Midway through UCR’s interview with Jon Anderson, the former Yes singer cuts off the conversation — not because of a sensitive question or scheduling conflict. But because the magic bird is back in his garden. “We have this beautiful blue heron who’s started to come by the house,” he says. “There was this wonderful star
Rock
Explaining how Tindersticks’ 13th studio album came together, frontman Stuart Staples is adamant: Distractions isn’t to be considered a lockdown album. Yes, naturally the events of the last 12 months have had a bearing on how this new collection of songs was born. But the groundwork for the record was laid way back in a
Ahead of BTS‘ coveted appearance on MTV Unplugged this week, the music network has released a taste of the K-pop sensations performing their song ‘Life Goes On’. Lifted from their November 2020 album ‘BE’, BTS are seen giving a seated performance of the album’s lead single in a sneak preview dropped by MTV via Youtube
Paul Stanley has released the latest single from his Soul Station project, a jubilant original titled “I, Oh I.” The track bounces along to a buoyant rhythm, with percussion, piano and strings leading the way. Meanwhile, Stanley’s lyrics focus on romance, depicting a man who has realized the error of his ways and is now
Cuba is the island that taught America how to dance. For much of the 20th century it provided the United States (and, by extension, the Western world) with every key dance craze: the mambo, the rumba, the cha-cha-cha, the charanga, the bugalu. When jazz moved into the concert halls it was the Afro-Cuban influence that
Oasis have marked the 25th anniversary of their classic single ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ by releasing a lyric video for ‘Step Out’, one of the iconic track’s B sides. Originally released on February 19, 1996, ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ is taken from the band’s second album ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’, which was
Barely a year after debuting as Van Halen‘s new singer, Sammy Hagar struck out as a solo artist again – and outmuscled “Rocky” himself, Sylvester Stallone, along the way. “Winner Takes It All,” released in February 1987 as the lead single from the soundtrack to Stallone’s underwhelming arm-wrestling movie Over the Top, found Hagar in
Mark “Prince Markie Dee” Morales of pioneering hip-hop group Fat Boys has died at the age of 52. The news was confirmed on social media earlier today by Dee’s longtime friend and colleague Louis Gregory. No cause of death has been announced. “Forever in my Heart. Prince Markie Dee was more than a rapper; he
In recent years, it’s become common for rock artists to object after a political figure uses their music without permission. In many cases, the artist isn’t able to prevent such use, because blanket licenses allow it. However, one of the earliest notable examples played out differently when the Pretenders’ track “My City Was Gone” was appropriated
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have announced a crowdfunder to raise funds for their live crew after their livelihoods were severely impacted by COVID-19. The band were forced to cancel their 2021 tour at the end of last year, resulting in further financial hardship for their road crew – many of whom work on
Jethro Tull‘s entrance into the ’80s, simply titled A, is getting a reboot four decades after its original release. To celebrate, a new six-disc version of the album, A (A La Mode) 40th Anniversary Edition, will be released on April 16. After their successful and eclectic trilogy of albums in the late ’70s - Songs From the Wood (1977), Heavy Horses (1978) and Stormwatch (1979)
Maxïmo Park have announced a livestream concert to celebrate the arrival of their forthcoming studio album, ‘Nature Always Wins’. Taking place on March 6 from 8.30pm GMT, the performance will be live-streamed from the Riverside venue in Newcastle. “Since we can’t play live in front of a crowd at the moment, we’ve decided to give
Eric Clapton admitted he was off track. He came into sessions for Another Ticket without his most consistent ’70s-era backing band or any real direction. He left the project behind in even worse shape. “I used to do crazy things that people would bail me out of, and I’m just grateful that I survived –
Julien Baker has announced a special livestream show in support of her forthcoming new album ‘Little Oblivions’. Baker’s follow-up to 2017’s ‘Turn Out The Lights’ is set for release next Friday (February 26), and has been previewed so far by the singles ‘Favor’, ‘Hardline’ and ‘Faith Healer’. Baker will play live in support of ‘Little
The long-awaited autobiography of Ronnie James Dio is scheduled for release on July 27. Titled Rainbow in the Dark, the book will chronicle the life and career of one of rock’s most fascinating singers. Dio famously fronted three successful groups. From 1975-1979, he was the singer of Rainbow, contributing vocals on the band’s first four
A guitar amp signed by The Cure is up for auction on eBay to benefit a performing arts organisation in Australia. The Line 6 Spider V 120 amp was used by the band as part of their Sydney Opera House residency during 2019’s Vivid Festival. At the shows, the band celebrated the 30-year anniversary of
Buzz Osborne, aka King Buzzo, frontman of Melvins, recalled a night of teenage antics alongside Kurt Cobain that eventually landed the future Nirvana leader in jail. “We were out spray painting graffiti all over town,” Osborne recalled during the Divine Monkeyshines: Valentine’s Day Special, a streaming event hosted by the Melvins in anticipation of their upcoming album
Migos rapper Quavo has offered a positive update on the rap trio’s anticipated fourth album, ‘Culture III’, claiming that it will arrive before the end of March. The rapper was leaving a Los Angeles restaurant with his girlfriend, the musician Saweetie, on Valentine’s Day, when quizzed by paparazzi about when the project will arrive. “It’s
Motley Crue are notorious for their hard-partying lifestyle, so it’s no surprise that the band came up with clever ways to hide drugs from authorities while on tour. “I never put it in or on my body,” drummer Tommy Lee explained during an interview on the Steve-O’s Wild Ride podcast, conducted last year but circulated
DMX has revealed that he has a collaboration on the way with Bono called ‘Skyscrapers’. Speaking in a new interview, the rapper discussed his much anticipated comeback album which will feature an array of guests including the U2 frontman. “It’s crazy,” DMX said about the track, speaking on N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN’s Drink Champs podcast.