Oh Canada Week: Serena Ryder Pt 1

antiMusic reports: This week we turn our eyes to Canada with two artists that may come from the same part of the world but come from different worlds musically- Serena Ryder and Billy Talent. Our Canadian readers should already be familiar with the singer/songstress Serana Ryder, as she has a Top 20 hit and gold album under her belt. She's now looking to bring her music to her southern neighbors with her Atlantic debut EP "Told You In A Whispered Song". This week Serena will tell us about the songs but first warns, "Just so everyone is clear here. I think it's unfair to anyone who listens to these songs to give them any sort of defined translation. I write songs so that people can feel and relate to them with their own stories, so these answers are vague." Here is Serena with today's songs "Told You In A Whispered Song" and "Hiding Place".

"TOLD YOU IN A WHISPERED SONG" There are only so many lies one can tell before they begin to believe the lies themselves...like any mantra or prayer...with repetition comes fruition...it's really f**kin frustrating to see...but even in my anger...I am lying.

"HIDING PLACE" It's impossible to hide behind any other skin than your own...no matter how hard you try...the bones will always stop you. live inside yourself-there's room for all of you all the time.

We'll be back with Serena on Wednesday for more song stories. For now find out how she differs from the standard singer/songwriter by checking out the songs on her - Myspace page.

10 Killed At Punk Show

thejakartapost.com reports: A stampede at an Indonesian punk rock concert killed 10 people and injured dozens of others, most of them teenagers, police said Sunday.

The crush happened Saturday night at a small cultural center hall in West Java provincial capital of Bandung, after a show by a local band called Beside. Hundreds of people tried to leave the overcrowded venue at the same time, causing a panic, said Bandung City Police chief, Sr. Comr. Bambang Suparsono.

The concert hall had been about 30 percent over its capacity of 700, Bambang said, adding that investigators were questioning 15 concert organizers. - more on this story

Grammy Award Winners

antiMusic reports: For the five readers that might actually care about this, we have a list of who won what at the 50th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night. (Most of the awards are included).

We know you're itching to find out who took the nod for best Polka Album and other assorted genres still celebrated by the antiquated music awards ceremony (they still call it "record of the year after all) but have been ignored by the masses for the past 40 years, but we can tell you that Amy Winhouse, Kanye West and Bruce Springsteen were the very predictable big winners on Sunday night.

The strangest pick of the evening was the Album of the Year nod, which went to Herbie Hancock. Props to Herbie but the best album of the year? It's also interesting to see that the Foo Fighters are now "hard rock." Maybe they are hard to the geriatric "academy" voters, but at least they gave the metal award to a metal band this year (Slayer). Now with that said, here are the Grammy "winners":

Album of the Year: "River: The Joni Letters," Herbie Hancock.

Record of the Year - "Rehab," Amy Winehouse

Song of the Year - "Rehab," Amy Winehouse

New Artist - Amy Winehouse.

Alternative Music Album - "Icky Thump," The White Stripes.

Rock Song - "Radio Nowhere," Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen).

Solo Rock Vocal Performance - "Radio Nowhere," Bruce Springsteen.

Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals - "Icky Thump," The White Stripes.

Hard Rock Performance - "The Pretender," Foo Fighters.

Metal Performance - "Final Six," Slayer.
- more

Idlewild Now Idle After Wild Injury

Gigwise reports: Idlewild have been forced to put their new album back after Allan Stewart managed to fracture his hand play fighting.

The Scottish band have been writing new songs for a planned seventh studio album, but have now gone on hiatus whilst the guitarist recovers from his injury.

Singer Roddy Woomble tells the Daily Record, "Song writing sessions with Allan were postponed after he fractured his right hand play fighting. - more on this story

Rumored Ozzfest Bands

Metal Underground reports: Bands for the limited run dates which will make up OZZFEST 2008 have started to surface. Like 2007, a shortened tour is expected, with rumored artists for this year's lineup possibly featuring the likes of:

Ozzy Osbourne, Stone Temple Pilots, Serj Tankian, Killswitch Engage, Cavalera Conspiracy, Bullet For My Valentine, Filter, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Between The Buried And Me, Testament, Fair To Midland …more rumors TBA

It's presently unclear whether the 'freefest' model will be adopted for this year or whether or not Ozzy will ship out by his lonesome or be joined by his fellow Birmingham compatriots for another BLACK SABBATH run. [That is unlikely since Heaven and Hell (Dio era Sabbath) appear to moving forward.] - more on this story

SxSW Performers

Gigwise reports: The full line up for this year's SXSW has been announced and as per usual it makes for one mammoth list.

As previously reported on Gigwise R.E.M will be playing the Austin event this year amongst the hundreds of acts trying to get signed.

A strong contingent from the UK will also be crossing the Atlantic to play SXSW including Adele, British Sea Power and Lightspeed Champion. - The insanely long list is here

Amy's Winehouse Burns Down

Contact Music reports: A London pub regularly frequented by the likes of soul star AMY WINEHOUSE and supermodel KATE MOSS has been ravaged by flames after a fire broke out in the area on Saturday (09Feb08) evening.

The blaze, which is believed to have been caused by a gas cylinder explosion, ripped through north London's Camden Town pub The Hawley Arms and caused major damage to the building.

The pub is renowned for its celebrity clientele including British rockers Liam Gallagher and Razorlight - more on this story

Slash and Snoop

NME reports: Snoop Dogg performed with Guns N Roses legend Slash last night (February 7) at a charity event held in Los Angeles.

Proceeds from the annual concert benefited the Black Eyed Peas' Peapod Foundation, which helps underprivileged children and introduces them to new music technology.

Frontwoman Fergie was joined by Slash during her solo set, reports the Associated Press, and Ludacris pitched in during her hit song 'Glamorous'. Later in the evening, Slash and Snoop Dogg jammed together and received a standing ovation from the audience. - more on this story

Travis Injury

Gigwise reports: Travis guitarist Andy Dunlop is breathing a sigh of relief after finding his suspected broken ankle isn't broken after all.

Dunlop was admitted to hospital this week with the injury following the Scottish band's gig in Cambridge.

An eye-witness tells the Daily Record, "He slipped and fell, you could see he hurt himself, but he carried on. - more on this story

Eric Burdon & War Reunite

PR reports: Eric Burdon & WAR will reform for the first time in 37 years to play a concert at the London Royal Albert Hall on Monday 21st April 2008. This is a one-time only reunion concert, and the first time since they originally disbanded in 1971. Tickets for this prestigious event will go on sale on 14th February at 9am GMT.

Originally the front man of the Animals, Eric Burdon is considered to be one of the greatest blues singers in the world. His contribution to music is immense. By joining forces with WAR; possibly the most popular funk groups of the 70's, this one-time-only concert is one of the hottest tickets of 2008.

With a distinctive sound that captured the heart and soul of 1970's America, Los Angeles based WAR played the music that made people dance and think. - more on this story

Jack Johnson Tops UK Chart

BBC reports: Hawaiian singer-songwriter Jack Johnson has gone straight to the top of the UK album chart with his latest offering, entitled Sleep Through the Static.

Last week's chart topper, Adele's debut record 19, falls to two, with rock band Nickelback holding steady at three.

Swedish DJ Basshunter remains at the top of the singles chart for a fifth week with dance tune Now You're Gone. - I am Jack's screaming indifference... more on this story

Lily Allen Talk Show Falls Flat

Wenn reports: Pop star LILY ALLEN disappointed the studio audience of her new talk show, over a third walked out complaining of boredom. Over 150 fans selected from the singer's "friends" on social networking website MySpace attended the taping at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England on Friday (08Feb08) and watched as the 22-year-old struggled to read handwritten cue cards after a teleprompter broke.

One attendee says, "Everyone really, really wanted it to work for Lily. She is such a lovely person but all the jokes fell flat and she seemed very nervous.

And after playing a series of Internet videos showing animals having sex, Allen seemingly failed to impress even her celebrity guests, with actor Cuba Gooding Jr commenting, "I don't know what's sicker, animals having sex or you clapping." ["show me the monotony!"] - more on this story

Fans Petition Zeppelin for Reunion

NME reports: An online petition to get Led Zeppelin to undertake a world tour has been created on campaigning site Youchoose.net.

Over 8,000 people have signed up so far.

The manifesto for the petition outlines the belief that it wasn't fair that UK fans got to see Led Zeppelin at their reunion concert at London's O2 Arena on December 10 last year, and that the band should, as a consequence, tour the globe. - more on this story

Lynyrd Skynyrd Classic Revisited and Expanded

PR reports: Ronnie Van Zant considered Street Survivors Lynyrd Skynyrd's greatest achievement. A year in the making, the album was recorded twice. Now, on the two-CD Street Survivors - Deluxe Edition - 30th Anniversary (Geffen/UMe), released March 4, 2008, the previously unreleased first version debuts alongside the incendiary final studio album from the original Lynyrd Skynyrd issued in 1977.

The package also features the never-before-issued last known recordings of the band, five songs performed live at a Fresno, CA concert less than two months before the group's famously tragic plane crash.

By 1977, the Jacksonville, FL band--singer Van Zant, guitarists Allen Collins and Gary Rossington, keyboardist Billy Powell, bassist Leon Wilkeson, and drummer Artimus Pyle--had scored four hit albums and become one of America's top concert draws. There was a new member, guitarist Steve Gaines, and the group could take its time with a new album. The first version was recorded at Miami's Criteria Studios in winter 1976 and spring 1977 with renowned producer Tom Dowd. But, dissatisfied with the results, Skynyrd returned that summer to Studio One in Atlanta, where "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" had been recorded, and produced the released version themselves. - more on this story

Queen Guitarist Didn't Know Freddie Was Gay

Contact Music reports: QUEEN guitarist BRIAN MAY insists he had no idea bandmate FREDDIE MERCURY was gay, assuming the parading frontman was just flamboyant.

May met the late star in 1970 but claims it was not until the 1980s that he realised the frontman's sexuality - because Mercury began to bring men with "that particular Adonis look" backstage. He recalls, "When I shared a room with him on tour in the early days I can assure you it was girls who generally stayed overnight.

"But he seemed to be what these days you would call metrosexual. He was into his hair, his clothes - he definitely led the way with regard to preening." - more on this story

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