While fans with a passing interest might believe Canadian hip-hop this summer begins and ends with Drake, Nova Scotia’s Classified and London, Ont.’s Shad have each release fantastic singles in the last couple weeks.
The legendary Lollapalooza celebrates its 20th anniversary next weekend, its three-day music extravaganza invading Grant Park in Chicago. Headlined by Eminem, Foo Fighters, and Coldplay, but featuring dozens of other big acts, it’s no surprise that the event is long sold out.
But if youare one of the unlucky ones who won’t be there—running from stage to stage, overpaying for pizza slices, fighting off heatstroke and lining up for the port-a-potty (but it’s so worth it)—producers/musicians The Kickdrums have whipped up a little something to satisfy you.
Lollapalooza in 45 Minutes is a cool little free mixtape (get it here or listen below) that somehow chucks a little something for everyone (Kid Cudi, Death from Above 1979, Ellie Goulding, Joy Formidable, Cee Lo Green) into one pot and makes it appetizing. Much like the festival itself.
On July 17, during Cheap Trick’s set at the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, a sudden wind swept through the festival grounds and the main stage collapsed, sending thousands running for safety and injuring a handful of people close to the disaster—including one of the band’s drivers.
“Everyone is okay and we are lucky to be alive and hope that the fans are okay too,” posted the classic rockers on their Facebook page after the incident.
Now Cheap Trick, best known for the hit “I Want You to Want Me,” wants answers.
At the Greenwich Summer Sessions a couple nights ago, Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. paid tribute to the DJ-producer’s friend and collaborator, Amy Winehouse, on stage. Vocal duties for the upbeat, feel-good “Valerie,” sung to perfection by Winehouse on Ronson’s 2007 album, Version—are turned over to the crowd in a joyous homage. While several band members and backup singers who had performed with Winehouse provide the soundtrack.
“We want you to sing at the top of your lungs,” Ronson requests of the London fans. “Amy, this is for you.”
Meat Loaf reportedly collapsed on stage on Thursday at Pittsburgh's Trib Amphitheatre. Rolling Stone reports that the 63-year-old classic rock(opera)er suffered an asthma attack on stage and fainted, then stayed down for about ten minutes, scaring the bejesus out of hundreds of concertgoers.
Mr. Loaf, 63, had reportedly just finished singing the 1992 power ballad I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) when he collapsed. Video below shows crew coming to his aid.
In true The Show Must Go On fashion, Loaf recovered and continued to rock. RS says he explained:
Move over Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj. There's a new beef in town between Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah. Dolly called out the Queen Saturday while on stage in Los Angeles, launching into a freestyle rap. Oh yeah. It's a smackdown between the two ladies who appear together in the upcoming flick Joyful Noise.
Queen Latifah may have comparative youth on her side, but Dolly's got like, the entirety of Nashville, not to mention gay communities all over the world.
Latifah has yet to respond. But I bet this gets ugly. Watch the video below.
Adam Levine and Maroon 5 performed before a sold out crowd at the Hollywood Bowl this past weekend, and Levine was joined on stage at one point by the fairy princess herself, Stevie Nicks.
Stevie and Adam sang her song Leather and Lace, (Is that a cliché song title or what? Oh the earnestness of the 1980s!) originally performed as a duet between the Fleetwood Mac star and Don Henley of the Eagles (who I just found out, in a totally unrelated manner, she used to date).
Facebook removed the cover of Nirvana's Nevermind album, saying it violated the social networking site's terms of use, then changed its mind.
It was reported yesterday that Facebook had removed the cover art for the grunge band's classic 1991 album, because of the naked baby - whose dangling penis is clearly visible - on the cover.
The artwork was removed from the site Nirvana and Nevermind pages shortly after the image was posted to commemorate the record's 20th anniversary and to market some deluxe reissues.
A notice explained, "Facebook does not allow photos that attack an individual or group, or that contain nudity, drug use, violence or other violations of the Terms of Use."
Dan Peek, a founding member of 70s folk rock band America has died.
According to the CP, Peek's wife Catherine found him dead in bed on Sunday at his home in Farmington, Montana.
The cause of death is unknown and an autopsy was planned.
Peek's father was in the U.S. Air Force and he met fellow "air force brats" Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley while attending high school in London. America formed and the group recorded three platinum albums and three gold albums and had eight Top 40 hits between 1971 and 1975.
"It was a joyous time for the three of us, full of excitement and laughter," Dewey Bunnell wrote on the band's website after learning of Peek's death. "We created lasting music together and experienced a life that we could never have imagined."
inMusic has a behind the scenes look at Maroon 5's Moves like Jagger video. The song features frontman Adam Levine's fellow The Voice coach Christina Aguilera -- and the video features Sir Mick himself.
Moves Like Jagger is directed by Jonas Akerlund, the wiz behind Lady Gaga's Paparazzi and Telephone clips. So...expect big things
June 2011
