To commemorate their 60th wedding anniversary, Jason Lyle Black’s grandparents recreated scenes from the opening montage from Pixar’s Up, and performed a piano duet of the film’s theme song.
…and here are the original scenes from Up.
https://youtu.be/1G371JiLJ7A
Both made me cry, by the way.
…and it’s superb. Let’s just end the mashup universe now, because this wins.
Jeff Beck was an admirer of Stevie Wonder’s music, and Wonder was informed of this prior to the Talking Book album sessions. Though at this point he was virtually playing all of the instruments on his songs by himself, Wonder still preferred to let other guitarists play on his records, and thus he liked the idea of a collaboration with Beck, a star guitarist. An agreement was quickly made for Beck to become involved in the sessions that became the Talking Book album, in return for Wonder writing him a song. In between sessions, Beck came up with the opening drum beat, which eventually led to Wonder’s creation of “Superstition”. In addition to the opening drum beat, Beck, together with Wonder, created the first demo for the song. Originally, the plan was for Beck to release his version of this song first, with his newly-formed power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice. However, due to a combination of the delayed release of that trio’s debut album and Motown CEO Berry Gordy’s prediction that “Superstition” would be a huge hit (which would subsequently greatly increase the sales of Talking Book), Wonder ended up releasing the song as the lead single off Talking Book ahead of Beck’s version.
VOCAL (Stevie Wonder):
CLAVINET (Stevie Wonder):
HORNS (TENOR SAX: Trevor Laurence, TRUMPET: Steve Madaio):
SYNTH BASS (Stevie Wonder):
DRUMS (Stevie Wonder):
CLAV ECHO TRACK:
Released on Ed Sheeran’s 2014 album x, “Thinking Out Loud” became a top hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the UK chart. On an album featuring numerous producers, this track was produced by Peter Gosling, who had worked with Sheeran on his first album.
The third single from their album Synchronicity, ‘Synchronicity II’ was written by lead singer and bassist Sting. It was released as a single in the UK and the US by A&M Records, it reached number 17 in the UK Singles Chart and number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1983. This is ripped from Rock Band, but it’s still pretty accurate.
https://youtu.be/XJ0eGFOENsE
Nicky Jam and Enrique Iglesias’ collab tallies a 30th week on the Hot 100, setting a peculiar record: the most weeks spent on the chart without reaching the top 50. It returns to its No. 56 high.
Here’s an updated look at the songs to spend the most time on the chart without cracking its upper half:
Weeks, Peak, Title, Artist, Peak Year
30, No. 56, “El Perdon (Forgiveness),” Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias, 2015
29, No. 53, “HeadBand,” B.o.B feat. 2 Chainz, 2014
27, No. 76, “The Rockafeller Skank,” Fatboy Slim, 2000
23, No. 81, “Cold,” Crossfade, 2004
22, No. 51, “Like a Wrecking Ball,” Eric Church, 2015
22, No. 53, “Drinking Class,” Lee Brice, 2015
22, No. 59, “Someday,” Rob Thomas, 2010
22, No. 84, “Take a Walk,” Passion Pit, 2013
Via Billboard
Heritage rock band Europe is enjoying an honor that eluded it during its original heyday nearly three decades ago: a No. 1 on a Billboard chart.
Wait, what? No No. 1 until 2015?
It’s true: the group’s signature hit “The Final Countdown” logs its third week atop Billboard’s Hard Rock Digital Songs chart dated Oct. 31, revitalized by its synch in a new GEICO commercial that features the band performing the classic, which rose to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987. The GEICO ad is the latest in the insurance company’s “It’s What You Do” series.
https://youtu.be/iH1biQdyiQI
Via Billboard
Elvis Costello told Conan O’Brien about a disastrously failed Japanese publicity stunt early in his career; it involved Costello and his band driving through Tokyo on the back of a flatbed truck, playing their music to a distinctly uninterested audience.
Via The Current
Four weeks ago superstar singer Adele quietly flew into Montreal and took a car to the eastern townships for a film shoot with award-winning Quebec film producer Xavier Dolan. It was a hush-hush affair with no entourage, no media tip-offs and the results of that shoot were released worldwide early this morning as the lead video single “Hello” from the multiple Grammy winning singer’s November 20th album release, simply entitled 25. Without question, Adele’s five-years in the making sequel to 21 is the year’s most anticipated album and one that is almost certain to remain glued to the number one spot on the Albums chart for the balance of the year.
Via FYI Music
Alanis Morissette was just a few months shy of her 20th birthday when she started recording Jagged Little Pill. This year, the legendary album has reached that same landmark. To celebrate the double-decade milestone, the multiple Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has curated a special collector’s edition of her debut, an album that’s sold more than 33 million copies around the world and ranks as one of the best-selling albums of all time.
This new four-disc JAGGED LITTLE PILL: COLLECTOR’S EDITION includes remastered audio of the original album plus an entire disc of 10 unreleased demos from the era handpicked by Morissette from her archives, offering a deeper and more personal look at the classic album. Also included is a previously unreleased concert from 1995 as well as 2005’s Jagged Little Pill Acoustic. Limited to 30,000 copies worldwide, JAGGED LITTLE PILL: COLLECTOR’S EDITION will be available from Rhino on October 30th. Also available on the same day is a two-disc DELUXE EDITION that includes the remastered original album and the second disc of unreleased demos. Both collections will also be available digitally.
“I’m super excited to share this music with a whole new generation of peeps, as well as people who have grown along with me over the last two decades,” says Morissette. “Thankfully, these songs have stood the test of time for me, and in their timelessness, I am thrilled to honor and reflect on them as well as the last twenty years of my life and career.”
In addition to selecting music for the set, Morissette dug into her personal collection to include never-before-seen photos and other ephemera from the time. She also contributes a new essay reflecting back on this time in her life along with stories behind the 10 demos she recorded between 1994-98, all of which are making their official debut here. The track “The Bottom Line” is possibly the most historically significant—it’s the first song Morissette and album producer Glen Ballard wrote together within an hour of their very first meeting in 1994. Other early tracks from those sessions include “Superstar Wonderful Weirdos” and “Closer Than You Might Believe.” Also featured are several tracks Morissette wrote while touring the world and ascending into a global phenomenon following the album’s release including “King Of Intimidation” and “Death Of Cinderella.”
Ballard also oversaw mixing and mastering for this collector’s edition. “Twenty years has not diminished the energy and excitement we captured on these recordings from 1994,” says Ballard. “It’s been a joy to sit with these tracks after two decades and to find them in such good shape. The power of digital recording gives us this time machine and, although we are twenty years older, this music still sounds fresh!”
The third disc of JAGGED LITTLE PILL: COLLECTOR’S EDITION features Jagged Little Pill Acoustic. Released in 2005 to celebrate the album’s 10th Anniversary, this collection finds Morissette delivering “unplugged” and alternate interpretations of every song from the original album.
The set concludes with an unreleased complete concert from the Jagged Little Pill tour. Recorded in London at Subterranea on September 28, 1995, the show captures Morissette at the peak of her success as she makes her highly anticipated UK concert debut. For this powerhouse performance, she was backed by her touring band (dubbed Sexual Chocolate), which featured a stellar rhythm section with bassist Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction) and drummer Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters).
Since 1995 Alanis Morissette has been one of the most influential singer-songwriter-musicians in contemporary music. Her deeply expressive music and performances have earned vast critical praise, 14 Canadian Juno Awards, 7 Grammy® Awards (with an additional 14 nominations), a Golden Globe nomination and sales of over 60 million albums worldwide. Morissette’s 1995 debut, “JAGGED LITTLE PILL,” was followed by such eclectic and acclaimed albums as “SUPPOSED FORMER INFATUATION JUNKIE” (1998), “MTV UNPLUGGED” (1999), “UNDER RUG SWEPT” (2002), “SO-CALLED CHAOS” (2004), “JAGGED LITTLE PILL ACOUSTIC” (2005), her greatest hits album, “THE COLLECTION” (2005), “FLAVORS OF ENTANGLEMENT”(2008), HAVOC AND BRIGHT LIGHTS (2012), as well as musical contributions to theatrical releases, some of which include “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “Prince of Persia,” and “City of Angels.” Alanis has acted on the big and small screen with roles in “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Dogma,” “Sex and the City,” “Weeds” and “Up All Night,” and has appeared as a celebrity guest mentor on the 2nd season of “The Voice.” In 2015, Alanis was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Outside of entertainment, she is an avid supporter of female empowerment, as well as spiritual, psychological and physical wellness. She has contributed her writing to a variety of outlets and forums, and leads workshops, special speaking and keynote speaking engagements worldwide. Alanis has also donated her time to a number of causes that help raise awareness and funding on a number of issues including Equality Now which benefits international female and human rights, Music for Relief, UN Global Tolerance for which she was honored for her contributions for promoting tolerance internationally through the arts, “Every Mother Counts” CD for which she contributed her song “Magical Child” to help prevent needless maternal deaths, and P.S Arts which has worked tirelessly to provide access to the arts through in-school programs to thousands of children in some of the most under-served neighborhoods in California. Alanis has also been outspoken on the issue of home child birth, its benefits and challenges for mothers across the world. In addition to music, she is working on her first book, which will be released in early 2016.
JAGGED LITTLE PILL: COLLECTOR’S EDITION
Track Listing
Disc One: 2015 Remaster
1. “All I Really Want”
2. “You Oughta Know”
3. “Perfect”
4. “Hand In My Pocket”
5. “Right Through You”
6. “Forgiven”
7. “You Learn”
8. “Head Over Feet”
9. “Mary Jane”
10. “Ironic”
11. “Not The Doctor”
12. “Wake Up”
13. “You Oughta Know” (Jimmy The Saint Blend) / “Your House” (A Capella)
Disc Two: Demos (Previously Unreleased)
1. “The Bottom Line”
2. “Superstar Wonderful Weirdos”
3. “Closer Than You Might Believe”
4. “No Avalon”
5. “Comfort”
6. “Gorgeous”
7. “King Of Intimidation”
8. “Death Of Cinderella”
9. “London”
10.”These Are The Thoughts”
Disc Three: Jagged Little Pill Acoustic
1. “All I Really Want”
2. “You Oughta Know”
3. “Perfect”
4. “Hand In My Pocket”
5. “Right Through You”
6. “Forgiven”
7. “You Learn”
8. “Head Over Feet”
9. “Mary Jane”
10. “Ironic”
11. “Not The Doctor”
12. “Wake Up / Your House”
Disc Four: Live At Subterranea, London 09/28/95 (Previously Unreleased)
1. “All I Really Want”
2. “Right Through You”
3. “Not The Doctor”
4. “Hand In My Pocket”
5. “Mary Jane”
6. “Ironic”
7. “You Learn”
8. “Forgiven”
9. “You Oughta Know”
10. “Wake Up”
11. “Head Over Feet”
12. “Perfect”
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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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