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The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
We thought we should do something positive with free time, say The Black Keys on scrapped tour as duo open up on album
Their new album is the product of unplanned time on their hands and set about turning adversity into triumph BACK TO BLACK We thought we should do something positive with free time, say The Black Keys on scrapped tour as duo open up on album BY rights, I shouldn't really be talking to The Black Keys duo, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. But here they are on a Zoom call with me to discuss their thirteenth studio album, No Rain, No Flowers. Advertisement 3 The Black Keys discuss their thirteenth studio album, No Rain, No Flowers Credit: Supplied 3 Last September, The Black Keys were supposed to start a North American arena tour in support of their previous album Credit: Supplied The 11 tracks are coming kicking and screaming into the sunlight earlier than expected — and for good reason. Last September, The Black Keys were supposed to start a North American arena tour in support of their previous album, Ohio Players, noted for songs written with Noel Gallagher and Beck. But, to their dismay, the dates were scrapped, prompting the pair to fire their management team. Without going into detail, Auerbach says: 'The first thing I wanted to do was kill somebody and the second thing I wanted to do was kill somebody.' Advertisement Carney adds: 'I don't want to get into it too much because we've gotten letters telling us not to talk about it by one of the most powerful people in the music industry. 'We got f***ed by the person who was supposed to be looking out for us. 'So, because of some bad advice, we were left with no plans for the summer. We had to take one on the chin.' The situation was a rare mis-step in The Black Keys' upward trajectory, which stretches back nearly 25 years. Advertisement Starting out in a dingy basement in Akron, Ohio, childhood friends Auerbach and Carney took their exhilarating mix of bluesy garage rock to the world stage, drawing on soul, hip hop, psychedelia, you name it, along the way. Their new album, however, is the product of unplanned time on their hands. Still smarting from losing their tour, they convened at Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound studio in his adopted hometown of Nashville — and set about turning adversity into triumph. Scots promoter tells how an armada of Oasis fans arrived by boats and ripped up fences to attend iconic Balloch bash 'Reminder of the power of our music' 'We realised that maybe we'd better do something positive with this free time,' says the singer/guitarist. 'So we dove head first into working with people we'd never met and trying things we'd never tried before as a band. Ultimately, it really helped us.' Advertisement For drummer Carney, it was a natural reaction to what had happened. 'When Dan and I are not on the road, we're in the studio,' he says. 'So we thought, 'Let's just get back in there and reboot'.' One thing that remains undiminished is the cast-iron bond between Auerbach and Carney. Advertisement The latter affirms: 'We've been doing this together for almost 25 years — from the struggle to the big s**t. We got f***ed... so we thought we should do something positive Carney 'Dealing with being broke, dealing with getting money, headlining Coachella, dealing with getting married, getting divorced, having kids, we've been through it all. 'As screwed up as last year was, it had very little to do with us so we got back on it, to prove to ourselves what we can do.' As we speak, The Black Keys have been back on tour — on this side of the Atlantic. Advertisement Carney says it can be 'brutal chasing the festivals, sleeping on the bus or in hotel rooms. 'But getting out here and getting in front of these crowds has been the biggest reminder of the power of our music. 'Seeing the fans flip out has helped us to get our heads out of music-business bulls*t and back into what it's all about'. Auerbach agrees: 'The show in London [at Alexandra Palace] was the biggest headliner we've ever played. Advertisement 'It was great after the year we had. Whatever happens, we know the fans are still there for us.' Another thrill was playing Manchester's Sounds Of The City festival two days before the first Oasis homecoming gig at the city's Heaton Park. 'The atmosphere was electric. Our audience was so up for it,' says Auerbach. Noel and Liam are both incredible — we're really happy for them Auerbach He credits Oasis with lifting the mood. 'I feel like they've transformed the continent. We've never seen anything like it.' Advertisement And he couldn't resist visiting the Oasis Adidas store. 'I had one of the black soccer jerseys made — Oasis on the front and AUERBACH on the back. Had to do it, man, they're the kings.' It was in 2023 that The Black Keys visited Toe Rag Studios in Hackney, East London, to write three songs with Noel Gallagher, who they describe as 'the chord lord'. Auerbach says: 'It was amazing. We just sat in a circle with our instruments and we worked things up from nowhere. 'Not too long after that we played a song with Liam [in Milan] and hung out with him afterwards. He gave us some really good advice about our setlist. Advertisement 'Noel and Liam are both incredible — we're really happy for them.' 'We'd never written with a piano player' We return to the subject of their new album, No Rain, No Flowers, which involved a new approach for The Black Keys. Instead of big-name guests like Noel and Beck and, before them, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, they turned to acclaimed songwriters — the unsung heroes — for their collaborative process. They welcomed into their world Rick Nowels (Madonna, Stevie Nicks, Lana Del Rey), Scott Storch (Dr Dre, Nas) and Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves). Advertisement Auerbach had encountered Nowels while producing Lana Del Rey's 2014 third album Ultraviolence and had long been impressed with his keyboard skills. He says: 'We'd never written with a piano player before. After 20-plus years in the band, it was cool to try something new in the studio.' Carney adds: 'The way we worked with each one of these people was completely different. 'With Daniel, for instance, we'd start with a jam session. With Rick, it was all about getting the title of the song.' Advertisement And Auerbach again: 'Scott's all about instrumentation. He didn't want to think about the words. He just lets you do that stuff afterwards.' One of the co-writes with Nowels is the life-affirming title track which begins the album. With lines like, 'Baby, the damage is done/It won't be long 'til we're back in the sun', you could be forgiven for thinking it reflects on the band's recent woes. Auerbach says it does, but only up to a point. 'It started with the title and we built it from there. Advertisement 'We tend to shy away from diary-type songs. It gives us 'the ick' when it sounds like somebody's reading from their diary. 'But there's a lot of truth in the song. It's us trying to be positive, which maybe wasn't how we were feeling. 'It was a nice thought to write a positive anthem but still have blood in the eye.' If The Black Keys' go-to sound has been the blues, this album is remarkable for its funky, airy and soulful vibe. Advertisement Auerbach says: 'We were heavily influenced by soul growing up, maybe more than anything, and it really shows. 'With us, it's all about the feel. When we started out, we didn't know what the hell we were doing, but we knew when it felt right.' Another strong touchstone has been hip-hop, which is why Auerbach and Carney are thrilled to have worked with Scott Storch, another dazzling keyboard player, who started out in the Roots and went on to work with Dr Dre, 50 Cent, Beyonce and Nas. 'We are a product of where we were raised,' affirms Auerbach. 'We grew up in the golden age of hip- hop. That's what pop music was for us. Advertisement 'The first time I heard the Geto Boys was at the middle- school dance and it affected us. That's the s**t on those blues records I love so much. You hear Son House grunting when he's playing slide guitar Auerbach 'But then my mom's family played bluegrass — I would listen to my uncles sing. And when The Stanley Brothers sing, it's white soul music. I love it all.' As for Storch, Auerbach continues: 'We've obsessed over videos of him since we were in high school. Seeing him play all the parts of his hits makes our jaws hit the floor. 'You can hear Scott physically grunting' 'The idea of getting him in the studio seemed crazy because he seemed like a larger-than-life figure.' Advertisement Auerbach was mesmerised by Storch when he arrived at Easy Eye Sound. He says: 'Scott's a real player, an absolute musical savant. As a hip-hop producer, he tends to spend 99.9 per cent of the time in the control room. 'But we have all these acoustic pianos, harpsichords and analogue synthesisers. He was in heaven, and so were we watching him go from keyboard to keyboard. 'On Babygirl, he's on an acoustic piano with microphones and you can hear him physically grunting in time with his playing. That's got to be a first for Scott Storch on record. Advertisement 'That's the s**t on those blues records I love so much. You hear Son House grunting when he's playing slide guitar.' The No Rain, No Flowers album is loaded with hook-laden songs — the exhilarating rocker Man On A Mission, the psychedelic Southern rock swirl of A Little Too High. One explanation for their eclectic approach is The Black Keys' regular Record Hang in Nashville, which involves Auerbach and Carney hosting all-vinyl DJ dance parties. For these, they scour online marketplaces and record shops for obscure but revelatory old 45s. Advertisement Carney explains: 'We end up exposing ourselves to thousands of songs that somehow we've never heard. 'It's really cool to be so deep into our career and uncovering all this incredible music. It's totally reinvigorating — particularly when one of us finds a record that the other hasn't heard and it's a banger.' So check out Carney's discovery Nobody Loves Me But My Mama by Johnny Holiday, which he describes as 'f*ing insane — psychobilly fuzz rock'. Then there's Auerbach's fave, Yeah Yeah by Blackrock, 'a rare 45 instrumental which rearranged our minds. It still hits like crazy'. We just fell right into it, started playing it and luckily we were recording Auerbach With The Black Keys, you always get a sense of passion for their craft, and for other people's. Advertisement Auerbach says: 'Pat and I were talking about this earlier — music can hypnotise you. You can use it for good or for evil. It's a very powerful tool.' And Carney: 'It's my biggest passion and it has been since I was 11. 'Sensitive about what we listen to' 'I also think about the delicate balance you need when you do it for a living. You're taking the thing you love the most but you never want to ruin it for yourself. 'Dan and I are very sensitive about what we listen to. We were at a music festival in a spot in between seven stages. It sounded horrible. I said, 'This is the kind of thing that could make me hate music'.' Advertisement Finally, we talk about another of their own songs, the sublime, festival-primed anthem Neon Moon, which closes No Rain, No Flowers. Written with Daniel Tashian, Auerbach modestly calls it a 'first-take jam' but that doesn't really do it justice. 'I think it just started with the 'neon moon' lyric,' he says. 'We just fell right into it, started playing it and luckily we were recording.' As the song gets into its stride, he sings: 'Don't let yourself get down too long.' Advertisement It's a line that The Black Keys have taken to heart. THE BLACK KEYS No Rain, No Flowers ★★★★☆
Newsweek
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
How to Buy Los Angeles Dodgers Born X Raised Collection: LA Bleeds Blue
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Los Angeles Dodgers have teamed up with another major apparel brand, Born X Raised, to create the LA Bleeds Blue collection, which will be a massive hit with the fans. MLB Kike Hernandez - Lod Angeles Dodgers - Born X Raised Kike Hernandez - Lod Angeles Dodgers - Born X Raised Born X Raised The Dodgers continue to collaborate with the brands that people love, and this latest release of the "LA Bleeds Blue" Born X Raised collection could be some of the most popular apparel of the year in Los Angeles. This collection includes hats, t-shirts, hoodies, and more featuring the iconic Dodgers logo and the massively popular Born X Raised designs. The Dodgers are one of the most popular teams in the league, and they are the best in the business when it comes to picking elite partners to team up with for new merchandise releases. It helps that they are one of the best teams in MLB and have some of the biggest superstars in the world on their roster. Click on any of the images or links to order now. Place your order before it is too late, as these will be in high demand. We have you covered with officially licensed Los Angeles Dodgers Born X Raised Gear. MLB BORN X RAISED + DODGERS RING TEE: BLACK BORN X RAISED + DODGERS RING TEE: BLACK Born X Raised Buy Los Angeles Dodgers Born X Raised Gear MLB **PRE-ORDER** NEW ERA BORN X RAISED + DODGERS 2024 WORLD SERIES SNAPBACK: BLUE **PRE-ORDER** NEW ERA BORN X RAISED + DODGERS 2024 WORLD SERIES SNAPBACK: BLUE Born X Raised Buy Los Angeles Dodgers Born X Raised Gear MLB BORN X RAISED + DODGERS TRADEMARK HOODIE: GREY BORN X RAISED + DODGERS TRADEMARK HOODIE: GREY Born X Raised Buy Los Angeles Dodgers Born X Raised Gear MLB **PRE-ORDER** NEW ERA BORN X RAISED + DODGERS 2024 WORLD SERIES SNAPBACK: BLACK **PRE-ORDER** NEW ERA BORN X RAISED + DODGERS 2024 WORLD SERIES SNAPBACK: BLACK Born X Raised If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
Entrepreneur
30-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
KiranaPro Acquires Likeo to Revolutionise Fashion Commerce with Virtual Try-Ons
With this acquisition, BLACK aims to offer AI-powered virtual try-ons across fashion categories, enabling real-time, personalised digital product trials and transforming the online shopping experience for Gen Z users. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. KiranaPro, a leading ONDC-integrated, AI-powered quick commerce platform, has announced the acquisition of Likeo, a cutting-edge startup specialising in augmented reality (AR)–driven virtual try-on technology. This bold move marks a significant leap in the evolution of KiranaPro's fashion commerce initiative, BLACK — a curated shopping destination designed for Gen Z and tech-native consumers. With this acquisition, BLACK claims to have become the first app in India to offer AI-powered virtual try-ons across apparel, jewellery, and eyewear. Users will now be able to try on products digitally in real time, transforming product discovery into an immersive, highly personalised experience. "This acquisition is a bold step in our vision to reinvent online shopping in India," said Deepak Ravindran, Founder and CEO of KiranaPro. "BLACK is not just an app — it's a cultural movement, and Likeo's tech allows us to give users a mirrorless shopping experience that's deeply personal, fun, and frictionless. With Saurav joining us, we're doubling down on AI and visual intelligence to redefine how Gen Z discovers and shops online." As part of the acquisition, Saurav Kumar, Founder and CEO of Likeo, will join the KiranaPro leadership team to spearhead innovation in AI and visual computing — the foundational engines behind BLACK's next phase. "Joining KiranaPro to build for BLACK is the perfect match of vision and velocity," said Saurav. "We've always believed virtual try-on can remove hesitation and bring confidence to the online purchase journey. With BLACK, we finally have a canvas to scale this to millions — making shopping more playful, expressive, and real." The virtual try-on feature will begin rolling out to BLACK users in the coming weeks, with early access provided to fashion and accessory enthusiasts. This new capability aims to enhance shopping confidence, reduce return rates, and offer a uniquely interactive experience. By acquiring Likeo, KiranaPro is cementing its role as a technology-first retail pioneer — not just empowering kirana stores via ONDC, but also reshaping the future of expressive commerce for the digital generation.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pittsburgh unveils NFL Draft countdown clock
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (BLACK AND GOLD NATION) – Pittsburgh is officially on the clock for the 2026 NFL Draft. Just outside Acrisure Stadium, the city unveiled a virtual clock on Monday that counts down to next year's event. The 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh is widely expected to be the largest event that the city has ever seen. 'It'll be the biggest (draft) the NFL's ever seen,' City of Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said. 'I believe we'll get a million people in this region, a million people to come to our draft.' One million attendees would mark a new NFL Draft record. Even if they don't reach that number, the event will still be massive economically for the city, region and state. After conducting studies, Allegheny County Executive Sara Inamorato expects $100-200 million in economic impact. It's no surprise when considering that the NFL Draft has turned into one of the league's biggest spectacles. Last month, more than 600,000 people attended the event in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It was the second most watched draft of all time, falling behind the 2020 NFL Draft. Steelers owner Art Rooney II is hoping that the Steel City can leave a lasting memory next April 23-25. 'I'm going to need a boat (to arrive) because there's going to be so many people around here,' Rooney joked. 'What this is really going to be about, I think, is about having fun.' 'The contingent we just had in Green Bay talked about how much fun people were having in Green Bay. Well, this is going to be about talking about how much fun we're going to have in Pittsburgh.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Economic Times
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Kanye West unleashes explosive rant over custody battle with Kim Kardashian, appeals to Musk and Trump
Kanye West's explosive rant Live Events Kanye West's tweets (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Controversial rapper Kanye West lost and temper and ranted about not having the custody of his children with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. The rapper, in a complete black mask that covered his face, ranted about not having custody of the four children he shares with his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian in an explosive new has publicly clashed with Kim about the co-parenting of their 11-year-old daughter, North. On Wednesday, West vented about not seeing her, as well as his three younger kids - daughter Chicago, seven; and sons Saint, nine, and Psalm, five."F*** all these f***** n*****,' said West, who was recently banned from Twitch. 'I'mma go get these kids, bro. I'm talking to the lawyers - it gets to the point where I don't lose my f***in' mind where I got to get used to not seeing my kids," the Carnival rapper exclaimed as he angrily threw his hands around."[DJ] Akademiks put that battery in my back, bro. 'Cause I was in the airport by myself … I'mma go get these kids, man!' Kanye wasn't alone during the livestream as there was a man sat behind him with headphones his rant, West said, 'Why you got all these Black kids that are just sitting there at school ... trying to jump up and down for McDonald's, n*****. Kanye is no stranger to voicing his grievances with his and his ex-wife's current custody arrangement over the last few this year, West has gone on and on about his feud with the 'Kardashian Mob' about restricting his rights to visit the kids or collaborate with them, calling the current situation 'visitation' in 'jail'.'I DONT WANT TO JUST 'SEE' MY KIDS. I NEED TO RAISE THEM. I NEED TO HAVE SAY SO OF WEAR THEY GO TO SCHOOL AND WHO THEIR FRIENDS ARE AND WHOS HOUSES THEY SLEEP OVER WEATHER MY DAUGHTERS WEAR LIPSTICK AND PERFUME,' the rapper wrote in the now-deleted tweet back then. 'ALL THESE RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM ME BY THE KARDASHIAN MOB HULU AND DISNEY AND THE BIGGER AGENDA TO USE THE SELECTIVELY BRED BLACK CHILDREN TO BE PLATFORMS TO INFLUENCE BLACK PEOPLE,' West claimed about the Kardashian who recently returned from Japan, has been working on new music as of late and corresponding with his fans on social media about the upcoming slate of releases. West previously posted a series of tweets March 19 in which he said that he was put off by a white woman being in control of his Black also rankled Kim a year before their split when he revealed that he and the socialite had once broached the comment of getting an abortion when she was pregnant with Kanye called out several high-profile figures—Hollywood celebrities like Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Elon Musk, and even President Donald Trump—questioning why they were silently watching as Kim allegedly kept him from his children.'Y'all wanna say I'm acting out because of my childhood,' he tweeted, 'but I don't even get to be a dad.' He also claimed he hadn't seen his older son, Saint, at all that year. However, photos obtained by Page Six contradicted that statement, showing Kanye and Saint shopping at a convenience store. The sighting occurred around the time Kanye traveled to Japan, reportedly because he didn't feel safe after posting anti-Semitic and Nazi-sympathizing tweets.
