NEIL DIAMOND, HEART TO "STAND UP TO CANCER" NEXT FRIDAY

Neil Diamond, Heart, and U2's The Edge are just a few of the music legends who will "Stand Up To Cancer" next Friday, September 10th.  They'll all set to perform on the 2010 installment of the fund raising telethon to be hosted by news personalities Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, and Brian Williams.  "Stand Up To Cancer" will air in primetime on all four major networks and many cable outlets this week.  The telecast will raise money and awareness for cancer research.  Also putting in appearances on the show are Ozzy Osbourne's daughter, Kelly Osbourne; actor Will Smith; "Saturday Night Live" cast member Bill Hader; Oscar-winner George Clooney; and "Glee" actress Jane Lynch.  Additional musical performers include Kris Kristofferson; the late Michael Jackson's former guitarist, Orianthi; Stevie Wonder; and Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and many cable networks will air "Stand Up The Cancer" on Friday, September 10th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific and 7:00 p.m. Central time.  The broadcast will run without commercial interruption.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

TONY BLAIR SAYS BONO COULD RUN A COUNTRY

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair thinks that Bono has what it takes to run a country.  Spinner.com cites excerpts from Blair's new memoir in which he writes that the U2 rocker would have been a better choice to succeed him than Gordon Brown.  In the book, titled "A Journey," the former PM says Bono, quote, "could have been a president or prime minister standing on his head. He had an absolutely natural gift for politicking, was great with people, very smart and an inspirational speaker...motivated by an abundant desire to keep on improving, never really content or relaxed."

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

Bono has expressed his admiration for Blair over the years, too.  In 2007, immediately preceding Blair's exit from office, Bono told NME.com, quote, "What I admire the most about Tony Blair is that despite all accusations of a slick PR machine, spin doctoring and the like, he has almost all of the time exposed himself to bad press and outcry for doing the things he believed in."

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

ROY ORBISON'S WIDOW DISCUSSES "LAST CONCERT"

The widow of late music great Roy Orbison is discussing his "Last Concert."  The CD, "Roy Orbison: The Last Concert," captures the rocker's December 4th, 1988 performance in Highland Heights, Ohio, just days before his death.  Barbara Orbison says the 14-track recording from Eagle Rock Entertainment is a great piece of history for any fan of Roy's work.  She says, “It's just something for the fan or for somebody that loves history and wants a little bit of history because a last concert, like a first concert is really, really special.”

Barbara says she'd like to extend Roy's legacy with a Broadway show or a film about his life, citing his contribution to music and his role in American history.  Roy Orbison died on December 6th, 1988 of a heart attack in Hendersonville, Tennessee.  He was 52.  The months leading up to his death were among the busiest and most successful in his career.  In November 1988, he'd shot footage for a video for his single "You Got It."  He was also on the charts with The Traveling Wilburys, the super group that also featured Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and George Harrison.  "Roy Orbison: The Last Concert" is in stores now.  For more information, visit www.royorbison.com.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

SIR ELTON, RUSSELL TO DEBUT ALBUM IN NEW YORK

The live debut of a collaboration between Sir Elton John and Leon Russell is jumping coasts.  SoundSpike.com reports that the singer-songwriters will perform tracks from "The Union" at New York's Beacon Theater on October 19th, which is also the album's U.S. release date.  The longtime friends had previously announced that they'd perform live together for the first time in support of "The Union" at Los Angeles' Palladium.  That November 3rd gig is still happening, but New York is now the location of the artists' first live performances of tracks from the album. 

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

Oscar-winner T-Bone Burnett serves as producer on the 16-track project.  Guest artists on "The Union" include Brian Wilson, Booker T. Jones, and Neil Young.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

GUNS N' ROSES DODGE BOTTLES IN IRELAND

Guns N' Roses have another memorable gig that they probably would like to forget.  Entertainment.ie reports that the group exited early from their performance at Dublin's O2 arena after a bottle was thrown onstage.  The band started their set well over an hour after support act Danko Jones left the stage.  Once they began, several bottles were hurled toward the stage, which led Axl Rose to warn the unruly crowd, quote, "One more bottle, we go home.  It's up to you.  We would like to stay.  You want us to stay?  We wanna stay.  We wanna have some fun."  The band played three more songs, but between songs -- as Rose was introducing the group -- another bottle shot out from the crowd.  The rocker made good on his word.  He and the rest of the band exited the stage.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

O2 staff members reportedly spent more than a half-hour trying to quell the crowd without success.  Guns N' Roses eventually returned to perform for a what was described as a "small but pretty irate crowd."

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

HARRISON'S WIDOW APPROVES OF SANTANA-INDIA.ARIE COLLABORATION

George Harrison's widow is giving her approval to a cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."  Spinner.com reports that a new version of The Beatles' track, sung by India.Arie for the Carlos Santana album "Guitar Heaven," inspired emotion in Olivia Harrison after she heard it performed live.  Arie comments, "I like the idea.  I'm honored by the possibility that I just made her happy in that her husband's not here and she's hearing the song."  Santana adds that Olivia's encouragement itself is a milestone. The guitarist comments, quote, "It says that we have become those that we admire." 

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

Santana and Arie debuted "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" live at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas last week for an audience of VIP guests, including Harrison.  The album "Guitar Heaven" will hit the market on September 21st.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

WAR LAUNCHES LEGAL FIGHT WITH PEPSI

The band War isn't feeling so friendly toward Pepsi these days.  TMZ.com reports that the group is suing the soft drink giant for ten-million dollars over the use of its 1975 song "Why Can't We Be Friends?"  War claims it didn't consent to the "use of their performance" in a commercial and calls Pepsi's use of the track a "deliberate" violation of their licensing.  War is a funk band from California best known for songs like "Low Rider" and "The Cisco Kid."  Their songs have been covered by pop artists like Janet Jackson and TLC as well as rock band Korn.  War is currently on tour and will be playing the American Music Festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia tonight.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

BOOK PROFILING AUSTRALIAN ROCKERS AC/DC DUE NEXT MONTH

A book profiling the ascent of AC/DC is due next month.  Voyageur Press will release "AC/DC High-Voltage Rock 'N' Roll - The Ultimate Illustrated History" on October 15th.  The book traces the highly-successful rockers' trajectory back to its roots on the club circuit in Australia.  "AC/DC High-Voltage Rock 'N' Roll" features visuals that range from handbills and posters to backstage passes and performance photography.  Some of rock's leading journalists pen the side bars and essays in "AC/DC High-Voltage Rock 'N' Roll."  The book also features an afterword written by Def Leppard's Joe Elliott. 

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

In related news, AC/DC is off the road at the moment.  The rockers wrapped up their Black Ice World Tour this past June in Bilboa, Spain.  That trek hit over 28 countries during its almost two-year run.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

SLASH MAKING A THREE-D VIDEO FOR "SWORD"

Slash already has a video for "By The Sword," but the clip will get a multi-dimensional update in the near future.  The guitarist tells Spinner.com, quote, "We're applying three-D to it after the fact.  It's actually the perfect video for it because it's got a lot of depth shots and shots where everything stops, freezes, and stuff is moving around it, so the three-D of that will look cool."  The video also features the song's vocalist, Wolfmother's Andrew Stockdale.  Slash is also planning another clip from his self-titled solo effort.  He recently revealed via Twitter that during his stint in Los Angeles for the Sunset Strip Music Festival, he was planning to shoot a video with Fergie that came from a concept she had for "Beautiful Dangerous," the song she contributed to his album.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

QUICK BITE:  "PIANO MAN" LOWERS THE PRICE OF HIS HAMPTONS HOME

America's "Piano Man" is dropping the price on the Hamptons beach home that he's selling.  Newsday.com reports that Billy Joel is offering a two-point-six-million-dollar "discount" on his property in Sagaponack, New York.  The house was once owned by "Jaws" star Roy Scheider and features a deluxe kitchen and views of the Atlantic Ocean.  Joel originally offered the luxury home for sale in 2009 for 22-point-five-million dollars.  It's now being offered at 19-point-nine-million.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->