• The beloved saxophonist of the E Street Band has had two brain surgeries since the stroke, and initially suffered paralysis on his left side, but he’s able to move his left hand now and his condition is still improving. Over the past few years, Clemons hasn’t had the best health — he’s had surgery on his hips, knees and back. Despite that, he has yet to miss a concert because he’s so passionate about making people happy. Recently, Clemons guested on Lady Gaga’s new album “Born this Way.” Here’s hoping he gets better and gets back to what so many people love him for — making music. source

• We aren’t experts of Oscar music outside of the rock era, but we have a few ideas as to what makes a good movie song – surprise, heft, and beauty. Unfortunately, most of those songs didn’t get nominated until the ’90s, which means that we’re in a golden era for Oscar-nominated music. Many of the best Oscar songs don’t win, but it’s an honor just to be nominated, really. Here are five we recommend:

• 1. Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles career has been a mixed bag, but at least two absolutely killer tunes came out of it – “Band on the Run” and “Live and Let Die ,” a 1973 nominee which nailed the Bondness of Bond but didn’t lose the Wingness of Wings. The kitchen-sink feel of the song actually suits it pretty well.
• 2. Bruce Springsteen did a pretty great job of washing away the cheesiness of the awful synth-heavy pop tunes (and showtunes) that got nominated for Oscars in the 80s, winning for “Streets of Philadelphia,” a song with genuine weight and grit that opened the door for creatively-risky songs. Seriously, the Academy has never nominated a punk song, ever. If Bruce didn’t win in 1993, Three 6 Mafia wouldn’t have won in 2005. You can quote us on that.
• 3. “That Thing You Do,” as written by Adam Schlesinger, who later became famous with Fountains of Wayne, may have been the Academy’s biggest lark in 1996. Without the song (which was, and still is, an amazing pop gem), the movie would’ve completely sucked. For that reason alone, it’s understandable but a shame it lost – it literally was the best part of a decent movie, the rare song that holds up on its own but makes its source material that much better.
• 4. Elliott Smith’s “Miss Misery” was a mixed blessing for the indie-rock icon, as it offered him tremendous success due to the “Good Will Hunting” tune’s nomination in 1997 (which he used to full advantage on “XO” and “Figure 8“), but ultimately put him in a position where drugs were in a prominent place in his life. At the time, though, it was a truly daring choice for the Academy, one that hasn’t been reflected since.
• 5. As a story angle, The Swell Season’s “Falling Slowly” had a little of everything – real-life romance, song-making-the-movie strength, and ceremony drama, when Markéta Irglová, one half of the “Once” duo (The other half being The Frames‘ Glen Hansard), was famously snubbed out of her 2007 acceptance speech, only to be allowed back on-stage to give one. That’s something that NEVER happens.

Other nominees: “Theme From Shaft” by Isaac Hayes, “The Rainbow Connection” by Kermit the Frog (seriously), “Against All Odds (Take a Look At Me Now)” by Phil Collins, “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin, “Under the Sea” from “The Little Mermaid” (also seriously)

• The proposal Ticketmaster, which handles ticket sales at venues across the country, and Live Nation, a spin-off of Clear Channel that promotes and produces live shows and has recently gotten into the artist management business, want to merge, sources say. As both businesses cover much of the live music industry, the merger would face antitrust scrutiny.
• The concern Fans are not very happy about this idea, largely due to Ticketmaster’s history of shady practices and overcharging. Ticketmaster convenience fees can significantly increase the price of a concert ticket. If Live Nation, which has recently gotten into the ticket-distribution business itself, remained a competitor, they could help lower prices by increasing competition.
• Bruce weighs inBruce Springsteen, who has a long history of railing against corporate greed, weighed in with a note on his Web site. In it, he stated that “the one thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system.” source

• The headliners beat Coachella. Bruce Springsteen brings the E Street Band with him to lead the festivities. A reunited Phish, The Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, Wilco and David Byrne also show up. Further down, the list includes such luminaries as TV on the Radio, Andrew Bird, Girl Talk, Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, Raphael Saadiq and Chairlift. But we’re just skimming. Check out the entire list! It beats Coachella this year! source

• It was a mistake. Our batting average is usually very good, but we missed that one. Fans will call you on that stuff, as it should be.
• Bruce Springsteen • on the release of a $10 greatest hits record exclusively through Wal-Mart. Fans criticized the move, as it appeared to go against much of what his music stands for. Springsteen’s pretty busy right now; he just released a new album and will sing at the Super Bowl on Sunday. • source

• This is the only time I’m going to be in competition with Clint Eastwood. It felt pretty good, too.
• Bruce Springsteen • after winning the Golden Globe for best song for his contribution to “The Wrestler.” He has 18 Grammys and an Oscar to go along with that award. • source