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Sabrina Carpenter will headline a second night at London’s BST Hyde Park. The Short n’ Sweet singer will now perform another huge outdoor show on July 6, 2025 following her previously sold-out show on July 5. Carpenter was first announced for BST Hyde Park back in December and joined Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Noah Kahan, […]
Blink-182 co-founder Mark Hoppus is setting his sights on the art world, with the musician set to auction off his rare Banksy artwork.
The artwork, titled Crude Oil (Vettriano), was hand-painted by the anonymous English street artist in 2005 and will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in London on March 4. The painting is valued rather highly, attracting a sales estimate of up to £5 million, or $6.3 million.
Originally created for Banksy’s 2005 exhibit Crude Oils, the painting is itself a recreation of the 1992 artwork The Singing Butler by Scottish artist Jack Vettriano. Hoppus would later acquire the piece in 2011.
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As part of the exhibition (which was described as “A Gallery of Re-Mixed Master-Pieces, Vandalism, and Vermin” and featured works based off artists such as Andy Warhol and Edward Hopper), the original was altered to include a “sinking oil liner and two men in hazmat suits wheeling a barrel of toxic waste”.
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“We loved this painting since the moment we saw it,” said Hoppus in a statement. “Unmistakably Banksy, but different. We bought it because we loved it. It’s borne witness to our family over these past dozen years. It hung over the table in London where we ate breakfast and our son did his homework. It hung in our living room in Los Angeles. It’s seen laughter and tears and parties and arguments.”
“This isn’t just an iconic Banksy, it is a Banksy that has been treasured by music legend, Mark Hoppus, who fell for this work for its rebellious spirit, raw edge and unfiltered expression—the fundamentals that also shaped Mark’s world: Punk culture,” Sotheby’s Europe chairman Oliver Barker said in a statement.
“Street art and Punk Rock share the same vocabulary—they speak to the outsider, the rebel and the overlooked. Both movements were born from the margins. They challenge authority and rewrite the rules, a fundamental trait shared by Mark and Banksy. Now, by sharing Crude Oil (Vettriano) with the world, Mark will open others’ eyes to the true power art can have; to spark conversation and challenge the way we see the world around us.”
Remaining anonymous over his three decades of activity, Banksy’s artwork has become as iconic as it is divisive, with his creations adorning the walls of art galleries and album covers in equal measure. In 2021, his Love is in the Bin artwork sold for a record £18,582,000 (valued at $23,442,885 today), with the work itself having gained notoriety for its self-destruction upon its initial sale in 2018.
Hoppus says a portion of the funds raised by the sale will go towards charities and funds aiding those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, including the California Fire Foundation, the Child Life Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Cedars Sinai Hematology Oncology Research.
Crude Oil (Vettriano) is currently on display at Sotheby’s in New York until Thursday (Feb. 20), and will then be on display in London from Feb. 26 until March 4.
The journals of late Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley will be collected in an upcoming book, with This Angry Pen to be released in November.
The 176-page volume will be officially released on Nov. 11 via publisher Weldon Owen, with its full title reading This Angry Pen: The Lost Journals of Layne Staley. According to a description of the book on the website of distributors Simon & Schuster, the book collects “handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes” and more.
“For the first time, this stunning collection unveils the deeply personal and creative side of the legendary Alice in Chains frontman,” it continues. “Through never-before-seen poetry, raw handwritten lyrics, intimate scribblings, and heartfelt notes, Layne’s inner thoughts and emotions come to life, offering a glimpse into the mind of a musical genius who defined a generation.”
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Staley began his musical journey in the ‘80s, performing in glam bands in the Seattle area such as Sleze, which changed its name in 1986 to Alice N’ Chains.
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In 1987, Staley – along with guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr and drummer Sean Kinney – formed a new band and renamed it Alice in Chains. The group would soon become one of the most influential grunge rock outfits of the ‘90s, with their 1995 self-titled album peaking atop the Billboard 200.
In addition to performing and recording with supergroups Mad Season and Class of ‘99 through the decade, Staley became largely reclusive in the latter half of the ‘90s, battling depression and drug addiction during those years. In April 17, 2002, Staley’s body was found in his Seattle apartment, with an autopsy ruling his death as an accidental overdose of cocaine and heroin from two weeks prior.
Alice in Chains would later reform in 2005, with vocalist William DuVall joining the following year. The band have since released three studio albums, with 2018’s Rainier Fog serving as their last record to date.
“Through Layne’s scribblings and heartfelt musings are a window into the emotional depths of a man who gave so much of himself to his art and his fans, even as he struggled with his own battles,” the description for This Angry Pen continued. “For fans new and old, this is an opportunity to connect with Layne’s artistry and humanity in a way that’s never been possible before. His story, told through his own words, creations, and the lives he forever changed, is a testament to the enduring power of music, art, and the human spirit.”
The publication of This Angry Pen also draws some comparisons to the 2002 book Journals, which collected the drawings and writings of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Nirvana and Alice in Chains – along with fellow Seattle contemporaries Pearl Jam and Soundgarden – were often considered to make up the ‘Big Four’ of grunge music. Reaction to Cobain’s Journals was mixed upon its release, with Cobain’s daughter Frances Bean expressing her regret over its publication in 2018.
Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon has dismissed his bandmates’ decision to reform with Frank Carter on vocals, likening the whole endeavor to “karaoke”.
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News of a tour from the Sex Pistols emerged in 2024 when it was first announced that the band – featuring original members Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock – were to reunite for a two-night affair to benefit West London’s Bush Hall.
The reunion did not, however, feature Lydon, who served as the vocalist of the band under his Johnny Rotten moniker. Instead, the group was to be fronted by Carter, who has previously fronted acts such as Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes.
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The initial shows soon led to further dates around the U.K. and Europe, with the band billed as Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter. Further shows have since been announced for Australia, New Zealand, and other European countries throughout 2025. In January, Jones confirmed U.S. dates would follow, though specifics are yet to arrive.
Lydon, however, had remained largely quiet in regard to the nascent shows from the band. On Thursday (Feb. 13), he spoke to British publication The i Paper about the tour, explaining that he largely felt “annoyed” by the whole affair and feared it would tarnish the group’s legacy.
“When I first heard that the Sex Pistols were touring this year without me it pissed me off,” he explained. “It annoyed me. I just thought, ‘they’re absolutely going to kill all that was good with the Pistols by eliminating the point and the purpose of it all.’ I didn’t write those words lightly. They’re trying to trivialise the whole show to get away with karaoke but in the long term I think you’ll see who has the value and who doesn’t. I’ve never sold my soul to make a dollar. It’s the Catholic in me – that guilt I don’t want to trip.
“Like Nancy Reagan, I’ve always found it easy to just say ‘no,’” he continued. “If something challenges your heart and your soul and your mind and your sense of purity of what is right and wrong in the world, then just say no. Which, according to the corporate thinking which riddles the music business earns me the title of ‘difficult to work with’ – a title of which I’m very proud.”
The new tour is not the first time, however, that Sex Pistols members have performed songs with a different vocalist. In recent years, Jones and Cook teamed up with Billy Idol and Tony James of Generation X to form the supergroup Generation Sex. Though initially a one-off occurrence in 2018, the group would later embark on a European tour in 2023.
Lydon touched on both the nascent iteration of the Sex Pistols and the Generation Sex group in another recent interview with the Classic Album Review podcast, claiming it’s his presence that makes for the genuine article.
“I wrote the fucking songs, didn’t I? I gave them the image,” he explained. ”I was the frontman. I am the voice what made the whole world sing. And now [they’re] going out, as they did the year before with Billy Idol. It’s just karaoke, really.
“I would love to be embarrassed by high-quality songwriting from them,” he continued. “They’ve had long enough to get that together now, haven’t they? But no. They profess their hatred for me, but they can’t live without me. I am the punishment that goes on giving.”
The Sex Pistols initially existed from 1975 until 1978, releasing their sole studio album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols in 1977. Lauded as a pioneering punk outfit despite their short initial tenure, the band would later reform in 1996 for a world tour, and undertook sporadic tours until 2008.
Famously, the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, though refused to attend the ceremony, labeling the institution a “piss stain.”
The Backstreet Boys are taking over the Sphere in Las Vegas with their ‘Into the Millennium’ residency and their anniversary album ‘Millennium 2.0.’ Keep watching to see what fans can expect at their show and more! Are you excited for their residency? Let us know in the comments! Backstreet Boys: One incredible experience, sensory overload. […]
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Backstreet Boys superstar Brian Littrell revealed on the Today show that his 22-year-old son, Baylee, will appear on the upcoming season of American Idol. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “He was just texting me last night, going, ‘Dad, […]
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The BLACKPINK superstar delivers sonic surprises, confident vocals and radio-ready tracks to prove her global pop star status.
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A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Athelaston Mayers, 36, was found not guilty. Pretty Flacko was charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm aka firing a gun at his former friend and A$AP Mob member A$AP Relli.
https://x.com/meghanncuniff/status/1891895289201434700
The jury began deliberating on Tuesday (Feb. 18) morning and reached their verdict by late afternoon. The jury consisted of seven women and five men and their decision was reportedly unanimous.
The prosecution alleged that Rocky fired two shots at Relli during a dispute on a street in Hollywood back in 2021. The trial featured dramatic testimony from Relli (Rocky passed on testifying) and bitter arguing between the prosecution and the defense (each side accused the other of perjury). Rocky’s longtime girlfriend attending the trial and occasionally bringing along their two baby sons added to the audacity of the proceedings.
The dutiful reporting of legal journalist Meghann Cuniff has given outside observers a direct look into the happenings of the trial as they occurred. Below, we’re sharing Cuniff’s YouTube channel that featured the verdict reading.
Social media followed this trial closely and is reacting to the verdict. See what’s happening in the gallery.
This story is developing.
Additional reporting by D.L. Chandler.
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A$AP Rocky (Rakim Mayers) has been found not guilty on both counts in the shooting case involving his former friend and associate A$AP Relli (Terrell Ephron). The verdict, which the jury reached after about three hours, according to The Associated Press, was read in the downtown Los Angeles courtroom at 4 p.m. PT on Tuesday […]
Today, Goldenvoice announced the lineup for Cali Vibes, June 7 and 8 at Marina Green Park in Long Beach. The four-year festival had been held in February in previous years, but is making the move toward summer time to “fully embrace California’s renowned sunshine while keeping the party going all weekend long.”
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This year’s highly anticipated lineup features performances by the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning hip-hop icon Kid Cudi, multi-platinum SoCal legends Cypress Hill, rapper Ludacris, Steel Pulse, Billboard chart-topping reggae acts Collie Buddz, Dirty Heads, Iration, Rebelution, Slightly Stoopid, J Boog, as well as other stars of the reggae, hip-hop, ska, and punk genres including DENM, Rome, Shwayze, The Elovaters, YG Marley, and many more!
Goldenvoice Talent Buyer, Gaston Leone said “as we celebrate the fourth year of Cali Vibes, our goal remains the same—crafting a lineup that reflects this scene’s evolution while staying true to its essence, set against the stunning backdrop of Long Beach.”
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This year’s festival will be Stick Figure’s only Southern California performance of 2025. Slightly Stoopid will unite with their musical family and special guest performers for an unforgettable set with friends. Cypress Hill will take the stage and perform hits from their legendary, multi-platinum album Black Sunday alongside fan favorites from their extensive catalog.
Coming off an electric performance at Coachella 2024, YG Marley, the son of Lauryn Hill and grandson of Bob Marley, will showcase his unique musical talents while paying homage to his rich family heritage. In a highly anticipated moment, Rome, formerly of Sublime with Rome, will make his solo debut in his beloved hometown. Additionally, Landon McNamara, 11th all-time winner of the 2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational (“The Eddie”), will take the stage, bringing his passion for surfing and music to new heights.
Organizers encourage fans to register now for access to passes, which go on sale this Friday, February 21, at 11 a.m. Pacific. Payment plans are available for $49.99 or 50% down. A Past Purchaser Presale begins Thursday, February 20, at 11 a.m. PT for returning members of the Cali Vibes family who previously purchased passes to the festival. Organizers say $5 from every pass sold will be spent to support the festival’s sustainability goals and initiatives. Beach Club passes and GA 4-packs are also available.
To thank first responders for their life-saving efforts during Southern California’s recent fires, the festival is selling a limited-edition t-shirt, with 100% of the net proceeds donated to the California Fire Foundation. In addition, there is a special complimentary merch bundle exclusively available to those who purchase Cali Vibes passes via GovX. The first 500 attendees that show proof of their GovX pass at the festival merchandise booth at the event will receive this ‘Thank You Bundle.’
More at www.CaliVibesFest.com.