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Robin Gibb of the Bee Gee Dies at 62

Travis Woods — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:04:41 +0000

Robin Gibb, one-third of the sixth top-selling pop group of all time, The Bee Gees, has died at the age of 62 due to cancer and complications related to intestinal surgery. He was 62 years old.

The new came via an announcement by Gibbs’ spokesperson, who stated that “The family of Robin Gibb, of the Bee Gees, announce with great sadness that Robin passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery…The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time.”

Together, the Bee Gees (Robin and his deceased twin Maurice, and Barry Gibb) sold more than 200 million albums across the world, with an incredible 60 Number One hits and amassing nine Grammy Awards (which included both the Lifetime Achievement award and Legend award). The pop vocal bad has also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The Bee Gees formed in 1958, releasing a series of hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but it wasn’t until 1977 that they achieved total world dominion with their contributions to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack with such songs as “Stayin’ Alive,” “Night Fever,” and “How Deep is Your Love.”

Robin Gibb was the most productive member of the band, having released six solo albums (including Titanic Requiem, a classical work that was released just this year).

In 2011, Gibb had been diagnosed with colon and liver cancer; in March of this year he appeared to be enjoying a brief remission before succumbing to the disease.

What is your favorite Bee Gees/ Robin Gibb song?

News Roundup: Taylor Swift Donates $4 Million To Charity, Kanye Heads To Cannes, Jennifer Lopez Clears Up ‘American Idol’ Rumors And More

Laura Aguirre — Fri, 18 May 2012 23:00:24 +0000

This week, Taylor Swift announced that she would be donating $4 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Also, Jennifer Lopez finally cleared up the rumors regarding her future on American Idol, while Kanye West announced that he will be debuting a short film at the Cannes Film Festival next week. Catch up on this week’s news below.

OneRepublic Drummer Arrested: Earlier this week, OneRepublic drummer Eddie Fisher was arrested on suspicion of assault, destruction of private property and disturbing the peace. After the arrest, he was taken to a Denver jail and appeared in court on Wednesday. Billboard has the details.
Taylor Swift’s Grand Gesture: Taylor Swift did a very nice thing this week. According to Billboard, she took $4 million and donated them to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. With that donation, Swift hopes that kids will continue to appreciate and learn country music. This is the largest sum of money the museum has received by an artist.
Kanye Heads To Cannes: Kanye West is headed to Cannes. The famous rapper announced that he will premiere a new short film titled Cruel Summer on May 23rd at the Cannes Film Festival. Can you imagine Yeezy as a filmmaker? He’d probably make a very bossy director.
Jennifer Lopez Clears Up Rumors: Rumors have been spiraling out of control concerning the future of American Idol judge, Jennifer Lopez… until now. According to Rolling Stone, J.Lo cleared up the rumors on Twitter last night saying, “There is no truth to reports that as I am definitely leaving Idol. All I said was I haven’t decided what I am doing next year.” Eh? That still sounds a bit indecisive to us.

Hope you’re all caught up now. Check in next week for another music news roundup, and don’t forget to keep coming back to BeatCrave for more industry news, and details on the latest bands.

What are you excited for?

Concert Picks: Norse Horse, Seapony, Damien Jurado…

Lindsey Darden — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:15:34 +0000

Ideally, we wouldn’t have to wait until the weekend to get out and discover/re-discover bands and genres and the like. But the way we see it is that the weekend is like a holiday, only that it occurs 52 times every year. With that many opportunities afforded to the ability to kick back and relax, or dive into a new experience, we just would consider it a shame to not do so when the time comes around. With that said, check out opportunity number 20 thus far in 2012 to make friendly with the choice bands we’ve selected for your entertainment…

Norse Horse | Friday, May 18 | 7:00 pm | All Ages | Free | Origami Vinyl, Los Angeles, CA – Map | Smorgasboard. That is our first impression one word summary of the LA-based band. Highly experimental of their own accord within recognized musical structures, they seem to be influenced in part by old school and puppy love rock & roll, Queen, and Jellyfish. Odd-sounding combinations make the world go ’round, perhaps? Making music under this handle since 2009, and being under their influence with a few listens, we have every confidence that they know what the people want. For more information, call (213) 413-3030.
Seapony | Friday, May 18 | 8:00 pm | 21+ | $10 | Littlefield, New York, NY – Map | Lo-fi indie goodness, Seattle-based Seapony delivers the goods, as can be heard on their debut album entitled Go With Me. As far as feel and substance, we feel safe in saying that there are those that follow and there are those that lead. If you haven’t yet guessed, Seapony is of those that are waving colorful banners at the front of the pack. They’ll be playing a few dates in New York at the city’s PopFest, then heading to San Francisco’s PopFest, so wherever you are stateside, they’ll be available for your listening pleasure. With Field Mouse – Buy Tickets
Damien Jurado | Saturday, May 19 | 7:30 pm | 21+ | Mercury Lounge, New York, NY – Map | Damien Jurado’s skill lies not only in his catchy, introspective verse, but in being a singer/songwriter without the typical singer/songwriter label-makers. Akin to Rufus Wainwright in parts, it isn’t like he woke up one day and said “I’m going to be so different from the rest that they’ll have no other choice but to love me”. A perfectly balanced mix of the familiar with the uncomfortable with the seamless, he’s in a league of greats all on his own footing. With JBM – Buy Tickets
Absolutely Not | Saturday, May 19 | 9:00 pm | 21+ | $5 | The Burlington, Chicago, IL – Map | Local energetic, highly charged glam rock sounds really fantastic coming from these guys. We might be speaking too soon, but it’s a very similar feeling to how we felt listening to Jack White’s crooning style on the track “Fell In Love With a Girl”. Distinctly their own style, we love tickles and smiles as they come about, and with a name that’s supposed to imply denial of the good stuff, Absolutely Not proves to be pretty much anything but. With Dumpster Babies, Hot Garbage – for more information, call (773) 384-3243.
Basement Babies | Sunday, May 20 | 12:00 pm | 21+ | Lot 1 Cafe, Los Angeles, CA – Map | Dreamy surf pop-rock with avant-garde tendencies, this Los Angeles-based band in particular knows they’re one to watch/hear/experience. And not necessarily in an “I’m cool and you’re not” kind of way, by no means. If one could musically embody the awkwardly cool kid in school who had holes in their jeans before designer labels and the like put holes in their jeans and sold them as new, that would be Basement Babies. Stylistically forward and playing a bottomless mimosa show is about as cool as you can get, for now. With Soft Drink, Ten Stairs, Eagle Scouts – for more information, call (213) 481-8400.

Those are our picks and we’re sticking to ‘em. Who’s on your To See List this weekend?

Photo via Facebook

Donna Summer Dies At 63

Travis Woods — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:21:09 +0000

Disco queen Donna Summer died Thursday morning. The singer was 63 years old, and had been struggling with cancer “for some time,” her family told the Associated Press. She leaves behind a seminal legacy in the world of disco music, countless fans, a husband, and three daughters.

Born LaDonna Adrian Gaines in Boston, Massachussetts on December 31, 1948, Summer began singing in church before becoming a singer in the world of psychedelic rock. She then moved to Germany, where she collaborated with producer Giorgio Moroder. Together, they’re forward-looking dance music (specifically, songs like “Love to Love You Baby”) revolutionized disco in the 1970s, as well as influencing future decades of dance and electronic music.

Summer released numerous Number One pop singles with “Bad Girls,” “Hot Stuff,” and a cover of Jimmy Webb’s “MacArthur Park.” She won five Grammys, and in 2004 was elected to the Dance Music Hall of Fame. In 2009, she performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert for President Barack Obama.

Summer is survived by her Bruce Sudano (her husband), as well as their daughters Amanda and Brooklyn, and her daughter from a previous marriage, Mimi.

Not much is known about Summer’s ordeal with cancer, other than it was a prolonged fight with the disease.

On Thursday morning, her family released the following statement:

“Early this morning, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith…While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy. Words truly can’t express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time.”

What is your favorite Donna Summer song?

Rock The Bells 2012 Lineup: Nas, Kid Cudi, Missy Elliot, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony To Headline

Laura Aguirre — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:05:42 +0000

Rock The Bells is taking tips from Coachella and doubling the number of days for its yearly event. It’s also bringing back a couple high-profile reunions from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and the Hit Squad. Elsewhere, Nas, Wiz Khalifa, Kid Cudi and Missy Elliot are also on the bill.

The festival will kick off on August 18 in San Bernardino, California. Then Rock The Bells will travel to Mountain View, California for August 25 and 26, and will make its final stop in Holdmdel, New Jersey on September 1 and 2.

Also hitting the stage will be Timbaland, Redman and Method Man, Salt-N-Pepa, Ice Cube, J. Cole, Lupe Fasco, Dipset, Immortal Technique, E-40, Yela Rock and Dom Kennedy.

Overall, the bill is quite impressive. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony will make a special tribute to Eazy-E by performing “E. 1999 Eternal.” Hey, maybe they’ll even get a hologram. Who knows. Then there’s Ice Cube, who will surely be performing some old school gangster rap and maybe even do his famous sea walk. And then there’s Missy Elliot, who’s been under the radar for quite some time now.

Presale tickets will be available on Friday, May 18th at 1 P.M. Regular tickets go on sale a day later. For more information visit the official Rock The Bells website.

Check out the complete lineup below:

What do you think? Are you excited about this year’s Rock The Bells lineup? Who are you most excited to see?

It’s Official, Britney Spears And Demi Lovato Will Judge ‘X Factor’

Laura Aguirre — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:43:02 +0000

It’s official, Britney Spears has joined the judging panel of The X Factor. After months and months of speculation, Billboard reports that the princess of pop did actually sign that $15 million contract. But Spears isn’t the only Disney star joining the show–Demi Lovato will also be a judge.

The big reveal took place at Fox’s Upfronts presentation in New York on Monday, May 14. Spears expressed her excitement about being on the show and said, “It’s gonna be so much fun and so different from anything I’ve ever done.”

Lovato was also stoked, not only for landing a spot on the judging panel, but because she’s going to standing next to people like Spears, Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid.

Spears and Lovato will be doing more than judging contestants, they’ll also be mentoring a group of performers. Maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll get to see inside some of their houses.

Mariah Carey and Beyonce were also among Cowell’s top choices, as were Miley Cyrus and Avril Lavigne. It seems like Britney was a pretty good choice though. There’s no doubt that she’s going to attract a lot of viewers. As for Lovato, she’s very popular amongst young women, for being vocal on image issues and her troubled past, so it’s likely that a lot of young people will be tuning in for her.

What do you think of the new judges?

Coachella 2013 Has Been Announced, Tickets Go On Sale This Thursday

Travis Woods — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:07:44 +0000

Well, it’s only been a month since the launch of Coachella 2012, but at this point, the Indio, California-based three-day music festival is now a juggernaut-which explains why festival organizers Goldenvoice have already announced the details of Coachella 2013. Read about the details (and how to score tickets this week) after the jump.

Just like this year, the festival will carry on for two weekends in a row (specifically, Coachella 2013 will take place on April 12^th through the 14^th, and April 19^th through the 21^st). The announcement was made on Coachella’s official website.

But that’s not all—starting this Thursday, May 17^th, at 10 PM Pacific Time, advance passes will go on sale for exactly one week, ending at the exact same time next week. The one week advance purchase sale will be the only opportunity for fans to buy tickets using the Coachella Purchase Plan (a.k.a. Coachella Layaway).

While this may seem a tad early for the festival to begin selling tickets, but hey—in the past several years, Coachella has become a ticket-selling, money-gobbling juggernaut of musical celebration in the desert. What was once a niche festival has now become one of the biggest names in music festival-dom. At least they’re offering us a layaway plan now, right?

What do you think about the Coachella news?

Source: Rolling Stone

News Roundup: Zooey Deschanel Off To Broadway, Eminem’s ‘Southpaw’ Put On Hold, New Kanye West Music Video And More

Laura Aguirre — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:41:55 +0000

This week She & Him singer Zooey Deschanel landed a gig on Broadway. She’ll be playing a major role on Loretta Lynn‘s musical adaptation of Coal Miner’s Daughter. Also, Whitney Houston‘s family got their own reality series on Lifetime. We’ve also got an update on Eminem‘s upcoming movie Southpaw. Catch up on this week’s news below.

Zooey Deschanel Going To Broadway: Zooey Deschanel is going to Broadway. According to Billboard, the singer/actress landed the role of Loretta Lynn on Coal Miner’s Daughter. Lynn decided to take the musical and adapt it to the stage, and has chosen Deschanel to play her.
The Houston Family Chronicles: According to Rolling Stone, the surviving family of Whitney Houston will star in an upcoming Lifetime reality series titled The Houston Family Chronicles. The series will focus on Pat Houston, the sister-in-law and estate manager of the late singer, brother Gary, mother Cissy and daughter Bobbi Kristina. The show will premiere later this year.
Eminem’s Southpaw: Eminem’s boxing movie Southpaw has been put on hold, reports Rolling Stone. It seems that Eminem wants to focus on his music for now. It’s unfortunate news, but as long as he’s working on music, it’s all good.
“Lost In The World”: And just in case you missed it, Kanye West did release a new music video this week. What? He doesn’t have a new record, does he? Don’t panic, he doesn’t. The rapper released a brand new music video for his song “Lost In The World” recently. Check it out below:

Hope you’re all caught up now. Check in next week for another music news roundup, and don’t forget to keep coming back to BeatCrave for more industry news, and details on the latest bands.

What are you excited for?

Concert Picks: The Jezabels, Slam Donahue, Levels…

Lindsey Darden — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:36:44 +0000

We’re so glad that we’ve finally reached the point in the year that we don’t have to question whether or not summer is on its way. Fashions are turning brighter, coinciding with the sky, daylight savings, and warmer temperatures. We’ve even been caught wearing shorts and skirts with open-toed shoes during the evening this week, which signals our favorite time of the season to be caught out and about in the live circuit. Sure, we’ve mad respect for bundled up music fans waiting in the cold for their favorites — but when night offers itself up as a blanket, well… really, how rude would we be to refuse? Whatever your musical flavor, there are no excuses for not getting out of the house this weekend — check out our picks below.

The Jezabels | Friday, May 11 | 8:00 pm | All Ages | $12 | Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA – Map | When eighties power pop rock is done right, it is supposed to give you shivers, shudders, and the best kind of lingering chills. Think a touch of Belinda Carlisle and Bonnie Tyler. The Jezabels will make you wish you were around to have enjoyed the eighties when they were in full swing, will make you remember the bright spots in music that there were, and/or will make you glad to have stumbled upon their sound in the 21st century. It takes real talent to cover so many bases covered in one fell swoop. With Imagine Dragons, Benjamin Francis Leftwich – for more information, call (310) 276-1158.
Slam Donahue | Friday, May 11 | 11:45 pm | 21+ | $5 | Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY – Map | With unassuming pop rock and subtly in your face electronic components, there’s just no way we can’t like this band. Just try to keep us from telling everyone and their mother about them when a show comes around; it will be a futile attempt, at best. Incorporating the best parts of most any present genre with a wealth of energy and a glimmering sheen, there’s nothing but good times on a Friday night with the Brooklyn-based band. With Tiny Victories, Lost Boy?, ITAL – Buy Tickets
The Dirt Daubers | Saturday, May 12 | 7:30 pm | 21+ | $10 | Mercury Lounge, New York, NY – Map | Revivals of different sounds and shades is the style of any era, with new wave, glam and classic rock having gotten the old treatment (among others). Always tried but never mastered, however, is the bluegrass-slash-vaudevillian style that, without the right attention and attempt, runs the risk of being gimmicky, inauthentic, or just short of the target. Not the case of The Dirt Daubers, whose varied approach instrumental- and vocal-wise is engaging as much as it is modern within time period they tip their hats at. With Spirit Family Reunion – Buy Tickets
Anatomy of Habit | Saturday, May 12 | 9:00 pm | 21+ | $8 | Hideout, Chicago, IL – Map | The Chicago-based band’s morose and melancholy sound brings the glittery and uber shiny aspect of most mainstream music to a level more moderate, but really only by a few notches. They are of a very layered alternative rock, post-punk sound, with an overall by-degrees execution of sound progression and the right amount of edge at the right time to peak where needed. Very engaging, involving, and smartly done, perfect for the intimate Chicago venue. With Chord, John Mueller - Buy Tickets
Levels | Sunday, May 13 | 8:00 pm | 21+ | Free | Lot 1 Cafe, Los Angeles, CA – Map | Los Angeles-based garage pop rock trio Levels is a little more orchestral than its overall description lets on. Something we love about bands in general is what they let you discover for themselves. Powerful lyrics coupled with strong vocals and layered effects, in addition with clever working of typical rock instrumentation makes for a fresh sound. A breath of fresh air in whatever form is a godsend in the smoggy city of LA, literally and metaphorically speaking. We’re all for letting Levels be that relief and sense of ease. With Phantastica, Graffiti Monsters, Swilson – for more information, call (213) 481-8400.

Those are our picks and we’re sticking to ‘em. Who’s on your To See List this weekend?

Photo via Facebook

Chris Brown Insults Rihanna In Freestyle Rant, Gets In A Twitter Spat, And Is In General A Classy Guy

Travis Woods — Fri, 11 May 2012 02:16:29 +0000

Proving once again that he’s simply the classiest guy in show business, Chris Brown took time out of his busy schedule trashing green rooms, taking no personal responsibility for domestic assault, and basically taking a leak on any and all forms of good taste in order to drop a some freestyle rhymes on top of a remix of Kanye West’s “Theraflu”—and apparently publicly insulted Rihanna, the woman he viciously assaulted in 2009.

It’s like this—during a “Theraflu” remix called “Way Too Cold,” Brown dropped the following nugget: “Don’t f**k with my old bitch, it’s like a bad fur/An industry n***a done had her.” Apparently, this was a veiled insult towards Rihanna, who, shortly after the song was released, stated on Twitter, “Aw, poor dat #neaux1currrrr.” She then immediately unfollowed Brown, who responded with “Assumptions! I didn’t say any names so if u took offense to it then its something you feel guilty about.” All of which would be like a very public and pop culture version of a kindergarten fight, if it were not for the fact that Brown’s a, you know, violent offender.

But don’t worry, gang—something tells me Brown’s going to make it through this just fine, without ever really learning a lesson or accepting anything close to responsibility or humility. Go, Chris, go.

What do you think of the latest Brown controversy?

Source: Billboard

Beastie Boys Sued Over Sampling

Laura Aguirre — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:24:55 +0000

The Beastie Boys are being sued. On the eve of Adam Yauch‘s unfortunate death, the Beastie Boys were served with allegations from TufAmerica, claiming that the rap group and Universal Music Group sampled songs by go-go and R&B group Trouble Funk.

According to the lawsuit, the Beastie Boys illegally sampled Trouble Funk’s tracks on their debut album Licensed to Ill and their sophomore record Paul’s Boutique. Said tracks include “Say What” and “Drop The Bomb” which can allegedly be heard on “Hold It, Now Hit It,” “The New Style,” “Car Thief,” and “Shadrach.”

It seems that TufAmerica is pushing to take the matter to court to determine the amount of damages that should be paid out, but that’s if they can prove anything. According to the Guardian, Trouble Funk’s songs have been “noted on the website Who Sampled – and on Wikipedia – for some time.”

TufAmerica is claiming that they were not aware of the samples until they conducted a deep analysis of the tracks. They are suing for punitive damages and a permanent order forbidding the Beastie Boys from selling songs that contain their samples. An attorney for the label released the following statement.

I was very sorry to hear of Adam Yauch’s untimely passing, and can assure you that the unfortunate timing of the filing of TufAmerica’s complaint had nothing to do with his health. On behalf of myself and TufAmerica, I offer our condolences to Adam’s family, friends, and fans.

It’s unfortunate that this lawsuit has to happen right after the death of Mr. Yauch. Musicians seem to be unable to die in peace these days. There’s always something causing commotion.

What do you think?

No Doubt To Release New Record In September

Laura Aguirre — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:39:57 +0000

Alright, we can stop holding our breath. No Doubt has finally announced an official release date for their new record. All four band members got together to confirm that their first album in a decade will drop on September 25, 2012. See them make the announcement below.

There’s no title for the album yet, but this will be the first full-length record since 2001′s Rock Steady. No Doubt revealed a number of tracks during their last tour including “Steady Down” and “One More Summer.”

It’s rumored that No Doubt worked with Major Lazer’s Diplo and Switch, as well as Mark ‘Spike’ Stent (producer of Spice Girls album), on the record.

Initially, the album was meant to be out last year. Last September, the band wrote on their website, “Ideally our new record would be coming out this year but it’s just not ready yet. This collection of songs means everything to us and our only priority right now is to make sure it’s the best album we can possibly make. There is still more work for us to do.”

This week, the band made an announcement video and posted it on their YouTube account. The band seems to still have good chemistry, but it’s noticeable that they’ve matured since 2001. The video features a snippet of “Sunday Morning” taken from their 1995 breakthrough album, Tragic Kingdom. Check it out:

Are you excited for the new No Doubt album?

BeatCrave.com - Passionate About Music!

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