Fans of iconic 60’s band the Beach Boys might have seen a glimmer of hope when the Las Vegas Sun printed a piece hinting at a reunion earlier this month. Original vocalist Mike Love, however, took an axe to the rumor, categorically stating that no such move was being planned by either the band’s current lineup or Brian Wilson.
Spirit of Hoping
It all began when Robin Leach of the Las Vegas Sun wrote a June 17 article on the 49-year old band. In the very first paragraph of the piece, there’s a mention of Love being in talks with cousin, songwriter and original member Wilson about working together.
“Mike Love told me that… Brian Wilson is discussing with them for future writing and recording,” said the article. It started a hailstorm of speculation, which Love was quick to try and quash.
“At this time, there are no plans for my cousin Brian to rejoin the tour,” Love says about the rumors. “We have had some discussions of writing and possibly recording together, but nothing has been set.” To finally put the rumors to rest, he adds “I… felt the need to clarify that there are no current reunion tour plans.”
50 Years of History
The original Beach Boys began in 1961 and was recognized as a pioneer of American music. Wilson and Love were both part of the original group, along with Wilson’s two brothers Dennis and Carl and their friend Al Jardine. The band bearing the Beach Boys name has gone through several lineup changes in its 49 years on the scene.
Despite a brief reunion in 2006 to celebrate the 40th year of Pet Sounds on the market, the original Beach Boys – Love and Brian Wilson, in particular – remained distinct acts. Wilson had been pursuing a solo career since the late 1990’s.
Gaga’s back, and this month she’s on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. With her Alejandro video ‘do, M-16 bra and pearlescent pink mega platform shoes hitting the newsstands in July, the girl formerly known only as Stefani Germanotta talks about a new record and her life as a 24/7 pop star.
Method to Madness
It seems that there’s a philosophy behind Gaga’s sometimes ludicrous and over the top behavior (see: Gaga at the Yankee Stadium). Even though she says she still gets insecure in the mornings, she tells herself “Bitch, you’re Lady Gaga. You get up and walk the walk today.” “That’s what we do,” she describes herself and fellow entertainers.
Michael Jackson is an inspiration for the pop world’s wundergirl. “He lifted that glittered glove so damn high so his fans could see him.” In relation to herself, she says she “wants them [fans] to focus on the fantasy of the music.” That’s why she refuses to even as much as drink water during a performance.
A New Side of Gaga
Lady Gaga and most of her Haus have been working non-stop on touring lately – her The Fame Monster tour is set to stretch into 2011 – but it hasn’t stopped her from writing new material. In fact, she reports that she’s already in the finishing stages of a new album to follow up 2009’s The Fame Monster. “I’ve been working on it for months now.” She compares herself with other artists who “take years”. “I write music every day,” she said.
A long-time supporter of the LGBT community and bisexual herself, the Bad Romance singer and songwriter will be using a political instead of hypersexual angle for her new album. “Why are we still talking about Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell?” She warns her listeners with, “The message of the new music is now more bitter than it was before.”
Fans can expect the album to drop in early 2011. Lady Gaga herself plans to reveal the title on midnight New Year’s Eve. Meanwhile, the Poker Face star says that she’s already busy doing designs for the tour to support her third album release.
You can’t put a good musician down, especially when it’ Jay-Z in his hometown of New York. Plans to perform on the iconic Ed Sullivan Theater marquee – a landmark spot for performing artists – were recently axed when details of the performance leaked. Come Monday, though, the Empire State of Mind rapper took to the marquee stage anyway.
It Don’t Get No Better
With fellow MC Eminem by his side, Jigga ripped the Ed Sullivan rooftop with a set of just three songs. Each person in the 100-person crowd – a tiny turnout by New York City standards – won his or her place there via contests on Facebook and Twitter. Spotted in the mini-audience was Diddy, who was there to show support for Em and Jay-Z.
“I’m just here as a fan,” he was later heard saying. “You know, Hov, Eminem, New York, rooftop, summertime – it don’t get no better, baby.”
The set featured Eminem’s latest single Not Afraid, Jay-Z’s On to the Next One and a tag team on Jigga’s 2001 hit Renegade – a nod to the pair’s first ever collaboration. Fans who weren’t up there with them can catch the performance in full on the June 25 airing of Late Show with David Letterman.
Cancelled Cancellation
It was the New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting that initially gave the no-go for the show. There were concerns about security and crowd management, which tend to be major issues for NYC performances. “Many permits are granted on the condition that the event is not made public beforehand for capacity and security reasons,” a rep for the office said.
Fortunately for Jay-Z fans, the rooftop of the building is technically private property, so Jigga and Em had no need for a permit. The whole thing was invisible from underneath, although folks on street level got a sounds-only free concert.
For a star who liked things big and grand, few were surprised at the scale of Michael Jackson’s memorial after he suddenly died late June last year. The expense, however, was a sore point: who would be footing the bill? In a statement made last week, production company AEG announced that it would work with MJ’s estate to pay the seven-digit tab.
The combined financial force of the two parties is expected to cough up a grand total of $1.3 million, payable to the City of Los Angeles, which initially paid for the event. Of the total, $1 million will go to the city government’s general-purpose purse, while the rest is pegged for the Los Angeles Police Foundation. The figure was quoted by the LA city government to cover permit, security, sanitation and transport costs.
Jackson’s memorial was a grand event that could have rivaled a small awards proceeding. A very long list of the entertainment industry’s biggest stars – from Mariah Carey to John Mayer and everyone in between – was in attendance. More than 17,000 fans in total were crammed into the Staples Center and the adjacent viewing area in the Nokia Theatre.
Money was originally a very sore point for the Jackson memorial, especially since many did not see a seven-figure celebrity event as appropriate use for public funds. The July 7 memorial, hastily put together just days after Jacko’s June 25 passing, presented a major logistical challenge to organizers.
The total cost of the memorial, according to the Los Angeles Times, was pegged by the city government at $3.2 million. It’s a considerably higher figure than what AEG will be paying this year.
AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group) was the main backer for Jackson’s This Is It concert series at the O2 Arena in the UK. It was the final planned performance before the star’s untimely death, and became the title for a commemorative film released in 2009.
Believe it or not, rap music has psychological effects on adults and even more on teenagers. There are studies that would prove the various psychological effects of rap music on the listener.
Although not all rap songs are about violence, the videos that they create about the song are mostly violent. You can see artists with guns, people beating women, women nagging to their child, and so on. And because rap videos and music portrays a very luxurious life that they can achieve through crime, it may also influence your child as well. They would no longer strive to study hard at school since they think that they can achieve success through violence just like the way they see it on rap videos. Moreover, young girls who are more exposed to rap music and videos would accept that women are just mere toys for men. They are likely to accept that violence is a norm when dating. Listening to the rap music alone may not really influence crime against women. But it is the videos of these rap artists that affects the minds of the teenagers to accept violence as part of the normal life.
They may think that it would always look cool whenever smoke goes in and out of their nose and mouth. There are also some rap lyrics suggesting that people should use weed or drugs to get away from their troubled life. If your child and his friends listen to the same rap music and became fans of their videos, there is a big chance that they would imitate the lifestyle portrayed on it. They would become curious about the different kinds of vices because they think it looks cool, just like the rap artists.
It may have negative effects on the behavior of the teenagers. However, there were researches that would prove that teenagers have improved grades when they listen to rap music. They were able to express their ideas more and they become more inclined to be involved in political activities especially against racism. Moreover, rap listeners were also enticed to support black candidates running for a position in politics.
Contrary to what others believe, those who listen to rap music are less likely to have suicidal thoughts or experience depression.
Have you ever thought why most people love to walk, run, or do exercises while they listen to the headphones are plugged in their ears? This is not just to flaunt their latest portable music players ot just to look cool in front of everyone who will see them. There are actually a lot of surprising effects when you do healthy activities while listening to the music at the same time.
More walking mileage while you listen to your favorite music
According to the study conducted by the Ohio State University in 2002, patients who were suffering from lung diseases should listen to music while they take a walk or do some cardio exercises. Those who listened to music while walking reached the average miles of 19 every week. This is four more miles compared to the group who does not listen to any kind of music as they walk. The main reason for this is that music helps in distracting you from all the effort that you put in to the exercise. Other than that, walking or jogging becomes more pleasurable if you have music to accompany you.
Exercise and music can boost your brain power as well
Whenever you exercise, you would help in improving your mental state. The more active you are the more blood will flow to your brain. And of course, they would keep you healthy. From the same research conducted by the Ohio State University, they have found out that patients who were undergoing a cardiac rehabilitation recuperate better when they listen to music. This of course is more effective when they work on the treadmill at the same time. Their verbal fluency scores improved two times better compared when they were using the treadmill but not listening to music. There were also some patients who said that music and their therapy combined makes them feel better, mentally and emotionally.
Adults will have improved brain function when walking while listening to the music
Aging adults should walk as much as 45 minutes for at least three times a week. This would help them maintain a healthy physique. And at the same time their brain power will also improve. According to the study made by the University of Illinois in 2004, the adults aging from 58 to 78 will get these benefits if they would listen to music while walking at the same time. There is a big chance that you will have a healthier body and mind rather than limiting yourself to stretching as well as toning exercises.
Are you an aspiring musician who wants to create your samples in high quality sounds? One option is to rent for a music studio with complete equipments that will surely provide excellent sound results. Thanks to the technology, there are now ways on how you can record music without going to the studios. One way is by recording it at the comfort of your own home.
Have the right tools
You must first have the right tools and a couple of equipments that you can use to record your music. Apart from the microphone you must also have a pop shield as well. The latter is a device that would help you filter the noise and prevent it from reaching your microphone. These two tools are very inexpensive. You can actually get a microphone and a pop shield within $100 or less.
Make sure that your computer can handle music recording
It is also important that you have a competent computer that can process and create high quality sounds. And since the sound result is the most vital thing in a recording, it is just imperative that computer should have an excellent soundcard at the same time. Do just settle for the soundcards that are already part of your computer. You can purchase another sound card so you can ensure the quality of the sound produced.
Get the right kind of computer software meant for recording music
The software would allow you to create effects, record the various channels of the music, edit your song, and so many others. Although there are some music recording websites that would let you download their software without paying any charge, it is very advisable that you get the software that is for sale. More often than not, it has more features compared to the free software. It is also more reliable and glitch-free at the same time.
By the time that you already have these tools, you can now start recording the music and share your talent with family or friends. You might end up getting a great deal from a recording company or music publisher.
The childhood years should be a lot of fun for the child and the parents as well. During this stage, it is very important that the parents would give attention to avoid delays in the development of their child. They should make every activity a fun and learning experience. One of the best ways to do so is by letting them listen to the right kinds of music. This would help them enhance their mental, physical, as well as their emotional foundation all at the same time. Read on to know some of the other skills that would be developed in your children when you let them listen to music.
Reason 1 – They have better concentration compared to those who do not listen to music from the start
Children who are taking musical lessons usually develop better concentration. Why? They will be taught how to focus on their activity during the whole duration of the lesson. When they do this with their music instructors, they would also do the same with their teachers at school as well. They can give more attention to their subjects, thus improving their academic performance and grades. Moreover, they can also do this when doing other activities and projects at the same time.
Reason 2 – They have enhanced hand-eye coordination
Whenever they practice their musical instrument, they would improve coordination in their hands and their eyes. The children would also get to develop their motor skills too. It is the same with the benefits that they can get whenever they play basketball, volleyball, and other sports.
Reason 3 – While learning, they can also relax at the same time with music
As a matter of fact music is a great therapy and one of the most effective medicines for all those who are stressed or having emotional dilemmas. Studies also show that when listening to music, children are less likely to experience tantrums. It can also be your way to calm them down especially before nap time.
Reason 4 – They will have stronger social skills
Children would be able to interact with others through listening. They would be aware of the relationship of the emotions and the sounds that are present in the song. According to the experts, children would easily know the emotional state of the other people by listening on how they speak.
The gospel music emerged in America in the 18th century during the slave trade era of the African Americans. There were many prohibitions for the blacks at that time. These people were not able to worship. They organized groups, wrote hymns and thus the gospel musical lyrics were formed.
The gospel music lyrics of the earlier era mostly carried the requests of the slaves to almighty God and his son Christ. These requests were reflected in the lyrics time and again and were composed generally by the black slaves who worked in the plantation fields of their masters. They composed these hymns because of the belief that one day they God and his son Christ will set them free from all miseries.
The gospel music charges the atmosphere in the present world. It sets you free from all distress. It imbibes enthusiasm in you and grants you confidence and a positive attitude. When you listen to the gospel music, you will get the motivation to encounter distress. In the present days, the gospel music is sung in almost all the evangelical churches in US and around the world.
The message of the gospel music to the people of the world is to have a strong belief in God and his will. There are many signs and wonders that are associated with the gospel music, as per the evangelical reports. The gospel music takes you to a different world of positive spirits and makes you aware of God existence.
Music is clearly associated with weddings and other occasions. In a Christian wedding, the typical music starts to play at the background as soon as the bride enters the wedding hall and walks the aisle. Amazingly, all the people of the world have their own wedding music unique to their culture, tradition and religion.
Wedding music around the world is different
While some like the Australian prefer the wedding music to reflect a warm ambience of the gatherings. The couple’s taste for background music is given the priority. A traditional Indian wedding is similarly a grand occasion with pomp and shows lingered on by sober classical Indian instrumental to hit Bollywood numbers. In Egypt, a characteristic rhythm known as Zaffa is played during the ceremony and a traditional belly dancer usually leads the bride into the wedding hall.
Wedding music is highly influenced by religious chants and rites inclusive to the marriage. So, undeniably a traditional Christian wedding is poles apart from a Muslim style of wedding.
Indian weddings involve endless feet tapping, swirling of hands in the air and lots of adrenalin pumped cheers and blessings. Family members of all age group participate in the celebration mood. The question of an ideal music selection is therefore imperative, so that all the family members are swept off their seats in merry making. Hot favorites from bollynumbers like ‘Babul ki duaayein leti ja’, ‘Joote dedo paise ledo’, and ‘Le jayenge le jayenga’ are wedding centric songs. These works well as the flow of the songs refer to some phases of a marriage ceremony.
Wedding planning agencies and other online directories provide a wide range of musical collections for such ceremonies. You can choose from a range of music for wedding like Prelude, Cake cutting, Family dance and Wedding party dance to name a few for usually meant for Christian couples.
