All about the world of music from the inside

  • Take Action Music Summit & Concert Marketing Panel Tuesday in AustinThe free Take Action Music Summit & Showcases are happening tonight and all day Tuesday at the Mohawk in Austin during SXSW, and you don't need an official festival pass to attend the daytime Summit on Tuesday, March 12th.....
    The post Take Action Music Summit & Concert Marketing Panel Tuesday in Austin appeared first on Hypebot.

    The free Take Action Music Summit & Showcases are happening tonight and all day Tuesday at the Mohawk in Austin during SXSW, and you don't need an official festival pass to attend the daytime Summit on Tuesday, March 12th.....

  • Instagram beats TikTok user growth for the first time in 4 yearsAccording to data from Sensor Tower, Instagram surpassed TikTok in new app downloads last year for the first time since 2020, making it the most downloaded app globally.....
    The post Instagram beats TikTok user growth for the first time in 4 years appeared first on Hypebot.

    According to data from Sensor Tower, Instagram surpassed TikTok in new app downloads last year for the first time since 2020, making it the most downloaded app globally.....

  • Fall Out Boy at the Honda CenterVery few bands have had the longevity of multi-platinum band Fall Out Boy. Since the early 2000s, the band has consistently reinvented their punk-rock sound across their eighth studio album. Their latest project So Much (for) Stardust is filled with addictive anthems, dynamic guitar riffs and euphoric lyrics that redefine their sound. In support of the album the band headed on the road last year for the So Much For (Tour) Dust tour. Due to the huge success the band is back with the encore tour, So Much For (2our) Dust –  a 20+ date run across the US. The band stopped by the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA in March. 4th, joining them this time around was Jimmy Eat World, The Maine, and Daisy Grenade.

    The night began with a fun 30-minute performance by punk grunge duo Daisy Grenade. Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittake’s charismatic personas and catchy harmonies won the crowd over. The biggest cheers of the night came when they performed the popular Pierce the Veil cover “King For A Day.” It’s a hard song to sing but the duo gave a memorable rendition. Their style is fresh and youthful, the perfect openers for the night.

    Dressed in matching white suits, pop punk band The Maine know how to make an entrance. The band have been busy promoting their ninth self-titled album, The Maine. Their outfits are an homage of the mood and aesthetic of the dance rock project. Frontman John O’Callaghan’s energetic persona had the crowd cheering and dancing along. The band offered the crowd a taste of their diverse catalog with songs including “blame,” “Black Butterflies & Déjà Vu” and “Loved You a Little.” 

    Rock bands Jimmy Eat World have been in the music game since the late 90s and are pros at what they do best – perform live. Their music resonated with the crowd as they received one of the biggest applause of the night. The band kicked off their set with the crowd favorites "A Praise Chorus," “Big Casino” and one of their biggest songs to date  “Sweetness.” Frontman Jim Adkins’ powerhouse vocals are a real treat to see live, he has a very distinctive voice that echoes through the entire venue. The band’s hour-long set included fan-favorites “Lucky Denver Mint,” “Pain,” and “The Middle.” 

    Before Fall Out Boy made their grand entrance bright red curtains set the theatrical atmosphere as a recording of “The Pink Seashell,” a spoken word piece narrated by Ethan Hawke from So Much (for) Stardust, blasted over the speakers. Their set began with the first single of their new album “Love From the Other Side.” The show featured unique set pieces that set the atmosphere for the night. We were transported from the sea to a mystical forest and later in the night joined by giant doberman puppet. The band is known for their insane use of pyrotechnics and energetic performance. Ahey did not disappoint with awe-dropping moments including Pete Wentz’s iconic flamethrower bass during “Phoenix,” and “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up).” Wentz was the biggest hype man of the night, often taking time to chat with the crowd and interacting with them.

    The set spanned the band’s extensive career defining discography, keeping old and newer fans happy. Frontman Patrick Stump may say he’s a shy person, but his soulful and versatile vocals made him the center of attention. Towards the middle of the show, he took time to chat with the crowd, revealing he’s currently writing music for television before performing a solo piano medley of “I’ve Got All This Ringing In My Ears and None On My Fingers,” “What a Catch, Donnie” and ending with “Don't Stop Me Now.” Wentz also had some solo time on stage, as he performed a spoken word track, “Baby Annihilation.” Keeping up with the ominous vibes, he held black fabric over his head and disappeared from the stage. Emerging towards the end of the venue in a lifting podium while the band covered Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.”

    Each night the band calls upon a magic 8 ball to help them with their set list. For this performance, the first song the ball chose was “7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen)” from the album From Under the Cork Tree. For their next surprise song, the band brought out the band Cobra Starship for a performance of their mega  hit “Good Girls Go Bad.” Marking their first performance since 2014. 

    Over the course of two hours, the band had the entire venue dancing along to their immense hit’s including “Sugar, We're Goin Down, “Uma Thurman ""This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race " "Thnks fr th Mmrs.” As is tradition, the band ended their set with the classic “Saturday.”

    Very few bands have had the longevity of multi-platinum band Fall Out Boy. Since the early 2000s, the band has consistently reinvented their punk-rock sound across their eighth studio album. Their …

  • Getting It Done: The Week in DIY & Indie MusicLast week, our tips and advice for independent, do-it-yourselfers covered how to file taxes for self-employed musicians, Pandora AMP updates, a beginner’s guide to royalties, and more.
    The post Getting It Done: The Week in DIY & Indie Music appeared first on Hypebot.

    Last week, our tips and advice for independent, do-it-yourselfers covered how to file taxes for self-employed musicians, Pandora AMP updates, a beginner’s guide to royalties, and more.

  • REWIND: The new music industry’s week in reviewIt was a busy week by any definition, and the music industry was no exception, with WMG making a $1.8B bid to buy Believe, Live Nation announcing continued artists subsidies,. Continue reading
    The post REWIND: The new music industry’s week in review appeared first on Hypebot.

    It was a busy week by any definition, and the music industry was no exception, with WMG making a $1.8B bid to buy Believe, Live Nation announcing continued artists subsidies,. Continue reading

  • Kubernik: Best Of Bruce Springsteen Tour, New Memoir

    Solo Bruce Springsteen stage photo by Henry Diltz, Courtesy of Gary Strobl at the Diltz Archives

    Rare Born to Run autographed LP cover, courtesy of the Harvey Kubernik Archives

    Sony Music will celebrate the music of Bruce Springsteen next month with a collection of original songs spanning his 50-year recording career, from 1973's Greeting from Asbury Park, NJ to 2020's Letter To You. Best Of Bruce Springsteen will be available on April 19, and issued in physical formats as an 18-track set across 2 LPs or 1 CD - and digitally as an expanded 31-song package.

        The compilation will span early-career favorites like "Growin' Up" and "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)," staples of Springsteen's live shows from "Dancing In The Dark" to "The Rising," "Born To Run," and "Hungry Heart," as well as recent releases "Hello Sunshine" and "Letter To You."

       Best Of Bruce Springsteen arrives with an album cover shot by Eric Meola during the Born To Run sessions, as well as new liner notes by Erik Flannigan.

        Before the release of Best Of Bruce Springsteen, he'll return to the road with The E Street Band later this month, beginning on March 19 in Phoenix, Arizona for a series of 51 shows across North America and Europe. Continuing their first run together since 2016-2017, Springsteen and The E Street Band's recent tour stops have been hailed as "one of the greatest shows ever" by The Daily Telegraph and "the greatest show on earth" by Billboard.

       For over a half a century, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have exemplified the crowd-pleasing, soul-shaking, energy-exploding excitement of rock and roll onstage.

            It was on the initial suggestion of legendary A&R man and record producer, John Henry Hammond II of Columbia Records to label head Clive Davis who signed Bruce Springsteen to the company on January 9, 1972, the same night I witnessed the Rolling Stones at the Hollywood Palladium.

             In very late April and early May of 1973, Columbia Records President Clive Davis hosted a week of label acts in downtown Los Angeles at The Ahmanson Theater billed as A Week to Remember. Judy Paynter, Director of Press Information at Columbia Records in their Sunset Blvd. office in Hollywood invited me.

        I saw Johnny Cash, Miles Davis, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Charlie Rich, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Billy Paul. Richard Pryor was an emcee one night.

         On May 1, 1973 at the venue, Davis showcased Bruce Springsteen alongside Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show and New Riders of the Purple Sage. Springsteen’s played tunes from his just issued January 5th ’73 debut LP Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.: “Spirit in the Night, “Wild Billy’s Circus Story, “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street,” and something called “Thundercrack.” I think he did an encore of “Twist and Shout.” 

        I’d just interviewed a couple of disco acts, and man, did I need a shot of rock ‘n’ roll which Bruce and his band supplied.  

    I next saw Springsteen at Doug Weston’s Troubadour club in West Hollywood in 1973. Maybe in February. Perhaps on my birthday, February 26th. Photographer Richard Creamer was with me. A short set. Maybe before or after the Ahmanson appearance. One thing was evident: Bruce meant every word that came out of his mouth.       

    I have a memory of a March 1973 Springsteen booking at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium show where Bruce and the group opened for Dr. John and blew the headliner off the stage. What I do remember from that night was holding hands with the girl I was with during “Lost in the Flood.” The run up to that achievement took an entire college semester but was well worth it…   

        I was in San Francisco the last week of 1973 and bumped into photographer Henry Diltz in North Beach. I first met Henry in 1967 when he was the official photographer for the second season of The Monkees television series filmed on the Columbia lot at Gower Gulch. My mother Hilda worked as a secretary and stenographer there for Raybert Productions and helped typed some of the scripts. Henry had been hired to shoot the July 27, 1973 Columbia and Epic Records Convention at the Fairmount Hotel and snapped pictures of   newcomer, Bruce Springsteen, who performed for the label employees.      

    The most inspirational Springsteen recital I caught in the seventies was probably November 1st 1975 on the campus of U.C. Santa Barbara inside the Robertson Gymnasium. It was seismic. “Saint in the City” stuck in my head the entire 90-minute road trip back to Los Angeles.

    Afterwards, I went to one of my favorite spots on La Cienega Blvd. called Ollie Hammond’s Steak House for a hamburger. They had 24-hour service. I look at the next table and there was Bruce. He was staying down the street with the band at the Sunset Marquis. I had a copy of the first pressing of Born to Run at my crib nearby with the different lettering front cover. He later autographed it for me.

       Next time Steve, Bruce and the E Street Band were in town in 1976, they packed the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium for two nights on September 29th-30th. I slept outside the box office for ducats. I had to see both shows and only had a press ticket for one of them. I met two new friends at 5:00 am, David Leaf and Michael Hacker. I still talk to them. 

        On October 5th, I schlepped up to the Santa Barbara Bowl with a high school pal, Robert Sherman, for another Bruce-induced musical booster shot. I managed to buy some orchestra pit seats and a local surfer girl in Isla Vista also turned us on to McConnell’s Ice Cream.      After these power-packed dates, I interviewed E Street Band guitarist and record producer Steven Van Zandt for the November 6, 1976 issue of Melody Maker.   

    Steve Van Zandt: Miami, Bruce, and Roots

         Steve smiles when asked about the outstanding version of 'It's My Life', the Animals classic which has been worked up into a 20-minute mini-drama in Bruce's act.

        "That was at a soundcheck," he remembers. "When we do a soundcheck we jam and mess around on songs by the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye and the sixties English things. 'It's My Life' started there. Bein' the brilliant cat he is, Bruce put that rap in which was so revealing.

       "Once somebody sees the band, they can't possibly not like it. There's a difference between recording and the live situation. The albums give you a chance to know the songs and lyrics, and then that's expanded playing live.

        "It gives you a broader sense of who he is," he argues. "It would be kinda boring to see an identical record.

        "Bruce is the best possible boss," he says, munching over a kosher dill. "He's hip enough to let everybody do their own thing, to express in other ways. All that does is make your gig better. When you go back to playing in the band it's like comin' home to foundation and security.

        "We look like we have fun on stage 'cause we do. Ninety-nine out of 100 shows I enjoy as much as the audience. I think it shows up there.

       "People aren't spectators, they're friends. The people stay with us. We have a real loyal following. In anybody else's case two years between albums would have been a disaster because Bruce Springsteen isn't a household word.

        "The people we play to don't like us – they love us. It comes from playing clubs and small theatres two years longer than the business would have suggested.

        "Small places have created this thing other bands seem to miss when they go for the bread and the 50,000-seaters. That's cool. It doesn't matter to me."

       The E Street Band are one of the few groups around today carrying on traditional rock and roll. "I don't wake up in the morning feeling I'm carrying on a tradition," Van Zandt suggests.

        "We're a roots rock group. We're conscious of it. I'm doing things not innovative, but we're always modernizing the situation as much as possible. That's one of the reasons we use Jimmy Iovine as engineer. He's the best. A contemporary cat. We get a balance between us. If I had it my way we'd do the records in mono," he laughs.

       "I think it's a prerequisite that it's derivative. It's obvious where it comes from. I just worry it will be considered a throwback or an oldie. These words scare me.

        "I go home and someone puts on the new Peter Frampton album, and I then put Sam & Dave's Greatest Hits on the turntable and I feel it was released yesterday. In Bruce's case, he's cool. He's innovative, and creative, and lyrically beyond any problems.

       "Every night I hear him change the rap between songs. That's gotta happen. We're not robots or actors. Why write a song or play one if it doesn't change or no-one is getting off? That's why I never understood the top 40 trip.”

         In my 2004 book, This Is Rebel Music, Van Zandt explained the bond Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have with their devoted audience. 

        “I know it sounds a bit silly but I do believe rock ‘n’ roll can change the world. It’s about bands, and that for me suggests brotherhood, family, friendship, and community.

         “I don’t mean to be blasphemes but I look at rock and roll as a religion. For me it is that kind of thing. People become part of this religion regardless of their age, or what a certain common ground with this type or that I can’t explain but I know exists.

        “Because that’s what we do, that’s the job description with a performing artist; you have to be that thing that helps to heal in times of suffering. Sometimes it’s there to celebrate…but you are sort of the ‘voice of the community’, or the sounding board or whatever. In a funny way, I think that rock ‘n’ roll became the church of the community. I know it has been for me…”

        During 1977 I interviewed saxophonist Clarence Clemons, “the Big Man” in the E Street Band for the now defunct Melody Maker in Culver City. Clemons was cast in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio musical drama, New York, New York, directed by Martin Scorsese. Clarence portrayed Cecil Powell. The movie starred Liza Minnelli as Francine Evans and Robert De Niro as Jimmy Doyle. Dick Miller had a part as a club owner. I’m in a crowd scene, and my soon to be friend, Harry E. Northup, played Alabama. Harry had pivotal roles in previous Scorsese movies Mean Streets and Taxi Driver.

           In 1978 I was appointed West Coast Director of A&R for MCA Records. In my tenure, I worked on the Denny Bruce-produced John Hiatt album Slug Line, and secured some musicians for his touring band. I helped oversee MCA’s acquisition of ABC Records.

         I also suggested and lobbied hard for the pairing of engineer-turned record producer Jimmy Iovine with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to team for Damn the Torpedoes. In 2014, Tom penned the forward to my book Turn Up the Radio! Pop, Rock and Roll in Los Angeles 1956-1972. 

         I initiated the Del Shannon album Drop Down and Get Me which Petty produced. This decade Bruce filmed an interview for a Shannon documentary I’m helping produce and write.

        In spring of 1978 I flew to Philadelphia to report on a Bruce Springsteen tour for the June 10, 1978 issue of Melody Maker.

     

    Bruce Springsteen: Reborn and Running Again

      EVEN BEFORE the two brilliant concerts at the Spectrum earlier in the week, Bruce Springsteen could have been the Mayor of Philadelphia if he had ever decided to campaign.

          Another impressive addition to the Springsteen sound is organist Danny Federici. His playing reminds me of Stevie Winwood and it's logical to find out from bassist Garry Tallent that before Federici joined the band, they used to do a live rendition of “Gimme Some Lovin',” the Spencer Davis song.

         Danny does very few solos in the show, but is a functional player who offers well-defined passages and, like the rest of the band, doesn't fall into the trap of egotism. This is team work on display. Danny was also quite pleased by the Philadelphia fan reaction "Bruce has always been popular here, even before I joined the band. He dedicated 'For You' to the audience tonight. They have been with him from the start."

        My brother Kenneth and I caught a stellar Springsteen concert on June 29, 1978 in San Jose at The Center for the Performing Arts. Bruce’s road manager put me on the guest list. Backstage, Ken and Bruce shared a bottle of Canada Dry Ginger Ale and discussed David Sancious’ remarkable musical abilities for 15 minutes.       

        What followed were two early July 1978 Springsteen and Co. Southern California appearances at the Inglewood Forum and Roxy Theater, the second which was broadcast live on KMET-FM.  “Prove It All Night” further spotlighted Bruce’s lead guitar prowess, while the churchy “Adam Raised the Cain” underscored a biblical expedition I hadn’t realized on Darkness on the Edge of Town.       

        Bruce had cited guitarist Michael Bloomfield as an influence to me in a conversation one night at The Starwood club where we saw the Ramones, but Steven was the big Bloomfield fan.     “I’ve played Dylan’s songs with Bruce and in top 40 bands earlier,” enthused Van Zandt. “I talk a lot about Bloomfield. Oh my God…One of the greats. The single most unsung guitar hero. Really, right there alongside the holy trinity of (Eric) Clapton, (Jeff) Beck and (Jimmy) Page. Probably next in line as far as influence and importance would be Mike Bloomfield in our early youth growing up. Extremely important.”

        On November 1, 1978 I sat with Ian Hunter the bandleader of Mott the Hoople at a Springsteen concert held in New Jersey at Princeton University’s Jadwin Gymnasium.  I interviewed Ian in 2000, asking about Springsteen and the E Street Band.

         “I liked the band,” offered Hunter. “I wasn’t too sure about Springsteen because - it wasn’t his fault, but clean rock ‘n’ roll came in about that time, and he seemed to be the cigarette.  (Laughs.)  I was very angry, and I don’t know why, because I saw him again in June 2000 at Madison Square Garden, and I said to him afterwards, ‘Some people are rock ‘n’ roll, a lot of people run around it, but I said I saw a forest tonight.’  I mean, they were great!  The first five songs were mind-blowing.

        “That’s what I said to him.  He’s for real.  And also, he tries to change people, he tries to make people better, ya know.  That whole kinda quasi-evangelist thing that he does.  He’s trying to get a point across there.  And it’s funny, but he’s trying to get the point across.  And I think he’s a man of the people.  I think he’s genuine.  The feeling with him I get is genuine.  And of course, that band on them middle speeds, there's nobody better.  That band is the finest band there is.

       “There’s an element of corn there, but people love corn,” emphasized Hunter. “And he knows that.  I know that too.  Some of the things he does wouldn’t be classed as cool, but then cool is a very overrated thing.  There’s a lot of cool people about that I think are absolute idiots.”      And then there was Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band unhinged for two nights in mid-December 1978 at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco promoted by Bill Graham.  Kenneth and I drove up there in Bruce Gary’s van, who was enjoying long-deserved record business success as the drummer of the Knack. Bruce had jammed with the Knack at The Troubadour.

    I was introduced to Bruce’s mother, Adele.  I believe his father Douglas was in attendance. Bruce’s sister Pam was there. Go take a listen to the KSAN-FM radio broadcast of that monumental event that’s been in circulation for decades.

        Nothing else needs to be written about that weekend I witnessed. 

        Since then, over the last few decades, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band always seem to arrive in my Southern California hometown at the right time in my life when I really need to see and hear them.  

    In November 2006, Harvey Kubernik was invited to address audiotape preservation and archiving at special hearings called by The Library of Congress held in Hollywood, California. Kubernik is the author of 20 books, including 2009’s Canyon Of Dreams: The Magic And The Music Of Laurel Canyon and 2014’s Turn Up The Radio! Rock, Pop and Roll In Los Angeles 1956-1972.  He has also written titles on Leonard Cohen and Neil Young.

        Sterling/Barnes and Noble in 2018 published Harvey and Kenneth Kubernik’s The Story Of The Band: From Big Pink To The Last Waltz. In2021 they wrote Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child for Sterling/Barnes and Noble.

       Otherworld Cottage Industries in 2020 published Harvey’s Docs That Rock, Music That Matters.

    His writings are in several book anthologies, including, The Rolling Stone Book Of The Beats and Drinking With Bukowski. Harvey wrote the liner notes to the CD re-releases of Carole King’s Tapestry, The Essential Carole King, Allen Ginsberg’s Kaddish, Elvis Presley The ’68 Comeback Special, The Ramones’ End of the Century and Big Brother & the Holding Company Captured Live at The Monterey International Pop Festival.

    On October 16, 2023, ACC ART BOOKS LTD published THE ROLLING STONES: ICONS. 312 pages. $75.00. Introduction is penned by Kubernik.   

    Solo Bruce Springsteen stage photo by Henry Diltz, Courtesy of Gary Strobl at the Diltz Archives Rare Born to Run autographed LP cover, courtesy of the Harvey Kubernik Archives Sony Music will cele…

  • Believe and TuneCore Celebrate International Women's Day with Study: BE THE CHANGE: Gender Equity in MusicIn honor of International Women’s Day, Believe, one of the world’s leading digital music companies, and TuneCore, the leading development partner for self-releasing artists, have officially released the results of the fourth annual study, BE THE CHANGE: Gender Equity in Music. 

    For this year’s study, leading market intelligence and consulting firm MIDiA Research surveyed more than 4,100 members of the music industry—with a predominant focus on creators—in an effort to better understand their struggles and provide tangible strategies to help them overcome their challenges. Of the thousands of respondents surveyed, more than 35% self-identified as female or gender expansive, with over 75% responding from outside of the United States, providing a truly global snapshot of the music industry. 

    With a foreword written by Academy Award and Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge, the 2024 BE THE CHANGE: Gender Equity in Music study yields insights into the prevalence of and sentiment surrounding issues in the music industry including gender-based discrimination, sexual assault and harassment, income disparity, industry departure, and more.

    The full study is available for download now HERE.

    tunecore.com/be-the-change

    In honor of International Women’s Day, Believe, one of the world’s leading digital music companies, and TuneCore, the leading development partner for self-releasing artists, have officially release…

  • From Warner’s potential bid for Believe to the unveiling of Interscope Capitol Labels Group… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe five biggest stories to hit our headlines over the past seven days…
    Source

  • Gary Kelly and Jason Kawejsza promoted to key roles at Interscope Capitol Labels GroupKelly appointed Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager; Kawejsza named Executive Vice President, Head of Business & Legal Affairs
    Source

    Kelly appointed Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager; Kawejsza named Executive Vice President, Head of Business &

  • Pandora AMP adds spotlight picks, custom Bios, cover photosPandora does not get the headlines that its streaming competitors do, but with 50 million monthly active users, it would be a mistake not to include Pandora in every music marketing plan.....
    The post Pandora AMP adds spotlight picks, custom Bios, cover photos appeared first on Hypebot.

    Pandora does not get the headlines that its streaming competitors do, but with 50 million monthly active users, it would be a mistake not to include Pandora in every music marketing plan.....

  • TikTok offers Musicians new ways to make money and grow an audienceTikTok is under fire from Congress, music publishers, and the world's largest music group, but it's battling back on multiple fronts. In addition to asking users to call their Representatives, its trying to keep creators happy by offering them new ways to monetize content and grow on the platform.....
    The post TikTok offers Musicians new ways to make money and grow an audience appeared first on Hypebot.

    TikTok is under fire from Congress, music publishers, and the world's largest music group, but it's battling back on multiple fronts. In addition to asking users to call their Representatives, its trying to keep creators happy by offering them new ways to monetize content and grow on the platform.....

  • BEWARE: OpenAI Sora text-to-video AI may be the most dangerous threat yet!Attorney Wallace Collins looks at OpenAI's new text-to-video tool and its implications for creators and rightsholders.....
    The post BEWARE: OpenAI Sora text-to-video AI may be the most dangerous threat yet! appeared first on Hypebot.

    Attorney Wallace Collins looks at OpenAI's new text-to-video tool and its implications for creators and rightsholders.....

  • Crosses in RaleighCrosses is currently on tour in North America and Europe, showcasing their sophomore LP, “Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.”

    Crosses (stylized as †††) is an electronic alternative rock music group featuring vocalist Chino Moreno and producer/guitarist Shaun Lopez. Their music project seamlessly blends elements of alternative rock, synth-pop, trip-hop, and ambient music, emphasizing melody and mood. Despite the protentional for dark undertones, the duo characterizes their sound as “contemporary.” They draw influence from notable bands such as Nine Inch Nails and The Cure, which adds depth and richness to their musical pallet.

    Crosses recently emerged from a self-described “hiatus.” Although there hasn’t been much public news or releases, Chino Moreno and Shaun Lopez have been quietly immersed in music production for the past four years. In 2022, the band made a comeback with a new EP titled “Permanent Radiant,” signaling to fans that they are back with their signature sound. Shaun Lopez highlighted that the success of this release bolstered their confidence, leading to the creation of tracks that eventually found their place on the 2023 sophomore album, “Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.”

    Chino Moreno, producer and vocalist of Deftones, brings his distinctive vocals to Crosses, contributing to a new and ethereal atmospheric sound.  Producer and multi-instrumentalist Shaun Lopez carries his own weight within the group, boasting a strong background in music production, guitars, and synthesizers. Shaun intuitively knows when to step up, making his sounds heard, and this ability can be particularly impressive at times.

    The 18-song setlist you’ll experience on most tour night offers a blend of old and new tracks, including classics such as “This Is a Trick,” “Bitches Brew,” and “Telepathy” from their self-titled 2014 debut LP. The lineup also features big hits like “Invisible Hand” and “Big Youth” from their 2023 LP, “Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.” One of the standout moments of the show was the Depeche Mode-influenced track “Vivien” from the 2022 ‘PERMANENT.RADIANT – EP,’ boasting a captivating mix of fluttering electronic and ‘80s new wave sounds.

    Crosses continues on tour in North America until March of 2024 with upcoming shows in Sacramento, California; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington. After a brief break, the band will embark on a European tour in June 2024 with shows in Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

    You can find additional tour dates and music at crossesmusic.com

    Crosses is currently on tour in North America and Europe, showcasing their sophomore LP, “Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.” Crosses (stylized as †††) is an electronic alternative rock music …

  • Interscope Geffen A&M and Capitol Music Group are now officially consolidated under the ‘Interscope Capitol Labels Group’; Steve Berman and Annie Lee both promoted to new rolesInterscope Capitol Labels Group is headed up by Chairman and CEO, John Janick
    Source

  • Unofficial Guide to Music Industry Events during SXSW 2024The Music Tectonics and Rock Paper Scissors team has pulled together an impressive list of official and unofficial music industry and music industry and music tech events happening next week in Austin during SXSW.....
    The post Unofficial Guide to Music Industry Events during SXSW 2024 appeared first on Hypebot.

    The Music Tectonics and Rock Paper Scissors team has pulled together an impressive list of official and unofficial music industry and music industry and music tech events happening next week in Austin during SXSW.....