Maimouna Youssef aka Mumu Fresh is an artist that any fan of gospel, jazz, soul and hip-hop needs to know. The Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and emcee is often playing a supporting vocalist role for The Roots, Femi Kuti, Common and many other big names in music. Her time is now.
My Next Read: Jon Savage’s “This searing light, the sun and everything else: Joy Division: The Oral History”
On March 7, 2019 (April 23 for the rest of the world) Faber Social will publish This searing light, the sun and everything else: Joy Division: The Oral History by Jon Savage.
Joy Division emerged in the mid-70s at the start of a two-decades long Manchester scene that was to become much mythologised. It was then a city still labouring in the wake of the war and entering a phase of huge social and physical change, and something of this spirit made its way into the DNA of the band. Over the course of two albums, a handful of other seminal releases, and some legendary gigs, Joy Division became the most successful and exciting underground band of their generation. Then, on the brink of a tour to America, Ian Curtis took his own life.
In This searing light, the sun and everything else: Joy Division: The Oral History, Jon Savage has assembled three decades worth of interviews with the principle players in the Joy Division story: Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Deborah Curtis, Peter Saville, Tony Wilson, Paul Morley, Alan Hempsall, Lesley Gilbert, Terry Mason, Anik Honore, and many more. It is the story of how a band resurrected a city, how they came together in circumstances that are both accidental and extraordinary, and how their music galvanised a generation of fans, artists and musicians. It is a classic story of how young people armed with electric guitars and good taste in literature can change the world with four chords and three-and-a-half minutes of music. And it is the story of how illness and demons can rob the world of a shamanic lead singer and visionary lyricist.
This searing light, the sun and everything else: Joy Division: The Oral History presents the history of Joy Division in an intimate and candid way, as orchestrated by the lodestar of British music writing, Jon Savage.
Jon Savage is the author of England’s Dreaming: Sex Pistols and Punk Rock, Teenage: The Creation of Youth, 1875 – 1945 and 1966: The Year the Decade Exploded.
You can get it here.
Marshmello Creates the Playlist to His Life
Marshmello creates a playlist of some of the most important songs in his life. With the help of his manager, Moe Shalizi, Marshmello explains why he loves songs like Lil Uzi Vert’s “XO Tour Llif3,” and Sum 41’s “Fatlip.”
Indigo Girls’ Amy Ray on Writing About Darkness, In A Literal Sense
Past Magazine asked Brandi Carlile if she’d interview Indigo Girls’ Amy Ray about her new record, Holler.
Brandi Carlile: You’re writing about the South and probably people you know, and it definitely resonates. It’s super beautiful. I don’t usually like to bother somebody and ask them what a song is about, so I wont. I’ll just tell you that I love the metaphor of “Fine With The Dark.” So, why are you fine with the dark?
Amy Ray: I’m fine with the dark because I think darkness is important, and I think metaphorically we too often associate negativity with the color black, and racism and everything. I think that the metaphor of darkness and light is used by everybody. It’s used in African American literature, it’s used in white literature, it’s used in Hispanic literature, it’s used in all literature—but there is a point where it can start being used where darkness is always invoked in a negative way. I am quite moved by Nina Simone and some of the writers of that era and singers of that era, black singers and black writers, who would point out in a sort of a tricky way that black was beautiful, and it needed to be said at the time.
So I was listening to “Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair,” actually, and thinking about how subversive that song was when she sang it. That’s like one of my favorite songs of all time, of any song ever, and I can listen to it a million times over. Her way of singing it. So I just started thinking about that song when I was writing about how we’re taught there’s these definite metaphors for light and dark. And I mean, we do it ourselves in Indigo Girls, too. I try not to do it, now, but it’s done in our past. I was thinking about that, and I was just thinking about how one of the most beautiful moments of my life ever was when I experienced a black out in New York City and like how incredible it was to be able to see stars, and that sometimes I’m so tired that all I want is to be in dark. I think about field laborers and people who are baking in the sun, and their friend was when the sun went down. I was thinking about all that when I wrote it, and I had been listening to not just Nina Simone but Elizabeth Cotton, who is just one of my favorite African American guitar players. I was thinking about her and her style—it’s impossible to cop—but I was trying to learn how to do finger-picking that way and listened to her on a plane ride where I just left that—it’s like a greatest hits sort of collection of her stuff that I have on my iPod, it’s like a playlist, and it was running and running and running and I got back to my house and I was just like, “Alright, let’s try to play that way.” This is the song that came out of it, basically. Learning how to play like that, I can’t really do it yet, but the song that came out was kind of like when I was trying to learn how to play banjo, it ended up being a song that I liked and I can’t totally execute it. I mean, I play it live on the record but it’s not everything I want it to be. It’s almost fragile. I tried to get better and better at it, but Brian was like, “I want you to record this before you get too good at what you’re doing because I want that fragileness.” I was like, “Easy for you to say, you don’t have to suck on the record.”
The Trews Are The Official Ambassadors For Record Store Day Canada 2019
Nova Scotia’s own The Trews have been named as Canadian Ambassadors for Record Store Day 2019. The honour has been bestowed on the rockers as part of the lead up to 2019’s Record Store Day, which takes place on April 13, 2019. The Trews join notables Pearl Jam (2019 USA Ambassadors), The Sheepdogs (2018 Champions of Canada) , Elton John (2017 RSD Champion of Great Britain), Jack White (2013 RSD Ambassador) and Dave Grohl (2015 RSD Ambassador) in celebrating independent record stores.
The Trews will be releasing an exclusive pressing of their 2005 game-changing album Den of Thieves. Now Certified Canadian Gold with over 50,000 sales, Den of Thieves established the band as radio heavyweights with the iconic hits “Poor Ol’ Broken Hearted Me” and “So She’s Leaving”. Available on double vinyl for the first time, the Record Store Day Canada special edition features transparent orange and classic black vinyl, rare photos, new liner notes from John-Angus MacDonald, plus 5 bonus tracks including “Den of Thieves”.
In 2018, the band released their 6th studio album Civilianaires on Cadence Music; their first in four years. Cut in Toronto, the band worked with legendary Canadian producer Bob Rock on 4 tracks, along with young and up and coming producer Derek Hoffman (The Elwins, Seaway) on this one. The band also co-wrote a few tracks alongside Canadian heavy weights Max Kerman of the Arkells (“Vintage Love”), and Serena Ryder (“Civilianaires”). Civilianaires debuted at #1 on the Canadian alt-charts, along with earning them a JUNO Nomination for Rock Album Of The Year.
Bradley Cooper Retired His ‘A Star Is Born’ Voice
Bradley Cooper spells out the decision to model his character’s voice in ‘A Star Is Born’ after Sam Elliott’s.
Teen in Spain builds his own prosthetic arm out of Lego
David Aguilar was born without a right forearm, but now makes himself prosthetics – out of Lego.
Ben Platt Lays Out North American Headline Tour
Grammy, TONY, and Emmy Award-winning artist Ben Platt today announces details of his highly anticipated North American headline tour, set to kick off May 3rd at Chicago Theatre in Chicago, IL. With stops throughout the US and Canada, the tour will come in support of Platt’s debut solo LP Sing to Me Instead, set to arrive everywhere Friday, March 29th. The run will feature support from Wrabel and Ben Abraham and include a stop at New York’s Beacon Theatre on May 14th, culminating with a show at LA’s iconic Dolby Theatre on May 24th.
Fans pre-ordering the album (pre-order available here) will receive a pre-sale ticket code and exclusive first access to tickets beginning this Friday, February 15th @ 10 AM (local). General on-sale for the dates will begin on Friday, February 22nd @ 10 AM (local). American Express Card Members can purchase tickets in select markets before the general public beginning Thursday, Feb 21 at 10am to 10 PM (local). A limited number of VIP packages will be available, including post show receptions with Ben, meet & greets, photos, Q&A’s and more.
Just over a week ago, Platt released the first two tracks off the eagerly awaited album – “Bad Habit” and “Ease My Mind” – available now via all digital music retailers and streaming services. “Bad Habit” also came accompanied by an incredibly moving official music video, directed by Nick Lieberman and streaming now HERE. The tracks and video were met with acclaim from fans and critics alike, with the Los Angeles Times declaring “‘Bad Habit’ and ‘Ease My Mind’ showcase [Platt’s] signature vibrato and guttural vulnerability.”
The album announcement and track release were heralded by exclusive performances from Platt at New York’s Bowery Hotel and LA’s The Nice Guy, as well as a three-night immersive gallery installation for fans in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, marked by surprise performances each night from Platt himself. Later this month, Platt will stop by “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” for the television debut performance of “Bad Habit” on Thursday, February 21st.
The winner of the 2017 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance as Evan Hansen in the smash hit, Dear Evan Hansen, Platt is one of today’s most extraordinary talents – a truly multi-faceted actor, singer, and all-around performer. Sing to Me Instead sees him making a remarkable arrival as recording artist and songwriter, co-writing all of the album’s songs. Tracks like “Bad Habit” and “Ease My Mind” reveal a striking, deeply emotive amalgam of classic popcraft with sweeping vocals and Platt’s own undeniable charm and versatility.
Sing to Me Instead marks Platt’s first recorded output since his stunning duet with Lin-Manuel Miranda in March 2018 on “Found/Tonight.” The track – which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart – was an installment in Miranda’s ‘Hamildrop’ series, and featured vocals from both men in an original medley of “The Story of Tonight” from Hamilton and “You Will Be Found” from Dear Evan Hansen.
Prior to “Found/Tonight,” Platt appeared as a lead vocalist on Dear Evan Hansen (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Atlantic Records’ Grammy® Award-winning companion to the Tony® Award-winning musical. One of only seven cast albums to reach the top 20 of the Billboard 200 in the last 50 years, the LP made a momentous chart debut upon its initial February 2017 release, entering the Billboard 200 at #8 – the highest debut position for an original cast album since 1961, and second highest digital sales debut ever for a cast album.
Platt received a Grammy Award for his role on the Dear Evan Hansen (Original Broadway Cast Recording), as well as a 2018 Daytime Emmy Award for his part in the cast’s powerful performance of “You Will Be Found” on NBC’s TODAY. His rapidly growing body of work also includes memorable roles in the Tony® Award-winning original Broadway production of The Book of Mormon and the blockbuster films, Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2, amongst many others. Platt will next lead an all-star cast in the much-anticipated new series, The Politician, produced by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan (Glee) and co-starring Jessica Lange, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Zoey Deutch. Co-executive produced by Platt, The Politician will premiere later this year on Netflix. He will also star in the upcoming films “Run This Town” – premiering at this year’s SXSW Film Festival – and “Broken Diamonds.”
SING TO ME INSTEAD TOUR – 2019
Friday, May 3 | Chicago, IL | Chicago Theatre
Saturday, May 4 | Detroit, MI | Fisher Theater
Monday, May 6 | Toronto, ON | Sony Centre for the PA
Wednesday, May 8 | Boston, MA | Wang Theatre
Saturday, May 11 | Washington DC | The Anthem
Sunday, May 12 | Philadelphia, PA | The Met Philadelphia
Tuesday, May 14 | New York, NY | Beacon Theatre
Thursday, May 16 | Atlanta, GA | Cobb Energy PAC
Saturday, May 18 | Austin, TX | ACL Live at The Moody Theatre
Sunday, May 19 | Irving, TX | Toyota Music Factory
Wednesday, May 22 | San Francisco, CA | Warfield Theatre
Friday, May 24 | Los Angeles, CA | Dolby Theatre
Weird Al’ Yankovic Shares His…Um…Unmade ‘Accordion Repo Man’ Film
It may come as no surprise that ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic was once an accordion repo man … for real. But what might be a little more shocking is that he created an action-hero movie based on his experience. Now the movie is brought to life for the first time ever: ‘Weird Al’s’ ‘Accordion Repo Man.’