Monthly Archives: March 2014

March 24, 2014 Monday Edition. Find out what’s happening in the world of Rock & Roll, Alternative Rock, Hip Hop, EDM, and Top 40 music every Manic Monday on our blog! Have you heard any music news?

ALTERNATIVE NEWS: Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden to Go on Tour Together!

This summer, both Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden are going out this year for a North American tour. The bands made the official announcement official recently.

The tour begins July 19th at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, and wraps up August 25^th in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl. They will play 23 dates together, mostly in the U.S. with one stop in Toronto. The band, Death Grips will be the opening supporting act on all but two dates.

The two bands last shared a bill together 20 years ago, when they performed together at Ontario’s Molson Park in 1994 in a concert Trent Reznor later described as “a kind of professional showdown.” Ironically, both bands each released an album on the same day that year (Soundgarden’s Superunknown and NIN’s Downward Spiral). It’s quite fitting the bands are coming together on the anniversary of those two important albums.

Soundgarden will release a five-disc 20th anniversary edition of their landmark album, Superunknown on June 3^rd, and Nine Inch Nails begin a tour of Australia and New Zealand on Monday.

Tickets for their joint tour go on sale March 21st.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/nine-inch-nails-soundgarden-embarking-on-joint-tour-20140316#ixzz2wFNlIhuv

ROCK “N” ROLL NEWS:  Elvis Presley’s Cape From His 1973 Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite Show Up for Auction.

The full-length cape measured about five feet long, “and is adorned with an American eagle and stars and inlaid with semi-precious stones”, however when Elvis first tried it on during rehearsals for the show, he found it was much too heavy to be worn onstage. Bill Belew, the designer, had to create a replacement that was lighter for Presley, and the original was sent back to Graceland.

“Presley had the cape made to hide behind at the opening of the Hawaii show,” said Bobby Livingston, who is a spokesperson for RR Auction, which is the Massachusetts company selling the cape in auction. “The show was heavily choreographed — he intended to drop the cape and reveal himself to the anxiously awaiting crowd. However, when Presley tried on the cape during rehearsals, the weight almost pulled him over backwards, and it was decided that a smaller version was needed.”

According to RR Auction’s description on their website, “three small hooks and Velcro are sewn into the collar to connect the cape to Presley’s jumpsuit, and two small straps are sewn into the corners to enable Elvis to stretch out the cape while wearing it.”

Belew, passed away in 2008, and gained fame for designing many of Elvis’s outfits from the duration of 1968 to 1977. In 1999, the actual Aloha cape used by Presley for the performance in Hawaii sold for $105,250 at auction.

Belew was interviewed in 2005 when he explained his process behind designing Presley’s white jumpsuits. “The lighting [in Las Vegas] was still in its early stages,” said the designer. “And we found that the color that worked the best was white. It allowed them to change the colors on him, where as black would absorb all the color. And it was hard to highlight him. And we experimented with blue which was one of his favorite colors. Red. But it just ended up that white was the best thing and, of course, you know, you want the star to be the person, you know, and not the wardrobe.”

“Presley filmed the special on January 14th, 1973 at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center (then named the Honolulu International Center). It aired in more than 40 countries, with the United States airing it three months later on April 4th.”

The cape is being sold through Thursday, March 20th.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/buy-elvis-aloha-from-hawaii-cape-20140317#ixzz2wFTHA3G0

TOP 40/POP NEWS:  R.E.M. to Finally Release Their Dual MTV Unplugged Sets on Cd!
R.E.M. “called it a day as a band,” two and a half years ago, and the Georgia group has new gifts to bestow upon their fans.

As part of Record Store Day, the band will release Unplugged: The Complete 1991 And 2001 Sessions on April 19th. Apparently, the band is the only group to headline the popular MTV live performance show twice. Alongside fuyll versions of both concerts, they will also release 11 unaired songs. It will be a 4-LP set which will initially be released on vinyl April 19^th, and later will be made available on CD and digital outlets May 20th.

R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills told Rolling Stone last year that any sort of reunion was unlikely. “We said we’re done and we’re done,” Mills said. “If we honestly thought there was a chance of a reunion tour, we might have said so at the time.”

The band wrote on their website in September 2011, “As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening.”

Last November saw the band partially reunite at guitarist Peter Buck’s solo show in Athens, GA, when drummer Bill Berry and Mills performed with Buck on the band’s 1984 track “(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville.” R.E.M.’s last album, Collapse Into Now, was released in 2011.

R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills will sign copies of the set on Record Store Day at Bull Moose record store in Scarborough, Maine.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/r-e-m-to-release-2-unplugged-concerts-for-record-store-day-20140317#ixzz2wFR0TEGy

EDM NEWS: New Album Compiled by Jack Beats!

Plus One and Beni G were each great DJ’s before combing forces as the fidget house duo Jack Beats. Plus One came from the Scratch Perverts, and Beni G came from the Mixologists both were winning technical competitions before EDM became mainstream. The duo has very strong ties to the London club, Fabric which is a legendary venue. Fabric was voted #1 in the world by the DJ Mag poll in ‘07 and ’08, as well as #2 in ‘09 and 2010. This time, Jack Beats was picked as the compilers for the album, and it turned out great.

Fabric Live 74 is newly released, and is available for download on iTunes and Beatport. The duo released two new tracks on the album, and they included tracks by Duke Dumont, Destructo, AC Slater, Ten Walls, Will Sparks and Rudimental among others.

“This is easily one of the best compilations out this year and in the Fabric Live series. The compilation flows seamlessly from deep house, to fidget, to electro, and back. This is a must own for your personal collection. Take a listen to the mini promo mix Jack Beats made for the album, and pick up your copy in stores or via iTunes today.”
Read more: http://www.edmsauce.com/2014/03/17/fabric-live-74-jack-beats-compilation-masterpiece/#ixzz2wFtUOQkd

HIP HOP NEWS:

According to “All Hip Hop News”, rapper Ice T has appeared on Reddit’s Ask Me Anything session. During the session, T answered anonymous fans’ questions about his personal view on his favorite rappers, the current state of gangster rap, and more.

Ice T, one of the originators of West Coast gangster rap claims today’s Hip Hop is not as dangerous, and has become, “POP Music”. According to T, it is the radio stations and artists’ desire to appease radio formats that are to blame:

“Radio won… If you make music to fit into a radio format it will end up POP.”

Ice T named Chuck D and Ice Cube as his favorite rappers, and included Dr. Dre and DJ Premier as producers he respects most.

http://allhiphop.com/2014/03/17/ice-t-explains-what-turned-hip-hop-into-pop-music-favorite-mcs-more/

New Music Releases:  “Out Among the Stars”, by Johnny Cash!

Our last item for this week’s Manic Monday Music News…Noted March Birthdays this week in Music!!

March 23: Damon Albarn [UK piano, vocals; Blur/Gorillaz/Good, the Bad and the Queen], Chaka Khan [US singer, Rufus/solo].
March 24: Mase (US rap & hip-hop artist; De La Soul).
March 25: Sir Elton Hercules John/Reginald Kenneth Dwight [UK singer/songwriter/pianist], Aretha Franklin (US singer, Queen of Soul).
March 26: James Iha [US guitarist; Smashing Pumpkins], Kenny Chesney [US country singer/songwriter], Teddy Pendergrass (US singer, drums; Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes/solo/freelance), Steven Tyler [US lead singer, harmonica; Aerosmith], Diana Ross [US singer; Supreme/solos].
March 27: Mariah Carey [US pop diva, singer], Tony Banks [UK piano, keyboards, songwriter; Genesis/solo/guest].
March 28: Lady Gaga/Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (US singer), Reba McEntire (US singer, actress).
March 29: John Popper [US singer, harmonica; Blues Traveler/Frogwings], Perry Farrell [US singer; Psi Com/Porno for Pyros/Jane’s Addiction].

Every Monday look forward to the “Manic Monday Music News”, run by yours truly, Scott Rossi! Music is the Universal language which brings the world together, something we can all agree on, so I will always try to find some cool weekly news for you to hear about, here on the MLE Blog. Thanks go out to Deejay Shelly, for this opportunity. Enjoy!

Let us know what you thought of our new 11th edition in the comments section below. Or, let us know if you’ve heard any music news we missed! Thanks! Scott Rossi, DeeJay Shelly!!!