Levine and the boys By: The Associated Press Maroon 5 says they’re working on a new album, but before that the pop-rockers will launch a summer tour that finds the fivesome playing outdoors.The Grammy-winning band announced Monday that they will headline the 2013 Honda Civic Tour, which kicks off Aug. 1 in St. Louis and will feature Kelly Clarkson. “I think the live outdoor kind of summer vibe is always different than the indoor arena tour because there’s less emphasis on production and more on live music,” frontman Adam Levine said in an interview. “It’s kind of the purist form of a tour ‘cause there’s not too many bells and whistles.” The 31-date tour wraps Oct. 5 in San Diego. Levine says he and his bandmates are riding high off the success of last year’s “Overexposed,” their fourth album that has achieved platinum status. It features the popular hits “Payphone,” “One More Time” and “Daylight.” “It’s so amazing to have an album people connect with and embrace. It’s a dream come true. It’s hard to believe to have lighting strike twice and three times and four times,” he said. “We’re having a moment. A good moment.” He also says the group is working on the follow-up to that album: “We’re just getting started. We’ve got some great songs in the can.” “The stuff we’re working on now, it definitely has gone maybe a little darker in its sound, maybe back a little bit more to what we kind of did on (our debut) ‘Songs About Jane,’” said guitarist James Valentine. “But at this point we do have all kinds of different songs and it is early.”
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By: Conner James - MSTv Between skateboarding, a new fashion line and now with a recent seizure scare behind him, Lil Wayne doesn't intend to slow down. At all.. With only a few days passing since his hospital release, he's back out promoting his new album, I Am Not A Human Being II, which is being released on Tuesday the 26th. Lil Weezy also posted a video to his fans on TMZ assuring everyone that he's doing well, gearing up for Tuesday's release and ready to roll with his all-star summer tour. "I just want to say thank you to all ya'll for ya'll prayers and your concerns and all that. I swear to God I felt that love when I was laid up in that motherfuckin hospital bed. I want all ya'll to know that I'm good ... more than good." ,said Wayne in the video. "Also I'm still going on tour. America's Most Wanted and some of my closest friends in the game," he added. But despite all his quotes, no spokespersons for Wayne could be reached at press time to confirm the actual details of the tour. "Kiss my fist," Wayne said as he got up to leave. "I'm more than good. But thank you for real. Thank you to all ya'll out there for your prayers. I'm more than good. I swear to God, thank you." Reproduced from the Advocate.com Technically, Shinedown was on a 10-day break from touring, but Kerch was doing a string of phone interviews from Jacksonville. His fellow Shinedown charter member, singer Brent Smith, was on the job in New York, also doing interviews as well as meeting with the band’s record label. From the beginning, Smith and Kerch worked hard to make Shinedown happen. “Yeah, I live, breathe, eat everything music,” Smith told The Advocate in 2003, the year Atlantic Records released the band’s major-label debut, Leave A Whisper. “I don’t know how else to live,” he added. “I’d rather be dirt poor and living on the streets but still be a musician. I don’t want that to happen, but that’s how dedicated I am.” Leave A Whisper eventually sold a million copies, but only after lots of going the extra mile on the band’s part. “We worked that album for three years,” Kerch, the band’s drummer, said last week. At the beginning of Shinedown, Kerch remembered, “we were shooting for the moon but we had no expectations. You don’t know what to expect. And every day something is thrown at you that changes the whole game. The record business, come on. The past 11 years it’s changed more than it has in the past 100 years. Trying to keep up with that has been a daunting task.” That means the work never stops. “We just put our nose to the grindstone,” Kerch said. “We said, ‘No matter what it takes, that’s what we’re gonna do.’ And, really, this band was built on interviews and radio.
“That was a rough time,” Kerch said. “But at this point these guys (guitarist Zach Myers and bassist Eric Bass) have been here longer than the originals. It’s the best it’s ever been, much more comfortable and easier now than it was then. I have nothing but respect for Jasin and Brad, but I don’t think Shinedown would not have survived without making changes.” Following Todd and Stewart’s exit, Smith and Kerch worked with studio musicians to make Shinedown’s third album, 2008’s million-selling The Sound of Madness. “It was a stressful time,” Kerch recalled. “That’s why we called it The Sound of Madness. There was a lot of craziness going on.” The band’s latest album, Amaryllis, released last year, is the first Shinedown album featuring Bass and Myers. A year in the making, the musically ambitious, world-class production features a 30-piece orchestra in six of its songs. “The songs needed it,” Kerch said of the orchestrations. “It was not cheap, but you have to do what’s best for the song. We go for perfection and try to capture exactly what we want. Each album is a very good picture of where we were at that time.” Shinedown’s ambition remains undimmed. “We want to play more places for bigger and bigger crowds. We’re putting on a show, but not that kind of show. We’re not faking it. We’re up there because we love playing these songs and we believe in these songs and we believe in this band.” By: Alex Templar - MSTv Correspondent It's not often when you go out just to sample a little something new musically, and have yourself blown away from the experience. And like many coincidences, the discovery was made purely by accident. This week I found myself with no specific band to cover for the column. So wandering downtown Baton Rouge, with a list of all the bands playing the usual haunts, I ended up at The Spanish Moon to check out a band I never heard of called Body Language. Simply put, to say I was blown away by the experience would be an understatement. This high energy, mufti-genre music sounding group was a welcome change to the very generic and eclectic music Spanish Moon is known for The beats heard from the Body Language sets were a extreme mixture of all gone before, plus styles probably evolving to come. However, making a statement like that begs for defense. But being an 80's baby, I'm old enough to recognize their blended styles of electronic, new jack swing, experimental pop, early 90's soul and even, God help em, disco. (ugh..) Yet despite all these different genres, the foursome called Body Language blend them expertly and manage to belt out some great fun and danceable tunes. From first glance, this Brooklyn, NY based band of old college friends are as diverse as the music the play. Angela Bess is the lead singer, keyboardist and strangely enough, plays the glockenspiel. Grant Wheeler plays keyboards as well. Matt Young is yet another keyboardist, but also multi-tasked as a vocalist. And rounding out the group is drummer and vocalist Ian Chang. While the group doesn't describe themselves as a dance-music band, Bass discovered their knack for movable beats might be their niche. Plus, it hit a nerve with the other members as well. "When we were playing live shows and playing a lot of our dance hits, we realized that writing dance music really speaks to us. So we definitely had to pick a side, and that’s what we chose,” she said. But first and foremost, Body Language is a group of mufti-discipline artists who love being just a little different in the music styles they blend to define their band. Accepting this makes it easier to take risks and explore the outer limits of musical areas they want to traverse. Be it dark and somber or bouncy dance beats, Body Language intents to tackle whatever piques their varied music interests. Then, deliver their creations to a rabid and growing fan base. Unlike most bands, Body Language excels in delivering a great and energetic live show; something the band strives to do based on past disappointing shows they've seen from other groups.
“When you love a group's music enough to pay money to see them live, you want a show. Well, that’s something we hit the stage to do,” Bess said. Feeling that fans deserve only the best when they pay to see their favorite bands live, Body Language promises a regular set to thrill, chill and wear you out on the dance floor. From the applause the foursome received after each song, they didn't disappoint their fans. Or a BL virgin, like me. Discover more ab at http://www.bodylanguagemusic.com/. We are "Dev," err, I mean, "Brassft Punk" By: Alex Templar - MSTv Correspondent Earl Scioneaux lives a duo life. By day, he's a recording engineer for Preservation Hall in New Orleans and works with a trad-jazz ensemble. Sounds of classic New Orleans pervade his everyday life and creative reach. However, when the call of modern music fusion reaches his senses, Scioneaux becomes techno/electro artist and producer, Madd Wikkid - the maestro of Matrix styled music! Though hardly a superhero of his craft, Scioneaux has combined the classic music genre of New Orleans with the fast and furious sounds of today's electronic sounds, for quite some time. Culminating into his 2010 album “Electronola,” the brilliant hybrid was littered with local talent, well-reviewed and actually sounded quite cool. Scioneaux sits in his Brassft Punk lair Brassft Punk, a relatively new creation of Scioneaux, was designed to invigorating vintage sounds with contemporary technology. Inspired by the legendary house/trance duo, Daft Punk, Scioneaux creates music using brass instrumentation, but digitized and synthesized to a sound not produced by any instrument invented after the middle part of the nineteenth century. Scheduled to perform at the March 8th, Buku Music & Arts Project on Friday, March 8. Its Bassft Punk's second major foray into a more live audience appeal. The first was a live performance, last December at Preservation Hall. In speaking about the evolution of his "identity," Scioneaux states, “Electronola was a project that brought the sounds of N.O. musicians into the realm of electronica. Brassft Punk is a project that brings electronic music into the realm of N.O. musicians.”
Brassft Punk plays the Buku Music & Art Project at Mardi Gras World Friday, March 8 and Hangout Fest 2013, in Gulf Shores, Ala., in mid-May. The Brassft Punk album is scheduled to be out in March 2013. Visit thebukuproject.com for detaiis. Reproduced from: NOLA.com This weekend, Soul Fest brings two days of music from local jazz, R&B and gospel performers to Audubon Park and to the Zoo. The fest also offers soul food, plus a children's culture tent and wellness info. Want to go? Of course you do! With a line-up to get your heart racing and great food to water the mouth, Soulfest intends to entertain and inspire. So, make your weekend plans set for the soul!
By: Alex Templar - MSTv Correspondent 18/02/2013 His former royal highness of all-things purple, Prince, has unveiled a new track titled 'Boyfriend.' But, since he's charging his fans $0.88 to listen to it, you might not have heard it. At least, not yet. The singer/pop icon has been posting new music on his personal 3rdeyegirl website since last year. The new release of "Boyfriend" follows on the footsteps of his single "Screwdriver," which was released on February 11. Plus, another song titled 'Breakfast Can Wait' also came out earlier this month. The website Twitter account linked a teaser video introducing three musicians before showing the cryptic message ' Live Out Loud, Coming In February, 2013'. His royal badness with a bush? Last week, in his typical fashion, Prince upset his fans by charging them to see the new video for 'Screwdriver'. But, this isn't that unusual for the eccentric performer. Prince is well know for having a fair portion of all his music and videos, removed from video hosting sites like Youtube and Vevo. With a reasoning that he considered viewing of his artistic works, being readily available, on these sites as a form of piracy, Prince, has turned to charging fans to view most of his new content. Though some musicians charge to download their songs and music videos, Prince is unique in that pay-per-download is the only way to see the 'Screwdriver' video or hear the song.
Speculation based on the release of some new music, plus acknowledgement that he is auditioning a new drummer has sparked rumors that he's working out details for a new tour this year. With his last tour being the "Welcome 2," running from 2010 and throughout 2011, a new tour for 2013 would be welcome. However, so far no dates or plans have been scheduled. Meanwhile, Prince made a surprise appearance at this year's Grammy Awards on Sunday (February 10), appearing to hand the award for Record of the Year to Gotye. Green Day casts a spell over Voodoo Fest past Reprinted from: Keith Spera, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune Stephen Rehage has allegedly sold the festival he launched in City Park back in 1999. The festival, formally known as the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience, was reportedly purchased by media mogul Robert F. X. Sillerman’s reborn SFX Entertainment. Reached Thursday afternoon, Rehage declined to comment on any aspect of the Billboard article. He would neither confirm nor deny that Voodoo has been, or will be, sold. Sillerman remade the American concert industry by buying up independent, regional concert promoters and consolidating them under his SFX Entertainment umbrella. In 2000, he sold SFX to Clear Channel Communications for a reported $4.4 billion; Clear Channel’s concert division morphed in Live Nation, which merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to form Live Nation Entertainment. According to various media reports, Sillerman is pursuing a similar strategy as he did in the 1990s, but focusing on electronic dance music, or EDM. The New York Times reported last summer that his first acquisition was the Louisiana-based Disco Donnie Presents, founded by Donnie Estopinal. Estopinal cut his teeth promoting raves at the State Palace Theater and other New Orleans venues in the 1990s, and has gone on to promote EDM events throughout the country. With Voodoo, Sillerman would add a second Louisiana property to his portfolio. The Voodoo Fest, which featured Metallica, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, and Jack White as its 2012 headliners, also includes an EDM stage. Skrillex, among the country’s most popular EDM deejays, appeared at the 2012 Voodoo. Speaking of his recent acquisitions, Sillerman told Billboard, "They're not specifically EDM, but they're great festivals. Voodoo has been operated on as a sole practitioner on relatively small level, and we think it has upside not just in New Orleans but elsewhere. It's a fabulous name, amongst other things, so we think we'll be able to help Steve [Rehage], the owner and operator, take that to other markets." Sillerman told the New York Times that his intention was to continue to allow the founders of the festivals he acquires to run those events as they see fit. Rehage, a New Orleans native and special events producer, launched Voodoo in 1999. The festival has been staged at various locations inside the park every fall except 2005 when, two months after Hurricane Katrina devastated City Park, a scaled-down Voodoo was moved to Riverview Park between the Mississippi River and the Audubon Zoo. The 2013 Voodoo, scheduled for Nov. 1-3, is slated to be the first in City Park’s newly completed permanent festival grounds on the park’s eastern side just south of Interstate 610. No artists for 2013 have been revealed yet, but the deadline for purchasing early-bird ticket packages is Thursday, Feb. 14. Tickets are available through the festival's web site. Adele ponders her success in America Reproduced from: BBC Newsbeat Adele, One Direction and Mumford & Sons helped British music secure its largest share of the US albums market for a decade in 2012. Almost 14% of albums sold in America last year were by UK acts, according to the UK recorded music industry. Four of the five best selling albums of 2012 were by Brits, led by Adele's 21 which sold 4.4 million copies. It comes ahead of the Grammys on 13 February, where artists like Mumford & Sons and Ed Sheeran are nominated. Mumford and Sons tidy up for their fans British artists secured their largest share of the US albums market since The BPI (British Phonographic Industry) started logging US sales in 2003. For three years in a row the UK has increased its share in the US albums market. Adele completed the year as the best selling album. She's the first artist ever to have an album top that list in consecutive years with the same release.
Adele 2012 album sold 4 million copies His album + charted at number five on the Billboard chart - the highest charting solo UK made debut since Thom Yorke's The Eraser in 2006. He said: "Americans watch the UK a lot more than the UK give them credit for. They really like UK music." The classic "Journey" Reprinted partially from: By: John Wirt - Music writer: The Advocate The vast number of musical activities in New Orleans revolving around the Super Bowl this weekend includes the CMT Crossroads concert by Journey and Rascal Flatts. Journey, the classic rock band responsible for such enduring anthems as “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Anyway You Want It” and “Open Arms,” and Rascal Flatts, the big-selling country trio that’s obviously been influenced by classic rock, join forces Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Sugar Mill. CMT’s Crossroads series specializes in pairing country acts with rock, pop and rhythm-and-blues acts. Collaborations have included Carrie Underwood and Steven Tyler, Bon Jovi and Sugarland, and Def Leppard with Taylor Swift. Journey and Rascal Flatts previously appeared together at the 2012 CMT Awards. The two groups closed the show with a joint rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin’.” “That was unusual for a rock band,” Journey charter member and bassist Ross Valory said last week. “But it was just a great experience and well received. We made some good friends with the boys in Rascal Flatts.” Current "Journey" Besides their Crossroads show with Rascal Flatts, being in New Orleans during Super Bowl weekend, in the midst of Carnival season, makes Journey’s visit all the more exciting, Valory said. As long ago as 1978, the year Journey released “Lights,” its first hit featuring singer Steve Perry, the group believed its music could cross over into country. The band’s manager, Walter “Herbie” Herbert, even approached the powers-that-were in country music with the idea. Journey was ahead of its time, at least in country music. But in the decades since, country music has gone electric, rock, pop, even hip-hop. “Ten years later, or less, country music had absorbed all styles,” Valory said. “When was the last time you didn’t hear an electric guitar solo in a country song?” In the pop world, Journey went on to record a run of powerhouse hits, including “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” “Who’s Crying Now” and “Any Way You Want It.” Journey’s hits of the 1970s and ’80s remained popular through succeeding decades. The inclusion of “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” in HBO’s The Sopranos’ 2007 finale and a 2009 episode of FOX’s music-filled Glee brought the song even more attention. “That’s the blessing, that the music is still popular,” Valory said. “It’s become part of everyone’s lives. ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ ’ is an anthem for graduations, weddings, professional sports teams. You hear it everywhere, because it’s got a simple, universal message that is applicable to so many different things.”
“But Arnel not only makes that music his own, he brings the Journey signature to songs that we’ve recorded more recently with him. But for the bulk of our set, we give the audience what we call the dirty dozen: At least a dozen hit songs that we know they want to hear us play.”
On a side note, Valory used his Super Bowl week in New Orleans to promote his animated shirt line, Mouthman. He and other members of Journey, NFL stars and more sports celebrities gathered on Jan. 31 at Razzoo Bar & Patio on Bourbon Street for the Mouthman launch party. Printed with animal images, such as a shark, raptor, frog and T-Rex, the shirts appear to be moving creatures when the wearers move their arms and elbows. |