Raphael Pour-Hashemi

MUSIC FRIDAY NEW WHAAAAAATTTTTTT Pretty slim one this week but there are new and reissues from Alex Skolnick Trio, Beastie Boys, Jessie Ware, Robben Ford, Roxette, Snocaps, Sofia Isella, The Zombies and Zayn. HAPPY FRIDAY 🙌 Image by @raphph 📸 #NewMusicFriday #NMF #NewMusic #JessieWare

Radiohead‘s Ed O’Brien has confirmed the band’s touring plans for the future.⁠ ⁠ In 2025, Radiohead returned to the stage after a seven-year hiatus with a limited 20-date tour of Europe, consisting of four shows in London, Bologna, Madrid, Berlin and Copenhagen.⁠ ⁠ Now, the band’s guitarist has confirmed that Radiohead intend to replicate this style of tour on different continents across the world from 2027 onwards.⁠ ⁠ In a new conversation with Rolling Stone, O’Brien shared, “What we’re going to do is, every year we’re going to do a different continent, and we’re going to do 20 shows each year. No more, no less.”⁠ ⁠ Explaining the band’s reasoning for wanting to only play 20 dates per year rather than committing to a full-blown world tour, revealing, “We want to give absolutely everything each night.”⁠ ⁠ He added, “We do not ever want it to be like we’re going through the motions or we’re having to run on empty. We’ve got to be able to do it. And you know what? We’re not spring chickens anymore.”⁠ ⁠ O’Brien also reflected upon the band’s triumphant return to the stage in 2025, dotingly stating, “That tour was very, very emotional, very profound. We all felt that. We’d look at one another on that stage, like, ‘This is amazing.’ I feel like I’m the luckiest person on the planet, and I’m not just saying that.”⁠ ⁠ On the other hand, O’Brien conceded that he was “done with Radiohead” following the conclusion of their previous world tour in 2018.⁠ ⁠ The musician elaborated, “It had got to a place where I just wasn’t enjoying it. I just didn’t resonate with it anymore, and I wanted to do my own thing… I think we’d run out of road. We’d run out of inspiration.”⁠ ⁠ Away from his Radiohead commitments, O’Brien is gearing up to release his new solo album, Blue Morpho, which will arrive on May 22nd.⁠ ⁠ As it stands, it has now been a decade since Radiohead last released music with A Moon Shaped Pool in 2016.⁠ ⁠ Last month, it emerged that all five members of Radiohead have been appointed as directors of a new UK company called Futile Endeavours Limited, which could indicate that the band has something new on the horizon.⁠ ⁠ 📸: @raphph

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that Kneecap are “completely intolerable” after the Irish trio’s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh secured a definitive legal victory against the UK government on March 11th.⁠ ⁠ Óg Ó hAnnaidh, known by his stage name Mo Chara, faced a terrorism charge after being accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town in London in November 2024.⁠ ⁠ However, the case was initially thrown out in September after Kneecap’s legal team argued that Attorney General Richard Hermer hadn’t given his permission for the charge to be brought against Óg Ó hAnnaidh within the six-month time frame of the alleged offence occurring.⁠ ⁠ The government’s Crown Prosecution Service subsequently lodged an appeal against the decision, which was rejected on March 11th, as it was confirmed that Óg Ó hAnnaidh would not face a new trial.⁠ ⁠ Now, in a new interview with ITV News, Starmer has doubled down on his stance on the Irish band, stating, “Well, my views on Kneecap are very well known in relation to what they stand for and what they say, which is completely intolerable.”⁠ ⁠ Starmer, who was previously the head of the Crown Prosecution Service before being an MP in 2015, added, “I think the CPS were obviously subject to the High Court decision and they will be looking at the judgment very carefully.”⁠ ⁠ It comes after Starmer called upon Glastonbury to remove Kneecap from the festival last summer, telling The Sun that “I don’t think that’s appropriate” for them to perform.⁠ ⁠ Kneecap still performed at Glastonbury, causing the West Holts area to be shut due to it reaching a capacity crowd. During the set, they led the crowd through a chant of “Fuck Keir Starmer“.⁠ ⁠ After the appeal was rejected, Óg Ó hAnnaidh said of the long-running case at a press conference held in Belfast, “This is bigger than us – whatever kind of stress that we felt, it’s minimal compared to the stress put on the families in Gaza.”⁠ ⁠ He also pledged to “continue to use whatever platform we have to talk about Gaza” and said, “We don’t give a fuck about the repercussions anymore”.⁠ ⁠ 📸: @raphph // Number 10

Morrissey has cancelled his show in Valencia, which was due to take place tonight (March 12th).⁠ ⁠ The former frontman of The Smiths was set to perform at Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, but the concert has now “been rendered impossible due to sleep deprivation”, his website states.⁠ ⁠ In an initial message on Morrissey Central, it was warned by his team that the show may not go ahead due to the loud noises outside of his hotel.⁠ ⁠ The first statement reads, “Having travelled for two days by road, Morrissey reached the hotel in Valencia late on Wednesday. Any form of sleep or rest throughout the night was impossible due to festival noise / loud techno singing / megaphone announcements.”⁠ ⁠ It added, “This experience has left Morrissey in a catatonic state. Before leaving for tonight’s scheduled concert, please check that the show remains possible under these circumstances.”⁠ ⁠ Then, in a second message, posted on the morning of March 12th, it was confirmed that the show would not be going ahead.⁠ ⁠ The second statement reads, “Tonight’s scheduled show in Valencia has been rendered impossible due to sleep deprivation. Morrissey drove from Milan to Valencia but has been unable to rest in Valencia due to noise.”⁠ ⁠ Morrissey’s team then insisted, “The show is not cancelled. Circumstances render the show impossible.”⁠ ⁠ The axed Valencia concert is the sixth show of 2026 that he has cancelled, after pulling the plug on dates in St Petersburg, Rancho Mirage, San Diego, St Louis, and Atlanta during his North American run in January.⁠ ⁠ However, his current European leg has seen him fulfil his obligations so far until Valencia, including playing a sold-out date at the O2 Arena in London on February 28th.⁠ ⁠ His latest album, Make Up is a Lie, was released on March 6th and is currently in second position in the UK Midweek Album Chart behind Harry Styles, who occupies top spot.⁠ ⁠ 📸: @raphph

Disturbed frontman David Draiman has pleaded for a conversation with Franz Ferdinand after they condemned the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) for using their hit song ‘Take Me Out’ without permission.⁠ ⁠ Draiman, who is Jewish, has been a prominent supporter of the IDF and previously attracted significant controversy when he visited Israeli army bases in 2024 and signed a bomb which read, “#FuckHamas”.⁠ ⁠ His latest comments come after Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos shared a video to his Instagram Stories, which appeared to be IDF propaganda, with an English-speaking IDF soldier proudly announcing, “We launched Operation Roaring Lion, an Operation against the Iranian terrorist regime.”⁠ ⁠ The soldier added in the clip that the operation is “in full co-operation with the US Armed Forces”. War footage, such as bombs, planes, and air strikes, is interspersed throughout the violent video, which was soundtracked, without permission, by Franz Ferdinand’s anthem ‘Take Me Out’.⁠ ⁠ In response, Kapranos angrily said, “These war-mongering murderers are using our music without our consent. This makes us both nauseous and furious.”⁠ ⁠ The Scottish frontman added of the Israeli regime, “Kind of typical though, isn’t it? To strut up and take what isn’t theirs with a vile arrogance.” It isn’t immediately clear where Kapranos lifted the video from.”⁠ ⁠ Now, Draiman has taken to X to share an infographic of Kapranos’ comments, posted by Far Out, to condemn his comments on the IDF, while also accepting that it’s unacceptable to use the song without permission.⁠ ⁠ “Dear Franz Ferdinand,” Draiman began. “I’d love to have the opportunity to discuss with you the nuances and details you might be missing when it comes to Israelis/Jews like me, and the conflict we have been praying to end for decades.”⁠ ⁠ He added, “I can understand your anger at your music being used without consent, but your demonization of the Israeli people dishonors both your band and the song itself.”⁠ ⁠ Draiman then called for a private conversation with Kapranos, adding, “Would love to discuss a better way for all of us to better understand each other. My door is open. I hope to hear back from you.”

Bruce Springsteen is set to honour the late Shane MacGowan by releasing a cover version of The Pogues’ iconic hit, ‘A Rainy Night in Soho’. ⁠ ⁠ The news was announced on March 10th via MacGowan’s social media channels, in a post that was also shared by Springsteen. It said: “Our very good friend Bruce has recorded a beautiful version of ‘A Rainy Night in Soho’.”⁠ ⁠ The announcement added: “It’s a stunning tribute to Shane’s songwriting and it’s out on Thursday! You can presave it at the link in bio now.”⁠ ⁠ It comes after Springsteen previously performed a live version of the Pogues classic during his show at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny in May 2024, paying tribute to the late frontman after he passed away from pneumonia in November 2023.⁠ ⁠ Over the course of their respective careers, MacGowan and ‘The Boss’ struck up a strong friendship, with the latter visiting the frontman of The Pogues at his home in Ireland when he was playing in Dublin in the summer of 2023.⁠ ⁠ At the time, MacGowan’s partner, Victoria Mary Clarke, posted a photo of the two icons on Instagram and wrote: “It is also wonderful to see that a person can be extremely successful in his field and still massively generous in his admiration for other musicians and writers. Extreme kudos and gratitude for the visit to me and [Shane MacGowan]!”⁠ ⁠ When MacGowan ultimately passed away a few months later, Springsteen paid tribute to him by saying he was one of his “all-time favourite writers” and that even though he spent time with him when he was “very ill”, he was “still beautifully present in his heart and spirit”.⁠ ⁠ As such, Springsteen has now committed his reverence to MacGowan on tape, with his version of ‘A Rainy Night in Soho’ coming as his next new single in a matter of weeks.⁠ ⁠ He previously shared the protest song ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ in January, in response to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minnesota.⁠ ⁠ ‘The Boss’ is also set to kick off a new US leg of his Land of Hope and Dreams tour in Minneapolis at the end of this month, before taking it across the country to cities such as Chicago, New York, and Washington. 📸: @raphph

Music industry legend Paul McCartney has joined the film cataloguing platform Letterboxd, marking his arrival by sharing four of his favourite movies of all time.⁠ ⁠ McCartney’s profile, which only surfaced today, includes a bio description that reads “Just a ‘Man on the Run'” alongside a category of ‘Favourites’, which includes Frank Tashlin’s 1956 classic This Girl Can’t Help It, Elia Kazan’s 1954 crime drama On the Waterfront, Jordan Peele’s contemporary horror masterpiece Get Out, and Martin Scorsese’s 1978 concert movie The Last Waltz.⁠ ⁠ The legendary musician also shared some insights behind those choices on his website, saying, “The Girl Can’t Help It, I always love that one and watch it again and again.” He added, “On the Waterfront, with Marlon Brando, fantastic film. Get Out, I think Jordan Peele did a great job with that. And The Last Waltz – that’s a nice one to round it out.”⁠ ⁠ McCartney joins a host of famous faces on the film platform, with Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Charli XCX, Dacre Montgomery, and many more high-profile actors and musicians creating profiles to rate films and share their views and opinions.⁠ ⁠ McCartney’s arrival comes as he gears up for the release of his documentary film Man on the Run, chronicling his endeavours from the formation of Wings across the 1970s. Directed by Morgan Neville, Man on the Run also explores how McCartney rebuilt his life and career following the breakup of The Beatles, with archival photographs and footage shot by his then-wife, Linda.⁠ ⁠ Discussing the project in a recent Q&A session in London, McCartney recalled the emotional poignancy of re-visiting those seminal moments in his life and career. “I think all the stuff with the kids and Linda, you know, is lovely to see,” he said. “I mean, obviously, the Linda stuff was very emotional, because she looks so beautiful… she’s so cool. So that comes over.”⁠ ⁠ Adding, “If there were ideas that were a little bit crazy, I’d say, ‘Should I do that? Could I do that?’ And she’d say, ‘It’s allowed.’ And it was like, ‘Yeah, that’s brilliant.’ It’s a great philosophy in life: ‘It’s allowed.’”⁠ ⁠ 📸: @raphph

Repost from @raphph • FOO FIGHTERS ⚡️⚡️⚡️ O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London Wednesday 25th February, 2026 - 📸: @raphph - #foofighters #davegrohl

Get yourselves a cousin like The @raphph 👌 '...if Carlsberg made cousins' 🌟 Happiest of birthdays to the man, the legend, the story! Here's to a great year ahead! Hello 👋 it's good to be back! Happy birthday Raph! 🎂

More to come 📸 but just to say loud and clear... There ain't no party like a Nash family party! 🎉 PS: I also have the best friends in the world. Absolute legends! 👌

Jonny Greenwood has made a statement about the role of politics in the creative industry, insisting that the two should remain separate.⁠ ⁠ The Radiohead guitarist has been at the heart of the debate surrounding politics and art, due to his longstanding links with Israel. He is also married to an Israeli artist, Sharona Katan, whose nephew served in the Israel Defense Forces and was killed in the Gaza war.⁠ ⁠ Speaking to The Times, Greenwood first admitted his hesitancy about speaking on the topic: “It’s very hard to talk about this,” he admitted. “But I think music and art should be above and beyond political concerns.”⁠ ⁠ Greenwood went on to reference a previous album he made, 2023’s Jarak Qaribak, alongside Israeli musician Dudu Tassa. The pair were targeted by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement for playing in Tel Aviv during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.⁠ ⁠ As a consequence, their shows in Bristol and London were pulled after the venues received threats; at the time, Greenwood stated that “intimidating venues into pulling our shows won’t help achieve the peace and justice everyone in the Middle East deserves.”⁠ ⁠ In the new interview, Greenwood shared, “You know, I made an album involving Israeli, Iraqi, Egyptian, and Syrian musicians? If I’m supposed to stop working with musicians because I dislike their governments, then I wouldn’t work with any of them.”⁠ ⁠ He added, “The fact is, what defines us as musicians isn’t our nationalities. But that point doesn’t seem to get through.”⁠ ⁠ Recently, Greenwood’s music was used to soundtrack the political documentary on the First Lady of the United States, Melania. As a result, Greenwood asked for a section of music originally from the film Phantom Thread to be removed from the project.⁠ ⁠ His representative shared, “Universal [Music] failed to consult Jonny on this third-party use, which is a breach of his composer agreement.” Producer Marc Beckman deemed this a “blatant lie.”⁠ ⁠ 📸: @raphph

Damon Albarn has said Blur performing at Coachella in 2024 was a “slight mismatch” with the festival’s demographic.⁠ ⁠ The Californian event, which runs for two consecutive weekends every April, saw the legendary British rock band make their third trip to the desert in 2024, having previously performed at the event in 2003 and 2013.⁠ ⁠ Before they’d even stepped on-stage, Albarn admitted to radio station KROQ, “It’s a weird one, Coachella, when it comes to audience. It’s hard to know.”⁠ ⁠ Then, during their first performance at the festival, he told the crowd during a rendition of ‘Girls and Boys’, “You’re never seeing us again, so you might as well fucking sing it. Know what I’m saying?”⁠ ⁠ Additionally, Graham Coxon aired his frustration with the audience at Coachella, telling GQ that “you’re playing to people who don’t give a shit” and claimed that the crowd were “bored”.⁠ ⁠ Now, in a new interview with Rolling Stone ahead of the release of Gorillaz’s new album, The Mountain, Albarn reflected on the saga, sharing, “We did feel at Coachella, when we came over with Blur [in 2024], that maybe it was a slight mismatch, us being at that festival. It’s kind of the embodiment of social media now, isn’t it?”⁠ ⁠ His Gorillaz creative partner Jamie Hewlett also observed, “It’s the only festival where the phones aren’t pointed at the stage, but at the person holding the phone.”⁠ ⁠ While there are no plans for Blur to return to the stage at Coachella or anywhere else anytime soon, Albarn didn’t rule out the prospect of another show by the Britpop icons in the US in the future.⁠ ⁠ However, he did caveat this by sharing the major issue with Madison Square Garden, adding, “Something like that’s more possible, yeah. The only problem with bloody playing Madison Square Garden, and I’ve done it a few times, is that there’s all these banners for flipping … what’s his name?”⁠ ⁠ After being informed that the name he was reaching for was Billy Joel, who performed a monthly residency at the New York venue between 2014 and 2024, Albarn added, “Billy Joel. Any sense of achievement is just so deflated. I can’t bear it.”⁠ ⁠ 📸: @raphph