Latest news with #ZakStarkey
The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Oasis fans express frustration at ballot for front-standing tickets at Manchester shows
Oasis fans attending the band's homecoming shows in Manchester have expressed anger that they have to enter a ballot to determine their proximity to the stage at Heaton Park. Ticketmaster emailed ticket holders passing on information from the event organisers, saying that a safety advisory group had divided the all-standing concert into general admission and front standing, with distinct tickets, to 'ensure fan safety and improve the fan experience while entering the site'. Fans seeking a spot at the front must opt in to the ballot by noon today. Ticketmaster said that – in the highly likely event – that opt-in requests outnumber availability, tickets will be allocated at random. Opting in applies to entire ticket orders, not individual tickets within a single order. Posting on X, many fans were irritated by the news, which comes just shy of a month before the tour begins in Cardiff on 4 July. The five concerts in Manchester will be between 11 and 20 July. VIP ticket holders also sought information on whether they would automatically be allocated a place in the front section. The Guardian has contacted representatives for Oasis for comment. Accused by one fan this week of reuniting just for money, Liam Gallagher replied: 'It's for many reasons money way down the list'. Oasis also appear to have disappointed erstwhile drummer Zak Starkey, recently let go twice by the Who, who told BBC Breakfast he was 'gutted' that the band had chosen Joey Waronker – who performed on last year's collaborative album by Liam Gallagher and John Squire – for the tour. The rest of the lineup is yet to be officially announced. British economists, meanwhile, are unlikely to complain about the looming tour, the band's first dates since splitting 16 years ago. Fans are expected to spend more than £1bn on tickets, accommodation, food, drink, outfits and merchandise, with the gigs expected to be the most popular and profitable in British history. Wonderwallets, part of the Barclays Consumer Spend report, estimated that the 1.4 million fans attending the show would spend more than £766 per person, generating £1.06bn. The sums exceed Barclays' estimate for Taylor Swift's Eras tour last year – which came in at £997m – but Oasis are playing two more shows than Swift did.
Wales Online
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Oasis band member with world famous dad brutally replaced by American musician
Oasis band member with world famous dad brutally replaced by American musician Zak Starkey is the former drummer of Oasis but has also worked with The Who and Mantra of the Cosmos Zak Starkey as the touring drummer for The Who during a performance in Las Vegas in 2017 (Image: Getty Images ) The former drummer of Oasis, Zak Starkey, has voiced his disappointment at being excluded from the band's monumental reunion. Last August, brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher surprised fans by announcing they would reunite for the first time since their explosive split in 2009, with the landmark Oasis 2025 shows starting in Cardiff on Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5. Zak Starkey, who was a member of Oasis from 2004, appeared on BBC Breakfast to discuss his latest track with Mantra of the Cosmos, which features Bez and Shaun Ryder from Happy Mondays and ex-Oasis bass guitarist Andy Bell. While on the news programme, Starkey discussed how Oasis member Noel Gallagher originally wrote the group's new single Domino Bones but then passed it on, suggesting the track was better suited to them. Noel had previously heaped praise on the group, likening them to "Dylan, Dalí and Ginsberg on a rocket ship to the moon to have it with the Clangers". As reported by the Manchester Evening News, Zak told presenter Ben Thompson about his surprise when he received the song from Noel, saying: "I was blown away by it - I couldn't believe it. "The greatest songwriter of my generation sending me a tune." The conversation naturally turned to Zak's thoughts on the eagerly awaited comeback tour, where he openly admitted to feeling "gutted" for not being asked to join the upcoming shows. He commented: "I texted them and said 'why am I not in it?' "You know, if you get a new drummer, you get comfortable, don't you? You get comfortable with new musicians and I think that's what's happened and I'm alright with that." Noel and Liam Gallagher will embark on a huge reunion tour, 16 years after last performing together, this summer (Image: PA ) He went on to express his enthusiasm about the possibility of touring, telling the BBC: "God, yeah. "Greatest rock and roll band of my generation. Greatest rock and roll singer of my generation." But this isn't Zak's only connection to music fame. Zak Richard Starkey is also the son of a famous drummer - none other than The Beatles' Ringo Starr, whose real name is Richard Starkey. Zak was born in 1965 to Ringo and his first wife, Maureen Starkey (nee Cox). According to The Mirror, Zak had an illustrious childhood, growing up around major stars while enjoying private education and a home in a gated community in Surrey. He spent much of his younger days with The Who's original drummer, Keith Moon, who bought his first drum kit. Moon died in September 1978, with his position in the band filled by Kenney Jones. In 1996, Zak Starkey officially joined The Who during their Quadrophenia tour. As reported by NME, Starkey's departure from The Who has played out in recent months, with the precisionist appearing to publicly confirm that he had been let go, but guitarist Pete Townshend later denied it. In May, Townshend confirmed that Starkey was no longer with the band and added: "the time has come for a change". Meanwhile, it has been confirmed who will be joining the Gallagher brothers on their highly anticipated reunion tour. Zak Starkey's famous dad is none other than Ringo Starr, the drummer of The Beatles (Image: Getty Images ) Andy Bell, the bass player from Mantra of the Cosmos, confirmed recently that he would be joining the brothers on their reunion tour. Gem Archer and Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs will be on guitar, while Christian Madden will be on keys, and the drummer has been confirmed as Joey Waronker. Waronker is an American drummer and has also worked with Beck, R.E.M. and the late American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. He is also a music producer and has collaborated with Tracy Chapman, Nelly Furtado, Paul McCartney and David Byrne, amongst others. Article continues below Oasis has a string of 17 UK dates lined up for the summer, as they kickstart the tour in Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Friday, July 4, with their second gig in the Welsh capital taking place on Saturday, July 5. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . The tour will also feature seven appearances at London's Wembley Stadium, and other highlights include performances at Manchester's Heaton Park.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jamie xx's ‘In Colour' Was Released 10 Years Ago Today: Read Our 2015 Review
Ten years ago today, on May 29, 2015, Jamie xx released his debut solo album, In Colour. The 11-song project reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, generating hits including 'Gosh,' 'I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)' and 'Loud Places' and becoming a beloved LP of the era. More from Billboard Jamie xx Is Releasing His New Album Today — It Will Be the Last Time He Listens to It Zak Starkey Rubbishes Reports He Retired from The Who, Insists He Was 'Fired' Lorde Makes Surprise Appearance at Aotearoa Music Awards Billboard also celebrated the album upon its release, publishing a glowing review that identified the British producer's ability to create a collage of '90s U.K. rave culture that simultaneously acknowledged the rich history of this era while also sounding entirely fresh. 'Jamie xx is 26 years old, which means he was barely out of diapers during the heyday of '90s U.K. rave culture, which provides the heart, soul and inspiration for his jaw-dropping solo debut, In Colour,' wrote Billboard contributor Garrett Kamps. The review continues to say that 'The xx member (real name: Jamie Smith) reportedly combed through videos from the era on YouTube, experiencing it in a way that generations before him could not: all at once, chopped up, voyeuristically and set to the best music. This, conveniently, describes the rush of hearing In Colour, an ambitious collage of dance music's most artistically exciting decade, assembled with maximum TLC by a visionary who inherited its legacy. 'Pockmarked by bits of dialogue from the era's radio shows and documentaries,' Kamps continues, 'the record leaves no doubt as to its source material, and Jamie xx is among other U.K. electronic-dance acts, such as Disclosure and Four Tet, that are tapping the genre's past to forge its future. But no one has nailed it quite like this.' Read the complete 2015 review here. Speaking with Billboard last year upon the release of In Colour's long-awaited follow-up, In Waves, the artist said his country's esteemed history with electronic music, combined with some good old fashioned homesickness, inspired the album's tone. 'When I was making Colour, I was on tour [with The xx], and had been for seven or eight years nonstop,' he said. 'I was really homesick, and I was dreaming up ideas about the U.K. and music in the U.K. and the dance scene there and everything that has happened since the '80s in dance music in the U.K., which is a lot. It was sort of my fantasy version of U.K. dance music history. Because I was missing home, it made me feel more like I was at home, I guess.' He also reflected on the differences within himself as he made two connected projects nine years apart, saying that while listening to In Colour while making In Waves, 'I remember being really surprised by a lot of decisions I had made as a younger person, and remembering who the hell I was when I made those decisions. 'I guess I was drunk quite a lot of the time, having a lot of fun in my mid-20s,' he continued with a laugh while reflecting on the production process for In Colour. 'It's very painstaking, all these decisions you feel are so important. Then listening to them 10 years later or five years later, you can't believe you made any of the decisions. And you think they're wrong, or I would have made completely different decisions now, but I guess that's a part of it.' 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
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lorde Makes Surprise Appearance at Aotearoa Music Awards
Lorde returned to the spotlight in New Zealand this week, appearing at the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards in Auckland on Thursday night (May 29), just hours after hosting an intimate, invite-only performance inside a YMCA bathroom. The rare public appearance comes as Lorde ramps up promo for her upcoming album Virgin, due out June 27. Her attendance at the AMAs — New Zealand's biggest night in music — marks her first red carpet appearance in the country in several years. More from Billboard Zak Starkey Rubbishes Reports He Retired from The Who, Insists He Was 'Fired' Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Perform 1996 Hit 'Tha Crossroads' on 'Everybody's Live' John Fogerty Reclaims Creedence Songs With New 'John's Version' Recordings The day prior, Lorde teased a cryptic Instagram post showing a cracked iPhone tucked into the waistband of a pair of jeans, tagged 'Auckland.' The post included a link to a WhatsApp group, where she invited fans to meet her in the city that night. 'Auckland I wanna play you something .. Meet me in the city tonight? Message me if you're keen,' she wrote. More than 300 fans gathered outside the YMCA venue, with small groups of 30 admitted every 15 minutes to witness the pop-up performance. The performance came one day before the release of Lorde's new single 'Man of the Year,' which follows previous track 'What Was That.' Both songs will appear on Virgin, her first album since 2021's Solar Power. Lorde's innovative approach to album promotion has included surprise concerts, fan text blasts, and spontaneous performances in public spaces. In April, she debuted 'What Was That' in New York City's Washington Square Park, drawing such a large crowd that the police shut it down. She performed again in the same location just a few hours later. Several early winners were announced at the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards ahead of the main ceremony, including MOKOTRON (Best Electronic Artist), Cassie Henderson (Best Pop Artist), and Holly Arrowsmith (Best Folk Artist). Lorde's debut album Pure Heroine peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, with lead single 'Royals' spending nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her 2017 LP Melodrama debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and earned a Grammy nomination for album of the year. Solar Power, released in 2021, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. Virgin arrives June 27 via Universal Music New Zealand. 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
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Who guitarist Pete Townshend makes cryptic comment about 'the end' after iconic rock band announced their farewell tour
Legendary The Who guitarist Pete Townshend made a cryptic comment about 'the end' after the band announced their farewell tour. After almost 60 years of touring since they rose to prominence in the 1960s, The Who announced their final tour The Song Is Over will be going ahead this summer. The band will play 16 shows in the US - which they hope will be extended to Europe - as a 'thank you to fans' after all of their support. But speaking ahead of the beginning of the tour later this year, guitarist Pete, who just turned 80, hinted it may spell the end for the band entirely. Speaking to This Cultural Life on Radio 4 last week he said: 'Whether it's the end for The Who... it's certainly the end of touring America. We'll have to see (about Europe).' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop The rocker previously admitted that he is 'not crazy about touring', despite 'not feeling old'. 'I feel like a diamond with a flaw,' he added: 'I'm a dangerous f****. I was a proponent of rock and roll as a philosophy. 'But when I started exploring my inner darkness on stage, my stage persona – smashing guitars and turning it all up – I was very detached and I didn't enjoy doing it.' Pete's interview comes just weeks after he and lead singer Roger Daltrey sacked drummer Zak Stanley from the band for a second time. The son of Ringo Starr, 59, was fired from the band last week, just one month after he was sacked then quickly reinstated. Pete took to Instagram last week to announce that Zak, the Who's drummer since 1996, was no longer part of the band. But Zak quickly took to his own social media to claim that his departure was not a mutual decision and that he was fired from the band. In a second post, Pete and Roger Daltrey added: 'The Who are heading for retirement, whereas Zak is 20yrs younger and has a great future with his new band and other exciting projects. 'He needs to devote all his energy into making it all a success. We both wish him all the luck in the world. 'Scott Devours – Who fans will know him from Roger's solo shows – will be replacing Zak. We hope all our fans will welcome him. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey'. Resharing The Who's post, Zak hit back: 'I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical endevours this would be a lie. 'I love the who and would never had quit. So I didn't make the statement ….quitting The Who would also have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me (thank you all a million times over and more) thru the weeks of mayhem of me going 'in an out an in an out an in an out like a bleedin squeezebox x. 'To clarify "other projects" yes I do have other projects and always have. The Who have been sporadic or minimalist in touring most years apart from a two extensive tours in 2000 and 2006/7.' Zak continued to list his other previous projects before adding: 'Releasing singles but not touring cos members are so busy. None of this has ever interfered with The Who and was never a problem for them. 'The lie is or would have been that I quit The Who- I didn't. I love the who and everyone in it.' But on Monday, Zak again took to his Instagram account to share that his version of events had been contradicted yet again after a phonecall with The Who singer-guitarist Roger. Zak said Roger told him he hadn't actually been fired and instead 'retired to work on his own projects'. He wrote: 'NOISE&CONFUSION!!!! I had a great phone chat with Roger at the end of last week which truly confused both of us!!! 'Rog said I hadn't been 'fired'…I had been 'retired' to work n my own projects. I explained to Rog that I have just spent nearly 8 weeks at my studio in Jamaica completing these projects, that my group Mantra Of The Cosmos was releasing one single at the beginning of June and after that had run its course ( usually 5/6 weeks ) I was completely available for the foreseeable future…. 'Rog said "Oh!" and we kind of left it there- On good terms and great friends as we have always been. 'Gotta love these guys. As my mum used to say "The mind boggles!!!" XXX.' It comes weeks after The Who shared the shock news that they will be retiring from touring after 60 years, following a final run of shows in the US later this year. The legendary rock band shared the news at a London press conference as they announced their farewell tour, which will kick off in July.
