Les Paul gave scores of signed guitars to some of the world’s biggest stars. Now, for the first time, more than 50 are due to be auctioned in London this October. Originally destined for Madonna, Sting, Prince and Jon Bon Jovi, among others, they are the instruments that never got to their intended recipients. Now members of the public will have chance to appreciate what the stars spurned. What began in the 1990s as a small custom between Paul and…

After keeping them in the vaults for nearly 40 years, Neil Young is planning to issue four unreleased albums. Homegrown, Oceanside-Countryside and Chrome Dreams will be released as part of the singer’s Archives Volume 2. Young will also unveil the Crazy Horse live album Odeon-Budokan Live, recorded in Japan and London in 1976. Neil Young’s first Archives collection, released last year, was a behemoth: 10 Blu-ray discs, 137 tracks, plus films, photos, lyrics and articles from 1963-72. But there’s much…

A diverse range of stars have lined up to pay tribute to the late, great John Martyn. Martyn’s unique blend of folk, jazz and experimental music can be heard today in the works of so many artists it is difficult to give his influence justice. The album is still being pulled together and there is no release date as of yet, but so far Skye Edwards (Morcheeba), Beck, Robert Smith, Snow Patrol, Devendra Banhart and more have laid down tracks….

A New York street musician known as the Naked Cowboy has accused a rival busker of violating his trademark. Robert Burck, who performs in Times Square in white underpants, boots and cowboy hat, says “Naked Cowgirl” Sandy Kane is profiting from his brand. “The Naked Cowboy has standards of quality that have to be followed,” his attorney Joey Jackson said. Ms Kane wears a similar outfit when performing as the Naked Cowgirl but says she owes Mr Burck nothing. Mr…

From Entertainment Weekly: Andy Hummel, who played bass guitar in power-pop icons Big Star’s original line-up, has died of cancer at age 59. A representative for Rhine Records, which recently released a superlative box set of Big Star’s work, confirmed the sad news to EW. Hummel’s passing comes just four months after Big Star leaderAlex Chilton‘s life was claimed at the same far too young age of 59. Singer-songwriter Chris Bell died in a 1978 car crash, several years after leaving…

by Russ Wiles – Jul. 7, 2010 05:06 PM The Arizona Republic Fender Musical Instruments Corp. has named a 39-year industry veteran as its new chief executive officer, along with two new chairmen. Larry Thomas will take over as CEO of the Scottsdale company effective Aug. 1, following the previously announced retirement of Chairman and CEO Bill Mendello. Privately held Fender doesn’t release financial results but claims to be the world’s largest maker of guitars. The company employs roughly 3,000…

John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics to Beatles song A Day In The Life have sold for $1.2m (£810,000) at auction, well above the price expected. The double-sided sheet of paper with notes written in felt marker and blue ink was sold at Sotheby’s in New York. The lyric sheet also contains some corrections and other notes penned in red ink. The song – co-written with Paul McCartney – is the final track on the band’s 1967 Sgt Pepper album. The buyer…

Neil Young’s 28th studio album has become a comic book. Greendale, a “rock novel” recorded with Crazy Horse in 2003 and later adapted into a film, was published this week by Vertigo, as a graphic novel. Comics writer Joshua Dysart and artist Cliff Chiang were inspired by the fictional town of Greendale, California. Their version of Greendale follows the story of Sun Green, great-granddaughter of the settlement’s founder, and explores ideas about community, war and the environment. “The album is…

Things are going so well with Tommy Emmanuel’s music that he expects it all to “explode” soon. But the guitarist now has more than his music to celebrate, after being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his contributions to music. He was also honoured for his support of the charity Kids Under Cover. “I had no idea this would happen. Things like that happen when you least expect it, actually,” he said. The 55-year-old has been…

Musicians John Cale and Graham Nash have both received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. The veterans, who both found fame in the ’60s and have gone on to have long careers, were on the list unveiled today (June 12). Welshman Cale, 68, came to prominence in The Velvet Underground, and since leaving the band in 1968 he’s enjoyed a successful solo career, as well as producing the likes of Patti Smith, The…