The Current

Great Music Lives Here ®
Listener-Supported Music
Donate Now
The Current Music News

Music News: Prince's yellow Cloud guitar sells for $225K

Prince's yellow Cloud guitar displayed along with other auction items in New York, May 2018.
Prince's yellow Cloud guitar displayed along with other auction items in New York, May 2018.DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images

by Jay Gabler

May 21, 2018

A yellow model of Prince’s iconic Cloud guitar has sold at auction for $225,000, over triple the estimated value of about $70,000. In the rock memorabilia auction at New York's Hard Rock Cafe, even an outfit from Under the Cherry Moon went for $40,000 — twice its expected value. (Rolling Stone)

At the same auction, the Telecaster Bob Dylan played on his first "electric" tour sold for $490,000. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of the guitar, owned by Robbie Robertson, will benefit the American Indian College Fund. (Spin

Boyd Tinsley responds to misconduct allegations

Violinist Boyd Tinsley, formerly of the Dave Matthews Band, says that allegations of sexual misconduct are "false," promising to "fight both in and out of court to repair the damage that has been done" by the allegations.

Trumpeter James Frost-Winn has sued Tinsley for $9 million, alleging that Tinsley repeatedly harassed him while the two were on tour as members of the band Crystal Garden in 2015-16.

"We are hopeful that the defendant acknowledges responsibility, seeks to take advantage of the resources available to him that might allow him to break out of his pattern behavior and makes some reasonable amends for his actions," said Jason Hatch, Frost-Winn's attorney. (Rolling Stone)

Elton John celebrates Harry and Meghan

Saturday's Royal Wedding was attended by music stars from Posh Spice to Marcus Mumford to James Blunt (Time magazine headline: "The Internet just saw James Blunt's face in a crowded place at the Royal Wedding"), and during the lunchtime reception that followed the wedding, newlywed Prince Harry took the stage and asked, "Does anyone here know how to play the piano?"

Elton John does. He sang "Your Song," "Circle of Life," "I'm Still Standing" and "Tiny Dancer" — the latter of which, Rolling Stone notes, "features the lyric 'L.A. lady,' a nod to [bride Meghan] Markle’s acting career."

Soul Asylum albums to be reissued

Minneapolis rock greats Soul Asylum have announced plans to reissue their first two albums in expanded editions. Say What You Will...Everything Can Happen (1984) and Made to Be Broken (1986) were both initially released on the storied local label Twin/Tone Records, and will be reissued on July 20 by Omnivore Recordings — which has also reissued albums by Bob Mould and Bash & Pop.

According to the Star Tribune, "bonus tracks with Say What You Will include some recordings made under the original band name [Loud Fast Rules]. [...] Made to Be Broken will be reissued with some of the tracks that made up the cassette-only outtakes collection Time's Incinerator, plus a couple never-before-issued songs."

Remembering Reggie Lucas

Guitarist, songwriter, and producer Reggie Lucas has died due to heart disease at age 65. He started playing with Miles Davis when he was just a teenager, and later co-wrote Stephanie Mills’s Grammy-nominated hit "Never Knew Love Like This Before" (1980) with fellow Davis sideman James Mtume.

Lucas is best-known, though, for producing three-quarters of Madonna’s 1983 debut album and writing the hit "Borderline" from that record. (Rolling Stone)