Tag: news roundup

NEWS ROUNDUP: Tokyo’s Octogenarian DJ, Killer Pink Floyd Shrimp & More

  • Coming Soon: The Creative Independent’s 7-Inches For Planned Parenthood

    Brandon Stusoy of The Creative Independent has curated a boxset of 7” singles with all proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. Artists that contributed tracks include Chvrches, Mitski, Foo Fighters, St. Vincent, Laurie Anderson, Sleater-Kinney, author Margaret Atwood and much more. A statement on the set’s Facebook page reads, “This curated series of 7-inch vinyl records is being made by a group of people who believe that access to health care is a public good that should be fiercely protected. Do we know there’s a joke in the name? We do. We hope the title evokes the rich history of 7-inch vinyl records as a medium for protest music and resistance.” Check out pre-order information here.

  • The Seriously Inspiring “Dumpling DJ”

    Sumiko Iwamuro is 82 years old. By day, she runs a Tokyo restaurant, making dumplings. By night, she’s a hit DJ in the city’s red light district, proving that someone’s age or day job has nothing to do with their musical taste or talents. Check a mini documentary on Sumiko, via Al Jazeera, here!

  • Meet The New Killer, Classic Rock Shrimp Species

    Last year brought us a tarantula named after Johnny Cash; now, let us introduce you to 2017’s Synalpheus pinkfloydi, a shrimp that can kill (fish, at least) with a pink claw that, when it snaps, produces super loud  and deadly sounds. According to rock mythology, Pink Floyd once performed loudly enough to kill the fish in a lake near London’s Crystal Palace. And according to The Washington Post, this shrimp’s snaps are 210 decibels loud(for context, a thunderclap is around  110 decibels). Check out a video of a Pistol Shrimp below, which has a similar attack method:

NEWS ROUNDUP: Kendrick Lamar, Brexit’s Musical Consequences & More

  • Kendrick Lamar Releases “Humble”

    “Wicked or weakness, you gotta see this.” Last night, the rapper released “Humble,” a visually stunning video that features Lamar dressed as a pope and recreating the last supper, among other things. The songs itself is full of low-key bravado, instructing other unnamed artists to “be humble.” Watch below:

  • How Will Brexit Affect The UK Music Scene?

    The answer is, badly. If Britain leaves the EU, it could be harder for musicians to tour across Europe due to visa issues and stricter border control, and it could lead to “currency fluctuation and/or devaluation alongside other commercial restrictions [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][that] will impact first and foremost on new bands taking trying to break into Europe.” The situation slightly mirrors the recent struggles of international artists who were turned back as they tried to attend SXSW. Read more about the Brexit situation here.

  • Union Hall Cancels Shows Due To Fire

    The cause has yet to be disclosed, but a fire that broke out last Friday has forced the Park Slope venue to cancel all April shows. Luckily, there were no injuries. A statement by the venue says they hope to reopen as quickly as possible, but they’re still assessing the damage.

  • Bob Dylan’s Triplicate Comes Out Today

    Yes, it’s another album of covers: 30 of them, to be exact. Dylan did an interview with Bill Flanagan last week, and revealed some details and intent behind it, such as that the album was recorded live, with no overdubs, and “these songs are meant for the man on the street, the common man, the everyday person.” Dylan adds, “Maybe that is a Bob Dylan fan, maybe not, I don’t know.” Listen to Triplicate’s “My One And Only Love” below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTTNu3wkXM8

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NEWS ROUNDUP: Shea Stadium, Northside Festival & More

  • Shea Stadium Is Raising Money To Reopen

    Shea Stadium, after closing to avoid fines and fees “related to the legal use, zoning and licensing of [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][the] building,” is on its way to reopening in a more legal, permanent manner. As of today, the DIY venue has raised tens of thousands more than the original goal of $50,000. The money will go towards things such as: renovations to pass inspections, building fees, fire safety training, bar permits and legal fees. Just because they’ve reached the goal doesn’t mean you can’t still donate! Support New York’s DIY scene and check out their Kickstarter page here.

  • Northside Festival Lineup Announced

    This year, the festival will take over Brooklyn from June 7-11 and so far, performers include Dirty Projectors, Miguel, Kamasi Washington, Julia Holter, Girlpool, the Hotelier, Downtown Boys, Lower Dens, Ricky Eat Acid and Vagabon. More details here.

  • Watch A Music Video That’s Different Every Time

    Via Engadget: The UK band Shaking Chains has created an algorithm that makes their music video different every time you watch it. The band members chose predetermined keywords that the algorithm uses to select clips of footage from, and then assembles them randomly every time someone watches the video. Why make a video this way? Band member Jack Hardwick stated,”I sought to obliquely reframe the stuff we subject ourselves to (whether beautiful, distressing, mundane, frivolous or eroticized) and algorithmically cut them into a new context.” Check out the video and see what it plays you here.

  • Other Highlights

    The problem with Ed Sheeran, RIP Chuck Berry, Thurston Moore releases “Smoke Of Dreams,” Marissa Nadler’s contribution to the 100 Days Project, Future Islands share sign language lyric video for “Cave,” and new music from Perfume Genius and Gorillaz.

 

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NEWS ROUNDUP: Don Pedro, SXSW & More

  • Don Pedro Is The Latest Venue To Close

    The Brooklyn venue will be closing after May 6th, the owner of the Ecuadorean-restaurant-turned-DIY space stated earlier this week. The building that includes Don Pedro has been sold to a limited liability company, but the venue’s manager, Danielle Giaquinto, said that they hope to reopen in a new Bushwick or Ridgewood location. Read more here.

  • After SXSW Controversy, International Bands Still Face Problems

    Several international bands have been denied entry into the United States to play the festival in Austin, despite having the necessary visas. Italy’s Soviet Soviet posted that they were not just turned away after landing in Seattle, but questioned for hours and detained overnight. London’s United Vibrations and Canada’s Massive Scar Era were also turned away. Many artists were under the impression their visas would cover performing at SXSW since they do not receive compensation for showcases, and though performers have taken advantage of that loophole in the past, many were denied from using it this year, including those scheduled to play additional shows that their visas didn’t cover at all. Needless to say, this strict application of visa procedure hurts emerging bands most; if you really want to deconstruct the situation, we’ll let NPR take it from here.

  • Speaking Of SXSW…

    Jealous that everyone else is eating tacos and rocking out while you’re stuck trudging through the remnants of Tuesday’s snowstorm? These clips will either make you feel better, or worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytN3m7mc1Ac

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRr76tGjqWI/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRrFhWRFvT7/

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSroXhI2uZs

NEWS ROUNDUP: SXSW’s Deportation Clause, Rihanna & More

  • SXSW’s Troubling Deportation Policy

    Yesterday, artist Told Slant announced he was canceling his SXSW performances after discovering the something alarming in the artist contract – there’s a clause stating that “foreign artists” performing on certain visas may not participate in unofficial showcases and that doing so “may result in immediate deportation, revoked passport and denied entry by US Customs Border Patrol at US ports of entry.” The managing director of SXSW has been busy doing damage control, first stating that Told Slant put two portions of the contract together to make it seem worse than it is (which Stereogum quickly debunked) before backtracking to say the clause is meant to deal with more serious infractions than playing unofficial shows. The Future of Music Coalition published a breakdown of the controversy as a mounting list of artists get serious about possibly boycotting the festival. Victoria Ruiz of Downtown Boys has started a petition to remove the clause from the contract.

  • Rihanna Honored By Harvard

    Havard named the singer Humanitarian of the Year and received the Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award for starting a nonprofit that helps Caribbean children who are attending school in the United States, starting an oncology and nuclear medicine center in Barbados, and her Believe Foundation, which helps disadvantaged children around the world. Go to 1:13 in the ceremony’s livestream to watch her speech.

  • Other Highlights

    Lady Gaga will replace Beyonce at Coachella; Lorde, Cold War Kids, and Thurston Moore all released new videos and music; check out the awesome winners of NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest; members of Wilco/Deerhoof/Minutemen formed a super group; and a Roger Waters album is coming in May.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Grace Slick, Fighting Misogyny In Music & More

  • Grace Slick Trolls Chick-fil-a

    We all know Chick-fil-a is notoriously anti-LGBTQ. You’d think this would make it hard for them to find a musician willing to allow their song in a television ad, but Grace Slick saw their offer as an opportunity. She’s donating all of the money she makes from the ad to Lambda Legal, an organization that fights for the rights of LGBTQ people. “Admittedly it’s not the millions that WinShape [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][of Chick-fil-a] has given to organizations that define marriage as heterosexual,” the she wrote in a Forbes op-ed. “But instead of them replacing my song with someone else’s and losing this opportunity to strike back at anti-LGBTQ forces, I decided to spend the cash in direct opposition to ‘Check’-fil-A’s causes.” Now that you know where the revenue is going, watch the ad below and read the op-ed here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27SLP8JLNE8

  • New Campaign Fights Misogyny In Music

    The mission of Bands Take A Stand is “to create safe spaces and use our collective voices as a vehicle for positive change within our music community.” Specifically, the campaign has teamed up with bands who donate their streaming revenue for a certain amount of time to A Voice For The Innocent, an organization that helps survivors of abuse. Read more here and here.

  • Fake (Music) News From Richard Spencer

    Yesterday, reporter Olivia Nuzzi tweeted that while attending the CPAC, Richard Spencer declared Depeche Mode the “official band of the alt-right” after he was asked if he liked rock music. The band took to social media to denounce the statement, and Spencer clarified that he was joking. Someone later shared a Facebook note in which Spencer ranked 30 years of Depeche Mode albums, which proves why he’s not a music journalist: it’s incredibly boring.

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NEWS ROUNDUP: Prince, The Grammys & More

  • Prince’s Music Is Now Streaming

    It’s something that was impossible just a week ago: As I write this, I’m listening to Around The World In A Day on Spotify. Prince’s music was formerly streaming only on Tidal, but his estate sued to release it on other streaming services starting last Sunday. On one hand, it’s nice to have easy access to such an iconic artist. But on the other, Prince was notorious for maintaining complete control over how his music was released and distributed as well as made, so it’s hard not to wonder what he’d think of all this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p1HFGT9SNw&feature=youtu.be

NEWS ROUNDUP: Bandcamp, The State Of Indie Rock & More

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In New York this week, we’ve learned that there are no snow days for the humble musician.

  • Bandcamp Made it Rain For The ACLU

    After the site announced it would donate its share(about 12%) of all purchases last Friday, music fans bought about $1,000,000 worth of music. According to Bandcamp, that’s “550% more than a normal Friday (already our biggest sales day of the week).” Combined with the many artists and labels that promised their 88% of profits would also go to the ACLU, the actual figure being donated is close to $100,000. Good job, music fans. And it’s not too late to donate! If you want to get some music out of it, check out the Our First 100 Days compilation:

  • Market Hotel Offers Coworking Space, Hopefully Shows Soon

    On 2/7, the venue tweeted that “All citations related to the October ‘gotcha’ raid on Market Hotel, particularly the ‘warehousing’ summons, have been dismissed!” The DIY space was forced to relocate shows in Fall 2016 after what many deemed an unfair police raid, around the time they were applying for a permanent liquor license. No official word on when the space will begin hosting shows again, but in the meantime, it’s being used as a coworking space.

  • Is Indie Rock Dead? Um, Probably Not

    Yes, another debate about the life of a genre was started last night between David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors) and Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes) on Instagram, for some reason. Longstreth wondered if the genre has come to be “boujee in the word’s negative sense: refined and effete, well removed from the raindrops and drop tops of lived, earned experience,” while Pecknold’s thoughts on the matter included nuggets such as “Also don’t rly know what counts as ‘indie rock’ these days… like, Whitney, Mac DeMarco, Angel Olsen, Car Seat Headrest? Idk if any of that has ‘cutting edge’ written into the M.O., even if it’s fun to listen to.” The rest of the conversation is mostly indecipherable, but maybe you want to take a stab at it.

    Anyway, guys: no kind of music is dead (except maybe disco). This is 2017! The internet is a super useful tool when it comes to looking for great bands of all genres, or for realizing that genres can be meaningless labels. Better yet, get off the internet and go see a show this weekend.

  • Other Highlights

    Read an interview with a “bubbleologist” who worked with Grimes, Katy Perry hides new track in disco balls, M.I.A. releases a new track, Sufjan Stevens made it in the Washington Post, a new music festival is coming to Colorado, and Lady Gaga teams up with Metallica on the heels of her covertly political Super Bowl LI performance.

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NEWS ROUNDUP: Missy is Back, Lily Allen Protests, & More

  • Missy Elliott Is Back With New Video, Documentary

    Last night Missy Elliott released “I’m Better,” a new song and video featuring the song’s producer, Lamb. The sparse, downtempo track creeps along with clinks of keys and surges of bass, while the video is vintage Missy, depicting backup dancers in stunning outfits suspended by ropes, underwater, and on exercise balls. Along with the track comes an announcement of a soon-to-be-released Missy documentary; watch the trailer here and listen to Missy and other artists discussing her ground-breaking work – some describe her as “a creative genius” and “extraterrestrial.”

  • Madonna Gives Speech Women’s March In D.C.

    “Good did not win this election, but good will win in the end,” she began. The speech resulted in Madonna’s songs being banned from the radio station Texarkana’s Hits 105. Apparently they weren’t happy with the speech’s profanity, and that she said she had thought about blowing up the White House. Hey, we’ve all been there. Watch the speech below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKhVp–feJk&list=RDoKhVp–feJk

  • Lily Allen Protests With Rufus Wainwright Cover

  • “I’m going to a town that’s already been burnt down.” Lily Allen turned Rufus Wainwright’s “Going to a Town” into a political protest, singing its poignant lyrics over Mark Ronson’s subtle string arrangements. The accompanying black and white video shows footage from the London Women’s March, where she also performed the song. Check out the video, which was directed by Bafic:

NEWS ROUNDUP: 100 Days Worth Of Protest Music

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  • This Protest Album Features Carrie Brownstein, Stephen Malkmus

    Quasi’s Janet Weiss and Sam Coomes organized and contributed to the Battle Hymns compilation. Name your price for the download, which benefits Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, and 350.org. Buy it here.

  • Our First 100 Days Kicks Off With Angel Olsen

    Our First 100 Days is a project designed to counteract a certain someone (hint: evil and orange) who is starting their first 100 days as well. For $30 or more, you’ll get all of the exclusive songs and, according to their website, your money will “go directly to organizations working on the front lines of climate, women’s rights, immigration and fairness.”  Listen to Olsen’s track, “A Fly On Your Wall,” below and get more information about the musicians and organizations involved here.

  • Stand Up For Love With Andrew Bird & Jeff Tweedy

Stand Up For Love is a three hour telethon is happening today, and aims to raise $500,000 to defend civil liberties. It started at 12:30pm, but I’m betting the page will host an archived version.  The website states that celebrities such Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jane Fonda, Robert Reich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Tom Morello, Adrian Grenier, David Duchovny, Misha Collins, Michael Franti, Andrew Bird, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tim Robbins, and Jeff Tweedy of Wilco will be featured.

  • Covers For A Cause With Littler, Abi Reimold & More

    “Don’t Stop Now” is a collection of covers that benefits the ACLU. From the Bandcamp page: “This compilation is an expression of love, anger, hope and protest on inauguration day… Each dollar donated will help protect the people of the United States, especially those most vulnerable, from the reckless authority of a Trump presidency.” There’s 38 songs in total; stream below and buy it here.

 

 

NEWS ROUNDUP: St. Vincent, Kim Gordon & More

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  • St. Vincent Times Three

    St. Vincent, has been in the news this week for several reasons. First, she’s releasing a line of signature guitars with Ernie Ball. The uniquely shaped guitar has with three humbucker pickups and a whammy bar, and comes in four colors (Clark gives a nod to Bowie by referring to the white model as the Thin White Duke). Here’s what it sounds like. Second, she’s directed a segment of a horror series that feature women directors. Hers is titled “Birthday Party,” and features Melanie Lynskey of Togetherness, Heavenly Creatures and But I’m a Cheerleader. Keep scrolling to watch the trailer for all four short films, but prepare to be creeped out. Third, her new album, which she describes as her deepest and boldest, is due sometime in 2017.

 

  • Watch A Kim Gordon Interview/Interrogation

    Opening with the text “It is well known that Kim Gordon does not like to be interviewed,” the next shot shows the artist, blindfolded. The voice that asks such questions as “When did you know you wanted to be an artist?” and “How many fingers am I holding up?” (too many, she says) is the voice you would use to demand ransom, warped by a computer to be unidentifiable. Some shots place us in the room with her, some show video surveillance of the room. Check it out via Huck:

  • Scientists Are Covering Sigur Rós’

    From their website: “The International Space Orchestra (ISO) is an assembly of star-spangled space scientists from NASA Ames Research Center, Singularity University, and the SETI. The International Space Orchestra is the world’s first orchestra of space scientists… [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][adapting] science to our creative needs.” They’ve performed with Beck, Damon Albarn, and Bobby Womack and now, by covering the Sigur Rós’ track  “Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása” they aim “to reach the final frontier.” Download the track here and listen to the original below.

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NEWS ROUNDUP: Coachella Controversy, Dirty Projectors, & More

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  • Dirty Projectors Release New Song, Video

    Like 2016’s “Keep Your Name,” “Little Bubble” comes from a reimagined versions of Dirty Projectors as a Dave Longstreth solo project. The former featured samples from old Dirty Projectors songs; the latter references their “Hi, Custodian” film. This newest video also features sad scenes of the songwriter alone, in an oasis of grass, a greenhouse, sitting on a cliff. At one point there’s a shot of a dead bird on the ground, but as the camera pulls back, we realize it’s on an iPad. Watch and listen to “Little Bubble” below:

  • We Need To Talk About Coachella

    There have been calls to boycott the incredibly popular music festival, which spans two weekends in the California desert. Here are the details: The festival is thrown by the production company Goldenvoice, which was bought by AEG in 2001. AEG is owned by Philip Anschutz, who has been known to advocate for conservative causes and has been accused by theWashington Post of using his foundation to fund anti-gay groups, and according to the New York Times, has lobbied against climate change and gave donations to groups against gay marriage. This leaves both artists and concert goers in a predicament, as Goldenvoice/AEG not only put on Coachella, but enough concerts in venues across the world to account for over half of global ticket sales in 2016. That’d be a lot of concerts to miss, but are they worth it? 

  • Musician Murals Featured On New Subway Line

    The 2nd Avenue subway line has finally been completed, and includes “the largest permanent public art installations in state history.” The station at 85th Street features huge portraits of Philip Glass, Lou Reed, Zhang Huan, Kara Walker, Alex Katz, Cecily Brown, and Cindy Sherman. There are also two self-portraits by the photorealist artist, Chuck Close.

  • Other Highlights

    Jenny Hval makes a statement about nudity with the very NSFW video for “The Great Undressing;” The fictional Gorillaz character Noodle “released” a playlist of “kick-ass women” artists; Sleater-Kinney paid tribute to Bowie and George Michael on NYE; and Terrence Malick made a film about the Austin music scene which could be cool or insufferable.

Staff Picks – Emily Daly: The Best & Worst Of 2016 (News Roundup)

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I started writing the News Roundup series roughly a year ago, on January 8th. What I thought would be a light hearted “this is what happened this week!” very quickly turned into what seemed like an endless stream of negativity; the first article premiered the week of David Bowie’s 69th birthday, the second a few days after he died. Tallying all of the deaths, the venues that are closed or closing and all of the sexism in the music industry that was brought to light in 2016 has been a little disheartening. But, some good stuff happened too. Read on as we remember the highlights of this year that is thankfully ending soon.

  • A lot of iconic musicians died this year, starting with David Bowie, and continuing on: Prince, Sharon Jones, Leonard Cohen, Pauline Oliveros, Alan Vega, Phife Dawg, George Martin, Glenn Frey, Merle Haggard, Frank Sinatra Jr., Maurice White, Paul Kantner, Vanity (aka Denise Katrina Matthews), Keith Emerson, Billy Paul, Jane Little (a double bassist who held the Guiness World Record for the longest serving symphony player), Guy Clark, Christina Grimmie, Ralph Stanley, Bernie Worrell, Scotty Moore, Toots Thielemans, Juan Gabriel, Leon Russell, Holly Dunn and Greg Lake.

  • But, a lot of iconic musicians also resurfaced with new music. This year Kim Gordon released some tracks, along with The Pixies, Le Tigre, Iggy Pop, Beyonce, The Strokes, Green Day, Radiohead, PJ Harvey, Robert Pollard, and two members of the Dirty Projectors (Also, it’s worth mentioning Bob Dylan won a Nobel Prize and Madonna was crowned Billboard’s Woman of the Year).

  • Everything is closed. It’s not surprising considering all it takes to run a music venue, but it seems like an unusual number shuttered this year. In the last 365 days we’ve lost Palisades, Aviv, Manhattan Inn, Grand Victory and beloved record store Other Music. Also, Rock Shop has ceased to have live music, opting for a foosball table (or something) instead, and Market Hotel was temporarily closed over a liquor license misunderstanding. Other venues, like Lower Manhattan’s Cake Shop and Elvis Guesthouse, have announced that December will be their final month of operation.

  • But venues continue to open: The Glove, The Footlight and Sunnyvale all opened in Brooklyn this year, and Brooklyn Bazaar returned with a new, better location. Plus, we have a new large scale venue, Brooklyn Steel, to look forward to in 2017.

  • The music industry is still sexist. There’s an argument to be made that you have to expose misogyny to overcome it. If you think of it that way, 2016 was a year of progress as Amber Coffman and others spoke up about publicist Heathcliff Berru’s sexual misconduct, writer Art Tavana received an avalanche of criticism for a crude article that reduced Sky Ferreira to her sex appeal, and music executive Julie Farman call out the Red Hot Chili Peppers out for being douchebags back in their heyday. I’m sure I’m missing a few things, but do we really want to revisit it all?

  • But we did make progress. In March, Guitar World officially announced they would cease their bikini gear guide, the cover of which typically featured a sweet guitar held by a scantily clad woman. The call to change this practice was started when a photo of Guitar World next to a She Shreds cover, which featured a fully clothed  Satomi Matsuzaki of Deerhoof, made its rounds on the internet. Guitar World publisher Bill Amstutz stated “we can do a better job, as all guitar media can do. It’s a bit of a boys’ club and we are taking steps this year to change that.” This may all also be the first year that a song that focuses on consent was celebrated by the media, with sad13’s “Get A Yes.”

  • Obviously, a lot of other, un-categorizable stuff happened too. I’m not sure where to start, or where to end, really. A conversation was started about the importance of DIY spaces, and the struggle to keep them, after the Oakland Ghost Ship tragedy. Bono was awarded Glamour’s Woman of the Year, proving that women can even be excluded from an award specifically for them (you know what would be groundbreaking? Giving Man of the Year to a woman. C’mon, 2017!) Led Zeppelin was finally declared innocent of ripping off “Stairway To Heaven.” An amazing Twitter account that reimagines Carrie Bradshaw as a touring indie musician was born. CMJ was going to happen, then it wasn’t, then it was maybe, but it didn’t. I think at one point a new spider species was named after Johnny Cash. I’m probably forgetting a lot of things, and I’m sorry. It’s been a long year.

NEWS ROUNDUP: St. Vincent, Sharon Jones & Bjork

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  • St. Vincent Makes a Statement On Guitar World Cover

    She Shreds magazine, a publication dedicated to covering woman guitarists and bassists, formerly called out Guitar World for its sexist “Bikini Gear Guide” for featuring scantily clad women on the cover. In a statement on the She Shreds website, founder Fabi Reyna said at the time: “Guitar World’s annual gear guide always reinforced the painful reality of the guitar industry’s historical reputation of using sex and naked women to engage with men—because to a lot of companies the idea of women even playing music was literally unheard of, so how could we be consumers and therefore why would they consider our reactions at all?” Guitar World said they’d discontinue the practice. But this week St. Vincent made a hilarious statement on their former ways when she appeared on the cover in one of those touristy bikini shirts. The guitarist has also announced a new album is on the way.

  • Watch This: Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings’ Xmas Video

    The video is for Sharon Jones’ cover of Charlie Brown’s “Please Come Home For Christmas,” from the Christmas album the singer released last year. The animated video, directed by  Alex Howard & David Drew Hatter, has a stop-motion feel similar to the classic Rudolph TV special and was finished before Jones died last month due to pancreatic cancer. Check it out:

  • Fiona Apple Uses Xmas Music To Diss Trump

    Do you love Christmas music, but hate Donald Trump? Well, Fiona Apple made the perfect song for you. Watch her sing the track with the alluring title of “Trump’s Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire” at a recent “We Rock With Standing Rock” benefit concert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RdGPYvQcFc&feature=youtu.be

  • Bjork Writes Open Letter To The Media

    Are women entitled to “perform” for their audiences? Some music critics may expect it, and Bjork called out that double standard in regards to the DJ sets she recently played at Houston’s Day For Night festival. Some were disappointed she played a DJ set instead of performing, and she wrote a lengthy response. Highlights include: “Some media could not get their head around that I was not “performing” and “hiding” behind desks. And my male counterparts not… Women in music are allowed to be singer-songwriters singing about their boyfriends. If they change the subject matter to atoms, galaxies, activism, nerdy math beat editing or anything else they get criticized… if we don’t cut our chest open and bleed about the men and children in our lives we are cheating our audience.”

NEWS ROUNDUP: Madonna, Solange & More

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  • Madonna Wins Billboard’s Woman Of The Year

    After cracking a few jokes at the beginning of her acceptance speech, the singer got serious, stating, “Thank you for acknowledging my ability to continue my career for 34 years in the face of blatant misogyny, sexism, constant bullying and relentless abuse. When I started, there was no internet, so people had to say it to my face.” She talks about the hardships of her early days in New York and the double standard she faced expressing sexuality through her music. Watch the whole thing below:   

  • Watch This: Solange’s Jimmy Kimmel Performance

    A Seat At The Table was one of 2016’s surprise releases, and one of the best (it’s earned the #1 spot on Pitchfork’s AOTY list). Watch Solange perform a medley of two of its songs, “Rise” and “Weary” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She performs with two other singers, all draped in, and connected to each other by red fabric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-qHmXbkayw

  • Spoon Hint At New Album, Debut New Song

    After changing their social media profile pictures and featuring a new song in a Shameless montage, it appears a new album is in the works. The studio version of “I Ain’t The One” seems to have been taken off of YouTube, but you can check out a live version below: 

  • Piers Morgan Is A Jerk, But May Still Get To Interview Lady Gaga

    After revealing she suffered from PTSD after a sexual assault, Piers Morgan took to Twitter to complain about it, tweeting “It angers me when celebrities start claiming ‘PTSD’ about everything to promote themselves.” He went on to imply that only soldiers can suffer from the disorder, but after some back and forth between the two, they agreed to do an interview to debate the topic. If they do debate I’m pretty sure we know who will win (hint: you can watch their latest video below).

NEWS ROUNDUP: Pauline Oliveros & A Guide To Benefit Concerts

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  • Pauline Oliveros Dies At Age 84

    As well as being a musical pioneer who was one of the first to utilize electronic music and the creator of “deep listening,” Oliveros also frequently addressed and challenged gender inequality in the world of music, particularly when it came to composers. Listen to one of her most well-known works below, “Bye Bye Butterfly.” To create the song, she tweaked and altered Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” (It’s kind of a remix, if you will).

  • Your Guide To Rocking Out For A Good Cause

    There’s a lot of terrible stuff going on right now. Do you want to help? Do you also want to rock out? Read on for a list of December’s benefit shows in the New York City area.

    TONIGHT 12/2 @ Silent Barn

    A benefit for: Migrante NJ

    Who’s playing? Punk rock karaoke- go sing your favorite punk tunes. “Punk Rock Karaoke is a DIY, fund-raising event that benefits a different community group at each event.”

    12/5 @ Shea Stadium

    A benefit for: Standing Rock

    Who’s playing: Sharkmuffin, What Moon Things, The Adventures of the Silver Spaceman and Sodium Beast.

    12/7 @ Shea Stadium

    A benefit for: Planned Parenthood

    Who’s playing: Milk Dick, Fraidycat, Medium Mystic

    12/11 @ Silent Barn

    A benefit for: “expressing solidarity and support with the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the water protectors risking their well-being in Cannon Ball, ND.”

    Who’s playing: OSHUN, Bunny Michael, Professor Caveman, Laura Ortman, Esoteric Ayanna + Benjamin Lundberg

    12/12 @ Brooklyn Bowl

    A benefit for: Standing Rock

    Who’s playing: Performances by “Aztec dancers, Taino singers, Shinnecock drummers and Hawaiian hula dancers and chanters will kick-off the evening. Following the indigenous acts, we will have performances by Immortal Technique, The Skins, Constant Flow, Cole Ramstad, Holly Miranda, Diane Birch, a DJ set by ST LUCIA, and more TBA.”

    12/15 @ Housing Works Bookstore Cafe

    A benefit for: Housing Works

    Who’s playing: This event is “a gathering and marathon-style reading of responses by and for artists and arts organizers. Line-up to be announced. Artists of all disciplines will read their short responses – of any form – to the results of election 2016 and the imminent administration.”

    12/19 @ Silent Barn

    A benefit for: The ACLU

    Who’s playing: Shunklings, birdbird, Shake, Beeyotch, Dog Petter

NEWS ROUNDUP: Yoko Ono, A Tribe Called Quest & More

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  • Read This: Musicians Pay Tribute To Yoko Ono

    Let’s settle this once and for all, guys: Yoko Ono didn’t break up the Beatles. Even she wasn’t coasting on the coattails of John Lennon’s success, she was creating radical art before she ever met him. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, some news: The Yoko Ono Reissue Project will be releasing the musical projects she created from 1968 to 1985. Want to understand how big of an influence she was on some of your favorite musicians? Read what they have to say about Yoko Ono, via Pitchfork.

  • A Tribe Called Quest Release New Album, Video

    We Got It From Here is the group’s first album in 18 years and features appearances by Jack White, Anderson Paak, Kendrick Lamar, Elton John. Continuing a tragic theme of 2016, the record was finished soon after founding member Phife Dawg’s death earlier in the year. The rapper comes to life in ATCQ’s new video for “We The People” as an animation; check it out below. 

  • New Collaboration by Parquet Courts/WALL/Merchandise

    Members of Parquet Courts (Austin Brown), WALL(Sam York) and Merchandise(Carson Cox) have teamed up on a gloomy disco track called “Fire Dance.” Squeaky synths and sparkling, haunting melodies decorate the track, which Carson describes as “an ode to downtown New York” and speaks of “lost memories.” Listen below:

  • Read This, Too: The Oral History of the Space Jam Song

    If you’re between the ages of 23 and 30, chances are you loooooved the movie Space Jam when you were in elementary school. It had everything: Basketball! Looney Toons! Michael Jordan acting in front of a green screen! I know I did (kids are weird), and it was mostly because of the soundtrack: “I Believe I Can Fly” Seal’s “Fly Like An Eagle,” and of course, the Space Jam Theme song. Even now, it will randomly get stuck in my head for no reason at all. Read the history of the song here, via Spin.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Beyonce, Angel Olsen, and Anohni

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  • Beyonce Teams Up With The Dixie Chicks

    The country group and pop star performed “Daddy Lessons” at the Country Music Awards with a full band in an impressive performance, but one that didn’t come without controversy: The CMA was accused of removing any mentions of the performance from its social media, some racist country fans left a bunch of unsavory comments regarding Beyonce’s anti-police associations from Lemonade, and people are still mad at the Dixie Chicks for insulting George Bush in 2003. Whatever, guys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OabYYlhuxxE

  • Anohni’s “Hopelessness” Gets Visuals

    “How did I become a virus?” The surreal video, which accompanies the title track of Ahnohni’s May 2016 album,  features a businesswoman walking through dream-like scenes where she confronts her connection to and impact on nature. Eventually, she retreats to the safety of technology. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZW1BBkquFA

  • Angel Olsen Performed With The Raincoats

    Clad in matching striped shirts, this collaboration celebrated Rough Trade’s 40th anniversary at Islington Assembly Hall in London. Check out their performance of “High And Wild.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23f9hmY4Hhk

  • Haybaby Release Video For “Yours”

    Released yesterday via Tiny Engines, the video is an unsettling up-close shot of singer Leslie Hong as she struggles to find her own space in a room full of strangers, flinching at their touch. The song itself is blistering and raw, a must-listen. Check it out on Bandcamp, where you can name your price for the single.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Halloween Edition!

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  • Check Out Friend Roulette’s Spooky “Dutch Master” Video

    The video for “Dutch Master” features disembodied heads and a man with no face to match the mood of the quirky, spooky song. The director, Josh Jones, states: “The video is entirely inspired by the music. I just listened to the song a few times, wrote down these dream-like acts and then started producing. I did all of the photography, lighting, editing and not-so-special effects myself. No crew, just one big beast man running around and tricking people into acting.” Dutch Master is from Friend Roulette’s new album, I See You. Your Eyes Are Red, out now via Goodnight Records.

  • Please Take This Very Important, Very Scary Survey

    Ghosts and ghouls aren’t so bad. In this digital world, what’s actually scary is that we’re held captive by ads, and automated programs collect our personal information so corporations can peek into our minds. To go along with their new album Slagroom, all boy/all girl has created a customer survey that gets very strange, very quickly. Take it here, and watch their video for “Pastels” below.

  • The Controversy Behind The Ghostbusters Theme Song

    Recording the iconic theme song came down to the wire- and while it earned its writer, Ray Parker Jr., a Grammy and top spots on the charts, he was accused of plagiarism by Huey Lewis & the News. Read a history of the song here, which also includes the recent (and questionable) covers of the song for the new Ghostbusters theme (If you prefer the original, it’s below!). Who ya gonna call?

  • Listen To A Halloween-Themed Song By White Mystery

    “Here Come The Zombies” is a demo that was recorded four years ago, and just premiered on High Times. The track features a Gibson Maestro Rover, a kind of amp with a rotating speaker that gives the guitars in the song an awesome effect.

News Roundup: Manhattan Inn, David Bowie & Bob Dylan

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  • Manhattan Inn Lastest BK Venue To Close

    Yep, it’s time for another one of those announcements: November 13 will mark the end of the Greenpoint bar known for its piano and hosting events like The Hum. The owners have stated that they will return in 2017, but before they close, you can enjoy free concerts in the back room (with suggested donations for the performers, of course). Performers will include Kaki King, Delicate Steve, Sam Evian, Joan As Police Woman, Nick Hakim, Pavo Pavo, J. Hoard, Sam Cohen, and Wilsen, among others. More details here.

  • Hey, Check Out Some New Bowie Songs

    The previously unreleased songs come from Bowie’s Blackstar sessions will be released today along with the cast recording of Lazarus, a musical Bowie wrote with Enda Walsh. As I’m typing this the three songs – “Killing A Little Time,” “When I Met You” and “No Plan” appear to have been taken off of the internet, but hopefully you folks in the future will find them without any problem. While you type them into your search bar, listen to some of the cast recording below:

  • Deerhoof Announce New EP

    I Thought We Were Friends will be a two-song release, out 11/18 via Famous Class. The band has shared its first track, “Risk Free,” which is a welcome glimmer of sunlight to brighten up your weekend. Listen below, and if you happen to be in Europe next month, you can catch them on tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

  • Bob Dylan Finally (Kinda Sorta) Acknowledges Nobel Prize Award

    As you may have heard, Bob Dylan won the Nobel prize in literature for his lyrics. He’s being coy about it, though; the Nobel academy has yet to hear from him, despite their calls and emails to the singer. The only acknowledgment is that Dylan’s website now describes him as a Nobel prize winner, leaving it a mystery whether he’ll accept (technically, you can turn down a Nobel award) or show up to the ceremony. So at the very least, his social media manager is happy he won.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZPh3hpxLKs

  • Le Tigre releases Pro-Hillary Song “I’m With Her”

    Laura Parnes directed the accompanying video, which is pretty silly: Kathleen Hanna and company dance in pantsuits, mixed with scenes of political rallies and cats and dogs playing. It’s not the deepest political commentary, but still, anything helps. Check it out:

NEWS ROUNDUP: The White Stripes, Amber Coffman & More

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  • Amber Coffman Releases Solo Song, Video

    “This is a mantra, a pep talk, a love song to yourself,” the former Dirty Projectors member said about her new song, “All To Myself.” “A small reminder not to spend too much time fretting and just to get out there, live your life and do what makes you happy.” The dreamy song opens with a buzzing hook, the video showing her walking along a beach shore and buried in the sand. Current Dirty Projectors’ member David Longstreth has also recently released new music; Longstreth’s stretched the band’s sound to a deeper, darker place, while Coffman’s veers in a more positive, pop direction. Watch “All To Myself” below:

  • The White Stripes Reunite Against Donald Trump

    The Trump campaign used “Seven Nation Army” in a campaign video, and The White Stripes responded with a Facebook post saying, “[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][We] are disgusted by this association, and by the illegal use of [our] song.” They made their stance on Trump even clearer on Thursday night by making “Icky Trump” t-shirts on the Third Man Records website. It’s a play on the Stripes’ 2007 album Icky Thump, and contain lyrics to the song on the back: “White Americans, what? Nothing else to do?/ Why don’t you kick yourself out, you’re an immigrant too.”

  • Listen To The Tut’s Ode To A Terrible Manager

    “1982” tells the tale of an unfortunate situation the West London punks found them in: After taking a DIY approach to their musical affairs, they signed with a manager who did nothing for them, blaming them for his incompetence. They eventually found out his last contract with a client had ended in 1982, making him severely out of touch with today’s musical scene (and reality, we assume)?  But as the fiercely fun video shows, they’ve managed to rise above- without a manager. Watch below:

  • Watch The Making Of A Seat At The Table

    A Seat at the Table, Beginning Stages contains footage of the early stages of Solange’s latest album, giving insight into the “jam sessions, exploring of sounds and ideas, and experimentation” that created A Seat At The Table. It’s an interesting look at an artist’s process, and you can check it out below. And if you haven’t yet, go listen to the album itself.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Solange, Iggy Pop & Recommended Events

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  • Listen To Solange’s A Seat At The Table

    On Tuesday, Solange announced she would release a new album at the end of the week. A Seat At The Table is here, and features guests like Kelela, Q-Tip, Kelly Rowland, Lil Wayne, Dev Hynes, Moses Sumney, The-Dream, BJ the Chicago Kid and Sean Nicholas Savage. Listen to “Don’t Touch My Hair,” which features Sampha, below and stream the whole thing here.

 

  • Watch The Trailer for an Upcoming Iggy Pop Documentary

    The Jim Jarmusch documentary, Gimme Danger, will be widely available in theaters on November 4th(if you’re in NYC or Detroit, you can catch it as early as October 28th). As the trailer shows, the movie will have plenty clips of Iggy Pop’s iconic performances with The Stooges and commentary from the singer himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fgiW_S2Hgk

  • Read A Brief History Of Presidential Campaign Songs

    From NPR: “The political endorsement song is a strange beast… part commercial jingle, part aspirational anthem and, with nearly no exceptions, a soon-forgotten novelty.” This is also a friendly reminder that you should register to vote ASAP. Read the article here.

  • Recommended Events:

Jenny Hval @ (le) Poisson Rogue – Tonight!

Yonatan Gat @ The Bell House – Tonight!

Charly Bliss @ Brooklyn Night Bazaar- Saturday

Sam Evian @ Rough Trade – Saturday

Paear @ Silent Barn – Saturday

Kishi Bashi @ Webster Hall- Sunday

NEWS ROUNDUP: Video Edition

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  • Do Your Makeup With Sadie Dupuis

    The video for the second single from Dupuis’s solo project, “Less Than 2,” is a spoof of over the top YouTube makeup tutorials. Bored with the beauty vloggers who want to teach you how to contour like Kim Kardashian? This video features blood facials and shows off looks like “Bagel Head,” “Poisonous Lips” and my personal favorite, “Your True Reptilian Self.” Slugger will be released on 11/11 via Carpark Records- watch “Less Than 2” below.

  • Listen To The First Dirty Projectors Song Since 2012

    David Longstreth is sad. In the black and white video for “Keep Your Name,” he does sad things like smash a guitar, take a lonely walk along what appears to be a power plant, and paints a poop emoji alone in an empty room. The song, which samples the earlier Dirty Projectors track “Impregnable Question,” is a satisfyingly melancholy breakup song, but gets a little awkward when Longstreth kinda starts rapping and throws out lines like “What I want from art is truth/ What you want is fame” and “Our band is a brand and it looks that our vision is dissonance.” It’s unclear whether the song is part of a larger project or new album, but if it is, it will be the band’s first since 2012’s Swing Lo Magellan.

  • Watch Beck’s Video For “Wow”

    Ok, this one came out last week. But it’s pretty cool, and maybe you missed it.The video matches the lyrics by being an eclectic mashup of different moods, ideas, and sounds- there’s a gun twirling cowboy, dancing kids, random animations and a rose with an eyeball. Those were contributed by guest artists to create something of a “music video art gallery,” which were placed between clips of Beck dancing on the street and a cowboy riding through the desert. Check it out below:

  • New White Stripes Video Released

    From The White Stripes YouTube Account: “ “City Lights” was written for The White Stripes’ Get Behind Me Satan but then forgotten until White revisited the 2005 album for Third Man’s Record Store Day 2015 vinyl reissue and finished the recording in 2016. The track is the first new, worldwide commercially released song by The White Stripes since 2008.” Filmmaker Michel Gondry made the video on his own and sent it to Third Man Records as a surprise. The simple video is a single shot of a foggy shower door as an unseen bather inside draws shapes and figures in the condensation.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Kim Gordon, G.L.O.S.S. & Featured Events

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Photo Credit: Emma Reeves

  • Listen To “Murdered Out” By Kim Gordon 

    “Murdered Out”  is what you call a car that’s been covered with black matte spray to strip it of identifiable features; covering up logos, tinting the windows. The trend’s popularity in Gordon’s hometown of Los Angeles inspired her new track, which is also the first time she’s released a song under her own name. It’s quite a debut, with a sinister, almost dancey foundation under her trademark breathy, rhythmic vocals.  As Gordon told NPR, Producer Justin Raisen provided the rhythmic structure of the song as well as the bass, while she added vocals and guitar and Stella from Warpaint played drums. Check it out:

  • G.L.O.S.S. Turns Down Epitaph Record Deal

    G.L.O.S.S., the queer, feminist punk band from Olympia Washington, turned down a record deal from Epitaph this week, stating they didn’t want to give up their DIY ethos in favor of something more corporate(Epitaph is distributed by Warner Bros.). As singer Sadie Switchblade wrote in a now widely shared Instagram post, “we don’t have to jump into their world, we can create a new one.” Listen to G.L.O.S.S.’s “Outcast Stomp” below:

  • Featured Events

     Here’s the scoop on this weekend’s must-see shows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r248o_rUfKE[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]