File: November 2007
Planet Neilsen
Cheap Trickster Rick Nielsen has a bunch of guitars, and apparently he’s out of room for them in his house. According to Rockford’s WREX-TV, the pick-flipping guitarist and his business partner, Brent Johnson, want to build a rock ‘n’ roll hotel/restaurant/museum called (cleverly) Rick’s in Rockford. Besides the massive collection of one-of-a-kind axes Nielsen himself has played throughout his career, the museum might also include six-strings played by Elvis Presley, Jack White, Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townsend, and Eric Clapton, Nielsen told WREX.
He and Johnson also hope to become the Midwest’s Las Vegas of sorts by hosting rock-themed weddings, which Nielsen may even officiate himself. If the drive to Rockford is just too taxing for your lazy ass, don’t forget about Piece Brewery & Pizzeria in Chicago (Nielsen co-owns), which serves Rachael Ray-approved pies and World Beer Cup-winning brew as well as hosts live music.
Don’t Go Away Mad, Just Go Away
We have no idea who keeps buying Nickelback’s 2005 record, All The Right Reasons (it’s still in Billboard’s top 10 after 102 weeks!), but we do know it will be some time before new material from the band surfaces. The brothers Kroeger (frontman/guitarist Chad and bassist Mike) recently told Billboard.com after two years of touring and seven singles, they feel like the need to lie low for a bit.
“I think it’s probably time for us to sort of fade into the shadows for a little bit and give everybody a little breather before we come out with our next stuff,” Mike told Billboard. “An early return, in my opinion, would be a mistake.”
Yeah, after all, what if they became overexposed and people got annoyed with them?
Too Much Humopin’ Around
Bobby Brown had a heart attack last month, but the former New Edition member was released the very next day in good condition, his attorney told the Associated Press. That attorney also said the mild heart attack was strictly attributed to stress and diet — it had nothing to do with Brown’s rumored crack headness. (Illinois Entertainer art director Timothy Hiatt, in a stroke of comedic genius, insists he just needs to “Cool it now.”) “He is definitely going to come back full speed ahead,” his attorney said.
Whew! Good news. We thought this incident might delay the follow-up to 1997’s Forever.
— Trevor Fisher
