As Record Store Day approaches on April 16, the fourth annual event continues to be an increasingly valued channel through which to sell music.
The number of stores expected to participate will be about the same as last year: about 1,400 around the world.
Recently, Jamie McGrath sat down with the lead singer of Canadien alternative rock band Default, Dallas Smith. They discussed touring, the state of the music industry and Default’s latest album, Comes and Goes.
Motley Crue is taking a page from the Ozzy Osbourne playbook by launching its own touring hard-rock festival, the band said on Tuesday. Crue Fest, whose roster also includes Grammy-nominated acts Buckcherry and Papa Roach, will kick off in West Palm Beach, Fla., on July 1, and take in 41 cities across United States and Canada. The amphitheater trek will help the band promote its autobiographical new album “Saints of Los Angeles,” which is due in stores on June 17. Singer Vince Neil, bass player Nikki Sixx, guitarist Mick Mars and drummer Tommy Lee performed the title track, as well… Read more »
Amy Winehouse and Paul McCartney set their recent troubles aside to steal the show Wednesday at the Brit Awards, the British music industry’s most prestigious prizes. Rockers Foo Fighters and British bands Take That and Arctic Monkeys were all double winners at Britain’s equivalent of the Grammys. Although she wasn’t up for any awards, troubled retro-soul diva Winehouse received a rapturous reception when she appeared to perform “Valerie” with Mark Ronson. She followed that up with the sultry ballad “Love is a Losing Game” from her breakthrough album “Back to Black.” Winehouse, who appeared composed and confident, urged the crowd… Read more »
Sure, they say it every year: This summer’s Ozzfest will be like none that came before. But this time, it’s true: Admission will be free. Yes, free. At a press conference held in Los Angeles Tuesday afternoon (February 6), festival co-founder Sharon Osbourne announced that, in response to the ever-escalating costs of concert tickets, admission to this year’s Ozzfest – which will be headlined by Ozzy Osbourne – won’t cost fans a dime. “For the last few years, ticket prices have steadily climbed as artists demand more and more money for summer tours,” she said in a statement. “We certainly… Read more »
With the decade fast approaching it’s musical climax, 2006 proved to be a big winner for an industry hit by piracy. The live music scene proved to be the biggest release for most acts, with top grossing tours for some of the world’s biggest bands, and an explosion in music festivals across the globe. Firstly, let’s recap on albums were still waiting on from last year; OutKast’s first studio album since 2004’s “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” (which was one of the year’s biggest releases) is rumoured now for the spring, and Guns N’ Roses failed to deliver on their promise of… Read more »
Los Angeles – Academia’s loss is heavy metal’s gain. Ian Kilmister, a.k.a. Lemmy, the frontman for Grammy-winning English rock trio Motorhead, could have made a stimulating history professor, sharing his begrudging admiration for Goering and disdain for “bastards” like Hitler and Roosevelt with eager students. Instead, the 59-year-old achieved cult fame with generations of headbangers by singing and writing furious anthems like “Killed By Death” and “Orgasmatron.” But he remains fascinated by World War II and he spends his money collecting Nazi memorabilia, which is piled high in his two-bedroom apartment off the Sunset Strip. “I was born in ’45,… Read more »
New York – OK, let’s see: The former Guns N’ Roses bandmates have exchanged one loose cannon, Axl Rose, for another who seems even more volatile, Scott Weiland. And rock critics are placing bets on whether Weiland can get through a worldwide tour without winding up in either rehab, jail or a body bag. But after three Grammy nominations and one hit album, the supergroup known as Velvet Revolver is just getting started. The band consists of heavyweights from two of the biggest – and most troubled – rock bands of the past 15 years: Former Stone Temple Pilots frontman… Read more »
The help for tsunami victims keeps on coming from the music community. No Doubt, Linkin Park with Jay-Z, Blink-182, Jurassic 5, Story of the Year, Crystal Method and Ozzy Osbourne will perform at a benefit concert Feb. 18 in Anaheim, Calif. The organizer, Music for Relief, hopes to raise over $1 million from the show, with proceeds going to UNICEF and Habitat for Humanity programs in South Asia. R&B star Alicia Keys led an array of singers and other international celebrities who entertained thousands at a separate benefit event on Feb. 3. The MTV Asia Aid show in the Thai… Read more »
Los Angeles – Motley Crue action figure sets will be up for grabs in a promotion for the band’s reunion tour this spring. Global Spectrum and McFarlane Toys are teaming to offer concertgoers at five venues the chance to win a set along with a pair of concert tickets. The promotion is part of Global Spectrum’s effort to explore more creative marketing tools, while McFarlane Toys is seeking to expand its customer base. “This is a way to draw attention to our venues,” Global Spectrum COO John Page says. “Traditional forms of advertisement aren’t having the same impact they used… Read more »
