Latest news with #rockstar
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
In Pictures: Hellraiser Ozzy Osbourne toned down his act to reach wider audience
Ozzy Osbourne very much embodied the hellraising rockstar when he first found fame as the frontman of Black Sabbath but in later years had settled into settled domesticity with wife Sharon and his family. Growing up in the West Midlands, like many people his age it was the work of the Beatles that convinced him to try his luck in the music industry. The gothic stage persona and the heavy rock with Osbourne's trademark vocals made songs like Paranoid well known across the airwaves with bandmates such as Geezer Butler and guitarist Tony Iommi. With addiction issues dogging him, it was wife Sharon who would help clean up his act and his life. Her managerial acumen ensured that a more respectable lifestyle in Los Angeles was ideal reality TV fodder as he toned his act down. He never lost his West Midlands accent and his exploits earned him a star on the city's walk of fame and having a tram named after him. He was a natural choice to perform at the city's 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ozzy Osbourne dies at age 76: Family says legendary Black Sabbath singer was 'surrounded by love'
Osbourne, who lived with Parkinson's disease, had recently performed a farewell show in the U.K. Rockstar Ozzy Osbourne has died, per multiple reports. 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,' his family said in a statement to the press, signed by wife Sharon Osbourne and their children Kelly, Jack, Aimee, as well as his son Louis from his prior marriage to Thelma Riley. 'He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.' The Black Sabbath rocker lived with Parkinson's disease. Earlier this month Osbourne played what was dubbed his 'final bow' from a throne at Villa Park in the U.K. Solve the daily Crossword
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
India's golf revolution tees off with power, parity, and pure entertainment
"Let's make it all for one and all for love." The words of Canadian rock star Bryan Adams' chart-topping song now echoes through a new arena - not an amphitheatre, a cricket stadium or football pitch, but the expansive greens of India's newest obsession: golf. Yes, golf - but not as you know it. This September, India is stepping into a fearless new direction. It's launching a movement, one that reimagines the centuries-old game into an explosive, inclusive, and futuristic sporting experience. Welcome to the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) - where sport meets spectacle, and golf enters a bold new era. Once seen as the quiet gentleman's game, golf is undergoing a paradigm shift, and it's being led by a bold Indian experiment that has the potential to revolutionise the game. "Golf has always been globally respected, but remains underappreciated in India. A dynamic format can attract broader audiences and athletes,' said cricket legend Yuvraj Singh, who has joined IGPL as both co-owner and brand ambassador. 'Joining the IGPL team is an exciting opportunity to rejuvenate this remarkable sport,' he added. Golf for All, All for Golf The IGPL's war cry is clear - "Golf for All, All for Golf." This isn't a league for the privileged few. This is a national campaign to make golf India's next big sport, with three powerful pillars: 1. The IGPL Tour World's first fully mixed-gender pro golf tour boasting equal prize money for men and women. No cuts, only pure competitive golf over 11 high-stakes tournaments in its first year, growing to 15 in the future. This Tour isn't just about winning, it's about creating heroes, rivalries, and a new generation of champions. It's a platform where young prodigies, some even before their teens, get scholarships and a shot at greatness. 2. Turf Wars – Clash of the Cities A franchise-based showdown where city pride is on the line, Turf Wars features top-tier male and female golfers competing in fast-paced matchups made for the digital generation. Backed by the Indian Golf Union (IGU) and the Women's Golf Association of India (WGAI), the league includes teams from Delhi, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai. With drama, rivalries, flash golf, packed crowds, and a high-stakes grand finale, this is where golf gets personal. 3. The Showdown - X-Treme golf One course. One chance. One winner. A high-octane stadium finale in a lightning-fast X-Golf format featuring lights, team walkouts, music, cameras and madness - is all built for digital. Golf is evolving, stepping fearlessly into the spotlight with a fresh, fast-paced format designed for today's audiences. "Golf is no longer hidden. It's loud, proud, and finally, fun," says the IGPL manifesto. It will include a celebrity wildcard format, imagine golf supercharged, with the buzz of a rock concert and the intensity of prime-time sport. "This is turbo-charged sportainment. And it's what moves the needle," said IGPL Director Manav Jaini. The IGPL hopes to ignite passion and rally fans and players nationwide ahead of the big launch by kicking off a thrilling 10-city tour from September to December 2025. Crafting Golf's New Blueprint What truly sets IGPL apart is its vision to build not just a league, but an enduring ecosystem. This is a proudly Made-in-India initiative, not imported, not adapted, but designed from the ground up to serve Indian athletes and audiences. IGPL isn't just staging tournaments; it is actively investing in golf infrastructure, developing a comprehensive tech platform, curating merchandise, and managing talent at every level. It's a blueprint for how sport can be both spectacular and sustainable. As cities pick their icons like Shiv Kapur, Gaganjeet Bhullar, SSP Chawrasia, Gaurav Ghei, Jyothi Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh, the IGPL is shaping up to be India's most disruptive sporting innovation in years. "The IGPL is not only India's league but also a gift to global golf,' declared IGPL CEO Uttam Singh Mundy. The Final Putt Golf is no longer just about birdies and bogeys. It's about tenacity, gender equality and energy. It's also about India, and it's about reclaiming golf for everyone. The Indian Golf Revolution has begun.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Tony Blair was happy to keep guitar from Bono but not one from Mexico's president
Former UK prime minister Tony Blair was delighted to keep a guitar presented to him by the rock star Bono . However, when it came to a similar gift from the president of Mexico , he was less enthused. Official files released to the UK National Archives show Mr Blair was keen to take advantage of rules on ministerial gifts to buy the instrument given to him by the U2 singer once he left office. He did, however, question whether he would have to pay 'the full purchase price'. Officials at 10 Downing Street suggested the prime minister – who fronted a rock band called Ugly Rumours in his student days – might want to take the same approach when it came to a white Fender Stratocaster, valued at £2,500, from the Canadian singer Bryan Adams . However, Mr Blair was much less enthusiastic about an acoustic Vargas guitar presented to him by president Vicente Fox during an official visit to Mexico in 2001, noting: 'I don't actually use it.' The files also show that Mr Blair rejected advice that he should not keep a Pro Braided tennis racket given to him by the manufacturer, Slazenger. Officials feared that it was part of a 'marketing ploy' by the company and suggested it should be donated to a children's charity as 'you cannot be seen to endorse any product'. Mr Blair, however, instructed them just to thank the company, adding: 'It is very churlish to refuse to use it.' - PA
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Rock star offers support to Scots brothers rowing across Pacific
A world-famous rock star has offered his support to three brothers who are attempting to row across the Pacific in record-time. Michael Balzary – better known by his stage name, Flea – is the bassist for Red Hot Chili Peppers, and is the latest celebrity to back Scottish brothers Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean. On Sunday, the brothers marked 100 days of their non-stop, unsupported row from Peru to Australia in a bid to raise money for clean water projects in Madagascar. The entire trip will be around 9,000 miles, and the Macleans are expected to complete their challenge within the next 20-30 days. Celebrities including actor Mark Wahlberg, rugby star Blair Kinghorn, TV presenter Lorraine Kelly and actor and comedian Greg Hemphill have also backed the brothers. Ahead of the 100-day mark, Flea spoke with the brothers via a podcast, where they bonded over the challenge and revealed how living with your brothers or bandmates can lead to difficulties. Flea, who was born in Melbourne, Australia, said: 'For us … (the Chili Peppers) we were together and touring for 10 years before we started becoming a really popular band and really making money. 'Without those 10 years, if that would have happened in the beginning, we would have fallen apart right away. 'I think it's really rare … Like, if you hear about a young artist that puts out their first record and they're a big success — very, very rarely do they continue on having a career that works. Something about just paying your dues. 'Like you already rode across the Atlantic (the brothers completed this voyage in 2019). But I'm sure before you did that, you did a million little trips where you learned how to do it. Learned what it is to be stuck on a boat with each other for months. 'There's days when we f***ing hate each other. And that's when it's really hard. When you can live together and everyone's getting along, it's this magical thing — you're this travelling entity and it's all love.' The brothers' 28ft (8.5m) carbon fibre boat, Rose Emily, is named in memory of their late sister. It has no engine and no sail and the brothers are powering their way across the ocean in two-hour shifts. They left Peru in March on a mission to reach Australia and raise £1 million for clean water projects. While speaking with Flea, Lachlan spoke of how he was washed overboard during a violent storm. Lachlan, who turned 27 while rowing the Pacific, said he was 'lucky' to be attached to his boat by a safety line during 40mph (64kmh) winds and 6m (20ft) waves last week. He was dragged along behind the craft before his brother Ewan, 33, was able to help him to scramble back on board. Flea also spoke about what drives him to keep performing after more than four decades with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He said: 'There's definitely times when I'm running on fumes and I've got nothing. We've been doing this for 43 years or something. And you know, our performance is really physical. I try to stay in the best shape I can. But for me, emotionally, the whole thing is, I'm doing this to be of service. 'I like money as much as the next person, but like a long time ago, I could have retired. I could be eating papayas, taking bong hits on the beach somewhere, you know? 'It's a job to bring joy to people through music. And when I stay in that mindset … because there are so many nights where I'm sitting in a hotel room and it's like, 'I don't wanna get up'. 'I don't wanna go face 50,000 people in the stadium and play a concert. But it's time to go. And it's like, OK, it's not about me. I feel like shit, I'm tired, I got the flu, whatever's going on with me — I'm heartbroken, my wife left me, whatever's going on — but it's like, I have to let go of my life completely and do it. 'Be there for the people. Be there for my bandmates. And be there to honour the tradition of music.' Jamie commented: 'We've got a beautiful sunrise, we're sipping coffees out of baby beakers, and we're chatting to Flea. Doesn't get much better.' They also swapped food stories, as the Macleans shared tales of freeze-dried meals prepped in Jamie's old school kitchen, while Flea reflected on years of bad roadside burgers. 'For years and years, we toured in a van, sitting up all through the night, driving through the night for like six months on end,' he said. 'You kind of start feeling like a caged animal, just eating shitty food … roadside truck stop food, whatever you can get. 'You always pull into town after a show, you're starving and there's just nothing to eat … but now we have it good. We eat like kings.' The podcast, Dinner with the Macleans, is available on Spotify, and YouTube. The brothers have raised around £218,000 so far. To donate, click here.
