Random music news for Friday, January 18, 2019

I promise to take down the Christmas tree this weekend. Promise. Or at least as soon as I finish with music news for January 18, 2019.

1. Hang on: Colin Kaepernick did NOT give his blessing to Travis Scott to play the Super Bowl halftime show.
2. Plenty of artists turned down a chance to play the Super Bowl halftime show for fear of blowback, but many have no trouble playing other gigs related to the game.
3. Lorna Doom, the bassist for The Germs (a seminal LA punk band that once featured the Foo Fighters’ Pat Smear), has died.
4. Soon you’ll be able to cruise the Caribbean like a rock star, thanks to Richard Branson.
5. Vinyl lives…in your bathroom.
6. We have the first confirmed act for the 50th anniversary Woodstock festival this August: Santana.
7. Alexa has a new newscaster voice.
8. Spotify has a new thing called “car mode” designed to help drivers.
9. Mariah Carey is being sued by her former assistant.
10. This woman touched Justin Timberlake. She’s now charging people $2 to shake the band that touched him. (Via Tom)