Alternative Music
Paramore’s 10 Best Songs
When Paramore released their first album, 2005’s All We Know is Falling, Hayley Williams was 16. Inspired by ’90s hardcore, the Nashville teenagers wrote earnest, emphatic emo, and quickly rode the wave of pop punk nostalgia that swept the 2000s. Across five albums, however, they went from Warped Tour stages to the Grammys, from a five-piece to a trio, and from pop punk to something undefinable. How did we get here? Paramore have always been more than the genre label thrust upon them. A zippy, energetic band with a fiery, earnest frontwoman drew them initial attention, but a darkness always lurked underneath the band’s singalong, Hot Topic-ready melodies. Advertisement Distrust of authorities and relationship drama colored the band’s early albums, released when its members were still in hi...
Patti Smith Honored With Key to New York City
Patti Smith has been New York City nobility ever since she rose to prominence as one of the initial voices of the city’s punk scene in the 1970s. But now, the multi-hyphenate’s mark on the Big Apple is official: Mayor Bill de Blasio honored Smith with a key to the city today (December 27th). “There are many artists out there, many musicians out there, but there was only one Patti Smith,” de Blasio said at the ceremony. “Patti Smith had an authenticity and has an authenticity that you just didn’t find that many other places — an ability to cut through all the swirl around us and speak some more profound truths.” “I came here in 1967 from a rural area of South Jersey,” Smith added. I had just a few dollars in my pocket, nowhere to stay, no real prospects. But I came here to get a job and see...
Ex-GREAT WHITE Singer JACK RUSSELL Says Documentary About Fatal Nightclub Fire Will Receive Premiere In February
Former GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell, whose pyrotechnics ignited the deadly blaze on February 20, 2003 in Rhode Island, spoke to Tulsa Music Stream about the upcoming documentary about the infamous fire that killed a hundred people and injured hundreds more. “We’re supposed to have a premiere of it at the [legendary club] Whisky [A Go Go in West Hollywood] in February — an invitation-only thing,” Jack said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). “I think it’s coming out on Reelz; I think they’re gonna put it out on Reelz. It’s not the way we initially wanted it to come out; we wanted it to be more of a movie. We took three years shooting this thing. I mean, it was a long time. A lot of footage — a lot of footage. I could have my whole biography don...
Hear Snippet Of New MEGADETH Song ‘Life In Hell’
Dave Mustaine has debuted a snippet of music from MEGADETH‘s upcoming sixteenth studio album. The MEGADETH leader, who turned 60 in September, shared the clip while filming a new video message on Cameo, which lets users hire celebrities to record brief, personalized video messages about virtually any topic. Addressing a fan named Gabe, Dave said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I will play you something that’s been recorded already and is special. How would you like to hear a little bit of the new album? This is song two from side one. It’s called ‘Life In Hell’.” After playing the song snippet, Dave added: “There you go. A little special surprise for you, buddy. So I think that makes you the first person in the outside world — outside ...
OZZY OSBOURNE Announces First NFT Collection, ‘Cryptobatz’
Ozzy Osbourne has announced his first foray into the crypto industry with the launch of Cryptobatz, a collection of 9,666 non-fungible tokens. The collection is a nod to his infamous bat-biting incident. On January 20, 1982, Ozzy bit the head off a live bat during a concert at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. He later claimed he thought it was a toy thrown to him by an audience member. Osbourne told Rolling Stone that he decided to launch his own NFTs after his wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, talked him out of buying a Bored Ape. “I’ve been trying to get in on the NFT action for a while so when I asked Sharon for a Bored Ape for Christmas after several failed attempts of buying my own, and she said no, I decided to create my own,” Ozzy said. “Cry...
ANNIHILATOR’s JEFF WATERS Says It Took Him More Than Six Months To Get Over COVID-19: ‘I Got It Really Bad’
ANNIHILATOR leader Jeff Waters has opened up about his battle with COVID-19, saying that was left “terrified” and feared for his life for more than half a year. The 55-year-old guitarist/vocalist, who moved to the United Kingdom from his native Canada back in 2018, discussed his recent health issues in a new interview with Bringin’ It Backwards. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “When we went to this COVID disaster, I took stock of a few things because I got COVID, my wife got it and the kids got it. And I got it really bad because I am older, I was an ex-smoker. I don’t drink alcohol for three decades but I’m still not an exerciser. I didn’t drink a lot of water. I intook a lot of fast foods. “Basically what it was was the pandem...
R.I.P. Jean-Marc Vallée, Dallas Buyers Club and Big Little Lies Director Dead at 58
Jean-Marc Vallée, the Canadian filmmaker behind films such as Dallas Buyers Club and Wild, as well as the HBO series Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects, has died at the age of 58. Vallée died suddenly over the weekend in his cabin near Quebec City, according to The Hollywood Reporter. His cause of death was not immediately disclosed. In a statement announcing his passing, Vallée’s longtime producer partner Nathan Ross wrote, “Jean-Marc stood for creativity, authenticity and trying things differently. He was a true artist and a generous, loving guy. Everyone who worked with him couldn’t help but see the talent and vision he possessed. He was a friend, creative partner and an older brother to me. The maestro will sorely be missed but it comforts knowing his beautiful style and impactful work ...
Henry Rollins On Retiring From Music: “There’s No More Toothpaste In the Tube”
Few — if any — artists have left as much of a legacy on punk rock as Henry Rollins, so it makes sense that fans were surprised at the former Black Flag frontman’s decision to stop making music 15 years ago. In a recent appearance on producer Rick Rubin’s podcast, Broken Record, Rollins explained how he arrived at the conclusion. “The smart thing I did as a younger man was one day I woke up in my bed and I went, ‘I’m done with music. I don’t hate it. I just have no more lyrics. There’s no more toothpaste in the tube,’” Rollins said. “Luckily, I had enough movies, voiceover, documentary work, writing, talking, where that just filled in, and now I’m busier than ever. But I walked away before I had to start saying, ‘Hey, kids, remember this one?’ So I didn’t have to put it on and go up t...
New Trailer for The Batman Offers Most Extensive Preview Yet of Upcoming Comic Epic: Watch
Warner Bros. has shared a new trailer for Matt Reeves’ The Batman ahead of the film’s March 4th, 2022 release. Clocking it at just under three minutes in length, “The Bat and the Cat Trailer” offers the most revealing look yet at the upcoming comic epic, including new footage of Robert Pattinson’s Kurt Cobain-inspired Bruce Wayne / Batman, Zoë Kravitz’s nature doc-influenced Catwoman, and Paul Dano as the menacing Riddler. There’s also plenty of new footage of the Batmobile, as well as intriguing scenes featuring Colin Farrell as Penguin, Andy Serkis as Alfred, and Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon. Watch the full trailer below, or head to Reeves’ Vimeo page to see it in 4K. Initially conceived as a standalone film, the anticipation surrounding The Batman already has Warner Bros. plott...
Timothée Chalamet’s 10 Most Iconic Roles (So Far)
It might seem a bit premature to be doing a best roles tribute to Timothée Chalamet, given that he’s only just reached the age of 26 today (December 27th). But in his time working in both film and television, the actor has quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with, taking on complex and nuanced roles to which other younger actors might have only been able to give a surface-level performance. It of course takes a great director to draw out his best qualities, as seen with Wes Anderson in The French Dispatch, Denis Villeneuve in Dune, and Greta Gerwig in two of her films. But, even when playing a very small role in a large ensemble, Chalamet has a way of taking what he’s given and making the very most out of it — earning acclaim often by simply bringing a very mature approac...
QUEEN’s BRIAN MAY Is Still Feeling Effects Of COVID-19 More Than Two Weeks After Infection
QUEEN guitarist Brian May, who recently went public with his battle with COVID-19, says that he is still feeling the effects of the virus more than two weeks after infection. In a series of posts and videos on Instagram, the 74-year-old has been documenting how he’s been affected by coronavirus in the last few days. A week ago, May said that he and his wife, Anita Dobson, apparently contracted the virus after going to a birthday lunch with some friends. He explained that the lunch seemed like a “safe situation,” as he had taken a lateral flow test that morning and he and Dobson have both been vaccinated. Very early Monday morning (December 27), May returned to Instagram to thank fans for a million views of his original post announcing his COVID-19 diagnosis and to offer a...
ACE FREHLEY And VINNIE VINCENT To Appear At Nashville’s CREATURES FEST
Ace Frehley and Vinnie Vincent are among the scheduled performers at Creatures Fest 2022, set to take place Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-29, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. Other Creatures Fest performers include VIXEN, QUIET RIOT, ENUFF Z’NUFF, John Corabi, RETURN OF THE COMET and PRETTY BOY FLOYD. More detailed information, including tickets and host hotel, will be made available in early January 2022. Frehley, a founding member of KISS, recently said that he is up for a reunion of the original band, but only if the price is right. During an appearance on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”, Frehley stated about the chances of him playing with his former bandmates: “Anything’s possible — I’ve always said that. That’s the first question...
