It's Not Gossip, It's Commentary
Melissa Etheridge’s latest studio album, ‘This is Me,’ is set for release September 30. Etheridge had a hand in penning every song, along with “some amazing collaborators who really helped craft songs and an album that is truly representative of where [she is in her] life at this moment.” Fans of Etheridge can take part in the process by contributing their personal photos for a mosaic on the album cover. For more info, visit the BE PART OF ME website. Fans have until June 27th to submit images for consideration.
In what can only be described as epic, Crash Kings visited The Bootleg last night for an unforgettable event. The high-energy band is led by lead singer Tony Beliveau, who’s joined by his brother, Mike Beliveau, on bass and Tommy Roslak on drums . The power-trio’s unique sound is largely a result of Tony’s very cool vintage clavinet, which the modern rockers use in place of a traditional guitar. According to Tony, “There’s quite a learning curve to playing it and bending all the notes correctly,” but that’s [his] baby and [his] go-to keyboard.” As one of the only rock bands to forgo a lead guitar, their unrivaled style is equally matched by their live performance. Tony is a mesmerizing lead, often changing his style to accommodate the venue, the crowd, and his dedicated devotees who will always get a fresh, live show.
While waiting for the concert to start, I ran into a loyal fan who commuted from Fresno to see her “favorite band” whom she discovered after a friend sent her a link for “Mountain Man,” a number one song off their successful debut album. It’s not surprising that she’d be unfazed by such a long commute. To see that two hour show again, I’d drive double the distance.
Crash Kings is currently working on their third album, and judging from the live material they played last night, it’s going to be good. Visit the Crash Kings website for more information on the band, and listen to “Mountain Man” below.
Legendary artists who hope to find success in today’s fast-moving market have to re-brand. If they don’t, they’re done. That’s a lesson many will learn the hard way, and Mariah Carey is no exception. Her latest album, ‘Me. I Am Mariah . . . the Elusive Chanteuse,’ entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 3 with 58,000 sold, her lowest sales in a very long time. While her inner circle will likely cite today’s shrinking album sales as the source of her issues, the hard truth is that Mariah Carey is stubborn, and she simply won’t evolve. In fact, the very title of her recent album is evidence in itself. ‘The Elusive Chanteuse’ is not only a ridiculous name, it also suggests that she’s a diva, which is something she needs to desperately stay away from. The only place for an untouchable diva in today’s market is Vegas, and that’s where stars go to die in a pile of cash. There’s nothing wrong with dying in diamonds, but it’s a sad fate.
If Mariah Carey wants to revamp her career, I’d advise her to look to Jennifer Lopez, who accomplished the very hefty task of ending all PR Issues in favor of a completely fresh image. Lose the gloves, lose the “Dah-lings,” stop posting low-grade, bikini-selfies on social media, and put the boobs away. You’re a star, not a diva. Get it straight.
There are few performers who can properly execute both light and shade, but Jack White proved his prowess on Conan. His understated appeal took center stage with ‘Temporary Ground,’ a song off his new album, entitled ‘Lazaretto.’ White was backed by just his bassist, dobro player and fiddle player. Watch his very moving performance below.
Rick Rubin is working on Kanye West’s new album. Stereogum
Chubby Checker hates the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Huffington Post
Lana Del Rey unveils ‘UltraViolence’ next week. The Guardian
WATCH First Aid Kit play Letterman. NME
Jennifer Lopez is red-hot on the cover of Billboard. Idolator
Tom Hiddleston will play Hank Williams in a bio-pic. IndieWire
Pretty Reckless covered Oasis’ ‘Champagne Supernova.’ NME
Jack White and the Black Keys are besties. Slant
Mariah Carey’s album did not perform as expected. Billboard
Janelle Monae covered Bowie on Letterman. NME
Miranda Lambert’s album opened BIG. Taste of Country
Weezer announced a new album. COS
Songs with samples are now allowed in all Grammy categories. Daily News
Amazon Prime will allow music streaming. Vanity Fair
Robin Thicke is very annoying. NYDN
The Verve Pipe released a song co-written by acclaimed actor Jeff Daniels. Billboard
Country music has a captivating history, illustrated by its collection of colorful artists that define each decade. ‘Country: Portraits of an American Sound’ celebrates these iconic moments through featured photography from the industry’s greats. Those greats include Grand Ole Opry staff photographer Leigh Wiener; amateur photographer Elmer Williams; documentary photographer Henry Horenstein; entertainment photographers, Henry Diltz, Raenne Rubenstein and Ethan Russel; and contemporary photographers David McClister and Michael Wilson. The 110 prints celebrate the genre’s most legendary performers, such as Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and more. The exhibit also includes a must-see movie, which gives an inside look at each picture, told through the eyes of both the singer and the photographer. View the very intriguing exhibit from May 31 – September 28 at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles.
In an effort to temper the tirade of fierce feminists with nothing better to fight for than the underrepresented nipple, facebook has lifted its ban on breastfeeding photos. Apparently, it’s some kind of double standard for men to freely expose their nipples, while women cannot, especially when those women are engaged in the very beautiful act of breastfeeding (SARCASM INTENDED).
There are a few points to make here, all of which deserve close attention. First, breastfeeding is not beautiful. Call me a heartless cactus, but there are many “natural” acts that involve a mother and her newborn that are also not beautiful, such as changing a diaper. If I don’t want to see a random mother and child in the artful exchange of excrement, I also don’t want to see bare boobies on my screen. Second, until a child is of age, I draw enormous outrage with publicly exposing such private moments for the world to see (and yes, 500 friends is in fact, “THE WORLD”). And lastly, feminists everywhere should find a better cause. I hear global warming is all the rage these days.
After a predictably failed attempt to democratize the Middle East and to arm the Iraqi government with the necessary tools to combat an insurgency, radical Islamic militants are advancing at an alarming rate. Iraqi soldiers scattered, leaving militants with an easy win over Mosul. Emboldened insurgents are now after Baghdad, leaving Barack Obama with a far-too-familiar ambiguous response. According to Obama, the United States “will not react overnight,” or perhaps at all (that last part is mine). The ISIS goal is to establish an Islamic state that stretches to Northern Syria, which is a realistic fear given their previous success against President Bashar al-Assad. For an easy rundown on the current state of “Mess O’ Potamia,’ watch the link below. Jon Stewart says it best.
The Daily Show
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The daughter of critically injured comedian Ardie Fuqua has launched an appeal to TMZ on Instagram, begging the “news” outlet to remove a graphic video of her father that shows him being pulled from the wreckage that also critically injured Tracy Morgan and took the life of James McNair. Louis C.K. joined the movement, tweeting TMZ with the same request. The photo below shows the appeal, and the photo above came with a very moving caption from Ardie, saying, “Me and my 19 year old daughter Krizya at Carolines. I’m a performer, I do my job well, but nothing beats the feeling of looking into a room of 400 people and seeing your child smiling. I may not have much money, but I feel like a millionaire when I see that.” May he get well soon, and may TMZ rot in hell.
