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Today’s Music News: College professor plans to dress like David Bowie for a year

by Staff

August 18, 2015

Will Brooker, a professor of film and cultural studies at Kingston University in London, has announced plans to dress like David Bowie every day for the next year. Which Bowie? Why choose? Brooker will make his way through numerous different periods of Bowie's life, as part of what he's calling a research project. "The idea is to inhabit Bowie's head space at points in his life and career to understand his work from an original angle, while retaining a critical and objective perspective at the same time," Brooker tells the Kingston University news service, which also reports that Brooker has "been dressing as Bowie, wearing the same make-up, experimenting with sleep deprivation, attempting to follow Bowie's dubious diet of milk and red peppers and has even started to take singing lessons."

As the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton continues a successful theatrical run, two women who say that Dr. Dre was physically abusive towards them have renewed their allegations. R&B singer Michel'le, who was engaged to Dr. Dre and has a son with him, has previously claimed that she was physically abused in the relationship and recently told VladTV that she "was just a quiet girlfriend who got beat up and told to sit down and shut up." Meanwhile, journalist Dee Barnes, has written a blog post recalling a widely-reported incident in which Dr. Dre allegedly struck her at a 1991 party, questioning why that party didn't make it into the film. "Like many of the women that knew and worked with N.W.A.," she writes, "I found myself a casualty of Straight Outta Compton’s revisionist history." (Pitchfork)

Dr. Dre and Ice Cube have asked a judge to remove them as defendants in a wrongful-death lawsuit against Suge Knight, a former business partner of Dr. Dre's who was involved in a January hit-and-run after leaving the set of Straight Outta Compton. At issue is whether the N.W.A. members should be held accountable for the environment on the film's set, where the argument that later led to the fatal incident began. (Rolling Stone)

In happier hip-hop news, at this past weekend's Summer Set festival, Minneapolis rapper Manny Phesto successfully coaxed both Ghostface Killah and Action Bronson to pose with a mock election sign promoting Manny Phesto's website. That made news across the hip-hop world, because Ghostface Killah and Action Bronson have been feuding all summer. "Minneapolis Rapper Gets Action Bronson and Ghostface Killah To Agree on One Thing," reads a headline on XXL.

A big piece of music history has just become more affordable: the asking price for Kurt Cobain's childhood home has dropped from $400,000 to $329,000. The owners of the Aberdeen, Washington house are apparently having trouble selling the property because it's in need of such serious repairs. (NME)

The Beatles' first record contract, signed in 1961, is going up for auction on Sept. 19. The contract, which enlisted the Fab Four to serve as Tony Sheridan's backing band for the single "My Bonnie," is expected to bring $150,000. (Rolling Stone)

A new Johnny Cash documentary will debut on CMT on Sept. 12. The release of Johnny Cash: American Rebel will coincide with the 12th anniversary of the Man in Black's death. (Rolling Stone)

Lionel Richie has been named the 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year. Richie, who succeeds 2015 honoree Bob Dylan, will be honored at a pre-Grammys benefit gala on Feb. 13. (Billboard)

Jermaine Clement has confirmed that he and Bret McKenzie are writing material for a possible Flight of the Conchords movie. Don't start camping out for tickets yet, though: "Who knows if it will ever be made," says Clement. (Billboard)

Kim Gordon stars as Peaches's wrestling coach in a new video for "Close Up," a single from Peaches' forthcoming album Rub; Gordon guests on the track. (Pitchfork)

Are Beck and Florence Welch collaborating on new music? Jade really hopes so, but all we know for sure right now is that they're hanging out together and having a good time.

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This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.