Canadian Family Entertainer, Fred Penner, came to the boom 97.3 studios to play “The Cat Came Back” on vinyl! Fred talks about how he found the song in an old Folk Songbook, how he adapted it, the recording of the song, the National Film Board Cartoon and more.
Watch A Young Pete Townshend Basically Playing Himself In 1968 Art-School Film
This is the Royal College of Art student film written and Directed by Richard Stanley, and was part of the UK Student Films at the International Film Festival in 1968. Lone Ranger was shot in South Kensington and Knightsbridge during January and February of 1968. It features a young Pete Townshend playing the part of a musician (basically playing himself), and Townshend who also wrote the films soundtrack in his studio on Edbury Street in Victoria in the same year.
Chilly Gonzales’ The Gonzervatory Is Open For Applications
Grammy Award-winning entertainer and composer Chilly Gonzales is CALLING ALL PERFORMING MUSICIANS! Join him in Paris for an all-expenses-paid trip to study at The Gonzervatory, an 8-day music performance workshop. Six selected students will get the chance to go to Paris for a week of intensive coaching, masterclasses and rehearsals, culminating in a public concert led by Chilly Gonzales himself.
The Gonzervatory is open to every musician 18 or older, from all parts of the globe, who write and perform their own material: composing instrumentalists, singer-songwriters, rappers, producers. Together we will explore Musical Humanism, audience psychology and what it means to be a performing musician in 2018.
Grammy Award-winning entertainer and composer Chilly Gonzales is CALLING ALL PERFORMING MUSICIANS! Join him in Paris for an all-expenses-paid trip to study at The Gonzervatory, an 8-day music performance workshop. Six selected students will get the chance to go to Paris for a week of intensive coaching, masterclasses and rehearsals, culminating in a public concert led by Chilly Gonzales himself.
The Gonzervatory is open to every musician 18 or older, from all parts of the globe, who write and perform their own material: composing instrumentalists, singer-songwriters, rappers, producers. Together we will explore Musical Humanism, audience psychology and what it means to be a performing musician in 2018.
At the Gonzervatory, students arrive to a Convocation Concert at Le Trianon theatre in Paris on Thurs. 26 April, 2018. Their first meeting with Chilly Gonzales will be … on stage! During the week, students will live together in the loft, a musical home created in partnership with Sonos. Each day starts with one-on-one coaching sessions with Gonzo, followed by afternoon masterclasses from special guests selected from his friends and collaborators. Each evening the students rehearse together, learning and practicing each other’s songs for the Graduation Concert also at Le Trianon on Friday 4 May, 2018. The experience, with all its inevitable struggles and triumphs, will be documented and shared with viewers all over the world. Livestreams of both of the concerts, daily video debriefs, as well as an online fanzine of photos, illustrations and essay pieces, will allow audiences to witness personal exchanges in real time and develop an emotional investment in the participants’ musical progress.
Chilly says, “Growing up, I had a complex relationship with studying music; I wanted to be inspired and challenged, not ‘taught’. Technical knowledge came quickly, but I struggled to express my feelings in a direct but playful way. I’ve seen so many trained musicians miss out on instinctive musical joy, while those who are self-taught don’t know how to systematically improve their skills. Musicians shouldn’t have to choose between fun and knowledge, it’s a false choice. The Gonzervatory is a place for young musicians to find and strengthen their musical voice, to journey deeper into the emotions and science of their art.”
Over the course of his career, Chilly Gonzales has pulled back the curtain on how music works.
On stage, his now classic ‘Major-Minor’ routine, where he plays Happy Birthday or Chariots of Fire in a minor key to demonstrate the emotional impact of each key, has the audience laughing and learning all at once. Another routine sees Gonzales select a member of the audience to join him on stage and, in less than 3 minutes, they write a spontaneous piece built on the simple repetition of 3 notes plus 1 tiny variation. His most recent tour saw him breakdown the Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby in to its component parts, before using a string quartet as a real-life sampler to show how hip-hop, pop and classical music are not so distant relatives. The success of these concert routines led to production of the From Major to Minor live DVD, an hour-long masterclass concert where Chilly Gonzales deals with the principle elements of music theory, including rhythm (featuring special guests Daft Punk) and melody (featuring special guest Feist).
Chilly Gonzales’ teaching also takes the form of best-selling book Re-Introduction Etudes: 24 easy-to-master, fun-to-play piano pieces specifically designed to unlock musical mysteries for those who gave it up. The book is an antidote to the stale, cheesy, ‘rinky-dink’ repertoire most student pianists are forced to play, and aims to restore some fun into the learning process.
Gonzales’ most recent forays into education are through his Pop Music Masterclasses, in which he breaks down the musical elements of current and classic pop hits (Under Pressure by Queen & David Bowie, Shake It Off by Taylor Swift, or Drake’s Hold On…) in 3-4 minute videos which have to date been viewed several hundred thousand times on YouTube, and the Apple Music Beats1 radio show Music’s Cool with Chilly Gonzales where his unique analysis introduces listeners the theory and the fun of entire musical genres through the work of one exemplary artist (Daft Punk for electronic music, Weezer for Indie Rock…) in a 2-hour monthly broadcast.
Through all of these endeavors, Chilly Gonzales gained a reputation as a “musical scientist” in addition to his renown as a composer and performer, penning several newspaper and magazine opinion pieces and being called upon by the likes of Apple Music’s Beats 1, BBC Radio 1 in the UK, 1Live in Germany, and the CBC in Canada to comment upon our ever-expanding musical universe. The Gonzervatory workshop is a result of all of the foregoing for the man whose mission it is to spread Musical Humanism: an ongoing and constant search for the techniques and aesthetics that connect musical eras and genres.
Velcro’s Lawyers Are Very, Very Upset At You. And Here They Are To Sing About It
Velcro Brand Companies legal team decided to clear a few things up about using the VELCRO trademark correctly – because they’re lawyers and that’s what they do. When you use “velcro” as a noun or a verb (e.g., velcro shoes), you diminish the importance of our brand and our lawyers lose their *insert fastening sound.* So please, do not say “velcro shoes” (or “velcro wallet” or “velcro gloves”) – they repeat, “velcro” is not a noun or a verb. VELCRO is their brand. And you don’t want to make lawyers angry.
Ed Sheeran Announces 2018 North American Stadium Tour
Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning global superstar Ed Sheeran has announced details for his first-ever North American stadium tour. Dates begin next summer on August 18th at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, and continue into November. The tour hits Toronto’s Rogers Centre on August 30.
To ensure that tickets go to his fans, not scalpers or bots, Sheeran is partnering with Ticketmaster to use the #VerifiedFan system. Registration opened on Friday, September 22, 2017 at 5:30 PM ET and closes on Thursday, October 12, 2017 at 10 PM ET. The Fan Presales are set to begin Monday, October 16th 10 AM and run through Thursday, October 19th 10 PM (all times local). The general public on-sales are Friday, October 20th at 10am (local).
Last week, Sheeran launched the latest single “Perfect” with a companion lyric video that amassed over 3 million views on YouTube in the first 24 hours and is now up to over 6.4 million views. “Perfect” made its U.S. television premiere this morning with a live performance on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Next week, Sheeran returns to NYC’s Times Square for the much-anticipated return of MTV’s “TRL” on October 2nd.
“Perfect” is the 3rd single off of Sheeran’s blockbuster 3rd studio album “÷” (pronounced “divide”). Now certified 4x-platinum by Music Canada and 2x-platinum by the RIAA in the U.S., the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s third studio offering is the biggest selling album of the year thus far in both countries.
Sheeran has likewise enjoyed record-setting success with the single “Shape Of You,” (certified DIAMOND in Canada and 6x-platinum in the U.S.) which is now the most streamed on song ever on Spotify.
Multi-platinum, multiple GRAMMY Award winning singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has quickly established himself as one of the world’s biggest musical artists with over 26 million albums sold and 5 billion Spotify streams. His third studio album “÷” (pronounced divide) has proven to be a global phenomenon of its own, selling over 4 million units worldwide in its first week. The landmark album has also gone to #1 on iTunes in 102 countries around the world, and shattered the record for the highest first week Spotify streams ever, logging more than 375¬ million streams over the full week. Sheeran has supported his latest album with a number of high profile, national television appearances including performances on the 59th GRAMMY Awards, Saturday Night Live, TODAY, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, and most recently the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards. Additional press highlights include Sheeran’s first Rolling Stone cover, inclusion in TIME’s “100 Most Influential People in the World,” CBS This Morning Sunday profile, The Howard Stern Show, The Late Late Show with James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke and more. This summer, Sheeran received the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s 2017 Hal David Starlight Award which honors gifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry with original compositions.
As one of the world’s most in-demand songwriters, Sheeran has penned hit songs for both himself and other top artists including Taylor Swift, One Direction, The Weeknd, Major Lazer, Tori Kelley, and Justin Bieber, who’s blockbuster single “Love Yourself” was the #1 song on Billboard’s 2016 year end Hot 100 chart and nominated for “Song of the Year” at this year’s GRAMMY Awards. The song earned Sheeran his 11th GRAMMY nomination, and the third time in the prestigious, songwriting category. In 2015, Sheeran was named Songwriter of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards, which celebrate, honor and reward excellence in British and Irish songwriting and composing. Sheeran’s “The A Team” had previously been recognized for Best Song Musically and Lyrically in 2012.
One of the planet’s most popular live performers, Ed has played sold out headline shows at some of the biggest venues around the world, including Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, NYC’s Madison Square Garden where he played 3 sold out shows, Suncorp Stadium in Sydney, and London’s Wembley Stadium where he performed in front of 240,000 fans over 3 nights. Earlier this year, Sheeran kicked off his world tour in support of “÷,” with his 60-date North American summer leg set selling out in minutes. Sheeran made a triumphant return to the UK’s Glastonbury Festival to headline the Pyramid Stage, once again performing with nothing but his guitar and loop pedal in front of an audience of nearly 200,000. Sheeran launched his own imprint, Gingerbread Man Records, in 2015, with the signing of fellow British singer songwriter Jamie Lawson – whose self-titled album debuted at #1 in the UK – and Irish troubadour Foy Vance.
ED SHEERAN 2018 NORTH AMERICAN STADIUM TOUR
August
18 Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl Stadium
25 Seattle, WA CenturyLink Field
30 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre
September
6 St. Louis, MO Busch Stadium
15 Foxboro, MA Gillette Stadium
22 East Rutherford, NJ MetLife Stadium
27 Philadelphia, PA Lincoln Financial Field
October
13 Kansas City, MO Arrowhead Stadium
17 Fargo, ND Fargodome
20 Minneapolis, MN U.S. Bank Stadium
27 Dallas, TX AT&T Stadium
31 New Orleans, LA Mercedes-Benz Superdome
November
3 Houston, TX Minute Maid Park
7 Tampa, FL Raymond James Stadium
10 Atlanta, GA Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Kelly Clarkson Confirmed for iHeartRadio Canada’s First SECRET SESSION
iHeartRadio Canada gives fans the chance to get up close and personal with Grammy Award-winning superstar Kelly Clarkson in the first Canadian IHEARTRADIO SECRET SESSION, being held at Bell Media Studios on Thursday, Sept. 28 from 3 – 4 p.m. ET.
Hosted by CHUM FM and iHeartRadio’s Andrea Collins, the IHEARTRADIO SECRET SESSION WITH KELLY CLARKSON sees the singer sit down with fans in an intimate setting for a Q&A and preview of her upcoming album Meaning of Life, being released on October 27, 2017. This exclusive experience is also being recorded for a radio special, IHEARTRADIO FIRST LISTEN, set to premiere in October, with further details to be announced.
Tickets to the intimate and exclusive experience are being given away on chumfm.com, during CHUM FM’s ROGER & MARILYN on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, as well as iHeartRadio stations across southwestern Ontario.
Photo Gallery: Scorpions with Megadeth at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage
All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her at minismemories@hotmail.com
Photo Gallery: Charles Bradley at Wayhome
Charles Bradley (November 5, 1948 – September 23, 2017) was an American funk/soul/R&B singer, signed to the Daptone Records label under the Dunham Records division. His performances and recording style were consistent with Daptone’s revivalist approach, celebrating the feel of funk and soul music from the 1960s and 1970s. One review stated that Bradley “echoes the evocative delivery of Otis Redding”.
Dubbed “the screaming eagle of soul”, Bradley was the subject of the documentary Soul of America which premiered at South by Southwest in 2012. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in October 2016 and died on September 23, 2017.
All photos by Mini’s Memories.
SiriusXM Completes $480 Million Strategic Investment in Pandora
SiriusXM and Pandora today announced that SiriusXM has purchased $307.5 million of Series A preferred stock in Pandora, completing the $480 million strategic investment announced on June 9, 2017.
Under the terms of the agreement, a subsidiary of SiriusXM purchased $172.5 million of Series A preferred stock upon execution of the agreement on June 9, 2017 and today purchased an additional $307.5 million of the Series A preferred stock.
The Series A preferred stock is convertible into common stock at a purchase price of $10.50 per share. The Series A preferred stock bears a 6% cumulative dividend, payable in cash, accretion of the Series A preferred stock or a combination thereof. The Series A preferred stock represents a stake of 19% of Pandora’s currently outstanding common stock, and a 16% interest on an as-converted basis.
Upon the closing of this second investment, Gregory B. Maffei, the Chairman of SiriusXM, James E. Meyer, the Chief Executive Officer of SiriusXM, and David J. Frear, the Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of SiriusXM, were named to the Pandora Board of Directors. Mr. Maffei was also named Chairman of Pandora. With these additions, Elizabeth Nelson concluded her tenure on Pandora’s board, effective immediately. Nelson has served on Pandora’s board since 2013. The Pandora Board now consists of nine directors.
SiriusXM may require Pandora to redeem the Series A preferred stock beginning on September 22, 2022, the fifth anniversary of the closing, for an amount equal to its liquidation preference plus all accrued and unpaid dividends. Pandora may also redeem the Series A preferred stock at any time after September 22, 2020, the third anniversary of the closing, if the daily volume weighted average price of Pandora’s common stock is greater than or equal to 175% of the then applicable conversion price for a period of at least 20 days during a 30 day trading window prior to the notice of redemption.