Happy Mondays stars Shaun Ryder and Bez have joked about being their own ticket touts back in the band’s heyday.
Pioneers of the “Madchester” sound of their home city in the 80s and early 90s, they rose to fame alongside the likes of The Stone Roses and Inspiral Carpets, a few years before Oasis.
The pair are now Gogglebox favourites and live a quieter life. But back in the day, Happy Mondays were known for their hard partying and not always doing things by the book – including the time they headlined Glastonbury Festival in 1990 when they infamously printed out their own backstage passes to squeeze as many mates in as they could.
Image: ‘Manchester royalty’ Bez and Shaun Ryder were VIP guests at the MTV Europe Awards
Image: Happy Mondays stars Bez (left) and Shaun Ryder performing at Glastonbury in 2000. Pic: Toby Melville/PA
Sky News caught up with Ryder and Bez, whose real name is Mark Berry, at the MTV Europe Music Awards, which were held in Manchesterfor the first time this year.
They talked pop and politics, as well as Taylor Swift – and following the dynamic pricing controversy surrounding the Oasis reunion tickets earlier this year, we wanted to get their thoughts.
“It’s like being your own personal tout, isn’t it?” Bez said. “It’s like touting your own tickets. Which is better than the touts doing it.”
“We used to tout our own tickets,” added Ryder. “Do side merch and all that lot, print out passes backstage.”
“Don’t tell everyone,” Bez joked.
Image: Liam and Noel Gallagher, pictured in 2000, announced the Oasis reunion earlier this year. Pic: PA
Following the backlash over the dynamic pricing surrounding the initial Oasis reunion ticket sale, the band put a stop to it for extra dates added to the tour.
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In October, promoters warned that thousands of tickets being listed on unauthorised sites, to sell for a profit, would be cancelled.
The repercussions from the ticket-buying process have led to a proposed new law to improve pricing transparency and prevent fans from being ripped off.
The UK competition watchdog is also looking at the dynamic pricing system, which sees prices change according to demand.
Despite Liam Gallagher winning an award at the MTV Awards for best rock act, he was not there in person to collect his prize.
“I love and adore you,” he told fans the following day in a message on X.
Ryder and Bez were there to represent their home city, though, hailed as “Manchester royalty” by host Rita Ora during one segment.
The night’s big winner was Taylor Swift, who did not attend the event but picked up four awards, including best artist.
Ryder told Sky News he is a fan. “She’s great,” he said. “An excellent songwriter.”
And on politics, the Happy Mondays frontman said he did not usually get involved, but following Donald Trump’s re-election, said:“I think we should do with that lunatic getting back in, because the world’s going to go f***ing mad”.
Donald Trump has waded into the debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad.
The American Eagle ad, which features the 27-year-old actress, who starred in the HBO series Euphoria and White Lotus, has the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
It has sparked a debate in the US over race and Western beauty standards.
Image: One of the Sydney Sweeney jeans ads. Pic: AP
In a Truth Social post, the US president described it as the “hottest ad out there”.
Hailing Sweeney as a “registered Republican”, he said the jeans are “flying off the shelves”, adding: “Go get ’em Sydney!”
Most of the criticism of the ad has centred on videos using the word “genes” instead of “jeans”, with one in which Sweeney says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
Critics argued the play on words potentially promotes eugenics, a discredited theory that believed humanity could be improved through the selective breeding of certain traits.
But others have defended the ad, saying the critics are reading too much into its message.
The video appeared on American Eagle’s Facebook page and other social media channels, but is not part of the ad campaign.
In a statement on Instagram on Friday, American Eagle Outfitters said the campaign “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Stocks in American Eagle Outfitters jumped by 23.3% after Mr Trump’s intervention.
Trump clearly couldn’t wait to get involved in the discourse
They say all publicity is good publicity, and Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad is certainly notching up the column inches, especially now Donald Trump has intervened.
The US president must have been breathlessly excited when he found out Sweeney was a registered Republican because he wrote a Truth Social post in support of her before deleting it twice and reposting three times to correct various spelling and grammatical errors.
He clearly could not wait to get involved in the discourse.
“Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there,” he wrote. “Go get ’em Sydney!”
In any other era, the president weighing in so heavily on one side of a pop culture issue would’ve been unusual.
But the current president knows people are talking about the ad around their dinner tables and at parties right now. By injecting himself into the discussion, they will now be talking about him too.
In his Truth Social post, which he reposted three times to fix various typos, Mr Trump compared the ad with “woke” ones “on the other side of the ledger” – as he criticised other companies, as well as hitting out at Taylor Swift.
“The tide has seriously turned – Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be,” he wrote.
Sky News has contacted Sweeney’s agent for comment.
Indian actor Dhanush says he has been left “completely disturbed” by the re-release of one of his hit films with an alternative ending assisted by AI – but the production company behind it has rejected criticism of the move.
Hindi-language romantic drama Raanjhanaa, called Ambikapathy in its Tamil-language title, has made headlines over its re-release 12 years after first hitting cinemas in 2013.
Eros Media World says the new version, which sees the film’s original ending switched to a happier one, is a “lawful and creative reinterpretation, not a replacement”, and that the change and use of artificial intelligence has been made clear to viewers.
The company says the alternate ending was “crafted under the direction of a human creative team using AI only as an assistive tool – not as an autonomous content generator”.
In a statement sent to Sky News, group chief executive Pradeep Dwivedi said the studio wanted to offer “fresh dimensions for audiences” and never intended “to undermine the original essence” of the film.
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However, the AI-assisted re-release has already drawn criticism from the film’s director Aanand L Rai, and now its star Dhanush has released a statement to say the “AI-altered climax” had left him “completely disturbed”.
“This alternate ending has stripped the film of its very soul, and the concerned parties went ahead with it despite my clear objection,” Dhanush said in a message posted on X. “This is not the film I committed to 12 years ago.”
Dhanush said the use of AI to alter films or other content “is a deeply concerning precedent for both art and artists” that “threatens the integrity of storytelling and the legacy of cinema”.
He added: “I sincerely hope that stricter regulations are put in place to prevent such practices in the future.”
Eros said Dhanush’s “wonderful performance” in the role of Kundan had brought the character to life “in an unforgettable way”. However, the studio said the actor’s team had been aware of the plans before the re-release and that they had received “no formal objection”.
“While we acknowledge and respect differing views on the use of AI in film, our aim has been to explore how technology can complement storytelling and offer fresh dimensions for audiences – never to undermine the original essence of a film,” Mr Dwivedi said. “The original Raanjhanaa and Ambikapathy remains much loved and widely available, and the IP is fully preserved.”
He added: “Just as storytelling evolves, so too does music – and with responsible use of AI, even the most iconic soundtracks are being respectfully reimagined as remixes to resonate with new generations while preserving their original soul.
“We deeply respect the creative community and remain committed to collaborating in ways that ensure mutual respect, innovation, and progress for the cinematic arts. As one of India’s most storied film studios, Eros remains committed to celebrating Indian cinema, nurturing talent, and embracing technology responsibly.”
Dhanush’s comments come after statements posted by Rai, who has described the re-release as “a betrayal” to the original that has been “dressed up as innovation”.
Writing on Instagram, he said: “This was never just a film to us. It was shaped by human hands, human flaws, and human feeling. What’s now being circulated is not a tribute. It is a reckless takeover that strips the work of its intent, its context, and its soul.”
Responding to the director’s criticism, Mr Dwivedi reiterated that the re-release is “a respectful creative reinterpretation – clearly labelled and separate from the original version” and said such practices are “common in global cinema, and reflect our long-standing commitment to innovation, audience engagement, and cultural preservation”.
He also highlighted an ongoing legal dispute between Eros and Colour Yellow Productions, the studio co-founded by Rai.
Image: Strikes by video game actors ended in June after starting last year. File pic: AP
The re-release comes as artificial intelligence continues to cause concern among some in the creative industries. In June, video game actors in the US ended a strike after nearly a year of industrial action over the use of AI by game studios – an issue that was also part of the concerns raised by the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023.
Oasis have said they are “shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of a fan” at their Wembley Stadium concert on Saturday.
Together with their bandmates, Liam and Noel Gallagher have offered their “sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved”.
Metropolitan Police said officers on duty at the stadium responded, alongside venue medics and the London Ambulance Service, to reports a person had been injured at around 10.20pm.
The statement continued: “A man – aged in his 40s – was found with injuries consistent with a fall. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.”
According to media reports, the man fell from the stadium’s upper tier.
A concertgoer on social media said they saw the incident and described it as “horrific”.
Image: Liam and Noel Gallagher on stage at their first reunion gig. Pic: AP
Metropolitan Police said: “The stadium was busy, and we believe it is likely a number of people witnessed the incident, or may knowingly or unknowingly have caught it on mobile phone video footage.
“If you have any information that could help us to confirm what happened, please call 101.”
Oasis performed at the venue as planned on Sunday night, delivering the final concert of a five-night run at Wembley.
Addressing fans at the stadium, singer Liam said: “This one’s for all the people who can’t be here tonight, but who are here if you know what I mean, and aren’t they looking lovely. Live Forever.”
Oasis support act Richard Ashcroft paid tribute on Instagram, writing: “I was shocked to hear of the death of one of the audience last night sending my love to the family and friends.”
A spokesperson for Wembley Stadium said: “Our thoughts go out to his family, who have been informed and are being supported by specially trained police officers.”
They will then head to Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the United States, before returning to Wembley for two more dates in September.
The reunion tour began at the start of July and marks the Gallagher brothers’ first performances together since Oasis split acrimoniously in 2009.