William Maranci doesn’t just mix Lipps, Inc’s Funkytown and Nine Inch Nails Closer, but creates a new song with some serious studio trickery.
Building a Herstory Edition
Lilith Fair broke through music’s glass ceiling and affirmed women’s command of ’90s rock, pop and hip-hop.
Today’s 1-minute tip for artists stuck on social media: Sneak peek.
What is it? What isit? Whatisit? Whatisitwhatisitwhatisit???
Crown Lands pay tribute to the missing and murdered indigenous womxn, girls and two-sprites
Mission-driven Canadian rock duo, Crown Lands, release their powerful new single, “End of The Road” with Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company. “End of The Road” pays tribute to the Indigenous womxn, girls, and two-spirits who have gone missing or have been murdered on Yellowhead Highway 16 in British Columbia, which is referred to as the Highway of Tears.
With this release, Crown Lands introduce themselves as allies, sharing “End of the Road” as reflective address of the disproportionate violence and ongoing injustices experienced by Indigenous communities with hopes to encourage education, discussion and action surrounding this national crisis.
Guitarist Kevin Comeau (he/him) remarks, “We don’t claim to have any answers, but we want to use our voice to bring awareness and help make a difference.”
From 2001 to 2015, the homicide rate for Indigenous Womxn in Canada was almost six times as high as the rate for non-Indigenous women (Statistics Canada). Lead vocalist and drummer, Cody Bowles (they/them) expresses the personal experience that influenced the creation of “End of The Road” explaining, “End of the Road is an outcry for awareness and action surrounding the colonial horrors of the missing and murdered Indigenous Womxn, Girls, and Two-Spirits that still haunt Indigenous communities today. Violence against Indigenous people is something I have witnessed firsthand throughout my life. I am half Mi’kmaw and grew up spending of a lot of my childhood in and around Alderville First Nation. I identify as Two-Spirit and dream of a better world for the brilliant Indigenous womxn, girls and 2SLGBTQ+ people who face adversity every day for their very existence. It’s up to all of us to make this world a better place for future generations, and this song is a small message of hope adding to the rising wave of Indigenous resistance throughout this land.”
The accompanying video for “End of the Road” also released today, opens with a narration by Canadian Inuk singer Tanya Tagaq, contextualizing the devastating facts of this ongoing issue. The video was co-produced by Sage Nokomis Wright, co-directed by Tim Myles, alongside Alex P Smith, and features a cast of Indigenous dancers with drone footage from The Highway of Tears in B.C. . The dancers represent the souls of the missing and murdered womxn and the red dresses are inspired by the work of The RED Dress Project, a collection of 600 red dresses by community donation that is installed across Canada as a visual reminder of the staggering number of womxn missing and to draw attention to the gendered and racialized nature of violent crimes against Indigenous womxn, girls, and 2SLGBTQ+ people. “End Of The Road” was choregraphed by Teineisha Richards, a Mi’kmaq artist from Bear River First Nations, Nova Scotia, raised in Toronto. Teineisha explains her process, “To create the choreography I had to go to a pretty deep and dark place and put myself in the shoes of both the women who went missing and the families of those women who suffered with their loss…I wanted to express the desperate feeling of someone fighting to escape, but with no redemption. Additionally, I aimed to generate a sense of self-empowerment and unity within a shared struggle, by my use of staccato, aggressive, and synchronized movement during the group sections of choreography. Most of the choreography derived from that dark, yet powerful place, and the overall message and feeling I received from the song.”
“End of The Road” follows the release of their acoustic EP Wayward Flyers Volume 1 and will be featured alongside the band’s previously released tracks “Spit it Out” and “Howlin’ Back” on Crown Lands’ upcoming debut album which they’ve announced is set to be released on August 13 with the pre-order available now. Working in Nashville with six-time Grammy winner Dave Cobb (Rival Sons, Chris Stapleton) who produced the album, helped the duo in both refining their writing and following their gut. “Dave pushed us to listen to ourselves and really trust our initial instinct with a song,” says Bowles. See below for full track listing.
After meeting six years ago and bonding over their shared love of music Bowles and Comeau became “instant best friends” and started jamming together in a local barn, switching up instruments, but never straying from a two-piece set-up. Crown Lands have released two EPs Mantra (2016) and Rise Over Run (2017). Making music that brings together a range of influences from folk and blues to psychedelic to prog rock, and drawing on their own intense personal chemistry, Crown Lands are a startlingly fresh jolt of energy.
The group’s name is indicative of their musical ambitions: “Crown Land” is territorial area belonging to the monarch—or, as Bowles puts it: “Crown Land is stolen land and we are reclaiming it.” Crown Lands are on a mission to represent a sense of empowerment for marginalized communities through their music and the weighty subject matter of their lyrics. “People are going to listen to you, so you may as well say something that matters,” says Comeau.
CROWN LANDS ALBUM TRACK LISTING:
Spit It Out
River
Leadfoot
Howlin’ Back
End Of The Road
Forest
Sun Dance
The Killers announce new album Imploding The Mirage set for release on August 21
The Killers are thrilled to announce that their forthcoming new album, Imploding The Mirage, will be released worldwide on August 21, 2020 on Island Records. Imploding The Mirage, The Killers’ sixth studio album and the follow up to 2017’s chart topping Wonderful Wonderful, has already spawned a monster hit in first single “Caution” which reached #1 at the top of both the Alternative and Triple A radio charts.
More recently, they released impressive tracks “Fire In Bone” and “My Own Soul’s Warning”. A video for “My Own Soul’s Warning,” which was released last month, has also debuted today.
Imploding The Mirage – produced by the band in conjunction with Shawn Everett and Jonathan Rado of Foxygen – was recorded in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Park City, UT. It is the first Killers album to be written and recorded since leaving their hometown of Las Vegas, NV. Imploding The Mirage also features a brilliant array of collaborators, another first for the band who have typically kept guest spots on their albums to a minimum. The list of featured artists includes Lindsey Buckingham, kd lang, Weyes Blood, Adam Granduciel (War On Drugs), Blake Mills, and Lucius.
The band are also announcing that they will be postponing their remaining 2020 tour dates for North America and Australia. 2021’s scheduled UK shows are not affected. The band said in a message to fans:
“As so many of us have come to realize during the Covid-19 pandemic, the idea that we would be returning to “normal” is farther along in the future than we initially thought. With that in mind, we have made the difficult decision to postpone our planned North American and Australian tour dates slated for the Fall. The safety of our fans and families is of the utmost importance to us always. We want nothing more to hit the road and play these songs for you and when the time is right, we will do just that! Be safe and be healthy. We appreciate you.“
The Killers intend to tour in 2021 with rescheduled dates for all original shows below. The tour, the band’s biggest ever, sold out in hours when initial dates went on sale late last year, but fans have been assured that all tickets held for the original dates will be honored and are transferable to the corresponding 2021 show.
Tuesday 25th May 2021 DONCASTER, KEEPMOAT STADIUM **
Thursday 27th May 2021 BRISTOL, ASHTON GATE STADIUM ##
Saturday 29th May 2021 COVENTRY, RICOH STADIUM ##
Monday 31st May 2021 SOUTHAMPTON, ST MARY’S STADIUM **
Wednesday 2nd June 2021 NORWICH, CARROW ROAD STADIUM **
Friday 4th June 2021 LONDON, EMIRATES STADIUM ^^
Saturday 5th June 2021 LONDON, EMIRATES STADIUM ^^
Tuesday 8th June 2021 FALKIRK, THE FALKIRK STADIUM **
Thursday 10th June 2021 MIDDLESBROUGH, RIVERSIDE STADIUM ##
Saturday 12th June 2021 MANCHESTER, EMIRATES OLD TRAFFORD **
Tuesday 15th June 2021 DUBLIN, MALAHIDE CASTLE^^
Wednesday 16th June 2021 DUBLIN, MALAHIDE CASTLE ^^
The Killers will be joined by Special Guests Blossoms (dates marked **), Sam Fender (dates marked ^^) and Manic Street Preachers (dates marked ##) at the shows. Remaining tickets for selected dates are available from gigsandtours.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.
Since the release of their 2004 debut, Hot Fuss, The Killers have sold 28 million albums, headlined stadiums and festivals around the world and won dozens of accolades globally. The band continues their reign as America’s heartland heroes as they head into Imploding The Mirage. Following their 2017 Billboard #1 album, Wonderful Wonderful – a love letter of sorts, as Brandon Flowers crafted songs of encouragement to his wife during crippling bouts of depression – Imploding The Mirage is the light after the dark; the overcoming of sadness and moving into celebration. It’s a record about eternal love, perseverance through hard times, and the strength gained from friendships and familial bonds whilst weathering a storm.
Indeed, Imploding The Mirage leaves the grit and glitter of Vegas behind for something more expansive and triumphant. (Literally. Flowers moved his family from the parched flats of Vegas, NV to the lush mountains of Utah before beginning work on the record.) It’s an album that also pushed the band out of their musical comfort zone, exploring new terrain and referencing the albums in their collection that filled them with a sense of romance and camaraderie in their youth. Influences include Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel, as well as Killers’ touchstones like Bruce Springsteen and New Order. Throughout it all, Flowers remains a wholly singular songwriter.
FRESH BREATH, The Award-Winning Canadian Alt-Folk Rock-To-Blues Duo Frets Over “Likes & Shares” in New Song
With over 100,000+ streams across Spotify, award-winning Kingsville, ON’s alt-folk rock-to-blues duo Fresh Breath direct urgent attention to the world’s obsession with social media in this upbeat, sing-along new single, “Likes & Shares” — available now.
“A single event inspired me to write this song,” Fresh Breath co-front Josh Pascoe recalls. “It happened at one of our performances; we were playing and an audience member, I could see, perked up at the very first note.”
“She reached for her phone with excitement and began to film,” co-front Katie Pascoe adds. “You could obviously tell this person took a short video, posted it to social media, and then proceeded to talk through the rest of the song.”
“There wasn’t a single hoot, holler or clap (from her) once the song was complete,” Josh continues. “I thought to myself: nobody cares, it’s all about the likes and the shares.”
The pair focused their full attention on the track shortly after to fine tune it, and the result is a true team effort. “The song was tried several different ways,” Katie shares. “We went super pop with it, then southern rock…. But it just didn’t seem right.
“Then, once Josh added the piano track and I layered in some vocals, it felt very ‘Fresh Breath.’”
“There’s a destructive nature, we think, to our collective obsession with social media and hand-held devices on our mental health and well-being,” they say. “This song is a gentle reminder to be present and live in the moment.”
Beyond their growing 100,000+ streams across Spotify alone, the Ontario-based husband and wife duo have garnered critical acclaim and radio attention as they continue to release new music; 2020 singles have so far included “Tomorrow Today,” “Make It Together,” and “Time For a Change.”
93.9 The River / AM 800’s Dan Macdonald says “Fresh Breath is on FIRE on this new record,” citing their 2019 release, The Big Picture, which also received airplay on 99.1 CKXS, CJIM, CBC, and more. Previous albums have also included 2017’s Us Against The World, 2015’s A Dream That’s Not Followed… is a Dream That Is Lost, and 2010’s The Speed Of Sound.
Folk Roots Radio notes that they have “great energy, (and are a) great live band;” Buzz Music LA agrees, adding “good, high energy with an electrifying delivery… (Want) to see a performance like this live!”
“Likes & Shares” is available now.
Video: Behind The Scenes Of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” From 1986
Rare behind the scenes interviews hosted by Matthew Broderick during production of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Bouncy Like a Beach Ball, Moncton’s RYAN MAYNARD Shares the Summer Anthem We Need — “Summer Sun (Nothin’ on You)”
Canadian pop singer/songwriter Ryan Maynard is soaking up that “Summer Sun (Nothin’ on You)” with the release of his new single — available now!
A timely preview to his forthcoming sophomore album, Matter of Time — an upbeat pop explosion with contemporary electronic sounds set for release this August — the video for “Summer Sun (Nothin’ on You)” was shot entirely on an iPhone 11 Pro at L’Aboiteau Beach across two picture-perfect days.
“This song was inspired by our east coast’s beauty during such a beautiful season,” he shares of the origins behind the track. “And now, it’s even better as restrictions are being lifted and people are starting to emerge from quarantine to be with their loved ones.
The album follows suit, Maynard shares. “Matter of Time speaks to the 2020 timeline of our world. I hope to bring an optimistic outlook to people through music, and give everyone something to smile about.
“With so much going on, I wanted to give people something they can dance to,” he adds. “Something that will help them forget about their problems.”
‘Something to dance to’ is a theme the Montreal-born, Moncton-based multi-faceted artist repeatedly does more than just deliver on; through his work as a DJ, karaoke host, Pride event performer, singing competition creator and host, and more, he’s become ubiquitously known for his unique brand of high-energy, all-encompassing performances.
Having technically fashioned his start as a kid with the help of toy recorders, Maynard quickly honed his personal and impassioned pop vision through songwriting and collaborating with producers from around the world. The results include his 2018 breakthrough debut, Welcome to Utopia, which stacked three New Brunswick Music Award nominations — including Solo Recording of the Year, Visual Identity of the Year, and Fan Favourite — and 2020’s followup LP Matter of Time.
“Summer Sun (Nothin’ on You)” is available now.
Matter of Time is available August 2020.
Dave Mustaine to release new autobiography focused on the recording of Megadeth’s Rust In Peace
On the 30th anniversary of Megadeth’s thrash metal masterpiece Rust in Peace, lead vocalist and guitarist of Megadeth, Dave Mustaine will reveal the behind-the-scenes making of the iconic album in RUST IN PEACE: The Inside Story of the Megadeth Masterpiece available on September 8, 2020 via Hachette Books.
Released in 1990, at an incredible time of flux and creativity in the rock world, Rust in Peace still stands as one the greatest metal albums ever made. In his new book, Mustaine reveals the process of establishing Megadeth’s lineup and hiring the band and supporting cast. He details the pains of trying to handle the ensuing success, and ultimately the pressure of fame and fortune that caused the band to finally break-up. He also takes a hard look at the music landscape of the late eighties-early nineties.
Little did Mustaine know that the birth pangs of the record were nothing compared to the oncoming pain and torment that would surround it. Alcohol, drugs, sex, money, power, property, prestige, the lies the band was told by the industry – and the lies they told each other – were just beginning, and much like rust in real life, these factors would ultimately eat away at the band’s bond until only the music survived.
RUST IN PEACE is a true story of groundbreaking anti-pop that was moving toward the mainstream (or the mainstream that was moving toward the band), at a time of great cultural change, power, ego, drugs, and other vices that went hand-in-hand with Rock N’ Roll. It is about perseverance, of scraping off the rust off that builds over time on everything: ourselves, our relationships, pop culture, art, and music.
Dave Mustaine is known worldwide as the GRAMMY®-winning founder and leader of MEGADETH. His empire-building began 35 years ago as one of the inventors of the thrash metal genre as the original lead guitarist and contributing songwriter for Metallica. With MEGADETH, he has sold more than 38 million albums, earned a GRAMMY® Award and 12 GRAMMY® nominations, and five consecutive platinum / multi-platinum albums.
Joel Selvin is an award-winning journalist who has covered pop music for the San Francisco Chronicle since 1970. Selvin is the author of the bestselling Summer of Love and the coauthor, with Sammy Hagar, of the #1 New York Times bestseller Red, among many others. Selvin lives in San Francisco, California.
Watch Nirvana Perform “Smells Like Teen Spirit” A Week Before Nevermind Came Out
Nirvana played a 45-minute in-store set at Beehive Records in Seattle just a week before Nevermind came out. Nirvana’s record label DGC expected about 50 patrons, but 200 kids were lined up by two in the afternoon — for an show that was going to start at seven. That’s the first of many indications that this band was going to be big.