Alternative Music
R.I.P. Andy Fletcher, Depeche Mode Founding Member Dead at 60
Depeche Mode founding member and keyboardist Andy Fletcher has died at the age of 60. “We are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member, and bandmate Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher,” Depeche Mode announced in a statement on Thursday, May 26th. “Fletch had a true heart of gold and was always there when you needed support, a lively conversation, a good laugh, or a cold pint,” the statement continued. Related Video “Our hearts are with his family, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy in this difficult time.” No cause of death has been made public at this time. Advertisement The origins of Depeche Mode date back in the late 1970s, when Fletcher and schoolmate Vince Clarke began playing music together. Th...
Tears for Fears Perform “No Small Thing” on Kelly Clarkson: Watch
Earlier this year, Tears for Fears released The Tipping Point, their first studio album in 17 years. To help promote the project, they (virtually) swung by The Kelly Clarkson Show on Thursday, where they offered a live rendition of the new song “No Small Thing.” Watch a replay of the performance below. “No Small Thing” marked a musical departure for Tears for Fears, as Roland Orzabal croons over a folksy guitar instead of electronic drum beats and synthesizers. Still, in the pre-recorded performance, a rowdy backing band helps Orzabal and Curt Smith take off into a noisy climax, delivering a full, anthemic sound all the same. Back in February, Tears for Fears performed The Tipping Point single “Break the Man” and classic track “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” on the Late ...
Jodie Foster to Star in True Detective Season 4
Jodie Foster is set to star in season four of HBO’s True Detective. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the veteran actress will join the crime anthology as Detective Liz Danvers. Dubbed True Detective: Night Country, the fourth installment of the HBO drama takes place in the isolation of Alaska. A statement describes the season as follows: “When the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska, the six men that operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace. To solve the case, Detectives Liz Danvers and Evangeline Navarro will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves, and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice.” While HBO has yet to reveal who will portray Navarro, Night Country marks a bit of a shake up for True Detective. Creator...
R.I.P. Ray Liotta, Goodfellas and Field of Dreams Actor Dead at 67
Ray Liotta, the veteran actor known for his roles in Goodfellas and Field of Dreams, has died at the age of 67. According to Deadline, Liotta passed away in his sleep in the Dominican Republic, where he was shooting the film Dangerous Waters. No cause of death has been made public at this time. Born December 18th, 1954, Liotta was bartending in New York when he caught his first break with a role on the daytime soap opera Another World. He joined the series in 1978 but left in 1981 to test his luck in Hollywood, booking parts on a Casablanca TV show and the crime drama Our Family Honor, before netting his first major film role in the Jonathan Demme-directed Something Wild (1986). The part earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Adve...
M.I.A. Announces Comeback Album MATA, Drops New Single “The One”: Stream
M.I.A. is back! The British rapper has announced her long-awaited sixth album MATA and shared the new song “The One.” Stream the track below. With a vibey hip-hop beat co-produced by T-Minus, Rex Kudo, Charlie Handsome, and Heavy Mellow, “The One” evokes the artist’s breakout hit “Paper Planes.” On the track, she drops swaggering rhymes like, “They be sleeping on the heat/ Yeah so I let em know/ Zoned in dialed in/ Tuned in to the core.” In an interview with Apple Music, M.I.A. explained the record is about “still trying to find truth” and “the battle of the ego versus you finding yourself and you finding the spiritual leader.” Advertisement Related Video The studio set is M.I.A.’s first full-length in the nearly six years since she released 2016’s AIM, and marks the start of her freshly-i...
Justin Timberlake Sells Entire Song Catalog for More Than $100 Million
Justin Timberlake has inked a deal with Hipgnosis Song Management to acquire his entire song catalog. According to The Wall Street Journal, the deal is worth over $100 million. Hipgnosis now owns 100% of the copyrights for songs written by Timberlake and will also take over the worldwide administration rights to the music once Universal’s ownership over the catalog expires in 2025. “Justin Timberlake is not only one of the most influential artists of the last 20 years but he’s also one of the greatest songwriters of all time,” said Hipgnosis founder and CEO Merck Mercuriadis in a statement. “His hit songs including ‘Cry Me A River,’ ‘Rock Your Body,’ ‘SexyBack,’ ‘My Love,’ ‘What Goes Around… Comes Around,’ ‘Suit & Tie,’ ‘Mirrors’ and ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ are amongst the most i...
R.I.P. Alan White, Drummer for Yes and John Lennon Dead at 72
Alan White, the longtime drummer for prog-rock legends Yes, has died at age 72. The veteran musician, who was also a member of John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band, passed away on Thursday (May 26th) after a “brief illness,” according to a Facebook posting by his family. White joined Yes in 1972 and remained their drummer until his passing. He joined the band for their tour in support of 1972’s Close to the Edge, replacing original drummer Bill Bruford, and made his recording debut with the band on 1973’s Tales from Topographic Oceans. He played on a total of more than 40 studio and live albums released by Yes, including their most recent full-length studio effort, 2021’s The Quest (the band’s 22nd studio album). Prior to joining Yes, White was recruited by John Lennon to be part of the ex-Beatl...
James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett Perform National Anthem at S.F. Giants Game on 8th Annual “Metallica Night”: Watch
The San Francisco Giants celebrated the eighth annual “Metallica Night” at yesterday’s (May 24th) game against the New York Mets. Per tradition, members of Metallica — including James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and Lars Ulrich — were in attendance. Hetfield got to throw out the first pitch before picking up his guitar and shredding “The Star-Spangled Banner” alongside Hammett. “It’s a tradition that we’ve missed the last two seasons, so we’re really excited for the return of Metallica Night at Oracle Park with our hometown baseball team, the San Francisco Giants,” said Metallica in a statement. “This year marks the eighth time we’ll take the field for the National Anthem, first pitch, and a few other pre-game shenanigans.” Advertisement Related Video It kicked off what would be a maratho...
Noga Erez Drops New Single “Nails”: Stream
After signing to Neon Gold/Atlantic Records, Israeli pop singer Noga Erez is back with a disorienting new song called “Nails.” Listen to the single below. Heavy with boosted bass and clipped, disjointed vocals, “Nails” tackles the complicated consequences of jealousy with an appropriately complex soundtrack. Even more accurately, ASMR heads can look forward to the sound of Erez tapping her own nails on different surfaces, lending the track some extra percussion. “‘Nails’ is a song about jealousy, and how being jealous of people, in this particular case another woman, makes you idealize that person in a very weird and dark way,” Erez said in a statement. In the accompanying music video, the Israeli pop star sits on a bus before captivating her fellow passengers with a performance of the ele...
Olivia Rodrigo Advocates for Gun Control, Covers “You Oughta Know” with Alanis Morissette: Watch
Throughout her “Sour World Tour,” pop phenom Olivia Rodrigo has paid homage to the women who came before her by both covering their songs and speaking up about issues like abortion rights. During her concert on Tuesday night in Los Angeles, the young superstar did both. In addition to recruiting Alanis Morissette for a cover of “You Oughta Know,” Rodrigo advocated for stricter gun control in the wake of the latest school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Rodrigo told the crowd at Greek Theatre that she was “devastated” by the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 children and two teachers dead. “We should never have to worry about our safety or our lives in places that are dedicated to our learning and growing,” she said. “And I’m so heartbroken that this is the reality that we’re ...
Empress Of Announces Save Me EP, Shares “Dance for You”: Stream
Lorely Rodriguez, otherwise known as Empress Of, has revealed her upcoming EP, Save Me, out June 24th, and shared the new single “Dance for You” and its accompanying video. Watch it below. The latest offering from Rodriguez was developed over several writing trips in 2021 that included Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas and Los Angeles before finally landing in Minneapolis to hammer out the rest with longtime collaborator and producer BJ Burton (Charli XCX, Bon Iver). The drifting, nomadic nature of Save Me was all part of a concerted effort by Rodriguez: As she claimed in a statement, “one of the biggest key things for me making music is being out of my comfort zone.” “When you’re out of your comfort zone, that’s when innovation happens,” she shared. “I went around renting these spaces, trave...
Kate Moss Undermines Amber Heard’s Testimony, Says Johnny Depp Helped Her After Falling Down Stairs
Kate Moss took the stand virtually on Wednesday in the $50 million Johnny Depp–Amber Heard defamation trial, pushing back against a rumor that her ex-boyfriend had shoved her down the stairs and undermining Heard’s testimony on the incident. The supermodel only spoke for a few minutes, with Heard’s defense team declining to cross-examine her, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline reported. “He never pushed me, kicked me or threw me down any kind of stairs,” Moss said via video link from Gloucester, England. “As I left the room, I slid down the stairs and I hurt my back. And I screamed because I didn’t know what happened to me, and I was in pain. He came running back to help me and carried me to my room and got me medical attention.” Advertisement Related Video Depp and Mo...
