Devil With A Cause

Whatta guy!

Hometowner Kid Rock and his Made in Detroit apparel line are working with Wayne State University to help start a college scholarship fund for area music students.

The Detroit clothing company will create 2,500 limited edition T-shirts bearing the school's name and the "Made in Detroit" logo that features a factory worker in silhouette, carrying a large wrench.

Wayne State hopes to raise $25,000 from the T-shirt sale initially, university spokeswoman Francine Wunder said.

-courtesy of freep.com-

Here are some of the awards won by Robert James Ritchie, or better known as Kid Rock, thus far.


Awards/Nominations
Grammy Awards
1999 Best New Artist (Nominated)
1999 Best Hard Rock Performance for Bawitdaba (Nominated)
2000 Best Hard Rock Performance for American Bad Ass (Nominated)

Academy of Country Music
2003, Vocal Event of the Year: "Picture" (Nominated)

American Music Awards
2008, Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist (Nominee Currently)
2003, Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist: (Winner)
2003, Favorite Pop/Rock Album: Cocky (Nominated)
2001, Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist: (Winner)
2000, Favorite Alternative Artist: (Nominated)
2000, Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist: (Nominated)

Billboard Music Awards
1999 Best New Artist (Winner)
1999 Best Hard Rock Performance for Bawitdaba (Winner)
1999 Best New Hard Rock Artist (Winner)

MTV Video Music Awards
2001, Best Male Video: "Cowboy" (Nominated)
2001, Best Rock Video: "Cowboy" (Nominated)
2000, Best Male Video: "Bawitdba" (Nominated)
2000, Best New Artist: "Bawitdba" (Nominated)

Teen Choice Awards
2003, Choice Love Song: "Picture" (Nominated)
2003 Choice Hookup Song: "Picture" (Nominated)

Detroit Music Awards
1999 Outstanding National Album for Devil Without A Cause (Winner)
1999 Outstanding National Single for I Am The Bullgod (Winner)
1999 Outstanding National Single for Bawitdaba (Nominee)
2000 Outstanding National Album for History Of Rock (Nominee)
2000 Outstanding National Single for American Bad Ass (Winner)
2000 Outstanding National Single for Cowboy (Nominee)
2000 Outstanding National Duet for Higher with Robert Bradley (Winner)
2000 Outstanding National Spokesperson (Winner)
2001 Outstanding National Album for Cocky (Nominated)
2001 Outstanding National Single for Forever (Nominated)
2003 Outstanding National Single for Picture (Nominated)
2004 Outstanding National Album for Kid Rock (Nominated)
2004 Outstanding National Single for Cold And Empty (Nominated)
2004 Outstanding National Single for Jackson,Mississippi (Nominated)
2006 Outstanding National Album for 'Live' Trucker (Nominated)
2008 Outstanding National Album for Rock N Roll Jesus (Winner)

The Battle of Britpop

How bearded butterflies flew out of Oasis rock

While Oasis (pic) are influenced by The Beatles, many younger bands are now influenced by the Manchester group.
As the Gallagher brothers prepare to return to Cardiff for two gigs, Karen Price speaks to a Welsh band inspired by them

IN a promo shot for his band, Butterflies With Beards, Titch Harvey is wearing a T-shirt with the word “Oasis” emblazoned across his chest. It is, of course, in homage to the Manchester group which Harvey says inspired him to dip his toe into the murky waters of the music industry.

“There isn’t a band who is a bigger influence on us as songwriters than Oasis,” says Harvey.
“We admire their passion for writing no-messing rock’n’roll anthems.
“Oasis were the band that got me interested in music. Before hearing Oasis, I was only listening to the Sunday chart show (on Radio 1), and never really had an interest in any particular genre of music – I just listened to what was in the charts.
“But Oasis introduced me to rock’n’roll, and to indie music.”

Fronted by Liam Gallagher, Oasis – who last night announced they will play the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on June 12 next year – played their first gig in August 1991. At the time, Gallagher’s elder brother Noel was working as a roadie for the Inspiral Carpets but went to see the group play their Manchester gig. He soon joined them and it is his songwriting talents which helped catapult them into the big time.

Debut album Definitely Maybe, released in 1994, was an instant commercial success. But it was the follow-up, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory, which was at number one in the UK album chart for 10 weeks and produced anthems like Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back In Anger and Some Might Say, which really sealed their reputation as serious song-writers.

Harvey, 23, who is from North Cornelly, near Bridgend, was among those who became a huge fan of the band.

“I was young at the time of discovering Oasis, so I can honestly say that they have played a big part in me becoming who I am.
“I love rock music with a passion and, if it wasn’t for my heroes Noel and Liam Gallagher, I wouldn’t be fronting my own rock band, and writing my own rock anthems.”

Butterflies With Beards is made up of Harvey (bass and vocals), his elder brother Tatz (guitar) and cousins Geraint Kinsey (drums) and Matthew Kinsey (guitar).

“The name came from a phoney phone call I once made to Geraint’s stepfather. I used to phone him up and shout random things down the phone, anything that came into my head. One day Geraint was sitting in his living room with his stepfather, and the phone rang. Geraint remembers him picking the phone up, pausing, then slamming it down, shouting in frustration, ‘What the hell is butterflies with beards?’ That was the random thing I chose to scream at him that day.”

As Butterflies With Beards start out on the road to success, their heroes Oasis are still going strong today, despite a few line-up changes. As well as their current UK tour, they have just released their seventh album, Dig Out Your Soul.

“Dig Out Your Soul inspires me in new ways,” says Harvey. “It’s also their attitudes we admire – not the fighting, arrogant attitude you often see portrayed in the media, but their attitude towards music.
“They’ve only ever written the music they want to write, and have always stayed true to themselves.
“And even Noel’s recent comments about shows like The X Factor are opinions that we share.
“Oasis have always been about the music, about rock’n’roll. Oasis are famous for being heavily influenced by The Beatles, and have never denied it. And if one day we can make it in this business, I will proudly say that we’ve been heavily influenced by Oasis.”

Oasis will play two gigs at Cardiff International Arena next week as part of their UK tour and Harvey will be among those in the crowd.

“I can’t wait – it’s going to be an amazing show, I’m sure. I advise anyone who’s never caught them live to make sure they do this time.”

Oasis play Cardiff International Arena on October 23 & 24

Butterflies With Beards play Buffalo Bar, Cardiff, on October 23 and the Swn Festival, which takes place at venues across Cardiff from November 14 to 16

-courtesy of Western Mail-

iTunes..Highway to hell?

WELCOME to the new age where CDs just ain't the best thing anymore.

iTunes have dominated the music industry but some, including Brian Johnson (pic) of Aussie band AC/DC still remain sceptical and perfer songs burnt and sealed.

The band refuses to put their latest album 'Black Ice' on iTunes, adding the move was a "bid to protect the album format from the Internet's emphasis on buying single songs."

"Maybe I'm just being old-fashioned, but this iTunes, God bless 'em, it's going to kill music if they're not careful," lead singer Brian Johnson, 61, told Reuters.

"It's a...monster, this thing," he said. "It just worries me. And I'm sure they're just doing it all in the interest of making as much...cash as possible. Let's put it this way, it's certainly not for the...love, let's get that out of the way, right away," he said.

Black Ice, featuring bluesy power riffs in its 15 songs list is the band's 15th album.

Click here to read more.

Isn't it Ironic?

By Lynn Saxberg, The Ottawa Citizen

Enough about them, the Hollywood ex and his new squeeze. Sunday night at the National Arts Centre was a chance to reacquaint ourselves with the real Alanis Morissette, rock star, Ottawa gal and the queen of the emotional rollercoaster.

After the sun set on a sunny Thanksgiving Day, the Grammy-winning, zillion-selling artist wasted no time demonstrating her rock-star chops in front of a hometown audience. First, her disembodied voice came through the speakers, and when she finally strode purposefully on stage, one arm raised in greeting, her nimble band was fully cranked.

In a haze of purple lights, the song Univited unfolded with a Zep-like display of majesty; hard on its heels was the equally heavy Versions of Violence, one of the few songs on Morissette's latest disc, Flavors of Entanglement, not directly associated with a break-up.

As the guitars blazed, bass thundered and drums rolled, Morissette carried an air of rock 'n' roll elegance, sporting an outfit that featured tall boots and something dark and sparkly on top. Her long brown hair trailed to her elbows, and neatly trimmed bangs framed her smiling face.

Although she said few words to the audience, the 34-year-old looked to be at ease with her place in the music-industry food chain, no longer stadium material but happy to be connecting with a couple thousand fans each night along the tour. She thanked the crowd, introduced the band members and slipped in a few hometown references.

"I'd like to dedicate this to all Ottawa girls," she said with a smile, because the song in question was the not-entirely-flattering Everything, "and all the people who love them."
The emotional peak of the well-paced concert was Flinch, the stark confessional from Flavors, in which our heroine's voice appeared to tear a vein and let the guts spill. Morissette's voice oozed with such pain and heartache that even Scarlett would shed a tear.

From there, the recovery process clicked into gear with the mystical beat of Moratorium. Her voice as sweet as honey, Morissette began the song with her hands clasped at her neck. As the band rocked, her body language followed, jumping, twirling, spinning around and around until everyone on stage ended up playing Morissette's 1995 breakthrough hit, You Oughta Know. The crowd leaped to its feet, and went nuts as Morissette snarled the lyrics, making no effort to blur the f-word.

By the time Alanis wailed out Tapes, a creepy-crawly song from the new disc, she could do no wrong in the eyes of the audience. Their spirit became even more generous with the sit-down segment of the concert. Morissette perched on a stool, and the rest of the band, in chairs, formed a tight circle around her, a seating arrangement that pulled in the audience, too. It was Alanis' job not to cave to the love-in.

She succeeded. Her laidback demeanour made everyone comfortable, and as the band settled into a hot campfire jam, we were one big happy family, singing along to some of the biggest hits of the 90s, the likes of One Hand In My Pocket, You Learn and Ironic. The playing was terrific, though it would have been nice to hear a bit more from Morissette between songs, maybe a joke or anecdote about growing up in Ottawa.

For opening act Alexi Murdoch, who's from Scotland, it was his first visit to Ottawa. The young, scruffy singer-songwriter bore a musical resemblance to Ottawa son Bruce Cockburn, with the same oaky drone of a voice and a similar resonance to his guitar sound. The effect was hypnotic. Unfortunately, on top of a big turkey dinner, it seemed to come with a built-in snooze factor.