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Spectator
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Ozzy Osbourne, the accidental rock star
To conjure an image of England on Thursday 16 October 1969 you could do worse than compressing all of Withnail and I into one day. The country was crippled by strikes. The bubble-gum pop track 'Sugar Sugar' was number one. And the first episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus had just aired. At Regent Sounds Studios in London's Denmark Street four musicians from Birmingham recorded seven songs in 12 straight hours then went to the pub. Their name had been Earth, and before that The Polka Tulk Blues Band. When the album hit the streets the following year, on Friday 13 February, they were Black Sabbath. On the microphone was 20-year-old John 'Ozzy' Osbourne. He had grown up in Aston playing on bombsites, left school at 15 after suffering sexual abuse from two boys, and worked as a labourer and in a slaughterhouse. At 17 he was in prison for robbery ('I was no good at that. Fucking useless.') But by 18 had placed an ad reading 'Ozzy Zig Needs Gig – has own PA', met bassist Terence 'Geezer' Butler, and joined the band that would make him famous. The album shifted the tectonic plates of music. Its title track 'Black Sabbath' hammered a pile driver through speakers more used to the skippy, jangly sounds of the 1960s. The opening tritone riff (the Devil's interval) delivered a deep, doomy, industrial punch from instruments tuned down to make them bigger, fuller and darker. And over it all Osbourne's banshee, nasal vocals brayed prophetic lines of a 'big black shape with eyes of fire… watches those flames get higher and higher'. Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin had released debut albums in 1968 and 1969 respectively. Their hypnotic new sound was hard rock. Like Black Sabbath they were rooted in blues and jazz. But it was Osbourne's band which sculpted a foreboding, menacing, thunderous soundscape that gave them the laurels for pioneering heavy metal. Black Sabbath followed up with the album Paranoid. Its opening track was the bombastic, operatic, jarring 'War Pigs', followed by the quintessentially angst-filled and headbangable title track that was to become the band's calling card. Osbourne sang on six more albums before being fired in 1979 for drug- and alcohol-induced unreliability. Undeterred, Osbourne launched a solo career which became legendary for the big-haired and musically outstanding guitarists Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee and Zakk Wylde. While Osbourne never quite looked comfortable on stage stomping about yelling 'Let's go fucking crazy!', it did not stop the fans loving his intensity and the pounding energy of songs like 'Bark at the Moon', 'I Don't Know' and 'Mr. Crowley', which all became stadium classics. In 1982 Osbourne was performing in Des Moines, Iowa when a fan threw a rubber bat on stage. Osbourne – always ready for antics – snatched it up and bit off its head. Only then did he realise it was a real bat, and spent the evening after the gig in hospital getting a rabies shot. The moment sealed his reputation for pushing rock's boundaries to places others left well alone. The notoriously tough Don Arden had managed Black Sabbath for a while and, now Osbourne was solo, Arden's daughter, Sharon, took over managing him. A few months after batgate they married, and eventually had three children: Aimee, Kelly and Jack. The Osbournes settled in Los Angeles. In 1989 he went on a bender that ended in him being charged with attempting to murder Sharon. However, he could not remember anything and the couple patched it up. The family later shot to surprise stardom with him as a befuddled dad in the hit MTV reality show The Osbournes, which aired from 2002 to 2005. Health problems began after a quad bike crash in 2003 that broke his neck. Repeated surgery followed, and an announcement of Parkinson's in 2020. For the last six years Osbourne has been largely immobile, but on Saturday 5 July 2025 he performed at the sellout 'Back to the Beginning' concert at Aston's Villa Park, singing five songs from his solo career and ending with a four-song reunion of all original members of Black Sabbath. A roster including Metallica and Guns N' Roses completed the day's all-star lineup honouring Black Sabbath as the ur-fathers of heavy metal. Video tributes came from artists as varied as Elton John and Dolly Parton. John Osbourne – iconic pioneer of heavy metal – died at his home in Buckinghamshire aged 76 on Tuesday 22 July. He sold over 100 million records, split evenly between Black Sabbath and solo work. He was something of the accidental rock star, never having the poise or pose of a Robert Plant or Freddie Mercury. But he had Brummie authenticity in spades. 'All aboard!' he would roar wild-eyed as one of the most famous galloping guitar riffs of all time scythed into the crowd. His genius lay in having everyone believe he rode the Crazy Train all the way, while in reality he held down a lifelong, iconic music career to which he was unwaveringly committed. RIP Ozzy. Exit, pursued by a bat.
Elle
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
How Jonathan Anderson's Dior Debut Delivered Boyish Charm and A-List Guests
Fashion rarely waits with bated breath. But when fellow creative directors Donatella Versace, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Stefano Pilati, Pharrell Williams, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, Glenn Martens, Silvia Venturini Fendi, Nicolas Di Felice, and Simon Porte Jacquemus show up to support your debut, it's about as close to a pause as this industry ever gets. Between the vocal support and global fanfare, one thing is abundantly clear: Jonathan Anderson's talent as a high-output and forward-thinking designer has never wavered. Since his official appointment to Dior Men in April (followed by his additional confirmation as the head of womenswear this June), the question instead is, How will he utilize a different brand to develop his skills in an entirely new way? Furthermore, which archival looks will speak to him through a near-century old repertoire of design, and how will he approach a gargantuan opportunity like the house of Dior? The position does not bring a clean slate, instead, the maison offers its history as a playground of potential for Anderson to interpret as he sees fit. Prior to the show, Anderson teased deep-cut references that demonstrated his immense research and deference to the house of Dior, inspiring the ceramic egg-filled plate invite. Other mood board images were tantalizingly released, including Andy Warhol's Polaroids of Lee Radziwill and Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose purposeful uniform of Armani suits served as a visual tool to situate himself within the narrative of Eurocentric artists. On the runway, Anderson took measure to interpret this inspiration by replicating Basquiat's subtle style eccentricities. Neckties were worn loosened and askew, collars were asymmetrically popped, and traditional white tie neckbands were dislocated from the rest of their would-be suits. A$AP Rocky, who arrived hand-in-hand with a pregnant Rihanna, sported one collar of his button-down tucked under his multi-colored striped tie—a direct homage to the polaroid Anderson shared. The collection's livestream began with a short film featuring The White Lotus's Sam Nivola and Robert Pattinson. In the clip, as on the runway, a palpable sense of boyish charm tinged with arrogant swagger presided. Anderson has frequently returned to this energy across past collections at both Loewe and his eponymous brand; however, this interpretation felt distinctly and joyously different. Oxfords layered under washed denim jackets, bubblegum-pink shrunken cable-knit sweaters paired with delicate floral jewelry, oversized chinos, and rugby shirts, evoked the underlying sense of privileged idealism with which these coming-of-age prep school boys perceive the world. This identity is timeless, too—we see it across generations of art and style, whether it be Gustave Flaubert's novel Sentimental Education, the film Withnail and I, or the pant legs tucked into the socks of young and hopeful Cambridge undergraduates as they parade across the university grounds. Formality was immediately subverted. The runway opened with Bruce Springsteen's 'State Trooper,' a surprising choice for a French house, but its punk influences echoed Anderson's non-traditional take on Dior Men. The almost Frankenstein-like opening looks consisted of disjointed suits. Structured jackets were widened and paired with oversized cargo shorts, fisherman sandals, and plenty of bare chests. Elsewhere, waistlines were cropped, adding sensuality to an otherwise traditionally prim silhouette. The more nuanced beauty of Anderson's designs lies in their openness to interpretation. As opposed to presenting a collection filled with pristine individual items, Anderson created a conversation flooded with sartorial inspiration. The boyish innocence was captured through jumpsuits and backpacks, while habitual dressing was expressed through trench coats worn without shirts, as if popping out for a stroll across the estate in the morning dew. Anderson's wearability has always been apparent, even at Loewe. No celebrity or VIP has ever appeared overdone or uneasy—proof of the clothing's uniquely translatable ease. For a debut, the pieces were undoubtedly exciting. However, as a collection, the ideas have the power to change the way we think about dressing, and that in itself captures what the true essence of fashion really is. Alexandra Hildreth is the Fashion News Editor at ELLE. She is fascinated by style trends, industry news, shake-ups, and The Real Housewives. Previously, she attended the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Following graduation, she moved back to New York City and worked as a freelance journalist and producer.
Daily Record
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
One of the most controversial films ever is free to stream on BBC iPlayer
The film quickly become one of the most talked about of the past decade, with viewers unable to decide if they loved it or hated it One of the most controversial films of the past decade, featuring an A-list cast, is about to become available to stream for free. Social media has transformed how audiences discover and engage with films. Once overlooked releases can now become viral hits overnight, thanks to the power of platforms like TikTok. The buzz around films used to come from trailers and critical reviews, now with social media, a well-timed edit or meme can launch a film back into the spotlight. For example, Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King had a slow start at the box office last year, but soared to a $722.6 million gross global after multiple TikTok memes gave it a second wind, Manchester Evening News reports. One film that demonstrates this better than any other is Emerald Fennell's Saltburn - and it's now coming to BBC iPlayer to stream for free this weekend. Released in November 2023, Saltburn follows the story of Barry Keoghan's character Oliver Quick, an awkward student at Oxford University who becomes obsessed with the much more popular and rich Felix Catton, portrayed by Jacob Elordi. Felix take's Oliver under his wing, initially feeling sorry for the seemingly shy lower class student. Eventually the pair hit it off, and Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at his massive family estate, forgetting to tell him about his eccentric family whose way of life is far from normal, and completely intoxicating. Oliver quickly becomes obsessed with the world of wealth, eccentricity and hedonism, and things take a turn for the worse. The film shifts from a seemingly budding friendship, into a thriller full of twists and turns. There's a stacked cast including Oscar winning actress Rosemund Pike, Richard E Grant, known for his iconic turn in Withnail and I, Conversations With Friends' actress Alison Oliver, Gran Turismo's Archie Madekwe and Carey Mulligan. However, when the film premiered in cinemas it did not do as well as producers hoped. Saltburn grossed just $21.1 million in spite of its strong cast and gripping plot. After its release the film's critical consensus read: "Emerald Fennell's candy-coated and incisive Saltburn is a debauched jolt to the senses that will be invigorating for most." Saltburn's reputation then changed almost instantly when it was released on Amazon Prime Video, just weeks after it left cinemas. The film went on to become one of Prime's most-streamed films, receiving a 71 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. It also dominated social media for months, as viewers recreated scenes, provided theories and begged for a sequel. One review on Rotten Tomatoes reads: "Such an amazing performance from the entire cast, great cinematography and interesting storyline. This movie is entertaining and always makes me think." Another states: "Brilliantly artistic and woefully disturbing," as a third went on to say: "Interesting story with good character development. Keeps the viewers interested and curious throughout the film." A fourth fan claimed they'd think about this film forever, writing: "Still processing. Gonna think about it all the time. Very interesting movie and the cinematography is great."
Budapest Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Budapest Times
An acting career takes off
It's only once the book is opened that 'With Nails' turns out to have a fuller title, 'With Nails: The Film Diaries of Richard E. Grant', so potential readers might not be wise to expect reminiscences of the usual variety, the old 'I was born in such-and-such a place on such-and-such a date, and Dad worked as a such-and-such and Mum was a such-and-such…' Immediately after this title page comes the publisher's information, and it reveals that the book was actually first published in 1996, a bit of a long time ago when you consider that Grant has made some 60 films since then. After all, next the Contents page lists chapters on only nine films: ' Withnail and I', 'Warlock', 'Henry and June', 'LA Story', 'Hudson Hawk', 'The Player', 'Dracula', 'The Age of Innocence' and 'Prêt-à-Porter', all from 1987 to 1994. There one other chapter titled 'More LA Stories' in which will be found further anecdotes of the Hollywood experience, pretty much a long round of parties, lunches and encounters with the colony's movers and shakers, the rich and famous, not to forget actual auditions, read-throughs and acting. Also, intriguingly, there is an 'Epilogue'. Something post-1996? No, this latter is just a shortish note on the parallel between getting the nod that you've passed the audition and being signed to convert your private diary into a public screed. Also now, though, comes an unannounced 'Post Script', and it contains a clue that it dates not from 2025 but from 2015. It would seem that the 'Film Diaries' also had a new life then. The 'Post Script'mentions the film 'Gosford Park', which was released in 2001, and gives the fact that Grant has been in London for 33 years, which we can work out would be 2015 because the book opens proceedings in 1985, which Grant says is three years after he emigrated from colonial Swaziland to England. Again, we can deduce that his arrival would have been as a 28-year-old, because if we look up his life elsewhere we find that his full name is Richard Grant Esterhuysen and he was born on May 5, 1957 in the Protectorate of Swaziland. Now that's fascinating. Why Swaziland? Many famous British people turn out to have been born in India, Burma, Malaya and other colonial outposts, the offspring of administrators sent out from the home country. But Swaziland? It's a logical question when he is seemingly a through-and-through Englishman. In the shortest of biographical notes the publisher simply informs us that 'Richard E. Grant was born and brought up in Mbabane, Swaziland', no date or anything, plus listing a few of his films and a couple of books he wrote, and that he lives in London with his family. It isn't until deep in the book that Grant, who often refers to himself self-deprecatingly as 'Swazi Boy' – such as in how did Swazi Bboy' get to be with all these film stars – opens up a little. His father had been Minister of Education during the British colonial jurisdiction of Swaziland until Independence in 1968, after which he was made an honorary adviser. The country was called the 'Switzerland of Africa', having relative economic stability, a single-tribe population and single-language status. The Grants lived in a hilltop house overlooking the Ezulweni Valley, meaning Valley of Heaven, with a panoramic view for 60 kilometres. Swaziland is now named the Kingdom of Eswatini and it is three-quarters surrounded by South Africa. In the chapter on 'The Player', Grant is at a party chockablock with 'names' and he spies Barbra Streisand. Getting introduced, he tells her that as a 14-year-old on a visit from Swaziland to Europe and England with his father – Home Leave as it was colonially called – they saw her 'Funny Girl', and the young Grant was thunderstruck, instantly falling in love. Back home he wrote to her 'care of Columbia Records' saying: 'I have followed your career avidly. We have all your records. I am fourteen years old. I read in the paper that you were feeling very tired and pressurised by your fame and failed romance with Mr Ryan O'Neal. I would like to offer you a two-week holiday, or longer, at our house, which is very beautiful with a pool and magnificent view of the Ezulweni Valley. 'Here you can rest. No one will trouble you and I assure you you will not be mobbed in the street as your films only show in our one cinema for three days, so not that many people will know who you are… ' etcetera. Days, weeks, months, years he waited but no reply. Now, in a party festooned with the likes of Al Pacino, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeff Goldblum, Diane Lane, Christopher Lambert, Julia Roberts, Jason Patric, Sandra Bernhard, Joel Silver, Annie Ross, Glenne Headly, Timothy Dalton, Robert Downey Jnr., Winona Ryder and more, here she is. He can barely speak in awe and she asks, 'Are you stoned?' He manages to tell her he is allergic to alcohol, whereupon she says, 'I know you from a movie'. This turns out to be 'Henry and June'. He confesses to the fan letter, which of course she never received, and she says she doesn't remember being exhausted then, 'must just be the usual press stuff'. He manages 22 minutes with 'Babs' – he timed it – but knows he is just another geeky gusher. While she is an idol with a significant place in his life and experience, he of course can have none in hers. He asks if he can kiss her hand in farewell, to which she says OK and laughs, saving her from Grant's further frothings. Grant writes how he arrived in England only to be 'marooned, becalmed, beached and increasingly bleached of self-confidence' as he embarked on his chosen career path. Unfortunately he found himself 'among the 95 per cent, forty-thousand-odd unemployed members of Equity' (the actors'trade union). He may be exaggerating to make his point. Nonetheless, the possibility of a role in a BBC production arises. But it would be as Dr. Frankenstein's creature. And there's an audition for the panto 'Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood'. Humiliation. Who the hell do you think you are, he asks himself? Brando? Olivier? Go back to Swaziland. Fortunately he has a loving wife for support. He changes his agent. And then the Big Break. Handmade Films, formed by ex-Beatle George Harrison and his business partner Denis O'Brien in 1978 to finance the controversial Monty Python film 'Life of Brian', is going to make something called 'Withnail and I', about two out-of-work actors in squalid circumstances in London, and Grant lands the part of Withnail. This black, anarchic and eccentric film is surely one of the most hilarious ever made, beloved of anyone with a twisted sense of humour, including your correspondent. Grant doesn't need to do anything, to say anything; you only need to look at him to laugh. While Streisand said she recalled him in 'Henry and June', most other people he meets loved 'Withnail and I'. It made his career. Hollywood to Grant is 'a Suburban Babylon', 'the land of liposuction', 'the State of the Barbie'. He eats cold Chinese food with Madonna, has an odd shopping trip with Sharon Stone, works for pivotal directors Robert Altman, Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola. He talks parenting with Tom Waits. He notes the short statures of screen macho men Stallone and Schwarzenegger, the madness that was ' Hudson Hawk'… Richard E. Grant sees himself as a grounded man minus therapist, futurist, assistant, nutritionist, manager, lawyer and publicist, whom he labels fleece merchants. Still, there's piles of pampering – luxury hotels, first-class air travel, limos, per diems. Oh God, it's all so stratospheric. No wonder he had such a dreadful time filming in lowly Budapest in 1990. Poor chap, he hated absolutely everything – the airport staff, grey high-rises, dirty factories, potholes, sludgy Danube, queues, hotel, food, thermal bath, studio. Sorry about that, sir.
AU Financial Review
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- AU Financial Review
Forget flowers – how about a bouquet of mushrooms?
Hurtling towards another Mother's Day, that famous line from the film Withnail and I keeps coming to mind: 'Flowers are essentially tarts,' spouts Uncle Monty, played by Richard Griffiths, in the 1987 classic. 'I think the carrot infinitely more fascinating than the geranium.' I wonder what Monty would think of a bouquet of mushrooms?
