Finding it hard to get back to work after the long weekend? Watch this metal video.

This is seriously as metal as f**k. Are they playing Rammstein? (Via Danny.).. more

The movie based on Motley Crue’s The Dirt is almost here. In fact, a trailer for a trailer is out.

People have been trying to figure out a way to turn Motley Crue’s biography The Dirt into a movie ever since it was first published in 2001. But have years–nay, decades–in development, it’s almost here. There’s even an official teaser trailer. Not an actual trailer, but a trailer for the trailer. Netflix has landed the [&hellip.. more

This Dutch boy band is on a mission to keep Britain in the EU

The UK faces a deadline of March 29 for striking a Brexit deal with the EU. The consequences of a negotiated deal is bad enough, but a no-deal Brexit would be catastrophic. It would send an economic tsunami around the world. Elizabeth May’s Conservative government completely divided. The Leavers won’t listen to reason. The Remainers [&hellip.. more

Which is worst for the environment: CDs, vinyl, or streaming? Nope. Not what you think.

Save for Donald Trump, climate change is on everyone’s mind these days, including those concerned with music at the BBC. A couple of writers asked a question: What music consumption format or system is worse for the environment: CDs, vinyl, or streaming music services? The answer might surprise you. “Current digital technology, however, gives us [&hellip.. more

What’s the next tech after streaming? Nothing, right? Well…

[This was my weekend column for GlobalNews.ca. – AC] When the compact disc was unveiled in late 1982, many thought we’d finally reached perfection with music storage and playback technology. With their clear sound, the absence of hiss, crackles, and pops, and excellent portability, there was no more room for improvement. Not that the tech [&hellip.. more

Here’s a fun post-long weekend timesuck: Which of these songs have been played the most on Spotify?

Music fans pride themselves on knowing exactly what’s going on at any given time. We sense the zeitgeist and instinctively sense what’s hot, what’s popular, what’s trending upwards, and what sucks. Or do we? Top of the Spots is a fun timesuck that challenges players to identify which songs have seen the most plays on [&hellip.. more

New Music from the Inbox Tuesday Edition! (Feb 19, 2019): Ellevator, Mammoth Penguins, Izzy Thomas, & More!

Artist: EllevatorSong: “New Survival”Album: SingleBand location: Hamilton Why I like it: Energetic and upbeat. Watch: Artist: Mammoth Penguins Song: “I Wanna”Album: SingleBand location: Cambridge, England Why I like it: Fun indie-pop Listen: Artist: Izzy ThomasSong: “Trouble (Pull That Trigger)”Album: SingleArtist location: London, England Why I like it: Powerful female vocals and int.. more

Random music news for Tuesday, February 19, 2019

I rolled up the rim to win and all I got was four more weeks of winter. Now all I can offer is this round-up of music news for February 19, 2019. Weekly Canadian music sales and streaming stats last week vs. the same time last year: Total albums, -21.5%; CDs, -22.1%; digital albums, -22.1%; [&hellip.. more

The Rolling Stones By the Numbers: Toronto Edition

When I was a 16-year old Run-DMC and GN’F’nR-listening nascent ROCKthusiast, I remembered friends of my dad being so excited over The Rolling Stones’ impending Steel Wheels tour. “You don’t understand,” they tried to tell this snarky teen who was all too ready to dismiss their favourite tongue-and-lips band as over the hill. “The Stones [&hellip.. more

Sign of the times: Samsung has stopped making new Blu-ray players

Like you, I have a couple of DVD and Blu-ray players in the house. I haven’t touched any of them in–let me see…years. Let’s face it. Between iTunes, YouTube, and Netflix (not to mention BritBox, and a ton of premium cable channels that offer on-demand access to programming), why would most people bother with a [&hellip.. more

This looks fun: open source modular synth software that takes you back to how it was in the 70s.

The synth setups for guys like Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman still conjure a sense of awe in me. How did they manage these stacks of refrigerator-sized modules of electronic? How did they work? How did you program them? And damn, they looked cool. Since my keyboards skills never evolved beyond playing a 120-bass accordion [&hellip.. more

Random music news for Monday, February 18, 2019

REM 1, Donald Trump nil. Alexisonfire played a surprise set in a small Toronto venue on Friday. Here’s a fun and fascinating way to listen to radio from around the world online. You may get lost in Radio Garden for a while. (Via Tom) The story of The Cranberries final album. The House of 1000 [&hellip.. more

New Music From The Inbox – Monday Edition! (Feb 18, 2019): Tedeschi Trucks Band, Field Medic, The Drives, and more!

Artist: Tedeschi Trucks Band Song: “Hard Case” Album/EP: Signs Groovy and soulful Americana that can move even the stiffest soul, “Hard Case” is a fun track that’s plenty easy to get into. Harmonic choral voices, effortlessly riffing guitars, and a peppy organ feature with just the right down-home tone carry this bright single joyfully through its repetition-worthy .. more

An all-female Led Zeppelin band has launched The Led Zeppelin Learning Channel

Zepparella has spent the last fourteen years deconstructing and then performing Led Zeppelin songs both live and in the studio, so they know a thing or two about how Zep works. The share what they’ve discovered, they’ve established a YouTube channel that teaches other musicians and fans about what makes Zep unique and enduring. Plus [&hellip.. more

Rock My World Canada, chapter 47: Marie Mai

[Mike Carr has put together a massive volume on Canadian music history entitled Canadian Alternative & Indie Reference and Collector’s Guide. It’s an incredible discography of hundreds of bands. This is the latest excerpt from his book. – AC] Marie-Mai Bouchard (born 7 July 1984), known professionally as Marie-Mai, is a singer from Varennes, Quebec. She was [&hellip.. more

March 1 is World Music Therapy Day

Listening to a song you love makes you feel good, right? In a very basic way, that’s what music therapy is and how it can help. Music therapy involves trained professionals playing music to support health and well-being, using songs to meet emotional, communicative, physical, social and spiritual needs. It can involve playing instruments, drumming [&hellip.. more

Remembering Darryl Weeks of StageFright Publicity

Last week, the Canadian music industry suddenly lost one its biggest fans and proponents when Darryl Weeks, founder of StageFright Publicity, died suddenly. He passed away last Sunday. Darryl’s clients ran the gamut of Canadian and international music: Paper Bag Record, The Charlatans UK, Austra, Rural Alberta Advantage, Royal Canoe and many, many others. He [&hellip.. more

Did Bubbles, Michael Jackson’s chimp, try to commit suicide?

We all understand that chimpanzees are extremely intelligent creatures. If that’s the case, Bubbles may have known how bad it had it living with Michael Jackson. The Times of India had a story in the never-ending saga of Jackson’s weird (and allegedly evil if the pedo charges are true) personal life. In 2003, when Bubbles [&hellip.. more

When you’re Drake, you can afford an iPhone case that costs half a million dollars.

The Apple-sourced case for my iPhone X is falling apart so a trip to the mall is in order this weekend. Drake was apparently in the same boat, but he went to a jeweler called Jason of Beverly Hills to had something custom made. It’s 18k white gold with 80 carats of blue and white [&hellip.. more

Congrats, Mrs. Hastings! MusicCounts Names Teacher of the Year

Kim Hastings, a teacher in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, is this year’s MusiCounts Teacher of the Year. “She has worked tirelessly to make the music program at Pioneer Middle School accessible to all students and her advocacy for music education has had a positive influence on curriculums at both the local and provincial level.” Hastings [&hellip.. more

Random music news for Saturday, February 16, 2019

Remember the NHL players’ strike of 2005-2006? On this day in 2005, the league canceled the rest of the season and the playoffs. It was bad. This is what I have for a round-up for music news on February 16, 2019. Here are my weekly music picks for GlobalNews.ca. The Jussie Smollett keeps getting weirder [&hellip.. more

The Ongoing History of New Music, episode 846: The 00s, Part 1 – The Sad State of Rock

How long should we wait before we write the history of a decade? Sure, we can write things down as they happen, but that’s only the first draft. Time has to pass before we can wrap our heads around exactly what happened, what it all meant, and the lasting effect of those ten years. Something [&hellip.. more