Music News & Notes

Wednesday marked the 40th anniversary of Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special. It was December 3, 1968 when the special aired on NBC and started Presley's return the top of the music charts. The program ended up the highest rated entertainment show of the year, pulling in 42% of the viewing audience.

Shortly after the special, If I Can Dream went up to number 12, followed by In the Ghetto and his first number one in over seven years, Suspicious Minds.

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There are rumors that Faith No More may be readying a reunion tour. U.K. venues have had dates put on hold for the band in the spring, although bassist Bill Gould isn't confirming anything. “If anything like this were to happen, it would have to come from the band, and I haven’t spoken with any of them in over a year. So as far as I know, there isn’t anything to talk about, and I’m pretty sure that if you were to contact Patton, he would tell you the same thing.”

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The Specials are finally going to go on the reunion tour that they originally discussed earlier this year. It's the first time the ska band has performed together since 1981. The initial set of dates are in the U.K. and run from late-April through mid-May with additional shows expected.

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George Michael put on what was called his farewell show in Abu Dhabi on Monday night with less than steller ticket sales. Many of the 35,000 seats went unsold and the promoters ended up giving tickets away before the show.

A source told Britain's Sun that “a lot of the youngsters here aren’t interested in his music — they’re into up-to-date stuff. It was embarrassing.”

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Bryan Adams has had to get the London police involved over fears of being stalked by an obsessed mother and son. They first approached the singer in a restaurant but have now started showing up at his west London home. According to a source, "He doesn't want them to get in any serious trouble, but he really wants to be left alone by them."

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Eagle Rock Records has announced a February 3 release date for six of Ted Nugent's albums. On the schedule are Full Bluntal Nugity, Nugent, Penetrator, Little Miss Dangerous, If You Can't Lick 'Em...Lick 'Em and Spirit of the Wild.

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Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 will release their second album, Goodnight Oslo, on February 17. The group is made up of Hitchcock, R.E.M's Peter Buck on guitar, Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows, R.E.M.) on bass and drummer Bill Rieflin (Ministry, R.E.M.).

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Grandmaster Flash has announced that he will release his first album in twenty years on February 23. The Bridge: Concept of a Culture will feature guest appearances from Snoop Dog, Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, Big Daddy Kane and others.

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Another rock biopic may be on the way. Eddie Martin is planning a film on the life of AC/DC's Bon Scott. According to Martin, the film is still in the research stage.

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Queen + Paul Rodger's The Cosmos Rocks did not exactly burn up the charts, but that doesn't mean the collaboration is over. An Austrian website recently claimed that a local concert was to be their last, but Brian May takes issue with the statement. “Well, I don’t know where anyone got that idea. Roger and Paul and myself haven’t made any decisions whatsoever about the future. We just need a rest!”

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Sonic Youth and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones have collaborated on a dance piece to be performed by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company.