Latest news with #punkrock
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Iconic British rock band CANCEL tour dates after 'unexpected and catastrophic event' at one of the bandmembers' home
British punk rock band The Damned have been forced to cancel three dates on their tour after an 'unexpected and catastrophic event'. The group - currently consisting of Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Paul Gray, Monty Oxymoron, and Rat Scabies - will no longer be performing in Seattle, Vancouver or Portland later this week. They announced the disappointing news in a statement posted to their official social media accounts on Tuesday. It read: 'We are very sorry to have to cancel our Seattle, Portland and Vancouver shows this weekend, due to an unexpected and catastrophic event at a member of The Damned's Home. 'We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Refunds will be available for our two headline shows at your point of purchase.' The group still have a number of dates scheduled on the tour, which runs until the end of September, including performances in both Europe and America. MailOnline have contacted The Damned representatives for comment. It comes just a few months after the band's legendary guitarist Brian James died at the age of 70. The musician, who founded The Damned and played with Ozzy Osbourne's Black Sabbath, passed away peacefully in early March. Brian had been one of the band's main songwriters after they shot to stardom in the 1970s, and was hailed as the writer of the UK's first ever punk single New Rose, released in 1976. A statement on his Facebook page read: 'It is with great sadness that we announce the death of one of the true pioneers of music, guitarist, songwriter, and true gentleman, Brian James.' Brian left The Damned after the release of their second album and went on to found the short-lived band Tanz Der Youth. He later formed The Lords of the New Church with his friend and fellow rocker Stiv Bators. Together they released singles such as Open Your Eyes, Dance with Me, and Method to My Madness. He then went on to The Dripping Lips and the Brian James Gang and created more solo albums. In 2022, more than forty years after the release of New Rose, The Damned reunited for a series of shows across the UK. Throughout his career, Brian worked with a number of rock 'n' roll stars including Iggy Pop, Wayne Kramer, Stewart Copeland and Cheetah Chrome. The tribute to Brian continued: 'Incessantly creative and a musical tour de force, over a career which spanned more than six decades, with his music also gracing film and television soundtracks, in addition to The Damned and The Lords of the New Church, Brian worked with a plethora of punk and rock 'n' roll's finest, from Iggy Pop to Wayne Kramer, Stewart Copeland to Cheetah Chrome. 'Most recently, more than four decades after the release of the epoch-making New Rose, the original members of The Damned reformed for a series of very special and emotional UK shows in 2022. 'With his wife Minna, son Charlie, and daughter-in-law Alicia by his side, Brian passed peacefully on Thursday 6th March 2025.' Brian was survived by his wife Minna, son Charlie, and daughter-in-law Alicia.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
I Don't Know if I Believe in God, but I Believe in Gospel Music
Before I began listening to gospel music about 12 years ago, I was not the most obvious candidate to become a fan of the genre. Raised by divorced parents who were not particularly religious, I didn't give much consideration to faith. Though my father was a longtime member of the Christ Temple Baptist Church — a Black congregation in Ypsilanti, Mich. — he wasn't a regular presence at Sunday service nor did he pressure me to join him when he did go. My mother, who was a nonobservant Jewish woman, spent much of her adult life criticizing what she viewed as a patriarchal religion; we never attended synagogue, and I didn't have a bar mitzvah. My mother's iconoclasm shaped my attitude toward life, including my taste in music. As a teenager I was drawn to punk rock — loud, fast, angry music that reflected my vague and indeterminate outrage at the world. I defied authority, ranting and raving against the powers that be, including cops, politicians, security guards and my teachers at school, though my defiance usually involved little more than cutting holes in my clothes and quoting song lyrics. I was a perpetually cynical and distrustful young man who believed the world's problems could be solved by my music and clothing preferences, not by organized religion. As I matured and entered my 30s, my father and I grew closer. We bonded over Donny Hathaway, Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin, artists who sang love songs distinctly informed by their respective backgrounds in the Black church. These singers were my conduit to gospel. After hearing the Swan Silvertones sing 'Mary Don't You Weep' on a compilation album of early R&B and gospel groups, I was instantly hooked, and I sought out their LPs as well as records by the Davis Sisters, Marion Williams, Brother Joe May and the Blind Boys of Alabama. I was drawn to the music not because of its religious lyrics but because its rhythms and vocal harmonies moved something deep in my core. I felt the music in my soul before I had even acknowledged the existence of a soul. Each minor chord on the piano, each impassioned cry from the singer broke through my cynicism. I was carried away — if only for a few minutes. I came to understand that the music's religious spirit was inseparable from the music: Each served the other, to help us express our connection to and yearning for the ineffable, to give form to that which is unseen. When a gospel vocalist sings of faith and love of Jesus, it sounds to my ears like a higher power is pouring out of them, using the artist as an instrument. At the top of the Staple Singers' 1965 song 'Let Jesus Lead You,' for example, the band leader, Pops Staples, launches into the opening and his three children follow, creating a simple call-and-response: 'Let Jesus lead you/Let Jesus lead you/Let Jesus lead you/All the way/All the way/All the way from Earth to glory,' before Mavis Staples takes over, her voice slowly building, from mortal earth to the heavenly realms. The sound of the Staple Singers' early records is blues-influenced, trading church organs and a large chorus for a small band, stripping the music down to its raw core. But like much gospel, the Staple Singers' music hinges on a buoyant joyfulness that invites the listener to share in their exaltation. Listening to this song, I clap my hands and stomp a foot on the backbeat. My heart swells with each repetition of the refrain, and I feel myself transported to places I've never visited but that the music conjures for me: some storefront church or a down-home revival. I'm connected to a history, to a not-so-distant past that is not a part of my personal experience but is bound up in my cultural heritage. It reached into the hidden, malnourished and underserved parts of my spirit that I so often tried to repress. To paraphrase Mahalia Jackson's memorable description of gospel, the music brought good tidings and good news to my life. In a world that increasingly fosters self-interest and social isolation, gospel points me toward something more intimate, more collective. Though I don't subscribe to any particular denomination, I aspire to lead a life of curiosity, generosity and compassion — all the best hallmarks of any faith and of great gospel music. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Four music books chart unconventional lives in the industry
Musicians in the pre-punk period of the mid-'70s 'aspired to artistic status ... and rock in general had a renewed sense of ambition', according to 1975: The Year the World Forgot , by Dylan Jones (Constable, £25). This generation of music acts, which included the likes of Genesis, Steely Dan, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell and Queen, was who punk rock would fight against. It aimed to replace their mature, erudite music with pared-back, stripped-down, revved-up pop songs. Jones, a prolific chronicler of pop music and the people who created it, is refuting the perception of pre-1976 being the preserve of prog rock bands such as Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. 1975 was the paragon of adult pop, he writes. A year rich with masterpieces such as Blood on the Tracks (Bob Dylan), Young Americans (David Bowie), Horses (Patti Smith), The Köln Concert (Keith Jarrett), Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen), Another Green World (Brian Eno), and The Hissing of Summer Lawns (Joni Mitchell). Across 21 albums, Jones smartly covers the songs and music as well as the geocultural milieu that nurtured and enveloped them. An excellent book that, thoughtfully, closes with a '75 from '75' playlist you can listen to on Spotify. READ MORE Eamon Carr: 'I found the cumulative effect of the horror stories I was reporting on from the North difficult to shake off.' Photograph: Eric Luke Pure Gold: Memorable Conversations with Remarkable People , by Eamon Carr (Merrion Press, €16.99), contains recollections of a different but no less important time, when journalists could interview people without the presence of PRs and their clipboards. Pure Gold gathers a series of interviews (culled from an assortment of mislaid cassette tapes) that Carr, a former member of Horslips and a long-established journalist, conducted in the late 1980s and early 1990s with a motley crew of people. The list is as impressive as it is eclectic: Eartha Kitt, JP Dunleavy, Josephine Hart, Brenda Fricker, Shane MacGowan, Rudolf Nureyev, Jack Charlton, 'Mad' Frankie Fraser, John Mortimer and more. The collection is much more than a conversation between two people or, God forbid, a set of predictable questions that too often receive rote responses. As well as insightfully deconstructing the interview process, Carr has a knack for going off-piste, judging the mood of the interviewee and burrowing down as far as possible. Earnest indie rock bands, he writes, answered questions with quotes that 'were homogenous, interchangeable'. Not so the interviewees here, who pounced on Carr's puckish, innate curiosity with a speed that less engaged inquisitors can only dream of. Keith Donald has played with The Pogues, Van Morrison and Ronnie Drew. There is enough of a life story in Music and Mayhem , by Keith Donald (Lilliput Press, €18.95) to fill in many hours of questions and answers, but the meat, so to speak, is in the reading. The career musician, now in his 80s, is best known, perhaps, for being a member of the groundbreaking ensemble group, Moving Hearts. Donald's peaks and troughs in life are documented with assured pragmatism. 'My days are numbered' is the kind of first chapter opening sentence that sets the scene for what follows (spoiler: it isn't pretty). From trusted boundaries being broken to grasping an instinctive love of music, from being diagnosed with lifelong PTSD to embarking on, writes Donald, 'a thirty-year internal battle between attraction and revulsion, emotionally up when the drink kicked in, down when it wasn't available, the rollercoaster of addiction'. Music courses through the book, needless to say, but the 'mayhem' of the title runs it a close second, and often the two are locked in a battle for supremacy. Stitched into the fabric of each is a distinctive history of Ireland's fledgling music industry. It is one populated by showbands ('human gramophones that rehearsed and learned three new songs every week'), Moving Hearts ('unlike any band I'd played with') and shoals of business sharks and redemption. A life lived? You bet. One could say the same for US rapper Tupac Shakur (1971-1996), who is regarded not only as one of hip-hop's most influential figures but also, through his music and activism, a torchbearer for highlighting political injustice and the marginalisation of African Americans. Late rapper Tupac Shakur was shot aged 25 in 1996 in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. Photograph: Al Pereira/MichaelWith the primary motivation of presenting hip-hop's most noted nonconformist, Words for My Comrades: A Political History of Tupac Shakur , by Dean Van Nguyen (White Rabbit, £25), maintains a firm balance between placing Shakur within the context of the Black Panther movement (both of his parents were party members) and avoiding the usual biographical cliches of hero worship or downgrading unsavoury aspects of the subject's life (including a conviction in 1994 for sexual abuse). There is also much to admire about Van Nguyen's industrious, thought-provoking research, oral histories and thorough critical analysis of Shakur's significance. Those looking for a strictly linear approach will be disappointed, but anyone (Shakur fans or not) interested in hip-hop history and Black radical political ideology will, with some justification, love it. Dean Van Nguyen places Tupac Shakur within the context of the Black Panther movement. Photograph: Daragh Soden Another unconventional life is outlined in The Absence: The Memoirs of a Banshee Drummer, by Budgie, aka Peter Clarke (White Rabbit, £25). Merseyside-born Budgie studied art in nearby Liverpool, where in the mid-1970s he joined fledgling punk bands the Spitfire Boys and Big in Japan. He is best known, however, as the drummer in Siouxsie and the Banshees, which he joined in 1979 until their dissolution in 1996. Afterwards, he and Siouxsie (with whom he was romantically attached) formed The Creatures. Following their divorce in 2007, Budgie continued in music. His most recent work was a 2023 collaborative album with former Cure drummer Lol Tolhurst and Irish musician/producer Jacknife Lee. English Punk and New Wave musicians Siouxsie Sioux and Budgie feature in the Creatures' Right Now music video. Photograph:The Absence, however, is anything but an orderly trawl through back pages. Rather, it is an evocative, lyrical memoir of boyhood; from 'on the walk back to the guesthouse along the Golden Mile, my dad and I would stop to buy a takeaway of fish and chips' to remembering after-show hangers-on 'Siouxsie might play along… almost as a game, but most times she would get irritated, snap, and tell them to f*** off'. He also reflects on a doomed marriage: 'Our intense love was real, as was our intense anger and disgust'. A bold, bracing retelling of Goth beginnings and unhappy endings.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bluesfest Day 7: Green Day conquers the masses
Green Day, one of the United States' most popular punk-influenced bands, descended on Bluesfest for the first time Friday, deploying a volley of hits during a momentous main-stage performance that drew a huge crowd to the plaza of the Canadian War Museum at LeBreton Flats Park. Under clear skies and refreshingly cool temperatures, the legendary rockers worked hard to make it a great show, winning over a crowd that had been buzzing with anticipation for weeks. In fact, it was hard to tell who was more into it, the fans of all ages packed shoulder to shoulder singing along to every word, or the band members rejoicing that they weren't at home in Trump's America. 'This is Ottawa. This is Canada,' bellowed singer-songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong at one point. 'This is not America.' In that spirit, the protest-minded American Idiot made a perfect starting point, with lyrics tweaked to reflect the current political situation. It was followed by the still-relevant, anti-war anthem, Holiday, and the 2009 advisory Know Your Enemy, which also carries some pertinent messages for today's voters (and featured a fan from the audience shout-singing along on stage). Come to think of it, most of the Green Day catalogue has aged remarkably well, largely thanks to the combination of smart songwriting and the resurgence of an uncertain political climate. Core members Armstrong, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt, now in their 50s, looked to be in great shape, too. Instead of dwelling on the issues of the day, however, they made the concert great fun, feeding off the energy that emanated from the crowd. When he wanted to gauge reaction, Armstrong shouted 'Hey-O' and listened for the echo. When he wanted to rage, it was 'Let's go crazy, Ottawa.' Armstrong was so impressed with everything that he announced a new headquarters for the California-based band. 'I'm not going home,' he declared. 'We are Green Day from Ottawa, from now on.' The love grew with each song, from Boulevard of Broken Dreams to Longview, Welcome to Paradise, Dilemma, 21 Guns, Basket Case and more. A final singalong, this time on the melodic Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), lulled listeners into a sense of bliss as the show ended, only for a dazzling fireworks display to provide the real climax. Earlier in the evening, the punk-themed night on the RBC main stage also featured L.A.'s Linda Lindas and Quebec's Les Shirleys, two predominantly female groups that proved you don't have to be a dude to rock out. For their part, the Linda Lindas absolutely slayed, railing against the patriarchy with a blockbuster set. The quartet took their opening duties seriously. 'I feel like we need to get you warmed up for Green Day,' observed drummer Mila de la Garza. 'I wanna see everybody moving and dancing along.' Their songs bore the influence of pop, punk and something even thrashier, delivered with pounding drums and shredding guitars. The intense workout peaked with an urgent call for freedom in oppressed countries around the world, along with a plea to keep standing up for trans people and immigrants. That impassioned outburst led into the scorching set-closer, Racist, Sexist Boy, sung by Eloise Wong in a most intimidating growl. Fresh off three weeks in a van in Europe, Les Shirley kicked things off on the RBC main stage with their own snappy set of pop-punk. On the River stage, another discovery was the stylish, multi-national ensemble of mostly women called Les Bitchos, who cruised through a series of sleek instrumentals that balanced groove and melody. Two Ottawa bands demonstrated their talents on Friday, too. On the LeBreton stage, The Commotions mounted a big-band extravaganza, with the stellar voices of Rebecca Noelle and Jeff Rogers soaring over the soulful, horn-fattened sound, while newcomers Four Eyed Muscle Man constructed a solid indie-rock foundation around the powerhouse vocals of Soleil Crispin. As for the blues highlight of the day, that honour went to Fantastic Negrito, the Oakland-bred performer who was making his first visit to Ottawa, accompanied by his band. In front of a full house at the LeBreton stage, the singer-guitarist lived up to his name with a bluesy melange that wandered from hip hop to funk to gospel. A highlight was his unhurried and soul-stirring reworking of the old Leadbelly standard, In the Pines. Bluesfest continues to Sunday, with Papa Roach and Daughtry holding down a Saturday-night rock bash, and Canadian mixtape wiz Kaytranada plying his beats on Sunday. lsaxberg@
Fast Company
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
‘Superman' has sparked a viral ‘hopecore' movement among Gen Z fans
'Kindness, maybe that's the real punk rock,' says James Gunn's Superman, which hit theaters this past weekend. It's a message that seems to have resonated deeply with Gen Z. One X user said: 'I haven't felt depressed even once' since watching it. The film brought in $125 million at the U.S. box office and is earning praise across TikTok and Reddit for returning the superhero to his 'hopecore' roots, The Daily Dot reported. Hopecore—a trend that emerged on TikTok— serves as an antidote to an internet overwhelmed by ragebait, manosphere content, and AI slop. At a time when nihilism dominates, incel culture and toxic masculinity are on the rise, anti-immigrant sentiment is shaping policy, and political divides are deepening, 'be kind' feels like a radical, even revolutionary message—one Gen Z seems ready to embrace. 'The superman movie I just watched really said no one is an alien, everyone is a human, billionaires are evil, war is created, journalism is important, superheroes are hope, empathy is a superpower, and being soft hearted is punk rock,' one TikTok user posted. 'The masculine urge to help others in need,' another TikTok post reads. 'This movie is going to do for the boys what Barbie did for the girls and I support it,' one user commented. On Reddit, one post summed it up best: 'We finally made it out of the 'But WHAT IF Superman was a big asshole/ ackshually superheroes would be dicks IRL' zeitgeist that swept the late 2010s of comic book media.' They continued: 'We have genuine hope and wholesome superman again and it's refreshing. In a world where we are increasingly socialised and incentivised to act purely out of self interest, Superman 2025 dares to tackle the rebellious act of being kind.' As one X user added: 'I'll take 'Hopecore' Superman over a dozen 'dark', 'edgy' or 'evil' Superman any day.' This is exactly the response Gunn was hoping for. 'This Superman does seem to come at a particular time when people are feeling a loss of hope in other people's goodness,' Gunn said in an interview with The Times of London. 'I'm telling a story about a guy who is uniquely good, and that feels needed now because there is a meanness that has emerged due to cultural figures being mean online.'
