Rueben's Ramblings

Adam Lambert

Adam Lambert is an American singer, songwriter and actor from San Diego, California who was the runner up on the 8th season of American Idol, which aired in 2009. He got his start as a stage actor at the age of 10 years old when he appeared in the San Diego production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. He then appeared in Fiddler on the Roof at the age of 12 and was in tnhe productions of Hello, Dolly!, Chess, Camelot, The Music Man, Grease and Peter Pan during his teens.

At the age of 19, he performed overseas with Anita Mann Productions and appeared in the European production of Hair. This led to Lambert being in the US productions of Brigadoon and 110 in the Shade. He followed those productions with a role in The Ten Commandments: The Musical with Val Kilmer.

In 2005, he met producer Malcolm Welsford, who has helped develop his recording career. Adam then spent a short time moonlighting as the front man for the underground rock back The Citizen Vein and regularly performing at the Upright Cabaret and the Zodiac Show.

You can read the remainder of this article here.

Read Full Post »

Orianthi

Orianthi Panagaris, who simply goes by Orianthi, is an Australia singer-songwriter and extremely talented guitarist. She learned to play acoustic guitar at the age of 6 then started on electric guitar when she was 11. At the age of 14 she was playing in various bands in England and France and did her first stage show with Steve Vai at 15. Three years later she had the chance to meet and jam with Carlos Santana and by late 2006 she signed with Geffen Records.

Among the accomplishments of this talented young musician include performing with Prince, having a song featured in Bratz: The Movie, being named as one of the 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists, appearing at the 51st annual Grammy Awards as lead guitarist for Carrie Underwood, having a guitar solo on the Adam Lambert song “Sleepwalker” and appearing alongside the late Michael Jackson in his “This Is It” film.

You can read the remainder of this article here.

Read Full Post »

Pete Yorn

Pete Yorn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who gained international recognition after his debut album “Musicforthemorningafter” was released to critical acclaim in 2001. But Yorn started out in music at a young age, teaching himself to play the drums at age nine and then learning the guitar shortly thereafter. He, of course, played drums in his band in high school and then made music his primary focus while attending Syracuse University. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles and three years later was signed to Columbia Records in 1999.

His music caught the attention of film producer Bradley Thomas (There’s Something About Mary), and this led to Yorn scoring all of the music to the film and contributing the songs “Strange Condition” and “Just Another” to the film and its soundtrack. It was after this work that his debut album was released in 2001 and it went gold thanks in great part to the single “Life on a Chain”.

You can read the remainder of this article here.

Read Full Post »

Oasis

Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991 and consisted of members Liam Gallagher (vocals and tambourine), Paul Arthurs (guitar), Paul McGuigan (bass) and Tony McCarroll (drums), who were soon joined by Liam’s older brother Noel Gallagher (lead guitar and vocals).

Their record-setting debut album “Definitely Maybe” was released in 1994 and featured their hit single “Supersonic”. The following year, the band released their second album “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory? ” with their new drummer Alan White. This album included their hit singles “Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova” and became the third largest selling album of all time in the UK.

Two years later, the band released “Be Here Now,” which debuted at number 2 on the Billboard charts in the United States. But by 1999, Paul Arthurs and Paul McGuigan both left the group while the 3 remaining members continued to record their next album. Replacement members Colin Archer and Andy Bell joined the band and in 2000 their fourth album “Standing on the Shoulder of Giants” was released, but, up to that point, became their lowest selling studio album.

In 2002, the album “Heaven Chemistry” was released and reached number 1 in the UK and number 23 in the United States. Once again, the band had a change of members with drummer Andy White leaving, being replaced by Zak Starkey. They then released their sixth album “Don’t Believe the Truth” in 2005; which was followed by a double album compilation called “Stop the Clocks” in 2006.

You can visit the remainder of this article here.

Read Full Post »

Mark Joseph

English musician Mark Joseph (born Mark Joseph Muzsnayi) was educated at Boroughbridge High School and at the age of 22 rose to fame with his debut single “Get Through,” which was released in 2003. The single reached number 38 on the UK singles chart. His second single “Fly” – today’s Song of the Day – made it to number 28. This single was featured prominent in an episode of the CW series Smallville. His music has also been featured on Grey’s Anatomy and been used by the BBC, ITV and Sky (TV channels in the UK).

Those two songs as well as his other singles “Bringing Back Those Memories” (which reached number 34 on the UK charts) and “Lady Lady” (which reached number 36 on the UK charts) were featured on his debut album “Scream”.

You can read the rest of this article at my Examiner.com page here.

Read Full Post »

Samuel Bean (aka Iron & Wine)

Samuel Beam, better known by his stage and recording name Iron & Wine, is an American singer-songwriter, who was raised in South Carolina before moving to Florida to attend school. His debut album “The Creek Drank the Candle” was released in 2002 on the Sub Pop label. Two years later he released his next album “Our Endless Numbered Days” and in 2005 he released the EP’s called “Woman King” and “In the Reins.”

Two years later he released his third album called “The Shepherd’s Dog,” which was voted one of the ten best albums of 2007 by Paste magazine, one of the most celebrated entertainment magazines in the United States.

You can read the rest of this article at my Examiner.com page here.

Read Full Post »

Beck

Beck Hansen (born Bek David Campbell) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known by his stage name Beck. He has been hailed by critics and the public as one of the most creative and idiosyncratic musicians over the two few decades.

Since 1993, Beck has released an impressive 12 albums, starting with “Golden Feelings” in 1993 followed by “A Western Harvest Field by Moonlight,” “Stereopathetic Soulmanure,” “Mellow Gold,” and “One Foot in the Grave” all in 1994; “Odelay” in1996, “Mutations” in 1998, “Midnight Vultures” in 1999, “Sea Change” in 2002, “Guero” in 2005, “The Information” in 2006 and “Modern Guilt” in 2008.

You can read the rest of this article at my Examiner.com page here.

Read Full Post »

Radiohead

Radiohead are an English alternative rock band that formed in 1985 and consists of members Thom Yorke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar and piano), Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar and keyboard), Ed O’Brien (guitar and backing vocals), Colin Greenwood (bass guitar and synthesizer) and Phil Selway (drums and percussion).

The band released their debut album “Pablo Honey” in 1993, which featured the single “Creep”. The band’s popularity rose in the UK with the release of their sophomore album “The Bends” in 1995. But it was their third album “Ok Computer” – released in 1997 – that propelled them onto the international stage. This album also went on to be considered one of the landmark albums of the 1990’s. Radiohead’s next two albums “Kid A” released in 2000 and “Amnesiac” in 2001 showcased the band’s evolution in musical style, incorporating electronic music, post-punk and even jazz influences.

You can the rest of this article at my Examiner.com page here.

Read Full Post »

Caesars

Caesars is a Swedish alternative rock band, consisting of current members Joakim Åhlund (guitars and vocals), César Vidal (guitars and lead vocals), David Lindquist (bass), and Nino Keller (drums).

The band’s albums include: “Youth is Wasted on the Young,” which was released in December of 1998; “Cherry Kicks” released in 2000; “Love For the Streets” released in 2002; “39 Minutes of Bliss (In an Otherwise Meaningless World)” released in 2003; “Paper Tigers” released in 2005 and “Strawberry Weed” released in 2008.

You can read the rest of this article at my Examiner.com page here.

Read Full Post »

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour is a Danish alternative pop duo, formed in 2008, consisting of vocalist Mette Lindberg and producer Lars Iversen. However, when they perform live, they extend to a six-piece band with a horn section, featuring Miloud Carl Sabri (trumpet), Sven Meinild (saxophone), Mads Brinch Nielsen (guitar), and Rasmus Valldorf (drums). Iverson is the primary songwriter.

Their debut single, “The Sun Ain’t Shining No More“, was released in September of 2008 on their own ‘Small Giants‘ label. Around that same time, their demo was heard by Amy Winehouse, who asked them to be her opening act in Copenhagen. This was their first proper live show. Not long after that, their song “Around the Bend” – today’s Song of the Day – was chosen by Apple to be used in their new iPod Touch commercial to be aired worldwide. This song, of course, has become their biggest single to date, achieving recognition and sales around the globe and launching the band onto the international stage.

You can read the rest of this article at my Examiner.com page here.

Read Full Post »