Clive Burr, Ex-Iron Maiden Drummer, Dead at 56

Clive Burr, the former drummer of Iron Maiden, died last night at the age of 56. Burr had been suffering from multiple sclerosis, and he died in his sleep.

"This is terribly sad news," said Maiden founder/bassist Steve Harris on the group's official site. "Clive was a very old friend of all of us. He was a wonderful person and an amazing drummer who made a valuable contribution to Maiden in the early days when we were starting out. This is a sad day for everyone in the band and those around him and our thoughts and condolences are with his partner Mimi and family at this time."

13 Tours We'd Like to See in 2013: Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Motorhead

Born on March 8th, 1957, in East Ham, London, Burr was a member of another up-and-coming British metal band, Samson, before joining Maiden in 1979. As one of the leaders of the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" (which included such groups as Def Leppard, Saxon and Diamond Head), Maiden quickly showcased a sound that, early on, merged the energy of punk with the power of metal. 

It was Burr's drumming that proved a major ingredient on such early Maiden classics as 1980's self-titled debut, 1981's Killers and 1982's The Number of the Beast, and such headbanging anthems as "Running Free," "Wrathchild" and "Run to the Hills." However, during this early era, Maiden members would often come and go, and by December 1982, Burr had exited the group – just as they were about to become a global stadium headliner.

After leaving Maiden, Burr appeared on recordings by such metal acts as Trust, Stratus, Gogmagog, Elixir, Desperado (which included Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider) and Praying Mantis. Burr was eventually diagnosed with MS, and his former Maiden bandmates came to his aid by performing charity concerts and helping to form the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund. In the last years of his life, Burr was confined to a wheelchair.

"I first met Clive when he was leaving Samson and joining Iron Maiden," added Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson on the group's site. "He was a great guy and a man who really lived his life to the full. Even during the darkest days of his MS, Clive never lost his sense of humour or irreverence. This is a terribly sad day and all our thoughts are with Mimi and the family."

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Clive Burr, Ex-Iron Maiden Drummer, Dead at 56

Clive Burr, the former drummer of Iron Maiden, died last night at the age of 56. Burr had been suffering from multiple sclerosis, and he died in his sleep.

"This is terribly sad news," said Maiden founder/bassist Steve Harris on the group's official site. "Clive was a very old friend of all of us. He was a wonderful person and an amazing drummer who made a valuable contribution to Maiden in the early days when we were starting out. This is a sad day for everyone in the band and those around him and our thoughts and condolences are with his partner Mimi and family at this time."

13 Tours We'd Like to See in 2013: Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Motorhead

Born on March 8th, 1957, in East Ham, London, Burr was a member of another up-and-coming British metal band, Samson, before joining Maiden in 1979. As one of the leaders of the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" (which included such groups as Def Leppard, Saxon and Diamond Head), Maiden quickly showcased a sound that, early on, merged the energy of punk with the power of metal. 

It was Burr's drumming that proved a major ingredient on such early Maiden classics as 1980's self-titled debut, 1981's Killers and 1982's The Number of the Beast, and such headbanging anthems as "Running Free," "Wrathchild" and "Run to the Hills." However, during this early era, Maiden members would often come and go, and by December 1982, Burr had exited the group – just as they were about to become a global stadium headliner.

After leaving Maiden, Burr appeared on recordings by such metal acts as Trust, Stratus, Gogmagog, Elixir, Desperado (which included Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider) and Praying Mantis. Burr was eventually diagnosed with MS, and his former Maiden bandmates came to his aid by performing charity concerts and helping to form the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund. In the last years of his life, Burr was confined to a wheelchair.

"I first met Clive when he was leaving Samson and joining Iron Maiden," added Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson on the group's site. "He was a great guy and a man who really lived his life to the full. Even during the darkest days of his MS, Clive never lost his sense of humour or irreverence. This is a terribly sad day and all our thoughts are with Mimi and the family."

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Aretha Franklin to Reunite with Clive Davis for Next Album

Aretha Franklin speaks with Clive Davis during her birthday celebration in New York.

Aretha Franklin celebrated her 70th birthday this weekend with another landmark: the decision to reunite with her former mentor, record executive Clive Davis, for a new album.

During the soul star's party at the luxurious Helmsley Park Lane Hotel in New York on Saturday night, Franklin announced in a brief interview that she had signed a new contract with Sony Music Entertainment, where Davis serves as Chief Creative Officer. Davis signed Franklin to Arista Records during her career slump in the Eighties, a move that reinvigorated her career and helped to define his.

"I have re-signed with Clive Davis, so I’m recording with Clive again," she explained, continuing that the pair would meet within the next month to decide what material they would include. Davis accompanied her at the gala, which also included guests Diane Sawyer and Willie Wilkerson (Franklin's brief fiancè earlier this year) and included the crowd's rendition of Stevie Wonder's take on "Happy Birthday."

Franklin and Davis's Eighties parternship under the Arista umbrella yielded numerous hit albums, including 1980's Aretha, 1982's Jump to It and 1985's Who's Zoomin Who?

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Aretha Franklin to Reunite with Clive Davis for Next Album

Aretha Franklin speaks with Clive Davis during her birthday celebration in New York.

Aretha Franklin celebrated her 70th birthday this weekend with another landmark: the decision to reunite with her former mentor, record executive Clive Davis, for a new album.

During the soul star's party at the luxurious Helmsley Park Lane Hotel in New York on Saturday night, Franklin announced in a brief interview that she had signed a new contract with Sony Music Entertainment, where Davis serves as Chief Creative Officer. Davis signed Franklin to Arista Records during her career slump in the Eighties, a move that reinvigorated her career and helped to define his.

"I have re-signed with Clive Davis, so I’m recording with Clive again," she explained, continuing that the pair would meet within the next month to decide what material they would include. Davis accompanied her at the gala, which also included guests Diane Sawyer and Willie Wilkerson (Franklin's brief fiancè earlier this year) and included the crowd's rendition of Stevie Wonder's take on "Happy Birthday."

Franklin and Davis's Eighties parternship under the Arista umbrella yielded numerous hit albums, including 1980's Aretha, 1982's Jump to It and 1985's Who's Zoomin Who?

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Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party Goes on in Memory of Whitney Houston

Alicia Keys embraces Clive Davis at the 'Clive Davis and The Recording Academy's Pre-Grammy Gala And Salute To Industry Icons'.

Even more than the Grammy Awards themselves, Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party was the event most closely associated with the late Whitney Houston. The singer's close relationship with the man who helped launch her career made her a staple at the party, where she had several memorable performances over the years.

As Davis himself said from the stage Saturday night, "She was so looking forward to tonight even though she wasn't scheduled to perform. She loved music, and she loved this night that celebrates music."

Photos: Whitney Houston Through the Years

That Davis was in attendance on this night was one of the many questions that surrounded the affair. The first speculation was that upon the news of Houston's sudden and tragic passing just hours before the party was scheduled to start, the gala would be canceled altogether.

Inside the Beverly Hilton hotel, where security was beefed up, news crews filmed live updates and police could still be seen walking all throughout the lobby level of the hotel, most people were a little surprised the celebration went on. Several artists said they expected it to be scuttled. But once word got out that the party would go on, stars came out in droves, with Dr. Dre, Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Tom Hanks,  Britney Spears, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, Skrillex, Slash and many more on hand. Some, like Slash, said they came to support Davis, a sentiment echoed by Diddy in his remarks from the stage, where he spoke of Davis' generosity.

Recording Academy President Neil Portnow addressed rumors about the party having been close to being canceled, saying that was never a consideration. And Davis gave a reason why they soldiered on in his heartfelt opening remarks, "Simply put, Whitney would have wanted the music to go on, and her family asked that we carry on."

And so the music did, starting around 9:15. Tony Bennett kicked the musical portion of the night off with a moving interpretation of "How Do You Keep The Music Playing." He was followed by Diana Krall, another excellent choice, as both lent a solemn note of elegance to the proceedings.

Photos: Whitney Houston's NJ Hometown Pays Tribute

Many of the performances were planned and booked months ago, so they had little to do with Houston, such as the tribute to Ray Davies and the Kinks. Davies, joined by Jackson Browne and Elvis Costello, brought power and a bit of the old snarl to classics like "All Day And All Of The Night, "Lola" and "Waterloo Sunset." Musically, it was the high point of the night. The set was still very much appreciated by the crowd, who gave Davies his due, even if the earlier portions of the night were subdued.

Many people didn't seem to know how to react, given Houston had died only a few hours earlier in the very same hotel. Once inside the ballroom – where there was a heavy mixture of artists, industry and press – the subject was rarely brought up, with a clear, if unspoken, understanding it was just too soon and too raw.

Those that took to the stage, however, did speak of Houston, with both Bennett and Diddy referring to her as one of the "greatest voices" ever. Aside from Davis, the most moving tribute came from Alicia Keys, who eloquently described the genesis of what she called her unexpected friendship with Houston. After recalling Houston coming to visit in some remote location, "I don't even know where," and congratulating Keys on her then-unannounced pregnancy, Keys summed up her sentiments by calling the late singer "my sister."

It was a sentiment shared by many in the room where Houston had so many triumphs. Monica and Brandy – who were promoting "It All Belongs to Me," their first song together since the 1998 smash "The Boy Is Mine " – were in the words of Davis, "too grief-stricken to perform." Brandy's brother Ray J had dated Houston in the past, and there were rumors the couple had recently reunited. 

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party Goes on in Memory of Whitney Houston

Alicia Keys embraces Clive Davis at the 'Clive Davis and The Recording Academy's Pre-Grammy Gala And Salute To Industry Icons'.

Even more than the Grammy Awards themselves, Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party was the event most closely associated with the late Whitney Houston. The singer's close relationship with the man who helped launch her career made her a staple at the party, where she had several memorable performances over the years.

As Davis himself said from the stage Saturday night, "She was so looking forward to tonight even though she wasn't scheduled to perform. She loved music, and she loved this night that celebrates music."

Photos: Whitney Houston Through the Years

That Davis was in attendance on this night was one of the many questions that surrounded the affair. The first speculation was that upon the news of Houston's sudden and tragic passing just hours before the party was scheduled to start, the gala would be canceled altogether.

Inside the Beverly Hilton hotel, where security was beefed up, news crews filmed live updates and police could still be seen walking all throughout the lobby level of the hotel, most people were a little surprised the celebration went on. Several artists said they expected it to be scuttled. But once word got out that the party would go on, stars came out in droves, with Dr. Dre, Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Tom Hanks,  Britney Spears, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, Skrillex, Slash and many more on hand. Some, like Slash, said they came to support Davis, a sentiment echoed by Diddy in his remarks from the stage, where he spoke of Davis' generosity.

Recording Academy President Neil Portnow addressed rumors about the party having been close to being canceled, saying that was never a consideration. And Davis gave a reason why they soldiered on in his heartfelt opening remarks, "Simply put, Whitney would have wanted the music to go on, and her family asked that we carry on."

And so the music did, starting around 9:15. Tony Bennett kicked the musical portion of the night off with a moving interpretation of "How Do You Keep The Music Playing." He was followed by Diana Krall, another excellent choice, as both lent a solemn note of elegance to the proceedings.

Photos: Whitney Houston's NJ Hometown Pays Tribute

Many of the performances were planned and booked months ago, so they had little to do with Houston, such as the tribute to Ray Davies and the Kinks. Davies, joined by Jackson Browne and Elvis Costello, brought power and a bit of the old snarl to classics like "All Day And All Of The Night, "Lola" and "Waterloo Sunset." Musically, it was the high point of the night. The set was still very much appreciated by the crowd, who gave Davies his due, even if the earlier portions of the night were subdued.

Many people didn't seem to know how to react, given Houston had died only a few hours earlier in the very same hotel. Once inside the ballroom – where there was a heavy mixture of artists, industry and press – the subject was rarely brought up, with a clear, if unspoken, understanding it was just too soon and too raw.

Those that took to the stage, however, did speak of Houston, with both Bennett and Diddy referring to her as one of the "greatest voices" ever. Aside from Davis, the most moving tribute came from Alicia Keys, who eloquently described the genesis of what she called her unexpected friendship with Houston. After recalling Houston coming to visit in some remote location, "I don't even know where," and congratulating Keys on her then-unannounced pregnancy, Keys summed up her sentiments by calling the late singer "my sister."

It was a sentiment shared by many in the room where Houston had so many triumphs. Monica and Brandy – who were promoting "It All Belongs to Me," their first song together since the 1998 smash "The Boy Is Mine " – were in the words of Davis, "too grief-stricken to perform." Brandy's brother Ray J had dated Houston in the past, and there were rumors the couple had recently reunited. 

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Amazon Music and MP3 Center

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