Hey, welcome to Invitehawk.. Enjoy your stay and hope you have a good time here.
 

Hey, welcome to Invitehawk.. Enjoy your stay and hope you have a good time here.
 

Hey, welcome to Invitehawk.. Enjoy your stay and hope you have a good time here.
 

Last week, a number of emotes with had a bad history of abuse were removed from the World of Warcraft Public Test Realm. In a build released yesterday, several of them were re-added but with the caveat that they can no longer be used on other players.

The /drool, /cough, /burp, /fart, /whistle, /spit, and /moon emotes were the subject of this most recent change in World of Warcraft. Previously, when a player input these emotes while targeting another player, the output text would describe the player's character interacting with their target in rather colorful ways. These emotes no longer change if the player has another player targeted, and now only involve the player's own character.

RELATED:World Of Warcraft: Dozens Of Outdated Flirt And Joke Voice Lines Removed

Other emotes have been removed from World of Warcraft entirely. The /kick, /stink, /shake, and /moan emotes are no longer usable, and the /pounce and /groan emotes have seen their interactions with other players changed to have a less negative connotation. The changed emotes, which may seem harmless at a glance, can and have been used against other players in ways that are intrusive, rude, or sexually suggestive. Interestingly, several other, more positive emotes, such as an /impressed and a /magnificent emote, were added in the same PTR build.

These changes are the direct result of World of Warcraft's recent promise to become more inclusive. In light of recent events, the least of all being several lawsuits that have been filed against Activision Blizzard, World of Warcraft is in hot water. Since the first of these lawsuits was filed against Blizzard in July, eyes across the gaming industry have been on the company, waiting to see what Blizzard's response would be.

While these relatively small changes will not make World of Warcraft's troubles disappear, they may be able to act as building blocks to foster a better future for the game and community, should the game continue to build on the momentum it has promised. The game has been out for the better part of two decades, and in that time, the large community the game has gathered has grown notoriously toxic and unfriendly. Asmongold, a popular World of Warcraft streamer known for having a particularly rowdy following, provided a poignant example by starting a trend of hunting down World of Warcraft players who rode mounts purchased from the cash shop and harassing them with the /spit emote. With this most recent change, such harassment is much harder to pull off.

Of course, there are always players who will be dissatisfied with such changes. These people claim World of Warcraft is pandering to the "woke" crowd, and that the emotes are just harmless fun. Whether or not such claims are founded, it is true changing a few emotes will not clean up the toxic community World of Warcraft has been allowed to foster without more strict moderation or penalties for harassment. That being said, it is certainly another step in what most consider the right direction.

World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is available on PC.

The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is a game well-known for its strong narrative, player decisions that impact the outcome of the game, and solid combat mechanics. It is also a game filled with horses that Geralt of Rivia can interact with, tame, and ride. However, one The Witcher 3 player was recently surprised to encounter a horse in a location it really didn't belong.

Reddit user Mhapsekar discovered a large, brown horse in the dimly lit halls of the Passiflora, which is considered to be the finest brothel in Novigrad by The Witcher 3's expansive lore. Not only is it unusual for players to encounter a horse in this building, but the horse also appears to already be wearing tack. This implies the horse is far from wild.

RELATED:The Witcher 3 Fan Draws Custom Geralt Gwent Card

Mhapsekar's screenshots show the horse rearing back dramatically, possibly because of the unfamiliar environment it has found itself in. In the first image, some of the other NPCs in the Passiflora appear to be cowering away from the beast, but in the second, nobody seems to care about its presence. While this beast does not appear to be Geralt's beloved horse Roach, it is interesting that the NPCs appear to show relatively little interest in it.

According to Mhapsekar, the horse was between Geralt and the door and kicked him twice when they tried to guide him outside the establishment. When they tried to use the Axii sign to tame the horse, it didn't work and several of The Witcher 3's otherwise realistic NPCs appeared to be frightened for reasons Mhapsekar didn't quite understand. Reportedly, they eventually got around the horse and escaped the Passiflora by approaching the door from one side.

As of writing, other fans of The Witcher 3 appear to find the situation quite entertaining. Several users immediately began joking that the Passiflora was expanding its services. Another suggested that Mhapsekar simply kill the horse and exit the building, though Mhapsekar responded by clarifying that they refused to kill a horse unless necessary. More users theorized that the horse had come to the Passiflora specifically to play Gwent, the in-game card game that many The Witcher 3 fans found addictive. One user in particular made up some lore for the misplaced horse and claimed it was actually a man called Steven, who had been transformed into a horse but was still ready to party at the Passiflora.

The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is now available for PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.

In celebration of the newly announced Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition, Rockstar Games will be adding some cosmetic items from classic Grand Theft Auto to the Grand Theft Auto Online sandbox.

Rockstar Games officially announced that Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy - Definitive Edition is real and expected out later this year. To honor the occasion, they will be holding events within Grand Theft Auto Online for the 20th Anniversary of GTA 3 that will reward players with items from the classic games. As of writing, Rockstar has not divulged what the items could be or what events could be coming to their online multiplayer mode other than the t-shirt and car livery used in the announcement post.

RELATED:Rockstar Seems To Be Muting "GTA 6" On Its Youtube Channel

In the press release, the only clue that Rockstar has let out is "the possibility of some unusual activity in Southern San Andreas" starting this month in GTA Online. More information will be coming out in the weeks ahead. Knowing what GTA Online entails, some easy guesswork on what will be coming could include some classic cars, outfits and character skins, minigames, and maybe even some missions and jobs that reference characters or places from those games.

Grand Theft Auto 3 was first released on October 22nd, 2001, and vaulted the series into the cultural stalwart that it is today. It was the first game in the series that transitioned from a top-down driver to a third-person open-world sandbox. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City introduced its first speaking protagonist in Tommy Vercetti and officially made the game a mainstay in the industry. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas cemented that fact with further innovations to the series that made it an icon, with memorable references that are still made to this day. With the ongoing success of GTA 5 and GTA Online, this 20th Anniversary event will quite possibly introduce players that weren't around yet to the adventures of Claude, Tommy Versetti, and CJ.

The release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition has been rumored and expected for months now. References to the remastered games have popped up online storefronts, game achievement lists, overseas video game rating commissions, and even Rockstar Games' own PC Launcher, possibly making it one of the worst-kept secrets in gaming this year.

Grand Theft Auto Online is now available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Grand Theft Auto Online has taken on a life of its own over the years, and with it now expecting a standalone release, fans appear to be quite invested in learning more about the game's future development. One rumor states that, as Grand Theft Auto Online's next update will bring back some well-known contacts and familiar friends, it's likely that Tony Prince will be making an appearance.

Twitter user TezFunz2, who monitors changes in Rockstar Games titles, reported on the upcoming Grand Theft Auto Online update. They observed that Rockstar Games had added some new unused variables that would allow Nightclubs to work within a mission environment. Combined with the rumor that some old friends were coming back and players would be able to help them expand their completely legitimate business ventures, TezFunz2 concluded that players would soon be able to get reacquainted with Tony Prince of Grand Theft Auto 4 fame.

RELATED:Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy: Definitive Edition Officially Announced

Tony Prince, also known as Gay Tony, made his first appearance in Grand Theft Auto 4 and its associated expansions. Although other Grand Theft Auto 4 characters returned in Grand Theft Auto 5, Tony Prince wasn't one of them, as he was implied to have skipped town at the end of Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony, the expansion dedicated to him and his bodyguard, Luis Fernando Lopez. Despite this, Tony Prince is still a fan-favorite character, so fans may find the idea of him making a return in Grand Theft Auto Online plausible.

This isn't the first time Tony Prince has appeared in Grand Theft Auto Online--he also showed up in the game's 2018 After Hours update, where he supports the player in running a Nightclub Business. This previous update could provide a solid foundation for future updates to build off, particularly in regards to Nightclub functionality. If there's already precedent for Tony and his Nightclub business making an appearance in Grand Theft Auto Online, it might be easy to see room for expansion.

As of writing, it appears that Grand Theft Auto fans are looking forward to the new update, but opinions are split on whether or not they believe Tony Prince will be part of it. Two users expressed hopes that Luis Fernando Lopez, who has also been absent from the series for a while, would also make a return. Other users began discussing features they hoped to see added to Nightclubs in the new update.

Grand Theft Auto Online is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark are significant Suicide Squad characters who have all appeared in blockbuster films, and have had histories in animated DC franchises or comic book source material. Now, as the four playable protagonists in the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, players have received first looks at each character's iteration in the game.

Marketing has focused entirely on the game's four protagonists since Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's announcement, with a narrative tease of Brainiac as a primary antagonist. Today, it appears as though Rocksteady Studios wishes to excite fans further with regard to the content that will be shown during DC FanDome next weekend.

RELATED:Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Is Set In Metropolis, Features Deeper Combat Than Batman Arkham

An assortment of developers at Rocksteady have collaborated today in sharing individual character art for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. These solo pieces are ultimately taken from the official ensemble key art that features all of them together with the title logo, but portray a closer look at each character in individual portions. Much more detail is perceivable on each character's individual art as it is shared by the devs, with each dev providing a little tagline that suits the anti-hero associated to it.

Deadshot's individual character piece is shared first through Marketing Game Manager Gaz Deaves; Harley Quinn is then shared from Associate Producer Holly Gordon; Captain Boomerang is shared through Sound Designer Elly Johnson; and King Shark is shared through Advanced VFX Artist Hanno Hinkelbein. It appears as though each character will have some unique specialty in gameplay, whether they are melee-focused or long-range-focused, and the detail on each character demonstrates their distinguishable personalities.

Because Rocksteady's seminal Batman: Arkham series generated so much passion and excitement from players, it is a particularly large departure for the developer's newest title to be a four-player cooperative multiplayer game. But fans of DC Comics and Rocksteady's previous work with DC's cast of characters may still be excited to experience these characters, who are normally perceived as supervillains.

Rocksteady has yet to show off members of its titular superhero group besides Superman, who appeared in the game's original poster marketing and then briefly in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's reveal trailer. Perhaps fans will get a glimpse of one or more other Justice League characters, who are seemingly serving as sub-antagonists against the player's anti-hero Suicide Squad.

Gameplay, in general, is also yet to be shown, so there might be a lot to look forward to from Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League on October 16.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

Nintendo's classic consoles have a large collector community, with the Nintendo 64 being one of the first to reach high desirability. Despite a competitive market, one collector has managed to join the lucky few who own every North American Nintendo 64 game.

The Nintendo 64 may have lost to its competition in lifetime sales but its library of classic games and unusual design decisions have attracted many collectors who hope to own a piece of gaming history. The system is home to the first 3D iterations of many of Nintendo's most recognized franchises as well as being a pioneer of analogue movement in games.

RELATED:Someone Made A Horrifying Fleshy N64 Controller

Most of the N64 games in Reddit user Extension_Ad9411's collection are lined up in glass cupboards along with the original cardboard boxes for many of them. Looking closely at the cartridges reveals that they have custom end labels on them, likely to make finding the correct game easier since unlike the NES and SNES, Nintendo 64 cartridges did not originally have end labels which would make them more difficult to find when lined up on a shelf. Looking to the right of the TV reveals that Extension_Ad9411 has much more than just the games, with a shelf displaying eight different Nintendo 64 console variants.

In the replies, Extension_Ad9411 details plans to collect a full set of Japanese exclusives next. This is no small task as many Nintendo 64 games were never released outside of Japan for the system and only made it overseas through rereleases, like the cult classic Sin & Punishment: Successor of the Earth. However, such a feat is not impossible thanks to the proliferation of Japanese auction proxy services and import stores.

Many of the replies to the original post point out that Extension_Ad9411's collection appears to be "missing" a CRT TV. While the games were designed to be played on CRTs and look very different on flatscreens, the amount of concern some of these comments show over a "correct" way to play the games is sadly common in the retro gaming collection community. Elitism abounds especially when the topic of output methods is brought up, sometimes with heated debates ensuing. Extension_Ad9411 has stated their intention to find a CRT display that fits the setup, though, so for now, no major arguments have broken out.

The collection is impressive and marks an achievement few collectors reach. Some Nintendo 64 games are very difficult to come by and it takes a significant amount of effort to find the rarest games on the system.

The end of 2021 is shaping up to be an exciting time for the Pokemon franchise. Fans soon will have a new reason to start collecting Pokemon, as the release of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is coming next month to the Nintendo Switch. While gamers wait for the release of these games, a new animation made by a talented artist challenges fans to spot them all instead of catching them all.

In a recent Reddit post, a user known as blue_Rabbit_inc created a new piece of stunning fan art based on the Pokemon series. Titled "Bulbasaur’s Flower Shop," the video reimagined what a flower shop might look like in the world of Pokemon. The animation featured a combination of earthy browns for the floor and walls and vibrant shades of green, blue, and yellow for the flowers and other vegetation.

RELATED:Pokemon Sword And Shield Zarude And Shiny Celebi Codes Are Finally Rolling Out

In addition, the animation included many discretely placed Pokemon scattered across the room for fans to find. To help create a cohesive feel to the design, the artist utilized a number of grass-type and bug-type Pokemon. Just a few of the Pokemon on display in the flower shop included Bulbasaur, Sunkern, Combee, and Oddish.

The creator of the animation provided some insight into the process of making the art as well. According to blue_Rabbit_inc, they first created the background for the animation using PaintTool SAI, a type of illustration software. The artist then imported the completed background to an animation software called TVPaint Animation. Using this software, they were then able to add the characters and animate them each separately.

In addition to posting the animation to Reddit, blue_Rabbit_inc noted that they uploaded the art to Wallpaper Engine on Steam. Furthermore, the artist plans to upload the animation to YouTube with music from the Pokemon franchise in the coming days.

This new piece of art from blue_Rabbit_inc has become popular with the Pokemon community on Reddit. With over 4,200 upvotes, many fans enjoyed the challenge of finding every type of Pokemon featured in “Bulbasaur’s Flower Shop.” Some commented that they liked the Squirtle watering can being used by Bulbasaur to water the plants in the shop. However, others joked that the flower shop was being overrun with Pokemon. Even the creator chimed in, “they’re even eating its berries!!”

It’s exciting to see Pokemon fans show off their love of the series with gorgeous creations such as this animation from blue_Rabbit_inc. With plans to do additional animations for the Halloween and Christmas seasons, it will be interesting to see what types of rare Pokemon the talented artist decides to include next.

Shedworks and Raw Fury's Sable has been acclaimed for its remarkable sense of exploration and striking visuals. As a young girl on her Gliding, Sable ventures through sandswept vistas on a hoverbike to enlist in side quests and receive badges that can then be turned in for unique masks.

Unfortunately, players have also argued that their experiences with Sable have been marred by the bugs and glitches that have been encountered since launch. However, there may be hope that some of these glaring issues may be fixed as of today, particularly through a recent notice from Gregorios Kythreotis, Sable's creative director and one-half of Shedworks alongside Daniel Fineberg, Shedworks' Programmer.

RELATED:Steam Next Fest Will Feature No Man's Sky Developer's Latest Game

Sable's latest patch, 3.3.6, has been shared by Kythreotis and is available now for all players. Sable's patch notes for both PC and Xbox list identical issues that have been addressed, such as a plethora of bugs that players have experienced on either platform. For example, the patch has aimed to fix "an issue where the skybox would flicker at dusk and dawn" and "an issue where some players were unable to choose color palettes in the bike customization menu."

One bugfix addresses flying beetles and goats, while another addresses the ability to get stuck within the Atomic Heart outside of Eccria. Further, general improvements have apparently been made toward stuttering and frame drops, which had been apparent in Sable's previous demo.

But there are also a few more things in store for players the next time they start up Sable. Kythreotis discusses that new settings options are available as of today's patch that gift players with a number of substantial accessibility options. On console, these settings include an FOV slider, a line weight modifier, and a high-visibility color mode. But on PC, there are a few more settings options available, such as "display quality settings" for draw distance and shadow detail, as well as the keybind of the Cntrl key, which can now be used to "make Sable walk."

It is a testament to Sable's quality that players still express having a fantastic time with the game, despite its performance issues. With any luck, fans hope that this patch may rectify any of Sable's current detriments so that it may fully shine thereafter.

Sable is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

The newly released Far Cry 6 promises series’ fans a return to open-world shenanigans, this time set on the fictional Caribbean island of Yara. Developed by Ubisoft Toronto, Far Cry 6 follows protagonist Dani Rojas as they and the resistance attempt to overthrow the dictatorship ruled by Anton Castillo, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito of The Mandalorian fame.

The game has been met with generally favorable reviews, with it currently sitting at a Metacritic score of 75. Far Cry 6 has been praised for its charismatic villain, sprawling open-world, and mesmerizing mayhem while being criticized for its repetition and lack of new ideas. The game also features a rather interesting mini-game that has raised a few eyebrows, as well.

RELATED:Far Cry 6 Disc On Xbox Has Barely Any Of The Game On It, Requires Massive Download

Far Cry 6 allows players to participate in a cockfighting mini-game, in which they not only collect roosters but directly control them in a Mortal Kombat style fighting game complete with a character select screen, special moves, and multiple rounds. Reactions to mode have been mixed, with some players having fun with its simplicity while others find it to be rather tone-deaf in today’s animal rights-centric climate. On October 7th, the Senior Manager of PETA’s Latino branch, Alicia Aguayo, released a statement calling on Ubisoft to remove cockfighting from the game.

“Turning a horrific blood sport like cockfighting into a Mortal Kombat–style video game match is a far cry from real innovation, as today’s society is strongly opposed to forcing animals to fight to the death. Roosters used in cockfights are fitted with sharp spurs that tear through flesh and bone, causing agonizing and fatal injuries. PETA Latino urges Ubisoft to replace this reprehensible minigame with one that doesn’t glorify cruelty.”

Interestingly, cockfighting is still considered legal in Cuba, which Far Cry 6’s Yara is inspired by, and is quite popular in the country. The cockfighting depicted in Far Cry 6 is certainly violent, and the roosters lose feathers as the fights go on, although there is no blood shown, nor do any die in the process. The gaming community seems split on the appropriateness of the inclusion of cockfighting. Some find it harmless as no real animals are being injured, while others are concerned over the implications of featuring animal cruelty in such a nonchalant manner in-game.

Of course, Far Cry 6 isn’t the only game that has been targeted by the animal rights group. Animal Crossing: New Horizons was under scrutiny from PETA for its in-game museum and treatment of fish in the title. Still, Far Cry 6’s cockfighting mini-game is considerably more violent than anything from Animal Crossing. Ubisoft has yet to release a statement regarding PETA’s message.

Far Cry 6 is available on Luna, PC, PS4, Ps5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.

 

Justin Bieber has released his Diane Keaton-starring music video for 'Ghost', an extended edition of 'JUSTICE', and a documentary.

The 27-year-old pop superstar has given Beliebers a triple treat this New Music Friday, with the arrival of his new Colin Tilley-helmed promo for the latest track from his sixth studio album starring the 75-year-old Hollywood actress.

The 'Peaches' hitmaker has also added three new songs on streaming services that were previously only physical exclusives.

Fans can now stream 'Red Eye', 'Angels Speak' and 'Hailey', the latter of which is a tribute to his wife, Hailey Bieber, on 'JUSTICE: THE COMPLETE EDITION' via all major streaming services.

If that wasn't enough, the Grammy-winner's 'Justin Bieber: Our World' feature is now available globally on Amazon Prime Video.

The documentary follows the lead-up to the star's first concert in three years.

Justin invites fans to experience the "intense and exciting" ride as he prepared for his New Year’s Eve 2020 live-streamed show on the rooftop of the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles.

The 'Stay' hitmaker once again teamed up with filmmaker Michael D. Ratner on the film, who was behind his 2020 YouTube docu-series 'Justin Bieber: Seasons', which provided fans with an intimate look at the singer's life, music-making process and marriage to 24-year-old model Hailey.

In a statement, Justin said: “Performing live and connecting with my fans through music is deeply meaningful to me. Especially during the past year, being able to provide a service and share my gifts to bring some happiness to people during such a sad and scary time has meant the world to me.

“This film documents an intense and exciting time, preparing for a return to the stage during this season of real uncertainty. Coming together with my team, overcoming the obstacles, and delivering a special show, surrounded by friends and family; it’s all here.”

 

James Blake says his mental health spiralled while he was trying to maintain a "cool" stage persona.

The 'Retrograde' singer has opened up about how he suffered from social anxiety in his real life in the past, and wasn't "great to talk to at the time", all while trying to be the "coolest version" of himself "possible".

Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 in an interview with airs this Sunday (10.10.21) in observance of World Mental Health Day, James shared: "And so, the chasm between the person that you're presenting as your personality to the public, and the person you really are when the mic is off, and you go home, and you've got to deal with your own problems, becomes grander and grander.

"And it's just like for me, the thing was, the difference between my musical, cool, doing loads of collabs, and producing blah, blah, blah, and doing dub, electronic music, and good reviews, and all that stuff, and me just spiralling ... and actually not being that great to talk to at the time, and not really having anything to say, and just having loads of social anxiety, but then going on stage and just being the coolest version of myself possible.

"And you're rewarded financially for that in a lot of cases. I think it's Pavlovian. It's like the more you get the treat, the more you return to that behaviour. I think the answer for me, was to decide that I was okay with not getting the treat, and that I would decide to stop pretending that I was like, whatever part of me it was that was saying, okay, I need to appear this way to be as perfect as the kids at school thought I wasn't, or I'm going to be cooler than... Whatever."

The 33-year-old songwriter - who is in a relationship with actress Jameela Jamil - went through a period of doing "the worst things" for his mental health, such as drinking too much alcohol, overeating, and not exercising, as he spoke of the importance of taking control of the things that are bad for you.

James - who has just released his fifth studio album 'Friends That Break Your Heart' - said: "Essentially, in all of these ways that I found myself living, I was shutting off how I digest. I wasn't exercising.

"I was eating every day. I was letting... There was all sorts of situations in my life that I was letting continue that I was anxious about all the time.

"Drinking a lot. Sugar, 24/7. Run, run, run, run, run. If you don't... I was setting up a situation... I was just doing circles of the worst things you can do for your mental health.

"And then I was surprised that I didn't feel very good in the morning and it's like, we do have control even if there are some things that are going to affect us forever, maybe.

"But I do think when we diagnose ourselves as mentally ill or we diagnose ourselves in whatever way, we mustn't let that be a prison or a definition of us that allows ... that essentially stops us from investigating ways we could feel better."

Watch the interview in full at apple.co/-jamesblake this weekend.

Nicki Minaj is gearing up to make her Bravo debut.

In July, the 38-year-old expressed interest in hosting the season six reunion of The Real Housewives of Potomac, and she later revealed on Twitter that usual host Andy Cohen had “gladly” agreed to “give up his seat" to have her present instead.

Now, Cohen has revealed that the two have taped the reunion special with The Real Housewives stars, which include Karen Huger, Gizelle Bryant, Robyn Dixon, Candiace Dillard, Dr. Wendy Osefo, and Mia Thornton.

"It's the Reunion I could never get away with! At the end of ours, tonight @nickiminaj surprised the #RHOP and did her own thing! #AndyConda," he wrote on Instagram below a photo of him and the Anaconda star.

On her account, Minaj shared behind-the-scenes photos of the two, "GUESS WHO BTCHS?!!!!! #Andiconda #RHOP COMING SOON ON @BRAVOTV @bravoandy #Moment4Life,”

Earlier this year, the rapper promised fans she would have some good questions for the cast members.

"Don't move! Everyone binge-watch all the episodes cuz we finna get into some thangz hunty. My questions will be well thought out, too. Mixed with funny and epic, of course. And Barbz, plz don't send me a million comments about the album and doc chile just lemme have my moment (sic). We almost there. Promise. Not lying this time. Love you," she teased on her Instagram Stories at the time.

 

 

Biffy Clyro had an "existential crisis" in lockdown.

Frontman Simon Neil has admitted he and his bandmates - twins Ben and James Johnston - had doubts about the "value of music" and felt like "three unemployed amateur musicians" amid the global health crisis, but instead of wallowing in self-pity, the heavy rock trio took the negative thoughts and channelled them into their "positive" new album, 'The Myth Of The Happily Ever After'.

The 'Wolves of Winter' rocker told The Sun newspaper of the past year or more: "Ben and James didn’t see each other for the first three months of the pandemic, which is the longest time apart in their entire life.

“It was weird enough for me not to see them so I can only imagine what a head f*** it was for them.

“So to be able to get back together and have a bit of normality and feel like musicians again was inspiring. We’ve been doing this non-stop for 20 years and we lost our purpose.

“We all had an existential crisis, and questioned whether music had any value. I questioned everything and manifested it all into positive energy on this album.”

The Scottish group's upcoming ninth studio album is set to arrive just over a year after chart-topper 'A Celebration Of Endings', on October 22, and Simon insisted they never intended to record another LP, and didn't even tell their record label that they had recorded it at their remote farmhouse in East Ayrshire.

The 42-year-old singer said: “We didn’t stop after 'A Celebration Of Endings'.

“Making that album and not being able to tour it meant the creative energy was still there and so by the tail end of last year I’d written a bunch of new songs and before we knew it we were like, ‘F***, we are working on a new record’.

“And it was an amazing feeling as we’d felt like three unemployed amateur musicians for the past year.”

 

Italy's Maneskin poke fun at the "Italian stereotype" on their latest single, 'MAMMAMIA'.

The 2021 'Eurovision Song Contest' winners - who are known for their eccentric style and raucous rock shows - are the polar opposite of Milan chic and have revealed that their latest song is an "inside joke".

Speaking to the Daily Star newspaper's Wired column, frontman Damiano David explained: "We wrote this song immediately after 'Eurovision', fortunately, this song came out in a few hours.

"That's why we felt it was gonna work and be a banger for us.

"'MAMMAMIA' is an exclamation, and we make a bit of fun of the Italian stereotype, so it's an inside joke."

The group recently starred in an X-rated ad for Gucci after being personally chosen by Alessandro Michele to appear in the fashion house's Aria campaign, because they “capture the revolutionary and joyful impetus of eros as the creative force behind contemporary imagery."

Meanwhile, the 'I Wanna Be Your Slave' rocker insisted they are more "satisfied" to hear of their fans' stories of how they inspired them to come out or dress a certain way, than becoming the biggest band on the planet.

The 22-year-old singer said: "A lot of fans tell us, 'You helped my coming out to my parents' or 'I just up like I want to because I never felt confident before'.

"That's more meaningful than any gold record, and makes us satisfied. It's more than music."

And the style icon insisted there are no egos in the group.

Damiano added: "We won't change, if you are a d***head and you became famous, you're are a famous d***head - but if you are a good person who becomes famous, then you are a famous good person."

 

Shaun Ryder has spoken out to raise awareness after a late diagnosis of ADHD during a special guest appearance on The Chris Moyles’ Show on Radio X’s annual charity ‘Pubcast’ which raises funds for Radio X’s charity, Global’s Make Some Noise.

Shaun explained that he only discovered he had ADHD very recently, after spending years “thinking I was odd and f*cking stupid and mentally deranged because I couldn’t learn things like the alphabet”. He told Chris Moyles: “we really need to get on this, and that’s why I’m speaking out about this, because I don’t want my kids to go through what I went through. And they shouldn’t have to in f*cking 2021.” Please find content below if of interest.

SR: The thing is with me, that I discovered very recently - after thinking I was odd and f*cking stupid and mentally deranged because I couldn’t learn things like the alphabet and I could never… You know, education and learning’s all about remembering, and because I couldn’t remember what was taught in the classroom, I’d walk out the classroom and it was gone. And I just thought I was a f*cking thick . The thing is, I’m diagnosed with ADHD. And ADHD is an amalgamation of 21 different problems, from Autism, the lot, you name it.

Now, that really affects your education and it also affects your memory. So I can’t even now remember why I started off this conversation. It’s not through drugs, it really isn’t, right? It’s a condition that I have, it’s a condition through the ADHD and I’ve got the extremes of it.

I’ve got two daughters, one who’s 30 who was diagnosed as an adult and I’ve got my 13 year-old, and I have another daughter who’s not been diagnosed. But I went through a lot of sh*t at school as a kid, you know with learning and not getting educated and getting put in the naughty class, and basically a naughty kid. I was in Set 4 and Set 4 was the real dummy set. Like I said there’s all sorts of different elements of ADHD.

Someone once said to me – a teacher said to me “Ryder, stop chewing that and throw it in the bin” and then I would literally throw the thing in the bin. And that would be classed as naughty, disruptive behaviour because I’ve thrown the thing in the bin. If he said “put it in the bin” I’d have walked up and put it in the bin. I need clear instructions.

So what I’m trying to do now – in America it’s really good, you know, they’re really up there, but this country – we’ve got prisons full of kids with ADHD. Prisons full of them. And they’re going to carry on and carry on and carry on. And you know, even now, I had to take my daughter out of private education and put her in a comprehensive school because there’s more sh*t available to her to be looked after. And even that’s not good enough. It really isn’t. We really need to get on this, and that’s why I’m speaking out about this, because I don’t want my kids to go through what I went through. And they shouldn’t have to in f*cking 2021.

Shaun Ryder was speaking on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X Pubcast in aid of Global’s Make Some Noise. To hear this year’s Pubcast and donate £5, £10 or £20 to Global’s Make Some Noise text PUB5, PUB10 or PUB20 respectively to 83936

 

A judge has denied Marilyn Manson's bid to dismiss Esme Biancos sexual abuse lawsuit against him.

The Game of Thrones actress, who was involved with Manson between 2009 and 2013, filed the sexual assault and sexual battery lawsuit against the rocker, real name Brian Warner, in April, accusing him of physically, sexually, psychologically, and emotionally abusing her on multiple occasions.

Manson's legal team tried to get the lawsuit dismissed, citing the statute of limitations, but Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha of the U.S. District Court of California denied the dismissal and allowed Bianco to proceed with her legal action, according to court documents revealed on Thursday.

The judge also ordered Manson to formally answer to each of the claims made in Biancos lawsuit within 14 days.

Explaining his decision, the judge wrote that "a reasonable jury could find that the effects of Warner's alleged unconscionable acts, including the perceived threat to Plaintiff's safety, immigration status, and career, persisted years after her last contact with Warner."

Bianco said in a statement to Deadline, "My hope is that this ruling empowers other survivors to pursue justice for themselves while signalling to abusers that they cannot bully victims into silence."

The case is one of four lawsuits that have been filed against Manson this year. The rocker's former personal assistant Ashley Walters, model Ashley Morgan Smithline, and an unnamed woman have also accused him of abuse. The latter case was dismissed in September as a judge determined that the woman did not have enough evidence to override the statute of limitations.

While she has not taken legal action, Westworld actress Evan Rachel Wood also alleged she was abused by the singer and her former fiance earlier this year.

Manson has always maintained his innocence, claiming that all of his sexual relationships have been consensual.

 

The Weeknd has joined the United Nations' World Food Programme as a Goodwill Ambassador.

On Thursday, the 31-year-old Canadian officially became a spokesperson for the international non-government organisation.

The Weeknd's advocacy will focus on ending global hunger, a global issue that has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The U.N. World Food Programme is doing urgent and important work to change and save lives on a daily basis," the Grammy Award winner said in a statement. "I feel passionately about addressing world hunger and helping people in need."

The Weeknd joins a long line of celebrities who have worked with the organisation, including Kate Hudson and Michael Kors.

Earlier this year, the Blinding Lights hitmaker donated $1 million (£734,000) to the organisation's aid programme in Ethiopia, which has faced intense violence and wide-spread famine in the northern Tigray region.

"Our partnership is an authentic extension of all our efforts and intentions to help those in need and bring an end to so much suffering," he concluded.

 

Jesy Nelson has snagged a cameo from Sean 'Diddy' Combs for the music video for her debut solo single Boyz.

The singer, who quit girl group Little Mix in December, officially launched her solo career on Friday when she released the track, which samples the beat from the rapper's 2001 track Bad Boy for Life. The music video is also heavily inspired by Diddy's original promo, which shows him moving into a perfect neighbourhood with his friends and causing havoc.

Jesy's video follows the same storyline and even includes shot-for-shot remakes of certain scenes, including her singing while sat on the roof and breaking a neighbour's window with a golf ball. In the original, the disgruntled neighbour who comes over to complain was played by Ben Stiller, but in this version, Diddy takes on that role.

"Hey Jeezy, Jesy, Little Mix, whatever y'all calling yourselves these days, check it out," he says in his cameo. "I live next door - the golf balls through the window, that's not going to work. This isn't going to fly. And Friday nights, that's my night, that's the night that I party, hands off of Friday nights. And also, if you're having a party, y'all can invite me too. Welcome to the neighbourhood and good luck to you on your career."

It was reported that the song and video were delayed for several weeks so the hip-hop star could appear in the promo.

The song, which is about Jesy's attraction to bad boys, also features a verse from Nicki Minaj, who previously worked with Little Mix on Woman Like Me. The rapper appears in the music video too, performing with a band in the garage, a scene also taken from Diddy's original version.

 

Lauren Jauregui has become an independent artist after she parted ways with Sony Music.

The former Fifth Harmony star has released the new single, 'Colors', taken from her upcoming debut solo EP 'Prelude', which she is releasing via Attunement Records under the AWAL banner.

And the 25-year-old singer has explained how she avoided writing "formulaic" pop music as she opened up about the freedom that came with reclaiming control of her art.

In an interview with Bustle, she said: “A lot of [artists] are moving in such a way where it’s so formulaic that you can assume how someone’s going to move.

“I’m not trying to do that.

“And then you realise, wow, this is an expensive little business here.

“This, to me, is another process of expanding as a businesswoman [and] as an artist.”

Lauren added: “When you subject your art to being controlled by others, you lose the connection to why you do art in the first place.

“It becomes about how much you sell versus how many people you’re connecting with.”

Lauren first auditioned for 'The X Factor' on her own when she was just 15, before shooting to fame as a member of the 'Work from Home' hitmakers - put together by music mogul Simon Cowell on his talent show - in 2012.

And while the music star - who released her debut solo single, 'Expectations', in May 2018, two months after 5H announced an indefinite hiatus - believes she and her bandmates were destined to be successful in their own right, they will always share a special bond.

However, Lauren - who was joined by Ally Brooke, Dinah Jane, Normani Kordei, and formerly Camila Cabello until her departure in 2016 to pursue a solo career, in the band - admitted there was not a lot of creative freedom being in a five-piece group.

She said: “Sometimes I was in the majority, and sometimes I wasn’t.

“We’re all our own special lights that were brought together to do some real special s*** and who are now doing their own special s***.“I have a lot of love for all of them forever.”

Lauren also admitted she felt she was being "shaped" into an artist that wasn't authentic to who she truly is.

She explained: "When you’re young and you get involved in something, it shapes you in a lot of ways, and I think I was shaped and moulded in ways that weren’t the shape I was born in or the shape that I was supposed to eventually form into.

“There was no room for who I wanted to be as an artist.

“The only thing that makes sense to me at this point is to be completely independent and own my music.

“It’s intellectual property, and I believe that artists should own their songs.”

The fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi has said the Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of Newcastle United is "heartbreaking" for her.

Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed while visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018.

Western intelligence agencies believe the crown prince ordered the murder - which he denies.

"I am very disappointed," said Hatice Cengiz, who was set to marry Khashoggi.

"What I've been doing since his murder is seeking justice for Jamal every day, every chance that I found or every place I can go and ask more.

"Then suddenly, I saw the news and people were talking about the takeover and I said 'please, do not do that, please be respectful to yourself'."

Watch: Hatice Cengiz speaks to 5 Live Breakfast

Everything you need to know - all in one place

Scroll through our Newcastle page for all the latest content on the takeover

The Premier League approved the £305m takeover of Newcastle after receiving "legally binding assurances" that the Saudi state would not control the club.

The Public Investment Fund (PIF), of which Mohammed bin Salman is the chair, will provide 80% of funds for the deal and is seen as separate to the state.

The Saudi Arabian state has been accused of human rights abuses, but with the majority owner PIF deemed a separate entity, that, and any piracy issues, were no longer an impediment to the takeover, in the Premier League's view.

Newcastle part-owner Staveley on hopes moving forward

'Newcastle fans just care about the club's financial future'

PIF have assets of £250bn, making Newcastle one of the richest clubs in the world, but Cengiz said she wanted to remind supporters that there are more important things than the club's financial health.

"It seems like they [Newcastle fans] don't care about what happened to Jamal, they just care about the financial future," added Cengiz, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"I want to remind them that there is something more important than money, that there is something more important than the financial situation of this club.

"There are really more expensive values that we have and we need in our life always.

"You should send the message to them that they cannot buy any English team because of this crime - it is the clear message that every English person should send them."

She added: "We have to remind them of what they did to Jamal, because no-one was held accountable, so in other ways we should punish them.

"At least respect the soul of Jamal, because he paid the really high price for the freedom of speech."

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What's next for Newcastle after £305m takeover?

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Starmer 'very concerned' about takeover

Barcelona president Joan Laporta says he hoped Lionel Messi would stay at the club and "play for free".

Messi, 34, left for Paris St-Germain in August after Barcelona were unable to renew his contract because of La Liga's salary limits.

The Argentine, who won 10 league titles with the Catalan giants, had to leave despite agreeing a deal worth 50% of his previous contract.

"There was disappointment on both sides," Laporta said.

"I hoped Messi would do a U-turn and he would say he would play for free," he added in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC1.

"I would have liked that and I would have been all for it. It is my understanding La Liga would have accepted it. But we cannot ask a player of Messi's stature to do this."

Messi's new start in Paris - the inside story

Laporta reiterated that Messi signing a new deal would have put the club "at risk".

Messi famously broke down in tears at a news conference as his departure was announced.

Laporta also backed under-pressure manager Ronald Koeman, with Barcelona down in ninth in the La Liga table.

"I asked him if he trusted the team and he said, 'Of course I trust them. I need to get the injured players back'. He wants to continue at all costs and show this team is competitive."

Lewis Hamilton will have a 10-place grid penalty at Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix but topped both Friday sessions at Istanbul Park.

Mercedes have taken a fourth engine - one more than is permitted - to reduce the risks of him suffering a failure during the tight championship run-in.

But he has taken only one power-unit component - the internal combustion engine - so escapes a full grid drop.

The aim is to lose as little ground to title rival Max Verstappen as possible.

Full practice results

5 Live F1: Turkish GP preview

The Red Bull driver trails Hamilton by two points in the championship after recovering from the back of the grid following his own engine penalty to finish second behind the seven-time champion in Russia at the last race.

Hamilton topped first practice at Istanbul Park, 0.425 seconds ahead of Verstappen, and also headed the time sheets in the second session, in which Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was second, 0.166secs behind the Mercedes.

Hamilton said the car had felt better in the first session than the second but was confident Mercedes could improve it overnight.

"I need to be on pole to limit the loss [from the penalty]," he said.

Verstappen was 0.635secs off the pace in the second session, in which the understeer he was suffering in the first session had been replaced by oversteer.

He said: "Great track, but today was challenging. It looks like we have some work to do overnight to improve our performance."

Leclerc, who was third fastest in the first session, looked competitive all day in the Ferrari, which is fitted with an engine with the upgraded hybrid system to which he gave a debut in the last race in Russia.

Mercedes have made the decision to change Hamilton's engine for reliability and performance reasons, after the seven-time champion lost one of his three engines with a failure in practice at the Dutch Grand Prix last month.

Taking the fourth internal combustion engine gives them a bit more peace of mind, as well as overall performance, for the championship run-in.

The team based their decision on simulations of the races to come, trying to balance the negative impact of a penalty with the risk of reliability issues.

It was influenced by the fact that a grid penalty such as this is far less damaging than a failure in a race and a penalty at a subsequent one as a result.

Mercedes said they required only a change of internal combustion engine, and not that of any of the other components: the turbo, hybrid system, battery and electronics.

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz had already been confirmed as having a full engine change and he will start from the back of the grid.

In the second session, Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas was third fastest, ahead of the Red Bull's of Sergio Perez and Verstappen, McLaren's Lando Norris and the Alpines of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.