Sepultura

The curse were spoken, but very few creed that those boys would fly so high. Many people know SEPULTURA began as a role-play, early 80's in Belo Horizonte, a city located in southeast Brazil. And destiny was generous when it gave Paulo Jr. (b), Jairo Guedez (g), Max (g/v) and Igor Cavalera the ways of metal music. The Brazilian death metal scene was a crawling toddler when the band released their first LP in 1985. Entitled BESTIAL DEVASTATION, the record was split with fellow band Overdose and their SÉCULO XX recording.

Songs like Antichrist and Bestial Devastation made clear what SEPULTURA's goal was with their music, and their ever-growing legion of fans understood them well. The next step up was their very own album MORBID VISIONS (1986). Full of good riffs and the everlasting anthem Troops of Doom this remarkable record made them known all over Brazil, giving the band the opportunity of touring their land. But it also were their last album with Jairo Guedez, who unfortunately decided to leave the band.

SEPULTURA was growing in the Brazilian scene at a speed never seen before and their need for a new lead guitar player was fulfilled when Andreas Kisser, a talented and innovative musician like no other, joined the band. 1987 marked the release of SCHIZOPHRENIA, an instant classic to Brazilian metal and very well produced record with outstanding songs, like Escape to the Void and the instrumental piece Inquisition Symphony. By this time SEPULTURA arrived in foreign ears, driving attention from abroad to the Brazilian scene.

SCHIZOPHRENIA was bootlegged in Europe, selling 30.000 copies for which the band received no copyright profits at all. In its homeland, the band was playing even in the most inaccessible cities, like Manaus near the Amazon in Northern Brazil.

Igor, Max, Paulo and Andreas
Reaching for fame, after this outstanding album, SEPULTURA signed with Dutch label RoadRunner Records. Their first release on RR was 1989's BENEATH THE REMAINS, a reference in metal music nowadays. The band recorded the album in Brazil and despite a low budget, decided to bring Scott Burns from the USA to produce it. His experience and expertise were essential to bring professionalism to the band, teaching them to work like grown-ups. Burns also mixed and mastered the album in the US, something no other Brazilian metal band had ever done before.

To support the release of BENEATH THE REMAINS, SEPULTURA went on their first international tour. They toured Europe as an opening act for metal-legend Sodom, traveled over the US and went down to Mexico, marking their name across an ever growing amount of frontiers. It was a memorable tour for the band as they met some of their all time idols, Motörhead and Metallica, crossed the Berlin wall before the cold war was over, and shot their first video. Inner Self was the chosen song, one of the album's greatest hits along with title track Beneath the Remains and Mass Hypnosis.

First international tour
Being the first Brazilian metal band to succeed abroad, they were invited to the select group of headliners of the second edition of the Rock in Rio festival. To mark the occasion, their upcoming album ARISE (1991) had an anticipate release as a commemorative edition, the ARISE ROUGH MIXES (today a collector's item).

Max Cavalera
After playing in Rio de Janeiro, the band played a free outdoors gig in Sao Paulo in the Charles Muller Square, just outside Pacaembu Stadium, as a huge party to compensate for the long time they were away from their homeland. Unfortunately among the crowd of over 40.000 enthusiastic and excited fans, things ran out of control and a fan was murdered.

This tragic incident brought an aura of fear surrounding the Brazilian show business producers, and conveyed a false image of evilness of the SEPULTURA fans. For years to come all their concerts in Brazil would only happened after long and harsh negotiations.

However, the ARISE tour was a complete success worldwide. The band played in places they could never imagine they would like Greece, Japan and Australia, where one of the band's first single (Third World Posse) was released. In Holland, SEPULTURA played their first big international festival, the Dynamo Open Air. Also, over 100.000 fans celebrated their 2 sold out stadium concerts in Indonesia, where they went gold on ARISE's cassette tapes sales.

Beside the Third World Chaos single, singles were released for the songs Under Siege and Dead Embryonic Cells. Two video clips from Arise were done (Arise and Dead Embryonic Cells), and a home video entitled Under Siege, with live footage from Barcelona, Spain. After all was said, sung, played and done SEPULTURA had gotten the recognition they deserved for their hard work.

Recording the video for 'Territory'
But their most important work was released in 1993, with a stunning party in a medieval castle in England, where the press from all over the globe met. With CHAOS AD the band incorporated some unexpected elements to their brutal sound, like the Brazilian rhythms in the instrumental piece Kaiowas.

Ever since ince this album came out, bringing new ideas, concepts and cultures in their music became SEPULTURA's trademark. Territory was the first single off CHAOS AD. The Territory video clip was shot in Israel, which was a huge step forward for a Brazilian metal band.

The band then won the MTV Video Music Awards for best video of the year in Brazil. The songs Refuse/Resist and Slave New World also became singles/videos, and later the three were released as a home video (Third World Chaos).

Promo picture for CHAOS A.D.
This amazing album brought along an amazing tour. They broke taboos being the first Brazilian band to tour Russia and also the first Latin American band to play "The Monsters of Rock" festival in Donington, England. Meanwhile, in Brazil, it wasn't easy to book concerts as the band's fans still were portrayed as violent people following that horrible incident at the free Sao Paulo gig (during the ARISE Tour). But thanks to the Brazilian Official Fan Club (a.k.a. SOBFC) efforts the band finally could showcase its new work in its homeland. Working as hard as they could, the fan club members and Antonio Coelho (a.k.a. Toninho, president and founder) obtained an amount of signatures so impressive demanding SEPULTURA's presence at "The Hollywood Rock Festival" that its producers had no choice but adding the band to the bill.

In 1994 Max developed a great parallel project with Alex Newport from the band Fudge Tunnel. They named it NAILBOMB and recorded the album POINT BLANK with ultra-special guests Andreas Kisser, Igor Cavalera, Dino Cazares (Fear Factory), just to name a few. NAILBOMB recorded a second and last album while playing at the DYNAMO Open Air to a crowd of 100.000. It was a quick but strong project, and is considered a cult by the SEPULTURA fans.

With the Xavantes tribe
By then, SEPULTURA had written its part of the history of music and was celebrating a decade of existence but still felt the urge to create, innovate and evolve. And they did rose to a new level with their 1996's effort entitled ROOTS. The album title made clear what had influenced the band during the writing and recording process. Lots of Brazilian icons can be found in this remarkable record but the strongest is without a doubt the experience with the Brazilian native Xavantes tribe. The band spent some days living with the tribe and recorded the song Itsari during its stay there.

The songs Roots Bloody Roots, Attitude and Ratamahatta were all realeased as singles and videos. The first video clip (Roots Bloody Roots) was recorded in the city of Salvador, the birthplace of Brazil. The Attitude video features The Gracie family, Brazilian sport legends, and creators of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

With Gracie family recording the video for 'Attitude'
Ratamahatta is sung in Portuguese and features Brazilian percussionist Carlinhos Brown. The video clip for the song won the Best Rock Video award at MTV's Video Music Awards Brazil, and is the only video of SEPULTURA featuring no humans. It only shows puppets in a digitally animated world. The band then released a double version of the album entitled THE ROOTS OF SEPULTURA, with the regular version of ROOTS in one CD and a brief musical history of the band on the second one.


Monsters Of Rock '96
The ROOTS tour was scheduled worldwide and included some important festivals. The band's routine was quite tiring. Tragedy struck the band the day SEPULTURA was playing Donington's "Monsters of Rock" Festival. They received the sad news that a close friend of the band, the son of the band's manager and Max's stepson, Dana Wells, had died. As soon as possible Max flew back to the USA and the band had to perform for the first time as a three piece, in one of the most meaningful concerts of their career. Some fellow musicians helped them out and the three band members did well, they were hurt and sad, but didn't let their fans down that day.

The crowd understood the situation and showed respect to the band with one minute of absolute silence, a bone chilling moment. After this concert SEPULTURA took a break to pay their last respcets and mourn Dana but was back on the road shortly after.

The band did extended and successful concerts during that tour, but meanwhile administrative concerns were creating tension within the band. Often, they would not agree with the management and ultimately opted not to renew the contract of their manager when the time came. Unfortunately, the band's manager happened to be Max's wife, and the couple couldn't agree with the rest of the band. They were given the choice to split the management of the band, so Max could be managed by his wife. Instead, Max decided to leave the band. The rest of the tour had to be cancelled and the band's future was in jeopardy.

Recovering from the shock, the band knew they couldn't end their life's work this way and abandon their legion of loyal fans, as SEPULTURA is more than a band to some; it also is an ideology. As soon as they could they started working on their next album as a three piece. Meanwhile, Max went on and formed a new band (SOULFLY).

Sepultura, 1997
Igor, Paulo and Andreas found a new way for their music. This new direction brought Paulo's bass to the spotlight and Andreas did he vocals for a while but, as he never had sung before, wasn't comfortable doing it. SEPULTURA then started auditioning for a new singer.

The demo tapes came flying in RoadRunner Records offices from all over the world and the selection process proved to be a tough one. A small number of vocalists sounded good enough to take the spot. Each received a tape containing a couple of songs and were asked to work on it, including writing lyrics, before meeting the band for an audition. The final auditions took place in Brazil, for the fondness of the new singer with the band's homeland and its culture was essential, so were the bonding and relations with the band members.

Igor, Paulo, Derrick and Andreas
Right from the start, the band was impressed by Derrick Green. Derrick felt comfortable in Brazil, became a soccer fan, and got along with the band extremely well. Derrick was the man SEPULTURA was looking for and he became part of the family.

When Derrick joined, most of the songs were already written, only the the vocals were missing, and the band was in a rush to get the album released. Still they did everything the best they could, and AGAINST was released in 1998.

A very emotional album, AGAINST reflects the struggle of the band to win back their confidence and sportrays the power of SEPULTURA. Very special guests contributed to the album : long time friends of the band Joao Gordo (REZA) and Jason Newsted (HATRED ASIDE) and the Japanese Taiko drummers from KODO (KAMAITACHI), who hosted SEPULTURA at the KODO village (the Sado Island in Japan).

Then came the time to meet the fans again and make clear to everyone that all the press's gossip about SEPULTURA being dead were shameless rumors and lies. The first concert of the AGAINST era was a big charity event in Brazil, the BARULHO CONTRA FOME (Noise against hunger) concert.

Barulho Contra Fome ad
Derrick had been in a few bands before, but never had to face such a numerous, loyal and demanding audience. SEPULTURA rehearsed for BARULHO CONTRA FOME by playing a few concerts in small venues in California, including Los Angeles (Brick by Brick), under the name 'TROOPS OF DOOM'.

BARULHO CONTRA FOME was a great success. Several special SEPULTURA guests performed with them, presenting the 30.000 fans a show they'll remember forever. Mike Patton traveled from Italy to Sao Paulo to jam with the band. Jason Newsted came from the US. The Xavantes Indians got to know a whole new world coming down from their village to the concrete jungle of Sao Paulo. Carlinhos Brown left sunny Bahia to do RATAMAHATTA again. Jairo gladly joined his ex-band mates again and horror movie legend Coffin Joe blessed the band in his evil ways. Press and fans from abroad joined the enthusiastic crowd and warmly welcomed Derrick to the Sepultribe.

The singles 'TRIBUS', 'AGAINST' AND 'CHOKE' (this one also having a video clip with live footage from BARULHO CONTRA FOME show) were released off AGAINST. The AGAINST TOUR was succesful, reaching countries all over the world. SEPULTURA join classic metal act SLAYER to tour for the first time, putting an end to an unfounded rumor that the bands didn't get along well. And for the joy of die-hard Brazilian fans, SEPULTURA finally toured Brazil after years of absence.

As soon as the tour was over, the four musicians started writing the next album. The AGAINST years were an essential energy boost to the band that led them to conquer their own NATION (2001).

Andreas, Paulo, Igor and Derrick altogether wrote an album and created a utopian world. A special place for the most important people: fans, friends and families. The lyrics of the song SEPULNATION explain it all, their music is their weapon and they use it skillfully.

Rock In Rio 3
Thanks to the cooperation of the band's WebTribe, SEPULTURA were invited to play the third edition of the Rock in Rio festival. There they introduced NATION to a 150.000 people crowd, starting the show with the amazing anthem VALTIO, written with the collaboration of Finnish musicians APOCALYPTICA.

This new record went gold even before it reached the stores. It has its own style, guests like Jello Biafra and Dr. Israel, and even quotes from Mother Teresa de Calcutta, Albert Einstein, Gandhi and the 14th Dalai Lama.

The SEPULNATION already is rising up!

Pioneer DJM800 Professional DJ Mixer

The Pioneer DJM800 is the new professional-grade mixer. Pure fidelity is delivered by the hi-end 96kHz/24 bit A/D converter that’s complemented by 61 assignable MIDI control channels and 'Harmonic Mixing’ capability. This is a landmark innovation that detects a track’s key and automatically aligns it to the closest true key removing inaccuracies created when adjusting the pitch. With digital connectivity a large bright dot matrix display and a wide a range of high quality effects the DJM800 enables DJs to perfect pristine mixing. ‘We’re dedicated to finding new ways to improve the techniques available to DJs to create sensational sets: we achieved it with CD mixing and the genre-defining A/V decks the DVJX1 and DVJ1000 . And we’ve achieved it again with the DJM800

It offers superlative digital performance, huge MIDI versatility and a new approach to harmonic mixing that replicates the way that DJs intuitively mix music. The innovation, combined with the unit's sonic purity and a range of supporting features will advance mixing techniques. It's the type of breakthrough that clubs, professional DJs and the emerging generation of artists expect from Pioneer,' comments Jason Pook, product planning manager, Pioneer Europe.

Sonic purity is a given from Pioneer and the DJM-800 inherits the high fidelity technology of its big brother the DJM-1000. The analogue signal from the player is immediately digitised (through the shortest possible route) by a pro A/D converter at 96kHz/24bit, reaching the ultra-powerful (32bit) Digital Signal Processor without deterioration of quality.

Inputs and outputs
Digital inputs and outputs support transparent signal processing between Pioneer's CDJ and DVJ series of digital decks delivering immaculate audio quality. With input frequencies of 44.1/48/96kHz and selectable output frequencies of between 48/96kHz it's a perfect mixer not only for the club professional but also recording studios where high fidelity sound is required.

MIDI function
Another key feature is the fully assignable MIDI function. This means that MIDI signals can be sent from almost all knobs and switches on the surface of the DJM-800 (a total of 61 assignable controls) to external MIDI equipment. With this level of MIDI flexibility, the DJM-800 can be used as a versatile interface to control any MIDI controllable lighting, software and MIDI enabled video mixers. To extend the intuitive operation of the unit, optional rotary volume knobs are available to replace the main volume switches – a feature that supports more subtle and precise mixing.

Effects
Extensive dialogue with some of the world's top DJs and sound engineers provided the catalyst to create new, intuitive techniques to effect the perfect mix, resulting in ‘sound colour effects' - a whole new style of DJ mixing. In music terms, if the DJ adjusts a track in the key of C by +3%, you are no longer in the key of C, and now between C and D. This makes it impossible to perform a perfect harmonic mix, unless harmonic tuning is applied. Harmonic tuning takes whatever key the source audio is in and adjusts the pitch until the key reaches a standard note. World class DJs currently spend hours learning the keys of their music and re-mastering their library to be in ‘perfect pitch' - this innovation makes it easier to deliver smooth mixes everytime. The DJM-800 also offers ‘filter', ‘sweep' and ‘crush' effects through a highpass/lowpass filter, notch filter and bit crusher effect for all line channels.

In keeping with Pioneer's relentless drive for innovation it has complemented its familiar effects with some new techniques for a package that includes: Echo, Delay, Reverse Delay, Pan, Transform, Filter, Flanger, Phaser, Reverb, Robot, Chorus, Roll and Reverse Roll. The effects automatically detect the BPM of the music and sync to the beats. In conjunction with the additional Digital Beat Effects, 50 combinations of effects are possible.

Chassis
Like the DJM-1000, the DJM-800 also has the same high rigid chassis for minimizing unnecessary vibration that could adversely affect sound quality. It is based on the same layout and footprint as the DJM-600, providing the natural and familiar feel known to DJs across the world. It also incorporates a dual-shield structure for eliminating entry of digital noise and a high performance power supply.

Additional features
The DJM-800 has a massive range of features. Some of the additional highlights include:
• Cross fader assign: to assign each channel's input to the cross fader
• Fader curve adjust: to change the cross fader/channel fader curve
• Fader start: connect a Pioneer CDJ player with a control cable and playback can be started by simply sliding the cross fader or channel fader
• 3-Band Equalizer: a built-in equalizer on each channel enables level control within a –26dB to +6dB range for high, mid & low bands, respectively
• Talk over: automatically attenuates the volume by -20db so an MC can talk over the track
• Mic signal cut: Eliminates the microphone sound output to the booth monitor to prevent feedback
• Peak level meter: Check the peak level of the input audio for each channel as well as the master
• Master output rotary knob
• Master output attenuation switch
• Twin mic level adjustment
• Optional rotary faders available (DJC-800RV)

Numark BATTLEPAK Turntable Package

If you want direct drive turntables check out Numark's Battle Pak. Everything beginner or intermediate DJs need is included for instant mix gratification. Package includes two TT-1625 direct drive turntables one DM950 mixer HF-125 headphones cartridges slipmats and all cables.

FEATURES:
• Two TT-1625 direct drive turntables
• One DM950 scratch mixer
• Pair of HF-125 Headphones
• Two cartridges
• Two slipmats
• All cables included
• Easy to set up

Source : planetdj.com

ALL SAINTS Biography

All Saints are a British/Canadian pop music girl group that enjoyed considerable critical and commercial success. The group comprises founding members Melanie Blatt and Shaznay Lewis, and sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton.

The girls have recently reformed (Sept 06), appeared on the Johnathan Ross show and released a new single.

Both Melanie and Shaznay started their career by doing backing vocals at the ZTT Recording Studios on All Saints Road, London. In 1993, Mel, Shaznay, and the original third member Simone Rainford decided to record together. According to Simone, they thought of Spice as a name of their group, but they decided that it wasn't good enough and decided to call themselves All Saints 1.9.7.5. after the street where they have met and their year of birth. They were signed to ZTT Records.
In 1994, All Saints 1.9.7.5. performed for the first time at the Touch magazine stage at the Notting Hill Carnival. They recorded three singles together, but the singles were not successful. Additionally, the musical views of Simone on the one hand and Melanie and Shaznay on the other hand were an increasing source of tension in the band. The high point of the band was during the Smash Hits tour in 1995, when they first got a glimpse of stardom and performed with Boyzone, Peter Andre, and the Backstreet Boys.
In the summer of 1995, Simone decided to leave the band and ZTT Records decided to drop the remaining duo from their label. Regardless, Melanie and Shaznay set out to find a replacement for Simone. After conducting some auditions, Melanie's father met Nicole Appleton whom Melanie knew from her days at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. Shaznay encouraged Nicole to join the band. Her sister Natalie was reluctant at first to join the group, since she had given birth to her daughter Rachel two years prior and did not want to abandon motherhood. However Nicole and Natalie's parents decided to help raise the baby and allow Natalie to pursue a career in music.
After being united as a group in May 1996, the four women met with Karl Gordon, a former bandmember of Outlaw Posse, who recorded a demo for "I Know Where It's At". The next task was finding a record label, but most record labels wanted to turn them into a Spice Girls duplicate. Luckily the demo ended up at London Records where John Benson finalised the recording deal in November 1996.
In 1997, "I Know Where It's At", their debut single as a four-piece, stormed to #4 on the UK charts and was highly successful. The next single, "Never Ever", launched All Saints as pop stars, selling over a million copies in the United Kingdom also. The song won them two BRIT Awards in 1998, for Best Single and Best Video. Other career highlights include: their Breakthrough Artist award at the MTV Europe Music Awards and "Pure Shores", their chart-topping collaboration with William Orbit from the Leonardo DiCaprio feature film The Beach, becoming the second best-selling single of 2000 (after "Bob the Builder"). Lowlights include their universally panned film, Honest, directed by ex-Eurythmics member Dave Stewart.
In their five year career, the band scored a total of five #1 singles. They split acrimoniously in 2001 after much speculation and rumour. Nicole and Natalie are now in their newly reformed duo Appleton, whilst Melanie and Shaznay went on to enjoy (moderate) solo success.
In late 2005/early 2006 they announced they were reuniting for a new studio album, and a tour is believed to be planned, alongside other 90's idols.
Reunion.
On January 24, 2006 it was announced that the band had reformed. All Saints signed a deal with Parlophone and they are due to release their third studio album in Autumn 2006.

Roland SP-555 Creative Sampler with Performance Effects

A realtime audio toolkit for DJs, producers, and sample-based musicians, Roland introduced the SP-555 creative sampler at Summer NAMM show 2007 in Austin, Texas. The newest member of the SP-sampler family features new functions such as Loop Capture and Super Filter.

Introducing the Loop Capture feature, sampling has become very easy. Versatility is added by sampling through line input, phantom-powered microphone input, USB audio streaming, and WAV/AIFF import. The SP-555 features audio interface capability with any DAW or DJ audio application (Cakewalk SONAR LE included) and large sample memory up to 2 GB via compactflash. Bundled wave converter software for Mac and PC for importing and exporting WAV/AIFF files is included.
Infrared D BEAM controller and V-LINK compatibility allow for high-impact performance as well as 16 performance effects, including Super Filter and DJFX Looper.

VCI-100 MIDI Controller

Introduced at winter Namm show 2007, Vestax will showcase the VCI-100 DJ MIDI controller at Musikmesse Frankfurt. USB based and featuring two jog wheels with sensor and control technology from Vestax’s industry standard turntables, the VCI-100 provides professional DJs and Producers with the “feel” of hardware mixing in the software realm.
Vestax has utilized its vest experience as DJ hardware manufacturer to design the only control surface that truly serves the Professional DJ/Producer’s real time mixing needs. The VCI-100 provides features that blur the line between hardware mixing and software control. The chassis is roughly the size of a standard Laptop, thin but highly durable, compact, and convenient for transportation.
The JOG wheel controls on the VCI-100 are constructed with high resolution pulse sensors, touch sensors, and acrylic platter mechanisms. With this combination, operations such as pitch bending, scanning and scratching can be performed with speed and accuracy. 66 software parameters are assignable to the VCI-100's control section via USB MIDI in/out.
The crossfader curve is adjustable to the user’s preference and the fader movement resistance is calculated on the fly by the VCI-100’s CPU as the data is streamed to the software, therefore, the crossfader curve is customizable regardless if that feature is available in a particular software package.
DJs can get up and running immediately with the included Traktor LE from Native Instruments, and Vestax has created exclusive control assignment files that provide seamless and intuitive control of the Traktor LE software. The VCI-100 is compatible with all software that allows MIDI control assignment and is plug & play with Apple and Windows computers.

Radiohead Biography

FORMED: 1989, Oxford, England Radiohead is widely regarded as one of the world's most important bands of today. While their debut was rather modest, they were shot to stardom after the success of "OK Computer" - a success that few probably would have expected or predicted when the five of them started playing together in the early 80s after meeting at Abingdon School in Oxford. Thom Yorke was the driving force of the band. He was singing in the punk band TNT, but asked the TNT bass player, Colin Greenwood, if he wanted to join him and guitar player Ed O'Brien in a new band. One year older Phil Selway started playing drums in the band. Colin's younger brother Jonny hung around them, bugging them, asking to join. Eventually, he was allowed to play with them, first on the harmonica, then, on the keyboards. Finally, he became the lead guitarist. The band was named "On A Friday" because they rehearsed on Fridays. They made their debut at the Jericho's Tavern in 1987. April 1991, they recorded their first demo tape. The demo gave them the opportunity to record another tape, and the Manic Hedgehog Demo got the ball rolling for the band. Parlophone A&R representative Keith Wozencroft heard it, and after seeing the band live at Jericho's, "On A Friday" signed for EMI. They also changed their name to Radiohead after Talking Head's song "Radio Head" from the True Stories album. In May 1992, the band released Drill EP which would eventually be a very sought after collector's item. When it was released, however, it reached #101 only and the band toured as a support band. Then, they released Creep EP in September 1992. Still, the big break didn't come before 1993 when Creep entered the Billboard Modern Rock Track Chart, peaking at second place. A re-issue of the single gave Radiohead the break they needed in the UK. Still, the album Pablo Honey never took off, and the fuss around the band faded in spite of them releasing My Iron Lung EP which got fairly good reviews. Radiohead's second album, The Bends, was released in March 1995. This album got a better reception than Pablo Honey, and the band got a slowly growing horde of loyal fans. However, they had to release five singles from the album before they got a top 10 hit with the beautiful Street Spirit [Fade Out]. One month after the release of the six-minute-long single Paranoid Android, Radiohead released OK Computer in June 1997. The album skyrocketed to the top of the charts and spent 71 consecutive weeks on the UK Chart, harvesting amazing reviews. MTV played the Paranoid Android single regularly, and Radiohead became superstars, winning several awards. OK Computer sold to platinum, and it has gained reputation as one of the 90s most significant albums. Then, things went quiet around Radiohead. They released Airbag/How Am I Driving? EP and Meeting People Is Easy, a weird little movie about the band made by Grant Gee, who also directed the No Surprises video. However, the band ran into some problems making the follow-up album to OK Computer. The recording sessions were long and in many ways, the band members had to re-define their roles in the band. Radiohead's music was also kind of re-defined when their fourth album, Kid A, was released in October 2000. The album went straight to number one in spite of the fact that no ordinary promotion scheme was used, and no singles were released from the album. Kid A was totally different from OK Computer. Radiohead had found inspiration from a lot of other sources, turning their heads to more experimental music. Still, Kid A was a success. June 2001, eight months after Kid A, Radiohead released the second part of their long recording session. The album Amnesiac contained tracks that were made at the same time as Kid A, and while the album held songs with guitar riffs, the Kid A experimental sound was also present at Amnesiac. On tour, Radiohead premiered a few new songs that showed a tendency towards going back to the good old guitar-based style. However, where Radiohead will go from now on is hard to tell. But a whole lot of loyal fans are waiting for their next move. Source: http://www.radiohead.org/band_info/

The Cranberries Biography

Thursday lunchtime in Dublin. Traffic's building up outside Windmill Lane studios, located right next door to one of the city's biggest bus depots. Grey skies roll in across the southside of the capital while in from the cold the Cranberries gather in the studio control room for a final playback of their most recent work.

Producer Stephen Street stands in front of the mixing desk while the band relax at the back of the room and listen attentively to the selection of tracks that fill not just the control room but the whole third floor of the building.

The music is solid Cranberries. Written and performed by the band, theirs is a unique sound that has lost none of its character. Yet there is now a subtle change of sound - somewhat more depth and clarity to the words and melodies, something more than just rock style.

Perhaps that has a lot to do with their choice of producer for this, their fifth album. It was Stephen Street who produced their first two albums and helped establish that Cranberry sound which sold more than 20 million albums. And it is Stephen Street who is now back with the Cranberries for this new album, due out in summer 2001.

One song, "Pretty Eyes" slips out between the more feisty numbers, a soft lullaby ballad that blends the talents of band and producer into one soft, luscious performance. A hint of things to come.

Out in the main studio area one of the Cranberries crewmembers is putting away guitar leads in a road case. All the instruments are packed up and ready to be shipped back to the band's hometown of Limerick, on Ireland's West Coast. All that's left to indicate the Cranberries were in town for a recording session is a couple of burnt-out candles scattered around the lead singer's booth.

End of Part 1. The songs are sent to London to be mixed. Then its back to the Rehearsal Studio to write a second batch of numbers before Christmas. Soon after the birth of her second child, in February 2001, Dolores and the lads expect to travel back to Dublin to record Part 2.

The crew is looking forward to a few days off. So is the band. And after the playback and a bit of lunch in the studio kitchen they will go their separate ways, home for a few days, to family and friends.

."Two months in studio is quite quick by Cranberry standards," says Noel as he spills his mug of tea over a stack of equipment foolishly left on the kitchen table. "The last album was more than six months in the making. That broke all the Cranberry records."

The band are in good form, enjoying the fruits of their fame, relaxed, happy with the songs they've just created. And equally happy with their lives at the start of the new millennium. The year 2000 is a very noteworthy date in the Cranberry calendar.

The Cranberries are 10 years old. Ten years of touring, of albums, singles, awards and rewards beyond their dreams. But accompanying them on that same track were the pressures and stresses of fronting one of the biggest bands in the world - a heavy and sometimes dangerous load on their shoulders that came close to wiping them out altogether back in 1996.

"All that and we're not even 30!" says Mike.

"So much has happened in that short time," says Dolores. "It's a bit of a blur now, really."

Ten years on and the band that fell together for no other reason than for a bit of rock and roll in the long winter evenings have now sold more than 33 million albums across the planet. They've played to a world audience of more than two million people. And their music can be found traversing radio, television and the Internet.

Quietly unassuming, the only way you'd ever know there was something out of the ordinary about these four relatively ordinary people is when Fergal just happens to mention having spent some time in his "house in Italy". Marriage, raising families and dipping their toes into other business activities is what takes up their time now, when they're not being The Cranberries.

Skip back to the start of the tape, back to the turn of the 80's when making a living from rock and roll wasn't even on the map for Noel, Mike and Fergal, three quarters of what was originally The Cranberry Saw Us.

By that stage U2 had already chalked up their own first decade of worldwide success. Globe-trotting tours and albums such as "Unforgettable Fire" and "Joshua Tree" opened international doors for the Irish music industry who were ready to prove that there was more to Ireland than Bono and company.

The 80's produced new Irish international stars Clannad, Enya, Hot House Flowers, Sinead O'Connor and Chris De Burgh. U2 set up their own label to seek out and promote new acts. U2 bassist Adam Clayton championed the cause of Limerick band, Tuesday Blue.

"We used to listen to U2. Sure who didn't", says Mike. "Then there was The Smiths, New Order, The Cure..."

"..Depeche Mode, REM," Fergal adds. "Stuff that was very popular".

"We were all just into the music," says Noel. "Anyone who's into music wants to be in a band or be part of the music. Anything to be near or around it, even though a lot of people don't end up doing it. So we all wanted to do that. And we were quite content just rehearsing. Then we'd do a few gigs and get pissed after them, - that was just grand. And that'd be it until the next weekend."

Brother's Noel and Mike Hogan were friends with Fergal Lawler. Back in 1989 they formed The Cranberry Saw Us with singer Niall Quinn.

"We were all very young at the time," says Mike. "Some of us had jobs. We'd rehearse on the side, at weekends and maybe on a Wednesday if we could. Then we got a few gigs. But we never looked forward - we never thought about record contracts or that we were going to be famous" he laughs, as if it's still difficult for him to take in that they are in fact one of the most famous bands in the world.

Back then they were known to just a fraction of music fans in Limerick city. Noel would write some music and the band would play it rough at rehearsals or in an early demo.

Hip Hop

HIP HOP adalah perpaduan yang sangat dinamis antara sebuah genre musik dan sebuahkebudayaan yang mulai tumbuh sekitar tahun 1970’an, yang dibawa oleh seorang Afrika-Amerika, Grandmaster Flash dan The Furious Five. Pusat pertumbuhan Hip Hop sendiri terjadi di kota New York pada tahun yang sama dan Hip Hop berkembang sangat pesat pada tahun tersebut. Tidak hanya sebagai musik saja, melainkan melekat sebagai gaya hidup.

Tahun 1520 di Sedwick Avenue, sebuah kawasan di New York diklaim sebagai tempat awal lahirnya komunitas HipHop. “Disinilah kami berasal”, cetus Clive Campbell, salah seorang yang merelakan lantai satu di rumahnya dijadikan sebuah markas untuk berkumpul. “Kebudayaan Hip Hop berawal dan lahir disini, yang nantinya akan tersebar di seluruh dunia, di sinilah kami barasal karena memang kami tidak memiliki tempat lain untuk bertemu, bukan di tempat lain” sahutnya. Selain nama tersebut, terdapat pula nama DJ Kool Herc yang memperkenalkan turntable pada saat itu di sebuah party pada tahun 1973. Pada awal penampilannya, DJ Kool Herc membawakan lagu-lagu dari James Brown, Jimmy Castor, dan Babe Rooth. Kool Herc pula lah yang akhirnya menciptakan scratch dan bunyi-bunyian aneh yang menimbulkan sebuah sensasi yang luar biasa pada saat itu.

HipHop terasa kurang lengkap tanpa MC. Celah inilah yang dilihat oleh Melle Mel, MC pertama pada dunia Hip Hop. Pada awalnya Melle Mel merasa bingung apa yang akan diucapkannya pada penampilan pertamanya tersebut, namun karena dirinya telah dipenuhi kebosanan dengan peraturan-peraturan dari pemerintah yang mengekang, akhirnya Melle Mel mengeluarkan rasa bencinya pada pemerintah dan pandangannya tentang kehidupan lewat lirik-liriknya. Mulai saat itu lah musik HipHop lebih banyak menceritakan tentang kehidupan disekitar masyarakat kulit hitam dan teriakan-teriakan serta protes suara hati mereka kepada pemerintahan yang berlaku tidak adil. Lirik-lirik musik Hip Hop cenderung keras dan tegas. Itulah Hip Hop.

Hip Hop sebagai kebudayaan diperjelas lagi pada tahun 1983 oleh Black Spades yang merupakan anggota dari Afrika Bambaataa dan The Soulsonic Force lewat track yang berjudul “Planet Rock”. Lagu ini merupakan sebuah musik Hip Hop yang menarik karena memiliki perpaduan antara rap yang sederhana dan irama musik disko yang diciptakan melalui drum electronic dan synthesizer. Pada tahun 1985 berulah dengan teknologi stereo, Run DMC, LL Cool J, The Fat Boys, Herbie Hancock, Soulsonic Force, Jazzy Jaz, dan Stetsasonic yang mengeluarkan album-album andalannya sehingga menjadi legenda musik Hip Hop hingga saat ini.

NEW STYLES Hip Hop juga mengalami perkembangan dari tahun ke tahun, terutama pada jenis musik itu sendiri. Hip Hop pun mulai dikombinasikan dengan musik-musik lain seperti rock, reggae, techno, dan sebagainya.Rapcore Run DMC sempat berkolaborasi dengan band hard rock Aerosmith pada lagu “Walk This Way”. Kolaborasi ini benar-benar sukses dan duduk di nomor satu rapsong hit di tangga lagu Billboard Hot 100. Selain Run DMC, pada tahun 1987 Beastie Boys juga sukses dengan rap core-nya dengan hits “Licensed to Ill” yang di produseri oleh Def Jam Records. Pada lagu ini Beastie Boys bekerja sama dengan Black Sabbath dan Led Zeppelin, dan dibantu oleh Kerry King, gitaris dari Slayer. De La Soul’s juga merilis lagu rap core “3 Feet High and Rising” pada tahun yang sama.
Electro Musik yang satu ini memang sedang naik-naiknya di saat ini, dan tidak ada yang tahu bahwa ternyata Electro juga merupakan bagian dari musik Hip Hop. Run DMC menjadi dedengkot pada aliran yang satu ini. “Planet Rock” dari Afrika Bambaataa menjadi target Run DMC untuk disisipi irama Eelctro ini dan ternyata sangat sukses di pasaran. Hits berikutnya ialah “It’s Like That” yang tentunya sudah tidak asing lagi di telinga kita.
Miami Bass ialah bagian dari ip Hop yang dipopulerkan oleh 2 Live Crew, JJ Fad, DJ Magic Mike, dan DJ Laz. Musik ini sangat berkarakter irama bass yang kuat, dan lirik yang sedikit menyinggung tentang seks menjadi bagian dari kelompok yang satu ini.
Hardcore Hip Hop Pada tahun 1990’an, musik dari New York dan East Coast menjadi musik yang sangat keras dan gelap, sesuai dengan kehidupan yang terjadi disana. Artis dari tahun 80’an akhir seperti EPMD dan Eric B serta Rakim menjadi salah satu pendiri dari musik dengan irama yang keras ini. Selain dua nama tersebut, Public Enemy beserta pasukannya The Bomb Squad juga tidak mau kalah untuk menyuarakan kreativitas mereka dengan nuansa kriminal di setiap lirik-lirik lagu mereka. Wu-Tang Clan merilis album mereka pada tahun 1993 “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)”, dan albumnya merupakan sebuah gebrakan pada tahun tersebut, khususnya di genre musik Hardcore Hip Hop.
Hip Hop juga memiliki masa kejayaannya masing-masing. Setiap masa menghasilkan beberapa artis dan hits yang cukup meledak, dan memiliki pengikut yang tidak sedikit.
Golden Age HipHop (1986-1992) Masa keemasan Hip Hop dimulai ketika Run DMC menelurkan album “Raising Hell” pada tahun 1986, dan diakhiri dengan munculnya G-Funk pada tahun 1992. Masa ini lebih didominasi oleh musisi dari East Coast yang bermarkas di New York City. Label Def Jam Records menjadi salah satu label East Coast yang independen saat itu.
Modern Era (1992-1998) Ice T, NWA, Mobb Deep dan Tupac Shakur sukses menciptakan gangsta rap dengan irama musik yang masih gelap namun dengan beat-beat yang cukup kencang. Pada awal tahun 1992, gangsta rap mulai menjadi sebuah musik yang sangat mainstream dengan munculnya Dr. Dre dengan The Chronic’s. Album ini muncul dengan gaya baru yang disebut G-Funk, yang di dominasi oleh musik tahun 70’an. G-Funk pula lah yang akhirnya menjadi sebuah identitas musik West Coast Hip Hop pada saat itu.
Jiggy/Bling-Bling Era (1998-Present) Nama-nama seperti OutKast, No Limit, dan Cash Money Records merupakan bagian dari era ini. Mereka lah yang mempopulerkan jenis musik mereka sehingga timbulah istilah Jiggy atau Bling-Bling Era. Musik pada era ini dinamakan Neo Soul yaitu campuran antara musik Hip Hop dan musik Soul.

Kurt Cobain ( NIRVANA ) Biography

Kurt Donald Cobain was the leader of Nirvana, the multi-platinum grunge band that redefined the sound of the nineties.

Cobain was born on the 20th of February 1967 in Hoquaim, a small town 140 kilometres south-west of Seattle. His mother was a cocktail waitress and his father was an auto mechanic. Cobain soon moved to nearby Aberdeen, a depressed and dying logging town.
Cobain was for most his childhood a sickly bronchitic child. Matters were made worse when Cobain's parent's divorced when he was seven and by his own account Cobain said he never felt loved or secure again. He became increasingly difficult, anti-social and withdrawn after his parent's divorce. Cobain also said that his parent's traumatic split fueled a lot of the anguish in Nirvana's music.
After his parent's divorce Cobain found himself shuttled back and forth between various relatives and at one stage homeless living under a bridge.
When Cobain was eleven he heard and was captivated by the Britain's Sex Pistols and after their self-destruction Cobain and friend Krist Novoselic continued to listen to the wave of British bands including Joy Division the nihilistic post-punk band that some say Nirvana are directly descended from in form of mood, melody and lyrical quality.
Cobain's artistry and iconoclastic attitude didn't win many friends in high school and sometimes earned him beatings from "jocks" Cobain got even by spray painting "QUEER" on their pick-up trucks. By 1985 Aberdeen was dead and Cobain's next stop was Olympia. Cobain formed and reformed a series of bands before Nirvana came to be in 1986. Nirvana was an uneasy alliance between Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic and eventually drummer and multi-instrumentalist Dave Grohl By 1988 Nirvana were doing shows and had demo tapes going around. In 1989 Nirvana recorded their rough-edged first album Bleach for local Seattle independent label Sub-Pop In Britain Nirvana received a lot of recognition and in 1991 their contract was bought out by Geffen, they signed to the mega-label, the first non-mainstream band to do so. Two and a half years after Nirvana's first C.D. Bleach was released they released Nevermind, a series of different, crunching, screaming songs that along with it's first single Smells Like Teen Spirit would propel Nirvana to mainstream stardom.
Smells Like Teen Spirit became Nirvana's most highly acclaimed and instantly recognizable song. Not many people can decipher it's exact lyrics but Cobain used a seductive hookline to hook the listener. Nevermind went on to sell ten million copies and make a reported $550 million (US) leaving Nirvana overnight millionaires. Cobain was shocked at the reception of his highly personal and passionate music repeatedly telling reporters that none of the band ever, ever expected anything like this. It quickly became obvious that the obsessively sickly and sensitive 24yr old was not going to cope well with the rock'n roll lifestyle. "If there was a rock star 101 course, I'd really have like to take it," Cobain once observed. Cobain fell into heroin in the early 90's, he said he used it as a shield against the rigorous demands of touring and to stop the pain of stomach ulcers or an irritated bowel. Through the touring and pressure Cobain continued to write his very personal acutely focused lyrics.
Cobain was distressed to find out that what he wrote and how it was interpreted could quite often be miles apart. He was appalled when he found out that Polly a heavily ironic anti-rape song had been used as background music in a real gang-rape. He later appealed to fans on the Incesticide liner notes "If any of you don't like gays or women or blacks, please leave us the fuck alone." It was to no avail, Cobain found that as an overnight millionaire musician control was something he had very little of. Cobain also worried that his band had sold-out, that it was attracting the wrong kind of fans (i.e the type that used to beat him up.)
In February 1992 Cobain skipped off to Hawaii to marry the already pregnant Courtney Love. Later in the year Nirvana released Incesticide and in August Cobain had hospital treatment for heroin abuse. Shortly after Frances Bean Cobain was born. In early 1993 In Utero was released into the top spot on the music charts. In Utero was widely acclaimed by the music press and it contains some of Cobain's most passionate work. In Utero was a lot more open than Nirvana's previous albums. Songs like All Apologies and Heart Shaped Box detailed aspects of Cobain's sometimes shaky marriage, other songs like Scentless Apprentice detailed the agonies and struggles of Cobain's experiences.
Nirvana embarked on a support tour and recorded and filmed an "unplugged" (acoustic) performance for MTV in November of 1993. Nirvana's choice to honour bands and people that had influenced them and Cobain's passionate and intense vocals especially on "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?"silenced many of their who had labeled Cobain talentless. Rumors circulated that the MTV Unplugged compilation would be Nirvana's last album and the band were splitting up.
Cobain was a gun fanatic and always had several in his possession or in various forms of confiscation. In the northern winter of 1993-94 Nirvana embarked on an extensive European tour. Twenty concerts into the tour Cobain developed throat problems and their schedule was interrupted while he recovered. While recovering Cobain flew to Rome to join his wife who was also preparing to tour with her own band.
On March the 4th Cobain was rushed to hospital in a coma after an unsuccessful suicide bid in which he washed down about fifty prescription painkillers with champagne. The suicide bid was officially called an accident and was not even made known to close friends and associates. Several days later he returned to Seattle. Cobain's wife, friends and managers convinced Cobain, who was still in deep distress to enter a detox program in L.A. According to a missing person's report filed by his mother Cobain fled after only a few days of the program.
Cobain was cited in the Seattle area with a shotgun. Days later on the 5th of April he barricaded himself into the granny flat behind his mansion, put a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. On Thursday April the 7th ~ two days after a medical examiner says Cobain shot himself and the day before his body was found police say Courtney Love herself was taken to hospital in L.A. for a drug overdose. Released on bail, Love checked herself into a rehab center but left soon after a friend called her the next day with news of Cobain's death.
Cobain's body was found when an electrician visiting the house to install a security system went round the back of the house when no one answered the front door and peered through windows. He thought he saw a mannequin sprawled on the floor until he noticed a splotch of blood by Cobain's ear. When police broke down the door they found Cobain dead on the floor, a shotgun still pointed at his chin and on a nearby counter a suicide note written in red ink addressed to Love and the couples then 19 month old daughter Frances Bean.

The suicide note ended with the words "I love you, I love you." Two days after Kurt Cobain's body was found about 5,000 people gathered in Seattle for a candlelight vigil. the distraught crowd filled the air with profane chants, burnt their flannel shirts and fought with police. They also listened to a tape made by Cobain's wife in which she read from his suicide note. Several distressed teenagers in the U.S. and Australia killed themselves. The mainstream media was lambasted for it's lack of respect and understanding of youth culture.

Source: http://www.burntout.com/kurt/biography/

My Chemical Romance Biography

Based in New Jersey, My Chemical Romance is an alternative pop/rock and punk-pop band that has been compared to Thursday and, to a lesser degree, Cursive. Many of their songs are loud, fast, hyper, and aggressive, but My Chemical Romance's work also tends to be melodic and pop-minded. My Chemical Romance got started in the early 2000s, when lead singer Gerard Way and drummer Matt Pelissier decided to try writing some songs together. The first tune that Way and Pelissier -- who had been friends since high school -- came up with was called "Skylines and Turnstiles" (a title reflecting the fact that Way had been working in New York City, where he was in the animation field. This is also about the 9-11 attack). Way and Pelissier both felt good about the song, and Way asked guitarist Ray Toro if he would be interested in working with them. My Chemical Romance's five-man lineup was complete when Way, Pelissier, and Toro joined forces with bassist Mikey Way (Gerard Way's brother) and guitarist Frank Iero. With that lineup in place, the band started playing all around the Northeast Corridor and made plans to begin working on its first album.

In 2002, Eyeball Records (the New York-based indie that Thursday had recorded for) released My Chemical Romance's debut album,(Mikey had been working at Eyeball for an Intership) I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. The album was often compared to Thursday -- a comparison that, for various reasons, was inevitable and unavoidable. Both bands were from New Jersey, both had recorded for Eyeball, and both combined punk-pop's musical aggression with introspective, confessional lyrics. Plus, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love was produced by Geoff Rickly, Thursday's lead singer -- add all of those things up, and there was no way that My Chemical Romance was going to escape Thursday comparisons. But Thursday isn't their only influence; reviewers have cited the Smiths, Morrissey, the Cure,The Smashing Pumpkins and the Misfits as influences. And Way has even cited British heavy metal icons Iron Maiden as an influence.

Lyrically, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love is as dark as it is introspective and cathartic; Way has been quoted as saying that the band's lyrics were a great way for him to deal with the problems he had been going through (which included severe depression and a serious illness in his family). The 2002 release included Way and Pelissier's first song, "Skylines and Turnstiles," and many of the album's other song titles were equally intriguing, including "Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us," "Drowning Lessons," "Headfirst for Halos," "Our Lady of Sorrows," and "Vampires Will Never Hurt You." In 2003, My Chemical Romance signed with Reprise/Warner Bros.

Their Second Album "Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge" was released in late 2004. The First single "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", a high speed anthem for the contiually downtrodden and rejected, caught America off-gaurd and put MCR (My Chemical Romance) in the spotlight almost overnight.

The second single "Helena" a slow almost haunting ballat (but not really, it's also very up-beat) dedicated to Elena Rush (the Way brothers' late grand mother.) Brings to mind "The Cure", other noteworthy songs on the album are "The Ghost of You", "Thank You for The Venom" and "To The End". My Chemical Romance was also Featured on this years "A Taste Of Chaos" tour this spring and also go a half hour concert special on the "Fuse" music network.

The Cure Biography

Through more than 20 extravagant years and 20 extraordinary albums The Cure have done it all in their own unmistakable way. Free, independent, wilful, unconfined, the band have spent most of their career creating and exploring in the strange places where the worlds of mainstream and alternative collide. They have developed a range of uniquely distinctive sounds and styles, and in the process created as great a body of contemporary music as you could wish to hear.

With over 27 million albums sold, The Cure's achievements on every level have been incredible. Yet whereas even the most creative of bands both past and present have invariably completed their best work during 'the early years', The Cure have continued to flourish and grow with every release, continually adding new, unusual and essential chapters to their improbable story.

As the band move into their 3rd decade, they present what is undoubtedly their most powerful work to date, their 13th studio album 'Bloodflowers'. Exhibiting a coherency, intensity and emotional depth that is at times breathtaking, 'Bloodflowers' embodies all that The Cure do best. It is the band at the height of it's powers, and the now 5 year-old line up has developed into what is unquestionably the strongest ever; Cure mastermind Robert Smith (voice, guitar), Simon Gallup (bass), Perry Bamonte (guitar), Roger O'Donnell (keyboards) and Jason Cooper (drums).

The album has been co-produced by Robert and Paul Corkett, and is intended as the final part of a trilogy that began with the release in 1982 of the album 'Pornography', and that continued on with the release in 1989 of the album 'Disintegration'. Moving from wistful nostalgia through unguarded introspection, to impotent rage through helpless despair, 'Bloodflowers' is in essence an attempt at resolution. Performed with a musical sensibility that is truly moving, the emotional and lyrical clarity combine to make the listener uncomfortably aware that this could indeed be the oft threatened 'last ever' Cure album...

...It all started in 1976 when Robert, a 17 year old attending St Wilfrid's Comprehensive in Crawley, Sussex, formed The Easy Cure with schoolmates Michael Dempsey (bass), Lol Tolhurst (drums) and local guitar hero Porl Thompson. The 4-piece began writing and demoing their own songs almost immediately, and quickly amassed an impressive repertoire of original material that included such seminal classics as 'Killing an Arab' and '10:15 Saturday Night'.

By early 1977 the fledgling group had won a nationwide 'Battle of the Bands' style competition held by German-owned major label Ariola-Hansa that would have led to the release of a debut single and album but for the doomed nature of the relationship -Hansa saw The Easy Cure as a 'fresh faced' and malleable pop group - but even at this relatively young age, a headstrong Robert had other ideas... Within one unsatisfactory year the two parties had parted company with nothing having been released.

Frustrated but undeterred, in 1978 the 'Easy' was dropped, along with Porl, and an eager trio now known simply as The Cure sent out a demo tape of 4 songs to a number of record labels. A keen response from Polydor A&R man Chris Parry was quickly followed up, and The Cure signed with his new Fiction label that September; it was to prove a lasting partnership - they have been together ever since. Work began immediately on their first single and album, with debut engineer Mike Hedges, and 'Killing An Arab' was released to great acclaim through a deal with 'Small Wonder' records in December.

Re-released on Fiction in January 1979, it was quickly followed by the album 'Three Imaginary Boys', and the strangely beguiling mix of peculiarly obscure imagery and sparsely angular music caused a great deal of controversy and comment. The album kick-started an extensive UK touring period, during which The Cure played with various other emergent bands of the time such as Wire, Joy Division and The Jam. A further two non-album singles, 'Boy's Don't Cry' and 'Jumping Someone Else's Train' were released, as well as a couple of 'sideline recordings' with 'The Obtainers' and 'Cult Hero'. 'Boys Don't Cry', the single, was a minor success in the USA, and led to 'Three Imaginary Boys' being re-tuned and re-named 'Boys Don't Cry'.

This period also saw the development of a long standing affiliation between The Cure and Siouxsie and The Banshees, as within two dates of their support slot on the Banshee's UK tour in late 1979, Robert found himself playing two sets a night, having stepped into the breach for departed guitarist John McKay. At the end of this incredibly hectic period, subtle but irresolvable differences within the band led to the quiet departure of Michael Dempsey.

Simon Gallup (bass) and Matthieu Hartley (keyboards) joined, and in early 1980 the 4-piece Cure embarked on two weeks of studio experimentation. This time with Mike Hedges co-producing, the band decided to explore the darker side of Robert's songwriting, and emerged with the minimalist classic 'Seventeen Seconds'. An album of extraordinary clarity and grace, the distinctive, almost cinematic 'A Forest' became the band's first bona fide UK hit single, and a Top Of The Pops appearance followed. With 'Seventeen Seconds' climbing to #20 in the UK album charts, The Cure set out on an extensive and exhilarating world tour of Europe, the USA and Australasia. Unfortunately, the strains of a frantic year proved too much for Matthieu Hartley, and he was forced to leave the band.

A trio once more, in the spring of 1981 The Cure, again with Mike Hedges co-producing, recorded 'Faith', a mournful, atmospheric album of bleak and barren soundscapes evoking a world of dissolution and fear. The band also finished an instrumental soundtrack for their 'tour support' film 'Carnage Visors'. 'Faith' reached #14 in the UK album charts, and spawned another successful single, the abrasively insistent 'Primary'. The global 'Picture Tour' that followed was an intense experience for all, and by the time the hauntingly beautiful non-album single 'Charlotte Sometimes' was released in October, the band were due a break.

But a break was not on the agenda. Instead, at the start of 1982 The Cure returned to the studio to produce an album, in tandem with Phil Thornalley, that was to be the culmination of their increasingly morbid fascination with darkness, despair and decay. 'Pornography', released in May, was infected with an unrelenting black nihilism, and rather ironically became the first Cure album to break into the UK Top 10 at #9. The 'Fourteen Explicit Moments' tour however, saw the band becoming increasingly more volatile and violent, and by the time 'The Hanging Garden' was released as a single, Simon Gallup had left.

Having pushed himself and those around him beyond the limits of excess, Robert realised it was make or break time, and that the only way to distance himself from all that the group had become was to 'lighten up' again. This he did with the counterfeit cheesy disco of 'Let's Go To Bed', an instant if unexpected pop hit in America! The Cure line-up was still in some disarray - the single was recorded with Wreckless Eric drummer Steve Goulding, Lol Tolhurst having moved onto keyboards - but another key Cure partnership was forged in the making of the accompanying promotional video, and the colourful collaboration with Tim Pope was another relationship that would stand the test of time.

The Cure continued to redefine themselves in 1983 with the groovy electronic dance of 'The Walk' (UK #12) and the demented cartoon jazz of 'The Lovecats', which became the band's first single to claim UK Top 10 status, reaching #7. Robert felt vindicated: he had worked through the rage and despair of 'Pornography', and with the release of these 3 wildly different singles, had effectively turned everyone's perception of The Cure upside down. 1983 was interspersed further with Robert's commitments recording and touring once more as a Banshee, helping write and record their 'Hyaena' and 'Nocturne' albums, as well as completing the 'Blue Sunshine' album as 'The Glove', an experimental project undertaken in partnership with Banshee Steve Severin. The three Cure singles and their B-sides were collectively released as the album 'Japanese Whispers' in December.

In 1984 'The Top' was released, and although billed as a Cure album, in reality Robert played everything on it save drums. The result was a strangely hallucinogenic mix that saw the band drift once more into the UK Top 10, a Top 20 single being achieved with the release of the infectiously psychedelic 'The Caterpillar'. Robert also recorded the Tim Pope single 'I Want To Be A Tree' at this time. With the world 'Top Tour' featuring the live line-up of Andy Anderson on drums, Phil Thornalley on bass and Porl Thompson back on guitar, the band were seemingly once more fully functioning and on their way. But for a number of reasons, come the end of the tour both Andy Anderson and Phil Thornalley had left the band. Boris Williams (drums) and a returning Simon Gallup (bass) replaced them.

This new incarnation started work on 1985's 'The Head On The Door' with enthusiasm, zeal, and a very real sense that 'something was happening'... Varied and diverse, and yet informed throughout with a wonderfully simple pop sensibility, 'THOTD', co-produced with Dave Allen, reached # 7 in the UK. The vibrant hit single 'Inbetween Days' was followed up by 'Close To Me', and another brilliant Tim Pope collaboration, this time featuring the five band members unaccountably trapped in a wardrobe, balanced perilously on the clifftop of the infamous suicide drop Beachy Head!

'THOTD' had managed #59 in the American Billboard Charts, and the accompanying world tour and ever increasing devotion of fans paved the way for the massive success of the impeccable collection 'Standing On A Beach'. Released in May 1986, the title taken from the first line of 'Killing An Arab', it featured all The Cure singles and B-sides to date. Complemented by a video version of the compilation 'Staring At The Sea', these releases, and yet another huge world tour, including the band's first headlining slot at Glastonbury, launched the band headlong into a worldwide 'big time'. The album broke into the US Top 50, and the American media suddenly became fascinated with Robert Smith. One publication labelled him "the male Kate Bush", and when he lopped off his notorious mop of hair in a fit of pique, it made MTV News On The Hour! 'Boy's Don't Cry' was re-sung, re-mixed and re-released as a single, and a year of extensive gigs and festivals was crowned in the August with Tim Pope's celebratory live concert fil
m 'The Cure In Orange', released for cinema and video the following Spring.

In 1987 The Cure brought out an immense and ambitious double album entitled 'Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me'. Lyrically and musically broader than anything they had yet attempted, the greatest strength of the album, once again co-produced with Dave Allen, lay in it's extreme diversity and extraordinary stylistic range, as the band moved effortlessly from dreamlike beauty to nightmare horror. Hit singles 'Why Can't I Be You?', 'Catch', 'Just Like Heaven' and 'Hot Hot Hot!!!' were released, all accompanied by more brilliantly inventive Tim Pope videos. With the arrival of Roger O'Donnell on keyboards, the 6-piece Cure travelled the world from July to December on the wildly successful 'Kissing Tour'.

In 1988 The Cure's first decade was officially documented with the 'Ten Imaginary Years' biography, and the band had a few well deserved months off. On reconvening for new demos, it became obvious that Lol Tolhurst's increasingly tenuous position in the group had soured beyond recognition and his departure was sadly inevitable.

His exit was followed by the completion and release in 1989 of the wonderfully atmospheric 'Disintegration'. Co-produced once more with Dave Allen, the album was a classic work of mournful grandeur and brooding power. It entered the UK charts at #3, and gave rise to 4 Top 20 singles; 'Lullaby' (which also garnered a 'Best Video' award at 'The Brits'), 'Fascination Street', 'Lovesong' and 'Pictures Of You'. The awesome 'Prayer Tour' that followed gave rise to some of the best performances The Cure had yet played, and the European leg included, among many memorable shows, a wonderful three night stint at Wembley Arena, whilst the USA leg took in sell-out crowds at the Giants and Dodgers Stadiums.

In early 1990 Roger O'Donnell left the group, and was replaced by long-time band friend and 'roadie' Perry Bamonte. The Cure headlined various festivals around Europe, including Glastonbury for a 2nd time, gave the royalties from their live album 'Entreat' to their 10 favourite charities, recorded the single 'Never Enough', and released 'Mixed Up', a collection of remixes old and new by such luminaries as Mark Saunders and William Orbit. The album also included the seminal Paul Oakenfold single remix 'Close To Me', and reached #13 in the UK and #14 in the US.

In February 1991 The Cure at last won some long overdue recognition at home with 'The Brits' award of 'Best British Group', and celebrated by filming a secret London gig as 'Five Imaginary Boys', debuting 4 new songs which would go on to form part of their next album. They also released 'Playout', a 'behind the scenes' live video containing excerpts of this show as well as a number of other strange TV performances!

'Wish' was hailed in 1992 as The Cure's best work yet. Again working with Dave Allen as co-producer, the album was a richly diverse, multi-faceted guitar driven album of massive appeal. It went straight in at #1 in the UK and #2 in the USA, and 3 more fabulous hit singles were taken from it; 'High', 'Friday I'm In Love', and 'A Letter To Elise'. This was another phenomenal year for The Cure, with the wonderfully kaleidoscopic 'Wish Tour' taking the band around the world again, playing sold-out shows wherever they went, from NZ's Wellington Town Hall to Dallas Texas Stadium...

The sheer power and excitement of the 'Wish Tour' performances inspired the release of two live works in 1993, 'Show' and 'Paris'. 'Show', a double album as well as a cinema and video release, captured the band onstage in Detroit performing 'all the hits and more', whereas 'Paris', a limited edition, presented the band live in the French capital playing a rather more eclectic collection of songs. Immediately after the tour, guitarist Porl Thompson left the band again, (this time with a smile!), and The Cure headlined the 'Great Xpectations Show' in London's Finsbury Park as a 4-piece on behalf of XFM. The band also contributed the song 'Burn' to the film 'The Crow', as well as covering 'Purple Haze' for the Hendrix tribute album 'Stone Free'.

The recording of new material was hindered in 1994 by a protracted and distracting legal action, instigated by Lol Tolhurst and finally settled in the Fall by High Court judgement in favour of the defendants Robert Smith and Fiction Records, and by the unexpected departure of drummer Boris Williams. A period of auditions was held, and Jason Cooper quickly took up residency behind the kit, as Roger O'Donnell rejoined on keyboards.

In 1995 The Cure contributed 'Dredd Song' to the film 'Judge Dredd', as well as covering Bowie's 'Young Americans', again in support of XFM. They broke off recording further new songs with co-producer Steve Lyon to headline some more major European Festivals, including, for an unprecedented 3rd time, the 25th Glastonbury. The band eventually returned to the studio (actually Jane Seymour's country mansion!) to finish off the new album in time for Christmas...

In January 1996 The Cure headlined the two Hollywood Rock festivals in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, returning to the UK for the release of the album 'Wild Mood Swings'. Although the sheer scope and scale of its diversity unsettled many people, it still went straight into almost every Top Ten around the world! The Cure hit the road once more with 'The Swing Tour', their biggest to date, and as the four singles 'The 13th', 'Mint Car', 'Strange Attraction' and 'Gone' were released to growing acclaim, the band played over 100 extraordinary concerts to increasingly rabid crowds around the globe.

In January 1997, Robert was invited to perform at David Bowie's 50th birthday party at Madison Square Gardens NYC, and was thrilled to sing and play a couple of songs onstage with the only living idol of his teenage days... Later in the year 'Galore', a collection of the second decade of Cure singles, including new track 'Wrong Number', was released on album and video. The Cure headlined another number of festivals in America and Europe, as well as performing live on several TV shows around the world.

In early 1998 Robert appeared in an episode of 'South Park' saving the world from the evil Mecha Streisand, as well as recording the song 'A Sign From God' for the Trey Parker/Matt Stone film 'Orgazmo'. The Cure also recorded 'World In My Eyes' for a Depeche Mode tribute, and 'More Than This' for the 'X-Files' album. During the summer The Cure headlined another 12 European festivals, played a secret gig in London for Miller Beer's 'Blind Date' competition, and then returned once more to Jane Seymour's house to record a new album with Paul Corkett (Depeche Mode, Placebo, Nick Cave) co-producing.

1999 saw the band complete the recording and mixing at RAK Studio in London and Fisher Lane Farm in Surrey, and with the new album 'Bloodflowers' finished, they went over to NYC to record an episode of VH1's Hard Rock Live, scheduled for broadcast in Spring 2000. Robert then embarked on an extensive global promotional campaign using TV, radio, print and the internet to get the word out...

...that 'Bloodflowers' is, in his opinion, the most perfect Cure album ever.

The Cure will be playing a limited number of small promotional shows in Europe and the USA around the February 2000 release date, before setting off around the world again for a full-scale 'Dream Tour' very soon after... as the story continues...

Angels And Airwaves Biography

Hello everybody, this is a first for me, but I couldn't wait any longer. I have a new band called "Angels and Airwaves" and it is the most amazing music I have ever made by a long shot.

You all must know, I didn't want Blink to go on hiatus, but it had to....you all will learn why...soon, but I swear to god, I am two songs from finishing the best fucking album anybody has heard in 20 years. In the next couple of weeks, you will all hear about the new band as well as the movie that is being made to tell the story of the album.

But no matter what is said, or talked about, no matter what rumors are started, this is the best music made in decades....It is so much more powerful, emotional and melodic than Box Car and Blink put together, that I am currently shitting my pants, and your pants as well....until you hear more, all I can say is hold on, and prepare.

- Tom "I love my fans, and I promise I will not let you down, the music that we all grew to charish that was made, not only will continue, but it will be much, much better..."

Source: http://www.angelsandairwaves.co.uk/theband.php

Blink 182 Biography

Thomas Matthew DeLonge

Wife: Jennifer DeLonge (a.k.a. Jen Jenkins)
Children: 1 girl Ava Elizabeth DeLonge (born on July 15th/2002
Pets: German Shepherd named Grey
Current residence: Encinitas, California
Birthday: December 13th/1975
Bands that he is in(or was in): Blink 182, Box Car Racer
Hometown: Poway, California
Fact about him: When he was 15 years old, he got suspended from school for getting drunk at a basketball game.

Markus Allen Hoppus
Wife: Skye Hoppus (a.k.a. Skye Everly)
Children: 1 boy Jack Hoppus
Pets: 3 dogs Atticus, Cheesburger, and Ahi
Current residence: Encinitas, California
Birthday: March 15th/1972
Fact about him: His role model is Homer Simpson

Travis Landon Barker
Fiancee: Shanna (former miss usa)
Children: 1 boy Landon Barker
Current residence: San Diego, California
Birthday: November 14th/1975
Fact about him: He just broke his foot a couple of weeks ago which forced Blink 182 to cancel a few of their shows on thier current Australian tour. POOR TRAVIS!!!



In the life of every band, there comes a time to take stock; to reflect on goals set and goals achieved; to offer a silent prayer of thanksgiving for the many blessings so richly bestowed upon us.

For blink-182, this is not the time.

They're too busy touring the world, scarfing Sombrero’s burritos, farting and rocking the planet till the ozone layer disintegrates. In the recent past, blink-182 won a Teen Choice Award, a Blockbuster Music Award, and appeared on the MTV Awards '00 where they performed "All The Small Things" and won Best Group Video. In Europe they received an MTV Europe Award for Best New Act. They performed on Saturday Night Live and the Tonight Show (twice), appeared in American Pie and opened the Billboard Music Awards. The band also graced the covers of Rolling Stone, Alternative Press (twice), Teen People, Teen and CosmoGirl, just to name a few.

It's safe to say the blink-182 is now a worldwide phenomenon, with their records reaping platinum and their concert tours packing ‘em in all across Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Americas. And earlier this year, blink-182 ventured back to the studio with producer Jerry Finn to record their fourth studio album, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (you should say the title out loud to fully appreciate the subtle, sophisticated humor).

By every indication, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket is turning out to be an evolutionary hybrid for blink-182, as hooky as 1999's multi-platinum Enema of the State, but with all the punk spirit of their MCA debut album Dude Ranch. "This is the hardest, fastest record that we've done," says blink's Tom DeLonge of the upcoming album. "It's way more punk-rock than our previous records, and we're excited about it." Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (release date 6/12/01) follows Enema of the State and last year's smash live album The Mark, Tom and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back).

The band's popularity has only increased since their formation in '93. They began building momentum with a string of popular 7"s, and in 1994 they released their first full-length album, Cheshire Cat, on Grilled Cheese (a division of Cargo Music). In 1996, they signed a joint-venture record deal with Cargo Music and MCA Records, with their first MCA release Dude Ranch (1997) setting the stage for their current success. By the end of 1998, they had emerged as one of the most popular pop-punk bands of the year – the album went platinum in the U.S. and the year-end Billboard Airplay Monitor Report (BDS) stats indicated that "Dammit (Growing Up)" from Dude Ranch earned top spins at many key radio stations.

Blink-182 took a break from the road after Christmas '98 to begin pre-production for Enema Of The State, recorded in the band's hometown of San Diego at Signature Sound. Handling production duties was Jerry Finn, whose previous credits include Green Day and Rancid. Enema Of The State shattered the standard set by Dude Ranch. World-wide sales are now over seven million copies, not to mention the fact that the CD perched high atop the upper-reaches of Billboard's Top 200 for over a year. The album's three singles, "What's My Age Again," "All The Small Things" and "Adam's Song" dominated MTV, alternative, rock and Top-40 radio.

Their summer tour, where The Mark, Tom & Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back) was recorded, sold a third of a million tickets. The aforementioned album was a 20-track collection of live versions of classic blink-182 hits produced by Jerry Finn, and also contained never-before-released songs, a new studio track, and all the hilarious potty-mouthed one liners a fan could want. In its limited release, The Mark, Tom & Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back) sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide. In other Blink-182 news, a massive U.S. summer 2001 tour is on the drawing boards, and a book about the band's early days, written by Hoppus' younger sister, Anne, now carries a title, Tales From Beneath Your Mom. It's scheduled to hit bookstores in mid-September.

Then there's the ever-expanding blink-182 mercantile empire, which stretches from pole to pole, from sea to shining sea. First there's their own blink182.com website for fans and curious onlookers. Travis's "Famous Stars and Straps" is a successful retailer and website for clothes, belts and accessories. Mark and Tom's "Loserkids.com" is an equally vibrant website for clothes, skates, music, movies. But despite these ancillary success stories, Mark, Tom and Travis never lose sight of what's most important for blink-182 and their worldwide legions of fans: music and tasteless comedy at every opportunity.

Who knows what's next for the band? There's an old expression "You can't turn chicken shit into chicken salad." But, in the case of blink-182, you can really put chicken shit in someone's chicken salad.

Limp Bizkit Biography

Limp Bizkit is a band from Jacksonville, Florida. They started out on around late 1994 giving free shows and concerts whenever they could get a gig. Yes i know its hard to believe but the Number 1 band in the nation once was nothing but your tipical Local Band trying to get a record deal. Fred and Sam met up and became good friends when Sam suggested his cousin, John Otto, to play the drums for the band. Later, Wes was brought into the picture along with House of Pains main man, DJ Lethal and Limp Bizkit was started. They got their name when Fred was talking to his friend (and now roadie) when said that "his brain was like a limp biscuit." So Fred liked it and the name of their band after it.

This is an awesome band that already has a large fan base from touring with Family Values, and other tours that tend to attract large crowds.It also helps when you open for bands such as Korn and the Deftones. Limp Bizkit, after all the struggles and shit they had to put up with, has the biggest fan crowd in North America with their first hit "Faith from the album 3 Dollar Bill Ya'll, then they really hit it big with there big hit "Nookie" which was on there sophmore album, Significant Other.

After "Nookie" took the top spot on every chart in Canada and US, it was time for Limp Bizkit to give alittle something back to the fans. That summer, Limp Bizkit started the now famous "Back to Basics Tour". This tour was a free tour, first come first serve basis and was ment to give something back to the fans and to thank them for their support. Soon after that Fred and the gang got ready to release their Junior (3rd) record to the public. Struggling with titles such as "Limpendence Day" and "The Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water," Limp Bizkit finally decided on a name, "The Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water." Around November/October they released the album. It was a total hit right away selling thousands within the first week. With hits such as "rollin" and "my generation" Limp Bizkit was back on top of the world.

Wes Borland dropped the group to set off in his own way, and this left the band short a guitarist. After trying Fred, and having a nation wide contest, then hadn't found anyone. John Otto, at a bar, was having fun. He ran into Mike Smith, former S.N.O.T native. They found each other talking, eventually jamming, and eventually touring.

Their fourth album is dropped Septemeber 23rd, and the first single off of it is "Eat You Alive". Results May Vary is the title of the album, and now is housing "Behind Blue Eyes" as it's single.