Zoiks! Online - Music. Stand-up. TV. Film. "Funny Name. Seriously Entertaining.": 11/1/11

Lady Gaga to Premiere 'Marry The Night' Video Thursday Night on E!

The premiere of Lady Gaga's groundbreaking music video for Born This Way's "Marry the Night" is finally here. We've already seen the teaser trailer and the The Prelude Pathétique clip, and now the 13 minute video - directed by Lady Gaga herself - will premiere this Thursday December 1, at 8:00pm EST/PST exclusively on E!.

The "Marry the Night" video marks the directorial debut for Gaga, and will air throughout the weekend as part of a half hour special that includes an exclusive interview. The video will be up on Eonline.com starting Thursday night, and will be released on VEVO and iTunes Friday night. The VEVO premiere will also feature additional interview content.

For more information on Gaga's latest releases, including Born This Way: The Collection, the Lady Gaga x Terry Richardson photo book, and A Very Gaga Holidayy, visit LadyGaga.com.

Watch Usher and David Guetta Perform 'Without You' on 'Ellen.'

Grammy award winning DJ/Producer David Guetta, has been on a roll since the August release of his album Nothing but the Beat, landing two platinum singles and his first ever top 40 number one. This Tuesday, he stopped by the Ellen Degeneres Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform the #1 smash, "Without You" with Usher.

To celebrate the success of "Without You" Guetta has partnered with VEVO for the official David Guetta "I Can't Live WITHOUT YOU" VEVO Sweepstakes which launched this week and runs through December 26th, 2011. Entrants can win prizes that they should not live without including an all inclusive trip for two to the Grammys, a trip for a family of four to Disney World, an iPad2, Beats headphones, or an official WITHOUT YOU RIAA platinum plaque from David Guetta. For more details on how to enter, please see the David Guetta tab on Vevo's Facebook.

For more information on David Guetta check him out on Facebook, and be sure to pick up your copy of Nothing but the Beat, in stores and online now!

Amanda Lamb Spreads Holiday Cheer with New Single and Video for ‘Christmas In Love.’

Christmas comes early this year for Amanda Lamb fans, as she releases her first ever Christmas single, "Christmas In Love", complimented with a new music video to get you in the yuletide mood.

Amanda Lamb fans have been begging for more after the success of her last album release, Highwire and she has obliged their loyalty by offering a free download of her new holiday single "Christmas In Love" through Bandcamp as a thank you for their support. (The success of Highwire helped land her the opportunity to open for the Jonas Brothers at the "Rock for Diabetes" benefit concert hosted at actor, Danny Devito's house). The album has also had critics raving that she surely is a star on the rise. Amanda Lamb certainly doesn't disappoint the critics or her fans with her new holiday single, "Christmas in Love".

Amanda is also releasing a new music video to accompany her new single. "Christmas In Love" was shot in both Orange and Los Angeles counties. Some iconic L.A. landmarks appear in the video, including LACMA's Urban Light exhibit. LACMA is the largest art museum in the Western U.S. and draws almost 1 million visitors a year. The video was produced by Amanda Lamb Music and was filmed and directed by Omar Torres of Blue Diamond Films. The video echoes the essence of young love during the magical Christmas season and who better to co-star as Amanda's love interest, than Amanda's real life boyfriend.

"Christmas In Love" was originally recorded by Amanda in 2010 at Daniel Dempsey Music. However, the song showed so much potential that Amanda decided the song needed more attention. It was back to the studio as she aimed for perfection, and perfection is definitely what the fans are getting. "I really wanted to take a look at what the song meant to me and have it come out more in my performance, so this year I took my time, rewrote some of the lyrics, and went for a very intimate and honest vocal track," says Amanda. Lamb's longtime producer Wayne Miller sings backup and re-mixed the song for 2011.

Get in the mood for this year's holiday season by checking out "Christmas In Love" on Amanda Lamb's website. The song will also be available on iTunes Friday, December 2nd.

Emilie Simon Announces ‘The Cycle’ EP feat. Midnight Sun.

Introducing Emilie Simon’s latest release, The Cycle EP, with remixes from Midnight Sun (the remix/production guise of Andrew Raposo and MorganWiley of Midnight Magic/Jessica 6), and Ultramars (Emilie’s alter ego).

In honor of The Cycle EP, Emilie has created a T-Shirt that’s available in the Emilie Simon Boutique (here). To celebrate the launch of the boutique, she is also selling autographed copies of the album on both CD and vinyl.

Emilie has been quite busy this year. She just spent the summer in France recording the motion picture soundrack to "Delicacy", a movie based on the eponimous best-selling novel by David Foenkinos and starring Audrey Tautou. The novel is coming out in the US on December 6th, and the movie has also been picked up for a Stateside release.

iTunes Selects Kimbra's ‘Settle Down’ As Video of the Week.

iTunes has selected "Settle Down," by 21 year-old international newcomer Kimbra as their Video of the Week from November 29th - December 5th. Watch the clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBxmidwDy2Y

"Settle Down" is the first single off Kimbra's Australian debut album, Vows, which is certified gold. It is also the title track of her US EP, which was released digitally last month. KCRW recently selected the song as their "Today's Top Tune."

Due to the breakthrough success of Vows,The New Zealand-born singer and songwriter, who has been performing since she was ten, took home the "Best Female" award at the 2011 ARIA Awards last weekend. Kimbra is also featured on Gotye's #1 hit "Somebody That I Used To Know," which won five ARIAS, including "Song of the Year" and "Best Video."

Kimbra is currently at work on her Warner Bros. Records debut with such producers and songwriters as Mike Elizondo, Greg Wells, Greg Kurstin, and John Hill. Look for it Spring/Summer 2012.

Gavin DeGraw Announces European Tour Dates and New Merch Bundles.

Gavin DeGraw just wrapped his North American tour in support of his new album Sweeter, and recently announced two weeks of European tour dates this Feburary. More stops will be announced in the coming weeks. Visit GavinDeGraw.com for ticket details, and to RSVP via Facebook for his upcoming holiday radio shows around the country.

Fans can also tune in to CBS on Sunday, December 4 to see Gavin perform at the 20th annual Deer Valley Celebrity Skifest, a weekend of skiing and live music that benefits Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Waterkeeper Alliance. Gavin will join Mary J. Blige and a host of other celebrities for the TV special, set to air at 5 pm ET.

Gavin's tour merch bundles are available now via his merch store - his guys and girls bundles each offer two t-shirts along with a limited edition poster from his summer tour. Fans can also grab music bundles with all of his releases, and Sweeter merch packs that include the Sweeter CD, exclusive t-shirt, and more.

Sweeter is available now, in stores and online. Single "Not Over You" has spent 15 weeks on the Billboard Top 100 since its release. Gavin's recent iTunes Sessions album was released right before Thanksgiving and features seven acoustic tracks like "Not Over You" and "Chariot," along with an exclusive interview.

Holiday Shows
Dec 1 - 96.5 TIC All Star Christmas    Wallingford, CT
Dec 2 - Mix 104.1 Not So Silent Night     Boston, MA
Dec 4 - 96.9 WINK-FM Almost Acoustic Christmas    Fort Myers, FL
Dec 7 - LIVE 95.5's Candy Cane Cruise     Portland, OR   *sold out
Dec 14 - XL'ent Xmas 2011    Orlando, FL
Dec 19 - WALK 97.5 Raise Your Glass    Huntington, NY

European Tour Dates
Feb 1 - Stockholm, SE
Feb 2 - Oslo, NO
Feb 4 - Aarhus, DK
Feb 5 - Copenhagen, DK
Feb 8 - Amsterdam, NL *sold out
Feb 9 - Groningen, NL
Feb 11 - Glasgow, UK
Feb 12 - Manchester, UK
Feb 14 - London, UK

All Time Low Releases Official Video.

ALL TIME LOW have now released the official video for "Time-Bomb," the new single from Dirty Work. Directed by K. Asher Levin, the theme of the video is not the usual All Time Low video fans would know and expect. The action packed video features the band performing on a Los Angeles roof while a SWAT team tries to stop a guy from saving his girlfriend using an artificial heart he created. The girlfriend is played by actor, Malese Jow, from Vampire Diaries. Watch and see what happens to the couple as they attempt to make their escape.

Dirty Work is All Time Low's most recent album which is available on iTunes now. For more information on the band, check out their official site, www.alltimelow.com, as well as their Facebook and Twitter pages.

Jessica Sutta Talks Pussycat Dolls, FHM’s ‘100 Sexiest Women’ and Dinah Shore. – Interview

Fans of the Pussycat Dolls remember being asked, “Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?” One of those dolls was Jessica Sutta, who is now embarking on a solo career. Sutta’s debut album, “Sutta Pop,” will drop in 2012. The singer and dancer will also perform in The Dinah in March 2012, the largest girl party music festival in the world.

Q – You were a part of the legendary Pussycat Dolls (PCD), whose hit single, "Don’t Cha," put the band on the map, from 2002 to 2010. You eventually made the decision to leave to pursue a solo career. How did you know it was time to step away from the project?

A - When I broke my rib on tour. It felt like it cracked open so much I was holding back for so many years. My artist wanted to come out and play. It was one of the hardest decisions but looking back I'm so grateful for everything I experienced with PCD.

Q – Do you ever get sick of people coming up to you and singing, "Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?"

A - Never! I love it.

Q – You’re now embarking on a solo career and your debut album, "Sutta Pop" will drop in 2012. How will this album be different in comparison with the Pussycat Dolls ones you were a part of?

A – It’s all about me. It’s about my life. I talk about everything from heartbreak to love, sadness to happiness. I'm bringing you into the "Sutta Pop World."

Q – How did it feel to be named one of FHM’s "100 Sexiest Women in The World?"

A - It makes me feel sexy! :)

Q – You’re involved with many causes involving the LGBT community. Why do gay rights and gay marriage mean so much to you?

A - Gay rights are incredibly important to me. Equality for ALL. Not just for some people because someone classified them as "normal." It will destroy the sanctity of marriage? Have you watched American television? I mean, c'mon. We are on the brink of a huge movement that will change lives. Especially the lives of some of my dearest friends. And I plan to use my celebrity as a voice for the Lesbian and Gay community. Who are we to judge who someone wants to spend the rest of their lives with?

Q – One of your upcoming projects is The Dinah, the largest girl party music festival in the world. You’ll be performing in Palm Springs at Club Skirts Dinah Shore weekend at Zelda’s nightclub on Thursday, March 29, 2012. How did you get involved with this event?

A - I got invited to be part of this. I'm thrilled and honored to open this year’s Dinah Shore Festivities. I performed there with the Dolls a few years back and had a blast! Can't wait to do it again!

Q – Where can we find out more about this event as well as your career?

A - You can follow me on twitter @Iamjessicasutta and www.facebook.com/jessicasutta.

BYLINE:

Jason Tanamor is the Editor of Zoiks! Online. He is also the author of the novels, "Hello Lesbian!" and "Anonymous." Email Jason at jason@zoiksonline.com.

Smokey Fingers Has That Stone Temple Pilots Meets Guns n’ Roses Type Sound. – Album Review

Smokey Fingers’ debut album, “Columbus Way,” draws inspiration from bands like Hinder, Stone Temple Pilots and late ‘80s hair bands such as Motley Crue and Guns n’ Roses. What’s interesting about this band is that they hail from Lodi, Italy yet sound as if they’re coming out of Alabama.

You would never know from the tracks that Smokey Fingers is an Italian rock band. Their southern sound engages you from the beginning of the album. I also reviewed “Black World” from another Italian band, Homerun.

Like Smokey Fingers, Homerun draws a similar sound. Either monster guitar riffs and grungy hooks are coming back or the most beautiful country in the world is really behind in the times.

Whatever the case, “Columbus Way” is a solid rock album with neat guitar riffs and even better solos. Fans of the aforementioned bands will find a soul mate in Smokey Fingers. I definitely recommend this album if you’ve ever wanted to wail on guitar or play for real.

BYLINE:

Jason Tanamor is the Editor of Zoiks! Online. He is also the author of the novels, "Hello Lesbian!" and "Anonymous." Email Jason at jason@zoiksonline.com.

Colette Carr Takes Fans Behind the Scenes of the Cherrytree Pop Alternative Tour.

Colette Carr has been dubbed the official correspondent for the Canadian Cherrytree Pop Alternative Tour, and is bringing fans along to rehearsals in a new video clip. See what goes on behind-the-scenes as Colette, Frankmusik, Rye Rye, Kay and Natalia Kills work out their stage routines for their upcoming shows, and then check out episode one of CherrytreeTV's tour blog to see the artists in action on stage (including a clip of LMFAO in Speedos).

The Cherrytree Pop Alternative Tour wraps its Canadian dates at the end of December, then will head across the the pond to Europe until March. Get the latest updates from Colette at CherrytreeRecords.com and at ColetteCarr.com, where fans can also check out her song with Frankmusik, "No I.D."

Girls' Generation Debuts First English Video for 'The Boys.'

Korean pop singers Girls' Generation recently debuted their stylish video for "The Boys" - their first US single. "The Boys" was arranged by famed producer Teddy Riley, best known for his work with the late Michael Jackson, and is for sale now on iTunes.

Since their 2007 debut, the nine young women of Girls' Generation have become an international sensation, topping music charts in Asia and selling out shows across the globe. Check out the video and meet the girls on their freshly unveiled website GirlsGenerationUSA.com, where both new and existing fans can get updates by signing up for their new mailing list.

Atlantic Records Signs Lauriana Mae.

Inspired by the likes of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Etta James, singer/songwriter, Lauriana Mae melds soulful jazz vocals with contemporary pop, R&B and hip hop music. Recently signed to Atlantic Records, Mae is set to release her debut EP entitled "Love Mae" exclusively to fans via her website on November 29th. The EP will then be available via all DSP's December 6th.

Mae collaborated with producer Kwamè (Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige) on the 3 song EP, which features lyrics and melodies penned by the singer herself. It kicks off with her anthem "Money Mae"- the singer's moniker, a shiny, horn-laden throwback banger that captures flapper-era bliss. Also included is the melancholic ballad "Love", a reflective conversation between Mae and the emotion itself, and the punchy, percussive track "Like A Drum (Beat It)".

Lauriana began singing at home inspired by her mom who spotted her talent at an early age. She joined the church choir, which gave her the confidence to audition for a performing arts high school where she was accepted at a young age, and majored in vocal music. Eventually, Lauriana began performing at local talent shows, auditioning for various gigs, and working with different groups. The experience gave her the confidence needed to enter the studio to record songs of her own, and to establish herself as a solo artist.

With her backing band "The Pains", comprised of a band of friends that stood by her along the way, Lauriana is gearing up to break the mold of popular music. She is reinventing the essence of great soul music from the past and present and bringing it to fans in a way that is distinctly Mae.

Music Unites And Rolling Stone's ‘In Tune Series’ Present ‘A Special Evening With Gary Clark Jr.’

Music Unites and Rolling Stone Magazine present the next installment of their ongoing In Tune series, featuring Warner Bros. recording artist Gary Clark Jr., on Wednesday, December 14th, at 7 p.m. The concert is part of Rolling Stone's RS Fest, a new pop-up and event series at New York City's Openhouse Gallery located at 201 Mulberry Street in SoHo.

This special evening is in support and celebration of Music Unites' announcement of its first milestone achievement toward accomplishing its "Five Borough Initiative" to fund five Music Unites Youth Choir programs across NYC's five boroughs with the January 2012 launch of its inaugural youth choir at The Women's Academy of Excellence in the Bronx. The featured performance of the night will showcase Austin native and visionary singer-guitarist Gary Clark Jr., whose critically acclaimed major-label debut EP Bright Lights was released in August and received four-star review from Rolling Stone, which raved:

"Clark has been a local treasure for years. Now, with a major-label deal and a kick-ass rhythm section behind him, he's fixing to blast himself out of the barrooms and onto bigger stages. The most exciting thing about Clark is that he could steer his career in any direction - or perhaps every direction. His live gigs prove he's got more great tunes up his sleeve. Can't wait for the album."

MMJ, Mos Def, Blind Boys, Allen Toussaint & More to Join PHJB at Carnegie Hall.

New Orleans jazz legends Preservation Hall Jazz Band are pleased to announce the special guests that will join them on stage for their 50th anniversary performance. On January 7th, 2012 at 8:00pm they will grace the Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, with special guests My Morning Jacket, Del McCoury Band, Trombone Shorty, GIVERS, Allen Toussaint, Blind Boys of Alabama, Tao Seeger, & Mos Def.

Tickets for what is bound to be an unforgettable night go on sale December 2nd and are available at www.carnegiehall.org, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or at the Carnegie Hall box office at 57th street and 7th avenue.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band has been carrying the distinctive sound of New Orleans jazz around the world on behalf of Preservation Hall, a unique venue that embodies the city's musical legacy. With a cast of musicians schooled through first-hand experience and apprenticeship into the music's historic traditions, the PHJB has served as an irreplaceable, vital link to the earliest days of one of America's most beloved forms of popular music.

The group manages to evoke the spirits of times past in an ever-evolving modern context that has found them traveling around the world. Along the way, they have brought in collaborators of all musical stripes to play, honor, and reinterpret America's first true art form. The PHJB have played and recorded with artists like Tom Waits, Pete Seeger, Ani DiFranco and My Morning Jacket. Their most recent collaboration has been with the Grammy-winning bluegrass outfit, the Del McCoury Band, with whom they released a joint album earlier this year titled American Legacies.

The Louisiana State Museum also just launched a major exhibition celebrating Preservation Hall's 50th anniversary at the Old U.S. Mint. Co-curated by Preservation Hall and the Museum, Preservation Hall at 50, tells the story of the venue's history through artifacts, photographs, film and audio clips, as well as interviews and oral histories. The exhibit is open now and will run through 2012.

This concert is presented by The Bowery Presents.

Redlight King Releases Tour Video.

Redlight King just wrapped up their dates supporting Grammy Award-winner, Everlast, and now they are giving fans an inside look at life on tour. The guys checked in from their NYC stop at Webster Hall to talk about highlights from the road and the great connections they have made with fans at each stop. Tune in to also see their massive tour van they call "Moose."

Redlight King recently released the official video for their new single "Bullet In My Hand," which has garnered over a million views on YouTube. The track appears on Something For The Pain, which is available for fans to pick up on iTunes now. For more information on Redlight King, check out the band's official site, www.redlightkingmusic.com, as well as their Facebook, and Twitter pages.

ESPN Has the Same Responsibility as Joe Paterno

I love listening to sports radio. I mainly listen to 670 The Score in Chicago, but when I’m at work I’m stuck listening to Fox Sports Radio. The first three shows are ESPN programs, Mike & Mike in the Morning, The Herd with Colin Cowherd and The Jim Rome Show. When the Jerry Sandusky story broke all three of these programs were quick to jump on Joe Paterno for not going to the police with the information he had regarding what Jerry Sandusky was doing to these kids. The information he had was simply an allegation. I agree that Joe Paterno had a moral responsibility to go to the authorities, was rightfully fired and deserved all of the criticism they gave.

Then the Syracuse story with Bernie Fine came out. I think the media did a good job of waiting for this story to develop before going after Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. They still really aren’t going after Boeheim, because as of now it doesn’t appear that Boeheim had any knowledge of Bernie Fine’s disgusting actions.

In 2002 the police investigated this allegation against Fine and came up with very little to nothing. In 2003 a tape of Fine’s wife claiming that all of the allegations against her husband were true surfaced and was submitted to the local media and ESPN. To the best of my knowledge, none of these media outlets submitted the tape to the police (at least ESPN did NOT). Why didn’t they submit it? They have their reasons, but in my opinion it’s because they wanted to break the story and in their opinion there wasn’t enough there to run the story.

Ok, so there wasn’t enough there to run a story, but doesn’t ESPN have a moral obligation to turn over this tape to the police? Now I’m not getting on Mike and Mike or Jim Rome or even Colin Cowherd because of this, I’m more upset with the organization and I think that anybody in the organization that had knowledge of this tape should be fired. Colin Cowherd today has been defending ESPN for not submitting the tape to the law enforcement. Here are some of his reasons why ESPN is not in the wrong.

• They wouldn’t run the story, so why would they turn it over to the cops?
• The cops already knew about the allegation in 2002 and found little evidence to support the allegation.
• It is not a journalist’s role to go to the Police; it’s their job to report the story.
 
There wasn’t enough there to run the story, fine I respect you for not running the story. However allegations were made in 2002 and not enough additional evidence was found; well in 2003 you have additional evidence in your possession…why wouldn’t you turn it over? What really pisses me off is that it’s not a journalist’s role to go to the Police? It is a human beings role to go to the police. You’re still a human being, even if you are a journalist. You have the nerve to let your personalities rightfully rip apart Joe Paterno for not reporting what he knew, which was only an allegation, to the Police, yet when you are presented with evidence regarding an allegation of sexual child abuse you sit on it. ESPN, do the right thing.

BYLINE:

Bob Zerull is the Managing Editor of Zoiks! Online. He writes pop culture commentary, does interviews with bands, and reviews music and stand-up concerts. He also administers Zoiks! Online's Facebook page. Follow Bob on twitter at bzerull. Email Bob at bob@zoiksonline.com.

AWOLNATION Releases Behind the Scenes Clip for 'Not Your Fault.'

AWOLNATION have recently released their video for current single "Not Your Fault." The video can be seen here: http://youtu.be/jm9-yVdxbSs

Paying homage to classic 60s clay-mation/stop-motion animation, the video for "Not Your Fault" is a fantasy tale told with the band battling the Abominable Snowman, a fire breathing creature from the black lagoon, and in true AWOLNATION form – aliens in outer space…but all with brass knuckles, nunchucks and ripped out beating hearts. "Not Your Fault" was directed by Cameron Duddy, who also helmed AWOLNATION's "Sail" video, as well as Bruno Mars' video for "The Lazy Song."

Fans can now get an inside look at the making of the video in a new behind-the-scenes clip, featuring commentary from the creators and the band.

The band just wrapped up their headlining Fall Harvest tour with label mates Twin Atlantic and will be playing a host of Holiday concerts through the month of December.

Led by musical architect and vocalist Aaron Bruno, AWOLNATION features David Amezcua on bass, keyboardist/guitarist Kenny Carkeet, drummer Hayden Scott and Christopher Thorn on guitar.

Win Tickets to See AMX Open for R.Kelly.

Urban/Pop newcomer A.M.X. will be hitting the stage in Savannah Georgia on December 3rd , opening for R&B legend R.Kelly. This will mark R.Kelly's first performance since having emergency throat surgery to remove an abscess on his tonsils in July. You can win tickets to the show and a meet and greet with A.M.X through Savannah's number one Hip-Hop and R&B station, 94.1 The Beat. Head to their official site or listen in for more information.

To stay up-to-date with all things A.M.X. check out his newly redesigned official site, and be sure to pick up his debut single, "You Made Me Change My Number," on iTunes now!

Altre di B is the Rodney Dangerfield of Punk Rock. – Album Review

A fun new band is Italy’s Altre di B. The band’s debut effort, “There's A Million Better Bands,” just dropped and the outcome is a catchy mix of punk and rock. Altre di B is sort of like that self-deprecating comedian who always puts himself down. In this sense, the Italian bred quartet professes, like the title of their album, that there essentially are a million better bands out there.

The band has been playing together for five years and what I love about them is that, although they seem ordinary on the surface, Altre di B is actually a very good group. In their biography it reads: “And we love our name because is a sort of mediocrity manifesto; we are second-rate football players. We play together since 2006 and we're gone everywhere driving through Naples, Milan, Turin and Bologne on Volkswagen's Multivan. A dive into the Seventies. Influenced by the school teaching, by people, by losses, by literature, by trips, by magazines, by puppet government, by fever, by job, by statistics, by bad language, by Jonathan Coe and his amazing books; we sing in English because everybody do this.”

This biography is indicative of a band that lacks self-confidence in its ability to play music. But like the self-deprecating comedian who continually puts himself down, Altre di B continues to march on with their own brand of punk. There may be a million better bands out there, but often times these bands lack identity.

If anything, fans will feel empathy for Altre di B and possibly end up falling for their “act.” After all, it worked for Rodney Dangerfield. For years, the comedian said, “I don’t get no respect!” In actuality, he got a lot of respect. Don’t be surprised if Altre di B does as well.

BYLINE:

Jason Tanamor is the Editor of Zoiks! Online. He is also the author of the novels, "Hello Lesbian!" and "Anonymous." Email Jason at jason@zoiksonline.com.

Gina Zavalis Could End Up In Same Company As Carrie Underwood and Celine Dion. – Album Review

With the music industry populated with the likes of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber, it’s definitely a breath of fresh air to come across an artist like Gina Zavalis. I’m not implying that pop stars are bad for the musical landscape; rather it’s nice to see other talent that doesn’t begin and end on Top 40 radio.

The New York native’s self-titled EP is now available and the result is a handful of the most breathtaking songs you’ll ever hear. The EP sounds like a musical and Zavalis’ powerful voice matches up with theatre performances on Broadway.

What I particularly found amazing was the range that Zavalis has. It’s almost as if her voice was made for gospel songs. There seems to be evidence of a spiritual background from the singer’s lyrics, which adds to the overwhelming experience that fans of adult contemporary will have upon listening to the EP.

If Zavalis continues on this assault she very well could end up on the same path as names like Carrie Underwood and Celine Dion. Learn more about this extraordinary artist at her website: http://www.ginazavalis.com/.

BYLINE:

Jason Tanamor is the Editor of Zoiks! Online. He is also the author of the novels, "Hello Lesbian!" and "Anonymous." Email Jason at jason@zoiksonline.com.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Announce First Dates Of Upcoming U.S. Tour In Support Of Current Album, ‘I'm With You.’

Multi-platinum rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers will launch the North American leg of their I'm With You World Tour in January. Tickets for six shows go on sale on December 3rd (see below for routing) with more shows and ticket on-sale dates to be announced in the coming weeks. The 2012 arena tour will be the band's first full-scale tour of the U.S. since 2007 when they hit the road in support of 2006's Stadium Arcadium.

Red Hot Chili Peppers are currently touring Europe through mid-December in support of I'm With You, which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart and No. 1 on Billboard's Rock and Alternative album charts, as well as on the Top Internet Albums and iTunes Top Alternative Albums chart. The first single "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie," hit the top spot at Modern Rock radio, giving the band its 12th No. 1 at the format. A second single, "Monarchy of the Roses" is currently the No. 2 greatest gainer on Mediabase's Alternative chart.

One of the most successful acts in rock history, Red Hot Chili Peppers have sold more than 60 million albums, including five multi-platinum LPs, and won six Grammy Awards, including "Best Rock Album" for Stadium Arcadium, "Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group" for "Dani California," "Best Rock Song" for "Scar Tissue," and "Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal" for "Give It Away."

01/25 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena

01/27 Raleigh, NC RBC Center

01/28 Columbia, SC ColonialLife Arena

01/30 Duluth, GA Gwinnett Arena

01/31 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum

02/03 Memphis, TN FedEx Forum

Get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 or Nudity on Cyber Monday for That Son That Won’t Move Out!

Today is Cyber Monday, which means all the deals will be online. Get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for that special boy who can’t seem to get motivated to move out. No wonder he can’t find a woman!

If he is not a gamer but is still a typical boy, get him some nudity with a membership to Mr. Skin. How else will you determine that he is not “weird” or “special” in the special type of way?

If that doesn’t seem to work, he can find a real woman at Match.com. Think about it; your son will have a woman in his life and can now move out of your attic. You can reclaim that much needed storage once he takes his things with him. AND, you don’t have to keep making excuses to your friends.

Once your son finds a woman to court, he can get her some lingerie at the Playboy Store. Click the graphic to shop!

Shopping online today can help with your task of getting your son out of the house. And you can get all of your holiday gifts out of the way without the crazy traffic at the stores. If you don’t shop today, your son will soon be a 40 year man living in your attic!

BYLINE:

Jason Tanamor is the Editor of Zoiks! Online. He is also the author of the novels, "Hello Lesbian!" and "Anonymous." Email Jason at jason@zoiksonline.com.

Nina Diaz of Girl in a Coma Talks Tour and ‘Exits and All the Rest.’ - Interview

Nina Diaz fronts an exciting punk/rock band called Girl in a Coma. The band’s new album, “Exits and All the Rest (read review here),” is currently out and the all girl band are headlining their own tour. I recently checked out Diaz and company when they played Chicago’s Double Door (read review here). Before the group pulled into town, Diaz took time out to chat about the tour, the new album and their music.

Q – You front the band Girl in a Coma (GIAC) with your sister, Phanie, on drums and childhood friend, Jenn, on bass. Having such a close relationship with each member, are there ever times when bickering or bitterness rears their ugly heads? How do you manage to get along while spending so much time together?

A - We are all individuals and yet have grown together as musicians and people. All has been for the better and we know each other so well that we know when we are pissing each other off.

Q – Your songwriting is amazing, both lyrically and musically. Lots of times music comes with great melodies but horrible lyrics or vice versa. What is your song writing process like? Does it start with an idea, lyrics, music, etc.?

A - Well, I guess it comes from that weird space in the back of my mind. I’m constantly thinking and over thinking to the point I feel panic with so many ideas. I just try to put all these vibes into a controlled environment such as a song. Lyrics usually come as the music is being written; all the time it’s on my acoustic.

Q – I’ve watched the band grow since the first album, “Both Before I’m Gone.” How has GIAC evolved from when the band first came onto the scene?

A – We’ve learned our instruments better I think, and definitely have found a great energy with our fans. If anything since the first album we have survived off of the strength of our fans.

Q – The new album, “Exits & All the Rest,” is the band’s fourth studio album. Your last original album, “Trio B.C,” was released in 2009. What I loved about “Trio B.C.” is that it was very raw, almost as if the three of you recorded the album in one take. “Exits & All the Rest” sounds more like a studio album, more professional. How was the recording of “Exits & All the Rest” different from “Trio B.C.?”

A - Actually I disagree; I think “Trio” has a lot more of a studio vibe since there was so much overdub and backgrounds and change of amps, guitars, etc. “Exits” is so organic to me; everything was pretty much first take and just letting the songs stand on their own and giving them space to tell a story.

Q – How much of the new album, “Adventures in Coverland,” and “Trio B.C.” will make the upcoming tour? Will this tour primarily promote “Exits & All the Rest?”

A – The tour will be majority “Exits” since we are trying to drill these new songs into our fans’ heads; maybe a taste of some older stuff depending on the vibe.

Q – I had the chance to see GIAC at Chicago’s Vic Theatre in 2010. The band opened up for Sia. This upcoming tour will be a headlining one. Will there be anything special in the live show being that GIAC is headlining?

A – Nah, not much different; sometimes we will have a song to walk on stage to but other than that just our usual rockin.’

Q – Before I let you go, I just wanted to say that GIAC is my favorite new band and I appreciate the fact that you are doing things the way you want to and not feeding into the mainstream landscape. Is there anything you wanted to add?

A – Well, we appreciate all our fans and will do whatever it takes to just get our music out and help anyone through any situation, personally, politically, whatever. Thanks.

BYLINE:

Jason Tanamor is the Editor of Zoiks! Online. He is also the author of the novels, "Hello Lesbian!" and "Anonymous." Email Jason at jason@zoiksonline.com.

Flaming Lips Announces New Year's Freakout 5!

As Wayne Coyne Tweeted, THE FLAMING LIPS have announced that they will perform two shows to celebrate the New Year at the Bricktown Events Center in Oklahoma City on December 31st and January 1, 2012. The band promises to pull out all the stops with MORE of everything! More confetti, more balloons, massive volume, and maximum weirdness for its NEW YEAR'S FREAKOUT 5, which also features very special guests YOKO ONO PLASTIC ONO BAND. Tickets go on sale today, Friday Nov 25th, and are priced at $100 per night or available at a special package price of $150 for both nights.

Expect exclusive merch to be available for this event only. Plus Gummy Fetuses (containing a USB drive featuring three new songs: "Enthusiasm For Life Defeats Existential Fear Part 2," "Steven's Moonbow," and "Squishy Glass"), Gummy Skulls (Exclusive LA Edition) which houses a USB drive that contains "The Soft Bulletin: Live La Fantastique de Institution 2011," a complete live concert recording of THE SOFT BULLETIN. Once these are gone, they are gone for good. Also on sale will be the mesmerizing light illusion toy The Strobo Trip, which also include a USB drive with three exclusive recordings: "Butterfly, How Long It Takes To Die," "Found A Star On The Ground," -- the 6 hour long song that will blow your mind way beyond the third bardo - plus "Evil Minds," are all on sale at the Flaming Lips Webstore.

Also recently released is "7 Skies H3" - yes, the 24-hour long song! This comes in a real genuine human skull artfully decorated with chrome and "7 Skies H3" on a hard drive inside the skull. Cost: $5,000, however these are completely sold out but you can hear the song at http://flaminglipstwentyfourhoursong.com/.

The LIPS have also announced a holiday performance to take place on Dec 27th at The Belly Up in Aspen, CO. Be sure to keep an eye on www.flaminglips.com and www.twitter.com/waynecoyne for all things LIPS as new and exciting news is just around the corner.

Lady Gaga's Thanksgiving Special: A 'Look at Me' Affair.

You would think that with Lady Gaga 's success, the singer and eccentric performer would have a book length of thanks this upcoming holiday. The "Born this Way" artist still continues to sell out tours and rule the radio stations despite a blatant attempt to mirror the "Material Girl" Madonna and her tenure of artistry.

When I heard that Gaga was having her own Thanksgiving special I said to myself, "Of course she is. Why the heck not?" I would like to think that this special will serve as that book length of thanks that Gaga owes for her accomplishments in the music industry.

Read the rest of this story on Yahoo! TV: Lady Gaga's Thanksgiving Special: A 'Look at Me' Affair.

BYLINE:

Jason Tanamor is the Editor of Zoiks! Online. He is also the author of the novels, "Hello Lesbian!" and "Anonymous." Email Jason at jason@zoiksonline.com.

Concrete Blonde Makes a Rare Concert Appearance to Help Raise Funds for the Rock School Scholarship Fund; Silent Auction Items From Jay Leno and Ben Harper.

Concrete Blonde made a rare, surprise appearance, billed as Johnette Napolitano, at Soundbite Studios in Los Angeles to help raise funds for the Rock School Scholarship Fund (www.rockschoolfund.org), a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides tuition and instruments to kids seven - 17 who want to attend any rock music school in the country, but whose parents do not have the financial means.

Johnette played many of her hits including “Joey,” “Caroline,” “Ghost of a Texas Ladies’ Man,” "God Is A Bullet" and "Everybody Knows." Rock school bands The Kingstons and Blacktop Saints also took to the stage for sets before and after Johnette.

Johnette also donated an original work of art that sold during a silent auction. Additional items included a drumhead from R.E.M. that was autographed in 1999 during their stay at Royaltone Studios in North Hollywood as they recorded the soundtrack for the motion picture "Man On The Moon" starring Jim Carrey (Visit eBay to bid on this item), a guitar signed by Jay Leno, Tom Morello and Ben Harper, a Danelectro Bass donated by Patrick Matera (Katy Perry) and a private guitar lesson with new music artist Erica Chase who also attended the event.

“I started the fund two years ago with Carl Restivo while we were running the School of Rock in Hollywood,” said Wendy Winks, Executive Director of the Rock School Scholarship Fund. “While we were there, we saw what a huge difference music makes in the lives of so many kids. Fundraisers like the one last night not only help the kids, but they help build a community spirit of giving among all the parents and the kids who participate. Instilling the value of collaboration and giving is one of the qualities that I love about the rock school music program.”

The scholarship fund is also planning another fundraiser for February.

JoJo Sings the National Anthem at MLS Cup Final on Thanksgiving.

This past Sunday, pop singer JoJo sang the national anthem at the MLS Cup Final match between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo with Galaxy taking the victory 1-0. It also marked the end of David Beckham's 5 year contract, and could have possibly been his final game with the team.

JoJo will be performing at Westfield Mall in Culver City, CA on Thanksgiving night, which will be live streaming on Westfield's Facebook Page at 12 midnight PST (3am EST on Friday morning). She will also be giving away clothing for HeartSOUL during a Q&A after the set. Check out JoJo currently featured on their hangtags in JCPenney, Sears, and other retailers nationwide.

Be sure to also check out JoJo's new music video for her latest single "Disaster", from her upcoming album, Jumping Trains, due in 2012.

For the latest news on JoJo, stay tuned to her official site, Facebook, and Twitter.

Colette Carr's Canadian Performance Clips.

Check out a new clip of Colette Carr performing "F-16" from a recent Cherrytree Pop Alternative Tour stop in Montreal, Canada. The high-energy song is one of the tracks Colette is working on for her forthcoming debut album on Nick Cannon's Ncredible label, in conjunction with Cherrytree Records and Interscope Records. The up-and-coming singer also joined labelmate Frankmusik on stage for their duet "No I.D.," which is also featured on Frankmusik's US debut Do It In The AM.

For a list of remaining tour dates, visit CherrytreeRecords.com. Get the latest news from Colette via her Facebook and Twitter.

Phenomenal Handclap Band Set New Release Date for ‘Form & Control,’ Out February 13th on Tummy Touch Records.

On the heels of their US tour opening for the legendary Bryan Ferry, The Phenomenal Handclap Band have released "Following" – the first single off their forthcoming new album, Form & Control, out February 13th via Tummy Touch Records. The track finds the group taking the next step forward from the cosmic disco-funk and international, psychedelic soul of their critically acclaimed debut album.

The band will also be making their triumphant return to their hometown of New York on November 23rd to headline a show at Hiro Ballroom for Tummy Touch Records' 15th year anniversary. They will perform along with Bing Ji Ling and Horse Meat Disco, and the night will include DJ sets by Tummy Touch founder Tim "Love" Lee and other special guests.

"Following" was written in NYC while dancing at David Mancuso's legendary Loft Party and inspired by the sounds of Human League, Chic and Fern Kinney. Sean Marquand, writer and co-producer of the song, recalls: "At a truly great dance party, there is a moment when you can feel a certain energy take off in the room. You can look around and see that everyone is in to the exact same thing at the exact same moment, it's a unifying force. The song is directed toward all of those who might want to join that moment and experience the same spirit."

All Time Low Releases Teaser Video for 'Time-Bomb;' Video Premiere 11/30.

East Coast rockers All Time Low just released the teaser video for their latest single, "Time-Bomb," which will premiere on VEVO on November 30th. The video was shot in Los Angeles and is guaranteed to be action-packed!

The track appears on the band's latest release, DIRTY WORK, which held the #1 spot on the iTunes album chart for three consecutive days after its release this summer. The album is available on iTunes now.

For more information on All Time Low, check out the band's official site, www.alltimelow.com, as well as their Facebook and Twitter pages.

James Durbin vs. Adam Lambert, Scarlett Johansson Nude, and Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez Rule 2011.

It’s that time of the year again. No, no, no, not the holiday season. Although it is THAT time of the year, it’s also the time where magazines and publications all over the Internet dish out their “top lists.”

2011 has been another great year at Zoiks! Online; stories such as “American Idol” contestant James Durbin being compared to fellow alumnus Adam Lambert, a nude photo scandal of Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson and Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez announcing their relationship have all harvested headlines around the world.

All of these stories and headlines have contributed to Zoiks! Online’s productive year. So, without further ado, here are the Zoiks! Online’s Top Headlines of 2011:

1. Kendra Wilkinson released a sex tape – eventually. It wasn’t until everyone and their mother searched for it on the Internet. This story was so hot it helped gain nearly 30K hits for Zoiks! Read the story here: "Watch 'Kendra Exposed' free." (http://www.zoiksonline.com/2010/05/watch-kendra-exposed-free.html)

May 31, 2010, 6 comments 29,091 Pageviews

2. Vocal goddess Christina Aguilera made news in 2011 when she was arrested for public intoxication in March. Prior to that mistake, the singer also had some racy photos leaked to the web. Although the public intoxication news was popular, it paled in comparison to her leaked photo scandal. Read the story here: "Christina Aguilera NUDE photos leaked." (http://www.zoiksonline.com/2010/12/christina-aguilera-nude-photos-leaked.html)

Dec 9, 2010, 3 comments 21,494 Pageviews

3. Let’s face it. I’m a funny mother fucker. I wrote a cult classic called “Hello Lesbian!” I’ve been pitching the novel to Kevin Smith and Ashton Kutcher to turn it into a movie. It hasn’t worked. What has worked is getting the word out. Apparently, others feel the same way about the book; so much so it nearly had 13K hits. Read the story here: Zoiks! Online Editor Jason Tanamor Re-Releases the Novel, ‘Hello Lesbian!’ (http://www.zoiksonline.com/2011/06/zoiks-online-editor-jason-tanamor-re.html)

Jun 17, 2011 12,790 Pageviews

4. I love discovering new bands. Sometimes I get albums sent to me without prior knowledge. The band Rains was one of those bands. Thankfully I did because their new album, “Stories,” is a gem. Others think so too. Read the story here: Rains’ ‘Stories’ is an Album for Fans. – Album Review (http://www.zoiksonline.com/2011/09/rains-stories-is-album-for-fans-album.html)

Sep 24, 2011 10,024 Pageviews

5. Fans big and bigger are now able to enjoy the Harry Potter craze when news hit that the Universal Orlando attraction accommodates obese people on its roller coaster, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Ride. If you’re overweight and still want to ride a coaster, you’re in luck. Read the story here: “Too fat for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Ride? Universal Orlando will Accommodate. (http://www.zoiksonline.com/2010/09/too-fat-for-harry-potter-and-forbidden.html)

Sep 17, 2010, 1 comment 9,613 Pageviews

6. James Durbin, Adam Lambert, enough said. “Idol” fans know who their guy is. So there really is no need to write an intro regarding James Durbin’s exit on the show. Read the story here: @ElizabethBanks & @adamlambert Responsible for Durbin’s Defeat. (http://www.zoiksonline.com/2011/05/elizabethbanks-adamlambert-responsible.html)

May 13, 2011, 63 comments 9,313 Pageviews

7. Both are fabulous, both have charisma, and I’m not speaking of the entertainers themselves. I’m talking about Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga’s fan base. Which is the best? Read the story here: "Adam Lambert or Lady Gaga; who has the best fans? – POLL (http://www.zoiksonline.com/2010/10/adam-lambert-or-lady-gaga-who-has-best.html)

Oct 22, 2010, 21 comments 8,868 Pageviews

8. One of the hottest actresses ever had some private nude photos leaked to the web. Everyone searched for them. Your search helped with just over 7K hits. Read the story here: Scarlett Johansson Nude Photo Hacked from iPhone. So, Where is it? (http://www.zoiksonline.com/2011/03/scarlett-johansson-nude-photo-hacked.html)

Mar 31, 2011 7,115 Pageviews

9. Really guys? You didn’t get the answer from the above story? You just had to keep searching. Well, thank you, to the tune of 6500 hits. Read the story here: Scarlett Johansson Nude. – NSFW Photo (http://www.zoiksonline.com/2011/04/scarlett-johansson-nude-nsfw-photo.html)

Apr 10, 2011, 4 comments 6,462 Pageviews

10. Before the Biebs was being accused of fatherhood, he broke the Internet flood gates when his relationship with Selena Gomez became public. They finally made their first public appearance and the fans went nuts. Read the story here: "Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are dating, just like Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. (http://www.zoiksonline.com/2011/02/justin-bieber-and-selena-gomez-are.html)

Feb 28, 2011, 13 comments 6,436 Pageviews

BYLINE:

Jason Tanamor is the Editor of Zoiks! Online. He is also the author of the novels, "Hello Lesbian!" and "Anonymous." Email Jason at jason@zoiksonline.com.

Kid Rock To Premiere New Video Today; Announces Performance On CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute.

Usually when Kid Rock leaves town after a show, he leaves a trail of destruction. Women leave their husbands, husbands find new wives, the local bars look as if a tornado had ripped through town. Hangovers last for weeks, the local economy now in tatters from people missing work following the show. On this tour however, Kid Rock is leaving a different impression - having made a positive difference in the town he was just in. As the "Care" tour rolls along, multiple local charities everywhere he plays are feeling the positive benefits of having Kid Rock in town, with Rock and a conglomerate of Detroit business titans planning to donate over $375,000 over the course of the 12 date run.

As the single "Care," from his Platinum selling album "BORN FREE" keeps moving up the charts, Kid Rock announces today the premiere of a video that's also unlike anything in his past. Directed by famed director Mark Pellington (first known for his groundbreaking video for Pearl Jam's haunting video for "Jeremy") and featuring T.I. and Angaleena Presley (of Pistol Annies), the new video will premier TODAY - November 23rd - on CMT.com, MTV.com and Vh1.com. The video will then be premiered on CMT on Friday, November 25th at 10:30 am on the Top 20 Countdown and Saturday, November 26th at 9:00 am on Vh1's Top 20 Countdown which will also feature an interview with Kid Rock. T.I., who is featured in the video, said of working with Kid Rock, ""Rock and I have a great relationship and it is fun to work with him. It is an honor to collaborate with my label-mate and partner."

In addition to promoting the single via his tour and new video, it has just been announced that Kid Rock will perform a special version of Care live on CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, which will be broadcast LIVE on CNN Sunday, December 11, 2011 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA. CNN's Anderson Cooper again hosts the star-studded gala, which this year will be broadcast live around the world at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT on the global networks of CNN. The telecast shines a spotlight on the extraordinary accomplishments of the top 10 CNN Heroes, who will each receive $50,000 in recognition of their work. The show culminates with the announcement of the CNN Hero of the Year, one of the top 10 who will receive an additional $250,000. Voting to select the Hero of the Year is being conducted online at CNNHeroes.com and will end December 7 at 11:59 p.m PT.

Tour dates as follows:

11/23 Ryman Theatre- Nashville, TN

11/26 House of Blues - Chicago - Chicago, IL

11/29 Midland Theatre - Kansas City, MO

12/01 Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO

12/03 The Great Saltair - Magna, UT

12/04 Knitting Factory - Boise, ID

12/09 Fantasy Springs Special Events Center - Indio, CA

John Rzeznik Of Goo Goo Dolls Joins Taylor Swift On Stage To Perform ‘Iris.’

Last night John Rzeznik of GOO GOO DOLLS joined Taylor Swift on stage at Madison Square Garden to perform the Goos classic "Iris." Ms. Swift has been covering the song in her live shows and jumped at the chance to perform the song live with the song's author. Click here to view the performance.

Perez Hilton went so far as to proclaim: "Out of every cover Taylor Swift has done on this tour, we think this one just may be the best! She's not only covering Iris, she's playing it with the originals - the Goo Goo Dolls at Madison Square Garden!!!"

In other news Goo Goo Dolls have confirmed an appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Dec 19th. The previously recoded segment will feature a brand new, as yet to be released song titled "All That You Are." Be sure to tune into CBS stations at 12:35AM / 11:35PM CT. Check local listings for details.

John Rzeznik, bassist Robby Takac, and drummer Mike Malinin will perform their final show of 2011 this New Year's Eve in support of their current album, SOMETHING FOR THE REST OF US at Caesar's in Atlantic City, NJ. Please visit www.googoodolls.com/tour for more information.

Lady Gaga's 'A Very Gaga Holiday' EP and More Out Today.

Lady Gaga is making a splash this holiday season - the singer's brand new A Very Gaga Holiday EP is out today on iTunes, and includes Gaga's versions of "White Christmas" and "Orange Colored Sky" along with Born This Way's "Yoü and I" and "The Edge of Glory" as peformed on "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving," which airs Thursday on ABC. Preview the tracks now on Soundcloud, and tune in to ABC Thanksgiving night at 9:30 pm EST to watch her perform the songs live.

In addition, Gaga's Born This Way The Collection, which includes Born This Way The Remix and Lady Gaga Presents The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden Blu-Ray/DVD, is now available for purchase, along with the Lady Gaga x Terry Richardson photo book.

For more info on Lady Gaga and all of her holiday releases, check out her official sites at LadyGaga.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

Lauren Alaina Unveils Preview Clips from 'Country Music: In Performance at the White House.'

Lauren Alaina recently performed for President and Michelle Obama for PBS's "Country Music: In Performance at the White House," joining other famous names like Lyle Lovett, James Taylor, Darius Rucker and the Band Perry for the seventh installment of the "In Performance at the White House" series. Lauren joined Dierks Bentley for a duet of country classic "Always On My Mind," and gave new life to Loretta Lynn's hit "Coal Miner's Daughter." The special is set to air this Wednesday, November 23 at 8pm EST on PBS.

Lauren will also sing the National Anthem at the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers showdown on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24 at 12:30pm EST on FOX.

Visit LaurenAlainaOfficial.com for more info on all her upcoming appearances. Her album Wildflower is available now.

Shane Harper Thanksgiving Fan Photo Contest.

Calling all fans of Shane Harper! Shane has just launched another Fan Photo Sharing Contest through LiveShare by Cooliris right on his Facebook page.

LiveShare is a free mobile and web app that makes it easy for friends to share and communicate through live group photo streams. LiveShare enables fans to connect with their favorite artist and fellow fans in a completely new way by sharing photos all in one place.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Shane is encouraging fans to share a photo of something or someone that they are thankful for then uploading it to the photo stream where friends and fans can vote by 'Liking' their favorite photo. The photo with the most likes after December 6th will receive an acoustic guitar signed by Shane himself. Watch a video of Shane personally signing the guitar and start getting creative! To upload a photo to the stream you can go to Shane's Facebook page and hit the upload button at the lower right or you can use the LiveShare mobile app on your smartphone, free to download.

"Rocketship," is Shane's latest single from from his debut album which is available on iTunes now. For more information about Shane and his music, go to ShaneHarperOnline.com as well as his Facebook and Twitter pages. Shane can also be seen in the Disney Channel series Good Luck Charlie and in the Rob Reiner film Flipped.

Valora Launches Creative Allies Contest; Grand Prize $500.

LA rock band Valora has teamed up with CreativeAllies.com to launch a fan-generated poster contest for their new single, "I Waited For You." Creative Allies is a site that allows designers, artists, and illustrators to create art for their favorite bands, films, and festivals. The winner of the Valora contest, which runs until December 28, will receive $500 and a Valora prize pack.

The official video for "I Waited For You" has over 500K views on YouTube, and the song is available on iTunes now.

For more information on Valora, visit their official site, www.valoraofficial.com, as well as their Facebook and Twitter pages.

will.i.am and Jennifer Lopez Perform at American Music Awards.

Multi-platinum performer, producer and songwriter will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas appeared on the American Music Awards on Sunday night with Jennifer Lopez for the premiere performance of his new solo single, 典.H.E (The Hardest Ever)." The track, which was produced by will.i.am, Audiobot, and Dallas Austin, also features Mick Jagger and is available now on iTunes. Check out the full stream of "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)."

典.H.E (The Hardest Ever)" will appear on will.i.am's upcoming album, #WILLPOWER, which is due next year on Interscope. A video for the song, directed by Rich Lee and shot in Los Angeles and London, will be released later this month.

Seven-time Grammy Award-winner will.i.am is known not only for his work with The Black Eyed Peas, who have sold 31 million albums and 58 million singles worldwide, but also for his work with some of the entertainment industry痴 biggest names, including Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, David Guetta, and film composer Hans Zimmer.

Be sure to visit will.i.am's Facebook and Twitter for all of the latest news!

My Girl Friday Releases New Single, 'Down By The Water.'

After weeks of anticipation, My Girl Friday has released the second single off American Kids, "Down By The Water," on iTunes! Don't look for it yet on Amazon nor can you use your fye coupons. After a successful fall tour with The Summer Set and The Downtown Fiction, My Girl Friday has secured a solid and passionate fanbase across the United States. "#downbythewater" was trending second on the worldwide charts on Twitter last night, and kids are amped on the band's newly-found country sound.

My Girl Friday is a ﬁve piece alternative band "salted with rock and peppered with country" from Phoenix, Arizona. The band is composed of Justin Godsey (22, vocals), Ryan Steele (22, Bass), Tyler Horton (22, Guitar), Logan Thayer (21, Guitar) and Vic Chan (26, Drums). My Girl Friday is currently unsigned, but are in no way limited because of that. They are set to release their new EP, American Kidsthis December. With over 20,000 singles sold, three full EPs, and an continuously growing sound, My Girl Friday are forging their own path in the music industry.

Frontman, Justin Godsey, will be doing press all over the country for the next three weeks. If you are interested in setting up an interview with him at any of the dates below, please don't hesitate to get in touch! In addition, the rest of the band is available for phone/email interviews at any time.

My Girl Friday will release American Kids this December. Please visit www.mygirlfridayband.com to stay updated on the band.

Justin Godsey Press Dates:

November 22nd - Webster Hall - New York, NY
November 23rd - Northern Lights - Clifton Park, NY
November 25th - Water Street Music Hall - Rochester, NY
November 26th - Chameleon Club - Lancaster, PA
November 29th - The Opera House - Toronto, Canada
November 30th - The Intersection - Grand Rapids, MI
December 2nd - The Auricle - Canton, OH
December 3rd - Madison Theatre - Covington, KY
December 4th - Firebird - St. Louis, MO
December 7th - Bourbon Theatre - Lincoln, NE
December 9th - Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
December 10th - Music Hall At Fair Park - Dallas, TX

PAUL WELLER NEW ALBUM: “SONIK KICKS” OUT ON MARCH 27th 2012

Enjoying a constant critical high and a never ending creative peak, Paul Weller continues to push the boundaries with his forthcoming new album Sonik Kicks, scheduled for release on March 27^th 2012 on Yep Roc Records. The album is the follow up to the Mercury Prize Award nominated Wake Up The Nation and is also Paul’s eleventh solo album. Once again, it's his best yet.

For fans eager to hear a taste of what’s to come, RollingStone.com will be previewing the first single “Around The Lake” beginning today. The song will also be available for purchase on iTunes beginning next week.

Sonik Kicks features fourteen brand new tracks: “Green,” “The Attic,” “Kling I Klang,” “Sleep of the Serene,” “By the Waters,” “That Dangerous Age,” “Study in Blue,” “Dragonfly,” “When Your Garden’s Overgrown,” “Around The Lake,” “Twilight,” “Drifters,” “Paperchase,” and “Be Happy Children.” Both Noel Gallagher and Graham Coxon appear as special guests on the album.

Since Weller isn’t one to wait 20 years to be invited to perform his “classic” album, he has decided to do so now. Sonik Knicks will be performed in full at The Roundhouse in London, England on March 18^th & 19^th. Tickets go on sale 9AM on Friday Nov 25^th. US shows are in the works for Weller and will be announced at a later date.

2012 will also mark two important anniversaries for Paul Weller. In 1977 (35 years ago) The Jam burst on to the music scene with their debut album In The City, which without question was one of the most important punk albums to ever be released. Since then Weller consistently changed and evolved his sound through his work with The Style Council and as a solo artist. It was 20 years ago in 1992 when Weller released his self-titled first ever solo album.

With Sonik Kicks Paul Weller once again shakes up his palate and stirs his influences anew. He mixes pop art punch with soulful communication; jazzy explorations into psychedelia and dub with razor-sharp melodies and abstract soundscapes with clear-eyed forest-folk.