Music

In the 1960s, a young Elvis Costello enountered the only pop song he still couldn’t live without

• Costello’s 1992 island records spanned classical, jazz and pop.
• His only rock band choice was the Beatles.
• He selected their cover of Smokey Robinson’s “You Really Got a Hold on Me”.

In a 1992 appearance on Desert Island Discs, Elvis Costello chose eight records he would want with him on a deserted island, explaining that this was different from selecting his favourite songs. His choices spanned classical music, jazz and standards, with just one rock band represented, reflecting tastes…

DJ Suzy Unveils Debut Full-Length ‘Kira Krash’

• DJ Suzy has released her debut album, *Kira Krash*.
• The 13 tracks explore her doll alter ego and personal struggles.
• “dream” is accompanied by a surreal video filmed in Gothenburg.

Stockholm based artist DJ Suzy has released her debut full length album, *Kira Krash*, expanding the alter ego she has been developing since 2019. The record matters as a personal exploration of identity and difficult feelings, inviting listeners into a fantasy world shaped by shame, unrequited love, addiction…

EsDeeKid Shares ‘BANDIT’, Confirms UK Tour

• EsDeeKid has released new single “BANDIT”.
• A December UK and Ireland tour is confirmed.
• The schedule includes two Liverpool homecoming shows.

EsDeeKid has released “BANDIT”, a new single made with close collaborator Wraith9. The release follows a busy year in which the Liverpool artist gained attention in North America, including performances at Rolling Loud, and signals his growing reach with a UK tour announced for December. The tour includes…

Uche Yara shares her ‘Bodyscanner pre-show picks’ in exclusive playlist to accompany The Cover

• Uche Yara shared pre-show songs for her ‘Bodyscanner’ gigs.
• The playlist features Princess Nokia, Little Simz and others.
• Her debut album tackles climate change and historical injustice.

Austria-born, Berlin-based musician Uche Yara has curated a playlist of songs she listens to before performing her ‘Bodyscanner’ gigs. The selection accompanies her feature on The Cover, highlighting her work as an emerging artist. The playlist includes tracks by Princess Nokia, Little Simz, Leikeli47, Doechii and Alewya, and…

Dwayne Johnson Officially Undergoes Shocking Transformation for New Movie

• Johnson plays the elderly Chicken Man in *Lizard Music*.
• His daily makeup transformation took five hours.
• The film is scheduled for release on 25 December 2027.

On-set images from Benny Safdie’s fantasy family film *Lizard Music* show Dwayne Johnson transformed into the elderly Chicken Man, a street performer. The role marks another striking physical change for Johnson and comes in Safdie’s next film after their collaboration on *The Smashing Machine*. Johnson appears aged by…

Born 59 Years Ago Today Halfway Around the World From Nashville, the Guitar Virtuoso Who Became a Country Music Icon

• Keith Urban moved to Nashville in 1992 to pursue country music.
• His US breakthrough came with his 1999 debut album.
• He has 20 number-one singles and four Grammys.

Keith Urban, born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, moved to Nashville in 1992 to pursue a country music career. After years of limited US success and a period of depression, his 1999 American debut helped establish him as a major artist, making his rise an example…

In 2010, Lemmy named the two “shit” bands Lemmy who had ruined rock

• Lemmy dismissed Radiohead and Coldplay as rock bands.
• He said rock music would always return.
• He praised Metallica despite their huge success.

In a 2010 interview, Motörhead frontman Lemmy argued that Radiohead and Coldplay were not rock bands, calling their music “sub-emo” and saying they were “not very good”. His comments reflected his view that rock had become too soft and sanitised, though he believed loud, energetic music would eventually…

BBC pays Lucie Kon £400,000; Garfunkel tops chart in 1975

The BBC has settled unfair dismissal proceedings brought by documentary maker Lucie Kon, who alleged bullying and anti-Semitism. The bulletin also revisits a 1975 chart-topper, Billy Joel’s reflections and the golden age of miniseries.

The British invasion band Ray Davies thinks were out of The Kinks’ league: “Playing a totally different game”

• Davies saw The Kinks and The Who as playing different games.
• He felt The Who pursued greater international success.
• The Kinks took risks despite limited US reach.

Ray Davies believes The Kinks and The Who shared roots and some musical ambitions, but were pursuing different paths rather than competing in the same league. His view matters because it frames their contrasting careers: The Who sought broad international success, while The Kinks took risks and remained…