Friday, September 23, 2011

Happy Birthday to 'The Boss'

"If they had told me I was the janitor and would have to mop up and clean the toilets after the show in order to play, I probably would have done it," Bruce Springsteen once said.

Springsteen began his career in 1972 when he signed a deal with Columbia Records and released Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ. At that time he also formed the E-Street Band.

He is probably best known for 1984's Born in the USA, which is one of the best-selling albums of all time. It was at that time when Rolling Stone called Springsteen "Voice of the Decade."

Currently, Springsteen and the E-Street Band are deciding on their future. In June, saxophonist Clarence Clemons passed away due to complications from a stroke.

Happy birthday to "The Boss," who turns 62 today.


Fall Music Tour Guide

Summer tours are officially over! Have no fear, Banter On The Beat has compiled a list of the biggest tours coming to a city near you this fall.


Foo Fighters
Support: Rise Against, Cage The Elephant, Mariachi el Bronx, Social Distortion, The Joy Formidable, Tenacious D, Fucked Up

Dates: 9/14 - 10/28; 11/7 - 11/16; 11/28 - 12/13

Prices: $36 - $56




The Throne
Support: TBA

Dates: 10/29 - 12/18

Prices: $100 - $250









Foster the People

Support: The Cults, Reptar

Dates: 9/13 - 10/20

Prices: $25 - $36



NOFX & Anti-Flag


Support: TBA

Dates: 10/6 - 10/23

Prices: $30 - $38



Bush

Support: Chevelle, Filter

Dates:  9/27 - 11/22

Prices: $35 - $65




Hanson

Support: Meiko, Run Run Run

Dates: 9/3 - 11/29

Prices: $30 - $35



The Smashing Pumpkins

Support: Fancy Space People, Light FM

Dates: 10/5 - 12/8

Prices: $35 - $60



Evanescence

Support: The Pretty Reckless, Rival Sons

Dates: 10/2 - 11/21

Prices: $38.50 - $52.50



Yellowcard

Support: Every Avenue, Go Radio, Saves the Day

Dates: 10/8 - 11/18; 11/28 - 12/17

Prices: $24.50 - $30.50




Panic! At The Disco

Support: Foxy Shazam, Patrick Stump

Dates: 10/9 - 11/10

Prices: $24.50 - $25.50



Reel Big Fish

Support: Streetlight Manifesto, Lionizie, Rodeo Ruby Love

Dates: 11/21 - 12/23

Prices: $20 - $25



Guns 'N Roses

Support: TBA

Dates: 10/28 - ??? (Tour dates still TBA)

Prices: TBA



Green Day Surprise Fans... Again

concertkid / greendayauthority.com
Green Day fans that happened to log into the band's official fan club website yesterday afternoon were in for quite the shock. The band announced they would be doing, yet, another surprise concert that night; this time in Oakland, CA.

"We can't tell you exactly where, we can't tell you exactly why" is what the announcement read. Additionally, the club gave away a ticket to each of the first 20 people that responded.

Green Day performed at Oakland's 1-2-3-4 Go! Records. The crowd consisted of only 160 people, mainly friends and family, according to a review on greendayauthority.com.

The set list included hits "Welcome to Paradise" and "American Idiot," while ending with "St. Jimmy." The band also played new songs from their upcoming album due out next year.

Last month, Green Day performed a surprise concert at The Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa, CA. They will be performing at the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ceremony to honor comedian Will Ferrell on October 23 in Washington, D.C.

Also see: Green Day Perform New Songs at Last Minute Gig

Thursday, September 22, 2011

'Banter On The Beat' Publicity

Banter On The Beat was recently featured in the Arts & Entertainment section of The Humor Daily



Wednesday, September 21, 2011

R.I.P. R.E.M.: Band Breaks Up

Alternative rock band R.E.M. decided to "call it a day" and end their 27 year run as a band.

The band let fans know on their official website today: "To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening."

Each band member also shared their own thoughts:

"During our last tour, and while making Collapse Into Now and putting together this greatest hits retrospective, we started asking ourselves, 'what next'? Working through our music and memories from over three decades was a hell of a journey. We realized that these songs seemed to draw a natural line under the last 31 years of our working together.

"We have always been a band in the truest sense of the word. Brothers who truly love, and respect, each other. We feel kind of like pioneers in this – there's no disharmony here, no falling-outs, no lawyers squaring-off. We've made this decision together, amicably and with each other's best interests at heart. The time just feels right." - Mike

"A wise man once said – 'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave. We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we're going to walk away from it.


"I hope our fans realize this wasn't an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way.

"We have to thank all the people who helped us be R.E.M. for these 31 years; our deepest gratitude to those who allowed us to do this. It's been amazing." - Michael

"One of the things that was always so great about being in R.E.M. was the fact that the records and the songs we wrote meant as much to our fans as they did to us. It was, and still is, important to us to do right by you. Being a part of your lives has been an unbelievable gift. Thank you.

"Mike, Michael, Bill, Bertis, and I walk away as great friends. I know I will be seeing them in the future, just as I know I will be seeing everyone who has followed us and supported us through the years. Even if it's only in the vinyl aisle of your local record store, or standing at the back of the club: watching a group of 19 year olds trying to change the world." - Peter

R.E.M. has produced many hits, including "Everybody Hurts," "Stand" and "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" The band has sold a total of 19.3 million albums, according to Nielsen SoundScan.






Monday, September 19, 2011

Foo Fighters Counter-Protest Bigots Through Music

When members of the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church announced they were going to picket outside the Foo Fighter's Kansas City show on Friday, the band decided to come prepared.

All the Foo Fighters needed to pack were trucker outfits to transform into the characters from their recent comedic "Hot Buns" video and they were all set.

"I don't care if you're black or white or purple or green, whether you're Pennsylvanian or Transylvanian, Lady Gaga or Lady Antebellum. It takes all kinds," frontman Dave Grohl said.

See the Foo Fighters' footage from the protest. The video was uploaded on Friday and has currently been viewed over 750,000 times.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

'Anything Anything' Returns to the Airwaves

Anything Anything with Rich Russo has returned! The free form radio show will premiere tonight and air every Sunday night from 9-11 p.m. on alternative rock station WXPK-FM 107.1 The Peak.

The show will also air on several other stations in the coming months, including New Jersey rock station WDHA-FM, according to an announcement by Russo. Anything Anything was originally aired on 101.9 RXP until the station recently changed to an all-news format.

The Peak is broadcasted in areas of northern New Jersey and NYC. It can also be streamed on The Peak's website.

Support the local rock scene!

See also: No More Love for Rock in NYC

Saturday, September 17, 2011

New Music This Week

Check out Amy Lee jumping from the Brooklyn Bridge in Evanescence's new video for "What You Want." The song is Evanescence's first single from the band's upcoming self-titled third album to be released on October 11. Catch Evanescence on tour with The Pretty Reckless kicking off October 10 at the Fox Theater in Oakland.

 
 

Florence + The Machine released their second single "Shake It Out" from upcoming album Ceremonials, which will be released October 10 in the UK.



Tony Bennett collaborated with Lady Gaga in remaking show tune classic from musical Babes In Arms, "The Lady is a Tramp." The duet will appear on Bennett's forthcoming Duets II album on September 20, which will also include duets with Amy Winehouse and Mariah Carey.




 


Wednesday, September 14, 2011

In Memory of Amy Winehouse

Happy 28th Birthday to the late Amy Winehouse. Columbia released her final studio recording today--a duet with Tony Bennett on "Body and Soul."

"My dad ... was like, 'Oh, it's only my favorite song in the world you're going to sing. Oh my God! Do you even know it?' and I was like, 'Of course I know it, Mitchell. I'm your daughter, of course I know it,'" Winehouse said. "It was really exciting that he chose that song because I do love it. It's such a beautifully written song."

Mitch Winehouse recently stated he thinks a seizure due to alcoholic detoxification caused his daughter's death.

"Everything Amy did, she did to excess," Mitch Winehouse said in an interview with Anderson Cooper. "She drank to excess and did detox to excess."

Amy Winehouse passed unexpectedly in London on July 23. All proceeds from the recording will be contributed to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which also launched today.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Another Horrifying Collaboration

Coldplay singer Chris Martin recently revealed to a UK newspaper that Rihanna will be featured on the track "Princess of China" from the band's new album to be released next month.

"When the vocal happened I thought 'Wow, you sound different' but I think that's also because [Rihanna] was singing a different song to what we are used to hearing from her," Martin said.

I suppose "different" would be somewhat of an accurate description. Couldn't this scenario be comparable to mixing feces with chocolate? Why ruin something that's already good?

Rihanna is an artist managed by Jay-Z's company Roc Nation. It is well known that Chris Martin and Jay-Z are good friends; Martin and wife Gwenyth Paltrow even attended Beyonce and Jay-Z's very private wedding in 2008.  Hmm... starting to make sense now.

Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto will be released on October 24.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Britney Spears to Release Another Pointless Remix Album

Oops! She's doing it again. Britney Spears announced she will be releasing another remix album, B In The Mix: The Remixes Vol. 2, on October 11.

"Exciting news tweeps... new remix album is coming out on 10/11! Pumped for you to hear these tracks," she tweeted.

Britney's first remix album, B In The Mix, was released six years ago and included hits "Toxic," "Me Against The Music" and "I'm A Slave 4 U." The album sold a whopping 119,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.


Once again, both an effortless and meaningless album by Britney Spears will bless the music world.


Track listing for B In The Mix: The Remixes Vol. 2:

1. Gimme More (Kaskade Club Mix)
2. Piece Of Me (Tiƫsto Club Mix)
3. Radar (Tonal Club Remix)
4. Womanizer (Benny Benassi Extended)
5. Circus (Linus Loves Remix)
6. If U Seek Amy (U-Tern Remix)
7. 3 (Manhattan Clique Club Remix)
8. Till The World Ends (Alex Suarez Club Remix)
9. I Wanna Go (Gareth Emery Remix)
10. Criminal (Varsity Team Remix)

Sunday, September 11, 2011

The Music Industry Ten Years Ago on 9/11

It's hard to believe 9/11 happened ten years ago.

Former Walt Disney consumer products senior VP Carolyn Beug, Backstreet Boy's roadie Danny Lee and ASCAP's music licensing team member Jane Simpkin were passengers of the two planes that hit the WTC towers and among the approximate 2,700 people who died.

Music concerts and events were constantly postponed or canceled, including the Latin Grammy Awards, CMJ Music Marathon, and tours by U2, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Shaggy, Weezer and Brian Wilson.

Releases on 9/11/01 included: Jay-Z's The Blueprint, Nickelback's Silver Side Up, Bob Dylan's Love and Theft and Mariah Carey's Glitter Soundtrack. Music sales that week dropped 5% and 16.2% in the New York metropolitan area, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Fund raising events, including the America: A Tribute to Heros telethon, raised over $100 million dollars. Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, U2, Faith Hill, Wyclef Jean, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi and the Dixie Chicks were some of the telethon performers.

Ten years later, many songs have been written about 9/11 including: "Covered In Rain" by John Mayer, "Believe" by Yellowcard, "Undivided" by Bon Jovi, "New Killer Star" by David Bowie, "911 For Peace" by Anti-Flag and "The Rising" by Bruce Springsteen.


Many music artists remembered 9/11 during the ten year anniversary this year.

"We were in disbelief," Lady Gaga told MTV. "We all watched the second tower fall together."  

“Of course it’s a very powerful and painful day for us, but again, we should be showing our resolve,” Jay-Z said. “We’re moving on, playing football, and everything is great out here.”

Read more about the music industry and 9/11 at Billboard.com.


Friday, September 9, 2011

Adele Makes History

Adele's performance of "Someone Like You" at the 2011 VMAs was a breath of fresh air. Let's face it -- she always seems to put most current female singers to shame.

Luckily for the British singer, that performance resulted in "Someone Like You" jumping from No. 19 to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week. This is the biggest jump in the chart's history without releasing a single.

"Someone Like You" was released on Februray 22, 2011 and has sold 275,000 downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Adele's first single from 21, "Rolling in the Deep," has sold 5 million copies and is currently the top-selling song this year.




Adele performing "Someone Like You" on the 2011 MTV VMAs.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Music Events Tonight at Fashion's Night Out

Foster the People
Fashion's Night Out is an after-hours worldwide shopping event that includes celebrities, designers and music artists -- And it's all happening tonight!

Make sure you check out some of the biggest music events in NYC:

Nicki Minaj hosting at Yves Saint Laurent
3 E. 57th St. 7-10 p.m.

Joe Jonas performing at Saks Fifth Avenue 
611 Fifth Ave.. 6th Fl. 7 p.m.

Andrew W.K. performing at Saks Fifth Avenue
611 Fifth Ave., 7th Fl. 6-10 p.m.

Foster the People performing at at Lacoste
608 Fifth Ave. 6-11 p.m.

Leighton Meester performing with with her band, Check in the Dark at Tiffany & Co.
727 Fifth Ave. 6-11 p.m.

Kelly Rowland performing at Macy's
151 W. 34th St. 4th Fl. 7 p.m.

Drake DJ'ing at Versace
647 Fifth Ave. 7-10 p.m.

The Roots performing with Gary Clark Jr. at John Varvatos
315 Bowery. 9 p.m.

Find more events at fashionsnightout.com.


Madonna is Not Legally 'Material Girl'

Madonna is known to many as "Material Girl," based on her 1985 single, but apparently she doesn't own the name.

A federal judge recently rejected her claim that she is entitled to an already registered trademark for the name. Madge named her clothing company Material Girl Brand and was sued last year by another clothing company that really does own the registered trademark.

Judge S. James Otero laughed at the pop star's claims that she brought "Material Girl" to fame and stated, "Defendants' argument that Madonna created the 'Material Girl' mark through her performances fails as a matter of law. This Court and other courts have recognized that the singing of a song does not create a trademark."

That's not all of Madonna's legal issues. Another lawsuit against her over noise levels was recently given the go-ahead by a judge. Madonna was using a New York apartment as a dance studio. Perhaps these judges are Cyndi Lauper fans?

Madonna may be known as "Material Girl" to the public, but does she really have the right to trademark the name? The song was actually written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans, so this lawsuit could be comparable to if Sarah Michelle Gellar claimed she's entitled to own the registered trademark for the name the name "Buffy."