Search Results for: every time i die

When speaking this month to a representative from Soundscan, the company that provides much of the data for the Billboard Top 200 Chart, I learned things that would contradict reported statements by the RIAA. Mainly that US labels have had a significant reduction in sales over the past three years. Cary Sherman, president of the RIAA, responded personally, put his rebuttals on the record and in the process exposed intriguing insight into the way the RIAA calculates “losses.” Soundscan is a service owned by Nielsen, the company that computes TV ratings. Soundscan uses the barcodes on CDs to register sales… Read more »

In the punk and indie-rock communities, members of different bands often collaborate on side projects and release them through independent labels. Major labels, however, aren’t so hip to the practice, which is why you won’t be seeing New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert touring with Hazen Street this summer. “He was there during a lot of the writing process, and he played on some stuff, but when it came down to politics and legal issues, there were problems,” said co-vocalist Freddy Cricien, who also plays in the hardcore group Madball. “Unfortunately, he couldn’t be a part of the album as… Read more »

As Britney Spears begins her European tour Monday in London, the pop singer can count on selling more than $10 million worth of concert souvenirs like baby-doll shirts and posters during the five-week trek. About half of that sum will end up in her pocket, says Dell Furano, CEO of Signatures Network Inc., a merchandising and licensing firm that handles Spears products. In the 25 North American dates of her Onyx Hotel tour, Spears’ merchandise sales averaged $150,000-$170,000 a night, reaching a high of $180,000 during the Los Angeles show March 8, according Furano. Her career merchandise sales passed the… Read more »

Despite more than ten years difference in age, fellow Canadians Chantal Kreviazuk and Avril Lavigne formed a relationship of mutual respect and sisterhood – and become songwriting partners – after they met last summer. “We became really good friends, and no one knew we were writing together,” says Lavigne. “Every single night for two weeks, we would write a new song. And then I was like, ‘OK, I’m ready to record them.’” The pair co-wrote six songs on Lavigne’s forthcoming album, Under My Skin (due May 25th): “Slipped Away,” “Forgotten,” “Together,” “How Does It Feel,” “He Wasn’t” and “Who Knows.”… Read more »

“At the end of every show we’d grab handfuls of these stickers we made at Kinko’s with our name and website,” says Steriogram frontman Brad Carter. “We’d toss ’em to our fans from the stage, 300 or 400 stickers every night.” Carter laughs at the band’s ultra-humble approach to building fan loyalty. But it’s working. Steriogram’s homemade stickers, website and music videos, together with its enthusiastic courting of street teams and high school kids, helped launch the rock-hiphop group from obscurity in Auckland, NZ, to a major deal with Capitol Records. “Our goal was to play in America because our… Read more »

Anyone remember the ‘80s metal band Queensryche? They were a pretty popular band at the time, but tell that to the angry fans who basically shot down and pissed on the band night after night when they opened for Metallica. Playing with a variety of big name bands can help a smaller band raise their profile. But if they can’t deliver to the fans’ interest, then it’s like sending the proverbial lamb to the slaughter. Default have had the unenviable task of catering to different types of audiences ever since they broke on to the scene, but bass player Dave… Read more »

Sometimes your big break comes easier than you imagined it would. Just ask the members of Finger Eleven. After six years, the Canadian quintet is finally getting its just desserts with “One Thing,” the second single from the band’s self-titled third album. While predecessor “Good Times,” a quick-tempo confrontational rocker, didn’t make much of an impact, “One Thing” is a gentle acoustic ballad that arrived with surprisingly little effort. “It came out pretty easily,” singer Scott Anderson said. “It’s the result of [guitarist] James [Black] and I going to a cottage with an acoustic guitar to try to finish up… Read more »

Beyonce Knowles may be “Crazy in Love,” but she kept her cool Sunday at one of the more sober Grammy Awards shows in memory. She was the night’s big winner, taking home a record-tying five trophies to join recent Grammy queens Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys and Norah Jones with the most wins in a single year by a female performer. OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below won Album of the Year, giving the eccentric Atlanta funk/rap group three wins, including Best Urban Alternative Performance and Best Rap Album. British band Coldplay took home the prize for Record of the Year for “Clocks,”… Read more »

For the humdrum New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers, putting on a show to match the glitz, glitter and star power of the rest of Super Bowl Sunday was no easy task. Typical of America’s biggest unofficial holiday, the game was only the icing on an over-the-top extravaganza. There was a gleaming new $450 million stadium to show off, a slew of pricey new ads, and Beyonce, Janet Jackson and P. Diddy to share the field. The biggest cliffhanger of the week wasn’t who would win, but whether Janet’s brother, Michael, would show up. He didn’t, but Justin Timberlake did,… Read more »

Ben Kweller and producer Ethan Johns took a trip back in time in recording Kweller’s third solo release, On My Way. Johns encouraged the twentysomething pop phenom to cut his latest album in classic garage rock manner: guitars, bass and drums played live in the studio with no headphones and minimal post-production. Johns’ recording of the eleven-song set, due April 6th, captures some live-wire vocals from Kweller as well as his inspired guitar interplay with Mike Stroud (formerly of Dashboard Confessional), which echoes that of Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s Danny Whitten circa 1969. Kweller was introduced to the producer… Read more »