Multiple convicted criminal illegal aliens have been arrested across Minnesota in recent months, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These arrests were highlighted following controversial…

He earned six Emmy nominations for playing the lovable barfly. Continue reading…

The first test of Tesla’s long-promised robotaxi service in Austin, Texas next month will initially be limited to specific areas the company deems “the safest,” CEO Elon Musk told CNBC in an interview Tuesday. Tesla’s cars are “not going to take intersections unless we are highly confident [they’re] going to do well with that intersection, […]

Amanda Scales, the former xAI HR exec who helped lead billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency initiative while working at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, recently returned to xAI, according to The New York Times. Scales used to work on talent acquisition at xAI. Since April, she’s worked on the talent side of […]

If you call yourself a Koe Wetzel fan, you are in luck. The country star has a ton of new music on the way. Koe Wetzel returned to the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast to talk about his most recent album 9 Lives, what it’s been like gaining mainstream notoriety and working more in Nashville, having such a passionate fan base, becoming a dad soon, going on tour with Hardy this summer, and much more. One of the things that we were quick to ask about is news on new music from Koe. He was happy to share that he’s currently sitting on quite a lot of songs, and was actually in Nashville writing before we got a chance to sit down with him: “We’ve been writing on it for a while now, and it’s kind of like the same old crew… we’ve added a few other writers on it. It’s a cool vibe. It’s really good. We had a write yesterday, got a couple of good ones.” As for the sound of the new project, Wetzel suggested that his upcoming album should have some comparisons to his most recent project, 9 Lives, which was released in July of last year. Koe didn’t give too much away, but did imply that his latest album and his forthcoming one will share a lot of similarities: “It’s pretty much the exact same vibe… it’s gonna be a good one.” The country music star went on to say that he and his team are currently dealing with a fantastic problem to have in the music industry: Too many songs. That’s right. Koe Wetzel has way too many songs to choose from, and in his mind, it seems like it makes sense to separate the collection he has into two albums. That being said, he predicts the album that will come out in the near future could be on the longer side, just because of the sheer amount of music Koe currently has on standby: “We have a s**t ton of music, and that’s a good thing, right? It’s gonna be a longer record. I’m kind of juggling two records right now. I’m working with Steve Rush as well… we’re doing more of an older Koe, rock-sounding record I guess. Then like I said, the stuff with Gabe Simon is a little more cut-to-the-bone and softer.” And I said near future, so you are probably wondering what exactly that means. Wetzel thinks that his next project (the cut-to-the-bone, softer one) could be ready as soon as the end of 2025. But if it’s not ready by then, an early 2026 release could be in the cards: “I don’t know if it’ll be this year. If it is this year, it’ll probably be closer to the end of the year. We plan on dropping a few singles. We’ll probably just sprinkle a little bit of that the whole time, and then like I said, either the end of the year or the start of next year.” Koe explained that part of the reason he was trying to get his next album put together so quickly is because… well, life is throwing a good amount of things his way. He’s set to tour with HARDY, and more importantly, Wetzel is about to become a father. Knowing that his hands will be full for much of the rest of 2o25, the country music star is doing his best to finish up an album so that he can release it for his fans. And speaking of a release for his fans, we had to ask Koe about that promise he made to make a traditional country music record when he turned 30. Like many of his faithful followers, we haven’t forgotten about that social media post that promised the traditional country project. Wetzel hasn’t either, but he thinks he might let the traditional country record come to him rather than force it just because he drunkenly posted about it one time: “I think I was really drunk when I posted that to Twitter. Not like me to be drunk posting on Twitter, but yeah, I don’t know. I really, truly want to make a traditional country record. But I feel like when I’m ready for that time, it’s gonna come. And I don’t want to force it. You’ve got so many badass traditional country artists right now. You’ve got Zach Top. Post Malone has made some great stuff. You’ve got all these people that are making great traditional country music. I’m gonna let them handle it right now and then maybe I’ll come in later on.” @whiskeyriff @Koe Wetzel’s still planning on releasing a traditional country record one day. // Listen to the latest episode of Whiskey Riff Raff on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. #whiskeyriff #whiskeyriffraff #koewetzel #traditionalcountrymusic ♬ original sound Whiskey Riff Regardless of when that traditional album from Koe might see the light of day, it’s an exciting time to be a fan of Koe Wetzel. I don’t know about you, but it still feels like 9 Lives just came out (even though it was a late summer 2024 release), and we could get a whole other album from the “High Road” singer as soon as the end of 2025. Seems like a pretty good deal to me. If you want to hear more from Koe Wetzel, download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or click here. We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts. Cheers, y’all. Audio Video The post Koe Wetzel Says He’s Gonna Let Zach Top Handle The Traditional Country Right Now: “Maybe I’ll Come In Later On” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Maybe the nerves got to her. On Sunday night, Jessica Simpson returned to the stage, giving her first televised performance in 15 years during the American Idol finale. However, this was not Simpson’s first performance since her hiatus; she had performed earlier this spring, surprising the crowd at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion just outside of Austin, Texas (in addition to making SXSW appearances). After Simpson’s first appearance on stage, she was met with harsh feedback, and unfortunately, the same happened after her American Idol performance. Simpson performed a new single titled “Blame Me,” and then was joined by the contestant Josh King for “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’.” While I didn’t think Simpson’s performance was as much of a trainwreck as social media made it out to be, it definitely was not her best. She was receiving criticism online for her shaky vocals and for her lips constantly kissing the microphone. The kissing of the microphone was likely due to the fact that her lip filler was taking over, which Carrie Underwood has received criticism for, too. To be fair, Jessica’s lip situation is a little cartoonish… maybe tone it down, girl. The one part of the performance that I criticize is that it appeared she did not look like she knew when “Blame Me” was ending and where the composition for “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” was supposed to start. She also looked a little awkward with her dance moves, trying a little too hard. But like I said before, this was not a career-ending performance in my eyes. After she finished singing, in an exclusive interview with Extra, she shared that she was nervous about her big return to the stage, which makes sense for some of the shaky vocals and awkward poses. “Oh my god, I was dying. I have not been that nervous, I think…I don’t remember. I can’t even tell you how long it’s been since I’ve been that nervous. Like, I had to put hairspray on my feet to stand still, like, not that it actually keeps me put, but, like, my feet were sweating. I’m like, my feet don’t sweat? I just kept telling myself, ‘Do not cry. Do not cry. I know this is a big moment. Do not cry.’ And then I see my dad, like up in the corner, and I’m like, ‘Ah, I’m going to cry, I’m gonna cry. Do not cry. Just sing your songs, just sing your songs.'”  While her nerves were present, a lot of emotion filled the performance and you can tell that she still has that big voice in there somewhere… just gotta get it under control. Simpson jokes that the last time she performed on TV, it was a Christmas song, which was “easy,” but “Blame Me” (along with the other songs off her new EP) is very vulnerable to perform live. “So, this is my new EP ‘Nashville Canyon Part 1,’ I mean, part two comes in the summer, but it is so much a part of my soul, and so to sing a song off of that I felt naked, to be honest, like, it was very bare and raw and very vulnerable.” After hearing this interview, I think we need to cut her some slack. Her first two major performances are naturally going to be filled with nerves, and the keyboard warriors were quick to jump down her throat. Watching the performance back, you can see her trying to swallow her nerves. If the worst that happened was some shaky vocals and microphone kissing, then I’d say she’s still on track to making a comeback. Hopefully, the next time we see Simpson on stage, she will have worked through her nerves, and we will see a more solid performance. The YouTube viewers show Simpson much more grace than those on X. Check out some of the positive notes left on her video. “Loved to see Jessica back! Let’s stop all these negative vibes! She was missing to be on stage and deserves it! Well done, Jess.” “I can tell how much she loves her new music, the soul and emotions are shining bright!” “She was so good, voice, looks, everything!” “Wow! I was worried after seeing comments before watching, but actually enjoyed it!! Glad she’s back on stage!” Fire up the performance before you leave. The post Jessica Simpson Confesses She Was Very Nervous Before Her ‘American Idol’ Performance: “I Was Dying” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Season 56 of Sesame Street is coming to Netflix with “fresh format changes.”

Deep Purple would never have been the same without guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who was a crucial part of the band's sound, creating some of the most memorable guitar riffs and solos in the history of music. He is one of the greatest guitar heroes in Rock and Roll and has influenced musicians all over the world throughout his career. But obviously, before finding their own sound, Deep Purple was influenced by many other groups, including some unexpected ones that Blackmore once revealed. The 5 bands Ritchie Blackmore said influenced Deep Purple Allman Brothers Band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnoGI4DR-vI&pp=ygUNd2hpcHBpbmcgcG9zdA%3D%3D "We used to listen to the Allman Brothers quite a lot back in 1969. In fact, a lot of what Purple did was influenced by the Allman Brothers," he said in an interview with Andy Aledort in 2013. Since Deep Purple used to listen to the Allman Brothers Band a lot in 1969, they were certainly hearing their self-titled debut album released in the same year. That groundbreaking record has praised tracks like "Don't Want You No More", "It's Not My Cross To Bear", "Trouble No More" and "Whipping Post".  At the time, the band was formed by Gregg Allman (Organ, vocals), Duane Allman (Guitar), Dickey Betts (Guitar), Berry Oakley (Bass), Jai Johanny Johanson (Drums) and Butch Trucks (Drums). This was one of the three albums that the guitarist Duane Allman was part of. He tragically died in an accident in 1971 at the age of 24. But the band continued and was active until 1976, reuniting from 1978 to 1982 and 1989 to 2014. In 2025 the last surviving original member of the band is the drummer Jai Johanny Johanson. Vanilla Fudge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dJO47d26kc&pp=ygUNVmFuaWxsYSBGdWRnZQ%3D%3D According to Blackmore, before Allman Brothers Band, he and the band were really into other four bands. The first one is Vanilla Fudge, the Psychedelic American band known for their version of The Supremes' "Keep Me Hanging' On". He loves the band and he told Guitar World magazine in 1991 that the late keyboardist Jon Lord also was a big fan of them. “I met him (Jon Lord) in a transvestite bar in ’68, in Hamburg, Germany. [laughs] Back in the late Sixties, there were few organists who could play like Jon. We shared the same taste in music. We loved Vanilla Fudge – they were our heroes. They used to play London’s Speakeasy and all the hippies used to go there to hang out – Clapton, The Beatles – everybody went there to pose.” “According to legend, the talk of the town during that period was Jimi Hendrix, but that’s not true. It was Vanilla Fudge. They played eight-minute songs, with dynamics. People said, ‘What the hell’s going on here? How come it’s not three minutes?’ Timmy Bogert, their bassist, was amazing.” Ritchie Blackmore continued: “The whole group was ahead of its time. So, initially we wanted to be a Vanilla Fudge clone. But our singer, Ian, wanted to be Edgar Winter. He’d say, ‘I want to scream like that, like Edgar Winter.’ So that’s what we were – Vanilla Fudge with Edgar Winter!” Ritchie Blackmore said. Vanilla Fudge was formed in Long Island, New York back in 1967, one year before Deep Purple. They were active until 1970 and then reunited from 1982 to 1984, 1987 to 1988, in 1991 and since 1999 the band has been active. Since the late 60s they have released 11 studio albums, the most recent one being "Vanilla Zeppelin" (2022), which is a tribute album to Led Zeppelin. Curiously, the band's drummer Carmine Appice said that he was John Bonham's main influence. Nowadays Vanilla Fudge is formed by the original members Mark Stein, Vince Martell and Carmine Appice, accompanied by the bassist Pete Bremy, who first played with them in 2002. The original bassist Tim Bogert died in 2021 but since 2010 didn't perform with the band. Mountain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss1EyyXL4Gk&pp=ygUITW91bnRhaW4%3D Like Vanilla Fudge, Mountain was also formed in Long Island, New York, but two after them, in 1969. Blackmore instantly became a fan of their music after hearing their biggest hit "Mississippi Queen" at a bar with his former bandmate, the drummer Ian Paice. “I remember Ian Paice and I were out for a drink in a bar in Germany, in 1970 I think it was. We were pretty pleased with our record ‘In Rock’, and they were playing it. And then this other record came on. We didn’t know who it was, but it was such an amazing, big, hard sound. We looked at each other very nervously and thought, ‘Who the hell is that?’” He continued: “(So) we asked the DJ and it was Mountain, with ‘Mississippi Queen,’ and that thundered! (But) we couldn’t speak because we didn’t know what to say [laughs]. We thought, Oh, my God, that is one hell of a sound,” Ritchie Blackmore told Newsweek. He still is a big fan of the late guitarist Leslie West and praised him in an interview with Andy Aledort. I really loved Leslie West’s playing. (…) Ultimately, Purple and Mountain did a few tours together. Every now and again, Leslie would just walk out onto the stage unannounced and start playing, while his band was still in the dressing room. They all come running out of there and to the stage as fast as they could, after which he’d immediately walk off. Madness! I like that eccentricity in him. And he plays mostly with just three fingers. He doesn’t bother with the pinkie much at all, but it’s all there. Great vibrato.” Mountain was originally formed by Leslie West (Vocals, guitar), Felix Pappalardi (Vocals, bass), Steve Knight (Keyboards) and N.D Smart (Drums – who would be replaced by Corky Lang). Leslie West played Deep Purple’s “Smoke on The Water” with the band in 1994. But at the time, Ritchie Blackmore had already left the group for good and Joe Satriani was their current guitarist. Cream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwDo0JUeKqM&pp=ygUGQ3JlYW0g Considered the first Rock and Roll supergroup in history, Cream was also another band that influenced Purple a lot according to Ritchie. They even had the chance to be the opening act of the power trio formed by Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton. (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage) “I remember Deep Purple was supporting Cream at the Forum in Los Angeles. Funny enough, in the front row I think was Jimi Hendrix and George Harrison sitting right there." "Right in front of me, which was kind of strange. Before the show, I think Eric came into the dressing room I was in with Deep Purple. We never met formerly before, so we introduced each other, little bit of small talk. I was always impressed with Eric’s, not only ability to play brilliant guitar playing but I loved his sound.” “I loved the fat sound he got. So I was questioning him. I said: ‘What strings you were using when you first started playing?’ He said: ‘I was using Clifford Essex strings’. So I went: ‘Wow, Clifford Essex!’ Immediately after the meeting I got Clifford Essex strings, which I played for quite a while. Then he also said that he took up (other brand and I started to use them too). But I was trying to figure out how he got this great sound (…) And all these strings I used for years (were) all because of him,” Ritchie Blackmore said on his Youtube page. But Ritchie Blackmore already criticized Eric Clapton Although Blackmore praised the musician, he didn't always have good things to say about him. In 1975, in an interview with International Musician magazine, he said he was a good singer but was never really attracted to his playing. “I never saw what was in Clapton at all. He’s a good singer”. During that same year he once again criticized the artist. It was in a conversation with the Creem magazine journalist and future movie director Cameron Crowe. “Couldn’t care less about other guitarists. It’s ridiculous. Everyone plays guitar now. Doctors play guitar now. There are so many guitarists around now it’s unbelievable. I always find it embarrassing when people ask me what I play and I have to admit, ‘Uh, guitar. EVERYBODY plays guitar’.” “But Hendrix gave me faith in the music scene. And when Cream came along, I thought ‘Well, it’s all happening again.’ Although I was never knocked out with Eric Clapton’s playing, it was competent, and he was copping a lot of the English blues guitarist, and that was a good sign. He had a good sound, but Hendrix was way ahead of him because he could write, he could sing, he could perform. He blew it from 1970 onwards, though,” Ritchie Blackmore said. Cream was active only from 1966 to 1968, reuniting in 1993 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Fame and for a few special shows in 2005. Jimi Hendrix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLV4_xaYynY&pp=ygUMSmltaSBIZW5kcml4 As Blackmore said when talking about Cream, Jimi Hendrix was really the real deal for him and for Deep Purple. Many songs by the band were even influenced by tracks written by Jimi. The guitarist once said that "Stone Free" and "Fire" were the inspirations for "Speed King". Blackmore had the chance to see Hendrix but they didn't talk as he told SiriusXM’s Guitar Greats in 2022. “I only met him once. It was in the Whiskey in Hollywood. I was going into the toilet and he was playing with his hair or something. That was the only time I met him. We kind of nodded to each other and that was it. So I never really got to know him. Yet he certainly set the world on fire,” Ritchie Blackmore said. The Rainbow leader also believes that Hendrix was at least 20 years ahead of his time. Deep Purple covered "Hey Joe" on their debut album in 1968. Although the track was originally recorded by The Leaves, it is Hendrix's version, released in 1966, that is the best known one.The post The 5 bands Ritchie Blackmore said influenced Deep Purple appeared first on Rock and Roll Garage.