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Spike Lee: Bad 25 Was Good Pressure
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Upcoming Releases, Pop,
Spike Lee couldn't let people down with his Michael Jackson documentary. The filmmaker has been working on Bad 25 - which examines the making of the late King of Pop's classic 1987 album - and was excited by the challenge of living up to the "pressure" of fans' expectations.
"It's good pressure. You can't let people down. If this had been sub-par I'd have been torn limb from limb," he said.
Spike has admired the "Thriller" hitmaker - who died of acute Propofol intoxication in June 2009 - all his life and admits his passing left him "messed up" for some time. "I'm a filmmaker, I love what I do and I grew up admiring and loving Michael Jackson. I saw him in 1969 on TV. He had a big afro and I wanted to be him. Michael's life deeply affected people and they miss him. His death messed me up for a month or two. He touched so many people," he said when asked why he made the film.
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Of Monsters and Men More Rock Than Folk
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Concerts / Tours, Gossip, Folk, Rock, New Releases,
Of Monsters and Men are "more rock 'n' roll" than folk.
The Icelandic "Little Talks" band have been compared to folk acts like Mumford and Sons because they use acoustic guitars and have lush vocal harmonies, but singer Ragnar Þórhallsson feels the band's sound is more rock influenced.
"It's hard for me to describe our music. It has folk elements, but it has more rock 'n' roll in it. We like being compared to great bands, but we're not like Mumford and Sons, we very much have our own style," he said.
The band performed an exclusive show at London's Village Underground Venue last night alongside Spector, as part of the Logitech UE launch. The show was the last night of the group's US and European tour before heading home, and the six piece band impressed the capacity crowd by balancing tender moments with rock crescendos on tracks such as "Six Weeks," "Love Love Love" and "Mountain Sound."
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Katy Perry Named Billboard Magazine’s Woman of the Year
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Awards, Pop,
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Katy Perry has been named Billboard's Woman of the Year.
The "Firework" singer was hailed as "one of the most exciting and inspiring artists in the industry" by the publication's editorial director as he announced her selection, which sees Katy follow in the footsteps of stars including Taylor Swift, Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas and Beyonce Knowles.
"Katy Perry broke into the industry not even five years ago, and has already accomplished more than most artists can hope for in an entire career. We are thrilled to celebrate these incredible achievements and her amazing past 12 months by presenting her with the Billboard Woman of the Year Award. With what seems like a never-ending supply of record-breaking, chart-topping hits, coupled with her unique and fresh style, Katy Perry is hands-down one of the most exciting and inspiring artists in the industry today," said Billboard's Bill Werde.
The annual event, now in its seventh year, celebrates the most powerful and talented women in the music business, coinciding with the publication of Billboard's Women in Music Power Players list. This year's event will take place in New York City on November 30 where Katy will receive her award.
No Doubt Couldn’t Write Songs
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Gossip, Alternative, Pop, Reggae, Rock, New Releases,
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No Doubt "couldn't write" when they first sat down to create new album Push and Shove. The "Settle Down" hitmakers struggled to come up with songs when they decided to work on a new LP, and lead-singer Gwen Stefani admits they had to keep re-recording what they created because they weren't sure about the sound.
"When we first started writing, we couldn't write, and then we finally got inspired and we started writing songs but they were coming slowly, like one at a time... and after we wrote, like, three songs, we got so excited that we went in and recorded them, just to see where we were at. And then we kept re-recording them, until we got to a place where we felt 'This is it.'"
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Coldplay, Pink Floyd and Kylie Minogue to Be Dropped From Label
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Gossip, Industry News, Alternative, Dance, Electronic, Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop, R&B / Soul, Rock,
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Coldplay, Pink Floyd and Kylie Minogue are to be dropped by their label.
Troubled British record company EMI is undergoing a takeover by Universal Music Group, and the European Commission ruled today it can go ahead on condition it sells off most of its smaller record labels.
Acts who will now find themselves without a parent label include David Guetta, Tinie Tempah, Gorillaz, Cliff Richard, David Bowie, Tina Turner and Duran Duran, who are all signed to Parlophone. Chrysalis - home to Depeche Mode and Moby - will also have to go, as will Mute, home to the Ramones and Jethro Tull.
One act EMI will be keep are The Beatles, a hugely lucrative band, who still sell millions of albums even though they split in 1970.
Click to continue reading Coldplay, Pink Floyd and Kylie Minogue to Be Dropped From Label
James Franco Releases Debut Album
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Upcoming Releases, R&B / Soul,
James Franco is hoping to carve out a new career as a rockstar. The actor will release his debut album MotorCity under the name "Daddy" on Tuesday.
"I know I do a lot of things. I'm very aware of that. I'm sure there are a lot of skeptical people, hearing about me doing music. To me, it all comes from a similar place. It's like using different tools to express things in different ways," he told Rolling Stone.
James has teamed up with his artistic college friend Tim O'Keefe for the album and it also features guest vocals by Motown singer Smokey Robinson who decided to collaborate with the actor after meeting him on a flight. The duo have just unveiled their romantic new music video for "Love in the Old Days," which was directed by James.
The 34-year-old star revealed he wrote and produced MotorCity while filming the Oz: The Great and Powerful in Detroit.
Pink was inspired by Las Vegas to write "Walk of Shame."
The 33-year-old singer was prompted to write a song about people making their way home in the previous night's clothes following a night of revelry after a phone call from her husband, Carey Hart while he was in the American gambling capital.
"I remember him calling me from the diner in the Hard Rock, because he has business in the Hard Rock [hotel], at eight o'clock in the morning. And he was narrating for me the continuous walk of shame he'd see out of the casino, because that's just a constant in Vegas. Can you imagine being a diner employee in the mornings and the s**t you'd get to see? The shame walk back to your cab, and I just think it's funny 'cos we've all done it, and I just thought it'd be a hilarious video. It's nothing really that deep, just the regret the morning after."
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KISS Taught Deadmau5 How to Perform
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Concerts / Tours, Gossip, Performances, Electronic, Rock,
Deadmau5 learned his showmanship from KISS. The producer wears a mouse-shaped helmet when performing and is known for putting on one of the most spectacular visual shows in dance music - making him one of the most highly paid DJs in the world - and he claims the idea came from the 70s glam rock band.
"The big turnaround for me was going to a Kiss concert. They're terrible. They suck so bad. I hope they don't read this. But their show is a f***ing show. They put a lot into making it entertaining. At one point, the guitarist pulls out a fricking bazooka and blows off a bit off the stage. How things have changed. I remember when [Nine Inch Nails frontman] Trent Reznor used to bring out a crappy old keyboard and smash it up, and everyone would say: 'Oh wow, that was so cool, we were at the concert where Trent snapped and smashed up his keyboard!' Bull***t. He used to do that every night. I loved the theatrics. It's about spectacle. That's what I realized."
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Amy Winehouse Box Set to Be Released
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Performances, Upcoming Releases, Blues, R&B / Soul,
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A new Amy Winehouse at the BBC box set is to be released in November.
The collection brings together 14 of the singer's live tracks picked by pianist and TV presenter Jools Holland from various sessions she performed for the BBC. The set also includes a DVD of her performance at Porchester Hall, London, recorded in 2007 as well as footage from Amy's first ever TV performances, interviews, and musical rarities including covers and alternate versions of her most famous tracks.
The package also contains a documentary, Amy Winehouse: The Day She Came To Dingle, which recently aired on BBC Four. Proceeds from the box set will go to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, set up by the late singer's family in the wake of her death, from accidental alcohol poisoning in July 2011, aged 27.
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Gwen Stefani Wasn’t Serious About Going Solo
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gossip, Reunions, Alternative, Pop, Rock, New Releases,
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Gwen Stefani's solo career was "never meant to be taken seriously."
The singer has reunited with her original band, No Doubt, for their new album, Push and Shove and despite having sold millions of copies of her two solo records, her heart always lay with her original band.
"It just feels so much more natural being back in this mode. The solo records allowed me to indulge my girly side but it was never meant to be taken seriously. It was just like an art project that kept going longer than I expected. The group never ended - we always knew we'd come back to make this album."
Gwen, 42, also said her rocker husband, Gavin Rossdale from Bush doesn't listen to her ska-pop group - which also includes Tony Kanal, Adrian Young and Tom Dumont - as he doesn't like their style of music: "Oh, he's never been a fan of what we do. He's more into dark, indie stuff. But I'm not saying he doesn't think I'm amazing."
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