Fresh 102.7

Star-Studded Tribute Pushes Cancer Victim’s Song Toward Chart Debut

mreal197 — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:07:42 +0000

Zach Sobiech, the late singer-songwriter who died early this week (May 18) at the age of 18 years old from cancer is on pace to impact the Billboard charts with his song “Clouds,” boosted by a star-studded tribute video of the tune.

Written as an inspirational song to deal with his diagnosis of Osteosarcoma a rare form of bone cancer, “Clouds” became something of a viral sensation as others afflicted with terminal illnesses adopted the tune as their own anthem of hope.

Generating more than 5 million views and counting, the song generated a star-studded tribute video, which featuring a cavalcade of celebrities including musicians the Lumineers, Jason Derulo, Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz all singing “Clouds” (the tribute video has generated more than 2 million hits to date).

According to Billboard, indicators reveal that the song is on pace to make a strong debut on next week’s Hot 100 chart, with the potential of cracking the Top 20. While “Clouds” has only received minimal radio play, sales, downloads and Youtube views are strong enough for the song to make a substantial chart impression.

The track was released on nonprofit record label Rock the Cause, with all proceeds going to the Children’s Cancer Research Fund in Sobiech’s name.

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Queens Of The Stone Push Boundaries, Debut ‘…Like Clockwork’ At L.A. Tour Launch

mreal197 — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:38:14 +0000

As they prepare to launch their 2013 world tour, Queens of the Stone Age delivered a brutal, uncompromising set heavy with new songs from their stark new album, …Like Clockwork, last night (May 23) at the Wiltern in Los Angeles.

Despite persistent indications that frontman Josh Homme and his band would perform the new album in its entirety complete with rumored special guests ranging from Dave Grohl to Trent Renzor, QOTSA followed …Like Clockwork opening song, “Keep Your Eyes Peeled,” with “You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire,” from 2002′s Songs for the Deaf to start what would be a cameo-free show.

With a dazzling video backdrop flashing eye-popping graphics (many from U.K. artist Boneface, who is responsible for the arresting artwork of …Like Clockwork), QOTSA roared through a career-spanning set, touching on most of their studio releases over the course of the two-hour show.

The show’s focus, however, was clearly the new album, with the band playing every song from it other than “Fairweather Friends.” The songs cut like a knife, from the melodic rush of “My God is the Sun” to the ornate and hushed “Kalopsia,” which plays like a early ’70s David Bowie tune. Cranking up Led Zeppelin-like classic rock riffs on “Smooth Sailing” and goth-tinged glam with “If I Had a Tail,” …Like Clockwork is shaping up to be a laser-focused evolution of the QOTSA sound, distilling their myriad influences into explosive and often unexpected corners of the rock spectrum. It’s also a lot to take in, particularly during a packed and star-studded theater show that holds less than 2000 people (celebs including Kat Von D, Michael C. Hall and Morrissey were spotted among the throngs), so QOTSA made a point to drop in older fan favorites. “Make It Wit Chu,” from 2007′s Era Vulgaris, made the cut, while Lullabies to Paralyze single “Little Sister” drew the biggest cheers of the night with its cowbell-powered stomp.

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Muse To Turn ‘World War-Z’ Movie Premiere Into Concert

mreal197 — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:36:50 +0000

Muse is set to play a full concert for 15,000 fans after zombie-apocalypse thriller, World War Z, premieres in London on June 2.

According to Billboard, the British threesome will take the stage at Horse Guards Parade Ground, St. James’s Park, after the film debuts on screens in London’s Leicester Square.

In the film, fans will hear approximately 14 minutes of Muse’s vocal-less yet stirring song, “Isolated System” from the bands latest album, 2012′s The 2nd Law.

Frontman Matt Bellamy described the track to NME in rather obtuse terms: “Hanging around space would be so peaceful and quiet and suddenly you come to this little blip that’s f***ing chaos! I see it as drifting away from the planet and going into the peacefulness of what actually is gonna happen at the end of it all, which is nothingness.”

“It made the movie feel and sound really cool,” Randy Spendlove, Paramount Pictures’ President of Motion Picture Music told Billboard. “After we layered in the music, we reached out to their management in the U.S. and the U.K. to see how we could reach beyond the movie. We wanted (the relationship) to be bigger than that.”

Hitting theaters June 21, World War Z centers follows United Nations employee Gerry Lane, played by Brad Pitt, who finds himself racing around the world trying to stop a pandemic that threatens to turn the human race into zombies.

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Charli XCX Goes Full-On Club Kid For ‘Take My Hand’ Video

mreal197 — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:52:53 +0000

It’s been a busy few months for Charli XCX. With multiple SXSW performances, numerous in-store appearances, her Icona Pop singalong “I Love It” taking off, a collaboration with Marina & The Diamonds, a remix of Lindstrom’s “fāār-i-kāāl” and a cover of a Backstreet Boys tune, the British goth-pop singer-songwriter is in full promotional mode for her first full length album, True Romance.

It’s no secret that the 20-year-old loves the ’80s. In her latest music video, sponsored by Urban Outfitters, Charli leisurely strolls through a famous London night club checking out her friends, dancing to her new tune, “Take My Hand.”

Director and fellow Brit Ryan Andrews opted to let Charli repeat some of her teenage days as a club kid by following her through the London’s infamous Elephant and Castle club and capturing her real reactions, “Kind of like if you were watching the film Kids,” said Andrews to Urban Outfitters.

According to Charli, older videos from The Prodigy served as inspiration. But contrary to first glance, the video is not a repeat of her “What I Like” ultra-sexy slumber party. “It is really stripped back, and quite real as if you were in a normal dirty club with your friends,” explained Andrews.

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Jennifer Hudson Rumored To Join ‘American Idol’ As Judge

mreal197 — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:35:21 +0000

Jennifer Hudson may be returning to the show that launched her into the spotlight, that is if reports of her signing on as a judge for next season of American Idol are true.

According to The Wrap, the Idol finalist turned Oscar and Grammy winner is in talks to return to the show as a judge for season 13, but her reps have yet to confirm. Hudson was a finalist in season three, finishing in seventh place, and recently appeared on stage with current Idol winner Candice Glover during last week’s season finale.

Vulture first reported that JHud was offered a judging spot in the show’s plan to rework the entire judging panel with Idol alumni. Adam Lambert and Clay Aiken are also said to be in the running, though nothing has been confirmed by the network.

“The show’s producers feel they’ve lost their core audience,” an insider told The Wrap. “And they want to bring back former contestants in order to tell their core audience, ‘We love you.’ They know they’ve made some major mistakes over the past few seasons and they want to make it right with their fans.”

Fox Entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly told reporters last week that “everything is on the table” for the next season of the long running competition show, and will likely return to the three judge panel it started with in 2002.

The rumored facelift to the show comes after the remaining original judge Randy Jackson announced he’ll be leaving the show earlier this month. Though, the status on whether new judges Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban and Mariah Carey will be returning next season is still up in the air.

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Carrie Underwood Donates $1 Million To Red Cross To Aid Tornado Victims

mreal197 — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:15:18 +0000

No sooner had Carrie Underwood played the final notes on her Blown Away Tour (which concluded last night in Abbottsford, British Columbia), then did she turn her attention to her home state of Oklahoma. And in a big way, too — by announcing that she would donate $1 million from the tour’s proceeds to the Red Cross, to help aid the victims such as those of the fatal tornadoes that touched down this week in Oklahoma.

“I have watched the devastation in my home state of Oklahoma over the past several days with great sadness,” Carrie said in a press statement. “With the help of my fans who attended my concerts over the past year, we can offer the Red Cross a little extra help in comforting those affected by the recent tornadoes.”

The contribution plan was established when the Blown Away Tour launched last year, where one dollar from every ticket would go to Red Cross disaster relief.

And thanks to all who came to a show during this entire tour! I hope you all feel great about the Red Cross contribution that WE made today!

— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) May 24, 2013

Oklahoma may be Carrie’s home state, but this isn’t a case of playing favorites. Last year, for instance, she donated proceeds from a show in Atlantic City, N.J. to aid victims of Superstorm Sandy. “You have been through so much and still rocked the house!” she wrote at the time.

New Music To Know: Pacific Air, Electropop With Just A Touch Of Enya

mreal197 — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:01:42 +0000

Most bands wear their influences on their sleeves, but Pacific Air tuck theirs away, hiding them within the many layers of their songs where they can only be heard with headphones.

Listen closely to the duo — comprised of brothers Ryan and Taylor Lawhon — and you might hear a bit of early ’90s R&B or hip-hop. Pay even closer attention and you’ll detect a little Enya.

“If you took the drums out of any of our music, it could be a New Age song,” Ryan, the oldest Lawhon, told Radio.com.

Thanks to their mom, the Lawhons grew up listening to New Age music. While no one is going to compare Pacific Air — who previously went by the name KO KO — to Enya, the guys say it’s definitely an influence worth mentioning.

“Instead of abrasive rhythmic synths we tend to go for more sprawling, very stereo, soft synths,” Ryan said. “Which is something heavily utilized in New Age music. It’s something that provides such a nice layer and it fills up the sound without overpowering rhythmically.”

Ms. Emeli Sandé Goes To Washington To Honor Carole King

mreal197 — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:19:42 +0000

With President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle seated just three feet away, Emeli Sandé took the stage at the White House Wednesday (May 22) night in honor of Carole King. The legend became the first woman ever to receive the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, an award given by the Library of Congress.

“It was nerve-wracking,” Sandé told Radio.com the day after she took the stage. “But I was so excited to be there and to be able to play such an incredible song in front of the person who created it. I mean those nights don’t come around too often.” the Library of Congress.

It was hard to imagine that only a few days before the performance, which will air May 28 on PBS, Sandé was holed up in a little studio in Brooklyn practicing King’s hit, “You Make Me Feel (Like A Natural Woman).” Sandé admitted though that a lot of the rehearsal time was spent gearing up to meet the President. the Library of Congress.

“I think coming from the U.K. it feels like an even more distant dream to be in America meeting the President,” she said. “It was a massive deal and you know, the circumstance was amazing. I’m such a massive Carole King fan, and she’s inspired me as a writer so to be there to honor to celebrate her success.”

Are You Brooklyn Enough? Fuhgeddaboudit!!!

Joey — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:42:55 +0000

Nathan’s on the Coney Island has opened for the first time since Hurricane Sandy just in time for Memorial Day weekend… and now they serve beer and wine to pair with your pitch-fork French fries!!

And if you plan to head to Brooklyn this weekend we want to make sure you blend with the rest of the Brooklyn dwellers because they have very distinct way of speaking.

So, this morning we went over “Things They Say in Brooklyn” and then Jim and I tried out our Brooklyn-speak on Paul at Lioni’s Italian Heroes in Bensonhurst to see how well we learned our Brooklyn lesson…turns out my “I gotta guy” wasn’t fooling anyone.

Fuhgeddaboudit

–Kim Berk, Fresh 102.7

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Bono, Richard Branson, Olivia Wilde Join Matt Damon’s ‘Toilet Strike’

mreal197 — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:25:53 +0000

In an effort to end the water crisis that is affecting millions of people, 780,000,000 to be exact, Olivia Wilde, Bono and Richard Branson have joined in Matt Damon’s “toilet strike.”

Damon, who announced his strike in February, stated that those in the effort “won’t go to the bathroom until everyone in the world has access to clean water and sanitation.”

The strike that is led by the Damon and the advocacy group he co-founded, Water.org, are seeking to end the water crisis that is leaving millions without accesses to clean water and sanitation that can lead to illness and even death.

While the idea of the strike is a serious one, Damon and the other celebrities involved have turned to humor in order to get more awareness. In a video posted to YouTube on May 22nd, Wilde, Bono and Branson joke about how Damon crashed their not-so-secret secret meeting.

“I remember when Matt first brought up the idea, it was at a meeting of the Illuminati,” said the U2 frontman.

Wilde joked and added, “Bono was so mad. I only got in because I am an android from the future.”

Branson also added some humor to the video adding, “Bono started beating Matt with a two-by-four.”

However, alongside the jokes, the celebrities cited facts about the water crisis and what people could do to help.

“Millions of people each day spend hours just fetching clean water,” Bono says in the new public service announcement. “780,000,000 people – that’s one in nine – lacks access to safe water.”

Damon appears at the end of the video to encourage others to “join the millions of famous people who’ve already joined my strike. And remember, if you don’t use the toilet, you’re a celebrity.”

For other information about how you can help the “toliet strike” cause or make a donation, visit water.org or strikewithme.org.

- Devon Marti / WNCX

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