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Some of Our Favorite Brain-Boosting Toys for Kids of All Ages
WIRED highlights a range of toys and products intended to encourage children’s creativity, balance, music-making, coding and imaginative play across different ages. – Orbita MIDI Colour Sequencer: a $458 magnetic, mechanical MIDI sequencer for creating layered music. – Lego Smart Play Pokémon sets: screen-free smart-brick kits with sensors, sounds and NFC tags, from $70. -…
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3 One-Hit Wonders That Broke up Shortly After Their Big Hit
The article highlights three bands often described as one-hit wonders whose biggest successes were followed relatively quickly by break-ups. It argues that sudden success did not secure their longevity, with internal conflict, personnel problems, label pressure and substance misuse contributing to the groups’ collapses. – The Human Beinz’s 1968 cover of “Nobody But Me” reached…
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“I wouldn’t be able to do it”: The guitarist Tony Iommi admitted was on another planet to everybody else
Tony Iommi said Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing was so technically distinctive that he could not replicate it, describing the late musician as operating at a level apart from other players. The article highlights the mutual respect between two influential hard-rock guitarists and presents Van Halen’s technique as a major force in changing modern guitar…
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When the world is an #Asylum .. how do you stay sane ? 🙏🏻❤️🕸
This YouTube Short comes from a creator sharing a reflective, spiritually-tinged clip that poses the question of how to hold onto sanity when the world around us feels like an asylum. The tone, hashtag and emoji choices point to a piece of introspective, faith-leaning content rather than a music release. The accompanying prayer-hands, heart and…
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KoRn’s Jonathan Davis married Brittany Parisi on same day as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wed
KoRn frontman Jonathan Davis has married his partner Brittany Parisi in California, with their ceremony coincidentally taking place on the same day as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s reported wedding. The event marks a personal milestone for Davis and drew attention for its Renaissance-inspired theme and high-profile timing. Davis and Parisi, who began dating in…
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The 1973 song born on Jeff Lynne’s couch that John Lennon called a masterpiece
Electric Light Orchestra’s 1973 single ‘Showdown’ is presented as a defining early Jeff Lynne composition, developed from an idea written at home and refined into the group’s distinctive blend of rock, orchestral pop and soul. Its importance lay in demonstrating that ELO could establish a sound of its own after the band’s early changes, while…
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Shechter II: In the Brain review – a thrilling release of rave and ritual
Hofesh Shechter’s In the Brain is reviewed as a compelling, atmospheric work that channels the communal release of rave culture without simply becoming a party. Although it does not substantially expand on Shechter’s established style, the energy and commitment of the young Shechter II dancers make it an absorbing celebration of movement, rhythm and ritual.…
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Check out Johnny Marr’s majestic new song ‘Ophelia’
Johnny Marr has released ‘Ophelia’, the second single from his forthcoming fifth solo album, ‘The Age Of Everything’. The song is inspired by Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, with Marr saying the character’s nobility and strength reminded him of someone in his life. The album is due for release on 2 October, following lead single ‘Spin’,…
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The one bassist Ray Charles always relied on: “Play it slow and still groove”
Ray Charles regarded session musician Carol Kaye as his preferred bassist, particularly valuing her ability to maintain a convincing groove on slower songs. The article argues that this demonstrates why technical speed alone is not a measure of musicianship: restraint, timing and feel are equally important. Kaye, credited with playing on an estimated 10,000 recordings,…
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Remembering When Elton John Released the First in a Streak of US No. 1 Albums in 1972
Elton John’s 1972 album Honky Chateau marked a decisive shift towards a more direct, band-led sound and became the first of six consecutive US number-one albums. The article argues that the change helped revive his commercial momentum after the comparatively disappointing performance of Madman Across the Water and demonstrated his ability to adjust creatively at…