Michelle Branch is a Grammy-winning singer/songwriter. She put two platinum albums when she was still a teenager. Those records were huge hits, and so her sound on those records defined her as an artist—for better or worse. Over a decade later, and after a long stretch, in 2017, Michelle put out her third album, Hopeless Romantic. In this episode of Song Exploder, Michelle talks about why she was in musical limbo for so long, as she takes apart her song “Best You Ever.”
Orchestra Performs Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Rundfunk-Tanzorchester Ehrenfeld performs a Daft Punk cover of Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.
Plizzanet Earth with Snoop Dogg: Iguana vs. Snakes
Jimmy Kimmel teamed up with his friend Snoop Dogg for what has become one of the most beloved nature programs on this or any planet. And with that said, here is a special all-reptile edition of #PlizzanetEarth.
Wayne Kramer Has Uploaded Rare MC5 Concert Footage To YouTube
Wayne Kramer of the dangerous rock ‘n’ roll legends the Motor City 5 (or the MC5 if you’re short for time), has personally uploaded remastered clips of live performances from 1968 (at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago), 1970 (the Tartar Field show), and 1972 (at the Gibus Clubin Paris).
DASPO-CONUS Democratic National Convention footage:
Tartar Field, Detroit, July 19, 1970:
Gibus Club, Paris 1972:
The Original Batman Theme Song Done Metal
Guitarist 331Erock pays tribute to Adam West and the character he defined for him, and millions of others, through this metal version of Neal Hefti’s 1966 Batman theme song.
Jimmy Fallon, Kids from SeriousFun, and Buckingham & McVie Sing “Don’t Stop”
Jimmy Fallon is joined by Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie, The Roots, and kids from SeriousFun (Paul Newman’s camp for kids with serious illnesses) to sing “Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow.”
https://youtu.be/7rqLQ05AVNo
Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre Presents Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours Created By Ted Dykstra
Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre is proud to present the first ever Coal Mine Concert, RUMOURS by Fleetwood Mac, February 4-25, 2018 at the intimate Coal Mine Theatre.
Released in 1977, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours is the seventh best-selling album of all time (the third best-selling 70s album), moving 800,000 copies per week at its height and selling more than 40 million copies to date. With the arrival of Rumours, Fleetwood Mac underwent “that alchemic transmigration from lead to gold” according to Rolling Stone’s five-star review of the record. Its success made Fleetwood Mac a cultural phenomenon and set a template for pop music forever.
Harkening back to the days when legendary clubs like the El Mocambo, Silver Dollar Room and Horseshoe Tavern were packing them in–the air stale with cigarette smoke and spilled beer–the Coal Mine Theatre is the perfect place to recreate that immersive club feel and present a straight up rock ‘n roll concert of the entire album.
“Two years-ago I was driving around town and listening to Rumours for the first time in a long time, but I still knew every note. At the same time, it was like I had never heard it before. The complexity, the simplicity, the musicianship; surely one of the finest records ever made.” Today, Ted Dykstra, Coal Mine Co-Chief Engineer and RUMOURS creative guide, has assembled a killer group to play the album live–joyfully, respectfully, authentically–up close and personal at the Coal Mine Theatre.
Ominously romantic while dealing with the break-up of the quintet’s two couples, Rumours, which appears on the surface to be an album of love songs with heavenly harmonies, is a contradiction between its cheerful surface and its anguished heart. This is not a re-interpretation of the record, nor a jukebox musical, this is Rumours as you know and love it!
Lead guitarist and vocalist, Mike Borkosky is a musician who has played with Alannah Myles, Carole Pope, Sass Jordan, Lee Aaron, Canadian Idol; a producer who has worked with illScarlett, Low Level Flight, Rex Goudie, Melanie Doane, Sabrina Whyatt, Creepy Crawlies; and lead vocalist for the band The Test Icicles.
Toronto vocalist and songwriter, SATE combines blistering hard rock and gritty funk with “a tornado of a stage presence,” (NOW). Her full-length debut album, RedBlack&Blue, was declared one of 2016’s most anticipated releases by the Globe and Mail. Daughter of Salome Bey, and formerly known as Saidah Baba Talibah, SATE understands desire and is prepared to sate it!
Andrea Ramolo is a multiple Canadian Folk Music Award nominee, and one-half of the acclaimed folk/pop duo Scarlett Jane. Her third solo album NUDA, produced by Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) was released in 2017 and included in that year’s Polaris Prize Longer List. Andrea has performed alongside such Canadian artists as Gordon Lightfoot, Ron Sexsmith, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Lynn Miles and Adam Cohen.
Multi-genre bassist, electric and upright, Jen Benton has performed nationally and abroad with Alex Lifeson, Andy Kim, Ron Sexsmith, Colin James, Dru, Kim Mitchell, Sam Roberts, Serena Ryder, august, Lily Frost, Lights, Sarah Slean, The Cliks, Luke Doucet, Divine Brown, Mark Holmes, and Lorraine Segato to name a few. She can also play a mean trumpet!
Since graduating as a percussion major from the Humber College Contemporary Music program, Steven Foster has toured the world as a drummer, guitarist, singer and songwriter in bands such as Doldrums, Moon King, Jaron Freeman-Fox and the Opposite of Everything, Snowblink and others. He also has his own project, Omhouse; has composed music for a chamber ensemble; and has musical directed for theatre.
Derek Giberson, on keys, has been playing professionally for nearly 20 years; as bandleader of the nine-piece powerhouse Professors Of Funk and member of the Julian Taylor Band, and with musicians Sass Jordan, Shakura S’aida, Chris Caddell, Emmanuel Jal, Tyler Shaw, Carvin Winans and Ivana Santilli.
Sound designer and live sound engineer, Roger Psutka has worked with a diverse range of acts across the music industry including Our Lady Peace, Chantel Kreviazuk, Blue Man Group, Dean Brody, George Canyon, Remy Shand, Simple Plan, Sheryl Crow, and many more.
Coal Mine Theatre presents fearlessly challenging plays, produced, directed, designed and performed at the highest possible level. With less than 100 seats available per performance, Coal Mine is inspired by the intimacy and excitement of the off-off-Broadway experience. The Coal Mine’s fourth season under Chief Engineers Diana Bentley and Ted Dykstra has presented The Aliens by Annie Baker and Poison by Lot Vekemans; and continues with Rumours by Fleetwood Mac: A COAL MINE CONCERT; and Category E by Belinda Cornish.
February 4–25, 2018
Opening Night: Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Coal Mine Theatre, 1454 Danforth Avenue, Toronto
Tuesday-Sunday @ 7:30 • Sunday Matinee @ 2pm
Sunday Performances Added at 7:30pm on February 11, 18 & 25
(Sunday, February 4th Preview @ 7:30pm only)
All Tickets $42.50 + hst (previews $25 + hst)
brownpapertickets.com/TheCoalMine
How To Sound Like Arctic Monkeys Using Effects Pedals
Arctic Monkeys fans love the recognizable tone of Alex Turner, Jamie Cook, and company. In January 2018, the band announced their first new show in over three years. Today, Reverb is helping you prep so you can emulate their sounds using pedals you may have in your space.
Warner Music Canada Partners With Make Music Matter To Bring The World Voices Scarred By Conflict
Warner Music Canada is proud to announce that they have partnered with Make Music Matter to bring to the world original recordings written and produced by people scarred by conflict, AIDS/HIV and violence against women through their Healing in Harmony music therapy program. The first two releases, Kesho ni siku mupya (Tomorrow Is A New Day) and Mon corps n’est pas une arme (My Body Is Not A Weapon), were recorded in the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda and will be released under Make Music Matter’s own Samothrace Records label. Both albums are available worldwide for streaming and downloads beginning today, January 12, 2018. Five more albums are to be released in the coming months.
Make Music Matter was started by Canadian video and music producer Darcy Ataman who co-wrote and produced “Song For Africa” which featured a number of high-profile Canadian artists and was premiered in 2006 at the XVI International Aids Conference in Toronto. A graduate from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Ataman has led efforts to build a primary school in the Masai Mara, Kenya, supported two HIV clinics in Kenya and founded a scholarship program in Africa’s biggest slum before creating the Healing in Harmony music therapy program. With established programs in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Darcy will lead further expansions in Turkey and Iraq. He continues to centre his focus on HIV survivors, former child soldiers and child-headed households in Rwanda and has partnered with Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Dr. Denis Mukwege and Panzi Foundation in the DRC, focusing on women who have been sexually violated through war.
Make Music Matter’s unique brand of music therapy is centered on the belief that music can be an integral part of a community-driven, holistic healing model. Participants in the program are survivors of sexual violence and other traumatized populations.
The team travels into conflict areas around the world , working in tandem with local trained psychologists and music producers. Participants write, record and professionally produce songs about their emotions and experiences. Within this process it helps give back the survivors their sense of identity as it starts the healing individually and as a community.
Many of the recorded songs get played on local radio stations which then helps empower the artist’s in their recovery and also sends a message to others in the community that they are not alone.
Kesho ni siku mupya (Tomorrow Is A New Day) tracklisting:
Esther “Kesho ni siku mupya”
Patrick “Main dans la main”
Solange & Obeni “Maisha ni punition”
Neema & Kethia & Bahati “Nime kosa Amani”
Sandra & Bayura “Prassana aseme”
Gisele & Fadhili & Faradja “Safari yangu”
Zezi & Tuliya & Zawadi & Gisele “Sita coka”
Prince Kwamiso “Songa mbele”
Mon corps n’est pas une (My Body Is Not A Weapon) tracklisting:
Young Dorcas & Timbuktu “Mon corps n’est pas une arme”
Denise & Timbuktu “Nda fanya je”
Young Tricotage & Timbuktu “Njo tu maisha”
Vannerie & Timbuktu “Sina matunzo”
Glass Tiger Reimagines Their Hits For New “31” Album And Tours With Johnny Reid
Warner Music Canada and Halo Entertainment are thrilled to announce the February 16th release of 31, the new album from Glass Tiger. Recorded and produced in Toronto and Nashville by Johnny Reid, 31 features 11 Glass Tiger hit songs reimagined with traditional acoustic instruments as well as two new tracks, “Wae Yer Family” co-written and featuring Johnny Reid and “Fire It Up.” The album also includes special guest contributions from Julian Lennon (“Thin Red Line”), Alan Doyle (“My Song”), Véronic DiCaire (“Someday”) and Susan Aglukark and David R. Maracle (“Diamond Sun”). 31 is available for pre-orders at all digital service providers (DSPs) beginning today. Fans pre-ordering through iTunes will instantly receive the tracks “Someday” (featuring Véronic DiCaire) and “Wae Yer Family” (featuring Johnny Reid).
Glass Tiger first burst on to the world stage in 1986 with the #1 hit “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone),” the first of 13 top 30 hits (including 7 top 10s). Glass Tiger’s Alan Frew and Johnny Reid have enjoyed a long friendship which has included a number of collaborations including Johnny’s #1 hit “Fire It Up” which also became a significant hit for Joe Cocker in Europe.
In 2015, Frew suffered what could have been a career-ending stroke but following an intense year of rehab, Alan was on the road to recovery. Taking all that had happened into consideration, Reid suggested creating an album that celebrated the truly important things in life.
“We talked for hours on end about such things as love and friendship, health and happiness…and, of course family,” says Frew. The emphasis, he felt, should be on Glass Tiger’s beautifully crafted pop songs that already felt ‘old friends and family’ and that, if re-imagined, they could once again come across our doorsteps and join us by the fire for an evening of fellowship and song.”
With a plan in place, the band headed to Nashville to begin working on arrangements at Johnny’s home studio. The resulting album introduces traditional acoustic instruments like the penny whistle, bodhran, banjo and uillean pipes giving new warmth to songs that have become familiar to millions of people around the world. The album also includes alternative versions of the hits “Someday” sung In French and English with Quebec star Véronic DiCaire and Diamond Sun performed alongside Susan Aglukark singing in First Nations.
“31 is simply a musical celebration of family and friendship,” says Johnny Reid. Having the opportunity to work with the boys on this album was an absolute pleasure. I’m humbled to have played a part in bringing these great songs back to the people.”
Glass Tiger will take the show on the road in 2018, joining Johnny Reid on his extensive 45-date tour across Canada beginning February 26 in Sydney, B.C. (see full tour schedule below)
Glass Tiger is Alan Frew (vocals), Sam Reid (keyboards), Al Connelly (guitars), Wayne Parker (bass) and Chris McNeill (drums).
Glass Tiger 31 tracklisting:
1. SOMEDAY
2. ANIMAL HEART
3. DON’T FORGET ME (When I’m Gone)
4. I WILL BE THERE
5. MY TOWN
6. DIAMOND SUN
7. RESCUED BY THE ARMS
8. MY SONG ft. Alan Doyle
9. IM STILL SEARCHING
10. THIN RED LINE ft Julian Lennon
11. FIRE IT UP
12. WAE YER FAMILY ft Johnny Reid
13. HEALING HANDS
14. SOMEDAY ft Véronic DiCaire
15. DIAMOND SUN ft Susan Aglukark & David R. Maracle
Glass Tiger on tour with Johnny Reid:
2/26–27 Sidney, BC Mary Winspear Centre
2/28 Nanaimo, BC Port Theatre
3/1 Duncan, BC Cowichan Performing Arts Centre
3/3 Abbotsford, BC Abbotsford Entertainment Centre
3/4 Vancouver, BC Queen Elizabeth Theatre
3/5 Kamloops, BC Sandman Centre
3/6 Kelowna, BC Prospera Place
3/8 Prince George, BC CN Centre
3/9 Grande Prairie, AB Revolution Place
3/10 Calgary, AB Grey Eagle Event Centre
3/12 Red Deer, AB Enmax Centrium
3/13-14 Regina, SK Conexsus Arts Centre
3/15-16 Edmonton, AB Northern Alberta Jubilee
3/18 Medicine Hat, AB Canalta Centre
3/19 Lethbridge, AB Enmax Centre
3/20-21 Saskatoon, SK TCU Place
3/23-24 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings Theatre
3/25 Winnipeg, MB Club Regent Casino
3/27-28 Thunder Bay, ON Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
3/29 Sault St. Marie, ON Essar Centre
3/31 Sudbury, ON Sudbury Arena
4/2-3 Toronto, ON Danforth Music Hall
4/4 Kitchener, ON Centre In The Square
4/6 Windsor, ON Caesars Windsor
4/7 St. Catharines, ON Meridian Centre
4/8 London, ON Budweiser Gardens
4/9 Hamilton, ON FirstOntario Concert Hall
4/11 Peterborough, ON Peterborough Memorial Centre
4/12 Oshawa, ON Tribute Communities Centre
4/13 Ottawa, ON TD Place
4/14 Kingston, ON Rogers K-Rock Centre
4/16 Halifax, NS Scotiabank Centre
4/17-18 Moncton, NB Casino New Brunswick
4/20 Charlottetown, PEI Eastlink Centre Charlottetown
4/21 Sydney, NS Centre 200
4/23 Corner Brook, NF Corner Brook Civic Centre
4/24 St. John’s. NF Mile One Centre