Some of rock’s most infamous relics are hitting the auction block.

A new sale from Potter & Potter Auctions, titled Punks, Monsters, Smut & Madmen: A Countercultural Cross-Section, is offering a selection of music memorabilia that ranges from the iconic to the downright bizarre—including a pair of GG Allin’s blood-signed underwear and strands of Kurt Cobain’s hair.

The Chicago-based auction house will open bidding on March 6, with a catalog featuring dozens of punk and grunge artifacts. Among the standout items is a pair of Allin’s personal underwear, reportedly signed in his own blood.

According to the listing, the briefs are “Blood-Signed and Inscribed Personal Underwear. N.d. Underwear briefs belonging to GG Allin.”

It continues: “Signed in blood over the fly and INSCRIBED ‘Suck my a– it smells’ to the reverse side. Stable; one hole near rear inscription; seemingly used; staining.” Infamous for his extreme stage presence and self-destructive performances, Allin’s memorabilia has long been sought after by collectors fascinated with punk’s most chaotic figure.

Cobain’s hair, meanwhile, is making a return to the auction circuit. Back in 2021, six strands of the late Nirvana frontman’s hair were sold for $14,145.

This time, only two strands are available, leading to speculation that the original buyer either retained the remaining pieces or is looking to capitalize on their investment. The listing states that the hair was originally obtained in Birmingham, England, in 1989 by Cobain’s friend Tessa Osbourne while Nirvana was on their Bleach tour.

This isn’t the first time Cobain-related memorabilia has made waves at auction. Items tied to the Nirvana frontman frequently command high prices, with his MTV Unplugged 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic guitar selling for a record-breaking $6 million in 2020, making it the most expensive guitar ever sold.

His cardigan from that same Unplugged performance fetched $334,000, while a paper plate with a setlist written on it sold for $22,400. Despite the more unusual nature of this auction, Cobain’s hair is expected to draw significant interest.

Beyond the Allin and Cobain items, the auction will feature an array of punk and rock memorabilia. Fans of New York’s legendary CBGB will find a storefront awning from the club’s defunct gift shop, as well as a piece of the venue’s dressing room wall, as well as signed items from punk icons like The Ramones and Dead Kennedys.

Paul McCartney is taking a trip back to the ‘70s for a new book, with Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run set to look at his post-Beatles band.

Scheduled for release on Nov. 4 via Liveright/W. W. Norton and Allen Lane/Penguin Press, the book is authored by McCartney and edited by historian Ted Widmer, featuring an in-depth personal account of the band, as told by McCartney, key players, and family members.

Wings was formed in 1971 by McCartney following the dissolution of The Beatles the previous year, the release of his self-titled debut album one week later, and the arrival of 1971’s Ram album with wife Linda. Recruiting Moody Blues co-founder Denny Laine and drummer Denny Seiwell, the band would continue until 1981, releasing a total of seven studio albums, including four consecutive records that topped the Billboard 200.

“I’m so very happy to be transported back to the time that was Wings and relive some of our madcap adventures through this book,” said McCartney in a statement. “Starting from scratch after The Beatles felt crazy at times. There were some very difficult moments and I often questioned my decision. But as we got better I thought, ‘OK this is really good.’ 

“We proved Wings could be a really good band. To play to huge audiences in the same way The Beatles had and have an impact in a different way. It was a huge buzz.”

A description of the book notes that it is “organized around nine Wings albums,” implying the narrative begins with 1971’s Ram and also includes 1976’s triple live record Wings over America. The volume also contains 150 black-and-white photographs, of which many are unseen, and focuses on many iconic stories of the band’s history, including how they “survive a robbery on the streets of Nigeria, appear unannounced at various university halls, [and] tour in a sheared-off double-decker bus with their children.”

“Wings was about love, family, friendship and artistic growth, often in the face of tremendous adversity,” adds Widmer. “It was a joy to relive the madcap adventures of a special band, by listening to their stories, and compiling this oral history.”

Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run comes following a number of recent happenings for the group, including a 50th anniversary reissue of 1973’s Band on the Run and the long-awaited arrival of the live record and film One Hand Clapping in 2024. A 50th anniversary reissue of 1975’s Venus and Mars is also scheduled to arrive on March 21.

Grupo Firme canceled a performance at a carnival scheduled for this Saturday (March 1) in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, after a message on a banner with alleged death threats attributed to a drug cartel appeared in its hometown of Tijuana. The regional Mexican music band confirmed on Wednesday (Feb. 26) the suspension of its concert in an official statement.

“We deeply regret informing you that the presentation of Grupo Firme for this March 1st at the Mazatlán Carnival is canceled,” reads the statement shared on the band’s Instagram Stories. “For Music VIP, the well-being of those who have accompanied us on this path — our family, which is you, our fans — is and will always be the most important thing. We hope to be able to meet again soon to sing, celebrate and continue making history together.”

The cancelation of the show — originally announced as part of the Carnaval de Mazatlán, which starts Thursday (Feb. 27) and lasts until March 4 — came after the discovery of an alleged narcomanta and a human head in a box on Tuesday (Feb. 25) in Tijuana. The fact was confirmed to Billboard Español by the Baja California State Prosecutor’s Office, which said that an investigation has already been opened.

Requests for comments sent by Billboard Español to Music VIP and a representative for Grupo Firme on Wednesday night weren’t answered at press time.

On Wednesday morning, the Sinaloa authorities had confirmed that the Mazatlán Carnival would go on without changes, after stating that there were security guarantees for Grupo Frontera and attendees. This announcement was made by the Secretary of the Government of Sinaloa, Feliciano Castro, at a press conference. But hours later, the band led by singer Eduin Caz announced what was imminent: The cancellation of their presentation at the event.

There, Grupo Firme was supposed to kick off the Mexican leg of its successful La Última Peda Tour, which included 14 dates in the country and two festivals in the U.S. The trek is produced by an alliance of promoters Music VIP, Music VIBE, Cohumanity and other companies.

The Mexican state of Sinaloa has seen over 800 homicides in the last five months, according to official figures reported by Spanish news agency EFE, since an internal struggle began last September between two factions of the cartel of the same name after the capture of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, co-founder of that criminal organization that now demands that the U.S. repatriate him to Mexico.

Grupo Firme now joins a series of regional Mexican acts that have received alleged threats from drug trafficking groups, forcing the cancellation of their performances in territories in conflict with criminal organizations. One of the most memorable cases is that of corridos superstar Peso Pluma, who had to cancel six shows, including a performance in Tijuana scheduled for October 2023, when alleged threats were issued against him by criminal groups.

After Viña del Mar postponed its Tuesday activities due to a massive blackout in Chile that left most of the country without power, the festival resumed on Wednesday (Feb. 26) with an electrifying performance by Carlos Vives. The Colombian superstar made his grand return to Viña — with his vibrant band La Provincia in tow — for a remarkable fifth time in his 30-year career, and seven years since his last performance there in 2018.

Transporting the Quinta Vergara to his hometown of Santa Marta, Colombia, Vives took the stage shortly after 7:50 p.m. ET and kicked off with the vallenato anthem “Pa’ Mayte,” which of course got the entire audience on their feet. The accordion-powered track, one of Vives’ earliest hits, definitely set the tone for the rest of the set, with the Latin Grammy-winning artist winding through his most iconic songs, including “‘Ella Es Mi Fiesta,” “Fruta Fresca,” “La Gota Fría” and “La Tierra del Olvido.”

“Good night, Viña,” Vives greeted the crowd — most often referred to as the monster for their high standards for festival performers. Looking like a total rockstar and working the entire stage singing, dancing and playing the harmonica, the 63-year-old hitmaker was in awe of the crowd’s embrace. “Where are the people who are going to ride the bike with me tonight? Where are the cumbia dancers?” The bike referencing “La Bicicleta,” his song with Shakira, which he also performed tonight. For that specific song, he joined the crowd, at times dancing alongside fans.

One of the most special moments of the night was when Vives returned to the crowd area to serenade his wife Claudia Elena Vásquez with “Volví a Nacer,” his performance sealed with a passionate kiss. “I want to share with you something very special, this song was composed during a difficult moment of my life,” he prefaced the song. “We all spend difficult nights, but we know that the next day the sun rises. I composed this song for a person at a very special moment and from this song things changed in my life, and I want to dedicate it to everyone because I know that at some point we will all be born again.”

“Thank you Chile, thank you Latin America for these 30 years,” Vives said before the crowd awarded him the Gaviota de Plata. Shortly after, former Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo handed the singer his very own national team jersey — a special gift for the self-proclaimed soccer fan.

In another emotional moment, Vives remembered his compadre Egidio Cuadrado, wishing him a heavenly birthday. His longtime accordionist, who would have turned 72 today, died in October. He went on to sing “Carito,” which they wrote together. During that performance, a little girl dressed in a gorgeous dressed with the colors of the Colombian flag took the stage with Vives and showed off her dance moves, immediately stealing the spotlight.

Right after receiving the Gaviota de Oro, Vives brought out fellow colombiano Sebastián Yatra to sing “Robarte Un Beso.” Yatra returns to the amphitheater on Saturday (March 1) for his own set. Vives closed his riveting set with “Cuando Nos Volvamos a Encontrar.”

“Thank you, Viña,” he expressed before leaving the Quinta Vergara stage.

Later tonight, Mexican music star Carín León will close day three of the festival.

On Thursday (Feb. 27), Viña will continue with Incubus, Juan Carlos López and The Cult; Feb. 28, urban night, with headliner Duki, Eladio Carrión and Kid Voodoo; and, rescheduled from Tuesday night, on March 1 Colombia’s Morat and Sebastián Yatra will close out this year’s edition of Viña del Mar.

A U.S. federal court judge has ruled that Ultra Music Publishing must change its name within six months after a jury found that the company breached the “Ultra” trademark owned by the Sony Music-owned Ultra Records.

Ultra Music Publishing is owned by Patrick Moxey, who also founded Ultra Records in 1995 and sold his remaining 50% share of the label to Sony Music in 2021. Sony brought the lawsuit against Ultra Music Publishing the following year, attesting that Moxey (who founded the publishing company in 2004) had signed away his rights to the trademark after selling his stake in the Ultra label.

At the December trial, lawyers for Sony/Ultra Records argued that the label had impliedly licensed the Ultra trademark to the publishing company but that, after terminating that license in March 2022, the publishing company had continued to use the trademark in bad faith. The jury in the case agreed, also finding that the Ultra mark was distinctive, that Ultra Music Publishing was in breach of the license and that its use of the Ultra name was “likely to dilute [Ultra] Records’ Ultra trademark.”

However, the jury also found that Ultra Music Publishing’s use of the trademark wasn’t “likely to cause confusion among [Ultra Music] Publishing’s customers, and that [Ultra] Records suffered no
damage from Publishing’s breach of the license.” As a result, the jury awarded no damages or legal costs to Sony/Ultra Records.

“Independent music companies are always facing challenges from major corporations, who are threatened more than ever by their increasing success,” said Moxey in a statement sent to Billboard following Tuesday’s ruling. “With 13 songwriters nominated across seven categories at this year’s Grammys, and their participation in winning Album of the Year, R&B Album of the Year, and Rap Album of the Year, we are proud of the many successes of the songwriters we represent. Our roster of talented writers and producers, alongside our executive team will keep doing what they do best — delivering the exceptional work that has made us who we are. Nothing changes except the name.”

Sony Music declined to comment on the ruling.

Though the trademark case is now resolved, the legal battle between Sony Music and the publisher isn’t over. Last November, Moxey’s Ultra International Music Publishing and Ultra Music Publishing Europe sued Sony Music Entertainment and its subsidiaries — including Ultra Records — over allegations of copyright infringement, claiming Sony and its affiliates had been using Ultra Publishing’s compositions without a license. Last week, Sony Music Entertainment asked a judge to throw out that lawsuit, calling the complaint an act of “retaliation” against the major label for filing its trademark suit against the publishing outfit two years prior. That case is ongoing.