German musician Tommy Lee Depp wrote and arranged and performed an incredible bass cover of The Cranberries song Zombie as a heartfelt tribute to he late lead singer Dolores O’Riordan, who passed away in January, 2018.
Photo Gallery: Kaleo at Toronto’s Rebel
All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her at minismemories@hotmail.com
Funko is releasing a line of breakfast cereals called FunkO’s
Breakfast is fun again with FunkO’s (you guys can use that one). Each cereal will come with sweet box art and a Pop! figure of the themed character. The first batch of FunkO’s will be available this month in a number of stores, including GameStop, Hot Topic and FYE.
Paul McCartney announced the first four dates of 2018 tour, and Canada gets him first
Paul McCartney announced the first four dates of a 2018 tour entitled “Freshen Up,” which will support the release of his new solo album Egypt Station, and all the dates so far are in Canada.
Egypt Station is McCartney’s first solo LP since 2013’s New. “I liked the words ‘Egypt Station.’ It reminded me of the ‘album’ albums we used to make. Egypt Station starts off at the station on the first song and then each song is like a different station. So, it gave us some idea to base all the songs around that. I think of it as a dream location that the music emanates from.”
McCartney also said he’d like to play a bit smaller venues in the future. “It not only takes you back to where you started, but there’s the intimacy in the audience, and you can have a lot of fun. And you sometimes don’t feel like it’s quite so precious. Because if there’s 40,000 people who paid all that money, you’ve gotta think about pleasing them. If there’s only a couple hundred, and we’re all having a party, you just think, ‘We can throw in “Matchbox,”or we’ll throw in an odd number that we’d only do at sound checks or something.’ So they’re good fun for that reason.”
I saw him last summer in New York, and easily one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Good Lord, he’s a Beatle. Go catch him.
Paul McCartney ‘Freshen Up’ 2018 Tour Dates
9/17 – Quebec City, QC – the Videotron Centre
9/20 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
9/28 – Winnipeg, MB – Bell MTS Place
9/30 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
Stony Plain Records Partners With True North Records And Linus Entertainment For Global Rights Management
Stony Plain Records of Edmonton and Linus Entertainment, Inc. of Waterdown, Ontario are pleased to announce their agreement to transfer administrative obligations of the Stony Plain catalogue to Stony Plain Rights Management, a division of Linus Entertainment, Inc. effective July 1st. 2018.
Under this joint arrangement Linus will assume responsibility for administration of Stony Plain’s catalogue – Stony Plain’s distribution will continue to be handled by Warner Music Canada, ADA (a subsidiary of Warner Music Group – US) and The Orchard (a subsidiary of Sony Music – Global) in addition to existing export and licensing partners around the world.
“We’re happy to be working with Geoff Kulawick at Linus Entertainment and proud to be associated with the Linus Entertainment & True North Records team,” said Holger Petersen, President of Stony Plain. “Transferring our catalogue’s rights management to Linus Entertainment will ultimately take advantage of their marketing, distribution, administrative capabilities and efficiencies, while providing optimal service to our artists.”
“Stony Plain Records, under the leadership of Holger Petersen and Alvin Jahns, has built one of the most important catalogs of North American roots & blues music – it has significant historical value, with iconic artists, multiple Grammy nominations, Juno Awards, Gold & Platinum certifications,” said Geoff Kulawick, President of Linus Entertainment. “It is an honour to be associated with them, and their artists.”
Stony Plain Records was founded in Edmonton in 1975 by Holger Petersen and Alvin Jahns, former bandmates who continue to be active business partners 42 years later. Stony Plain has won 13 Juno Awards and received 7 Grammy Award nominations. The label released almost 400 albums by artists including Ian Tyson, Corb Lund, Jeff Healey, Long John Baldry, MonkeyJunk, Sue Foley, Colin Linden, Paul Reddick, Harry Manx & Kevin Breit and Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne. Non-Canadian artists include Eric Bibb, Rory Block, Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Maria Muldaur, Jay McShann and Joe Louis Walker. Stony Plain’s deep catalog includes titles by Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, Jay Geils and Asleep At The Wheel.
Linus Entertainment is the leading global distributor and exporter of Canadian sound recordings, managing the rights of over 30 labels including True North Records, The Children’s Group, Spring Hill Music, Solid Gold, Black Hen and Borealis Records, with titles by Bruce Cockburn, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Brandt, Big Wreck, Colin James, Jimmy Rankin, Natalie MacMaster, The Guess Who, Stan Rogers, Jane Bunnett, Chilliwack, Rough Trade, The Wailin’ Jennys, Canadian Brass, Classical Kids, Pavlo, Peter Kater, and The Mozart Effect Orchestra.
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Exhibits The Relationship Between Pinball Machines And Music
Starting July 11 at the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, Part of the Machine: Rock & Pinball launches as an interactive exhibit showcasing rock-themed, playable pinball machines combined with historic merchandise and artifacts to explore the artistic portrayal of artists and bands.
Rock and roll and pinball have a lot in common. Loud, colorful and rebellious, it was inevitable that the two would combine to celebrate rock’s icons. Inside the exhibit you’ll find machines featuring icons such as KISS, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Alice Cooper, Dolly Parton, The Who, Elton John and more. All the machines on display are playable by visitors.
Every pinball machine can be played with Rock Hall tokens. A limited number of complimentary tokens will be included with a Rock Hall admission ticket and additional tokens can be purchased in the exhibit. Tweet your high score with #pinballwizard for a chance to be featured on the leaderboard.
From Peter Criss of KISS’ drum set to Dolly Parton’s dress that inspired the backglass for the Dolly Parton pinball machine, fans will find other artifacts on display as they learn more about the popular pinball and rock subculture. Highlight items include Pete Townshend of the Who’s acoustic guitar used to compose “Pinball Wizard”, a rare Andy Warhol piece, “Little Electric Chair”, and an electric chair Alice Cooper stage prop used in his 1971 tour across North America and Europe
You Can Now Own Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures Artwork On Your Doc Martens
The 1460 is the original Dr. Martens boot. The boot’s instantly recognizable DNA looks like this: 8 eyes, a heel-loop, yellow stitching, and a comfortable air-cushioned sole with grooved edges. I’m being vaugue because of the build-up I’m going to write: The boot has the artwork of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures.
This 1460 was created in homage to British post-punk band Joy Division and the cover art from Unknown Pleasures, their first album. The now-classic design, created by Peter Saville, is a visual translation of pulsar sound waves — explosive, raw and intense — much like the sound of the band. A natural fit for the 1460, the iconic imagery translates seamlessly into an emboss on their classic Smooth leather.
Get Ready For The Next Generation Of Leahy: Planet L
Ask Adele Leahy to briefly summarize the sound and soul of Planet L, and the words pour out in a dizzying stream.
“We are multi-instrumentalists and our music comes from the heart,” the 16-year-old says on behalf of fast-rising bandmates Gregory Leahy, Angus Leahy, Cecilia Leahy, Joseph Leahy, and Evelyn Leahy, who range in age from 16 to eight. “Our music is original; it’s music you can feel. It’s edgy but also rhythmic, danceable. And it’s positive, happy and… well…” Adele laughs, “I could go on.”
Indeed. Adele could also confidently list words like buoyant, vivid, accomplished, melodic, fun. One listen to Planet L’s new single, the sparkling, harmony-goosed, and hopelessly earwormy “Can’t You Feel The Rhythm” brings the group’s towering talents into focus. Though relatively new on the scene, the members of Planet L have been playing together literally their whole lives (yup, they’re sibs) which makes their performances electrifying displays of seldom-seen cohesion.
“We all play at least four instruments, we all dance and sing,” Adele confirms. “We are surrounded by music and we absolutely love it. It’s what we do.”
That innate musical ease is neatly captured in the accompanying video for “Can’t You Feel The Rhythm,” which culminates with Adele, Gregory, Angus, Cecilia, Joseph, and Evelyn dazzling a packed venue completely stoked on Planet L’s effervescent pop, a scene possibly inspired by the sextet’s actual debut concert last year where an audience hearing their songs for the very first time “went absolutely nuts.” Which augurs rather well for Planet L’s hotly anticipated debut EP, dropping soon.
“All of us have big dreams to play for people around the world,” Adele says. “We all love music and can see the possibilities it can bring.”
In case the legendary name Leahy conjures preconceived notions of what Planet L’s music sounds like, Adele insists that, “We are our own thing, making original pop. We are proud of our family’s musical heritage and we are connected to it. But we are also free to express ourselves. We are Planet L.”
And they’re boldly beginning their first spin around the sun. Stay tuned for more…
Nile Rodgers announces new album It’s About Time
It’s been more than 25 years since we last received an album from disco funk legends Nile Rodgers & Chic, however the long anticipated wait is almost over. It’s About Time, the group’s first album since 1992’s Chic-ism, arrives on September 7th.
As our recently appointed Chief Creative Advisor, Nile has made Abbey Road Studios his UK creative base for the new album and today sees the release of the first official single, Till The World Falls.
Highly infectious and steeped in classic Chic, Till The World Falls features the talented Mura Masa, Cosha and Vic Mensa and was recorded between Abbey Road’s Front Room and Gatehouse studios. The grooving song cements Rodgers’ legacy, continuing to expand the realms of possibility with popular music.
Nile Rodgers & Chic gave Abbey Road Studios a first taste of what to expect from the new album when they joined Jools Holland for Later last week to perform alongside Mura Masa and Cosha, on Till The World Falls, with NAO on Boogie All Night, as well as Chic classics, I Want Your Love and Good Times.
The striking album artwork has also been released, which pays homage to the iconic image that adorned the band’s 1977 debut LP. The artwork for It’s About Time features models Duckie Thot and Jazzelle Zanaughtti who are not only fashion icons, but also keen activists for women of colour in fashion.
“When I first came up with the concept for the first Chic album cover more than 40 years ago it was a deliberate statement that we could all be abundant, we could all be with the beautiful people, we could all be included, we could all have good times. Looking at the world today for the release of It’s About Time I felt that it was important to make those statements again for a new generation” – Nile Rodgers
Here’s a behind the scenes glimpse at the cover shoot for It’s About Time:
The new record also features exciting collaborations with the likes of Anderson .Paak, Vic Mensa and Craig David with many of the recording sessions held at Abbey Road Studios.
It’s About Time is out September 7, 2018.
Pre-order the album here.
We Now Know About That Almost 600-Page Beastie Boys Book
The Beastie Boys Book is a 592-page panoramic experience that tells the story of Beastie Boys, a book as unique as the band itself—by band members AD-ROCK and Mike D, with contributions from Amy Poehler, Colson Whitehead, Spike Jonze, Wes Anderson, Luc Sante, and more, and comes out October 30 through Penguin Books.
Formed as a New York City hardcore band in 1981, Beastie Boys struck an unlikely path to global hip hop superstardom. Here is their story, told for the first time in the words of the band. Adam “AD-ROCK” Horovitz and Michael “Mike D” Diamond offer revealing and very funny accounts of their transition from teenage punks to budding rappers; their early collaboration with Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin; the almost impossible-to-fathom overnight success of their debut studio album Licensed to Ill; that album’s messy fallout; their break with Def Jam, move to Los Angeles, and rebirth as musicians and social activists, with the genre-defying masterpiece Paul’s Boutique. For more than twenty years, this band has had a wide-ranging and lasting influence on popular culture.
With a style as distinctive and eclectic as a Beastie Boys album, Beastie Boys Book upends the typical music memoir. Alongside the band narrative you will find rare photos, original illustrations, a cookbook by chef Roy Choi, a graphic novel, a map of Beastie Boys’ New York, mixtape playlists, pieces by guest contributors, and many more surprises.
It comes out Oct 30th, 2018, and you can pre-order it here.