Since their founding almost a century ago, Shure has created some of the most iconic microphones ever made. In this episode, the fine folks at Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast worked with Shure to tell the story of the SM7 dynamic microphone: from its humble beginnings in voiceover studios in the early 70s, to its use on classic albums, to its rediscovery by podcasters and streamers.
The Beaches Unveil New EP “Future Lovers” May 14
JUNO Award-winning rock band The Beaches announce the release of their upcoming EP, Future Lovers, on May 14.
The anthemic “Let’s Go,” the first song off their new EP, comes on the heels of the group’s latest chart-topping alt hit, “Lame,” from 2019’s The Professional. The Beaches’ 2019 collection spawned four hit singles and topped Canada’s Alternative Radio Chart twice with “Want What You Got” and “Lame,” the latter topping the chart for an impressive six weeks.
The Beaches have released a lyric video alongside the release of “Let’s Go.”
Produced by Jacknife Lee and written by all four band members with Jacknife and longtime collaborator Coco Morier, Future Lovers delivers quintessentially impressive musicianship and songwriting, complemented, as always, by the killer vocals and whimsically acerbic lyrics The Beaches are known and loved for.
“We recorded most of Future Lovers in Los Angeles with Jacknife during The Professional sessions,” said The Beaches lead singer Jordan Miller. “But the pandemic gave us the opportunity to look at some of these songs and give them some new Beaches twists before they were released… You know, we’ve kind of all matured a little being stuck at home for over a year.”
Future Lovers follows The Beaches’ last EP, The Professional. Released in 2019, The Professional saw the group continue to evolve as songwriters and musicians, working again with their constant-collaborator, renowned producer Garrett “Jacknife” Lee, whose previous collaborations include U2, The Killers, Bloc Party, Snow Patrol, and Taylor Swift. The band’s highly successful 2020 The Professional Tour travelled across Canada, culminating with three of their 15 sold-out shows at The Danforth, in The Beaches’ hometown of Toronto.
Named appropriately after the Toronto neighbourhood they all hail and hang in, The Beaches are authentically rock ‘n’ roll. Their ‘70s aesthetic, unapologetic attitude and electrifying sound all fit harmoniously in a modern rock context. Comprised of sisters Jordan and Kylie Miller (on lead vocals/bass and guitar, respectively), Eliza Enman-McDaniel (on drums), and Leandra Earl (on keys and guitar), the band has a natural kismet that shines through on each track and in their live performances. The Beaches have become one of Canada’s top acts with a global reach, placing them in a modern and future context where rock prevails and marking them one of this generation’s most promising young rock groups.
Since their sizzling major label debut in 2017 with LP, Late Show, produced by Metric’s Emily Haines and Jimmy Shaw, the quartet has accumulated an array of impressive highlights. To this day, Late Show’s singles remain fan and Rock radio favourites. The album’s first single, “Money,” secured the No.1 spot for three consecutive weeks and the infectious track “T-Shirt,” which spent nine weeks on the Billboard Rock Chart, recently became Gold Certified in Canada. With five Top 5 Alt Radio singles, a JUNO Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year, opening tour spots for icons like The Rolling Stones and The Foo Fighters, and much more – this is just the beginning of what The Beaches have in store. “T-Shirt,” “Fascination,” and “Snake Tongue” remain regular recurrent tracks on Canadian Rock Radio today.
Gaining recognition from the world’s most renowned artists, including the likes of Elton John, who has proclaimed: “Love them, love them, love them!”, The Beaches are back and have no plans to slow down. And when touring comes back, expect The Beaches to hit the road hard. Stay tuned for much more to come in 2021.
FUTURE LOVERS TRACK LIST
“Blow Up”
“Let’s Go”
“Bad Behaviour”
“Slow Mo”
“You Don’t Owe Me Anything”
My Next Read: “Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama A Memoir” by Bob Odenkirk
In this hilarious, heartfelt memoir, Bob Odenkirk, the star of Mr. Show, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and Nobody opens up about the highs and lows of showbiz, his legendary cult status as a comedy writer, and what it’s like to reinvent himself as a no-holds-barred action film ass-kicker at fifty.
Bob Odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explain it here, because that is what memoirs are for. Charting a “Homeric” decades-long “Odyssey” from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago all the way to a dramatic career that is baffling to his friends, it’s almost like there are two or three Bob Odenkirks…but there is just one and one is enough, frankly.
Bob embraced a life in comedy after a chance meeting with Second City’s legendary Del Close, which eventually led to a job as a writer at SNL. As he weathered the beast that is live comedy, he stashed away the secrets of sketch writing—employing them in the immortal “Motivational Speaker” sketch for his friend Chris Farley, honing them on The Ben Stiller Show, and perfecting them on Mr. Show With Bob and David, which inspired an entire generation of comedy writers and stars. Then his career met the hope-dashing machine that is Hollywood development. But when all hope was lost for the umpteenth time, Bob was more astonished than anyone to find himself on Breaking Bad. His embrace of this strange new world of dramatic acting led him to working with Steven Spielberg, Alexander Payne, and Greta Gerwig, until finally re-re-inventing himself as a bona-fide worldwide action star for reasons that even he does not fully grasp! Read this and do your own psychoanalysis—it’s fun!
Throughout Bob’s travels, his memoir preserves the voice he cultivated from years of comedy writing. Featuring humorous tangents, joyful interludes, never-before-seen photos, wild characters from his winding career, and his trademark upbeat but unflinching drive, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a classic showbiz tale—and a moving story about what it’s like to risk everything you think you know to make a change.
Watch Metallica playing ‘Enter Sandman’ backwards
The clip, which was reportedly filmed in 2013, features Lars Ulrich, Robert Trujillo, James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett informally jamming in a studio and shows, first, they still love to have fun, and two, this band simply doesn’t age. At all.
Genesis ‘The Last Domino?’ fall 2021 North American tour announced
On Thursday, Genesis announced their highly anticipated return to North America for the first time in 14 years with “The Last Domino?” tour dates that will have Tony Banks, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford playing major cities across the U.S. and Canada this November and December. Kicking off at Chicago’s United Center on Nov. 15, the group will be joined by Nic Collins on drums, and the band’s long-time lead guitar and bass player Daryl Stuermer.
“Genesis The Last Domino?” North American Tour 2021 marks the first time Genesis has performed stateside since 2007’s “Turn It On Again: The Tour,” which went on to be one of the biggest grossing tours of that year playing sold-out arenas and stadiums around the world. One of the most successful and legendary rock bands of all-time, Genesis has sold more than 100 million albums with numerous top 20 hits, including “Invisible Touch,” “In Too Deep” and “Turn It On Again,” while also being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
Tickets for all shows will be available first through a presale powered by Ticketmaster Verified Fan on May 5, followed by the general public on-sale on May 7. The Verified Fan program aims to create a safe and reliable ticket-buying experience. It helps ensure tickets get into the hands of real fans first. Fans must register for access between now and 11:59 p.m. ET Sunday, May 2. If verified and selected, fans can secure their tickets beginning at 10 a.m. local time Wednesday, May 5. To register, visit www.genesis-music.com.
Beginning May 7, tickets will be available through a public on-sale. Visit www.genesis-music.com for tour, ticket and official VIP package information.
For the biggest Genesis fans who want to get closer to the action than ever before, official VIP packages will be available for all shows. Fans can choose from a variety of VIP package options to ensure they have an unforgettable experience. Official VIP packages will be available beginning at 10 a.m. local time Wednesday, May 5.
The tour and all venues will be following all mandated precautions in accordance with state and local regulations so as to provide the most secure, COVID-19-free environment possible.
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November 15, 2021 |
Chicago, IL |
United Center |
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November 18, 2021 |
Washington, DC |
Capital One Arena |
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November 20, 2021 |
Charlotte, NC |
Spectrum Center |
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November 22, 2021 |
Montreal, QC |
Centre Bell |
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November 25, 2021 |
Toronto, ON |
Scotiabank Arena |
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November 27, 2021 |
Buffalo, NY |
KeyBank Center |
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November 29, 2021 |
Detroit, MI |
Little Caesars Arena |
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November 30, 2021 |
Cleveland, OH |
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse |
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December 2, 2021 |
Philadelphia, PA |
Wells Fargo Center |
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December 5, 2021 |
New York, NY |
Madison Square Garden |
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December 8, 2021 |
Columbus, OH |
Nationwide Arena |
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December 10, 2021 |
Belmont Park, NY |
UBS Arena |
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December 13, 2021 |
Pittsburgh, PA |
PPG Paints Arena |
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December 15, 2021 |
Boston, MA |
TD Garden |
Video: That Time In 1981 When The Rolling Stones Played With Muddy Waters
Live at the Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981 is a concert video and live album by Muddy Waters and members of the Rolling Stones. It was recorded on 22 November 1981 by David Hewitt on the Record Plant Black Truck, mixed by Bob Clearmountain, and released on 10 July 2012.
The Checkerboard Lounge was a blues club in Bronzeville, on the South Side of Chicago, which was established in 1972 by Buddy Guy and L.C. Thurman.
Ringo Starr Shows How to play Ticket to Ride, Come Together and Back off Boogaloo
In the clip below , Ringo Starr demonstrates on Dave Stewart’s show his technique on “Ticket to Ride,” “Come Together,” and his highest-charting solo single “Back Off Boogaloo.”
JUNO Nominated TORONTO TABLA ENSEMBLE’s “Maryem’s Here” Brings a Beguiling Cultural Mix to Life
Toronto Tabla Ensemble continue to entice ears and eyes with this, their new video for “Maryem’s Here” — available now.
Fresh from their most recent release, Unexpected Guests, the track and video bring diverse musical traditions together — from Indian classical dance, to Japanese drumming, to Arabic singing, and Western classical instrumentation.
The goal is simple: create compelling music and showcase it with visual flair.
“This album is a simple one,” says Ritesh Das, the 62-year-old tabla virtuoso, composer and educator who leads and founded the JUNO Award-nominated Toronto Tabla Ensemble. “Most of the tracks are in very straightforward 4/4 grooves. On our other albums, you had tracks with different time signatures that made it really intellectual and complicated. But I wanted this one to be something that anyone can sit back and listen to.”
‘Simple’ here doesn’t imply any sacrifice in musicianship; “Maryem’s Here” dazzles with virtuosity in its performance, interpreted with an emotional heart that connects with listeners.
The tabla forms the basis for TTE’s signature sound. In “Maryem’s Here,” the violin (played by Raaginder Singh Momi) and Japanese taiko drums (by noted ensemble Nagata Shachu) join the traditional Indian percussion, while Maryem Hassan Tollar — the Cairo-born, Toronto-based vocalist who has carved a unique career as an Arabic-style artist with a reputation for genre-bending collaborations — brings a mastery of technique and tone to the table.
The blend of musical traditions and instruments, vocals, and dance is seamless, building to emotional highs and, while the time signature may be simpler than usual for TTE, the layers of rhythm and musicianship are palpably anything but. As for the video, a bejewelled Indian classical dancer captivates the eye while Tollar’s haunting vocals add a mesmerizing melody.
Other tracks on the album bring in the talents of bagpiper Craig Downie (Enter The Haggis), multi-instrumentalist George Koller, and flautist Alysha Addetia, among others.
“Over the years, I’ve done everything from jazz to rock ’n’ roll,” Das explains. “I don’t do traditional Indian music; what I do is take the essence of it — the songs and sounds of North Indian classical music — and I blend it with other styles.
“To me, there’s no such thing as world music,” he adds. “Music is music.”
The Toronto Tabla Ensemble have released six albums and were nominated for a JUNO Award for their 2000 album, Firedance. Their 2018 album, Bhumika, won an Independent Music Award, and garnered two Canadian Folk Music Award nominations. TTE also includes a youth ensemble, represented with a track on the new album, and a film/video division.
Canadian Producer MELLOW FIELDS Immerses Audiences in Haunting Soundscape with “Gemini Rising”
At over 130,000+ streams, Canadian producer Mellow Fields is back to haunt your dreams with this, his new single, “Gemini Rising” — available now.
The track starts with electronic beats rising to a swell before making way for sweet, ethereal vocals from featured artist, Jenny Palacios, that light up the song’s compelling poetry. Mellow Fields — aka Michael David’s — rhythms are irresistible and, together with Palacios’ lead and harmony vocals in a mesmerizing stream of lyrics, her singing floats above them like a butterfly.
It’s a track that goes from soft to insistent, kinetic to moody, still to emotional, and back.
Like any true Gemini, the lyrics blend diverse elements — sweet sensuality and a hint of danger, with a trippy sensibility that puts you in a dream world. Mellow Fields weaves it all into a rich sonic texture, and “Gemini Rising” wraps with an ecstatic high of music and emotion.
From a sleepy suburb in the Greater Toronto Area to the airwaves, Mellow Fields is an indie Progressive House/Electro producer working from home during the pandemic. He’s adept at switching moods over the 4:31 minute track, developing the rhythms and sounds with a judicious ear and without a hint of self-indulgence. He’s always got a new surprise up his sleeve, and a new direction to keep things interesting and add replay appeal.
He counts the greats of EDM among the influences in his work, and in “Gemini Rising” audiences hear the same focus on persistent beats plus a play on rising and falling tension. It’s trance music with a nod to synthwave, a song that’s sonically intriguing but also accessible — and danceable, too.
The track is a mild departure from Mellow Fields’ previous work, including the song “Wage of Destruction” — the first track from his 2017 self-titled debut EP that was licenced for use in a Nissan commercial, and received widespread airplay across playlist and gaming channels.
That said, it’s “the most authentic music” he’s written since starting as a producer, he shares.
Canadian Rockers CIGAR CLUB Storm the Scene with Brooding, Bone-Chilling “Like White Flats in Winter”
Canadian rockers Cigar Club are storming the scene with this brooding, bone-chilling, goosebump-inducing new single, “Like White Flats in Winter” — available now.
The song lands ahead of the Toronto-based band’s forthcoming and highly-anticipated debut album, Day, Now, and serves as yet another pitch-perfect introduction to the crew, offering you a little bit of everything and more.
“Like White Flats in Winter” is the third and latest single from the upcoming record, and quite possibly the band’s most unique to date. It kicks off with a simple, yet catchy, chord progression, which is accompanied by the longing vocal phrases of frontman Trev Coughlin — which instills a powerful feeling of sadness and doom within the listener.
Coughlin’s voice, no matter how buttery, carries so much weight and emotion in this song, it begs the question: ‘Who hurt this man?’
“I feel like we really got it right with this song,” Coughlin says. “It’s like that first line: ‘Walking off pavement into stars’… I hear that like walking off the edge and then gradually falling, while getting louder and louder.”
Lead guitarist Dan Amato adds that it’s an “emotionally” powerful song for them. “It feels really good to really love the music you had a part in creating … I suppose that’s why we do this.”
“We were initially going to save this song for our next album,” Coughlin reveals of the song, “but COVID-19 hit and pushed everything back, and we were too excited to wait with it.”
“This song was influenced by the new Ontario rock scene on the rise, and the energy associated with it,” drummer Tyler Booth says of the track’s sound. “It’s my favourite to play by far.”
Booth’s performance on this number, in particular, is much different from a typical Cigar Club song as it incorporates a number of different percussion styles — including double bass drumming and clavés, and was influenced heavily by Latin dance music.
In agreement with his bandmates, bassist Jeff LeFort muses that “Like White Flats in Winter” came out of nowhere, at first. “It started out just as this simple instrumental chord progression, and turned into one of our favourite originals.”
Cigar Club kicked off their career in 2016 after bonding over their mutual love for John Mayer’s music. Though soft rock and blues (with a hint of soul) was once their game — and will forever be a part of their playing styles — it wasn’t until Booth joined that they mastered their iconic and alternative, punk rock sound heard today.
After the release of their first-ever EP, Cigar Club — and a year of consistent touring across Ontario, pre-COVID-19 pandemic, of course — the four-piece began garnering a mass of positive attention and developed a gigantic local fanbase, along with the fierce demand for more original music.
Along with “Like White Flats in Winter’, Cigar Club’s two previous singles, “Swimmin’ in Gold” and “…Aliens” single are now available through all major streaming platforms.