Latest news with #BigStar
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Big Star: The Nick Skelton Story review – story of showjumping's comeback king spares the horses
It's one hell of a comeback. In 2000, champion showjumper Nick Skelton broke his neck in a bad fall; two years later, he was back on a horse and out of retirement. He went on to win Olympic gold twice, first in London in 2012, then aged 58 at Rio in 2016 (with a replacement hip), becoming the oldest British winner of an individual Olympic gold medal in more than 100 years. Skelton (and his horse Big Star) finally retired in 2017; his story is told in this solid but largely unrevealing documentary, flawed by tight-lipped interviews, no one rocking the boat. Skelton was born in Warwickshire, the son of a chemist. He rode his first pony aged 18 months ('we did everything together') and after parting ways with school at 15, he went to work for tough guy horse owner and trainer Ted Edgar ('a bastard' according to one friend). Talented and ambitious, Skelton was a superstar showjumper, but back at the stables, boss Edgar still made him clean the lorries. In the end, Skelton decided to go it alone with his wife, Sarah; they mortgaged their house and bought a horse. In front of the camera Skelton sits straight-backed, a little stiff, telling very little. There's a wink or two to hard-partying on the 80s showjumping circuit, but sadly no Jilly Cooper-worthy anecdotes. Skelton covers his divorce to Sarah in a sentence or two and even on the subject of the fall (he was initially told by doctors never to ride again) he gives little away. Like most of the talking heads here he's much more lyrical about the horses, and this really does feel like a film made for showjumping fans. Funnily enough, the dullest interviewee is Bruce Springsteen, who turns out to be friends with Skelton. 'He's got a hot fire in the furnace,' says the Boss. It's a shame we don't get to see it. Big Star: The Nick Skelton Story is in cinemas from 6 June.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift Makes 'Surprise Appearance' at Kenny Chesney's Vegas Show
It's official: , 57, has kicked off his summer residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, and he enlisted one of his most famous friends to help him do it. When Chesney performed his 2002 hit song "Big Star," the graphics on the Sphere all around him made his fans feel like they were inside of a pinball machine, and that's when the audience was surprised by 's unexpected appearance. She has been laying low these days. Who would have thought she'd be in Vegas? 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 At least, a picture of her was in Vegas. See the moment here: As the pinball makes it to the top of the hill, a photo of Swift and Chesney together in her younger years (definitely Debut era with that curly hair) pops up on the screen, framed by a star. It got fans pretty excited, too — in the video above, you can hear the buzz in the audience as soon as she appears on screen. Chesney and Swift go way back. And in 2024, the singer told USA Today that it's "unbelievable what she has become" after knowing her since her teenage years when she was first trying to break into country music. "She has such a creative soul and that's where all of this started," he said. "Everything you see, the stadium shows and big performances, are great. But she is still, I believe, at heart, a songwriter. That is something no one can deny."Wonder if Swift knows she's part of Chesney's performance? Considering their long history together, it's a sweet way to pay tribute to their friendship. Taylor Swift Makes 'Surprise Appearance' at Kenny Chesney's Vegas Show first appeared on Parade on May 23, 2025
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Huge tanker with Russian ESPO oil waits near China as demand sags
MOSCOW, May 30 (Reuters) - The Big Star, a huge tanker with 2.1 million barrels of Russia's ESPO Blend oil onboard, has been waiting near China in a potential sign of weaker demand for the crude in the region, LSEG data showed and two traders said on Friday. Many state oil companies in China are wary of potential secondary sanctions from the United States if they buy the sanctions-hit Russian oil, traders said. China's seaborne oil imports from Russia dropped to the lowest in 26 months in February, with commodity analysts Kpler assessing arrivals at 970,000 barrels per day. Since then, they have recovered as demand from private "teapot" refiners picked up. But obstacles to Russia's oil trade remain. The Big Star - a so-called very large crude carrier (VLCC) - loaded a total of 2.1 million barrels of ESPO blend from three smaller Aframax tankers, Leftkada, Kai Fu and Centurion I, between May 12 and May 17 near Russia's Far East port of Zarubino, LSEG and Kpler data showed, and headed towards Jieyang in China's southern Guangdong province before stopping. One of the traders suggested the three cargoes were placed too late for sale and failed to attract buyers. Oil in Asian markets normally sells one and a half months prior to loading. The three cargoes loaded from Kozmino port in late April and early in May, prior to the ship-to-ship transfer to the Big Star, LSEG data showed. It is not common for ESPO tankers to be involved in ship-to-ship transfers given the proximity of Russia's Kozmino port to China, and it is also rare for the grade to be held in floating storage, the traders said. After May 23, the vessel briefly lost a ship-tracking signal and then emerged near the Senkaku Islands, not far from Taiwan, on May 25, but has remained anchored since, according to LSEG data.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Here Are the Performers for the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala
Susanna Hoffs, Muni Long and more have been added to the lineup for the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame gala, presented jointly by the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum. The event is set for Friday (May 16) at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. – the site of the first Grammy Awards ceremony in 1959. Performances will pay tribute to the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame inducted recordings, which were announced on Feb. 13. More from Billboard Recordings by Jay-Z, Santana, Miami Sound Machine and More Inducted Into Grammy Hall of Fame: Full List Andy Bell Confirms His Place in Reunited Oasis Lineup Snoop Dogg Drops 'Iz It a Crime' Album Featuring Sexyy Red, Wiz Khalifa & Pharrell: Stream It Now Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles will perform Cat Stevens' 'Wild World' from the singer-songwriter's 1970 album Tea for the Tillerman. Emmylou Harris, her producer Daniel Lanois, and jazz drummer Brian Blade will perform selections from Harris' 1995 album Wrecking Ball. Leslie Odom Jr. will perform the title track from Luther Vandross' 1981 album, Never Too Much. Ledisi will perform Clara Ward's 1951 song 'How I Got Over.' Latin Grammy nominee Leslie Grace will deliver Miami Sound Machine's 1985 breakthrough hit, 'Conga.' Percussionist Cindy Blackman and guitarist Orianthi, joined by longtime Santana band member Andy Vargas, will perform Santana's 'Smooth' from the band's 1999 album Supernatural; Blackman is married to Carlos Santana. Eddie Floyd and Jody Stephens, drummer of iconic power-pop band Big Star will perform Floyd's 1966 hit 'Knock on Wood.' Stephens is also expected to perform a track from Big Star's 1972 album #1 Record. The other five 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame inducted recordings are: J.D. Crowe & The New South's J.D. Crowe & The New South; Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt; Fela Kuti & Afrika 70's Zombie; Linda Martell's 'Color Him Father';and Geeshie Wiley's 'Last Kind Words Blues.' In addition, John Mellencamp, Conan Gray and Long will perform as part of a tribute to this year's label honoree, Republic Records. Atlantic Records was the initial label honoree at last year's gala, which marked the first time there was a stand-alone event to honor the inducted recordings. Last year's gala was held at the Novo Theatre at L.A. Live. Jon Batiste, the inaugural recipient of the Ray Charles Architect of Sound Award, will also perform. This new annual honor, created in partnership with The Ray Charles Foundation, recognizes an artist whose creative legacy reflects the visionary innovation of Ray Charles. Returning as host is CBS News journalist Anthony Mason. The show will again be produced by Ken Ehrlich, alongside Ron Basile, Lindsay Saunders Carl and Lynne Sheridan. Ehrlich produced or executive produced the annual Grammy Awards telecast for 40 years. Cheche Alara, a Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winning composer, producer and conductor, will serve as musical director for the event. This year's additions to the Grammy Hall of Fame meet the main requirements – they exhibit 'qualitative or historical significance' and are at least 25 years old. Eligible artist(s), producer(s), engineer(s), and mixer(s) of these 13 recordings will receive a certificate from the Recording Academy. The Grammy Hall of Fame was established by the Recording Academy's national trustees in 1973. Inducted recordings are selected annually by a member committee drawn from all branches of the recording arts with final ratification by the academy's national board of trustees. Counting these 13 new titles, the Grammy Hall of Fame totals 1,165 inducted recordings. The full list of past inducted recordings can be found here. The Grammy Hall of Fame Gala serves as a fundraiser to support the Grammy Museum's national education programs. It includes a cocktail reception, dinner, and concert program. Tickets are on sale now. Individual tickets are $1,250. For more information, visit this site. An online auction is currently underway, featuring a collection of guitars signed by such artists as Chappell Roan, Charli xcx, Chris Martin, Sabrina Carpenter, and Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars. They are also auctioning off platinum tickets to the 68th Grammy Awards and more. Proceeds will benefit the Grammy Museum's education programs. For more information, visit this site. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Secret Weapon That Helped Led Zeppelin and Big Star Find New Sounds
Terry Manning, a music producer and engineer who collaborated with Led Zeppelin, Big Star, and ZZ Top, died at his home in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday. He was 77. Just two weeks earlier, a jovial Manning recalled working with Jimmy Page and other giants of the music biz in an interview spanning his career from El Paso to Memphis, the Bahamas, and back. At the time of his death, he was still actively recording artists at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, 30 miles east of his hometown. More from Rolling Stone Pink Talks Living on Throat Coat, Screaming to Zeppelin, and Being on the PTSA Larry Tamblyn, Keyboardist for 'Dirty Water' Garage Rock Pioneers the Standells, Dead at 82 George Foreman, Heavyweight Boxing Champion and Famed Entrepreneur, Dead at 76 'I was so lucky in my career — I call it a career now, I guess, but it was just life,' Manning said, reminiscing about how Memphis music mainstays Steve Cropper, Al Bell, and John Fry, and the Texan Bobby Fuller before them, served as his mentors. 'I worked with so many people who are great at music, and I just tried to absorb it like a sponge.' When a teenaged Manning moved to Memphis with his family in 1963, he immediately sought out Stax, ground zero of the R&B movement led by artists like Cropper, Isaac Hayes, and others. The determined Central High School student grabbed his Telecaster and hopped onto a city bus, aiming to secure a recording contract. Although that mission didn't land, he impressed Cropper enough to earn a gig in the tape copy room, where he dubbed the studio and label's reels for overseas markets. 'One day, an engineer hadn't shown up and I got asked, did I know how to get a sound on tape,' he said. 'From that day on, I was an engineer.' Manning applied his musical instincts and burgeoning studio knowledge to local Memphis artists like Chris Bell, whose band Rock City he helped evolve into the beloved Big Star. 'I was in the group we called Rock City, and … when it turned into Big Star, [we] took two or three of the songs off of Rock City and put it on the first Big Star album [1972's #1 Record],' Manning said. 'I was kind of a fifth member of a Big Star in a way, although I don't want to claim too much credit.' Manning was also working with acts like Led Zeppelin at the time. The engineer met Page on a package tour in the latter half of the 1960s, when his band Lawson and Four More, fronted by Bobby Lawson, supported the Yardbirds. The friendship endured, and whenever Led Zeppelin played in the area, the pair hung out at Ardent, at the time a new recording facility, and talked about the Mississippi Delta blues music they both loved. Their relationship turned professional when Page, with both an album deadline and a tour looming, arranged for Manning to assist with overdubs and mixing of the band's third album. Between dates on Zep's 1970 U.S. trek, Page would fly with the master tapes to Memphis to complete Led Zeppelin's III at Ardent. 'We just locked the doors,' Manning said. 'Nobody was in there except me, Jimmy Page, the manager Peter Grant, and any of the other band members [who were needed].' Later, Page stood up for his friend's handiwork on Zep's behalf by demanding Atlantic Records destroy the entire first pressing of Led Zeppelin III when Manning's engineering credit was omitted. 'That was a big deal for me and for getting more jobs in the studio,' he said. 'I'll never forget Jimmy for being such a great guy and going through that for me.' Manning later worked at Abbey Road Studios in London and partnered with Chris Blackwell in Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, before returning to Texas. Although his work with influential groups like Led Zeppelin and Big Star might be his biggest claims to fame, he also racked up hundreds of credits on albums by ZZ Top, Isaac Hayes, Al Green, the Staples Singers, Lenny Kravitz, and Widespread Panic. During his years working with Stax, he also oversaw the recording of Wattstax, a 1972 all-star concert at Los Angeles Coliseum that became a feature film and double-vinyl soundtrack, calling it 'the longest, hardest day of my life.' In January, Manning released Red and Black, his sixth album as a solo artist, to encapsulate the spirit of his life's work. 'Each song is like a tribute to a style that I've worked on,' he said. 'There's a song that's kind of a Led Zeppelin-ish song, there's a couple of ZZ Top-ish songs, things that relate to Compass Point Studios and have the Talking Heads, Bryan Ferry, Roxy Music feel. It's like a compendium of styles that I've been lucky enough to work on, and I did my little tributes to them.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
