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Duran Duran drops new album 40 years after debut

LONDON — When British pop band Duran Duran made their debut, they did not know how long they would last. But 40 years on, the new wave group are still going strong, releasing their 15^th studio album, Future Past, on Friday.

“We would never have expected to be still making music together after all this time. We were just kids and we came together in punk rock,” bassist John Taylor told Reuters. “(In) the late ‘70s where nobody was thinking long term, it was like, could we just play next year?”

Formed by Mr. Taylor and keyboardist Nick Rhodes in 1978, Duran Duran rose to fame with hits such as “Girls on Film,” “The Reflex” and “Rio.” The band, with lead singer Simon Le Bon and drummer Roger Taylor, has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.

Their new song “Anniversary” celebrates the 40 years since they released their first album in 1981. “‘Anniversary’ is a song that kind of celebrates the time that we’ve been together as a band, but it’s also open to everybody and anything anyone might want to celebrate,” Mr. Taylor said.

For their new release, the band collaborated with producers Erol Alkan and Giorgio Moroder, while Blur guitarist Graham Coxon, Japanese punk band CHAI and rapper Ivorian Doll, among others, feature in an eclectic mix of tracks.

The group began work on the album in late 2018 and worked on it sporadically in 2019. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced them to stop for about 10 months. —  Reuters

K-pop megaband BTS leaves Sony for Universal

SOUTH Korea’s BTS has signed a new distribution and marketing deal with Universal Music Group, the world’s biggest music label, dropping Sony Music’s Columbia Records, the music band’s manager said on Friday.

Hybe Co. Ltd.-owned Bighit Music, which manages BTS, did not disclose the financial terms of the deal but said Universal and its American record label Interscope would distribute and market BTS’ music in the United States and other regions.

The deal expands the entertainment company’s existing partnership with Universal, as it seeks to boost the popularity of K-pop music globally.

BTS, which shot to global fame after the release of its English songs such as “Butter” and “Permission to Dance,” is the first K-pop group to ever receive a Grammy Award nomination. The seven-member band has garnered millions of fans worldwide since its debut in 2013, teaming up with big names including Coldplay, Steve Aoki and Halsey. Last month, BTS performed at the United Nations in an effort to promote global goals of tackling poverty, inequality, injustice and climate change ahead.

Universal, whose other hit singers and catalogues include Justin Bieber and The Beatles, was spun off by France’s Vivendi last month.

Sony Music and Universal Music Group did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Focus turns to safety fears before New Mexico movie shooting tragedy

SANTA FE, N.M. —  The movie director who was wounded on set when Alec Baldwin discharged a prop gun said on Saturday he was “gutted” by the death of the film’s cinematographer, as more details emerged suggesting the production was troubled even before the accidental shooting.

Joel Souza, who was hit in the shoulder on Thursday when Mr. Baldwin fired a prop gun that unexpectedly contained a live round while rehearsing a scene, broke his silence as the investigation entered its third day, with multiple questions remaining over how the mistake happened.

“I am gutted by the loss of my friend and colleague, Halyna. She was kind, vibrant, incredibly talented, fought for every inch and always pushed me to be better,” Mr. Souza said in a statement.

The shot hit cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in the chest, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office. She died of her wounds and Mr. Souza, who was behind her, was injured but later released from the hospital.

Just hours before the incident on the New Mexico set of Rust, a low-budget Western, several crew members quit in protest at what they saw as poor working conditions, according to multiple news outlets.

The Los Angeles Times reported that last week Mr. Baldwin’s stunt double accidentally fired two rounds with a prop firearm after being told it was “cold,” an industry term meaning a weapon is not loaded with ammunition, including blanks. At least one employee complained to a production manager about gun safety on set, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed crew members.

The same mistake may have occurred on Thursday, according to court records. An assistant director, Dave Halls, handed Mr. Baldwin the prop gun and told him it was a “cold gun,” according to an affidavit from the sheriff’s office that was filed as part of a search warrant application. Halls could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

A Santa Fe judge on Friday approved the warrant, allowing authorities to seize firearms, clothing, cameras, video tapes and ammunition from the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside Santa Fe.

Rust Movie Productions said in a statement on Friday it had not been aware of any safety concerns but was investigating the incident. “Though we were not made aware of any official complaints concerning weapon or prop safety on set, we will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down,” the company said. Mr. Baldwin is among the film’s producers.

It is unclear why the gun contained a live round. The person in charge of weapons on set is known as an armorer; the armorer for Rust, Hannah Gutierrez, had set up the gun and two others, according to the affidavit. Gutierrez could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

No charges have been filed in the case, and police have said the investigation remains active. Security guards were posted at the road leading to the ranch on Saturday. — Reuters