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

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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.

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“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.

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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.

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READ ALSO: German Finance Minister Commits Suicide Over Coronavirus

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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)

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(PHOTO: bbc.com)

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How I Struggled With Masturbation, Started Smoking At 13 — Tonto Dikeh

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Popular Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has publicly shared what she described as her deliverance from smoking, alcohol addiction, masturbation, and long-standing anger issues during a Sunday service at Streams of Joy International Church.

Dikeh gave the testimony during the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations service, led by the church’s founder, Pastor Jerry Eze, according to a video shared by DCLImagery on YouTube on Sunday.

Addressing the congregation, the actress recounted that she began smoking at the age of 13 and struggled for years with alcohol and masturbation, which she said only ended through divine intervention.

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“I smoked since I was 13. God healed me from masturbation, too. I have known myself to have sexual intercourse in the dream ever since I was a child,” she said.

READ ALSO:Tonto Dikeh Behind Gistlover Blog – VeryDarkMan Claims

She explained that her appearance at the altar was both an act of thanksgiving and a public testimony, adding that she initially considered withdrawing due to concerns about her image.

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The devil tried to tell me that I was supposed to protect my image. But I told myself, what image? The God that gave me the image is the same God that can take it away,” she said.

Dikeh further stated that after attending the Ghana Prayer Conference, she noticed a significant change in what she described as years of spiritual oppression.

“I realised that the weak man who held me captive all my years in my dream ran away,” she said, describing the moment as a turning point in her spiritual life.

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The actress also spoke about struggling with what she called “demonic anger,” which she said had negatively affected her relationships and personal life.

An anger that destroyed my life. Everybody had to feel it. But praying with NSPPD, God took all of those away and gave me peace,” she said.

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According to Dikeh, the peace she now experiences is something she had never known before.

I am 40 years old, and I can tell you I have never known peace until now. I am living in it,” she said.

She disclosed that her smoking habit lasted about 27 years and began after early exposure at home, using her experience to caution parents against exposing children to harmful habits.

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READ ALSO:‘Best Decision Ever,’ Tonto Dikeh Opens Up On Leaving Her Marriage

“I started smoking because my dad was a smoker. Something as little as that habit can inhabit the lives of your children,” she said.

Dikeh added that after praying for divine help, she no longer has urges for cigarettes or alcohol.

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“My body does not ask for it. My body is repelling it. Today, it is broken,” she said.

During the service, Pastor Eze prayed for the actress, declaring that “the body of sin is broken” and describing her as “a voice in her generation.”

The actress also shared photos from the church on her Instagram page, captioning them: “A living testimony of mercy. One God spared, restored, and commissioned.”

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2Face Reveals Faze’s Role In Rift With Blackface

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Nigerian singer Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Face, has revealed his former bandmate Faze’s position in the long-running rift between him and their other ex-bandmate, Blackface.

Recall that Blackface and 2Face have been involved in an on-and-off feud over the years, with the former repeatedly accusing the latter of intellectual property theft, allegations 2Face has consistently denied.

Addressing fans midway through his performance at the Made in Benue Festival in Makurdi recently, 2Face said Faze has maintained a neutral stance in the dispute between him and Blackface.

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He stressed that the rift does not involve Faze in any way.

“You all know that Plantashun Boiz consisted of Blackface, 2Face and Faze. But due to some unforeseen circumstances, Blackface is not with us right now.

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“However, no matter the beef wey me and Blackface get, nothing concern Faze inside. So, Faze is right here with me and we will represent Plantashun Boiz,” he said.

READ ALSO:2Baba’s New Romance In Trouble As Natasha Fumes Over Loyalty Remark

The rift between Blackface and 2Face began after Plantashun Boiz disbanded in the 2000s.

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Following their split, Blackface blamed 2Face for the breakup and accused him of song theft.

The relationship between the duo has remained strained over the years despite several attempts at reconciliation, with peace efforts often short-lived.

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I Don’t Lie – Nollywood Actress Doris Ogala Picks Holes In Chris Okafor’s Apology

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Popular Nollywood actress, Doris Ogala has said she did not lie as claimed by the founder of Grace Nation Bible Ministry, Pastor Chris Okafor.

The preacher, on Sunday, while tendering apologies to the actress over a furry of allegations against him, said some of the claims by the actress were lies.

The Nollywood star had formally accused Pastor Chris days earlier of breaching a promise to marry her, an allegation that has birthed other troubles for the man of God.

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The actress in a demand, dated December 16, 2025 and conveyed to the preacher through her lawyers, Synergy Law Partners demanded N1 billion as compensation.

READ ALSO:Nollywood Actress, Mercy Aigbe, Loses Mother

The issue took another turn for the worst earlier this week, with Okafor’s children coming up with more allegations.

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But addressing the congregation on Sunday, the preacher apologized to the actress and other people he trespassed against.

He said, “To the lady called Doris Ogala, mistakes have been made in the past and I tender apologies to everybody. There are so many lies in most of the things that were said, however, I am saying sorry to everyone I have offended.

“To Doris Ogala, I am so sorry and I apologize. I am ready to make restitution to anyone that I have offended”.

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READ ALSO:Popular Nollywood Actress Dies

However, reacting to the apology, Doris Ogala faulted the pastor’s claim of lies, stating that she has a problem with the remark.

In a post on her Facebook page, the actress said she does not lie.

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“Chris Okafor, I forgive you but there is a problem where you said everything is a lie. I have a problem with that because I don’t lie”, she said.

 

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