Rock News

--The nominations for the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions have been revealed. The list includes influential guitarist Freddy King, 1960's psychedelic folk troubadour Donovan, as well as War, Donna Summers, The Cure, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. However, most focus has gone to the nomination of Guns n' Roses. G n' R became eligible last year for induction, leading to speculation that the "classic" line-up may reunite to perform if inducted. In a 2010 interview, guitarist Slash stated "If Axl, Duff, Izzy and myself start communicating, it could go one way. It we don't, God knows." Fans remain optimistic.

--INXS have announced that they have hired Irish born singer Ciaran Gribbin to be their new lead singer. Gribbin met keyboardist and primary INXS songwriter Andrew Farriss at a party in 2009, and started recording demos with the band earlier this year. INXS split from their previous lead singer, JD Fortune, a the end of their 2011 tour. Fortune had performed with the band since wining the competitive CBS reality show Rock Star INXS in 2005. Original lead singer Michael Hutchence passed away in 1997.

--Singer/songwriter Bob Dylan has been accused of "plagiarizing" photographs for his new art exposition at the Gagosian Gallery in New York. The art exhibit, which featured a series of 18 painting done while on tour in 2009 and 2010, opened on September 20th. Almost immediately after opening, the series drew the attention of art critics who pointed out that the paintings appeared to be direct copies of famous photographs from Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dmitri Kessel and Léon Busy. Dylan has not commented on the controversy.

--Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and funk legend, Sly Stone, has been homeless for almost 2 years. Stone, 68, has been living out of a van since he was forced out of his Napa Valley home in 2009. Stone sold his music rights to Michael Jackson for a reported $1-million dollars in 1984. Stone, who has been dealing with drug addiction for most of his adult life, claims he is still writing and recording music on his laptop in his van. His latest album, I'm Back – Friends & Family, was released in August.

--A contract for The Beatles 1965 concert at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California has sold at auction for over $23-thousand dollars. The contract, singed by manager Brian Epstein, stipulated that The Beatles refused to perform before segregated audiences, as well as guaranteeing the band $40,000 for the concert, and 150 police officers to provide security at the show. The contract far exceeded expectations to sell for between $3,000 to $5000 dollar at auction.