Maestro Fresh-Wes talks about his ode to the Raptors ‘Jurassic Park’
Digging Deep, The Robert Plant Podcast – Episode 1 – Calling To You
In the first episode of ‘Digging Deep’, Robert Plant discusses, ‘Calling To You’, the opening track on his 1993 album ‘Fate of Nations’. The song didn’t get the reaction some would have hoped:
Robert says, “I did a track on Shaken ‘n’ Stirred called ‘Too Loud,’ and I got some of Bette Midler’s girls to help me with some choruses and stuff. I basically was seriously affected by David Byrne. It’s very funny, it’s a funny song, it’s supposed to be funny…So the record label said, ‘What are we supposed to do with this?’” Plant said. “I said, “Play it and let’s get some reaction.’ Calls [to radio stations] were very important, that’s a very important aspect of floating a new collection of songs. Sadly though, the calls that came into WXRT in Chicago were, ‘Get that shit off the [air], who is that, what the hell is that? Who is he trying to be?’
“That was a real great moment for me because they would send me all the responses typed out,” he says. “I was very proud, I thought that was another great moment, for the man who wouldn’t be king.”
Subscribe now on iTunes, Spotify, Acast, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts to get the next episode here.
Photo Gallery: Corey Hart with Glass Tiger at London’s Budweiser Gardens
All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her at minismemories@hotmail.com
The Debaters Live On Tour Announce Holiday Special Dates
Following the success of their 2017/18 run, The Debaters Live on Tour return with a 2019 Holiday Special, kicking off in Nanaimo, BC on November 18. Tickets will go on sale Friday, June 14 at 10am. Full list of tour dates below.
The Debaters Live on Tour is the comedy stage show where comics go toe to toe in a battle of laughs and logic and the audience picks the winner. Award-winning comedian and host, Steve Patterson brings two of Canada’s top headlining stand-up comics, DeAnne Smith and Graham Chittenden to venues across Canada to delight crowds with an exhilarating exchange of facts and funny.
But that’s not all. Before Steve launches into the debate portion, The Debaters Live on Tour gets the holiday hilarity rolling with razor-sharp stand-up comedy from all three of these world-class comics.
The Debaters Live on Tour Holiday Special features two debates in the format familiar to fans of the popular radio show The Debaters. Program creator and tour producer, Richard Side, is excited to present this extraordinary line-up that will deliver the festive fun and will leave audiences debating only one thing: which part of the evening made them laugh the hardest.
These all-new comedic clashes are for live audiences only and will not be recorded for broadcast. No two live shows are ever alike so get your tickets now for a once in a lifetime experience.
General on sale begins Friday, June 14, 2019 at 10 a.m. local times here.
The Debaters Live on Tour – Holiday Special Canadian Dates:
November 18 – Nanaimo, BC – Port Theatre
November 19 – Victoria, BC – Royal Theatre
November 22 – Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford Arts Centre
November 23 – Vernon, BC – Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre
November 25 – Edmonton, AB – Winspear Centre
November 27 – Kitchener, ON – Centre In The Square
November 29 – London, ON – Centennial Hall
November 30 – Hamilton, ON – FirstOntario Concert Hall
December 1 – Kingston, ON – Grand Theatre
Video: In 1965, Ted Cassidy, the guy who played “Lurch” on The Addams Family, appeared on TV’s “Shindig” to promote his new dance single
It’s not the greatest tune of the 1960s, but the dance moves at 1:55 should be memorized.
Video: Kanye West stars in a never-aired Curb Your Enthusiasm-inspired HBO comedy pilot directed by Larry Charles in 2008
In 2008, a year after debuting with his Graduation album, Kanye West and HBO did a deal to produced an untitled, hour-long pilot but HBO demanded that it be cut to 30 minutes. According to Larry Charles, Kanye West told him “I’m the black Larry David” and that he wanted his series to be similar to Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000).
Maestro Fresh Wes pays tribute to Toronto Raptors in new video ”Jurassic Park”
Maestro Fresh Wes — the Godfather of Canadian hip hop — has dropped a fresh video for his infectious Toronto Raptors-inspired anthem. “Jurassic Park” is available now!
Produced and featuring Rich Kidd, the track and video is a celebration of the award-winning artist’s hometown team and their fans who gather outside the stadium for games.
Shot by Lee Solo and edited by FLX VSN, “Jurassic Park” was initially featured on Maestro’s 2017 LP Coach Fresh — available on all platforms.
The video comes amidst Williams’ latest release, Champagne Campaign, an album that marks his 30th anniversary of exploding onto the scene with 1989’s iconic Symphony in Effect. Its success blazed a fiery fresh trail, becoming the first hip hop release to receive a JUNO Award for Best Rap Recording of the Year, and first Canadian hip hop album to reach Platinum status.
Even more, his legendary track “Let Your Backbone Slide” made Williams the first Canadian hip hop artist to have a single reach Gold status; he was also the first Canadian hip hop artist to have a stronghold on Billboard’s Top 20 Rap Singles chart.
With 14 JUNO nominations (plus a second win, this time for Best Video in ’91), real estate on the Scarborough Walk of Fame, anthems on repeat for both ’14 and ’16 Olympics — to say the least — Williams is easily considered one of Canada’s premier and most notable multi-media personalities. His previous 2017 LP Coach Fresh was also nominated last year for another JUNO Award, and he just wrapped up eight seasons playing the role of Vice Principal Paul Dwyer on the CBC hit sitcom, Mr. D.
The Very Very Best Of Crowded House Set For Long-Awaited Vinyl Debut Released July 12
Originally issued on CD in 2010, The Very Very Best Of Crowded House is set to make its long-awaited vinyl debut on July 12 through Capitol Records/Universal Music.
Due for release in a glorious gatefold sleeve including notes & printed inner bags, The Very Very Best Of Crowded House has been compiled & cut from original analogue master tapes at London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios to 2 x 180-gram Heavyweight Black vinyl LPs.
Also released, a special Limited-Edition Orange Vinyl version is available at key physical retailers across the Globe, making for an essential compendium for both committed fans and first timers.
Boasting 19 career-spanning tracks, the collection documents Crowded House’s legend-enshrining period with Capitol Records/EMI which began with their self-titled 1986 debut and concluded with their 2007 reunion album, Time On Earth. The tracklist features all the celebrated antipodean outfit’s signature hits (“Don’t Dream It’s Over,” “Better Be Home Soon,” “Weather With You,” “Fall At Your Feet,” “Distant Sun”) in addition to “Instinct” and “Not The Girl You Think You Are” from the 1996 compilation, Recurring Dream, and “Don’t Stop Now” and “Pour Le Monde” from the well-received Time On Earth.
The Very Very Best Of Crowded House was a Top 20 hit in both Australia and New Zealand on its initial release in 2010 and it attracted considerable international acclaim, returning to the Australian ARIA Top 5 in 2016 around their 30thAnniversary “Encore” performances on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. Classic Rock’s review remarked, “it’s hard not to be wowed by this back catalogue of golden pop genius” while the BBC declared, “Crowded House have a catalogue that features so many gems that they should be held in the high regard primarily reserved for acts that came before them, the likes of The Beatles and the [Rolling] Stones.”
First formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1985, Crowded House’s original line-up featured New Zealand native Neil Finn(vocals, guitar and primary songwriter) along with Australian rhythm section, Nick Seymour (bass) and Paul Hester(drums). This core trio recorded 1986’s multi-platinum-selling Crowded House and 1988’s Temple Of Low Men, before being joined by Neil Finn’s brother Tim for 1991’s Woodface and multi-instrumentalist Mark Hart for 1993’s highly-regarded Together Alone.
Crowded House split after a high-profile – and extremely emotional – final show performed for an estimated 250,000 people outside Sydney’s famous Opera House, on 24 November 1996, which was captured on the Farewell To The WorldDVD. Despite Paul Hester’s tragic death in 2005, Finn and Seymour reformed the band in 2006 alongside Mark Hart and former Beck drummer Matt Sherrod, going on to record two further albums, Time On Earth and 2010’s Intriguer. Crowded House were inducted into Australia’s ARIA Hall Of Fame in November 2016 and to date have sold upwards of 10 million albums worldwide.
The Very Very Best Of Crowded House Tracklist – 2LP
Side A
“Something So Strong” 2:53
“Weather with You” 3:44
“It’s Only Natural” 3:30
“Chocolate Cake” 4:01
“Fall at Your Feet” 3:18
Side B
“Distant Sun” 3:51
“Better Be Home Soon” 3:08
“Four Seasons in One Day” 2:48
“Don’t Dream It’s Over” 3:56
“Mean to Me” – 3:16
Side C
“Locked Out” 3:17
“Don’t Stop Now” 3:54
“Pineapple Head” 3:29
“Instinct” 3:09
“Fingers of Love” 4:26
Side D
“Private Universe” 5:39
“Not the Girl You Think You Are” 4:10
“Nails in My Feet” 3:42
“Pour le Monde” 5:10
“Become BTS’ Manager on BTS WORLD!” BTS World Release Date Announced For June 25
Netmarble Corp. has announced Tuesday, June 25 PST / Wednesday, June 26 KST as the release date for its highly anticipated mobile game BTS WORLD, where players become BTS’ manager to foster BTS in becoming the global superstars.
Created in conjunction with the global superstars, BTS WORLD is a story-based mobile simulation game that takes players on an interactive journey. The story of BTS WORLD takes players back to the start before the band’s debut to pursue the role of BTS’ manager, with the ultimate goal of fostering BTS to become superstars.
Players will encounter various missions where they will select certain BTS member cards to clear the mission and progress through the game. Collecting and upgrading these cards will open up even more stories along the way, and players will be able to interact virtually with BTS in the game through a 1:1 interactive system.
Pre-registration for the game is currently open at https://btsw.netmarble.com. A new, playable ‘mini game’ demo of BTS WORLD will be available on the site, giving players a preview ahead of launch. The pre-registration site also currently features a game introduction, a BTS story, and “From BTS” – a special sneak peek of the game’s “mobile function” that lets players interact virtually with group members, as well as a mini-game that pairs players with the BTS member they match with best as a manager.
BTS WORLD will also reveal all-new, original soundtrack from BTS leading up to the launch, starting with a sub-unit song by Jin, Jimin, and Jung Kook of BTS.
The game will be released worldwide (excluding China) for iOS and Android devices. For more information on BTS WORLD, please visit https://btsw.netmarble.com. The latest updates are also available by following BTS WORLD on Twitter and Instagram.
Pavarotti Radio Launching On SiriusXM To Celebrate New Documentary Film Chronicling The Great Entertainer Who Brought Opera To The Masses
Renowned tenor Luciano Pavarotti and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard are returning to SiriusXM, with the launch of Pavarotti Radio, an exclusive limited-run music channel celebrating the music and influence of Luciano Pavarotti, the famed Italian operatic tenor. SiriusXM’s Pavarotti Radio kicks off June 6 at 12:00pm ET and runs through June 16 on channel 77 and through the SiriusXM app on smartphones and other connected devices.
The new Pavarotti channel complements the arrival of the documentary PAVAROTTI in select theaters June 7. Pavarotti Radio will showcase music and recorded performances from the world’s most loved tenor of all time, as well as artists he influenced and interviews and stories from those who knew him, including Nicoletta Mantovani, Luciano Pavarotti’s widow, as well as Howard.
This limited-run music channel will also feature the world premiere of a live performance of “Miserere” with Andrea Bocelli and Zucchero from the soundtrack, Pavarotti: Music From The Motion Picture (Decca), as well as several previously unreleased live superstar duets with Barry White (“You’re The First, The Last, My Everything”), James Brown(“It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World”) and Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor (“Too Much Love Will Kill You”), from the new three-disc best of collection, Pavarotti: The Greatest Hits (Decca/UMe). The complementary releases will both be released on June 7 in conjunction with the film.
From Pavarotti’s earliest beginnings to the very last days of his life, the Ron Howard-directed PAVAROTTI follows the renowned singer over the course of his prolific career revealing previously unknown details about the legendary tenor, and harnessing the incredible sounds and music from the man credited for bringing an “elite art form to the masses.” A CBS Films, Polygram Entertainment, Brian Grazer presentation, PAVAROTTI is an Imagine Entertainment and White Horse Pictures production.
Noted Ron Howard, “It is wonderful to be able to partner with SiriusXM on a dedicated channel allowing fans and new listeners alike the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the music of the genius that is Luciano Pavarotti. Whether getting tuned up to see the film or wanting to continue the experience after leaving the theater, this channel will allow us all to experience Pavarotti wherever and whenever we want.”
SiriusXM subscribers are able to listen on SiriusXM radios, and those with streaming access can listen online, on-the-go with the SiriusXM mobile app and at home on a wide variety of connected devices including smart TVs, Amazon Alexa devices, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Sonos speakers and more. Go to www.SiriusXM.com/streaming to learn more.