Scene and Heard:
Who’s the highest earner in hip-hop? It ain’t Puff Daddy and it’s not Jay Z. The man who has had the most money coming in recently is Dr Dre, according to the Forbes Cash Kings 2014 list. Forbes estimated the former NWA star’s income at $620m (€485m), more than 10 times that of Puff and Jay, the next two on the list. Much of that incredible amount came from his share of the $3bn that Apple paid earlier this year to purchase the Beats headphone Brand that Dre is associated with. Another bunch of artistes not short of a bob or two are Pink Floyd, who earlier this week announced details of a new album, The Endless River. Due on November 4, the album is mostly ambient and instrumental tracks left over from the recording of the Division Bell album in 1993. As such, Roger Waters isn’t involved, but the record will feature David Gilmour, Nick Mason and the late Rick Wright. The tunes have been given a 21st-century makeover, withimpressive producers on board, including former Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera, and Martin Glover, aka Youth of Killing Joke. And, after months of rumours, Radiohead are back recording, with frontman Thom Yorke tweeting about working on overdubs in the band’s studio. The Script have never been the most popular act at the cooler end of the music industry, but the Dublin three-piece again showed their pulling power with their latest album, No Sound Without Silence, entering the Irish and British charts at number one. On a less positive note, AC/DC have announced they’ll continue on without Malcolm Young, the 61-year-old guitarist who serious health problems earlier this year.
Don’t bother trying to get a ticket for Damien Rice at Bord Gais Energy Theatre in Dublin on November 3 — they’re all gone. Black Star Riders, the band featuring former Thin Lizzy members such as Scott Gorham, are at the Olympia in Dublin on March 2, and Mark Knopfler is back at the 3Arena in Dublin on May 15. Jack Clemons is best-known for replacing his late uncle Clarence Clemons in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, but he also has a career as a singer-songwriter and will be playing at Cyprus Avenue in Cork on October 25.
