scandalous

2024 Grammy Awards Recap

New Taylor, snubs everywhere, and lots of outfits
Biggest moments at the 2024 Grammys

The 66th annual Grammy Awards were last night at the Crypto.com Arena in the not-so-sunny Los Angeles, California. As storms raged outside the arena, I tuned in for close to five hours of red carpet coverage and the sparkling ceremony to watch music's biggest night and make my own judgments.

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ROSIE - Lose Me Too (Official Video)
I'm literally giddy to announce that it's almost time to slam your laptops shut and celebrate the weekend. It feels like there has been zero sunshine and the summer couldn't be further away...but Punxsutawney Phil declared we will have an early spring, so maybe that's why I'm feeling a new sense of revival. The one guarantee? I have a Weekend Playlist filled with new music released today.
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Shane MacGowan dies aged 65

Updated: 9th December 2023

Shane MacGowan's family and friends held a "monster hooley" at his funeral in County Tipperary on Friday, 8th December – dancing to Fairytale of New York.

Hundreds of people gathered inside and outside the church in Nenagh to say their farewells to the songwriter, who died last week aged 65. Nick Cave, Johnny Depp, and Bob Geldof, among other luminaries, were there to sing MacGowan over to the other side.

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Updated: 8th December 2023

From Dublin-Born Author, Kevin Holohan . . .

I was in a public house yesterday evening — more of a rarity these days than in years past. It was filled with the boisterous, pre-Christmas, after-work, bonhomie: that cozy sense of being warm and indoors intensified by the chilly New York evening outside. The Guinness was good, the pint glasses Imperial size. The playlist in the background was decidedly seasonal: Slade, Last Christmas I GEV you my heart, Mariah Carey...

“Can’t be long now,” I remarked to one of my companions. No sooner had I picked up my pint again than there it was:

It was Christmas Eve, babe, in the drunk tank

An old man said to me, "Won't see another one"

I knew it was coming, but it somehow stopped me in my tracks. I waited to see what would happen. Would the hubbub in the room soften? Alter? Steer itself in a different direction to acknowledge that it was THAT song, THIS week? I scanned the room and listened more intently to the white noise around me. Nothing changed. Though the trappings of the bar were Irish, the crowd was the crowd you find in any bar in the Financial District of Manhattan: from everywhere, soon to depart back to everywhere on the 4, 5, A, C, N, PATH, 7:27 Metro North, 7:32 LIRR, 6:53 NJ Transit. It was just one more Christmas song to be talked over. My hopes of the place spontaneously joining in with the chorus were dashed on the rocks of their volubility.

Then I noticed her, the bartender who had served me, and apologized for my pint dripping down the sides. I think she was from Galway. I'd bantered that a good full pint was better than an over-generous bishop's collar any day. She chuckled politely. Now she was at the taps again pulling a pint. Staring off into the middle distance toward the door with a wistful look on her face, you could see her lips move as she sang quietly along:

The boys of the NYPD choir

Were singing, "Galway Bay"

And the bells were ringing out

For Christmas Day

That was somehow enough, somehow perfect. You could see it in her face. The song touched her and she knew full well that it was THAT song THIS particular week.

KEVIN HOLOHAN's debut novel, the critically acclaimed The Brothers’ Lot is a “witty, brilliant, devastating expression of outrage.” (Times Literary Supplement). His stories and essays have appeared in the Sunday Tribune, Whispers and Shouts,writing.ie, and the Irish Echo. His latest novel So You Wanna Run a Country? launches March 5, 2024

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Original post - 30th November: It should be no surprise. Shane MacGowan, erstwhile songwriter and singer for the Pogues, had over the years downed oceans of whiskey and porter and ingested enough recreational drugs to get the whole bloody EU bolloxed.

Although news of his death was long expected, it was still a shock to learn that MacGowan died today. And even more so because it came not four months on the heels of the majestic Sinead O'Connor's death. The cause of Shane's death wasn’t specified, but decades of abuse surely played a part. One is reminded of the famous description of Bob Dylan in the 1960s: “He wasn’t burning the candle at both ends. He was using a blowtorch on the middle.”

Dylan’s famous motorcycle accident in 1966 afforded him the chance to step away from his incendiary habits. MacGowan never found – or didn’t take advantage of – such an opportunity. The tales of wretched excess are legendary and play all-too-neatly into the “drunken Irish poet” cliché epitomized by Brendan Behan and, latterly, by Mister MacGowan. Genius is often used as an excuse for addiction and the damage to oneself and to others that follows in its wake. MacGowan’s descent was a long, slow, and painful one to observe.

Born in Kent, England on Christmas Day, 1957, MacGowan’s parents were Irish. He spent a portion of his boyhood in Tipperary. Back in England as a young man, he was one of many inspired by the punk movement to start a band. One thing led to another and the eventual result was the Pogues. (As their fans know, Pogue Mahone, the band’s original name, is Irish for “kiss my arse.”)

Much ink will be spilled recounting epic tales of the Pogues and MacGowan's atrocious habits and even worse behavior. Such as quotes from Neil McCormick of The Telegraph, who describes Shane's songs as "succinct narratives of the Irish diaspora in Britain and America that drew on the poetry and culture of his homeland. His songs were peppered with finely observed details, and had, at their heart, a bittersweet romantic longing for a shattered community clinging to its historical identity, and a beautiful empathy for outsiders and the downtrodden." And the best description of that snicker, "he laughed frequently, emitting a sound halfway between white noise and an industrial accident."

I could go onnn, but let’s focus instead on the reasons we loved – and worried about – Our Shane in the first place.

MacGowan and company officiated at the shotgun wedding of Irish Trad and Punk Rock. He brought a cold eye and a gift for the vivid detail to his lyrics, evoking the listeners’ sympathy for the rebels, runaways, and misfits who live on the rough margins of cities. “The Old Main Drag” is about a rent boy’s decline and fall:

In the cold winter nights the old town it was chill
But there were boys in the cafes who'd give you cheap pills
If you didn't have the money you'd cajole or you'd beg
There was always lots of Tuinol on the old main drag

One evening as I was lying down by Leicester Square
I was picked up by the coppers and kicked in the balls
Between the metal doors at Vine Street, I was beaten and mauled
And they ruined my good looks for the old main drag...

The Pogues - The Old Main Dragwww.youtube.com

A Rainy Night in Soho” offers a far more tender remembrance:

I'm not singing for the future
I'm not dreaming of the past
I'm not talking of the first times
I never think about the last

Now the song is nearly over
We may never find out what it means
Still, there's a light I hold before me
You're the measure of my dreams
The measure of my dreams

The Pogues - A Rainy Night In Sohowww.youtube.com

Years of hard living exacted a toll on MacGowan. His notoriously rotten teeth were (finally!) replaced in 2015. A fall that same year resulted in a hip injury that put him into a wheelchair. In December 2022 he was hospitalized with viral encephalitis. He’d been released from another hospital stay shortly before his death. He’s survived by his wife, the journalist Victoria Clarke, his sister, Siobhan, and his father, Maurice MacGowan.

We at Popdust adore Shane. He was one raucous lad. And this one’s for...the Mighty Kevin.

MUSIC

The New Freddie Mercury Demo Has a Vital Message for Our Time

Mercury's stripped-down rendition of "Time Waits for No One" from the multimedia musical "TIME" is a stunning gift from an unforgettable talent.

Dressed in white from head to toe, surrounded by smoke and stage lights, Freddie Mercury looks every inch an angel descended to earth in the video for "Time Waits For No One."

Mercury first recorded the song in 1986, and a version featuring a massive choir of backing vocalists was released that same year. Yesterday marked the release of a never-before-heard demo of the song, featuring only his voice soaring over a triumphant piano backdrop. On it, the singer's unmistakable vocals take center stage, and the stripped-down arrangement communicates the lyrics' message even more powerfully than the original.

Freddie Mercury - Time (Official Video)www.youtube.com

"Time Waits For No One" is an almost painfully relevant song that seems handmade for our day and age—though, then again, its call to solidarity taps into something that humanity has seemingly always needed to hear. "We have to build this world together, or we'll have no future at all," Mercury sings, a resounding sentiment for our times and for all time.

The song is taken from a musical called TIME, with a book by David Clark and David Soames and music by Jeff Daniels. The show is about a rock star named Chris Wilder, who gets transported along with his band to the High Court of the Universe in the Andromeda Galaxy. Once there, he meets the Time Lord Melchisedic (allegedly inspired by the Time Lord of the Doctor Who series), who tells him that the moment has come to determine if the people on earth can be a part of the universal journey towards peace.

Time the Musical - Dave Clark and Cliff Richard, Freddie Mercury, Dionne Warwickwww.youtube.com

Though he never performed in the show, Mercury sang the main character's part on its concept album, which also featured Julian Lennon and Dionne Warwick. The show's spoken theme, which includes a philosophical speech narrated by Lawrence Olivier, was an unexpected hit on the charts in Australia, but in spite of this, the album remained offline until 2012, when a 25th-anniversary edition was released on iTunes.

"Time" (renamed with a longer title on the new demo) is the third track on the concept album. Apparently, Mercury preferred the demo to the official version. According to songwriter Dave Clark, "When we first recorded [the song], I went to Abbey Road and we ran through with just Freddie and piano. It gave me goosebumps. It was magic. Then we got down to recording the track and we [added] 48 tracks of voices, which had never been done in Abbey Road before, then the whole backing. It was fabulous—but I still felt there was something about the original rehearsal."

That something is palpable in the chill-inducing video from that first rehearsal. In it, Mercury is a larger-than-life presence, an embodiment of conviction and hope, communicating a message that seems to be largely absent in modern music. "Let us free this world forever, and build a brand new future for us all," he sings. His voice and presence, which radiate an almost unearthly star power even through the computer screen, are so powerful that you can't help believe in the possibility of a better world.

CULTURE

If You Were In Stranger Things Season 4, What Songs Would Save You From Vecna?

When does Stranger Things Season 4: Part 2 come out? Today. And we're not ready.

*SPOILER ALERT: This contains spoilers for Stranger Things Season 4: Part 1. So, open another tab, watch it, then come back.*

If Stranger Things will do one thing, it’s resurrect an 80s song and introduce a whole new generation to its wonders.

When the first installment of the Netflix hit show’s fourth season dropped, the stakes were high. Each season has to live up to the last and — with years having passed between the seasons — would anyone even tune in?

But tune in they did. In droves. Suddenly the internet was bombarded with memes about Will’s bob, the rapidly aging teen characters, and … the soundtrack?

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Music Lists

RELEASE RADAR | New Video from Night Lights

Plus new music from Marlene Oak, Emily Rowed, Nebula Rosa and more.

Emily Rowed - Pinball

This weekend, we have so many music videos for you to watch that you'll forget all about Netflix.

RELEASE RADAR is here to give you the breakdown of the top singles, albums, and videos of the week, so you can head into your weekend with a new list of killer tunes. Get ready to jam out with some of our favorite up-and-coming artists, plus celebrate new stuff from those you already know and love

SINGLES…

Marlene Oak | "Slip Away"

Stockholm's Marlene Oak doesn't sound much like ABBA, but we don't mind. Her powerful vocals and folk influences sound more at home on this side of the Atlantic.

You Might Also Like: Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley, Joni Mitchell

Follow Marlene Oak on Facebook | Spotify | Instagram

Disco Shrine | "Up In The Air"

Disco Shrine's powerful single describes the journey of her immigrant parents. Backed by infectious beats, Disco Shrine belts out a familiar story of chasing the American dream.

You Might Also Like: Kid Cadaver, Rainsford, Mating Ritual

Follow Disco Shrine on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

VIDEOS...

Emily Rowed | Pinball

Emily Rowed's cheeky new video takes us straight to the desert. "It was well over 100 degrees when we shot the video and there was no air conditioning in the motel," she said. "I was as sweaty as I was falling in love."

You Might Also Like: Ralph, Shay Esposito, Skye Holland

Follow Emily Rowed on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Night Lights | Talk to Me

Night Lights - Talk to Me (Official Music Video)www.youtube.com

If you ever wondered what indie synthpop would have sounded like in the 90s, this is it. The new video from Night Lights is full of neon windbreakers, landlines, and plastic watches.

You Might Also Like: Wolfside, Parade of Lights, Vacation Manor

Follow Night Lights on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Cooper & Gatlin | Break

Cooper & Gatlin - Break (Acoustic) [Official Music Video ]www.youtube.com

Cooper & Gatlin's latest video is simple but doesn't hold back on aesthetics. The all-too relatable lyrics and intricate acoustic guitar shine.

You Might Also Like:Charlotte Lawrence, Bea Miller, Lauv

Follow Cooper & Gatlin on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Sydney Wright | Seiche

Sydney Wright - Seiche(Official Video)www.youtube.com

The title track from Sydney Wright's upcoming debut album is an anthem for third wave feminism, and the accompanying video reflects the collective search for freedom from societal expectations.

You Might Also Like: St. Vincent, Ed Sheeran, Jason Mraz

Follow Sydney Wright on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

ALBUMS/EPs…

The Deep Hollow | Weary Traveler

Americana trio The Deep Hollow cranked it up a notch for their sophomore album. "I wasn't totally sold on having a fuller sound. I was a little nervous going in," frontman Micah Walker noted. "I was prepared to do it the way we did the last one. I'm really happy with the way it turned out, but it is a little different than our debut."

You Might Also Like: Brent Cobb, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dave Rawlings Machine

Follow The Deep Hollow on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Nebula Rosa | Bengala


Bilingual psych pop group Nebula Rosa's debut album puts a spin on traditional American pop with a refreshing combination of Latin beats, code switching lyrics, and bluesy American guitars.

You Might Also Like:Iris Creamer, Passion Pit, Lika Nova

Nebula Rosa on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Fickle Friends | Broken Sleep

80s-inspired, dance-pop group Fickle Friends' new EP is a lycra-clad, neon-pink trip to the past. An unapologetically catchy, synthesized daydream, this EP comes hot on the heels of the band's debut album You Are Someone Else.

Fickle Friends on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Allie Delyanis is an award-winning and losing freelance journalist based in New York City. She likes bands, books, breakfast food, and would love to be David Sedaris when she grows up. You can find more of her work on www.delyanis.com.

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