Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach to Produce Dr. John

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dr. John has recruited The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach to produce his next album. The album, to be called Locked Down, will be released in April.

According to Music-News.com, Auerbach said that Dr. John “inspired me every single day we were in the studio together: musically, spiritually, cosmically ... something special seemed to be happening and everyone involved could sense it. For my money, Mac’s [Mac Rebennack is the Dr.’s real name] one of the greatest who ever was and who ever will be ... I’m so honored to have had this opportunity to work with him.”

Dr. John’s kids introduced the roots music legend to The Black Keys’ music and he and Auerbach worked with a group of young musicians at his own studio in Nashville.

Dr. John said: “It was way cool cutting this record with Dan and the crew he put together for it. It’s real hip.”

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Tom Hanks to Produce Green Day’s <em>American Idiot</em> Movie

After months of rumors and speculation, Green Day’s 2004 album, American Idiot, has been given the go-ahead to be made into a big-screen, feature film.

Universal has officially signed Tom Hanks to produce the upcoming adaptation in partnership with Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool, said Reuters.

Green Day and their label had been in talks for a while about a proposed big-screen adaptation of the Grammy-winning album, following the success of the one-act, all-sung American Idiot Broadway musical, directed by Michael Mayer.

Mayer will also direct the movie, and the creative team is currently in negotiations with Oscar-winning screenwriter (Milk) Dustin Lance Black to write the screenplay.

Meanwhile, open-call auditions for Green Day’s American Idiot Broadway music tour are underway. Toronto’s auditions are already wrapped up, while Chicago’s auditions happen 11 a.m. Saturday, April 16 at Actors Equity Building (557 West Randolph Street) and Boston’s are slated for 11 a.m. April 30 at Berklee College of Music (1140 Boylston Street).

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