Monday, December 8, 2014

Music News and New Music For December 8th, 2014

So of course, when running your own blog it can be tough to keep up with the s**tload of stuff that comes across our ears over a weekend!  Some good, some bad, some not even worth mentioning.  I guess that's how I use AFGM in general.  These articles that I go through everyday from various sites (Blabbermouth, CBC, National Post, AV Club, Google, Wired, Exclaim, Music News, Rolling Stone, etc.) and sort of "filter" some of the nonsense news such as the latest fashion design, who's got beef with who and who ISN'T doing music...still.

These articles brought forth are for a few different reasons:

1. It is relevant music information that pertains to you as a reader, no matter the level of intent or the genre.

2. They are relevant to the music I would be currently listening to or a genre I have put some attention and focus on.

3. I am rather patriotic about my Canadian music, so that always comes as a first for me.  I enjoy music from all parts of the world respectively, but I still have to promote local if I can.  Canadian music rocks!

4. Because it's humorous and we can always use a good laugh.  Rarely will it be at someone's expense...but then again I am just the guy talking about it.  They're the ones causing the comments.

So in closing, I trust you all will not read EVERY single article posted here.  But I hope you find something of use here and keep the conversation going by forwarding it onto someone else.  Click on each article heading for redirection to the full article.  Cheers!



The DRC (Desktop Record Cutter) - a future for vinyl cutting:

"By supporting this project, you will be helping to bring a physical music medium back to the mainstream. I foresee a [high resolution] digital music player in our pockets (or implanted in our teeth), along with an analogue, vinyl centric system at home.

By funding this project, you will be purchasing infrastructure to enhance the feature set and bring the final cost down. 100% of pledges will be used to expand infrastructure and expand The DRC."


Beyonce Is the Most Grammy-Nominated Woman Ever:

"In terms of most Grammy-nominated artist overall, she's currently tied with producer David Foster for seventh place. But the 2015 Grammy nominees haven't been revealed in full yet -- with one more nom, she'll move past him, too.

As for wins, Beyonce has won 17 so far. But given the quality of Beyonce, don't be surprised if that total changes at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards."


We want to love 'luxury' hi-fi music streaming. But there are problems:

"Consumers aren’t flowing so quickly toward higher-cost streaming options. YouTube may be moving into paid, ad-free subscriptions, but right now most listeners still sit through ads to see music videos. The biggest target market for streaming services is the demographic that would rather download music illegally than purchase it, and those people aren’t looking to pay a pretty penny; they’ll take what they can get for cheap – or, preferably, free.

New services, meanwhile, continue to flood the market. Each tends to be remarkably similar – universal access to millions of songs for about $10 a month – with only nuanced differences, like the availability of certain artists’ catalogs."


NPR Music's 50 Favorite Albums Of 2014:

"Out of the thousands of albums we listened to in 2014, many of the ones that made this list seemed to satisfy a particular need. Some of them are aggressive; some of them are soothing. Sometimes we wanted them to ask hard questions — about rising oceans, global inequality, alienation and systemic injustice — that reflected the events around us. Sometimes we just needed them to show us something new. Exceptions abound, of course: There is lightness and melodrama, confidence and expertise, music composed decades ago and music that could have been beamed in from the future. Old needs surface in the midst of heavier times, too. We like to dance."


Beck, Beyonce, Pharrell Nominated for Grammy Album of the Year:

"The daylong event to announce the nominees for the 57th Annual Grammys wrapped up Friday night with A Very Grammy Christmas, where the five nominees up for the Grammy's biggest award, Album of the Year, were finally announced. Pharrell Williams and Sam Smith were among the performers on the holiday special, and both walked away with a Grammy gift: Williams' Girl and Smith's In the Lonely Hour each picked up Album of the Year nods, along with Beyoncé's Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran's X and, most surprisingly, Beck's Morning Phase."


Black Keys, Jack White, Paramore Nominated for Best Rock Song Grammys:

Nominations for Best Rock Song are:

Paramore, "Ain't It Fun"
Beck, "Blue Moon"
The Black Keys, "Fever"
Ryan Adams, "Gimme Something Good"
Jack White, "Lazaretto"


The Gaslight Anthem Announce 2015 North American Tour:

02/27 Providence, RI - Lupo's  #

02/28 New York, NY - Terminal 5  #

03/02 Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live  #

03/03 Richmond, VA - The National  #

03/04 Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre  #

03/06 Charleston, SC - Music Farm  #

03/09 Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall  #

03/11 Cleveland, OH - House of Blues  #

03/12 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater  #

03/13 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue  #

03/14 Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre *

03/16 Edmonton, AB - Union Hall *

03/17 Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall *

03/19 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom *

03/20 Seattle, WA - Showbox at the Market *

03/21 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom *

03/23 Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot *

03/24 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre *

03/26 St. Louis, MO - The Ready Room *

03/27 Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room - Old National Centre *

03/28 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall *



# with Northcote, The Scandals

* with Northcote, Sammy Kay


Steam’s New Broadcasting Service Could Make You the Next YouTube Star:

"Once someone has put in a request, the system automatically sets up the broadcast and a chat room so viewers can talk while they watch you. As the player, you can ignore this entirely and close the streaming overlay, just going about your business, or you can use the overlay to engage with anyone watching.

It’s unlikely that any Twitch regulars will switch over to Steam—there aren’t any built-in methods for monetization or building up a following. But for us casual players who don’t want to deal with building a zealous fan base, this is a perfect way to let some friends watch you play."


We Came As Romans Streaming Acoustic Version Of “Hope”:





The Best Music to Have Sex to Has Been Declared:

"The fact that Dirty Dancing has come top on the list of the best tracks to play during sex for both men and women is due to the fact that most people have a good knowledge of songs that represent romance, and these tend to be from cultural references such as film.  People use this music to not only communicate their intentions in a romantic situation but to directly alter the mood during an encounter." -Dr. Daniel Müllensiefen


John Coltrane Documentary in the Works From 'John Lennon' Director:

"He was an artist whose work resonated with fans from all walks of life -- the architect Frank Gehry, Clint Eastwood, Bono, Philip Glass, Alicia Keys, Bill Clinton -- and that fascinated me: What is it about this music that touches people so deeply?

Most of the books attempt to analyze his music.  We'll make the film different by showing the impact the music made. He's like the Beatles in that he never repeated himself; he found what worked and moved on. He had a restless creativity, and that, to me, is quite admirable." -John Scheinfeld


OnAir Box Private Music Cloud And Streaming System:

“Connect the OnAir Box to your existing stereo or TV to Wi-Fi enable them. You can then use the OnAir Player app on your phone, tablet or computer to control your music and stream it to your stereo or TV.

OnAir Box comes with two USB ports that allow you to connect external storage devices such as USB drives or external hard drives. Once connected, OnAir Box will scan these devices for music and add everything it finds into your personal music library within the OnAir Player app. All your music will be available on all your devices, even when you’re on the go. That’s what we call “your private music cloud.  No more syncing music between devices or uploading to the cloud! Access all your music from all your devices instantly, wherever you are. Grab your phone or tablet while out in the park and access your library of thousands of songs stored at home. Sitting at work, open the OnAir Player web app to stream the music through your browser."


Apple's hottest product this Christmas is the one you can't buy any more:

"It was once considered bulky and too primitive to compete with slim touch screen music players and smartphones that could play videos at the same time. 

But just three months after Apple discontinued the iPod classic in favour of more advanced models, demand for the music player with the traditional click wheel has risen, causing prices to soar. 

The latest versions of the classic with the maximum storage of 160GB - more than any other portable music player - are currently selling on eBay for more than £550 as music fans clamour to get hold of the latest models before they are all disappear."


Stores play less Christmas music — finally:

"Even retailers that aren't springing for special customized playlists are toning it down, largely in response to the love-it-or-hate-it relationship most people have with seasonal tunes. Sun Diego marketing director Pete Censoplano said the Carlsbad-based surf chain asks its store managers to mix in some Christmas music, but not to load up the playlist with it.

Adventure 16 president John Mead subscribes to Mood Media's in-store radio service and makes sure to pick stations for his stores that blend holiday music with other genres."


Nightwish To Release 'Élan' Single In February:

"'Oh, while I live to be the ruler of life, Not a slave. To meet life as a powerful conqueror, and nothing exterior to me will ever take command of me.' This beautiful quote from my hero Uncle Walt [Walt Whitman] was the starting point for writing 'Élan'.

The underlying theme of the song is nothing less than the meaning of life, which can be something different for all of us.  It's important to surrender yourself to the occasional 'free fall' and not to fear the path less travelled by.

'Élan' is a wonderful teaser for the full-length album, giving out a little taste, but revealing very little of the actual Journey of Grandeur to come…" -Tuomas Holopainen


Apple announces iTunes Best of 2014 - apps, music, movies, TV shows and books:

"Apple has announced its favorite apps, music, movies, TV shows and books of the year, with Elevate – Brain Training declared iPhone App of the Year while number puzzle game Threes! won iPhone Game of the Year.

For music, Beyoncé (who set a new iTunes sales record last year) took best artist, with Sam Smith best new artist. Taylor Swift grabbed best album with 1989, and Iggy Azalea best song with Fancy."


Asking Alexandria Partners With BitTorrent Bundle To Release 'Live From Brixton And Beyond':

"Sumerian Records is excited to team up with BitTorrent Bundle to allow all the content available on the Asking Alexandria physical DVD to be packaged digitally online, where other outlets were unavailable to offer the same service.  More importantly, BitTorrent taking positive steps to help both musicians and labels monetize their art in such a turbulent time in the music biz is both admirable and exciting. They take a small fee for their services and are very favorable to those on the creative side. I'm excited to see what the future holds for Sumerian and BitTorrent Bundle." -Ash Avildsen


Palisades, Neck Deep, Etc. Set For 2015 ‘Vans Warped Tour’:

Neck Deep, Palisades, Front Porch Step, Handguns, and Kosha Dillz announced thus far.  More to be announced!

06/19 Pomona, CA – Pomona Fairplex
06/20 Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Ampitheatre
06/21 Ventura, CA – Seaside Park – Ventura County Fairgrounds
06/23 Mesa, AZ – Quail Run Park
06/24 Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
06/25 Oklahoma City, OK – Remington Park
06/26 Houston, TX – Reliant Park
06/27 Dallas, TX – Gexa Energy Pavillion
06/28 San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
07/01 Nashville, TN – Tennessee State Fair Grounds
07/02 Atlanta, GA – Aaron’s Amphitheatre
07/03 St.Petersburg, FL – Vinoy Park
07/04 West Palm Beach, FL – Cruzan Amphitheatre
07/05 Orlando, FL – Tinker Field
07/07 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
07/08 Virginia Beach, VA – Farm Bureau Live
07/09 Pittsburgh, PA – First Niagara Pavilion
07/10 Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
07/11 Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
07/12 Hartford, CT – Xfinity Theatre
07/14 Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
07/15 Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
07/16 Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
07/17 Toronto, ON – Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
07/18 Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
07/19 Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
07/21 Scranton, PA – Toyota Pavilion
07/23 Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
07/24 Detroit, MI – The Palace Of Auburn Hills
07/25 Chicago, IL – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
07/26 Shakopee, MN – Canerbury Park
07/27 St. Louis, MO – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
07/28 Milwaukee, WI – Marcus Amphitheater
07/29 Indianapolis, IN – Klipsch Music Center
07/30 Bonner Springs, KS – Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
08/01 Salt Lake City, UT – Utah State Fairpark
08/02 Denver, CO – The Pepsi Center
08/05 San Diego, CA – Qualcomm Stadium
08/07 Portland, OR – Portland Expo Center
08/08 Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheater


Soundgarden Seeking Fan Submissions For Upcoming Documentary:

“It’s happening – the Soundgarden story will soon be the subject of a feature documentary film. And you can help. As we dig deep into our vaults, we ask that you, the fans, dig into yours.

Personal photographs, bootleg video and audio, collected concert posters – your rare piece of music history could be the missing piece we need.

If you want a chance for your memento to become a permanent part of Soundgarden history, send a description of what you’ve got to info@bangerfilms.com with the subject “Soundgarden Fan Submission”.

The Soundgarden film is being produced by Banger Films, makers of the essential heavy metal documentary Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey (2006), SXSW Audience Award and Juno-winning Iron Maiden: Flight 666 (2009), Grammy-nominated and Tribeca Audience Award-winning Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage (2010), the “doc opera” Super Duper Alice Cooper (2014), as well as the biggest-ever TV series on metal and hard rock, Metal Evolution (2011).”


Kristen May Talks Backlash After Becoming New Singer:

"I had a feeling there would be some backlash because I'm a different singer than [former FLYLEAF singer] Lacey [Sturm].  I don't scream — I'm more pop-oriented, more melodic. That's important to me in my songwriting. But what I realized is that it wasn't so much about me or what I was doing — it was that they connected so much with Lacey that it didn't matter who came in. The band could've hired Beyonce and people still wouldn't have been happy. So when I put myself in the shoes of someone who's been a fan of a band for eight years and then having someone else come in, I'm sure I would feel taken aback, too. Now, would I go on the Internet and be mean? I wouldn't, but that's just not my style. There were a couple of times when I responded to people, but nothing ugly. I didn't tell anyone they should also die." -May


Dino Cazares Discusses Ibanez Signature Guitar:

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