The UK’s Royal Mail just revealed the next instalment in their Music Giants Special Stamp series: a tribute to David Bowie, one of the most influential music and cultural figures of all time.
This Special issue will be released on 14 March 2017.
Alongside the Special Stamps, First Day Covers and Presentation Pack, this exciting issue will feature several limited edition David Bowie souvenirs, some of which have an edition limit of just 950. Get them here.
Matt Andersen has been enthralling audiences with his one¬-of-¬a-¬kind performance in North America, Europe and Australia for years. We are pleased to announce that he will return to the UK and Europe for an intimate solo tour showcasing songs from his stunning new album Honest Man.
Produced in New York with Commissioner Gordon (Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, KRS¬One), Honest Man follows up the JUNO Award nominated Weightless and sees the songwriter pushing himself into new territory.
With over 10 million views on YouTube, two European Blues Awards, and winning Best Solo Performer at the Memphis Blues Challenge, it appears that the entire world is now discovering Matt Andersen. A powerhouse performer with a giant soul-filled voice and commanding stage presence, Matt has built a formidable following the old fashioned way – touring worldwide and letting the converted audiences and Andersen devotees spread his reputation through word of mouth.
MATT ANDERSEN – 2017 UK TOUR
The Grand Social, Dublin Thursday 18 May 2017
Fochabers Institute, Fochabers Village, Scotland Friday 19 May 2017
Tooth & Claw, Inverness Saturday 20 May 2017
The Tunnels, Aberdeen Sunday 21 May 2017
Mash House, Edinburgh Monday 22 May 2017
Night & Day, Manchester Wednesday 24 May 2017
The Borderline, London Thursday 25 May 2017
BMG has announced it has signed a worldwide recording agreement with chart-topping, multi-platinum rock band Nickelback. Currently in the studio, the band are working on material for their new full-length album to be released via BMG and are planning a major announcement slated for February 1. BMG is distributed worldwide by ADA, a division of the Warner Music Group.
Since forming in Alberta, Canada in 1995, globally celebrated, Grammy-nominated rock band Nickelback have cemented themselves as one of the most commercially viable and important acts of the past two decades. Nickelback’s success includes worldwide sales of more than 50 million units, solidifying their status as the “eleventh best-selling music act” and second best-selling foreign act in the U.S. of the 21st century—behind only The Beatles.
BMG US President, Repertoire and Marketing, Zach Katz, said, “We are thrilled to welcome the legendary Nickelback to BMG. For us, the opportunity to work side by side with a band of their caliber, with an exceptional body of work reaching the highest levels of global success, truly speaks for itself. We are excited to let the world experience their extraordinary new music soon.”
Nickelback adds, “We are honored to partner with the global BMG team and look forward to releasing new music for our fans. Sharing our vision and passion with such a dedicated team while being surrounded by some of the greatest music artists of all time is very humbling and we couldn’t be more excited.”
Nickelback’s inescapable and irresistible smash ‘How You Remind Me’ was named Billboard’s ‘Top Rock Song of the Decade’ and was No. 4 on the Top 10 songs of the 2000s list. Amongst all of these accolades, they’ve also been named Billboard’s “Top Rock Group of the Decade.” Along the way, they have received a staggering nine Grammy Award nominations, three American Music Awards, a World Music Award, a People’s Choice Award, 12 JUNO Awards, seven MuchMusic Video Awards and have been inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame (2007). With more than 23 chart-topping singles and fans spanning the globe, Nickelback boast twelve consecutive sold-out international tours, playing to more than eight million fans. Nickelback are Chad Kroeger (Lead Vocals, Guitars), Ryan Peake (Guitars, Backing Vocals), Mike Kroeger (Bass) and Daniel Adair (Drums, Backing Vocals).
A new poll from Ipsos and Buzzfeed reveals that over half of US adults use Facebook as a news source. Roughly the same amount obtain news in a more traditional manner: broadcast TV. But regardless of the source, very few Americans trust the news they see all of the time. A scant 7% always believe news from Facebook and 15% trust broadcast TV news with complete certainty.
The opening song to one of the greatest albums of all time from the only band that mattered. The Clash’s London Calling was written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, and the title alludes to the BBC World Service’s station identification: “This is London calling …”, which was used during World War II, often in broadcasts to occupied countries.
According to Bobby Owsinski, the famous opening riff is actually a combination of two guitars – one is Joe Strummer’s rhythm that’s playing the Em to Cm sus, and the other is Mick Jones straight Em against it. There’s also a E pedal note that gets louder as the intro goes along. And as he notes, you can really hear the backwards guitar solo pretty well.
https://youtu.be/PCPULalcvgU
Kamasi Washington performing live in the KEXP studio. Recorded December 2, 2016.
Seattle has a unique relationship to its natural surroundings. This short explores the process of harnessing the purest parts of Seattle and follows them on a journey from farm to counter, where a ferry ride plays an integral role in bringing delicious experiences to the people of Seattle.
Did you know the Sasquatch is the unofficial mascot of Seattle? Watch as her excellent sense of smell guides her on a tour of all the city has to offer, from breweries and coffee roasters to shorelines, forests and wildlife, in this animated short.
In this short, we move from the raw beauty of towering trees to the myriad ways Seattle dwellers and visitors alike can experience the transformed forest with their own hands. While the city’s skyline is iconic, the forests were Seattle’s first skyscrapers and are the featured players in this quiet portrait of a green city.
Bruce Lee’s relationship with Seattle inspires this short: a fictionalized account of a brief moment in his life when he felt isolated, frustrated and restless. But the sight of the of Seattle’s skyline from his boat on the Puget Sound reminds him how to find his balance, and allows his mind to once again be as fluid as water.
This short is the unauthorized, heavily abridged, biographical, visual and supersonic moment about the fact that Johnny Allen Hendrix (aka Jimi Hendrix) knew how to skydive. Set in Seattle where Jimi was born and raised, the film wonders aloud about what this skill meant for the life he went on to lead. Why did he retreat to the sky so quickly before all of us were ready for him to go? Directed by Terence Nance.
A new “intelligent turntable” that allows users to play vinyl from their smartphone is in the works.
According to its page on the Coming Soon Tech website, the LOVE turntable “reads vinyl with a stylus, connects to Bluetooth & Wi-Fi, and is controlled by your smartphone”. It promises “the intimacy of vinyl with modern-day convenience”.
The LOVE app allows you to play, skip tracks, repeat tracks, select different rpm speeds, turn the volume up and down, & display the album cover.
A ‘how it works’ section on the site explains: “Once LOVE is synced with your audio device, put any size vinyl on one of the two complimentary 7″ record bases. LOVE then scans the vinyl to determine its size and number of tracks. If you’d like to start your listening experience with track 3, simply Press LOVE’s top shell three times or select the track through the app. From there, sit back, relax, and enjoy your record.”
The LOVE turntable isn’t available to buy yet, but intrigued tech fans can sign up here to be notified when it launches, and receive a 50% discount on the eventual purchase price.
Pixies announced a series of U.S. performances in the spring to support Head Carrier, their 6th studio LP, which came out last fall. The tour starts April 21st in Pomona, CA and loops across the southern half of the country. Black Francis and co. finish the tour with a pair of dates in New York City on May 24th and 26th. The band heads to Europe in July.
The pre-sale for the American leg of the tour begins today at 10 a.m. via the Pixies’ website using the password MASHER. General sale starts on Friday, January 27th.
Head Carrier was the first Pixies album recorded with Paz Lenchantin in place of the group’s longtime bassist Kim Deal. The group also replaced producer Gil Norton, who had helmed their previous four LPs, with Tom Dalgety.
Multi-platinum rock band BUSH have announced their first tour dates of 2017, beginning May 4th in Dallas, TX. The shows, which include rescheduled dates in Seattle and Vegas, are announced as the multi-platinum-selling quartet (lead vocalist Gavin Rossdale, guitarist Chris Traynor, bassist Corey Britz and drummer Robin Goodridge) puts the finishing touches on the follow-up to 2014’s Man on the Run.
Rossdale and crew recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of landmark album Razorblade Suitcase with a digital reissue featuring four rare bonus tracks, one of which — “Sleeper”—was previously unreleased. Consequence of Sound premiered the song and posted new liner notes from the album’s producer, Steve Albini, which you can read HERE. Wrote Albini, “I am as proud of their friendship as I am of any work I did for them. They made the music they did because they loved it and they got popular because they worked their asses off, and eventually other people like it, too. You cannot ask any more of an artist.”
Man on the Run, which BUSH recorded with Grammy winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (Mastodon, Deftones, Foo Fighters) and which featured the single, “The Only Way Out,” was the follow-up to 2011’s The Sea of Memories, which was BUSH’s first release in 10 years. That album saw them return to the top of the charts in grand style, with lead single “The Sound of Winter” making rock radio history as the first self-released song ever to hit No. 1 at Alternative Rock Radio (where it stayed for six consecutive weeks).
Over the course of their career, BUSH has sold close to 20 million records in the U.S. and Canada alone. They’ve also compiled an amazing string of 18 consecutive Top 40 hit singles on the Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts. Eleven of those hit the Top 5, six of which shot to No. 1: “Comedown,” “Glycerine,” “Machinehead,” “Swallowed,” “The Chemicals Between Us” and “The Sound of Winter.” Rossdale is currently serving as a coach on the hit television series, “The Voice UK,” and recently signed a publishing deal with Roc Nation.
Don’t miss BUSH live – tour dates are as follows:
May 04: Gas Monkey Live! – Dallas, TX
May 05: KC Live! / Power & Light District Outdoor Stage – Kansas City, MO
May 09: Hard Rock Live – Orlando, FL
May 10: The Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre – Atlanta, GA
May 11: Egyptian Room – Indianapolis, IN
May 13: Somerset Amphitheater [Northern Invasion] – Somerset, WI
May 14: Riverside Theater – Milwaukee, WI
May 15: Riviera Theatre – Chicago, IL
May 17: Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak, MI
May 18: Rebel – Toronto, ON
May 19: Mapfre Stadium [Rock on the Range] – Columbus, OH
May 20: BB&T Pavilion [MMRBQ 2017] – Camden, NJ
May 30: Showbox SoDo – Seattle, WA
Jun 01: The Warfield – San Francisco, CA
Jun 02: The Foundry @ SLS – Las Vegas, NV
Jun 04: Marquee Theatre – Phoenix, AZ
Jun 06: Paramount Theatre – Denver, CO
Jun 07: Brady Theater – Tulsa, OK
Jun 09: Celebrate Fairfax – Fairfax, VA
Jun 10: Power Plant Live! – Baltimore, MD
July 21: Fourth Street Live – Louisville, KY
July 22: Ballpark Village – St. Louis, MO
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Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.
Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com
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