Stephen Hawking is guest vocalist on new Pink Floyd album

Pink Floyd’s first studio album in two decades will be without estranged ex-member Roger Waters, but one vocalist from the last record is staying on – the physicist Stephen Hawking.

Song credits leaked onto the internet of Pink Floyd's The Endless River – one of the year's most eagerly anticipated new albums, out on November 7 – list a song with the acclaimed scientist entitled Talkin' Hawkin.

Hawking, who is paralysed due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also appeared on the conceptual rock legends' last album, The Division Bell. On the 1994 album's song Keep Talking, Hawking's computerised voice begins by saying: "For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination."

The song credits for The Endless River, earlier reported by the music site Consequence of Sound, also showed that keyboardist Richard Wright wrote or co-wrote 12 of the 18 songs even though he died in 2008.

The album does not include Waters – the driving force behind the classic album “The Wall” during whose recording Wright left the band. Waters quit Pink Floyd in 1985 and has been dismissive of his former bandmates’ subsequent work.

In a recent posting on Facebook, Waters described Pink Floyd as consisting of remaining band members David Gilmour and Nick Mason.

"I have nothing to do with Endless River. Phew! This is not rocket science people, get a grip," he wrote. – AFP

Debbie Harry to headline Lennon tribute concert

Debbie Harry will perform at the 34th annual John Lennon charity tribute concert in New York City in December.

The announcement Wednesday by the non-profit Theatre Within came a day before what would have been Lennon’s 74th birthday.

Other performers include Kate Pierson of the B-52s, Joan Osborne, Marshall Crenshaw and Ben E. King. The event will be held Dec. 5 at Symphony Space.

Yoko Ono said in a statement: “I share Theatre Within’s belief that music and the performing arts have a special power to bring people together and inspire us to make a positive difference. It’s beautiful that the Tribute continues to have such a powerful effect in John’s memory.”

Rock photographer Bob Gruen, who photographed Lennon during the years he lived in New York, will be honoured with the first-ever John Lennon Real Love Award.

Proceeds will benefit Lennon and Ono’s Spirit Foundation. Ticket prices are US$65, $85 and $105. – AP

7th Heaven actress Sarah Goldberg dead at 40

The actress Sarah Goldberg, who starred in the television series 7th Heaven and films including Jurassic Park III, has died at the age of 40.

Goldberg's mother, Judy Goldberg, told the Chicago Sun-Times that her daughter died in her sleep of natural causes on September 27 at the family's cabin in Wisconsin. She says a heart ailment is suspected, but that an autopsy failed to determine the exact cause of death.

Goldberg was born in Springfield and attended the Latin School of Chicago and Amherst College in Massachusetts. She started acting as an extra in the Julia Roberts movie My Best Friend's Wedding and as a college student seeking drugs in the Denzel Washington movie Training Day.

She also appeared on television in series like 90210, Judging Amy, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. – AP

Vienna Philharmonic receives Birgit Nilsson Prize

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra has been awarded the US$1 million Birgit Nilsson prize in a ceremony attended by Sweden’s royal couple. The ensemble said Wednesday the money will be used to expand its archives and make them more open to the public.

Earlier this year, the Philharmonic became the first orchestra to win the prize, which was launched in 2009 and endowed by Nilsson, the late Swedish soprano.

Previous winners have included opera star Placido Domingo and conductor Riccardo Muti.

In 2006, the Vienna Philharmonic was chosen as Europe’s finest orchestra by a panel of experts. Two years later, Gramophone Magazine called it the world’s third best. – AP

Paula Patton files for divorce from Robin Thicke

Paula Patton has filed for divorce from Robin Thicke and is asking for joint custody of their son.

The Precious and 2 Guns actress filed for divorce from the Blurred Lines and Give It 2 U singer Friday in Los Angeles, citing "irreconcilable differences."

The 38-year-old actress and 37-year-old singer announced they were separating in February after nine years of marriage. They have a 4-year-old son.

Patton was the inspiration behind much of Thicke’s music and appeared in some of his videos.

The crooner's latest album, Paula, sold only 24,000 units in the US when it was released in July. Thicke's previous album, Blurred Lines, sold 177,000 units when it debuted last year.

Thicke promoted Paula with several public appearances that were accompanied by reconciliation pleas. – AP