Jennifer Finch, bassist for influential rock band L7, has died at age 59 following a battle with brain cancer. The band confirmed her passing on Instagram, calling her “a beloved bandmate, friend, and fellow troublemaker.” Finch had announced her diagnosis earlier this month, initially expected to require only radiation. Complications led to multiple surgeries, leaving her with severe physical limitations. She had also survived thyroid cancer in 2011. Finch joined L7 in 1987 and contributed to the band’s 1990s peak before departing in 1996. She later reunited with the group in 2015 and appeared on their 2019 album, Scatter the Rats. A GoFundMe was established to cover medical costs and preserve her creative work. Story URL
Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich says the band is both excited and humbled ahead of their Life Burns Faster residency at Las Vegas Sphere, launching October 1. The extended run includes dates through March 2027, totaling 24 performances. Ulrich, speaking with U2 guitarist The Edge, recalled attending U2’s Sphere opening night. “I was so just awestruck, inspired, energized,” he said. “Holy sh-t, this is somehow another frontier.” He acknowledged the challenge ahead, calling the venue “overwhelming and fu-king intimidating,” but welcomed the discomfort. Metallica’s recently completed M72 World Tour was officially certified the 10th highest-grossing tour of all time. Following U2, Eagles, Phish, and Dead and Company, Metallica will be among the venue’s most anticipated residents. Story URL
Freddy “Boom-Boom” Cannon, the high-energy rock and roll performer best known for 1959’s “Tallahassee Lassie” and 1962’s “Palisades Park,” has died following a brief cancer battle. He was 89. Born Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. in 1936, Cannon logged more appearances on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand than any other performer. Of 60 singles released between 1959 and 2016, 29 charted. His admirers included Robert Plant and Mick Jagger, who credited “Tallahassee Lassie” as inspiration for the Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar.” Author Stephen King referenced Cannon in four books. Radio producer Tom Cuddy recalled Clark saying Cannon was his go-to opener because “he knew Freddy would get the audience on their feet.” His daughter Conny Weber called him “a rock and roll icon.” Story URL