Peter Shep

Charli XCX and Soft Cell to perform virtual concert for ‘Stranger Things’

Charli XCX, Soft Cell, The Go-Go’s and Corey Hart are to set perform a special virtual concert to celebrate the arrival of Stranger Things Season Four. READ MORE: Stranger Things season four: trailers, cast, release date and everything we know so far Entitled ‘Live From The Upside Down’, the livestream show is set to go ahead on June 23 and is the result of a deal struck between Netflix and Doritos. In order to gain entry to the show, fans can either register online here, or purchase a bag of Doritos or its new 3D Crunch Three Cheese flavour. Advertisement Golden tickets have also been hidden inside bags of Doritos, offering fans the chance to win a replica of a guitar that will appear in Stranger Things Season Four. The new series will be divided into two volumes, with the first set to be released on Netflix on May 27 and the second on July 1, 2022. The season consists of nine episodes in total. The creators of the sci-fi series, the Duffer Brothers – Matt and Ross – also recently offered some hints as to what could await the residents of Hawkins beyond its final season in forthcoming spin-offs. Speaking to SFX, they… Read More →

11MAYNews

The O2 to stock Ukrainian lager to support humanitarian relief efforts

The O2 has announced that it will stock Ukrainian beer brand Chernigivske to support the humanitarian relief effort in the war-torn country. READ MORE: Ukrainian artists on the Russian crisis: “Now is the time to push for change” Through its long-term partnership with Budweiser Brewing Group, the London venue has been named the first UK on-trade partner and venue stockist for Chernigivske, a traditional Ukrainian lager. The move forms part of a wider initiative from AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer, which has pledged to donate at least $5million(£4 million) to designated NGOs, including Caritas International, to support humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine. Advertisement The O2, in conjunction with the venue’s catering partner Levy UK and AB InBev, will be making a donation from every drink sold at the venue to go towards charitable causes with the aim of providing essential humanitarian relief. “We’re delighted to be supporting such a worthy initiative alongside our long-term partner AB InBev, as well as Levy UK, and bringing Chernigivske to fans visiting The O2 arena,” Laura Palairet, senior partnerships director at The O2, said in a statement. “As a business, we’re continually looking for ways that we can make a difference and are proud to be… Read More →

11MAYNews

Glastonbury 2022 announces line-up for The Glade

Glastonbury has announced the latest line-up for its 2022 festival, with the bill for The Glade area being confirmed today (May 11). Preparations continue for the return of the Worthy Farm festival after two years away due to COVID. 2022’s edition will run from June 22-26 in Somerset. READ MORE: “It’s the ultimate battle of the bands!” – why Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent Competition is more vital than ever After Glastonbury organisers shared the line-ups for the Common, Left Field and Shangri-La areas last week, the festival has now confirmed the 2022 bill for the dance music-focused Glade. Advertisement “Spawned from its roots in the Field of Avalon and the Experimental Soundfield of 1992, The Glade has been around and kicking since the year 2000,” a statement on Glastonbury’s website reads about the area. “Always evolving, this year it’s changed up a gear. They’ve upgraded the main stage and enhanced the wooded area with a new stage (Glade Dome) and rebuilt the Spike venue in the trees, making this a real social hub between Other Stage and West Holts just off the Old Railway.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Glastonbury Festival (@glastofest) The likes of Carl Cox, Annie Mac, Camelphat,… Read More →

11MAYNews

Bono details new memoir ‘Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story’

U2 leader Bono has announced his debut foray into the world of literature, slating a November release for his memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. READ MORE: U2’s top 10 best albums – ranked The 576-page volume is due to land on November 1 via publishing house Alfred A. Knopf (and in audiobook form via Penguin Random House), and, as its title implies, will explore the origins of 40 key songs in U2’s discography. Each chapter is named for the song it covers, with Bono’s life story weaved throughout the book. As a press release notes, Surrender will not only detail Bono’s entire musical journey, but also the critical moments in his life that both led to and accompanied it. It spans everything “from his early days growing up in Dublin, including the sudden loss of his mother when he was 14, to U2’s unlikely journey to become one of the world’s most influential rock bands, to his 20 years of activism dedicated to the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty”. Advertisement In celebration of his 62nd birthday yesterday (May 10), Bono shared an early taste of Surrender in the form of a narrated animation. It’s a reading of the… Read More →

10MAYNews

Joe Alwyn addresses co-writing songs with Taylor Swift for the first time

Joe Alwyn has spoken about co-writing songs with Taylor Swift for the first time. READ MORE: Taylor Swift – ‘The Lakes’ – theories, lyrics and everything we know about the ‘Folklore’ bonus song The actor and musician, who is dating the pop star, contributed to her 2020 albums ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’ under the pseudonym William Bowery. Swift revealed the identity of her mystery co-writer in November 2020, though Alwyn hadn’t spoken publicly about the arrangement until this month when he opened up to Vulture about it in a new interview. Advertisement Alwyn gained co-writing credits for the ‘Folklore’ songs ‘Betty’ and ‘Exile’ as well as ‘Evermore’ cuts ‘Champagne Problems’, ‘Coney Island’ and the record’s title track. Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn (Picture: Getty) The actor told Vulture that he was “messing around” on the piano and was singing what would become the first verse to ‘Exile’ when Swift asked him to help her finish the song. “It was completely off the cuff, an accident. She said, ‘Can we try and sit down and get to the end together?’ And so we did. It was as basic as some people made sourdough,” Alwyn said. When asked by the interviewer how he managed… Read More →

09MAYNews

Man pleads guilty to charges relating to hit-and-run death of Nicki Minaj’s father

A man from Long Island has pleaded guilty to two charges relating to hit-and-run incident that caused the death of Nicki Minaj’s father, Robert, in 2021. At a hearing last week (May 6), Charles Polevich pleaded guilty to one count of leaving the scene of an accident and another count of evidence tampering according to court records. In a statement to Billboard, Polevich’s attorney Marc Gann said his client was “extremely remorseful for any role he may have played in Mr. Maraj’s death.” He continued: “Mr. Polevich’s life story is one of helping others, which makes this case so out of character. There are no allegations of substance use or abuse as causative of his conduct and it is our belief that a medical heart issue contributed to Mr. Polevich’s conduct. Mr. Polevich could not be more sorry for the loss of Mr. Maraj.” Polevich is due back in court in August for sentencing. Robert Minaj was walking on a roadway in Mineola, NY, on February 12, 2021 when he was struck in a hit-and-run incident. According to Nassau County Police, the driver left the scene of the accident immediately after they hit Maraj. The authorities said Minaj’s father was… Read More →

09MAYNews

Brother of AC/DC’s Bon Scott speaks for the first time in new documentary

A new documentary has been released on late AC/DC frontman Bon Scott – you can watch it below. Scott is the subject of the latest episode of ABC documentary series Australian Story, which sees his family and friends “provide fresh insights into his vulnerabilities and state of mind” before his tragic death aged 33 in 1980. READ MORE: AC/DC on their explosive comeback record ‘Power Up’: “This album is for Malcolm” The episode features the first ever interview with Scott’s younger brother Derek, along with insights from Jimmy Barnes, John Brewster of The Angels and Johnny Young of Young Talent Time. Advertisement Brian Johnson, Scott’s successor as lead singer of AC/DC, also provides an introduction to the 37-minute documentary. “Tonight’s programme is about one of rock music’s most iconic figures, my predecessor in the band, the late great Bon Scott,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot been written about the colourful life and the tragic death of Bon, and tonight we’re going to hear from Bon’s family for the first time in 40 years and others who haven’t spoken publicly in decades. “Tonight this is his Australian Story.” Speaking in the documentary, Bruce Howe, Scott’s former bandmate in Fraternity, recalled how the… Read More →

09MAYNews

Arcade Fire’s Win Butler on the divisive reputation of ‘Everything Now’: “I don’t have any insecurity about that record”

Arcade Fire‘s Win Butler has discussed the divisive reputation of the band’s fifth album, 2017’s ‘Everything Now’, in a new interview with NME. READ MORE: Arcade Fire on the cover: “‘WE’ connects the dots between everything we’ve ever done” Speaking to NME for last week’s Big Read cover feature, released on the same day as the band’s new record and ‘Everything Now’ follow-up, ‘WE’, Butler said he doesn’t think negatively of the band’s last album – while many fans and critics were left divided over it. “I don’t have any insecurity about that record,” Butler told NME. “I think a lot of journalism has become very ‘cut and paste’ and there needs to be some sort of storyline in interviews, so I’m happy for ‘Everything Now’ to take the hit and be maligned… Like, I know there needs to be a cliché and story and [‘WE’] is, like, ‘the comeback’. So, OK, cool – it works.” Advertisement He added: “The important thing for me is to not worry about any kind of judgement people are going to have about what I do as an artist because it’s the opposite spirit of what music is. You have to be fearless to say something… Read More →

09MAYNews

Music fans care more about climate than general public, survey shows

Music fans care more about climate than general public, according to a new study from the University of Glasgow. READ MORE: The music world on the aftermath of COP26: “The future needs reinforcements” The study, published today (May 9) and titled Turn Up The Volume, was carried out in association with UK-based organisation Music Declares Emergency, and in association with the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), Secretly Group and Beggars Group. Drawing on YouGov polling of over 2,000 adults, Turn Up The Volume found that 82 per cent of music fans said they were concerned about climate change, with that number dropping to 72 per cent in the general public. Advertisement 42 per cent of these music fans were “very concerned” while 40 per cent were “fairly concerned”. In the general public, 31 per cent were “very concerned” with 41 per cent “fairly”. 54 per cent of music fans said that “tackling climate change should be a top priority now, above other issues,” with that number sitting at 47 per cent in the public. Despite this, 64 per cent of music fans said they were unaware of any green initiatives in the music industry, with a tiny three per cent saying… Read More →

08MAYNews

Sheffield’s The Leadmill teases “big show announcement”

Sheffield’s The Leadmill has teased a “big show announcement” due to be revealed tomorrow (May 9) as the venue continues to fight to stay open. In March, the team behind the iconic venue announced that it would be closing next year due to its landlord issuing a notice of eviction. In the weeks that followed, it launched an official petition opposing the eviction, while stars from Sheffield and further afield have all shown support for the space. READ MORE: If Sheffield’s Leadmill – the venue that helped break Arctic Monkeys – goes, we all lose something Posting on its social media accounts earlier today (May 8), The Leadmill’s team shared that a “big show” will be announced at 8am BST tomorrow. “It’s not often we’ll tell you to set your alarms for an announcement, but you’re going to want to keep your eyes peeled on all our socials tomorrow morning, it’s a big one,” they wrote. Advertisement In both the comments on Instagram and in a separate tweet, they confirmed that the mystery headliner isn’t Arctic Monkeys. “Maybe one day though?” they added on Twitter. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Leadmill, Sheffield (@theleadmill) For all those… Read More →

08MAYNews

Watch Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp cover The Cranberries’ ‘Zombie’

Toyah Willcox and her husband, King Crimson founder Robert Fripp have shared a cover of The Cranberries‘ classic protest song ‘Zombie’ – check it out below. READ MORE: Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp’s 10 best lockdown covers – ranked! The clip comes as the next chapter in their long-running ‘Sunday Lunch’ series which was launched in 2020 due to Fripp missing live performance as a result of lockdown. In recent weeks, they’ve covered ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’ by the Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘Can’t Stop’ and The Who’s ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’. Last week the pair took on Queens Of The Stone Age‘s ‘No One Knows‘. Advertisement This week (May 8) Willcox and Fripp have covered The Cranberries’ 1994 hit ‘Zombie’, and offered “hope and love to children in danger everywhere” – check it out below. ‘Zombie’ was originally written in response to the deaths of two young children who had been killed in the IRA bombing in Warrington, when two devices hidden in litter bins were detonated. “I was quite young, but I remember being devastated about the innocent children being pulled into that kind of thing. So I suppose that’s why I was saying, ‘It’s not me’ – that even though I’m Irish it… Read More →

08MAYNews

Evan Dando calls Jawbreaker “pussies” for firing The Lemonheads from tour

Evan Dando has hit out at “pussies” Jawbreaker for firing The Lemonheads from tour over COVID violations. READ MORE: The Linda Lindas: the fearless, fun-loving future of punk-rock The two bands played together in April but later that month, Jawbreaker took to social media to announce that The Lemonheads wouldn’t be joining them for their 25th anniversary tour for ‘Dear You’. “Unfortunately Lemonheads won’t be joining us as planned for Philly, Boston & Silver Spring. BUT we are stoked to the Get Up Kids on those shows,” said the post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jawbreaker (@jawbreakerband) Advertisement But now Lemonheads’ vocalist Evan Dando has had his say. “I just want anyone and everyone to know that Jawbreaker are pussies. Fact not my opinion,” he said in a tweet before following it up. “Or rather they aren’t the Bruce Springsteen’s of alternative rock that they pretend to be. I’ll meet any of them any time for a fight, let’s go.” Then responding to a fan, Dando explained that he “was angry that they threw me off for violating a rule that wasn’t posted anywhere. We got kicked off the tour for going into the audience before… Read More →

08MAYNews

Arcade Fire seemingly speak out about abortion rights during ‘SNL’ performance

Arcade Fire appeared on Saturday Night Live last night (May 7), performing two tracks from ‘WE’ and seemingly speaking out about abortion rights. READ MORE: Arcade Fire: “‘WE’ connects the dots between everything we’ve ever done” Earlier this week, a leaked draft from the US Supreme Court suggested the organisation is preparing to overturn Roe V. Wade – a 1973 ruling that made abortion legal on a federal level. Arcade Fire used their performance on Saturday Night Live to seemingly critique the proposed draft. Advertisement After a powerful performance of ‘The Lightning I,II’, vocalist Win Butler returned to the mic to say “a woman’s right to choose forever and ever and ever. Amen.” Check it out below. Later in the show, the Canadian group played the joyous ‘Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)’ which was dedicated to Régine Chassagne and Butler’s son Eddie. It ended with the vocalist telling his mum he loved her. The show ended with host Benedict Cumberbatch and other SNL members wearing “1973” t-shirts, referencing the year Roe V. Wade. passed. Thank you, Benedict Cumberbatch and @arcadefire! Goodnight! pic.twitter.com/dRhyG1m4b0 — Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) May 8, 2022 Advertisement This week, artists such as Rage Against… Read More →

07MAYNews

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead announce new album ‘XI: Bleed Here Now’

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead have announced details of their eleventh studio album and shared two new songs – check them out below. ‘XI: Bleed Here Now’ is out July 15 via InsideOutMusic in Europe & Dine Alone Records in North America. Alongside the album announcement, the American alt-rock band have shared two new songs, the scuzzy nostalgia of ‘Salt In Your Eyes’ and the menacing hard rock of ‘No Confidence’. Both tracks can be heard below: Advertisement “Art has a role to play in the upcoming decade(s): It needs to point humanity towards solutions. Our hope is that by expanding the ways we listen and hear; we expand our own inner (my parents would say spiritual) potential for the problem-solving to come,” said vocalist Conrad Keely. ‘XI: Bleed Here Now’ follows on from 2020’s ‘X: The Godless Void And Other Stories’ as well as …And You Will Know Us By Trail Of Dead’s 25th anniversary. The album features guest appearances from Amanda Palmer (‘Millennium Actress’) and Spoon’s Britt Daniel (‘Growing Divide’) and is Trail Of Dead’s first quadraphonic surround sound studio album. Pre-order it here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by… Read More →

07MAYNews

BTS’ Suga says Psy “paved the way for K-pop” in America

BTS’ Suga has praised Psy’s global megahit ‘Gangnam Style’, saying it “paved the way for K-Pop” around the world. READ MORE: BTS live in LA: a euphoric return to live performance for the K-pop juggernauts Released in 2012, The K-pop icon became the highest-charting Korean pop act on the Billboard Hot 100 when ‘Gangnam Style’ peaked at Number Two. Since then, only BTS have gone on to best his record, hitting Number One six times since 2020. Earlier this month Psy released ‘That That’, the lead track from new album ‘Psy 9th’ which was produced by and features Suga. Advertisement Now the pair have teamed back up for an interview on Psy’s YouTube channel. “He was always someone I was grateful for,” Suga said in Korean (and translated into English via the subtitles) “With ‘Gangnam Style,’ he paved the way for K-pop in the U.S. so that we were able to follow his footsteps with ease.” Check it out below: It comes after Psy claimed BTS achieved ‘Gangnam Style’’s “unfulfilled dreams”. During a press conference for his new album, Psy discussed the success that other Korean artists have experienced in the 10 years since ‘Gangnam Style’ was released. Psy said… Read More →

07MAYNews

Wargasm announce debut “Mixxxtape”, confirm new single ‘D.R.I.L.D.O.’

Wargasm have confirmed the release of their debut full-length project alongside news of their next single ‘D.R.I.L.D.O.’ READ MORE: Wargasm live in London: duo’s bruising live return is a reminder why bedroom metal will never thrive Punk duo Wargasm have announced that ‘Explicit: The Mixxxtape’ will be released later this summer. It’ll be preceded by new single ‘D.R.I.L.D.O.’, which drops this Friday (May 13). Pre-save it here. Advertisement “Wargasm has signed to Slowplay & Republic Records in partnership with Island Records UK. Their first Mixxxtape will be dropped worldwide in Summer 2022,” the band wrote on social media. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ??????? (@thisiswargasmuk) Since forming in 2019, Wargasm have released a string of standalone singles. Talking to NME about their desire to make “angry music for sad people”, Milkie Way said: “Everyone is angry and everyone is sad, so we might as well get some good bangers out of it.” Sam Matlock added: “Our music is 100% influenced by what’s going on around us, but we’re not the kind of people to mope around and put on a brave face. If the world feels heavy and dark, obviously your sound is going to reflect… Read More →

07MAYNews

Wu-Tang Clan to release 25th anniversary collection of ‘Wu-Tang Forever’

Wu-Tang Clan‘s iconic 1997 album ‘Wu-Tang Forever’ is turning 25, with an anniversary collection to mark the occasion. Get On Down and Legacy Recordings are releasing special edition merch to celebrate the double-disc record’s quarter-century, including the album as a 4xLP with accompanying lyric booklet, a silver 7-inch single of ‘Triumph’ with ‘Heaterz’ on the B-side, and a reissue of the double album on cassette, which comes in a replica of the original slipcase. The merch is available for preorder now, and can be bought in a bundle or as separate items. READ MORE: Re-Enter The Wu Tang: RZA on the past, present and future of the hip-hop icons The outfit have also released three digital EPs, ‘Reunited (The Remixes)’, ‘Triumph’ and ‘It’s Yourz’, landing on streaming services Spotify and Apple Music for the first time. The EPs comprise edits, instrumentals and out-of-print remixes from the ‘Wu-Tang Forever’ era, as well as original artwork. Advertisement Continuing the 25th-anniversary celebrations, the first episode in a short new series of unearthed Wu-Tang Clan interviews from the 1997 music video shoot for ‘Triumph’ has been released. During a break from filming the clip, the outfit spoke about the making of the song and the… Read More →

06MAYNews

Phoebe Bridgers pledges portion of tour proceeds to abortion charity

Phoebe Bridgers has pledged a portion of proceeds from her upcoming North American tour to an abortion charity. The singer-songwriter announced her decision on social media earlier today (May 6), a week before the tour kicks off in Las Vegas. READ MORE: Phoebe Bridgers – ‘Copycat Killer’ EP review: glorious strings send ‘Punisher’ songs skyward The move follows the leak of an initial draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito that suggested the US Supreme Court is prepared to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Chief Justice John Roberts has since confirmed the authenticity of the document, but has said the draft “does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case”. Advertisement Draft opinions can be subject to multiple drafts and vote-trading, sometimes until just days before they are shared, so the court’s decision is not final. If the court goes through with overturning the landmark case, however, abortion would no longer be protected as a federal right in the US, and each state would be able to decide individually whether to restrict or ban abortion. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Phoebe Bridgers (@phoebebridgers) “Tour starts in… Read More →

06MAYNews

Listen to bdrmm’s “most honest” new single ‘Three’

Hull shoegaze band bdrmm have shared their latest single ‘Three’, an understated and honest track about addiction – scroll down the page to listen to it now. The track is the four-piece’s follow-up to ‘Port’, which arrived last year, and was recorded during the same sessions. READ MORE: bdrmm live in Hull: shoegazers trigger all the senses in sweaty homecoming showcase ‘Three’ builds over six minutes, mixing melancholy guitars and slowly glittering electronics as frontman Ryan Smith narrates his own struggles with addiction and coming to terms with the issue. Advertisement “I hit a pretty low point during lockdown (fuck, I hate that word) and my substance abuse hit a new level,” the singer and guitarist explained in a press release. “It was a pretty bleak time, but it made me realise that something needed to change. That’s where ‘Three’ came from.” He added: “It was written as a warning to myself, but hopefully others will find their own meaning in it. It is me at my most honest. I’m very proud of this track and I’m glad it’s seeing the light of day.” The single was recorded at The Nave studios in Leeds and was produced by Alex Greaves. Speaking… Read More →

06MAYNews

Golden Child announce dates for upcoming ‘Meet & Live’ US tour

K-pop group Golden Child have unveiled the dates and venues for their upcoming ‘Meet & Live’ tour of the United States. READ MORE: Kwon Eun-bi reflects on her career in K-pop: “I might have taken a different path and not become a singer” Today (May 6), US-based production company Studio PAV announced on social media that the boyband would be embarking on a tour of the US this summer, along with a poster of dates and locations Golden Child will be performing. Golden Child will be making stops at a total of 10 cities – San Jose, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, Minneapolis, Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta, New York and Philadelphia. Notably, their performance in New York will be part of the city’s SummerStage Concert Program, as part of the line-up for the Korea Cultural Center of NY’s Koreas Gayoje. #GOLDENNESS, get ready for ⚜️GOLDEN CHILD Meet & Live Tour in USA⚜️ stopping by 10 cities to see you! Stay tuned for more information about venues and ticket sales ? **Daeyeol will not be participating in this tour#GoldenChild #골든차일드 #GOLDENCHILDinUSA pic.twitter.com/5NRDFbbfUD — Studio PAV (@studio_pav) May 5, 2022 Advertisement The tour will begin in late June in San Jose, and is set… Read More →

06MAYHit Singles

Sharon Van Etten – We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong

Through the past couple of years of fresh hell there have been records that might console you (Ignorance), albums that might sustain you (Rough And Rowdy Ways) and even pop songs so defiantly absurd they could make you briefly forget the relentless ongoing catastrophe (“WAP”/“Chaise Longue”). But no song from the long years of lockdown was more likely to make you throw open the windows and dance on the table than “Like I Used To”, Sharon Van Etten’s magnificent 2021 collaboration with Angel Olsen. ORDER NOW: Miles Davis is on the cover of the latest issue of Uncut Way back in 2009, on her first album that wasn’t a homemade CD-R, Van Etten sang “I am the tornado, you are the dust”. The terrible beauty of her voice was already plain, but She sounded weary of emotional turbulence, hemmed in by fences “that fall but still surround me”. “Like I Used To” felt like the storm that had been gathering in Van Etten’s work for over 10 years finally breaking in a force-twelve epic worthy of Roy Orbison. And it left you wondering where the storm might take her next. She’s arguably been the hardest-working woman of lockdown, joining Fountains Of… Read More →