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Minneapolis: Varsity Theater, Koo Koo Kanga Roo, and MNIVA

Read More Varsity Theater Back in 2009, I would jump at any chance to go to the Varsity Theater… this was my favorite venue at the time. … Aretha Franklin We’ve heard the rumors about Aretha Franklin on her deathbed, but when it was announced today that the Queen of Soul has died, it was still hard to take. ... Koo Koo Kanga Roo Koo Koo Kanga Roo was, as usual, a riot. I don't think I've ever been to a show with so many children, but it's perfect for the music of Koo Koo Kanga Roo. Helping them dance were two helpers, one dressed ...

Minneapolis’ Varsity Theater updated their marquee to honor the legacy of “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin.

Genius: Aretha

The marquee reads: “All Hail The Queen #GeniusAF 3.21.21.” referencing National Geographic’s double-stacked episodes of Genius: Aretha, beginning Sunday, March 21, at 9/8c. The premiere episodes will be available the next day on Hulu, with all eight episodes available to stream by Thursday, March 25.

National Geographic will also be donating to Crew Nation, a global relief fund launched by Live Nation and powered by nonprofit partner Music Forward Foundation that provides financial support for live music crews impacted by the global pandemic and beyond.

The GENIUS: ARETHA will feature a marquee takeover on the outside of some of the nation’s most iconic venues for ten days. The venues include:

The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, Detroit, MI

The Fillmore Detroit, Detroit, MI

Gramercy Theatre, New York, NY

Irving Plaza, New York, NY

The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA

Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA

The Met, Philadelphia, PA

Warner Theatre, Washington D.C.

The Fillmore Silver Spring, Silver Spring, MD

Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA

The Fillmore Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

Louisville Palace, Louisville, KY

The Fillmore New Orleans, New Orleans, LA

Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL

The Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO

Old National Centre, Indianapolis, IN

Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN

House of Blues Houston, Houston, TX

The Aztec Theatre, San Antonio, TX

The Observatory North Park, San Diego, CA

August Hall, San Francisco, CA

We love Koo Koo Kanga Roo, these guys have to be seen live to really appreciate what they do. They are simply fun to watch, and their shows often inspires their audience to dance and participate with their performance.

Anyway, Slow Clap is Koo Koo Kanga Roo’s upcoming album, set for release on May 21, 2021. I noticed that they collaborated with Minneapolis producer Lazerbeak and Doomtree’s Sims… which actually didn’t surprise me, considering that they’re well-versed in the local rap/hip-hop scene (see Doomtree Zoo 2015).

With Slow Clap, I am hoping by the time the album is out, that we’ll be over this COVID-19 pandemic… and finally catch live music with Koo Koo Kanga Roo.

I’m ready to boogie with Koo Koo, are you?

It kills me, that in my 30 years of going to concerts and enjoying live shows… that for the first time since March 2020, that I had to put a long hiatus on staying indoors and in quarantine, no thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic. I am itching to head back to see live music… and I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel, as people are getting vaccination shots.

Of course, I shouldn’t be complaining, as the venues have suffered this past year. There are efforts like Save Our Stages, thanks to all the local venues (including First Avenue, The Cedar Cultural Center, and others) and MNIVA (Minnesota Independent Venue Alliance).

The federal Save Our Stages Act passed to help save our local venues, but from my understanding is that Minnesota venues are still waiting for federal relief funding to flow in. The local venues are mostly shut down, or running at very reduced capacities.

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Free VPNs

Read More Google a Google home, as everything is built around the Google Home Hub application. If you don’t mind giving Google your information, you can use many of their services - for free. That’s the attractive thing, it’s mostly free. …

I've been testing out some free VPN (Virtual Private Network) services. You may have a need for a VPN for various reasons: privacy, ad-blocking/ad-tracking, removing restrictions, etc.

I should also mention that these are completely free, meaning not a trial basis offered by ExpressVPN (their services are not free - I’m not sure why they ended up on various “free VPN” lists).

I did not bother with some services, like TunnelBear, which doesn’t really offer a free version. Their “free” version is restrictive to 500 MB per month (meant for testing purposes only).

I also left off various browser extensions, such as OperaVPN, because their services are restricted to just your browser. I also avoided any VPN services, such as Betternet VPN or VPNBook, that serves you advertisements (no thank you!). I would recommend that you also avoid any VPN that uses ads… to me, the reason why you’re using a VPN is for privacy concerns and any products that will sell your data or serves you ads doesn’t make any sense.

Of course, I didn’t try out all the free VPN services out there… For example, I did download and tried out Hotspot Shield, but their 500MB daily data cap just sucked and I ended up removing their software right away. The same can be said for Speedify, which I didn’t bother with, due to their 2GB data cap.

If there is a free VPN that you really like, let me know.

ATLAS VPN atlasvpn.com Atlas VPN is simply the best one (at least the fastest connection) among all the ones I’ve tried. The service is free, with no catch. If you choose to pay, you get faster connection with over 500 servers to choose from. Since all traffic has to go through Atlas, you have to close your current Browser’s session and restart the browser for the internet to start working again. If you don’t need various countries connection or speedy access, the free Atlas VPN is good enough for you.

WINDSCRIBE windscribe.com The free Windscribe account will get you 10 GB of data a month. You either pay for all the services, or pay $1 to get another tier of servers and data allotment (in 10GB increments). The service also comes with its own ad-blocking system called R.O.B.E.R.T., which works on the iPad to block some YouTube ads. I would have ranked Windscribe higher, if it wasn’t for the data cap (even though they think it’s more than generous).

HIDE.ME hide.me According to Hide.Me, their free account doesn’t support streaming… but from my experience, it seems to work with YouTube and Amazon Prime… so I’m not sure what they mean. Do they mean they aren’t encrypting your streaming? Currently, their free services offer only four countries. If you choose to pay, it’s $12.95 a month. You can get it down to $5 a month if you buy two years in advance.

PROTON VPN protonvpn.com Switzerland-based company Proton VPN came highly recommended… but it was the worst of the free VPNs. Ultimately their free version is among some of the strictest: limited to just 3 servers and does not support peer-to-peer or Adblockers. The only bright side is that they offer unlimited data. For what’s it worth, the basic $4 a month price is cheaper than most VPN services and would unlock those restrictions mentioned earlier.

Conclusion

You know that old saying, “You get what you pay for”? It’s true. If you want the best VPN service, you’ll want to pay for it. If you’re a cheapskate and don’t really want to pay, I do recommend Atlas or Windscribe. However, it’s up to you what you choose, based on your needs.

Compare	Atlas VPN	Windscribe	Hide.Me	ProtonVPN
Data	Unlimited	10GB	10GB	Unlimited
Servers	3	11	5	3
P2P	YES	YES	YES	NO
Adblock	YES (Malware block)	YES	NO	NO

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Genshin Impact

Read More Games When The Witcher television show came out last year on Netflix, there was a massive uptick on newfound fans playing the game again. That’s because, like the game, the show was very well done and had a compelling story. …

According to some people, Genshin Impact is the biggest game in the world.

I don’t normally play “phone games”, but I recently upgraded my iPad and wanted to check out the game that everyone is talking about. I remember hearing about how much this game was a clone of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (which was my favorite game of 2017).

So, you know what? Genshin Impact is pretty good! They basically took the best part of Zelda, such as cooking, gliding, climbing, and sense of discovery. And the best part is that the game is free. There are some “free-to-play” mechanics, like loot boxes, disguised as “wishes”… but it’s to be expected when you play these sort of games. However, from what I’ve experienced so far, you don’t really need to spend any money to enjoy the game. I’m sure as I progress further in the game, that might not be the case.

Also, there are some things in the game that I wish I understood better when I started playing the game. I started leveling up as fast as I could, only to realize that I can’t go beyond level 20, unless I “Ascend”. This ascension requires some resources that can only be earned by doing all the quests in the Adventure Guild… If I had known this, I would have had started on this path. I guess making mistakes is part of the game. If I had known, I would have taken a different approach.

Another thing I wish I had known was that you really need certain characters (with different powers), in order to unlock some dungeons. The game does give you certain characters to keep as an introduction, but you can also unlock various characters by redeeming “Wishes”. If you do 10 wishes, you’re guaranteed a 4-star character… so, in my experience, I just save up my 10 wishes and do it all at one time.

The only negative that I can give is that the game requires you to be online all the time. This means if you disconnect with its server, your progress won’t be recorded or the game won’t work. Since it’s a popular online game, they’re subject to hacks. Recently, the game publisher miHoYo announced two-factor authenticity (which as of this writing did not work for me).

Since my iPad had a faster processor and updated internals, playing Genshin Impact on a touch screen is pretty good. Trying out the game on Android, on my aging Moto Z4 (from 2019) proved disastrous. My phone could play the game, but it had a lot of lagging and various issues that I did not experience on my iPad… it could be that the game was not optimized for Android.

Surprisingly the game is not available on the Xbox or Nintendo Switch yet, but it’s available on all major platforms, including Windows, iOS, Android, and PlayStation 4 (available on PS5 as backward compatible). It’s free, so give it a try, if you think this might be fun.

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Annie: Dark Hearts

Read More Annie Anne Strand, better known as "Annie" is a pop singer and DJ from Bergen, Norway. She won "Best Newcomer" at the Norwegian Alarm Awards and Spellemannsprisen.

ANNIE
anniemelody.com

I have been meaning to mention and write about Norwegian singer-songwriter Annie’s new album Dark Hearts since I heard about it last October 2020. Now that it’s International Women’s Day (March 8, 2021), I thought it would be fitting to mention it now.

As you know, I’ve been an Annie fan since 2007. I tracked down her 2009 sophomore album Don't Stop eventually (believe me, it’s hard to find her records where I live).

Eleven years later, Annie released Dark Hearts. I hate to say it, but it’s been so long, it seems like the world’s forgotten about her… and especially when she’s billed simply as “Annie”. With no typical touring promotion (due to the big COVID virus), it’s harder and harder to get word out that her new album is out now.

Still, for the diehard faithful fan, like me, I’m very happy to hear new Annie songs.

Check out the title track below.

Dark Hearts (Official audio)

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True-Blue

Read More Jonas Blue Pop powerhouse Jonas Blue and global superstar Rita Ora to produce their song “Ritual”. The track, which has been streamed well over 20 Million times since its release less than 3 weeks ago, is a first-time song

Read more Red White and Blue

JONAS BLUE
jonasblue.com

We first noticed Jonas Blue in 2016 for his his EP Perfect Strangers. We love it and wrote, “Cooper is a rising star with a strong potential for greatness. The original tropical house version of the song is available for download, as well as an acoustic version in which Cooper’s vocals and Blue’s musicianship really shine.”

In 2021, at the beginning of the year, Jonas Blue teamed up with AWA to deliver the house hit “Something Stupid” (streamed over 8 million times).

Now in March, North London DJ/producer and KISS FM Radio Host, Majestic, took that song and remixed it, adding a new spin (with deeper bass) to the song.

The Majestic remix is available to buy or stream, as of March 5, 2021.

LEYLA BLUE facebook.com Soulful New York City native singer/songwriter and Island Records 2021 Artist To Watch, Leyla Blue recently released “What A Shame” to kick off MTV’s Women’s History Month Jam Session. “What A Shame” follows-up Leyla’s soul-drenched single debut “Silence”, taken from her Island debut EP Songs For Boys That Didn’t Text Me Back.

BLUE CACTUS bluecactusmusic.com North Carolina duo, Blue Cactus (Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez) recently announced their sophomore album Stranger Again. The record will be out May 7, 2021, on Sleepy Cat Records. FLOOD Magazine premiered their preceding single, “Come Clean”, and wrote, “the album continues the pair’s mission to blend classic country sound

BLUE WATER HIGHWAY bluewaterhighwayband.com “Council Grove” is the new single from Texas’ Blue Water Highway. The song is taken from their album Paper Airplanes… which is available March 12, 2021, via Start Swimming. Singer/guitarist Zack Kibodeaux said, “This song explores that theme, while taking a scenic drive through the heartland of America, the beautiful flint hills around Council Grove, Kansas.”

BLUEWERKS astralwerks.com I’m actually a big fan of both Astralwerks and Blue Note… so hearing that the two iconic labels have teamed up to create Bluewerks, I’m definitely interested in hearing more. So far, Bluewerks, Vol. 1: Up Down Left Right is out now and features tracks, consisting of lo-fi beats with rhythmic jazz. If that sounds like up your alley, check out Bluewerks.

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Wanda & Vision and Superman & Lois

Read More Television I did enjoy The Punisher quite a bit, which was a win, considering that I thought Iron Fist and The Defenders were lackluster. Ever since The Punisher appeared on Daredevil, I knew he would spin off in his own series…

WANDAVISION (2021)
disneyplus.com

Disney Plus’ first original Marvel Production, WandaVision, proved to be a hit with fans. With the currently Marvel Comics films being put on pause due to the big COVID virus, moving production to a weekly television program seems to make the most sense. Instead of fans gathering to view a movie in a theater, they can view the story in their isolated homes.

What is really nice about the television program is that you really explore the two Avengers characters: Scarlet Witch (Wanda) and the Vision, learning more about the two… something that you couldn’t do in an all-star cast of a typical Avengers film.

At first, seeing WandaVision as old homage to I Love Lucy, Dick Van Dyke Show, etc., was unique and interesting… but it got old real fast. I felt like those show parodies were just stretching out the series… when all I really wanted was to see the real-world story.

For the most part, WandaVision plays out the story very straight-forward, answering the mystery of why Wanda was living her life as a “television show” and introducing our villain of the show. Unfortunately, all the fan theories were way off base, leading to massive disappointments. Theories that didn’t pan out: WandaVision didn’t introduce mutants in the Marvel Universe (even though they casted the same actor to appear as Quicksilver from the X-Men film), Mephisto didn’t appear (even though he was the co-star of The Vision and Scarlet Witch comic book series), and final boss fight wasn’t anywhere near as cool as fans wanted.

Personally speaking, I felt the ending was underwhelming. Characters were introduced and disappeared in the same episode… characters like Darcy Lewis barely appeared in the finale… Monica Rambeau (the other Captain Marvel) was given powers, but felt out of nowhere (obviously they needed her to have powers for the next Captain Marvel film).

As the first in in “Phase Four” of the MCU, I thought it was pretty good (if you dial down your expectations). I am looking forward to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (which the Scarlet Witch will co-star in), and, of course, the second television show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Read More Comic Books I really hate the title Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I can understand it, it tells us that Batman will be fighting Superman... and somehow it involves the Justice …

SUPERMAN & LOIS (2021)
cwtv.com

It seemed forever and a day when we first heard about the Superman & Lois show (announced in 2019). I think last saw Superman (and Lois) in Supergirl… when he left that Earth and disappeared to another Earth. I’m sorry, I don’t have all my Earths sorted out… I just know that in this Superman & Lois earth, it seems like Arrow or Supergirl doesn’t exist on this Earth (I could be wrong, but based on the episodes we’re given, there aren’t any other superheroes on this Earth).

Based on the pilot and second episode, Superman & Lois seems like a decent show, even though it’s plagued by that CW problem of being poorly written and overdramatic. I sometime don’t fault The CW, they have a limited budget and it is what it is… but somehow, the Superman & Lois show looks like they got a lot of production money. The show looks good and cinematic (unlike their other CW shows).

The setup to the show is that Clark Kent and Lois Lane decided to move their family back to Smallville. Apparently, they also have two teenage boys (I must’ve missed something since I don’t think they had children in Supergirl). One boy is a happy all-American popular football kid, while the other is a moody/gothy depression kid. I know I’m not the market for this teenage-storyline, so I personally do not care about these boys.

I’m also not really that interested in Lois Lane’s storyline… which is trying to investigate Morgan Edge, the owner of The Daily Planet, and how he’s trying to exploit Smallville. I felt like the show didn’t paint Edge as an evil monster, in fact, it looks like he’s trying to bring jobs to Smallville and that Loise Lane is in the wrong.

The storyline that I’m most interested in is the mysterious (black) Lex Luthor from another Earth … hellbent on destroying Superman. You understand his motivation for trying to destroy Superman, but if you think about it, it totally doesn’t make any sense. Sure, that other Superman from Lex Luthor’s earth was evil, but clearly, this is not the same Superman.

Like all CW shows, I am originally interested in the first few episodes… but as the show goes on, I am often disappointed in the show. The CW just does not have a good track record for keeping me interested.

Still, Superman & Lois will hold me over, until Netflix’s Jupiter's Legacy (the new Mark Millar show) debut in mid-2021.

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Nathan Evans: The Wellerman

Read More Nathan Evans Wellerman Nathan Evans January 21, 2021 Date First Available : January 21, 2021 Manufacturer : Polydor Records ASIN : B08TPDN2BZ . …

I only heard about Nathan Evans’ viral song “The Wellerman” last week, because it’s actually a technology story. On the tech side, it’s about how TikTok’s Duet (introduced late last year) was the driving force behind the success of the song. How it works is that anyone on TikTok can take Evans’ original video and then add their own voice to it. Soon enough others were adding vocal bass, some adding techno mix to song… it caught on and suddenly Evans’ video was appearing on various terrestrial media… such as Stephan Colbert and the New York Times.

Then yesterday (January 22), Evans quit his job as a postman and signed to Polydor Records. It’s what he’s always wanted, to get a record deal, and he’s now officially became a professional recording artist. It’s really, really amazing how crazy fast that was.

Also how fast, they dropped an official vocal mix and also released an official EDM version of the song called “Wellerman 220Kid & Killen Ted Remix”… which after listening to it, I have to admit is possibly the best mix of the song so far.

According to Billboard: “Teaming up with Nathan to take his wonderful version of 'Wellerman' to an even wider audience is a dream for us at Polydor,” label co-president Ben Mortimer said in a statement shared with Billboard. “A week ago Nathan was working as a postman, and now he’s on the verge of a huge hit record with a sea shanty he recorded at home. In a weird and tough time for the world, it’s a lovely story we can all get behind.”

Nathan Evans - Wellerman (220 KID & Billen Ted Remix) | Official Lyric Video

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Novy God 2021

Read More Steklovata I caught a brief glimpse at "Новый год" (New Year) on Rocketboom and was so amused by this Russian boy-band, that I had to find out more information on them. …

I know it’s 2021, but I’m revisiting some good viral music from days of yore.

Somehow, one way or another, YouTube’s been recommending me Steklovata (Стеклоvата ). You might remember that I first discover this Russian orphan boy band in March 2008… mostly amused by their video for “Новый год” (or “Novy God”… translated to “New Year”). I posted the original video (in 2008)… which is now long gone from YouTube. Fortunately, other fans have reposted the video (with typo “Novi God”) and over the years … reposted in 2011 with over 4 million views. Many new fans were inspired by “Novi God” that they’ve done their own renditions of it…

Sure, I know some were amused by the awkwardness of the original four Russian boys… but it does take some effort to study and lip-sync, dance, or made up their own lyrics. The original Steklovata doesn’t take offense to it… they seemed honored that their music have brought so much joy and happiness to people, that as recent as Jan 2020, the band (three of them) reformed to redo “Novy God” for 2020.

It’s easy to brush them off as meme, but if you take the time to listen to the song, it’s actually quite good. Personally speaking, it’s probably better than anything on modern radio.

According to user Dereks:

You know, in general they are nothing special at all. The band is just another example of "Ласковый Май" (Laskoviy May / Gentle May) trend that exploded at the down of the USSR era. Laskoviy May was purely commercial project. One producer created a band of orphan boys with very tearful luscious glossy lyrics. In general, it was a normal success of another pop-band. But since all the boys were of pre-pubertal age, all of them had almost similar high voices. You just needed another boy under the age of 12 with basic musical skills and he would sound indistinguishable from the original "Laskoviy Maj". Thus by the end of the 80's there were literally dozens of same bands of orphan boys performing all over Russia. Sometimes they even went under the same names.

So Steklovata is part of that "orphan-band" movement, which still sometimes emerges in small province cities. But their feature, that turned them into a meme is their name. Steklovata in Russian means "glass wool". As you see, it's nothing sweet and glossy in that title…

Also they are using some elements of low-class language, criminal slang, which also promoted them to their success (in terms of becoming a meme, of course).

With that said, I hope you have a wonderful novy novy novy novy god for 2021.

Katches Kids Recreates Novy God	Novy God (Koplo Version)
Новый Год (Стекловата 2021)	Metal Cover
Gourmet-salute! to Steklovata	STEKLOHATA-NOVY GOD
МАЛЬЧИШКИ - НОВЫЙ ГОД 2020	Polish parody No. 1
Russian Snow Boys - Happy New Year (Hardbass)	German Tribute
Latvian parody	Steklovata: Novy God 2020

Steklovata: “Novy God” (the original)

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Update: Display Panel Project

Read More Site Update Since owning the new iBuyPower’s Fallout computer, I’ve been spending a lot of time on the computer. I’ve been really into RGB lighting for my computer and recently purchased and added 16GB of G.Skill RGB DDR4-3000 Ram …

It’s Martin Luther King Jr’s day, which means it’s my day off. I’ve been working on a project to update my Fallout Desktop… hoping to add a second display dedicated to just showing computer stats.

To get you history with my dual-screen setup, back in the day, I had two side-by-side monitors. They were both 19”, but when combined, especially paying a game, it offers a nice 38 inches. The unfortunately thing is that there is one giant bezel in the middle of the screen that takes me out of my enjoyment. There’s also the fact that when I’m not gaming, I only use one screen (the left one), and the other screen goes pretty much used. I sometime would just turn off the second monitor.

To solve this, I upgraded to an Ultrawide 34-inch LG Monitor, which solves my two-monitor situation. Now when I’m gaming, it’s a nice experience… and when I’m not gaming, I don’t have to worry about that extra screen.

The big problem (sorry for the pun) with a large ultrawide screen is that some programs (especially older games) does not recognize or support the large aspect ration and resolution.

For a time, I thought about having a dedicated second display just to show computer status, such as temperature and frames per second. I tried using the Lenovo Smart Display as a second display, but it’s very limited based on the inability to use it to connect to the computer. You can “cast” videos to the display, but that’s as far as it goes, due to securities and Google’s platform.

Recently, I saw someone’s computer setup, and saw how they did their computer. They basically had a small 7” screen inside their computer case to display temperature and various computer information. The person said that they were using this software by AIDA64, so I did some investigation and decided this was the route I should take.

I spent all night on Sunday to put together a working demo my display. I already purchased the 7” inch display and cables, so I am hoping it all works out swimmingly in the next few days. I really hope that the display is thin enough that I can fit it my open area… but should that fail, I can always mount it in the front of the case. The display will be in the same Fallout theme to fit with my computer’s theme.

PS, I’m also planning on installing two extra RGB fans on the ceiling of my computer to keep the computer cool. There’s no room in the medium size case, so I’ll have to use tough double-sided adhesive tape to hold the two fans. It’ll be nice, and will provide more lights inside the computer.

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R.I.P. Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls

Read More New York Dolls Sylvain Sylvain, the punk icon and guitarist for New York Dolls whose riffs bridged the gap between punk and glam, died Wednesday. He was 69. His wife, Wanda O’Kelley Mizrahi, confirmed the musician’s death to Rolling Stone. …

It’s 2021, and as usual, there are already a ton of Musicians deaths. I will be compiling them when I have time here.

While there are a lot of famous and known deaths, the one that I’m most familiar with is for Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls on January 13, 2021.

To be fair, I’ve only heard of the New York Dolls because they were Morrissey’s favorite band. He covered their song, “Trash” in an early 90s tour, and was very outspoken about what a great band they were. In fact, Morrissey wrote a few books before he joined The Smiths, one of which is the New York Dolls book. I bought a re-issue of the book a few years ago, obsessed with everything Morrissey.

I found a rare New York Dolls live album in Japan, and quickly realized that the band’s music was not really my cup of tea. I’ve never understood what Morrissey saw in the ‘Dolls, I just knew he was very in love with the band. Perhaps it’s the theatrics of their appearance… perhaps it’s that whole glam thing.

If you remember, in 2004, when Morrissey was curating the Meltdown music festival in London, he personally asked the ‘Dolls to reform. Of course, the three original members, including Sylvain, agreed. The result was a positive one, giving the band new life, as they released new music and played alongside Mötley Crüe and Poison in the 2011 Glam-A-Geddon tour.

January (42)

[16 Jan 2021] Pave Maijanen (Finnish musician for Hurriganes), 70, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Musician Pave Maijanen is dead. The matter was confirmed to Iltalehti from Maijanen's close circle. At the time of his death, he was 70 years old. Maijanen's first symptoms of ALS in the fall of 2018. ... via iltalehti.fi

[16 Jan 2021] Muammer Sun (Turkish composer), 88, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome Mumammer Sun, a master composer and instructor who has been struggling with multiple organ failure for a long time, died in the hospital where he was taken. ... via hurriyet.com.tr

[15 Jan 2021] Lệ Thu (Vietnamese-American singer), 77, COVID-19 Le Thu, the "golden voice" of Vietnamese new musician, died at the age of 78 after nearly two months of treatment with Covid-19 at Orange Coast Memorial Hospital, California. ... via vnexpress.net

[14 Jan 2021] Antún Castro (Colombian musician and actor), 74 At dawn today the composer, educator and actor Antún Efrén Castro Urrutia, author of the renowned songs Por qué me lo das y Maquerule, died in Bogotá. Antún was born in Riosucio in 1946, he studied part of the baccalaureate at the Carrasquilla School and finished in Bogotá. There, at the Free University, he studied Philology and Languages, specializing in English. ... via choco7dias.com

[14 Jan 2021] Duranice Pace (American gospel singer for The Anointed Pace Sisters), 62 Evangelist Duranice Pace, a member of family gospel group, The Anointed Pace Sisters, passed away from health complications on January 14, 2021. She was 62 years old. ... via essence.com

[14 Jan 2021] Joanne Rogers (American pianist and puppeteer), 92, heart disease Joanne Rogers, an accomplished concert pianist and wife of iconic kids TV host Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers) who provided an invaluable assist to the filmmakers behind the 2019 feature A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, died Thursday. She was 92. ... via hollywoodreporter.com

[14 Jan 2021] Larry Willoughby (American country singer-songwriter and music executive), 73, COVID-19 Larry Willoughby, the A&R executive who helped the now-superstar get his deal with Capitol Records, died on Thursday (Jan. 14) of COVID-19, Bryan reports. ... via tasteofcountry.com

[13 Jan 2021] Tim Bogert (American rock bassist for Bogert & Appice), 76, cancer Tim Bogert, who was part of such major acts as Vanilla Fudge and Cactus and later in the super-group Beck, Bogert & Appice, died today of cancer. He was 76. His death was confirmed by his former bandmate Carmine Appice. ... via deadline.com

[13 Jan 2021] Duke Bootee (American rapper and songwriter), 69, heart failure Duke Bootee, the pioneering rapper who co-wrote and appeared on Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s classic “The Message” — Number One on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time — died Wednesday at the age of 69. ... via rollingstone.com

[13 Jan 2021] Sylvain Sylvain (American guitarist for New York Dolls), 69, cancer Sylvain Sylvain, the punk icon and guitarist for New York Dolls whose riffs bridged the gap between punk and glam, died Wednesday. He was 69. His wife, Wanda O’Kelley Mizrahi, confirmed the musician’s death to Rolling Stone. ... via rollingstone.com

[12 Jan 2021] Shingoose (Canadian folk musician), 74, COVID-19 Longtime folk musician and activist Curtis (Shingoose) Jonnie died Tuesday morning at the age of 74 after testing positive for COVID-19, his daughter says. ... via cbc.ca

[11 Jan 2021] Howard Johnson (American jazz musician), 79 Howard Johnson, arguably the best-known tuba player in contemporary jazz for the past several decades, died this morning, January 11, following a long, unspecified illness. His death, at age 79, was confirmed on Facebook by Nancy Olewine, who described herself as Johnson’s “beloved partner of many years.” A location was not noted. ... via udiscovermusic.com

[11 Jan 2021] Mark Keds (English punk singer for Senseless Things), 50 Senseless Things singer Mark Keds has died at the age of 50. He was best known as the frontman of the 90s pop punk band and for co-writing The Libertines' 2004 hit Can't Stand Me Now. ... via mirror.co.uk

[11 Jan 2021] Rada Lysenko (Рада Лисенко) (Ukrainian pianist and pedagogue for People's Artist of Ukraine), 99 Ariadna (Rada) Ostapivna Lysenko was born on July 10, 1921, in the town of Khorol, now Poltava. reg. - pianist, teacher. Daughter of Ostap, granddaughter of Mykola Lysenko, wife of A. Shtogarenko. 1st prize of the All-Ukrainian competition of musicians-performers (Kyiv, 1945). ... via kyiv.ua

[10 Jan 2021] Thorleif Torstensson (Swedish singer for Thorleifs), 71, COVID-19 Thorleif's singer Thorleif Torstensson has passed away in the suites of covid-19. The dance band icon died surrounded by his family after being cared for in hospital for a week. ... via expressen.se

[10 Jan 2021] David Stypka (Czech singer-songwriter and guitarist), 41, COVID-19 Singer, guitarist and lyricist David Stypka, winner of the Anděl Music Award in the Solo Artist of the Year 2017 category, died today. He was 41 years old. ... via ceskenoviny.cz

[08 Jan 2021] Ed Bruce (American singer-songwriter and actor), 81 Ed Bruce, the singer and songwriter who got his start during the Sun Records rockabilly era and went on to write or record a long string of country chart-makers, died of natural causes today in Clarksville, Tennessee. Bruce, who sidelined as an actor on such TV series as James Garner’s 1981 Maverick sequel and 1980’s The Chisholms, was 81. ... via deadline.com

[08 Jan 2021] David Darling (American cellist and composer), 79 It is with great sadness that we share the news of David Darling’s passing. David leaves us with a rich legacy through his music, his teaching and his spirit. He touched all of us deeply and impacted the lives of so many around the world, inspiring us to find and express the creative spark within. ... via daviddarling.com

[08 Jan 2021] Michael Fonfara (Canadian keyboardist for The Electric Flag), 74, cancer Internationally renowned Canadian keyboard player Michael Fonfara died in a Toronto hospital on Friday. He was 74. The sad news came in an emailed statement from publicist Eric Alper, who said Fonfara had been battling cancer for two years. ... via thepeterboroughexaminer.com

[08 Jan 2021] Antonín Linhart (Czech folk singer-songwriter and guitarist for Pacifik), 80 Tony Linhart, a folk and tramp guitarist, singer and songwriter, founder of the group Pacifik, has died at the age of 80. His passing on Friday was announced by Country Radio, where Linhart had worked as a radio presenter. ... via radio.cz

[07 Jan 2021] Genival Lacerda (Brazilian forró singer), 89, COVID-19 Singer Genival Lacerda died on Thursday (7), aged 89, after fighting a tough fight with Covid-19. Paraiba was hospitalized since November 30 in a hospital in Recife due to pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus. The death was confirmed by the singer's son, João Lacerda, through social networks. ... via verdesmares.com.br

[07 Jan 2021] Biserka Cvejić (Serbian opera singer), 97 Biserka Cvejić has died. The sad news was announced by her former student Nikola Kitanovski, with the message "Eternal glory to you, my dear Professor". ... via novosti.rs

[07 Jan 2021] Deezer D (American rapper and actor), 55 Deezer D, best known for his role as nurse Malik McGrath on "ER" has died ... TMZ has learned. The actor, whose real name was Dearon Thompson, was found unresponsive at home Thursday morning in Los Angeles. His brother, Marshawn, tells us the family believes he died of a heart attack, but there is not yet an official cause of death. ... via tmz.com

[07 Jan 2021] Jamie O'Hara (American country musician and songwriter), 70, cancer Nashville singer-songwriter Jamie O'Hara, who wrote hit for the Judds and many more, has died. According to his wife, Lola White, O'Hara died on Thursday (Jan. 7) after a battle with a very aggressive cancer. He was 70 years old. ... via tasteofcountry.com

[06 Jan 2021] Osian Ellis (Welsh harpist and composer), 92 Tributes have been paid to a globally-renowned Welsh harpist who has died at the age of 92. Dr Osian Ellis, who started playing again as he approached his 90th birthday, collaborated with leading British composer Benjamin Britten and performed at the world’s finest concert venues. ... via nation.cymru

[06 Jan 2021] Bobby Few (American jazz pianist), 85 He was one of the greatest jazz pianists. Bobby Few died on January 6 at the age of 85. ... via en24news.com

[06 Jan 2021] Yamandú Palacios (Uruguayan singer, songwriter and guitarist), 80 The musician Yamandú Palacios died this Wednesday at the age of 80. Author of songs like Los boliches and Coplas al compadre Juan Miguel, inspired by the life of the "cañeros" of Bella Unión, he was one of the key figures of the first layer of popular song, along with Alfredo Zitarrosa and Osiris Rodríguez Castillos, along with to whom he shared the stage ... via elobservador.com

[05 Jan 2021] John Georgiadis (British violinist for London Symphony Orchestra and conductor for Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra), 81 John was born in Southend on Sea and began playing the violin at the age of six. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music, and before joining the LSO spent two years as Leader of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. In 1965, at the age of just 26, he became the LSO’s Leader. ... via lso.co.uk

[05 Jan 2021] Chacha Sherly (Indonesian singer), 29, traffic collision The sad news came from the dangdut singer Yuselly Agus Stevy aka Chacha Sherly. The accident he experienced on Monday, January 4, 2021 yesterday, killed the former Trio Macan personnel. ... via okezone.com

[04 Jan 2021] Alexi Laiho (Finnish death metal singer-songwriter and guitarist for Children of Bodom), 41 Former Children Of Bodom singer and guitarist Alexi Laiho has died. According to his label, Naplam, the Finnish musician passed away at home in Heklsinki last week. Although no cause of death was specified, the 41-year-old had reportedly been suffering from what were described as “long term health issues”. ... via loudersound.com

[04 Jan 2021] Elias Rahbani (Lebanese lyricist and composer), 82, COVID-19 Elias Rahbani, a Lebanese composer and lyricist who wrote the music for some of the Arab world’s top performers, including Lebanon’s diva Fairouz, has died after battling COVID-19, his family said. He was 82. ... via pollstar.com

[03 Jan 2021] Tasso Adamopoulos (French violist), 76, COVID-19 The violist and tutor Tasso Adamopoulos died on 3 January as a result of contracting Covid-19. He was 76. Among his students were Mathieu Herzog, Aurérelie Deschamps, Pierre Vallet, Alain Celo, Françoise Renard and Chara Sira among many others. ... via thestrad.com

[03 Jan 2021] Gerry Marsden (English musician for Gerry and the Pacemakers), 78, heart infection Gerry Marsden, singer of the Liverpool band Gerry And The Pacemakers, has died, it has been confirmed. The musician was 78 years old and died today (January 3) from an infection in his heart, friend and broadcaster Pete Price wrote on social media. ... via nme.com

[03 Jan 2021] Warren McLean (Australian rock drummer for Divinyls), cancer Warren was the drummer on Divinyls Temperamental album. He also did time with The Party Boys, I’m Talking and Machinations. ... via noise11.com

[03 Jan 2021] Anil Panachooran (Indian lyricist and poet), 55, heart attack Thiruvananthapuram; Famous poet and lyricist Anil Panachooran has passed away. He died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. The cause of death was a heart attack. ... via news18.com

[02 Jan 2021] Steve Brown (British music producer for Manic Street Preachers), 62 Famed record producer Steve Brown has died aged 65, it has been revealed. Brown worked with the likes of Manic Street Preachers, The Cult, Elton John, Wham! and more across his lengthy career. The beloved producer died after a short illness related to a fall he had at his home in early December. A statement from his family said that ” apart from his prowess behind the mixing desk, he was an incredibly popular man. He had a wonderful sense of humour and bags of charm in equal measure.” ... via nme.com

[01 Jan 2021] Carlos do Carmo (Portuguese fado singer), 81, ruptured aneurysm Carlos do Carmo is one of the most recognized, awarded and acclaimed fadistas ever. The "Encyclopedia of Music in Portugal in the 20th Century" describes him as a "remarkable figure in the establishment of changes in the fadista tradition", being one of "his greatest references, with national and international recognition". ... via sapo.pt

[01 Jan 2021] Zoran Džorlev (Зоран Џорлев) (Macedonian violinist), 53, COVID-19 Violinist and professor maestro Zoran Dzorlev died today in Skopje at the age of 53 after complications from covid-19, his nephew Ognen Zdravkovski announced on Facebook. Dzorchev died at the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Skopje, after a short illness. ... via 24.mk

[01 Jan 2021] George Gerdes (American singer, songwriter and actor), 72, brain aneurysm George Gerdes, the quirky singer-songwriter turned character actor whose career included turns in A Few Good Men, Single White Female, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The X-Files and Bosch, has died. He was 72. Gerdes died in a Glendale hospital on New Year's Day after suffering a brain aneurysm on New Year's Eve, his life partner, Judy Johns, told The Hollywood Reporter. ... via hollywoodreporter.com

[01 Jan 2021] Misty Morgan (American country music singer for Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan), 75, cancer Country singer Misty Morgan, best known for the 1970 hit ‘Tennessee Bird Walk’ with her husband Jack Blanchard, has died after a battle with cancer at the age of 75. ‘Tennessee Bird Walk’ was a number 23 hit in America but reached number three in Australia. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group at the 13th Grammy Awards but lost to Johnny Cash and June Carter for ‘If I Were A Carpenter’. ... via noise11.com

[01 Jan 2021] Liam Reilly (Irish singer and songwriter for Bagatelle), 65 Liam Reilly, the lead singer of Irish band Bagatelle, has died aged 65. The family of the pianist, singer and songwriter confirmed his passing in a statement today. ... via rte.ie

[01 Jan 2021] Jan Vering (German gospel singer and playwright), 66 Jan Vering, once a music dramaturge and deputy director of the Siegen Apollo Theater, is dead. He died on New Year's Eve in a nursing home in Wilnsdorf. Born in Münster, who had made a name for himself in the local cultural scene as a musician, journalist and dramaturge for decades and who was recently waiting for his trial before the Siegen district court because of serious allegations of child abuse, was 66 years old. ... via siegener-zeitung.de

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