Latest news with #TowerRecords
The Hill
a day ago
- Business
- The Hill
Jon Stewart rips CBS over Colbert cancellation: ‘F—ing wrong'
Comedian Jon Stewart tore into CBS on Monday for canceling 'The Late Show' with Stephen Colbert, which the network described as a 'financial' decision. Stewart, during the latest episode of 'The Daily Show,' defended his friend and raised the possibility that the move could be an effort to appease President Trump, who has railed against Colbert at times on social media. 'Watching Stephen exceed all expectations in the role and become the number one late-night show on television has been an undeniable great pleasure for me as a viewer and as his friend, and now Stephen has been canceled for purely financial reasons,' he said. 'And by the way, not just Stephen's show. CBS has canceled the entirety of The Late Show franchise. Gone.' 'Now I acknowledge, losing money. Late-night TV is a struggling financial model. We're all basically operating a Blockbuster kiosk inside of a Tower Records,' the comedian continued. 'But when your industry is faced with changes, you don't just call it a day. My God — when CDs stopped selling, they didn't just go, 'Oh well, music, it's been a good run.'' Stewart noted he's curious why CBS, which is owned by Paramount Global, did not do more to save the flagship program. He said, 'The fact that CBS didn't try to save their number one rated network late-night franchise that's been on the air for over three decades is part of what's making everybody wonder, was this purely financial?' 'Or maybe the path of least resistance for your $8 billion merger with killing a show that you know rankled a fragile and vengeful president, so insecure, suffering terribly from a case of chronic penis insufficiency,' the late-show veteran added. 'Truly it's a vicious disease.' Paramount is working to secure a multi-billion-dollar merger with fellow entertainment giant Skydance, a transaction that will need approval from Trump's government regulators. The company also agreed to pay Trump earlier this month to settle a $16 million lawsuit the president filed against CBS over a '60 Minutes' interview with former Vice President Harris during the 2024 presidential election. 'Look, I understand the corporate fear. I understand the fear that you and your advertisers have with $8 billion at stake. But understand this, truly: The shows that you now seek to cancel, censor, and control — a not insignificant portion of that $8 billion value came from those f—ing shows,' he said. 'That's what made you that money — shows that say something, shows that take a stand, shows that are unafraid.' 'Believe me, this is not a 'We speak truth to power.' We don't. We speak opinions to television cameras, but we try. We f—ing try every night,' Stewart added. The host continued, 'And if you believe, as corporations or as networks, you can make yourselves so innocuous that you can serve a gruel so flavorless that you will never again be on the boy king's radar, A) Why will anyone watch you? And you are f—ing wrong.' Stewart also lamented the 'the fear and pre-compliance that is gripping all of America's institutions at this very moment,' suggesting that is the real reason Colbert's show is ending. 'Institutions that have chosen not to fight the vengeful and vindictive actions of our pubic-hair-doodling commander-in-chief,' he said. 'This is not the moment to give in. I'm not giving in. I'm not going anywhere… I think.' The 'Late Show' host also railed against his employer over the decision on Monday and pressed back against Trump's criticism. Other late night show hosts — including Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, have also stood behind Colbert, who has hosted the show since 2015.
Wales Online
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
What happened when Bon Jovi shocked everyone with a surprise gig in Cardiff's Queen Street
Bon Jovi, the legendary American rock band, once lived up to their song, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", by performing three UK shows in a single day back in June, 1995. The band, consisting of Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres, played sets in Glasgow, Cardiff and London all on June 14, 1995. We've taken a trip down memory lane to that whirlwind day some 30 years ago. At the time, the band were enjoying a career high following the release of their greatest hits album, "Cross Roads", the previous year and were preparing for the launch of their sixth album, "These Days". In between shows in Barcelona and Lisbon as part of their Cross Road/These Days European tour, the band made a quick stop in the UK. They kicked off the day with a performance in front of thousands of fans at Tower Records in Glasgow, where they played an acoustic set featuring their latest single, "This Ain't A Love Song", and their iconic hit, "Livin' On A Prayer". After Glasgow, the band flew south to Cardiff's bandstand on Queen Street. Word quickly spread about their surprise appearance, drawing thousands of fans who got to see the band perform for free just a week before their scheduled show at Cardiff Arms Park. After Cardiff, Bon Jovi made a beeline for the capital, gracing the South Bank in London for the final performance of the day, where the band lit up the crowd with their electric stage presence. The three shows were a surefire way to promote the upcoming tour The rock group began their roaring 6-date UK tour just a week later - commencing at Cardiff Arms Park and continuing for three exhilarating nights at Wembley Stadium in London, followed by performances at Gateshead International Stadium and Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield. Without a doubt, the enthusiasm was palpable among band members and fans alike as seen in the exciting snapshots from all of the shows.
The Courier
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Ged Grimes on life with Simple Minds: From Dundee and St Andrews busking to rocking USA
It's been quite a journey from busking on Dundee's Murraygate to gearing up for a 10,000-capacity show in Portland, Oregon – but Ged Grimes wouldn't have it any other way. Speaking exclusively to The Courier via WhatsApp from Los Angeles – where the weather, he laughs, is 'not quite taps aff' – the Dundee born and bred Simple Minds bass player is in the thick of the band's biggest North American tour in four decades. The iconic Scottish band, led by original members Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, have just come off a rapturous run through South America, and the US and Canada leg is beginning in earnest. It's a packed 24-date schedule, taking in coast-to-coast cities and a mix of iconic outdoor 'sheds' and atmospheric indoor theatres. But as Ged reflects on his 15 years as Simple Minds' longest serving bassist, his 50 years as a musician and looks forward to Simple Minds playing to a 35,000 strong home crowd at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow on June 27 which will be opened up by St Andrews singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, the passionate Dundonian takes none of it for granted. 'It's quite fascinating to be back in a hotel directly opposite where Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard used to be,' he says, looking out of his hotel window towards the former site of the music mecca he first stepped into as part of Dundee's Danny Wilson in the late 1980s. 'I have vivid memories of being there in 1987 when the first Danny Wilson album was on the outside of Tower Records. We were signed from '85 to '91 so that's a six year period that we were making records. 'But it's quite something when you think that I've now been with Simple Minds for 15 years. 'When you look at it like that, I'm a proud of every single thing I've done, and every single twist and turn in the road. To be doing this now at this stage and age is a privilege.' Ged's musical journey started as a school boy back home in Dundee. He met fellow musician Gary Clark at St Saviour's High School – the two were introduced through their shared guitar teacher, Paul Fitzpatrick. 'I was already playing with my family in The Grimes Folk Four – yes really!' says Ged. 'Around the age of 12, 13, we were doing the Five Ways Club, the Civil Service Club… it was this kind of variety concert party. There was a magician, country dancers, and us doing folk songs. God, it sounds like it's from another era!' he laughs. Soon enough, Ged and Gary were playing together and immersed in Dundee's thriving live scene – learning from local legends like Michael Marra and the Mafia band. 'They used to let us jump up at their gigs. That was our way in – and it really made us feel part of something,' he smiles. The duo would head to local studios in the evenings to record whatever they could, experimenting with sounds long before they were signed. In fact, before Danny Wilson became Danny Wilson, they were busking in Dundee's Murraygate – and further afield. 'We used to head to St Andrews and play for the American tourists – we called ourselves the Scots Porridge Notes,' Ged chuckles. 'We had a tea chest bass, accordion, guitar – doing Sinatra covers. Then we'd come back and spend the lot in the Tayside Bar!' That hustle paid off. After a tough stint in London – 'living in a terrible squat' – and after being inspired by Simple Minds' 1982 album New Gold Dream, Ged and Gary returned to Dundee, regrouped with Gary's brother Kit, and got signed shortly after. Simple Minds' album, New Gold Dream, wasn't just a Scottish success – it was a musical wake-up call. 'We were floundering a bit, then this incredible album came out – it sounded expansive, aspirational. It made me believe that Scottish bands didn't have to leave Scotland to succeed. And it was a huge influence on us heading back to Dundee.' Signed in 1985, and touring with Simply Red in 1987, Danny Wilson had their own success in the States – with hits like Mary's Prayer. 'The live band were from Dundee as well,' recalls Ged. 'So you can imagine eight Dundee guys in America for the first time. It was an absolute hoot!' Even now, US fans remember. 'People wait outside (Simple Minds) venues here in the US with Danny Wilson memorabilia. It's honestly touching.' Danny Wilson weren't primarily a live band – 'it was more a studio thing'. Never say never, but that's why realistically he doesn't think Danny Wilson would hit the road today. The entourage required would be sizeable. But the live experience changed drastically when Ged joined Simple Minds in 2010. Ged had crossed paths with Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill a few times when Danny Wilson were on Virgin. But it wasn't until 2008 when he was with Deacon Blue that he reconnected. Deacon Blue supported Simple Minds in 2008 on their 30th anniversary tour, and when Jim asked him to get involved with his solo record, the offer to join the band came from there. Fifteen years on, Simple Minds 'just feels like home'. 'They've always been known for the live show, and we wear that on our sleeve,' he says, describing the band's current line up as 'tighter than ever' and 'dynamite'. 'It's full-on, night after night, giving it everything. 'You don't just play the records – you give people an experience.' After the break-up of Danny Wilson, and before joining Simple Minds, Ged spent most of his time writing and producing music for computer games. The new venture started in Dundee through his friend Chris van der Kuyl. Eventually that led to material being produced in America and Japan. It's a venture he's still involved with today. 'I'm just finished a game for Microsoft I've managed to work in between the Simple Minds tours,' he says. 'There's a game called Clockwork Revolution, a big role playing game that's coming out later in the year. That keeps me on my toes, because I had to find opera singers I had to find string quartets. It's the antithesis of working in Simple Minds. But I'm lucky. I get to do both.' The music industry has changed – and so has Dundee. Ged is especially excited about LiveHouse, the city's new state-of-the-art venue promising to transform the local live scene. 'Dundee's often missed out on big tours,' he says. 'We'd see Glasgow, Edinburgh, maybe Aberdeen – but not here. A lot of that was down to a lack of suitable venues. Now, that's changed.' He's been in touch with LiveHouse director Gus Robb to help attract major acts. 'See the next time Simple Minds are planning a tour that involves Dundee, I'm sure Live House would be an amazing, Barrowlands style, classic venue for us to play. 'It's going to take time that is going to take time to build a reputation. But I'm sure it'll happen.'
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
6 vanished Sacramento landmarks reshape the city's memory
Stories by Sacramento Bee journalists, with AI summarization Sacramento's cityscape has shifted as famed sites like the original Tower Records building make way for modern developments such as new five-story apartment complexes with retail space. The beloved Capital Athletic Club downtown now hums to fresh life as the Capital YMCA, offering renovated facilities and attracting former and new members alike. Grand movie theaters like the Alhambra and Fox Senator once drew crowds but have largely vanished, replaced by office towers and housing, while only a few, like the Tower Theatre and Crest Theatre, continue to operate. The closure of downtown staples such as the Macy's department store and the uncertain future of landmarks like the Renaissance Tower and the Sacramento Zoo's relocation plans reveal ongoing debates about how Sacramento balances its historic legacy with changing economic demands and community needs. Each vanished landmark leaves memories and influences decisions about what the city will become next. The YMCA is in the early stages of its renovation before its grand opening early in 2025. | Published September 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Biderman It was the city's tallest building for a time. | Published October 21, 2024 | Read Full Story by Annika Merrilees In 1973, a decades-old cinema was demolished in favor of a Safeway grocery store. | Published November 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by Graham Womack A new residential future on Broadway is taking shape – and it has some scale. | Published November 9, 2024 | Read Full Story by David Caraccio What's next for Sacramento's downtown Macy's building? | Published January 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annika Merrilees 'We truly believe that ending the Elk Grove project is the most responsible choice for the long-term sustainability and success of the zoo,' the CEO said. | Published April 30, 2025 | Read Full Story by Darrell Smith Marcus D. Smith The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Japan Times
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Sasami is in her pop era, and she's not overthinking it
What stands out most to Sasami Ashworth about Japan? The hairstyles. 'I was just in South Korea, and it seems like most of the men have perms there — but it's not a trend here,' she says. 'There's just not as much perm action.' It's about two hours before the 34-year-old American artist, who records as Sasami, plays her first-ever Japan show — an acoustic set at Tower Records Shibuya. She's recounting her latest observations of a country she's always felt a connection to. Her mother's side of the family is Zainichi Korean and has lived in Japan for years. On this trip, she plans to hit up Tokyo DisneySea, explore Shibuya and soak in the city. But first, there's a show to play. 'I'm excited. I mean, I'm kind of nervous because the shows I just played in Seoul were ticketed club events, so they sold out in a few days,' she says. 'I knew people were coming. But tonight? I have no idea.' Her worries turn out to be unfounded. The in-store set is packed, with fans crowding in to hear stripped-down versions of songs from her latest album, 'Blood On the Silver Screen.' Released on March 7, her third album explores pop songcraft from the perspective of a classically trained musician. Sasami's latest album, "Blood on the Silver Screen," sees her moving into the pop genre, after getting her start in rock and shoegaze. 'I think pop has this reputation of being kind of trashy or simple, but if you think about it, because the chord structures are so basic and repetitive, it actually makes space for the melodic trajectory to be much more complex.' It's the latest stylistic shift from an artist eager to try new sounds. Ashworth got her start in 2015 as the synth player for rock band Cherry Glazerr. She stepped away in 2018 to focus on a solo career, which saw her veering toward shoegaze-tinged rock on her eponymous debut. By 2022's 'Squeeze,' she'd pivoted to something harder, flirting with nu-metal. For her latest challenge, she wanted to write songs where the verses and choruses had the same chords. 'I'm such a lifer musician that I like to feel challenged and learn a lot with every venture,' she says. 'I really wanted to learn about pop music, and that's why I was adamant about writing the songs myself. Even if they weren't the best songs ever written, it was important to go through the process of challenging myself.' 'Blood On the Silver Screen' came together in less than a year, and Ashworth says this was done in part so she wouldn't overthink things. 'I wanted to make a pop record that was very earnest and dramatic, without being overly precious about it,' she says. She's happy with how it turned out, but for whatever comes next, she plans to take her time and keep it 'close to my chest.' Sasami says she wanted her third album, "Blood on the Silver Screen," to be "earnest and dramatic." | Andrew Thomas Huang For now, she's just enjoying her time in Japan, a country whose culture has always been part of her life. 'Since my grandma and mother were born and raised in Japan, Japanese culture was embedded in my life.' That meant the language ('I knew I was in trouble if my mom wasn't speaking English') and TV shows like the Y2K-era J-drama, 'Trick' ('Japanese comedy is like some of the best television in the world'). Music, too. 'I'm super influenced by a lot of Japanese music. I love city pop, and when I was growing up, I listened to a lot of Yellow Magic Orchestra and all of the members' side projects.' Her mother introduced her to even more through karaoke, where she'd sing traditional folk songs. She admits she's not as up to date on current Japanese artists, though she does have a soft spot for rising idol group f5ve . Japan has left its mark on her visuals as well. The 'Squeeze' album cover features a yōkai (ghost), and the video for her single, ' Slugger ,' nods to the 1977 cult horror film 'House' — specifically, the part where her head flies off. Ashworth hopes to be back in Japan soon for bigger shows or a festival (discussions are ongoing). In the meantime, she's focused on taking in Tokyo — and keeping an eye out for new hair trends along the way. For more information, visit
