Subscribe
Home Blog Page 121

The Beatles and India

Pete Paphides
-
0
The Beatles and India
As spiritual and musical reawakenings go, it has to be said that The Beatles’ Indian love affair got off to a shaky start. In Richard Lester’s 1965 film Help!, we see the Fabs become embroiled with a sinister Eastern cult who set out to sacrifice a female Beatles fan to their goddess. While hind...

As spiritual and musical reawakenings go, it has to be said that The Beatles’ Indian love affair got off to a shaky start. In Richard Lester’s 1965 film Help!, we see the Fabs become embroiled with a sinister Eastern cult who set out to sacrifice a female Beatles fan to their goddess. While hindsight hasn’t been kind to Help!, it also allows us to get the full measure of the chain of events it would trigger on the musicians at the centre of the enterprise.

As with his 2005 book The Beatles In India, Ajoy Bose’s directorial debut [co-director Peter Compton] suspends current censoriousness to catapult us to a world where it wasn’t unforgivable to get things wrong about other cultures as long as you were trying to get it right. Early on, it’s the blossoming friendship between George Harrison and Ravi Shankar that provides the main source of warmth. What started with George picking up an unattended sitar on the Help! set fast-forwards to a momentous encounter when Asian Music Circle Founders Ayana and Patricia Angani invited The Beatles for dinner with Shankar at their Hampstead home. Decades later, their son Shankara recalls it was Paul McCartney who seemed out of his depth in comparison to George – who, Pattie Boyd noted, must have known Shankar “in a past lifeâ€.

Perhaps for George, Indian music offered a space well away from what must have sometimes felt like John and Paul’s musical fiefdom. Certainly, it massively increased his cultural stock, both within and without The Beatles. Had George not spearheaded The Beatles’ rebirth as spiritual seekers, it’s impossible to conceive of the White Album, most of which was written at the Rishikesh retreat where the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi taught transcendental meditation. Bose manages to locate fellow disciples for vivid recollections set amid the ruins of the once-thriving Ashram, among them teacher Nick Nugent, who excitably recalls a rooftop concert on the Ashram bungalow that predated the more famous one on the Apple building a year later.

Elsewhere, there’s a welcome corrective to pernicious inaccuracies that permeate most accounts of The Beatles’ sudden departure from Rishikesh, with eminent Fabologists Mark Lewisohn and Steve Turner both emphasising the Machiavellian machinations of hanger-on Magic Alex Mardas, who persuaded Lennon that the Maharishi was guilty of sexual impropriety towards a young woman in the Ashram. And even though Lennon wrote Sexy Sadie as they waited for their taxis, subsequent interviews with McCartney and Harrison revealed that both were regretful of the manner in which their retreat ended – Harrison even seeking the Maharishi’s forgiveness.

But perhaps the most pleasing harmonic balance established by The Beatles And India only truly reveals itself near the end, as an array of Indian musicians try to express just how the group’s music impacted upon them. What begins problematically doesn’t have to end that way. Over 50 years later, what survives is gratitude on all sides that The Beatles and the Indian musicians, teachers and fans they met got to be part of each other’s story. Others may put it in more florid terms, but none manage to do so quite as resonantly as musician Neil Mukherjee, who attempts to explain the effect that The Beatles had on him thus: “The world would have been, like, so shit without them.â€

Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol. 16: Springtime in New York 1980–1985

Allan Jones
-
0
Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol. 16: Springtime in New York 1980–1985
Behold Bob Dylan’s ’80s, that blighted hour. No-one could really argue if you described it as largely a time of muddle and waste, lit up here and there by occasional flashes of the inspiration Dylan seemed previously to have had on speed dial but which was now mostly dodging his calls. The recor...

Behold Bob Dylan’s ’80s, that blighted hour. No-one could really argue if you described it as largely a time of muddle and waste, lit up here and there by occasional flashes of the inspiration Dylan seemed previously to have had on speed dial but which was now mostly dodging his calls. The records he made then are testament to that – the versions of them he released, anyway. There were six studio albums across those years, and Springtime In New York – in its fullest iteration, a 5CD set with 57 tracks – focuses on the first three, Shot Of Love, Infidels and Empire Burlesque. All of them were shadows of the albums they could have been – the outtakes are a testament to that. All those orphaned tracks, recorded and discarded, sprung eventually from extended archival jail time by the liberating hand of the Bootleg Series.

Springtime In New York picks up Dylan’s story in April 1981, 11 months after the 79-date Gospel Tour redemptively documented on Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series, Volume 13, Dylan wrapping an unprecedented eight months’ work on Shot Of Love, his third consecutive album of evangelical sermonising. It’s released in August 1981 to a dismal reception and worse sales. Dylan would probably have got better reviews if he’d packed the album with the cover versions recorded during album rehearsals, featured here on CDs 1 and 2. There’s a version, for instance, of The Temptations’ I Wish It Would Rain, sensationally sung, that Dylan virtually throws himself into; a dark, churning Mystery Train, with gospel wailing, writhing guitars and Ringo Starr on drums; a simmering version of the Peggy Lee standard Fever; a duet with Clydie King on Let It Be Me that turns The Everly Brothers’ heartbreaker into a lover’s prayer, a full-on rendition of Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline. Among the discarded Dylan originals included here, the raucous Price Of Love is driven by a Bo Diddley beat, garage band organ, sax and rockabilly guitar, Fur Slippers is a rough, sardonic blues and Borrowed Time is something you wish Bob Johnston had got his hands on.

Even the album’s harshest critics recognised Every Grain Of Sand as a remarkable thing, one of the great songs of the Born Again era. Shot Of Love was otherwise shot down in flames. How different it might have been if Dylan hadn’t jettisoned three key tracks. The raging Groom’s Still Waiting At The Altar was dropped from the original vinyl release but reinstated for the CD edition. The apocalyptic panoramas of the mighty Angelina weren’t revealed, however, until 1991 when a sepulchral piano and organ-led version appeared on The Bootleg Series: Volumes 1–3. The version here is the very first take, with a full band, but feels already like something shaping up to be astonishing. Caribbean Wind remains the album’s greatest lost track. An epic song about romantic turmoil and Armageddon written in the time-shifting narrative style of Tangled Up In Blue, it appeared in a lumpy version on Biograph. There was a lovely, slowed-down rehearsal version on Trouble No More, plus a live version from November 1980 at San Francisco’s Warfield Theatre that Clinton Heylin described as Dylan’s “greatest in-concert performanceâ€. The best take, however, was the swaggering Studio 55 version of bootleg legend, produced by Jimmy Iovine with David Mansfield on mandolin, disappointingly missing from this set. Pretty galling when there is yet space for an alternative version of the lamentable Lenny Bruce, complete with choir.

CDs 3 and 4 offer Infidels tracks blessedly stripped of producer Mark Knopfler’s digital trickery and overdubs. There’s a fabulous early run at Jokerman, and a heart-breaking Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight. A full band version of Blind Willie McTell from the first day of recording gathers an ominous momentum. It’s fascinating also to witness the overnight transformation of surreal shaggy dog story Too Late into the vengeful Foot Of Pride, a slower version here than the careening take on the first Bootleg Series collection. No amount of knob-twiddling revisionism, however, can rescue the protest boogie of the unreleased Julius And Ethel or divest the bulk of Infidels’ songs, sanctimonious rockers mostly, of the millennial piety still attached to Dylan’s songwriting.

This is happily not the case on CD5, largely dedicated to 1985’s Empire Burlesque. With the deft elimination of Arthur Baker’s era-specific production effects, I Remember You becomes a ravishing thing, the gospel lilt of Emotionally Yours a gorgeous highlight. Dark Eyes, as ever, enthrals. Two early versions of the foreboding When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky catch it on its way to the firestorm take on Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3. The jewel here, of course, is New Danville Girl, which, extensively rewritten, would become the even more extraordinary Brownsville Girl. Many people prefer the down-home warmth of the original to the hyperreal big production of the blockbuster remake on Knocked Out Loaded; but in both versions this epic song about love, memory and myth is one of the greatest illuminations on Dylan’s often long dark road to fully rediscovering himself in time for the great last act of his career.

Joan Shelley – Ginko/Electric Ursa

Stephen Deusner
-
0
Joan Shelley – Ginko/Electric Ursa
After studying environment ethics and playing in coffee shops around Athens, Georgia, Joan Shelley returned to her native Kentucky in the late 2000s and embedded herself in the Louisville music scene. She found a place among a motley assortment of players steeped in punk and post-punk but bent on re...

After studying environment ethics and playing in coffee shops around Athens, Georgia, Joan Shelley returned to her native Kentucky in the late 2000s and embedded herself in the Louisville music scene. She found a place among a motley assortment of players steeped in punk and post-punk but bent on reassessing the region’s old-time traditions. They held all-night jam sessions that were lively and jubilant, and they helped sharpen Shelley’s playing and songwriting. First as one-third of the trio Maiden Radio (which also includes Julia Purcell and Cheyenne Marie Mize) and later as a solo artist, she imported the scene’s communal values into her own songs, making a handful of records that showcase others’ contributions as prominently as her own.

Her 2010 debut, By Dawnlight, remains out of print, but these vinyl reissues of her second and third solo albums reveal an artist coming into her own, casting a wide net for sounds and styles even as she homes in on her own voice. Released in 2012 and 2014, respectively, Ginko and Electric Ursa are adventurous, even fearless, as Shelley crafts songs that are sturdy, melodies that sounds like they’ve been sung for centuries, and lyrics that gesture toward emotions just beyond expression. Every artist goes through a similar learning process, but few do it as swiftly or as productively as Shelley did nearly a decade ago.

“You stand like a ginko tree, tall, proud and wise,†she sings at the beginning of Ginko, immediately offering a compelling image that no doubt draws from her environmental ethic studies. At once homey and exotic, quizzical and even carnal, it sounds like a line from an old Appalachian folk tune about doomed lovers, but Shelley doesn’t quite know what to do with it. The percussion rattles ominously, and she riffs dreamily on that phrase – “You stand like… you stand…†– but something feels just out of reach.

However, with every song on Ginko (which has never before been pressed to vinyl), Shelley eases into her songs. Her backing band includes Purcell and Mize, as well as producer Daniel Martin Moore and guitarist Joe Manning, and they lend these songs a folksy austerity, even as they make forays into parlour pop on Your Doll and Appalachian art-rock on the epic Unbound. Not every song hits its mark, but there’s a sense of freedom and excitement, as though Shelley can’t wait to indulge every musical whim.

Sure As Night, with its dusty country lilt and determined vocals, is her first classic, a love song that finds salvation in a certain kind of ruination: “Now the only thing to fear at night is that you’ll never fall in love again.†Shelley explores a similar idea on Sweet Dark-Haired Man, with its shuffling drum rhythm and whistled solo: “You can lead me lead me lead me on,†she sings, as though embracing the inevitable heartbreak. Even if she’s still experimenting with her sound, Shelley zeroes in on her subject matter: the self-nullifying sacrifices you make in the name of love, whether it’s romantic, spiritual, or musical.

Electric Ursa, Shelley’s first for No Quarter Records, opens with her fronting a full post-rock band. Nodding to local acts like Slint and For Carnation, Something Small delivers one of her most dramatic hooks, complemented by Manning’s rumbling guitar solo and Sean Johnson’s stoic drum shuffle. Not only does she hold her own against the dissonance and din, but she pushes against these heavier sounds, as though they’re just another form of regional folk music to her, like an old-time jam or an Appalachian ballad.

This album is a remarkable step forward, both sonically and lyrically. Shelley settles into these songs so easily that nothing feels like an experiment. She and her friends combine so many sounds and styles so gracefully that the seams never show. Everything just works, which means this is an album full of rich moments and unexpected flourishes. A stuttering organ thrums underneath Rising Air, adding a tension to the cascade of piano notes. The hymn-like Remedios doesn’t even need lyrics to convey its sense of quiet wonder, just Shelley humming softly and her steady banjo notes. And the closing title track sounds like a field recording, its lo-fi quality wicking out fine gradients of emotion from her voice. If Ginko was about sacrifice, Electric Ursa is more concerned with the opposite. It’s not about losing yourself, but about finding yourself in small moments and small joys, whether it’s the high spirits of good friends or the gentle pluck of an old banjo.

Steely Dan/Donald Fagen – Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live!/Donald Fagen the Nightfly Live

Tyler Wilcox
-
0
Steely Dan/Donald Fagen – Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live!/Donald Fagen the Nightfly Live
Steely Dan have a well-deserved reputation as the ultimate studio band. During their 1970s heyday, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen became increasingly meticulous when it came to session musicians and state-of-the-art recording techniques, creating LPs that still stand as the epitome of sonic perfecti...

Steely Dan have a well-deserved reputation as the ultimate studio band. During their 1970s heyday, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen became increasingly meticulous when it came to session musicians and state-of-the-art recording techniques, creating LPs that still stand as the epitome of sonic perfectionism for the era. That elevated level of craftsmanship always carried with it a healthy dose of irony, of course. Steely Dan’s records sounded perfect but the jaded, wasted and weird characters who populated
the lyrics were the opposite.

Preferring the hermetically sealed environment of the studio to dingy clubs and theaters, Becker and Fagen stopped touring in the mid-1970s. Unlike most of their classic rock peers, there’s no double-live Steely Dan collection from the era to enjoy (though the curious should seek out the various bootlegs and radio broadcasts that circulate on the web). Until now, the only official live album of the band was the slightly underwhelming Alive In America, recorded during their first reunion tours in 1993 and 1994. The new Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live! and a live remake of Fagen’s The Nightfly, both recorded on tour in the US in 2019, add a considerable (if relative) weight to the band’s live legacy on record.

Purists will no doubt point out that the group as documented on these two releases is missing an essential ingredient: Walter Becker himself, who passed away of esophageal cancer in 2017. While his elegant, understated playing is certainly missed, Becker’s spirit inevitably looms over Northeast Corridor, which cherry-picks some of his and Fagen’s finest compositions. Predictably, most of the selections come from the 1970s – though the one post-reunion number included is perhaps a sly nod from Donald to his departed co-founder and longtime friend: Things I Miss The Most, from 2003’s Everything Must Go, is a divorcee’s lament but it’s more sweet than bitter here, a wistful look back. “The days really don’t last forever but it’s getting pretty damn close,†Fagen sings, “and that’s when
I remember the things I miss the mostâ€.

Anyway, one can only imagine that Becker would likely approve of Northeast Corridor. Steely Dan’s latter-day lineup plays impeccably and they’re captured with well-nigh studio-worthy sonics. Most importantly, those intricate arrangements that Becker and Fagen slaved over back in the day remain firmly in place, for the most part. Now, you may ask what the point of such painstaking recreations is when you can just go put Aja on the turntable. But while Fagen and co show no interest in wholly reinventing Steely Dan’s most beloved songs, the live setting does add a vital spark to them. Think of Steely Dan these days in the same terms as the late-period Duke Ellington Orchestra – a powerfully swinging repertory ensemble with nothing to prove but plenty to give.

And give they do over the course of Northeast Corridor’s dozen tracks. A special shoutout must be given to drummer Keith Carlock, whose superb kit work has been driving the band since the late 1990s. Steely Dan’s grooves are nothing if not demanding and their studio records feature some of the greatest drummers of all time (Jim Gordon, Bernard Purdie, Steve Gadd and others). But Carlock makes it all feel effortless, whether finding a deliciously crisp funkiness on Hey Nineteen or rollicking through Reelin’ In The Yearsâ€. He grabs the spotlight on Aja’s title track, taking Gadd’s famous drum solo into exciting new territory. This ever-luminous song is Northeast Corridor’s high point, an ambitious collective undertaking that captivates throughout its eight-plus minutes, showcasing the dazzling skills of this group, from keys to horns to guitar to backing vox.

Those skills are also on full display on The Nightfly Live – as advertised, a start-to-finish run-through of the songwriter’s 1982 solo debut. Musically, the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree when it came to Fagen away from Steely Dan but The Nightfly does have a more personal vibe to it; Fagen once called it “vaguely autobiographicalâ€, a concept album that’s equal parts nostalgia for and satire of the baby boomer generation. Presented here, it’s as good as ever, with the horn section adding a warmth that’s absent in the somewhat synth-ier textures of the original, which utilised early digital recording techniques.

What stands out most is how strong a vocalist Fagen remains even in his seventies. His voice is soulful and wry throughout, his phrasing immaculate; Don’s idol, Ray Charles, would be proud. Fagen sounds like he’s having a ball, romping through Leiber & Stoller’s Ruby Baby, and crooning a beautifully blue The Goodbye Look. Fagen’s lyrics almost always contain some amount of cynicism but The Nightfly onstage gives off mostly positive vibrations. “What a beautiful world this will be/What a glorious time to be free,†Fagen sings in the opening IGY. It’s a sentiment that shouldn’t be taken at face value but one can’t help but give in to the naïve optimism as the cooing backup vocals and swelling choruses lift the song into the stratosphere.

Neither The Nightfly Live nor Northeast Corridor’s remakes will replace the originals, of course. But both serve as effective calling cards for Steely Dan in the 21st century – the ultimate studio band transformed into the ultimate live band.

Hear Cat Power take on the Pogues and Frank Ocean from her new Covers album

Michael Bonner
-
0
Hear Cat Power take on the Pogues and Frank Ocean from her new Covers album
Cat Power - no stranger to tackling other artists' songs - has announced details of her new album, Covers. ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue Covers features fully reimagined songs by Frank Ocean, Bob Seger, Lana Del Rey, Jackson Browne, Iggy Pop...

Cat Power – no stranger to tackling other artists’ songs – has announced details of her new album, Covers.

Covers features fully reimagined songs by Frank Ocean, Bob Seger, Lana Del Rey, Jackson Browne, Iggy Pop, The Pogues, Nick Cave and The Replacements and more, plus an updated rendition of her own song “Hate†from The Greatest, retitled “Unhate†for this album.

You can hear her version of the Pogues‘ “A Pair Of Brown Eyes” below.

“A Pair Of Brown Eyes”

And here’s her version of Frank Ocean‘s “Bad Religion”.

“Bad Religion”

This is Chan’s third album of covers, following on from The Covers Record 2000 and Jukebox in 2008.

You can pre-order Covers by clicking here.

Uncut exclusive: hear Margo Cilker’s new song, “That River”

Michael Bonner
-
0
Uncut exclusive: hear Margo Cilker’s new song, “That River”
Margo Cilker's upcoming debut Pohorylle has rarely been off the Uncut stereo recently, so we are delighted to premier a new track from the album - "That River". ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue Speaking about the song, Oregon's Cilker says: "Th...

Margo Cilker‘s upcoming debut Pohorylle has rarely been off the Uncut stereo recently, so we are delighted to premier a new track from the album – “That River“.

Speaking about the song, Oregon’s Cilker says: “The road from California across the Great Basin to Oregon has been travelled, often afoot, by countless Basque expatriates – so much so, that in the early twentieth century it was said most Basques in Spain could name only two American cities: New York and Winnemucca. I drove that road a few years ago after returning from Bilbao to move to a small town in Northeastern Oregon and wrote this song on the drive. I feel the band really captured the feeling of wide-open sagebrush desert and winding canyons in the moonlight. I still can’t tell you if this is my own story or some other character speaking through me; some ghost of a well-travelled bride-to-be laying down to take her rest in Jordan Valley.”

You can hear “That River” below.

Cilker has previously released two other songs from the album: “Barbed Wire (Belly Crawl)” and “Tehachapi“.

Pohorylle is released on November 5 via Loose Music. You can pre-order a copy by clicking here.

Blondie postpone UK tour until 2022, add Johnny Marr as special guest

Tom Skinner
-
0
Blondie postpone UK tour until 2022, add Johnny Marr as special guest
Blondie have postponed their Against All Odds UK tour until next spring – see the revised schedule below. ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue READ MORE: Blondie – Ultimate Music Guide Debbie Harry and co. were due to hit the road with Garba...

Blondie have postponed their Against All Odds UK tour until next spring – see the revised schedule below.

Debbie Harry and co. were due to hit the road with Garbage next month for a run of headline dates in Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, London, Glasgow, Nottingham and other cities.

Today (October 6) it has been confirmed that the gigs will now take place between April and May 2022. Johnny Marr will appear as a special guest in place of Garbage, who have been forced to pull out due to scheduling conflicts. The former Smiths guitarist contributed to Blondie‘s latest record, Pollinator (2017).

“Having collaborated with Johnny on Blondie’s last album, and with plans for a new collaboration on our next album, we are looking forward to a long-overdue return to the UK, and even better, to sharing the stage with the inspirational musical influence that is Johnny Marr,†explained Harry in a statement.

Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr. Credit: David M. Benett / Getty Images

Drummer Clem Burke added: “It is a disappointment to have to postpone our UK tour until April 2022. We will now be joined by our special guest & friend Johnny Marr. We’re happy to continue our relationship with Johnny that began with his contribution to our last album Pollinator. Looking forward to seeing all our UK fans in the spring.â€

Marr, meanwhile, said he was “delighted” to be heading out on the road with Blondie, who he hailed as “21st century heroesâ€.

You can see Blondie‘s Against All Odds UK tour dates below, with remaining tickets available from here.

April 2022
22 – The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
24 – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
26 – The O2 Arena, London
28 – The Brighton Centre, Brighton
29 – Bonus Arena, Hull
 
May 2022
1 – AO Arena, Manchester
2 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
4 – First Direct Arena, Leeds
5 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
7 – Utilitia Arena, Birmingham

Over the summer, Debbie Harry gave an update on Blondie‘s next album. “We’re in the process of setting up a period of time to lay down some tracks and rehearse,†the frontwoman told NME. “We’re already looking at 10-12 songs, but it feels too early to talk about it.â€

Big Thief share dreamy new single “Change” and North American tour dates

Tom Skinner
-
0
Big Thief share dreamy new single “Change” and North American tour dates
Big Thief have shared a new song called "Change" alongside details of a North American tour for 2022. ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue READ MORE: Watch Big Thief debut new song “Dragon†at Pitchfork Music Festival Arriving yesterday (Oct...

Big Thief have shared a new song called “Change” alongside details of a North American tour for 2022.

Arriving yesterday (October 6), the latest release follows a string of standalone singles from the New York band this year, including “Little Things”, “Sparrow” and “Certainty”.

“Change, like the wind, like the water, like skin/ Change, like the sky, like the leaves, like a butterfly“, Adrianne Lenker delicately sings over a stripped-back acoustic instrumental. Later, she ponders: “Would you stare forever at the sun/ Never watch the moon rising?/ Would you walk forever in the light/ To never learn the secrets of the quiet night?”

You can listen to “Change” here:

Big Thief will embark on a North American tour between April and May next year, before taking on festival slots at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound and Berlin’s Tempelhof Sounds in June.

The four piece’s newly announced stint is set to kick off in New York on April 12. Performances will then follow in Montreal, Washington D.C., Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles and other cities.

Tickets go on general sale this Friday (October 8) at 10am local time. The full schedule is as follows:

April 2022
12 – Ithaca, NY, State Theatre
16 – Brooklyn, NY, Kings Theatre
18 – Montreal, QUE, L’Olympia
19 – Toronto, ON, Massey Hall
21 – Washington, DC, The Anthem
22 – Cleveland, OH, Agora Ballroom
23 – Royal Oak, MI, Royal Oak Music Theatre
25 – Chicago, IL, Riviera Theatre
26 – Milwaukee, IL, The Pabst Theater
27 – St. Paul, MN, Palace Theatre
29 – Denver, CO, Ogden Theatre
30 – Salt Lake City, UT, Metro Music Hall

May 2022
2 – Seattle, WA, Paramount Theatre
3 – Portland, OR, Roseland Theater
4 – Portland, OR, Roseland Theater
7 – Oakland, CA, Fox Theatre
10 – Los Angeles, CA, Wiltern Theatre
11 – Los Angeles, CA, Wiltern Theatre
12 – San Diego, CA, Observatory North Park

Big Thief‘s previously-announced UK and European tour will commence in January. They’re due to play three nights at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London between March 2 and March 4.

Listen to an extract from Can Live In Brighton 1975

Michael Bonner
-
0
The mnagnificent Can have announced details of the second instalment of their ongoing series of archival concert recordings. ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut's November 2021 issue Can Live In Brighton 1975 will be released on December 3 on limited edition triple gold ...

The mnagnificent Can have announced details of the second instalment of their ongoing series of archival concert recordings.

Can Live In Brighton 1975 will be released on December 3 on limited edition triple gold vinyl and double CD, both packaged in a gatefold sleeve with accompanying booklet containing sleevenotes by Can biographer and Uncut contributor, Rob Young.

You can watch an extract from “Sieben” below.

Following Can Live in Stuttgart 1975, this latest instalment has been overseen by founding member Irmin Schmidt and producer / engineer Rene Tinner.

Tracklisting for Can Live in Brighton 1975 is:

Brighton 75 Eins
Brighton 75 Zwei
Brighton 75 Drei
Brighton 75 Vier
Brighton 75 Fünf
Brighton 75 Sechs
Brighton 75 Sieben

You can pre-order a copy by clicking here.

Shannon Lay on new album Geist: “The beliefs I had about myself were crumbling. Everything was shattering”

Erin Osmon
-
0
Shannon Lay on new album Geist: “The beliefs I had about myself were crumbling. Everything was shattering”
Standing in Shannon Lay’s backyard in Pasadena – an upmarket community northeast of Los Angeles known for grand homes, lush gardens and the annual Rose Parade famously name-checked by Elliott Smith – there is a sense of spiritual ease. “There’s a certain kind of warmth coming off of it,â€...

Standing in Shannon Lay’s backyard in Pasadena – an upmarket community northeast
of Los Angeles known for grand homes, lush gardens and the annual Rose Parade famously name-checked by Elliott Smith – there is a sense of spiritual ease. “There’s a certain kind of warmth coming off of it,†Lay says, pointing to a giant oak tree, which she estimates to be over 200 years old, whose branches envelop the space like a hug. Before she lived here, the area was a refuge from city life. “I lived in Echo Park and Frogtown for a long time,†she says. “And in that situation, you either go to the Guitar Center in Hollywood or the Guitar Center in Pasadena, and I always went to Pasadena because Hollywood can be really hectic.â€

Her small Spanish-style backhouse is decorated with string lights, vintage furniture and other on-trend bohemia, like many homes in Southern California. But for a young, hard-touring, full-time musician like Lay such anchored domesticity can be novel. Living by herself in a standalone rental she secured on her own is a first. “All the other places were from friends saying, ‘Take this random room,’†she says. “This has everything I need. And I feel this trust developing with life that we’re taken care of, that if things are supposed to be a certain way it’s gonna work out. I’m slowly learning that worry is optional a lot of the time.â€

Lay is just 30 years old, but she’s been gigging in the Los Angeles indie music scene for more than a decade. A veteran of boisterous art-punk and garage-rock bands, by 2016 she was exploring a softer side of music, playing tender and introspective folks songs on acoustic and electric guitar. She’s a skilled player, but it was her gorgeous, gossamer voice that drew the attention of Kevin Morby, Ty Segall, Steve Gunn and many others who she’d go on to record and tour with.

She produced her latest album, Geist, with Jarvis Taveniere (Waxahatchee, Whitney, Purple Mountains). Its quiet assurance reads like a master statement, the work of a woman who’s finally found her footing in the world. “A lot of the identities and beliefs I had about myself were crumbling; everything was shattering,†she says of its making. “It was a tower moment, in tarot. But the best thing about those moments is that you can rebuild in a way that’s more sustainable and maybe more beneficial.†Its creation marked a turning point in a long period of self-reflection, self work and healing from childhood trauma.

“I began this process of therapy and trying to drop into my body a bit more,†she explains. “Be a little more present, be very honest with myself and not be afraid to explore the things that were hard to look at.†The result is a velveteen folk-rock album where the earthen and the celestial meet in a seamless embrace, much like her beloved houseplants and astrological ponderings. “It’s very lush and arranged while also being very intimate,†says Ty Segall. “She’s got such a great and unique voice.â€

Henry Rollins announces Good To See You UK tour for 2022

Sam Moore
-
0
Henry Rollins announces Good To See You UK tour for 2022
Henry Rollins has announced a new set of UK live dates on his Good To See You tour next year. ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue The frontman, presenter and spoken-word artist is preparing a one-man show for 2022 which will "faithfully recount th...

Henry Rollins has announced a new set of UK live dates on his Good To See You tour next year.

The frontman, presenter and spoken-word artist is preparing a one-man show for 2022 which will “faithfully recount the events of his life in the brief pre-COVID period since the last tour and when things got even stranger over the last several months”.

“It’s been an interesting time to say the least and he’s got some great stories to tell,” an accompanying statement announcing the tour promises.

Rollins will kick off the UK leg of his Good To See You tour on February 18 in Bexhill-on-Sea and will then visit venues in Cardiff, Bath, Birmingham and more before concluding the jaunt in Manchester on February 28.

Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins. Credit Getty

Tickets for Rollins‘ Good To See You tour go on sale on Thursday (October 7) at 10am from here. You can see his upcoming tour schedule below.

February
18 – De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea
19 – Buxton Opera House, Buxton
20 – Palladium, London
21 – Tramshed, Cardiff
22 – Komedia, Bath
23 – Playhouse, Whitley Bay
24 – Albert Hall, Nottingham
25 – Corn Exchange, Cambridge
26 – Town Hall, Birmingham
27 – Grand Central Hall, Liverpool
28 – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

The 8th Uncut New Music Playlist of 2021

Sam Richards
-
0
The 8th Uncut New Music Playlist of 2021
With another fun-filled issue of Uncut at the printers – more news on that very soon – it's high time for a new playlist, shining a light on some of the excellent music that helped us make it. Keep scrolling for tasters from the fine new albums by Dean Wareham and Bedouine, reliably uplifting...

With another fun-filled issue of Uncut at the printers – more news on that very soon – it’s high time for a new playlist, shining a light on some of the excellent music that helped us make it.

Keep scrolling for tasters from the fine new albums by Dean Wareham and Bedouine, reliably uplifting sentiments from Courtney Barnett and Field Music, noisy interjections from a couple of grizzled indie supergroups, and Mogwai remixed by (half of) New Order. Plus plenty more goodness besides…

DEAN WAREHAM
“Cashing In”
(Double Feature)

BEDOUINE
“It Wasn’t Me”
(The Orchard)

COURTNEY BARNETT
“Write A List Of Things To Look Forward To”
(Marathon Artists)

WARMDUSCHER
“Wild Flowers”
(Bella Union)

CONNAN MOCKASIN
“Flipping Poles”
(Mexican Summer)

PHOEBE BRIDGERS
“That Funny Feeling”
(Dead Oceans)

LA LUZ
“Oh, Blue”
(Hardly Art)

FIELD MUSIC
“Endlessly”
(Memphis Industries)

BUFFALO NICHOLS
“How To Love”
(Fat Possum)

HENRY PARKER
“Nine Herbs Charm”
(Cup And Ring)

MYRIAM GENDRON
“Go Away From My Window”
(Feeding Tube)

C JOYNES
“Waverley Cross”
(Cardinal Fuzz)

SPRINGTIME
“Will To Power”
(Joyful Noise)

IRREVERSIBLE ENTANGLEMENTS
“Lágrimas Del Mar”
(International Anthem)

KOKOKO!
“Donne Moi”
(Transgressive)

MOGWAI
“Ritchie Sacramento (Other Two Remix)”
(Rock Action)

LIGHT CONDUCTOR
“Splitting Light (Radio Edit)”
(Constellation)

NONEXISTENT
“Untitled 9 (Cold Walls)”
(Downwards Records)

SARAH DAVACHI & SEAN McCANN
“Keep Outside The Night”
(Recital)

NICK JONAH DAVIS
“Dérive Néolithique”
(Eiderdown Records)

Courtney Barnett shares online stem mixer for fans to “play around” with songs from new album

Charlotte Krol
-
0
Courtney Barnett shares online stem mixer for fans to “play around” with songs from new album
Courtney Barnett has launched an interactive stem mixer on her website that allows fans to adjust songs from her forthcoming album Things Take Time, Take Time. ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue The player, which operates similarly to Kanye West'...

Courtney Barnett has launched an interactive stem mixer on her website that allows fans to adjust songs from her forthcoming album Things Take Time, Take Time.

The player, which operates similarly to Kanye West‘s previously announced DONDA stem player, enables users to “listen & play around†with tracks from Barnett‘s third album.

So far the player, which was built and designed by Raphael Ong and Sean Lim, allows for people to alter “Rae Street”, “Before You Gotta Go” and “Write A List Of Things To Look Forward To”, which are the only songs released from the album to date. It’s assumed that the remainder of the LP will be available to rework when it’s released on November 12.

The player gives users the option to adjust the volume of the various percussion, guitars, and vocals in the mix of the songs.

Courtney Barnett
Courtney Barnett. Credit: Mia Mala McDonald

It follows the Australian singer-songwriter acknowledging last month the similarities between the music video for her single “Before You Gotta Go” and fellow Melbourne act Quivers’ clip for “You’re Not Always On My Mind”.

Both music videos feature the respective musicians heading out into the field and recording audio samples from the natural world. Additionally, the lyric from Barnett’s song, “You’re always on my mindâ€, is similar to the title of the Quivers song.

On social media, Barnett promoted the Quivers video, saying: “I thought I had come up with a beautiful, original idea for a video, but it seems like I was wrong.

“I’d like to introduce you to Melbourne band [Quivers] and director [Nina Renee] who had the same idea way before me,†she wrote. “Any similarities are completely coincidental and if I had seen this clip when I was making mine I would have completely changed my concept or the way we explored it.â€

Bruce Springsteen harmonicas and handwritten lyrics go up for auction

Will Lavin
-
0
Bruce Springsteen harmonicas and handwritten lyrics go up for auction
Handwritten lyrics to Bruce Springsteen songs "Thunder Road", "For You", and "Night" are set to go under the hammer at auction later this month. ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue READ MORE: How Bruce Springsteen made his new album, Letter To...

Handwritten lyrics to Bruce Springsteen songs “Thunder Road”, “For You”, and “Night” are set to go under the hammer at auction later this month.

The sale – due to take place via Bonhams on October 28 – will also include two harmonicas which were used on the original recordings of “Thunder Road” and “Johnny 99”.

The four-page “Thunder Road” manuscript is written by Springsteen in pen on ruled notebook paper. It contains the entire song as recorded by The Boss for his 1975 album, Born To Run, but the final page features two different drafts of the opening verse. It is estimated to sell for somewhere between $50,000 and $70,000.

The “For You” lyrics are also written in pen on ruled notebook paper. It matches up almost perfectly with the final version on the album, but it does not contain the line “but you did not need my urgency” and has the word “your” instead of “my” in the line “don’t give me my money, honey”. It is estimated that it will go for $25,000 to $30,000.

The “Night” manuscript is three pages and features the words just as they appear on the album. It is estimated to sell for $25,0000 to $30,000.

As for the harmonicas, the one used on “Thunder Road” is a Hohner Marine Band “F” Harmonica with box, and it comes with a signed, dated and notarised letter from Mike Batlan, who worked for Springsteen as a musical instrument technician from 1973 to 1985. It is expected to draw $5,000 to $7,000.

The second harmonica is a Hohner Marine Band “E” Harmonica that was used on the song “Johnny 99”, taken from Springsteen’s 1982 album Nebraska. Once again coming with a box, it too is accompanied by a signed and dated letter from Batlan regarding the provenance. It is expected to draw $2,000 to $2,500.

All of the items have been in the hands of a private collector who acquired them from Batlan.

To find out more about the auction and how to bid, visit Bonhams website here.

Elsewhere in the auction, a host of Beatles memorabilia will be up for grabs including two handwritten setlists from the early days of the band.

Bonhams’ Senior Specialist of Music for their Popular Culture department, Howard Kramer, explained the significance of both setlists in a statement to Rolling Stone.

“At this point, the Beatles were about to become a band in the truest sense,†he said of the 1960 setlist. “Pete Best had yet to join the band and the first Hamburg engagement was about two months out. Pretty soon, there was no looking back.â€

Sons Of Kemet announce 2022 UK tour set to kick off in February

Will Lavin
-
0
Sons Of Kemet announce 2022 UK tour set to kick off in February
Sons Of Kemet have announced that they'll be heading out on the road for a UK tour next year. ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue READ MORE: Sons Of Kemet – Black To The Future The experimental jazz quartet, led by Shabaka Hutchings, will kic...

Sons Of Kemet have announced that they’ll be heading out on the road for a UK tour next year.

The experimental jazz quartet, led by Shabaka Hutchings, will kick off the run of dates on February 19 at Gorilla in Manchester, followed by shows in Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, and ending the tour with their biggest headline show to date at London’s Roundhouse on February 26.

“UK/EU tickets on sale now!!!! We cannot wait to be back playing live for you after such a long pause,” the group wrote on Twitter.

You can see the full list of Sons Of Kemet dates below – tickets are on sale now here.

February 2022
19 – Manchester, Gorilla
20 – Glasgow, Oran Mor
22 – Leeds, Belgrave Music Hall
24 – Bristol, Marble Factory
26 – London, Roundhouse

Sons Of Kemet released their third album, Black To The Future, back in May. It follows 2018’s Your Queen Is A Reptile, which earned the group a Mercury Prize nomination.

Sons Of Kemet, Claud, TV Priest and more are set to play Pitchfork Paris 2021 next month.

Pitchfork Paris will run from November 15-21 across multiple venues across the city, and also feature a show on Bobby Gillespie & Jehnny Beth’s joint European tour.

The announcement came alongside news of a first ever London-based Pitchfork Festival, set to take place the previous week in November.

Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan announces new album Imposter with Soulsavers

Charlotte Krol
-
0
Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan announces new album Imposter with Soulsavers
Dave Gahan and Soulsavers have announced a new album Imposter, which reimagines songs from acts including Neil Young, PJ Harvey, Cat Power, Bob Dylan and more. ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue The latest joint album between the Depeche Mode fro...

Dave Gahan and Soulsavers have announced a new album Imposter, which reimagines songs from acts including Neil Young, PJ Harvey, Cat Power, Bob Dylan and more.

The latest joint album between the Depeche Mode frontman and Soulsavers (Rich Machin) is described in press material as reinterpretations of 12 songs “from across genres and time periods” rather than a covers album. It will be released on November 12 via Columbia.

Included on the album are reinterpretations of Power‘s “Metal Heart”, Young‘s “A Man Needs A Maid”, Harvey‘s “The Desperate Kingdom Of Love”, Gene Clark‘s “Where My Love Lies Asleep”, Dylan‘s “Not Dark Yet” and Mark Lanegan‘s “Dark Religion”.

Gahan said of the project: “When I listen to other people’s voices and songs – more importantly the way they sing them and interpret the words – I feel at home. I identify with it. It comforts me more than anything else.

“There’s not one performer on the record who I haven’t been moved by,” he said of the featured works.

Gahan added: “I know we made something special, and I hope other people feel that and it takes them on a little kind of trip – especially people who love music and have for years.”

Imposter tracklist:

1. “The Dark End Of The Street”
2. “Strange Religion”
3. “Lilac Wine”
4. “I Held My Baby Last Night”
5. “A Man Needs A Maid”
6. “Metal Heart”
7. “Shut Me Down”
8. “Where My Love Lies Asleep”
9. “Smile”
10. “The Desperate Kingdom Of Love”
11. “Not Dark Yet”
12. “Always On My Mind”

Imposter album artwork.

The first song from the album, “Metal Heart”, will be released this Friday (October 8).

Imposter was recorded live as a ten-member band at the famous Shangri-La Recording Studio in Malibu, California in November 2019.

It follows Gahan‘s previous collaboration with Soulsavers, 2015’s Angels & Ghosts, from which the project then became known as Dave Gahan and Soulsavers. Prior to that, The Light The Dead Sea was released in 2012 under Soulsavers (featuring Dave Gahan).

Soulsavers, comprising Machin and Ian Glover, have worked with other musicians on joint projects including Lanegan and Josh Heinden. According to press material, only Machin – not Glover – has worked with Gahan on Imposter.

Meanwhile in Depeche Mode news, the band recently announced the release of a digitally restored version of their landmark Depeche Mode 101 concert film and documentary.

The Rolling Stones’ producer Chris Kimsey on Charlie Watts: “It’s all in the style”

Chris Kimsey
-
0
The Rolling Stones’ producer Chris Kimsey on Charlie Watts: “It’s all in the style”
“Charlie [Watts] never changed over the years. When I first worked with the Stones, on Sticky Fingers, I wasn’t really noticing the individual personalities in the band. They just struck me as strong, innovative characters, searching for something in their sound and their groove. But as I got to...

“Charlie [Watts] never changed over the years. When I first worked with the Stones, on Sticky Fingers, I wasn’t really noticing the individual personalities in the band. They just struck me as strong, innovative characters, searching for something in their sound and their groove. But as I got to know them, I realised that Charlie was just a wonderful, wonderful person.

“After many years I could never figure out why he was in the band, because he was not like the others. The rest of them were all frontmen, as it were – though I’m sure Mick wouldn’t agree. Even Bill had this persona. Charlie was just this quiet man at the back, but he was the one holding it all together.

“His energy was intense. I’ve worked with drummers who go through their drum heads after one session, because they hit them so hard. But while Charlie was not a heavy hitter – his touch was lighter because his background was in jazz – he had this ability to hit them the way they should be and get a very loud tone.

“Most drummers hit the hi-hat at the same time as the snare, which is a very normal thing to do. But Charlie would always lift his hand off the hi-hat, so there would just be the snare beat alone. Nothing around it, which was a dream to record. That, in itself, made his drums sound louder and more powerful. I didn’t figure that out until I was working on Some Girls with them, but it was terrific to discover.

“Excuse the pun, but he was so in tune with his drums. There was one session when I got there before anyone arrived. I was sitting down at his drumkit and decided to tune the snare up a little, so I literally did a half turn on two of the lugs. When Charlie came in that night, he sat down and hit his snare drum. And after the first hit he just stopped and looked up in shock. I said, ‘What’s wrong?’ He said, ‘Someone’s touched my drums!’ It was such a minimal thing, but he knew the response so well. It was amazing that he could immediately pick up on such a small change.

“Charlie was No 1 when it comes to drummers. What he did for the Stones’ music, no-one else could do that. That’s why Steve Jordan is in the band now, because he just emulated Charlie. He learned how to play by watching and listening to him. A lot of drummers I’ve worked with have said, ‘I want to sound like Charlie Watts.’ And I’d say, ‘Well, good luck there, mate. You don’t sound anything like him.’ It’s all in the style. They think they have it, but Charlie had so many subtleties that made such a difference when it came to the big picture. Coming from a jazz background, his playing had dynamics in it. It wasn’t just thump-thump-thump. He was extraordinary.”

As told to Rob Hughes

Kacey Musgraves channels Forrest Gump in SNL performance of “Justified”

Will Richards
-
0
Kacey Musgraves channels Forrest Gump in SNL performance of “Justified”
Over the weekend, Kacey Musgraves was the musical guest on the new season opener of Saturday Night Live, where she channeled Forrest Gump in her performance of "Justified". ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue READ MORE: Kacey Musgraves on writ...

Over the weekend, Kacey Musgraves was the musical guest on the new season opener of Saturday Night Live, where she channeled Forrest Gump in her performance of “Justified”.

For her performance, the singer referenced an iconic scene from the 1994 film, which sees Forrest’s love interest Jenny performing live completely naked, only covered by her acoustic guitar.

After fans assumed the homage to the film, Musgraves then seemingly confirmed the link in a tweet posted after the performance, sharing a screengrab from the Forrest Gump scene in question.

See the “Justified” performance and subsequent tweet below:

“Justified” appears on Kacey Musgraves‘ new album Star-Crossed, which came out last month.

Following the release of the album, Musgraves will hit the road in the US and Canada, kicking off the tour in St Paul, Minnesota on January 19 and continuing on to a final show in LA on February 20. She will be supported by King Princess and MUNA across all dates.

Elsewhere on the 47th season of SNL, other musical guests will include Halsey, who will appear next Saturday (October 9) while Kim Kardashian West takes on presenting duties.

For the following instalment on October 16, Rami Malek – who appears in No Time To Die as the new Bond villain, Safin – will host as Young Thug takes to the stage. SNL‘s final episode on October 23 will feature Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso) and Brandi Carlile.

Watch Toyah Willcox cover The Velvet Underground’s “Venus In Furs”

Elizabeth Aubrey
-
0
Watch Toyah Willcox cover The Velvet Underground’s “Venus In Furs”
Toyah Willcox and husband Robert Fripp have shared a cover of the The Velvet Underground's "Venus In Furs" – listen to it below. ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue It's part of their regular, ongoing series of 'Sunday Lunch' online performances...

Toyah Willcox and husband Robert Fripp have shared a cover of the The Velvet Underground‘s “Venus In Furs” – listen to it below.

It’s part of their regular, ongoing series of ‘Sunday Lunch’ online performances which see them perform a cover together at home in their kitchen – something they started during lockdown.

In the latest edition, Willcox delivers a flamboyant rendition of  “Venus In Furs” whilst stood on a kitchen table top.

Fripp is seen gazing up at Wilcox and chimes in with comments like: “Toyah will do almost anything to get out of cooking,†and “I wonder if we’re having dessert.â€

You can watch the performance here:

The pair launched their Sunday Lunch video series last year, sharing renditions of songs by Nirvana, David Bowie, Metallica, Billy Idol, The Rolling Stones, Judas Priest, The Prodigy, Guns N’ Roses, Alice Cooper and more through Willcox’s YouTube channel.
Their last cover was of Shirley Bassey‘s “Goldfinger” and before that, Willcox performed a version of The Cult’s “She Sells Sanctuary” to welcome home Fripp, who had been away for a while.

During this time, the pair started Sunday Lunch off-shoot, Sunday Lunch Love Letters, where they would perform songs on a split-screen from different locations.

Willcox revealed in February that her Sunday Lockdown Lunch video series started because her husband, King Crimson‘s Robert Fripp, was having withdrawals from performing.

Last month, Willcox released her 16th studio album Posh Pop, which she previewed with the single “Levitate” featuring Simon Darlow and Bobby Willcox.

Brian May started working on new Queen song but then “suddenly lost interest”

Will Lavin
-
0
Brian May started working on new Queen song but then “suddenly lost interest”
Roger Taylor has revealed that Queen bandmate Brian May started working on a new song for the band but then "suddenly lost interest". ORDER NOW: The Rolling Stones are on the cover of Uncut’s November 2021 issue READ MORE: Queen’s Greatest Hits: back at Number One? The pair started ...

Roger Taylor has revealed that Queen bandmate Brian May started working on a new song for the band but then “suddenly lost interest”.

The pair started work on a new track with Adam Lambert – who has fronted Queen since 2011, following the death of original frontman Freddie Mercury in 1991 – but guitarist May doesn’t seem to be a fan of what they laid down.

“Well, Brian suddenly lost interest and I don’t really know why,” Taylor told MOJO (via Contact Music. “We started it in Nashville when we were all quite tired.

He continued: “We couldn’t decide on a title and the lyric felt a little too negative for Queen, maybe. But it was pretty damn good, and I hope it comes to light.”

The longstanding Queen drummer also talked about the possibility of him and May reconnecting with former Queen bassist John Deacon, who stopped playing with the band in the mid-’90s.

Queen's original line-up
Queen’s original line-up. Credit: Snowdon Copyright Queen Productions Ltd

“It’s a lovely fairy tale, but to be honest I don’t think so. John’s like a hermit, really,” Taylor said. “I don’t think he’s quite equipped for that – he’s really fragile. He can’t deal with company or the outside world, so far as I know.”

He added: “I guess he just sits there counting his money.”

Also recently, Taylor has lashed out at those who refuse to vaccinate themselves against COVID-19, saying that they “must be ignorant and stupidâ€.

He made his comments in a recent episode of the Consequence podcast, Kyle Meredith With. He appeared on the show to speak about his new solo album Outsider, noting that it was largely influenced by last year’s lockdowns in Europe and the UK.

Citing the single “Isolation” as one primarily inspired by the lockdowns, he said: “I think in Europe it was very serious, and I really felt for people in Milan. You know, locked up in a one room apartment, that was a scary time.â€

Meanwhile, an “immersive†pop-up shop dedicated to Queen has opened in London, running until early next year.

1...120121122...1,270Page 121 of 1,270

SHOP UNCUT