Vance Joy released his first new solo single, “Missing Piece,” earlier this year, and he’s been working on even more new material. However, as he tells ABC Audio, the recordings so far are lacking, well, a “Missing Piece.”
“At the moment I’ve got quite a few songs that I’m liking,” Vance says. “I’m still doing that back-and-forth mix thing when I go, ‘Hey, is the first mix we did better than the 10th mix we did?’ and losing all perspective.”
Still, Vance’s mixing indecision isn’t as bad as say, Bruce Springsteen‘s, as The Boss detailed in his 2016 autobiography, Born to Run.
“They’d bring people in from the outside and they’d be, like, ‘This is an absolute mess, you can’t even hear the vocal,’ and he’s just, like, ‘Oh god, what have I been doing for the last year?'” Vance shares. “Just the madness of that thing makes me feel less stressed.”
Overall, Vance says he’s currently got “six or seven” songs that he “really like[s].”
“It would be nice to have two or three more songs that I was really stoked on, and then I feel like I’d have the full album,” he says. “I think looking at early-ish next year, so hopefully all that stuff falls into place before then.”
Hip-hop legends Naughty by Nature are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their 1991 platinum album with a book, documentary and NFT planned for later this year.
“Although 30 years flew by, Naughty by Nature built the machine ready to travel through 30 more,” group leader Treach says in a statement. “God is great.”
He adds, “Following a dream can lead you from fantasy to reality, a love for a culture can start as just a love for musical poetry, human drum tracks, and DJ scratches mixes, and samples and end up as lifelong careers filled with fame, fortune, and fulfillness [sp].”
Treach, Vin Rock and DJ Kay Gee began their career in 1986 in East Orange, New Jersey. Originally known as The New Style, their career took off when they were discovered Queen Latifah. She changed their name, signed them to her Flava Unit management company, and was featured on their first album recorded as Naughty by Nature.
The first single from the album, “O.P.P.,” hit number one on the Billboard rap chart and was certified double platinum.
“I feel blessed to have a 30 year career participating in a hobby with my childhood friends,” Vin says. “We are truly lucky to have an occupation that doesn’t feel like work at all most of the time. I’m humbled by the continued love and support from our fans! Thank you!”
Adds Kay Gee. “Nothing beats doing what you love to do. The fans love it as well 30 plus years later. It’s awesome!”
The group broke up following the release of their Nature’s Fury album in 1999; however, after a few years, they came back together again, and continue to perform around the world.
“We wouldn’t have reunited if we didn’t think we could give people that authentic Naughty feeling,” says Treach.
Tetrarch has premiered the video for “Stitch Me Up,” a track off the band’s new album, Unstable.
The clip finds the “I’m Not Right” outfit performing in a high school gym where one student is dressed like the Batman villain Scarecrow and is shunned by the rest of his classmates.
“The theme of this video is kind of about being an outcast in your everyday life,” says guitarist Diamond Rowe. “You can sometimes feel like a complete freak when it seems like no one else sees things the same way that you do or has common interests, but finally meeting up with people that are like you can make you feel safe and whole.”
You can watch the “Stitch Me Up” video streaming now on YouTube.
Unstable was released in April. It also includes the single “You Never Listen.”
TJ Osborne of Brothers Osborne is opening up about the impact of publicly coming out as gay, saying that his life has changed in “a lot of ways.”
“I didn’t realize what a sense of purpose it would bring to my life to be here. I didn’t realize how much it would resonate with some people,” TJ toldCBS Sunday Morning, appearing alongside brother John Osborne.
After host Gayle King shared a tweet from a mother citing the duo as a role model for her teen son, who has depression and anxiety and recently came out to her, the singer admits he didn’t initially consider how being open about his sexuality would relate to parents of queer youth “and how that would really help them to be able to help their relationship. That was something that never dawned on me,” he expressed.
TJ also met a fan at a recent show who shared a heartfelt message with him. “I want to thank you for making a safe space for people like me to come the show,” the fan told him.
“And I thought ‘to me, that is worth more than anything,'” said TJ.
Brothers Osborne continue on their We’re Not for Everyone Tour through November 20.
Today, August 24, marks the 40th anniversary of the release of The Rolling Stones‘ classic 1981 album Tattoo You.
Tattoo You spent nine consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 in the fall of ’81, holding the top spot on the chart longer than any other Stones album.
Tattoo You featured three singles that reached the Billboard Hot 100’s top 20 — “Start Me Up,” “Waiting on a Friend” and “Hang Fire,” which peaked at #2, #13 and #20, respectively.
Respected music journalist and author Alan Light tells ABC Audio that many people consider Tattoo You to be “the last great Rolling Stones album,” while noting that it’s “such a funny and odd project” in the band’s history.
What made Tattoo You unusual was that it was put together from unfinished outtakes that The Rolling Stones had recorded during various sessions throughout the 1970s and that the band revisited to complete for the album.
Because of this, ex-Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, who left the group in late 1974, actually appears on two of the record’s tracks.
Tattoo You also features contributions from a variety of guest musicians, including keyboardists Nicky Hopkins, Ian Stewart and Billy Preston, founding Santana percussionist Michael Carabello, The Who‘s Pete Townshend and legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins.
Townshend sang backing vocals on the song “Slave,” while Rollins delivered a memorable solo on “Waiting on a Friend,” and also played on “Slave” and “Neighbors.”
To date, Tattoo You has sold over 4 million copies in the U.S. As announced last week, The Rolling Stones will release a 40th anniversary reissue of the album on October 22. The reissue’s deluxe versions will feature nine previously unreleased tracks from that period to which the band has added new vocals and guitar.
Here’s Tattoo You‘s original track list:
“Start Me Up”
“Hang Fire”
“Slave”
“Little T&A”
“Black Limousine”
“Neighbours”
“Worried About You”
“Tops”
“Heaven”
“No Use in Crying”
“Waiting on a Friend”
Lauren Daigle‘s latest single, “Hold On to Me,” is doing well, but it remains to be seen if it can match the record-breaking success of “You Say.” Lauren says she doesn’t expect a repeat — and that’s O.K.
“You Say,” released three years ago last month, topped numerous Billboard charts, including Adult Top 40, Adult Contemporary and Hot Christian Songs. On the latter, it stayed at number one for an astonishing 129 weeks. In fact, it was the first song to spend 100 or more weeks on anyBillboard chart, ever.
“That was a one and done, probably,” Laure laughs. “I mean, unless there’s other plans out there, I have no idea if that will ever happen again. That’s why you have to revel in the moment when it happens.”
“Being present is so…rich because moments will pass you by and you’ll realize, ‘OK, I missed out on the joy of what that moment had. And now I’m longing for that moment in a different season,'” she cautions. “And it just doesn’t work out.”
Lauren, who’ll kick off a world tour on September 24, says for her, that’s the only way to approach any sort of overwhelming achievement.
“Being present and really reveling in, like, the ‘Wow, I can’t believe that happened,’ because it may never happen again,” she says. “But hopefully, fingers crossed, you wish for the best!”
After sending social media into a frenzy when she went platinum blonde, Billie Eilish has changed her hair yet again.
The singer unveiled a brand new chop Monday on her Instagram Story. She’s now rocking a shaggy blonde bob.
Billie posted some old photos of her mom sporting a similar hairstyle, captioning one of the pics, “Like my mama.” She also posted a short video clip of her tousling the new ‘do, writing, “I love it.”
Of course, fans were instantly obsessed.
“Billie Eilish cut off her hair like she cut off her exes,” one fan tweeted. Another wrote, “BILLIE EILISH WITH THIS MARILYN MONROE STYLE HAIR FOR THE MET GALA????????????? GOODBYE.”
Yet another added, “that one women who breaks the internet just by cutting her hair: BILLIE EILISH.”
This week, Billie’s album Happier than Ever topped the Billboard 200 chart for the third week. She leads an all-female top three on the chart, along with Doja Cat and Olivia Rodrigo, marking the first time that’s happened in over 10 years.
(ALBANY, N.Y.) — Former Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul was sworn in as New York’s first female governor at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.
“Honored to be officially sworn in as New York’s 57th Governor,” Hochul tweeted from her new official governor account. The website for the governor of New York was also updated shortly after midnight.
Hochul was sworn in by the state’s chief judge, Janet DiFiore, in a private ceremony at the state capitol in Albany. A public swearing-in ceremony will be held for Hochul at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Red Room of the state capitol building, though she wasted no time in announcing the first two appointments of her administration, picking Karen Persichilli Keogh, a former senior aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton, as secretary to the governor and Elizabeth Fine, executive vice president and general counsel of Empire State Development (New York’s economic development agency), as counsel to the governor.
“I’m excited about this,” Hochul said last week during a visit to New York City’s Queens borough. “I’m excited about this opportunity. I’m very prepared for this.”
In a blistering farewell address to constituents on Monday, now former Gov. Andrew Cuomo blasted the state attorney general’s five-month investigation that found he sexually harassed multiple women, calling it a “political firecracker” that triggered an “unfair and unjust” rush to judgment against him.
The 63-year-old Cuomo later submitted his resignation in a letter Monday to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker of the Assembly Carl Heastie, effective at 12 a.m., Aug. 24. “I hereby tender my resignation for the office of Governor of the State of New York,” Cuomo wrote. “It has been my pleasure to serve with you both.”
But in an address, Cuomo used the opportunity to slam the allegations against him and tout his accomplishments as governor.
“Let me say now that when government politicizes allegations and the headlines condemn without facts, you undermine the justice system and that doesn’t serve women and it doesn’t serve men or society,” Cuomo said. “I understand that there are moments of intense political pressure and media frenzy that cause a rush to judgment, but that is not right. It’s not fair or sustainable. Facts still matter.”
Cuomo, who has insisted he did not touch anyone inappropriately, announced his resignation on Aug. 13, ten days after State Attorney General Letitia James made public the results of an investigation she alleged found the governor sexually harassed multiple women, including current and former state employees, and had retaliated against one of his accusers.
“A firecracker can start a stampede, but at one point everyone looks around and says, ‘Why are we running?'” The truth is ultimately always revealed,” Cuomo said. “The attorney general’s report was designed to be a political firecracker on an explosive topic and it worked. There was a political and media stampede but the truth will (come) out in time. Of that I am confident.”
Cuomo also sought to establish a legacy beyond the allegations that drove him from office, saying, “No governor in the nation has passed more progressive measures than I have.” He listed his accomplishments, including a refurbished LaGuardia Airport, a new Penn Station transportation terminal in New York City and marriage equality as cornerstones to what he called a “new paradigm of government that actually works.”
He offered advice for the pandemic that made him a national figure for the empathy and seriousness he showed during his daily press briefings on the crisis. And he reminded listeners that under his leadership, “We faced up to the facts and we made the tough but necessary decisions.”
Cuomo acknowledged that Hochul would become governor and said, “I believe she will step up to the challenge.”
But he returned to the scandal that has led to his dramatic downfall.
“Now there are moments in life that test our character, that asks us are we the person we believe we are or are we the person we try to be at our best. You know me, I am a fighter and my instinct is to fight this because it is unfair and unjust in my mind,” Cuomo said.
“But you also know that I love New York and I serve you,” he said. “That is the oath that I took. And in this moment, I believe the right thing is that my service comes first. Prolonging this situation could only cause governmental paralysis and that is just not an option for you and not an option for the state, especially now.”
He began his last day on the job Monday with his top aid releasing a statement on his behalf, saying Cuomo “has no interest in running for office again.”
Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor, issued a statement on Cuomo’s immediate plans when he leaves the job he claimed a decade ago, one once held by his late father, Mario Cuomo.
DeRosa said that Cuomo has spent nearly 25 years in public service, from being secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton administration in the 1990s to getting elected state attorney general in 2006 and serving as governor since 2010.
“And the way he does it, it’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” said DeRosa, whose resignation on Aug. 8 as the most powerful unelected bureaucrat in state government will also take effect Monday night. “He looks forward to spending time with his family and has a lot of fishing to catch up on. He is exploring a number of options, but has no interest in running for office again.”
Over the weekend, Cuomo sought to show he was in control until the end as he presided over briefings on Tropical Storm Henri. He requested his emergency management team remain in place and said Hochul had been briefed despite her absence from the news conferences.
Attempting to keep reporters “on topic,” Cuomo asked that questions be limited to the storm.
“We’re dealing with an emergency, and New Yorkers want to hear about an emergency,” Cuomo said.
The first question he took was whether he still planned to resign on Monday.
“And, yes, my final day is [Monday],” Cuomo said.
Unlike Cuomo, who honed his political instincts at the hip of his father, Hochul’s political career began on a town council in Western New York. She briefly served in Congress and has been lieutenant governor for seven years.
Among Hochul’s first tasks will be appointing a new lieutenant governor, and she has said it would be someone from a New York City borough. She has signaled there would be “turnover” from the Cuomo administration, particularly among those in the Executive Chamber that were named in the state attorney general’s report as enabling Cuomo’s alleged harassment.
“I’m looking forward at the right time to introducing the members of my administration,” Hochul said.
Another priority is the pandemic and repopulating the depleted ranks of the state’s health department.
Hochul said the state has the authority to mandate masks in schools statewide and has said she believes “we will need mask mandates for children to go back to school … and that will have to be universal, it will be statewide.”
Here’s a simple strategy for having a happier marriage: Say “thank you” more often… and whenever your partner does something nice for you, tell them you noticed and appreciate it.
In other words: Raise your game when it comes to expressing GRATITUDE. Because according to a study in the journal Personal Relationships, the more you show gratitude in your marriage, the happier and more valued your partner will feel. And even if you and your partner argue regularly, your gratitude may be the one factor that SAVES your relationship!
I know it sounds simplistic… but the psychologists who led the study say it makes a lot of sense. Because one of the top reasons couples break up is they get into what’s called a “negative conflict pattern” – where one partner makes a demand, and the other gets defensive or withdraws in some way… say, by silently holding on to resentment.
But researchers say, when partners feel valued by each other, they’re significantly more likely to stay committed to the relationship, even if they argue regularly. Because gratitude counteracts the effects of negative communication.
And the study found that feeling appreciated directly influences how you feel about your marriage, how committed you are to it, and your belief that it will last.
Studies show that a clean home equals a clear mind…
Because clutter stresses us out. But there are certain types of cleaning that work better depending which headspace you’re in.
For example: If you’re feeling annoyed, do a deep clean. Like scour your tub or power-wash your patio. According to Melissa Maker who wrote “Clean My Space,” intensely cleaning something – then seeing the dramatic result – can bring you back to a neutral mindset. It releases endorphins, putting you on a more even keel.
Next, if you’re feeling anxious: Organize. Maker says, messiness over-stimulates the brain. And when you’re anxious, your brain is already over-stimulated. So organizing not only puts your stuff in order – it can put your thoughts in order, too. And to make sure organizing doesn’t overwhelm you, know that it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
The final way to clean to change your mindset: If you’re feeling lost and without direction or purpose: Purge. Happiness researcher Gretchen Rubin says creating physical space is transformative. You can’t move forward if there’s nowhere to go, right? So clearing things out and purging creates open space. That lightens your mental load and allows you to start fresh.
