On ‘10 Questions With Kyle Brandt,’ Paul Rudd shares his favorite ‘Anchorman’ scene, and tells the story of a Will Ferrell take that made him and Steve Carell break on set while shooting ‘Anchorman 2.’
Boom! Boom! ‘John Lee Hooker Live at Montreux 1983 & 1990’ Released November 6
On November 6th, The John Lee Hooker Estate and Universal Music will release John Lee Hooker Live at Montreux 1983 & 1990 as a 2-LPset, digital video & digital audio.
Four-time Grammy Award winner and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, John Lee Hooker will forever be hailed as a legend of the blues genre. His storied career continues its impact on modern music even today–with fans spanning generations and transcending borders. Hooker was responsible for moulding the blues into a sound that was entirely his own, dispensing with 12-bar blues in favour of an intensely deep, funky groove.
Located in Switzerland, the Montreux Jazz Festival is one of the world’s biggest and longest-running jazz festivals. Live at Montreux witnesses John Lee Hooker deliver two blistering performances filmed at the festival in 1983 and 1990. He was joined by The Coast to Coast Blues Band, covering an impressive set of hits from across his storied career including ‘Boom Boom’, ‘Crawlin’ King Snake’ and his very first single ‘Boogie Chillen’’- the latter expanded to an epic 13-person Jam on the 1983 set, featuring guitarist Luther Allison, harmonica legend Sugar Blue, and a horn section. For his triumphant return to Montreux in 1990, Hooker added an additional guitar and sax to the line-up, as well as female vocalist Vala Cupp.“The Hook” infuses his set with songs from his 1989 Grammy winning album, The Healer, including the hypnotic title track.
John Lee Hooker’s first single, ‘Boogie Chillen’’ rose to#1 on the R&B chart in 1949, selling over a million copies. Hooker was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980and the Rock and Roll Hall of Famein1991.In 2008, “Boogie Chillen’’ was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library Of Congress as a song that is” culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform(s) or reflect(s) life in the United States.” ‘Boogie Chillen’’ and ‘Boom Boom’ were both inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame and both songs are also included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of The 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.
John Lee Hooker Live at Montreux 1983 & 1990 [2LP] TrackListing:
Live at Montreux 1983 – LP1
Side One
- It Serves Me Right To Suffer
- I Didn’t Know
- Hi-Heel Sneakers
- If You Take Care Of Me, I’ll Take Care Of You
- Boom Boom
Side Two
- Worried Life Blues
- I’m Jealous
- Crawlin’ King Snake
- Boogie Chillen’
Live at Montreux 1990 – LP2
Side Three
- John Lee Hooker Introduction
- Mabel
- I’m In The Mood
- Crawlin’ King Snake
- BabyLee
Side Four
- It Serves Me Right To Suffer
- Boom Boom
- The Healer
- Boogie Chillen’
Billie Eilish Announces Global Livestream Concert ‘Where Do We Go? The Livestream,’ To Air On October 24
Five-time GRAMMY Award winning artist Billie Eilish announces details for her first ever global livestream concert. WHERE DO WE GO? THE LIVESTREAM, will be hosted on Billie’s website and powered by the Maestro interactive streaming platform. The one-of-a-kind experience concert, with interactive production by lili Studios, will be LIVE from Billie’s native Los Angeles on Saturday, October 24 at 6PM EST. Following the live performance, all ticket holders will also have access for 24 hours to replay the show on-demand.
From now through October 12 at 12AM EST, early ticket buyers will gain exclusive access to Billie Eilish merchandise at a special discounted price. Additional exclusive Billie Eilish merchandise will also be revealed and available from now until show day for all ticket holders. Proceeds from select items will go towards Crew Nation, a charitable fund created to help support the countless crew members affected by events and concert cancelations in 2020. To find out more about ways to get involved, donate, buy merchandise or apply for relief, head to: livenation.com/crewnation.
As part of the livestream’s experience, fans will also receive a Postmates code for free delivery in the U.S. to complement WHERE DO WE GO? THE LIVESTREAM with a delivery from their favorite local restaurant. Codes valid until Sunday, October 25 at 11:59 EST.
OutKast’s ‘Stankonia’ Gets 20th Anniversary Edition With Remix Bundles
This Is Certified, Legacy Recordings’ division for the celebration of Sony Music’s Hip Hop and R&B catalog, is commemorating the 20th anniversary of Stankonia, OutKast’s game-changing Hip Hop masterpiece, with a month-long October campaign leading up to the release of the album’s newly certified RIAA platinum hit singles–“B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad),” “Ms. Jackson” (3x platinum) and “So Fresh, So Clean”–in new bundles on all DSPs on Friday, October 30. Each song comes bundled with instrumental, A cappella and remixed versions in state-of-the-art 16 Bit sound.
Each of Stankonia’s singles will be available for the first time in its own digital bundle, all-new to DSPs. The “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)” bundle features three previously unreleased remixes: Cutmaster Swiff Remix, Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against The Machine) Remix and Beat Bullies Remix.
Stankonia, the album, will be available digitally in 24 Bit and 360 Reality Audio on October 30. The newly-expanded version presents the original album in its entirety plus six bonus tracks: the Mr. Drunk Remix of “Ms. Jackson,” the Stankonia Remix of “So Fresh, So Clean” (featuring Snoop Dogg & Sleepy Brown), and the Zack de la Rocha Remix of “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)” (previously unreleased) in addition to OutKast’s A cappella renditions of those three songs.
Vinyl Me, Please, the “best damn record club out there,” in association with SME/Certified/Legacy, will release a collectible 20th Anniversary 2LP edition of Stankonia pressed on 12″ black and white galaxy vinyl. Stankonia will be available to VMP members as the club’s “Record of the Month” for October 2020 and includes an exclusive art print.
The seven cuts in the “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)” bundle include the Radio Edit, Radio Mix, Instrumental, Cutmaster Swiff Remix (previously unreleased), Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against The Machine) Remix (previously unreleased), Beat Bullies Remix (previously unreleased) and A cappella versions.
The “Ms. Jackson” bundle features the Radio Mix, Instrumental, Mr. Drunk Remix and A cappella versions of the song in addition to “Sole Sunday” (featuring Goodie Mob) (Radio Mix), “Sole Sunday” (featuring Goodie Mob) (Dirty Mix), “Sole Sunday” (Instrumental) and “Sole Sunday” (A cappella).
The “So Fresh, So Clean” ten-cut bundle includes the Radio Mix and Fatboy Slim Mix as well as “So Fresh, So Clean” (featuring Snoop Dogg & Sleepy Brown) (Stankonia Radio Remix), “So Fresh, So Clean” (Stankonia Remix) (featuring Snoop Dogg & Sleepy Brown), “So Fresh, So Clean” (featuring Snoop Dogg & Sleepy Brown) (Stankonia Remix – Instrumental), “So Fresh, So Clean” (featuring Snoop Dogg & Sleepy Brown) (Stankonia Remix – A cappella), Raptile’s Cryptotech Remix, Instrumental, and A cappella versions.
Featuring tracks recorded 1999-2000 in Atlanta’s Stankonia Recording and A&M Studios in Los Angeles, OutKast’s Stankonia was originally released through LaFace/Arista Records on Halloween 2000. For the group’s fourth studio album, their first in the 21st century/new millennium, American Hip Hop duo OutKast–André 3000 and Big Boi–expanded their musical and performance aesthetics to incorporate elements of funk, electronica, psychedelia, gospel, rock and rave culture into a new integrated sound rooted in the Deep South while reaching into the future. One of those rare records that defines its era while projecting a vision ahead of its time, Stankonia is nothing less than a sonic state-of-mind, a portal into another world, a new way of being. “Stankonia,” said André 3000, “is this place I imagined where you can open yourself up and be free to express anything.”
The boundless freedom André 3000 and Big Boi deployed on Stankonia manifested a wide range of lyrical content–songs addressed sexuality, politics, Black culture, parenthood and personal reflection–while the music was both grounded and out-of-this-world, a singular combination of the carnal, the ethereal and the spiritual, wrapped in wit, compassion and soul. Stankonia raised the bar and rewrote the rules for 21st popular music. Widely regarded as one of the greatest albums in Hip Hop history, Stankonia sold more than 530,000 copies the week of its release and debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200. The album generated three hit singles, with “Ms. Jackson” becoming the first OutKast single to peak at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Stankonia won Best Rap Album at the 2002 Grammy Awards while “Ms. Jackson” took home the Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Most recently, Stankonia came in at #64 on Rolling Stone’s new edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
The videos for “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad),” “Ms. Jackson” and “So Fresh, So Clean” will be upgraded to high-resolution HD while each of the singles has been certified RIAA platinum, with “Ms. Jackson” reaching 3x platinum territory as of October 8.
Bono, Johnny Marr, Damon Albarn, Liam Gallagher and More To Join Official Joy Division / New Order Podcast
The tale of Joy Division and New Order is being told like never before in ‘Transmissions: The Definitive Story’; the new podcast series capturing vivid moments and retelling the epic chronicles of the group from Joy Division’s inception onwards.
Beginning October 29, the eight part series features exclusive interviews with the band, Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, Gillian Gilbert and Peter Hook, plus contributions from iconic guests and narrated by Maxine Peake.
The first series of eight episodes, or ‘Transmissions’, will cover the journey from Joy Division up until 1983’s Blue Monday. The Manchester group wrote a monumental chapter of music history and were integral to British culture over the past 40+ years, influencing some of the greatest musicians alive today.
The series features a hard to beat lineup of guests, each sharing their own account of a band that helped shape them, including Anna Calvi, Bobby Gillespie, Bono, Colin Greenwood, Damon Albarn, Hot Chip, Honey Dijon, Johnny Greenwood, Johnny Marr, Karen O, Krystal Klear, Liam Gallagher, Perry Farrell, Pet Shop Boys, Ben Kelly, Hewan Clarke, Lindsay Reade, Peter Saville, Shaun Ryder, Stereolab, Virgil Abloh, Veronica Vasicka and Thurston Moore.
Offering a glimpse into the series, Bernard Sumner says “Nothing would’ve stopped us – nothing did stop us, did it? Ian’s death didn’t stop us, Martin’s death didn’t stop us, getting all the equipment stolen didn’t stop us… There was nothing to go back to. There was no plan B.”
“To be in one band with such a distinct identity is pretty bloody lucky but then to get into two bands was amazing!,” says Peter Hook.
The new series was produced by Cup & Nuzzle, the team behind Robert Plant’s hugely successful podcast ‘Digging Deep’, released earlier this year.
‘Transmissions The Definitive Story podcast is available to listen on 22nd October via Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube, Amazon Music, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts.
New Order’s first new music in 5 years was ecstatically received last month, as they shared single, ‘Be a Rebel’. With a message to celebrate ourselves and appreciate what we have, even in hard times, ‘Be A Rebel’ is an uplifting, dreamy cut of New Order synth pop. Available now digitally, the 12” inch, CD and digital bundle featuring new remixes will be out on 13 November.
New Order also just released the definitive collection of their 1983 studio album Power, Corruption & Lies via Warner Music. The box set is accompanied by individual releases of the four 12” vinyl singles from 1983/1984 that didn’t appear on the original album, beginning with the best-selling 12” of all time, ‘Blue Monday’, followed by ‘Confusion’, ‘Thieves Like Us’ and ‘Murder’.
MasterClass Announces St. Vincent to Teach Creativity and Songwriting
MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best across a wide range of subjects, today announced that multiple Grammy Award–winning guitarist, singer, songwriter and director, Annie Clark, known professionally as St. Vincent, will teach a class on creativity and songwriting. Taking members behind the curtain of her public persona, Clark gives an intimate look into her artistic development, from how to effectively generate ideas to how to pursue a project to completion. Clark’s class is now available exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 90+ instructors with an annual membership.
Annie Clark debuted her musical persona, St. Vincent, in 2007 with her debut album, Marry Me. Having previously performed with the symphonic pop band The Polyphonic Spree and Grammy and Academy Award – nominated artist Sufjan Stevens, Clark’s first foray into solo songwriting would lay the foundation for what would become a series of modern music’s most distinctive and exciting artistic identities. Fusing elements of indie, rock, electronic and jazz, subsequent St. Vincent albums Actor and Strange Mercy expanded on a sound that defied genre and convention, marrying esoteric guitar heroics with deeply personal and poetic songwriting. In 2014, the eponymous St. Vincent made her the first solo female artist in 20 years to win the Grammy for Best Alternative Album; three years later, she took home two more Grammys for Best Recording Package and Best Rock Song for the title track of her 2017 album, MASSEDUCTION.
“All you need are ears and ideas and you can make anything happen,” said Annie Clark. “In my MasterClass, I will share with you performance tips, songwriting tips, studio tips and give an inside look into my creative process so you can use your own creativity to move the needle in a more empathetic direction for the world.”
Clark’s MasterClass will give members an intimate look into her artistic development, diving into her end-to-end creative process and detailing the evolution that led to finding her voice as St. Vincent. Beginners and non-musicians will enjoy the demystification of popular music as Clark takes members into the studio and gives an inside look at how the songs they love came to be. From breaking down the songwriting process from inception to execution and examining the personal journeys associated with being an artist, Clark highlights the importance of the individual in the creative process. For more advanced songwriters, producers and performers, she provides tips on how to turn creative ideas into finished products, from building a basic home studio to honing their guitar skills and tips for delivering a live performance. Clark gives a never-before-heard breakdown of the song “Savior” that she started creating at 16 years old and evolved over time. She also opens up about embracing fear and shame, sharing personal stories and insights. Members will come away feeling inspired to be more empathetic and curious artists and ready to create interesting work that is unique to themselves.
“Fare Thee Well Love” to be inducted to Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is pleased to add one of Canada’s most enduring Celtic ballads of all time to its permanent home in the National Music Centre. The soulful Fare Thee Well Love, written by Jimmy Rankin was a career-launching hit for The Rankin Family, the multi-platinum Celtic-folk-pop band from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia who led pop music’s “Celtic wave” of the 1990s. Singer-songwriter, Jimmy Rankin will accept the song induction honour during a virtual presentation from the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on Friday, September 4, airing nationally on Global’s The Morning Show beginning at 9:00 a.m. EST/ 10 a.m. ADT.
About his song induction, Jimmy Rankin says “I am deeply honoured and humbled to be included in the company of so many incredible songs and writers. Life is good. Much gratitude to The Rankins, my family, fans, the late Deane Cameron, Peter Diemer, Chad Irschick and the countless musicians and professionals who were an integral part of the journey.” He adds, “When I wrote Fare Thee Well Love in August 1990, I was 26 and sitting on the porch of a rented apartment in Halifax – an unsigned singer songwriter, indebted college grad and yet full of hope, spit and vinegar. I never dreamed that the song would become a #1 radio crossover hit on a multi-platinum album, let alone be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters’ Hall of Fame.”
Fare Thee Well Love, which was voted CBC listeners’ No. 1 East Coast Song of All Time, was the final cut recorded for the Rankin family’s 1990 indie album of the same name. Jimmy had originally written the song as a solo, but quickly rewrote the lyrics as a duet for himself and his sister Cookie, which they sang live in front of a single microphone. Supporting their lead vocals were brother John Morris on piano and sisters Heather and Raylene on backing vocals. So impressive was the result that the song became the album’s title track that went gold before the end of 1992, crossed over to No. 1 on both RPM’s Canadian country and adult contemporary album charts; and by 1996 it reached quintuple platinum sales.
About his first big hit as a songwriter, Jimmy Rankin remembered, “For me personally, that’s the most special song on that record. At the time it really opened a lot of doors for the band because we were on commercial pop radio across the country.”
The family distributed the finished cassette locally in a grass-roots effort that morphed into regional success. The Sam the Record Man store in Halifax stocked it, and their music was picked up by CBC and college radio. As Jimmy Rankin told CBC Radio’s Classic Wax, “It happened very quickly; it caught on like wildfire. There was something happening in the air in Canadian music, a resurgence of roots music…we just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
The Rankin Family sold 100,000 units as indie artists prior to signing with Capitol Records EMI Canada which re-released the album in 1992, choosing Fare Thee Well Love as a single for the radio market. Both the album and the single exploded onto Canada’s music scene mid-year, becoming cross-over hits on the country singles and country albums charts, as well as the adult contemporary singles, top singles, and top albums charts.
Fare Thee Well Love was a #1 hit on adult contemporary radio for two weeks – the first Canadian single to reach the top of the charts since Gino Vanelli’s Wild Horses in 1978. It also won the JUNO Award for Single of the Year in 1994 in addition to sweeping that year’s categories for Group of the Year, Country Group, and Canadian Entertainer of the Year. Fare Thee Well Love also won at the 1994 East Coast Music Awards for Video of the Year, along with awards for Entertainer of the Year, Group Recording of the Year, Live Artist of the Year and Recording of the Year for “North Country.”
With their success, The Rankin Family became a cornerstone of the East Coast music industry and helped pave the way for future generations of Atlantic Canadian musicians. Over his 30-year strong career, Jimmy has collaborated and recorded with such artists as John Prine, Keith Urban, The Chieftains and Alison Krauss.
To-date, the song has appeared on the group’s greatest hits album, “The Rankin Family Collection” (1996), and the was re-recorded for 2009’s “These Are The Moments.” Fare Thee Well Love has been covered by Ireland’s The Celtic Tenors and by countless international choirs; featured on the soundtrack of the Disney film “Into The West;” and was performed by The Rankins during the 2015 regimental funeral of RCMP Constable David Wynn. Says Rankin “I marvel at how the song has taken on a life of its own through the years.”
Inaugural Program Of The Black Canadian Music Awards Created
The SOCAN Foundation, part of the SOCAN Group of organizations, today announced the launch of the Black Canadian Music Awards, in partnership with SiriusXM Canada.
The Black Canadian Music Awards will recognize and celebrate the artistic merit demonstrated by Black music creators (songwriters, composers, producers, etc.) in all genres. The inaugural awards will be presented virtually in 2020, and winners will be selected by a jury and advisory council of prominent Black artists and industry leaders, including DJ Agile as the inaugural Chair of the jury.
“The Black Canadian Music Awards are part of the SOCAN Foundation’s efforts toward advancing equity in the Canadian music industry by collaboratively creating opportunities to celebrate Black music creators. Our ongoing aim is to build inclusive programming as diverse as the communities in which we live, and this new award pushes us even further ahead,” said Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director of the SOCAN Foundation. “Furthermore, we cannot lose momentum to elevate communities impacted by ongoing and historical injustices. We acknowledge that there is still much more work to do, and we hope this award will celebrate and empower Black music creators in Canada.”
Five winners will be selected to each receive a $5,000 award, which is made possible with the generous support of SiriusXM Canada.
“We’re very proud to partner with the SOCAN Foundation to launch the Black Canadian Music Awards and help to provide more recognition to Black artists in Canada,” said Kayla J. Schwartz, Senior Manager, Communications & Canadian Content Development, SiriusXM Canada. “There need to be more opportunities for Black music creators, and we’re committed to supporting this vital community.”
“The Black Community in Canada has a rich, long, and deep history of creation and contribution to music in Canada, and well beyond our borders,” said DJ Agile. “From Salome Bey to Portia White to Oscar Peterson, Canadian Black music creators are a part of the musical tapestry of Canadian culture. History too often doesn’t acknowledge and celebrate their contributions in their time, and this is why it’s important for the SOCAN Foundation to honour our diverse Black music creators with the Black Canadian Music Awards, now.”
To apply for the Black Music Awards, visit www.socanfoundation.ca/awards/. The deadline to apply is October 15, 2030 at 11:59 PM EDT.
9th Wonder on Producing Beats and Sampling for Kendrick Lamar
Even though he produced three beats for “Duckworth,” 9th Wonder had a realization during our interview. Three samples, three genres, three generations– Kendrick Lamar intentionally wove “threes all the way across.”
Sade Six Album Vinyl Box Set ‘This Far’ Released On October 9
Sade has released details of a very special box set, elegantly entitled This Far to be released worldwide on October 9, which will feature remastered versions of all their studio albums to date, on pure 180-gram heavyweight black vinyl. The upcoming box set delivers the first complete collection of their studio work up to the present day. All six of the band’s acclaimed albums: Diamond Life (1984), Promise (1985), Stronger Than Pride (1988), Love Deluxe (1992), Lovers Rock (2000), and Soldier Of Love (2010) are packaged into a beautifully finished, white casebound box, which is available to pre-order now.
The close band of four: Sade (vocals), Stuart Matthewman (saxophone/guitar), Andrew Hale (keyboards), and Paul Spencer Denman (bass), were intimately involved in the process, spending time at Abbey Road Studios alongside acclaimed mastering engineer Miles Showell, and the band’s longtime co-producer Mike Pela.
The box set title, This Far, suggests that the band’s studio work may not yet be fully complete, but this new highly collectable release brings together a canon of work previously difficult to source in its original format.
Revisiting the audio, the band and Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios worked from high resolution digital transfers of the stereo master mixes, from the original studio recordings, remastered at half-speed using Miles’ own unique restored Neumann VMS80 cutting lathe, to perform the 12 sides of vinyl lacquer cuts. The elaborate, half-speed mastering process produced exceptionally clean and detailed audio whilst remaining faithful to the band’s intended sound. No additional digital limiting was used in the mastering process, so the six albums benefit from the advantage of extra clarity and pure fidelity, preserving the dynamic range of the original mixes for the very first time.
The six album sleeves have been meticulously reproduced in exact detail with authentic paper and printing methods, perfectly replicated for the first time since their original release, and assembled in the outer box which was designed by Tom Hingston Studios in London.
Over an exceptional career spanning more than three decades, Sade’s six albums have amassed a cool 60 million worldwide sales and have been certified platinum 24 times over. Producing singles such as ‘Your Love Is King’, ‘Smooth Operator’, and ‘By Your Side’, Sade have gone on to achieve Number 1 albums across the world, collected several Grammys, MTV Video Music Awards, and a BRIT Award along the way, quietly taking their “place in the pantheon of cultural influence” [New York Times, October 2017]. Their most recent studio album, Soldier Of Love, charted at number one in 15 countries, including the US, upon release in 2010.
Commanding high praise from all genres of the global musical landscape Sade continue to leave their mark, engraved as a strong influence to some of today’s most successful artists. The band are frequently cited as having inspired a younger generation of musicians, including Beyoncé, Drake, Kanye West, and Missy Elliot, to the freshest young blood of Christine and the Queens, Dua Lipa, FKA Twigs, Mabel, and Taylor Swift. Hip-hop luminaries have sampled from Sade’s work creating new club classics, and their timeless tracks have been covered by Deftones, Donna Summer, Frank Ocean, Herbie Hancock, Jason Mraz, Lauryn Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Marsha Ambrosius featuring Dr. Dre, Prince, The 1975, Tori Amos, and You + Me, amongst others.
Sade herself, universally lauded as ‘notoriously elusive’, made her mark as a style icon after gracing the covers of The Face, Time, Rolling Stone, Billboard, i-D, Fader, Elle France, Cosmopolitan, NME, Melody Maker, Smash Hits, Essence, Ebony, Pride, Interview, and more throughout the band’s illustrious career.
Live, the band have toured all corners of the globe, including a notable 1985 performance at Live Aid, Wembley Stadium, when Sade Adu was the only African-born artist to appear in front of the live audience of 75,000, plus an estimated worldwide television audience of 1.4 billion in 170 countries. The band’s most recent 2011 tour performed 106 epic shows across four continents, experienced by 800,000 fans, and was cited as “visually stunning” by Billboard with an “exquisite production”, and an “adventure at the polar extremes of dynamics.”
A true testament to a body of work that through its evolution has captured hearts irrespective of age or creed, Sade’s box set delivers and celebrates the band’s legacy this far in a pure vinyl format.