M.I.A., is an English artist, and songwriter. The moniker "M.I.A." is both a play on her own name and a reference to the abbreviation for Missing in Action. Her music combine elements of electronic, dance, alternative, hip hop and world music. M.I.A. began her career in 2000 as a visual artist, filmmaker and designer in West London before beginning her recording career in 2002. Since rising to prominence in early 2004 for her singles "Sunshowers" and "Galang", she has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Grammy Awards and the Mercury Prize
It can be differcult to write a history piece on a revolution of music. Especially when you were too young to take part, and or it was before you time. But if you love it enough, re-live it enough, dance, sing and listen to it enough, the words come easy and the article is written.
And so it was, for me, i wrote a piece for the spring 2012 issue of Glitterball Magazine (read it here). The article is a brief history of the Rot Grrrl movement that kicked off life in the late 80's and still rocks the grounds of every music venue worldwide. It was a girl punk movement that grew from the dying 70's punk scene, starting in Washington by word of mouth and nothing else the power of girl bands grew across the country, over the sea, around our sweet countrysides and up into our cities; and increased over the world.
This is a sneak of what i have written - but to read the full article please check out Glitterball Magazine
i have this strange feeling of uncertainty and anxciousness when anything considered 'mainstream' enters mind of likes. the latest is Lana Del Rey, she is absolutely everywhere right now, and its boring. she's even made it front cover of this months vogue. But just like the rest of the world i am intrigued, im in love with her hypnotic voice and lyrics. I want her long 40's waved hair but i have this uncertain feeling because the media likes to grab hold things hold them high in the air, shake them of everything until they drop. And often with the media and it's imediate obbessions they become over rated. The 'one song' is really good maybe single no 2 of the album makes top 10 too, but then that is it. They loose interest, not becuase they have a new story, a new product to pour over, but because those 2 songs were they only songs that were any good and will ever be.
So when the Lana Del Rey circus started i sat back with anxciousness, wondering about the girl from New York City and questioning 'is her album as good as it is wanted to be?' well, i am listening to 'Born to Die' on spotify right now, im supposed to be writing an article for a magazine but i had to stop and write this to you all and tell you..... Yes, yes it is.
The album is a mix of unreleased tracks, duets and original
recordings of some of her successful songs from Back to Black. Produced by her
close Friend Mark Ronson, the tracks are raw, no editing, pure and innocent but
in my opinion not in a good way. To me the album sounds unfinished; listening
to some of the tracks they sound unpolished and almost rushed. Yes I understand
Amy is no longer with us, so they couldn’t do 1000 recordings to get the right
one, but if you compare track 1 ‘Our day will come’ and track 11 ‘Body and Soul’
with Tony Bennett, (the two songs ready for release) to the rest of the album
you will understand what I mean.
It would have been great to have more ‘new’ songs on the
album and less of the covers and original recordings of old songs, perhaps they
haven’t been recorded but in the album sleeve hand written by Amy is a track
listing and none of these songs exist on the new album. Perhaps they don’t
exist at all, and this is just a tease to what could have been.
Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins; January 25 1938) was an
American singer whose style crossed a variety of music genres including blues,
rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, gospel and jazz. Starting her career in
the mid 1950’s; she gained fame with hits such as "Dance With Me,
Henry", "At Last", "Tell Mama", and "I'd Rather
Go Blind". She is regarded as having bridged the gap between rhythm and
blues and rock and roll, and is the winner of six Grammys and 17 Blues Music
Awards. In 1993She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the
Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in both 1999 and 2008.
James
was hospitalized in January 2010 to treat an infection caused by MRSA, it was during her hospitalization, her son
Donto revealed that James had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2008. She
was diagnosed with leukemia in early 2011. But the illness wasn’t announced to the media until December 2011. It
was Friday 20th January 2012 that Etta James passed away with her
husband by her side.
She has been named one of the greatest singers to have ever
lived, her voice as powerful as bull, it would stop you in your tracks. Etta
James is truly inspiration.
Would you expect much from a tv talent contest runner up? I
assume not. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and with vocals that
easily compare to Nina Simone and Billie Holiday; you’d be pleasantly
surprised.
The vibe is London loft pad; a summers afternoon, drinking Pims
with your closet friends. And what started as normal sunny afternoon turns to a
lot of laughter, fun, and becomes of the highlights of the summer. ‘Heaven’ is
playing in the background, each song strikes a chord and a memory of past
relationships which you can now laugh about and delve in to the secrets you
always kept hidden before. And now ever since that afternoon; every time you
see or hear Rebecca Ferguson your reminded of that beautiful summer afternoon,
and generally smile to yourself.
Overall it’s a good album. You wouldn’t be disappointed
