David Prowse, the hulking British actor who gave menacing physicality to Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, has died at the age of 85. Prowse died following a short illness Saturday, his agent confirmed to the BBC. “It’s with great regret and heart-wrenching sadness for us and million …
Read More »Watch Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in New 'Respect' Trailer
Jennifer Hudson transforms into Aretha Franklin in the new trailer for the Franklin biopic Respect. The film is set to premiere this December. The official trailer for Respect debuted during the BET Awards on Sunday night, with Hudson’s powerful cover of “Respect” soundtracking the preview. The clip features scenes of Franklin performing …
Read More »The Windy History of Penny Lane: The Beatles, the Slave Trade and a Now-Resolved Controversy
The signs for Liverpool’s Penny Lane are often decorated with graffiti: names, dates, well wishes to the Beatles who immortalized the street in their 1967 hit. This month, though, the scrawlings changed: the word “Penny” eviscerated with black paint and “racist” scrawled above the signs. An old theory linking the …
Read More »Owner of Famed L.A. Venue The Troubadour: 'Are We Going to Be a Footnote in History?'
West Hollywood music venue The Troubadour has long been one of the most storied venues in popular music. In the 1960s and Seventies, Laurel Canyon singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne frequented the joint just a short drive away through the Hollywood Hills. In 1970, Elton John played his …
Read More »Kenny Rogers, Country Music's 'The Gambler,' Dead at 81
From bold psychedelic rockers and cinematic story songs to sentimental country pop, Kenny Rogers covered considerable musical turf throughout six decades of recording and performing, using his gravel-tinged vocals to dramatic effect. Along the way, he also became a globally recognized actor, photographer, businessman, and philanthropist. When Rogers announced his …
Read More »How Neil Peart's Perfectionism Set Him Free
“Subdivisions,” one of Rush‘s most beloved songs, is also one of their simplest. Geddy Lee’s insistent synth riff gives the track — a fan favorite from 1982’s Signals — a muted, almost drone-y quality. So you might hear it 100 times before you realize what’s going on just underneath the …
Read More »So, How Was Your Decade, Mon Laferte?
So, How Was Your Decadeis a series in which the decade’s most innovative musicians answer our questionnaire about the music, culture and memorable moments that shaped their decade. We’ll be rolling these pieces out throughout December. Chilean singer-songwriter Mon Laferte has taken on several iterations of herself over the past …
Read More »Mac Miller Wants You to Know He's OK
Mac Miller is walking through Manhattan when two twenty-something fans stop him on the sidewalk. “Easy Mac with the cheesy raps!” one says to him with a goofy smile, reciting an early catchphrase that the rapper can no longer stand. “I hate that I ever said that,” he says, shaking …
Read More »Watch Kendrick Lamar Make Acting Debut on 50 Cent's 'Power'
Kendrick Lamar will make his acting debut Sunday night when the Damn. rapper appears on the latest episode of the 50 Cent-starring Starz drama Power. Lamar’s scenes were revealed early Sunday when the episode premiered on the Starz app. Lamar portrays a homeless person who attempts to sell 50 Cent’s …
Read More »'Castle Rock' Recap: Devil's Advocate
Warden Dale Lacey was on a mission from God. Before he severed his own head, that is — though on a show like Castle Rock, doing something after you decapitate yourself isn’t outside the realm of possibility. His mission, according to his suicide note: “Never again let him see the …
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