Clubplanet Music Features

Jay-Z Tops The Charts for the Fourth Time

11/20/2009 7:00:00 AM

The man behind the Roc Nation has done it again, earning his fourth Hot 100 No. 1 in his career, Jay-Z must be feeling pretty damn good lately. However, this is a first in that it’s is as a lead or co-billed performer in a song that he shares with Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind.” Before this achievement other songs of his that also topped the charts were “Heartbreaker” with Mariah Carey, “Crazy in Love” with his now-wife Beyonce, and Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” This track has also risen 6-1 on the Radio Songs chart, which makes it the largest climb to No. 1 since Kanye West’s “Stronger” jumped 7-1 back in 2007. Not only that, but “The Blueprint 3” has become his 11th #1 on the Billboard album chart, lifting him past Elvis as the solo act with the most No. 1 albums in Billboard’s history.

The Jigga Man has also announced a special North American tour that kicks off in South Florida’s BankAtlantic Center on February 20th and wraps things up at the end of March in Los Angeles’ famed Staples Center. This tour will further push album sales and label recognition for Jay-Z, which will definitely make his numbers soar even more. He recently just wrapped up a 23-date college tour that’s been described as an “absolutely outstanding show.”

Jay-Z Teams Up with and Signs The Ting Tings

11/19/2009 7:00:00 AM

If there’s an interesting collaboration in music it has to be this one. Earlier this week it was announced that The Ting Tings are the newest signees to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. But the buck doesn’t stop there, he’s also planning on producing some of their tracks. The group is best known for their hit single, “That’s Not My Name,” which reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. There’s no telling if Jay will lend some vocals to some of the tracks, but knowing him, don’t be surprised if he does throw in a rhyme or two. One of Jay-Z’s reps says that “Jay can make them [The Ting Tings] one of the biggest British bands in America,” adding that “the Staccato rhythmic style of The Ting Tings sits well with what he does best, so that was the attraction.”

Kanye West Returns to Stage in London

11/18/2009 7:00:00 AM

If there’s one artist that’s on everyone’s s*** list this year, it’s Kanye West. After pulling one of the rudest stunts of the year, bombarding the stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, even many of West’s biggest fans had some harsh things to say about the artist. This is what could have hurt the ticket sales on his and Lady Gaga’s recently cancelled tour, although his reps deny this.

However, while many thought that West wouldn’t make a stage appearance until 2010, last weekend he surprised the crowd in London’s O2 Arena during Beyonce’s concert. The crowd reaction seemed to hint that many of his fans have forgiven and forgotten. However, while this took place in London, there’s no telling how the American audience would have reacted.

Britney Spears’ MySpace and Twitter Accounts Hacked Into

11/17/2009 7:00:00 AM

One thing that’s been really popular among the hacker elite around the nation, and the world at that, has been hacking into the social networking accounts of prominent celebrities. It happened again last week as Britney Spears’ Twitter and MySpace accounts were hacked into. Before management took over the situation, messages on her Twitter profile stated that she worshipped the devil, however, these were all quickly deleted once control was taken over the account once again. Last Thursday a message was issued via Twitter that apologized for “any offense the hacker’s messages caused.” That same day one of the most popular topics on Twitter was the subject, “donthackbrityney.”

Steve Angello Announces Next Album

11/16/2009 7:00:00 AM

Although there may be quite a few names ahead of him in various DJ charts, it doesn’t take away the fact that when Steve Angello plays a club, there’s no better party in town. We’ve all seen him hop on the decks in the DJ booth to pump up the crowd, get in a brawl with Paris Hilton’s security, and blow the roof off of some of the biggest clubs on the planet with his signature sounds, and now we’re about to get more of his music as he’s announced that he’s put together The Year Book, a collection of tracks that he’s issued throughout the year. He’s made it aware that 2009 has been the most commercially successful year for him, and now he’s putting together this scrapbook of sounds to show everyone what got him to where he is. Tracks include “Show Me Love,” and “Leave The World Behind.”

Hot Chip Announces Release Date

11/13/2009 7:00:00 AM

One of the most popular musical acts in the electro-pop genre is Hot Chip. Only three albums deep into their career, and they’ve become favorites for DJs all around the nation, as their tracks are played in some of the biggest nightclubs. But although you may not recognize their original work, since much of it is remixed by prominent names in the EDM world, it doesn’t take away from the fact that they are still on a steady incline to even more success. This week they made fans, including us, very happy when they announced the release date of their next studio album. One Life Stand, their fourth highly anticipated effort, will be released on February 9, 2010. Hot Chip has also announced a string of dates in the U.K. and more to come for the U.S.

Clubplanet Interviews Steve Lawler

11/12/2009 10:45:00 AM

To stake your claim as a legendary artist in the electronic dance music world is no easy feat. First of all, you have to endure the test of time. With time comes changes, and as we all know there’s an immense difference between the EDM of the past and what we have today, not to mention dozens of sub-genres. However, names like Carl Cox, Roger Sanchez, Little Louie Vega and Derrick May all have one thing in common: they’ve been a part of the genre in its developmental stages and are still around today cranking out great music. However, if there’s one prominent name that should be on everyone’s top five greatest of all time list, it has to be Steve Lawler.

Having been a part of the scene since the acid house days in the U.K., Lawler is still one of the most respected and talented artists of our generation. His tireless work ethic has paid off as his successful Viva Music label is currently on the upswing and his tours across the world constantly sell-out.

Clubplanet recently got the chance to chat with Steve Lawler prior to taking off on his North American tour, and caught up about VIVA Music, the impact of electronic music in America and what there is to look forward to in the near future.

Clubplanet: How’s the year stacked up for you thus far?

Steve Lawler: Really good actually. The only downfall I had was in August when I fell ill from all the touring. I suppose I was doing like an average of four gigs a week and I thought I’d get to the end of the summer but in August I got pneumonia. I ended up in the hospital and had to rest for a couple of weeks. I hate taking time off during that time of the year but I had to get well. Apart from that it’s been amazing.

Clubplanet: I read somewhere that you had 12 releases in the last 12 months.

Steve Lawler: Have I? Jesus. (laughs)

Clubplanet: Do you ever find yourself stumped by the process or is it always business as usual for you?

Steve Lawler: I would say that the last two years for me have been the most productive in my whole career. The main reason being is it’s only been in the last couple of years that I’ve been really comfortable in the studio on my own. Up until that point I was writing music but it was taking me a lot longer to do something. I’ve gotten really up to speed with everything and I feel really comfortable in the studio. The more comfortable you feel with the technology, the more you free up your mind for creativity, rather than getting bogged down with the process. Being a touring DJ it’s really difficult to get really knowledgeable in the studio because you’re constantly touring. Which is why everyone always uses engineers, because they know the studio inside out. I’ve just been a lot more relaxed in my life and in myself in general.

Clubplanet: Last summer you decided to shy away from the commercial mix compilation and you decided to stick with a ‘We Love VIVA,’ showcase disk that you gave away for free at We Love Space. Why did you decide to do that?

Steve Lawler: Well I was planning on taking a year off to do a compilation in 2009. For me, when I record a compilation or a VIVA compilation I put a lot of time and effort into it and it’s draining, it takes up a lot of my time. So, I wanted to take a year out for one of my actual series compilations. Then the idea dawned on me that I should put out a simple one-disc compilation and showcase some of the artists on VIVA. What we’re doing right now in the office of VIVA is really pushing the artists and the brand. We put a lot of time, money and effort into the label. We’ve started a DJ roster agency for the artists on the label and an events company. It’s our main goal to support the artists and to give them more of a career than they have when they come to the company. It’s working out quite well because when the singles do well the artists to well. Our main goal is to support these artists and to keep moving the brand forward. That’s important for me and important for the rest of the VIVA team. So this compilation is showcasing the artists, it’s showcasing the label and it’s showcasing We Love. It’s great. We gave 10,000 copies.

Clubplanet: When it comes to electronic music you’re definitely one of the legends and guys that have been there and have seen the genre change. Now, when it comes to electronic music and America, how do you see it developing?

Steve Lawler: It’s brilliant! It’s better in America now than it’s ever been. For me personally, the last four or five years I’ve been working very hard on pushing a more underground sound across America. At first it was difficult because of my profile as a DJ. I was being put in big rooms, like 10,000 people on New Years Eve in Montreal. I was put after a trance act and I’d have to go in there and try to bring it down and play some deeper grooves, and it was challenging to say the least. My main priority is to entertain the crowd and to give them a musical journey in the way that I can and the only way that I know. But also introducing new sounds that they haven’t heard before, and it’s a challenging task. But what I’ve felt in the last few years in America is that people are really getting it. The last couple of years there have been great in America for me. I see the success of MANDY, Jamie Jones, Audiofly and even Luciano, these guys didn’t really used to do that much in America. I’m not saying that I’m the answer to this sound that’s being introduced. I’m not trying to say that it was all me. But I’m definitely one of the people that has really tried to push a sort of more integral sound across America. The fact that America is really going for this sound right now, for me it’s personally rewarding. Like Conference [Winter Music Conference] for instance, is a massive indication. I’ve had more and more of the American market excited by more underground music and I find that really exciting.

Clubplanet: Do you find it difficult being both a successful artist and a label businessman?

Steve Lawler: Not really. The label isn’t run like a business just yet. Obviously it is a business, and now we have a headquarters for it and we now have several staff. But the label does not take any profit. Anything that we make goes back into the label. It’s like a labor of love right now. Maybe in the future it’ll be something that I can pass on to my brothers and they can reap the rewards off of it. I’m very happy with my DJ career and that feeds me enough. When it started the label was being run from my income, and now the label is being run from its own income. It’s a really positive feeling. Everyone at the label really enjoys working for the label, it’s a great environment. It really doesn’t feel like a business when you’re in the office.

Clubplanet: When it comes to technology and DJing, is there a new gadget that you’ve been using or do you stick to the same setup?

Steve Lawler: I’ve been sticking to the same setup for some time now with Serato, Pioneer CDJs and the Pioneer Mixer. However, I am about to switch over to Traktor because of the new Traktor technology that is coming out and also there’s a gadget called the Machine Drum that syncs up to Traktor. I’ve tried that and it’s right up my street. I like to first

Lil Wayne Finally Announces Release Date

11/12/2009 7:00:00 AM

If you’re reading this then you’re probably a fan of nightlife in your respective city. And if you’re a fan of nightlife in your respective city then you probably already know that any and all hip-hop nights always include bass thumping tracks by none other than one of the most popular hip-hop artists of our time, Lil Wayne. Well, if you’re a fan of Weezy then you’ll be happy to know that he’s finally announced the release date on his new album, Rebirth, which will drop on December 15th. “Yes the album is still rock,” Wayne said. “I play guitar on 80 percent of the songs, and there’s a lot of rock influences and rock beats. I also have Travis Barker on the album. But I don’t want people to think I’m trying to do something I can’t do. Don’t think you’re going to put on the album and hear me screaming and singing.”

DJ Kids take over the turntables

11/11/2009 2:01:00 PM

Clubs around the nation are constantly looking for new talent to take over the decks on weekends. Check out this insane video of two of the most promising young DJs we think are next up to bat to get a residency at Rain in Las Vegas or any other major club in the nation. Definitely keep your ears and eyes tuned in for the future.

The Groove Cruise is Back This January

11/11/2009 7:00:00 AM

Right when you think that things are going to cool down in Miami come New Years Eve, the infamous Groove Cruise returns from January 29 to February 1 with a great lineup and a trip to the Bahamas. Think of it this way, you’ll have the same sounds that you get when you visit your favorite clubs in South Beach and downtown Miami, only now they’ll be with you on a cruise to the Bahamas. Sounds pretty damn perfect right?

This time around they’ve decided to bring in Benny Benassi to headline the sound, as well as Boris. Other names included on the cruise are Serge Devant, Mind Control, Steve Smooth and Sydney Blu among others. Anthony Attalla will be back on the cruise yet again, and every time he takes over the decks it’s a momentous occasion. We’re stoked to hear about the cruise coming up this January and you can bet that we’ll be on board.

To get your tickets, click here.

Britney Spears Not Happy Over Aussie Tour

11/11/2009 7:00:00 AM

When it came to the string of shows that Britney Spears was to play in Australia this month, she got a bitter taste just after her first one. Fans weren’t too pleased with her performance and her lip syncing, causing them to walk out during the performance. The first show took place in Perth, and these fans described the show as “boring” and “stiff,” stating that she also lacked interaction with the audience. The promoter for the Austrailian “Circus” tour stated that the pop singer was extremely upset over the show.

“Britney is aware of all of this and she’s extremely upset by it,” promoter Paul Dainty said. “I'm embarrassed, with such a big international entourage here with Britney, to be part of the Australian media when I see that kind of totally inaccurate reporting."

Paul Van Dyk Creates Musical Monument

11/10/2009 8:53:00 AM

One of the biggest social and political highlights of our world in the last 20 years has been the peaceful revolution in Germany, more specifically the fall of the Berlin wall. And this month they’ll be celebrating the 20-year anniversary of this momentous occasion. Paul van Dyk didn’t waste any time in getting in on the celebration, so the internationally known electronic music composer, producer and performer created “We Are One,” an anthem to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Yesterday the track was presented as part of the “Festival Of Freedom” 20 Year Anniversary. Growing up in East Berlin, East Germany, and later immigrating to West Germany just before the wall fell in 1989, van Dyk is very familiar and close with the situation, something that definitely prompted him to work on the project.

Clipse rocks Till The Casket Drops

11/9/2009 7:00:00 AM

The Virginia Hip-Hop duo, Clipse, is back at it again. Although we haven't seen or heard of them in a few years, songs like "when's the last time" still somehow find their way onto our party playlists - and we are totally cool with that. However, with a new album titled Till the Casket Drops, uhh, "dropping" on December 8, we can switch up those old tracks with a fresh new sound from Clipse, enhanced by Hip-Hop and club music gurus Kanye West, Pharrell, Rick Ross, Keri Hilson, Cam'ron and (as rumor has it) Justice.

The album is a follow-up to a mixtape called Road to Till the Casket Drops, which hit complex.com about a year ago. This time around, plan to see a full 14, digitally-mastered tracks produced by DJ Khalil, The Neptunes and Sean C and LV... and a whole lot of head-bobbing and body-rocking.

Karen O Dishes on Composing Soundtrack for 'Where the Wild Things Are'

11/6/2009 2:24:00 PM

Did you know that Karen O, wild child lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, composed the soundtrack for Spike Jonze’s film version of the classic book, Where the Wild Things Are? Well, this was the icon’s first experience creating a film’s soundtrack and with this chance she decided to explore movie music that inspired her long before this amazing experience came to fruition.

Karen O told NYMagazine that she loved the organic and emotional music created by Simon and Garfunkel in The Graduate and Cat Stevens in Harold and Maude, and she wanted to create songs that viewers, big or small, could instantly relate to. She did so by using instruments that would bring back memories of childhood: piano, organ, acoustic guitar, xylophone, and didn’t do too much perfecting in the studio after the initial take.

Where the Wild Things Are is, after all, a very melancholy movie, so capturing the raw emotion of a simple song was of great importance. Karen O had only raw dailies of the film to work from, which is evident in the music created. Pure, unaltered and perfect for a wild adventure.

Lady Gaga Reacts to Breaking Billboard Record

11/6/2009 8:01:00 AM

If you happen to be making a list of the top pop artist in the last ten years, we think that you should probably go ahead and throw Lady Gaga on there. Sure she’s only had one album out, her debut The Fame, but who else has scored four #1 singles off of their debut album? You’re not going to have an answer for this one because Gaga recently became the first person to score four #1 singles off their debut record. “Obviously, I cried like a baby when they told me that that happened,” Gaga said in an interview. “It was even more exciting because my dad had just recovered from his surgery, so it was kind of like this amazing moment that I got to share.”

The Music That We Move To

11/5/2009 10:45:00 AM

It has come to my attention that most people cannot live without their iPod’s. They have become a part of our daily lives, especially when we’re at the gym.

It’s the music that we’re listening to that gets us through while were feeling the burn. Whether you’re running at a fast pace or doing some pushups, our music choice is usually the same. Electronica, dance, and hip-hop, just to name a few, have become major gym tunes. People are even starting to make separate playlists on their iPod’s that are dedicated to the gym.

Madonna, in particular, has put her special gym playlist on iTunes for people to buy. And to answer all your questions, no, she doesn’t tend to work out to her own music. Although, “Material Girl” does have a good beat, she is out there running to major heavy hitters in the electronica/dance genre.

Electronica, which was made possible by the recent technology boost, has redefined dance and the music world. Hip-hop artists have begun to mix in the electronic beats to get the new sounds that have taken over Madonna’s iPod.

Here is her playlist that you can find on iTunes:

• Watch the Sunrise (Extended Vocal)- Axwell
• Dance 4 Life (12’’ mix)- Tiësto & Maxi Jazz
• Delirious- David Guetta
• Do You Feel Me (feat. Julie Thompson)- Tiësto
• Stardust (Felguk Remix)- Perfect Stranger
• Fly Away (Gee & Lighter Remix)- Jean Claude Ades
• Television Rules the Nation/Crescendolls- Daft Punk
• Massenbewgungsmittel- Miles Dyson
• Superfine- Hong Kong Blondes
• Not Over (feat. Ryan Tedder)- Oakenfold

As you can see her playlist is pretty intense. All of the music has the beats to keep you moving all night long. Tiësto, in particular, has greatly influence the music seen in the last few months. With his newest album just released, he is blowing up the charts. And you know that with Madonna backing him, he is surely making it big.

Madonna has recently released her third Greatest Hits album. It contained the new songs "Celebration" and "Revolver", plus 34 hits spanning her career.

Her music has definitely changed over the years. It is clear that the times have influence her music choice. This only leaves us wondering what’s up next for the pop icon.

Rihanna Talks Domestic Violence

11/5/2009 8:28:00 AM

Just when we thought that Rihanna would mention anything about her ordeal with Chris Brown, she actually touched up on the issue of domestic violence during a TV interview. “This happened to me…it can happen to anyone,” Rihanna said during an inteview with Diana Sawyer that will be aired on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” You can definitely bet that after this interview airs the incident with her and Brown will definitely service on headlines around the nation once again. There’s no telling if Brown will respond to her interview, but we really think that he’s probably not going to go there seeing as he’s just had an album released, and he’s already tarnished his image and career enough.

Timbaland to Release 'Timbaland Presents Shock Value II' on December 8th

11/4/2009 1:33:00 PM

It has been two years since his last album, allegations of plagiarism and beef with his record label, but Timbaland is back for more with Timbaland presents Shock Value II, dropping on December 8, 2009. This is Timbaland’s third solo project, but with all the work he does on other artists albums this break has not been a two year vacation.

This record is a follow up to the very successful Timbaland Presents Shock Value which produced three number one pop singles “The Way I Are” featuring Keri Hilson and D.O.E, a remix of OneRepublic’s “Apologize” (you know you have heard this a million times on the radio) and the Grammy nominated “Give It To Me” featuring Timbaland’s favorite lady, Nelly Furtado, and Justin Timberlake.

While Timbaland was able to conquer something with Nelly Furtado that only Jurassic 5 could on “Thin Line”, make Nelly Furtado sing in key, Timbaland received some not so stellar attention for his work with Nelly on her 2006 album Loose, with accusations of plagiarism for her hit “Do It”. But, as all things in Hollywood eventually do, that scandal dissolved and Timbaland is back to conquer the Billboard charts again, one single at a time.

Timbaland definitely knows star power, deciding to work with Katy Perry, The Fray, Brandy, Drake and Keri Hilson on his new record. Surprisingly, he also collaborated with Miley Cyrus with the goal of giving the young Disney rebel, and the other famous musicians on the album, a brand new sound never heard by their own fans.

You can check out “Morning After Dark”, the first single of Shock Value II, on the radio or stream it online if you can’t wait for the full album. The first single features, who else, Nelly Furtado and French singer SoShy.

Jay-Z Responds to Beanie Sigel on Track

11/4/2009 8:31:00 AM

These days Jay-Z is more of a business man than a rapper, so when other rappers decide to take shots at Jay on their tracks, he usually responds in a professional manner at a press conference rather than taking it straight into the studio. Last weekend during a press conference Jay was asked about the Beanie Sigel situation, where the rapper took a shot at Jay on his latest song, “What You Talkin’ About (Average Cat).” Seems like Sigel wasn’t too pleased about how his material was promoted as much as it could have been by Jay-Z. Here’s what Jay-Z had to say:

"Well, Beanie Sigel, at the time — and you can look it up if you like, just to be honest — was driving two Bentleys. I don't know how; it's impossible to drive two cars at one time. With his momma in the sticks and selling 800,000 records, I don't know what more you can do for somebody. What people choose to do when they attain of success ... at some point you have to look in the mirror, and look at yourself. Beanie Sigel had a record deal, a record label, and a clothing line — and never went platinum, ever. I don't know in the history of rap has anyone done so much with so little. I don't even know what more can you do for a person at that point. A record deal, that's normal. A record label and a clothing line? If that's not pushing a person, sh-- ..."

SONAR Decides on Two Locations

11/3/2009 8:22:00 AM

The new year is around the corner, meaning that music festivals are already preparing their lineups and announcing major changes. One colossal event that takes place each year in Spain is the infamous Sónar Festival, featuring some of the biggest and most prominent musical acts in the electronic dance music world. Just last week they announced next year’s event which comes with one major change: it will be split simultaneously between Barcelona and A Coruña over June 17-19. There’s still time before the lineup is announced, but this change in location could either be a blessing or a curse in disguise. It’ll be interesting to find out how many of the visitors will make the trek between both locations.

Michael Jackson Banks $72 Million After Death

11/2/2009 8:28:00 AM

If there’s one thing you should learn from Michael Jackson’s death, it’s that A) he was probably murdered, and B) it’s still possible to make money for your estate even if you can’t breathe. In the past 12 months the King of Pop has made $90 million, but nearly 80% of it ($72 million) came after his death in June. According to a spokesman at GreenLight, a company that represents what they call “delebs,” have confirmed this as a fact. All of this cash flow has come into Jackson’s estate, and this all came before the big opening weekend of This Is It, which will definitely be one of the highest grossing movies of the year.

Justin Timberlake’s Strikes Deal with Live Nation

10/30/2009 8:20:00 AM

We assume that by reading the headline you think that Justin Timberlake is the new artist with the big contract over at Live Nation, but in actuality the deal that he struck with Live Nation had nothing to do with his music, but only with his tequila brand. Last Wednesday Live Nation announced that Timberlake’s 901 Silver Tequila, a premium brand launched by the artist earlier this year, will be the new official tequila sponsor of the majority of Live Nation venues throughout the United States. Right now there are no details that go into the relationship between Timberlake and the ticket and event promoter other than this, however, you can’t help but to think that he’s one step closer to inking a major deal that would involve his touring. Keep an eye out for more on this to come.

The Top Halloween Songs

10/29/2009 1:05:00 PM

Twas the night before Halloween and all through L.A. sexy ghouls and Sarah Palin’s were ready to play. The e-vites were sent out, there’s booze in the freezer, the pumpkins were carved, this party couldn’t be easier!

But then with a gasp, a yelp and a shriek, you realized you need MUSIC, Halloween inspired beats! But whom do you turn to Beatport, HypeM or mom? Then you realize (you’re a genius) Clubplanet.com!

And with that you saw we had saved the day! Told you exactly what Halloween songs you should dance to and play. So take a gander below at our knowledgeable advice, and to that we wish you a good Halloween night!

DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince – “Nightmare On My Street”

DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince were bit by the Halloween bug and made this song perfect for a neon spandex and 80’s gold chain Halloween bash. Will Smith tells the story of a fly man with a problematic ghost named Fred, who likes to jump in his sheets and scare him to tears. Wouldn’t you be scared if a big man jumped in your bed at night? Well maybe not! DJ Jazzy Jeff creates fresh beats to back up the hilarious lyrics that have similar humorous qualities as “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” released on the same album. "Nightmare On My Street” was actually one of the pair's biggest hits, and is sure to be a smash at your Halloween Party, 90’s style.

Michael Jackson – “Thriller”

You can’t throw a raging Halloween party without playing Thriller. Mostly remembered for it’s ground breaking music video, Thriller is the perfect party song because it accomplished the #1 most important thing that a song can do… make people get up and dance! With dance moves that everyone already knows, you won’t have to witness your friends doing the running man or shopping cart, at least for this song. Lucky for you, if you play the video instead of the just the song, it’s 13 minutes long. You will thank us later.

M.C. Hammer – “Addams Groove”

The Addams Groove was the second single off M.C. Hammer’s 1991 hit, Too Legit To Quit. The song appeared on both The Addams Family motion picture soundtrack and M.C. Hammer’s CD. Everyone loves the Addams Family, and everyone will love you for playing this song. Especially after lots of Halloween cocktails and a rousing game of bobbing for apples… or bobbing for shooters in a bucket of punch.

Cheeky Boy – The Mozza Mash (Morrissey Vs. Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett)

Mashing together The Monster Mash and Morrissey, this song is a must have for your Halloween monster party. Bringing a modern twist to the classic song, I can guarantee your guests will be impressed when your throw this on -because really, everyone loves the monster mash and most people like Morrissey, and if you think about it Morrissey as a band is pretty Halloween themed. You can’t get more old-school than a song released in 1962, sung by a man who made a living doing “Monster” themed tunes. And when Christmas comes around, keep in mind that Bobby Picket also made “Monster’s Holiday”. See, Clubplanet is making all your party dreams come true!

Whodini – “Haunted House of Rock”

If you are not familiar with Whodini, “Haunted House of Rock” is a great introduction. The Brooklyn based hip-hop group formed in 1981, when Halloween was less commercial PG and more mischievous and menacing. You would be surprised to know that this song was actually their first single and is still rocked in clubs today. The lyrics mention every classic Halloween character there is, so your Halloween party guests will feel extra special when Whodini calls out their Halloween name.

DJ Engineer – Jumpin Candy Werewolf Creeps

Mashing together Destiny Child’s “Jumpin” with hard beats, trance music and about 10 other Halloween-themed songs like Bow Wow Wow’s “Candy,” this club jam will get all the ghosts and ghouls off their feet. Serve with candy corn, cocktails and Jell-O shots and you will have one crazy Halloween Bash!

Akon Jumps into Crowd at Concert to End Brawl

10/29/2009 8:44:00 AM

If there’s one thing we know about Akon’s live shows, it’s that there’s never a dull moment. Yes, we all know about his dancing with underage ladies, but this time he actually did something positive. This past week in Melbourne, Australia, the R&B crooner jumped into the crowd of his own concert to stop brawling fans. The Australian reported that “rival gangs appeared to launch brutal attacks on each other in the crowd,” but Akon quickly jumped in for the rescue. While he attempted to “calm down,” the situation, in the video it seems as though his action actually provoked the crowd even more. It had been two years since Akon was in the country and he had to convince authorities there that his previous criminal convictions should “not stop him from performing.”

Alicia Keys Album Pushed Back

10/28/2009 8:07:00 AM

Right before her scheduled performance for New York University students, Alicia Keys had to address her fans via her twitter page that her album release date would be pushed back for two weeks. Originally scheduled for a release date of December 1st., better known as World AIDS day, the new date is December 15th. “Luv having the freedom to create beautiful music, so I’m pushing the album back to DEC 15th,” she said via twitter. “So many more amazing songs!!!!” Although this may have disappointed some fans, it definitely created more anticipation which could ultimately help records sales once the album is on the shelves in every major market.

Chris Brown Has First Radio Interview; Talks Oprah and Jay-Z

10/27/2009 8:36:00 AM

In his first radio interview since the incident involving his ex-girlfriend, R&B songstress Rihanna, Chris Brown touched up on his feelings toward Oprah after she didn’t show any support during his trial. “We did so many things together as far as me working for her schools in Africa, that I feel at the time I needed a helping hand, not for my career but as a person, instead of her pointing the finger,” Brown said.

He also spoke about a certain BET Awards rumor that involved Jay-Z, many saying that the rapper was the reason he wasn’t asked to perform in the show. “I have no issues with dude,” he said. “I don’t know and I don’t think it was him.” As soon as his album drops, that’s when it’ll be clear how big of an impact his actions have had on his career.

See Jay-Z Performing Live in Montreal

10/26/2009 3:06:00 PM

Jay-Z plays Montreal on October 30th at the Bell Centre and, by all accounts, half the city is going to be there and the other half is trying to find tickets. Not only is he one of the greatest rappers of all time, but he’s turned himself into one of the biggest, most important figures in the entire music industry. Jay-Z is coming to Montreal to run this town for the night…

Jay-Z, or Shawn Carter to his mom, is generally regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. He grew up in the hard-knock Marcy Houses housing project in Brooklyn, New York and turned to a life of crime early on. But his bio reads like a classic ‘rags to riches’ realization of the American Dream. He built a music career out of poetically expressing his experience on the streets, and then parlayed his success into a multi-million dollar, global empire that now includes a music label, clothing line, and part ownership of the NBA’s New Jersey Nets, just to mention a few. He’s got the Grammys and the famous wife (some girl named BEYONCE?), but the real fans keep coming back for the music. And he’s coming to Montreal with a new album, THE BLUEPRINT 3, his eleventh studio album, along for the ride. Is it my favourite record of his? No- Reasonable Doubt or The Blueprint would probably get the nod for me. But does it have enough big hooks and block-rattling beats to make Montreal go wild? And does the man know how to rock a crowd? No doubt.

Of course, Jay-Z is bringing backup with him to the October 30th show. There’s also the Pharrell-fronted left-field hip hop outfit N.E.R.D., the up-and-coming and hugely talented WALE as well as J COLE, the first signee to Jay’s new record label, Roc Nation.

Now, I haven’t yet figured out where the after-party is going to be. But if/when/I’d-better figure out where it is, you can be sure I’ll let you know on http://twitter.com/FreeMurphy.

Brendan Murphy is a Montreal-based music columnist and blogger. Check out his Montreal Nightlife blog for more on Montreal after dark.

Dates Announced for The 3rd Annual BPM Festival

10/26/2009 8:13:00 AM

That’s right, not only were the dates for Winter Music Conference announced last week, but so were the dates for the 3rd Annual BPM Festival in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico taking place from January 1st to January 10th. We’ve chatted with electronic dance music acts that have played the festival in its first two years, and they had nothing but praises for the event. If you’re looking to take a nice vacation after the holidays (it can get pretty boring spending so much time with family), escapes from the winter doldrums and head over to Mexico for their smaller version of WMC!

This year the acts are better than the previous two, featuring names like Dubfire, Steve Lawler, Steve Angello, Guy Gerber, Nick Curly and the return of the party-girl duo Blond:Ish. This year’s festival features ten full days of music from some of the best EDM artists around the world.

“This year’s BPM Festival will be bigger than ever!" says BPM Festival Co-Director and DJ Craig Pettigrew. Fellow Co-Director Philip Pulitano added, “We will be hosting numerous day and nighttime events this year in order to offer alternative music options to our discerning crowds. Mark your calendars for BPM as the first important date on 2010’s global dance music calendar.”

Rihanna’s Soon To Be Released Album is ‘Rated R’

10/23/2009 8:32:00 AM

While many of you may anxiously be awaiting the release of Lil Wayne’s album, which looks like it’s going to be next year now, there’s one artist who actually has a release date and whose album is just as anticipated. On November 23rd, Rihanna will be releasing her fourth studio album that’s titled “Rated R.” The first single on the album will be “Russian Roulette,” which was released last Wednesday via her website. A variety of producers had their hands on the album, including Ne-Yo, The-Dream, and even Justin Timberlake. One thing is for sure, as soon as the album is released to the media, they’re going to dissect it and find as many Chris Brown references as they possibly can.

Clubplanet Interviews Pete Tong

10/22/2009 1:53:00 PM

When it comes to electronic dance music, one of the biggest names in the genre is Pete Tong. Not only is he the voice behind BBC Radio 1’s legendary Essential Mix program, but he also has quite the list of mixes and releases, making him sought after talent for nightclubs all around the world. Once the featured resident at Pure Pacha in Ibiza from 2003 to 2007, Tong now hosts his own “Wonderland” event in Eden located in Sant Antoni de Portmany. The man knows his music and knows how to play for a party, and soon he’ll be embarking on a major U.S. tour that has him stopping in EDM hotbeds like Miami, New York City, Los Angeles and Denver.

Clubplanet recently caught up with Pete Tong and chatted about his upcoming U.S. Tour, the creation of his new contest “The Tong Factor,” and how there’s a small chance that “Wonderland” may become a touring party.

Clubplanet: The year’s nearly coming to a close. How’s it been for you so far?

Pete Tong: Yea, really good actually. It was an amazing summer in Ibiza again, with the second year of Wonderland. I’ve been making a lot of music. We’ve also just re-launched the radio show in the UK. So everything’s been good. I did a movie soundtrack as well. I’ve been messing around with music for a while, but I finally put together a score for a new Michael Caine film called “Harry Brown,” which is amazing. It showed at the film festival in Toronto and did very well.

Clubplanet: You’re about to kick off you’re U.S. tour in North America. When you’re about to take off for something like that, what do you look forward to most?

Pete Tong: Well it can be a hassle changing locations everyday. You can’t do it by bus, which can be a lot of fun, you have to do it by plane. That means you have late nights and early starts in the morning, and you have to go through security. But I like playing day after day. I find it very rewarding and it can be quite the creative process. You end up playing 12 to 13 shows in 15 days you get on a roll, and you learn more about your set and you can develop it. I’m actually going to try something a little bit different when I got out on this tour. It’s a creative time. I get a lot of ideas and bounce them around when I’m on the road. When you’re in Europe of England you wait until the weekend to play, but in North America is now literally one of the only markets in the world where you can actually set up a tour where you play seven nights a week.

Clubplanet: Can you talk a little bit about the “Tong Factor” talent competition?

Pete Tong: It was just an idea really. I listen to so much music all the time through all mediums. It’s really hard to get through it all, and I’ve hired some people to help me, but it’s still difficult to listen to it all. What I tried to do when we introduced the “Tong Factor” a couple of tours ago is kind of a play on the whole American Idol, X Factor thing. It’s meant to be personal. If you come to the show, anything you hand to me will definitely be listened to and most of the time I will get back to you. We do it on a rolling process, day by day. If we find something at the end of it, I’ll put it out through Beatport. It’s something we came up with to be able to put the spotlight on people, it’s also an open invitation for people to come and meet me and give me their music, sort of bringing it right back to the old-school, and putting the music right in my hands.

Clubplanet: You’re definitely one of the biggest figures when it comes to EDM, and you’ve traveled all over the world and seen how people react to music in these different markets. What are your thoughts on the development of electronic music in the States?

Pete Tong: It’s a on and off story. Since back in the day with me first coming to America in the late 80s really, it seems like twice a decade it seems that dance music is going to take over America. Then it kind of doesn’t. We’re definitely in one of those up surges, but this time around we’re in one of those up surges that America hasn’t seen before. For the first time there’s quite a lot of music that’s getting on the radio. You have artists now like David Guetta who’s made himself more appealing to American radio by working with the likes of Akon, Kid Cudi and Kelly Rowland. It’s definitely in a very positive time. There was that time during the mid to late 90s where the classic bands like The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers and Underworld played all of the festivals and got a lot of props. But ultimately that didn’t translate into record sales. This wave seems to be a bit different though, with names like Deadmau5 and Kaskade it’s a good time.

Clubplanet: What are some of your favorite cities in the U.S. to play when you’re on tour here?

Pete Tong: I really love playing Beta in Denver, it’s unbelievable. The space is almost as good as any space in the world. The licensing issue is a little crazy there because no one gets there until 12 a.m. and it closes by 2 a.m. So you have these really intense two hours in this amazing club with amazing sound and a great crowd. LA’s always really strong and is a home to some of the biggest festivals in the world. It’s incredible for the electronic scene. Canada’s off the hook as well. I go to Canada as regularly as I go to the U.S. I’m looking forward to going to Washington D.C. because haven’t played there is so long.

Clubplanet: I read that you may actually take “Wonderland” on the road to festivals. Now is that close to becoming a reality?

Pete Tong: The show involves a lot of performers and an immense amount of work so it’s a difficult thing to take on the road. You’ve got to find the right location. A lot of people said to me that Vegas may be that place because of the stages. I’d like to find somewhere in America where you can bill the show strongly. We couldn’t really bring it in and do one night and then move to another city, unless we start putting out huge hit records like Guetta. (laughs) Vegas has had its moment but I’m not sure it can sustain something like that on a weekly basis.

Clubplanet: You’re going to be in Miami on October 27th at Mynt Lounge. What’s it like for you to play Miami outside of Winter Music Conference?

Pete Tong: Always good. I’ve done that quite a lot. I think it’s a really good thing to do for the locals because I’ve always tried to play outside of conference when I know the attendance of locals will be strong. I love playing places like the Space Terrace or Mynt for my friend Roman, because he’s put a lot of passion and dedication into the show because he’s a big fan of electronic music.

Clubplanet: Who are some up and coming producers that everyone should keep an eye out for in your opinion?

Pete Tong: This summer it’s all been about the Central Europeans and the Swiss. Reboot is a guy that I’m a massive fan of, as well as Nick Curly. There’s a lot of house music and house influenced stuff that’s coming back. It’s very fresh sounding and it’s putting more vocals on the dance floor.

Clubplanet: What can everyone expect from you for the remainder of the year and into 2010?

Pete Tong: Well right now my highlight is coming to the States. I have a new radio show that’s starting up in the UK that’s been getting some amazing response. We’ve changed up the format up a bit and now it starts at 4 p.m. in Ea

Winter Music Conference Announces Official Dates

10/22/2009 8:01:00 AM

If you’re a frequent visitor to Clubplanet, then you’re probably pretty familiar with club music, and if you’re pretty familiar with club music, then you’re definitely no stranger to Winter Music Conference. This annual event that takes place in Miami every March is quite possibly the craziest and longest lasting party in the nation. Think of it as this way, all of the club heads in Europe descend upon Miami for one week of non-stop dancing, drinking and partying! That’s why when we found out that the official dates had been released for next year’s event, we were ecstatic.

Next March Winter Music Conference will be taking place from March 23rd to March 27th. Not many details have been released just yet, but it’s pretty safe to say that promoters are probably already scrambling to get everything in line. Although the recession was said to have an impact on the event, it sure didn’t deter it from being fantastic last year.

Madonna Causes a Ruckus At Her Apartment; Neighbor Complains

10/21/2009 8:34:00 AM

It’s pretty fair to say that celebrities can get away with a lot. We’ve seen them dodge prison, get leaner sentences than the average American, and many times, authorities will just let them walk away from situations cleanly. However, while Madonna may have thought that she could do whatever she pleased by this time in her career, there’s one thing she’s definitely not getting away from, and that’s annoying her neighbor at her New York City apartment. According to the Associated Press, Madonna’s neighbor says her “music and frequent dance sessions are causing a commotion.” Karen George, who lives above Madonna in the building, filed a lawsuit against the building’s co-op board that Madonna is using her pad as a rehearsal studio.

Pete Tong Kicks Off U.S. Tour

10/20/2009 8:45:00 AM

When it comes to electronic dance music, one of the most popular names in the music genre has to be Pete Tong. The DJ/Producer is not only one of the most popular artists in the genre, but he’s also the voice behind the single most popular EDM radio show on the planet, The Essential Mix. The man has played some of the best club parties around the world, so it’s pretty fair to say that he’s no stranger to a packed house. If you haven’t checked out one of Tong’s sets, you should definitely consider doing so, especially now since he’s just kicked off his U.S. Tour. This Sunday night he starts things off in New York City at Cielo, but soon after he’ll be visiting dance music hotbeds like Denver, Los Angeles and Miami.

Lil Wayne May Make Major Change to Rebirth Release

10/19/2009 8:19:00 AM

One of the most anticipated albums of 2009 has yet to be released. That’s right people, all this talk about Lil Wayne’s Rebirth album is really starting to get annoying. We’d like to do less reading about it and more listening, but the fact is there’s still no release date. And now the chances of the album coming out in 2010 are even higher as recently Wayne stated that it may be a double album instead, combining both the release of Rebirth and Tha Carter IV. “They’re pushing for that,” Wayne said of his record label. “I ain’t trying to give it to them like that. It won’t be given like that, trust me. It won’t be given like that. Tha Carter IV deserves Tha Carter IV and that’s that.”

Britney Spears Tops Charts Once Again

10/16/2009 8:55:00 AM

As soon as her highly anticipated Circus album dropped, it was pretty damn fair to say that the Princess of Pop, Britney Spears, made a triumphant return. Now she’s doing exactly what she did with her early hits, topping the charts. She recently became the first artist in over three years to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, with her latest hit “3.” This new track is said to be a “racy paean to the joys of three-way sex from the upcoming hits set, The Singles Collection.We certainly didn’t know that Ms. Spears was into the “group” thing, but I guess this definitely launches her sexuality into another level. Her Collection album is set to be released on November 25th and it’s also expected to climb the charts as high as her recent singles.

Lady Gaga Releases The Fame Monster

10/15/2009 8:23:00 AM

If there’s one artist that’s definitely experienced an insane rise to fame in the last year it has to be Lady Gaga. Thanks to help from Perez Hilton and the infectious tunes she produced on her debut album, The Fame, Lady Gaga is definitely now considered one of the biggest U.S. pop stars. She recently announced that she will be releasing The Fame Monster, a re-package of her 4 million-selling album The Fame. This new bundle will include the entire Fame album, as well as eight entirely new songs that deal with the seamier side of fame as experienced by the pop starlet. “On my re-release The Fame Monster, I wrote about everything I didn’t write on The Fame,” Gaga says. “While traveling the world for two years, I’ve encountered several monsters, each represented by a different song on the new record.”

Dr. Dre Unveils New HP Notebook

10/14/2009 8:10:00 AM

Dr. Dre is known for being an innovative producer in music, and just recently he’s also known for his new kick-ass headphones that are favorites to traveling celebrities and athletes alike. Now, he can also add a computer to his resume as he’s just unveiled what’s said to be “a new benchmark in sound for the PC.” Dr. Dre and HP teamed up for the all-new HP ENVY 15 Beats, the latest release of Beats Electronics LLC, which was co-founded by Dre in 2006. This limited edition notebook PC will be bundled with the Dr. Dre headphones and state-of-the-art mxing software from Native Instruments’ Traktor LE. “We started this journey with the headphones to improve the transmission of sound between record makers and consumers,” said Jimmy Lovine, Interscope Geffen A&M chairman. “What’s out there is not representative of what you hear in the recording studio.”

50 Cent’s YouTube Video Takes a Shot at Fat Joe

10/13/2009 8:50:00 AM

There’s nothing like a good old hip-hop feud, and when that includes 50 Cent, it’s even better. It looks like the rapper is at it again, only this time he’s taking shots at Fat Joe through a new YouTube video he’s posted on his website, Thisis50.com. There’s no word from the Fat Joe camp just yet, however, we’re pretty sure he’s not going to be happy by what 50 had to say. In the video 50 Cent is bandaged up and apparently “hurt,” due to listening to Fat Joe’s new record. He also splices together other videos of hilarious accidents, saying that they’re all due to Fat Joe’s record. “It’s terrible,” 50 Cent says as he acts like he’s crying. “Fat Joe’s record is the worse thing that’s ever happened to hip-hop.”

Beastie Boy Adam Yauch “Hopeful” On Illness

10/12/2009 8:33:00 AM

Before the summer kicked off, one of the most anticipated acts that was set to go on a massive U.S. tour were the Beastie Boys. However, it came as a big shock when Adam Yauch revealed that he had a cancerous tumor from his left parotoid gland. He underwent surgery to remove the tumor in late July, and recently he returned from a visit to Tibetan doctors in Dharamsala, India. According to his update on the Beastie Boys’ official fan list, Yauch says he’s feeling “healthy, strong and hopeful” that he has beaten cancer. “I’m taking Tibetan medicine and at the recommendation of the Tibetan doctors I’ve been eating a vegan/organic diet.” The release of the Beastie Boys’ new studio album, Hot Sauce Committee Part 1, was delayed due to Yauch’s illness. However, it now seems that he’s well on his way to a full recovery, meaning a new release date may be revealed very soon.

Michael Jackson’s Death Investigation Coming To An End

10/9/2009 10:10:00 AM

The biggest news in pop-culture came this year when it was announced that Michael Jackson had passed. But what would ensue would be a circus of rumors, statements, and an investigation into his death that seems to be coming to an end. According to TMZ, it seems like his family will finally have some closure as the Los Angeles Police Department is expected to present its case against Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, to the LA District Attorney’s office.

Recently autopsies revealed that the 50-year-old singer was in good health, void of any serious issues that could have lead to his death on June 25. As of right now Dr. Conrad Murray remains to be the sole target of the investigation, and it looks like next week will be a very important and revealing week in Jackson’s death.

Clubplanet Interviews Way Out West

10/8/2009 9:28:00 AM

If you happened to go to Shine’s re-opening in South Beach on Saturday, September 19th, then you definitely had a memorable night. Sure it was their re-opening party, but more importantly, they brought in a very special musical treat in the form of Way Out West. The UK based DJ/Producers have been making hits since they first broke out onto the scene with their first single, Montana, in 1994. Now they’ve become a house hold name in the EDM world, recently releasing their highly touted fourth studio album, We Love Machine. As they continue to tour for this album, we definitely have to recommend catching one of their live shows. Clubplanet recently caught up with Way Out West’s Nick Warren and Jody Wisternoff to chat about their new album, their first collaboration with a male vocalist, and what they have in store for the remainder of the year.

Clubplanet: How's 2009 treated you thus far?

Jody Wisternoff: Very well thanks. Besides from finishing the album I’ve also put out a loopmasters sample pack, released and have been touring loads.

Nick Warren: Very good mate, busy, busy and great to have the album finally out there.

Clubplanet: What's it like to play Miami outside of Winter Music Conference?

Nick Warren: Very good, it was strange, the clubs are pretty much shut down for most of the year, so lots of people came out. My God it was hot though, I understand why they do the conference in March.

Clubplanet: Going into the studio for 'We Love Machine,' did you have a particular sound that you were shooting for, or did you seem to improvise along the way?

Jody Wisternoff: We did decide to make the music a lot more synth heavy and to use less samples as sound source, and also to go with the house groove which we play as DJs as opposed to the traditional wow sound which is more on the breakbeat tip. We’ve been collecting vintage synths for the last few years, so obviously we put these through the paces and that probably lends to the flavor of the record.

Nick Warren: We pretty much follow instincts, the sound naturally evolves around the ideas we have.

Clubplanet: On 'We Love Machine,' your sound transitions from melodic tracks, to bumpier dancy tunes. Did you guys want to cover different moods on the album?

Jody Wisternoff: An album needs to have variation otherwise it would be a boring listening experience. Hopefully every track has a different mood and emotion, but even on the more clubby tracks we still made sure they had melodic content. That is one of the wow trademarks I suppose.

Nick Warren: I think it's vital to do so, the best albums always cover different moods and sounds and we take all our influences and idea's into making an album and see what comes out the other side.

Clubplanet: On 'Only Love,' you have your first collaboration with a male vocalist. Why after so many years have that come about now?

Jody Wisternoff: I think it’s a lot harder to find good male vocalists. Jon Mendelsohn tracked me down on myspace, sent me a demo of his vocals over one of my solo tracks, I was blown away, and we've been working together ever since. I would have been the obvious option to go with a bunch of guest vocalists, or a featured female like last time, but when this opportunity arose we were like, yeah lets go with it!

Nick Warren: It was time we felt, our female vocalists in the past did an amazing job for us but we thought we should try a different vibe on this album, we are over the moon with the job that Jonathan has done.

Clubplanet: How's your live tour coming along? It's highly anticipated amongst all of your fans?

Jody Wisternoff: This time we are doing the wow sound system, which is Ableton based and sounds a lot punchier in clubs than the live band approach from before. You can really get creative with Live, in ways that were previously impossible. An ideal scenario would be transporting the analog studio onstage ala Orbital, but this is just not viable right now.

Nick Warren: it is working really well, Jody and I have found our winning formula and it is very exciting, every live performance will be different from the last, mixing and playing live is such fun."

Clubplanet: How much work would you say goes into the preparation of a live tour?

Jody Wisternoff: We are not really doing a tour as such , the wow sound system is more like DJ dates in that sense. I break down all the tracks into their individual elements and separate all the key sounds, so that the arrangements can be done live whilst nick fires samples over the top. It takes a lot of preparation, and the set is revised after each gig.

Clubplanet: What are your thoughts on the progression of electronic dance music in America?

Jody Wisternoff: Well, obviously House comes from America, but Id say in general it seems at the moment a lot of the more influential stuff is coming from Europe. Club wise, the scene seems pretty strong at the moment, certainly a lot better than 3 years ago, but EDM has never really broken through in states, possibly due to the lack of any nationwide radio. The commercial side of dance music seems very strong. Production wise, I wish I was hearing more American productions in the techy melodic scene, it seems very European based at the moment."

Clubplanet: What can we expect from you for the remainder of the year?

Jody Wisternoff: The album has just been released so we will be in full promotion mode for a good while.

Nick Warren: We are doing some shows in Greece, and also a big New Year’s Eve show in Hungary, plus lots of solo DJ shows and there is a remix album out in February.

MTV To Air DJ AM Reality Series

10/8/2009 8:33:00 AM

Just when we thought memories of the late great DJ AM would be laid to rest, MTV has decided to go forth and air his “Intervention”-style reality series, “Gone Too Far,” this upcoming Monday, October 12 at 10 p.m. We definitely thought that after his tragic death, this show would definitely be cancelled, however, his family released a statement announcing their decision:

"After careful consideration we have decided to air the show. Adam felt strongly that by doing this series he could help other addicts who were at a crisis point to get sober. Adam was fully aware that if it were not for his own sobriety he never would have achieved the level of success and happiness he had found. Helping people in their recovery was a huge part of Adam's life. It is our hope through airing this show that people will get to see the side of Adam that we knew and loved, not just the celebrity DJ, but the honest and caring person who gave so much of himself to help others. The decision to air the show has been difficult, but we do this with the profound belief that it will inspire others to seek help."

We too hope that this will serve as a wake-up call for drug abusers, as well as honor the death of one of the great open-format DJ’s of our time.

Beyonce Wins Woman of the Year Award

10/7/2009 8:26:00 AM

If there’s one female artists whose music we hear on a weekly basis in nightclubs, bars and lounges all across the nation, it has to be Beyonce. Not only is she an amazing singer and performer, but now she can also be considered the Woman of the Year in 2009 after she won the award during Billboard’s annual Women In Music luncheon held at New York’s Pierre Hotel. The sexy and sultry singer didn’t have a scroll ready when it came to her acceptance speech, she just kept it simple.

“I can’t believe all of the things I’ve been blessed to do this year, and I know it would not be possible without my family,” she said. “I’m the luckiest young woman in the world to have my parents and that connection and genuine love and people that tell me when I’ve wrong and people that always support me and love me unconditionally.”

Lady Gaga and Kanye West Tour Cancelled

10/6/2009 8:24:00 AM

It did come as quite a shock to us when we found out that one of the most anticipated tours of this year was cancelled. That’s right boys and girls, if you haven’t heard yet, Lady Gaga and Kanye West’s “Fame Kills” Tour has been cancelled do to poor sales. Apparently the official word from Lady Gaga is that it was a “mutual decision,” but we can’t help but wonder if West’s stage crashing stunt at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards had anything to do with this. After that night Kanye was officially on everyone’s s#*t list in America, so we doubt anyone would want to help him make any more money by buying a ticket. While he takes some time off, Lady Gaga says she’ll be embarking on a solo tour in the next several weeks.

M.A.N.D.Y. Releases First Ever Renaissance Mix

10/5/2009 8:20:00 AM

If you’ve paid attention to our music writing then you know that we here at Clubplanet are big fans of M.A.N.D.Y. They delivered one of the best sets that we’ve ever seen during this past Winter Music Conference and they continue to release track after track of some of the grooviest EDM you can imagine. That’s why we were extremely pleased to hear that they were releasing their first ever Renaissance Mix, following in the footsteps of other EDM heavyweights such as Sasha and Digweed, Fathers of Sound, Dave Seaman and Danny Howells. We’ve already heard the entire mix and it’s definitely worth getting. On this effort they venture into new territory with the use of more vocals and an intimate sexy groove on many of the tracks. We definitely hope that they follow up this album with a tour in the U.S.

Defected in the House’s Free Track Giveaway

10/2/2009 1:36:00 PM

If there’s one thing that anyone can appreciate, it’s a giveaway. That’s why when Clubplanet had the opportunity to team up with Defected in the House for their FREE track giveaway, we jumped all over it because we know how much our users love music. If you’ve never heard any of the artists off of Defected in the House, check out their website and we’re sure you’ll quickly become a fan. Now’s your chance at not only introducing yourself to new music, but downloading any one of their tracks for absolutely no cost!

Simply enter voucher code 'weekend' at the Defected Store checkout and get a FREE track of your choice. The voucher will entitle you to $1.57 deducted off your order, which happens to be the price of a single. However you can also use it against the cost of an album or merchandise...you decide! This voucher can be used on Defected, ITH, Subliminal, Bargrooves, Nocturnal & Junior Boys Own.

One promo code per customer, offer ends 10/09/09. Happy listening!!

Diddy Inks Deal with Universal Music Group

10/2/2009 8:58:00 AM

In a move that many would not have expected, Sean “Diddy” Combs has just inked a dal with Universal Music Group’s Interscope Geffen A&M label that includes his future album releases and a new joint venue with his own label, Bad Boy Entertainment. While many may have believed that Diddy’s label needed no such anchor, it looks like this may be a move that proves that he does.

Although no financial terms were disclosed, as well as the length of the deal, we believe it’s definitely a big amount of money as well as a lengthy term. The last deal that Combs made was with Warner Music Group’s Atlantic label, and that lasted nearly five years. Diddy’s current Bad Boy roster and catalog is estimated to be worth $60 million.

DJ AM’s Death Ruled ‘Accidental’

10/1/2009 8:55:00 AM

So far headlines in 2009 have been dominated by the shocking deaths of many celebrities and A-listers. Michael Jackson obviously came as the biggest shocker, however, so was the passing of celebrity socialite and open-format DJ AM. Found dead in his New York City apartment, many wondered if the DJ had taken his own life after drugs were found in his apartment. However, the New York City Medical Examiner has determined that the DJ AM, aka Adam Goldstein, died of “acute intoxication” due to “substance abuse.” This automatically rules his death as ‘accidental.’ His funeral was held at Los Angeles’ Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary and paid tribute to his attempts to get sober. This news may come as a relief to his family who may have believed his death to be a ‘suicide.’

Lady Sovereign Fined in Australia for Spitting

9/30/2009 8:25:00 AM

Ever since Lady Sovereign broke into the music scene with her raunchy street-kid lyrics and outlandish persona, she’s made the general media a big fan. However, she’s known to push her behavior to the limit as well, and Australia recently got a big taste of it. Recently visiting the country for the first time, the British rapper ended up spending her first night in a cell after drunkenly assaulting a bouncer. Apparently she spit in the fat of the doorman who worked at the Beat, a popular gay nightclub in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. All this coming only seven hours after she landed in the country. We’re sure that this isn’t the end of her erratic behavior, and we look forward to more of her headlines in the near future.

Drake Finally Prepares First Single

9/29/2009 8:25:00 AM

It’s pretty fair to say that one of the hottest up and coming names in hip-hop is Drake. He’s has a hit with “Best I Ever Had,” a tune whose music video directed by Kanye West is also huge on TV countdowns. All this success and he still hasn’t released his full-length debut album yet. That’s why you have to agree with us when we say that “Thank Me Later,” is one of the most anticipated album’s of 2009, and he’s one step closer to releasing it as he prepares to release his first single, “Shut It Down,” featuring The Dream. Harlem based producer, Omen, stated that they were “filming a video for it soon helmed by Hype Williams,” and that “the Track will be serviced just a few weeks after.”

Ferry Corsten Launches VIP Fan Community

9/28/2009 8:15:00 AM

If you’re a big fan of music, and chances are if you’re reading this right now then you probably are, then you’re well aware of what a fan community is. For those of you that aren’t familiar with the term, it’s basically an online version of a fan club, and if you don’t know what a fan club is then stop reading and go Google it. Electronic music artists are a perfect example of individuals who primarily create their following online, meaning most of their fans share one thing in common, the love for their music and the World Wide Web. One EDM artist that’s definitely aware of this is Ferry Corsten, and he’s one step ahead of everyone else as he teams up with Dance Therapy and Chicago based World Wide Fan Clubs to create www.ferrycorstenVIP.com.

The site will feature exclusive music, videos, merchandise, tickets, travel packages, photos, blogs as well as a proprietary fanspace community allowing fans to build profiles, upload content and interact with each other. The VIP website will allow fans access to behind the scenes footage of Ferry in the studio, backstage at shows and will unveil the captivating world of a world traveling international DJ/Producer. This development will definitely change the perception of the typical fan club.

Picnik Electronik Wraps Up Big

9/25/2009 11:21:00 AM

Judging from the crowds this summer, it’s pretty clear that the word on Piknic Electronik has gotten out. The reasons why are pretty obvious – not only do they bring some of the best electronic music to Montreal, but they bring it to a beautiful outdoor setting smack dab in the middle of Sunday afternoon. The PIKNIK season is drawing to a close, so you make sure you get yourself out there soon…

Located out on Parc Jean-Drapeau (easily reachable by METRO), finding the Piknik once you’re there is easy. Sure, the signs help, but I usually just follow the bass filtering through the trees. Everything starts up at 2pm and goes until after the sun goes down, so your Sunday plan is easy: get up, get some brunch and then go get down. Since there’s one only installment left, now is the time to experience this unique event…

October 4th: Picnik teams up with Pop Montreal to finish things off with a bang. They start off with DJ Valeo (ex-Khiasma) who returns from his new home in Toronto to bring his world-spanning love of dance music back to the Piknic. Then, at 5:30, the legendary Mike Simonetti of New Jersey, whose record label, Troubleman Unlimited, has showcased groups like Errase Erata, Black Dice, The Walkmen, Devendra Banhart and Les Georges Leningrad to the world. Fitting that the last act of the Pikinic is a huge one- the UK’s Zombie Disco Squad. This powerhouse duo has taken house music on wild ride through Baile funk, African music, hip hop and more, and are going to set that dance floor on fire. They hit the decks at 7:30.

And hey, no one likes Mondays anyway. Might as well have a really good reason why…

Brendan Murphy is a Montreal-based music columnist and blogger. Check out his Montreal Nightlife blog for more on Montreal after dark.

Vic Latino Releases ‘Ultra Mix 2’

9/25/2009 8:15:00 AM

If there’s one thing that we here at Clubplanet truly enjoy, it’s music, that’s why we always play close attention to any and all new releases, and this week marked the release of Vic Latino’s ‘Ultra Mix 2.’ If you’re from the Northeast then we’re pretty sure that you’re well aware of what Vic’s music is all about, not only is he the music behind 101.5 and 105.3, but he’s also the resident at Blue Point in NYC. If you like music you can dance to, and ladies we all know you do, we’ll go ahead and put our seal of approval on Vic’s newest ‘Ultra Mix 2.’ The second installation in the Ultra Mix series includes 15 of the most popular tracks and mixes in the club world. The mix is pretty much guaranteed to go well for any fan of club music and dancing.

Clubplanet Interviews Infected Mushroom

9/24/2009 9:00:00 AM

One characteristic of music that we’re fond of is when genres collide. We’re already familiar with tags like alt-country, pop-rock, and even rap-metal (no thanks to guys like Limp Bizkit). However, there haven’t been many bands that have attempted to try their hand at fusing together electronic music and heavy-metal…that is unless you’re Infected Mushroom. Their heavy metal meets electronica sound was perceived in a weird way at first, however, now they’ve basically created their own genre [Psy-trance] and legions of their fans have been following the Israeli-bred duo (Amit “Duvdev” Duvedevani and Erez Eisen) since day one. Their newest album which was released last week, Legend of the Black Shawarma, is their best work yet, featuring cameos by Jane’s Addiction’s Perry Farrell and Jonathan Davis. Clubplanet recently had the chance to chat with Infected Mushroom’s Duvdev about the release of their new album, how food was an influence on the album, and working with Perry Farrell and Jonathan Davis.

Clubplanet: I know you guys have a lot of dates ahead of you since you’re album’s about to be released in a couple of weeks. How’s the touring treating you guys thus far?

Duvdev: The touring has been really good. We’ve been able to play a lot around the country, then we’ll actually leave the country for a bit because there are a few launch parties around the world. It’s been really good.

Clubplanet: I read that the concept for the album actually came through your travels and food. How did that come about?

Duvdev: Yes! The Legend of the Black Shawarma actually started as a food diary. Since we’re on the road all the time and we love to eat, we’re constantly going to different restaurants, each track has a name of a favorite food that we like, like Poquito Mas is a chain of Mexican restaurants in LA, Franks has the best tacos in Mexico, Sa’eed has the best hummus in Israel, so it started like that. But then we came across some serious songs that we couldn’t use food as names for.

Clubplanet: Did you guys have specific musical influences when working on this particular album?

Duvdev: Not really. It was the same as usual. We’ve always had our influences in heavy metal, electronic music and what’s going on in the radio. You can say we had the same musical influences as the previous album. But this one did come out a bit more heavier than the last album.

Clubplanet: There’s a great balance on this album between the metal and the breakbeats, and the album is a lot harder. Was this intentional?

Duvdev: I don’t know if it was intentional. The previous album was a bit more commercial, not that it’s bad, but for this one we wanted to make things a little harder and aggressive, and that’s how it came out. But it doesn’t mean that the next album will the same.

Clubplanet: Obviously it’s interesting that you guys have that metal dynamic to you. What are some of the bands that have influenced you in that aspect?

Duvdev: We’ve always loved Korn, Metallica, System of a Down, Pantera, there just have been so many different bands in that genre that have influenced us and we still listen to them today.

Clubplanet: Funny you say Korn, because I just saw the video for your new single, Smashing the Opponent, and it features Korn’s lead man Jonathan Davis. How did you guys end up hooking up with him?

Duvdev: You know for this album we wanted to do some collaborations so we approached a few people like Jonathan Davis and we also have Perry Farrell on the album. Luckily enough they knew Infected Mushroom and they liked our music, so we hooked up through our managers and they came into the studio and we laid the tracks. It was a great help for us and also very cool because Perry was a fan of Jonathan and us knew about our music too. I’ve been listening to Korn for 15 years so it was a really cool experience for us.

Clubplanet: You also worked with a very big name in the electronic world, Paul Oakenfold. What was that like? Duvdev: It was great. The album is coming out on his label and he served as the executive producer for the album. It was really cool because he was part of the entire process. It was great meeting him and we’re still great friends. He helped so much in opening doors for us. He’s just a great guy and I have so much respect for him.

Clubplanet: Being a global artist and traveling so much for gigs gives you the opportunity to see how electronic music is being perceived in different markets. How do you think it’s doing in the U.S. so far?

Duvdev: In the last two years electronic music has just been on fire in the U.S. Clubs are booking more, there are more raves around the country, people who never used to come to the U.S. are coming to play now. It’s just opening more and more doors for other artists in the electronic world.

Clubplanet: What do you guys have planned for the rest of the year?

Duvdev: Well the album is about to come out, so we’ll be touring all around to promote the album all around the country and outside of the U.S. The second video will be Killing Time with Perry Farrell so look out for that.

Trey Songz and Mario Headline Club Tour

9/24/2009 8:20:00 AM

What’s better than a summer festival tour? How about a club tour? That’s right, although the outdoor festivals seem to be favored, let’s not forget how much more comfortable it is to be inside of a venue, rather than in a pit outside with thousands of sweaty individuals. Starting to make a little more sense to you now right? If hip-hop and R&B happens to be your cup of tea, then you’ll be pleased to know that BET and Live Nation have teamed up for a national club tour which will feature headliners Mario and Trey Songz.

The series of concerts will be held at Live Nation-owned House of Blues venues and other clubs and theaters across the nation. As of right now it seems like they’re actually shying away from nightclubs, but when you come to markets such as Miami, where there are no House of Blues, it’ll be interesting to see if they make the jump into one of the larger nightclubs.

DJ Hell vs. Felix Da Housecat Spat Continues

9/23/2009 8:25:00 AM

We love it when there’s a little feud going on in the music world, but when it comes to electronic dance music, there’s never really a feud big enough for the press to grab onto. However, last weekend Felix da Housecat had a few choice words for DJ Hell after he used portions of a track he collaborated with Diddy on. After his argument DJ Hell responded with a statement of his own:

This week sees the release of DJ Hell's latest single "The DJ" featuring P. Diddy, the third installment in a trilogy, which began in 2003 with "Let's Get Ill" feat. Kelis, followed by 2005's "Jack U." Their latest collaboration was approved by P. Diddy and Bad Boy Entertainment in January 2009, with contracts issued by their law firm Grubman, Indursky & Shire, P.C. Since that time International Deejay Gigolo records, under the A&R direction of DJ Hell, acquired a host of acclaimed remixes, which all passed through P. Diddy's office for approval and have subsequently found their way to your local record store.

If you’re a clear reader of the English language, then you may have noticed that DJ Hell really didn’t come out and deny that he did anything wrong. This only means that their spat will not be over for some time, and could very well leak into the courtroom.

David Guetta’s Euro Chart Double

9/22/2009 8:20:00 AM

When it comes to 2009, it’s pretty fair to say that the biggest success story of the year comes from French DJ/Producer David Guetta. After teaming up with some of the biggest names in pop-music, Kelly Rowland, Akon and The Black Eyed Peas, he’s put out an album that will easily stay atop the charts in nearly every country around the globe. Recently his two biggest hits, "One Love" and "Sexy Chick" are his most popular tracks, each holding very high positions in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Austria, and Ireland.

It’s pretty fair to say that no other name in the electronic dance music world has been as successful as this man this year, and he may take the crown of the likes of Daft Punk and Paul Oakenfold if this continues. Of course this is all on a more commercial level.