A group of tourists who ran up the Rocky steps in Philadelphia got a knockout photo at the top – a selfie with Rocky himself. Peter Rowe said he and two friends had just finished racing up the staircase at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Saturday when they saw Sylvester Stallone. “He said to us: ‘Man, you guys are fast. You’re making me look bad,’ ” Rowe said on Tuesday. Stallone then posed for a selfie with the trio, putting up one fist. “Look tough, guys,” he said, according to Rowe. Stallone made the art museum’s steps famous in his first turn as the fictional boxer Rocky Balboa, who used them as part of his training regimen. Thousands of people now visit the steps each year to recreate the run and to take pictures with a Rocky statue, which originally was a prop in Rocky III. Stallone is in Philadelphia for the filming of Creed, the latest instalment in the series. It stars Michael B Jordan, who appeared in Fruitvale Station, as the grandson of Apollo Creed – an early foe of Rocky. – AP
Ranbir Kapoor finally joins Twitter
Ranbir Kapoor is now on Twitter – he made his debut on Tuesday, January 20, and within minutes “Welcome Ranbir Kapoor” was a trending hashtag. While he is yet to send out his first tweet, the actor managed to gather more than 20,000 followers in 24 hours. – The National staff
Linkin Park cancel tour after lead singer injures his leg
Linkin Park are cancelling the rest of their North American tour after their lead singer injured his leg. Chester Bennington says he needs immediate medical attention and it's impossible for him to perform. Bennington hasn't said how he injured his leg. Linkin Park's The Hunting Party tour kicked off on January 15. The rock band performed only three concerts. Bennington appeared onstage with crutches at the band's January 18 concert in Indianapolis. He said on Tuesday, January 20, that he's "disappointed" he can't perform and called the first few shows "magical". Fans can seek refunds for the remaining 16 shows. The Grammy Award-winning band's hits include In the End, Numb and New Divide. – AP
Bjork to release album early after leak
Bjork said on Tuesday, January 20, that she would release her new album months ahead of schedule after she became the latest artist to be effected by her work being leaked online. The Icelandic singer said her first album in three years, Vulnicura, would be out within the next 24 hours and described it as a "complete heartbreak album" about a romantic breakup. Songs from the album emerged on pirate sites on Tuesday, several days after Bjork had announced that Vulnicura would come out in March and provided a list of songs. In a message on Facebook and Twitter, Bjork did not directly comment on the leak but instead thanked her fans for their interest. Bjork described the album as a "pretty much accurate emotional chronology" with three songs before a breakup and three after. Internet leaks of albums have become increasingly common in an era where reproducing music files requires little technical skill and pirate websites enjoy an eager listenership. Madonna last month released six songs from her forthcoming album, months ahead of schedule, after early versions emerged on the Internet. Vulnicura is Bjork's first since 2011's Biophilia, a wildly ambitious production that used smartphone apps and other multimedia to explore the links between technology, music and nature. Bjork last week announced a series of intimate New York concerts to promote Vulnicura, including two nights at Carnegie Hall, one of the world's premier classical venues. Bjork's work will also be featured in a retrospective exhibit in March at New York's Museum of Modern Art. – AFP
Motley Crue to end with New Year blowout
Motley Crue, the glam rock bad boys from Los Angeles, will end their 34-year career with a blowout concert on New Year's Eve in their hometown. The heavy metal band announced final concert dates after theatrically signing a Cessation of Touring Agreement last year that will end Motley Crue by the end of 2015. Motley Crue – whose anthem-like guitar rock and unabashed indulgence in nightlife pleasures belied an androgynous appearance with teased hair and make-up – will play a final show on December 31 at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. The band started their two-year finale last year with an extravagant touring show that includes pyrotechnics and a "drum coaster" in which Tommy Lee plays his percussion set as it moves on an elevated track through the venue. Motley Crue announced dates in the United States and Canada from July through September, including returning to some cities where they played in 2014. Most of the forthcoming shows will also feature glam metal godfather Alice Cooper. The foreign dates will include five shows in Japan in February, dates in Australia and New Zealand and three European festivals – Download in England, Sweden Rock and Austria's Novarock. Motley Crue have also scheduled two concerts in Mexico in September including at the Arena Ciudad de Mexico.The band, which say they have sold more than 100 million albums, made the announcement while releasing a new single, All Bad Things that was accompanied by a video of Motley Crue's career highlights. – AFP
