Music

A new music center is open in Suffolk, England, thanks to Ed Sheeran‘s generosity.

BBC reports the “Bad Habits” singer raffled off one of his guitars, and the funds were enough to help open the SRH Music Ark at a primary school in his hometown. The guitar helped raise £52,765, which is roughly $63,000, for the charity auction.

The Grammy winner had the acoustic guitar specially designed for the fundraiser and worked with Northern Ireland instrument maker George Lowden. Ed had an equals sign etched into the piece’s fretboard inlays in honor of his new album =. Ed then promised to sign the guitar for whoever won it at the raffle.

A local hospital worker named Kellie Myers took home the guitar and said her two teenage sons, 14-year-old Harry and 13-year-old Jacob are thrilled to bits — especially since the “Shivers” singer wrote on it, “Henry + Jacob! Play this guitar!”

The center will now open at Sir Robert Hitcham’s Primary School in Framlingham; the school’s students are thankful for Ed’s good deed. The elementary schoolers say their new center is a “beautiful place.”

One youngster told BBC, “It’s such a privilege to have our own music space for our school and there’s many thanks for Ed Sheeran and all his team.”

Head teacher Helen Picton adds the center was made in mind for each and every student. “We have a music pod that is open to all to our neurodivergent children, we have a disabled toilet so we can have disabled facilities for the children,” she explained. “Music is the heart of our school and to actually have this wonderful resource here is a very emotional thing.”

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Day two of the 2022 Essence Festival of Culture began at the Essence Eats booth with a cooking demo by New York’s chef JJ Johnson, who was joined by P-Valley actress Brandee Evans. Together they prepared a salmon dish using plant-based cheese — inspired by a favorite at Johnson’s rice bowl restaurant, Field Trip — and discussed the importance of healthy eating in the Black community.

Evans was motivated to convert to a plant-based diet after her mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018. Considering her role as a star exotic dancer on the hit Starz show P-Valley, Evans said healthy eating also helps to get and keep her in shape.

Johnson inquired about Evans’ full regime, asking, “Some people say if you go plant-based, you can’t work out, you need lots of protein.”

Evans said she doesn’t drink protein shakes at all. “I work out all the time, I’m a workout fanatic. I don’t need it, I feel like I get the energy that I need from eating better now.” She jokingly adding, “Y’all see what I gotta wear [on the show] – nothing, so that’s another reason we had to go plant-based.”

As for Johnson, a man of Black and Puerto Rican descent, he infuses plant-based ingredients into the variety of special rice dishes created at Field Trip.

“The goal is to bring rice culture back to America and also put respect back on the rice grain,” he said. But also, “A lot of Black people don’t eat dairy,” so fresh products like the plant-based cheese used during the cooking demo are important to the community.

“I call ourselves a community-based restaurant, especially in Harlem,” he said. Johnson says he’s proud to be a Black business owner with the ability “to open the doors and [create] a safe space for all.”

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As the takes about the second volume of Stranger Things season 4 are pouring in, we finally have the most important review: the one from Kate Bush.

The English artist, whose 1985 song “Running Up That Hill” has been a huge, resurgent hit over the past month due to its placement in the first volume of season 4, has now revealed her thoughts on the final two episodes, which premiered Friday on Netflix.

“They’re just through the roof,” Bush writes in a spoiler-free post on her website. “I’d only seen the scenes that directly involved the use of [‘Running Up That Hill’] and so I didn’t know how the story would evolve or build.”

Bush adds that she was “so delighted” when Stranger Things creators, the Duffer Brothers, reached out about using “Running Up That Hill” as a “totem” for the character Max. But now that she’s finished the season, she feels “deeply honored that the song was chosen to become a part of their roller coaster journey.”

“I can’t imagine the amount of hard work that’s gone into making something on this scale,” she writes. “I am in awe. They’ve made something really spectacular.”

Since “Running Up That Hill” was first used in the Stranger Things episodes that premiered in May, the song has run up many, many charts, reaching the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 — a career first for Bush — and #1 on the U.K.’s Official Singles chart, where it’s stayed for three straight weeks.

The song’s resurgence led the normally press-shy Bush to issue several public statements and even give a rare interview.

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It’s Friday! Let’s see who’s out with new tunes…

Bazzi is back with the appropriately timed song “Miss America.” He said in a statement, “It’s the first piece of music I’m putting out in years that really represents where I am in this moment… There’s an optimism in this song that encourages us to take the broken pieces of the things we once stood on and put them back together in a way that makes sense to us.”

Smash Mouth also released a timely new song, “4th Of July,” their first track to feature new lead singer Zach Goode. The song embodies how Americans enjoy celebrating the holiday.

J-Hope launched his solo career with “More,” which’ll feature on his new album, Jack in the Box. His label says “More” represents his “aspirations to break the mold and grow further.” The single blends grunge and hip hop elements.

Calvin Harris teamed with 21 Savage for the song “New Money” to further hype his forthcoming album, Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2, which arrives August 5.

Somebody call 9-1-1, Sean Kingston is back with “Rihanna (Umbrella),” which sees him blending Afrobeats with Reggae pop. He crafted the track to honor the “many people from the islands or Africa” who “have not gotten their shot.” The single is the prelude of his forthcoming album, Road to Deliverance, due out later this year.

Sabrina Carpenter says of her new song “Vicious,” “This song is really narrative and personal. It’s as if I’m having a conversation. We’ve all had experiences with people we love so deeply who turn out to be different than we thought they were.”

Halsey dropped “So Good (Stripped),” an acoustic version of her all new single that lets fans fully appreciate her powerful vocals.

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The complete soundtrack album for the hit Netflix series Stranger Things‘ fourth season was released today via digital formats.

The expanded collection combines the 16 songs from the previously issued first volume of the soundtrack with six additional tracks that appear in the show’s two-part season finale, which premiered today.

In addition to Kate Bush‘s 1985 hit “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God),” which went viral thanks to this new season, there is also an extended remix of Journey‘s “Separate Ways” that was created by former Journey frontman Steve Perry. This “Separate Ways” remix is different from the one heard in the soundtrack’s first installment. Perry said he became inspired to collaborate on a new remix when he heard the original in the first trailer for Stranger Things‘ fourth season.

“I was stunned at how cool it was,” Perry notes. “One week later, I had an idea for an extended version, so I called Bryce [Miller] and we assembled our Extended Remix. Being a huge fan of the show, having my music on the soundtrack made me very happy! I truly love both these remixed versions.”

The updated soundtrack also features James Taylor‘s “Fire and Rain,” The Beach Boys‘ “California Dreamin’,” Extreme‘s “Play With Me,” The Surfaris‘ “Wipeout,” Musical Youth‘s “Pass The Dutchie” and “When It’s Cold I’d Like To Die” by Moby.

Physical versions of the complete Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4 album will be released later this year, with CD and cassette editions due out on September 9 and a two-LP vinyl version arriving on November 4.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

“Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” (Bryce Miller/Alloy Tracks Remix) — Journey with Steve Perry
“California Dreamin'” — The Beach Boys
“Psycho Killer” — Talking Heads
“Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” — Kate Bush
“You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” — Dead or Alive
“Chica Mejicanita” — Mae Arnette
“Play with Me” — Extreme
“Detroit Rock City” (Single Version) — KISS
“I Was a Teenage Werewolf” — The Cramps
“Pass the Dutchie” — Musical Youth
“Wipe Out” — The Surfaris
“Object of My Desire” (Single Version) — Starpoint
“Rock Me Amadeus (The Gold Mix)” — Falco
“Travelin’ Man” — Ricky Nelson
“Tarzan Boy” — Baltimora
“Dream a Little Dream of Me” — Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
“Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” (Single Version) — Rick Derringer
“Fire and Rain” — James Taylor
“Spellbound” — Siouxsie and the Banshees
“Master of Puppets — Metallica
“When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die” — Moby (featuring Mimi Goese)
“Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” (Steve Perry & Bryce Miller Extended Remix) — Journey with Steve Perry

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If you’re wondering what not to do when your dogs get sprayed by a skunk, Chris Lane’s got some pointers.

The singer shared hilarious security cam footage of a skunk attack — and the chaos that ensued — that took place while he and his wife, Lauren, were hanging out at home. The clip shows Chris frantically running out the door after one of his dogs, screaming at the top of his lungs, as Lauren hangs back and unsuccessfully attempts to keep another dog inside.

To make things even more chaotic, the camera also catches Lauren in a compromising position: It shows her picking a wedgie as she looks out the back door. In the comments section, the singer’s wife says Chris promised her he’d edit out that part of the video before posting it.

“I also asked u to cut that part out and u didn’t and this will be remembered,” Lauren threatens.

But in the name of comedy, the wedgie just adds to the chaotic fun: “Needless to say I’ve lost my voice and [Lauren] is Wedgie Free…” Chris jokes in the caption.

Another Lauren — Lauren Alaina — also chimes in the comments to reveal that she lives nearby and knows firsthand how ruthless the skunks can be.

“A skunk just sprayed my dog three weeks ago. My house just stopped smelling like it,” she reveals. “Worst experience ever. I relate to the yelling. The wedgie picking. The hysteria is real.”

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This week, Travis Scott announced his first ticketed performance since the November 2021 Astroworld tragedy in Houston, and now, he’s making his comeback in the fashion world.

After indefinitely postponing the launch of the Houston rapper’s Cactus Jack collection following the festival — which resulted in 10 deaths — Dior has announced that the skate-inspired pieces will debut worldwide on July 13, according to Women’s Wear Daily.

The collection was originally set to be released in January, but in December, Dior put the fashions on hold indefinitely “out of respect for everyone affected by the tragic events at Astroworld.” 

Before the concert, Nike planned to debut two Air Max 1 sneakers with Scott in December; the launch was also postponed after the festival.

The revival of the Dior collection follows the announcement earlier this week that the “Sicko Mode” rapper had planned his first major concert since the deadly tragedy.

La Flame will perform at London’s O2 Arena on August 6. He announced the event Monday on Instagram with the comment, “Been in the studio for a while. Time to take it to bigger speaker. See u soon London.”

Scott has performed at a few private events since Astroworld, including a Coachella after-party; the London show will be his first ticketed performance this year. The “Highest in the Room” rapper is also scheduled for the Day N Vegas festival on Labor Day weekend and has headlining dates in November at Primavera Sound in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; and São Paulo, Brazil.

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Members of one Maynard James Keenan band are putting a new spin on songs from another.

A Perfect Circle‘s Billy Howerdel and James Iha have released remixes of the Puscifer tracks “Bullet Train to Iowa” and “The Underwhelming,” respectively.

“It’s always a pleasure hearing other artists’ voices over what we’ve created,” says Puscifer multi-instrumentalist Mat Mitchell. “I love these remixes.”

You can listen to the remixes now via digital outlets. They’re also being released on a seven-inch vinyl single.

The original versions of “Bullet Train to Iowa” and “The Underwhelming” appear on Puscifer’s latest album, 2020’s Existential Reckoning. Puscifer’s current tour in support of the record runs through a July 10 stop in Seattle.

Howerdel, meanwhile, just released his debut solo album, What Normal Was, in June.

(“Bullet Train” video contains uncensored profanity) 

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