Tag: music in the news

GoldieBlox toy company in legal scuffle with Beastie Boys

American toy company GoldieBlox recently removed one of their viral ads from their latest campaign after legal disputes with the members of the Beastie Boys. The company, which designs toys specifically for young girls, used the music to the rap group’s song “Girls,” but changed the words to fit with their brand, allegedly without their consent. According to Rolling Stone, the group’s legal team inquired into the matter, and were met with a lawsuit from the GoldieBlox’s founder Debbie Sterling who stated in a blogpost that her company’s parody “falls under fair use.” Before his death in 2012, original band member Adam “MCA” Yauch stated in his will that he wished to never have any of their material used for advertising purposes. GoldieBlox has since drop the lawsuit.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis team up with the UN for an LGBT-rights campaign

The “Thrift Shop” duo join the United Nations’ Free & Equal campaign in an effort to promote equality for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community through social media networks, according to Rolling Stone. The duo actively support universal rights through their music: with their chart topping hit “Same Love” dealing with gender equality. They stated in a recent press release “that human rights are for everyone — no exceptions.” Along with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, other celebrities who have lent their support for the cause — such as Ricky Martin, Daniela Mercury and Celina Jaitly — have been named “equality champions” by the UN for their efforts.

Country singer shot and killed in bar dispute

American country music singer Wayne Mills was shot and killed earlier last week at a bar in Nashville, TN, reports Sky News. Mills reportedly lit up a cigarette in the establishment’s no smoking section, which ultimately led to an argument with Chris Ferrell, the bar’s owner, over the smoking ban. Ferrell allegedly shot Mills in self-defense as the argument escalated. According to Sky News, no arrests have been made yet.

HMV removes all online and in-store Lostprophet records

Following the highly controversial trial of Lostprophets’ lead vocalist Ian Watkins, music retailer HMV has decided to remove all of the band’s albums from their shelves and online store, according to NME. Watkins pleaded guilty earlier this week to over a dozen sexual offences, including an attempted sexual assault on a toddler. Lostprophets previously announced the band would split earlier in October.

Lady Gaga is literally out of this world

It would seem singing on Earth is too mainstream for Lady Gaga, as she’s planning on boarding a spaceship to New Mexico’s Spaceport America as part of the Zero-G Music Tech Festival in 2015. Us Weekly is reporting Lady Gaga will play one song while orbiting the Earth. The whole festival is set to last three days. In order to make history as the first artist to perform live in space, Gaga will need to go through rigorous vocal training a month prior to prepare for the difference in atmosphere. This is Lady Gaga’s next scheduled performance, as no tour dates supporting her latest record ARTPOP have yet been announced.

Eminem tops the Billboard charts, ties record

Given the number of hits Eminem has had, it almost comes as a surprise that he’s only now reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart for the first time.  Even more impressive, he’s the first lead artist to have at least four songs on the Hot 100 Top 20 since the Beatles in 1964. New releases from The Marshall Mathers LP 2 “The Monster” featuring Rihanna reached number three, “Berzerk,” “Survival” and “Rap God” placed at the 15, 16 and 17 spots respectively.

Sia to donate proceeds of Eminem collaboration to LGBT youth

Openly homosexual pop singer Sia came under fire last week as many fans questioned her decision to collaborate with Eminem on his new album in a song called “Beautiful Pain,”  as it turns out Eminem’s lyrics in another song called “Rap God” are supposedly homophobic. One of the phrases in question, “Break a motherfucker’s table over the back of a couple faggots and crack it in half,” are part of a song meant to be from Eminem’s alter-ego Slim Shady. Sia took to Twitter defending Eminem, saying a lot of his music is meant to be a performance where he takes the role of a character, in this case Slim Shady who represents the “worst and darkest bile of America.”  Sia announced she would donate the proceeds she receives to the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center to make it up to her fans.

Alanis Morissette’s best-selling album is heading to Broadway

Alanis Morissette’s Grammy-award winning album Jagged Little Pill is being made into a broadway musical.  Rolling Stone is reporting the album, which was the highest-selling album of the ‘90s with more than 33 million copies sold, will feature all the songs on the album in addition to new original tracks that Morissette will compose for the production. Tony award winner Tom Kitt, who worked on Green Day’s musical American Idiot, will orchestrate and arrange the Jagged Little Pill musical. For the story line, Morissette plans on expanding and developing the music to “ever deeper layers of emotionality, specificity, humanity, power, physicality, spirit and fabulism.” It is expected to debut in 2014.

Billy Joel’s back in a New York State of Mind

On New Year’s Eve, the Piano Man will return for a solo performance in his home state for the first time since 2008, ringing in the new year at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn. Since 2010, Joel has been recovering from hip replacement surgery, one of the main contributing factors to his absence from the stage. Despite his steady recovery, Joel performed in Madison Square Garden over a year ago for a Hurricane Sandy relief benefit. His New Year’s Eve show will be kicked off by Ben Folds Five with ticket prices ranging from $64 to $200.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s star studded soundtrack

For the upcoming Spider-Man flick, producer and musician Pharrell Williams has joined forces with the Smiths’ guitarist Johnny Marr, Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger and legendary film-score genius Hans Zimmer. Williams and Zimmer have previously worked together on Despicable Me. The superhero film starring Andrew Garfield, reprising the title role, and actor-rapper Jamie Foxx as the baddie, Electro, is set for release in May 2014.

Neil Young joins the Red Hot Chili Peppers onstage for a good cause

On Oct.30, Neil Young joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers to raise money for the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a school started by RHCP bassist Flea. Since the Southern California  school’s inception more than a decade ago, Flea has enlisted the help of some of his well-known musician friends, like Patti Smith, to help raise funds. Flea and the rest of the Chili Peppers humbly opened for Young, playing crowd pleasers like “By The Way” and “Around the World.” After several songs, frontman Anthony Kiedis paid tribute to the late Lou Reed with “a moment of noise,” instead of the traditional moment of silence, according to Rolling Stone.

So long, Jo Bros: boy band of brothers calls it quits

After close to a decade of winning over teenage girls everywhere with their infectiously catchy pop songs, the Jonas Brothers have decided to call it quits. After a recent string of cancelled tour dates, including a Montreal stop, the band’s spokesperson announced that “there was a big disagreement over their music direction,” and that the split was a unanimous decision. The band of brothers recently released two singles, but it is still not clear as to whether or not a full album will ever see light, leaving die-hard fans feeling unsatisfied. Meanwhile, all three brothers have been pursuing side separate musical side projects.

Metallica heads South for the winter

As of December, Metallica will have officially played on every continent on the planet. The heavy metal-rock veterans will put on a show near the Carlini Argentine Base to a select group of diehard fans from Costa Rica, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Mexico who enter a contest through Coca-Cola Zero. In order to win the 10-day round-trip Antarctic cruise ticket, fans must prove why they deserve to be selected via Twitter. The only other group to ever perform on the continent, Nunatak, was a five-piece collective of scientists to an audience of 17.

Tom Hardy cast in Elton John biopic

Tom Hardy, most known for his roles in blockbuster mega hits Inception and The Dark Knight Rises, has been cast as Elton John in the upcoming biopic. Although the film company’s CEO Peter Schlessel has no doubts about Hardy’s performance and portrayal of the legendary musician, Hardy was not their initial pick. Sir Elton allegedly had pop prince Justin Timberlake in mind. Rocketman will be directed by Michael Gracey and is said to begin filming next fall.

The Who call it quits

To mark their 50th anniversary, The Who have decided it’s time to stop touring in 2015. The British rockers told The Evening Standard that they will likely go perform in cities they have rarely played in the last several decades. “For the 50th anniversary we’ll tour the world. It’ll be the last big one for us. There are still plenty of places we’ve not played. It would be good to go to eastern Europe and places that haven’t heard us play all the old hits,” said guitarist Pete Townshend to The Evening Standard. Along with the release of Sensation, a documentary based on the band’s legendary rock-opera Tommy, The Who will release a special box set edition of the film.

Chris Brown arrested on felony charges

Infamous singer and performer Chris Brown is making headlines once again for his bad behaviour. According to CNN, Brown was arrested in Washington D.C Sunday morning after along with his bodyguard. Police told CNN that “[Brown and bodyguard] were allegedly involved in an altercation with another man outside the W Hotel at 4:25 a.m.” Currently still on probation from an assault involving ex-flame pop singer Rihanna in 2009, any subsequent arrests could lead to Brown facing jail time.

Snoop lions, Snoop dogs and Snoopzillas…Oh my!

Reinventing himself once again, the artist formerly known as Snoop Dogg (and briefly as Snoop Lion) has renamed himself Snoopzilla. This change is prompted by the rapper’s recent musical collaboration 7 Days of Funk with funk musician and producer Dam-Funk. Back at the South By SouthWest festival in 2011, Snoop invited the funk legend on stage and ideas for the collaboration began to percolate. Their self-titled album will hit stores Dec.10 and will feature appearances by Kurupt, Daz and Steve Arrington.

Probation and Narcotics Anonymous for Bauhaus vocalist

After an alleged hit-and-run back in 2011, Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy has been sentenced to a probation period of three years. Murphy was arrested in California for “suspicion of causing injuries while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, hit-and-run driving and possessing methamphetamine,” according to NME. Along with the probation, Murphy will have to undergo random drug testing, attend 45 days of Narcotics Anonymous meetings as well as serve 10 days of community service. Murphy is currently touring California with Bauhaus for their 35th anniversary.

Christopher Wallace Way, Brooklyn, NY?

The Clinton Hill district of Brooklyn, NY is divided over the recent idea to rename a local street corner after Christopher Wallace, more commonly known as the infamous rapper Notorious B.I.G.. While 3,000 locals have signed an online petition to rename the street, the Community Board is less than keen on renaming the corner after Wallace. Some are troubled and turned off by the rapper’s drug and police history, while others like LeRoy McCarthy, the father of the petition, maintain that “Biggie used the language from the streets he grew up in to convey what he wanted to say,” according to Pitchfork. As of now, no official comments by Councilwoman Letitia James have been made.

Doors open at the Taylor Swift Education Center

The country-pop starlet has donated $4 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The donation went towards the building of a new center, the Taylor Swift Education Center, boasting multiple classrooms as well as interactive gallery exhibits for children. Since signing her contract at the Country Music Hall of Fame years ago, Swift has won dozens of music awards including seven Grammys and 11 American Music Awards.

Ray Charles commemorative stamps

The U.S. Postal Service decided to honour Ray Charles with a commemorative stamp, released Sept. 23, on what would have been the singer’s 83rd birthday. This is not the first time they have featured a musician on their stamps. In fact, Charles is the third musician to be included in their Music Icons series. The first two were Lydia Mendoza and Johnny Cash. The image that was chosen to represent Ray Charles on the stamp was the photograph used for the album The Best of Ray Charles.

Mumford & Sons go on indefinite hiatus

Some unfortunate news has come in for Mumford & Sons fans; the band has decided that they will be taking a break. Although they did not specify how much time they would be taking off, they told Rolling Stone that it would be a “considerable amount of time.” For the past few years, the band has been caught up in a whirlwind of writing and recording new music, touring, press and award shows, without any real downtime. Their concert in Kansas on Sept. 20 marked their final show.

Pussy Riot member goes on hunger strike

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot started a hunger strike on Sept. 23 in response to the inhumane treatment she and her fellow prisoners are receiving in prison. Her bandmate Maria Alyokhina also went on a hunger strike earlier this year when she was banned from attending her parole hearing. After being hospitalized, Alyokhina’s demands were met by officials. Tolokonnikova is demanding a change in labour conditions. She said that prisoners are forced to work in unsanitary conditions sewing police uniforms for up to 17 hours a day.

Local rockers receive Polaris Prize

It was Montreal band Godspeed You! Black Emperor who took home the 2013 Polaris Music Prize on Sept. 23 in Toronto for their album Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend. Although they did not attend the ceremony, they accepted the cash prize of $30,000, which they said will be used for music education funding in Quebec prisons. The award celebrates diversity and creativity in Canadian artists and is determined by a jury of 200 music connoisseurs. The band was up against fellow canadians Metric, Tegan and Sara, METZ, Whitehorse, Young Galaxy, Purity Rings, Zaki Ibrahim, A Tribe Called Red and Colin Stetson.

Kanye West the “number one rock star on the planet”?

Ever so humble Kanye West told BBC Radio 1 in an interview that he thinks of himself as the
“number one rock star on the planet.” The 50-second teaser video for the interview, released on Friday, shows Kanye complimenting himself, saying things such as “I know how to make perfect, but that’s not what I’m here to do.” The first part of the interview aired on Monday but if you missed it, there are still three more parts to be aired Tuesday through Thursday on BBC Radio 1 at 2 p.m. EST.

Daft Punk to release an action figure line

While most artists may eventually launch a fragrance or clothing line, Daft Punk is taking another route with the release of a line of action figures. Created by Bandai and Japan’s S.H. Figuarts, Daft Punk themselves helped design the six-inch figures, which appear to be wearing the same futuristic outfits that the duo wore for their latest release Random Access Memories. These action figures aren’t the kind meant to be preserved in a box, though. If you’re looking to do some action figure fighting, they luckily come with seven sets of interchangeable hand parts for different karate chop moves. The action figures will hit shelves Dec. 27, and are available for pre-order now. Prices have not yet been released.

Tupac is heading to the big screen

After years of  talk about a Tupac Shakur biopic, it’s been confirmed that the film will head into production early next year. This comes as a surprise since no one has yet been cast in the lead role. When talks of the movie first came up in 2010, Training Day director Antoine Fuqua was set to direct. In March of this year he mentioned to reporters that he was still interested in doing the movie, but was just waiting on a file script. However, as Deadline reports, there’s a new script with new writers, and it’s unclear if Fuqua will be directing. The film will focus on Tupac’s life and legacy, from the start of his career, his rise to success, up to the last years of his life.

The new Joy Division video game will “tear you apart”

Forget GTA5, there’s a new online game based on Joy Division’s hit song “Will Love Tear us Apart?” Mighty Box Games designed the game to demonstrate parts of the “darker side of love” such as miscommunication, emotional impasse and separation anxiety. Creator/writer Gordon Calleja says the intent is to “frustrate, upset, and sting the player into remembering dark days preceding the death of a relationship.” Each level in the game is represented by a verse in the song. If you want to experience the love and joy of this game you can play at willlovetearusapart.com.

Arcade Fire burn up Salsatèque with two surprise shows

Arcade Fire performed two surprise concerts at Salsatèque on Peel street last week on Monday and Tuesday. The Montreal based band decided on two intimate shows without any prior advertising. A leak in the media created a news tornado around their appearance at the salsa club. The point of these concerts was to launch their fourth album. Their new song “Reflektor,” made it to the blogosphere which is why many audience members knew the words by heart already. Some die hard fans waited up to eight hours in line to get into the club.

Miley Cyrus’ shocking new video for “Wrecking Ball”

Miley Cyrus continues to rule headlines even after her scandalous performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. Earlier this week, she released her new music video for the song, “Wrecking Ball”. After only 24 hours, the video received over 59 million views. In the video, Cyrus balances herself on a demolition ball completely in the nude.

Apple set to release iTunes Radio

After having just launched the iPhone 5s and 5c, Apple is preparing to release iTunes Radio. On Sept. 18, the California company will offer a non-stop music radio system for the U.S. only. Based on the customer use of iTunes and iTunes Radio, this streaming system will offer personalized radio stations. It will not be possible to choose which song you want to listen to or create personal playlists. The service will be free of charge, but if you want to remove publicity such as ads, it will cost you $24.99.

Second volume of unreleased Beatles material to surface

Yes, it’s true. A new Beatles album will be released on Nov. 11. Nearly 19 years after the Live at the BBC album was released, a second volume of unreleased material will be made available to the public. The volume will include 37 unreleased live versions of many classic Fab Four songs along with interviews and discussions from 1963 and 1964. The release of a second volume was prompted after the wild success of the first set of BBC recordings back in 1994.