Odds & Ends: Lollapalooza, Iggy Pop, Chris Martin, Sammy Hagar

Eminem, Skrillex, Kings of Leon and Arctic Monkeys are reportedly your 2014 Lollapalooza headliners.

So says the Chicago Tribune, which once again has received the inside scoop from “industry sources” ahead of the the big lineup announcement.

The paper points out that 2014 will be a return visit for all four acts. Eminem headlined Lollapalooza in 2011, the same year Arctic Monkeys last took the stage and Skrillex made his Lolla debut. Kings Of Leon headlined in 2009.

The Windy City festival returns to Chicago’s Grant Park Aug. 1-3. The Tribune says that the complete lineup, including more headliners, will be revealed next week.

Following last week’s death of Stooges drummer and founding member Scott Asheton, it’s understandable that touring isn’t at the top of Iggy Pop’s priority list.

Asheton died March 15 of a heart attack. He was 64.

Iggy Pop talked to Rolling Stone about his friend and bandmate during an interview that was posted online today. The magazine notes that he had trouble talking about Asheton “without breaking down into tears.”

Iggy told RS, “I don’t want to say that I’m done with the band. I would just say that I feel like the group has always included the Asheton brothers. When Ron passed away, Scott represented him. Nearly everything we play, Ron played on originally. I don’t feel right now like there’s any reason for me to go jumping out onstage in tight Levi’s. What am I going to scream about?

“I just can’t see the band playing in the near future. It would just be wrong. But if something comes up, you should be open to it. It depends on the feeling of the family and the surviving members. James Williamson was in the group and I’ve been there since it started. It would depend on the realities and the musical truth.”

He added that after touring “almost every year out of the past 40 years,” he has “no plans to tour solo” and he won’t be hitting the road as “a touring musician for the next couple of years.” Iggy doesn’t rule out live shows completely, explaining, “I’ll probably tour again at some point, but I don’t know when and I don’t know how.”

Click here to read the full Rolling Stone story.

“The Voice” announced via Snapchat that Chris Martin is joining the NBC singing competition show as its “Key Advisor.”

The Coldplay frontman will make his first appearance March 31 as the four teams enter the second phase of the Battles Round. The singer/songwriter will be back to share more tips on April 1 and 7, according to USA Today.

Sammy Hagar and Metallica’s James Hetfield top the bill for the inaugural “Acoustic-4-A-Cure” benefit at San Francisco’s The Fillmore.

The lineup for the May 15 event also features Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Scott Mathews, Train’s Pat Monahan, Joe Satriani and Heart’s Nancy Wilson. Along with individual acoustic sets, you can expect once-in-lifetime duets and jam sessions.  

For more information visit AcousticForACure.org