Blondie

As Europe is currently in the midst of a nail-biting UEFA European Football Championship, we’ve been in the mood for a few sporty flicks. One thing all our favourite movies have in common (despite our eclectic tastes) is that they’ve all got incredible soundtracks. And these five sports-based films are definitely no different. 

Bend It Like Beckham / Photo credit: Lionsgate

Bend It Like Beckham

Continue reading: The Five Greatest Sports Movie Soundtracks Of All Time

How many times in your life have you found yourself listening to a song that you think you know inside out, only to discover that that's not even the original version? We're guessing at least once; indeed, it happens to us all. Most commonly when it's a cover of a cover. Here are ten iconic songs that gained more popularity as a cover than as an original...

Johnny Cash at Glastonbury 1994 / Photo Credit: Empics Entertainment/PA Images

Tainted Love - Soft Cell
Original: Gloria Jones
Other notable covers: Marilyn Manson

Continue reading: Tainted Love, Hallelujah And Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: 10 Covers That You Probably Know Better Than The Originals

Because they’re a band that so often gets pigeonholed as a ‘singles act’ – and, admittedly, their various best of collections are pretty heavenly objects – Blondie get unfairly overlooked when it comes to their albums. The one and only piece of evidence needed to overturn that reputation, however, is their third studio album Parallel Lines, released precisely four decades ago in September 1978.

Although they had been established as hit-makers in Britain and Europe for the previous 18 months, breaking through to the higher echelons of the UK singles chart with their hit ‘Denis’, Parallel Lines was the album that truly broke Blondie as global megastars.

Continue reading: 40 Years On - Blondie's Masterpiece 'Parallel Lines'

Blondie will release their 11th studio album Pollinator on May 5 and it’s packed full of exciting collaborations.

The album is the group’s first since 2014’s Ghosts of Download and sees the New Wave heroes getting serious about ‘fun’ during these trying times.

Continue reading: Blondie Are Having Fun On New Album With Sia And Charli XcX

Part of Glastonbury’s enduring reputation is its propensity for composing a line-up that is extensive that a wealth of acts will pass by unnoticed. We’ve sieved through the thousands of acts who will be making the trip to Worthy Farm to highlight ten acts whose inclusion in the festival bill may surprise many. Sifting through the lower rungs of the bill uncovers a slew of rising stars and forgotten flames, those who are on the ascension to the upper levels of cultural recognition as well as those whose days of glory are far behind them.

Metallica will be this years most controversial performers. Photo: Getty Images, Credit: Frazer Harrison

Beyond the endless stretch of humans eyeing up the pyramid stage with binoculars are copious tents and smaller stages which host a myriad of curiosities, from fading pop stars regurgitating their hit songs for the umpteenth time to all manner of odd theatrics, spoken word performances, comedians, circus performances and Happy Monday’s hype-man Bez, who has this year been granted his very own ‘Acid House’ stage. Here then, are ten acts who to varying degrees will surprise festival goers with their very presence at the culturally sacred Somerset site: 

Continue reading: 10 Acts You Had No Idea Were Playing Glastonbury

The well-trodden fields of Worthy Farm will be privy to live music, stabbed by tent pegs and defecated on for another decade thanks to Glastonbury Festival’s new 10-year license, ensuring the world-famous annual weekend get-together will run on.

Glastonbury revellers having a whale of a time

The festival attracts 135,000+ visitors nearly every year to the South West of England, in Somerset, where the world’s biggest stars enjoy the sunshine/endure the mud playing huge headline sets and intimate gigs in any of the myriad stages on offer.

Continue reading: Ten More Years! Glastonbury Festival Gets License For Another Decade

The UK’s festival season is slowly clicking into gear as Hollywood’s award season recovers from a stinking hangover. On the weekend of August 16-17 in Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire, The Killers will preside the headline slot alongside Justin Timberlake.

"We're very excited to announce the V Festival line-up, and proud to bring headliners Justin Timberlake and The Killers, following on from their sold out Wembley Stadium show in 2013, with both headliners summer festival exclusives,” V Festival Directors Bob Angus, Simon Moran and Dennis Desmond said in a statement.

Continue reading: It's Indie Rock & Roll For V Festival: The Killers Headline Huge Bill

Members of the Russian punk activist group Pussy Riot have disowned their two most high-profile members, Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, for having forgotten about the "aspirations and ideals of [the] group." Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova, known as Masha and Nadia, were released from a 16-month prison stint in Russia after having performed their anti-Putin protest song, 'Punk Prayer,' in a Moscow cathedral in 2012.

Masha & Nadya Have Been Disowned By Members Of Pussy Riot.

Heavy media interest and intense human rights lobbying played a part in the women's release and has brought certain Russian freedom of speech injustices to light. On the eve of the Winter Olympic Games, currently being held in the Russian city of Sochi, the pair performed alongside Madonna at Amnesty International's Bringing Human Rights Home concert at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn last night, where the Flaming Lips, Yoko Ono, Bob Geldof, Lauryn Hill, The Fray Blondie and Imagine Dragons also contributed.

Continue reading: Pussy Riot's Nadia And Masha Disowned For Forgetting "Aspirations And Ideals" Of Punk Group

Blondie are to be this year's recipients of the NME’s 'Godlike Genius' Award. The band will also be performing live at the awards ceremony.

Blondie's iconic frontwoman, Debbie Harry, pictured in 2011

The announcement was made yesterday on the NME’s website with editor Mike Williams says: "As they celebrate their 40th anniversary, there could be no other band more worthy of being honoured as NME's Godlike Genius 2014 than Blondie.” He described their contribution to popular music as, “they re-wrote the rulebook in the late 70s by dragging punk rock to the top of the charts, and their classic songs still sounds as fresh as ever today. Everyone from Iggy Pop, Lily Allen, Lady Gaga and Julian Casablancas have looked to Debbie Harry for inspiration – she's the most iconic frontwoman rock'n'roll has ever produced.”

Continue reading: Blondie To Recieve This Year's NME Godlike Genius Award

The highly anticipated movie surrounding New York’s infamous CBGB club is getting closer, and we’ve got some fantastic film stills to whet your punk-rock appetite. Rupert Grint stars alongside his Harry Potter nemsis Alan Rickman who portrayed Professor Snape, the man who terrorized his best friend Harry for years at Hogwarts.

Alan Rickman as Hilly Kristal in CBGB

The ginger actor plays Dead Boys' guitarist Cheetah Chrome Elsewhere, Taylor Hawkins is Iggy Pop, Malin Åkerman is Debbie Harry, Sting's daughter Mickey Sumner is Patti Smith and Twilight actress Ashley Greeneis Kristal's daughter Lisa.

Continue reading: “50,000 Bands And 1 Disgusting Bathroom" - Rupert Grint Stars In CBGB [Trailer + Pictures]