music blog
Ronnie Hawkins, Rockabilly Legend, Dies at 87
Ronnie Hawkins, the larger-than-life Arkansas-born rockabilly singer who called Canada home for more than 60 years, died Sunday morning (May 29) after a lengthy illness. He was 87. Hawkins, also known as The Hawk or Rompin’ Ronnie, had an ear for talent. His band The Hawks — which he originally formed during his days at the University of Arkansas — served as a farm team for many musicians, most notably Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson, who went on to back Bob Dylan before creating The Band. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Hawkins’ wife, Wanda, confirmed the news of the musician’s death to The Canadian Press. “He went peacefully and he looked as handsome as ever,” she said in a phone interview wit...
Why the Stranger Things Season 4 Villain Is the Show’s Best Yet
[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Stranger Things, Season 4, Episode 7, “Chapter 7: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab.”] One of the biggest challenges faced by any storyteller, not just the folks behind Netflix’s Stranger Things is how to structure your reveals: Delay things too long and without enough explanation, and the viewer gets frustrated. Tell all too early, or drop one too many clues, and you’ll just annoy people. But while there are multiple secrets at the center of Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 1 (as we’re referring to the first seven episodes released over Memorial Day weekend), one of the most exciting aspects of the season is the fact that there’s one answer which unites nearly all of them. Season 4 of the Netflix hit splits up into largely four narratives: Fir...
Nine Inch Nails Treat Boston Calling to Second Headlining Set of Deep Cuts
Nine Inch Nails took the stage at Boston Calling on Saturday night for their second of two headlining sets. After filling in for Foo Fighters on Friday night, Trent Reznor and co. served as a last-minute replacement for The Strokes on Saturday (a member of The Strokes tested positive for COVID, leading to their cancelation). Whereas Friday night’s set was packed with hits, Saturday leaned heavy in material not normally heard during a festival performance. Notably, NIN dusted off the With Teeth track “Every Day is Exactly the Same” for only the third time since 2006. They also played “Mr. Self Destruct” from The Downward Spiral; “The Day the World Went Away” from The Fragile; “Wish” and “Last” from the Broken EP; “Sin” and Terrible Lie” from Pretty Hate Machine; “Letting You” and “Echoplex”...
Kate Bush, Talking Heads & The Cramps Featured on Stranger Things Season 4 OST: Stream
The first installment of Stranger Things Season 4 dropped this week, and along with it came an appropriately ’80s-tinged soundtrack. Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4, Volume I is available to stream below. The Season 4 Stranger Things soundtrack was once again compiled by show creators The Duffer Brothers and music supervisor Nora Felder. Along with classics like Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer,” The Beach Boys’ “California Dreamin’,” and KISS’ “Detroit Rock City,” the Season 4 soundtrack includes a new version of Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” remixed by Bryce Miller and Alloy Tracks. Yet the most exciting soundtrack inclusion — at least to star Winona Ryder — may be Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” “I’ve been obsessed with her since ...
Metallica Take Over Napa Valley with BottleRock Set and Late-Night Covers Show: Recap, Photos + Video
Napa, California’s BottleRock Festival finally returned after a two-year absence this weekend, and with Metallica headlining day one on Friday (May 27th), it got off to head-banging start. As they usually do, the legendary metal band made the show an event for their fans, making sure that they would have maximum Metallica intake. One of the bands that performed prior to Metallica’s headlining set was Bastardane, a hard-rock trio that includes James Hefield’s son Castor on drums. Although the band has a thrash metal influence, they have their own unique sound that seemed to get a seal of approval from the Metallica fans watching the show. Also approving was James himself, who could be seen behind the wings of the stage watching and nodding along, but soon he would be on a much bigger stage....
WHO Advisor Suggests Monkeypox Spread by European Raves
Dr. David Heymann, former head of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) emergencies department and now a leading advisor, suggested that sexual transmission at two raves in Spain and Belgium may have spurred the recent outbreak of Monkeypox. However, names and details of the events were not shared. “We know monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, and it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission,” Heymann told The Associated Press. Symptoms of Monkeypox—similar to past cases of smallpox though clinically less severe—include fevers, chills, muscle pains, headaches, and lesions on the face or genitals. The recovery period is usually a few weeks and does not require hospitalization. In the past, Monkeypox has typically s...
Bob’s Burgers: The 50 Best Original Songs
When you’re watching an average episode of Bob’s Burgers, there are some fixtures of the programs you can always count on seeing: Series regulars like H. Jon Benjamin and Kristen Schaal, the conversational style of the dialogue, the burger-based puns. But just as prominent in this animated comedy are musical numbers. Though they’re not featured in every episode, Bob’s Burgers has frequently made time for individuals in its eclectic cast to break out into song. The members of the Belcher family and their friends and neighbors have such outsized personalities, it only makes sense that they’d only be able to express their emotions through similarly larger-than-life ditties. Across over 230 episodes, Bob’s Burgers has delivered countless memorable tunes, which makes it seemingly impossible to ...
Matthew Morrison Out as ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Judge
Matthew Morrison’s stint as a So You Think You Can Dance judge will be short lived. The former Glee star and Broadway veteran is departing the show — whose 17th season premiered just nine days ago — after violating its competition protocols. Reps for Fox declined comment on the nature of the violation. “Having the opportunity to be a judge on So You Think You Can Dance was an incredible honor for me,” Morrison said in a statement. “Therefore, it is my deepest regret to inform you that I will be leaving the show. After filming the audition rounds for the show and completing the selection of the 12 finalists, I did not follow competition production protocols, preventing me from being able to judge the competition fairly. I cannot apologize enough to all involved and I will be watching alongs...
Kraftwerk Kick Off North American “3D Tour” with Mesmerizing Concert in St. Louis: Review
The sheer diversity of the concertgoers who descended upon Kraftwerk’s tour kickoff at The Pageant in St. Louis is a testament to the genre-spanning influence of the German electronic music pioneers. Punks, goths, metalheads, record nerds, businessmen, hipsters young and old: The near-capacity audience was a true smattering of personalities that transcended age and scene. More than a few attendees were even sporting the band’s iconic red-polo-black-tie Man-Machine-era look. And they were all there to witness Kraftwerk’s “3D Tour” — an illustrious audio-visual experience commemorating the group’s 50th anniversary (get tickets here). Upon entering the venue, everyone was handed a pair of white Kraftwerk-branded 3D glasses. On the stage stood the band’s four iconic keyboard pedestals, cutting...
BTS Share Memories of Early Songs in First Episode of ‘Past & Present’ Radio Series on Apple Music
BTS took a trip down memory lane during the first episode of BTS Radio: Past & Present on Apple Music 1. The K-pop superstars launched the weekly limited series on Saturday (May 28) with an hour-long show that gave listeners an inside look into some of the septet’s early recordings dating back to 2013. “We wanted to use this radio show to celebrate nine years of BTS with you guys and with our ARMY all over the world,” RM said in announcing the three-episode series. “Every episode is dedicated to you,” the singer continued. “We wanted to share the BTS songs that help tell our story.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news During Saturday’s inaugural episode, the South Korean group discussed songs including “Intro: The Most Beautiful Moment ...
‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Reacts to ‘Brave’ T-Shirt Reference in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4
“Weird Al” Yankovic is getting some more love from Stranger Things. In the long-awaited fourth season of the Netflix sci-fi series, which debuted on Friday (May 27), the legendary comedian is referenced during a cafeteria scene between high school pals Dustin Henderson and Mike Wheeler — played by Gaten Matarazzo and Finn Wolfhard, respectively — and their Hellfire Club leader Eddie Munson, portrayed by Joseph Quinn. “I knew it the moment I saw you,” Munson says, crouched between the two friends. “You sat at that table right over there, looking like two little lost sheep.” Turning to Dustin, he adds, “You were wearing a ‘Weird Al’ T-shirt, which I thought was brave.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The long-haired Dungeons & Dragons...
Camila Cabello Pays Homage to Her Latin Heritage at Stunning UEFA Champions League Final Opening Ceremony
Camila Cabello gave soccer fans something to remember at the opening of the 2022 UEFA Champions League final on Saturday (May 28). Prior to the face-off between Liverpool and Real Madrid, the 25-year-old songstress delivered a colorful spectacle for thousands of fans at Stade de France in Paris. The carnival-themed celebration, which Cabello paid homage to Cabello’s Latin heritage, featured a breathtaking medley of “Senorita,” “Bam Bam” and “Don’t Go Yet.” In a recent interview with Billboard, Cabello discussed weaving elements of her Latin culture into her new music and into every aspect of her life. “My music, I always feel celebrates my heritage and my Cuban-Mexican heritage, so there’s going to be songs from Familia on there,” the singer said of the performance. Explore Explore Se...
