- 40 years to the day of its release (July 17th, 1981) Journey's blockbuster Escape collection has been certified diamond by the RIAA, for sales of over 10 million units. Band co-founder Neal Schon said in a statement: “This is such a truly gratifying achievement for all the work we did together. Congratulations to all.”
- Keyboardist Jonathan Cain went on to say: “On behalf of all that helped to make our album Escape a diamond award achievement, we say thank you. To our fans, to our bandmates who took part in recording this album, to our label, to all in radio and finally to the distributors who believed in this music, we are deeply humbled and honored to accept this prestigious award.” (Press release)
- Escape featured five hit singles — including “Open Arms” which topped out at Number Two, “Who's Cryin' Now” which hit Number Four, “Don't Stop Believin'” which hit Number Nine, “Still They Ride” peaked at Number 19, and “Stone In Love” which hit Number 13 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
- Bob Dylan's eagerly anticipated virtual concert, dubbed Shadow Kingdom, premiered on July 18th. Billed as “The Early Songs of Bob Dylan,” the show featured Dylan backed by his masked band, tackling a dozen tracks — all of which were recorded prior to 1975 — save for his 1989 Oh Mercy favorite, “What Was It You Wanted.”
- Tickets for Shadow Kingdom run $25 and will remain available to view until 11:59 p.m. PT on July 20th. For more information, log on to: https://bit.ly/3iILaOs
- The setlist to Bob Dylan's Shadow Kingdom is: “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” “Most Likely You Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine,” “Queen Jane Approximately,” “I'll Be Your Baby Tonight,” “Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues,” “Tombstone Blues,” “To Be Alone With You,” “What Was It You Wanted,” “Forever Young,” “Pledging My Time,” “Watching The River Flow,” and “It's All Over Now, Baby Blue.”
- Roger Daltrey revealed that he had planned to take up house painting and interior design if his throat surgery two years ago for pre-cancerous cells had gone south. The Who frontman told the Life On A Plate podcast, “It was scary but not scary. You've just got to roll with it. You have got to accept when you get hit by a blow that you might not be able to sing after this operation because they didn't know what it was. It could have been cancer. You go under the anesthetic with the feeling it's one of two things. 'I'm going to wake up and it is going to be okay and I am going to be able to carry on, or I won't be able to sing again. If I can't sing again, I'll go back to being a painter and decorator — I'll manage.'” (The Daily Mail)
- Released on Saturday (July 17th) as part of Record Store Day was Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young's Déjà Vu Alternates. The album features alternate versions of songs which appeared on the original 1970 album. Highlights were culled from the group's recent deluxe box set, featuring “Teach Your Children,” “Woodstock,” “Our House,” and “Helpless. ” The set features a cover that mirrors the original album with an alternate photo from the iconic cover shoot. The set, pressed on 180-gram black vinyl, is “strictly limited to 10,000 copies worldwide.” (Press release)
- Coming on September 10th is Elvis Costello's new Spanish version of his 1978 second album, This Year's Model. Costello and producer Sebastian Krys enlisted new top Latin pop and Spanish vocalists to re-record the vocals against the Attractions' original backing tracks.
- Costello said in a statement: “Part of the fun of this project is its unexpected nature. Although, I think people in my audience that have been paying attention are pretty much used to surprises by now. . . This Year’s Model is about desire and how that relates to love, fashion and to the male gaze towards women and control, especially in political control over us all. I don't think there's anything that somebody in another language would not have encountered. . . What you respond to is the humanity, the pride, the sorrow, the celebration.” (Press release)
