Latest news with #FabFour
The National
5 days ago
- Sport
- The National
England v India: Joe Root in a league of his own as he chases Test immortality
The 'Fab Four' was a thing a few years back. Cricket was enjoying a golden period where four young batters were raising the bar constantly and producing incredible performances in all formats. Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Joe Root and Kane Williamson seemed to have the world at their feet; stylish players with a solid technique, strong leadership qualities and ability to adapt to any condition. Out of these, India great Kohli abruptly retired from the Test format earlier this after a poor run against New Zealand at home and away in Australia. Australia veteran Smith has regained his form to a degree, powering his team to the World Test Championship final where he dropped an important catch against South Africa in the second innings, saw the Proteas lift their first world title, and also hurt his finger in the process. Kiwi legend Williamson's international future remains uncertain as he has turned down a central contract for a second season. So, it's just Root still standing. That did not seem likely a few seasons back as the other three seemed to be forging ahead, while Root embarked upon a strange quest to reinvent his batting in red-ball cricket with the aid of ungainly ramps, reverse scoops and all-out attacking batting. It was a challenge Root took upon himself, tested it as much as he wanted – credit for which must go to an accommodating team management – and now stands at the gates of cricketing immortality. Amid the upheaval, Root, still only 34, has crossed the 13,000-run mark in Test cricket (13,006 to be exact). That is by far the most runs among active cricketers and a little under 3,000 away from the pinnacle – Sachin Tendulkar's tally of 15,921 Test runs. In fact, if Root scores more than 372 runs in the five-match series, he will move up from fifth to second in the all-time Test runs tally, overtaking Ricky Ponting and landing right behind Tendulkar. The right-handed batter still has a good five or six years of cricket left in him, and with England playing almost twice as many matches in each cycle compared to most other sides, Root can and should overtake Tendulkar. That would make the former England captain the most successful Test batter of all time, and secure his position in Test history forever. It is only fair that England get to boast having the most successful batter and fast bowlers (James Anderson and Stuart Broad) in Test cricket; after all, they consistently play more Test matches than other teams and have also funneled all their resources to the red-ball format, at least for the foreseeable future. While the future looks rosy, Root must now plan for the India series that begins this Friday. The five-Test series provides captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum a chance to make a fresh start in their pursuit of Test excellence after a disjointed campaign of the previous cycle that had a lot of noise but limited results; England finished fifth in the table. There is nothing holding back England now. And no one to challenge Root's supremacy either. India are without Kohli, along with captain Rohit Sharma and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, all now retired from the format. Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is expected to play no more than three out of the five Tests as the previous five-match series in Australia broke his back. India are being led by young batter Shubman Gill, who is yet to prove his mettle in the Test format and is not yet the undisputed leader of the dressing room. That means if Root and England keep their eyes on the ball, they can start the new cycle on a positive note. By the end of this cycle, England could get a taste of the World Test Championship final, and Root a glimpse of Tendulkar's landmark.
Euronews
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
What are the 20 most controversial album covers of all time?
Content warning: This article contains images which some readers may find offensive. If you're a music lover and enjoy a bit of drama, you must have heard that controversy is brewing over the artwork of Sabrina Carpenter's upcoming album 'Man's Best Friend'. The suggestive – but hardly sexually explicit - cover features the buzzy 'Espresso' hitmaker on her knees in front of a faceless man who is pulling her hair back. And the release of the image has caused much debate. Many argue that Carpenter's MO has always been pop-horniness, and that she has every right to express herself and her sexuality – in this case what some may perceive as a submissive kink - in any way she sees fit and crucially, without being policed or harassed; others see this image as degrading, regressive and promoting traditional gender roles. At the end of the day, it's her album cover and can't we just let her be? Some hyper-conservative and hyper-progressive corners of the internet clearly disagree, and the reactions have been intense – which is hardly surprising, considering sexuality has always rubbed some people up the wrong way. Plus, scandal is hardly new for musicians, as artists have sparked outrage with their album covers for decades, leading some to be censored or even banned. From nudity to the open courting of outrage via political statements (and sometimes, downright poor taste), here are 20 provocative covers that rocked the music world and faced the most backlash. We proceed chronologically. A post shared by Euronews Culture (@euronewsculture) While hardly controversial compared to some of the other covers in this list, that's a downright unfortunate title to go with this image. And isn't the one on the right an uncanny dead ringer for a young Stephen Fry? Unsettling. It's not one of the Fab Four's most famous albums, but certainly their most notorious. Photographer Robert Whitaker took a snap of the band in white butcher's coats, surrounded by raw meat and dismembered baby dolls. Paul McCartney claimed it was a comment against the Vietnam War. US retailers were shocked and refused to stock the album, leading to it being withdrawn and reissued with a more vanilla alternative. Today, the 'Butcher cover' is available in pirated form. Those lucky enough to own an original pressing have an expensive and coveted piece of music history. The cover for the avant-garde 'Two Virgins' captures John Lennon and Yoko Ono completely naked. It sparked outrage, leading distributors to clandestinely sell the album wrapped in brown paper bags. At the end of the 1960s, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker founded a supergroup with Steve Winwood and Ric Grech. They released only one album together, and to mark the occasion, they enlisted photographer Bob Seidemann. His image features a young topless girl holding a model spaceship. The image was considered deeply problematic and was promptly banned and replaced with a more classic shot of the band members. The Stones have had several album cover controversies over the years, including 'Beggar's Banquet''s artwork which featured a graffiti covered bathroom wall. However, it's the band's ninth studio album, designed by Andy Warhol, matched with its inuendo-heavy title, which rubbed censors up the wrong way. It features a suggestive denim-clad crotch and the original pressing of the LP also had a working fly which unzipped to reveal white underwear. The cover was famously banned in Spain, which was under the fascist rule of General Franco at the time. Photographer Eric Boman's shot of Constanze Karoli and Eveline Grunwald led many US outlets to censor the image, feeling uncomfortable with the sight of scantily clad models. Thankfully, most European distributors weren't irked by the sight of lingerie. There's misguided and then there's what was going on in the minds of German rockers Scorpions in 1976. The album titled 'Virgin Killer' depicts a naked 10-year-old girl with broken glass covering her genitalia. The controversy led to a bump in sales, but it remains to this day one of the most censored album covers in music history. NB: Euronews Culture has decided to blur the image since this album cover has been deemed by many as child pornography. Sex Pistols' only studio album caused plenty of pearl clutching when it was released in 1977. A record shop owner in Nottingham, UK, was arrested for displaying the records. This led to an obscenity-related court case, as he was charged for contravening the Indecent Advertisement Act 1889. The charges were eventually dropped. All because of the word 'bollocks'. All it took was a female-led punk outfit appearing topless and covered in mud for everyone to collectively lose their minds. Considering the sheer amount of topless men on album covers, the only words that come to mind are: deal with it. With an album title like that, it was pretty obvious that the (cheeky) cover image would cause some outrage. There are no words. It's one of the most famous album covers in the world but the artwork for Nirvana's grunge masterpiece proved divisive at the time of its release. It features a photo taken by Kirk Weddle of a four-month-old nude baby named Spencer Elden. Kurt Cobain refused for it to be censored, but did state that he would agree to a sticker covering the penis, reading: 'If you're offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile.' It didn't come to that. However, several decades later, Elden attempted to sue Nirvana for violating US federal child pornography protections with the image, arguing that it resulted in 'lifelong damages'. The suit was eventually dismissed. Rap pioneer Ice Cube was no stranger to controversy, what with the headline-grabbing lyrics of N.W.A's 'Fuck Tha Police.' But with 'Death Certificate', he sparked further outrage with the image of a corpse identified as Uncle Sam. The famous rap-metal band's debut album depicts the infamous self-immolation of Vietnamese monk Thích Quảng Đức in 1963, protesting the persecution of Buddhists by South Vietnam's US-backed government. The graphic image caused outrage. Not displeased with the situation, frontman Zach de la Rocha famously burned a US flag at Woodstock '99. The question remains: Could anyone really be surprised with a name like Rage Against The Machine? Heavy metal has always been a genre that has courted controversy, and there are numerous album covers that have shocked over the years. For their 1994 album, titled 'Youthanasia', Megadeth wanted to comment on the fact that society was euthanizing the young. The visual depiction of this ended up being a woman hanging babies by their feet on her washing line. A bit on-the-nose, but it was enough to get everyone freaking out. Marilyn Manson has always pushed the envelope when it comes to taste, and the controversial rocker did just that in 2000 for the album 'Holy Wood (In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death)'. The disturbing cover depicts Manson as a crucified Christ, which led US stores to ban it completely. Considering that the controversial shock rocker's intended purpose was to critique censorship and that the previous albums 'Mechanical Animals' and 'Portrait Of An American Family' also sparked moral panic, the reaction to the artwork must have delighted him. European fans of New York rockers The Strokes were treated with the original cover of their stunning debut album, featuring a leather gloved hand on a naked hip. The US were quick to call foul, however, disapproving of the suggestive nature of the image. The band had to swap the gorgeous shot by Colin Lane – who spontaneously took a picture of his then-girlfriend after she came out of the shower. The replacement? A psychedelic but far less impactful depiction of subatomic particle tracks. In 2001, US hip-hop group The Coup, composed of Boots Riley and DJ Pam the Funktress, wanted to make a statement about destroying capitalism. Their idea: pose in front of the World Trade Center on fire. The image was conceived prior to 9/11 and the eerie timing of the album's November release meant that they had to replace the image with a martini glass on fire. Probably for the best. The cover for Ted Nugent's album was pulled before it hit shelves - and considering the misogynist credentials of this particular image, it might have been for the best. The sleeve for 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' saw a painting of a naked Kanye West being straddled by a winged female monster with sharp teeth. The controversial rapper refused for the image be pulled, but the record label reached a compromise by pixelating the image in some territories. Sabrina Carpenter's 'Man's Best Friend' is released on 29 August. He's one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood history, considered one of the last great Movie Stars and has defied death for more than three decades in the Mission: Impossible franchise... And yet, Tom Cruise has yet to win an Oscar – despite four nominations. Now, that Golden Baldie dearth is about to be rectified as the 62-year-old actor will finally receive an Academy Award this year. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Cruise will get an Honorary Oscar in November to celebrate his entire career, praising Cruise for his dedication to his craft, including performing all his own stunts, and helping the film industry recover following the COVID-19 period. Indeed, Cruise – who can currently be seen in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning - famously played a large part in kick-starting the box office during the pandemic when Top Gun: Maverick opened in late spring 2022. The sequel to the 1986 adventure went on to gross $1.5bn worldwide. Cruise previously earned lead actor Oscar nominations for Born On The Fourth Of July and Jerry Maguire, a supporting actor nod for Magnolia, and a best picture nomination as a producer on Top Gun: Maverick. The leading man is one of four honourees, alongside choreographer and actress Debbie Allen (Fame, Ragtime, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling), pioneering Black production designer Wynn Thomas (Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, A Beautiful Mind), and country singer - and complete legend - Dolly Parton. 'This year's Governors Awards will celebrate four legendary individuals whose extraordinary careers and commitment to our filmmaking community continue to leave a lasting impact,' said Janet Yang, Academy President. 'The Academy's Board of Governors is honored to recognize these brilliant artists. Debbie Allen is a trailblazing choreographer and actor, whose work has captivated generations and crossed genres. Tom Cruise's incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all. Beloved performer Dolly Parton exemplifies the spirit of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award through her unwavering dedication to charitable efforts. And production designer Wynn Thomas has brought some of the most enduring films to life through a visionary eye and mastery of his craft.' The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is also an Oscar statuette and is presented to Hollywood figures renowned for 'promoting human welfare and contributing to rectifying inequities'. Parton's charitable and philanthropic work include the Dollywood Foundation, founded in 1988. The institution champions the education of children in her home state of Tennessee. As for her literacy initiative, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, it has distributed more than 285 million books globally since 1995. Besides her music career, Parton has starred in films like 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, and earned two original song Oscar nominations for '9 to 5', and 'Travelin' Thru from Transamerica' from the film Transamerica. The four honorees will be presented with their Honorary Oscars at the Governors Awards ceremony on 16 November.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
"Just Below Sachin Tendulkar...": England Great's Surprising Take On 'Fab Four' Of Cricket
Former England pacer James Anderson gave a memorable response on being asked about his views on the 'Fab Four' of cricket. In the current generation, the 'Fab Four' consists of India star batter Virat Kohli, Australia batter Steve Smith, England veteran Joe Root, and former New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson. Though Kohli announced his retirement from Tests and Smith hung his boots from the ODIs, the contribution made by both of them cannot be overlooked. Even Williamson and Root have achieved great heights in Test cricket. Recently, legendary pacer Anderson, who retired from international cricket in 2024, was asked to compare the 'Fab Four' with India great Sachin Tendulkar. "Just below Tendulkar," said Anderson on TalkSport podcast. Anchor - 'Where do those four (Virat, Root, Smith, Kane) compare with Sachin Tendulkar ?' James Anderson - ' Just below Tendulkar ' — CrickeTendulkar (@CrickeTendulkar) June 16, 2025 Popularly known as the "Master Blaster", Tendulkar is the greatest ODI and Test batter. In 463 ODIs, Sachin racked up 18426 runs, which are till date the highest by any batter. In Tests, Sachin hammered 15921 runs in 200 matches. Apart from this, Anderson also opened up about bowling to both Sachin and Kohli. Anderson, who is the most successful fast bowler in the history of Test cricket, dismissed Sachin 9 times and Virat 7 times during his career. When asked about the most difficult batter to bowl to, Anderson ended up picking Virat over Sachin. Anderson explained that although he dominated Virat during their first meeting during 2014, the Indian batter bounced back and went on to have a good record against the pacer. Sachin, on the other hand, did not have such an intense clash with him and there was never a major 'shift in dominance'. "I had some success early against Kohli, the first time he came to England in 2014. I really exploited his weakness of outside off-stump, and then the next time I played against him - he had obviously gone back and worked on that - he was totally a different player. He really had taken his game to a different level, made it very difficult for not just me but for bowlers in general. I got him out 4-5 times in the first series and then didn't get him out in the next I played against him," Anderson said on the TalkSport podcast. "Against Sachin, for example, I didn't feel like there was that sort of shift in dominance. With Kohli, there was definitely a shift. Found him a very difficult player to bowl at because he had that steely mindset, wanted to get into a battle. He's very competitive and after that initial success, it was very difficult to bowl against."
Time of India
7 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
‘Virat Kohli tougher than Sachin Tendulkar': James Anderson names his hardest opponent from fab four
James Anderson and Virat Kohli In a candid chat on the TalkSport podcast, England pace legend James Anderson reflected on his legendary battles with some of modern cricket's finest, naming Virat Kohli as the toughest batter he has faced among the celebrated Fab Four. 'I have found it more difficult to bowl to Kohli than even Sachin Tendulkar ,' Anderson said, underlining the intensity and challenge Kohli brought to the crease. The comparison carries weight, given Anderson's long-standing duel with Tendulkar and dominance over top-tier batters across eras. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Kohli and Anderson's rivalry was one of the highlights of recent India-England Test encounters. Across 36 innings, Kohli scored 305 runs off Anderson at an average of 43.57, with the England seamer dismissing him 7 times. Their duels were intense but often marked by mutual respect and strategic adjustments on both ends. Kuldeep Yadav hints at spin-friendly wicket ahead of England Test series Kohli, who retired from Test cricket in May 2025 ahead of India's tour of England, ended with 9,230 runs in 122 Tests — just 770 short of the coveted 10,000-run milestone. While fans debated the timing of his exit, tributes from former opponents like Anderson have only reaffirmed Kohli's impact on the longest format. Quiz: Who's that IPL player? For Anderson to place Kohli above even the great Tendulkar speaks volumes, not just of Kohli's technical prowess, but of his resilience and evolution as a top-order giant under pressure. India's 2025 Test tour of England begins on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds, and marks the start of a new World Test Championship cycle.
Irish Independent
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘A poor man's guitar? No ma'am, it's a rich man's ukulele': The lesser-known Beatles stories that will make you smile
Stuart Maconie's tribute to the band who were a 'hand-grenade of rainbows' deserves its place on the increasingly crowded bookshelves dedicated to the Fab Four Today at 21:30 Are the Beatles possibly more popular now than ever? Consider The Beatles In Mono vinyl boxset. Originally issued in 2014, it quickly sold out because hopeless cases like me couldn't get their hands into their pockets quickly enough. Last month it was announced that this set, whose hitherto appreciating value was supposed to supplement my pension, is being reissued. Despite a price tag north of €500, it's already sold out again, on pre-orders alone The ever-growing Beatles library offers further proof. There's a volume available on every aspect of their existence and even, as likeable BBC 6 Music presenter and writer Stuart Maconie points out, a book about Beatle books themselves. This year alone has already seen the high-profile publication of Ian Leslie's affectionate John & Paul: A Love Story In Songs and David Sheff's hagiographical but persuasive Yoko: A Biography. Do we really need another one?
