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The original picture discs that could get you thrown in a Soviet jail
The original picture discs that could get you thrown in a Soviet jail

South China Morning Post

time4 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • South China Morning Post

The original picture discs that could get you thrown in a Soviet jail

Take out your earpods for a sec – really – so I can tell you a crazy story. (Or smack you – you should be more aware of your surroundings.) Music today is, of course, a commodity almost as readily available as water on tap – click a button or two and pretty much anything you can think of is yours to listen to. In the Soviet Union during the 1950s and 60s, authorities allowed only state-approved music, banning genres they considered decadent. Now imagine another place and time, the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 60s, where no music was allowed. (OK, I exaggerate: state-approved music was allowed but not even parents wanted to listen to that dreck – anything actually good was forbidden. Western radio stations were jammed, rock music was banned, records were confiscated at the border.) The authorities tried to seal off all of that Western decadence outside the Iron Curtain. But the pressure of rock 'n' roll was hard to contain, and inevitably the wall leaked. A lot. Especially in Leningrad (now St Petersburg), a Soviet port town dripping with incoming Western indulgence. Ships arrived with smuggled records (and worth-their-weight-in-gold Levi's jeans, as well as just about anything else cool from the West) in sailors' duffel bags and diplomatic pouches. Beatles records, along with those of other Western artists, had to be smuggled into the Soviet Union. Photo: AP Sooner or later you could find somebody who had smuggled in the latest Elvis or Beatles 45 record, and if you had enough roubles, and were willing to risk getting busted, that vinyl could be yours.

From 4am breakfasts to personal trainers – inside Liam and Noel Gallagher's bid to get fit ahead of Oasis reunion tour
From 4am breakfasts to personal trainers – inside Liam and Noel Gallagher's bid to get fit ahead of Oasis reunion tour

The Sun

time24-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The Sun

From 4am breakfasts to personal trainers – inside Liam and Noel Gallagher's bid to get fit ahead of Oasis reunion tour

THEY were once the poster boys for a rock 'n' roll lifestyle of cigarettes and alcohol. But with just 40 days until they kick off their Oasis reunion tour, I can reveal Noel and Liam Gallagher are putting their health first. As they gear up for their Live '25 shows, I am told Liam will be making the most of the swimming pool at his home in France — and jogging around Hampstead Heath, near his house in London, to work on his cardio. Meanwhile, Noel has employed a personal trainer to keep him in shape. A source said: 'Both brothers need to be in the best shape of their lives for the physical onslaught of touring. They're no spring chickens and are both in their fifties. 'Liam has politely declined personal trainers but brother Noel is taking all the help he can get. Liam loves jogging around Hampstead Heath and he wants to make the most of his pool. The insider added: 'Noel was keen to take on the extra help as he needs a bit more encouragement in the fitness department. 'He's not as motivated as Liam but realises he needs to be in the best shape possible for their tour.' The band are set to kick off their long-awaited on July 4. The move won't be such a shock for Liam as he's been living a much cleaner lifestyle in recent years. He revealed last year that he rises at the crack of dawn and enjoys a healthy breakfast. He said: 'I get up at four or five in the morning. Then I'm just waiting for something f***ing spectacular to happen. Inside Noel & Liam Gallagher's first Oasis show in 16 years at surprise venue where they enraged neighbour 'I have porridge for breakfast, then if I'm feeling really rock 'n' roll I'll have some almonds on it and a bit of honey.' The frontman underwent a major hip operation in 2023 after crippling arthritis left him with severe joint pain. Crippling arthritis Speaking about his new lifestyle last year, he said: 'You've got to undo all the bad work you've done through getting off your head. It's time to undo it all and get back to reality.' But Noel revealed that Oasis fans are unlikely to spot him at the gym. Speaking on BBC Radio 2 in 2023, he told Zoe Ball: 'I'd rather spend a fortune to put a gym in my house than go through the embarrassment of being in a public gym. 'Because if I ever get photographed coming out of the gym in gym gear — it's over. 'Nobody needs to see it, nobody will ever see it.' I can't imagine seeing Noel down the local PureGym either . . . ANAIS' BLUDY GOOD NIGHT NOEL GALLAGHER's daughter Anais and her rocker pal Yungblud are all smiles as they hit the town. The pair – who hope to watch the Oasis reunion together later this year – were spotted enjoying a night out in New York City. 9 9 Anais, who is currently dating actor Callum Scott Howells, looked hot in a baby pink cardigan while Yungblud opted for his signature eyeliner and a suit. Yungblud – real name Dominic Harrison – previously told me that Noel thought he was very mouthy. The singer said: 'I met Noel at a party when I was about 18 and he thought I was f***ing gobby, but I have not seen him since.' Asked about the Oasis tour, Yungblud added: 'I know Anais well so I will probably go with her.' ROD STEWART will be playing the Sunday Legends slot at Glastonbury this year. But he will be sailing quickly in and out of Worthy Farm – and does not plan on packing wellies. His wife Penny Lancaster told me: 'No, it's not really his thing. I'm sure there will be some kind of transportation that will prevent him getting his feet wet.' She also revealed that their teenage son Alastair, and Rod's daughters Ruby and Renee, will be attending but will not get the VIP treatment – despite their dad playing on the Pyramid Stage. Speaking at London's Chelsea Flower Show, Penny added: 'I won't be in a tent, but my son and two of Rod's daughters are going to be pitching up for five days. 'They're all going down en masse. I'll just be turning up with Rod on the day.' THEY are preparing to welcome their first child. But I can reveal Scottish DJ Calvin Harris and BBC Radio 1 host Vick Hope are jetting off on a babymoon before the little one arrives. 9 Her stylist Jennifer Michalski-Bray told me: 'Now Vick is on mat leave she'll be taking the opportunity to recharge on holiday so I think she will be in bikinis and comfy clothes. 'She's enjoyed experimenting with maternity style and sustainable ways to be comfortable while staying true to her usual style – renting and buying pre-loved items.' Vick announced earlier this week that it was her final Going Home show with co-host Jamie Laing, as she headed on maternity leave. Flaunting her bump in a blue dress, she posted: 'Thank you for the love and the laughs these last few months Jamie, all the team and our amazing listeners.' DUA ON POINT IN SILVER DUA LIPA gives a shining example of how to wow an audience by flaunting her figure in a cool silver corset. The Levitating hitmaker kicked off the French leg of her Radical Optimism Tour at the Paris La Defense Arena in style. 9 9 She also sported a black ensemble and knee-high boots, right, during her set, which included hits Training Season and Be The One. I can't wait to see Dua play London's Wembley Stadium in June. FERGIE SET TO REBUILD BRIDGE FERGIE definitely left her mark on the UK's capital with her 2006 hit London Bridge. Now I can reveal that the Black Eyed Peas singer is gearing up for a musical comeback this year by re-recording the track. 9 A source said: 'Fergie is heading to London next month to remake the song. 'She will be filming with American actress Megan Stalter, who is the star of Netflix's upcoming rom-com Too Much. 'The song is set to form the soundtrack of the ten-part series, which has been created by Lena Dunham.' The London-based rom-com is to hit the streamer in July and will also star White Lotus actor Will Sharpe and Emily Ratajowski. London Bridge peaked at No3 on the UK charts 19 years ago and formed part of Fergie's debut solo studio album, The Dutchess. The American singer last released music in 2022, with six-track EP, Fergie: Celebrating Pride. I can't wait to see her back in the capital. JEREMY CLARKSON has admitted he is 'useless' when it comes to jobs on his Diddly Squat Farm in the Cotswolds. The former Top Gear host spoke as his Prime Video show, Clarkson's Farm, returned for a fourth series. 9 He said: 'I am completely impractical. I can be told 100 times how to attach the top link to whatever I'm putting on the back of a tractor, and still can't get my head around it.'

Silver: Remembering Jim Irsay, a sweet, generous soul and steely steward of the sport
Silver: Remembering Jim Irsay, a sweet, generous soul and steely steward of the sport

New York Times

time22-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • New York Times

Silver: Remembering Jim Irsay, a sweet, generous soul and steely steward of the sport

The black luxury bus pulled up to the front entrance of the Four Seasons Hotel Austin at twilight, and when Jim Irsay disembarked — cane in hand, flustered expression on his weathered face — something seemed a little off. He lurched forward, gave me a warm greeting and said he'd see me in a bit; he and his all-star band of decorated rock 'n' rollers would spend this cool night in December 2021 at the famed Moody Theater, rehearsing for a gala the following evening, and I'd been invited into the inner circle. Advertisement Still, it had almost seemed like Irsay was startled by my presence. Later, from one of his confidantes, I learned what was up: The Indianapolis Colts owner's legs had stiffened during the drive, and at that moment, walking had been a struggle. 'He shouldn't have seen me like that,' a peeved Irsay told the confidante. It seemed strange that Irsay cared that much about his vulnerability and how I might perceive it. We'd known each other for more than two decades, forging a relationship based on common football experiences and fortified by a shared love of music, counterculture and unrelenting principles and originality. He was a man I covered as a journalist, sometimes in less than flattering contexts, but our conversations invariably veered into the personal space. We told what we believed were unvarnished truths and seldom held back, trusting that good intentions and mutual aversion to inauthenticity would make it all OK. Irsay, who died Wednesday morning at the age of 65, was older and obviously wealthier but treated me like a contemporary. I appreciated that, a lot, and I also understood where it came from. In a world of amplified noise, instant takes and a whole lot of groupthink, the man had grown accustomed to having his essence misunderstood. To many, Irsay was a caricature, defined by his audacious social media posts, raspy voice and documented struggles with addiction. To those who knew him well, he was not only a sweet, generous soul but also a steely steward of the sport. He understood football's essence and rhythms far better than commonly believed, and his standard of organizational success was exacting and ambitious. There was no one like him in pro football, and his absence will leave an abyss that makes the pit they dug up to build Lucas Oil Stadium look like a pothole. Advertisement I started covering the NFL in 1989 during Pete Rozelle's waning months as the NFL commissioner, five years after Irsay, at 24, had become the Colts' general manager. By the mid-1990s, I was one of Sports Illustrated's lead football writers, regularly interacting with icons. I walked to Three Rivers Stadium with Dan Rooney, got banned from the Raiders' locker room by Al Davis and did a profile on Don Shula as people called for the living legend's firing by the Miami Dolphins. 'Guys like you and me grew up together,' Irsay told me a few years ago. 'There aren't that many of us left who remember how it was. I've been going to (owners' meetings) for half a century, and as you know, there's almost no one left in the room anymore. You and I, we know what came before and how we got here, and we take it very seriously.' Eventually I will gather myself and write something. I will miss this gentle soul. — Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) May 21, 2025 To be totally raw and honest — two qualities that defined Irsay — I'm taking this hard, and I'm having trouble typing these words. He was a real one, and his spirit enhanced my reality, intangibly and tangibly. Thanks to Irsay, I've partied with rock icons, gently strummed Jerry Garcia's iconic guitar ('Tiger,' part of the world's coolest memorabilia collection) and gained incredible insight into the challenges of presiding over an NFL franchise. His poignant description of the way the stars aligned to bring Peyton Manning to Indianapolis remains indelible in my memory. Similarly, I'll always cherish the purity of the conversation we had at the 1933 Lounge in downtown Indy in February 2012, when Irsay — on the verge of cutting Manning and drafting Andrew Luck — told me, 'I'm taking back my team' and explained the circumstances that provoked such a proclamation. He didn't ask much from me, other than the expectation that there'd be a lack of pretense or phoniness. That's how he rolled, without exception. In his words: 'One thing with me is I kind of feel like I don't have sides, so to speak. I am authentically who I am, all the time. There aren't a lot of sides to me. I try to be very passionate, the way I live, and intuitive.' Advertisement Irsay may have inherited a football team, but he didn't have it easy. He overcame a lot in life, beginning with the fact that his father, Bob, was an alcoholic known for a nasty disposition. The elder Irsay ripped the Colts out of Baltimore in the middle of the night, a crushing blow to a loyal fan base. Long before that, his son worked hard to be a servant leader, combatting a silver-spoon stigma by working as a ballboy, among other unglamorous jobs. 'I'll bet you there's no owner that knows more about football than Jim,' said Irsay's close friend Mike Wanchic, John Mellencamp's longtime guitarist and collaborator. 'Who has more experience than Jim Irsay? Who washed jockstraps and polished footballs and was the s—kicker on that team as a boy? He came up in the family business.' As he took on those responsibilities, Irsay watched his father run the franchise like a salty tyrant and learned some valuable lessons. In the words of Colts chief operating officer Pete Ward, who began working for the franchise in 1981: 'I've always said that Jim did a lot of observing when he was younger, and he learned how to run a team by not doing what his dad did. So, Jim had that advantage. And he was smart enough to drink it all in and assimilate it because his style is 180 degrees different from how his father did things, and it shows.' Irsay acknowledged as much, telling me: 'No question — we teach by doing it the right way or not doing it the right way. My dad was so brilliant in his younger days, one of the greatest, youngest, most brilliant businessmen. But when the madness started to come and the liquor came upon him and we went through that era … it was something where, well, he didn't get to grow up in the business like I did.' Robert Irsay had a debilitating stroke in 1995 and died 14 months later, leaving Jim in charge of the business. He hired strong leaders and let them lead, but he was also assertive at pivotal times. It was Irsay who ultimately implored future Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian to pick Manning over the other highly regarded quarterback at the top of the 1998 NFL Draft, Ryan Leaf — a slightly significant decision. And it was Irsay who made the call to hire Tony Dungy after Jim Mora's dismissal in January 2002, setting the stage for a prolonged run of excellence that included a Super Bowl triumph five years later. Irsay cared about much more than football. His affinity for rock icons like John Lennon, Bob Dylan and Kurt Cobain wasn't merely about the music; their lyrical brilliance, personal struggles and impact on society resonated deeply, too. Irsay was exceptionally proud of the 'Kicking the Stigma' campaign he launched in 2020, an effort to bring mental-health struggles out into the open and combat the growing crisis in Indiana and beyond. Around that time — in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Lennon's murder — my daughter and I did a podcast interview with Irsay that reflected on the magnitude of the tragedy and its impact on him. Rest in Peace, and rock on forever 💔 — Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) May 21, 2025 Later, Irsay shared a text message from his ex-wife, Meg Coyle, with whom he was still friendly. In it, she recalled the moment he learned of Lennon's death, via Howard Cosell on 'Monday Night Football': 'You were downstairs watching the game. I was on the phone with my mom, I think, and I heard you cry out like a wounded animal. I felt such a panic, as I had never heard a sound like that in my life. The depth of the grief in that wail/howl is hard to describe unless you have heard that kind of thing before. You were dropped to the floor, howling and writhing.' Advertisement We all grieve differently, and my phone is full of text messages from people devastated by Irsay's death: rock stars, Hall of Famers and just plain, regular folks like me. In those texts, there have been many remembrances of his generosity of spirit, and not just of the monetary variety. He was a sensitive man who, for all the demons he battled, possessed an intuitive and guileless gift for caretaking — often when it was needed most. When I think back to that trip to Austin in December 2021, I remember the pretext. After eight years at NFL Network, where Irsay was technically one of my bosses, I'd been let go abruptly, told my contract would not be renewed. As I tried to piece things together and figure out my next moves, Irsay reached out to see if I wanted to write something about the event, one of many around the country designed to showcase his memorabilia collection. It would also mean I got to see him sing tunes like Bob Seger's 'Fire Down Below' with a killer band behind him, share drinks with R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills and basically hang out with unfettered access. Irsay ended up loving the story I penned, but looking back, I'm pretty sure that wasn't the reason he summoned me to the Lone Star State. For all the trouble he had walking as he disembarked the luxury bus in front of the Four Seasons, Irsay, in fact, was helping me get back on my feet. In a subsequent text exchange, Irsay sent me a poem he'd written called 'Birth.' I wish I could say it was an uplifting glimpse into a blissful existence, but — as he would want it — I'm going to keep it real. His words were beautiful and dark and captured life's frailty and fleeting nature, and the poem ended with a bang. And yet, the poem's haunting finale carried a shred of hope. 'I see myself in my casket,' Irsay wrote. 'The bugler blowing his horn. I thought I saw salvation, so I started to mourn. Now the blur of my things are forgotten. I'm just being born.'

Bruce Springsteen review – a roaring, rousing ​s​how that imagines a better America
Bruce Springsteen review – a roaring, rousing ​s​how that imagines a better America

The Guardian

time15-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The Guardian

Bruce Springsteen review – a roaring, rousing ​s​how that imagines a better America

Before Bruce Springsteen sings a word on the opening night of his European tour, he has something to get off his chest. 'The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock'n'roll in dangerous times,' he says. 'The America I love is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration.' The band then launch into a roaring, rousing version of Land of Hope and Dreams, as strings swoop, brass soars and Springsteen gives an impassioned take of the song he sang for Clarence Clemons on his deathbed. Followed by Death to My Hometown – with the titular lyrics delivered with venomous sting – it sets the tone for an evening that is bruised and angry yet also hopeful and filled with love. The band – who Springsteen calls a 'booty-shaking, lovemaking, Viagra-taking, history-making' outfit – are a hurricane force; so tight and in lockstep that they actually feel loose and relaxed. Darkness on the Edge of Town purrs along, almost grooving; The Promised Land is as potent as it is poignant. There is an inescapable feeling of loss that permeates the evening, with Springsteen mourning the corroded spirit and erased freedoms of the country he loves so dearly. However, as political and polemical as much of it is – there are multiple speeches – it's not all doom and gloom. Springsteen sings the line 'hard times come and hard times go' in Wrecking Ball with such seething intensity it feels like a mantra. The final stretch is bursting with joy though and its emphatic run exists as a symbol of love over hate and the power of unity over division, as ground-shaking, lung-busting versions of Badlands, Thunder Road, Born to Run and Dancing in the Dark ring out. But the choice to finish on a fiery yet emotional version of Bob Dylan's Chimes of Freedom hits home a clear message tonight. And despite the hurt and despair that underpins much of it, there are few artists able to pluck hope from the darkest depths of the US, with such elegance and beauty, quite like Bruce Springsteen.

Marie and Rosetta review — a tribute to the godmother of rock'n'roll
Marie and Rosetta review — a tribute to the godmother of rock'n'roll

Times

time12-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Times

Marie and Rosetta review — a tribute to the godmother of rock'n'roll

If talent alone were all that mattered, everyone would be familiar with the name of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the raucous gospel singer and guitarist who laid the groundwork for rock'n'roll long before anyone thought of putting Elvis Presley in a recording studio. George Brant's play, first staged by the Atlantic Theater Company in New York in 2016 and now receiving its UK premiere at the Rose Theatre in London, creaks in places, but Monique Touko's production — a collaboration with Chichester Festival Theatre and English Touring Theatre — is lifted by incandescent vocals from the R'n'B singer Beverley Knight. As in that curious bio-musical The Drifters Girl — which asked us to admire a manager who was quite the martinet — Knight again portrays a

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