Latest news with #Stills
Sunday World
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
The Irish singer leading the rebellion against the rise of AI
'Music is about soul, it is the most human thing in the world.' Ireland's busiest musician has gone back to basics with the launch of his latest project. Best known as lead singer of rock giants The Answer, he has made a move in a different direction – not for the first time in a long and varied career. California Irish is a new seven piece who have just launched their debut album The Mountains Are My Friends , the culmination of a dream and an homage to legendary Laurel Canyon sound of the likes of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Joni Mitchell. 'When I was young there was a cassette (tape) that sat on top of the fridge, on one side there was Ladies of the Canyon by Joni Mitchell and the on the other Tea For The Tillerman (Cat Stevens),' he said. 'It was always on, it became engrained in me, the songs are stories and they created pictures in my mind.' Cormac Neeson. Laurel Canyon is valley outside Los Angeles which became a magnet for musicians such as Mitchell and Bands like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. It was a particular sound and now half a century later it has inspired Neeson and his newly formed band California Irish. The band came together after a production on the life of rock legend Neil Young staged at the MAC in Belfast. 'I had a collection of songs and I knew that was the kind of sound I wanted to for them,' he told the Sunday World this week. The plan was for the songs to make up his second solo album but after getting his backing musicians together he realised it had to be presented as a joint project. 'We recorded the album at Middle Farm in Devon where we made the last album for The Answer, I waited until the very last day of recording before I told the rest that I wanted to make this a band project, I already had the name in my head which is an obvious reference to Laurel Canyon. 'Thankfully they were all happy with it.' In keeping with the tradition of Laurel Canyon, the album was recorded without all the technical bells and whistles that go with the modern process, including AI. The Answer:Downpatrick Band News in 90 Seconds - July 26th 'It drives me mad when I hear kids listening to music that has so obviously been created by AI, music is about soul, it is the most human thing in the world,' Cormac says. 'I know AI is here to stay but I wasn't going to let those influences in on this album – what you hear is what WE did, not a machine. 'This album is the opposite of boring AI-generated, no-soul perfection. We recorded this album in a room together over four days allowing the music to breathe when it needed to, looking at each other for our cues and feeding off each other's energy. 'It felt like a dream... but it's the most real thing I've ever done in music. That Laurel Canyon sound of the late 60s, epitomised by the early Crosby, Stills, Nash &Young stuff and the first few Joni Mitchell records, has always felt otherworldly and magical. On our album we've tried to access some of that beauty and create our own magic by combining brand new music with an old-school recording process.' Festival-goers at Stendahl earlier this month got a taste of what California Irish is all about. 'We did a couple of secret warm-up gigs before Stendahl including one in Castlewellan. I was so nervous, I was hoping we might get about 80 people but 350 turned up, it was amazing.' Read more He admits to still getting butterflies before taking the stage even though he has played in front tens of thousands of fans when The Answer supported rock legends AC/DC, The Answer have just completed a hugely successful European tour and you can find Cormac on stage at the Black Box on Sunday afternoons with his other band Unholy Gospel. 'I have to have something on the go, I just need it. There's a down when you come to the end of a tour or record an album all of a sudden it's about emptying the dishwasher or putting the kids to bed.' And fans of The Answer have nothing to worry about. 'All is great with The Answer, we all live in different countries now but we regularly get together on Zoom, we have plans and hopefully we'll have something to announce in the not too distant future.' He said they were aiming for a single and album release in 2026. For now the focus is on California Irish with an appearance at the Eats and Beats Festival in his native Newcastle at the end of the summer, and the output festival in Belfast, with a view to scheduling gigs across Ireland the UK. 'I love the sound on the album, I think its very faithful to Laurel Canyon which is exactly what we wanted,' he said. 'I don't see it as a huge departure from what I'm known for, Neil Young's music has always had a rock element, but you know it's music no matter what label you put on it.'
USA Today
20-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Arizona Cardinals training camp roster preview: DL Dante Stills
We will preview every player on the Cardinals roster leading up to training camp. This is about DL Dante Stills. The Arizona Cardinals report to training camp on July 22 and begin the process of preparing for the regular season, forming the roster and determining starting jobs and roles on the team. Leading up to the start of camp, we will take a look at every player on the offseason roster, their background, their contract, their play in 2024, questions they face and their roster outlook. Next up is defensive lineman Dante Stills. Dante Stills background, 2024 season Virtually lost in the discussion about the defensive line thanks to popular additions and the depth of the room, is Stills, who has simply played consistent football during his two seasons in Arizona. A sixth-round pick from West Virginia in 2023, Stills played 16 games with 10 starts last season (he was inactive for one game) and was on the field for 534 defensive snaps (52 percent) and 77 (19 percent) on special teams. He led all Cardinals defensive linemen last season with 42 tackles (20 solo, four for loss) and was second on the team with 4.5 sacks. He added six quarterback hits, one forced fumble and a pass defensed. Dante Stills 2025 contract details, cap hit In the third year of a four-year contract, Stills is surely a bargain with a base salary of $1.03 million and a cap charge of $1.063 million. 2025 questions, roster outlook The question is whether there will be room for him on the roster considering the increasing quality of the overall group. Stills clearly has the ability to contribute as he continues to improve, but he will have to beat out other talented players to be around when the season opens. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Muscat Daily
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Muscat Daily
Not quite human: AI band's debut sparks industry meltdown
In a plot twist worthy of a sci-fi rock opera, a mysterious band has shaken the music world – and not just with its sound. Racking up over a million Spotify streams, Velvet Sundown's debut album Floating on Echoes and Dust and Silence struck a chord with listeners drawn to its soulful, country-folk vibe reminiscent of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. But as fans started digging into the story behind the group, they unearthed something unexpected: the band wasn't quite real. After a short-lived run of interviews and vague statements describing themselves as 'guided by human creative direction', the group finally came clean online. The entire project – from vocals and lyrics to promotional photos and even the band's backstory – was created using AI tools, particularly the music generation platform Suno. Their cryptic confession on social media only fuelled the fire: 'Not quite human. Not quite machine. Merely somewhere in between'. What followed was a heated debate across the Internet and inside the industry. Spotify, where the album gained its viral popularity, came under fire for its lack of transparency. A spokesperson insisted that 'all music on Spotify, including AI-generated music, is created, owned and uploaded by licensed third parties.' But critics weren't convinced. Liz Pelly, author of Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist , pointed to earlier incidents — like the 2023 viral AI track that mimicked Drake and The Weeknd — as evidence of how easily AI can mislead listeners and exploit real artists. Industry figures like Sophie Jones from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) have echoed calls for stricter rules around AI-generated content, including clearer labelling, licensing, and enforcement. While fans continue to stream the album – perhaps now out of curiosity more than admiration – the controversy has sparked one of the most urgent debates in recent music history. Is this the future of music creation, or just a digital masquerade? Either way, it seems that Velvet Sundown has left a lasting echo — real or artificial.
Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Squid Game Season 3: Record-breaking season's 7 burning questions answered
Record-setting No. 1 debut The highly anticipated third and final season of Squid Game has taken over the world with a record-setting No. 1 debut in all countries ranked. Source: Stills Did Detective Jun Ho finally discover the existence of the Squid Game? Detective Jun Ho finally tracked down the betrayer, Captain Park, and landed just as the game wrapped up. But before he could act, Jin Ho gave the order to blow up the island and bailed. Source: Stills Squid Game spin-off on the cards? There is a big possibility, and it makes sense, given Cate Blanchett's role was a treasure in the very last part as a recruiter, suggesting the operations will now be shifted to America. Earlier, in an interview with talk show host Jimmy Fallon, actor Lee Byung Hun aka the Front Man, teased a possibility of a spin-off featuring his character. Source: Stills ChatGPT picks 9 Bollywood moments that made us stop scrolling
USA Today
09-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Pre-minicamp Arizona Cardinals 53-man roster projections
Pre-minicamp Arizona Cardinals 53-man roster projections Our first shot at projecting the Cardinals' final roster, based on what we know before minicamp. The Arizona Cardinals will hold mandatory minicamp this week with practices on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It is the last week of the offseason program before they are off until the end of July. Because we are nearing the end of the offseason program, it is time to begin with some projections for the final roster. Here is our first 53-man roster projection of the offseason. Arizona Cardinals 53-man roster projections before minicamp Quarterback Kyler Murray Jacoby Brissett The Cardinals have only kept two quarterbacks on the active roster while Jonathan Gannon has been the head coach. Clayton Tune will, if he clears waivers, go to the practice squad. Running back James Conner Trey Benson Emari Demercado DeeJay Dallas There is no reason to believe the room will look different in 2025. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Michael Wilson Zay Jones Greg Dortch Simi Fekoho Xavier Weaver The competition for the back end will be interesting. No one is talking about Fehoko, but he has almost all his salary guaranteed. Dortch has no guaranteed money. They like Weaver. But can they keey six receivers? Tight end Trey McBride Elijah Higgins Tip Reiman The Cardinals like having four tight ends on the roster, but with seven defensive linemen and nine defensive backs, you have to cut from somewhere. Offensive line Paris Johnson Evan Brown Hjalte Froholdt Isaiah Adams Jonah Williams Kelvin Beachum Jon Gaines Hayden Conner Royce Newman It is going to be tough for tackle Christian Jones to make the final roster, but he could be the guy instead of Newman. Defensive line Calais Campbell Dalvin Tomlinson Justin Jones Bilal Nichols Darius Robinson Walter Nolen Dante Stills It is going to come down to Stills or L.J. Collier. I still think that Stills will likely be traded before the season. He is the only one with value in the group. Outside linebacker Josh Sweat Zaven Collins Baron Browning BJ Ojulari Jordan Burch Xavier Thomas is the odd man out this year. Inside linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither Mack Wilson Cody Simon Owen Pappoe Mykal Walker This room feels pretty set based on offseason additions. Cornerback Star Thomas Will Johnson Max Melton Garrett Williams Denzel Burke Kei'Trel Clark is the off man out. This room will be very competitive in training camp and the preseason. Safety Budda Baker Jalen Thompson Rabbit Taylor-Demerson Joey Blount Unless there is a trade, it will come down to Blount, a key special teams player the last two seasons, and seventh-round pick Kitan Crawford. Specialists Chad Ryland Blake Gillikin Aaron Brewer This group is set. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
