Rage Against the Machine

To kick it off first with some music news that’s come out since 2024 began, Brad Wilk, drummer of rock band Rage Against the Machine, shared some important, though disappointing news for the future of the group. On Jan. 3, Wilk shared an Instagram post that stated, “…I want to let you know that RATM (Tim, Zack, Tom and I) will not be touring or playing live again.”

This announcement follows Zack De La Rocha’s leg injury in 2022 that caused the cancellation of their 2023 North American tour. According to Pitchfork, De La Rocha said, “Rehearsing, training, reconciling, working our way back to form. Then one and a half shows into it and my tendon tears.” 

He continued, saying it “felt like a sick joke the universe played on” him, further demonstrating how this series of unfortunate events could potentially have played a role in pushing the band to this decision. 

In the comment section of the post, fans expressed their confusion over the message, but also maintained their support for the beloved band. One user commented, “Sorry to hear this but you guys gotta keep true to yourself and your health. Although I’d be lying if I didn’t want to ask the reasons why.”

Sage Creek science teacher Michael Vivaldi reflected upon whether “there’s an underlying subtext that goes along with” their decision; he wonders if the band is okay and whether they’re thinking about splitting up or not.

Vivaldi added, however, that the outcome does make sense, mentioning how “they’re an older band; they’ve been together for a long time so it’s natural that over time they’d want to take more time for their personal lives and just not tour anymore.” Whatever the reason may be, fans will certainly be keeping a close eye on where this situation leads.

The Smashing Pumpkins

On the topic of music, on Jan. 5, famed grunge band of the 90s, the Smashing Pumpkins, announced to their fans via an Instagram post that they are in need of a new guitarist. This comes in the wake of Jeff Schroeder’s departure from the band; he has served as their guitarist for the past 16 years. 

SCHS senior Will Leon remarked about how the situation could potentially impact the band and mentioned how “finding a new guitarist would mean there might be a change in the sound of their music.” Leon also commented on how this may affect the band’s following, stating how “OG fans” may be “saddened by new members.”

Despite the bitter side of the news, this is still a rare opportunity for musicians around the world to take advantage of. Those interested are able to send their own applications to the email [email protected]; there’s no downside, so why not apply?

“Purple Rain” Broadway Musical

There is also an exciting new Broadway musical in the works that is an adaptation of Prince’s 1984 film, “Purple Rain.”

According to Broadway Across America, the plot of the story tells of “an up-and-coming rock musician in the Minneapolis club scene, as he contends with a tumultuous home environment, a rival band and a budding romance.” This will certainly be thrilling news to any Prince fans on the Sage Creek campus and around the world.

Golden Globes

Next up we have the Golden Globes, which took place on Jan. 7. There were many event winners worth noting in the film category such as “Oppenheimer” as the Best Drama Film, “Barbie” as the greatest Cinematic and Box Office Achievement and “Succession” as the Best Drama Television Series.

In terms of individuals awarded with Golden Globes, among the list are Christopher Nolan for Best Director (“Oppenheimer”), Ayo Edebiri for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Musical or Comedy Television Series (“The Bear”) and Ricky Gervais for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy.

One additional winner worth mentioning is Lily Gladstone, who won Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture for “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Sage Creek senior Will Weitz commented upon her momentous win and said, “indigenous representation on media and TV is not only rare, but most times it’s misrepresented.”

There were also numerous memorable moments that took place at the event aside from the obvious awards being given. Arguably the most unforgettable moment was Selena Gomez’s reaction to the jokes comedian and host of this year’s award show Jo Koy told.

According to Today, the specific joke that caught the most attention from Gomez was when he said, “(The character of Barbie) goes from perfect beauty to bad breath, cellulite and flat feet — or what casting directors call (a) character actor.” Following the joke, the camera focused in on Gomez, who looked, “unimpressed as she stares down at her table and raises her hands to her forehead in dismay.” 

The other main joke that was received poorly by the audience had to do with Taylor Swift and her boyfriend Travis Kelce. Koy said, “The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? At the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.” According to Yahoo News, Swift reacted to the joke by making “a face” and then taking a sip of her drink. 

In his defense, Koy stated that he had only gotten confirmed for the gig 10 days prior to the event, along with the fact that many of the jokes hadn’t even been written by him. Some jokes land, some don’t, and this was certainly a prime example of ones that didn’t get the reaction they were intended to.

Emmys

The Emmys took place on Monday, Jan. 15; the trophy it provides to chosen celebrities is regarded as the most prestigious award a television professional can receive. According to Vanity Faire, among the many winners include Sarah Snook for Best Actress in a Drama Series (“Succession”), Quinta Brunson for Best Actress in a Comedy Series (“Abbott Elementary,”) and RuPaul for the Best Reality Host (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”). It must have been an exciting week for celebrities with these back-to-back awards shows.

Concluding

That’s it for this round of pop culture updates. Stay tuned for the next one!