The saxy smooth sounds that accompanied the Weather Channel’s Local On The 8s forecast breaks became so synonymous with the cable network’s identity, there were even Weather Channel-branded CD compilations. But it’s a new day, and the sultrier side of jazz is being abandoned by program directors en masse–and the Weather Channel, no stranger to which way the wind is blowing, has decided to follow suit. (“We wanted music that would get their attention–and this has,” an exec told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.) So what’s on the channel’s new, up-to-date playlist? Glad you asked! After the jump, the station’s daytime music picks for June 2009. More »
Tomorrow I’ll be tripping down to Philadelphia to attend The Roots Picnic, an all-day affair masterminded by Jimmy Fallon’s sidemen (haha, jk guys) and featuring two sets by the band; TV On The Radio, Santigold, and Antibalas are also on the bill. But perhaps the most intriguing part of the day’s festivities will be the start-to-finish performance of Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back–yes, they’ve done it before, but this time, the musical duties will be handled by the Roots and Antibalas. This and the impending relaunch of Unplugged have made me wonder: What albums most deserve a live re-imagining, whether it’s the transformation of samples into band arrangements or the classic Unplugged treatment? I’ve actually been mulling over this question all day, and can’t think of anything off the top of my head–unless Freestyle’s Greatest Beats, Volume One counts. (It should!) After the jump, a few musical experts offer their suggestions. Please feel free to expand further, and if you’re going to the picnic, come say hello! More »
Just as quickly as The Sun created a frenzy on the Coachella rumor front with an article proclaiming that the Smiths were close to reuniting for this year’s festival, NME comes along to dash those hopes with a post proclaiming that neither the band nor the festival were in negotiations.
Jeff Beck, Chic, Wanda Jackson, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Metallica, Run-DMC, the Stooges, War, and Bobby Womack are this year’s nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame; five of them will be inducted next April after balloting concludes in January. This year’s list of nominees is almost more notable for who isn’t on it than who is; the list of eligible artists who were snubbed by the dudes who want to codify their definition of “rock and roll” includes inarguably influential artists like Slayer, the Cure, and–once again–Rush. Click through for our list of the six highest-profile acts who didn’t make the ballot, and vote for who you think was the most robbed. Once the votes are tallied, we can march on the Rolling Stone offices and plead for justice!
