Slash will perform at Les Paul tribute

Slash will perform at Les Paul tribute

CLEVELAND — Slash has signed up to play at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s tribute concert for his guitar hero Les Paul.

The former Guns N’ Roses guitarist says he’s committed to do anything he can for the 93-year-old Paul, known as the “Father of the Electric Guitar.”

Paul’s many contributions to music include building the first solid-body electric guitar in 1941.

Paul is expected to attend the American Music Masters series event. Slash says he played with Paul before and couldn’t keep up with him. The Nov. 15 concert’s lineup also includes Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, The Ventures and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi.

Tin Pan Alley for sale

NEW YORK — Tin Pan Alley, the home of George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and other great American songwriters, is up for sale.

Five buildings on West 28th Street in Manhattan’s Chelsea district are being offered as a group for $44 million. A listing on real estate Web site Loopnet recommends that the buildings be torn down and a high-rise take their place.

Preservationists and tenants aren’t happy. Says Historic Districts Council Executive Director Simeon Bankoff: “These buildings are incredibly significant to the development of New York City. They helped launch the careers of songwriters and musicians who are still popular today.”

Tin Pan Alley housed a concentration of music publishers and songwriters from the 1890s to the 1950s.

Can’t face the music

URBANA, Ohio — A defendant had a hard time facing the music.

Andrew Vactor was facing a $150 fine for playing rap music too loudly on his car stereo in July. But a judge offered to reduce that to $35 if Vactor spent 20 hours listening to classical music by the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.

Vactor, 24, lasted only about 15 minutes, a probation officer said.

It wasn’t the music, Vactor said, he just needed to be at practice with the rest of the Urbana University basketball team.

“I didn’t have the time to deal with that,” he said. “I just decided to pay the fine.”

Today’s birthdays

Singer John Prine is 62. Actor-dancer Ben Vereen is 62. Singer David Lee Roth (Van Halen) is 54. Country singer Tanya Tucker is 50. Actress Julia Sweeney (“Saturday Night Live”) is 49. Actress Wendi McLendon-Covey (“Reno 911!”) is 39. Actor Mario Lopez (“The Other Half,” “Saved By The Bell”) is 35. Singer Mya is 29.