Friday, March 23, 2012

German ECHO Awards, where Adele gets album of the year

While we have the Grammys here in America, the Germans have their own big music awards show. Each year in the German capital of Berlin, the ECHO Music Awards give out dozens of awards to both domestic and international music stars.

This year's ECHO Music Awards saw Adele's "21" as Album of the Year, and Adele herself won Best Female International Artist. She beat out Lady Gaga and the recently deceased Amy Winehouse for the incredibly prestigious distinction.

Rammstein, a German band of their own, churned out some shadowy songs with Marilyn Manson, the two artist of whom are dark enough combined to have surely raised some dead in the area. Rammstein walked away best Best Alternative Band and Best German Act Abroad.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Russia battles Britain back in Eurovision with some aged artists of their own

Less than a week ago, I posted about about how the studied country of U.K. chose Engelbert Humperdinck for the Eurovision contest to be held on May 26 in Baku, Azerbaijan. If you do not remember the post, here is a quick refresher on Humperdinck:

The Russian contestants, Buranovskiye Babushki
"The United Kingdom has made the choice of whom will attend the big Eurovision competition this year, and it is an older artist by the name of Arnold Dorsey, better known (if only somewhat) by his stage name, Engelbert Humperdinck. This guy is, believe it or not, seventy-five years old, and his big hit was back in 1967!"

While Great Britain may chide the contest and increasingly pay less attention to the usually high-grade competition, it seems Russia is taking it very seriously. Just days after the decision by the English to put ol' Humperdinck up for Eurovision, Russia responded with their selection of old stars.

Monday, March 5, 2012

UK chooses ol' Humperdinck as their Eurovision contestant

The United Kingdom has made the choice of whom will attend the big Eurovision competition this year, and it is an older artist by the name of Arnold Dorsey, better known (if only somewhat) by his stage name, Engelbert Humperdinck. This guy is, believe it or not, seventy-five years old, and his big hit was back in 1967!

Despite his age, the BBC, who pick the contestants for the U.K., have serious faith in good ol' Humperdinck to win the competition that many British people dismiss at a bit silly. However, it seems that Humperdinck and some other big voices are taking it quite seriously: they hope that Eurovision will shine a light on the political problems plaguing the hosting country, Azerbaijan.

"The competition takes place on May 26 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where it has generated considerable excitement but also seen the country's human rights record come under closer international scrutiny."

Few music competitions in the entire world can compare to the huge, international contest that Eurovision is. It takes the European countries that participate in the European Broadcasting Union, and lets them all duke it out (musically, of course) against each other to see who will take home number one for the year.

So is Humperdinck their first win in fifteen years? We will just have to wait and see, on May 26!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Rolling Stones announce 50th anniversary photo book

In just a few months, on July 12, 2012, you could be the proud owner of the Rolling Stone's 50th anniversary photographic autobiography. Officially slated for release in Britain for £29.95 (pounds; US$48), it will mark the 50th year, to the day, that perhaps the most famous band in all of history, the Rolling Stones, took to the stage at the Marquee Club in London's Oxford Street.

In a joint statement by the band members, they called it, "[our] story of 50 fantastic years. We started out as a blues band playing the clubs and more recently we've filled the largest stadiums in the world with the kind of show that none of us could have imagined all those years ago."

"Curated by us, it features the very best photographs and ephemera from and beyond our archives."

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Taylor Swift invites cancer patient to awards show

Kevin McGuire has cancer. He is eighteen years old, very athletic, and keeping his chin up regardless -- and for this, everyone can be a bit inspired. So how does this adolescent factor into the music industry? Well, his sister thought he deserved to meet his idol, and so she spread the word that Kevin wanted to ask Taylor Swift to the prom. That's right, Taylor Swift.

...and she said no.

Swift didn't leave it at that, though; she added that she would like it if he came with her to something a little bigger, though: the Academy of Country Music Awards in April.

"Kevin is the kindest, most noble 18 year old a person could even fathom meeting," his sister Tori wrote on the Facebook page she created for Kevin's wish, "and throughout his ups and downs Kevin never even questioned 'why me?' Nothing, and I mean NOTHING brightens Kevin's day more than Taylor Swift."

Pretty awesome, eh?