Billy Idol has reflected on his sobriety journey and decided “not to be a drug addict anymore” and is now “California sober”.
The 68-year-old iconic rocker shared that he is now “California sober” – when a person gives up on alcohol and hard drugs but continues to consume marijuana – in an interview with People adding that he doesn’t consider himself to “be a drug addict anymore.”
Idol told the publication that his decision to become sober came after he nearly lost a leg in motorcycle accident back in 1990.
“I really started to think I should try and go forward and not be a drug addict anymore and stuff like that,” he said of the accident. “It took a long time, but gradually I did achieve some sort of discipline where I’m not really the same kind of guy I was in the ’80s. I’m not the same drug-addicted person.”
English musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, Billy Idol, poses backstage on May 23, 1987, at the Pine Knob Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan. (Photo by Ross Marino/Getty Images)
He continued: “I mean, AA would say, ‘You’re always a drug addict.’ And that may be true, but I don’t do anything that much anymore. I got over it somehow. I was really lucky that I could get over it because a lot of people can’t.”
The ‘Dancing With Myself’ singer revealed that he is at a point in life where he can enjoy himself and not overdo it.
“I can have a glass of wine every now and again,” he said. “I don’t have to do nothing. But, at the same time, I’m not the drug addict that I was in the peak ’70s, ’80s.”
He added: “A lot of my friends from the old days are sober. [My guitarist] Steve Stevens is sober, and [guitarist/singer] Billy Morrison in my band is sober. There are people around me who are sober. That helps a lot.
“I’m, I suppose, ‘California sober.’ I just tell myself I can do what I want, but then I don’t do it. If I tell myself I can’t do anything, I want to do it. So, I tell myself, ‘You can do anything you like.’ But I don’t actually do it.”
Yungblud’s take on the song starts off stripped back before blossoming into a rockier song closer in style to the icons’ original 1979 song. Towards its conclusion, it becomes more minimalistic again.
“celebratin. fall guy is out now! go see it. it’s so sick makin music for films would luv to be in them one day,” the Doncaster artist, real name Dom Harrison, wrote in Instagram.
“ps. yes, ryan gosling is hot in real life.”
Yungblud’s cover even earned the approval of the band’s Paul Stanley, who wrote in a comment on the artist’s Instagram: ” “A REALLY terrific new version and take on our classic. @yungblud NAILS it!!”
Check it out below:
Ina four-star review of The Fall Guy, NME wrote: “In short, The Fall Guy is a delight from start to finish, thanks to a sparkling script, thrilling action sequences and to-die-for comic chemistry between the two leads. There are even a couple of lovely nods to the original TV show, which is kind, considering nobody under 50 is likely to clock them.”
Asked what it means to be headlining Milton Keynes Bowl in the footsteps of David Bowie, Queen, Green Day and Linkin Park, Yungblud told NME: “Wow! What the fuck? That’s the fucking mad, isn’t it? BludFest is happening! I’m launching my own festival. I had the idea to do it last November. I just had fucking insomnia one night and thought, ‘What’s the next thing we can do that is really a staple and just pushes the boundaries?’”
He added: “This whole thing has been about fucking with people. When press don’t write about us, when labels don’t want us, when festivals don’t take us seriously, when people don’t take my generation seriously, let’s just poke the bear every time and piss everyone off to see if we can get away with it. We’re a community, we’re getting bigger, we’re gonna do it anyway!”
Victoria Mary Clarke, Shane MacGowan‘s widow, has shared that she is searching for her late husband’s missing Easter Rising rifle which “meant so much to him”.
Clarke announced on social media that the late Pogues frontman’s rifle from the 1916 Easter Rising has gone missing and is suspected to have been stolen. The firearm, which was used during the Irish rebellion against the British government, was a Lee–Enfield 303.
It was a 60th birthday gift to MacGowan from singer-songwriter Glen Hansard and was used in the takeover of the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin during the Easter Rising.
Taking to her official X/Twitter account, Clarke tweeted: “Shane’s 1916 rifle has gone missing, most likely been stolen. Shane absolutely adored anything to do with history, so to see him so emotional after receiving that, it was a really special occasion.”
Shane’s 1916 rifle has gone missing, most likely been stolen. It was a birthday gift to @ShaneMacGowan from a dear musician friend and it was used in the GPO so it was historically significant. It was a Lienfield 303 and it has H Munn etched on it pic.twitter.com/iWJQiTji0L
If anyone happens to see a rifle from 1916 with H Munn etched on the handle it belonged to @ShaneMacGowan and it was a gift from @glenhansard and it would be great to get it back! Thank you everyone for sharing pic.twitter.com/nuI7lAyFI2
Speaking to The Guardian, Clarke said that she would like the rifle returned ASAP – no questions asked. She realised that it was missing earlier this week and does not know how long it’s been missing. “I looked everywhere, turned the place upside down and couldn’t find it. So it has actually gone,” she told the publication.
“The thing about Shane is that he wasn’t materialistic. The only things he ever bought really were records. He didn’t have many possessions. He had his crucifix and rosary beads and statues of the Virgin Mary, other than that he didn’t have possessions that were precious to him,” she told The Guardian. “But the gun meant so much to him. I wasn’t entirely easy about having it in the house, but I definitely want it back. It’s probably the grief, where any physical thing that has an attachment to your loved one you hold on to – because you want to hold on to them.”
As per Hot Press, the rifle’s disappearance triggered a widespread search, with Clarke sharing: “It has turned into a real treasure hunt. We are all trying to track it down because it would be such a shame if it were somehow lost.”
Last month, after being approached by paparazzi in Los Angeles, Healy was asked how he felt about his “Taylor diss track”. While it’s unclear which exact song the paparazzo was referring to, the ‘About You’ singer replied: “My diss track? Oh! I haven’t really listened to that much of it, but I’m sure it’s good.”
Now, an insider told US Weekly that Healy is not a fan of the new unwanted attention after the album’s release. “Matty’s uncomfortable with the renewed attention on his relationship [with Taylor] — especially because he’s [with someone] new,” the insider told the outlet.
Taylor Swift and Matty Healy seen leaving ‘The Electric Lady’ studio in Manhattan on May 16, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Robert Kamau/GC Images)
A second insider added that “Matty still thinks very highly of Taylor but we were all nervous about what she might have said on the album,” and noted that Healy “couldn’t be happier” about how ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ turned out.
According to that same insider, Healy’s family was “worried” that the songs would “rip him apart,” adding, “Matty has struggled with life in the public eye, and he’s been doing really well, but the last thing that he needs is for every Swiftie in the world to think he’s a villain.”
“I wasn’t aware she had an album out at all, I haven’t heard anything to do with it,” she joked before the live audience broke into laughter and guest Dermot O’Leary added, “It’s suddenly all become very awkward.”
She continued, shutting down the conversation by saying: “I wish her all the best”.
The two musicians were briefly linked that year, a connection he described as a “flirtation”. “I don’t do anything else, right, so it doesn’t leave a lot of room for me going out, or shagging someone,” he told Q. “So the one time I did have a flirtation with a girl it ends up going everywhere…. I mean, I got on E! News and people were like, ‘Who’s Matt Healy?’ so that was cool.”
“But I didn’t make a big deal out of it myself,” Healy continued. “It’s not really anything to talk about, because if she wasn’t Taylor Swift we wouldn’t be talking about her. She wasn’t a big impact on my life. It’s just interesting to me how interested the world is about Taylor Swift.”
In a three-star review of ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, NME said: “Swift seems to be in tireless pursuit for superstardom, yet the negative public opinion it can come with irks her, and it’s a tired theme now plaguing her discography and leaving little room for the poignant lyrical observations she excels at.
“It’s why the pitfalls that mire her 11th studio album are all the more disappointing — she’s proven time and time again she can do better. To a Melbourne audience of her ‘Eras Tour’, Swift said that ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ came from a “need” to write. It’s just that maybe we didn’t need to hear it.”
The Rolling Stones headlined the opening day of New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2024’s second weekend on Thursday night, and it was a show unlike the storied event had ever seen. For one, the Stones had been booked twice before over the last five years, but had their appearances…
Please click the link below to read the full article.
The Rolling Stones headlined the opening day of New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2024’s second weekend on Thursday night, and it was a show unlike the storied event had ever seen. For one, the Stones had been booked twice before over the last five years, but had their appearances…
Please click the link below to read the full article.
The Jet frontman – known for their hits such as ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’ and ‘Cold Hard Bitch’ – opened up about the opportunity to possibly take on frontman duties for the legendary Australian rock band.
While appearing as a guest on Australian radio station Triple J, Cester shared that he received a call to audition for AC/DC after singer Brian Johnson had to step away from the band due to hearing issues.
“I was staying with my in-laws and I got up in the morning and read the paper and it said that Brian Johnson was not in the band anymore,” Cester told Triple J.
He continued: “I remember saying to my father-in-law, ‘Holy shit, you would not want to step into those shoes,’ and literally 20 minutes later my phone rang and they’re saying, ‘Would you be interested in going to Atlanta, Georgia to audition and potentially fill in for this next round of dates that we’ve got?’”
The singer went on to add that he was thinking of saying yes “just for the life experience,” explaining that he wasn’t really expecting to get the gig anyway but thought: “‘How could I turn this opportunity down?’”
Cester is no stranger to performing AC/DC tracks. Back in 2010, he joined Muse for a cover of “Back In Black” at a few of their gigs.“I called [Muse frontman] Matt Bellamy and said, ‘Hey, thanks for that!’,” he told the radio station.
Speaking about the audition process, the singer revealed that “They were in the Black Crowes’ rehearsal studio and it was a tiny place but they were set up there with the enormous backline and I remember watching AC/DC and thinking, ‘There’s no way all of those amps are on.’ Let me tell you, they were all fucking on! It was the loudest thing I’d ever heard in my entire life.
“Angus [Young] put me through my paces. Everything was a test to see how I’d handle it – the volume and him going, ‘OK, let’s do this song’, and I didn’t know [some of them] off the top of my head so he’d just go, ‘Go over there and learn it’ and the whole band would be waiting there for ten minutes and I’m just going, ‘Oh fuck’. It was pretty intense, but I realize now Angus was a super professional guy and he wanted to push me to my absolute limit to see how I would react.”
Cester shared that he did well with the Bon Scott songs, but struggled with the Brian Johnson tunes, adding: “It’s a very unusual way of singing, and someone told me, ‘You’re making the mistake of thinking [Johnson is] pushing out an enormous amount of volume, which is how I sing. But he’s not, he’s whispering directly into a microphone with this enormous volume behind him so it sounds like the loudest thing in the world but it’s not at all, he’s barely pushing out.”
In other news, Jet recently revealed that they are back in the studio working on there first new album since 2009’s ‘Shaka Rock’. Taking to their official social media accounts, the Aussie rockers wrote: “We’re so excited to tell you that after 15 years, we’ve started work on a new album due for release in 2025!”
They are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of their 2003 debut album, ‘Get Born’, with a spring Australian tour and a handful of US shows in October. Visit here for Australian tickets and here for US tickets and check out a full list of dates below.
Jet 2024 tour dates are:
MAY 10 – Torquay, AU, Torquay Hotel 11 – Hobart, AU, Uni Bar 17 – Fremantle, Metropolis 18 – Darwin, AU, Bass in the Grass 12 – Brunswick Heads, AU, Hotel Brunswick 25 – Sunshine Coast, AU, The Station 31 – Central Coast, AU, Sunken Monkey Hotel
JUNE 6 – Kiama, AU, The Pavilion 7 – Canberra, AU, UC Refectory 8 – Newcastle, AU, Bar on the Hill
OCTOBER 14 – New York, NY, Bowery Ballroom 17 – Nashville, TN, Basement East 20 – Los Angeles, CA, Troubadour 21 – Los Angeles, CA, Troubadour
During the discussion, the pair were asked about their tour documentary Across the Universe, which they shared back in 2008. The electronic group then went on to reveal that they haven’t considered watching the film recently – particularly because of one “embarrassing” moment that caught fans’ attention.
“I haven’t seen it since it was released, actually,” de Rosnay said, with his bandmate going on to confirm that he had “seen a bit here and there” since its release 15 years ago.
Going on to recall which aspect of the project he keeps seeing, de Rosnay explained: “The bit [that keeps] resurfacing is where I sing ‘Under The Bridge’ to Anthony Kiedis’s face, which was very embarrassing even to do, you know what I mean?
He continued, explaining how the awkward moment arose: “Because this documentary was shot in a very short amount of time, we had to have the maximum amount of footage and just, like, make things happen otherwise there would be nothing happening. And so I was with him and I started singing to his face.”
The clip has been widely circulated online since it took place over a decade ago, and a snippet of the moment has gone on to gather upwards of 750,000 views on YouTube. In the footage, the three of them are seen sitting together outside, wearing remarkably similar outfits, with de Rosnay singing a somewhat muddled version of the 1991 track to the RHCP frontman.
His bandmate sits quietly in the video looking away, while Kiedis sits there with his mouth open, and looking confused directly into the camera. Check it out above.
In the interview with NME, the duo were asked if they’d ever consider making another documentary.
“It could only be made once. We did it,” said Augé. His bandmate then chimed in, agreeing: “And we knew it. That was the statement of this documentary. It was like, ‘Let’s make it because it’s now or never. In two years, we’re already gonna be too old.’”
“Also, we made it so that we are never tempted to make a documentary about ourselves… that’s meant to make good publicity [for] the band. Like, we don’t imagine ever making a documentary where you interview people and [they] say, ‘Hey, Justice is actually so great, man. They were like pioneers!’ It’s the worst,” he added.
“So we were like, ‘Let’s make one documentary where we’re gonna make fun of ourselves.’ We loved the idea of embracing the rock ‘n’ roll clichés that we fantasised [about] being kids in the ’90s born and raised in France. For us, it’s almost exotic. And yeah, that was a once in a lifetime thing and it’s done now, so we’ll never do a documentary again.”
The band’s latest album ‘Hyperdrama’ is out now, and marks their first in more than eight years.
“‘Hyperdrama’ is the type of release that the dance space – if you could even slot Justice in there – seldom sees,” wrote Thomas Smith. “The duo show a passionate reverence for the album format, from the artwork that took over 18 months to create to the songs that boast both style and substance. It’s one of 2024’s most engrossing listening experiences.”
In the NME interview, the band explained that the album was digested slowly over time. “It’s full of moments that are meant to be a bit unsettling,” de Rosnay said. “So the ideal plan is on first listen, you like some parts of it and some parts you’re like: ‘Is this for me?’ But then you come back to it and it becomes the most important record of your life.”
The rock veterans took to the stage at the iconic festival last night (May 2), for one of their first festival appearances since sharing their critically acclaimed album ‘Hackney Diamonds’ last year.
As well as breaking out a number of tracks from the LP, fan favourites and tour debuts on the night, the band also used the set to play a live rendition of their cover of ‘Time Is On My Side’ in over two decades.
The moment saw them invite Irma Thomas to the stage, and took place exactly 50 years after they recorded the cover of the Jerry Ragovoy track. It was their first time performing the cover since 1998, and the second time since 1982.
“In 1964, which is a very long time ago, we heard this great song on the radio by this amazing singer,” frontman Mick Jagger told the crowd, introducing Thomas to the stage (via Rolling Stone). “We recorded it and it became our first kind of hit in America. The lady that did the song first, she’s the Soul Queen of New Orleans! I’d like to bring out on stage now to sing the song with us.”
Now, finally taking to the stage at the festival in 2024, the 18-song set from the rock icons featured other surprises, including the tour debut of one song from ‘Hackney Diamonds’ and one song from their earlier discography.
After opening with fan-favourite ‘Start Me Up’, and going on to perform the lead single from their latest album ‘Angry’, Jagger and co. invited Zydeco musician Dwayne Dopsie on stage with them for the first performance of ‘Let It Bleed’ this year. The song was initially released as the title track from their 1969 album, and hadn’t been played on their current tour until last night.
Fan favourites including ‘Sympathy For The Devil’, ‘Gimme Shelter’ ‘Paint It Black’ and ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ also made it into the latter half of the setlist, as did their 2023 collaboration with Lady Gaga ‘Sweet Sounds Of Heaven’.
For the most part, the setlist at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was the same as their show in Houston over the weekend – which marked the opening night of their US tour. That being said, they did change the performance up by substituting the Hackney Diamonds song ‘Mess It Up’ for the tour debut of another from the album: ‘Whole Wide World’.
Check out more footage of the gig below, as well as the full setlist.
The Rolling Stones setlist was:
‘Start Me Up’ ‘Get Off of My Cloud’ ‘Out of Time’ ‘Angry’ ‘Let It Bleed’ (with Dwayne Dopsie, tour debut) ‘Time Is on My Side’ (with Irma Thomas, first performance since 1998) ‘Whole Wide World’ (tour debut) ‘Tumbling Dice’ ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ ‘Little T&A’ (Keith Richards on lead vocals) ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ ‘Honky Tonk Women’ ‘Miss You’ ‘Gimme Shelter’ ‘Paint It Black’ ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ ‘Sweet Sounds of Heaven’ ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’
The four-star write-up added: “But if ‘Hackney Diamonds’ does round off the most successful career in rock music ever, it wouldn’t be a bad place to leave it. A natural end, but definitely not a normal one.”
Ronnie Wood then spoke to NME about the “explosive” new songs and how they would translate live. “I have complete faith. We could play the whole album, you know what I mean? But [Mick and Keith] will go, ‘Oh no Ron, that’s so ambitious’. We’re not gonna forget the back catalogue,” he shared.
Organisers at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester have told frustrated fans that they are now “finding a way to help make it right” following show cancellations.
Now, organisers are the venue have apologised to fans, and ensured those left frustrated by the turmoil that they are currently “finding a way to help make it right”.
“We are aware our actions have frustrated and angered ticket holders,” read a statement from the arena last night (May 2). “We know you’ve incurred significant disruption, and are finding a way to help make it right. We are taking the pause to think about the best ways to do that.”
It added: “Our naming rights partner, the Co-op Group, has also expressed the importance of ensuring that the significant impact on ticketholders is recognised and addressed, with more detail to follow soon.”
A similar sentiment was expressed by Chairman and CEO of Oak View Group, Tim Leiweke, last night. He stated that those behind the postponements were looking into the toll it has had on disappointed ticketholders.
“We understand that there is work to be done to rebuild your trust in us,” Leiweke began. “This starts now and at the request of the naming rights partner, The Co-op Group, we will be addressing the impact on affected ticket holders, details of which will be shared soon.”
“We travelled like two hours… it’s just poor, if you’re gonna cancel it, cancel beforehand, so we don’t spend money on getting here,” one fan told NME. “There’s thousands of people stood outside and you cancel it half an hour after the doors were meant to be open?” added her friend. “It’s stupid.”
Another said she was left abandoned after her mother had dropped her off and drove back home, the original plan being for someone else to pick her up after 11. “It’s a two-hour drive,” she explained. “There’s nowhere for me to go.”
Since then, more have taken to social media to share in the frustration. “Co-op live is an actual fucking joke, imagine letting that many people spend money on transport and hotels for what?? Scammers and thieves whoever’s in charge,” one wrote on X/Twitter.
Another added “Co-Op Live in Manchester is an absolute fuck fest and an embarrassment. All the people that have booked hotels etc for their concert and they go and cancel it within in the same week or on the same day. I wouldn’t be shocked if they cancel my Killers concert in June,” while a third shared: “This is getting ridiculous. Close it. Cancel the opening shows. Get it ready. Don’t cancel a show when people are queuing up outside!!! I’d be furious.”
Co-op live is an actual fucking joke, imagine letting that many people spend money on transport and hotels for what?? Scammers and thieves whoever’s in charge
Co-Op Live in Manchester is an absolute fuck fest and an embarrassment. All the people that have booked hotels etc for their concert and they go and cancel it within in the same week or on the same day. I wouldn’t be shocked if they cancel my Killers concert in June, ON day. Joke
This is getting ridiculous. Close it. Cancel the opening shows. Get it ready. Don’t cancel a show when people are queuing up outside!!! I’d be furious. What a joke. PR disaster.
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