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Showing posts from September, 2013

DAFT PUNK

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Daft Punk  is a multi Grammy Award-winning  electronic  music duo formed in 1994 in Paris, France, and consisting of  French  musicians  Thomas Bangalter  (born 3 January 1975) and  Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo  (born 8 February 1974). The band is considered one of the most successful electronic music collaborations of all time, both in album sales and in critical acclaim.  Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late  90s   house  movement in  France , along with other artists such as  Air ,  Cassius , and  Dimitri from Paris . Daft Punk are credited with producing songs that were considered essential in the French house scene. They were managed from 1996 to 2008 by Pedro Winter ( Busy P ), the head of Ed Banger Records. The group released four studio albums:  Homework  (1997),  Discovery  (2001),  Human After All (2005), and  Random Access Memories  (2013). They also released the soundtrack album  TRON: Legacy  (2010); the live albums  Alive 1997  (2002),  Alive 2007  (2007)

FUTURE KINGS OF SPAIN

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Future Kings Of Spain were a rock 4 piece from Dublin, Ireland. In this September 2009 posting on their MySpace and email to fans, Future Kings of Spain (FKOS) announced that they were no longer active as a band: “Future Kings Of Spain started out in February 2000 as Joey Wilson, Anton Hegarty and Bryan McMahon. They rehearsed for 5 months until they had a set of songs long enough to play in front of people. Finally and with no name, in July 2000 they played to some friends in a nightclub in Dublin.  In December 2000, introduced as Future Kings Of Spain, they played their first real show. They were joined by Karl Hussey in late 2003 and remained a 4-piece until they brought things to a close in June 2009.  The band recorded 2 LPs and 1 EP. The first LP and the EP for Red Flag Records; the second and last LP for their own label, What’s The Kim? Recordings.  From Dublin, Ireland FKOS toured, recorded and made friends in North America, Europe, the UK, Japan, Australia and Ireland.”

DINO MIRANDA

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Cape Town-based Mozambican lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter  Dino Miranda  is known for the distinct Mozambican flavour in his music, which also shows Jazz, rock, reggae, funk and other influences.  A South African College of Music graduate, ino began his career in 1997 as a guitarist for the Mozambican star Chico Antonio, whom he worked with for the following two years. He has also performed with other highly acclaimed artists such as the Cuba Groove Band, Mozambican Timbila Band and Jimmy Dludlu, and shared the stage with stars like Simphiwe Dana, Feya Faku, freshlyground, 340ml and Rodriguez. In 2002 Dino formed his own band, and has continuously performed in various festivals and venues in the Cape Peninsula, including: Obz Festival 2004 and 2006 Jazz Athlone Festival in 2007 St. Hospice Charity Festival 2004 and 2005 Verao Amarelo Festival in Maputo, Mozambique January 2007 Dino played on the latest album of Mozambican star Stewart Sukuma, as well as that

MOREIRA CHONGUIÇA

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Moreira was born in Matola just outside Maputo, the capital of Mozambique on 13 February 1977. In order to continue his music studies Moreira moved to Cape Town in South Africa, where he graduated from the University of Cape Town’s South African College of Music with a degree in jazz performance and an honours degree (summa cum laude) in ethnomusicology in 2000. In Cape Town, Moreira has established an impressive list of credits to his name. Moreira's debut album,  The Moreira ProjectT Vol 1–The Journey  was released in December 2005 and received overwhelming response from the industry as well as from the media on both local and international levels. The album expresses not only his phenomenal song writing ability and energetic performances but also his major personal coup of securing the support and talent of international jazz legend Najee on several tracks. Working with such an accomplished musician is a dream coming true for Moreira: Najee and I first met at

BLIND MELON

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Los Angeles ,  United States  ( 1989  – 1999, 2006 – present) Blind Melon is a rock band from Los Angeles, United States. They were active from 1989 to 1999, and then from 2006 onward. Best remembered for their 1993 single “No Rain”, the group enjoyed critical and commercial success in the early 1990s with their neo-psychedelic take on alternative rock. The 1995 death of lead vocalist Shannon Hoon halted the band’s activity, and the members went on hiatus until officially disbanding in 1999. The band reformed with new lead vocalist Travis Warren in 2006, and although Warren departed two years later, he has since resumed performing with the band.

PORNO FOR PYROS

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Porno for Pyros  was an American  alternative rock  group formed in 1992 from Los Angeles, California. It was  Perry Farrell ’s and  Stephen Perkins ’ next project after the breakup of their former band  Jane’s Addiction . Following the demise of the critically and commercially successful Jane’s Addiction project, frontman Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins formed Porno for Pyros after acquiring guitarist Peter DiStefano and bass player Martyn LeNoble. Farrell named the band after viewing an ad for fireworks in a pornographic magazine. The name has also been connected through song lyrics to the LA riots which occurred in the band’s hometown around the time of Porno for Pyros inception. Prior to releasing their eponymous first album, Porno for Pyros embarked on a nationwide tour to support the new band. By the time the band’s debut album ( Porno for Pyros ) was released in 1993, anticipation surrounding the project was enough to briefly drive the album to the #3 position on

PIXIES

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Pixies  are an American  alternative rock  band which formed in Boston, Massachusetts, United States in 1986. The band consists of Charles ( Black Francis ) Thompson IV (vocals, guitar; also known as ‘’ Frank Black ’‘),  Joey Santiago  (lead guitar) and  David Lovering  (drums). Until 2013, the band also featured  Kim Deal  on bass and vocals. The band officially split in 1993 and reunited in 2004. They went on hiatus in 2007, with each band member pursuing projects of their own, only to reunite in 2009, with the announcement of a new tour commencing in Europe that summer. Although quite popular on alternative rock radio in the United States due to heavy airplay of the singles “Monkey Gone to Heaven” and “Here Comes Your Man”, they were never widely popular there, but found success in Europe, especially in the UK (where they managed three top 40 singles “Velouria”, “Planet of Sound” and a re-release of “Debaser”) and Belgium and the Netherlands, where they were heavily broadcasted b

BLIND FAITH

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Blind Faith were an English blues-rock band that comprised Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood and Ric (aka Rick) Grech. The band, which was one of the first “super-groups”, released their only album, Blind Faith, in August 1969. Blind Faith formed in London, England, in late 1968 when  Eric Clapton  (ex- Cream ) and  Steve Winwood  (ex- Traffic ) were at loose ends following the demise of their former bands and began to spend time together again, jamming and working on new material at Clapton’s house in Surrey (they had previously collaborated on a Clapton project called  Eric Clapton & The Powerhouse . At Winwood’s instigation, Cream’s former drummer  Ginger Baker  was invited along, and they subsequently spent some time recording in the studio.  Rick Grech , bassist with  Family , was invited to join them…and he left Family, mid-tour! Record producer Jimmy Miller came in to bring some focus to the recording of further material. News of the formation of the group created

DEPECHE MODE

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Depeche Mode  are an English  synthpop  band, founded in 1980, originally from the town of Basildon, Essex, United Kingdom. They are one of the most enduring and successful bands to have emerged during the  80s , and particularly from the  new wave / new romantic  era. The band name is derived from a French fashion magazine,  Dépêche mode , which means “fashion dispatch.” The band have been highly influential in the  electronic  dance music scene, especially  synthpop , techno and trance, in part due to their innovative work, recording techniques and use of sampling. Their most successful album is arguably 1990’s  Violator , which reached the #2 position in the UK, #7 in the US, and sold over 8 million copies worldwide. The band has released a long series of high-charting singles over their three-decades long career.  Enjoy the Silence  is their most recognized song and is one of the most covered songs in history.  The original line-up was  Dave Gahan ,  Martin L. Gore ,  Andy Fletc