Suki Benjamin

Man arrested for making bomb threat in attempt to skip line at Doja Cat concert

A man was arrested for making a bomb threat outside a concert being headlined by Doja Cat in Indianapolis yesterday (January 8). The pop star topped the bill at a free AT&T’s Playoff Playlist Live gig held at the city’s Monument Circle venue, which also saw the likes of AJR and Pink Sweat$ perform. READ MORE: Doja Cat – ‘Planet Her’ review: controversial pop-rapper enters her imperial phase The Indianapolis Star reports that an unnamed man was arrested and the crowd cleared for around 20 minutes before the gates opened because of the bomb threat. The man reportedly told people stood near him in the line that he had a bomb in his bag in a bid to skip the queue. Advertisement Deputy Chief Joshua Barker said the fan had “exercised very poor judgement”, but “someone did the right thing and alerted IMPD [the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department]”. When he was searched, his backpack was found to be “clean”. pic.twitter.com/37akjUNjtz — IMPD (@IMPDnews) January 8, 2022 In a statement posted to social media, IMPD added that the man had “unrelated outstanding warrants and was immediately arrested for those”. At the time the statement was issued, he was still in police custody…. Read More →

09JANNews

Listen to David Guetta and Morten team up on twisted club smash ‘Permanence’

David Guetta and Danish DJ Morten have joined forces once again for a new track called ‘Permanence’ – you can listen to it below. READ MORE: David Guetta: “Streaming has changed everything – I don’t think about albums” Their latest collaboration follows on from their December 2021 track ‘Alive Again’, and their Future Rave remix of Guetta and Sia‘s classic club anthem ‘Titanium’. ‘Permanence’, which has previously been teased in DJ sets by both artists, takes listeners down a black hole jam-packed with sharp synths and ethereal, gospel-like vocals; woven together by a sea of haunting bass thumps. Advertisement Morten said ‘Permanence’ is one of the records he’s “most proud of being a part of”, in a post on social media. You can listen to the pair’s latest collaboration below: Last summer, David Guetta teamed up with Mistajam and John Newman for a new rework of Whitney Houston classic ‘How Will I Know’. Titled ‘If You Really Love Me (How Will I Know)’, the modern reworking sees the three artists giving the 1985 track a 21st century twist. “Who can resist the chorus from such a classic record as ‘How Will I Know!’””Guetta said in a statement. “Full of old school Piano House… Read More →

09JANNews

Woodstock organiser Michael Lang has died

Michael Lang, the organiser behind the iconic Woodstock Festival, has died aged 77. According to family spokesperson Michael Pagnotta, Lang passed away following complications from a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “We are very sad to hear that legendary Woodstock icon and long time family friend Michael Lang has passed at 77 after a brief illness. Rest In Peace,” Pagnotta shared in a statement on Twitter. We are very sad to hear that legendary Woodstock icon and long time family friend Michael Lang has passed at 77 after a brief illness. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/wTVNoZ353r — MichaelPagnotta (@reachmp) January 9, 2022 After dropping out of University, Lang, a Brooklyn native, moved to Miami to put on events, including 1968’s Miami Pop Festival which hosted Jimi Hendrix. The following year a 24-year-old Lang, alongside businessmen John Roberts and Joel Rosenman and music industry promoter Artie Kornfeld, created the Woodstock Music And Art Fair. The festival featured performances from Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Grateful Dead, The Who, Sly and the Family Stone, Joe Cocker and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Famously billed as “Three Days Of Peace And Music,” the New York festival drew up to 400,000 people and… Read More →

09JANNews

Olivia Rodrigo shares ‘Drivers License’ throwback to celebrate song’s one-year anniversary

To celebrate the first anniversary of her breakout single ‘Drivers License’, Olivia Rodrigo has shared a clip of herself performing it the day after it was written. READ MORE: Olivia Rodrigo: “It’s important for me to be taken seriously as a songwriter” The song was first released on January 8, 2021 as Rodrigo’s debut single. It went viral on TikTok soon thereafter, and went on to become one of the year’s most popular songs, topping charts in the US, UK, Australia and more. In a caption posted with the clip on Instagram yesterday (January 8), Rodrigo wrote: “Happy first birthday to the little song that changed my whole life. I made this video a day or two after I wrote [‘Drivers License’] in my living room (with a very squeaky sustain pedal lol). Crazy to think how quickly life changes. [Thank you] to everyone who has supported me so tenderly. Music is the most magical thing in the world.” Advertisement Take a look at the video below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Olivia Rodrigo (@oliviarodrigo) Speaking to NME a couple of weeks after ‘Drivers License’ first went viral, Rodrigo said it was “absolutely surreal” to see the… Read More →

08JANNews

Listen to Kid Kapichi team up with Bob Vylan for the snarling ‘New England’

Hastings punk band Kid Kapichi have teamed up with Bob Vylan for a snarling new track – listen to ‘New England’ below. READ MORE: Kid Kapichi – ‘This Time Next Year’ review: a snarling debut full of grit, determination and blood-curdling fury Across ‘New England’, Kid Kapichi tackle political apathy, the class divide and Brexit before a smouldering verse from Bob Vylan that takes aim at racism and xenophobia. “‘New England’ is a song that targets the blindly patriotic, grabs them by the shoulders, shakes them and shouts ‘wake up’,” said Kid Kapichi’s vocalist/guitarist Jack Wilson. “We’re living in scary times where the top of society have found a way to turn the working class against themselves. We become more confident in our xenophobia as it’s only reinforced by our government on a daily basis.” Advertisement “We’ve been mugged off and sold a lie time and time again and the scary thing is people seem to still be making the same mistakes. Maybe out of pure ignorance or maybe in a stubborn act of defiance. Either way it’s hard to watch,” he continued. Check out ‘New England’ below: Kid Kapichi released their debut album ‘This Time Next Year’ in February… Read More →

07JANNews

Listen to Yard Act’s tongue-in-cheek new single ‘Rich’

Yard Act have returned with the final preview of their imminent debut album, ‘The Overload’, a buzzy new tune titled ‘Rich’. READ MORE: Yard Act – “‘Fixer Upper’ was kind of a joke that got out of hand” Vocalist James Smith explained that the new track deepens the album’s overarching narrative, using sharp sarcasm and dry wit to wage war against capitalist shills. He described ‘Rich’ as “the natural successor” to the album’s lead single ‘Payday’, quipping in a press release: “That’s the end of the story right? Success! Status! Security! Except, there’s always more money to be made, and you’re deemed a failure if your life starts to head back in the direction it came from. It’s about being so lost you’re sure you know exactly where you are and how you got there.” Advertisement He continued: “I also wrote it because I thought it would be quite funny if Yard Act made a shit ton of money after I’d written an anti-capitalist concept album. It’ll be funny if I’m singing this song on stage when I’ve made my mint. At worst it makes no sense, at best it comes off as pretentious, but that’s the point I’m trying to… Read More →

07JANNews

Bop Shop: Songs From Halsey, Armaan Malik, Fleet Foxes, And More

The search for the ever-elusive “bop” is difficult. Playlists and streaming-service recommendations can only do so much. They often leave a lingering question: Are these songs really good, or are they just new? Enter Bop Shop, a hand-picked selection of songs from the MTV News team. This weekly collection doesn’t discriminate by genre and can include anything — it’s a snapshot of what’s on our minds and what sounds good. We’ll keep it fresh with the latest music, but expect a few oldies (but goodies) every once in a while, too. Get ready: The Bop Shop is now open for business. Let’s Eat Grandma: “Happy New Year” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R9qLldd7_U We might be nearly a week into 2022 already, but it’s not too late to begin the year with some synthpop and good cheer. “Happy New Year,” from English pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma, can be that pick-me-up for you. With its neon glow and slightly muted backbeat, it’s the perfect soundtrack for getting on a good path. You might not be there yet, but you’ve got 358 more days to figure it out. —Patrick Hosken Halsey: “People Disappear Here” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ4xwiBscEI Across last year’s brilliant album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, Halsey… Read More →

06JANHit Singles

The Beatles: Get Back rooftop concert to screen in IMAX cinemas

The Beatles‘ famous rooftop concert at their Apple Corps’ Savile Row headquarters on January 30, 1969 will be screened in IMAX later this month. ORDER NOW: Paul Weller is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut READ MORE: The Beatles: Get Back review The Beatles: Get Back – The Rooftop Concert will premiere in theatres on January 30, celebrating 53 years since the band’s final public performance. The 60-minute feature follows on from Peter Jackson’s acclaimed three-part documentary The Beatles: Get Back, which was released on Disney+ on November 25 last year. While the full concert is already included in Jackson‘s film, the footage and audio will be remastered and optimised for IMAX. Advertisement Following the screening, Jackson will take part in a special Q&A session, which will be broadcasted simultaneously to all IMAX locations. Tickets are currently on sale here. At the moment, the screenings are only available in the US. The Beatles: Get Back – Rooftop Concert is coming to IMAX. Experience the unforgettable performance in a special… Posted by The Beatles on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 “I’m thrilled that the rooftop concert from The Beatles: Get Back is going to be experienced in IMAX, on that huge… Read More →

06JANNews

Lollapalooza co-founder Ted Gardner has died, aged 74

Ted Gardner, a revered artist manager and co-founder of the iconic Lollapalooza festival, has died at age 74. READ MORE: Lollapalooza 2021 review: Chicago festival makes its raucous return His passing was confirmed by The Brian Jonestown Massacre frontman Anton Newcombe, who Tweeted the news last Wednesday (December 29). No cause of death has been confirmed at the time of writing, though Newcombe noted that Gardner was “surrounded by his loving family” when he passed. I’m sad to report Ted Gardner, Our manager passed away today surrounded by his loving family. we will miss a great manager, mentor & friend Our condolences to all his family & friends. pic.twitter.com/T9XzL4yyVa — anton newcombe (@antonnewcombe) December 28, 2021 Advertisement Gardner had managed The Brian Jonestown Massacre since 2004, alongside the likes of Tool, The Verve, Queens Of The Stone Age, Rival Schools and Colin Hay. The music industry mogul was described by Porno For Pyros bassist Martyn LeNoble as “a tough man with a good heart”, and was long revered for his ambitious, yet headstrong spirit. Gardner’s started his storied career in music in 1977, when, in tandem with Mushroom Records co-founders Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans, he spearheaded operations at the… Read More →

05JANNews

Grammy Awards 2022 officially postponed

The Grammy Awards 2022 has been postponed indefinitely due to concerns over the continued coronavirus pandemic, it has been reported. The now-postponed ceremony is the second year in a row that the annual awards show has been pushed back because of COVID-19. READ MORE: Why the Grammys are right to not add a Best K-pop category – and why it should stay that way Variety reports that a spokesperson for the Recording Academy confirmed the delay to the publication, but no new date has been agreed on at present. The ceremony was due to take place on January 31 at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena (formerly known as Staples Center). Advertisement The postponement comes as cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continue to rise across the US and around the world, with many concerts, tours and sporting events postponed and cancelled because of it. According to Variety, enough artists and music industry figures expressed reluctance about taking part in the Grammys 2022 to convince the Academy it would be best to hold the show later in the year. Trevor Noah at the 2021 Grammys. CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Sources told the publication that both the Academy and its broadcaster CBS are… Read More →

05JANNews

Alt-J share new single ‘Hard Drive Gold’ from upcoming album ‘The Dream’

Alt-J have shared a new track called ‘Hard Drive Gold’, which is the latest single to be taken from their new album ‘The Dream’. The energetic and quirky song – featuring the repeated refrain “Don’t be afraid to make money, boy” – is accompanied by a video, which also marks vocalist Joe Newman’s directorial debut. READ MORE: Every single Mercury Prize winner: what happened next? Speaking of the new track, keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton said: “Hard Drive Gold is a slightly tongue-in-cheek song written at what we thought was the height of the cryptocurrency gold rush. Advertisement “It’s the story of the ultimate childhood fantasy, the schoolboy who becomes a millionaire overnight, and the different interactions he has with people in his life from teachers to neighbours. How ironically you interpret its message is entirely up to you…” Commenting on the surreal music video, Newman said: “Growing up enjoying cinema greatly I saw our music videos as opportune moments for directors to create stories purely and so we the band did not appear in our videos. By avoiding cuts to a band playing in an ‘aeroplane hanger’ the audience could focus on the cinema over the indie band music video tropes.” He… Read More →

05JANNews

Woman suing Bob Dylan for alleged sexual abuse alters time frame of events

Content warning: This story contains discussion of alleged sexual abuse. A woman accusing Bob Dylan of sexually abusing her as a child has amended the time frame in which the alleged incident took place. In the initial lawsuit, filed back in August, an anonymous claimant identified in documents as J.C. alleged that over the course of six weeks between April and May of 1965, Dylan (then in his mid-20s) “befriended and established an emotional connection” with the girl, aged 12 at the time, before abusing her both physically and emotionally. J.C. alleged that she “sustained physical and psychological injuries, including but not limited to, severe emotion and psychological distress, humiliation, fright, dissociation, anger, depression, anxiety, personal turmoil and loss of faith, a severe shock to her nervous system, physical pain and mental anguish, and emotional and psychological damage”. A representative for Dylan fired back at the allegations, saying: “The 56-year-old claim is untrue and will be vigorously defended.” Just days after news of the lawsuit broke, British writer Clinton Heylin – who has written extensively about Dylan’s life and work – jumped in to question the allegations’ validity, citing the claimant’s timeline of events. “Dylan was touring England during that… Read More →

04JANNews

Jack Antonoff says Bleachers’ fourth album will land in 2022

Jack Antonoff has confirmed he will release the fourth Bleachers album by the end of 2022. READ MORE: Bleachers: “This album is about wanting to hold joy, and not understanding why you can’t” The simple declaration came in a Tweet posted on Sunday (January 2), with Antonoff writing, “i am going to put out a bleachers album this year”. i am going to put out a bleachers album this year — jackantonoff (@jackantonoff) January 1, 2022 Advertisement His last record with Bleachers, ‘Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night’, was released last July, just over four years after ‘Gone Now’ came out in June 2017. Prior to that, there was a three year gap between ‘Gone Now’ and Bleachers’ 2014 debut, ‘Strange Desire’. Fans shouldn’t start holding their breaths for LP4 just yet, though – as longtime followers will note, Antonoff declared he would drop ‘Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night’ (then untitled) in January of 2020, after teasing it all the way back in March 2019. Before its eventual release, ‘Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night’ spawned four singles, starting with ‘Chinatown’ – a landmark collab with Bruce Springsteen, the video for which allegedly saw Antonoff break the… Read More →

04JANNews

The long-awaited Ronnie James Dio documentary is set for release in 2022

A documentary on the life of the late Ronnie James Dio is set for release this year, nearly two years after it was first announced. The as-yet-untitled project’s release was confirmed by Wendy Dio, the widow of the late heavy metal singer, during an interview on The Lucas H. Gordon Show on YouTube (as reported by Blabbermouth.net). In the interview, Mrs. Dio said that she had seen “the first cut” of the documentary, which she described as “very emotional.” “[It] goes all the way through his life till the end,” she said. “I was watching it with my publicist and a person from BMG, who are funding the documentary, and we all cried.” Advertisement Watch Mrs. Dio’s full interview with Gordon below: Mrs. Dio went on to confirm several notable musicians were interviewed as part of the documentary – among them Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford, Tenacious D frontman and actor Jack Black, The Runaways guitarist Lita Ford and Dio’s Black Sabbath bandmate Geezer Butler. As originally reported in February 2020, the documentary will be co-directed by Don Argott and Demian Fenton. The two have worked together on several films in the past, most notably 2005’s Rock School. The documentary will also incorporate… Read More →

03JANNews

James Bond’s stolen Aston Martin reportedly found almost 25 years after going missing

After almost 25 years, a stolen Aston Martin used during the filming of the 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger has been found. READ MORE: No Time To Die review: Daniel Craig’s surprisingly emotional final fling The vehicle, which is estimated to be worth around $25million (£18.5million), was purchased by a private collector in the mid-1980s, but was subsequently stolen out of a secure Florida airport hangar in 1997. According to The Telegraph, the long-missing DB5 has finally been found by Art Recovery International, a group which hunts down stolen high-end items. The report noted that an unnamed individual was able to verify the vehicle through its serial number, confirming it is the one that went missing. Advertisement The exact whereabouts of the vehicle has not yet been revealed, but according to the report it is located in a “private setting” somewhere in the Middle East, with Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia marked as “particular areas of interest”. Christopher Marinello, chief executive of Art Recovery International is optimistic the famous car will be recovered soon. “I’m hopeful that the possessor will come forward voluntarily before I have to make an announcement,” Marinello told The Telegraph. “It’s my policy to give possessors of stolen and looted… Read More →

03JANNews

Ted Nugent not happy with Joan Jett being on Top 100 greatest guitarists list

Ted Nugent has taken issue with Joan Jett being included on a list of the 100 greatest guitarists which was published over a decade ago. READ MORE: Joan Jett: Rock icon talks narrating ‘Seven Decades Live’, Miley Cyrus, and Blondie collaboration The controversial right-wing rocker took to YouTube last Thursday (December 30) to deliver a rant filled livestream about a list that was originally published by Rolling Stone‘s David Fricke in December 2010. “So I just mentioned some killer, monster guitar players, huh? Some of the best that ever lived,” Nugent said, laughing. “When you see the Rolling Stone magazine list of greatest guitar players, they list Joan Jett but not Tommy Shaw [of Styx].” Advertisement He continued: “How do you list the top 100 guitar players and not list Derek St. Holmes? How do you do that? You do that by lying. The same way you get Grandmaster Flash in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You do that by lying. You have to be a liar.” Clearly perturbed by the Blackhearts frontwoman’s inclusion, Nugent added: “You have to have shit for brains, and you have to be a soulless, soulless prick to put Joan Jett…” He then stressed… Read More →

03JANNews

Halsey releases surprise extended edition of ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’

Halsey has released an extended edition of their latest album ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power‘. READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Halsey: “I’ve always been driven to reinvent myself and reinvent my genre” The pop singer’s 2021 album now features two versions of the song ‘Nightmare’, as well as the track ‘People Disappear Here’. Both songs appeared on special US retailer releases of her record last year. In a four-star review of the original release, NME‘s Nick Levine wrote that it’s an “intricate and an endlessly compelling artistic statement that only Halsey could have made”. Advertisement Last month the singer shared a new video for ‘Honey’ from the Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross-produced album. The clip sees the singer-songwriter getting covered in honey while they perform the track. The song features Dave Grohl on drums but he fails to make an appearance in the video. Speaking to NME about recording the album with Reznor recently, Halsey said: “First of all, I thought I was writing a letter to Santa being like, ‘I’ve been a very good girl’. I was just really honest and said I was a huge fan and I’ve been plagiarising you guys for years – badly – and I’m not… Read More →

03JANHit Singles

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

Denis O’Dell, an acclaimed producer best known for his work on films starring The Beatles, has died at age 98. READ MORE: A Long Rewinding Road – 10 Highlights From The Beatles: Get Back Documentary O’Dell’s passing was confirmed by his son Arran, who told The Associated Press on January 1 that he died of natural causes at his home in Almería, Spain on Thursday December 30. Breaking out into the world of film in the 1940s, O’Dell racked up an impressive catalogue that sported such hits as It’s A Wonderful World (1956), Tread Softly Stranger (1958) and The Playboy Of The Western World (1962). He first linked up with The Beatles in 1964, mounting their production of A Hard Day’s Night as an associate producer. Advertisement His partnership with the group would continue for years to come. Per Variety, O’Dell is at least partly to thank for John Lennon’s involvement in 1967’s How I Won The War, a black-comedy film set during World War II that Lennon co-starred in (as his only non-musical acting role). Lennon famously wrote the bulk of “Strawberry Fields Forever” during the film’s production. That same year, O’Dell and The Beatles collaborated on their made-for-TV film… Read More →

03JANNews

Singer Omarion reacts to Omicron jokes: “I am an artist, not a COVID variant”

American R&B and pop singer Omarion has reacted to jokes on social media referring to the latest COVID-19 variant, Omicron, by his name. READ MORE: The 50 best albums of 2021 The jokes first began in late November when the Omicron variant appeared across the world. Several videos posted on Twitter included clips of Omarion dancing, with captions like “They say in order to keep the Omarion Variant away, you have to do this routine 3 times in the mirror”. They say in order to keep the Omarion Variant away, you have to do this routine 3 times in the mirror pic.twitter.com/DWvJAdW4GU — The Equalizer (@aura_of_gold) November 30, 2021 Advertisement The B2K star took to TikTok on New Year’s Day to share a series of videos in which he light-heartedly set the record straight for his fans. “Hi, this is Omarion. I am an artist – not a variant. So please be aware that if you just so happen to run into me on the street, you don’t have to isolate for five days,” he said in the first video. @omarion #omarion #omnicron #happynewyear ♬ original sound – Omarion In the second video, which included a snippet of the singer’s… Read More →