DJ Cummerbund pays tribute to Danny Devito’s “Man-Cheetah” from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia with Hall and Oates, The Strokes, The White Stripes, and Chris Isaak into another unexpected mashup.
Rick Astley Sings The Foo Fighters’ “Everlong” And It’s Awesome…
Your move, Dave, you’re never gonna give us up.
Never-before-heard solo version of ‘Never Gonna Break My Faith’ by Aretha Franklin released
RCA Records, RCA Inspiration and Legacy Records collaborate to release a never-before-heard solo version of “Never Gonna Break My Faith” by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, featuring The Boys Choir of Harlem. Co-written by award-winning singer/songwriter Bryan Adams, the Grammy Award winning song was originally released as a duet with Mary J. Blige for the 2006 film Bobby. Over a decade later, the song’s lyrics are as urgent and poignant as ever.
Clive Davis, Sony Music’s Chief Creative Officer and longtime friend/producer of Ms. Franklin states, “The world is very different now. Change is everywhere and each of us, hopefully, is doing the best he or she can to move forward and make change as positive as possible. Music can play a major role here and Aretha’s performance is chilling. When you read the song’s lyric, and its relevance to what is happening today, it will shake every fiber in your body. Everyone should hear this record. It deserves to be an anthem.”
“When I wrote this song, I was channeling Aretha, never thinking that she’d ever actually sing the song,” says Adams. “The thought was to write a hymn, something that would try and articulate the feeling of faith, and that even though you might have lost something, there would always be an inner light to guide you. When the song was demo’d, I told the producers that Aretha would be the one to sing this – and sing it she did. This solo version has been sitting on my computer for years, and when I heard Clive was making a film on Aretha’s life, I sent this version to him. The world hasn’t heard her full performance and it really needed to be heard. I’m so glad it’s being released, the world needs this right now.”
Prince’s Cloud 2 Guitar Sold For …. $563,500 (!!!) At Julien’s Auctions ‘Music Icons’
Julien’s Auctions MUSIC ICONS kicked off its marquee two-day music auction event today in Beverly Hills with its highly anticipated sale of the mythic guitar played by Prince: his beloved “Blue Angel” Cloud 2 electric guitar.
The seven-time Grammy award winning artist’s primary performance guitar used at the height of his career in the 1980s & 1990s sold for $563,500. The guitar is considered one of the most historically important guitars played by Prince that has ever come up for auction and took center stage in his most iconic career performances on stage and screen including: his tours for “Purple Rain” (1984-1985), “The Parade Tour” (1986), “Sign o’ the Times,” (1987), “Lovesexy,” (1988-1989) and “Diamonds and Pearls” (1992), Saturday Night Live’s “15th Anniversary Special,” (September 24, 1989), the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards, his legendary 1991 appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show, music videos for “Get Off” and “Cream,” as well as photo appearances on the covers of Spin magazine (September 1991) and the film poster for the 1987 music documentary Sign o’ The Times.
Shortly after Julien’s Auctions announced that the 1984 custom made guitar would be included in their Music Icons sale, a remarkable historic discovery was made about the guitar when the auction house was contacted by John Woodland, who performs conservation work on Prince’s guitars at his fabled headquarters and home, Paisley Park. After CT scans and comprehensive research was conducted on the instrument, it was verified that guitar was in fact The Purple One’s beloved Cloud 2 which had been considered long lost.
In November 2017, Julien’s Auctions achieved the world record for the highest price ever paid at the time for a Prince guitar sold at auction in its sale of a teal Cloud guitar which sold for $700,000 and Prince’s custom made played yellow Cloud guitar which sold for $225,000 in May 2018.
Other highlights sold on day one of today’s Music Icons sale included (with winning bids): Elvis Presley’s stage worn ivory macrame belt with accented reflective stones that sold for a staggering $298,000, nearly thirty times its original estimate of $10,000; “The King’s” gifted diamond TCB necklace ($34,375, over four times its estimate of $8,000) as well as Presley’s sensational vehicles including his 1977 Lincoln Mark V coupe ($62,500), his 1966 Chevrolet Impala ($62,500) and his 1977 Chevrolet 30 Series Silverado ($41,600); Madonna’s ivory satin halter gown worn in her iconic 1990 “Vogue” music video which sold for a staggering $179,200, almost nine times its original estimate of $20,000; a custom Beaumont Special by Dean B. Zelinsky guitar played by Johnny Winter in his final live performance ($19,200); Bob Marley’s signed and inscribed Exodus album ($18,750); Jim Morrison’s signed first edition of The New Creature, his self-published 88-page bound book of poetry given to his friend Alain Ronay ($11,520); Johnny Cash’s Valencia acoustic guitar signed by Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson, members of the country supergroup The Highwaymen ($57,600) and more.
My Next Read: GENTLE ON MY MIND by Kim Campbell
The page-turning, never-before-told story of Kim Campbell’s roller-coaster thirty-four-year marriage to music legend Glen Campbell, including how Kim helped Glen finally conquer his addictions only to face their greatest challenge when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Kim Campbell was a fresh-faced twenty-two-year-old dancer at Radio City Music Hall when a friend introduced her to Glen Campbell, the chart-topping, Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated entertainer. The two performers from small Southern towns quickly fell in love, a bond that produced a thirty-four-year marriage and three children.
In Gentle on My Mind, Kim tells the complete, no-holds-barred story of their relationship, recounting the highest of highs—award shows, acclaimed performances, the birth of their children, encounters with Mick Fleetwood, Waylon Jennings, Alan Jackson, Alice Cooper, Jane Seymour, and others—and the lowest of lows, including battles with alcohol and drug addiction and, finally, Glen’s diagnosis, decline, and death from Alzheimer’s.
With extraordinary candor, astonishing bravery, and a lively sense of humor, Kim reveals the whole truth of life with an entertainment giant and of caring for and loving him amid the extraordinary challenge of Alzheimer’s disease. This is a remarkable account of enduring love, quiet strength, and never-faltering faith.
Jim Morrison’s Isolated Vocals For The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues”
Oh keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel.
https://youtu.be/EwwT367xnOY
Mick Jagger’s Isolated Vocals From The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women”
I met a gin-soaked, bar-room queen in Memphis
She tried to take me upstairs for a ride
She had to heave me right across shoulder
‘Cause I just can’t seem to drink you off my mind
https://youtu.be/g2Pd_TALiw0
Artist Rights Alliance Announces Music Council of Advisors Including Bette Midler, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow and More
The Artist Rights Alliance (ARA), the artist-run, non-profit organization that championed the Music Modernization Act and CLASSICS Act, is leading the charge to reform the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and initiated the creation of a COVID-19 resource guide for musicians, today announced the formation of a Music Council. The 93-artist consortium will provide perspective and advisory input, as well as support for the awareness of key issues that face content creators today. Those named include Jason Isbell, Bette Midler, Cassandra Wilson, Duke Fakir, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, T Bone Burnett, Sheryl Crow, Keb’ Mo’, Steve Earle, and Joan Osborne.
Additionally, the ARA today released an Artists’ Bill of Rights to outline their fundamental principles and recommendations for today’s music economy and to keep the artistic community aware of their rights as it pertains to their work. Depicted are policy hotspots, including fair pay from streaming services, copyright law, political participation, curbing industrial-scale piracy, and reining in big technology platforms that unfairly profit from music. ARA staunchly opposes the Liberty Media / iHeartMedia merger, which would give Liberty Media an unprecedented stake in the broadcast media world.
GRAMMY©Award winner and Board Member Rosanne Cash: “We are so grateful to our Music Council volunteers who will join with us to advocate for our peers in building a more compassionate and enduring music economy. It has never been easy for independent musicians to earn a living, and it’s indescribably harder today in the current global crisis. We must work together to defend today’s hardworking musicians, and to protect the next generation of artists.”
Board Member and Founder of the legendary alt-rock band CAKE John McCrea: “Even before the pandemic, the music economy was teetering on the edge. Technology companies prosper, while musicians are paid micro-pennies per stream, not to mention the loss of funds from touring. This crisis has laid bare what a slender reed our fellow musicians were hanging onto and calls upon us to get work building something new and more humane. ARA has always operated on an artist-to-artist model, connecting, engaging, and empowering each other built on the basic truth that no one will fight for you if you aren’t out there fighting for yourself.”
The Artist Rights Alliance is an artist-run, non-profit organization fighting for songwriters and musicians in the modern music economy. It is led by a Board of Directors including GRAMMY winner Rosanne Cash, music manager Thomas Manzi, John McCrea of CAKE, critically-acclaimed Americana singer/songwriter Tift Merritt, world guitar innovator Matthew Montfort, and Indie label executive and musician Maggie Vail. Longtime DC political strategist and former top House of Representatives staffer Ted Kalo is ARA’s Executive Director.
In addition to its advocacy work, one of ARA’s key missions is providing artists and their allies with resources, knowledge, and tools to navigate the complex music business landscape. ARA’s Nashville-based Educational and Grassroots Initiatives are led by Erin McAnally and Chelsea Crowell, musicians and creators with lifetime experience in and around songwriters, creators, and the music business. ARA has additionally set up a new website and artists’ forum to serve as an educational resource, advocacy platform, and open meeting place for songwriters and performers to exchange information and organize grassroots activities and campaigns. https://artistrightsalliance.org
ARA works to ensure artists are at the table when decisions are made on policies that affect their lives and livelihoods, and empowers artists to advocate directly for themselves through classes, events, and presentations to demystify music, politics, and the spaces where they intersect.
Exclusive, One Night Only Garth Brooks Concert Set For 300 Drive-In Theaters Across North America
Garth Brook is set for a concert event at 300 drive-in theaters across North America, only on June 27th. The drive in concert screening will be shown on the big screen on the grounds of the Casper Events Center.
Tickets will be on sale Friday, June 19th at 10:00 AM MT. They will be on sale at Ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks. There, you will also be able to review the drive-in theaters available in your area. Tickets are General Admission and of Limited Availability. They will cost $100, all-inclusive. Each ticket will admit one passenger car/truck. The event will take place rain or shine and will begin at dusk. All tickets must be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and no tickets will be available through the venue box office. The gates of the Casper Events Center will open at 7:00pm and the show will begin at appx. 8:30 p.m.
Concession and gate entrance details will be announced shortly.
The concert will be created exclusively for this event, making this a once in a lifetime experience. The concert will be the largest ever one-night show to play at outdoor theaters across the United States and Canada.
“I am so excited to get to play again. I have missed it so much and want to get back to it,” said Brooks. “This drive-in concert allows us all to get back to playing live music without the uncertainty of what would be the result to us as a community. This is old school, new school, and perfect for the time we are in.”
“Through The Lens” Def Jam Recordings To Premiere New Docu-Series Focusing On Titans Of Hip-Hop Photography
In conjunction with the ongoing 35th anniversary year celebration of Def Jam Recordings, and the 30th anniversary of Public Enemy’s worldwide breakthrough album Fear Of A Black Planet, UMe/Def Jam premieres the new three-episode docu-series Through The Lens today.
Produced by Def Jam and UMe, Through The Lens can be streamed here:
An ode to the impact of the iconic photography that became synonymous with Def Jam and its biggest stars, Through The Lens will focus on the three distinct eras that span the label’s 35-year history to date, following three post-modern titans of photoÂgraphy: Janette Beckman, Ricky Powell, and Jonathan Mannion.
Episode one of Through The Lens premieres on June 19th, focusing on British-born photographer Janette Beckman, who lives and works in New York and began her career at the dawn of punk rock, working for such music magazines as The Face and Melody Maker. Beckman was one of the first photographers to shoot LL Cool J, T La Rock and Slick Rick, whose images are featured in the series.
Episode two premieres on June 26th and features photographer Ricky Powell with in-depth interviews and images, with most of the latter unreleased including a photo of Chuck D at a mutual friend’s wedding in the Dominican Republic in 1989 on the precipice of Public Enemy releasing the album Fear Of The Black Planet.
Episode three premieres on July 10th and focuses on the photos of photographer and film director Jonathan Mannion, who has shot more than 300 album covers and worked with hip-hop and R&B performers including Jay Z and Young Jeezy. Through The Lens features twenty rarely-seen Mannion photos, including contact sheets from the Reasonable Doubt photoshoot with Jay-Z, as well as stories behind photos of Method Man, Redman and DMX.
Through The Lens also features interviews with original first-generation Def Jam artist LL Cool J; music journalist, hip-hop archivist, essayist and original first-generation Def Jam publicity director Bill Adler; and long-time Def Jam visual artist, graphic designer and style guru Cey Adams. Adler and Adams collaborated on the 300-page coffee-table book, Def Jam Recordings: The First 25 Years of the Last Great Record Label (Rizzoli, 2010), which also happens to be packed with the photography of Powell, Beckman, and Mannion (among many others).
To hear music discussed in the episodes of Through The Lens as well as Def Jam’s storied catalog, listen here.
2020 marks 30 years since Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame group Public Enemy dropped Fear of a Black Planet in 1990. PE’s game-changing third album included the iconic tracks “Fight the Power,” “Welcome To the TerrorÂdome,” and “911 Is a Joke.” The album became their first to chart around the world, went on to sell over two million copies to date, and has influenced virtually every rapper and MC in the game.
Def Jam Recordings was founded in 1984 as a maverick independent label harnessing the energy of New York City’s freshest sound: hip-hop. In its early years, Def Jam repped the very best in cutting-edge hip-hop, pioneered by iconic stars like LL Cool J, Slick Rick, The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy. Over the following two decades, Def Jam established its dominance with superstar acts like Jay-Z, DMX, Ja Rule, Method Man & Redman, Ludacris, Rihanna, Jeezy, and the inimitable Kanye West. Now in its fourth decade, Def Jam’s music and lifestyle has grown into a global brand – synonymous with creativity, quality and authenticity – lead by a diverse roster of marquee and emerging stars like Logic, Pusha T, Kanye West, YG, Justin Bieber, Big Sean, Nas, Alessia Cara, Jadakiss, YK Osiris, Jeremih, Dave East, Jhene Aiko, and many more.