Music

In 1984, Leonard Cohen wrote ‘Hallelujah’, but still believed one songwriter was “one hundred floors above me”

• Cohen placed Hank Williams “a hundred floors above” him.
• He called Williams’s songs sublime and saw himself as a minor writer.
• “Tower of Song” was a tribute to Williams’s place in popular music.

Leonard Cohen regarded Hank Williams as a songwriter far greater than himself, despite writing “Hallelujah” and becoming one of music’s most celebrated lyricists. In “Tower of Song”, Cohen placed Williams “a hundred floors above” him, expressing sincere respect for Williams’s place in popular music rather than false modesty.…

The 1978 chart hit Stevie Nicks tricked Christine McVie into thinking was her song

• A speed change made “Imaginary Lover” sound like Stevie Nicks.
• Nicks played it for Christine McVie as a joke.
• The original reached number seven on the US chart.

In 1978, a radio station accidentally played Atlanta Rhythm Section’s “Imaginary Lover” at the wrong speed, making it sound like a Fleetwood Mac song sung by Stevie Nicks. Nicks was struck by the resemblance and later played the altered track to bandmate Christine McVie among other album demos,…

Casio launches keyboard that adapts learners’ notes to a song’s harmony

• Feel Sync keeps played notes within a song’s harmony.
• The CT-FS1 costs $399.99 and has 61 keys.
• Players still need to keep time with the music.

Casio has launched the Casiotone CT-FS1, a portable keyboard designed to let learners play along with songs without producing notes outside the song’s harmony. Its Feel Sync feature may help beginners practise rhythm and creative expression with less worry about mistakes. The $399.99 keyboard has 61 touch-responsive keys,…

Journey Members Getting Along Well, Plan to Turn Farewell Tour Into “Long Goodbye”

• Journey’s farewell tour may become a longer goodbye.
• The band says touring has improved its relationships.
• Jonathan Cain is reconsidering whether to leave.

Journey’s members say they are getting along better after years of internal conflict and legal disputes, prompting them to reconsider how their farewell should unfold. Guitarist Neal Schon says the tour has brought the band closer, and what was called “The Final Frontier” now feels like “The Long…

The American country icon Robert Plant listens to 365 days a year: “What a singer”

• Robert Plant listens to George Jones every day.
• Country music broadened Plant’s musical horizons.
• Plant also cited Roy Orbison and Charlie Rich as inspirations.

Robert Plant says he listens to country singer George Jones every day, describing him as an “amazing singer”. Jones’s influence reflects Plant’s long-running move beyond the hard-rock image he gained with Led Zeppelin and the broader musical interests that have shaped his later career. Plant told Uncut that…

Notorious B.I.G. Estate Ruling, My Chemical Romance Case, Drake Lawsuit & More Music Law News

• Faith Evans must distribute $14 million in estate profits to a trust.
• The ruling settles one dispute, while a separate case remains.
• Other cases involving Drake and My Chemical Romance also feature.

A judge has ordered Faith Evans to distribute $14 million in profits from The Notorious B.I.G.’s estate to a trust established by his late mother, Voletta Wallace. The ruling settles a dispute over whether the trust inherited Wallace’s 25 per cent share of estate profits, including money connected…

Tories close on Labour as Qantas flight evacuated; Ponga named reserve

A YouGov poll puts the Conservatives two points behind Labour as ministers face pressure over settlement rules. A Qantas flight was cancelled after flames were seen beneath a wing, while Kalyn Ponga is named as a World Cup semi-final reserve.