Paul McCartney sets the record straight on the career-changing meeting that broke up the Beatles in an interview with Howard Stern.
Rami Malek on Becoming Freddie Mercury
Rami Malek talks about playing Freddie Mercury in his new film “Bohemian Rhapsody,” getting the role, what it took to look like Freddie, pranking one of his cast mates, working with Mike Myers, and reveals what it was like meeting Freddie Mercury’s sister.
John Krasinski Was Ready To Quit Acting Before ‘The Office’
‘Jack Ryan’ star John Krasinski was ready to give up on his dream of acting. His mom wouldn’t pick him up. Then, three weeks later…
Your Next Fave Book: Jessica Hopper’s Night Moves
Written in taut, mesmerizing, often hilarious scenes, Jessica Hopper’s Night Moves captures the fierce friendships and small moments that form us all. Drawing on her personal journals from the aughts, Jessica Hopper chronicles her time as a DJ, living in decrepit punk houses, biking to bad loft parties with her friends, exploring Chicago deep into the night. And, along the way, she creates an homage to vibrant corners of the city that have been muted by sleek development. A book birthed in the amber glow of Chicago streetlamps, Night Moves is about a transformative moment of cultural history—and how a raw, rebellious writer found her voice.
Jessica Hopper is a music critic and the author of The First Collection of Criticism By A Living Female Rock Critic. She was formerly the Editorial Director at MTV News, and an editor at Pitchfork and Rookie. Her essays have appeared in Best Music Writing for 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2011. Her book The Girls’ Guide to Rocking was named one of 2009’s Notable Books For Young Readers by the American Library Association.
Get it here.
Must Read Book: The Gospel According to Luke by Steve Lukather
No one explodes one of the longest-held misconceptions of music history better than Steve Lukather and his band Toto. The dominant sound of the late ‘70s and ‘80s was not punk, but a slick, polished amalgam of rock and R&B first staked out on Boz Scaggs’ Silk Degrees. That album was shaped in large part by the founding members of Toto, who were emerging as the most in-demand elite session crew in LA, and further developed on the band’s self-titled multi-platinum debut. A string of massive hits followed for Toto while Lukather and bandmates David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, and Steve Porcaro also served as creative linchpins on some of the most successful and influential records of the era, including Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
In this incisive memoir, Lukather tells the complete Toto story. He also lifts the lid on what went on behind the closed studio doors, shedding light on the unique creative processes of some of the most legendary names in music: from Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, and Elton John to Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Roger Waters, and Aretha Franklin. Lukather’s extraordinary tale also encompasses the dark side of stardom and the American Dream. Frank, engaging, and often hilarious, The Gospel According to Luke is no ordinary rock memoir. It is the real thing.
Get it here.
National Music Centre announces partnership with ADISQ Hall of Fame
The National Music Centre (NMC) is pleased to announce a new partnership with ADISQ (the l’Association québécoise de l’industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la vidéo), Quebec’s music industry association, which will see the ADISQ Hall of Fame find a permanent home in Calgary within Studio Bell.
Tomorrow during a gala event in Montreal, legendary Quebec rock group Harmonium will be inducted into the hall of fame, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2018. Artifacts from them and other inductees will be incorporated into future exhibitions at Studio Bell.
The ADISQ Hall of Fame joins the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Collection, on level five of Studio Bell, a floor entirely dedicated to celebrating and recognizing Canadian music creators and artists who have left their mark at home and abroad.
In addition to the ADISQ Hall of Fame, the recipient of ADISQ’s Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award has participated in NMC’s Artist in Residence program for the past year as part of their prize. On-the-rise singer-songwriter Émile Bilodeau recorded at Studio Bell earlier in 2018, and this year’s Breakthrough Artist winner will be invited to record in Calgary, too. This program offers breakthrough Quebec acts access to NMC’s vast collection of historical musical artifacts, which spans over 450 years of technology and innovation, in the composition and recording of new works.
“This partnership with the National Music Centre will further enable us to help promote Quebec artists outside of the province,” said Solange Drouin, Vice-President of Public Affairs and Director General at ADISQ. “It is important that the history of our artists is known throughout the country, and we are delighted that their legacy will be celebrated and shared with visitors at Studio Bell.”
Ticketmaster’s top music-inspired TIFF ‘18 picks – tickets still available!
As the official ticketing partner of TIFF, Ticketmaster is proud to help fans get tickets safely and securely to the films of their choice. And as live music fans, Ticketmaster can’t get enough of this year’s roster of music-inspired films at TIFF!
Carmine Street Guitars – Documentarian Ron Mann delivers a ballad to Greenwich Village guitar-maker Rick Kelly, who builds his custom-made instruments from repurposed wood scavenged from historic New York City buildings. With appearances by store clientele, including Charlie Sexton, Bill Frisell, and Jim Jarmusch.
Falls Around Her – Tantoo Cardinal shines as a world-famous Anishinaabe musician who returns to the reserve to rest and recharge — only to discover that fame (and the outside world) are not easily left behind, in writer-director Darlene Naponse’s riveting portrait of resilience set among a northern First Nation.
Quincy – a fascinating and intimate look at the life, labours, and legacies of the legendary music producer, co-directed by daughter Rashida Jones and Alan Hicks.
Redemption – a devout, middle-aged Hasid must return to his younger rock star days in order to pay for his daughter’s expensive medical bills, in Joseph Madmony and Boaz Yehonatan Yacov’s rousing and affecting story of faith, love, and making peace with the past.
Teen Spirit – A shy teenager dreams of pop stardom and enters an international singing competition as an escape from her small town and difficult family life, in actor Max Minghella’s (The Handmaid’s Tale) feature debut.
The Most-Attended Music Festivals In Each US State
GenFare has listed the most-attended festivals and events in the US per state.
‘A BOWIE CELEBRATION’ Announces 32-Date 2019 North American Winter Tour
A BOWIE CELEBRATION: The David Bowie Alumni Tour featuring Mike Garson and fellow key alumni musicians of David Bowie’s bands from across the decades has announced a 32-date North American winter tour for 2019.
A BOWIE CELEBRATION features alumni band members Mike Garson, Earl Slick, Gerry Leonard and Carmine Rojas along with world-class vocalists such as Bernard Fowler and Corey Glover, among others, and drummer Lee John performing a mix of Bowie’s hits and deep-cuts. Pre-sale tickets for the newly announced shows are available starting tomorrow (Tuesday, September 11) through Thursday, September 13 with the general on-sale commencing this Friday, September 14 at 10am local time.
Kicking off February 6 in Mesa, AZ, A BOWIE CELEBRATION then stops in Los Angeles February 7 at the Orpheum Theatre before making its way across the country and into Canada. The critically acclaimed show will stop in San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto, Montreal, Boston, New York City (March 5 at Irving Plaza), Philadelphia, Louisville, Nashville, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, and Austin, among many other cities, before wrapping March 22 in Dallas. See below for full list of North American tour dates and venues and visit www.abowiecelebration.com for ticket information. W
Keyboardist and band leader Mike Garson, the longest-standing member of Bowie’s bands, performed with David at his first and last concerts in the United States as well as 1,000 concerts together around the globe in between. The band also features legendary guitarist Earl Slick, who worked on landmark Bowie albums such as Diamond Dogs, Young Americans and Reality; Bowie guitarist and band leader Gerry Leonard (A Reality Tour); and Bowie’s Let’s Dance/Serious Moonlight Tour bassist Carmine Rojas. Between them, they have over 30 years experience of recording, writing and playing live with Bowie.
Prior to the 2019 full trek, which includes a 17-date European tour from January 9 through February 1, A BOWIE CELEBRATION has a limited run of West Coast tour dates taking place this month, September 26-30, stopping in Ventura, Riverside, San Diego, Reno and Saratoga. The San Diego show will feature Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actress (“Westworld”) and singer (Rebel and A Basketcase) Evan Rachel Wood re-joining the all-star band to sing a variety of songs. Wood sat in earlier this year at the Los Angeles and Atlanta shows and was seen on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in April raving about the tour. As Wood explained to Fallon, “It’s not a cover band, it’s the band! It’s the actual band, so when you’re there it sounds as close as you’re going to get to Bowie.” Other special guests who joined the 2018 run included Perry Farrell, Joe Sumner, Fantastic Negrito, Mark Plati, Mr Hudson, David Liebman, Gaby Moreno and Sass Jordan.
Catch A BOWIE CELEBRATION: The David Bowie Alumni Tour in the following North American cities:
DATE CITY VENUE
2018 Tour Dates:
Wed 9/26 Ventura, CA Majestic Ventura Theater
Thu 9/27 Riverside, CA Fox Performing Arts Center
Fri 9/28 San Diego, CA Humphreys Concerts By the Bay
Sat 9/29 Reno, NV Silver Legacy Resort Casino
Sun 9/30 Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery
2019 Tour Dates:
Wed 2/6 Mesa, AZ Mesa Arts Center
Thu 2/7 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theatre
Sat 2/9 Cerritos, CA Cerritos Center
Sun 2/10 Modesto, CA Gallo Center
Tue 2/12 Livermore, CA Livermore PAC
Wed 2/13 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
Fri 2/15 Seattle, WA Benaroya Hall
Sat 2/16 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
Sun 2/17 Portland, OR Revolution Hall
Tue 2/19 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
Thu 2/21 Madison, WI Orpheum Theatre
Fri 2/22 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
Sat 2/23 Detroit, MI Royal Oak Music Hall
Sun 2/24 Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre & Ballroom
Tue 2/26 Buffalo, NY Town Ballroom
Wed 2/27 Kitchener, ON Centre In The Square
Fri 3/1 Toronto, ON Danforth Music Hall
Sat 3/2 Montreal, QC MTelus
Sun 3/3 Boston, MA Wilbur Theatre
Tue 3/5 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Wed 3/6 Albany, NY Palace Theater
Thu 3/7 Syracuse, NY Palace Theater
Sat 3/9 New Brunswick, NJ State Theater
Sun 3/10 Philadelphia, PA Keswick Theatre
Tue 3/12 Louisville, KY The Brown Theatre
Wed 3/13 Nashville, TN Polk Theatre
Fri 3/15 Ponte Vedra, FL Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
Sat 3/16 Fort Lauderdale, FL Parker Playhouse
Sun 3/17 Clearwater, FL Capitol Theatre
Wed 3/20 Houston, TX Heights Theatre
Thu 3/21 Austin, TX Paramount Theatre
Fri 3/22 Dallas, TX Majestic Theatre
The Money Man Behind America’s Biggest Concerts
Ron Delsener is a working-class kid from Queens who rode his charm and his hustle all the way to the top of the music industry. He basically created the genre of the massive outdoor concert with his epic series of free Concerts in the Park. He landed everyone: Pavarotti, Streisand, even post-breakup Simon and Garfunkel. And Delsener is still firing on all cylinders: James Bay and Hozier are among the artists he maintains relationships with today. In his wonderfully profane and discursive conversation with Alec Baldwin, Delsener delivers a full dose of the old-school Queens personality that the New York Times says “radiates like a lighthouse beacon.” Delsener’s rockstar stories are great, his accent is great, and you’ll leave the interview finally understanding what a concert promoter actually does. (Hint: it’s so lucrative because it’s so high-risk.)