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Nicki Minaj deactivates Instagram account amid Turning Point USA backlash

Nicki Minaj has reportedly deactivated her Instagram account after a backlash to her appearance at the Turning Point USA conference. Last week (December 21), the rapper was a surprise guest on the final day of the event in Phoenix, appearing in conversation with the organisation co-founder Erika Kirk, widow of the murdered political commentator Charlie Kirk. Advertisement During her appearance, Minaj expressed her “respect and admiration” for the “handsome, dashing” Donald Trump, and doubled down on her recent criticisms of California governor Gavin Newsom. “Don’t be Newscum,” she said. “Young men, you have amazing role models like our handsome, dashing president, and you have amazing role models like the assassin JD Vance, our vice president.” Kirk went on to ask Minaj about the backlash she’s faced for her recent comments. “I didn’t notice,” she responded. “I don’t think about them… We’re the cool kids. The other people, they’re the ones who are disgruntled, but really they’re just disgruntled with themselves.” [embedded content] Now, it appears that an outcry from followers has prompted Minaj to deactivate her Instagram page (via the Independent), with her account now reading: “Sorry, this page isn’t available”. Recommended Some reports suggest that Minaj had previously quit Instagram earlier in the year, and her X account remains active. Elsewhere during her appearance, she expanded on her respect for the MAGA movement, adding: “I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president… he’s given… Read More →

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A new comedy film based on trying to get into Berghain is in the works

A new comedy film is in the works based on the challenge of getting into the legendary Berlin nightclub Berghain. Reports emerged earlier this month that the currently-untitled project is in production, inspired by a multi-part episode of the podcast Search Engine, titled, ‘Why didn’t Chris and Dan get into Berghain?’ Advertisement The episodes documented the story of two Americans who flew across the Atlantic to try to get past the notoriously strict entry policy at the club, considered one of the most exclusive in the world. According to Deadline, the film will be written by Saturday Night Live and Wicked star Bowen Yang and his Las Culturistas podcast co-host Matt Rogers, with the two also set to star as the central characters. No title or release date has been announced for the film, but it will reportedly be produced and distributed by Disney’s Searchlight Pictures. Berghain is one of the world’s most famous techno clubs, famous for its huge industrial space and massive soundsystem. Known for its queer-friendly policies, its infamously stringent door policy and long, late-night queues are among its defining features, with bouncers judging wannabe revellers by how closely they ‘fit’ the club’s ethos. Recommended One of the best known of those bouncers, Sven Marquardt, made a cameo in Keanu Reeves’ John Wick: Chapter 4 in 2023…. Read More →

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Kennedy Center seeks $1million from musician who cancelled Christmas Eve show after Donald Trump’s name added to building

The president of the Kennedy Center is seeking $1million from a musician who cancelled a Christmas Eve show after Donald Trump’s name was added to the building. Last week (December 19), the board that presides over the Washington D.C. arts centre, which is closely allied with Trump, voted to rename the building as the Trump Kennedy Center, prompting jazz musician Chuck Redd to cancel an annual Christmas Eve show. Advertisement Redd has overseen the Jazz Jams at the venue during the holiday season since 2006, but after learning of the renaming decision, he decided to call off the show this time around. “When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” Redd said. Now, the venue’s president Richard Grenell has strongly criticised Redd’s decision and demanded $1million (£740,000) in damages for what he has described as a “political stunt”. “Your decision to withdraw at the last moment – explicitly in response to the Center’s recent renaming, which honors President Trump’s extraordinary efforts to save this national treasure – is classic intolerance and very costly to a non-profit Arts institution,” he said (via Associated Press). Recommended Redd has not responded to requests for comment. Democrats have already filed a lawsuit to remove… Read More →

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Perry Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist with The Cure, dies aged 65

Perry Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist with The Cure, has died at the age of 65. The news was announced earlier today (December 26) with an announcement on the band’s official website, which confirmed that their “great friend and bandmate” had passed away “after a short illness at home over Christmas”. “Quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative, ‘Teddy’ was a warm hearted and vital part of The Cure story,” the tribute read. “Our thoughts and condolences are with all his family. He will be very greatly missed.” Born Perry Archangelo Bamonte in London on 3 September 1960, he initially became a member of The Cure’s road crew in 1984, after his brother Daryl was appointed as their tour manager, and he went on to become frontman Robert Smith’s guitar technician and personal assistant. From The Cure’s official website. Perry Bamonte has passed away. https://t.co/STzJ8D1KPB pic.twitter.com/FbzqPtZlo4 — The Cure Forever (@TheCureForever_) December 26, 2025 When keyboardist Roger O’Donnell left the band in 1990, Bamonte became a full-time Cure member, playing guitar and keyboards – having been taught the latter by Smith’s sister Janet – as well as six-string bass and percussion on occasion. He played on a string of albums, from 1992’s ‘Wish’ to 2000’s ‘Bloodflowers’, before being dismissed in 2005. He joined the… Read More →

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Watch Bono and Imelda May sing ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ at annual Dublin busking gig

U2’s Bono joined Imelda May for a version of Darlene Love’s ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ at a Dublin busking gig on Christmas Eve. The event on Grafton Street has been an annual tradition for 15 years and was held this year to raise funds for the Dublin Simon Community, a charity that supports people at risk of homelessness in Ireland. Advertisement Among those taking part this time around were Oscar-winning singer-songwriter and event organiser Glen Hansard and The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue, while Bono and May performed the 1963 festive staple as a duet. Hundreds of people gathered outside the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin city centre for the event, which also saw performances from The Riptide Movement, Danny O’Reilly from The Coronas and Shobsy, while the night culminated with a performance of The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s ‘Fairytale Of New York’, with May wishing Shane MacGowan a “happy birthday for tomorrow”. Watch Bono and May sing ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ here: [embedded content] [embedded content] Recommended Previous years have seen Bono play ‘The Joshua Tree’ classic ‘Running To Stand Still’, Shane MacGowan perform ‘Dirty Old Town’ and Hozier play his hit ‘Take Me To Church’. Earlier this year, U2 were the recipients of the Woody Guthrie Prize, being celebrated as “a champion for the voiceless with an understanding of how a platform can be used… Read More →

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Morrissey shares tracklisting for new album on Sire Records

Morrissey has shared a tracklisting for a new album on his official website, alongside the logo for Sire Records. The former Smiths singer signalled last week (December 19) that he had signed with the label, leading many fans to assume that he would now be able to release his much-delayed album ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’. Advertisement Now, to mark Christmas Day, Morrissey has shared a 12-track list of song titles, presented without any further context. The titles do not include ‘Rebels Without Applause’, the one single released from ‘Bonfire Of Teenagers’ in 2022, nor any of the other rumoured songs from that album, so it appears that these titles relate to any entirely separate record. Last year, he told Medium that he had completed a second new album that he has been unable to release. “The second one was re-recorded in France in late 2023, and given a new title. We scrapped half of the tracks and we recorded six new ones, and so it is not the album from the beginning of 2023,” he explained. The tracklisting is: ‘The Monsters Of Pig Alley’ ‘Headache’ ‘Make-Up Is A Lie’ ‘The Night Pop Dropped’ ‘You’re Right, It’s Time’ ‘Kerching Kerching’ ‘Zoom Zoom The Little Boy’ ‘Lester Bangs’ ‘Boulevard’ ‘Many Icebergs Ago’ ‘Amazona’ ‘Notre-Dame’ Recommended As for ‘Bonfire…’, issues date back to December 2022, when Morrissey revealed that he had “voluntarily withdrawn from any association with Capitol Records” – despite announcing that… Read More →

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Lady Gaga releases intimate ‘Harlequin’ concert film ‘One Night Only’ on YouTube

Lady Gaga has released her concert film ‘Lady Gaga in Harlequin Live – One Night Only’ for free on YouTube – watch below. The show in question was filmed in the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles on 30 September 2024 in front of a small audience, and it saw her performing tracks from her ‘Harlequin’ album, the companion piece to the film Joker: Folie à Deux. Advertisement ‘Harlequin’ is made up of Gaga’s covers of jazz standards such as ‘Get Happy’, ‘Oh When The Saints’, ‘That’s Entertainment’, ‘Smile’ and ‘That’s Life’, with the entire project inspired by the musical interludes in Todd Phillips’ film, in which Gaga played Harley Quinn. ‘Lady Gaga in Harlequin Live – One Night Only’ received a premiere at the Grammy Museum this week, and now the 51-minute film has been posted to Gaga’s official YouTube account, and you can watch the whole thing here: [embedded content] Explaining the YouTube release, Gaga told Variety: “I’m feeling like, why not? We have this thing that’s so special to us, so we’re just really happy to share it with the fans. It’s kind of a rebellious project. And, by Harlequin standards, Christmas is the perfect time to release something rebellious.” The ‘Harlequin’ album went on to be nominated for Best Traditional Pop Album at the 2026 Grammys, while Gaga’s more recent studio album ‘Mayhem’ picked… Read More →

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Listen to Queen’s previously-unheard Christmas song ‘Not For Sale (Polar Bear)’

Queen have released a never-before-heard Christmas song ‘Not For Sale (Polar Bear)’ – listen below. The track was recorded in 1974 during the sessions for the band’s second studio album ‘Queen II’, but it did not make the final cut. As they ready that record’s reissue, which is due in 2026, they have shared ‘Not For Sale (Polar Bear)’ in time for Christmas. Advertisement Guitarist Brian May, who wrote the song for his previous band Smile, gave the song its premiere during a stint presenting on the Planet Rock radio station on Monday (December 22), and has said that it “goes back a very long way, but to my knowledge no one has ever heard this version”. “It’s a work in progress and will appear on the forthcoming rebuild of the ‘Queen II’ album – coming next year – but I’m sneaking this into my Planet Rock special because I’m fascinated to know what people think about it,” May added. “I hope people have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year!” Listen to the song, a slow-burner that sees May and Freddie Mercury trade lead vocals, here: [embedded content] In other news, earlier this month May gifted Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi with a left-handed replica of his classic Red Special guitar. Recommended The original Red Special was assembled from scratch in the early 1960s by May with… Read More →

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France recognises electronic music as Intangible Cultural Heritage

Electronic music has been added to the French Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The country’s contributions to the genre, which is often referred to as French touch, includes landmark work from the likes of Daft Punk, Justice, Air, Cassius, Phoenix, Étienne de Crécy, M83 and Alan Braxe. Advertisement Now, the genre has made it onto the French Intangible Cultural Heritage list, which represents the first step towards UNESCO heritage status. The list of intangible cultural heritage allows signatory states of the UNESCO Convention to register “practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills that communities recognise as part of their cultural heritage” – everything from music and craftsmanship to culinary skills, traditional games and sports. The addition of electronic music to the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, acknowledges that the artform is shaping France’s artistic identity. “Electronic music has a rightful place in our national intangible heritage,” French Culture Minister Rachida Dati said, following the ministry’s labelling of clubs as “places of artistic expression and celebration”, per EuroNews. Recommended Special mention was given to Jean-Michel Jarre who released the seminal album ‘Oxygène’ in 1976, using early synthesisers and no vocals. The record has been credited for inspiring the French Touch sound that came after it, and in 2021, Jarre… Read More →

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Massive Attack and Kneecap call on fans to email David Lammy over Palestine Action protestors on hunger strike in prison

Kneecap and Massive Attack have jointly shared a post calling for fans to contact Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy MP to intervene in the safeguarding of Palestine Action prisoners on hunger strike in the UK. The six prisoners in question are among 24 protesters accused in relation to action at Elbit Systems in Filton near Bristol last year, as well as the so-called Brize Norton Five. According to The Guardian, the Filton 24 are scheduled to be tried on charges of aggravated burglary, criminal damage and violent disorder in April next year. The Crown Prosecution Service said there was a “terrorism connection”, but no charges have been brought under the Terrorism Act. Those on remand in relation to the damage of two Voyager aircraft during a protest at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20 were previously charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage, and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK. They are not scheduled to stand trial until January 2027. Palestine Action claimed responsibility for both incidents. Earlier in the month, several artists highlighted fears for the prisoners on hunger strike, as well… Read More →

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TRNSMT festival could change times for Scotland World Cup game

TRSNMT festival is investigating the possibility of altering stage times for the 2026 edition, in order for attendees to watch Scotland’s World Cup games. The hit Scottish festival will return to Glasgow Green for next year’s edition, and run from Friday June 19 to Sunday June 21. The first wave of artists for the 2026 festival were announced on November 7, led by Richard Ashcroft, Kasabian, Lewis Capaldi, and Wolf Alice. Advertisement On November 18, the Scotland men’s football team won in dramatic fashion against Denmark to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, hosted jointly between the USA, Canada, and Mexico next summer. It is the first time Scotland will be competing in the tournament since 1998. There is a potential clash between one of the festival’s headline slots and Scotland’s second group game against Morocco on June 19. According to a report by the BBC, a headliner would typically play from 9:30pm – 11pm. The match with Morocco begins at 11pm, meaning there may be some overlap between that day’s headliner, Richard Ashcroft, and the game’s kick-off. DF Concerts’ Geoff Ellis, the festival director, told BBC News: “Obviously it’s very early days as the World Cup and TRNSMT are… Read More →

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Queen to unveil lost Christmas song recorded in 1974 that “no one has ever heard”

An unreleased Queen Christmas song that “no one has ever heard” will soon be released, according to guitarist Brian May. The song, titled ‘Not For Sale (Polar Bear)’ was recorded in 1974 during the making of the band’s second album ‘Queen II’, but it didn’t make the final cut. Advertisement Five decades on, it’s now been unearthed from the archives and received its first radio play on Planet Rock today (December 22). It will also appear on the reissue of Queen II due out in 2026. “People might possibly have heard a bootleg version of ‘Not for Sale (Polar Bear)’ by Smile, it’s a song that goes back a very long way, but to my knowledge no one has ever heard this version.” He continued, “It’s a work in progress and will appear on the forthcoming rebuild of the Queen II album – coming next year – but I’m sneaking this into my Planet Rock special because I’m fascinated to know what people think about it. I hope people have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year!” [embedded content] In other news, earlier this month May gifted Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi with a left-handed replica of his classic Red Special… Read More →

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Creeper announce ‘The Sangui-Tour’ for UK and Ireland in spring 2026 with The Howling

Creeper have announced ‘The Sangui-Tour’ for the UK and Ireland to take place next spring, with support from The Howling. The Southampton horror punk band released their latest full-length album ‘Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death’ on Halloween this year via Spinefarm, which they previewed with the singles ‘Blood Magick (It’s A Ritual)’ and ‘Headstones’. Advertisement Now they have confirmed details of an accompanying tour to take place in April and May 2026. They kick off at Exeter’s Phoenix on April 10, before taking in Portsmouth, Brighton, Oxford, Cardiff, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Birmingham and Nottingham. From there, they will hit Hull, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool, Carlisle, Glasgow, Belfast and Dublin, before rounding things off with a date at London’s Islington Assembly Hall on May 2. Support at all dates will come from The Howling, featuring former members of As Sirens Fall and James And The Cold Gun, and tickets are on sale now – find yours here. Frontman William Van Ghould has said: “For the first time ever, Creeper will be exclusively performing songs from ‘Sanguivore 1 and 2’, the shows will provide a rare opportunity for fans to see the band in incredibly intimate venues and in cities they rarely get to visit.” Creeper will play: Recommended APRIL 2026 10 – Exeter, Phoenix 11 – Portsmouth, Wedgewood… Read More →

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Nicki Minaj calls conservative activists “the cool kids” in on-stage conversation with Erika Kirk

Nicki Minaj has described conservative activists as “the cool kids” in a sit-down interview with Erika Kirk in Phoenix. The rapper was the surprise guest on the final day of the Turning Point USA conference in Arizona today (December 21), appearing in conversation with the organisation co-founder and widow of the murdered political commentator Charlie Kirk. Advertisement At a time when Minaj has been embracing conservative politics more and more frequently, she expressed her “respect and admiration” for the “handsome, dashing” Donald Trump, and doubled down on her recent criticisms of California governor Gavin Newsom. “Don’t be Newscum,” she said, in reference to Newsom. “Young men, you have amazing role models like our handsome, dashing president, and you have amazing role models like the assassin JD Vance, our vice president.” Her reference to Vance as an “assassin” prompted an uncomfortable response, given the nature of Charlie Kirk’s death earlier this year. Erika interrupted, however, stating: “Trust me, there’s nothing new under the sun that I have not heard. So you’re fine.” [embedded content] “You have to laugh about it, truly,” Kirk added. “I have been called every single thing, and you know what? God is so good. You let it roll right off your back and this is what’s so beautiful about this moment, because if the internet wants to clip it, who… Read More →

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Watch the trailer for Sheffield’s Leadmill replacement, Electric Studios

A trailer for Electric Studios, the new music venue replacing the iconic Leadmill in Sheffield, has been released – watch below. The historic Leadmill closed its doors in June after a 45-year run in the city centre, losing a battle to stay open after its owners were denied an appeal against an eviction notice and given three months to vacate the premises. Advertisement Electric Group – which runs various venues around the UK, including Brixton Electric – are the new operators of the site and they confirmed in July that the Leadmill would be reinvented as a new music venue, with the Electric Studios doors set to open in February 2026. Now, Electric Studios have posted an Instagram reel in which they preview the new venue. “Electric Studios is a vibrant, multifunctional event space,” the trailer says. “For Sheffield.” Mike Weller, head of music at the venue, goes on to say: “Any form of music won’t feel out of place within these walls.” Check out the full trailer here: Recommended The redevelopment has cost approximately £2million, and it will have a capacity of 1,050 for live gigs and 1,450 for club events, with the owners saying they will be “collaborating with national and independent promoters, music labels, and brands” to bring an eclectic mix of… Read More →

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Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger feature in new batch of Jeffrey Epstein files photos – while lawmakers criticise redactions

The US Justice Department has released an initial tranche of documents related to dead paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was arrested in July 2019 for sex trafficking and was found dead in his jail cell in August of that year, with authorities later determining that he hanged himself. Since his death, there has been a campaign for the full publication of all documents and photos and to reveal high profile names he associated with. The material released includes photos, videos and investigative documents, and came following Congress passing a law mandating the files be released in their entirety by Friday (December 19). They were made public shortly after 9pm UK time last night, just hours before the legal deadline brought about by the passing of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Commentators across the political spectrum have now accused the Department of Justice (DOJ) of violating its legal obligations after it said it would not be able to release all the documents by the deadline. Likewise, Republicans and Democrats alike have protested the heavy redactions that rendered entire passages blank. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said “simply releasing a mountain of blacked out pages violates the spirit of transparency and the letter of… Read More →

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David Gilmour celebrates Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ landing UK’s record-breaking Christmas Number One album

David Gilmour has celebrated Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ landing the Christmas Number One album spot. The classic record has been reissued with new digital and physical editions for its 50th anniversary, and on Friday (December 19), it was announced that it had topped the Official Albums Chart for Christmas. Advertisement The record did not top the charts on its original release in 1975, and its success means that Pink Floyd are now the artist with the longest span between their first and last Number One albums, clocking in at 2,620 weeks, or over 50 years. “Raising a glass to the wonderful news that Wish You Were Here is the UK’s Christmas Number 1 album,” Gilmour wrote on Instagram on Friday. It is Pink Floyd’s second Number One album of the year, following on from ‘Pink Floyd At Pompeii – MCMLXXII‘, the live album of a 1971 show that was released as a concert film in 1972 and re-released with newly mixed audio earlier this year. Recommended While it is the band’s first Christmas Number One album, they did land the coveted Number One single in 1979 with ‘Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2’. ‘Wish You Were Here’ tops the chart ahead of the latest… Read More →

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Glastonbury’s Block9 shares “best of the best” sets from 2025, including Sub Focus and more

Glastonbury’s Block9 has uploaded a range of sets from their 2025 line-up, including from Sub Focus and IMOGEN – listen below. This year, the Block9 area at the festival’s hedonistic south-east corner was made up of four stages, IICON, Genosys, the NYC Downlow and The Meat Rack, providing a place for electronic music fans to revel deep into the night. Advertisement Now, Block9’s organisers have shared the first half of a two-volume mix series that is intended to celebrate “the selectors that tore up the Block9 stages this summer”. Included are Sub Focus’ set at IICON, GIDEÖN and Heléna Star from NYC Downlow, IMOGEN at Genosys, while the second volume will include sets from Ryan Hope of Gabriels, Smokin Jo, Guy Williams and more. The sets are streaming on Bandcamp now, with Block9 encouraging listeners to donate to Medical Aid For Palestinians. Recommended Glastonbury 2025 was headlined by The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo and NME was there for it all. Read our rundown of the weekend’s best moments here, including memorable sets from Kneecap, Pulp, Charli XCX, CMAT, The Maccabees, Lewis Capaldi, Turnstile, Wolf Alice and Rod Stewart. Fans now have to wait until 2027 for another Glastonbury as next year is set to be a fallow year. The event’s last planned break came in 2018, although they were forced to cancel in both 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. [embedded… Read More →

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Gem Archer on playing with Bonehead in Oasis: “He’s the glue that makes everything else sound great”

Oasis guitarist Gem Archer has spoken about playing with Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs on the band’s huge reunion tour this year. READ MORE.: Oasis live in Cardiff: a supersonic reunion for a new generation In an interview with Guitar World, Archer reflected on playing the giant Oasis reunion tour – which wrapped up in São Paulo, Brazil on November 23 – alongside Bonehead, who left the band back in 1999 before Archer joined. Advertisement “I’ve met him many times over the years and always thought he was a great guy,” Archer said of reuniting with him in rehearsals. “My wife used to be really close with him, so I just thought, ‘Alright, perfect!’ And now I know him so much better – it’s almost like I know him like a brother. “I joined in ’99, but with how things played out, I wasn’t replacing him; it was just taking a different turn. Obviously, Oasis needed two guitars, but it certainly wasn’t like Noel said, ‘You’ve gotta play barre chords and that’s it.’ It was completely open when I joined.” He went on to say: “So it wasn’t replacing Bonehead because it was different. Now, playing with him, it’s like he’s the bedrock – he’s the glue… Read More →

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Olivia Dean shares how struggling single mother inspired her to hit out at Ticketmaster and AEG’s “vile” re-sale practices

Olivia Dean has shared the story of how encountering the story of a single mother who couldn’t afford a ticket to her show inspired her to call out Ticketmaster and AEG’s “vile” re-sale practices. READ MORE: The UK ban on secondary ticketing explained by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy: “Time is up for ticket touts” After tickets for Dean’s 2026 US tour went on sale and quickly started to appear on re-sale sites at inflated prices, the ‘Dive’ singer called out Ticketmaster, Live Nation and AEG and said that they were “providing a disgusting service”. Advertisement “The prices at which you’re allowing tickets to be re-sold is vile and completely against our wishes,” she added. “Live music should be affordable and accessible, and we need to find a new way of making that possible. BE BETTER.” She also apologised to fans for the high prices on resale sites and said that she found it “extremely frustrating” that people were being “scammed or overcharged for our show”. When speaking at a Soho Sessions and Grammy Museum event on Monday (December 15), Dean explained what drove her to speak up, and it was the words of just one fan on a low income. Olivia Dean. Credit:… Read More →

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Kirsty MacColl’s ex-husband says ‘Fairytale Of New York’ singer’s death was “cover-up” to protect Mexican billionaire

Kirsty MacColl’s ex-husband has alleged that there was a “cover-up” surrounding her death to protect a Mexican billionaire. The singer, who collaborated with The Pogues on their festive classic ‘Fairytale Of New York’, died 25 years ago today, on December 18, 2000. She was 41 years old. READ MORE: The Pogues: “Fontaines D.C. are carrying their own torch and Kneecap are without precedent” MacColl was on holiday in Cozumel, Mexico, at the time with her sons and her boyfriend, musician James Knight. She was surfacing from a scuba dive when a speedboat hit her, killing her instantly. Record producer Steve Lillywhite, who helmed ‘Fairytale Of New York’, was married to MacColl between 1984 and 1994. He has now spoken about his doubts over the circumstances of his ex-wife’s untimely death. “They said that it was a young kid driving [the speedboat], but no one believes that,” he told The Sun (via LBC), saying that the person responsible avoided justice due to a “cover-up”. “I think they just didn’t want to have an enormous lawsuit because he was one of the richest guys in Mexico,” he added. Lillywhite went on to suggest that the speedboat could be traced to billionaire Mexican businessman… Read More →