The Strokes are working on a new album with Rick Rubin

It’s been four years since The Strokes’ last full-length record, so we’re pretty much due for a new one by now. According to the father of The Strokes’ guitarist Albert Hammond Jr, the indie-rock legends are already hard at work on a new record, with the help of a legendary producer.

In an interview withThe West Australian this week, Albert Hammond, who has also led a very successful music career, has stated that his son’s band is currently in the process of recording a new album with famed producer Rick Rubin.

They’re making a new album now with a great producer called Rick Rubin, Hammond said. I speak to my son every day and he says that they’re so happy, I’m sure this will be a very successful record.

With Rick Rubin being one of the most prolific and famous producers in music history, the band are certainly in good hands. Having helped popularise hip-hop music, and working with legendary acts such as the Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slayer, and Johnny Cash, Rubin is undoubtedly set to help the new Strokes record become an instant classic.

Hammond Sr, who had worked with and written songs for prestigious artists such as Johnny Cash, The Hollies, and Whitney Houston, also used his interview to speak about how he helped The Strokes out in their early days, paying for the studio time that resulted in their classic debut recordIs This It.

Nobody understood them, so I said, ‘Here’s the money, go in the studio and make the record’, Hammond said. I never got it back, but it doesn’t matter. I just love knowing I helped them out.

Here’s hoping that the group’s new record with Rick Rubin will be successful enough that Albert Hammond Jr. can finally repay his dad for that studio time 16 years ago.

Check out The Strokes’ ‘OBLIVIUS’ from last year’sFuture Present Past EP, below.

Watch Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon Cover Bill Withers With Supergroup at Newport Folk Festival 2017

Featuring Hiss Golden Messenger, Natalie Prass, Phil Cook, Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood, Hurray for the Riff Raff, and more

‘Grenfell survivors should not have to choose better housing or opera’

As Opera Holland Park mourned the loss of one of its own in the fire, critics used its council funding as proof of Kensington’s elitist priorities. But the directors claim the facts tell another story

The morning after the Grenfell Tower fire, James Clutton, the director of opera at Opera Holland Park, visited the west London site. He had gone not to help but to search for someone.

I was looking for my mate Debbie, Clutton says. She’d left the theatre the night before after her shift and gone home. We knew she lived in Grenfell.

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How Charlize Theron crushed her foes (and her teeth) in 'Atomic Blonde': Podcast

In this week's Straight Up Hollywood podcast, we talk about Charlize Theron busting everything in 'Atomic Blonde' and an intimate Mayer concert.

Aussie street artist under fire for his Chester Bennington mural

In the days following the death by suicide of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, all sorts of tributes have flooded in for the influential singer, but this new mural by controversial street artist Lushsux is drawing its fair share of criticism.

As Music Feeds reports, the mural was put up in Vienna, Austria, and at first glimpse seems to be a loving tribute. However, the inclusion of lyrics by Korn alongside Linkin Park’s own has some fans up in arms, considering that Korn guitarist Brian Welch took to social media immediately following the tragic news to decry Benson as cowardly.

The choice of lyrics, then, seems to some like a cheap jab at the late singer, and there are no arguments from the artist behind it, with Lushsux defending the work.

No [one] ever said it was too soon to make a joke about the dead, he told the publication. I’m a huge KoRn fan, so

Other criticisms extend to the placement of the mural directly alongside an image of Kendall Jenner (today slammed by Metallica’s James Hetfield for stealing musicians’ images for her own clothing line), with some finding the placement disrespectful. Others in the comments, however, take no issue with the mural, and see it as a fitting tribute.

It’s also important to note that, while the comments out of the Korn camp had a lot of people worked up, the band have since paid their own tribute to Bennington, dedicating a performance in his memory.

All memes aside sad news, rip @chesterbe #ripchester

A post shared by lushsux (@lushsux) on Jul 24, 2017 at 11:20pm PDT

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Eddie Vedder joins Roger Waters for Comfortably Numb in Chicago: Watch

This evening, Roger Waters played the second of three nights booked at Chicago’s United Center. During the show’s encore, Waters welcomed hometown hero, Eddie Vedder, to the stage to join him in performing the set closer Comfortably Numb. The Pearl Jam frontman sang the song’s chorus and even joined in on the solo with an acoustic guitar. Watch the fan-shot footage below and stay tuned for our full review of the night’s performance.

If you recall, Waters and Vedder previously joined forces to perform the song at the 12-12-12 concert benefiting victims of Hurricane Sandy, so it’s certainly been awhile.

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– WeeIceMon (@WeeIceMon) July 24, 2017

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Madame Tussauds fixed its botched wax figurine of Beyonc

Earlier this week, the internet was up in arms over a Madame Tussauds wax figurine of Beyonc that looked nothing like the global pop star. The sculpture in question lacked most of the singer’s identifying facial features and was noticeably more light-skinned, and Bey fans were quick to point out how it sadly somehow bore a better resemblance to Lindsay Lohan and Shakira.

Beyonce’ wax figure at @MadameTussauds is FIERCE! pic.twitter.com/7UDyi9VEWT

– Joe (@CCFan007) July 18, 2017

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Tussauds originally tried to save face by pinning the statue’s shortcomings on other factors. Lighting within the attraction combined with flash photography may distort and misrepresent the colour of our wax figures, the wax museum told SPIN.

However, all the controversy has now finally forced Tussauds to take action. According to the New York Times, the statue in question – located at the tourist trap’s Manhattan location – was removed from the exhibit as of Thursday afternoon. It was then reportedly replaced with a new, adjusted figurine.

We love, respect and enjoy a working relationship with Beyonc, Tussauds explained to SPIN. We have adjusted the styling and lighting of her figure and she is on display at Madame Tussauds New York. No images of this updated figurine have surfaced, but we’ll keep you posted.

The lesson here? Don’t cross Queen Bey and the Beyhive.

Baths’ Dream Daddy Theme Invites You to Date Some Hot Virtual Dads: Listen

As previously reported, the game also features a cameo from PUP

Readers recommend playlist: songs about being trapped

Nina Simone, Warren Zevon and Corb Lund are among the artists stuck in various states of mire for this week’s reader-curated playlist

Here is this week’s playlist songs picked by a reader from hundreds of suggestions on last week’s callout. Thanks for taking part. Read more about how our weekly series works at the end of the piece.

Sometimes, to extricate oneself from a sticky situation, it’s necessary to grasp the nettle and press boldly on without fear of let or hindrance. Accordingly, let me say from the outset that I don’t think there’s enough of the extended Cyrus family in the Marconium. While disappointingly there were no Miley or Billy Ray tracks nominated this week, young Noah Cyrus flew the flag nailing the topic concisely with our opener: I’m Stuck. It’s a bit of an earworm, so, fittingly, should be stuck in your head all day.

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Roger Waters to Thom Yorke: Stop whining about criticism over Israel concert

In the lead up to Radiohead‘s July 19th concert in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thom Yorke has been engaged in a war of worlds with Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters. Waters supports a cultural boycott of Israeluntil Palestinians are granted greater equality under Israeli law and has called on Radiohead to cancel the gig as a result. In response, Yorke criticized Waters for throwing shit at us in public rather than engaging with the band behind the scenes.Yorke also noted how offensive the boycott is to Radiohead guitaristJonny Greenwood, who is married to anArab Jew.

Now, as Rolling Stone points out, Waters has responded to Yorke in a Facebook Live discussion about the proposed boycott.

My answer to people who say we should go there and sit around the campfire and sing songs: No, we shouldn’t. We should observe the picket line, Waters said. Anybody who’s tempted to do that, like our friends in Radiohead, if only they would actually educate themselves. I know Thom Yorke’s been whining about how he feels insulted, people are suggesting he doesn’t know what’s going on.

Well Thom, you shouldn’t feel insulted because if you did know what’s going on, you would have a conversation with [director] Ken Loach, who’s been begging you to have a conversation, or with me, I begged you, Thom. I sent you a number of emails, begging you to have a conversation. As did Brian Eno; you ignored us all, you won’t speak to anyone about anything. So it’s that kind of isolationism that is extremely unhelpful to everybody.

I look forward to if you feel like it, when you finish your trip to Israel, because you probably still will go write me a letter and tell me how much good you did and how much change you managed to affect by chatting with musicians, Waters concluded.

Last week, Yorke further defended Radiohead’s Israel performance. Responding to criticism from director Ken Loach, Yorke wrote on Twitter,Playing in a country isn’t the same as endorsing its government. As an example, he pointed out that Radiohead still play shows in America despite theirdisapproval of Trump’s politics. He added, Music, art and academia is about crossing borders not building them, about open minds not closed ones, about shared humanity, dialogue and freedom of expression.

Watch video of Waters’ comments below.