Lost in the backdrop of most Presidential Conventions is the reality that more than just nominating a candidate is occurring. It’s also a party for both political parties and a showcase for major entertainment acts. Even as the convention was slowed to a crawl space because of the storm, work continued in the Tampa Bay Forum Center for many of the upcoming music acts. Here is some raw video of a sound check for the house band G.E Smith.

Image Courtesy of the 2012 Republican National Convention

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Hollywood, U.S.A. — R.E.M. has teamed with Capitol/I.R.S. for the September 25 release of an expanded 25th Anniversary Edition of the band’s 1987 album, “Document.” The new edition features the digitally remastered original album, plus a previously unreleased 1987 concert from R.E.M.’s “Work” tour.

The commemorative release also adds new liner notes by journalist David Daley, with the 2CD package presented in a lift-top box with four postcards. On the same date, the remastered original album will be reissued by Mobile Fidelity on 180-gram vinyl in faithfully replicated LP packaging.

R.E.M.’s fifth studio album, “Document” was recorded by vocalist Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry at Nashville’s Sound Emporium. The first of several R.E.M. albums to be co-produced by the band and Scott Litt, “Document” was also the band’s first to go Platinum and includes the singles “Finest Worksong,” “Its The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” and “The One I Love, “R.E.M.’s first Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album peaked at Number 10 in the U.S., spending 33 weeks on Billboard’s Top 200.

In his 1987 review of the album, Rolling Stone’s David Fricke described “Document” as “the fifth in a series of singular state-of-our-union addresses by America’s most successful fringe band.” Indeed, Document launches with a call-to-action, as Stipe sings, “The time to rise / Has been engaged” in “Finest Worksong,” bearing witness to history-repeating-itself tactics employed by the country’s elected leaders, evidenced by the Iran-contra hearings, Star Wars missile defense saber-rattling, and a hyper-moralized Congress bent on restricting and regulating controversial language in the arts.

“All you have to do is turn on the TV,” said Peter Buck at the time, “And you’re inundated with complete lies from people who are supposed to be running the country.”

R.E.M. had released four albums in the previous four years, each selling more than the last. With the release of “Document”, the band found itself at a crossroads of sorts – all but ignored by conservative rock radio and MTV, yet reaching a broad and devoted international audience, sprung from independent media and college radio. Listen to Peter Buck’s 1987 introduction to “Document”, recorded for attendees of that year’s New Music Seminar, here.

Mike Mills tells Daley in the new edition’s liner notes, “We always felt that if we had a hit, it would be despite us, not because of us.”

As the band’s upward trajectory continued, improbably sandwiching “The One I Love” between Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional” and Jody Watley’s “Don’t You Want Me” on the U.S. singles chart the same week Rolling Stone’s cover hailed R.E.M. as “America’s best rock & roll band” (read Rolling Stone’s 1987 R.E.M. cover story here), they launched their “Work” tour in Europe.  The concert included in Document’s new edition, recorded live in Utrecht, Holland, reveals a band poised to take over the world.

Image Courtesy of   R.E.M.

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New York, U.S.A. – In the summer of 2011, celebrating their 20th year together, alt-rock giants Incubus turned a Los Angeles storefront space into a low-key, hi-tech residency that resulted in six nights of free performances and fan encounters now chronicled on “Incubus HQ Live.” The celebration takes place across three separate multi-disc packages released by Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. The three configurations are the “Incubus HQ Live,” “Incubus HQ Live Special Edition,” and “Incubus HQ Live Limited Edition Box Set.”

The August 14th release date for the first two configurations, “Incubus HQ Live” and “Incubus HQ Live Special Edition,” coincides with the opening of the 2012 Honda Civic Tour Featuring Linkin Park and Incubus. The 4-week, 18-city tour of the U.S. and Canada starts at Comcast Center in Boston and concludes at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre in San Diego on September 10th.

Dedicated to fans and friends, “Incubus HQ Live,” as the gallery-sized storefront space on busy La Brea Avenue in West Hollywood was aptly named last year, was the answer to a question the band had been thinking about for a while. “After twenty years,” writes lead singer Brandon Boyd in his liner notes essay (the same for all three configu­ra­­­­tions), “7 albums, multiple live albums, EPs, DVDs, somewhere in the ball­park of 1,500 live shows, what could we do to introduce our newest album, If Not Now, When?, in a manner that was both unique and memorable?”

Their first studio album in nearly five years at the time called for thinking outside the box. Playful options ranged from going door-to-door with the album to 3:00 a.m. infomercials. Or could they “invite fans into our living room and play the f***ing album live for them?…Wait,” Brandon mused.  “That is actually not a terrible idea, minus the f***ing part.”

Utilizing social media enabled fans to contact Incubus, who then replied with an assigned date and time to show up for the HQ gigs. After building out the space to accommodate fans and crew, seven nights of performances were set. The resulting CDs and DVD catch the action on six nights that were broadcast live on the Internet. It was all a prelude to the July 12th release of If Not Now, When?, which debuted at #2 on the Soundscan chart.

As heard on the “Incubus HQ Live” double-CD configuration, the first two nights were devoted (mainly) to specific albums. Night 1 is represented by six songs from 2001′s Morning View (“Nice To Know You,” “Circles,” “Wish You Were Here,” “Are You In?” c/w the Doors’ “Riders On The Storm,” “Aqueous Transmission”). Night 2 is represented by six songs from 1999′s Make Yourself (“Privilege,” “The Warmth,” “Stellar,” “Make Yourself,” “Drive,” “I Miss You”) and a wild card version of “Crowded Elevator,” an outtake from the Make Yourself sessions.

Night 3 finds Incubus mixing it up a bit, playing songs from Morning View (“Just A Phase”), 2004′s A Crow Left Of the Murder (“Mega­lo­maniac,” “Sick Sad Little World”), the 2004 DVD+CD release Alive At Red Rocks (the non-album rarity “Pantomime”), and 2006′s Light Grenades (“Anna Molly”).

By Night 4, Incubus was ready to start premiering music from If Not Now, When? , the new album now just nine days away (“Promises, Promises,” “In The Company Of Wolves”), plus “Love Hurts” from Light Grenades. Similarly, Night 5 includes “Switchblade” (from If Not Now, When? ) and “Pardon Me” (from Make Yourself ).  Finally, Night 6 is represented entirely by songs from If Not Now, When?, namely the title tune, “If Not Now, When?” “The Original,” and that album’s two closing tracks, “Adolescents,” and “Tomorrow’s Food.”

Along with the hit songs, deep album tracks and fan favorites performed in an intimate setting, “Incubus HQ Live” showcases the personalities of band members Brandon Boyd, Mike Einziger (lead guitar, piano, backing vocals), Chris Kilmore (keyboards, turntables), Ben Kenney (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Jose Pasillas II (drums). The fan interaction, instrument lessons with the band, and overall feel of the space give the DVD warmth and character.

“We found in the Incubus fan base,” Brandon writes, “a kind of generosity, openness, and enthusiasm that we never could have predicted and or expected. A unfolded s the days and meandered their way into each night’s performance, our anxieties quelled and we saw this experiment turn into a true success story. Not only at the sight of a room filled with smiles, flashes, laughs, and spontaneous interactions, or even the impassioned singing and emoting at close quarter. But more so, it was the sense that there was no one type of person who attended; online or in store.

“So I guess for those of you who were watching online, for those of you who were in the room, and even you guys that will experience it long after the fact, what this experiment allowed is a small insight into the potential of the creative experience! The quiet knowing that under the right circumstances, we all can be witness to how inter­connected all of us actually are. Be it through the making of art, the witnessing of art, and or the memory of a time in art. It only exists because we are all there existing IT together! And I think this is where I say, ‘Thanks for that’.”

Image Courtesy of  3 song photography / Shutterstock.com

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The Beatles had an amazing impact on the music industry and the world at large. A majority of today’s mainstream musicians cannot even begin to compare with the talent that this fantastic foursome had. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the group, here are ten interesting facts about The Beatles that fans new and old should know.

1. During the week of April 4, 1964 The Beatles held the top five places on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. No other group or artist has ever managed to match this feat.
2. The “man in the crowd,” in which Lennon refers to in the song Happiness Is A Warm Gun, was taken from a newspaper story about a man who was arrested by the police for having mirrors on his toe caps to look up women’s skirts at football matches.
3. On Lennon’s song Girl from the album Rubber Soul, one can hear Paul and George constantly repeat the word “tit” in the background. John also breathes heavily several places. This could have been done to emphasize on the fact that the song had sexual references.
4. What Goes On from the album Rubber Soul was written by Lennon and McCartney together with Ringo Starr. Ringo also wrote Don’t Pass Me By on The Beatles, also known as The White Album, and Octopus’s Garden on Abbey Road. He also sang lead vocal on songs such as With A Little Help From My Friends, Yellow Submarine and Good Night.
5. While Let It Be was the last album to be released by The Beatles before their breakup, most of it was recorded before Abbey Road, their second last album.
6. The album Abbey Road was originally going to be called Everest, named after the brand of cigarette Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick was smoking at the time. Paul McCartney even wanted the Beatles to go to Tibet and pose in front of Mount Everest for the album cover! Other suggestions were Four In The Bar and All Good Children Go To Heaven, before Ringo joked that they could call it Abbey Road.
7. On September 11, 1964, the Beatles refused to play at Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, without guarantees that the audience would not be segregated.
8. The Beatles were featured in an American Saturday morning cartoon series called ‘The Beatles.’ 3 seasons (39 episodes total) were produced.
9. The album Sgt. Pepper was one of the first pop albums to include completed lyrics. They were printed on the back cover.
10. Some of the band’s early influences included Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins and Ray Orbison. Later, The Beatles were also inspired by Bob Dylan, Frank Zappa, The Byrda and The Beach Boys.

Image Courtesy of  The Beatles

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Carlsbad, U.S.A. – After a successful soft launch beginning in late 2011, Daphne’s California Greek have  launched a multi-platform, new music initiative to discover and foster new music talent through several distinct and complementary digital and social media channels. Daphne’s turned to Hollywood-based DeepMix, known for bringing cutting-edge music to mainstream advertising and corporate settings, to help curate artists and manage the overall program.

The music program, which also involves the development of a distinctive Daphne’s playlist, is integral to cultivating Daphne’s new brand and echoes Daphne’s re-envisioned culture after an ambitious, year-long rebranding effort that has transformed it into a more modern, lifestyle concept that appeals to a broader segment of active and health-oriented consumers.

“Daphne’s is an eclectic fusion of California and Mediterranean flavors and our music – our playlist – reflects that diversity and authenticity,” said Bill Trefethen, CEO, Daphne’s California Greek. “We want to become the place for great food but also to discover new music talent. And we want to provide a platform for these tremendous artists to share their music and their passion with a larger audience.”

Originally called Daphne’s Greek Cafe, the company was acquired in 2010 by entrepreneur Bill Trefethen, who immediately re-imagined the 56-unit, fast casual restaurant chain, which now offers more healthful California-inspired Mediterranean fare, a current remodeling program with interiors featuring a hip California vibe with a focus on re-purposed and sustained materials, and far-reaching grass roots community support program that aligns with the new music program.

Daphne’s music program is built around today’s new music discovery and tastemaker scene, showcasing an eclectic group of emerging artists who span various genres from alternative, rock, singer/songwriter and folk, giving them a multi-platform opportunity to reach new audiences on both local and global levels.

The initiative incorporates both in-restaurant and external elements, including in-house music and videos and an Artist of the Month program with free monthly downloads, special live concerts, and exclusive concert videos. Past Artists of the Month include: Mike Stocksdale, Donovan Frankenreiter, Kelley James, The Jezebels, Elan, Madi Diaz and Portugal.

“For Daphne’s, DeepMix assembled a mix of artists that convey the hip new California lifestyle feeling,” said Dave Curtin, managing director, DeepMix. “Our deep roots in the music industry including acting as artist managers, music producers, music supervisors and DJs will allow us to expand this program to add more interesting new artists and book great names to appear at intimate concerts sponsored for Daphne’s.”

Daphne’s also created a streaming radio channel on its website that’s “Always Free, Always On” and hosted by online radio platform Live365. A just-released, iPhone app will bring that soundtrack to a potentially enormous audience of listeners across the globe. Daphne’s also leverages its multiple social media channels to help spread the word about the new music.

Rounding out the program is a successful “Fuel the Artist” initiative, where Daphne’s caters the soundchecks of bands and musicians touring in Southern California, including Parachute, Kate Voegele, Allen Stone, The Jezebels, Portugal.

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Well known in the Afro-Punk community, singer, songwriter, record producer, musician, and rapper Santigold (formerly known as Santogold) is back in a big way with her sophomore album Master of My Make-Believe. Already out in the UK, the album will be released in the US May 1st.

Santi came onto the music scene first working as an A&R representative for Epic Records and then moved on to co-write and produce singer Res’ debut album How I Do. She later became the lead singer of the Philadelphia-based punk rock band Stiffed which released two albums Sex Sells (2003) and Burned Again (2005) until she was offered a solo contract by Martin Heath of Lizard King Records.

In 2007, her initial singles “Creator” and “L.ES. Artistes” were released and received attention from the online media  Her album Santogold debuted in 2008 and was critically acclaimed. To learn about Santigold and listen to her music, visit her website, myspace, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

Master of My Make-Believe is organic and intense as it brings a fresh energy and approach with its multi-generic influences, from the reggae fused “Disparate Youth” to the electronica sounds of “Freak Like Me.” The reggae influence is heavily spread throughout the record as most of the album was recorded in Jamaica.

Drums are also featured heavily on the record. On the track “This Isn’t Our Parade” a taiko drum takes center stage and becomes the heart of the song as it booms and flows smoothly along with Santigold’s voice.

Though her style has been compared to that of M.I.A-on her last record Santogold the comparison is somewhat understandable-on this new album there’s no comparison to make, as it is completely gone. Santigold has new sound and her unique voice shines as she holds her own being the only voice on all but one of the tracks. Though Santi shares vocal duties with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Karen O. on the track “Go!,”  Santigold’s voice is front and center.

Besides featuring a remix of “Go!” and “Disparate Youth” on the deluxe CD, Santi divulges a new song entitled “Never Enough.”

The theme of Master of My Make-Believe is all about taking control of your environment, being the ruler of your own reality and Santigold masters that beautifully. Santigold has already begun to embark on another tour. Visit her website to see which city she will be heading to next to attend one of her shows and enjoy her music.

Rating: 5/5

Image Courtesy of   Santigold

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The Godfather of Punk, Iggy Pop, recently announced the release of his new album, ‘Après,’ a record containing a diverse set of covers of mostly French songs, which will be available on May 9.

Iggy and The Stooges are set to tour Europe over the summer, carrying on stage over 40 years of experience on the music scene. The band re-released in 2010 ‘Raw Power,’ the band’s third album originally released in 1973. The record, though not receiving commercial success at the time of its first release, is considered a milestone of Punk’s development.

With ‘Après’ Iggy Pop, as a solo artist, decides to follow a different approach to music; this kind of experimentation is not new for the artist. The record follows the 2009 release ‘Preliminaires,’ Iggy’s successful English/French album. ‘Preliminaires’ contains flavors of country, blues, jazz and electro-pop, which rotate around the concept of human existence’s futility.

In ‘Après,’ the rock star seems to take a more personal approach; according to his website, Iggy Pop collected on the album some of the songs that have inspired him as a musician. Furthermore, for fans’ enjoyment, Iggy Pop explains in the album booklet about his personal choices, song by song, making his work even more authentic.

Iggy Pop briefly explained the reasons behind this album on his website

“All popular music forms of today get their strength from the beat. Rap, hip-hop, metal, pop, and rock producers will tell you that the beats they use imitate the human heartbeat and that is where the power lies. The feeling of listening to any of these forms is always some variation on excitement, but before the birth of the blues there was another form of popular song, in which the timing comes from the human breath and the feelings are much more about emotion.

These older ways of expression were known variously as bel canto, chanson, plainsong or just folk music. I’ve always loved this other feeling, one that is intimate, sometimes a little sad, and does not try to beat me on the head.

So I wanted to sing some of these songs myself, hoping to bring the feeling I felt as a listener to my listeners through my voice. Many of these songs are in French, probably because it is French culture which has most stubbornly resisted the mortal attacks of the Anglo-American music machine.”

The album will be available for purchasing on May 9, through vente-privee.com

Here is the track listing:

1. Et si tu n’existais pas (Joe Dassin)
2. La Javanaise (Serge Gainsbourg)
3. Everybody’s Talkin’ (Harry Nilsson)
4. I’m Going Away Smiling (Yoko Ono)
5. La vie en Rose (Edith Piaf)
6. Les Passantes (Georges Brassens)
7. Syracuse (Henri Salvador)
8. What Is This Thing Called Love? (Cole Porter)
9. Michelle (The Beatles)
10. Only the Lonely (Frank Sinatra)

Image Courtesy of   NRK P3

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Santa Monica, CA, USA - John Popper, Chan Kinchla, Tad Kinchla, Ben Wilson and Brendan Hill, aka Blues Traveler, will be celebrating their 25^th Anniversary with the release of SUZIE CRACKS THE WHIP—their 11^th album and first for 429 Records.

The Grammy Award winning, platinum selling rock band have built up a considerable musical legacy based on their infectious, winning sound and their tireless love of touring resulting in a legion of loyal fans worldwide.

The band have mixed it up with their latest bringing in the powerhouse production team of Sam Hollander and Dave “Sluggo” Katz—aka S*A*M* and Sluggo (Katy Perry) and inviting a slew of special guests such as Ron Sexsmith, Spin Doctor’s Chris Barron and Crystal Bowersox  who contributed both in the songwriting and performing and help take the Blues Traveler  trademark sound to a new level.

Always the intrepid road warriors, Blues Traveler will embark on an extensive nationwide tour with Barenaked Ladies, Cracker and Big Head Todd & The Monsters beginning in July. SUZIE CRACKS THE WHIP will be available on 429 Records June 26^th.

From their humble beginnings in the basement of Brendan Hill’s parent’s house 25 years ago, Blues Traveler has maintained a rock solid reputation enjoying incomparable musical milestones along the way.

Grammys, hit singles (“Run Around” remains the longest charting single in Billboard history) and platinum sales are only a small part of what keeps the band fresh and eager to keep performing. Staying open to new ideas has resulted in a collaborative new project that’s invigorated the band to a new high level.

Says John Popper: “I love these guys like my family but after writing the same way with the same people for 25 years, it was good to find a new outlet and take a different approach. Likewise, S*A*M and Sluggo helped remind us about what was cool about Blues Traveler in the first place. It’s easy to forget what’s cool about yourself after so many years of being you.”

Track Listing:

1)      You Don’t Have To Love Me
2)      Recognize My Friend
3)      Devil In The Details
4)      All Things Are Possible
5)      Things Are Looking Up
6)      Love Is Everything (That I Describe)
7)      Don’t Wanna Go (feat. Crystal Bowersox)
8)      Nobody Fall In Love With Me
9)      Cover Me
10)    Saving Grace
11)    Big City Girls
12)    Cara Let The Moon

Confirmed Blues Traveler dates:

4/13 Uncasville, CT/ Mohegan Sun
4/15 Falls Church, VA/ State Theatre
5/18 Nashville, TN/Backstage @ Tin Roof
5/19 Columbia, SC/ Tin Roof
7/2   Aspen, CO/ Belly Up Aspen
7/4   Denver, CO/ Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Confirmed tour dates with Barenaked Ladies, Cracker and Big Head Todd:

07/06 Toledo OH / Zoo
07/07 Canandaigua, NY / CMAC
07/08 Kettering, OH / Fraze Pavilion
07/09 Chicago, IL / Charter One Pavilion
07/12 Raleigh, NC / Raleigh Amphitheatre
07/13 Charlotte NC / Uptown Amphitheatre
07/14 Charleston, SC / FCM Stadium
07/16 Alpharetta, GA / Verizon Amphitheatre
07/17 Tampa FL / Ask Gary Amphitheatre
07/18 West Palm Beach, FL / Cruzan Amphitheatre
07/20 Houston TX / Cynthia Woods Amp
07/21 Austin, TX / ACL at Moody Theatre
07/22 Dallas, TX / Gexa Amphitheatre
07/24 Albuquerque, NM / Sandia Casino
07/25 Phoenix, AZ / Comerica Theatre
07/27 Los Angeles, CA / Gibson Amp
07/28 Las Vegas, NV / The Joint
07/29 Valley Center, CA / Harrah’s Rincon
07/31 Saratoga, CA / Mountain Winery
08/02 Boise, ID / Botanical Gardens
08/03 Redmond, WA / Marymoor
08/07 Apple Valley, MN / Weesner Amphitheatre
08/09 Council Bluffs, IA / Harrah’s
08/10 West Allis, WI / State Fair
08/11 Detroit, MI / DTE Energy Music Theatre
08/12 Indianapolis IN / The Lawn at White River
08/14 Wantagh, NY / Jones Beach Amp
08/15 Philadelphia, PA / Penn’s Landing
08/17 Bethlehem, PA / Sands Bethlehem
08/18 Boston, MA / BOA Pavilion
08/19 Bangor, ME / Bangor Waterfront

For more information visit:
http://www.429records.com/sites/429records/429details/d_bluestraveler.asp

Image Courtesy of   Blues Traveler

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KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records artists Imagine Dragons have been tapped by MTV as its PUSH artist of the week for April 16th. Throughout the week, MTV will feature exclusive content including premiering the Las Vegas band’s new video for their current single, “It’s Time,” on Tuesday, April 17th, across all of its television and digital platforms, including MTV’s AMTV, mtvU, MTV Hits and MTV.com.

“It’s Time” is rocketing up the Modern Rock radio chart where it is currently positioned at No. 14. The track is the first single off Imagine Dragons latest EP Continued Silence, which is currently No. 6 on Soundscan’s Alternative New Artist Albums chart.

“Any time I hear music, I also see visuals in my mind,” says Imagine Dragons’ lead singer Dan Reynolds of the video, which was shot on a dry lake bed in Barstow, CA. ”‘It’s Time’ is an emotional song that was written at a very transitional period of my life. I’ve always loved conceptual videos that leave room for the viewer room to interpret it in a way that is most personal to them. That is what we tried to do with this video. The director had a great vision for representing the song’s meaning in a subtle way. We wanted the video to be cinematic and true to the song.” Watch the video here: http://on.mtv.com/HLCBfc

Imagine Dragons — who were recently included in a Billboard magazine feature entitled “The Next Wave” that singled out five “alternative up-and-comers ready to go pop” — are out on the road with The Jezabels throughout April and May.

The April 10th show at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom was sold out and the upcoming May 11th show at The Troubadour in West Hollywood is already sold out. In addition, the band will perform at Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI, on July 5th and at the Firefly Music Festival onJuly 21st in Dover, DE.

Don’t miss IMAGINE DRAGONS on the road:

Image Courtesy of   Imagine Dragons

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Here is the second part of the interview with Scream, one of the core bands of the hardcore punk scene that developed in Washington D.C. during the ‘80s. After their split in 1990, they recently reunited, releasing, in 2011, the EP ‘Complete Control Session’, and touring both the U.S. and Europe. Toonari Post met Scream in connection with their concert in Vienna, Austria.

Scream’s music is available for purchasing in the major digital platforms.

Toonari Post (TP): The name of one of your records is “No more Censorship”. There has been much talking lately about laws and agreements like ACTA, which are presented to protect intellectual property rights, but that indeed restrict the possibility of expression of people, as well as their general privacy, due to strict control: what is your opinion about that?

Pete Stahl (PS): well those are pretty complicated issues, and I’m not familiar with the legislation. They should protect people’s art, finding a balance, without giving governments access to people’s information and be able to track them. I don’t mind someone using our songs to create something else, but I wanna be credited, and if they’re gonna make money out of it, I wanna be paid.

Our music is like a picture that you can cut out of a magazine and make a poster out of it, it’s fine. I think there are some other things that could be done out of a legislation. So I’ll leave it up hopefully to politicians.

TP: So your position is against free music downloading.

PS: I come from that era when we traded tapes, but it’s different now. It’s much more disposable. I think there is a whole generation of kids that doesn’t even value music the way we did. Music is not treated with the respect that should be. I don’t think the whole downloading thing is good for artists.

It’s hard enough for a musician to make a living, and now it’s even harder. Now the only way you can make a living is by touring, or by selling your music for commercials, and something like that. You could make a little bit of money out of selling your music, but now this generation doesn’t feel like they have to pay for music, even though it costs money to make it. You spend your whole life doing it. Now people are going online and try to raise money for it. I think people should be paid for their art.

TP: You said that you think a lot of kids nowadays do not respect music…

PS: I don’t think the new generation values music the way we did, it is just a different timing.

Kent Stax: There are people that do, just not in general.

PS: It’s not just music, I just don’t know if the kids of today are as much involved; I don’t know if there’s interest in the world, politics, art, as there was in our generation and the generation before. They’re more interested in wearing that kind of hairstyle. It’s cool to go to a protest just because your friends are there. They’re not really doing anything.

TP: Don’t you think that if a band, or an artist, makes a good record, people will buy it anyway?

PS: I think that people that care about music would feel obligated to pay for it, but I just think in general it is not like that. People grow up expecting music to be free; “I don’t have to pay for that, I can just get it here, why would I pay for it?” It just creates a culture like that; that might change. We don’t have much; all we have is music.

Skeeter Thompson: I’m with Pete in this. It’s bad that the industry is doing this to artists. A lot of people are taking music, and musicians, for granted. It’s not like we play for being the best or something, we play because it is a passion. It’s different when you’re doing things out of necessity, or you’re doing it just for whatever; and that’s how it goes now, like downloading.

People now don’t even wanna play the whole song, they just play a part and then skip to the next song. Back in the day we would be like “check this, man!” put on the music and listen; now when people put music on, they start talking, texting…

TP: Do you think that the music industry respects music?

PS: I think there are a lot of people involved in the music industry that are the same people involved back in the days, come from the old school, and have respect for music. They treat music as a craft. Ultimately it is a business. Every era has like top 40 and pop music that is for everybody.  Most people that are in the music business are there because they love music.

TP: But we are the first era with talent shows…

PS: I don’t think there is much difference now. It’s just that today’s media is integrated in our lives in every minute. Before there was not like ‘Euro vision’, the entire world was not watching these. There are just more people watching TV, and now TV is like the church. It’s so crazy, because kids wanna be like that, and what’s more important to the people that want to be in the show is, like, losing weight, or dancing, or whatever. They don’t wanna be that fat person on TV, and that is sad. All you wanna do is be that one on TV. This keeps everyone kind of medicated.

TP: Where do you see Scream in three years?

PS: I don’t know, I really don’t know. I hope we’ll make another record. The most important thing was to get back together, make some music, and say something now. During the shows we play the old stuff and the new stuff. I wanna keep playing music for the rest of my life, in one way or another, that’s for sure. Music is my life.

Clint Walsh: I think there’s a really good reaction to the new songs, and to all the songs. There is a broader range of age; there are more kids than, speaking for myself, I would have thought.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/acidally/

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Rock band Foo Fighters won five Grammy Awards in occasion of the 54th edition of the music event, being second only to Adele, who won six, in number of awards. The band got awards for Best Rock Album with their ‘Wasting Light,’ Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance with ‘Walk,’ Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for ‘White Limo’ and Best Long Form Music Video with their documentary ‘Back and Forth.’
Foo Fighters were further nominated for Best Album; the award was instead assigned to Adele’s record ’21.’

The success of Foo Fighters was preceded by an incredible year. In April 2011 the band released the album ‘Wasting Light,’ produced by infamous Butch Vig, which debuted as number one in the Billboard 200 chart, selling 235,000 copies only during the first week. After the release of the album, the band toured the world during the whole second half of 2011, and is about to start the second leg of the tour. Furthermore Dave Grohl recently announced that Foo Fighters will be back soon to record their 12th album.

Foo Fighters performed at the 54th 2012 Grammy Awards show bringing on stage their pure rock soul. Their first performance was introduced by a thrilled Jack Black – comedian, actor and musician – who defined the outdoor stage as ‘the place to be,’ because of the raw Foo Fighters’ energy. The band showed up on stage with the excited eyes of the winners.

A jumping crowd enjoyed the band’s performance of the hit ‘Walk;’ a Dave Grohl wearing a Slayer t-shirt seemed particularly energetic, giving a passionate performance while cheering on the crowd. At the end of the performance the frontman clapped the audience, showing once again the sense of gratitude towards fans that has always characterized Foo Fighters.

When later awarded for Best Rock Performance for ‘Walk,’ frontman Dave Grohl expressed the band’s feeling of honor for being a part of the event and defined ‘Wasting Light’ to be a very special album for them. He explained that rather than go to an expensive studio and use fancy computers to create the record, they recorded the mentioned album in Dave Grohl’s garage, using only ‘some microphones and a tape machine.’ He thanked producer Butch Vig, who joined them on stage, and who was defined by Grohl as ‘the best producer in the world.’

The frontman then thanked a number of people involved in the creation of the record, right before stating that the success the band is having with their recent record ‘Shows that the human element of making music is what’s most important. Singing into a microphone, and learning to play an instrument […] that’s the most important thing for people to do. It’s not about being perfect, it’s not about sounding absolutely correct; It’s not about what goes on in a computer, it’s about what goes on in here [pointing to the hearth] and what goes on in here [pointing to the mind].’ Then Dave Grohl screamed in front of a standing ovation ‘Long live rock ‘n’ roll!’ while producers tried to play him off the stage.

Later in the evening Foo Fighters also performed together with Deadmau5. The beginning of performance saw Foo Fighters playing their single ‘Rope’ with a later introduction of the electronic beats of Deadmau5 at a certain point of the track. Deadmau5 then finished the performance alone, with Dave Grohl enjoying it together with the crowd.

On the day preceding the February 12 show, Foo Fighters talked about their music stating that, with their ‘Wasting Light,’ they already won in their own hearts. Dave Grohl then ironically added ‘f–k the heart, I want the Grammy.’ With five Grammy Awards, it seems that Foo Fighters frontman’s desires have been pleased.

Image Courtesy of  Foo Fighters

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Negrita is one of the most influential Italian rock bands since the 90’s, and it is currently composed of Pau (Paolo Bruni), Drigo (Enrico Salvi), Mac (Cesare Petricich) and Franky (Francesco Li Causi).

After three years of absence from the music scene, the band released their tenth album on October 25 this year, which seems to be similar to the older sounds that used to characterize the group. Negrita, initially got its success playing music similar to American classic rock. Furthermore one of the main characteristics of the group has always been the deepness of the lyrics, which goes along with all the band’s records.

After the release of the album “Ehi! Negrita” (the title is a tribute to the song “Hey! Negrita” by the Rolling Stones, the song which originally inspired the band’s name), Negrita opened the sonorities to the influence of Latin rhythm and sounds in the records. This new musical approach was not appreciated by many of their older fans who claimed the band changed their vision of music too much to still represent them.

On the other hand, a different target of people were attracted by those new musical tones, resulting in a gold disc for “L’uomo sogna di Volare”, one of their most recent albums. Nevertheless, with their brand new album “Dannato Vivere” the band now seems to be back to more properly rock oriented sounds.

Even if it smells like a coming back to the origins, it is possible to find a further development of Negrita’s sound, which now opens a window onto the British sonorities pertaining to the 70’s and the 80’s. “Dannato Vivere” is characterized by very intriguing lyrics like the band’s previous records, but which differ a bit in content this time, resulting in something that is more dramatic.

Due to the personal experiences of some of the components of the group, the message of the album comes out dark, although accompanied by a touch of hope, and it arrives to the listener very honestly. It is a description of the sufferings of a man’s soul. It walks on the line of desperate feelings but with a touch of positive attitude, which makes the album introspective instead of depressing.

The message of the lyrics is also well expressed by the musical nature of the songs which perfectly follow the theme. The challenge now for Negrita is to win back their old fans who were disappointed by the band’s previous music experiments, while keeping the new fans amused.

They seem to be on the right path, as “Dannato Vivere” has already entered the second place of the FiMi list of bestselling records shortly after its release. The band also announced an upcoming tour starting next January. Live shows surely are one of the greatest qualities this band has. A Negrita concert, indeed, is not only a spicy play through of the records.

Attending a Negrita concert is like going to the theatre to see Shakespeare. Everything on the stage melts together in a sort of powerful perfection: music, lyrics, speeches, and, most of all, the dynamics of the band’s movements and interactions during the concert.

This is not limited to the stage, though. Those attending the concert, indeed, feel like a full part of the play that is going on in the arena. Negrita has a particular power to move everything and create a perfect spiral of music where the fan results in being the center and not the spectator. This is surely an experience to be lived by any fan, as well as music lovers.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.negrita.com

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Enough of small screens, when its time to talk about the release of a new album.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have make this point clear, and want to make the release of their new album as remarkable and fabulous as no one. Therefore they have announced that their new Album “I’m with you” will be featured in Cinemas Screens’.

We haven’t heard anything new from the Red Hot Chili Peppers a long time ago. The last album they released was Stadium Arcadium, in 2006.

This album was a total success for the band, since it was nominated to seven Grammy Awards, winning five of them and leading the band to achieve something they been wanted to have from their 28 years of career. This is the first album with the company of Warpaint man, guitarist Josh Klinghoffer who replaced John Frusciante in 2009.

The album will be available in stores, on August 30th , and the same day it will be screened in cinemas.The band also announced that they would be performing a tour in November, throughout UK and Ireland, which will consist of nine shows.You can visit the band’s official website : Redhotchilipeppers.com to pre- order the upcoming album.

Here you can watch the trailer!

Image Courtesy of  http://www.facebook.com/ChiliPeppers

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Jared Followill confesses: ‘We’ve got big problems’

Kings Of Leon canceled a live performance in Houston, this, past Friday night (July 29), Where Jared Followill (bassist) admitted that the band is dealing with big problems.

The lead singer Caleb, left the stage on Friday that night, after he complained about some vocal issues. He excused himself from the stage, telling the fans that he was heading backstage to vomit and grab another beer. But that he would be back for three more songs. But he never returned, and the audience felt abandoned and very pissed.

Moments after his brother Jared, apologized for the cancellation of the show, and he explained that Caleb was “a little unfit” to continue the concert. Showing a sign of impotence and angriness he told the crowd: “Fucking…hate Caleb, not us.”

As any other date already scheduled on their U.S. tour agenda, the band was supposed to play at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, but the abandonment of Friday’s night show in Dallas, lead to the cancellation of this performance as well.

Based on a statement taken from the website Woodlandscenter.org, the cause of the abandonment by the lead singer Caleb Followill was due to “heat exhaustion and dehydration”.

The media responses were immediate, and moments after Caleb follow ill, his brother wrote on his Twitter page:

“I love our fans so much. I know you guys aren’t stupid. I can’t lie. There are problems in our band bigger than not drinking enough Gatorade.”
More concerts are programmed to happen this week, but there has not been any information that they will be canceled or reschedule . The only show re-schedule already known is the one for Saturday, which will happen on September 22.

The live performances will occur this week in Tampa, West Palm Beach, Charlotte and Virginia Beach.

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“Have you ever heard of [insert band name here]?”  You can probably answer “yes” to this question eight times out of ten, whether it was on the radio, on the internet or something of that sort, and if you haven’t heard it, you have probably heard something that sounds just like it, i.e. the generic pop song.

So when I was faced with this question a few weeks ago, I was hesitant about the conversation that would take place after my answer. Long story short, after initially not wanting to listen to it, AWOLNATION some way found its way from the speakers to my ears that night.

AWOLNATION is unlike anything that’s happening right now. You can say it sounds like MGMT just to realize, further on in the same song, that it doesn’t remind of you MGMT at all. As a friend of mine put it, lead singer Aaron Bruno sounds like “Little Richard mixed with the guy from Queen.”

Aaron Bruno. This name may sound familiar to you. AWOLNATION is his latest project (third time’s the charm?),  and he has been the lead singer of both Home Town Hero and Under the Influence of Giants. AWOLNATION is his solo project.

In the single year that AWOLNATION has been an “official” band, it has produced not only an EP but also a full-length album. The 2010 EP, Back to Earth, features five songs, three of which were later featured on the album. Back to Earth was only really a preview of what was to come less than a year later.

In March 2011, Megalithic Symphony dropped. This album is the perfect mix of rock and electronic beats partnered with themes you can apply to your own life or gain an understanding of Bruno himself.

The song that sums this up the most is “Jump on My Shoulders.” It has an excellent backing that you can’t help just dance along to. The verses of this song have a pretty basic sound behind them, but the chorus definitely is built up… to get people excited!

“I say we rob from the rich and blow down the door / On to the next to dance with the poor / Jump on my shoulders / You can jump on my shoulders,” Bruno sings along with some background singers singing “La-La-La,” creating probably one of the best sounding choruses right now.  To put it simply, this song pumps people up, and even your grandma would dance to it.

If electronic beats isn’t necessarily your thing, AWOLNATION still has your back. The song “Burn it Down” still has the electronic components to it, but drums as well as guitar are a much more prominent featured. That being said, this song will still get your feet moving. It’s a fast-paced, upbeat song about people who feel the same way coming together (to dance), and asks questions that listeners can ponder deeply. And if you are into heavier beats, check out the “Burn it Down” remix on the EP. It will blow your mind.

Even better, AWOLNATION streams the whole album on their website www.awolnationmusic.com. You probably should check it out. They’re going to be the next big thing, and it will be interesting to see this band’s future endeavors.

Image Courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/dsalerno/

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Have you heard what’s new and rocking on? Radiohead, that’s what’s hot.

This year the band is back and it has returned with more strength and songs with their new album named The King of Limbs. Radiohead’s followers and fans have already embraced this new MP3 album with all their enthusiasm. There are many expectations to finally get to listen what this new album brings, after their past 2008 release In Rainbows, which left the bands followers with the mouths opened and with the ought to hear more, after revealing an extraordinary composure of songs which swap impressions from better to best.

Promoting their album in an exclusive way was a great technique for the rock band to differ from other bands. Their new album could only be found and available in the bands Website. They recurred to limit other purchase places, making their new single be discovered in the place which they feel more represented, and that know their fans visit often. The MP3 album is available for  $9 and is giving out great responses and it is having a great success.

The band wants to transmit the image of being different among the rest of the bands. While releasing their disc, they didn’t invert Money into marketing strategies, in Fact, they decided to make it all much simpler, since they relieve that their fans have enough motivation to purchase a new album, so they didn’t rely in any type of campaigns or promotion. The release of the new album was announced for the first time on Valentine’s Day, just five days away from the official release.

The new album is leaving smiles upon the followers’ faces, which unbelievably can agree that every album of Radiohead gets better. The band has a unique style, which resembles a lot of confidence, because they know that the rock music they produce is really great rock songs, and they trust their followers. Probable being one of the unique bands that leaves everything to their followers caring to satisfied them, by creating songs that mean something for them and to their fans.

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