Dave Grohl broke his leg on stage but played on …
The Foo Fighters’ frontman wouldn’t let a pesky shattered bone get in the way of pleasing his fans. Grohl slipped off the front of the stage during a gig in Sweden on 12 June, and proceeded to talk his fans through his concern that he might have broken his leg. I assume the adrenaline coursing through his body kept him from screaming hysterically. Instead he sounded like one of those children who have been filmed coming down off medication after a dental appointment, slurring slightly but speaking with fiery emotion as he apologised.
… then had to pull Foo Fighters out of Glastonbury …
After being patched up backstage, Grohl returned to play a few more songs, but a hospital visit showed he’d sustained a serious fracture. Foo Fighters had to cancel their remaining UK and European dates, including two Wembley Stadium shows, a gig at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium and their headlining set at Glastonbury.
… before Florence + the Machine were announced as a replacement
After some overnight speculation – would it be Blur? Kanye West playing two nights in a row? A Dave Grohl hologram? – Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis announced Florence + the Machine would fill the slot. Welch wished Grohl a swift recovery and all that, in a very diplomatic Instagram post, telling fans: “We are honoured to have been asked to step in, and we hope we will be able to give you as good a Friday night as the Foo’s would have … ” We’ll have to see next week, won’t we?
Killer Mike almost ran for political office
The rapper announced a last-minute campaign to run as a state representative candidate in his home state of Georgia, the night before voters took to the polls for a special election on 16 June. It turns out Killer Mike wasn’t eligible to run because he hadn’t registered as a candidate, but he told his followers on Instagram that he would be putting his name forward in future. Given his recent turn as an affable and outspoken political pundit, column co-writer and public speaker on race and hip-hop at US universities, this dalliance may have legs.
Madonna harnessed her Tidal connections for a music video
Madonna knows a lot of famous people. We would expect as much from anyone who’s been a huge success in the music business for this long. So this week, she released the video for Bitch I’m Madonna, roping in fellow Tidal co-owners Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé and Kanye West (among others) for a couple of largely pointless cameo appearances. Bonus Madonna news: she is enlisting the talents of Amy Schumer, as the opening act on the New York leg of her tour in September. Madonna will stay relevant, no matter what you say. Someone pass her a set of grill teeth, a new leotard and a sixth gym membership!
Lindsay Lohan hopped on to Duran Duran’s upcoming album
An unexpected name poked itself out of the press release announcing Duran Duran’s 14th forthcoming album – Lindsay Lohan. The actor briefly pursued a singing career in the 00s (see the video below), so perhaps this is her chance to show off those pipes again. She joins Janelle Monae, Nile Rodgers and John Frusciante (seriously, who hasn’t he collaborated with at this point?) in the album’s liner notes.
Apple Music didn’t impress indie label group Beggars
Adding to a quietly simmering storm over Apple’s record on the labour rights of its factory employees in China, the tech company came under fire for its recent foray into music streaming. Soon-to-launch service Apple Music was criticised by Beggars Group on 17 June, about the three-month, free trial period that will make precisely zero money for artists (and thus labels and publishers) whose music is played during that time. With less than two weeks before Apple Music pops up on Apple devices around the world, the indie music industry is swiftly running out of time to negotiate more favourable terms for compensation.
Neil Young and Donald Trump engaged in a campaign-song tiff
We can’t all get to rock in the free world. Neil Young, between writing upbeat ditties about Monsanto and genetically modified food labelling, made time to scold Donald Trump for walking out on stage to Rockin’ in the Free World as the tycoon announced his presidential candidacy campaign. Trump’s people later apologised, and said they wouldn’t use Young’s music – but insisted that Trump is still a fan. Young’s rebuttal? He’s more of a Bernie Sanders supporter.
Courtney Love wanted to block screenings of a Kurt Cobain film
The docudrama Soaked in Bleach, was at the centre of a defamation claim, according to Deadline. Lawyers working on Love’s behalf allegedly sent a cease-and-desist letter to a movie theatre scheduled to screen the film, which rehashes the theory that Love may have played a role in her late husband’s death. Soaked in Bleach is in no way connected to Brett Morgen’s documentary Montage of Heck, endorsed by both Love and her daughter, Frances Bean Cobain.
Tyler, the Creator responded to an ex-fan’s Reddit criticism
This story couldn’t be more meta if it tried. Tumblr- and Twitter-obsessed rapper Tyler, the Creator wrote a longish response to one former fan’s grumbling Reddit post. Tyler addressed the fan’s suggestions that he’d sold out, and become fixated on material wealth and cars.
