Poster for ‘Zak Starkey … Who?: An Evening of Drums and Conversation’ (Courtesy of Zak Starkey)
Drummer Zak Starkey is set to take the stage at New York’s Gramercy Theatre Friday for a one-man show, Zak Starkey … Who?: An Evening of Drums and Conversation. He’ll take fans through his life and career, which will likely include his almost 30 years playing drums for The Who.
Starkey tells ABC Audio that even though his dad is Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, it was seeing The Who that made him want to learn to play the drums. And it turns out his dad wasn’t much help with that.
“I asked my dad for a drum lesson, and he gave me one lesson,” Starkey says. “Then the next day he said, ‘Now try this.’ I said, ‘I can do that.’ He said, ‘Well, you’re on your own.’ And that was it.”
Starkey began playing with The Who in 1996, and he says it felt “amazing” when he got the gig after being such a fan.
And while he and The Who parted ways in 2025 following an onstage disagreement between Starkey and Roger Daltrey, Starkey says he still has a good relationship with both Daltrey and Pete Townshend. In fact, he recently talked to Daltrey, who wished him luck with the show and gave him some advice.
“He told me to be myself, everything would be fine,” says Starkey. He notes of the issues that led to his split with the band, “It’s just some crazy s*** got out of hand … but we were still friends all the time through it.”
The Who wound up going on a farewell tour of North America in 2025 without Starkey behind the drum kit. As for whether he thinks it really was The Who’s final tour, Starkey wouldn’t speculate.
“If you think you know what those two guys are going to do, they’ll do something different.”
Halle Berry stars as Sharon in ‘Crime 101.’ (Merrick Morton)
Halle Berry is a successful insurance broker who doesn’t get the respect she deserves in the new film Crime 101.
Her character, Sharon, finally has enough of the poor treatment. Late in the film she stands up for herself to her boss, telling him exactly how she feels before quitting. Berry opened up to ABC Audio about the many ways she resonated with Sharon and this particular moment in the film.
“I am a woman of a certain age down the path of life, and I have felt very much what Sharon has felt probably since I turned 40, 45,” Berry said. “I started to feel like my industry, that I love so much, was kinda lowkey kinda telling me, ‘We don’t really have a place for you. There are no parts. You’re not young. You’re not quite old enough to be grandma. So there’s no place for you.'”
The Oscar winner said that she “worked so hard to arrive to that place” of success in the industry.
“To feel that I would now be discarded was a painful realization,” Berry said.
Despite this, Berry said she made a conscious choice to not allow that to happen to her.
“There was some point in that period where I said, ‘No, screw this. I will not allow this to happen.’ And I pushed through, and I managed to not allow that to be my story,” Berry said. “I really related to Sharon deciding to stand up for herself.”
Berry feels other women who see the film will similarly relate to Sharon’s story.
“It was a moral question that she had to face, but I think in that moment she chose to do what was best for her and I really respected her for that,” Berry said. “I think women will feel seen, they’ll feel heard, and they will cheer for her.”
Crime 101 is available to watch in theaters everywhere.
Eric Dane attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ at TCL Chinese Theatre on May 30, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Actor Eric Dane, best known for his starring role in the long-running ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, has died at 53.
Dane revealed in April 2025 that he’d been battling the incurable degenerative neurological disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
“My left side is functioning; my right side has completely stopped working,” Dane told ABC’s Diane Sawyer in June 2025, adding that he was rapidly losing voluntary function in his left arm: “I feel like maybe a couple, few more months and I won’t have my left hand either.”
Born on Nov. 9, 1972, in San Francisco, California, Dane caught the acting bug in high school and made his television debut in a 1991 episode of Saved by the Bell. More roles followed in shows including The Wonder Years, Roseanne, Married… with Children and others. Dane’s profile rose when he was cast in the recurring role of Jason Dean for two seasons of the long-running hit supernatural series Charmed.
But Dane’s breakout role was that of plastic surgeon Dr. Mark Sloan in the ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, which he played for eight seasons beginning in 2006. His character – referred to on the show by female characters as “McSteamy,” because of his good looks – made him a star.
In a 2025 interview with Diane Sawyer, Dane recalled one of his most memorable McSteamy scenes, early on his run on the show, in which he emerged from a steam-filled bathroom, barely clad in a towel. That moment, one of Grey’s Anatomy‘s most talked-about, cemented Dane’s status as a prime time TV heartthrob – yet he had no idea then of the lasting impact it would have.
“In the moment, it was just another scene to me,” he said. “I just remember walking out of a bathroom where a very nice gentleman was kind of blowing smoke towards me.”
Following his character’s departure from the show in 2012, Dane starred as Cmdr. Tom Chandler, the commanding officer of a U.S. Navy destroyer during a deadly global pandemic, in the TNT action drama The Last Ship. Dane played the role for the show’s five-season run, which ended in 2018. The following year, he was cast in the hit HBO drama Euphoria as Cal Jacobs, the closeted father of actor Jacob Elordi’s character, Nate.
Most recently, Dane starred in the 2025 Amazon Prime crime drama Countdown.
In addition to the television work for which he was best known, Dane also enjoyed a film career, with roles in movies including X-Men: The Last Stand, Marley & Me, Burlesque, Dangerous Waters and 2024’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
In November 2025, Dane, the progression of his disease apparent, made a guest appearance on the TV drama Brilliant Minds, playing a firefighter with ALS who kept his diagnosis from his family.
Despite his ALS diagnosis, Dane told Diane Sawyer in 2025 that he was “very hopeful” about his future.
“I don’t think this is the end of my story,” he said. “And whether it is or it isn’t, I’m gonna carry that idea with me.”
Dane is survived by two daughters, whom he shares with the actress Rebecca Gayheart.
Gayheart and Dane married in October 2004. Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018 but later requested to dismiss that petition in March 2025, a month before Dane went public with his ALS diagnosis.
In a December 2025 essay for The Cut, Gayheart wrote that she and Dane never got a divorce, describing their relationship as a “familial love.”
“It’s a very complicated relationship, one that’s confusing for people. Our love may not be romantic, but it’s a familial love,” she wrote. “Eric knows that I am always going to want the best for him. That I’m going to do my best to do right by him. And I know he would do the same for me.”
She continued, “So whatever I can do or however I can show up to make this journey better for him or easier for him, I want to do that. And I want to model that for my girls: That’s what you do. That’s the right thing to do.”
‘Frizzle Fry: Phantoms of Barrington Hall’ cover artwork. (Z2)
Primus frontman Les Claypool has written a new illustrated book called Frizzle Fry: Phantoms of Barrington Hall.
Named after Primus’ 1990 debut album, Frizzle Fry: Phantoms of Barrington Hall is described by publisher Z2 Comics as an “illustrated storybook for adults” that “expands Primus’ warped mythology and surreal humor, as it presents a tale allegedly based on the band’s unbelievable experiences during their early years playing shows in Berkeley and the East Bay.”
The description continues, “Fans may think they know Frizzle Fry from the song and the album of the same name, but this story explodes the band’s universe into a new form of psychedelic life on every page, capturing the off-kilter spirit Primus fans have come to expect, in a way that only Primus can.”
In the meantime, you can catch Primus on tour with two other Claypool projects, The Claypool Lennon Delirium and Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, kicking off in May.
Mumford & Sons have premiered the video for “The Banjo Song,” a track off the band’s upcoming album, Prizefighter.
The clip doesn’t feature any banjos, and instead follows a group of people as they dance around a room. The dancers were cast by event organizer Streets of Soul from attendees of its club nights in England.
“These are the dancers that always brighten up our dancefloors, the ones that love to dance,” Streets of Soul says. “We brought them together with their different styles, energy and flair. We saw how quickly they all became one … their differences became their joy and their connection.”
You can watch the video for “The Banjo Song” on YouTube.
Prizefighter, the follow-up to 2025’s Rushmere, drops Friday. It also includes the Hozier collaboration “Rubber Band Man.”
Lainey Wilson’s been Down Under touring Australia and New Zealand, and she’s been having a great time. In an Instagram video, she lists all the cool things she’s gotten to do besides work, including holding koalas and meeting Bindi Irwin. She adds in the video, “We have gotten to do it all, while playing some of the best shows I have ever played in my entire life … Australia and New Zealand, y’all know how to act up!”
Brad Paisley has announced a benefit comedy show in April to raise money for his nonprofit The Store, a food pantry that operates like a supermarket, allowing people to select the groceries they want. Called Groceries with Dignity & Comedy Without with Brad Paisley & Friends, it’ll take place at Zanies in Nashville. Tickets go on sale Friday.
CMA vocal group of the year The Red Clay Strays will headline this year’s RiverBeat Music Festival, taking place May 1-3 in Memphis. The other two headliners for the event are Dave Matthews Band and rap icons Wu-Tang Clan. Tickets are on sale now.
Joni Mitchell arrives on the carpet at the 68th Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Joni Mitchell is getting the Lifetime Achievement Award at Canada’s 2026 Juno Awards, and the artists who will help celebrate her have just been announced.
Fellow Canadian singers Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell will pay tribute to Mitchell with a performance at the award show, taking place March 29 at TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
The 82-year-old Mitchell is being celebrated for her “outstanding artistic contributions and enduring impact on global music culture,” according to a press release.
Mitchell is already a four-time Juno Award winner. The Junos, handed out by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, are the Canadian equivalent to the Grammys.
The Lifetime Achievement Award adds to the many honors Mitchell has already received over the course of her career. In her native Canada, she was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1981 and received Canada’s highest honor, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement, in 1991. She was also named Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 2002 and was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.
In the U.S., Mitchell was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. She also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2021 and the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2023.
Gracie Abrams and her boyfriend, Paul Mescal, were in attendance at a London screening of Paul McCartney’s upcoming documentary, Man on the Run. The two snapped a photo with The Beatles legend on the red carpet. Mescal is set to play McCartney in Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles films, The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event, which are currently in production and expected to hit theaters in April 2028.
Zara Larsson just wants a nice Wikipedia photo. In a TikTok video, the singer complained that someone keeps changing the photo to one she doesn’t like and vowed to keep changing it ack. “I will never stop changing that picture to a nice one,” she tells the camera. “I will never stop.”
Freya Skye has announced dates for her Stars Align tour in the U.S., Australia and Europe. The U.S. leg kicks off Sept. 19 in Santa Barbara, California, and runs through Oct. 14 in Hollywood, Florida. Freya’s debut EP, stardust, was released last week.
Hozier joined Sam Smith onstage for Sam’s residency at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. The two performed Hozier’s hit “Take Me to Church.” “Thank you so much for coming out my friend,” Sam wrote on Instagram. “Honoured to sing that song with you. And to do it at the Castro!! What an honor.”
Dua Lipa attends the ‘Rosebush Pruning’ premiere during the 76th Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin on Feb. 14, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. (Isa Foltin/Getty Images)
Another day, another brand deal for Dua Lipa.
The star is now the global brand ambassador for the luxury jewelry company Bulgari. She says in a statement, “It is incredibly special to work alongside an iconic brand like Bvlgari, and I’m thrilled to be part of a house that embodies confidence, creativity, and modern femininity. Their pieces always add the perfect finishing touch, transforming a look into a real moment.”
Dua wore Bulgari on Valentine’s Day when she supported her fiancé, Callum Turner, on the red carpet at the premiere of his film Rosebush Pruning at the Berlinale Film Festival. She also wore the company’s designs in a promotional campaign for the Winter Olympics.
Bulgari is just the latest company to tap Dua Lipa for a promotional role. She has also either fronted campaigns for, served as an ambassador for or collaborated with YSL Beauty, Porsche, Versace, Chanel, Evian and Puma, among others.
Plus, Dua recently teamed with Augustinus Bader for her own line of skin care products, and became the co-founder and chief creative officer for Frame Fitness, which makes at-home Pilates reformers.
Cover art for Baby Keem’s ‘Ca$ino’ (pgLang/Eerie Times/Columbia Records)
The rollout for Baby Keem’s new album, Ca$ino, continues with the release of another “Booman” episode. “Booman III,” the third episode from the project’s accompanying documentary series, features the return of his first cousin once removed Kendrick Lamar, who talks about his initial reaction to Keem’s musical talent.
“Was I surprised? No, I wasn’t surprised,” he began. “You know why? Because it started off with beats. And I was like, ‘OK, I see what went down here.’ When I think of the gamers, it just makes sense.You have to be locked in to sound and tech; it all goes hand in hand. So when he started first sending me beats and s***, I was like, ‘OK, I can see you do this,’ and he was really good.”
“What I was surprised at was when he started rapping,” K. Dot continued. “I was like, ‘Damn, you actually good at this, too.’ That threw me for a loop, because he understood melodies and patterns more than any young cat that I’ve heard.”
Kendrick said Keem “was the best” of “a thousand f****** cousins” and “a thousand friends that rap and do music” when he was just “14, 15 years old.”
“Booman III” is now available to watch on YouTube. Ca$ino is set to arrive on Friday.
