Arts & Culture

Busy men, though they are, what, with all the production work, side-projects and fatherhood, but The Black Keys have carved out some time to make music together for the first time in five years, The Stray Cats have strutted their way to a forty year anniversary and are celebrating with a new album and tour,  Son Volt teases new album with gem of a new single awash in twelve-string guitar and The Cranberries release an animated video of one of the last songs they recorded with their late frontwoman, Delores O'Riordon. 

Jack White donates $10,000 to renovate one of the last Negro League ballparks still standing, Hamtramck Stadium in Detroit, Motor City indie rocker Stef Chura readies sophomore album with help from Will Toledo of Car Seat Headrest, Stevie Wonder defends Michael Jackson's legacy amid allegations of sexual abuse chronicled in controversial 2-part HBO documentary and original Let's Active drummer Sara Romweber passes away from cancer at age 55.

The Who's Pete Townshend is readying the fall release of his debut rock novel about the tortured creative process, the 'Age of Anxiety' and plans to eventually put out a related rock opera and art installation, The Killers pay tribute to the late actor Luke Perry, who starred in one of their music videos, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie set for a Record Store Day release next month of a seven inch single featuring sessions with the late singer-songwriter/producer Richard Swift and Smithsonian Folkways is at it again, this time with a gargantuan, five-disc set of New Orleans music to mark the 50th anniversary of Jazz Fest. 

Volatile Prodigy frontman Keith Flint, known for menacing 90’s dance hit & video “Firestarter” dies at age 49, Ryan Adams UK and Ireland tour, declared a go last week, now, is cancelled and the estate of Michael Jackson drops two concert videos to coincide with abd rebuke HBO’s scathing documentary, “Finding Neverland.”

Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle front forthcoming tribute to late, influential Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark. Earle says he regrets not having had the chance to record with his hero, despite their intentions to do so, Jenny Lewis will stream a record release/variety show on Sunday and outspoken Australian rising talent Stella Donnelly readies full-length debut.

China's edited version of the Oscar-nominated biopic Bohemian Rhapsody deleted scenes of Freddy Mercury (Rami Malek) kissing other men, Ryan Adams' UK tour goes on despite outrage over allegations he sent sexually explicit texts to a minor and Andy Anderson, a session drummer who played for a time with The Cure, passes away.

Mark Hollis of influential, atmospheric, post-rock band Talk Talk has died after a brief illness. Morrissey covers Roy Orbison and Peter Frampton gives love to the hospital treating his generative muscle disorder that, he says, will knock him off the road for good following his latest tour. 

Nick Lowe says recording second EP with wrestling mask-wearing surf rockers Los Straightjackets reminded him of his rockabilly days in Rockpile, The Oscars last night featured musical moments from Queen & Adam Lambert, Lady Gaga and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings and the indie guitar band Real Estate not happy their song "Horizon" used in new documentary about Flat Earthers. 

Mike Peters of alt-rockers The Alarm gets MBE from Prince Charles for his work with fellow cancer survivors AND The Alarm ready a big 2019 with a reissue of their 1985 classic Strength and a triple-bill tour with Modern English & Gene Loves Jezabel's Jay Aston, Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst say their new Better Oblivion Community Center tune Dylan Thomas is inspired by conspiracy theory that President Donald Trump is faking being dumb and is secretly a mad genius and Arcade Fire's super couple Win Butler and Regine Chassagne team with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for an English and Creole cover of Iko Iko, just in time for Carnival. 

The smart folk and bluesman known as the "Dummy" on the playful hit TV show The Monkees, dies at age 77.  Wilco's Solid Sound Festival announces its 2019 lineup and Patrick Carney of the Black Keys debuts new album with new band.