All posts tagged: rock

Sam Reid Plays Bloodsucking Rock Star

Sam Reid Plays Bloodsucking Rock Star

Published by Daniella Wilson

Sam Reid plays the camp vampire rock star Lestat de Lioncourt looking to set the record straight after being alive and undead for 265 years in the official trailer for AMC’s The Vampire Lestat drama that dropped on Wednesday. The Interview With The Vampire series, based on the late Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles books, has been retitled for the third season, as Reid’s character looks to reclaim his centuries-old story as an immortal, yet turbulent rock star. “It’s my era. I’m a rock star now,” a strutting de Lioncourt says at one point in the stylized and fast-paced teaser trailer, with one camera angle revealing the celebrity touring performer’s boots have the word “Hate” on one sole and “Me” on the other. But, as he attempts to set the record straight with a “rewrite” of the Vampire Chronicles, de Lioncourt’s life begins to spin out of control as he is haunted by the muses from his rebellious past. “I’m immortal… I’ve been a monster. This is my reckoning,” Reid’s character cries out as AMC reveals …

Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Stevie Wonder Honor Eddie Murphy at AFI’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Stevie Wonder Honor Eddie Murphy at AFI’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Published by Sam Flores

Kevin Hart opened up the tribute to Murphy, by talking about the influence he had over every comic’s career and the walls he broke down as a black comedian. This was a prevailing theme throughout the night. “He’s our power. He’s our friend,” Hart said. “And even you white people think he’s your friend, and he’s done a lot to show you different! He’s given us the gift of laughter across generations.” In video interstitials, Murphy reflected upon his career. He pointed out that in Beverly Hills Cop, his character flipped the script on the usual tropes by having a black man not just tolerated in a position of power, but to take charge. He cited Peter Sellers as an inspiration to play multiple roles in movies like The Nutty Professor and Coming to America. He also pointed out that the industry initially complained about the novelty of Boomerang‘s all-black cast when it first premiered. Stevie Wonder received a standing ovation when he took the stage. Murphy famously parodied Wonder on SNL, but the two …

Charli XCX declares ‘the dancefloor is dead’ as she announces rock album

Charli XCX declares ‘the dancefloor is dead’ as she announces rock album

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the inside track from Roisin O’Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This It’s official: Brat is out and rock is in, according to Charli XCX. The “360” singer, 33, announced that she’s finishing work on her eighth album – and she’s done a musical 180. “I think the dance floor is dead,” she said in a new cover interview with British Vogue for its May issue. “So now we’re making rock music.” While the Brit Award winner, born Charlotte Emma Aitchison, didn’t share a release date, the interview stated that she was completing the project last month. Charli XCX on the cover of British Vogue (Vogue) Charli became a global phenomenon during the release of her sixth album Brat, with its instantly recognisable lime green cover and party girl theme capturing the zeitgeist of 2024. She took home British Album of the Year at the Brit Awards in 2025, as well as two Grammys and …

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to induct its first African star : NPR

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to induct its first African star : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Nigerian superstar Fela Kuti performs at Orchestra Hall in Detroit, Michigan, in 1986. In the past year, the late musician has received two historic honors: the first African artist to receive a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and to be named for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Leni Sinclair/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives hide caption toggle caption Leni Sinclair/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives Editor’s note: This is an update of the profile published in December of the great African musician Fela Kuti. The original post was published when it was announced that Kuti would become the first African musician ever awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Now this week, he is on the list of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and again is a historic “first” — the first African musician to be inducted into the hall. Fela Kuti, the Afrobeat pioneer and activist who died in 1997, is now holds two landmark honors. On December 19, he became the first African musician ever awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, joining an …

Meet The Lion King’s new leads: ‘The Pride Rock prop is older than us!’

Meet The Lion King’s new leads: ‘The Pride Rock prop is older than us!’

Published by Sam Flores

“As performers we like to stay on top of our, physical health and mental health to give the same standard of performance anyway,” says Parker-Wallace, “But here you’ve got to to play animals on stage, you’ve got to be strong in your stature, your stance. The good thing is they’ve had 27 years of refining The Lion King, so the guys taking care of us are more than equipped. Tomorrow we have an injury prevention meeting. They’ve got an in-house physio team. They have many a PT on hand. Someone on the production had broken their ankle and within 7 weeks they were back on stage. So they will care for us while I feel like I can go home and learn my lines, get in the right headspace, try not to put my body in any jeopardizing positions, and as a company they will just usher me on my way to climbing Pride Rock…” Source link

Afrika Bambaataa dead: Hip-hop pioneer and ‘Planet Rock’ rapper

Afrika Bambaataa dead: Hip-hop pioneer and ‘Planet Rock’ rapper

Published by Sam Flores

Afrika Bambaataa, the influential rapper and DJ who helped shape the culture of hip-hop via his legendary Zulu Nation block parties in the South Bronx, has died. Also known for his electro-funk records including “Planet Rock” and “Looking for the Perfect Beat,” the musician — born Lance Taylor — died Thursday “from complications of cancer,” according to TMZ. He was 68. A Bronx native and former member of the Black Spades gang, Bambaataa was most known for establishing his activist organization Universal Zulu Nation and hosting its block parties through the late ‘70s, gatherings that helped elevate rap from a genre of music to a cultural movement. The first Zulu Nation block party was held in 1977, set against a turbulent time for New York City — one marked by a historic blackout and a series of blazes across the South Bronx. The celebrations welcomed graffiti artists, DJs, emcees and other street performers, offering former gang members a positive outlet and laying the groundwork for what would become the four elements of hip-hop: deejaying, B-boy/girl …

Rock legend makes surprise trip to Cardiff record shop then says he’s going for a ‘pint of Brains’

Rock legend makes surprise trip to Cardiff record shop then says he’s going for a ‘pint of Brains’

Published by Sam Flores

Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant has made a surprise trip to Cardiff. Plant visited the world’s oldest record shop, Spillers Records, where a special plaque was unveiled to honour his legendary status. During the visit, the rock legend described Spillers as an “institution” and praised independent record store owners. He made the visit ahead of Record Store Day 2026 – an annual worldwide celebration of independent venues and record stores. Plant is the latest recipient of its Record Store Legend award. The Led Zeppelin frontman spent the afternoon in Cardiff’s Victorian Morgan Arcade browsing vinyl racks before being presented with the honour. The special plaque not only recognises Plant’s contribution to music but his connection to Wales, which has inspired much of his songwriting. The legendary rocker previously revealed that the beautiful Welsh countryside helped inspire his 2017 album, Carry Fire. A small Welsh cottage hidden away in the hills was famously the setting for Led Zeppelin to write most of their critically-acclaimed third album in 1970. Parts of their hit Stairway To Heaven – …

Rock League is giving curling its first true professional franchise league

Rock League is giving curling its first true professional franchise league

Published by Jenni Sidey

The sweepers are out front, and curling is trying to move faster than it ever has before. Just over a month after the Winter Olympics put the sport back in front of a huge global audience, the new Rock League is set to open in Toronto from April 6 to 12. It will offer something curling has never had before: a professional league built around franchises, team branding and a broadcast-ready format. The league will feature six mixed-gender franchises and events across men’s, women’s, mixed team and mixed doubles competition. According to The Curling Group, which operates the league, games will run about two hours. The company also owns the Grand Slam of Curling series. Additionally, it has brought in former Olympic champions Jennifer Jones and John Morris as strategic advisors for rosters and format. For chief executive Nic Sulsky, the timing was the point. The league will feature six mixed-gender franchises and events across men’s, women’s, mixed team and mixed doubles competition. (CREDIT: Rock League) “Curling is always among the most watched winter Olympic …