In honour of young adult author Judy Blume turning 80 this week, Amanda Palmer wrote an essay – and a song – letting us all know we weren’t the only ones reading her influential work.
In her essay, “Why Judy Blume Matters,” Amanda writes how powerful the characters thought up by Judy still resonate with her.
Perhaps the biggest compliment you could give a writer ― or a writer of youth fiction ― is that they’re so indelible they vanish into memory, the way a dream slips away upon waking because it’s so deeply knitted into the fabric of your subconscious. The experiences of her teenage characters ― Deenie, Davey, Tony, Jill, Margaret ― are so thoroughly enmeshed with my own memories that the line between fact and fiction is deliciously thin. My memories of these characters, though I’d prefer to call them “people” ― of Deenie getting felt up in the dark locker room during the school dance; of Davey listlessly making and stirring a cup of tea that she has no intention of drinking; of Jill watching Linda, the fat girl in her class, being tormented by giggling bullies ― are all as vivid, if not more so, as my own memories…
HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by talent manager Scooter Braun, who discusses his upbringing around basketball (6:00), the cyclical nature of music (16:00), the decision to roast Justin Bieber (23:00), Kanye’s creativity (30:00), the narcissistic nature of superstardom (48:00), the best basketball players in music (1:08:00), and the struggles of safety on tour (1:18:00).
Prince was like the God of love and sex but what was it like to date him? Susannah Melvoin talks about how great it was at times and how hard it was at times. This is a roller coaster emotional episode that’ll show you a side of Prince you’ve never seen before. Toure met Susannah after his book I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became An Icon and she’s become a good friend and here she tells all the stories.
Hardwood Records announce the second release in its 20th Anniversary Vinyl Series with Hayden’s Moving Careful on March 9, 2018 on digital and limited edition vinyl formats.
This vinyl is the first pressing since the original 10” and features the original EP from 1996 with added rare recordings from 7” singles released between 1994 and 1996. Moving Careful was originally released on Hardwood/Sonic Unyon in late 1996. Side Two of this edition includes home recordings from the time period that found homes on Canadian Indies like Lunamoth, Landspeed and Squirtgun.
“After touring my debut, Everything I Long For, across Canada for the better part of two years from 1994-96, I celebrated its imminent International release by developing a strong dislike for the sound of my music,” Hayden commented. “A major sticking point in my negotiations with Outpost Recordings (my US label at the time) was to have the ability to release singles and EPs on my own or through smaller labels. They agreed, and Moving Careful was born from late night obsessions on the third floor of a rented Victorian house in Toronto. Although much of my debut was recorded on a 4-track cassette, I was eager to get back to my Yamaha MT100 II, and very inspired by what Eric’s Trip and Lou Barlow were doing at the time.”
MOVING CAREFUL – PLUS RARITIES, TRACKLISTING:
Side One:
1. Pots and Pans
2. Stride
3. Middle of July
4. Old Fashioned Way
5. Half For Me
6. Choking
7. You are All I Have
Side Two:
8. A Fortune I’d Kept
9. Hazy
10. I Wake Up With Me
11. Mild
12. Winter Trip
13. Carry On Mentality
14. Wasting My Days Away
Over the course of more than twenty years, the Polaris Music Prize and 3-time JUNO Award nominee has written and recorded 8 critically acclaimed full-length albums, a series of Ep and singles most of which were self-produced and recorded in his own home studio and released on his own Hardwood Records label.
For additional information on HAYDEN and Moving Careful or for high-resolution photographs, biography, interview and album review requests, please contact:
Stephen McGrath stephen@nightshopmedia.com
NIGHTSHOP MEDIA | nightshopmedia.com
Sign-up to receive updates from Hayden at wasteyourdaysaway.com
Stevie Nicks says she wrote this song while contemplating going back to school or continuing on professionally with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. Their album Buckingham Nicks had been dropped by Polydor Records and she and Buckingham were not getting along. She wrote the song while visiting Aspen, Colorado, sitting in someone’s living room “looking out at the Rocky Mountains pondering the avalanche of everything that had come crashing down on us … at that moment, my life truly felt like a landslide in many ways”.
Record Store Day has announced Run The Jewels are stepping into the role of RECORD STORE DAY AMBASSADOR for 2018. Killer Mike and El-P both have long histories with record stores, having spent their youth hanging out and letting the culture soak in and become part of the men and musicians they became. They also have a long history of celebrating RSD with a special release, and their Official Video Statement has a little sneak peek about what’s coming from Run The Jewels on Record Store Day 2018.
The Smashing Pumpkins today announced the Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour, their first tour in nearly 20 years to feature founding members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and James Iha. Produced by Live Nation, the 36-city tour will kick off in Glendale, AZ on July 12, 2018 and visit North American arenas throughout the summer. Tickets for the Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour will go on sale to the general public starting next Friday, February 23 at 10:00am local time.
“Some 30 years ago, as The Smashing Pumpkins, James Iha and I began a musical journey in the cramped rear bedroom of my Father’s house. And so it’s magic to me that we’re able to coalesce once more around the incredible Jimmy Chamberlin, to celebrate those songs we’ve made together,” shared Corgan.
The band broke news of the tour this morning with a dramatic video featuring original Siamese Dream album cover stars Ali Laenger and LySandra Roberts. Watch the clip HERE.
The monumental Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the band’s formation, will highlight music from the group’s inception through 2000, and will exclusively feature material from their groundbreaking debut Gish through Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Adore, and Machina. Longtime Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder will also take part, as the band moves to a three guitar lineup to better emulate the signature tones and textures of their albums.
“This show and staging will be unlike any we’ve ever done, and will feature a set unlike any we’ve ever played. For if this is a chance at a new beginning, we plan on ushering it in with a real bang,” added Corgan.
Formed in Chicago, IL in 1988, The Smashing Pumpkins released their heralded debut album Gish in 1991 and found mainstream success with 1993’s 4x multi-platinum Siamese Dream and 1995’s 10x multi-platinum Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. With nine studio albums and over 30 million albums sold to date, the GRAMMY®, MTV VMA, and American Music Award winning band remains an influential force in alternative rock.
The Smashing Pumpkins are represented by Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group.
Smashing Pumpkins 2018 North American Tour Dates
July 12, 2018 Glendale, AZ Gila River Arena
July 14, 2018 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Arena
July 16, 2018 Austin, TX Frank Erwin Center
July 17, 2018 Houston, TX Toyota Center
July 18, 2018 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
July 20, 2018 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
July 21, 2018 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center
July 22, 2018 Atlanta, GA Infinite Energy Arena
July 24, 2018 Miami, FL AmericanAirlines Arena
July 25, 2018 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
July 27, 2018 Baltimore, MD Royal Farms Arena
July 28, 2018 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
July 29, 2018 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
July 31, 2018 Boston, MA TD Garden
August 01, 2018 New York City, NY Madison Square Garden
August 04, 2018 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
August 05, 2018 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
August 07, 2018 Montreal Centre Bell
August 08, 2018 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
August 11, 2018 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
August 13, 2018 Chicago, IL United Center
August 16, 2018 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
August 17, 2018 Indianapolis, IN Bankers Life Fieldhouse
August 19, 2018 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
August 20, 2018 Omaha, NE CenturyLink Center
August 21, 2018 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford Premier Center
August 24, 2018 Seattle, WA KeyArena
August 25, 2018 Portland, OR Moda Center
August 27, 2018 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
August 28, 2018 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center
August 30, 2018 Los Angeles, CA The Forum
September 01, 2018 San Diego, CA Viejas Arena
September 02, 2018 Las Vegas, NV T-Mobile Arena
September 04, 2018 Salt Lake City, UT Vivint Smart Home Arena
September 05, 2018 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
September 07, 2018 Boise, ID Ford Idaho Center
Set aside what you know about the singer, guitarist, writer, producer and founder of multi-Platinum selling Canadian wonder-band April Wine.
As it turns out, Myles Goodwyn is also a real blues man at heart.
Having first developed a taste for the sound in the 60’s when legends BB King, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters caught his ear, Goodwyn shares his long held passion for the genre on his forthcoming solo release, Myles Goodwyn And Friends Of The Blues.
Despite penning nearly all of April Wine’s extensive, award-winning catalogue, it’s incredible to consider not one of Goodwyn’s bluesy tracks ever made it onto one of the band’s 30+ albums. This was no intentional oversight; as he puts it, they were being saved for the blues album he knew he’d make some day.
That day is today and that release is Myles Goodwyn And Friends Of The Blues — available March 2, 2018.
The 12 new songs are supported by a cavalry of equally talented and proficient blues aficionados — from Jack de Keyzer to David Wilcox to Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne — and are a testament to the care that went into the album’s writing and recording. Others joining on Friends Of The Blues include Garret Mason, Amos Garret, Joe Murphy, Frank Marino, Shaun Verreault, Bill Stevenson, Rick Derringer, and more.
His decision to use only “real blues players” was deliberate. He wanted to work with musicians that inspired him, and brought authenticity in their musicianship to the blues-influenced songs he had written.
“I wanted to write and sing these blues tunes but I`m not a blues player and I wanted the real deal when it came to the performances. I reached out to established blues men to join me. And I got that in spades.”
As for why a blues album was tugging at his creativity for so long, Goodwyn shares: “I really appreciate great blues material because it is timeless, it is vital and its passionate, even heartbreakingly so.
“It can also have a sense of humour and all of this drew me to make this album, like a moth to a flame.”
Such sense of play is evident in Goodwyn’s video for “I Hate To See You Go (But I Love To Watch You Walk Away).” With a Barbie-esque doll starring as the video’s primary muse and fan, a stage of dapper marionettes rock the song away, creating an amusing and lively visual for the album’s lead single.
Myles Goodwyn And Friends Of The Blues is available March 2, 2018.
Goodwyn grew up poor and is the classic “small-town kid makes good” success story. As a young teenager Goodwyn honed his skills playing in cover bands and began writing original material as soon as he could play the guitar. One of April Wine`s biggest hits, “You Won`t Dance With Me”, was written when he was a teenager.
Myles Goodwyn’s voice is as distinctive and immediately recognizable as his songwriting skills are prolific. He penned almost every April Wine song in their impressive catalogue. And as far as rock history goes, Myles Goodwyn is considered a living music legend especially in the annals of Canadian rock history, recognized as one of Canada`s most performed songwriters on radio.
Myles and the other members of April Wine were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame in 2010. Goodwyn received the prestigious East Coast Music Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 and the SOCAN National Achievement Award in 2002. In 2016 he released his memoir named after another of his biggest hits – Just Between You and Me, which became an instant seller on the Globe and Mail`s Non-Fiction List. His second book, Elvis and Tiger – this time a fiction is being published in 2018.
Earlier this week, Courtney Barnett teased fans with this video, which was then followed by mysterious billboards popping up in major cities around the world. Next indie record stores worldwide unexpectedly received vinyl copies of lead single “Nameless, Faceless,” and now the wait is over with Courtney Barnett today announcing details of her second studio album Tell Me How You Really Feel.
Observers would be aware that over the course of just a few years Barnett has become internationally renowned for her distinctive and acclaimed musical lexicon. Her effortless ability to flip an intensely private sentiment on its head and make it sound universal and relatable won her fans around the world. Her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit saw her top year-end lists, crash the top 20 and sell out shows to adoring audiences on five continents. She played the most iconic and revered festival stages, was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards in 2016 and also International Female Solo Artist at the Brits, not to mention scooping the top prizes in her homeland, including the Australian Music Prize, APRA’s Songwriter Of the Year and four ARIAs. Lotta Sea Lice, her collaborative album with kindred spirit Kurt Vile that came out last year was similarly lauded, ending up at number 11 in the album charts on release and garnering an NME Awards nomination for Best Collaboration.
So… how do you follow that up?
In Tell Me How You Really Feel, Barnett has revealed an exhilarating and unexpected shift. From its title (A question? An order?) to the unsettling cover image – a blood-red tinted self-portrait in uncomfortably tight close up – Barnett sets a different tone. There’s a new-found directness with this record, a muscularity to the instrumentation, a tenderness in her voice and a boldness to the lyrics. It speaks to Barnett entering a remarkable new phase of her musical evolution. She’s saying more, with less. Whereas once she examined the world through the prism of self-analysis, Tell Me How You Really Feel shifts that focus to those she interacts with – the good ones, the bad ones, the loved ones. Those she knows intimately and those who are strangers.
First single “Nameless, Faceless” is an infectious punk rock anthem. Simmering with indignation and sarcasm, it examines the phenomenon of incessant and anonymous internet trolls. Through song, Barnett is using the medium she knows best to return fire.
Every lyric is memorable as Barnett quotes one of the more creative burns she’s received in a comments section, “I could eat a bowl of alphabet soup and spit out better words than you”. It would be pure comedy if it didn’t invariably and insidiously cross over into anxiety about one’s safety in the real world… illustrated perfectly by the chorus which borrows from a famous Margaret Atwood quote “I want to walk through the park in the dark / Men are scared that women will laugh at them / I want to walk through the park in the dark / Women are scared that men will kill them / I hold my keys between my fingers”.
TRACKLISTING
Hopefulessness
City Looks Pretty
Charity
Need a Little Time
Nameless, Faceless
I’m Not Your Mother, I’m Not Your Bitch
Crippling Self Doubt and a General Lack of Self-Confidence
Help Your Self
Walkin’ on Eggshells
Sunday Roast
