Entertainment
AC/DC Front Man Brian Johnson Releases Book“Hells Bells”
Brian Johnson was a roof fitter in northeast England before tearing the roofs off arenas as the lead singer of the hard rock phenomenon AC/DC. The “Hells Bells” singer recalls his journey to becoming one of the world’s most acclaimed rock stars in his new memoir.
It’s the classic Cinderella story. Only Johnson, now 75, has been a Cinderella at least three times, never abandoning his goal of singing in a rock ‘n’ roll band.
“I don’t know what it is, but I just never, ever sort of gave in,” he said recently over the phone from his Florida home. “I was always willing to take a chance on something when more pessimistic folks wouldn’t.” “I’ve always seen the glass as half-full.”
“The Lives of Brian Johnson,” published by Dey Street Books, chronicles his ups and downs growing up near Newcastle, culminating with his joining AC/DC and releasing the famous “Back in Black” album.
“The book wasn’t so much to validate my life,” he remarked. “It was to validate the lives of all the beautiful people I met who helped form my life – school friends, factory friends, music friends.”
Music was his North Star, and he recalls being 11 years old and freaking out when he first heard Little Richard sing “Awop bop/a-loo bop/awop bam boom.” “Many have described that song, ‘Tutti Frutti,’ as the sound of rock ‘n’ roll being born — which is appropriate because my goal of being a vocalist was also formed at that moment,” he writes.
Johnson was a young father and husband as well as an apprentice engineer. He joined a British Army airborne infantry regiment to acquire enough money for a PA system.
He saw Jimi Hendriks perform when he was 15, and Sting perform when he was 15 and became friends with musicians of Slade and Thin Lizzy. He’d meet Chuck Berry, but things didn’t go well. He writes, “Never meet your heroes.”
Johnson, who would later create the immortal words “Forget the hearse/’cause I’ll never die,” made his stage debut in the delectably named The Toasty Folk Trio, survived a tragic car accident, and eventually found fame with the band Geordie.
The band made it to “Top of the Pops,” which was a huge accomplishment for any new band. He gave up a nice career at his engineering firm, but Geordie only had one Top 10 hit and quickly faded away.
“I’d lost everything at the age of 28.” “Marriage, profession, and home,” he writes. He moved home with his parents and remembered seeing AC/DC on BBC. “I enjoyed every minute of it.” But it was also a reminder that I’d had my chance and wasted it.”
Johnson rebuilt his life, first as a windscreen fitter and then as a vehicle roof repairer, and formed Georgie II. He was overjoyed. He had a small business and a small band. “I believed it was my second Cinderella story,” he adds, “but there was more to come.”
The book explains where his signature headgear came from: He once rushed to a show without changing, sweating glue and glass shards into his eyes. His brother, Maurice, loaned him his cloth driving cap for protection, which the spectators appreciated.
Even still, a part of Johnson remained unfulfilled. A chance meeting with vocalist Roger Daltrey proved decisive. The Who’s leader welcomed Johnson, living with his band in a flat with only four beds on the floor, to his manor house for lunch.
On that day, Johnson recalls Daltrey approaching him bare-chested and barefoot, gripping onto the mane of his galloping white horse (“If this isn’t a rock star, I don’t know what is,” he writes.)
“‘I’m going to give you one bit of advice, Brian,’ he said. Never, ever quit. Do you get what I’m saying? Never, ever, ever lose up.’ “And I took that to heart,” Johnson said. “He probably forgot he said that, but I don’t.”
Bon Scott, AC/original DC’s lead singer, died in 1980, and Johnson was given an audition to replace him based on recommendations, including one from Scott himself, who had heard him perform one night. Johnson didn’t realize they’d met until years later.
Malcolm Young, co-founder and rhythm guitarist, offered Johnson a Newcastle Brown Ale during the audition, a charming tribute to Johnson’s ancestry. Johnson’s first song with the band at the audition was Tina Turner’s “Nutbush City Limits.” (“It was the most electrifying experience of my life,” he writes.) They then performed some AC/DC songs. Of course, he got the job.
Rowland White, the author of “Into the Black,” Johnson’s editor, said the shape of Johnson’s story is “exceptional because it doesn’t normally happen like that.”
“He was content that he’d given it a shot and made peace with it.” And it makes the shot at AC/DC feel more pleasant since it’s no longer something he’s strained for.”
The book concludes just as Johnson fulfills his lifelong dream. If fans want to know more about AC/beginnings, DC, he says, that’s not his narrative to tell – that’s for surviving members guitarist Angus Young, bassist Cliff Williams, and drummer Phil Rudd.
“That book belongs to the people who were there from the beginning,” he continued, “because that’s what I want to hear.”
Johnson is a natural storyteller, and his manager was the one who recommended a memoir. Johnson fought back. “Every week, some aging actor or musician publishes a book.” ‘No, not another one,’ I’ve always said.
Johnson, though, was urged to write a few chapters and sat down with a yellow legal pad. He wrote a book a few years later, which he dedicated to his great-great-great grandkids.
Why? On the way to his grandfather’s funeral, he asked his father about him. His father described him as “just a dude.” Then he inquired about his father’s grandfather, whose response was, “How the hell would I know?”
“I thought to myself, ‘What a shame, what a pity,'” Johnson added. “A few generations later, no one knows anyone.” As a result, I composed it for my grandchildren. I hope this book’s writings will help you get to know me a little better. And I hope you have a little piece of me in you and that you have a long and happy life.”
(VOR News) – The “Merc with a Mouth” will return to the big screen in Deadpool & Wolverine this weekend, and his contribution to Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe extends beyond his R rating.
“Deadpool & Wolverine,” the third standalone feature film featuring Ryan Reynolds as the regenerative reprobate, is expected to gross between $160 million and $180 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office.
The movie has already surpassed the greatest number of ticket pre-sales in 2024, according to data provided by Fandango. It is anticipated that it will break numerous records during its opening weekend.
Most noteworthy among these accomplishments is the most successful premiere for an R-rated film in history, as well as the largest domestic opening of 2024.
Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” has achieved the highest opening of the year with a total of $154.2 million, as per the data provided by Comscore.
Additionally, the first “Deadpool” film has achieved the highest début for any R-rated feature film with a total of $132.4 million.
Mike Bowers, the president and CEO of Harkins Theatres, a theatre corporation located in Arizona, stated, “I am confident that this will be the largest R-rated film to ever be released if it is released.” Furthermore, it is already one of the most successful presale films in the annals of our company.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” was initially rated R because of its trailer.
It is also the 34th Deadpool & Wolverine film to be released under the Marvel Cinematic Universe banner. The two Deadpool films that preceded it, both of which were rated R, were produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox.
The reintroduction of the X-Men and Fantastic Four into the broader Marvel catalogue was the consequence of Disney’s acquisition of the corporation in 2019.
Similar to other Marvel Cinematic Universe films, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is benefiting from the enthusiasm of its audience.
Audiences are anxious to view the film during its opening weekend in order to prevent spoilers. Disney has maintained the confidentiality of the majority of the film’s content, and only a limited number of press screenings have been conducted prior to the film’s release.
Bowers anticipates that individuals will continue to return for additional viewings in the weeks following the film’s premiere.
He made the observation that “this is a film that there is so much happening, so many jokes and funny sequences that no one is going to be able to eat just one, you know, they’re going to be back.”
Ellis Jacob, the president and chief executive officer of Cineplex, the largest cinema theatre operator in Canada, echoed Bower’s viewpoint. Jacob asserted that “Deadpool & Wolverine” is replete with Easter eggs and that viewers will revisit the film to attempt to locate them all.
Furthermore, he stated that a substantial number of moviegoers are purchasing tickets for premium screenings, such as IMAX, Dolby, and ScreenX, which are more expensive.
Additionally, Marvel has collaborated with movie theatres to grant licenses for items such as collector popcorn tubs and drink containers, which the theatre operators anticipate will be in high demand.
Historically, concessions have been the most profitable revenue source for movie theatres, and the presence of limited-edition products can result in even greater sales of food and beverages.
” Deadpool & Wolverine” is an essential Marvel release.
Shawn Robbins, Deadpool & Wolverine the inventor and owner of Box Office Theory, announced that Disney had “slowed down the pace” and had scheduled fewer films in the series that has dominated the global box office for over a decade. Box Office Theory is also associated with Robbins.
He stated that Disney is making an effort to correct the course after a series of theatrical errors and poor box office performance, as well as a flood of streaming content that overwhelmed even the most devoted fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Robbins pointed out that “in the end, despite the fact that this is a Marvel movie, it may be viewed equally as a midsummer action comedy that stars personalities and brands that are loved by both die-hard fans and casual viewers.”
The fact that Reynolds and Jackman have both made a name for themselves in Deadpool & Wolverine popular culture and have maintained a cordial relationship through interviews and social media makes them an ideal pairing.
Likewise, there is genuine curiosity regarding the first R-rated film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and whether it will retain the qualities that made the first two Deadpool films and [Jackman’s 2017 Wolverine film] Logan so successful.
SOURCE: CNBC
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Turner Sports hopes to continue its long-standing relationship with the NBA.
On Monday, Warner Bros. Discovery informed the league that it will match Amazon Prime Video’s $1.8 billion annual bid. Turner has had an NBA package since 1984, and games have been broadcast on TNT since the network started in 1988.
“We studied the offers and accepted one of them. This will allow fans to continue to experience our unequaled coverage, including the greatest live game productions in the business and our legendary studio shows and talent, as we build on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years,” WBD stated. “We submitted our matching paperwork to the league today.” We are looking forward to the NBA completing our new contract.”
Warner Bros. Discovery Informs NBA It Will Match Amazon Prime Video’s Offer To Carry Games
The NBA Board of Governors approved the league’s 11-year media rights deals with Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video on Tuesday at its meeting in Las Vegas. WBD received all three contracts on Wednesday, beginning the five-day clock for deciding whether to match.
The new deals, for $76 billion, will begin with the 2025-26 season and entail a game being shown or streamed nationally every night during the second half of the season.
The Prime Video package would have offered games on Thursday night after it finished carrying NFL games. The other nights were Friday and Saturday.
TNT would air games on Thursday, with the other nights being streamed on Max.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav warned at an RBC Investor Conference in November 2022 that Turner and WBD “don’t have to have the NBA.”
Warner Bros. Discovery and the league could not negotiate an agreement during their exclusive bargaining period, which ended in April. Zaslav and TNT Sports Chairman/CEO Luis Silberwasser have recently announced that they intend to match one of the agreements.
“During our four-decade collaboration with the NBA, we have consistently provided exceptional coverage for basketball fans. WBD stated that they behaved in good faith to offer strong proposals that were fair to both parties throughout exclusive and non-exclusive negotiations to maintain their long-standing collaboration. “Regrettably, the league notified us of its intention to accept other offers for the games in our current rights package, leaving us to proceed under the matching rights provision, which is an integral part of our current agreement and the rights we have paid for under it.”
NBC and WBD would alternate broadcasting one of the conference finals series. ESPN and ABC will continue to broadcast the league’s top package and will host conference finals and the NBA Finals each year.
According to people familiar with the negotiations, Amazon’s offer contained a mechanism for paying many years in advance into an escrow account, which many thought would be difficult to match. However, WBD has informed the league that it has the financial resources to do so.
“The Ringer’s” Bill Simmons originally mentioned the Amazon provision on “The Town” podcast.
People talked to the AP anonymously because they were not at liberty to discuss such serious topics.
Warner Bros. Discovery Informs NBA It Will Match Amazon Prime Video’s Offer To Carry Games
WBD pays $1.4 billion per season under the existing nine-year contract, which expires after next season.
WBD is making a large financial investment, but it is necessary. Without the NBA, it would have struggled to charge its present subscriber fees to cable and satellite companies.
Retaining the NBA would also ensure that the popular “Inside the NBA” show will continue. Charles Barkley was dismissive of WBD’s negotiation position and did not believe it would match. Barkley revealed at the end of this season that he planned to retire following the next season.
SOURCE – (AP)
Celebrity
American Who Made Social Media Threats Against Taylor Swift Detained Ahead Of German Concert
BERLIN — An American man who made threats against Taylor Swift on social media was seized before her first concert in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, and will be held in custody until her gigs there end, authorities said Thursday.
swift | AP news Image
American Who Made Social Media Threats Against Taylor Swift Detained Ahead Of German Concert
According to police, the accused stalker, a 34-year-old whose name has not been disclosed, had a ticket to Taylor’s concert at Gelsenkirchen’s Veltins-Arena on Wednesday. They stated that he was detained at event admission checks because an early assessment could not completely rule out a risk.
According to police, the man threatened Taylor and her partner on social media. They say he was detained after receiving tips from the event’s organizers.
The American superstar will perform in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as part of her Eras tour. According to authorities, a local court has ordered that the suspected stalker be detained until Saturday.
They went on to say that Swift and the audience were always safe. The event drew approximately 60,000 people on Wednesday evening and went off without incident.
American Who Made Social Media Threats Against Taylor Swift Detained Ahead Of German Concert
Before the concerts, Gelsenkirchen temporarily renamed the town “Swiftkirchen” and honored the singer on a “Walk of Fame” dedicated to local luminaries.
Taylor has plans to perform in two more German cities after Gelsenkirchen: Hamburg and Munich.
SOURCE | AP
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