Page 7637 – 105.7 WDNY

DNA evidence from decades-old unsolved child murders heading to private lab

October 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(ATLANTA) — Police are taking DNA evidence from decades-old unsolved child murder cases to a private lab in Utah in the hopes of finding “concrete answers for the families,” Atlanta’s mayor said.

From 1979 to 1981, at least 29 Black people, mostly kids and adolescents, were killed in the Atlanta area, according to the mayor’s office. The first two victims were a 14-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy who vanished within days of each other, the mayor’s office said.

The slayings became known as the “Atlanta Child Murders.”

Wayne Williams was long been considered the suspect but was never convicted in the cases, ABC Atlanta affiliate WSB-TV reported. In 1982, Williams was convicted of killing two adults and he’s currently incarcerated, according to WSB-TV.

This week, investigators are taking the evidence to a private lab in Salt Lake City “that specializes in analyzing deteriorated DNA,” Atlanta police said.

“Considering the emergence of new science and technology related to DNA testing, the Atlanta Police Department realized an opportunity to re-evaluate evidence from the Atlanta Child Murders case,” police said in a statement Tuesday. “As with all murder cases, our investigators dedicate countless hours of time and energy to successfully solve cases and bring some sense of closure to victims’ relatives.”

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms tweeted, “It is my sincere hope that there will be concrete answers for the families.”

Unlock previews of Bad Wolves’ upcoming ‘Dear Monsters’ album with wolf-finding computer game

October 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Bad Wolves are offering a sneak peek behind their upcoming album Dear Monsters via a computer game.

The game is a lot like Where’s Waldo?, if instead of trying to find a certain bespectacled person in a colorful area, you need to find wolves in a dark, red-tinged mansion. If you find three of them, you’ll earn a preview of an as-yet-unreleased song off Dear Monsters.

A new snippet of a different song will be uploaded each day leading up to the release of the album. To play, visit DearMonsters.BadWolvesNation.com.

Dear Monsters, which features the lead single “Lifeline,” arrives October 29. It’s the first Bad Wolves album with new lead singer Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz, who replaces former frontman Tommy Vext.

Todd Rundgren teams up with The Roots on “sweet” tongue-in-cheek new soul tune, “Godiva Girl”

October 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Todd Rundgren, who will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame next week, has just released the latest in a series of collaborative singles, a smooth, funk/soul-flavored tune called “Godiva Girl.”

The song features the prolific and eclectic singer/songwriter teaming up with acclaimed hip-hop/soul group — and The Tonight Show‘s house band — The Roots.

“Godiva Girl” features Rundgren blending throaty vocals with some falsetto highlights as he delivers tongue-in-cheek lyrics in which he compares the object of his desire to all kinds of sweet confections.

You can check out a lyric video for the tune at the Cleopatra Records’ official YouTube channel. The clip features the song’s metaphor-heavy lyrics appearing inside a decorative red heart, and includes an interlude where raspberries fall in slow motion into liquid chocolate.

“Godiva Girl” is available now as a digital download and via streaming services, and also will be featured on Todd’s forthcoming studio album, Space Force, which is due out in 2022.

Space Force also will include the three other collaborative singles that Todd has released since September 2020: “Espionage,” with Iraqi-Canadian hip-hop artist Narcy; “Down with the Ship,” with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo; and “Your Fandango,” with veteran quirky sibling duo Sparks.

As previously, Rundgren is among the artists who will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on October 30 in Cleveland. Todd, who has long expressed disdain for the Rock Hall, won’t be attending the ceremony and, in fact, will be playing a concert in Cincinnati that evening.

In a new interview with Cleveland.com, Todd notes of his induction, “My fans wanted this so badly. I’m just glad they finally got it and I don’t have to hear about it anymore.”

NYPD officers face discipline due to alleged Black Lives Matter protest misconduct

October 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The NYPD’s oversight agency has recommended the department discipline 65 officers who are accused of misconduct during last year’s anti-racism protests.

The New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board received over 750 complaints concerning alleged NYPD officer conduct following the Black Lives Matter demonstrations during summer 2020, according to the agency. Only 313 complaints fell within the board’s jurisdiction.

It found 42 substantiated complaints of misconduct concerning 65 officers.

The board recommended serving charges against officers in 37 complaints, Command Discipline B in 11 complaints, and Command Discipline A in 19 complaints.

The recommended disciplinary actions are the most severe forms of punishment against NYPD officers. According to the CCRB website, charges prompt an administrative trial that may lead to lost vacation time, suspension or termination.

Command disciplines are recommended for misconduct that does not rise to the level of charges, but is emblematic of an issue more severe than poor training, according to the board. An officer can lose up to 10 vacation days as a result of a Command Discipline — Schedule B is the more serious of the command disciplines.

CCRB review states that there have been challenges in the investigation “due to the failure to follow proper protocols, officers covering their names and shield, officers wearing protective equipment that did not belong to them, the lack of proper use of body-worn cameras, as well as incomplete and severely delayed paperwork.”

An NYPD spokesperson told ABC News that the department has assisted the CCRB in its investigations by providing body camera footage and “thousands of pages of records.”

“The NYPD has made significant strides and continues to work toward making our discipline processes transparent,” Deputy Commissioner Public Information spokesperson Sergeant Edward Riley said in a statement to ABC News. “Like any citizen, police officers should be afforded a presumption of innocence until and unless proven guilty.”

Any discipline as a result of an NYPD administrative trial will be made public in the NYPD’s online discipline database, according to Riley.

In January, New York Attorney General Letitia James also filed a lawsuit against the NYPD over its handling of anti-racism protests across New York City, accusing the department of failing to address issues of abuse of power against civilians.

NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller told reporters at the time that the lawsuit “doesn’t seem to meet the standard of a federal monitor. It doesn’t seem to illustrate a pattern of practice, which is required under the law … But we will, as with most civil lawsuits, address those assertions in court.”

Watch Duran Duran party with their younger selves — and tons of “celebs” — in “Anniversary” video

October 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Duran Duran come face to face with their younger selves in their new video for their recent single “Anniversary” — when they aren’t partying with what appears to be some of the world’s most famous people, that is.

The clip, filmed in a historic British castle that dates back to the 11th century, shows a massive party attended by the likes of Daniel Craig, Elton John, Lady Gaga, Pamela Anderson, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Brad Pitt, Vladimir Putin and Queen Elizabeth II — except it’s not really them at all: It’s a cast of celebrity lookalikes.

The party is also attended by actors dressed like Duran Duran circa 1983, who are seen meeting and posing for photographs will their present-day real-life counterparts. As the actual members of the group mingle with the guests, the ’80s version of Duran Duran takes the stage to lip-sync “Anniversary.”

The video was directed by artist, photographer and filmmaker Alison Jackson, who says in a statement, “I’m thrilled to have been asked by Duran Duran to make their music video — creating an iconic party for their 40th anniversary, bringing celebrities together from past and present.”

On October 21, Duran Duran and Jackson will appear in a livestream event that includes a live Q&A, followed by the global premiere of Double Take, a half-hour documentary that gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the “Anniversary” video. You can buy tickets via Dreamstage now.

“Anniversary” is from Duran Duran’s latest studio album, Future Past, which will be released this Friday, October 22.

“Things are looking UP”: Luke Bryan commemorates ‘American Idol’s upcoming 20th season

October 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Luke Bryan is ready for the new season of American Idol.

On Tuesday, the country superstar shared a selfie of him and fellow judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry and host Ryan Seacrest on the set as they film auditions for the show’s upcoming 20th season.

“Things are looking UP for our 20th year of @americanidol. Who’s ready?” Luke writes alongside the photo, which shows the foursome smiling while gathering around a cake celebrating the milestone season with a “20” topper. The caption also references his new single, “Up.”

The official AI Instagram account also shared a snap of the team posing around the cake, which bears the show’s famous logo.

“We’re filming on the Sunset Strip this week! Season 20’s gonna rock, no matter how you slice it,” the picture is captioned.

This marks Luke’s fifth season as a judge on the American Idol reboot. Season 20 will air in 2022 on ABC.

Beyoncé and JAY-Z enjoy a Tiffany’s “Date Night”

October 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Beyoncé and JAY-Z are continuing their Tiffany’s ABOUT LOVE campaign starring in a new short film, titled, “Date Night” featuring a cameo appearance by their nine-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.

Inspired by the New York City backseat taxi scenes from the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the video begins with Queen Bey sitting in the back of a Rolls Royce, wearing an Ailsa diamond ring of over 10 carats, as well as a pair of Ribbon Fan earrings featuring diamonds of over six carats. Her husband joins her, wearing the Bird on a Rock brooch with a platinum and 18k gold bird perched on a morganite gemstone of over 44 carats.

After eating pizza in the car, a bottle of Armand de Brignac — the brand JAY owns — is delivered to them. They sip champagne, and Beyoncé holds a yellow daisy in her hand, playing a game of “he loves me, he loves me not.” Jay ends the game, saying, “He loves you,” and the video ends with their passionate kiss.

As a part of the ABOUT LOVE campaign, Tiffany has partnered with Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD Foundation, and JAY-Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation, to create the Tiffany & Co. ABOUT LOVE Scholarship Program. Tiffany & Co. pledged $2 million in scholarship funding for students in the arts and creative fields at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Fifty students have received scholarships at Lincoln University, Norfolk State University, Bennett College, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Central State University.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)

Kane Brown shares sweet video of his daughter dancing to his song

October 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Cuteness overload! Before a recent show, Kane Brown captured a sweet moment of his two-year-old daughter Kingsley dancing around the stage, and by the looks of it, she takes after her dad’s love of music.

Donning a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and a pink fuzzy bunny-ear headband to match, Kingsley can be seen moving and shaking on stage along to the instrumental beat as the band rehearses one of her dad’s songs in the background.

The superstar himself gets in on the fun, too, swaying and shaking his hips alongside the infant. Kingsley gets particularly excited during the breakdown, running in circles around the stage.

“Adorable Katelyn and Kane love this,” a fan comments. “She is absolutely precious!! The love this family shows is beautiful. Thanks for sharing,” praises another, while yet another fan predicts, “She is too cute. They are going to come to see her sing soon.”

Kane and his wife Katelyn welcomed Kingsley in October 2019. Kane’s in the midst of his Blessed & Free Tour, which continues through early next year.

Watch WILLOW rock with Avril Lavigne in new “Grow” video

October 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

WILLOW and Avril Lavigne have premiered the video for their collaborative song, “Grow.”

While the track is about emotional growth, the video takes that idea literally, with both WILLOW and Lavigne growing to the size of buildings as they walk through city streets.

While Travis Barker, who plays drums on “Grow,” isn’t included in the video, the clip does feature one of the Blink-182 drummer’s many other frequent collaborators: pop-punker Kennyhoopla.

You can watch the “Grow” video now on YouTube.

“Grow” is featured on WILLOW’s new album, lately I feel EVERYTHING, which was released in July. It also includes the Barker-featuring single “Transparent Soul,” which currently sits in the top 10 on Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

Watch WILLOW rock with Avril Lavigne in new “Grow” video

October 19, 2021 by WDNY Radio

WILLOW and Avril Lavigne have premiered the video for their collaborative song, “Grow.”

While the track is about emotional growth, the video takes that idea literally with both WILLOW and Avril growing to the size of buildings as they walk through city streets.

Blink-182‘s Travis Barker plays drums on the song, but is not featured in the video. You can watch the “Grow” video now on YouTube.

“Grow” is featured on WILLOW’s new album, lately I feel EVERYTHING, which was released in July. It also includes the Barker-featuring TikTok hit “Transparent Soul” and another TikTok fave, “Meet Me at Our Spot,” which is currently climbing the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

+ More