canceled all his Las Vegas shows this month after undergoing an unscheduled heart procedure.

The legendary guitarist will return to perform the remaining dates of "An Intimate Evening with Santana: Greatest Hits Live" on the House of Blues stage in January.

Santana said in a video message posted on Twitter that he asked his wife to take him to the hospital on Saturday because of an issue with his chest.

"I'm going to be taking time off for a little bit to make sure that I replenish and rest," he added.

"I regret to inform you that the Santana band has canceled the remaining December 2021 performances at The House of Blues in Las Vegas," Michael Vrionis, President, Universal Tone Management, said in a statement.

"Carlos is doing fantastic and is anxious to be back on stage soon. He profoundly regrets that this 'speed bump' necessitated the cancellation of his upcoming performances," Vrionis added. "He is looking forward to seeing you all very soon."

(Photo: Maryanne Bilham)

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Reelz has announced the launch of a new series, "Frontman," featuring rock icons Ozzy Osbourne, Bruce Dickinson, Steven Tyler and David Lee Roth.

The Black Sabbath frontman's episode is set to air on Saturday, December 4, while the Iron Maiden frontman's episode will premiere on Sunday, December 5, the Aerosmith singer's will premiere on Saturday, December 11, and Van Halen legend Roth's will air on Sunday, December 12.

"Revealing character profiles of music megastars have resonated with our viewers so we're excited to show them more new original stories in 'Frontman'," said Steve Cheskin, SVP of programming at Reelz.

He added, "Illuminated by intimate details from first-hand accounts of experiences shared by friends and colleagues we look forward to delving into the lives of these fabled rockers."

(Photo: Reelz)

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Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and producer/multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin covered the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop" for the second installment of their 2021 "Hanukkah Sessions."

"Once upon a time, two nice Jewish boys from Queens named Jeffery Hyman and Thomas Erdelyi changed the world forever with their music... as Joey and Tommy Ramone!" reads a message accompanying the cover. "GABBAI GABBAI HEY! Ladies and gentlemen..It's the Ramones! Blitzkrieg Bop!"

Grohl and Kurstin delivered a faithful version of "Blitzkrieg Pop", unlike their first "Hanukkah Sessions," in which they covered Lisa Loeb's "Stay (I Missed You)" as a death metal track.

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Chicago and Brian Wilson have announced a co-headlining 25-city tour across the United States.

With both Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, the Live Nation produced tour brings together the timeless music of Chicago and the classic sounds of the Beach Boys co-founder with Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin.

The tour kicks off on June 7, 2022, at Ak-Chin Pavilion in Phoenix, Arizona, making stops across the U.S. in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Tampa, Cincinnati and more before wrapping up in Clarkston, Michigan, at DTE Energy Music Theatre on July 26.

Tickets sales will start on December 3 at 10 am local time on ChicagoTheBand.com and BrianWilson.com

Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Wednesday, until Thursday, at 10 pm local time through Citi Entertainment. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.

Tour Dates:

Tue Jun 07 - Phoenix, AZ - Ak-Chin Pavilion

Thu Jun 09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Forum

Fri Jun 10 - Irvine, CA - FivePoint Amphitheatre

Sat Jun 11 - Concord, CA - Concord Pavilion

Tue Jun 14 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheatre

Thu Jun 16 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Sat Jun 18 - Maryland Heights, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

Mon Jun 20 - Kansas City, MO - Starlight Theater

Tue Jun 21 - Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP

Fri Jun 24 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion

Sat Jun 25 - The Woodlands, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman

Tue Jun 28 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

Wed Jun 29 - Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

Fri Jul 01 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion

Sun Jul 10 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center

Mon Jul 11 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center

Wed Jul 13 - Camden, NJ - BB&T Pavilion

Thu Jul 14 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Fri Jul 15 - Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

Sun Jul 17 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Wed Jul 20 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center

Fri Jul 22 - Burgettstown, PA - The Pavilion at Star Lake

Sat Jul 23 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center

Sun Jul 24 - Tinley Park, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - CHI

Tue Jul 26 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre

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Don McLean has shared the sweet gift Taylor Swift sent him after breaking his long-held record for the longest song to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

The 10-minute 13-second version of "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" broke the record held by McLean's 8-minute and 42-second-long song "American Pie" since 1972.

"Let's face it, nobody ever wants to lose that #1 spot, but if I had to lose it to somebody, I sure am glad it was another great singer/songwriter such as Taylor," McLean said at that time.

Upon breaking the nearly 50-year record, an elated Taylor shared her joy with the former record-holder by sending him flowers and a handwritten message.

McLean shared photos of the gift on Twitter with the caption, "What a classy artist! Thank you @taylorswift13 for the flowers & note!"

Swift's brief letter reads, "Don, I will never forget that I'm standing on the shoulders of giants. Your music has been so important to me. Sending love [from] one writer of LONG SONGS to another. Your fan, Taylor."

(Photo: Don McLean/Twitter)

What a classy artist! Thank you @taylorswift13 for the flowers & note! pic.twitter.com/A0WRxaVEgE

— Don McLean (@donmclean) December 1, 2021

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Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett has announced a North American leg of his "Seconds Out + More! World Tour."

The new and rescheduled shows will begin on March 26, 2022, in Oakville, Ontario.

The shows will feature the 1977 Genesis live album Seconds Out in full.

There will also be additional material, including solo favorites and tracks from Steve's new album Surrender Of Silence.

"I'm thrilled to bring Seconds Out back to life, featuring Genesis material at its most exciting and virtuosic, this time with all numbers played in full plus additional surprises," Hackett said.

Seconds Out was the highly successful double album recorded on Genesis' 1977 concert tour together with The Cinema Show, featuring Hackett on guitar alongside Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks and Phil Collins.

All existing tickets for the 2020/21 shows will be valid for the rescheduled shows.

Fans who were due to attend those shows need not get disappointed, because the rescheduled dates will feature a special setlist including both Selling England By The Pound and Seconds Out.

(Photo: Michael Aarons)

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Toto have announced U.S. dates for the band's headlining tour, called the "Dogz of OZ World Tour."

The tour will kick off on February 25 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. The group has announced dates through March 19 and are expected to reveal further dates in the coming weeks.

Toto noted they will perform an additional 18 shows in U.S. arenas with Journey in April. In July and August, the band will be touring in Europe headlining festivals, alongside performing in arenas and large theaters, which include an already sold-out appearance at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome.

The global tour is presented by Toto co-founder and musical director David Paich. Joining Steve Lukather and Joseph Williams on the road are new band members bassist John Pierce (Huey Lewis and The News), drummer Robert "Sput" Searight (Ghost-Note), and keyboardist / background vocalist Steve Maggiora (Robert Jon & The Wreck).

In a statement, Lukather said "When the music is performed by great musicians it honors Toto. The documentary featured on the DVD offers great insights in to our thoughts looking forward. David, who stands with us, alongside Joe and myself, desire to keep this music alive. And Paich could pop in any time for a show as a special surprise."

"We'll be selecting a broader mix from the Toto catalog that includes deep cuts, the hits, and tunes from Joe and my recently released solo albums," he added. "Both of us could not be more thrilled with the global response to these records."

Dogz of Oz 2022 Tour

Feb. 25 - Las Vegas @ Theater at Virgin Hotels Las VegasFeb. 26 - Indio, Calif. @ Fantasy Springs Resort CasinoFeb. 28 - Tucson, Ariz. @ The Rialto TheatreMarch 2 - Midland, Texas @ Wagner Noel Performing Arts CenterMarch 3 - Corpus Christi, Texas @ American Bank Center - Selena AuditoriumMarch 6 - Mobile, Ala. @ Saenger TheatreMarch 7 - Jacksonville, Fla. @ Florida TheatreMarch 9 - Charleston, S.C. @ Charleston Music HallMarch 10 - Durham, N.C. @ Durham Performing Arts CenterMarch 12 - Atlantic City @ Ocean Casino Resort - Ovation HallleeMarch 14 - Munhall, Pa. @ Carnegie of Homestead Music HallMarch 15 - Detroit @ MotorCity Casino Hotel - Sound BoardMarch 19 - Kansas City, Mo. @ Uptown Theatre

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Queen's Greatest Hits has been crowned as U.K.'s most-streamed classic album.

Queen's blockbuster 1981 collection is the most streamed album in the U.K. from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, according to data provided by the Official Charts Company.

With more than 6 million units sold since its release, the album is also the U.K.'s best-selling album of all time. It has logged 973 weeks so far on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.

The most-streamed studio album on this unique list is Fleetwood Mac's 1977 classic Rumours, ranked at No. 2 overall.

The highest-charting album from the 90s is Oasis' (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, which is placed third.

Other artists/bands that feature in the Top 40 include ABBA, Dr. Dre, Nirvana, The Stone Roses, Madonna, Blondie, Jimi Hendrix and Michael Jackson.

The full Top 200 was counted down over three days last weekend on Greatesthitsradio.co.uk. It is available to listen to on that website.

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Judas Priest have announced rescheduled 2022 North American dates for their ongoing "50 Heavy Metal Years" tour. Meanwhile, Queensryche has replaced Sabaton as the support act.

The 24-date trek kicks off on March 4 in Peoria, Illinois, and concludes on April 13 in Hamilton, Ontario. Tickets are on sale now, with passes for a few shows to go on sale on December 3.

The tour was originally set for 2020 but was postponed due to the global pandemic. The band were again forced to postpone the tour after guitarist Richie Faulkner suffered a ruptured aorta during their September 26 performance at the Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

Judas Priest, '50 Heavy Metal Years' 2022 Tour

March 4 - Peoria, IL @ Peoria Civic TheatreMarch 6 - Denver, CO @ Mission BallroomMarch 7 - West Valley City, UT @ Maverik CenterMarch 9 - Everett, WA @ Angel of the Winds ArenaMarch 10 - Portland, OR @ Moda CenterMarch 12 - Oakland, CA @ Fox TheaterMarch 13 - Las Vegas, NV @ Zappos Theater at Planet HollywoodMarch 15 - Los Angeles, CA @ The ShrineMarch 16 - Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal TheaterMarch 18 - Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music FactoryMarch 20 - Cedar Park, TX @ H-E-B Center at Cedar ParkMarch 21 - San Antonio, TX @ Freeman ColiseumMarch 23 - Nashville, TN @ Nashville Municipal AuditoriumMarch 25 - Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank AmphitheatreMarch 27 - Charleston, WV @ Charleston Coliseum & Convention CenterMarch 29 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Met PhiladelphiaMarch 30 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential CenterMarch 31 - National Harbor, MD @ The Theater at MGM National HarborApril 2 - Mashantucket, CT @ Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort CasinoApril 4 - Lowell, MA @ Tsongas Center at UMass LowellApril 7 - Halifax, NS, Canada @ Scotiabank CentreApril 10 - Quebec City, QC @ Centre VideotronApril 11 - Laval, QC @ Place BellApril 13 - Hamilton, ON @ FirstOntario Centre

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Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi recently launched a new cologne and released a new song, both named "Scent of Dark."

The "Scent of Dark" track is Iommi's first rock composition since Black Sabbath's 2013 album, 13.

Iommi created his signature cologne alongside his friend, perfumier Sergio Momo, who strums the guitar in the new track. Jimmy Crutchley plays bass, Ash Sheehan handles the drums, and Iommi's longtime producer Mike Exeter plays keyboards. Rebecca Rose and Julianne Bourne play cello and violin, respectively.

The "Scent of Dark" video, shot by the musicians at Sudeley Castle near Gloucestershire, England, features copious cologne imagery.

Iommi said Momo sent him a box of perfumes last year and asked him whether he would be interested in doing his own perfume.

"I had to write down all the different smells that I like, and then he built perfume from that," Iommi told Rolling Stone. "Sergio also loves music, and he plays guitar. He said, 'What about doing a tune for the scent?' And we thought it best to do an instrumental as opposed a having a vocalist. So I had this idea and I played it to him, and he liked it, and then I just added more parts to it to make it what it was."

Iommi had said earlier that he knew how Black Sabbath fans would react about his decision to develop his own perfume, saying, "They'll think I've gone mad. It's something I would've never thought of involving myself in. But it's been nice to be involved in it."

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Elton John has shared a video of him and Ed Sheeran re-creating a scene from the movie Love Actually to promote their new holiday song, "Merry Christmas."

In a teaser on social media, the English musicians announced that their song will be released on Friday.

The Ed Sheeran Suffolk Music Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation will benefit from all U.K. profits from the song.

"Just under a year ago, I called @edsheeran to see if he wanted to make a Christmas single with me and now it's nearly here. 'Merry Christmas' will be out Fri 3 Dec with all proceeds from this year's Christmas period going to the Ed Sheeran Suffolk Music Foundation & @ejaf," John wrote in a Twitter post.

In a joint post on Twitter and Instagram, the pair shared a sneak peek of the corresponding video for the track.

"This was an absolute blast! Our music video for 'Merry Christmas' is coming this Friday," John and Sheeran captioned the post.

(Photo: Instagram)

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Queen guitarist Brian May slammed the BRIT Awards over their decision to scrap gendered categories, describing the "frightening" move as "a decision that has been made without enough thought."

May's sharp criticism comes after the BRITs scrapped the male solo artist, female solo artist, international male solo artist and international female solo artist categories and introduced two gender-neutral categories - artist of the year and international artist of the year.

The BRITs explained the change was to reward artists "solely for their music and work, rather than how they choose to identify or as others may see them" and was part of the event's "commitment to evolving the show to be as inclusive and as relevant as possible."

The decision to change the BRIT Awards' system came after non-binary singer Sam Smith criticized the awards for a lack of inclusivity.

During ITV's Palooza event in London on November 23, May told The Mirror that the decision has been made without enougth thought. "A lot of things work quite well and can be left alone," he said.

"I get so sick of people trying to change things without thinking of the long-term consequences," he added. "Some of these things are an improvement, some of them are not."

May felt there was an "atmosphere of fear everywhere because people are afraid to say how they really think," adding, "I think so many people are feeling, 'Hang on, this isn't quite right.' But they don't dare say anything. Eventually, there will be some kind of explosion."

He added: "[Queen] would be forced to have people of different colors and different sexes and we would have to have a trans [person]. You know life doesn't have to be like that. We can be separate and different."

(Photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

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