Almost everything has been hit by the recession but concerts seem to be doing ok for now. Most other businesses are already floundering but the concert industry is actually boasting one of its best years ever as it scored just under $4 billion worldwide, a 13% increase from last year. Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Madonna are the top 3 when it comes to ticket sales. Billboard’s concert industry writer figures that it’s because live music is “not something you can get a fix for somewhere else.” He was pretty quick to warn though that “it would be crazy to think that the economy and unemployment won’t impact ticket sales at some point.”
Larry Mullen Jr., drummer of the rock band U2 has made a statement that has the potential to really irk frontman Bono and also has risked incurring his wrath. Larry Mullen Jr. has blasted the singer for cozying up to world leaders.
The rocker launched a tirade against the outgoing U.S. president George W. Bush and also meted out the same treatment for former British Prime Minister Tony Blair saying that both these world leaders were no greater than “war criminals”.
Mullen while speaking to British music magazine Q, said in his interview: “Tony Blair is a war criminal and I think he should be tried as a war criminal. Then I see Bono and him as pals and I’m going, ‘I don’t like that’.
Larry gets to have an opinion; he also gets to keep it to himself unless he’s thinking of making a change. But you also got to think it as we all have opinions and express it at will so Larry has done the same only if he could have kept Bono’s name out of the thing it would have been better.
PETA has just named Leona Lewis as their Person of the Year. The talented singer has been a vegetarian since she was just 12 years old. She is also an active anti-animal cruelty campaigner and refuses to wear fur and leather. Leona has taken the spot from Stella McCartney, who was named as the Person of the Year last year. I think the spot is well deserved. Not even money could change her mind as she turned down a $1.5 million from Harrods, the only UK department store to still carry fur, to open its summer sale. The Europe Director for PETA, Robbie LeBlance said “Leona Lewis is admired for her beautiful voice, but it’s her kindness to animals that makes her a superstar in our book.”
Britney Spears has made a successful comeback so now everyone is wondering if Kelly Clarkson will be just as lucky. After her disastrous last album, I have high hopes for the first American Idol to come back big. Reportedly, it’s bound to happen soon as the singer’s new record is expected to drop in the first half of next year. It is being said that she is already shooting the music video for her first single. The song is called ‘My Life Would Suck Without You’ which was produced by hitmakers Max Martin and Dr. Luke. With those two working with her, expect a more radio-friendly sound from her.
These Green Eyes, fresh off the Atticus tour, have decided to celebrate the coming Holidays with a cover of The Kinks “Father Christmas.” The track can be heard exclusively on AbsolutePunk.net, but will be made available to the public to download for one day only (Tuesday 12/23) on LiveDaily.com. For a glimpse into the recording of “Father Christmas” check out the video diary here.
The recording of “Father Christmas” only half completed the Holiday and end of the year traditions for lead singer Colin Cunningham. The other half of the tradition has come in the form of an end of the year list packed with the best albums and best songs of the year along with the album he deemed “biggest disappointment”.
And for 2009, Colin has resolved… you’ll have to check his list to find out!!
Top Albums of 2008
Polar Bear Club – Sometimes Things Just Disappear
Alkaline Trio – Agony & Irony
Kill The Frontman – Songs From The Game Room
Why? – Alopecia
Gym Class Heroes – The Quilt
Nada Surf – Lucky
Valencia – We All Need A Reason To Believe
The Streets – Everything Is Borrowed
Rise Against – Appeal To Reason
Mitch Hedberg – Do You Believe In Gosh?
Top Songs of 2008
”Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” – Dustin Kensrue
”Half The World Away” – The Anix
”Breaking” – Anberlin
”Don’t Stop” – InnerPartySystem
”I Found Away” – Alkaline Trio
”Abracadavers” – The Classic Crime
”Sleep With Your Soul In” – Alive In Wild Paint
”Ruby Room” – The Foxboro Hot Tubs
”Miles Davis & The Cool” – The Gaslight Anthem
”Abandon Ship” – Less Than Jake
Best Newcomer – Search/Rescue
Biggest Disappointment – Reggie and the Full Effect – Last Stop: Crappy Town
New Years Resolution – To not add to my credit card debt in 2009
It was announced last month that No Doubt would be getting back together for a reunion tour and a new album. The goal was for them to start touring in 2009 and finish working on the album. However, there’s some bad news coming from drummer Adrian Young. During a recent interview, he said that there will be no new music from them next year. He said “We’ve been working on a new record off and on now for a bit of time, and we’re going to continue to work on a new record next year. We’re going to start touring in the spring of ‘09 through the summer, and we’re going to continue to work on music while we’re traveling.”
Check out this week’s episode of Clique Girlz TV! The girls get all dolled up to be special guests at the City of Hope event honoring Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, Doug Morris. Watch Paris, Destinee and Ariel practice their version of “Stop In The Name of Love,” discuss what it will be like share the stage with Stevie Wonder and Mariah Carey, and perform “Sweet Talkin’ Guy” with Stevie Nicks.
Clique Girlz are in the holiday spirit and have started posting Christmas countdown videos on their YouTube channel. Watch the first clip featuring Paris as a Christmas tree and a Chipmunk version of “Silent Night.”
Buckcherry have just released a live video performance of their new single, “Rescue Me.” The clip was filmed in Japan during their recent tour there supporting Black Butterfly. “Rescue Me” Building on the success of their current co-headlining tour, Avenged Sevenfold and Buckcherry have announced the next leg beginning on January 28th in Salt Lake City, UT. The next dates on the arena tour include Papa Roach and Saving Abel, offering fans 4 bands for under $40.00. The Buckcherry and Avenged Sevenfold package is considered to be one of the three major successful rock tours of the season, along with AC/DC and Metallica.
NEW: Rescue Me (LIVE IN JAPAN):
NEW: TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT VIDEO:
BUCKCHERRY/AVENGED SEVENFOLD 2009 TOUR DATES
With Papa Roach and Saving Abel
* Buckcherry/Avenged Sevenfold and Papa Roach only
JANUARY
28 Salt Lake City, UT “E” Center
30 Phoenix, AZ Jobing.com Arena
31 Albuquerque, NM Tingley Coliseum
FEBRUARY
2 Bakersfield, CA Rabobank Arena
3 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
5 Yakima, WA Yakima Valley SunDome
6 Portland, OR Memorial Coliseum
7 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
9 Spokane, WA Star Theater at Spokane Arena
12 Rapid City, SD Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
14 Council Bluffs, ID Mid America Center *
17 St. Louis, MO The Family Arena *
20 Cleveland, OH The Wolstein Center
21 Battle Creek, MI Kellogg Arena *
23 Cincinnati, OH The Bank of Kentucky Center *
24 Pikeville, KY Eastern Kentucky Expo Center
25 Pittsburgh, PA The Peterson Events Center
Chris Cornell has just premiered the video for “Scream,” the title track off of his Timbaland produced album due out next year. Directed by Alan Ferguson (Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes), the cinematic piece captures the two opposing moods of the song. “My role in the video is performing the song in super-slow-motion,” explains Cornell. “I’m existing in this Zen-like world, singing these song lyrics and everything going on around me is super-fast, super-chaotic, and I’m just suspended in it.”
The All-American Rejects third studio album, When The World Comes Down, is available now! The highly anticipated follow up to Move Along was produced by Eric Valentine (Good Charlotte, Maroon 5) and features the infectious single “Gives You Hell.” The deluxe edition of the album features a bonus disc with six demos, a track by track commentary with Tyson and Nick, and the enhanced video for “Mona Lisa.” Amazon is offering a special deal to grab all of the mp3s from the album for only $2.99!
The band announced a Myspace Secret Show Wednesday, December 17th at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA.
AAR “When the World Comes Down” Deluxe iTunes:
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus have just released the first video from their upcoming Lonely Road album. “You Better Pray” is directed by Tony Petrossian who has also worked with bands like Rise Against, Taking Back Sunday, and Slipknot among others. The clip also is the first to not include guitarist Elias Reidy who is no longer with the band.
Vocalist Ronnie Winter explains, “As some of you may already know or have noticed by now (album cover, new video, myspace, etc.), Elias is no longer with RJA, and has not been since late October. As history goes, RJA was started by Ronnie and Duke about seven years ago, and there have been seven lineup changes since then, especially in the guitar department, where Elias was the 5th replacement guitarist (such is life in a rock n roll band). Anyway, more on this shortly, but regardless have no fear – the core of RJA remains intact.”
As REV THEORY continues to rock the stage in cities across North America they are shedding light on the red hot video for “Light It Up.” The second single off their Interscope Records debut, Light It Up, again showcases the bands adeptness to arena rock anthems. Not only does the hard-hitting track fuel a rock fire but the video epitomizes everything that is right about rock ‘n roll… booze, babes and pure adrenaline. The “Frying Pan,” a run down Manhattan ship, plays the backdrop to an underground fight club that would rival anything seen in Brad Pitt’s epic film Fight Club.
Fans can catch Rev Theory on tour throughout January. Light It Up featuring, “Hell Yeah” and “Light It Up” is in stores now.
Tokio Hotel are featured on the Yahoo Music homepage, in the latest installment of “Pepsi Smash: Another Side Of”. Watch as the band members candidly describe their experiences in the US during a heated game of Jenga in their LA hotel room!
For another insider look at Tokio Hotel, check out Teen.com and the 5 part video piece they put together. Each video captures another side of the German quartet that cannot be missed.
Tokio Hotel have just released a new DVD, Tokio Hotel: Caught On Camera which is available exclusively at Hot Topic, and Hot Topic on-line. Tokio Hotel on Pepsi Smash:
No Line On The Horizon, the new studio album from U2, will be released in North America on Tuesday, March 3, 2009.
Written and recorded in various locations, No Line On The Horizon is the group’s 12th studio album and is their first release since the nine million selling album How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, released in late 2004.
Sessions for No Line On The Horizon began last year in Fez, Morocco, and continued in the band’s own studio in Dublin, before moving to New York’s Platinum Sound Recording Studios. It was completed at Olympic Studios in London.
The album calls on the production talents of long-time collaborators Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, with additional production by Steve Lillywhite.
Lily Allen may have gotten back to her evil ways when she talks about Katy Perry but there is no shortage of love when the British singer talks about Britney Spears. Though there’s a Madonna diss in there, Lily was nothing but loving towards the recovered pop princess Brit when she told the BBC “Madonna is the most overrated artist of all time. [Britney] is a goddess and her new album is amazing.” For Lily’s sake, pray that Madonna never hears of what she said. She may end up with no work and in great debt if the Queen of Pop does get wind of it.
Reports are circulating that Guns N Roses front man Axl Rose is suffering from a case of anthropophobia. In simpler terms, it means that he’s afraid of people. He’s most likely done the nasty with a lot of groupies and they say he’s afraid of people. Right. Insiders are saying that the fear has gotten really bad. With the release of ‘Chinese Democracy’, you’d think that Axl would be promoting it but that’s not the case. A source said that Axl “has fired his management company, Front Line, three times in four weeks. He hasn’t left his Los Angeles home in two months. He won’t give interviews, won’t do talk shows, or perform – which makes touring or promoting very difficult, obviously.”
UK indie rock band The Hours has a new music video out for their song ‘See The Light’ which features British actress Sienna Miller. The 26-year old starlet plays a mental patient who runs around in a hospital gown, throwing around designer shoes and smearing cow’s blood across the wall. The video was directed by Tony Kaye, who also directed ‘American History X’ and Johnny Cash’s ‘God’s Gonna Cut You Down’. It sounds cool to me. Maybe I’ll check it out. Maybe. It is Sienna after all. I don’t want to see more of the actress than what I’ve already seen.
Fantasia Barrino says that reports that she’s about to lose her North Carolina home are nothing but bull. Rumors have gone around saying that the fallen Idol is about to lose the 6-bedroom, 6000 square foot mansion that she bought back in 2007 for $1.3 million. Allegedly, she couldn’t keep up with the payments soothe county will be auctioning off the house on January 12, 2009 unless she comes up with the money that she owes. She also has another house nearby. Why would you have two homes in the same area? Was one house for her and the other for her ego?
Avril Lavigne’s most recent album and tour were huge failures, and that may even be taking it lightly because her previous efforts have been nothing but more successful. As artists are prone to do, the singer and so-called songwriter is looking to put the blame on anyone but herself. Sources reveal that the Canadian has just fired her longtime manager and management company, Terry McBride of Nettwerk. A source said “Avril is hoping that new management can help her new album be more successful than the last.” Avril is now said to have hired Irving Azoff and his management company to represent her. They have worked with artists such as Christina Aguilera and the Eagles.
Rumors are going around that Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am is going to be working with rockers U2 on their upcoming album. Kanye West actually confirmed the news on his blog saying “Will.i.am is producing U2’s next album. I’m sure it will be dope as s— judging from the crazy beats he’s done in the past 3 years!” will.i.am has also commented on the news saying “I would love to do something with them. If that ever happens it would be a dream come true! I went to Bono’s house. He has these summer parties and I went and had great food. It was the best. Those guys are the nicest people in the world.”
