Wink's Movie Blog » music

The Next Lead Singer of Queen?

Mark Moring — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 21:07:47 +0000

As part of this year’s celebration of Queen’s 40th anniversary, Queen drummer/songwriter/singer Roger Taylor is launching an American talent search to offer musicians the opportunity to star in the Queen Extravaganza Live Tour, scheduled to hit the road in 2012. And Downhere lead vocalist Marc Martel is auditioning for … well, lead vocalist. It takes a lot to compare yourself to Freddie Mercury, but fortunately, Martel is up to the comparison. He’s got one of the best and most unique voices in music, and if anyone can bring the whole Freddy Mercury package to the tour, it’s Marc. Don’t take my word for it. Check out his audition (below), which has almost half a million views on its first day up on the Queen Extravaganza contest site. According to the site, the contest works like this:

The audition process involves two video audition rounds to be judged by both a panel of appointed judges and the public. Taylor will be present to judge the final audition round, which will be held live in Los Angeles in early December. In addition, VEVO, the world’s leading music video and entertainment platform, will unveil exclusive content from each audition round as well as The Queen Extravaganza finals.

The final decisions will be made entirely by Roger Taylor. And this isn’t a tribute band; it’s a band that’ll bring the music of Queen to a new generation. Honestly, I’m not describing this in any way that’s nearly as exciting as it really is. I mean … QUEEN? And Marc front and center? How cool would that be?

The first round will be whittle down to 50 by specially selected Queen judges. Round 2 will then open the voting to fans. So go view Marc’s video, leave comments, and get ready to vote in November. Because, really. No one holds a candle to him. You can learn more about the Queen Extravaganza on the show’s website.

Three more amazing videos showcasing Martel's voice -- from more Queen ("Bohemian Rhapsody", to a CCM classic (Keith Green's "Asleep in the Light"), to opera (Pavarotti staple "Nessun Dorma"). As one of the commenters said on one of these videos, Martel is "the Swiss army knife of singing." Yup, I'd agree. Marc Martel speaks - the Somebody To Love audition radio interview

Owl City Covers ‘In Christ Alone’

Mark Moring — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 20:04:46 +0000

Adam Young, best known as the pop sensation Owl City, was up late Sunday night recording a cover of the modern hymn, "In Christ Alone," by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. On his blog, Young said it wasn't for any particular album or project: "Not for anything special, just for fun." "Something about this song makes me bawl like a baby," Young wrote. "If I were to count on one hand, the number of songs that have ever deeply moved me, this one would take the cake. Last night I probably spent more time actually crying at the piano than I did recording it. Such are the secret confessions of a shy boy from Minnesota . . . "As I’m so often reminded what a priceless gift my life is, I ache with everything in me to make it count, so that when I finally cross the finish line, I’ll hear the words, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'" Young also noted that the spiritual meat of the song is not "intended to be 'crammed down the throat,' if you will. That is not my intention. This is what I wholeheartedly believe, and to that belief, I remain steadfast until He returns or calls me home." Click here to listen.

New U2 Album Just Months Away?

Mark Moring — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 21:38:16 +0000

The oft-buzzed about (and tentatively titled) Songs of Ascent, reportedly U2's most directly worshipful album yet, is apparently on the fast track, says their manager. "I would expect a new U2 album sooner than anybody thinks," Paul McGuinness told the Irish Times. "I would guess early 2011 before the next leg of the American tour which starts in May." The Irish Times reported that McGuinness says the album will likely include "Mercy" and "Every Breaking Wave," which the band has been playing at its recent shows. "Mercy" (see the video below this post) includes these lyrics:

Love has come again / I am gone again Love is the end of history / The enemy of misery Love has come again / I am gone again Love is justice, a charity / Love brings with it a clarity Love has come again / I'm alive again I am alive, baby I'm born again and again And again, and again and again and again

Bono has described "Every Breaking Wave" (video, lyrics) as a "surging anthem," and says it will be the first single off the new album. Another possible song on the album, according to @U2, is "North Star" (lyrics), a song from the How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb sessions which included a guest organ appearance from Michael W. Smith. (In an interview with CCM, Smith described the song as a tribute to the unwavering faith of Johnny Cash.) Read more about more possible songs on the album here. In a recent interview with Australia's The Age, Bono said that the new album -- the first of three albums they're working on -- is being produced by Danger Mouse, the alias for American production ace Brian Burton (Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz). "We have about 12 songs with him," Bono said. "At the moment that looks like the album we will put out next because it's just happening so easily." Bono said the next album after that will be a "club" record featuring Lady Gaga collaborator RedOne, Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.I.Am, and French superstar David Guetta. He also said that he and guitarist The Edge are trying to convince their bandmates Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. on recording an album based on the 20 songs the two have written for a Spider-Man musical that opens on Broadway next month. "We haven't convinced the rest of the band to do that yet," Bono told The Age. "Larry definitely has a raised eyebrow." Here's the video for "Mercy":

Unlikely Quartet: Aretha, Condi, Handel, Mozart

Mark Moring — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:46:14 +0000

Aretha Franklin teamed up with Condoleezza Rice for a benefit concert in Philadelphia this month. You read that right: Condi Rice, the former Secretary of State, is an accomplished pianist who accompanied the Queen of Soul as she sang "Handel, Mozart and the hits," at Philly's Mann Center for Performing Arts on July 27. Proceeds benefited programs supporting inner city children and the Mann Center's own education initiatives.

Rice accompanied Franklin on her hits "Say a Little Prayer" and "Natural Woman," in addition to performing a 20-minute set with the Philadelphia Orchestra. It was the first of a series of concerts with Rice and Franklin, who calls Rice "a consummate classical pianist and since I sing the arias, I thought that we could do something, a bipartisan effort for our favorite charities."

R.I.P., Dana Key

Mark Moring — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:09:43 +0000

UPDATE: A memorial service for Dana Key will be held 1 p.m. Thursday, June 10, at the TLC Church in Cordova, Tennessee. A memorial fund has also been set up; donations may be sent to TLC Church / Dana Key Family, 4199 Pheasant Hill Cove N, Lakeland TN 38002. Dana Key, who with musical partner Ed DeGarmo formed one of the great rock bands in CCM history, died of a ruptured blood clot Sunday night at the age of 56, according to CCM's website and various other reports. In recent years, Key was a senior pastor at TLC Community Church in Memphis, Tenn., which was his and DeGarmo's hometown. "Dana Key was an awesome guy," DeGarmo told Christianity Today. "Extremely talented for sure, but he was much more than that. He was absolutely passionately in love with Christ, his wife Anita and their three children. "He lived his life fully dedicated to building God's kingdom with every breath he took. He was a true pioneer. He could preach the gospel in a way that compelled thousands to accept Christ, and he could play guitar and sing like you were getting a glimpse of his soul. He was my friend and my brother. The world will miss him. I will miss him dearly." TobyMac first met Key during his days with dcTalk in the late 1980s and early '90s, when dcTalk would open for DeGarmo & Kay. He said Key "was genuine and passionate to the core. He seemed to love God's Word more than the songs he sang about it. He obviously made huge impact with his songs and songwriting. But what I learned behind the curtain was even richer. "He taught us from God's Word . . . most nights before we took the stage. That is something I admired. Thank you Mr. Key, you will truly be missed. Enjoy the view, my friend." Christian musician Todd Agnew, whom Key signed to Ardent Records some years ago, wrote on his website that Key was "a believer and proclaimed Jesus Christ. Dana was a mentor and role model to me. There’s no way I can capture what I learned here in a hotel typing on my phone. I wish I had recorded it all and could put it in a book for you: Wisdom from one Christian Generation to the Next. But I can’t. . . . Dana was a man of God. Before he was a musician, he was a minister. And before he was a minister, he was God’s child. He will be missed." Doug Van Pelt, editor of HM Magazine, posted a nice tribute to Key, noting how a D&K song ("You Gave Me All") was instrumental in helping him decide to commit to the Christian faith. "It’s neat how that song made a profound impact on me that night," Van Pelt writes. "It described the condition of my heart, which broke and I wept before the Lord for the first time in 9 years. I’m grateful for Dana Key and his faithfulness and his creativity." Harold Smith, CEO of Christianity Today International and a friend of both Key and DeGarmo, said, "Dana's passion, pure and simple, was the gospel. He sang its truth from countless stages (amplified with some wicked guitar work), and preached its truth from the pulpit he so loved. 'Christ died for me,' he would say. 'I'll live for him.' And he did -- at high volume." Ardent Records has set up a tribute on its website.

Key grew up just a few blocks from Graceland in Memphis, and attended school with DeGarmo, dreaming about being a rock star, according to Mark Allan Powell's Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. The two boys formed their first band, The Sound Corporation, in sixth grade. As a high school junior, he was invited to join the secular rock group Black Oak Arkansas as lead guitarist, but he and DeGarmo were already involved in music ministry for Youth for Christ. DeGarmo and Key formed in 1977 and performed off and on for 20 years. The band was known initially for its innovative sound, as good as anything in secular music, and they remained commercially viable through the 1980s even as their sound became more predictable. But their lyrics and mission always remained the same: "Ministry is the primary reason for the existence of D&K," Key said in 1993. "Our music is simply a vehicle to communicate a message." They often held altar calls at the end of their shows. Key -- a direct descendant of Francis Scott Key (composer of "The Star Spangled Banner") -- went on to become an executive with Ardent Records (while DeGarmo went on to co-found ForeFront Records), and wrote the books Don't Stop the Music and By Divine Design. Here are two music videos featuring D&K: Editor's note: This blog post may be updated throughout the day as we learn more.

‘Crucial That We Not Lose Our Singing Voices’

Mark Moring — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:32:36 +0000

Pepperdine University is gearing up to host The Ascending Voice II, an international event celebrating sacred a capella music. The mid-May symposium will feature some of the world's leading authorities on this rich style of music, while the daily concert lineup includes performances by top college choral groups, the Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem Alumni Ensemble, and Grammy-winning men's choral group Chanticleer. I especially appreciated some of the comments from Pepperdine Provost Darryl Tippens leading up to the event: "Many people think that group singing is in danger of extinction in America," Tippens said. "As financially strapped schools cut arts programs denying children the opportunity to sing; as we become a somewhat passive, listening culture, accustomed to highly produced professional musical recordings; and as mega churches employ bands and orchestras, thus replacing congregational singing with performance, there is a real question as to whether group singing by ordinary people will survive. This concern must be squarely faced—not through complaint, but through action. This is the purpose of The Ascending Voice. "We think it is crucial that we not lose our singing voices. There is no substitute for the exquisite beauty and power of the human voice joined in harmony with others. Unaccompanied (a cappella) singing is as old as the human species, and long a distinctive feature of Christian worship. We believe it is worth preserving and enhancing. "Singing has a transformative effect on both the singer and the listener. Group (or congregational) singing has been central to Christian worship for 2,000 years. While it has taken vastly different shapes in different cultures over the centuries, in the East and West, among Protestant and Catholic, charismatic and liturgical traditions—still, it has the power to resonate deeply and move us to tears, to joy, and to action. "Singing lay at the heart of the Reformation. Singing was central to the Civil Rights Movement (“We shall overcome. . . .”), to the anti-war movement of the 60s. It retains this same transformative power today, but one has to hear it and do it to fathom fully its life-changing power. “'Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise,'” said Martin Luther. In the words of Karl Barth, the great 20th century theologian, 'Singing is the highest form of human expression. . . . the community which does not sing is not the community.' Art and the sacred have always been intimately acquainted. Sacred music is perhaps the greatest expressions of this truth." Amen, and amen.

Jennifer Knapp on Larry King Live Last Friday

Mark Moring — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:00:37 +0000

Jennifer Knapp, a former Christian music star who recently revealed that she is in a lesbian relationship, was the first featured guest on Larry King Live on Friday, April 23. The one-time Grammy nominee and multiple Dove Award winner walked away from music in 2003, but has been making a comeback in recent months, doing a number of tour dates and gearing up to release her new album, Letting Go, in May. Knapp was joined on Larry King Live by Clay Aiken (a singer who came out two years ago), Pastor Bob Botsford (an evangelical pastor who wants Knapp to repent of her lifestyle), and disgraced preacher Ted Haggard. Knapp spoke speaking openly and honestly about her homosexual lifestyle, while also maintaining that she clings to the Christian faith. It was a fascinating conversation and you can see part of it here. (Photo by Eye Photography)

Musician Dad Makes His Boy Cry — But It’s All Good

Mark Moring — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:50:33 +0000

This really has nothing to do with movies or TV, but it's a great story I thought you would enjoy -- wf

Carlos Whittaker, a new Integrity Music artist releasing his first album, Ragamuffin Soul, later this month, is getting some online buzz for something entirely different than his debut CD: He's now known as the guy who made his little boy cry.

In a cute-and-funny home video (taken on his iPhone), Whittaker filmed his 3-year-old adopted son, Losiah, dancing in his car seat -- with his older sisters next to him -- to the beat of Beyonce's hit song, "Single Ladies." When Carlos tells Losiah he's not a single lady, the boy initially looks stunned, then begins to cry -- as his older sister folds her arms and glares at Dad! Whittaker recovers and tells Losiah, "Yeah, you are. You're a Single Lady. Sorry...I was just kidding...You're a Single Lady, okay?" And then, to himself, "I'm a horrible father."

Hardly the case. ParentDish calls him an "awesome" father for adopting Losiah from South Korea in 2006. Whittaker is using the resulting media hype to call attention to international adoption, and we think that's awesome.

Check out the video here:

The World’s Most Beautiful (Virtual) Choir

Mark Moring — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:52:06 +0000

Now this is an amazing choir -- an ensemble of 185 voices from 12 nations . . . a collection of people who have never met one another, nor have they met the conductor for whom they were singing. This was conductor/composer Eric Whitacre's "virtual choir" singing his own composition, "Lux Aurumque" -- with each individual voice recorded with a simple webcam at each singer's home computer. Whitacre held online auditions, then put together a brief instructional video, followed by him "conducting" the piece for the virtual singers. They simply sang their parts into their webcams, and sent them to Whitacre, who enlisted someone to edit all the pieces together to form a choir. The result is nothing short of stunning: Read more about how the project came together here. And as we near Easter, pay attention to the words (in Latin) and their translation: Lux, Lux Lux, Lux Lux Lux Calida Calida Gravis que Gravis que Gravis que Pura Pura velut aurum canunt et canunt et canunt et canunt angeli canunt moliter natum, modo natum Translation: Light, Light Light, Light Light, Light Warm Warm and heavy/loaded/pregnant/deep/dignified* and heavy/loaded/pregnant/deep/dignified* and heavy/loaded/pregnant/deep/dignified* Pure Pure as if gold (They) sing/prophesy and (they) sing/prophesy and (they) sing/prophesy. *'Gravis que' is actually written and said as one word, Gravisque, meaning "and [definition]." There are many words listed because it actually means all of those, in a poetic sense that is difficult to capture in one English word.