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If Bradley Cooper had his way during pre-production meetings for his smash-hit directorial debut, A Star Is Born, the final product could have had a very different feel. In a new Variety feature focused on Lady Gaga’s revelatory leading role in the film, the director revealed that he initially had a different player in mind for the role of Jackson Maine early in the process, before Gaga was cast as Ally: none other than Jack White. “I saw this other person that I wanted to do this, who is an actual musician,” he told the magazine. “But [the studio] wouldn’t make the movie with him.” While Cooper didn’t divulge the name, Variety notes a source claiming that the former White Stripe was the musician in question for the role. “Anytime a big pop star broke, we would talk about it,” the film’s producer Bill Gerber said of discussions around the remake. “Hey, should we do A Star Is Born with Lauryn Hill or Aaliyah? Whitney Houston had been talked about way back when.” Previous proposals for the current iteration of the film had Clint Eastwood in the director’s chair with Cooper and Beyoncé in the roles of Jackson and Ally, respectively, before those discussions broke down in 2014 and Cooper found himself in the role of director. Had Cooper’s early wishes come true, White’s on-screen acting role wouldn’t have been his first. The guitarist has made several cameos in TV and film throughout his career, most notably in the role of an incoherent and karate chop-throwing Elvis Presley in 2007’s Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Check out a clip below for a glimpse of what could have been. Source

It’s been nearly two years since Lady Lamb released her intimate Tender Warriors Club EP. The singer-songwriter born Aly Spaltro toured behind that effort in stripped-down fashion, playing literal living rooms and tiny venues. When she heads out on the road next spring, however, she’ll return to bigger clubs with a full band in tow. Dubbed the “Deep Love Tour”, the 34-date North American outing will open April 10th in Hamden, Connecticut. The itinerary stretches into early June, with stops scheduled for Montreal, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Omaha, Boise, Seattle, Austin, Nashville, Brooklyn, San Francisco, and just about every major market for which you could hope. Joining Spaltro on stage will be guitarist/keyboardist Alex Schaaf (Tallest Man on Earth), Benjamin Lazar Davis (Okkervil River, Cuddle Magic) on bass and keys, and La Luz drummer Marian Li Pino. “I’ve been hiding out working on new music and rearrangements of released material, and I couldn’t be more stoked on my band who will help me bring them to life on stage,” Lady Lamb said in a statement. “I’m really eager to get to cities I haven’t played with a full band since the release of my last full length, After, and share what I’ve been working on. See you out there!” Tickets go on sale November 16th at 10:00AM local time, with pre-sale launching on Lady Lamb’s website on November 14th at 10:00AM EST. A press release notes “special guests and support acts” will be announced soon. Find the full itinerary below. Lady Lamb “Deep Love Tour” 2019 Tour Dates: 04/10 – Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom 04/11 – Montreal, QC @ Le Ministere 04/12 – Toronto, ON @ Drake Hotel 04/13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe 04/15 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop 04/16 – Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx 04/17 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall 04/19 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry 04/20 – Milwaukee @ Back Room at Colectivo 04/22 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge 04/24 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge 04/26 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court 04/27 – Boise, ID @ The Olympic 04/29 – Spokane, WA @ The Bartlett 05/02 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret 05/03 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern 05/04 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios 05/06 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall 05/08 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room 05/09 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar 05/10 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar 05/13 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s 05/14 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada 05/16 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway 05/17 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt 05/18 – Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5 05/19 – Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight 05/21 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings 05/22 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel 05/23 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry @ The Fillmore 05/30 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere 05/31 – Boston, MA @ Royale 06/01 – Portland, ME @ The State Theatre Source

The utter devastation of the raging wildfires in Northern and Southern California is absolutely heartbreaking, with over 40 people dead and thousands of homes lost. A couple days ago, Tool guitarist Adam Jones and his family evacuated their Malibu home uncertain if it would be still be standing when they returned, but last night (November 12th), the musician reported that his house was spared, although many of the homes in his neighborhood were not. On Sunday, Jones took to Instagram to reveal that he and his wife and two sons had evacuated their home, writing, “Thank you for all the concern love and support. *This is crazy & heartbreaking. God bless all those affected by these horrific wildfires. I hope our home survives. If not – it’s just “stuff” and I have my best friend Korin & our 2boys safe & sound.” And then last night, he posted footage from local TV station KTLA, writing, “#KTLA Helicopter footage of Malibu as of this morning* Korin & I were overjoyed to see that our home & property had indeed been saved. My neighbors said the fires ran behind from the highway to the ocean during Friday night & FD Ground & Air kicked total ass. Thank you. Many homes on the opposite side of the highway are damaged or gone. We are truly TRULY lucky.” Among the other rock musicians to be affected by the wildfires are Limp Bizkit’s Fred Dust, who apparently lost his home, and his bandmate Wes Borland, who lost valuable equipment. Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, meanwhile, credited his neighbor with saving his home. Tool’s Top 5 Music Videos Metallica’s Top 5 Songs Behemoth's Top 5 Songs Alice in Chains' Top 5 Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” Annotated Video Source

CHVRCHES will return with a new EP this Friday, November 16th. Dubbed Hansa Session, it features five new versions of songs taken from their most recent album, Love Is Dead. The updated renditions were done using all-new acoustic and string quartet arrangements. As its name suggests, much of the EP was recorded at Berlin’s famed Hansa studios, where David Bowie completed his trilogy of albums (Low, “Heroes”, and Lodger). Other legendary acts like Depeche Mode, U2, and Iggy Pop also logged time there. “When we had the opportunity to record at Hansa we jumped at it even though we were in the middle of a hectic tour,” CHVRCHES’ Iain Cook remarked in a statement. “It is such hallowed ground for me — my heroes Bowie, Depeche, Iggy, Siouxsie, Tangerine Dream, Nick Cave amongst others made arguably their best work in that building — and we hoped that when we went there, we would capture even just a tiny bit of that energy.” The Glasgow synthpop outfit was also equally thrilled to put a fresh spin on their Love Is Dead material. “It was really fun to try to reinterpret the songs,” said singer Lauren Mayberry, “and still communicate the messages and emotions with different arrangements.” Ahead of the EP’s release, the band has shared a teaser trailer. It includes footage from inside Hansa, as well as a taste of CHVRCHES’ new version of “Heaven/Hell”. Check it out below. Hansa Session EP Artwork: Hansa Session EP Tracklist: 01. Graffiti 02. Miracle 03. Get Out 04. Heaven/Hell 05. Really Gone On a recent episode of This Must Be The Gig, CHVRCHES discussed life on the road and their very first shows. Take a listen below. Download | Listen and subscribe via iTunes | Google Play | Stitcher | RSS Source

Fresh off the release of Honey, her first album in eight years, Robyn has announced a slew of tour dates for 2019. Beginning in February in Norway, the tour will take the Swedish electro pop legend across Europe and the United States, including the Hollywood Palladium and a previously announced (and nearly sold out) date at Madison Square Garden. For a taste of what to expect from Robyn’s live show, she recently appeared on Later… with Jools Holland to perform her classic 2005 track “With Every Heartbeat”, as well as “Missing U”, the opening track from Honey. Check out all of Robyn’s upcoming dates below, and see for yourself why she has always been ahead of her time. You can secure tickets to the upcoming dates here. Robyn 2019 Tour Dates: 02/05 – Stavanger, NO @ Stavanger Konserthus 02/06 – Bergen, NO @ Usf Røkeriet 02/08 – Malmö, SE @ Malmö Live Konserthus 02/09 – Gothenburg, SE @ Gothenburg Studios 02/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium 02/26 – San Francisco, CA @ Fox Theatre 02/28 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum 03/01 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre 03/05 – Minneapolis, MN @ Palace Theatre 03/06 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre 03/08 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden 03/09 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem 03/11 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues 03/13 – Montreal, QC @ Mtelus 03/14 – Toronto, ON @ Rebel Toronto 04/05 – Munich, DE @ TonHalle 04/05 – Cologne, DE @ Palladium 04/06 – Berlin, DE @ Ufo Im Velodrom 04/08 – Hamburg, DE @ Mehr! Theater am Grobmarkt 04/09 – Paris, FR @ L’Olympia 04/10 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg 04/12 – London, UK @ Alexandra Palace I’m going to be sliding down these sheets all x-mas towards you and the first show dates in 2019 North American pre-sale starts midday today, local time. Password MISSINGU European pre-sale starts 10am local time tomorrow. Password MISSINGU https://t.co/TpuQjojW3s pic.twitter.com/NdhnC8H3Td — Robyn (@robynkonichiwa) November 13, 2018 Source

Jeff Tweedy pulled double duty on Monday night’s episode of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, as he both sat down for an interview and took the stage for a performance. The Wilco frontman chatted with Colbert about his forthcoming memoir, Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back), recounting a humerous anecdote about how he tried to trick his elementary school friends into thinking he was Bruce Springsteen. In a bit of a throwback, Tweedy also talked about how Wilco named their 2015 LP Star Wars as a litigious ploy. When they came back from commercial, Tweedy turned his attention to his forthcoming record, WARM, his first-ever solo collection of original music. As a preview, he delivered the track “Let’s Go Rain”, a song he described as, “A joyous plea for the sweet relief of death.” The song references the great Biblical flood, something Tweedy recreated by bringing out the bow of an ark on which pairs of people in animal masks swayed and danced. Check out video of both segments below. WARM is out November 30th through Wilco’s own dBpm records. Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording With Wilco, Etc. is out today via Penguin in the US and coming to the UK via Faber & Faber on November 22nd. Source

Stan Lee knew how to make an appearance. According to IMDb, the man, the myth, and the legend accumulated 121 acting credits in his lifetime, ranging from voice work on Big Hero 6 The Series and The Reflection to playing himself in everything from Mallrats to Entourage, The Simpsons to Muppet Babies. However, his most vital cameos have always been those within the ensuing Marvel Cinematic Universe, a rather tongue-in-cheek role that has long been speculated to be Uatu the Watcher — or, at the very least, one of the ancient extraterrestrial observers known as the Watchers. In celebration of his eternal presence over these immortal blockbusters, we gathered every cameo we could find of the late mastermind, and listed them in chronological order for your perusal. Catch ’em all below. Excelsior! __________________________________________________________ Iron Man (2008) Though the tradition of the obligatory Stan Lee cameo in a Marvel adaptation actually goes back to 1989’s The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, it’s the Marvel Studios movies that made them a standard. Here, Tony Stark briefly mistakens Lee for Hugh Hefner. –Dominick Suzanne-Mayer __________________________________________________________ The Incredible Hulk (2008) This is the one where they jokingly put Lee in harm’s way by giving him a deadly dose of South American cola filled with Bruce Banner’s blood. Poor unlucky bastard, you had at least hoped for some super-powered accident for Stan. And then, he could have done his own hero film. What? Just a thought. –Blake Goble __________________________________________________________ Iron Man 2 (2010) Lee plays off his likeness to Larry King, impersonating the legendary talk show host as he tries to steal a moment with Tony Stark. –Collin Brennan __________________________________________________________ Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) That’s General Stan Lee to the likes of you! –Justin Gerber __________________________________________________________ Thor (2011) Apparently, Lee had always wanted to play Odin, but Marvel Studios “settled” on Hopkins instead, leaving yet another bit part for Mr. Marvel. In Thor, he appears as a friendly truck driver who attempts to tow Mjölnir out of the crater it landed in. –Michael Roffman __________________________________________________________ The Avengers (2012) Lee shows up fashionably late to this one, just a few minutes after the Avengers’ climactic battle for New York City. In a news report about that battle, Lee turns around from a game of chess to say, “Superheroes? In New York? Give me a break!” The irony is a bit too on the nose, but give the master a break. –Collin Brennan __________________________________________________________ Iron Man 3 (2013) After being mistaken for a celebrity in the previous two Iron Man films, ol’ Stan is nothing more than a beauty pageant judge, holding up a perfect 10. And no, Bo Derek did not co-star. –Michael Roffman __________________________________________________________ Thor: The Dark World (2013) Our man Stan finds himself in an insane asylum, listening to recently-mad Dr. Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård) ramble on about whatever he’s rambling on about. Stan just wants to know if he can get his shoe back. –Justin Gerber __________________________________________________________ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2014) Stan shows up early in the series, as a debonair passenger on a train the agents have infiltrated. He publicly shames Phil Coulson, which is unforgivable. Back off, Stan. –Allison Shoemaker __________________________________________________________ Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) It’s because of Lee’s bumbling security guard that Steve Rogers is able to break into the Smithsonian and reclaim his combat blues. –Dominick Suzanne-Mayer __________________________________________________________ Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) Stan Lee shows up for a quick flirt that Rocket rightly mocks. You’re all right, Rocket. –Blake Goble __________________________________________________________ Agent Carter (2015) He’s just a guy getting a shoeshine who’d like to take a look at the sports section. –Allison Shoemaker __________________________________________________________ Daredevil (2015) As a young Matt Murdock makes his way down the street, there’s a guy reading a newspaper. It’s Stan Lee. Also, if you look closely, you’ll see Lee’s mug on a commemorative plaque behind Brett Mahoney’s desk in the police station (and that’ll come back, too). –Allison Shoemaker __________________________________________________________ Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) Early on, at the Avengers’ ill-fated “mission accomplished” party, Thor and Steve Rogers start knocking back some ancient Asgardian liquor. Unimpressed with their bravado, Lee’s World War II vet asks for a pour, and is promptly carried out, trashed and declaring “Excelsior!” –Dominick Suzanne-Mayer __________________________________________________________ Ant-Man (2015) As Pena’s sidekick Luis breaks down the series of events leading to the revelation that Ant-Man’s services are being considered by the Avengers, Lee appears as a bartender. –Dominick Suzanne-Mayer __________________________________________________________ Jessica Jones (2015) Remember that police station photo in Daredevil? Well, here it is again. Same station, same cops (hi, Brett Mahoney!), same Stan. –Allison Shoemaker __________________________________________________________ Captain America: Civil War (2016) Near the film’s end, Lee appears as the FedEx driver who delivers Cap’s olive branch (via heartfelt letter and burner phone) to “Tony Stank.” –Dominick Suzanne-Mayer __________________________________________________________ Luke Cage (2016) As with Daredevil and Jessica Jones, Stan’s a local cop, here encouraging citizens to see something and say something. –Allison Shoemaker __________________________________________________________ Doctor Strange (2016) During one of the film’s epic fight sequences, Mordo and Strange land on the side of a bus, and who’s inside but Stan the Man, reading Aldous Huxley’s The Doors of Perception. –Allison Shoemaker __________________________________________________________ Iron Fist (2017) Stan Lee’s local cop trend continues here with a BE PROUD police recruitment poster featured in season one finale, “Dragon Plays with Fire”. (It also crops up in Chinatown in the second season.) –McKenzie Gerber __________________________________________________________ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) Yondu and Rocket race past a group of watchers being regaled by, you guessed it, Stan Lee (something we see again in one of several post-credits scenes). It’s silly stuff, business as usual — that is, unless it’s confirming a long-simmering fan theory. –Allison Shoemaker __________________________________________________________ The Defenders (2017) Stan’s grinning visage can be seen over Matt Murdock’s right shoulder in “Worst Behavior”, as he trots past a very Steve Jobs-ian portrait of Stan the Man on the streets of New York City. –Clint Worthington __________________________________________________________ Marvel’s Runaways (2017) Lee shows up as a chipper limo driver in the “Metamorphosis” episode of season one, driving the Runaways to the school dance. “We’re here!” –Clint Worthington __________________________________________________________ The Punisher (2017) n keeping with the other Marvel Netflix shows, Stan Lee’s good cop shows up on a poster. –Allison Shoemaker __________________________________________________________ Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) When Peter breaks the cardinal NYC rule of causing a racket outside of several apartment buildings at once, he’s loudly chastised by the locals, including Lee. –Dominick Suzanne-Mayer __________________________________________________________ Thor: Ragnarok (2017) The master rears his head as Sakaar’s barber-in-residence, who shears the locks that were never to be shorn to prepare Thor for his new career as a space gladiator. –Dominick Suzanne-Mayer __________________________________________________________ Black Panther (2018) When T’Challa, Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), and Okoye (Danai Gurira) stroll into a private casino in South Korea, a certain thirsty gambler is there to snag the chips T’Challa leaves behind. That’s not a joke, by the way — he’s credited as ‘Thirsty Gambler.’ –Allison Shoemaker __________________________________________________________ Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Facts are facts. Life in the MCU is weird, and spaceships are pretty ordinary things ’round these parts, especially if you live in New York. That’s why Stan the Bus Driver is visibly unaffected by everything going down during Infinity War. –Allison Shoemaker __________________________________________________________ Cloak & Dagger (2018) As promised by executive producer Joe Pokaski, who had teased that Stan Lee will be captured in a “fantastic painting… that’s hidden in one of our scenes” in the first season, that’s exactly what happens in the “Back Breaker” episode. –Clint Worthington __________________________________________________________ Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) Oh, he’s just a humble motorist, and that’s all we’ll say until you’ve had a chance to see it. –Allison Shoemaker Source

Feature Artwork by Cap Blackard Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Art is subjective. Music and movies aren’t about competition; they’re about artistic expression. Well, for those of you who know better than to believe those lies, welcome to another installment of Vs. This time, we figure out if the Harry Potter books or films are more magical. In 2001, J.K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter books kicked off their parallel journey as the kind of sustainable, decade-long film franchise that modern movie studios have come to covet above most other things. The depth of Rowling’s world was tailor-made for film adaptations, the novels so rich in detail that any filmmaker with even a little bit of vision could make incredible things out of them. Yet at times, it’s difficult to truly compare the two. The film series, by the nature of film and the necessities of making movies that could equally appeal to both die-hard fans and newcomers, had to cut so many of the smaller stories and side journeys that made the books so rich. Likewise, the films had the advantage of paring the stories down to their most essential elements, in hopes of translating the novels’ deep emotional and social resonance in far less time. Each offers its own pleasures, and preference is often as simple a matter as which one you grew up with. If you grew up reading the books, that relationship will always be different. If you’re among the people for whom ad nauseam replays of the movies on ABC Family (or sorry, Freeform) were a childhood touchstone, you might be of a different opinion as well. We won’t pretend that we can settle the debate any more definitively than anybody else who’s tried, but that’s hardly deterred us from taking a crack at it all the same. We’ve put each of the novels and films head-to-head and hope to help continue the discussion of which work stands at the forefront of accomplishment. If you’ve had trouble shedding light on your own feelings about this, let us offer a helpful lumos. In the head-to-head debate, who’ll emerge as Head Boy of the respective series? –Dominick Suzanne-Mayer Film Editor __________________________________________________________ Source

And it’s all led up to this… The eighth and final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones will premiere in April. The premiere date was revealed in a new teaser trailer. The clip recounts “every battle, every betrayal, every alliance, every risk…,” teasing that all the twists and turns of the past seven seasons have all been “#ForTheThrone.” Watch it below Speaking over the summer to Huffington Post, actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime “Kingslayer” Lannister) revealed his reactions to getting the final script for the smash series: “I wrote the writers when I finished reading and just said, ‘I don’t think you could’ve done a better job at finishing this story.’ To me, it was very satisfying but also very surprising and all the things that I was hoping for. It still made sense. It wasn’t like one of those where the killer is suddenly revealed in the last act and you go, ‘Oh! I didn’t see that coming.’ Here, they’ve done a really, really good job.” Production on the last season wrapped in July. Season seven garnered seven Primetime Emmy nominations, taking home Outstanding Supporting Actor (Peter Dinklage for his role as Tyrion Lannister) and Outstanding Drama Series, its third victory in the category. We’ll see if the final entry in the fantasy adventure is strong enough to make it number four. In related news, a Game of Thrones prequel series starring Naomi Watts is currently in production. The as-yet-untitled series takes place “thousands of years” before the events of Game of Thrones, and will follow Westeros’ transition from the Age of Heroes to a time of darkness. Source

As new information comes in, we wouldn’t be surprised if the unbelievable story of Threatin eventually comes to a movie theater near you. Now, word comes directly from the band’s touring drummer that the hired members of Threatin quit the band after stories emerged Friday about the L.A. based act playing to empty venues on their European tour. A quick recap: Threatin seemed to have convinced European venues that they had a big following, and even mentioned pre-selling hundreds of tickets going into the shows on their “Breaking the World Tour”, only to play to a few people each night, and those fans were likely brought in by the opening acts. Stories emerged Friday of Threatin’ fabricating their Facebook and YouTube following through purchased likes and illegitimate video views. And yesterday, video emerged of Threatin playing to an empty house at a show in Manchester, England, on November 7th. Now, drummer Dane Davis, who was hired to play the tour by the band’s only permanent member, frontman Jered Davis, has spoken out to the UK’s Classic Rock magazine about the entire ordeal. He says he is a Las Vegas-based musician who was approached by a woman named Lisa who saw him performing on YouTube and invited him to try out for the band Threatin. “There were no exact details at that point, just that there’s a touring act that’s had some hits overseas that would like to have me audition for them for a tour,” he explained. “I saw it as this great opportunity.” He says he checked out Threatin’s social sites and YouTube page, and while he thought the band’s marketing was a bit “odd”, there was nothing that particularly stood out as particularly worrisome. As for first meeting Jered Threatin, Davis revealed, “There was a practice studio that we met up at to do the audition in Los Angeles, down by Hollywood. I didn’t know what to really expect from seeing his videos and stuff like that, but I was pleasantly surprised that he seemed very down-to-earth the first time I met him.” He said the only other person at his audition was Jered’s wife, Kelsea, whom he figured was part of Threatin’s management team at the time. After a successful audition, he and guitarist Joe Prunera began to travel down from Las Vegas to Los Angeles on a monthly basis to rehearse with Jered Threatin, beginning in June. The touring lineup was rounded out by bassist Gavin Carney. Davis said they got along with Jered for the most part, but when they asked about the pay for the tour, the first red flag popped up, as they were told they’d only be paid $300 each for the entire tour. “I was disappointed when I heard that right because I make a little bit more than that at my other job,” said Davis. “It was $300 for essentially a month out of Vegas. But I thought, ‘It’s all expenses paid, so at the very least I can think of it as an opportunity to tour, have a bit of a vacation and I get $300. So that’s pretty cool for like the first tour I’m doing’.” He then found out that the $300 included food and other incidental expenses. Davis went on to explain that Jered had told him that the tour was selling well, and that his mother and brother bought airline tickets to fly to Northern Ireland to watch the band’s scheduled show there. When the band played the first show at The Underworld in London, and there was hardly anyone there, Davis began to wonder what was going on. “I thought to myself, ‘This is very odd. This is supposed to be a sold-out show. What’s going on?’ The whole time as the show went on, Jered kept saying, ‘This is sort of strange. I’m used to more people being here.'” Jered told them at the time it must have been a promotional mistake by the venue. It was only when stories began to surface on music websites about the Threatin playing empty venues on the first few dates of the tour that Davis realized he’d been duped. Friends started texting him articles on Friday, the same day he was heading to Northern Ireland to meet up with his mother and brother, who had flown out to see him play. “It was shocking,” admitted Davis. “I just thought, ‘What do you mean this is a scam?’ I had no idea. I read the first article – you know, the whole tour is fake, the fans were faked, the views were fake, the comments were fake.” It was at that time he and the rest of the touring members decided to quit the band. Instead of quitting right away, he made sure to get his equipment to where his mother and brother were staying in Northern Ireland. Once he had most of his equipment in his possession, he and the other touring members confronted Jered, who admitted he had seen the articles, too, and debated about whether to cancel the tour. It was at that time Davis told Jered he could no longer do this, and went to stay with his mother and brother in Northern Ireland, where he was at the time of the interview. Davis revealed that financially he has taken a hit, saying, “Travelling back and forth from Vegas to L.A. for practice, that was all on me. The $300 basically lasted two weeks, so I started using a credit card to pay for food. Then I’m getting my own ticket back home.” As for what he’d say to Jered now that he is aware of everything that went on with the band Threatin, Davis remarked, “Right now, I don’t really want to speak to him and be involved in that situation. I just want clear this up. We had no idea about any of this.” When he gets back to Vegas, Davis hopes to continue recording an album under his own name, and then hit the road on a legitimate tour. For much more from Dane Davis about the Threatin ordeal, read the entire in-depth interview with Classic Rock magazine here, and see a video message Davis posted to Facebook below, where he reveals that Joe has flown home to Vegas, while Gavin is still staying with Jered until he can take his original return flight home: Update: Guitarist Joe Prunera has given his own tell-all interview to MetalSucks, detailing a very similar account as the one Dane Davis relayed to Classic Rock magazine. The MetalSucks piece also, offers a deeper look into the social media accounts of Jered and his wife. In Prunera’s interview, he revealed that bassist Gavin Carney did not quit the tour yet, mostly because he didn’t have the funds to buy a new plane ticket. However, it’s unclear whether the band will be honoring any of the remaining dates. Source

Troye Sivan has seen his career truly blossom since releasing his sophomore record, Bloom. On Monday night, the Aussie artist celebrated his success with a double-duty appearance on Jimmy Fallon. First, the 23-year-old sat down with The Tonight Show host to talk about his latest album, his collaborative single with Charli XCX, “1999”, and the early pop star days of Justin Timberlake. After the chat, Sivan and Charli hit the stage to knock out a flashy, stunning performance of “1999”. Check out a replay of both the performance and the interview below. Sivan recently appeared on Ellen to perform “Revelation”, his contribution to the film Boy Erased, which he also stars in. He also recently covered Queen’s “Somebody to Love” in celebration of the opening of the Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. Source

There goes my hero: As California wildfires continue ravaging the state to everyone’s horror, Dave Grohl has taken matters into his own hands by starting his own for the very men and women saving the day. As NME reports, the Foo Fighters frontman treated Calabasas’ Fire Station 88 to a free BBQ on Monday night, providing the firefighters with savory smoked meats from his newly minted Backbeat BBQ. Here’s a nice portrait of the evening via the 88’s Instagram: And some video of Grohl in action: California remains in a state of emergency as the fires continue to claim more lives and property. Fellow musicians including Neil Young, Miley Cyrus, and Fred Durst all lost their homes in the blaze, while many others were forced to evacuate. Please visit the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund for information on how to make the appropriate donations in support. Source

Off the Duo’s upcoming new project, Duality Known for their music featured in a number of prominent commercial campaigns including EA Sports’ FIFA18, Tesla, The Cleveland Cavaliers and movie trailers for Blindspotting, Officer Down and more. Los Angeles duo of Taz Conley (rapper) and Riley Taylor (producer), better known as the duo The Seige, get ready to set the world on fire with upcoming new project, Duality in the release of new single, “Back Up”. The energetic hip-hop duo has been steadily making their way onto the scene and are preparing to release their double EP. “Back Up” is the first offering of what fans can expect from the rising stars. Exhibiting raw, veracious lyricism fuses with bold and unconventional production to create a sound that prompts you to nod your head while freeing your mind from the conventional restraints of everyday life. Before the release of the duo’s highly-anticipated double EP, stream “Back Up”, available now via Offstream Entertainment. The post Meet The Seige As They Execute The “Back Up” : Listen appeared first on Verge Campus. Source

Meet Up-and-Coming New Star, Young Music Billboard Hot 100-alumni, Rich The Kid joins DJ turned recording artist Young Music in the official visual for “He He.” Referencing late great Pop icon Michael Jackson’s one of a kind laugh, the song was produced by Cheese and is a braggadocious banger sure to provide some A1 thump in your trunk. The HD-clip finds the pair living it up poolside with some choice eye candy and even includes a cameo from Rich Forever signee Famous Dex. Serving as the DMV native’s first official drop as a solo artist, the cohesive collaboration sets the tone for what old and new fans alike can expect from him in the future. Watch the LVTR-directed music video above. For more on Young Music? Follow the rising star via Instagram and Twitter. The post Rich The Kid & Young Music Hit the Beach for “He He” : Watch appeared first on Verge Campus. Source

Following his Acting Debut, Classic Shines as Breakout Musical Sensation Co-signed by Bryson Tiller and backed by a new partnership through SONY’s Red Music, Mike Classic follows up his TV acting debut in Netflix’s Roxanne Shante biopic Roxanne Roxanne with a quick-strike release. Titled If Only You Knew, the 7-track EP showcases the triple threats’ emcee skills as well as his vocal range and includes instrumentation from veteran producer Remo The Hitmaker (G-Eazy, Ludacris, Fetty Wap etc.). In-house producer KAUISTOPPLAYIN, MusicHustle, and The Breed complete the soundscape – offering up their signature styles to round out the project. Stream Classic’s new project above, via Spotify. The post If Only You Knew Mike Classic Right Now, Just Know He’s About To Blow : Listen appeared first on Verge Campus. Source

West Coast OG Shows Us the Definition of West Coast Hip-Hop in New Video Valued for his credibility, impressive longtime catalog, and continued rise of popularity. West Coast veteran OG Cuicide shines bright on his 2018 close out visual, properly-titled, “I’m The Reason”. On the Angelo Deprater film, OG Cuicide solidifies himself as a mainstay on the Left Coast with aggressive lyricism, strong street appeal, and infectious new single that builds a buzzyworthy lead up to 2019 dominance. “I’m The Reason” also features a guest appearance from OG Cuicide’s nephew and hit-making recording artist A.D. (“Juice”). “I’m The Reason” available today on VEVO, courtesy of CG Records/EMPIRE. For more on OG Cuicide? Follow the West Coast veteran on Instagram today. Stream “I’m The Reason” on Tidal. The post OG Cuicide Shows The West Coast Why “I’m The Reason” : Watch appeared first on Verge Campus. Source

We’re working together with our friends at Electronic Music Conference! You can hear Ninajirachi, BRUX and Human Movement talk as part of EMC this week. Learn from the best, as you get a masterclass by artists who know how to make an impact. Check the full program here. Being a new artist is daunting. With the endless amounts of talented people it’s hard to pinpoint what it takes to stand out. Making an impact is something that artists constantly struggle with and will continue to struggle with until the end of time. With the mass amounts of music being produced daily it’s inevitable that some of it’s going to come across sounding the same, remember the future beats movement after Flume‘s come-up? But if there’s one thing that all artists seem to agree on and in our chats with BRUX, Human Movement and Ninajirachi they all emphasised the same point, it’s that you have to be yourself in production. Trust yourself and be yourself This whole point is about making music that is definitively you. It’s okay to have influences, but sometimes when you mirror said influences your music becomes something that’s likely been heard before. Sydney experimental house artist BRUX said that the best way she saw artists making an impact was by “staying ahead of the curve by staying true to themselves and not following trends.” Similarly, the house and techno lads at Human Movement believe they made their impact through their personal sound, “we don’t really try and imitate a certain sound or style with our music, we just make what we feel and I guess that translates.” This ties into the next point. Sometimes you have to steer away from the mainstream, namely, trying something different, going a direction that hasn’t been heard before. Stray from the mainstream, be different BRUX is the perfect example of straying from the mainstream to make an impact. She arguably had made an impact through her previous incarnation, but when talking about her recreation and why she moved on from her past it was simply that she “became bored writing pop music with the intention of having airplay and just wanted to abandon all rules and have FUN” It all comes down to making something unique, Human Movement emphasising something that seems so basic, saying simply to “make more original music…” admittedly they gave some follow up advice on the same tangent of straying from the mainstream. “Don’t be afraid to step out of the commercial bandwagon.” Do something that will get you noticed as a point of difference, not something that leaves your future lined up against a bunch of similar sounding others. Truthfully, there’s a little more to it than just the music. Touring and shows in addition to strategy, thought and marketing are all quite important. This one’s a little controversial, but at the end of the day it rings true. Strategising marketing and shows In an ideal world the artists who made the best music would play shows whenever they want and would skyrocket to the top without worrying about a thing. There’s more to it than that. There’s no doubt that playing shows are a necessary way to push your brand, BRUX saying “listeners can connect with recorded music but there’s nothing like the energy within connecting to an artist who is performing live” but if you dive a bit further you’ll find out there’s a bit more to it than that. Ninajirachi throws a big emphasis on strategising, putting a lot of the difficulty with her initial breakthrough on a lack of knowledge and guidance that she’d eventually get from her manager. “I had no idea what I was doing and I was the only person working on my project.” Human Movement completely shared the sentiment, putting huge emphasis on the timing of shows. “There’s a massive business side of the project.” “We would usually run an Australian tour off the back of new EPs, that way we coud keep it fresh with the music we performed and have some buzz from new releases.” Simply put they think that to make an impact through live shows sometimes you need to “perform less locally… Then when you’ve got a fire EP coming go HAM [sic] on a couple of shows” To make an impact means making yourself noticed and to have that lasting impression on people in a scene where there are so many others trying to do the same, is no easy feat. What we will say is that some of the wisest words come from those who have experienced themselves. We’ll leave you with this little nugget from Ninajirachi, the impact you you should be comfortable with, is relative and you have to “think about how to make your music reach the people you want to impact.” “I think it also depends on the impact you WANT to make. One’s whole career could be writing only a handful of songs that are loved deeply by a few people – that’s still impactful.” – Ninajirachi You can catch them all talking shop at EMC Sydney this week and beyond, check the full program here. Source

There’s no stopping Noël Wells. She’s a comedian (see: Saturday Night Live). She’s an actress (see: Master of None). She’s a writer and filmmaker (see: Mr. Roosevelt). And now, she’s a singer-songwriter, as you can hear below with her debut single, “Sunrise”. Like any true-blue musician, Wells says her passion to write songs was of necessity, as she tells Nylon, “Though I was doing all these creative things and finding levels of success, I still didn’t feel like I was able to express myself like I wanted.” The guitar, as she explains, was her escape throughout 2016. “My anxiety had gotten so intense I could barely leave the apartment without falling apart,” she confesses. “I felt like I was on the edge of having a nervous breakdown. All I could do to calm myself was sit there and strum and sing.” All that strumming and all that singing has since led to her as-yet-titled debut solo album, which she’ll release next Spring. Produced by Chris Nelson and Branden Stroup the album will be an amalgamation of moods, as she teases, “You can listen and cry and smash shit or dance to them and have sex.” Figure out how “Sunrise” factors into your life below. Source

MTV is making some huge music festival moves. The company, owned by Viacom, has now reportedly acquired SnowGlobe Music Festival, a yearly electronic-driven event in South Lake Tahoe, CA. This year’s lineup includes headliners Above & Beyond, Diplo, Eric Prydz, Rezz and RL Grime, plus Big Gigantic, NGHTMRE b2b Slander, 1788-L, Ekali, Baauer, Anna Lunoe and so many more. Over 40 artists will take the stage over December 29 – 31 at one of the season’s premier events. With this, MTV says it’s taking “the natural next step in its resurgence by expanding deeper into live events.” The television company hopes to expand SnowGlobe music festival by adding multiple dates and locations across the world. Furthermore, Chris McCarthy, president of MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo describes the company’s particular interest in SnowGlobe over the rest: “In a festival space where many events have become indistinguishable, SnowGlobe stands out with a unique mix of music, sports, and art that makes it a favorite among artists and its growing audience.” This move is an interesting one, but an established entertainment company such as MTV should have no problem pulling this off. Stay tuned for more. Sources: NBC News 4, Variety | Photo: Jorgensen Photography This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: REPORT: MTV Acquires SnowGlobe Music Festival & Looks To Expand Source

Any hardcore Boys Noize fan is already well aware of his alter ego ELAX. For anyone who doesn’t, allow us to introduce you to this new phase of the techno and electro icon. With a debut performance on the way and a stellar hour-long mix out now, it’s time to dive in. The signature sounds of Boys Noize are buried in ELAX’s tech-driven breed of dance music. It’s easy to hear the influence in the debut single for the project, “Reaktor,” which dropped a few months back. Then, followed his debut Sueño EP, which leans more into shaking, grooving atmospheres than in-your-face industrial vibes. There’s plenty more where that came from. On December 7, the artist so many appreciate as Boys Noize with unveil his new identity on stage at Sound Nightclub in Los Angeles. Soon after, he will join The Friendship music festival cruise on its maiden voyage. From the sounds of the official mix, this will be an unmissable show. Listen below and experience the first full length mix from ELAX The Friendship Mix Series #6: ELAX Tickets / info: bit.ly/AMFAMFAMF_ELAX ELAX – Reaktor Photo via Lil Internet This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Boys Noize Unleashes First-Ever Mix Under New Alias [MUST LISTEN] Source

deadmau5 is back in action after a short hiatus and from the sounds of it he’s totally refreshed. Fans in Berlin were recently treated to an incredible new production from the dance music mastermind. Thanks to a fan on Reddit, we have a clip of the ID he shared with the crowd. For the first time in over six years, Berlin warmly welcomed the one and only deadmau5 for his long-awaited return at a new venue, Verti Music Hall. He came fully prepared with this unnamed track, and although we’re only hearing a mere portion of the grand arrangement, it’s amazing to hear some fresh music from deadmau5. As you can see, the crowd was absolutely loving it. To see every single head in the room bouncing in synchrony is a truly beautiful thing. Watch and experience this new track live for the first time ever. deadmau5 ID – Berlin 2018 deadmau5 new ID live from Berlin! from EDM This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: deadmau5 Drops Astounding New ID During Berlin Show [FIRST LISTEN] Source

Kanye’s ninth album, Yandhi, was originally due for release on September 29th. However, following a tumultuous month which included a regrettable visit to the White House, Kanye opted to delay the album until November and jetted off to Africa to find inspiration. Now, the album has been delayed once again. On Sunday night, Kanye and Kid Cudi made their live debut as Kids See Ghosts at Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival. It marked Kanye’s first time on stage since his ill-fainted Saint Pablo tour in 2016, and it seems Kanye walked away from the evening with some fresh ideas. “After performing again, I realize the new album I’ve been working on isn’t ready yet,” Kanye explained in a tweet. “I’ll announce the release date once it’s done. Thank you for the understanding.” It felt so good being on the stage last night with my brother Cudi. After performing again, I realize the new album I’ve been working on isn’t ready yet. I’ll announce the release date once it’s done. Thank you for understanding. — ye (@kanyewest) November 13, 2018 Whenever Yandhi does see release, it will mark the follow-up to ye, which surfaced back in June. Source

Destination festivals have become one of the most sought after experiences around the globe. New festivals are popping up every year in some of the most exotic, tropical, and beautiful locales on the planet. But what do you get when you combine the ultimate destination with ground-breaking music and environmental and spiritual consciousness? Envision Festival. Envision Festival, set to take place at the picturesque Rancho La Merced in Costa Rica, is the ultimate culmination of music, art, health, and nature. All of these elements blend together to create the perfect environment for human beings to awaken and expand their full potential. Workshops, theme camps, and some of the best in bass, house, and techno are just a small taste of what awaits you at Envision. The lineup for 2019 includes some heavy-hitting headliners, plus lesser-known but equally as incredible artists from around the world that will open your mind to new sounds and frequencies. Headliners Griz and Tycho will be performing some very special sets, one dubbed Chasing the Golden Hour and the other a sunrise set, respectively. On top of that, you have the melodic techno stylings of Lee Burridge and Bedouin, which will provide the perfect soundtrack for this gorgeous setting. In addition to the music, there will also be workshops, theme camps, and so much more yet to be announced that will set Envision apart from the rest of the festival circuit. Envision is also leading the pack in terms of environmental awareness, ensuring that sustainability is a key component at all of their festivals. Check out the thoughtfully curated lineup below to get a sense for what awaits you in the jungle. Envision Festival will take place February 28 – March 3, 2019 at Rancho La Merced in Costa Rica. For tickets and more info, click here. The jungle awaits! FEATURED PHOTO: Eric Allen The post Envision Festival 2019 appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

Two hard-rocking acts, Sevendust and Tremonti, are coming together for an early 2019 U.S. tour. The trek will kick off on February 1st in Houston, Texas, and keep the bands on the road through a March 3 date in San Antonio, Texas. Cane Hill, Lullwater and Kirra will serve as support. Sevendust recently released the music video for their single “Unforgiven,” off 2018’s All I See Is War. The Scott Hansen-directed music video centers around the concept that “the world is rebuilding and the youth will be the ones to keep mankind going long after the adults are no longer around, a message that has been shared throughout society for decades.” Watch the clip below. Along with the 2019 trek, Sevendust are scheduled to wrap up 2018 with three hometown concerts in Atlanta at The Masquerade on December 28th, 29th and 31st. Frontman Lajon Witherspoon and company will perform their 1999 album, Home, from front to back for the New Year’s Eve gig. Tremonti released their first-ever concept record, A Dying Machine, earlier this year. Frontman Mark Tremonti told Heavy Consequence that another one of his bands, Alter Bridge, plan to have a new album out by “late next year.” Read the full interview with Tremonti here. Sevendust and Tremonti 2018 Tour Dates: 02/01 – Houston, TX @ Scout Bar 02/02 – New Orleans, LA @ Southport Music Hall 02/04 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution 02/05 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live 02/06 – Greensville, SC @ The Firmament 02/08 – Greensboro, NC @ Blind Tiger 02/09 – Norfolk, VA, @ The NorVa 02/10 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live 02/13 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount 02/14 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues 02/15 – Providence, RI @ The Strand 02/16 – Sayerville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom 02/18 – New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place 02/19 – Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance 02/20 – Buffalo, NY @ Rapids 02/22 – Flint, MI @ Machine Shop 02/25 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall 02/26 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues 02/27 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note 03/01 – Wichita, KS @ The Coltillion 03/02 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom 03/03 – San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Event Center Source

It’s clear at this point that Gesaffelstein is making his grand return to music – and it’s happening soon. After billboards popped up in metropolitan cities around the world, it was announced that the dark prince of techno had officially signed with Columbia Records. In our last coverage of the news, we wrote, “Gesaffelstein’s debut album Aleph came out in 2013. In 2015, he provided the soundtrack for the film Maryland. This year, he worked with The Weeknd on his project My Dear Melancholy,.” Now, Gesaffelstein has posted a short 25-second clip of unintelligible noise… or at least, it appears that way at first. When the audio is reversed, it reveals a clear and recognizable techno beat and ambiance that’s entirely in line with the producer’s iconic style. Hopefully we can hear some new Gesaffelstein music before the end of the year. But if not, we can take solace in the notion that a 2019 album is very much in the cards. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: The Dark Prince Of Techno Gesaffelstein Teases New Music In Unbearably Short Clip Source