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"The beat goes on": Neil Diamond opens up about life with Parkinson’s

<p>Neil Diamond has opened up about his experience living with Parkinson’s, and how it has taken a long and uphill battle to come to terms with his 2018 diagnosis. </p> <p>In a candid interview with Anthony Mason for <em>CBS Sunday Morning</em>, the 82-year-old singer - best known for his hit song ‘Sweet Caroline’ - detailed how he moved from denial to acceptance, and the impact it has had on his life and his career ever since.</p> <p>“When the doctor told me what it was, I was just not ready to accept it,” he said. “I said, ‘oh, okay, I’ll see you whenever you want to see me, but I have work to do, so I’ll see you later’.”</p> <p>For “the first year or two”, Diamond admits he refused to accept his condition,  but as acceptance finally came to him, so did a sort of calm and peace of mind</p> <p>“I think this has just been in the last few weeks,” he explained to Mason, “but somehow, a calm has moved in and the hurricane of my life, and things have gotten very quiet.</p> <p>“And I like it. I find that I like myself better. I’m easier on people. I’m easier on myself and the beat goes on and it will go on long after I’m gone.”</p> <p>He went on to note his understanding that “this is the hand that God’s given”, and how his only option was “to make the best of it”.</p> <p>“There’s no cure, there’s no getting away from it. You can’t just say ‘okay, enough already, let’s get back to life’. It doesn’t work like that,” he said. </p> <p>“But I’ve come to accept what limitations I have and still have great days.”</p> <p>And while Diamond retired from touring in 2018 in the wake of his diagnosis, he can still find those great days in music, with his life playing out in the musical A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical on Broadway.</p> <p>As for how it feels to see his story performed on the stage, he admits that initially it was difficult, and that he felt some embarrassment, before going on to add that he “was flattered, and I was scared. </p> <p>“Being found out is the scariest thing you can hope for because we all have a facade. And the truth be known to all of them. I’m not some big star - I’m just me.”</p> <p>“The show is part of my psychotherapy,” he explained, “and it hurt.”</p> <p>On opening night, Diamond even returned to the stage for a singalong performance of ‘Sweet Caroline’, and as he told Mason, “I can still sing. I’ve been doing it for 50 years and I enjoy it. It’s like all the systems of my mind and my body are working as one.</p> <p>“I’ve had a pretty amazing life, it’s true.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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Neil Diamond's incredible rare treat for fans

<p dir="ltr">Baseball fans were given a surprise treat from singer Neil Diamond who made an appearance at the Boston Red Sox game.</p> <p dir="ltr">Diamond gave a heartwarming performance of his classic “Sweet Caroline” at the game on June 18 at Fenway Park in Boston. </p> <p dir="ltr">Heartwarming footage shows Diamond enthusiastically singing along while sporting the black and red Boston Red Sox letterman jacket as the crowd joined in. </p> <p dir="ltr">This was Diamond’s first performance since 2018 after he retired due to his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Neil Diamond singing "Sweet Caroline" at Fenway Park is incredible 🎤 🙌 <a href="https://t.co/P1yRDJR5ho">pic.twitter.com/P1yRDJR5ho</a></p> <p>— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBONFOX/status/1538345916490473472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">He previously sang the song at the same stadium in 2013 when the Red Sox played their first home game since the Boston Marathon bombing. </p> <p dir="ltr">The song has now become a part of tradition for the Red Sox who play “Sweet Caroline” during the eighth inning of each home game. </p> <p dir="ltr">Despite retiring from live touring, Diamond said that he would “continue his writing, recording and development of new projects”.</p> <p dir="ltr">There is a musical about Diamond’s life currently in pre-production and is expected to open on Broadway later in the year. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

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Australian artist and philanthropist Neil Balnaves dies in boating accident

<p dir="ltr">Australian arts philanthropist Neil Balnaves has died at 77 following a boating accident. Balnaves was reportedly holidaying with his wife, Diane, near Tahiti when the accident occurred.</p> <p dir="ltr">Leading figures from the art industry have paid tribute to Neil, as a man who had a vision to “create a better Australia”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Balnaves Foundation released a statement on Tuesday, confirming his death. “The Balnaves family sends their heartfelt thanks for people’s kind words and wishes and kindly requests privacy at this difficult time,” it read.</p> <p dir="ltr">Balnaves had a successful career in TV, running Southern Star production house and producing popular shows including Big Brother, Bananas in Pyjamas, Water Rats and McLeod’s Daughters.</p> <p dir="ltr">After a string of successes, he became chair of the Ardent Leisure Group, which ran theme parks such as Dreamworld on the Gold Coast  from 2003 until 2016.</p> <p dir="ltr">After a boating accident on the Gold Coast in 2002, which almost killed him, Balnaves became an avid philanthropist. He gave away $20m of his fortune to arts organisations.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/feb/22/neil-balnaves-australian-arts-philanthropist-dies-aged-77-after-boating-accident">Guardian Australia</a> was just one of the beneficiaries of his philanthropic foundation, which also donated to Sydney’s Ensemble and Belvoir Street theatres, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of South Australia, the Adelaide festival and Bangarra Dance Theatre.</p> <p dir="ltr">The foundation gave a grant to Guardian Australia for in-depth reporting on Indigenous affairs, and an in-depth reporting project on Australian art.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Balnaves Foundation also funded Indigenous and health research.</p> <p dir="ltr">Balnaves is survived by his wife, Diane Balnaves, whom he married in 1971, and his children, Hamish and Victoria.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kilmurry described Balnaves as a champion for the creative community, not just with his philanthropy but his personal passion for the arts.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">“We will miss his generous and fearless spirit,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty </em></p>

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Neil Young’s ultimatum to Spotify shows streaming platforms are now a battleground where artists can leverage power

<p>Neil Young has given Spotify an ultimatum: remove the Joe Rogan Experience podcast or Neil Young walks. In a letter to his management team and label, the 79-year-old rocker lambasted Spotify for spreading Rogan’s misinformation about COVID vaccinations.</p> <p>“I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform,” <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-young-demands-spotify-remove-music-vaccine-disinformation-1290020/">said Young to his management team</a> and record label.</p> <p>“They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.”</p> <p>Young is the first high-profile artist to condemn Spotify for its handling of COVID misinformation, but far from the first person to single out Rogan’s podcast on the platform.</p> <p>The Joe Rogan Experience podcast has the highest amount of subscribers on Spotify. In 2020 the podcast became a Spotify exclusive through a deal <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/19/21263927/joe-rogan-spotify-experience-exclusive-content-episodes-youtube">estimated at $100m</a>. Despite its massive popularity, the Joe Rogan Experience has been frequently criticised for promoting conspiracy theories, misinformation and other problematic content.</p> <p>In January 2022, 270 medical health practitioners and researchers submitted <a href="https://spotifyopenletter.wordpress.com/2022/01/10/an-open-letter-to-spotify/">an open letter</a> calling on Spotify to moderate misinformation on its platform. The letter was prompted by an episode that featured a controversial physician who openly promoted conspiracy theories and baseless claims about COVID vaccinations.</p> <p>“This is not only a scientific or medical concern; it is a sociological issue of devastating proportions and Spotify is responsible for allowing this activity to thrive on its platform,” the letter read.</p> <p>Two days later, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/spotify-neil-young-joe-rogan-1235081916/">Spotify has reportedly removed Young’s music from its platform</a>. This isn’t the first time Young has removed his songs from Spotify, citing poor sound quality as the reason when he temporarily <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-young-interview-archives-crazy-horse-upcoming-albums-784773/">pulled his entire catalogue</a> from Spotify in 2015.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442842/original/file-20220126-14-1914439.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442842/original/file-20220126-14-1914439.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Joe Rogan on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. A few weeks ago, 270 doctors, scientists, healthcare professionals and professors wrote an open letter to Spotify, expressing concern about medical misinformation on Rogan’s podcast.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">YouTube</span></span></p> <h2>Stream of conscience</h2> <p>Neil Young is not the first musical artist demanding change from the streaming giant.</p> <p>Spotify and other music streaming platforms have become a battleground where artists can leverage their power, notably over disputes concerning artists’ revenues and the value of music in an era of streaming.</p> <p>In 2015, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/9/15767986/taylor-swift-apple-music-spotify-statements-timeline">Taylor Swift briefly removed her album 1989</a> from Apple Music due to the platform offering a three month free trial that would not generate royalties for artists.</p> <p>In 2021, the artist payout debate was reignited after the publication of a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/10/music-streaming-debate-what-songwriter-artist-and-industry-insider-say-publication-parliamentary-report">Parliamentary report in the UK</a> calling attention to Spotify’s handling of artists’ rights management, revenue rates, and commercial fairness.</p> <p>Recently, following the release of her latest album 30, <a href="https://theconversation.com/adele-has-successfully-asked-spotify-to-remove-shuffle-from-albums-heres-why-thats-important-for-musicians-172301">Adele took aim at Spotify</a> demanding the shuffle feature be removed from albums encouraging users to listen to the tracks in their intended order.</p> <h2>Self-regulation</h2> <p>Spotify has taken action to regulate harmful content on its service in the past. In 2017, Spotify <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/8/17/16162146/spotify-removing-white-supremacist-neo-nazi-bands">announced it would remove content</a> from bands connected to white supremacist and neo-Nazi movements.</p> <p>Spotify also joined several other social media and streaming platforms including Facebook, Apple Music and podcast platform Stitcher to remove the <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/8/6/17655516/infowars-ban-apple-youtube-facebook-spotify">polemical right wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones</a> and his podcast InfoWars for spreading misinformation and lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting.</p> <p>In 2018, Spotify added <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/spotify-is-officially-policing-the-music-it-hosts-627638/">a new hate conduct policy</a> to its terms of use that included guidelines for removing music that “promotes, advocates, or incites hatred or violence.” Spotify developed the policy in partnership with the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. The platform faced immediate backlash when it <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/arts/music/rkelly-spotify-accusations-xxxtentacion.html">cited the policy to defend</a> removing American artists R. Kelly and XXXTentacion from its editorial and algorithmically curated playlists. The two artists’ catalogues were not removed from Spotify’s streaming library, but would be far less visible to listeners.</p> <p>Critics viewed Spotify’s use of the policy an attempt to censor music. With such a sweeping definition of hate conduct, some observers wondered, why were R. Kelly and XXXTentacion removed and not the dozens, if not hundreds, of other artists with controversial pasts or criminal convictions?</p> <p>The move prompted other prominent artists, most notably Kendrick Lamar, to threaten <a href="https://pitchfork.com/news/kendrick-label-head-confirms-he-threatened-to-pull-music-from-spotify/">withdrawing their music from Spotify</a> entirely. Shortly afterwards, Spotify rolled back the policy. In a <a href="https://newsroom.spotify.com/2018-06-01/spotify-policy-update/">corporate statement</a> announcing the shift, Spotify also minimised its responsibility in political matters or public controversies: “That’s not what Spotify is about. We don’t aim to play judge and jury.”</p> <p>Digital platforms have taken steps to moderate misinformation. For example, in the lead up to the 2020 US election, Twitter began <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/twitter-adds-fact-check-warning-trump-tweets/">adding fact-check labels</a> to tweets shared by former president Donald Trump. Later that year, Facebook’s Oversight Board <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/22/tech/facebook-oversight-board/index.html">began hearing cases</a> to oversee key decisions related to content moderation.</p> <p>Throughout the COVID pandemic, academics and public health officials <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-a-virus-goes-viral-pros-and-cons-to-the-coronavirus-spread-on-social-media-133525">have called on social media platforms</a> to help fight the spread of dangerous health-related misinformation.</p> <h2>Policing platforms</h2> <p>Reliance on platforms to moderate podcast content is a tenuous proposition. As commercial entities operating internationally, platforms simultaneously seek to serve their corporate interests and comply with regulations and laws in multiple jurisdictions.</p> <p>Significant change can be achieved when platforms act in unison, such as in <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/12/28/792078881/spotify-becomes-latest-tech-company-to-hit-on-pause-political-ads">the decision to ban political advertising</a> implemented by several major digital platforms including Spotify after facing significant public pressure. Still, users and advocates should not hold their breath waiting for platforms to do the right thing.</p> <p>Failures to moderate harmful content are harder to ignore when they involve bigger name artists. Neil Young has never shied away from political action in a musical career spanning nearly six decades. The singer’s demands were bolstered by a credible threat: he’s removed his music before and now he’s done it again.</p> <p>Ideally, the pressure from Young’s fans and other prominent artists will push Spotify to take effective action against misinformation so users can spend time rockin’ in the free world instead of listening to COVID conspiracy theories.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/175732/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/d-bondy-valdovinos-kaye-1046676">D. Bondy Valdovinos Kaye</a>, Lecturer, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/neil-youngs-ultimatum-to-spotify-shows-streaming-platforms-are-now-a-battleground-where-artists-can-leverage-power-175732">original article</a>.</p>

Music

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Neil Young demands his music is removed from Spotify

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an open letter to his management team, record label, and Spotify executives, Neil Young has demanded his entire music catalogue be removed from the streaming service.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His reasoning behind the demand stems from Spotfiy giving a platform to podcasters who spread vaccine misinformation and dangerous rhetoric about the Covid-19 pandemic. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He wrote, “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform,” he continued. “They can have [Joe] Rogan or Young. Not both.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Neil’s callout directly targets right-wing podcaster Joe Rogan, who regularly pedals an anti-vaccine sentiment on his show </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Joe Rogan Experience</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and even claimed he used livestock medication ivermectin to “cure” his bout of coronavirus. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With an estimated 11 million listeners per episode, JRE, which is hosted exclusively on Spotify, is the world’s largest podcast and has tremendous influence,” the letter reads. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Spotify has a responsibility to mitigate the spread of misinformation on its platform, though the company presently has no misinformation policy.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Just 48 hours after Neil Young issued his public demand, Spotify confirmed they would be removing his music from their platform. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company said they regretted the turn of events and hoped to “welcome him back soon”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We want all the world’s music and audio content to be available to Spotify users,” it said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With that comes great responsibility in balancing both safety for listeners and freedom for creators. We have detailed content policies in place and we’ve removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Neil Young responded to Spotify’s move, saying he was willing to take the hit to his yearly revenue, and urged other artists to contemplate a similar move. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Spotify represents 60 per cent of the streaming of my music to listeners around the world. Almost every record I have ever released is available – my life’s music. (It is) a huge loss for my record company to absorb,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I truly want to thank the many, many people who have reached out to me thanking me for taking this position – people who are health professionals on the front lines, people who have lost loved ones to Covid or who are worried for their own children and families. I have never felt so much love coming from so many,” said Young.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I sincerely hope that other artists and record companies will move off the Spotify platform and stop supporting Spotify’s deadly misinformation about Covid.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Music

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Neil Diamond reworks ‘Sweet Caroline’ to encourage hand washing

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Legendary singer-songwriter Neil Diamond has joined a growing number of actors and musicians that are encouraging persistent hand-washing and social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.</p> <p>He posted a video on Saturday night of him at his home playing “Sweet Caroline”.</p> <p>“I know we’re going through a rough time right now, but I love you, and I think maybe if we sing together we might feel a little bit better,” he says during the video.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Stay safe out there! “Hands... washing hands..” 🎶 <a href="https://t.co/QaRB1qZshp">pic.twitter.com/QaRB1qZshp</a></p> — Neil Diamond (@NeilDiamond) <a href="https://twitter.com/NeilDiamond/status/1241584423927074818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>Diamond proceeds to sing the opening verse of “Sweet Caroline” with the revised chorus, saying “Hands, washing hands, reaching out, don’t touch me, I won’t touch you!”</p> <p>The video has racked up more than 1.2 million views on Twitter alone.</p> <p>Diamond is just one of many musicians that are taking to social media to perform for their followers, with John Legend and Chris Martin recently performing a mini concert in their homes for their followers.</p> <p>Actors, such as Josh Gad, are using the time in quarantine to do daily book readings for kids and adults.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Music

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Coming soon to Netflix: Neil Gaiman's popular comic book series

<p><span>Fans of Neil Gaiman rejoice – one more of his work is set to be adapted for the screen.</span></p> <p><span>After more than three years of failed attempts to make a screen adaptation, Netflix has finally acquired <em>The Sandman </em>for a live-action TV series in a reportedly “massive” deal with Warner Bros.</span></p> <p><span>Throughout the years, attempts to adapt the popular horror fantasy comic book series – which has been running since 1989 – have floundered. The most recent was in 2016, when a plan to produce a feature film directed by <em>Third Rock From The Sun</em> star  Joseph Gordon-Levitt dissolved. </span></p> <p><span>According to the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sandman-tv-series-neil-gaiman-david-goyer-a-go-at-netflix-1220761"><em>Hollywood Reporter</em></a>, industry insiders said the show will become “the most expensive TV series that DC Entertainment has ever done”.</span></p> <p><span>Gaiman will be involved in the show as an executive producer along with <em>Wonder Woman </em>(2017) screenwriter Allan Heinberg and <em>Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice </em>(2016) screenwriter David S. Goyer. </span></p> <p><span>“We’re thrilled to partner with the brilliant team that is Neil Gaiman, David S. Goyer and Allan Heinberg to finally bring Neil’s iconic comic book series, <em>The Sandman</em>, to life onscreen,” said Channing Dungey, VP of original series at Netflix. </span></p> <p><span>“From its rich characters and storylines to its intricately built-out worlds, we’re excited to create an epic original series that dives deep into this multi-layered universe beloved by fans around the world.”  </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Are you prepared to meet the Lord of Dreams? THE SANDMAN is officially coming to <a href="https://twitter.com/netflix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@netflix</a>! Head here for more: <a href="https://t.co/zlamTMHen0">https://t.co/zlamTMHen0</a> <a href="https://t.co/zQbgXKdrZX">pic.twitter.com/zQbgXKdrZX</a></p> — DC (@DCComics) <a href="https://twitter.com/DCComics/status/1145836913078755328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2019</a></blockquote> <p><span>The show, which will have 11 episodes in its first season, was described as “a rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven”.</span></p>

Books

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"This makes me smile" – Neil Diamond touched by New Zealand fans’ donations

<p>Neil Diamond has revealed how happy he is to find out that some New Zealand fans are donating the refund money from tickets to his cancelled concerts to Parkinson’s disease research.</p> <p>Yesterday, Diamond announced his immediate retirement from touring after being diagnosed with the disease.</p> <p>His looming Australian and New Zealand tour, which was to begin in March, was cancelled as a result.</p> <p>Diamond’s wife and manager Katie McNeil took to Twitter to express her joy of the news that Australian and New Zealand fans were donating their refunded money to Parkinson’s research, animal rescue groups and fire victim funds.</p> <p>“My heart is so full of joy to see this silver lining,” McNeil said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">This makes me smile. Thank you. Thank you to everyone for your outpouring of love and support. It makes a difference. <a href="https://t.co/TLZAa69q1B">https://t.co/TLZAa69q1B</a></p> — Neil Diamond (@NeilDiamond) <a href="https://twitter.com/NeilDiamond/status/955885442209140743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Diamond wrote, “This makes me smile. Thank you. Thank you to everyone for your outpouring of love and support. It makes a difference.”</p> <p>Neil Diamond fan Roseanne Holliday used her refund money to donate to the Shake It Up foundation in Australia, which is partnered with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research.</p> <p>“It is a small gesture and goes a little way to saying thank you to Neil for a soundtrack to my life,” Holliday said.</p> <p>“I’ve been listening to Neil Diamond for as long as I can remember. I grew up with my mum playing him in the 70s.</p> <p>“I’ve seen him 11 times in total, including once in San Diego just after September 11. That was an awesome night. I was going to the Sunshine Coast concert on March 22 and was heartbroken to hear the news about his diagnosis. I saw on Twitter where his wife Katie had been so touched by people from Australia and NZ pledging their refunds to go to a good cause and thought it was a brilliant idea. So this morning I did just the same and donated my ticket to Parkinson’s research here in Australia.”</p> <p>On Sunday, Diamond will make his first public appearance since the announcement at the Grammy Awards in New York.</p> <p>He will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, which had already been decided before this week’s shock reveal.</p> <p>Were you planning to see Neil Diamond in concert and awaiting a refund? Tell us in the comments below if you plan to donate your refund to Parkinson's research.  </p>

Caring

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Elton John announces retirement

<p>After almost 50 years of gracing stages around the world with his timeless music, Sir Elton John has announced his retirement.</p> <p>“This is the end,” he said. “I’ve had a good run, I think you’d admit that.”</p> <p>The biggest driving force behind Elton’s decision is a desire to spend more time with his husband, David Furnish, and two young children, who will be aged 10 and eight when his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour concludes.</p> <p>“I love them so much. I don’t want to miss them and I don’t want them to miss me,” he said. "My priorities now are my children and my husband and my family.”</p> <p>The 70-year-old icon says he hopes to go out “with a bang", announcing a massive three-year final world tour, which will come to Australia and New Zealand between December 2019 and February 2020.</p> <p>“It will be a wonderful way to thank people,” he said. “It’s a way of going out with a bang. I’m not the kind of guy to go out with a whimper.”</p> <p>The announcement comes just days after legendary singer Neil Diamond <a href="/entertainment/music/2018/01/neil-diamond-cancels-tour-after-shock-diagnosis/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease</span></strong></a>, forcing him to cancel all future performances.</p> <p>For more information on his upcoming final world tour, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tours/971324269687321/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span></strong></a>.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/tours/971324269687321/)"><br /></a></p>

Music

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Neil Diamond cancels tour after shock diagnosis

<p>Legendary singer Neil Diamond has cancelled his tour of Australia and New Zealand (scheduled for March and April) after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.</p> <p>He announced his retriment from touring through a statement posted on Tuesday.</p> <p>"It is with great reluctance and disappointment that I announce my retirement from concert touring. I have been so honoured to bring my shows to the public for the past 50 years," he said.</p> <p>The 76-year-old said he would continue to make music, but touring had become impossible.</p> <p>"This ride has been 'so good, so good, so good' thanks to you," he said.</p> <p>The decision to cancel his shows had been made on doctor's advice, he said. Refunds would be given.</p> <p>Garry Craft, Mission Concert event director at Mission Estate Winery in Napier, NZ, where tickets sold out, heard the news about midday on Tuesday.</p> <p>"We had no idea he was dealing with Parkinson's. It's obviously something he's become aware of quite recently, and I mean within the last week or two.</p> <p>"My understanding was that they were trying to get medication that would allow him to do at least the two New Zealand shows, but doctors said 'absolutely no way'," Craft said.</p> <p>"It's a very sad day for everyone, particularly Neil and his family," he said.</p> <p>Diamond released his first studio album in 1966,<em> The Feel of Neil Diamond</em>, and went on to become one of the highest-selling artist of all time, according to Billboard. He has released 32 albums since.</p> <p>His last release, apart from 2016's Christmas album, was <em>Melody Road</em> in 2014.</p> <p>All remaining shows of his 50 Year Anniversary Tour, including those in Australia and New Zealand, have been cancelled. The pop singer had already completed the European and American legs of his tour that started in April and included 55 dates.</p> <p>Promoters said all ticket holders would be refunded within 10 working days.</p> <p><em>Written by Glenn McConnell and Marty Sharpe. Republished with permission of <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Stuff.co.nz</strong></span></a>.</em></p>

Music

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Sri Lankan chicken curry

<p>Neil Perry’s authentic and flavoursome Sri Lankan chicken curry recipe is a festival of flavour and once you gather the ingredients together it's really simple. Prawns or white-fleshed fish are good substitutes for the chicken. You can also add steamed potatoes or yams at the end and fold them through.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <p><em>For the onion sambal</em></p> <ul> <li>2 tbsp. vegetable oil</li> <li>1 large red onion, thinly sliced</li> <li>½ tsp. sea salt</li> <li>2 cloves garlic, chopped</li> <li>2 tbsp. grated ginger</li> <li>1 tsp chilli powder</li> <li>½ tsp. ground cloves</li> <li>½ tsp. cardamom seeds, crushed</li> <li>3 curry leaves</li> <li>2 tsp caster sugar</li> <li>1 tbsp. tamarind puree</li> <li>2 tbsp. coconut milk</li> <li>2 tsp lime juice</li> </ul> <p><em>For the spice mix</em></p> <ul> <li>3 tsp. black peppercorns</li> <li>1 tbsp. cumin seeds</li> <li>1 tbsp. fennel seeds</li> <li>1 tbsp. coriander seeds</li> <li>2 tsp. fenugreek seeds</li> <li>1 stick cinnamon</li> <li>2 tsp. dill seeds</li> <li>2 tsp. ground turmeric</li> </ul> <p><em>For the curry</em></p> <ul> <li>2 tbsp. vegetable oil</li> <li>1 large brown onion, diced</li> <li>2 tsp sea salt</li> <li>4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced</li> <li>1 small green chilli, halved lengthways</li> <li>1 lemongrass stem, finely sliced</li> <li>750g skinless chicken thigh fillets, each cut into 3 pieces</li> <li>8 curry leaves</li> <li>1 tbsp. tamarind puree</li> <li>¾ cup coconut milk</li> <li>1/3 cup coconut cream</li> <li>1 tbsp. lime juice</li> <li>Steamed rice to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>For the sambal, warm the oil in a heavy-based saucepan on a medium-low heat.</li> <li>Add onions and salt and cook for about 10-15 minutes until softened.</li> <li>Add garlic and ginger and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add chilli powder, cloves and cardamom and continue for another 5 minutes.</li> <li>Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the onions are glossy.</li> <li>For the spice mix, lightly toast spices in a dry pan over a medium heat until fragrant, then finely grind in a mortar.</li> <li>For the curry, warm oil in a heavy- based saucepan on a medium heat. Add onion and salt and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.</li> <li>Add garlic and chilli and continue for a further 5 minutes before adding lemongrass and ground spices and cooking for another 5 minutes.</li> <li>Add chicken, cooking for 2-3 minutes to coat in the spices. Add curry leaves, tamarind and coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes. Add coconut cream and bring to a simmer, being careful not to let the mixture boil.</li> <li>Remove curry from the heat, cover and stand for 10 minutes.</li> <li>Add lime juice to taste. Serve with the spicy sambal and steamed rice.</li> </ol> <p>What’s your favourite curry recipe? We’d love to hear it! Share it with us in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Written by Neil Perry. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/05/spicy-beef-curry-with-cauliflower-rice/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Spicy beef curry with cauliflower rice</em></span></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/04/potato-and-pea-curry/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Potato and pea curry</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/04/goan-coconut-lamb-curry/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Goan coconut lamb curry</span></em></strong></a></p>

Food & Wine

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Salad of sauteed beef with cold rice noodles

<p>Neil Perry’s classic Vietnamese dipping sauce, nuoc cham, accompanies this zesty beef-based salad. When preparing the salad, cut the rump steak against the grain to make it more tender.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>500g trimmed rump steak</li> <li>2 lemongrass stalks</li> <li>3 tbsp. fish sauce</li> <li>½ tbsp. caster sugar</li> <li>400g dried rice vermicelli noodles</li> <li>3 tbsp. vegetable oil</li> <li>2 eschalots, finely sliced</li> <li>2 cloves garlic, finely chopped</li> <li>Handful of bean sprouts</li> <li>1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced into half-moons</li> <li>Handful of coriander leaves</li> <li>Handful of mint leaves</li> <li>Handful of Vietnamese mint leaves</li> <li>¼ cup roasted peanuts, chopped</li> <li>¼ cup fried shallots</li> </ul> <p><em>For nuoc cham dressing (makes ¾ cup)</em></p> <ul> <li>2 de-seeded long red chillies, chopped</li> <li>1 clove garlic</li> <li>1 tbsp palm sugar, grated</li> <li>juice of 1 lime</li> <li>¼ cup water</li> <li>¼ cup fish sauce</li> <li>1 tbsp rice wine vinegar</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Cut beef into thin slices. Remove tops from the lemongrass stalks and discard. Finely slice the white and light green stalks. Combine 2 tbsp of fish sauce, sugar and half the lemongrass in a bowl. Add beef slices to bowl, stir and leave to marinate for 10-15 minutes.</li> <li>In a pot, boil enough water to cover the noodles. Turn off heat and immerse rice noodles for 3-7 minutes until noodles are soft, cooked through but still firm, not mushy. Rinse the noodles under cold water for 30 seconds, then place them in cold water in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the dish.</li> <li>For the nuoc cham dressing, pound chilli and garlic in a mortar with a pestle to form a paste; add the palm sugar and pound together. Stir in other liquids slowly until they are completely incorporated. Check the balance of seasoning: it should be salty, sweet and sour.</li> <li>Heat the oil in a wok over a very high heat and add the eschalot, garlic and remaining lemongrass. Stir-fry briefly, then throw in the beef, allowing it to char and develop a smoky flavour. Add remaining fish sauce, then remove from the heat.</li> <li>Drain the noodles well, share over four bowls and top with bean sprouts, cucumber and most of the herbs. Add beef to the bowls and dress with nuoc cham. Garnish with remaining herbs, peanuts and fried shallots.</li> </ol> <p>Do you have an interesting way to serve sautéed beef? If you have a recipe to share with the community, let us know in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Written by Neil Perry. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz.</span></strong></a></em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/05/chinese-beef-and-noodle-stir-fry/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chinese beef and noodle stir-fry</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/05/five-spice-pork-salad/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Five-spice pork salad with fresh plum dressing</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/06/beef-noodles-edamame-mushroom/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Beef and noodles with edamame and mushroom</span></em></strong></a></p>

Food & Wine

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Neil Perry’s spicy roast chicken, mango and macadamia salad

<p>Neil Perry, the renowned chef behind the prestigious Rockpool restaurant group, shares his simple, fresh and flavoursome salad recipe that’s sure to impress at any dinner party.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves</span>:</strong> 4</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients</span>:</strong></p> <ul> <li>1 free-range roast chicken (organic if possible), bones removed, meat sliced </li> <li>2 firm but ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks</li> <li>2 Lebanese (short) cucumbers, halved lengthways and sliced on the diagonal</li> <li>10 Cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved </li> <li>4 French shallots, halved and thinly sliced </li> <li>1 radicchio heart, sliced (or red witlof if you can get it)</li> <li>1 handful coriander leaves 1 small handful mint leaves </li> <li>2 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal </li> <li>110g macadamia nuts, roasted until lightly golden and sliced or roughly chopped  </li> </ul> <p>For the chilli lime dressing </p> <ul> <li>1 garlic clove, crushed </li> <li>1 teaspoon mild chilli flakes </li> <li>1 tablespoon cater (superfine) sugar</li> <li>Juice of 2 limes</li> <li>100ml extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper </li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method</span>:</strong></p> <ol> <li>To truss a chicken, you’ll need about 40cm of kitchen string. Place the bird on a chopping board, breast side up, with the legs facing you. Loop the centre of the string around the legs and then pull them together, then take the string down and under the thighs, overlap it under the bird and then bring it up, catching the wings, to meet over the breast. Secure the string and cut off and excess. You are now ready to roast.  </li> <li>To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. It should be sharp and hot, with a nutty balance from the olive oil.  </li> <li>For the salad, put all the ingredients, except the nuts, in a bowl, add the dressing and mix well. Divide among four large plates, then sprinkle with the macadamia nuts and a good grind of pepper and drizzle over any remaining dressing from the mixing bowl.  </li> </ol> <p>Recipe courtesy of Australian Macadamias – <a href="http://www.australian-macadamias.org/consumer/en/taste/recipes"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">visit their site for more yummy food ideas.</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, head to the</strong></em> <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">abcshop.com.au to order your copy now.</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/02/prawn-and-avocado-salad/">Prawn and avocado salad</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/02/wild-rice-lemon-dill-salmon/">Wild rice, lemon and dill with pulled salmon</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/piri-piri-chicken/">Piri piri chicken</a></strong></em></span></p>

Food & Wine

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10 things you didn’t know about Neil Diamond

<p>One of the most successful singers of all time, here are 10 things you didn’t know about Neil Diamond.</p> <p>1. Artists who have recorded Neil Diamond songs include Elvis Presley, Deep Purple, Lulu, Cliff Richard, The Monkees, UB40, Johnny Cash and Smash Mouth.</p> <p>2. John F. Kennedy's daughter, Caroline, was the inspiration for his hit "Sweet Caroline". Diamond revealed he wrote the anthem after seeing her on the cover of Life Magazine in an equestrian riding outfit.</p> <p>3. Neil Diamond is his real name, but he considered using two other stage names – Noah Kaminsky and Eice Charry.</p> <p>4. Neil Diamond's favorite covers of his songs are UB40's version of “Red Red Wine” and Frank Sinatra's rendition of "Sweet Caroline".</p> <p>5. He attended NYU on a fencing scholarship.</p> <p>6. His album Hot August Night was number one for 29 weeks in Australia. It was voted number 16 in a list of the favourite albums of all time.</p> <p>7. He originally wanted to work as a laboratory biologist. His grandmother had died of cancer, which inspired him to want to search for a cure. Fate intervened when he was offered a songwriting deal (for $50 a week) when he was still at university.</p> <p>8. “Sweet Caroline” only took him an hour to write. “I Am…I Said” took four months.</p> <p>9. He is one of the biggest selling artists in the world, having sold more than 125 million records around the world.</p> <p>10. Diamond wrote UB40’s hit “Red Red Wine”. Their cover ended up being much more successful than his original version.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/music/2015/10/john-lennons-son-sean/">John Lennon’s son is the spitting image of his father</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/music/2015/11/best-george-harrison-songs/">The top 5 George Harrison songs of all time</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/wellbeing/2015/09/monday-music-playlist/">Catchy songs to beat the Monday blues</a></em></strong></span></p>

Music

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