--The Who Provide Finale For Star-Packed Olympics Closing Ceremony

The Who is among the stars who helped wrap up the 2012 Summer Olympics, providing the finale for the Closing Ceremony of the London Games.  The band launched their three-song set with "Baba O'Riley."  Roger Daltrey altered the lyrics for the event, changing the line "it's only teenage wasteland" to "there's more than teenage wasteland."  They also played the "See Me, Feel Me/Listening to You" medley before finishing with "My Generation."  Numerous other artists performed as well.  Following a video opening featuring the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, the band launched into "We Will Rock You" with singer Jessie J.  Technology also allowed the late John Lennon to contribute, as a group of children sang "Imagine" with his video of the song.

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason shared the stage with singer Ed Sheeran to perform "Wish You Were Here."  George Michael turned in two songs, including his hit "Freedom," to mark his return to the stage following last fall's near-fatal bout with pneumonia.  Former Kinks frontman Ray Davies and Annie Lennox also played live, while David Bowie's hit "Fashion" was used to highlight Britain's fashion industry.  The Spice Girls, Muse, Take That, and Monty Python's Eric Idle were some of the other stars featured in the event.  The 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony took place in London, and aired on NBC Sunday night.


--Beastie Boys Sue Monster Over Copyright Infringement

It hasn't been long since it was revealed last week that Adam Yauch's will prohibits the use of Beastie Boys music in advertisements, but the group has already been forced to turn those words into action.  E! News reports Mike Diamond, Adam Horovitz and Yauch's widow and executor of his estate Denchen Yauch are suing the maker of Monster Energy Drink for copyright infringement.  According to the suit, Monster used parts of "Sabotage," "So Watcha Want," "Make Some Noise," and "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" in a promotional video posted on the company's website.  Monster also gave visitors the opportunity to download a 23-minute medley of Beastie Boys songs taken from a live set by DJ Z-Trip at Ruckus in the Rockies.  The Canadian festival, which was sponsored by Monster, was held just a few days after Yauch died of cancer back in May.

The Beastie Boys claim Monster's unauthorized use of their music has confused the public into thinking they're associated with the company.  They argue that association will cause "irreparable damage" and want the video and medley taken down, as well as unspecified monetary damages.


--Concerns Crop Up Over Condition Of Thin Lizzy Guitarist's Grave

The family of the late Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore say they haven't been neglecting the rocker's grave site.  "The Belfast Telegraph" says fans have become concerned about Gary's final resting place.  One fan tells the paper that the plot in a Sussex, England cemetery is only marked with small, scarf-draped wooden cross and a handful of trinkets, and doesn't appear to be receiving much upkeep.  But Moore's relatives explain that they're doing what they can to maintain the site.  A spokesman for the family says in a statement that they've wanted to put up a proper headstone, but the unusually wet weather this year has forced them to postpone the installation.  The rep doesn't say when the family hopes to have Gary's headstone in place.

Moore died of a heart attack in February 2011 while on vacation in Spain.  He's best remembered for his work as a member of Thin Lizzy.  Moore played on the band's biggest album, 1976's "Jailbreak," which features the hit title track as well as the single "The Boys Are Back in Town."


--Green Day To Premiere "Oh Love" Video This Wednesday

The guys in Green Day are set to show off their new music video this week.  MTV News says the trio will officially premiere the clip for "Oh Love" this Wednesday as part of "MTV First: Green Day."  After the video debut, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool will sit down with Sway Calloway for a 30-minute interview that will stream live on MTV.com.  In addition to answering the fan submitted questions, the rockers are also expected to talk about their new trilogy of albums, "¡Uno!," "¡Dos!," and "¡Tré!."  "Oh Love" is the lead single from "¡Uno!," which is due out September 25th.  "¡Dos!" will follow on November 13th, while "¡Tré!" will hit stores on January 15th, 2013.  But in the meantime, fans can catch "MTV First: Green Day" on Wednesday, August 15th, starting at 7:49 p.m. Eastern.


--Lamb Of God Singer Talks U.S. Help During Imprisonment

Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe says the U.S. government should have done more to help him, both before and after his arrest in the Czech Republic for alleged manslaughter.  The singer tells "Rolling Stone" the Czechs sent a letter to the Justice Department about the case prior to his arrest, but Blythe says U.S. officials told them they wouldn't cooperate.  He admits that the government may have had its reasons, but he says he's still "a little bit steamed" that no one had the courtesy to let him know he was wanted for manslaughter in a foreign country.  And once he was behind bars in Prague, Blythe says he also "would have appreciated a little bit more concern" from the U.S. officials.  He says he saw someone from the American Embassy only once, and after they determined he wasn't being tortured, he never heard from them.

Nevertheless, Blythe admits the question of how much the U.S. could have done is a "sticky" one.  He says he had to remind himself that he wasn't imprisoned in America, and they were playing by a different set of rules.  So while it may have seemed like he was being mistreated from this side of the Atlantic, from what he understands, he was given due process according to the Czech legal system.  Blythe was arrested back in June in connection with the 2010 death of a fan at one of Lamb of God's concerts in Prague.  There's still a chance he will have to return to the Czech Republic for the trial, and he says he will definitely go back if called.


--KISS, Motley Crue Donate To Colorado Shooting Victims Fund

Call them hard rockers with soft hearts.  KISS and Motley Crue are adding to the community collection for the victims of last month's deadly mass shooting at a Colorado movie theater.  During their tour stop in Englewood, Colorado last week, the bands said they would donate 100-thousand-dollars to the Aurora Victim Relief Fund.  In a statement, Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx said they  bonded together with their tour partners and KISS to donate the money with the hopes that the gesture would inspire others to do the same, "no matter how big or small."

Twelve people were killed and 58 others injured when a gunman opened fire during a midnight screening of the Batman movie "The Dark Knight."  The Aurora Victim Relief Fund was set up to help victims and families affected by the tragedy.  


--Tommy Lee Bans Motley Crue Music From SeaWorld

Tommy Lee wants officials at SeaWorld to keep their flippers off his music.  The Motley Crue rocker has fired off a letter to the president of the San Diego theme park asking them not to play any Crue songs for SeaWorld's new killer whale display show "Shamu Rocks."  Lee, an active member of the animal rights group PETA, takes issue with the way whales are treated at SeaWorld Parks.  He writes, "Although we like to torture the human fans who willingly come to our shows, we don't want to be a part of making innocent animals' lives hellish."

This is not the first time Tommy has taken SeaWorld to task over its treatment of animals at its theme parks.  According to MonstersAndCritics.com, in 2010 he wrote to SeaWorld Orlando to complain about the process of extracting whale sperm from one of their Orca whales.  Both Lee and PETA have called for the whales to be released into the wild.


--UFO Announce Fall North American Tour

UFO is returning to the U.S. for more concerts later this year.  The band has announced plans for a late-year North American trek.  The majority of the group's 12 dates are concentrated in the Western U.S., with eight shows scheduled throughout California.  UFO will launch the trek in Chicago on November 15th.  They'll also perform in Milwaukee and St. Charles, Illinois before heading West.  UFO, featuring founding frontman Phil Moog and drummer Andy Parker, is on the road supporting their most recent studio effort, "Seven Deadly."


--Roger Waters Up For Australian Live Performance Award

Roger Waters' "The Wall" world tour is bringing him new praise in Australia.  The former Pink Floyd frontman is among the contenders for the upcoming Helpmann Awards.  The event honors the best in live entertainment in that nation, with categories for theater, opera, dance, comedy, cabaret, and children's shows as well as classical and modern music events.  Waters is in the running for Best International Contemporary Concert.  Other nominees include Prince's "Welcome 2 Australia" tour, Sade's trek, and the Foo Fighters Stadium Tour 2011 featuring Tenacious D.  The 12th annual Helpmann Awards will be presented in a ceremony at the Sydney Opera House on September 24th.

Waters launched the 2012 edition of his "The Wall" trek with two shows in Perth in late January.  He performed a total of eleven concerts in Australia, following Perth with stops in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.  He also played four shows in New Zealand.  Waters just wrapped up the North American portion of the trek last month to bring the tour to a close.


--Today's Birthdays

Paper Lace bassist and singer Cliff Fish is 63.


--Today In Rock History

In 1966
Priest Thurman H. Babbs of Cleveland, Ohio said he would ask for the excommunication of any parishioner who listened to the Beatles or approved of John Lennon's statement about Christianity.

In 1977
Bachman-Turner Overdrive broke up.

Singer Cherie Currie left The Runaways.

In 1986
Jerry Lee Lewis' wife Kerry, who was in the process of getting a divorce from The Killer, announced that she was pregnant with his child.

In 1996
Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen filed for divorce from his estranged wife, Kelly.

In 1999
Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and wife Jerry Hall received an annulment.

Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland was sent to jail for breaking his probation on a drug conviction.

Guitarist Slash was arrested and accused of assaulting his girlfriend at his recording studio in Los Angeles.  He was released on bail.

In 2004
Former Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland returned to the group.

In 2007
Van Halen held a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles to reveal plans for a major fall road trip.  It was the second time the band had tried to launch a tour.  Earlier plans for a summer trek were scrapped when guitarist Eddie Van Halen instead checked into rehab.  The tour marked the return of original frontman David Lee Roth after more than 20 years, and the debut of Eddie's son Wolfgang as Van Halen's bassist.

In 2010
The Sex Pistols launched their own perfume line.