Seven years after Tupac’s death, the movie Tupac: Resurrection was released.

I knew Tupac’s music, but I had never heard of Tupac: Resurrection so figured it was worth a watch.  It was more than worth a watch, it’s an incredibly delivered ode to a flawed but great artist.

Tupac: Resurrection is presented in the most incredible way, it is narrated by Tupac himself.

The filmmakers achieved this by collecting things he has said and creating a surprisingly coherent narration over the movie. If it was made today I would assume that it was some AI trick, but it is pretty incredible what was achieved 20 years ago in this movie. This really does mean Tupac is telling his own story here which is pretty special.

The movie itself is slices of his life from his childhood to his death.

One thing that surprised me, having only listened to his music and not his interviews before, was how softly and well spoken he was. Tupac wasn’t a kid born to the streets, he went to a decent school, and got a great education, in no small part due to his mother doing everything she could for him. This makes video footage of him at high school a really fascinating contrast to what I pictured listening to the music.

Throughout the movie we get to see Tupac make great and bad decisions.

Listening to him reflecting on some of the mist steps adds a layer of depth to each of these moments. You see the influences that helped and hindered Tupac. The film is loaded with old school footage, from interviews on TV to behind the scenes stuff. All of this really paints an interesting picture of a deeply intricate man.  It still throws me off how soft spoken and eloquent he can be when he wasn’t playing up his persona.

The DVD is loaded with some special features including an early video of him giving a speech, music videos, and a fascinating deposition where he was being sued because of an incident after someone allegedly listened to his music.

The last one was really interesting because hearing Tupac explaining his music reminds me of when metal bands had to explain their music in the same era as people were looking for anything to blame for gun violence.

Oh how times have changed.  Every time you get an unfiltered look at Tupac, I found him more fascinating.

Tupac: Resurrection is a pretty incredible film.

It’s really built around Tupac telling his own story so isn’t overly critical, but it is a really interesting look at a truly fascinating man. Even if you aren’t a fan of his music I still highly recommend watching it and this DVD with the extras is a great way to enjoy it.

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When I saw a Blu-Ray release for Paul McCartney’s Get Back I had to get my Google on because I remember a Beatles documentary with a similar name.

It turns out I was right, the Beatles doco chronicling the breakup of The Beatles does share the name, but this movie is a very different beast, in all the right ways.

Paul McCartney’s Get Back covers his first solo tour so I figured I would go into it blind.  Was it going to be backstage and show all the events of the tour? Was it going to deep dive into his choices? Was there going to be a small handful of songs, or just snips of songs?

Basically the movie, originally released in 1991, is just a mash up of songs from his tour. That’s it.

The live songs are from heaps of different concerts from The Paul McCartney World Tour, and they are mashed together that you don’t get a strong feeling that they are from different shows. You clearly tell from some of the shots that they are in different venues, and sometimes the clothes changes make that apparent.  But the stitching has been done brilliantly to make it feel like you are just chucking on any other live Blu-Ray.

What makes this more of a movie and less of just a live concert is the awesome use of other video footage as the songs played.  Shots and videos from things like the Vietnam War and other major moments in history help place the writing of the songs and their context. Throws in some video footage of the Beatles and Beatlemania are a great reflection of the songs being performed.

Speaking of which, you may be thinking I don’t know that many Paul McCartney solo songs.

Well that’s all good, neither did I.

A massive chunk of the songs are The Beatles jams and they sound fantastic live. Hell I prefer some of these versions to their originals. I know, sacrilege, but ah well. I said it now, you can’t stop me.

There aren’t any special features or anything on the disc.  It’s just a damn good looking, damn good sounding re-release of a damn good concert movie.  Fans of The Beatles or Paul McCartney would be crazy not to pick this gem up.

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Today sees the release of “Never Let You Go” by Jason Derulo (US) and SHOUSE (AU).

The song propels SHOUSE into a pop stratosphere with the help of Derulo’s unmistakable, soaring vocals and a thumping chorus. Derulo’s staggering velvety voice blends perfectly with the Melbourne SHOUSE choir, in a collective cry of longing and love from across the globe.

The song came together in the spirit of a true creative and collaborative musical relationship. Jason Derulo is a global household name. SHOUSE are behind some of the most captivating dance songs of recent times. While in Ibiza this year the sound of the Australian dance duo that has been taking over the airwaves all over Australia and Europe for the last 12 months, seemed to follow Derulo everywhere he went. Having fallen in love with their music, he tracked down SHOUSE to their epic set at Ushuaïa & the rest is history.

“Our minds were blown when a legend such as Jason Derulo tracked us down to tell us he and his crew had been partying in Ibiza hearing the SHOUSE choirs cry of “Love Tonight” and “Won’t Forget You”…They were heading to the studio that night and wanted the parts to the song immediately – naturally we sent them straight across! Within a few days Jason had sent across a beautiful, powerful, spine tingling demo, very close to the song we hear today,” says SHOUSE.

Together, Jason Derulo and SHOUSE are an unstoppable force with the numbers to prove it, boasting a whopping 50M+ monthly listeners across DSPs. SHOUSE are just off the back of releasing their massive dance hit “Love Tonight” which has surpassed 1.5BM streams. The track hit the Top 10 AirPlay charts in 16 markets, #1 in the Billboard Dance Mix Show Charts and #1 US Mediabase Dance Radio Airplay Top 100. The record has gone on to receive dozens of gold, platinum & diamond discs in markets across the world including the UK, USA, Germany, France and Australia.

“Won’t Forget You”, the SHOUSE song that laid the basis for Jason Derulo to turn into a pop hit, was released in February 2022, and has garnered over 100M audio streams across all DSPs and 2.5 million Shazams. Derulo has been using “Won’t Forget You” on socials and including the song in his live shows lately, preparing his avid fanbase for the upcoming release of this new version, “Never Let You Go”.

With “Never Let You Go”, Jason Derulo has transformed a melancholy dancefloor hook about friendships that last forever into a pop masterpiece of longing and love, reaching out across the World.

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There are just 10 days to go until Fist Full of Rock – featuring the ultimate line-up in Australian hard rock, The Angels, Baby Animals, Rose Tattoo and The Poor.

The Angels are one of Australia’s most loved rock bands.  Formed by John and Rick Brewster in Adelaide, they have been on the road consistently since 1974 and this year celebrate the 45th anniversary of their debut single Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again, a song that’s now an indelible part of Australian culture. Their catalogue includes thirteen studio albums, eight Top 10 albums, 17 Top 40 singles and further iconic songs such as No Secrets, Take A Long Line, Shadow Boxer, Marseilles, Comin’ Down, After The Rain, Face The Day, Fashion and Fame, Let The Night Roll On, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, Mr Damage and many more.

Baby Animals burst onto the scene in 1991 with their self-titled debut album. The band was touring with Van Halen in the US when they heard the album had topped the charts, ‘Baby Animals’ spending six weeks at number one in Australia and keeping Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ out of top spot. The album went eight times platinum and won three ARIA Awards – Best Album, Best Debut Album and Best Debut Single. It was also declared one of the Top 25 albums of 1992 in UK rock bible Kerrang!, and Baby Animals performed ‘Painless’ on Late Night With David Letterman. Baby Animals later appeared in The 100 Best Australian Albums, and Suze DeMarchi was also featured in the book Rock Chicks, The Hottest Female Rockers from the 1960s to Now. “Baby Animals was like a breath of fresh air,” the book stated, “a hard-rocking band fronted by a guitar-wielding, tattooed temptress who could rock with the best of them.”

Rose Tattoo, true rock and roll outlaws, rumbled into existence in late 1976 with a New Year’s Eve debut at Sydney’s legendary Bondi Lifesaver. The band was the vision of Pete Wells, his master plan embellished by bassist Ian Rilen. With Wells on slide guitar and Rilen on bass, Angry Anderson was recruited along with rhythm guitarist Mick Cocks and drummer Dallas “Digger” Royal and they set about destroying eardrums and venues across Australia. With the departure of Rilen in August 1977, Geordie Leach stepped in and the band’s classic self-titled debut album, produced by Vanda and Young, was released in late 1978 with the killer singles, Bad Boy for Love, Rock n’ Roll Outlaw and One of the Boys.

The Poor, fresh off playing to full houses across UK and Europe, are ready to showcase their new music, including singles Cry Out and Payback’s A Bitch.  They kicked off back in 1986 as The Poor Boys, hailing from Darwin. On 13 June 1994 they released debut album, Who Cares, which peaked at No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The lead single, “More Wine Waiter Please” reached No. 30 on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and was a top ten hit in Australia. The Poor disbanded in 2000 but reformed in 2008 and issued two further albums, Round 1 (October 2009) and Round 2 (October 2010).

Fist full of Rock will be on the 2nd of september 2022 at the Enmore Theatre, Sydney, Australia.

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Who really was George Michael? The new documentary GEORGE MICHAEL: PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST (Amazon Prime Video, Apple iTunes, Google Play), details just that.

Told candidly from the people who really knew him best – his music manager Simon Napier-Bell, his longtime lover and partner Kenny Goss, fellow luminaries Stevie Wonder, Rufus Wainwright, Stephen Fry, and many more.

By far the most definitive feature documentary on George’s amazing life, the film explores the many ups and downs of the illustrious Grammy Award winner, considered one of the best-selling musicians of all time with sales of over 120 million records worldwide. We would love to set up an interview with you and the film’s director, Simon Napier-Bell and/or Kenny Goss to discuss the importance of the documentary and George’s legacy, as well as share anecdotes about who he really was.

Born in North London, George Michael rose to fame as member of the pop duo Wham! with their first two albums reaching #1 on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200, with hit singles including “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and “Last Christmas”. Simon Napier-Bell managed their career, helping establish them as a global act and the driving force behind their groundbreaking Beijing concert, the first visit to China by a Western popular music act, which generated worldwide media coverage.

George’s first solo single, “Careless Whisper”, reached number one in over 20 countries including the UK and the US, with his debut album Faith topping the UK charts and staying at number one for 12 straight weeks on the Billboard 200. Globally it sold 25 million copies, and four singles from the album—”Faith”, “Father Figure”, “One More Try”, and “Monkey”—reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Michael became the best-selling music artist of 1988, and Faith was awarded Album of the Year at the 1989 Grammy Awards.

But with all of his success, George fought a continuous internal battle with his identity and public persona. Outside music, he was an active LGBT rights campaigner and HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser.

His personal life, drug use, and legal troubles made headlines during the late 1990s and 2000s, as he was arrested for public lewdness in 1998 and was arrested for multiple drug-related offences after that time. In 1996 George began a decade long romantic relationship with artist Kenny Goss, and in 1998 he came out as gay publicly for the first time. George suffered from substance abuse for many years, but in 2008 had a major comeback tour with the release of Twenty Five in celebration of his 25 years in music.

George died at the age of 53 on Christmas in 2016 due to natural causes related to heart and liver disease.

Following his death, many charities and individuals posted on social media about George’s generous philanthropic acts and how he often donated his time and much of his wealth anonymously. The pop star avoided making headlines for his many acts of kindness, which included volunteering at a homeless shelter, paying for a woman’s fertility treatments and tipping a waitress thousands of dollars to help her pay for her nursing school debts.

The documentary GEORGE MICHAEL: PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST dives deeper into who George really was – a kind and generous person who ultimately fought many demons while being front and center as one of the most famous musicians of his time – through never before heard anecdotal stories of his closest friends and allies.

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Recently Shane from STG was invited to see upcoming Persian x NZ (Kiwi) singer Chaii live at a small performance for JBL.

Chaii has exploded on to the New Zealand (NZ) music scene with a string of high energy singles which were sung on the night.

Shane got to have a chat with Chaii on her music career and aspirations for the future.

Shane: Hey Chaii, thanks for chatting with us! Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got in to music

Chaii: I’m an Artist / producer from Auckland NZ. I got into music as a kid and have always had a passion for making music and being in the creative industry.

Shane: We have seen you perform live with JBL and it’s electric and super energy infused. It’s fantastic. How would you describe your music?

Chaii: Thank you 😊 I would describe my music as upbeat Persian party meets hiphop / R&B.

Shane: You’ve released a few singles over the past couple of years, is there an album coming?

Chaii: Yes, my last 2 releases were EP’s, but am currently working on an Album that I can’t wait to share.

Shane: What other music artists inspire you?

Chaii: Rosalia, Tierra Whack, Childish Gambino, J Cole, Doja Cat

Shane: What’s up next for Chaii?

Chaii: Album then touring. Keen to play more shows overseas and take the Album to all sides of the world.

Shane: Is there any advice you would give to upcoming music artists that are wanting to break in to the industry?

Chai: Make music you feel passionate making, don’t be scared to truly let go and find yourself through your music. Be patient and believe in your work!

Chaii is going to be big, keep an ear out for her sounds, an eye out for her tour dates, singles and album drop abd you can follow Chaii on her official Instagram.

The post Interview w. Persian x NZ Music Artist Chaii appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

On Wednesday December 15th, 2021, fans are invited to experience BLACKPINK in their area, exclusively on Disney+ with the upcoming release of BLACKPINK: THE MOVIE.

Celebrating five years since the group’s public debut, BLACKPINK: THE MOVIE gives fans an Access All Areas pass to the group’s two most recent tours.

The revealing documentary directed by Su Yee Jung (My Life in Your Memories, 2015) and Oh Yoon Dong (Montecristo: The Musical Live, 2021 and Toy Soldiers: Fake Men 2 The Complete, 2020) has already become the high-grossing music documentary of 2021.

Created as a love letter to BLACKPINK’s fan club – “BLINK” – BLACKPINK: THE MOVIE features exclusive interviews with members Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa as they recount some of their favourite and most intimate memories from their whirlwind first five years. Throughout the documentary, fans can look forward to watching never-before-seen stories, as well as behind-the-scenes clips from music video shoots, concert rehearsals and unique art films created for each member of the group.

Featuring 10 different live performances shot during 2018’s “IN YOUR AREA” and 2021’s “THE SHOW” tours, fans will soon be able to experience the unforgettable spectacle of a BLACKPINK stadium tour right in the comfort of their living room.

Fans of BLACKPINK will also soon be able to enjoy Jisoo’s first ever starring role in a Korean drama when Snowdrop, the thrilling story of a forbidden love between a young couple, when it launches on Disney+ also this month.

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Following on from Icaro, TIBASKO bring heat to their already remarkable game with imaginative techno track, Hibiscus via Another Rhythm.

Childhood friends, TIBASKO are widely considered upcoming luminaries by dance music heavyweights  such as The Blessed Madonna, Denis Sulta, John Digweed, TSHA and SYREETA as well as radio icons Annie Mac, Jaguar, Danny Howard, Ben Malone, and Pete Tong.

Their credentials are huge and this is just the beginning for the pair. The duo has been dubbed ‘Ones to Watch’ and selected for ‘The Hot List’ by BBC Introducing,  christened ‘Future Stars 2021’ by Pete Tong, and labelled ‘Emerging Artist for 2021’ by Billboard. Their debut 2018 EP Alma has amassed over 1 million streams on Spotify and their latest release, Icaro has been championed tirelessly by SiriusXM, BBC Radio 1, and 1Xtra.

TIBASKO have already performed at infamous DJ venues such as The Cause, Queen’s Yard Summer Party, Creamfields, Motion Bristol, Detonate Festival, Poney Club, and have a pending show at The Warehouse Project. And, with their first headline show at Cafe 1001 taking place on release day week (9th December), the duo are soon to be spinning alongside the likes of Bklava, Raw Silk, Meg Ward, Jacana People, and Kiimi all in aid of mental health charity, Mind.

“One of our favourite aspects of music production is searching through our record collections and online and discovering exceptional samples. Stumbling across this beautiful vocal by Nahawa Doumbia melded perfectly with the ideas we envisioned for this track. Hibiscus works to facilitate the gorgeous vocal sample amidst an organic wave of plucking synths and bolstered by tight and powerful percussive elements. Creating the lead arp that appears in the second drop was also very fun to make, it’s reminiscent of the sound design found in tracks from the likes of Joris Voorn and Stephan Bodzin that we both love.” TIBASKO

Further proof of their LWE championed ‘stars of the future’ status, Hibiscus is light and captivating but maintains an authentic backbone. It upholds TIBASKO’s signature use of intriguing samples, using Wassoulou Music pioneer Nahaw Doumbia’s haunting vocals to create an ethereal and evocative soundscape. Simultaneously presenting a fresh new chapter in the duo’s electronic prowess with the presence of a more club-oriented, pronounced physicality within the song, Hibiscus will no doubt pave the way for their biggest year yet.

Tibasko – Hibiscus is out on December 10th, 2021 via Another Rhythm X Three Six Zero Recordings.

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Disney+ have released the trailer and key art for the upcoming three-part series “The Beatles: Get Back.”

The Disney+ original docuseries, directed by Peter Jackson, will be arriving on Disney+ just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Made entirely from never-before-seen, restored footage, it provides the most intimate and honest glimpse into the creative process and relationship between John, Paul, George, and Ringo ever filmed.  Be sure to check them both out, and don’t forget to watch “The Beatles: Get Back” when it rolls out over three days, November 25, 26, and 27, 2021, exclusively on Disney+.

Directed by three-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “They Shall Not Grow Old”), “The Beatles: Get Back” takes audiences back in time to the band’s January 1969 recording sessions, which became a pivotal moment in music history.

The docuseries showcases The Beatles’ creative process as they attempt to write 14 new songs in preparation for their first live concert in over two years. Faced with a nearly impossible deadline, the strong bonds of friendship shared by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr are put to the test.

The docuseries is compiled from nearly 60 hours of unseen footage shot over 21 days, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg in 1969, and from more than 150 hours of unheard audio, most of which has been locked in a vault for over half a century. Jackson is the only person in 50 years to have been given access to this Beatles treasure trove, all of which has now been brilliantly restored.

What emerges is an unbelievably intimate portrait of The Beatles, showing how, with their backs against the wall, they could still rely on their friendship, good humour, and creative genius. While plans derail and relationships are put to the test, some of the world’s most iconic songs are composed and performed.

The docuseries features – for the first time in its entirety – The Beatles’ last live performance as a group, the unforgettable rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row, as well as other songs and classic compositions featured on the band’s final two albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be.

An exciting new collaboration between The Beatles and Jackson presented by The Walt Disney Studios in association with Apple Corps Ltd. and WingNut Films Productions Ltd., “The Beatles: Get Back” is directed by Peter Jackson, produced by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon, Olivia Harrison, Peter Jackson, Clare Olssen (“They Shall Not Grow Old”) and Jonathan Clyde (“Eight Days a Week”), with Apple Corps’ Jeff Jones (“Eight Days a Week”) and Ken Kamins (“The Hobbit” trilogy) serving as executive producers.

Jabez Olssen (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) serves as the film’s editor, the music supervisor is Giles Martin (“Rocketman”), Michael Hedges (“The Adventures of Tintin”) and Brent Burge (“The Hobbit” trilogy) serve as the series re-recording mixers, and the music is mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell (“Yesterday”).

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After 50 years and 150 million records sold worldwide, Queen’s decadent glamour, flamboyant theatrics and incredible songbook have established the group’s god-like status as one of the biggest bands in the world.

Provocateurs and musical virtuosi, Queen’s undeniable magnetism still continues to fascinate and excite music lovers around the world. Arriving at the 30th anniversary of Mercury’s passing in November 2021, Mark Blake’s new biography Magnifico: The A to Z of Queen dissects the ingredients that have made Queen the musical institution that it is. 

Using a unique A to Z format to shed new light on the band through  anecdotes, trivia, humour and tragedy, Blake’s biography offers an insightful and accessible look into the band’s past and the present.

Based on three decades of interviews Blake has conducted with the band, the book offers a complete portrait going beyond the bestselling records and chart-topping hits. Jumping across decades, the A to Z approach gives the reader an access to lesser known yet significant characters, events and spaces in the band’s life, breathing new life into the story of Queen. 

Through a series of essays, lists and mini biographies, the author shares a plethora of detail while investigating what the band’s songs have to say about their creators.

The entries offer light-hearted trivia – from a list of LPs the band was listening to in 1970 to tales of the fifteen Jimi Hendrix gigs Freddie Mercury hitch- hiked around the UK to attend – as well as serious analysis, including the truth behind Mercury’s funeral, which was effectively controlled by Queen’s management, and a reflection on the ways in which the flamboyant frontman confronted the twentieth century’s sexual mores and prejudices. Addressing the phenomenal success of Bohemian Rhapsody, while challenging the fictionalised account it sold to cinemagoers, Blake builds on the band’s enduring audience appeal in order to provide a fresh and unparalleled take on Queen’s music, story and legacy.

Magnifico! The A to Z of Queen offers a multifaceted account of the band’s legacy as one of the most influential British rock institutions of our lives.

Blake tells the story of the group in an effective way that goes beyond the glitz and glamour without shying away from the details behind Freddie Mercury’s death. The unique format allows the reader to dip in and immerse themselves inside the enigmatic and electrifying world of Queen.

Pre order copies of the book here – Amazon, Waterstones, Rough Trade.

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