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Slipknot‘s Knotfest Japan has been postponed once more.
The festival was originally scheduled for March 2020, and was one of the earliest rock events to be delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was first pushed back to January 2021, and then again to April 2022. Now, it’s been rescheduled for a third time, to April 2023.
“We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences this has caused the fans that have been looking forward to the event,” the Knot says.
Knotfest has taken place twice in Japan previously, in 2014 and 2016.
Slipknot recently wrapped their Knotfest Roadshow North American tour, which was bookended by Knotfest Iowa and Knotfest Los Angeles. They plan to hold Knotfests in Finland, Chile and Brazil in 2022.
Bloc Party has announced a new album called Alpha Games.
The first studio effort from the U.K. alt rockers in six years will arrive on April 29, 2022. You can listen to the first single, titled “Traps,” now via digital outlets.
“Alpha Games was conceived on the road, playing in front of amazing crowds on our last tour and then brought to life with the fire and the frustrations of 2020,” says frontman Kele Okereke.
Bloc Party’s most recent album is 2016’s Hymns.
Here’s the Alpha Games track list:
“Day Drinker”
“Traps”
“You Should Know the Truth”
“Callum Is a Snake”
“Rough Justice”
“The Girls Are Fighting”
“Of Things Yet to Come”
“Sex Magik”
“By Any Means Necessary”
“In Situ”
“If We Get Caught”
“The Peace Offering”
Judas Priest‘s classic 1982 album Screaming for Vengeance celebrates its 40th anniversary next year, and in conjunction with the milestone, the metal legends are partnering with Z2 Comics on a graphic novel inspired by the landmark record.
Judas Priest: Screaming for Vengeance, which is expected to be released in July 2022, is being co-written by Rantz Hoseley and Neil Kleid, known for their work, respectively, on The Heroin Diaries and Savor, with illustrations by Hellboy artist Christopher Mitten.
The novel takes place 500 years in the future and focuses on a naïve engineer who lives in a ring of cities that orbit a desolate planet and are governed by an elite group of cruel rulers. When the engineer discovers an item called a Bloodstone that threatens the rulers’ power, he’s exiled to the planet’s surface, where he must either accept his fate or seek vengeance on his adversaries.
“I was already a fan of the band, when Screaming for Vengeance was released, but no one was ready for the impact it had,” says Hoseley. “That incredible cover art? Those songs? That album became my daily soundtrack and creative fuel…To be able to contribute to a project inspired by these songs…is an honor and a responsibility I take very seriously.”
The book, which you can pre-order now, will be available in hardcover and softcover, as well as deluxe and super-deluxe versions featuring an exclusive Screaming for Vengeance vinyl LP, prints and other items, including a collectible figure based on the metallic eagle that appears on the cover, aka “The Hellion.”
Released in July 1982, Screaming for Vengeance has been certified double=Platinum by the RIAA, making it Priest’s best-selling album in the U.S. It features the band’s classic song “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.”
Mariah Carey is nearly synonymous with Christmas thanks to her music, television specials, recipes, merchandise and, of course, all those festive memes. But, in a new interview, the singer opened up about why she continues to make the holidays such a big deal.
She tells Entertainment Tonightthat she was unable to enjoy the lavishness of Christmas when she was a child because she grew up in poverty. But, instead of becoming bitter over what she didn’t have, it fueled her desire to make Christmas even more special.
“In my memoir [The Meaning of Mariah Carey,] I talk about how when I was a little kid, growing up with no money, growing up being mixed, not understanding, having identity issues, and then going through my career and the different things that have happened, that I never even talked about to even some of my best friends,” she confesses. “When I wrote about Christmas, I was like, ‘Oh wait, I don’t want to bring people down,’ ’cause this seemed like depressing stuff that happened.”
Mariah says that has “motivated” her to “really go all the way in every Christmas, every year.”
And, while she “wants my kids to have the best time,” the pop star admits that, when it comes to indulging in the holidays, “A lot of it is for me.”
Machine Gun Kelly is not happy with the Grammy nominations.
Following Tuesday’s announcement of who will be competing for a gramophone trophy in 2022, the “Bloody Valentine” rocker tweeted, “wtf is wrong with the Grammys.”
Kelly was presumably reacting to his own lack of nominations for his 2020 album, Tickets to My Downfall, which was shut out of both the rock categories and the general field. He previously expressed a desire for Tickets to be recognized by the Recording Academy, telling Variety, “If we got an album of the year nom in a day and age where people can’t help themselves but to say that rock is dead? [That would] show them how alive it is.”
While Tickets will not compete for a Grammy, Kelly can take solace in the album’s number-one Billboard 200 debut and its RIAA Platinum status. He also just took home an American Music Award last weekend for Favorite Rock Artist.
Perhaps presciently, Kelly tweeted, “Winning a fan voted award >>>>” following his AMA victory.
Don McLean is tipping his hat to Taylor Swift after the 31-year-old pop superstar broke the record that the veteran singer-songwriter set on the Billboard Hot 100 almost 50 years ago.
Since 1972, Don’s eight-minute, 34-second classic “American Pie (Parts I & II)” held the title for the lengthiest song to hit number one. Well, that longstanding record was broken this week when Taylor’s 10-minute, 13-second song “All Too Well” bowed atop the Hot 100.
“There is something to be said for a great song that has staying power,” 76-year-old McLean said in a statement to ABC Audio. “‘American Pie’ remained on top for 50 years and now Taylor Swift has unseated such a historic piece of artistry. Let’s face it, nobody ever wants to lose that #1 spot, but if I had to lose it to somebody, I sure am glad it was another great singer/songwriter such as Taylor.”
Taylor’s 10-minute-plus recording of “All Too Well” is featured as a bonus track on Red (Taylor’s Version), which she released on November 12.
Following Kanye West and Drake ending their long time feud last week, it appears that T-Pain and Usher have finally squashed their beef as well.
T-Pain is famous for his use of Auto-Tune, and earlier this year, he revealed he became depressed in 2013 when Usher criticized his use of the audio processor. While filming the Netflix docuseries This Is Pop, the Grammy-winning rapper/producer recalled the “Burn” singer’s words. “He was like, ‘Man, you kind of f***ed up music,’” he recalled, adding, “I didn’t understand. Usher was my friend.”
But the two veteran stars met Sunday and hugged on stage at an event promoting Dave Chappelle‘s Live in Real Life documentary
“I love you, bro,” T-Pain said to Usher. “I’m telling you, we ain’t going through nothing, bro. We ain’t going through a Godd**n thing. It’s all love. In times when we’re divided the most, we need to be together the most. I love you, bro. I’m never not gonna love you, bro, trust me, my dawg.”
For his part, Usher posted an Instagram photo of them hugging and commented, “We got you homie. Thanx to all my bruthas & sistas … for making this an epic night! That Southern Hospitality.”
T-Pain’s credits include songs with Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Ludacris, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Jamie Foxx, Snoop Dogg, Nelly, and DJ Khaled, In 2007, T-Pain collaborated with Usher when he produced the R. Kelly “Same Girl” remix featuring the eight-time Grammy winner.
(NOTE CONTENT) Netflix’s Jonas Brothers Family Roast is finally here and, although a slew of celebrities put the Jonas Brothers on blast — all in good fun, of course — their wives pulled no punches when taking Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas down a few pegs.
Sophie Turner skewered Joe when joking about the band’s use of purity rings back in the day because, according to her, Joe was sticking his fingers into other places besides “some dumb metal rings.” She also likened the tale of the purity rings to Cinderella because, when the “the finger fit me,” it was only after he went through girls who “were under contract to Disney.”
Danielle Jonas, who lost her voice, tasked SNL star Kenan Thompson to read her roast Love Actually style, using cue cards. “I met Kevin on vacation, and before that, the only thing I’ve done on vacation that ruined my life was getting vacation braids,” Kenan read. “I basically ignored him the whole time, which he loved because he said it reminded him of his mom.”
Priyanka Chopra joked about the 10-year age gap between her and Nick in her speech. “He showed me how to use TikTok, for example,” the Quantico alum said, before adding, “I showed him what a successful acting career looks like.” She also remarked that she had no idea who Nick was when she first heard of him because “I’m from India, a country rich in culture, in music, and in entertainment. So, clearly, the Jonas Brothers didn’t make it over there.”
Pete Davidson, Lily Singh, Jack Whitehall and John Legend also appeared in the roast, with John composing an entire ballad that dragged the JoBros by pointing out all the ways they will never be The Beatles.
Jonas Brothers Family Roast is streaming now on Netflix.
As a father to four young children, Thomas Rhett is well-versed in living with babies, but it looks like one of his daughters is adjusting to her new role as big sister.
The hit singer took to Twitter to share a humorous photo of he and wife Lauren‘s one-year-old daughter, Lennon, sitting next to their newest edition to the family, one-week-old Lillie. The photo shows the new baby in a state of distress, crying next to her big sister on the couch, Lennon giving a look to the camera that suggests she’s clueless on how to handle the situation.
“Lennon is taking this really well,” the “Country Again” singer captions the candid moment.
“lol! the look on her face is ‘what is that noise and what am i supposed to do about it?!!’ sweetie,” one fan writes in the comment section of Thomas’ Twitter post, while another shares, “Priceless! I would definitely get the picture framed. Precious babies!”
Thomas and Lauren welcomed Lillie on November 15. She is the couple’s fourth daughter, following six-year-old Willa, four-year-old Ada and Lennon, who was born in February 2020.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In honor of Jay-Z being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on October 30, Questlove from The Roots brought together a who’s who of entertainment and sports to pay tribute to Hova. The video, titled The Times and Life of Shawn Carter, features over 35 famous admirers reciting lyrics, song and album titles from the Roc Nation founder’s iconic 26-year career.
Beyoncé kicks off the tribute, referring to her husband’s second studio album in 1997 by saying, “In my lifetime, more than a million rhymes, no joking.” It’s a family affair, as the “Run This Town” rapper’s mother, Dr. Gloria Carter, also makes an appearance, and the video ends with Bey and Jay’s nine-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, adorably reciting edited lyrics from 1998’s “Ride or Die.”
“Congrats S Carter, ghost writer. You paid the right price so we just made your hits tighter,” Blue says in a serious tone before erupting into laughter.
Music stars in The Times and Life of Shawn Carter include: Rihanna, Diddy, Pharrell, DJ Khaled, John Legend, Queen Latifah, Usher, Rick Ross, Alicia Keys, RZA, SZA, H.E.R., Common, Lenny Kravitz, Jermaine Dupri, MC Lyte, Ed Sheeran, and Chris Martin from Coldplay.
TV/Film stars in The Times and Life of Shawn Carter include: Regina King, Kevin Hart, Halle Berry, Naomi Campbell, Jamie Foxx, Trevor Noah, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Lupita Nyong’o, Tyler Perry, Chris Rock, Tracee Ellis Ross, Idris Elba, Lena Waithe, LeBron James, and David Letterman.
