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Breezy Folk-Rock Duo ROBINSON KIRBY Are Off to “Find A Way” in New Single

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Breezy Canadian folk-rock duo Robinson Kirby are off to “Find A Way” when it comes to lost affections in this, their heartwarming love-quest of a new single and video.

Freshly pressed from their 2021 seven-track album offering, Little Dreams, the rhythm section of “Find A Way” instills a sense of beautiful calm, reminiscent of a gentle stream while the satiny vocal tones send the listener floating through the song with a feeling of warming assurance.

The song features a graceful, echoey twang of the electric guitar, and its solo, along with the slide of the lap steel, tie the instrumentation together seamlessly. These elements combined create a serene audible flow that contrasts the turbulence surrounding the song’s theme based on the uncertainty of lasting love.

Love may be blind, but we can always find our way through. These sentiments are suggested by the lyrics: ‘I don’t look at you the same, since we played the losing game, but I will try and find my way.’

With that in mind, “Find A Way” is a song about revelation, and what we uncover both about ourselves as well as our loved ones during times of uncertainty amidst emotional strife. The overall message is relatable, as those who have felt love dwindle in the past have oftentimes found themselves questioning who they are, what they could’ve done differently and, perhaps, making peace with the circumstance by accepting that their counterparts’ hearts may no longer be aligned with mutual perception of love.

‘Lay me down beside what happened here, wasn’t my love bigger than your fear,’ brings about the suggestion that it may come time for one to accept that, despite their best efforts, the love given may not always be the saving grace we’d like it to be.

When it comes to the single, as well as the Toronto-based band’s Little Dreams EP, Robinson Kirby describes the songs therein by saying, “They reflect a time of growth and change in our lives. Conceptually, the songs are about love, searching for connection, and finding your place in the world.”

The Little Dreams EP, which hosts the lead single, was written between studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and while living in Los Angeles. They cite their musical influence as being the spirit of singer-songwriters from the genre’s heyday in the 70s, but with a fresh, modern approach.

Robinson Kirby consists of lead singer-songwriters, Luke Robinson (vocals, guitar, percussion) and Madelyn Kirby (vocal, guitar), as well as Jonathan Elyashiv (bass) and Ross Hodgkinson (drums, percussion). “Find A Way” is backed by the talents of Paul Phelan (lap steel) and Harrison Lenz (backing vocals).

The single was written and composed by Luke Robinson and Madelyn Kirby. The single, as well as the EP, were engineered by Pedro Calloni at the Village Studios, in Los Angeles, California and by Harrison Lenz at Lenz Entertainment in Toronto, Ontario. Mixing was handled by Harrison Lenz. Mastering was handled by Philip Shaw Bova. Photography and design were provided by Madelyn Kirby and Tori Chippindale, respectively.

Vancouver Folk-Roots Rocker CHRIS RONALD Unveils “City Girl” From Emotionally Juxtaposed “Light & Dark” Album

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Top 10 charting Canadian folk-rocker Chris Ronald muses aloud in this, his new single “City Girl” — available now.

Rife with Ronald’s signature sound and Songwriter of the Year-nominated lyricism, the song serves as the first preview for the Vancouver-based artist’s forthcoming emotionally expansive album, Light & Dark (Borealis Records).

His fifth album release, the 11-track LP is steeped in Ronald’s British roots, poetic song craft, and buttery blend of folk and rock instantly reminiscent of 60s-era revivalists and 70s-era singer-songwriters.

Leaning slightly towards a more rootsy sound, powerful vocals and musicianship across the board (guitar, harmonica, and ukulele) offer a well-rounded folk-Americana, roots-rock release that landed just where Ronald — and his long-time collaborator: award-winning, Platinum-selling and chart-topping producer, engineer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist John MacArthur Ellis — set their sonic sights a few years ago.

“After showcasing at Americanafest in Nashville in 2018 — and really soaking up the vibe of the Americana music scene down there — John and I knew which direction to take this next album,” Ronald recalls. “Where my most recent album, Fragments, was more on the folk-side of Americana, Light & Dark has more of a contemporary roots sound.

“The track listing includes a few rewrites of songs that originally appeared on some of my early demo albums,” he continues. “There are also more recent compositions, including ‘Old Lover,’ which was co-written with my brother shortly after the first COVID-19 lockdown.”

Beyond “Old Lover,” the pandemic played a larger role in shaping the terrain for Light & Dark — from lyrical nuances, to navigating strict restrictions for recording, to the untimely passing of Ronald’s father within it.

“Songs like ‘Please Don’t Come For Me Now’ and ‘Bones’ took on a particularly new poignancy for me,” Ronald shares of the previous year’s series of circumstances. “As the title suggests, the album’s track sequence intentionally alternates between dark and light moods and themes…

“There’s a bit of an emotional rollercoaster ride.”

With the album first laid having just three band members on-hand — Ronald, Ellis, and Chris Nordquist — four songs, including “Pacific Time,” also feature the stunning vocals of Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Natalie Ramsay (nom de plume, Daughter of the Moon).

The collaborative contributions didn’t end there; for the environmentally-themed song “Still Turning,” Ronald increasingly wanted more people singing the chorus to give the impression of a growing movement. “To do so, and to add a youthful touch, I had my children, who were 12 and 14 at the time of recording, join in for the final rousing chorus.”

The album art for Light & Dark was created by JUNO Award-winning designer Michael Wrycraft.

Chris Ronald has four previous album releases, including Pacific Time (2004), Turning Tides (2011), Timeline (2014), and Fragments (2017). He was nominated for Songwriter of the Year at the 2014 Canadian Folk Music Awards, achieved Top 10 artist, song, and album ranking on The Folk Charts, and tours internationally — including annual showcases at the Americana and Folk Alliance music conferences.

“City Girl” is available now, with his next single ‘I Won’t Change’ — a melancholy take on the fallout of unrealistic expectations — set to drop April 28, and can be pre-saved on Spotify or pre-added on Apple Music on April 21, 2021. Light & Dark is available for streaming and digital download on May 26, 2021. Physical copies will be available on May 28, 2021.

See What THE GREAT FUSS Is About For Saskatoon-Based Rockers’ New “Hairbrain” Single & Video

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We’re confident the current year is 2021, but one listen to Canadian rockers The Great Fuss and their new single and video for “Hairbrain,” and… It’s hard to not double-check the calendar.

An homage to yesteryear’s pulsing piano melodies and indelible electric guitar riffs, this Saskatoon-based four-piece goes for a generational collision, capturing a decidedly 60s vibe within a new-age kaleidoscope of rhythm and lyrics on the track.

On “Hairbrain,” the band explodes with chiding questions, including scathing sentiments like ‘You think you know what I’m after? I’ve seen your kind, it’s clear that you’re a disaster.’

Laced with low-fi pop rock riffs that earworm their way into your consciousness, the track’s accompanying music video showcases the band interspersed with places of travel, dimly lit, brightly coloured, black and white, in and out of focus.

The delight in the Great Fuss is to keep you wondering if they’re inspired by Warhol, the Beatles, or Joe Strummer… Or if they’re simply themselves in a great tidal wave of love and lyric. In their own words, the band is a finely tuned cross breed of 60s British invasion and modern rock elements; think the Kinks had a baby with Spoon.

Landing firmly on the Saskatchewan scene in 2016, members Pete Oldridge (Vox/bass), Erik Sample (Drums), Chris Valleau (Guitar), and Kat Jones (Keyboard) have been leaving their distinct imprint along the festival and concert circuit ever since.

Their 2018 eponymous debut record, The Great Fuss, was met with well-received support and acclaim, giving way to live appearances at major events — including Saskatchewan’s prestigious Ness Creek Music Festival, and performing in front of a sold out crowd at the Coors Event Centre.

Aside from being smart songwriters and clever lyricists, the band also finds success in their ability to self-produce and record with Oldridge at the helm of engineering from his personal studio. From the first written note to the final recorded piece, The Great Fuss find beauty in spreading their talent from start to finish — a knack also heard on their 2019 sophomore offering, Root Thyself!

Video: Prince in his First Filmed Interview In 1985

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Prince rarely gave live interviews, so check out this clip from 1985 when he agreed to answer questions sent by MTV. So many artists want to be this mysterious and vague to let the music do the talking, but nobody comes close to him.

My Next Read: “Rock Covers. 40th Anniversary Edition”

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Album art is indelibly linked to our collective musical memories; when you think of your favorite albums, you picture the covers. Many photographers, illustrators, and art directors have become celebrities from their album artworks―the best examples of which will go down in history as permanent fixtures in popular culture.

Paying tribute to this art form, Rock Covers brings you a compilation of more than 750 remarkable album covers, from legendary to rare record releases. Artists as varied as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, The Cure, Iron Maiden, and Sonic Youth are gathered together in celebration of the cover art that defined their albums and their cult status. Each cover is accompanied by a fact sheet listing the art director, photographer or illustrator, year, label, and more, while nearly 250 records that marked particular turning points for a band, an artist, or the music genre, are highlighted with short descriptions.

This far-reaching catalog of visualized rock is contextualized with insider interviews with professionals who shaped the history of rock, and by top-10 record lists from ten leading rock collectors.

David Bowie Gets Animated Talking About Being A Clown In The “Ashes To Ashes” Video

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Comedian Adam Buxton wrote, directed and provided the audio for a wonderful anecdote about David Bowie that director Michael Dignum had shared on Facebook, and turned into an animation.

…and here’s the original video.

Are you a YouTuber Looking to Make Money? Here’s Some Free Advice

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The internet has given people worldwide access to an enormous platform, and YouTube is one of its biggest stages. It doesn’t matter what you’re interested in – music, politics, even chess — YouTube has videos of it and other people dissecting it.

If you’re interested in making YouTube videos and turning them into a source of income, there are a few things you should know.

Printing Merch

One sure-fire online business model is selling merchandise to fans and supporters. YouTube is a free platform, so you can’t charge them to access videos, but you will find many buyers if you offer thoughtful merchandise.

The best Canadian print on demand platforms let you choose from hundreds of products, from traditional things like t-shirts and hoodies to mugs and tote bags. It’s a Green approach, as there’s no waste in the business model.

Plus, because the platform will handle dropshipping and order fulfillment, you can make money while focusing your energies on creating your next video. Just like the content of your videos is meant for your audience, merchandise gives them a creative part of you that helps to cement a long-term connection.

Sponsorships

Sometimes a company will approach you to make a deal to promote their product. The way you handle this choice will depend on the nature of your videos and what your end-goal is.

For example, if you’re a fashionista, you can take sponsorships and still make videos about things like street style or high-end fashion. However, disclose your financial relationship with the company to your audience. Issues surrounding conflict of interest on YouTube get thornier if you’re commenting on removing corruption from politics, and you’re seen taking money from somewhere shady.

How you navigate this issue depends on the subject you’re covering and a matrix of the values that surrounds that topic. Some benign topics like cleaning your home are not fraught with corruption but can be lucrative.

Advertisements

Getting a cut of the ad money is another common way YouTubers make money, but there is more than one approach. If you’re taking a certain amount of money per view, the amount will depend on who you are and your pull in the industry.

You can sign up for monetization with the site, and it’s that simple. But if you don’t have a large following, this approach may not yield a fortune right away. Posting hateful content is obviously bad for its own sake, but YouTube also removes such videos.

Which fork you decide to take on the road to advertising dollars is up to you. Like other things in business, it will depend on your relative position and how much you can command and what your end-goals are.

People have had to stay mostly at home for over a year now, so YouTube is a natural way to connect with the community at large. Whatever you’re using the platform for, it’s good to know that you can make some money from sharing your passions, so consider the options and do what’s best for you.

7 Key Tips for Starting a Bodybuilding Career

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Before starting bodybuilding, you need to know how to set yourself up for success.

Many men and women are intrigued by bodybuilding lifts and making their way toward a muscular physique. However, they do so without doing the necessary research.

Without learning the top bodybuilding tips, they often set themselves up for failure or for very slow success.

To help with this, we’ve combined all the information you need to start your bodybuilding career. Continue reading to find out how to get started.

  1. Invest in a Coach or Trainer

If you want to start your bodybuilding journey, you need to gain confidence in the gym and utilize proper techniques. This is where a coach or personal trainer comes in handy.

A trainer will teach you proper form, how to prevent injuries, and how to create a personalized workout program.

They can also help keep you accountable and on track. We all make mistakes, but it’s easier if you have someone to support you when working on your goals.

  1. Work on Your Form

Bodybuilding lifts are great, but not if you don’t use proper form. Using bad form leads to unwanted results and could even cause serious injury.

The more time you spend on learning the proper form and perfecting it in practice, the better your results will be.

Plus, the more you use bad form, the more likely you are to develop bad habits. These bad habits are hard to break down the line. That’s why one of our top bodybuilding tips is that it’s far easier to start off by doing it right.

  1. Talk with Your Doctor

Before you really commit to a bodybuilding career, you should get checked out by your physician. This is especially necessary if it’s been a while since your last routine checkup.

Your doctor can tell you if there are any health concerns that might affect your progress. Plus, they can help you figure out the safest way to get the results you need.

It’s also worth discussing dietary needs. While your doctor will be fully on board with cutting out junk food, they may have some advice on other aspects of your diet.

A muscular physique requires a healthy diet. However, drastically changing your normal diet by adding in a lot of protein may not be the best option for you. Talking with your doctor will give you the guidance you need for success.

  1. Identify Your Goals

Setting goals helps you stay accountable. Especially when you are just starting bodybuilding. There will be hard days where you don’t feel like going to the gym or are feeling worn out.

Don’t limit yourself to one type of goal either. Set goals like losing 5lb of fat, adding 10 pounds to your squats, or eating more vegetables at dinner.

Bodybuilding is a complex process that involves all kinds of achievements. It’s not just about gaining muscle and it’s not just about how much you can lift, so set goals for all the different aspects.

Adding in Umbrella Labs SARMs can catapult your bodybuilding career by giving you an extra boost.

The more goals you meet, the greater your success will be. If you make mistakes along the way, learn from them and do better next time.

  1. Focus on Balance

One common mistake we see at the start of a bodybuilding journey is too much focus on areas of strength. You might have a certain set of workouts that you excel at and that you enjoy.

However, this likely means you’re ignoring your areas of improvement. For example, focusing too much on your upper body and neglecting leg workouts is detrimental to your process.

Focusing on balance helps you achieve your goals faster. Continue working on your upper body, but don’t neglect your legs. Work on bodybuilding lifts, but don’t overlook the importance of stretches.

  1. Be Consistent

One of our top bodybuilding tips relates to consistency. If you are starting bodybuilding and developing a muscular physique, dedication to the journey is essential. This is a long and, oftentimes, difficult process.

To achieve significant results, you need to put in significant effort. If you routinely skip workouts or eat junk food, you’re going to drag out the process and have a difficult time achieving your goals.

Don’t let yourself make excuses. You might be tired and not feel like going to the gym, but you won’t be sorry you pushed through.

  1. Track Your Progress

We discussed setting goals, but part of that is developing a long-term plan for success and tracking that progress when starting bodybuilding.

Keep a track of your fat loss and muscle gain. Keep an eye on what you’re eating and how that’s affecting your goals.

Review your progress from previous weeks and months to find ways to improve this week.

The more you track, the more you’ll see the progress you’re making. This is great for stagnant weeks. It may feel like you aren’t achieving anything, but when you look back on where you started, you’ll be pleased with your progress.

Starting BodyBuilding with Confidence

A bodybuilding career is an uphill climb. But starting bodybuilding is a rewarding process as long as you remain dedicated and focus on doing the best work possible.

Don’t allow yourself to fall short of your goals or make excuses. If you want to create a muscular physique, you need to put in the work.

For more articles on everything from lifestyle to the music industry, head to our blog.

 

Prince’s Sound Engineer On ‘Purple Rain’ On Why ‘When Doves Cry’ Doesn’t Have A Bass Line

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Peggy McCreary, an audio engineer at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, reveals insight on the recording session of “When Doves Cry” and how they got that song to be so funky with no bass guitar.

SOCAN Brings Added Relief Through Expanded Online Concert Royalties for Music Creators and Publishers

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While music has provided invaluable spiritual help to get Canadians through the pandemic, the pandemic has wreaked havoc on musicians who rely on in-person concerts and touring to help sustain their livelihood. Today, SOCAN announced an expanded program to enable music creators and publishers to earn more of what they deserve from online performances.

SOCAN members will now be able to receive royalties from both free and ticketed online concerts on more digital platforms. Both “performance” and “reproduction” rights royalties will be paid for, respectively, one-time live digital broadcasts and copies of music.

The permanent change replaces SOCAN’s well received “Encore” initiative launched last May in which royalties were paid for live performances on Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram.

“Over the past year, online concerts have become an essential way for SOCAN members to connect with their fans and earn income,” said Jennifer Brown, Interim-CEO of SOCAN. “Our expanded distribution will return more royalties to those who have rightfully earned them for their work, helping music creators and publishers through this difficult period.”

For qualifying free online concerts, including those on Facebook Live, Instagram Live, YouTube and Twitch, $75 will be distributed. This applies to all setlists provided and to a maximum of 30 concerts per quarter per performer. The funds will be distributed to the music creator and publisher rightsholders of the music performed. More digital platforms will be added as they become licensed with SOCAN.

For paid/ticketed online concerts on any digital platform, performance royalties will be distributed to rights holders as they would be for in-person concerts. Reproduction royalties will begin to be distributed later in 2021. The new online concert distribution rules will remain in effect post-pandemic.

“Even when the time comes to welcome the return of in-person live performances, online concerts will continue to be an important source of music creators and publishers’ royalties, as our members realize new ways to bring their invaluable music to all to enjoy,” Brown added.