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Dire Straits guitarist dies at age 68

<p>Dire Straits guitarist Jack Sonni has died at the age of 68. </p> <p>Sonni, who was affectionately known as the band's "other guitarist" had been suffering from unspecified health issues that forced him to cancel performing. </p> <p>The band announced the news of his passing on X, formerly known as Twitter, posting a black and white photo of Sonni and writing, “#JackSonni Rest In Peace #DireStraits“.</p> <p>The official Facebook account for Dire Straits Legacy, a band that Sonni participated in alongside other former members of Dire Straits, also shared the news.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JackSonni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JackSonni</a> 🎸 Rest In Peace 🙏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DireStraits?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DireStraits</a> <a href="https://t.co/W3vx65bY5h">pic.twitter.com/W3vx65bY5h</a></p> <p>— Dire Straits 🎸 (@DireStraits77) <a href="https://twitter.com/DireStraits77/status/1697209575668170867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>“Our beloved Jack has left a void in our heart and soul,” the statement read. “We will miss you so much. You are forever with us.”</p> <p>His cause of death is still unknown, however the news of his passing comes just days after the announced that Sonni wouldn't be performing in upcoming concerts “because of health problems.”</p> <p>“Dear fans, unfortunately, Jack Sonni will not be able to participate in our next gigs because of health problems,” the post read.</p> <p>“Jack get better soon, we are waiting for you! With love, the DSL family.”</p> <p>Tributes poured in for the musician from around the world as news of his death spread on Thursday.</p> <p>One person wrote, "So sad to hear, loved his antics on stage, such a big smile," while others who knew him personally recalled their favourite moments and said they were "proud" to know him.</p> <p>Sonni joined the band in 1984 and joked about his role as a guitarist behind Mark Knopfler during the London band’s Brothers in Arms era, famously calling himself “the other guitar player,” a nickname that stuck because the Knopflers also played the instrument.</p> <p>Sonni played with the band during its two-song performance for the massive famine-relief concert Live Aid in July 1985, with Dire Straits slotting in between U2 and Queen at London’s Wembley Stadium.</p> <p>At the time of his death, Sonni was believed to be a writing for a new project. </p> <p>In his final Facebook post on June 2nd, he wrote, “Well chilluns, the last social media post for the foreseeable future as I dive into getting my novel in shape for my agent’s publisher hunt. Play nice and be kind to one another! And hug them while you can.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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INXS guitarist Tim Farriss sues over severed finger incident

<p><span>Lead <em>INXS</em> guitarist Tim Farriss has explained to a Sydney court why he is suing a boat owner after his major accident.</span><br /><br /><span>Farriss says he was forced into retirement after a boating accident severed one of his fingers.</span><br /><br /><span>Farriss hired Omega Clipper, 34 from John Axford to celebrate an anniversary with his wife, Beth, during the Australia Day long weekend in 2015.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843566/inxs-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c7f396031de2458e9ea750e07ca36dac" /><br /><br /><span>The musician took issue with kinks in a “rusty and dirty” anchor chain at Akuna Bay, in Sydney's northern beaches.</span><br /><br /><span>Court documents have claimed it became a major issue when the foot-controlled deck stopped working.</span><br /><br /><span>He was then given instructions via text message, the winch became working again.</span><br /><br /><span>Horrifically, his left hand was caught in the machinery and he lost a finger.</span><br /><br /><span>Farriss is suing Mr Axford in the NSW Supreme Court for negligence and breach of Australian Consumer Law.</span><br /><br /><span>"How would you now describe your occupation?" his barrister, Adrian Williams, asked him</span><br /><br /><span>"Forced retirement," Farriss replied.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843565/inxs-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ffce8c1f3f334a718315f1a2ab2f1f8b" /><br /><br /><span>Mr Williams told the court that Farriss's reattached finger was "useless" and the musician was depressed.</span><br /><br /><span>"It is in a state now where he cannot play the guitar and he cannot compose in the manner he was accustomed to," Mr Williams said.</span><br /><br /><span>Farriss has claimed he has extensive injuries.</span><br /><br /><span>"My hand was covered in rust, blood and mud, but I could see one of my fingers had been severed and the others were disfigured, badly lacerated and bleeding," he recalled in the documents.</span><br /><br /><span>The 64-year-old said he finds it difficult to look at his injuries without wanting to faint.</span><br /><br /><span>He argues that his instructions should have been clearer and that the equipment should have been better maintained.</span><br /><br /><span>The court’s major question is whether <em>INXS</em> is going to embark on a comeback tour after drummer Jon Farriss announced on stage, during a 2012 Perth show, that it would likely be their last.</span><br /><br /><span>Tim Farriss told the court he was "shocked" by the comment at the time, but said it ended up producing "great marketing opportunities".</span><br /><br /><span>Farriss has been accused of "downplaying" his "extensive" experience with boats, a claim the guitarist denied.</span><br /><br /><span>John Turnbull, who is for the defendant, said there would be a "significant factual dispute" about Farriss's position when the accident happened.</span><br /><br /><span>"At some point, Mr Farriss must have loosened the winch clutch and stepped on the up button or perhaps the down button, but of course only he knows what happened," he said.</span><br /><br /><span>"Our case is this is a misadventure, sadly, by Mr Farriss who has undoubtedly been injured as a result of, somehow or another, the chain and his fingers ... coming into contact with each other."</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Turnbull argued there was "no doubt" a risk of harm from the machinery, but not for someone who would have been "acting reasonably".</span><br /><br /><span>"A reasonable person, though, had alternative options available," he said.</span><br /><br /><span>"A reasonable person would not have been injured if they had exercised reasonable care."</span><br /><br /><span>Farriss told the court he has nightmares about both his hands and his feet being dragged into the winch.</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Turnbull suggested to the musician that he had accidentally stepped on the “up” button on the deck, which activated the winch.</span><br /><br /><span>The defence went on to say the version of events was recorded by an ambulance officer at the scene.</span><br /><br /><span>"That's what you told the ambulance operator," he said.</span><br /><br /><span>"No, I didn't tell him that," Farriss replied.</span><br /><br /><span>"That might be something he assumed."</span><br /><br /><span>The hearing is expected to run the rest of the week.</span></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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Pink Floyd guitar sells for world-record price at auction

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The legendary guitar belonging to Pink Floyd frontman David Gilmour has sold for $5.7 million at auction. It is now the most expensive guitar of all time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gilmour raised over $30 million for charity after auctioning off more than 120 lots from his personal collection.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The sale took place at Christie’s auction house in New York City and included iconic instruments played by Gilmour throughout Pink Floyd’s history.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The legendary “Black Strat” Fender Stratocaster guitar, which was used on the recording of the band’s hit albums </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dark Side of the Moon</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (1973), </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wish You Were Here</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (1975), </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Animals</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (1977) and </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Wall</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (1979), was the standout item and sold for the jaw-dropping $5.7 million.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">"It's very hard to know how much I will miss it."<br />David talks about his iconic Black Strat, ahead of its sale through <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristiesInc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChristiesInc</a> next month in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GilmourGuitars?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GilmourGuitars</a> charity auction. <a href="https://t.co/CA7anqH9ej">pic.twitter.com/CA7anqH9ej</a></p> — David Gilmour (@_DavidGilmour) <a href="https://twitter.com/_DavidGilmour/status/1129086403000901637?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">16 May 2019</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Proceeds from the auction will go to the charity ClientEarth, which funds environmental lawyers and experts in the fight against climate change.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The global climate crisis is the greatest challenge that humanity will ever face, and we are within a few years of the effects of global warming being irreversible," Gilmour said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We need a civilised world that goes on for all our grandchildren and beyond in which these guitars can be played and songs can be sung."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other stand out items sold at auction included Gilmour’s Martin D-35 acoustic guitar, which sold for more than $1 million and his 1955 Gibson Les Paul, which was famously used for the guitar solo on</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Another Brick in the Wall </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">(Part 2).</span></p>

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