Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Courtney Love: 'I'm the Last Chick on Alternative Radio'

Courtney Love: 'I'm the Last Chick on Alternative Radio':

Courtney Love slammed the lack of women on alternative rock radio, bemoaned the difficulties many rock bands face now and told Girls star Jemima Kirke in an interview for Humanity magazine: "I'm the last chick on alternative radio that they’ll play, and it’s really kind of stupid."

While speaking about her new single, "Miss Narcissist" and the upcoming "Died Blonde," Love admitted the tracks weren't likely to make a dent on the Billboard charts, but would probably see some rotation on alternative radio. But, Love noted, those stations, like Los Angeles' famed KROQ, rarely play other female acts other than the occasional track by "No Doubt [or] Paramore."

"It's so hard for rock and roll right now — it's so hard," Love added. "I have someone really close to me who is in a rock band and they're excellent — they're the best rock band I've heard in years — and they signed an old-school deal with Interscope. But it's really a struggle and it's a struggle just to be middle class. I'm not talking big houses and art collections. I'm talking about just getting by."

Elsewhere in the wide-ranging chat, Love spoke about making friends with Miley Cyrus over Twitter and taking her to director Brett Ratner's house — "It's like a salon," Love said. "You never know who you're going to meet" — after drinks at the Chateau Marmont. Despite their burgeoning relationship, Love said she and Cyrus weren't working on any music: "I don’t know that that would be a good match, but she’s really put together and smart. I liked her a lot."

While Love also spoke about her recent tour with Lana Del Rey, the majority of her conversation with Kirke focused on her fledging acting career. While she's acted throughout her career — including recent turns on Empire, Sons of Anarchy, and the pop opera Kansas City Choir Boy — Love said she's now devoting the majority of her time and attention to honing her craft and landing good roles on stage and screen.

"In rock and roll, it's really about being as vulnerable as possible and giving them what they want," Love said. "But onstage it’s about pausing, about internal life, it's about internal triggers — that’s one of the reasons I'm really challenged to do a play."

Love mentioned one play in particular about aging rockers that she hoped to land, and said she believed she will return to Empire next season as well. Love is also set to star opposite James Franco in The Long Home, an adaptation of William Gay's Southern gothic novel of the same name, which Franco is also directing.

Read the entire interview in Humanity magazine.

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:39 PM
0 comments

Google Play Music Launches Free, Ad-Supported Streaming Service

Google Play Music Launches Free, Ad-Supported Streaming Service:

Google Play Music has launched a free, ad-supported version of its streaming service that allows users to browse a massive library of 30 million songs and listen to curated playlists for many occasions. The service is currently available online and as an app for iOS and Android devices.

The playlists were compiled by "a team of music experts," which includes employees of Songza, the latter of which is a streaming and recommendation service Google acquired in 2014. Users can filter through these pre-made stations by genre, mood, decade or activity, with the latter category further broken into genre-based stations. For instance, when "Entering Beast Mode," users can choose between doing so while listening to "Gritty Hardcore Rap," "Hell-Raising Indie Rock" or "Turnt Up Anthems."

Google has been offering an ad-free subscription version of Google Play Music for some time, allowing listeners to take their music offline and use background features for music videos on YouTube. Regardless of subscription status, anyone can upload, store and play up to 50,000 songs from their own collection for free using Google Play.

In a blog post announcing the new version of Google Play Music, the internet giant heralded the free, ad-supported service for "giving you a new way to find just the right music — and giving artists another way to earn revenue" (Google's policies and rates regarding royalties are available here). It's a particularly noteworthy distinction that comes days after Taylor Swift blasted Apple Music in an open letter for not compensating artists during the free three month trials it will offer new users. Apple quickly reversed its decision, clearing a major hurdle that has kept independent labels like XL and Matador from signing a licensing agreement.

Swift has become an outspoken proponent for compensating artists for streaming music in recent year. She penned an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal last year, writing, "It's my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album's price point is." Upon the release of 1989, Swift pulled her entire catalog from Spotify for similar reasons. In her letter to Apple she said she would be withholding her latest LP from their new service as well. Despite the company's change of heart, it's unclear whether 1989 will be available on Apple Music when it launches June 30th. Google Play Music features a Taylor Swift playlist that includes the singer's music.

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:38 PM
0 comments

David Bowie to Release Massive Box Set 'Five Years 1969-1973'

David Bowie to Release Massive Box Set 'Five Years 1969-1973':

David Bowie has announced the first in a series of box sets to showcase his lengthy, diverse career. Five Years 1969-1973 will come out on September 25th via Parlophone and will be available on CD, vinyl and digitally.

Five Years will be a comprehensive look at the singer's early years and transition from folk artist to glam-rock legend. The set will include remastered versions of six studio albums: 1969's David Bowie AKA Space Oddity, 1970's The Man Who Sold the World, 1971's Hunky Dory, 1972's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, 1973's Aladdin Sane and the same year's Pin Ups. Two live albums — 2008's Live Santa Monica '72 and 1983's Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture Soundtrack — will also be included. Each of the albums, with the exceptions of Ziggy and Aladdin Sane, have been newly remastered for 2015.

The set is topped off with a 2003 mix of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust done by the album's original producer, Ken Scott, as well as an exclusive two-disc compilation of non-album singles and B sides titled Re:Call 1. Highlights of Re:Call include the unreleased single edit for "All the Madmen" and the original version of "Holy Holy," the latter of which has been unavailable since 1971.

A book filled with technical notes by producers Scott and Tony Visconti, press reviews and a foreword by the Kinks' Ray Davies will also be available with the CD and vinyl sets of Five Years.

The box set follows the 2014 release of Bowie's first-ever career-spanning compilation, titled Nothing Has Changed. Hits and previously unreleased tracks from across his career were included on the album, which was sequenced in reverse chronological order.

Re:Call 1 Track List:

CD1:
1. "Space Oddity" (original UK mono single edit)
2. "Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud" (original UK mono single version)
3. "Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola"
4. "The Prettiest Star" (original mono single version)
5. "Conversation Piece"
6. "Memory of a Free Festival (Part 1)"
7. "Memory of a Free Festival (Part 2)"
8. "All the Madmen" (mono single edit)
9. "Janine"
10. "Holy Holy" (original mono single version)
11. "Moonage Daydream" (The Arnold Corns single version)
12. "Hang on to Yourself" (The Arnold Corns single version)

CD 2:
1. "Changes" (mono single version)
2. "Andy Warhol" (mono single version)
3. "Starman" (original single mix)
4. "John, I'm Only Dancing" (original single version)
5. "The Jean Genie" (original single mix)
6. "Drive-In Saturday" (German single edit)
7. "Round and Round"
8. "John, I'm Only Dancing" (sax version)
9. "Time" (U.S. single edit)
10. "Amsterdam"
11. "Holy Holy" (Spiders version)
12. "Velvet Goldmine"

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:38 PM
0 comments

Carrie Underwood to Return for 'Sunday Night Football' Theme

Carrie Underwood to Return for 'Sunday Night Football' Theme:

Carrie Underwood has once again resumed her role as the face — and voice — of the NFL's Sunday Night Football, filming a brand-new version of the theme song "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night" for the 2015 season with some of the league's top players. In a series of tweets, both Sunday Night Football and Underwood confirmed the news, sharing a sneak peek of the country superstar on the set.

Underwood has been appearing in the opening sequence of the NFL's primetime Sunday games since 2013, when she took over for Faith Hill. "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night," a rocker set to the tune and melody of new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You," was originally sung by pop star Pink.

This year, Underwood gets to show off her remarkable post-baby body, wearing a shimmering silver miniskirt, sky-high heels and a megawatt smile. She's joined by some of the NFL's top players, including Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants, Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dez Bryant of the Dallas Cowboys, Kam Chancellor of the Seattle Seahawks, Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts, Clay Matthews of the Green Bay Packers, DeMarco Murray of the Philadelphia Eagles and Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals.

Fans can get their first look at Underwood's new opening sequence when the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the defending world champion New England Patriots Sept. 10th at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Underwood recently performed at CMA Music Festival and, a few days later, joined Brad Paisley onstage during his opening-act set for the Rolling Stones. Her latest single, "Little Toy Guns," is currently Number Three on Billboard's Country Airplay chart.

Great to have @carrieunderwood back for another season of #SNF pic.twitter.com/Mibk09hfOq
— SundayNight Football (@SNFonNBC) June 23, 2015




The one & only @carrieunderwood takes the stage for our new open! #SNF pic.twitter.com/zSNdfaaCPd
— SundayNight Football (@SNFonNBC) June 23, 2015




Had so much fun shooting this yesterday!!! https://t.co/bwYL5V55HB
— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) June 23, 2015


Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:37 PM
0 comments

See Ray Wylie Hubbard Ride 'Stone Blind Horses' on 'Conan'

See Ray Wylie Hubbard Ride 'Stone Blind Horses' on 'Conan':

Texas troubadour Ray Wylie Hubbard has spent decades dishing up helpings of hot, greasy country fare, and last night the songwriter brought his brand of cult country to the masses with a performance on Conan.

Hubbard sang "Stone Blind Horses," the final track from his new album The Ruffian's Misfortune, with help from a three-piece band. Backed by accordion, mandolin and light percussion, he sang the song like a long-in-the-tooth rambler contemplating his inevitable future. "My only hope," goes the first verse, "is somewhere in that heaven, someone is saying a prayer for me."

With his John Lennon glasses and purple scarf, Hubbard looked more like a British bard than a Texas rogue. That didn't stop late-night TV host Conan O'Brien from running to the stage after the song's end and asking to be part of Hubbard's road band. "I would like to join, actually!" O'Brien said, adding, "You wouldn't have to pay me."

Hubbard released his album The Ruffian's Misfortune in April. "The blackbird in the first song says, 'The gods can't save us from ourselves,' and the high slurred whistle of the redwing blackbird in the last song sounds likes he's singing, 'That I might die,'" he described the LP to Rolling Stone Country earlier this year. "Between them are some other songs bout other things."

Hubbard and company are flying back to the East Coast today, with a run of shows throughout the South — including an appearance at Willie Nelson's annual Fourth of July picnic — keeping him busy throughout the summer.

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:37 PM
0 comments

Hear Glen Campbell's Daughter Ashley Sing Poignant 'Remembering'

Hear Glen Campbell's Daughter Ashley Sing Poignant 'Remembering':

Ashley Campbell, the daughter of pop-country icon Glen Campbell, will release her debut single to radio and iTunes on Monday, June 29th. The poignant "Remembering," which she co-wrote, will be released on Dot Records, the revitalized imprint that's part of the Big Machine Label Group.

A longtime member of her famous father's touring band, which also included her brothers Shannon and Cal, the multi-instrumentalist accompanied her dad both on and offstage during the entertainer's Goodbye Tour after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2011.

"I wrote it with my good friend, Kai Welch," Campbell tells Rolling Stone Country of the heartbreakingly honest tune. "I came up with the idea and the melody when I was living with my mom and dad in Malibu a couple of years ago. I wanted to write something that expressed to my dad how much I wanted him to feel safe. . . that he didn't have to worry; I'll take care of him when he can't take care of himself. When you're little, your parents take care of you and make the world not such a scary place. As you get older, those relationships change and kind of swap places. The kids are the ones taking care of the parents and making sure the world's not a scary place for them."

The new single is a slightly more uptempo version of the song that was first introduced in Glen Campbell… I'll Be Me, the Oscar-nominated documentary about the Country Music Hall of Fame member's pioneering career and his personal battle with Alzheimer's.

The release of "Remembering" follows the television debut of I'll Be Me via CNN Films, in partnership with Eli Lilly and Co.. The film will be presented with limited commercial interruptions this Sunday, June 28th, at at 9:00 p.m. ET on CNN.

Ashley is currently in the studio recording more new music with Grammy-winning producer Julian Raymond, the co-writer (with Glen Campbell) of the Academy Award-nominated (and Grammy-winning) "I'm Not Gonna Miss You," the superstar performer's final recording, which was featured in Glen Campbell…I'll Be Me.

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:37 PM
0 comments

Keith Urban Records New Music With Chic's Nile Rodgers

Keith Urban Records New Music With Chic's Nile Rodgers:

After teaming up with rap producers and pop veterans on 2013's Fuse, Keith Urban is adding another unlikely collaborator to his résumé: Chic's Nile Rodgers. In a recent interview, the funk guitarist, producer and songwriter of hits like Sister Sledge's "We Are Family" and Daft Punk's Grammy-winning "Get Lucky" revealed that he and the country star have cut a pair of songs.

The two first crossed paths this February, during a pre-Grammy party hosted by Jimmy Iovine. After geeking out over each other's six-string skills — "[Urban]'s scary; I didn't know he played guitar like that!" Rodgers recently told Yahoo! Music — the pair agreed to work together. Rough versions of two songs are already finished, with club beats and pop production underscoring Urban's usual country base. According to Rodgers, the new music stretches Urban's boundaries, much in the way that David Bowie's Let's Dance — which Rodgers produced during the final months of 1982 — pushed the Thin White Duke to explore dance music.

"[Urban's] fans may have some kind of problem at first," Rodgers admitted to Yahoo! Music. "But my biggest records have always been like that. A lot of people, the only record they ever bought by David Bowie was Let's Dance. . . His fanbase got angry: 'This sucks! This is not Ziggy Stardust! That's not Scary Monsters!' But it was huge because it spoke to a broader audience. I think a record like this will speak to a broader audience [for Urban], and the country people will come around."

Last month, Urban appeared on Jason Derulo's "Broke," playing banjo on a song that's heavily rooted in contemporary R&B. He threw fans another curveball with his own single "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16," whose steady climb up the charts has been boosted by a summer tour that includes an upcoming appearance at Milwaukee's Summerfest. Although he has yet to confirm the Rodgers collaborations as potential tracks for his Fuse follow-up, all signs point toward an artist who, after decades of country albums, is ready to embrace a little bit of everything.

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:36 PM
0 comments

Apple Music Reaches Deal With Beggars Group, Indie Labels

Apple Music Reaches Deal With Beggars Group, Indie Labels:

Beggars Group and other prominent independent record labels have worked past their Apple Music impasse and announced that they have signed licensing agreements with Apple after the streaming service revealed it would compensate artists during a three-month free trial. "Over the last few days we have had increasingly fruitful discussions with Apple," Beggars Group's Martin Mills said in a statement. "We are now delighted to say that we are happy to endorse the deal with Apple Music as it now stands, and look forward to being a big part of a very exciting future."

With Apple Music's relaunch now less than a week away, it was imperative for Apple to come to terms with the indies before the service arrived on June 30th. Taylor Swift served as an unexpected catalyst in reopening negotiations after the singer penned an open letter to Apple asking that the company compensate artists for the music that is streamed during users' introductory trial. Soon after Swift posted her letter, Apple's senior vice president Eddy Cue announced that Apple had changed its stance and would "strive to make sure artists are paid for their work" during the three-month free trial.

"We are naturally very concerned, especially for artists releasing new albums in the next three months, that all streaming on the new service will be unremunerated until the end of September," Beggars Group initially said on June 17th. In addition to Beggars Group – which operates 4AD, Matador and XL Recordings, the latter releasing Adele's smash 21 – indie labels like Tommy Boy and Secretly Group as well as the digital rights organization Merlin Network have also agreed to terms with Apple Music, the Worldwide Independent Network (WIN) announced in a statement.

"I am pleased to say that Apple has made a decision to pay for all usage of Apple Music under the free trials on a per-play basis, as well as to modify a number of other terms that members had been communicating directly with Apple about," WIN’s chief executive Alison Wenham said in a statement. "With these changes, we are happy to support and endorse the deal."

"This is really simple — if artists believe we're not paying, because we're not paying for it directly, and there was an indirect way we negotiated, and that doesn't work, then we wanted to fix it," Cue told Rolling Stone. "We wanted for it to be the right thing for the artists."

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:36 PM
0 comments

On the Charts: James Taylor Scores First Number One

On the Charts: James Taylor Scores First Number One:

Forty-seven years after his debut album, James Taylor has finally scored his first Number One record on the Billboard 200. The singer's latest, Before This World, sold 97,000 copies in its debut week, giving the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee his first ever chart-topping album. In addition to being Taylor's first collection of new music in 13 years, the surprise Number One was also aided by a vigorous promotional campaign by SiriusXM, who dedicated a channel to the singer and hosted a Town Hall with Taylor prior to Before This World's arrival.

Taylor had previously flirted with the Top Ten with nearly a dozen of his LPs, most notably 1970's Sweet Baby James (Number Three) and, more recently, 2002's October Road and 2008's Covers (both reached Number Four). However, Before This World hitting the top spot marks the second-longest wait between a Billboard 200 debut and a chart-topping album, Billboard reports. Only Tony Bennett, who waited 54 years – from 1957's Tony to the Number One album Duets II in 2011 – experienced a longer Number One holdout than Taylor. (Billboard doesn't acknowledge Taylor's 1968 self-titled debut in the equation since it never charted.)

According to Billboard, with his newly minted Number One, Taylor also exits an exclusive, but unfortunate, club of artists who have over 10 Top Ten albums yet never netted a Number One. The "Never Number One" crew includes Sting, the Who and Rush, who waited nearly as long for a Rolling Stone cover as Taylor waited for a chart-topping LP.

It was a Taylor-Taylor one-two punch on the charts as, despite briefly declaring war against Apple, Taylor Swift's 1989 once again finished the week at Number Two on the strength of her "Bad Blood" single and reluctance to stream her smash album. Former American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert's The Original High debuted at Number Three while Ed Sheeran's X was bumped back into the Top Five at Number Four. Hilary Duff's Breathe In. Breathe Out., the pop singer's first album in eight years, entered at Number Five with 39,000 total albums sold.

Last week's Number One, Muse's Drones, dropped out of the Top Ten.

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:36 PM
0 comments

Early Television, Richard Hell Songs to Feature on New Box Set

Early Television, Richard Hell Songs to Feature on New Box Set:

A new box set will collect the entire "known" output of early punk label Ork Records put out in the mid-Seventies, including songs by Television, ex-Television guitarist Richard Hell, Big Star and Box Tops frontman Alex Chilton, Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome and critic and former Rolling Stone contributor Lester Bangs, among others. The two-CD and four-LP set, Ork Records: New York, New York comes on the heels of the vinyl-only Ork: Box, which came out in a limited edition on Record Store Day.

The release, which will come out on October 30th via Numero Group, also comes with a 120-page book containing photos and stories about the label, which Television's manager, Terry Ork, founded in order to put out their debut seven-inch, "Little Johnny Jewel."

The imprint put out new music from punk and rock & roll bands between 1975 and 1979. Both the vinyl and CD editions of Ork Records: New York, New York will also be available in a version that includes a bonus 45 containing two previously unreleased tracks by the Feelies, "A Boy Next Door" backed with a cover of Burt Bacharach's "My Little Red Book." That edition will be limited to a pressing of 2,000.

The previously released Ork: Box contained 16 seven-inches including "Little Johnny Jewel," Television guitarist Richard Lloyd's "Get Off My Cloud," Chilton's "Singer Not the Song" and Chrome's "Still Wanna Die." The new box set contains 49 songs total, including the ones from the previous box set. A trailer for the new box set is viewable here.

Ork Records: New York, New York Track List:

1. Television - "Little Johnny Jewel"
2. Feelies - "Fa Ce La"
3. Richard Hell - "(I Belong to the) Blank Generation"
4. The Revelons - "The Way (You Tough My Hand)"
5. Erasers - "I Won't Give Up"
6. Alex Chilton - "All of the Time"
7. Chris Stamey and the dBs - "(I Thought) You Wanted to Know"
8. Prix - "Zero"
9. Marbles - "Red Lights"
10. Alex Chilton - "Take Me Home & Make Me Like It"
11. Prix - "Girl"
12. The Idols - "Girl That I Love"
13. Mick Farren and the New Wave - "Lost Johnny"
14. Cheetah Chrome - "Still Wanna Die"
15. The Idols - "You"
16. The Student Teachers - "Christmas Weather"
17. Erasers - "It Was So Funny (The Song That They Sung)"
18. Richard Hell - "(I Could Live With You) (In) Another World"
19. Chris Stamey - "The Summer Sun"
20. Alex Chilton - "Free Again"
21. Richard Lloyd - "(I Thought) You Wanted to Know"
22. The Student Teachers - "Channel 13"
23. Chris Stamey - "Where the Fun Is"
24. Prix - "Everytime I Close My Eyes"
25. Feelies - "Forces at Work"
26. Marbles - "Fire and Smoke"
27. The Revelons - "97 Tears"
28. Cheetah Chrome - "Take Me Home"
29. Richard Hell - "You Gotta Lose"
30. Chris Stamey and the dBs - "If and When"
31. Mick Farren and the New Wave - "Play With Fire"
32. Richard Lloyd - "Get Off My Cloud"
33. Alex Chilton - "The Singer Not the Song"
34. Richard Lloyd - "Connection"
35. Alex Chilton - "Summertime Blues"
36. Mick Farren and the New Wave - "To Know Him Is to Love Him"
37. Link Cromwell - "Crazy Like a Fox"
38. Link Cromwell - "Shock Me"
39. Kenneth Higney - "I Wanna Be the King"
40. Lester Bangs - "Let It Blurt"
41. Alex Chilton - "Bangkok"
42. Peter Holsapple - "Big Black Truck"
43. Prix - "She Might Look My Way"
44. Alex Chilton - "Can't Seem to Make You Mine"
45. Prix "Love You All Day Long"
46. Alex Chilton - "Shakin' The World"
47. Prix - "Love You Tonight"
48. Lester Bangs - "Live"
49. Kenneth Higney - "Funky Kinky"

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:35 PM
0 comments

Fetty Wap Goes Hard on New Song 'Boomin''

Fetty Wap Goes Hard on New Song 'Boomin'':

Fetty Wap's sleeper hit "Trap Queen" has become the top contender for this year's Song of the Summer, but it sounds like the New Jersey rapper is wasting no time in churning out a new hit for himself with his latest track, "Boomin.'"

Harder than the island-y feel of "Trap Queen" and "My Way," "Boomin'" sounds closer to the Chicago drill scene. The track has Wap straying from the sing-rapping that has made his unexpected hit so unique.

Though "Trap Queen" was released in early 2014, it took until last fall for the song to start receiving more widespread attention. In February, Kanye West brought him out onstage to perform the single at the first annual Roc City Classic show in NYC. The next month, Wap gave a notable performance at South by Southwest and made his subsequent television debut at the MTV Movie Awards when he joined Fall Out Boy onstage in April.

West and Fall Out Boy aren't the only famous fans of the emerging rapper; Rihanna was an early supporter of him while Drake and Azealia Banks have hopped on remixes of "My Way" and "Trap Queen," respectively. Earlier this month, Ed Sheeran produced an earnest, acoustic version of "Trap Queen" with the Roots for The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon's YouTube.

Though Wap's SoundCloud output has been prolific, he has yet to release his debut EP or album. He is currently signed to 300 Entertainment alongside Migos and Young Thug.

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:35 PM
0 comments

Steve Wariner Records With Thrash-Metal Pioneers Megadeth

Steve Wariner Records With Thrash-Metal Pioneers Megadeth:

One of country music's most versatile musicians is living up to his reputation: Steve Wariner recently joined heavy-metal titans Megadeth in the studio to play steel guitar on the group's upcoming album.

In a recent interview with the Tennessean, Wariner, a blistering guitarist who has scored Number One hits with songs like "All Roads Lead to You" and "Small Town Girl," said he and Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine first crossed paths in the recording studio.

Related: 50 Rock Albums Every Country Fan Should Own

"Imagine Megadeth with steel guitar. That's what I did, and Dave Mustaine is the nicest guy in the world. Isn't that crazy? It's out of my world," Wariner told the Tennessean. "I'm a traditional country guy. But the stuff I played on is awesome."

Mustaine has even attended one of Wariner's shows. But it's not the first time that the former guitarist for Metallica, who went on to establish Megadeth as one of the Big Four of thrash-metal, has worked in the country music community. The band's 1997 album Cryptic Writings and 1999's Risk were both recorded in Nashville, with producer Dann Huff (Faith Hill, Keith Urban) co-producing. Megadeth was also one of the invited artists to perform at the tribute concert to George Jones in 2013, playing an unconventional "Wild Irish Rose" — the band is included in the massive group photo from that evening that covers an entire wall in the new George Jones Museum in downtown Nashville.

Wariner, who released the album It Ain't All Bad in 2013, is set to play City Winery Nashville tonight. And while a surprise thrash-country set from Megadeth is unlikely, it's feasible that Mustaine could drop by. He recently told Rolling Stone that he and his family relocated to Nashville for a fourth time, joining an army of rockers, from Mötley Crüe's Mick Mars to Cinderella's Tom Keifer, who now call Music City home.

"The people are wonderful here. There's certain things I miss about California. . . and certain people I don't," Mustaine says. "But it's funny. I was driving to the studio the other day and I was kind of speeding and I see this sheriff. And I'm like, 'Oh god, I'm busted.' So I do a quick pull-in to the place where I'm going to eat breakfast, I sit down at a table and I start looking out the window. I see the sheriff make a U-turn and pass the restaurant real slow, and then he pulls into the parking lot. He walks in, comes right up to me and I'm thinking, OK, I'm nailed. I start to reach for my wallet. But then he goes, 'I just want to tell you I'm a big fan. We all knew you were moving here and we're so excited to have you here. Welcome.' I was like, 'Get the fuck out!'"

Original enclosures:
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:34 PM
0 comments

9 Standout Trends from the Resort 2016 Collections

9 Standout Trends from the Resort 2016 Collections:

From left to right: Suno, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, MM6 Maison Margiela and Michael Kors. Photos: Courtesy From left to right: Suno, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, MM6 Maison Margiela and Michael Kors. Photos: Courtesy
For many designers and retailers, the off-season collections are the most important. While resort and pre-fall don't get anywhere near the same media attention as their fall/winter and spring/summer counterparts — largely because they don't have dedicated fashion weeks — they stay on the shelves the longest, drawing the lion's share of some stores's annual budgets. It's little wonder that some of fashion's biggest brands are also dedicating the bulk of their show budgets to resort and pre-fall with opulent destination shows.

Over the past seven weeks, designers in New York, London, Paris and Milan took the wraps off their resort 2016 collections, which will hit stores in November — a time when shoppers are looking for holiday clothes and, a little later on, a new look for the new year. Resort is not often a season for new trends: While the collections generally exude a holiday vibe, they also tend to be slightly more subdued and simpler than their fall and spring counterparts, with fewer theatrics, though no less craft.

These are the trends to watch for.

Baby Got Back

From left to right: Diesel Black Gold, Tome, Narciso Rodriguez, Tibi and Public School. Photos: Courtesy From left to right: Diesel Black Gold, Tome, Narciso Rodriguez, Tibi and Public School. Photos: Courtesy
Aesthetically speaking, the back of a garment is often overlooked. But not this season. Cape backs abound on dresses, jackets, blouses, even parkas.


Bell Curve

From left to right: Zac Posen, Thakoon, Suno, Calvin Klein and Stella McCartney. Photos: Courtesy From left to right: Zac Posen, Thakoon, Suno, Calvin Klein and Stella McCartney. Photos: Courtesy
The bell shape harkens all the way back to the fluid silhouettes of the '20s and '30s, though there's nothing retro about how designers like Calvin Klein, Thakoon or Suno are utilizing it this season. They're keeping it slim with body-hugging tunics and skirts flared flirtatiously at the hem.

Black and White

From left to right: Sachin + Babi, Giulietta, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta and Mugler. Photos: Courtesy From left to right: Sachin + Babi, Giulietta, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta and Mugler. Photos: Courtesy
For many designers, resort is a time to get back to basics. Several collections this season featured black-and-white palettes almost exclusively.

Smart Bomb

From left to right: Gucci, Stella McCartney, Sonia Rykiel, Chloe, and Jonathan Saunders From left to right: Gucci, Stella McCartney, Sonia Rykiel, Chloe, and Jonathan Saunders
Adding a bomber jacket to any outfit ups the "cool" factor almost immediately, but why not take it a little further? Whether through lace, knits or embroidered, these jackets are bound to turn a few heads.

Two-Toned Coats

From left to right: Boss, Lisa Perry, Rochas, Vionnet and Bottega Veneta. Photos: Courtesy From left to right: Boss, Lisa Perry, Rochas, Vionnet and Bottega Veneta. Photos: Courtesy
A subtle nod to color-blocking, two-toned coats won't be hard to come by this November.

Embroidered Flowers

From left to right: Suno, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Zac Posen, Erdem and Jonathan Saunders. Photos: Courtesy From left to right: Suno, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Zac Posen, Erdem and Jonathan Saunders. Photos: Courtesy
It's hard to imagine resort without flowers, and don't worry, they were everywhere. Our favorite renditions were embroidered selectively on garments and with lots of color.

Sour Kraut

From left to right: MM6 Maison Margiela, Louis Vuitton, Tomas Maier, Alexander Wang and Costume National. Photos: Courtesy From left to right: MM6 Maison Margiela, Louis Vuitton, Tomas Maier, Alexander Wang and Costume National. Photos: Courtesy
Something distinctly experimental, minimal and German-influenced came to mind when looking at collections from MM6, Alexander Wang and Costume National. This girl looks like she listens to a lot of krautrock, and probably attended art school in the '80s. Whoever she is, we don't want to mess with her. But we do want to dress like her.

The Leather Dress

From left to right: Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Edun, Novis and Zac Zac Posen. Photos: Courtesy From left to right: Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Edun, Novis and Zac Zac Posen. Photos: Courtesy
Once again, leather dresses will be everywhere come November. And we promise that dressing in head-to-toe in leather will look as cool as it sounds.

Mod

From left to right: Just Cavalli, Lanvin, Lisa Perry, Organic by John Patrick and Sonia by Sonia Rykiel. Photos: Courtesy From left to right: Just Cavalli, Lanvin, Lisa Perry, Organic by John Patrick and Sonia by Sonia Rykiel. Photos: Courtesy
An off-shoot of the ever-popular white polo necks of fall 2015, it's inevitable that the mid-season collections, known for being a bit more conservative and dressed down, run with it right into the '60s. There's something to be said for a little simplicity.

Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:33 PM
0 comments

Matthew Williamson to Sell Part of Pre-Fall Collection Exclusively on Lyst

Matthew Williamson to Sell Part of Pre-Fall Collection Exclusively on Lyst:

A look from Matthew Williamson's collection on Lyst. Photo: Lyst A look from Matthew Williamson's collection on Lyst. Photo: Lyst
Mary Katrantzou is no longer the only print-happy British designer to agree to sell a range of clothing exclusively on Lyst. On Monday afternoon, a selection of Matthew Williamson's pre-fall collection will go live on the shopping aggregation site, which doesn't hold inventory of its own but acts as a product directory for hundreds of shopping destinations around the web.

Inking retail exclusives has been a focus for the startup since February 2014, when it became the sole site to carry 10 looks from Katrantzou's resort 2015 collection. At the time, Lyst CEO Chris Morton wasn't sure how frequently the team would take on similar partnerships, but since then it's played host to, among others, a range from MZ Wallace, and a collaboration between Suno and the boutique Hampden Clothing.

While working with well-known designers in an exclusive capacity provides Lyst something unique to offer customers — and therefore gives it an edge on its competitors — this partnership is a strategic one on Williamson's side, too. In April, the British designer announced that he would be shuttering his London flagship and doubling down on e-commerce, keeping a showroom open for online customers to visit by appointment. It seems sensible to usher in this new era of his business by hooking up with a Groupe Arnault-backed tech startup.

Check out the full Moroccan-inspired collection, below.

Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:32 PM
0 comments

'Cupcakes and Cashmere' to Launch Fashion Line, Kim Kardashian's Makeup Artist Draws Fire

Must Read: 'Cupcakes and Cashmere' to Launch Fashion Line, Kim Kardashian's Makeup Artist Draws Fire:



And Rag & Bone is opening a second store in London as it hones in on international growth.




Original enclosures:




Kim Kardashian's makeup artist under fire for posting photo of a child wearing makeup

Is it appropriate to apply makeup on young girls? The debate reared its ugly head on the Instagram account of makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic (the man partly responsible for Kardashian's highly contoured look) after he posted a photo of a girl in winged eyeliner and plum-colored lipstick on Monday. At the time of writing, the post had attracted more than 12,600 likes and 557 comments, substantially more than any other recent post of his. {Instagram}



Alexander McQueen plans to become a €500 million business

By expanding its retail presence, particularly in Asia, as well as its leather goods category, Alexander McQueen is aiming to double its business in three to four years, parent company Kering revealed on a field trip with investors on June 19. Even if it does grow its store fleet to 90 in the next three to four years, the business won't be large enough to have a significant impact on Kering's bottom line, however. {WWD}



Martha Stewart Living finds a new home

Sequential Brands Group, which has a controlling stake in Jessica Simpson's billion-dollar eponymous label as well as Justin Timberlake's William Rast clothing brand, has agreed to buy Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in a deal that values the media giant at $353 million. About half of Martha Stewart Living's revenue comes from its publishing operations; it also sells home products via Home Depot and Macy's. Stewart herself will remain a significant stakeholder in the combined company. {Reuters}



Soon, "Cupcakes and Cashmere" can hang in your closet

Emily Schuman can add "designer" to her growing résumé. The Cupcakes and Cashmere blogger is preparing to launch her own line of mix-and-match separates, including a striped tee and white lace skirt, priced between $80 and $180. The California-inspired debut collection launches July 6 at Nordstrom and Shopbop. {Cupcakes and Cashmere}



Rag & Bone seeks growth abroad

Rag & Bone has global expansion on the brain, and it's hired a host of executives to make it happen. Johanna Murphy has joined the company as its first global chief marketing officer from Ivanka Trump, where she held the same title. Tim Briggs, formerly of Burberry, has signed on as vice president of merchandising, and Helen Costello has joined the as managing director of international from Bottega Veneta. Rag & Bone currently operates 20 retail stores in the U.S., but apart from one company-operated store in London and a handful of franchise stores, it has done little on the international front. The company is now looking for a second location in London, and at ideas for the Middle East and the rest of Europe. {WWD}



Colette x Casetify partner on Apple Watch band

Prepare for the rise of custom Apple Watch bands. Chic French concept store Colette and tech accessory maker Casetify collaborated on a striped Watch band, rendered in Colette's signature navy and white on sweat-resistant polycarbonate silicone. The limited-edition band is available for purchase at Colette in Paris and online. {Casetify}



Jeremy Scott and Moschino are a match made in fashion heaven

With his flashy, tongue-in-cheek designs and host of celebrity ambassadors, Jeremy Scott has put Moschino back on the map in less than two years. The Los Angeles-based designer, who cast pop star and personal friend Katy Perry in the Italian brand's fall campaign, has increased sales tenfold since he was hired in October 2013. Michelle Stein, president of Moschino's parent company, Aeffe U.S.A., said to The New York Times: "He was the ideal choice in retrospect, since he possessed many of the characteristics that Franco possessed." The numbers speak for themselves. {The New York Times}



Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are having a boy

Prince George won't be the next generation's only male trendsetter. On Father’s Day, Kim Kardashian announced via Instagram that she and husband Kanye West are expecting a son. The news comes less than a month after she announced her pregnancy on an episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." {Us Magazine}



FIT lays out ambitious five-year plan

After 70 years in operation, the Fashion Institute of Technology is in need of a makeover. Dr. Joyce Brown, president of FIT, outlined a strategic five-year plan, which will see the introduction of a new building, an innovation center, a revamped curriculum and tighter relationships with fashion companies. The plan is made possible from a $74 million grant from City Hall. {WWD}
Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:31 PM
0 comments

Dov Charney Hits American Apparel With $30 Million-Plus Defamation Lawsuit

Dov Charney Hits American Apparel With $30 Million-Plus Defamation Lawsuit:

An American Apparel store. Photo: Andrew Burton/Getty Images An American Apparel store. Photo: Andrew Burton/Getty Images
Almost exactly a year ago, American Apparel founder Dov Charney was suspended from his roles as president and CEO of the company and replaced as chairman of the board on allegations of misconduct. He was officially terminated in December, and hasn't stopped trying to regain control of the company since, lodging a number of lawsuits against the brand and its executives.

The latest complaint, filed Friday, deals with the events of late June last year, when Charney was first pushed out of the company. This time around he's suing American Apparel and David Danziger, who resigned from the board of directors last week, for defamation and intentional interference with actual and prospective economic relations, among other issues.

The play by play goes like this, according to the suit: In time for the annual shareholder meeting on June 18, 2014, a number of board members pressured Charney to vote to re-elect Danziger, Robert Greene and Allan Mayer to the board, all while voicing their continued support for Charney as CEO. After Charney did vote them in — without his votes, the complaint says, they wouldn't have been able to get re-elected — Mayer informed him that he was being stripped of his employment.

So Charney turned to the second largest shareholder, Johannes Roth of FiveT Capital, to help him pass a vote to increase the size of the board from 9 to 13, which would enable him to take control of it again. When he learned about this, Danziger contacted Roth directly "and told him, with full knowledge that his statements were false, that Charney was being investigated for matters 'criminal in nature.'" Roth withdrew his support.

Friday's lawsuit claims that American Apparel has caused "severe, irreparable harm to Charney's personal and professional reputation" and has and will caused others from wanting to do business with him. He's seeking at least $30 million in damages.

Reached by email for comment, an American Apparel spokesperson said this of the lawsuit: "Friday’s complaint is yet another example of the habitual nuisance lawsuits that Dov Charney and his lawyer continue to file, and which we continue to defeat (as has been reflected by the recent rulings and stipulations in our favor)."

While the legal battles rages on with no end in sight, American Apparel's relationship with consumers isn't so hot, either. Sales fell 9 percent in the first quarter of the year, with losses coming in at $26 million. The company's stock price hit its lowest point of the year this month.

Update: Charney's wasn't the only filing on Friday. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, American Apparel also filed court documents with the Los Angeles Superior Court making a number of allegations about Charney's behavior, including that he made racially degrading comments to accounting employees and that he stored footage of himself having sex with models and employees on company computers. Charney's lawyer denies that the allegations, which were a response to a previous defamation suit the ousted founder filed against American Apparel and chairwoman Colleen Brown, are true.

Posted by Nelio Inacio at 4:29 PM
0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)