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Avril Lavigne on Battling Lyme Disease
Kyle Meredith With… Avril Lavigne Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS Avril Lavigne gives Kyle Meredith a call to discuss her new single “Warriors”. The Canadian-French pop star shares why she rewrote the anthem as a tribute to frontline workers, and how she’s able to keep anthem-sized ideas personal. She also retraces the journey behind her latest album, Head Above Water, which found her dealing with Lyme disease and nearly quitting music. Kyle Meredith With… is an interview series in which WFPK’s Kyle Meredith speaks to a wide breadth of musicians. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Meredith digs deep into the artist’s work to find out how the music is made and where their jo...
Questlove Hosting Food Network Special ‘QUESTLOVE’S POTLUCK’, Guests Include Bun B, Tiffany Haddish, Patti LaBelle & More
Source: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is a man of many fine tastes be it Hip-Hop music (obviously), sneakers and food, amongst other interests. The Roots drummer’s culinary affinities have led to his hosting a brand new Food Network special called Questlove’s Potluck at the end of May. Questlove’s Potluck will premiere on the Food Network on Thursday, May 28th at 10pm ET. We’re in the midst of a pandemic, so you won’t be able to physically participate, but you will see Quest kick it with guests that include Tiffany Haddish, Patti LaBelle and Hannibal Burress, and more. With Quest holding down the virtual hosting duties, those tuning in will see an eclectic group of stars breaking bread and sharing their fav dishes and drinks. Besides the aforementioned, those o...
The Complicated Legacy of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis
As we think back on 40 years without Ian Curtis, Dan Weiss examines the sad nature of the young frontman and Joy Division’s music, especially as we collectively experience these strange times of isolation in quarantine. “Surrendered to self-preservation/ From others who care for themselves” — Joy Division, “Isolation” I know I’m beholden to the perpetual motion machine of anniversary cycles because I’m the press, but what’s your excuse? Yes, it’s the 40th anniversary of a day that was particularly grim long before there was any pandemic. On May 17, 1980, Ian Curtis died by suicide, possibly the most “famous” hanging in rock history, a morbid martyrdom that secured his legacy as the accidental inventor of just about anything goth. But that doesn’t mean you have to do something stupid like l...
Spike Lee Drops Thunderous Da 5 Bloods Trailer: Watch
Spike Lee is back with a new joint next month. The legendary filmmaker will premiere Da 5 Bloods, his highly anticipated follow-up to 2018’s BlacKkKlansman, on Netflix on Friday, June 12th. Today, he’s dropped its epic first trailer. Soundtracked by the Chamber Brothers’ excellent “Time Has Come Today”, the trailer gives a stylish first look at the post-war film that stars Chadwick Boseman, Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Paul Walter, and Jean Reno. Once again, the film follows four veterans who return to Vietnam searching for the remains of their fallen squad leader — and some treasure. Watch below. [embedded content] Lee directed and co-wrote the script with Danny Bilson, Paul DeMeo, Matt Billingsly, and Kevin Willmott, the latter of whom aided Lee and Charlie Wachtel on their Oscar-winni...
Damon Albarn Debuts New Orchestral Project During Boiler Room Livestream: Watch
This past weekend would have marked the launch of a spring tour for Damon Albarn’s new orchestral project, The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream. But with people only just adapting to the idea of social distancing concerts, those shows have been put on hold for the immediate future. Instead, the Gorillaz and Blur mastermind decided to debut the his new work during a Boiler Room livestream session on Sunday night. Inspired by Albarn’s numerous visits to Iceland, The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream is meant to be performed with a full orchestra. Playing the songs from isolation, however, Albarn was accompanied by rehearsal tapes, which he noted were “not finished.” Albarn also spoke of the piece’s title, saying that its origins have taken on new meaning in the pandemic era:...
Peter Hook & The Light’s Performance of Every Joy Division Song Now Streaming: Watch
The surviving members of Joy Division are commemorating the 40th anniversaries of both the band’s final album, Closer, and the death of late frontman Ian Curtis in a number of ways. Today, Peter Hook & The Light get things started with the streaming release of a never-before-seen concert film capturing their performance of Joy Division’s entire catalog. Dubbed So This Is Permanent, the film was recorded during Hook & The Light’s special 2015 performance at the 500-capacity Christ Church in Macclesfield, England, Curtis’ hometown. The gig was celebrating what was then Joy Division’s 35th anniversary, and saw the band play every single song by the iconic post-punk outfit. Speaking to Consequence of Sound for a recent interview, Hook recalled the momentous show. “We pla...
Zella Day’s ‘The Dream Police’ Playlist
With everyone sequestered and self-quarantining due to the coronavirus, we’ve asked our favorite artists to come up with playlists that keep you entertained. This edition features rising singer-songwriter Zella Day: Hello from California! I don’t know about you but I’ve been very emotionally exhausted from the world caving in around us. I’ve been reading articles about quarantine dreams and how there have been a lot of reports of vivid dreaming as a result of lockdown. The idea of entering new worlds in a dream state is very comforting to me, it’s a reminder that we are more than our bodies; we can experience freedom from within. For my playlist, I’ve chosen songs that take me on a journey without having to open the front door. Art has been there for you and it is here for you now asking t...
Lionel Richie Leads All-Star ‘Idol’ Rendition of ‘We Are The World’: Watch
If you lived through the ‘80s, you’ll remember “We Are The World” was just about the biggest number of them all. Featuring a “Dream Team” of pop stars, the song dropped in 1985 to shine a light on famine in Africa. Written by Lionel Richie and the late Michael Jackson, the charity single ruled the Billboard Hot 100 for four successive weeks after its release, and an all-star Artists for Haiti remake in 2010 was also a hit. Sunday night (May 17) during the American Idol finale, Richie assembled an all-star Idol lineup for a lockdown-era rendition of the blockbuster. Joined by his fellow judges, Richie led a cast that included 2020 winner Just Sam, Alejandro Aranda aka Scarypoolparty, Fantasia, Gabby Barrett, Jordin Sparks, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Laine Hardy, Lauren Alaina, Philli...
Katy Perry Debuts ‘Daisies’ on ‘American Idol’ Finale: Watch
The American Idol finale had some massive moments, not all of them involved the contestants. Idol judge Katy Perry delivered her debut live performance of “Daises,” inside of a spectacular digitally-enhanced environment. Wearing a pink dress, no shoes and showing her baby bump, Perry looked like Alice in her animated wonderland, as walls and cartoon furniture appear around her and steep falls appear under her feet. “Daises” dropped last week, a triumph against the haters. Watch the performance below. [embedded content]
Bluesman Lucky Peterson Dies at 55
American bluesman Lucky Peterson, a master of the six string and the Hammond B3, died Sunday (May 17) at his home in Dallas. He was 55. Peterson was at home when he “became ill and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, but unfortunately did not recover,” reads a statement posted on his social pages. The cause of death is not immediately known. Born Judge Peterson in Buffalo, New York in 1964, Peterson had blues in his veins. His father James Peterson was a notable blues guitarist and owner of The Governor’s Inn, a roadhouse club where many of the genre’s greats would stop by. [embedded content] A prodigious talent, “Little” Lucky Peterson gave his first concert when most of us were still learning to use cutlery and his talents were spotted early on by blues legend Willie Dixon....
Drake Retains Australian Chart Crown, Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber’s ‘Stuck With U’ Starts High
Drake’s Dark Lane Demo Tapes (Republic/Universal) enters a second week at No. 1 on Australia’s albums chart, while SAINt JHN’s “Roses” (Sony) scores a sixth week atop the national singles survey and “Stuck With U” (Universal), the Ariana Grande–Justin Bieber collaboration, is the week’s highest debut. “Stuck With U” opens at No. 3 on the ARIA Singles Chart, just behind The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” (Republic/Universal), to give Grande her first Australian chart entry for 2020 and Bieber his fourth. Proceeds from the single will benefit the First Responders Children’s Foundation, which funds scholarships for kids of frontline workers who’ve been affected by the health crisis. Over the past two weeks, DaBaby’s “Rockstar” (Interscope/Universal) has risen 14-9–4 and no...
Perfume Genius: Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
Each Perfume Genius album is a metamorphosis. Over the past decade, Mike Hadreas has transfigured from confessional balladeer to glittering prima donna to our baroque-pop bard. On his terrific fifth album Set My Heart on Fire Immediately, Hadreas emerges with all new contours. Guided once more by the meticulous work of producer Blake Mills and an expert troupe of musicians, including experimental saxophonist Sam Gendel and renowned session drummer Jim Keltner, Hadreas glides between sublime melodies and grimy, guttural dissonance. It is his strongest work to date—a three-dimensional, dust-blown world that is cinematic in its grandeur and intimate in its inspection of the human form. On 2017’s fantastic No Shape, Hadreas sang of liberating the body. Each song seemed to unhitch his spirit fr...
