This is so glorious.
20 years ago, someone in made a Latin-style lounge music tribute album to Kraftwerk.
Señor Coconut is actually the alias of the German electronic musician Uwe H. Schmidt, who also releases under the stage names Atom™ and Atom Heart.
Today’s 1-minute tip for artists stuck on social media: Find an old photo.
But not one from your phone. I’m talking about one from a camera.
2020 Top 100 CBC Searchlight Finalist ALEXIS LYNN Says “I Can’t Relate” In New Single & Video — Available Now!
Top 100 2020 CBC Searchlight finalist Alexis Lynn says “I Can’t Relate” in this, her newest single and video — available now!
The Canadian urban pop dynamo’s second single of the year lands after February’s “Circles” and September 2019’s breakthrough debut, Things Get Good. The seven-track release — and each single thereafter — teems with the First Nations artist’s irrefutable musical magnetism and signature songwriting, delving deep into topics of love, lust, vulnerability, self-awareness, and everything in between.
“It’s about looking in on a friend’s toxic relationship, and reflecting what I might do in that situation while also trying to help them see they’re worth more,” Lynn shares about “I Can’t Relate” and its inspiration; she drew from personal experience as the scenario was one Lynn frustratingly found herself in. “I was venting to my co-writers that I didn’t understand how my friend couldn’t see what I saw was going on, and couldn’t see that she deserved so much more.
“I was also saying how I would never put up with the type of treatment she was receiving.
“I was coming from a place of love and concern, and wanted to be really careful not to come across as ‘preachy’ or ‘bragging,’” she continues, noting the delicate line she walked penning the track. “I didn’t want to sound like I was somehow ‘better’ than someone by saying I wouldn’t put up with that, but rather give them all the reasons they themselves shouldn’t put up with it.”
The video paints a decidedly vibrant picture, and “a real throwback to a 90s/00s vibe with the track and sound,” she says. “For the video, we bounced a lot of ideas around and Carlos, the director, came up with the concept of me playing a therapist running a consulting firm for broken hearts. We wanted to go with something funny and colourful, and decided last minute I should play each of the ‘clients’ as well.
“It was important I stay cautious about ‘preaching’ to other people or acting like I know what’s best,” she reflects. “This was critical so we figured, if I played both parts, I’d be giving myself my own advice.”
“I Can’t Relate” is available now.
Winnipeg’s JAMES COHEN AND THE PRAIRIE ROOTS ROCKERS Offer The Balm to Soothe With New Video for “These Long Nights”
James Cohen and the Prairie Roots Rockers are exactly who they say they are.
And nowhere can you hear just what the Winnipeg-based outfit means — or how awesome that is — than on their new video for their long-loved single, “These Long Nights,” available now.
“The origins of this song go back several years,” frontman and band namesake James Cohen considers. “The general theme is one of loneliness and isolation which, unfortunately, are sentiments many of us can relate to during these difficult times currently.
“The video attempts to convey a longing for someone special who was perhaps met long ago, not unlike reminiscing about a long-lost romantic partner who we have lost track of and wonder about today.”
“The song isn’t necessarily meant to be sad,” he insists. “But… The D minor key it was written in lends itself to a melancholy tone.”
Sadness be darned, to say the song is a must-play for James Cohen and the Prairie Roots Rockers would be an understatement; it was featured in the movie Gone Tomorrow and has been a recurring mainstay on the setlist ever since.
“It’s one of the audience’s favourites when we play it live,” he adds. “We add a long keyboard solo to it, too, which always goes over well.”
First on the scene for their 2011 self-titled debut via Soccermom Records / Warner Music Canada, the album’s banner single “So Long Sweet Deception” charted for 16 weeks, hitting the Rock Top 50 along the way.
An alumni from Hollywood, California’s prestigious Guitar Institute of Technology, Cohen and co have performed at Canadian Music Week, the Grey Cup Festival, and more. A forthcoming album in the works, James Cohen and the Prairie Roots Rockers are also set to perform with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in 2021.
“These Long Nights” is available now.
JESSE COOK – Multi-Award Winning Internationally Acclaimed Guitarist, Composer & Producer – Celebrates “Tempest” 25 Years Later With a New Version
Award-winning, multi-platinum and gold selling, and Internationally acclaimed guitarist, composer and producer Jesse Cook knows a thing or two about unexpected turns in the road.
In fact, his whole storied career is because of one.
For starters, the multi-talented virtuoso was one foot out the door, just about to set out on his highly anticipated Tempest 25 Tour this past March — a celebratory 25-date cross-country concert special marking 25 years of music — when the country shut down for COVID-19.
The unforeseen delay inspired Cook to pivot; he released a new version of the song, the creation of which also served as an experiment of sorts along the way.
“The recording started as a simple idea,” he explains. “I’d use this pandemic time to record a new version of ‘Tempest’ and see if it would sound different.
“Have I changed as a musician, or as a producer?
“Oddly enough, the process seemed familiar,” he continues. “25 years ago, the original was created with me alone at my house, playing all the instruments because I couldn’t afford to hire musicians. This time, it was me alone because of social distancing.”
The 2020 version of “Tempest” propelled by a global pandemic as an impromptu happening in Cook’s career rings similar to the song in its original format, considering it delivered unexpected results from its release as well.
“25 years ago, I released this little song called ‘Tempest’ on a record bearing the same name,” Cook considers. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine what would follow. At the time, I had no idea it would change my life.
“Considering I didn’t rap or sing, no one was more surprised by all of this than me.”
He’s referring, of course, to his ten gold and platinum studio albums with combined sales exceeding two million copies, five concert DVDs and live discs, five PBS specials, multiple awards including a JUNO win, 11 nominations, three Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, a Gemini Award, and an Acoustic Guitar Magazine Player’s Choice Silver Award — plus thousands of concerts around the world over and above millions of views and streams across platforms.
“Hearing your songs on the radio, or in the Olympic Games, or in ‘Sex and the City’…” he muses. “And then there was that massive Bollywood hit…
“But don’t get me started.
“When you write these things, at first, they’re like your kids,” he continues, breaking it down. “You think of them as yours.
“But then they grow up and start to live a life all their own. Other people record them, use them in their own work, or get married to them, live, celebrate, even heal to them.
“If you had asked me at age 22, I would have said I would never, never make music for the public,” Cook adds with a laugh. “If you had asked me what I wanted to do with my life, I would have told you I was happy in my solitude. I would have told you the public is much too fickle… They may love you one minute and forget you the next.
“Well… It turns out I did the thing I said I’d never do, and somehow it’s worked out.
“I owe a huge debt to this little song,” he says of “Tempest.” “It opened the world to me and allowed me to live a life beyond my dreams.
“For that, I am forever grateful.”
“Tempest 25” is available now.
Video: Little Richard on discovering The Beatles
The late great Little Richard discusses the artists he helped put on the map during his second stint on The Dick Cavett Show.
Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, But All The Notes Are C
Uberphawx edited Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” so that all the notes are C.
The Infamous Tommy Walker: the Mystery Man Whose Music You Know
There are certain songs you know you know, even if you don’t really know them. For example, we all know the song Happy Birthday, but did you know the melody came from Good Morning to All? Written by American sisters Patty and Mildred J. Hill, Good Morning to All features six notes that have since been used to celebrate the birthdays of people around the world.
In the sports world, there tunes you just know but you’re not sure where they came from. The Charge is one of those tunes (see video below). Played at hockey matches, the fanfare signals to the crowd that something is about to happen. Like Happy Birthday, Charge features six notes but they’re six notes that are now known the world over.
A Tune that Transcends Hockey
In fact, although the tune is still played in hockey stadiums, it’s taken on a life of its own. Take virtually every hockey game ever made and it probably features Charge. Break Away slots on Royal Panda are a prime example of the tune’s crossover appeal. Because the developers at Microgaming wanted to create a game that pays homage to hockey, Charge was added to the mix. When players spin the reels, the familiar notes play in the background as players, referees and hockey masks roll into view.
It’s not just hockey tributes where Charge is used. As well as being used for jingles on Scott Shannon’s music show Rockin American Top 30 Countdown, the fanfare appears in the popular video game Overwatch. To give the character Bastion some added depth, the developers at Blizzard Entertainment made him hum a tune similar to Charge just before his special power kicks in. If that’s not enough confirmation that this fanfare is a global hit, how about the fact it’s used in game shows around the world, including FIRST robotics competitions?
Whether you’re a hockey fan or not, you’ve probably heard Charge. But, like Happy Birthday, you probably don’t know where it comes from. The truth is that it was written by a junior at the University of Southern California, going by the name of Tommy Walker. Who is Tommy Walker, you might ask? Like his famous tune, he’s one of those people you probably know but don’t know – or at least, you know his work. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1922, Walker was a live events producer. During his career, he worked as director of entertainment at Disneyland and for the International Olympic Committee.
An Author that Entertained Us All
As an expert in sensory experiences, Walker produced the opening and closing ceremonies for three Olympic Games. He was also in charge of the centennial celebrations for the Statue of Liberty. However, in among his epic firework displays and theatrical productions, he was known (to some) as the man behind Charge. However, such was his low profile that Bobby Kent, previously musical director for the San Diego Chargers, laid claim to the tune, claiming to have invented the fanfare in 1978. However, the Chargers’ first general manager, Frank Leahy, chose the team’s name in 1960, long after the fanfare was actually written.
Based on that, Charge had to have been written by Walker in 1948. However, even with that being the case, the majority of people still won’t know Walker or his contribution to sports and entertainment. Like the Hill sisters, his work is instantly recognizable, but his name isn’t. For such an iconic tune, that’s a shame. However, as Roland Barthes wrote in 1967, the author dies once their work is published. Walker is the proverbial author in this case. His work is out there for all to see but his background, influences and intentions are neither known nor required for us to enjoy it. But even though the man and the author are dead, it’s important to remember where Charge came from next time you’re at a hockey game.
Queen + Adam Lambert Announce Roadies In Lockdown… A Rhapsody Tour Lockumentary Series
Tour Video Director, Steve Price has worked with Queen + Adam Lambert since 2014 and at this time should be manning the controls behind the stage as he directs all the video elements of the show for the band on their sold out European summer tour. However, as we all know, the band and crew are currently off the road, so to keep him in the groove we set him the task of creating a ‘lockumentary’ focusing on what it is like being part of the ‘Rhapsody Road Crew’…
This exclusive series, only available on Queen’s Official channel, explores the roles of various crew members on the road and behind the scenes with one of the world’s most successful touring acts. Enjoy a VIP AAA pass and get to see at close quarters the backstage and front of house complexities, magic and hard work that goes in to putting on these huge productions that are a Queen + Adam Lambert live show. They explain what they do to make the shows happen. Look out also for a few well known faces and cameo appearances along the way.
The backstage footage has been shot at different venues across the globe, however due to the recent pandemic the interviews with the crew have taken place at home during lockdown and further demonstrates the effect the shutdown has had on the live music business, not just for musicians and fans, but the often unseen and unsung heroes that make up the touring crew.
Setting out to highlight their individual and collaborative skills, it soon becomes obvious one thing clearly binds them together – a sense of humour.
In this first episode we meet from his kitchen as well as from backstage and on stage Andy Bews, Stage Show Manager, whose role in the Queen + Adam Lambert touring production crew involves a myriad of different elements. Andy gives an an insight into what his job involves and we also have the very rare opportunity to see the band close up in soundchecks in Australia, South Korea and Japan. He also gives insight into crew attire which appears to favour Hawaiian shirts (only on a Friday … which is called Hawaiian Shirt Friday on tour), but there are limits to taking a casual approach.