Alternative Music
Al Brown, Actor from The Wire, Dead at 83
Al Brown, who portrayed Col. Stan Valchek on HBO’s The Wire, has died at the age of 83. TMZ reports that Brown passed away on Friday, January 13th, in Las Vegas following a battle with Alzheimer’s. Brown was a 29-year Air Force veteran who served two tours in Vietnam. He didn’t get into acting until his 50s, with his first role coming on an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street in 1995. Related Video Undoubtedly, Brown’s most recognizable performance came on The Wire, where he portrayed Stan Valchek. His character appeared in all five seasons of the acclaimed HBO series, eventually ascending to the role of police commissioner by series end. Advertisement Brown’s other TV credits included guest roles on Law and Order SVU, The Hustler, and Forensic Files. He also had bit parts in movies su...
Al Brown, Actor from The Wire, Dead at 83
Al Brown, who portrayed Col. Stan Valchek on HBO’s The Wire, has died at the age of 83. TMZ reports that Brown passed away on Friday, January 13th, in Las Vegas following a battle with Alzheimer’s. Brown was a 29-year Air Force veteran who served two tours in Vietnam. He didn’t get into acting until his 50s, with his first role coming on an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street in 1995. Related Video Undoubtedly, Brown’s most recognizable performance came on The Wire, where he portrayed Stan Valchek. His character appeared in all five seasons of the acclaimed HBO series, eventually ascending to the role of police commissioner by series end. Advertisement Brown’s other TV credits included guest roles on Law and Order SVU, The Hustler, and Forensic Files. He also had bit parts in movies su...
Rian Johnson’s Poker Face Reveals Over 30 Guest Stars In New Trailer for Murder Mystery Series: Watch
In Poker Face, Natasha Lyonne‘s Charlie Cole can always tell if someone’s lying, and there are a lot of liars set to appear in the new Peacock mystery series, as showcased by the below teaser trailer. Seriously, just look at this list: Benjamin Bratt, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Stephanie Hsu, David Castañeda, Adrien Brody, Danielle Macdonald, Dascha Polanco, Lil Rel Howery, Ellen Barkin, Chloë Sevigny, Jameela Jamil, Tim Meadows, Hong Chau, Simon Helberg, S. Epatha Merkerson, Judith Light, Nick Nolte, Ron Perlman, Tim Blake Nelson, Noah Segan, Cherry Jones, Luis Guzmán, Rhea Perlman, Clea DuVall, Colton Ryan, Reed Birney, Brandon Michael Hall, John Darnielle, and John Hodgman are just some of the names set to appear in the series. With the exception of Bratt, the majority of the above appear co...
Tony Hawk and Goldfinger Perform Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Soundtrack Staple “Superman”: Watch
In one of the best trick combos ever pulled, Goldfinger brought out Tony Hawk to perform “Superman,” their standout single that appeared on the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game soundtrack. The skateboarding legend joined the veteran ska band on-stage at their show in Anaheim, California on January 14th, and was introduced by Goldfinger frontman John Feldmann as “Mr. Tony Fucking Hawk” before ceding the mic to him completely. He kicked off the rendition by calmly asking the crowd “How are you?” before the band abruptly launched into the track while Hawk, still gathering speed, casually added “I hope you know this song. Are you ready? Here we go.” Though Hawk still makes for a better skater than singer, the performance was a symbolic gesture that celebrated the long-running connect...
Yukihiro Takahashi, of Yellow Magic Orchestra, Dead at 70
Yukihiro Takahashi, co-founding member, drummer, and lead vocalist of the influential Japanese group Yellow Magic Orchestra, has died at the age of 70 According to local media reports, Takahashi passed away from brain cancer. Takahashi co-founded Yellow Magic Orchestra alongside Ryuichi Sakamoto and Haruomi Hosono in 1978. The group is considered pioneers in the electronic music genre for its use of synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, drum machines, computers, and digital recording technology. Related Video YMO released eighth studio albums between 1978 and 1993, including widely acclaimed LPs such as Solid State Survivor and BGM. Their biggest crossover hit came with 1980’s “Computer Game,” which peaked at No. 60 in the US. Advertisement YMO’s legacy undeniable. The roots of synthpop, tec...
How to Get Tickets to Jackson Wang’s “MAGIC MAN Tour”
After confirming his return to Coachella in 2023, Jackson Wang has rolled out North American dates for his “MAGIC MAN Tour.” This appearance at Coachella will mark the international artist’s second time on the lineup at the annual festival. Read on for details about how to secure tickets to Wang’s solo stops, and find details on securing Coachella tickets here. What Is Jackson Wang’s 2023 Tour? This limited six-stop run follows the 2022 release of Wang’s MAGIC MAN, a dramatic, emotional, and theatrical solo album. Currently, the “MAGIC MAN Tour” is winding through Europe with stops in London and Paris, and Wang has a February date in Dubai on the horizon. Notably, the “MAGIC MAN Tour” is Wang’s first outing as a soloist. Who Is Opening for Jackson Wang on Tour? Advertisement Related Video ...
Genesis Announce Career-Spanning Box Set BBC Broadcasts
Genesis will chronicle three decades’ worth of BBC performances in an upcoming box set. The 53-track collection is due out on March 3rd. Curated by founding member Tony Banks and the group’s longtime engineer and producer Nick Davis, BBC Broadcasts features all three of Genesis’ vocalists — Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, and Ray Wilson — in recordings from 1970 to 1998. Among the recordings are Genesis’ early appearances on BBC’s Night Ride and John Peel’s radio show, their 1978 and 1982 performances at the Knebworth Festival, and gigs at London’s Lyceum and Wembley Stadium. All this music is joined by a 40-page booklet that includes notes from author Michael Hann. The box set is available on 5xCD and 3xLP formats — marking the first time these tracks have been released o...
Nick Kroll Explains How History of the World, Part II Got Incredible Guest Stars Like Danny DeVito and Johnny Knoxville
For those wondering how much a Mel Brooks project the upcoming History of the World, Part II might be, know that executive producer Nick Kroll spent 25 minutes at the Television Critics Association press tour explaining the comedy legend’s deep involvement with the project. “It begins with Mel,” Kroll said to journalists on Saturday. “As soon as the show was announced, people reached out saying, ‘I would love to be a part of this, Mel Brooks is a huge influence.’” Thus we get the wildly star-studded guest cast for the Hulu sketch comedy series, including Pamela Adlon, Tim Baltz, Zazie Beetz, Jillian Bell, Quinta Brunson, Dove Cameron, D’Arcy Carden, Ronny Chieng, Rob Corddry, Danny DeVito, David Duchovny, Hannah Einbinder, Jay Ellis, Josh Gad, Kimiko Glenn, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Jake...
Boldy James Seriously Injured in Car Accident in Detroit
Boldy James was seriously injured in a two-car accident in the Detroit area earlier this week, his publicist announced. He is currently in stable condition at an area hospital. Representatives for the rapper said the “serious” accident occurred on Monday, January 9th, leaving Boldy James with broken vertebrae in his neck and orthopedic injuries. “After undergoing extensive surgery on his neck, Boldy has been removed from the intensive care unit and is now in stable condition,” his publicist said. The statement added, “Boldy and his family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible doctors and nurses that are taking care of him, and also to the communities’ emergency medical personnel and first responders.” Advertisement Related Video Boldy James is a prolific rapper from Detro...
Madonna to Embark on 40th Anniversary Tour: Report
Madonna debuted with her very first album in 1983, and as Billboard reports, the Queen of Pop is planning to celebrate the milestone by embarking on a 40th anniversary tour. The music icon is planning her as-yet-unannounced 40th anniversary tour — her first-ever live trek to serve as a career retrospective — with her longtime manager Guy Oseary. “It’s going to be the biggest tour she’s ever done,” one source told Billboard, featuring music from the entirety of her career. The tour will include both stadium and arena dates, reportedly including a multi-night run at the O2 in London. The upcoming tour comes after Madonna re-signed to Warner Music Group and agreed to launch an “extensive, multi-year series of catalog reissues.” Still, the legendary pop star won’t be selling her catalog a...
Marisa Abela Stars As Amy Winehouse in First Look at Back to Black Biopic
The Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black has shared the first look at actress Marisa Abela’s portrayal of the UK singer. Filming on the project is set to begin on January 16th in London. Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy) with a script by Matt Greenhalgh, Back to Black traces “Winehouse’s vibrant years living in London in the early aughts and her intense journey to fame.” The film has the full support of Winehouse’s father, Mitch Winehouse, and will feature songs from her catalog. “My connection to Amy began when I left college and was hanging out in the creatively diverse London borough of Camden. I got a job at the legendary KOKO CLUB, and I can still breathe every market stall, vintage shop and street,” said Johnson in a statement. “A few years later Amy wrote her searingly hone...
Kings of Leon’s 10 Best Songs
This article was originally published in 2013 and has been updated. You can draw a line in the sand of many musicians’ careers, a turning point where their sound changed completely. It’s a shift that usually gains a stadium of new fans while losing a club of old ones. Enter Kings of Leon and 2008’s Only by the Night. The album’s FM-friendly singles, “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody,” catapulted the Nashville family into sports arenas and festivals everywhere — yet the divide between fans grew far and wide. They returned in late 2010 with the polarizing Come Around Sundown, and while many longtime fans were slightly underwhelmed, it saw the band reach a new pinnacle of success, headlining Coachella and making their second appearance on Saturday Night Live. This proved to be a ...
