Award-winning and critically acclaimed Canadian band Black Creek Reign have unleashed their newest single, “The Rain” — available now.
Beckoning back to the glory days of guitar-centric bar rock — we’re talking inspirational nods to the likes of Santana, Hendrix and Chicago — Black Creek Reign and members Darren Armoogam, Lex Stultz, and Jake Birman harness their signature blend of rock, funk, with dashes of reggae, pop and jazz, in this, their latest sonic offering.
“We captured ‘The Rain’ on purely analogue equipment,” the band says of the track. “The melodic idea was conceived almost instantly while rehearsing in a studio downtown Toronto… We wanted to blend both old and new sounds.
“Lyrically, though, we took our time,” they add. “We wanted the song to have a deeper resonance that’s more personal to us.
“That said, we also tried to follow in the footsteps of legendary songwriters like The Beatles and the Eagles and leave the meaning of the song open to the interpretation of the audience.
“Like, is it a cathartic call to a past lover? A fractured relationship being dealt a final nail in the coffin? Is it about the weather?
“The choice can absolutely be up to the listener.”
Winners of Raising the Roof / Revival Bar’s Battle of the Bands, and runner up in the following year’s Ultimate Champion rematch, Black Creek Reign’s debut EP Excommunicado was heralded by the likes of Canadian Beats, Indie Pulse, Buzz Music, and more. With hundreds of live performances under their belt, the trio has taken the stage from Nashville, to Los Angeles, and back to their hometown of Toronto.
Insatiable Canadian modern rock outfit D2UR show little mercy in their haunting, textured and sensory-laden new single, “Little Sunshine” — available now!
Co-fronts Diane Ibister and Mike Ibister — plus Dave Sikorski-Thorn, John Colburn, and Stephen Broadhurst — bring their signature driven rhythms to the forefront in the riff-filled rock piece and serve “Little Sunshine” as the latest in a trifecta of their most recently released new tracks.
“‘Little Sunshine’ spins a tale of deceit and lies,” Diane says of “Little Sunshine.”
“It’s a rock n’ roll tale of abuse and sadness,” Mike adds. “Draped in bombastic rock layers, of course.”
Such sound is par for the course for the no-nonsense, fluff-free and straight-to-the-point singer/songwriters who draw inspiration from the likes of Aerosmith, AC/DC, Rolling Stones, Whitesnake, and Sass Jordan, to name a few.
And such sound is just what these Winnipeg-based rockers are growing increasingly known for.
Following their 2013 debut release Rev U Up, D2UR took a Top 25 spot in the 2014 CBC Searchlight competition, and a Top 10 finish in 2015; their single “Losing Control” earned 15th place in the CJIM Montreal Independent Rock Countdown in 2016. The band launched their sophomore offering, Tic Toc, in 2017.
2019 also included the release of singles “Wild Ride” and “Where’s the Rocket.”
Multi-award winning Canadian jazz crooner extraordinaire Ori Dagan continues to hold court over his weekly livestream concert series through the month of June with an all-new lineup of themed events!
First up, the multi-talented, multi-award winning artist kicks off the sixth month in the calendar with an All-By-Request evening that’ll see Dagan deliver a mixed array from his bag of musical tricks.
Audiences are invited to celebrate Ori’s birthday on Thursday, June 11th’s show, and Pride cyber-style in Tribute to Judy Garland June 18th.
June 25th will see Dagan herald The Music of Cole Porter in It’s Delovely.
All shows go live at 2pm & 7pm EST via Ori Dagan’s Facebook page found here.
All-By-Request Show
Thursday, June 4th @ 2pm & 7pm EST via Facebook
Ori’s Birthday Party Concert!
Thursday, June 11th @ 2pm & 7pm EST via Facebook
Pride Show in Tribute to Judy Garland
Thursday, June 18th @ 2pm & 7pm EST via Facebook
It’s Delivery: The Music of Cole Porter
Thursday, June 25th @ 2pm & 7pm EST via Facebook
Ori Dagan’s critically acclaimed releases S’Cat Got My Tongue (2009) and Less Than Three <3 (2012) established a daring musical adventurer on the global jazz landscape.
Having won numerous accolades for his witty and inventive original songs — from “Googleable” (his ode to a search engine) to “Clap on the 2 and the 4” (an anthem for the rhythmically challenged), it’s his release Nathaniel: A Tribute to Nat King Cole (2017) and accompanying collection of imaginative and delightful videos — jazz music’s first ever visual album — that have created the largest bounty of awards for the singer yet.
Debuting at #1 on the iTunes Canada Jazz Chart and hitting more than 100k views on YouTube within days of release, Nathaniel: A Tribute to Nat King Cole delighted audiences with its flash of inspiration towards Cole’s notable works. The dynamic multi-media project was widely lauded for pushing artistic boundaries and leveraging the status quo; it has won tens of Canadian and International awards, and continues to receive top features at countless festivals around the world — including SXSW, the inaugural Public Diplomacy Week in Seoul, Korea, the TanJazz Festival in Tangier, Morocco, and 2019’s Bare Bones International Film & Music Festival.
Nearly 40 years since the release of their last album, ABBA are celebrating their entire studio discography with an 8LP box set that features each of their groundbreaking records for the first time on coloured vinyl, and with replica LP artwork. Due for release on July 3, ABBA: The Studio Albums is an essential release for fans of one of the greatest pop groups of all time.
Across eight studio albums released over eight years, ABBA established themselves as a truly boundary-pushing force in music. Dominating the charts throughout the 70s, and continuing their winning streak into the early 80s, the Swedish four-piece redefined what pop music was capable of, with each new album charting an astounding artistic progression. Four decades after their last release, 1981’s The Visitors, their music remains a fabric of our culture, with stage shows, cinematic blockbusters and even themed restaurants bringing ABBA to new generations of fans.
Taken together, these eight albums represent one of the most stunningly creative runs in pop music history, setting the bar for all those who followed in ABBA’s wake.
Included in ABBA: The Studio Albums are:
Ring Ring (1973; red vinyl)
ABBA’s debut album, Ring Ring, hit No.2 in the group’s homeland and even entered the Top 10 in Australia and Norway. With the title track topping the charts at home, it helped set the template for the incredible run of hits that would soon follow. ABBA would hone their diverse sound over the years to come, but Ring Ring is where they proved they could blend contrasting influences with a production style that remained uniquely theirs.
Waterloo (1974; orange vinyl)
With their breakthrough appearance at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, ABBA became global stars. ‘Waterloo’, the song, topped charts around the world, setting the stage for its parent album to become the group’s first out-and-out classic. Its second single, ‘Honey, Honey’, remains a true fan favourite, thanks to its latter-day use in the Mamma Mia! musical, while tracks like ‘Watch Out’ suggested that ABBA had the era’s glam rock titans in their sights. Thanks to Waterloo, the 70s had finally found its era-defining stars.
ABBA (1975; silver vinyl)
If each ABBA album up to this point had been defined by one truly great single, the group had plenty in store for their self-titled third record. ‘SOS’ and ‘Mamma Mia’ remain the album’s timeless classics – career highs that only ABBA themselves could top – while ‘I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do’ was infectious enough to top the charts in Australia and New Zealand. With nods towards classical music (‘Intermezzo No.1 (Instrumental)’) and reggae (‘Tropical Loveland’), ABBA found the four-piece continuing to stretch themselves artistically, while turning out hits with almost effortless panache.
Arrival (1976; white vinyl)
With its knowing title and witty album cover, ABBA knew they were destined to succeed with Arrival. The unstoppable success of ‘Dancing Queen’ topped the charts around the world – becoming the group’s first US No.1 in the process – while ‘Money, Money, Money’ and ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ added to the pile of timeless classics the group were now turning out with ease. Working at the top of their game, Arrival marked the point where ABBA perfected both the three-minute pop single and the sophisticated pop album. Not only one of the greatest records of the 70s, it remains one of the finest albums of all time.
ABBA – The Album (1977; green vinyl)
Having set the bar higher than ever, ABBA – The Album needed to improve upon what had gone before – if that were even possible. Signposting Benny and Björn’s future focus on stage musicals, the album mixed ambitious theatricality with a pop sensibility, not least on ‘Thank You For The Music’, a song that was part of the ambitious mini-musical, The Girl With The Golden Hair, that ABBA treated audiences to during their 1977 live shows. Elsewhere, they built upon their Europop past with songs that took in the era’s soft rock influences, starting a new creative chapter that would find the band experimenting even further in the studio.
Voulez-Vous (1979; blue vinyl)
The first album recorded at Polar Studios, in Stockholm, Voulez-Vous ended the 70s as a reminder of why ABBA were the decade’s most important pop group. With no fewer than five hit singles (‘Chiquitita’, ‘Does Your Mother Know’, ‘Angeleyes’, ‘Voulez-Vous’ and ‘I Have A Dream’), it remains one of the band’s most successful albums – and the one that finally saw the group tour the US. With a 43-week stay on the UK album charts (with four weeks at No.1), Voulez-Vous was an invitation that could not be refused.
Super Trouper (1980; gold vinyl)
Starting the 80s as they’d ended the 70s, Super Trouper gave ABBA another global No.1 album and a run of hits that continued their stratospheric success on the singles charts. ‘The Winner Takes It All’ was a heart-rending ballad that would gain deeper meaning in the years to follow, while the album’s title track marked the peak of ABBA’s latter-day Europop sound. If Super Trouper was the sound of ABBA retooling themselves for the new decade, it proved they still had what it took to dominate the spotlight.
The Visitors (1981; yellow vinyl)
ABBA’s final album to date, TheVisitors was also their seventh consecutive chart-topper; picking up from the introspection of its predecessor, it found the group maturing along with their fanbase. But even as personal turmoil surrounded them, Benny, Björn, Agnetha and Frida were in perfect creative harmony on songs like ‘One Of Us’ and ‘When All Is Said And Done’. Proof that their unique chemistry could never be repeated, The Visitors left fans the world over wishing that their stay had been a little longer.
Join Stax Records as they kick off a new Instagram Live series, “Gospel Brunch Live Set with DJ Jared ‘Jay B.’ Boyd,” featuring music from The Gospel Truth Records catalog.
Debuting this Sunday (5/24) at 2:00 pm PT/4:00 pm CT @staxrecords on Instagram and continuing on the third Sunday of every month through August (2:00 pm PT on 6/21, 7/19, and 8/16), the new series is part of Stax’s tribute campaign to The Gospel Truth Records and leads up to the release of The Gospel Truth singles compilation in September (Gospel Heritage Month). The compilation will be available on vinyl, CD and digitally.
In addition to being a DJ and penning the liner notes for the upcoming The Gospel Truth compilation, Jared Boyd is a Memphis-based multimedia journalist with The Daily Memphian, co-host/producer of NPR’s roots music program “Beale St. Caravan,” and DJs at events throughout Memphis, including Memphis Tourism’s Music Hub events at Central Station. Jared has also reported for AL.com, It’s A Southern Thing, The Daily Mississippian, Jackson Free Press, and Commercial Appeal.
In March, Craft Recordings kicked off their campaign to honor the music of Gospel Truth Records, a subsidiary of Stax Records, with the first-ever digital release of 25 albums from the label’s catalog. Beginning with The Rance Allen Group’s 1972 self-titled debut (digitally reissued on March 13th), one title has been released in chronological order every week and will continue up until September’s Gospel Heritage Month.
The world-famous art-rock group The Residents are never ones to look back as they are so often reinventing the face of the future. The Residents are set to release a new double disc recording, METAL, MEAT & BONE, based on newly discovered recordings of Alvin Snow (a.k.a. Dyin’ Dog). METAL, MEAT & BONE features 10 Dyin’ Dog Demos, 10 interpretations of the demos by The Residents, and six new works inspired by Dyin’ Dog. Black Francis of the Pixies is featured on the track “DIE! DIE! DIE!”.
To know the story of Alvin Snow a.k.a. Dyin’ Dog, one must enter the world of an ultimate outsider turned bluesman. Born on Friday, January 13, 1939, the albino was abandoned on the steps of an orphanage. Free from human attachments, Snow created his own reality from the fragments of life drifting through his consciousness while intruding thoughts were lined with the feeling life’s out to get him. Snow’s unspoken rage and overpowering air of entitlement allowed him to evade lawyers, angry victims and the police, but lurking in the dark creases of his psyche a beast haunted his every being.
The penetrating sounds of a jukebox pouring out of a small Mississippi town’s bar suddenly stopped him dead in his tracks one day. Mesmerized, the song slowly sucked him in. Howlin’ Wolf’s “Who’s Been Talking” was spinning and an overwhelming epiphany came over Snow. Buried emotions flooded back into the albino’s mind and as the self-reflective plea, “I’m the causin’ of it all,” echoed in his head over and over, a dawning awareness surfaced. After years of fraud, his life started to gain meaning for the first time. The malevolent force of an atrocious, mythical wolf who taunted his consciousness since birth turned into a majestic howl that led Snow to The Blues.
Of course, Snow had little use for the traditional trappings of religion, but unpronounced to him, a new concept of God developed in the shape of Howlin’ Wolf. He began to devour every song recorded by his new deity, and wrote songs of his own he’d go over and over, burning them into his brain. Snow adopted a menacing growl reflective of his hero, Howlin’
Wolf. Soon, the neophyte blues singer formed a band and rescued a pup from a hit and run accident.
Fancied quite the talent by a record executive who would come to back the recording sessions for his original songs, Snow would need to come up with a stage name. Everyone agreed Alvin Snow didn’t cut it, but it would take some thinking on his part to match the perfect name to his ruffled voice, and even more blemished character. Leave it up to some drunken college kids ramming into a parked truck in front of where Snow lived, a hospital bed subsequently fell on and crushed his newly acquired little pooch. Hence, the name Dyin’ Dog was born.
Before the debut performance of his 10-recorded demos on January 13, 1976, Snow vanished and was never to be heard from again. In September 2019, the Dyin’ Dog Demos were extraordinarily released as a Box Set. The Residents bring these long-lost songs to fans worldwide with the release of METAL, MEAT & BONE on July 10, 2020.
Constantly defying classification, THE RESIDENTS have been regarded as icons in the world of experimental music for almost fifty years. In addition to their groundbreaking work in the areas of trance, world fusion, electronica, punk, industrial and lounge music, the group has also been credited with being among the originators of performance art and music video, with their videos included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Their lengthy career has also taken them into the world of film and television music, having scored numerous films and TV series as well as several projects for MTV. In addition, the group is also thriving in the world of digital media having released ten DVDs, and two internet series.
In January, 2020, resurrecting their widely acclaimed 1988 album, God in 3 Persons, The Residents, in collaboration with noted video artist John Sanborn, created a major multimedia performance at the Museum of Modern Art. In addition, based on the newly discovered recordings of Alvin Snow, aka Dyin’ Dog, the group is completing their 49th studio album, METAL, MEAT & BONE. In April 2021, featuring the music of Snow, The Residents will embark on another world tour, which will also revisit Duck Stab, one of the band’s most enduring albums.
To honor Chris Cornell’s memory, The Pretty Reckless singer Taylor Momsen and Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron collaborated on a powerful cover of Soudgarden’s “Halfway There,” which they recorded while in quarantine.
The original appears on the Soundgarden’s 2012-released album King Animal. The Pretty Reckless recently released their new single “Death By Rock And Roll.”
The Pretty Reckless formed in New York City during 2008, and the musicians and late producer Kato Khandwala initially made waves with their 2010 debut Light Me Up. After countless gigs, the band returned with Going To Hell in 2014. Not only did the record crash the Top 5 of the Billboard Top 200, but it also ignited three #1 hits -the gold-certified “Heaven Knows” (the biggest rock song of 2014), “fed Up World,” and “Follow Me Down”- a feat that had not been accomplished by a female-fronted group since The Pretenders in 1984.
Meanwhile, their third offering, Who You Selling For, saw them return to #1 on the Mainstream Rock Songs Chart with “Take Me Down,” which cemented them as “the first band to send its first four singles to #1 on the chart,” according to Billboard. Praise followed from Vogue, Nylon, and more as the quartet lit up television shows such as Letterman and Conan. With over half-a-billion streams, they headlined countless sold out shows and toured with Guns N’ Roses and many other heavy hitters.
do you know me?
really know me?
you have opinions
about my opinions
about my music
about my clothes
about my body
some people hate what I wear
some people praise it
some people use it to shame others
some people use it to shame me
but I feel you watching
always
and nothing I do goes unseen
so while I feel your stares
your disapproval
or your sigh of relief
if I lived by them
I’d never be able to move
would you like me to be smaller?
weaker?
softer?
taller?
would you like me to be quiet?
do my shoulders provoke you?
does my chest?
am I my stomach?
my hips?
the body I was born with
is it not what you wanted?
if I wear what is comfortable
I am not a woman
if I shed the layers
I’m a slut
though you’ve never seen my body
you still judge it
and judge me for it
why?
we make assumptions about people
based on their size
we decide who they are
we decide what they’re worth
if I wear more
if I wear less
who decides what that makes me?
what that means?
is my value based only on your perception?
or is your opinion of me
not my responsibility
KISS co-founder & frontman, best-selling author and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer PAUL STANLEY has spent the last few years developing a project close to his heart. Soul Station is a band gathering some of today’s leading musicians to pay tribute to the greatest artists and songs from the R&B and soul catalogue in addition to new original songs to keep this vital music current. While a surprise to many, Stanley’s early pivotal roots in this music has quietly turned this passion into a celebrated touring and recording band. Stanley’s 17-piece ensemble group has toured the U.S. and Japan, and has spent recent time in the studio recording songs for a forthcoming yet-to-be announced project.
Until today, the group had yet to release a video and had primarily excelled in the live venue setting, playing smaller, intimate clubs – a setting where Paul Stanley would reflect on those classic hits that were his early inspiration, playing the songs with a reverence and respect for how he and the band believe they should be performed and heard. But with quarantine casting a long shadow over live music, Stanley and his Soul Station cohorts wanted to reach out to each other and everyone else in need of songs and messages that might calm and bring back those feelings we shared in the past.
“These are challenging times,” said Stanley. “Long before I ever heard the great British bands, I grew up listening to Philly Soul, Motown and so much more. I was lucky to see Otis Redding and Solomon Burke among others. That music and its storytelling gave me strength and hope even in some tough days. The great classics of that era are magical medicine for most and I felt myself drawn back to that era for some sorcery I think we could all use. While it’s hard to connect physically, some of Soul Station decided to reach out and make a virtual and emotional connection on a great Motown and Smokey Robinson classic, “Ooo Baby Baby”.
Stanley’s legendary band members will include: Rafael “Hoffa” Moreira (guitar & backing vocals), Sean Hurley (bass), Alex Alessandroni (Musical Director, keyboards), Ely Rise (keyboards), Eric Singer (drums & backing vocals), RayYslas (percussion), Gavyn Rhone (backing vocals), Crystal Starr (backing vocals) and Laurhan Beato (backing vocals) and Jon Pappenbrook (lead trumpet).
As co-founder of KISS, Stanley has piloted the band’s music and business through its 40-year career as one of the biggest bands in the history of rock. In addition to 100 million in world sales, their 30 U.S. gold albums make them the #1 American band for most certified gold albums. Stronger than ever, the KISS legacy continues to grow, generation after generation. In celebration of 40 years, the band released KISS 40, a 2 CD set featuring forty tracks spanning KISS’s incredible forty-year recording career. Stanley has further established his legacy when his memoir Face The Music: A Life Exposed debuted at #2 on the New York Times best seller list upon its April 2014 release and was followed by his second best seller Backstage Pass.
Soul Station Band Members
Alex Alessandroni (musical director & keyboards)
Alessandroni has performed, directed and/or recorded with artists such as Babyface, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Nelly Furtado, LeAnn Rimes, Faith Evans, Tony Braxton, Bobby Brown, Natalie Cole, Mike Patton and many more.
Rafael “Hoffa” Moreira (guitar & backing vocals)
Moreira has performed and recorded with the likes of Pink, Christina Aguilera, Steven Tyler, Backstreet Boys, New Kids On The Block, Sheryl Crow and Stevie Wonder in addition to being featured on television shows The Voice, American Idol, Rockstar INXS and Supernova.
Sean Hurley (bass)
Hurley is an LA-based recording and touring bassist for John Mayer and many others including Robin Thicke, Annie Lennox and Ringo Starr.
Ely Rise (keyboards)
Rise has performed on television shows like The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live! in addition to having written and produced for acts such as Adam Lambert, Macy Gray and Mike Posner. He stands as the go-to session player for some of today’s biggest producers.
Eric Singer (drums & backing vocals)
Singer has been a member of KISS for over 20 years, recording and touring worldwide to millions of fans. He has also toured with Brian May, Black Sabbath, Lita Ford and Alice Cooper.
Ramon Yslas (percussion)
Yslas is one of modern music’s most accomplished in his field, having done world tours and performances with platinum artists including Christina Aguilera, Bonnie Raitt, Jennifer Lopez and the Backstreet Boys. He has made numerous network television appearances with the likes of Stevie Nicks, Martina McBride and Carlos Santana on shows such as Saturday Night Live, Oprah, American Idol, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman and is currently a touring member of Chicago.
Jon Papenbrook (Trumpet)
Papenbrook has played lead trumpet with Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Paul Anka and Frankie Avalon to name a few. He has also played lead with the Harry James Orchestra, Louis Bellson Big Band, Buddy Rich Big Band as well as performing on various TV shows, film dates and recordings.
Gavyn Rhone (backing vocals)
He’s toured/shared the stage with Pitbull, Nick Jonas, Stevie Wonder, Trey Songz, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Babyface and is currently the lead singer for The Gap Band. Gavyn is also featured on 7-time Grammy nominated Keyshia Cole’s hit single “Party Ain’t A Party.”
Crystal Starr (backing vocals)
Starr has backed artists such as Jessica Simpson, Stevie Wonder, Kanye West and Ariana Grande in addition to competing on American Idol and starred on Broadway’s Baby It’s You. Starr has also been a background vocalist on The Voice.
Laurhan Beato (backing vocals)
A veteran of the Los Angeles music scene, Beato’s credits include shows from The Video Music Awards to The Academy Awards with artists and artists ranging from Tori Kelly to John Legend.
As part of YouTube’s #StayHome campaign, The Rolling Stones weekly series “Extra Licks” on their official YouTube channel continues to go from strength to strength, delighting Stones fans across the globe during lockdown.
This week’s episode will premiere this Sunday May 31st at 3pm ET and features performances from one of the first dates on the Bridges To Babylon Tour, filmed in Chicago in September 1997. The band took a fresh approach on this tour, introducing a B-stage and inviting fans to vote via their website for a song to be added to the setlist each night. The Bridges To Babylon Tour lasted a year and was seen by over 4.5M fans, with 97 shows over 4 continents.
https://youtu.be/JiV0Gurc8oY
Available digitally for the first time—the #ExtraLicks Bridges to Babylon Tour performances will appear as a YouTube Premiere, continuing the streaming of a series of bonus features from six concert films from the band’s career. This series is in partnership with The Rolling Stones and Eagle Rock Entertainment, and will stream exclusively on YouTube.
The Rolling Stones recently released a new single entitled, “Living In A Ghost Town,” that was created and recorded in Los Angeles, London and in isolation. The track was released in tandem with a brand new music video that Premiered exclusively on YouTube and has had over 6 million views to date.
https://youtu.be/i3M-YFXvZ_8
YouTube Premieres is a feature that lets artists and their teams build anticipation and create a unique moment around a music video release on YouTube. The feature transforms the way fans view and engage with content by creating an event where fans and artists directly engage and enjoy the experience together in an interactive way. Premieres radically change how music video content is released, turning the watching experience into a communal moment.
