Friday, November 11, 2005

Elton John / John Lennon 1974 MSG Concert named 19th greatest ever

In a survey of musicians, journalists and records execs, Queen's Live Aid performance from 1985 has been ranked as the "worlds greatest rock gig." Elton John's 1974 Madison Square Garden performance with John Lennon comes in at number 19. You will notice one sorta major band is missing.

Here is the entire list;

1. Queen – Live Aid – July 13, 1985
2. Jimi Hendrix – Woodstock – August 18, 1969
3. The Sex Pistols – Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall – June 4, 1976
4. Bob Dylan – Manchester Free Trade Hall – May 17, 1966 (Dylan goes ‘electric’)
5. David Bowie – Hammersmith Apollo, London – July 3, 1973 (Bowie retires the Ziggy Stardust persona to the surprise of the sold-out crowd and, indeed, the Spiders From Mars, whom he had neglected to tell)
6. Bob Marley – One Love Peace Concert – April 22, 1978
7. Bruce Springsteen – The Roxy – July 7, 1978
8. U2 – Red Rocks – June 5, 1983
9. Rolling Stones – Hyde Park, London – May 7, 1969
10. Radiohead – Glastonbury Festival – June 28, 1997
11. Rock Against Racism – Victoria Park, London – May 7, 1977
12. The Who – Isle of Wight Festival – August 29, 1970
13. Pink Floyd – Earl’s Court, London – June 17, 1981 (‘The Wall’ show, also Pink Floyd’s final UK appearance until this year’s Live8 concert)
14. James Brown – The Apollo, Harlem – October 24, 1962
15. Oasis – Maine Road, Manchester – April 27, 1996 (80,000 people at Britpop’s tenuous height)
16. Beastie Boys – Brixton Academy, London – May 24, 1987 (hip-hop invades the UK)
17. Johnny Cash – San Quentin Prison – August 29, 1969
18. Brian Wilson – Royal Festival Hall – February 20, 2004 (the ‘Smile’ concert)
19. Elton John & John Lennon – Madison Square Garden, New York – November 28, 1974 (John Lennon’s final live performance)
20. Nirvana – Reading Festival – August 30, 1992

Elton John signs on with UMPG

UMPG Signs Elton John

By Chris M. Walsh, N.Y.

Universal Music Publishing Group has signed an exclusive agreement with Elton John and his songwriting collaborator Bernie Taupin, that will put the entire Elton John catalog under one publishing roof.

The two new long-term, exclusive, worldwide agreements are to administer John's and Taupin's post-1974 publishing interests. Each songwriter controls his own interest in the songs they've written, and separate arrangements were entered into with each. UMPG already owns the copyrights in the John/Taupin catalog written up to 1974.

Through the new arrangement with Elton John, the company will administer all his songs written between 1974 and 1992 (as well as new works), with immediate effect, and his songs written between 1993 and 2004 commencing in 2006. More than 250 copyrights are covered by the arrangement.

Through the new arrangement with Bernie Taupin, the company will administer all of his songs written between 1974 and the present, as well as new works written with or recorded by Elton John.

Both deals were previously administered by Warner Chappell.