Bonnaroo: The Basics

Posted on February 18, 2013 by buzz

Written by: Selena DiGiovanni

I lay on a tarp in the midst of a sea of tents. It is midday and I am amongst friends; some old, some very new. We are quiet, listening to music in the distance. It is too hot to talk but we enjoy each others company nevertheless.

A man walks into our unofficial compound and asks, “You guys looking for Molly?”

We politely decline his offer, the others inquire after his milder stock, and when he leaves, we return to our silence.

This is Manchester, Tenn. and this is Bonnaroo, one of the largest up-and-coming music festivals in the world.

Campers enter Centeroo under the Bonnaroo arch

Campers enter Centeroo through the arch. The arch, which changes every year, is an iconic symbol of Bonnaroo.

Started in 2002, Bonnaroo takes place every June on a 530 acre plot of repurposed farmland in the small town of Manchester, Tenn. The festival spans three days, a time in which those who have purchased tickets are invited to camp outdoors, spend time with friends and enjoy good music.

There are a variety of activities which are available for campers at Bonnaroo. One of the best loved activities is the Silent Disco tent. Here, campers are given a set of wireless headphones upon entrance which sync with the DJ’s output. The end result is a tent full of people dancing to music which no one on the outside can hear. There is also the Graffiti Wall, which surrounds Centeroo, the central area of Bonnaroo. Campers are invited to bring spray paint to Bonnaroo with them in order to cover the Graffiti Wall with street art in their down time. There are also a multitude of food and artist stalls, a mushroom fountain, and of course, concerts.

Shows beginning each afternoon and continuing into the wee hours of the morning. These shows take place at several venues all located within Centeroo. The main venues are What Stage, Which Stage, This Tent, That Tent, The Other Tent, and the Comedy Tent. Other smaller venues include the Solar Stage, Lunar Stage, Sonic Stage, and the Cinema Tent.

Past years have featured headliners such as Eminem, Dave Matthews Band, and Radiohead. There have also been lesser known bands such as Futurebird, as well as comedy shows and film screenings . In the past, the lineup has been made widely available long before Bonnaroo takes place, but this year the list of bands performing has been kept under lock and key. Clues in the form of haikus have been scattered across America, increasing the excitement of fans everywhere. The full lineup will be revealed on February 19th, in a “Bonnaroo Lineup Announcement Megathon” hosted by Weird Al Yankovich.

To learn more about Bonnaroo, stay up to date on the latest Bonnaroo news and purchase tickets, go to www.bonnaroo.com.

Christian rapper reaches new heights with MTV video popularity

Posted on February 3, 2013 by buzz

Written by: Ken Fallon

Christian rap artist Lecrae climbed to new heights in his nine-year career Friday night, when he released the video for his song, “Fakin’ ” on MTV and MTV2.

A screenshot of the MTV website shows Lecrae’s Fakin’ video in the top spot on the network’s Top Music Videos page.

It promptly became one of the network’s top-viewed, top-commented and top-shared videos currently in the Music Video Picks section.

The video makes no bones about its goal: to make fun of and point out the hypocrisy in the supposed “gangsta ” lifestyle portrayed by contemporary rappers, and to offer a path toward Jesus. A portion of the lyrics reads:

Quit tryna’ act like the trap is cool, ‘cause we tired hearin’ that garbage
Hey, bags of white, pints of lean, I been on dope boys since a teen
But this ain’t what we meant to be, and y’all don’t make no sense to me
You pump fakin’, ain’t shootin’, ain’t killin, ain’t doin’
Half them thangs you say you doin’, but 116 we stay true an’
Ain’t dope dealin’, ain’t Po pimpin’, talkin’ ‘bout my own folk killin’
We on that Jesus soul healin’, so serious, gorillas
Wild ain’t we, can’t tame us, been changed, can’t change us
1:16 – You can’t shame us. Live that truth; you can’t blame us

The number 116 is a reference to 116 Clique (pronounced one-one-six click), a Christian hip hop group with whom Lecrae performs. It is also shorthand for Romans 1:16, a Bible verse that many consider Lecrae’s core message, and which reads, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.”

The reaction from commenters on MTV’s website was enthusiastic. One commenter named Elisabeth wrote, “finally something real worth hearing and watching. Best rapper in the game right here.” Another commenter named Gabe said, “Props to you MTV, for getting this real word out. These two fellas are legit, and crazy talented. No fakin when it’s for the Lord.” The comment about “two fellas” refers to guest rapper Thi’sl, who performs on “Fakin’ ” with Lecrae.

Some of the commenters on Lecrae’s Facebook page questioned why a Christian artist would submit his work on a secular channel like MTV, but a broad majority of commenters were supportive of the move as a way to “change hearts” among unbelievers.

Christian rapper Lecrae released his new video on MTV Friday, and it quickly became one of the highest-viewed videos on the Network

Lecrae, also known as Lecrae Moore, grew up on the streets of Houston, San Diego, Denver and Dallas, sometimes living with his working mom, sometimes with his grandmother in San Diego; he never met his father (who he later learned was a drug addict). At night after his grandmother went to bed, he secretly turned on the TV to watch videos of rappers such as Tupac, who became his role models. Through those videos, he learned to rap, and he learned to covet the lifestyle he saw.

“My world view at that point in time was what I saw on television,” he told CNN in a 2010 interview. “I just [rapped] about what I esteemed to be, what I wanted to be like. Most of that was gangsterism, false sense of masculinity, money, women.”

By the end of high school, Lecrae was dealing and taking drugs, and drinking alcohol. His name ended up a list of suspected gang members, and he was arrested on drug and theft charges.

He gave up that lifestyle as a 19-year-old, when he attended a conference where he saw people with stories like his, but who were “in love with Jesus.” Combined with an auto accident in which he walked away without a scratch, he pledged to follow God.

Five years later, he founded Reach Records and released his first album, Real Talk. Since then, he has released 10 additional albums, either under his own name or with 116 Clique, each to critical acclaim and increasingly-high sales. His 2012 album, Gravity, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, selling 72,000 copies.

The same day that Lecrae released his videos on MTV, he was one of six performers at the annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration, an NFL-sanctioned gospel music performance that happens during Super Bowl Weekend. In addition to Lecrae, this year’s performers included Fantasia, Marvin Winans, Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin and Bishop Paul S. Morton.

Lecrae’s popularity extends beyond rap music circles. As detailed in an October 2012 ESPN article, Lecrae is in popular with athletes around the country, and is in demand as a leader of pre-game prayer sessions. Among the players who have reached out to Lecrae are Jeremy Lin of the Houston Rockets, Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dwight Howard of the Los Angeles Lakers and Justin Forsett of the Houston Texans. His reach also extends to teams such as the Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA; New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL; and New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball.

K-pop: A fad or will it stay?

Posted on November 4, 2012 by buzz

Oppa Gangnam Style!

By: Marina Ignatyeva

Ever since “Gangnam Style” went viral on Youtube, the South Korean rap star Psy skyrocketed into U.S. super stardom. He brought the spotlight onto Korean pop, otherwise known as K-pop, which has already been massively popular all over Asia. The funny video, the crazy horse dance and the fact that the catchy dance song is performed by a fat guy in an outrageous suit appealed to the American public, which has a long history of loving bizarre Youtube videos. Korean media and Psy’s entertainment company, YG Entertainment (one of the biggest and most influential companies in Korea and Asia), hail this as a victory for K-pop, and that Korean artists are crossing over to the U.S. market after years of trying. I think this raises the question of just how permanent this success is.

Korean artists had been trying to debut in America for years. In 2005, R&B sensation Rain, who starred in Ninja Assassin, tried to debut. He even appeared multiple times on the Daily Show, and had funny dance offs with Stephen Colbert. After him came the pop princess BoA, who is a huge star in Korea and Japan, and Seven, another popular solo artist. All three of them released songs that were aimed to be similar as the American music at the time, and all three of them aimed for the sexy dancer/powerful vocalist image. All three of them reached only very limited degrees of success. A more successful debut was by the Wonder Girls, who opened for the Jonas Brothers on their 2009 tour. They managed to be more popular than those before them, and even released a recent song featuring Akon. However, at the end of the day, the majority of Americans did not even know that K-pop existed.

If tailoring to the U.S. market did not work, what does Psy’s success means? I believe it reflects that the U.S. Youtube users discovered a hilarious video that went viral. To most of the viewers, K-pop is “Gangnam Style”. It does not matter that Korean music is very broad, or that there are better songs than Psy’s hit. They do not try to understand the lyrics, nor do they care that Psy has been releasing songs with deeper meaning and better sound since 1993. In a sense, Psy had locked himself up in a very limited song type, and he will have a very hard time diversifying without losing his success. This probably means that K-pop is a fad, but only time will truly tell.

‘Sensation’-al European Dance Music Event to Debut in America This Year

Posted on June 11, 2012 by buzz

Written by: Kristiina Yang

Dazzling European audiences for 12 years and running, Dutch entertainment group ID&T announced on May 31 that it would finally be bringing its popular dance music event ‘Sensation White’ to the United States in October 2012.

The event, which will be called Sensation America, is slated to make its debut in Brooklyn, New York at the city’s brand new Barclays Center, a sports arena that will open just one month before Sensation arrives. Due to anticipated high demand, the event will take place on two back-to-back dates, Oct. 26 and 27.

What makes this event particularly unique is that all of its attendees are asked to wear all white clothing, creating a sense of unity amongst the crowd. Sensation has marketed itself upon the slogan, “Be Part of the Night- Dress in White!” and has consistently sold out its tickets with each event hosting approximately 40,000 to 45,000 attendees, with a similar number expected to be seen donning white outfits at Sensation America.

Sensation America is expected to draw a massive crowd all dressed in white, just like this past Sensation Amsterdam '11. (Photo: Sensation.com)

Sensation is one of the foremost electronic music events, beginning in Amsterdam in 2000 and spreading across major European cities and for the first time this year to locations around the world in the United States, South America and Asia. Less known about the event is that Sensation contributes a small portion of its ticket sales to its exclusive charity, dance4life, a worldwide youth empowerment organization.

What has made Sensation so popular and successful is the high production value of the event and the organizer’s ability to recruit talented and upcoming electronic music artists. Sensation has always occurred in indoor spaces with ID&T carefully crafting a unique atmosphere with its enticing decor, lighting design and spatial layouts, greatly contributing to the audiences’ experience at the event.

Further, the spread of Sensation from Europe to America follows the rising popularity of electronic dance music, with greater presence of this type of music on radio airwaves and at various festivals around the world. While in the past, these artists were limited to smaller venues and nightclubs, massive events, such as Sensation, demonstrate their new prominence in today’s popular culture. The artists for Sensation America have not been announced yet, but are sure to be those well-known in the electronic music world.

Some are skeptical, however, about the success of Sensation in catering to American crowds, with thoughts on the event being shared on numerous electronic music websites and blogs upon its announcement. Such skeptics feel that electronic music itself is more appreciated in Europe than in the US and that people may attend the event without having the sense of camaraderie that exists amongst fans of any type of music, rather attending for Sensation’s showiness.

Regardless, October’s Sensation America will prove to be a unique, groundbreaking event bringing a cornerstone of contemporary electronic music to the United States. For those ages 21 and up, ticket sales begin on Friday, June 8, 2012 on Sensation’s website, where further information can also be found.

Double Dragon Music Two Blazing Music Producers Lighting Up Amazing Music Artist Voices

Posted on February 14, 2012 by buzz

Written by: Chawonza Nash, February 13, 2012

Double Dragon Music produces an ingenious blend of soulful R&B music and mixes smokin’ hip-hop beats for some of the best rap lyrics broadcasting the music airwaves. Production artists and brothers Roy and Elmo Chong, a.k.a. the “Funk Seoul Brothers,” hailing from Vancouver, Canada began producing music locally in 2001. These talented dynamos cut their music production teeth on collaborations with musical talents such as Canadian hip-hop artist Swollen Members, musical crooner Usher Raymond and gospel/Christian hip-hop artist Da’T.R.U.T.H.

Double Dragon Music Producer

Their production efforts did indeed sear the attention of the music industry. Swollen Members’ album Black Magic received a Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year 2007. Da’ T.R.U.T.H. (member of gospel hip-hop collective Cross Movement) album The Faith propelled him center stage. Double Dragon produced two songs on The Faith album, “Incredible Christian” which debuted number seven on Billboard Gospel Charts and “2 is Better” which breathed an air of R&B. Double Dragon’s production successes has propelled them to work with some of the hottest Korean Artist in the music industry.

Anyone familiar with Korean Pop, Hip-hop and R&B culture knows you need only say Drunken Tiger, Tiger JK or Tasha Reid also known as Yoon Mi Rae, Yang Dong Geun a.k.a. YDG, Buga Kingz, Bobby Kim, Rain, Leessang and seismic waves from Asian fans screams will cross continents, tsunami across the ocean sending aftershocks into the US and Canada. Fueling these shock waves is Double Dragon’s smokin’ hot mixes and blended music productions.

2005 opened a collaborative relationship with Double Dragon and Drunken Tiger, members DJ Shine and Tiger JK (DJ Shine exited that year). Drunken Tigers’ album “1945 Liberation” became a phenomenal success on which Double Dragon produced song “Put Your Hands Up,” becoming a club hit and Karaoke favorite. Collaboration on this album as Double Dragon put it, “marked a milestone for us,” as it was their first production experience working with Korean artists. This production gave wings to more production opportunities with even more Korean music artists. They also produced Drunken Tiger song, “Doo Doo Wap Ba Balu,” by implementing an instrumental effect to heighten the song’s overall sound.

Another Korean powerhouse artist Double Dragon has produced for is none other than Bobby Kim. Silk wishes it had the texture his voice emits when he sings. Bobby Kim is also a member of hip-hop group Buga Kingz, including members Juvie Train and Gan-D. Double Dragon’s recent collaboration with these artist exhibits their true production genius. Buga Kingz recent release of mini-album “A Decade” includes hip-hop genres: new school, electronic disco, reggae and jazz hip-hop are all perfectly packaged in this album.

Double Dragon Music production resume includes collaborations with Korean artists Rain (Jung Ji-Hoon) and hip-hop duo Leessang (members Kang Hee-gun and Gil Seong-joon). Key to their success is their distinctive sound which is a perfect marriage of stirred not shaken blends ever produced for music artist voices. Double Dragon has said, “We’re two of the baddest Korean brothas you’ll ever meet!!! (Bad as in good of course).”

To elaborate on their statement Lord Finesse’s sample in hip-hop song “Rockefellar Skank” says it best, “Right about now, the funk soul brotha. Check it out now, the funk soul brotha.” Double Dragon productions are right about now some of the hottest produced sounds in the music industry, so check out these Funk Seoul Brothers masterful production blends on their Facebook page or Youtube Channel and yes it is Double Dragon Music.

Adele Rules the Awards, Whitney Remembered at Sunday’s Grammys

Posted on February 13, 2012 by buzz

Written by: Katie Garren

Singer Adele holds the six Grammys she won at Sunday night's Grammy Awards

Sunday night’s Grammy ceremony was dominated by two big stories: Adele’s incredible talent and Whitney Houston’s sad passing Saturday afternoon. From the very beginning of the night, it was clear to the audience that this would not be the typical awards show, with host LL Cool J saying, “There is no way around this. We’ve had a death in our family, and so at least for me, the only thing that feels right is to begin with a prayer for a woman we love, for our fallen sister, Whitney Houston.” He then led a prayer in her honor, before telling the audience that the night was still going to be a party. As it turned out, its was Adele’s party they were celebrating.

Adele took home every award for which she was nominated. Her six awards included Artist of the Year, Record of the Year (for her song, “Rolling in the Deep”) and Album of the Year (for her album 21). In her acceptance speech for Album of the Year, Adele broke down in tears. She told the audience, “This record is inspired by something that’s really normal and everyone’s been through it, just a rubbish relationship. And it’s gone on to do things I can’t tell you how I feel about it. It’s been the most life-changing year.” Earlier in the ceremony, Adele had performed on stage for the first time since having surgery on her vocal chords earlier this year. She alluded to this surgery after winning the Grammy for best pop solo performance saying, “And seeing as it’s a vocal performance, I need to thank my doctors, I suppose, who brought my voice back.” Her performance was met with an extended standing ovation.

Jennifer Hudson sings at Houston tribute

Singer Jennifer Hudson sings a tribute to Whitney Houston at Sunday night's Grammys

The passing of music icon Whitney Houston put a damper on the typical awards show atmosphere. Herself a Grammy winner, Houston was set to perform at a pre-Grammy party the day she died. On short notice, the producers of the Grammys scrambled to find an appropriate was to pay tribute to the late singer. Many performers throughout the night paid tribute to Houston in their songs. Stevie Wonder said during his performance, “I just want to say to Whitney up in heaven: We all love you, Whitney Houston.” The real, Grammy-sponsored tribute came during the traditional remembrance slideshow when Jennifer Hudson took the stage and sang a powerful rendition of Houston’s cover version of Dolly Parton’s song “I Will Always Love You.” At the end of the song, Hudson sang out, “Whitney, we will always love you,” in a fitting tribute to a fallen icon.

The Passing of an Icon: Whitney Houston Dead at 48

Posted on February 12, 2012 by buzz

Iconic singer Whitney Houston poses in her prime

Written by: Katie Garren

Iconic superstar Whitney Houston was found dead in her room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday. This marks the passing of one of the most recognizable figures of the ‘80s and ‘90s. She was 48 years old.

Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. WST, after paramedics performed CPR for 20 minutes, according to the LA Times. Her body was found in her hotel room’s bathtub. Cause of death is not apparent at this time. However, “There were no obvious signs of any criminal intent,” Beverly Hills police Lt. Mark Rosen told reporters outside the hotel.

The word was shocked when many sources reported that Whitney Houston had been found dead of unknown causes. Countless celebrities took to Twitter to express their sadness and shock after hearing the news. Clive Davis, Houston’s long time mentor, spoke at a pre-Grammy party he was hosting Saturday night saying, “By now you have all learned of the unspeakably tragic news of our beloved Whitney’s passing. I don’t have to mask my emotion in front of a room full of so many dear friends. I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me for so many years.” He continues, “Whitney would have wanted the music to go on and her family asked that we carry on.” Houston’s godmother, Aretha Franklin, released a statement saying, “It’s so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn’t believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen.” A tribute to Houston was quickly planned for Sunday’s Grammy Awards. It was set to feature Jennifer Hudson and Chaka Khan.

In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Houston was a worldwide celebrity, having both singing and acting credits to her name. She is perhaps best remembered for her powerful voice utilized in her smash hit “I Will Always Love You” and her performance in the film The Bodyguard, which co-stared Kevin Costner. She is the only artist in history to chart seven consecutive number ones. Houston was also the most awarded woman in history, having won a total of 415 awards as of 2010. Houston was an inspiration to many current artists, including Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Christina Aguilara. Her final film, Sparkle, is set to be released on Aug. 17 of this year.

In recent years, Houston’s talent has been overshadowed by her reported drug use and rocky marriage to singer Bobby Brown. Her startling antics were documented in a reality show about the couple titled Being Bobby Brown.

Eric Henkels: Wearing his Heart on his Sleeve

Posted on February 6, 2012 by buzz

Vulnerability and openness are two feelings one can anticipate before they listen to the serene, melodious tunes that Eric Henkels so honestly produces. Former member of Find Vienna, Eric now spends his time wholeheartedly absorbed in his most recent solo project.

At the age of three, with his grandfather’s eager ear listening to his erratic banging on the keyboard, Eric discovered his calling and his passion.

“Music has been in my life literally as long as I can physically remember,” he says.

Finding his direction, Eric played in numerous bands covering a wide variety of genres. From punk rock to pop, indie to jazz, Eric finally “grew into himself” with his realization that singer-songwriters like Elliott Smith and Ben Gibbard were his true heroes. “If somebody can sit there and listen to you play a song alone and think ‘oh my god that’s beautiful’,” he said, “imagine what you can do when you add instrumentation.”

A little boy claps as Eric and friend play the guitar

Although Eric enjoys playing numerous instruments, he admits that piano is his favorite (with guitar as a close second). Playing the piano comes easy to Eric, as having a conversation or texting somebody comes easy to everyone else. “There is nothing quite like the rush I get when I start going nuts on the piano,” he confesses, “I’m so comfortable with it.”

When it comes to song writing, Eric is his own worst critic. However, despite the quickness he has to admit this, Eric produces songs that are both smooth and easy to listen to. His favorite, Robes and Crowns was the result of a life-changing experience after visiting Ireland and England. “I came home, put my guitar in really weird tuning, and just started playing,” he said, “[Robes and Crowns] was the first thing I came up with, and I’m really proud of it.”

Like all musicians, Eric’s music has evolved enormously. The first song Eric ever wrote with his best friend, Mike, was called “3 PM”, amusingly because that’s the time that his middle school let out. “That’s the beautiful thing about music,” he says, “it changes and moves and grows up as you change and move and grow up.”

Speaking of changing and growing, Eric is sure to impress any listener with his recent cover of his favorite Bon Iver track, Blindsided. This brave and adept rendition wells up all your emotions at once. Using his voice as a musical tool, Eric sings acapella and creates a beautiful harmony by layering different tracks of his voice. The result is a calming, moving piece that only a skillful musician could produce.

“The thing that makesBlindsided so beautiful to me is the way that the harmonies intertwine with the driving acoustic guitar riff,” he says.

Right now, Eric is concentrating on recording his solo album, which will be called “Every Day is a Year.” The album will consist of two separate sides, one called “A Day” and the other “A Year.” An idea he has been toying with for quite some time, Eric hopes to demonstrate two separate sides of himself with this album. A Day will contain mostly acoustic, lo-fi intimate songs while A Year will be louder and bigger. “I want people to see and hear the wide range of emotions that I feel on a weekly basis.”

To listen to the tracks from Every Day is a Year, be sure to check out Eric’s bandcamp. Some of his other covers can be heard on his myspace.

“I want my music to reach everybody, no exceptions,” Eric admits, “There’s not a single person out there that I don’t want to touch with my music. It’s idealistic, but…. Hey. Whatever.”

By: Christina Paone

Drake Sells Out UC Davis Show for Big Bucks

Posted on February 6, 2012 by buzz

written by: Amani Liggett

Renowned hip-hop artist Drake is scheduled to perform a sold-out show at UC Davis’ Pavilion on March 7^th. While student discount tickets are advertised for selling at $49.50, many students and non-students alike have parted with $100-$200 to snag tickets for this popular performer’s Club Paradise tour. Drake will be playing songs from his latest album Take Care, with opening acts from Kendrick Lamar and A$AP ROCKY.

Both general admin floor ($79.75) and upper level ($59.75) tickets have already sold out.

Many students considering themselves big hip-hop fans scrambled for the former, higher priced standing option. Unfortunately for Davis students, the student discount was offered for the upper level seats only, which let’s face it, is a little less glamorous.

For those desperate to see the popular Canadian recording artist, there are still tickets available from scalpers online on websites such as StubHub and TicketsMore. The prices for these are considerably higher; an upper-level ticket going for around $130, while a standing floor ticket going as high as $350. The UC Davis Pavilion emphasizes that those who seek tickets from these sites buy at their own risk.

Despite this, student’s excitement about the performance seems to be over ruling

any sore feelings about high prices. Post-UCD grad Maral Pirinjian offered the reasoning that “I love Drake so much, I didn’t even care that it was $100 for the ticket.”

An understandable explanation when looking at Drake’s popularity and history working with other big-name hip-hop artists like Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Eminem, and Jay-Z. Drake has also been nominated for several Grammy awards, and was a main performer at the 2010 Grammy awards. Other UC Davis students commented on Drake’s acting work on the pre-teen show Degrassi in 2001 as reason to why he has such a loyal fan base.

In addition to making his own music, Drake has also written for other artists in the industry such as Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx, and Mary J. Blige. He also tends to feature or remix tracks that he has written for other artists such as Unthinkable Remix by Alicia Keys. Drake and Lil Wayne have both also written for Dr. Dre together.

The last big name hip-hop performer to grace the UCD campus was Snoop Dogg, for a Valentines Day show last year at Freeborn Hall. Similarly, students threw down big bucks for last minute tickets to see the artist.

Drake’s performance in Davis starts at 8pm, and it is recommended to get there early.

Over 700 “Lost” Thin Lizzy Tracks To Be Released

Posted on January 9, 2012 by buzz

Thin Lizzy's prolific front man Phil Lynott

Hundreds of “Lost” Thin Lizzy Recordings Uncovered

Written by Agathe Panaretos- An unnamed third party has come forward with 150 tapes of unreleased recordings given to him by Thin Lizzy front man Phil Lynott.

The mystery source, known only as a “Thin Lizzy fan,” received the recordings shortly before Lynott’s death in 1986 at age 36.

The tracks have been released free of charge to Universal Music; the label plans to issue select tracks later this year in a box set.

“This is an absolutely stunning find,” Steve Hammonds, project manager for the box-set, told an Irish paper. With almost 700 songs, Hammonds described the tapes as “out-takes, unheard versions of Thin Lizzy hits and, most exciting of all, material that was recorded but never released at the time.”

Universal is collaborating with former members of the band, including Brian Downey and Scott Gorham, who continues to travel and perform under the band’s name. The former members will have final say in which tracks will be released and what other material will be issued.

It has been nearly 30 years since Thin Lizzy’s original lineup split. The band formed in 1969 in Dublin and released 13 albums together. These albums spawned a plethora of number one hits, including “Whiskey in a Jar,” and “The Boys Are Back in Town.”

The band broke up following the release of “Renegade” in 1981. The band’s history had been plagued with tension between various members and Lynott over creative control. Some, including member Snowy White, felt they should have been paid as a session musician for Lynott’s solo endeavors rather than as an equal member of the band. Lynott’s creative output and control over Thin Lizzy’s interests was overwhelming, causing trouble for the band while also being the source of their success.

“Phil Lynott was such a prolific songwriter,” said Hammonds, “He recorded 12 Thin Lizzy albums, two solo albums, along with his Grand Slam post-Lizzy project, and now we find he had even more songs in his drawer.”

The anonymous owner of the tapes was hesitant to come forward with the material, unsure of how they would be received and treated. The fan’s fears were relieved, however, when Universal Music released a seven-disc box set for the band last year. The set was comprised of material taken directly from the BBC archives.

The fan approached Universal following the release of the set and offered the recordings free of charge. The tracks range from sessions the band held with Decca Records in 1971 up until “Renegade.” Universal hopes to have the set prepared and ready for distribution by June of this year.

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