“JVC is nice; I’ve been around Japan; It’s electronic, calls me Viktor; High on the scales, off the Richter.” Director Kris Merc’s video for hip hop legends Kool Keith and MF Doom is truly about a Superhero – and might actually be about themselves.
Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” In A Major Key Is Now A Bouncy Pop Song
Austin-based musician Sleep Good has changed the massive grunge anthem, Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana into an upbeat pop song you never asked for, but now want.
OK Go’s Ted Talk: How To Find A Wonderful Idea
Where does OK Go come up with ideas like dancing in zero gravity, performing in ultra slow motion or constructing a warehouse-sized Rube Goldberg machine for their music videos? In between live performances of “This Too Shall Pass” and “The One Moment,” lead singer and director Damian Kulash takes us inside the band’s creative process, showing us how to look for wonder and surprise.
Short Cuts: The Best Songs Heard On January 5, 2018 From The Indie World
Acid Dad
Die Hard
Acid Dad first appeared in the New York scene in 2016. After spending the year self-releasing demos recorded at their studio in upstate New York, the band garnered local praise from the likes of Oh My Rockness, Consequence of Sound, BrooklynVegan, Stereogum and more. This song is a triumphant vindication of those great blogs getting to the band early. A cross between Devo, The Strokes and The Romantics playing in Elvis Costello’s room, and that’ll do me fine.
Greg Owens and the Whiskey Weather
Xanax and Whiskey
Greg Owens grew up in a small rural town in West Tennessee just 80 miles North of Memphis, and it’s gotta be a tough area. There might not be a better title to fit the kind of music playing this year. A hypnoic sound in the pipes, a mind full of loneliness, this is compulsive and genuine. Forget old or even outlaw country – he’s going to break your soul like Nick Drake or Springsteen ever did. I’d love to hang with Greg, but with his history, I think I’d die before sunrise.
Edwin
Waiting
Edwin is brothers Jacob and Matthew Boll, who traveled to Eau Claire, Wisconsin to record with S. Carey (who also plays drums on the record) who helped them combine their songs with their love for George Harrison, Michael Kiwanuka and a touch of Pink Floyd. They’ve got a sound for caring about when they found the gem, never overly complicating the song. They’ve got the ability to let their sound breathe. Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream.
Ark Patrol
Myrmidon
Sounds bleak, but spiritual, but always in control. The voice could make you squirm to newcomers in its efforts to sound a bit other-worldly, but its in their search for inner space in the outer limits of EDM is where they’ll be fully realized as the geniuses they are.
Kibbo Records
Naked Girl
A cool strumming and trembling melody picked out in the field of a summer sunset and a starry night sky. They’re going to continue to win converts to their following with this one.
Mezmah
One Day
A simple jazz-funk, hip hop riff staying as long as your mind can hold out. Still on a roll from his past Silver Lining and X singles, he’s living up to his own worthy ambition.
Mr. Max
Brunchin’ Yuppies
Mr. Max” is the solo project of Atomic Walrus guitarist Max Cohen, and he continues to stretch the boundaries of more taxing matters like genres. The relentless beat, the funk, the colorful guitars and sounding like a cross between Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bootsauce. Put this on at Midnight during your party and watch your living room turn into a dance floor.
Kodiak Soul
Nightmares (W/waivs)
The producer hailing from Charlotte North Carolina infuses elements of hip hop and electronic music into a new influx of melodies, beats and everything in between. A claustrophobic set-up turns into wandering off on his own voice and mind. Kodiak’s rich future is there for the underground to get into the serious business of not keeping him on the fringes – he deserves more.
Matt Westin
Our Redneck Of the Woods
Deciding to make a country record in his father’s honour, Matt Westin gives you a seat riding shotgun through the backwoods of country music. Rest assured, he’s on the right track. Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, a hint of Nickelback, all illuminated by an attitude worthy of all those great artists, and his own father.
TJ Stewart
Let Me Love You
TJ emerges as a singer of tenderness as well as power. Dig it if you like the laid-back grooves of The Fray, U2 and Harry Styles, the bedrock of contemporary pop. Peel back the slick, and see the realness and authenticity right here.
Lewis
Ball Queen
There are a hundred other little things that go into making a great song, but Lewis isn’t about throwing it all in there – just the voice and a piano, raring to go. The durability of a cool song sometimes is the barren route, and Lewis found it. If you believe in Sam Smith and Elton John, this is the indie equivalent, but not for long, he’s ready for the big time.
The Like Violence
My Way
The Like Violence is a fairly new alternative/Indie-rock project from Atlanta, GA’s Dustin Phillips, who has been working with Nate Novarro of Cobra Starship. This is a song you cannot afford to avoid. Meet the new generation of artists influenced by Imagine Dragons and Dustin is on the right path to reaching the same dizzy heights of hit singles and gold albums, too.
Spectre Hearts
Liar Liar
The latest single by Toronto’s Spectre Hearts, produced by Zaddi Pesino and mastered by Chuck Carvalho. They could scare the crap of of every other indie rock band in the city, buzzing with punk attitude and vocals crossing between savage and intimidating. They’re probably much cooler than you, too, and deserve to be. Can’t wait to see them live.
Kat Von D + Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong Team Up to Create Limited Edition Black Pencil Eyeliner
Kat Von D has teamed up with long-time friend, and Green Day frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, to create the perfect black smudge pencil eyeliner for the ultimate rocker, messy, smoky eye. From shows to music videos to the red carpet, Billie Joe has rocked his signature eyeliner look since the 90’s, and now guys and girls can recreate it themselves with this super limited-edition collaboration available exclusively at SEPHORA and KATVONDBEAUTY.COM. No need for brushes or multiple products, simply apply, smudge with fingers, and flaunt.
“It’s really exciting to be – what I think is the first – male musician (or even male) – to launch a black pencil eyeliner like this and in collaboration with Kat. Her products are amazing,” said Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day.
“Super excited about our upcoming eyeliner collab! There’s no one else on the planet better to create a black pencil eyeliner to give a perfect anti-precision smudgy look than the guy who made it famous in the first place, Billie Joe…,” added Kat Von D.
https://youtu.be/us1Mrm-R38k
Kat’s unique formula glides on creamy with plenty of play-time, which means you can effortlessly smudge and diffuse to achieve your favorite look, before it sets in place for unstoppable wear. With a chubby pencil format and maxed-out, ultra-black pigment, Basket Case is the perfect tool for super-fast lining around the eye. Kat and Billie Joe tested this formula themselves to make sure it’s the ultimate cool tool to achieve Billie Joe’s famous look, and the built-in sharpener ensures you’re always ready to rock.
The name Basket Case comes from Green Day’s most popular track from their 1994 album, Dookie.
Kat’s passion for animals means that all products are made with love, not animals and 100% Cruelty-Free Forever. Basket Case Anti-Precision Eyeliner is 100% vegan.
LiveXLive Acquires Slacker Radio
LiveXLive, one of the only premium networks devoted to live music and music-related video content, announced today that it has closed its acquisition of Slacker Radio, a streaming music and personalized radio subscription service.
Slacker is a key innovator in the streaming music space. Slacker represents the next-generation of personalized radio, enabling music lovers to choose from the broadest selection of human-curated stations personalized to their independent tastes. Its proven programming and personalization platform boasts a catalog of more than 13 million audio tracks from all three major music companies and many independent labels. Slacker has approximately 1.5 million monthly unique users and more than 400,000 subscribers on its paid and ad-supported platforms. Additionally, Slacker has hundreds of expertly programmed stations, including news, sports, and talk from ABC News, ESPN and others. Slacker also powers the streaming music experiences for global brands including Tesla and Samsung.
“LiveXLive is leading the evolution of the music business and we believe Slacker is a perfect complement to our video platform,” said Robert Ellin, CEO and Chairman of LiveXLive Media. “We look forward to working with the Slacker team as we combine the best audio and video content across live and recorded music. By combining LiveXLive’s leadership in music festival streaming and our massive music video content with Slacker’s proven audio platform, we immediately expand our reach and dramatically accelerate our ability to deliver world-class music-related entertainment across platforms – on a global scale,” continued Mr. Ellin.
Slacker and LiveXLive are combining content programming teams and building a network of both audio and video channels that stretch across mobile, TV apps, and in-car infotainment systems. Slacker Radio furthers LiveXLive’s ability to drive innovation across technology and digital entertainment while providing the company with access to a new base of consumers and music enthusiasts. Slacker’s technology team and data-rich platform bring significant advantages to both the audio and video sides of LiveXLive. Similarly, LiveXLive’s leadership in live music streaming and access to festivals, clubs, venues, concerts and its influencer network, with more than 85 million combined followers, will open the door for creative new content collaborations and increased exposure.
Nearly 60 percent of millennials use two or more apps for streaming music, according to Nielsen. The market is primed for a service that combines video with the live and recorded music worlds. Bringing Slacker into the LiveXLive fold provides fans with a premium radio experience and a virtual pass to some of music’s biggest nights, from festivals and concerts to special performances by some of the world’s top artists.
“We are thrilled to join the LiveXLive team. We look forward to executing on our mutual commitment to reinvigorate the music business by creating fan-first content and programming. We are leveraging our combined cutting-edge technologies to deliver a superior consumer experience which will accelerate growth in the overall business,” said Duncan Orrell-Jones, CEO of Slacker.
TOTO “40 Trips Around The Sun” To Be Released On February 9
TOTO is pleased to announce a February 9th worldwide release date on Legacy Recordings (a division of Sony Music) for their brand new Greatest Hits package titled 40 Trips Around The Sun. The 17 track album features three previously unreleased recordings: “Spanish Sea” “Alone” and “Struck By Lightning” alongside newly remastered classic tracks worked on by Elliot Scheiner & Gavin Lurssen and his team. The core Toto members, Steve Lukather, David Paich, Steve Porcaro, Joseph Williams re-entered the studio earlier this year to work on this release.
While going through the Sony vaults, the band uncovered several unfinished tracks that featured both Jeff and Mike Porcaro, one of which is now “Spanish Sea.” “This track is originally from the Isolation sessions,” Steve Lukathercommented. “It’s one that didn’t make it and we had to re-write it including creating a new chorus. Thanks to modern tech we were able to play once again with not only our 20 something selves but with our dear brothers Jeff and Mike Porcaro reminding us just how deep their groove was. Bittersweet… Many stories, laughs and a few tears on this one. It’s classic Toto with an excellent solo and I kept my old 1985 melody solo Dave wanted me to do… Old meets new but since legendary pal Al Schmitt cut the tracks and Bob Clearmountain mixed…it sounds like it was done 2 weeks ago not 30 + years ago!”
All fans who pre-order the album beginning today will receive both “Spanish Sea” & “Alone” as instant grat tracks. “Alone is a brand new song,” Lukather remarked. “This one was written with just the four of us really writing together and no one else in the room with us. We wanted to start with an ‘up’ song in terms of groove for the album. The lyric is darker but we are older guys now ands have lived life. The good, bad and ugly… we have lived it all and in the end we are all alone anyway. Proud of this piece and it just sort of organically happened.” Fans can pre-order the album here: https://lnk.to/toto_GH
The third new track on 40 Trips Around The Sun: “Struck By Lightning” began with David Paich. “I had the opening riff in my head for months,” Paich said. “Joe and the guys helped flesh this one out. I love the heavy arrangement and Luke’s solo on it is an all time great!”
Beginning on February 11th in Helsinki, the band will begin the first leg of their worldwide 40 Trips Around The Sun tour in support of their 40th anniversary. 36 shows in Europe have been announced to date. The tour will be the band’s most extensive run in years and is expected to hit the U.S. later in 2018. More shows will be announced shortly.
Few ensembles in the history of recorded music have individually or collectively had a larger imprint on pop culture than the members of TOTO. As individuals, the band members can be heard on an astonishing 5000 albums that together amass a sales history of a half a billion albums. Amongst these recordings, NARAS applauded the performances with more than 200 Grammy nominations. Toto has over 400 million streams on Spotify alone along while views on YouTube far exceed over a half billion.
With close to 40 years together and literally thousands of credits, including the biggest selling album of all time: Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and accolades to their names, TOTO remains one of the top selling touring and recording acts in the world. They are the benchmark by which many artists base their sound and production, and they continue to transcend the standards set by the entire music community, being simply synonymous with musical credibility. Their repertoire continues to be current via high profile usage on broadcast television. They are pop culture, and are one of the few 70’s bands that have endured the changing trends and styles to a career enjoy a multi-generational worldwide fan base.
TOTO – 40 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN TRACK LISTING
Alone
Spanish Sea
I’ll Supply The Love
I’ll Be Over You
Stranger In Town
99
Struck By Lightning
Pamela
Afraid Of Love
I Won’t Hold You Back
Jake To The Bone
Stop Loving You
Lea
Hold The Line
George Porgy
Rosanna
Africa
TOTO – 2018 – 40 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN EUROPEAN TOUR
|
2/11 |
Helsinki, FI |
Icehall |
|
2/12 |
Tallinn, EE |
Nordea Concert Hall |
|
2/14 |
Stockholm, SE |
Fryshuset |
|
2/16 |
Oslo, NO |
Spektrum |
|
2/17 |
Copenhagen, DK |
Forum |
|
2/19 |
Hamburg, DE |
Mehr! Theater |
|
2/21 |
Dusseldorf, DE |
Mitsubishi-Electric Hall |
|
2/22 |
Munich, DE |
Olympiahalle |
|
2/24 |
Berlin, DE |
C-Halle |
|
2/25 |
Leipzig, DE |
Haus Auensee |
|
2/27 |
Prague, CZ |
Forum Karlin |
|
2/28 |
Krakow, PL |
Tauron Arena |
|
3/2 |
Vienna, AT |
Gasometer |
|
3/4 |
Sofia, BG |
National Palace Of Culture |
|
3/5 |
Skopje, MK |
Boris Trajkovski Sports Hall |
|
3/9 |
Zagreb, HR |
Dom Sportova |
|
3/10 |
Milan, IT |
Mediolanum Forum |
|
3/12 |
Zurich, CH |
Hallenstadion |
|
3/13 |
Stuttgart, DE |
Porsche Arena |
|
3/15 |
Lille, FR |
Zenith |
|
3/17 |
Amsterdam, NL |
Ziggo Dome |
|
3/18 |
Brussels, BE |
Forest National |
|
3/20 |
Offenbach, DE |
Stadthalle |
|
3/22 |
Geneva, CH |
Arena Geneva |
|
3/23 |
Bologna, IT |
Unipol Arena |
|
3/25 |
Marseille, FR |
Dome |
|
3/26 |
Toulouse, FR |
Zenith |
|
3/27 |
Lyon, FR |
Halle Tony Garnier |
|
3/29 |
Luxembourg City, LU |
Rockhal |
|
3/30 |
Paris, FR |
La Seine Musicale |
|
4/1 |
London, UK |
Royal Albert Hall |
|
4/2 |
Manchester, UK |
Bridgewater Hall |
|
4/4 |
Dublin, IE |
Vicar Street |
|
4/5 |
Dublin, IE |
Vicar Street |
|
4/7 |
Belfast, UK |
Waterfront Auditorium |
|
4/8 |
Glasgow, UK |
SEC Armadillo |
How to Make Simple Speaker Stands
I Like to Make Stuff points out different ways to make a pair of simple speaker stands that raise your monitors to ear level for the average human being (but not for shot guys like myself.) Using only a handful of power tools, he is the superhero we need the most.
Great Footage Of Prince Rehearsing George Gershwin’s “Summertime” With His Band In 1990
Great footage of Prince rehearsing ‘Summertime’ in Osaka, Japan in September 1990. Watch it while you can.
https://youtu.be/oJjZLwOwzb8
Watch “The Last Pogo” Punk Doc From 1978
The Last Pogo is a short film made by Colin Brunton in 1978. Shot in Toronto, at the Horseshoe Tavern, The Last Pogo concert on December 1 was billed as “the last punk rock concert” in Toronto—at least for that original wave of punkers circa 1977/1978. Named as ironic tribute to “The Last Waltz”, the concert film of the final concert by The Band directed by Martin Scorsese. Featuring performances by The Scenics, The Cardboard Brains, The Secrets, The Mods, The Ugly, The Viletones and Teenage Head, the event also spawned a live recording called And Now Live From Toronto — The Last Pogo.
Apart from the performances, the highlight of the film was probably the shots of the aftermath, because during the show, a bit of a riot occurred. Brunton’s crew was ushered outside by police and firefighters, but the sound recordist stuck it out.
https://youtu.be/Hisms1Pt_hk