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Police guitarist Andy Summers’ latest solo album, ‘Harmonics of the Night,’ being released this Friday

October 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Earlier this year, Police guitarist Andy Summers revealed to ABC Audio that he planned to release a new solo instrumental album in the fall titled Harmonics of the Night. Now full details about the project have been unveiled.

The album, which features 12 tracks, will be released this Friday, October 15, on CD, as a digital download and via streaming services.

Summers considers Harmonics of the Night the third in a trilogy of instrumental solo records, following 2015’s Metal Dog and 2017’s Triboluminescence. He recorded the album at his Hill of Beans studio in Venice, California, and co-produced it with longtime collaborator Dennis Martin Smith.

The 78-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer also shot the photos featured on the album’s cover and in its packaging.

Andy says lead track “A Certain Strangeness” was written as a sound installation to accompany his 2019 photo exhibit of the same name that opened in Montpellier, France.

“Bringing the two mediums together was a natural move and from that first piece came this whole new recording,” Summers explains. “In a word, it set the mood for the rest of this album.”

Andy has released a track called “Chronosthesia” as Harmonics of the Night‘s first single, which is available now digitally. You can check out a music video for the tune at Andy’s official YouTube channel, featuring photos Summers shot in downtown Los Angelesm along with superimposed footage of Andy playing guitar.

Harmonics of the Night also will be released as a two-LP vinyl set boasting three tracks not included on the CD or digital versions.

In August, Summers published his first fiction book, Fretted and Moaning: Short Stories, which is available at AndySummersBook.com.

Here’s the Harmonics of the Night CD and digital track list:

“A Certain Strangeness”
“City of Crocodiles”
“Aeromancer”
“Chronosthesia”
“Harmonics of the Night”
“Mirror in the Dirt”
“Prairie”
“Fantoccini”
“Aphelion”
“Spell”
“Inamorata”
“Strange Return”

And here’s the vinyl track list:

Disc 1

Side A
“A Certain Strangeness”

Side B
“City of Crocodiles”
“Aeromancer”
“Chronosthesia”
“Harmonics of the Night”

Disc 2

Side A
“Mirror in the Dirt”
“Prairie”
“Fantoccini”
“Aphelion”

Side B
“Spell”
“Inamorata”
“Micrografia”*
“Ecstasy Blooms”*
“A Joint in West Kensington”*

* = appears on LP version only.

Disney+ releases first trailer to ‘Home Sweet Home Alone’

October 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Home Sweet Home Alone, the Disney+ holiday reboot of the Home Alone films, now has a trailer.

Bespectacled Jojo Rabbit scene-stealer Archie Yates takes Macaulay Culkin‘s place as the kid left by himself when his family goes overseas — but in young Max Mercer’s case, he must defend his home against a husband and wife burglar team.

Elle Kemper and Rob Delaney play the would-be thieves, seeking a priceless heirloom in the Mercer family’s home, while Max’s huge — and forgetful — family are in Japan.

As one would expect, Max defends his house with countless booby traps: cue the pratfalls.

Home Sweet Home Alone will debut November 12, 2021 exclusively on the streaming service as part of Disney+ Day.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

AJ Mitchell celebrates the arrival of his years-in-the-making debut, ‘Skyview’

October 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

AJ Mitchell‘s debut album, Skyview, was supposed to be released in 2019, and then in 2020. But after having been delayed again, it finally came out last Friday, along with a new single and video, “Hi-Lo.” AJ says he really appreciates that his fans have waited this long for his music — because he’s not sure if he could’ve done the same.

“They’ve been so patient, they have been like blessings,” AJ tells ABC Audio. “They are blessings. They’re the best fans ever! I don’t know how I would react if someone, like, took this long for an album!”

And while the pandemic contributed to the delay, AJ says it also helped him realize that Skyview wasn’t quite complete.

“It’s kind of crazy how I had the album finished, but just having that extra time, you know, you write music, and you’re like, ‘This actually fits perfectly with the album,'” he says, adding, “I’ve been creating this album for the past two years, trying to find out who I am…and now I’m at that point where I feel like it all just came together.”

While not all of the 20-plus singles that AJ’s released over the past few years are on Skyview, one that is is “Used to Be,” which he wrote when he was just 13. AJ is 20 now, so why put such an old track on the album?

“It kind of just made sense because, at the end of the day, Skyview is a drive-in movie theater in my hometown,” he explains. “It’s where I came from, and I think it just it made sense to have ‘Used to Be’ on it, because I wrote [it] in my hometown when I was 13, and I think it just kind of ties together the whole album.”

Phoebe Bridgers receives apology from Austin City Limits after festival cut her set short

October 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Organizers of the Austin City Limits festival have apologized to Phoebe Bridgers after her set at the Texas event this past weekend was cut short.

As seen in footage posted to social media, the audio cut out just as Bridgers and her band were about to reach the crescendo of her song “I Know the End” — the same tune during which she famously smashed her guitar on Saturday Night Live.

In a since-deleted tweet reacting to the audio snafu, Bridgers wrote, “lol f*** ACL.”

ACL has now issued a statement to the Austin-American Statesmen blaming the incident on a “miscommunication on stage.”

“We wish this had not happened and extend our apologies to Phoebe,” the statement reads. “After positive conversations between festival organizers and the artist about the situation, ACL Fest has made a donation to Texas Abortion Funds to show our support for Phoebe and an organization close to her heart.”

The “Kyoto” artist has since retweeted ACL’s statement, along with the caption, “Thank you.”

Bridgers is also supporting Texas Abortion Funds with her cover of the Bo Burnham song “That Funny Feeling,” which was released earlier this month. According to Billboard, the cover is one of the five best-selling songs of the past week.

Rejoice!: U2’s sophomore album, October, celebrates its 40th anniversary

October 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

U2‘s second album, October, was released 40 years ago today, October 12, 1981.

The album helped the young Irish rockers continue their ascendance as a popular new wave band following their memorable 1980 debut, Boy, and that record’s standout track “I Will Follow.”

Many fans in the U.S. got their introduction to U2 thanks to the music video for October‘s second single, “Gloria,” which was the first video by the group to be put in heavy rotation on MTV during the network’s early days. The clip famously features the band performing on a barge at the Canal Basin in their hometown of Dublin.

October was not a commercial success in the U.S., reaching only #104 on the Billboard 200. Things were different in the U.K., where the album reached #11.

The first single from October, “Fire,” was released in July of 1981, and it became U2’s first top-40 hit in the U.K., peaking at #35.

October was a challenging project for U2, largely because of an infamous incident that occurred while the band was on tour in the U.S. early in 1981 while promoting Boy. At a show in March of that year in Portland, Oregon, a briefcase with Bono’s lyrics and song ideas for the album went missing backstage. This led to the singer having to quickly pen new lyrics or improvise words when it came time for U2 to record the album.

In comparison with Boy, October‘s songs featured more religious and spiritual themes, exemplified by tunes such as “Gloria,” “With a Shout (Jerusalem),” “Rejoice” and “Tomorrow.”

The album also featured guitarist The Edge contributing his piano talents to a number of songs.

October has gone on to sell more than a million copies in the U.S.

Here’s the October track list:

“Gloria”
“I Fall Down”
“I Threw a Brick Through a Window”
“Rejoice”
“Fire”
“Tomorrow”
“October”
“With a Shout (Jerusalem)”
“Stranger in a Strange Land”
“Scarlet”
“Is That All?”

Ellen Pompeo reveals what it was like to reunite with Kate Walsh on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

October 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Ellen Pompeo is delighted to be working alongside Kate Walsh once again on Grey’s Anatomy.

The series star spoke with E!’s Daily Pop about their long-awaited reunion, revealing that emotions were riding high when they both saw each other for the first time on the set.

“[We] may have shed a tear,” the actress admitted. “We may have hugged and cried a bit.”

Pompeo plays Dr. Meredith Grey, who has a complicated history with Walsh’s Dr. Addison Montgomery — the ex-wife of Patrick Dempsey‘s Derek Shepherd. Dr. Montgomery first appeared in the season 1 finale of Grey‘s and memorably introduced herself Derek’s wife before extending a hand and telling Meredith, “And you must be the woman who’s been screwing my husband.”

The characters’ relationship evolved over the years as they grew to respect one another. Walsh departed Grey‘s at the end of the third season to star in the six-season spinoff, Private Practice.

Pompeo explained why it was so special to work alongside Walsh again.

“All of us from the original cast, we do share such a special bond,” said Pompeo. “We went through something that only a few people can understand what it was, and to see all of that hard work and all of that craziness that we went through — you know, getting famous so quickly and the show was such a big deal — and to come together again and the show is still on the air, to know that our work has had such an impact, is pretty moving.”

Grey’s Anatomy, now in its 18th season, airs Thursdays on ABC.

Wyoming coroner set to make announcement on Gabby Petito autopsy

October 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(TETON COUNTY, Wyo.) — A Wyoming coroner is expected to announce the results of an autopsy Tuesday on Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old travel blogger whose remains were recovered in September in a national park.

Petito’s boyfriend and cross-country traveling companion, Brian Laundrie, has been named by investigators as a person of interest in her death and is the subject of a massive nationwide search being directed by the FBI.

Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue said in a media alert Monday night that he plans to discuss “the ruling on the autopsy of Gabrielle Petito.”

After Petito’s body was discovered on Sept. 19 in the Bridger-Teton National Forest near Jackson, Blue said the manner of Petito’s death was a homicide.

Blue’s announcement will come amidst a nationwide search the FBI is leading for Laundrie, who drew suspicion after returning to his parents’ North Port, Florida, home on Sept. 1 without Petito but driving her van, authorities said.

Laundrie’s parents told police they last saw their son on Sept. 13, two days after Petito’s parents, who live in Long Island, New York, reported her missing. Laundrie’s parents told investigators their son may have been headed to the Carlton Reserve, a 25,000-acre wildlife preserve near their home.

Marilyn Manson puts his L.A. home on the market

October 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Marilyn Manson is trying to unload his Los Angeles home and has listed it for $1.75 million.

The New York Post reports that the 1926 Spanish-styled home boasts three bedrooms, three bathrooms and other amenities, such as an office and walk in closets.

Manson bought the 2,711 square foot home, which sits on a 0.15-acre plot, back in 2013.

The move comes as the musician grapples with allegations of abuse and sexual assault by numerous women. The fallout began last February after his ex-fiancée, Evan Rachel Wood, alleged he had “horrifically abused [her] for years.” Manson, born Brian Warner, denied her claims as “horrible distortions of reality.”

In the months since, multiple women come forward with their own allegations, including Game of Thrones star Esmé Bianco, model Ashley Morgan Smithline and Warner’s former assistant, Ashley Walters, all of whom filed lawsuits against him.

Timothée Chalamet dodges questions about ‘Call Me By Your Name’ co-star Armie Hammer controversy

October 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NOTE CONTENT) In a profile with TIME, Dune star Timothée Chalamet sidestepped a question about the sexual abuse accusations surrounding his former co-star, Armie Hammer.

Chalamet, who played Hammer’s love interest in the Oscar-nominated 2018 film Call Me By Your Name, told the magazine, “I totally get why you’re asking that. But it’s a question worthy of a larger conversation, and I don’t want to give you a partial response.”

Hammer’s career came to a halt early this year after two women, including ex-girlfriend Paige Lorenze, came forward in January with serious accusations against him, claiming the actor harbored fantasies involving cannibalism. In addition, the 22-year-old claimed Hammer was “obsessed” with the idea of “taking a piece of me…and consuming it.”

Following her claims, a 24-year-old woman named Effie claimed The Lone Ranger star “violently” raped her for several hours on April 24, 2017, and that she believed he was going to kill her.

Hammer denied the accusations from both women and stepped down from two projects: Shotgun Wedding, starring Jennifer Lopez, and an upcoming series titled The Offer, about the making of The Godfather. The Cold War thriller Billion Dollar Spy also severed ties with the actor.

Hammer’s attorney denied the charges, noting, “From day one, Mr. Hammer has maintained that all of his interactions with [the accuser] — and every other sexual partner of his for that matter — have been completely consensual…and mutually participatory. [The accuser’s] attention seeking and ill-advised legal bid will only make it more difficult for real victims of sexual violence to get the justice they deserve.”

In June, Vanity Fair reported that Hammer had entered rehab to deal to “drug, alcohol, and sex issues.”

Lego says its removing gender bias from its toys after new research

October 12, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The Lego Group says it will remove gender bias from its iconic toys.

The Danish toymaker announced in a statement Monday, that it will get rid of gender references among its famous building block sets, after new research in a study commissioned by Lego found that “girls today feel increasingly confident to engage in all types of play and creative activities, but remain held back by society’s ingrained gender stereotypes as they grow older.”

The study carried out by the Geena Davis Institute in recognition of the UN’s International Day of the Girl also marked the launch of Lego’s new Ready for Girls campaign, which celebrates girls who rebuild the world through creative problem-solving.

“What we found is not only from the parents, but also from the boys that they were worried — that they would be teased or made fun of for playing with toys that would be say, associated with girls, so it was the fear of being shamed and made fun of,” Madeline Di Nonno, CEO of the Geena Davis Institute told Good Morning America. “With girls, they felt more confident than boys to engage in a variety of playing activity.”

According to the research, 4 in 10 girls and nearly 3 in 4 boys surveyed said they felt uncomfortable to play with toys presumably targeted to the opposite gender.

Parents are four times more likely to encourage girls to engage in dress-up than boys and twice as likely to encourage boys in computer coding than girls, according to the survey, which also noted that the boys and girls surveyed agreed with the idea that some activities are gender-specific.

Another toymaker, Hasbro, recently rebranded its iconic Mr. Potato Head toy earlier this year and introduced a new gender-neutral potato head family with diverse body parts and clothes. And in 2019, Mattel released its first gender-neutral doll.

Retail giant Target announced in 2015 that its stores would not classify toy aisles by gender, a move that also paved the way for proposed legislation requring large retailers to provide gender-neutral toy sections.

A California law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom over the weekend makes it the first state that mandates large department stores to display products like toys and toothbrushes in gender-neutral ways.

“This isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for every family — and parents should encourage what their kids love and what they’re interested in,” parenting expert Ericka Souter told GMA. “We want the world to be open to our children and don’t want them to feel limited by their gender — companies are responding to this growing demand.”

Lego said in a statement that it is “committed to making LEGO play more inclusive and ensuring that children’s creative ambitions – both now in the future – are not limited by gender stereotypes. We know there is work to do which is why from 2021, we will work closely with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and UNICEF to ensure LEGO products and marketing are accessible to all and free of gender bias and harmful stereotypes.”

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