newsmakers

newsmakers

Def Leppard guitarist says he has cancer

NEW YORK

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell says he is being treated for cancer.

In a statement Monday, the 50-year-old says he has Hodgkin’s lymphoma and has been in chemotherapy for two months, with four months of treatment remaining.

Says Campbell: “I feel fortunate that my cancer sent me an alarm call in the form of ‘the cough that wouldn’t quit.’”

Campbell says he still plans to hit the road this summer with Def Leppard. The first show is at the Hellfest music festival in France on June 21. The tour wraps up July 17 in Canandaigua, N.Y.

Campbell also played in the bands Dio and Thin Lizzy.

Prince Philip spends birthday in hospital

LONDON

Prince Philip is spending his 92nd birthday in a London hospital recovering from abdominal surgery.

Queen Elizabeth II’s husband is expected to be hospitalized for two weeks for investigation of an abdominal problem. Details about his symptoms have not been released.

His son Prince Edward visited him Monday, becoming the first member of the royal family to come to the hospital. Others are expected in the coming days.

After spending 20 minutes at his father’s bedside, Edward told reporters outside the hospital that his father was doing well.

Officials say Philip is “progressing satisfactorily” after the exploratory surgery Friday at a private London clinic. Results of various tests are expected this week, but it is not clear if the diagnosis will be made public.

In the past, Philip has suffered heart and bladder problems but seemed in good spirits when he was last seen in public at a Buckingham Palace garden party Thursday.

His birthday was celebrated officially by two extended gun salutes in central London.

Ukrainian pianist wins Cliburn contest

FORT WORTH, Texas

Vadym Kholodenko has been playing the piano since he was 5, all because of his mother’s influence. The Ukrainian is glad she saw his potential.

On Sunday, Kholodenko won the 14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. It’s among the top showcases for the world’s best pianists.

Beatrice Rana, of Italy, placed second, and Sean Chen, of the United States, placed third. The other three finalists were Fei-Fei Dong, of China; Nikita Mndoyants, of Russia; and Tomoki Sakata, of Japan.

Some teachers created the contest in Fort Worth in 1962, four years after Cliburn won the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. His victory helped thaw the icy rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

Cliburn died in February at age 78 after battling bone cancer.

West debuts songs at Governors Ball

NEW YORK

Kanye West closed the three-day Governors Ball on Randall Island with a set that featured his familiar hits as well as a batch of new, darker tracks from his upcoming album.

West kicked off his set Sunday night with the song “Black Skinhead,” with flashing visuals in the background, including the words “not for sale.” He later performed “New Slaves,” and the dark vibe of his songs was matched by his stage lighting and style.

Both tracks will appear on “Yeezus,” his sixth album, which comes out next Tuesday.

The crowd responded nicely to some of those songs, but it was lukewarm compared with West’s performances of his well-known hits. There was a loud roar from the thousands in the crowd — bunched up tightly and standing on the muddy ground — when the beat of “Mercy” dropped. He followed that with “Cold” and earned more cheers.

West’s set also included “Stronger,” “Good Life,” “Jesus Walks” and “All Falls Down.” The rapper — who turned 36 Saturday — also sprinkled new tracks in between those jams.

Vindicator wire services