Search results for john beat

Promising Producer John Beat ‘s Artistic Evolution From “Cycle” To “Dime Que” 

18-year-old producer John Beat ‘s journey has been marked by growth, and his latest single “Dime Que,” stands as a testament to his evolving artistry. Reflecting on his previous releases like “Cycle” and “Northern Star,” the up-and-coming musician discusses his artistic development and the exciting new dimension he’s introducing to his sound.

With each song, Beat crafts a unique world, exploring different genres and flavors. “Cycle,” in particular, saw him delving into new musical territories, showcasing his various talents and desire to experiment. He acknowledges that his production skills have strengthened over time, leading to more refined releases that resonate deeply.

Beat ‘s philosophy centers around pushing boundaries and embracing versatility. His curiosity for Latin music has sparked new ideas, hinting at the diverse elements to be expected in his upcoming releases. “Dime Que” unveils merely the initial glimpse of what awaits, boasting an irresistible fusion of captivating melodies and lyrics that strike a chord.

With every chapter of  John Beat ’s journey, he continues to carve a niche not through competition, but through a genuine passion for creating music that connects with listeners on a profound level. Full of confidence and a strong sense of purpose, the artist combines familiar emotions with a modern twist, greatly increasing the chances of his songs becoming popular hits.

Continuously venturing into new territories and stretching his boundaries, John Beat is gearing up to unveil a series of exciting releases. A music video is also on the horizon, poised to mesmerize fans and illuminate his extraordinary imagination. With his most recent drop, “Dime Que,” John brings forth an alluring ambiance, giving his listeners a sneak peek into the thrilling journey that lies ahead.

Check out the lyric video below:

Listen to the song on Spotify:

John Lennon and The Beatles memorabilia to be sold as NFTs

John Lennon‘s eldest son Julian is set to sell a range of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) featuring digitised pieces of Lennon and Beatles memorabilia from his person collection.

The online auction will take place on Julien’s Auctions on February 7, with Julian Lennon offering music fans the chance to “own a piece of music history”.

• READ MORE: WTF is an NFT? Kings Of Leon’s weird non-fungible token thing – explained!

While Julian will keep the physical items from his collection, bidders will have the chance to buy NFT versions of the memorabilia in the auction. Each item, which will be presented as an audio-visual collectible, will include narration by Lennon’s son and imagery of the item in question.

Paul McCartney says he still wonders if The Beatles would’ve reunited if John Lennon had lived

Paul McCartney has said that he still wonders about whether The Beatles would’ve ever reunited had John Lennon lived.

The 40th anniversary of Lennon’s death fell earlier this month. The musician was shot and killed outside his apartment building in New York on December 8, 1980.

• Read more: Every John Lennon solo album ranked in order of greatness

Speaking to CBS’ Sunday Morning programme over the weekend to mark the release of his latest solo album ‘McCartney III’, McCartney reflected on the tragedy of Lennon’s murder (“it was just so senseless”) and gave his view on whether Lennon would still be making music if he were alive today.

Watch Joni Mitchell covers Elton John’s ‘I’m Still Standing’ at Gershwin Prize tribute show

Joni Mitchell has covered Elton John‘s hit song ‘I’m Still Standing’ during the Gershwin Prize Tribute concert. Check it out now.

Sir Elton and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin were the recipients of the Library of Congress 2024 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, with the celebration concert taking place last month at DAR Revolution Hall in Washington D.C. and aired last night (Monday April 8) on PBS.

Mitchell – who was honoured with the award last year – took the stage to perform a rendition of the 1983 song alongside a backing band comprised of Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Blake Mills, and Davey Johnstone.

Congratulations to @eltonofficial for receiving the 2024 Gershwin Prize for most Popular Song, alongside Bernie Taupin!You won’t want to miss the tribute concert, premiering on @PBS stations nationwide tonight at 8 p.m. ET! pic.twitter.com/zxqwTNsAWu

— Joni Mitchell (@jonimitchell) April 8, 2024

An Audience With… John Sinclair

It’s almost 60 years since John Sinclair co-founded The Detroit Artists Workshop, hoping to stir up some radical jazz action; a terrific new compilation on Strut is testament to his efforts in that field. But by 1968, Sinclair had achieved greater notoriety as manager of the incendiary rock group MC5, affiliating them with his White Panther Party and proposing a “total assault on the culture by any means necessary, including rock’n’roll, dope, and fucking in the streets”.

DAVID BOWIE IS ON THE COVER OF THE LATEST UNCUT – ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

Sinclair spent two years in prison on trumped-up marijuana charges before a freedom rally headlined by John Lennon and Yoko Ono hastened his release. Since then, he’s recorded more than 20 albums of jazzy beat poetry, as well as almost 1,000 shows for Radio Free Amsterdam. But now he’s back in downtown Detroit, feeling glummer than ever about the prospects of cultural revolution.

Liam Gallagher John Squire Liam Gallagher John Squire

Imagine the Stone Roses with an immeasurably better singer modelled on Ian Brown, or Oasis with a dazzling lead guitarist. Liam Gallagher and John Squire have, and the resulting album plays to their strengths. Though coming almost out of the blue, it’s the most logical team-up among the remnants of Manchester’s old indie-rock imperium, currently awash with severed alliances searching for completion.

PINK FLOYD ARE ON THE COVER OF THE NEW UNCUT – ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

Liam and Noel were a more extreme version of Morrissey and Marr’s sundering of stellar charisma and musical genius, with Liam’s songwriting vestigial when Oasis split in 2009, and Noel’s vocals reserved for sensitive, doubting songs Our Kid couldn’t sing. Innately cautious, Noel’s albums have nudged at the edges of Oasis’s formula, finding on last year’s Council Skies a sweet spot between middle-aged reflection on his Burnage past and canny Oasis-esque bangers. Liam also hinted at maturity on 2022’s C’mon You Know, but he’s generally been laser-focused on claiming Oasis’s essence and audience for himself, replaying Knebworth, and Definitely Maybe on June’s upcoming 30^th-anniversary tour.

Four Beatles biopics to be directed by Sam Mendes

Listen to Liam Gallagher and John Squire’s huge collaborative single, ‘Just Another Rainbow’

Liam Gallagher and John Squire have shared their long-awaited debut collaborative single ‘Just Another Rainbow’ – check it out below.

• READ MORE: Liam Gallagher & John Squire: Manchester icons collide on ‘Just Another Rainbow’ – but is it any good?

Officially announced last month after months of teasing – with Gallagher hailing their upcoming record as “the best record since [The Beatles’] ‘Revolver’” – the first taster of the project from the former Oasis frontman and Stone Roses guitarist arrives today (January 5) in the form of the psychedelic lead single ‘Just Another Rainbow’.

Opening with a trademark floral but crunching Squires riff before Gallagher growls “I might have known this would be just another rainbow“, the track soon blooms into a ’60s-indebted psych track complete with a wailing and star-gazing guitar solo.

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NME‘s review of ‘Just Another Rainbow’ noted that the song’s “willingness to stretch out and groove is at odds with the pop-driven ‘C’Mon You Know’ [Gallagher’s 2022 solo album]” – as well as noting “hints of Cream in Squire’s performance and structures” and “even something of The Rolling Stones in the way Liam drawls: “just another rainbow, hanging over me / just another rainbow, dropping on my tree”.”

‘Just Another Rainbow’ comes ahead of what the duo promise as “more new music to follow as the year unfolds”. The single is available to pre-order on 7” vinyl here.

A video is on the way, but the duo have this week shared the below teaser trailer.

“To me the most obvious take on ‘Just Another Rainbow’ is that it’s about disappointment, and the sentiment is that you never get what you really want,” said Squire in a statement. “But I don’t like to explain songs, I think that’s the privilege of the listener, it’s whatever you want it to be. To me, it’s also one of the most uplifting tracks we’ve made together, which is weird.”

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While ‘Just Another Rainbow’ is the first taster of the long-mooted joint album, a press release from the Manchester indie legends has confirmed that “there will be much more new music to come – and there could well be shows, too”. Speaking of their collaboration, Gallagher hailed Squire as “a top songwriter”.

“Everyone always bangs on about him as a guitarist, but he’s a top songwriter too, man, no two ways about it as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “There’s not enough of his music out there, whether it’s with the Roses or himself. It’s good to see him back writing songs and fucking good ones.

“The melodies are mega and then the guitars are a given. But I think even when you take all the fucking guitars off, you can play the songs all on acoustic and they’ll all still blow your mind.”

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The first show that Gallagher ever attended was Stone Roses at the International 2 in Manchester when he was 16-years-old, with the pair meeting four years later Oasis and the Roses were both recording at Monmouth in Wales on what would become ‘Definitely Maybe’ and ‘The Second Coming’. Gallagher and Squire remained friends, later working together to write ‘Love Me and Leave Me’ the latter’s band The Seahorses, who also toured as guests to Oasis.

After the guitarist joined Gallagher onstage at Knebworth in 2022 to play on ‘Champagne Supernova’ – just as he did with Oasis in 1996 – Squire then sent over three songs which Gallagher dubbed “all mega” before they began writing in earnest and working remotely while citing Jimi Hendrix, Sex Pistols, The Faces, Bob Marley and The Bee Gees as influences.

The project then grew as Gallagher attended Squire’s studio in Macclesfield, before completing sessions in Los Angeles for three weeks of sessions with producer Greg Kurstin [Adele, Foo Fighters, Sia]. Kurstin also played bass on the record, while drums were provided by Beck, R.E.M. and Atoms For Peace drummer Joey Waronker.

While admitting that he’s “not involved in any way whatsoever”, former Oasis guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs – who still plays live with Gallagher – recently revealed that he’s he’s heard the collaborative album in full.

“I’m not going to tell you anything. I’m going to keep you all in suspense,” he said. “I’m not gonna say it’s this, that or whatever, but I’ve heard it from start to finish, and I’ll keep you all going, ‘Go on, tell us, tell us, tell us’.”

Bonehead continued to explain that it wasn’t “for [him] to say” anything more about the record. “I shall leave it to the man himself,” he said, adding: “It’s very good.”

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Gallagher spoke of his long-held love for Stone Roses in his Firsts interview with NME, which you can watch above.

Asked about the first artists he ever fell in love with, Gallagher replied: “Our kid [Noel] was into The Smiths, but they were a little too early for me and a little too student-y, kind of – but the Roses were a bit more laddy. Not as laddy as us, but it felt a bit more right.”

He continued: “The first record I ever bought was The Stone Roses debut album. I know this is all sounding very cool and people won’t believe me, but it is – I’m just cool.”

Gallagher went on to explain how the first band t-shirt and CD he ever owned were by Stone Roses as he was “obsessed with them” after they were also his first gig. “It blew my mind,” he said of that show at Manchester International 2 in 1988, “and that was when I wanted to join a band.”

Last month, Gallagher led fans into the announcement by hailing his collaborator as “without a doubt the best guitarist of his generation and in the world in my opinion” before Squire returned the favour by calling him “one of the all time great rock and roll voices. I put him in the same class as Dylan, Lennon, Jagger and Rotten.”

Squire has been working as a celebrated visual artist away from his work with Stone Roses, who split once again after their final gig in Glasgow in 2017. The Stone Roses initially reformed in 2011, after their first split in 1996. In 2016, they release two singles with ‘All For One‘ and ‘Beautiful Thing‘.

Gallagher will be hitting the road in 2024 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Oasis’ seminal debut ‘Definitely Maybe‘.

The Beatles top charts with ‘Now And Then’ 60 years after first Number One

The Beatles have topped the charts with their “final” track ‘Now And Then’ – six decades after they secured their first Number One.

Released earlier this month, the track was billed as the last song from the Fab Four and stemmed from an old John Lennon demo tape – completed by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr with the help of AI.

It also came alongside both a short video documenting their time completing the project and a Peter Jackson-directed music video that included previously unearthed footage of the band.

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Now it has been confirmed that the long-awaited track has gone on to top the charts – 60 years since the band claimed their first Number One track.

This feat means that McCartney and co. now boast the longest period between an artist’s first and last Number One single – with their first being ‘From Me to You’ in May 1963 (60 years and six months ago). Previously, Elvis Presley held the record with 47 years and six months between his 1957 hit ‘All Shook Up’ and a reissue of ‘It’s Now or Never’ that was released in 2005.

‘Now And Then’ reaching peak position on the charts also marks the longest gap ever between Number One singles. This comes as the rock veterans last reached Number One 54 years ago with ‘The Ballad of John and Yoko’ (1969.) Prior to the “final” track Kate Bush held the record for 44 years between ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1978) and’ Running Up That Hill’ (2022).

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The band secured the top spot with 78,200 combined UK chart units (including both sales and streaming).

Other accomplishments with the chart-topping single include being the fastest-selling single of the year to date – with 48,000 in the first seven days of release – and the fastest-selling vinyl single of the century so far, selling 19,400 copies.

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It has also reached the biggest one-week physical sales in almost a decade (38,000), beating The X Factor 2014 winner Ben Haenow’s ‘Something I Need’.

In terms of streaming, the track now marks the most-streamed Beatles track in one week ever – clocking in 5.03million streams compared to the previous record set by ‘Here Comes the Sun’ (1.05million in seven days in 2021).

Finally, since the release of ‘Now And Then’, The Beatles have become the British act with the most Number One singles ever – securing 18 chart-topping tracks – and the oldest band ever to score a UK Number One single.

“It’s mind boggling. It’s blown my socks off,” said McCartney of the impressive number of accolades captured by the song. “It’s also a very emotional moment for me. I love it!”

Martin Talbot, Chief Executive Officer of the Official Charts Company recalled the accomplishments set by Macca and Starr too, adding: “Beatlemania has returned this week – and what an amazing few days it has been for The Fab Four.

“The return of John, Paul, George and Ringo with the last ever Beatles single, Now And Then, has cemented their legend by breaking a catalogue of records – and in doing so underlined the extraordinary scope of their enduring appeal, across all the generations, with huge numbers of streams, downloads and vinyl singles.”

He continued: “If there were ever any doubts that The Beatles are the greatest band of all time, they have surely consigned them to history this week.”

In other Beatles news, earlier this week it was reported that Ringo Starr initially had doubts that the band’s success would last.

“None of us thought it would last a week,” he said. “Paul was going to write, I was going to open a hairdresser’s, George would get a garage. But it went on and then it ended. And at the right time, I think. But, you know, that didn’t stop us playing with each other.”

Elsewhere, the surviving members have continued the run of new material this month – releasing new expanded editions of ‘1962-1966 (The Red Album)’ and ‘1967-1970 (The Blue Album)’, mixed in stereo and Dolby, today (November 10).

Mick Jagger says The Beatles were “just a blues cover band when they started out”

Mick Jagger has responded yet again to Paul McCartney‘s comment that The Beatles were a superior band to The Rolling Stones.

McCartney made the comments in an interview with Howard Stern in 2020, when he agreed with the host’s assertion that his band were better.

“[The Stones] are rooted in the blues. When they are writing stuff, it has to do with the blues. We had a little more influences,” McCartney said. “There’s a lot of differences, and I love the Stones, but I’m with you. The Beatles were better.”

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When asked for his response at the time to Zane Lowe, Jagger said: “That’s so funny. He’s a sweetheart. There’s obviously no competition.

“The big difference, though, is and sort of slightly seriously, is that The Rolling Stones is a big concert band in other decades and other areas when The Beatles never even did an arena tour, Madison Square Garden with a decent sound system. They broke up before that business started, the touring business for real.”

Now in a new interview with The Times, he has commented again on McCartney’s words.

“He said the Beatles were better than the Stones because the Stones were really just a blues cover band,” Jagger said.

“Well, the Beatles were also really just a blues cover band when they started out. Every band is a cover band at the beginning, because that’s how it goes.”

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Jagger went on to explain that following McCartney’s comments he’d often say when the band were on tour, that “someone is in the audience when they’re actually not, to create a big moment, so I said one time, ‘Paul McCartney is here tonight. He’s going to come up on stage and play some of our blues cover tunes.”

He added: “I texted Paul to say thank you for his comment because it has given me a lot of comic material.”

McCartney features on The Rolling Stones track ‘Bite My Head Off’ from their forthcoming new album ‘Hackney Diamonds‘, which is out on October 20. You can pre-order/pre-save it here.

Speaking about McCartney’s appearance on the track playing bass, Keith Richards recently said: “Paul happened to be in town…And we couldn’t keep him away, bless his heart.

“And hey, if you can get one of the Beatles on your track, you know, you do it.”

He also said that John Lennon and George Harrison would have fitted into The Rolling Stones.

Paul McCartney launches ‘A Life In Lyrics’ podcast by explaining The Beatles’ ‘Eleanor Rigby’

Paul McCartney has launched his ‘A Life In Lyrics‘ podcast today (October 4) with the first episode breaking down the creation of The Beatles‘ ‘Eleanor Rigby’.

• READ MORE: The Beatles: every song ranked in order of greatness

The 12-part series which is based on the best-selling book, is hosted by the poet Paul Muldoon, who wrote the foreword to The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, will give listeners an unrivalled opportunity to sit in on conversations between McCartney and Muldoon.

Episode one sees Macca break down the Beatles track ‘Eleanor Rigby’. He explained where the title for the song came from, sharing that the name for the song came from a grave that he and his late bandmate John Lennon saw.

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“There is a grave which John and I wandered around endlessly talking about our future,” he recalled in the podcast. “And there is a grave there [with the name Eleanor Rigby]. I don’t remember ever having seeing that gravestone but it’s been suggested to me that psychologically I would have seen it”

He also shared where the famous lyric “Wearing a Face That She Keeps in a Jar by the Door” originated from, attributing the words to his mother and her love and use of Nivea cold cream.

“My mum’s favourite was Nivea and I love it to this day. It kind of scared me a little that women used quite so much cold cream, and it was my dread, when I got older and got married, that I would marry someone who would [wear a lot of cold cream] and put one of those big shower caps on and the curlers and have masses of things… So that played on my mind quite a bit, so she’s wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door,” he said.

Macca revealed that he had envisioned the track as a narrative film and said: “What I was seeing was like a film, just in my imagination. I’ve got two protagonists that are lonely, she and then him. You don’t feel so sorry for him, but he’s lonely. So ‘all the lonely people now’, becomes the chorus… She dies and he’s the one who buries her, and he’s wiping his hands as he walks from the grave, ‘no one was saved’ and that’s the wrap up to the story”

Elsewhere in the episode, the legendary musician gave some insight on his love for songwriting “Oh my God, I wanted to become a person who wrote songs,” he said, “And I wanted to be someone whose life was in music.”

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He also discussed his aversion to classical music training, explaining how the marjoity of musicians from his generation can’t read music. He went on to say that when he is teaching a kid how to play piano, he usually shows them a few chords to get started. “You get C, D Minor, E Minor, F, G, A Minor, right there, that’s like most of the Beatles songs. That’s more than you need to know,” he said.

‘McCartney: A Life In Lyrics’ was co-produced by Pushkin Industries and iHeartPodcasts. Superfans can binge all of the first season immediately with a Pushkin+ subscription. A new episode will come out every week.

Season one will feature 12 episodes and Season 2 will follow with an additional 12 episodes set for release in February of 2024.

In other Beatles news, Ringo Starr has recently said that the “final” Beatles song – which has been made with help from AI –  “should have been out already”.

Speaking as part of a new interview with AP News, Starr has shed light on the supposed release date for the long-awaited track – explaining that it was supposed to have been already released by now.

“The rumours were that we just made it up. Like we would do that anyway… This is the last track, ever, that you’ll get the four Beatles on the track. John, Paul, George, and Ringo.”

When asked about when fans can expect to hear the track or find out the title, he responded: “It should’ve been out already.”

Keith Richards says John Lennon and George Harrison would have fitted into The Rolling Stones

Keith Richards has said that John Lennon and George Harrison would have fitted into The  Rolling Stones in a new interview.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Richards opened up about The Beatles and the rivalry between the band’s fans in the sixties.

Richards explained: “I don’t think John Lennon would have had much problem fitting into the Stones, or George, if you can imagine that sort of thing happening.”

The Beatles Revolver: Special Edition

Elton John reschedules Liverpool shows due to Eurovision

Elton John has confirmed he’s moving two of his ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ headline shows to avoid preparations for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

READ MORE: Elton John: “I’m not interested in the past – not even Elton John’s past”

John was set to play at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena on April 22 and 23 2023 but following the news that the venue will be hosting Eurovision 2023, the shows have been shifted forwards to March 23 and 24. Original tickets remain valid.

Easy Life share downbeat single ‘Fortune Cookie’ ahead of new album ‘Maybe In Another Life’

Easy Life have shared the final single from their forthcoming album ‘Maybe In Another Life’, which is out later this week.

• READ MORE: Easy Life on Kevin Abstract joining them at Glastonbury 2022: “He’s a very inspiring dude”

The downbeat track, ‘Fortune Cookie’, which you can listen to below, follows previous singles ‘Antifreeze’, ‘OTT’ (feat. BENEE), ‘Dear Miss Holloway’ (feat. Kevin Abstract) and ‘BEESWAX’.

“‘FORTUNE COOKIE‘ is the last song on our new album and was written as a message to the band,” they said. “Over the last few years, we’ve had a lot of ups and downs and sometimes we all need reminding of what’s important. The song was inspired by Randy Newman and I remember when we first stumbled across the chords, I’ve been playing them every day since, I’m obsessed. I really hope you dig it, take care xxx.”

Letter John Lennon signed on day of his murder is up for auction

A letter that John Lennon signed on day of his murder in 1980 is going on auction.

• READ MORE: From the archives – NME‘s obituary on John Lennon

The late Beatle‘s signature is displayed on a legal document that is up for auction through Gotta Have Rock and Roll tomorrow (October 4). You can view it here.

The typed letter lists three people to whom Lennon gave his proxy to vote at an annual meeting for the Beatles corporations that was happening nine days later in London.

Listen to ‘Take 1′ of The Beatles’ ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’

The first take of The Beatles’ ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ has been released – you can listen to the studio outtake below.

The track forms part of a new special deluxe edition of the legendary band’s 1966 album ‘Revolver’, which is set for release on October 28.

• READ MORE: 20 things you didn’t know about The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’

Recorded during the first ‘Revolver’ recording session on April 6, 1966 in Studio Three at EMI Studios (now called Abbey Road Studios), The Beatles were joined by their producer George Martin, recording engineer Geoff Emerick and technical engineer Ken Townsend.

The Beatles unveil Revolver Special Edition

Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and AC/DC’s Brian Johnson join forces at Taylor Hawkins tribute concert

Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and AC/DC’s Brian Johnson joined forces at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert at Wembley Stadium tonight (September 3).

The special gig honoured the late Foo Fighters drummer with performances from Liam Gallagher, Mark Ronson, Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Supergrass, Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde, Blink-182’s Travis Barker, Kesha, and more.

• READ MORE: Taylor Hawkins, 1972 – 2022: Foo Fighters drummer who always stole the show

The surviving members of Foo Fighters introduced Ulrich and Johnson on stage midway through the night. “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage our good buddy Lars and Brian Johnson from AC fucking DC,” Grohl said. The pair hugged the band as they appeared from the wings and joined the group for two songs.

Julian Lennon was “shocked” by Paul McCartney’s virtual John Lennon duet

Julian Lennon has discussed how he was initially “shocked” by Paul McCartney‘s recent virtual duet with his late father, John Lennon.

At the start of his North American tour and again at Glastonbury, McCartney performed a virtual duet with his former Beatles bandmate courtesy of technology created by The Lord Of The Rings and Get Back director Peter Jackson.

At the shows, McCartney and Lennon traded verses on the song ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’, with Jackson having isolated Lennon’s vocal for the team-up. “I’ve got a special little thing here,” McCartney said when introducing that track. “One day, Peter Jackson rings me up and says he can take John’s vocals and isolate them so that you can play live with John on tour. He said, ‘Do you fancy that?’

Timbaland and Swizz Beatz sue Triller for £23million over ‘VERZUZ’ sale

Timbaland and Swizz Beatz have sued Triller for $28million (£23m) over claims of non-payment after the recent sale of their popular VERZUZ series.

VERZUZ is the popular entertainment series that pits producers, songwriters and artists against each other in a rap battle style format.

• READ MORE: Timbaland and Swizz Beatz on VERZUZ battle series: “We want to celebrate the architects of good music”

Kicking off in March 2020 after Timbaland and Swizz Beatz issued challenges to one another, artists that have taken part so far have included T-Pain, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Brandy, Monica, Rick Ross, DMX, Snoop Dogg, D’Angelo and many more.

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Last year, the rights for the series were sold to Triller, who livestream the events on their app.

In a new lawsuit seen by Billboard, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz claim that Triller owe them £23m and have been defaulting in previously agreed payments.

The suit goes on to claim that while the pair received payments as planned in January and April 2021, a payment that was due in January of this year has still not arrived.

A new payment plan was then reportedly agreed, but the money from that has still not come through.

Speaking about VERZUZ previously to NME, Timbaland said: “Well, it’s not really a battle – it’s a celebration of our heroes in music, the ones who make us feel a certain type of way. Given what’s currently going on in the world, it’s a way to give back.

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“It’s also an education, it’s educating people on the music, its creators and where this feeling comes from.”

A brutal letter John Lennon wrote to Paul McCartney is up for auction

A heated letter that John Lennon once wrote to his estranged Beatles bandmate, Paul McCartney, has been sent to auction.

• READ MORE: Paul McCartney live at Glastonbury 2022: history-making rock’n’Grohl with The Boss

The letter came as a response to McCartney’s interview in the November 20, 1971 issue of Melody Maker, which among other topics, saw him wax lyrical on the relationship between Lennon and his widow, Yoko Ono, and the dissolution of The Beatles’ business partnership. Typewritten and inscribed with notes scrawled in pen, the letter runs for three pages and is addressed to “Paul, Linda, et all the wee McCartneys”.

In it, Lennon riffed on the minutiae of The Beatles’ royalty-sharing arrangement, implying that he disagreed with the way McCartney was compensated directly from royalties that should have belonged to their self-run label, Apple Records. 

Listen to Carly Rae Jepsen’s upbeat new song ‘Beach House’

Carly Rae Jepsen has today (August 5) shared a new song – listen to ‘Beach House’ below.

• READ MORE: Carly Rae Jepsen: “My relationship with ‘Call Me Maybe’ was a rollercoaster”

It’s the latest offering from Jepsen’s upcoming new album, ‘The Loneliest Time‘, which the musician announced earlier this week.

The album will arrive on October 21 via 604/Schoolboy/Interscope. Collaborators on the new project include include Tavish Crowe, Rostam Batmanglij, Bullion, Captain Cuts, John Hill, Kyle Shearer and Alex Hope.

Johnny Depp surprise releases new single ‘The Death And Resurrection Show’

Johnny Depp has shared a new single, ‘The Death And Resurrection Show’. Listen below.

Announced via the actor-musician’s Instagram yesterday (July 8), Depp’s new track is a cover of the titular 2003 song by English rock band Killing Joke.

Paul McCartney duets virtually with John Lennon for Glastonbury headline set

Paul McCartney duetted virtually with John Lennon during tonight’s Glastonbury headline set (June 25).

Following the surprise arrival of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Bruce Springsteen during his set on the Pyramid stage, he linked up with former Beatles bandmate, the late Lennon during ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’.

Speaking to the crowd, McCartney revealed that the idea came from Peter Jackson, the director of the recent extensive documentary Get Back, which was based on the studio sessions for the band’s final album ‘Let It Be’.

Beabadoobee tells us about her new album ‘Beatopia’ at Glastonbury 2022

Beabadoobee has told NME about her upcoming second album ‘Beatopia’ during a backstage interview at Glastonbury 2022.

The returning Dirty Hit-signed artist made her debut appearance at the Worthy Farm festival earlier today (June 25), playing on the John Peel Stage.

• READ MORE: The story of Glastonbury 2022 in glorious photos

“It was much more of a physical thing when I was seven,” she explained of the “dream world” behind ‘Beatopia’, which she invented in 2007. “I thought I could literally be in this world – I think it was just a way of escaping everything that was happening in life at that time, and then I forgot about it because shit happened. Then I just realised that I could finally accept it now and I could make a whole album about it and find myself within it.”

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The record, which will be released on July 15, is less about escapism, however, and more about “tackling things that you pushed under the rug for ages”.

“It’s very liberating,” the musician commented on being able to process those life events in her songs. “When you write songs [about them] it’s a positive outcome, especially when you’re writing about something that wasn’t necessarily positive.”

Among the tracklist – which includes the previously released ‘Talk’, ‘Lovesong’, ‘10:36’ and ‘See You Soon’ – is a collaboration with PinkPantheress called ‘Tinkerbell Is Overrated’. “She’s just my mate,” Beabadoobee explained of the team-up. “We’re in the same scene and around the same age. It just kind of happened, we were just in the studio together – I had the song already and she just jumped on it.”

Yesterday saw the first main day of music at Glastonbury 2022, with a Pyramid Stage headline set from Billie Eilish, Foals closing out The Other Stage, an opening set from The Libertines, and performances from the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Little Simz, Sugababes, Wet Leg, St Vincent, IDLES, Sam Fender, Yard Act, Sleaford Mods and many more.

After an intimate warm-up gig in Frome, Paul McCartney will close the Pyramid Stage tonight after a day that will see performances from Noel Gallagher, HAIM, Megan Thee Stallion, Jamie T, Yungblud, The Avalanches, Burna Boy, Jessie Ware and many more. Find the full line-up and set times here.

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Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Glastonbury 2022.

John Williams to retire from scoring films after ‘Indiana Jones 5’

John Williams, famed composer behind the film scores for Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Harry Potter and more is set to retire scoring films after completing his work on the upcoming Indiana Jones 5 film.

• READ MORE: 10 Elvis songs for people who think they don’t like Elvis

In an interview with Associated Press, Williams, 90, revealed, “At the moment I’m working on Indiana Jones 5, which Harrison Ford – who’s quite a bit younger than I am – I think has announced will be his last film,”

“So, I thought: If Harrison can do it, then perhaps I can, also.”

Boris Johnson thinks Eurovision 2023 should be held in Ukraine: “I hope they get it”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said Ukraine should be given the chance to host Eurovision 2023 after it was confirmed that talks were underway to potentially bring next year’s contest to the UK.

Ukrainian group Kalush Orchestra won this year’s song competition with a huge 631 points, and it was therefore set to be staged in the country in 2023.

• READ MORE: Eurovision 2022: Ukraine beats Sam Ryder into second at hope-filled pop bash

However, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced “with deep regret” yesterday (June 17) that it will not be possible to do so amid the threat of the ongoing Russian invasion.

Watch Florence + The Machine cover John Lennon’s ‘Jealous Guy’

Florence + The Machine has covered John Lennon‘s ‘Jealous Guy’ in the studio – check out the performance below.

• READ MORE: Florence + The Machine – ‘Dance Fever’ review: the triumphant sound of a singer reborn

Florence Welch and co. performed the cover while appearing on SiriusXM, performing a number of tracks from new album ‘Dance Fever’ as well as the version of Lennon’s famous track, first released on 1971 album ‘Imagine’.

‘Dance Fever’ was released last month and beat Kendrick Lamar‘s Mr Morale & The Big Steppers’ to top spot in the UK charts, marking the band’s fourth UK Number One album following 2009 debut ‘Lungs’, follow up ‘Ceremonials’ and 2015’s ‘How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful’.

Johnny Depp once gave Marilyn Manson a pill “so that he would stop talking so much”

Johnny Depp has opened up about his drug use during his defamation suit against ex-wife Amber Heard, mentioning his interactions with Marilyn Manson.

The actor has been permitted by a Virginia judge to pursue his case against his ex-wife, suing her for defamation over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she wrote about surviving domestic violence.

Heard did not mention Depp by name in the article, but Depp’s lawyers have argued that it falsely implies she was sexually and physically abused by Depp during their marriage. Heard has also filed a counterclaim against Depp, arguing he has created a smear campaign against her.

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During his cross-examination in the ongoing trial this week, Depp was asked by Heard’s lawyer about his drug use with Manson, with the intention of further delving into the actor’s history with substance abuse.

“We drank together, we’ve had cocaine together maybe a couple of times,” Depp said. Heard’s lawyer then asked if pills were involved, and Depp replied with a chuckle: “I once gave Marilyn Manson a pill so that he would stop talking so much.”

Later, the lawyer showed the court a photo of a Keith Richards demo CD next to four apparent lines of cocaine and glasses of beer. There was also a box in the photo with Depp’s initials and a skull and crossbones. When Heard’s lawyer asked if the box contained cocaine, Depp said: “I can’t say that I carried cocaine in it … but it looks like it would fit some cocaine.”

The trial continues, with James Franco and Elon Musk among the names set to testify. According to Deadline, Franco and Musk are being brought in to testify on behalf of Heard after Depp accused them both of having an affair with his ex-wife.

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In 2020 Depp lost a libel lawsuit against The Sun, which concerned the newspaper publishing an article in April 2018 referring to him as a “wife beater”. Judge Mr Justice Nicol said in a ruling that he found the words to be “substantially true”.

Depp said last year that he believes he is being boycotted by Hollywood, suggesting that the industry is taking note of his “unpleasant and messy situation”.

Watch Nandi Bushell’s impressive cover of John Coltrane’s ‘Mr. P.C.’

Nandi Bushell has shared a cover of the John Coltrane classic, ‘Mr. P.C.’.

READ MORE: 11-year-old drummer Nandi Bushell’s greatest cover songs

The 11-year-old child prodigy’s latest reworking follows her recent covers of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Little Wing’, Rush’s ‘Tom Sawyer’, Billie Eilish‘s ‘Happier Than Ever’, Tool’s ‘Forty Six & 2’, ‘Gimme Shelter’ by The Rolling Stones, and a rollicking cover of Ed Sheeran and Bring Me The Horizon‘s new collaboration, ‘Bad Habits.

Members of Rammstein, Faith No More cover The Beatles’ ‘Come Together’ for Ukraine fundraiser

In a bid to aid Ukrainian refugees, Californian industrial/electronica label COP International have formed a supergroup featuring current and former members of Rammstein, Faith No More, Ministry and Filter, to cover The Beatles’ 1969 classic ‘Come Together’.

• READ MORE: Ukrainian artists on the Russian crisis: “Now is the time to push for change”

In stark contrast to the ‘Abbey Road’ original’s chill, groove-inflected pop feel, the star-studded cover turns ‘Come Together’ into a bourbon-soaked swag-rock anthem, replete with a searing, overdriven riff, stomp-and-clap percussion and smoky vocal harmonies. To that end, it interpolates elements of Queen’s 1977 hit ‘We Will Rock You’, with the lyric changed to “we will stop you”.

The project was steered by COP International founder Christian Petke, alongside legendary producer John Fryer (Depeche Mode, Cocteau Twins, Nine Inch Nails). Among those involved in the track are Bill Gourd of Faith No More, Richard Kruspe of Rammstein, ex-Ministry vocalist Chris Connelly, ex-Filter drummer Matt Walker and Roger Miret of Agnostic Front. Listen to it below:

The Beatles’ ‘1’ compilation album remastered by Giles Martin for spatial audio

The Beatles‘ ‘1’ compilation album has been remastered for spatial audio by Giles Martin, the son of the band’s late producer George Martin.

• READ MORE: Mark, My Words: Macca’s right – The Beatles were better than The Stones

Giles said in an interview last year that he was a fan of the immersive 360-degree sound technology launched in 2021 by Apple Music, as well as the Dolby Atmos that it is built on, but said that it doesn’t always “sound quite right”.

He revealed that he intended to remaster The Beatles’ 1967 album ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ but has since worked on the band’s greatest Number Ones compilation album, which was released in 2000.

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Speaking to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe about reworking ‘1’ in spatial audio, and how his father laid the foundations for his interest in pursuing modern audio tech.

“My dad was a futurist and loved technology. When I was a kid, he built studios. He built some of the best studios in the world. (He opened AIR Montserrat.) It was one of the most successful recording places in the 1980s. Elton John, Police, Dire Strait…Earth, Wind & Fire to Paul McCartney…everyone went to that studio. He was always looking for ways to have great sounds,” he said.

“There’s something I remember… when CDs came he got one of the first CD players and we were going around to his friend’s house for Sunday lunch. He had three CDs, one was a Billy Joel record, there was a classical one, and a Japanese artiste. He went, ‘This is the future of sound. The future is happening.’ He brought the CD player and the CDs with him and he said these things are indestructible. He banged it against the table, and it broke in his hand!

“The point is: going back to looking for new ways is key. The key thing with The Beatles is that when he first served Abbey Road, the golden orb was to search for ways to create a perfect facsimile of the recording. When you record, you sound like you are in a room. What happened was with The Beatles and my dad and other people around the world…is that how do we create worlds that don’t exist. Hence ‘Sgt. Peppers’. These aren’t live records. These are things you can only imagine. That’s the evolution of sound. It’s not just technology; it’s imagination as well, that’s key.”

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He added that reimagining tracks in spatial audio is not easy, especially considering how the tracks were recorded, which were at the pinnacle of technology at the time.

“When I walk into a room in Abbey Road, I can get a four track. I can press play and I can hear it. How lucky I am and how many people would want to do this; how many people would want to be in that position. If you listen to ‘Ticket To Ride’, ‘I Feel Fine’, ‘Day Tripper’, ‘Paperback Writer’…they rock, they really rock.

“That’s the thing you have to bear in mind the most; you have to make sure it doesn’t sound too dissipated. You know you still need that sound stage in front of you, but with head tracking, you feel like: ‘There’s Ringo and he’s playing there.’ That’s kind of cool.”

He added: “Records don’t get old, we get old. We get older, records stay the same age as it was on the day of recording.” Spatial audio works to make music more engaging and accessible on the latest tech platforms. “You could be with the band with Dolby Atmos.”

Meanwhile, former Beatle Paul McCartney has announced his plans for a tour of North America this spring, click full information dates can be found here.

Watch John Mulaney and LCD Soundsystem in ‘Saturday Night Live’ promo

LCD Soundsystem will be the musical guests on this weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live.

• READ MORE: From The NME Archive – Celebrate 15 years of LCD Soundsystem’s debut with this classic interview: “Most live bands today are horrible”

Set to air tomorrow night (February 26), the episode will be hosted by John Mulaney, marking his fifth time presenting the late night sketch show.

It’s the second time James Murphy and co. have played SNL, the first time being back in 2017 when they were promoting their last album, ‘American Dream’.

Jeris Johnson Wants Both Blood And Love

Paul McCartney still gets emotional listening to the John Lennon inspired ‘Dear Friend’

Paul McCartney has admitted he gets “very emotional” listening to ‘Dear Friend’ because he wrote it about John Lennon.

• READ MORE: ‘The Beatles: Get Back’ review: Peter Jackson’s long and winding but utterly unmissable epic

The song was released in 1971 as part of McCartney’s post-The Beatles project Wings. To celebrate the 50th anniversary reissue of their debut album ‘Wild Life’, a Q&A about the record from 2018 has been shared on PaulMcCartney.com.

Speaking about ‘Wild Life and the track ‘Dear Friend’, McCartney revealed that he finds it “very emotional when I listen to it now. I have to sort of choke it back.”

Listen to The Beatles’ Get Back rooftop concert in full

The Beatles’ legendary 1969 rooftop has arrived on streaming services – you can listen to it below.

• ORDER NOW: Johnny Marr is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut
• READ MORE: The Beatles – Let It Be Special Deluxe Edition review

The unannounced gig took place on top of Apple Corps’ headquarters on Savile Row in London, marking the Fab Four’s final public performance of their career.

Peter Jackson’s recent documentary The Beatles: Get Back includes footage of the concert, with limited IMAX screenings of the show having taken place last Sunday (January 30).

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On January 27 it was announced that The Beatles: Get Back – The Rooftop Performance would land on Spotify, Apple Music and other major streaming platforms Friday (January 28) at 5am GMT via Apple Corps Ltd/Capitol/UMe.

Tune in here:

Per a press release, the complete audio for The Beatles’ rooftop performance has been mixed in stereo and Dolby Atmos for the very first time by Giles Martin and Sam Okel.

You can see the official teaser clip and and artwork below.

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Yesterday (January 30) marked the 53rd anniversary of the iconic show. Peter Jackson took part in a special Q&A session which was broadcast simultaneously to all participating IMAX cinemas.

“I’m thrilled that the rooftop concert from The Beatles: Get Back is going to be experienced in IMAX, on that huge screen,” Jackson said in a statement.

“It’s The Beatles’ last concert, and it’s the absolute perfect way to see and hear it.”

The Beatles: Get Back – The Rooftop Concert will get a global theatrical release from February 11-13. Get Back will also be released on Blu-ray and DVD in the United States on February 8.

Beatles film producer Denis O’Dell has died, aged 98

Bop Shop: Songs From Ed Sheeran and Elton John, Best Coast, Nnena, And More

Listen to LadBaby’s new Christmas song featuring Elton John and Ed Sheeran

LadBaby’s Christmas single featuring Elton John and Ed Sheeran is out today – listen to ‘Sausage Rolls For Everyone’ below.

• READ MORE: The best (and worst) new Christmas songs of 2021 – ranked!

The novelty duo – comprised of YouTuber Mark Hoyle and his wife Roxanne – have topped the festive charts on three consecutive years with ‘We Built This City’ (2018), ‘I Love Sausage Rolls’ (2019) and ‘Don’t Stop Me Eatin’’ (2020).

All profits from this year’s song will go towards the Trussell Trust’s mission to support those in poverty and hunger.

The Kunts return with ‘Boris Johnson Is STILL A Fucking C**t’ and tell us about their Tory-toppling bid for Christmas Number One

The Kunts have returned with another shot at the Prime Minister and an attempt to score a Christmas Number One with ‘Boris Johnson Is STILL A Fucking C**t’. Check it out below, along with our interview with frontman ‘Kunt’.

• READ MORE Here’s why I want to see The Kunts’ Boris-bashing anthem vying for Christmas Number One

Having landed at Number Five in last year’s race for Christmas Number One with their visceral ‘Boris Johnson Is A Fucking Cunt’, the UK punks recently made their intentions clear to enter the battle once again with a new number clocking in at just over a minute for maximum streams, as well as sampling Depeche Mode and the theme from The Addams Family. It’s also already had the remix treatment from viral sensation Cassetteboy.

Speaking of their success last year, frontman Kunt this week told NME: “As someone who has spent most of the last 25 years peddling his sweary wares around 100-200 capacity pub venues believe me, it was overwhelming. I found the camaraderie and everyone getting behind the song fired me up even more – and fighting for the cause strengthened the bond between us all. And it made a few people angry, but you can’t please all the people all the time.

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“In all honesty, the fact that we got to Number Five last year and then a year later Johnson was still in charge and nothing seemed to have changed left me feeling a bit depressed and that doing anything else would just be pissing into the wind. But mid-November I went for a pint with my fellow Essex music stalwart, Jon Morter who did the Rage Against The Machine campaign in 2009, and he mentioned the analogy of when trying to fell a big tree you don’t just do it with once chop of the axe, you have to keep chipping away. I came out the pub that night doubly determined to give it another shot.”

Check out the new single below, as Kunt tells us about his inspiration, his thoughts on Tories’ COVID response, and what he makes of competition from the likes of LadBaby, Elton John and Ed Sheeran.

Hello Kunt. What can you tell us about your thoughts on Boris Johnson and the Tories’ recent conduct and controversies – and how they’ve been behaving and handling themselves over the last year?

Kunt: “It’s not just the last year. The appalling way people who are struggling to make ends meet in this country [and] are treated goes back to way before Boris’s time – but previous Prime Ministers and governments weren’t quite so overtly blatant about the contempt they feel for the poorer sections of society as the current administration. The last year of lies, corruption, sleaze, cover-ups, attempts to take away our democratic rights to protest while also trying to make themselves less accountable. Then as a bonus, Matt Hancock nobbing his assistant and the Tories all partying and having quiz nights in Number 10 at the same time that we couldn’t hug our nans and 500 people a day were dying just shows the complete disregard they have for fairness and integrity. I can’t believe that after all that, anyone is still supporting them. You only have to see the front page of The Sun most days to see the contrasting narrative people are being sold.”

Do you have a message for Boris Johnson and the Tories?

“We see you. We know what you’re doing. You can change the laws and take away our rights but we will never give up fighting against it. The more draconian the laws become the brighter the fire burns inside us. Fuck you and everything you stand for, you horrible, heartless, corrupt, duplicitous bunch of c**s. And to the backbenchers who toe the party line and vote along with everything, you are the concentration camp guards who look the other way. The blood is on your hands.”

Have you had any feedback from Tory MPs or members on the tracks?

“Not as yet, but I’m always open to feedback so it would be great to hear some.”

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What can you tell us about the songs you’ve sampled on this single?

“Since my teens I have been a massive fan of The KLF, not just the music but the way they conducted their business and their legacy. Before I started this year, I re-read their book, The Manual (How To Have A Number One The Easy Way), in which there are a set of Golden Rules about songwriting. One was to lift familiar riffs from other people’s songs as it gives you a head-start when people hear the track for the first time. So I took that literally and used one of the riffs they themselves used in their Number One ‘Doctorin’ The Tardis’, plus that glam rock beat which is ingrained into people from the ’70s and ’80s discos you’d go to as a kid.

“A happy accident meant it was the same tempo and rhythm as Depeche Mode‘s ‘Personal Jesus’, which coming from Basildon, felt like a good opportunity to give them a nod. And I stuck The Addams Family theme on the end because it’s a song you hear a lot without realising it, on piers and in arcades, and there isn’t a more irritating ear-worm. I figured if we get a hit this time round, in years to come whenever anyone hears that Addams Family theme it will remind them what a fucking c**t Boris Johnson was.”

What do you make of your chances of hitting Number One this Christmas?

“There’s definitely a bigger buzz already than at this point next year, but we are a few troublemakers chivvying people along on social media, compared to the massive major label publicity machine behind Sheeran, Elton and LadBaby – so whether we get there will be purely down to whether enough people find out about it in time, and also whether people really believe that together we can all make a difference.

What are your thoughts on the songs by Elton, Sheeran and LadBaby?

“Shit, obviously, but not just that. I think the line, ‘I know there’s been pain this year, but it’s time to let it go‘ [from Sheeran and Sir Elton’s ‘Merry Christmas‘] is badly misjudged and deeply offensive to anyone who has lost a friend or loved one in the pandemic. People have lost their homes and livelihoods. We have suffered loneliness, despair and mental health problems from the lockdowns – and here’s some c**t in a Christmas jumper with some other dusty, washed-up old c**t telling us to let it go. Fuck off, mate. That’s what Johnson wants, for us to all move on and let it go. We’ll decide when we’re ready to let it go, you patronising prick. That said, all the best to them.”

What would it mean if you did hit Number One?

“It would mean everything. Not just personally but the idea of it being written into the history books that at Christmas 2021 collectively we all stood up and said, ‘We deserve better than this’.”

‘Boris Johnson Is STILL A Fucking C**t’ by The Kunts is out now. 

Archives of The Beatles’ road manager to be published starting in 2023

The family of Mal Evans – The Beatles’ longtime roadie, manager and general acquaintance, who featured prominently in Peter Jackson’s docuseries The Beatles: Get Back – have announced the publication of an authorised biography set to cover his storied life and career.

• READ MORE: Who’s who in ‘The Beatles: Get Back’? A guide to the non-Fabs

HarperCollins’ Dey Street Books imprint will publish it in 2023, with Evans’ estate working closely with author Kenneth Womack – himself an accredited Beatles scholar and, per his own website, “one of the world’s leading authorities on The Beatles and their enduring cultural influence” – to tell his story in resounding detail.

The biography, as yet untitled, will be followed in 2024 with a sprawling compendium of Evans’ personal archives, which Rolling Stone reports will feature diaries, manuscripts and more. Having obtained The Beatles’ blessing, Evans planned to published those manuscripts himself before his death at age 40 in January 1976.

Listen to Elton John and Ed Sheeran’s charity Christmas single, ‘Merry Christmas’

Elton John and Ed Sheeran have released their new charity Christmas single, ‘Merry Christmas’ today (December 3). Listen to the song and watch its accompanying video below.

• READ MORE: Elton John: “I’m not interested in the past – not even Elton John’s past”

Written by both Sheeran and John and produced by Steve Mac, the collaboration is the first time the two have worked together on a song together, despite being friends for the last decade.

The pair’s global record and publishing royalties from the track, as well as its sales, will be donated equally between the Ed Sheeran Suffolk Music Foundation and The Elton John AIDS Foundation.

The Beatles Let It Be Special Deluxe Edition

Peter Jackson speaks about The Beatles’ failed attempt to make ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ movie

Peter Jackson has spoken out about how The Beatles once tried to make their own The Lord Of The Rings movie in the 1960s.

• READ MORE: ‘The Beatles: Get Back’ review: Peter Jackson’s long and winding but utterly unmissable epic

The director who’s The Beatles: Get Back documentary debuted on Disney+ today (November 25), previously spoke about the failed project back in 2002, during the making of his trilogy.

“It was something John [Lennon] was driving and J.R.R. Tolkien still had the film rights at that stage, but he didn’t like the idea of the Beatles doing it. So he killed it,” Jackson said at the time via People, adding: “There probably would’ve been some good songs coming off the [soundtrack] album.”

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Now, after spending time with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Jackson has shed more light on the failed project.

Jackson told BBC News: “I’ve been scraping together little pieces of information. I’ve been interrogating Paul about it. Ringo doesn’t remember much. What I understand is that Denis O’Dell, who was their Apple film producer, who produced The Magic Christian, had the idea of doing Lord of The Rings.

“Ultimately, they couldn’t get the rights from Tolkien, because he didn’t like the idea of a pop group doing his story. So it got nixed by him. They tried to do it. There’s no doubt about it. For a moment in time they were seriously contemplating doing that at the beginning of 1968.”

He continued: “Paul said, ‘Well I’m glad we didn’t do it, because you got to do yours and I liked your film.’ But I said to him, ‘Well, it’s a shame you didn’t do it, because it would have been a musical.’

“What would The Beatles have done with a Lord of The Rings soundtrack album? That would have been 14 or 15 Beatles songs that would have been pretty incredible to listen to.

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“So I’ve got two minds about it. I would have loved to hear that album, but I’m also glad I got the chance to do the films. But those songs would have been fascinating.”

His own documentary on the Fab Four is spread across three episodes on Disney+, with each part landing on November 25, 26 and 27 respectively. Each episode is approximately two hours in length.

Discussing what he expects fans to take from Get Back, Jackson said: “Now, they are our grandparents or great-grandparents,” he said of the band members. “But here, John and Ringo are 28, Paul is 26 and George is 25, and you never once feel this footage is 52 years old.

“I’ve always thought their music transcends generations, but this will make them seem young again.”

The documentary received five stars in an NME review and was described as a “long and winding but utterly unmissable epic”.

The Beatles: Get Back

Peter Jackson says ‘Get Back’ documentary will make The Beatles “seem young again”

Peter Jackson has teased his imminent new film on The Beatles, Get Back, saying it will make the legendary band “seem young again”.

The three part film, which is coming to Disney+ this week (November 25), focuses on the making of the band’s penultimate studio album ‘Let It Be’ and showcases their final concert as a band, on London’s Savile Row rooftop, in its entirety.

The film has been cut from 55 hours of unseen footage, filmed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg in 1969, and 140 hours of mostly unheard audio from the recording sessions.
“I just can’t believe it exists,” Jackson told the Guardian of the bountiful footage that emerged after 50 years locked away, and will be used in the series.

Listen to Spoon get festive with cover of The Beatles’ ‘Christmas Time (Is Here Again)’

Spoon have shared a cover of The Beatles’ ‘Christmas Time (Is Here Again)’ – you can listen to the track below.

• READ MORE: Spoon on new album ‘Lucifer On The Sofa’: “It’s just fun – a record for some good times”

The Austin band are among the latest artists to share a festive cover for Spotify’s new holiday singles playlist, sharing a rendition of the Fab Four’s 1967 track.

“Recording ‘Christmas Time Is Here Again’ was a group effort that pulled us away from rehearsals and quickly sent us down a turbulent path of what you might call the Christmas spirit,” frontman Britt Daniel said in a statement. “And it’s our song with the most band members doing vocals ever – pretty sure I’m counting four.”

Peter Jackson: “We only think we know The Beatles…”

Noel Gallagher on how “embarrassing” it was for Oasis to be compared to The Beatles

Noel Gallagher has recalled how “embarrassing” it was for Oasis to be compared to The Beatles.

• READ MORE: The NME Big Read:  Liam Gallagher: “An Oasis reunion’s gonna happen very fucking soon”

The iconic Manchester band made no secret of the Fab Four’s influence on their music and fashion sense. After releasing their hugely-successful first two albums – ‘Definitely Maybe’ (1994) and ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’ (1995) – Noel claimed the group was “bigger” than The Beatles. (He said years later that he was “high” when he made the comment).

In 2016, Liam Gallagher said “what [Oasis] did in three [years] took the Beatles eight”. Oasis also incorporated a sample of John Lennon‘s voice into the ‘Dig Out Your Soul’ track ‘I’m Outta Time’, which NME said “floats along on psychedelic Beatles waves”.

Paul McCartney says he’s “only just got over” dealing with the “misconception that he split up The Beatles”

Paul McCartney has spoken of how he’s “only just got over” dealing with the “misconception” that he was the one who split up The Beatles.

Speaking at an event on Friday night (November 5) to launch his new book The Lyrics at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, Sir Paul was posed an audience question by host and journalist Samira Ahmed about what biggest misconception was about “being Paul McCartney”.

“I think the biggest misconception at the end of The Beatles was that I broke The Beatles up, and I lived with that for quite a while,” he replied. “Once a headline’s out there, it sticks. That was a big one – and I’ve only finally just gotten over it.”

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Heightening in tensions in the final years of The Beatles rendered their split seemingly inevitable. John Lennon privately informed his bandmates that he was leaving the Beatles in September 1969, before the following year saw McCartney famously announce his self-titled debut solo album with a press release that stated he was no longer working with the group – breaking their split to the world.

Despite all the stories and half-truths, McCartney told the audience last week that ”you kind of have to let it go” when it comes to existing within a mythology.

Another point in the evening saw the icon asked “what it had cost to be Paul McCartney”, to which he replied: “Your privacy, that’s what you have to give up – but I made that decision early on when I could see what was coming for The Beatles”.

“We had gone on holiday to Greece, and nobody there knew who we were and we’d only just started to get famous in England,” he revealed. “I used to listen to the hotel band and they were really good. I used to hang out with them everywhere like a groupie. I was talking to them one night and I said, ‘I’m in a group in England and we’re getting quite big, you know’, they were like, ‘Oh, OK…’”

McCartney continued: “I couldn’t really persuade them, so I thought, ‘Oh, I’ve got anonymity here, so I can always come to Greece and be fine’. That didn’t work, because they year after, they knew!

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“To me, I then had to make a decision: Are you getting out of music, or are you going to live with this thing called fame? I decided I was going to live with it, I had to learn to cope. That’s what I’m still doing: coping.”

The evening also saw McCartney speak of how he “never got round” to telling his late friend John Lennon that he loved him, as well as responding to Rishi Sunak’s controversial £2million bid for Liverpool to look into getting yet another Beatles museum.

The Lyrics is a career-spanning book that tells the story of McCartney’s life through 154 songs from his back catalogue and archive photos. It is out now.

Meanwhile, Peter Jackson’s new The Beatles: Get Back documentary about the making of the band’s last two albums will be presented as three separate episodes on Disney+ on November 25, 26 and 27.

Paul McCartney: “I never got round to telling John Lennon that I loved him”

Paul McCartney has spoken about how he “never told John Lennon that he loved him”, but that he now finds it “great” to realise just how much his former Beatle bandmate meant to him.

Speaking at an event on Friday night (November 5) to launch his new book The Lyrics at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, the poet Paul Muldoon noted that one thing that came across strongly in the new book was Macca’s “love” for his late friend.

“It’s true. You say that I loved him, but as 16-year-old and 17-year-old Liverpool kids, you couldn’t say that – it just wasn’t done,” said McCartney. “So I never did. I never really said, ‘You know, I love you man’. I never really got round to it. So now, it is great to just realise how much I love this man.”

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Lennon was shot dead in New York in December, 1980.

Earlier in the evening, journalist Samira Ahmed asked McCartney what it was like to form such a close creative bond with Lennon. McCartney described their songwriting process as “like looking in a mirror” due to Lennon being right-handed while Macca played and wrote songs on his bass with his left.

“It was always great to work with John, from the very first thing where he said, ‘Yeah, I write songs too’. We just developed a way of working with each other and trusting each other that grew and grew,” said McCartney.

“We both grew up together. [Life] was like walking up a staircase, and we both went side by side up that staircase. It was very exciting. Now that The Beatles’ recording career has finished, I’m like a fan. I just remember how great it was to work with him and how great he was. You’re not messing around here, you’re not just singing with Joe Bloggs – you’re singing with John Lennon.”

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The evening also saw McCartney respond to Rishi Sunak’s controversial £2million bid for Liverpool to look into getting yet another Beatles museum – as well as speaking of the political policies that helped the band thrive and how his home city shaped their politics.

Check back at NME soon for more from the Lyrics event with McCartney.

The Lyrics is a career-spanning book that tells the story of McCartney’s life through 154 songs from his back catalogue and archive photos. It is out now.

Last week saw McCartney induct Foo Fighters into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, before performing a cover of ‘Get Back’ with the band.

Last week saw McCartney induct Foo Fighters into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, before performing a cover of ‘Get Back’ with the band.

Paul McCartney responds to Rishi Sunak’s plan for another Beatles museum in Liverpool

Paul McCartney has responded to chancellor Rishi Sunak’s plan invest to £2million in looking at the potential of giving Liverpool yet another museum dedicated to hometown heroes The Beatles – arguing that he’s “happy that they’re recognising that it’s a tourist attraction” but he “thinks they could also spend the money on something else.”

• READ MORE: Opinion – Rishi Sunak’s Beatles museum will merely be a monument to Tory cluelessness

Last week, Sunak announced the proposals on Liverpool’s Waterfront in his Budget as part of an £850million investment to protect museums, galleries, libraries and local culture across the UK – which included “securing up to £2million to start work on a new Beatles attraction“.

Critics branded this plan as “pointless nonsense“, given that the £2million is only going towards allowing the Liverpool City Region to “develop a business case” for the museum and not actually building it, as well as the fact that the city already has two museums dedicated to The Fab Four, plus their legendary old haunt and venue The Cavern, each band member’s old house, a Beatles Week festival and numerous Beatles city tours.

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It has been suggested that the money would be better spent on securing the future grassroots music venues, reopening youth centres, investing in arts education and helping to solve the Brexit touring crisis so that The Beatles of the future might be allowed to exist.

Speaking at an event last night (November 5) to launch his new book The Lyrics, journalist Samira Ahmed asked the former Beatle about his thoughts on the potential attraction – as as as the idea that “some might say that there are people who might try and co-opt The Beatles into some kind of nationalistic, patriotic ideal of what it is to be British”.

McCartney replied: “I don’t mind because I know that people from Japan, America, South America, all know The Beatles. If they come to Liverpool, that’s a lot of what they come to see. I think it’s fine. In fact, in the early days of our fame the Liverpool Council filled in The Cavern – really like the Joni Mitchell song, to make a parking lot.

“So I’m quite happy that they’re recognising that it’s a tourist attraction, but I think they could also spend the money on something else…”

In discussing the unique circumstances that helped The Beatles to exist – along with the cultural revolution of the ’60s in general – McCartney also hailed Labour’s 1947 Transport Act which helped them to meet on buses (and inspired a great number of his songs) but the Education Act of 1944 which made schooling much open and fairer for his generation and others to follow.

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Speaking of public transport when he was growing up, McCartney said: “It was this amazing system, and I didn’t realise that we were kind of the first generation to benefit from that.

“Also, there was an education act that meant that kids like me from not very well-off homes could go to very posh schools. This gave everyone over Britain this opportunity to be more mobile and better educated – and that was a big factor in the cultural revolution.”

McCartney was also asked about the origins of The Beatles’ social attitudes against racism and segregation.

“I think it was Liverpool,” he replied. “Liverpool was the first Caribbean community [in the UK], so it was just a given. Nobody thought anything of it. A lot of the guys in the groups were black, so we didn’t think much of it. We just thought they were mates, we just thought they were equal – because they were.

“When we went to America, there was this time when we were going to play Jacksonville or somewhere and the promoter said, ‘OK, get ready because tomorrow night you’re going to be playing, the black people will sit over there and the white people will sit over there’. We said, ‘Excuse me?’, he said, ‘Yeah, that’s how we do it down here’, so we said, ‘Oh no no no no! You can’t do that’.”

Check back at NME soon for more from the Lyrics event with McCartney.

The Lyrics is a career-spanning book that tells the story of McCartney’s life through 154 songs from his back catalogue and archive photos. It is out now.

Last week saw McCartney induct Foo Fighters into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, before performing a cover of ‘Get Back’ with the band,

Paul McCartney says his parents were “the original inspiration” for his Beatles and solo music

Paul McCartney has said his parents were “the original inspiration” for his songs with The Beatles and his solo career.

• READ MORE: McCartney 3, 2, 1 review: a gimmick-free deep dive into The Beatles’ oeuvre

He said that although there had been “so many” influences on his songwriting, his parents had the largest impact.

Speaking at an exhibition of memorabilia from his own collection at the British Library in London via BBC News, in connection with his career-spanning biography, The Lyrics, he said: “Thinking about songs that I’ve written at every stage of my career, I came to realise that my parents, Jim and Mary McCartney, were the original inspiration for so much that I’ve written.

John Coltrane A Love Supreme (Live in Seattle)

‘Together In Electric Dreams’ cover by Lola Young soundtracks new John Lewis Christmas advert

Lola Young has covered Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder‘s 1984 hit ‘Together In Electric Dreams’ for this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert.

• READ MORE: Watch Lola Young perform ‘Ruin My Make Up’, ‘Bad Tattoo’ and ‘Same Bed’ for NME Home Sessions

The up-and-coming singer has performed a downbeat cover of the electro classic for the annual festive video, which you can view below.

The clip shows a young boy meeting an alien in the woods who he brings home to meet his family for Christmas.

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“I feel super honoured to be a part of this, growing up I always watched the John Lewis Christmas adverts, they’re iconic and so it kinda feels surreal getting asked to be in one,” said Young.

“It also means a lot as an up and coming artist to be a part of something this special. Together In Electric Dreams is a very beautiful song. I love that era of music and I think Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder are incredible.

“The lyric and soul within the song is something inspirational, fitting to the story within the ad. I feel so excited to be covering it and working with John Lewis.”

The original song was recorded as part of a soundtrack to the film Electric Dreams in 1984. It reached Number Three in the UK singles chart at the time.

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The John Lewis Christmas advert has become a staple of the festive period in recent years. Back in 2018, Elton John revealed he was paid £5million to star in the advert, while viewers in 2017, unimpressed with Elbow’s cover of The Beatles’ ‘Golden Slumbers’, complained that they weren’t brought to tears by the advert, as had become customary with past editions.

Last year’s advert was soundtracked by Celeste‘s single ‘A Little Love’, which featured on her 2021 debut album ‘Not Your Muse‘.

A version of the child’s jumper in this year’s advert will be available in John Lewis shops, with 10 per cent of the profits for each jumper sold equally to the Give A Little Love charities FareShare and Home-Start UK.

Meanwhile, Young recently performed a special three-song acoustic set, for NME‘s Home Sessions during the summer.

Rishi Sunak announces new Beatles attraction in Liverpool

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced plans for a new Beatles attraction in Liverpool as part of today’s (October 27) Budget.

Details are unclear as to what the project will be and how it will differ from the current museum dedicated to the Fab Four in the city.

The development is part of an £850million investment to protect museums, galleries, libraries and local culture across the UK.

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Speaking in the House Of Commons, Sunak said: “Thanks to the Culture Secretary [Nadine Dorries], over 800 regional museums and libraries will be renovated, restored, and revived.

“And she’s secured up to £2million to start work on a new Beatles attraction on the Liverpool waterfront.”

pic.twitter.com/G09PhXmsUD

— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) October 27, 2021

Reacting to the budget plans for culture, AIF CEO Paul Reed said: “We look forward to hearing more detail about some of the measures announced by the Chancellor today, in particular the allocation of further COVID-19 recovery funding for the cultural sector.

“On the surface, however, it doesn’t go far enough in supporting our truly world-leading festival industry. It is clear that the most effective way for the Government to support the industry’s recovery into 2022 and beyond would be to extend the VAT reduction on tickets, look closely at a permanent cultural VAT rate, and completely remove festivals based on agricultural land from the business rates system. Unfortunately, none of this was forthcoming today.”

Sunak’s announcement comes months after a cinema George Harrison and John Lennon spent their teenage years attending was saved from demolition in Liverpool.

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The Abbey Cinema in Wavertree, Liverpool featured in The Beatles‘ personal writings and the original lyrics of their 1965 song ‘In My Life’, officially closed in 1979.

Meanwhile, yesterday Wilco shared two covers by The Beatles as part of a celebration of the band’s final album ‘Let It Be’ and Katy Perry also shared a cover of ‘All You Need Is Love’ for a new Gap advert.

In other Beatles news, Peter Jackson’s forthcoming documentary series The Beatles: Get Back will premiere on Disney+ from November 25-27.

The Beatles: Get Back will tell “the story of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr as they plan their first live show in over two years, capturing the writing and rehearsing of 14 new songs, originally intended for release on an accompanying live album.”

Sunak, meanwhile, is the subject of IDLES track ‘The New Sensation’, which will feature on their forthcoming album ‘CRAWLER’.

“If he were in front of me, I wouldn’t have a lot to say to Rishi; I’d have a lot of questions,” Talbot recently said.

“The point of turmoil in this country is political and I’m not a politician. It’s not Rishi Sunak I’m here to talk to. He’s smarter than I am. He’d win. It’s not me versus him; it’s us versus them.”

Elton John confirms Christmas duet with Ed Sheeran and jokes about LadBaby battle

Elton John has confirmed to NME that he and Ed Sheeran are working on a Christmas song together, and joked about a battle for Number One with LadBaby.

Sheeran revealed the news this month in an interview with Dutch radio station NPO Radio 2, saying that John reached out to him for the collaboration last year after he discovered that his own Christmas song ‘Step Into Christmas’ had hit the UK Top 10 for the first time ever.

• READ MORE: Elton John: “I’m not interested in the past – not even Elton John’s past”

Speaking to NME for this week’s Big Read cover feature, John says he was surprised that Sheeran revealed the news, as he himself was sworn to secrecy over the track.

The Beatles and India

The Beatles reportedly almost sacked George Harrison and replaced him with Eric Clapton

The Beatles almost sacked George Harrison and were reportedly thinking about replacing him with Eric Clapton, according to a newly unearthed interview with John Lennon.

• READ MORE: Why George Harrison is the coolest Beatle

The tape hears Lennon threaten to replace Harrison with Clapton after the guitarist temporarily quit the band in January 1969, during the recording sessions for the band’s final album, ‘Let It Be’, reports The Daily Mail.

The sudden departure of Harrison – who felt that his songs weren’t getting as much attention as those of Lennon and Paul McCartney – worried McCartney and Ringo Starr. Lennon, however, while sympathetic, was also practical about the situation.

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Lennon said that Harrison’s attitude had been “a festering wound and we allowed it to go deeper and we didn’t even give him any bandages.”

The ‘Imagine’ hitmaker then suggested that his place in The Beatles be taken by fellow guitarist Clapton. “I think if George doesn’t come back by (next week) we ask Eric Clapton to play,” Lennon said.

Harrison, who had been to see his mother in Liverpool, returned to the studio with the band six days later.

The revelation comes from more than 120 hours of unheard audio and 50 hours of unseen footage made while a fly-on-the wall film was shot by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg during the rehearsing and recording of ‘Let It Be.’

The recordings will feature as part of Peter Jackson’s upcoming new Disney+ documentary, The Beatles: Get Back. The film will focus on the making of ‘Let It Be’ and will showcase their final concert as a band, on London’s Savile Row rooftop, in its entirety.

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Disney+ has confirmed the documentary will arrive in three separate parts on November 25, 26 and 27. Each episode is approximately two hours in length.

“In many respects, Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s remarkable footage captured multiple storylines,” Jackson said of The Beatles: Get Back.

“The story of friends and of individuals. It is the story of human frailties and of a divine partnership. It is a detailed account of the creative process, with the crafting of iconic songs under pressure, set amid the social climate of early 1969. But it’s not nostalgia – it’s raw, honest, and human. Over six hours, you’ll get to know The Beatles with an intimacy that you never thought possible.”

He added: “I’m very grateful to The Beatles, Apple Corps and Disney for allowing me to present this story in exactly the way it should be told. I’ve been immersed in this project for nearly three years, and I’m very excited that audiences around the world will finally be able to see it.”

Ahead of the documentary’s release a The Beatles: Get Back book will come out on October 12, featuring transcriptions of the band’s recorded conversations and hundreds of exclusive, never before published photos from the three weeks of sessions.

Bob Harris says Richard Nixon asked Elvis Presley to spy on John Lennon

Elvis Presley was once tasked with spying on John Lennon by then-US president Richard Nixon, according to legendary music presenter and DJ ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris.

In a new interview on the Rockonteurs podcast, Harris spoke of how Nixon “loathed” the Beatles star due to his public and vicious criticism of the Vietnam War.

During the interview with hosts Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt, Harris claimed that Nixon recruited Presley, who was a “great friend” of the late President, to spy on Lennon, adding that if Lennon ever left the United States during Nixon’s tenure, he wouldn’t be allowed back in.

Johnny Marr gives his verdict on Blossoms and Rick Astley’s Smiths covers band

Johnny Marr has given his verdict on Blossoms and Rick Astley joining forces to cover The Smiths.

Blossoms and Astley teamed up earlier this week at the former’s gig in London to cover ‘Panic’ and ‘This Charming Man’ by The Smiths songs, with the artists subsequently announcing two Smiths covers shows in Manchester and London next month.

• READ MORE: Blossoms talk ’70s-inspired new single ‘Care For’ and tease their next album

Footage from Monday night’s gig (September 13) of Blossoms and Astley covering The Smiths’ ‘This Charming Man’ has gone viral this week, with Marr delivering his verdict on the collaboration on Twitter this afternoon (September 17).

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“This is both funny and horrible at the same time,” he tweeted in response to the footage, which you can see below.

This is both funny and horrible at the same time. https://t.co/GgEEECHpBJ

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) September 17, 2021

Didn’t mention when we were hanging out a few weeks ago. Must’ve slipped their minds.

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) September 17, 2021

Marr has subsequently been responding to questions from his followers, with one fan asking the guitarist whether Blossoms and Astley sought approval before proceeding with their Smiths covers shows.

“Well, I met The Blossoms a few weeks ago and they elected to not mention it,” he said. “Nice.”

Replying to another fan on Twitter about the same subject, Marr added: “[Blossoms] didn’t mention [the shows] when we were hanging out a few weeks ago. Must’ve slipped their minds.”

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Speaking about working with Astley on the Smiths tribute shows, Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden recently said: “The Smiths have always meant so much to Blossoms, with even their rainiest songs complete with wry humour and soul-reaching musicianship and melody. Their poppier moments are pure, joyful, danceable poetry.

“Imagine backing Rick Astley to play the songs of The Smiths? We’ve had wilder dreams, but not many. We’ll barely be able to believe it until it happens, but the dates are set, we’re studying every note, line and beat to say ‘thank you’ to The Smiths alongside Rick and do both of them proud.”

Earlier this week Blossoms also shared a clip of them rehearsing The Smiths’ ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’ with Astley.

Marr meanwhile is about to embark on a run of UK headline shows in support of new single ‘Spirit, Power And Soul’ and his upcoming EP and double album – as well as performing with Blossoms as support for Courteeners at their huge Manchester Old Trafford show next month.

Dear John: John Lennon tribute show set to be livestreamed next month

Details of a new John Lennon tribute event, Dear John, have been announced.

• ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue
• READ MORE: Hear three tracks from The Beatles’ new Let It Be special editions

The online event will follow on from the release earlier this year of the Dear John tribute album, which featured Lennon covers by a range of artists and raised money for War Child.

A livestream tribute concert will now take place on October 9 to mark what would have been Lennon‘s 81st birthday, with the event benefitting War Child once again.

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Organised by Blurred Vision frontman Sepp Osley with his partner/singer-songwriter Mollie Marriott, Dear John will be hosted by BBC presenter Bob Harris and feature a host of special guests who perform Lennon and Beatles covers, as well as providing “personal messages of peace and love throughout the night”.

Martin Freeman, Peter Frampton, Matt Lucas, Jack Savoretti, Fearne Cotton, Yola, Matt Sorum (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting), fashion designer Pam Hogg, Mark Williams (Harry Potter, Red Dwarf), Joe Brown, Sam Brown, Judie Tzuke, Scott Matthews, Chloe Foy, Baby Sol, Luke Friend, Minh, Jo Harman, Elles Bailey, Jasmine Rodgers, Scott McKeon, Gavin Conder, Laura Evans and more will all take part.

Speaking about the 2021 Dear John concert, Osley – whose band Blurred Vision will provide backing on the night as the ‘house band’ – said: “Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the success that this humble event conjured in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. It all began with a simple concept of celebrating the legacy that John Lennon left behind.

“A legacy of peace and unity and love on a global scale, and now to be able to perform these timeless songs with so many heroes and contemporaries of the music world, while raising money for this incredible charity at such a crucial time, is something I could never have conceived or believed when I began my tumultuous journey on this planet.”

A one-off ticketed event, all donations and net proceeds raised from the show will go directly to the War Child charity. You can find tickets for Dear John here.

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Noel Gallagher recently revealed that he intends to release his cover of John Lennon‘s “Mind Games”, which he recorded to mark the late Beatle‘s 80th birthday last year.

“Something to really lift your spirits” John Grant’s End Of The Road picks

Watch Elton John surprise restaurant with performance of Dua Lipa collab “Cold Heart”

Legendary house DJ Paul Johnson dies at 50 from Covid-19

Paul Johnson, the influential US house producer best known for his hit ‘Get Get Down’, has died from coronavirus at the age of 50.

A statement on his Facebook page said: “Our greatness passed away this morning at 9am the house music legend we all know as PJ aka Paul Johnson.”

Johnson was initially hospitalised and placed in intensive care after contracting the virus last month.

Rising Star Dewé Drops Major Alternative Afrobeat Debut Album – Colors

NYC-based singer-songwriter Adedewe Adesola Victor, better known as Dewé, has just released his debut album titled Colors, via Alfeade records. Colors is home to a powerful collection of 10 songs exposing the rising star’s unique ability at merging Afrobeats to Afropop, R&b, Neo-Soul and World. 

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, he rose to fame when he reached the finals of “The Voice: Nigeria.” 

Influenced by Mali Music, John Legend, Fela, Sam Smith and Erykah Badu, Dewé ‘s artistic vision is to combine African influence to American-based genres of music.

Talking about his music, the NYC-based artist explains: 

 ”I was able to put that fame into use by creating afro-alternative music, but at that time, I was still in the process of discovering my sound. I left my country because I felt I had so much in me to share with the world, but my environment was the limiting factor, so when I got the opportunity to move, I took it instantly. I was also lucky enough to move with my younger brother, who is the current CEO of Alfeade records. I believe the reason I didn’t stop making music is because music has always been Therapy to me, its impact in my life had always been greater than just pleasure, and when I realized I had the same power to share that gift with the world, I realized quickly It wasn’t an option for me, it is just timing.”

Dewé: Instagram - Spotify - YouTube

John Francis Flynn I Would Not Live Always

Tape loops, drones and The Tibetan Book Of The Dead: Inside The Beatles’ Revolver sessions at EMI Studios

Johnny Depp is reportedly working on new music with Jeff Beck

Johnny Depp is working on some new music with Jeff Beck, it is being reported.

According to the Daily Mail, the actor and Hollywood Vampires musician is teaming up with Beck to record material for the ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’ guitarist’s upcoming new album.

“They’ve been collaborating on material for Jeff’s next album,” a source told the outlet. “It’s been great for Johnny to get back to his first true love, which is music.”

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The source added: “Jeff has been a great friend to Johnny during a very difficult time, and being away from Hollywood has been exactly what Johnny needed.”

It comes after Depp lost his libel case against The Sun last year. The actor had been suing News Group Newspapers (NGN) and The Sun’s executive editor Dan Wootton over an April 2018 article which referred to him as a “wife beater” in relation to allegations from ex-wife Amber Heard, claims that Depp has strongly denied.

The trial originally took place over 16 days in July 2020 at the Royal Courts of Justice, and concerned an article titled “Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be ‘genuinely happy’ casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?”

In a ruling on November 2, 2020, Judge Mr Justice Nicol said that he found the words to be “substantially true”.

Following the verdict, the actor was last month denied permission to appeal his libel case against NGN, with Depp’s lawyers saying he is “looking forward to presenting the complete, irrefutable evidence of the truth” in another libel case in the US.

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The Daily Mail insider said that Depp, who in 2015 formed the supergroup, Hollywood Vampires, with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry, now wants to “take a step back from everything and focus on a comeback through music”.

“Johnny hopes to return to films eventually. But it’s music first,” they added.

Meanwhile, Hollywood Vampires have been forced to cancel their upcoming UK and European tour due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

The group had previously rearranged the dates to this coming August and September, however due to safety concerns surrounding the pandemic, the tour has now been cancelled.

John Murry The Stars Are God’s Bullet Holes

Welcome to the new Uncut: The Beatles, Lindsey Buckingham, Curtis Mayfield and more

The Go-Go’s announce 40th anniversary reissue of ‘Beauty And The Beat’

The Go-Go’s have announced plans to be release a 40th anniversary reissue of their debut album, ‘Beauty And The Beat’.

Released on July 8, 1981, the California new-wave band’s debut album sat on top of the US album chart for six consecutive weeks and spawned the hits ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’ and ‘We Got The Beat’.

Now, The Go-Go’s are celebrating the landmark album with a special anniversary edition pressed on pink vinyl, with a brand-new cover boasting a never-before-seen photo of the band.

Brexit negotiator hits back at Elton John before being accused of “hanging music industry out to dry”

Brexit negotiator Lord Frost used a government committee hearing today (Tuesday June 29) to hit back at Elton John over his claims around the European touring fiasco, before coming under fire himself for his “inaction” over the situation.

• READ MORE: “It’s going to be devastating” – here’s how Brexit will screw over British touring artists

Sir Elton has been very vocal over the government jeopardising the future of touring for the UK artists, after the Brexit deal secured with the EU failed to negotiate visa-free travel and Europe-wide work permits for musicians and crew. Just this weekend, he called the government “philistines” and accused them of “crucifying” the careers of young artists.

Having previously met with Lord Frost to discuss the looming “catastrophe” for a potentially “lost” generation of musicians, today the politician took issue with the musician’s comments.

Completely ignoring the simple facts that the rules facing travelling musicians are completely different to what they were 40 years ago and that new restrictions are robbing artists of the freedoms they previously enjoyed, Frost told the hearing: “I can’t help noticing that he had his first hits before the UK even became a member of the European Union, so I think there’s probably more at play here than pure rules applying within the then European Community.”

This comes amid fears and predictions that the new rules and red tape will lead to musicians and crew facing huge costs to future live music tours of the continent – which could create a glass ceiling that prevents rising and developing talent from being able to afford to do so.

Today, MPs questioned Cabinet Office Minister and lead Brexit negotiator Lord Frost on the government’s failure to reach an agreement with the EU on creative workers, “leaving them facing practical and financial barriers to working in Europe”.

“I feel sorry that they have to face this situation,” said Frost. “The country took a decision to leave the European Union and to end freedom of movement, but that brings with it big change. There’s no point in pretending that change hasn’t happened.”

Continuing to blame the EU for their part in the negotiations, Frost and the Government were accused of “sacrificing a £6billion sector and its workers for Brexit and anti-free movement zealotry” – as well as being criticised for a continued lack of solutions of clarity now six months after the creative industries were “essentially left with a ‘No Deal'”.

Kevin Brennan MP also put it to Frost that no voters were asking the question “What are you going to do about all of these violinists coming over here from Poland?”, and the government should consider this more of a trade issue than one for immigration.

• READ MORE: Government criticised for inaction and told “words won’t save careers” in “critical” Brexit touring fiasco

The point that freedom of movement was “essential” to the creative industries was repeated, but Frost and Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage said that they had now been speaking with individual EU member states about the rules and that overall it was “much more straightforward for touring than we first thought”. They said that visa-free touring would likely still be possible in 17 of the nations, and that bilateral talks were ongoing with Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Malta, Slovakia, Romania and Spain. However, Frost also admitted that there were still limits on touring in those 17 countries compared to the period when the UK was an EU member.

Spain remains the country with the toughest requirements and costs for British touring artists, with Dinenage claiming that this was being negotiated presently. Cabotage rules (which prevents UK touring trucks from making more than three stops in Europe in a seven day period before needing to return) also remain an “acute” issue, but Frost said that proposals were soon to be released by the Department For Transport to allow for “relaxations”.

“There are at least 17 countries of the 27 where pretty normal or indeed entirely normal travel is possible for the purposes of carrying out performances in normal circumstances,” said Lord Frost. “In practice, there would remain difficulties – I’m not denying that. But it is nevertheless the case that in big countries, like France and Germany, it is possible to travel without visas or work permits.”

“Our plan is to work with the countries in priority who do not have particularly liberal rules on this subject and get them to improve them,” said Frost, before Dinenage added that there were conversations with European countries for “visa-free travel embraced and understood” and to “increase the amount of cultural exchange” between the UK and the continent.

Frost and Dinenage’s responses did not land well with many in the music industry. Last week saw the launch of the #LetTheMusicMove campaign, with the likes of Wolf Alice, IDLES, Poppy Ajudha, Radiohead among the 200 artists calling upon the UK government to urgently take action to resolve the ‘No Deal’ that has landed upon the British music. They argued that “today’s Select Committee session will do little to soothe the growing concerns of the UK’s artists, musicians and live music businesses”.

“While we continue to suffer the catastrophic impacts of COVID, many are now in open despair at the Government’s disturbing lack of urgency to address a range of Brexit-related bureaucracy and costs that will make EU touring almost prohibitively expensive and burdensome,” a spokesperson said.

“Despite being told by the Prime Minister in March that Lord Frost was dealing with these issues and would ‘fix it’, we’re still left with only crumbs of additional information and absolutely no update on the kind of transitional support package that will be vital for music businesses to operate in the short-term.

“To put this in context, the UK’s £1billion fishing industry has received £23million to adjust to new red tape. As it stands, our £6billion world-beating music industry is being hung out to dry. It feels like a complete abdication of responsibility.”

Elton John says UK will lose “generation of talent” due to post-Brexit touring rules

Elton John has warned that the UK is in danger of losing “a generation of talent” after the government failed to secure a touring breakthrough with the EU.

The government’s failure to negotiate visa-free travel and Europe-wide work permits for musicians and crew in Lord Frost’s Brexit deal has long been a topic of discussion.

It has sparked fears that artists will face huge costs to take part in live music tours off the continent which could create a glass ceiling that prevents rising and developing artists from being able to afford to do so.

Swizz Beatz on DMX’s posthumous album: “I had to pull this through for him”

Swizz Beatz has opened up DMX’s posthumous album, which was released yesterday (May 28).

• READ MORE: 10 big talking points from the posthumous new DMX album ‘Exodus’

DMX, whose real name was Earl Simmons, was hospitalised following a heart attack as a result of reported overdose on April 3, where he remained in intensive care until his passing on April 9.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Swizz reminisced about the last year the two spent together in the studio working on the album, ‘Exodus’, recalling that DMX was “ready” to make the album but that he appeared “tired” at times.

“We’d been talking about this record for a long time, but after we did Verzuz [in July 2020], he was ready,” Beatz told Rolling Stone. “He saw that the people were showing him love and the fans were ready.”

He added: “X was tired. The whole time we were doing the album, he was excited, but he was like, ‘I think this is going to be my last album.’ I was just like, ‘Let’s get through this and then let’s see; let’s judge it later, let’s not judge it now.’

“I just tried keeping him in the now spirit, instead of thinking about what he’s not gonna do. But obviously he knew something we didn’t.”

Speaking about compiling the project after his death, Beatz said: “It was like curating an art show: editing, taking things off, adding things, even up till the last minute. I had to step away from the project for a few and let other people make their orders of the playlists. I just had to let it go, then came back to it.

“I can at least listen to a song now without breaking down. I’m making it look strong, but I’m crushed, I’m destroyed, I’m hurt. But I had to pull this through for him and his family and for his legacy.”

Beatz also opened up about some of the many collaborations on the album, saying DMX was “delighted” about them.

“When Usher came in, he was blown away,” Beatz said. “My wife came and played the piano, and he was making requests for his favourite old songs. You just see him become a kid and a fan and appreciate it. Snoop would pop up on him and cook food for us.

“He went to Griselda’s studio space and did the verse there with them. Bono drew him some artwork and wrote him this letter talking about how it’s amazing having his voice next to another legend’s voice.”

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band The Ultimate Collection

Beatles collaborator Klaus Voormann says 17-year-old George Harrison was “a cocky little boy”

German musician, producer and Beatles collaborator Klaus Voormann has remembered the first time he saw the band’s George Harrison.

• READ MORE: The best Beatles biopics… ranked!

Describing an encounter with an early incarnation of The Beatles at Hamburg’s Kaiserkeller in 1960, Voormann said: “The first time I saw George he was only 17 years of age. He was very different to how he was later. He was a cocky little boy! This band he was with was completely unknown.”

Speaking to Uncut magazine he continued: “George was singing all those funny songs, which he did later on a little bit, when he sat around and played ukulele. He was into songs like ‘I’m Henry The Eighth, I Am’, singing it all cockney. He would sing all those Eddie Cochran numbers too, like ‘Twenty Flight Rock’.”

John Lennon and Yoko Ono documentary ’24 Hours…’ is now available to stream

The mini-documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, titled 24 Hours: The World of John and Yoko, is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video US.

The 30-minute film is available to watch in full for the first time since its initial release on the BBC back in 1969 through Amazon’s Coda Collection.

• READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Yoko Ono: Imagine The Future

“Last seen more than 50 years ago, and having aired just once on TV, this intimate documentary – captured over a five-day period – shows a day in the life of John and Yoko while Lennon was still a member of The Beatles, controversies raged and activism became a central concern in the couple’s everyday reality,” an official description reads.

Kanye West’s DMX tribute was “genuine act of love”, says Swizz Beatz

Kanye West and Sunday Service Choir’s tribute to DMX has been hailed as a “genuine act of love” by Swizz Beatz.

• READ MORE: DMX, 1970 – 2021: hip-hop giant who shone brightest in the darkness

West performed alongside his gospel choir at DMX’s memorial at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in New York last month, opening the service with a rendition of Soul II Soul’s ‘Keep On Movin’ as well as the hymn ‘Jesus Loves Me’.

During a recent interview with New York radio station Hot 97, Beatz said: “It was a very genuine act of love and support from Ye. You know, it wasn’t too much talking, it wasn’t no negotiating.

Ringo Starr remembers John Lennon as “one of the greats” at Plastic Ono Band listening party

Ringo Starr paid tribute to his former Beatles bandmate John Lennon as “a brilliant artist and a brilliant man” during a worldwide listening party.

• READ MORE: In a year of lockdown, Tim’s Twitter Listening Parties have been a source of joy

As Tim Burgess‘ latest Twitter Listening Party turned its attention to the upcoming ‘Ultimate Collection’ box set reissue of the Beatles icon’s 1970 debut solo album ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ (celebrating its 50th anniversary), the drummer wrote: “It’s so incredible, the emotion on this record, just mind blowing. The sparseness of the band, the force of John Lennon. That’s why he’s one of the greats.”

Addressing suggestions that Lennon frequently worried about the quality of his singing voice, Starr wrote: “John always wanted a lot of echo on his voice. He had a great voice and when he was singing, he gave all of that. I don’t feel personally he was insecure about his voice. Everybody wants to be someone else, to be different.”

Peace & Love everyone! Great to join #TimsTwitterListeningParty. It's so incredible, the emotion on this record, just mind blowing. The sparseness of the band, the force of @JohnLennon. That's why he's one of the greats. This record proves it more than most ?✌️?❤️ Peace & Love pic.twitter.com/bHqICStpsH

— #RingoStarr (@ringostarrmusic) April 24, 2021

Cinema visited by George Harrison and John Lennon saved from demolition

A cinema George Harrison and John Lennon spent their teenage years attending has been saved from demolition.

The Abbey Cinema in Wavertree, Liverpool which featured in The Beatles‘ personal writings and the original lyrics of their 1966 song ‘In My Life’, officially closed in 1979.

The cinema, which was designed by renowned architect and Liverpool City Council leader Sir Alfred Ernest Shennan, first opened in 1939.

Dave Grohl writes foreword for first-ever John Bonham biography

Dave Grohl has written the foreword for the first-ever John Bonham biography, Beast: John Bonham And The Rise Of Led Zeppelin.

• READ MORE: Led Zeppelin – rank the albums

The Foo Fighters frontman and former Nirvana drummer has contributed to journalist C.M. Kushins’ forthcoming book on the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer (out September 7).

No details nor excerpts from Grohl’s entry have been released, although he’s been vocal in the past about his adoration for the late star.

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He once told Rolling Stone [sourced via FooArchive]: “John Bonham played the drums like someone who didn’t know what was going to happen next – like he was teetering on the edge of a cliff. No one has come close to that since, and I don’t think anybody ever will. I think he will forever be the greatest drummer of all time.

“You have no idea how much he influenced me. I spent years in my bedroom – literally fucking years – listening to Bonham’s drums and trying to emulate his swing or his behind-the-beat swagger or his speed or power. Not just memorising what he did on those albums but getting myself into a place where I would have the same instinctual direction as he had.”

Beast: John Bonham And The Rise Of Led Zeppelin is set to tell the story of Bonham’s rise from being a self-taught drummer at the age of five to being in one of the most successful rock bands all of all time. He died in 1980 at the age of 32.

To this day, Bonham is posthumously described as one of the most important and influential drummers in rock – often topping best-of lists. Adam Budofsky, managing editor of Modern Drummer, once wrote [via Blabbermouth]: “If the king of rock ‘n’ roll was Elvis Presley, then the king of rock drumming was certainly John Bonham.”

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In other news, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has joined calls for fairer payments to artists from streaming services.

John Lennon’s ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ to be featured on ‘Tim’s Twitter Listening Party’

John Lennon‘s debut solo studio album ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ is to be the focus of a forthcoming Tim’s Twitter Listening Party, with the first-ever performance of ‘Give Peace A Chance’ also being shared online.

It comes after it was announced that the 1970 record is being reissued for a new ‘Ultimate Collection’ box set, which is due for release this coming Friday (April 16).

• READ MORE: Check out previously unseen photos of John Lennon and Yoko Ono from new book ‘John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band’

This afternoon (April 13), Tim Burgess confirmed plans for an online listen-through of the album on Saturday, April 24. Fans will be able to press play and get involved from 6pm BST that evening, with special guests Yoko Ono, Sean Ono Lennon and original Plastic Ono Band member Klaus Voormann among those set to participate.

Letters from The Beatles’ Hamburg years to go up for auction

Letters and memorabilia from The Beatles’ time in Hamburg are set to go up for auction in London next month.

The iconic band played over 250 shows in the German city between August 1960 and December 1962, with their time gigging and some of the relationships they formed there helping to propel them to fame in the UK and beyond.

• READ MORE: The best Beatles biopics… ranked!

The new auction lot will include previously unseen letters, work permits, photos, drawings, poems and more. Some of the items were sent by the band to photographer Astrid Kirchherr, who was engaged to former Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe after meeting them in Hamburg.

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The group were close with Kirchherr and wrote to her when they were back in the UK. In one letter that is going up for auction, George Harrison invited her to visit him and Ringo Starr in their new flat and instructed her not to put his name on the envelope when she wrote back.

 

In another, John Lennon told her: “I’m really sorry you are so sad and uncertain about yourself. You must know that Cyn [Lennon’s first wife Cynthia], I and the other Beatles will always feel the same about you. You will always be Stuart’s Astrid to us.”

In that letter, he also shared the news that Cynthia was pregnant with “this little John inside her” – aka his first son Julian.

The items will go under the hammer at Bonhams auction house in London on May 5. “The Beatles’ time in Hamburg was absolutely crucial to them,” Bonham’s head of entertainment memorabilia Katherine Schofield told the Guardian. “It’s fair to say that they came to Germany as boys and left as men.”

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Kirchherr died last May, a few days before her 82nd birthday. She had taken The Beatles’ first-ever known photograph when they were still a five-piece. She also was the person who first suggested the band cut their hair into their iconic mop-top style.

Paul McCartney paid tribute to her when news of her death broke, saying: “Astrid was a dear friend from my Hamburg days with The Beatles […] Astrid took beautiful photographs of us. She used black and white film and achieved a stunning mood in her pictures that we all loved.

“So sad for all of us who were her friends to lose such a lovely lady from our lives. I will miss her but will always remember her and her cheeky grin with great fondness.”

Watch unearthed footage of John Lennon and Yoko Ono in ‘Look At Me’ video

A new video for John Lennon‘s 1970 song ‘Look At Me’ has been released – you can watch it below.

• READ MORE: Every John Lennon solo album ranked in order of greatness

Shared by The John Lennon Estate, the black and white and colour video, shot on 8 mm film, features never-before-seen footage of Lennon and wife Yoko Ono Lennon from 1968, captured in their home in Weybridge, Surrey.

The song’s ultimate mix appears on John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’s ‘The Ultimate Collection’ box set, which arrives on April 23 via Capitol/UMe. The eight-disc release will commemorate 50 years since Lennon’s debut solo album.

Alabama Shakes drummer Steven William Johnson arrested on child abuse charges

Steven William Johnson, the drummer of rock band Alabama Shakes, has been arrested on child abuse charges.

As local news outlet WHNT reports, Johnson was arrested last Wednesday (March 24) after a grand jury indicted him on charges of wilful torture, wilful abuse, and cruelly beating or otherwise wilfully maltreating a child under the age of 18.

The drummer was taken to Limestone County Jail and had his bond set at £15,600 ($21,500). His arraignment is currently scheduled for April 7.

NME has contacted representatives for Alabama Shakes for comment.

Alabama Shakes’ last album was ‘Sound and Color’, released in 2015. Over the course of their career, the Athens, Alabama group have earned nine Grammy nominations and won four. Johnson was a founding member of the band, performing on both ‘Sound and Color’ and their 2012 debut, ‘Boys and Girls’.

The band went on hiatus in 2018 as lead vocalist Brittany Howard went on to pursue a solo career. Her debut album ‘Jaime’ was released in 2019.

Back in 2019, Johnson was arrested for violating a protection from abuse order, which he pled guilty to in March 2020. The protection order was issued after Johnson’s ex-wife accused him of threatening and harassing her. She also accused Johnson of choking, injuring and stalking her, according to AL.com.

Listen to Saxon’s roaring cover of The Beatles’ ‘Paperback Writer’

Saxon have shared a roaring cover of The Beatles‘ ‘Paperback Writer’ – listen to it below.

• Read more: The Beatles’ split 50 years on: the best songs from the solo careers

The British heavy metal legends are gearing up to release a covers album called ‘Inspirations’, due out on March 19 via Silver Lining Music.

Recorded at Brockfield Hall, near York, the album will hear Saxon cover songs by Jimi Hendrix, Motörhead, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Toto and more.

Watch Athletic Bilbao players cover AC/DC’s ‘Highway To Hell’ to celebrate beating Barcelona

A group of Athletic Bilbao footballers celebrated their triumphant cup-winning victory over Barcelona last weekend by covering AC/DC‘s ‘Highway To Hell’ – check out the clip of them performing below.

Bilbao upset the odds on Sunday (January 17) as they beat Barcelona 3-2 after extra time to win the Spanish Super Cup, or Supercopa de España.

• Read more: AC/DC on their explosive comeback record ‘Power Up’: “This album is for Malcolm”

Six Bilbao players – Dani García, Óscar de Marcos, Mikel Vesga, Mikel Balenziaga, Iñigo Lekue and Asier Villalibre – teamed up as the club celebrated in a Seville hotel following the game to perform AC/DC’s classic 1979 track.

David Bowie was “terrified” of meeting John Lennon for the first time

David Bowie was “terrified” when he met John Lennon for the first time, according to his longtime collaborator and producer Tony Visconti.

Visconti recounted the significant meeting while speaking on the new radio special Bowie: Dancing Out in Space, which will air on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio 4 on Sunday evening (January 10).

• Read more: An oral history of David Bowie’s ‘Blackstar’ – five years on from his death

The show is part of a series of Bowie programmes which are airing on the BBC this weekend to mark five years since the late star’s death.

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Visconti has detailed how Bowie and Lennon first met in a New York hotel room before they collaborated on Bowie’s classic 1975 song ‘Fame’, saying that he was asked to accompany Bowie to the hotel room in order to “buffer the situation”.

“About one in the morning I knocked on the door and for about the next two hours, John Lennon and David weren’t speaking to each other. Instead, David was sitting on the floor with an art pad and a charcoal and he was sketching things and he was completely ignoring Lennon,” Visconti recalled.

“So, after about two hours of that, he [John] finally said to David, ‘Rip that pad in half and give me a few sheets. I want to draw you.’ So David said, ‘Oh, that’s a good idea’, and he finally opened up.

“So John started making caricatures of David and David started doing the same of John, and they kept swapping them and then they started laughing and that broke the ice,” Visconti said, adding that the pair’s “great friendship” was formed from there.

Bowie invited Lennon to work with him a week later on his cover of the Lennon-written Beatles song ‘Across the Universe’, which, along with ‘Fame’, ended up featuring on Bowie’s 1975 album ‘Young Americans’.

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Bowie’s previously unreleased covers of John Lennon‘s ‘Mother’ and Bob Dylan‘s ‘Tryin’ to Get to Heaven’ have been shared for the first time today (January 8) to mark what would have been the late artist’s 74th birthday.

Viagra Boys drop upbeat album cut ‘Girls & Boys’

Viagra Boys have released another satirical cut from their brand new album ‘Welfare Jazz’, a rhetoric track entitled ‘Girls & Boys’.

• Read more: Viagra Boys – ‘Welfare Jazz’ review: satirical post-punk bangers with a ‘yeehaw!’ spirit

Dropping today (January 8) to coincide with the release of the Swedish band’s sophomore album, ‘Girls & Boys’ was produced by Matt Sweeney (Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Run The Jewels), Justin and Jeremiah Raisen (Sky Ferreira, Kim Gordon), and past collaborators Pelle Gunnerfeldt and Daniel “Fagge” Fagerström (The Hives, The Knife).

The song has been released alongside a live performance, filmed as part of Viagra Boys’ YouTube Shrimp Sessions 2 series.

Whodini’s John “Ecstasy” Fletcher has died, aged 56

John Fletcher – aka Ecstasy, a founding member of Whodini – has reportedly died at the age of 56.

Questlove broke the news of the rapper’s death on Instagram earlier today (December 23). The cause of death has been made public at the time of writing.

“One Love to Ecstasy of the Legendary #Whodini,” he wrote. “This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip hop. This is sad man.”

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A post shared by Questlove (@questlove)

Fletcher formed the rap trio with Jalil Hutchins in Brooklyn in 1982, filling out the line-up with J Grandmaster Dee (aka Drew Carter) in 1986. Together, they released six albums, including their self-titled 1983 debut and 1987’s ‘Open Sesame’.

Whodini were credited with leading the way for new jack swing and scored their biggest hits with the tracks ‘Friends’, ‘Five Minutes Of Funk’, ‘One Love’ and ‘Funky Beat’. Their single ‘Magic’s Wand’ was also the first rap single to be accompanied by a video.

The group were recognised for their contribution to hip-hop with numerous awards during their career, including at the VH1 Hip-Hop Honours and, most recently in 2018, at the Third Black Music Honours.

Tributes have begun to be paid for Ecstasy online. “RIP to Ecstasy from Whodini,” wrote Q-Tip. “One of the most under appreciated voices in hip hop. Too many hits! Condolences to his fam.”

“My God, this one hurts me so bad, I can’t even believe I’m posting this,” Jermaine Dupri said. “Ex you know I love you. Thank you for every word, every conversation, every good time. May your soul Rest In Power.”

LL Cool J added that Ecstasy was “one of the most important people in this culture to me”. “I can’t believe you’re gone,” he wrote on Instagram. “My friend. Exstasy rest in power.”

See those and more tributes below.

My God, this one hurts me so bad,I can’t even believe I’m posting this,Ex you know I love you ???? thank you for every word,every conversation every good time,may your soul Rest In Power ??? #whodini q pic.twitter.com/6RGuOankWl

— Jermaine Dupri (@jermainedupri) December 23, 2020

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A post shared by LL COOL J (@llcoolj)

1987 I entered the @Defjam tour w PE. I tended to be nervous looking at 15000 fans in front of me every night. There were 2 MCS that directly mentored my calm that summer. 1 was @RealDougEFresh the other was Ecstacy of Whodini. Always there to reassure w advice tips #RestInBeats pic.twitter.com/UzCj5RN4ve

— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) December 23, 2020

Just got the sad news, Ecstasy of #Whodini passed away today.. Thank you for the music of my youth.. I always loved the Zorro hat!!! Condolences to his family. pic.twitter.com/6zdSQTdAI4

— Loni Love (@LoniLove) December 23, 2020

Rip Ecstasy of Whodini. A good brotha gone too soon! ???? pic.twitter.com/eO6ooFRtCA

— DJ POOH (@DJPooh) December 23, 2020

Today we lost a member of our Hip-Hop family whose vocals were unmistakable and whose presence is irreplaceable. Our thoughts & prayers are with friends & family of John “Ecstasy” Fletcher of Whodini. #RIP ?? pic.twitter.com/pBblWmgMKV

— Rock The Bells (@RockTheBells) December 23, 2020

Watch a new preview of Peter Jackson’s Beatles documentary ‘The Beatles: Get Back’

Peter Jackson has shared a new preview of his forthcoming documentary about The Beatles, The Beatles: Get Back.

The Lord of the Rings director is overseeing the new film, which has already had its release date moved from 2020 to August 27, 2021 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which aims to “take audiences back in time to The Beatles’ intimate recording sessions during a pivotal moment in music history”.

A preview clip of Get Back has been released today (December 21) to tide fans over until its summer release next year.

Paul McCartney says he still struggles with John Lennon’s death: “It was just so senseless”

Paul McCartney has reflected on the death of his Beatles bandmate John Lennon, 40 years on from his killing.

Lennon was shot and killed outside his apartment building in New York on December 8, 1980 by Mark Chapman.

• Read more: Every John Lennon solo album ranked in order of greatness

During a new interview with CBS, McCartney was asked how he was processing Lennon’s murder 40 years on. “I’m not sure I am,” he replied. “It’s very difficult for me, and I occasionally will have thoughts and sort of say, ‘I don’t know, why don’t I just break down crying every day?’ Because it’s that bad.”

Paul McCartney opens up about friendship with John Lennon in new interview

Paul McCartney has opened up about his friendship with John Lennon in a new interview.

• Read More: The Big Read – Paul McCartney: “The Beatles were brothers arguing, that’s what families do”

Speaking to The Sunday Times, McCartney opened up about his friendship with Lennon in the period following The Beatles split.

On being asked if he thought the Beatles would have ever worked together again, McCartney said: “We made a decision when the Beatles folded that we weren’t going to pick it up again. So we switched off from the Beatles. You talk about something coming full circle that is very satisfying; let’s not spoil it by doing something that might not be as good. It was a conscious decision to leave well enough alone, so I don’t really think we would have. But who knows? We could have.”

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Going on to speak about a potential reunion in light of his repaired friendship with Lennon, McCartney then added: “We had certainly got our friendship back, which was a great blessing for me, and I now will often think, if I’m writing a song, ‘OK, John — I’ll toss it over to you. What line comes next?’ So I’ve got a virtual John that I can use.”

Elsewhere in the interview, McCartney, whose forthcoming new solo album ‘McCartney III’ is due to arrive on December 18, went on to reveal more about the group’s early days. Explaining that he’d just seen some footage from Peter Jackson’s upcoming film about the group, The Beatles: Get Back, McCartney said the footage helped him remember the friendships of the band.

He said: “It was so reaffirming for me…Because it proves that my main memory of the Beatles was the joy and the skill…The proof is the footage. I bought into the dark side of the Beatles breaking up and thought, ‘Oh God, I’m to blame.’ I knew I wasn’t, but it’s easy when the climate is that way to start thinking so.

“But at the back of my mind there was always this idea that it wasn’t like that, but I needed to see proof. There’s a great photo Linda took, which is my favourite, of me and John working on a song, glowing with joy. This footage is the same. All four of us having a ball.”

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When asked if the group experienced any mental health issues, McCartney said: “Yes, I think so…But you talked about it through your songs. You know, John would. ‘Help! I need somebody,’ he wrote. And I thought, ‘Well, it’s just a song,’ but it turned out to be a cry for help.

“Same kind of thing happened with me, mainly after the break-up of the band. All of us went through periods when we weren’t as happy as we ought to be. Ringo had a major drinking problem. Now he’s Mr Sober of the Year! But you know there were a lot of things we had to work through, but you’re right — you didn’t talk about mental health.

“It was something really that, as four guys, you were more likely to make fun of than be serious about. And the making fun of it was to hide from it. But having said all that, we were reasonably well adjusted, I think.”

McCartney recently delayed the release of his upcoming solo album due to “unforeseeable production delays”.

The record is the long-awaited final part of the ‘McCartney’ solo album trilogy, following on from ‘McCartney’ in April 1970 and ‘McCartney II’ in May 1980.

After previously setting a December 11 release date, ‘McCartney III’ will now arrive a week later on December 18.

Elton John will be joining Dua Lipa’s ‘Studio 2054’ livestream as a special guest

Elton John has been announced to appear as a special guest on Dua Lipa‘s Studio 2054 livestream this Friday (November 27).

• Read more: Dua Lipa: “If somebody told me not to discuss issues I’m passionate about? I wouldn’t listen”

He joins a host of guests who have been confirmed for the upcoming show, broadcast from a warehouse filled with custom-made sets including Kylie Minogue, Miley Cyrus, FKA Twigs, Bad Bunny and J Balvin.

“It’s my absolute pleasure and honour to announce Elton John will be joining me at Studio 2054 this Friday,” Lipa said. “A one of a kind global musical icon, singer-songwriter and flawless performer, it’s going to be spectacular! He is truly musical royalty and I am elated that we will be appearing together.”

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John added: “I loved speaking to Dua when we met up to talk on Instagram Live a few weeks ago, she is incredibly smart and talented. So when she asked me to be part of Studio 2054 I said ‘yes!’ in a heartbeat.

“It’s amazing to be part of a live performance when live music just isn’t happening right now and especially in such a colourful and creative way. If you’re going to do virtual live music then this is the way to do it.”

As well as performing songs from her latest album ‘Future Nostalgia’, its remix ‘Club Future Nostalgia’ and her self-titled debut, a press release said fans can expect to see Lipa “move through custom-built sets, surreal tv shows, roller discos, ecstatic raves, trashy rocker hangouts, voguing ballrooms and diva style dressing rooms”.

Earlier this week, Lipa gave a celestial performance of ‘Levitating’ at the American Music Awards 2020, rising up into the sky on wires as glitter rained down around her. On Friday (November 20), she also released her long-awaited collaboration with Cyrus, ‘Prisoner’.

Paul McCartney reveals he uses a teleprompter to remember old Beatles songs

Paul McCartney has revealed that he uses a teleprompter at his live shows in case he forgets the lyrics to The Beatles‘ songs.

• The NME Big Read: Paul McCartney: “The Beatles were brothers arguing, that’s what families do”

The rock icon, 78, was speaking on a recent edition of the SmartLess podcast when he explained: “Sometimes I’ll be doing a song, like ‘Eleanor Rigby’ [released in 1966] or something, and I’m on autopilot.

“And I’m starting to think, ‘Oh, what am I gonna have for dinner? Maybe you won’t have the soup but maybe you’ll just go for the main course’.

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“Then I go, ‘Stop!’ because I’m singing ‘Eleanor Rigby’! I’ve separated myself not only from Paul and fame, but a couple of bits in my head are going in different places.”

He added: “Sometimes that breaks down and I forget the song. I have a teleprompter.”

McCartney said in an interview last year that he had to “re-learn everything” from The Beatles’ extensive catalogue, with some of the material dating back 55 years.

“We go in rehearsal and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s how it goes’,” he explained.

“Some of the old songs you say, ‘Oh, that’s clever, I wouldn’t have done that’. It’s exciting to think that still works. We were a little rock and roll group from Liverpool, it just kept going.”

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McCartney announced his long-awaited ‘McCartney III’ album last month. Following on from ‘McCartney’ (released in 1970) and ‘McCartney II’ (1980), the new record is set to arrive on December 18.

A press release explained that the musician initially hadn’t planned to release an album in 2020, “but in the isolation of ‘Rockdown’ he soon found himself fleshing out some existing musical sketches and creating even more new ones”.

“Before long an eclectic collection of spontaneous songs would become ‘McCartney III’: a stripped back, self-produced and, quite literally, solo work marking the opening of a new decade, in the tradition of 1970’s ‘McCartney’ and 1980’s ‘McCartney II’.”

The album John Lennon signed for Mark Chapman is set to be auctioned

The album John Lennon signed for Mark Chapman hours before the man murdered him is being put up for auction.

Chapman asked Lennon to sign a copy of ‘Double Fantasy’, his collaborative album with partner Yoko Ono, outside The Dakota apartment building in New York on December 8, 1980. Five hours later, he fatally shot the Beatle as he returned to his home.

• Read more: Check out previously unseen photos of John Lennon and Yoko Ono from new book John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band

The signed copy was submitted as evidence in the NYPD’s investigation into Lennon’s murder. According to the listing by Goldin Auctions, police markings from the investigation appear on both the front and back of the record sleeve.

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Bidding on the record will open on Monday (November 23) at 12am ET (5am GMT) and begins at $400,000 (£301k). More information is available here.

Earlier this year, Chapman apologised to Ono “for the pain that I caused to her”. “I think about it all of the time,” he said at a hearing in New York, where he was denied parole for the 11th time.

At the hearing, he said he deserved the death penalty, although that punishment was abolished in New York in 2007. He will remain behind bars for at least two more years, when he is scheduled for his next parole hearing.

On what would have been Lennon’s 80th birthday on October 9, his biographer Kenneth Womack claimed the late star would have given Donald Trump “hell” if he was still alive.

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“I think in a lot of ways he would have been like David Bowie, very moved by the internet,” he said. “He would be an influencer in that way… he’d be right there on Twitter giving Trump hell.”

John K’s Love + Everything Else Has A Song For Every Mood

Celeste shares new song ‘A Little Love’ for John Lewis Christmas advert

The annual John Lewis Christmas advert has arrived for 2020, and it’s soundtracked by Celeste.

For this year’s edition of the now-famous annual tradition, Celeste has written a new song called ‘A Little Love’, with the advert being named ‘Give A Little Love’.

• READ MORE: Celeste live in London: Haunting and unforgettable

The new, largely animated advert focuses on kindness and charity over the series’ usual premise of gift-giving. John Lewis says it deliberately commissioned eight different animators as a way to support the struggling creative community during the coronavirus pandemic.