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.
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.
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.
Joan Jett has released her interpretation of the T. Rex hit “Jeepster,” from the Hal Willner-produced “massive, star-studded” (Consequence of Sound) collection Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T. Rex, out September 4 on BMG. Jett delivers a stunning tribute to her teenage idol, harkening back to her formative years on the Sunset Strip absorbing everything Bolan and T. Rex had to offer.
For her reimagining of the standout track from the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s chart-topping Electric Warrior album, Jett is joined by a group of luminaries including Marc Ribot on guitar, Jim White on drums (PJ Harvey, Cat Power), Thomas Bartlett arranging and on piano (The National, Sufjan Stevens) and production by the late Hal Willner.
“Jeepster” is the fourth song to be released from Angelheaded Hipster, following Kesha’s “superstar vocals”(SPIN) on “Children of the Revolution,” Devendra Banhart’s “serene…trippy” (Rolling Stone) “Scenescof” and Nick Cave’s “gorgeous rendition” (Brooklyn Vegan) of “Cosmic Dancer.” Each of the 26 tracks on Angelheaded Hipster was produced by the acclaimed Hal Willner, who passed away from COVID-19 in April. Willner had previously served as the Saturday Night Live sketch music producer for nearly 40 years, produced albums for Lou Reed, Marianne Faithfull and William S. Burroughs, and concept albums drawing upon the music of Thelonious Monk, Kurt Weill, vintage Disney films and others.
For Angelheaded Hipster, Willner brought together a wide-ranging cast to reimagine Bolan’s greatest songs – Jett, Kesha, Banhart and Cave plus Marc Almond, Børns, Helga Davis, Perry Farrell, Elysian Fields, Gavin Friday, Emily Haines, Jesse Harris, King Khan, Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl, Maria McKee, Father John Misty, John Cameron Mitchell, Gaby Moreno, Nena, Beth Orton, Peaches, Todd Rundgren, Lucinda Williams, Victoria Williams With Julian Lennon and U2 Feat. Elton John.
Angelheaded Hipster will be available on CD, LP and digital. A special limited-edition white vinyl version will be released one week early on August 28 exclusively at independent retail stores in the US.
Hal Willner worked on AngelHeaded Hipster for several years, with sessions spanning continents, from New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans, to London, Paris and Berlin. The project was conceived and executive produced by Bill Curbishley and Ethan Silverman. Kate Hyman had the creative vision to ask Willner to produce it.
Marc Bolan was a folk pop troubadour, Glam Rock’s metal guru, a pop star who burned as bright as any, a brilliant guitarist, style icon and poet. He has been famously cited as a major influence by some of the biggest names in music, from David Bowie to Johnny Marr. He died in 1977 aged just 29, after a car crash in London.
AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs Of Marc Bolan and T. Rex / Tracklist:
Disc 1
1. Children Of The Revolution – Kesha
2. Cosmic Dancer – Nick Cave
3. Jeepster – Joan Jett
4. Scenescof – Devendra Banhart
5. Life’s A Gas – Lucinda Williams
6. Solid Gold, Easy Action – Peaches
7. Dawn Storm – BØRNS
8. Hippy Gumbo – Beth Orton
9. I Love To Boogie – King Khan
10. Beltane Walk – Gaby Moreno
11. Bang A Gong (Get It On) – U2 feat. Elton John
12. Diamond Meadows – John Cameron Mitchell
13. Ballrooms Of Mars – Emily Haines
Disc 2
1. Main Man – Father John Misty
2. Rock On – Perry Farrell
3. The Street and Babe Shadow – Elysian Fields
4. The Leopards – Gavin Friday
5. Metal Guru – Nena
6. Teenage Dream – Marc Almond
7. Organ Blues – Helga Davis
8. Planet Queen – Todd Rundgren
9. Great Horse – Jessie Harris
10. Mambo Sun – Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl
11. Pilgrim’s Tale – Victoria Williams with Julian Lennon
12. Bang A Gong (Get It On) Reprise – David Johansen
13. She Was Born To Be My Unicorn / Ride A White Swan – Maria McKee
Kelowna, BC’s Afro fusion, house and hip hop artist Edge is out with his searing new single, “Vice City Vibes (S.S.C.R.C.Y.)” — available now!
Produced by Flowers in Narnia and Ramoon, “Vice City Vibes” lands as a two-part modern-day 80s disco dream mixed with hip hop vocals and Afro-fusion. As a follow-up to his previous release, “11:11” — which sits at over 70,000+ streams and counting — Edge reaffirms his multi-faceted versatility and inventive genre blending skills through distinctly rhythmic vocals.
With sonic traces of his Nigerian roots throughout, Edge says “Vice City” is a nod to his melodic direction; a doting ode to the Abuja-born, Kelowna-based artist’s childhood influence, Grand Theft Auto Vice City, he adds that the song marks a crucial part of his creative journey. “It’s taken me awhile to find my sound, but this song is it,” he shares. “I feel the most comfortable and confident I’ve ever been in creating music.”
Edge took the Top 3 Music Video nod in the 2017 notTV Competition, and has been featured across more than 130+ influential playlists across Spotify since his breakout release in 2018. His songs have received airplay and features on CBC Radio, Coolradio93, Melodyfm88.6, Rockfm94.7, Rainbow94.1fm, Ct1r, Elevator Mag, ForTheCultureCanada, Hidden Beats, Kelowna Capital News, Independent Spirits, AnR Factory and more, and he’s opened for or shared the stage with the likes of Amine, Petit Biscuit, 88glam, Adamn Killa, Ill Chris, Golden BSP, Teon Gibbs, BBNO$, and more.
“Vice City Vibes (S.S.C.R.C.Y.)” is available now.
La Di Da Di by Doug E. Fresh, who provides the beatboxed instrumental, and MC Ricky D (later known as Slick Rick), who performs the vocals. It was originally released in 1985 as the B-side to “The Show”. The song has since gained a reputation as an early hip hop classic, and it is one of the most sampled songs in history.
Choosing the right music for your film isn’t a walk in the park. It’s almost like a treasure hunt, and sometimes you don’t even know where to start and what to look for.
In this article, we discuss some of the best ways to decide which music is best for your film. Make sure you do each one of them to make the choice easier for you.
Search Early
Many filmmakers often search for choices late in production. That’s not bad, but it won’t help you find the right score either.
It’s wise to search early because:
The song or music needs to be in line with the film’s narrative
You might want some edits, changes, or removals along the way
It will be obvious the music is tacked on top of the film
It’s best to start searching for music options during production or at least before the editing starts.
Try https://www.orchestra8.com if you’re searching for high-quality jazz or neo-classical musical scores for your film.
“Listen” to Your Film
The perfect song or musical score shows itself when you “listen” to what your film is telling you.
It may sound difficult, but you have to pay attention. Listen to the film, and listen to the mood.
What emotions does the film evoke?
How’s the pacing?
What colors do you associate with the narrative?
Certain genres, moods, instruments, attributes, or even artists will pop up in your mind after you pay close attention.
Have Multiple Choices
And don’t limit yourself to just one option.
Try searching for related genres, instruments, or artists even after you think you’ve found the best match. Give yourself more wiggle room and options.
You may find one song that does more justice to one part of the film than the other. Or you can find another artist that can contribute much more evocative music to a part of your film.
Learn from the Pros
Of course, you want to create your own film identity. You want the film and the music to be part of your signature.
However, it’s also not bad to learn from the more experienced filmmakers. We discuss directors Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Christopher Nolan.
Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese is popular for his in-depth character studies. A Scorsese character is often conflicted and struggling to keep sane. Think Goodfellas, The Irishman, Shutter Island, and Taxi Driver.
A Scorsese soundtrack is quite distinct; he loves crooners from the 50s mixed with 60s and 70s classic rock.
Super stylish, super violent — this is how many would describe a Quentin Tarantino film.
His trademarks include shots of bare feet, trunk shots, tons of pop culture references in dialogues, and many others.
His soundtrack style is distinct in that he almost always uses semi-obscure 70s rock songs. He also uses pop music that elevates film scenes and makes them simply iconic.
From mind-bending timelines of an amnesiac’s memories (Memento) to bending reality in dreamscapes (Inception) to Bane bending Batman’s back (The Dark Knight Rises) to the literal bending of time and space (Interstellar), you sure have to admire Christopher Nolan’s filmmaking prowess one time or another.
He works in collaboration with top caliber musical experts and provides a visceral, affecting experience through film and music.
Experiment, Feel It
If you already have a good idea of the music you want and the rules you have to follow, try and break them. Often, this experiment paves the way for unexpected, newer styles in filmmaking.
Then, see whether you get the “chills” while watching. If it’s good, you’ll be emotionally affected by the music and the film. If you don’t, your audience will probably feel the same.
Or Consider Silence
Some movies thrive even without music, or at least many parts of it in silence.
Think of No Country for Old Men and Dog Day Afternoon.
True, music adds impact to the scenes. But many scenes are better off with silence, especially if the scene already has everything going for it.
Are you searching for the perfect music for your film? We hope these tips help. Good luck!
For some royalty free jazz music on Youtube see this:
With the song at over 70,000+ streams and rising, Huntsville, ON’s country-pop artist Alexis Taylor has released a brand new video for her sweet ode to new love, “Cool With That” — available now!
“It’s a fun, flirty tune about that ‘puppy love’ stage of a relationship,” Taylor details. “It’s about that stage where you just can’t get enough of each other.”
That she penned “Cool With That” is par for the course when it comes to the Ontario-based singer/songwriter… You could even say it was destiny.
“Both my parents are songwriters, and have always been very musical,” she shares. “Music is a part of me… It has always been in my blood.”
Alexis Taylor has wasted no time executing on her passion when it comes to her musical prowess. Since first stepping onto the scene in 2016, she has racked up over 200,000+ streams across all platforms, played Canadian Music Week, CMA Fest in Nashville, Tennessee, and opened for the likes of Marshall Tucker Band, Love and Theft, Meghan Patrick, Doug Seegers across his Scandinavian tour, and more.
She’s won ‘Female Vocalist of the Year’ at the 2018 Tennessee Music Awards, and has been nominated for ‘Modern Country Vocalist of the Year’ at the 2020 Josie Music Awards this September.
And on the topic of Tennessee: While the song itself was recorded and produced in Nashville with award-winning artist and producer, John Willis (Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan), most of the scenes from the video for ‘Cool With That’ were filmed in her hometown of Huntsville — a small but popular cottage and rural region about 200+ kilometres north of Toronto. “I wanted to reflect who I am when I’m not on the road or on stage,” Taylor shares of the video’s process. “It was nice to be able to include where I grew up in this music video. Where I’m from is a big part of who I am, and it has made me the person I am today!
“I wanted to shoot something that would leave a smile on people’s faces,” she adds, hinting at her incredibly handsome, must-see co-star. “I think he adds an undeniable amount of cuteness to the song, don’t you?”
See for yourself; “Cool With That” is available now.
