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Fans confused as Nicki Minaj asks for moment of silence for “dear friend” Princess Diana

Nicki Minaj baffled fans by asking for a moment of silence for Princess Diana during a show in Birmingham, who she called a “dear friend”. At the first UK date of her ‘Pink Friday 2’ world tour on Sunday (May 26), Minaj handed the mic to various fans in the crowd to tell her where they came from. One group of fans had come from Wales, which led her to launch into the tribute, made all the more unexpected by the fact that Minaj was only 14 years old when the Princess of Wales was killed in a car accident in 1997. “Wales,” she said, putting on an upper-class English accent. “It always reminds me of a dear friend of mine, well she’s not here anymore, but the Princess of Wales.” The crowd applauded, to which she added: “Let’s have a moment of silence.” Advertisement The moment generated plenty of bemused reactions on social media. “Nicki Minaj calling Princess Diana “a dear friend of mine” and holding a moments silence for her is so unserious,” one X/Twitter user wrote. “absolutely obsessed with this,” another wrote. Nicki Minaj calling Princess Diana “a dear friend of mine” and holding a moments silence… Read More →

28MAYNews

Dolly Parton announces album and docuseries about her family’s history

Dolly Parton has announced a new album, which will be accompanied by a four-part docuseries about her family history. Titled ‘Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables’, the album – produced by Parton’s cousin and touring band member Richie Owens – is due November 15. “I cannot believe that it has been 60 years this month since I graduated from Sevier County High School and moved to Nashville to pursue my dreams,” Dolly wrote in a statement on her official website. “My Uncle Bill Owens was by my side for many years helping me develop my music. I owe so much to him and all the family members past and present who have inspired me along this journey. I am honored to spotlight our families’ musical legacy that is my Smoky Mountain DNA.” The full tracklist of the album will be announced on June 21 when it goes live for pre-orders on vinyl and CD. Advertisement The overarching theme of ‘Smoky Mountain DNA’ is family – on the country icon’s paternal Parton family and her mother’s family, the Owens. It traces their origins from the United Kingdom in the 1600s to their home today in… Read More →

27MAYHit Singles

Robin Trower – Bridge Of Sighs

It’s 1974 and blues-rock is badly in need of a new guitar hero. Hendrix and Duane Allman are dead, Clapton and Peter Green are missing in action and Jimmy Page was last heard essaying reggae and doo-wop pastiches on Led Zep’s Houses Of The Holy. Cometh the hour, cometh Robin Trower. JONI MITCHELL IS ON THE COVER OF THE NEW UNCUT – ORDER YOUR COPY HERE! Frustrated by not being allowed to let rip in his years with Procul Harum, Trower had given notice of intent with his 1973 solo debut Twice Removed From Yesterday, which included an incendiary cover of BB King’s “Rock Me Baby” and rather suggested he’d been in the wrong group all along. Backed by Jimmy Dewar on bass and blue-eyed soul vocals and Reg Isidore on powerhouse drums, he followed with 1974’s epochal Bridge Of Sighs, which was to elevate him to the ranks of the most revered axemen of the age. Advertisement Touring America that summer, Trower found himself bottom of the bill opening for Ten Years After and King Crimson. By the time the tour was over he was outselling both headliners as Bridge Of Sighs reached No 7 in the US charts… Read More →

27MAYHit Singles

Ezra Feinberg – Soft Power

Every so often, an ageing agit-rocker will crawl out of the woodwork to bemoan that the abject state of our governments is not being met with suitable ire from the current generation of songwriters. Where are our Bob Dylans, our Joe Strummers, our Rage Against The Machines? Obviously this is a load of old cobblers: pop is as diverse and engaged as it’s ever been, with young musicians at the vanguard of campaigns for racial equality, social justice and a ceasefire in Gaza. You don’t need to literally write a song about it. JONI MITCHELL IS ON THE COVER OF THE NEW UNCUT – ORDER YOUR COPY HERE! This clamour for old-fashioned punk dissent overlooks the fact that it’s also the job of music to create utopias; that the quest for bliss is also an act of resistance. Hence the current yearning for ambient and New Age atmospheres that has united musicians from the fields of jazz, folk, electronica, neo-classical and, in this case, psychedelic rock. This mass retreat to calmer terrain is more than mere escapism – it’s an attempt to dream a better world based on principles of compassion, contemplation and consideration of beauty. Advertisement As with most… Read More →

26MAYNews

Bruce Springsteen will postpone Prague and Milan shows due to “vocal issues”

Bruce Springsteen has announced he will postpone his Prague and Milan shows due to “vocal issues”. Springsteen, who is currently embarking on his UK/EU tour, recently postponed his show in Marseille citing “vocal issues and under doctor’s direction”. Now, the musician has announced via social media that he will reschedule his upcoming shows at Airport Letnany in Prague (May 28) and San Siro Stadium in Milan (June 1 and 3), with new dates to be announced shortly. “Following yesterday’s postponement in Marseille due to vocal issues, further examination and consulting has led doctors to determine that Bruce should not perform for the next ten days,” a statement from the musician read. Advertisement “Bruce is recuperating comfortably, and he and the E Street Band look forward to resuming their hugely successful European stadium tour on June 12 in Madrid at the magnificent Civitas Metropolitan.” The Boss previously had to reschedule his 2023 US tour dates following his continuing battle with peptic ulcer disease. Recommended A statement posted to social media noted that while Springsteen had “continued to recover steadily”, he had been advised to “continue treatment through the rest of the year” per consultations with his doctor. We caught Springsteen at his… Read More →

25MAYNews

Nicki Minaj’s Manchester Co-Op Live gig cancelled after Amsterdam arrest

Nicki Minaj’s show at Manchester’s Co-Op Live tonight (May 25) was cancelled after she was arrested in Amsterdam earlier in the day. The rapper was due to take her ‘Pink Friday 2’ live show to the venue as part of her ongoing UK and European tour, but she was unable to make it to the gig after the events in the Netherlands. Minaj livestreamed her own arrest this afternoon, as she appeared to be detained by Dutch police for allegedly “carrying drugs” while travelling between countries. The Dutch National Police Corps confirmed that she had been arrested, but that she had since been released. Doors at the Co-Op Live opened at 7pm, with Minaj due on stage an hour later. However, as fans continued to wait, the announcement finally came at around 9:30pm that Minaj would not be performing after all. Advertisement The venue later posted an official update: “Nicki Minaj’s scheduled performance at Manchester’s Co-Op Live on Saturday 25th May has been postponed,” they wrote. “Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled performance which will be announced ASAP.” Pink Friday 2 World Tour Update pic.twitter.com/IOhOcS73pT — Co-op Live (@TheCoopLive) May 25, 2024 “Despite Nicki’s best efforts to explore every… Read More →

25MAYNews

Nicki Minaj livestreams her own arrest in Amsterdam for “carrying drugs”

Nicki Minaj livestreamed her own arrest in Amsterdam today (May 25), as she appeared to be detained for “carrying drugs” while travelling for a show in Manchester. The rapper performed in the Dutch city on Thursday night, the opening show of a UK and European tour that is due to take her to Manchester’s Co-Op Live tonight, followed by Birmingham, London and Glasgow, and a run of shows around the continent in early June. But in an Instagram Live post, Minaj filmed what appeared to be a group of Dutch police officers arresting her and asking her to enter a police vehicle so they could take her to the station. Watch the footage below: Nicki Minaj has been arrested in Amsterdam (of all places) for “carrying drugs.” Minaj immediately went on Instagram Live and asked for a lawyer. She initially declined to get into a police vehicle until she had a lawyer and repeatedly asked for the address of where she was… pic.twitter.com/3QwFockAnu — Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) May 25, 2024 Advertisement They tell her that they believe she is “carrying drugs”, which she immediately denies. Minaj repeatedly says that she is not going anywhere without the presence of a… Read More →

25MAYHit Singles

Paul Weller interviewed: “I do think the world has lost its way”

Paul Weller talks to Uncut about his new album, 66. Read the full review of the Modfather’s latest gem in the new issue of Uncut. Paul Weller is a composer who has always tended to write alone. With The Jam he recorded around 140 songs, all of which – apart from a few covers and a handful of Bruce Foxton originals – were written solely by him. His years with the Style Council might have been full of interesting collaborations and guest vocalists, but nearly all of the 100-plus songs they recorded – some Mick Talbot instrumentals aside – are credited to P Weller, as were his first decade and a half of solo albums. Since the career rebirth of 22 Dreams in 2008 (an album partly co-written with producer Simon Dine), Weller seems to have gleefully embraced the professional collaboration. Advertisement Noel, Bobby Gillespie, Suggs and others help out on the Modfather’s collab-happy birthday LP… UNCUT: You told Uncut in 2007 that you used to be very self-conscious about co-writing. PAUL WELLER: Yeah, that would have been after working with Graham Coxon. I think that experience showed me that it could be done without two blokes sitting in a… Read More →

25MAYNews

‘Furiosa’ ending explained: how does it connect to ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’?

Anya Taylor-Joy leads the fifth instalment in the Mad Max franchise, Furiosa. Directed by George Miller, Furiosa serves as a prequel to 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road and charts the origins of the character, who was originally played by Charlize Theron. READ MORE: ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ review: another mighty, petrol-soaked masterpiece Other cast members in the prequel include Chris Hemsworth, Alyla Browne, Tom Burke, Lachy Hulme, Nathan Jones, and Josh Helman. Along with directing Furiosa, Miller has co-written the story with his former Fury Road collaborator Nico Lathouris. What happens at the end of Furiosa? Advertisement Anya Taylor-Joy in ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’. CREDIT: Jasin Boland/Warner Bros. After tracking down Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) following the 40-day wasteland war, Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) confronts him and tries to make him remember who she is. When he eventually does remember that she is the girl he kidnapped years prior, Dementus is impressed and tells her he’s been waiting for someone worthy of him. “Do this right, and you become me,” he remarks while on his knees, before adding: “The question is, do you have it in you to make it epic?” Recommended Through a narrator, we discover Furiosa doesn’t actually kill… Read More →

24MAYNews

Paul Mescal could be playing a Beatle in Sam Mendes’ new biopic

It has been reported that Sam Mendes may be eyeing Paul Mescal to play one of the Fab Four in his upcoming Beatles biopic. READ MORE: ‘All Of Us Strangers’ review: the saddest film of the year Mescal first gained attention for his award-winning role as Connell Waldron in the 2020 drama miniseries Normal People. He was also nominated for Best Actor at the 95th Academy Awards for his portrayal of Calum in 2022’s Aftersun. The actor is set to star as Lucius Verus in Ridley Scott’s upcoming Gladiator II. Verus is the nephew of the original film’s villain Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) but grows up idolising deceased gladiator Maximus (Russell Crowe). Now, The Hollywood Reporter has released a new feature highlighting 10 young movie stars who are taking Hollywood by storm. They included Mescal in their list and shared that Mendes, the director of the upcoming Beatles biopic, has his eyes on the Irish actor to potentially portray the role of one of the Liverpudlian legends in the film. Advertisement Paul Mescal. CREDIT: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images Announced back in February, Mendes will be directing four Beatles biopic projects – one told from the perspective of each band member. The biopics will be told from… Read More →

24MAYHit Singles

Bob Dylan: Tell Tale Signs Special – The Complete Transcripts!

In Uncut Take 138 [dated November 2008], we celebrated the release of The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs, Bob Dylan’s astonishing collection of unreleased material from 1989 – 2006. For this epic cover story, we spoke to the musicians, producers and crew who worked with Dylan during this period. At the time, we ran the full, unedited transcripts of those interviews on Uncut.co.uk. Since then, though, they’ve fallen down the back of the internet, become hard to find or some of the links have since broken. Advertisement So we’ve decided to round them all up into one place. Here, then, are the working links to all 13 transcripts in our Tell Tale Signs interviews – plus founding editor Allan Jones’ original review of the collection itself. Interviews originally conducted by Damien Love and Alastair McKay Advertisement Part 1: MICAJAH RYAN: engineer, Good As I’ve Been To You and World Gone Wrong Part 2: MALCOLM BURN: engineer, Oh Mercy Part 3: MARK HOWARD: engineer, Oh Mercy and Time Out Of Mind Part 4: DON WAS: producer Under The Red Sky Part 5: ROBBEN FORD: guitarist Under The Red Sky Part 6: DAVID LINDLEY: guitarist Under The Red Sky Part 7: AUGIE MYERS:… Read More →

24MAYHit Singles

Inside Bob Dylan’s Masked And Anonymous

Originally published in Uncut Take 85 [June 2004] It’s 1964, and the singer is alone on the stage of New York’s Philharmonic Hall, talking to the darkness: “It’s just Halloween. I have my Bob Dylan mask on. I’m masquerading.” It’s 1965, and the singer is in a black and white Britain, reading about himself in a newspaper: “God, I’m glad I’m not me.” Advertisement It’s 1972, and the singer stands in the dust in Durango, saying his name: “Alias anything you please.” It’s 1975, and the stage lights go up to reveal the singer is hiding his face behind a transparent Richard Nixon mask. Now it’s 2003, and the singer is wearing a blonde wig and a woolly hat at the Sundance Film Festival, watching a movie he wrote under the alias Sergei Petrov. In the film he plays a singer who looks like him but calls himself Jack Fate. He’s called the movie Masked And Anonymous. Advertisement The film is stuffed with more stars than any since Robert Altman‘s The Player. Despite – or maybe because – of this, the screening becomes one of the most infamous premieres in Sundance history, provoking walkouts and a firestorm of negative reviews…. Read More →

24MAYHit Singles

Kim Gordon, Arooj Aftab and Prince Jammy for Le Guess Who? festival

The first names have been revealed for this year’s Le Guess Who? festival, taking place in Utrecht, The Netherlands, on November 7-10. JONI MITCHELL IS ON THE COVER OF THE NEW UNCUT – ORDER YOUR COPY HERE! Guest curators include Arooj Aftab, Bo Ningen, Darkside and Mabe Fratti. They will all perform at the festival, alongside Kim Gordon, Theo Parrish, Meshell Ndegeocello, King Jammy, Wadada Leo Smith, Tropical Fuckstorm, Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto and many other names from across the globe. Peruse the full line-up announcement here. A limited amount of four-day passes and individual day tickets will go on sale on Tuesday May 28, at 10AM BST here. You can read a candid, in-depth interview with Arooj Aftab in the brand new issue of Uncut, out today with Joni Mitchell on the cover – order your copy here!

24MAYNews

NewJeans take it back to the 1980s on new single, ‘How Sweet’

K-pop girl group NewJeans have released their new single, ‘How Sweet’ – listen to the track below. The ’80s-inspired ‘How Sweet’ is the second song from the girl group’s new double single album, which also features the previously released ‘Bubble Gum’. A music video for ‘How Sweet’ is expected to be released in the coming hours. In a statement, per The Korea Times, the quintet said that the record “is something we’ve diligently prepared together and poured a lot of care into”. “We hope our fans, the Bunnies, will enjoy it as it features songs with a variety of charms,” the girl group added. [embedded content] Advertisement The release of ‘How Sweet’ comes amid an increasingly heated feud between ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and HYBE over the ownership of the NewJeans label. Back in April, Min had claimed that HYBE and Belift Lab were “undermining” the success of NewJeans by creating ILLIT, which she alleged was a copycat version of the quintet. In response, Belift Lab has reportedly sued Min Hee-jin for defamation over her claims. “We filed a complaint against CEO Min for making false claims unilaterally against our company and artists and causing damage,” Belift Lab said in a statement earlier… Read More →

23MAYNews

Cassie breaks silence after Diddy attack video emerged: “Open your heart to believing victims the first time”

Cassie has broken her silence and opened up about the footage of her ex-partner – rap mogul Diddy – attacking her in 2016. Diddy – real name Sean Combs – is currently facing a series of ongoing investigations regarding alleged sex trafficking, sexual assault and harassment. The rapper’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles were raided in March, seemingly in connection with the accusations. Last week (March 17), footage of the rapper from 2016 appeared to show the rapper beating his former partner, singer Cassie, and throwing an unidentified object at her from a nearby table. It was published by CNN. The footage aligns with testimony Cassie gave in a lawsuit filed against the rap mogul, in which she claimed Diddy “became extremely intoxicated and punched [her] in the face” at the hotel, then followed her into the hallway and threw glass vases at her after she tried to leave when he was asleep. Advertisement Diddy has since apologised for his “inexcusable” behaviour in the video allegedly showing him attacking Cassie. Now, the ‘Me & U’ singer has broken her silence about the publication of the 2016 footage. In a statement shared to her official Instagram account, the singer wrote: “Thank you for all of the… Read More →

23MAYHit Singles

Catching Fire: The Story Of Anita Pallenberg

In an interview with The Observer in 2008, Anita Pallenberg explained why, despite many offers, she would never write an autobiography: “The publishers want to hear only about the Stones and more dirt on Mick Jagger and I’m just not interested.” JONI MITCHELL IS ON THE COVER OF THE NEW UNCUT – ORDER YOUR COPY HERE! Pallenberg, however, learned early the value of never giving away her whole truth – her exact date and place of birth long lay unresolved, with both 1942 and 1944, Rome and Hamburg, being suggested; perhaps a deliberate blur from a child born into a haughty German-Italian family when those nations were on the wrong side of history – and, as it happens, by the time she revealed why she’d never contemplate writing a memoir, she had already started doing just that. Advertisement After her death in 2017, the unpublished, unfinished manuscript was discovered by Marlon, her son with Keith Richards. Among the other things he found was a cache of home movies shot during her years with Keith in the 1960s and 70s, at home and on the run from Peru to Switzerland, London to Villefranche-sur-Mer; fragile, poignant, mundane, stunning Super-8 moments from a… Read More →

23MAYHit Singles

I’m New Here – Mabe Fratti

Mabe Fratti is ready for her close-up. “My music is like when you see yourself in a really good mirror and you see all the pores in your skin – I love that,” says the in-demand Guatemalan cellist and singer, from her home in Mexico City. “Not sure I would want a picture of me like that, but I like that in my sound.” JONI MITCHELL IS ON THE COVER OF THE NEW UNCUT – ORDER YOUR COPY HERE! Fratti’s most recent solo album fits that description. Released a year ago, Se Ve Desde Aqui (It Is Seen From Here) uses cello, voice and synthesiser to give a gracefully gnarly account of Fratti pushing herself In a new direction after two earlier albums of more ethereal work. “I’m not a royal academy cellist or whatever, so given my technical limitations, I try to be very raw with the sound. I like the dirtiness… it’s who I am.” Advertisement As an artist, Fratti is hard to pigeonhole. Avant-garde but accessible, the 31-year-old straddles the worlds of classical, jazz and experimental music. As such, she’s spent much of this year on tour, travelling to Australia and across Europe, including a two-day residency… Read More →

23MAYHit Singles

Oasis to release 30th anniversary edition of Definitely Maybe

Oasis are to release a 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of their debut album, Definitely Maybe. JONI MITCHELL IS ON THE COVER OF THE NEW UNCUT – ORDER YOUR COPY HERE! Featuring unheard Monnow Valley versions and Sawmills Studios outtakes, including an unreleased demo of “Sad Song” featuring Liam Gallagher’s vocal. Advertisement it’s available on deluxe 4LP, 2CD, coloured vinyl, cassette and digitally with new artwork and sleeve notes on August 30 via Big Brother. Pre-order here. The tracklisting for Definitely Maybe (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) is Volume 1 Advertisement Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (Remastered) Shakermaker (Remastered) Live Forever (Remastered) Up In The Sky (Remastered) Columbia (Remastered) Supersonic (Remastered) Bring It On Down (Remastered) Cigarettes & Alcohol (Remastered) Digsy’s Dinner (Remastered) Slide Away (Remastered) Married With Children (Remastered) Volume 2 Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (Monnow Valley Version) Shakermaker (Monnow Valley Version) Live Forever (Monnow Valley Version) Up In The Sky (Monnow Valley Version) Columbia (Monnow Valley Version) Bring It On Down (Monnow Valley Version) Cigarettes & Alcohol (Monnow Valley Version) Digsy’s Dinner (Monnow Valley Version) Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (Sawmills Outtake) Up In The Sky (Sawmills Outtake) Columbia (Sawmills Outtake) Bring It On Down (Sawmills Outtake) Cigarettes & Alcohol (Sawmills Outtake) Digsy’s Dinner (Sawmills Outtake) Slide Away (Sawmills Outtake) Sad Song (Mauldeth Road… Read More →

23MAYNews

Billlie announce Europe leg of 2024 ‘Our FLOWERLD’ tour

K-pop girl group Billlie have announced the Europe leg of their upcoming 2024 ‘Our FLOWERLD (Belllie’ve You)’ tour, featuring concerts in Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland and more. Today (May 23), Billlie revealed the cities and dates for their newly announced 2024 ‘Our FLOWERLD (Belllie’ve You)’ tour in Europe, featuring nine concerts over seven countries over July this year. The K-pop girl group will kick things off with a three-date Germany tour from July 12 to 17, in the cities of Munich, Berlin and Cologne. Thereafter, Billlie will hold concerts in Sweden and the United Kingdom. In late-July 2024, the septet will also hold concerts in Portugal, the Czech Republic and Hungary, before wrapping up their Europe tour with one final date in Warsaw, Poland. Advertisement Venue and ticketing details for Billlie’s 2024 ‘Our FLOWERLD (Belllie’ve You)’ tour have yet to be announced. Keep tabs on this page for the latest updates. The dates for Billlie’s 2024 ‘Our FLOWERLD (Belllie’ve You)’ tour are: JULY 202412: Munich, Germany14: Berlin, Germany17: Cologne, Germany19: Stockholm, Sweden21: London, United Kingdom24: Lisbon, Portugal26: Prague, Czech Republic28: Budapest, Hungary30: Warsaw, Poland 🌸Billlie ‘Our FLOWERLD (Belllie’ve You)’ in EUROPE🌸 is coming to you this JULY! ✨ Here… Read More →

22MAYNews

Watch Billie Eilish perform ‘Lunch’ and talk suffering for her art on Colbert

Billie Eilish has opened up about suffering for her art, and performed her song ‘Lunch‘ on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. READ MORE: Billie Eilish – ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ review: bold, brilliant and somewhat brighter The singer appeared on the late-night talk show last night (May 21) and spoke about the creation of the artwork for her album ‘Hit Me Hard And Soft‘. The cover sees her sinking in water with an open white door above her. She revealed that in order to get the shot, she was fully dressed in layers of clothing with a weight strapped on to her to keep her down in a 10 foot tub of water. she also shared that it was all her idea. Explaining the process, Eilish said: “I need to suffer.” Colbert then went on to as her “Do you feel like for your art, it needs to be somehow excruciating or push you to the limit?” Advertisement [embedded content] “I don’t think that it has to, but honestly, you know what it really is, its not like ‘What can I do that will be the most uncomfortable thing that I could possibly dream of?’ It’s more that I… Read More →

22MAYHit Singles

Introducing the new Uncut: Joni Mitchell, Paul Weller, Kraftwerk, Stevie Nicks and more

AT the time of writing, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and The Rolling Stones are all on tour, either in Europe or America. As you can read from various reports on these outings in this issue, the artists continue to go about their business with commendable vigour, delivering performances that spectacularly reaffirm music’s unifying power. After seeing the Stones’ opening show in Houston, Stephen Conn – one of our subscribers – emailed to me to say: “In a world where Paul McCartney is still revising a Beatles saga that wrapped up decades ago and we now spend most of our lives trapped in a 16-year-old’s diary on Planet Taylor, that old totems like the Stones are still capable of ecstatic musical transcendence like this is a remarkable thing.” HAVE A COPY SENT DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR The road figures a lot in this new issue of Uncut, in one form or another. To the Grateful Dead, it was a place where songs reinvented themselves, every night for 30 years. To Kraftwerk, it signified functional elegance. And to our cover star Joni Mitchell, it was a place to escape. In all three instances, the road is also a place of transformation. “The refuge… Read More →