music

Live Review: Handmade Festival 2015

/ James Fenney

handmadelineup

Right when I was about to burst from stress, with only the prospect of the summer’s music keeping me going, a free pass was dropped in my metaphorical lap. Leicester’s ever growing genre-bending independent music festival was just the weekend I needed. I headed down to the O2 Academy representing LUSH Radio and it was the first time (though hopefully not the last) that I entered a venue with my name legitimately on the press list. It could technically be considered my first festival experience and I was determined to make the most of it.

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Final Glastonbury headliner announced

/ James Fenney

The Who Plays Brisbane

All bets are off as The Who have been announced as the third and final headline act, along with Foo Fighters and Kanye West. Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend will bring the festival to a close as part of their 50th anniversary tour. Glastonbury is sure to be the highlight of what may be their last major tour.

R&B Legend Ben E King dies

/ James Fenney

ben_e_king

Soul singer Ben E King has passed away at age 76. Starting out as lead singer of the Drifters, he went on to have a prolific solo career that resulted in his biggest and best known hit ‘Stand By Me’. His songs have been covered by the likes of Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, John Lennon, Shirley Bassey, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin. He was a great influential pioneer of R&B and will be sorely missed.

Songs on the Small Screen: The decline of music television

/ James Fenney

music tv

The celebrated program “Later… with Jools Holland” has returned. Now in it’s 46th series, it is continuing it’s longstanding tradition of being the key UK television platform for both up-and-coming artists and big name stars. It has long been in the public eye and after many years of memorable performances it has become a key part of British music culture. The problem is that the show is the last of a dying breed. Britain’s other main music shows – Top of the Pops and The Old Grey Whistle Test – are no longer with us. The former survives only in the form of an annual Christmas special and the latter is on the way to fading from the public’s memory. Continue reading →

Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame 2015

/ James Fenney

rarhof

This years new inductees into Cleveland’s world famous music museum included Ringo Starr, Lou Reed, Joan Jett, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bill Withers, Green Day, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and The 5 Royales. The induction ceremony included speeches from Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, Miley Cyrus, Fall Out Boy, Patti Smith and of course the lucky inductees themselves. Following the ceremony’s tradition, the new members of the hall of fame performed with the stars who had introduced them, before everyone coming together to perform a big all-star jam. This years performance of The Beatles’ ‘ I Want To Be Your Man’ was one of the best of recent years.