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Monday, April 30, 2012
Aretha Franklin and Audra McDonald.
Queen of
Souls says: Bess you is my woman
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin sees Audra McDonald as a strong contender to play her in an upcoming bio-pic about Franklin's life and times.
Franklin took note of McDonald during a recent visit to New York City
while attending the
Broadway production of Gershwin's classic "Porgy and Bess."
Franklin said she was "very
impressed with her performance" and felt the fit might be right for her in the film.Franklin is says she hopes to wrap up negotiations on the film with Hollywood
executives in the coming months. She is not currently in negotiations with McDonald for the staring role
in the film.
McDonald, a classically trained singer, has won four Tony awards and two Emmys. McDonald has starred in ABC’s "Private Practice"
as well as numerous Broadway musicals.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Sinead
O'Connor cancels US tour
If you've heard Sinéad O'Connor's latest record , "How
About I Be Me (And You Be You)?” a terrific collection that actually rivals her 1987 debut "The
Lion and the Cobra" you'll no doubt be disappointed to learn the Irish chanteuse has just canceled
her upcoming U.S. tour due to her battles with bipolar disorder. 
The 45-year-old posted on her personal website "With enormous regret I must announce that
I have to cancel all touring for the year as am very unwell due to bi polar disorder."
O'Connor's struggles with the illness have
been ongoing. In fact, she talked about it in 2007 on the Oprah Winfrey show where she
revealed her thoughts of suicide. O'Connor told Winfrey : "The best way I can describe
it to you is you're so sad, just terribly sad, that you're like a bucket of water with holes in it, every pore of you is crying
and you don't even understand why or what."In a statement released earlier this week O'Connor
said she suffered another "breakdown between December and March," and she had been advised by her doctors
to cancel her upcoming tour.
Adding
she failed to heed the advice because she "didn't want to fail or let anyone down as the tour was
already booked, so very stupidly, I ignored the advice to my great detriment, attempting to be stronger
than I actually am." The US tour was to include the East Coast and Midwest starting May 12
in Milwaukee, and included dates at Chicago and New York's Beacon Theatre.
In
an additional statement on Facebook O'Connor added she still intended to perform at
a tribute concert honoring the late Curtis Mayfield at the Lincoln
Center on July 20.
Get deep-Sixxed for Nikki's thrash cruise
ShipRocked 2012, the week-long
thrash 'n" roll concert vacation on the very high seas of the Caribbean has teamed up with the "Sixx
Sense" radio hosted and Motley Crue mainstay
Nikki Sixx for to give away a trip for two on this year’s cruise. From April 30 through May 16, 2012,
headba ngers and thrash-aoholics can enter the giveaway online at: www.sixxsense.com/pages/contests/sixxshiprocked.
Sailing from Nov. 27 through Dec. 1, the music on the five-day moshpit disguised as a cruise features
Godsmack, Five Finger Death Punch, P.O.D., Sevendust, Filter,
Fuel, Black Stone Cherry, Lit, Geoff Tate of Queensrÿche, former
G'NR Gilby Clarke and of course Mr. Sixx. The floating party embarks from
and returns to Fort Lauderdale with ports of call including Key West, FL and Nassau,
Bahamas.
The
grand prize winner gets: - One
oceanview stateroom for 2 people onboard ShipRocked 2012
- 2 round trip coach airfares to Ft. Lauderdale
- 1-night standard hotel room in Ft. Lauderdale
- Free entry to all ShipRocked concerts, meet & greets, artist
hosted events.
- Complimentary
food and non-alcoholic beverages, including 24-7 room service
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Hot 97 arts fest: Let love rule
The “Push for Peace” festival -- designed to empower young people and offer positive alternatives
to street violence will be hosted this year by radio station Hot 97's Lisa Evers along with the
NY Giants' two-time super bowl champion Kareem McKenzie andhip-hop star Maino.  The
festival is free and open to the public taking place Saturday, April 28 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hostos Arts Center at Hostos Community College, 500 Grand
Concourse, Bronx, NY.
Speaking
about the P4P Evers says “Our
Hot 97 listeners are always asking us for ways to move towards safe, productive lives and away from the random gun violence
and negativity of the streets, the Push for Peace show & Festival is a fun way to give them a voice
and let them know they're are not alone."
The days activities will include a town hall discussion panel with a focus on
how to help our youth get beyond the violence and negativity and performances by Prodigy and DJ Webstar.
Other notable attendees ate NY Giants cornerback and former Rutgers football star Brandon Bing.
Hot
97 DJs will spin and there will also be activities, including an open mic competition and a fair with community organizations
offering information on their programs such as free GED classes, education and job training opportunities, as well as a voter’s
registration table.
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. says “This event will not only offer great music and entertainment
but also guidance to so many of our young adults who day by day are faced with tough decisions."
For details of this event
log onto the “Community” section of Hot97.com.
8:37 am
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
I hear dead people
As the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival came to a close this weekend, the most buzzed about live act continued to be dead
west coast rapper Tupac Shakur, who's life-sized holographic image appeared on stage with Dr. Dre
and Snoop Dogg .
While Dre says Tupac will rest in peace after this brief digital resurrection
many still speculate that either he or one of music's other deadfellas will be on stage soon. Pandora's
box is open , or is that a coffin and we wonder which dead celebs will be reincarnate next? Check out what the
poster to next year's all-holographic Coachella Fest may look like.
1:33 pm
Cross-eyed
bear bites Ted Nugent
He-man rocker, cook book author ("Kill It, Grill It") and gun rights advocate
Ted Nugent will plead guilty today to transporting a black bear he killed in Alaska. The plea deal with federal prosecutors,
that was signed by Nugent las t week, says he illegally shot and killed a bear in May 2009 on Sukkwan Island in southeast Alaska, after
wounding another bear in a bow hunt. The bow incident counted toward a state seasonal limit of one bear.
The hunt was filmed for Nugent’s Outdoor
Channel television show "Spirit of the Wild." Nugent didn’t know he was breaking the law, said his attorney, Wayne Anthony Ross. According to the plea agreement Nugent agrees to pay a
$10,000 fine, and will be on a two-year probation, including a special condition that
he not hunt or fish in Alaska or US Forest Service properties for one year. In addition Nugent will make a public service
announcement that would be broadcast on his show every other week for one year.
Monday, April 23, 2012
The Grandmother's of Invention recall when they were just Frank Zappa's Mothers.
Golden age for Mothers of Invention
Don Preston, Napoleon Murphy
Brock and Tom Fowler three members of Frank Zappa's legendary backing band, the Mothers of Invention, have
reunited and will be performing as the Grandmothers of Invention at the Iridium Jazz Club in NYC's Times Square for early
and late sets on May 3 and May 4.
The Grandmothers of Invention
promise a night of thorough entertainment, featuring virtuosic playing, bizarre humor and a program featuring many
of the Zappa/Mothers beloved compositions such as as “I Am The Slime,” “Muffin Man,” “Florentine
Pogen,” “Andy,” “Trouble Everyday,” and “Village Of The Sun.”
In an interview Preston promised the Grandmothers "will not only recreating the music as was originally written , but
also breathe new life into it."
Saturday, April 21, 2012
The headbanging Mastodon
boys show some ink for Feist at the Airstream.
Feisty vinyl-mania at the record shack
Just
got back from the 5th annual Record Store day spring vinyl hunt and I'm happy to say I bagged a big badass Feistodon,
the 50/50 7" single from alt-rocker Feist with the flip side belonging to metal's Mastodon.
Feistodon,
the limited edition platter finds Feist covering Mastodon’s “Black Tongue” from their
2011 "The Hunter" album and the Mastodon heavies retooling Feist’s “A
Commotion” off last year's "Metals" CD. In a recent interview Feist said "the song 'Black Tongue'
speaks in my kind of elemental language – about diamond and earth and sky. It's all just in a language that I already
sort of speak lyrically. It was pretty easy to climb into that one."
Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher found the appeal of Feist's
“A Commotion” in it's ability to be unsettling . He says "It's very haunting the way that
she sings, 'I cut off my tongue.' This dainty girl singing these brutal lyrics. It kind of sent chills up my spine when I
heard it….For me it's much more atmosphere – creating my version of what metal is."
There's much more out there for the
adventurous from rapper Childish Gambino's "Heartbeat" to Social Distortions' "Hard Times
and Nursery Rhymes." For the full list of what's available today go to recordstoreday.com .
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Flea's in the covers: RHCP's to release appreciation
ep
To commemorate their induction
last week into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , the Red Hot Chili Peppers will release a digital-only EP, titled We Salute
You, on May 1st through Warner Bros. Records. It features six cover songs by the RHCP by previous Hall of Fame inductees,
all of whom have influenced the band musically. Those ainclude The Ramones, Iggy & The Stooges, Neil Young, David Bowie,
The Beach Boys, and Dion and the Belmonts. The track-listing for We Salute You is: "A
Teenager in Love" (Dion and the Belmonts)
"Havana Affair" (Ramones)
"Search
& Destroy" (Iggy and the Stooges)
"Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" (Neil Young)
"I Get Around" (The Beach Boys)
"Suffragette City"
(David Bowie)
David Banner bucks-system
Rapper David Banner, who borrowed his stage name from the man who would be the
raging Hulk, is also mad as hell and isn't gonna take it anymore.
For the MC's upcoming "Sex, Drugs & Video Games"
CD, due May 22, he's cutting out the record company middleman and taking his tunes directly to the people. It's a simple plan. Banner is asking fans to listen to a series
of singles getting released individually in the weeks prior to May 22, and requesting that if they like what they hear to
send a buck to his website DavidBanner.com via PayPal. Then on the CD's release date, the record can be downloaded free.
Banner's goal is to get 2 million fans to lend him financially/artistic support. Getting
his army behind him might also be simple considering the all-star guest list lending Banner a hand. So far Chris Brown, Lil
Wayne, A$AP Rocky, Big K.R.I.T. and 2 Chainz are in. The latest song installment to the collection is “Californication”
and that one features Snoop Dogg, Game, Nipsey Hustle, Ras Kass & Kree.
Speaking to the businessman bible, Forbes Magazine Banner boasted "I have
one of the dopest albums that’s gonna come out this year, period. We’re gonna show you how
dope this album is by every two weeks dropping a new single … By the time the fans get to May 22, they’re going
to be like, ‘Damn, this is worth at least a dollar, but we may give him $100 on the effort!'”
The notion of fans donations directly
to the artists isn't a totally new concept. This business model was tested by New York comic Louis C.K. who snagged $750,000
after releasing a performance tape in 2011 and requesting his followers to ante up $5 to download it from his website. And
in 2007 Brit alt-rocker act Radiohead was successfully offered their "In Rainbows" CD on a pay-what-you-can afford
basis.
While the record industry often spouts how kids are robbing them blind stealing music on the internet,
Banner's refreshingly radical model implicitly declares that he believes most people are honest and will do the right thing
by paying a man his due.
Banner adds "Corporate entities have
made the artists and the fans feel like they're not important, where, without them, it all would fall."
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The Band played on: Levon Helm
Death cut Levon Helm some slack in the late '90s when this cornerstone of country
rock, best known as the singer/drummer for the Band, was diagnosed with throat cancer. Helm's
radiation treatments to remove the tumor in his vocal chords seemed successful, but his soulful tenor that graced Band songs
such as "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" was transformed into a wispy whiskey rasp.
No matter, in the decade or so since Levon did what he's done
since he was 8-years-old. He made music. There's a couple of albums "Dirt Farmer" in 2007 which
won critical acclaim as well as a Grammy and then the follow up disc "Electric Dirt" did the same making history
as the first winner of the Grammy's new "Americana" category in 2009.
Besides recording, he was also playing live music on his own terms from his home in Woodstock,
New York with the sporadic concert series dubbed "Midnight Ramble" where he and guest artists played hoedowns in
a converted barn for intimate audiences.
The barn is silent today because
Levon is hurting bad. So bad yesterday his wife Sandy, and daughter Amy, sent a note to Levon's pals:
Dear Friends, Levon is in the final stages of his battle with cancer. Please send your prayers and love to him as
he makes his way through this part of his journey. Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy
and celebration… he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and
make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage…We appreciate all the love and support and concern.
In "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" Levon sang "You take what you need
and you leave the rest, but they should have never taken the very best." And when this American treasure passes, we'll
have lost one of the very best.
A Brief Biography of Levon
Helm
Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm was born May 26, 1940), in Marvell, Arkansas, and grew up in Turkey Scratch, a hamlet west of Helena, Arkansas, the son of Nell and Diamond Helm, who were cotton farmers. Young Lavon (as he was christened) began playing the guitar at the age of eight and also played drums during his formative years.
Arkansas
in the 1940s and 50s was at the confluence of a variety of musical styles—blues, country and R&B—that later became known as rock and roll. Helm was influenced by all these styles listening to the Grand Ole Opry and R&B on the radio. Helm also witnessed some of the earliest performances by southern country, blues
and rockabilly artists such as Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty, Bo Diddley and a fellow Arkansan, Ronnie Hawkins. He was bitten by the bug and at age 17, Helm began playing in clubs and bars around Helena.After graduating from high school, Helm was invited to join
Ronnie Hawkins' band, The Hawks, who were a popular bar and club act across the South and also in Canada, where rockabilly acts were very popular.
Soon after Helm joined The Hawks, they moved to
Toronto, Canada, where, in 1959, they signed with Roulette Records and released several singles. In
the early 1960s Helm and Hawkins recruited an all-Canadian lineup of musicians: guitarist Robbie Robertson, bassist Rick Danko, pianist Richard Manuel and organist Garth Hudson – the band that became The Band.
In 1963 the group parted ways with Hawkins and started
touring under the name "Levon and The Hawks," and later as "The Canadian Squires" before finally changing
back to "The Hawks." By the mid
1960s, Bob Dylan was interested in performing electric rock music and asked The Hawks to be his backing band. Disheartened by fans' negative response to Dylan's new sound,
Helm returned to Arkansas for what turned out to be a two-year layoff.
During this period Helm worked on
off-shore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico until he was asked to rejoin the band in 1967. Helm remained with The Band until their 1976 farewell performance, The Last Waltz, which was recorded in a documentary film by Martin Scorsese. With the breakup of The Band in its original form, Helm began working on a solo album "Levon Helm and the RCO All Stars," which was followed soon by "Levon Helm." He recorded solo albums in 1980 and 1982 entitled "American Son" and (once again) "Levon Helm."
In 1983, The Band reunited without Robbie Robertson. The group was later sidlined briefly when Manuel committed
suicide while on tour in 1986. Helm, Danko and Hudson continued in The Band, releasing the album "Jericho" in 1993 and "High on the Hog" in 1996. The final album from The Band was the 30th anniversary album, "Jubilation," released in 1998.
Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer in the late 1990s after suffering hoarseness. Advised to undergo laryngectomy, instead, Helm underwent an arduous regimen of radiation treatments. Although the tumor was then successfully
removed, his vocal cords were damaged. Since then Helm's performance career has revolved mainly around
the Midnight Ramble which took place at his home and studio, "the Barn," in Woodstock, New York.
These concerts, featured Helm and a variety of musical guests, allowing him
to raise money for his medical bills. Initially
Helm only played drums and relied on guest vocalists at the Midnight Rambles, but his singing voice grew stronger and on January
10, 2004, he sang for the first time at a Ramble sessions.
The Midnight Ramble is an outgrowth of an idea Helm explained to Martin Scorsese in "The Last Waltz." Earlier in the 20th century Helm explained, traveling medicine and music shows such as F.S. Walcott Rabbit's Foot Minstrels, would put on titillating performances
in rural areas. This was also turned into a song by the Band, "The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show," with the name altered
so the lyric was easier to sing.
"After the finale, they'd have the midnight ramble," Helm told Scorsese. Helm added
that after midnight "The songs would get a little bit juicier.
The jokes would get a little funnier and the prettiest dancer would really get down and shake it a few times. A lot of the
rock and roll duck walks and moves came from that."
Artists who have performed at the Rambles include Helm's former bandmate Garth Hudson, as well as Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Dr. John, th Black Crowes' Chris Robinson, Allen Toussaint and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan.
1:35 pm
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Missionary Man hits the
bottle
Dave Stewart musician, author,
filmmaker and philanthropist can now add vintner to his resume. In collaboration
with Aussie winemakers Mollydooker, Stewart has
okayed the limited edition shiraz "2010 The Ringmaster General
blended to commemorate
his upcoming record of the same name.
While the album isn't due until the early fall, sweet dreams can be made of this wine now.
On the label Stewart says: “As ‘The Ringmaster General’ I introduce to you the incredible
wine you are about to experience.” “Declarations of the most ‘daring,’ ‘amazing,’
‘spectacular’ are commonly used when introducing circus performers. . . And Mollydooker Circus’ has created
‘The Greatest Wine on Earth.'"
The Ringmaster General is a pricy $125 per bottle,
but it does comes complete with a cork and is gift-boxed with a DVD documentary which features Stewart and various collaborators
such as Stevie Nicks and Alison Krauss at
work on the new music.
To order a
bottle contact mollydookerwines.com/theringmastergeneral
12:22 pm
Monday, April 16, 2012
 Shakira shares stage with Obama
While politician's might sometimes lie, hips
don't. Maybe that's why international recording star Shakira was asked to join President Obama and Colombian President
Santos during the 6th Summit of the Americas in Columbia’s Plaza San Pedro de Claver de Cartagena de Indias
this weekend. During the summit, Shakira spoke to promote early childhood development policies within the private sector.
Shakira, who was named a member of President Obama's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
in October, is the founder of both Latin America in Solidarity Action (ALAS) and the Pies Descalzos / Barefoot Foundation.
a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies. The Pies Descalzos
/ Barefoot Foundation is trying to make education universally available to every child. To that end it operates schools and
educational projects in Colombia, South Africa, and Haiti, feeding and educating approximately 6,000 children.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Untimely Demise tour dead
Heavy metal is heavier with irony,
right?
Seems Canadian death-thrash band Untimely Demise's current tour had an untimely demise when
the trio was denied entry into the United States as they tried to cross the border from the Great White North.
Having successfully banged their way through the first five performances of a three week tour
of western North America the Demise boys were held at a border checkpoint into Washington state due to "a logistical
paperwork error" involving one member. Multiple attempts to cross into the U.S.and a heap of pleading
failed.
Frustrated and angry the band turned the van around and headed home to Saskatoon, posting a a statement
on Facebook that apologized to their American fans. In the meantime, the band will play their planned gigs in Saskatchewan
and Alberta next month.
9:17 am
Thursday, April 12, 2012
AMY WINEHOUSE FOUNDATION BOWS Mitch
Winehouse, Amy's dad, looked around Joe's Pub for a moment at the party to announce the foundation designed to help kids and
honor the memory of his late daughter and said, "This is the worst reason to be here. We miss her, she's here with us."
Last night
those sad, emotional words, that moved Winehouse to request a tissue to wipe a tear and sniffles, were lifted by his charm,
exuberance for the foundation and willingness to share memories of his daughter in both good and bad times.
Silver-haired and dressed to the nines, Winehouse remembered when Amy was on an island holiday a couple of
years ago and he got a call from her saying "Dad, I need you to bring me as much money as you can." Winehouse says he gathered $15,000 and got on a plane figuring
his daughter was in trouble. Instead, he learned, Amy needed the money not for herself, but a local who couldn't afford medical
attention and for horses.
Horses?
Winehouse says "Amy hired a stable of horses, usually reserved for wealthy tourists, for the local kids to ride
on the beach during her vacation, and she needed the cash to pay him."
That same
giving nature and love of kids is at the heart of her namesake foundation, that here in the US, will aim its funds at music
education and music therapy. At this launch
party, it was announced that the first organization to get assistance will be the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra's after school
music program who received a $10,000 grant. In addition the foundation will host the Amy Winehouse Inspiration Awards and
Gala on September 10, 2012 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York.
So far in the UK more than a million pound have been raised in Winehouse's name and
additional monies will come from donation as well as through proceed from Mitch Winehouse's
just penned book “Amy, My Daughter” that gets released on June 26, 2012 by Harper Collins.
Winehouse,
a sturdy jazz crooner with pipes that have a Sinatra-esque quality, has also pledged all of his box office receipts to the
foundation. Those might be considerable since at this event he was terrific rendering the standard "In
My Loneliness" and ballad "Close Your Eyes" with a five piece backing band.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The Jacksons play
the Apollo
It may have taken the death of their
brother Michael, but the Jackson siblings -- Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito are reuniting for their first tour together
since 1984.
"This
is a dream coming true," said Jackie Jackson. "I can't believe this is finally happening. There's nothing like having
all the brothers on stage at the same time. And I know at each concert, MJ's spirit will be in the house with us."
Honoring
Michael's memory, and bringing the fans all the timeless hits they know and love is also paramount for Jermaine Jackson. "I'm
so happy and excited to perform again onstage with my brothers," he said. "I can't wait to sing all the songs that
were so much a part of all of our lives. We are ready and committed to keep the family's legacy alive and perform once again."
The
pinnacle stop on this tour will be the June 28 engagement at the Apollo Theater taking place just days after the three year
anniversary of Michael's death. The Jackson/Apollo connection dates back to the late '60s when the Jackson 5 first performed on the iconic Harlem stage as part of the theater’s long-running amateur night
show.
Beloved by millions of fans across the globe for their soulful, sunny sound, contagious stage
presence, and unforgettable roster of hits, the Jacksons first achieved international superstardom with brother Michael --
becoming the first group ever to have their first four singles hit #1 on the billboard charts.
Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 14
at 10am at www.livenation.com, www.ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800.745.3000 and at the Apollo theater box office.
12:34 pm
Monday, April 9, 2012
Kraftwerk hangs at MoMA
Move over Vincent van Gogh, and you
too Jackson Pollock, starting tomorrow Kraut-rock masters Kraftwerk will take up residency at New York's
Museum Of Modern Art to perform "Kraftwerk–Retrospective 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8,'' a
unique series of concerts running through April 17.
The staging, elaborate for a non-theater setting, will attempt to combine sound and 3D images to present
the band's songbook. The band's full eight-album catalogue will be performed in chronological order: Autobahn
(1974), Radio-Activity (1975), Trans Europe Express (1977), The
Man-Machine (1978), Computer World (1981), Techno Pop (1986), The
Mix (1991), and Tour de France (2003).
As one of the most forward-thinking band from Germany, Dusseldorf's masters of electronic
minimalism laid the foundations for four decades of computerized pop and dance music. They have influenced generations of
artists in all genres, mapping musical futures Daft Punk to LCD Soundsystem.
To commemorate this concert series the band's label, Astralwerks
will release a special 2000 unit limited edition version of the 2009 digital masters boxset "The Catalogue" tomorrow
. This edition of the record will be sold at two NYC locations, The Museum Of Modern Art’s store in Manhattan and at
the MoMA PS1 store in Long Island City. It will also be available online from MoMA.
12:18 pm
Friday, April 6, 2012
Jimmy Buffett's Jones Beach holiday
Jimmy Buffett is a singer, songwriter,
entrepreneur and beach bum – but did you know he's also a kickass party planner.
Buffett, The Mayor of Margaritaville
(and seasonal Hamptons' resident) just snagged what is arguably the best party day of the year to play Long Island's seaside
jewel, The Nikon/Jones Beach Theater.
To Buffett's loyal Parrotheads
fans, Thursday is the new Friday during the Summer. That makes Jimmy's August 30 gig
at Jones the kickoff of a five-day Labor Day weekend. Buffett knows how to get loose so expect this show to take full
advantage of the last-hurrah-of-summer bacchanal spirit fueling both the day-long parking lot party and his concert that caps
the event.
If you've never been to this annual bash,
it's a playful celebration of music and controlled hedonism mixing Thanksgiving excess with Halloween costumes from naughty
pirate-girl outfits and Hawaiian prints to full-fin land-shark suits.
Tickets go on sale Monday, April 16th at 10am. Eight-ticket limit per customer at Ticketmaster.com or Charge by phone
at (800) 745-3000.
10:31 am
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Pink
Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" examined
Most Floyd followers are torn when asked to name their
favorite Pink Floyd album. "Dark Side of the Moon" is the quick and expected answer, but "Wish
You Were Here" the 1975 follow up to "Dark Side" has an even keener delivery of
the famed Brit band's ability and potential.
Even Floyd principals, guitarist David Gilmour and the late Richard Wright have
cited "Wish you were Here" as the keystone album in the band's repertoire. On June 26 "The Story of Wish You Were Here" an authorized documentary
on the making of the album that was filmed with the full involvement and approval of the band–
gets its release on DVD and Blu-ray on Eagle Rock Entertainment.
In
the film the story of the making of this landmark release unfolds through newly filmed interviews and reminiscences form Roger
Waters, Gilmour and Nick Mason. as well as archive interviews with Wright. Also featured are the support staff such
as graphic designers and backup vocalist. In addition, original recording engineer Brian Humphries revisits the master
tapes at London's Abbey Road Studios to illustrate aspects of the songs’ construction at the mixing board.
The band members discuss the album’s
themes of absence, the greed of the music business and former band member, the late Syd Barrett, who is famously celebrated
in the song “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”, which both opens and closes the album. The program also covers the unexpected
visit Barrett paid to Abbey Road during the recording, the difficulties of the early studio sessions and how the decision
to split “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” into two sections was the catalyst for the album’s successful completion.
9:11 am
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Fortunate
Son of the '60s to drop CD
Iconic Creedence Clearwater Revival founder John Fogerty says he'll be releasing a new record,
"Wrote A Song For Everyone" late
this year for Vanguard Records.
The album celebrates Fogerty’s past and present
featuring the hits hits of his youth and a number of freshly minted melodies. Helping Fogerty are Foo Fighters who reprise “Fortunate
Son,” and Bob Seger who jopins in for “Who’ll Stop The Rain.” Also lending
a hand on this very anticipated disc are Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, My Morning Jacket, Alan Jackson and Miranda Lambert.
Fogerty latest song, “Swamp Water,” recently debuted as the theme to the new Fox series,
"The Finder." The legendary song writer has no rust on his guitar strings having spent much of
2011 touring including his hailed two-night-stand at the Beacon Theater in New York City. That sold out shows saw Fogerty
performing two classic Creedence Clearwater Revival albums in their entirety, along with a bonus set that spanned from the CCR
catalog to his ongoing solo work.
9:47 am
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
MARILYN MANSON & JOHNNY DEPP DUET
Los Angeles – It's spring and there's bro-mance in the air between Marilyn
Manson and Johnny Depp. The on and off again pals have been spotted at the premiere of "Pirates of
the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" at Disneyland, where Marilyn was Depp's date; and Manson's music
such as "The Nobodies" was featured in the 2001 Depp movie "From Hell."
Now the two have collaborated on a cover of Carly Simon’s legendary kiss-off track “You’re
So Vain.” The pair's rendition is set to be included on Manson’s upcoming May 1 album "Born
Villain."
Leading up to the release of "Born Villain," Manson
will be touring the United States for the first time since 2009. He kicks it off by headlining the Revolver “Golden
Gods Awards” on April 11th at Club Nokia in Los Angeles –
his first U.S. performance in nearly three years.
10:06 am
Monday, April 2, 2012
Patti
Smith's "Banga" Due June 5
Rock's poet priestess Patti Smith teases the upcoming
June 5th release of her eleventh studio album, "Banga" today by dropping
the timly single "April Fool." This collection marks Smith’s first akbum of original material
since 2004 record "Trampin' " an album that explored motherhood. "April Fool,"’
the first single from Banga, features Television's Tom Verlaine and is available digitally
today.
Smith says the album was inspired by dreams and
observations. She adds that the lyrics are a "reflection of our world – rife with chaos and beauty." There
is also an exploratory spirit in the songs of this record including a melodic overture imagining the voyage of Amerigo
Vespucci to the New World in 1497 ("Amerigo"), a rock song for the people of Japan in the wake of last year's earthquake
("Fuji-san"), a classic ballad in memory of Amy Winehouse ("This Is The Girl"), an improvised meditation
on art and nature ("Constantine’s Dream") as well as a birthday song written for her friend Johnny Depp ("Nine").
9:17 am
Twang: And the Winners are. . .
LAS VEGAS – Last night's winners at the 47th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards'
star-studded ceremony broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas were topped by Taylor Swift
who again snagged the coveted Entertainer of the Year award for the second year in a row.
Swift is the youngest and seventh solo female to take the award
in the 40 year history of this category; previous winners include Loretta Lynn in 1975, Dolly Parton in 1977, Barbara Mandrell
in 1980, Reba in 1994, Shania Twain in 1999, Dixie Chicks in 2000 and Carrie Underwood in 2008 and 2009.
Miranda Lambert won Female Vocalist of the Year and Blake Shelton won Male Vocalist of the Year.
This is Lambert’s third consecutive win as Female Vocalist of the Year and Shelton’s first win as Male Vocalist
of the Year. Lambert also took the prize for Album of the
Year, making her the only female to have three consecutive albums win the category. Lambert previously won Album of the Year
in 2007 for "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and in 2009 for "Revolution."
For the third consecutive year, Lady Antebellum
won Vocal Group of the Year. Thompson Square won Vocal Duo of the Year, their first ACM Award win. American
Idol Scotty McCreery was honored as New Artist of the Year at last night tonight’s broadcast, marking his
first ACM win in the fan-voted category.
Jason Aldean
and Kelly Clarkson won
two awards tonight in the categories of Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for their song “Don’t
You Wanna Stay.” This marks a first win in both categories for Aldean and Clarkson.
Artists Lee Brice, Kelly Clarkson, Eli Young Band, Scotty McCreery
and Thompson Square received their first time Academy of Country Music Awards.
Following is the list of winners in the categories voted on by the membership
(excluding the Entertainer of the Year and New Artist categories, which were voted on by a combination of professional ACM
members and fans):
Entertainer of the Year·
Taylor Swift
Male
Vocalist of the year· Blake Shelton
Female Vocalist of the year· Miranda Lambert
Vocal Duo of the year *(Off
Camera Award)
Thompson Square
Vocal
Group OF THE YEAR· Lady Antebellum
NEW ARTIST
OF THE YEAR ·
Scotty McCreery
ALBUM OF THE YEAR · Four The Record
– Miranda Lambert (RCA)
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