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Friday, September 25, 2026
Dangerous Minds: Will Howard shares the distressing story of Lauryn Hill
What made Lauryn Hill follow a mysterious spiritual leader in 2000?
Despite being arguably the most exciting figure in hip-hop in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Lauryn Hill was going through it.
She’d been the heart and soul of one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved hip-hop groups of the 1990s with The Fugees, then stepped out on her own and released The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It was a critical and commercial smash that put the New Jersey native on the cusp of mega-stardom
On the surface, everything seemed hunky-dory, but as is often the case, the story behind the scenes was much more traumatic.
Case in point, the album was released with Hill being credited as the sole writer, producer and arranger on every track. After its release, a group of four male producers claimed that they had helped produce and write enough of the album to deserve credit on it. While her label and her team urged Hill to settle out of court, Hill took the producers to court, a gamble that went so badly that Hill settled out of court anyway to the tune of $5 million.
This was the final straw. She was a working mother of two, estranged from her partner, living out of a hotel and with the eyes of the world on her, begging for a follow-up to Miseducation.
However, the whole point of the record had been to prove herself as an artist who could do it all, and now she felt as if she’d been exposed as a fraud. Someone going through that amount of stress needs affirmation and comfort, and Lauryn Hill tried to do as she’s always done, and turned to her faith for reassurance.
You see, despite faith being a vitally important part of Hill’s life, she had grown suspicious of mainstream religion and in particular, mainstream Christianity. She wanted a direct relationship with God, away from any kind of church, which a mysterious man in his mid-40s who went by the name Brother Anthony seemed to provide. There’s no record of how the two met, but within a matter of months of meeting him, Hill was taking Bible studies from him three times a week.
After that, every decision or statement Hill made in the early 2000s seemed to be prefaced by the words “Brother Anthony says…” He said that she should step back from the spotlight, so she did. He said that she should fire her management team, so she did. He said that she should adopt the moniker “Ms. Hill” going forward, so she did. Despite never mentioning him by name in public, the singer was all in. The closest she came to mentioning him was an MTV Online interview from the early 2000s.
She says, “I met someone who has an understanding of the Bible like no one else I ever met in my life. I just sat at [his] feet and ingested pure Scripture for about a year.” One can see this in the new material aired during her disastrous MTV Unplugged show. Her material on Miseducation was informed by her faith. The matieral on Unplugged seemed entirely about explorations of her faith and finding strength in God.
Which should be good, right? Religion can inspire strength and resilience at the hardest of times, and the industry was exploiting Hill left, right and centre. However, not everyone was thrilled by the presence of this new spiritual guide. After all, no one in Hill’s life could really work out what Brother Anthony stood for. In Touré’s spectacular Rolling Stone article ‘The Mystery of Lauryn Hill’ from 2003, a source close to Hill said that, “I don’t think he had a religion, I think he was more like, ‘My interpretation of the Bible is the only interpretation of the Bible. I’m the only one on earth that knows the truth.’”
Pras, Hill’s erstwhile Fugess bandmate, was more direct in his criticism of the spiritual leader. “Brother Anthony was definitely on some other shit,” Pras said. “I had a tape of [his teachings]. That shit is ill. Fucked me up. I can’t really explain it. It was some weird shit, man. It was some real cult shit. When I heard the tape, I couldn’t believe that this dude was really serious. He was sayin’, ‘Give up all your money.’ I don’t know if that meant ‘Give it to me’ or whatever, but on the tape he said, ‘Money doesn’t mean anything.’”
Hill’s life has been so shrouded with mystery since then that we don’t know whether he’s still a part of her life or not. However, one can only hope that the way her career has gone since has been genuinely her decision, and not the will of anyone else.
I Know Why Lauren Hill left
Lauryn Hill was a superstar who abruptly left at the height of her fame. Why? The reasons are complex but ultimately, she insisted on being human. I've interviewed Lauryn, Wyclef, Pras, and many other people. This is the true story.
VA - Folk Reimagines Rock (A Butterboy Compilation) (4 x CDs)
Folk Reimagines Rock (A Butterboy Compilation)
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Another fascinating thesis from Butter boy but wait you may say I don’t need to check this out but really DO check the track listing: Really? Can you resist? I don’t think so . . . .
ACOUSTIC COVER VERSIONS
VA - Folk Reimagines Rock (A Butterboy Compilation) (4 x CDs)
These four CDs are built around rock songs being transformed through acoustic, folk and roots approaches. The important distinction is that this is not an “unplugged” collection. The standard was simple - the original song comes from the rock world, the new version changes the musical identity and acoustic instruments with minimal electric imputs (Folk, folk phrasing, traditional harmony or singer‑songwriter intimacy reveal something new in the composition.
Some songs are simply too well written to belong to one genre. Remove the towering guitar riffs, the arena‑sized production or the thunderous drums, and what remains is often something surprisingly intimate, a beautifully crafted song. Melody, lyric and emotion survive long after the amplification fades, and sometimes become even more powerful.
That idea became the starting point for Folk Reimagines Rock, a cover‑versions concept built around genuine reinvention. This collection celebrates those rare moments when folk, acoustic and roots musicians take classic rock songs and gently dismantle them before rebuilding them in an entirely different landscape. These are not novelty covers, faithful reproductions or “unplugged” performances. They are reinterpretations that reveal new meanings, expose hidden emotional depths and remind us that the greatest rock songs often began life as exceptional songwriting.
Across four carefully curated CDs, artists from folk, Americana, indie, traditional music and singer‑songwriter traditions breathe new life into songs woven into popular culture. Stadium anthems become whispered confessions. Hard‑rock classics become fragile ballads. Post‑punk, progressive rock and alternative masterpieces are transformed into timeless folk narratives. In many cases, the arrangement changes so completely that the listener hears the composition almost as if for the first time.
The selections span six decades, reflecting the enduring dialogue between rock music and its folk ancestry. Long before electric guitars filled stadiums, the storytelling traditions of folk music provided the foundations upon which rock was built. This anthology closes that circle, returning these songs to the acoustic instruments, close harmonies and understated performances from which so much modern songwriting evolved.
As with every Butterboy Archive project, the emphasis is on discovery as much as familiarity. Alongside celebrated recordings are overlooked gems, independent releases and quietly remarkable performances that deserve a wider audience. Every track has been chosen not simply because it is an excellent cover, but because it transforms the original in a meaningful and artistically satisfying way.
What emerges is more than a collection of reinterpretations. It becomes a conversation across generations of musicians. Songwriters who once pushed rock into new territory find their work reimagined by artists working with little more than acoustic guitars, fiddles, banjos, pianos and extraordinary voices. The result is both familiar and unexpectedly fresh.
If these four discs achieve anything, I hope they encourage listeners to return to songs they thought they knew completely. Sometimes it takes hearing a rock classic performed quietly and honestly to appreciate just how extraordinary the writing always was. Great songs never lose their power, they simply find new ways to tell their stories.
Welcome to Folk Reimagines Rock. (Butterboy)
Check this:
Track lists
CD1 When Rock Found Its Roots
01 Patti Smith - Within You Without You (George Harrison) 4:53 2007
02 Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane (Velvet Underground) 3:35 1988
03 Sundays - Wild Horses (The Rolling Stones) 4:45 1992
04 Tuck & Patti - Castles Made of Sand, Little Wing (Jimi Hendrix) 5:58 1988
05 Judy Collins - Suzanne (Leonard Cohen) 4:23 1966
06 Nanci Griffith - Across the Great Divide (Kate Wolf) 3:58 1993
07 Emmylou Harris - The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel) 3:31 1992
08 Tina Dickow - Working Class Hero (John Lennon) 4:21 2005
09 Wailin' Jennys - Old Man (Neil Young) 3:11 2004
10 Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin) 4:44 2006
11 Staves - She's Leaving Home (The Beatles) 3:20 2012
12 Fairport Convention - The Ballad of Easy Rider (The Byrds) 4:55 1970
13 Joan Baez - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (The Band) 3:24 1971
14 Pentangle - Sally Go Round The Roses (The Jaynetts) 3:37 1972
15 Nanci Griffith - Boots of Spanish Leather (Bob Dylan) 5:17 1993
16 Feist & Ben Gibbard - Train Song (Vashiti Bunyan) 3:02 2009
17 Richie Havens - Just Like a Woman (Bob Dylan) 5:17 1967
18 Cat Power - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (Rolling Stones) 3:05 2000
19 Odetta - Masters of War (Bob Dylan) 6:17 1965
20 Patti Smith - Helpless (Neil Young) 4:06 2012
CD2 The Giants Return Home
01 Johnny Cash - Hurt (Nine Inch Nails) 3:38 2002
02 Cowboy Junkies - Powderfinger (Neil Young) 5:47 1988
03 Tommy Shaw - Going to California (Led Zeppelin) 3:34 2020
04 Ryan Adams - Wonderwall (Oasis) 4:09 2004
05 Gillian Welch - Black Star (Radiohead) 5:18 2011
06 Tufano & Giammarese - I'm a Loser (Beatles) 4:46 1975
07 Norah Jones - Black Hole Sun (Live) (Soundgarden) 7:11 2021
08 The Civil Wars - Disarm (The Smashing Pumpkins) 4:42 2013
09 Jose Feliciano - Light My Fire (Doors) 3:07 1968
10 Robyn Hitchcock - The Crystal Ship (The Doors) 2:27 2014
11 First Aid Kit - Walk Unafraid (R.E.M.) 5:17 2018
12 The Unthanks - Sexy Sadie ( Beatles) 6:23 2008
13 Fairport Convention - Chelsea Morning (Joni Mitchell) 3:03 1969
14 Lissie - Nothing Else Matters (Metallica) 5:59 2014
15 Molly Tuttle - She's A Rainbow (The Rolling Stones) 3:49 2020
16 John Batdorf & James Lee Stanley - Paint it Black (The Rolling Stones) 3:58 2005
17 Cassandra Wilson - Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb) 5:48 2012
18 Beth Orton - I Wasn't Born to Follow (The Byrds) 4:00 2012
19 Willie Nelson - Just Breathe (Pearl Jam) 4:03 2012
20 Free Range - Waterloo Sunset (The Kinks) 3:04 2023
CD3 Shadows, Electric Dreams & Acoustic Rebirth
01 This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren (Tim Buckley) 3:30 1983
02 Hannah Peel - Tainted Love (Gloria Jones) 2:29 2011
03 José González - Teardrop (Massive Attack) 3:21 2007
04 Greanvine - Season of The Witch (Donovan) 3:24 2010
05 Marissa Nadler - The Book of Love (Magnetic Fields) 2:45 2007
06 Regina Spektor - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Beatles) 5:23 2005
07 Sophie Zelmani - Going Home (Dire Straits) 4:10 2007
08 Dala - A Man Needs A Maid (Neil Young) 4:16 2007
09 Ane Brun - Big in Japan (Alphaville) 3:09 2011
10 Ruth Moody - Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen) 4:18 2013
11 Rosie Thomas - The One I Love (R.E.M.) 2:54 2008
12 Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Creep (Radiohead) 5:02 2002
13 Emiliana Torrini - If You Go Away (Jacques Brel) 4:36 1996
14 Czars - Angel Eyes (ABBA) 4:46 2006
15 Sinead O'Connor - All Apologies (Nirvana) 2:37 1994
16 Sarah Blasko - Flame Trees (Cold Chisel) 5:13 2006
17 Karen Matheson - Morning (Beck) 4:42 2015
18 Tori Amos - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana) 3:15 1992
19 Gary Jules - Mad World (Tears for Fears) 2:59 2001
20 Susanna and the Magical Orchestra - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division) 5:08 2006
CD4 Modern Folk Reclaims the Rock Canon
01 Car Seat Headrest - That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore (The Smiths) 3:33 2014
02 Cat Power - These Days (Jackson Browne) 3:44 2008
03 Aimee Mann - Drive (The Cars) 3:35 2018
04 Taken By Trees - Sweet Child o' Mine (Guns N' Roses) 5:02 2009
05 Frente! - Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order) 2:01 1994
06 Iron & Wine - Such Great Heights (The Postal Service) 4:11 2003
07 James Blake - A Case of You (Joni Mitchell) 2:57 2011
08 Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus (Depeche Mode) 3:19 2002
09 José González - Heartbeats (The Knife) 2:40 2003
10 Josienne Clarke - Nude (Radiohead) 4:01 2013
11 Aqualung - Take on Me (a-ha) 4:15 2015
12 Lowland Hum - Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel) 4:24 2017
13 Last Town Chorus - Modern Love (David Bowie) 4:26 2006
14 Patti Smith - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana) 6:31 2007
15 Phoebe Bridgers - Friday I'm in Love (The Cure) 3:39 2020
16 Smith & Myers - Losing My Religion (R.E.M.) 4:23 2014
17 Milk Carton Kids - Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd) 4:32 2013
18 Thea Gilmore - Ever Fallen in Love (Buzzcocks) 3:11 2004
19 Tyler Ramsey - Back on The Chain Gang (Pretenders) 3:51 2011
20 Matt Johnson - Starman (David Bowie) 2:52 2016
Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane
Nanci Griffith - Across the Great Divide
Gillian Welch (with David Rawlings) - Black Star (Radiohead cover)
Phoebe Bridgers - Friday I’m In Love (The Cure cover)
Cat Power - These Days (Jackson Browne cover)
Fairport Convention - Ballad of Easy Rider (Bob Dylan and The Byrds cover)
Robyn Hitchcock - The Crystal Ship (The Doors cover) live
MANHATTAN for The HOLIDAYS! The Wainwright Family Winter Annual gig
Rufus (Wainwright) posted this poster . . .it’s what they’re for
Bert Jansch - Reynardine [ Rosemary Lane ] remastered 2015
Bert Jansch - Reynardine
not an algorithm other than the one in me head . . . . where this one popped up!
More News From Popbitch: Fashion
>> Grim Forecast <<
Here Condé, gone tomorrow?
"How much darker can the clouds get over Anna Wintour at Conde Nast? The gimmicky robots on the catwalk at Vogue World: Milano, weren’t a hit - especially with designers Miuccia Prada and Alessandro Michele, who greeted them with stony faced horror.
With Vogue World being sponsored by Meta’s Ray-Bans, the extravaganza’s 2027 stop announced for fashion-indifferent San Francisco, plus the eyebrow-raising involvement of Jeff and Lauren Bezos in the last Met Gala, the brand’s sudden appetite for tech oligarchs is starting to make advertisers a little queasy.
The once seminal September issue of Vogue in UK is thin; a large proportion is just house ads and classifieds.
Together with the Galliano kerfuffle and the mockery in the wake of the GQ Tom Cruise cover story, how much more pressure can the Wintour-Conde Nast relationship withstand?
Soft power analysts are focusing hard on the one key indicator of fashion week status: who she can summon to sit next to her at this week’s shows. A-listers and the wealthy Euro elite? Or grisly influencers and her new tech pals...”
POPBITCH
I have always felt queasy around the stories of the super rich and The Met Gala and its sponsors in particular (did no-ne think to boycott something funded by Bezos?! ) but this confirms what I thought
EAT the RICH?
So long as I get first dibs on the billionaires . . . you know like Rihanna and such
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Teddy Thompson,with Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien ‘Delilah’ | Transatlantic Sessions 6 2013
So I WILL now sign off the day with one of my favourite artists Teddy (son of Richard), Thompson that is . . . . . this set and songs from Scotland’s Loch Lomond and Aly Bain’s curated Transatlantic Sessions back in 2013
Teddy Thompson,with Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien ‘Delilah’
Transatlantic Sessions 6 2013
Directed by Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain. Recorded at Loch Lomond, Scotland.
House Band: Aly Bain, Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg, John Doyle, John McCusker, Matheu Watson, Michael McGoldrick, Donald Shaw, Danny Thompson and James Mackintosh.
Featuring: Mary Chapin Carpenter, Phil Cunningham, Cara Dillon, Julie Fowlis, Andy Irvine, Sam Lakeman, Dónal Lunny, Allan MacDonald, Ewan McLennan, Karen Matheson, Tim O'Brien, Maura O'Connell, Aoife O'Donovan and Teddy Thompson.
Teddy Thompson, Jerry Douglas, Mary Chapin Carpenter She Thinks I Still Care | Transatlantic Sessions 2013
Teddy’s Don’t Know What I Was Thinking took my heart and breath away and I looked and couldn't find any more songs by him from the Transatlantic Sessions on Loch Lomond back 2013 and checking out Julie’s extraordinary song led me here
Teddy Thompson, Jerry Douglas, Mary Chapin Carpenter She Thinks I Still Care
Julie Fowlis - Reminiscing over Danny Thompson | Transatlantic Sessions 2013
We have featured this venue before ( you may recall the set where the wonderful Teddy Thompson struck a beautiful note with the same ensemble band at the same venue see below) Teddy’s Don’t Know What I Was Thinking here . . . .
Julie says:
Aw Danny 💔 I’ll really miss you. Your spark and energy and groove. And your humour.Feel so privileged to have shared music, stages, time and transatlantic sessions tourbus stories with you. What a legend. I’m just sorry we never got that swim in Loch Ness.Thanks for all the music and the inspiration maestro
Remembering the event was
Transatlantic Sessions 6 2013
Directed by Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain. Recorded at Loch Lomond, Scotland.
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