Quincy Jones Suing Jackson Estate

From the N'Digo e-letter...

The legendary Quincy Jones says he is entitled to $30 million from Michael Jackson’s estate stemming from increased royalty rates after the King of Pop’s death. Jones’ lawyer, Mike McKool, argues that Mr. Jones received the royalties that were due to him for Jackson’s hit records “Off the Wall,” “Thriller” and “Bad,” but things changed when Jackson died in 2009. “The death of a superstar artist creates huge interest in his music,” McKool argued in the trial that is expected to last three weeks. In addition to the early solo Jackson records, McKool said Jones is owed money from the documentary “This Is It,” which featured songs the iconic composer produced. Jones is not provided a fair share of the licensing fee — Jones was paid $455,000 while the Jackson estate got $90 million — on the film that grossed more than $500 million.

"Off the Wall", "Thriller" and "Bad" were not just Michael Jackson records. They were THE Michael Jackson records. Pay the man his money.

I was working as a club DJ (yes really) when "Thriller" came out and sorority girls asked me to play this song over and over and over again. I can only now listen to it without breaking into convulsions.

RIP Chester Bennington

From the RAMP Newsletter...

Chester Bennington, the lead singer for the platinum-selling rock band Linkin Park, has died at the age 41. The New York Times and other sources report his death is being investigated as a possible suicide. Brian Elias, the Chief of Operations for the Los Angeles County Coroner's office said law enforcement authorities responded to call at Bennington's home in Palos Verdes Estates in Los Angeles County shortly after 9am PT Thursday and were conducting a death investigation.

Bennington, "who was known for his piercing scream and free-flowing anguish," released seven albums with Linkin Park. He had also performed in the side project Dead by Sunrise and was recruited by Stone Temple Pilots as their lead singer after the band split with the late Scott Weiland in 2013. Linkin Park's most recent Warner Bros. album, One More Light was released in May and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. Linkin Park was preparing to kick off their One More Light World Tour next Thursday, July 27 at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA.

The Twilight Zone Presidency

Tell me if you've ever seen this before. The Treasury Secretary fined the company once run by the Secretary of State for making a deal with a Russian, so the Secretary of State's company just responded by suing the Treasury department.

The next cabinet meeting is going to be a little awkward.

Minutia Men, Episode 58

EP58: Pope signs, Lemonade Stand meanies, Really hating a team, A Cubs poem, and Rick’s brush with Butch Patrick.

Plus an in-depth discussion of the Purple Nurple.

Listen to it here.

The Bill Paige Media Tour Continues

Audio at the link...

Our latest author Bill Paige is a great media guest, as Ted Ehlen of WBEL found out this morning. https://t.co/JLEKgx3Img

— Rick Kaempfer (@RickKaempfer) July 20, 2017

The International Gesture for...um. Wait a second.

I knew Trump and Putin were close. I didn't know they were THIS close.

I'm sorry, but what the hell was @realDonaldTrump offering to do to Putin here??? pic.twitter.com/bIpWt8KX4N

— Edan Clay (@EdanClay) July 20, 2017

Please Don't Share This

Donald Trump wants this photo of his messed up hair and facial tan line removed from the internet. Please do not share. pic.twitter.com/3jCX95fhx6

— James Melville (@JamesMelville) July 17, 2017

Lou Christie

Why did I use the name of 60s pop star Lou Christie? His big hit is "Lightning Striking Again". A better headline would have been "Barry Butler".

Barry Butler is the incredible photographer who captured this photo this morning at 5:40 AM. Barry is simply THE BEST photographer of Chicago.

Get Well Soon John McCain

His prognosis is grim. Senator McCain has aggressive brain cancer. In a rare bout of non-partisanship, everyone in Washington had nice things to say about him last night, even his one-time opponent, and the man who said he wasn't a war hero because he was captured...

John McCain is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I've ever known. Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 20, 2017

Melania and I send our thoughts and prayers to Senator McCain, Cindy, and their entire family. Get well soon. https://t.co/fONWVlmYyz

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2017

Alti-dored

I couldn't believe what I saw in the USA-El Salvador game last night. USA striker Jozi Altidore was attacked twice. Once with a twisted nipple. (You read that right). The other time he was bitten!

The #USMNT moved on to the #GoldCup2017 semis, but a dirty play was one of the biggest talking points from #USAvSLV. https://t.co/NwIEMgPvM1

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 20, 2017

I loved his quote after the game...

Altidore: "My girl is mad at me. She’s mad at me, she’s mad at Romero. She’s like ‘Only I can bite u, only I can grab your nipples.’ #usmnt

— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) July 20, 2017

Mark Your Calendars

Trump and the potential merger of Time Warner and AT&T

President Trump really hates CNN. I mean, really really really hates them. So, according to this piece in Variety, he is saying he will only approve the merger of Time Warner and AT&T if the CEO of CNN is forced out.

That's the sort of petty decision making that proves Trump is a terrible president.

But in this case, if it kills the merger, it will be a good thing for America. We can't keep merging media giants. It will end badly for everyone. If Trump's pettiness actually helps us in this case, I guess we'll just have to accept victory for all the wrong reasons.

When You've Lost People Magazine...

People has fawned all over Trump since he became a public figure thirty years ago. Those days appear to be over...

@Midnight to Sign Off

Chris Hardwick's show "@Midnight with Chris Hardwick" is ending.

They had a pretty darn good run...600 episodes.

Chicago Literary Hall of Fame

Robert Feder writes...

Roger Ebert, the Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic who wrote 17 books, will be inducted into the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame August 19. The ceremony, emceed by Chicago Tribune columnist Rick Kogan, will be at the new American Writers Museum, 180 North Michigan Avenue. Other 2017 inductees include Margaret Ayer Barnes, Fanny Butcher, Eugene Field, Fenton Johnson and Ring Lardner. “I am thrilled,” said Chaz Ebert, who will accept the honor on her late husband’s behalf. The movie critic for the Sun-Times and nationally syndicated television host died in 2013 at 70.

Sad Day at WGN Radio

I used to start my mornings @WGNRadio talking w Mike about the sunrise he'd seen that day from the traffic copter. https://t.co/Z01CmJUkIV

— Steve Bertrand (@SteveBertrand) July 18, 2017

New ESPN Morning Radio Show

The start date is now official, according to Tom Taylor's NOW column...

ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” officially evolve to “Golic & Wingo,” starting just after Thanksgiving. But for three days this week, ESPN offers a “sneak peek,” today through Thursday, with Mike Golic and Trey Wingo. That frees up Mike Greenberg to sub for Michael Kay on New York’s “ESPN 98.7” WEPN-FM. (It’s leased to ESPN leading partner Disney by Emmis.) “Greeny” is developing the new ESPN TV show that debuts January 1.

Fuhrman Will Analyze Simpson Coverage for Fox News

It's beginning to look like Thursday is going to be national "OJ Simpson Day" on television. I mentioned yesterday that ESPN is going to cover his parole hearing live. It looks like all of the cable news outlets will too.

Fox News is bringing in Mark Fuhrman to analyze the hearing.

CNN is interviewing Laura Hart McKinney. Remember her? She's the one that provided tapes of Fuhrman saying racist things to OJ's defense team.

Feels like 1995 all over again.

27 contact lenses

A woman was having trouble seeing. She thought it was because she was getting older and had dry eyes. Nope.

She had 27 contact lenses stuck in her eye.

That's the "ewww-iest" story I've seen all year.

Ann Coulter Versus Delta Airlines

If you were on Twitter over the weekend I'm sure you've heard this story. Ann Coulter tweeted angrily about Delta Airlines moving her seat. The people on Twitter, who never support the airlines, came down on Delta's side. And Delta got a little scrappy in their responses to her tweets.

Kind of an entertaining saga if you'd like to read more about it.

O.J. Simpson Live

On Thursday morning in Nevada, OJ Simpson will have his parole hearing.

ESPN has decided to broadcast it live.

Apparently the Juice has still got some juice.

Bobby Skafish on GoodReads

Yesterday at Bobby Skafish's appearance in Hillside, we ran into dozens of people who have already read the book and gave us great reviews. Well, folks, it's possible now to put those reviews down on paper...or, in this case...the internet. GoodReads now has a page for "We Have Company: Four Decades of Rock and Roll Encounters". If you've read the book and enjoyed it, please share your thoughts here.

Thanks!

RIP Martin Landau

Martin Landau passed away yesterday at the age of 89. He won an Academy Award later in life and turned in some truly incredible movie performances, but to me Martin Landau was always the guy from Mission Impossible. I loved that show...

My Eckhartz Press weekend

Had a busy but fun weekend. On Saturday night both Dave and I attended a party congratulating Eckhartz Press author Kim Strickland for attaining the rank of Captain (she's a pilot for United Airlines). It was fancy.



On Sunday I spent the morning with Eckhartz Press author Bobby Skafish in Hillside. He was appearing at Chicagoland's Record Collector show. Met a lot of fellow music geeks there.



I also read the (nearly) final draft of Mitch Michaels' new book "Doin the Cruise" which is coming out in early September. Buckle up for that one. Some great stories. And I worked on the upcoming John Landecker Hall of Fame edition. (John sent some great pics like this one below with his daughter Amy and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.)



Next weekend I'll be seeing Eckhartz Press author Brent Petersen ("Truffle Hunt")

Landecker Auctioning Off Memorabilia

Details are here...

Chicagoland Record Collector's Show

I will be there with Bobby Skafish on Sunday morning. Here's the way they are promoting the show...

The next big show at Hillside is this Sunday, July 16. We will have about 75 dealers on hand with about 115 tables displaying great vinyl, CD's, posters and other related music items. If you're looking for Classic Rock, Jazz, Blues, plus many other areas of music, this is the place to be.

Also as a special added bonus, we will have former WXRT, WLUP, WKQX and WDRV disc jockey Bobby Skafish in person to sell and autograph his book "We Have Company - Four Decades Of Rock And Roll Encounters".

Book reviews:
“With over four decades as a silver-tongued D.J., Bobby Skafish turns his numerous interview moments into a can’t-stop reading adventure. Partly his thoughts on the interview process but mainly a memoir about his lifelong passion for music and those that make it. Highly recommended!”
--Johnny Mars/WXRT Radio
“Bobby Skafish delves into an interview with knowledge, finesse and the ability to get a conversation started. He once told me that listening is just as important as asking the questions. This book is proof that his approach is right on!”
--Wendy Snyder/WGN Radio
“Close encounters of the rock radio kind from the coolest cat to ever drop a needle on vinyl”
John Records Landecker/Radio Legend

Bobby's appearance at Hillside will be from 8:45 am - 12:00 pm.

Start making your plans to be at the Best Western at Hillside July16 to meet Bobby and purchase a copy of his book.

The regular show hours are 8:45 am - 4:00 pm, admission is $3.00. We also have an early bird time of 5:30 am - 8:30 am, admission is $10.00. It's a great place to spend time looking for great records, meeting people and discussing what you're looking for. If you have records you want to sell or trade, bring them to to the show and let the dealers know what you have. It could be a great deal for you. If anybody is coming from out-of-state and needs a hotel, the Best Western has a special record show rate of $59 depending on availability. Call 708-544-9300 to book your reservation, and tell the front desk that you want the record show rate.

The Best Western at Hillside is located at 4400 Frontage Rd. If you're on 290 westbound out of Chicago the hotel is at exit 16 just past Mannheim Rd.

Please Like and Share with your friends.

Hope to see all of you this Sunday, July 16!!!

We did Rock You

Great time last night at the Queen concert with sons #2 & #3. Adam Lambert did a great job filling the role of Freddie Mercury. The boys were blown away...

When You've Lost Krauthammer...

There aren't many conservatives who have spoken up about the unveiling of this week's smoking gun (courtesy of Donald Jr.), but one conservative commentator has seen enough.

Today's Charles Krauthammer column is titled: Bungled Collusion is Still Collusion

It's a takedown not only of the Trump braintrust, but of the people who are still lamely defending even this. This is the last paragraph...

There is no statute against helping a foreign hostile power meddle in an American election. What Donald Jr. — and Kushner and Manafort — did may not be criminal. But it is not merely stupid. It is also deeply wrong, a fundamental violation of any code of civic honor. I leave it to the lawyers to adjudicate the legalities of unconsummated collusion. But you don’t need a lawyer to see that the Trump defense — collusion as a desperate Democratic fiction designed to explain away a lost election — is now officially dead.

Michael Gerson is a former Bush head speechwriter, and he also is appalled...

Republicans have sometimes employed the excuse that members of the Trump team are new to politics — babes in the woods — who don’t yet understand all the ins and outs. Their innocence, the argument goes, is proved by their guilt. This might apply to minor infractions of campaign finance law. It does not cover egregious acts of wrongdoing. Putting a future president in the debt of a foreign power — and subject, presumably, to blackmail by that power — is the height of sleazy stupidity. It is not a mistake born of greenness; it is evidence of a vacant conscience.

Most are still burying their heads in the sand, but there are a few. Wanted to give them their kudos.

Jose to the Cubs

The Cubs realized their season was in the pooper because they need starting pitching, so they traded their top two prospects to the White Sox for starting pitcher Jose Quintana.

I think the Sox probably got the better end of that deal, but the Cubs are loaded with young hitting talent. They desperately need pitching, and Quintana is signed to long-term incredibly reasonable contract.

Win-win. I hope.

The 2017 Emmy Nominees

Hot off the presses...

Outstanding Drama Series

Better Call Saul
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
House of Cards
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld

Outstanding Comedy Series

Atlanta
Black-ish
Master of None
Modern Family
Silicon Valley
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Veep

Outstanding Limited Series

Big Little Lies
Fargo
Feud: Bette and Joan
Genius
The Night Of

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Claire Foy, The Crown
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale
Keri Russell, The Americans
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Sterling K Brown, This Is Us
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Anthony Hopkins, Westworld
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Pamela Adlon, Better Things
Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie
Allison Janney, Mom
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Zach Galifianakis, Baskets
Donald Glover, Atlanta
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Robert De Niro, Wizard of Lies
Ewan McGregor, Fargo
Geoffrey Rush, Genius
John Turturro, The Night Of

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Carrie Coon, Fargo
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies
Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan
Susan Sarandon, Feud: Bette and Joan
Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
Ron Cephas Jones, This Is Us
David Harbour, Stranger Things
Michael Kelly, House of Cards
John Lithgow, The Crown
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Jeffrey Wright, Westworld

Outstanding Supporting Actress—Drama Series

Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black
Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale

Outstanding Supporting Actor—Comedy Series

Louie Anderson, Baskets
Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Tony Hale, Veep
Matt Walsh, Veep

Outstanding Supporting Actress—Comedy Series

Vanessa Bayer, Saturday Night Live
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Kathryn Hahn, Transparent
Leslie Jones, Saturday Night Live
Judith Light, Transparent
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Supporting Actor—Limited Series or Movie

Bill Camp, The Night Of
Alfred Molina, Feud: Bette and Joan
Alexander Skarsgard, Big Little Lies
David Thewlis, Fargo
Stanley Tucci, Feud: Bette and Joan
Michael Kenneth Williams, The Night Of

Outstanding Supporting Actress—Limited Series or Movie

Judy Davis, Feud: Bette and Joan
Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
Jackie Hoffman, Feud: Bette and Joan
Regina King, American Crime
Michelle Pfeiffer, The Wizard of Lies
Shailene Woodley, Big Little Lies

Outstanding TV Movie

Black Mirror: San Junipero
Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Sherlock: The Lying Detective
The Wizard of Lies

Outstanding Variety Series

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The Late Late Show With James Corden
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Sammy Ricardo

He looks like Ricky Ricardo's long lost brother.

The internet is abuzz with the latest look from Sammy Sosa https://t.co/XATXd5YLlN via @TeddyGreenstein pic.twitter.com/BLOIIxPg4k

— ChicagoSports (@ChicagoSports) July 13, 2017

Minutia Men, Episode 57

EP57 – Rick and Dave discuss a bear chomping your head, a plausible conspiracy theory, Jenkins losing 300,000 umbrellas, the 1990 All-Star game, and Rick’s brush with Bob Feldman. Who is Bob Feldman? You gotta listen to find out.

Listen to it here.

Of Course They Will

Guess who else is attending the secret media mogul meeting in Idaho this week?

Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.

Like I said in this week's Minutia Men podcast...I'm not a conspiracy nut, but this annual meeting makes we walk to the very edge of the conspiracy-nut bridge to peek. If I ever do decide to jump, it will be because of this.

Chicago Radio Ratings

From Tom Taylor's NOW column...

Chicago likes last month’s top three – V103, WBBM/WCFS, “Mix” and “B96.” That’s iHeart’s urban AC WVAZ (5.6-5.8-6.1), CBS news simulcast WBBM/WCFS (4.9-4.8-4.7) and Hubbard’s hot AC WTMX (4.8-4.6-4.6). In that bunch, V103 wins every daypart except mornings, the all-newser is #1 mornings and the “Mix” morning show – without Kathy Hart – slips a bit to second. From there, it’s a complete scrum in the total-week standings, with five stations between a 3.9 and a 3.7. Tied at a 3.9 are CBS rhythmic “B96” WBBM-FM (3.7-4.0-3.9) and Hubbard’s classic rock “Drive” WDRV (3.5-3.6-3.9, and now tied for second place on Saturday/Sunday). Tied at a 3.8 are iHeart’s “Kiss” WKSC (3.9-3.7-3.8) and CBS sports “Score” WSCR (3.7-3.7-3.8, with the Cubs keeping it second place at night). And right there at a 3.7 is Univision’s regional Mexican WOJO (3.3-3.6-3.7). Chris Huff has some honors to bestow – “CBS country ‘US99’ WUSN (2.6-2.9-3.4) posts its largest share since December 2014. And CBS alternative rock WXRT (2.5-2.9-3.0) has its largest share since August 2014.” Let’s salute easy oldies WRME (2.6-2.8-2.9). That’s yet another record share for WRME, the low power TV Channel 6 TV LMA’d by Weigel. Coming back is Chicago Public Media’s not-for-profit news/talk WBEZ (2.0-2.3-2.6, and sixth with “Morning Edition”). The Windy City’s cume leader is CHR Kiss (2,145,200).

Cubs Espy

Talk about a loaded team

Bayern Munich has won five titles in a row and 14 of the last 20, and they play a system with three forwards. Which of these five superstars won't be in the lineup?

After adding James Rodriguez​, Bayern​ now have 5 superstars in attack, but only 3 spots in Carlo Ancelotti's 4-3-3.

Who would you sit?🤔 pic.twitter.com/zMGN9G7JMq

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 12, 2017

What'll it be, Cubs?

The 2nd half of the season starts tomorrow.

I'm torn, Cubs. When you're good, I love every second. When you aren't, I am incredibly productive. What will the second half bring? Another playoff run, or another book?