In the Event of My Demise: The Death of a Rock Star
Last year one of my favorite artists, Amy Winehouse died of an apparent alcohol overdose. To most people it wasn’t a surprise, because of the way she lived her life it was inevitable that she would be deceased soon if she didn’t change her lifestyle. What perplexes me the most is the way the media and fans embrace tabloid rumors and drunken pictures of their favorite artists, while singing along to the beat of their songs.
Rexly Wants You to Press Play and Hear Something NewRexly is a highly personalized social music service that uses data from your personal listening habits and your “super trust” network to deliver fast and relevant digital recommendations. Rexly strives to rock musical worlds by collecting the most meaningful data and applying the most powerful recommendation techniques, in an environment that respects privacy and reveres individuality.
Jackson Browne’s “These Days” – Simply a MasterpieceSinger/Songwriter Jackson Browne has penned a countless number of songs inspiring and influencing a generation of songwriters. On his For Everyman album, released in 1973, Jackson Browne closed side one with this four minute, forty one second masterpiece. What is it about this song that has (literally) millions of YouTube visitors watching/listening to it almost forty years later?
Final Curtain or Shower Curtain?Having just finished watching yet another talent show, Debbie asked her mum “how can I become a singer Mum? She had done what most kids do today; she had confused the ability to sing with becoming a singer. The two are not necessarily the same.
Jackson Browne’s “For Everyman” – A Classic AlbumRolling Stone magazine listen Jackson Browne’s “For Everyman” among its “Top 500 Albums” of all time. What was it about this album that made it so special?
Jackson Browne: The Pretender – Part ThreeWith the near-perfect combination of impeccable songwriting, production and over thirty musical artists contributing to the cause, Jackson Browne’s album The Pretender is the finest in Browne’s career and (as stated in Rolling Stone magazine) one of the greatest albums of all time. In this third and final article on The Pretender we look at the song “Sleep’s Dark and Silent Gate” and identify some of the brilliant artists who contributed to this album.
Family Theme Drives Admiration For The JacksonsMost of us enjoyed the music of Michael Jackson and The Jacksons. But until recently I didn’t appreciate my real reasons for being such an admirer of their clan.
Music Is a Way of LifeEver wondered what life would be like if we didn’t have music? I think that it would be very depressing and people wouldn’t have a style and certain flow and wouldn’t see life the way they see it today. Music has educated us in many ways although we might not see it now, but just imagine life was always quiet and all we would listen to is people’s voices and birds and animals and the sounds of nature. Look at the way things have changed over the decades from the way people used to dress, from the afro funk in the 70’s and 80’s and Rasta cultures having their reggae style adding to the dreads. Now we have hip hop music which is affecting the youth globally and so many dance styles there are and all the dance music that have made big DJ names available. So music is also a way of life it is also even a culture.
Details of the New DrumIt Five 2Box Drum SystemThe DrumIt Five is a flexible and powerful electronic drum system that allows you to upload and assign to any pad hundreds of amazing drum sounds. The included lightweight rack system is strong and highly adjustable. The brand new and very powerful 4GB drum module powers this amazing and versatile drum system. A totally new sensations in electronic drumming.
The Beatles “Yesterday” Classic Example of the AABA Song FormTake a look at a classic song by the Beatles to learn about the AABA song form. A nice change of pace from Verse/Chorus.
Songwriters – The Five P’s for Succeeding in SongwritingAs difficult as it may seem at times, achieving your goals as a songwriter is very possible. There are a few crucial things to be aware of that can help you succeed in reaching your goals. We’ll talk about them here.
Record Company Greed Prevents Most From Hearing Great New Rock and Roll Singer, Songwriter and BandsPeople who grew up in the 60s, 70s and 80s know that fresh new musical talent got heard and promoted by the big record companies. As a result, amazingly wonderful music got heard by the masses. Today, things have changed. Most music that will be backed by the big record labels has to fit into a specific money making formula. Most of this music lacks deep musical beauty and complexity.
Downtempo Electronica Music – How To Identify This Genre?Downtempo electronica music originated in the United Kingdom in the 1990s. Since it has similar elements to trip hop, ambient music, and chill out, the differences between those musical styles are not so big. However, downtempo still has its own distinctive characteristics, making it an independent genre.
Kingston MTD Andrew Gouche Signature BassA renowned bass guitar builder and a great bass player, already longtime friends, joined forces in 2010 to design a special, signature bass that bears both their names. The result is the new MTD Kingston AG 5-string electric bass. Michael Tobias, the MT in Michael Tobias Designs, has been designing and building some of the world’s greatest electric basses for over 35 years.
Young Axl Rose Vs. Axl Rose NowDespite the naysayers, W. Axl Rose is still alive and kicking in stadiums around the world. Even so, can he compete with the shadow of his younger, hungrier self? What is the real difference between the young Axl Rose and Axl Rose now?