Quick Takes: Jethro Tull, Dennis DeYoung, Jeff Beck & Johnny Depp, Prince, Bret Michaels & Stevie Nicks, Pearl Jam

Jethro Tull leader Ian Anderson revealed he is suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs. In a new interview with Dan Rather on his AXS TV series The Big Interview, Anderson admitted: “I do struggle. I have what are called exacerbations – periods when I get an infection that turns into severe bronchitis and I have maybe two or three weeks when it’s really a tough job to go out there on stage and play. Fingers crossed, I’ve gone 18 months now without an exacerbation and I’m on medication.”
He went on to say, “If I’m kept in a reasonably pollution-free environment in terms of air quality, I do OK. But my days are numbered. It’s not yet at the point that it affects my day to day life — I can still run for the bus.” Anderson blames the illness, in part, for the years of performing in the midst of smoke machines on stage.
- Anderson's episode of The Big Interview airs tonight (May 13th) on AXS TV at 8 p.m. ET. (Loudersound)
Dennis DeYoung has just released the video for “To The Good Old Days.” The new duet with Julian Lennon is the lead single to DeYoung's upcoming solo album, 26 East, Vol. 1, which is set to drop on May 22nd. The video features countless home movies of DeYoung and his growing family — including childhood photos and footage of Styx co-founders, John and Chuck Panozzo.
Jeff Beck and actor Johnny Depp have released their first joint video for their new cover of John Lennon's 1970 classic “Isolation” from his first post-Beatles solo album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. The video features live footage shot back in September when Depp joined Beck and his band at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas to perform the song. (Press release)
Prince & The Revolution's legendary Purple Rain-era concert film will start airing for free on YouTube beginning on Thursday (May 14th) at 8 p.m. ET. The film, Prince And The Revolution: Live, was captured on March 30th, 1985, at Syracuse, New York's Carrier Dome. Revolution drummer Bobby Z will take part in a Q&A session an hour before the premiere. Viewer donations will go “directly toward the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Google will match donations up to $5 million.” (Rolling Stone)
Poison's Bret Michaels appeared on CBS's The Talk and shed light on the rumor that back in the day that he and Stevie Nicks may have been somewhat more than friends. Back in 1991, Michaels contributed one of two new tracks to Nicks' greatest hits compilation, Timespace. Michaels explained, “We wrote an incredible song together. But the night before, I came into town. We went out to dinner, had the best time. We laughed, closed the place down. We were up on Sunset Strip, a restaurant up there. We laughed, told stories. It was awesome. . . But I say this with all respect – beautiful woman all the way around, but there was no 'rock of love.' It was good, though. There was tension. Y'know what I mean?” (Blabbermouth)
Pearl Jam has released a teaser for the official music video for the song “Retrograde.” The full clip will make its online debut on Thursday (May 14th). “Retrograde” is taken from Pearl Jam's latest album, Gigaton, which arrived in March. The current single from the LP, “Superblood Wolfmoon,” is Number Five on the rock radio chart. (Blabbermouth)