Home Blog Page 598

5 Surprising Facts About The White Stripes’ ‘Get Behind Me Satan’

Eric Alper
-
0
5 Surprising Facts About The White Stripes’ ‘Get Behind Me Satan’

On June 7, 2005, The White Stripes took a leap into uncharted musical territory with Get Behind Me Satan. Gone were the raw guitar riffs of Elephant—in their place came marimbas, grand pianos, mandolins, and a poetic sense of experimentation. Jack and Meg White created something intimate and expansive, a sonic detour wrapped in mystery, metaphor, and marimba.

From Jack’s living room in Detroit came a Grammy-winning album that continues to surprise, delight, and inspire listeners two decades later. To celebrate, here are 5 things you might not know about Get Behind Me Satan:

1. It Was Recorded in Jack White’s Living Room
This Grammy-winning album wasn’t born in a fancy studio. Jack and Meg recorded it at home in Indian Village, Detroit, using a vintage 8-track tape machine and just six microphones. They even rented a Steinway grand piano to get that full-bodied sound. The whole thing was finished in under two weeks.

2. “Blue Orchid” Was Written and Released in Just Six Weeks
Jack White has called “Blue Orchid” the song that saved the album. It was the last song written and brought everything into focus. That urgent energy carried over to its release—it hit radio just six weeks after it was written and became one of the band’s biggest hits.

3. “The Nurse” Features a Happy Accident
That spooky marimba track? It almost didn’t make it. Jack was unsure about the wild, crashing drums and guitar that were added to cover a tape splice error. But after playing the mix for Brendan Benson, who called it “some Brian Wilson shit,” Jack was sold.

4. Meg White Has a Lead Vocal Moment
“Passive Manipulation” is a short and haunting tune, and it’s sung entirely by Meg White. The track runs less than a minute and delivers one of the album’s most memorable and lyrical moments—from a woman’s point of view, no less.

5. The Album Wasn’t Released on Vinyl Until 2015
Even with its success, Get Behind Me Satan didn’t get a commercial vinyl release for a full decade. Jack wanted to re-record a live version of the album specifically for vinyl, but it never came together. It finally arrived for Record Store Day 2015—on red and white wax, of course.

From its lyrical odes to truth and Rita Hayworth, to its playful embrace of marimba and mandolin, Get Behind Me Satan stands as a bold and beautiful chapter in the story of The White Stripes. It’s an album that invites you to listen closer, dance differently, and see the world through a red, white, and piano-tinted lens.

Happy anniversary, Satan. You’ve still got us under your spell.

5 Surprising Facts About Stone Temple Pilots’ ‘Purple’

Eric Alper
-
0
5 Surprising Facts About Stone Temple Pilots’ ‘Purple’

Released on June 7, 1994, Purple arrived with the roar of a jet engine and the grace of a psychedelic fairytale. Stone Temple Pilots were already stars after Core, but Purple launched them into a new stratosphere. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, sold over six million copies, and gave us unforgettable tracks like “Vasoline,” “Interstate Love Song,” and “Big Empty.”

From its mythical artwork to its lightning-fast creation, Purple remains one of the most memorable albums of the 1990s.

1. They Recorded It in Less Than a Month
The band finished the entire album—recording, mixing, and mastering—in about three and a half weeks. They tracked it live with a PA system to keep the energy raw. They played basketball and wiffle ball between takes. That sense of looseness and momentum runs through every song.

2. “Pretty Penny” Was Recorded in a Living Room
For this dreamy acoustic number, Brendan O’Brien brought the band into a house with an old eight-track tape machine. They performed it live in the living room, capturing the warmth and intimacy in one session. No studio magic, just great playing and great atmosphere.

3. The Album Cover Has Its Own Language
Purple’s cover features a child riding a Qilin, a legendary creature in Chinese folklore, surrounded by fairies. The title is written in Chinese (紫), which means “purple.” The track list? Not on the back cover. Instead, there’s a decorated cake that reads “12 Gracious Melodies,” hinting at the album’s hidden twelfth track.

4. “Vasoline” Came From a Childhood Misheard Lyric
Scott Weiland once thought the Eagles’ “Life in the Fast Lane” said “Flies in the Vaseline.” That moment stuck with him. The song reflects the feeling of being trapped and overexposed. Robert DeLeo’s bass runs through a wah-wah pedal for that unforgettable intro tone.

5. “Interstate Love Song” Was Done in One Take
Scott Weiland recorded the vocals for “Interstate Love Song” in a single take. The track became one of the biggest rock hits of the decade, staying at #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart for 15 straight weeks. It started as a soft bossa nova sketch and turned into a rock anthem built for long drives and big feelings.

Purple still sounds fresh, bold, and full of surprises. Every listen feels like opening a time capsule sealed with melody, emotion, and sonic ambition. Happy anniversary to a truly gracious collection of songs.

Photo Gallery: Metric, Sam Roberts Band, And The Dears at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage June 6, 2025

Eric Alper
-
0
Photo Gallery: Metric, Sam Roberts Band, And The Dears at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage June 6, 2025

All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.

Metric
Metric
Metric

Metric
Metric
Metric
Metric
Metric
Metric
Sam Roberts Band
Sam Roberts Band
Sam Roberts Band
Sam Roberts Band
Sam Roberts Band
The Dears
The Dears
The Dears
The Dears
The Dears

Joshua Heter and Richard Greene’s ‘Post-Punk and Philosophy’ Explores the Sound of Thought

Eric Alper
-
0
Joshua Heter and Richard Greene’s ‘Post-Punk and Philosophy’ Explores the Sound of Thought

What sort of thing is Post-Punk?  Is it merely a musical genre, an artistic movement, or something else altogether?  What is the proper role of emotion in the intellectual life?  Is any attempt to be cool an inherently losing battle; should I embrace my eccentricities?  Does a counterculture need to care about change, or can it simply focus on its art?  Are nihilism and love compatible?  Is the best way to deal with a bleak worldview simply to embrace it through art?  How much should we care (if at all) about the moral failings of the artists whose work we love so much?  What exactly is authenticity, and how important is it?  

As a result of so much thoughtful artistry and music-making, the editors of this book were fortunate enough to bring together the talented authors whose work comprises it as they raise, clarify, and even attempt to answer some of these questions. Thankfully, their creativity and innovation are worthy of the Post-Punk creatives about which they’ve written.  And, their varied and eclectic perspectives are akin to the variety of influences that led to and help make Post-Punk such a unique and beloved art form.  

So, that’s how we got here; through and past the downward spiral of Punk’s initial wave, alternative rock music came out stronger and even more diverse and compelling with the advent of Post-Punk, and we are now in a position to reflect deeply on the movement as a whole.  Perhaps if we think carefully enough about it all, we might even be able to discover where we go from here.” (From the editors’ introduction, “Well, How Did We Get Here?”)

Matthew Collin’s New Book ‘Dream Machines’ Charts the Sonic History of Electronic Music

Eric Alper
-
0
Matthew Collin’s New Book ‘Dream Machines’ Charts the Sonic History of Electronic Music

An expansive and illuminating account of the development of electronic music, told with passionate enthusiasm by Matthew Collin, the critically-acclaimed author of Altered State and Rave On.

Dream Machines tracks the music’s evolution from early avant-garde experiments after World War Two through psychedelia, art-rock and synth-pop to electronic dance music, sampling and the techno era. As well as profiling the sonic futurists who pioneered new styles, it documents the scenes and underground movements that built a thrillingly diverse electronic music culture in its formative decades.

Based on interviews with key players and a wealth of in-depth research, Dream Machines explores genres as diverse as space rock, electro-pop, ambient, dub, industrial music, prog, electro, hip-hop, hi-NRG and house, highlighting how developments in electronic music were shaped by changes in society as well as technological advances.

David Junk’s ‘Rockin’ the Kremlin’ Chronicles the Rise of Western Music in Post-Soviet Industry

Eric Alper
-
0
David Junk’s ‘Rockin’ the Kremlin’ Chronicles the Rise of Western Music in Post-Soviet Industry

Read the true story of Universal Music Russia’s first CEO and his quest to bring Western popular music to post-Soviet Russia in an account that Publishers Weekly calls “an exciting and colorful look at a dynamic period in Russia’s cultural history,” The Washington Post calls “a jaunty, picaresque memoir,” and Library Journal calls an “absorbing illustration of the mutuality of music and politics.”

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russia opened its borders, and Russian audiences were hungry for Western popular music and the values it espoused. David Junk was one of the first idealistic, young Americans to seize this opportunity.

Rockin’ the Kremlin is the thrilling true story of how David became the first CEO of Universal Music Russia and built impactful cultural bridges with music—but also how that would all shatter with the rise of Vladimir Putin and invasions of Ukraine. There was no proper music industry in the USSR, and creating a modern music industry in Russia would be far more challenging than anyone had anticipated. David assembled a team of young and talented Russians, and they navigated a terrain filled with political chaos, organized crime, powerful oligarchs, bombings, and violence—with cultural clashes tinting many aspects. They captivated millions by bringing superstar acts to Russia for the first time ever, including Metallica, Mariah Carey, Sting, Eminem, and Enrique Iglesias, while developing local talent such as Alsou and t.A.T.u.—Russia’s greatest selling pop act of all time. Eventually, David would even build a music industry in Ukraine and other countries in Eastern Europe.

While Russia’s descent into authoritarianism and two invasions of Ukraine have tarnished this, the industry that David shepherded has birthed a newer generation of Russian musicians who are speaking out against the war and Putin. Filled with unique insights as well as gripping—and sometimes humorous—stories, this book reveals how it all happened.

Earl Slick’s Memoir ‘Guitar’ Chronicles a Wild Life Alongside Rock Legends

Eric Alper
-
1
Earl Slick’s Memoir ‘Guitar’ Chronicles a Wild Life Alongside Rock Legends

Earl Slick was barely out of his teens when David Bowie hired him to play guitar on the ground-breaking 1974 Diamond Dogs tour. It marked the beginning of a relationship that would endure through thick and thin for the next forty years.

Gracing classic albums like Young Americans, Station to Station and the 2013 comeback, The Next Day, Slick played on the tour that followed Bowie’s smash hit Let’s Dance album and was at his side for the epic Glastonbury show in 2000.

But it wasn’t just Bowie.

The young guitarist was in John Lennon’s band at the time of the former Beatle’s tragic murder. Other collaborations read like a roll call of rock ‘n’ roll royalty including Mick Jagger, The Cure, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Joe Cocker, Buddy Guy, Ian Hunter, David Coverdale and Eric Clapton. And in the ‘80s he became an MTV star in his own right with the success of Phantom, Rocker and Slick.

Through it all he lived the rock ‘n’ roll life to the hilt. Until it nearly killed him.

One of rock’s great sidemen, Earl Slick was in the room when music history was made. Guitar takes us there, shining a light on superstars like Bowie and Lennon, while recounting the extraordinary story of the boy from New York City who became a real-life Johnny B. Goode.

Canadian Museum of History Launches ‘Retro’ Music Exhibit Celebrating the Sounds of the ’60s to ’80s

Eric Alper
-
0
Canadian Museum of History Launches ‘Retro’ Music Exhibit Celebrating the Sounds of the ’60s to ’80s

No need to be decked out in your favourite retro outfit to experience the music of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s — music that has brought people together, expressed inner worlds, and challenged the status quo, and that remains, in many ways, the soundtrack of our lives. Turn up the volume on your radio and visit Retro – Popular Music in Canada From the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, the first-ever exhibition about popular music produced by the Canadian Museum of History! 

Opening on June 6, 2025, this exciting new exhibition explores the era in which Canada’s popular music came of age. From iconic singer-songwriters, to stadium-filling acts, to bold trendsetters, Retro looks at how musicians and listeners experimented, innovated, and sparked new forms of creative expression.

“Music has always been a mirror of Canadian life — its struggles, its triumphs, and its diversity — and culture is often our best ambassador,” said Caroline Dromaguet, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History. “Retro highlights and celebrates the influence of Canadian artists who helped define generations, sparked conversations, challenged norms, and united communities. At a time when Canadians are reflecting on who we are and what unites us, this exhibition is a powerful reminder of the role music plays in shaping our shared identity.”

Retro – Popular Music in Canada From the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s is developed by the Canadian Museum of History and presented by Power Corporation of Canada. It features more than 160 objects, more than 100 song clips, a rich variety of photographs, 8 interactive elements, and nearly 40 audiovisual components, including multimedia productions.

Iconic objects include Robbie Robertson’s Gibson guitar, Céline Dion’s Eurovision outfit, Randy Bachman’s handmade guitar, Geddy Lee’s Rickenbacker doubleneck guitar, and the wedding dress worn by k.d. lang at the 1985 JUNO Awards. Visitors will also discover handwritten lyrics by Bruce Cockburn, a typewriter used by Leonard Cohen in the 1980s, a drumskin hand-painted by the Cowboy Junkies, and a self-portrait by Joni Mitchell. Striking visuals, photographs, memorabilia, and a few surprises — such as notepaper from John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-In for Peace — complement stories of artistry and collaboration. More than 100 influential artists are featured, including Neil Young, Robert Charlebois, Harmonium, BTO, Rush, and Daniel Lanois.

Popular music became an explosive cultural force during these three decades. Examining how music can be social, personal and political — often all at the same time — Retro transports visitors to different times and places, and shines a new light on this formative era and its enduring impact.

“At Power Corporation of Canada, we believe that supporting the arts means investing in the spirit of our communities,” said Paul C. Genest, Senior Vice-President at Power Corporation of Canada. “We are proud to partner with the Canadian Museum of History to bring Retro to life — a vibrant and timely celebration of the voices, sounds, and stories that have helped shape Canada’s cultural identity. Music has long been a powerful force for connection, expression, and change, and this exhibition pays tribute to the artists whose work continues to resonate across generations.”

To complement the exhibition, a slate of in-gallery and other programming is being developed. A souvenir catalogue for the exhibition has also been produced and is available through the Museum’s Gift Shop, both on site and online.

The exhibition will be on view from June 6, 2025 to January 18, 2026.

Located on the shores of the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Quebec, the Canadian Museum of History welcomes over 1.2 million visitors each year. The Museum’s principal role is to enhance Canadians’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the events, experiences, people and objects that have shaped Canada’s history and identity, as well as to enhance Canadians’ awareness of world history and cultures.

For more information, please visit historymuseum.ca. 

Mimi Webb Announces Bold New Album ‘Confessions,’ Out September 12

Eric Alper
-
0
Mimi Webb Announces Bold New Album ‘Confessions,’ Out September 12

British pop powerhouse Mimi Webb has announced her highly anticipated sophomore album, Confessions, due out September 12 via Epic Records. She has also released her electrifying new single, “Love Language,” giving fans another taste of this deeply personal new chapter.

Speaking about the new single, Mimi reveals, “‘Love Language’ is my first step into this new era and I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous or excited to share a piece of music. The sound and aesthetic around it is so new and different for me and I can’t wait to bring people along for this new creative journey.” Listen to it below.

With her new album, Mimi is ready to open up like never before. Written and produced between Los Angeles and London, Confessions represents a bold leap forward: a fearless, raw, and honest exploration of heartbreak, empowerment, and self-discovery, while still delivering the signature up-tempo pop anthems fans know and love. “I dug deep and figured out what I want to say not just as an artist, but as a person,” Mimi shares about the new album. “I decided to be brutally honest. It’s easy to be like, ‘Everything is wonderful’-even when there’s so much happening behind the curtain. I wanted to open up and scream, ‘This is who I am!’.”

“Love Language” follows her acclaimed single “Mind Reader” with chart-topping GRAMMY Award-winning label mate Meghan Trainor, continuing to build excitement for what’s to come. The track-written by Mimi and Meghan-arrived alongside a vibrant, confidence-fueled music video directed by Ava Rikki, capturing their undeniable chemistry and serving as a perfect lead-in to this new chapter.

“Love Language” and “Mind Reader” offer fans an exciting taste of what’s to come, following a massive 2024 which included her UK & European arena tour with The Jonas Brothers, US Tour dates with Benson Boone, and festival appearances at Governors Ball, Lollapalooza, Osheaga and Outside Lands.

Mimi Webb makes the kind of music that’s there for you when you need it the most. Whether you’re glowing up in the wake of a breakup, you need to cry on the dancefloor, or you’re feeling yourself and living your best life, she’s got an anthem for every occasion. The BRIT Award-nominated UK singer and songwriter not only empowers, but also empathizes with electrifying, engaging, and enigmatic pop boosted by her skyscraper-size vocals. Mimi followed her dream to the doorstep of stardom the old-fashioned way-by tirelessly grinding and singing her heart out since her childhood in Canterbury. She turned heads with her 2021 debut, the Seven Shades of Heartbreak EP. She launched “Good Without” and “Dumb Love” into the Top 15 of the UK Singles Chart, emerging as “the first artist to land concurrent entries in the Top 15 since Dua Lipa in 2017.”

Meanwhile, 2023 saw the songstress unveil her first full-length album, Amelia, notching a Top 5 debut on the UK Albums Chart and yielding the fan favorite “House On Fire.” She notably performed for the late Queen Elizabeth II and on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Selling out headline gigs on multiple continents, she also supported Jonas Brothers, Tate McRae, and Benson Boone on tour. She has appeared at US festivals such as Lollapalooza, Governors Ball, ACL, and Outside Lands in addition to UK and European festivals a la Reading, Leeds, Isle of Wight, Electric Picnic, Mad Cool, and more. Not to mention, she incited the applause of Harpers Bazaar, V Magazine, Rolling Stone,PAPER, Wonderland., and Teen Vogue. Making waves worldwide with over a billion of streams, sold out tours, and unanimous critical acclaim, she’s getting more personal than ever on her second full-length album, Confessions 

MARINA Reigns Supreme With ‘Princess of Power’ and Major Festival Tour

Eric Alper
-
0
MARINA Reigns Supreme With ‘Princess of Power’ and Major Festival Tour

Internationally acclaimed, award-winning artist and author MARINA has returned with the release of her highly anticipated sixth studio album, PRINCESS OF POWER, out now via Queenie Records/BMG. This fearless new era reclaims her power and sensuality, with PRINCESS OF POWER standing as her boldest, most unapologetic statement yet. Listen below.

Following two back-to-back performances at the Coachella Main Stage this spring, MARINA will celebrate the release of PRINCESS OF POWER, performing live tonight at WorldPride Festival in Washington, D.C. and tomorrow at Governors Ball in New York. Additional summer festival appearances include Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Osheaga, Outside Lands, All Things Go and Austin City Limits ensuring fans everywhere can experience the power of MARINA’s new era in person.

If 2021’s Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land was MARINA’s outward gaze at a fractured world, PRINCESS OF POWER is a fearless inward journey – a manifesto of survival, resilience, and radical self-belief. “I’ve accessed this new part of myself,” she explains. “It’s really a rebuilding-my-life-from-scratch type of album. Which is probably why it has an exciting energy.”

The anthemic title track sets the tone of the album, “I lived the sweet/and I lived the sour/been living life/locked up in tower/but now I’m blooming like a flower,” she sings, while on the devastatingly honest “EVERYBODY KNOWS I’M SAD,” MARINA navigates vulnerability and strength in equal measure. Standout single “BUTTERFLY” – already boasting over 20 million global streams – captures this essence perfectly with its defiant refrain: “So I’m saying goodbye, goodbye/Watch me grow from afar as I turned into a butterfly.”

Speaking about her hopes for this new album, MARINA reveals, “So often, women don’t think they’re allowed to feel their sexuality in a way that doesn’t involve how it looks for men. They feel that it’s been co-opted – I would love to be able to free younger women of that, the feeling that our bodies don’t quite belong to us. You can look or dress a certain way, but that doesn’t mean that internally, you feel free,” she says. “And that’s what I’m after.”

2025 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

06/06 – World Pride Music Festival – Washington, DC
06/07 – The Governors Ball – Queens, NY
06/13 – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival – Manchester, TN
08/02 – Lollapalooza – Chicago, IL
08/03 – Osheaga Music and Arts Festival – Montreal, QC
08/08 – Outside Lands – San Francisco, CA
09/28 – All Things Go – Columbia, MD
10/04 – Austin City Limits Music Festival – Austin, TX
10/11 – Austin City Limits Music Festival – Austin, TX

1...597598599...3,009Page 598 of 3,009

Follow us on Instagram @thatericalper

That Eric Alper

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

Popular posts

Popular category

© Copyright - That Eric Alper