Music

In 1961, Dennis Hopper ran into a burning building and emerged with an original Picasso

• Hopper helped rescue a woman from a burning home.
• He carried out a Juan Gris and a Picasso.
• His family said he also saved many people.

During the 1961 Bel Air fire, actor Dennis Hopper ran into a neighbour’s burning home and helped get a woman to safety. He also carried out two paintings, including an original Picasso, becoming an unlikely local hero. Hopper recalled the incident in a conversation with his former wife,…

U2 Speak Up About Ed Sheeran, Macklemore “Free Palestine” Controversy, Criticize Rich Stadium Owners

• U2 backed Macklemore’s right to speak about Palestine.
• The band defended Sheeran and criticised venue owners’ influence.
• U2 said artists should be free to speak without inciting violence.

U2 members have spoken out in support of Macklemore’s right to express political views after he was removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour for saying “Free Palestine” on stage. The band also defended Sheeran, saying he was in a difficult position, and criticised wealthy venue owners and promoters for…

The David Bowie single Tony Visconti says is like “a Swiss Watch” – and the unlikely song that inspired it

• “Inchworm” inspired “Ashes to Ashes”.
• Visconti likened its arrangement to a Swiss watch.
• The 1980 single became Bowie’s second No. 1.

David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” drew on the unlikely inspiration of “Inchworm”, a song from the 1952 musical *Hans Christian Andersen*. The 1980 single revisited Major Tom, the character from Bowie’s breakthrough hit “Space Oddity”, while marking a move beyond his Berlin period and into a new decade.…

How the Queen Mother and a Towing Company Inspired The Who’s “My Generation”

• A removed hearse helped inspire “My Generation”.
• Townshend said its release cost £250.
• The song reached No. 2 in the UK.

Pete Townshend said a dispute over his car helped inspire The Who’s “My Generation”, turning a personal frustration with the establishment into a song that became an anthem of youthful defiance. Released in 1965, it captured the band’s rebellious image and its fans’ sense of being misunderstood by…

NICKO MCBRAIN Explains Why He Didn’t Approach Any Of His IRON MAIDEN Bandmates About Contributing To His Autobiography

• McBrain wrote his autobiography without input from Iron Maiden bandmates.
• He included a chapter despite his manager’s concerns.
• The book was published on 22 October 2026.

Nicko McBrain says he wrote his autobiography, *Hello Boys And Girls!*, without asking Iron Maiden bandmates to contribute, so their accounts would not influence his own memories. He also included a chapter his longtime manager Rod Smallwood advised him to leave out, saying it was his story and…

The Knicks Attempt Damage Control After Tyler Kolek Calls Taylor Swift A Fake Fan

• Tyler Kolek questioned Taylor Swift’s Knicks fandom.
• The team publicly backed Swift as a longtime supporter.
• Swift performed at Madison Square Garden aged 13.

Tyler Kolek called Taylor Swift the “fakest” celebrity Knicks fan during a TikTok livestream, prompting teammate Miles McBride to agree. The Knicks later issued a statement defending Swift’s support for the team, as the players’ remarks circulated online. Kolek and McBride contrasted Swift with Ben Stiller and Tracy…

Herzog’s coalition move, teen revives baby, and Lennon’s Beatles legacy

Israel’s political deadlock may be nearing an end as President Isaac Herzog invites Gadi Eisenkot to form a government. A New Jersey teenager helps save a baby, while business, music and royal news round out the briefing.

Herzog seeks way out of deadlock as Notre Dame stun Miami

Israel’s president has asked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form a government after more than a week of deadlock. Notre Dame beat top-ranked Miami 31–24, while the bulletin also covers royal comparisons, entertainment and British synthpop.

3 Punk Rock Bands That Formed in the 1980s Whose Melodies Still Echo Decades Later

• Green Day formed in 1987 as Sweet Children.
• NOFX released its final album in 2022.
• Minor Threat helped start the straight edge movement.

Green Day, NOFX and Minor Threat are highlighted as three punk bands formed in the 1980s whose music and influence have lasted. Their different sounds and legacies helped shape punk and popular culture across the decades. Green Day began as Sweet Children in California in 1987 and adopted…

In 1971, George Harrison was taken to court for his songs. Five years later, he made fun of the whole thing

• ‘My Sweet Lord’ faced a plagiarism claim over its resemblance to ‘He’s So Fine’.
• Harrison addressed his anxiety about songwriting in the comic ‘This Song’.
• The 1976 track appeared on *33⅓* and featured Eric Idle.

In 1971, George Harrison’s song ‘My Sweet Lord’ became the subject of a plagiarism case because its melody resembled the Chiffons’ ‘He’s So Fine’. The dispute unsettled Harrison, who worried that he might unintentionally borrow from other music, and he later turned that anxiety into comic material. His…