Essential Sounds

ASCAP vs. Karaoke Bars

Robert — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:00:05 +0000

If you’re planning to go out and do karaoke tonight, better make sure that the bar you’re going to has ASCAPs blessing. Last night the said group sued various nightclubs, bars, and restaurants for publicly performing songs without a license coming from them.

According to them, “Using music is a vital part of the total service that businesses offer, both in attracting customers and driving more revenue,” says Candilora. “By accepting an ASCAP license, business owners can legally use music in ASCAP’s popular and ever-increasing repertory.“

What’s next, they’re going to raid elevators now for their pump in music? Shutdown MySpace?

Source

The Top 5 Grunge Bands of All Time (Part 4 of 5)

Robert — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 10:00:28 +0000

2. Pearl Jam

Another Seattle native is the band Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam’s album “Ten” is commonly received as that of Nirvana’s “Nevermind”, the albums which geared their way towards mainstream music of the 1990s alternative. While “Nevermind” was considered to be the greater mainstream mover, Pearl Jam’s “Ten” was in second place. This album won platinum twelve times and is the most successful album of the band.

At the early stages of its career, Pearl Jam has been criticized as a “corporate cash-in”. However, the band had different causes that made it admirable and such causes were the going against “rock star excess”, their public dispute with Ticketmaster, and their rejection of making music videos of their shows. Ultimately, it is very noteworthy that Pearl Jam had outlived many of the members of its generation, considering the problems and issues that came with the success of grunge music.

Wenz Attempted Suicide

Robert — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:13:53 +0000

Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wenz admitted he tried to snuff out his life with Ativan in a car parked on a Best Buy parking lot. This is a surprise coming from the Emo boy himself. He also mentioned that while he did that he was listening to the late Jeff Buckley singing a cover from Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”.

We guess that most of his fans (specially the lady ones) were glad that his manager was able to get a hold of him before anything bad happened. The bassist has now joined Half of Us: a campaign organized by Jed Foundation. Some of the artist joining this campaign are Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkin’s fame and Mary J. Blige.

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Yorke Hearts Bikes

Robert — Mon, 10 May 2010 08:13:54 +0000

Thom Yorke of Radiohead is the last person you’d see associated with something like the Friends of the Earthask him agrees with us. However, he was convinced by the group to help them in their campaign for a greener planet. He does his share by making sure that their venues are supported by public transport.

Regarding public transport, Thom would like to implement the Paris Velib system. It’s where anyone can borrow bicycles to go around town. Obviously this will lessen the carbon monoxide in the air and traffic around London.

Good for you Thom! I hope you and your mates make this happen.

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Velvet Revolver: Running Out of Ammo?

Robert — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:30:36 +0000

You know it’s bad when the lead singer of your band is telling the audience that this maybe your last tour with him. Yep, that’s what happened the other night at Glasgow, Scotland, when super-group, Velvet Revolver was strutting their stuff on stage. According to singer Scott Weiland, the audience were …watching something special… the last tour by Velvet Revolver. This made all the band mates look confused on-stage before going into their next set.

Was it the drugs talking or was it Weiland wanting to join up his old mates at Stone Temple Pilots? Well the other band mates can always do a Guns and Roses reunion themselves. If it happens, we just hope everyone gets what they need.

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Dashboard Confessional’s The Shade of Poison Trees

Robert — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:00:57 +0000

Review: Dashboard Confessional’s The Shade of Poison Trees

Dashboard Confessional fans found Dusk and Summer a wee bit disappointing and since then, there is much talk and anticipation about the band’s next album. It has been going around that Chris Carrabba was to gear back to their earlier style, which is more intimate. Indeed, The Shade of Poison Trees does seem to satisfy the standards. However, affectation is still met when the whole collection has been listened to. Nevertheless, producer Don Gilmore gave full trust to Carrabba and the rest of the band and allowed each of their hidden selves to shine through in this album.

“Fever Dreams” and “Where There’s Gold…” is perfect for the fans of the older Dashboard style and shall fulfill their listening pleasure once more as the two songs carry their signature acoustic instrumentation and sing along choruses that resemble those around the campfire. Indeed, Dashboard Confessional has come back home to cheer their loyal listeners yet again.

Click here to go to The Shade of Poison Trees tracklist

For More Info Visit the Dashboard Confessional Site..

Robyn’s Robyn

Robert — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:48:32 +0000

Could this be the Robyn I know from way back then? The Robyn who used to sing Show Me Love? Anyway, this Robyn girl is a two-time Nobel Prize for Super-Foxiest Female Ever winner and does stunt doubles for the famous Chinese actor, Jackie Chan.

How’s that for an intro?

But while this intro could come as a shock, there is no doubt when it comes to Robyns pop music power. Her album Robyn will finally be released in US and her audience can expect a variety of songs starting from her cheeky hip-hop “Konichiwa Bitches”, her rendition of Teddybears Cobra Style� to the Kylie Minogue-esque With Every Heartbeat� and the song Be Mine.

Listen to These Albums

Robert — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:00:02 +0000

For all your alternative music listening pleasure.

Source:

http://wm03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=19:T578

Michael Stipe: Duh!

Robert — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:39:28 +0000

It just goes to show that most of the writers these days need to research more. R.E.M.’s frontman, Michael Stipe mentioned something about his being gay with Spin Magazine. What’s funny about that article was that, it became news in the blogging and print media. Sites like Stereogum and US Magazine covered it like it was his first announcement. Likewise, they received quite a lot of comments from readers that Stipe’s sexual orientation was already known for more than ten years already.

The news reached both Spin and R.E.M. Spin got an article off of it, Stipe got a good laugh. He even decided to give a small news conference with People Magazine to mock the hot news� of his going out of the closet . In the video, he declares that his band mates are heterosexual and that he is proud that they have finally declared it in the open.

Who says intelligent and artistic rock stars can’t make a funny?

Video

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Intriguing Album Reviews

Robert — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:49:35 +0000

Having been out of the music scene for many years, I only rely on album reviews to have a glimpse of the type of songs that I can expect from an artists record. So far, none of the album reviews have failed me but sometimes it saddens me to know that some critiques can be very harsh on some of my favorite artists.

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you right now the album that I really am very intrigued about because of the good reviews that I’ve read about it, Leona LewisSpirit. The only song that I’ve heard from this artist is her song Bleeding Love and I still can’t figure out what’s special with her though her vocals are good. However I can’t say yet that its her best. I guess I still need to listen to more of her music.