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Guy Chambers says Robbie Williams has “a self-destructive side”

Robbie Williams’ former songwriting partner Guy Chambers has opened up about his relationship with Williams in a new interview, where he described the pop star as having “a self-destructive side”. READ MORE: ‘Robbie Williams’ review: Netflix doc makes clear the perils of pop stardom In a new interview with The Times, Chambers spoke about struggling with Williams’ addictions in the ’90s saying “he was the first person I worked with long-term who was in full-blown addiction, and I wasn’t prepared for that. It was very difficult.” He claimed: “We’d wait three days for him to turn up at a studio. People would go around pubs trying to find him. He would turn up drunk. We’d go out and he would disappear on some mission. That happened in Robbie world.” Advertisement Chambers reflected on the biggest hits they wrote together including ‘Angels’ and ‘Let Me Entertain You’, but how they split as a song-writing duo in 2002 when Williams’ addiction issues reportedly continued and “trust issues” led to a breakdown of their relationship. Chambers went on to reflect on how they reunited a decade later but problems re-emerged when he claims Williams became addicted to pills. “I’d be behind him thinking he… Read More →

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Kid Kapichi unveil details of new album and share ’90s-inspired single ‘Tamagotchi’

Kid Kapichi have unveiled details of a new album with their latest ’90s inspired single ‘Tamagotchi’ – check it out below. READ MORE: Kid Kapichi – ‘This Time Next Year’ review: a snarling debut full of grit, determination and blood-curdling fury The single is the second to be take the band’s new album, ‘There Goes The Neighbourhood’ after ‘Let’s Get To Work’. The new album will be released on March 15 on Spineform records and you can pre-order it here. Frontman Jack Wilson said of the band’s latest song: “‘Tamagotchi’ is a song about turning 30 and feeling for the first time like your life is running away from you.” Advertisement “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found myself being more nostalgic about the past and the ‘good times’. This song is a homage to those times and fond memories whilst stubbornly clawing onto them.” The video continues the retro feel of the song and was filmed on a 90s VHS camcorder. “‘Tamagotchi’ is probably one of the most fun videos we’ve ever shot,” Wilson continued. “Videos like these write themselves, when the imagery of the lyrics is so strong, so we didn’t mess about. We tried our best to replicate those feelings and memories… Read More →

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Laura Jane Grace announces new album ‘Hole In My Head’ and shares video directed by Danny Trejo’s son

Laura Jane Grace has unveiled details of a new album, ‘Hole In My Head’, and has shared the album’s title track with a video directed by actor Danny Trejo’s son, Gilbert. Watch it below. READ MORE: Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – Laura Jane Grace The track is the second from Grace’s upcoming new album, following on from ‘Dysphoria Hoodie’, which was released last month. According to the singer-songwriter, ‘Dysphoria Hoodie’ was a new anthem dedicated to the trans community and is a raw ode to a particular type of armour we hold onto when seeking comfort. The new album will be released via Big Scary Monsters on February 16 and you can pre-order it here. The LP will mark the American musician’s first new music since 2021’s ‘At War With The Silverfish’ – an emotionally honest EP that saw Grace open up about her pent-up anger, fears and anxiety and convey it across seven songs. Advertisement The new album was recorded at Native Sound in St. Louis with David Beeman and mixed by Matt Allison. A statement described ‘Hole In My Head’ as “a sonic curio cabinet containing multitudes — a showcase that features warm, ’50s rock-influenced guitar riffs, saved-for-later… Read More →

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Eagles extend farewell tour with Steely Dan into 2024 with new dates

The Eagles have extended their ‘Long Goodbye’ farewell tour into 2024 with special guests Steely Dan. You can see the full list of new dates below. ‘The Long Goodbye’ will see the Eagles – comprising Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Vince Gill and Deacon Frey – “perform as many shows in each market as their audience demands”, per a press release. The band will have added a string of new shows including ones in Palm Springs (CA), St. Louis, Omaha, Tulsa, New Orleans, Orlando, and Charlotte. Advertisement Tickets for the new shows will go on sale on November 17 here. Check out the full list of dates below: NOVEMBER 20239 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena14 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena17 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center18 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center JANUARY 20245 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum6 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum12 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum13 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum16 – Palm Springs, CA – Acrisure Arena19 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center20 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center FEBRUARY 20242 – Austin, TX – Moody Center3 – Austin, TX… Read More →

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Nottingham venue The Chameleon under threat of closure: “Time is running short”

Nottingham venue The Chameleon has announced it is under threat of closure. The Chameleon is part of the few underground DIY venues that exist in Nottingham alongside JT Soar and Stuck on a Name. They have hosted gigs of a wide range of rock bands including the likes of Royal Blood, Sleaford Mods and Drenge. The venue previously hosted a fundraiser in 2019 to repair its interior following a reported vandalism attack. On Facebook, owners John Rothera and Lauren Insley took to Facebook to announce the news. “What up, homies! We have some sad but unavoidable news to share. Time is running short for The Chameleon,” they wrote. Advertisement “The Landlord has decided to put the building on the market. He’s being very gracious with us and the party certainly isn’t over just yet. Realistically it looks like we will probably have to call it a day early next summer although that could change.” The pair then went on to say that they had accrued “rather considerable debts” due to COVID, and that the recent cost-of-living crisis had not helped the situation. They then urged readers to “come to as many shows, buy drinks and show the place some love… Read More →

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Matthew Perry wanted to make a semi-autobiographical superhero project called ‘Mattman’

Friends actor Matthew Perry wanted to make a semi-autobiographical superhero project called Mattman with Adam McKay, it’s been revealed. The actor, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in hit sitcom Friends, was found dead in his Los Angeles home on 28 October, aged 54. Perry was laid to rest at a private funeral in the city on 3 November. McKay, in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, said he had discussed the Mattman project with Perry while working with him on Don’t Look Up. “It’s about this guy,” McKay remembered Perry pitching him. “You’d recognise him. His name is Matt and he’s very famous and about 50 years old. His life is a little bit of a mess. He’s lost. Out of the blue a distant relative dies and leaves him $2 billion — and he uses [it] to become a superhero.” McKay went on to say Perry saw himself in the main role. Matthew Perry – CREDIT: Getty McKay continued: “My idea was just to do a show about being this incredibly popular, well-known TV guy who’s dealing with addiction…a fictional version of what you’ve struggled with…The idea that everywhere you go, people yell your catchphrases a little bit of… Read More →

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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. Advertisement 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… Read More →

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Yesterday marked the first Wu-Tang Clan Day in New York City

Wu-Tang Clan have been awarded their own day in their hometown of New York City on the same day as the 30th anniversary of their debut album. Last month, the rap collective finished touring around the world with fellow rap legend Nas on the ‘N.Y. State Of Mind’ tour, celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. Yesterday (November 9), New York City mayor Eric Adams declared the day as Wu-Tang Clan Day and the iconic Empire State Building was lit up in the colours of the Wu-Tang logo; black and yellow. The event also honoured the date the Staten Island group dropped their debut album ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’ in 1993. Empire State Building lit up Black & Yellow for Wu-Tang’s 30th Anniversary of 36 Chambers 👐 🐝 pic.twitter.com/aimbFfhuNz — Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) November 9, 2023 Advertisement On Wu-Tang Day, Legacy Recordings issued a special edition seven-inch box set featuring a ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’ vinyl, a 60-page book of liner notes with RZA interviews, rare photos, and album lyrics, and a pack of “36 Chambers Trading Cards.” The album has also been re-released on a colour vinyl and cassette. Next week (November 15), Lincoln Center’s Walter… Read More →

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Nicki Minaj opens up about past addiction to Percocet

Nicki Minaj has opened up about a dark time in her life, when she used to be addicted to Percocet. READ MORE: Nicki Minaj: every album ranked and rated Speaking to Vogue for a cover feature, the rapper recalled being addicted to the prescription drug. While the rapper did not disclose when she was addicted to Percocet, she revealed that she was initially prescribed the drug to help with menstrual cramps and pain. However, she found herself taking Percocet even when she wasn’t in pain and soon realised that she was addicted to it. “No one told me that this was a narcotic and this was addictive. Luckily I was able to ground myself. But — once an addict, always an addict. I feel like if you’ve ever experienced addiction to anything, which I have, you always have to think twice and three times about the choices that you make,” Minaj told Vogue. Advertisement Minaj then explained that she thinks the chances of getting addicted to substances are higher when you’re constantly being watched – a downside of fame. She related this other famous musicians who’ve faced problems with addiction, like Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. Nicki Minaj. Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety… Read More →

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aespa bring the ‘Drama’ in the music video for their new single

K-pop girl group aespa have released the music video for their new single, ‘Drama’. The music video for ‘Drama’ finds the girl group returning to Kwangya, the virtual world that was first introduced in the girl group’s debut single ‘Black Mamba’. It also features thrilling action sequences and sleek dance scenes. “I bring Drama-ma-ma-ma / With my girls in the back / Girls in the back (Drama) / Trauma-ma-ma-ma / I break Trauma-ma-ma-ma / With MY WORLD in the back / It starts with me, Drama,” they sing on the song. Advertisement [embedded content] ‘Drama’ is the title track of aespa’s fourth mini-album of the same name. The project also inclues new songs such as ‘Trick or Trick’, ‘Don’t Blink’, ‘Hot Air Balloon’ and ‘You’. Notably, ‘Drama’ also features ‘YOLO’, which aespa performed for the first time at their ‘SYNK: Hyper Line’ concerts in Seoul back in February, as well as recent English-language single ‘Better Things’. ‘Drama’ is the girl group’s second release of 2023, following their third mini-album ‘MY WORLD’ and its title track ‘Spicy’ in May. In a four-star review of ‘MY WORLD’, NME’s Rhain Daly said that the project was an “exciting addition to the aespa canon,… Read More →

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Courting share single ‘Throw’ and announce new album co-produced by The Cribs

Courting have shared their latest single ‘Throw’ as well as announced their new album ‘New Last Name’ which was co-produced by The Cribs. Set for release on January 26, 2024 via Lower Third, ‘New Last Name’ sees the Liverpool-based band team up with both Gary and Ryan Jarman of The Cribs on production duty. According to a press release, ‘Throw’ sets the tone for the LP. Speaking about the track, Courting frontman Sean Murphy O’Neill said: “We wanted to write a song with a plot twist, a song that could be described as ‘an epic’. Lamenting a past love, our protagonist returns to ‘the city’, and remembers, misremembers, and forgets just about everything that has happened beforehand. Drawing a blank, they pray to be wished away to a simpler time.” Advertisement [embedded content] ‘Throw’ follows the LP’s lead single ‘Flex’. Speaking about the album’s title in a press release, Murphy O’Neill said: “It’s a theatrical play within an album. There’s a lot going on. It can be simply enjoyed as an album, but there are characters, acts, stage directions etc. The listeners can decide on the narrative themselves, but we want them to get lost in it.” He continued: “I’ll… Read More →

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Steve Martin’s novel has been banned in a Florida school district

Steve Martin has shared a typically witty reaction to the news that a county in Florida is banning his book from its school libraries. The comedian published the novella Shopgirl in 2000, which he adapted into the 2005 film of the same name starring himself and Claire Danes. Around 300 other books have also been banned by Collier County Public Schools Libraries. In response to the news, Martin wrote on Instagram on Monday (November 6): “So proud to have my book Shopgirl banned in Collier County, Florida! Now people who want to read it will have to buy a copy!” Advertisement Shopgirl tells the story of Mirabelle, a young Neiman Marcus employee who begins dating Ray Porter, a wealthy businessman over twice her age, and has to contend with the differences in expectations they have for their relationship. The book was removed “effective immediately” following notorious Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signing House Bill 1069, which prohibits content containing “sexual conduct” from appearing in schools. This extends to material featuring “actual or simulated sexual intercourse, deviate sexual intercourse, sexual bestiality, masturbation, or sadomasochistic abuse; actual or simulated lewd exhibition of the genitals; actual physical contact with a person’s clothed or unclothed genitals, pubic… Read More →

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Megan Thee Stallion teams up with Spiritbox for ‘Cobra’ rock remix

Megan Thee Stallion has dropped an unexpected rock remix of her latest single ‘Cobra’, now featuring metal band Spiritbox. READ MORE: Megan Thee Stallion: “I’m really working on my dynasty right now” Today (November 9), the rapper took to social media to announce the release of the remix, which comes with a new visualiser. The track comes just days after Megan Thee Stallion released ‘Cobra’ on Friday (November 3). Advertisement The remix sees Megan rap along to chunky, heavy guitar riffs from Spiritbox before vocalist Courtney LaPlante chimes in to slow things down with clean vocals for a new chorus: “Leave me alone in the dark/I am shedding my skin/I need to harden my heart/To protect myself but the pain remains within“. LaPlante also provides guttural backing vocals for the song’s bridge. Listen to the rock remix of Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Cobra’ featuring Spiritbox below. [embedded content] With the release of ‘Cobra’, Megan Thee Stallion has reportedly scored the biggest YouTube debut this year, with the Douglas Bernardt-directed video gaining over 2.15million views in 24 hours. ‘Cobra’ has managed to beat fellow artists Doja Cat‘s ‘Demons’ (2million) and Ice Spice‘s ‘Deli’ (1.85million). ‘Cobra’ also racked up over 1 million streams on Spotify… Read More →

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Frank Ocean shares snippet of new song

Frank Ocean is once again teasing new music – listen to his latest preview below. Today (November 9), Frank Ocean took to his Instagram Stories to post a minute-long snippet of a new, unreleased song. The Instagram Story is set to expire by tomorrow (November 10), but has been recorded and shared by Pop Base on X/Twitter – listen to it below. No other information has been shared by singer, who is known for being reclusive and very rarely puts out new music. Frank Ocean previews new music. pic.twitter.com/zahxgRgEWP — Pop Base (@PopBase) November 9, 2023 Advertisement The snippet is his first since he played unreleased tracks on two episodes of his Apple Music 1 show Blonded Radio in July last year. In December 2021, Ocean shared an almost-nine-minute song on the programme, as part of a Christmas special. In the seven years since the release of 2016’s lauded ‘Blonde’ LP, Ocean has shared a number of one-off singles including ‘DHL’, ‘In My Room’, ‘Cayendo’ and ‘Dear April’. He has also occasionally hinted at a new album but nothing has materialised yet. Frank Ocean most recently headlined the first weekend of Coachella Festival in April. It was his first live gig since 2017 but the reaction… Read More →

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‘The Marvels’ review: a quirky cosmic caper that lacks punch

“I’m feeling so many feelings right now,” burbles Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), aka Ms Marvel, in Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels, her likeable-if-limited entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This giddy gush of over-excitement, hero worship and teenage swooning comes when the Jersey City native gets entangled with her idol Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), and Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), the daughter of Danvers’ former co-pilot and best friend Maria. This trio of superwomen have literally got their wires crossed, as their abilities to manipulate light mean that suddenly they are teleporting to where another of the three is at any given moment. It’s all to do with a bangle belonging to Khan’s nana, one of a pair. The other has been unearthed on a dusty moon by the menacing Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), a warrior now looking to avenge what’s happened to her beloved alien race, the Kree. The best parts of The Marvels all come from Vellani, whose fangirling around Danvers (“twinsies”, as she calls them) is charming. Likewise, her Pakistani-American family – mother (Zenobia Shroff), father (Mohan Kapur) and brother Aamir (Saagar Shaikh) – are all along for the ride, bringing the same vibe of over-protective fussiness from… Read More →

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Selena Gomez’s makeup brand to donate funds to the Gaza relief efforts

Selena Gomez’s makeup company, Rare Beauty, has announced that it will be donating funds to the relief efforts in Gaza. The brand announced its plans in an Instagram post on Monday (November 6), stating that it stands against all forms of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, and will be donating funds to charities that will help the victims of the Israel/Gaza conflict. Sharing a photo of a burgundy screen with “Humanitarian crisis in Gaza” written in the middle, the caption read: “We are devastated by the images & reports coming from the Middle East. Advertisement “Thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes & millions of civilians have been displaced & left without access to food, water, medicine, or basic necessities for survival. A large number of these victims are children. Palestinian civilians must be protected, period.” It continued, saying that those behind the brand “remain heartbroken” by the Hamas attack at the Nova Music Festival on October 7 – which claimed the lives of at least 260 people – and added that “there is no situation where attacks on civilians are acceptable”. Later in the post, the brand added that it was against anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, and that… Read More →

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Live-action ‘The Legend Of Zelda’ film announced at Nintendo

Nearly four decades since its debut, Nintendo‘s The Legend Of Zelda franchise is finally getting a live-action feature film. Last night (November 7), Nintendo officially announced the development of a Legend Of Zelda film, which has yet to receive a release date. In its announcement, Nintendo confirmed that franchise co-creator Shigeru Miyamoto (who also helped create the Super Mario franchise) will serve as an executive producer alongside Avi Arad, a former chief operating officer of Marvel Entertainment. The film will be directed by Wes Ball, who directed the Maze Runner trilogy and helmed the upcoming Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes film. A cast for the film has yet to be announced. Further details on the film, including its plot – or which game it will be adapted from – remain unknown at the time of publishing. Advertisement The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom. Credit: Nintendo. In a statement to fans and gamers, Shigeru Miyamoto said he has been working on a live-action Legend Of Zelda film “for many years now”. “I have asked Avi-san to produce this film with me, and we have now officially started the development of the film with Nintendo itself heavily involved… Read More →

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Watch Arch Enemy’s Alissa White-Gluz and DragonForce cover Taylor Swift’s ‘Wildest Dreams’

Power metal outfit DragonForce and melodic death metal band Arch Enemy vocalist Alissa White-Gluz have become the latest acts to cover a Taylor Swift song – watch their performance below. This past weekend (November 5), while performing in Montreal, Canada, DragonForce brought out Alissa White-Gluz as a special guest to perform a special cover of Taylor Swift’s hit song, ‘Wildest Dreams’. While this isn’t the first time DragonForce have covered ‘Wildest Dreams’ on their ongoing tour, it is the first time that a guest vocalist has joined them for the performance. For the joint cover, Alissa White-Gluz provides guttural backing vocals and sings the song’s second verse as confetti canons go off. Advertisement Watch DragonForce’s cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘Wildest Dreams’ featuring Alissa White-Gluz below. [embedded content] DragonForce and Alissa White-Gluz are the latest high-profile acts to cover Taylor Swift following Pendulum, who reworked ‘Anti-Hero’ into a DnB track, and Counting Crows, who covered ‘The 1’ at a live show. Taylor Swift most recently released ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ in late October. In a five-star review the album, NME wrote: “As we’re witnessing the biggest year of Swift’s career so far, the artist’s ability to reinvent herself while honouring her core blueprint is only… Read More →

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Doc Antle from ‘Tiger King’ pleads guilty to wildlife trafficking and money laundering

Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, who appeared in Netflix series Tiger King, has pleaded guilty to wildlife trafficking and money laundering. Antle is the owner of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS), also known as Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina. According to the US Justice Department, Antle conspired to violate the Lacey Act – which prohibits the trafficking of illegally taken wildlife protected by the Endangered Species Act – by directing the sale or purchase of two lion cubs, two tigers, two cheetah cubs and one juvenile chimpanzee between September 2018 and May 2020. Advertisement It’s said Antle used bulk cash payments to hide the transactions and falsified paperwork. He is also said to have requested that payments for endangered species be made through his nonprofit organisation, the Rare Species Fund, so they could appear as “donations”. Doc Antle. CREDIT: Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Between February and April 2022, prosecutors say Antle and a co-conspirator laundered money using cash they believed was obtained by transporting and harbouring illegal immigrants. For each count, Antle faces a maximum of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release. His guilty… Read More →

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Israel asks Taylor Swift to help find missing teenage soldier

Israel has asked Taylor Swift for help in order to find a teenage soldier who has been missing since the Hamas attacks. READ MORE: Taylor Swift – ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ review: still her best album Israel’s Foreign Ministry took to their official X/Twitter page and tweeted Swift to urge her to help locate Roni Eshel, who was described as a huge Swiftie. “Putting this message out into the universe with the hope that it reaches @taylorswift13,” began the tweet. Advertisement “Roni (19) Eshel who is a huge Swiftie has been missing since the October 7th Massacre. It would mean the world to Roni’s family if Taylor would use her platform to call for Roni’s return.” 🧵Putting this message out into the universe with the hope that it reaches @taylorswift13. Roni (19) Eshel who is a huge Swiftie has been missing since the October 7th Massacre. It would mean the world to Roni’s family if Taylor would use her platform to call for Roni’s return. pic.twitter.com/GohjuwSZPk — Israel ישראל 🇮🇱 (@Israel) November 5, 2023 Israeli Swifties are wearing bracelets with Roni’s name to Era tour screenings in Israel, to raise awareness and help bring Roni home. @taylorswift13, please please use your platform… Read More →

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Watch Coldplay’s acoustic cover of ‘The Astronaut’ by BTS’ Jin

Coldplay recently performed a cover of ‘The Astronaut’ by Jin of K-pop boyband BTS during their Tokyo concert on November 6. The new acoustic cover is the first time Coldplay have performed the song without Jin on their ongoing ‘Music of the Spheres’ world tour, which kicked off in March. “We’re going to play a song that we gave to Jin. We’ve never played this before on our own, maybe we’ll never play this again,” teased Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. Advertisement “This is Jin’s song. This is called ‘The Astronaut’. And we send this with love to everybody in any situation anywhere,” he added. “This is particularly for Jin and the BTS boys.” Watch Coldplay perform ‘The Astronaut’ below: [embedded content] Coldplay and BTS’ Jin performed ‘The Astronaut’ live for the first time in October 2022, during the Buenos Aires, Argentina stop of the British band’s tour. That performance came a day after Jin released the song. ‘The Astronaut’ was co-written by both Jin and Coldplay, alongside co-producer Norwegian DJ Kygo. The song marked the second collaboration between BTS and Coldplay, following their chart-topping single ‘My Universe’. Coldplay has performed ‘The Astronaut’ live one other time, during their appearance on… Read More →