AEROSMITH'S STEVEN TYLER ADMITS HE WENT TO REHAB FOR PILLS
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler admitted to the Associated Press on Friday (June 27th) that he checked into a California rehab facility last month to fight off a dependency on pain and sleep medication. Tyler initially stated that he had gone into the facility to speed his recovery from foot surgery. But as he explained on Friday, "To have your feet done, to have your leg done, you have to be on narcotics. You have to be on sleep aids at night...I was off and running and I didn't like the me that was me." Tyler added, "This was a month ago, so I just put the brakes on and checked into detox and just pulled the plug on all of it."

Tyler first said in late May that he had checked into the rehab center to find a "safe environment" in which to recuperate from several foot surgeries and physical therapy. The procedures were meant to correct longstanding injuries resulting from his more than three decades of performing onstage.

The 60-year-old Tyler was a poster child for drug and alcohol abuse in the '70s, but got clean and sober more than 20 years ago as Aerosmith experienced a career renaissance.

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TED NUGENT RESPONDS TO SUPREME COURT RULING ON THE RIGHT TO OWN GUNS
Outspoken guitar legend Ted Nugent reacted to Thursday's (June 26th) Supreme Court 5-4 ruling that individual Americans have the right to own guns for personal use by stating in a release, "...not only does a lunatic fringe of anti-freedom Americans dismiss our founding fathers' clear declaration of independence and succinct enumeration of our God-given individual rights, but some Americans have the arrogance and audacity to question whether the right to self-defense is indeed one of these individual rights." He then goes on to claim that four out of the nine "so-called Supreme justices" are among those "soulless" people.

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TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS:

Vincent D'Onofrio (actor, Ed Wood, Men In Black) (49)
David Alan Grier (actor and comedian, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka) (53)
Mike Tyson (ear-biting former heavyweight boxing champ and ex-con) (42)
Stanley Clarke (jazz-rock bassist) (57)
Fantasia Barrino (American Idol winner) (24)
Lena Horne (legendary singer) (91)
Matisyahu (Hasidic Jewish reggae rapper) (29)
Hal Lindes (guitarist, Dire Straits) (55)
Yngwie Malmsteen (Swedish guitarist, pronounced ING-vay) (45)

PAUL McCARTNEY PERFORMS FOR FOR 350,000 AT UKRAINE CHARITY CONCERT
Paul McCartney performed his first-ever concert in the Ukraine Saturday night (June 14th) in front of 350,000 fans in Kiev's Independence Square. McCartney played a 33-song set at the charity show, dubbed the Independence Concert.

NME.com reported that the concert was broadcast on giant screens in six other Ukrainian cities, and was televised to an estimated 10 million viewers. McCartney's show mixed Beatles classics with Wings hits, along with several songs recorded over the last decade.

He opened the show with the Beatles' 1965 rocker "Drive My Car," and went on to play most of his best-loved Beatles songs, including "All My Loving," "Blackbird," "Eleanor Rigby," "Penny Lane," "I'll Follow The Sun," "Got To Get You Into My Life," "The Long And Winding Road," "Back In The U.S.S.R.," "I've Got A Feeling," "Let It Be," "Lady Madonna," "Get Back," "I Saw Her Standing There," and "Yesterday," before closing with a medley of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise)" and "The End."

As was the case with McCartney's Liverpool concert two weeks ago, emotional highlights included McCartney's rendition's of George Harrison's Abbey Road classic "Something," and his second-only performance of "A Day In The Life" in a medley with John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance."

For the first time in 18 years McCartney performed the Beatles' 1968 "White Album" favorite "Birthday," and Wings' 1976 Top Three hit "Let 'Em In." McCartney also did a world-premiere of "Mrs. Vanderbilt" from Wings' 1973 album Band On The Run, which fans had petitioned him to include in the Ukraine concert.

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BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN PAYS TRIBUTE TO JOURNALIST TIM RUSSERT
Bruce Springsteen paid tribute to late NBC journalist Tim Russert during his concert on Saturday night (June 14th) in Cardiff, Wales. Russert died on Friday of a sudden, fatal heart attack at age 58.

Prior to launching into "Thunder Road," Springsteen said a few words about Russert, which were posted on his official website, brucespringsteen.net:

"I'd like to do this tonight for a long time friend of the E Street Band who passed away suddenly.

"Tim Russert was an important unreplacable voice in American journalism. I watched him hold our politicians feet to the fire on many Sunday mornings. He was always a strong voice for honesty and accountability in American government. But beyond that he was a lovely presence, a good father, husband, and good guy. He was a regular at many E Street Band shows and I'm going to miss looking down and seeing that big smiling face in the crowd.

"We send this out all the way back to the States tonight for his son Luke, his wife Maureen, his dad Big Russ, and all the Russert family. Tim, God Bless You, We will miss you."

Russert had been a die-hard Springsteen fan, and while booking local concerts while attending John Carroll University in Cleveland, Russert booked Springsteen and the E Street Band at Cleveland's Allen Theater on February 1st, 1974.

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FOREIGNER'S MICK JONES REMEMBERS 'THE FIRST TIME'
It's been more than 30 years since Foreigner came on the scene with its first single, the 1976 hit, "Feels Light the First Time." But founding member Mick Jones can remember writing the tune and even introducing it to former Foreigner singer Lou Gramm. The track will appear on Foreigner's upcoming greatest hits anthology coming July 15th, called No End in Sight: The Very Best of Foreigner.

Jones tell us about how that song came about: ["I had basically written the song, and I certainly wasn't going to be the lead singer of the band. I needed to have this sort of the combination of the little soul, a little blues vocal to really spare him the attack. I stretched the song out. But when Lou put the vocal on it sort of the electric light bulb went off."]

The anthology will include all of their greatest hits plus some new live recordings and a new studio track, "Too Late." Jones said, "The song definitely has our signature sound."
Foreigner will kick off a tour July 15th in Augusta, Maine. Kelly Hansen will be on vocals.

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CLASSIC ROCK ALBUMS LEAD VINYL REISSUES
Several back catalogs items by classic rock artists are being reissued on vinyl by EMI Music, according to RollingStone.com.

A total of 17 releases will arrive on August 19th, including R.E.M.'s Document, Wings' Band on the Run, John Lennon's Imagine, the Band of Gypsys album, a pair of Bob Seger records, and the Beach Boys' classic Pet Sounds. Also included are A Perfect Circle's Mer de Noms and all six Radiohead albums released prior to this year's In Rainbows, and all three previous Coldplay efforts.

Each vinyl release will replicate the original artwork and packaging and be priced between $20 and $30.

Recent studies have shown that sales of albums on vinyl have increased even as CD sales rapidly fall off.

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TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS:

Roberto Duran (Boxer) (57)
Laurie Metcalf (Emmy Award-winning actress, Roseanne's TV sister Jackie) (53)
Joan Van Ark (actress, starred in Dallas and Knots Landing) (65)
Gino Vannelli (singer and songwriter) (56)
Diana DeGarmo (American Idol runner-up) (21)

PAUL McCARTNEY SET FOR UKRAINE CONCERT TOMORROW NIGHT
Plans are already under way to make Paul McCartney's trip to the Ukraine a pleasant one, with teams of production assistants tending to his very specific concert rider.

McCartney performs tomorrow (June 14th) in Kiev's Independence Square, in a show called the Independence Concert. According to unian.net, McCartney's rider demands the freshest and ecologically clean vegetable products in Kiev; fresh flowers including white lilies, white roses, and wild flowers; and a bicycle so that he can go sightseeing prior to the show.

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MOTLEY CRUE SUING MANAGEMENT...AGAIN
Motley Crue filed a lawsuit on Thursday (June 12th) in Los Angeles County Superior Court against the band's management, according to TMZ.com. The band claims that they are the targets of a "major money and power grab," alleging that manager Burt Stein took money from the band and made deals without their consent in order to maximize the management's own revenue from the group. The court documents have been posted at the TMZ site.

Last year, the group sued ex-manager Carl Stubner, claiming he tried to "divert revenue" from the group and promote drummer Tommy Lee's activities while at the same time mismanaging Lee's own solo career "so as to harm the Motley Crue band and Lee's reputation." The case was subsequently settled.

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PETE TOWNSHEND MAY BE WRITING A NEW WHO ALBUM AFTER ALL
Pete Townshend may be back on board to write a new Who album.

Yesterday (June 12th), the webmaster of thewho.com posted a statement under the section where Townshend posts his blogs, saying, "Pete's asked me to request that you don't make any more comments until further notice. He is writing and wishes not to be distracted."

In April Townshend pulled the plug on any Who activities shortly after a band meeting where he committed to an album of R&B covers and a series of tour dates. There was no word whether he was working on a new Who album or another project.

On April 26th, Townshend posted a lengthy blog entry to thewho.com and explained why he was backing out of the Who's upcoming album sessions, which several sources said would be a covers album of R&B standards.

The Who's next appearance will be on July 12th in Los Angeles when the band receives the only award at the 2008 VH1 Rock Honors. Also appearing will be Pearl Jam, the Foo Fighters, and the Flaming Lips. The show will be broadcast on VH1 on July 17th.

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TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS:

Tim Allen (actor, Home Improvement's Tim Taylor) (55)
Malcolm McDowell (actor, starred in A Clockwork Orange, Caligula) (65)
Ashley & Mary Kate Olsen (twin actresses, who played Full House's Michelle Tanner) (22)
Ally Sheedy (actress, The Breakfast Club, former Brat Pack member) (46)
Stellan Skarsgard (Breaking the Waves, Amistad, Timecode, Mamma Mia! Ronin, Good Will Hunting, Pirates of the Caribbean) (57)
Richard Thomas (actor, The Waltons' John Boy Walton) (57)
Chris Evans (actor, plays the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movies) (27)
Laura Kightlinger (actress-comedienne, Daddy Day Care, Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy, Lucky Louie) (39)
Rivers Cuomo (lead singer-guitarist, Weezer) (38)
Steve-O (Jackass star, real name Steve Glover) (34)
Bobby Freeman (singer, "Do You Wanna Dance") (68)
Bo Donaldson (singer, "Billy, Don't Be A Hero") (age in dispute)

ALICE COOPER PLANS NEW CONCEPT ALBUM FOR JULY
Alice Cooper will release his 25th studio effort, called Along Came a Spider, on July 29th. The concept album is being described as a "dark and menacing" for "dark and menacing times." The songs are told from the voice of a serial killer named Spider, whom Cooper calls "an arachnophobic psychopath" in the track "Catch Me If You Can." Members of Cooper's backing band play on the album, along with guest guitarist Slash, who performs on the track "Vengeance Is Mine."

Cooper's backing band includes longtime drummer Eric Singer, bassist Chuck Garric, and guitarists Keri Kelli and Jason Hook.
Cooper will perform in Europe before returning for a North American outing beginning in late July.

...an autobiography, maybe?

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FORMER GUNS N' ROSES DRUMMER HEADS BACK TO 'CELEBRITY REHAB'
Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler is heading back for a second season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, the VH1 reality series in which celebrity patients undergo a 21-day detox and treatment regimen at the Pasadena Recovery Center under the care of Dr. Drew Pinsky. Actor Jeff Conaway from Taxi will also make an encore appearance on the show. Joining Adler and Conaway are Whitesnake singer David Coverdale's ex-wife Tawny Kitaen, model Amber Smith, Rodney King, American Idol contestant Nikki McKibbon and others.

...what they need rehad from are these 'reality shows' that pay them to come on..."

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NEW ELTON JOHN DOCUMENTARY SET TO AIR TOMORROW NIGHT ON VH1
A new Elton John documentary, called Elton John: Me, Myself And I, will make its U.S. TV debut tomorrow night (June 12th) on VH1 and VH1 Classic at 9 p.m.

The documentary features Elton looking back on his five decade career and features "extraordinary and innovative special effects technology" as he chronicles his life and career and gives unique personal insight into his best loved songs.

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WARRANT REUNITES FOR SUMMER TOUR
The original members of Warrant will return for the first time in nearly 15 years for a summer tour. For the first time since 1994, vocalist Jani Lane, guitarist Joey Allen, bassist Jerry Dixon, guitarist Erik Turner and drummer Steven Sweet will hit the stage together. The outing begins with a Motley Crue gig in Montreal on June 22nd. Then from, July 2nd through August 16th Warrant will hit the road on a U.S. tour featuring Cinderella, Lynch Mob and Lynam. They'll round out the summer with a closing show with Alice Cooper August 17th in Tower, Minnesota.

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TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS:

Frank Beard (drummer, ZZ Top) (59)
Donnie Van Zant (singer-guitarist, 38 Special, Van Zant) (56)
Shia LaBeouf (actor, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Transformers, Disturbia, Bobby) (22)
Adrienne Barbeau (actress, Carol on TV's Maude) (63)
Joe Montana (NFL Hall Of Fame quarterback) (52)
Gene Wilder (actor, The Producers, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein; former husband of Gilda Radner) (75)
Joshua Jackson (actor, the Mighty Ducks movies, Dawson's Creek's Pacey, Cruel Intentions) (30)
Hugh Laurie (actor, House M.D.) (49)
Ray Nagin (mayor of New Orleans) (52)
Greta Van Susteren (Fox News Channel host) (54)
Henry Hill (Mafia turncoat, story was told in the movie Goodfellas) (65)

PAUL McCARTNEY SAID TO BE ANNOUNCING TWO-YEAR WORLD TOUR
Paul McCartney is said to be on the verge of announcing a mammoth two-year world tour, which is also being rumored to be his last, according to Britain's The Mirror.

McCartney's world tour will reportedly include over 100 shows, taking in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Australia.

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RON WOOD REPORTEDLY WANTS TO HIRE DWARVES FOR COMIC RELIEF AT DAUGHTER'S WEDDING
Ron Wood wants to hire a group of dwarves to surprise guests at his daughter's wedding reception later this month in Britain, according to nowmagazine.co.uk. The wedding, of Wood's 29-year-old-daughter Leah and TV news producer Jack Macdonald, will take place June 21st.

According to a source, Wood wants five dwarves to dress as elves and to engage in such high jinks as surprising guests "with stunts such as stealing ladies' hats."

According to Britain's The Sun, "They're working on a theme based on the character of Puck, the cheeky sprite from (William) Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. The idea is to have little people in costume popping up. It's going to be a fabulous do with no expense spared and the elves will make it even more fun."

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NEW GENESIS DVD ARRIVES TODAY
Genesis has a new live DVD out today (Tuesday, June 10th) called When In Rome 2007. The three-disc set chronicles the band's free July 14th, 2007 show, filmed before 500,000 fans at Rome's Circus Massimo. Genesis has gone through a couple of phases over the years, most notably having had varying successful lead singers -- Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. The most recent reunited line-up with Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks is featured on the new set.

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TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS:

F. Lee Bailey (celebrity defense attorney) (75)
Jeff Greenfield (CBS political commentator) (65)
Elizabeth Hurley (actress/model, Austin Powers) (43)
Faith Evans (R&B singer) (35)
Tara Lipinski (1998 figure skating Olympic gold medal winner) (26)
Leelee Sobieski (actress, Eyes Wide Shut) (25)
Maurice Sendak (author and illustrator of Where The Wild Things Are) (80)
Jeanne Tripplehorn (actress, Basic Instinct, The Firm, Big Love) (45)
Gina Gershon (actress, Showgirls, Bound, The Insider) (46)
Prince Philip (Queen Elizabeth's husband) (87)