Black Sabbath won’t play a farewell gig in Japan after all
Sabbath fans, don’t fret: the band’s Japan Ozzfest gig cancellation doesn’t kill all possible farewell show potential. Sharon Osbourne may have mentioned “Black Sabbath’s farewell” in a video about November’s Ozzfest event last month, but the group released a statement on Wednesday saying that Ozzy Osbourne, and not the full band, are now set to play at the festival. According to a band representative speaking to Billboard: “There have been ongoing discussions about a Sabbath farewell tour, though nothing has been officially confirmed by the band.” Not exactly comforting news, but not devastating words either.
Twisted Sister, however, confirmed farewell gigs for 2016
In honour of drummer AJ Pero, who died in March 2015, Twisted Sister have announced a couple of farewell gigs set for May and June next year. The Forty and Fuck It tour, on-brand in title as ever, will “formally close the touring chapter” of the band’s career, according to a statement they shared on Facebook on Wednesday.
Boston now has a Riot Grrrl Day
Kathleen Hanna fans in the Massachusetts capital had reason to pat themselves on their independent, third-wave-feminist backs this week. Boston’s mayor signed a proclamation declaring 9 April to be Riot Grrrl Day, in honour of Hanna’s visit to the city for a speaking event. Let it be known henceforth that smashing the patriarchy and standing up against regressive reproductive rights for women can at least be officially heralded one day a year.
Frances Bean Cobain said she prefers Oasis to Nirvana
Not every child grows up to adore their parent’s work. Kurt Cobain’s daughter Frances Bean spoke openly about her father for the first time in an interview with Rolling Stone, and basically said she isn’t that bothered about Nirvana’s music or the grunge scene overall. Give her Oasis or Mercury Rev any day, apparently.
The National’s six-hour song is coming out on vinyl
If you’re the sort of person who obsessively listens to one song on repeat, mournful-indie band the National have a real treat for you. They’re going to release the six-hour song A Lot of Sorrow on nine-disc vinyl. For those who didn’t hear about the band’s live performance in 2013, it basically entails them playing their three-and-a-half minute song Sorrow repeatedly for six hours. The box set will only set you back a cool £120 ($175) – surely you can’t put a price on artistic repetition?
Recorded in 2013, @The_National's 'A Lot Of Sorrow' at @MoMAPS1 will be released on vinyl: http://t.co/IyD9bz6cce | pic.twitter.com/zLdN00SJCO
— 4AD (@4AD_Official) April 9, 2015
Mariah Carey is making a Christmas film
Mariah doesn’t want a lot for Christmas, but she reportedly needs to make a New Line studios film about the festive season. “Make” might be a stretch: she was part of the film’s pitch process, alongside two writers and a producer, and is set to feature on the soundtrack. As long as this movie doesn’t follow in Glitter’s staggering footsteps, this could be interesting.
BB King was briefly in hospital
The blues legend, now 89, was taken to hospital on 6 April, according to a statement given to the LA Times by his representatives. His daughter Claudette then confirmed that he was suffering from dehydration related to type II diabetes. On 7 April, his official Facebook page posted the following statement: “I want to thank everyone for their concern and good wishes. I’m feeling much better & am leaving the hospital today.” Good news all round.
Tyler, the Creator and Frank Ocean became media types
The two members of the Odd Future crew announced unexpected media ventures this week. Rapper Tyler, the Creator launched his Golf Media app (in reference to the Golf Wang clothing line, Tumblr and slogan often employed by Odd Future), and has a print magazine in the works. According to Tyler’s manager, Golf Media will include: “Original series, content, live streaming, radio, tour stuff, golf wang, interactive and whatever other buzzwords that sound mildly annoying.”
Frank Ocean, on the other hand, is due to launch a print magazine entitled Boys Don’t Cry in July, when he releases the follow-up to 2012 album Channel Orange. If this is what it might take to wrest the world of publishing from the hands of a few newspaper-owning families and Rupert Murdoch, bring it on.
The first big-name exclusives rolled out on Tidal
Remember last week, when everyone was making fun of Jay Z’s new artist-owned music streaming service? Tidal wasted no time in bringing out the big guns, releasing exclusive videos by Beyoncé and Rihanna days after launching. Of course, as we all know, the word “exclusive” just means “only on this one site until someone rips it and puts it on YouTube”. Which, in both video’s cases, happened within hours.
Selena’s family want her hologram to tour the world
In the week’s strangest news, late Mexican Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla is set to be reimagined as singing, dancing and touring hologram Selena the One in 2018. Some tech company, whose website requires you to put in a password before you can see anything, is developing the hologram, and Selena’s sister Suzette has confirmed the Quintanilla family’s involvement in the project to Billboard. Selena was last immortalised on-screen by Jennifer Lopez in a 1997 biopic. She was murdered in March 1995.
