Peter Shep

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Fontaines D.C. add Nottingham date to 2022 UK and Ireland tour

Fontaines D.C. have added another date to their UK and Ireland tour. READ MORE: Fontaines D.C. talk “lighter” new material and Sam Fender’s epic McDonald’s order The post-punk band will now play Nottingham’s Rock City on November 22, which is half way through their 24-date tour this autumn and winter. Tickets for the new show go on general sale this Friday (September 2) from 10am BST here. There is a pre-sale from 10am this Wednesday (August 31). Advertisement The Irish band’s tour, which is in support of their latest album ‘Skinty Fia’, kicks off at Hull Bonus Arena on November 7, with dates also lined up in Manchester, London, Glasgow and Dublin. Belfast’s Ulster Hall will play host to two final shows December 7-8. We’ve added a new date to our UK & Ireland Tour. We’ll be playing Nottingham’s Rock City this November. Tickets go on sale this Friday. https://t.co/MFZZxHqJ7S pic.twitter.com/zBwjKBz8UV — Fontaines D.C. (@fontainesdublin) August 29, 2022 In other news, the band invited a fan to play guitar with them on stage during their Reading Festival set on Saturday (August 27). Fontaines D.C. were playing on the festival’s Main Stage this evening ahead of Arctic Monkeys, and spotted a… Read More →

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Joey DeFrancesco, renowned jazz musician who worked with Ray Charles, has died

Joey DeFrancesco has died, his wife and manager Gloria DeFrancesco has confirmed. READ MORE: 20 of the best jazz songs The renowned jazz organist, composer and bandleader who worked with acts including Ray Charles, Van Morrison and Bette Midler was 51 years old. “The love of my life is now in peace with the angels,” wrote Gloria on Instagram on Friday (August 26). “Right now I have very few words. Thank you for the outpouring of love and support coming in from everywhere. Joey loved you all.” A cause of death was not provided. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gloria DeFrancesco (@gloria.defrancesco) DeFrancesco played trumpet, piano, saxophone and synths but, as Pitchfork points out, was best known for reviving the use of the Hammond B3 organ in the modern jazz scene. The musician’s career began taking off in the 1980s. He would go on to release more than 30 recordings as a bandleader. He was born in 1971 in a town outside of Philadelphia. His father is the acclaimed organist “Papa” John DeFrancesco, who brought Joey a B3 organ when he was 4 years old. The prodigious talent was performing in the Settlement Jazz Ensemble at… Read More →

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NewJeans’ label ADOR responds to criticism of “sexual” lyrics in ‘Cookie’ with extensive statement

HYBE subsidiary ADOR has released a lengthy statement addressing the controversy surrounding the lyrics of ‘Cookie’, a single by the label’s artist and rookie girl group NewJeans. On August 27, the label uploaded a statement to its official website in Korean and English addressing concerns surrounding the lyrical content of ‘Cookie’, which is part of the group’s debut EP ‘New Jeans’. After its release on August 1, the song came under fire by listeners criticising the lyrics as “sexual” and inappropriate due to the ages of NewJeans’ members, which range from 14 to 18 (15 to 19 years in Korean age). Some lines listeners singled out from the lyrics include “Looking at my cookie / Do you ever smell it different? (Taste it) / What’s with a bite, isn’t enough?”. Some listeners also pointed out how the word “cookie” is also colloquial slang for genitalia among some English-speakers. Advertisement The members of NewJeans have said in a previously-released TikTok that the “cookie” in the track refers to their fresh music and sound. ADOR maintains this position in its statement, which also includes a in-depth explanation of all four songs on the act’s self-titled debut EP. “The ADOR team didn’t take… Read More →

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Red Hot Chili Peppers dedicate MTV VMAs Global Icon Award to Taylor Hawkins

Red Hot Chili Peppers dedicated their Global Icon award to Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins at the MTV VMAs 2022 tonight (August 28). The band were honoured at the ceremony, which is being co-hosted by Nicki Minaj, Jack Harlow and LL Cool J at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. READ MORE: Taylor Hawkins, 1972 – 2022: Foo Fighters drummer who always stole the show After performing ‘Black Summer’ and ‘Can’t Stop’, Red Hot Chili Peppers accepted the Global Icon award. As drummer Chad Smith took the microphone, he paid tribute to Hawkins, saying: “There’s another musical icon, global icon, and his name is my brother Taylor Hawkins. I want to dedicate this to Taylor and his family and I miss him every day and fly on Hawk, fly on brother.” Advertisement Hawkins died in March while Foo Fighters were on tour in Bogota, Colombia. He was 50 years old. He will be remembered at two special memorial concerts in London and Los Angeles next month. Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith dedicates his performance at the #VMAs to Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins who passed away earlier this year: “Fly on Hawk, fly on brother.” pic.twitter.com/f8BCxUeVxN — The Recount… Read More →

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Eminem and Snoop Dogg team up for metaverse-inspired performance at MTV VMAs 2022

Eminem and Snoop Dogg teamed up for a special “metaverse-inspired” performance at the MTV VMAs 2022 tonight (August 28). The rappers were among a raft of performers at the ceremony, which is being co-hosted by Nicki Minaj, Jack Harlow and LL Cool J at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Eminem and Snoop Dogg shared a version of their recent collaboration ‘From The D 2 The LBC’ that saw them mix in-person performance with digital technology. The appearance was organised in partnership with Yuga Labs – an NFT and cryptocurrency company best known for the Bored Apes project – and was inspired by “the world of the Otherside metaverse”. Advertisement The performance began with the pair sitting on a couch, with Snoop smoking a comedically large joint. As Eminem said he felt like he was getting high just from sitting next to him, a green swirl appeared on screen, taking viewers into the rapper’s head where he and his collaborator became digital avatars and figures from Bored Apes. As the song reached its latter stages, the performance threw things back to the stage, which was surrounded by digital graphics. Watch footage of the moment above now. Harlow, Lil Nas… Read More →

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Listen to Headie One’s intense new single ‘Illegal’

Headie One has shared a brand new single – listen to ‘Illegal’ below. READ MORE: Headie One live in London: a star-studded run through the greatest hits The track is the latest of a number of tracks the rapper has been sharing throughout 2022. Back in May, he shared the track ‘Came In The Scene’, before following it up later that month with ’22 Carats’, a collaboration with French rapper Gazo. The three tracks are the first taste of new solo music from the rapper since his 2021 mixtape ‘Too Loyal For My Own Good’ and 2020 debut album ‘Edna’. He also released a collaborative mixtape in 2020 with producer Fred again.. titled ‘Gang’ that featured appearances from FKA twigs, Jamie xx, Sampha and more. Advertisement Watch Headie One’s new ‘Illegal’ video below. In a four-star review of ‘Too Loyal For My Own Good’, which was released last year, NME wrote: “This mixtape proves Headie One’s great musical ear: ‘Cry’ is an amazing listen, flipping Busta Rhymes’ 1997 classic ‘Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See’. Headie still delivers floorfillers, but never loses his rapping touch along the way. “Featuring no help from his UK rapping mates, ‘Too Loyal For My Own Good’ should live on as a highlight of… Read More →

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Watch the moment Megan Thee Stallion brings fans on stage at Reading Festival

Megan Thee Stallion has performed her set at Reading Festival this evening (August 26) and invited two groups of fans on stage to dance with her. READ MORE: The story of Reading & Leeds 2022 – in glorious photos At the start of the set, Stallion said security wouldn’t let any fans on stage. Later, she brought a security guard on stage and told fans he was going to help get her “hotties” on stage. Before they arrived, Stallion said there were “rules” for when they are on stage. One was “do not be on your phone the whole time” and the other was to “fuck things up”. She told the crowd to “show them all some love”. Advertisement After they danced with her on stage, Stallion posed for pictures with the fans. Stallion repeated the same with a second group of fans, one of who had a sign asking Stallion to sign her chest. When the fan didn’t have a pen, Stallion said: “You don’t have your pen, how I’m gonna sign you tits?” Moments later, Stallion got hold of a pen and signed the fans chest. Another fan told Stallion that her boyfriend broke up with her, to… Read More →

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MGMT will release new music this year, says Andrew VanWyngarden

MGMT are set to return with new music this year, according to frontman Andrew VanWyngarden. The New York-based duo last released an album with 2018’s ‘Little Dark Age’, which NME named one of the best albums of that year, writing: “After more than a decade of insularity, MGMT have thrown open the doors and welcomed you back into their world. In doing so, they’ve had to engage with our messy, unpalatable reality.” Since then, the band have been largely quiet, though appeared in feature spots on The Avalanches‘ star-studded recent album ‘We Will Always Love You’ and ColaBoyy’s track ‘Kid Born In Space’. Advertisement In a new post on his official Reddit account, VanWyngarden has appeared to confirm that the band’s “drought” will end this year, and that they’re on the way back with new music. After a fan on the MGMT Reddit page guessed at a title for their forthcoming fifth album, VanWyngarden replied: “We have a working title!” Of progress on the record, he added: “There are irons in the fire and we have been busy. I had forgotten my login info, the mgmt drought ends this year.” Comment from discussion SnailOnTheSlope’s comment from discussion "My guess on lp5… Read More →

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Elton John on helping Britney Spears return to music: “There’s a lot of fear there”

Elton John has recalled how he helped Britney Spears overcome her “fear” of returning with new music following a six-year hiatus. The pair have teamed up for the new single ‘Hold Me Closer’, a reimagining of John’s 1971 classic track ‘Tiny Dancer’. Arriving today (August 26), it marks the first material from Spears since her 2016 album ‘Glory’ (an outtake from that record, ‘Swimming In The Stars’, came out in late 2020). READ MORE: Controlling Britney Spears review: toxic conservatorship back under the microscope Writing on Twitter yesterday (August 25), the pop star – whose controversial 13-year conservatorship was terminated last November – said she felt “kinda overwhelmed” as she prepared to make her musical comeback. “It’s a big deal to me!!!” she wrote. Advertisement During a new interview with The Guardian, John has now spoken about his experience of working with Spears on ‘Hold Me Closer’ in the studio. “We had to get her to approve what she did,” he told the publication. “She’s been away so long – there’s a lot of fear there because she’s been betrayed so many times and she hasn’t really been in the public eye officially for so long. “We’ve been holding her hand through the… Read More →

Lou Reed – Words & Music, May 1965

In 1965, Lewis Reed was a half-formed thing. In fluctuating quantities he was a street poet, a reporter, a Greenwich Village folkie, a comedian, a pop hack. He had his own ideas, some of them borrowed, a few of them blue. He was an experiment. He wasn’t yet an original. Run the tape backwards – to 1963/4, say – and it’s evident that Reed’s metamorphosis was speeding up. Back then, when two years in pop history was an age, the Dylanisms came loaded with harmonica and deference to the workmanlike chug of the blues. Peer back further, into the mists of Reed’s teenage imagination, and you’ll hear the innocent joy of doo-wop, but also a pre-echo of The Velvet Underground’s last proper album, Loaded, from 1970. The end and the beginning were the same. ORDER NOW: Joni Mitchell is on the cover of the latest issue of Uncut As an act of archaeology, Words & Music, May 1965 is an understated triumph. The album is the first fruit of an exploration of the Reed archive, excavated from the office of Sister Ray Enterprises Inc in New York’s West Village. The collection reaches from Reed’s final performance in 2013, back to… Read More →

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ENHYPEN’s Sunoo resumes promotional activities, may take “additional periods of rest” in the future

ENHYPEN singer Sunoo will be resuming his promotional activities after taking a temporary break due to health concerns, though he may still take additional periods of rest moving forward. READ MORE: KCON LA 2022 review: K-pop’s powerful fourth generation carries the torch forward Last week on August 17, Sunoo was announced to have temporarily halted his promotional activities after experiencing bouts of dizziness, headaches and chills. The health issues rendered him unable to perform with the rest of ENHYPEN at KCON LA 2022 last weekend (August 19-21), at the behest of medical staff. On August 25, the singer’s label, Belift Lab, issued a statement via fan community platform Weverse announcing Sunoo’s recovery and resumption of his participation in both ENHYPEN’s upcoming scheduled activities as well as his own solo activities. Advertisement However, the label noted that moving forward, Sunoo may be subject to more temporary breaks as required by his health and physical condition. “We will schedule future activities putting our artist’s health in top priority,” Belift Lab wrote. “We inform you in advance that Sunoo may take additional periods of rest for treatment and recuperation according to his health status in the future. “We will continue to support our… Read More →

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Diddy hits out at Triller following Verzuz lawsuit

Diddy has offered his support for Verzuz co-founders Timbaland and Swizz Beatz in the wake of their lawsuit against social media app Triller. READ MORE: Timbaland and Swizz Beatz on VERZUZ battle series: “We want to celebrate the architects of good music” VERZUZ is the popular entertainment series that pits producers, songwriters and artists against each other in a rap battle style format. Last year, the rights for the series were sold to Triller, who livestream the events on their app. In a recent lawsuit seen by Billboard, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz claim that Triller owe them $28m (£23m) and that it has defaulted on previously agreed payments. Advertisement The suit goes on to claim that while the pair received payments as planned in January and April 2021, a payment that was due in January of this year has still not arrived. A new payment plan was then reportedly agreed, but the money from that has still not come through, the pair allege. “Since we ain’t fuckin’ with [Triller] no more, since they’re fuckin’ around with our boys, we don’t need to be going against each other,” Diddy said to So So Def founder Jermaine Dupri (per Rolling Stone). “Let’s come together and do that Bad Boy-So… Read More →

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Watch Panic! At The Disco’s Pete Wentz-featuring video for ‘Sugar Soaker’

Panic! At The Disco have shared a new video for the song ‘Sugar Soaker’, which features a host of cameos including one from Fall Out Boy‘s Pete Wentz. READ MORE: Panic! At The Disco – ‘Viva Las Vengeance’ review: pretty odd jukebox rock‘n’roll ‘Sugar Soaker’ appears on Brendon Urie’s new album ‘Viva Las Vengeance’, which came out last week (August 19). “Sweetening the deal with the new video for Sugar Soaker,” he wrote on Twitter to announce the video, adding: “Brought a bunch of the Panic family out for this one.” Advertisement Alongside Wentz in the retro new video are singer-songwriter and producer Butch Walker, singer Betty Who and more. Check the new video out below. Starring @nicolesrow, @mikenaran, @danpawlovich, @petewentz, Mike Viola, Rachel White, Sam Barbera, @BettyWho, @jakewrogers, @whiteseamusic, @butchwalker, Jake Micucci, @suzyshinn, @EvanT & Nina Jordan Taubenfeld. pic.twitter.com/yN1tEG3g9H — Panic! At The Disco (@PanicAtTheDisco) August 23, 2022 The new ‘Sugar Soaker’ visual follows a recent video for fellow ‘Viva Las Vengeance’ track ‘Don’t Let The Light Go Out’, which was shared last week. Reviewing the band’s first LP since 2018’s ‘Pray For The Wicked’, NME wrote: “Yes, ‘Viva Las Vengeance’ is a very different Panic! At The Disco… Read More →

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Fetty Wap faces upwards of five years in jail after pleading guilty to federal drug charges

Fetty Wap has reportedly pleaded guilty to federal drug charges and is now facing upwards of five years in prison. In October, Wap (real name Willie Junior Maxwell) was arrested at New York’s Rolling Loud Festival before being charged for participating in a conspiracy to smuggle large amounts of heroin, fentanyl and other drugs into the New York City region. At the time, Maxwell pleaded not guilty but on Monday (August 21), it was reported by The Washington Post that Maxwell pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Advertisement A New York Post reporter outside the courthouse claimed Maxwell’s lawyer said he “is not cooperating (with federal authorities)” before making it clear that “this is a standard plea.” Outside of court, Fetty’s attorney says: “He is NOT cooperating. I want that to be very, very clear. This is a standard plea.” — Ben Feuerherd (@benfeuerherd) August 22, 2022 The charge comes with a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison, ​​though Fetty Wap’s estimated sentencing guidelines range between seven and nine years. A sentencing date was not announced, and Maxwell is currently being held… Read More →

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Nikki Sixx says Mötley Crue are planning shows in Europe, Asia and South America

Nikki Sixx has said that Mötley Crue are planning a huge run of shows in Europe, Asia and South America. On Saturday (August 20), Sixx took to Twitter to say the band’s current tour was “going way too fast”. Mötley Crüe are currently on ‘The Stadium Tour’, which pairs the band with Poison, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Def Leppard. It is the band’s first tour since they officially reunited in 2018. Advertisement In response to a fan who asked him what was next and if they are planning dates elsewhere, Sixx replied that they are working on planning a range of dates across the globe. He replied: “We are working on SA-Mexico-Europe-UK-Asia- etc etc”. Check out the tweets here: 10 more North American shows. GOING WAY TOO FAST. What a great tour. #TheStadiumTour — ? (@NikkiSixx) August 20, 2022 We are working on SA-Mexico-Europe-UK-Asia- etc etc — ? (@NikkiSixx) August 21, 2022 Back in June, Tommy Lee played his first full Mötley Crüe show after breaking his ribs. Advertisement The drummer sustained the injury earlier this summer after he fell down a flight of stairs while on vacation in Nashville, as revealed by his wife Brittany Furlan. “The… Read More →

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Coldplay add new 2023 UK and European gigs to ‘Music Of The Spheres’ world tour

Following their six sold-out Wembley gigs this month, Coldplay have added new UK and European gigs in 2023 to their ‘Music Of The Spheres’ world tour. The band have been on tour across the planet since the spring, and have now extended the tour behind their 2021 album to next year. READ MORE: Coldplay live in London: a fantastical, feel-good bonanza that delivers on a bold promise Across May, June and July next year, the band will play Portugal, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and more, with two new UK dates also added in Manchester and Cardiff. Advertisement The new dates will kick off in Coimbra, Portugal on May 17, before the band will play two shows at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium on May 31 and June 1. A date in Cardiff at the Principality Stadium is also set for June 6, before the tour wraps up with two gigs at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam on July 15-16. Ahead of these shows, the band will wrap up their 2022 dates in Glasgow this week with two dates at Hampden Park tomorrow (August 23) and Wednesday (24). See the new dates below alongside a trailer for the tour. Tickets for the… Read More →

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Bebe Rexha joins ITZY’s Yeji and Ryujin at KCON 2022 LA to perform ‘Break My Heart Myself’

American singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha made a special appearance at K-pop festival KCON in Los Angeles over the weekend, performing her single ‘Break My Heart Myself’ with members of ITZY. READ MORE: ITZY on making their comeback with ‘Checkmate’: “It would be a lie if we said we felt no pressure at all” On August 20, Rexha made her KCON debut when she joined ITZY members Yeji and Ryujin on stage for a special performance of her 2021 single ‘Break My Heart Myself’. “No, I don’t need your help / To make me sick, to make me ill / I don’t need anybody else / ‘Cause I can break my heart myself,” they sing together in the chorus. No way — @BebeRexha made a surprise appearance at #KCON2022LA together with Yeji and Ryujin from #ITZY to perform ‘Break My Heart Myself’ #kcon #KCONUSA #있지 pic.twitter.com/D9UwNJIjNO — NME (@NME) August 21, 2022 Advertisement itzy's yeji & ryujin x bebe rexha surprise special stage for break my heart myself at kcon! pic.twitter.com/ap1HvsmPxd — ? ON! (@midcys) August 21, 2022 Following the performance, both artists took to Twitter to share behind-the-scenes photos and videos together. “Great honor to perform “Break My Heart Myself” together… Read More →

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Demi Lovato discusses “survivor’s guilt” after overdose because of Mac Miller’s death

Demi Lovato has discussed how they felt “survivor’s guilt” after their overdose because of Mac Miller‘s death. READ MORE: Demi Lovato – ‘Holy Fvck’ review: a sonic middle finger and a bold return to rock roots Lovato suffered an opioid overdose in 2018, telling reporters afterwards that the incident left her with brain damage. Last year, the singer discussed her survivor’s guilt with regards to the death of DMX. The rapper died on April 9, 2021 at the age of 50. An autopsy later revealed his cause of death to have been a cocaine-induced heart attack. Speaking on Apple Music’s Zane Lowe Show podcast about their new album ‘Holy Fvck’, Lovato discussed how coming to terms with their overdose was difficult as Mac Miller passed away from the same thing shortly after. “I had a lot of survivor’s guilt after my overdose because right after that, Mac Miller died,” they told Lowe. “It just put everything into perspective for me of, ‘That could have been you, that almost was you, and how are you going to live your life now?’ And it affected me a lot.” “I’ve lost friends that were around my age, and those hurt so deeply because we’ve been… Read More →

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Dave Grohl’s guitar from Foo Fighters’ ‘Monkey Wrench’ video up for auction

The guitar Dave Grohl plays in Foo Fighters‘ ‘Monkey Wrench’ video is set to go up for auction next month. The white Gretsch White Falcon guitar is expected to fetch £30,000 when it goes under the hammer at Gardiner Houlgate, in Corsham, Wiltshire, on September 7. The guitar was originally owned by Grohl’s Foo Fighters and Nirvana bandmate Pat Smear, and was played on Foo Fighters’ breakthrough album, 1995’s ‘The Colour and the Shape’. Advertisement Alongside the guitar in the listing is a polaroid photo taken by Smear of Drew Barrymore playing the guitar. Auctioneer Luke Hobbs said: “This a very exciting guitar as it’s one of the few owned by Foo Fighters, arguably the biggest current rock band on earth, ever to come to public auction. “‘Monkey Wrench’ was the band’s breakthrough single and also the first to feature drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died tragically this March.” He added: I’m expecting interest from around the world. The fact that it features so prominently in the band’s iconic Monkey Wrench video makes it all the more attractive to collectors and fans.” Next month, Foo Fighters are set to honour late drummer Taylor Hawkins at two special gigs in London and… Read More →

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Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp cover Limp Bizkit’s ‘Nookie’ for Sunday Lunch

Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp have returned to their kitchen for the latest edition of Sunday Lunch – watch them cover Limp Bizkit‘s ‘Nookie’ below. Last week, the married couple covered Grace Jones’ ‘Slave To The Rhythm’, for which they performed from within a building site. The pair were joined by Simon Darlow, the former Buggles member who played on Willcox’s recent album ‘Posh Pop’, to make up the Posh Pop Three. This week (August 21), they return to the kitchen to give a short, sharp cover of the Limp Bizkit hit. Advertisement The description for the video reads: “The Duo are back on form this week – we have literally no words for this one, Oh and we have left the Fripp mistake in because its so funny!!” Watch Willcox and Fripp cover ‘Nookie’ below. Earlier this month, (August 7), Willcox and Fripp shared their own spin of Ozzy Osbourne’s 1980 hit ‘Crazy Train’ in the traditional setting of their home kitchen. It was the second time the pair had paid tribute to the Prince Of Darkness – one of their first Sunday Lunch videos, from all the way back in November of 2020, was a cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’. Other recent covers have included Lenny… Read More →

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My Chemical Romance play ‘Bury Me in Black’ for first time in 19 years as they kick off US reunion tour

My Chemical Romance kicked off their North American reunion tour last night (August 20) by playing two rarities for the first time in over 15 years. READ MORE: My Chemical Romance live in Cornwall: giddy rock’n’roll from returning emo heroes The band played at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City to begin a 25-date tour that takes them through until early October. At the show, they performed the track ‘Bury Me In Black’ for the first time in 19 years as the second song in the set, before going on to play ‘This Is the Best Day Ever‘ for the first time since 2005. Advertisement Elsewhere, they dedicated ‘The Ghost Of You’ to Doug McKean, the producer who died aged 54 last month, with his most recent work on the band’s comeback single ‘The Foundations Of Decay’. Upon his death, MCR led tributes, writing: “My Chemical Romance lost Doug McKean, a dear friend, a collaborator, a partner, a brother, a problem-solver, a genius, an integral part of our music. Doug was someone who made us laugh, made us better, understood, and always came to the rescue. He is deeply missed. He always will be.⁣” Elsewhere at the Oklahoma City show, the… Read More →