rock music

A BRITISH rock band has split with a long-serving member just days before kicking off a UK tour.

Crawlers have ‘decided to part ways’ with their drummer Harry Breen a year after their debut album, The Mess We Seem to Make, reached number seven in the UK charts.

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A statement on Instagram reads: “After a period of reflection, and discussion with our drummer Harry Breen, we’ve each decided to go our separate ways.

“CRAWLERS continues, louder and more alive than ever before. we can’t wait to continue to tell our story, and to forge that beside you on our upcoming headline shows and when we join Pierce the Veil in arenas across Europe this autumn.

“Evolution is in motion, the future is big, there’s a new world building around us and it’s ours to share. all we have is us. yours always, holly, liv & amy.” 

Harry had been due to head out on the band’s new UK tour which kicks off in Portsmouth next week.

It’s thought that the band will have a session drummer to fill in for the tour dates.

The band are also due to head out on tour in Europe with US rock giants Pierce the Veil later in the year. 

The band first formed in 2018 after band members Holly, Liv and Amy met while studying at performing arts college.

Harry joined soon after. The band went on to gain a huge internet following after their song went viral on TikTok.

Following their success, the band gained support from BBC Radio 1 and MTV.

They have also performed multiple sold-out headline tours across the UK.

In 2023, their song So Tired was used in DC universe series Doom Patrol.

Their debut album The Mess We Seem to Make was released in late 2024 and entered the official charts at number seven. 

Last year they had been set to support alt legend Jane’s Addiction on their reunion tour but after frontman Perry Farrell fought with guitarist Dave Navarro on-stage, the band split and run was pulled.

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THEY say that a cat has nine lives – and this particular one has used up several of his.

For the life of Cat Stevens, the singer-songwriter who became Yusuf after converting to Islam, has been shaped by his brushes with death.

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The first of them happened in his early teens when the teeming streets — and inviting rooftops — of London’s West End were his playground.

One night, while out gallivanting with his best friend Andy, he found himself clinging by his fingertips to a ledge, several storeys up, near Prince’s Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Fall and his short life would be over but, as “the dark abyss” beckoned, Andy stretched out, grabbed his arm and pulled him to safety in the nick of time.

“It was the moment I first faced up to mortality,” Yusuf tells me, casting his mind back to the early Sixties.

“I already considered myself as a thinker by then and, as such, you can’t help thinking that one day you won’t be here.

“Whether it’s through an accident or illness or by dying in your sleep, it’s all one thing. You leave this world.

“That to me was a problem. I just had to understand more about it.”

So began a spiritual quest that Yusuf has carried with him to this day.
Two more narrow escapes followed.

In 1969, he contracted a life-threatening bout of TB which required months of recuperation.

With time to ponder his existence, he underwent a rapid transformation from Carnaby Street-styled pop star to tousle-haired, guitar-toting troubadour.

His thoughtful but hook-laden songs began flowing freely — Father And Son, Wild World, Moonshadow and Peace Train among them — and they made him a global superstar and bedsit pin-up.

Then, in 1976, he nearly drowned while swimming    off the coast of Malibu, California.

As his life ebbed away, he looked up to the sky and prayed, “Oh God, if You save me, I’ll work for You!”

At that moment, a wave rose up and nudged him towards dry land. He sensed that, “God was right there”.

Not long afterwards, his brother David Gordon bought him a copy of the Qur’an for his birthday.

It had a dramatic effect, prompting Cat Stevens to embrace Islam, change his name to Yusuf (a variation on Joseph) and begin a lengthy retreat from music.

He says: “I was like, ‘This is actually it’.

“Everything I’d been writing in my songs was converging into this one new message. It overtook everything.”

And yet, as we know, there was a second coming.

For the past two decades, Yusuf has rekindled his passion for songcraft — releasing acclaimed albums and keeping his timeless Cat Stevens songs alive with gigs around the world, including the Glastonbury “legends” slot.

‘BLANK CANVAS’

Now he has documented his singular journey in a heartfelt, detailed, illuminating, funny, sad, often profound memoir, Cat: On The Road To Findout.

There’s also a hits album celebrating his various eras, and last weekend he embarked on a book tour of the UK and US, described as “an evening of tales, tunes and other mysteries”.

That means I’ve been given another chance to speak to Yusuf via video call.

With his neat grey/white hair and beard framing still handsome features, the 77-year-old greets me warmly before diving into subjects closest to his heart.

After our chat ends, I realise we’ve covered his faith, his family, his music, the impact of those near-death experiences — all the things which have moulded Yusuf/Cat Stevens.

If I had to pick his defining song, I know which one I’d go for and I think the man himself might agree.

It’s the fourth track on side two (I’m going vinyl here) of his classic 1970 album Tea For The Tillerman.

Called, as you might have guessed, On The Road To Find Out, it serves as his mission statement — an early acknowledgement of his spiritual journey.

Recalling its creation, Yusuf says: “I had scraped my way through a lot of life’s difficulties and challenges but they were the things which built me and prepared me.

“So I was already feeling like a receptacle for some kind of inspiration to be my guide.”

I watch as he recites the opening lines of the song he’s sung so many times, “Well I left my happy home to see what I could find out/I left my folk and friends with the aim to clear my mind out.”

He maintains that when he wrote On The Road To Find Out, not being tied to one religion proved “very, very useful”.

“I wanted a blank canvas,” he says. “I didn’t want to be influenced by my background or wherever I was situated in society.”

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Yusuf draws my attention to the end of the song and adds: “It’s incredible really. It says, ‘Pick up a good book’.

“I was absolutely determined to write ‘a’ good book, not ‘the’ good book. I didn’t want people to think it had to be The Bible.”

His thoughts turn towards his childhood, his first encounters with spirituality and the parents he writes so affectionately about in his memoir.

His “handsome, bold” Cypriot cafe owner father Stavros was Greek Orthodox and his “beautiful azure blue-eyed” Swedish mother Ingrid was a Baptist.

They sent their youngest of three children, Steven Demetre Georgiou, as he was known then, to St Joseph’s Roman Catholic elementary school and he also attended Mass.

Though this was the first time he came “close to God”, he still felt like an “outsider” as a non-Catholic.

“Sometimes, the church itself can be a barrier between you and your creator,” muses Yusuf.

“When Jesus was asked how to pray, he didn’t say go to church. He said, ‘Pray direct to God’.

Mum taught me how to love and dad taught me how to work

Yusuf/Cat Stevens

“I was fortunate not to be tied to a strict religion.

“That gave me flexibility — I achieved my observer status as far as spirituality was concerned.”

As a child, Yusuf was given a lively introduction to the world.

“Growing up in the West End had a big impact on me,” he says.

“It felt like the whole world was crammed into this little area of London where everything happened.

“You didn’t necessarily learn how to climb trees, but you did learn how to climb roofs,” he adds with a rueful smile about the time he nearly fell.

Next, I ask him to share memories of his parents.

“Mum taught me how to love and dad taught me how to work,” he replies.

Yusuf says that his mother Ingrid “had a massive impact on me”.

“Swedes have a characteristic which is beautiful in a way. It is called ‘lagom’ which means equality — you don’t need everything, you just need enough.

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“From that, you can develop your attitude towards charity and all sorts of things.”

He continues: “Mind you, Dad was also charitable. He used to give cups of tea to tramps.

“It was part of the culture of the family to appreciate having food on the table.”

Yusuf describes how his father Stavros “first went from Cyprus to settle in Egypt”.

“Then he went to America and, from there, he passed back through Greece to the UK — you know, to the Empire, because Cyprus was connected to Britain at that time.

“He gave me the traveller’s bug and also a work ethic. I certainly know how to wash dishes!”

Yusuf credits his parents to a certain extent for his love of music and performing.

He remembers writing a “sweet Swedish lullaby” with his “naturally musical” mother while they sat at the piano.

The final couplet translates as, “Come will you take my hand and lead me away/The way to my heart is so short.”

In the book, Yusuf describes Ingrid’s strength of character when she discovered her husband was having an affair with a waitress, leading to their separation.

She whisked her children to her hometown of Gavle for five months, where young Steven was the only “dark-eyed, black-haired lad in town”.

‘SO FORTUNATE’

Yusuf says his “extrovert” father probably gave him the characteristics to command a stage.

“He was extremely sociable to customers and an expert at Greek dancing with glasses of water balanced on his head.”

One of the most moving passages in the book arrives when Yusuf gets to 1978 and his dad has only days to live.

Stavros had called him “Stevie” from the day he was born but, as he lay on his deathbed, he whispered, “Where’s Yusuf?”

It was an act of acceptance for Yusuf’s Muslim faith for which he is eternally thankful.

He says: “You called your son one name all your life, and that’s the one you chose for him.

“Then, at the end, you accept his path and his identity. You don’t detach from it, you embrace it.

“My God, I was so fortunate. I was so lucky to have a dad like that.”

Now it’s time to turn our attention to music… after all, it’s what made Yusuf/Cat Stevens famous.

In the autobiography, he recalls buying his first single, Baby Face by Little Richard, how much he loved Buddy Holly and how later on he was blown away by John Lennon’s mighty holler on The Beatles’ cover of Twist And Shout.

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He tells me with a laugh: “You can just imagine the Queen at the Royal Variety Show watching The Beatles and wanting to pull off her pearls and diamonds and dance in the aisles.

“But I’m afraid she couldn’t.”

So what compelled him, already a gifted visual artist, to venture into the music business and adopt the “hip” stage name Cat Stevens?

“I felt I had something to offer,” he replies. “I felt that people should get it.

“It wasn’t just a career choice or business decision. It was more than that — it felt like a calling.

“I responded to it and it responded to me. My songs, everything, came so easily.

“I wrote The First Cut Is The Deepest when I was 17 [in 1965].

“My brother David also had a big hand in it because he was the business head of the family.

“He was instrumental in getting me contacts.”

After a run of hits including I Love My Dog, Matthew & Son and I’m Gonna Get Me A Gun, Cat Stevens went through his dramatic change of tack, prompted by him contracting TB.

“It was an opportunity to take another stab at life — from a new, inspired position,” says Yusuf.

As human beings, our way forward is to understand that we’re all the same in our dreams, our visions and our hopes

Yusuf/Cat Stevens

“By that time, I’d read a very interesting book dealing with metaphysical issues of the spirit, the soul, the beyond, the divine. It put me on another plateau.”

One of the songs written by the “new” Cat Stevens was Where Do The Children Play?, as relevant today as ever.

He says: “There’s a very poignant line pointing to what we are facing today, which is assisted dying.

“I say, ‘Will you tell us when to live/Will you tell us when to die?’.

“I mean, God Almighty, you’ve got a chance to live. You don’t want to lose that.

“When you look at the way the corporate world is moving, it really is designing life for the people of this planet.

“And it may not be the best life because we’re detached from nature so much of the time.

“Where Do The Children Play? is a song about nature and children are perfect examples of human nature.”

Before we go our separate ways, I ask Yusuf about the long hiatus from music after his conversion to Islam.

It was a time when he was dragged into various controversies.

One headline, which he repeats in the book, even read, “Cat Stevens Joins The Evil Ayatollah”.

“It’s just prejudice,” says Yusuf. “And that is something we have to be very careful about.

“As human beings, our way forward is to understand that we’re all the same in our dreams, our visions and our hopes.”

This comment reminds him of “what we’re seeing right now in Palestine”.

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“These are people, these are families,” he says. “They’re not from an alien planet.

“That’s why it’s good to see the response from ordinary grandparents and ordinary kids, responding to the devastation people are facing.

“You may argue about the term genocide, but you can’t argue about the term infanticide.”

Returning to his break from music, he says: “I have no regrets at all. I chose the name Cat Stevens and was content with that.

“That was my success but it was not the success I was yearning for overall in my life.

“The biggest thing for me was finding my identity — and that’s twice as difficult when you have a show name.”

It was Yusuf’s son Yoriyos, one of his five children with wife Fauzia (a sixth died in infancy), who encouraged him to make his comeback.

“He got what I was about and he said, ‘This cannot be buried’.

“It wasn’t a case of reinventing, more of reviving the spirit. He saw it as a pure, good thing — and it inspired me.”

Finally, I ask Yusuf if he’s still on the road to find out.

He answers: “There’s a saying in the Qur’an — ‘If all the seas were ink and all the trees were pens, you would never exhaust the words and the knowledge of God’.

“So, yeah, no fear about drying up here.”

LADY GAGA dominated the MTV VMAs – winning four gongs out of 12 nominations and performing her new single The Dead Dance on stage for the first time.

She is now the third most awarded artist in the ceremony’s history with 22 gongs — one more than Madonna.

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Gaga is now just behind Beyonce and Taylor Swift who are tied on 30 awards each.

Despite putting on the best performance of the night, Bizarre can reveal the superstar wasn’t actually inside the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, when she appeared on stage.

In fact Gaga secretly recorded her performance across town at Madison Square Garden, where she was performing on her Mayhem Ball tour, and shot it four times to make sure they had the perfect take.

Gaga pushed back her performance there by 90 minutes in order to walk the red carpet at the VMAs before racing back across town to get on stage.

A source said: “Gaga was adamant she wanted to be involved in the VMAs but obviously cancelling her show at MSG was never an option.

She and her team worked with MTV for weeks in order to get in two places at once.

“As soon as she won Artist of the Year she raced backstage for pictures and then drove to MSG. It was full on but if anyone could pull it off it’s Gaga.

“During her show she performed with some of her Moonmen — she’s so proud to be still winging awards.

“It was a really special moment, especially as her mum and dad were in the crowd.”

As she picked up the Artist of the Year gong, Gaga gave a shout-out to her fiance Michael Polansky and said: “To my partner in all things, Michael.

“Creating this year with you was a beautiful, beautiful dream, and you have been my partner every step of the way.

“I dedicate this to you too, my love. I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances, but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden.”

Feeling reflective the superstar went on to admit she wants to be performing until 2045 and feels like New York has shaped her into the artist she is today.

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Gaga said: “I hope in 20 years when I have written lots more albums that I will still be back here. I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel that this is where I grew up because it made me so much of who I am.

“I think about what [my music] would have sounded like if I hadn’t grown up here.

“I feel like when you are from New York it kind of grows roots in your veins. You have this understanding of life and community, it’s very strong. It’s a feeling. I can’t quite describe it as it’s a feeling.”

Now Gaga is on a roll, the wheels are in motion for her to come to the UK for four headline shows at London’s O2 Arena.

The gigs, along with two more in Manchester’s Co-op Live arena, sold out in seconds.

And if her performance in New York was anything to go by, us British fans are in for a treat.

IT’S RAINING MEN FOR SABRINA

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SABRINA CARPENTER wowed fans with a seriously sexy and rain-soaked  rendition of her new single Tears.

And there was something for everyone, as she was surrounded by a troupe of very attractive male dancers dressed as policemen as well as drag queens.

During the evening, Sabrina won three MTV VMAs and used her performance to call for the advancement of trans rights.

Speaking on stage, the Manchild singer said: “This world, as we all know, can be so full of criticism and discrimination and negativity.

“So to get to be part of something that can make you smile, make you dance, and make you feel like the world is your f***ing oyster, I’m so grateful to do that.”

NIGHT’S YUNG FOR AEROSMITH

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HOMEGROWN star Yungblud led a special tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne after his death in July.

The punk rocker was joined by Aerosmith legends Steven Tyler and Joe Perry for a medley of the Black Sabbath singer’s hit singles Crazy Train, Changes and Mama, I’m Coming Home.

Speaking on the carpet, Yungblud  revealed he was wearing Ozzy’s cross necklace (which Ozzy had given him, inset above) as a mark of respect.

He added: “It’s a big moment to honour someone you love.

“I’m wearing his cross tonight. I love him and always have. I hope he’s up there with a drink watching tonight.”

Teasing his future plans, Yungblud, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, added: “There is a new project coming in two weeks… I’ve not said that yet.”

As the cameras cut away from the singer, to Steven Tyler’s impressive guitar solo, Bizarre watched as Yungblud turned his back on the audience and sipped an alcoholic drink, looking up to the emotional montage of the late rock legend.

Over the past few years Yungblud had grown close to Ozzy and his family. He was one of the star acts at Black Sabbath’s homecoming gig in Birmingham earlier this summer.

Yungblud revealed to Bizarre that he learned of Ozzy’s passing via a text from the heavy metal legend’s son Jack Osbourne. The singer said: “You get to know someone personally, who you love and then they leave.

“I was texting him, then his son Jack texted me and said, ‘He’s gone’.

“Being around the family and being at the funeral, the amount of love there. That family are real as f***.

“The dream is to have kids and a family like that. There’s no gimmicks. It’s authentic.”

TATE’S IN TRAINING TO WED

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TATE McRAE appeared to be using the VMAs as a dry run for her own wedding.

The singer wore a sheer white dress with a statement train that was so long she needed two members of staff to carry it like bridesmaids.

Tate is thought to be single at the moment, but after watching her red-hot performance of Revolving Door and Sports Car in this two-piece we imagine she won’t be short of offers.

ARI: MIC’S TUTU TALL

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ARIANA GRANDE may be small but she took home some of the biggest gongs of the night.

She picked up the award for Best Pop and Video of the Year for her Brighter Days Ahead.

Despite not being a performer, Ari was given her own dressing room backstage to cater for her three wardrobe changes.

The superstar arrived in a fitted polka dot number and ended things in a white ballerina tutu.

During her time on stage, Ari seemed overcome with emotion at her wins, before joking that the height of the mic got taller each time she took to the stage.

MARIAH’S MEDLEY

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MARIAH CAREY returned to the VMAs stage for the first time in two decades to pick up the Video Vanguard Award and to perform a medley of her hits.

And, naturally, the notorious diva made sure the luxuries were laid on before she even stepped foot in the Big Apple.

Insiders said Mariah flew in via private jet, which had been decked out with white roses and cashmere blankets.

After laying low for a couple days at her sprawling £16million penthouse in Tribeca, Mariah and her glam squad then spent most of Sunday getting her red carpet-ready.

MTV bosses were on alert for the infamous diva to be hard work, but I’m told everything went smoothly . . . even if she did keep a wide berth from almost every other star.

Mimi opted to swerve both the red carpet and on stage VIP seats, instead zipping in and out via the backdoor.

She was handed her gong by Ariana Grande. Mariah told Ari: “I love you. I’m so grateful for you and I’m beyond proud of everything you’ve achieved, girl.”

It marked the first time the We Belong Together singer has ever won a coveted Moonman.

RICKY WINS LATIN ICON

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RICKY MARTIN proved he’s still got it with a hip-thrusting medley of his biggest hits.

The Latin pop king belted out Livin’ La Vida Loca, Shake Your Bon Bon, Maria, The Cup Of Life along with two Spanish tracks.

Ricky, who also picked up the first ever Latin Icon award, was hoisted high above the crowd to kick off his medley before an outfit change mid performance.

A beaming Ricky told fans: “I’m addicted to your applause that’s why I keep coming back.”

Later this year he will tour Australia with support from Rita Ora. It’s been a long time since he played the UK so hopefully dates over here are not far off.

ON July 22, 2025, R&S Records came home.

The pioneering Belgian label, founded in Ghent in 1984, staged a free party at the week-long street festival, Gentse Feesten, transforming the city’s historic centre into a vast, open-air dancefloor.

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With thousands gathering to hear Nastia, Charles Webster (live), LTJ Bukem, and founder Renaat Vandepapeliere himself, the night felt like both a celebration of R&S’s stories past and a bold statement of intent for its future.

Renaat’s set was as fearless as his impeccable, genre defying label with a diverse selection of electronica challenging and delighting the crowd.

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For Vandepapeliere, the night was a leap into the unknown. “Honestly, I almost backed out myself,” he admitted. “I’ve never played for 6,000 people and I was nervous. I even called around to find someone to replace me, but a few friends convinced me to just go for it.

“The main goal was to take a risk and hopefully entertain some new people. Many had never heard us or the music before.”

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Risk-taking has always been central to R&S. From the early days of releasing Joey Beltram’s Energy Flash, Model 500 and Aphex Twin, to shaping the careers of CJ Bolland, James Blake and many more, the label has built its reputation on fearless choices.

“We had no idea, we weren’t trying to be anything other than sharing music we liked and believed in,” Vandepapeliere reflected. “Let’s be honest, good music is good music. There is, as I always say, the right time and the right place to play whatever it is.”

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That philosophy was evident in the Ghent lineup, which spanned genres and generations.

“It’s an opportunity to bring other people into the genre that aren’t necessarily into those sounds,” Vandepapeliere explained. “It has raw authenticity and a depth behind it. I could make a billion lineups like that, there’s so much talent and exciting music to share.”

His own set was guided by instinct and emotion. “It was intuitive, with many influences,” he said. “Today, if a set is different, it could be bad, so my honest opinion is to ask the crowd.”

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The reaction was telling. He added: “You didn’t see any phones going up and all that. It was random people wondering what the hell was going on, of all ages, which I also find very interesting.”

For Vandepapeliere, who has spent much of his career behind the scenes, the experience rekindled something powerful. “Let’s say it’s actually set a new spark,” he admitted. “I now want to play more.”

Looking ahead, he is keen to build on the success of the Gentse Feesten. He said: “I would love to do more events. I don’t know if it’s possible, but yes, I’d really love to. Keeping it different, keeping it fresh, I think that would be really cool.”

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But through all the years and transformations of dance music, Vandepapeliere insists the spirit of R&S hasn’t changed.

“We always wanted to be an eclectic label,” he said. “Not really be pushed into a certain corner and have a freedom of expression.

“It’s definitely not about formula. I wanted to be free. That’s all. You have to love what you’re doing and work for it. Nothing comes that easy. It is work, with a lot of failures and a lot of frustration. But hey, that’s the price you have to pay for freedom.”

AN American rock band has canceled their remaining tour dates, with the frontman making a confession about the ‘hardest decision’ he had to make.

Earlier this month, The Dangerous Summer, which was formed in 2006, revealed their summer tour would expand into the fall – but this is not the case anymore.

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Fans are gutted after learning that the band has unexpectedly canceled all of their remaining tour dates for the year.

Their frontman AJ Perdomo penned a touching statement about needing to step away from music for a while.

He penned, “There is no easy way to say this, but I am burning out from being on the road so often.

“It is the hardest decision in the world to make, but I have decided to cancel the remaining tour dates for the rest of the year.”

He added, “I need to go home and be a father, a fiancé, and a creative. I need to work on my life at home for a moment.

“I have the dreamer’s disease. Next year will be 20 years since this band has started.

“It has become such a large part of my existence, and how I value myself as an individual. I have been overworking to fill a hole in my heart that no amount of shows or success will be able to fill.”

Opening up further, AJ continued, “When I am standing up on stage singing a song like ‘What’s an hour really worth?’ I start to think about the life that is passing me by while I am away from home.

“It broke my heart to tell my band, my manager, and my team of agents—but they have been extremely supportive of my decision to take some time away from touring.”

Reassuring the band’s fans, AJ urged that this was not the end.

“This isn’t the end, and in fact, making new music is one of the driving factors in this decision,” he explained.

“Creating music is where my heart truly lies, and I need to get back to it.

“Please continue supporting live music, and the bands/venues that we had intended on hitting this fall/winter.

“Music and art need your support more than ever.”

Fans were quick to react to the sad news of the tour being canceled, but were understanding of AJ’s reasoning for doing so.

One fan replied to his post on X saying, “’ll speak for every fan and say take all the time you need! Cherish those moments with your fam and we’ll see you again later.”

A second added, “That sucks but totally understand AJ. Do what you need to do and see ya back on stage at some point.”

While a third wrote, “Much love and respect, AJ. Enjoy the time with your family.”

The Dangerous Summer had a “messy breakup” before reuniting.

They were initially together from 2006 until 2014 when they disbanded.

They then reunited in 2017.

When the band was not together, AJ had settled into a more lowkey lifestyle.

He had gotten into the groove of raising his daughter with his wife in L.A, as per a report three years ago.

“I loved the life I created,” AJ told Metro Times in 2022, adding, “I kind of loved having a nine-to-five. You know, the grass is greener.”

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BY rights, I shouldn’t really be talking to The Black Keys duo, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney.

But here they are on a Zoom call with me to discuss their thirteenth studio album, No Rain, No Flowers.

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The 11 tracks are coming kicking and screaming into the sunlight earlier than expected — and for good reason.

Last September, The Black Keys were supposed to start a North American arena tour in support of their previous album, Ohio Players, noted for songs written with Noel Gallagher and Beck.

But, to their dismay, the dates were scrapped, prompting the pair to fire their management team.

Without going into detail, Auerbach says: “The first thing I wanted to do was kill somebody and the second thing I wanted to do was kill somebody.”

Carney adds: “I don’t want to get into it too much because we’ve gotten letters telling us not to talk about it by one of the most powerful people in the music industry.

“We got f***ed by the person who was supposed to be looking out for us.

“So, because of some bad advice, we were left with no plans for the summer. We had to take one on the chin.”

The situation was a rare mis-step in The Black Keys’ upward trajectory, which stretches back nearly 25 years.

Starting out in a dingy basement in Akron, Ohio, childhood friends Auerbach and Carney took their exhilarating mix of bluesy garage rock to the world stage, drawing on soul, hip hop, psychedelia, you name it, along the way.

Their new album, however, is the product of unplanned time on their hands. Still smarting from losing their tour, they convened at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound studio in his adopted hometown of Nashville — and set about turning adversity into triumph.

‘Reminder of the power of our music’

“We realised that maybe we’d better do something positive with this free time,” says the singer/guitarist.

“So we dove head first into working with people we’d never met and trying things we’d never tried before as a band. Ultimately, it really helped us.”

For drummer Carney, it was a natural reaction to what had happened.

“When Dan and I are not on the road, we’re in the studio,” he says.

“So we thought, ‘Let’s just get back in there and reboot’.”

One thing that remains undiminished is the cast-iron bond between Auerbach and Carney.

The latter affirms: “We’ve been doing this together for almost 25 years — from the struggle to the big s**t.

We got f***ed… so we thought we should do something positive

Carney

“Dealing with being broke, dealing with getting money, headlining Coachella, dealing with getting married, getting divorced, having kids, we’ve been through it all.

“As screwed up as last year was, it had very little to do with us so we got back on it, to prove to ourselves what we can do.”

As we speak, The Black Keys have been back on tour — on this side of the Atlantic.

Carney says it can be “brutal chasing the festivals, sleeping on the bus or in hotel rooms.

“But getting out here and getting in front of these crowds has been the biggest reminder of the power of our music.

“Seeing the fans flip out has helped us to get our heads out of music-business bulls*t and back into what it’s all about”.

Auerbach agrees: “The show in London [at Alexandra Palace] was the biggest headliner we’ve ever played.

“It was great after the year we had. Whatever happens, we know the fans are still there for us.”

Another thrill was playing Manchester’s Sounds Of The City festival two days before the first Oasis homecoming gig at the city’s Heaton Park.

“The atmosphere was electric. Our audience was so up for it,” says Auerbach.

Noel and Liam are both incredible — we’re really happy for them

Auerbach

He credits Oasis with lifting the mood. “I feel like they’ve transformed the continent. We’ve never seen anything like it.”

And he couldn’t resist visiting the Oasis Adidas store. “I had one of the black soccer jerseys made — Oasis on the front and AUERBACH on the back. Had to do it, man, they’re the kings.”

It was in 2023 that The Black Keys visited Toe Rag Studios in Hackney, East London, to write three songs with Noel Gallagher, who they describe as “the chord lord”.

Auerbach says: “It was amazing. We just sat in a circle with our instruments and we worked things up from nowhere.

“Not too long after that we played a song with Liam [in Milan] and hung out with him afterwards. He gave us some really good advice about our setlist.

“Noel and Liam are both incredible — we’re really happy for them.”

‘We’d never written with a piano player’

We return to the subject of their new album, No Rain, No Flowers, which involved a new approach for The Black Keys.

Instead of big-name guests like Noel and Beck and, before them, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, they turned to acclaimed songwriters — the unsung heroes — for their collaborative process.

They welcomed into their world Rick Nowels (Madonna, Stevie Nicks, Lana Del Rey), Scott Storch (Dr Dre, Nas) and Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves).

Auerbach had encountered Nowels while producing Lana Del Rey’s 2014 third album Ultraviolence and had long been impressed with his keyboard skills.

He says: “We’d never written with a piano player before. After 20-plus years in the band, it was cool to try something new in the studio.”

Carney adds: “The way we worked with each one of these people was completely different.

“With Daniel, for instance, we’d start with a jam session. With Rick, it was all about getting the title of the song.”

And Auerbach again: “Scott’s all about instrumentation. He didn’t want to think about the words. He just lets you do that stuff afterwards.”

One of the co-writes with Nowels is the life-affirming title track which begins the album.

With lines like, “Baby, the damage is done/It won’t be long ’til we’re back in the sun”, you could be forgiven for thinking it reflects on the band’s recent woes.

Auerbach says it does, but only up to a point. “It started with the title and we built it from there.

“We tend to shy away from diary-type songs. It gives us ‘the ick’ when it sounds like somebody’s reading from their diary.

“But there’s a lot of truth in the song. It’s us trying to be positive, which maybe wasn’t how we were feeling.

“It was a nice thought to write a positive anthem but still have blood in the eye.”

If The Black Keys’ go-to sound has been the blues, this album is remarkable for its funky, airy and soulful vibe.

Auerbach says: “We were heavily influenced by soul growing up, maybe more than anything, and it really shows.

“With us, it’s all about the feel. When we started out, we didn’t know what the hell we were doing, but we knew when it felt right.”

Another strong touchstone has been hip-hop, which is why Auerbach and Carney are thrilled to have worked with Scott Storch, another dazzling keyboard player, who started out in the Roots and went on to work with Dr Dre, 50 Cent, Beyonce and Nas.

“We are a product of where we were raised,” affirms Auerbach. “We grew up in the golden age of hip- hop. That’s what pop music was for us.

“The first time I heard the Geto Boys was at the middle- school dance and it affected us.

That’s the s**t on those blues records I love so much. You hear Son House grunting when he’s playing slide guitar

Auerbach

“But then my mom’s family played bluegrass — I would listen to my uncles sing. And when The Stanley Brothers sing, it’s white soul music. I love it all.”

As for Storch, Auerbach continues: “We’ve obsessed over videos of him since we were in high school. Seeing him play all the parts of his hits makes our jaws hit the floor.

‘You can hear Scott physically grunting’

“The idea of getting him in the studio seemed crazy because he seemed like a larger-than-life figure.”

Auerbach was mesmerised by Storch when he arrived at Easy Eye Sound.

He says: “Scott’s a real player, an absolute musical savant. As a hip-hop producer, he tends to spend 99.9 per cent of the time in the control room.

“But we have all these acoustic pianos, harpsichords and analogue synthesisers. He was in heaven, and so were we watching him go from keyboard to keyboard.

“On Babygirl, he’s on an acoustic piano with microphones and you can hear him physically grunting in time with his playing. That’s got to be a first for Scott Storch on record.

“That’s the s**t on those blues records I love so much. You hear Son House grunting when he’s playing slide guitar.”

The No Rain, No Flowers album is loaded with hook-laden songs — the exhilarating rocker Man On A Mission, the psychedelic Southern rock swirl of A Little Too High.

One explanation for their eclectic approach is The Black Keys’ regular Record Hang in Nashville, which involves Auerbach and Carney hosting all-vinyl DJ dance parties.

For these, they scour online marketplaces and record shops for obscure but revelatory old 45s.

Carney explains: “We end up exposing ourselves to thousands of songs that somehow we’ve never heard.

“It’s really cool to be so deep into our career and uncovering all this incredible music. It’s totally reinvigorating — particularly when one of us finds a record that the other hasn’t heard and it’s a banger.” So check out Carney’s discovery Nobody Loves Me But My Mama by Johnny Holiday, which he describes as “f*ing insane — psychobilly fuzz rock”.

Then there’s Auerbach’s fave, Yeah Yeah by Blackrock, “a rare 45 instrumental which rearranged our minds. It still hits like crazy”.

We just fell right into it, started playing it and luckily we were recording

Auerbach

With The Black Keys, you always get a sense of passion for their craft, and for other people’s.

Auerbach says: “Pat and I were talking about this earlier — music can hypnotise you. You can use it for good or for evil. It’s a very powerful tool.”

And Carney: “It’s my biggest passion and it has been since I was 11.

‘Sensitive about what we listen to’

“I also think about the delicate balance you need when you do it for a living. You’re taking the thing you love the most but you never want to ruin it for yourself.

“Dan and I are very sensitive about what we listen to. We were at a music festival in a spot in between seven stages. It sounded horrible. I said, ‘This is the kind of thing that could make me hate music’.”

Finally, we talk about another of their own songs, the sublime, festival-primed anthem Neon Moon, which closes No Rain, No Flowers.

Written with Daniel Tashian, Auerbach modestly calls it a “first-take jam” but that doesn’t really do it justice.

“I think it just started with the ‘neon moon’ lyric,” he says. “We just fell right into it, started playing it and luckily we were recording.”

As the song gets into its stride, he sings: “Don’t let yourself get down too long.”

It’s a line that The Black Keys have taken to heart.

THE BLACK KEYS

No Rain, No Flowers

★★★★☆

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AN OASIS fan says she slipped over just yards from where a man plunged to his death at the reunion concert.

The man – aged in his 40s – was understood to be sitting in the upper tier of the stadium when he plunged to his death at Wembley on Saturday night.

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The highest stands in the 90,000-seat venue are some 170ft above the ground.

Police and paramedics attended to the man but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Gallagher brothers said they were “shocked and saddened” to hear about the fan’s death.

Now, other fans have blasted the “deathtrap” Wembley stadium, calling for the venue to be “held accountable”.

Gig-goers who danced the night away to Wonderwall say they were forced to hobble along low railings with a steep drop and a “lethal” slippery floor that was “like an ice rink.”

Some are labelling it “horrendous” given “the amount of money they’ve spent on this new Wembley”.

Jade, 31, from Essex, was at the gig and stumbled in a domino effect of falling fans, suffering minor injuries.

A man a few rows up from her fell down, tumbling into her and knocking her down too.

“The floor was slippery from loads of spilled drinks,” she told The Sun.

“My bag got soaked. Everyone in the seated section was jumping and dancing and way drunker than other concerts.”

She fell onto the row in front of her about halfway through the concert, and people helped her up.

“I just got up and carried on. But today I have a dodgy ankle, a few bruises and hurt knees.”

“People were absolutely w***ered,” recalled another on Reddit.

“A bloke near us collapsed, tumbled over a couple of seats and had to be evacuated by the medics – everywhere you looked people were out of their minds.

“It occurred to me that all it would take is one wrong step up there and you’d be a goner.”

One fan said on Facebook: “You’d think a modern venue like Wembley would have sufficient guards for this kind of thing.”

“The top tier is bloody steep. It’s dreadful the barrier is so low,” added another on Facebook.

Not everyone agrees that the stadium is to blame.

One fan said on a fan group: “18 years worth of events, most with 90,000 people attending, and never an incident like it. It’s a tragic accident, and blaming it on the venue or security is ridiculous.”

An eyewitness to the fatal fall wrote on Facebook: “He fell from the top tier into our block. My friend’s daughter did CPR until the paramedics arrived.”

Another shaken onlooker, who was sitting just three seats away, recalled: “Hearing the bang and seeing the aftermath was just something that will stay with you forever.”

“The atmosphere was incredible,” commented a third on Facebook.

“We were nearing the end of the concert, when in the middle of Wonderwall, he fell right in front of us, a few metres away.

“It was very shocking and we left Wembley very upset.”

Oasis released a statement about the man, saying that they are “shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of a fan at the show last night.

“Oasis would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved.”

Before singing Live Forever on Sunday, Liam Gallagher appeared to pay his respects to the late fan.

He said: “This one’s for all the people who can’t be here tonight, but who are here if you know what I mean, and aren’t they looking lovely.”

But Liam has used that line before singing that hit song on the other tour dates.

In the gig after Ozzy Osborne passed away, the Britpop duo paid tribute by displaying an image of the Black Sabbath singer on stage during Live Forever, then dedicated Rock ‘n’ Roll Star, to Ozzy.

In a statement on Sunday, the Metropolitan Police confirmed a man in his 40s was pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining “injuries consistent with a fall”.

A Wembley Stadium spokesperson said: “Last night, Wembley Stadium medics, the London Ambulance Service and the police attended to a concert goer who was found with injuries consistent with a fall.

“Despite their efforts, the fan very sadly died.

“Our thoughts go out to his family, who have been informed and are being supported by specially trained police officers.

“The Police have asked anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them.

“Tonight’s Oasis concert will go ahead as planned.”

Saturday’s gig was the fourth of seven London shows on Oasis’ blockbuster reunion tour.

The band crashed ticket sites when they announced they were making a comeback last year – as more than 14 million fans tried to secure a seat at the highly-anticipated gigs.

Last month Liam and Noel reunited on stage in Cardiff for the first time since a backstage bust-up broke up the band 16 years ago.

The Britpop icons returned to their hometown of Manchester for five dates in July.

They performed a 23-song setlist of classic hits, including Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back in Anger and Live Forever to a roaring crowd of 80,000 people at Heaton Park.

They will head to America later this month before returning to London for two more gigs in September.

Wembley Stadium said in a statement to The Sun: “Wembley Stadium operates to a very high health and safety standard, fully meeting legal requirements for the safety of spectators and staff, and is certified to and compliant with the ISO 45001 standard.

“We work very closely and collaboratively with all relevant event delivery stakeholders – including event owners, local authorities, the Sports Ground Safety Authority and the police – to deliver events to high standards of safety, security and service for everyone attending or working in the venue.”

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In a time of exploding success and creativity in rock music, Creedence Clearwater Revival was quite possibly the finest singles band of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Formed in suburban El Cerrito in Northern California by frontman John Fogerty, his brother Tom on guitar, bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford, CCR put up an absurd number of all-timers in the space of about 2 1/2 years, including most of the 20 collected on “Chronicle,” the 1976 greatest-hits LP that still sits on the Billboard 200 album chart today, nearly half a century later.

The band’s instantly identifiable sound — which the members began developing first as the Blue Velvets and then as the Golliwogs — combined blues, rock, psychedelia and R&B; John Fogerty’s voice, preternaturally scratchy and soulful for a guy in his early 20s, gave the music a feeling of sex and grit even as he flexed his commercial pop smarts as a producer and hook-meister.

For all their popularity, Fogerty refused to play Creedence’s biggest hits for decades due to a prolonged legal battle with his old label, Fantasy Records, over the rights to his songs — a feud that reached a kind of apex when Fantasy’s head honcho, Saul Zaentz, sued Fogerty for plagiarizing himself with his solo song “The Old Man Down the Road,” which Zaentz said sounded too much like CCR’s “Run Through the Jungle.” (Fogerty eventually won; Zaentz died in 2014.)

Yet two years ago, Fogerty regained control of his publishing, and now he’s made an album of Taylor Swift-style rerecorded versions of the band’s songs called “Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years,” due Aug. 22. Ahead of a concert Sunday night at the Hollywood Bowl, where he’ll be accompanied by a band that includes his sons Shane and Tyler, Fogerty, 80, called from the road to tell the stories behind five of his signature tunes.

‘Proud Mary’ (1969)

After charting in 1968 with covers of Dale Hawkins’ “Susie Q” and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You,” Fogerty scored his first hit as a songwriter with this funky and propulsive country-soul jam.

“Proud Mary” came as a bolt of lightning and inspiration from heaven. I’d received my honorable discharge from the Army in the middle of 1968, and I was overjoyed — I mean, absolutely euphoric. It meant that I could now pursue music full-time. So I went in the house with my Rickenbacker guitar and started strumming some chords, and the first line I wrote was “Left a good job in the city / Working for the man every night and day.” That’s how I felt getting out of the Army.

But what is this song about? I really didn’t know. I went to my little song book that I’d only started writing in a few months before — it was a conscious decision to get more professional — and, lo and behold, the very first thing I’d ever written in that book was the phrase “Proud Mary.” I didn’t know what it meant — I just wrote it down because that was gonna be my job. I’ve got this little book, and I’m gonna collect my thoughts.

At the very bottom of the same page was the word “riverboat.” I remember saying to myself, “Oh, this song’s about a riverboat named Proud Mary.” How strange is that? Who writes a song about a boat? But after that I was off and running — finished the song within the hour, and for the first time in my life, I was looking at the page and I said, “My God, I’ve written a classic.” I knew it was a great song, like the people I admired so much: Hoagy Carmichael or Leiber & Stoller or Lennon & McCartney. I felt it in my bones.

Where did the narrator’s accent come from? “Big wheel keep on toinin’” and all that?
Howlin’ Wolf was a huge inspiration to me when I was 10, 11, 12 years old. He said things like that a lot, and I guess it went into my brain. I didn’t do it consciously — it just seemed right to me when I was writing the song.

CCR had five singles that got to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Proud Mary.” Do you recall what was at No. 1 when “Proud Mary” reached No. 2?
Let’s see, this was early 1969 — I’d love to think that it was [Otis Redding’s] “Dock of the Bay.”

“Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone.
No kidding. How cool.

Did you know Sly?
I never met Sly Stone. I really loved the records. I was at Woodstock, and he was a couple acts after me. I watched Janis [Joplin] and then some of Sly, and then we retired to our Holiday Inn — must have been 4 in the morning by then.

Ike and Tina Turner remade “Proud Mary” for themselves.
It’s almost a different song. First time I heard it, I was driving in my car — was one of those times you pump your first and go, “Yeah!”

‘Lodi’ (1969)

This twangy account of a musician fallen on hard times first appeared on the B-side of the “Bad Moon Rising” single.

My mom and dad loved traveling from our little town of El Cerrito. We would drive up San Pablo Avenue — I don’t think there was a freeway back then — and cross the Carquinez Bridge into Vallejo and keep going up into the northern-central part of California and all those wonderful places like Stockton and Tracy and Modesto. I got to know all these towns like Dixon and Davis, and I heard my parents talk about Lodi. As a youngster, that was one of the words I saved in my book, like I was talking about earlier. I told myself, “That’s important, John — you need to save that and remember it.”

As I started to get a little older, I remember playing on campus at Cal Berkeley with a ragtag group of guys — a local dance kind of thing for the students. The guy from Quicksilver Messenger Service with the afro [David Freiberg], he was there too playing with his band, and they did a song where it sounded like he was saying “Lodi.” I was heartbroken. When he got done with his set, I went over and asked the gentleman, “What was that song you were doing? Was it called ‘Lodi’?” He said, “Oh, you mean ‘Codeine.’” Boy, did I crack up. Here I am, the farmer boy thinking about Lodi, and he’s the downtown guy talking about drugs.

Anyway, all that meandering my family did through the Central Valley was very important to me. There came a time when I was inspired to write a song framed in a place that was kind of out of the way. I was 23 or so, but I was picturing a much older person than myself — maybe Merle Haggard when he gets older. There he is, stuck in this little town because he’d drifted in and he doesn’t have the money to get out.

‘Fortunate Son’ (1969)

Immediately adopted as an anthem among those opposed to the Vietnam War, Fogerty’s searing protest song was later inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.

You said in 2014 that you weren’t entirely satisfied by your lead vocal.
I still feel the same way. The basic tracks for “Down on the Corner” and “Fortunate Son” were both recorded, and one afternoon I went over to Wally Heider’s studio to finish the songs. For “Down on the Corner,” I did the maracas and the middle solo part, then sang all the background vocals, then sang the lead. So I’d been singing at the top of my lungs for probably an hour and a half, then I had to go back and finish “Fortunate Son.” I was screaming my heart out, doing the best I could, but later I felt that some of the notes were a little flat — that I hadn’t quite hit the mark. I always sort of cringed about that.

There’s an argument to be made that the raggedness in your voice is what gives the song its urgency.
I know that in the case of the Beatles, John would just sit in the studio screaming and screaming until his voice got raw enough, then he’d record some takes. Perhaps the fact that it was a little out of tune made it — what’s the word? — more pop-worthy. I don’t know.

“Fortunate Son” was heard at President Trump’s recent military parade, despite your asking him not to use it during his 2020 campaign.
I didn’t watch other than a few seconds. I was trying to find the Yankee game and came across the parade. I was expecting it would be like the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year’s morning, but it seemed really kind of sleepy. Somebody emailed me later that night and told me. I thought it was strange — thought it would be something that someone would be wary of.

Because of the cease-and-desist — and because the song is literally about a person of privilege avoiding military service.
I thought to myself: Do you think somebody did it on purpose? Are they doing it as some weird kind of performance art? I might be giving too much credit to the thought that went into it.

“Fortunate Son” is one of the great rock songs about class, which is a concept that Trump has deeply reshaped in his time.
He’s a rich guy but he manages to make himself look like the underdog and the victim. I’m from the ’60s — the hippie era — when young people were much more unified in the sense that everybody should be equal and everyone should be tolerant and respectful of each other. It’s a little different now, even though I’m very happy that people are protesting and making noise and pointing out injustice — I’m thrilled that’s going on instead of just standing by and watching somebody get lit on fire.

But we’re so polarized in America now. I’m hopeful, though. You didn’t ask me the question, but I am. I think we’re all starting to get tired of that. It doesn’t work very well — what we’re doing right now is certainly not working. If we fire everybody and quit all knowledge and science and education and manners and morality and ethics and kick out all the immigrants — well, I guess you and me are probably gone along with everybody else. I mean, it’s just such complete negativity. As Americans, that’s not us — that’s not how we roll.

‘Run Through the Jungle’ (1970)

With worries about the spread of gun ownership in his head, Fogerty devised one of his eeriest productions for this swampy psych-rock number.

I was trying to do a lot with a little — certainly got the band cooking and got a good groove going. For the intro, I wanted to create maybe a Stanley Kubrick movie soundscape, but of course I didn’t have a symphony orchestra or synthesizers or any of that kind of stuff. I had to imagine: How do I use these rock ’n’ roll instruments — basically guitar and piano and a little bit of percussion and some backward tape — and create that ominous, rolling vibe?

Along with the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, you were one of the few rock and pop musicians of that era who produced your own records.
To me, it was natural. I remember a time in the little shed that Fantasy had built outside the back of their warehouse to use as a recording studio — I was working there one day, had the earphones on and I was at the mic. This was Golliwogs time, probably ’65 or ’66, and I was trying to get something accomplished that was not getting accomplished. I said out loud, “Well, I guess Phil Spector’s not gonna come down here and produce us, so I’m gonna have to learn how to be a producer myself.”

Saul Zaentz famously took you to court for self-plagiarism. Is there anything at all in your mind that connects “Run Through the Jungle” and “The Old Man Down the Road”?
Other than both of them having a very deep footprint within the blues, which is what has influenced me greatly in my life, I never thought they were even similar. The whole thing was preposterous.

‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain’ (1970)

After CCR’s “Pendulum” LP — which included this tender ballad that now boasts more than 2 billion streams on Spotify — Tom Fogerty quit the group; the remaining three members went their separate ways less than two years later.

I loved my band — I thought it was the culmination of everything I’d been working for — and to watch it sort of disintegrating, I just felt powerless. That’s why I use the strange metaphor of rain coming down on a sunny day: We had finally found our sunny day, and yet everybody seemed to be more and more unhappy. I just felt completely befuddled by what was going on — I didn’t know what to say or do that was gonna fix it.

Up to that time, I’d thought the way to fix it was: Well, I’ll just write more songs and we’ll have more success — that’ll take care of all our problems. That’s how I felt — pathetically so — even as far as my relationship with Saul Zaentz and the horrible contract. I thought if I just showed that I was a great songwriter and could make these records that perhaps he would have some empathy and go, “I should treat John better because I want to have more of these songs.” When I say that now, it sounds utterly foolish.

In spite of the pain you were in at the time, this song is one of your sweetest.
That’s true. It’s like an atom bomb going off in your backyard — it’s so horrible that you just sort of cling to your positive human emotion. Even if it’s painful, you try to feel rather than be numb.

“Have You Ever Seen the Rain” has been covered widely: Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, the Ramones, Rod Stewart. You have a favorite rendition besides yours?
I really liked Bonnie Tyler’s version.

BLACK Sabbath fans were left stunned by sky-high prices at Villa Park – with a pint setting punters back up to £8 during the legendary band’s final hometown gig.

The Back to the Beginning supershow, held at Aston Villa’s stadium in Birmingham, marks Ozzy Osbourne’s last ever live performance – and the first time the full band have played together in two decades.

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But for many fans, the bar and food prices were almost as jaw-dropping as the music.

Inside the venue, a pint of Poretti lager was going for £8, with a half pint at £4.

A pint of Somersby cider wasn’t far behind at £7, or £3.50 for a half.

Cocktail fans after something stronger had to fork out £13 for a draught Rum Punch – while even a bottle of water cost £3.50.

In the Doug Ellis stand, the prices were just as steep – with a Carlsberg Pilsner priced at £6.50, a glass of wine for £7, and both a gin and tonic and a vodka lemonade costing £7.50 each.

And it wasn’t just the drinks that had fans digging deep.

Food options were limited and pricey too – with a sausage roll setting you back £5, a steaky pasty £6.50, and Yardbirds chicken and chips costing a whopping £15.

Even the basics weren’t cheap – a can of Coke was £3.50, a bar of chocolate £2.50, and a bag of Walkers crisps £2.20.

Fancy a hot drink? That’s £3.95 for a tea and £4.50 for an espresso.

Fans weren’t impressed.

Some took to social media to vent their frustration, saying the prices were “festival-level rip-offs” and that it “left a bad taste before the music even started”.

One gig-goer told us: “I knew it’d be expensive but £8 for a pint and £7 for chips? That’s taking the Mick.”

Another said: “You expect a bit of markup, but this is madness.

Ozzy’s not the only one going out with a bang – so is my bank account.”

The backlash over food and drink prices follows recent criticism surrounding the cost of VIP meet-and-greet packages with Ozzy Osbourne, set to take place during his upcoming appearance at Comic Con Midlands.

Fans are being charged £666 for the ‘Ultimate Sin’ VIP package – which includes a group photo with Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly, and Jack. But only two people are allowed per photo (except under-5s).

Want an autograph? That’ll cost extra.

Ozzy will sign a book for £225, or a poster, album or toy for £375. And if you want him to sign your guitar or mic?

That’ll be £750 – bringing the total package cost to £1,416.

Fan backlash has been fierce. One wrote: “Laughable prices, genuinely laughable.”

Another joked: “Time to start selling me kidney.”

While fans might be fuming over costs, the buzz inside Villa Park is electric.

This is a historic night – the last time Birmingham’s own heavy metal gods will share the stage in their hometown.

Ozzy, who’s battled serious health issues in recent years, admitted he won’t be performing a full set.

He said: “We’re only playing a couple of songs each.

“I don’t want people thinking ‘we’re getting ripped off’, because it’s just going to be … what’s the word? … a sample.”

He added: “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.”

The Back to the Beginning festival line-up is packed with legends, including Metallica, Slayer and Pantera – all joining in to celebrate Black Sabbath’s final bow.

Fans from across the UK – and some flying in from overseas – have packed out the stadium to say one last goodbye to the band that helped invent heavy metal.

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THE opening ceremony at Glastonbury has been branded a flop by disappointed festival-goers.

Disgruntled revellers called out a fireworks display and criticized sound issues at the iconic event in Somerset this evening.

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One festival goer told The Sun: “The opening ceremony started 10 minutes late, there was a huge choir on stage that no one could hear.

“All we could hear was the sound of a couple of drums.

“It was a massive fireworks display with no music, the whole silence lasted 30 minutes.”

And their comments were echoed by fellow visitors, one fuming reveller penned on X: “Not good from a sound standpoint. I think you have let the performers down here to say the least.”

“Sack the sound guy,” wrote another.

A third agreed: “Is there meant to be no sound at the #Glastonbury2025 opening ceremony? Local regs? Crowds a bit restless at the back.”

“Where’s the sound? Kicked out of Greenpeace for crowds. No sound and lost audience at opening ceremony. Get it together,” posted someone else.

One fuming ticket-holder slammed: “No sound. Can’t hear anything. Underwhelming.”

The Sun contacted Glastonbury for comment.

It comes as thousands arrived to set up camp for the first day of Glastonbury today.

But revellers at the festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, faced a drenching – after the Met Office forecast rain and thunderstorms.

However, temperatures are set to soar by the weekend, with highs of 30C.

Although it could be a messy start to the festival, with its 1,500 acres of farmland turning into a mud bath in previous years.

While the festival is best known for its music, revellers can enjoy the range of stalls, set up their tents and explore the grounds in the meantime before the main performances kick off on Friday.

Opening headliner The 1975 take to the stage at 10pm, while acts such as Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts, Charli XCX, and Doechii will perform on Saturday.

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Sunday is due to see Rod Stewart gracing his fans – with Lewis Capaldi also set to make a sensational return to music.

The singer will be dropping his comeback single at the festival.

The release, Lewis’ first since he put out Strangers and A Cure For Minds Unwell in January last year, coincides with his secret set on the Pyramid Stage at Glasto.

As the gates to Worthy Farm opened to let the first of this year’s revellers through, a source said: “Lewis took a decent chunk of time away and now he’s ready for his fans to hear what he has been working on.

“Tomorrow is a huge day for him. He will be releasing a brand new single and it is his Pyramid Stage performance. He is in a great place and feels ready to come back into the spotlight.”

Lewis’ last performance at Glastonbury on that very stage in 2023 ended in tears, with the Someone You Loved star breaking down before cutting the set short.

However, Amyle and the Sniffers’ upcoming set is still hanging in the balance after illness swept through the band and their team.

The Aussie rockers were forced to cancel their Vienna gig on Monday after two band members and a crew member came down with “a very nasty virus”.

And it comes just days before they’re due to hit the stage at Worthy Farm.

Meanwhile, a huge US popstar has hinted that they’re the secret act ‘Patchwork’ at the festival.

Ever since organisers revealed the full line-up and stage times for Glasto, revellers have been trying to work out who the mysterious act is.

At the beginning of the month, Glastonbury organisers shared the complete schedule.

However, there are still several ‘TBA’ slots that hint at secret sets on the Pyramid Stage and beyond.

Now fans have a brand new theory about who could make a surprise appearance at the legendary festival.

On the 2025 Glastonbury schedule, the Saturday 6.15pm slot has a mysterious act called “Patchwork” pencilled in, and fans have been trying to work out what it means.

Now fans are convinced that Chappell Roan is “Patchwork” after she posted a telling clue on Instagram.

It came after the Pink Pony Club star shared a picture of herself holding a patchwork quilt, and wrote next to it: “Insane vibe.”

Glastonbury 2025 – confirmed acts so far

TICKETS to the 2025 festival sold out in just minutes before some of the acts were even confirmed. Here is who has been confirmed so far.

Confirmed headliners:

• The 1975 will take to the Pyramid Stage on Friday.
• Neil Young will headline the festival for the second time after his last set in 2009 on Saturday after RAYE makes her return.
• Charli xcx will headline the Other Stage on Saturday night.
• On Sunday, Olivia Rodrigo is due to belt out her hits for her first appearance while Rod Stewart will perform in the legends slot.
• More acts to appear on the Other Stage include Loyle Carner and The Prodigy.
• Doechii will make her Glastonbury debut on the West Holts Stage on Saturday night.
• Other names confirmed include Noah Kahan, Alanis Morissette, Gracie Abrams, Busta Rhymes, Lola Young, Brandi Carlile, Myles Smith, En Vogue, Amaarae, Cymande, Shaboozey, Osees and Gary Numan.

COOL Britannia is back – and that’s official. 

High society bible Tatler is among those making the declaration on its new edition, which features the offspring of Nineties music legends Liam Gallagher and Richard Ashcroft. 

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Heralding the rebirth of the Britpop-era movement, the magazine pictures Molly Moorish-Gallagher and musician Sonny Ashcroft proudly standing in front of a giant Union Jack. 

Anyone over the age of 40 is likely to spot the obvious homage being paid to a similar front cover published by Vanity Fair in 1997. 

That iconic picture saw Oasis singer Liam sharing a bed with his then girlfriend, actress Patsy Kensit. 

The couple married a few months later when Oasis were arguably the biggest music stars of the decade. 

And it is no coincidence the new magazine cover comes just days before the Oasis reunion tour, which will have Richard Ashcroft as the support act. 

But Tatler did not go for another “power couple”, like Liam and Patsy were, and instead took the nepo baby route. 

But as the new faces of Cool Britannia take centre stage, it’s less champagne supernova, more alcohol-free explosion.

Tatler

However, editors still think the duo are living proof of a second coming.

The mag claims: “Ahead of the Oasis reunion, Liam’s daughter Molly Moorish-Gallagher and The Verve scion Sonny Ashcroft are leading the Britpop revival. 

“They’re the next generation of Britpop: Molly Moorish-Gallagher and Sonny Ashcroft are gracing the cover of Tatler as their fathers, Liam Gallagher and Richard Ashcroft, prepare for an earth-shattering Oasis reunion. 

“But as the new faces of Cool Britannia take centre stage, it’s less champagne supernova, more alcohol-free explosion.” 

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The piece continues: “She is the daughter of Lisa Moorish and Liam Gallagher; he is the eldest son of Richard Ashcroft and Kate Radley. 

“Together, they are the new faces of the (Br)it crowd. 

“But what do the pair make of Cool Britannia 2.0?” 

It turns out that neither of the nepo babies shares their parents’ hellraising ways, and the revival will not be based around downing pints of lager or being “chained to the mirror and the razor blade”, as Oasis once sang. 

Sonny proudly tells the magazine he’s not one for a night out.

He said: “I’m very much a night-in person.

Seeing friends, some good food and drinks and playing games of some kind.

Molly Moorish-Gallagher, Liam’s daugher

“A nice meal with friends and then gathering over some sort of board game or film at home.” 

While Molly says her idea of a wild night is: “Seeing friends, some good food and drinks and playing games of some kind.” 

But if the Cool Britannia nepo kids aren’t keeping the Nineties hedonistic vibe going, it seems Gen Z-ers are keeping the momentum going through fashion. 

Love Island host Maya Jama recently recreated Liz Hurley’s famous Versace safety pin dress that she wore to the Four Weddings And A Funeral premiere in 1994. 

Singers Dua Lipa and Lola Young have been inspired by other huge names of the Nineties in their fashion choices. 

And Liam’s son Lennon was pretty much an identikit copy of his dad when he attended a Burberry pub takeover last week. 

A new study has also revealed that youngsters are now huge fans of some of the decade’s greatest hairstyles, including The Rachel from Friends, the floppy hair of actor Johnny Depp and Victoria Beckham’s Posh bob. 

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The study, commissioned by Funkin Cocktails, also found a fondness for Doc Marten boots and baggy jeans, famously sported by the likes of Mark Wahlberg when he was rapper Marky Mark. 

Ashley Birch-Ruffell, from Funkin Cocktails, said: “Nineties fashion is very on trend, and it’s fun to see what our official favourite styles are. 

“There are clearly many iconic hairstyles and memorable moments from this decade that live on in the public consciousness. 

“It seems clear that Nineties trends aren’t going anywhere anytime soon — and why would we want them to?” 

“It’s clear that the whole culture of the Nineties is still considered unapologetically iconic.” 

Gen Z can’t match our hellraising era 

IT was a sensational whirl of bucket hats, Union Jacks, lads’ mags, boozy bands and more than a whiff of the old marching powder, writes Rod McPhee.

The late Nineties were a hellraising golden age not seen since the Swinging Sixties. 

But despite being due another period of partying, I’m sorry to say we’ll never quite be able to match the magic of the original Cool Britannia. 

Trust me, I was there, I did it. I got the T-shirt – and the dodgy Liam Gallagher shaggy haircut

What’s more, I loved it all. From music to fashion, and movies to models, the run-up to the year 2000 was the perfect blend of sex and, yes, drugs, plus lashings of rock ’n’ roll. 

Of course, it’s great to get a taste of the good old days when Oasis stage their comeback tour next week, plus there’s the prospect of the Spice Girls doing a similar celebratory event next year. 

But nothing can once again live up to a period in modern pop culture history which I believe was genuinely unique. Maybe I’m looking back at the past through rose-tinted glasses. 

But no pop groups, artists, catwalk stars or actors these days come close to the tearaway Primrose Hill crowd that kept us entertained and shocked three decades ago. 

That said, no one would love reliving some of the brilliance of the Nineties more than me. 

So let’s make the most of summer 2025. 

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WATCH Brian Wilson’s last ever performance after it was announced that the Beach Boys founder has died aged 82.

The legendary singer-songwriter – who was living with a degenerative disorder similar to dementia – last sang publicly in 2022.

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Performing at the Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan, the icon belted out a range of historic tracks.

He performed the famous tune Surfin’ USA, Help Me Rhonda and California Girls.

Wilson appeared onstage as part of his 2022 US Summer Tour in July of that year.

Today, the music legend’s family announced the tragic news that he passed away.

In a post shared on Instagram on Wednesday, Wilson’s family wrote: “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away.

“We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving.

“We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.”

Tributes are starting to roll in from fans and celebrities alike.

The Rolling Stones legend Ronnie has lead the tributes to the star and confirmed his world is “in mourning” following the passing of Brian and fellow musician, Sly Stone.

Celebrated as a spectacular songwriter, Wilson was responsible for initial successes including Surfin’ USA, Surfer Girl, and I Get Around.

Other famous tunes include All Summer Long, Don’t Worry Baby, and California Girls.

Born in Inglewood, California, Wilson formed the band – first called the Pendletones – as a teenager with his brothers Dennis and Carl.

He was the eldest and last surviving of the trio.

Brian played bass, Carl lead guitar and Dennis was on drums.

The Beach Boys rocketed to fame during the 1960s, going from local California band to national hitmakers – and international ambassadors of surf and sun.

A judge signed off on a conservatorship for Beach Boys legend Wilson just months after he was diagnosed with dementia in 2024.

He consented to the agreement and had no objections.

Wilson’s doctor said the musician suffered from a “major neurocognitive disorder” and needed help making healthcare decisions.

The judge’s decision to approve Wilson’s conservatorship came as the pop icon prepared to launch new music this year.

In 1970, the Beach Boys star started working on a country album with the band’s former manager Fred Vail on lead vocals.

The project was paused but was later picked up again by the two musicians.

The album had been due for release in 2025 and Wilson was due to be featured on guest vocals, according to Rolling Stone.

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WATCH Brian Wilson’s last ever performance after it was announced that the Beach Boys founder has died aged 82.

The legendary singer-songwriter – who was living with a degenerative disorder similar to dementia – last sang publicly in 2022.

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Performing at the Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan, the icon belted out a range of historic tracks.

He performed the famous tune Surfin’ USA, Help Me Rhonda and California Girls.

Wilson appeared onstage as part of his 2022 US Summer Tour in July of that year.

Today, the music legend’s family announced the tragic news that he passed away.

In a post shared on Instagram on Wednesday, Wilson’s family wrote: “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away.

“We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving.

“We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.”

Tributes are starting to roll in from fans and celebrities alike.

The Rolling Stones legend Ronnie has lead the tributes to the star and confirmed his world is “in mourning” following the passing of Brian and fellow musician, Sly Stone.

Celebrated as a spectacular songwriter, Wilson was responsible for initial successes including Surfin’ USA, Surfer Girl, and I Get Around.

Other famous tunes include All Summer Long, Don’t Worry Baby, and California Girls.

Born in Inglewood, California, Wilson formed the band – first called the Pendletones – as a teenager with his brothers Dennis and Carl.

He was the eldest and last surviving of the trio.

Brian played bass, Carl lead guitar and Dennis was on drums.

The Beach Boys rocketed to fame during the 1960s, going from local California band to national hitmakers – and international ambassadors of surf and sun.

A judge signed off on a conservatorship for Beach Boys legend Wilson just months after he was diagnosed with dementia in 2024.

He consented to the agreement and had no objections.

Wilson’s doctor said the musician suffered from a “major neurocognitive disorder” and needed help making healthcare decisions.

The judge’s decision to approve Wilson’s conservatorship came as the pop icon prepared to launch new music this year.

In 1970, the Beach Boys star started working on a country album with the band’s former manager Fred Vail on lead vocals.

The project was paused but was later picked up again by the two musicians.

The album had been due for release in 2025 and Wilson was due to be featured on guest vocals, according to Rolling Stone.

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IT is the biggest reunion in rock – but Oasis’s comeback may not have ­happened at all if it hadn’t been for some delicate, behind-the-scenes diplomacy by one particular person.

Step forward Anais Gallagher, Noel’s eldest daughter, who has been revealed as the gutsy go-between who has seemingly pulled off what years of fan pleading and big-money offers failed to do.

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And the plucky model has even had a hand in helping shape the band’s set list, by providing crucial insight into what the Mancunian legends’ Gen-Z fans might want to hear on the 41-date reunion tour.

The Sun can reveal that Anais, who is from Noel’s first marriage to Meg Mathews, worked tirelessly to reconcile her dad and uncle following Noel’s split from Sara MacDonald.

So Anais, 25, figured the breakdown of her dad’s marriage could be an opportunity to get her old man back together with his feisty brother and the band that made him a ­megastar.

An insider said: “Anais was one of the biggest sources of comfort and support for Noel following his divorce.

“She was the one that was helping him get back on his feet and return to doing things he loved that had fallen by the wayside.

“Over the years, Noel had offered an olive branch to Liam, but he’d never taken it up.

“Anais could tell her dad really wanted both his brothers, Liam and Paul, by his side after the split so was determined to get them back in touch.

Fighting with Noel

“She gets on great with Liam’s sons Gene and Lennon so she asked them if their dad would be willing to hear her out.

“They said they thought he would be receptive, so she then asked Liam to reach out to his brother to lend support.

“Liam’s always wanted Oasis back together so he got in touch.”

Ironically, the Wonderwall crooners fell out back in May 2000 because Liam allegedly questioned the paternity of Anais while fighting with Noel in Spain — leading Noel to leave the band for a second time.

Anais has maintained a close relationship with outspoken Liam, who is saved in her phone as “uncle”.

Anais, who has modelled for Dolce and Gabbana, is close friends with her cousins Gene, 23, and Lennon, 25, and the group often go on nights out together.

Anais was one of the biggest sources of comfort and support for Noel following his divorce

Insider

Fans had hoped Noel’s divorce would lead to a reconciliation for the band, but they were left hanging for more than a year.

The source said: “It was all very slow-going behind the scenes to get the brothers talking again.

“Anais spending so much time with her dad allowed her to realise how much he missed his brother, despite  the jibes they both made.

“It enabled her to plant the idea of a reconciliation on both sides. Thanks to her close ­relationship with Liam, she was able to call him.

“She worked hard to make sure they didn’t look back in anger, if you like.

 “Once Liam called Noel, the rest was left up to them.”

The brothers announced their reunion in August last year, sparking a frenzy as  fans went into overdrive to get their hands on ­tickets.

It’s expected that the band will make millions from their world tour, which kicks off in July.

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And in further good news for Liam, he is about to become a grandfather for the first time.

His daughter Molly Moorish, 27,  announced two weeks ago she was expecting her first child with Liverpool  footballer boyfriend Nathaniel Phillips.

Molly, whose mother Lisa had a short-lived relationship with Liam in 1998, was estranged from her dad for 19 years but they are reconciled.

In interviews, Anais said: “With my family, what you see is what you get. They are really hard-working people.

“With my dad, I would always go to him for help or advice — it’s very funny that a rock star from the 90s is like the most level-headed person I know.

“He’s definitely the guiding force in my life.”

Liam’s always wanted Oasis back together so he got in touch

Insider

And it’s safe to say that Anais has Noel’s ear.

Last month, The Sun revealed that she had encouraged her dad to distance himself from disgraced comedian Russell Brand.

Limit hangovers

Brand has been charged with rape and sexual assaults relating to four women. He has denied all the allegations.

A source said: “Anais realised that her dad’s close links to Brand wasn’t a good look.

“She’s very PR savvy. There was a discussion and Noel agreed cutting ties was best.

“Anais, Noel, and the rest of the family are horrified at Brand’s alleged behaviour and had no idea what was going on.”

And her influence on Noel doesn’t end there.

She is helping to run her dad’s social media and is on his company’s payroll.

The source said: “Anais does a lot on social media to make money, so it’s a natural fit for her to help her dad out.

“She knows what does and doesn’t work for Generation Z, whereas Noel doesn’t.

“It’s given them more of a chance to bond.

“Noel hired her because she is genuinely good at her job, not because she is his child.”

The dedicated daughter is also helping with the song selection for the tour.

The source added: “Anais has helped with the tour set list by looking at what has done well on TikTok with the younger generation.

“As a result, [the song] Bonehead’s Bank Holiday will be played live by Oasis for the first time.

“They’ll also play Digsy’s Dinner, and Talk Tonight.

“She wants to help Oasis gain younger fans as well as their long-standing fans.”

The Oasis reunion announcement has been marred by older fans hitting out at younger people getting tickets, something Anais has been very vocal about on social media.

On TikTok, she wrote: “One thing I won’t stand for is the ageism and the misogyny around people getting tickets.

“Sorry, if a 19-year-old girl in a pink cowboy hat wants to be there, I will have my friendship bracelets ready.”

Grumpy fans have claimed that the band would hate stuff put up by young people on TikTok.

Sometimes people put this hyper-aggressive masculine ideology into what they think that my dad and my uncle are going to be like

Anais Gallagher

In an interview with Hello! Anais hit back, saying they were wrong.

She told the magazine: “I see this all the time, actually, where someone will post a funny video or a cover song and people would say ‘[Oasis] would hate this’.

“No, no, you hate this.

“Sometimes people put this hyper-aggressive masculine ideology into what they think that my dad and my uncle are going to be like.

“They’re actually a lot more accepting than the fans are.”

Anais plans to be stage-side to support her father throughout the reunion run.

She joked in an interview that her aims for the year were to: “Limit the amount of hangovers I have after all the Oasis concerts, remember to take my supplements and drink a lot of water.”

Whether she can manage to keep her dad and uncle in a similar state remains to be seen.

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KINGS of Leon have been forced to cancelled their UK and European shows after frontman Caleb Followill suffered a “freak accident” while playing with his kids.

The Grammy-winning group had been due to perform across several countries this summer, including stops in Cardiff and Lancashire, as well as shows and festivals in Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Belgium and Portugal.

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But Caleb, 43, has been sidelined after breaking his foot and requiring emergency surgery, giving the band no choice but to pull out of all appearances in June and July.

In a video posted to the band’s Instagram account, he explained: “Hello to everyone out there, especially our European fans that are coming to see us this summer. Unfortunately I regret to inform you that those shows will have to be cancelled due to a freak accident that happened the other day.”

“I broke my foot pretty bad just playing with my kids… It’s pretty gnarly and I’ll spare all the details. But we’re fortunate enough to have some great doctors here in Nashville that gave me emergency surgery.”

Caleb, who shares two children with model Lily Aldridge, revealed that he’s been told to stay off his feet for around two months.

He added: “I’m on the mend, but they’ve told me that I can’t be on my feet, travelling, or anything for the next eight weeks or so. That’s a big bummer.”

The singer looked visibly frustrated as he continued: “We were so excited. We’ve been preparing for this tour for a long time, we’ve been preparing for a lot of things.”

“We’ve been in the studio recording, we have a bunch of new songs, we were going to debut a few of them on this run. We had a lot of exciting things planned and now we’re going to have to pivot and find a new way to continue the work that we’ve started.”

Despite the disappointment, Caleb ended the message on a more hopeful note.

He said: “I’m very excited for when we do get to show you the stuff we’re doing, and in the meantime we’re going to do whatever work we can while I have these limitations.”

“Exciting stuff is coming, I know this isn’t the message anyone wants to hear, and it’s certainly not the message I want to be sending, but it’s going to be alright. Everything is going to be good. Hopefully, we will see y’all soon.”

The clip ended with a shot of Caleb’s foot in a cast.

His bandmates, Nathan, Jared and Matthew Followill, issued a separate statement, confirming the necessary recovery time.

They said: “Kings of Leon are updating fans that Caleb Followill has recently sustained a serious injury, shattering his heel and requiring a significant emergency surgery, that will prevent him from travelling and performing.

“The anticipated recovery process is expected to take eight weeks, under strict guidance of expert orthopaedic specialists.”

“The band regrets to report that they will need to cancel all upcoming UK and European festival headline shows in June and July of this year.”

The tour had been set to include a high-profile headline slot at Lytham Festival in Lancashire, where they were billed alongside Justin Timberlake and Alanis Morissette.

Organisers have since confirmed the festival will be reduced from five days to four, as it’s too late in the day to book a replacement act.

They also wished Caleb a “speedy recovery”.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

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