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Archive for the ‘Music News’ Category

It is no secret that high incarceration rates are an epidemic in the Black community. Many of today’s biggest celebrities, from sports to music, are survivors of this epidemic. Some of today’s biggest hip-hop stars often rap about their struggles growing up in the Black community, but few return to their old neighborhoods and mentor children about avoiding the temptation of street life.

Few rappers have been criticized as much as Long Beach legend Snoop Dogg, whose early success led to the popularity of “gangsta” rap in the early 1990s. Despite the raw lyrics of Snoop’s early records, he is determined to see that the youth in the Black community do not follow in his footsteps, which led to his incarceration before achieving international fame.

According to reports, the West Coast rapper has teamed up with documentary director Gabriel London, filmmaker Alex Munoz and Black Entertainment Television’s (BET) Urbanworld Film Festival to present Bigg Snoop Dogg’s Youth Authority: California, an autobiographical streets-to-prison documentary production.

According to a released statement, “The resulting documentary weaves together Snoop’s experiences growing up in the midst of daily violence and gang activity with the stories of young men still caught up in the streets-to-prison cycle. Bridging generations, London has painted an intimate portrait of Snoop and the ‘young G’s,’ current prisoners and parolees who struggle to find their way in a system that is too often focused on punishment rather than education and rehabilitation. The film is Snoop and the filmmakers’ attempt to break a vicious cycle that leads to over 10,000 youth being locked up annually in California alone.”

Before signing to Death Row Records in the early 1990s, Snoop was active in the nefarious street gang the Crips, experiencing frequent run-ins with the law. The rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, actually spent time inside California’s infamous “Youth Authority” (also known as CYA).

Not long after high school graduation, the future rapper was arrested on cocaine possession charges and spent the next three years in the judicial system. Unlike so many others in the Black community, Snoop was able to find an alternative lifestyle when he discovered a love for hip-hop. Snoop, along with Nate Dogg and hip-hop producer Dr. Dre’s step-brother Warren G, founded the group 213 and began recording mixtapes hoping to impress Dr. Dre. At a NWA house party, Warren G persuaded the disc jockey to play a 213 mixtape, and Dr. Dre was so impressed with Snoop’s rhymes and charisma that he collaborated with him on his debut solo single “Deep Cover.”

Snoop would go on to become an overnight sensation in the world of hip-hop. However, he could not escape his violent past, and at one time was charged with the murder of a rival gang member, Phillip Woldermarian, a charge he was later acquitted of because of self-defense.

Despite his numerous run-ins with the law, he is determined to see a change in the mentality of youth in the Black community. Snoop’s idea for the documentary was to use his personal story to teach children in the Black community that there are alternatives to the criminal lifestyle.

Bigg Snoop Dogg’s Youth Authority screens Friday, September 12 at the Urbanworld Film Festival.

The author Todd A. Smith is the publisher of http://www.regalmag.com, an online magazine dedicated to issues affecting African American men. The website tackles such topics as social and political issues, health, relationships, business, sports and entertainment.

Article Source: http://megamusicsite.com

It’s all over the news- from countless newspaper features (including a write-up in the Wall Street Journal), online articles and even the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. It’s the vinyl record revival and more importantly, the resurrection of analog sound.

Yes, vinyl records, left for dead with the advent of the ‘digital age’ are selling again. In fact, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), sales of vinyl records jumped to 1.3 million last year, which represents a 36.6% increase from 2006; a figure that some industry experts feel does not accurately represent the true sales figures. The experts deem it to be too low because independent record stores sales, where vinyl does the best, are not usually included in these figures. Additionally, according to Billboard Magazine, vinyl record sales jumped 77% in the first half of 2008 (when compared to the first half of 2007), selling more than 803,000 units.

This is not a fad or cycle; music lovers young and old are being drawn to this historic audio format. Moreover, it seems to be a worldwide event, preorders and sales of vinyl records are on the increase in many countries across the globe. In the UK alone, sales of seven-inch singles (45′s) have climbed 87.3% compared to the same three month period last year.

Vinyl is cool again. Teenagers, who once may have scoffed at their grandparents’ and parents’ record collections, now wait in line to get the latest releases. More and more mainstream artists are releasing new material via the format and Capitol Records (along with many other major record companies) are now reissuing classic albums on vinyl. And now, along with the baby boomers, a new generation is discovering the special allure that vinyl records have – the limited editions, colored vinyl, picture discs, audiophile records (180-220 gram), the album cover art and the sound – all elements in this grand resurgence.

This resurgence is fueled by many other factors. Let’s explore some interesting aspects of the vinyl record.

The Sound

Yes, the hiss, snap and crackle of a record are soothing music lovers around the globe. Vinyl records use analog recording methods; it is a clear, well-defined sound. The music is not compressed and digitized into the ones and zeros that you get with the CD or MP3; or what I term as “binary sound.” There is a warmth, an ambience that vinyl brings to the music and since the human ear hears in analog-not digital-vinyl records naturally sound better. So this is the secret that the DJ’s, record collectors and audiophiles knew all along!

The Collectible Factor and Availability of Vinyl

Most recording artists are also fans of other artists’ music; they own vast and eclectic record collections. Sometimes finding rare and collectible vinyl created by artists who have influenced their own music and whom they admire can be just as satisfying as creating and recording their own music. They also delight in finding rare vinyl of their own music. In fact, John Lennon was an avid record collector and amassed quite a collection of Beatle’s bootlegs.

Buying and selling records is big business. Besides the garage sales, flea markets and yard sales, online auction sites such as eBay sell millions of records. It is reported that eBay users buy and sell six vinyl records each minute (or an average of one every ten seconds) totaling more than three million records each year. Some records still maintain their value decades after their initial release and have sold for thousands of dollars. It’s been reported that the album that is bought and sold the most in the vinyl format is the Beatles’ “White Album.” Other acts such as Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Led Zeppelin, among many others, are highly sought after and still command top dollar for specific releases. Soul and jazz music, along with classic rock, are always in demand. Additionally, online giant Amazon is committed to expanding their ‘vinyl section’ offerings to include thousands of music artists.

There is also a lot of vinyl support in such musical genres as hip-hop, punk and heavy metal. “Indie” music is now being pressed into colored vinyl, limited edition releases and picture discs. These are the future collectibles and sometimes sell for higher-than-average prices. The online community has responded as well with literally thousands of web sites dedicated to the vinyl format. Many music artists are making sure that they give their fans a choice of music formats, with vinyl appearing to be taking the lead.

The Vinyl Experience

In our age of iPods and MP3 music, playing a record is almost a ritual experience. There is the physical interaction between the person playing the album, the music itself and the machine. Playing a record can be a communal event where the music is shared with friends and family. But it is not only the music that intrigues the masses. Add unique and compelling album cover art and deluxe packaging, and a whole new generation of vinyl record lovers can share in this phenomenon.

Going hand-in-hand with the increase in vinyl record sales is the increase and availability of turntables. Nationally, turntable sales shot to over 500,000 last year compared to 275,000 in 2006. Manufacturers of turntables have given the consumer a plethora of options to choose from, from the very affordable unit to some that cost thousands of dollars. Students in colleges around the U.S., as well as globally, are now beginning to consider a turntable in their dorm room one of their necessities.

The Perks

Many recording artists are not only releasing their new material via vinyl but in digital format for those who choose that medium. Many records may come with a certificate for a free Internet download, which can sometimes be a bonus cut that may not be included on the record. It also allows the music to be portable, and the consumer can choose between the alternate formats. As the demand for vinyl continues its upward climb, so to will the affordability of the records. Many mainstream releases via the vinyl format are competitively priced, allowing for more units to be sold. Add to this the already flourishing used vinyl record market, where a music lover can pick up an LP for under five dollars, and we have a new vinyl model that will flourish for decades to come.

Will vinyl records regain their dominant position in the music industry that they once held? One can only guess, but with CD sales continuing to plummet and more and more music lovers discovering the value of vinyl, this historic audio medium will not fade away anytime soon.

Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates http://www.collectingvinylrecords.com, where you can pick up a copy of his FREE ebook called “The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting.” Have your vinyl records appraised at http://www.vinylrecordappraisals.com.

Article Source: http://megamusicsite.com

Can a heavy metal rock group release a CD without having ever being in the same room together or to have never met face to face? Amazingly, it is being done; and quite remarkably. Project-43 is one of the first “Internet” groups to record, mix, produce and engineer a CD from three different countries and five locations around the world.

Meet Project-43, five exceptionally talented musicians from different parts of the globe. After band mates Charlie Wardick (who hails from the state of Arizona, USA) and Steve M. Mann (from Wisconsin, USA) hooked up on Usenet in the alt.guitar newsgroup, they knew that they had happened upon something special.

Using this framework, the two enlisted other musicians to join in their cyberspace journey. When Antti Heikkinen (Finland) was added on vocals, things began to gel. The group then added Scotland’s Scott Wallace to play drums and the NYC guitar virtuoso Christopher Bell-Boudreaux to complete the quintet.

Their debut CD “Silence The Quiet” was released and met with rave reviews. But it is their follow up CD called “Ticket To Infinity” that proves that this is not a novelty act and that creating intoxicating heavy metal music in this unique process can not only be done, but accomplished with awe inspiring adventure.

Logistics make it difficult to all get together, but that is not an obstacle. As Steve explains:

“We have really progressed on this new CD; it shows our growth and improvement as a group. One person may come up with an idea for a song, then the others download this ‘model’ and start to add their parts and the mixing process begins. We don’t have some of the personality issues or conflicts that other bands have; our process is very accommodating to growth and helps us move forward. We feel we are on the cutting edge of recording and marketing and like to feel that we are moving forward in the right direction; kind of a modern spin as well as a new model of music creativity.”

After a listen to their new CD, one can hear elements of some of the band member’s influences, such as the Scorpions, Judas Priest, Queensryche or even a heavy set from Foreigner. But what Project-43 does so eloquently is meld these aforementioned groups, classic rock qualities, and heavy guitars and move them progressively into the new millennium.

The cut, “Bye Bye” has a classic blend of eerie lyrical content blended perfectly with instrumental mastery, fast guitar licks and the powerhouse pipes of lead singer Antti Heikkinen. “Secrets Never To Be Told” would be right at home on any classic rock album by Uriah Heep, complete with rich vocals, heavy rock guitars and a rapid-fire lead that adds a unique harmony to the lead vocals.

The cut “In Exile” could remind some if Alice In Chains unplugged, with smart lyrics and crisp acoustics, with tasty contributions from all five musicians. “Silence The Quiet” is full of classic Scorpions-like riffology, with complex instrumental structures and superlative vocals and I could see it bolting to the top of the heavy metal charts.

Their whole CD is full of energized music, heavy guitars and bass lines and expert musicianship. Comparing Project-43 to other bands may be a compliment, but it is their unique methods of making emotionally charged rock and roll that makes them genre defining and captures the essence of their collective musicianship.

Could Project-43 be called musical experimentalists? If so, the group has definitely laid the groundwork for others to attempt to make music in this intuitive manner. But I doubt that any group can match the hard-edged, slashing guitar riffs and seminal melodic invention that Project-43 has already mastered. Cyber group, novelty act? Not a chance- their songs are a musical collective of hard, heavy rock that will soon take the music world to a whole different level.

Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates http://www.collectingvinylrecords.com, where you can pick up a copy of his ebook called “The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting.” Have your vinyl records appraised at http://www.vinylrecordappraisals.com

Article Source: http://bb-articles.com