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Today’s Music News: Madonna tells Jack White to get up and dance

by Staff

January 19, 2016

Jack White was in the audience during Madonna's Saturday night show in Louisville, Ky. — but he wasn't very animated during the performance. That's according to the Material Girl herself, who spoke to White from onstage. "Don't be laid back, just 'cause you're famous," said Madonna sassily. "I'm famous too, you know." In response, White smiled and blew Madonna a kiss. (Billboard)

Eagles manager Irving Azoff says that Glenn Frey's death was partly due to complications from medications the musician was taking for rheumatoid arthritis. "He died from complications of ulcer and colitis after being treated with drugs for his rheumatoid arthritis which he had for over 15 years," said Azoff. (Billboard)

Publicist Heathcliff Berru has resigned as CEO of Life or Death PR & Management after artists including Bethany Cosentino (Best Coast), Amber Coffman (Dirty Projectors), and Yasmine Kittles (Tearist) accused Berru of sexual misconduct. Life or Death represents a number of artists; the bands Wavves and DIIV said they have severed ties with the agency in the wake of the accusations. (Pitchfork)

Darlene Love has sued Google for using her recording of "It's a Marshmallow World" on ads for smartphones. Love says that the use amounts to using her identity to sell the products; since Love was working with producer Phil Spector when she recorded the song, the suit may hinge on the details of the contract she signed for those sessions. (Billboard)

Grimes has released an intense cyberpunk video for her song "Kill V. Maim," a clip co-directed by Grimes and her brother Mac Boucher. (Rolling Stone)

Guitarist James R. Fonseca has died at age 77. One of the most respected rhythm guitarists on the Los Angeles music scene in the 1960s, Fonesca was dubbed "the Rhythm Wizard" by singer/guitarist Lolly Vegas. (Billboard)

Pearl Jam have announced a tour that will cross North America — but come nowhere near Minnesota — this spring and summer. Among the tour venues: Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. (Rolling Stone)

Peter Gabriel and Sting have announced a 19-date joint tour that Sting says will be similar to his 2014 co-headlining tour with Paul Simon. Among the stops on the Sting/Gabriel tour: this year's Summerfest in Milwaukee. (Rolling Stone)

Starbucks and Spotify have announced a collaboration that will allow coffee shop visitors to use the Starbucks app to interact with music they hear when they're sipping lattes. A powerful player in the music business due to its ability to sell CDs to affluent customers (Norah Jones, for example, has been a significant beneficiary of Starbucks sales), Starbucks announced last year that it would phase out in-store CD sales. (Billboard)

Thurston Moore says he finds it "really strange that I get demonized for the break-up of Sonic Youth when I myself had no intention of breaking up the band." Moore, now divorced from former wife and bandmate Kim Gordon, does acknowledge that "I get the reasons behind the band not existing at the moment." (Pitchfork)

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