Free Republic

A new musical in New York City has ignited fierce backlash for reimagining Holocaust victim Anne Frank as a pansexual Latina hiding from the Nazi occupation with her neurodiverse family and a non-binary love interest. The production, titled Slam Frank, is a satirical play that exaggerates current cultural trends around inclusivity and identity politics, applying them to one of history's most tragic stories to critique how performative 'wokeness' can distort storytelling. The show began as a viral Instagram parody by Jewish composer Andrew Fox, who joked about creating a production to make 'Latinx girlies feel included in the Holocaust.' The...

My latest song. Use it in good health.

Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist for the rock band KISS, has died. He was 74.Frehley reportedly suffered a brain bleed when he fell in his studio a couple weeks ago, according to TMZ. The family said he died "peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey" Thursday. Frehley went to the hospital after a “minor” fall at the end of September and was advised by his doctor “against his wishes” to avoid travel, according to a post on his social media Sept. 25. It prompted him to cancel his performance set for the following day at the Antelope Valley...

Ozzy Osbourne and Madonna ended up singing on the same song in 1983 - but Madonna wouldn't release itIn an age when musicians regularly plunder their studio archives for material to pad out expanded versions of albums you already own, seemingly happy for the recordings they never wanted you to hear first time round to be used as musical ballast in "deluxe edition" versions of the same thing, it's rare to hear about unreleased material that demands to be heard. Don Was has just such a track. Back in 1983, when his band Was (Not Was) were recording their...

Arik Marshall, a former guitarist with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has launched a GoFundMe to prevent him from homelessness. Marshall, who also served as Macy Gray’s guitarist, was a member of the rock legends for a brief period between 1992 and 1993 during their tour in support of their mainstream breakthrough album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Guitarist John Frusciante departed the group for the first time partway through the tour, which led to Marshall filling in. However, he didn’t contribute to a studio album, and Dave Navarro took over following the conclusion of the tour. Now, a GoFundMe page...

KISS legend Ace Frehley has died at the age of 74 after suffering a devastating brain bleed that left him on life support. After being hospitalized and placed on a ventilator, the iconic musician passed away Thursday when his family made the difficult decision to turn off life support, per TMZ. The musician reportedly collapsed in his home studio a few weeks ago, hitting his head in a frightening fall that triggered the medical crisis, per the outlet. Since then, his condition worsened, forcing the rock icon to cancel all remaining tour dates. Sources close to Frehley said he had...

KISS founding member Ace Frehley has died after suffering injuries from a fall last month. He was 74.

"Taylor Swift is one very canny operator — developing her fan base, working incredibly hard writing some of the most popular pop tunes of the last decade, and cementing a good friendship with the future king Prince William over 10 years ago — a relationship that has culminated in private letters, inspirational cards and good wishes to Princess Catherine during her difficult year," the insider said. In June 2024, William celebrated his 42nd birthday by attending Swift's Eras Tour concert with George and Charlotte at London's Wembley Stadium. Middleton, who was undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancer at the time, did...

There was a time when three letters defined cool. M-T-V. If you grew up anywhere between the neon ’80s and the streaming 2000s, MTV wasn’t just television, it was a lifestyle. It gave us Madonna before social media, Nirvana before YouTube, and Beyoncé before Instagram. It shaped music, fashion, and the very idea of youth culture. Now, after more than forty years of rewiring global pop culture, MTV is beginning to power down some of its most iconic music channels around the world, and for millions of fans, it feels like saying goodbye to an old friend.

Picture this: America’s most-watched sporting event, played on American soil, featuring American teams, suddenly demanding its audience learn a foreign language to enjoy the entertainment (yes, really). It sounds like satire, but this is the reality facing Super Bowl fans come February. The NFL, in its infinite wisdom, has chosen a performer who not only refuses to tour in the United States but actively mocks Americans who speak English. The league’s selection of Bad Bunny for Super Bowl LX’s halftime show represents more than just a questionable musical choice. This Puerto Rican rapper, known for his cross-dressing performances and anti-American...

Following Stephen A. Smith’s tirade against Jasmine Crockett and those alike, the U.S. Representative for Texas has reacted. She replied with a prayer hands emoji to rapper Willie D’s comments about Smith. “Stephen A. Smith taking shots at Jasmine Crockett ain’t just messy, it’s weak,” he stated in a repost shared on Crockett’s Instagram Stories. “Dude is sitting on one of the biggest mics in America, and instead of using it to uplift, he’s tearing down a Black woman who’s out here putting in real work. That ain’t critique, that’s betrayal. Jasmine Crockett ain’t the problem.”

Former Lostprophets Singer Ian Watkins, a Convicted Child Sex Offender, Killed in Prison Attack 1,017 MILAN, ITALY - JULY 06: Ian Watkins of Lostprophets perform at the 2012 Heineken Jammin FePier Marco Tacca/WireImage via Getty Breitbart News12 Oct 2025343 1:32 LONDON (AP) — British police have arrested two men on suspicion of murder after the former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins was stabbed to death at a prison in northern England, where he was serving a 29-year sentence for child sex offenses. Emergency services were called to HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire on Saturday morning after Watkins, 48, was attacked with...

(UPI) — Longtime Moody Blues bassist, singer and songwriter John Lodge died suddenly and unexpectedly at age 82 on Friday while surrounded by his family. His family announced his death in a prepared statement but did not say his cause of death. “It is with the deepest sadness that we have to announce that John Lodge, our darling husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law and brother, has been suddenly and unexpectedly taken from us,” his family said, as reported by The Guardian. “As anyone who knew this massive-hearted man knows, it was his enduring love of his wife, Kirsten, and his family...

This is The serus of the funniest Monkey and car video you will ever see. "Don't what the poster meant by "serus", oh well it's fun as hell...

The NFL’s announcement that Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show has sparked excitement across music and sports. But while fans celebrate the Puerto Rican superstar’s historic booking, former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown is questioning how these selections are actually made—and pointing directly at Jay-Z. He wrote: "Barack Obama's best friend Jay-Z runs the Super Bowl selection process through his company Roc Nation which has an exclusive contract with the NFL. This is who chooses the halftime show, the most watched musical performance in America." His claim adds weight to ongoing discussions about how much power...

How does a mere mortal—in this case, an average American girl in a stars-and-stripes dress with a red cardigan—transform into a Beatles-esque global phenom? Taylor Swift was performing from a young age and showed potential for success, surely, but few could have anticipated the unprecedented level of stardom she’d reach. By pairing her talent and artistry with incredible entrepreneurial instincts, Swift is not only building a musical legacy; she has built a reputation for bold, effective fanbase development. Swift’s early success as a teenage country music star was straight out of the entrepreneur’s playbook. She seized an opportunity that other...

(I don't believe people who just happened to be born on any of 365 days, deserve any special notice for it, but their Mothers do. My Mother, born in 1912, gave birth to me this day in 1954. So, to indulge myself, I thought I'd pass along this comedic poem from her birth year, 1912, from a children's book.) The Rocket Book (1912) by Peter Newell. Narrated at the click-link at Librivox by Phil Chenevert. The Rocket Book by Peter Newell at Gutenberg(Twenty-one comedic illustrations) [pg] The ROCKET Book by PETER NEWELL HARPER & BROTHERS NEW YORK [pg] COPYRIGHT, 1912,...

Joan Jett has confirmed the death of her former drummer, Thommy Price, aged 68.

From indie‐chart toppers to cult classics, these songs capture Harriet Wheeler’s ethereal vocals and The Sundays’ jangle‑pop magic.Ever since The Sundays emerged with their debut single “Can’t Be Sure” and the instantly adored Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, they’ve personified a kind of guitar-led indie pop that’s both literary and otherworldly. The English band—fronted by the quietly iconic Harriet Wheeler and guitarist David Gavurin—crafted only three albums, yet their influence on dream pop, shoegaze, and indie music endures. Their songs shimmer with emotional clarity, marrying crisp, chiming guitarwork with Wheeler’s crystal-clear vocals. While they never chased commercial trends, their music...

For some reason, I've been listening to a LOT of Pat Metheny the last couple of weeks.