Billy

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse LoughreyGet our The Life Cinematic email for freeChristopher Eccleston has revealed he turned down a role in Billy Elliot as he found its depiction of a working-class family “offensive”.The Manchester-born actor, who grew up in Salford, criticised the film, which tells the story of an aspiring ballet, while discussing his decision to reject acting opportunities he feels patronise working-class people.For Eccleston, it was the…

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse LoughreyGet our The Life Cinematic email for freeChristopher Eccleston has revealed he turned down a role in Billy Elliot as he found its depiction of a working-class family “offensive”.The Manchester-born actor, who grew up in Salford, criticised the film, which tells the story of an aspiring ballet, while discussing his decision to reject acting opportunities he feels patronise working-class people.For Eccleston, it was the…

Mikolas getting a lift from his mother Malaya.Photo: Petr David Josek (AP)Pygmy hippos (Choeropsis liberiensis) are one of two living hippo species to still exist in the world, the other being the common hippo (Hippopotamus amphibius). As their name suggests, pygmy hippos are relatively much smaller than their well-known cousins. An adult common hippo usually weighs at least 3,000 pounds, with males reaching up to 9,000 pounds; they’re also 10 to 16 feet long, and about 5 feet tall at the shoulders. Adult pygmy hippos are…

Rolling Stone interview series Unknown Legends features long-form conversations between senior writer Andy Greene and veteran musicians who have toured and recorded alongside icons for years, if not decades. All are renowned in the business, but some are less well known to the general public. Here, these artists tell their complete stories, giving an up-close look at life on music’s A list. This edition features backup bassist Billy Sherwood. If you saw Yes on the 1994 Talk tour and then again anytime during the…

Béla Fleck also plays on "Brown's Ferry Blues," the first song off an upcoming tribute to Scruggs, who'd have turned 100 this year Bluegrass pioneer Earl Scruggs was born 100 years ago this week, and the tributes to the banjo picker have been many. On Friday, Tony Trischka, himself a banjo disciple of Scruggs, released a rollicking version of “Brown’s Ferry Blues,” a song dating back to the Thirties, that features an array of A-list players including Billy Strings, Béla Fleck, and Sam Bush.…

Nearly a decade after the world bid farewell to the comedic genius Robin Williams, millions of fans, friends, and family still feel the void left by his absence. In a moving tribute during the 46th annual Kennedy Center Honors, Whoopi Goldberg emotionally honored her longtime friend and fellow comedian/actor, Billy Crystal. The poignant moment saw both Goldberg and the City Slickers actor holding back tears as she paid homage to the late great actor, funny man, and their mutual friend.In the video shared on CBS's…

Sometimes, you need a little comfort food—and at io9, that can mean “re-watching a favorite Star Wars show” or “guzzling midnight margaritas while watching Sandra Bullock play a witch” or “picking up a book and rediscovering the joy of reading.” We love new releases, don’t get us wrong, but we also dig revisiting past…Read more... Sometimes, you need a little comfort food—and at io9, that can mean “re-watching a favorite Star Wars show” or “guzzling midnight margaritas while watching Sandra Bullock play a witch” or…

Billy Joel had a special guest on deck last night at Madison Square Garden. Midway through the piano man’s performance, he called Elvis Costello onstage to perform Costello’s 1978 tune “Pump It Up” along with his own song “Allentown.” Costello sang the lively “Pump It Up” while Joel played piano, and the pair joined vocals to duet on “Allentown,” off Joel’s 1982 album The Nylon Curtain. Definitely had not bingo-carded Billy Joel bringing Elvis Costello onstage at MSG tonight to sing Pump It Up while Billy…

Standing in the basement of the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, Billy F. Gibbons is recalling the moment he received his first guitar. He was only 13. “It was Christmas Day,” the 73-year-old ZZ Top frontman tells Rolling Stone. “, there’s so many different ways to remain creative and the expressiveness seems to remain as a challenge — it’s exciting.” Gibbons was part of the guitar summit (including a number of players on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 250 Greatest Guitarists of…

Billy Joel is set to play his first ever show in Cardiff next year, which will be his only European show of 2024. Taking to the stage at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on Friday 9th August 2024, Joel will be joined by special guest Chris Isaak. Tickets for the one-off show will go on sale on 15th December. One of the most successful musicians in the world, Joel has enjoyed 33 Top 40 hits including ‘Piano Man’, ‘It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me’, ‘Tell Her About It’ and ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’. Joel…