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Music Education — Should You Go to a Music School?

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So, should you go to a music school? Well, statistically speaking, probably not — because music schools, compared to other study fields, won’t make statistical sense to most. While there is no precise data to show this, we believe that the trends and patterns are pretty obvious.

Most music graduates will teach privately, work outside of music while occasionally gigging or working in another facet of the music industry. Worst case? They leave the music business altogether, and some find their way back into the college system after pursuing masters and doctorate.

Success is a subjective term, and while certain things don’t appeal to you, it certainly does to other people. On the other side, there are inspiring stories of actual music scholars who achieved their dreams. Some touring musicians play in the world’s biggest bands, some highly successful music producers, and a few artists who have built a name from the ground up.

Let’s not forget that colleges and universities need money to survive; they need students enrolling and paying tuition. So, when such institutions market themselves by organizing tours of their campuses, sending out newsletters, they are also showcasing a small percentage of their accomplished graduates. Though sometimes, extra help is needed for students to create room to attend music classes. This then warrants situations of getting help from a paper writing service.

The sad part in all of this is that a music certificate, unlike those from other fields, is not attractive to white-collar employees. It’s faster for recruiters to discard a music degree holder than would an information technologist. That said, let’s then talk about the exact reasons why you should get a music degree.

Benefits of Music Education

All parents want the best for their children. But are they exposing them to extracurricular activities that have a lasting impact that they’re hoping for? The answer for most is “No”. In that case, maybe it’s time to consider music more seriously.

Music education during childhood has been shown to have a multitude of benefits. It sharpens students’ attentiveness, abstract reasoning, and creativity. Children who are musically trained have more energy in everyday listening and memory skills.

Besides, music engages both sides of the brain and challenges children to concentrate on multiple tasks simultaneously. Music and maths are highly intertwined by understanding beats, rhythm, and scales.

Even the youngest music makers are learning how to divide, create fractions, and recognize patterns. Also, children develop coordination and motor skills, as well as self-discipline and self-esteem. Students who participate in music programs consistently score higher in mathematics and the English language than their peers.

Studies have also shown that individuals who took music lessons as children often show stronger neural processing of sound even up to 50 years later. Music education is a prerequisite that provides vital skills that could bolster other skills that you possess. Deciding to enroll your child in the music class is a no-brainer. You should invest in building your child’s cognitive and emotional development and give them the gift of music.

So, What Is It All About? Let’s Sum Up!

Music is everywhere; it literally surrounds you through the whole life of yours. Music is in every movie, so it provides identity to our community. Music seems to constantly enlight the best moments of your life. It gives us a common thread and gives us a way to relate to one another.

We’re up in an isolated period when the COVID-19 pandemic has taken over most of our freedom: music has not only become an outlet for expressing our inner selves, it has also become the closest feel of why and how we used to do things. Undoubtedly, people have gained both hope and faith by watching different singers over the Internet.

Music has applications beyond music class because it goes into math and teaches reading, he teaches accounting it shows you fractions, it goes into a science — the science of anatomy, the science of sound.

Students have the opportunity to gain pride in themselves; they learn social-emotional training in the classrooms; they can develop character; the performance on stage. Music can develop them physically; there’s rhythmic movement; there’s fine motor movement in music.

Arts education is extremely valuable. That’s why we have to advocate for the uptake of music at every level of human experience. The more we do, the more the word will be out everywhere. Thus, do not underestimate music as a student!

Californian Education: Will Cybersecurity Fit?

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Every state in America has its educational policy, and California is no exception. However, some aspects may influence the content of syllabi in Universities in California. As the latter has become the technological center, cybersecurity and media literacy will likely have greater incorporation in education here. Thus, very soon, students will do Norton 360 versus Avast comparison as their homework instead of writing an essay “The Role of Technology in Modern Life.”

Overview

Admittedly, the most attractive and popular professions for California students are those related to the following areas:

Cinematography, TV, and theater. It is the American state that the dream of any actor and director is located. Hollywood is here. Three leading universities of the industry operate here: the School of Cinematography of the University of Southern California, the School of Theater, Film, and Television of the same university in Los Angeles, the Department of Film and Media University of California, Berkeley.

IT, engineering, and technology majors. California is home to many of the leading technology companies. The overwhelming majority of the headquarters of the top corporations are located in Silicon Valley.

Economics, law, entrepreneurship, or medicine. One of the most sought-after universities with suitable qualifications is Davis University. It is here that you can get quality education in these areas. The university is a division of the University of California. Therefore, among the listed professions, it offers education in medicine or veterinary medicine.

Naturally, the matter of cybersecurity is closely approached in IT majors and disciplines. Nonetheless, thinking that it may be omitted in other ones is deeply wrong. Cybersecurity matters are issues every modern person faces daily, especially in the time of online privacy violations and personal data theft. In this regard, the cybersecurity subject is vital for all, including content creators, economists, attorneys, and doctors.

Where to Incorporate The Change?

To make the following generations aware of cybersecurity’s importance, it may be integrated at different educational stages.

Primary education

Schooling is compulsory for local residents and visiting students and begins at the age of 6. Simultaneously, the term “schooling” also means a specific pool of knowledge and skills one is supposed to have after finishing it, namely, their competencies.

For primary education, there is no urgent need to introduce additional classes for cybersecurity. However, a rational action will be the incorporation of this matter into other disciplines. Private educational institutions have a special place in the educational system of the state. The best private schools in California are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, and Pato Alto. Institutions of this type are actively implementing the idea of ​​a variety of educational programs and creating conditions for students’ comprehensive development.

Hence, it may become a progressive idea to discuss such a topic in computer classes, maths, or even English. The point of the introduction to cybersecurity is proving its importance and adding it to an overall educational discourse.

Higher education

The local higher education system is based on the California Master Plan for Higher Education curriculum, adopted back in the 60s of the last century, and went through a significant transformation ever since. Over time, the Californian structure became one of the best in the whole country, giving other states an example. Consecutively, the higher education realm is a massive field for introducing exercise in cybersecurity for students.

Students are free to choose some of the disciplines that will constitute their syllabi. That’s why universities can add cybersecurity as an independent discipline or incorporate it thematically in the existing discipline programs. The practice provides multiple opportunities for exercise: from principles of making a strong password for a personal account to figuring out the most suitable security software on the market.

Post-graduation

The next stage of higher education is a master’s degree or Ph.D.: these two paths are chosen for themselves by students who are interested in development related to scientific activity. At this particular stage, students are expected to be familiar and skillful in cybersecurity. Basic knowledge is a must. Before all, it is about securing personal, corporate, and research data.

As a result, educational standards and the thematic content of all the majors both reflect and get impact from what is going on in the world. In this regard, the gradual incorporation of cybersecurity programs on all stages is a necessity of time.

 

 

Car Emissions And MOT

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Testing exhaust emissions now form part of the MOT test, and examiners have had to study the new rules to ensure that our vehicles are safe not only for the road but for the environment as well.

Changes to the UK’s standard MOT test were made in 2018 and from May that year, when the new regulations kicked in, a staggering increase of 114 per cent was recorded.

Diesel-powered vehicles got the wrong end of the stick with a 63 per cent hike in the MOT fail rate.

Forewarned Is Forearmed

If your MOT is coming up soon, it is helpful to be aware that the emissions testing is now part of the MOT examination.

If your car’s emissions are too high, then it’s an outright fail.

There are a few indicators that warn you your car could be tipping over the emissions’ edge:

  • Exhaust emitting blue smoke for more than five seconds. This is deemed a significant fault and will result in an immediate fail
  • The vehicle cannot exceed the restrictions for emissions set out by the government. This information can be found on your vehicle’s DVA registration document
  • If your car is a diesel and its particulate filter (DPF) has been removed or tampered with. This device, fitted to modern diesel cars from 2009, stop soot from emitting from the exhaust and into the atmosphere
  • If your dashboard displays an engine management light, which is a red flag signalling problems with the emissions system

How Is Part Of This MOT Test Carried out? 

Vehicles that qualify to have their exhaust emissions tested as part of the roadworthy certificate have it done with a special meter.

Petrol vehicles made before August of 1975 are tested by sight and if they emit blue smoke for five seconds or longer will fall into the “major fail” category. The same applies to diesel vehicles that came out before January 1980. The problem has to be rectified before you can get an MOT certificate according to government stipulations.

Your Vehicle Is Exempt From This Part Of The MOT Test if:

  • it has less than four wheels
  • it is a hybrid – a combination of petrol and electric
  • it purely runs on electric
  • it has a two-stroke engine
  • it is a quadricycle
  • it is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle

It’s Not Only An MOT You Need To Be Worried About

If it’s still a while before your MOT D-day, then don’t be complacent because police in most counties carry out roadside checks. If your vehicle fails the emissions’ test, you get an immediate “prohibition notice”. This means you’ll only have ten days to fix the problem. If you fail to comply, you will be prosecuted.

Look It Up

Find information about all new cars currently on sale in the UK, and used vehicles that were first registered on or after 1 March 2001 by logging onto the government’s Car Fuel and Co2 Emissions page.

Armed with this information, there is not time like the present to book an MOT test for your car at a reputable and registered service station.

 

 

 

1-minute tip for artists: Alternatives to TikTok.

More about Triller, Dudsmash, and some little-known site called Instagram.

Tom Petty’s Long-Awaited ‘Wildflowers’ Comprehensive Collection To Be Released: ‘Wildflowers & All The Rest’

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During Tom Petty’s final interview with the Los Angeles Times, as the triumphant 40th anniversary tour with The Heartbreakers was coming to an end, he announced that his next big focus would be to finally revisit his 1994 masterpiece, Wildflowers, co-produced with Rick Rubin and Mike Campbell.

Wildflowers in many ways changed Tom’s creative life—as a recording artist, collaborator and band leader—while a profound, personal crisis transformed the stories and emotional thrust in his songs. Tom ultimately wrote more songs than he could release at the time. In fact, Tom, Rubin and Campbell completed the album as a double CD with 25 songs, nearly two hours of music, but his label advised restraint. Released on November 1, 1994, Wildflowers—a single CD with 15 songs, still more than an hour in length—was Tom’s most acutely confessional album to date.

The resurrection of Wildflowers has been a long time coming. In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone Tom detailed his plans for the reissue, telling the magazine, “I broke through to something else. My personal life came crashing down, and it derailed me for a while. But I was at the top of my game during that record.” Then again in 2016 on SiriusXM’s Tom Petty Radio, he discussed his desire for a Wildflowers tour to coincide with a reissue. Tom had always intended to release the second half of the album—a collection he named All The Rest, featuring ten songs from the Wildflowers recording sessions that were left off the original version and five unreleased tracks (different versions of four other songs would appear on the soundtrack to the 1996 film, She’s The One).

Wildflowers & All The Rest, the long-awaited Wildflowers reissue and comprehensive collection, will be released on October 16 via Warner Records. Tom’s vision of the project is becoming a reality due to the commitment of his loving family, bandmates and collaborators who helped unearth many previously unheard gems. The compilation was curated by Tom’s daughters, Adria and Annakim Petty and his wife Dana Petty who call it, “Many, many hours of pure sonic joy,” as well as Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, and was produced by Tom’s longtime engineer and co-producer Ryan Ulyate. Together they stewarded the warmth Tom created through his music and relationship to his fans.

Out now, “Wildflowers (Home Recording),” a solo demo version of the classic title track, has premiered alongside a video featuring never before seen footage of Tom at his home, shot by Martyn Atkins during the recording of Wildflowers. The video was co-directed by Alan Bibby and Jonny Kofoed and produced by Assembly. Watch the video HERE. The significance of the song was revealed in David Fricke’s essay written for the liner notes of the collection: “It would be some time before he understood the complexity of ‘Wildflowers.’ It was, he realized, ‘me singing about me.’” This morning, Mike Campbell, Adria Petty, and Ryan Ulyate spoke with Fricke about the new collection and premiered the home recording on SiriusXM’s Tom Petty Radio (channel 31).

Wildflowers & All The Rest will be released in multiple formats. Wildflowers & All The Rest—Deluxe Edition features 15 recordings made by Tom in his home studio as he was writing the album. These solo demos provide an intimate look at Tom’s songwriting process, where he plays all the instruments and revises lyrics as he works. The Deluxe Edition is rounded-off with 14 live performances of songs from Wildflowers, recorded on various tours from 1995 to 2017. Wildflowers & All The Rest—Super Deluxe is a Direct to Consumer Limited Edition set featuring Finding Wildflowers—16 studio recordings of alternate takes of Wildflowers songs as Tom, band members and Rubin honed-in on the final album.

The collection features incredibly special packaging across the various formats. The Super Deluxe Edition is the most complete; it includes an introduction penned by Rick Rubin, the aforementioned essay written by David Fricke—“Somewhere You Feel Free: Tom Petty’s Road to Wildflowers, ” lyrics to all the songs on Wildflowers and All The Rest, as well as an in-depth track-by-track by Jaan Uhelszki with contributions from Rubin, Ulyate, Wildflowers engineer Jim Scott, Heartbreakers live mixing engineer Robert Scovill, and Heartbreakers Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench and Steve Ferrone.

Adria Petty also oversaw the creative direction for the Wildflowers project, with original packaging illustrations by Blaze Ben Brooks, original cover beadwork by Maria Sarno, as well as Wildflowers-era photography by Mark SeligerRobert Sebree and Martyn Atkins.

Tom Petty released 16 studio albums and over 180 songs over the course of his 40-year career.      Wildflowers was the first album of a long-term renaissance. It was Petty’s fastest selling album and was certified Triple Platinum only nine months after its release. The album was always deeply significant to him. As proof, five of the 18 songs performed at his final live concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles came from the album. Wildflowers—his solo masterpiece, a personal triumph and the album Petty needed to make at that moment, at any cost—is finally here as he intended it and beyond.

Wildflowers & All The Rest format details:

Wildflowers & All The Rest: A 2-CD and 3-LP 140g set that features 25 tracks, with five unreleased songs. Includes lyrics to all the songs on Wildflowers and All The Rest.

Disc 1: Wildflowers (15 tracks, as per the 1994 released album)
Disc 2: All The Rest (10 tracks—five unreleased songs)

LP 1 and 2: Wildflowers
LP 3: All The Rest

Wildflowers & All The RestDeluxe Edition: A 4-CD and 7-LP 140g set that features 54 tracks, eight unreleased songs and 24 unreleased versions. The 4-CD includes the Rick Rubin introduction, track-by-track for all the songs included on these formats, while the 7-LP also includes the David Fricke essay and lyrics to all the songs on Wildflowers and All The Rest.

Disc 1: Wildflowers
Disc 2: All The Rest
Disc 3: Home Recordings/Demos (15 tracks—three unreleased songs; 12 unreleased versions)
Disc 4: Wildflowers Live (14 tracks—12 unreleased versions; two distributed to Fan Club only)

LP 1 and 2: Wildflowers
LP 3: All The Rest
LP 4 and 5: Home Recordings/Demos
LP 6 and 7: Wildflowers Live

 

Wildflowers & All The RestSuper Deluxe Edition: A 5-CD and 9-LP 180g Direct to Consumer, Limited Edition set that features 70 tracks, nine unreleased songs and 34 unreleased versions. Includes Rick Rubin introduction, David Fricke essay, track-by-track for all music and lyrics to all the songs on Wildflowers and All The Rest. This set also comes with a hardbound book, cloth patch of Wildflowers logo, sticker of Wildflowers logo, replica of “Dogs with Wings” tour program (the 1995 Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers tour), hand-written 4-song lyric reprints in vellum envelope, a litho of new and exclusive art by Blaze Ben Brooks for the song “Only A Broken Heart,” and a (numbered) Certificate of Authenticity.

Disc 1: Wildflowers
Disc 2: All The Rest
Disc 3: Home Recordings/Demos
Disc 4: Wildflowers Live
Disc 5: Alternate Takes (Finding Wildflowers) (16 tracks—one unreleased song; ten unreleased versions)

LP 1 and 2: Wildflowers
LP 3: All The Rest
LP 4 and 5: Home Recordings/Demos
LP 6 and 7: Wildflowers Live
LP 8 and 9: Alternate Takes (Finding Wildflowers)

Wildflowers & All The RestUltra Deluxe Limited EditionA 9-LP Direct to Consumer, Limited Edition set (only 475 copies will be sold). The package includes the same contents as the Super Deluxe Edition, as well as an exclusive unique unisex necklace—hand-made by Maria Sarno in a faux suede pouch, an exclusive lyric book with the illustrations by Blaze Ben Brooks, an exclusive 7” of “You Don’t Know How It Feels,” packaged in a custom fabric bag with a metal Wildflowers logo as the closuredesigned and made by Los Angeles-based, Made Worn.

TOM PETTY—WILDFLOWERS & ALL THE REST

1). Wildflowers

  1. Wildflowers
  2. You Don’t Know How It Feels
  3. Time to Move On
  4. You Wreck Me
  5. It’s Good to Be King
  6. Only a Broken Heart
  7. Honey Bee
  8. Don’t Fade on Me
  9. Hard on Me
  10. Cabin Down Below
  11. To Find a Friend
  12. A Higher Place
  13. House in the Woods
  14. Crawling Back to You
  15. Wake Up Time

2). All The Rest

  1. Something Could Happen
  2. Leaving Virginia Alone
  3. Climb That Hill Blues
  4. Confusion Wheel
  5. California
  6. Harry Green
  7. Hope You Never
  8. Somewhere Under Heaven
  9. Climb That Hill
  10. Hung Up and Overdue

3). Home Recordings

  1. There Goes Angela (Dream Away)
  2. You Don’t Know How It Feels
  3. California
  4. A Feeling of Peace
  5. Leave Virginia Alone
  6. Crawling Back to You
  7. Don’t Fade on Me
  8. Confusion Wheel
  9. A Higher Place
  10. There’s a Break in the Rain (Have Love Will Travel)
  11. To Find a Friend
  12. Only a Broken Heart
  13. Wake Up Time
  14. Hung Up and Overdue
  15. Wildflowers

4). Wildflowers Live

  1. You Don’t Know How It Feels
  2. Honey Bee
  3. To Find a Friend
  4. Walls
  5. Crawling Back to You
  6. Cabin Down Below
  7. Drivin’ Down to Georgia
  8. House in the Woods
  9. Girls on LSD
  10. Time to Move On
  11. Wake Up Time
  12. It’s Good to Be King
  13. You Wreck Me
  14. Wildflowers

5). Alternate Versions (Finding Wildflowers)

*Note: only available on 9-LP and 5-CD formats*

  1. A Higher Place
  2. Hard on Me
  3. Cabin Down Below
  4. Crawling Back to You
  5. Only a Broken Heart
  6. Drivin’ Down to Georgia
  7. You Wreck Me
  8. It’s Good to Be King
  9. House in the Woods
  10. Honey Bee
  11. Girl on LSD
  12. Cabin Down Below (Acoustic Version)
  13. Wildflowers
  14. Don’t Fade on Me
  15. Wake Up Time
  16. You Saw Me Comin’

The Doors Release 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of “Morrison Hotel” October 9

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The Doors returned to their roots and were reborn a rock ’n’ roll band on Morrison Hotel, the group’s fifth studio album and fifth consecutive gold-certified record. Completed in only a few weeks and released in February 1970, the hard-charging album took its name from the Skid Row hotel in downtown Los Angeles that’s featured in the iconic cover photo taken by Henry Diltz.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3NNPqv2QzkfyfO0lIAvgyJ?si=8k_z89tNRTmf3Msp-4pGvw

To commemorate the album’s 50-year anniversary, Rhino checks in again at the Morrison Hotel with a 2-CD/1-LP set that will be available on October 9. MORRISON HOTEL: 50TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION includes the original album newly remastered by The Doors’ longtime engineer and mixer Bruce Botnick, plus a bonus disc of unreleased studio outtakes, and the original album on 180-gram virgin vinyl. The music will also be available from digital and streaming services the same day. An unreleased take of “Peace Frog/Blue Sunday” is available now digitally.

For this new collection, the original album has been expanded with more than an hour of unreleased recordings taken from the sessions for Morrison Hotel. These 19 outtakes transport listeners into the studio with Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Robby Krieger, and Ray Manzarek for an unprecedented perspective on the making of the album.

Botnick says: “There are many takes, different arrangements, false starts, and insightful studio conversations between the band – who were in the studio – and producer Paul Rothchild – who was in the control room. It’s like being a fly on the wall.”

Several of these unheard recordings spotlight how “Queen Of The Highway” and “Roadhouse Blues” evolved across multiple sessions. It’s especially interesting to hear how the band played with different bass players on “Roadhouse Blues.” Early versions include Harvey Brooks, who played on the band’s previous album, The Soft Parade. Later takes feature guitar legend Lonnie Mack on bass along with The Lovin’ Spoonful’s John Sebastian on harmonica who, due to contractual restrictions at the time, had to be credited as “G. Puglese.”

Among the treasure trove of unreleased outtakes are also rough versions of Morrison Hotel tracks “Peace Frog” and “Blue Sunday,” as well as The Doors rarity “I Will Never Be Untrue.” The collection also captures some incredible session outtakes of the band jamming on cover versions of the Motown classic “Money (That’s What I Want)” and B.B. King’s “Rock Me.”

Veteran rock journalist David Fricke tells the tale behind this classic album in the set’s detailed liner notes. He writes: “As spring turned to summer in the last year of the 1960s, The Doors were a band in suspended animation. Singer Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore were off the road and in serious legal jeopardy after Morrison’s profane meltdown during a show at Miami’s Dinner Key Auditorium…The Doors were also exhausted and uncertain of their recording future after the protracted studio drama and uneven experiment of their fourth album, The Soft Parade…It was a season of chaos and anxiety. But The Doors were on the road to Morrison Hotel.”

A new line of official Morrison Hotel merchandise has also launched in celebration of the album’s 50th anniversary. Fans can visit www.thedoors.com for exclusive hoodies, sweats, socks, a t-shirt, a jean jacket, and a key chain from the Morrison Hotel.

MORRISON HOTEL: 50TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION

CD Track Listing

Disc One: The Original Album

Side One: Hard Rock Cafe

  1. “Roadhouse Blues”
  2. “Waiting For The Sun”
  3. “You Make Me Real”
  4. “Peace Frog”
  5. “Blue Sunday”
  6. “Ship Of Fools”

Side Two: Morrison Hotel

  1. “Land Ho!”
  2. “The Spy”
  3. “Queen Of The Highway”
  4. “Indian Summer”
  5. “Maggie M’Gill”

Disc Two: Mysterious Union

Black Dressed In Leather (Queen Of The Highway Sessions)

First Session (11/15/68)

  1. “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 1, She Was A Princess) *
  2. “Queen Of The Highway” (Various Takes) *
  3. “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 44, He Was A Monster) *

Second Session (1/16/69)

  1. “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 12, No One Could Save Her) *
  2. “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 14, Save The Blind Tiger) *

Third Session (Date Unknown)

  1. “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 1, American Boy – American Girl) *
  2. “Queen Of The Highway” (Takes 5, 6 & 9, Dancing Through The Midnight Whirlpool) *
  3. “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 14, Start It All Over) *
  4. “I Will Never Be Untrue” *
  5. “Queen Of The Highway” (Take Unknown) *

Money Beats Soul (Roadhouse Blues Sessions)

First Session

  1. “Roadhouse Blues” (Take 14, Keep Your Eyes On The Road) *
  2. “Money (That’s What I Want)” *
  3. “Rock Me Baby” *

Second Session

  1. “Roadhouse Blues” (Takes 6 & 7, Your Hands Upon The Wheel) *
  2. “Roadhouse Blues” (Take 8, We’re Goin’ To The Roadhouse) *

Third Session

  1. “Roadhouse Blues” (Takes 1 & 2, We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time) *
  2. “Roadhouse Blues” (Takes 5, 6 & 14, Let It Roll Baby Roll) *

Dawn’s Highway (Peace Frog/Blue Sunday Session)

  1. “Peace Frog/Blue Sunday” (Take 4) *
  2. “Peace Frog” (Take 12) *

LP Track Listing

Side One: Hard Rock Cafe

  1. “Roadhouse Blues”
  2. “Waiting For The Sun”
  3. “You Make Me Real”
  4. “Peace Frog”
  5. “Blue Sunday”
  6. “Ship Of Fools”

Side Two: Morrison Hotel

  1. “Land Ho!”
  2. “The Spy”
  3. “Queen Of The Highway”
  4. “Indian Summer”
  5. “Maggie M’Gill”

* previously unreleased

 

Dolly Parton Releases “Mary, Did You Know?” Today From Her Upcoming Album A Holly Dolly Christmas

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 GRAMMY Award-winning entertainment and international icon Dolly Parton announces the release of “Mary, Did You Know?” today from her upcoming Christmas album, A Holly Dolly Christmas, available everywhere on October 2. The classic holiday tune follows a series of Christian faith-based releases from Dolly including the #1 Platinum single and Grammy winning song, with Four-time Grammy award-winning Christian Pop Duo, for KING & COUNTRY, “God Only Knows,” which she performed with the duo at the 2019 CMA Awards. That same evening Dolly took the stage with Grammy award-winning Christian artist, Zach Williams, to perform their hit song, “There Was Jesus.” The track is Dolly’s first Top 10 single on Hot Christian Songs and Christian Airplay charts, and is currently top 5 and climbing on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs & Christian Airplay charts this week. Dolly’s steadfast connection to her faith has been a theme throughout her legendary career, from her childhood in the east Tennessee mountains singing hymns at church with her family, to now when the world can collectively use a little something more to believe in.

“‘Mary, Did You Know?’ is one of the greatest, sweetest, well-written songs that I’ve ever had the chance to sing on,” says Dolly. “When I was recording it, I got very emotional. It is to me what Christmas is about and I’m proud to be able to sing it for my upcoming album.”

Releasing on Butterfly Records in partnership with 12Tone Music, A Holly Dolly Christmas is Dolly’s first holiday album in 30 years and includes some of the timeless Christmas songs we all know and love, as well as a few original tracks. Five of the 12 tracks were written solely by Dolly with one additional co-write with Kent Wells. Duet partners and featured artists on the album are some of Dolly’s dearest friends including Michael Bublé, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon and Willie Nelson, plus a special song with her brother, Randy Parton.

A Holly Dolly Christmas is available now worldwide for digital pre-add/pre-save/pre-order, exclusive pre-order bundles, and physical pre-order here.

A Holly Dolly Christmas Track Listing:

  1. Holly Jolly Christmas – Dolly Parton
  2. Christmas Is (feat. Miley Cyrus) – Dolly Parton
  3. Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas – Dolly Parton, Michael Bublé
  4. Christmas On The Square – Dolly Parton
  5. Circle Of Love – Dolly Parton
  6. All I Want For Christmas Is You – Dolly Parton, Jimmy Fallon
  7. Comin’ Home For Christmas – Dolly Parton
  8. Christmas Where We Are (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus) – Dolly Parton
  9. Pretty Paper – Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson
  10. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Dolly Parton
  11. You Are My Christmas (feat. Randy Parton) – Dolly Parton
  12. Mary, Did You Know? – Dolly Parton

Recently, Dolly also announced her partnership with Chronicle Books to release Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. The visual memoir and annotated songbook will give an intimate look at Dolly’s enduring career as a songwriter, musician, and Country legend. Fans will have access to the stories behind the lyrics in Dolly’s own words with never-before-seen photographs and memorabilia, bringing them closer to her work than ever before. The Recorded Books audiobook form and CD of Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics will be available on November 17, 2020 and is currently available for preorder on Amazon.

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics will be available November 17th, 2020.

Deftones Announce Feverishly Anticipated Album ‘Ohms’ September 25

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GRAMMY Award-winning, internationally lauded band Deftones have announced their feverishly anticipated album Ohmsarriving on September 25. The announcement arrives with the epic title track, new video directed by Rafatoon and updated website at deftones.com. Speculation of the forthcoming album amongst fans has swept across the media landscape, stoking curiosity as the band’s website and social platforms went dark. The intrigue continued to rise when they revealed the striking album art on their site with no additional information. Designed by longtime collaborator Frank Maddocks (who also designed the iconic White Pony LP cover), the captivating album image of two eyes made up of thousands of white pixels cryptically appeared on a billboard in the cultural hot-spot of Los Angeles on Fairfax Avenue above the landmark restaurant Canter’s Deli with the caption “This Is Our Time…We Devour The Days Ahead.”

Recorded at Henson Studios in Los Angeles, CA and Trainwreck Studios in Woodinville, WA, Ohms is an other-worldly body of work meticulously crafted by the 5 piece band. It is a magnificent tour de force and their first album in 4 years since the critically acclaimed Gore LP in 2016. The band, which includes Chino Moreno, Frank Delgado, Stephen Carpenter, Abe Cunningham, and Sergio Vega, has produced a dense LP with every member firing on all cylinders. The album also boasts a familiar collaborator in veteran producer and engineer Terry Date, who worked on 1995’s Adrenaline, 1997’s Around the Fur and 2000’s White Pony. All of the above assembles and sets the stage to deliver Ohms; 10 tracks of raw escapism and unparalleled grooves that have made Deftones’ sound singular for over two decades.

Ohms Tracklisting:

  1. Genesis
  2. Ceremony
  3. Urantia
  4. Error
  5. The Spell of Mathematics
  6. Pompeji
  7. This Link Is Dead
  8. Radiant City
  9. Headless
  10. Ohms

This year also marks the 20 year anniversary of Deftones’ monumental album White Pony. In a virtual press conference for the 20th anniversary of the seminal body of work, the band announced that they would be releasing a companion remix album titled Black Stallion, an idea conceived during the original album’s creation. Before it was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band was scheduled to set out on a North American Summer tour.

JAYME STONE Breaks New Ground with Stunning Experimental Pop Journey, AWake & New Video for “Awake Awake”

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Jayme Stone has made a rare thing: a piece of work that asks us to both travel on his melodic and emotional journey and allows us to have our own. And nowhere is this more apparent than his single “Awake Awake” — available now.

The newest song to land ahead of his forthcoming LP, AWake, the song serves as a prescient preview for what’s to come from Stone’s new album as he breaks new ground from folk musician and composer to experimental pop singer and producer. Available August 28th, AWake offers unique tonal palette blends with deft storytelling and disarmingly honest lyrics to create a sonic world both eminently engaging and full of nuance and surprise.

The songs mark a new creative start for Stone, who is best-known for his banjo playing and world-wise roots albums like Africa to Appalachia, Lomax Project, and Folklife. Now we hear Stone singing, playing guitar and OP 1 (a micro-synth, sampler and sequencer). He captures and sculpts sounds—felted piano, bass clarinet, analog synths and sequencers—until they’re hazy and unrecognizable.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2w1avz5LpxxPME3U0xsFxp?si=Y_o0P5-FTeayCUPZH8jWXg

AWake features Felicity Williams (Bahamas), Jason Burger (Big Thief), Daniela Gesundheit (Feist), Jason Linder (David Bowie), Alec Spielgelman (Cuddle Magic) and more. It was co-produced by Stone and David Travers-Smith, his longtime collaborator who has recorded, mixed, mastered and co-produced all of Stone’s records.

“For years I knew I had these songs in me,” Stone shares. “Like I had a premonition that some future me was driving backwards in time, full of songs, and at some point, we’d meet.”

In July 2018, he had earmarked six weeks off the road to start writing a new record. On day one, his brother Michael, a well-known teacher of yoga and Buddhism, died suddenly and unexpectedly. In the yawning ache of being brotherless, the songs became oracles—new ways to reckon with who his brother was, and who he himself was becoming.

Stone sings: “What you felt, we can only guess / There are mountains hidden in hiddenness.”

At times, Stone felt himself to be the keeper of his brother’s shadow, having known him so long in all his complexity. The song “Brotherless” samples his brother’s voice and quotes zen poet Dōgen’s “Mountain and Water Sutra.”

“Awake, awake, the light has come,” Stone sings in the title track; one of stargazing tales that sing from a white-hot core of love and loss, as the album as a whole consults the stars and planets for direction. In the song “Earthlight,” the sun reflects off the earth and onto the moon, capturing the mysterious ways in which the planets and constellations pull invisibly on our lives. And we feel it: the song wanders breathlessly with a sense of wonder, weaving intricate guitar melodies with unexpected offbeats and offset line-breaks, programmed drums interlaced with a drum kit, glitchy bass clarinet and vocal samples. In the glowing lostness that permeates these songs, we zoom through space as we listen: witnessing the invisible tug of forces we can’t control on our bodies and our lives.

“Mouth the Words,” conjures the tumult and tenderness of Saturn’s return, that time in our lives when we reckon with the past to renew our lives for the future. “Strike a spark / Wrap your arms around the dark / Stars align Saturn turns / Redesign everything you ever learned,” sings Stone, full of forgiveness and hope.

“My Woman’s a Nation,” is a song about long-term love, a touring musician’s love letter home—“My idol my altar / My sister my maker / My heiress my daughter / My circuit my breaker.”

Sounds and styles cross-pollinate: the warm glow of a Prophet synth, surround sound back-up vocals and a bridge that draws from spoken word. “Wait for Heaven” features bursts of pitched up vocals and kaleidoscopic hooks in the song’s upper atmosphere.

AWake was recorded at Figure 8 in Brooklyn, a space that feels more akin to a community center or Japanese monastery than a studio. Entering from the street, musicians take off their shoes and walk through the kitchen with farmer’s market produce on the counter. The studio, made of reclaimed wine barrels, cork and felt, is drenched in sunlight. The studio’s owner, Shahzad Ismaily (who also guests on the album) has a dizzying collection of rare synthesizers and one of world’s few Klavins Una Corda keyboards (which anchors several songs on the album).

AWake is available August 28, 2020.

“Awake Awake” is available now.

7 Instagram Trends That Digital Marketers Need to Look Out For

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There has been a rapid change in Instagram trends this year, courtesy of the pandemic, and other factors. 

These are trends that digital marketers need to know about to get the most out of marketing campaigns like boosting instagram followers via platforms like iDigic.net this year. These trends do not invalidate your content calendar but enable you to stay updated and adjust your calendar to fit these trends. 

Below are seven of these trends:

1. Instagram Live 

Streaming videos in real-time on Instagram Live is one of the most popular Instagram trends that marketers need to know as live video is currently the 3rd most used social marketing tactic.

The global pandemic and lockdowns in many countries has further helped to popularize Instagram Live. During the Lockdown, different businesses and organizations used Instagram Live to interact with their followers. And between March and April 2020, Instagram Live streaming increased by 70%. 

Instagram Live has advantages that other content forms don’t have. One advantage is that it allows two-way live communication between you and your audience. Keep in mind that 43% of marketers say videos have helped to reduce the number of support calls they receive. And 95% of video marketers believe that videos give the audience a better understanding of their product. 

The audience can comment and ask questions on the go, and you can answer these questions immediately. You can also add other users to your live video feed and interact with them. 

You can also use Instagram Live to get valuable customer insight through live question-and-answer sessions, interview Influencers, stream a live video to show how their product works, go live during a brand event and even launch a product live.

2. Videos Over Photos 

There has been an 80% increase in the time Instagram users spend watching videos. Gone are the days when photos used to dominate Instagram feeds, now videos have taken over. 

Videos get 38% more engagements than photos and generate over 2X the number of comments on images

This is because people are more likely to get attracted by movement in their feeds than still images. 

Given this, marketers now use videos more than photos for Ads and other marketing campaigns. And this has been very successful because about 84% of the target audience have purchased after watching a brand’s video. 

A superb way to get the best out of your video content is to have a consistent design for your photos and video. Also, ensure that all videos are properly edited. 

3. Instagram Stories Ads

Brands are not only taking advantage of Instagram stories, but they are also marketing their products using Instagram stories Ads. 

In fact, 33% of marketers use paid ads to boost their brand awareness and 31% of the Ad budget of US marketers on Instagram is spent on Stories. 

Instagram Stories Ads work because they appear in between Stories on a user’s feed and can pass as native content. Businesses own  ⅓  of the most viewed Instagram stories and 37% of the impressions brands get are from Instagram Stories.

So, If you haven’t started using Instagram Stories Ads for your marketing campaigns, you need to start now. 

Instagram Stories Ads are only visible for a few seconds, so for you to get the best out of it, endeavor to keep the Ad simple and easy to understand. The visuals should also be good enough to capture the interest of the user. 

The texts on the ads should be few and should be strategically placed to distract the user from focusing on the “sponsored” text at the top. 

Also include the price for the product and include a call to action that will direct the users to your website. 

Instagram allows you to post links on your stories, so this shouldn’t be a problem.

4. IGTV is Still Alive and Well

The importance of IGTV in Instagram marketing keeps rising every year. Instagram recently updated IGTV with some additional features which have made it a potent tool for Instagram marketing. 

Marketers can now upload horizontal or landscape videos on IGTV. This enables marketers to create long-form videos. The Explore page on Instagram also now has an IGTV tab, this enables users to find videos faster. 

About 50% of Instagram users, use the Explore feature monthly, so this will increase the visibility of your brand. 

Also, preview IGTV videos can now be posted on Instagram feeds. IGTV previews can increase video views by over 300%. 

5.  Instagram Shopping

Instagram shopping features came just right in time. This is a major trend that has skyrocketed this year because of national lockdowns across the globe. Data shows that one-third of Instagram users have made a purchase using the Instagram shopping feature. 

If your business is an e-commerce brand Instagram has many features in place that will enable you to generate a steady stream of income through Instagram shopping. About 46% of Instagram users have purchased a product after seeing it on Instagram. 

Shoppers can now search for products using a shopping tab on the Explore page, they can also complete entire purchases on Instagram and marketers can now tag products on posts and Stories. 

To get started, you need to set up an Instagram store, this is easy to do. 

Once your store has been set up, promote your products in your Instagram feed and Story, and also enable in-app checkout, this will make it easy for your customers to make purchases directly from Instagram. 

6. Interactive Content

Interactive content is currently a trend on Instagram as marketers have discovered that such content increases post engagement. In fact, over 40% of marketers believe it is a crucial part of every marketing strategy. 

Instagram features like Instagram Stories and Instagram Live help to create interactive content. 

Boring and one-sided content won’t give you the desired engagements anymore. But you can make your content interactive by asking questions and prompting your audience to answer. 

You can also create a quiz or a poll as 60% of businesses include poll stickers to create interaction on their Stories at least once a month. Also, counting down to upcoming events like a product launch, and upcoming posts will boost user engagement. 

7. Instagram Social Activism 

One of the biggest trends we have seen on Instagram this year is Instagram social activism which was majorly triggered by the killing of George Floyd in the United States, which led to the eruption of the “Black Lives Matter” protest. 

Many influencers, marketers, and brands lent their voice to the movement by using their Instagram handle to show solidarity to the cause because 43% of consumers want brands to take a stand on social issues especially when it impacts their business. 

Social activism is thriving on Instagram because it is one of the best platforms to share opinions. 

Reason being that 36% of consumers will purchase more from a company if the company’s stand on social matters is clear. 

A lot of social activism is going on now and you can inspire your followers and rally their support by voicing your opinion on important issues, creating a case, joining a challenge, and using a donation sticker to enable your followers to give financial aid to a cause. 

Conclusion

Instagram trends evolve, and if you must stay relevant, you need to adjust to recent trends.  Ensure you always have a flexible content calendar that you can adjust to fit trend spikes.

 Adjusting to these trends may be hard, but it will boost your engagements. 

Have you tried any of these trends? Share your experiences with us.