Tag: Music TV

Doug Fieger Leaves Us

Posted by Kat – February 16, 2010

 Who doesn’t remember the insanely popular hit from 1979 by The Knack “My Sharona?” A song full of crazy vocals, a wicked hook and some pounding drums that have inspired parody, karaoke and music videos, “My Sharona” gave the Knack the eternal recognition that they so richly deserved. Unfortunately, yesterday, the band lost the headliner who co-wrote the lyrics and sang the lead for the song, Doug Fieger. Feiger passed away just yesterday at the age of 57. He passed away after a long battle with cancer.

 In 1978, in the city of Los Angeles, the Detroit native Fieger formed the Knack. The band quickly grew quite popular all along the Sunset Strip’s copious rock clubs in the area, and it was only a year after that that the song that would define the group was written.

 ”My Sharona” was reportedly inspired from Fieger’s girlfriend at the time, who had been with him for four years and reportedly left a huge impression on him. The song had been an amazing, unique and thrilling rock theme that didn’t apologize and totally blew people away in the end of the disco era. It was on the Number One Billboard spot for six weeks and became the most popular song of the band.

The song had kind of fallen by the wayside over the years, but when the 1994 movie “Reality Bites” featured the song on the soundtrack and put it right back in the spotlight. MTV featured an official music video featuring parts of the movie and footage of the band that would forever solidify the song as an everlasting hit. And to think, Weird Al got his start from “My Bologna” and without The Knack, he never would have gotten there.

 Fieger’s battle with cancer lasted six years and a brain surgery to remove tumors, and he will be sorely missed.

Erykah Badu’s Newest Tactic? Viral Videos

Posted by Kat – January 29, 2010

Ever subscribe to the Twitter feed of fatbellybella? Well, if you’re a fan of Erykah Badu, then you really should, as that is her official Twitter feed where you can find any news on her work at any time, any place. And yesterday, the feed sparked up new publicity about her new album to be released on CD on March 30th. It wasn’t about the actual album, titled “New Amerykah, Part II: Return of the Ankh,” but rather about something else related to it: viral marketing. I am a huge fan of viral marketing, so hearing that she was going to be pursuing something on that front as well.

If you check out erykahbadu.com, her official site, you can see the new promotional viral marketing video that she’s just posted today. In fact, her publicist confirmed what she’d tweeted about, and now the proof is in the website, as it were. By 3:30 today, the official video had popped up showing different snippets for the music video of “Jump In The Air,” a bonus track for her album. This song has guest appearances by Bilal and Lil Wayne and the album has been cited to be one that won’t disappoint.

“New Amerykah” was originally supposed to be released in late February, but for whatever reason, was pushed back. It seems it will definitely be worth the wait, though, as the new album is going to come out through Universal Motown. Wondering why “Jump In The Air” is a bonus track instead of on the CD, it’s because it got leaked on the internet, changing things up a little.  But, taking a look at the different artists involved in the production of the album, it’s easy to see why people are so excited. 9th Wonder, J Dilla, James Poyser, and Madlib are involved, and others. It’s not going to be a disappointment.

American Idol About To Be Simon-less

Posted by Kat – December 25, 2009

For just about everyone out there who watches American Idol, it’s impossible to imagine a season with the most negative man possibly on the face of the earth, the man who has established a reputation as being able to smile and backhand your ego at the same time: Simon Cowell. But, now that Fox is looking at their contract negotiations, they have decided to try bringing another 3 seasons after its current contract expires, but it seems that Simon Cowell has already considered leaving.

After losing Paula Abdul due to bizarre circumstances, Cowell leaving would be another blow to the show, but probably nothing that Fox can’t handle. After all, Fox knows that people tune in to watch the talent, and not just the biting, sarcastic and downright low criticisms that Simon dishes out with no regard for anyone else. But, it does beg the question: Why the heck is he leaving in the first place? Wasn’t X-Factor his baby back in the UK, and didn’t he help make American Idol what it is?

Well, it seems that X-Factor will be exactly the problem. As Simon Cowell’s brother Tony told people in his podcast last week, Simon doesn’t plan on staying past 2010, and wants to bring X-Factor over to the United States. So, not only would American Idol lose their dramatic and insulting judge, that judge would be bringing direct competition to Fox. Of course, that’s not for another year, and he hasn’t actually signed a contract with Sony, the owners of “X-Factor” in the first place. Once those deals are done, though, it’s possible we’ll see Simon Cowell gone forever from American Idol and permanently working on involving himself in X-Factor as much as possible.

So will Fox really get the new seasons of American Idol they want after Simon leaves, or will they find themselves directly competing with the show he brings over? We’ll have to wait and see.

Shakira Shows Her Animal Side

Posted by Kat – December 18, 2009

If there’s one thing anyone can say about Shakira, it’s that she knows how good she looks, how sexy she is, and she’s perfectly comfortably using it. And as if we hadn’t noticed when she released her single “She Wolf,” her new album of the same name really has taken every bit of sexuality Shakira could put into a song and use it to create something very different and fun.

“She Wolf” is filled with all sorts of influences, not the least of which is the brutal assertion of sexuality. The songs are filled with guitars, disco work, synth, clarinet, moaning and sitars to create something that spans from today’s hot pop rock all the way back to R&B and 80′s influences. Granted, this isn’t necessarily something that you would expect from Shakira, and it shows as being just a little forced for her.  But, while it may not be the best thing that Shakira has done, the album has a few shining stars in it that really show a different kind of album for her. From “Gypsy,” which utilizes tabla, banjo, sitar and mandolin to “Why Wait,” which is much more synth based, the album really plays around with styles. There are samples of Led Zeppelin that really drive the hits home.

The real downside to the album, though, is the bonus tracks, which offer incredibly little, really. The number “Give it Up to Me” with Lil Wayne really doesn’t do much at all, and it looks like the album could have been released a lot earlier without the blah last number. Overall, though, it’s a strong, different album for Shakira to come back to the spotlight with. Will it be enough to keep her star shining until her next album, we’ll have to wait and see, but if this “She Wolf” can do anything, it’s make one heck of an impression.

Susan Boyle’s Dream Continues to Shine

Posted by Kat – December 14, 2009

It seems only yesterday that the world was completely swept away by the surprising and unexpectedly beautiful voice of Susan Boyle. A contestant on Britain’s Got Talent, her plain appearance seemed to be a sign that she would never make it past her audition. In fact, renowned “world’s crabbiest judge,” Simon Cowell, was ready to sweep her off the stage before she’d even opened her mouth. But, Susan’s voice has completely taken the world by storm, garnering standing ovations on the show and the much-deserved success of a woman whose talent was only unrecognized because of her lifestyle.

Now, six short months after her initial appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, Boyle’s first album has been released and has broken the 1 million sales mark just in the U.K. alone, and the album was only released two weeks ago. A true sort of diamond in the rough story, Susan Boyle has gone from being a simple Scottish woman living a life on anonymity to being one of the proud emblems of the British spirit, perservering and daring to dream a dream.
It’s no wonder that Boyle’s main hit was “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, given how difficult the global economy has been for so many people, but now it’s definite that Boyle won’t have those concerns to worry about for a little while at least. In fact, in the U.K., Boyle has beat out the sales of Lady Gaga’s new album The Fame Monster, as well as Michael Buble’s Crazy Love. It seems that no one is immune to the charm and brilliant voice of Boyle, as people from all over the world with all sorts of tastes in music have been buying her album.
How will Boyle fare in weeks to come? Who knows, but one thing is for sure: Boyle is certainly happy to have her dream come true.

Ke$ha Gets In Your Face With Tik Tok

Posted by Kat – December 10, 2009

When it comes to the electro pop scene, the music can be very hit or miss, either reminding us of a million other songs or really bringing something different that catches everyone’s ear. And just like Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” completely sucked us all in last month, Ke$ha’s single “Tik Tok” has managed to stay number 3 on the Hot 100, and that’s just the single. Only released September 23rd, everyone seems to have the same question over and over again – “What is it about this song that everyone likes?”

Sure, we all love the catchy lyrics, and even the most closeted pop lover isn’t afraid to turn this beat up in their car, but what is it about Tik Tok that keeps us putting it on repeat but then we don’t talk about how much we love Ke$ha? Maybe it’s the lyrics of this brand new hit that has us all wondering why we even like it. After all, the song is entirely about dropping everything to go party and booze it up. The music video expresses this same kind of teenage rebellion as Ke$ha stomps out of her house half-dressed while her 1950′s housewife mother drops a plate of perfectly made pancakes onto the floor. And at the end, Ke$ha is giggling a bit like an overly toked-up stoner in someone’s bathtub somewhere.

There is no denying that the musical track is perfect for dancing, but on top of the lyrics, Ke$ha’s voice also seems to be a complete stereotype-breaking one. While it is heavily vocoderized during some of the lyrics, her voice just doesn’t have the smoothness that many pop stars have these days. That isn’t a bad thing, but it does make us all take notice that Ke$ha is not afraid to jump onto the scene and party until the beat stops.

Vampire Weekend Heralds In Their Next Album With Cousins

Posted by Kat – December 3, 2009

If you’re into indie rock, then you’ve probably already heard of Vampire Weekend’s self-titled first album, and you’re familiar with the kooky and off-the-wall lyrics and music of the band. This January, two years after their first album, Vampire Weekend is about to bring out “Contra,” their second album that will hopefully prove to be just as quirky and out there as their first. If their newly released single “Cousins,” is any indication, fans won’t be disappointed.

If you haven’t seen the video for “Cousins,” I recommend you go head to YouTube where the official video has been put up by the band so you can get a look. In the vein of Weezer’s “Pork and beans” video, a clever use of stop-motion photography and colorful neon “chalk” designs really makes the video easy to watch. The lead singer, Ezra Koenig, does a remarkable job of catching one’s eye while he sings and holds up various images for the audience to see (Not that it helps, as the lyrics are pretty nonsensical when put together).

The song itself is remarkably catchy and might get stuck in your head. The guitar work is incredibly Ventures-esque, and the entire song plays as a frenzy of stream of consciousness lyrics that work together to be a lot of fun. On January 11th, 2010, the new Vampire Weekend album is going to hit stores, and I will be right there to buy a copy. If “Cousins” is any sign of how the album will turn out, then “Contra” will definitely be a wild, crazy ride with moments of Wipeout and Weezer all rolled into one. So, sit back and wait for the wave that is Vampire Weekend to hit you, and you’ll really find something spectacular to listen to.

The Fame Monster That Is Lady Gaga

Posted by Kat – November 30, 2009

With the release of Lady Gaga’s newest 8 track album, “The Fame Monster,” featuring her newest single “Bad Romance,” it’s time to take a look at the Haus of GaGa and try to figure out just why everyone loves the blonde bombshell who likes to thank “God and the gays.” For many, it’s a combination of her theatricality and her music.

For the same reasons that so many people love Marilyn Manson and the Dresden Dolls, the people have cried out that they love Lady Gaga, and so she has brought them a new album. Lady Gaga’s theatrical nature and bizarre videos and live performances have managed to completely capture the public eye. In the newest video, “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga’s choreography was grotesque and reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, while also bringing incredibly vivid imagery. That might be what makes people like her so much, the fact that she can utilize this imagery and seems to be feeding the desire of the youth demographic to have hard, blood-pumping pop music.

But just like Lady Gaga’s previous album, “The Fame,” the new one doesn’t necessarily follow one simple formula. Another notable song from “The Fame Monster” is “Speechless,” written for her father and showcasing another side of Lady Gaga’s personality.

Thematically, just as “The Fame” dealt with the demons and obstacles faced in the quest for fame, “The Fame Monster” details the pitfalls of having become famous. The music is just as blood-thumping techno as the last album, and utilizes innovative lyrics to really sell the theme. Just take a look at “Bad Romance,” where Lady Gaga references and was utilizing a great deal of imagery from Alfred Hitchcock movies.

Overall, “The Fame Monster” has lived up to all the hype it was given before the release, if not more and is worth the purchase just for “Bad Romance” and “Speechless.” Another hit album from Lady Gaga proves she isn’t planning on being just another flash in the pan.