After playing football for four years at the University of Miami, Dwayne Johnson was passed over by the NFL. While he played for the Canadian Football League for a short time, he was ultimately cut from his team, the Calgary Stampeders, and sent packing. At 23, Dwayne found himself living in his parents’ small apartment, battling depression. Heavy stuff for anyone, and we can all learn from his fight.
Katy Perry Is Your New H&M Festival Fairy
It’s the season of celebrate and H&M has a very big reason – they signed on a festive fairy named Katy Perry to casts her magic spell and takes shoppers on an action-packed, fun-filled parade.
Katy Perry has aligned herself with several products in the past, and she will forever get a lifetime pass from me when she worked with Staples, in a campaign called “Make Roar Happen.” The office-supplies giant connected with teachers working in schools unable to afford staple resources to reach out for local donations earmarked to provide kids with the materials they need to learn. The charity has already helped fund more than 450,000 classroom projects and impacted more than 11 million students.
So, watch the video, and know the holiday season starts here.
Heineken Escapade Music Festival Strikes a New Chord with Heineken Escapade Interactive
Heineken Escapade Music Festival announced today the launch of Heineken Escapade Interactive, a week of festivities that goes beyond the music and becomes a part of Ottawa’s greater community. Heineken Escapade Interactive, which will take place from June 25 to July 1, 2016 in the Nation’s Capital, brings together the Escapade family to celebrate music, movies, sport, philanthropy and patriotism.
Kicking off the week is the seventh annual Heineken Escapade Music Festival, and with Heineken Escapade Interactive the excitement continues with a series of new experiences, including an outdoor movie on the beach, sports tournaments supporting the CHEO Foundation and the Ottawa Senators Foundation, and events within Ottawa’s top nightclubs. Closing the week is Escapade’s annual Canada Day celebration featuring some of the world’s most highly acclaimed electronic acts.
“Over the last seven years, Heineken Escapade Music Festival has significantly grown thanks to the continued support of the Ottawacommunity,” said Ali Shafaee, Director of Partnerships of DNA Live, the producers of the Festival. “To us the festival is about more than music; it’s about the people. We’re excited to take it to the next level and reach an even wider audience with new events and charity partnerships in 2016.”
The Heineken Escapade Interactive 2016 schedule will consist of:
- Heineken Escapade Music Festival (June 25-26): Returning to the Rideau Carleton Raceway for the third consecutive year is the only electronic music festival in the National Capital Region.
- Heineken Escapade Under the Stars (June 27): Come together with new and old friends on the beach at a unique downtown waterfront location to relax and watch an outdoor movie by moonlight.
- Heineken Escapade Hits the Links (June 28): In partnership with Ottawa Venues, the celebration continues with a charity golf tournament. All proceeds will go the CHEO Foundation.
- Heineken Escapade Hockey Showdown (June 29): Participate in the first annual large-scale ball hockey tournament at the EY Centre. All proceeds will go to the Ottawa Senators Foundation.
- Heineken Escapade Club Series (June 30): Take over Ottawa’s downtown nightlife through a series of unique and intimate events featuring some of the world’s biggest artists.
- Heineken Escapade Does O’Canada (July 1): The annual Canada Day celebration of epic proportions, featuring highly acclaimed electronic DJs and live acts, returns to the heart of the nation’s capital held in the famous 151 George street parking lot.
Presale tickets for the Heineken Escapade Music Festival will be available on November 25, 2015. To purchase tickets or learn more about Escapade Interactive, please visit:http://escapademf.com/.
About Heineken Escapade Music Festival
Heineken Escapade Music Festival is the first festival of its kind in the National Capital Region (NCR). The annual Festival, which takes place during around Canada Day in Ottawa, is dedicated to the development of the electronic music scene and demographic in the NCR.
Heineken Escapade Music Festival made its debut in 2010, featuring sound and visual production never experienced with an event of this kind in the NCR. The event was headlined by Canadian born superstar, Grammy Award winning DJ and producer Deadmau5. Since the inaugural Festival, Heineken Escapade has grown in festival size, with more artists, attendance and days. The two-day festival has been solidified as a top-tier festival in North America by adding unique elements like the Heineken Escapade Club Series and hosting more than 30,000 attendees over the duration of the festival.
Nikki Yanofsky named National Celebrity Ambassador for Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone, a leading Canadian charity dedicated to the emotional health and well-being of young people, announced singer and song-writer as its National Celebrity Ambassador today.
Kids Help Phone is a charity that provides counselling and referrals in both official languages as the only national helpline for young people. Since 1989, Kids Help Phone has offered kids and teens hope and support through its confidential and anonymous service. As an organization that speaks with young people every day, Kids Help Phone works to share their perspectives and improve their emotional health and well-being. Kids Help Phone raises the majority of its revenue from individuals, foundations, corporations, and community fundraising.
Yanofsky, a multi-platinum, Universal Music Canada recording artist is an accomplished philanthropist, having helped raise over $10 million for local, national and international charities. She received the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy award from the Quebec Chapter of The Association of Fundraising Professionals in 2008 for her efforts.
“As an artist, Ms. Yanofsky represents integrity and realness — writing and performing inspiring and positive songs that appeal to a broad audience, and setting an example for young people through her remarkable achievements, both on and off the stage,” saidSharon Wood, President & CEO, Kids Help Phone. “Throughout her career, Ms. Yanofsky has been a passionate advocate for children and youth, and has bravely spoken about her own experiences of being bullied. As a result, she has sent a strong message to young people, letting them know they are not alone and that their voices matter.”
In her role as National Celebrity Ambassador (a volunteer role), Nikki will lend her voice to a number of Kids Help Phone campaigns and initiatives throughout the year, including National Bullying Awareness Week which began yesterday.
“I am beyond happy to announce that I am the new National ambassador for Kids Help Phone. I want to make sure that every single kid and teen in a difficult situation knows that they have someone to talk to and someone who cares wherever and most importantly, whenever,” said Yanofsky.
From her auspicious start as the youngest headliner in the history of the Montreal International Jazz Festival at 12, Yanofsky has covered plenty of territory over the last eight years. She has topped both jazz and pop charts, performed with orchestras and big bands, and sold out festivals and major theatres around the world; in 2010, she sang to 3.2 billion people – half the world’s population – at the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games. She has worked with luminaries such as Herbie Hancock, Phil Ramone, Will.i.am, Wyclef Jean, and Stevie Wonder.
In 2014, Nikki had her highest album debut with her sophomore release Little Secret, entering the Canadian Album Chart at #4, #4 inFrance Digital Sales and #1 on the Jazz chart in both countries. Executive produced by legend Quincy Jones, Little Secret was Juno nominated for Pop Album of the Year and received Gold certification in Canada.
Nikki is currently working on her new album with new music to be released in 2016.
Tom Petty Radio Is Coming To SiriusXM Canada
SiriusXM Canada, the country’s leading audio entertainment company, today announced that Grammy Award -winning singer-songwriter, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Heartbreakers ringleader, Traveling Wilbury and rock legend Tom Petty will launch his own SiriusXM channel on Friday, November 20. Tom Petty Radio will be available on SiriusXM channel 31 and through the SiriusXM App on smartphones and other connected devices.
Tom Petty Radio, the new, exclusive channel, will be curated by Petty himself, and will feature music from his legendary career. Included on Tom Petty Radio will be music from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Petty’s solo career, the Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. The channel will also feature unreleased studio and live recordings, exclusive to SiriusXM, unique cover versions of Petty’s songs and rare live performances from Petty’s personal vaults, including the worldwide radio debut of Petty and The Heartbreakers’ August 30, 2014 concert at Fenway Park in Boston.
Tom Petty Radio channel will also regularly feature archival and new episodes of Petty’s critically-acclaimed weekly SiriusXM show,Tom Petty’s Buried Treasure, now in its ninth season. The show features Petty pulling together sets of rare, vintage, and classic tracks from his private vaults, and sharing his passionate and informed commentary on the best in rock, rhythm and blues.
The new channel will include the exclusive world premiere of new music recorded by Petty, as well as interview segments with Petty conducted by acclaimed journalist and SiriusXM host, David Fricke. Tom Petty Radio will also include special guest DJ sessions hosted by members of Petty’s band The Heartbreakers — Steve Ferrone and Benmont Tench — as well as Lucinda Williams, Jackson Browne, Dhani Harrison, The Byrds’ founding member Roger McGuinn and others.
Petty will be the first DJ on the channel — the two-hour special will air on Friday, November 20 at 6:00 pm ET, when the channel launches, and will feature Petty playing music from his entire career along with his commentary about the songs.
“We are so honoured and grateful to SiriusXM for giving our fans access to all of our music, from our biggest hits to very obscure tracks only available through this channel,” said Petty. “I intend to be very hands on and supply brand new exclusive tracks as well as rarities from our vaults. Our biggest hope is for a channel that is always entertaining in the way only radio can be.”
Tom Petty Radio will debut on Friday, November 20 at 6:00 pm ET on SiriusXM channel 31 and through the SiriusXM App on smartphones and other connected devices, as well as at https://player.siriusxm.ca.
Shows featured on Petty’s channel will also be available via SiriusXM On Demand for subscribers listening online and via smartphones and other connected devices.
WWF-Canada and Love Nature Announce New Content Partnership to Raise Awareness on Canada’s Water Health
WWF-Canada and Love Nature, a Blue Ant Media brand, are pleased to announce a new content partnership that will see the two organizations joining forces to advocate for water conservation awareness and to promote the importance of freshwater in Canada. The two partners will launch a joint digital content hub on WWF.ca, drawing attention to the nation’s ongoing water conservation issues and offering stories that detail each one of the country’s 25 watersheds with stunning photography. WWF-Canada will also act as title sponsor of Love Nature’ s programming block, WWF Water Wednesdays with David Miller. Miller will host the programming block every Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET/PT as of this Wednesday.
“WWF-Canada and Love Nature have a shared interest in connecting Canadians with the beauty and wonder of nature, while also shining a light on the environmental issues in our constantly changing world,” said Laura Pearce, VP, Marketing and Digital, Blue Ant Media. “We are thrilled to work with WWF-Canada to help raise awareness about water health and to engage with our audiences on how we can find solutions together.”
WWF Water Wednesdays‘ with David Miller will provide viewers with an educational background on what watersheds are, their importance in maintaining ecosystem health and biodiversity and how they ultimately support water conservation. Wildlife and nature fans will enjoy programming that allows them to explore water and aquatic life around the world and learn how it relates to Canada’swater issues.
“Canada is home to one-fifth of the world’s freshwater supply and we have a responsibility to steward this valuable resource,” saidDavid Miller, President and CEO, WWF-Canada. “We hope that WWF Water Wednesdays on Love Nature, will inspire people to learn how our lakes, rivers and oceans are an important part of our ecosystem that need to be protected from the threats like pollution, habitat loss and fragmentation.”
Wildlife and nature fans are invited to join Canada’s watershed conversation via LoveNature.com and WWF.ca and via social channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Across these platforms, nature lovers will find beautiful images direct from all of Love Nature’s programming, short form video, relevant and news-breaking media coverage about the natural world and information about Canada’s watersheds from both Love Nature and WWF-Canada.
For more information on WWF Canada’s Watershed Reports, please visit: watershedreports.wwf.ca.
The Ultimate Beatles Item Is Going Up For Auction: White Album No. 0000001
The Beatles’ self-titled album from 1968, is famous for its sleeve designed by pop artist Richard Hamilton, in collaboration with Paul McCartney. Hamilton’s design was in stark contrast to Peter Blake’s vivid cover art for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and consisted of a plain white sleeve. The band’s name was discreetly embossed slightly below the middle of the album’s right side, and the cover also featured a unique stamped serial number, “to create”, in Hamilton’s words, “the ironic situation of a numbered edition of something like five million copies”. In 2008, an original pressing of the album with serial number 0000005 sold for £19,201 on eBay.
Get ready for what could be the ultimate item from this era.
A UK first pressing mono copy of the double LP, The Beatles aka The White Album with first press green apple labels, each disc with a “Factory Sample, Not for Sale” sticker, housed in a top-loading, fully laminated thick card stock “Garrod & Lofthouse” cover listing stereo and mono catalog numbers on the spine, numbered: No.0000001 is going up for bids at Julien’s. It has been widely known among collectors that the four members of the Beatles kept numbers 1 through 4, but it was not commonly known that Starr was given the No.0000001 album. Starr has stated that he kept this album in a bank vault in London for over 35 years and McCartney says it originally belonged to John Lennon because, apparently, he shouted the loudest. Up to this time the lowest numbered UK first mono pressing album to come to market is No.0000005, which sold in 2008 for just under $30,000. This No.0000001 UK first mono pressing owned by a member of the Beatles is the lowest and most desirable copy that will ever become available.
As the record manufacturing plant certainly had every machine available simultaneously pressing copies of this album it is impossible to say with certainty which records were truly the very first off the press, but these discs were certainly among the very first. The album covers however were numbered in sequence, insuring that this No.0000001 sleeve is the very first finished cover. The top load sleeve is in near mint minus condition and would be near mint if not for the bumped upper right front gatefold corner, but it is overall very clean and fresh with very minor abrasions.
Both discs were pressed from the very first Masters as indicated by the -1 matrix numbers on all four sides. The records are contained in their original black inner sleeves and feature “Factory Sample Not For Sale” labels on the whole apple side of disc 1 and on the cut apple side of disc 2. All labels feature the “Sold in UK.” text but omit the “An EMI Recording” text found on later editions. Together with the four original UK portrait photos and UK lyric poster, both in mint condition.
Starting bid is $20,000, and the final sale estimate is set at $60,000. You can start the bidding here.
Jack White and Third Man Records to open first new Detroit record pressing plant in 50 years
As you know might have heard earlier this summer, Third Man Records is opening up a satellite store in Detroit’s Cass Corridor, or as Pitchfork calls it “where music history was made.” Well, it turns out that was only the first of the label’s plans for the building at 441 West Canfield Street, which they purchased last year with Detroit manufacturing company Shinola. Third Man will be opening a vinyl record pressing plant, and in it we will run brand new record presses. There’s a bottlenecking in the record pressing industry right now – so much glorious demand, so few presses. They want to help ease the flow, and they want to bring more “real-life manufacturing jobs back to Detroit.”
Jack White and company have purchased eight presses from German startup Newbilt, and expect to happen mid-2016.
Here’s what Pitchfork wrote about the pressing plant after speaking with Ben Blackwell about their plans.
“While the pressing plant won’t be operational when Third Man opens on Black Friday, they eventually plan to house at least eight working presses. A window in the shop will let customers see the manufacturing floor as part of Third Man’s ongoing initiative to educate the public about vinyl culture and show that, as Blackwell puts it, ‘all this stuff is alive and well.’
While the manufacturing arm definitely means that Third Man will have quick access to pressings of their own output, Blackwell says the decision to open the plant is a selfless act. He argues that more overall record-pressing capacity eases the pressure on plants like United Record Pressing in Nashville, which continues to press Third Man releases, and Archer—both of which are backed up and reportedly turning away customers. Also, while no plans are currently in place, Third Man hope to press more than just their own records on-site. Potentially, the plant could offer a new option for young artists and DIY labels. ‘Part of the concern in this world is that vinyl can very easily turn into an exclusionary thing,’ Blackwell says. ‘But this is going to make it easier for a little punk band to make 300 copies of a 7-inch’.”
There you go. Yet another reason why Jack White is brilliant.
That Moment Sam Hunt Left Football For Nashville
Sam Hunt began college at Middle Tennessee State University, where the football coach had him returning punts instead of playing quarterback, then transferred to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he had a promising junior year (58 percent completion percentage) followed by a disappointing senior year (10 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and only two wins in 12 games). In May 2008, while his pals were graduating, Hunt tried out for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. The Chiefs saw him play and didn’t invite him to training camp. Back home, Hunt shocked his relatives by announcing that he was moving to Nashville to be a country songwriter. No one in the family even knew he had been writing songs since he was 18.
“Maybe I was insecure, because being a football player was my identity. I didn’t see myself that way,” says Hunt. “But it took a long time before I decided to test out a song I’d written for my roommates, who were some of my closest buddies. I felt trapped inside a stereotype and was a little afraid to step out of it.”
Two months after his NFL tryout, Hunt stuffed a couple of mattresses into his mom’s minivan, raided the freezer for provisions and moved to Nashville with his hometown pal John Worthington, who’s now his road manager. Worthington was Misfit No. 1. “We were scraping the bottom of the barrel for years, just trying to get by,” says Hunt.
Via Billboard
Man invents anonymous messaging service handwriting your message on a potato. He makes $10k a month.
His girlfriend called it “the stupidest idea” she’d ever heard of, but this young Texas entrepreneur is now making good money mailing people potatoes enscribed with special messages.