I love the internet.
Green Day To Officially Release The BBC Sessions Live Album On December 10
Opening up the vault and revisiting a series of historic UK broadcast performances, five-time GRAMMY Award-winning band Green Day proudly present The BBC Sessions live album out on December 10, 2021. The 16-track collection features four seminal performances recorded at BBC’s legendary Maida Vale Studios from 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2001 together on one album, marking the first time these recordings have been mastered for official release.
Four months after dropping Dookie upon an unsuspecting world, Green Day entered the hallowed halls of BBC’s Maida Vale Studios on June 8, 1994 and ripped through a raucous and raw four-song set: “She,” “When I Come Around,” “Basket Case,” and “2000 Light Years.” It captured the band on the precipice of their worldwide explosion. That day, they even took advantage of the free studio time—much like forbearers in the seventies and eighties—and even discovered the title of Insomniac’s eventual opener in the loo, “Armatage Shanks.” They returned to the BBC during 1996 in support of that album, turning up with “Brain stew/Jaded”and “Walking Contradictions.” Two years later, they snuck an F-bomb into a hyper-charged “Nice Guys Finish Last” in the midst of the Nimrod era. Finally, they capped off summer 2001 with four Warning anthems such as “Church On Sunday.” It’s all on The BBC Sessions.
The BBC Sessions will be available on CD, digital, and limited-edition 2LP vinyl configurations, including Sea Blue/Hot Pink vinyl for the band’s official store and Milky Clear Color vinyl for indie retailers. It’s complete with liner notes by Steve Lamacq Host of Radio 1’s legendary Evening Show (who was there at each session!).
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band is fresh off of The Hella Mega Tour, their sold-out North American headline stadium run, which brought the band to some of the most renowned stadiums including Dodger Stadium, Wrigley Field, Citi Field, Fenway Park and more. The tour will resume in the UK and Europe next Spring, click here for the full list of dates.
TRACKLISTING
She (Live at the BBC June 8 1994)
When I Come Around (Live at the BBC June 8 1994)
Basket Case (Live at the BBC June 8 1994)
2000 Light Years Away (Live at the BBC June 8 1994)
Geek Stink Breath (Live at the BBC November 3 1996)
Brain Stew/Jaded (Live at the BBC November 3 1996)
Walking Contradiction (Live at the BBC November 3 1996)
Stuck With Me (Live at the BBC November 3 1996)
Hitchin’ A Ride (Live at the BBC February 12 1998)
Nice Guys Finish Last (Live at the BBC February 12 1998)
Prosthetic Head (Live at the BBC February 12 1998)
Redundant (Live at the BBC February 12 1998)
Castaway (Live at the BBC August 28 2001)
Church On Sunday (Live at the BBC August 28 2001)
Minority (Live at the BBC August 28 2001)
Waiting (Live at the BBC August 28 2001)
Berkley-formed, five-time Grammy Award-winning rock band Green Day is one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time, with more than 70 million records sold worldwide and 10 billion cumulative audio/visual streams. Their breakout album Dookie, which sold over 10 million and achieved diamond status, is widely credited with popularizing and reviving mainstream interest in punk rock, catapulting a career-long run of #1 hit singles. Green Day’s release of rock opera American Idiot captured the nation’s attention, selling more than 7 million copies in the U.S. alone, taking home the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album and lead to a critically acclaimed stage adaptation on Broadway. Released on February 7, 2020, Green Day’s thirteenth studio album Father Of All… (Reprise/Warner Records) debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Album Sales Chart and #1 in both the U.K. and Australia. Pitchfork declared, “Green Day’s most fetching and youthful songs in ages. The trio sounds reinvigorated, more like hungry newcomers staking their claim.”
Henry Rollins Announces ‘Good To See You’ 2022 Tour
Henry Rollins returns with the announcement of his Good To See You 2022 tour.
In describing Henry Rollins, the tendency is to try to squeeze as many labels as possible into a single sentence. “Rollins is many things,” says The Washington Post, “diatribist, confessor, provocateur, humorist, even motivational speaker…his is an enthusiastic and engaging chatter.”
On the Good To See You 2022 tour Henry will faithfully recount the events of his life in the brief pre-COVID period since the last tour and when things got even stranger over the last several months. It’s been an interesting time to say the least and he’s got some great stories to tell.
TOUR DATES:
May 19 – Vancouver – BC – Rio Theatre
May 20 – Nanaimo – BC – Port Theatre
May 21 – Victoria – BC – Alix Goolden Hall
May 24 – Calgary – Bella Concert Hall
May 25 – Edmonton – Shoctor Theatre
May 26 – Saskatoon – Broadway Theatre
May 27 – Winnipeg – Park Theatre
May 30 – Kingston – Grand Theatre
May 31 – Ottawa – Algonquin Commons
June 1 – London – London Music Hall
June 2 – St. Catharines – First Ontario Performing Arts Centre
June 3 – Toronto – Danforth Music Hall
New Release Friday! Duran Duran, Rolling Stones, The Replacements, Elton John and more!
Sonic Reducers. 1 topic. 2 music nerds. 5 minutes.
We talk about some of this week’s biggest music releases, including Duran Duran, Elton John, The Rolling Stones and The Replacements’ Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash.
Photo Gallery: Maluma at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena
All photos by Mini’s Memories. If you are an artist or a band and need photos done, you can do no wrong contacting her with your details;
From the Ashes of a Global Pandemic Comes Ottawa’s TAMING SARI’s Electrifying & Timely “Crazy” New Rock Anthem
Speaking to the deep human desire of connecting with others, and how good it feels to let loose from it all, the timeliest of timely anthems has arrived from Ottawa rockers Taming Sari: “Crazy” is available now.
Taming Sari’s signature splashy guitar work and thunderous drums guide the listener through a supercharged anthem to inspire hope in the post-pandemic. Bringing us back to when life seemed more straightforward, “Crazy” is about the inherent connection we all feel towards one another, and how surreal it can feel to lose touch with our need to just enjoy life.
One listen to “Crazy” tells you everything you need to know about Taming Sari’s musical influences, and Toronto’s iconic Polson Pier set the backdrop for the band to channel the rock gods on a beautiful summer day and lay down a couple of blazing new tracks.
The sun-kissed harbourfront wasn’t the only inspiration leading into the recording studio: it would be the first time they would record with a new member, accomplished lead guitarist Joe Fraser, to create the perfect balance of grit and melody while paying homage to past rock n’ roll legends.
Taming Sari roars with the confidence of a band that has been touring stadiums for decades. The dedication to individual musicianship conveyed on “Crazy” can be found in every bar. The backbone of Taming Sari’s booming sound manifests itself through the chemistry of polished drummer Adam Ouellette and the seemingly effortless craftsmanship of Alex Pellerin on bass. Infectious riffs come courtesy of newest member Joe Fraser with the seamless weaving of rhythm guitar specialist Miguel Kingsberry filling out the rest of the uptempo grooves found within. The soaring vocals of “Ottawa’s #1 Rock Ginger” Warren Meredith easily accompanies the instrumental expertise on display, further reinforcing Taming Sari’s sense of timelessness.
Following the momentum of their debut album, Thirsty From The Draught, Taming Sari was positioned to take full advantage of the burgeoning concert scene across Canada shortly before the world was thrown into chaos with Covid. “Crazy” is the third single to capture the group’s artistic perspective on this tumultuous period in history; the first, “Loving Way,” dealt with the initial response to the virus along with the call for racial justice that was to come, and the second, the emotionally-charged “Gone and Run Away,” highlighted the sense of loss that our communities collectively feel.
After making numerous media appearances and safely playing for socially distanced crowds, Taming Sari is ready to hit the ground running. When live music makes its triumphant return, there is no doubt that this talented assembly of performers will grace stages with the same intensity found in their recordings.
Pop Songstress BREE WHITWORTH Sings About The Right Love at the Wrong “Time” in New Single
Just ask Romeo and Juliet: Finding the perfect love is a noble pursuit that can be fraught with peril. It can either work out to be forever, or never — and often, it all comes down to the timing. Kelowna, BC’s singer-songwriter Bree Whitworth is adding her voice to the chorus of the star-crossed swoons with her new single and remix, “Time” — available now.
An honest, heartfelt ballad that delivers full ‘80s nostalgia recalling Heart, The Bangles and Tiffany, “Time” is about meeting the right person but the timing is off, dooming the relationship. It’s the type of situation that the Vancouver-based artist feels has been amplified due to the global pandemic, and she has personal proof; as COVID shuttered the world, Whitworth was also experiencing the shuttering of a romantic relationship, and the grief and self-reflection that goes along with it.
“Sometimes, the only crime, really, is bad timing with no other explanation, but somehow it leaves you feeling like the criminal,” Whitworth explains. “I really felt like others would connect with these lyrics, probably with many going through similar situations of their own during the past 18 months.”
Time chose the lies we tell ourselves every day and night
We can’t make it right but you’re always on my mind
During lockdown, Whitworth’s main solace was her piano, so she took to what she knows best — turning heartbreak into song. “Time,” and another upcoming single, “Mister Wrong”, were written and recorded during this introspective pandemic period and both are set for imminent release.
Whitworth took on a new challenge to record the songs with her longtime producer Winston Hauschild. They wrote the melodies via Zoom calls and built the song structures all completely from a distance. Months later, when restrictions eased up, Bree traveled to the Treehouse Studio on Bowen Island to record vocals for the tracks while still never physically being in the same room as Hauschild. No hugs or high fives when their long day was done, but they produced two stellar songs nonetheless!
The “Shamus Goes to Hollywood” single remix of “Time” takes the emotional ballad with a shimmering ‘80s aesthetic and opens it up into a joyous, dance floor banger — thanks to a new collaboration with Nova Scotia-based pop, hip-hop and electronic producer Shamus Musik.
“I was super excited to work with Shamus again,” says Whitworth. “I gave him full permission to ‘go to town’ to make the remix as upbeat and dancy as possible, and of course, he did not disappoint.”
Whitworth and Shamus Musik previously collaborated on the remix for the single “Don’t Let Me Go” from her 2019 EP, Siren Songs. The two have never met in person, living on opposite sides of Canada, but they’ve discovered a great, long distance creative relationship making killer remixes of already great tunes.
With two new single releases this fall, Bree Whitworth is topping up a catalogue that already includes three previously released albums and various project-related singles. Her songs have also found their way into a television series and a Paris-based music library.
“Time,” and the Shamus Goes to Hollywood Remix, are available now.
James Taylor Announces Rescheduled Canadian Tour With Jackson Browne
For the first time ever, James Taylor & His All-Star Band, with special guest Jackson Browne, will perform together across Canada. Jackson will replace the previously announced Bonnie Raitt who unfortunately is no longer available to join these rescheduled concert dates due to her prior touring commitments.
“Last year was a time of great disruption and general upheaval for all of us. My plans for a coast-to-coast concert tour of Canada with my dear friend, Bonnie Raitt, were seriously sidetracked. Our rescheduled dates for this September were likewise denied. But we’ve been determined to follow through; to make the tour happen and, come hell or high water, we’re setting our sights on this coming Spring of ‘22. The one wrinkle is that Bonnie will be unable to join us for the newly rescheduled dates. Happily, Jackson Browne and I have been touring together this Summer and Fall and he has agreed to come to Canada with me. We’ve been delighted with the response from our audiences on this current tour of the States and I’m hoping that those of you who have been holding onto tickets for the Canadian concerts will be pleased with the surprise change in the bill. Of course some of you may have had your hearts set on seeing Bonnie and would like to receive a refund due to the change. This we will cheerfully and expeditiously accommodate. But I dare say that the rest of you will not be disappointed. See you all this Spring.” James Taylor
The highly acclaimed tour will kick off in Canada on April 21, 2022 at the Mile One Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Pollstar recently commented of the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famers during their current US tour that “these songs not only endure but expanded to include the life-worn truths of coming of age in the 21st century by two American treasures.”
Previously purchased tickets will be honored for all of the rescheduled dates and fans are encouraged to hold onto their tickets. Should you be unable to attend the rescheduled date, please reach out to your point of purchase for information on refunds.
As a recording and touring artist, James Taylor has touched people with his warm baritone voice and distinctive style of guitar-playing for more than 40 years, while setting a precedent to which countless young musicians have aspired. Over the course of his celebrated songwriting and performing career, Taylor has sold more than 100 million albums, earning gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards for classics ranging from Sweet Baby James in 1970 to October Road in 2002. In addition to multiple Grammy awards, Taylor has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2012, Taylor was awarded the distinguished Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government and the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama in a White House ceremony. In November 2015, Taylor was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. In December 2016 Taylor received the Kennedy Center Honors, which are presented annually to individuals who have enriched American culture by distinguished achievement in the performing arts.
In 2015, Taylor released Before This World, his first new studio album in thirteen years, which earned him his first ever #1 album. Taylor’s latest release American Standard earned him his sixth overall Grammy award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. American Standard infuses new sounds and fresh meaning into these timeless works of art, reimagining some of the most beloved songs of the 20th century and making them completely his own. In 2020, Taylor also released Break Shot, the first-ever Audible Original performance by James Taylor, and a deeply personal and authentic audio-only memoir.
Hailed as one the Greatest Songwriters of All Time by Rolling Stone, Jackson Browne has written and performed some of the most literate and moving songs in popular music. A defining Americana artist, who’s songwriting is often charged with honesty, emotion and personal politics, Browne is known for his hits, like “Running On Empty,” “The Pretender,” “Doctor My Eyes,” and “Take It Easy,” as well as deeply personal ballads such as “These Days” and “In the Shape of a Heart.” He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.
Nearly five decades since his 1972 debut LP, the songs on Jackson Browne’s new album Downhill From Everywhere sustain the soulful intimacy of his first release, combined with a power and wisdom gained from a life pursuing positive change. Like much of Browne’s illustrious catalog, Downhill From Everywhere is fueled by a search—for connection, for purpose, for self—but there’s a heightened sense of urgency written between the lines, a recognition of the sand slipping through the hourglass that elevates the stakes at every turn, all while maintaining a defiant sense of optimism that seems tailor-made for these turbulent times.
Tour Dates:
21-Apr-22 St. John’s, NFLD Mile One Centre
24-Apr-22 Halifax, NS Scotiabank Centre
25-Apr-22 Moncton, NB Avenir Centre
27-Apr-22 Ottawa, ON Canadian Tire Centre
28-Apr-22 Montreal, QC Centre Bell
30-Apr-22 London, ON Budweiser Gardens
1-May-22 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
5-May-22 Winnipeg, MB Canada Life Centre
7-May-22 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
9-May-22 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
11-May-22 Victoria, BC Save On Foods Memorial Centre
12-May-22 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
Spotify & Shopify join forces to launch the digital “merch tables” of your dreams
Today Shopify announced a global partnership with Spotify that will empower artists to share their brands with fans and listeners on the platform.
With Shopify’s Spotify channel, artists can connect their Spotify for Artists account with their Shopify online store, allowing them to sync their product catalogue and display featured products directly on their Spotify profiles. Fans and listeners can then browse these products directly on the artist’s Spotify profile and make a purchase.
Shopify is giving artists and merchants the ability to monetize across every surface where commerce is possible—like TikTok, Instagram, and now Spotify—all from a single platform. Giving artists around the globe the ability to expand their commerce footprint beyond just merch table T’s.
One of the artists jumping at this chance to expand her eclectic, whimsical line on the heels of her 10/15 album drop is colorful funk-pop artist Remi Wolf — dubbed by The New York Times as “a star-in-waiting.”
For more information on the partnership, view Shopify’s newspost.
Janis Ian To Release Her Last Studio Album, The Light at the End of the Line, on January 21
Today, legendary singer/songwriter Janis Ian announces The Light at the End of the Line, set for a January 21, 2022 release on her own label, Rude Girl Records. The Light at the End of the Line is Ian’s first album of new material in 15 years, and is also her last solo studio recording – a “swan song,” she notes. The Light at the End of the Line also sets the stage for Ian’s final North American tour in 2022, aptly titled Celebrating Our Years Together. First track “I’m Still Standing” is the perfect statement for this enthralling album.
The Light at the End of the Line bookends a kaleidoscopic catalog that began with her 1967 self-titled debut at age 15. The songs are intimate portraits of getting older but wiser (“I’m Still Standing”), of knowing when to stand up and not take any more shit (“Resist”), of celebrating life’s fleeting beauty (“Swannanoa”), of exalting in your true identity (“Perfect Little Girl”), of paying homage to a lifelong hero and her demons (“Nina,” as in Simone). The Light at the End of the Line feels like a victory lap for an artist who has nothing to lose and nothing left to prove. You hear that in the risks Ian took in both her lyrics and the inspired production choices.
“I love this album,” Ian says. “There is an element of, ‘This is the absolute best I can do over the span of 58 years as a writer. This is what I’ve learned.’ And I realized that this album has an arc, and I’ve never really done anything like that before.”
Ian is also planning her final run of the US, the Celebrating Our Years Together tour, with dates starting in February and running through May 2022. Her tours have sold out in every country she’s visited, and this one will likely follow. Dates are listed below and will continue to be updated; for tickets go to janisian.com. Additional shows for September, October and November 2022 are in the works and will be announced soon.
Janis Ian began her iconic career at age 14 when she wrote her socially and politically impactful song “Society’s Child” about an interracial romance between teenagers. Her honest songwriting has translated into timeless, culturally significant tracks including “At Seventeen,” “Jesse” and “Stars,” the latter which was covered by Nina Simone, Cher, Mel Tormé and a host of other artists who felt the song spoke to their own lives. She has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and won two: one in 1976 for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female (“At Seventeen”) and one in 2013 for Best Spoken Word Recording (Society’s Child: An Autobiography).
Over her extraordinary career, Ian has forged deep connections with her fans, and she cherishes those associations. She notes, “As I wrote The Light at the End of the Line, I realized that it’s really a love song. I didn’t understand that so many years of meeting my audience after shows, of corresponding with them, had created this very real relationship that few artists are privileged to have.”
JANIS IAN 2022 TOUR DATES
February 24 – Santa Fe, NM – Jean Cocteau Theatre
February 25 – Santa Fe, NM – Jean Cocteau Theatre
February 26 – Santa Fe, NM – Jean Cocteau Theatre
February 27 – Santa Fe, NM – Jean Cocteau Theatre
March 3 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theater
March 6– El Cajon, CA – The Magnolia
March 11 – Santa Monica, CA – McCabe’s Guitar Shop
March 12 – Santa Monica, CA – McCabe’s Guitar Shop
March 13 – Santa Monica, CA – McCabe’s Guitar Shop
March 16 – Fresno, CA – The Painted Table Events Center
March 18 – Saratoga, CA – Montalvo Arts Center
March 20 – Berkeley, CA – Freight & Salvage
March 31 – Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall
April 2 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Parker Playhouse*
April 3 – Stuart, FL – The Lyric Theatre
April 6 – Jacksonville, FL – WJCT Soundstage
April 14 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Caffe Lena
April 15 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Caffe Lena
April 16 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Caffe Lena
April 18 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Caffe Lena
April 21 – Old Saybrook, CT – The Kate
April 23 – Lynn, MA – Lynn Auditorium*
April 24 – Turners Falls, MA – Shea Theater Arts Center
April 27 – Harrisburg, PA – The Whitaker Center*
April 29 – Richmond, VA – Tin Pan
April 30 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere
May 1 – Newton, NJ – The Newton Theater
May 5 – Collingswood, NJ – Scottish Rite Auditorium*
May 6 – Ocean City, NJ – Ocean City Music Pier*
May 7 – New York, NY – Concert Hall Society for Ethical Culture*
May 8 – Riverhead, NY – Suffolk Theatre
May 11 – Cleveland, OH – The Kent Stage
May 13 – Stoughton, WI – Stoughton Opera House
May 14 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music
May 15 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music
May 22 – Iowa City, IA – The Englert Theatre
*with special guests Livingston Taylor and Tom Chapin