Archive for the ‘Music News’ Category

Punk icon Henry Rollins caught shopping at Wal-Mart!

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Now this is something you’d never expect to see on People of Wal-Mart: punk icon Henry Rollins!

Rollins is famous both for his time in Black Flag (the band responsible for underground hits like “TV Party” and “Six Pack”) and for his solo career, as well as for his weekly television show on IFC. He’s also famous for his distaste for embodiments of mainstream, consumer culture, so it’s puzzling what he was doing in Wal-Mart (which, love it or hate it, is about as mainstream and consumerist as you can get: it’s a chain store!).

What do you think the beloved (yet often grumpy) rocker was shopping for? Let us know in the comment section below!

RIP Soul Train’s Don Cornelius

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

It’s a sad day for music fans, as Soul Train creator Don Cornelius has passed away at the age of 75.

In 1970, Cornelius thought soul music deserved a wider audience, and created Soul Train to find that audience. In its over 1,000 episodes, the show helped launch the careers of artists like James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Ike and Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, and Prince.

Here’s a clip of just a few of the many, many artists to grace the Soul Train stage:

RIP, Don. Love, peace, and soul.

New Mars Volta album info leaked!

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala are having a busy year. Their original band, At The Drive-In, has returned for a series of wildly popular shows, and now details of their upcoming album as side project The Mars Volta have leaked.

Set to release in 2012, the new Mars Volta album is apparently titled Noctourniquet, a combination of the words “nocturne” (a musical composition inspired by the night) and “tourniquet,” a type of bandage used to control bleeding.

Album art is shown as well (although difficult to see behind the reflection of the person snapping the picture): what looks like a pattern of circles over a gradient at a 45-degree angle which somewhat resembles the Earth’s horizon at sunset.

Expect new tour dates from Omar, Cedric, and company–both as At The Drive-In and as The Mars Volta. Stay tuned for information on dates and tickets!

Nicole Scherzinger’s AMAZING opera voice!

Saturday, January 7th, 2012

In songs like “Beep” and “Buttons,” Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger proved she could look good in a music video and get the party started at anything from a wedding to an urban nightclub. Here’s something that shocked us, though: she’s actually got an amazing, amazing voice.

In this live, Auto-Tune-less performance at the Royal Variety Show, Scherzinger showcases a set of chops her Top 40 efforts so far haven’t let her let loose with, tackling the theme from “Phantom of the Opera.” Just wait until 3:30, when she unleashes her pipes on an amazing series of high notes which continue through the end of the song.

Wow. Just… wow.

NYC’s Hiro Ballroom to close its doors

Friday, December 23rd, 2011

New York’s famous Hiro Ballroom, popular for its wide array of club parties and live concerts, will be shutting its doors for good in March of 2012. The venue has been open for eight years as part of the Maritime Hotel, at 88 9th Ave in Manhattan.

No word yet on what will be opening in its place, but according to Societe Perrier, which broke the story, Mark Packer (Lavo, Tao) will be taking over the much-loved space.

Vancouver’s Mayor Gregor Robertson spins only the freshest jams.

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

First he brought you your RDA of vitamins and minerals as the co-founder of Happy Planet Juice. Then he brought you bike lanes as the Mayor of Vancouver. Now he’s bringing you block-rocking beats as a club DJ. Wait, what?

That’s right, Mayor Gregor Robertson temporarily traded in his tux for some turntables at the anniversary party of one of Vancouver’s favorite Saturday night parties, Glory Days at the Biltmore Cabaret.

Photo via the Straight

Well… how about that. Attendees said the Mayor actually knows his stuff, too – if the whole politics thing doesn’t work out, Gregor has a bright future ahead of him as a club DJ.

Were you there? Do you regret missing out? Let us know in the comments section below!