#RCA Mark II

[laurentgudel]

STATE MUSIC — COMPUTER MUSIC CENTER AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

I spent five weeks in NYC between March and April 2023. It was a fantastic opportunity to work at the Computer Music Center in New York. The CMC is the first electronic music studio in the USA and Seth Cluett was kind enough to let me continue my research in the best conditions.

During this stay I was able to compose two new pieces for my forthcoming debut album State Music. The first was recorded in Studio 324 on two very early versions of Buchla and Serge analogue modular systems and two Bode frequency shifters. The process was similar to what I had done at EMS Stockholm, Radio Belgrade, KSYME Athens and Willem Twee Studio in Den Bosch. I tried to adapt to the machines installed in the studio, tested a lot of patches and recorded many hours of textures, accidents and other sonic events using a variety of techniques. The editing, collaging, layering and mixing was done later in my studio. I just followed one rule. Don't use the same recording twice. No loops, nothing like that.

The second composition was recorded in Jace Clayton's office. Why? Because the RCA Mark II, considered one of the first music synthesizers ever, still sits in that room. The synth has been out of order since 1976, when someone broke into the Prentis Hall building and vandalised the machine. But I decided to make use of it anyway. I opened one of the office windows to let sounds from the city into the room and recorded the tiny vibrations caused by street noise with a geophone magnetised to the synthesizer. In this way the synthesiser essentially acted as a loudspeaker. A cheap recorder was placed near the window. Two wide cardioid microphones were placed in the middle of the room for a high quality recording. Most of the time I sit in front of the synthesizer and do nothing but listen, and every now and then I flip a switch, turn a potentiometer or unplug a patch cable to activate the acoustic space of the office and make the metal frame of the machine vibrate.

It was an amazing moment. I've been working on the State Music project since 2018. I realised that being in that room with that silent machine felt like achieving something. My understanding of electronic music history is much deeper. The links between early synthesizers and the military industry are now much clearer to me. State music? Corporate music? I don't know and it doesn't matter.

Here's an anecdote from The Enabling Instrument: Milton Babbitt and the RCA Synthesizer" a paper by Martin Brody.

When the Mark-I appeared in 1955, it was listed in the RCA Acoustics Laboratory inventory with a proud comparison: The synthesiser was 'second only to the Typhoon rocket simulator as the largest single assembly to come out of the David Sarnoff Research Center'. [Although the Mark-I was built to recreate a peaceful expression of human subjectivity rather than to obliterate a hostile and remote man-machine, its input/output components were as indifferent to the workings of the psyche as an anti-aircraft predictor.As Harry Olson recalled, to test their new machine, Olson and Belar followed Seashore's playbook of analysing past performances. The goal was not to expose the musical mind, but to simulate the sounds of acoustic instruments and human performers with the utmost precision.

I would like to thank Seth Cluett, Anna Meadors, Jace Clayton and Nick Patterson for their help.

[sexartdesigncrime]

The RCA Mark II Synthesizer at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center at Columbia's Prentis Hall on West 125th Street, NYC in 1958.

Pictured: Milton Babbitt, Peter Mauzey, Vladimir Ussachevsky.

[thelensofyashunews]

G-EAZY RELEASES SEVENTH STUDIO ALBUM "FREAK SHOW" 

Today, multi-platinum selling superstar G-Eazy releases his 7th studio album, Freak Show.  The album marks an explosive return for the artist as his first full-length project in nearly three years and ushers him into a brand-new musical era as a creative.

Freak Show sees G-Eazy return with abundance, following a three-year hiatus to creatively refresh and process the devastating loss of his mother. The album spans the many musical sensibilities of his artistry, leaning into his roots with “Lady Killers III,” a reimagined version of his viral hit “Lady Killers II,” and a softer vulnerability in songs such as “Love You Forever,” in which he opens up regarding his grief of losing a parent. In “Love You Forever,” he shares “some days I try to ignore it/some days I’m not strong enough for it/I knew I’d have to write this/knew it’d be hard to record it/without breaking down in the moment.” The album title track “Freak Show” features hitmaker MC, French Montana and encapsulates the sound so many have grown to love G on. 

Last week, G released his newest single off the project, “Anxiety,” an upbeat track in which he addresses the ups and downs of his mental state. “Some days I’m high/Throw my pain away/Just to get by/It’s easier that way,” he confesses in the song’s chorus, going on to detail some of his most personal demons and the voice he battles in his own head. “Anxiety” serves as a poignant moment of self-reflection and honesty for G, giving fans a glimpse into his inner world.

In May, G-Eazy surprised fans with “Lady Killers III,” a brand-new version of his explosive viral hit, breathing new life into the much-loved track that has been taking the internet by storm in recent months. The original “Lady Killers Remix” experienced a major surge in viral popularity, rising to #2 on the Billboard TikTok chart, #4 on the Shazam U.S. Chart and #7 on the Shazam Global Chart. The song has broken into the Top 100 of Spotify’s Global Daily Streaming Chart and has led to record-setting engagement and total views on Tiktok after it was posted on his account. 

Earlier this Spring, G-Eazy released his brand-new single “Femme Fatale” featuring two-time GRAMMY nominated and multiplatinum artist Coi Leray and rap sensation Kaliii. Released via RCA Records, “Femme Fatale” is the first new music from the artist in over a year. Highlighting G-Eazy’s expansive musical influences, the track features a classic sample from legendary Caribbean reggae funk group 20th Century Steel Band song “Heaven and Hell Is On Earth.”  The single arrived alongside an artistically styled lyric video that introduces fans to a new creative era for G-Eazy. SPIN said the song was  “easily on track to be one of the year’s most-played summer jams, with feminist power lyrics marbled into a signature Bay Area-style, womp-filled, with a hyphy-sounding beat.”

G-Eazy has also announced his “Freak Show” world tour across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.Kicking off in Berkeley, CA on October 24th, the 41-date tour will stop in major markets across North America including Los Angeles, New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and more. The tour’s international leg will begin in Europe in 2025, including stops in Germany, France, Ireland and the UK before continuing on to dates in Australia and New Zealand. 

Presale tickets and VIP Package sales will begin Wednesday, June 12th at 10:00AM local time with tickets for general onsale starting Friday, June 14th at 10:00AM local time. For more information and to sign up for early access to US presale tickets, visit https://g-eazy.com/pages/tour.

[coghive]

Kierra Sheard Kelly Releases New Single “Praise Through”

GRAMMY®, Stellar, and Dove Award-winning artist Kierra Sheard-Kelly, is releasing her new single and music video for “Praise Through” (Karew Entertainment/RCA Inspiration). The chart-topping vocal powerhouse delivers this first new single for 2023 from her upcoming new album All Yours, with “Praise Through” following the September 2022 release of her album’s first single and video for “Miracles,” featuring Pastor Mike Jr. Premiering the music video on YouTube, Kierra rocks a colorful green ensemble in the video performing “Praise Through” live with her band, creating a moving, spiritual song about how faith has the power to guide the human spirit through difficult times.

Kierra’s new album All Yours, is scheduled to be released on March 3rd, and is available for pre-order now, with the two singles “Praise Through” and “Miracles” feat. Pastor Mike Jr. delivered instantly with pre-order. Marking her seventh studio album, All Yours is a follow-up to her chart-topping, GRAMMY-nominated sixth studio album KIERRA, released in 2020.  All Yours is set to be a 12-track album, with Kierra crafting her sound with additional collaborations with her brother J. Drew Sheard II, Mali Music, Anthony Brown, Adia, and more. An uplifting, soul-clapping track, the album’s first single “Miracles” feat. Pastor Mike Jr. is currently out at Gospel radio. The new track “Praise Through,” is heartwarming and personal, offering positive words of encouragement that nothing is impossible to overcome no matter the circumstances. Another new track by Kierra will debut this month, with her third song “Making A Way” out February 24th as an instant grat. Kierra also gave a sneak preview of her new album to a sold-out crowd, in a live interview taping in Nashville with the “We Sound Crazy” podcast on February 9th, at the National Museum of African American Music. Kierra Sheard-Kelly has been singing professionally since the age of nine. As the daughter of Gospel icon Karen Clark Sheard, from the legendary family group, The Clark Sisters, Kierra has grown up steeped in Gospel and continues to blaze her own trail, driving contemporary Gospel and ministry forward as an artist/songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, and with her family’s company Karew Entertainment, based in their native Michigan. The multi-faceted entertainer and entrepreneur most recently starred in the acclaimed biopic The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel portraying her mother Karen Clark Sheard, the movies Miracles Across 125th Street and Line Sisters, and has dropped new styles this year with her popular clothing brand for curvy fashions, Eleven60. Next up besides new music, Kierra continues to give back to the community through her women’s ministry, SistHer, her national organization creating mentoring and fellowship, with an in-person and virtual event taking place on February 25th. Registration is open now for her SistHer Vision & Prayer Boarding Check-In on her website https://www.iamkierrasheard.com/, where Kierra will be joined by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, J. Bolin, and Arian Simone. Kierra will also be releasing her latest book this spring, The Vibes You Feel: What I’ve Learned about Life and Relationships Through the Holy Spirit, out May 9th, which marks her second book. Pre-Save Kierra’s new album, All Yours at the link below. Praise Through - Kierra Sheard Kelly https://youtu.be/Y86ceOIo8gY Pre-Order Kierra Sheard-Kelly: All Yours Album (Karew Entertainment/RCA Inspiration), and get “Praise Through” and “Miracles” feat. Pastor Mike Jr. now as instant grat tracks: https://KierraSheard.lnk.to/PraiseThroughPR Read the full article

[whatisonthemoon]

Japan’s Daddy War Bucks

WASHINGTON POST By Mark Hosenball January 21, 1990 THE CHAIRMAN of the United States-Japan Foundation bills it as the most-active philanthropic institution supporting projects and research about U.S.-Japan relations, and the list of worthy causes backed by the foundation's money is impressive indeed.

Grants from the foundation help to pay for National Public Radio's full-time correspondent in Tokyo; foundation money helped to finance programs on Japan produced by several public television stations (including WGBH of Boston and Nebraska Public TV). The foundation's most recent annual report shows that universities from Alabama to Texas Tech have accepted mon- ey from the foundation to support projects like an "Alabama-Japan Leadership Program" and a "Southwest program for Teaching about Japan for precollege educators." The foundation paid for a tour of Japan by black mayors from several U.S. cities. Some beneficiaries are literally as American as apple pie: In l988, the National Foundation of the Future Farmers of America received a grant "to support teacher training and curriculum development on Japanese agriculture." With former presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford as "honorary advisers" and such political and entrepreneurial notables as Robert McNamara and former RCA chief Robert W. Sarnoff on its board of directors, the U.S.-Japan Foundation would appear to have firmly cemented its reputation among that stratum of respectable society which in Britain would be known as the "Great and the Good." Yet the foundation's executives acknowledge that, in the past, they have had to persuade Japanese and U.S. scholars to accept its money, and admit that on occasion, they have gone to unusual lengths to distance themselves from their principal financial backer. The reason for these defensive tactics lies in the controversial background of the Japanese businessman who is listed as the foundation's "founder" and in the origin of the large donation which served as the foundation's seed capital, and which, apart from investment income, is its only source of funds. The "founder" of the U.S.-Japan Foundation, Ryoichi Sasakawa, is, in fact, at age 90, one of the few remaining members of a generation of Japanese ultra-nationalists who allegedly helped to goad their nation into World War II. And the seed money he provided to set up the foundation was part of the proceeds of one of Japan's largest gambling enterprises, founded and still supervised by Sasakawa under license from the Japanese government. Much of the controversy that surrounds Sasakawa today in both Japan and Europe has its roots in his activities before and during World War II. These are described in some detail in the records of U.S. military authorities who occupied Japan after the war, and who interned Sasakawa without trial for three years as a suspected "Class A" war criminal. "Suspect {Sasakama} is clearly one of the worst offenders, outside the military in developing in Japan a policy of totalitarianism and aggression. He was active in the war and grew rich off ill-gotten gains," alleges one undated previously Top Secret memorandum prepared by lawyers for U.S. occupation forces in Japan. The document has since been declassifed and is now on file at the National Archives. Another document, originally classified Secret and dated 4 June 1947, summarized the results of the occupation forces' investigation: Sasakawa "appears to be a man potentially dangerous to Japan's political future. He has had long years as the leader of an extreme nationalist party. He may have suffered personal injustices from the Army, and in that sense be entitled to portray himself as a critic of the military, but in a larger and more important sense, he has been squarely behind Japanese military policies of aggression and anti-foreignism for more than 20 years. "He is a man of wealth and not too scrupulous about its use. He chafes for continued power. He is not above wearing any new cloak that opportunism may offer," the document concluded. American military records allege that Sasakawa and a right-wing party he formed were involved in pre-war assassination plots and that in 1940 he visited Germany and Italy to "investigate . . . battle line welfare." While in Italy, he was photographed with Mussolini who, according to Time magazine, he once called "the perfect fascist and dictator." Sasakawa was never indicted, much less tried or convicted, on war crimes charges; records on file at the National Archives do not indicate precisely how or why American forces finally decided to release him from Tokyo's Sugamo prison, although one memorandum in his American dossier suggests that the facts that he visited Italy and Germany and headed a right-wing party did not necessarily justify prosecuting him as a war criminal. Through a spokesman, Sasakawa said last week, "I still doubt the justness of the military tribunal of the Far East where the victors took it upon themselves to judge the vanquished. On that premise, I do not wish to comment on my internment. However, it suffices to say, that I was released without being charged." It was while in prison -- after an American guard gave him a copy of Life magazine containing a motorboat advertisement -- that Sasakawa got the idea which eventually would vault him into the major leagues of world philanthropy, according to a 1974 Time magazine account. Released from jail, he managed to persuade the new Japanese government to allow him to set up a circuit of speedboat races on which gambling would be legal. Sasakawa became the head of the racing federation, and also the head of a charity to which a portion of the gambling revenue is allocated, the Japan Shipbuilding Industry Foundation. A $44 million donation from this foundation, arranged by Sasakawa at the start of the '80s, constituted the seed money for the U.S.-Japan Foundation; due to wise investments and the rise in the value of the Japanese yen, the foundation's endowment has now grown to $85 million. There have been allegations, such as one in a 1981 article in the Asian Wall Street Journal, that both Sasakawa and his motorboat racing federation are connected with the Yakuza, which is Japan's version of the Mafia. The Journal noted that Sasakawa is often called "Godfather Sasakawa" in the Japanese press. According to a confidential 1979 State Department memo cited in a 1983 Village Voice article by Alec Dubro and David Kaplan, "While {Sasakawa's} primary source of income -- the Japan Motorboat Racing Association -- is legalized gambling, many suspect that he is also intimately involved in the underworld activities of Japan's gangster clans -- the Yakuza." Through his spokesman, who works for the Japan Shipbuilding Industry Foundation, Sasakawa said, "I do not wish to comment on unfounded rumors." The London Sunday Times also reported that Sasakawa was a close friend of Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon. Citing a 1978 congressional investigation of U.S.-Korean relations, the newspaper said that Moon's followers had allied themselves with "powerful right-wing figures in Japan, such as Ryoichi Sasakawa." Through his spokesman Sasakawa now says, "I was once a guest at a commemoration held by Mr. Moon. I was in the company of former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. This is the only contact I have had with Mr. Moon." The controversies surrounding Sasakawa's political and gambling activities have caused some Japanese and Americans to shy away from taking his money. In 1980, the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan politely rejected a $100,000 donation offered by Sasakawa to modernize the club's library, according to the Asian Wall Street Journal. London's Financial Times reported that the United Nations University of Tokyo also declined his donations. Stephen W. Bosworth, the U.S.-Japan Foundation's current president and a former American ambassador to the Philippines, acknowledged: "He {Sasakawa} is regarded as a controversial figure by some people in Japan . . . . It would make people uncomfortable if he were trying to exercise any control over how the money is spent." Nonetheless, Sasakawa has managed to ingratiate himself with celebrities and political leaders around the world through his philanthropic activities. He has shared a table with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at a banquet to honor a children's charity to which he gave 500,000 pounds; the directors of his English charity, the Sasakawa-Great Britain Foundation, have included former prime minister Harold Wilson, former foreign minister David Owen, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, and the publisher Robert Maxwell, according to London's Financial Times. And Angier Biddle Duke, former U.S. chief of protocol and scion of one of America's most aristocratic families, helped Sasakawa set up the U.S.-Japan Foundation and served as its first chairman, current foundation officials say. William Eberle, the foundation's chairman and a former U.S. trade representative, whose Washington consulting firm now represents Nissan Motors, said that despite these blue-blood endorsements, some U.S. academics also initially expressed concern about the foundation's Sasakawa connection. Eberle, who said he has only met Sasakawa two or three times, said he made "a lot of serious inquiries" about whether the foundation was to operate independently of Sasakawa before he agreed to take its helm. Eberle said that Sasakawa finances several other foundations, including a Sasakawa Peace Foundation in Japan, over which he maintains influence; in the case of the U.S.-Japan Foundation, however, the foundation makes all of its decisions independent of its founder, who holds no current position on the foundation's board or management. Sasakawa's son, Yohei, is a member of the foundation's board, but Eberle said that his attendance at the twice-yearly trustees' meeting, at which grant applications are reviewed and approved, is sometimes irregular. Otherwise, according to Eberle, the foundation goes out of its way to keep its founder at arm's length: The U.S.-Japan Foundation has so far avoided hints by officials of some of the charities controlled directly by Sasakawa that they should engage in joint ventures. Once, when Sasakawa arrived at a meeting the foundation was holding in Tokyo, the organizers ignored heavy hints that their founder wanted to make a speech. In his statement last week Sasakawa said that he had become involved in philanthropy in the United States because Americans helped generously with Japan's postwar reconstruction but that he was concerned about "a bumpy road ahead in the bilateral relationship. "Based on the above perception, I established the U.S.-Japan Foundation 10 years ago." He said his contribution to the foundation has been one of "endowment," not of control. He told the Financial Times' Tokyo correspondent in 1985 that the reluctance of some potential beneficiaries to accept his donations was the fault of "left-wingers and communists who make propaganda saying that Sasakawa money is dirty money." Jim Raphael, director of a Stanford University institute on East Asian studies, said that when the U.S.-Japan Foundation was first set up, he was nervous about it because of Sasakawa's involvement. Since then, however, he has concluded that the foundation is run quite independently of Sasakawa and that the foundation has a "very good track record." But he added that Sasakawa's reputation still makes many Japanese nervous. "Mr. Sasakawa has a rather mixed reputation in Japan. Anyone who is trying to raise money from Japanese corporations would have to think carefully about accepting money from him because it might affect the prospects for other funding." The Institute of International Economics, a Washington think tank whose studies of U.S.-Japan trade relations have proved influential in Washington policy debates, has received substantial grants from the U.S.-Japan Foundation, and its deputy director, Tom Bayard, said that he has sometimes heard criticism of the foundation because of its ties to Sasakawa. But he said his institute is "not nervous about" the foundation because "we've looked very carefully into their independence. They operate as an American foundation does -- very independently." Not all recipients of U.S.-Japan Foundation money know of Sasakawa's role, however. Bernie Staller, director of the National FFA Foundation in Madison, Wis., said he was "not aware" of Sasakawa's involvement in the foundation. "They have been around for a number of years. They are a respectable part of the philanthropic community," said Staller, explaining why his organization applied to the foundation for a grant. The foundation's executives, and those recipients who do know about Sasakawa's background say that so long as the foundation's trustees and staff ensure that the founder has not attached strings to his money, there should be no reason why American beneficiaries should be nervous about the origin of the money. After all, said U.S.-Japan Foundation President Bosworth, "If you looked at the founders of other major foundations, you'll find they were not universally loved in their lifetimes."

[hagleyvault]

It’s  National Clean Out Your Computer Day!  We’re marking this solemn holiday, which was started in 2000 by the   Institute of Business Technology, with a can of our finest compressed air and this ca. 1975(?) draft of a children’s book by computing pioneer Joe Weisbecker (1932-1990).

Weisbecker was an engineer at RCA who invented an 8-bit microcomputer architecture that became the foundation of RCA’s microprocessor business. Weisbecker was also well versed in programming languages, and during the 1970s contributed to the development of RCA’s programmable video game and educational systems: FRED, STUDIO II, STUDIO III, and STUDIO IV, and Microtutor.

In addition to his work at RCA, Weisbecker ran his own business, Komputer Pastimes, through which he created and released computer language-based games for children and adults, children’s books, toys, and greeting cards.

Joseph Weisbecker’s papers are part of Hagley Library’s collection of David Sarnoff Research Center records (Accession 2464.09). The Weisbecker digital collection in our Digital Archive comprises digital files extracted from cassette tapes found in Weisbecker's collection as well as selected materials related to RCA's video game systems and Komputer Pastimes. The video clips of gameplay were provided by Kevin Bunch working from binaries converted from tapes by Andy Modla and Marcel van Tongeren. For more information, see the emulator developed and maintained by Marcel van Tongeren. Click here to view the digital collection online now.

[scotianostra]

Brian Francis Connolly was born on October 5th 1945 in Govanhill.

You would think that in the 20th century we would get dates of birth and place correct but no! Some sources say he was born in Govanhill others 20 odd miles away in Hamilton, not content with that the years differ as well, The Sweet fan page has the year as 1949, wiki says 45.......anyway......

Connolly was probably the half- brother of the actor Mark McManus (who played the Scottish television detective Taggart). The young Brian was fostered by the McManus family, having been abandoned by his mother as a baby; however, when he moved to Middlesex in his teens, he dropped the surname McManus in favour of Connolly. (Rumours persisted that his father was "Mark's dad. I think Mark was my half-brother." Whatever the truth behind their common lineage, he and Mark McManus both later admitted their resemblance to each other was uncanny.) Connolly studied to become an engineer but music was more of an attraction for a youngster keen to make his mark on the world.

In a radio interview, Connolly reported that singing was a large part of growing up since there was no television, and that he was regularly called upon to sing for family and friends. Connolly has credited the Everly Brothers as being his earliest musical influence.

After playing in a couple of groups "The Sweet". Formed in 1970, the band's managers and songwriters, got them a contract with RCA, they wrote the single "Funny, Funny" which reached number 13 on the charts in March, 1971. Their second single "Co Co" reached number 2 on the charts and they released the albums "Gimmee Dat Ding" "Sweet Fanny Adams" and "Desolation Boulevard". They had a worldwide hit with "Love is like Oxygen" and Connolly announced that he had left the group in 1979 to become a country singer! Can you imagine a voice like Brian's doing that?

In 1981, Connolly was admitted to hospital with bloating, and he sustained multiple heart attacks. His health was permanently affected with some paralysis on his left side which would later develop into a nervous system condition. These problems were most likely related to Connolly's excessive alcohol consumption, coupled with the use of prescription diuretic medicine.

Although recording and releasing several records Connolly failed to make an impact as a solo artist, he did however still do rather well in concert, most notably he supported Pat Benatar for three shows including one at Hammersmith Odeon.

From early 1984 onward, despite recurrent ill health, Connolly toured the UK and Europe with his band, now under the name of The New Sweet. His most successful concerts were in West Germany every year, before and after Germany's reunification. He visited other countries including Denmark, and he also continued to perform on and off in the UK. Connolly had reportedly stopped drinking in 1985, but separated from his wife Marilyn, divorcing in 1986.

There was talk of a reunion after meeting with old members of The Sweet, a contract had been drawn up, but Brian had problems with his voice and it never developed further. He did however still tour with his band The New Sweet. Legal problems were still going on in the background over the use of the Sweet name between Connolly and former band member Andy Scott. In something of a truce, both parties agreed to distinguish their group's name to help promoters and fans. The New Sweet became Brian Connolly's Sweet and Andy Scott's version became Andy Scott's Sweet. Connolly and his band continued to tour, both in the UK and Europe.

In 1994 Don't Leave Me This Way, a Channel 4 documentary, highlighted the plight of Brian Connolly, who had suffered several heart attacks in 1981. Still clinging to his memorabilia and his dyed blond hair, the vocalist appeared as a shadow of his former self, shaking constantly and walking with a limp. He only came to life when appearing on stage at Butlin's to sing "Blockbuster".

Connolly's final concert was at the Bristol Hippodrome on 5 December 1996, with Slade II and John Rossall's Glitter Band Experience.

During January 1997 Connolly had another heart attack and he was hospitalized in Slough. After a week in hospital, he discharged himself, but was readmitted the following week. This time there was little more that could be done. Connolly died late on the evening on 9 February 1997, from renal failure, liver failure and repeated heart attacks, attributed to his previous chronic alcoholism. Brian was only 51 years old.

In 2013 Connolly's son, Brian, competed in the television talent show The X Factor.

I've chosen this less well known song by Brian called Mr McGallagher just to show the versatility in his singing voice.

[paulodebargelove]

 Tevin Campbell - Can We Talk   Happy Birthday,!!!!!! to Tevin Jermod Campbell (born November 12, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Born in Waxahachie, Texas; he displayed a passion for singing at a very early age, performing gospel in his local church. Following an audition for a famous jazz musician in 1988, Campbell was signed to Warner Bros. Records. In 1991, Campbell collaborated with music impresario Quincy Jones performing lead vocals for “Tomorrow” on Jones’ album “Back on the Block” and released his platinum-selling debut album, T.E.V.I.N.. The album included his highest-charting single to date, “Tell Me What You Want Me to Do”, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.His double-platinum selling second album, I’m Ready, released in 1993, included two of Campbell’s most popular songs, “Can We Talk” which peaked at number 9 on the Hot 100, and the album’s title track “I’m Ready”, which also peaked at number 9 on the Hot 100. In 1996, Campbell released his third album, Back to the World, which was not as commercially or critically successful as his first two releases. His self-titled fourth album, Tevin Campbell, was released in 1999, but, performed poorly on Billboard’s album charts.Apart from music, Campbell commenced an acting career, appearing in Prince’s sequel to Purple Rain called Graffiti Bridge. He also made guest appearances on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Moesha television programs, voiced the character named Powerline in Disney’s animated A Goofy Movie film and was cast as Seaweed in the Broadway musical Hairspray in 2005.Throughout his career, Campbell has earned 5 Grammy Award nominations, selling an estimated 3 million album copies worldwide (primarily from his first two albums).Early lifeBorn in Waxahachie, Texas, Tevin Campbell had a passion for singing at a young age. He began by singing gospel, first as a choir member, and then as a soloist at Jacob’s Chapel in a small town just south of Dallas, Texas.Career1988–1990: Early careerIn 1988, a friend of Campbell’s mother arranged for him to audition for jazz flutist Bobbi Humphrey by singing over the phone to her in New York. Humphrey took an interest in Campbell and submitted an audio and videotape to Warner Bros. This led to a meeting with Benny Medina, the Warner’s senior vice president and general sales manager of black music.Campbell was introduced to the R&B world by Quincy Jones in August 1989. Campbell’s debut single was “Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)” which reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart in June 1990. This was a vocal version of a 1976 instrumental by The Brothers Johnson. It was the lead single from Jones’ critically acclaimed ensemble LP Back on the Block which won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1991. After working with Jones and writers and producers including Siedah Garrett, Campbell worked with producers Narada Michael Walden, Al B. Sure, Babyface, and others to record additional music.Campbell’s first solo hit was “Round and Round”, which charted at number 3 on the R&B chart in November 1990 and 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1991 was produced by Prince and was featured in Prince’s film Graffiti Bridge. After his appearance in the 1990 film Graffiti Bridge, Campbell made a guest appearance the following year on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, playing fictional teen idol, “Little T”, a celebrity crush and date of Ashley’s in the first season episode, “Just Infatuation”. In a later episode, he was referenced when Will threatened to destroy Ashley’s Little T posters after she plays with Will’s autographed baseball. The song, “Round and Round” earned Campbell a Grammy Award nomination at the 33rd Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance but lost to Luther Vandross for “Here and Now”.1991–1992: T.E.V.I.N. and early successCampbell followed the success of his first two singles by releasing his debut album, T.E.V.I.N., in November 1991 which featured the R&B hit singles and Campbell’s number 1 R&B hit: “Tell Me What You Want Me to Do” followed by “Alone with You”, and “Goodbye”. T.E.V.I.N. reached number 38 on Billboard 200 chart and 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album eventually was certified platinum by the RIAA for selling 1 million copies in the United States. T.E.V.I.N. earned Campbell a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 35th Grammy Awards but lost to Al Jarreau for his album Heaven and Earth. The album was produced by Jones, Al B. Sure! and Narada Michael Walden among others.Between interviews and television appearances following the release of T.E.V.I.N., he contributed to three special projects: Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration, a Grammy Award-winning album produced by Mervyn Warren of Take 6; A Very Special Christmas 2album, featuring Campbell’s rendition of “Oh Holy Night”; and Barcelona Gold, the 1992 Olympics album which includes his hit “One Song”.1993–1995: I’m Ready and prominent successThe singer’s second album, the 1993 release of the album I’m Ready, was also produced by Jones and Medina. “I wanted to make a more mature-sounding album to reflect my current state of mind,” Campbell explained to J. R. Reynolds in Billboard magazine. “I’m Ready says a lot about who I am as a person because of the things I’ve been through during the last four years or so. I hope people will see that I’m not the same young kid that I was on my first album.” The album was produced by Babyface among others.I’m Ready released October 1993, yielded the US top ten pop and number 1 R&B hit “Can We Talk” in December 1993; “I’m Ready”, a US top ten and top five R&B hit; and “Always in My Heart” which charted at the US Hot 100 top twenty and number 3 on the R&B chart. He also scored a Top 30 R&B hit with a fourth single, “Don’t Say Goodbye Girl”. The album was released on October 26, 1993 and went on to reach number 18 on the Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling 2 million copies in the United States. To date I’m Ready is Campbell’s biggest selling album and many considered this album to be the high mark of his career despite the fact he was only 16 when he recorded the album. The album was nominated for 3 Grammy Awards: Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Can We Talk” at the 36th Grammy Awards (which he lost to Ray Charles for “A Song for You”) and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “I’m Ready” (which he lost to Babyface for “When Can I See You”) along with Best R&B Album for I’m Ready (which he lost to Boyz II Men for their album II) both at the 37th Grammy Awards .In November 1994, Campbell was featured on the soundtrack to the film, A Low Down Dirty Shame singing “Gotta Get Yo’ Groove On” produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. In September 1994, Campbell also scored an R&B hit with the single “U Will Know” as part of the R&B super-group Black Men United, a group that also included singer Usher. During the time span of 1993 to 1995, Campbell performed as an opening act on select dates during the summer of Janet Jackson’s Janet World Tour. In 1995, Campbell voiced the character Powerline in Disney’s animated A Goofy Movie, performing the songs “I 2 I” (also styled as “Eye to Eye”) and “Stand Out” for the film’s soundtrack. Campbell appeared alongside female recording artist Brandy on the September 28, 1995 episode of NY Undercover called “Digital Underground.Com” singing “The Closer I Get to You”.1996–1998: Back to the World and decline in popularityThe year 1996 saw the release of his third album, Back to the World. The album saw production by Sean Combs. It reached number 46 on the Billboard 200 chart and 11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In terms of sales, Back to the World was a disappointment compared to his first two albums T.E.V.I.N. and I’m Ready because it only reached Gold status. The album’s first single,“Back To The World”, reached number 47 on the Billboard 200 chart and 14 on the R&B charts becoming a moderate hit. However, the other two singles didn’t even reach the Hot 100, “I Got It Bad” and “Could You Learn to Love” only managed to reach the R&B charts with very low peak positions. Also in 1996, Campbell sung a cover of the song, “The Impossible Dream”, on the compilation album Rhythm of the Games: 1996 Olympic Games Album. Campbell also contributed to the RCA Victor Records tribute album called The Songs of West Side Story in dedication to the original West Side Story musical and 1961 film adaptation. Campbell sung the song “One Hand, One Heart” on the album which also featured contributions from Selena, Aretha Franklin, Phil Collins, Patti LaBelle, Natalie Cole, Sheila E. and All-4-One.1999–2002: Tevin Campbell, arrest and hiatusOn February 23, 1999, Campbell released his self-titled album, Tevin Campbell, found Campbell venturing into the neo-soul venue. The project was rushed, and as a result charted below the R&B Top 30, with only a single charting, a Top 30 song called “Another Way”. The album saw collaborations with Wyclef Jean, Faith Evans, David Foster, and SWV lead singer Coko. In 1999, Campbell made another guest appearance on the hit show Moesha starring Brandy in the episode, “Rite Stuff”.In September 1999, Campbell was arrested after soliciting a lewd act from an undercover policeman during a sting operation in Van Nuys, California. The sting operation was reportedly conducted in an area where there had been numerous complaints from the public about cruising and solicitation. According to police reports, Campbell was also in possession of a small amount of marijuana at the time of his arrest.During 2000, Campbell stayed out of the public eye. In 2001, Campbell released the compilation album, The Best of Tevin Campbell. In 2002, it was reported that he had stopped making music.2003–2008: Broadway and shelved albumThrough 2003 to 2004, Campbell had still not made a public appearance and kept a low profile. However, in 2005, Campbell made an appearance on Broadway for the musical Hairspray as the character, Seaweed J. Stubbs. Campbell later reprised his role of Seaweed in the Broadway play in the Melbourne and Sydney productions in Australia. He worked with the production up until 2011. During 2006 to 2007, Campbell made few public appearances, due to his commitment to Broadway. In May 2008, Campbell released an internet album entitled, 2008, Never Before Heard through Rambo House Media and the album was released to iTunes and Amazon as a means of test marketing some material originally recorded in 2002. After six months of availability, Campbell decided to no longer allow the unpublished material to be downloaded online, and the music can no longer be heard or purchased on these sites.2009–2013: Sporadic appearancesIn early 2009, record producer Narada Michael Walden stated that Campbell was working on a new album with new material to be released in early 2009. However, nothing was ever released. Also in 2009, Campbell made an appearance at the BET Awards 2009 as he paid tribute to The O'Jays with Trey Songz, Tyrese, and Johnny Gill. In May 2010, Campbell performed on The Mo'Nique Show. He said that many people wanted him to work again on music and he was thinking about a comeback. In November 2010, he was featured on the remake of a song by Quincy Jones called “Secret Garden”. The remake featured Usher, Robin Thicke, Tyrese Gibson, LL Cool J and Barry White. TV One’s show Life After featured Campbell’s life and career, as well as updates on his comeback. From 2011 to 2012, Campbell made small appearances here and there. In 2013, Campbell performed a concert called Tevin Campbell in Cape Town and was a part of Divos Tour 2013 both in South Africa as well as traveling to London to perform at The O2 Arena and also performed at the One Man, One Nation, One Celebration memorial service in honor and tribute to Nelson Mandela held at FNB Stadium.2014–present: Music comeback and fifth albumOn June 14, 2014, Campbell performed a concert at B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill in New York called An Evening with Tevin Campbelland received positive reviews. It was officially announced that he was working on a new album with collaborations from producer Teddy Riley, singer Faith Evans and rapper T-Pain. On July 5, Campbell performed at the 2014 Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. The performance garnered great reviews. Campbell appeared on a track called “Let it Flow” with Naturi Naughton from the Full Force album With Love from Our Friends which was released on August 26, 2014.In November, it was announced that Campbell had signed with Spectra Music Group. On August 14, 2015, Campbell appeared at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California for a rare performance of his song “I 2 I” from the A Goofy Movie soundtrack at the end of A Goofy Movie cast reunion held during the fourth annual D23 Expo.On September 29, Campbell was featured on a remake of the song, “Maybe Tomorrow”, originally recorded by The Jackson 5. The song was featured on jazz musician Aaron Bing’s ninth studio album, Awakening. On November 29, 2015, Campbell performed his song “Can We Talk” while Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds played piano as a part of a tribute dedicated to Edmonds who was honored with the Legend Award at the 2015 Soul Train Music Awards. The tribute included Brandy, Fantasia Barrino, Boyz II Men, Bobby Brown and Babyface himself, which included some of the hit songs that he wrote.Campbell released a new single from his 5th album entitled, “Safer on the Ground” via iTunes and Google Play. The song served as a “buzz” single and was available for free streaming a day earlier on SoundCloud. When asked about the new album in an interview with Jet magazine website, Campbell told the interviewer that the song reminded him of a modern-day “Tell Me What You Want Me to Do”. In the interview, Campbell also stated that the song is a love song about a broken heart, but to him it represents being humble and safe, speaking of the disappointment with music business during the early stages of his career. Campbell stated that he doesn’t agree with the new sound of current R&B music and wants his music to be “authentic”.VoiceCampbell is a tenor who possesses a three-octave vocal range. His vocal range spanned from E2 to a D6 in his song “Tell Me What You Want Me to Do”

[wyattvsmusic]

BROCKHAMPTON - GINGER ALBUM REVIEW

BROCKHAMPTON’s popularity has been on this upward trajectory ever since the 3 SATURATION albums in 2017. 2018 marked a turn of events in the group’s career. They signed with RCA, Ameer Vann left the group due to allegations of sexual misconduct, and they dropped their 4th album iridescence. Iridescence is very different from the trilogy which a lot of their core fanbase did not respond to well but it was a critical and commercial success and I actually think it is one of their best albums (probably #2 behind SATURATION II). These guys’ lives have changed so much in just two years since their first album and they have not slowed down but they just dropped their 5th album which has a completely different energy from the other 4 albums. The first thing I wanna talk about is the first song NO HALO. This song is incredible and is easily one of the best songs BROCKHAMPTON have ever made. I thought to myself about the fact that none of the other album intros sound like this. They’ve started all their albums with some angry moshpit starter, some bombastic song to get fans jumping, or bangers that get the party started. When NO HALO came on for the first time, I didn’t think they had softened up because I had listened to the singles but it really did set a very different tone straight out the gate. The guitar loop is perfect and the other guitar melody on top of it gives the song an even more emotional depth. I also like that there isn’t too much to the drums. They are perfect for the other parts of the instrumental and don’t need an 808. Matt Champion started the song just right flowing right on top of the beat. The hook really made the song amazing. I don’t know who Deb Never is but she did an amazing job with Matt and Merlyn on the hook. Something I’ve always loved about BROCKHAMPTON is that each member brings their own style to a song no matter what type of song it is. Dom, JOBA and Bearface all did their thing to make their verses stand out. Not every track sounds like NO HALO on the album. There are bangers on here like the quirky yet fun BOY BYE and I BEEN BORN AGAIN which progressively gets crazier. I love how the beat keeps building throughout the whole song and gets wild by the time Matt comes on at the end of the song. I also thought that JOBA’s vocal effect making his voice deeper on the track made his verse sound really dope, which is contrary to some of my critiques on previous songs of theirs and even songs on this album. I initially didn’t like SATURATION because of the weird voice effects and I thought they did them well on many parts of SATURATION 2 and 3 which made me like 1 a lot more. They have done vocal effects well on many occasions but sometimes they can be a little much on past songs like TRIP, FAKE, HOTTIE and that brings me to the vocal effects I wasn’t crazy about on this album. I don’t think SUGAR is a bad song but I don’t enjoy it as much because of the effects on Dom’s voice. The only other problems I specifically had with this album were that Bearface is being used on the bangers only for this sassy voice that he drove into the ground on iridescence and the fact that I BEEN BORN AGAIN and ST. PERCY use the same “ayyy” sound in the beats even though those are 2 of my favorite songs. I am glad that the group is using Bearface a lot more because he is very talented. English rapper Slowthai is featured on the song HEAVEN BELONGS TO YOU which has the same beat as the song IF YOU PRAY RIGHT which I thought was interesting because the names of the two songs create a full sentence which is the title of a Nina Simone song. I am not a fan of Slowthai’s music at all even though he is featured on Flume’s album which I love. Slowthai will also be joining BROCKHAMPTON on tour this fall which will be dope. BROCKHAMPTON have spent a lot of their albums with songs that slap but on this album there are a lot of songs that are very slow which gives them the chance to deliver meaningful verses on songs like DEARLY DEPARTED where they speak on the situation with Ameer and the album closer VICTOR ROBERTS where Dom’s friend Victor tells a heartbreaking story about his parents being addicted to crack. I think this album is very good and I’m glad to see a group like BROCKHAMPTON that has already pushed the genre of hip hop in a much more forward-thinking direction continue to put out solid projects that convey different emotions while still emphasizing the group’s variety.

Fav Tracks: NO HALO, BOY BYE, ST. PERCY, IF YOU PRAY RIGHT, I BEEN BORN AGAIN

[6505-blog1]

The Greatest Rock/Metal Albums of the 21st Century.

21st century marks the most diverse decade for rock and metal continuation. Absorbing, if not radiated by the long progenitors from Led Zeppelin who cranked up their amps and Black Sabbath that turn it out murky and sinister grim, to the dazzling theatrical persona of KISS and Motley Crue, to the new level heavy metal confronter of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, to the head crusher of Motorhead and Metallica, to the destructo maniac of Slayer and Kreator, to the prog menu offerer of King Crimson and Tool, and finally aligned to have some peculiar layers and brooding tendency of Korn. We have come a long way. Yet our engine keeps raging.

I have cumulated the finest, the most influential, and the most prominent albums released in the new millenium by the descendents that took their predecessors to a whole different level, sustain the genre, and move myriads of people to mosh.

In a particular order:

10. Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil (Warner Bros, 2005).

Rolling Stones magazine has named the sonically-punk with the flames of Iron Maiden, City of Evil on the last number of their 100 Greatest Album of All Time list. That should be a fair consideration since the extravagants like Beast and the Harlot, Bat Country, and Seize the Day altogether with the rest of the setlist ultimately transced the whole level and the destiny of the band as a leading force of eliticians in not so distant future. The 11 tracks have also successfully resurrected the triumph of classic guitar virtuosso portrait demonstrated on 80's as the talisman, Synyster Gates embarked over tons of appealing riffages and dueling solos which was buried after Nirvana and grunge breaktrough on the early 90's. Veteran and Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society guitarist, Zakk Wylde acknowledged him as a "Torchbearer" for arguably giving a birth and cultivating the guitar culture to the next generation.

9. Behemoth - The Satanist (Nuclear Blast, 2014).

The tenth album of Polish most profound extreme metal giant after Adam "Nergal"s battle with leukemia. Unlike the speed and precision exhibited over prior releases, the coagulated dense and horified cultish doom are found intensely throughout the setlist as to explicit the heretic messages. The result is astonishing and stronger than ever. More to add, The Satanist is pure, cathartic, flawlessly emotional, carefully-savage, and conquering by its complexity of repertoire within vivid and cinematical gradation as multi-dimensional tracks Messe Noire, In the Absence ov Light, Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer, and the leadoff Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel ravage in none but diabolical fervor. This album expansive flair has comprehensively unfolded the darkest caverns and creates the new standard of underground craftmanship.

8. Bring Me the Horizon - Sempiternal (RCA/Epitaph, 2013).

I wouldn't believe that i need to make Sempiternal in the cut. Who would have guessed? But i will beat every negation towards it. It is the album that eventually transforms Bring Me the Horizon from bunch of hipsters to one of the most important unit in the 21st century modern rock landscape. A year and a half after the release, Oliver Sykes and co. took over the world attention of rocking Wembley Arena, the same monumental venue where Queen — one of the biggest rock band in the history — was there doing the same story. It was approximately 12.000 attendees which made Sykes stated: "So this is our biggest show ever". The soaring Can You Feel My Heart, the furious The House of Wolves, the euphoric Shadow Moses, and the melodic of Sleepwalking are undeniably the new testament of rock music.

7. Lamb of God - Ashes of the Wake (Epic, 2004).

Count how many metal bands on the planet started after invented Laid to Rest or Now You've Got Something to Die For! It was countless. Lamb of God has became the crowned icon of "New Wave American Heavy Metal" and one of the most distinctive band in the scene. Their ferocious riffs, blistering drum works, lyrical contents, sound, even how to sing like Randy Blythe are largely imitated and seem to be the ideal menifesto of modern metal anatomy with obviously Ashes of the Wake as the highest pedestal. It contains tremendous chaos of 11 front-to-back blazing tracks immensely portrayed after Mark Morton - Willie Adler's virtuosity and of course, Chris Adler's voraciousity. Implying both abundance and how well they grasp the roots that will less likely be outnumbered.

6. Mastodon - Leviathan (Relapse, 2004).

We are now talking (and unravelling) the true genius minds of Atlanta-based extraordinary quartet. The newborn Metallica, Mastodon — the group that always exceed anyone's expectation — has seamlessly ranged their pinaccle from sludge to prog to avant-garde to even folk with staggering exponents of highly sophisticated masterpiece. With any fruition that comes in, the sheer Leviathan is believed as the opener tap. Written after Herman Merville's 1851 novel entitled "Moby Dick", the 46-minutes concept album is nothing but endless breathtaking experience of capturing bizarre Ode to the sea soundtrack. Blood and Thunder, I Am Ahab, and Aqua Dementia are torrent of forceful yet fascinating guttural power chords with Brann Dailor's tracherous drum tempo reflecting the theme while Iron Tusk sets sail upon muscular stoner riff and Naked Burn for menacing-tactical intro and flaunted visceral jarring chorus are hulking the imagery of the beast. Until the epic Hearts Alive with a glimpse of Metallica's The Call of Ktulu patiently reigns and all the greatness rendered.

5. Evanescence - Fallen (Wind-up, 2003).

The album that made Evanescence — a small town band from Arkansas — a megastar in the blink of an eye. It was the second semester of 2003 where the breakthrough hit single, Bring Me to Life played million times on the radio around the globe (and MTV as well) picturing the female face lead singer and her gleaming voice, Amy Lee who started the band with the co-founder guitarist, Ben Moody (though the relationship didn't survive and separation happened in the midst of suporting Fallen tour). The fame that nowhere expected begun when the terrific duo met on a camp and cliche of having the same musical taste brought them to finally sign the major label Wind-up and dominated the world stages in a brief. Fallen with the added values of enchanting piano, symphonical strings livery, and haunting soundscape that most nu-metal groups didn't have at that time effortlessly stood-out and arised in comparison to even Linkin Park. Other songs served like the down-tuned goth Going Under and the everlasting ballad My Immortal are only legitimating their popularity.

4. Ghost - Prequelle (Loma Vista, 2018).

In our nearly five decades of heavy music, such names as Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Van Halen with their fantastic works and spirits have became a catalyst that will be remembered greatly in the faraway future for causing an enourmous impact to our community. Those that have bloomed and paved the way many artists to follow. And if there is a chance for this millenium bands to extend the list, Ghost will be the first to step up the grace.

This year, their most recent release Prequelle has been nominated for The Best Rock Album and its single Rats for Best Rock Song of 61st Grammy. An award that should be familiar since they have been winning it two times with Infestissumam (2013) — their second major label album — as The Best Hard Rock/Metal Album and Cirice — the single taken from previous album Meliora (2015) — as Best Metal Performance. A peak of a decade existence for one superior man behind the wheel, Tobias Forge. Appear himself as a satanic pope, Papa Emeritus I, II, III, Zero, and now with the newest fully renowned ascencion clergy Cardinal Copia has completely shaped the band's identity. But the latest Prequelle has more than to be attained to an award. Forge's admiration to film makes no surprise if any substance on the record is prone to get visualized and draw medieval realms so alive and real. He could blend joyous disco with scattered shock rock backbone for Dance Macabre, provide brilliant exotic pop-esque instrumental opus for Miasma, and close all the novelty and intellegiousness by a soothing grand finale of Life Eternal. That is the last strike.

3. Greenday - American Idiot (Reprise, 2004).

With the overwhelmed mainstream-breaking punk rock hit single American Idiot, it was an album (a concept album, for specific) everyone knew which handfully restored a big disappointment both sales and critical of their previous release. Taking the power back after four years gap with anti-Bush vitriol narration over long and merged tracks was everything we could expect from an ambition. Performing sarkastic American-post 9/11 political singable outcry and dragging down to emotionally-related suburban decline on Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams, followed by californian sunset accoustic staccato and straighforward revv Give Me Novacaine/She's A Rebel, a love story of Whatsername where a street punk main actor St. Jimmy fell and how it all ended on Homecoming.

The grandiose worths 16 millions selling CD is the anthem of this generation where a generation ago pridefully have The Clash with the classic London Calling.

2. Slipknot - Iowa (Roadrunner, 2001).

The most brutal and confrontational album of 21st century nothing to this day can bear. That is the deal. A remorseless turmoil just from the first second of welcoming to the house of pain intro, (515) to the last 15 minutes epilogue of magnificent unrelenting drama title track, Iowa. Please recognize the insolent hate mantra "Here we go again motherfuckers" as Corey Taylor opens up and rips off anything with hammer to the face misanthropic followed track, People = Shit that seems a vulgar warning to extend the torture of their 1999 debut phenomenal self titled album. But things got tenfold. They were all damaged animals, making it excuriatingly worst instead, and wanted any living to hear them. That they fuck what trend you live up on bludgeoning bestial Heretic Anthem, that they are adamant bastards you can't bleach their darkness out on atmospherical assault New Abortion, that killing is their primal instinct on grinding jaw-breaker scorn Disasterpieces, that they are fucking obsolete machines on the scorching psychosis Everything Ends. There lies Neurosis-ian dressed Gently and never eschew Grammy nominated singles, Left Behind and My Plague.

All the violent rampage should be addressed to Ross Robinson (producer) for being able to wrap up the devastating times the band encountered in the studio and that was how its ruthless resonated the world where many people are pissed-off to everything. An absolute impossible album to be re-recorded due to its hell of organic material. Yet apart of any malevolence, Iowa is sadly, a gift to liberate your heart and soul.

Honourable mentions:

System of a Down - Toxicity (American/Columbia, 2001).

Converge - Jane Doe (Equal Vision, 2001).

My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade (Reprise, 2006).

1. Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory (Warner Bros, 2000).

The world seriously gives us no chance to break. After Lemmy, Bowie, now we have lost the most beautiful voice that represents our generation.

May rest in peace and honour, Chester Bennington.

We miss you everyday, and we do care if someone whose time runs out is you.

The album that took nu-metal to a whole different level forever and highly contributed to shape the sound that outbursted the 21st century. For two decades, Linkin Park has became the most iconic group on the planet. Breeding the bands like Bring Me the Horizon, Asking Alexandria, and Bullet For My Valentine (with their recent 2018 album, Gravity).

Hybrid Theory (which was the actual name of the band before settling to Linkin Park) is the sublime fusion of heavy metal, alternative rock, hip-hop, pop, and electronica desired only to make a lifetime change. It is truly no derivative. Yet recalling back, it was multiple rejections of label after label before it took off with Don Gillmore (previously worked with Eve 6, Lit, Pearl Jam) to produce the album and pushed the band excessively. It was the part that would not have regretted where all they saw afterwards and going on was all miracle. 28 millions copy sold should be a very serious sensastion everyone must have a seat to talk about. A rock n roll revival after Guns N' Roses's Appetite For Destruction (1987) so to speak. With angst to fuel, Hybrid Theory yielded the catchy single opener One Step Closer, the drug abuse easer Crawling, the unhinged paranoia Papercut, and the most well-known last single sung by anyone In the End. Not to mention its cohesive supplementaries A Place For My Head, Runaway, and My December that blur the foursome due to their equivalent prowess. Admit it, Linkin Park and Hybrid Theory are the gateway to rock and heavy metal empire.

[thetorreediary]

I | Lucky Daye l Story Told Amongst A Million Men

A good artist friend, and fellow Mckinley High school alumni put me on to the video for Roll Some Mo. It’s the first single from Lucky Daye’s very first EP entitled I, as in Roman numeral one. I is the first part in a two part collective album with the second part being II. After being awestruck by his vocals, I had to find out more about his artistry and process. This led me to Youtube where I watched an unhealthy amount of content and was immersed in it.

The people at You Got Soul asked the questions I wanted answers to. When asked about how Roll Some Mo became the single from the project Lucky said he couldn’t take credit for something he did not have a hand in. Normally when it comes to an artist submitting their music to recording labels, the branding team will make changes to the material in hopes they’d appeal to larger audience. I was submitted to RCA and they approved with no changes. Roll Some Mo is the first track on the five song EP thus making it the single.

Daye spoke about I in highest regards and expressed how he got very emotional and raw for this project. His demeanor was that of someone who had tried to appeal to their audience while keeping some artistic integrity that had finally got their break. He expressed how he cried writing half the album.

Lucky is among a distinctive group of musicians hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana. All having a unique sound and an undertone of soul. “Nola means soul. .. It made me tough as nails and soft as cotton”, he expressed.

Torree Picks

The entire EP rides so I’ve analyzed the songs individually and as a whole.

Roll some Mo|

The video was captivating like the effect of watching someone preform live. In a moments time I became a fan of Daye. Roll Some Mo showcases a pair of beautiful brown people, the star being Lucky and his unnamed companion. It begins melodic, airy and whimsical. Full of scenes of nature and thick smoke clouds as the title suggests. The visuals and song take you on a journey of ascension. A euphoric rush over the mind. At the 1.5 s mark in the song the beat morphs is a way that it seems the vocals are dancing on it.

Late Night |

This is a soulful and funky track that instantaneously makes you want to dance. This groove is engraved in the DNA of the song. It is producers by D Mile who’s leeway in the game by producing songs such as the following : Boss|The Carters, Could’ve Been|H.E.R. ft Bryson Tiller, Carried Away|H.E.R. & produced many songs on Ty Dollar $ign’s Free TC.

Extra|

When I first heard this song I just knew it had to be featuring Frank Ocean. There’s a canny resemblance in their voices at the beginning. Maybe it’s the same southern drawl and kindred soul of artists from Nola. Extra is a feel good track. It transitions nicely into a spoken word piece done by Lucky Daye himself.

Concentrate |

It seems like the lovebirds from Roll Some Mo, our first track, are getting intimate and are trying to concentrate on the moment while trying to focus on not falling in love with one another.

Ready to Love (Interlude) |

Not long enough. I just love it that much! We can only assume that after trying to concentrate on not falling in love the inevitable happened and the EP is ended with the cliff hanger of not knowing how the love plays out. I figure the whole project is the process of falling in love present day. Roll one up with your person of interest. Then on to the dancing after your both floating. It getting late, around that time, they’ll start to want a little more. They begin to concentrate on being together and subsequently are now ready for love. Leaving on an interlude, you’ll be wanting more.

|tiffanytorree|

s/o my homeboy Loki Pravda for always putting me on good music.

click above to listen to I by Lucky Daye

& follow his social media @iamluckydaye

& STAY TUNED FOR PART II

[greysconcierge]

Gear player infinity foot pedal

#Gear player infinity foot pedal install#

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#Gear player infinity foot pedal update#

#Gear player infinity foot pedal update#

I really hope something like that is in the works as a firmware update for those of us who don't want to spend $300 on MIDI gear to expand the UI. It seems like a 4-switch external device like the RedPanda Remote 4 ($100 or DIY) should be able to plug into the Blooper's EXP/CV port and allow control over the 2 footswitches and 2 arcade-style modifier switches remotely making it possible to keep Blooper on the table while controlling all 4 of the main footswitch options from the floor. Hosa CMR-210 Stereo Breakout Cable - 3.5mm TRS Male to Left and Right RCA Male - 10 foot Bundle with Hosa USB-210AB USB 2.0 Type A to Type B Cable - 10 foot. is there a simpler MIDI solution? (I don't think there is otherwise Paul probably would've mentioned it to me). I don't want to program MIDI but if that's the only way then I guess I'll consider it. reviews and review ratings for Infinity Toy,Aluminum Alloy Relieve Stress and.

#Gear player infinity foot pedal install#

A: Visit the manufacturer website and download and install the latest drivers.

#Gear player infinity foot pedal drivers#

Method 3: Download and install the drivers for the Foot pedal and check whether the issue is resolved or not. Method 2: Run the Hardware troubleshooter and check whether the issue is resolved or not. Of course MIDI can accomplish all kinds of other things but I'm only really focused on getting better control over the modifiers than the current UI of gently pressing those arcade buttons (which is a bit difficult by foot even with little extra bumpers stuck to them). 5 Our fabulous fidget toys, stress balls, fiddle toys, foot As someone. Method 1 : Check whether the device is compatible with Windows 7. The Infinity IN-USB-3 foot pedal by VEC Electronics is the most popular universal transcription. So that's $300 worth of gear and a total of 2 more boxes that need to be powered in order to make it possible to turn modifiers on and off with footswitches. Engineered to exceed demanding requirements and all day comfort. I've learned that, as said, the Morningstar stuff is highly recommended by CBA but that requires a $200+ pedal from Morningstar plus a separate approx $70-120 Midi box, as well as midi cable to connect the Morningstar to the Midi box and then another cable to connect the Midi box to Blooper. I'm stuggling to figure out a reasonable way to get more footswitch control however.

Darkest Nightfall - Complete any Nightfall strike on Hero difficulty or higher.So I have a Blooper now and it's really fun and super powerful.

Bonus progress for defeating slowed or frozen opponents.

Slowed Down - Defeat Guardians with Stasis damage.

Earn bonus progress for high-value targets.

High-Value Hunter - Defeat powerful combatants in Gambit.

Precision Calibration - Calibrate marksman weapons (Scout Rifles, Sniper Rifles, and Linear Fusion Rifles) by landing precision blows.

#Gear player infinity foot pedal mod#

Mod Collector - Unlock 12 artifact mods.effects or mixers The VST- and standalone-player features a high-quality. Broadside - Complete Ketchcrash on Master Difficulty. Line 6 FBV mark II express (footpedal unit) SOFTSYNTHS: Kontakt 4.Defeating combatants in Expedition and Guardians award bonus progress. Shortsighted - Defeat 150 targets with shotguns and 100 arc blinded enemies.Defeating combatants with melee will award bonus progress. Antiquarian IV - Return the fourth relic to the H.E.L.M.Spend 60 Plundered Umbral energy at the Star Chart to focus engrams. Using advanced Treasure Maps award additional progress. The VEC Infinity 3 USB Digital Foot Control was developed. Freebooter I - Unlock 10 treasure chests at the end of Expeditions. Buy VEC Infinity IN-USB-3 Digital USB Foot Pedal online for only 112.44/ea at Atlantic Superstore.

[the-dubstep-strawberry]

Pat Suzuki

This is an appreciation post for Pat Suzuki. I discovered her music while browsing for Fifties jazz one night on Youtube, and I think she’s awesome. Let me tell you all about her!

Pat Suzuki pictured with Norm Bobrow, owner of The Colony nightclub, in 1957. Photo is from the Peter Blecha Collection. (Source: http://www.historylink.org/File/20213.)

Born Chiyoko Suzuki in 1930 in Cressey, CA, Pat was the youngest of four children (nicknamed “Chibi” by her three older sisters). She grew up on the family farm and discovered her love of singing while attending the local Methodist church.

Sadly, like many Japanese-Americans, she and her family were forced into internment during World War II after the events of Pearl Harbor and President Roosevelt’s subsequent issuance of Executive Order 9066. The Suzukis ended up at the Granada War Relocation Center (Camp Amache) near Granada, Colorado, but returned to California after the war.

Pat attended college but later moved to New York, where she got her first acting role in or around 1954 (as an understudy in a touring production of The Teahouse of the August Moon). This eventually led her to a singing gig at a Seattle nightclub called The Colony.

Pat Suzuki performing at The Colony on December 6, 1957. Photo by Elmer Ogawa, from the University of Washington Special Collections. More of his work can be seen here: http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/blog/elmer-ogawa-after-hours-with-seattles-forgotten-photographer-2/2430511/

One of the attendees at a concert in 1957 happened to be none other than Bing Crosby, who was so impressed by Pat’s singing talent that he helped her to obtain a contract with RCA Victor. Her career took off - she recorded several albums with the label and made multiple appearances on television, including ABC’s The Frank Sinatra Show (she would later go on to co-star with Pat Morita in a short-lived sitcom named Mr. T and Tina, the first to feature an Asian-American family).

Her first album was released in 1957 (The Many Sides of Pat Suzuki) and was followed by Miss Ponytail in 1958 (so named because of her distinctive hairstyle).

Pat’s recording career and multiple TV appearances also helped her to land a role on Broadway - her rendition of “Something’s Gotta Give” led to her being cast by Rodgers and Hammerstein in the musical Flower Drum Song (1958). Her rendition of “I Enjoy Being A Girl” is still considered the definitive recording, although she did not appear in the movie version in 1961 (her role was played by Nancy Kwan, with vocals dubbed by B.J. Baker). She even appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine with actress Miyoshi Umeki later that same year (December 22, 1958).

Pat Suzuki with Richard Rodgers, 1958 (Source: Masterworks Broadway, https://masterworksbroadway.com/photo-galleries/photos/14203/)

In 1960, Pat was nominated for a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (for her album Pat Suzuki’s Broadway ‘59), and married photographer Mark Shaw that same year (they had a son, David, but later divorced). She performed at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961, and continued to appear regularly on stage, although her 1960 album Looking At You was her last for some time - the next was The Very Best of Pat Suzuki, released in 1999.

Pat Suzuki in a 1967 publicity photo. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Suzuki#/media/File:Pat_Suzuki_1967.JPG)

A significant highlight of her musical career was her slow, romantic recording of the jazz standard “How High The Moon”, which featured in the 1984 movie Biloxi Blues (an interesting anachronism - the film was set in the Forties, but Pat’s version of the song wasn’t released until 1959!). You can listen to it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNv59lqRiGM

Today, Pat is 87 years old and an active supporter and advocate of Asian-American rights. She received excellent reviews for her 2005 performance in Manzanar: An American Story, which depicted the experiences of some of the estimated 110,000 Japanese-American internees during World War II. She practices yoga and meditation, and may or may not be retired (sources vary, although I’m not sure if anyone can ever really give up singing!), but her original LPs are on display at The Experience Music Project in Seattle, WA, the city where she first became famous.

[scotianostra]

Brian Francis Connolly was born on October 5th 1945 in Govanhill.

You would think that in the 20th century we would get dates of birth and place correct but no! Some sources say he was born in Govanhill others 20 odd miles away in Hamilton, not content with that the years differ as well, The Sweet fan page has the year as 1949, wiki says 45.......anyway......

Connolly was probably the half- brother of the actor Mark McManus (who played the Scottish television detective Taggart). The young Brian was fostered by the McManus family, having been abandoned by his mother as a baby; however, when he moved to Middlesex in his teens, he dropped the surname McManus in favour of Connolly. (Rumours persisted that his father was "Mark's dad. I think Mark was my half-brother." Whatever the truth behind their common lineage, he and Mark McManus both later admitted their resemblance to each other was uncanny.) Connolly studied to become an engineer but music was more of an attraction for a youngster keen to make his mark on the world.

In a radio interview, Connolly reported that singing was a large part of growing up since there was no television, and that he was regularly called upon to sing for family and friends. Connolly has credited the Everly Brothers as being his earliest musical influence.

After playing in a couple of groups "The Sweet". Formed in 1970, the band's managers and songwriters, got them a contract with RCA, they wrote the single "Funny, Funny" which reached number 13 on the charts in March, 1971. Their second single "Co Co" reached number 2 on the charts and they released the albums "Gimmee Dat Ding" "Sweet Fanny Adams" and "Desolation Boulevard". They had a worldwide hit with "Love is like Oxygen" and Connolly announced that he had left the group in 1979 to become a country singer! Can you imagine a voice like Brian's doing that?

In 1981, Connolly was admitted to hospital with bloating, and he sustained multiple heart attacks. His health was permanently affected with some paralysis on his left side which would later develop into a nervous system condition. These problems were most likely related to Connolly's excessive alcohol consumption, coupled with the use of prescription diuretic medicine.

Although recording and releasing several records Connolly failed to make an impact as a solo artist, he did however still do rather well in concert, most notably he supported Pat Benatar for three shows including one at Hammersmith Odeon.

From early 1984 onward, despite recurrent ill health, Connolly toured the UK and Europe with his band, now under the name of The New Sweet. His most successful concerts were in West Germany every year, before and after Germany's reunification. He visited other countries including Denmark, and he also continued to perform on and off in the UK. Connolly had reportedly stopped drinking in 1985, but separated from his wife Marilyn, divorcing in 1986.

There was talk of a reunion after meeting with old members of The Sweet, a contract had been drawn up, but Brian had problems with his voice and it never developed further. He did however still tour with his band The New Sweet. Legal problems were still going on in the background over the use of the Sweet name between Connolly and former band member Andy Scott. In something of a truce, both parties agreed to distinguish their group's name to help promoters and fans. The New Sweet became Brian Connolly's Sweet and Andy Scott's version became Andy Scott's Sweet. Connolly and his band continued to tour, both in the UK and Europe.

In 1994 Don't Leave Me This Way, a Channel 4 documentary, highlighted the plight of Brian Connolly, who had suffered several heart attacks in 1981. Still clinging to his memorabilia and his dyed blond hair, the vocalist appeared as a shadow of his former self, shaking constantly and walking with a limp. He only came to life when appearing on stage at Butlin's to sing "Blockbuster".

Connolly's final concert was at the Bristol Hippodrome on 5 December 1996, with Slade II and John Rossall's Glitter Band Experience.

During January 1997 Connolly had another heart attack and he was hospitalized in Slough. After a week in hospital, he discharged himself, but was readmitted the following week. This time there was little more that could be done. Connolly died late on the evening on 9 February 1997, from renal failure, liver failure and repeated heart attacks, attributed to his previous chronic alcoholism. Brian was only 51 years old.

In 2013 Connolly's son, Brian, competed in the television talent show The X Factor.

[tinymixtapes]

C. Spencer Yeh gets a machine that’s been dead for twenty years to talk to him on new album The RCA Mark II

If machines could talk, what would they say? Well…I guess some machines do talk: HAL 9000 apologizes to you when it cannot do something, the T-800 lets you know that it will be back, and my iPhone tells me, “Okay Jeremy, here is what I found for ‘Could Kristaps Porzingis block God’s shot?’” Even musical instruments can talk to you — in as much as the noise that results from plucking a string or pressing a key can be considered talking. But…what happens when you WANT a musical instrument to talk to you, only it’s been dead and non-operational for twenty years? This is what C. Spencer Yeh explores on his new album The RCA Mark II. The album’s namesake, the first-ever programmable synthesizer, was built and installed at Columbia University in New York City in 1959. It enjoyed an illustrious career, before becoming non-operational in 1997. Upon discovering the synthesizer while visiting a friend at Columbia, Yeh began experimenting with the machine acoustically: flipping switches, turning knobs, plugging and unplugging cables, and rubbing its surfaces (you know: like you do). Several sessions of recording these operations became the basis on which this album is built. The result: 12 tracks of the defunct machine’s clanking parts that are jagged, sparse, and strangely rhythmic. Despite being stripped of all its original, intended functions, Yeh has still found a way to make the RCA Mark II speak. Listen to “Track V” off of The RCA Mark II down below, and order the album itself here. The RCA Mark II is out right now on Primary Information. The RCA Mark II tracklisting: 01. I 02. II 03. III 04. IV 05. V 06. VI 07. VII 08. VIII 09. IX 10. X 11. XI 12. XII http://j.mp/2jBeI47

[johnjpuccio]

Review of “The Chieftains: The Long Black Veil.” The Chieftains and various guests. Mobile Fidelity Ultradisc II UDCD 762

It was good to have audiophile companies like Mobile Fidelity around, especially when they were doing their gold-disc thing, along with SACDs and now super-vinyl LPs. Mo-Fi's Ultradisc II gold remastering of the Chieftain's 1995 folk album "The Long Black Veil" was a welcome pleasure when they issued it back in 2004.  

First, though, let me repeat a few remarks I made about RCA's original release of the album: Namely, I asked what Sting, Sinead O'Connor, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Ry Cooder, Marianne Faithfull, Tom Jones, Mick Jagger, and the Rolling Stones had in common. Well, they were all featured vocalists on this Chieftains disc.

To read the full review, click here:

https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-chieftains-long-black-veil-gold.html

John J. Puccio, Classical Candor