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Martin Luther King-"I Have A Dream"

U2 - City Of Blinding Lights (DVD)

STEVE JOBS STEPPING DOWN

Today Apple CEO Steve Jobs said he is relinquishing his duties until June for health-related reasons. Tom Cook, the current chief operating officer, will take over until Jobs returns.

Here is the e-mail that Steve Jobs sent to Apple employees today:

Team,

I am sure all of you saw my letter last week sharing something very personal with the Apple community. Unfortunately, the curiosity over my personal health continues to be a distraction not only for me and my family, but everyone else at Apple as well. In addition, during the past week I have learned that my health-related issues are more complex than I originally thought.

In order to take myself out of the limelight and focus on my health, and to allow everyone at Apple to focus on delivering extraordinary products, I have decided to take a medical leave of absence until the end of June.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for Apple's day to day operations, and I know he and the rest of the executive management team will do a great job. As CEO, I plan to remain involved in major strategic decisions while I am out. Our board of directors fully supports this plan.

I look forward to seeing all of you this summer.

Steve

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2009 Inductees Announced

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2009 Inductees to the Induction Ceremony and a weeklong schedule of events to celebrate the Induction’s return to Cleveland. On April 4, 2009, the Induction Ceremony will take place in Cleveland for the first time since 1997. The 2009 Induction Ceremony will be broadcast live on Fuse TV.

The performer inductees are:
Jeff Beck
Little Anthony & the Imperials
Metallica
Run-D.M.C.
Bobby Womack

Early Influence Category Inductee:
Wanda Jackson

Sidemen Category Inductees:
Bill Black
DJ Fontana
Spooner Oldham

The 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performer inductees were chosen by the 600 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Artists are eligible for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twenty-five years after their first recording is released.

In addition to being honored at the April ceremony, each inducted artist is commemorated at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland Ohio, which serves as a monument to rock and roll’s impact on our culture. These inductees will be honored – along with previous year’s inductees and hundreds of other artists – with an exhibit and film that serve to tell the story of modern music. (MORE)

Buckminster Fuller, Personal Computers and Stewart Brand

In 1968 Stewart Brand launched an innovative publication called The Whole Earth Catalog.It was groundbreaking, enlightening, and spawned a group of later publications. It's where I first heard of geodesic domes, Buckminster Fuller and personal computers. For those who were there and those who would like a peak at the dawning of the new age, The Whole Earth Catalog is now on-line here.

"Led Zeppelin are over!" says Jimmy Page's manager

Despite published reports indicating otherwise, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham have abandoned plans to record and tour together.

MusicRadar spoke exclusively with Peter Mensch, Jimmy Page's manager, who stated categorically, "Led Zeppelin are over! If you didn't see them in 2007 [when they played a one-off reunion at London's O2 Arena], you missed them. It's done. I can't be any clearer than that."

Singers auditioned, "no one worked out"

Mensch confirmed that last fall, when singer Robert Plant made it known he was continuing his partnership with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss and had no intention of returning to Led Zeppelin, replacement vocalists were auditioned to possibly record and tour with Page, Jones and Bonham.

"They tried out a few singers, but no one worked out," says Mensch. "That was it. The whole thing is completely over now. There are absolutely no plans for them to continue. Zero. Frankly, I wish everybody would stop talking about it."

When asked what new projects Jimmy Page was going to be involved with in 2009, Mensch said, "Fuck if I know. I'm waiting to hear." (MORE HERE) and (HERE)

LESS ZEPPELIN

Legendary rock manager Peter Mensch has been discussing his client Jimmy Page's plans to reform Led Zeppelin without Robert Plant.

According to Mensch, Jimmy Page, bassist John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham - the son of original Zep drummer John Bonham - look likely to tour, and there's even talk of recording an album.

“People don’t really understand it,” Mensch told 6 Music, “Jimmy Page has been playing guitar professionally since he was 16 years old. Jimmy Page likes being a musician. That’s what he does! He doesn’t want to be a race car driver or a solicitor.

“So they [Page, Jones, Bonham] did the show with Robert Plant; they had a really good time rehearsing, the three of them, before Robert showed up.

“And they decided that if they could find a singer that they thought would fit their bill – whatever their bill was at this stage in their career – that they’d make a record and go on tour.

“And I support that because, why not? That’s what Jimmy Page does. That’s his job, his hobby, his vocation.”

Mensch – whose company Q Prime also represents Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snow Patrol – also revealed that the band have yet to find a replacement for Plant: “John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page enjoy playing with each other, Jason Bonham is a really good drummer so why not? We just need to find a singer.” (MORE from the BBC HERE)

Dan Fogelberg - Same Old Lang Syne (Live - 2003)

HAPPY NEW YEAR