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In the late 70s, great pop and rock was all about Stiff Records and its various tributaries.
The New Wave centered on the the English label, with Graham Parker and Nick Lowe at the center (along with Elvis Costello and others). Parker’s band was The Rumour, and they were legendary. Bob Andrews was their pianist and helped drive their uniue sound.
So here’s the video of the tribute to Andrews, who died in June 2025, with Parker, Lowe, and Stiff Records star Jona Lewie who had two of the wittiest hits ever in New Wave — the massive UK #1 “Stop the Cavalry” and the best titled song “You’ll Never Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties.” Really genius, and such a relief in 1979 from the likes of Fleetwood Mac, et al.
The video was posted by Stiff Records’ leader Dave Robinson, who I have to thank you for taking all my money in those years. I still have all your vinyl, in black and colours. It was an exciting time waiting around at Bleecker Bob’s for your releases. (Where is Lene Lovich, Dave?)
EXCLUSIVE The late very great Clive Davis left quite a music legacy, literally the soundtrack of our lives.
Davis passed away on June 22nd at age 94, but that hasn’t stopped him from inspiring and influencing new hits on the charts. I mean, of course. The Universe is reverberating now with Clive’s genius.
Clive was a huge fan of the cult 90s group New Radicals, whose 1998 album “Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed, Too” contained the massive hits “You Get What You Give” (Joni Mitchell’s favorite song, btw), and “Someday We’ll Know.” He loved the songwriting team of Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois so much that he the sent the former’s song, “Game of Love,” to Michelle Branch, and it went to number 1 in 2002.
Branch recorded the song with Carlos Santana on sizzling guitar after another version with Tina Turner — available to hear — didn’t click. But Davis always wanted Alexander to record his own duet with Branch and pushed them to do it.
Alexander tells me he was actually on a plane to New York from Prague to play Clive the new version on the day the music mogul died. Now the new “Game of Love” has entered the Billboard charts at number 33 with a bullet, and will be a hit all over again. It’s kind of a divine inspiration.
It’s all part of the New Radicals Renaissance that Davis instigated — so much so that he introduced Alexander to The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas. The result is a standout track called “Going to Babble On” on the Strokes’ new album. The song is performed by the Strokes, but has the New Radicals signature sound.
And even more: the New Radicals have also resurfaced with the title song of the new Callum Turner-Monica Barbaro romcom called “One Night Only.” It’s the New Radicals’ first new song really since the halcyon days some 28 years ago.
But their influence has never ebbed. Brisebois co-wrote Natasha Bedingfield’s famous pop standard, “Unwritten” in 2004. Alexander wrote “Murder on the Dance Floor,” which became a big hit again when Barry Keoghan danced naked to it in the movie “Saltburn.” Alexander and Brisebois were nominated for an Oscar for writing, “Lost Stars,” the main song from the great John Carney film, “Begin Again.”
Hey– it’s just under the wire for the Grammys — deadline is the end of this month — but I wouldn’t be surprised to “One Night Only,” “Game of Love,” and “Going to Babble On” in the mix. Real songs by real writers, no committees, or teams, the real deal. What a throwback!
PS Will all of this lead to a second New Radicals album, 30 years after the first, “Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed, Too” entered the music canon? Alexander won’t say. But you know, you get what you give, and a massive amount of people want that to happen badly.
photo c2026 Showbiz411 by Leah Sydney — Brandi Carlile, Cameron Crowe, Dave Grohl, with Gregg Alexander and somehow yours truly.
So far everyone and everything attached to the new “Spider Man” movie is a success.
“Brand New Day” has broken all time box office records this weekend. Usually, when the tide rises, all boats are lifted.
But not so much with the movie’s end credits song.
Steve Lacy’s “Oh Yeah” is not in the iTunes top 100 at all.
On Spotify it has a mild 6 million streams, which is pretty good considering it’s not included on the Michael Giacchino soundtrack CD.
If all things were going to play, “Oh Yeah” would be remixed, lengthened, and playing everywhere. It would certainly be suggested for Best Song at the Oscars.
The fact is the videos for “Oh Yeah” on YouTube have garnered fewer than 500,000 views is surprising.
But is all this a coincidence? Is Lacy’s song being punished by Marvel? Could be. On the red carpet at the LA premiere last week, Lacy accidentally let loose a spoiler from the film. It wasn’t a big deal, but you know social media seized on it like he’d revealed the bombing codes for Hiroshima.
Is Marvel/Disney not supporting the song? “Oh Yeah” has a perfectly rhythmic groove that actually reminds me a little of Gary Numan’s “Are Friends Electric?” and some “Dark Side of the Moon.” It should at least be in the top 10 while “Brand New Day” is breaking those records. Go figure.
Sony managed to find the missing 11,780 votes after all.
The result is “Spider Man: Brand New Day” did pass “Avengers: Endgame” this weekend and is now the reigning champ of all time opening weekends.
It’s amazing how these things happen, but they do.
Initially, “Brand New Day” was counted at $355 million. But somewhere an extra $5 million was unknown — maybe from absentee audience or mail in viewers, who knows? But now “Brand New Day” stands tall at $360 million.
Anyway, it’s a day of celebration in MovieLand. That new distinction should propel “Brand New Day” even higher this week. How it makes the Russo brothers feel after holding the title for “Endgame,” who knows? But now they will really lean into having their new one, “Avengers: Doomsday,” try and beat “Brand New Day” when it comes out at the end of the year.
In the end, Marvel is the winner one way or another. Fifty years from now, on the renamed Trump Classic Movies, the Marvel releases will be revered by hosts North and South West the way Ben Mankiewicz talks about “Casablanca” today. What a time that will be!
I made a huge mistake. You’re not supposed to sit on stories, and publish ASAP/
I knew for a bit that Ariana Grande was not going to remain with the coming “Sunday in the Park with George” in London for 2027.
Her co-star was going to be “Wicked” alum Jonathan Bailey.
But a couple of weeks ago, the production announced it would not start selling tickets until this fall. I confirmed that Ariana had dropped out, and producers wee looking for Bailey’s new partner.
Today, it was confirmed by People magazine that Ariana has ankled the project. She’s on tour now promoting her new album, the number 1 “Petal.” When that’s over, she says she’s going to take a “break.”
One reason for her break, they say, is because of “scutiny” when she appears in public. Her fans constantly note that Ariana looks emaciated, and needs help with food issues. She’s skin and bones in pictures. Yesterday fans were pointing out she looked less well than Karen Carpenter before her death.
This is ominous. It’s time to get well if, for no other reason, she has to promote the new “Fockers” movie in November. More importantly, it’s for her survival.
Ariana still has 3 shows left in the US on this tour, followed by a run of 10 shows at London’s O2 Arena. Will she make it to the end? Let’s hope she’s got a qualified team, including a nutritionist, whether she completes the tour or not.
As for “Sunday in the Park,” producers will be smart to find a theater pro who can handle the rigors of 8 performances a week, with Bailey.
Sharyn Alfonsi is not letting Bari Weiss get to her.
Alfonsi, fired from “60 Minutes” for being an outstanding journalist, is proving the adage “Living well is the best revenge.”
She’s posted very happy pictures of her vacation to social media.
She also says she’ll be announcing a new gig this week. “Any guesses?” she asks. Mine would be either NBC or ABC, where she would have a huge impact. She might also be launching something on YouTube.
Alfonsi crossed new CBS News chief and Trump lackey Bari Weiss this past season when her report on the US sending prisoners to a violent El Salvador prison was pulled, then finally aired. Weiss didn’t want Trump to look bad. Eventually the piece ran, and the CECOT prison became an international scandal. (See below.) The real insult to CBS was when the Canadian feed went out anyway, despite Weiss’s censorship.
Again, below Alfonsi’s Instagram post, her report.
“Spider Man: Brand New Day” came thisclose to becoming the film with the highest opening weekend ever.
Spidey took in a stunning $355 million this weekend! Rounds of applause, please!
But “Avengers: Endgame” still holds the record with $360 million. Ouch!
Still, “Brand New Day” could leave theaters now, and they’d be fine. But it won’t– Marvel/Disney will try to double their luck before the run is over.
Now, still out there cooking is “The Odyssey” with a $51 million weekend. The total in the US is $395 million after three weeks. “Brand New Day” did in one weekend what “Odyssey” has done over three weekends.
The popcorn is popping!
And then there’s “Toy Story 5,” already at $461 million after six weeks.
What a summer!
And these last two have incredible holds. Only down 43% for “Odyssey,” and 38% for “TS5.” Insane!
Even “Minyans and Monsters,” the story of a shiva gone wrong, is up to $168 million after a month. And the much maligned “Moana” is up over $114 million — even thought that’s a new low for Pixar/Disney.
It’s a box office summer to remember, unless you’re Neon and have “Her Private Hell,” directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. It’s DOA, and will make less than $1 million before Neon ditches theaters. If only they’d had Zendaya and Tom Holland!
I am so sorry to read that Vinnie Pastore has died.
The famed “Sopranos” actor was 80 years old. According to reports, he was found in his Bronx apartment.
Vinnie, of course, played Sal “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on the Emmy winning HBO series. His character was violent, but in real life he was a lovely guy who was a New York favorite and incredibly popular.
On the show, Tony (James Gandolfini) loved him until, well, he didn’t. Amazingly, Sal died in season 2, but his presence never abated. He made that big an impression.
Vinnie has participated in many post-“Sopranos” activities since the show went off the air along with his former castmates like Dominic Chianese, Lorraine Bracco, Steve Schirripa, and so on. It was always a thrill to run into him.
Pastore won several acting awards post-“Sopranos” from regional film festivals for smaller movies. He was also part of the cast when the show won Best Ensemble for a TV series in 2000 from the Screen Actors Guild.
I’ll post tributes below. Condolences to his friends and family.
Statement from his longtime manager Robert Attermann:
“Vinny was one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever known. He treated everyone with warmth and respect, never turning down a fan who wanted a photograph or an autograph. He genuinely appreciated the people who supported him and always made them feel valued.
“He loved being an actor. He was passionate about his craft and was always encouraging, respectful, and generous with young actors, taking the time to offer guidance and support whenever he could.
For me, losing Vinny is deeply personal. Over more than three decades, I had the honor of watching not only his remarkable career but also the incredible person he was. I will miss his friendship, his loyalty, his humor, and his heart.
“My deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and the countless fans whose lives he touched. He leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond his memorable performances. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
SATURDAY: Tom Holland and Zendaya must think this is normal.
They are starring in the two biggest movies of 2026, which I call “Spodyssey.”
In the case of “Spider Man: Brand New Day,” they broke a record yesterday for biggest opening weekend ever. The total was $168 million.
“Brand New Day” may yet set the record for biggest opening weekend of all time if it can cross the $368 million line tomorrow. It’s possible. Theaters are filled to the brim with fans.
For both records, Spider Man beats “Avengers: Endgame” for the title.
And then there’s “The Odyssey,” now up to $360 million and headed to $400 million shortly. It’s also still playing to packed houses, especially IMAX theaters.
The newly married couple are each 30 years old. She’s nominated for an Emmy for “Euphoria.” They are the homecoming king and queen of Hollywood. You can’t do any better. I hope they don’t take it for granted. I’m sure they won’t.
There isn’t much else going on right now. But I do recommend seeing “Hadestown” while it’s in theaters. This is note perfect filmed version of the Broadway musical, with a sensational cast of Andre De Shields, Reeve Carney, Eva Noblezada, Amber Gray, and Patrick Page.
They are all from the original Tony-winning cast. Carney and Page play adversaries, just as they did in “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” on Broadway. Carney and Noblezada are a married couple. Amber Gray could get an Oscar nomination, I think. Why not? The music soars and the direction is flawless. What an experience!
