Pheasant Hunting With Tom Brokaw

Even at his busiest sitting at the anchor’s desk of NBC News for more than 20 years—longer than Walter Cronkite at CBS—Tom Brokaw managed annual pilgrimages to South Dakota to remind his Labs why he was feeding them in his Manhattan studio the other 11 months a year. The state draws him back most autumns for what he describes as a religious holiday in these parts, a pastime most who grew up here celebrate come October. Welcome to pheasant hunting central, a bird and a state whose brands have become synonymous.

Much of South Dakota is a pheasant pasture owing to an ideal mix of grasslands, food crops and shelter belts that sustain and protect the birds throughout the state’s seasonal weather extremes. There are, however, a handful of places where the bird transcends the wingshooting lifestyle. One such destination is the 5,000-acre Paul Nelson Farm, an understated phone book name for a retreat that was created on a passion for pheasant hunting. This isn’t one of those quaint lodges for six or eight guns at time, but rather is closer to the Taj Mahal of featherdom.

Throughout the expansive, two-story campus, there are cigar lounges, private bars, poker tables and giant television screens that make the place one enormous and opulent man cave. Everywhere you look there are reminders of the birds—mounts, paintings and photographs—along with all manner of South Dakota artifacts from bison skulls to ancient native tools. A nearby jet strip makes it easy for the corporate set to arrive, do deals while toting a shotgun through thousands of acres of idyllic pheasant cover and return easily to their home ports. During the Bush-Cheney years, the Vice President was a frequent visitor, famously shutting down the air space around the capital of Pierre as Air Force Two arrived for the pheasant opener, the unofficial New Year on the Dakota calendar.

Victoria Beckham Dubbed ‘Pampered Prima Donna Millionairess’ After Furloughing Staff

Victoria Beckham has come under fire for furloughing 30 staff members at her eponymous fashion label, despite an estimated £335 million ($416 million) fortune.

Her employees were sent letters explaining that they will be paid 80% of their salaries (up to £2,500 a month, as per the Retention Scheme’s limits) for the foreseeable future, and a spokesman for Mrs Beckham confirmed the furloughed will last for two months “so far”.

The former Spice Girl, whose handbag collection is thought to be worth £1.5 million alone, could therefore claim up to £75,000 of taxpayer money per month.

Broadcaster and professional agitator Piers Morgan shared the news with the country on Good Morning Britain earlier today, calling Beckham a “pampered prima donna millionairess” who shouldn’t be using taxpayer money to bail-out a “failing vanity project”.

In response, culture secretary Oliver Dowden said businesses should only rely on the government’s bailout scheme if they have to: “I think each person and each company should ask themselves: do they have to rely on the taxpayer?”

Critics have taken to social media to slam Beckham for taking advantage of the scheme, rather than using her own wealth, considering she and her ex-football husband David reportedly spent £17 million to buy a penthouse in Miami just two weeks ago.

The couple’s astounding property portfolio includes a £25 million mansion in Holland Park (London) and a £6 million converted barn in the Cotswolds (just south of London) where her family has been living throughout the lockdown.

Personal finance aside, her company hasn’t actually made a profit since it launched in 2008 and suffered losses of £12.3 million in 2018, a year after David had to help Victoria out of a £10.3 million hole.

She is, of course, not the only millionaire to furlough employees either. On a grander scale, billionaire Richard Branson has asked the British government for a £500 million bailout today, though he hasn’t paid tax in the country for fourteen years.

Other companies, like EasyJet, have also appealed for taxpayer support despite handing shareholders £174 million in dividends.

And that’s just a few needles in the haystack.

When the Government's coronavirus furlough scheme website launched for applications this morning, it received 67,000 claims in the first 30 minutes.  selskabskjoler

How Two Of Fashion's Biggest Designers Are Redefining Creativity

In an unexpected move for the fashion industry, it was announced that Raf Simons will join Prada as co-creative director alongside Miuccia Prada, who has helmed the brand since inheriting the company from her grandfather in 1977. Starting on April 1st, both esteemed designers will share the creative responsibilities of the Italian fashion house equally. Announced earlier this week at a press conference in Milan, the partnership is making headlines and marking Simons' first big move since abruptly leaving his position as creative director of Calvin Klein in 2018. Worth an estimated $11.4B, Prada runs the handbag and fashion empire with her co-CEO and husband, Patrizio Bertelli.

As one of the industry's most revered creative talents, Simons is well known for designing menswear at Jil Sander (which is owned by the Prada Group), and earning the label its critical and commercial success over a tenure that lasted 7 years. "I'm extremely happy to start this new phase, it's certainly going to be extremely exciting,” Prada said at the press conference. As for how long the contract will last, the partnership between the two creatives is as personal as it is professional. "The contract is forever, there is no end date to the contract,” Prada added.

What stands out most about the decision, however, is the designers's comments about signaling a return to emphasizing creativity in an industry where the focus has shifted to other facets of the game. Simons elaborated, saying " We have to look at creativity... how can that evolve? At this moment, lots of creatives feel troubled, feel the fashion industry is [becoming] an industry where it might move to excluding creatives... We do believe that collaborating could reposition that aspect of the business.” Signaling a huge cultural shift in the luxury fashion industry, the collaboration marks a brand new era.

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Drunk Driving Poll Shows Mixed Results

The death toll from alcohol-impaired driving in the United States dropped for the second year in a row, from 10,996 fatalities in 2016 to 10,908 in 2017 and 10,511 in 2018. That translates into hundreds of lives saved in the past two years.

And there is more good news: there has been an increase in the number of drivers who said that they relied on safe rides as an alternative strategy to avoid getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.

Those are a few highlights from a new survey released on Friday, developed and conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation USA (TIRF USA), in partnership with Traffic Injury Research Foundation in Canada.

"The number of drivers indicating they had been a designated driver, used a designated driver, used a taxi or public transportation or ride sharing rose from 177 million drivers in 2017 to 187 million in 2019," Carl Wicklund, senior adviser for TIRF USA, said in a statement. "Understanding who is at risk for alcohol-impaired driving, and the conditions leading to this behavior, is important to ensure people have access to safe rides."

However, the survey results also showed that the percentage of respondents who reported driving when they thought they were over the legal limit in the last 12 months significantly increased from 11.6% in 2018 to 20% in 2019, the highest prevalence reported during the past five years of data collection, according to the nonprofit road safety groups. In addition, the percentage of respondents who reported driving impaired often or very often was also the highest reported during the past five years, with a significant increase from 3.4% in 2018 to 11.1% in 2019.

"While more data are needed to monitor trends, the significant increase in self-reported alcohol-impaired driving is a concern," Ward Vanlaar, the chief operating officer of TIRF Canada, said in a statement. "It is an early warning that the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2019 may increase without continued and increased efforts."

Global Fashion Collective Shines At Paris Fashion Week

I met with Sandeep Dalal at The Spur to talk about his new business venture called Choltry, a company helping women of all income levels to uplevel their wardrobe. Sandeep is creating a compassionate lane in the $117B fashion sector.

If you’re a woman looking to dress to impress at work without spending beyond your means, Sandeep has you covered.  His platform, Choltry is an online retail service that rents premium office wear at $9.95 per week, including free shipping and dry cleaning. (Yes, you read that correctly!) For less than $10 a week women now have the opportunity to revamp their professional wardrobe in a way that’s sustainable and fashionable.

Sandeep grew up in New Delhi where he received his MBA and began working in IT.  He then moved to Seattle where his idea for Choltry was sparked after watching his wife organize her closet where he observed many designer dresses and finding out that she purchased them early in her career as an intern when she was receiving a paycheck that did not support her wardrobe needs. Sandeep got to work solving the problem of how to provide great clothes for professional women who have a limited budget and often, little time for shopping.

Choltry which means a place to rest is empowering women to look and feel their best without having to leave the comfort of their own home. Offering over 25 styles, the site eases the stress of the working woman at a price point that would cost less than the weekly dry cleaning bill.

So how on earth is Sandeep able to offer premium and such well-made dresses at such a low price? At Compassionate Leaders Circle, Sandeep is what we would call a "launcher," meaning that his purpose and vision is launching or growing an enterprise. Building the right partnerships has been crucial to his success and the "secret sauce" for how he keeps his shockingly low price point. "It all comes down to team".

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Why The Fashion Industry Needs To Turn On To Hemp

On the surface, the fashion industry had a good year in 2018, with Americans spending $391.5 billion on clothing and footwear. That was a 4% increase year-over-year and the highest level of growth since 2011 when spending increased 5.1%, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis NIPA table 2.3.5.

But digging into the data further, Americans have steadily decreased their share of disposable income on clothing and footwear, sliding from 3.8% in 2007 to 3.0% in 2019, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. Even more alarming though is at the turn of the century fashion's share of Americans' spending was 4.9%.

In simple terms, American consumers are losing their interest in what fashion brands have on offer. Otherwise they'd be devoting a greater share of their wallets to updating their wardrobes. The fashion industry needs some radical new ideas to get back on American's shopping lists.

Hemp may be one of those radical new ideas. Hemp would give fashion brands a new story to tell their customers, one that is first and foremost sustainable and good for the planet.

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Fashion Designer Edeline Lee Discusses Her Namesake Brand, And Playing Fashions Long Game

Edeline Lee is the Canadian-born, British designer behind her eponymous brand which she launched in 2013. Exuding intelligent, modern femininity, her line is loved by the stylish, from Alicia Vikander, Karen Elson, and Taylor Swift to Livia Firth and Solange Knowles.

And she has just launched her Spring/Summer 2020 collection this month, which was all about performance. For the script, the designer partnered with the award-winning actor, writer, and producer, Sharon Horgan. The performance itself lasted 15 minutes (it was on repeat), featuring both models and actors donning the joyous, playful and vibrant collection. Fresh from her London Fashion Week catwalk show, Lee discusses her brand and what we can expect next.

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How Can A Fashion Brand Create Social And Environmental Impact

I recently spoke at the Social Enterprise Conference in Birmingham. One of the positive messages that were highlighted at this tw0-day event is the rise in socially aware brands that are creating change through sustainable and ethical practices. The recent Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2019 update report highlighted that 75 percent of consumers believed sustainability was either ‘extremely’ or ‘very important’ to them. Over 33 percent of shoppers revealed they switched brands to support those that back environmental change. 50 percent of consumers reported their intention to switch brands in favor of those embracing eco-friendly practices. People are questioning how things are produced and how they affect the world's ecosystem. Fashion is still one of the most polluting sectors in the world and so sustainable fashion is not a trend to highjack but a practice that should be at the foundation of any brand.

At the moment, the footwear industry doesn’t have a great reputation when it comes to being ethical or sustainable. Here are just a few statistics that highlight the scale of the problem:

* Less than 5 percent of waste from post-consumer shoes is recycled.

* Just 2 percent of the final price of a shoe goes to the workers who made it.

* 85 percent of the world’s leather is tanned using chromium, which is considered to be the fourth worst pollutant in the world.

Modern footwear is surprisingly damaging in various ways. As the pace of fashion has quickened people have begun buying more shoes and throwing them away more easily. Traditional shoe-crafting has given way to mass-production, eating up resources and sending an average of three pairs of shoes per person to the landfill every year. The quest for cheaper and faster production has also encouraged the exploitation of vulnerable workers through long hours, low pay and dangerous working conditions.

How can one address this?

One of the ways that the practices in the footwear industry are being addressed is through an increasing focus on vegan shoes. The vegan trend has quadrupled in the five years between 2012 and 2017.  It now gets almost three times more interest than vegetarian and gluten-free searches in Google. If the world went vegan, it could save 8 million human lives by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds and lead to healthcare-related savings and avoid climate damages of $1.5 trillion. In 2018, the UK launched more vegan products than any other nation. Over half (56 percent) of British people adopted vegan-buying behaviors and checking if their toiletries are cruelty-free, as per the research carried out by Opinion Matters for The Vegan Society between 14 and 16 July 2017 involving a sample of 2,011 UK adults.

The sociology of country music lyrics

With its lilting banjo, cowboy theme and lyrics like "Ridin' on a tractor" and "Wrangler on my booty", not to mention an extremely catchy refrain, Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" should be a country-music hit. Yet it was kicked off the Billboard country-music chart for not embracing "enough elements of today's country music". Billboard later told Rolling Stone magazine that its decision to take the song off the chart "had nothing to do with the race of the artist". Lil Nas X, the 20-year-old African-American who blended hip-hop, rock and country in his earworm of a song, does not look like the typical country star. Those tend to be white, and most are male.

One of country music's greatest strengths is its ability to celebrate working folk in America. But that has also "been its greatest liability", says Charles Hughes, a historian and author of "Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South". A recent paper in Rural Sociology, an academic journal, examined how men talk about themselves in mainstream country music. Its author, Braden Leap of Mississippi State University, analysed the lyrics of the top songs on the weekly Billboard country-music charts from the 1980s until the 2010s and found that the near-routine depiction of men as breadwinners and stand-up guys has changed.

Over the past decade, more songs objectify women and are about hooking up. Mr Leap's examination of lyrics also found that masculinity and whiteness had become more closely linked. References to blue eyes and blond hair, for example, were almost completely absent in the 1980s. In the 2000s, they featured in 15% of the chart-topping songs.

Country radio is the genre's powerful gatekeeper. Country stations have not played Lil Nas X much until recently. Nor are they playing as many women as before. Jada Watson, of the University of Ottawa, recently found that in 2000 a third of country songs on country radio were sung by women. In 2018 the share was only 11%. Even the top female stars get fewer spins. Carrie Underwood had 3m plays between 2000 and 2018; Kenny Chesney received twice as many. A report from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that 16% of all artists were female across 500 of the top country songs from 2014 to 2018.

A few black artists, such as Charley Pride, Darius Rucker and Kane Brown, have been successful. Some popular white artists have rapped on country ditties. Yet a young black man using similar imagery and sounds to those that dominate country radio stations gets little play. Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" remix, which features Billy Ray Cyrus of "Achy Breaky Heart" fame, has topped Billboard's Hot 100 for eight weeks. Mr Hughes, the historian, says the fact that Lil Nas X "has had to force his way in is a real commentary on country music's long-term racial politics, which has always had a very uneasy relationship with blackness."

How music listening effects the climate

In 1977 consumers were willing to pay roughly 4,83 percent of their average weekly salary for a vinyl album. In 2013, this number is down to roughly 1.22 percent of the equivalent salary for a digital album in 2013.

"Consumers now have unlimited access to almost all recorded music ever released via platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube, Pandora and Amazon," Devine says.

While his colleague in Glasgow has concentrated on studying the economic costs, Devine has looked into the environmental cost of music consumption from the 1970s to today.

As downloading and streaming took over the music industry, the amount of plastics used by the US recording industry dropped dramatically.

"Intuitively you might think that less physical product means far lower carbon emissions. Unfortunately, this is not the case," Devine says.

Storing and processing music in the cloud depends on vast data centers that use a tremendous amount of resources and energy.


Devine has translated plastic productions and the electricity use to store and transmit digital audio files into greenhouse gas equivalents (GHGs). He has then compared the GHGs from recorded music in the US in 1977, 1988, 2000 and 2016.

The findings are clear. The GHGs caused by recorded music are much higher today than in the past. In 1977 the GHGs from, recorded music were 140 million kg.

By 2016, they were estimated to somewhere between 200 million kg and over 350 million kg.

"I am a bit surprised. The hidden environmental cost of music consumption is enormous," he says.

Feb 25, 2019, 06:53pm Troubling Trends Towards Artificial Intelligence Governance

This is an age of artificial intelligence (AI) driven automation and autonomous machines. The increasing ubiquity and rapidly expanding potential of self-improving, self-replicating, autonomous intelligent machines has spurred a massive automation driven transformation of human ecosystems in cyberspace, geospace and space (CGS). As seen across nations, there is already a growing trend towards increasingly entrusting complex decision processes to these rapidly evolving AI systems. From granting parole to diagnosing diseases, college admissions to job interviews, managing trades to granting credits, autonomous vehicles to autonomous weapons, the rapidly evolving AI systems are increasingly being adopted by individuals and entities across nations: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA).

Individually and collectively, the promise and perils of these evolving AI systems are raising serious concerns for the accuracy, fairness, transparency, trust, ethics, privacy and security of the future of humanity -- prompting calls for regulation of artificial intelligence design, development and deployment.

While the fear of any disruptive technology, technological transformation, and its associated changes giving rise to calls for the governments to regulate new technologies in a responsible manner are nothing new, regulating a technology like artificial intelligence is an entirely different kind of challenge. This is because while AI can be transparent, transformative, democratized,  and easily distributed, it also touches every sector of global economy and can even put the security of the entire future of humanity at risk. There is no doubt that artificial intelligence has the potential to be misused or that it can behave in unpredictable and harmful ways towards humanity—so much so that entire human civilization could be at risk.


While there has been some -- much-needed -- focus on the role of ethics, privacy and morals in this debate, security, which is equally significant, is often completely ignored. That brings us to an important question: Are ethics and privacy guidelines enough to regulate AI? We need to not only make AI transparent, accountable and fair, but we need to also create a focus on its security risks.

2019 Brit award nominations topped by Anne-Marie and Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa has become the most-nominated artist at the Brit awards for a second year in a row, underlining her status as one of the UK's biggest pop stars this decade.

After being nominated for five awards in 2018 and winning two, for British female and British breakthrough artist, the British-Kosovan singer is nominated four times in 2019 – though admittedly just for two hit songs. IDGAF, taken from her self-titled debut album last year but still eligible for this year's awards, was nominated for British single and British video, with One Kiss, her summer smash hit with Scottish producer Calvin Harris, also nominated in the same categories.

Like Lipa, whose breakthrough came after a few years of fitful popularity, Essex-born Anne-Marie began guesting on dance tracks back in 2013, but she has steadily developed into a chart-dominating solo star. She sang the 2016 Christmas No 1, Rockabye, produced by Clean Bandit (the pop group who are nominated twice this year for their song Solo) and earned her first Brit nomination in 2017, for British breakthrough. Other major collaborative hits followed, including Friends with US EDM producer Marshmello, and she was nominated for her second Brit in 2018 for her song Ciao Adios. Her album Speak Your Mind became 2018's biggest-selling debut in the UK (though only the 26th highest seller overall).

George Ezra, whose album Staying at Tamara's was the second-biggest selling of 2018 after The Greatest Showman soundtrack, has three nominations, for British album, British male, and British single for Shotgun, which spent 12 weeks in the Top Three over the summer. As the only artist with one of the ten biggest-selling albums of the year in the male and album categories, his sheer success and cross-generational appeal means he will be a strong favourite to win both.

Also with three nominations is versatile neo-soul singer Jorja Smith, who won the Critics' Choice award in 2018, as voted for by a panel of industry experts – this year's winner has already been announced as Tyneside singer-songwriter Sam Fender. Smith's debut album Lost & Found is nominated for the British album award, and she also picks up nominations for British female and British breakthrough.

Guitar-pop group the 1975 scored two prominent nominations, for British group and British album, though Arctic Monkeys were snubbed in the latter category and only scored one nomination.

A strong year for north American music, particularly rap, meant that only two of the 15 international category nominees were not from the US or Canada: First Aid Kit and Christine and the Queens. Rap superstars including Drake, Eminem, Travis Scott and Cardi B were all nominated – as was Jay-Z with wife Beyoncé in the group category – but there was also room for cosmic jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington.

Seven ways to get shiny, healthy hair

Get enough protein

As your hair is made of keratin, a protein, not getting enough protein in your diet can lead to dry, brittle strands, says the nutritionist Jo Lewin. She recommends adding chicken, turkey, fish, dairy products and eggs into your diet. Good sources for vegetarians and vegans are legumes, nuts, tofu and quinoa. Complex carbohydrates and iron are also important.

Brush hair gently

The trichologist Anabel Kingsley notes that diet, although important, will only strengthen newly forming strands, not hair that has already grown. She says using the wrong brush is one of the most common causes of breakage, and advises using a brush with plastic, rounded prongs. Brushing hair from the ends and gently working your way to the top of the head also helps avoid snapping strands.

Air dry your hair when possible

Hairdryers and heated styling tools can leave hair brittle and lacking in shine. "Heat can, in a sense, cook the hair," says the dermatologist Dr Zoe Draelos. "Think of it like a piece of steak – it starts out nice and soft and flexible, but when you cook it, the steak changes texture and becomes hard. Similarly, hair transforms when exposed to heat over time." She recommends allowing hair to air dry when possible, and if using a hairdryer, to use a protective spray or serum and to start off on the lowest setting before gradually increasing the heat.

Exfoliate your scalp

Cold weather can exacerbate dandruff. Shampoos containing zinc pyrithione or salicylic acid are recommended to treat dandruff, or, for a cheaper option, try the Guardian beauty columnist Sali Hughes’s homemade recipe: pour sea salt flakes into shampoo and rub energetically into the scalp pre-shower.

Manage stress

Stress can cause hair loss, says Kingsley. Exercise, a healthy diet, meditation and prioritising sleep all help to de-stress body and mind.

Hydrate grey hair

Grey hair is often finer and more fragile, but can look coarser due to oil glands producing less sebum as we age. Matt Hawes, of Josh Wood Colour, advises using a hydrating and moisturising conditioner and oils such as argan and jojoba as part of a routine to soften hair and counteract dullness. Purple- and blue-toned products are also designed to brighten grey hair.

Have regular trims

It is essential to get rid of split ends before the damage travels upwards. Charlotte Mensah, multiple winner of the best Afro hairstylist at the British Hairdressing awards, recommends a trim every six to eight weeks. "Even though it is less obvious than with straight hair, Afro hair needs to be trimmed regularly to ensure you have better curl definition."

From Trio to Boygenius: in praise of all-women supergroups

There have been few all-women supergroups: by my count, 14 of note, spanning 60s R&B trio Honey Cone to Boygenius, the trio comprising burgeoning indie talents Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, who release their debut EP today. It is a comparatively rich era for such allegiances: Boygenius's existence is mirrored in country by Pistol Annies and in folk by I'm With Her. Even so, the "supergroup" designation can feel like a bad fit for bands comprising noted women musicians.

When their male counterparts unite, it's often in a show of strength that upholds tired rock norms: behold, wearily, the travesty of Hollywood Vampires (Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Joe Perry). Groups of famous men joining forces often feels like fantasy football – all-star names with no cohesion – whereas for women it's often more akin to sharing a single easel, creating a space for their talents to complement each other. The young members of Boygenius – named to mock how easily male musicians are lauded as prodigies – found solace in one another as their careers rose in parallel and they encountered the same issues. Miranda Lambert started Pistol Annies to lift up two struggling songwriter friends; I'm With Her have remarked on the creative possibilities that exist when they're not relegated to singing high parts with men.

Another reason is that the scourge of jam-band culture lends itself to these male formations. The handful of noteworthy women supergroups stem from collaboration-oriented genres. The most famous example is Pistol Annies'predecessors Trio, the Grammy award-winning group of Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris that formed in the mid 70s; country music is rooted in the idea of the songwriters'circle. Riot grrrl was rooted in Olympia, Washington State, and produced a not-insignificant number of super-unions. Many of them included Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein and Mary Timony of Helium and Autoclave: they followed 90s duo the Spells with 2010 four-piece Wild Flag, and Timony later formed Ex Hex with some fellow punk lifers.

Radiohead, Stevie Nicks and the Cure among 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has revealed the list of nominees for induction into its 2019 cohort. Def Leppard, Devo, Janet Jackson, John Prine, Kraftwerk, LL Cool J, MC5, Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Roxy Music, Stevie Nicks, the Cure, Todd Rundgren, Rufus and Chaka Khan and the Zombies are all in consideration for the historic honour.

Artists become eligible for selection 25 years after the release of their first record. An international voting committee of more than 1,000 artists, historians and members of the music industry will select five or six of these acts for induction into the Hall of Fame. Fans are also eligible to vote: the top five artists selected by the public will be tallied along with the committee’s votes.

Radiohead were among 2018’s potential inductees, but declined to attend the ceremony. The band’s guitarist, Ed O’Brien, said at the time: "As a British band, it’s one of those things that it’s very lovely to be nominated, but we don’t quite culturally understand it. It’s a very American thing. Us Brits are very bad at celebrating ourselves."

It is likely to be welcome news to Def Leppard. In 2017, guitarist Phil Collen said it was "pathetic" that the English heavy metal band had yet to be nominated for the award. "We’re a rock band that sold 100 million albums, most of them, actually, in America," Collen told Blabbermouth. "We’re a real rock band, we’ve been together for 30, or nearly 40 years, and the fact that that’s not recognised is kind of a bit weird."

LL Cool J was also nominated for the 2018 list. If the New York rapper is selected for the 2019 group, he will be the seventh hip-hop act to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, following Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, NWA and Tupac Shakur.

If Stevie Nicks makes the 2019 class, it will mark her second induction to the Hall of Fame. She is a member of Fleetwood Mac, who were inducted in 1998. She would become the first woman to be inducted more than once. As of 2017, 22 male performers had been inducted twice or more, with Eric Clapton receiving three inductions – as a solo artist, with Cream and with the Yardbirds.

Pop singer Børns accused of sexual misconduct

The US alt-pop singer Børns has been accused of sexual misconduct by a series of women.

The 26-year-old, whose real name is Garrett Clark Borns, is signed to Interscope and has released two albums, both of which reached the US Top 50. The second featured a guest spot from Lana Del Rey, who he has supported on tour. He describes the claims as "disturbing and false".

Four women have made allegations on Twitter. One former fan, Lyss, accuses him of "grooming" her for two years, including touching her inappropriately when she was 16 and requesting sexual images of her when she was 17. In an incident when she was 18, she says "he got me drunk, started touching me, and we went into his bedroom. The things he did were things I did not want, and it hurt. He was aggressive and controlling and I was so scared of him." She later added that she was not accusing him of rape or underage sex, and that the sexual contact was consensual.

Another woman, Mathilda, accuses him of exploitative and manipulative behaviour, saying he demanded nude photos and videos, and that their sexual contact, while consensual, made her "very uncomfortable".

A third woman, Nia, says she was "completely taken advantage of" by Borns while she was drunk, describing a sexual encounter that left her bleeding and another in which he refused to use protection. She also accuses him of inappropriately touching her in public.

An unnamed woman, whose messages were posted by the Twitter account "Exposing BØRNS", writes that the singer knew of her mental health issues and "took advantage of my being fragile … he goes after young, impressionable, unstable fans who he knows will do anything he wants them to including sending very explicit pictures and videos they're uncomfortable sending [because] they love him and don't want to lose his attention".

Borns has responded to the accusations in a statement on Instagram, saying: "I am both hurt and angered over the disturbing and false allegations over the past few days on social media. All of the relationships I have had were legal and consensual. They ended abruptly and that obviously caused hurt feelings, but for anyone to suggest anything beyond that is irresponsible."

What’s coming up in concerts and albums

Autumn is typically a wind-down time for the music business, with summer festivals and major album releases usually in the rear-view mirror. Speaking of things in the past, a survey of coming shows and anticipated albums reveals a slew of farewell tours, posthumous releases and even a “concert” starring a deceased singer.

But while we wave goodbye to two of the greatest pop songwriters of their generation (Paul Simon and Elton John, both on final tours) or listen to previously unreleased music from late icons Prince and Tom Petty, let’s loosen the black shawls a little. The coming music calendar includes the world premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s opera, a salute to Canada’s country music queen Shania Twain and highly anticipated books from a pair of acclaimed Indigenous musicians.


Paul Simon finishes off what he has announced to be his final tour with two shows at Madison Square Garden (Sept. 20 and 21) and a finale at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in his hometown of Queens, N.Y., on Sept. 22. Simon, 76, will release his latest album, In the Blue Light, on Sept. 7.

Fellow septuagenarian Elton John will don sequins and sunglasses for the last time for a Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour that hits Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City in late September.

Also quitting the road is Ozzy Osbourne (who plays Toronto’s Budweiser Stage on Sept. 4). Mind you, the Black Sabbath madman’s supposed farewell jaunt is called No More Tours 2, so don’t be surprised if he rises again.

Noticeably missing from the eclectic short list of 10 nominated albums for this year’s Polaris Prize are records by Neil Young, Gord Downie and the Grammy-winning Nova Scotia soprano Barbara Hannigan. Instead, those in contention for the $50,000 award are Alvvays, Jean-Michel Blais, Daniel Caesar, Jeremy Dutcher, Pierre Kwenders, Hubert Lenoir, Partner, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, U.S. Girls and Weaves. Despite the relative anonymity of some of the nominated artists, the gala ceremony (which happens in Toronto on Sept. 17) routinely features dynamite live performances by the musicians vying for the annual honour.


Kicking off the Canadian Country Music Association’s yearly award-giving bash will be a tribute to Shania Twain, the Grammy-decorated singer from Timmins, Ont. The salute, broadcast live from Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre (Sept. 9 on CBC), will feature Jess Moskaluke, Kira Isabella and Madeline Merlo.

Country music singer's uplifting new post-cancer album

 CATHERINE Britt has beaten breast cancer, but she didn't want her next album to focus on her health scare.

She says the roller coaster of diagnosis, treatment and remission over the past three years was crucial, though, to the outlook she now has on life.

The country music singer's seventh studio album Catherine Britt & The Cold Cold Hearts, out today, is steeped in positivity.

"You have to make a decision when you're going through something like that if you're going to be public or private about it, and that depends on the person's personality and your way of dealing with crisis," she says.

"I don't think anyone knows how they're going to act in that situation. My only real way to get through it was to work harder and keep busy. I did things during my treatment like the F U Cancer tour with the McGrath Foundation. It was my way of coping for sure.

"This new album is really not about that at all. It's got one song on there (I'm Not Ready) about almost dying and living life to the fullest, but I don't see it as a cancer song. I see it as a realisation to live life like everyday day is your last. I'm very blessed with that hindsight at 33. I feel very grateful in that way and I wanted to express that in the album.

"The rest of the record is such a positive record. It's all about travelling and our life for the past three years, and I'm really proud of that. I couldn't have written this record until after everything that happened."

There are a few love songs for her husband, James. The couple welcomed their son Hank into the world just two days after Catherine finished recording the album in her home studio, aptly named Beverley Hillbilly Studios.

"The next single is Met My Match. It's all about James, which he loves," she says.

"Every artist wants their own creative space but to record at that professional level is really cool. I was really lucky the label bought into the idea of doing the home studio thing instead of flying me to another part of the world and paying a big-time producer. After everything I've been through I want to be home."

Packing her family up in a camper van, Catherine is on the road in support of the album.

"We've officially rented our house out and are living in the caravan full time," she says.

"We're travelling with a six-month-old, but he's so good. We left when he was three weeks old, so he doesn't know any different. That's his life, which is pretty special."

She's looking forward to showcasing her long-time band members Michael Muchow and Andy Toombs, who make up The Cold Cold Hearts.

"These two guys are my best mates. They've been in my band for 20 years," she says.

"I've always wanted to do one of those 'artist and a band' projects like Ryan Adams & The Cardinals and Emmylou Harris & The Hot Band.

"When you're seven albums in you've got to do something different. I felt like it was finally time to give it a go and see where it goes. Maybe we can do a couple of records like this."

Enduring legacy of UWF music scholarship

The legacy of a longtime music enthusiast in Pensacola will benefit generations of University of West Florida (UWF) students.

A $166,000 gift will establish the Doris Jean Kahn Music Scholarship Endowment, supporting music students through an annual competition.

When Doris Jean Kahn arrived in Pensacola in 1946, she was already an experienced musician. She expressed her devotion to the art by joining the Pensacola Music Study Club and supporting the Pensacola Symphony and Pensacola Opera.

A special interest of hers was the Pensacola Music Study Club's scholarship competition for teens. The competition, hosted by the university, provides $1,000 scholarships to students between the ages of 14 and 19. The categories are strings, piano juniors, piano seniors, woodwind/brass and voice. Runners-up in each category receive an award of $200.

Dr. Sheila Dunn, chair of the UWF Department of Music, received one of those scholarships. "The Music Study Club's scholarship competition is near and dear to my heart," Dunn said. She won the Doris Jean Kahn scholarship in 1994 as a junior in high school and used the funding to attend Interlochen Summer Arts Camp. "Without question," she says, "that summer experience was the beginning of my journey toward becoming a professional musician. I am absolutely thrilled that the scholarship competition will live on to inspire future generations of young musicians."

The next scholarship competition will be held March 16th, 2019. It will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Pensacola Music Study Club.

Kahn's daughter, Dottie Kahn Galloway, said, "My mother enjoyed and studied music all her life. She would be so pleased to know her legacy continues through a scholarship endowment in her memory that encourages young music students in pursuit of excellence in performance."

UWF leaders say the endowment, given by the Robert H. Kahn, Jr. Family Foundation, will allow the competition and the scholarships to continue in perpetuity.

‘Kids in America’ singer returns to music because of UFOs

“Kids in America” singer Kim Wilde said an encounter with a UFO in 2009 was one of the reasons she decided to return to music and make a comeback.
                                                 

Wilde told the BBC after leaving the music business she got married and raised her children. However, two events pushed her to come back and give music a second chance.

Wilde claims she had an encounter with a UFO in 2009. She said she was sitting in the garden at her home with a glass of wine when she saw something.

“Then I looked up in the sky and saw this huge bright light behind a cloud. Brighter than the moon, but similar to the light from the moon,” she said.

“I said to my husband and my friend, ‘That’s really odd,’ so we walked down the grass and looked to see if there was any source. All of a sudden it moved, very quickly, from about 11 o’clock to 1 o’clock. Then it just did that, back and forth, for several minutes,” Wilde recalled.

“Whenever it moved, something shifted in the air — but it was silent. Absolutely silent.

The singer said she thinks about the moment every day and it gave her an idea for her new album, “Here Comes the Aliens.”

She sings on the album that maybe the aliens will “save us from the apocalypse.”

She said her career started to flatline in the 1990s when she became older and felt she could not keep up.

“I’d been in it since I was 20, then I was 36 and everyone, I felt, was doing it a lot better than I was. They had the ambition that I didn’t have anymore. When Madonna came along, I didn’t feel I could compete, so I said, ‘You know what? You’re best off being who you are, and that’s going to have to be enough,’” Wilde told the BBC. “Sometimes it was, and a lot of the time it wasn’t.”