This is some great footage from 1979 during the Dynasty tour that shows how the stage was build up and much more. This was the first tour to feature the famous flying stunt by Gene Simmons. This was also the first tour to feature Ace Frehley’s “lighted guitar” and his rocket-shooting guitar, where after his smoke-spewing guitar solo, the still-smoking guitar would float up.
Simple Plan’s Foundation Announces 2018 Donations Totaling $225,000
Last month, just a few days before Christmas, the Simple Plan Foundation announced its donations for 2018, for a total of $225,000. More than 30 charitable organizations, all devoted to helping young people in need, received financial support from the Foundation, bringing its total donations to $2.5 million since the FSP was started.
The list of recipients shows that the Simple Plan Foundation continues to support a large number of organizations working to help sick children battling with physical and mental illnesses, as well as young people dealing with difficult issues like addictions, poverty, homophobia and the consequences of war. Some of the organizations have benefited from the Foundation’s support for many years and include the St-Justine Children Hospital, Montreal’s Children Hospital, Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, The Lighthouse Children and Families, as well as Dr. Julien’s Music Garage, the Portage Foundation and War Child Canada. The SPF also added some new recipients this year like the Dr. Clown Foundation and the New Pathways Foundation, a charity devoted to helping First Nations youth in Canada.
2018 was a very busy year for Simple Plan, who performed over 75 concerts all over the world, including the entire final edition of the Vans Warped Tour that hit the US and Canada all summer. The band also played in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Brazil and finished its world tour in its home province of Quebec with a special benefit concert at the Gagné-Bergeron Pro-Am charity hockey game at the Videotron Center in Quebec City, along with many NHL superstars like Patrice Bergeron and Marc-André Fleury. The band is now focused on writing songs for its upcoming sixth album.
The Simple Plan band members as well as the Foundation’s volunteers would like to thank all the fans without whom all this would be impossible. They hope to be able to keep counting on fans’ loyal support in the future.
The full list of the 2018 donations recipients is also available at www.simpleplanfoundation.com
1000 People of Dance
YouTuber Matt Bray spent the last year and a half of his life traveling the world and making this dance video. According to Mashable, the project started with Bray dancing — by himself over 100 days in 2014, then in 100 different places in 2015, then with 100 different people in 2016. For his latest, Bray spent a year and a half traveling around the globe to a total of 15 different countries to create “1000 People of Dance.”
Here he is, dancing with 1,000 people, to the song “Lean” by VHS Collection. Just a few of the locations you’ll see included China, Chile, Japan, Israel, Australia, France, and Ireland.
And how did you spent your summer?
How Frank Sinatra Invented the Album
In the Wee Small Hours is the ninth studio album by Frank Sinatra, and was released in April 1955 by Capitol and produced by Voyle Gilmore with arrangements by Nelson Riddle. All the songs on the album deal with themes such as loneliness, introspection, lost love, failed relationships, depression and night life. In the Wee Small Hours has been called one of the first concept albums, right don to the cover, portraying Sinatra on an eerie and deserted street awash in blue-tinged street lights.
Polyphonic explains how Sinatra laid the foundation for the concept album.
James Blake on the mental toll of touring
“There’s a lot you don’t confront because you’re not really exposed to a usual routine or other people that will challenge you in a meaningful sense on a personal level. Especially if you’re in the limelight, that can definitely stop you from really needing to confront anything. There are a lot of musicians just starting out now who might not be aware of the pitfalls of touring and the pitfalls of a musician’s life.
“Mental health on the road is something which has generally been left until this generation to really deal with. I think we’ve seen the effects of the artist’s life laid out for us in previous generations, and I think we’re just starting to go, ‘maybe I shouldn’t use these methods to cope with it, maybe I should talk to somebody'”. – James Blake
FOO FIGHTERS DIRECTV Super Saturday Night in Atlanta With Special Guest Run The Jewels Is Sold Out, But You Can Watch It On Twitter
Who didn’t see this one coming… It’s official: Foo Fighters’ DIRECTV Super Saturday Night February 2 at Atlantic Station in Atlanta with special guest Run The Jewels is 100% SOLD OUT. Nothing you can do short of impersonating the Fed Ex or pizza delivery person or taking out a second mortgage can get you into this once in a lifetime show now…
There is good news, though: Both performances—Foo Fighters and Run The Jewels—will be streamed live to fans across the world on Twitter https://twitter.com/
The live stream begins at 10:30pm ET with FOO FIGHTERS hitting the stage at 11:00pm ET.
Yes, the stadium-shaking anthems that have earned Foo Fighters 12 Grammy Awards, sold 25 million records and continue to sell millions of tickets the world over will come to your living room if you can’t make it to Atlanta. And don’t sleep on this one: The band has been circling the globe crushing it with rock marathons since its latest album, the international #1 Concrete and Gold, was released in September 2017. There are fewer Foo Fighters U.S. gigs left on the itinerary than you can count on two hands so make sure you’re in front of that phone, tablet or TV screen February 2. It may be your last dose of live Foo Fighters for quite some time to come. And Run the Jewels are sure to crush it too. If there was ever a night to make any excuse to stay in and go big…
In the meantime, get psyched for the big show the night before the big game, specifically: Get Jacked on Jackalopes! Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Larry Butz (Dave Grohl) sponsored by Butz Bail Bonds
Helmuut Pyle (Pat Smear) sponsored by Pyles Adult diapers
Jake Schenker (Chris Shiflett)
Bertrand Hitchens (Nate Mendel) sponsored by 1 800 Ferns
Bret Rogers (Taylor Hawkins)
The Longest Yard and Invincible got nothing on the Jackalopes—you’ll be on the edge of your seat dying to know “WILL THEY MAKE IT TO SUPER SATURDAY NIGHT BEFORE THE BIG GAME?”
BTS ‘FAKE LOVE/Airplane pt.2’ CD Available March 15 In The US
The first Korean artist to debut No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart for two consecutive albums, the first Korean artist to have four RIAA certified Gold singles, the only group to win Top Social Artist for two consecutive years at the Billboard Music Awards (2017 and 2018), global superstars BTS will be releasing their latest Japanese single ‘FAKE LOVE/Airplane pt.2’ on March 15 in the US. The group had recently released their long-awaited Japanese-language album, FACE YOURSELF, in the US, and is in the middle of their world tour that kicked off in Korea in August 2018. While in the US they have also appeared on top TV shows including America’s Got Talent, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Good Morning America and gave a speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
The latest Japanese single features the Japanese versions of the mega hit “FAKE LOVE,” whose original Korean version has more than 400 million views on YouTube, and “Airplane pt.2.” Also included on the CD are the remixes of “IDOL” and “FAKE LOVE -Japanese ver.-.”
Limited Edition A comes with a DVD containing the music videos of the Japanese versions of “FAKE LOVE” and “Airplane pt.2,” while the DVD on Limited Edition B features the making of both the music video of “Airplane pt.2 -Japanese ver.-” and jacket photos. Limited Edition C includes a 36-page photo booklet including exclusive photos of the group.
Limited Edition A (CD + DVD)
Disc 1: CD (same content as in Limited Editions B & C and)
1. FAKE LOVE -Japanese ver.-
2. Airplane pt.2 -Japanese ver.-
3. IDOL (Stadium Remix)
4. FAKE LOVE -Japanese ver.- (Remix)
Disc 2: DVD
1. Airplane pt.2 -Japanese ver.- [Music Video]
2. FAKE LOVE [Music Video]
Limited Edition B (CD + DVD)
Disc 1: CD (same content as in Limited Editions A & C)
Disc 2: DVD
1. Airplane pt.2 -Japanese ver.- [Making of Music Video]
2. Making of Jacket Photos
Limited Edition C (CD + photo booklet)
36 page booklet
Disc 1: CD (same content as in Limited Editions A & B)
BTS WORLD TOUR
Aug 25, 2018 Seoul, SOUTH KOREA – Olympic Stadium
Aug 26, 2018 Seoul, SOUTH KOREA – Olympic Stadium
Sep 5, 2018 Los Angeles, CA, USA – Staples Center
Sep 6, 2018 Los Angeles, CA, USA – Staples Center
Sep 8, 2018 Los Angeles, CA, USA – Staples Center
Sep 9, 2018 Los Angeles, CA, USA – Staples Center
Sep 12, 2018 Oakland, CA, USA – Oracle Arena
Sep 15, 2018 Fort Worth, TX, USA – Fort Worth Convention Center
Sep 16, 2018 Fort Worth, TX, USA – Fort Worth Convention Center
Sep 20, 2018 Hamilton, ON, Canada – First Ontario Centre
Sep 22, 2018 Hamilton, ON, Canada – First Ontario Centre
Sep 23, 2018 Hamilton, ON, Canada – First Ontario Centre
Sep 28, 2018 Newark, NJ, USA – Prudential Center
Sep 29, 2018 Newark, NJ, USA – Prudential Center
Oct 2, 2018 Chicago, IL, USA – United Center
Oct 3, 2018 Chicago, IL, USA – United Center
Oct 6, 2018 New York, NY, USA – Citi Field
Oct 9, 2018 London, UK – The O2 Arena
Oct 10, 2018 London, UK – The O2 Arena
Oct 13, 2018 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
Oct 16, 2018 Berlin, Germany – Mercedes-Benz Arena
Oct 17, 2018 Berlin, Germany – Mercedes-Benz Arena
Oct 19, 2018 Paris, France – Accorhotels Arena
Oct 20, 2018 Paris, France – Accorhotels Arena
Nov 13, 2018 Tokyo, Japan – Tokyo Dome
Nov 14, 2018 Tokyo, Japan – Tokyo Dome
Nov 21, 2018 Osaka, Japan – Kyocera Dome Osaka
Nov 23, 2018 Osaka, Japan – Kyocera Dome Osaka
Nov 24, 2018 Osaka, Japan – Kyocera Dome Osaka
Dec 8, 2018 Taoyuan – Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Dec 9, 2018 Taoyuan – Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Jan 12, 2019 Nagoya, Japan – Nagoya Dome
Jan 13, 2019 Nagoya, Japan – Nagoya Dome
Jan 19, 2019 Singapore – Singapore National Stadium
Feb 16, 2019 Fukuoka, Japan – Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome
Feb 17, 2019 Fukuoka, Japan – Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome
Mar 20, 2019 Hong Kong – AsiaWorld-Expo Arena
Mar 21, 2019 Hong Kong – AsiaWorld-Expo Arena
Mar 23, 2019 Hong Kong – AsiaWorld-Expo Arena
Mar 24, 2019 Hong Kong – AsiaWorld-Expo Arena
Apr 6, 2019 Bangkok, Thailand – Rajamangala National Stadium
Apr 7, 2019 Bangkok, Thailand – Rajamangala National Stadium
Two-Time Oscar Winner Jodie Foster Joins MasterClass to Teach Filmmaking
MasterClass, the online education company that enables anyone to learn from the best in the world, announced today that renowned actor-director Jodie Foster will offer her first online class available exclusively through its platform. Foster’s organic mastery of film direction, bolstered by decades of critically acclaimed on-screen performances, will provide students in her class with a unique and personal approach to filmmaking that will appeal to aspiring directors, screenwriters, actors, and cinephiles alike. Foster’s class is now available at www.masterclass.com/jfo. Enrollment for the class is $90 for lifetime access, or $180 per year for the All-Access Pass, which grants unlimited access to all new and existing classes.
Over her 52 year career, Foster has appeared in over 40 major films, directed four feature-length movies and won nearly 60 awards—among them, two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, four Juniper Awards and three Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. Foster started her career at the tender age of two and ascended to superstardom with striking performances in Taxi Driver, The Silence of The Lambs, The Accused, and Nell, portraying complex characters alongside acting heavyweights Robert De Niro, Anthony Hopkins, and Liam Neeson. Foster made her directorial debut in 1991 with Little Man Tate, following up with Home for the Holidays (1995), The Beaver (2011) and, her most recent feature film, Money Monster (2016), starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts. Since then, Foster has ventured into television, directing episodes of Netflix original series “House of Cards,” “Black Mirror,” and “Orange Is the New Black,” which earned her an Emmy nomination.
“I’m thrilled to be able to share the lessons I’ve learned over the years with people who are equally as passionate about film,” said Foster. “Authentic storytelling is about having the courage to be vulnerable, tapping into those deeply personal experiences and identifying the right ingredients to have them translate on screen. I wanted to teach this MasterClass to share that experience of creating a signature and expressing yourself in a work of art. For me, that’s the joy of making movies.”
In her MasterClass, Foster provides aspiring filmmakers with a practical and holistic approach to cinematic storytelling, sharing case studies from some of her iconic films, including Money Monster and The Beaver, and guiding students across all steps of the creative process from ideation and storyboarding to how to approach an edit. The class also features a section on collaboration and shows Foster working with prominent screenwriter Scott Frank (Logan, Out of Sight, Minority Report) to develop a screenplay. Students will walk away with a practical applications for directing, understanding how to bring out the best in actors, make distinct visual choices and elevating the “big idea” in their film, and will have exclusive access to scripts and directing notes from the four films Foster directed as part of the accompanying workbook.
Nat King Cole Centennial Celebration Begins With Special Music Releases
With the direct participation of the Nat King Cole Estate, and as part of the celebration of the global entertainment legend’s centennial year, Capitol/UMe will release two new collections showcasing Cole’s music on March 15: Ultimate Nat King Cole (CD and digital; 2LP vinyl to follow June 14) and International Nat King Cole (CD). The former includes an exclusive new duet of “The Girl From Ipanema,” pairing Cole’s original vocals with newly recorded vocals by GRAMMY-winning Blue Note Records artist Gregory Porter, whose much lauded 2018 album tribute to Cole, Nat King Cole and Me, is GRAMMY-nominated this year. On the same date, a newly expanded edition of Marvin Gaye’s 1965 album, A Tribute To The Great Nat King Cole, will be released by Motown/UMe for download purchase and streaming.
The releases are among a host of special events, projects and programs commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nat King Cole, widely acknowledged as one of the most honored and iconic performing and recording artists of all time. Born March 17, 1919 in Montgomery, Alabama, the masterful pianist and vocalist’s initial focus was the jazz idiom, having formed the Nat King Cole Trio while in his 20s. The group was an almost immediate sensation and proved influential to the extent that no less an authority than Count Basie marveled, “Those cats used to read each other’s mind — it was unbelievable.” Ray Charles inducted Cole into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and readily admitted to Cole’s monumental influence on him.
Cole was signed to Capitol Records in 1943 and The King Cole Trio, his initial album released in 1945 at the dawn of the LP format, topped Billboard’s inaugural album chart. He went on to record nearly 700 songs for Capitol, including 150 singles that charted on Billboard’s Pop, R&B and/or Country charts. That phenomenal success led to Capitol’s iconic round building on Vine Street in Hollywood to be informally known as “The House That Nat Built.”
Ultimate Nat King Cole features 21 tracks, including the aforementioned new duet with Gregory Porter as well as 20 classic Nat King Cole hits and favorites, including “Unforgettable,” “Mona Lisa,” “Straighten Up And Fly Right,” “L-O-V-E,” “The Very Thought Of You,” “Stardust,” and “Nature Boy.”
International Nat King Cole is exclusively available for preorder from uDiscoverMusic.com. The limited-edition CD presents 14 beguiling songs Cole recorded in languages other than English at Capitol Studios in August 1964, including “L-O-V-E” in French, German, Japanese, Spanish, and Italian; “Muetterlein” (“Answer Me, My Love“) in German; and “Autumn Leaves” in French and Japanese. Ultimate Nat King Cole and International Nat King Cole both include newly-written essays by actor and award-winning writer James Ritz.
Nat King Cole’s huge influence is evident in the new expanded edition of Marvin Gaye’s A Tribute To The Great Nat King Cole. In addition to album’s original mono mix, which is making its digital debut, the new edition features more than a dozen bonus tracks, including six alternate takes from the studio sessions.
Along with his trailblazing musical career, Cole is recognized for his contributions to the struggle for civil rights and racial equality. His efforts were done in his own unique style. In 1946, Cole broadcast a 15-minute national radio program, “King Cole Trio Time,” the first of its kind to be hosted by an African American musician. In 1956, he also became the first major African American entertainer to host his own national network TV show. NBC’s “Nat King Cole Show” aired weekly from November 1956 to December 1957, the cancelation of which was caused by a paucity of sponsors since marketers were afraid to offend white viewers with a program hosted by an African American. Cole also appeared in several films, including his top-billed portrayal of W.C. Handy in 1958’s St. Louis Blues and his final big screen star turn as Shouter / Sunrise Kid in 1965’s Cat Ballou.
In 1948, Cole purchased a house for his family in the all-white Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. The Ku Klux Klan burned a cross on the family’s front lawn, and members of the neighborhood’s property owners association told Cole they did not want any “undesirables” moving into the neighborhood. Cole responded, “Neither do I. And if I see anybody undesirable coming in here, I’ll be the first to complain.” He helped overturn the 1920s Los Angeles statute that had kept the neighborhood segregated. The KKK targeted Cole and struck again in 1956 when Klansmen rushed the stage and beat Cole at a concert performance in Birmingham, Alabama. He would never perform in the south again.
In 1959, Cole won the GRAMMY Award for Best Performance by a “Top 40” Artist for “Midnight Flyer.” In 1963, he was honored with a Special Achievement Award from the Golden Globes.
Cole’s final album, L-O-V-E, was recorded in December 1964 and released in January 1965, just before his untimely death on February 15 at the age of 45. The album reached No. 4 on the Billboard albums chart. At the time, it was reported that Capitol Records had sold more than nine million Nat King Cole records. From “Mona Lisa” to “Unforgettable,” Nat King Cole’s songs are incomparable; it is difficult to contemplate a holiday season without the warmth of Cole’s evergreen rendition of “The Christmas Song.”
In 1990, Cole was posthumously awarded the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. He has four recordings in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame: “The Christmas Song” (1946), “Nature Boy” (1948), “Mona Lisa” (1950), and “Unforgettable” (1951). Cole’s 1944 hit, “Straighten Up And Fly Right,” and the Jazz at the Philharmonic album series in which he is a featured artist have been selected for preservation by the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, which honors “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” American recordings.
In 1991, Cole’s daughter Natalie Cole released Unforgettable: With Love, featuring her virtual duet of “Unforgettable” with her father. The album topped charts around the world and won the coveted Album Of The Year GRAMMY Award. Just three years thereafter, the U.S. Postal Service issued a Nat King Cole commemorative stamp in its “Legends of American Music” series. In 2000, Nat King Cole was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Established in 2008 by his twin daughters Timolin and Casey Cole, Nat King Cole Generation Hope honors the legacy of their father and mother, Maria Cole. The 501(c)(3) organization dedicates their resources to build sustainable music programs for schools across the United States.
Interest in Nat King Cole’s story continues to grow as each new generation discovers his music, as well as his trailblazing, catalytic role in several important cultural and sociopolitical advancements, including the U.S. civil rights movement. The arc of Cole’s life is a study in success despite adversity, and the triumph of civility, respect and talent married with political, cultural and business savvy.
natkingcole.com
facebook.com/natkingcole | twitter.com/natkingcole
instagram.com/natkingcolemusic | youtube.com/natkingcolemusic
Ultimate Nat King Cole [CD; digital; 2LP vinyl]
- (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
- Straighten Up And Fly Right
- (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
- Sweet Lorraine
- Unforgettable
- Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
- Mona Lisa
- Pretend
- Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps)
- Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow
- Stardust
- Orange Colored Sky
- When I Fall In Love
- The Very Thought Of You
- Perfidia
- Let There Be Love
- Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer
- L-O-V-E
- Smile
- Nature Boy
- The Girl From Ipanema (with Gregory Porter)
International Nat King Cole [CD]
- L-O-V-E (French Version)
- Les Feuilles Mortes (Autumn Leaves / French Version)
- Crois-Moi Ca Durera (You’ll See / French Version)
- Le Bonheur C’est Quand On S’aime
- Vous Qui Passez Sans Me Voir (Passing By / French Version)
- L-O-V-E (German Version)
- Muetterlein (Answer Me, My Love / German Version)
- L-O-V-E (Japanese Version)
- I Don’t Want To Be Hurt Anymore (Japanese Version)
- Kareha (Autumn Leaves / Japanese Version)
- L-O-V-E (Spanish Version)
- Tu Eres Tan Amable
- L-O-V-E (Italian Version)
- Tu Sei Cosi Amabile
Marvin Gaye: A Tribute To The Great Nat King Cole (Expanded Edition) [digital]
- Goodbye
- I Wish You Love
- If I Had To Go
- So In Love
- The End Of A Love Affair
- The More I See You
- Violets For Your Furs
- You’re All That Matter To Me
- Nature Boy / original mono LP mix
- Ramblin’ Rose / original mono LP mix
- Too Young / original mono LP mix
- Pretend / original mono LP mix
- Straighten Up and Fly Right / original mono LP mix
- Mona Lisa / original mono LP mix
- Unforgettable / original mono LP mix
- To the Ends of the Earth / original mono LP mix
- Sweet Lorraine / original mono LP mix
- It’s Only a Paper Moon / original mono LP mix
- Send for Me / original mono LP mix
- Calypso Blues / original mono LP mix
- Unforgettable / original California version, take 2
- Send for Me / original California version, take 1
- Send for Me / original California version, take 3
- Ramblin’ Rose / alternate vocal
- Too Young / alternate vocal, take 1
- Send for Me / alternate vocal, take 1