Frankie Knuckles tributes, Amen Break royalty update, the unexpected return of MySpace and Roland goes modular?
Jay Z’s Tidal streaming service launches. Gawker reports: “The entire music industry stood on a stage in a collective display of how rich and out of touch they are. They think you are willing to pay up to double the price of other streaming music services to pay for their streaming music service, because they are crazy.” The 16 celebrity co-owners (combined net worth: $2.8 billion) pledged their commitment to the cause that will “change the course of history” according to Jay Z. Watch above.
Frankie Knuckles Tributes. Chicago comes together at events across the city, paying respect to the godfather of house music Frankie Knuckles, a year since the he sadly passed away aged 59. Boiler Room hosts a tribute at Chicago’s Smart Bar, and the lineup includes Knuckles-favourite Elbert Philips, owner of Gramaphone Records Michael Serafini, and one of Knuckles’ close friends DJ Derrick Carter, the Guardian reports. Elsewhere, Elton John and Underworld discuss what the DJ means to them here, and Defected release a commemorative compilation with all profits going to The Frankie Knuckles Fund and The Elton John Aids Foundation – find out more here.
Sample State launch Hector Couto artist pack. The Spanish producer’s Underground House pack contains over 800MB of samples, including 100 drum loops, 40 bass loops, 22 chord loops, 20 acid loops, as well as single drum hits, pads and FX. Check it out here.
UDG launch new Urbanite backpacks. Leading luggage manufacturers UDG have expanded their entry-level Urbanite range with the introduction of two new backpacks designed for controllers. Available in medium and large sizes, the two options suit a range of the most popular controllers from the likes of Native Instructions, Pioneer and Numark. Find out more here.
Roland Goes Modular? Rumours are developing about the possibility of new modular products coming from Roland as a part of their AIRA line, after a picture emerged showing something with the distinctive AIRA-shaded green knobs between a collection of Eurorack modulars and Japanese-manufactured Reon modules. Check it out above and find out more at Sonic State.
Amen Break Owner Finally Receives Royalties. Before an internet campaign was set up by British DJs Martyn Webster and Steve Theobald to raise money for Richard L Spencer, who wrote the arrangement of dance music’s most used sample ‘Amen, Brother’, he had received no royalties from its countless uses. But so far the GoFundMe has gathered more than £22,000 for Spencer, who now feels more at peace with it – “They didn’t have to do that – I didn’t even know them. Fifty years on, some young white boys that I’ve never met, halfway across the world said, ‘We’re going to give you a gift.’ It’s probably one of the sweetest things that’s happened to me in a long time.” Find out more and donate here. The BBC explores the history of the beat here.
A MySpace Comeback. Once the online spot for internet music and social media, MySpace may be making an unexpected comeback. It now has 40 million unique visitors per month, grew by 469% between 2013 and 2014, and has more monthly users than Vice, Snapchat and Vine according to reports. This has nothing to do with MySpace Tom, who sold his company to Murdoch for $580m in 2005, and is now travelling the world retired at 44 and tweeting at Britney Spears. Read the full story here.