Entertainment

Popular ‘Love Rock ‘N’ Roll’ Songwriter Dies Of Coronavirus

Published

6 years ago

March 30, 2020

Editor

The co-writer and original singer of I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll, Alan Merrill, has died after contracting coronavirus.

His daughter Laura shared the news, saying the 69-year-old had been healthy enough to play shows a few weeks ago.

“He played down the ‘cold’ he thought he had,” she wrote, before warning other families not to be complacent.

“You don’t think It’ll happen to you or your strong family. It has,” she wrote. “Stay home if not for you, for others. For my dad. This thing is real.”

I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll became a global hit for Joan Jett in 1982 and has been covered by artists ranging from Britney Spears to Weird Al Yankovic.

A parody version, I Love Sausage Rolls, was last year’s Christmas number one in the UK, with proceeds going to charity.

Musicians hit by coronavirus

Coronavirus also claimed the life of country singer Joe Diffie over the weekend, while the family of Nashville legend John Prine said he was critically ill on a ventilator and being treated for Covid-19 symptoms.

Prine, an influential singer-songwriter who is known for lyrical, melancholy folk songs like Hello In There and Angel From Montgomery, has previously survived cancer twice.

As news of his condition broke, musicians including Joan Baez, Bette Midler and Kacey Musgraves sent the Grammy Award winner their love and support.

Alan Merrill, who was born Allan Preston Sachs in New York, had a long and varied career as a musician. He signed his first record deal as lead singer of the band The Lead, who had a big hit in Japan with Aoi Bara (Blue Rose).

After releasing two successful solo albums and hosting TV shows and acting in soap operas, he left Japan for the UK in 1974 to form The Arrows, who put a glam rock sheen on classic pop melodies.

The group scored hits with A Touch Too Much and My Last Night With You, and I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll was written by Merrill and guitarist Jake Hooker as “a knee-jerk response to the Rolling Stones’ It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It)” in 1975.

Originally issued on the B-side of The Arrows’ single Broken Down Heart, it became a hit after DJs started playing the flip side instead.

Its success led to the band getting a weekly ITV series, with musical guests including Marc Bolan, Slade and The Bay City Rollers – and that was where US singer Joan Jett first heard, and fell in love with, I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll.

In the mid-1970s, Jett tried to convince her band The Runaways to cover it but they refused. When the band broke up, Jett recorded it and spent seven weeks at the top of the Billboard chart.

After his death, she paid tribute to Merrill on Instagram, writing: “My thoughts and love go to his family, friends and music community as a whole. I can still remember watching The Arrows on TV in London and being blown away by the song that screamed hit to me.

“With deep gratitude and sadness, wishing him a safe journey to the other side.”

Merrill later joined Meat Loaf’s band for two albums and played with Rick Derringer.

Writing on Facebook, Meat Loaf said: “Let this be a lesson to all of us, try to stay in touch with the people you really love and care about. Life is very short. Alan I am sorry that I didn’t reach out to you years ago. I love you very much.”

(BBC)

(PHOTO: bbc.com)

Entertainment

I Won’t Stop Criticizing Tinubu govt – Mr Macaroni Denies Raping 17-year-old Girl

Published

1 minute ago

November 19, 2025

Editor

Nigerian actor, comedian, and activist Adebowale Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, has debunked a rape allegation against him.

An X user with the handle Lukurawa16703 accused the activist of raping a minor and allegedly using the Nigerian police to bully the victim and her family into silence.

“This guy actually raped a 17-year-old girl and used police to oppress her family. Now he’s an activist?,” the X user wrote while reposting a tweet of Mr Macaroni criticising President Bola Tinubu administration over the escalating insecurity.

Reacting, Mr Macaroni said he was only addressing the post because of how “horrendous and distasteful” the accusation is.

He claimed that his accuser was a support of President Tinubu and the ruling APC, stressing that the allegation was a “propaganda” against him for holding the government accountable.

He threatened to take legal action against the individual behind the account to serve as a deterrent to others. He called for help for relevant information about the individual that can help him take necessary action against him.

Mr Macaroni added, “This tweet also serves as an opportunity to strongly refute this ridiculous accusation and any other kind from the infested supporters of the APC because I expect their disease to continue to spread as I won’t stop criticizing this abomination of a government!”

Entertainment

Rapper Falz Asks President Tinubu To Resign Over Insecurity

Published

14 minutes ago

November 19, 2025

Editor

Popular rapper and activist, Folarin Falana, aka Falz, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign over his inability to tackle the escalating insecurity in the country.

Reposting a tweet made by Tinubu on 6 November 2014, demanding for the resignation of then President Goodluck Jonathan over terrorism, Falz stated that the President has remained unwilling to protect the lives and property of citizens despite pretending to care in the past.

“You have consistently shown your unwillingness to protect the lives and property of our people despite pretending to care in the past. Resign now!,” he wrote.

The escalating insecurity in Nigeria, especially jihadist violence against Christians, has attracted more international attention recently.

Speaking at a UN event on Tuesday alongside the US ambassador to the United Nations, Michael Waltz, Nicki Minaj called for urgent action against the persecution of Nigerian Christians.

She called for peace, unity and freedom of worship. She also appreciated US President Donald Trump for speaking up for Nigerian Christians.

Entertainment

Olamide Clarifies Seniority Debate Between Him And Wizkid In Music Industry

Published

21 minutes ago

November 19, 2025

Editor

Nigerian music star Olamide Baddo, 36, has said his colleague Wizkid, 35, is older than him in the music industry.

The duo gained prominence in 2010 with Wizkid gaining popularity with ‘Holla AT Your Boy’ released in January, and Olamide hitting the reckoning with ‘Eni Duro’ a few months later.

They were also both nominated in the Next Rated category at the 2011 Headies Awards, which Wizkid won.

Consequently, the popular notion has been that they are industry mates.

However, in a recent interview with streamer Azeeez, Olamide clarified that Wizkid is older than him in the music industry with about two years.

“Wizkid and I didn’t start doing music at the same time. He started a year or two before me, he was already putting out music before I came,” Olamide stated.

It would be recalled that Wizkid was earlier featured in ace rapper M.I’s hit single ‘Fast Money/Fast Cars’ in 2008, about two years before he became famous.