10-year-old music wonderkid Nandi Bushell published a video of herself opening up a gift from Muse's Matt Bellamy - a signature guitar model. Bushell has covered 'Plug in Baby' witch caught the attention of Muse's frontman, who sent her the model, and the polite and nice girl was really happy with the gift. Previously, Bushell has covered Muse's 'Hysteria'.
John Mayer posted a snippet of his new song to TikTok, and young British singer/songwriter and Mayer-lover Mary Spender couldn't wait so she composed the rest of the song. It took her three days to come up with the rest of the song, to record and mix it. She even made a video of the whole process and her version of the song.
Pete Davidson, Chris Redd and musical guest Jack Harlow delivered an Eminem-inspired rap about NFT on the latest episode of Saturday Night Live. Rapping on Eminem’s 'Without Me' video Davidson acts as a superhero, he is then joined by Redd’s Morpheus from The Matrix, and Harlow as a janitor.
BBC is showing a new documentary 'Black Power: A British Story of Resistance' about the UK's Black Power movement in the late 1960s which aimed to bring a revolution to the status of black people in the UK. It features interviews with past activists, some of which have told about the music that epitomises their journey.
Musicians Adam Neely and Ben Levin wrote and recorded an entire album in 24 hours over a Zoom call. They streamed the whole process on Twitch, had some guests, and raised over $15,000 for Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services during the stream. The album is basically hyper-pop with added pop and jazz.
Richard Bienstock and Tom Beajuour, the authors of the new oral history 'Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion' choose eight of the most archetypal and illustrative videos of '80s hard rock. It's Poison's 'Talk Dirty To me', Guns N' Roses' 'It's So Easy', Mötley Crüe's 'Looks That Kill' and several others similarly ridiculous. As for Binstock and Beajuour's book, All Music argues it is a "treasure trove of stories, drama, and details from one of the most over-the-top eras in rock".
Indonesian drummer Deden Noy has built his own kit from paint cans, small barrels, packing tape, and metal trays covering Dream Theater, Avenged Sevenfold, System of a Down, Rush, and other bands for his YouTube channel. Noy got nearly a million views for his cover of Dream Theater’s 'Metropolis Pt. 1', with attracted the attention of Mike Portnoy who promised the drummer a new kit & cymbals from Tama and Sabian. Loudwire reports.
Obviously, members of Sleigh Bells, Powerman 5000, Glassjaw, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Gwarsenio Hall were young in the 1990s, so in their latest edition of Two Minutes to Late Night they made a medley of a bunch of classic '90s club jams, including Alice DJ’s 'Better Off Alone', DJ Sammy’s 'Heaven', Vengaboys’ 'We Like To Party!', Corona’s 'The Rhythm Of The Night', Haddaway’s 'What Is Love (Baby Don’t Hurt Me)', and more.
World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma played a short gig in the observation area at the Berkshire Community College in Massachusetts after receiving his COVID-19 vaccination this week. Ma said he wanted to “give something back” after receiving his jab, so he played a 15-minute concert for others waiting at the centre, the Berkshire Eagle reports. Ma’s set was observed by a small crowd that were masked and socially distanced.
Pussy Riot have shared a new video 'Panic Attack' filmed on 106 cameras for an immersive AR experience rendered through a video game engine (watch it below). The video was directed by Asad J. Malik, and the song comes from a three-song Pussy Riot EP called 'Panic Attack', featuring singles 'TOXIC' with Dorian Electra and produced by 100 gecs’ Dylan Brady and 'Sexist' featuring Hofmannita.
In Frankfurt, people can order a classical concert to their door with the musicians from the Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra cycling to the audience's doors. The concerts last up to 10 minutes and are free, but donations are welcome.
An Instagram user ipaddrummer posted various short clips of drum covers on an iPad, of songs by Metallica, Slipknot, Iron Maiden, System of a Down, Slayer, Cannibal Corpse, Aerosmith, and many others, and it's just as amazing as it is funny.
Crime drama 'City of Lies' about the murder of Notorious B.I.G. is finally coming out next week (it was postponed three years ago due to Johnny Depp’s public image at the time). 'City of Lies' is based on the true story of Biggie's death in 1997. The movie follows a retired LAPD detective named Russell Poole (Depp) and a journalist (Forest Whitaker) as they try to uncover the identities of those responsible for the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie.
Janelle Monae performed her anthemic song 'Turntables' on Stephen Colbert's The Late Show. She wrote the song for the documentary 'All In: The Fight for Democracy', starring Stacey Abrams, and in this rendition, it came out as soul Rage Against The Machine.
"This isn't a typical music documentary. It’s as personal as it gets" - director Leigh Brooks says about 'The Sound of Scars', his new docu about Brooklyn alt-metal vets Life of Agony. The 90-minute film features new interviews with band members and their families, as well as archival footage, rare photographs, and "lost" interviews, and it looks at lead vocalist Mina Caputo's gender transition.
A lovely story in the InsideHook about Frank Watkinson, a 68-year-old English grandfather whose YouTube channel has become an unexpected sensation during quarantine, thanks to his folk covers of songs by Bright Eyes, Neutral Milk Hotel, Death Cab For Cutie, Radiohead, as well as covers of A-ha and Slipknot, made in the same folk vein.
A beautiful story in BBC about ballerina Ilmira Bagrautinova from the world-renowned Mariinsky Theatre who, dressed in full costume, performs scenes from Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' - on the frozen Gulf of Finland. It's her eco-protest against the construction of a port in Batareinaya Bay, a popular beach about 100 km west of St Petersburg. Bagrautinova told the BBC "we are hoping that nature, beauty and harmony will triumph".
The movie 'Shoplifters of the World' is based on a (maybe) actual life incident from 1987 when an impassioned Smiths fan takes a local radio DJ hostage at gunpoint and forces him to play nothing but Smiths tracks for a night. The movie is coming out on March 26, starring Ellar Coltrane ('Boyhood') as the radio station hijacker and Joe Manganiello ('True Blood') as the radio station DJ.
Canadian jazz-fusion drummer Larnell Lewis was challenged to play a drum part - on the spot - to a song he'd never heard before, Metallica's 'Enter Sandman'. First, Lewis actively listens to the song, breaks down all the details, noticing patterns and themes and how the different instruments play off each other. At the end he steps into Lars Ulrich's shoes.
George Clooney performed a lyrical improv reading of BTS' biggest hit 'Dynamite'. With a straight face Clooney says "hello, I'm Brad Pitt", and reads the lyrics. Amusing stuff!
Bobby Shmurda was freed from prison on Tuesday after he spent six years there on illegal firearm and conspiracy charges. While he was still in prison, Complex released a short documentary questioning whether his success in the music business led to his current incarceration. Hip-hop police's chief also suggested he should have turned his back on his friends when he reached fame
The 10-year-old wunderkind Nandi Bushell shared her version of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 1991 hit 'Under The Bridge'. This time, she played the guitar, drum, bass, and vocal parts. Bushell operates a looping machine for her instrumentals while simultaneously putting on her Anthony Kiedis impersonation.
Iggy Pop opened this year's virtual Tibet House Benefit with a dramatic reading of Dylan Thomas' classic poem 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night' against a soundscape created by Noveller and Leron Thomas. Directed by Simon Taylor, it features Iggy Pop staring straight into the camera lens and reciting for 1 minute 47 seconds.
Pussy Riot shared 'Toxic', a new collaborative single with Dorian Electra, produced by 100 gecs’ Dylan Brady who adds plenty of hyper-pop sonics. Nadya Tolokonnikova said “‘Toxic' is political, because personal is political. The single reflects on the importance of self-care, cherishing your mental health and staying away from relationships that poison you", according to Pitchfork.
"I'm a girl from a cotton field that pulled myself above the destruction and the mistakes. And I'm here for you" - Tina Turner says in the official trailer for the documentary 'Tina', which is set to follow her early life and childhood, People reports. The brief interview clip refers to Turner's youth. At 11, Turner's mother Zelma left her family and the abusive relationship she had with Turner's father Floyd. The documentary also features interviews with Tina in her hometown of Zurich, Switzerland and shows new footage, audio tapes, and personal photos.
Daft Punk announced their split via an 8-minute video, so it's quite fitting to look back at their career through the lens of music videos. Pitchfork picks out their best videos, going from 1996's 'Da Funk' to 'Get Lucky' from 2013.
De La Soul were the latest guests at the animated show 'Teen Titans Go!' where they had their music eaten by an enormous monster, Rolling Stone reports. It's a direct reference to the band's troubles with their publisher. De La Soul are one of the foundational voices of modern rap, but today most of their catalogue remains digitally unavailable, with everything before 2004 missing from streaming services. The reasons are said to involve issues with sample clearance, bureaucratic feet-dragging across Warner and Tommy Boy Records, and muddled contract disputes.
Rick Ross performed a part gangsta-rap, part gospel, part funk concert for NPR's Tiny Desk. It took place in the gallery space of Miami artist Rich B Caliente, and it was just the second time Ross has performed with a live band.
Dr. Cornel West talked to Beatport about the origination of house and techno by African American creators, going into the philosophy of black music. West argues it is a vessel to travel through time and be connected with time and space. He also discusses the hijacking of music made by black people.
20-year-old Polish guitar virtuoso Marcin Patrzalek has gone viral for his cover of Led Zeppelin’s 'Kashmir' in his distinctive percussive finger-picking style. Marcin recorded the video in a parking garage, as he plays the guitar and drum parts of the beginning of the famous song.
