Music

Harry Styles ends 30-night Madison Square Garden residency with banner honour

• Harry Styles closed his MSG residency after 30 nights.
• Jalen Brunson presented him with a commemorative banner.
• The Together, Together tour also played dates across Europe and Latin America.

Harry Styles ended his record-breaking Madison Square Garden residency on 31 October after 30 shows over 10 weeks. New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson joined him on stage to present a commemorative banner, marking the consecutive run and the close of Styles’ New York dates. The presentation…

US voters divided as Moscow threat looms; Google’s AI makes space debut

A credible mass casualty threat prompts a US Embassy warning in Moscow, while voters in key US counties differ sharply on Trump and Senate candidates. Google reports its first in-orbit AI inference; Rumours nears a sales milestone and Skyblivion faces a legal challenge.

The 1976 Bob Dylan anthem Jeff Tweedy says only comes along “once every 10 years”

• Jeff Tweedy calls “Hurricane” a once-in-a-decade performance.
• The song appeared on Bob Dylan’s 1976 album *Desire*.
• Its lyrics address Rubin Carter’s wrongful imprisonment and racism.

Jeff Tweedy has praised Bob Dylan’s “Hurricane” as a rare performance, saying its combination of song, delivery and intensity comes along only once every ten years. His remarks underline the track’s lasting influence and the force of Dylan’s work beyond his celebrated 1960s output. Released on the 1976…

In 2004, Dwayne Johnson rejected the biggest leading role of his career. His arch-nemesis played it instead

• Johnson chose *Be Cool* over *The Pacifier*.
• Vin Diesel took the Disney comedy role.
• Johnson said the reviews helped his career.

Dwayne Johnson turned down the lead role in Disney’s family comedy *The Pacifier* in 2004, choosing instead to appear in the ensemble comedy *Be Cool*. Vin Diesel eventually took the role, and the article says the choice marked an early career crossroads for Johnson: he passed up a…

Stone Gossard has the groove. Mike McCready has the leads. Neither wants to trade places

• Gossard provides Pearl Jam’s guitar groove.
• McCready brings the lead work.
• Neither thinks swapping roles would sound right.

Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard and Mike McCready have complementary guitar roles that have helped shape the band’s sound for decades. McCready says swapping parts would not work because each brings a different feel to the music. Gossard’s playing centres on rhythm and groove, while McCready is known for…

The 2005 role Billy Bob Thornton was desperate to play again: “I would do another one”

• Thornton said he would reprise Morris Buttermaker.
• He wanted a sequel to keep the original’s tone.
• His 2016 Bad Santa sequel was less successful.

Billy Bob Thornton said he would have liked to play Morris Buttermaker again after starring in 2005’s Bad News Bears, a remake of the 1976 baseball comedy. He enjoyed the role but wanted any follow-up to preserve the original’s tone and avoid becoming a broad, “bonehead” comedy. Thornton…

How Venom made their unholy masterpiece Black Metal and changed the course of metal

• Venom’s 1982 album helped define black metal.
• It was recorded in about a week.
• Its influence grew beyond its rough production.

Venom’s 1982 album *Black Metal* gave its name to a genre and helped shape the sound and imagery of extreme metal. The article traces how the band turned a raw, provocative record into an enduring influence, despite its rough production and deliberately abrasive style. The album followed Venom’s…

The 1975 song Bad Company wrote to “prove” they weren’t a one-hit wonder

• Bad Company wanted their second album to prove they were more than a one-hit act.
• Paul Rodgers began the song’s verses in 1968.
• Mick Ralphs added the heavy chorus riff.

After the success of their 1974 debut, Bad Company felt pressure to show they could sustain it with a strong follow-up. The band’s 1975 song ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’ became a major track on their second album, Straight Shooter, and Paul Rodgers later described it as a possible…

Born 89 Years Ago Today in Chicago, the Folk Legend Whose Songs Have Been Recorded by Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, and Johnny Cash

• Tom Paxton turns 89, marking seven decades in folk music.
• His songs have been recorded by major country and folk artists.
• He has released more than 70 albums and built a following abroad.

Tom Paxton, born in Chicago on 31 October 1937, is an American folk singer-songwriter whose career has lasted seven decades. His songs have been recorded by artists including Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, reflecting his influence beyond his own modest US chart success. Raised…

Inde Navarrette hosts Halloween Saturday Night Live with Gracie Abrams

• Inde Navarrette makes her SNL hosting debut.
• Gracie Abrams returns as musical guest.
• The Halloween episode airs live on NBC at 11.30 p.m. ET/PT.

Inde Navarrette is set to host the Halloween episode of *Saturday Night Live*, with Gracie Abrams as the musical guest. It marks Navarrette’s first time hosting and Abrams’s second appearance as a musical guest. The fourth episode of season 52 is scheduled to air live on NBC on…