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KISS, The Monoculture & Daft Punk’s Quest For Classic Album Status With ‘Random Access Memories’

mreal197 — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:39:27 +0000

The seeds of Daft Punk’s hype-redefining fourth album, Random Access Memories, were effectively planted on the band’s 1997 full-length debut, Homework. Featuring hits “Da Funk” and “Around the World,” the album’s gatefold sleeve features an image that appears to be a teenager’s desk. Among the transistor radio, Playboy, audiophile magazines and Iron Man comic book lurks a copy of “Stage Fright,” the 1981 single by disco pioneers, Chic.

It was Chic guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers’ January blog announcement of his Daft Punk collaboration that kicked off a public frenzy that made Random Access Memories the most talked-about album of 2013.

That Homework gatefold image also features a poster for a 1976 KISS concert at New Jersey’s Roosevelt Stadium. This nod, though small, serves as a clue to what Daft Punk could become – a precursor to their evolution from fresh-faced Frenchmen spinning records in a Wisconsin field in 1996 to the mysterious, helmeted robots who are likely to own the year in terms of musical conversation. It’s about being everywhere without being seen.

Daft Punk have quite successfully captured the imagination of not just the music world but the pop culture public at large, and done so in a way that would’ve surely impressed the late Bill Aucoin, legendary manager of KISS during their ‘70s heyday, who’s credited with elevating the band’s commercial status with inventive and relentless marketing moves. Where KISS utilized a bombastic stage show and their larger-than-life characters to launch everything from made-for-TV movies to comic books (which boasted band members’ blood in the ink), Daft Punk have carved their own similar but still unique path to cultural ubiquity.

Read the full story on Radio.com

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New Music To Know: Laura Mvula’s Unexpected World Of ‘Orchestral Soul’

mreal197 — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:06:57 +0000

About thirty seconds into her debut single, “She,” Laura Mvula introduces a choir. And the vocal arrangement is like the sun coming out. It’s reminiscent of what the Beach Boys did, but filtered by way of a black gospel choir of the best singers you could imagine. Behind Mvula and her choir, a chiming keyboard melody floats while drumbeats push things along. It is at once primal and delicate.

This is a glimpse into the unexpected world of U.K. singer-songwriter Laura Mvula. Unexpected because the tools she’s working with to create musical soundscapes are not in fashion right now. In an interview with Radio.com, she described her music as “orchestral soul” and explained her music making process.

Her debut album, Sing To The Moon, just saw its U.S. release on May 14, following a March release across the pond. Mvula says she drew inspiration for the album from a number of places: her training in classical music and composition, gospel music and the religious Caribbean community in the U.K., as well as reggae, blues and soul. She used the piano to improvise her compositions, noting, “I didn’t know any rules.”

Mvula is currently touring the U.S., with more dates in Europe to follow.

Hear more music from Laura Mvula on Radio.com.

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Avril Lavigne Goes To Marilyn Manson For Music And Style Advice

mreal197 — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:11:00 +0000

Everyone knows Avril Lavigne worked with Nickelback frontman (and now fiancé) Chad Kroeger on her upcoming album. But she also received a little help from Marilyn Manson.

Lavigne told MTV that Manson helped bring her out her naughty side on the song “Bad Girl, ” which will be on her untitled album, due out this September. At the last minute while recording the track Lavigne texted Manson, who she’s known since she was 18 years old, and just asked if he’d be willing to come by.

“He’s like, ‘I’ll come over and I’ll hear it,’” she explained. “So he came at 4 o’clock in the morning… Yes, it was one of those nights.”

Francis Bean Cobain Calls Out Kendall Jenner On Twitter

mreal197 — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:53:03 +0000

Francis Bean Cobain, daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, is tired of celebrities complaining about their lives for the world to see. When model and reality television star Kendall Jenner Tweeted that she, “Just wish things could be easier sometimes mann,” Cobain responded vitriolically, calling Jenner a “self absorbed idiot.”

@kendalljenner oh shh. There are kids on earth abandoned&homeless who forcibly drink contaminated water because clean water isn’t accessible — Frances Bean Cobain (@alka_seltzer666) May 22, 2013

She then added, “Oh ya, not to mention, CANCER, famine, poverty, draught, disease, natural disasters, Death. F***, Humans are so self involved.”

But she didn’t stop there and added some more insults to Jenner.

I’d like to thank my parents for providing me with a high IQ & I’d like to thank my grams for encouraging me not to be a self absorbed idiot — Frances Bean Cobain (@alka_seltzer666) May 22, 2013

Jenner has since taken down her Tweet. She recently spoke with MTV about happier news, her sister Kim’s impending motherhood and her future as an aunt.

“I mean we’re all pretty excited. It still hasn’t hit me yet, so I don’t know,” she said.

The Kardashians will be celebrating their new family and cast member on June 2 for Kim Kardashian’s baby shower. According to MTV News, the invites have been sent and include a music box which played “a lullaby version of boyfriend Kanye West‘s 2005 Late Registration cut, ‘Hey Mama.’” A-list singers Beyoncé and Fergie have been invited.

The new season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians also premieres later that night on E!

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Style Files: Beyoncé Curates Rent The Runway Boutique

mreal197 — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:52:07 +0000

Since its launch, Rent the Runway has been a savior for cash-strapped fashion obsessives. The site have paired up with Beyoncé to curate a boutique of her favorite designer dresses — making Beyoncé your personal high fashion stylist. While the site’s copy (“We promise they will make him want to put a ring on it”) is certainly over the top, the selections will indeed make you feel like a diva.

Bey’s picks are a mish-mash of things you might expect her to wear on-stage as Mrs. Carter for her current world tour, dresses she could rock on a beach, and red carpet wear. Her boutique choices include designs from Halston Heritage, Badgley Mischka, Versace, Opening Ceremony, Erin Fetherston — and, surprisingly, a Kate Spade chiffon and sparkles t-shirt dress even makes an appearance. The overarching theme seems to be: short and sparkly just like her Julien Macdonald-designed tour costumes.

In addition to the dresses, Beyoncé curated some of her favorite accessories, including a Rebecca Minkoff off-white clutch, Kenneth Jay Lane ruby drop earrings and a Lulu Frost silver and crystal cuff.

Visit Radio.com to see Beyoncé’s best selections.

More Beyonce News On Fresh1027.com

Carly Rae Jepsen Enlists Fans’ Help For New Song ‘Take A Picture’

mreal197 — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:47:37 +0000

Instead of writing new music by herself, Carly Rae Jepsen took a different route and decided to ask fans to help with new song “Take A Picture.”

In March, Jepsen revealed her partnership with American Idol and Coca-Cola for their Perfect Harmony campaign. The eight-week project had fans involved in everything from the lyrics to what she’d wear onstage to perform the song on the American Idol finale.

The finished product was released Tuesday (May 21) to iTunes, but fans saw the final results on last week’s episode of American Idol. Prancing around the stage singing that she’ll “take a picture of you taking a picture of me,” the end product is one very catchy, synthy summer jam, albeit a meta one.

Blake Shelton Organizing Benefit Concert For Oklahoma Tornado Victims

mreal197 — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:21:21 +0000

Singer and Voice coach Blake Shelton is a native of Ada, Oklahoma, so obviously the news of the devastating tornado that hit the town of Moore earlier this week had a profound affect on him. And he’s not sitting still: Shelton is already working to organize a benefit concert for victims and survivors.

As he told Billboard after Tuesday’s edition of The Voice, he’ll have more information on what he’s planning “in the next 24 hours” and that “it will raise a lot of money.” He added, “Obviously it will be televised and will happen really quickly.” Billboard reports that he then pointed to his fellow Voice coach Usher and said, “I can call in some really big favors.”

Shelton’s event is reportedly being planned to take place in Oklahoma City.

Blake and his wife Miranda Lambert (who originally hails from Texas but currently has a home and retail store in Oklahoma) also performed their ACM-winning “Over You” as the opening song on The Voice last night, in a tribute to those affected by the tornado.

“I think it was the perfect song for this situation,” Shelton said of including “Over You” on The Voice. “The moment was right and I wish things would’ve been different and I wouldn’t have been thinking about performing a song like that.”

Jon Bon Jovi To Justin Bieber: ‘You’re an a**hole’

E.J. Judge — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:15:32 +0000

Take away teenage girls from the equation and the percentage of people who like Justin Bieber drops dramatically. Distaste for the Canadian Pop singer is one issue America can see eye-to-eye on; a study shows Democrats, Republicans and Independents support this notion. Bieber has also infuriated Europe: he owes a Munich animal shelter thousands after bailing on his pet monkey in Germany and showed up two hours late to a March show at London’s O2 Arena. The latter has caused one of rock ‘n’ rolls most hard working leading men to call out Bieber on his irresponsible behavior.

“Do it once, you can be forgiven. Do it enough times and shame on you. They won’t have you back,” Jon Bon Jovi told the London Evening Standard. “Then it just becomes a cliché. It’s really not cool — you’re an a**hole. Go to f***in’ work!”

Strong and probably deserved words from the 30+ year rock ‘n’ roll vet.

“Every generation has guys that do that, none of that is new,” Bon Jovi continued, stating that if Bieber keeps up this disrespectful behavior, he runs the risk of alienating his fans who pay a typically large sum of cash to watch him perform.

5 Things You Didn’t Know:
Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead Or Alive”

Bon Jovi is currently touring Europe and will return stateside in July. They’ll be doing so without guitarist Richie Sambora; he abruptly removed himself from the lengthy tour, citing personal problems, much to the surprise of Jon Bon Jovi.

Bon Jovi will be at New Jersey’s Metlife Stadium for a pair of shows on July 25 and 27.

More Bon Jovi News On Fresh1027.com

Despite No New Music, One Direction Aims To Rule Summer With Book, 3-D Film & Tour

mreal197 — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:03:02 +0000

This summer is proving to be a big one for One Direction. First the boys are headed back to America in June for their Take Me Home Tour, then, in addition to their 3-D film This Is Us, they’ll be releasing a new book.

Titled One Direction: Where We Are: Our Band, Our Story, their book will be released on August 27, just days before their film hits theaters. Yesterday (May 21) the band released the book cover to fans via Twitter and the 1D newsletter.

Did you see the cover for 1D’s book #1DWhereWeAre in the 1D newsletter?! 1DHQ x smarturl.it/1DWhereWeAre twitter.com/onedirection/s… — One Direction (@onedirection) May 21, 2013

The only official book from the band, Where We Are: Our Band, Our Story, follows their journey throughout the past year and a half. It includes their “thoughts and feelings, hopes and dreams, highs and lows.”

The film, due out August 30, promises to also give a behind the scenes look of the band, as the video trailers show the band backstage, on tour and during music video and photo shoots as well as showcasing their practical joke side.

On The Charts: Vampire Weekend’s Second No. 1 Album

mreal197 — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:44:03 +0000

Indie rock reigns this week as Vampire Weekend debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, selling 134,000 copies of third album, Modern Vampires of the City, according to data from Nielsen SoundScan.

Vampire Weekend’s latest is their second No. 1, following 2010′s Contra. The album’s sales numbers are the band’s career best, slightly topping Contra‘s 124,000 in January 2010.

According to Billboard, the album is the 19th independently-distributed record to reach No. 1 on the chart since SoundScan data was first recorded in 1991, and the first such album in 2013. The album was released on XL Recordings and distributed by Warner Music’s Alternative Distribution Alliance. The last indie to top the charts was Jason Aldean’s Night Train last fall.

The band’s success follows an acclaimed appearance on Saturday Night Live, on which the four-piece performed “Unbelievers” and “Diane Young,” the album’s lead single, which has peaked so far at No. 17 on the Alternative Songs chart, the band’s best-ever chart showing. They’ve been on a promo tear as of late, particularly in the commercial radio world, where the band is slowly making in-roads (they played KROQ’s Weenie Roast last weekend, for one thing).

Read more on Radio.com

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