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Take a Tour of Tom Waits’ LA in May

If you’re in Los Angels, looking for something fun to do on Saturday, May 16th, look no further. 33 1/3 authors Kim Cooper and David Smay are hosting a fascinating bus tour of Tom Waits’ infamous downtown Los Angeles. The knowledgeable pair will show you the derelict haunts and seedy hotels that helped shape one the finest and most unique songwriters to date.

The locations discussed on the tour will range from famous rock ‘n’ roll hangouts like Canter’s Deli (which still exists and is amazing) and the Tropicana, to lesser known dives, clubs, and shadowy back streets.

Find more information on the tour here, and be sure to pick up a copy of Kim Cooper’s Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea and David Smay’s Tom Waits’ Swordfishtrombones!

33⅓ (Thirty-Three and a Third) is a series of books written about music albums, featuring one author per album. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing, the series was founded by David Barker, and is edited by Ally Jane Grossan.

What Happens When You Remove The Music From The Verve’s Bitter Sweet Symphony Video? This.

The lead track on their third studio album, Urban Hymns, The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony is based on an Andrew Loog Oldham orchestral version of The Rolling Stones’ song, The Last Time from which it samples a main theme, and involved some legal controversy surrounding a plagiarism charge as a result.

But you won’t hear any of that, thanks to Mario Wienerroither’s Musicless Musicvideo.

You HAVE to check out David Usher’s Let the Elephants Run book

At David Usher’s company, CloudID Creativity Labs, there is a sign on the wall that reads: “Dream big, let the elephants run!” You know David from fronting the massively successful band, Moist, and his own solo career. Now, he’s written a best-selling book.

Based on his wildly popular speaking engagements, David Usher’s book on creativity and the creative process, Let the Elephants Run shows us how to reignite creativity whether in the head office, the home office or the artist’s studio.

David believes creativity is in our DNA; it’s in everyone, not just the creative class. We all start our lives as creative beings but for many that spark becomes lost over time. How do we jump-start our creative process as adults? What does it means to be a creative person? How do we follow through with our ideas and turn them into tangible outcomes?

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David empowers readers to achieve more “aha” moments through two cornerstone principles of creativity: freedom and structure. Using a mix of personal anecdotes and professional examples from the worlds of industry, technology, science, music and art, he shows us that creativity is not magic; it is a learnable skill that any person or business can master. The dynamic full-colour design includes photographs, artwork and illustrations, as well as action pages to help readers start cultivating the habit of documenting their ideas for future execution.

Let the Elephants Run is an essential guidebook to reconnecting with our imaginations and nurturing our creativity in accessible and productive ways. Let the Elephants Run: Unlock Your Creativity and Change Everything explores a framework to help others –whether in the head office, the home office or the artist’s studio–through the creative process while also challenging the idea that creativity is intrinsic to the lucky few, that ideas are ever wholly original or that life as a working artist allows for hours spent at cafes discussing art (instead of writing grants).

As father to young children, David wakes at 5:00 am just to have time to think. While it may be easier to believe in inherit talent then endless grind, creativity isn’t elitist, it is a skill—like driving a car or learning a new language—that can be taught, and requires practice.

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Indigo Girls: Behind The Scenes For ‘Happy in the Sorrow Key’ Single

Here’s the first behind-the-scenes look at Indigo Girls’ new single “Happy In The Sorrow Key,” written by Amy Ray. It’s the first of several webisodes the duo are planning to release for their new album One Lost Day, out June 2, 2015.

You can read an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal here.

Video: The Patti Smith Group live in New Jersey, 1979

Here’s some fine video even the best Patti Smith fans might not have seen: The Patti Smith Group performing live at the Capitol Theater in New Jersey on May 11, 1979.

Setlist:
0:00:00 – Privilege (Set Me Free)
0:04:01 – Stage Banter
0:04:43 – So You Want To Be A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star
0:12:51 – Stage Banter
0:13:52 – Dancing Barefoot
0:18:39 – I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
0:19:24 – Redondo Beach
0:23:57 – Stage Banter
0:25:07 – Revenge (aborted)
0:28:46 – Stage Banter
0:30:06 – 5-4-3-2-1
0:32:55 – Stage Banter
0:33:45 – Citizen Ship
0:39:06 – Ask The Angels
0:42:25 – Crowd Ambience
0:43:19 – Poppies
0:53:31 – Lenny Kaye Intro
0:55:44 – Secret Agent Man
0:58:16 – Wave (incomplete)
1:00:22 – Revenge (take 2)
1:05:53 – Stage Banter
1:06:54 – Pumping (My Heart)
1:10:55 – Mr. Tambourine Man
1:14:34 – Broken Flag
1:19:45 – Stage Banter
1:20:59 – Till Victory
1:24:25 – Ain’t It Strange
1:34:42 – Cold Turkey
1:38:56 – Because The Night
1:42:40 – Stage Banter
1:43:15 – Frederick
1:49:12 – Seven Ways Of Going
1:56:55 – Stage Banter
1:57:36 – Gloria
2:03:39 – Encore Applause
2:07:14 – Pledge of Allegiance / Star Spangled Banner / My Generation

Canadian Music Week Announces Keynote Interview with Ben Turner, Director of Bestival

Ben Turner is one of the leading global figures in the fast-growing EDM sector. He is co-founder of the Association of Independent Festivals, co-owner of the Ibiza International Music Summit with Pete Tong, co-founder of the IMS Engage convention, and the owner of UK based management and branding firm Graphite. Turner is also the Director of Bestival and Camp Bestival – an award-winning creative experience from the UK, which is widely heralded as one of the most unique and strongest festival brands worldwide. Additionally, Turner has managed Bestival creator Rob da Bank for nearly 15 years. Most recently Turner brokered a partnership with SFX Entertainment and Embrace in Canada, which will bring the experience to Toronto for its first international event in June 2015. Turner also co-founded AIF (Association for Independent Festivals) with Rob da Bank, in addition to founding AFEM (Association for Electronic Music) – two trade bodies which help address major industry issues for festivals around the world – and is a shareholder in The Physical Network – a visionary global peer-to-peer marketing platform, as well as the manager of highly-regarded Canadian artist Richie Hawtin aka Plastikman.


In this revealing interview during Canadian Music Week, Turner will share his thoughts and insights on the challenges of launching a new independent festival brand internationally, and uncover just what it takes to go up against the well financed giants of the industry.

The World’s Favourite Astronaut – Colonel Chris Hadfield – Is Releasing An Album

As you can tell by that graphic above, Warner Music Canada has announced the debut release by their next superstar…but you know him already, and have likely seen him from space. Famed Canadian astronaut, Colonel Chris Hadfield will be releases an album in Fall of 2015.  The guitar and vocal tracks were recorded in space — a human first. The launch underscores the importance that music has always had to Col. Hadfield wherever he is, whether in space or at home on Earth.

“The serenity and grace I felt while orbiting our Earth, weightless by the window, gave a whole new place to write and perform music. I’m delighted to be able to share these completed works as a new way to help tell the stories of early space exploration,” says Col. Hadfield

In 2013, Col. Hadfield spent five months aboard the International Space Station. In the evenings, following days full of scientific experiments, Col. Hadfield would pull out his acoustic guitar and power up his computer to record music and vocals for songs he’d written alone, as well as with his brother and his son. Once back on Earth, Juno Award winning producer Robbie Lackritz and a host of special guests added further instrumentation to the recordings.

“This is a very special opportunity for us to work with one of Canada’s most inspirational figures,” says Warner Music Canada President Steve Kane. “It takes an extraordinary individual to become an accomplished songwriter and astronaut. Colonel Hadfield is proof that music makes you smarter.”

More details of Col. Hadfield’s album release will be announced over the coming months.

 

Edgefest in Toronto Announces 3-Day Concert Series

Edgefest has been a summer festival tradition in Toronto for over 25 years and has featured hundreds of Canadian and International major label and independent acts.  Live Nation and 102.1 the Edge brings Toronto music fans one of the most anticipated music events of the summer with the three-day Edgefest Summer Concert Series at TD Echo Beach.

Beginning Thursday, July 23rd, Milky Chance, Elle King, X-Ambassadors, The Zolas, The Franklin Electric and JJ & The Pillars kick off the Edgefest Summer Concert Series at TD Echo Beach.  Incubus, Brothers of North and Xprime will take the stage on Wednesday, July 29th.  The series finale will feature performances by Mother Mother, Kongos, Scott Helman, Coleman Hell, K.I.D., BESTiE and Gray on Saturday, August 15th.  Each date will also feature a second stage with additional performers to be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for the Edgefest Summer Concert Series will go on sale Friday, April 17 @ 10am at www.livenation.com and www.ticketmaster.ca.  Edge listeners will have access to the 102.1 the Edge Mega Ticket (includes tickets to all three shows) pre-sale starting Wednesday, April 15 @ 10 a.m. Fans can check out www.edge.ca for more details.

Each concert date on the Edgefest Summer Concert Series will feature live performances on two stages along with a wide variety of food and beverage vendors. TD Echo Beach is located on the East Island of Ontario Place, just east of the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre. TD Echo Beach features a real sand beach and offers guests a spectacular view of the downtown Toronto skyline. It is a general admission venue with no reserved seating and allows fans to get up-close-and-personal to their favourite bands. TD Echo Beach made a splash with critics and concert-goers alike during its inaugural season in 2011.

   EDGEFEST 1                                          EDGEFEST 2                                          EDGEFEST 3

   THURSDAY, JULY 23                            WEDNESDAY, JULY 29                    SATURDAY, AUGUST 15

MILKY CHANCE                                                INCUBUS                                                    MOTHER MOTHER

ELLE KING                                                         Special Guests, TBC                                   KONGOS

X-AMBASSADORS                                                                                                                   SCOTT HELMAN

Edge Emerging Artist Stage

Edge Emerging Artist Stage                   BROTHERS OF NORTH                                  Edge Emerging Artist Stage

THE ZOLAS                                                 XPRIME                                                               COLEMAN HELL

THE FRANKLIN ELECTRIC                   + more to be announced…                                 K.I.D.

JJ& THE PILLARS                                                                                                                     BESTiE

+ more to be announced…                                                                                                        GRAY

+ more to be announced…

Video: John Lennon’s final public performance, 1975

John Lennon did not make many stage appearances during his short solo career after departing The Beatles. However, Lennon’s final performance before a live audience is largely forgotten today. Lennon appeared at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on April 18, 1975, to perform on “A Salute to Sir Lew Grade”, supported by Dog Soldier.

On this television special, Lennon performed “Slipping and Sliding” and “Stand By Me”, both from his latest release, and his most popular solo composition, “Imagine”. He wore a unique ‘two-faced’ mask he had designed to project his true feelings of Sir Lew Grade. Sculptor Ruby Jackson created masks for Lennon and his backing unit especially for this television production.

https://youtu.be/wT6tm5BSY1M

Incidentally, John’s backing band, Etcetera, is actually the group BOMF, which stands for Brothers Of Mother Fuckers, a name still visible on the bass drum during their performance. (BOMF had actually originated from the group Community Apple, whose previous lead singer Joey Dambra sang backing vocals on John’s track ‘No. 9 Dream’. At John’s suggestion, BOMF will later change their name to Dog Soldier – the words from one of his songs.)

John returns at the very end of the Salute To Sir Lew show to take a bow with the rest of the cast, this time dressed in a more formal blue shirt and white trousers, plus, of course, his trademark cap and scarf. Joining him on the star-studded bill tonight is the host, the Irish comedian Dave Allen, plus singing stars Tom Jones and Julie Andrews, comic genius Peter Sellers and the Dougie Squires Second Generation dance group. The show is watched by an equally star-studded audience, which includes from the world of American entertainment, George Segal, William Conrad, Shirley MacLaine, Kirk Douglas, Gene Kelly, Goldie Hawn and Lauren Bacall. The 52-minute videotaped show is first transmitted in America on June 13, 1975, while the UK TV screening takes place one week later, across the ITV network on June 20 at different times throughout the evening. Both US and UK versions of the show cut ‘Stand By Me’ from John’s three-track live performance which will turn out to be John’s last.

Live from New York, it’s the first trailer for SNL documentary Live From New York!

A New York institution and comedy powerhouse, “Saturday Night Live” has been reflecting and influencing life in the United States for 40 years. “Live From New York!” goes deep inside this cultural phenomenon exploring the laughter that pulses through American politics, tragedy and popular culture.

The documentary premieres at The Tribeca Film Festival on April 15, 2015, and then it goes in select theaters on June 12th, 2015.

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That Eric Alper
6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week, a 16-time JUNO Award winner overseeing PR campaigns, and have also been truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

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