IT has been a whirlwind few months for Yungblud.
The British rocker landed his third consecutive No1 album with Idols, helped make history at Ozzy Osbourne’s Back To The Beginning concert at Villa Park and now he is on the cusp of releasing his first feature-length music film.
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“It’s been f***ing nuts,” Yungblud, real name Dominic Harrison, tells me from his very posh suite in The Londoner Hotel.
As I hug him with a glass of wine in hand, he laughs and tells me: “Why the f***k not? I’ll have a glass of champagne.”
Dom, who Bizarre have championed since the release of his debut album in 2019, is always the most colourful, clever and captivating interviewee.
And when we speak about his close friendship with Black Sabbath rocker Ozzy he is visibly moved.
“The past couple of weeks have been very weird to connect with,” Dom explains.
“You get to know someone personally, who you love. And then they leave.
“I was texting him, then his son Jack texted me and said, ‘He’s gone.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ “Being around the family and being at the funeral, the amount of love there. That family are real as f***k.
“The dream is to have kids and a family like that. There’s no gimmicks. It’s authentic.”
Dom has now released his live version of Ozzy’s 1972 solo hit Changes as a charity single to help raise money for Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Children’s Hospice.
He adds: “The best thing is that I got to honour my hero. That’s all I was thinking about. I was singing for one man there.”
His new film, Yungblud. Are You Ready Boy?, was made in Berlin, with cameras following Dom and his band as they recorded a live version of Idols at the Hansa Studios where David Bowie and U2 laid down some of their famous albums.
The footage is searingly honest and shows a different side to the brash, confident Yungblud who his fans adore.
“I will never watch it again, it’s too uncomfortable,” Dom explains of the film, which will be shown in 150 cinemas nationwide between August 20 and 24.
“I was ready to make a film like this because I completely alleviated all control.
“When people have seen ten seconds of me on the internet, they think they know me. But I’m calm, I’m emotional, I’m angry in places, I’m very passionate.
“I think something like this in today’s day and age, where you elongate the imagination, you let it be raw as f**k, is rare. And I think it’s going to stand out.”
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Created by filmmaker Paul Dugdale, Yungblud is seen performing the 12-track album in full — with only one take per track.
Dom explains: “I said to Paul, ‘I don’t want to do it after we’ve been on the road and toured it for a year.’ Because when it becomes muscle memory, it’s easier.
“The red light goes on, you’ve got to do it in one take.”
The two-hour film also shines a light on Dom’s relationship with fellow musician Jesse Jo Stark.
In a series of candid interviews, Dom opens up about his decision to put their relationship on hold so he could focus on himself and making the record.
I revealed this week that the pair are now back together. And Dom, it’s clear to see, is a man who is very much in love.
He says: “Sacrificing Jesse Jo and the love bit, it’s a very strange thing.
“I’ve never been in a real relationship in rock music — genuinely loving someone. We all know there’s fing couples out there that do this for the media.
“Genuinely, we really love each other. It’s so hard to navigate in rock music. When everyone’s staring, everyone’s got a perception, everyone’s got a narrative
“Like when your narrative isn’t yours, it’s painted by how many views a video gets. The more views a video gets, the more truthful it is, you know. That was rough.”
For now, life for Dom is good, and his mum and aunts were at the film premiere in London’s Leicester Square on Tuesday.
As I leave, Dom tells me: “I’m still just Dom from Donny, who’s trying to f***ing get that high note. To touch the f***ing sky.”
I think you’ve already got to Cloud Nine, Dom.
- To get tickets and find out more about screenings near you, visit yungblud.film.
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Back in the swing
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PENDULUM have announced five huge shows across the UK to celebrate the release of their new album, Inertia.
The 16-track record will be out on August 22, with the band hitting the road in November.
They will kick off in Edinburgh on November 1 before playing in Bristol, Wolverhampton and Manchester, as well as a huge gig at London’s O2 Brixton Academy.
Tickets for the concerts go on sale at 9am tomorrow at pendulum.com.
Rob’s an Oasis of calm at Mick’s birthday bash
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SIR MICK JAGGER kept the guest list to his recent 82nd birthday bash tight – but still had a VIP area for himself.
The Rolling Stones rocker is understood to have invited around 50 guests, including his bandmate Ronnie Wood and actor Sacha Baron Cohen, but kept a divide to make sure he had some space.
Comedian Rob Beckett blagged himself a seat at the table after being invited to the event by Jimmy Carr.
And I’m amazed he could remember any of it as he turned up after watching Oasis at Wembley Stadium.
Rob revealed: “I said hello to Mick. I didn’t properly chat to him because there was a separate room that had Mick in it with Sacha.
“I was chatting to Ronnie Wood and Ronnie’s wife, Sally, for most of the night.”
Speaking on his Parenting Hell podcast, Rob added: “A cake came out, a lovely chocolate cake. I’m stood there and I’m absolutely off my f***ing head.
“I’ve drunk, I’d say at this point, six pints of lager, two espresso martinis, and I’d say a bottle-and-a-half of rose, and just been to the best gig of my life.
“I’m stood wearing a Stone Island anorak with a vodka and soda talking absolute s***e.”
Eye spy Ange
ANGELINA JOLIE is set to star in a new spy thriller from the same director as her 2005 smash-hit movie Mr And Mrs Smith.
She is expected to play a rogue spy named Bright in Doug Liman’s upcoming film The Initiative, who stops at nothing to bring down the baddies.
Odudu you do
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DUA LIPA and Maya Jama are among the stars to have hit Ibiza recently – and now Big Brother host AJ Odudu has got in on the act.
She shared on Instagram this bikini shot from her own “72 hours of fun and frolics” there.
Meanwhile Zoe Ball is on the island now, and on her podcast Dig It with Jo Whiley, told how it was where she met her first husband Norman ‘Fat Boy Slim’ Cook in 1997.
She said: “I turn around and there was Fatboy. I said, ‘Mr Cook, I presume?’ He said, ‘How do you fancy not going to bed with me tonight?’ i.e, do you want to go out? It was such a great line.”
Rag on the sick
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RAG ’N’ BONE MAN is only human after all – after being admitted to hospital.
He upset quite a few fans in Lithuania on Tuesday after cancelling a show due to illness, just hours before the gig.
But he quickly silenced any critics when he proved he really was sick.
The Human singer shared photos from his hospital ward and wrote: “Being stuck in hospital in Lithuania was not on my list of s**t to do before you die!
“Anyone watching anything good? I’ve got lots of time to kill.
“Sorry to anyone that had tickets to my shows. Trust me, I’d rather be on stage.”
Depeche on the big screen
DEPECHE MODE will be bringing their feature film to cinemas worldwide for a limited run.
The movie, Depeche Mode: M, had its premiere at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival in June and will now be shown in 2,500 cinemas in 60 countries.
The screenings begin from October 28, with more information on depechemode.com.
Arctics in album riddle
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THE ARCTIC MONKEYS appear to be gearing up to drop their eighth album, nearly three years after the release of their last record The Car.
The group, fronted by Alex Turner, registered a new company, called Bang Bang Recordings LLP, and have wiped the album artwork from The Car on their website.
Fans looking for updates are being directed to sign up to a newsletter link on their homepage.
Watch this space for further developments.