Music World - Rock and Roll: Eddie Van Halen dies at 65 of cancer

Dutch born Eddie Van Halen, the guitar virtuoso whose blinding speed, control and innovation propelled his band Van Halen into one of hard rock's biggest groups, fuelled the unmistakable fiery solo in Michael Jackson's hit Beat It and became elevated to the status of rock god, has died. He was 65.

A person close to Van Halen's family confirmed the rocker died Tuesday due to cancer. The person was not authorized to publicly release details in advance of an official announcement.

In February 1962, the Van Halen family moved from the Netherlands to the United States, settling in Pasadena, California,and became naturalized as U.S. citizens..

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Eddie Van Halen dies at 65 of cancer | CBC News

France: A million take to Paris streets for Johnny Hallyday's funeral - by Kim Willsher

To the blast of electric guitars, the revving of Harley-Davidsons, applause and tears, France bade an emotional farewell to Johnny Hallyday, France’s rock and roll “national hero” on Saturday.

The centre of Paris ground to a halt as the wave of national grief that has overwhelmed the country since news of the death of the singer, known as the French Elvis, at the age of 74 broke early on Wednesday morning.

In scenes resonant of the mass mourning in Britain following the death of Princess Diana, police said a million fans had lined the route of the funeral procession, which was accompanied by Hallyday’s band playing live, as it made its way from the Arc de Triomphe along the Champs-Élysées to Place de la Concorde and on to the church of La Madeleine.

Hallyday’s widow, Laeticia, and their two adopted children Jade, 13, and Joy, nine, followed the cortege. Fans, many in tears, threw flowers at the hearse.
Hallyday’s older children, David Hallyday and Laura Smet, waited on the steps of the church to receive the coffin.

A visibly emotional Emmanuel Macron, a Hallyday fan who had called for a “people’s tribute” to the singer, told the crowds: “You are here for him, for Johnny Hallyday. After 60 years of career, 1,000 songs, 50 albums … you are still there, still there, always there. I know you’re waiting for him to jump out from somewhere, he’s on a bike, he comes towards you and starts the first song and you start singing with him.”

As the crowd cheered, whistled and shouted “Johnny, Johnny”, he continued: “Yes, this December Saturday is sad, but you have to be here for Johnny because from the beginning Johnny was there for you. In moments of your life one of his songs translated something you had in your heart … an indefinable humanity that made us feel less alone. That’s how Johnny came into our lives … he became a necessary presence, a friend, a brother.”

Read more: A million take to Paris streets for Johnny Hallyday's funeral | Music | The Guardian

The Netherlands: Refreshingly Different Dutch Vocalist JO SARAH Launches "Citizens of the world"

JO SARAH

Soulful world music sung and played by a vocalist who has traveled and lived in many countries around the world.

JO SARAH is more than a vocalist; she’s a songwriter and a percussionist too. She writes songs inspired by her roots, soul, jazz and world music (Brazilian, African and Middle Eastern).

JO SARAH, a vocalist that takes you on a magical journey of ethnical sounds in the world. With her philosophical lyrics, interesting choice of harmonies and uplifting danceable rhythms, JO SARAH intrigues with her authenticity. From intimate Surinamese ballads to groovy African/Brazilian rhythms, JO SARAH will whisk you away!

Passionate and driven, she tells her story about what she’s seen and experienced in the many different cultures. With her sounds she paints a sounds cape that shows you where her roots lie; India, Ghana, Surinam and the Indian tribes of the Amazon.

After studying two years of Law JO SARAH decided to quit and fully focus on her music. She auditioned at the ArtEZ Conservatory of Zwolle and she got accepted right away.

Here she took singing lessons from Ronald Douglas, Adrienne West, Zosja El Rhazi and Izaline Calister. She partook in many master classes from artists like Gino Vanelli, Nancy Morano, Lilian Vieira, Josee Koning, David Linx, Kurt Elling and many more. During her study in Zwolle JO SARAH trained her songwriting-, piano- and percussion skills.

At the beginning of her last year at the conservatory JO SARAH decided to study at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, Denmark. Here she got many master classes from musicians all over the world (Cuba, Brasil, Papua New Guinea, Gambia, Mali, Iceland etc.)

During this time JO SARAH had a lot of time and space to think about who she is as a singer, artist and as a person. In this time of self-reflection JO SARAH wrote songs that were dear to her and close to her heart. She realized that singing her own songs makes her the happiest, especially when it’s influenced by world music, soul & jazz.

Coming back from Denmark, she quit all her bands and started her new journey.

After a few try outs JO SARAH was happy with her fresh new band: Jesse Buitenhuis(guitar), Roel van den Nieuwenhoff(keys), Jeroen van der Ley(bass), Roman Sielert(percussion) and Tuur Moens(drums).

JO SARAH is paving her way with her amazing band.

She just graduated honor fully with a 9 at the ArtEZ Conservatory in Zwolle. Currently she has plans to release her Debut EP “Citizen of the World” in November 2014.

Read more about: JO SARAH

Russia: US "Bloodhound Gang Band" assaulted and deported following Russian flag incident - by Randee Dawn

Americans aren't the only ones sensitive about how their national flag is handled — it turns out the Russians also like to make sure their country's flag is treated well. That's what U.S.-based band Bloodhound Gang discovered on their recent tour.

While visiting the Ukranian town of Odessa last Wednesday, bassist Jared Hasselhoff (real name: Jared Victor Hennegan) put a Russian flag down his pants, telling the cheering crowd "Don't tell (Russian President Vladimir) Putin," and pulled it out the rear. The video went on YouTube and quickly went viral overseas.

Not everyone in the band liked what they saw; the video also shows frontman Jimmy Pop telling the crowd he disagreed with what Hasselhoff had just done: "Russia is better than America," he said, "so I disapprove of that."

Read more: Bloodhound Gang assaulted, deported following Russian flag incident - NBC News.com

Egypt outlaws ‘romantic’ songs on state TV, fearing turmoil as constitution vote looms - by Olga Khazan

The standoff between Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and his opponents on the eve of the vote on whether to adopt a constitution threatens to derail Egypt’s transition to democracy. Egypt’s opposition has called for its supporters to vote “no” on the country’s draft constitution on Saturday, saying that the document was flawed because its drafters did not seek input from all of Egypt’s religious and ethnic groups.

Perhaps because of this politically tumultuous mood, the Egyptian television and broadcasting union have banned airing any “romantic or passionate songs” on its 23 state-owned channels, according to the state-run Ahram Arabic Web site.

Instead, only “patriotic” music will be allowed, the agency said. The more emotional songs may be aired after midnight, “because it is not appropriate to show these kinds of songs with the current situation of the country.”

Read more: Egypt outlaws ‘romantic’ songs on state TV, fearing turmoil as constitution vote looms

Portugal: If you want to know the soul of Portugal, listen to fado - by Fred Contrada

When Portuguese girls lie in bed at night dreaming of the spotlight, they don’t yearn to become Taylor Swift or Lady Gaga. They want to be Amalia Rodrigues.

Traveling, in great part, is the process of learning about the places through which you pass and being astounded by all the things you don’t know about them. Of all the many and wonderful things we didn’t know about Portugal, the music called fado was the most exciting surprise. And, Amalia Rodrigues was fado.

We had read a little about fado before our trip across the ocean, but the reality surpassed our expectations. “Fado” comes from the Latin word for “fate,” and in fado music this often means tragedy.

In fado there is longing for people and places that are far away or inaccessible. There is mourning and resignation, melancholy, love, and recognition of the world’s cruelty. It’s like the American blues without the beating and shooting of women.

Fado is believed to have emerged in the early 1800s, though some trace it roots back to the Middle Ages or even Moorish times. It was originally associated with sailors, prostitutes and those on the fringes of society. The Alfama neighborhood, where we stayed in Lisbon, is considered the hotbed of fado.

Read more: Commentary: If you want to know the soul of Portugal, listen to fado | masslive.com

Dutch DJs are becoming increasingly popular around the world

Over 1700 artists from all around the world are gathering in Amsterdam to take part in the Amsterdam Dance Event. ADC, which begins this evening, has grown into the world’s biggest club festival. Over 200.000 clubbers are expected to attend the 300 performances over the next five days.

Some of the top Dutch DJs, including Armin van Buuren and Headhunterz, will also be performing. Dutch DJs are among the most popular in the world, but why? 

Read more: Dutch DJs are becoming increasingly popular | Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Madonna Pre-US Super Bowl Video Gets Some Cred From NFL - by Chris Willman

The video includes an infant carriage, baby doll, cutaway taxicab and tommy gun, among other accoutrements. Then there are the biggest props of all: the NFL, Nicki Minaj, and M.I.A.

Madge uses the “Luvin’” video to remind the world not just of her Super Bowl-worthiness, with its chorus lines of anonymous football players, but the fact that all the cool kids on the pop block still want to play ball with her, whether they represent radical chic (M.I.A.) or cartoonish commerciality (Minaj).

Gone are the days of Madonna chasing after the edgiest trends in icy electronica. Both the “Luvin’” single and video were released at 9 a.m. ET this morning (no sleepy-time midnight iTunes unveilings for this high-profile girl), and amid the froth overload of both, what was most immediately apparent was that the cred Madonna would now really like to appropriate is … Katy Perry’s.

For more: Madonna Pre-Super Bowl Video Gets Some Cred From NFL, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. | Reuters

Music Industry: Hillsong United's Christian music finds broad appeal around the world

Christian rocker Larry Norman once cheekily sang, "Why should the devil have all the good music?" He also could have asked, "Why can't Christian music get more respect?"

Take Hillsong United, for instance, an eight-piece Australian rock band doubling as musical teacher, using songs to "connect people to God" and promote "love, freedom and grace for all people," said Joel Houston, the band's frontman and son of Hillsong founders Brian and Bobbie Houston.

Its February album, "Aftermath," topped Billboard's Christian albums chart in the U.S., but more impressively debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard Top 200, sandwiched between Jason Aldean and Justin Bieber.

Hillsong United is not only popular enough to have toured the world since 2007, it's also playing in arenas all over Europe and the US, including the Bradley Center, where the group will make its Milwaukee debut on Monday with the first show of Hillsong's latest North American tour. They will also be playing at the spectacular American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat, on August 6.

Hillsong has been around since 1999, spun off from the youth music ministry of the popular Sydney-based Pentecostal mega-church, Hillsong.


EU-Digest

'Euro-hop' music invades America - by Charlie Amter

Blame it on the French if you must, but 2010 may well go down as the year mainstream America went not just Europop, but "Euro-hop."

Four out of Billboard's Top 20 singles this week bear the hallmarks of an unmistakable new Eurodance-meets-urban sound that is all but taking over Top 40 and urban radio.

It's a club-influenced soundtrack for teens and 20-somethings filled with sparkling synth hooks and throbbing beats more Berlin than Baltimore, yet Middle America can't get enough.

For more: 'Euro-hop' music invades America - CNN.com