Life can be tough for us adults! There are bills to pay, decisions to make, and jobs to do. While raising a family is a wonderful blessing, it can be a never-ending source of stress! That is why we need to take a moment to breathe. Play. Marvel at life. No matter your age or responsibility, you can experience the wonder of childhood again! So take these quotes to heart; they may seem simple, but deep wisdom often lies in whimsy and fun.
Via Visual.ly
Suddenly, I believe in Santa. The spirit of Christmas and everything good can be found at The Cleveland Centre shopping mall in Middlesbrough, England, where Santa began to sign with a small child when he realized she was unable to hear him.
When you hear what Arrested Development lead singer Speech is up to these days, it will bring you right back to the period in time when his band sold four million copies of their debut album, won two Grammys, and was named “Band Of The Year” by Rolling Stone. Just as he brought conscious thinking to the public airwaves, giving voice to a Southern African-American experience in a way that was inspirational to people regardless of skin tone, Speech is offering up a vision for how to untangle our troubled world, in a positive way. Speech gave a TEDx Talk that will help transform how we think and treat each other. He enlightened the audience by challenging everyone to tap into a boundless, immeasurable resource.
Speech was the featured “closer” at this year’s TEDxPortland and got a rousing standing ovation in front of a packed house of 3100+ (and thousands more viewing online) to finish the day. Speech danced lyrically, bouncing back and forth from speaking to rapping, while filling in biographical holes few in his fan base ever knew. Just as his band’s debut album came out of nowhere, his TEDxPortland Talk got a broad universal reaction, resonating deeply in the moment that is now.
In his appearance, Speech unwinds the tale of his childhood and his favorite grandmother, with whom he spent every summer in rural Tennessee, in a house with no running water and only electricity borrowed from a neighbor’s extension cord. However, this scene, which became vivid in Arrested Development’s lyrics and music videos, was the birth of more than music. From these childhood origins, Speech picked up the seed, the core idea of his TED Talk.
“We all come to this earth with a certain gift, a certain talent, that we may or may not know is there,” says Speech. “It doesn’t matter whether you believe it is from God. But part of our journey is to find out what that gift is and then maximize that. It’s a Sacred Serial Number.”
Though Speech is a Christian preacher, he is taking messages that are universal and translating them into something appealing and useful regardless of one’s spiritual beliefs.
Before stardom, Speech cut his teeth with the standard posturing and brashness of hip-hop. When Chuck D and Public Enemy came along, Speech connected with the idea that you could transform the muscle-tensed art into something transformative. While having his eyes opened up to a renewed movement of self-determination, Speech realized icons of that movement already saturated the home of his mother, who runs Milwaukee’s longest-running newspaper published for African Americans.
The musical inspirations, his family heritage, and his grandmother’s Tennessee rural life came together in a playful way. Speech and his band mates put their own Southern spin and lore on it and Arrested Development was born. It’s this same ability to unite old and new ideas, taking concepts from one world and making them accessible to everyone, which Speech draws on in the speeches he is making today.
“When I speak to people, I know my audience is of all types of backgrounds,” says Speech. “I want to connect with people on our commonalities, with less emphasis on the things that divide. Whether I am rapping or speaking, I want to tie in our humanity, which coincides with spirituality, as opposed to just talking about problems. I also want to try to present solutions.”
So what is Speech’s Sacred Serial Number? “I describe mine as a unifier,” says Speech, “…as someone who is striving to unite people. I am here to help people to walk a mile in another person’s shoes, if that is possible to do; to help people have more compassion and empathy. That’s what I’m supposed to bring to the world.”
Listen to Speech’s TEDx Talk here.
As promised by Eddy Cue earlier in the year, Apple has now raised the limits on iTunes Match and Apple Music library for matched songs from 25,000 to 100,000 songs.
Cue had previously announced on Twitter that Apple was aiming for 100k for iOS 9 and just in time for the holidays, that promise has been fulfilled. This means users with larger music libraries can now enjoy the benefits of matching songs in the iTunes Cloud to make them available on all their devices. Matching songs gives another option for people who cannot afford the more expensive 64 GB and 128 GB iPhone models by offloading local music storage to the cloud.
Via 9To5Mac
‘MasterClass’ announced that legendary performer Usher’s MasterClass course is now available online. Usher teaches the art of performance, diving into how to captivate an audience, prepare for live performance and create a personal brand. He breaks down his performances dissecting what he’s doing. You can enroll in Usher’s MasterClass here.
Usher joins Serena Williams (tennis), James Patterson (writing) and Dustin Hoffman (acting) whose classes are currently available online. Upcoming classes include CHRISTINA AGUILERA (singing), Kevin Spacey (acting) and Annie Leibovitz (photography).
MasterClass, a San Francisco-based tech company which launched May 12, 2015, is an online education platform making it possible for everyone to learn directly from the world’s best. Each master teaches a class which is available online for purchase at www.masterclass.com for $90 each and includes video lessons, interactive exercises, learning materials, and workbooks. MasterClass was co-founded by David Rogier and Aaron Rasmussen.
Usher has been ranked by the RIAA as one of the best-selling artists in American music history, having sold over 65 million albums worldwide. He’s won numerous awards including 8 Grammy’s and was named the #1 Hot 100 artist of the 2000s. Billboard named him the 2nd most successful artist of the 2000s and his album “Confessions” as the top solo album of the decade. Usher also served as a coach for 2 seasons on NBC’s Emmy award winning show “The Voice” where he mentored season 6 champion Josh Kaufman. Usher also founded his New Look Foundation in 1999 which empowers youth from impoverished communities to become leaders.
“Performing is part of my soul, my being, my everyday life. Teaching is my legacy. MasterClass enabled me to combine both of my passions and now I get to share it with the world.” – Usher
“When it comes to the art of performance, Usher is purely genius. Every detail about his presence, how he moves, breathes is mastery. We couldn’t be more excited for this class,” said Co-Founder and CEO David Rogier.
“Usher teaches tricks that only someone who has performed for decades would know. You not only learn about performance, but also the mindset that goes with it. It’s fascinating,” said Co-Founder, Creative Director, and CTO Aaron Rasmussen of MasterClass.
This winter, Family Channel raises its voice with the premiere of Lost & Found Music Studios, an all-new original series from Temple Street Productions and creator Frank van Keeken, the forces behind The Next Step. Debuting Friday, January 8 at 6 p.m. ET/PT, the pitch perfect drama follows a group of aspiring musicians who are part of a unique music program, run by a musician-turned-producer. From pop to rock and hip-hop to R&B, the series showcases some of the best young voices Canada has to offer with original songs and stellar performances featured in each episode. For music aficionados who want to get in the studio earlier, Family’s got a special presentation of the series this Friday, December 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following the epic season three finale of The Next Step beginning at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
A live music venue, recording studio and jam space, Lost & Found is an amazing place where young musicians go to become great. Members immerse themselves in music, write songs record tracks and form bands in hopes of turning their passion into a profession. But, if making it in the music industry wasn’t hard enough, these aspiring artists also have to deal with the many issues teens face including first crushes, peer pressure, difficult home lives and trying to fit in. Following the series premiere, new episodes of Lost & Found Music Studios will air regularly Fridays at 6 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes will also be offered on Family OnDemandas they become available weekly beginning January 9.
On Friday, December 11, Family gets into the holiday spirit, gifting viewers with a special presentation of Lost & Found Music Studios at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT. In the series preview, titled “Lost and Found,” the musicians prepare a goodbye party for graduates of the studio. Audiences are introduced to overachiever Leia, who hopes to write and perform a song with her crush, Luke; band member John, who’s having a hard time expressing his feelings for dancer, Michelle; and talented but shy singer-songwriter Eva, who is eager to break out of her shell. The exciting episode is ushered in by the season three finale of The Next Step at 7 p.m. ET/PT which sees the A-Troupe dancers lay it all on the line as they compete for the title of “International Champions.”
Lost & Found Music Studios stars include Shane Harte as Luke; Keara Graves as Leia; Alex Zaichkowski as John; Sarah Carmosino as Rachel; Deshaun Clarke as Jude; Ella Jonas Farlinger as Eva; Levi Randall as Theo; Maranda Thomas as Mary; Alyssa Baker as Maggie; Rakim Kelly as Isaac; Olivia Solo as Annabelle; Jeni Ross as Clara; Katrina Hachey as Hannah; and Matthew Bacik as Nate. Michael Torontow and Ali Milner play Mr. T and Parker who oversee the music program. A companion to The Next Step, the series also features familiar faces from the popular dance drama including Trevor Tordjman as James; Victoria Baldesarra as Michelle; Jordan Clark as Giselle; and Brittany Raymond as Riley. Fans of both series can see select cast members perform live in venues across the country this winter, as they embark on the internationalThe Next Step Wild Rhythm Tour. Tickets are currently available at Family.ca.
The beat goes on at Family.ca where fans can find out more about the show and its characters and watch the brand new web series “Jam Sessions.” Each webisode will feature a full performance from the series, a studio cover and a music lesson given by a cast member. Beginning in January, kids can play the cool new games that simulate the experience of playing a song on a real musical instrument. Plus, music-lovers will be able to stream the series’ songs as they become available.
Lost & Found Music Studios is produced by Temple Street Productions in association with Family Channel and is executive produced by creator Frank van Keeken (The Next Step, Wingin’ It), Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier (The Next Step, Orphan Black) and Laura Harbin (The Next Step, Wingin’ It). Temple Street controls the distribution rights internationally, and has secured deals with CBBC and Netflix. Lost & Found Music Studios is also produced with the financial assistance from The Shaw Rocket Fund and the Canada Media Fund.
The company just announced that it is debuting a new “Buy Tickets” button on its event pages, allowing users to quickly snag tickets to events, which can be claimed at Will Call windows. Facebook launched the service today, but it is still in pilot mode. The social media giant is working with a small group of artists, promoters, and venues in the Bay Area in this early phase, but it has plans to expand.
According to BuzzFeed, Facebook will not be taking a slice of the ticket prices. In fact, the entire fulfillment process will be handed off to third parties. Facebook has simply created an interface for selling the tickets and will send a confirmation email to the address the user has registered with Facebook.
Via Fast Company
The Recording Academy announced nominations for the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards in all 83 categories this morning. Reflecting a diverse blend of talented music makers, this year’s nominees were selected from more than 21,000 submissions entered. As the only peer-based music award, the GRAMMY Awards are voted on by The Academy’s membership body of creators across all disciplines of music, including recording artists, songwriters, producers, and engineers. Final-round GRAMMYballots will be mailed Dec. 16 and the preeminent award for excellence in music will be presented Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, live from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and broadcast on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
This year, Kendrick Lamar leads nominations with 11, followed by Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, who each earn seven. Additionally, music producer/songwriter Max Martin receives six nominations and mastering engineer Tom Coyne, rapper Drake, and engineers/mixers Serban Ghenea and John Hanes each earn five nominations.
“The diversity in the creative community is what makes music a universal language, and it’s gratifying to see the vibrancy of today’s artistic landscape reflected in this year’s nominations — a testament to The Academy’s voting members,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. “Artists are pushing boundaries in exciting ways, making it an exceptionally strong year for music.”
The eclectic nature of this year’s nominations is perhaps best exemplified in the Album Of The Year category, where nominees range from the alternative and soulful rock of Alabama Shakes to Lamar’s thought-provoking jazz-infused rap, the classic country sounds of Chris Stapleton, the pop emergence of Swift, and the genre-bending R&B style of The Weeknd.
Following is a sampling of nominations from the GRAMMY Awards’ 30 Fields and 83 categories. For a complete nominations list, visit www.grammy.com. Congratulate nominees and catch exclusive videos and content on Facebook. Join @theGRAMMYs Twitter Moments conversation using #GRAMMYs.
GENERAL FIELD
Album Of The Year:
Sound & Color — Alabama Shakes
To Pimp A Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
Traveller — Chris Stapleton
1989 — Taylor Swift
Beauty Behind The Madness — The Weeknd
Watch and share the Album Of The Year category roundup video
Record Of The Year:
“Really Love” — D’Angelo And The Vanguard
“Uptown Funk” — Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
“Thinking Out Loud” — Ed Sheeran
“Blank Space” — Taylor Swift
“Can’t Feel My Face” — The Weeknd
Watch and share the Record Of The Year category roundup video
Song Of The Year:
“Alright” — Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
“Blank Space” — Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
“Girl Crush” — Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Little Big Town)
“See You Again” — Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
“Thinking Out Loud” — Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)
Watch and share the Song Of The Year category roundup video
Best New Artist:
Courtney Barnett
James Bay
Sam Hunt
Tori Kelly
Meghan Trainor
Watch and share the Best New Artist category roundup video
POP FIELD
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Ship To Wreck” — Florence + The Machine
“Sugar” — Maroon 5
“Uptown Funk” — Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
“Bad Blood” — Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“See You Again” — Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth
DANCE/ELECTRONIC MUSIC FIELD
Best Dance Recording:
“We’re All We Need” — Above & Beyond Featuring Zoë Johnston
“Go” — The Chemical Brothers
“Never Catch Me” — Flying Lotus Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“Runaway (U & I)” — Galantis
“Where Are Ü Now” — Skrillex And Diplo With Justin Bieber
ROCK FIELD
Best Rock Performance:
“Don’t Wanna Fight” — Alabama Shakes
“What Kind Of Man” — Florence + The Machine
“Something From Nothing” — Foo Fighters
“Ex’s & Oh’s” — Elle King
“Moaning Lisa Smile” — Wolf Alice
ALTERNATIVE FIELD
Best Alternative Music Album:
Sound & Color — Alabama Shakes
Vulnicura — Björk
The Waterfall — My Morning Jacket
Currents — Tame Impala
Star Wars — Wilco
R&B FIELD
Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Ego Death — The Internet
You Should Be Here — Kehlani
Blood — Lianne La Havas
Wildheart — Miguel
Beauty Behind The Madness — The Weeknd
RAP FIELD
Best Rap Album:
2014 Forest Hills Drive — J. Cole
Compton — Dr. Dre
If Youre Reading This Its Too Late — Drake
To Pimp A Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
The Pinkprint — Nicki Minaj
COUNTRY FIELD
Best Country Album:
Montevallo — Sam Hunt
Pain Killer — Little Big Town
The Blade — Ashley Monroe
Pageant Material — Kacey Musgraves
Traveller — Chris Stapleton
JAZZ FIELD
Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
My Favorite Things — Joey Alexander
Breathless — Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective
Covered: Recorded Live At Capitol Studios — Robert Glasper & The Robert Glasper Trio
Beautiful Life — Jimmy Greene
Past Present — John Scofield
GOSPEL/CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD
Best Gospel Album:
Destined To Win (Live) — Karen Clark Sheard
Living It — Dorinda Clark-Cole
One Place Live — Tasha Cobbs
Covered: Alive Is Asia [Live] (Deluxe) — Israel & Newbreed
Life Music: Stage Two — Jonathan McReynolds
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album:
Whatever The Road — Jason Crabb
How Can It Be — Lauren Daigle
Saints And Sinners — Matt Maher
This Is Not A Test — Tobymac
Love Ran Red — Chris Tomlin
LATIN FIELD
Best Latin Pop Album:
Terral — Pablo Alborán
Healer — Alex Cuba
A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition) — Ricky Martin
Sirope — Alejandro Sanz
Algo Sucede — Julieta Venegas
AMERICAN ROOTS FIELD
Best Americana Album:
The Firewatcher’s Daughter — Brandi Carlile
The Traveling Kind — Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Something More Than Free — Jason Isbell
Mono — The Mavericks
The Phosphorescent Blues — Punch Brothers
SPOKEN WORD FIELD
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
Blood On Snow (Jo Nesbø) — Patti Smith
Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, And Assorted Hijinks — Dick Cavett
A Full Life: Reflections At Ninety — Jimmy Carter
Patience And Sarah (Isabel Miller) — Janis Ian & Jean Smart
Yes Please — Amy Poehler (& Various Artists)
PRODUCTION, NON-CLASSICAL FIELD
Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical:
Jeff Bhasker
Dave Cobb
Diplo
Larry Klein
Blake Mills
MUSIC VIDEO/FILM
Best Music Film:
Mr. Dynamite: The Rise Of James Brown — James Brown
Sonic Highways — Foo Fighters
What Happened, Miss Simone? — Nina Simone
The Wall — Roger Waters
Amy — Amy Winehouse
I keep a pack of Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt’s Oblique Strategies cards on my desk, and although I don’t use them enough, I actually might do a purchase of this: A deck of playing cards called Distant Early Warning is designed to be used as a problem-solving device as taught by Marshall McLuhan when you need that extra push. The deck was originally given to subscribers to the “DEW-Line Newsletter” but you can buy them at Marshall’s son Eric’s site here. They come in a choice of colours green, red, black, blue, or brown, and the package also includes inserted instruction sheet.
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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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