Rick Campanelli has written the book that many who followed his career never saw coming. ‘Tempted,’ co-written with John Meyer, is the memoir from the beloved Canadian media personality known to millions as “Rick the Temp,” the Hamilton kid who won a nationwide contest to become a MuchMusic VJ and quickly became one of the most recognizable faces on Canadian television.
“Tempted” is set to be published on September 1.
Warm, affable and seemingly an open book for over three decades in the public eye, Campanelli is now revealing the full story, including the secret demons he battled behind the scenes that nearly destroyed his life. “People think they know me pretty well,” he writes, “but it’s time to shed light on a few deep dark secrets that will shock many.”
‘Tempted’ is framed as both a celebration and a cautionary tale, tracing the arc from his breakthrough at MuchMusic through the highs of a national public profile and into the private struggles that ran parallel to all of it. Campanelli describes it as “a story of accomplishments and living life to the fullest but not without mistakes along the way,” and promises a full accounting of his life, flaws and all.
Someone took “Get Lucky” and encoded it onto perforated sheets of cardboard to be played on a vintage Dutch street organ dating back to the 1920s, and the internet has been losing its mind over it ever since. The Mechanical Music Man’s rendition of the Daft Punk hit strips away the electronics and replaces them with the wheezing, mechanical charm of a century-old instrument, and the result is somehow both absurd and completely wonderful. The comments say it all: “nice to see older robots engaging with the music of newer robots” and “analogue MIDI track” are among the top responses, which feels about right for a video that makes you hear one of the most familiar songs of the past decade as if for the first time.
‘Normal’ arrives in theaters April 17, and directed by Ben Wheatley (Free Fire, High Rise), written by John Wick creator Derek Kolstad, with Nobody producer Marc Provissiero on board, the kinetic neo-Western stars Bob Odenkirk as Ulysses, an unassuming substitute sheriff with a troubled past who relocates to the quiet Midwestern town of Normal looking for a fresh start. A botched bank robbery changes everything, pulling him into something far darker than anything the town’s placid surface suggested. Lena Headey and Henry Winkler co-star, and the combination of Wheatley’s direction, Kolstad’s instinct for propulsive genre storytelling and Odenkirk’s proven action credibility makes this one of the more anticipated theatrical releases of the spring.
Djo took on HAIM’s “Gasoline” for triple j’s Like A Version, the beloved Australian radio segment where artists perform one of their own songs alongside a cover of something they love. Backed by a full band including Adam Thein on keys, Sam Jordan on guitar, Javi Reyes on guitar and keys, Trent Prall on bass, Wesley Toledo on drums, and Teddy Mathews on e-kit and percussion, the Chicago art-pop artist brings a warm, expansive reading to the HAIM track that feels entirely his own while honoring everything that made the original resonate.
Khruangbin’s full live KEXP session in the KEXP studio and hosted by Cheryl Waters, is now public and it is exactly the kind of performance that reminds you why the Houston trio has built one of the most devoted followings in modern psychedelic music. Laura Lee on bass and vocals, Mark Speer on guitar and vocals, Donald “DJ” Johnson on drums and vocals, and Will Van Horn on guitar, percussion and keys move through four tracks together with the unhurried, deeply locked-in groove that defines everything they do. The set features “Two Fish and an Elephant,” “August Twelve,” “Balls and Pins” and “White Gloves.”
Few live performances in pop history carry the weight of this one. Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey took the stage at the 1999 Academy Awards to perform “When You Believe,” the duet from the DreamWorks animated film ‘The Prince of Egypt,’ and the result is exactly what happens when two of the greatest voices of their generation share a microphone at the peak of their powers. The high-quality footage, now circulating widely on YouTube, serves as a vivid reminder of just how commanding both artists were in that moment, two voices pushing each other higher in front of one of the biggest audiences in television.
Ragana’s full live session for KEXP is now public, recorded December 12, 2025 in the KEXP studio and hosted by Tanner Ellison. The Bay Area experimental doom duo of Noel Gilson and Maria Stocke, each handling guitar, vocals and drums, perform three tracks: “Desolation’s Flower,” “Woe” and “Burning Structures.” Spare, intense and completely uncompromising, the session captures exactly what makes Ragana such a singular presence in heavy music, two people generating a sound and emotional weight that defies the size of the ensemble.
The most unexpected story on the latest episode of Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade is not about grunge, Saturday Night Live, or Pearl Jam. It is about Martin Short and a cigarette. Eddie Vedder stops by to reflect on the early Seattle scene, his 1991 SNL debut with Spade (including the rarely pulled-off feat of performing three songs in one night), and his new Netflix documentary ‘Matter of Time’ about epidermolysis bullosa, but the moment that has everyone talking is how Short somehow managed to do what years of conventional wisdom could not: convince Vedder to quit smoking for good. The episode is out now on the Fly on the Wall YouTube channel.
Cinema Stereo have released “So Sorry, My Dear,” their newest single and video, out now on all major streaming platforms. Pairing driving rhythms, soaring melodies and a timeless rock sensibility with modern urgency, the track showcases the Orlando-born, Nashville-based band at their most emotionally charged, drawing on a wide range of influences including Queen, The Police, Tame Impala, Aerosmith and The Killers. Alongside the digital release comes a limited edition 7-inch vinyl featuring an exclusive B-side, “Keep Me Down,” available only on the physical pressing and not available on any streaming platform, making it a genuine collector’s item for anyone who wants the full picture of where Cinema Stereo’s sound is heading.
The single arrives alongside the announcement of their debut European tour, kicking off October 15 in Verviers, Belgium and running through late November across Belgium, Germany, France, Spain and the Netherlands. It marks the first time the band has brought their high-energy live show overseas, a significant milestone for a band steadily carving out space as one of the most exciting new voices in modern rock.
Tour Dates:
October 15 | Verviers, Belgium | Spirit of 66
October 16 | Krefeld, Germany | Kulturrampe
October 17 | Bully-les-Mines, France | Bully On Rocks Festival
October 20 | Santander, Spain | Niagara
October 21 | Leon, Spain | Babylon
October 22 | A Coruña, Spain | Mardi Gras
October 23 | Ourense, Spain | Cafe Cultural
October 24 | Sevilla, Spain | Sala Even
October 25 | Jerez, Spain | La Guarida del Angel
October 27 | Orihuela, Spain | La Gramola
October 28 | Valencia, Spain | Loco Club
October 29 | Castellon, Spain | Sala Because
October 30 | Zaragoza, Spain | Rock ‘n Blues Cafe
October 31 | Valles, Spain | AMC Bocanegra
November 1 | Vitoria, Spain | Urban Rock Concept
November 3 | Barcelona, Spain | Razz 3
November 4 | Chambery, France | Brin de Zinc
November 5 | Eppstein, Germany | Wunderbar Weite Welt
November 6 | Regensburg, Germany | VAZ
November 7 | Lauchhammer, Germany | Real Music Club
November 10 | Frankfurt, Germany | Nachtleben
November 11 | Bremen, Germany | Meisenfrei
November 12 | Dortmund, Germany | Musiktheater Piano
November 14 | Heilbronn, Germany | Umma23
November 15 | Norderstedt, Germany | Music Star
November 18 | Hamburg, Germany | Cowboy un Indianer
Two consecutive UK Blues Awards wins and a debut album that grabs you by the throat, The Zac Schulze Gang are arriving at their November UK tour with serious momentum behind them. ‘Straight To It,’ released in September 2025, is exactly what the title promises from the Kent-based trio: blues-infused rock and roll that combines classic British R&B with punk energy, outstanding musicianship and the kind of raw, visceral kick that comes from years of relentless live work. Frontman and guitarist Zac Schulze brings precision, speed and passion to every track, riding the thunder generated by his drummer brother Ben Schulze and bassist Ant Greenwell. Together the three create a massive roar without ever losing sight of the song.
The album opens with the breathless hooks of “The Rocker,” sustains that energy through the blitzkrieg rush of “High Roller,” and balances its hard edge with the bright power-pop of “Angeline” and the soaring alt-rock anthem “Betterland.” The Gang’s sound draws on the live dynamic and touring work ethic of 70s icons Rory Gallagher and Dr Feelgood while incorporating elements of AC/DC and Thin Lizzy alongside contemporary influences like Turnstile, Royal Blood and Queens of the Stone Age. Zac Schulze won Emerging Artist of the Year at the UK Blues Awards 2024 and followed it with Young Artist of the Year in 2025, with sold-out shows in the Netherlands, Germany and London’s legendary 100 Club cementing their reputation as one of the most formidable live acts working in British rock right now.
