Quick quips: Duran Duran, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin

Duran Duran will give fans in the U.K. the rare chance to watch them rehearse for their U.S. tour. In an effort to "rehabilitate the muscles controlling [Simon LeBon's] vocal chords," the group will play four shows at different places in the U.K., selling tickets for the intimate and informal shows.

Yesterday's report that Paul McCartney has signed with Decca, after being turned down 50 years earlier by the label, turns out to be a bit off. The truth is that his ballet, Ocean Kingdom, is actually be issued by Concord Records who has licensed the work to Decca in England.


Frank DeLeo, who managed Michael Jackson in the 80's and during his final days, passed away on Wednesday morning from complications after heart surgery. He was 64.
DeLeo started at Epic and moved to Columbia where he oversaw Jackson's Thriller and Bad albums along with the Victory and Bad World tours. Between stints with Jackson, he managed artists like Richie Sambora, Taylor Dayne, and Laura Branigan.


Aretha Franklin is taking action to block the release of a 1972 documentary shot by the late-Sydney Pollack on the making of her album Amazing Grace. Composer Alan Elliott now owns the rights to the footage but Franklin says he does not have the right to release it according to an agreement with Warner Brothers that they must get permission from the singer before any of the footage is made public.


More from VVN Music