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J Aktive Warns Fans From Experiencing Bad Luv

LA-based creator extraordinaire J Aktive has been making waves in the indurst lately, thanks to a powerful collection of tracks released under the form of an album titled Bad Luv.

Throughout 8 tracks, J Aktive uses this creative opportunity to talk about topics usually remaining unaddressed in urban music, including masculine vulnerability surrounding toxic relationships in modern society.

Mixing in-depth topics with upbeat, feel-good sonic designs, J Aktive’s inspiring approach and confessional spirit reinforces his status as a truly special artist in his genre.

From collaborations to hyper-focused works, the common denominator throughout Bad Luv is the passion for storytelling deployed by J Aktive with a brilliant originality and consistency.

Elements of hip hop, r&b, neo soul, rap, and pop, coexist peacefully and mutually enrich each other to create a single-flowing inspirational tracklist, where fans will rejoice in discovering guest features like SuperRoper, Gabriele West, JSP, Kay Franklin, Tati Elicia, Hailes Pare, and EA &W33Z.

With hundreds of thousands of streams, J Aktive’s new album is one more proof of his incredible artistry and dedication to creating universally inspiring music.

J Aktive: Spotify – Instagram – YouTube – Website

Coldplay’s Wembley Stadium gig has been rescheduled due to Tube strikes

Coldplay’s gig at Wembley Stadium has been rescheduled due to planned Tube Strikes taking place on Friday August 19.

The gig has now been moved to Sunday August 21 and all tickets for the gig on August 19 will remain valid for August 21. Any returned tickets will go on general sale at 9:30am on August 12.

A statement said: “Due to planned industrial action on the London Underground network, Coldplay’s Wembley Stadium concert on Friday 19 August 2022 has had to be rescheduled for Sunday 21 August 2022.

“We have been informed that there will be insufficient transport for ticket holders on August 19 so, with regret, the event cannot be licensed for that day.

“All tickets for Friday 19 August will remain valid for Sunday 21 August.

“Any ticketholders who are unable to attend the rescheduled show can get a full refund on their ticket and are requested to contact their point of purchase before 18:00 on Wednesday 10 August 2022.”

The statement went on to say that while there are some UK rail strikes currently planned on August 13 and 20, these do not affect the London Underground network and the band’s Wembley shows on these dates “will continue go ahead as scheduled.”

Ticket holders intending to travel by train on those days are advised to check with their rail provider before setting off and allow extra time for journeys.

You can see the statement in full here:

Due to planned industrial action on the London Underground network, Coldplay's Wembley Stadium concert on Friday 19 August 2022 has had to be rescheduled for Sunday 21 August 2022.

Full statement below and at https://t.co/Uog9swBMoB pic.twitter.com/xkDF35p8tF

— Coldplay (@coldplay) August 3, 2022

Recently, Coldplay invited London Grammar’s Hannah Reid onstage for a performance of their Selena Gomez-featuring single, ‘Let Somebody Go‘.

The duet happened on July 10 at the band’s Berlin Olympiastadion show. Coldplay are currently on an “eco-friendly” world tour, with London Grammar supporting on select dates.

Chris Martin also recently surprised Lizzo during an interview about ‘Coldplay’, her song tribute to the “baby-making” power of ‘Yellow’.

Lizzo was speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 about her fourth album ‘Special‘, which features the song in question, when Martin popped up on a FaceTime call.

The singer had been discussing the inspiration for the closing song on ‘Special’, titled ‘Coldplay’, telling Lowe that the song samples ‘Yellow’ and is based on a romantic memory.

Palaye Royale unveil details of extensive European and UK 2023 tour

Palaye Royale have unveiled details of an extensive European and UK tour for 2023 – check out the dates below.

The band will tour from January to March and in the UK, they will play a night at London’s Brixton Academy.

You can get tickets for the shows here from August 12 onwards.

Palaye Royale European and UK Tour 2023:

JANUARY
21 – Krakow, Poland
22 – Warsaw, Poland
24 – Berlin, Germany
26 – Copenhagen, Denmark
28 – Stockholm, Sweden
29 – Oslo, Norway

FEBRUARY
5 – Cologne, Germany
7 – Manchester, UK
8 – Glasgow, UK
10 – London, UK
12 – Wolverhampton, UK
13 – Paris, France
15 – Barcelona, Spain
17 – Lisbon, Portugal
19 – Stuttgart, Germany
20 – Zurich, Switzerland
25 – Munich, Germany

MARCH
1 – Vilnius Lithuania
2 – Riga, Latvia
3 – Tallinn, Estonia
4 – Helsinki, Finland
7 – Sofia, Bulgaria
8 – Bucharest, Romania
10 – Istanbul, Turkey

It comes after the band recently announced the release of their fourth studio album ‘Fever Dream’, their first since 2020’s ‘The Bastards’.

The band have released four singles in support of the album so far, including, its title track, ‘No Love In LA’, ‘Punching Bag’, ‘Paranoid’ and ‘Broken’.

The album is out on October 28 via Sumerian Records and was made in collaboration with producer Chris Greatti, who has worked with the likes of Yungblud and Willow.

Speaking about the new album recently, the band said: “Making this record felt like getting back to when we first fell in love with music.

“This record is very much about self-belief and self-empowerment, and overcoming all the obstacles that life throws at you. It’s the first time we’ve really taken a hopeful approach in our music.”

The band are currently playing festivals in Europe before they head on their North American from September. Find any remaining tickets for those dates here.

Listen to Life’s introspective new track, ‘Duck Egg Blue’

Life have released an introspective new track today (August 2) – check out ‘Duck Egg Blue’ below.

READ MORE: LIFE launched their new album in a kebab shop in Camden, so we went down and asked, “Why?”

The single is the latest taken from their upcoming new third album, ‘North East Coastal Town’, which arrives on August 19.

A statement describes the song as “more introspective than any of the band’s material to-date.”

Speaking about the new release, the band’s Mez Green says: “‘Duck Egg Blue’ is a realist’s love song. The journey of trying to navigate through each other’s feelings and emotions, the strains of close quarters trapped in a tiny flat, the minutiae of everyday life.

“The overarching sentiment is that no matter what happens, after all that is said and done, we love each other, and we are there for each other.”

The single is also accompanied by a new video, the visual of which is taken from bassist Lydia Palmeria and her girlfriend painting their bedroom.

Speaking about it, the band added: “The video for Duck Egg Blue is mix of paint and sentiment, of love and frustration, and the process of turning house into home.”

Talking about their new album, Green has said previously: “Hull and the surrounding area runs through our DNA and has shaped us, weathered us, empowered us, embraced us and made us feel accepted.

“‘North East Coastal Town’ is our love letter to the city. The album is an ode to kinship and relationship with its musical and lyrical spine picking out themes of love, desire, beauty, horror, chaos, pride and most importantly the sense of belonging.”

The record will feature 11 tracks which you can view below:

1. ‘Friends Without Names’
2. ‘Big Moon Lake’
3. ‘Incomplete’
4. ‘Almost Home’
5. ‘Duck Egg Blue’
6. ‘Shipping Forecast’
7. ‘Poison’
8. ‘Self Portrait’
9. ‘The Drug’
10. ‘Our Love Is Growing’
11. ‘All You Are’

The band are also due to hit the road for a UK tour with dates this October. You can purchase tickets here.

OCTOBER
3 – The Cluny, Newcastle
4 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
5 – Mash House, Edinburgh
7 – Bootleg Social, Blackpool
8 – Bodega, Nottingham
10 – The Fleece, Bristol
11 – Patterns, Brighton
12 – Scala, London
14 – Joiners, Southampton

Public Enemy’s Chuck D joins Anthrax onstage for ‘Bring The Noise’

Chuck D joined Anthrax onstage for a performance of ‘Bring The Noise’ – watch fan-shot footage of the moment below.

READ MORE: The Roots Of… Public Enemy

The Public Enemy rapper joined the metal band last Friday (July 29) at the Hollywood Palladium in LA after Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian teased the collaboration to fans.

“Imagine if you guys could fucking yell so loud, it could fucking conjure Chuck D on this stage,” Ian shouted into the mic. “Let me ask you again Los Angeles… can you bring the noise?!”

Watch footage below.

‘Bring The Noise’ was originally released by Public Enemy in 1987 and was the lead single from their second album, ‘It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back’ (1988).

Anthrax then covered the song in 1991 and incorporated Chuck’s vocals into their rendition. As Consequence notes, the cover stands as one of the original rap-metal songs.

The band recently kicked off a North American co-headlining tour with Black Label Society, which wraps on August 28 in Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, earlier this year Ian and his 10-year-old son Revel paid tribute to late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins by covering a trio of the band’s songs.

In a brief video posted to Ian’s Instagram account, he and his son perform segments of ‘Low’, ‘Stacked Actors’ and ‘Run’, with Scott on guitar and Revel behind the drum kit.

“We’ve been jamming our favourite Foo’s all week,” Ian wrote in the video’s caption. “Healing our hearts with the power of rock. We love you Taylor and Dave and Pat and Chris and Nate and Rami.”

Rapper Lioness keeps getting mistaken for the England team

Rapper Lioness has revealed that she keeps getting mistaken for the England team in a new tweet.

Her Twitter handle, which is @LionessOfficial is being mistaken for that of the official England women’s football team – The Lionesses – something that has seen the rapper getting incorrectly mentioned on the social media platform over the last day.

“My Mentions Are A Mess” the rapper joked on Twitter today, a day after the football team beat Germany 2-1 to win Euro 2022.

My Mentions Are A Mess ?

— L!ONESS (@LionessOfficial) July 31, 2022

Yesterday (July 31), England’s Ella Toone’s scored the first goal in the game before Germany’s Lina Magull equalised in the 79th minute. It was Chloe Kelly’s extra-time goal gave England a 2-1 victory over Germany to win Euro 2022 in front of a record-breaking crowd of 87,192 at Wembley.

Reacting to the news, Blur’s Dave Rowntree tweeted: “Brilliant! Just Brilliant!” Kasabian added: “Can’t believe it, historys been made! Congratulations to all the @Lionesses When you hit the wall you get back up again.”

Others reacting to the news included The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood who tweeted, “you’ve made us so proud” while The Subways wrote “standing ovation for every single woman who has taken part in this competition.”

The Spice Girls tweeted “True #Girlpower right there” while Adele wrote on Instagram: “What a game changer…so proud.”

Earlier in the day, Becky Hill, Stefflon Don and Ultra Naté performed at Wembley Stadium ahead of the final today. Hill opened the performance before Stefflon Don joined Ultra Naté for a rendition of ‘You’re Free’, which Hill also appeared on towards the end.

David Baddiel, Frank Skinner & The Lightning Seeds also sent a good luck message to Lionesses as they prepared to take on Germany in the final.

The message read: “Football’s Coming Home! Good luck Sarina and The Lionesses!”

On Saturday (July 30), Baddiel and The Lightning Seeds gave a special performance of ‘Three Lions’ at Camden’s Electric Ballroom. They were joined on stage by singer-songwriter Chelcee Grimes and women’s players of the past to sing ‘Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home)’ ahead of the final.

‘The X Factor’ releases extended cut of Harry Styles’ original audition

The X Factor has released an extended cut of Harry Styles’ original auction for the talent show.

READ MORE: Harry Styles live in London: a powerful, inclusive and celebratory pop carnival

A week after The X Factor expanded on how the show put together boy band One Direction, it’s now shared the original, extended cut of Styles’ addition as a solo artist prior to being put into the group.

While it was Styles’ a capella rendition of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ that was aired on television in 2010, Styles first performed a Train song, ‘Hey Soul Sister’, for the judges.

In the clip, which you can watch below, Simon Cowell can be seen stopping Styles’ performance mid-song and asking him to sing without a backing track.

“I don’t know whether it’s the track that’s throwing you, but can I hear something just you, without any music?” Cowell said.

Styles then performed ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ before being put through to the next round of the competition – check out the moment here:

The previously unseen footage also includes some talk about Styles’ former weekend bakery job and how his “mum’s always” told him he was a good singer.

“I think I could do it, but I think with your help I could be a lot better than I am,” Styles said.

In other news, during the last date of his European ‘Love On Tour’ run, Styles brought out Wolf Alice frontwoman Ellie Rowsell to duet on a cover of the opening band’s own song, ‘No Hard Feelings’.

Wolf Alice opened for Styles on all 17 dates of the Euro trek, which wrapped up last night (July 31) in Lisbon, Portugal. Performing to 20,000 fans at the Altice Arena, the former One Direction member welcomed Rowsell to the stage during an extended encore.

The ‘No Hard Feelings’ cover sat in the middle of the five-song showcase, between ‘Fine Line’ favourite ‘Watermelon Sugar’ and recent smash-hit ‘As It Was’ (which was recently named the biggest single of the year).

‘No Hard Feelings’ initially appeared as a single on Wolf Alice’s third studio album, ‘Blue Weekend’, which the band dropped last June via Dirty Hit. The album itself earned a five-star review from NME, with Rhian Daly calling it “the group’s most cohesive listen, [which] keeps intact the restless spirit that makes their work so unpredictable and exciting”.

Beyoncé to remove offensive album lyric following backlash

Beyoncé is set to remove an offensive album lyric which uses an albeist slur from her new album ‘Renaissance’.

READ MORE: Beyoncé’s new song ‘Break My Soul’ is a confidence-oozing comeback that embraces nu-disco

The star faced a backlash over the use of an offensive term on her new track ‘Heated’, where she sings: “Sp***in’ on that ass, sp** on that ass,” towards the end of the song.

While used colloquially in the United States with a similar meaning to “freak out” or “go crazy”, the term emerges from the word “spastic”, which is used medically to describe the spasms one might experience from a condition like cerebral palsy. The term is often used in a derogative manner to describe those with disabilities, especially cerebral palsy.

Now, following the backlash, the star’s publicist told Sky News the lyric is now set to be replaced and that it was not “used intentionally in a harmful way.”

Disability equality charity Scope had described the use of the “deeply offensive term” as “appalling”, while disability advocate Hannah Diviney said the singer’s status as one of the most famous musicians in the world did not “excuse her use of ableist language”.

“So @Beyonce used the word ‘sp**’ in her new song ‘Heated’. Feels like a slap in the face to me, the disabled community and the progress we tried to make with Lizzo,” added Diviney.

Lizzo also received a backlash over an ableist lyric in her single ‘Grrrls’ a few weeks ago, which she has since addressed and altered.

Following criticism of her single, Lizzo responded in a statement posted to her social media, writing: “Let me make one thing clear: I never want to promote derogatory language. As a fat black woman in America, I’ve had many hurtful words used against me so I overstand [sic] the power words can have (whether intentionally or in my case, unintentionally).”

She went on to say that the altered lyric came as a direct result of her “listening [to her critics] and taking action”, further noting: “As an influential artist, I’m dedicated to being part of the change I’ve been waiting to see in the world.”

Last week, Kelis also criticised Beyoncé after she claimed that she was sampled on ‘Renaissance’ without granting permission.

Beyoncé faces backlash over ableist slur on new ‘Renaissance’ track ‘Heated’

Beyoncé has been criticised for using an ableist slur on her new album ‘Renaissance’.

READ MORE: Beyoncé’s new song ‘Break My Soul’ is a confidence-oozing comeback that embraces nu-disco

The star faced a backlash over the use of an offensive term on her new track ‘Heated’, where Beyoncé sings: “Sp***in’ on that ass, sp** on that ass,” towards the end of the song.

It comes just weeks after Lizzo also received a backlash over an ableist lyric in her single ‘Grrrls’, which she has since addressed and altered.

So @Beyonce used the word 'spaz' in her new song Heated. Feels like a slap in the face to me, the disabled community & the progress we tried to make with Lizzo. Guess I'll just keep telling the whole industry to 'do better' until ableist slurs disappear from music ?

— Hannah Diviney (@hannah_diviney) July 30, 2022

“So @Beyonce used the word ‘sp**’ in her new song ‘Heated’. Feels like a slap in the face to me, the disabled community and the progress we tried to make with Lizzo,” wrote disability advocate Hannah Diviney.

“Guess I’ll just keep telling the whole industry to ‘do better’ until ableist slurs disappear from music.”

Another added: “Screw you @beyonce. You should be a role model, not making money from the lazy use of derogatory language. Shame on you.”

Screw you @Beyonce . You should be a role model, not making money from the lazy use of derogatory language. Shame on youhttps://t.co/xYc3cEH4fA

— Mike Smith (@mikedgsmith) August 1, 2022

Here we are again.

Not long after ableist language from Lizzo, Beyoncé’s new album features an ableist slur not once, but twice.

Disabled people’s experiences are not fodder for song lyrics. This must stop.https://t.co/UJXrJxdtXf

— Scope (@scope) August 1, 2022

Meanwhile, Scope also took to Twitter to criticise the singer. “Here we are again. Not long after ableist language from Lizzo, Beyoncé’s new album features an ableist slur not once, but twice. Disabled people’s experiences are not fodder for song lyrics. This must stop.”

NME has contacted Beyoncé’s publicist for comment.

Last week, Kelis also criticised Beyoncé after she claimed that she was sampled on ‘Renaissance’ without granting permission.

BTS may still be able to perform during military enlistment, says South Korean defence minister

BTS may still be able to perform even while carrying out their compulsory military service, South Korean defence minister Lee Jeong-seop has said.

READ MORE: J-hope live at Lollapalooza 2022: BTS rapper arrives as true solo great in history-making headline set

At a National Defence Committee held by the South Korean National Assembly on Monday (August 1), Lee spoke about the defence ministry’s position on BTS’ military service terms.

“I believe BTS could enlist in the military, and still be given time to practice and perform overseas,” said Lee, as reported by News1.

“The Ministry of National Defence has reviewed [the issue of BTS’ enlistment] in consideration of maintaining fairness, equity, and military service resources, and they could be able to continue performing for national interests,” he said.

According to Reuters, the minister added: “As many people highly value [artists serving] in the military, that may help boost their popularity even more.”

Director Lee Ki-shik of the Military Manpower Association also reportedly stated that implementing additional exemptions for pop culture figures on top of the military’s existing provisions could “break the overall framework of military service exemption”.

His comment suggests it is unlikely the boyband will receive a full exemption from service, though provisions may be made for them to continue their promotional activities concurrently.

However, South Korean parliament is currently debating a bill that may allow for major pop culture figures like BTS to serve an “alternative” form of service as arts and cultural personnel.

In May, Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Hwang Hee called for the boyband’s exemption from South Korea’s mandatory military service, saying “It’s time to create a system for incorporating popular culture-art figures as art personnel.”

READ MORE: The life-changing magic of falling down the BTS rabbit hole

Under South Korea’s current Military Service act, all able-bodied Korean men are required to enlist for approximately two years of military service before the age of 28. A 2020 amendment allowed pop musicians who have received cultural merits from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to apply to defer their enlistment until the age of 30.

The BTS member in the spotlight amid the discussion around their military enlistment is Jin, who will be turning 30 in December 2022. Jin and their agency HYBE have yet to announce their plans regarding his military service.

BTS member J-Hope headlines Lollapalooza 2022. Credit: Barry Brecheisen/WireImage

Yesterday, BTS rapper J-Hope made history as the first South Korean artist to headline Lollapalooza. The idol closed out the final night of the Chicago music festival this year, performing a total of 18 songs across a 70-minute set, including eight of the 10 tracks from his recently-released debut solo album, ‘Jack In The Box’.

In a five-star review of the record, NME‘s Rhian Daly described it as “thought-provoking and full of fresh new flavour”, adding: “‘Jack In The Box’ takes the J-Hope the world has come to know and love over the last nine years and sets that figure alight. From the ashes, though, comes a star more thrilling and formidable than ever and seemingly unstoppable.”

BTS are currently taking a temporary break from group activities, with its members planning to “take time to explore some solo projects” in the meantime. During a recent livestream, leader RM hinted that he may be the next member to release a solo record, revealing that his upcoming project is “90 per cent” complete.

Harry Styles brings out Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell on last day of European tour

During the last date of his European ‘Love On Tour’ run, Harry Styles brought out Wolf Alice frontwoman Ellie Rowsell to duet on a cover of the opening band’s own song, ‘No Hard Feelings’.

READ MORE: Harry Styles live in London: a powerful, inclusive and celebratory pop carnival

The ‘No Hard Feelings’ cover sat in the middle of the five-song showcase, sandwiched between ‘Fine Line’ favourite ‘Watermelon Sugar’ and recent smash-hit ‘As It Was’ (which was recently named the biggest single of the year).

Have a look at fan-shot footage of Styles performing ‘No Hard Feelings’ with Rowsell below, then check out the full setlist:

can’t believe harry styles got to sing with the ellie rowsell!!
pic.twitter.com/95h0KcvZya

— Mollyᴴ?? DAY (@pharbphieri) August 1, 2022

During the last show touring with openers Wolf Alice, Harry Styles performed the band’s song “No Hard Feelings” with lead singer Ellie Rowsell in Portugal. pic.twitter.com/xn4TcfGdzD

— B-Sides (@BSidesTV) July 31, 2022

Harry Styles played:

1. ‘Music For A Sushi Restaurant’
2. ‘Golden’
3. ‘Adore You’
4. ‘Daylight’
5. ‘Cinema’
6. ‘Keep Driving’
7. ‘Matilda’
8. ‘Boyfriends’
9. ‘Lights Up’
10. ‘Satellite’
11. ‘Canyon Moon’
12. ‘Treat People With Kindness’
13. ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ (One Direction song)
14. ‘Late Night Talking’
15. ‘Love Of My Life’
16. ‘Fine Line’
17. ‘Sign Of The Times’
18. ‘Watermelon Sugar’
19. ‘No Hard Feelings’ (Wolf Alice cover, with Ellie Rowsell)
20. ‘As It Was’
21. ‘Kiwi’

With the European leg of Styles’ ‘Love On Tour’ now completed, the singer-songwriter has his sights set on a sprawling North and South America leg that will run from mid-August into December. He’ll follow that up next February with the last stint of the tour, bringing it to Australia and New Zealand.

The tour comes in support of Styles’ own third album, ‘Harry’s House’, which landed back in May to a four-star NME review. Last week, it was shortlisted for this year’s Mercury Prize, while the track ‘Music For A Sushi Restaurant’ found a spot on Barack Obama’s annual summer playlist.

Also this year, Styles will star in Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling – the second trailer for which dropped last month – and the romantic drama My Policeman. He’s also said to be eyeing a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where he debuted as Eros in last year’s Eternals.

Meanwhile, Texas State University recently announced it will offer a course on the work of Harry Styles. The honours course, titled ‘Harry Styles And The Cult Of Celebrity: Identity, The Internet And European Pop Culture’, will start in the spring of 2023.

Entertainment world praises “brilliant” Lionesses as Euro 2022 comes home

The entertainment world have been reacting as England’s Lionesses beat Germany to win Euro 2022.

READ MORE: Why ‘Three Lions’ is still the ultimate football anthem

England’s Ella Toone’s scored the first goal earlier this afternoon before Germany’s Lina Magull equalised in the 79th minute. It was Chloe Kelly’s extra-time goal gave England a 2-1 victory over Germany to win Euro 2022 in front of a record-breaking crowd of 87,192 at Wembley.

The Spice Girls tweeted “True #Girlpower right there” while Adele wrote on Instagram: “What a game changer…so proud.”

Check out some more of the reactions here:

Congratulations @Lionesses True #GirlPower right there ✌???????? https://t.co/x3BDfsDccF

— Spice Girls (@spicegirls) July 31, 2022

Can’t believe it, historys been made! Congratulations to all the @Lionesses When you hit the wall you get back up again ????❤️? #WEuro2022Final #Lionesses

— KasabianHQ (@KasabianHQ) July 31, 2022

WE HAVE DONE IT

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 31, 2022

Brilliant! Just brilliant! #LionessesBringItHome

— Dave Rowntree (@DaveRowntree) July 31, 2022

Amazing!!! Well done Lionesses x

— edgarwright (@edgarwright) July 31, 2022

Standing ovation for every single woman who has taken part in this competition. How many girls have been inspired by each and every game. This is gonna change the culture of football. Hopefully society. Exciting times. And thank you for letting us feel this joy, Lionesses ??

— The Subways (@thesubways) July 31, 2022

Home. In fact it’s come home. A sentence I thought I’d never write. I’ve gone. Thank you Lionesses.

— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) July 31, 2022

OK then…just this once.

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) July 31, 2022

It has come home, it has come home, it has come, football has come home ???

— The Leadmill (@Leadmill) July 31, 2022

Na but on a real, I’m so happy right now. This is huge for all of us. What a win! It finally came home ?

— ksi (@KSI) July 31, 2022

England won the Euros! Congratulations @Lionesses! You’ve made us all so proud. What an incredible result! Thank you forever! ?❤️⚽️?❤️????????#eng #EngvGer #Eurofinal pic.twitter.com/zzu8CuLgnI

— Ronnie Wood (@ronniewood) July 31, 2022

Come on England!! It came home ?????????????????????⚽️⚽️⚽️

— Jack Whitehall (@jackwhitehall) July 31, 2022

THE GAFFA #Lionesses https://t.co/6KZV27Zsej

— Tom Grennan (@Tom_Grennan) July 31, 2022

Wish I was DJing the celebration party for #Lionesses It’s gonna be better than Spike Island.

— Dave Haslam (@Mr_Dave_Haslam) July 31, 2022

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Adele (@adele)

???

— Libertines (@libertines) July 31, 2022

Earlier in the day, David Baddiel, Frank Skinner & The Lightning Seeds sent a good luck message to Lionesses as they prepare to take on Germany in the final.

The message read: “Football’s Coming Home! Good luck Sarina and The Lionesses!”

Yesterday, Baddiel and The Lightning Seeds gave a special performance of ‘Three Lions’ at Camden’s Electric Ballroom. They were joined on stage by singer-songwriter Chelcee Grimes and women’s players of the past to sing ‘Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home)’ ahead of the final.

While Skinner was unable to join the band for the performance yesterday, he sent a message to the team and said that he will be “cheering on from the sidelines”.

Skinner said: “The Lionesses are playing some of the most exciting football I’ve ever seen from an England team. I’m gutted not to be there on Saturday but I know David, Lightning Seeds and Chelcee, with those Lionesses who’ve pulled on the shirt in the past, will deliver a unique performance that celebrates their run to the final.”

Baddiel added: “It’s a great honour that ‘Football’s Coming Home’ remains such a fan favourite twenty five years on and it feels fitting that we reflect the amazing achievements of the Lionesses with a unique performance of the anthem at this very special National Lottery gig. And very happy to be part of a one-off performance…”

Fara Williams, Rachel Yankey and Faye White, who share more than 390 caps between them for England, were among those former players joining the band and Baddiel on stage.

The message from Frank Skinner, David Baddiel and The Lightening Seeds – CREDIT: Press

Earlier in the day, Becky Hill, Stefflon Don and Ultra Naté performed at Wembley Stadium ahead of the final today.

Hill opened the performance before Stefflon Don joined Ultra Naté for a rendition of ‘You’re Free’, which Hill also appeared on towards the end.

Watch Becky Hill, Stefflon Don and Ultra Naté perform at Euro final

Becky Hill, Stefflon Don and Ultra Naté have performed at Wembley Stadium ahead of the Euro women’s final today (July 31).

The final kicked off at 5pm and sees England’s lionesses play against Germany at Wembley.

Ahead of kick off, Hill, Stefflon Don and Ultra Naté performed at the event. Hill opened the performance before Stefflon Don joined Ultra Naté for a rendition of ‘You’re Free’, which Hill also appeared on towards the end.

Check out some fan reaction to the moment below and watch the full performance here on iPlayer.

Utterly brilliant to see the female powerhouses @BeckyHill, @stefflondon and @ultranatemusic performing an opening set at the @WEURO2022 game. Beautiful, talented, diverse ladies. Sets a great example for female culture …and the songs were a complete bop too!

— Belly Button (@IamBellyButton) July 31, 2022

I’m loving the start of the #EURO2022 Final with @BeckyHill et al pic.twitter.com/mkgS0WC7e7

— James Churchfield (@ChurchfieldJE) July 31, 2022

Stefflon Don? At the Euros Final? Looking amazing! ? And Ultra Nate, from the 90’s looking great too! What a tournament this has been! #WEURO2022 #ENG #GER

— Holly Baleen ???️‍⚧️ (@HollyBaleen) July 31, 2022

Fabulous @BeckyHill @stefflondon @ultranatemusic …
I doff my bowler hat to you all.
Great songs. Great outfits.
Great performance…

— Mr Benn (@therealmrbenn) July 31, 2022

Not going to lie… music and sports need to be merged more in the UK! I’m not saying a Super Bowl style halftime show for #EURO2022 but I loved seeing the performance given by @BeckyHill @stefflondon @ultranatemusic … this could be something to think about for future events!

— Joseph (@JTAH_1990) July 31, 2022

@BeckyHill @ultranatemusic @stefflondon just blew the roof off Wembley Stadium!!! ??? #WEURO2022

— Charlie Webb (@CharlieWebb8) July 31, 2022

Earlier today, David Baddiel, Frank Skinner & The Lightning Seeds sent a good luck message to the Lionesses.

The message read: “Football’s Coming Home! Good luck Sarina and The Lionesses!”

Fara Williams, Rachel Yankey and Faye White, who share more than 390 caps between them for England, were among those former players joining the band and Baddiel on stage.

While Skinner was unable to join the band for the performance yesterday, he sent a message to the team and said that he will be “cheering on from the sidelines”.

The game is taking place now (July 31) and is being broadcast live on BBC One, with the build-up starting from 3.50pm, while you can watch live online via BBC iPlayerand the BBC Sport website.

David Baddiel, Frank Skinner & Lightning Seeds send good luck message to Lionesses

David Baddiel, Frank Skinner & The Lightning Seeds have sent a good luck message to Lionesses as they prepare to take on Germany in the Euro final today (July 31).

READ MORE: Why ‘Three Lions’ is still the ultimate football anthem

Fara Williams, Rachel Yankey and Faye White, who share more than 390 caps between them for England, were among those former players joining the band and Baddiel on stage.

Now, Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds have sent a special ‘good luck’ message to The Lionesses, which you can see below. You can also check out footage of their performance of ‘Three Lions’ in London too:

While Skinner was unable to join the band for the performance yesterday, he sent a message to the team and said that he will be “cheering on from the sidelines”.

While Chelcee Grimes said of the gig: “This weekend is a dream come true – not only are the Lionesses in the final but I am getting to sing the legendary Three Lions anthem in their honour. I am passionate about women’s and girls’ football and every National Lottery player has helped propel the game to the point where England can win a major trophy.

“Sport really has the power to bring people together and grassroots clubs and organisations play such a vital role in giving young people the time and space to realise their full potential. I hope the excitement of this amazing tournament, and the success of the Lionesses, encourages more women to give it a go at their local club!”

The game is taking place now (July 31) and is being broadcast live on BBC One, with the build-up starting from 3.50pm, while you can watch live online via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

Brix Smith announces first UK headline tour with new band

Brix Smith has announced her first UK tour with her new band – check out the dates below.

READ MORE: Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – Brix Smith

The post-punk icon who was a member of The Fall and founder of The Extricated and The Adult Net, will play a headline UK tour later this year with her new band.

That band is made up of My Bloody Valentine duo Deb George (bass) and Jen Marco (keyboards and guitar), along with Vas Antoniadou (drums) and Ros Cairney (guitar) from rising London duo deux furieuses.

Speaking about the upcoming tour with her all-female supergroup, Smith said: “I’m so excited to be playing these iconic intimate club shows in October with my amazing supergroup of phenomenal women players.

“Come feel the power, noise, energy and love. We will take you on a full spectrum ride.”
Smith’s new band played their first major show as guests to Killing Joke before embarking upon a nationwide tour with Public Image Ltd.
Tickets for the shows, listed below, are on sale here now.
OCTOBER
16 – Leeds, Key Club
17 – Liverpool, Arts Club (Loft)
18 – Guildford, The Boileroom
19 – London, The Lexington
Earlier this year, Smith spoke about her plans to release her solo album, ‘Valley Of The Dolls’, next year.

“Nobody knows about this in public, so hello – get ready,” she began, speaking at the AIF Festival Congress 2022 in Bristol. “During lockdown I was put together by a manager to write. I wanted to stop doing The Extricated, I wanted to do something else, I didn’t know what.

“I was put together as a songwriter with Youth. His manager said, ‘Youth is a Shaman and you’re a witch so you two are perfect together’. We’d never met before but we met on Facetime and we started to send files backwards and forwards.”

With Youth working from Spain and Smith in London, he would send her backing tracks while she would return lyrics and vocals before it “quickly developed into something special”.

“He said, ‘Brix – this is your solo album. This is not going to be for anyone else’,” said Smith. “Now I’ve finished the album with Youth, it’s just about to be mastered, we’ve got two amazing guest female vocalists on it.”

She also spoke about her new band at the event then. “I’m going under the name Brix Smith or possibly Brix Smith Group, I haven’t decided yet. It’s time for me to put my money where my mouth is and take it out there! All of us are between 40 and 60 and they’re all top post-punk feminists.”

Smith went on to explain how “the dynamic of playing with all women” was “something I’ve never done”.

“I’ve always been a woman in a man’s world,” she added. “The Fall were dirty, ugly blokes, you know? The dynamic of playing with these women is just phenomenal. It’s just nice to be hanging out with great like-minded people.

“Deb Googe is just my wing-woman and an incredible bassist. I’m super lucky.”

Bring Me The Horizon’s Oli Sykes’ DROP DEAD unveils unisex ANGELSLAYER collection

Bring Me The Horizon‘s Oli Sykes has today (July 29) launched the ANGELSLAYER clothing line under his alternative fashion brand DROP DEAD.

READ MORE: Bring Me The Horizon on stepping up for the scene: “Things are better when you’re not the only one”

The singer’s latest collection is themed on Topheth, a fictional institute dreamt up by Sykes that serves as a metaphor for technology’s insidious grip on modern civilisation.

Speaking about the cult-like organisation, Sykes said: “The institute [Topheth] houses other abducted children hand-picked from birth for their psychic powers and forced to become part of a process that leads inexorably to the decay and eventual death of their human selves.”`

Topheth, which subjects children to horrifying experiments, also has an agenda to weaponise the children’s abilities, thus creating the ANGELSLAYERS.

Included in the collection are futuristic T-shirts, skirts, tops, hoodies and jackets moulded around the dark concept, all available in unisex sizing.

Models pose wearing clothing from the ANGELSLAYERS line. CREDIT: DROP DEAD

“Thematically this collection has created a world inspired by the tech industry’s powerful psychological mind manipulation tactics,” Sykes continued.

“Most people don’t realise that lurking behind their screens and phones is a giant laboratory of psychologists, neuroscientists, and social science experts who use their knowledge of psychological vulnerabilities to devise products that hijack their minds, hooking them with a drug-like power, for the purpose of profit or brainwashing.

“The ANGELSLAYERS represent a metaphor of this idea, a generation weaponised by shady operatives to believe what’s good is bad and what’s bad is good.

Sykes added: “The ideas and concepts [Drop Dead] wants to promote is a feeling of unity, community, and healthy obsessions and passions. With hope, we look to a future where we break away from the endless cycle that has been created.”

The line is available to explore by signing up to DROP DEAD’s website here.

The brand sells clothes exclusively through its website to more than 100 countries worldwide, with the first delivery of ANGELSLAYER clothing being sent out today.

DROP DEAD is also currently working on plans to reopen its Sheffield HQ store, which will allow their fans to explore the line IRL and gain insight into how the brand functions. Stay tuned for news about its reopening date and more.

Oli Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon. Credit: Thomas Niedermueller/Redferns

Earlier this month, Bring Me The Horizon shared a music video for their new single ‘Strangers’, inspired by the mental health experiences of the band and their fans. The track was first revealed during a DJ set that the band performed on the first night of their own Malta Weekender festival.

Bring Me The Horizon’s last non-collaborative single was ‘DiE4u’, which landed last September. Like ‘Strangers’, that song is expected to appear on the next instalment of the band’s ‘Post Human’ EP series, which is slated for release sometime this year. The first instalment, ‘Post Human: Survival Horror’, was released in October 2020.

Sam Prekop & John McEntire Sons Of

Sam Prekop and John McEntire have worked in harmony for close to 30 years. As the singer-guitarist and drummer in The Sea And Cake – alongside bassist Archer Prewitt – the pair have amassed a body of work that takes a good few hours to sift through on Spotify, though such is the breezy, effortless nature of the material, you’d be hard pushed to remember which songs stand out. For fans, this familiarity has long been part of the Chicago band’s appeal: across 11 albums since their debut in 1994, The Sea And Cake’s innocuous post-rock – at times jazzy, sometimes overtly pop, always elegantly turned out – has been a reliable, comforting presence; a stable reminder that no matter how terrible things are in the world, Sam Prekop will still be singing his inscrutable poetry in hushed tones over lushly arranged grooves, each new instalment of classy fusion slightly different to the last.

ORDER NOW: Wilco are on the cover of the latest issue of Uncut

Listen closely and they’re a dynamic proposition – elements of modular synthesis and percussive percolations populate 2011’s The Moonlight Butterfly and 2012’s Runner – yet like any quality act, their individual talents are in service to the benefit of the group, and The Sea And Cake’s enduring geniality can often appear to have turned these elite musicians into journeymen. With Sons Of, Prekop and McEntire’s first joint collaboration, we get to hear what happens when they’re freed from the band format, when conventional structures no longer apply, and these inherently reserved creatures are let loose in the wild. As an exercise in live, largely improvised electronics, these four long pieces bring out the best in the pair, showcasing their ability to go with the flow while harnessing their particular strengths.

By choice, McEntire has spent his entire career as an engineer, mixer and producer working within the framework of other bands’ schedules – he recently worked on Ryley Walker’s Course In Fable – and as the driving force behind Tortoise, his skills as post-rock’s rhythm king shine only sporadically these days. Their last album, The Catastrophist, came out in 2016, and even within that group of free-jazz maestros each member has a role to play, naturally curtailing their opportunities for self-expression.

Prekop’s musical evolution is more revealing, because at some point between his 2005 solo set Who’s Your New Professor and 2010’s Old Punchcard he got the bug for modular synthesis and decided to shift his focus from shimmering indie to vocal-less analogue electronics, its patterns and irregularities appealing to his artistic sensibility (he’s also a photographer and painter). For a quiet and thoughtful man, the daring instrumental works on his two recent albums, The Republic (2015) and Comma (2020), perhaps allow him to say more about himself, as he attempts to give shape and meaning to the abstract sounds he’s generating in his home studio in Pilsen, Chicago.

Sons Of – named by McEntire after the Scott Walker song and featuring McEntire’s cats, Jackie and Lamar, on the cover – leads on from a couple of Prekop’s post-Comma excursions, “Spelling” and “Saturday Saturday”, two 20-minute pieces of pastoral circuit-bending for the Longform Editions imprint. Yet it’s McEntire who propels these new tracks along with succulent kicks and crisp snares, the hi-hats dissolving into hiss as “A Ghost Of Noon” breaks down midway in, and the pulses shifting to a four-four climax during “Crossing At The Shallow”. For a project that started out a few years ago as an occasional live improvisation – the pair sat on stage facing each other, hunched over their gear, no fixed idea of where they’re headed – it’s become a tantalising exploration of modern-day kosmische. Seemingly liberated by technology, these two fifty-something blokes conjure the kind of utopian panoplies dreamt up by Harald Grosskopf and Neu! on the 24-minute “A Yellow Robe”, a swirling, burbling journey that also nods to recent experiments by Roman Flügel and Peder Mannerfelt.

That track is based on a live recording from a show in Chicago at the end of last year, while “A Ghost Of Noon” stems from an earlier performance in Düsseldorf. Both were then buffed up by Prekop and McEntire in their respective studios – McEntire now lives in Portland, Oregon – and then sent between each other until finished. What’s most surprising about Sons Of is how comfortable the pair are with this more psychedelic direction – leading you to wonder why they’ve never done this kind of thing before. The closing “Ascending By Night” is a powerful piece of smouldering techno, bathed in gauzy synths. If this is what the post-rock afterparty sounds like, count us in.

Garbage and Shirley Bassey to perform Bond themes at ‘The Sound Of 007’ at Royal Albert Hall

Garbage and Dame Shirley Bassey will perform James Bond themes at ‘The Sound Of 007’ one-off charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall this autumn.

READ MORE: Every James Bond theme song ranked in order of… greatness?

‘The Sound Of 007’ event celebrates 60 years of the Bond film franchise on October 4. The date marks the anniversary of the world premiere for the first 007 film, Dr. No, which was held on October 5, 1962.

The event, which is curated by five-time Bond composer David Arnold, will feature Bond soundtrack artists including Garbage and Shirley Bassey as well as special guests including Celeste who will put their own interpretation on classic theme songs. These songs will be backed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by Nicholas Dodd.

Garbage are set to play ‘The World Is Not Enough’, their theme from the 1997 Bond film of the same name, with Bassey. “I’m swooning like the child inside. Sometimes life is just so magical, I can’t believe it,” wrote Garbage singer Shirley Manson on Instagram.

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James Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said: “Music has always played a vital role in the success of the 007 series. Over the 60-year history, we have been blessed with the extraordinary talents of legendary composers and artists who have created the most powerful and moving musical contributions to our 25 films. ‘The Sound Of 007’ in Concert on October 4 will celebrate their tremendous achievements.”

In November, the Royal Albert Hall will also present a series of full in-concert screenings of recent Bond films with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performing the scores live to picture.

The series features the in-concert premiere of Spectre (November 19: at 2pm and 7.30pm) and November 20 (1.30pm), alongside Skyfall (November 18: 7.30pm) and Casino Royale (November 17: 7.30pm).

Tickets for ‘The Sound Of 007’ event will be available from 10am on August 1 here. Fans can also call 020 7589 8212 to book tickets. The pre-sale for the venue’s Friends and Patrons runs from 10am tomorrow (July 29).

Meanwhile, Jack White has spoken about his 2008 Bond theme ‘Another Way To Die’, calling it “one of the most divisive things” he’s worked on.

Hayden Thorpe unveils deluxe edition of second album and shares new song ‘Polygod’

Hayden Thorpe has today (July 28) unveiled details of a deluxe edition release of his second album, ‘Moondust For My Diamond’, along with new song ‘Polygod’.

READ MORE: Wild Beasts frontman Hayden Thorpe goes solo: “It’s like playing chess against yourself…”

The collection, titled ‘Moondust For My Diamond – Every Piece Of Dust’ edition, contains four new songs and four new remixes. It will receive a digital-only release on August 19.

One of the new tracks from the collection, ‘Polygod’, has also been shared. Watch the video for that below.

Produced by Nathan Jenkins (aka Bullion) and Richard Formby, the four new tracks hear Thorpe explore “a deeper, and more seductive side to his song writing”, according to a press release.

Speaking about the origins of the new tracks, the former Wild Beasts frontman said: “‘Every Piece of Dust’ brings into the family all of the stray songs that were written alongside ‘Moondust For My Diamond’.

“I think of this release as a Director’s Cut – indulging some of the choices that went unmade up until now. There’s a mini-grief that happens when you finish off and move on from a record – you almost have to say, ‘I’m moving on forever.’ However these songs stave off execution day for sometime yet.

“I feel so lucky to have such gifted friends make these remixes for me. Each one of them have in some way elevated and maximised all that the song could be. It’s so thrilling and heartening to have people you care about create alongside you. It’s a collection I’m really proud of for that reason.”

The musician has also announced details of a special evening in London on August 25 to celebrate the release of his Full Moon Chronicles Zine, a collection of essays that Thorpe has written over the last few years.

Thorpe will be reading and performing at the Brick Lane Bookshop event in London and you can get tickets for the event here.

Reviewing ‘Diviner’, Thorpe’s first solo album in 2019, NME wrote: “Wild Beasts sometimes seemed overly enamoured with ideology, self-aware to a fault, while Thorpe’s solo album is simpler, more direct, more self-contained – and therein lies its power.”

Lady Gaga praises Doja Cat’s tongue-in-cheek ‘Shallow’ cover: “THAT’S A SERVE”

Doja Cat has covered Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s ‘Shallow’ from A Star Is Born – check out the footage below.

The ‘Planet Her’ artist delivered a playful, high-pitched rendition of the 2018 Oscar-winning single during a broadcast on Instagram Live yesterday (July 27).

READ MORE: Doja Cat – ‘Planet Her’ review: controversial pop-rapper enters her imperial phase

In the one-minute clip, we see the star screeching out the lines as she lies of her bed wearing a rainbow-coloured top. Doja also sports pink devil horns and dark eye makeup – all thanks to a cartoonish Insta filter.

Later, she upped the ante with an even more intense spin on ‘Shallow’.

A recording of the cover was subsequently shared across social media. As Pop Crave points out, Gaga has since expressed her praise for Doja’s unique take on the power ballad. “LADY THATS A SERVE [sic],” she commented beneath a fan’s post on TikTok.

You can see both tweets below.

Pra encerrar a noite, Doja Cat surpreende os internautas ao cantar Shallow da Lady Gaga igualzinho a cantora, gostaram? pic.twitter.com/szzC4Hxj3A

— My Idol ?? (@myidolbrasil) July 27, 2022

Lady Gaga comments on a TikTok of Doja Cat playfully singing “Shallow”:

“LADY THATS A SERVE” pic.twitter.com/vxHoM3cpDi

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 27, 2022

Back in May, Doja Cat gave an update on her upcoming fourth studio album. She told ELLE the record was “coming up”, but said that she’d “not started” making it at that point. The outlet noted that the project would be “predominantly rap”.

“I have been getting songs and things sent to me,” Doja explained. “Oh fuck, I wish I could tell people. There’s some really cool stuff that I got sent from friends. They’re all working on beats, and I’m giving them notes and they know what I want, so I’m excited.”

Doja Cat has since teamed up with Post Malone on his recent single ‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’, which appears on his fourth album ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’.

Lady Gaga, meanwhile, is set to bring her COVID-delayed ‘Chromatica Ball’ to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London tomorrow and Saturday night (July 29, 30).

During the first night of her European run, the pop star debuted ‘Free Woman’, ‘Sour Candy’ and more from her latest studio album, 2020’s ‘Chromatica’.

Sycklone Shares His Truths In New Banger “Label Me King”

Sycklone shares his truths in a brilliant latest single and music video “Label Me King.” His confidence and ability to channel raw and authentic messages through music is undeniable,

The Everett, Massachusetts-based artist’s new track sees him at his prime creative shape, pairing a meticulous performance with a sharp vision for the genre. The creator extraordinaire has worked with his long time producer Mors Beats, who also happens to be the producer of his upcoming album to be titled The Green Files, of which “Label Me King” is the first reveal.

In 2012, Sycklone dropped a highly-acclaimed debut album, Self Made, with Bentley Records, shortly followed by his second album On A Wave. “Label Me King” is released alongside fantastic visuals that give a powerful dimension to the promising artist’s new hit.

Sycklone: Instagram – Spotify – YouTube – SoundCloud

Bruce Springsteen’s manager responds to criticism about ticket prices

Bruce Springsteen’s manager Jon Landau has released a statement following criticism about the musician’s recent ticket prices.

READ MORE: Bruce Springsteen – ‘Letter To You’ review: a powerful synthesis of past and present

Last week, when tickets for Springsteen’s 2023 world tour dates went on sale, fans were asked to pay up to $5000 (£4152) for some tickets.

The site’s “dynamic pricing” model allows Ticketmaster to charge more for tickets when they first go on sale. The system responds to demand and so increases or decreases prices in line with what “scalpers” – a person who re-sells a ticket for profit – would sell them for, keeping the money in-house for the seller and artist.

The system also sees increase with demand for certain “platinum tickets”, which are placed throughout each venue.

Now, Springsteen’s manager has responded to the backlash to the prices. In a statement to The New York Times he said: “In pricing tickets for this tour, we looked carefully at what our peers have been doing. We chose prices that are lower than some and on par with others.”

He continued: “Regardless of the commentary about a modest number of tickets costing $1,000 (£828) or more, our true average ticket price has been in the mid-$200 (£165) range. I believe that in today’s environment, that is a fair price to see someone universally regarded as among the very greatest artists of his generation.”

Bruce Springsteen performing live on stage during Paul McCartney's headline set at Glastonbury 2022 — Bruce Springsteen performs live during Paul McCartney’s headline set at Glastonbury 2022. CREDIT: Getty

Ticketmaster had previously defended the model saying that only 11.2 per cent of the Springsteen tickets sold were platinum, and only 1.3 per cent were $1000 (£830) or more. They also said the average price for a Springsteen ticket was $262 (£217).

As per Variety, it was reported that “Ticketmaster says [the most expensive tickets] represent only 11 per cent of the overall tickets sold. By the ticketing service’s calculations, that left the other 88.2 per cent of tickets sold at fixed prices that ranged from from $59.50 [£49.42] to $399 [£331] before added service fees.

Ticketmaster further said that the average price of all tickets sold so far is $262 [£217.63], with 56 per cent being sold for under $200 [£166] face value…The service further broke down the percentages on the 56 per cent of tickets it says were sold for under $200 [£166]. It said that one per cent were sold under $99 [£82.23], 27 per cent went for between $100-150 [£83-124], and one per cent sold for between $150-200 [£124-166].”

In a statement, Ticketmaster added: “Prices and formats are consistent with industry standards for top performers”.

Earlier this month (July 14), Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band announced four UK tour dates in 2023.

The dates include shows at BT Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on May 30 and Villa Park in Birmingham on June 16 along with two shows at BST Hyde Park in London on July 6 and 8.

Tickets went on sale last Thursday (July 21) and any remaining tickets can be purchased here.

The gigs, which will be The Boss’ first with the full E Street Band since 2017, are part of an extensive world tour that kicks off in the US between February 1 and April 14 before heading to Europe.

Tickets for the 2023 US arena gigs went on sale over the last two weeks and you can purchase tickets for the US dates here.

Leftfield announce first album in seven years, share new single ‘Pulse’

Leftfield have shared details of their forthcoming album ‘This Is What We Do’, as well as a music video for new single ‘Pulse’ – watch it below.

The announcement marks the first new music from the London electronic outfit since 2015’s ‘Alternative Light Source’. Recorded with long-time studio and mix engineer Adam Wren, the new album will feature guest contributions from Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten, author and poet Lemn Sissay, and more.

According to a press release, the album will explore “themes around love, acceptance, diversity and healing,” particularly in the wake of both the coronavirus pandemic and Neil Barnes – who has led the project since the band’s initial split in 2002, when he and band member Paul Daley decided to pursue separate projects – addressing his “own drive to heal childhood trauma as a backdrop.”

'Pulse' The 1st single taken from the forthcoming new Leftfield album 'This Is What We Do'.
Listen to Pulse: https://t.co/50oPZ9f1uA
Pre-order the album: https://t.co/5fzV8o8pRy #electronicmusic pic.twitter.com/Xu0ZAlJm3d

— Leftfield (@Leftfield) July 27, 2022

Speaking of the hi-octane new song, Barnes explained: “I wanted ‘Pulse’ to be the first statement from the new album. It felt strong. Dance floor. Human. Positive. And I love the bass. It’s Leftfield.”

‘This Is What We Do’ is set to be released via Virgin Records on December 2. Watch the video for ‘Pulse’ below.

Formed in 1988, Leftfield found critical and commercial success with 1995’s ‘Leftism’ and 1999’s ‘Rhythm & Stealth’, both of which were nominated for the Mercury Prize.

In 2017, the band played a number of tour dates performing ‘Leftism’ in full, remastering the original 11 tracks of the record and releasing 11 remixes.

‘This Is What We Do’ tracklist:

01. ‘This Is What We Do’
02. ‘Full Way Round’
03. ‘Making A Difference’
04. ‘City of Synths’
05. ‘Pulse’
06. ‘Machines Like Me’
07. ‘Rapture 16’
08. ‘Heart And Soul’
09. ‘Accumulator’
10. ‘Come On’
11. ‘The Power of Listening’

Listen to The Linda Linda’s cover of The Go-Go’s’ ‘Tonite’

The Linda Lindas have shared a new cover of The Go Go’s’ ‘Tonite’ – check it out below.

READ MORE: The Linda Lindas: the fearless, fun-loving future of punk-rock

In a statement, the group said they played the song frequently when they started out as a “cover band” and continued to perform it live – something that inspired them to release the cover as a standalone track.

They explained: “The Linda Lindas started out as a cover band, and we’ve played more songs by the Go-Go’s than anyone else. And even after we started to write our own songs, we never stopped playing ‘Tonite.’ We love the idea of us going out and owning our town, and ‘Tonite; is as fun to play as it is empowering—especially the part where we all sing together.

“’We rule the streets tonite until the morning light‘” and so should our fans. Because the cover is such a hit at shows, we decided to record a studio version to pay tribute to the greatest all-female rock band of all time, a crucial part of the L.A. punk scene, and our heroes.”

Check out the song here:

Speaking to NME earlier this year about the making of their debut album, 15-year-old drummer Lucia de la Garza said: “We’ve learned that music can do anything, and it can get you through anything. It’s really fun to see how we’re growing as musicians.

“Even from the [self-titled] EP which we wrote only about a year before, you can see how we’ve grown as songwriters, and see how we were trying to figure out what our sound is. We hope there are many more to come and that they keep showing how we’re progressing.”

In a four star review of ‘Growing Up’, NME said: “Tracks on here like ‘Fine’ and the aforementioned ‘Racist, Sexist Boy’ are vital, powerful bursts of punk fury. Yet when they let their pop music imaginations run free it’s equally impressive, with tracks like ‘Growing Up’, ‘Talking To Myself’ and ‘Magic’ showcasing a gift for catchy, singalong choruses.”

Back in June, the band also played live in London.

Hanoi Rocks guitarist says Vince Neil never apologised for death of the band’s drummer

Hanoi Rocks guitarist Andy McCoy says he’s never been offered an apology from Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil, whose 1984 car crash resulted in the death of the band’s drummer, Nicholas “Razzle” Dingley.

Neil crashed into another car on the way back from buying alcohol in California, killing Dingley and leaving both occupants of the other car with brain damage. The incident saw Neil spend 15 days in jail and pay $2.6 million to the victims of the crash.

Speaking on Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!, McCoy said that he was still waiting for an apology from Neil for his reckless behaviour that night.

“[I’ve] never even got as much as an apology from that motherfucker,” he told the host (per Consequence). “You know who I’m talking about. I’m not gonna give any names. Why would I give him fame? Fuck him!”

He added: “Every time I see him, he runs away. Because he knows what I’d do. But that’s our business.”

Neil has expressed some public remorse for the crash in the past. “I wrote a $2.5 million check for vehicular manslaughter when Razzle died,” he told Blender magazine in 2005 (per ContactMusic). “I should have gone to prison. I definitely deserved to go to prison. But I did 30 days in jail and got laid and drank beer, because that’s the power of cash. That’s fucked up.”

Watch the interview below.

Hanoi Rocks broke up following Dingley’s death, though they later re-formed in 2001 and continued as a band until 2009.

McCoy’s new solo album, ‘Jukebox Junkie’, is due to arrive on August 5. In an interview with NME earlier this year (May 13), Hanoi Rocks’ Michael Monroe spoke about the band’s influence on Manic Street Preachers: “I heard that the Manics were influenced by Hanoi later on and I was touched, because they had their own distinctive style and took the right lessons from us.

“Which is unlike some poseur metal bands in the West Coast of America who missed the point and thought it was all about make-up and big hair, and who played their hairspray cans better than their instruments!”

Ex-BBC employee reportedly raised “bullying” complaints against DJ Tim Westwood

An ex-BBC employee has reportedly alleged that they raised concerns about “bullying” by DJ Tim Westwood but felt they were “warned against taking further action” (via The Guardian).

Earlier this year, sexual assault allegations were made against Westwood by multiple women, leading him to step down from his Capital Xtra radio show.

The alleged victims also gave testimony as part of a new 30-minute documentary, Tim Westwood: Abuse Of Power, which aired on BBC Three in April.

In response to the documentary, a spokesperson for the DJ said: “Our client confirms that there has never been any complaint made against him, whether officially or unofficially, relating to claims of inappropriate behaviour of the nature described.”

Now, in the latest accusations against the DJ, an ex-BBC employee said they raised concerns about the DJ’s bullying behaviour but was “warned” about taking further action.

According to The Guardian, a former employee worked with Westwood in the early 2010s and alleged he took part in “unacceptable bullying”. After raising concerns, they allege that the responses they received suggested they “be quiet, don’t say any more, be careful what you say.”

Another former employee, who The Guardian describe as having “worked with Westwood for a number of years in the 2000s”, described a “boys’ club” culture at the organisation and said both official and unofficial complaints had been made about his treatment of co-workers.

“Everyone knew what he was like,” they told the publication. “There was a culture of ‘don’t piss off the talent’, and everyone else was fair game.”

NME has reached out to representatives of the BBC and Westwood for comment.

After a joint investigation by the Guardian and BBC News published allegations of sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour against the DJ in April, the BBC director general, Tim Davie, said the corporation had no evidence of complaints at first.

However, it later confirmed it had received six complaints related to allegations of bullying and sexual misconduct following a freedom of information request from BBC News.

In response to that, The BBC said an internal investigation would take place and a spokesperson for the organisation said Davie “set out the position as he understood it at the time.”

The spokesperson added: “We are taking this incredibly seriously and want to understand what happened with regard to the BBC. At the beginning of the month we confirmed we had received a number of complaints relating to allegations of bullying and sexual harassment.

“As we have set out, we are fully committed to investigating them and when that work has concluded we will publish findings.”

For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.

Ticketmaster respond after some Bruce Springsteen tickets sold for up to $5,000

Ticketmaster have responded to complaints from gig-goers regarding their “dynamic pricing” model.

READ MORE: Bruce Springsteen – ‘Letter To You’ review: a powerful synthesis of past and present

Last week, when tickets for Bruce Springsteen’s 2023 world tour dates went on sale, fans were asked to pay up to $5000 (£4152) for some tickets.

The model allows Ticketmaster to charge more for tickets when they first go on sale. The dynamic pricing system responds to demand and so increases or decreases prices in line with what “scalpers” – a person who re-sells a ticket for profit – would sell them for, keeping the money in-house for the seller and artist.

The system also sees increase with demand for certain “platinum tickets”, which are placed throughout each venue.

Ticketmaster defended the model saying that only 11.2 per cent of the Springsteen tickets sold were platinum, and only 1.3 per cent were $1000 (£830) or more. They also said the average price for a Springsteen ticket was $262 (£217).

“Ticketmaster further says that the average price of all tickets sold so far is $262 [£217.63], with 56 per cent being sold for under $200 [£166] face value…The service further broke down the percentages on the 56 per cent of tickets it says were sold for under $200 [£166]. It said that one per cent were sold under $99 [£82.23], 27 per cent went for between $100-150 [£83-124], and one per cent sold for between $150-200 [£124-166].”

In a statement, Ticketmaster added: “Prices and formats are consistent with industry standards for top performers”.

Earlier this month (July 14), Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band announced four UK tour dates in 2023.

The dates include shows at BT Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on May 30 and Villa Park in Birmingham on June 16 along with two shows at BST Hyde Park in London on July 6 and 8.

Tickets went on sale last Thursday (July 21) and any remaining tickets can be purchased here.

Bruce & The E Street Band have announced four UK dates on their 2023 International Tour! The new dates mark their first UK shows since 5 June 2016 at Wembley Stadium.

Tickets for go on sale at 9AM local time on Thursday, 21 July 2022. More info: https://t.co/YahXTKffvV! pic.twitter.com/jfXjGsEXNV

— Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) July 14, 2022

Tickets for the 2023 US arena gigs went on sale over the last two weeks and you can purchase tickets for the US dates here.

Springsteen has released two solo studio albums since he last toured with the group, ‘Western Stars’ (2019) and ‘Letter To You’ (2020).

In 2017 he began a lengthy concert residency at the Walter Kerr Theatre in New York titled Springsteen On Broadway. That stint was turned into a Netflix special, and the singer-songwriter returned for an additional run at the St. James Theatre in 2021.

Last month saw Springsteen make a surprise appearance during Paul McCartney’s headline show at Glastonbury 2022. He played his own song ‘Glory Days’ and The Beatles‘ ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ alongside McCartney.

Miya Folick shares new single ‘Nothing To See’ and announces EP

Miya Folick has announced she’ll release a new EP titled ‘2007’ on September 9 via Nettwerk.

To coincide with the announcement, the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter has shared new single ‘Nothing To See’. It arrives alongside a video in which Folick drinks milk from a bowl in a restaurant and eats an ice cream while walking on a treadmill in a gym.

Watch the Noah Kentis-directed video for ‘Nothing To See’ below:

“This song is about falling in love with someone emotionally unavailable,” Folick explained in an accompanying statement. “Someone whose feelings and desires were so obscured to me and themselves, that I had to become a detective. I studied their life for clues and tried to play the role of the person I thought they’d like.

“Eventually we broke up and I realized that I’d lost the plot on my own life. My body and personality and life were so populated by the interests of this person, that once they were gone, there was nothing left to see. But, to me, this song isn’t bleak. I think there’s power in being brave enough to say, I was made a fool by you.”

‘Nothing To See’ is the third single Folick has shared from ‘2007’, after ‘Ordinary’ and ‘Oh God’ both arrived earlier this year. The EP will mark the follow-up to Folick’s debut album ‘Premonitions’, which was released in 2018.

Miya Folick’s ‘2007’ EP tracklist is:

1. ‘Oh God’
2. ‘Bad Thing’
3. ‘Nothing To See’
4. ‘2007’
5. ‘Cartoon Clouds’
6. ‘Ordinary’

Jade Bird says she’s about “halfway” through “vulnerable” third album

Jade Bird has revealed she is about halfway through her “vulnerable” new album. Watch our video interview with Bird above.

READ MORE: Jade Bird on the cover: “There are so many preconceptions with me – but I am a fan of music first”

Speaking to NME at Truck Festival in Oxfordshire this weekend (July 24), the Northumberland-born, US-based singer-songwriter told us about new song ‘Save Your Tears’ – which she performed in her set – as well as what fans can expect from her third studio record.

“[It’s] probably 50/50 on the new album,” she said of the new song. “Been working really hard on the new album, I think it’s got about halfway there. And it really is the best stuff I’ve ever made, so that’s really exciting.”

Bird, who is now based in Austin, Texas, also revealed that she has worked on some of the record in LA, adding that it’s “quite a vulnerable album”.

“I think I’m just kind of powerhousing its way through, and this one’s kind of taking a few layers off,” she said.

Asked what has been inspiring the new material, she joked: “A breakdown!”

“I think there’s a lot of us, I’ve noticed, coming out of the pandemic they’ve been going through a hell of a lot, and I’m no different to be honest with you” she said. “So that’ll be fun to talk about!”

The singer also recently featured on Bear’s Den new song ‘Please Don’t Hide Yourself Away’ for the Apple TV series Trying, with Bird sharing that she’s in the “spirit of collaboration” for the new record.

“Usually I’ve been quite insular because I wanted to progress on my own, and now I feel kind of open, which is lovely.”

She also shared that the collaboration for her new record is happening behind the scenes with writing. “I’ve written hundreds and hundreds of songs by myself now, let’s see what other people do, let’s learn from other people.”

Bird’s last album, ‘Different Kinds of Light’, came out in August last year, which received four-stars from NME, describing Bird as being at her “vocal and poetic best” while “knocking down the genre walls she was once placed within”.

StevenCharles Is On Cloud Nine After Two Hit Singles “Stay” & “Love You Still”

StevenCharles is a one of a kind artist with an instantly recognizable voice that holds the power to instantly soften the listener’s heart. His graceful voice has been the highlight of his two debut singles, “Stay” and “Love You Still.”

His first song “Stay” introduced audiences to StevenCharles’ energetic aura that saw everyone dancing around with the song’s funky and groovy melodies. However with “Love You Still,” the talented artist showcased his emotional side while conveying a personal story that resonated with tens of thousands of his loyal listeners.

The Canadian-born singer-songwriter had been adamant about being a professional musician since the age of six years old. He first began expressing his singing talent by performing in church groups and local bars, where he became a local star. Ever since StevenCharles launched his solo career, he has been dropping nothing but pure gems with “Stay” and “Love You Still” as he emerges to be one of the biggest prospects in the scene.

You can follow StevenCharles on: Instagram – Facebook – Spotify – YouTube

Watch Maggie Rogers and Rina Sawayama join Phoebe Bridgers on stage at Latitude 2022

Phoebe Bridgers was joined on stage by Maggie Rogers and Rina Sawayama during her set at Latitude this weekend.

READ MORE: Phoebe Bridgers live at Glastonbury 2022: a triumphant – and powerful – victory lap

The ‘Punisher’ singer-songwriter played a 12-track headline slot on the BBC Sounds Stage at the Suffolk festival on Friday night (July 22).

Footage has since emerged of Rogers and Sawayama – who were both also playing at Latitude that same day – contributing to a live airing of ‘I Know The End’, which served as the final song of Bridgers’ show.

Elsewhere, the LA artist shared an image of herself backstage with the pair. Rogers posted the same photo on her Instagram, captioning it: “ur new favorite band.” Additionally, Bridgers uploaded a clip that sees her crowd surfing at the end of her set.

You can see the posts below.

? | Rina Sawayama, Maggie Rogers and Charlie Hickey joined Phoebe on stage during "I know the end" yesterday at Latitude festival

?: lamarshian pic.twitter.com/gRecR4G4vB

— PHOEBE BRIDGERS UPDATES (@ThePhoebeRoom) July 23, 2022

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phoebe Bridgers (@phoebebridgers)

Bridgers has also recently collaborated on stage with The Killers, Clairo, Arlo Parks and The Jesus and Mary Chain.

She previously teamed up with Rogers in late 2020 to record a new version of ‘Iris’ by the Goo Goo Dolls. Speaking later about the joint cover, Rogers explained: “It was all this weird, wild inside joke that somehow everyone else was in on.”

She continued: “It’s funny to know a friend so well, but then as an artist getting to see her in the studio… seeing her work just make everything make sense.”

Bridgers is currently on the UK leg of her 2022 ‘Reunion’ tour. She’s playing a second consecutive show at the O2 Apollo in Manchester tonight (July 24) before heading to London for a four-night residency at the O2 Academy Brixton.

Phoebe Bridgers’ remaining UK headline dates are as follows

24 – O2 Apollo, Manchester
26 – O2 Academy Brixton, London
27 – O2 Academy Brixton, London
28 – O2 Academy Brixton, London
29 – O2 Academy Brixton, London

In other news, Phoebe Bridgers is set to feature on Marcus Mumford’s debut solo album ‘(Self-Titled)’.

Red Hot Chili Peppers unveil details of surprise new album, ‘Return Of The Dream Canteen’

The Red Hot Chilli Peppers have today (July 24) surprised fans by announcing details of a new studio album.

READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Red Hot Chili Peppers: “We feel fresh, like a new band”

The album, which has once again been produced by Rick Rubin, is called ‘Return Of The Dream Canteen’ and will arrive on October 14 via Warner Records. You can pre-order the album here.

Earlier this year, the band told NME they had a “loose plan” to release another new album in the immediate future, just months after their last, ‘Unlimited Love‘. “We’re gonna put out music by the handful – literally,” singer Anthony Kiedis said. “Don’t be surprised if another wheelbarrow of songs comes your way in the near future. We have a lot of shit to turn people onto.”

Speaking about the new album, the band said in a statement: “We went in search of ourselves as the band that we have somehow always been. Just for the fun of it we jammed and learned some old songs. Before long we started the mysterious process of building new songs. A beautiful bit of chemistry meddling that had befriended us hundreds of times along the way.

Red Hot Chili Peppers new album art – CREDIT: Press

“Once we found that slip stream of sound and vision, we just kept mining. With time turned into an elastic waist band of oversized underwear, we had no reason to stop writing and rocking. It felt like a dream. When all was said and done, our moody love for each other and the magic of music had gifted us with more songs than we knew what to do with. Well we figured it out.

“Two double albums released back to back. The second of which is easily as meaningful as the first or should that be reversed. ‘Return Of The Dream Canteen’ is everything we are and ever dreamed of being. It’s packed.”

The band announced the news as they kicked off their tour in North America at Denver’s Empower Field.

They began their stadium tour at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville in June. Five new tracks from ‘Unlimited Love’ were played during the 18-song set – ‘Aquatic Mouth Dance’, ‘Here Ever After’, ‘These Are The Ways’, ‘Whatchu Thinkin’’ and lead single ‘Black Summer’. The band started the show with 2003 smash ‘Can’t Stop’ and played plenty of hits throughout the night, including ‘Scar Tissue’, ‘Californication’ and ‘Give It Away’.

The show finished with a two-song encore featuring 1992’s ‘Under The Bridge’ and 2002’s ‘By The Way’

Reviewing the show, NME said: “The second Anthony Kiedis struts onto the stage and launches into a thundering ‘Can’t Stop’, the Chili Peppers are urgent and excited. What follows next is a viciously playful 100-minute set that sees the band show off their impressive legacy but also underlines why they’re still such a daring rock band.”

Watch the intense first trailer for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

The first trailer for Marvel’s highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has arrived.

READ MORE: Chadwick Boseman – 1976-2020: a real-life superhero who gave hope to many

The trailer arrived on social media following the wrap of Marvel’s San Diego Comic Con panel. The trailer – which closed Marvel’s showcase at the event – includes several big revelations for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Ramonda (Angela Bassett) is now Queen of Wakanda, and is seemingly in distress following the supposed death of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman). Shuri is seen struggling with the loss as well, and Ramonda exclaims while fighting back tears: “I am the queen of the most powerful nation in the world, and my entire family is gone. Have I not given everything?”

The trailer – soundtracked by Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Alright’ – ends with a quick tease of someone donning the Black Panther suit, though who picks up the mantle remains to be unseen. The clip also confirms that Namor The Submariner (Tenoch Huerta) will make his MCU debut and will play a pivotal role in the sequel to 2018’s Black Panther.

Little else is known about the film’s plot or the future of the franchise.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled to release worldwide on November 11.

Marvel has also confirmed several new films and Disney+ series for the next two phases of its cinematic universe, which is currently set to culminate with two Avengers films in 2025 titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Other films and series announced include The Thunderbolts, Daredevil: Born Again, Captain America: New World Order and more.

Earlier this month, Daniel Kaluuya confirmed that he would not be returning to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever due to scheduling conflicts with Jordan Peele’s Nope.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, directed by Ryan Coogler, wrapped filming in March this year following numerous delays. Production on the sequel was halted last year after Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri, suffered injuries in a stunt rig accident on-set in Boston.

Following the death of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, Marvel confirmed they wouldn’t recast the role of T’Challa in the sequel. Aside from Wright, original stars Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett are expected to reprise their roles.

Ed Sheeran says he felt “proud” to make video bringing Jamal Edwards’ vision to life

Ed Sheeran has said he feels “proud” to have made a video that brought the late Jamal Edwards’ “vision to life”.

READ MORE: RIP Jamal Edwards, an inspiration who turned SB.TV into a Black British cultural dynasty

Edwards suffered a cardiac arrest at home in Acton, west London on 20 February after taking recreational drugs.

Sheeran revealed that he had approached Edwards some time ago to make the video for his collaboration with Russ on his latest track, ‘Are You Entertained’.

In a new post on Instagram, Sheeran revealed that Edwards had planned out the whole video for Sheeran but just before they started shooting, Edwards died.

Sheeran went on to explain that Edwards’ mum Brenda and his sister Tanisha said they told him they should still make the video in order to make “Jamal’s vision come to life”.

“I felt so sad on the day,” Sheeran said when they started filming, “but very proud.” He went on: “I wish Jam was here to see it, I wish we’d done it together, but he would be buzzing how all his people came together and brought his vision to life.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos)

It’s been incredible seeing my Son Jamal’s creative vision come to life for this video. Huge thank you from myself and the whole SBTV Family to Jake Nava,Alistair Khalil, Nicky Caulfield. To Ed and Russ, thank you for believing in Jamal, he’s smiling down. #SelfBelief ?? pic.twitter.com/yx0CS3jGlH

— Brenda Edwards (@brenda_edwards) July 22, 2022

Sheeran’s post, which you can see in full above, reads: “I was having dinner in New York in December when @russ came up to my table, I was a fan so we just sat and ate pasta and drink wine together. A few days later I sent him the rough idea for this song, the same day he emailed me back with it finished, which I loved.

“He said we should do a video, so I hit up @jamaledwards, knowing that he would create something incredible for us. Jamal then planned it out for the next couple of months, sending me locations, ideas, cameos, trying to make it the best video any of us could make.

“We were meant to shoot in February, but the day before Russ flew out, Jamal tragically died. Our whole world was upside down, and I had to cancel and just tell Russ it wasn’t happening, but he was so so understanding, to a level il never forget. Jamals mum @brendaedwardsglobal and sister @Tanisha.arts_ , a few weeks later said we should still try and make Jamals vision come to life, so with the help of his amazing production team at @radicalmedia_london and @jakenava directing, we shot it.”

“I felt so sad on the day, but very proud. I wish Jam was here to see it, I wish we’d done it together, but he would be buzzing how all his people came together and brought his vision to life. Russ, thanks for being such an amazing human, and thank you to everyone who made this video happen. Jamal lives on forever.”

Earlier this year, Sheeran paid tribute to Edwards following his death. Jamal’s SB.TV channel helped to launch the careers of Sheeran as well as artists like Dave and Jessie J.

Writing on his Instagram page on February 23 alongside a picture of Edwards with Sheeran, the singer-songwriter said: “I haven’t posted anything coz I can’t find the words, I can’t reply coz I don’t know what to say. Jamal is my brother. His light shone so bright. He only used it to illuminate others and never asked for anything in return.

“A star’s light shines for millions of years after they go, and his will continue to light up every dark moment, we are all witnessing his power. I would not be here without him, professionally and personally. There will never be anything close to what he is, but I’m so grateful to have existed within his orbit. My brother, come on.”

FKA twigs shares intimate video for new single ‘Killer’

FKA twigs has shared a visualiser for her latest single, ‘Killer’ – watch the “raw and intimate” clip below.

READ MORE: FKA twigs: “There are so many sides to me that the world hasn’t seen yet”

Previously described as a song “for baddies with a tear in their eye” by twigs – AKA Tahliah Barnett – she gave ‘Killer’ a live debut as part of NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series last month.

The new video, directed by Yoann Lemoine and choreographed by Juliano Nuñes, was shot on Praia de Almagreira beach in Portugal, and also features actor Arón Piper.

“Twigs approached me with a beautiful treatment for KILLER that she had written about her personal story,” Lemoine explained. “It felt empowering and vulnerable at the same time. I said yes instantly when she asked me to direct it. It was the perfect opportunity to portray her in a way that we have not seen before, raw and intimate.

“The video is about the poison and the fuel that personal trauma is in art. How our experience forces us to create and how sometimes it is only inhibition and violence.”

Speaking upon the release of ‘Killer’ last month, twigs said: “It’s dangerous to be a woman in love. When at its worst, the effects of heartbreak can define one’s trajectory much more than the beauty of the love itself, in my song ‘Killer’, I explore this concept.

“The navigation, the hunt and the kill. The death of promises, dreams and the future that was once promised. But like the wildest plucked roses, I find myself more beautiful delicately wilted, in shadow, forced solace, darkened at the edges and achingly thirsting to be tended to again.”

The new single follows a banner year for the singer, who in January dropped her ‘Caprisongs’ mixtape.

The 17-track project included singles ‘Meta Angel’, ‘Oh My Love’, ‘Honda’, ‘Which Way’ and ‘Thank You Song’, as well as collabs with The Weeknd (‘Tears In The Club’), Rema (‘Jealousy’), Shygirl (‘Papi Bones’) and more.

Back in March, twigs was honoured with the title of Godlike Genius at the 2022 BandLab NME Awards. Following a stellar performance, she said in her speech: “I don’t know a godlike genius but it’s a godlike strength to carry on throughout difficult times, the personal experiences, through world experience.

“The hardest thing to do is to keep going and I feel so grateful to know people like [Soul II Soul legend Jazzie B, who presented the award] who I know stayed up all night making music and people like Boy George who do the exact same, staying up all night making art and music. That’s what I’m doing and I’m just so grateful that there’s a space for me here.”

Barnett also revealed that she recently found out that she and Jorja Smith are cousins.

Benny Blanco teams up with BTS and Snoop Dogg for ‘Bad Decisions’

Benny Blanco has teamed up with BTS and Snoop Dogg for a new song called ‘Bad Decisions’.

The musician and producer has teased the track, due for release next month, as the first single from his forthcoming third LP which will be released later this year.

Read more: Pop powerhouse Benny Blanco: “Do I consider myself a ‘hitmaker’? I think I’m a loser!”

“I’m still pinching myself,” Blanco said of the forthcoming collaboration. “I can’t believe I have a song coming out with Jin, Jimin, V and Jung Kook of BTS and Snoop Dogg. It doesn’t even feel real!”

The release is part of a collaboration with Xbox on new initiatives celebrating the release with fans of Blanco, BTS and Snoop Dogg around the world.

Earlier this year, Blanco released a medley of three fan favourite BTS songs in collaboration with the band.

The medley featured remixed version of the singles ‘Fake Love’, ‘Life Goes On’ and ‘Blood Sweat & Tears’, all done by Blanco. Meanwhile, the accompanying visualiser included snippets from the individual songs’ respective music videos or footage from the group’s live performances.

Blanco was also in the studio with Max Martin and Lizzo earlier this year, working on Lizzo’s recently released album ‘Special’.

In a four-star review of the album, NME wrote: “The album manages to expand on Lizzo’s core values – self-empowerment, sisterly solidarity and body positivity – in ways that feel fresh rather than a retread.”

‘Bad Decisions’ is set to be released on August 5, while the release date for Blanco’s new album has not yet been set.

Genesis Owusu returns with bold new single ‘GTFO’

Genesis Owusu has returned, entering a post-‘Smiling With No Teeth’ era with new single ‘GTFO’.

READ MORE: Genesis Owusu – ‘Smiling With No Teeth’ review: a transcendent conceptual opus

The Ghanaian-Australian artist’s first song for the year was co-written with frequent collaborators Michael DiFrancesco (Touch Sensitive) and Andrew Klippel along with Jono Ma. Klippel and Ma produced the track alongside Dann Hume.

It’s a slow-burner that sees Owusu delivering introspective verses above a woozy, choral backdrop, before warbled synths and a marching drum-like beat foreground the deceptively triumphant refrain: “Get the fuck out.”

‘GTFO’ arrives alongside a video directed by Rhett Wade-Ferrell (aka Uncle Friendly) that opens with Owusu kneeling in prayer before, increasingly frenzied, hunting down a cockroach in his house, causing destruction to his surrounds throughout. Watch that below:

“There are many people like Roach. Strugglers, doing whatever they can to get through hell and high water,” Owusu said of the new song in a statement.

“Bankruptcy, depression, sickness; God himself can try to stand in the way, but a struggler has to keep struggling. And a Roach has to keep Roaching. Even when it’s told to GTFO.” He concluded: “SWNT SZN OVER, NOW GTFO.”

‘Smiling With No Teeth’ arrived in March of last year. In a four-star review, NME (who also declared it one of 2021’s best debut albums) called Owusu’s debut LP “a riveting album that underscores the power of self-knowledge, perspective and art – one that should be cranked loud.”

‘Smiling With No Teeth’ went on to win four ARIA Awards (including Album of the Year), and received Best Album By An Australian Artist in the 2022 BandLab NME Awards.

Jessie Ware returns with new single ‘Free Yourself’, announces Harry Styles supporting run in Chicago

Jessie Ware has released her first single of 2022, the dance floor anthem ‘Free Yourself’.

READ MORE: Jessie Ware – ‘What’s Your Pleasure?’ review: future-facing production and heady ‘80s sounds

Billed as a teaser for her upcoming fifth studio album, Ware’s ‘Free Yourself’ was co-written with Coffee Clarence JR and British producer Stuart Price and comes with a message of self-empowerment. “’Free Yourself’ is the beginning of a new era for me,” Ware explains in a press release.

“I’m so excited for people to have this song for the end of their summer; to dance, to feel no inhibitions and to feel joyful because that’s how I’ve been feeling recently being able to tour again and being able to sing again. Enjoy yourself, Free Yourself!”

Listen to Jessie Ware’s ‘Free Yourself’ below.

‘Free Yourself’ is the first new solo material released by Ware since her 2021 reissue of ‘What’s Your Pleasure?’, which included seven new tracks alongside a remix of ‘Adore You’ by Chinese artists Bibi Zhou and Sihan. Later that year, she joined Kylie Minogue on the duet, ‘Kiss Of Life’, which was included in ‘DISCO: Guest List Edition’, a deluxe version of Minogue’s 15th studio album, 2020’s ‘Disco’.

‘What’s Your Pleasure?’ received a four-out-of-five star review from NME with Hannah Mylrea praising Ware’s rediscovery of her disco, funk and groove roots in “a collection of exhilarating floor-fillers that fuse future-facing production with heady ‘80s sounds.”

Ware has also announced that she will be joining Harry Styles on a five-date stint at Chicago’s United Center as part of Styles’ ‘Love On’ tour. Ware just completed her own UK tour having previously moved it from April 2021 to December due to ongoing concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. It was then rescheduled again in February, finally kicking off on May 26 in Bristol.

Minogue joined Ware at the May 28 show at the O2 Academy Brixton, where the duo performed ‘Kiss Of Life’ together.

Jessie Ware’s ‘Love On’ North America tour dates are:

October 6 – United Center, Chicago
October 8 – United Center, Chicago
October 9 – United Center, Chicago
October 13 – United Center, Chicago
October 14 – United Center, Chicago

Post Malone is streaming ‘Apex Legends’ for charity

Post Malone is teaming up with fellow musician Ski Mask the Slump God and popular Twitch streamer Aceu to raise money for charity by streaming Apex Legends.

READ MORE: Porter Robinson releases ‘League Of Legends’ anthem ‘Everything Goes On’: “I had to put some vulnerability on the line”

Post Malone, also known by his birth name Austin Richard Post, has partnered with developer Respawn to offer a series of streams referred to as Gaming for Love, which will consist of four streams taking place this week on Twitch. Respawn will add $10,000 to his total for each charity as well.

The stream began on June 18 for Post Malone, and the three aimed to raise £16,700 ($20,000) for Human Rights Watch, a global charity which focuses on investigating abuse across the world, specifically that which is directed at “vulnerable minorities and civilians in wartime,” as well as “refugees and children in need.”

Apex Legends. Credit: Respawn Entertainment.

The next three streams will focus on Project Hope, who work on the front lines of the world’s health challenges, United Way, who aim to “improve lives by mobilising the caring power of communities around the world”, and The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organisation for LGBTQ people.

Closing off the stream after eight hours, Post Malone thanked the 11,000 viewers for managing to exceed their original goal by hitting a massive £17,358.83 ($20,761), and promised that the donation box would remain open for six months. The trio will be streaming again on July 20, although Post didn’t stipulate a time.

Becoming emotional at the outpouring of generosity from fans and the Twitch community he said: “No one can stop you from being yourself, so spread love, be yourself and have a great fucking night man. I love you guys,” before concluding, “Every cent goes to these beautiful organisations, and I’ll shut up now, I talk a lot.”

You can follow Post Malone on Twitch to be notified when the next stream goes live on July 20.

In other news, Bungie is filing a lawsuit against a Twitch streamer who allegedly got caught cheating in-game repeatedly, selling Destiny 2 assets, and threatening Bungie’s employees and headquarters.

Rock Sensation Allan Franzner Doesn’t Hold Anything Back In Debut Album Who Pays The Price?

Experimental artist Allan Franzner shows his worth in brilliant fashion by releasing one of the most hard-rock albums called Who Pays The Price? in a time when it’s most needed. The Canadian artist can be heard complaining about some of the biggest issues, including calling on the big corporations, greedy billionaires and governments to act on climate change and social issues before it’s too late.

The political musician is a well-trained vocalist and guitarist who draws inspiration from the reality that surrounds him, sharing his views through his infectious music. The opinionated artist tackles issues like imperialism, greed, capitalism and how liberal ideologies are part of the solutions to save ourselves and the planet we live in.

Who Pays The Price? is full of powerful tracks with different flavors. The last song of the album “Sometime The Crook Is but a Memory” was rereleased by the Canadian rockstar to remind his listeners the kind of aftermath we are doomed to experience if we don’t act now.

You can follow Allan Franzner: Instagram – Spotify – Website

You Me At Six announce new single, ‘Deep Cuts’

You Me At Six have unveiled details of a new single, ‘Deep Cuts’.

READ MORE: Soundtrack Of My Life: You Me At Six’s Josh Franceschi

The band announced the new song on social media today (July 18) and revealed that the track would arrive this week, on Thursday (July 21). It will be their first new music since the release of their record ‘Suckapunch’ at the beginning of 2021.

They also shared a short teaser clip with fans of what to expect – you can check that out here:

DEEP CUTS ? OUT THURSDAY
PRE-SAVE NOW #TruthDecayhttps://t.co/KzYwrKrSjT pic.twitter.com/JtDe9khUTb

— You Me At Six (@youmeatsix) July 18, 2022

https://t.co/pJ6wysW67G pic.twitter.com/de3H8Q4hax

— You Me At Six (@youmeatsix) July 13, 2022

Late last year, You Me At Six shared a video of them performing ‘Bite My Tongue’ live in London with Bring Me The Horizon‘s Oli Sykes.

The Surrey band hit the road with BMTH back in September alongside Nova Twins, performing gigs in Glasgow, Cardiff, Sheffield, Hull, Birmingham and London.

“We have all been caged up like animals for the past two years. But live music is back and it’s back in style,” YMAS frontman Josh Franceschi told the London crowd at the time.

“This next song goes out to anybody in the audience who feels misunderstood, who feels misrepresented, or quite simply is sick and fucking tired of people in power making very bad decisions for us.”

‘Bite My Tongue’ featured on You Me At Six’s third album ‘Sinners Never Sleep’, which was released on October 11, 2011. To celebrate the album’s 10th anniversary, the band released the LP on vinyl for the first time in May.

The Beach Boys’ Al Jardine My Life In Music

Read more in issue 303 of Uncut – available now for home delivery from our online store.

THE KINGSTON TRIO
STRING ALONG
CAPITOL, 1960

I had already heard The Kingston Trio’s version of “The John B Sails” – the original title of “Sloop John B” – when String Along came out in 1960. It was their fifth album and the last one with original member Dave Guard. I just loved every song on it. At the time, nothing beat their folk sound and perfect harmonies. It’s still one of my all-time favourites and really takes me back to my early days when I was in my own folk trio called The Islanders. I liked their striped shirts too, ha-ha!

ORDER NOW: The Beatles are on the cover of the latest issue of Uncut

GEORGE GERSHWIN
“RHAPSPDY IN BLUE”
VICTOR MACHINE TALKING CO, 1924

This is probably my all-time favourite song, and it’s so amazing that a song that’s almost 100 years old is still so powerful – it literally knocks me out every time I hear it. I also enjoyed Brian’s Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin album that features all of our current Brian Wilson band members: Darian Sahanaja, Probyn Gregory, Paul Von Mertens, Mike D’Amico and Gary Griffin, plus the late Nicky Wonder – RIP – and also Jeffrey Foskett. If there’s a George Gershwin Music Hall Of Fame, Brian should be in it!

FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEENAGERS
WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE
GEE, 1956

I think Frankie Lymon was only 12 when he joined [the band that would become] The Teenagers and [not much older when] they released their big hit “Why Do Fools Fall In Love”. I loved that doo-wop sound in the late-’50s, but this song in particular really hit me with its catchy melody and expressive vocals. The Beach Boys recorded it in early 1964 and then we released it as the B-side to “Fun, Fun, Fun”. We still love playing it live – it just takes me back to a really innocent time in the early days of rock’n’roll and I still have the 45 in my own personal jukebox.

LEAD BELLY
COTTON FIELDS (THE COTTON SONG)
FOLKWAYS, 1953

Huddie Ledbetter (aka Lead Belly) first recorded “The Cotton Song” in 1940 and I first heard it in the mid-’50s. I loved Lead Belly’s vocals and of course his 12-string guitar sound but it was really his heartfelt emotional lyrics written during the Great Depression that affected me. I was determined to record a new version for The Beach Boys at a time when we were going off in quite a few different musical directions. We released “Cotton Fields” on our 20/20 album and it ended up being our last single released in mono and on Capitol at the time.

Billy Corgan announces virtual benefit concert for Highland Park shooting victims

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has announced ‘Together And Together Again’, a virtual concert to support victims of the recent mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois.

READ MORE: 50 geeky facts about The Smashing Pumpkins

The show is scheduled to take place at 8pm CST on Wednesday July 27, and will be livestreamed for free via the Pumpkins’ YouTube channel (save the link here). It’ll be hosted in person at Madame Zuzu’s, the Highland Park-based tea house and performance space that Corgan runs alongside his partner, Chloé Mendel.

Viewers will be able to make donations through the stream itself, while merchandise – including tees and a poster sporting artwork by the legendary Gary Baseman – is available via the event’s bespoke webstore. 100 per cent of the proceeds earned from both will be donated to the Highland Park Community Foundation.

In a video announcing ‘Together And Together Again’, Corgan noted that he’s lived in Highland Park for “about 20 years”. He launched Madame Zuzu’s there in 2011, and as Rolling Stone pointed out, the venue is so close to where the shooting happened that it was closed for a week to accomodate the FBI’s investigation.

Have a look at the gig’s announcement video below:

TOGETHER and TOGETHER AGAIN, July 27 at 8 CST, a benefit for the Highland Park Community Foundation directed to its July 4th Victims Response Fund. Join us for a special virtual concert on Youtube https://t.co/QUSgpeRmxj pic.twitter.com/jz0inbEvTk

— William Patrick Corgan (@Billy) July 15, 2022

In addition to a performance from Corgan, ‘Together And Together Again’ will feature appearances from Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, jazz saxophonist Frank Catalano, and a litany of other, as-yet-unannounced special guests – including, as it was noted in the aforementioned video, “other parts of the Pumpkins family”.

“There are so many people here affected by this tragedy,” Corgan and Mendel said in the video. “It’s very close to our hearts, and we hope you’ll participate and support as well.”

The mass shooting in Highland Park happened on Monday July 4, when, during an Independence Day parade in the city six people were shot dead by a rooftop gunman. According to officials, the attacker targeted attendees of the parade at random, and was armed with a high-powered rifle. In addition to the six fatalities, it’s said that 24 people were taken to hospital.

Police later identified a 22-year-old man named Robert “Bobby” E Crimo III – who has a small cult following as a musician under the alias Awake The Rapper – as a “person of interest”. In one song that he released last year, Crimo fantasises about engaging in a mass shooting and being killed by police.

Corgan is among a handful of musicians vouching their support for the shooting’s victims; last week, Fall Out Boy responded to the attack by pledging a donation of $100,000 (£83,000) to Everytown, a non-profit organisation that advocates for gun control and protests against gun violence.

Meanwhile, the Pumpkins are currently gearing up to embark on their North American ‘Spirits On Fire’ tour. Supported by Jane’s Addiction, Poppy and Meg Myers, the run will span 32 shows across October and November. It comes ahead of the band’s as-yet-untitled 12th album, which guitarist Jeff Schroeder had been completed in April.

Matt Skiba doesn’t know if he’s still a member of Blink-182

Matt Skiba has revealed he doesn’t know if he’s still a part of Blink-182.

READ MORE: Blink-182 – ‘Nine’ review: the spiritual follow-up to the classic ‘Untitled’

The Alkaline Trio vocalist joined the band in 2015 as a replacement for guitarist Tom DeLonge who left to “to change the world for my kids”.

The trio of Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker and Skiba then recorded two albums together – 2016’s ‘California’ and 2019’s ‘Nine’ – and toured extensively.

However, one fan asked if Skiba was still a member of the pop-punk legends since there’s “no Blink content” on his Instagram and “the Blink guys don’t post pictures with Matt”.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” replied Skiba. “Regardless, I am very proud of and thankful for my time with Blink 182. We shall see…”

Matt Skiba, Blink 182 — Mat Skiba responds to a fan on Instagram about his status in Blink-182. CREDIT: Instagram

Speaking to NME about joining Blink-182, Skiba said: “The overwhelming amount of support and graciousness the fans have shown me overpowers any hate or shit-talking. It feels like our band – Mark, Travis, me and the fans. It’s not the same band without Tom but it has the same name, and I think there’s a good reason for that.”

Late last year, Hoppus said he was open to the idea of Tom DeLonge returning to the band.

“We haven’t really talked about that, but I’m open to anything in the future,” Hoppus told GQ. “I don’t know how that would work if it’s all four of us. Like, we’re all going to live in the same house again?”

It comes after the pair made up following Hoppus’ cancer diagnosis.

“The way the universe works is strange because I reached out to Mark because I needed him to sign this piece of paper that had to do with my divorce,” DeLonge said at the time. “Only because of that call did I learn he had cancer.”

DeLonge went on to say that before, him and Hoppus “weren’t really talking much at all, maybe once every couple of months, a little text here and there. But now, we talk multiple times a day. So it’s like we’ve been able to completely repair that friendship and really cut to the depth of who we are as people and what this is all about.”

DeLonge previously told NME that him and Barker have spoken about playing live together again as Box Car Racer and back in 2019, the guitarist said he had plans to reunite with the band in the future, promising fans “I will play with Blink again.”

“That’s the whole plan,” DeLonge continued. “I talk to Travis all the time and I talked to Mark just the other day. We’re always discussing what makes sense and when.”

Lorde opens up about desire to play with gender and beauty conventions

Lorde has spoken about her desire to start playing with the conventions of gender, beauty and form in a new letter to fans.

READ MORE: Lorde: “I feel like I can see my world and myself a lot clearer now”

Writing to fans via her mailing list, Lorde started by saying she was currently “growing out my unibrow as an entry point for playing with conventions of beauty/gender/form.”

She went on to say she was inspired by seeing an exhibition by painter Walter Sickert “which (was) just his paintings of nude women.”

“The shock my brain got seeing these not particularly idealised versions of the female form shocked ME. I realised my brain is getting programmed to want what the algorithms want when it comes to female physical form, just by sheer exposure to these systems and the current beauty standards,” she wrote.

She went on to explain that “the algorithm doesn’t want to see certain things, and therefore I’ve stopped looking for them, if that makes sense. It sounds soooo obvious, but I realised, like, fuck if I’m not careful I’m just gonna end up striving for conventional (albeit alternative/chic) hotness until I die. And wouldn’t that be…. kind of a waste??? To have this incredible canvas or raw tool that can be manipulated to such great effect, and to only use it to try to… titillate and appeal?“

She added: “In the same way I eat bitter greens or dank fermented foods, (I’m) going to make an effort to incorporate different flavours when it comes to form. Incorporate the grotesque, the masc, the statuesque, the jacked, the magnificent. Call it “refusing to believe that’s all there is to a fire”,” she finished, linking fans to Peggy Lee’s 1969 song ‘Is That All There Is’.

Last month, Lorde reflected on the reaction to her third album ‘Solar Power’, which received a mixed-response from critics.

And speaking at a London show, the musician reflected on her return to writing “nothing but big pop songs”. “It’s so interesting to me how writing a big, bright pop song has been the thing that’s defined my life,” she said.

“We’ve had a really difficult, painful, lonely few years and artists take that, and they process it and they make something that’s maybe quieter, or more private. But the banger will always be on the horizon.”

Roger Waters hits out at The Weeknd and Drake: “I am far, far, far more important than any of them will ever be”

Pink Floyd‘s Roger Waters has hit out at The Weeknd and Drake, saying that he is “far, far, far more important than any of them will ever be”.

In a recent interview with Toronto’s The Globe and Mail, Waters asked the interviewer why his recent shows in the Canadian city weren’t reviewed by the publication or any others in the area.

He was then told that The Weeknd was set to open his ‘After Hours ‘Til Dawn’ tour in Toronto on the same night (the show ended up being cancelled due to power outages in the region).

Waters then responded: “I have no idea what or who the Weeknd is, because I don’t listen to much music. People have told me he’s a big act. Well, good luck to him. I’ve got nothing against him. Would it not have been possible to review his show one night and my show another night?”

He went on: “I’m not trying to make a personal attack. I’m just saying it seemed odd. And, by the way, with all due respect to the Weeknd or Drake or any of them, I am far, far, far more important than any of them will ever be, however many billions of streams they’ve got. There is stuff going on here that is fundamentally important to all of our lives.”

After The Weeknd postponed his Toronto show, the star – real name Abel Tesfaye – flew out a six-year-old superfan to his Philadelphia tour opener this week (July 14).

After the hometown show and planned tour curtain raiser was postponed due to a nationwide power outage of Canada’s main telecommunications company, Rogers, footage went viral on Twitter of a young fan dressed as The Weeknd from the ‘Blinding Lights’ video crying and being consoled outside the venue.

The Weeknd then made a callout online for someone to identify the child in question, who was then revealed to be six-year-old Phoenix Prince.

In an interview with CBC, Prince’s father Blake said: “Phoenix was getting attention with his suit. We had a breakdown moment. He got upset over the fact the show was postponed, and somebody captured a picture.”

After the Toronto cancellation, The Weeknd’s tour then began in Philadelphia on Thursday night (July 14), and the pop star flew Phoenix and his father out as special guests to the show, posing backstage and getting his ‘Blinding Lights’ suit signed.

Sharing photos on Instagram, Blake wrote: “I wouldn’t be able to put this last week into words if I tried. We are forever grateful for this moment. We are beyond thankful to Abel and his beautiful crew for their friendship, hospitality, generosity and for spending day with Phoenix and I. He will cherish this experience forever. Thank you a million times over.”

‘After Hours Til Dawn’ will take The Weeknd next to New York, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and more. New support acts for his upcoming North American stadium concerts were recently announced after Doja Cat was forced to pull out.

Jello Biafra says new Dead Kennedys reissue was done “intentionally” behind his back

Original Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra has said a forthcoming reissue of the band’s 1980 debut album ‘Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables’ was done “intentionally” behind his back.

The band announced the reissue earlier this month, which has been mixed by Grammy-winning studio engineer Chris Lord-Alge. It’s slated for release on September 30 via Manifesto Records.

READ MORE: 66 killer songs for your Halloween playlist

Though the reissue was approved by the band’s current lineup, Biafra, who hasn’t been part of the outfit since their 1986 disbandment, made his disapproval of the project clear.

“People are asking, so I guess I have to say something,” he wrote on Alternative Tentacles, the website for his independent record label. “LISTEN BEFORE YOU BUY!!”

Read his lengthy statement below in full:

“This was done almost totally behind my back. Intentionally. It was not “overseen by the band”, as their press release claims. I was deliberately locked out. Not one person from the band or the labels reached out to me at all. Nor did Chris Lord-Alge, who did the remix. I guess he didn’t care, or value anything I brought to the band at all. Without me those songs wouldn’t exist.

In fact, it took several letters from a lawyer for their “manager”, Kevin Raleigh, to cough up much detail of what they were up to. So is it really, “adding depth without losing any of its original energy”?? Not to my ears!!

Sure, some people may like this version a little better, depending on taste. But, “incredible new clarity”? “Taking the music from 2D to 3D?” I don’t think so! What does that even mean, anyway? I hate to say this, but to me it’s….well….kinda boring.

Sure, the sound is a little fuller, a little warmer, with a little more bottom end. But the top-end presence and power, so crucial to full-on in your face Punk, sounds rolled off and smoothed over, even muffly. And East Bay Ray, whose ego knows no bounds, actually turned his guitars DOWN! They’re lower and a little muddier than the real thing. It just sounds weak to me, I’m sorry.”

And why was Chris Lord-Alge chosen in the first place?? Sure, he’s bigtime Hollywood, as big as it gets. But there’s so many others with a better more heartfelt grasp of what Dead Kennedys really is, who I think could have done a better job.”

Al Jourgensen and Geza X both told me they’d love to do it. Who did Turbo Negro’s “Apocalypse Dudes”? That would have been amazing. Matt Bayles? Andy Wallace, anyone?
Hell, I could have hooked up with one of my ace engineering partners, Matt Kelley, Kurt Schlegel, Toshi Kasai or Geza, and done a better job myself — for a fraction of the cost. They spent at least three times more money on Lord-Alge than it cost to make the original album!!

Did that make it three times better than the original? Again – Listen before you buy.
Yes, Lord-Alge has mixed or remixed Springsteen, Madonna, Celine Dion, the Stones, Linkin Park, Donny Osmond, The Jonas Brothers, even Rascal Flatts. A closet full of Grammy awards, and patents on some serious studio gear. Major label Pop Punk too – a Bad Religion, some Green Day, Good Charlotte, SUM 41; and our favorite OG pioneer, Avril Lavigne.

But Dead Kennedys?? Why??!? Because Raleigh and the Lord-Alge brothers go way back to Cleveland?? I admit I’d had thoughts about remixing “Fresh Fruit..” too, way back when. Catch it up to “FrankenChrist” and “Plastic Surgery Disasters”. Then Tim (Lint) from Operation Ivy asked me what I thought of their now-classic album he gave me, hot off the presses. I said I thought it came out a little tinny, “It sounds like ‘Fresh Fruit..’” He looked me right in the eye, and said, “We like ‘Fresh Fruit.’”

Thank you, Tim Armstrong!! Lesson learned. Don’t mess with the magic. Especially when it means that much to people. Hell, if you really want a true RE-mix album, don’t do a faithful, near-carbon copy of the original. Go all the way!! Get Jourgensen, or get Charlie Clouser, or anyone from the Rob/White Zombie remix albums. Or better yet, get a top, interested Hip-Hop person, or even Electronic people, and really go to town! That’s the true art of the remix to me – slice, dice, add your own beats and make it into something fresh and different.

In October, 2019, Matti Ingham from Cherry Red, along with East Bay Ray’s Facebook page, posted a remixed “Chemical Warfare”, along with a press release bragging that I thought it was “terrible”; as though that was some kind of clever genius “promotion”. https://www.punknews.org/article/73449/dead-kennedys-remix-chemical-warfare-will-re-release-remixed-debut-in-2021

Shit-talk the heart and soul of the band, that’ll spark more interest and sales for sure!
If someone at Alternative Tentacles did something that petty and unprofessional, I would fire them on the spot. Then a year ago, out of the blue, Cherry Red sent me a test pressing. No letter, no followup. I listened. No, I don’t think it’s “terrible.“ But I’m not sure I’d fork over 30 bills for it either. It’s not, “Like hearing your favorite album for the first time all over again”, or anything like that.

The cool part for me is that I then went through every damn re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-Re-issue of “Fresh Fruit..” (Cherry Red again). And Boy, some of them sound WAY better than I remembered!! So full-on, sopowerful. I’m even more proud if it now than I think I’ve been in years. It really was like, “hearing it again for the very first time”. It sounds like it was made yesterday. Thanx in no small part to the great Oliver DiCicco (yes, the sculptor) our engineer at Mobius Music who made it all happen – and he’d never made a Punk record before. Good job, my friend!

Ray is now claiming he produced the whole thing himself, when is was actually the three of us, credited to Oliver’s wonderful and inspirational cat, Norm. He’s also claiming he originally designed the DK logo! Yeh, and Trump won the election..
So if you really want to hear “Fresh Fruit” at its best, chances are you already have. For me, the best sounding “Fresh Fruit”s are:

1) The UK remaster we made Cherry Red do when we arrived in London in 1980. From the purple-dot back cover onward, look for “A Porky Prime Cut” scratched in the grooves. That’s George Peckham, maybe the best mastering engineer I’ve ever heard.

2) The remaster George Horn and I did at Fantasy in Berkeley, when AT finally got the US license back from Cherry Red. It really holds up well. I’d thought Porky blew him away. Nope..

3) The short lived Japanese LP on Trio, way back in the early 80’s.

I’m not sure Lord-Alge and Ray’s remix even cracks my Top 10. Maybe… The Wikipedia bio describes the Lord-Alges as, “known for molding mixes for small speakers and FM radio”. If that’s your bag, this is the “Fresh Fruit..” for you. But is it, “A revolutionary must hear experience”? You decide. Just LISTEN BEFORE YOU BUY. Please.”

Biafra and his former Dead Kennedys bandmates have a troubled history, including a number of lawsuits over royalties, music licensing and ownership. Last year, Biafra called out the band for sharing their support for Republicans Mitt Romney and Lindsey Graham, writing: “How dumb and clueless can you get??”

In 2017, they turned down an opportunity to reunite for Riot Fest, with East Bay Ray writing on social media: “Dead Kennedys had a sincere invitation to play a reunion show at Riot Fest in Chicago this fall. Jello Biafra turned it down. Klaus Flouride, DH Peligro and I were looking forward to doing it.”

The Weeknd flies six-year-old fan to Philadelphia gig after Toronto cancellation

The Weeknd flew out a six-year-old superfan to his Philadelphia tour opener this weekend after his Toronto gig was cancelled.

Last week (July 8), Abel Tesfaye was due to begin his ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ tour in his Canadian hometown, but had to cancel the gig at the last minute due to a nationwide power outage of Canada’s main telecommunications company, Rogers.

After the cancellation was made public, footage went viral on Twitter of a young fan dressed as The Weeknd from the ‘Blinding Lights’ video crying and being consoled outside the venue.

The Weeknd then made a callout online for someone to identify the child in question, who was then revealed to be six-year-old Phoenix Prince.

Revealing that he still hoped to see The Weeknd live one day, Phoenix added: “I would say that you’re the best artist and that I love your songs and you’re so good and I was really looking forward to [the concert].”

can someone please find him for me? https://t.co/vWFFnZj6Rv

— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) July 9, 2022

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Blake Louis Prince (@blakelouisprince)

The Weeknd recently announced new support acts for his upcoming North American stadium concerts after Doja Cat was forced to pull out.

Back in May, Doja Cat announced that she was to cancel all her 2022 live dates, including festival shows and the tour with The Weeknd, to recover from tonsil surgery.

The tour will now see support on select dates from Snoh Aalegra, Kaytranada and Mike Dean.

‘After Hours Til Dawn’ will take The Weeknd next to New York, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and more.

See the full list of dates below.

JULY 2022
Thursday 16 – New York, Metlife Stadium
Tuesday 21 – Boston, Gillette Stadium
Friday 24 – Chicago, Soldier Field
Monday 27 – Detroit, Ford Field
Thursday 30 – Washington, FedExField Thursday

AUGUST 2022
Thursday 4 – Tampa, Raymond James Stadium
Saturday 6 – Miami, Hard Rock Stadium
Thursday 11 – Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Sunday 14 – Arlington, AT&T Stadium
Thursday 18 – Denver, Empower Field at Mile High
Saturday 20 – Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium
Tuesday 23 – Vancouver, BC Place
Thursday 25 – Seattle, Lumen Field
Saturday 27 – San Francisco, Levi’s Stadium
Tuesday 30 – Phoenix, State Farm Stadium

SEPTEMBER 2022
Friday 2 – Los Angeles, SoFi Stadium

STONE sign to Polydor and share wild new song ‘Waste’

Liverpool’s STONE have announced they’ve signed to Polydor and shared a wild new song and video called ‘Waste’ – check that out below.

The track and signing news arrive on the day the band support Sam Fender at his huge Finsbury Park gig in London.

READ MORE: STONE: bruising post-punk full of Scouse spirit and soul

Speaking about the new song, vocalist Fin Power said: “‘Waste’ was written about being sick of people judging you without knowing anything about you. Opening lyric ‘you probably hate me’ refers to the fact that I started to find it easier to assume people disliked me from the outset, instead of being caught off-guard by negative energy.

“The chorus is about how the need to be liked or loved can become an almost obsession that is dangerous to my mental health. The song’s middle 8 section is inspired by a time where I felt so distorted in my own brain it was like I was in a video game – sat in the passenger seat of my own emotions.”

Power added: “We produced the song with Al Groves (Bring Me The Horizon) and recorded the vocals in one take each time, running straight through the verses and choruses so that the anger and breathlessness was real and raw. We didn’t drown it in effects and the guitars were slightly under-tuned so that when I was raging my guitar, it would bend more into tuning (Al had a genius moment here).”

Watch STONE’s video for ‘Waste’ below.

Speaking to NME last year for a Radar feature, the band discussed the importance of regional music scenes, and how touring with Yungblud inspired them to be themselves.

“You don’t get British superstars like him these days,” Power told NME. “When I first saw Yungblud, I was like, ‘Woah, this is a bit overwhelming!’. But when you see him live, you just get it – the kid is a rock star, and there’s not many of them left.”

Of their live show, the frontman added: “I just need to get in front of those crowds – it’s all about the live performance for us. Put me in a room with anyone and I will convert them all to fall in love with the band.”

Palaye Royale announce new album and share title track ‘Fever Dream’

Palaye Royale have announced the release of their fourth studio album ‘Fever Dream’ – listen to the title track below.

The Las Vegas rock band return after their 2020 album ‘The Bastards’. In 2021, they released three singles ‘No Love In LA’, ‘Punching Bag’ and ‘Paranoid’ – all of which appear on the tracklisting for ‘Fever Dream’. Their latest single ‘Broken’ came out earlier this year.

The album is out on October 28 via Sumerian Records and was made in collaboration with producer Chris Greatti, who has worked with the likes of Yungblud and Willow.

Title track ‘Fever Dream’ has a quiet piano opener which soon transforms into the band’s trademark mix of glam rock and art punk. The accompanying video, directed by Italian filmmaker Gianluigi Carella, was filmed in part at LA Circus and depicts frontman Remington Leith’s own journey in a fever dream.

Speaking of the new album, the band said: “Making this record felt like getting back to when we first fell in love with music. This record is very much about self-belief and self-empowerment, and overcoming all the obstacles that life throws at you. It’s the first time we’ve really taken a hopeful approach in our music.”

The band’s fourth full-length album was created after a break, after they sacked their bassist Daniel Curcio following allegations of inappropriate conduct towards underage fans.

Curcio had contributed to the band’s last studio album ‘The Bastards’. In a statement, Remington Leith, Sebastian Danzig and Emerson Barrett said: “Palaye Royale have always been three members. We are extremely disappointed in the actions of one of our touring musicians.

“His decisions are not in a way a reflection on us, we have worked our whole lives to achieve where we are today. Under no circumstances will we allow misconduct to anyone especially our fans; safety is our number one priority.”

The band are due to play a few festivals in Europe this summer before they head on their North American from September. Find any remaining tickets here.

‘Fever Dream’ Tracklist

‘Eternal Life’
‘No Love in LA’
‘Punching Bag’
‘Broken’
‘Fever Dream’
‘Line It Up’
‘Toxic In You’
‘Wasted Sorrow’
‘Paranoid’
‘Oblivion’
‘Lifeless Stars’
‘King of the Damned’
‘Off With The Head’

Lizzo says a tweet from Cardi B inspired her to write ‘I Love You Bitch’

Lizzo has revealed that Cardi B inspired her to write the track ‘I Love You Bitch’, from her new album ‘Special’.

READ MORE: The Big Read – Lizzo: “If I feel worthy, then everyone gonna want to eat my pussy”

Her fourth LP, which is released today (July 15), does not include the pair’s 2021 collaboration ‘Rumors’.

But that didn’t stop the pair collaborating in other ways, as Lizzo explained how the track, which you can listen to below, came about.

“‘I Love You Bitch’ came from a tweet, and it’s not the same as ‘Truth Hurts,’ so don’t come at me for royalties, Twitter,” she told The Zane Lowe Show on Apple Music.

“Shortly after ‘Rumors’ with Cardi B dropped, Cardi tweeted that she wanted to hear a love song from me next. And I was like, ‘OK, if Lizzo did a love song, what would it be? ‘I love you, bitch?’.”

Lizzo continued: “It was one of those rare times where I had the title before the song. I got in the studio with Omer Fedi and Blake Slatkin and told them about my idea. Omer started playing the guitar, and I started freestyling to it.

“I’m from Houston, and there’s this Houston rapper named Z-Ro who has a song called ‘I Hate U Bitch.’ Suddenly I was like, ‘Hold up, what if I sang the ‘I Hate U Bitch’ melody but said I love you, bitch instead?’ It just came out, and it might be the greatest thing we’ve ever done.”

She also said she wanted the track to be a “universal love song” and “one you could sing to the person you’re fucking and your best friend, to your family or to someone you just met at a bar.”

During the same interview, Chris Martin also surprised Lizzo and she described the influence of his band’s breakthrough hit ‘Yellow‘ on her forthcoming song ‘Coldplay’.

Reviewing the new album, NME awarded the record four stars and said the “joyful superstar uplifts with self-assured, self-empowering bops”.

Bop Shop: Songs From Doechii, Sunmi, The Beths, 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.

Broadside: “One Last Time”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgsOUvviUh8

I first fell in love with Broadside’s music last year and have since devoured their entire rock-solid, emotionally cathartic discography as I patiently waited for new music. This Tuesday, the Richmond-formed band delivered. “One Last Time” combines a catchy melody with introspective lyrics soaked in nostalgia as vocalist Oliver Baxxter longs to get back to a time when things felt better. “Can’t you see / All this irony / Wanting what we had, but we had what we wanted / Back when we wanted / Back, back when we wanted it.” It’s the perfect addition to your summer playlist and an important reminder to appreciate the current moment. —Farah Zermane
Doechii: “Bitch I’m Nice”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6I1cp5eWz8

Doechii’s at the height of her career and it’s only going up from here. Relishing in her rising stardom, she catwalks through concert venues with witty bars and an infectious beat. Her flourishing, lavish lifestyle is the result of her being one of the most lyrically-engaging rappers in the game right now. —Gwyn Cutler
Jay Park: “Need to Know”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aEYeEKg9zM

2022 has turned out to be Jay Park’s renaissance. Following the release of romantic singles “Ganadara” and “Thoughts of You,” the king of K-hip-hop shows fans a different side of himself with “Need to Know,” a breezy R&B track designed to soundtrack a torrid romance. Reuniting with frequent collaborator Cha Cha Malone, Park combines classic ’90s-style production elements with his effortlessly dynamic vocals to create a modern love song. The music video is like a rom-com filled with all your favorite tropes (think boomboxes and drive-in movies), and with a melody bound to get stuck in your head, “Need to Know” would be a perfect addition to all your summer playlists. —Sarina Bhutani
Sunmi: “Heart Burn”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJvX9L6FCWI

Feeling summer fever over someone? Sunmi can relate. Unlike most upbeat summer tracks, there is a sentimental and dreamy vibe with its percussion sounds and chimes, summoning the burning magma bubbling through the veins you might experience when starting to feel an attraction and connection with someone. “Oh, my, I’m getting breathless / When you look at me,” she sings hypnotically. “I am getting hot, oh, my! / Is it because of the heat?” It definitely is the heat of passion. —Athena Serrano
The Beths: “Expert in a Dying Field”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KACt6YhOyY

New Zealand indie-rock quartet The Beths have always had a knack for making love’s cruel sting feel a bit softer, thanks to their stunning four-part harmonies, incisive lyrics, and catchy choruses. Their latest offering, which also serves as the title track to their forthcoming album (out September 16), delivers on every level. Over an understated production, lead singer Elizabeth Stokes applies the scientific method to romance, consulting both memory and nature in attempts to make sense of the scars left by past relationships. Perhaps her most astute observation is her least conclusive, as the track builds into buzzing guitars and thrashing drums, and she notes, “Love is learned over time / ’Til you’re an expert in a dying field.” —Carson Mlnarik
Yuna: “Risk It All”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4DbPRiXqMQ

Yuna’s been bitten by the love bug and she’s itching to give into its glorious symptoms. Hesitant yet infatuated, Yuna’s ready to stake everything to cultivate a romance as soft and natural as a flower’s petals and a kitten’s fur. Her soothing cadence is bound to lull you into a tranquil stupor that’ll have you twirling around starry-eyed in the summer sunshine. “Let me tell you what I’ve been thinking about,” she sings. “Love is on my mind, yeah I’m freakin’ out.” —Gwyn Cutler
Chung Ha: “Sparkling”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDV5cM9YE4g

There’s a reason Chung Ha remains one of South Korea’s most successful soloists, and her newly released track “Sparkling” is proof. As the first single off her EP Bare and Rare, Pt. 1, “Sparkling” is a high-energy, hyperpop love song that’s perfect for summer. The track, which details the emotions of an exciting fling, layers ’80s-inspired synths with Chung Ha’s clear and powerful vocals for a bop that feels at once retro and contemporary. Accompanied by a pastel-explosion of a music video that takes place under the sea, Chung Ha truly sparkles in a myriad of bedazzled silhouettes, performing lively choreography designed to go viral. With each comeback, Chung Ha prepares an exciting experience for fans, keeping them consistently in anticipation for what’s to come next. If “Sparkling” represents all that is Part 1, then we are in for a treat with Part 2, due later this year. —Sarina Bhutani
Jessie Reyez: “Fraud”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4ubRFwM8PA

Jessie Reyez has experimented with all kinds of sonic makeup, but the throughline in all her work is an unflinching rawness. “Fraud,” her first single of 2022, is no exception. This angst-filled, anti-toxicity anthem is lyrically dig after dig, as she spits out lines like, “Bitch ass, you a fucking dog,” and “The lies don’t hurt as bad as the memories do.” Then she gets soft on the chorus: “Hands high if you love somebody that don’t love you back / Hands high if you know that they’re no good for you.” You can feel the pain in each line, as she simplifies an unhealthy relationship into a relatable and resonating bop. You find catharsis alongside her at the end when she admits, “My therapist was like, ‘This gotta be a rap.’” —Carson Mlnarik

Alexander 23’s Gentle Musings On The Aftershock Of Love

By Alex Gonzalez

In the three years he’s spent collaborating behind the scenes, the artist Alexander 23 has built an impressive resume. As one of the music industry’s go-to songwriters and producers, he’s collaborated with Olivia Rodrigo, Selena Gomez, and Chelsea Cutler, among others, coining a sound that strikes a chord between sharp lyricism and instrumental melodies.

It all started in Deerfield, Illinois, where Alexander 23, born Alexander Glantz, was raised. He became enamored with music “immediately as I gained consciousness,” he says, which he estimates was in “like, the fifth grade.” Around that time, he played on his elementary school’s basketball team, and he enjoyed listening to albums from rock bands like Kansas and Supertramp from beginning to end during the long drives to games. His father helped cultivate that passion, regularly playing the guitar around the house.

Glantz briefly attended the University of Pennsylvania to study engineering but withdrew after a year to focus on music. At 19, he moved to New York and joined an indie band, teaching himself to play bass, piano, drums, and guitar along the way. The group was short-lived and disbanded in 2017. That’s when he moved to Los Angeles with only the earnest goal of writing for other artists — and notably, without a car. He remembers the solo cross-country move as being a strenuous process. “You cannot walk around L.A., which I learned the hard way early on,” Glantz says. “A few expensive Ubers later, I bought a shitty little car.”

Stefan Kohli

While he entertained the idea of being a soloist, Glantz initially figured that working behind the scenes would allow for more financial stability. Having become well-versed in production software like Ableton, he landed himself production credits on tracks for pop musicians like AJ Mitchell and Sam Setton. About “five or six months” after moving to California, he decided to take a chance and record songs of his own while continuing to team up with other artists.

Since then, he’s released two nine-track EPs, including 2019’s I’m Sorry I Love You and Oh No, Not Again! in 2021. His ability to combine live instrumentation with contemporary electronic elements, as well as his knack for describing behaviors for which people often don’t have the words, has made him one of the industry’s most sought-after collaborators. On Aftershock, his proper full-length debut, he details the process of a harrowing breakup, from the first inklings of doubt to finally closing the chapter, over the course of 11 poignant tracks.

“I like to think of it as a one-year-plus-or-minus radius away from a breakup,” Glantz says. “It’s about the events leading up to it, the breakup, then getting over it; meeting new people, thinking you’re ready to meet new people, and you're not actually ready. You miss her, but you don't miss who you were together. It's definitely a breakup album, which obviously I'm not the first person to do, but I tried to really pull from my specific experience and really get into the nitty gritty and all the nuances that I was feeling.”

Aftershock opens with “Hate Me if It Helps,” which sees Glantz unfazed in the midst of his ex’s bitterness. On it, he allows his former partner to blame him for the dissolution of their relationship, even if her accounts are false. Co-written by Olivia Rodrigo, for whom he co-produced “Good 4 U,” the track features Glantz questioning the truth of what his ex is telling her friends and family before issuing saccharine apologies on the bridge. “I’m sorry I stayed up with you every night / For making you laugh when you wanted to cry / I’m sorry I paid for your SSRIs,” he sings.

https://youtu.be/NZ4OwtXruRM

Many fans have found the line to be playfully tongue-in-cheek, but others have taken to social media to say the lyric further stigmatizes mental health issues. “You know, what's funny about that line is I never meant for it to be a large mental health conversation starter,” Glantz says. “I have plenty of songs about that, as well, but I wanted a line in there that felt like something you would regrettably say in the heat of feeling a certain way about someone or a certain situation.”

On the excruciatingly self-aware “Crash,” Glantz recounts the painful early stages of the split: changing his ex’s name on his phone, dreading Valentine’s Day chocolates (which he says now “taste like charcoal”), and recalling texts he typed up but never sent. While he still has love and respect for his ex, he understands that the two of them are no longer meant to be together. He sings, “I miss you, but I don’t miss us / ‘Cause apart we’re great, but together we suck.”

Glantz admits that he’s learned the hard way that two people, even with the best intentions, can bring out the worst in each other. “The sum of the parts is not always greater,” Glantz notes. “That's something I think people need to learn, especially in more intimate and romantic relationships. It sucks. And I think the fact that it sucks makes you want to fight for it more, which in turn, only makes it worse.”

Stefan Kohli

Glantz’s music is undoubtedly relatable. His ability to put universal feelings, like the train of thoughts and the behavioral patterns that follow heartbreak, into words has set him apart as a thoughtful young musician in an era of quick, hook-heavy TikTok grabs. Take the punchy, percussion-filled track called “Cosplay,” wherein he describes the moment of realizing that he and his ex were never good for each other. He surmises that they were simply imitating the mannerisms and aesthetics of “each other’s exes” from previous relationships.

Perhaps the most powerful track on the collection doesn’t pertain to a breakup at all. On the ballad “The Hardest Part,” driven by gentle piano keys and a melancholy guitar riff, Glantz reflects on the loss of a friend. The song’s chorus — “the hardest part of getting old, is that some people that you don’t love don’t” — evokes a grand feeling of sadness while pointing to the small, intimate moments that make a friendship special. He describes noticing when the “trees turn red” and realizing that he’ll never again see the “three dots” that appear as someone is replying to a text message.

While Glantz paints a vivid picture of his friend, “The Hardest Part” also speaks to the grief and loss every one of us has faced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “This has been the first time where I've had friends start to pass away,” Glantz says. “It's incredibly strange to reconcile. And even when it's not someone who you talk to every day, even if it’s losing someone whom you only speak to a few times a year but have a shared childhood and history with, it’s really strange to deal with. It hits you on birthdays or coming home for Thanksgiving. Learning how to deal with that emotionally has been a journey.”

https://youtu.be/ws-li4Fy1kY

Over the years, Glantz has opened concerts for several major artists, including Mxmtoon, Omar Apollo, and John Mayer. During a show in Boston, Mayer joined Glantz on stage to perform a cover of Tears for Fears’s “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” Glantz will tour this fall in support of Aftershock, which he says is the “cherry” on top of making music. As a songwriter and producer, he is always satisfied when he can take another artist’s song to the next level, but as he prepares to perform his own body of work, he admits to feeling a perfectionist’s sense of concern. He knows fans will associate these songs with him forever.

“I remember that, when I'm making music for me, I'm gonna have to live with these songs, both as a representation of me and also my life,” he says. “I'm definitely a bit more particular when making music for myself, which, in turn, makes producing for other people a little bit easier. But making music for others versus myself is just different, more so than easier or harder.”

Yungblud shares “sad version” of new single ‘Don’t Feel Like Feeling Sad Today’

Yungblud has shared a new version of his recent single ‘Don’t Feel Like Feeling Sad Today’.

READ MORE: Yungblud at Glastonbury 2022: “Mick Jagger said he liked my energy”

The original take on the track, which was released last month, was a short and upbeat pop-rock song.

The latest version the artist (real name Dominic Harrison) has shared, dubbed the “sad version”, is much more downbeat than the original version and sees Yungblud strumming an acoustic guitar in a black and white video. You can view the clip below.

In a press release, Yungblud previously explained that he wrote the song “to help me stand up”, declaring that, “To me, this song is what happiness feels like. A defiant sort of happiness. Looking at yourself in the mirror and telling the sadness to fuck off and come back another day.

“I wanted this song to be a little part of someone’s day. No matter what they’re going through, they can put this on and feel a bit stronger today. That’s the vision; that’s the dream.”

‘Don’t Feel Like Feeling Sad Today’ is the third single to come from Harrison’s new album as Yungblud – the eponymous record is set to land on September 2 via Locomotion/Geffen – following the release of ‘The Funeral’ in March and the Willow-assisted ‘Memories’ last month.

During his set at Glastonbury last month, he debuted another two new songs from the album: ‘Tissues’, which samples The Cure’s ‘Close To Me’, and ‘I Cry 2!’.

Speaking to NME recently, Harrison said the album was simply titled ‘Yungblud’ as an act of self-empowerment. He explained: “The name Yungblud, as it’s gotten bigger, has been twisted relentlessly as every single person has had an opinion on who I am. This album is not a ‘woe is me’ rockstar story; it’s about me reclaiming my own name, and humanising the caricature that everybody else has made me into.”

Watch Coldplay duet with London Grammar’s Hannah Reid for ‘Let Somebody Go’

Coldplay invited London Grammar’s Hannah Reid onstage for a performance of their Selena Gomez-featuring single, ‘Let Somebody Go‘.

READ MORE: London Grammar at Mad Cool 2022 on album number four and touring with Coldplay

The duet happened on Sunday (July 10) at the band’s Berlin Olympiastadion show. Coldplay are currently on an “eco-friendly” world tour, with London Grammar supporting on select dates.

In fan-shot footage Reid can be seen entering the stage before picking up a verse from the song, which features on Coldplay’s 2021 album ‘Music Of The Spheres‘.

Watch the performance below.

London Grammar recently told NME about their experience of supporting Coldplay on tour.

Speaking backstage at Mad Cool 2022, bandmember Dot Major said: “It was pretty mad to be honest, it’s the first stadium show we’ve done, and the first show we’ve done in a little while, so it was kind of crazy.”

They are due to support the pop behemoths at two Wembley Stadium shows next month.

Meanwhile, in other Coldplay news, Chris Martin surprised Lizzo during an interview about ‘Coldplay’, her song tribute to the “baby-making” power of ‘Yellow’.

Lizzo was speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 about her fourth album ‘Special‘, which features the song in question, when Martin popped up on a FaceTime call.

The singer had been discussing the inspiration for the closing song on ‘Special’, titled ‘Coldplay’, telling Lowe that the song samples ‘Yellow’ and is based on a romantic memory.

The Big Moon talk new album ‘Here Is Everything’: “ I just couldn’t believe I would ever do anything creative again”

The Big Moon have announced the release of their third album ‘Here Is Everything’ and shared its first single, ‘Wide Eyes’. Check it out below alongside an interview with the band.

Written over the course of the last couple of years, the new record captures a period of intense change, both for the world at large and principal songwriter Juliette Jackson – as the band explained. Since the four-piece released their Top 20-charting second album ‘Walking Like We Do’, the singer and guitarist has become a mother, giving birth to a son last year.

“I feel like so many things have changed for everyone,” Jackson told NME. “Collectively, there’s been a pandemic and everyone’s reeling from that. No one has closure or guidance or knows what to do. And also personally, I’ve been through a massive change in my life and become a mum.”

The album pulls from both of those strands, but is largely a document of the frontwoman’s journey through pregnancy. Most of the songs on it were written before she gave birth, with four more – including the new single ‘Wide Eyes’ – penned six months after.

“So much of the album I wrote while I was pregnant and basically just wondering what the hell this was going to be like,” she explained. “When I listen to it now, I can hear myself saying all these things and having all these anxieties. Those songs are a bit more floaty and just thinking about things and the songs I wrote after are more like the reality of extreme highs and extreme lows and the whole hormonal madness.”

‘Wide Eyes’ – a glittering, emotional and skyscraping ode to companionship and love – came at a time when Jackson was struggling to write. “I was a mess but I also felt this new kind of happiness that I’ve never felt before,” she said. “I felt like I just needed to write about it.”

Teaming up with songwriter Jessica Winter, the pair turned Jackson’s ideas into “a snapshot of insane, blissed-out, hormonal joy”: “I was just having absolutely huge feelings and I needed to write a huge song about it.”

The album’s title is similarly colossal – ‘Here Is Everything’. It’s a moniker Jackson said felt necessary for the record because of the mammoth experiences it documents: “I couldn’t have given any more to this album really.”

The artwork too – shot by photographer Pooneh Ghana – captures the enormity of what was about to happen in her life. On the cover, the musician kneels on a bed, pregnant belly on display – a Beyoncé moment for the indie star. Empowering as the image may be, the singer had her reservations about that photo being put on the sleeve at first.

“I felt like I need to be very brave for that to be the album cover,” she said. “I just felt really exposed. Beyoncé is Beyoncé, but I’m just me and it takes a lot of confidence to just be there with all your skin out and be pregnant. It took a while to get used to the idea and then, when I did, I loved it.”

The Big Moon's 'Here Is Everything'

When the musician took the songs she’d been working on to her bandmates, they were “amazed”. Drummer Fern Ford and bassist Celia Archer (guitarist Soph Nathan is absent from our interview) said they were struggling to stay optimistic about the future of the band – or the world – during the pandemic. “The whole world felt like it was over,” said Archer. “Fern and I did a very similar thing of being like, ‘Let’s go get other jobs or do other things because we can’t rely on this’.”

Ford added: “I couldn’t believe Jules was able to seemingly whip these songs up, and then she goes and has a baby, doesn’t speak for months and then is like, ‘OK, here’s four more!’ It was really impressive.”

At the time, Jackson didn’t feel like she was making anything impressive, though, her head and body shaken up by the act of growing new life. “I was so tired and exhausted, hormonal and just breastfeeding like crazy, I just couldn’t believe I would ever do anything creative again or that I would do anything worthwhile,” she said.

Becoming a mum has made Jackson reconsider her role not just in life, but as a musician too. Now, being in the band feels like even more her own thing, removed from her home life. “It’s really wonderful that I’ve been able to come back from going through that journey and come back to something that feels like it’s really mine,” she said. “Some of my friends who are parents have found it really hard to go back to work or what they used to do – sometimes you take a year off for maternity leave and you come back to your life and you’re like, ‘What is this? What’s the point of all this?’”

‘Here Is Everything’ could have been very different. The Big Moon had an album ready to go in spring 2021 and were setting the wheels in motion to launch it, but something was off. “The idea originally was to get it out before Jules had the baby,” Archer explained. “We were about to shoot the video for the first single and decided to put the brakes on and give it some breathing space.”

When they returned to the record, they did so in a way that took things back to the very basic ingredients of the band – no outside producers, no expensive studios putting time constraints on their work, just the four members in the studio Ford built in her spare room. “We all have different skills we can bring to the table so we returned to the four of us and opened up these tracks and went, ‘What does this song need?’” Archer said. “We didn’t think about anything else – where it would sit on the album, if it was going to be a single. Now it’s a really special album for us – I can hear everyone’s individual fingerprints on every part of it.”

In September, the band will finally get back on the road for a headline tour that has been rescheduled several times and includes some of their biggest shows to date. “We’re so excited – some of the new songs on the album, when I listen to them and imagine we’re going to play them live, I just cry,” laughed Archer. “My only hesitation is we’ve been here before – once it’s happening I’ll be really happy.”

The Big Moon release ‘Here Is Everything’ on October 14 via Fiction Records. Pre-order it here.

The band’s upcoming tour dates are below. Visit here for tickets and more info.

JULY
17 – Finsbury Park, London (w/ George Ezra)
22 – Ventnor Fringe, Isle of Wight
23 – Truck Festival, Oxfordshire
24 – Leopallooza, Cornwall
29 – Kendal Calling, Cumbria
30 – Underneath The Stars, Yorkshire
31 – Y Not Festival, Derbyshire
SEPTEMBER
19 – The Leadmill, Sheffield
20 – Concorde 2, Brighton
21 – O2 Academy, Birmingham
23 September – Oran Mor, Glasgow
24 September – Newcastle University
25 September – Academy 2, Manchester
27 September – Tramshed, Cardiff
28 September – O2 Forum Kentish Town, London

Harry Styles takes a trip on a giant bed in new ‘Late Night Talking’ video

Harry Styles has shared a new video for his recent track ‘Late Night Talking’ – you can watch it below.

READ MORE: Harry Styles live in London: a powerful, inclusive and celebratory pop carnival

The song is the second single to be lifted from the former One Direction singer’s third solo album ‘Harry’s House’, which came out in May. ‘As It Was’ preceded the record, landing on April 1.

As promised in a teaser snippet earlier this week, the official visuals for Styles’ latest release arrived this evening (July 13).

In the clip, we follow the singer as he takes a trip through a portal beneath his duvet to visit various locations.

Styles – who’s donning a pair of polka-dot PJs – pops up at a sleepover party, art gallery, theatre box, and restaurant. He also attracts the attention of a police officer as he rides along the streets of London on a giant moving bed.

After getting into a mass pillow fight, Styles is seen plummeting through the stormy sky while he stands – and later lies down – on his comfy mattress. Watch the Bradley and Pablo-directed video above.

Styles was spotted filming a scene for the video outside Buckingham Palace back in February.

In a four-star review of ‘Harry’s House’, NME hailed ‘Late Night Talking’ as being a slice of “gleaming, strutting ’80s pop, which battles lead single ‘As It Was’ for brightest bop on the record”.

The track landed at Number Two on the UK’s singles chart, per the Official Charts Company.

‘As It Was’, meanwhile, has taken the crown for the biggest-selling single of the year so far and spent 10 weeks at Number One. ‘Harry’s House’ was revealed to be the second best-selling album of 2022 behind Ed Sheeran‘s ‘=’.

Harry Styles is currently out on the European leg of his 2022 ‘Love On Tour’, which visited the UK last month.

In a five-star review of one of his Wembley Stadium gigs, NME wrote: “This epic, two-hour show gradually builds itself up to become an exuberant victory lap, and Styles approaches the magnitude of the occasion with real thought and care.

“Styles also skilfully balances the untouchable precision of his celebrity with the kind of rogue, boyish charm that catapulted him to stardom in the first place.”

Hear an orchestral version of Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ from ‘Westworld’ season four

A new orchestral version of Metallica‘s ‘Enter Sandman’ was featured in the latest episode of Westworld – listen to the full track below.

READ MORE: Westworld season four review: block out the plot and enjoy the violent delights

The fourth season of the dystopian sci-fi series is currently airing on HBO and it’s also available to stream on the network’s on-demand platform, HBO Max.

In the third episode ‘Années Folles’, which premiered on Sunday night (July 10), viewers will have heard a rousing, alternative take on Lars Ulrich and co’s 1991 classic single. This new instrumental version of ‘Enter Sandman’ was produced by Westworld composer Ramin Djawadi (Game Of Thrones, Uncharted, Iron Man).

WaterTower Music has since shared the full reworking on YouTube, along with a piano-led spin on Billie Eilish‘s ‘Bad Guy’ that was also used in the episode. You can listen to both songs below.

Djawadi is known for creating instrumental arrangements of classic pop and rock songs for Westworld, and has previously included versions of Soundgarden‘s ‘Black Hole Sun’, The White Stripes‘ ‘Seven Nation Army’ and Guns N’ Roses‘ ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’.

More recently, the first episode of season four – titled ‘The Auguries’ – featured a cover of Lana Del Rey’s 2011 debut single, ‘Video Games’.

Metallica, meanwhile, are currently enjoying a huge resurgence of their 1986 single ‘Masters Of Puppets’ after it appeared in the final episode of Stranger Things 4. The song currently looks set to enter the UK Top 40 for the first time.

In a three-star review of Westworld season four, NME wrote: “As our very real world treads closer to automation and sentient artificial intelligence, Westworld should be an alarming parable for our world.

“Sadly, it has largely struggled to go deeper than pointing out that rich people will pay for anything including sex and violence, then asking: ‘What if those on the receiving end of it gained the power to flip the tables?'”

The review added: “At this point, even with a new trick or two, Westworld is unlikely to win any new fans. Still, there are some violent delights to be had if you don’t think too hard about the plot.”

Queen’s Brian May teams up with 10CC’s Graham Gouldman on new space-themed track

Queen’s Brian May has teamed up with 10CC founder Graham Gouldman on a new track – listen to ‘Floating In Heaven’ below.

READ MORE: Queen’s Freddie Mercury: the maddest stories about rock’s best-loved hellraiser

The collaboration between the pair was done to mark the historic first images from the new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) that launched in December 2021 and went into orbit in January of this year. The telescope is the most powerful to be launched into space.

May is a long-time astronomer and has a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College, London. Gouldman is a fellow space enthusiast and the two decided to work together on a song to mark the historic moment when the first images from the telescope were shared.

‘Floating In Heaven’ was written and performed by Gouldman and features May on guitar and vocals. It was released yesterday (July 12) to coincide with the release of the first pictures brought to earth from the telescope.

Listen to the song here:

Last weekend, Queen and Adam Lambert performed an impromptu cover of operatic track ‘Nessun Dorma’ during a show in Bologna, Italy.

‘Nessun Dorma’ is the aria from the last act of Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot and reached new audiences in 1990 when Luciana Pavarotti performed it during the World Cup, which was held in Italy that year.

Queen and Adam Lambert performed a version of the song following an airing of Queen classic ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ at their show.

Sharing footage on Instagram after the show, Brian May wrote: “A spontaneous gift to Bologna last night. So proud of Adam. I can see our dear departed friend Luciano smiling. Let’s Rock tonight.”

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A post shared by Brian Harold May (@brianmayforreal)

Last month, Queen’s Roger Taylor and Brian May confirmed that they have unearthed an unreleased song by the band featuring late frontman Freddie Mercury.

The track, recorded during the Miracle Sessions, is going to be released this September.

Queen and Adam Lambert have also announced a new online concert film called Rhapsody Over London. The performance was shot at one of the legendary band’s 10 sold-out shows at The O2 Arena in London last month as part of their 2022 ‘Rhapsody Tour’.

Fans will be able to watch the two-and-half-hour, 28-song gig via an online Kiswe live-stream on July 24 (4pm BST) and July 25 (8pm BST). The film will then be available to view on-demand until July 31.

Watch Sam Fender lead “fuck the Tories” chant at TRNSMT Festival 2022

Sam Fender led a chant of “Fuck The Tories” at this year’s TRNSMT Festival – you can watch footage of the moment below.

READ MORE: Sadiq Khan on “piss-taker” Boris Johnson and talent coming from London

In the video, Fender can be seen leading the chant with the crowd joining in alongside him during his performance at the Glasgow festival last Friday (July 8).

Previously, Fender has been outspoken about his dislike of Conservative leadership.

Speaking to NME for a Big Read last year, Fender said he could never vote for the party, despite seeing voters from the north switching allegiance in the last general election.

“The polarity between the left and the right has me feeling like I have no identity,” Fender told NME. “I’m obviously left-wing, but you lose hope don’t you? Left-wing politics has lost its main votership; it doesn’t look after working-class people the way that it used to. Blyth Valley voted Tory just north of here. Now, that is saying something! We’re in dire straits when a fucking shipbuilding town is voting for the Tories – it’s like foxes voting for the hunter.”

He continued: “I’m like, ‘What the fuck is going on?’ I understand it, though. I’d never vote for the bastards because I fucking hate them and I know what they’re up to, but I get why people don’t feel any allegiance to left-wing politics when they’re working-class.”

You can watch the moment at TRNSMT with Fender here:

@sammyfenda

‘fuck the lot’ #samfender #livemusic #chant #trnsmt #festival #tory #liberal #foryou #band

♬ original sound – Sammy Fender

Fender’s chant came a day after Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister.

The PM announced his resignation outside Number 10 Downing Street after almost three years in power.

His resignation came in the wake of the departure of the former Health Secretary Sajid Javid and the former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the resignations of over 50 MPs.

He confirmed the process to appoint a new leader will now begin, with a timetable to be set out this week. It is not clear exactly, however, when he will leave Number 10 for the final time.

Reacting to the news, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer wrote on Twitter that “it was good news for the country that Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister”.

Figures from the worlds of music and entertainment have also been sharing their reactions, with Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander tweeting: “Very glad to see Boris go now I’d like all the Conservatives to go next.”

Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, meanwhile, retweeted Johnson’s post from January 2020 that read: “This is going to be a fantastic year for Britain.” He captioned it: “Yep.”

Watch a snippet of Harry Styles’ new ‘Late Night Talking’ video

Harry Styles has shared a teaser for his upcoming ‘Late Night Talking’ video – you can watch it below.

The track serves as the second single from the pop star’s third solo album ‘Harry’s House’ following on from ‘As It Was’, which came out in April.

READ MORE: Harry Styles live in London: a powerful, inclusive and celebratory pop carnival

Yesterday (July 11), the official Harry Styles HQ account on Instagram posted a brief clip of the singer’s next official video. In the caption, it was revealed that the ‘Late Night Talking’ visuals will arrive tomorrow (July 13) at 12pm ET (4pm GMT).

The preview snippet shows Styles shaking his blue-socked feet as he whistles the tune to the song in question while lying in bed. A second shot sees him grinning at the camera in polka-dot PJs.

Tune in here:

In a four-star review of Styles’ most recent full-length project, NME hailed ‘Late Night Talking’ as being a slice of “gleaming, strutting ’80s pop, which battles lead single ‘As It Was’ for brightest bop on the record”.

The track landed at Number Two on the UK’s singles chart, per the Official Charts Company.

‘As It Was’, meanwhile, has taken the crown for the biggest-selling single of the year so far. ‘Harry’s House’ was revealed to be the second best-selling album of 2022 behind Ed Sheeran‘s ‘=’.

Harry Styles is currently on the European leg of his 2022 ‘Love On Tour’, which visited the UK last month.

In a glowing five-star review of one of his Wembley Stadium gigs, NME wrote: “This epic, two-hour show gradually builds itself up to become an exuberant victory lap, and Styles approaches the magnitude of the occasion with real thought and care.

“Styles also skilfully balances the untouchable precision of his celebrity with the kind of rogue, boyish charm that catapulted him to stardom in the first place.”

Halsey to auction paintings created on-stage to support abortion funds

Halsey has announced an auction of paintings they created while on stage on a recent tour, all to raise money for abortion funds.

READ MORE: Halsey: “I’ve always been driven to reinvent myself and reinvent my genre”

During their recent ‘Love and Power’ US tour, Halsey would often paint during certain songs, and the creations are now going under the hammer.

In association with Sotheby’s Contemporary Discoveries auction, fans have the opportunity to bid on paintings from gigs in Alabama, Nashville, Detroit, Boston and Portland from now until July 19.

All proceeds from the auction of the works will go to the National Network of Abortion Funds following the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

See examples of the artwork below.

Halsey, Untitled, Boston. Credit: Sotheby’s.

After Roe v. Wade, Halsey penned an essay to explain their stance on reproductive rights, opening up about whether the birth of their first son, Ender, impacted their perspective on the matter.

Ender was born on July 14, 2021, after what Halsey described as “a beautiful labor”. They explained that they’d suffered three miscarriages before their 24th birthday, with one resulting in the need for a medical abortion to prevent them from going into sepsis. “It seemed a cruel irony that I could get pregnant with ease but struggled to maintain a pregnancy,” they wrote, noting that they were reminded of that experience while giving birth to Ender.

“There was the same sterile smell,” they continued. “The same white sheets and unnerving noises of beeping and commotion. But when Ender was born, the world went silent. My body, which I had loathed for years for routinely ‘failing,’ had done everything right. I shed a single tear in the exhaustion of post-labor. A tear of happiness that my body knew exactly what to do.

“My life’s long chapter of miscarriages and abortions was reduced to a page in that moment. It was simply divided into ‘before’ this moment and all things that would come after it. Years of blood and pain and misery from near-perilous and unwanted pregnancies, then the euphoria of chosen motherhood.”

Halsey went on to say, however, that the birth of Ender did not influence their stance on the opinion that every person with a uterus should have safe, legal and accessible access to abortion. “In fact, I have never felt more strongly about it,” they said. “My abortion saved my life and gave way for my son to have his.

Independent Label Market announces Music Declares Emergency stage for this weekend’s event

The Independent Label Market returns to London this Saturday (July 16) and has announced a partnership with Music Declares Emergency.

READ MORE: A new study says music fans care the most about climate change. Now we need an anthem

The climate change charity will host the ‘No Music On A Dead Planet’ stage with acoustic performances, while they will also have their own stall at the event in Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross.

According to the ILM, the organisation will be making an announcement on Wednesday (July 13) regarding “a special collaboration and very unique offering on the day.”

Other climate-focused happenings on the day include a stall from The AIM Climate Action Group, where, according to a press release, “labels and creatives can find out what support is available to run their business and release music in a more eco-friendly way.”

Find all the details on this weekend’s Independent Label Market below.

NOW IN A WEEK!!!
Some exciting news about the programme here ? https://t.co/YoAkTw0rPs https://t.co/A29uctU9l7

— Indie Label Market (@IndieLabelMkt) July 9, 2022

Last month, Festival Republic – the music promotor behind Reading & Leeds, Latitude and more – teamed up with Music Declares Emergency in an effort to bring renewable power to UK festival sites.

The project aims to drive grid connections to festivals nationwide and begin the transition of the UK outdoor live sector to grid power, per a press release. It will ultimately reduce carbon emissions for the sector in relation to temporary power generation.

Funded by Festival Republic, the collaboration falls under the ongoing No Music On A Dead Planet climate campaign which has previously won support from the likes of Billie Eilish, Foals and Brian Eno.

Festival Republic will support the project closely with the aim of presenting fully renewably powered, grid-connected stages at three of its events for the 2023 festival season. It will also help create a pathway for other promoters and event organisers to follow suit.

Speaking to NME back in April, Melvin Benn said that environmental matters were “a big issue for every festival” as Download outlined a range of green-focused changes for its 2022 site.

“It’s probably the most urgent thing that the planet is facing,” Benn explained. “We had the pandemic which took people’s attention from it, as has the terrible invasion of Ukraine, but it doesn’t take away the need to focus on the environment. At Download, as with all Festival Republic events, we’re very much focused on it.”

Listen to Show Me The Body’s new single, ‘Loose Talk’

Show Me The Body have today (July 11) shared a new single, ‘Loose Talk’ – listen to it below.

READ MORE: Show Me The Body – the world’s most terrifying live band – return to London

The track is the New York hardcore band’s first new music of 2022, and comes after a recent stint of UK tour dates and ahead of a US tour.

Tomorrow night (July 12), Show Me The Body will begin their US tour with support from SOUL GLO and WiFiGawd in Columbus. The 23-date run will see the band perform dates in Dallas, Oakland, Seattle, Denver and finally Baltimore on August 13.

The band will also play Los Angeles this weekend for the In Broad Daylight event at The Belasco Theater.

Check out the new song here, complete with black and white visuals from frontman Julian Pratt, who directed the video.

In 2021, the NYC hardcore trio released a new EP called ‘Survive’ on March 19 via Loma Vista, and follows their 2019 full-length album ‘Dog Whistle’.

The band said of the new EP: “During this isolation we had to recalibrate. Recalibrate both how we exist as a band and how we cultivate power within our community. Our live performance is not just a moment for us, it’s our weapon, our language, and our ceremony. Without it, we had to reconfigure how we interact with our community.”

During the pandemic, the band established a headquarters for their CORPUS community, explaining: “With our team, we started CORPUS Family, a branch of CORPUS focused on community initiatives; Burning World Book Club, a clothing drive, and a studio residency. We are preparing CORPUS Self-Defense initiatives as well as open jam sessions as soon as safety will allow for it.

“We built a studio in our headquarters. Survive is the first project to be written and recorded top to bottom in the CORPUS studio. The songs deal with spiritual and physical isolation, as well as staying ready and preparing for the next time we come together.”

Reviewing Show Me The Body’s 2019 album ‘Dog Whistle’, NME wrote: “‘Dog Whistle’ is, at its core, a dedication to the community, friends and family at the heart of Show Me The Body, and their arts collective-meets-record label CORPUS.

“‘Dog Whistle’ is a manifesto for everything Show Me The Body’s early days promised. ‘Body War’ was their chaotic opening gambit, a stick of dynamite at the foot of established order. Now, together, the band are building something better.”

Watch Sharon Van Etten’s dreamy new video for ‘Headspace’

Sharon Van Etten has released a dreamy new video for ‘Headspace’ – check it out below.

READ MORE: Sharon Van Etten on the cover: “I have to be hopeful. I’m a mother and I want to be brave for my son”

The track appears on the singer’s new album ‘We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong’, which was released earlier this year via Jagjaguwar.

Van Etten stars in video alongside dancers Coco Karol and Miguel Angel Guzmán. It was directed by Ashley Connor.

Discussing the concept behind the video, Van Etten said: “When I was writing this song, I wanted to talk about domesticity and intimacy frustrations under the tensions of working at home and seeking connection while being tied to our devices and still trying to reach each other as lovers, parents, humans.

“Reminding each other that there is still a primal attraction even in the midst of the mundane and repetition of everyday life.”

Check it out here:

Reviewing ‘We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong’, NME said that ‘Mistakes’ is “Van Etten at her best, its thumping chorus ideal for banishing lockdown-induced rumination on your regrets: “Every time I make a mistake / Turns out it’s great”. Around a quarter of the album reaches these heights – see the swirling coda of ‘Home To Me’, on which she tackles the conflict between creativity and parenthood.

“Although it lacks the immediacy of 2018’s hookier ‘Remind Me Tomorrow’, this unyielding record is, at times, a powerful reckoning with the age of uncertainty.”

Earlier this year, Van Etten appeared on the cover of NME and discussed her experience filming The OA, saying she felt like an “imposter” on set.

The singer-songwriter played Rachel DeGrasso in the Netflix series created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij. While there were plans for a five-season story, the show was cancelled after two seasons in 2019.

Speaking to NME about her time in the series, Van Etten had some reservations about her performance. “It was a challenge to take on a role like that, and I feel very lucky to have worked with Brit and Zal – they’re very adventurous in the kind of work they produce.

“I was constantly insecure, and I knew I was the imposter. So as lucky as I felt that the show wanted me to be part of it, I was also quietly relieved I didn’t have to do it anymore. I’m sorry to the fans but I just felt like I was going to be found out… I didn’t know what I was doing!”

Lloyd Banks breaks down his swag on new track ‘Fell In Love’

Lloyd Banks has dropped off the second track from his upcoming new album, ‘The Course Of The Inevitable 2’ – listen to ‘Fell In Love’ below.

READ MORE: Soundtrack Of My Life – 50 Cent

The follow-up to last year’s ‘COTI (The Course Of The Inevitable)’ was previewed earlier this month with the release of its first single, ‘Menace’ featuring Conway The Machine.

Due to be released on July 15, the album’s latest single hears Banks break down the characteristics that make him so irresistible to the ladies.

“Cool in the summer, heat hot when the winter’s on/ I came, I saw, I killed them already/ My game is raw, my Lord, they all petty/ I paved the way, let niggas in the doors heavy/ You talk a lot, you bashed in with small fetti,” he raps on the song’s second verse.

Listen to ‘Fell In Love’ below:

Banks has also shared the tracklisting for ‘The Course Of The Inevitable 2’, which you can check out below.

1. ‘Impact’
2. ‘No Reward’
3. ‘Menace’ (feat. Conway The Machine)
4. ‘Living Proof’ (feat. Benny The Butcher)
5. ‘Value Of A Check’
6. ‘Power Steering’ (Feat. Jadakiss)
7. ‘Fell In Love’
8. ‘Socialize’
9. ‘Murda One’
10. ‘Don’t Switch’ (Feat. Tony Yayo)
11. ‘Dead Roses’
12. ‘Trapped’
13. ‘Traffic’ (Feat. Vado & Dave East)
14. ‘On My Way’

News of a new album comes after Banks tweeted back in February: “I can’t wait for y’all to hear this sh!t SMH,” letting fans know just how excited he is about the forthcoming release.

Prior to the release of last year’s ‘COTI’, Banks hadn’t released a full-length project since his 2016 mixtape ‘Halloween Havoc 3: Four Days Of Fury’. His last official album before that was 2010’s ‘The Hunger For More 2′.

Meanwhile, D12 rapper Bizarre has recalled the time Suge Knight stopped by 50 Cent‘s ‘In Da Club’ video shoot in an attempt to intimidate the G-Unit head honcho.

Arlo Parks forced to cancel appearance at Mad Cool festival

Arlo Parks has cancelled her appearance at today’s (July 10) Mad Cool festival.

READ MORE: The story of Mad Cool Festival 2022 – in beautiful photos

The musician announced the news on her Instagram Stories early this afternoon, saying that it was due to a COVID outbreak in her team.

Parks wrote in a statement: “Madrid! I am so sorry to announce that because of the covid outbreak within my team, we are forced to pull out of our show today at Mad Cool.

“We’ve been looking forward to playing this one for years, it’s so frustrating to have to do this but the health and safety of my band and crew, as well as all working staff and attendees, must always come first.

“I’ll make this back up to you I promise. Missing you Madrid – love AP.”

Arlo Parks Mad Cool announcement – CREDIT: Instagram

Recently, Lorde brought out Parks and Clairo as special guests during her Glastonbury 2022 headline set.

The New Zealand pop-star was performing on the pyramid stage, Sunday (June 26). Clairo and Parks joined Lorde to sing along with her on the track ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’ from her 2021 album ‘Solar Power’.

Clairo notably provided backing vocals for the record, on the songs ‘Solar Power’ and ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’. Both special guests performed their own sets on Worthy Farm this year, with Clairo taking the John Peel Stage earlier today and Parks playing The Park Stage on Friday.

Parks also joined Phoebe Bridgers on stage at Coachella in April for a couple of tracks at the end of her set.

Towards the end of her performance, Bridgers brought out Arlo Parks – who performed her own set at Coachella – to collaborate with her on ‘Graceland Too’ and ‘I Know The End’ – both taken from Bridgers’ second album, ‘Punisher’.

Meanwhile, Parks will be embarking on a North American tour this autumn. You can buy tickets here and check out all the dates below.

SEPTEMBER 2022
2 – Place Bell – Laval, QC (w/ Florence + The Machine)
3 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON (w/ Florence + The Machine)
6 – Franklin Music Hall – Philadelphia, PA
8 – Webster Hall – New York, NY
12 – 9:30 Club – Washington, D.C.
14 – Roadrunner – Boston, MA
16 – The Majestic Theatre – Detroit, MI
17 – Agora Theatre and Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
18 – Riviera Theatre – Chicago, IL
20 – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
21 – The Pabst Theater – Milwaukee, WI
23 – The Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
24 – Rockwell at The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
26 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
27 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA
29 – The Warfield – San Francisco, CA

OCTOBER 2022
2 – The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
4 – Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
10 – The Joy Theater – New Orleans, LA
12 – The Eastern – Atlanta, GA

Strokes fans express concern after Julian Casablancas’ performance at TRNSMT

Fans of The Strokes have expressed concerns online about frontman Julian Casablancas’ well-being following his performance at Scotland’s TRNSMT festival last night (July 9).

READ MORE: The Strokes’ world-changing ‘Is This It’ at 20: “They had a ‘last gang in town’ mentality”

Fans commented on his “worrying” behaviour on stage, saying they felt he needed an “intervention” claiming that he appeared to be heavily intoxicated.

One fan said he feared he’d “just witnessed the end of The Strokes” with “Casablancas genuinely looking like he needs help.” The fan added that “the man looked unwell.”

Some fans commented on how Casablancas didn’t hide his “distain” for the audience after he said that he preferred “Barrowlands” and after referring to the audience as the “Glasgow Children’s Choir”. Others also spoke about the poor sound quality of the gig and wondered if that may have been a contributing factor to the performance.

The Strokes declined to comment when NME approached a spokesperson for a response.

As a long time Strokes fan, I felt genuinely worried about Julians wellbeing tonight at TRNSMT.

— Lisa Taylor (@LisaTaylorVol) July 10, 2022

Might be an unpopular opinion, sorry, but my god, The Strokes were dire at TRNSMT tonight.

Julian is borderline Shane McGowan levels of needing an intervention. Worst front man performance I’ve seen.

Sound issues aside, there was no stage presence, just a bit boring.#TRNSMT

— G (@OneManChatting) July 9, 2022

Sounds overdramtic but I think we just witnessed the end of The Strokes. The end of that set was hard to watch, Casablancas genuinely looks like he needs help. They sounded mint but the man looked unwell #trnsmt

— Rex (@AlexBoxteles) July 9, 2022

Glad someone has said it….the ramblings between songs were just odd and awkward!!

I know he said he had a cold but the fixation on how the crowd where reacting when them themselves were having sound issues was abit OTT too!

— T (@trickness) July 9, 2022

TRNSMT was interesting … Julian Casablancas of The Strokes did not bother hiding his disdain for the crowd (he called them Glasgow Children's Choir and said he'd rather be at the Barrowlands) and to be fair most people were clearly not there for the tunes. Ah well.

— Laura Webster (@LauraEWebsterr) July 9, 2022

It was almost like the strokes would rather have been anywhere else but the main stage at trnsmt ?

— k (@kfrw_) July 9, 2022

The Strokes should be embarrassed by that excuse for a headlining gig @TRNSMTfest – zero energy, awful set list and slagging off the crowd with gems like ‘Glasgow childrens choir’ and ‘next time we’ll go to barrowlands’ – 15 years of waiting to see them live only to get that!

— Alex Kane ?? (@Beacon_Dev) July 9, 2022

Earlier this week, Casablancas responded to criticism that emerged after The Strokes’ performance at Roskilde festival. According to setlist.fm, their set began half an hour behind schedule and fans commented that it featured “lots of erratic and endless banter from Casablancas”.

In a since-deleted post shared on Instagram, Casablancas responded to rumours that he was heavily intoxicated during his performance.

“I’m not tuned into Twitter things enough to know what some confused fan thinks or pretends they know,” he wrote, “but I’m fine… far as I know … people been asking me weiiird questionnns [sic] – ahh the dumb side of social media… Lame-Os running around so hard and free.”

At the band’s show on Friday (July 8) in Lytham, many fans also commented on Casablancas’ behaviour, particularly when he brought a fan on stage for a lengthy portion of the set.

After bringing the woman on stage, Casablancas quipped that he was going off stage and “gonna go do some blow”. The woman then sung in Casablancas’ place for all six minutes of ‘Ode To The Mets’ (which initially appeared on The Strokes’ 2020 album, ‘The New Abnormal’).

The Strokes are currently on tour in support of ‘The New Abnormal’. Reviewing their set at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, NME said Casablancas performed with “feverish energy” and that his “puzzling behaviour still [left] room for an impressive performance music-wise”, declaring that “the power of the set” was “undeniable” and that the setlist offered “a celebration old and new of the [band’s] most infectious hits”.

The Strokes invite fan to sing ‘Ode To The Mets’ at Lytham Festival

The Strokes headlined Lancashire’s Lytham Festival last night (July 8), and during their set, they invited a woman from the crowd to sing lead vocals on ‘Ode To The Mets’.

READ MORE: The Strokes’ world-changing ‘Is This It’ at 20: “They had a ‘last gang in town’ mentality”

The woman – whose name hasn’t yet been revealed – was spotted by frontman Julian Casablancas, who noticed she was holding up a sign that read, “CAN I SING ‘ODE TO THE METS’ WITH YOU”. Though initially hesitant to let her onstage, citing the overconfidence of some X-Factor contestants, Casablancas soon welcomes her up and relocates to the side of the stage. “I’m gonna be peeved if she sings it better than I do,” he quipped.

Upon taking to the stage, the woman walks over to Casablancas and says something privately to him. Seeming to admit that she doesn’t consider herself to be a good singer, Casablancas replies: “You’re not that good of a singer? But when I asked you up there, you said, ‘Yes.’ You’re being humble, right? …You can keep the notes? Alright. Okay. Good luck.”

Walking offstage, Casablancas joked that he was “gonna go do some blow”. The woman then sung in Casablancas’ place for all six minutes of ‘Ode To The Mets’ (which initially appeared on The Strokes’ 2020 album, ‘The New Abnormal’). Have a look at fan-shot footage of the performance below:

Upon returning to the stage, Casablancas asked his bandmates – “the judges” – what they thought of the woman’s performance. “It’s alright,” said rhythm guitarist Albert Hammond Jr, while lead guitarist Nick Valensi similarly joked, “No comment.” When the crowd began to loudly boo him, Valensi added, “I’m the Simon Cowell of the group, obviously.”

“She gets an A for effort,” bassist Nikolai Fraiture offered, before drummer Fabrizio Moretti emphatically declared that “she was fuckin’ awesome!” Casablancas himself gave the woman props for her “tremendous effort”, calling the moment “a really great memory and a great journey for you.”

He seemed to poke fun at her singing abilities, though, as he continued: “Should I mention that she’s German? Does that make a difference? Unfortunately she doesn’t make it, she doesn’t make it, but we love her forever, and we will have the memory… Now, what’s the next song?”

Earlier this week, Casablancas responded to criticism that emerged after The Strokes’ performance at this year’s Roskilde festival. According to setlist.fm, their set began half an hour behind schedule and featured “lots of erratic and endless banter from Casablancas”.

In a since-deleted post shared on Instagram, Casablancas shot back at rumours that he was heavily intoxicated during his performance. “I’m not tuned into Twitter things enough to know what some confused fan thinks or pretends they know,” he wrote, “but I’m fine… far as I know … people been asking me weiiird questionnns [sic] – ahh the dumb side of social media… Lame-Os running around so hard and free.”

The Strokes are currently on tour in support of ‘The New Abnormal’. Reviewing their set at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, NME’s Ella Kemp said Casablancas performed with “feverish energy”, and pointed out that he did treat fans to “small talk and jokes and frequent rambles”.

Kemp continued to say that “Casablancas’ puzzling behaviour still [left] room for an impressive performance music-wise”, declaring that “the power of the set” was “undeniable” and that the setlist offered “a celebration old and new of the [band’s] most infectious hits”.

The Weeknd postpones opening show in Toronto: “This one hurts the most”

The Weeknd was forced to postpone his opening hometown show in Toronto last night (July 8).

READ MORE: The Weeknd – ‘Dawn FM’ review: soulful star meets a new day with hope and hindsight

It came after nationwide outage of Canada’s main telecommunications company, Rogers, which disrupted phone and internet use across all of the country.

“This one hurts the most, and we will make this show happen, but unfortunately not tonight,” The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, wrote in a statement.

He added: “I’m crushed & heartbroken. Been at the venue all day but it’s out of my hands because of the Rogers outage. Operations and safety are compromised and I tried my absolute best.

“This one hurts the most, and we will make this show happen, but unfortunately not tonight. I know how long you’ve been waiting and how hard a lot of you worked to make it to the show and experience this special moment with me. I can’t wait to see you all.”

A new date for Toronto has not yet been announced.

? pic.twitter.com/6Z9vJbc3Bn

— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) July 8, 2022

Earlier this week, The Weeknd announced new support acts for his upcoming North American stadium concerts – dubbed the ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ tour – after Doja Cat was forced to pull out.

Back in May, Doja Cat announced that she was to cancel all her 2022 live dates, including festival shows and the tour with The Weeknd, to recover from tonsil surgery.

The tour will now see support on select dates from Snoh Aalegra, Kaytranada and Mike Dean.

‘After Hours Til Dawn’ will take The Weeknd next to Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and more.

See the full list of dates below.

JULY
Wednesday 8 – Toronto, Rogers Centre
Tuesday 14 – Philadelphia, Lincoln Financial Field
Thursday 16 – New York, Metlife Stadium
Tuesday 21 – Boston, Gillette Stadium
Friday 24 – Chicago, Soldier Field
Monday 27 – Detroit, Ford Field
Thursday 30 – Washington, FedExField Thursday

AUGUST
Thursday 4 – Tampa, Raymond James Stadium
Saturday 6 – Miami, Hard Rock Stadium
Thursday 11 – Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Sunday 14 – Arlington, AT&T Stadium
Thursday 18 – Denver, Empower Field at Mile High
Saturday 20 – Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium
Tuesday 23 – Vancouver, BC Place
Thursday 25 – Seattle, Lumen Field
Saturday 27 – San Francisco, Levi’s Stadium
Tuesday 30 – Phoenix, State Farm Stadium

SEPTEMBER
Friday 2 – Los Angeles, SoFi Stadium

According to a press release, the North American dates are just the first leg in a world tour that will also includes stops in Mexico, South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Africa and the Middle East which are yet to be announced.

The Weeknd’s latest album, ‘Dawn FM’, arrived back in January of this year. In a four-star review, NME said the follow-up to 2020’s ‘After Hours’ “feels like the first steps on a journey for The Weeknd to find peace with himself; perhaps next time we hear from him, he’ll be fully embracing the light of day”.

Fall Out Boy donate $100,000 to gun safety foundation following Highland Park mass shooting

Fall Out Boy have made a $100,000 (£83,000) donation to Everytown – a non-profit organisation that advocates for gun control and protests against gun violence – in the wake of the mass shooting that occurred in Highland Park, Illinois this week.

READ MORE: “These songs feel bigger than our band”: how Fall Out Boy’s ‘From Under the Cork Tree’ inspired a generation

The tragedy happened on Monday (July 4), when, during an Independence Day parade in the city – which is located approximately 25 miles north of downtown Chicago – six people were shot dead by a rooftop gunman. According to officials, the attacker targeted attendees of the parade at random, and was armed with a high-powered rifle. In addition to the six fatalities, it’s said that 24 people were taken to hospital.

In a statement shared to social media, Fall Out Boy wrote: “Chicago is where we grew up, and we are heartbroken for the families and entire community of Highland Park, as well as every single victim of wanton gun violence in America.”

Chicago is where we grew up, and we are heartbroken for the families and entire community of Highland Park, as well as every single victim of wanton gun violence in America.

— Fall Out Boy (@falloutboy) July 8, 2022

The band’s $100,000 donation to Everytown comes via their own non-profit initiative, The Fall Out Boy Fund, which they launched in 2017 “as a way for us to give back to Chicago”. Among the other philanthropic efforts they’ve made through the initiative are similar donations to the Black Lives Matter movement and Chicago’s COVID-19 response fund.

To that end, the band have long been vocal about their stance on America’s gun violence epidemic. In 2018, for example, they curated (and headlined) a benefit concert that raised funds for gun reform charities. It came in response to the Parkland school shooting that occurred in February 2018, wherein 17 were killed and another 17 were injured.

“We must demand our lawmakers do more to end this gun violence crisis,” bassist Pete Wentz said at the time.

The HU share details of new album ‘Rumble Of Thunder’

The Hu have today unveiled details of their second album ‘Rumble Of Thunder’.

READ MORE: Mongolian metallers The Hu: ‘We want to become one of the legendary bands’

The Mongolian rock band have also previewed the album’s release with new single, ‘Black Thunder’, which you can check out below.

The band’s 12-track second studio album is set for release on September 2 and includes ‘This Is Mongol,’ their last single released in May as well as new single ‘Black Thunder’. Pre-order the album here.

The song is said to “incorporate Mongolian values, telling a powerful story of battle, faith, and death lyrically and visually”.

Watch the song’s video below:

Speaking about the new single, vocalist Gala shared, “’Black Thunder’ is the crown jewel of our second album. The music video is split into two parts and conveys the core values of men through visuals.

“Our producer Dashka chose a unique location in Mongolia to shoot the video, where we had a great time riding the horses in the vast grassland of our countryside. We hope that our pride in our culture shines through, as we aimed to bring viewers joy and a piece of our culture through this video.”

On their upcoming new album, he added: “Our second album will include ‘Black Thunder’, along with many new songs. We can’t wait for you to listen and enjoy it as much as we enjoyed recording it.”

‘Rumble Of Thunder’ tracklist:

01. ‘This is Mongol’
02. ‘YUT Hövende’
03. ‘Triangle’
04. ‘Teach Me’
05. ‘Upright Destined Mongol’
06. ‘Sell The World’
07. ‘Black Thunder’
08. ‘Mother Nature’
09. ‘Bii Biyelgee’
10. ‘Segee’
11. ‘Shihi Hutu’
12. ‘TATAR Warrior’

The band are also set to perform dates at Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Cardiff, Birmingham, Belfast and Glasgow, as well as a huge show at London’s Roundhouse on December 9.

Tickets for the shows are available here and you can see all the UK dates below:

NOVEMBER
28 – Manchester, Academy
30 – Leeds, Stylus

DECEMBER
01 – Nottingham, Rock City
02 – Cardiff, Great Hall
03 – Birmingham, O2 Institute
05 – Dublin, 3Olympia
06 – Belfast, Ulster Hall
07 – Glasgow, SWG3 (Galvanizers)
09 – London, Roundhouse

Bop Shop: Songs From Muna, J-Hope, King Princess, And More

Zee Machine, Kelechi: “Everybody Wants It”

Are you ready to don your leg warmers in July? Sleepy grooves are over and it’s time to wake up, tell the world that it won’t break your soul, and dance the day away. We’re getting an uplifting flashback groove with Zee Machine and Kelechi’s latest single “Everybody Wants It.” Everything from the beat to the vocal stylings creates nostalgia that pumps serotonin into your veins for the weekend ahead. Zee Machine wrote on Instagram that they are “really proud of this one because I feel like I’m truly writing music that I wanna listen to now. And hopefully you do too.” The answer is an easy one: We do! —Zach O’Connor
They. ft. Fana Hues: “Comfortable”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1tXflAmNPE

They. and Fana Hues get together to curate a secure and slow sexual setting. This velvety track evokes the ideal and effortless balance between power and control when it’s built on boundaries and reciprocation. The artists dominate with each verse, but don’t be fooled: Fana Hues makes the rules. —Gwyn Cutler
Muna: “What I Want”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysQl74R_Tog

Muna’s new self-titled album is an unabashedly queer pop celebration, though no song rings quite as triumphant as their most recent single “What I Want.” Throbbing synths and punctuated vocals set the scene for a retro bop in which they describe the type of night out on the town they desire. If they didn’t have you hooked at opening lyric (“When I go out again / I’m gonna drink a lot / I’m gonna take a shot / ‘Cause that’s just what I want”), then they’re going to get you astral projecting by the instantly iconic chorus, featuring a simple but assured declaration: “I want to dance in the middle of a gay bar.” Its flashy video finds them living their reckless rock star fantasies as they take their levels of “don’t-give-a-fuck” to the extreme alongside a who’s-who of LGBTQ+ icons, including Meg Stalter, Matt Rogers, Leland, and Bronze Avery. —Carson Mlnarik
J-Hope: “More”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKdBFeewZYE

Beginning his “Chapter 2” with a bang, BTS member J-Hope takes listeners on a wild and unexpected ride with “More,” an edgy, ’90s-inspired hip-hop track designed to be blared. As the first single off the K-pop superstar’s upcoming solo album, Jack in the Box, “More” serves as an apt representation of J-Hope’s evolution. The track features an almost punk melody, filled with boisterous guitars and distorted electronic sounds that come to a climax at the chorus. When layered with the rapper’s iconic rasp and heavy vocal fry, J-Hope creates a melody that you can feel in your soul. Accompanied by a dark, high-concept visual, pulling themes from the myth of Pandora and the surrealist art of Salvador Dali, J-Hope makes it clear that his artistry runs so deep that it simply cannot be contained. We can’t wait to watch Jack escape his box come July 15. —Sarina Bhutani
Quinnie: “Touch Tank”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WYnq1p7eZ0

Quinnie is on full display for her tender TikTok hit “Touch Tank.” Her naughty and nautical metaphors are hot enough that you’ll need to cool off in the kiddie pool. Deeper than that, Quinnie details the infatuation that arises when your level of intimacy is matched, arguing that even casual sex can’t compare to the comfort of a satisfying partner. Seem too good to be true? You’ve got to make a splash while the steamy summer lasts. —Gwyn Cutler
Little Mix: “No”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SqX5Hp44Do

If you’ve dealt with an ex or even a toxic “friend” who has repeatedly tried breaking your boundaries, this cathartic song is for you. The ladies of Little Mix refuse to be played around with anymore, and they will not be treated like doormats. “I say, ‘No, no, no’ / I said ‘yes’ too many times / You should know, know, know,” they sing. “Told you, ‘I'm no longer under your control’ / See, I'm not the kind of girl I was before / Can't walk over me no more.” Simply put, this is a powerful “fuck you” anthem. —Athena Serrano
King Princess: “Too Bad”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWmauHgIOck

From over-the-top bombastic pop to plucky ballads, King Princess has traversed a variety of genres throughout the singles leading to her forthcoming sophomore album Hold On Baby. Her latest track, “Too Bad,” finds the indie-pop singer-songwriter at her sweet spot: a classic mix of self-deprecating and sexy. Over cranked-up acoustic guitar and a slow drum loop, she crafts a deserted dive bar-friendly ode to being “too much” in a relationship and the weight of being in love. “Oh my god, is it hard to be loved / But that’s life,” she sings, before twisting the knife in her own heart deeper. “Too bad that I’m never enough.” Once again, she’s delivered the perfect pity-party soundtrack, whether you’re ready to burn it all down or you’re licking your cuts. —Carson Mlnarik
Enhypen: “Future Perfect (Pass the Mic)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMlNLo74mOw

The members of Enhypen make a thunderous comeback with the release of “Future Perfect (Pass the Mic),” the first single off their EP, Manifesto: Day 1. Inspired by the sounds of the Chicago drill scene, the high-energy hip-hop track showcases a darker side of the rising K-pop group. This is especially poignant given the massive success of their light and sweet song “Polaroid Love” that became a TikTok phenomenon. With an accompanying visual filled with complex group choreography made for the stage, “Future Perfect (Pass the Mic)” is a clear representation of Enhypen’s goals and aspirations as a group that aims to push boundaries. Since their debut in 2020, the boys of Enhypen have worked diligently to diversify their musical offerings, exploring interesting and unique concepts with each comeback. “Future Perfect (Pass the Mic)” not only proves that point, but expands on it. —Sarina Bhutani

Neil Young with Crazy Horse Toast

In 2000, Neil Young and Crazy Horse took up residence at Toast – a recording studio on San Francisco’s Mission Street. Awaiting overdue renovation, the district itself was in poor condition. The back door at Toast opened onto a view of derelict buildings; aside from a doughnut shop on the corner, their only neighbours were rats and the squatters. Inside Toast, the vibe was undetermined. As Young wrote in his memoir Special Deluxe, there were “some serious problems with my marriage” (to his then-wife Pegi).

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Instead of arriving at the sessions as usual with a handful of songs ready to go, Young apparently spent much of his time at Toast sitting on the studio floor, scribbling onto yellow pads, while the Horse watched TV and struggled to comprehend Toast’s lack of essential kitchenware. “Everything seemed temporary, even Crazy Horse,” Young wrote in Special Deluxe. “Although we had some great moments [in the studio] and the music was soulful, it wasn’t happy or settled.”

Taking a break, the band headed to South America for shows in Brazil and Argentina before returning to San Francisco, reinvigorated. This renewed spirit did not endure, however. “Eventually I gave up and abandoned the album,” Young wrote. “I was not happy with it, or maybe I was just generally unhappy. I don’t know. It was a very desolate album, very sad and unanswered.”

Instead, Young convened with Crazy Horse guitarist Frank “Poncho” Sampedro and Booker T & The MGs to record a new album, Are You Passionate?, that included a handful of songs leftover from Toast. Meanwhile, Toast itself disappeared from sight, its existence never officially revealed until 2008. Since then, it has become part of a tantalising parallel history of Young’s activities stretching back through decades, alongside Chrome Dreams, Oceanside/Countryside, Island In The Sun and Times Square. Young’s interest in releasing these ‘lost’ albums as part of his ongoing Archives series seems to rise and fall depending on a series of complex internal algorithms.

Toast fell on and off the schedules, until he started talking seriously about it – notably to Uncut – when he reactivated Crazy Horse for Americana and Psychedelic Pill in 2012. Whatever we might think about Young’s capricious career swerves, he tends to work methodically within the fixed parameters of each project; so once his focus shifted away from Crazy Horse at the end of the Alchemy Tour, his interest in Toast waned. With the latest incarnation of Crazy Horse currently active, Toast has finally arrived. And what a magnificent album it is.

Considering Young ditched Toast because its “down and almost out” vibes were too intense, it might seem strange that he chose to revisit three of its saddest songs almost immediately on Are You Passionate?. “Quit”, “How Ya Doin’?” (rechristened “Mr Disappointment”) and “Boom Boom Boom” (“She’s A Healer”) all share what Young described as the “foggy, blue and desolate” mood indicative of the Toast sessions. But evidently there was something about this murky emotional territory that resonated. Re-recording them without Crazy Horse, away from San Francisco and in the company of some new musicians might have brought Young some distance. But irrespective of location or personnel, these are bleak songs.

“I know I treated you bad/But I’m doin’ the best I can”, he sings on “Quit”, continuing with the self-recrimination on “How Ya Doin’?”: “I’m taking the blame myself/For livin’ my life in a shell”. Seasoned Neil watchers may conclude that this emotional turbulence eventually peaks with “Ramada Inn” – Psychedelic Pill’s uncharacteristically nuanced and coherent narrative about a long-term relationship on its last legs.

The good news is, the Toast versions are superior to the …Passionate? recordings. Among the most conspicuous changes is Young’s decision to sing “How Ya Doin’?”, a move more suited to the song’s wistful temperament than the semi-spoken growl on “Mr Disappointment”. It’s funny, comparing the Toast and Are You Passionate? versions side by side, because for all their peerless credentials as a soul band, Booker T & The MGs don’t go anywhere near as deep with Neil as Crazy Horse. On Toast, the Horse give Young plenty of space – “a big fat sad sound” – which allows him to move freely through the songs, one minute ringing a suitably lachrymose solo out of Old Back on “How Ya Doin’?” the next locking into a subdued but funky experimental groove on “Boom Boom Boom”.

At 13 minutes, “Boom Boom Boom” is the longest song on Toast – although less immediately expansive than a classic Horse jam, it’s nevertheless equally compelling. Backed by a cyclical rhythm laid down by Ralph Molina’s drums and Billy Talbot’s bass, instruments appear and disappear – there’s a cluster of piano notes here, a guitar solo there, a lone trumpet, what might even be a gong at one point. Young sings an octave higher, too, rising to meet Pegi and Astrid Young’s backing vocals as the three of them circle around the song’s haunting refrain, “There ain’t no way I’m gonna let the good times go”.

A more vigorous reminder of the Horse’s core strengths arrives with “Goin’ Home”, with Young howling heroically into the void, buffeted by Ralph’s pounding drums and Poncho’s powerchords. Another of Young’s fabled historical epics, it moves back and forth from Custer’s Last Stand to the present day until time telescopes in on itself and “Battle drums were pounding/All around her car”. I’m pretty sure it’s the same take as on …Passionate?, but it seems sharper here.

Of Toast’s three unreleased songs, “Standing In The Light Of Love” and “Gateway Of Love” debuted on the 2001 EuroTour, while “Timberline” remains unheard. “Standing In The Light Of Love” finds Young and the Horse in stomping head-to-head communion, playing in tight proximity to one another. Based around a Deep Purple-ish riff and cranky delivery from Young, its mood is one of vigorous defiance – “I don’t want to get personal/Or have you put me on the spot”. “Gateway Of Love” features several hairy and expansive solos from Young as well as an unexpected bossa nova beat evidently inspired by their South American trip. The song offers up a telling insight: “If I could just live my life/As easy as a song /I’d wake up someday/And the pain will all be gone”.

For someone often given to cryptic pronouncements and everyday surrealism, this is Young, disarmingly direct. But for every one flash of candour, there’s a “Timberline” not far behind. Writing on Archives, Young explains that the song is about “a religious guy who just lost his job. He’s turning on Jesus. He can’t cut any more trees. He’s a logger.” Here, the Horse deliver Toast’s liveliest number, driven by crunching chords and a wild, joyous backbeat from Ralph. A pump organ adds nuance. The chorus consists of Young and Crazy Horse yelling “Timberline!” repeatedly. For all the apparent bad fog of loneliness, it sounds like some fun took place on Mission Street, after all.

Viewed as part of Young and Crazy Horse’s run of albums that began with 1990’s Ragged Glory, Toast feels conceptually closer to Sleeps With Angels and Broken Arrow – albums that dealt squarely with loss. Musically, however, Toast inhabits a space somewhere between all three. There are rowdy barn-raisers, but also melodic, meditative grooves and strange, insidious songs. It’s an album of almost fragile beauty, intense loneliness and raging storms. Not for the last time, Crazy Horse took Neil Young somewhere he wasn’t expecting. It’s just a shame it’s taken us so long to get there too.

Gwenno Tresor

“If we opened people up, we’d find landscapes,” said the French director Agnes Varda in 2009. Varda is one of many artists, musicians and filmmakers from around the world who inspired Tresor, the third album by the Cornish-speaking Welsh psychonaut Gwenno Saunders – and that quote is particularly beloved to a musician dedicated to mapping out the intersection of land, heritage, identity and potential.

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Like Gwenno’s last album, Le Kov, Tresor is written mostly in Cornish – a language she learned as an infant from her father, the Cornish poet Tim Saunders; her socialist-choir-singing mother made sure she was equally fluent in Welsh. Le Kov imagined a cosmopolitan city of modern-day myth, raised from beneath the waves like the revived Cornish tongue itself; Tresor now journeys inward, into an inner life lived through Cornish.

To Gwenno, Cornish is not some exotic linguistic treasure, but the language of her childhood, of family, of imagination. She’s now teaching it to her son, and the songs on Tresor explore instinct, the unconscious and belonging. It’s a dreamier, gentler album than Le Kov or her Welsh-language debut, Y Dydd Olaf, leaning further into spectral electronic textures on tracks like “Keltek” and “Kan Me”.

The softer sounds are animated by the fresh creative energy Gwenno has found in the feminine on the likes of “Anima”, fuzzy psych-rock with medieval leanings and a sinuous melody. Surrealist imagery hangs in the hazy air: a black horse, a shell, a woman’s torso, a ball of fire. “Duwes po Eva/Ow sevel a’th rag”, Saunders sings: “Is it a Goddess or Eve stood in front of you?”

Sometimes the mystical archetypes of womanhood – the mother, the womb, the instinctual, the nurturing – can be limiting, but on this exploratory, visionary record, co-produced by Saunders and her partner and collaborator Rhys Edwards, it doesn’t feel that way. On the languid title track – a musical fairy mound piled with layers of vocals, synth, piano and marimba – Gwenno asks (in Cornish): “Do you want a crown upon your head and a woman at your feet?/Do I want to fill a room with all of my will and feel ashamed?” She wonders at the power of ineluctable instinct amid the drifting ghost’s dream that is “Men An Toll” – named for a set of holed, round, Freudian-field-day standing stones near Penzance – yet on opener “An Stevel Nowydh”, with a backbone of chiming indie, she’s less instinctual, more analytical as she airily interrogates existence: “Is the total lack of meaning an inevitable part of being?”

If Cornish is the language of internal philosophical enquiry, then the language of politics, for Gwenno, is Welsh; a supporter of independence, she tackles hypocrisy and individualism dressed in nationalism’s clothing in “NYCAW” (whose title refers to an old anti-holiday-home slogan, “Nid Yr Cymru Ar Werth”, or “Wales is not for sale”). Sardonic, taunting post-punk with lovely, liquid gothic guitar flourishing under the thrum, it bemoans the commercialisation of Welsh identity. When it comes to community, she asserts, “the only thing that matters is love”.

Wales, Cornwall and lands beyond are concretely present in the found sounds that add a richness of detail throughout, from the eldritch creak of a gate leading to an iron-age settlement on Anglesey to the strings of a hotel-room piano in Vienna. And while this is the first album Gwenno has written while actually in Cornwall – in St Ives, paid tribute to by the closing track, “Porth Ia” (its Cornish name) – it maintains a polyglot conversation with global influences from Swedish artist Monica Sjöö to American hippie adventurer Eden Ahbez, never giving in to easy authenticity or essentialism. On the driving, sultry “Ardamm”, she addresses critics of her new position as a Welsh-born figurehead of the Cornish language (record numbers signed up to Cornish courses after the release of Le Kov). How long, she asks, will they wait to take the lead themselves? “Ple ‘ma dha vammyeth?” (“Where is your mother tongue?”)

Yet the medium is no longer the message here; though the meaning of Tresor can’t really be divorced from the language in which it is written, it is not about Cornish, but in it. Tresor’s inner landscape, both local and global, invites us to consider what vistas and future paths we might form from our own jumbled heritages and where it is we might find ourselves. Among the last sounds heard on “Porth Ia” are the bells of Santa Maria Della Salute in Venice during the 2019 floods. “I want you to know”, Gwenno sings, “that when you arrive I will be here”.

Martin Courtney Magic Sign

It’s been seven years since Martin Courtney’s first solo album, the subtle delight of 2015’s Many Moons. Since then, he’s shepherded his group, Real Estate, through two more albums – In Mind (2017) and The Main Thing (2020) – and last year’s Half A Human EP. Change is incremental with a group like Real Estate, and the coordinates for the songs Courtney writes haven’t changed hugely over the 15-or-so years he’s been making music: while the production might be tighter, more robust, his melodies still sit as gently within the landscape of sound he sculpts as they did on the first, self-titled Real Estate album, back in 2009.

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That’s not to understate the art of Martin Courtney’s songwriting, though there is something understated about this most artful of songwriters. He’s what we might call a “chiseller” – someone who quietly, determinedly works away at the same area with similar tools but unearths gems at a surprising rate. Not exactly one to hide his influences, on Magic Sign, you can still hear trace elements of the listening Courtney might have done in his teens and twenties – you could hazard a guess at Felt, The Feelies, The Clientele, The Byrds – and the influence of the groups that Real Estate came up with, like his friends in Woods.

What makes Magic Sign such unceasingly pleasant company, then, is the way it weaves this constellation of influence and artfulness into 10 songs that are lighter than air, deceptively simple, yet cumulatively, surprisingly moving. This might be, in part, down to its genesis story, with Courtney caught in lockdown, the early stages of the Covid pandemic, writing towards potential futures: “In my mind, I had this idea that I was making an album that would hopefully come out in a more optimistic, post-pandemic world,” he reflects. That this ended up not quite being the case doesn’t diminish its powers, though it does suggest why, on occasion, the pacific wisdom of Magic Sign’s surfaces can feel slightly out of place.

That sense of temporal displacement – and of writing towards times-to-come – could well be why, paradoxically, much of Magic Sign peddles in nostalgia and wistfulness, as though the only way Courtney can process a less claustrophobic future is to flick through the pages of his past. On “Corncob”, he’s driving around the suburbs in his late teens with friends, finding the unexpected deep under the mulch of the everyday: “Twenty minutes from your house, there are places you don’t know”; “Merlin” slips back in time a few decades, with Courtney caught up in reverie, “in the basement of my mind… on a bike in 1999.”

Courtney specialises in documenting the detritus of daily life, the moments glimpsed and somehow stored in personal memory; caught in autumn light, preserved in amber, these are recollections of “fleeting hours”, shifting weather systems, the play of the sun’s rays. Sensitive to the sensuousness of language, his lyrics seem to revel in the simple beauty of passing observation, from the revolving cellar door of “Merlin” to the pinecone held by the protagonist, sat in the back seat of the car, of “Time To Go”. They fit his melodies neatly, too, and he seems particularly attenuated to the way the sound of words sits just so within his songs.

Some of the loveliest songs on Magic Sign inhabit a strange space, where Courtney’s roots in indie-pop are elevated by surprising interjections – see, for example, the pedal and lap steel that lend “Living Rooms” and “Terrestrial” a country-flecked air. You can also hear touches of country-rock in the descending melody that opens “Exit Music”, though it quickly spins on its heels and resolves to something closer to ’80s major-label power-pop. Jangling guitars are ever-present across Magic Sign, as befits Courtney’s pedigree, but the glistening production allows them to glint and speckle, webs of melody fractalised by sunshine.

Listening through Magic Sign, though, it’s striking how often the songs hint at stasis and absence; the characters that populate the songs are paused in reflection or drifting just out of our line of sight. Architectures are bare, like the “vacant house by the sea” in “Outcome”; the next song, “Sailboat”, plays out “in a silent house”, where “ghosts are in the walls”; on “Shoes”, “we throw our sighs in vacant shoes”; “every other house is empty” in the daytime drift of “Time To Go”. It’s a situation, and a state of mind, that Courtney is particularly adept at exploring: lost to the moment, sliding in and out of focus, uncertain and vacated.

Boris Johnson resigns: “I’m immensely proud of the achievements of this government”

Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister of the UK.

The PM announced his resignation outside Number 10 Downing Street after almost three years in power.

His resignation came in the wake of the departure of the former Health Secretary Sajid Javid and the former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the resignations of over 50 MPs.

Johnson has since been under increasing pressure to step down from his role as PM.

Speaking outside Number 10, he said: “It is clearly now the will of the Parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and so a new Prime Minister.

“I’m immensely proud of the achievements of this government in getting Brexit done, to settling our relations with the continent… reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in Parliament.”

Johnson added: “To [the] new leader… I say I will give you as much support as I can. And to you, the British public. I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed.

“And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them’s the breaks.”

The Conservatives have overseen 12 years of economic stagnation, declining public services and empty promises.

We don’t need to change the Tory at the top – we need a proper change of government.

We need a fresh start for Britain. pic.twitter.com/uMxRTomXX9

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 7, 2022

He confirmed the process to appoint a new leader will now begin, with a timetable to be set out next week. It is not clear exactly, however, when he will leave Number 10 for the final time.

Reacting to the news, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer wrote on Twitter that “it was good news for the country that Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister”.

Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, meanwhile, retweeted Johnson’s post from January 2020 that read: “This is going to be a fantastic year for Britain.” He captioned it: “Yep.”

Last month, Johnson won a no-confidence vote in his leadership of the Conservative Party. The results, however, revealed that 40 per cent of his MPs were against him (211 Tories voted in his favour, with 148 against).

The motion came after the publication of Sue Gray’s report on the COVID lockdown-breaking parties for which Johnson received a fixed penalty notice in April. He became the first sitting British Prime Minister to have been found to have broken the law.

There had been countless calls for Johnson to resign throughout the so-called Partygate scandal, which first hit the news in December 2021.

Boris Johnson led the Conservative Party to victory in the December 2019 General Election, securing 365 seats. He had become Prime Minister in July of that year following Theresa May’s resignation.

Figures from music and entertainment react to Boris Johnson’s resignation

Figures from the worlds of music and entertainment have been sharing their reactions to Boris Johnson‘s imminent resignation as Prime Minister.

Johnson is reportedly set to quit today (July 7) following the recent resignations of Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and over 50 other MPs.

READ MORE: Sadiq Khan on “piss-taker” Boris Johnson and talent coming from London

It came after Johnson apologised for appointing Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip despite knowing about a 2019 investigation into inappropriate behaviour made against Pincher. The MP resigned last week after being accused of groping two men in a private members club.

“In hindsight, it was the wrong thing to do,” Johnson said earlier this week (via Reuters). “I apologise to everyone who’s been badly affected by it.”

Johnson has since been under increasing pressure to step down from his role as PM.

Reacting to the initial reports of his resignation, Labour leader Keir Starmer wrote: “It is good news for the country that Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister. But it should have happened long ago.”

Starmer went on to say that Johnson was “always unfit for office”, highlighting the “lies, scandal and fraud” that has occurred under his leadership.

The Conservatives have overseen 12 years of economic stagnation, declining public services and empty promises.

We don’t need to change the Tory at the top – we need a proper change of government.

We need a fresh start for Britain. pic.twitter.com/uMxRTomXX9

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 7, 2022

He concluded: “We don’t need to change the Tory at the top – we need a proper change of government. We need a fresh start for Britain.”

Elsewhere, Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander tweeted: “Very glad to see Boris go now I’d like all the Conservatives to go next.”

Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker wrote: “Got a horrible inkling that any moment now Johnson’s going to reload a previous save and we’ll have to do the past six weeks again.” He’d previously joked that it’d “take an exorcist to shift this fucker”.

Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, meanwhile, retweeted Johnson’s post from January 2020 that read: “This is going to be a fantastic year for Britain.” He captioned it: “Yep.”

very glad to see boris go now i’d like all the conservatives to go next ‼️

— olly alexander (@alexander_olly) July 7, 2022

Got a horrible inkling that any moment now Johnson’s going to reload a previous save and we’ll have to do the past six weeks again.

— Charlie Brooker (@charltonbrooker) July 7, 2022

Yep https://t.co/GAgpbd183E

— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) July 7, 2022

Self Esteem – aka Rebecca Lucy Taylor – said: “Celebrate, sure, but don’t underestimate the likelihood that we’ll be going from one evil fuck to an even more evil fuck.”

Trainspotting writer Irvine Welsh posted: “It’s sad that people will remember Johnson as the clown who clung onto power rather than the visionary who got a particularly shit Brexit done, lied to queen and country, killed an excess of 100,000 people through shit covid policy, lied during lockdown, was abusive about blacks, Muslims, gays, women, working class men, led a pandemic inspired wealth grab for taxpayers by Tory donors while partying through lockdown in defiance of his own rules, hid in a fridge and shat it to appear on TV debates.

“But that’s the way it goes. He will leave huge idiot shoes for the next clown to step into. Fortunately the media will herald whoever the utterly useless wanker is as some sort of supremely gifted genius.”

Celebrate, sure, but don’t underestimate the likelihood that we’ll be going from one evil fuck to an even more evil fuck.

— Rebecca Lucy Taylor (@SELFESTEEM___) July 7, 2022

…blacks, Muslims, gays, women, working class men, led a pandemic inspired wealth grab for taxpayers by Tory donors while partying through lockdown in defiance of his own rules, hid in a fridge and shat it to appear on TV debates…

— Irvine Welsh (@IrvineWelsh) July 7, 2022

…but that’s the way it goes. He will leave huge idiot shoes for the next clown to step into. Fortunately the media will herald whoever the utterly useless wanker is as some sort of supremely gifted genius.

— Irvine Welsh (@IrvineWelsh) July 7, 2022

The vote came after the publication of Sue Gray’s report on the COVID lockdown-breaking parties for which Johnson received a fixed penalty notice in April. He became the first sitting British Prime Minister to have been found to have broken the law.

There had been countless calls for Johnson to resign throughout the so-called Partygate scandal, which first hit the news in December 2021.

This is a developing story and will be updated…

Yard Act’s James Smith on Elton John collab: “It was bananas”

Yard Act singer James Smith has spoken about the “amazing” experience of collaborating with Elton John for their new version of ‘100% Endurance’.

READ MORE: Yard Act live at Glastonbury 2022 – groove-driven star power in a parka

The pop legend, who is a fan of the Leeds-based band, contributed piano to the new studio recording. ‘100% Endurance’ is the latest single released from Yard Act’s debut album ‘The Overload’, which was released in January.

Speaking to Matt Wilkinson on Apple Music 1 today (July 6), as part of his UK City Spotlight on Leeds, Smith said: “We had a lovely afternoon together at Metropolis Studios in London. It was beautiful. We wanted to shine a light on ‘100% Endurance’ a bit more, now the album had been out a bit and we felt we’d established the one side of Yard Act.

“It felt like there’s ways we could accentuate and highlight the melody and the emotion of that track without over egging it, while still sling in a string section and loads of lush Elton John piano all over it. And then, obviously, because he’d been so kind about us and he’d been calling me a little bit, we thought why not ask him?”

Smith said that John’s response to the collaboration offer was “abso-fucking-lutely”, adding: “I think he’d been for a Chairman of the Board meeting at Watford or something [prior to the recording], and then he came to us. It was bananas.

“It was wicked. I don’t think there’s anything more Yard Act than you directly addressing Elton John within a song he’s playing piano on. You know what I mean? The fact he went for it. I was like, “That’s amazing.” It was such an experience and he was just such a sound, sound person. He was brilliant.”

Last week (July 1), John offered his own view on the unlikely team-up: “From the first moment I heard Yard Act, I fell in love with James’ lyrics, and the way he’s delivered the song. Their sound is such a breath of fresh air. When James called and asked if I would come into the studio I instantly loved the idea. I started out as a session musician in the late ’60s and I absolutely loved it then.

“They’re a very special band, with a massive future ahead of them and I’m honoured they’ve let me be a part of their journey.”

Yard Act were recently named in a new study as this summer’s most-booked new music act on the European festival circuit.

The annual study, which is conducted by the European talent exchange programme ESNS Exchange, sheds a light on “the most promising European emerging acts of the moment”.

Yard Act have come out on top of this year’s study, racking up 11 bookings at ESNS Exchange-affiliated festivals in 2022.

Jessi parts ways with Psy’s management agency P Nation

Korean-American singer-rapper Jessi has parted ways with management agency P Nation, which is headed by South Korean musician Psy.

READ MORE: Sunmi opens up about taking over as the host of ‘Showterview’

According to reports by the Kpop Herald and Herald Pop, P Nation announced the K-pop idol’s departure through a statement issued to the press. Notably, Jessi was the first artist who signed to the label in early-2019, followed by South Korean power couple DAWN and HyunA shortly after

“First of all, we express deep gratitude to everyone who has sent much love and interest to Jessi,” P Nation said in its statement, as translated by Soompi. “We inform you that our exclusive contract with Jessi recently expired.”

“Being with P NATION since the beginning until now as P NATION’s first artist, Jessi has secured her position as an artist who is loved by more fans through her warm passion and endless efforts. That process and her achievements became positive and enjoyable sources of motivation for every member of P NATION.”

“We will continue to cheer on Jessi’s future path as an artist, and we will continuously support her diverse activities,” the label added. “We thank the many fans who cherish Jessi, and we ask that you continue to send warm encouragement and support.”

Jessi had previously opened up about joining P Nation and how she did not say yes to PSY’s offer right away. “I was not convinced at first, let’s get that straight. It took a while for him to really get me,” she explained at the time.

In her three years with P Nation, Jessi has released a number of hit and viral singles, including the 2020 single ‘Nunu Nana’ in 2020, ‘What Type Of X’ in 2021 and the TikTok hit ‘Zoom’ this April.

The Weeknd announces new opening acts to replace Doja Cat on his tour

The Weeknd has announced new support acts for his upcoming North American stadium concerts – dubbed the ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ tour – after Doja Cat pulled out.

Back in May, Doja Cat announced that she was to cancel all her 2022 live dates, including festival shows and the tour with The Weeknd, to recover from tonsil surgery.

READ MORE: The Weeknd – ‘Dawn FM’ review: soulful star meets a new day with hope and hindsight

The tour, which begins in Abel Tesfaye’s native Toronto on Saturday night (July 8), will now see support on select dates from Snoh Aalegra, Kaytranada and Mike Dean.

After its opening in Toronto, ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ will take The Weeknd to Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and more.

See the full list of dates below.

SEPTEMBER
Friday 2 – Los Angeles, SoFi Stadium

Additionally, the singer – real name Abel Tesfaye – has partnered with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to launch the XO Humanitarian Fund. $1 from each ticket sold on the tour will go towards the fund, which works toward ending the global hunger crisis. Tesfaye will also donate $500,000 to the fund.

“The goal with this fund is to provide immediate life-saving support to people who are on the brink of starvation,” Tesfaye commented in a statement. “I’m so thankful to have WFP as a partner and to further expand our reach to those who need it most.”

New Generation Of Soft Pop Is Here: Argentina’s Finest Juan Minatta & His Single “best of me”

Juan Minatta is an Argentinian singer-songwriter who is releasing some of the most emotional songs lately and his latest release is “best of me,” a sad reflection on his past romantic relationship. The way Juan sings his lyrics is truly unmatched as the talented artist touches the hearts of his listeners with his powerful voice.

The young singer started off his career by releasing his version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” gaining substantial traction for his music. In the summer of 2020, Juan Minatta released his debut single “Run Away” that reached more than 150k streams across platforms. Two years into his musical career, Minatta already has four hit singles out and is looking forward to releasing more touching tracks as his career continues to blossom.

You can follow Juan Minatta on: Instagram – Spotify – YouTube – Facebook – Twitter

Dave Rowntree tells us about debut solo single ‘London Bridge’ and what’s next for Blur

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has shared his debut solo single ‘London Bridge’. Check it out below, along with our interview with Rowntree discussing a new record on the way, politics, and what the future holds for Blur.

Released on Cooking Vinyl and produced with Leo Abrahams (Wild Beasts, Brian Eno, Ghostpoet) the emotive synth-led track was inspired by the drummer’s childhood growing up in Colchester, before moving to London with Blur.

“There was a phase in my life as a child when the number 126 would pop up everywhere,” Rowntree told NME. “I was living at Number 126 on my road, I would get the Number 126 bus every morning, and I just kept seeing the number everywhere. I know that’s just the brain working its pattern recognition trickery, which has allowed us to thrive as a species, and I get all that – but it’s funny when that happens to you and just how powerful it is.”

He continued: “When I first moved to London with Blur, a similar thing started happening at London Bridge. Things would happen around there that suddenly made the place seem bizarrely meaningful in my life – as if the universe was trying to scream ‘LONDON BRIDGE’ at me!

“The genesis of the song was, ‘Isn’t it strange that this sense of place can take up so much of your mind’. It ended up just talking about me, really. This is from an album about me – sorry! It’s a solo album and eventually I have to tell my own story.”

Admitting that the song is not representative of the rest of his solo material to come, Rowntree revealed that the sound of the song came from the same synthy place as much of his work composing scores for film and TV – with credits including Netflix series The One and the BBC technological crime thriller The Capture.

“It started as a guitar song, but I was never really happy with that so I started again and turned it into a synth song,” Rowntree told us. “It was that period of my life in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s when the London Bridge memory thing happened, so it seemed like a natural route to go down to get all of my old analogue synths and drum machines out and start again that way.”

Rowntree started work on solo material around four years ago, penning songs in his home studio for himself between his “dayjob” hours as a composer. “In my downtime, I started writing songs, meeting up with other people and collaborating with them, coming up with ideas,” he said. “We did that with Blur and that part of being a musician was something I’d really been missing.

“I was just noodling along, having ideas and things and then of course, lockdown happened. I suddenly found that I had a lot of time on my hands. I was speaking to my producer friend Leo and we were both locked down in our studios, so we decided to work on these songs together.”

Blur (Graham Coxon, Damon Albarn, Dave Rowntree and Alex James) in 1997. CREDIT: Brian Rasic/Getty Images

In order to lay down his “bank of solo songs” that he had built up, Rowntree said that he had to get used to the idea of being front and centre of the project.

“It’s hard when you’re writing your own songs from scratch,” he said. “You seem to have a crisis of confidence. You get halfway through it and go, ‘Ah, this is terrible, why am I even doing this? This is a disaster! Why am I even doing this?’

“For me, music is all about collaboration, and that’s what I’ve tried to do here with a lot of interesting people. I’ve just been trying to navigate my way around the fear of a blank page.”

And he is ready to step on stage as a frontman, rather than a drummer?

“That is the £64,000 question!” he replied. “It’s quite easy to get used to being at the back of the stage and being protected from the screaming hordes by your drum kit. I’m going to be seen at these gigs – when they happen – standing with a microphone in front of the stage. I think I’m going to be fine with that, but you don’t know until you do it.”

Dave Rowntree. CREDIT: Debbie Hickey/Getty Images

With a solo album due in the next year, Rowntree said that the songs from the record were written to played live, while still “textural and evocative”. Beyond that, there is also hope that we’ll soon see a comeback from Blur – especially after as well as guitarist Graham Coxon teased more activity from Blur and frontman Damon Albarn claimed that the Britpop legends had been in talks, and “had an idea” of how to make their return.

Asked about his bandmates’ comments, Rowntree told us: “The problem as with all bands was that there was willingness to do it, but no opportunity to do it. Now the opportunities are opening up again, so we’ll just have to see. We’re all up for it; I can give you that exclusive: we’re all up for it!”

He added: “It would be lovely to have a celebration and get back out in the fresh air again. That would be wonderful. It’s a difficult time for touring at the moment, with various problems meaning that venues and crews aren’t available. It’s not quite as simple as going, ‘Let’s just book this show in the yard!’ like we would have done in the pre-pandemic and pre-Brexit days.”

Music aside, Rowntree has also spent much of the 21st Century working in politics – going as far to be elected as a Labour Councillor in Norfolk, among his other achievements. Asked about the scandal that surrounds the current Tory government, the drummer and songwriter described Boris Johnson and his party’s actions as “unbelievable”.

“I can’t remember a time when politicians have had such a lack of accountability,” he told NME. “All of these individual issues would have been the end of the career of pretty much any other Prime Minister in history. That’s both the benefit and the danger of large majorities – the final arbiter of a Prime Minister’s conduct is Parliament, and if the Prime Minister controls Parliament then the Prime Minister is unaccountable, apart from every five years when there’s an election.”

He went on: “I can’t think of a time since I first started taking note of politics that there’s been such a lack of accountability and a lack of interest in that fact by the public. Everyone’s just shrugging their shoulders and going, ‘Oh well, that’s what he’s like! We knew he’d be a shower of shit when we voted for him’ – and then voila! A shower of shit! It’s just all factored in.”

So will his upcoming debut solo album be loaded with politics?

“It’s not a record about politics, but it’s a record written in political times,” he replied. “The songs that I’m working on are definitely set against that backdrop. I remember the 1970s, and it was a horrible time, but now we seem to be nostalgic as if it was some kind of golden era.”

‘London Bridge’ by Dave Rowntree is out now.

Mandy Moore cancels remainder of tour due to pregnancy

Mandy Moore has announced that she’s cancelling her remaining 2022 tour dates due to her pregnancy.

The singer is touring in support of new album ‘In Real Life’ which followed Moore’s March 2020 album ‘Silver Landings’, and arrived on May 13 via Verve Forecast.

Taking to Instagram to announce the tour would be cancelled, she wrote: “Friends, It is with a heavy heart and much consideration that I have to let you all know that I am cancelling my remaining show dates in 2022.

It has been an honour and an absolute dream to return to the stage again this past month, performing for all of you.”

She added: “When we booked these shows, I wasn’t pregnant and although I truly thought I could power through, the way we are traveling (long hours on the bus and not getting proper rest) has caught up, taken its toll, and made it feel too challenging to proceed.

“I know that I have to put my family and my health (and the health of my baby) first and the best place for me to be right now is at home.”

See the full statement below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mandy Moore (@mandymooremm)

Produced by Mike Viola, ‘In Real Life’ features a host of collaborators, including Moore’s husband, Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith, and his brother/bandmate Griffin Goldsmith, Lucius’ Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, keyboardist Lee Pardini (The War On Drugs) and bassist Sebastian Steinberg (Sharon Van Etten, Phoebe Bridgers).

Speaking about the new album, Moore said: “So much of this record came from future-tripping on the next chapter of my life and what it might look like: what parenthood would feel like, how it would change everything, and all the excitement and trepidation that comes with that.”

“At the same time it was about celebrating and acknowledging where we were at the moment and really trying to be completely present in the everyday — which is maybe the hardest part of the human condition.”

BBC reveals they received allegations against DJ Tim Westwood

The BBC have revealed that they received six allegations of misconduct against Tim Westwood, one of which was handed over to police.

This is despite the corporation’s Director General Tim Davie saying in a statement made back in April that “no evidence of complaints” had been found.

At the end of April, sexual assault allegations were made against the former Radio 1 DJ by multiple women, leading him to step down from his Capital Xtra radio show.

Westwood, 64, was accused of opportunistic and predatory sexual behaviour as well as instances of unwanted touching in incidents that are said to have occurred between 1992 and 2017. The accusations came to light in a joint investigation from The Guardian and BBC News, published on April 26. Westwood denies all allegations.

According to BBC News, allegations were brought to the BBC before the April allegations were made, with a spokesperson saying: “This is a historic case that the BBC has found in its files. We are establishing the facts around it.

“It did not relate to conduct at the BBC, BBC premises, or conduct towards a BBC staff member, nor was it an accusation of physical assault.”

The corporation have not said whether the five other complaints noted were received before or after Davie said there was “no evidence” of complaints being made.

Tim Westwood in 2021. Credit: Joseph Okpako/WireImage.

Seven women, who are all Black, gave detailed accounts to The Guardian about their alleged experiences with Westwood. They claimed to have met Westwood through his work. Some accused the DJ of abusing his power within the music industry in order to exploit women.

The alleged victims – whose names have been changed – also gave testimony as part of a new 30-minute documentary, Tim Westwood: Abuse of Power, which aired on BBC Three in April. It is available to watch now via the BBC iPlayer.

Three out of the seven women have accused Westwood of opportunistic and predatory sexual behaviour after they agreed to meet him for what they believed to be a discussion regarding the music industry or their own work.

They were aged 17, 19 and 20 at the time of the alleged incidents.

An additional four women have claimed that the DJ groped them while they were attending one of his club night sets.

Per The Guardian’s report, none of the women have reported the alleged assaults to the police. They are not known to each other and have never spoken, it is reported.

Watch Post Malone play beer pong with Turnstile and Dua Lipa

Last week, rapper Post Malone, pop star Dua Lipa and hardcore punks Turnstile all played Roskilde festival in Denmark and hung out together backstage for a chaotic game of beer pong – check out footage below.

READ MORE: How Turnstile’s Glastonbury 2022 set proved they’re the live band of the summer

The clip, which was originally shared by Post Malone, sees the rapper make an impressive shot against Turnstile before the crowd (featuring team mate Dua Lipa) goes wild.

The TikTok has now been shared over 4 million times. Check it out below:

@postmalone

? @Dua Lipa

♬ I Like You (A Happier Song) – Post Malone

Post Malone also shared this lovely group photo from the evening.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @postmalone

Dua Lipa then shared an image of the night alongside a clip of her and Malone talking tactics and trying to work out who was going to take the next shot. “Many random mems in the month of June” she wrote alongside the Instagram post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DUA LIPA (@dualipa)

Since going public with the beer pong, fans of all three artists have been asking for a collaboration.

Turnstile are currently touring in support of 2021’s ambitious ‘GLOW ON’ while Dua Lipa is on the road for 2020’s ‘Future Nostalgia’. Despite her gruelling tour schedule, Lipa revealed earlier this year that her third album is “half-way finished”.

“I’ve definitely grown up. Overall, whether it’s sonically or in terms of the themes, I’ve matured,” she said. “It’s like I’m coming into my power and not afraid to talk about things,” she added of the third album. “It’s about understanding what I want.”

As for Post Malone, the rapper is right at the start of the touring cycle for ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’ which was released last month.

In a four-star review, NME wrote: “The occasional outdated attitude and some light filler material here and there aside, ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’ is another step up for Post Malone. It’s a record that feels distinctively, inimitably him and succeeds in his goal of sharing his truth. Couple that with his recent comments that he’s also found happiness and it seems like everything is back on the up for Post Malone.”

Cardi B working on Lil’ Kim collab, planning mixtape with Offset

Cardi B has revealed she wants to collaborate with Lil’ Kim for her upcoming album, and wants to write a mixtape with her husband Offset.

READ MORE: New doc ‘Queens Of Rap’ reinforces the importance of ‘WAP’, more than a year on

“I want Lil’ Kim on my album,” Cardi said during an in-depth interview with Hot 97 before revealing she’s already “hit her up”.

Cardi B went on to explain that while she’s got a track in mind for the Lil’ Kim feature, she’s also “debating another song because I kinda want her on this one too.”

“What I really wanted to do was like an ‘Aunt Dot’ with her (Lil’ Kim’s 2014 track with Lil’ Shanice) but then I’m kinda debating, is that gonna be a little bit outdated? I just want the song I do with her, I want it to be like a super great comeback. I just don’t want to put her on my album on a song and it’s like, ‘Cool, yeah, she had a Lil’ Kim feature.’ I want this to be like her insane moment.”

“It just has to be, ‘Oh my god, they’re a great duo.’ That’s what I really want with Kim, like something that just makes sense.”

Last year, Cardi B came to Lil’ Kim‘s defence after people had been criticising the rapper on social media.

In another recent interview, Cardi B has revealed plans for a full-length collaboration with Migos member Offset after previously working together on Lil Yachty’s 2018 single ‘Who Want the Smoke?’ and ‘Clout’ from Offset’s 2019 project ‘Father of 4’.

“After I do this album, I do want to do a mixtape with my husband ‘cause I love how he raps,” Cardi told Power 105. “He could rap his ass off. I’m really, really a fan.”

She also shared plans to do a Spanish-language album in the future.

“I feel like that’s more pressure to me than anything, because that Latin world, they want it, but I feel like it’s not as easy as people think,” she said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, you speak Spanish, you can just do a Spanish song.’ No. ‘Cause they’re a little bit different. That’s a different world right there but I wanna try it. Fuck it.”

Earlier this month, Cardi B released ‘Hot Shit’, a Kanye West and Lil Durk-assisted song lifted from the rapper’s forthcoming album.

She went on to call West “an amazing, sweet person”

Halsey opens up about pro-choice stance: “My abortion saved my life and gave way for my son to have his”

Halsey has penned an essay to explain their stance on reproductive rights, opening up about whether the birth of their first son, Ender, impacted their perspective on the matter.

READ MORE: Halsey: “I’ve always been driven to reinvent myself and reinvent my genre”

Halsey’s essay – published by Vogue on Friday (July 1) – comes in response to the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 court case that made abortion legal on a federal level. In early May, leaked documents showed that the US Supreme Court voted privately to overturn the ruling; their decision was officially enacted on June 24, meaning US states will be able to set their own laws regarding the legality of abortions.

“Every person deserves the right to choose when, if, and how they have this dangerous and life-altering experience. I will hold my son in one arm, and fight with all my might with the other.”

Halsey has long been vocal in their advocacy for reproductive rights. They’ve spoken candidly about their own challenges with reproductive healthcare, and addressed Roe v Wade several times before. During the first show of their current ‘Love And Power’ tour, for example, they screened a video sharing facts about the importance of safe access to abortions.

They screened a similar video in Phoenix last Sunday (June 26), and delivered a powerful speech about the need to be active during the political war on reproductive rights. That speech led to several fans walking out of Halsey’s concerts – something they responded to after the show, joking that the “downside of [performing in] outdoor venues [is that there’s] no door to hit them on the way out”.

When the aforementioned Supreme Court documents leaked in May, Halsey was among more than 150 artists to sign a petition against the proposed (and now official) ruling. “The overturning of Roe v Wade will mark a catastrophic shift in our fundamental rights to bodily autonomy and reproductive health care,” they wrote at the time. “We are constituents and we have the right and responsibility to fight this.”

Over the past week, hundreds of artists have spoken out against the official overturning of Roe v. Wade. Many did so during their sets at Glastonbury 2022, including IDLES, Billie Eilish, Lorde, Olivia Rodrigo, Jarvis Cocker, Phoebe Bridgers and Kendrick Lamar.

Bop Shop: Songs From Lava La Rue, Raye, Kizz Daniel, And More

Raye: “Hard Out Here”
https://youtu.be/AtTgBoUfiuQ

“After years and fears and smiling through my tears, all I ask of you is open your ears,” Raye croons at the top of “Hard Out Here,” the first single off her upcoming debut album. Her first release since becoming independent, Raye uses this opportunity as a declaration of agency, a way to reclaim control over her own narrative, both sonically and lyrically. Deviating away from the hyperpop and EDM melodies with which she’s most often associated, Raye goes for an edgier R&B sound, giving herself enough space to tell her story. Accompanied by an art house-esque visual displaying a strong and powerful Raye in full form, “Hard Out Here” marks the start of a renaissance, an exciting and liberating new chapter for the artist now in control. —Sarina Bhutani
Fancy Hagood ft. Kacey Musgraves: “Blue Dream Baby”
https://youtu.be/wftCgouNjgU

The singer Fancy Hagood has released a string of catchy country tunes over the past few years. Now, he’s enlisted the space cowgirl herself, Kacey Musgraves, who is also one of his besties, for his latest single, “Blue Dream Baby.” The pair’s vocals meld perfectly for a groovy slice of summer pop that will make you feel like you’re floating down a lazy river sparkling with cosmic stardust. “Blue Dream Baby” sounds like a Golden Hour B-side, and what could be a better compliment than that? —Chris Rudolph
Kizz Daniel ft. Tekno: “Buga”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLF90M96m2Q

Honor your enduring devotion to yourself and dance to your good deeds. The Yoruba word “buga,” after which this song is titled, denotes displaying oneself and one’s accomplishments proudly. This is exactly what Nigerian artist Kizz Daniel encourages in his hip-shaking hit. A vibrant Carnival hypes up his boisterous and beautiful Black crowd to celebrate overcoming hardships and ushering in success. —Gwyn Cutler
Mark Clennon: “Kingston”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaGjG1WVzSc

Jamaican future soul artist Mark Clennon’s new single isn’t just astonishingly beautiful, it’s groundbreaking. The tranquil track’s visual, filmed in Jamaica, is the first music video shot in the country to feature a gay romance. There’s a tension to its peaceful production as Clennon sings about finding a lover in Kingston, where the stakes are especially heightened due to the country’s typically intolerant attitude toward the queer community. “One look alone can change your life,” he sings, pleading to his lover, “Don’t let me down in Kingston tonight.” The intimacy is tangible, in both Clennon’s soulful vocals and his moving self-directed visual, creating a vibe that you’ll want to hold tight and never let go. —Carson Mlnarik
Dove Cameron: “Breakfast”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4sMXibc_S0

Dove Cameron is having her own succubus moment in this latest delicious single. “I eat boys like you for breakfast / One by one hung on my necklace,” she sings in her appropriately husky low timbre. “They'll always be mine / It makes me feel alive.” The rapid violin strings bring a sense of tension to her seduction before leading to synth beats in the chorus, revealing her true intentions. It’s giving Jennifer’s Body. —Athena Serrano
Lava La Rue ft. Biig Piig: “Hi-Fidelity”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUu5unXsPL8

This atmospheric and psychedelic jam eases you into an out-of-body, otherworldly experience. Lava La Rue is no stranger to fun and freaky vibes, and this title track to their newest album is no exception. Transport to their hypnotic planet when their album debuts on July 29. “We jumping the moon / And the world watch us glisten / I’m just an alien / And I’m here for a visit,” they sing. —Gwyn Cutler
Jake Shears: “Amazing”

The former Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears takes you to the club for his cover of George Michael’s hit “Amazing.” The perfect send-off to Pride Month, one of Michael’s best tracks gets a makeover as a pulsating dance track that will instantly transport you to a dark, crowded dance floor. We think George Michael would approve. —Chris Rudolph
Peach Tree Rascals: “Let U Go”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdwukKetAjM

Do you know the Rascals? After the success of their viral track “Mariposa,” TikTok approved Cali crew Peach Tree Rascals have inspired a passionate fan base that only grows stronger with each release. Their latest offering “Let U Go” — the first taste of their upcoming mixtape Does a Fish Know It’s Wet? — is another summer-soaked banger, calling to mind sunny ’90s alternative hits, complete with a cheerleader-esque call-and-answer decree to shake it. Though the boys find themselves in tough romances, they don’t let it bog them down and the track’s loving lyrics are as buoyant and breezy as its bouncing production. —Carson Mlnarik

Elvis

Of all the filmmakers who could have made an Elvis biopic, it had to be one whose aesthetic is more Vegas bloat than Sun Studios leanness. Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis lives up
to the swooning excess of his Moulin Rouge, even down to its digital diamanté-studded end credits. Less a narrative than a deluxe jukebox musical with touches of Douglas Sirk melodrama, Elvis is framed as a sort of Citizen Kane deathbed reverie from Colonel Tom Parker, Presley’s Dutch-born, Mephistophelean manager. He’s played by Tom Hanks with a bizarre, undefinable European accent, in makeup suggesting a cross between the Penguin and a papier-mâché effigy of Rupert Murdoch.

ORDER NOW: THE BEATLES ARE ON THE COVER OF THE LATEST ISSUE OF UNCUT

How Parker ‘created’, or rather enslaved Presley is the narrative drift, but the film’s real pleasure lies in its full-tilt comic-strip stylistics and a terrific performance by Austin Butler (a TV stalwart previously seen in Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time…). His Elvis is something of a coy innocent, less of a confident joker than the original, not quite aware of his powers, but rebellious when it comes to doing things his own way, as on the ’68 TV Comeback Special.

Don’t expect the dark stuff – the decline isn’t touched on, nor his attempts to ingratiate himself with Richard Nixon (this film paints Elvis as a tender-hearted liberal). Priscilla, played by Olivia de Jonge, barely gets a look-in. The film is best experienced as a showbiz panto, with famous names flitting by – Kelvin Harrison Jr as BB King, Alton Mason show-stealing as Little Richard.

The emphasis on Elvis’s debt to black music might have expressed itself more subtly than with tarted-up rap recreations of his work – Doja Cat, CeeLo Green and Eminem are among the soundtrack contributors – but then this is no more a film for purists than Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet was for Stratford-on-Avon regulars. Elvis is hyperbolic, one-dimensional and ludicrous – but as high-excess cinematic myth-making, it’s a blast.

Michael Nesmith Tantamount To Treason Vol 1 (reissue, 1972)

There’s added poignancy in this reissue of Nesmith’s fourth post-Monkees album, following his death in December last year. Yet rather than being a sentimental salute, Tantamount To Treason underscores Nez’s status as a country-rock forefather of a rather idiosyncratic bent.

ORDER NOW: THE BEATLES ARE ON THE COVER OF THE LATEST ISSUE OF UNCUT

Produced by Nesmith himself, Tantamount To Treason was his only recording with the Second National Band, a sextet featuring just him and pedal-steel guitarist Orville “Red” Rhodes from the first incarnation, plus session musicians including bassist Johnny Meeks, who did time as lead guitarist with the Blue Caps, and noted jazz drummer Jack Ranelli. In the run-up to release, Nez had been feeling the impact of diminishing market returns on his First National Band records, which makes this set even more of a triumph. It’s the full realisation of his aesthetic, interpreted by skilled players – nine tracks of expansive country rock with psychedelic and jazzy flourishes, intriguing experimental touches and a relaxed, almost meditative feel.

This remastered edition – expanded for both vinyl and CD – follows right behind 7a’s reissue of And The Hits Just Keep On Comin’, from later the same year. First up is the stomping “Mama Rocker”, equal parts Chuck Berry and CCR, with a touch of Jimmy Page – likely a bid to win listeners over ahead of the more reflective and/or out-there tracks. It’s in sharp contrast to what immediately follows: “Lazy Lady” is cast as a traditional country number with lachrymose pedal-steel work, though it’s skewed by an odd, descending guitar coda. It’s also a reminder, were it needed, of the tender honesty of Nesmith’s lyrics and the keening power of his voice.

Ravishing epic “In The Afternoon”, a reflection on change and the building of a home, is similarly languid and a standout, while the irresistibly woozy flow and reverb manipulations of “You Are My One” throw forward to Eric Chenaux’s “bent jazz” style. The band’s cover of the Lee/Duffy standard “She Thinks I Still Care” is a diametric opposite, but nowhere near as strikingly so as “Highway 99 With Melange”. Written by keyboardist Michael Cohen, it opens with metallic clanging, then suggests a car radio flipping between stations (faint snatches of Nesmith’s voice, sudden sub-Zep blasts), adding seagull cries and thunder. The song proper adopts a comically exaggerated tone for a road-trip monologue, while pianos hammer out what sounds like two different bar-room tunes behind. Cohen’s song is a curate’s egg but it’s also an indication of the breadth of Nesmith’s vision and his enthusiasm for change.

Record company pressure won the day, however, and rather than Tantamount To
Treason Vol 2, he (and just Rhodes) delivered the more commercially viable And The Hits Just Keep On Comin’.

Fred Again.. shares new Four Tet collaboration ‘Jungle’

Fred Gibson, AKA electronic producer Fred Again.., has released a new track called ‘Jungle’ – check it out below.

READ MORE: Fred Again.. – ‘Actual Life 2 (February 2 – October 15 2021)’ review: acclaimed producer turns despair into hope

The track – which contains a sample of Elley Duhé’s 2017 track ‘Immortal’ and also features a production co-credit from Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden – follows Fred’s February team-up with I. JORDAN (formerly India Jordan) ‘Admit It (U Don’t Want 2)’.

Prior to that, Fred released two albums in 2021 – his April debut ‘Actual Life (April 14 – December 17 2020)’ and November’s follow-up ‘Actual Life 2 (February 2 – October 15 2021)’.

Listen to ‘Jungle’ below:

Speaking on his previous collaboration with I. JORDAN, Fred wrote: “It was such an effortless joy working with India on this. We made it in like three sessions and finished it on the rooftop where I live. It was sick that like while we were working on it India could go and road test it and we ended up evolving the tune based on the reaction.

“We both wanted to make something that just honoured the feeling of hearing ‘u don’t want 2…..admit that it hurts you’ in a rave. That line really resonated with us.”

In a four-star review of ‘Actual Life 2’, NME wrote: “From ‘Hannah (The Sun)’ onwards, the second half of the record resembles a warm, comforting embrace as Fred finally allows those closest to help him.

“The epiphanic optimism and ravey utopia of ‘Tanya (Maybe Life)’, ‘Marco (And Everyone)’ — which cleverly gathers snippets of the previous tracks in a montage style over a bass-heavy beat — and the rapturous ‘Billie (Loving Arms)’ emphasise the curing power of physical intimacy while reassuring us and Fred that everything’s going to be OK.”

Beyoncé shares ‘RENAISSANCE’ statement and album artwork

Beyoncé has shared a statement about her forthcoming new album ‘RENAISSANCE (Act 1)’ on social media, along with what appears to be the record’s artwork.

READ MORE: Beyoncé’s new song ‘Break My Soul’ is a confidence-oozing comeback that embraces nu-disco

The pop icon announced earlier this month (June 16) that she would be releasing her seventh solo album – the follow-up to 2016’s acclaimed ‘Lemonade’ – on July 29.

Now Bey has gone into detail about the creative process surrounding the album, which has so far been preceded by her Robin S and Big Freedia-sampling new single ‘Break My Soul’.

“Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” Beyoncé wrote on Instagram today (June 30). “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving.

“My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”

She added: “I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.”

The striking accompanying image, meanwhile, shows the singer astride a luminescent horse. Check out the full post below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)

Beyoncé confirmed she was working on new music last summer. “I’ve been in the studio for a year and a half,” she explained. “Sometimes it takes a year for me to personally search through thousands of sounds to find just the right kick or snare. One chorus can have up to 200 stacked harmonies.”

In a four-star review of ‘Break My Soul’, NME wrote: “Beyoncé has made a powerful comeback with her latest single, and if this is anything to go by, her upcoming dance album will be a huge hit. ‘Break My Soul’ is more than a few tempo and melody issues – thanks to its beautiful message of confidence.”

Watch Lorde and Marlon Williams perform Māori version of ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’

Lorde brought out Marlon Williams to sing the Māori version of ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’ at her headline show in London this week – check out the footage below.

Early in her three-act, 22-song set at Alexandra Palace on Tuesday (June 28), the singer invited fellow Kiwi artist Williams to join her on-stage for the debut live airing of ‘Mata Kohoto’.

READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Lorde: “I feel like I can see my world and myself a lot clearer now”

The track appears on ‘Te Ao Mārama’, a companion EP to Lorde’s third album ‘Solar Power’ that sees five of its songs sung in Te Reo Māori – the indigenous language of the star’s birthplace Aotearoa, or New Zealand.

In fan-shot footage, Lorde and Williams are seen performing the stripped-back cut while perched on the front of the stage.

Taking to Twitter following the concert, Williams shared the video alongside the message: “Circling the changing world forever [translated from Māori].” You can see the clip and tweet below.

Taiāwhio ana i te ao hurihuri mō āke tonu e ? @lorde https://t.co/fBgjY7m7Sl

— Marlon Williams (@MarlonWMusic) June 30, 2022

Last year saw Lorde and Williams cover Bruce Springsteen‘s ‘Tougher Than the Rest’ together in Auckland, New Zealand.

Their latest live collaboration came after Lorde was joined on-stage by Arlo Parks and Clairo at Glastonbury 2022 to perform ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’. The latter artist notably contributed backing vocals to Lorde’s latest album, as did Williams, Phoebe Bridgers and more.

Reviewing the special Pyramid Stage team-up, NME wrote: “As the trio delivered gorgeously tender group harmonies, some punters before them took the song title literally and used it as an opportunity to get blazed.

“This wide-eyed and blissful moment of surprise down on the farm left us thinking, maybe, if we ask Lorde, Parks and Clairo all nicely, we could have a potential supergroup on our hands?”

Elsewhere in her Glasto set, Lorde delivered an impassioned speech about Roe v. Wade being overturned.

Halsey responds to fans that left gig during abortion rights speech

Halsey has responded to reports that some fans walked out of their recent concert in Phoenix during a speech about abortion rights.

READ MORE: Halsey: “I’ve always been driven to reinvent myself and reinvent my genre”

At Sunday’s (June 26) show, Halsey encouraged fans to take a stance on reproductive rights, delivering a powerful speech about the need to be active following the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion ruling.

“This has been happening for a very long fucking time,” Halsey said to approximately 20,000 concert-goers at the Ak-Chin Pavilion. “I know that we want to sit at home and we want to wait for some revolutionary to come along, to make a difference, but no one is fucking coming.”

They continued: “Nobody is fucking coming. It is up to every single one of you, myself, every single person in this building to do our fucking part to protect bodily autonomy and bodily integrity. To protect medical privacy.”

Receiving an outpouring of cheers from their crowd, Halsey then led a chant, yelling “my body” and spurring the audience to respond with “my choice”.

One Twitter user has since claimed that a number of concert-goers left the venue during the ‘You Should Be Sad’ singer’s speech. “The amount of people who just walked out of the Halsey concert after ‘Nightmare’ when she spoke about abortion was sickening. Fight for what is right,” they tweeted.

Halsey responded yesterday (June 28) by tweeting: “downside of doing outdoor venues: no door to hit them on the way out.”

downside of doing outdoor venues: no door to hit them on the way out ?? https://t.co/qc8q8mshd9

— h (@halsey) June 28, 2022

Prior to Sunday’s show, Halsey took to social media to share their take on the overturning of Roe v Wade.

“I’m running out of ways to word and frame the severity of the impact that fundamentalism has on our country,” they said, noting that they “need a little bit of time to speak to some people with more authority and experience than me and gather my thoughts”.

“I don’t want to just contribute to antagonistic noise,” they continued. “I’m just defeated at the moment.”

At their Phoenix show, Halsey screened a similar video while performing ‘Nightmare’. They also presented a slideshow that read, in part: “This catastrophic attack on bodily autonomy will only encourage more dangerous legislation, impacting vulnerable communities the most. Don’t wait for revolutionaries to change the world. Be the revolutionaries. No one is coming to do the work for us. The work is ours and we have to do it now.”

Over the past few days, hundreds of artists have spoken out against the official overturning of Roe v. Wade. Many did so during their sets at Glastonbury 2022, including IDLES, Billie Eilish, Lorde, Olivia Rodrigo, Jarvis Cocker, Phoebe Bridgers and Kendrick Lamar.

Meanwhile, Lizzo has partnered with Live Nation – who are presenting her upcoming ‘Special’ tour – to donate $1million (£815,000) in funds to organisations offering safe access to abortions.

Hip-Hop Veteran TEF XL Shares A New Banger “Say Less”

TEF XL shares a new single called “Say Less”, another major drop that fuses the best of hip-hop with the artist’s own life experiences, making the entire piece personal and at the same time relatable. “Say Less” mimics a life advice off the rapper’s lips, an autobiographical lesson for all to learn: “Learned what is and isn’t true / Took my time and mold my mind / Speak on sh*t most couldn’t rhyme” and so on.

With a confident presence and a powerful voice, TEF is sweeping up the scene through well-crafted and well-executed compositions like “Deuces”, “RNR”, and the latest “Say Less”. These singles are included in TEF’s upcoming album CODE SWITCH, a release you should be on the lookout for. The artist has reached hundreds of thousands of streams and plays and continues to demonstrate his passion for music.

Check out TEF’s music video for “Say Less” down below, and make sure to follow the artist!

TEF XL is on Instagram – Spotify YouTube

BBC reveals most-viewed Glastonbury 2022 sets

The BBC has revealed which of the sets at this year’s Glastonbury were the most-viewed on UK TV – see the results below.

READ MORE: Glastonbury Festival 2022 – review: camping, killer tunes and catharsis on Worthy Farm

After two years away, the festival made its return to Worthy Farm last week, with Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar headlining the Pyramid Stage across the course of the weekend.

McCartney’s almost three-hour Saturday night (June 25) set, which NME called “history-making” in a five star review, averaged 2.7million viewers on BBC One and peaked at 3.9million, according to Broadcast.

While the 80-year-old Beatle’s figures were impressive, the artist with the biggest viewership average was Diana Ross, who performed in the revered legends slot on Sunday (June 26). The Motown icon and disco queen’s 75-minute set garnered an average audience of 3.1million, peaking at 3.8million.

In a four-star review of Ross’ performance, NME said she had the “crowd in her hands” throughout the set. “In their own fluffed-up curly wigs, you can see audience members relinquish themselves to the musical powerhouse and even cry as they recite back Ross’ lyrics,” the review added. “Being in a crowd with so much love in the air feels euphoric; confirmation that Diana Ross is the ultimate queen.”

Kendrick Lamar at Glastonbury 2022. CREDIT: Getty Images

Eilish, who became Glastonbury’s youngest ever headliner at 20, attracted 1.2million for her set on Friday night (June 24); Lamar brought in 570,000 viewers when he closed the festival on Sunday.

The BBC has also revealed that it earned record breaking figures across its digital platforms for its coverage of this year’s festival.

Content was streamed 34.1million times on BBC iPlayer, including 23m streams live – the highest on record for a BBC programme brand – and was played 2.3million times on BBC Sounds.

Streams increased 116 per cent on BBC iPlayer and 205 per cent on BBC Sounds in comparison to the Glastonbury 2019 – the last time the festival took place – up from 15.8million and 765,000 respectively.

BBC Director of Music Lorna Clarke said: “The BBC provided the ultimate armchair experience of the world’s best-loved festival this weekend with a dedicated Glastonbury channel on BBC iPlayer, 6 Music’s All Day Glastonbury coverage, performances from the biggest artists on demand on BBC Sounds and over 35 hours of coverage across our TV channels.”

Glastonbury’s 50th anniversary edition was originally scheduled to take place in 2020 and 2021 but were both cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Haim, The Roots, The Flaming Lips, Sheryl Crow and more to play climate-themed music festival in New York

Haim, The Roots, The Flaming Lips and Sheryl Crow are scheduled to headline The Big Climate Thing Festival, a three-day climate-themed festival in New York City.

Seeking to address and raise awareness of the climate crisis, the event will blend musical programming with climate-related dialogue, including videos, talks, and calls to action. The event, which takes place at the start of Climate Week NYC in September, will also be carbon-mapped in an effort to reduce its environmental footprint.

The festival’s proceeds will support EarthPercent, a Brian Eno-launched nonprofit which seeks to raise $100million of music industry funds for climate initiatives by 2030. The festival’s planned contributions to the initiative have not yet been specified.

Other acts slated to play the three-day event include Khruangbin, Princess Nokia, Pom Pom Squad, and The Weather Station. More acts are scheduled to be announced.

The Big Climate Thing Festival will take place in New York City’s Forest Hills Stadium from September 16 to 18. Single-day passes run from $119 onwards, while three-day tickets are $268 onwards. Ticket pre-sales have begun while general sales start tomorrow (June 30) at 10am local time. More details can be found on the festival’s site here.

In a statement shared with Rolling Stone, The Weather Station’s Tamara Lindeman spoke about her involvement in the festival: “I think music, along with all the cultural industries, have spent way too long sitting back on this issue. I believe music plays a primarily emotional role in people’s lives, and as such I think it has huge potential in pushing us to recognise our tangled emotions around this topic.

“When I imagine a stadium full of people coming together for a climate event centered on music, what I imagine is an enormous opportunity to feel a solidarity that has been so missing here. I truly hope that an enormous in-person event can have some power to bring people together and create some common experience around climate, and push those in attendance to examine their climate feelings and push through them enough to act.”

The Big Climate Thing Festival’s current lineup is:

Khruangbin
HAIM
The Roots
Sheryl Crow
The Flaming Lips
Gary Clark Jr.
Courtney Barnett
Princess Nokia
Antibalas
Ayoni
Guster
Bonny Light Hourseman
Joe Sumner & Friends
Mykki Blanco
Pom Pom Squad
Seratones
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
The Weather Station
Valerie June

The Cribs to play their first three albums in full at intimate London shows

The Cribs have announced plans to perform their first three studio albums in full at a trio of shows on the same day in London next month.

The Jarmans announced last month that they would be re-releasing their first albums – 2004 debut ‘The Cribs’, 2005 follow-up ‘The New Fellas’ and 2007’s ‘Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever’ – on July 29.

READ MORE: The Cribs live in London: 20 years in, the indie heroes continue to prove their power

Two days later on July 31, the band will play all three albums in their entirety, each one at a separate show at the Kingston-upon-Thames venue Pryzm.

Tickets for the shows are on sale today (June 29), with tickets for ‘The Cribs’ available at 10am BST, ‘The New Fellas’ at 11am and ‘Men’s Needs…’ at midday.

Find tickets here.

To celebrate the release of our re-issues, we will be PLAYING OUR FIRST 3 ALBUMS IN FULL for our friends Banquet Records…

Posted by The Cribs on Tuesday, June 28, 2022

The new reissues follow the Wakefield trio’s recent ‘Sonic Blew Singles Club’ series, which saw them release the tracks ‘Things Could Be Better’, ‘Yellow Venus’, ‘Sucked Sweet’, ‘The Day I Got Lost Again’ and ‘Swinging At Shadows’. The band’s last full-length album came in the form of 2020’s ‘Night Network’.

Earlier this year, the band supported Modest Mouse on a US headline tour. The two bands have long had a link, with the Wakefield trio recruiting the Portland band’s Joe Plummer to add some percussion to some tracks in 2007. Later, in 2008, Johnny Marr completed his touring duties with Modest Mouse and left the line-up to join The Cribs, with whom he played for for three years.

Reviewing the band’s recent London gig at the Roundhouse, NME wrote: “The archetypal band of British indie rock they may be, but time and again, no matter fashion’s vagaries, The Cribs prove their power.”

Metronomy’s Joe Mount says he’s working on another EP to follow ‘Posse’

Metronomy’s Joe Mount spoke to NME backstage at Glastonbury 2022 and told us what new music he plans to release next. Watch more from our interview below.

READ MORE: Glastonbury Festival 2022 – review: camping, killer tunes and catharsis on Worthy Farm

The band were making their return to Worthy Farm where they played the Other Stage on Friday (June 24). But before that, Mount told us his favourite memories from the fest, how the band distills seven albums into “the perfect hour of power” for festivals, and plans for the follow-up to Metronomy’s latest album ‘Small World’.

“I did an EP called ‘Posse’, which is all collaborations,” Mount told us when asked what fans could expect from the band next. “I’m working on another one of those.”

The last EP came stacked with Radar favourites, including Biig Piig, Spill Tab, Pinty, Folly Group, Brian Nasty, and rising heroes like Sorry. Around the time of the release of ‘Posse’, Joe told NME he wanted to work on the project because, “Some of the formative albums I listened to growing up were guest-studded, so it’s always been something I’ve been interested in.”

Backstage, Mount also told us it’s hard to take a break from making new music.

“Every time I release a record, immediately after I’m like, ‘I want to stop doing this for a while’,” he said. “Then after a few months, I’m like ‘I can’t wait to make another record.’ So, it’s more of the same.”

Now that the band are seven albums in, he also talked to NME about how the band fits their expansive discography into a tight festival set.

“We just play what we think people want to hear,” he said. “We don’t worry about hammering the new stuff too much. We only have an hour as well, which for us is not a very long set.” Mount added: “It’s a good exercise in trimming the fat, getting the perfect hour of power.”

Metronomy perform Glastonbury 2022 Other Stage CREDIT: Andy Ford

The festival veteran also shared his advice for first-time Glastonbury performers.

“The first time we played here it almost felt like a different festival,” he said. “Back then, the stages all had different names. I think if you’re playing here, and it’s your first time, imagine it’s your last time and suck it up and enjoy it and make the most of it.”

He added: “Every time we come here that’s what we try to do. Even now, we arrived yesterday, we’re not playing until tomorrow but it’s quite fun to hang out. Just enjoy it.”

Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Glastonbury 2022.

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