Ras Kass withdraws from The HRSMN
West coast rapper Ras Kass has announced his decision to part ways with hip-hop super group, The HRSMN.
Announcing his decision via video, the 39-year-old emcee claimed: “there’s a lot of shit I don’t agree with, so I have to step out of it”.
The quartet, composed of rappers Canibus, Killah Priest and Kurupt, released a nine-track LP in 2003 titled The Horsemen Project, an album that was barely promoted and only made available online.
It was later revealed that Killah Priest had sanctioned the release of The Horsemen Project and that despite containing all four rapper’s vocals, the release was by no means an official project and rather a collection of scraps and random collaborations.
However, in May 2011 a video trailer surfaced, indicating plans for the quartet to release a new album that was to be executive produced by the Wu Tang Clan’s RZA.
While contract issues have so far hampered an official release from the four veteran emcees, Ras Kass has now moved to confirm his withdrawal from the group, a factor that could result in the collapse of The HRSMN project.
Rass Kas, who is currently working on his projects F.I.L.A. and Spit No Evil, has experienced a troubled career, overshadowed by various legal issues and record contract disputes that have so far starved him of the plaudits he deserves.
Trent Reznor shares Dragon Tattoo Soundtrack stems
Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor has made available via free download stems from the film score The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
The soundtrack, which sees Reznor team up once again with English musician Atticus Ross, was nominated for the 2011 Golden Globe award for Best Original Score – Motion Picture.
This follows the success of Reznor and Ross’ soundtrack for David Fincher’s previous film, The Social Network, which went on to win nine major awards.
The stems from this three-hour long, atmospheric piece can be downloaded via http://blog.tunecore.com/2012/01/the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-stems-2.html.
OHZ’s SONG OF THE MONTH: December 2011 (#19)
OHZ’s SONG OF THE MONTH: November 2011 (#18)
R.I.P. Heavy D
Jamaican-born rapper and producer Heavy D was pronounced dead at a hospital in Los Angeles this afternoon at the age of 44.
OHZ’s SONG OF THE MONTH: October 2011 (#17)
Tool Working on New Album
Maynard James Keenan has confirmed that his progressive rock band Tool are currently recording a new follow up album to 2006’s 10,000 Days.
Finally laying to rest years of speculation regarding potential new material, Keenan has in recent months been dedicating himself to the reformation of his other band, A Perfect Circle, while also working on a second solo project under the Puscifer pseudonym.
Speaking with Loudwire, the vocalist underlined the fact that the recording process is still at a very early stage, indicating that the band’s guitarist Adam Jones and drummer Danny Carey are writing new material and laying down the foundations to what will be the group’s 5th official release.
“I’m allowing them their space to do what they do, so we’re still in that mode,” he’s quoted as saying. “Even if they told me how close they are to being done, I couldn’t tell you because if I say 60 percent people will start counting down. When it’s done everyone will know. But I haven’t done anything yet. They write forever and then we go in and knock it all out. We’re writing. We’re writing vocals. But nothing’s solid.”
The Stone Roses confirm plans to reunite
After years of speculation and debate surrounding a potential comeback, today Manchester-based band The Stone Roses confirmed their decision to reunite after 15-years.
Regarded as one of the pioneers of the late 1980s Madchester movement – a subgenre characterised by its fusion of psychedelic and dance rock music – the band’s release of their 1989 self-titled debut was met with critical acclaim.
Often cited as one of British music’s greatest ever debuts, The Stone Roses’ success would go on to be short-lived, recording just one more album in 1994 amid record label issues and bitter disputes between band members.
With Second Coming failing to live up to the expectations created by their stellar debut, singer Ian Brown, guitarist John Squire, bassist Gary “Mani” Mounfield and drummer Alan “Reni” Wren eventually parted ways in 1996, stating that they would never get back together.
In the aftermath of The Stone Roses’ breakup, Brown created six albums, Mani joined Primal Scream, Squire released one unsuccessful album with The Seahorses, while Reni, who also had limited success, created his own band The Rub.
Now finally addressing reporters at a packed Soho Hotel in London, the band finally revealed plans to tour following weeks of intense speculation.
Commencing with two gigs next year and a world tour, when asked about the possibility of releasing a new album, Ian Brown replied: “We hope so, but we said that before didn’t we?
“We’ll ride this until the wheels come off, like we did last time.”
Google Set to Launch Online Music Store
Multinational media giants Google are just weeks away from unveiling their new online music store. Set to compete directly with Apple and Amazon, this new venture will expand on the limited existing ‘Music Beta’ service launched in May, a program that enables it users to back up their songs on remote servers.
Having initially failed in their quest to acquire rights from the four major record companies, The New York Times now indicate that Google have re-entered negotiations in a bid to offer a service similar to Apple.
With the launch of Apple’s new cloud service, ITunes Match, being earmarked for the end of the month, Google executives are said to be eager to open the store beforehand. Leaving little time to finalise the rights to sell songs, inside sources seem to suggest that Google are only close to sealing a deal with the smallest of the major record labels, EMI.
Tom Morello Joins Wall Street Protest
Former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello has arrived in New York to offer support to the Occupy Wall Street protests. The movement has gained a lot of momentum over the past few weeks and has fundamentally taken issue with corporate influence on government and a rapid degree of economic inequality.
Morello, who is no stranger to political activism and leftist ideas, had previously been present at the Occupy Los Angeles protests, a movement that grew from a similar discontent towards North American’s distribution of wealth.
Performing as the Nightwatchman, last week Morello played a set for protestors in Los Angeles, including a cover of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land”.
