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Music News: David Bowie statue unveiled, vandalized in England

Bowie performs as Ziggy Stardust at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on July 3, 1973.
Bowie performs as Ziggy Stardust at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on July 3, 1973.Express/Getty Images, via NPR

by Jay Gabler

March 27, 2018

A statue honoring the many faces of David Bowie was unveiled on Sunday in Aylesbury, England — the town where Bowie first performed as "Ziggy Stardust." Within two days, the statue was defaced with spray paint reading "RIP DB" and "FEED THE HOMELESS FIRST."

"Such a shame," said British rock singer Steve Hogarth, who unveiled the statue. "Hopefully it can be cleaned up." The music promoter who led a $140,000+ crowdfunding campaign to commission the statue noted that, "There is a webcam on it 24/7, so whoever did it, we have got them on webcam." (The Guardian)

Paisley Park plans Prince tributes

Paisley Park has announced plans to build new tribute fences for Prince fans to leave tributes during next month's Celebration. One fence will go up on the Paisley Park grounds, and another will be at Target Center for attendees of the "Prince: Live on the Big Screen" concert on April 21.

In the immediate wake of Prince's 2016 death, fans left drawings, notes, and other tributes on the fence surrounding Paisley Park. The first special tribute fence was built for last year's Celebration, and a rotating selection of tribute items are on permanent display inside Paisley Park. (Billboard)

2018 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees named

At an emotional ceremony on Tuesday morning, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood revealed this year's inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. They are '80s hitmaker Ricky Skaggs, fiddler Johnny Gimble, and the late Dottie West, the first female country musician to win a Grammy. It will be a posthumous induction for West, who died in 1991 after she was in a car accident en route to a planned performance on the Grand Ole Opry. (Rolling Stone)

Which Jack White records are the rarest of all?

Ben Blackwell, who holds the title of "official archivist" at Third Man Records, has revealed a list of the ten rarest Jack White records. They include a record released exclusively via helium balloons, the Upholsterers single sewn into pieces of furniture a young White refurbished, and a White Stripes picture disc edition of "Icky Thump."

"Rumors abound that there are hundreds of these in Meg's basement," said Blackwell, "but that could be difficult to prove." (NME)

Not quite Thick as a Brick

As Jethro Tull continue their 50th anniversary world tour, leader Ian Anderson has hand-picked a selection of 50 representative tracks from the band's 21 albums. "50 for 50 boasts Jethro Tull's early blues-influenced efforts like 'Nothing Is Easy' and 'Beggars Farm,' hard rock hits like 'Aqualung' and 'Locomotive Breath,' prog classics such as 'Skating Away' and 'Critique Oblique,' plus folk songs like 'Heavy Horses' and 'Songs From the Wood.'" The set comes out on CD on May 25, with vinyl to follow on Aug. 31 — the very day the band play the State Theatre in Minneapolis. (Rolling Stone)