Music

The singer Paul Simon will always be listening to: “See what they’re up to”

Paul Simon has said he continues to follow Bob Dylan’s work closely, describing him as an artist he will “always be listening to” in order to see what he is doing. The remark underlines the long-standing artistic connection and mutual influence between two of the most important American…

Ross Robinson reveals that Slipknot were talking about splitting up just before they made Iowa: “We’re just not getting along. We’re gonna break up.”

• Producer Ross Robinson says Slipknot nearly split before recording Iowa
• Band member reportedly said they were "gonna break up" pre-recording
• Comes amid unconfirmed reports Sid Wilson may have left the band

Slipknot's Iowa producer Ross Robinson has revealed that the band were on the verge of splitting up before recording their landmark second album, released in 2001. Speaking to Metal Hammer ahead of the record's 25th anniversary, Robinson described the intense internal and external pressures the band faced as…

“I probably should’ve put them through hell.” Tarja reflects on her public dismissal from Nightwish in 2005

• Tarja Turunen revisits her 2005 public sacking from Nightwish
• Says she "probably should've put them through hell"
• Has since built a solo career and released new album Frisson Noir

Tarja Turunen, the former operatic vocalist of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, has reflected on her acrimonious departure from the group in 2005, admitting she perhaps should have been tougher on them at the time. She rose to fame with Nightwish's 2004 album Once, but was dismissed the…

“I just cared so much”: the 2018 role that stopped Elizabeth Olsen from becoming “lazy”

• Olsen admits early fame made her "lazy" as an actor
• Sorry for Your Loss (2018) renewed her creative drive
• Producing role sparked ongoing interest in that side of filmmaking

Elizabeth Olsen has revealed that her early success left her feeling "lazy" as an actor, before a 2018 television role reignited her passion for the craft. Her 2011 breakout in Martha Marcy May Marlene earned widespread acclaim, but she later admitted to Variety that she began coasting on…

The 1966 song that convinced Brian May rock music would never be the same: “Absolutely perfect”

• Brian May says ‘Good Vibrations’ changed his view of rock.
• He called the 1966 Beach Boys song “absolutely perfect”.
• Its inventive studio production made it a landmark record.

Brian May has identified the Beach Boys’ 1966 single ‘Good Vibrations’ as a record that showed him rock music had entered a new era, describing it as “absolutely perfect”. The song’s ambitious production and rapid shifts in mood demonstrated how pop and rock could be more inventive, layered…

The 1995 role Tommy Lee Jones couldn’t understand: “Why don’t you re-read the fucking thing?”

• Oscar-winning Tommy Lee Jones initially rejected the Two-Face role in Batman Forever after dismissing the screenplay as incomprehensible
• Producer Peter Macgregor-Scott convinced him through a blunt phone rebuke reminding Jones of his Academy Award status
• The 1995 film became commercially successful and Jones' performance received critical praise despite mixed reviews for the film overall

Didn't get the script at all. The post The 1995 role Tommy Lee Jones couldn’t understand: “Why don’t you re-read the fucking thing?” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

The “beautiful” 2012 album Paul McCartney needed to make: “Magical”

• Paul McCartney released the jazz standards album 'Kisses on the Bottom' in 2012 after decades of aspiring to record in that style
• He drew creative inspiration from classic songwriters like Cole Porter and performers like Frank Sinatra, admiring their compositional sophistication
• McCartney deliberately pursued the project despite recognizing his rock fanbase would likely reject the departure from his established repertoire

Working until it's great. The post The “beautiful” 2012 album Paul McCartney needed to make: “Magical” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

The 1959 album Linda Ronstadt knew she would never forget: “I was blown away”

• Ronstadt said Miles Davis’s *Kind of Blue* profoundly impressed her.
• The 1959 record reshaped her sense of musical possibility.
• It remains among jazz’s most influential albums.

Linda Ronstadt recalled being deeply affected by Miles Davis’s 1959 album *Kind of Blue*, saying it left her “blown away” when she first heard it. The record mattered to her because it expanded her understanding of musical expression and demonstrated how jazz could be both technically sophisticated and…

Billie Eilish’s ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour’ Film Hits Streaming This Week

• Eilish's tour film streams on Paramount+ from 6 August.
• Co-directed with James Cameron; premiered in cinemas in May.
• Features Manchester 2025 footage and hits like "Bad Guy".

Billie Eilish's concert film "Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live)" will begin streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States on Thursday 6 August, following its theatrical run earlier this year. The film documents her arena tour supporting her 2024 album Hit Me Hard and Soft,…