BBC
John Peel may very well be the most important/signifigant/cool DJ and critic that has ever lived. After almost forty years at the BBC, Peel has championed some of the most influential and legendary bands that have ever existed. With a seemingly unfaltering taste and keen ear, Peel has paved the way for some of the biggest musical movements for decades.
Peel passed away in 2004 at the age of 65, landing a serious blow to music fans the world over.
Fortunately, tomorrow marks the unveiling of a project called thespace. Sheila Ravenscroft, Peel's widow, has made possible the curating and exhibition of some of the most important parts of Peels unfathomably extensive record collection, consisting of over 65,000 pieces. Starting tomorrow, thespace will unveil 2,600 of Peels most interesting and important albums, which comes out to about 100 per week. This serves as a personal and historically significant look into the collection of a man who tirelessly promoted and broadcast music that he felt was relevant and exciting. Fortunately for us, we thought it was relevant and exciting as well.
BBC worldwide anounced today that Radiohead is set to record an intimate live performance of their new album The King of Limbs as part of producer Nigel Goodrich's ongoing Live: From the Basement project. The film series records bands as they let loose on new material in an intimate studio setting. So boasts the BBC's press release (laced with a superfluous "e" of course): "The programme is filmed in HD, will have no audience and no presenter – just a rare opportunity to see an intimate performance from one of the greatest bands in the world."
In a BBC documentary called Lily Allen: Riches To Rags, the retired singer discusses about her two miscarriages and about her eating disorder.
In 2008, Allen suffered a miscarriage and two years later, she lost her second child six months into her pregnancy.
"It was a really long battle. And I think that kind of thing changes a person.”
She also admits in the documentary that she suffers from bulimia, "I used to vomit after meals. It’s not something I’m proud of. But, I tell you what, a lot of people came up to me telling me how great I looked and I’d be on the cover of every magazine. I thought I looked good and it was great to be able to try on clothes and feel a million dollars. But I wasn’t happy, I really wasn’t.”
Heartbreaking.
The documentary will air on March 15 in the U.K.
If a revolution was ever to take place in America, I can only hope that Rage Against The Machine will be playing in the background somewhere. Can you think of any other band that has been more connected to protesting or rising up for a cause in the past 15 years than Rage Against The Machine? I can't, so it only makes sense that Rage has done it again.
Tom Morello announced on the band website that if their single "Killing In The Name" is number one on the Christmas Week UK pop charts over the single from Simon Cowell's X-Factor," Rage would play a huge free concert in the UK to celebrate the victory of this historic people's campaign".
If you missed the chance to see Julian Casablancas on tour following the release of his first solo album Phrazes for the Young, the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter will be returning to the U.S. for several select gigs along the East Coast. The world has been raving over the success of Casablancas’ solo project, while fans of his fronted rock band The Strokes await the delayed release of their latest studio album. While fellow Strokes band members debate over the official completion of the album, Casablancas has made his mark as a formidable performer in a realm where one’s former success is weighed directly upon their current status.
When I first brought the news that a subversive, independent facebook campaign was gaining headway in their effort to overthrow a single by Joe McElderry, winner of Britain’s The X Factor, as number one Christmas single in the U.K. pop charts with a Rage Against the Machine song from 1992, I had strong reservations as to whether they would actually succeed in their mission. As the U.K. pop charts closed on Sunday and I heavy-heartedly checked the NME website, who had been covering the battle extensively, my reaction was the same as that of “Rage Against the Machine for Christmas No 1” creator/moderator Jon Morter, as well as many others who had been following the campaign, “F--- me, I can’t believe it’s Number One!”
On Thursday afternoon, the United Nations Climate Change Conference was privy to an unexpected (and in some circles, unwelcome) guest as Radiohead’s Thom Yorke mysteriously acquired a press pass to attend the final two days of the weeklong conference. As representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were unfairly thrown out, Yorke managed to sit-in on the remaining discussions, including one conducted by members of the U.S. government, alongside fellow environmentalist Tony Juniper.
Whatever your thoughts of Jude Law are, or of Michael Grandage’s decision to cast him as the brooding Prince of Denmark, one thing is for sure; the man breeds controversy. For years his career has been peppered with positive and negative reviews, often arguing over the same piece of work.
Despite being best-known for his cinematic performances, Law’s acting career began with the National Youth Music Theatre back in 1987. His work had him nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award, and has won him several outstanding newcomer awards.
Artist: La Roux
Genre: Pop, Synthpop, Electro
Website: www.laroux.co.uk
Debate their role as a legitimate forecaster of the next big thing if you must, but so far, the BBC’s Sound of 2009 features several acts that have made quite a name for themselves. Then again, that could be overstated; there must be some folk out there besides the Amish who still haven’t heard of Lady GaGa and Kid Cudi.
Damon Albarn, frontman for Blur and Gorillaz, is on the top of the list for artistic director of the 2012 Olympics in London, the Independent reports. This would make Albarn responsible for all non-competition visuals including the opening ceremonies, which have become extraordinarily extravagant in the past few Olympic seasons. Also in high contention for the position is Stephen Daldry, the Oscar-nominated director of Billy Elliott.
 |
 |
 |
 |
