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Lenny Kravitz is heading Down Under for his first run of Australian dates in over a decade.
Announced on Monday (June 16), the Australian leg of the four-time Grammy winner’s Blue Electric Light Tour will launch in November 2025, with a six-date run of shows.
Alongside expected headline dates in cities such as Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, Kravitz will also be visiting Newcastle and the South Australian capital of Adelaide to perform at the bp Adelaide Grand Final motorsports event.
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Most notably, Kravitz will also be visiting the regional Victorian city of Mildura which – according to the 2021 census – boasts a population just shy of 35,000. Though not a location completely devoid of live performances, it’s a city that rarely features on the itinerary for international artists.
“We are so excited to once again be hosting an international act at the Mildura Sporting Precinct,” said Mildura’s City Council Mayor Helen Healy in a statement to the press. “This is a major win for our region and a testament to the success of hosting world-class events like the Kings of Leon concert in 2022.”
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The forthcoming run of tour dates will be the first time Kravitz has visited Australia since 2012. That visit was itself many years in the making, with his only other visits to the country taking place in 1993 and 1994.
Since his last visit, Kravitz has released three further albums, including 2014’s Strut, 2018’s Raise Vibration, and 2024’s Blue Electric Light. Additionally, in 2024, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and also received his first nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, though he was not inducted.
Lenny Kravitz – Blue Electric Light 2025 Australian Tour Dates
Nov. 18 – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, NSWNov. 19 – Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle, NSWNov. 21 – Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, QLDNov. 25 – John Cain Arena, Melbourne, VICNov. 28 – Sporting Precinct, Mildura, VICNov. 29 – bp Adelaide Grand Final, Adelaide, SA
The collective hopes of fans longing for a collaboration between Nick Cave and Morrissey have been dashed, with the former revealing he turned down the opportunity to do so last year.
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Cave’s revelation arrived by way of his Red Hand Files website, where he responded to a fan asking if he had ever met the former vocalist of The Smiths.
Labelling Morrissey a “complex and divisive figure, someone who takes more than a little pleasure in p–sing people off” and “probably the best lyricist of his generation,” Cave admitted that he had not had the chance to cross paths with the singer, adding that may be why he remains a fan.
However, Cave also added that Morrissey had approached him via email in 2024 to perform on a new song that he had written. “I would have been happy to do so, however, while the song he sent was quite lovely, it began with a lengthy and entirely irrelevant Greek bouzouki intro,” Cave explained.
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“It also seemed that he didn’t want me to actually sing on the song, but deliver, over the top of the bouzouki, an unnecessarily provocative and slightly silly anti-woke screed he had written.”
While Cave did not share any specific details in regard to the lyrical content of Morrissey’s track, he explained that it was enough for him to “politely decline” the offer.
“Although I suppose I agreed with the sentiment on some level, it just wasn’t my thing,” Cave explained “I try to keep politics, cultural or otherwise, out of the music I am involved with. I find that it has a diminishing effect and is antithetical to whatever it is I am trying to achieve.”
Morrissey’s most recent solo album, I Am Not a Dog on a Chain, arrived back in 2020. In November, the singer claimed that his as-yet-unreleased album, Bonfire of Teenagers, has been shelved so far because of his various controversial statements.
“As you know, nobody will release my music anymore,” Morrissey told a crowd in New Jersey. “As you know because I’m a chief exponent of free speech. In England at least, it’s now criminalized.”
As Australian youth broadcaster triple j recovers from its 50th birthday celebrations in January, they’ve announced the festivities will continue with a newly-detailed Hottest 100 poll.
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Officially dubbed the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs, the new countdown will take place on July 26, with voting open to the public, who can select their favorite songs performed by Australian artists.
As usual, there are a few eligibility caveats. Firstly, eligible songs are any tracks which were released prior to Jan. 19, 2025, and must feature a minimum 50% of Australian artists. As a result, New Zealand artists (who are often considered honorary Australians) are ineligible, though Crowded House are eligible, despite being formed by Neil Finn after the dissolution of Split Enz and his move from New Zealand to Australia.
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Notably, tracks recorded for triple j’s long-running Like a Version cover series are not eligible either. Though perennial favorites of triple j’s annual Hottest 100 countdown, the series received its own poll back in 2023, with DMA’S reigning supreme with their acoustic cover of Cher’s “Believe.”
triple j – which launched on Jan. 19, 1975 as the result of new policies by then-Prime minister Gough Whitlam – first kicked off their Hottest 100 countdown in 1989, with the first three years allowing listeners to vote for songs from any year.
In 1994, the station rebooted the concept, this time opening the polls only to songs which had been released the year prior. It’s since become known as – as triple j have labelled it – “the world’s greatest music democracy,” with an average of almost 2.5 million votes being cast each year.
In the ensuing decades, the list of winners has been plentiful, featuring Australian acts such as Spiderbait, The Wiggles, and two-time winners Powderfinger and Flume. Numerous international acts have also taken out the top spot, such as Oasis, Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar.
The most recent poll was announced in January 2025, with Chappell Roan being crowned the victor with “Good Luck, Babe!”
Notably, the latest countdown also left a sour taste in the mouth of Australian music-lovers, with the full list featuring the lowest number of homegrown artists in almost three decades. With only 29 Australian artists appearing across the full list of songs, it was the worst showing for Aussies since the 1996 list. Only the debut poll in 1993 and its 1994 follow-up are worse, with 24 and 26 Australian artists, respectively.
Alongside the annual poll, other one-off countdowns have been held over the years, with 1998 and 2009 seeing the release date restrictions lifted once again, 2011 focusing on Australian albums, 2013 allowing songs released in the past 20 years, and 2020 focusing on songs released in the 2010s.
The latter poll may give an indication of what may rank highly in the upcoming countdown, having been topped by Tame Impala‘s “The Less I Know the Better.”
In 2023, The Beatles harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to help bring the Fab Four back together on the Grammy-winning “Now and Then,” billed as the band’s final song. Two years later, the Lennon/McCartney partnership is together again – but with a twist. Their sons Sean Ono Lennon and James McCartney have joined forces with Zak Starkey (son of Ringo Starr) on a new song.
The team-up arrives via supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos’ upcoming single “Rip Off,” which Starkey teased on his Instagram account on Sunday (June 16). Mantra of the Cosmos is the new supergroup formed by Starkey alongside Happy Mondays members Shaun Ryder and Bez and Ride’s Andy Bell. Vocals on “Rip Off” are shared between Sean, James and Shaun on the wistful track. Listen to a snippet below.
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Speaking to The Telegraph, however, Starkey dismissed any suggestions it was a mini-Beatles reunion. “No it’s not,” Starkey said in regards to any similarities to their fathers’ band. “It’s like Mantra of the Cosmos with them in it. It’s Sean of the Cosmos and James of the Cosmos, it’s still my band.” In response to The Telegraph’s James Hall suggesting he needed Dhani Harrison, son of George Harrison, for a full house, Starkey responded: “No I don’t. Why do I?”
Sean Ono Lennon, born in 1975, was the sole child of Lennon’s marriage to Yoko Ono. In his musical career, Sean has collaborated with Lana Del Rey, The Lemon Twigs and Fat White Family. James McCartney, born in 1977 to Paul and Linda McCartney, has also embarked on a solo music career, and in 2024 collaborated with Sean on “Primrose Hill.”
In 2012, James McCartney told the BBC that a supergroup between himself, Sean, Dhani and Zak had been “mooted.” This new collaboration is the first time that three of the Beatles’ children have collaborated on a piece of original music.
It’s another coup for Starkey’s band, following a collaboration with Noel Gallagher on recent single “Domino Bones,” which the Oasis man said was influenced by Bob Dylan, Salvador Dali and Allen Ginsberg.
Until recently, Starkey was the drummer in The Who but was fired (twice) from the band in relation to his performance at a show in London in March. He also claimed to have turned down a spot in Oasis’ reunion band (he drummed for the group between 2004-2008), contradicting an earlier statement that said he wasn’t asked.
Billie Joe Armstrong has never held back on his contempt for Donald Trump. The Green Day singer has been raging against the policies of the 45th and now 47th president for years, and during the band’s first-ever set at the Download Festival in Donington Park in the U.K. on Friday (June 13), the singer lashed out at the U.S. president in unequivocal terms.
“Donald Trump in his administration is a fascist government,” Armstrong told the crowd. “And it’s up to us to fight back.” The comments came just a day before Trump presided over his long-awaited military parade in Washington, D.C. The rare display of military hardware and marching soldiers was meant to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, whilst also coinciding with Trump’s 79th birthday.
Though the D.C. event did not appear to draw the massive crowds the administration had predicted, a record number of Americans did turn out in historic numbers to protest the Trump White House’s agenda at more than 2,100 “No Kings” rallies, which drew an estimated five million attendees. The rallies featured a profusion of colorful, often profane signs lambasting Trump for what critics argued are imperial tactics to seize as many levers of government power as possible while attempting to drastically cut crucial social services, gutting environmental regulations and using the power of the White House to attack, and punish, perceived enemies.
In addition, Armstrong got the Download crowd to join him in calling Trump a “fat bastard,” in the singer’s latest broadside against the current administration. Back in March, less than 24 hours after Trump and Vice President JD Vance attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an Oval Office meeting in which the veep accused the wartime leader of being insufficiently grateful for U.S. aid for its three-year battle against Russia.
“Am I retarded or am I just JD Vance,” Armstrong sang in a lyrical tweak to the lyrics to “Jesus of Suburbia,” amending the politically incorrect-on-purpose original, “Am I retarded or am I just overjoyed?”
Last weekend, Armstrong sent a message of solidarity to protesters in Los Angeles who took to the streets to rally against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in the city, as well as the president’s decision to deploy the National Guard to L.A. over the mayor, and Gov. Gavin Newson’s, objections.
On June 8, Armstrong posted a video of protests from downtown L.A. on his Instagram Stories, captioned it with a middle-finger emoji and an ice cube, cued to a live version of “F— Off,” a song on the group’s Saviors (Édition de Luxe), the 2025 deluxe version of Green Day’s 2024 album.
Heart‘s Nancy Wilson and her bandmate and sister Ann Wilson are proud daughters of a Marine Corps major, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist said in a pointed Instagram post on Saturday (June 14) that their band’s music is not meant for political purposes. “Earlier today, during a parade held in support of our nation’s military and organized by President Donald Trump, the song ‘Barracuda’ by Heart was played without permission or authorization from us,” she said of the playing of the group’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 11 1977 hit during the military showcase.
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“‘Barracuda,’ written and performed by Ann and I, is a powerful piece of music that was never intended for political use,” continued Wilson, who drove home her point by wearing a “No Kings But Us” hat on a day when a historic number of Americans took to the streets from coast to coast to protest against what they called the creeping authoritarianism of the second Trump administration in a series of “No Kings” protests.
“As daughters of a U.S. Marine Corps major, we hold a deep and abiding respect for the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces,” wrote Wilson. “On a day meant to honor that service, it’s important that music used in such settings reflects not only the tone of the event but also the wishes of the artists who created it.🤘🏻”
According to reports. instrumental versions of Heart’s “Barracuda” and Journey’s “Separate Ways (World’s Apart)” were among the songs played at the event that appeared to draw modest crowds at a reported price of $25-$45 million, while the ACLU said that an estimated five million people took part in more than 2,100 “No Kings” rallies across the nation, making it the largest protest in the nation’s history.
Trump’s military parade, which was intended to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday, also fell on the president’s 79th birthday. The parading of military hardware through the streets of the nation’s capital is an unusual site in the U.S., though Trump has long mused out loud about wanting to hold such an event. The D.C. event came amidst a day of dramatic news, including Iran and Israel battering each other with missiles in what is ramping up to be a major escalation of hostilities between the two nations. In addition, officials in Minnesota launched a massive manhunt for the suspected shooter who assassinated a Democratic state legislator in that state and attempted assassination of another; the now-captured 57-year-old man, Vance Boelter, allegedly had a list of 70 other potential targets in his car.
Nancy Wilson has long objected to politicians using her band’s music at their rallies, and earlier this year she said she feels “embarrassed” to call herself an American at this time. “We were kind of embarrassed at that time to call ourselves American because of the dirty politics of the Vietnam War,” Wilson said of the period that inspired some of the band’s most beloved hits, including the anti-Vietnam war single “Crazy On You,” whose lyrics she added are relevant again. “To be as subtle as possible, it’s more embarrassing now.”
She noted that “Barracuda” was initially written about a sleazy industry figure at the time, though Wilson twisted it to fit the current commander in chief, saying the song is “even more relevant in the salacious billionaire culture with the grab-them-by-the-(expletive) mentality,” the latter phrase a reference to an infamous sexist comment from Trump.
The Wilsons were also peeved when Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin played “Barracuda” at the 2008 Republican National Convention, sending a cease and desist order to the former Alaska governor demanding she stop using the track as her unofficial theme song. In 2018, singer Ann Wilson told The Hill that any politician was free to use “Barracuda” on the campaign trail in 2020. “I think anybody but Trump,” she added.
The life and legacy of late Australian musician Conway Savage will be honored with the launch of a new music festival in Ireland.
The event, dubbed These Are the Waves: A Celebration of the Music of Conway Savage, is set to take place from Sept. 12-14 in Irish county town Dundalk.
Per a report from the Dundalk Democrat, Savage’s lasting relationship with the location began in 2000 when he performed at Dundalk’s Spirit Store venue alongside Falling Joys’ Suzie Higgie. Having also launched a creative relationship with local musician Mark Corcoran, Savage would perform in Dundalk many more times and recorded at the local Tumbleweed Studios on numerous occasions.
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Taking place at Spirit Store, the forthcoming festival is set to feature a number of musicians close to Savage, including former Bad Seeds bandmate Mick Harvey, and Higgie, who will contribute a full performance of the Soon Will Be Tomorrow album she and Savage released in 1998.
Additionally, the lineup will feature PJ Harvey collaborator Terry Edwards, alongside Jim Yamouridis and Robert Tickner, who had previously collaborated with Savage at some point either in the studio or in his band.
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Having performed since the early ’80s in bands such as Feral Dinosaurs, Dust on the Bible and Happy Orphans, Savage rose to prominence in 1990 when he joined Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds as their pianist, organist and occasional backing vocalist. He remained with the band for 27 before departing in 2017 to undergo treatment for a brain tumor.
In September 2018, it was reported that Savage had passed away as a result of his ongoing health battle at the age of 58.
“Conway was the anarchic thread that ran through the band’s live performances,” the band wrote in a statement following his passing. “He was much loved by everyone, band members and fans alike.
“Irascible, funny, terrifying, sentimental, warm-hearted, gentle, acerbic, honest, genuine – he was all of these things and quite literally ‘had the gift of a golden voice,’ high and sweet and drenched in soul.”
Zak Starkey has added another chapter to his ongoing saga with The Who, claiming that his firing occurred after turning down the opportunity to tour with a reformed Oasis.
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For those having trouble keeping up with the current state of Starkey’s drumming gigs, trouble first began in April when a spokesman for The Who claimed that “the band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall,” referring to a pair of gigs the month prior.
Starkey later issued a statement noting he was “surprised and saddened” by the news, though guitarist Pete Townshend later claimed Starkey was back in the band following the resolution of “communication issues.”
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In May, however, Townshend seemingly walked back this announcement, taking to social media to announce, “After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change,” and welcomed Scott Devours to the lineup for their final shows.
In an attempt to clarify the situation, Starkey claimed just a week later that he hadn’t been “fired” from the band, but rather “‘retired’ to work [on] my own projects.”
Now in a new interview with The Telegraph, Starkey has provided some further insight into the circumstances that led to his leaving The Who. “What happened was I got it right and Roger got it wrong,” Starkey explained.
According to a report from The Who’s Royal Albert Hall shows, newly knighted vocalist Roger Daltrey had stopped several songs mid-performance, citing difficulty hearing the band over the drums. Per Starkey’s recollection, the group played the rarely-performed “The Song is Over,” and a lack of rehearsal meant that Daltrey “came in a bar early.”
The result was a call from band manager Bill Curbishley who shared the bad news with Starkey. “He says, ‘It’s my unfortunate duty to inform you’,” Starkey remembers. “‘That you won’t be needed from now on. Roger says you dropped some beats.’”
Forced to admit he had indeed dropped some beats, Starkey says he was welcomed back to the group, only for the announcement of his retirement to be made soon after. “I don’t blame anyone. I blame The Who because they’re unpredictable, aggressive and f–ing insane,” Starkey explains.
However, the drummer also revealed that a major issue surrounding his axing relates to a role behind the kit with Oasis. Despite having been a member of The Who since 1996, he also served as a touring drummer for Oasis between 2004 and 2008.
Per his latest interview, Starkey claims that he had in fact turned down the position of drumming for the reunited Manchester group due to his commitments with The Who. Instead, Starkey’s position in Oasis will be filled by the prolific Joey Waronker.
“He’s the best and we’re lucky to have him,” Liam Gallagher recently said of Waronker’s addition. “I’ve enjoyed all our drummers but this guy is special.”
Despite Starkey’s other focus being Mantra of the Cosmos (a supergroup of sorts featuring members of Happy Mondays and Oasis’ Andy Bell), its members’ touring commitments means he’s likely being left with a clear schedule in 2025.
However, Starkey did close by noting he’d recently spoken to Daltrey, who reportedly told him, “‘Don’t take your drums out of [The Who’s] warehouse yet in case we need you.’”
NEEDTOBREATHE‘s Bear Rinehart is speaking out following allegations of childhood abuse made by his brother Bo Rinehart.
On Thursday (June 12), 43-year-old Bo, the former guitarist for NEEDTOBREATHE, shared a statement on social media alleging that he was sexually abused by multiple people during his childhood, including his older brother Bear, 44, the rock band’s lead singer.
“This is Bo. I am an alcoholic. I am a sinner, but I am a believer. I believe in God’s grace, and I believe that his mercy has shown that he is consistent, even though we don’t deserve it,” Bo wrote on Instagram. “I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I’ve been sexually abused by a Camp counselor. I’ve been sexually, physically and emotionally abused by my brother. And I’ve been abused by my youth pastor.”
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He continued, “I believe that God has bigger plans for me and part of those plans are telling my story because it’s so hard for anyone to tell stories like these. Even when my faith has been crushed, I know that God still has provisions for me. If you’re out there and you’re thinking, nothing can be done, no one can help, there’s no way out… I’m with you… but I believe in a God who always finds a way. Don’t give up and don’t lose hope.”
Bo, who left NEEDTOBREATHE in 2020, later shared a photo of Bear with the caption “Sexual Abuser” in a since-deleted Instagram Story, according to Relevant Magazine.
On Saturday (June 14), Bear responded to his brother’s allegations with a lengthy post on the Instagram account for Wilder Woods, his solo musical project outside of NEEDTOBREATHE.
“I feel the need to comment on the deeply hurtful and misleading accusations that my brother Bo made the other night on social media,” Bear wrote. “I love Bo deeply and I always will. Since his departure from the band over five years ago, we have done everything in our power to treat him with respect and privacy. I would never choose to disparage him, especially at a time where he is clearly in pain. But as a father and husband, I must protect my family from claims that misrepresent the truth.”
He continued, “Until now, I had chosen to not share this publicly — not because I’m ashamed, but because I’ve wanted to protect my family. I have three young boys, and I wanted them to hear about my story from me directly, when the time is right and not through social media or online speculation. Bo’s post has now made it impossible for me to remain private about this period of our childhood any longer. I can only hope that God has a plan for this down the road. I have always respected Bo’s right to speak about his own story, but I cannot allow him to misrepresent mine.”
Bear went on to claim that “my brother and I were both sexually abused at the age of 8 and 6 by a teenage counselor” at a Christian camp where they grew up in South Carolina. “Neither of us received support for these events until well into adulthood and were both left to navigate the rest of childhood and adolescence with deep pain and confusion,” the musician wrote, adding that he later “found freedom” after counseling and support from loved ones.
“Bo’s recent accusation of me conflates our shared experience of abuse with a childhood incident he misrepresents,” Bear continued. “While going through a two day intensive counseling session with Bo five years ago, I learned that he was hurt by things that happened in our early teen years as well. At that counseling session I took full responsibility for any part I played in that pain. We processed those moments of shared trauma in detail and left with an understanding that we were two young boys trying to cope with the unimaginable. To now label me an abuser in such a heartless way is not only deeply painful, but is also wildly misleading and feels intentionally harmful.”
Bear concluded his message by expressing hope that he and Bo can reconcile someday. “I truly do pray for this healing,” he wrote. “I believe that all of us are broke and in need of a savior. My brother and I are no different.”
Billboard has reached out to NEEDTOBREATHE’s representatives for further comment.
In a 2023 interview with People, Bo opened up about coming to terms with his experience of sexual abuse as an adult, revealing that it was perpetrated by three different individuals. He did not provide further details.
“It takes time,” Bo said at the time. “At some point in our lives, we get to this stage — and it’s generally with survivors of childhood sexual abuse, it’s in their late 30s or early 40s — where it starts to surface whether you want it to or not. You’ll start to see how your life’s kind of breaking down.”
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Roger Daltrey was among the notable figures recognized in King Charles III’s Birthday Honours list.
The Who frontman, 81, was celebrated for his outstanding contributions to music and his long-standing charitable work — particularly with the Teenage Cancer Trust, where he has served as a patron since 2000.
“It is a wonderful honour for me and especially for Teenage Cancer Trust,” Daltrey said in a statement shared in Instagram. “I accept this award not only for myself but on behalf of all the unsung heroes who have given their energy towards making the Teenage Cancer Trust the success it has become.”
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Over the past two decades, the iconic rocker has played a key role in organizing the charity’s annual concert series at London’s Royal Albert Hall, which has raised more than £36 million (approximately $48 million).
He went on to acknowledge individuals who have supported the Teenage Cancer Trust over the years. “The likes of The Who and their fans, Angie Jenkison, Lindsay Hughes, Des Murphy, Rob Ballantine and the late Chris York are some of many who have done so much to elevate the charity, to the point where it now has 28 specialist units in NHS hospitals across the U.K.,” he said.
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In recognition of his work, Daltrey was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). “It’s kind of weird… It’s a dream come true for me, but it’s especially a dream because the charity means so much,” the musician told the Press Association.
The Who shared their own tribute to Daltrey. “Sir Roger is a true inspiration and we salute him and all the other honourees from the worlds of music and the creative arts for enriching our lives with their brilliant human artistry and achievements,” the band wrote.
Other prominent recipients of knighthood in this year’s list include actor Gary Oldman and retired soccer star David Beckham. Additional honorees included Steve Winwood, 10cc’s Graham Gouldman, actress Elaine Paige and Love Island star Georgia Harrison, according to the BBC.
Winwood — known for his work with the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic and Blind Faith, as well as a successful solo career — was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
“I am immensely grateful that I am considered for recognition of my services to music,” Winwood said in a statement on Instagram. “I am a proud upholder of British culture and values, and am extremely honoured to be rewarded in this way, and wish to thank all those who made the recommendation, and those who’ve supported my music over the years.”
