Alternative Music
Metallica Duet with Stranger Things’ Eddie on “Master of Puppets”: Watch
Metallica are officially members of the Hellfire Club, as they’ve shared a duet with Stranger Things 4 hero Eddie Munson on the epic “Master of Puppets.” Much like Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” the 1986 thrash metal classic played a pivotal role in the most recent season of the hit Netflix series. And just like Bush’s track, “Master of Puppets” has seen a major bump in streams as a result. Metallica have openly expressed gratitude for their part in the epic Stranger Things final, and now they’ve taken it a step further, giving Eddie the ultimate stamp approval by duetting with him via the magic of TikTok. Advertisement Netflix posted a duet challenge on the app earlier this week, tasking fans with playing along with Eddie as he ripped “Master of Puppets” from atop an RV. Do...
R.I.P. Tony Sirico, The Sopranos’ Paulie Walnuts Dead at 79
It’s a sad day for Sopranos fans, as Tony Sirico has died at the age of 79. The passing of the beloved character actor, best known for playing Paulie Walnuts in the acclaimed HBO drama, was revealed by Sopranos co-star Michael Imperioli on Instagram. Born in New York City, Sirico began his acting career in the 1974 crime drama Crazy Joe, and went on to play Tony Stacks in Goodfellas along with a wide array of other roles. He also frequently appeared in Woody Allen films, including Everyone Says I Love You, Bullets Over Broadway, and Mighty Aphrodite, and made frequent TV appearances. But as Peter Paul “Paulie Walnuts” Gualtieri on The Sopranos, Sirico ensured his own immortality. The eventual capo was renowned for his love of coordinated tracksuits and off-kilter observations; more often t...
Kid Rock, Who Swears He’s Not Homophobic, Posts Homophobic Fourth of July Meme
We hold these truths to be self-evident: That Kid Rock will say something stupid and hateful. This time around, the bigoted rap-rocker, who swears he’s not homophobic, shared a homophobic meme to celebrate the Fourth of July. Rock posted the Kermit the Frog-themed meme to Donald Trump’s Truth Social on June 30th. “If you’re anti-gun, you don’t get to celebrate the 4th of July,” the meme begins. “You would have never fought back. Enjoy your pride month. Pussy.” The dig at LGTBTQ+ Pride comes after a video surfaced last June of Rock hurling a homophobic slur at fans who were recording him during a concert. Shortly after, the artist addressed the backlash by saying the same slur again. “If Kid Rock using the word f**got offends you, good chance you are one,” he said, before assuring us he has...
Crosby, Stills & Nash Return to Spotify Following Joe Rogan-Inspired Exodus
In February, Crosby, Stills & Nash joined their old bandmate Neil Young in removing their music from Spotify to protest the spread of COVID-19 misinformation on the platform. Now, five months later the musicians’ music is back on the platform. Young spurred a sort of Spotify Exodus earlier this year when he announced he was taking his music off the streaming service to protest the COVID-19 misinformation spread by Joe Rogan’s Spotify-exclusive podcast. Graham Nash followed suit first, removing his solo recordings from the streamer and announcing “I completely agree with and support my friend Neil Young.” Soon after, Crosby and Stills’ solo works, as well as all music recorded as CSNY, CSN, and CN, had been taken off Spotify. Now, Crosby, Stills & Nash are back on Spotify as a ...
Nicki Minaj Takes Aim at Kanye West at Essence Fest: “We Don’t Fuck with Clowns!”
Nicki Minaj didn’t mince words about former collaborator Kanye West during her headlining set at the 2022 Essence Music Festival on Friday, July 1st. The diss in question came partway through the rapper’s set, when her DJ cued up her guest verse from Ye’s star-studded smash “Monster” off 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. (The track is largely credited for launching Minaj into hip-hop stardom). “A monster though! A monster though! But we don’t fuck with clowns,” she said, teasing the track before putting down her proverbial monster Giuseppe heel down and stopping the show altogether to instead give a shout-out to host city New Orleans. Advertisement Related Video It’s not exactly clear what led to Minaj’s snipe, but she previously expressed dissatisfaction over West’s decision to sh...
Killer Mike Unleashes New Single “RUN” Featuring Dave Chappelle & Young Thug: Stream
Killer Mike has unveiled “RUN,” a new collaboration with Young Thug that marks the Run the Jewels rapper’s first solo music in 10 years. Listen to the unsurprisingly political track below. Produced by NO I.D., “RUN” reframes America’s Independence Day with an emphasis on Black history. Bass slinks under a chorus of horns as Killer Mike reminds us, “The race for freedom ain’t won.” “All I know is keep going/ Run, *****, run,” he repeats. The song’s hook comes from a Dave Chappelle monologue about being Black in America, which opens “RUN”‘s music video. Directed by Adrian Villagomez, the clip features Black soldiers at war as Chappelle likens being African American to storming the beach in Normandy. “Ain’t no rhyme or reason why it’s not you on the ground, but as long as it’s not, ...
Red Hot Chili Peppers Announce Australian, New Zealand Tour Dates with Post Malone
Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced an early 2023 leg of tour dates in Australia and New Zealand. What’s more, Post Malone will appear as a special guest opener at each of the shows. Coming as part of the band’s expansive “Unlimited Love World Tour,” the run includes stadium shows in Auckland, Dunedin, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth in January and February 2023. A ticket pre-sale begins January 8th, before going on sale to the general public on January 11th via Ticketmaster. Fans are encouraged to sign up for the band’s newsletter for access to the pre-sale. Advertisement Related Video Red Hot Chili Peppers and Post Malone previously teamed up during the 2019 Grammy Awards, where they performed “Dark Necessities.” Since then, Posty has further embraced his inner rock star by...
Hüsker Dü Bassist Greg Norton Diagnosed with Cancer
Greg Norton, the bassist of legendary Minnesota punk band Hüsker Dü, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. According to a post on Facebook, Norton was diagnosed at the beginning of June. “My doctors at the Mayo Clinic believe I have excellent odds, but we need to get in right away and move forward with treatment and surgery,” he noted. Friends of the musician have launched a GoFundMe in his name to help pay for the unexpected medical bills. After 24 hours, the fundraiser is more than halfway to its goal of $30,000. “Unfortunately, our beloved friend Greg Norton, bass player for the legendary Hüsker Dü and UltraBomb, has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer,” the GoFundMe page reads. “We can’t imagine the stress and anxiety he and his family must be going through.” Advertisement Rela...
Harry Styles Cancels Copenhagen Concert Following Shooting at Nearby Shopping Mall
Harry Styles canceled a concert scheduled in Copenhagen, Denmark on Sunday (July 3rd) in the wake of a shooting at a shopping mall near the venue. A 22-year-old man is accused of opening fire at Field’s, killing three people and wounding three others, according to NBC News. Due to the venue’s close proximity to the scene of the shooting, Styles called off Sunday’s gig. Advertisement Related Video “I’m heartbroken along with the people of Copenhagen. I adore this city. The people are so warm and full of love,” the singer wrote in a social media post. “I’m devastated for the victims, their families, and everyone hurting. I’m sorry we couldn’t be together. Please look after each other.” Styles’ “Love on Tour” is scheduled to resume on Tuesday (July 5th) in Paris. I’m heartbroken along with th...
Westworld Composer Ramin Djawadi on the Exciting Musical Twists Promised by Season 4
[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Westworld, Season 4 Episode 2, “Well Enough Alone.” To read about the music of Episode 1, click here.] There might not be a big epic cover in the newest episode of Westworld, but there’s still plenty to discuss, music-wise, with composer Ramin Djawadi. That’s because Episode 2, “Well Enough Alone,” continues exploring key questions for Season 4, ending with the revelation that Delos Destinations, the corporation behind the high-tech amusement parks where this future dystopia was born, is up to its old tricks — with a brand new theme park setting that made Djawadi very happy. “I love jazz and actually studied jazz in college as well, and I never get to do much jazz in score. So whenever there’s opportunity, I jump on it right away,” he tel...
Drake Belts Out “I Want It That Way” with Backstreet Boys at Toronto Show: Watch
Drake became the sixth member of the Backstreet Boys on Saturday, July 2nd by making a surprise appearance during the boy band’s tour stop in Toronto. At the very end of the show, the quintet brought the rapper out to help them perform their classic hit “I Want It That Way” for his hometown crowd, but not before Drizzy told the enraptured audience about his personal connection to the song. “At 13 years old, I had a bar mitzvah,” he explained per Rolling Stone, “and at my bar mitzvah, for the first time in my life, this girl I was in love with came up to me and one of the greatest songs in the world was playing, and she asked me if I would dance with her. And it was the first time I ever felt acknowledged, and it was the first time I ever felt like I had a shot at being cool.” Advertisement...
60 Random Tom Cruise Facts to Celebrate His 60th Birthday
The life, career, and legacy of Tom Cruise is epic, dramatic, sometimes complicated, but impossible to ignore. One of our last remaining old-school movie stars, who’s proven capable of great range over the years, Cruise has wielded his power in Hollywood to create unforgettable film moments and behind-the-scenes innovations, constantly pushing himself to new extremes with each passing day. To appreciate his complexity and talent on the occasion of this, his 60th birthday, we’ve compiled 60 facts that only hint at why Tom Cruise remains one of the most famous men on the planet. He’s been grinning that signature grin and running his damn heart out for over 40 years on screen, and he shows very little sign of stopping anytime soon. 1. Tom Cruise’s real name is Thomas Cruise Mapother IV. 2. To...
