2CELLOS Cover AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” on Cellos with Guest Steve Vai
Nov 2, 2012 music
I love when bands cover favorite songs in unusual ways. After all, if you’re going to take the time to redo a song, at least put your own stamp on it.
2CELLOS does just that.
From their upcoming new album, IN2ITION, Croatian cellists Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, known collectively as 2CELLOS, offer fresh takes on classic songs like Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh, Well” (feat. Elton John), Prodigy’s “Voodoo People,” and Coldplay’s “Clocks” (feat. Lang Lang).
The newest video from the CD is an instrumental cover of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” featuring legendary guitarist Steve Vai. I love this version of the song, and the video has a good energy to it.
Take a look:
IN2ITION is due in stores January 13, 2013. Find out more about 2CELLOS at 2cellos.com, facebook.com/2cellos, or twitter them @2cellos.
Tags: 2CELLOS, AC/DC, cello music, Steve Vai, unusual covers of songs
My 2012 Picks for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Sep 29, 2011 music
The 2012 nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been released and there are a lot of good choices.
Here’s the list:
- Beastie Boys
- The Cure
- Donovan
- Eric B. & Rakim
- Guns N’ Roses
- Heart
- Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
- Freddie King
- Laura Nyro
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Rufus with Chaka Khan
- The Small Faces/The Faces
- The Spinners
- Donna Summer
- War
According to the rules set by the RnR HoF, to be eligible for nomination, “an individual artist or band must have released its first single or album at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination.” That means the 2012 nominees must have released their first recording no later than 1986.
Looking at these people, they have certainly left their mark on the music industry, influencing a lot of other artists throughout the years.
But in the end, only 5 will actually be inducted. If I were on the voting committee, these are the 5 that would get my vote and why:
Tags: Beastie Boys, Heart, music business, music honors, Red Hot Chili Pepper, RHCP, Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame, The Cure, The Spinners
forest people who dance in tight clothes
Sep 3, 2010 music, online humor
I don’t really have any other way to describe this video. It’s so awesomely bizarre I had to share it with you. In fact, I’d rank it right up there with Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman” as far as musical anthems go. Enjoy!
Leslie Hall rocks!
[Found via Miss Britt via Knotty Yarn]
Tags: Leslie Hall, online humor, strange songs
August is another word for too much to do
Wow! Where in the heck did August go? I guess that’s what happens when you have too much to do, eh? I was determined to get caught up on my writing and though I have yet to tally the links, I think I did 30 or so published articles last month. I’ll post the links in a post later this week.
Besides writing, I haven’t done much other than go back to work at the bookstore part-time and also I had a slew of medical tests and such. The neurologist is 98% he knows what I have, but I still have one more MRI and a third spinal tap to go through yet this month. I’ll find out the final prognosis the day after my birthday. Whoo! Go me!
This last weekend I actually went out and hung out with my friends. It felt good to be out and and about, even though I paid for it the next day with my whole body in pain. We (Rhon and I) met up with the old PI/Margaritaville gang of Patti, Cris, Joan and Deb to see my friend Jeremy’s band Afterglow Radio. They are so freakin’ great live!! You should check out their music on the Afterglow Radio MySpace page. I don’t think I’ll make it to their video shoot this week, but I hope to be well enough to see them on Sept 19 at the Back Booth downtown.
After the show, Rhon and I went over to Steak & Shake with Rachel and Clare and yapped for a few hours. We didn’t get home until around 1am. I remember before I got sick, 1am would be my starting point but this weekend I felt like I got hit by a truck the next day – and I didn’t even drink any alcohol.
Since I haven’t been out and about, I don’t really have much else to talk about right now. I do appreciate everyone who continues to read my articles at Suite101, Why Go Las Vegas and Uptake. Every click helps me pay the bills, so I do appreciate the continued support!
rocking the Tony’s
Jun 8, 2009 movies and tv, music
So who watched the Tony’s last night? I had finally gotten out of the hospital and was all settled in to Twitter while watching the show when the modem went down.
* sigh * I spend all those days in the hospital without the computer and I’m not even home a day and I’m foiled again.
Honestly, I’m not too vested in who wins but I love watching all of the musical numbers. I think one of my favorites from last night was the cast of Rock of Ages. Of course, I may be biased, since I’m a fan of hair metal anyways, but I really enjoyed the montage they did. I also loved it when the emcee character picked on Liza Minnelli and she was squirming in her seat. It was funny and she was such a good sport. I hope I get to see the show sometime. It looks like a lot of fun.
So does the new revival of Hair – which won the Tony last night for Best Revival of a Musical (yay!!!). That has long been a favorite of both Rhon and I – it was one of the reasons we first bonded as friends almost twenty years ago. The cast performed the title song on last night’s awards and it was amazing! I’m a bit envious of Anne Hathaway (who seems to be the go-to girl for audience participation at awards shows lately) – those lead guys can crawl on my chair anytime. LOL But seriously, it looks like a fantastic production.
Not many people know this but when I was a kid, I actually wanted to be a Broadway singer. I really did. Some rocking musical like Jesus Christ Superstar or Hair. All through high school I took musical theater classes and acted in any musical the drama dept put on. It’s still one of those not-quite-forgotten dreams, even if I’m just a background singer for one show. Who knows…could still happen someday. 
But I digress…I was talking about the Tony’s, right? Overall, I’d give the show a big thumbs up for being entertaining – certainly a 1000% more so than the MTV Movie Awards that was on a few weeks back. I thought Neil Patrick Harris was a fabulous host – probably my second favorite Tony host ever. Only Hugh Jackman a few years back topped NPH, imho.
If you missed it, I did find these recordings on YouTube (the quality of the Rock of Ages clip is a little degraded, but still watchable).
Tags: Hair, neil patrick harris, Rock of Ages, Tony Awards 2009
i like miley and i don’t care who knows it
Feb 12, 2009 music
I like Miley Cyrus’ music. There I’ve said it. In public even. And even though I’m sure to be judged by it, I don’t care. Why? Because I love music for the sake of music.
I’ve always thought it silly that people judge music by the image of the artist. Or their age, for that matter. Like you can only like Miley if you’re a teenager. Why? A good song is a good song. A good singer is a good singer.
Too many people listen to music with a closed mind and a preconceived notion of what they should be listening to. If they like rap, they can’t listen to country. If they like metal, they can’t enjoy a good pop song. If you’re over 20 you can’t enjoy a teen musician. If you’re under 40, you can’t enjoy easy listening.
Who the heck wrote these guidelines, and why do people follow them?
One of my favorite examples of how the majority of people let image and other people’s opinions sway them is best illustrated by the following true story:
In the late 90s, Mercury Records released a single to the radio stations with no photo of the band and a very brief biography that said the band was made up of three people. The song was a catchy little pop ditty and it tested amazingly well.
Within two weeks, it was the #1 most requested song at pop radio around the US. Still, nobody knew anything about this band or even what they looked like, beyond the fact they were a trio. Then somebody spilled the beans. The trio were brothers and not only that, but…gasp!…teenagers. Yup, the trio behind the song, “MMM…Bop” were three teen boys who wrote and played their own instruments.
Well, once people found out the full story about Hanson, suddenly the song wasn’t cool to listen to. They were instantly lumped into the “boy band” category and you were made fun of if you liked the song.
So how was the song itself any different after the reveal? It wasn’t. It was still the same exact song, note for note.
But once people knew the full story, preconceived notions came into play and tainted people’s ability to listen to the song for fear their friends would make fun of them for listening to music written and performed by teenagers.
Sad, huh?
Now, I’m not saying I like everything I’ve ever heard, but I at least go into the first encounter with open ears and an equally open mind. Then, if I don’t like it, it’s because I truly don’t like it. Not because somebody told me I wouldn’t or I was afraid of what other people might think if I actually did like it.
I’ve been told anyone looking at my CD collection would think I’ve got a multiple personality disorder. I’ve got 70s disco and funk. I’ve got big band jazz and delta blues. I’ve got 80s new wave and hair metal bands galore. I’ve got soundtracks and showtunes. Celtic fusion and boy bands. I’ve got every one of AC/DC’s CDs right next to Christina Aguilera’s complete collection. I’m just as likely to be listening to Duran Duran as I am to Stevie Wonder.
Some days I want to rage like a Volcano Girl; some days I’d rather be a Material Girl. I can be a Redneck Woman and I can be a Fat Bottom Girl. Music speaks to me and as with any conversation I have with a good friend, I like to be open to where it takes me.
So, I like Miley. So what? You don’t like Miley? You’re entitled to your opinion, too. But make sure you don’t like a musician because you’ve actually listened to them…not because you’ve heard they suck.
By the way, this is the Miley song I’m enjoying at the moment. While the video is aimed at the teens, I think it’s sweet and fits the song. It’s called “7 Things”:
So now it’s your turn to spill… what song or artist do you like that people make fun of you for? Say it loud and proud!
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Michelle Snow. Journalist. Photographer. Web Designer. Graphic Designer. Traveler. Geekgirl. Browncoat. Musicologist.
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