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That Eric Alper

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Neil Young built “a barn roof” out of 200,000 copies of Comes A Time

Mar 23, 2015

From Uncut:

Neil Young has admitted he once bought thousands of copies of his own album and used them as shingles on the roof of his house.

Young, who recently launched his high quality digital Pono music player and service at South By South West in Austin, Texas revealed that a “mastering error” on the 1978 album Comes A Time left him dissatisfied with the release and forced him to take the existing copies off the market.

Asked if the story was true by Rolling Stone, Young replied: “The tape got damaged when it went through the airport or something. I had to go back and use a copy of the master — it was a copy, but it had better-sounding playback than the other one. No, no, I made a barn roof out of them. I used them as shingles.”

Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp Is Coming To Toronto June 4-7 Featuring Aerosmith’s Joe Perry

Mar 23, 2015

The legendary Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp that has been making dreams come true in the U.S. for the past 18 years is now launching in Canada. With dates in Calgary (May 14-17) and Toronto (June 4-7), music lovers have the opportunity to move from spectator to stage, and share the limelight with industry heavy weights. The first-ever Canadian camp will take place in Calgary in May and features the rock legend, singer-songwriter, arena football co-owner of the LA KISS and media icon – Gene Simmons. Toronto hits the band stand in June and is helmed by Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer and one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry.

Joe Perry says, “I have a great time interacting with everyone who attends the camp. They are so stoked to get up and jam, it’s worth it to be there to experience the thrill they feel from the many accomplishments they’ve learned during their time spent at the Camp. Sharing in the excitement is a real rush for me too. Thanks for letting me be a part of the experience of the universal language of music.”

Gary Hoey (Jeff Beck, Peter Frampton, Ted Nugent and more) will join Perry as the musical director for the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp in Toronto. Additional Rock Star Counsellors include: Mark Clarke (described as the Joe Cocker of Liverpool), Nick Catanese (Black Label Society), David Hull (Buddy Miles, Joe Cocker, Ted Nugent, The Joe Perry Project), Sass Jordan (JUNO Award winner, Canadian Idol Judge) and Gowan (vocalist & keyboard player for Styx), with more to be announced soon.

Over the span of four days, attendees fulfill their Rock ‘n’ Roll dreams and get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to jam with their idols. The Rock Star Counsellors mentor the enthusiasts to improve and perfect their instrument skills, vocals and Rock ‘n’ Roll stage presence. The Rock Campers – with guidance from the counsellors – write, record and rehearse an original song culminating with a final performance to a packed crowd in downtown Toronto on June 7.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp will exceed all expectations on both sides of the border with iconic headliners like: Jeff Beck, Brian Wilson (Beach Boys), Roger Daltrey (The Who), Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule), Dave Davies (The Kinks), Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones), Slash, Bret Michaels (Poison), Cheap Trick, Dr. John, George Thorogood, Jack Bruce (Cream), Joe Satriani, Joe Walsh, Meatloaf, Vince Neil (Motley Crue), Duff McKagan , (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), Michael Anthony (Van Halen), Def Leppard, Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar and of course Gene Simmons (KISS) and Joe Perry (Aerosmith) – an exceptional experience where Rock ‘n’ Roll fantasy becomes reality.

JK Simmons on the music of “Whiplash”

Mar 23, 2015

Whiplash stars JK Simmons as terrifying jazz teacher Fletcher, who pushes ambitious student drummer Andrew to breaking point in the pursuit of greatness. Here’s his take on the music of the film, and his controversial role.

Johnny Cash’s Unused Theme Song for James Bond’s Thunderball

Mar 23, 2015

Country musician Johnny Cash also submitted a song to Eon productions titled “Thunderball” but it wasn’t used. The lyrics of Cash’s “Thunderball” describe the film’s story. The producers’ decision to change the film’s theme song so close to the release date meant that only some of the film’s soundtrack had been recorded for release on LP. You can find Cash’s “Thunderball” on the 2011 compilation Bootleg, Vol. 2: From Memphis to Hollywood.

…and here’s what the opening credits would have sounded and looked like, had they used Cash’s song.

Want Chad Brownlee Hockey Stick Guitar? Of Course You Do

Mar 23, 2015

This is a cool item for the country music fan – its Canadian Country Artist Chad Brownlee’s custom-made guitar of over 20 SherWood hockey sticks, including hockey puck trim and took over 40 hours to make. Chad will be playing this guitar during his When The Lights Go Down Tour (March 4 – April 4).

The guitar body is made of over a dozen wooden shafts glued together, and various hockey items, such as parts of a puck have been used to create this one of a kind item. Inspired by the name of Chad’s latest album, the guitar is aptly titled “The Fighters” as a symbol of confidence and strength the Foundation’s camps instill in children to overcome adversity in their lives.

The proceeds of the auction will benefit the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation, and you can bid on it here.

Mapping All the Cities in Willie Nelson’s Songs

Mar 23, 2015

From CityLab:

“City of New Orleans” isn’t a song about New Orleans. It’s a song about a train called the City of New Orleans. Willie Nelson didn’t write it. But he made it a Grammy Award-winning hit in 1984.

Looking back, it’s easy to see how Willie Nelson came to it. Over the course of his career—a five-decade ramblin’ run that spans recordings as far back as 1962 and as recent as last year—Willie has written endlessly about his affection for (and occasional vexation with) cities across the land.

These are all of those places. Well, a whole hell of a lot of them, anyway.

Deezer Elite on Sonos expands to more than 150 countries

Mar 23, 2015

Deezer, the global digital music service today announced with Sonos, the leading manufacturer of wireless music systems, the launch of Deezer Elite outside the United States, bringing High Definition Audio to music lovers around the world as part of a phased rollout. In the first phase, existing Deezer listeners on Sonos will be able to upgrade to Deezer Elite at no additional cost. Starting on March 19th, Deezer Elite will be accessible to all users. In so doing, Deezer will become the largest global high definition streaming service in more than 150 countries, all offered only on Sonos.

For the first time ever, consumers in Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Canada will be able to access Deezer Elite on their Sonos system following the US launch of the service in fall of 2014. Listeners across the globe can choose from Deezer’s unprecedented 35 million track library and stream lossless FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) files at a standard of 1,411 kbps or higher in any room, or multiple rooms on Sonos speakers and components.

“Our partnership with Sonos offers the ultimate experience for music fans, combining the best wireless home music system with the best music streaming solution,” said Tyler Goldman, CEO of Deezer North America. “Given our early success, with over 200,000 new users in the first few months since launch, making the service available globally is a natural next step to satisfy the unmet needs of audio enthusiasts across all markets.”

Music quality has gone backwards from vinyl to MP3s and Deezer Elite helps to restore the balance and bring lossless music as the artist intended to the global streaming music market.

Deezer Elite was made available to Sonos users in the US with the express aim of super serving the needs of music lovers and audiophiles. According to a recent survey of Deezer Elite listeners, the majority of listeners will never go back to listening to MP3 after experiencing high definition audio with Deezer Elite on their Sonos system. Highlights of the study include:

65% of Deezer Elite users will never go back to MP3 (with only 4% saying they could go back)
90% of Deezer Elite users say high quality sound is important
91% of Deezer Elite users say they can hear the difference

While Deezer listeners consume a high number of tracks per month, Deezer Elite listening engagement is even higher, with almost twice the listening time relative to other listeners.

“There is a lot of momentum happening in streaming and it’s going to keep getting better for music lovers.” said Sonos CEO John MacFarlane. “We’re excited Deezer is pushing for even better quality and to bring Deezer Elite to more Sonos customers around the world.”

MP3s made music transfer and sharing easier than ever, but the files needed to be compressed due to storage and bandwidth limitations, leading to a significant loss in sound quality. You can now listen to performances as the artist intended with digital lossless captures of original analog audio sources. With the vast majority of music listeners using MP3 format (320 kbps or lower), the 1,411 kbps standard represents a significant jump in music quality, at five times the bitrate of other services.

Iconic alternative rock band Placebo members Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal welcomed the news: “During the early conversations regarding our 20th year as a band and the subsequent anniversary campaign, it was clear that the subject of streaming was going to be a very important discussion. When Deezer approached us about releasing our catalogue on their new Elite platform in partnership with SONOS wireless audio systems, we were impressed with the advancements in technology and felt that it complimented the music that we make and our desire for people to hear that music in the highest possible format, that no longer compromises on sound quality“

Other Deezer Elite Features:

Enjoy music the way it was made, as the artist intended
Get the largest music catalogue in the world at your fingertips, with over 35 million songs
Discover new music through FLOW and other Deezer radio offerings, recommendations and top playlists
Synch all of your past music history from any service to get started immediately
Listen to your music on any device, including smart phone, tablet and TV

Existing Deezer Premium+ subscribers on Sonos will be able to upgrade to Deezer Elite at no additional cost when subscribing for a full year. Sonos promotional users can upgrade for 36€ when subscribing for a full year. Pricing for new users will be announced in March and will include a 30-day free trial.

Jack White and Robert Plant on stage at Lollapalooza performing “The Lemon Song”

Mar 23, 2015

“I love Jack White’s buccaneer spirit, and the way he dodges through the musical horizons. I’d be happy to make a single with him,” Robert Plant revealed during a Reddit interview last September. Plant and White found themselves on the same lineup for the Lollapalooza Argentina festival, so why not perform together, right? Plant joined White during his Saturday night headlining set for a performance of Led Zeppelin II’s “The Lemon Song.”

According to Setlist.fm, this was the first time Plant had sung “The Lemon Song” live since Plant and Jimmy Page gave the track a one-off performance during the Norway stop of their joint tour together in June 1995.

Bob DiPiero: “What you believe is what is true”

Mar 22, 2015

Since his first #1 in 1983, Hall of Fame Songwriter Bob DiPiero has been responsible for an uninterrupted string of country music hits. One of Nashville’s most prolific and consistent songwriters, Bob possesses a humble drive to keep learning and stay current. He has had over 1,200 songs recorded by other artists, countless hit singles, and an astounding 15 #1 hits. His songs have been featured in TV shows, commercials and movies, and in 2011, his song “Coming Home” from the Country Strong movie soundtrack was nominated for both an Oscar and Golden Globe Award for “Best Original Song in a Motion Picture.”

Among his other countless awards are 37-million air honors, multiple Songwriter of the Year awards and 2 consecutive Triple Play awards for 3 #1 songs within a 12-month period. Bob is the originator and host of the continually sold-out CMA Songwriters Series, which brings Nashville’s finest songwriters and artists to New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., and even abroad to Belfast, Dublin, London and Paris. In 2007, he was inducted into the Nashville Walk of Fame, AND into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. His most recent hit, Easton Corbin’s “Lovin’ You Is Fun” spent 40 weeks on Billboard’s Country Songs Chart and was named the #8 Country Song of the Year by Billboard Magazine.

Just look at this list and marvel, ok?

Number 1 Songs:
“American Made”- Recorded by The Oak Ridge Boys
“Wink”- Recorded by Neal McCoy
“Blue Clear Sky”- Recorded by George Strait
“Daddy’s Money”- Recorded by Ricochet
“Worlds Apart”- Recorded by Vince Gill
“That Rock Won’t Roll”- Recorded by Restless Heart
“Little Rock”- Recorded by Reba McEntire
“(Do You Love Me) Just Say Yes”- Highway 101
“The Church On Cumberland Road”- Recorded by Shenandoah
“Money In The Bank”- Recorded by John Anderson
“Take Me As I Am”- Recorded by Faith Hill
“Till You Love Me”- Recorded by Reba McEntire
“They’re Playin’ Our Song”- Recorded by Neal McCoy
“If You Ever Stop Loving Me”- Recorded by Montgomery Gentry
“Southern Voice”- Recorded by Tim McGraw

Top 10 Songs:
“Cowboys Like Us”- Recorded by George Strait
“Gone”- Recorded by Montgomery Gentry
“You Can’t Take The Honky Tonk Out Of The Girl”- Recorded by Brooks & Dunn
“Walking Away A Winner”- Recorded by Kathy Mattea
“Should’ve Asked Her Faster”- Recorded by Ty England
“Sentimental Ol’ You”- Recorded by Charly McClain
“Mirror, Mirror”- Recorded by Diamond Rio
“She Don’t Tell Me To”- Recorded by Montgomery Gentry
“Lovin’ You Is Fun”- Recorded by Easton Corbin
“Anywhere But Here”- Recorded by Sammy Kershaw
“There You Are”- Recorded by Martina McBride
“From A Table Away”- Recorded by Sunny Sweeney

Eric: Was music a big part of your childhood?
Bob: No one in my household played music but music was always played in the house. I was always drawn to it.
Eric: Your songs all seem so remarkably natural and unforced.
Bob: Thank you. that is the goal for me. I don’t go for what is current. I go for what is timeless.
Eric: When a song starts coming together, do you feel in the writing that you are running down the process, or in a sense of following it?
Bob: Following is an art and that is where the best songs come from. In his book, Life, Keith Richards said it best, “I feel like I’m an antennae and I’m always searching for whats out there.”
Eric: Is songwriting still as much of a delight for you?
Bob: Some people like to play golf. I like to write songs. It is still a pleasure. If it wasn’t I would be doing something else.
Eric: Some songwriters who have moved away from the turmoil of their lives have lost some of the tension of the best songs. Maybe in the beginning when you’re first starting out, the songs are about your life, for instance. As you get more and more successful, do you find it easier or harder to put yourself back into a story or feeling that happened to you?
Bob: That’s a very good question. As a writer, If you believe its true, then it is true. I know a million dollar songwriter that careens from one personal drama to another believing that is what makes their creative motor run. I also know a wildly successful writer with a bunch of kids and a wife he’s been married to for years. What you believe is what is true. I’ve written hits while living a “crazy” life and hits living a happy, successful life. Happy and successful is better. What you believe about yourself is what is true. That’s how i see it.

Saturday, March 21: Fallsview Casino Resort – Songwriters: Country Edition
City: Niagra Falls, ON
Venue: Fallsview Casino Resort

Friday, March 27: Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival
City: Nashville, TN
Venue: Hard Rock Cafe

Wednesday, April 29: Made In Tennessee Songwriter Series
City: New York, NY
Venue: Joe’s Pub

Zach Galifianakis Realized The Key To Comedy Success Is Doing It for Preschoolers

Mar 22, 2015

Zach Galifianakis once took his monologue to a preschool. This is a clip from his prematurely cancelled show on VH1 called Late World With Zach aired during the spring of 2002.