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Showing posts from October, 2016

When Musicians Threaten to Boycott the Grammies

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Recently there's been a lot of discussion about the fact that Kanye West has said that he won't attend the Grammies if Frank Ocean doesn’t get a nomination. The reaction appears split many support West for attempting to credit to Ocean, who has recently two very popular albums in 2016, but there have also been those critical of West for doing so. However as it happens it might just be West trying to avoid having his suit ironed, because neither of Ocean’s albums were entered for the Grammies before the September 30 th deadline. In 1989 Will Smith, Flavor Flav, Salt n Pepa and other boycotted the grammies after the Best Rap Performance Award wasn't broadcast. Many have suggested this was done by Ocean and his team consciously for reasons unknown, but despite this West ranted about how Ocean deserves a nomination at one of his gigs on the 22 nd October. It’s interesting when musicians try to use their power to force awards ceremonies, it almost never

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2017 Nominees… Who should get in?

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It’s that time of year again, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination time. This year’s bunch is without a doubt the most eclectic one I’ve ever seen from the hall, and it does suggest that the Hall is finally trying to move on the Halcyon days of the 1960s. With a few regulars appearing, and a few odd shots there are 19 nominees this year, ranging from essentials to unnecessary. I’ve decided to look at the nominees to the hall and see if I think they belong in the hall and if they will get in. Bad Brains Why they should be in the hall : As far as genres go Hardcore Punk is more ignored than Disco in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so Bad Brains would be a solid representation for the genre in the hall. Who’ve they influenced? Rage Against The Machine, Faith No More, Red Hot Chile Peppers and Soundgarden Should they be in the hall? Yes, one day in the future perhaps. But not now. They aren’t even the most well known hardcore punk group; instead Black Flag should get in.

Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen: Perfume Merchants

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If you’ve read the news recently you know that Bob Dylan has become the new Nobel Laureate for Literature, and as such you might have read the masses of comments about his receiving the award. Amidst the comments commenting on whether he deserves it or not you've probably seen the people saying that if Bob Dylan receives it, so should Leonard Cohen.  There are a lot of things that connect Dylan and Cohen. They are both poetic songwriters, they both wear a large folk influence on their shoulders, both have abstract singing voices for popular music, and both have always been inspiration for outsiders and vagabonds. Leonard Cohen with Joni Mitchell Another thing they share in common is that they both considered having a cologne line. Cohen considered a cologne with the name "Indifference" which would have the slogan "I don't give a shit what happens." Which is so incredibly like Cohen's public image that you almost believe it isn't t