Alternative Music
700 Bliss: Nothing to Declare
Some of the fiercest political art of the past year can be found in club music. Whether via Loraine James’ cerebral musings, aya’s chaotic outbursts, or Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul’s satirical takedowns, the dancefloor has pulled double weight as a platform to air grievances about governmental neglect, societal dysfunction, and police violence. 700 Bliss, the duo of Philadelphia experimental poet/rapper Moor Mother and New Jersey-born DJ Haram, join the fight on their debut album, marshaling twisted club sounds in a spirited counterattack on the patriarchal powers that be. The pair’s debut EP, 2018’s Spa 700, stripped East Coast club music down to a gray husk perfectly suited for Moor Mother’s gloomy, off-kilter raps. On Nothing to Declare, DJ Haram challenges Moor Mother with more b...
R.I.P. Alec John Such, Original Bon Jovi Bassist Dead at 70
Alec John Such, the original bassist of Bon Jovi, has died at the age of 70. “We are heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of our dear friend Alec John Such,” the band posted in a statement to social media on Sunday, June 5th. “He was an original. As a founding member of Bon Jovi, Alec was integral to the formation of the band. To be honest, we found our way to each other thru him — He was a childhood friend of Tico [Torres] and brought Richie [Sambora] to see us perform. Alec was always wild and full of life. Today these special memories bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. We will miss him dearly.” A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. Prior to the formation of Bon Jovi in 1983, John Such played in a band with Sambora and managed a club in Sayreville, New Jersey...
CMA Festival Bans Confederate Flag Imagery “of Any Kind”
No “Southern pride” or sedition here. The CMA Festival has announced that Confederate flags will officially be banned from the annual event, which is scheduled to take place in Nashville next week. The new rule is noted by event organizers on the festival’s official website, with “Confederate flag imagery of any kind” listed among other objects prohibited on festival grounds including bikes, drones, fireworks, and drug paraphernalia. The news was first reported by Variety. “This year’s CMA Fest is our first major fan-facing event in nearly three years,” the Country Music Association said in a statement. “We have always had policies in place that protect the safety of our fans and ban discrimination, but we felt it was important to further refine our language to explicitly outline what will...
Florence + the Machine Cover John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” for SiriusXM: Stream
Florence + the Machine swung by the SiriusXM studios recently to cover the John Lennon classic “Jealous Guy.” Stream the performance below. During the session, Florence Welch and her band imbue the 1971 single with a dreamy, acoustic quality as she plays with the melody and warbles, “I was dreaming of the past/ And my heart was beating fast/ I began to lose control/ I began to lose control/ I didn’t mean to hurt you/ I’m sorry that I made you cry/ Oh no, I didn’t want to hurt you/ I’m just a jealous guy.” The former Beatle first recorded the track in 1971 as an album cut for his sophomore solo offering Imagine, but it became a belated hit a decade later when Roxy Music crafter their own version of the song as a tribute to the fallen singer upon his 1980 death. Advertisement Related Video A...
Elon Musk’s Sister Has a Streaming Service Dedicated to Romance and Erotica
Apparently Tosca Musk cares about romance novels the way her brother Elon Musk cares about posting memes on Twitter. That’s why she’s launched Passionflix, a growing streaming site dedicated to steamy adaptations of Harlequin page-turners, erotic fan-fic and more. Profiled by The New York Times, the fledgling entrepreneur explained that she’ll be sitting in the director’s chair for many of the platform’s adaptations, while also licensing existing content such as 2013’s Random Encounters starring a pre-Royal Wedding Meghan Markle and the 2014 rom-com Two Night Stand starring Miles Teller as well as tried and true swooners like 1995’s Sabrina — yes, the one with Harrison Ford — and 1996’s The English Patient. Subscriptions to the site cost just $6 per month and content is rated on a unique s...
Kate Bush Acknowledges Renewed Interest in “Running Up That Hill” in Rare Statement
Kate Bush has issued a rare statement acknowledging the renewed interest in her song “Running Up That Hill” thanks to its inclusion in Season 4 of Stranger Things. “You might’ve heard that the first part of the fantastic, gripping new series of Stranger Things has recently been released on Netflix. It features the song, ‘Running Up That Hill’ which is being given a whole new lease of life by the young fans who love the show – I love it too!” Bush wrote in a brief message posted to her website. “Because of this, ‘Running Up That Hill’ is charting around the world and has entered the UK chart at No. 8. It’s all really exciting! Thanks very much to everyone who has supported the song,” Bush added. “I wait with bated breath for the rest of the series in July.” Advertisement Related Video Bush ...
Westworld Season 4 Details Revealed, Including Evan Rachel Wood’s New Character and James Marsden’s Return
The closing night HBO/HBO Max-hosted Westworld panel at the ATX TV Festival provided a glimpse into what’s coming in Season 4, set seven years after the chaotic conclusion of Season 3. The new season includes the return of Evan Rachel Wood as a new character, and James Marsden — who played Dolores’ love interest Teddy Flood in Seasons 1 and 2 — will also be back in a new incarnation. The panel featured Lisa Joy (Co-Creator, Writer, Director, Executive Producer), Alison Schapker (Writer & Executive Producer), actors Wood, Jeffrey Wright (Bernard/Arnold), Luke Hemsworth (Stubbs), Angela Sarafya (unforgettable and perhaps unkillable Clementine), and Aurora Perrineau (a Season 4 addition as an as-yet-unnamed pivotal character). When asked about the future of the series, Joy replied, “We ha...
Jeff Tweedy Covers Angel Olsen’s “Big Time”: Stream
Jeff Tweedy has offered up his take on Angel Olsen‘s “Big Time.” The Wilco frontman released the cover on his Substack, Starship Casual, writing, “Here’s a song I learned from Angel Olsen’s new record that came out TODAY! Normally I put songs behind the paywall, but this album is brand-new and lovely, and I want everyone with ears to hear it” alongside a number of pictures of himself, Olsen, and her band. “And I’m losing, I’m losing, I’ve left it behind/ Guess I had to be losing to get here on time/ And I’m living, I’m loving, I’ve loved long before/ And I’m loving you big time, I’m loving you more,” he crooned on the song’s country-tinged chorus over simple acoustic guitar. Upon hearing the cover, Olsen had nothing but good things to say, tweeting, “Jeff!!! Covering ‘Big Time’! I owe you ...
Red Hot Chili Peppers Launch World Tour in Spain: Video + Setlist
Red Hot Chili Peppers kicked off their “Unlimited Love World Tour” at Estadio Olímpico de la Cartuja in Seville, Spain on Saturday, June 4th. The veteran rock band treated the capacity crowd of 60,000+ fans to an 18-song set that included material from their latest album, Unlimited Love, as well as many past classics like “Scar Tissue,” “Here Ever After,” “Soul to Squeeze,” and “By the Way.” Of course, for many fans of Chili Peppers the highlight of the evening was merely seeing guitarist John Frusciante back on stage after 15 years away. Advertisement Related Video Watch fan-captured footage of the concert and see the full setlist below. Chili Peppers will spend the next month touring the UK and Europe before making their way back to North America for a late summer run stadium shows. You ...
New York Moves to Ban Hidden Fees from Concert Tickets
New York State is working to save you from the heartache of spending way more on concert tickets than you originally anticipated. A new bill will ban hidden fees from concert tickets, requiring ticketing companies to show “all-in” ticket prices up front rather than letting them sneak up on you at the last minute. Via Stereogum, as of June 3rd the bill has passed the New York state senate and assembly and is awaiting Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature. Once signed, both primary and resale vendors will be required to disclose the final ticket cost on concert tickets’ initial listing, offering a more accurate picture of ticket pricing. What’s more, that final ticket cost cannot be printed in a smaller type size than the initial cost — a nod to the bill’s requirement that prices be displayed in...
Big Thief Announce Israel Tour Dates, Internet Boos
Big Thief have extended their world tour by adding two dates in Tel Aviv, Israel, cushioning the announcement with a statement claiming to be “open to other people’s perspectives” regarding the country’s conflict with Palestine. Noting that bassist Max Oleartchik is from Israel, the band explained that they wanted to explore Oleartchik’s hometown and meet his family and friends in the same way that he had done for them as they toured the United States. “It is important for us to go where we have family to share space and play for them,” the band said. “It is foundational. It is in that spirit that we made our decision to play in Israel.” Aware that many fans would likely not support their decision to perform in a country currently occupying another, Big Thief went on on to add, “We ar...
The Queen Has Tea with Paddington Bear
This weekend the United Kingdom is celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. Amidst all the fanfare, however, the 96-year-old monarch found some time to enjoy a cup with tea with another British institution: Paddington Bear. Naturally, the two also bonded over their love of marmalade. Watch below. The charming clip aired at the beginning of Saturday’s Platinum Party at the Palace, a star-studded concert featuring performances from the likes of Elton John, Adam Lambert & Queen, Andrea Bocelli, Duran Duran, and more. As the Queen celebrates her 70th year on the throne, Paddington is busy preparing for his long-awaited third feature film. Production is set to begin in the second half of 2022. Advertisement Related Video It was also recently revealed that Ukrainian President Volodymy...
