Features
A Few More Things: Black Sabbath, Nick Cannon, Robin Thicke and Dr. George Clinton
Black Sabbath’s drummer is still hopeful he can remain Black Sabbath’s drummer; Nick Cannon has signed off of his radio show; Robin Thicke was arrested for possessing that ol’ devil weed; and George Clinton is officially a doctor of funk.
Another Message From Bill
Sometimes timing is everything.
Two weeks ago Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward posted a message on his website saying he would “love nothing more than to be able to proceed with the Black Sabbath album and tour” as long as he received a “signable contract.”
Sabbath quickly replied by posting a message on the band’s own piece of Web real estate saying it had “no choice but to continue recording without him although our door is always open.”
Today Ward posted a new message on his website saying he remains “hopeful for a ‘signable contract’ and a positive outcome.”
Ward also said he is “prepared to go to the U.K. and record, and later tour with the band.”
However, Ward might have posted his message too soon. Although dated today, it appears the message was posted only hours before Black Sabbath announced that it was putting the tour on hold due to guitarist Tony Iommi’s bout with lymphoma. Instead, the band will play only one date – June 10 at England’s Download Festival – and many of Sabbath’s originally scheduled dates will feature “Ozzy & Friends” instead.
But the overall tone of Ward’s message was rather polite with the drummer calling Iommi, Osbourne and Geezer Butler his “lifetime friends” and that he “cannot support comments with an objectifying or derogatory theme toward them or their various representatives.”
Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer and Tony Iommi at the Black Sabbath press conference in Los Angeles.
Cannon Signs Off
Cannon, who was hospitalized last month for what his wife Mariah Carey called a “mild kidney failure,” posted a statement on the station’s website saying doctors had ordered him to cut back on work and get more rest.
“Under doctor’s orders, I have been asked to put my health first and cut back on some of my professional commitments in order to allow my body to get the rest that it needs to keep up with the demands of my multi-tasking schedule,” Cannon wrote.
“It has been an absolute pleasure working with CBS Radio and the 92.3 NOW morning show team and I would like to thank them for their unwavering support. I will continue to host my syndicated ‘Cannon’s Countdown’ weekend show and look forward to contributing to 92.3 NOW whenever possible. Even Superman has to sleep.”
Cannon and Carey had been vacationing in Aspen, Colo., during the holidays when illness forced him into a local hospital. Carey tweeted that her husband was suffering from “mild kidney failure” and posted a photo showing her by his hospital bedside.
Photo: Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey comforts husband Nick Cannon in an Aspen hospital.
In The Thicke Of Things
Singer/songwriter Robin Thicke is facing a minor drug charge in New York City after getting arrested for marijuana possession.
Thicke was arrested Friday afternoon in Manhattan near Madison Square Park after police allegedly saw a joint inside his black SUV. He was given a desk appearance ticket and released.
Photo: AP Photo / Hard Rock International
Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, Calif.
One Funky Doctor
The next time you run into the leader of the Parliament Funkadelics remember to address him as “Doctor.”
That’s because George Clinton received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Boston’s Berklee College of Music Feb. 16.
The event included a performance by the college’s P-Funk Ensemble. Dropping his doctoral robes for a silver suit, the newly minted Dr. Clinton joined the group for renditions of “Testify,” “Give Up The Funk,” and “One Nation Under a Groove.”
Photo: Kelly Davidson
Left to right: Berklee Provost Larry Simpson, Dr. George Clinton and Berklee President Roger Brown
The concert as well as the awarding of the honorary degree capped Clinton’s four-day residence at Berklee this week.