Latest news with #Heartbreakers
News.com.au
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Jessica Simpson flaunts massive weight loss in bikini
Jessica Simpson appears to be showing estranged husband Eric Johnson what he's missing. The newly-single singer rocked a fiery red bikini for a mirror selfie shared via her Instagram Stories on Friday. Simpson, who lost nearly 45 kilograms just a few years ago, styled her look with a green button down and white sunglasses as a navy 'USA' hat sat on a nearby bathroom sink. The 44-year-old added Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' song An American Girl as a soundtrack for the image, which was posted on the Fourth of July, Page Six reported. At the time, the 160cm star weighed 53kg and turned to diet pills to get to a staggeringly low 46kg. Her weight then fluctuated over the next 20 years. A source exclusively told Page Six in January that the singer's new body, which came as a result of changing her diet, has 'unleashed a whole new side of her personality.' 'She suddenly [feels] 21 again,' the insider added. Simpson is said to have ended her marriage to Johnson, 45, after her weight loss made her feel younger and more confident. Simpson confirmed she and the former NFL player, who tied the knot in 2014, had ended things in January after 10 years of marriage. 'Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,' Simpson told People in a statement at the time. 'Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them,' she continued. 'We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.' Simpson and Johnson share three children together: daughter Maxwell, 13, son Ace, 12, and daughter Birdie, 6.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Benmont Tench Shines During Poignant ‘The Melancholy Season' Solo Set
Benmont Tench performs on stage at Garcia's. Thursday, May 15, 2025 in Chicago, IL Encountering Tom Petty in Gainesville, Florida for the first time at the age of just 11, Benmont Tench would become a crucial component in the sound of one of America's great songwriters, tickling the ivories on two Mudcrutch records, all 13 Heartbreakers studio albums and two of Petty's three solo projects, a run responsible for record sales exceeding 80 million globally over 45 years (one of the best selling catalogs ever). While his work as a session musician has found him appearing on songs by artists like Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash and the Rolling Stones since 1981, it would take until 2014 for his first proper solo album You Should Be So Lucky. Following it up more than a decade later, Tench released The Melancholy Season this past March, a collection of 12 tracks which finds him plying his remarkable craft alongside guests like Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), longtime collaborator Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek) and more, resuming a U.S. tour in support of the new album September 13, 2025 in Woodstock, New York. Performing solo on the piano last month at Garcia's, an intimate, sold out show in front of just 300 lucky fans at Chicago's warmest new venue, Tench ran through a stunning 19 song set which drew from both solo albums, the vaunted Petty canon and well-chosen covers from artists ranging anywhere from the Grateful Dead to Joy Division. Benmont Tench performs on stage at Garcia's. Thursday, May 15, 2025 in Chicago, IL Opening up with 'The One That Got Away,' Tench shifted to a more contemplative tone with 'Today I Took Your Picture Down,' maintaining that vibe as he slowed down Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart,' working up an uncharacteristically sparse take on the otherwise synth-driven post-punk number while placing the focus on the moving words at the heart of the haunting track. In the studio, Tench took on the lead vocal to the piano-driven 'Welcome to Hell' on the second Mudcrutch album, delivering it with a bit of a ragtime vibe on stage in Chicago. 'What the hell, a couple of covers,' said Tench with a smile. 'I like this guy. He was a good songwriter,' he continued dryly with a wink and a nod, setting up a solo take on Petty's 'Straight Into Darkness,' from 1982's Long After Dark. 'Good song, right?' quipped Tench at the deep cut's conclusion. 'The great American songwriters… This one's from St. Louis,' he explained, referencing Chuck Berry following his take on the Dead's 'China Doll.' 'It was recorded down the street,' Tench continued, referencing 1959 and '60 sessions which took place about three miles south at Chess Records for Berry's 'Bye Bye Johnny,' a sequel of sorts to 'Johnny B. Goode.' 'I wish that's how I played the piano,' he mused, shouting out the playing of Berry sidemen like Johnnie Johnson and Lafayette Leake. 'Damn.' Benmont Tench performs on stage at Garcia's. Thursday, May 15, 2025 in Chicago, IL Continuing with the covers, Bob Dylan's 'Blind Willie McTell' stood out as a highlight on stage at Garcia's, with Tench tearing through it unabated despite kicking over a bottle of water. Midway through the tour, Tench shook up the setlist, explaining the process behind 'Wobbles,' which grew from an instrumental in 2014 to a song with lyrics on the new album, steering deftly into 'You Should Be So Lucky.' Tench, 71, has battled cancer for nearly fifteen years. On stage in Chicago, he explained to fans that he recently had part of his tongue removed, persevering despite the vocal hurdles that process has brought. 'I said I'm tongue tied and I am. A funny thing happened on the way to Chicago,' Tench began. 'I've had this since 2011 and it really hadn't gotten in my way,' he continued. 'So, I go in and they take out my jaw. And they take out a little bit more of my tongue. And they rebuild half of my jaw. Damn. Bob's your uncle!' joked Tench despite the circumstances. 'Then they hit me with radiation - and they zapped the hell out of me. But I'm here! And sometimes it hurts. But I'm here,' said the pianist. 'So, that's what happened on the way to Chicago.' Benmont Tench performs on stage at Garcia's. Thursday, May 15, 2025 in Chicago, IL Growing chattier, and seemingly more comfortable as the show continued, Tench offered up a poignant message as the Garcia's set headed toward its final moments. 'This song is about not hating people - even if they're hateful,' he said, explaining the message behind 'I Will Not Follow You Down' from The Melancholy Season. 'Save your tears. You're gonna need them,' sang Tench during the new song's anthemic chorus, one of the evening's standout moments. Cruising toward close with The Velvet Underground's 'Rock & Roll,' Tench emerged from encore to put his spin on one of Petty's most cherished recorded moments. By slowing it down, Tench shined a spotlight directly on the narrative that drives 'American Girl,' putting forth a stirring, unexpectedly beautiful rendition of arguably Petty's most recognizable songwriting. 'I love this city - you all should know that by now,' said Benmont Tench on stage in Chicago. 'Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much.'
Scottish Sun
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Shoppers just realising ‘favourite ever' 80s sweet has been AXED leaving them gutted
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHOPPERS are just realising their "favourite ever" 80s sweet has been axed - and they're gutted. The sought-after Wonka Everlasting Gobstoppers, dubbed Heartbreakers, are no longer in stock across stores in the UK. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Everlasting Gobstoppers Heartbreakers scanned at tills for £3.50 (340g) Credit: Toffee World The white, pink, and red heart-shaped treats changed in colour and flavour with each layer, making them a hit among sweet lovers. Originally imported from the US, these 340g 80s sweets scanned at tills for £3.50. However, some shoppers are only now discovering that the popular sweet treat has been discontinued. One user took to Reddit, writing: "I just learned this has been discontinued, correct me if I'm wrong. ps what's a good replacement?" The post attracted several comments from disappointed shoppers who were also unaware that the popular treat had been axed. This shopper wrote: "I was obsessed with these like 4 years ago. Why would they discontinue them?" "The spree hearts were my favourite ever," added another. A third said: "I keep hoping they'll bring them back." "I just found out the bad news too! I'm devastated," a fourth added. It comes after M&S confirmed it had axed a beloved snack - particularly popular with a pint. 6 ways to get the biggest bargains in B&M It came after a disgruntled shopper took to social media to inquire about its whereabouts. They said on X: "@Marksandspencer have you stopped selling the Sweet Chilli Combo Mix snack? "Been to several stores today and no sign of them. Please say they've not been discontinued!!" The Sweet Chilli Combo Mix was a selection of crispy potato and corn snacks - which came in the shape of tubes, wheels and flat crisps. Fans deemed them the perfect sweet and spicy morsel to enjoy alongside a cold drink. But their worst fears were confirmed when M&S employee Simon weighed in on the thread. He said: "It looks like we have discontinued this flavour, sorry about that." It follows Nestle confirming they pulled a new type of Rowntree's sweets just one year after launch. And B&M fans are in a frenzy after spying retro sweets back on shelves.
Winnipeg Free Press
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Runnin' down a dream
After decades of performing in sold-out arenas and playing with some of the biggest musicians of all times, Mike Campbell is finally savouring the spotlight. At 75 years old, Campbell — a founding member and lead guitarist with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — has upended his quiet nature as the leader of his own band, the Dirty Knobs, and the author of an intimate, best-selling memoir. 'Ninety per cent of music is confidence,' he says over a Zoom call from his hotel room in Grand Rapids, Mich., where the band was preparing to open for Chris Stapleton last Thursday. CHRIS PHELPS PHOTO Mike Campbell has recorded three albums with the Dirty Knobs. 'When I was working with Tom, I was pretty intimidated because he's so good, you know, and he carried the ball a lot and he did a lot of the leadership and lyric writing, so I think I was a little shy or insecure around him. And now I have my own path to follow.' Campbell and the Dirty Knobs — a reference to slang for a broken amp dial, not the phallic usage — play a sold-out show at the Park Theatre Tuesday. Ticket holders can expect a 'hodgepodge of '60s psychedelia' from the band's catalogue, some deep cuts from the Heartbreakers, and a few covers. 'It's never the same thing every night, and even the songs themselves, the arrangements might evolve in the moment depending on the mood — and that's the spontaneity I love,' Campbell says. He brought that same ethos into the studio while recording the Knobs' third album, Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits, with bandmates Chris Holt (guitar), Lance Morrison (bass) and Matt Laug (drums). 'I like to play live in the studio. I like to teach them the song and record it before they know it too well so there's happy accidents in the music and a kinetic surprise of discovery,' he says. The 2024 album starts with a thank-you to live audiences and includes collaborations with Stapleton, Lucinda Williams, Graham Nash and former Heartbreakers bandmate Benmont Tench. Campbell formed the Dirty Knobs in the early 2000s as an outlet for his songwriting. After touring with Fleetwood Mac for several years, he restarted the project with a new lineup and the group released its first album in 2020 with a fourth on the way. CHRIS PHELPS PHOTO Mike Campbell played with Tom Petty in Mudcrutch in the 1970s before the Heartbreakers formed. The band has been a labour of love. 'In the Heartbreakers I had it really easy, back there playing guitar while Tom did all the work,' he says, adding Petty's style of band leadership has been a major influence on his own. 'It's a role I really am enjoying, and also writing the lyrics for the songs, which I never did in the past. It's a new frontier for me and it's just more rewarding.' Autobiography authorship is another new frontier. Campbell worked with writer Ari Surdoval to craft Heartbreaker: A Memoir, which debuted as a New York Times bestseller in March. The book charts Campbell's rags-to-riches story growing up poor in Jacksonville, Fla., and includes details of his sometimes fraught relationship with Petty and his work with Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Don Henley. His goal was not to write a salacious 'sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll' memoir, but an honest testimony of a lucky journey. Every Second Friday The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. 'I'm just a blessed person; my whole life has been doors opening for me,' he says, adding that revisiting the past was both nostalgic and cathartic. 'It was maybe a little healing in some ways to relive some of the not-so-happy moments and feel those feelings again and process where I am now.' This week, Campbell and the Dirty Knobs return to the Canadian leg of the band's North American tour. It's a road trip he's been looking forward to. 'I love Canada. I'm happy to be up there getting a break from my country for a while,' he says. Eva WasneyReporter Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva. Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Calgary Herald
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Mike Campbell's legacy as part of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is secure, but he is forging new path with the Dirty Knobs
Mike Campbell's music will inevitably be compared to that of his friend and former musical partner, the late Tom Petty. Article content As part of the Heartbreakers, Campbell was Petty's guitarist and frequent co-writer for decades, but he was also a chief architect in creating Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' signature sounds. He co-wrote many of the hits, including Here Comes My Girl, Refugee and Runnin' Down a Dream. He co-produced some of the band's classic albums, such as Southern Accents and Into the Great Wide Open. He even co-produced all of Petty's solo albums: Full Moon Fever, Wildflowers and Highway Companion. Article content Article content But the connection goes back to their shared roots. Article content Article content 'Tom and I had the same influences, grew up in the same part of the country and had the same type of relatives and this and that,' says Campbell, in an interview with Postmedia. 'So we were kind of cut from the same cloth.' Article content So while Campbell's singing voice may have been influenced by other singers – there is some Graham Parker and Bob Dylan in there – there is invariably some overlap with Petty in both the voice and songwriting. Article content 'It's a compliment, but my intention is to find my own voice, which I have,' he says. 'I have a lot of the same inflections and cadences as Tom because we grew up in the same part of Florida. I consciously made an effort to not sound like him the best I can. Sometimes I do anyway, but mostly I sound like myself now.' Article content While Campbell's journey with Petty – outlined in his recent book Heartbreaker: A Memoir – is what he is best known for, it's hardly the entire story. Campbell also worked with Don Henley, co-writing The Heart of the Matter and Boys of Summer; worked extensively with Stevie Nicks, co-writing her hit Stop Draggin' My Heart Around with Petty; and played on Bob Dylan records such as Empire Burlesque and Knocked Out Loaded. Article content Article content In 2018, Campbell and Crowded House leader Neil Finn replaced Lindsey Buckingham in Fleetwood Mac for a world tour. Article content It's an impressive resume, of course, but Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs placed the veteran is a relatively new role. The band has been around for quite some time, beginning as a side project that would play gigs around Los Angeles while Campbell was still with the Heartbreakers. It wasn't until after Petty died in 2017 that Campbell began recording with the band. Their debut, Wreckless Abandon, came out in 2020 and was followed by 2022's External Combustion and 2024's Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits. Article content A new album is already finished, but Campbell is still touring behind Vagabonds, which brings him to Calgary's Bella Concert Hall on June 19. Article content 'With the Dirty Knobs, I'm the leader,' Campbell says. 'I have to be at the microphone, I have to sing, I have to remember lyrics, I have to sing on pitch, I have to lead the band, I have to do all my guitar stuff. There are a lot more moving parts up there being in the band, but I really enjoy it.'
