NEWS
AMY WINEHOUSE 1983-2011
The lurid tabloid headlines surrounding Amy Winehouse, who was found dead aged only 27 in her London flat on 23rd July 2011, often threatened to overshadow the singer’s huge contribution to British pop music. However, her talent guaranteed that her antics outside of the music never eclipsed those within it. Amy’s 2003 debut album, Frank, was a Mercury nominated breeze of neo-soul and classically revamped jazz that earned Amy an Ivor Novello award for her song writing and sold in excess of over 900,000 copies in the U.K alone while also reaching triple platinum status. This was only a hint of things to come. Her 2006 follow up Back to Black, which was produced by Mark Ronson, saw the awards come rolling in. Her sophomore effort earned her five Grammy awards, a Brit for Best Female Artist and another two Ivor Novello Awards with ‘Rehab’ taking Best Contemporary Song in 2007.
Her trademark beehive hair and distinctively enigmatic style put Amy at the forefront of innovation in the pop realms. While the charts often suffer from lackluster dross, Amy re-installed excitement, sex and, perhaps most importantly, soul back into commercial pop, demonstrating that good pop music doesn’t have to be over produced. Amy leaves us with two outstanding records and a void that may never be filled; without her unpredictable and talented presence there would be no Lady Gaga, no Florence and The Machine and no Adele. When we get down to the bare bones of it all, her loss was a waste of a truly great talent. PM
VINTAGE ENDORSER JAMES BELL WINS YOUNG GUITARIST OF THE YEAR
Each year young virtuosos descend upon the prestigious Young Guitarist of the Year awards. Fraught with talent and equally mirrored by a sense of competition, this is a breeding ground for future players to hit the big time. This year 13 year old James Bell won the title with his track ‘A New Hope’. James used his cherry red Vintage Reissued Series VS6 while performing for the panel of judges, later owing thanks to his teacher without whom his victory would have not been possible. ‘I cannot thank my teacher Brian Viggars enough for telling me about the competition…Brian is absolutely amazed at the tone of my Vintage VS6, by the way...’ The young Bell then selected a Flame Maple Green Vintage Rock Series VRS100 as his prize. James automatically wins a place at the 2012 Internation Guitar Festival. PM
Spider Online Launch Free Music Resource Centre
Line 6 has developed a new online music resource centre that is available, for free, to registered owners of Spider amplifiers. Not only do you benefit from an incendiary and rockin’ product, but now you will have access to a combined total of over 500 guitar lessons, jam tracks and original tones created by Line 6, musicians and fellow Spider amp owners. There are
10 3pickup
currently over a million Spider amp owners who will have access to this wealth of loops, bass grooves and drum beats that can be downloaded directly to your amplifier. Lessons on Spider Online will include a range of genres, theory elements and techniques, available in note and tab format, accommodating for both beginners and advanced guitarists. PM
Adam Ant to Headline West Dean Festival
West Dean Festival has announced that Adam Ant and his band, The Good, The Bad and The Lovely Posse, will headline Saturday night for the event that runs from 26th to 29th August. As of late, Ant has been enjoying something of a revival, receiving rave reviews for his performance ahead of Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart at Hard Rock Calling Festival, while also completing a sell out U.K tour. The multi-million selling artist, who boasts 22 hit records and three number one’s, promises a show-stopping performance,
stating ‘I’m going to give them a show they’ll never forget!’ Ant joins Grammy nominee and soul singer, James Hunter, who will headline the Sunday night. Tickets can be purchased from -
www.westdeanfestival.org.uk. PM
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