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Wargasm announce last-minute show at Reading Festival 2022

Wargasm have announced a last-minute show at Reading Festival 2022. READ MORE: Reading and Leeds 2022: the best new acts you need to see at this year’s festival The London duo – comprising Milkie Way and Sam Matlock – will open the event’s Main Stage East at 12pm tomorrow (August 27) ahead of sets from the likes of AJ Tracey, Wolf Alice and headliners Arctic Monkeys. Enter Shikari – whose new single ‘The Void Stares Back’ features a guest appearance from Wargasm – are also scheduled to perform at Reading tomorrow (Main Stage West, 16:50), suggesting that a live collaboration could be on the cards. Advertisement It’s not yet known whether Wargasm will fill the same vacant slot at Leeds Festival on Sunday (August 28). You can see the announcement post below. ??????? ???????? ?? // ???????? // ?????? // ????????? ???? ?@OfficialRandL pic.twitter.com/8r3j5VRlSX — ??????? (@thisiswargasmuk) August 26, 2022 Reading & Leeds 2022 will also host headline gigs from The 1975, Bring Me The Horizon, Halsey, Dave and Megan Thee Stallion across its two main stages this weekend. Other acts on the bill include Little Simz, Fontaines D.C., Glass Animals and Bastille. Pendulum, meanwhile, appear to be teasing a secret set at Reading with a… Read More →

26AUGNews

Greentea Peng details new mixtape ‘Greenzone 108’

Greentea Peng has shared details of a new mixtape, ‘Greenzone 108’, which is set to be released next month. The news comes a week after the artist returned with a spiritual new song called ‘Look To Him’, which has now been given an official video alongside the mixtape’s announcement. READ MORE: Greentea Peng: hallucinogenic blend of soul, dub and the vibes of the natural world Discussing the new mixtape, which will be released on September 9, in a statement, Greentea Peng said: “’GREENZONE 108′ is a free flowing, open field of expression. A collection of works accumulated over a transitional period of my life. An elevation of sorts from MAN MADE, in the sense that so much has changed and formed in the 2 years since that conception. Advertisement “‘GREENZONE108’ is freer, less formed and more of an open dialogue/ space exploring all different types of topics from spirituality, and originality to mental health and politricks hence why this is a mixtape and not an album.” Watch Greentea Peng’s new ‘Look To Him’ video below, and pre-save ‘Greenzone 108’ here. Talking about the meaning behind ‘Look To Him’, the artist added: “‘Look To Him’ explores the idea of originality and the… Read More →

26AUGHit Singles

Bridget St John – From There / To Here – UK/US Recordings 1974-1982

Speaking in the mid-1970s, singer-songwriter Bridget St John was aware that her personal musical golden age was over. “It’s not enough to make nice records anymore,” she told the Liquorice fanzine. “You’ve got to have a whole campaign behind you.” A slightly untogether free spirit, St John struggled to adapt to a more bread-headed world, with this 3CD boxed set, stacked with unheard recordings, capturing the Nico-voiced bohemian’s curious and woolly attempts to stay artistically upright in a time when being a John Peel show regular was no longer quite enough. ORDER NOW: Joni Mitchell is on the cover of the latest issue of Uncut The poster girl of Peel’s Dandelion record label, the Surrey-born doctor’s daughter carved out a niche on the teacher-training-college-gig circuit at the turn of the 1970s with a run of three winsome LPs: Ask Me No Questions, Songs For The Gentle Man and Thank You For…. Initially encouraged to write by John Martyn (who she met while bunking off from her studies at Sheffield University), her deep, reedy voice featured on Kevin Ayers’ Shooting At The Moon and Mike Oldfield’s Ommadawn as she became a feature of the post-psychedelic UK underground landscape. However, after Polydor… Read More →

26AUGNews

Sam Fender adds new Sydney show to sold-out Australian tour

Sam Fender has added a new Sydney show to his sold-out headline Australian tour in November 2022 – see the full list of tour dates below. READ MORE: Sam Fender on winning NME’s Album of the Year for ‘Seventeen Going Under’: “It means the world to me” The tour in support of his second studio album ‘Seventeen Going Under’ is Fender’s first to the continent in over three years. He was last in Australia as part of the Splendour In The Grass festival, performing there as well as at select headlining dates. Today (August 26) Fender has added a new show on November 26 at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion – a step up from the city’s Enmore Theatre, which he’s also playing on this tour. That show and the other two initially announced dates in Melbourne and Brisbane have all sold out. Advertisement Pre-sale tickets will be available next Monday (August 29), while general sale tickets go live the next day. Both sales will commence from 9am local time. Tickets can be found here. Fender was also recently added to the line-up of Harvest Rock, a new music festival in Adelaide headlined by Jack White and Crowded House. He will play… Read More →

26AUGNews

TWICE share colourful, high-tech music video for ‘Talk That Talk’ from mini-album ‘Between 1&2’

TWICE have unveiled their mini-album ‘Between 1&2’ and a music video for title track ‘Talk That Talk’. READ MORE: New generations: SNSD, NewJeans and the evolution of K-pop girl groups The nine-member girl group’s 11th mini-album and new video dropped today (August 26) at 1pm KST/midnight EST. In the video, the walkie talkie-wielding group enter colourful, high-tech virtual worlds. Advertisement The mini-album is TWICE’s first domestic comeback of 2022 and their first release after having unanimously renewed their contracts with JYP Entertainment. As previously revealed in the official ‘Between 1&2’ tracklist, it includes several tracks that were co-written by the members of TWICE. Among these is the B-side ‘Trouble’, which was written and co-composed by TWICE’s leader and main vocalist Jihyo. Other songs on the mini-album include ‘Queen of Hearts’, ‘Basics’, ‘Brave’, ‘Gone’ and ‘When We Were Kids’. The latter two tracks were co-written by rapper Dahyun. READ MORE: Nayeon – ‘IM NAYEON’ review: TWICE’s oldest member steps into the solo spotlight ‘Between 1&2’ is the follow-up to TWICE’s third studio album, ’Formula of Love: O+T=<3’. That record, which arrived in November 2021, was led by the title track ‘Scientist’ and also included the group’s first-ever English-language single ‘The Feels’…. Read More →

25AUGNews

Kenny Beats unveils details of debut solo album, ‘Louie’

Kenny Beats has unveiled details today (August 25) of his debut solo album, ‘Louie’. READ MORE: A beginner’s guide to Kenny Beats – the megastar producer’s best collaborations so far The album from the super-producer will arrive next week on August 31 via XL recordings. You can pre-order it here. A press release says that on the album, “Kenny subverts expectations with an almost entirely instrumental artist record that acts as a deeply personal tribute to his ailing father.” Advertisement During lockdown, Kenny’s father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and the musician turned to mixtapes his father made for solace. A press release states: “When news of his father’s illness hit Kenny, he found himself constantly returning to these tapes to process his grief and feel familial connectivity in a remote locale. The mixes didn’t merely offer reassuring anthems, they transported him back to times that felt simpler–before the turbulence of the last two decades took its toll.” Using the mixtapes as inspiration, Kenny Beats went on to create his debut album, ‘Louie’, in tribute to his father. The press release added: “The time spent with those mixes bore an idea. Kenny resolved to create a gift for his father…. Read More →

25AUGNews

Elon Musk shares video for his 2020 self-produced house track ‘Don’t Doubt Your Vibe’

Elon Musk has shared a music video for his song ‘Don’t Doubt Your Vibe‘ two years on from the track’s release. READ MORE: Grimes – ‘Miss Anthropocene’ review: an iconoclast continues to march to the beat of her own drum The Tesla and SpaceX CEO first revealed the song in January 2020, somewhat cementing the idea that music was another of his pursuits after releasing his debut single ‘RIP Harambe’ in 2019. Now, ‘Don’t Doubt Your Vibe’ comes with a music video that doubles up as an advert for Tesla, featuring Musk’s progressive house cut beneath shots of the company’s latest car models, Y and 3. Advertisement The video was produced by Tesla’s China team, which prepped the cars and taught them to program their own lighting to put on a light display in time with the music. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tesla (@teslamotors) ‘Don’t Doubt Your Vibe’ was Musk’s first foray into production too, helmed at LA’s Emo G Records, and features vocals by the billionaire himself. The music video was captioned “vibes” with no further information about further music. When Musk released ‘Don’t Doubt Your Vibe’, he temporarily changed his Twitter name to… Read More →

25AUGNews

Listen to I. JORDAN’s new double single ‘Hey Baby’ / ‘I Had The Best Of Times’

I. JORDAN has shared a new double single ‘Hey Baby’ / ‘I Had The Best Of Times’ – listen to the two tracks below. READ MORE: India Jordan – ‘Watch Out!’ EP review: rave rockets to blow clubbing cobwebs away The latest release from the producer and DJ fka India Jordan arrives as part of an ongoing series of paired songs. It follows this summer’s ‘Always Been’ / ‘First Time Back’. Per a press release, the dancefloor-ready ‘Hey Baby’ has become the most requested cut at I. JORDAN’s DJ sets. Advertisement “Hey Baby is a fun club track that doesn’t take itself seriously!” Jordan explained. “I’ve been playing it in clubs and festivals for the last year and it’s always gone down a treat.” They described the atmospheric, glitchy sounds of ‘I Had The Best Of Times’ as “the calming balance to ‘Hey Baby’”. It was created during “a reflective time over the Christmas holidays just over a year ago,” Jordan said. Tune in below: I. JORDAN, who was nominated for Best Producer at the BandLab NME Awards 2022, performed at Glastonbury 2022 this summer. They are due to appear at Connect Festival in Edinburgh tomorrow (August 26) ahead of further dates… Read More →

25AUGNews

Ozzy Osbourne gave up taking acid after talking to horse for an hour

Ozzy Osbourne has revealed that he gave up taking acid in the ’70s after a trip left him chatting to a horse. READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Ozzy Osbourne: “This album saved my life” The rock legend was speaking in a new interview about the making of his former band Black Sabbath‘s fourth album, ‘Vol. 4’, which was in the groups’s chaotic heyday. “We lived together in a house in Los Angeles, rehearsed there, did loads of drugs and made an album: simple,” Osbourne told Classic Rock. “Those were good times.” Advertisement “At that time in America, people were very fond of lacing your drinks with acid,” Osbourne continued. “I didn’t care. I used to swallow handfuls of tabs at a time. The end of it came when we got back to England. “I took 10 tabs of acid then went for a walk in a field. I ended up standing there talking to this horse for about an hour. In the end the horse turned round and told me to fuck off. That was it for me.” Black Sabbath perform live, 1973. CREDIT: Getty In 2018 Osbourne opened up more about his drink and drug-taking past. Speaking… Read More →

25AUGNews

Watch Olivia Rodrigo join Billy Joel to perform ‘Deja Vu’ and ‘Uptown Girl’ at Madison Square Garden

During his concert at Madison Square Garden in New York last night (August 24), Billy Joel brought Olivia Rodrigo to the stage to perform one of their hits each together – Rodrigo’s ‘Deja Vu’, and Joel’s ‘Uptown Girl’. READ MORE: Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Sour’ review: this year’s breakout star channels ’90s alt-rock “I’m going to bring up another young musician. This is a very talented singer-songwriter,” Joel said, rattling off a list of Rodrigo’s accomplishments that included her three Grammy Award wins and Billboard Music Award. “She’s very talented. I like her music and so do my kids. Please say hello to Olivia Rodrigo,” Joel concluded, to roars of applause. “Thank you so much for having me, Billy,” Rodrigo replied after stepping out. “I’m such a huge fan, and I kind of wrote this next song about you,” she added, before starting to perform her 2021 ‘Sour’ cut ‘Deja Vu’, with Joel accompanying her on piano. Advertisement The song notably references a former lover introducing his new partner to Joel’s music: “And I bet that she knows Billy Joel / ‘Cause you played her ‘Uptown Girl,’” Rodrigo sings on its second verse. Later, in the bridge, she adds: “Play her… Read More →

24AUGNews

Here’s the weather forecast for Reading & Leeds 2022

Reading & Leeds 2022 is set to kick off this week – check out the latest weather forecast for both festival sites below. The twin festivals will take place from Friday through to Sunday (August 26-28), with the gates set to open tomorrow (August 25). Those with an Early Entry Pass can head to R&L today (August 24). READ MORE: The story of Reading & Leeds Festival 2021 – in glorious photos Dave, Megan Thee Stallion, Arctic Monkeys, Bring Me The Horizon, The 1975 and Halsey will headline the festivals this year. Advertisement The latest weather forecast at the time of writing (10:45am, August 24) suggests that both Reading and Leeds can expect largely dry and sunny conditions over the vast majority of the weekend. Temperatures at Reading are set to peak at 24°, while Leeds’ temperature will rise to 22°. There’s also some light wind and gentle breeze predicted for across each site. You can check out the latest weather forecast for Reading and Leeds below (via BBC Weather). Reading Festival Thursday August 25: Light rain and a gentle breeze, with temperatures peaking at 23° and lows of 11°. Friday August 26: Sunny intervals and light winds, with temperatures peaking at… Read More →

24AUGNews

Grimes claims journalists are “stalking”, attempting to “dox” her and her children to “get at” Elon Musk

Grimes has hit out at journalists who she claims are “stalking” and attempting to “dox” her and her children in an attempt to “get at” her former partner, SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. READ MORE: Grimes – ‘Miss Anthropocene’ review: an iconoclast continues to march to the beat of her own drum Grimes, who was in a relationship with Musk from 2018 to 2022 and has two children with him, took to Twitter on Tuesday (August 23) to blast those who she claims are attempting to reveal personal information about her and her family. “To the journalists who are stalking me and trying to doxx me and my kids… contacting all my friends and acquaintances and even anyone I interact with on social media. It gets back to me,” she wrote, threatening to reveal the names of those journalists if they persisted. “Leave my fucking kids alone.” Advertisement She continued: “Bluntly, if [you] take issue with my kid’s father, do not use innocent children as [cannon] fodder in attempts to get at him. Do not make a child who cannot consent infamous before they can even read. Do not reveal where they live, or expose personal information that isn’t public.”… Read More →

23AUGNews

Here’s Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’ reimagined as an “emo anthem”

Metallica’s iconic hit ‘Master Of Puppets’ has been reimagined as an “emo anthem” in a new YouTube video – check it out below. READ MORE: Horns up! What’s driving film and TV’s metal revival? Streams of the original song have increased significantly following its recent use in the finale of Stranger Things season four. In the finale, titled The Piggyback, Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) played the 1986 track on a rooftop to distract a horde of demonic bats protecting the lair of main villain Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). Since then, it has been reimagined in the style of Rammstein and as if written by Slipknot, with the latest version of the track coming in the form of a pop-punk anthem. Advertisement The new cover is the work of musician and YouTuber Kala, who has turned a number of rock hits into pop-punk tracks. Check out the new version of ‘Master of Puppets’ below. Since the release of the new season of Stranger Things and its iconic Metallica sync, the metal legends’ song has entered the UK Top 40 singles chart for the first time in its history, while the band have released a range of Stranger Things-inspired merch. Following the episode’s release in July on Netflix, Metallica shared a post… Read More →

23AUGNews

85 per cent of Britons say music is vital to their mental health

85 per cent of British people say music is vital to maintaining their mental health, according to a new survey. READ MORE: Mental health charities on post-lockdown pressure and the importance of reaching out: “We don’t have a clear route to normality” New research from the app FREE NOW says that over half of people polled see music as a reason for their closest friendships, with 31 per cent saying they met their partners through a connection with music. 85.7 per cent of those polled said that listening to music is an important part of maintaining positive mental health, with 83.9 per cent having been moved to tears by music in their life. Advertisement 38 per cent of people, meanwhile, said they already knew what they wanted their first dance at their wedding to be, even before they met their partner, while nearly half (48.5 per cent) said they had been influenced by music when changing their appearance during their life. Two-thirds also said that their local grassroots music venue was a vital part of the cultural make-up of their hometown. In a statement reflecting on the study, FREE NOW General Manager Mariusz Zabrocki said: “The importance of music was… Read More →

23AUGNews

Jamie announces North American tour dates coinciding with EP release

K-pop singer and former 15& member Jamie has announced shows for her upcoming tour in North America. READ MORE: BLACKPINK enter a world-conquering era with unapologetic new single ‘Pink Venom’ On August 23, concert organisers MODO-Live shared the dates for Jamie’s upcoming North American tour, which will take place in seven cities across the US and Canada this October. The tour is set to kick off on October 10 in Los Angeles, before hitting Canadian cities Vancouver and Toronto and returning to the US. More information and tickets can be found here. Ticket prices start at $45, and will be available for pre-sale from Wednesday, August 24 at 8PM EST using the code “jamietour”, while public ticket sales begin on Monday, August 29 at the same time. Advertisement See the full list of Jamie’s upcoming North American tour dates: October 2022 Monday 10 – Los Angeles, 1720 Tuesday 11 – Vancouver, Harbour Event & Convention Centre Saturday 15 – Toronto, The Opera House Monday 17 – Brooklyn, New York, The Monarch Wednesday 19 – Dallas, Deep Ellum Friday 21 – Seattle, The Crocodile Sunday 23 – San Francisco, The Midway #JUSTANNOUNCED: @jiminpark07 is coming to North America this Oct! ?… Read More →

22AUGNews

Listen to a snippet of Elton John and Britney Spears’ new collaboration ‘Hold Me Closer’

Elton John and Britney Spears have shared a snippet of their upcoming collaboration, ‘Hold Me Closer’. Get a taste of the new track below. READ MORE: Controlling Britney Spears review: toxic conservatorship back under the microscope The collaboration was confirmed earlier this month and followed multiple claims that the pair were “secretly recording” a new version of John’s 1972 single ‘Tiny Dancer’. The single is available to pre-save here. After its cover art and release date of Friday, August 26 was shared last week, John has now unveiled a 14-second preview of the track on his official TikTok account. Advertisement Listen to a teaser of ‘Hold Me Closer’ below. @eltonjohn #HoldMeCloser with @britneyspears. Coming August 26 ?? #newmusic #electronic #remix ♬ Hold Me Closer – Elton John & Britney Spears John recorded a full album’s worth of high-profile duets for his 2021 album ‘The Lockdown Sessions’, which featured acts including Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus and Stevie Nicks. Spears’ ninth and most recent studio album, ‘Glory’, came out in 2016. She released an outtake from that record, ‘Swimming In The Stars’, in late 2020 to mark her 39th birthday. The pop star revealed that she was working on new music in December 2021. It came after her controversial 13-year conservatorship was terminated the month prior. Last… Read More →

22AUGNews

Washington state police believe they stopped a mass shooting at EDM festival

Police in Washington state have shared a statement which says they believe they prevented a mass shooting at an EDM festival over the weekend. The Bass Canyon music festival has been held at the Gorge Amphitheatre in Grant County, Washington over the past few days (August 19-21). In a statement shared on Facebook, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office revealed that witnesses reportedly spotted a 31-year-old called Jonathan R. Moody loading two 9mm pistols in his car outside the festival on Friday night (August 19). Advertisement The witnesses told police that Moody then approached attendees outside the festival asking what time people were expected to leave the festival that night. When he was detained by security at the venue, police said Moody was not trying to enter the festival. He was arrested on suspicion of possessing a dangerous weapon and unlawful carrying or handling of a weapon, and taken to Grant County Jail. The Facebook post read: “Grant County sheriff’s deputies on Friday night believe they stopped an Ephrata man who may have had plans to commit a mass shooting at the Gorge Amphitheater. “The Gorge Amphitheater does not allow weapons on site, but Moody’s possession of weapons was not the… Read More →

22AUGNews

The Weeknd heads to the “the gutters of Hollywood” in new teaser for ‘The Idol’

HBO have released the second teaser for The Idol, the upcoming drama series created by “the sick and twisted minds of” The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfaye) and Euphoria helmer Sam Levinson. READ MORE: The Weeknd – ‘Dawn FM’ review: soulful star meets a new day with hope and hindsight As well as reminding us that The Idol will feature copious amounts of sex, the new preview offers a closer look at its extended cast. Tesfaye himself will star as a self-help guru, club owner and leader of a modern-day cult, who begins dating an up-and-coming pop artist played by Lily-Rose Depp. In the trailer, we see the latter’s character being taken on a night of clubbing by BLACKPINK‘s Jennie (credited here as Jennie Ruby Jane), who will makes her acting debut in the series. Advertisement Already confirmed was that the main cast will also feature Troye Sivan, ex-Disney Channel luminary Debby Ryan and Transparent breakout Hari Nef, while the recurring cast will include Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio and Tyson Ritter of The All-American Rejects. In the latest teaser, we learn that other actors and artists set to appear include Moses Sumney, Mike Dean, Suzanna Son, Jane Adams, Dan… Read More →

21AUGNews

Blondie, Mac DeMarco and more for first Band Shirt Day fundraiser

Blondie, Mac DeMarco and Tori Amos are among the artists set to take part in the first ever Band Shirt Day next month. READ MORE: Blondie live in Manchester: legends refuse to rest on their legacy with a blockbuster set The new fundraising event will hold its first edition on September 16, bringing artists together to donate proceeds from their merchandise sales to charities of their choice. Other artists taking part include King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, with charities chosen including Children of Ukraine, MusiCares and Planned Parenthood. Advertisement A statement on the event’s website reads: “Band Shirt Day is a global fundraising initiative, where artists come together for a single day to sell merchandise on their official sales channels and donate proceeds to charitable organisations of their choice.” For a full list of participating artists and their charities, head here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Band Shirt Day (@bandshirtday) Elsewhere, Blondie recently released a rediscovered home recording of a song called ‘Mr Sightseer’. The unearthed home recording from 1978 had previously never made it out of the band’s bedroom but has now been newly mastered by Michael Graves for the band’s first ever authorised and in-depth box set archive,… Read More →

20AUGNews

Aaron Dessner says he “picked up a focus” from working with Taylor Swift

The National‘s Aaron Dessner says he has “picked up a focus” in his songwriting and production since working with Taylor Swift. READ MORE: The National on new music: “It’s the whole history of the band, but with a new exploration” Dessner co-produced and wrote on Swift’s 2020 albums ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’, and also worked on numerous “From the Vault” tracks that appear on Swift’s re-recorded versions of ‘Fearless’ and ‘Red’ that arrived last year. Last March, after ‘Folklore’ won a Grammy for Album of the Year, Dessner credited Swift with “restoring [his] faith in music,” and has opened up again on the influence she has had on him in a new interview. Advertisement Speaking to The i, Dessner said: “Even just working with Taylor, she’s a brilliant musician and so experienced in terms of making records, so I was learning from her – I picked up a focus, and also just the joy that she has.” Of working in the pandemic, he added: “It was almost like I was in some crazy boot camp for making a tonne of music really fast and fully producing it and then it would be released quickly.” Though he has said in the past that “this story, this era, has… Read More →

19AUGNews

Listen to Stefflon Don and Spice’s carnival-inspired new single, ‘Clockwork’

Stefflon Don has shared a new song with Spice today (August 19) called ‘Clockwork’ – check it out below. READ MORE: Stefflon Don on what it’s like to have your house on MTV Cribs The carnival-inspired song is the first from Stefflon Don’s upcoming debut album, ‘Island 54’. No release date has yet been announced but it is promised to arrive “later this year”. The new song was produce by Beam, and the song’s video, which you can see below, features choreography from Parris Goebel. Advertisement Check out the song and its video here: Speaking about the single, Stefflon Don said in a statement: “This track is a celebration of my Jamaican heritage and I wanted to make sure that shone through in all its elements. From the outfits I designed for the video to collaborating with the Queen of Dancehall herself, Spice. “It’s a song made for Carnival; to dance to, drink to and party to. I can’t wait to hear it around London on the sound systems it was made for.” This year, Stefflon Don has released and featured on several singles including ‘Sweet Bounce’, ‘Dip’ featuring Ms Banks, ‘Bun Fi Bun’ featuring IQ and she appeared on David… Read More →