My heart longs for my second home right now. I only hope that Londoners come remember “the sunlight always shines behind the clouds of London skies.”
MP3: London Skies by Jamie Cullum
KKS Catches up with Oh Land
August 4, 2011 By 1 Comment
I had the immense pleasure of catching up with KKS favorite Oh Land at famed DC music venue, the 9:30 Club, where she was opening for Sia. After a bit of sweet talking and a lot of help from my partner in interview crime, Paul, we were whisked upstairs to the Nanna’s dressing room where we joined her for a bit of a post show chat to catch up with the pop sensation on her success, what was coming next, and of course glitter!
KKS: How have the past six months been?
Oh Land: The past six months have been kind of crazy, because I’ve been all over the place, touring in both Europe and also America now. And [so I’ve definitely] been very busy, and but a lot of fun, like, you know I’ve just been looking so forward to this tour with Sia because she’s amazing. And yeah, crazy circus life.
KKS: So do you feel like a carny now?
Oh Land: I’m like the circus horse. They also wear all these feathers and sparkly things, maybe they don’t wear the tights though.
KKS: What songs have taken the reigns and become favorites on the road?
Oh Land: I let the songs have their own power over me and not like try to decide too much. It just happens, you know, I just get carried away on stage. So I feel like definitely on stage I’m more extroverted at the moment. Songs like Voodoo where I just can’t help, I just need to move, you know? Like, so, I make, it’s [all] fun.
KKS: Do you feel that the audience gets carried away with you?
Oh Land: That’s what I hope for. That’s, like, the most, you know, that’s when it works for me, that’s when it’s really fun. And definitely, you know when I see people like singing along or like dancing or you know, that just means the world.
KKS: How has the energy and craziness of being on the road influenced your writing? Have you been writing?
Oh Land: I actually have. The first few months I just couldn’t because I was so focused on playing live and focused on practicing everything I did. So I didn’t have any spare time for myself, but then after a while I just like, got like kind of in a bad mood, and I figured out it was because I hadn’t written songs. When there’s something I’m thinking about or something I’m going through, I just need to express it through music, because I feel like I run out of words when I try to explain it. It’s through music I can tell it really honestly. So then I just, I was just like talking to people around me, I’m like, I gotta get some time to write songs, and I just like started secretly in between interviews, I went to the restroom and started writing songs. I’m like, I’ve gotta pee. And just like ran to the restroom and wrote.
(We were then expecting her to politely excuse herself, but instead, and much to our delight, she let a few secrets slip about her upcoming music video for ‘White Nights’ after we gave he some exciting news!)
KKS: Have you heard yourself on the radio here in the states?
Oh Land: No, because we haven’t even gone to radio yet. Have you?
KKS: Yes! I DJ at a bar across the street, and I hear ‘Son of a Gun’ play all the time through the satellite radio system in the bar!
Oh Land: That’s amazing. Was that like alternative radio?
KKS: It’s the pop station.
Oh Land:Really? Oh my God, that’s really funny! Because we haven’t even pitched it. So I’m waiting for it to happen because then I’ll probably tell you a whole other exciting story.
KKS: So tell us something exciting, what’s the next video?!
Oh Land: The next video is White Nights and it’s crazy.
KKS: Have you started yet?
Oh Land: It’s done.
KKS: It’s done?!
Oh Land: It’s done, but I can’t show you anything yet, but it’ll be out really soon. When you start watching it you might think this is like a normal music video, but then it develops almost like a David Lynch movie and goes crazy. I can reveal that I’m going to be, I’m going to be a zebra in it, and a unicorn. There’s a live, like, we had a butterfly breeder to come in and do like live takes of butterflies, and a lot of choreography, I was dancing my ass off.
Big glittery things are on the horizon for all of us Oh Land fans!
MP3: White Nights by Oh Land
Oh Land: Unicorns and Glitter
July 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
And no that is not the name of a new song, but those are the key points I took with me from last nights interview with the very, very lovely Nanna of Oh Land. The glitter I literally took with me, and still have some stuck to me this morning, and you know what I am proud to walk the halls of my office shimmering. The entire interview will be coming up shortly, but know that I got a little bit of sneak peak of what is to come from her next music video for ‘White Nights’. It is going to be very exciting, all you need to know is that it involves a zebra, Oh Land, a unicorn, live butterflies (not that CGI made up crap, honest to god real ones) and of course plenty of glitter. More to come soon, still reveling in the after glow.
She is touring with Sia and Ximena Sarinana so make sure to check them out in one of their last remaining 5 shows.
1. July 31st - House of Blues (Boston, MA)
2. August 1st - Trocadero Theatre (Philadelphia, PA)
3. August 3rd - Variety Playhouse (Atlanta, GA)
4. August 5th - House of Blues (New Orleans, LA)
5. August 6th - The Ballroom at Warehouse Live (Houston, TX)
Matthew Morrison Kicks Off Live In The Vineyard At The Robert Mondavi Winery
April 8, 2011 By 1 Comment
In 1966, the Robert Mondavi Winery was one of the first in the Napa Valley to open their doors to visitors for tours, events, concerts and tastings. Since then, their social events and collaborations with artists in music, film and print have become world-renowned. So it seems only right to kick off our “Live in the Vineyard” weekend at the warm, mission-styled Mondavi Winery.
Matthew Morrison was tonight’s special guest performer. He’s releasing a debut solo album on May 10th and previewed a few songs for a very welcoming candlelit crowd. Fans have been curious about the direction Morrison would take the album, and if it would resemble the sort of music and style most of us have come to associate or at least expect from the show Glee. I, for one, am happy to write that the preview of Morrison’s album was a far cry from the showtune-like sound of Glee. In fact, he introduced his first single, Summer Rain as “a song about fucking on the rooftop” and I could feel that Morrison put both hard work and heart and soul into this album. In other words, I think Mr. Shuester has currently left the building – or can be found at detention hall. In the meantime, we can all sit back and enjoy some quality music.
Morrison humbly talked about the duality of his character on Glee and being Matthew Morrison the performer, who shared with us a beautiful rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow which also happens to be the song he used in his audition. During the night, in true gentlemen form, Morrison also paused his performance to give a nod to fellow “Live in the Vineyard” performer Marc Broussard, of whom he’s been a longtime fan.
I’ve already met so many wonderful folks hosting the event and many pictures are to follow. I’m writing from my suite at the Westin Hotel both excited and a little worried about the amount of wine and music ahead. I’m in heaven with a devilish grin. To quote Robert Mondavi himself, “Whatever you do, pour yourself into it.” That’s exactly what I intend to do over the next few days. Stay tuned – much more to come.
MP3: Summer Rain by Matthew Morrison
The Script: For The First Time (8Barz Remix)
March 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“The song ‘For the First Time’ was about a time when we got back after touring around the world. We wanted to press palms with the people who had really gotten us there, and we got home and realized there’s a stark reality out there, the recession, people are losing their jobs and their valuable things, and we thought, it almost pales in comparison to your news. We started the song, and it ended up being a bit bleak and we felt we really needed a great message in these, to turn it around… so we needed a message of hope, as people are being stripped of all these things they’re realizing what’s really important. It’s all about going back to basics: drinking cheap wine, eating your dinner off the floor. That’s when you meet each other for the first time, when you have nothing.” – Danny O’Donoghue of The Script
Grab the 8Barz heavyweight remix of For The First Time, below. The original song has been charting all across the world for its catchy hook and message of hope – and rightfully so.
The Killers: When You Where Young (The Soundmen Remix)
February 17, 2011 By 1 Comment
“We loved this song and always wanted to do something with it so when we came across the acapella we figured we would give it a new twist. Drenched in colorful synths and signature hard drums, we wanted to create a new feeling for the original and just have fun with it. So enjoy, download and listen!” – The Soundmen
So good.
The Killers – When You Where Young (The Soundmen Remix) by mcscottd
