Just a mariachi band serenading a very happy-looking beluga whale. OK, this is pretty great. Now let the whale out of the tank so it doesn’t have to live in an enclosed structure.
How George Harrison Saved Monty Python
This might be the reason why George Harrison is the greatest Beatle. I mean, yes, there’s McCartney and Lennon, but bringing the joy of laughter to the world? Does that beat Jet or Imagine? Depends on the day, to tell you the truth.
This Girl Plays Lamb of God’s “Hourglass” Better Than You Ever Could
All hail the future ruler of metal, Meliani Siti Sumartini, who just destroys Lamb Of God’s Hourglass.
Jeff Bridges revives ‘The Dude’ to honor his Big Lebowski co-star John Goodman
Jeff Bridges broke out his Big Lebowski character ‘The Dude’ to honor John Goodman with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Listen to Snopp Dogg’s Remix Of BADBADNOTGOOD’s “Lavender” featuring Kaytranada
Snoop Dogg remixed BADBADNOTGOOD’s “Lavender” (Ft. Kaytranada) and all is great with the world this week. The original track is from BBNG’s recent album, IV, and now has a new verse added by Snoop. The collaboration came about naturally after Snoop first heard the instrumental “Lavender” when an engineer was playing it before a studio session. Enamored with the track, Snoop quickly cut a verse to it and the rest is history. “I love what they do, shit feels so real. And when I heard the instrumental on their album I had to do it,” explains Snoop. Artwork for the single was created by Joe Cool, the original artist behind the iconic Doggystyle artwork.
Like musical theatre and scripted television, jazz and hip-hop are uniquely, undeniably North American art forms. Though the latter genre was born out of funk and disco in the late 1970s, many of its landmark artists embody the ethos of jazz: loose, visceral, instinctive. Some hip-hop acts – A Tribe Called Quest, or more recently Kendrick Lamar – have successfully repurposed jazz, but the older genre has seldom made successful inroads into new generations of rap fans. And that’s what makes BADBADNOTGOOD, the four-piece, Toronto-bred jazz outfit that has melded jazz and instrumental hip-hop into something elusive, something altogether their own, so unique.
On their latest full-length effort, IV, BBNG decide to expand their universe, which was already one of the most compelling, labyrinthine worlds in pop music today. Saxophonist Leland Whitty, a long-time collaborator, joins Chester Hansen, Matthew Tavares, and Alexander Sowinski on a full-time basis; for the first time, guest vocalists are welcomed into the fold. Some artists find collaboration stressful and cluttering, but BBNG simply seems freer to chase down creative rabbit holes than ever before.
The effect is apparent immediately. See “Lavender”, a collaboration with the Montreal-based producer Kaytranada, which pairs delicate, skittering production with a punishing low end. Or take the virtuosic closer, which underscores superb performances by Whitty and Tavares with a grand swell of strings. On “Hyssop of Love”, upstart Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins moves languidly, stretching out taunts (“I heard your plug was drrrrry”) before he snaps upright (“Never needed no dollars to prove worth”). The result is not just BBNG’s most expansive, most dynamic effort to date, but their best. Lest anyone think the group is only concerned with blurring genre lines, the title track alone is enough to ensure the most discerning jazz purists will have to respect BBNG’s technical chops.
IV is a master class in mood. The opening three-song suite – “And That, Too.”, “Speaking Gently”, and the Samuel T. Herring-assisted “Time Moves Slow” – is a slow, slinking creep, like moving uneasily through an abandoned house. And while BBNG explores different tones on subsequent tracks, that feeling–the search, the push for the unknown–is the prevailing theme. “Chompy’s Paradise” is peaceful and serene, but ends on an uncertain note, unresolved. Like most great artists before them, the quartet understands that it’s more important to raise questions than to answer them.
Hanson Announce Middle Of Everywhere 25th Anniversary World Tour
In celebration of the band’s 25th Anniversary, multi-Grammy nominated pop-rock trio Hanson officially announced their extensive Middle of Everywhere 25th Anniversary World Tour, including Europe and North America on sale today, with further legs in Australia and South America to be announced. The band will kick off the world tour with a headlining set at their own rapidly growing festival The Hop Jam Beer and Music Festival May 21st in Tulsa, OK.
“Making music together for 25 years is a milestone that we had to acknowledge, and what better way to do it than with an anniversary tour and greatest hits album,” said keyboardist Taylor Hanson. Added guitarist Isaac Hanson, “This year is not only about the two decades of music, it’s about celebrating the incredible community of fans who have been with us, singing along year after year”.
Besides Hanson’s 25th anniversary, 2017 is also the 20th anniversary of their debut release Middle Of Nowhere, lead by the iconic single “Mmmbop”, which introduced the group to the world. The tour will
feature performances of the group’s most widely known material alongside fan favorites encompassing their extensive catalog. In select markets, Taylor Hanson will DJ the “Dance Like You Don’t Care” after party, which will feature an eclectic mix of modern and 90’s favorites.
Coinciding with their benchmark 25th year together, over which the group has released six studio albums and sold over 16 million albums, later this year Hanson will also be releasing Middle Of Everywhere – The Greatest Hits, a comprehensive collection which includes hit singles “Mmmbop”, “Where’s The Love”, “Weird “, “This Time Around”, “If Only”, “Penny And Me”, “Thinking ‘Bout Somethin'”, “Get The Girl Back”, plus their brand new single “I Was Born”.
Founded in 1992, the trio of brothers began performing classic rock ‘n roll and soul music, and writing original material, crafting a unique blend of harmonies and organic soulful pop-rock. The group took the world by storm with their debut major release in 1997, ushering in a string of top 40 singles and establishing them as one of the world’s leading artists.
In 2003, the group founded their own independent 3CG Records, starting a new era for the band with their #1 independent album Underneath, featuring hit single “Penny And Me”, positioning them among the most successful independent bands to date. Since then, HANSON has released 3 studio albums under their label, toured the world cultivating a vibrant global fanbase engaged by their dynamic live performances, and released an ongoing stream of special products direct to their devout fan community.
In 2013, the group diversified its brand with the founding of their Hanson Brothers Beer Company, and in 2014 added The Hop Jam Beer and Music Festival based in their hometown of Tulsa, OK, which brings together artists and brewers from all over the world, culminating in one of the country’s leading Craft Beer and Music Festivals with 40,000 in attendance, occurring this year on May 21st in Tulsa. The
Middle Of Everywhere Tour showcases more than two decades of music in a celebratory world tour, alongside new music that will be followed by a further release in 2018.
6/1 Cologne, Germany – Gloria
6/2 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
6/3 Hamburg, Germany – Mojo
6/5 Paris, France – La Cigale
6/7 Milan, Italy – Fabrique
6/9 Antwerp, Belgium – Trix
6/10 London, England – Shepherd’s Bush Empire
9/12 Dallas, TX – House of Blues
9/13 Austin, TX – Emo’s East
9/15 New Orleans, LA – Joy Theater
9/16 Nashville, TN – Wildhorse Saloon
9/17 Birmingham, AL – Iron City
9/19 St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live
9/20 Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
9/22 Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
9/23 Norfolk, VA – Norva
9/24 Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore
9/26 Cleveland, OH – House Of Blues
9/27 Pittsburgh, PA – Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
9/28 Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
9/30 New York, NY – Playstation Theater
10/1 Boston, MA – House Of Blues
10/3 Montreal, QC CANADA – Corona
10/4 Toronto, ON CANADA – Danford Music Hall
10/6 Detroit, MI – St. Andrews
10/7 Chicago, IL – House of Blues
10/8 Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe Live
10/10 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
10/11 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
10/12 Lawrence, KS – Granada Theatre
10/14 Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
10/15 Salt Lake City, UT – Depot
10/17 Seattle, WA – The Neptune
10/18 Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre
10/19 Portland, OR – Aladdin Theatre
10/21 Anaheim, CA – House Of Blues
10/22 Los Angeles, CA – The Mayan
10/24 San Diego, CA – House Of Blues
10/25 Las Vegas, NV – House Of Blues
10/27 Houston, TX – House Of Blues
Pandora Launches Highly Anticipated Premium Subscription Tier
Pandora announced today that Pandora Premium, its first ever on-demand streaming tier, launches this week. Invites for a free trial of Pandora Premium roll out to select listeners on March 15 and an option to upgrade will be available to all listeners over the coming weeks.
For $9.99 a month, Pandora Premium combines the best of Pandora’s beloved personalized radio with the ability to search and play any track or album as well as a unique set of playlist features tailored to each person’s distinct preferences. Listeners can now curate their music experience with an ease of use unmatched by any other service.
“Every day tens of millions of people trust us to choose the exact right songs for them. That’s why they spend more time with Pandora than any other music service,” said Tim Westergren, founder and CEO of Pandora. “With Premium, we’re leveraging our immense trove of data and everything we’ve learned about personalization to offer a listening experience that sets a new standard for what a music service should be.”
Pandora listeners who start a trial will see all of their stations and thumbed up songs and a visually stunning “Now Playing” experience, which pulls a signature color from the album art and changes as each track plays. Innovative new features are designed to make finding and collecting music and building playlists easy:
- Playlists, not worklists: Start a playlist with one or two songs of your choice, tap “Add Similar Songs” and put the power of Pandora’s Music Genome Project to work to create the perfect playlist for any activity, mood or party.
- All your thumbs up: Every song you’ve thumbed up on Pandora is immediately available in your “My Thumbs Up” playlist. Thumb up a few tracks on any Pandora radio station and Premium will automatically create a new playlist of these songs too.
- New music for you… and only you: Browse is stocked with personalized suggestions for the latest releases from current and soon-to-be favorites whether you listen to classical, metal, jazz, hip hop, country, and everything in between.
- Offline mode: Download albums, songs stations or playlists you want and bring an end to those moments of deafening silence when you lose a signal.
- Search that knows you: Pandora’s team of curators, music analysts and data scientists have sifted through tens of millions of tracks to help you quickly find what you really want. No more wading through covers, karaoke versions or tribute tracks to get to your favorite tune.
Existing Pandora Plus subscribers will enjoy six months of Premium for no additional charge. Trial lengths for existing Pandora ad-supported listeners and those new to Pandora vary. Premium is available now on iOS and Android phones, Google Chromecast, and integrated in the car with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, GM, Honda, Hyundai, JVC Kenwood, Mazda, Pioneer and Subaru. It will be available on other platforms, including desktop and popular connected devices, in the coming months.
To sign up for an invite, visit: http://pandora.com/premium.
John Oates’ “Change of Seasons: A Memoir” Is Not Your Typical Rock And Roll Story
John Oates was born at the perfect time, paralleling the birth of rock ‘n roll. Raised in a small Pennsylvania town, he was exposed to folk, blues, soul, and R&B. Meeting and teaming up with Daryl Hall in the late 1960s, they developed a style of music that was uniquely their own but never abandoned their roots. John uncovers the grit and struggle it took to secure a recording contract with the legendary Atlantic Records and chronicles the artistic twists and turns that resulted in a DJ discovering an obscure album track that would become their first hit record. This is not your typical rock and roll story. John was focused creating great music. Along the way he achieved incredible success, battling the ever-changing pop music landscape and coming to terms with complex managerial, business, and personal challenges.
Daryl Hall and John Oates have over 20 albums together, more than 60 million records sold, and 29 Top 40 hits. They are the most successful pop duo in the world and members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And yet John’s story has never been told. Relying on his many hand-written journals, he brings to light many fascinating stories spanning his entire life with a journalist’s eye and a poet’s heart.
In Change of Seasons, John shares his highs, lows, triumphs, and failures. He takes the reader on a wild ride through all the eras, personalities and music that has shaped him into what he is.
Canada’s Walk of Fame Emerging Artist Music Mentorship Program Returns For Fifth Year With $100,000 Prize
Canada’s Walk of Fame announces the return of its Emerging Artist Music Mentorship Program, supported by RBC, one of Canada’s most successful programs supporting aspiring Canadian musical artists. Valued at more than $100,000, this program provides musicians the tools needed to take their careers to the next level including private studio time at the prestigious Metalworks Studios; introductions to renowned artists; access to music industry influencers; exposure to audiences and media; as well as artist development and funding. Submissions will be accepted today through to Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 11:59 pm ET.
Since its inception in 2013, the Emerging Artist Music Mentorship Program, supported by RBC, has ignited the careers of its Grand Prize Winners including last year’s recipient, Ayaz V. who has credited his win as a “game-changer”. For the first time in the program’s history, the Grand Prize Winner appeared on the 2016 Canada’s Walk of Fame national broadcast on Global. He later opened for Canadian singer-songwriter Jonathan Roy in Toronto, and will be releasing his EP and performing at Jamie Oliver’s renowned “The Big Feastival” this summer.
2015 Grand Prize Winners, Ivory Hours, have embarked on two national tours since being awarded the grand prize and are gearing up for a third tour this spring to promote their forthcoming self-released album. NEFE, the 2014 Grand Prize Winner, opened for Canadian icon Burton Cummings during his Canada’s Walk of Fame Festival performance at Massey Hall and went on to sign a recording contract with Universal Music Canada; and the inaugural Grand Prize Winner, Taylor Kurta, performed for Canadian musical heavyweights such as Bob Ezrin, David Foster, Carly Rae Jepsen and Hedley, as part of her prizing.
“We are extremely proud of this program, which is five years strong and has made a profound impact on aspiring Canadian musicians by providing them with opportunities for mentorship, exposure and funding that allows them to flourish,” says Melanie Hurley, CEO, Canada’s Walk of Fame. “We’ve seen a steady increase in submissions year-over-year — 600 per cent since its inception. This program has quickly established a reputation among emerging artists as a catalyst to take their career to the next level. We are proud of the accomplishments that all of our Winners have had as a result, and we look forward to providing the next generation of Canadian stars with an opportunity to shine.”
The Grand Prize Winner will receive a cash prize of $25,000, private studio recording time, an introduction to at least one established music artist, introductions to music industry executives, a public performance opportunity at a Canada’s Walk of Fame event, album cover artwork design and an invitation to attend the 2017 Private Inductee Dinner and the 2017 Celebration Event with a guest.
Six additional Winners will also be chosen. Their prizes will include a cash prize of $7,000 for a Second Prize Winner, a cash prize of $1,200 each for five additional Winners and a public performance opportunity at a Canada’s Walk of Fame event.
All Winners will also be invited to participate in private music industry career development mentorship sessions with A&R professionals, a recording artist and a music agent. The approximate value of the prizing in total is over $100,000 CDN.
Visit www.canadaswalkoffame.com for details on eligibility and submission requirements.
The Winners will be chosen by a selection committee comprised of music and industry experts, and will be announced this summer.
– See more at: http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/media-galleries/press-releases/canadas-walk-of-fame-announces-the-2017-emerging-artist-music-mentorship-program-supported-by-rbc?p=1#sthash.b463rwgy.dpuf
Terry Jones Discusses Playing Mr. Creosote In Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life
Terry Jones talks about make-up artist Chris Tucker and the creation of Mr. Creote for Monty Python’s ‘The Meaning of Life’