Cindy Choek

Rapper Oxxxymiron “begs” fellow Russians to “investigate” Ukraine invasion

Russian rapper Oxxxymiron has delivered a passionate speech to Russians who support the country’s invasion of Ukraine, “begging” them to “investigate the alternative”. The artist – who cancelled a series of shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg in protest against the war last month – held a live-streamed concert in Istanbul on Tuesday (March 15) in a bid to raise money for Ukrainian refugees. READ MORE: Ukrainian artists on the Russian crisis: “Now is the time to push for change” At one point, Oxxxymiron – real name Miron Yanovich Fyodorov – paused the performance to make a plea to those Russian people who are in favour of the action being taken by President Vladimir Putin. Jonny Tickle, an English journalist who is based in Moscow, subsequently shared a clip of the moment along with an English language translation of the rapper’s speech. “It seems to me – rather, I’m sure – that the people who are for this war are in fact against this war,” Oxxxymiron began. “They just believe that this is really a special operation to bomb military facilities. In fact, this special peacekeeping operation does not exist. It is a war.” He continued: “Unfortunately, this illusion is one… Read More →

17MARNews

K-pop festival KCON to make in-person return after two-year hiatus

Global K-pop festival KCON will be returning as an in-person event in the United States, South Korea and Japan this year. READ MORE: Kihyun reflects on finding peace in ‘Voyager’: “Right now, I’m more of a free person” South Korean entertainment company CJ ENM announced today (March 17) that the highly anticipated festival would be making its long-awaited return, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival will start with three brand-new kick-off events in May called KCON 2022 Premiere – to be hosted in Seoul, Tokyo and Chicago – before the main 2022 instalments of KCON take place in Los Angeles from 19 to 21 August and Japan on as-yet-unannounced October dates. KCON IS BACK!KCON 2022 starts off with KCON 2022 Premiere?Through 3 cities, Seoul, Tokyo and Chicago,KCON will visit us in May.Make sure to keep up with updates on KCON 2022 Premiere! *All the dates above are based on local times.#KCON #KCON2022Premiere pic.twitter.com/NpPExvL7Z5 — KCONUSA (@kconusa) March 16, 2022 Advertisement Described in a press statement as an “upgraded version” of past iterations, this year’s KCON will be “packed with new content reflecting the trends of Gen Z fans and programs tailored for local fans on… Read More →

16MARNews

New Margate festival LEISURE launched with Mitski, Nilufer Yanya, Sorry and more

LEISURE, a newly launched festival in Margate, has announced some of the names that will be on the bill for its inaugural event. READ MORE: Mitski – ‘Laurel Hell’ review: meta musings set to her grandest music yet Set to take place at Dreamland on June 24, 2022, the one-day event will be headlined by Mitski, with other names including Soccer Mommy, Nilufer Yanya, Sorry and more. LEISURE is a boutique event run by independent promoters Bird On The Wire. It’s “a day of music and rides on the British seaside and a unique opportunity for artists to play a significant yet bespoke festival,” as per a press release. Advertisement The ethos of the festival is to “create an inclusive, inspiring and laid-back atmosphere, with artists split between two stages for a streamlined experience”. L’Rain and High School have also been announced on the line-up, with the festival promising that more names will be announced soon. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LEISURE (@leisurefestivals) This isn’t the first time Bird On The Wire have put on an event at Dreamland. In 2019, they hosted a 10-year anniversary event at the Margate venue with Mac DeMarco headlining. “We’re thrilled to finally… Read More →

16MARNews

Korn’s Jonathan Davis on his “long COVID” battle: “I’m still fatigued like crazy”

Korn frontman Jonathan Davis has said that he is “still fatigued like crazy” after contracting COVID-19 last year. The singer, 51, tested positive for the virus last August, two weeks after Korn embarked on their 2021 US tour. As a result, the band were forced to cancel six of their scheduled concerts. READ MORE: Korn: “On this record, we have grown emotionally. Music is healing to all of us” Davis returned to resume the run of shows after recovering, but performed while sitting on a throne for the majority of the set. He said at the time that he’d been “struggling with COVID after-effects” and was “feeling very weak”. Advertisement Elsewhere, Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch explained that his bandmate remained “physically weak” and was experiencing “a mental battle”. During a recent appearance on the Lipps Service With Scott Lipps podcast (via Blabbermouth), Davis said that he thinks he is suffering from “long COVID”, adding: “I’m still fatigued like crazy. I’m doing the best I can. But I’m alive. And hopefully, in time, this will get better.” Korn are currently out on the road in support of their 14th studio album, ‘Requiem’, which came out in February. Asked about his… Read More →

16MARNews

UK music grows by nearly 13 per cent in 2021 to be worth £1.26billion

UK music industry revenue grew by nearly 13 per cent across 2021, meaning it is now worth £1.26billion. According to new research and data from the BPI (British Phonographic Industry), the figures mark the seventh consecutive year of growth in the sector. READ MORE: What’s causing the vinyl delay? “Adele is not the problem”, say music industry insiders Revenue from CD, vinyl and other physical formats grew by a huge 14.6 per cent to £241million, with the amount of indie record shops going up (from 390 to 407) contributing to this rise. Advertisement Vinyl revenue was up 34 per cent to £117.2m, and, in a more surprising trend, CD revenue was also up (by 1.7 per cent to £115.9m) for the first time in half a decade. Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the BPI, BRIT Awards & Mercury Prize, said in a statement about the figures: “The UK music market’s return to growth has been driven by streaming – especially streaming subscriptions, which grew by 13% last year and made up 88% of streaming revenues and 58% of total revenues. “After a tough few years we are also pleased to see growth across the sector, including in physical formats, sync, performance… Read More →

15MARNews

Fan-made Lars Ulrich toilet is going on display at a Copenhagen museum

A toilet modelled on Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich is to be exhibited at a Danish museum. READ MORE: Metallica and friends: “‘The Black Album’ was a victory for the underdog” Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum in Copenhagen has acquired the functioning toilet, which shows Ulrich squatting and holding a pair of drum sticks while wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with his own name in the iconic Metallica font. The museum, which is located in Ulrich’s birth country, will display the toilet in its gallery and not its bathroom, employee Sabrina Sieck confirmed to the Tampa Bay Times. Previously, the toilet made my Metallica stan and artist, Prince Midnight, was plumbed in at the Brass Mug bar and music venue in Tampa, Florida. Advertisement Prince Midnight, who made headlines for his bizarre creation last year, told the publication that Metallica “wrote the first songs that meant something to me”, and he felt inspired to pay homage to the band’s sticksman. The Lars toilet. Installed and fully functional. I will be moving it for public use at heavy metal mecca, The Brass Mug… Posted by Prince Midnight on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 The Tampa-based artist added that he chose to model the toilet on… Read More →

15MARNews

Keith Richards says The Rolling Stones don’t intend to sell their publishing

Keith Richards has said that The Rolling Stones have no plans to sell their publishing. READ MORE: Nine of Keith Richards’ maddest rock ‘n’ roll stories His comments come as other veteran acts including Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks and Bruce Springsteen parted with their publishing catalogues recently for large payouts. Talking to CBS This Morning, Richards said: “Mick and I have not spoken about it on a serious level. I don’t know if we’re ready to sell our catalogue. Advertisement “We might drag it out a bit, put some more stuff in it. The only thing about selling your catalogue…it’s a sign of getting old.” Elsewhere in the interview Richards reflected on the “shock” of losing drummer Charlie Watts last year. “I think he tried to keep [his health] under the wraps last year,” the guitarist said. “It came as quite a shock. He had had a round with cancer a year or two before, but he beat that one. He just got hit with a double whammy, bless his soul.” He added that the Stones had considered cancelling the remainder of their delayed ‘No Filter’ tour last year following Watts’ passing. “I think Charlie wanted us to go on the road,”… Read More →

15MARNews

Watch Coldplay’s new manga-inspired animated video for ‘People Of The Pride’

Coldplay have shared their manga-inspired new video for ‘People Of The Pride’ – you can watch it below. READ MORE: Coldplay: “This is our period of having no fear” Directed by Paul Dugdale, the clip mixes live footage from the band’s October 2021 performance at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena with robot-heavy, dystopian animation. The track follows previous singles ‘Let Somebody Go‘, ‘Higher Power‘, ‘My Universe‘ and ‘Coloratura’. Advertisement The song is taken from Coldplay’s recent album ‘Music Of The Spheres’, which arrived last October. The band recently shared an expansive cover of Kid Cudi‘s 2008 hit ‘Day ‘n’ Nite as part of a new Spotify Singles release, which also features a new version of ‘Let Somebody Go’, their recent collaboration with Selena Gomez. “This is the first time I think that we’ve really taken proper time to record a cover, because in my head I could hear a version of it quite different from the original, that hopefully just reinforces what a brilliant song it is,” Martin said of the cover. “One way or another I hope that anyone listening will just think, ‘Wow, Kid Cudi is amazing.’” Coldplay are set to embark on an eco-friendly world tour later this… Read More →

15MARNews

Florence + The Machine announce trio of intimate UK shows

Florence + The Machine have announced three intimate UK shows for next month. The London band, who detailed their fifth album ‘Dance Fever’ last week, will take to the stage at Newcastle’s O2 City Hall (April 15), Blackburn’s King George’s Hall (16) and London’s Theatre Royal (19). READ MORE: Florence + The Machine embraced minimalism at magical 2018 UK tour opener Per an official listing, Florence Welch and co. “will play music from the new album for the first time, along with some favourites from previous albums”. The gigs will mark the group’s first UK live appearances since 2019. Advertisement Fans can access a pre-sale for tickets tomorrow (March 16) at 9am by pre-ordering ‘Dance Fever’ from F+TM’s official website before 8pm tonight (March 15). Tickets go on general sale this Thursday (March 17) at 9am GMT – buy yours here. One pound from each ticket sold will be donated to Choose Love, which supports refugees and displaced people globally. You can see the announcement tweet and official tour poster below. Florence + The Machine will play 3 intimate shows this April in Newcastle, Blackburn and London.Pre-order Dance Fever from https://t.co/FH3jVLfXQn before 8pm GMT today for the chance to access the… Read More →

14MARNews

Jack White urges major labels to build own vinyl pressing plants

Jack White has shared a video and written an open letter to major record labels, urging them to build their own vinyl pressing plants. The White Stripes frontman owns the Nashville-based Third Man Records, who have their own pressing plant and opened a new London store last year. His letter comes after the vinyl industry has experienced huge delays due to COVID, meaning many smaller artists have been forced to delay album releases due to wait times at pressing plants. READ MORE: What’s causing the vinyl delay? “Adele is not the problem”, say music industry insiders “At least once a week, without fail, someone will reach out asking me to help expedite their vinyl record manufacturing,” White’s message began. “It’s a natural thought… knowing that I own a pressing plant and have my own record label, ‘if anyone could help, it’s this guy!’” Advertisement In the written message he went on to call the idea for major labels to build their own plants a “no-brainer,” writing: “We have ALL created an environment where the unprecedented demand for vinyl records cannot keep up with the rudimentary supply of them.” “We’re all on the same team with the same goals,” he added…. Read More →

14MARNews

‘Pistol’: Nick Kent actor Ferdia Walsh-Peelo on what to expect from the Sex Pistols series

Ferdia Walsh-Peelo has spoken on the upcoming Sex Pistols miniseries Pistol, in which he plays NME journalist Nick Kent. The new FX series, which is due in May, follows the rise of the iconic punk band, with Toby Wallace playing Steve Jones, alongside Anson Boon as Johnny Rotten, Louis Partridge as Sid Vicious, Jacob Slater as Paul Cook and Christian Lees as Glen Matlock. READ MORE: The biggest talking points from the BAFTAs 2022 Walsh-Peelo, who recently appeared in CODA, spoke about taking on the role of the famous rock critic, revealing to NME on the BAFTAs red carpet last night (March 13) that he’ll also be playing music on the series too. Advertisement “My next project is Danny Boyle’s Pistol, and I’m playing Nick Kent, the music journalist,” he said. “That was really enjoyable for me. And I’m getting to play a bit of music as well, it’s great.” Sex Pistols in 1976 CREDIT: Getty The star went on to tease the playlist he had made for the role, explaining he’d been listening to “a lot of Rolling Stones,” alongside Yes and Can. “A lot of late ’60s, early ’70s stuff,” Walsh-Peelo added. “It’s completely my vibe, so I… Read More →

14MARNews

Stevie Nicks gives Lorde advice on how to “stay in touch with her dreams”

Stevie Nicks has shared some advice for Lorde in a new interview, saying that the singer “just has to keep doing what she’s doing”. During a recent conversation in The New Yorker, the Fleetwood Mac star was asked by actor/writer Tavi Gevinson to answer a question from “my friend Ella [Lorde]”, who wanted to know how Nicks had “stayed in touch with her dreams”. READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Lorde: “I feel like I can see my world and myself a lot clearer now” “You know, the last show that Fleetwood Mac did in New Zealand [in 2019], I found out that [Lorde] had come with her parents, and she didn’t tell me she was even coming, so I didn’t get to meet her,” Nicks replied. Advertisement “I have a moon for her, and it’s in a box with a little note, and I’ve never been able to get it to her.” She continued: “I don’t think Lorde is going to have any problem at all keeping in touch with what she does. I think she’s just as odd as you or me. She’s a strange girl, and so are we. And she’s a really great writer and… Read More →

14MARNews

(G)I-DLE assert themselves in fierce new ‘Tomboy’ music video

(G)I-DLE have released their long-awaited debut full-length album ‘I Never Die’ and the music video for its lead single ‘Tomboy’. READ MORE: Weeekly lose their unique identity as they messily somersault to a new sound on ‘Ven Para’ In the dynamic new visual, the members of (G)I-DLE flirt with danger as they engage in an exciting car chase outside a movie theatre, complete with fireworks and explosions. Each member also has her own corresponding doll, which come to life to terrorise a male doll. “Yeah, I’ll be the tomboy / This is my attitude / Yeah I’ll be the tomboy,” they declare on the empowering rock-tinged track. Advertisement The explicit version of ‘Tomboy’ will be available on the physical version of the album, shared a representative from CUBE Entertainment during the group’s media showcase earlier today (March 14). ‘I Never Die’ marks the girl group’s first-ever full-length project since their debut in 2018. (G)I-DLE’s leader Soyeon had notably worked on nearly all the songs on the album, including ‘Tomboy’. Meanwhile, Chinese-born member Yuqi worked on ‘Liar’ and ‘Polaroid’, while Thai-born Minnie contributed to ‘Already’ and ‘Escape’. The new album is also the group’s first project since former member Soojin left the… Read More →

13MARNews

Pete Davidson finally responds to Kanye West: “I’m done being quiet”

Pete Davidson has finally responded to Kanye West, saying that he’s “done being quiet” and sending a selfie while “in bed with your wife” Kim Kardashian. Davidson, who is dating West’s estranged wife Kardashian, has been the subject of public attacks from Kanye in recent weeks and months, including songs and music videos in which the rapper threatened violence against the Saturday Night Live comedian. READ MORE: On the scene at Kanye West’s ‘Donda 2’ event in Miami: “It felt like a cult convention” Throughout the situation, Davidson has remained silent, though according to now-deleted screenshots reportedly posted to Instagram by his friend and collaborator Dave Sirus, Davidson has now engaged in a lengthy text conversation with Kanye. Advertisement As Consequence report, Davidson reached out to the rapper, writing: “I’ve decided I’m not gonna let you treat us like this anymore and I’m done being quiet,” and referring to himself as ‘Skete’, the derogatory nickname Kanye has been publicly giving Davidson. When West responded and asked Davidson where he currently was, Davidson sent a selfie back and wrote: “In bed with your wife.” After Kanye said he was “happy to see [Davidson] out of the hospital and rehab,” Davidson said: Same… Read More →

13MARNews

Listen to Thom Yorke’s haunting new song ‘5.17’, written for ‘Peaky Blinders’

Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke has shared a new song written for the sixth season of Peaky Blinders – check out the haunting ‘5.17’ below. READ MORE: The Smile live in London: Radiohead side project prove they’re human after all Last month, Peaky Blinders director Anthony Byrne revealed to NME that Yorke and Radiohead bandmate Jonny Greenwood have contributed some new and original music to the upcoming sixth and final season of the show. “I’m over the moon about all of that,” Byrne said. “The music has always been really important historically, and I was really keen to bring a dramatic score into it. We’re using that much more in this season. It’s a much heavier season so the score is taking things in a very different direction.” Advertisement As Pitchfork point out, an Apple Music listing for the new song suggests that ‘5.17’ is set to be followed on April 2 by another new Yorke song for Peaky Blinders, that one titled ‘That’s How Horses Are’. For now, listen to ‘5.17’ below. Yorke, who released his third and most recent solo album, ‘ANIMA’, in 2019, has been sharing new music with various projects over the past few years. His most recent glimpse of… Read More →

12MARNews

Henry Rollins on Ukraine conflict: “No one in Ukraine’s life is what it was”

Henry Rollins has spoken out about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, reflecting on the upheaval in the lives of Ukrainians as a result of the war. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the country’s military to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24. The UN reported that 549 civilians had died as of March 10 – although they believe the total could be much higher – while the US military estimates that between 2,000 and 4,000 Ukrainian armed forces, national guard and volunteer forces have also been killed. READ MORE: Ukrainian artists on the Russian crisis: “Now is the time to push for change” In an interview on New York’s 102.3 WBAB radio station, Rollins spoke about the conflict and shared his experiences of visiting Ukraine. “The thing is still, in a way, breaking news,” he said, per Blabbermouth. “What I have been thinking about is everybody at my [spoken word] shows in Kyiv, no one’s life is what it was a month ago. And I think of all those people throughout the last several days, cos they’re either moving, they’re on their way somewhere or they’re panicked or they’re not having a great time today. Advertisement “And these are people –… Read More →

12MARNews

Drake is planning some “highly interactive shows” in New York and Toronto

Drake is planning “highly interactive” shows in New York and Toronto, the rapper has revealed in a new radio show. The star was talking during a broadcast on Sound 42, OVO Sound’s Sirius XM radio station, when he shared the news. READ MORE: Kanye West and Drake live in Los Angeles: titans unite for a near-religious experience “I’m excited to let all my people know that we’re working on something really special for you guys,” Drake told listeners. “Putting together two shows, one in New York and a few in Toronto. They’re gonna be something different, something that I’ve never done before. Gonna be a highly interactive experience.” Advertisement He continued: “My brothers will be there, it’s gonna be great to see y’all, hopefully get a chance to speak with you, [and] hopefully learn a little more about each other. I’ll have the dates for that coming soon, I can’t wait.” Drake announces upcoming NY + Toronto shows. ⁦@Sound42⁩ pic.twitter.com/s3rOTye1ky — Elliott Wilson (@ElliottWilson) March 12, 2022 The gigs will be Drake’s first headline performances since 2019, when he made appearances at numerous festivals including Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, Rock In Rio and his own OVO Fest. That year also saw… Read More →

12MARNews

Eminem breaks RIAA record for most gold and platinum singles

Eminem has broken the record for the most gold and platinum singles certified by the RIAA in the organisation’s history. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced the news last week (March 8). READ MORE: The biggest moments from the Super Bowl Halftime Show 2022 Eminem now has 166million single certifications and 61.5million album certifications after being awarded 73.5million new units. The new certifications put the Detroit rapper ahead of Drake, who previously held the record with 163.5million certifications, and Rihanna, who has 151.5million certifications. Advertisement He has also become one of only seven artists to have three or more diamond-certified albums, which an act scores after shifting more than 10million units in the US. He joins Garth Brooks (nine diamond albums), The Beatles (six), Led Zeppelin (five) and The Eagles, Shania Twain and Whitney Houston (three each) in the elite club. Eminem CREDIT: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images “These awards recognize Eminem’s unflinching commitment to his craft and the enduring connection he has forged with fans over the last 20 years,” Mitch Glazier, CEO and chairman of the RIAA, said in a statement. “Congratulations to Eminem and his entire label team who have set the bar higher than ever.” Earlier… Read More →

12MARNews

Kesha loses round in New York appeals court against Dr Luke

A New York court has reversed a lower court’s decision that said Kesha could have her legal fees pay by Dr Luke should his defamation claim against her fail. The decision, which was issued by the court on Thursday (March 10), said that a new law introduced in 2020 to help clients pay court fees could not be applied retrospectively. It means that even if Kesha should win her long-running case against Dr Luke, the musician cannot make Dr Luke pay her legal fees. The court ruled that “there is insufficient evidence supporting the conclusion that the legislature intended its 2020 amendments to the anti-strategic lawsuit against public participation (anti-SLAPP) law… to apply retroactively to pending claims such as the defamation claims asserted by plaintiffs in this action.” In a statement to Rolling Stone, Kesha’s lawyers said: “Today’s opinion is manifestly erroneous and contrary to the conclusion reached by approximately 20 other courts. We will promptly seek Court of Appeals review.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kesha (@iiswhoiis) In a cryptic Instagram post later on, Kesha added: “When you’re not allowed to say anything and there are no words anyways.” The ruling marks the latest development in the… Read More →

11MARNews

Slipknot’s Corey Taylor gives update on new album and it’s arrival date

Corey Taylor has given an update on Slipknot’s new album and its expected arrival date. READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Slipknot: “I’m just going to tell you the facts: this album is a masterpiece” In a new interview on Down To Hell with Doug Bradley, the Slipknot frontman said that they’re now in the process of mixing the album with an anticipated summer release date. He said: “We don’t have a hard [release] date yet ’cause we’re lazy and we’re still mixing the damn thing.” Advertisement He continued: “I can tell you it’s completely recorded and we’re about halfway through mixing it. So, to me, I would say probably two or three months [from now]. That’s my ballpark. I’m hoping; I’m gonna push to get it out then – maybe summertime sometime.” You can watch the full interview here: Taylor also spoke about the new album back in February, where he confirmed that the band had finished work on their “killer” new album. “The record is actually in the process of being mixed right now,” the singer told Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM. “Everything is finished, so it’s just being mixed right now, which is rad news. “…The artwork’s done. We just… Read More →

11MARNews

Placebo announce North American tour for their album ‘Never Let Me Go’

Placebo have shared the details behind their first North American tour in almost a decade. READ MORE: Soundtrack Of My Life: Placebo’s Brian Molko The string of dates will follow the release of the band’s eighth studio album ‘Never Let Me Go’ which is set for March 25. Tickets are on sale here. The tour kicks off in Vancouver in September, with stops in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco before it ends in New York. See a full list of dates below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by OFFICIAL PLACEBO INSTAGRAM. (@placeboworld) Advertisement SEPTEMBER 4 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore 6 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre 7 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom 9 – San Francisco, CA – Warfield 10 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre 12 – Mexico City, MX – Palacio De Los Deportes 14 – Austin, TX – Emo’s 18 – Brooklyn, New York – Brooklyn Steel Earlier this month, the band released a single from the album, ‘Happy Birthday In The Sky’. The track followed previous sneak peeks of the album, ‘Beautiful James’, ‘Surrounded By Spies’ and ‘Try Better Next Time’. “’Happy Birthday In The Sky’, for me, is one of… Read More →