Phife Dawg, a core member of A Tribe Called Quest, has died at age 45. The cause of the rapper’s death has not been confirmed, but he suffered from chronic health issues related to Type 1 diabetes. In the pioneering indie-rap group, Phife Dawg — born Malik Taylor — played counterpoint to the laconic Q-Tip.…

A 17th century London townhouse used as living and recording quarters for the Sex Pistols from 1975 to 1977 has received a rare historical designation from the group Historic England. The house, which still bears graffiti left by Johnny Rotten, now has the group’s second-highest designation for structures of historical interest. (Rolling Stone) Musicians react to Brussels…

Each week on the Local Show, we’ll meet a new person from the Minnesota music community who has some fresh discoveries to share in a feature called “Ask a Cool Person.” These people will come from all corners of the scene, including record store clerks, recording studio engineers and producers, artists, writers, bookers, photographers, and…

Bob Mould: Patch the Sky Rolling Stone calls Patch the Sky “prime-era, intense Mould.” Bob Mould’s 13th solo studio album will be released on Friday, and in just a month he’s headlining two shows at First Avenue’s Mainroom — a room with which he has a long history. It’s gonna get loud. Davina and the Vagabonds: Nicollet and Tenth…

“Dear Ms. Jackson,” wrote Bruce Springsteen, “Xabi has been out very late rocking & rolling. Please excuse him if he is tardy!” The nine-year-old attended the Boss’s Tuesday night concert in L.A., holding a sign that read BRUCE, I WILL BE LATE TO SCHOOL TOMORROW. PLEASE SIGN MY NOTE. Not only did Springsteen comply, he invited the…

British actor Jack Lowden has been cast as a young Morrissey in a forthcoming biopic. The film, titled Steven (Morrissey’s first name), will focus on the Smiths frontman’s early years in Manchester, and is slated to begin filming next month. (Billboard) SXSW scare A crowd at SXSW was sent running in panic after shots were fired into the air…

Rolling Stone is already calling it “one of the most anticipated memoirs in music history.” Prince has announced that he is writing a memoir. The book will be titled The Beautiful Ones — sharing the title of a memorable song from Purple Rain — and will be written in collaboration with Dan Piepenbring, who works as a Web…

Dusty Heart: “The Skipper and His Wife” Dusty Heart is the duo of Barbara Jean and Molly Dean. Presumably “Jean and Dean” was just too cute a name even for this enormously appealing duo, who hopped in a Lutsen ski gondola for this cover of Spider John Koerner’s “The Skipper and His Wife.” If you…

Who’s on the Grateful Dead tribute album produced by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National? Well, let’s see, there’s Bob Weir, Wilco, the Flaming Lips, Justin Vernon, Jim James, Jenny Lewis, Mumford & Sons, Tunde Adebimpe, Courtney Barnett, Stephen Malkmus…the list goes on and on. The 59-song, five-disc, six-hour album, Day of the Dead, will be released on May 20, and many of the artists will perform a set of…

In the 1940s, Las Hermanas Rangel were a popular Mexican-American music group in St. Paul’s West Side, known for their romantic ballads and fast-paced corridos. The girls started performing after a parishioner at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church heard them sing in the choir, and offered to pay for the girls’ vocal lessons, said Genevieve Rangel, 83, adding that she…