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Close to 65 years since he rose to fame as the drummer for English rock icons The Beatles, Pete Best has announced his retirement.
83-year-old Best’s retirement was announced on X (formerly Twitter), with his brother Roag confirming that the drummer will no longer be performing as part of the eponymous Pete Best Band going forward.
“Well what an absolutely wonderful ride we’ve had. However, everything comes to pass,” Roag noted. “My brother Pete Best has announced today he is retiring from personal appearances and performing with the group. His daughter has informed me it’s due to personal circumstances.”
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Pete himself acknowledged his retirement, reposting the original announcement and adding, “I had a blast. Thank you.”
Best’s association with The Beatles began in the late ’50s when the Quarrymen – which comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ken Brown – approached his mother Mona to perform at her Liverpool venue, the Casbah Coffee Club. The Quarrymen evolved into The Beatles in 1960, and following brief stints with Tommy Moore and Norman Chapman, the group recruited Best as their drummer ahead of launching a residency in Hamburg, Germany in August of that year.
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After two years with The Beatles, Best was ousted by manager Brian Epstein in favor of Ringo Starr. Various stories have circulated as to the reason for Best’s dismissal, though his alleged lack of ability, his chemistry within the band, and his purported attractiveness have since been raised as possible explanations behind his firing.
Following his time with the band, Best performed with other bands including Lee Curtis and the All-Stars and The Pete Best Combo, which notably attempted to capitalize on Best’s prior work by releasing an album titled Best of the Beatles.
Best reflected on his time in the band as part of the 2002 book The Beatles: The True Beginnings. “I’ve never thought that it was a bad thing that I was in the Beatles. I’ve always looked back on that, regardless of what happened, as being two very exciting years. We conquered frontiers. We grew in musicianship. It was a privilege to be part of the band.”
Best later enjoyed a successful career in civil service, raised a family, qualified for early retirement, and made millions from the Beatles’ Anthology One album, which featured 12 tracks on which he drummed.
The Pete Best Band is currently scheduled to perform at the Liverpool Beatles Museum on Aug. 23, though it’s currently unknown if Best’s retirement from the band will impact the planned appearance.
When one door closes, another one opens in the world of romance. Mark Hoppus learned that after going on an unsuccessful date with Melissa Joan Hart. The Blink-182 rocker opened up about the dinner with the Sabrina the Teenage Witch star in his upcoming memoir, Fahrenheit-182, according to People. In the book, he says the […]
Corey Taylor is part of the “Pink Pony Club.” The Slipknot frontman took the stage at horror and pop culture convention SPOOKALA, where he performed a 14-song set on Saturday (April 5), according to Kerrang!. He included a series of covers during his performance, ranging from Foo Fighters and Violent Femmes tracks to the SpongeBob […]
SXSW London announced the initial batch of showcasing performers for the first-ever U.K. edition of the iconic music festival on Monday morning (April 7). Taking place from June 2-7 in Shoredictch, U.K., the event will feature sets from Mabel, Alice Glass, Sasha Keable, Miraa May and NAO, who will take the stage at more than a dozen venues, including Shoreditch Town Hall, Notion, Soul Surge, The Blues Project, Village Underground, Strongroom Bar, 93 Feet East, XOYO, Brick Lane Tap House, Colours, Juju’s and Jaguar Shoes, among others.
Among the other 100 Afrobeats, dancehall, blues, drill, drum & bass, dub, electronic, folk, funk, grime, hip-hip, jazz, metal, rock and soul acts from around the world slated to perform are: Aja Ireland, Ace Clvrk, Anthonia, Balter, Bemz, Benefits, Bison Rogue, Caleb Kunle, Cheb Mimo, Clara Serra Lopez, Coco & Breezy, Demae, Emmeline, Freddie Lewis, Gender Crisis, Gia Ford, Heartworms, Hiba, Hot Face, Hunnid22, Joejas, Kanis, Last Nubian, Lostchild, Mace the Great, Myylo, Nicole Blakk Sola Akingbola, The Deep, TwstXav and Zems, among many others.
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In addition to the traditional mix of music from all over the world offered at the annual fest in Austin, TX, the first-ever U.K. edition will feature conference programming covering the intersection of AI technology and human creativity and the crafting of branded product experiences, as well as the SXSW London Screen Festival, with appearances from actress Gillian Anderson and screenings of upcoming films and TV series.
Among the other musical acts slated to perform at the event that will feature such themes as “Diasporic Electronica,” “Independent Spirit” and “Future Sounds” are: Blasé, Cooper T, Deca Ota, El Combo De London, Gbrl Prkfv Ensemble, Ivy Lab, Jaz Elise, Korda Korder, Lewis G Burton, Majur, Mayelli, Micromoon, Montanera, Polldarier, Ras-I, Sarah Angel, Sean Focus, Tatyana, SophieGrey and Werkha, among others.
“One of the things I love most about London is that you can step out of any tube station and find yourself in a distinct community,” said SXSW London head of music Adem Holness in a statement. “That’s exactly how I want our festival to feel — each of our music venues will be a gateway into a different international new music scene. We’re collaborating with the most exciting pioneers in underground music movements to present the future of music from their unique perspectives, and I’m beyond excited by the artists they’ve chosen to platform.”
Three-day passes are available now here, with music wristbands slated to go on sale on April 14.
Billboard’s parent company PMC is the largest shareholder of SXSW and its brands are official media partners of SXSW.
Founding Blondie drummer Clem Burke died on Sunday (April 6) at age 70. The group announced the passing of their longtime bandmate on Monday morning (April 7), writing, “it is with profound sadness that we relay the news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.”
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The statement continued: “Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie. His talent, energy, and passion for music was unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable. Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”
Burke (born Clement Anthony Bozewski in Bayonne, N.J. on Nov. 24, 1954) joined punk/new wave pioneers Blondie in 1975, not long after the group was formed by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein.
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Burke performed on all of Blondie’s albums, from their 1976 self-titled debut, to their breakthrough 1978 LP Parallel Lines (which featured their Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Heart of Glass”), 1979’s Eat to the Beat and 1980’s Autoamerican. He was behind the kit during a pivotal, world-changing time in mid-1970s New York when Blondie, along with The Ramones, Patti Smith, Talking Heads and Television, were regularly playing in such legendary bars as CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, setting the stage for the punk revolution in America, and across the world.
Following their string of hit albums, the band announced their split in late 1982 before getting the original members back together for a brief 1997 tour and then a world jaunt the next year and a new album, No Exit, in 1999. The group’s eighth studio album, The Curse of Blondie, dropped in 2003, followed by more touring and 2014’s Ghosts of Download album and their final known recorded set with Burke, 2017’s Pollinator LP.
With an exuberant, high-energy style influenced by the Who’s Keith Moon and Beatles’ Ringo Starr — he played left-handed on a right-handed kit just like Ringo — Burke told Tidal in 2022 that he never thought of his day job as work. “Especially when I do things with my friends and my little side projects that I have with various bands,” he said. “With drumming, you kind of have to keep doing it. You don’t really wanna lose your chops. You wanna be prepared to play when you have to play. So it works both ways. I help people out by playing with them, and they help me to keep my abilities together.”
He also noted in that interview that the thing that initially attracted him to Stein and Harry was that he was on a quest to find his David Bowie, Jim Morrison or Mick Jagger. “I was emphatic about that. I needed to work with people that I felt had that sort of charisma and creativity,” he said. “Debbie was amazing. You could sense that immediately. And I’m not talking about just her beauty. I’m just talking about her whole essence as a human being, as a person. I would put her on the same level as Bowie, as far as the things that she comes up with creatively.”
After Blondie’s split in 1982, Burke stayed very busy performing and recording with a wide variety of bands, including the Romantics, Pete Townshend, Iggy Pop, Plimsouls, Bob Dylan, the Eurythmics, Joan Jett, Wanda Jackson, Dramarama, Nancy Sinatra and Johnny Thunders. He even briefly filled in for a couple of gigs in 1987 for his pals in the Ramones under the stage name Elvis Ramone. During his eight-year (1980-1988) run with the Eurythmics, Burke performed on three albums with the group, including on their 1986 Grammy winning single “Missionary Man.”
He also teamed up in 1983 with another ’80s punk icon, former (and again) Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, to form the group Chequered Past with vocalist Michael Des Barres and bassist Tony Sales and former Blondie bassist Nigel Harrison. In keeping with his indefatigable work ethic and affection for fellow punk-era players, Burke formed another all-star group in 2011, the International Swingers, which featured another Sex Pistols refugee, bassist Glen Matlock, as well as Generation X guitarist James Stevenson and Supernaut singer Gary Twinn.
Burke is featured on all of the Blondie’s No. 1 hits, which also included “Call Me,” “The Tide Is High” and “Rapture,” providing whatever the songs needed, from funky disco-leaning rhythms to reggae, funk and pop beats. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 alongside bandmates Harry, Stein, founding keyboardist Jimmy Destri and bassist Gary Valentine and guitarist Frank Infante.
In their tribute to their lost friend, Blondie honored Burke’s many side gigs, writing, “Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie. A self proclaimed ‘Rock & Roll survivalist,’ he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists, including Eurythmics, Ramones, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, Chequered Past, The Fleshtones, The Romantics, Dramarama, The Adult Net, The Split Squad, The International Swingers, L.A.M.F., Empty Hearts, Slinky Vagabond, and even the Go-Go’s. His influence and contributions have spanned decades and genres, leaving an indelible mark on every project he was a part of.”
The message ended with condolences for Burke’s family, friends and fans across the world. “His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched,” Blondie said.
See Blondie’s post here and check out some of the classic tunes Burke played on below.
https://bsky.app/profile/blondieband.bsky.social/post/3lm7zdctjts2x
Reunited thrash metal icons Slayer announced a run of 2025 North American and European dates in March, marking their first U.K. and Canadian shows in six years. They expanded that run on Monday morning (April 7) with the addition of the only East Coast performance of the year.
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The band will headline the 30,000-seat Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, PA on Sept. 20 along with a gang of other new and classic thrash/hard rock bands including Knocked Loose, Suicidal Tendencies, Power Trip, Cavalera (performing Chaos A.D. in full) and Exodus (performing Bonded by Blood). The show will be hosted by WWE superstar and Slayer superfan Damian Priest; the wrestler’s finisher is set to Slayer’s “South of Heaven” and the band’s guitarist, Kerry King, created the guitar parts for Priest’s “Rise For the Night” theme song.
A ticket pre-sale will begin on Tuesday (April 8) at 10 a.m. ET, followed by a general on-sale on Friday (April 11) beginning at 10 a.m. ET; for additional ticketing information click here.
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In a statement Slayer bassist/singer Tom Araya said, ““Slayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeerrrrrr!!!!!! One night only, stacked line up, it’s going to be f–king sick!!!! Hersheypark – be there…..if not, you’re either dead, in jail or a sissy!!!!!”
Guitarist King added, “Last year, Slayer played only two shows, and those shows affected me like playing The Big Four shows did. When we played our first show last year in Chicago, I figured it was going to be great for the fans, maybe there would be some people who had never seen us play before, but the reaction was just completely overwhelming. The fans reacted to us like I’d expect them to react to the biggest band on the planet. It was amazing. So for the Hershey concert, we’ll play a Slayer show, we’ll have all of our big fire effects, and just burn everything like we used to.”
King also noted that the show will be the first time his group — which also features guitarist Gary Holt and drummer Paul Bostaph — will perform with Power Trip and Knocked Loose.
Check out the full list of Slayer’s 2025 concerts below.
July 3: Cardiff, Wales @ Blackweir Fields (with Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Mastodon, Hatebreed, Neckbreakker)
July 5: Birmingham, UK @ Villa Park (Back to the Beginning final Black Sabbath show)
July 6: London, UK @ Finsbury Park (with Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Mastodon, Hatebreed, Neckbreakker)
July 11: Quebec City, QB @ Quebec Festival d’été (with Mastodon)
Sept. 18: Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life Festival
Sept. 20: Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium (with Knocked Loose, Suicidal Tendencies, Power Trip, Cavalera and Exodus)
One of the oddest couples in music was back at it over the weekend when Carrie Underwood hopped up on stage with her old pals in Papa Roach during the band’s show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday (April 5) in Las Vegas. With PR singer Jacoby Shaddix setting up the iconic refrain […]
A couple is ready to “take it the next level” after a nice date in the “Making Love” sketch that aired on SNL Saturday night (April 5). Silk pajama-clad lovers-to-be (Jack Black and Sarah Sherman) turn the night into a musical performance, with a little help from Bowen Yang and Brandi Carlile — and with all four of them flying.
Black, the host of Saturday Night Live‘s latest episode, and Sherman are lifted up as they sing (and making swimming motions in the air).
“First we do things to me for a while,” Black sings, “and then we do things to you for not that long.”
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They try to incorporate some dirty talk, and get the champagne flowing — right into Sherman’s eyeballs.
“That was so romantic,” Sherman musters, to which Black agrees: “For me as well.” Together, they harmonize: “Because we’re making love.“
“Then without even saying a word, we both know it’s time to bring in a third,” they sing.
“Hello, I’m here to fix your problems,” croons Yang, who appears out of nowhere. “And this will definitely end well.”
Spoiler: Black panics, feels weird for inviting a guy from work to join them, and decides the way to make things all right and “dandy” is “to bring in a fourth … and the fourth is Brandi.”
Watch the “Making Love” sketch below to hear the always-cool Carlile croon her words of wisdom while mid-air.
Elsewhere on Saturday night’s show, the singer-songwriter fulfilled her duties as musical guest with Elton John, performing “Little Richard’s Bible” and “Who Believes in Angels?” from their new album released this week. Carlile and John’s collaborative project, Who Believes in Angels?, was released on Friday (April 4).
Dave Allen, who played bass guitar during influential British post-punk band Gang of Four’s early years — and who went on to found the group Shriekback — has died. He was 69.
Allen’s former Gang of Four bandmate Hugo Burnham shared the news of his passing on Sunday (April 6).
“It is with broken yet full hearts that we share the news that Dave Allen, our old music partner, friend, and brilliant musician, died on Saturday morning,” Burnham wrote on Gang of Four’s Instagram, where the band featured several photos in a tribute to Allen. “He was at home with his family.”
“Dave had endured the early-onset of mixed dementia for some years which has been a heartbreaking time for his wife Paddy, his children, and close friends. Our love and thoughts are with them,” he stated.The note continued: “Jon and I [Hugo] went to see him and spent a lovely afternoon with him and the family. We talked and laughed for hours, sharing rich and vivid memories of good times together. Adventures, careers in music, raising families, our interwoven lives spanning half a century. We’ve been so very lucky to have had the Ace of Bass in our lives. We know that Dave would have wanted nothing more than to step onstage with us again in Portland on our farewell US tour. But it’s now a bridge too far. Goodbye, Old Friend.”
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After joining Gang of Four with Burnham, Jon King and Andy Gill in Leeds in 1976, Allen made his mark as bassist on the band’s debut album, 1979’s Entertainment!, and their follow-up set, 1981’s Solid Gold. While neither were chart successes in the U.S., Gang of Four’s early work influenced the likes of Michael Stipe, Flea and Kurt Cobain, who included Entertainment! on his top 50 albums list (as published in the posthumous Journals).
In 1981, Allen formed Shriekback with Barry Andrews (XTC, The League of Gentlemen), and went on to record a number of albums with the group.
Allen rejoined Gang of Four for a reunion with the core lineup in the mid-’00s. He also performed with bands including The Elastic Purejoy and Low Pop Suicide.
Gang of Four bandmate Gill, the group’s founding guitarist, died in 2020.
Allen’s experience in the music industry went beyond the recording studio and stage. Most recently he co-founded and served as director of music relations at DinWorkshop, a consultancy, design studio and lab built to create alongside musicians.
Previously he held positions in artist relations and artist advocacy at Apple Music and Beats Music, was business development director in consumer digital audio services at Intel, and in the late ’90s was general manager at eMusic. Allen was a speaker and panelist on digital strategy, music and technology at SXSW, CMJ, SF Music Tech and more throughout his career.
The 2025 Tribeca Festival will kick off with the world premiere of Billy Joel: And So It Goes, a two-part documentary on Billy Joel featuring unreleased performances, home movies, personal photographs and in-depth, one-on-one interviews. The film, an HBO original, is described as “an expansive portrait of the life and music of Billy Joel, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting,” according to an official announcement from Tribeca.
Billy Joel: And So It Goes will have its premiere at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on June 4, 2025, the first night of this year’s Tribeca Festival.
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Running from June 4-15 in NYC, the fest’s full lineup — featuring film, music, TV, audio storytelling, talks, games and immersive programming — is expected to be revealed soon.
“For nearly 25 years, the Tribeca Festival has celebrated the artists who give New York its heart and soul, and on the opening night of the 2025 Festival, we are thrilled to honor Billy Joel — an artist who has embodied that very spirit,” says Jane Rosenthal, co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Festival and Tribeca Enterprises. “Paying tribute to the legendary performer who captured the essence of a ‘New York State of Mind’ is a perfect way to kick off this year’s celebration of creativity and inspiration.”
Susan Lacy, director and producer of the documentary, says, “I and my co-director, Jessica Levin, couldn’t be more thrilled about our film Billy Joel: And So It Goes opening the esteemed Tribeca Festival. Our thanks go out to Jane Rosenthal and the Festival team and to HBO and the wonderful folks there who have supported us throughout in our efforts to bring an in-depth, honest and musically expressive portrait of this complex talent. We are beyond appreciative of Billy Joel’s trust in us to bring his story to the screen. There is no better place for this film to premiere than at the Beacon Theater, the venue for so many historic musical events for decades, and in the city so important to Billy Joel.”
Tribeca memberships and 2025 Tribeca Festival passes and ticket packages can be purchased at tribecafilm.com. Single tickets go on sale on April 29.
Ahead of the Tribeca announcement, the film and plans for its HBO release were first confirmed in late March. Following its festival premiere, Billy Joel: And So It Goes will debut on HBO and be available to stream on MAX some time this summer. A release date has yet to be announced.
Joel will also return to the stage this summer. Last month he postponed his tour in order to recover and undergo physical therapy following an undisclosed surgery, announcing that he will resume performing in July.