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The heroin bender that inspired a classic 1987 Guns N’ Roses song: “I was messed up”
An article revisits how Guns N’ Roses’ 1987 track “Mr Brownstone” grew out of guitarist Slash and rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin’s heroin addictions during the band’s early, impoverished years on the Sunset Strip. Framed as a Bo Diddley-style account of drug dependency, the song is presented as an unintentional warning about addiction becoming routine rather…
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Morrissey cancels four Las Vegas shows days before opening
Morrissey has cancelled all four dates of his Las Vegas residency at the Wynn’s Encore Theater just days before it was due to open, citing “unforeseen logistical issues” without further explanation. The last-minute cancellation left ticket-holders without a show and extended a long-running pattern of disrupted live appearances by the former Smiths frontman, with no…
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STEELHEART’s MILJENKO MATIJEVIC Teases ‘Really Heavy’ New Project With Ex-IN FLAMES Guitarist NICLAS ENGELIN: ‘This Is Intense’
Steelheart singer Miljenko Matijevic has announced a new collaboration with former In Flames guitarist Niclas Engelin, describing it as a much heavier departure from his usual rock work. The project, called Death To Love, will combine Engelin’s Gothenburg melodic metal style with Matijevic’s wide-ranging vocals and personal, intense lyrics. The pair have completed ten songs,…
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L.A. Jazz Festival, Which Was Supposed to Feature John Legend, Janelle Monáe and Hundreds More, Canceled at the Last Minute
The inaugural L.A. Jazz Festival was cancelled shortly before it was due to begin, affecting a programme that had promised performances by John Legend, Janelle Monáe and hundreds of other artists. The cancellation matters because the festival had been promoted as a major citywide cultural event expected to draw large crowds, and has prompted online…
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The magic of Steely Dan’s rhythm section: “It feels like a great old custom shoe”
The article explores how Steely Dan, despite their reputation as a studio-obsessed project led by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, came to rely heavily on a tight, stable rhythm section to bring their intricate songwriting to life. It notes that in 1974 the band stopped touring altogether, freeing them to pursue more ambitious studio recordings,…
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Antonio Banderas says he always knew Los Angeles wasn’t where he belonged
Antonio Banderas has said he always felt his time in Los Angeles was temporary and that his true home was Málaga, Spain. The actor moved to LA because of his relationship with Melanie Griffith, but said he never expected Malibu to be where he would remain for the rest of his life. In an interview…
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After programmers and artists, QA testers are next: Google’s new AI can play and test in-development games, and some publishers are all over it
Square Enix is working with Google to use Gemini for automated quality assurance in game development, including playing in-development games and testing them through on-screen analysis, audio cues and in-game controls. The move matters because it could accelerate repetitive testing work and lower costs, while raising concerns about the effect on QA jobs and the…
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The 1982 song that captured Eddie Van Halen breaking a guitar: “Just froze, just stopped”
The article revisits Van Halen’s 1982 instrumental ‘Cathedral’, arguing that it captures Eddie Van Halen’s experimental approach to guitar playing. Its significance lies in how he used his instrument and effects to imitate a church organ, extending his reputation beyond conventional rock guitar solos. Recorded for the album *Diver Down*, ‘Cathedral’ was created by tapping…
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Born 105 Years Ago Today in Louisiana, the Honky-Tonk Icon Who Scored More No. 1 Hits in the 50s Than Any Other Country Artist
Webb Pierce, born in Louisiana on 8 August 1921, became one of country music’s defining honky-tonk singers, dominating the charts throughout the 1950s. The article highlights both his commercial success and his influence on the genre, including his role in helping launch the careers of Faron Young and pianist Floyd Cramer, while noting that he…