A Janis Joplin documentary hits US cinemas on Friday
Janis: Little Girl Blue takes an intimate look at Joplin’s life and career – though UK fans will have to wait until February to see the documentary in cinemas. It’s been somewhat of a banner year for big-name music documentaries, from Asif Kapadia’s Amy and Liz Garbus’ What Happened, Miss Simone? to Brett Morgen’s Cobain: Montage of Heck. Joplin fans hopefully won’t be disappointed by Amy Berg’s effort here, in a film that uses recently unearthed footage to chronicle Joplin’s role as a trailblazer in a male-dominated genre.
MIA released a music video addressing the refugee crisis
Love or hate her abrasive electronic music, MIA’s never been one to shy away from political commentary in her work. On Friday, she shared a music video for song Borders. It sees her mean-mugging the camera, surrounded by extras scaling border-like fences and others huddled on boats akin to those used for perilous refugee and migrant crossings. Watch the video here and have a look at the song’s lyrics, which MIA shared on Twitter below:
— M.I.A (@MIAuniverse) November 24, 2015
Glastonbury 2016 is almost 80% booked …
So begins the annual song and dance in the leadup to the massive UK festival. Adele’s name has already been mentioned in rumoured whispers about next year’s lineup – god forbid we go a day without hearing about her at the moment – but festival organiser Emily Eavis would only go so far as to say that 80% of the acts are booked. In a BBC interview, Eavis said that two of the three headliners were confirmed in writing, and one verbally. It’s not even December, so let’s come back to this when we’re a bit closer to the June festival dates.
… And organisers say the festival won’t be moving sites
In other Glasto news, this week Emily Eavis honed her backpedalling skills. Her father and festival founder Michael Eavis said a gas pipe may have forced Glastonbury to move to a nearby site – Emily had to swoop in and clarify his statements on Tuesday. Fear not, longtime festivalgoers: she said Glastonbury is due to stay put on Worthy Farm next year.
Killer Mike urged rally-goers to ‘feel the Bern’
The Atlanta rapper tapped into his rousing oratory skills, whipping up support for US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders at a rally on Monday 23 November. “I know I’m preaching to the choir tonight,” he said, “but I’m here to tell you: stay encouraged, stay invigorated, stay bold, stay confronting bullshit at every turn.” In the face of a campaign run by a businessman who condones torture, mocks journalists and actively campaigns against windfarms in the UK, Killer Mike’s advice feels especially apt.
Kendrick Lamar apparently inspired David Bowie’s new album
I don’t expect to hear Bowie singing about white supremacy any time soon, but producer Tony Visconti has said forthcoming Bowie album Blackstar was inspired by Lamar’s approach to music on To Pimp a Butterfly. “He threw everything on there, and that’s exactly what we wanted to do. The goal, in many, many ways, was to avoid rock’n’roll,” Visconti said, speaking to Rolling Stone. Let’s all just take a minute to appreciate how a 28-year-old man from Compton went from an unknown to a rapper able to inspire one of rock’s greats. Go on, Kendrick.
PJ Harvey was announced as the first Field Day festival headliner
Let us all join hands and pray that sound levels on the main stage allow us to hear PJ Harvey in June. Ignoring the fashion blogger Olympics on display at Field Day, the festival – like others set in London’s Victoria Park – easily falls victim to muffled sound during headliner sets. Granted, the park’s in a residential area. The council can’t allow music so loud that it makes grannies’ flats tremble, but I can only hope that we’ll be able to revel in the glory of Harvey’s first live UK show in about four years. Fingers crossed.
Wu-Tang Clan’s one-copy album sold apparently for ‘millions’
Cash Rules Everything Around Me indeed. Rap group Wu-Tang Clan this week confirmed that a private buyer bought one-copy album, Once Upon A Time in Shaolin, for “millions”. Founding group member RZA said he hopes “the impact of this historical sale will echo through the ages,” though that echo may not reverberate outside the buyer’s house for a while: the owner of the album has agreed not to share it with the rest of us for another 88 years. Here’s to our -great-grandchildren enjoying Wu-Tang’s finest work.
Jack Garratt won the Brits critics’ choice award
If you live in the UK, may I introduce to you the musician you won’t be able to avoid – from billboards and posters to radio – for the next year. Jack Garratt follows James Bay, Sam Smith and Emeli Sandé as winner of the latest Brits critics’ choice award. Get ready to have his poppy, part-bluesy, part-trendy electronic music jammed down your throat. 2016, here we come.
Cynthia Robinson, of the Family Stone, died aged 69
The renowned trumpeter, singer and founding member of Sly and the Family Stone died after being recently diagnosed with cancer. Robinson played a pivotal role in the Family Stone’s funk and soul career, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with her bandmates in 1993. She is survived by two daughters.
