THE STAR: RENEWED POWER AND STRENGTH

The Star brings hope, renewed power, and strength to carry on with life. It shows how abundantly blessed you are by the universe as evidenced by the various things around you. It may not be directly evident at the moment, for this card follows the trauma of the Tower card.

Remember that you hold within you all that you need for your fulfillment - the only thing that you need is courage. For this, you have all reasons to rejoice. To see this card is a message to have faith, for the universe will bless you and bring forth all that you need. Read More

HAPPY LABOR DAY 2019

Labor Day in the United States of America is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It honors the American labor movement and the power of collective action by laborers, who are essential for the workings of society. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. It is recognized as a federal holiday.

Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor. "Labor Day" was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which organized the first parade in New York City. In 1887, Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states in the United States officially celebrated Labor Day.

Canada's Labour Day is also celebrated on the first Monday of September. More than 80 countries celebrate International Workers' Day on May 1 – the ancient European holiday of May Day. (May Day was chosen by the Second Internationale of socialist and communist parties to commemorate the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago on May 4, 1886.

THE PRISONAIRES AND THE RISE OF SUN RECORDS

The Prisonaires were an African American doo-wop group whose hit "Just Walkin' in the Rain" was released on Sun Records in 1953, while the group was incarcerated in the Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville.

The group was led by Johnny Bragg, who had been a penitentiary inmate since 1943 when, at the age of 17, he was convicted of six charges of rape. The Prisonaires were formed when Bragg joined up with two prison gospel singers, Ed Thurman and William Stewart (each of whom was doing 99 years for murder), and two new penitentiary arrivals, John Drue Jr. (three years for larceny) and Marcell Sanders (one-to-five for involuntary manslaughter).

The Prisonaires were discovered by the radio producer Joe Calloway, who heard them singing while preparing a news broadcast from the prison. He arranged for the group to perform on the radio, a performance which was eventually brought to the attention of Sam Phillips of Sun Records.

Sam arranged for the group to be transported under armed guard to Memphis to record. A few weeks later, "Just Walkin' in the Rain" was released and quickly sold 50,000 copies.

Their success was such that they were allowed out on day passes to tour throughout the state of Tennessee. The band became favorites of the state's governor, Frank G. Clement, and frequently performed at his mansion.

The group's legacy was confirmed when "Just Walkin' in the Rain", written by Bragg, was recorded by Johnnie Ray.

They gradually became high-status figures in Tennessee, and never betrayed the trust placed in them by trying to escape their guards on their numerous forays outside the prison. A second single followed in August 1953, the highly spiritual “My God Is Real”, followed by “I Know” and its autobiographical b-side, “A Prisoner’s Prayer”. While recording it they made the acquaintance of Elvis Presley, who later visited them in prison.

When some of his colleagues had become eligible for parole, Bragg formed a new version of the band titled the Sunbeams with Thurman, Stewart, Drue, Hal Hebb (d. 1963), Willy Wilson, and pianist Henry “Dishrag” Jones.

This line-up lasted only until 1955 when Alfred Brooks replaced a pardoned Stewart and the group was retitled the Marigolds. They had a number 8 R&B chart success with “Rollin’ Stone” before changing their name to the Solotones for another single release, “Pork And Beans”.

By 1956 Bragg had been released and he recorded a series of singles under his own name for Decca Records. He was then arrested for “parole violation” in 1960 and his penalty was to return to prison for an incredible six and a half years. Bragg put together another version of the Prisonaires with new inmates, but they never recorded again.

On release, he recorded a number of singles for independent labels before finding work in a cemetery. He returned to prison for a third time at the end of the 60s and finally left prison for good in August 1977. Bragg continued to receive royalties for “Just Walkin’ In The Rain’ but was now content to sing only in church. Read More

 

NIGHT STALKER CAPTURED BY NEIGHBORHOOD CROWD 8-31-85

Aug 31, 1985, Richard Ramirez, the notorious “Night Stalker,” was captured and nearly killed by a mob in East Los Angeles, California, after being recognized from a photograph shown both on television and in newspapers. Recently identified as the terrifying serial killer, Ramirez was saved from the enraged mob by police officers.

After leaving an East LA bus stop he noticed a group of elderly Mexican women fearfully identifying him as "El Matador" (or "The Killer"), Ramirez saw his face on the front pages on the newspaper rack and fled in a panic.

After running across the Santa Ana Freeway, he attempted to carjack a woman but was chased away by bystanders, who pursued him. After hopping over several fences and attempting two more carjackings, he was eventually subdued by a group of residents, one of whom had struck him over the head with a metal bar in the pursuit. The group held Ramirez down, relentlessly beating him until the police arrived and took him into custody.

During the summer of 1985, the city of Los Angeles was panic-stricken by a killer who crept into his victims’ homes at night. The Night Stalker, as the press dubbed the murderer, first turned his attention on the men in the house, usually shot any men in the house with a .22 caliber handgun before raping, stabbing, and mutilating his female victims. He cut out one of his victim’s eyes and sometimes carved satanic pentagrams on the bodies before he left. Read More History

By August, the Night Stalker has murdered at least a dozen people, and law enforcement officials were desperate to stop him. One witness, who managed to note the license plate of the car in which Ramirez fled, led police to a single, partial fingerprint left in the vehicle.

Ramirez died on death row of complications secondary to B-cell lymphoma at Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, California on June 7, 2013. He had also been affected by "chronic substance abuse and chronic hepatitis C viral infection". At 53 years old, he had been on death row for more than 23 years.

 

THE AQUABATS! PLAYING SEPT 13 DETROIT'S MAJESTIC THEATRE

Rock’s Awesomest Super Heroes The Aquabats Celebrate 25th Anniversary with Release of Television Show Soundtrack, New Studio Albums, and Touring

In fall of 2018, thousands of Aquabats fans young and old stood up and proclaimed, “I am The Aquabats!,” by joining the band’s Kickstarter and raising over $690,000 – funding two new full-length studio albums and 12 web-exclusive episodes of their Emmy Award-winning kids’ show The Aquabats! Super Show!

Now the group carries that momentum in 2019 with their first release since 2011’s Hi-Five Soup! The Aquabats! Super Show! Soundtrack Vol. 1 is a 27-track genre-defying, high-energy celebration of the wackiness that made Super Show! some of the most unique kids’ TV in the last decade. Fans of the show and The Aquabats’ music alike will love getting their hands on never-before-heard extended versions of tunes from the show, including “Burger Rain,” “Feel My Steel” and “The Dude Theme.”

The Fury of the Aquabats!

Look for 2 new songs from the soundtrack to release on April 26, plus a video for the fan-favorite song “Feel My Steel” on May 15. The Aquabats! Super Show! Soundtrack Vol. 1 is available now on CD, vinyl and digital download.

2019 marks the band’s 25th year and promises to be one of their best yet. A full touring slate will span the summer, where we’ll see The Aquabats hit the road with longtime friends Reel Big Fish from June 28 to July 21.

The year will round out with West and East Coast headlining tours in the fall to coincide with the release of their first fan-funded full-length studio album in October.

About The Aquabats

TV’s punk rock superheroes The Aquabats formed in 1994 in Orange County as a way to have some harmless fun in a music scene that took itself too seriously. Their Paul Frank designed “power belts,” trademark blue rash guards, black eye masks, “anti-negativity” helmets and onstage antics quickly caught on, earning the group a fiercely loyal following that spans generations.

Their line-up and music is continuously evolving, including Blink 182’s Travis Barker as the former drummer "Baron Von Tito." To date, The Aquabats’ music library includes The Return of the Aquabats (1996), The Fury of the Aquabats! (1997), The Aquabats vs. The Floating Eye of Death (1999), Myths, Legends, and Other Amazing Adventures, Vol. 2 (2000), Yo! Check Out This Ride! (EP, 2004) Charge!! (2005), Radio Down! (EP, 2010), Hi-Five Soup! (2011).

Current Aquabats are Christian Jacobs, “The MC Bat Commander” (lead singer), Chad Larson, “Crash McLarson” (bass, vocals), Ian Fowles, “EagleBones FalconHawk” (guitar), Richard Falomir, “Ricky Fitness” (drums), and James Briggs, “Jimmy the Robot” (keyboards, woodwinds, vocals).

About The Aquabats! Super Show!

In 2012, the band debuted The Aquabats! Super Show!, a live-action musical comedy television series which aired on the Hub Network. Known for its bizarre humor, callback style and celebrity guest appearances (“Weird Al” Yankovic, Tony Hawk, Mark Mothersbaugh, Lou Diamond Phillips, Rhys Darby, Jon Heder, Paul Scheer and more), the show received eight multiple Daytime EMMY nominations and one win. Super Show!’s run was cut short when The Hub closed in 2014, leaving fans consistently asking for a return.

Follow The Aquabats!:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Youtube

ENJOY CLASSICAL MUSIC WITH THESE ESSENTIALS

The era of Classical Music started back in the 1750s in Western Cultures. It is well known for its highly sophisticated instrumental arrangement. Opera is a great example of classical music vocal form, there are others like choir and soloists. This art music contains several different acoustic instruments that are precisely arranged to create those beautiful tones.

You may want to consider looking into these essentials to keep enjoying this sophisticated art and getting into classical music in a way that will help you appreciate it to its full effect.

Good speakers

Classical Music is so powerful and complex, you need to break down those frequencies, arrangements, and instruments for your ears and mind. This isn't really possible through your phone or laptop speaker. You need to pamper yourself with the best speaker for classical music to enjoy those classical pieces and make your senses reach that magnificent music power. Try it and you might even feel like you are actually sitting in a music hall.

Keep A Notepad

A digital or real note pad is essential, to write down the composers you are interested in, a specific genre you enjoyed, or anything that gets your attention. Or if you see a specific music hall, you would like to research for later. There are so many aspects that make this genre of music so fascinating, so keep yourself informed.

Discover it Live

You can have access to all classical music online but that cannot beat your presence in a live performance. There are expensive concerts and there are some free or cheaper in big cities, but it is worth every penny regardless. It's an experience everyone should try. Sitting there watching the violin solo line and the hand of the conductor giving a start to the saxophone army, and both instruments collide with the sound of piano catching their frequencies. It's like instruments dancing all over the stage!

Identify Instruments

Using good speakers will also help you in identifying which instrument is playing. Get yourself familiar with all musical instruments names and sounds played in the orchestra, and start enjoying the different instrumental arrangements and combinations that create those beautiful effects. It will even help you to distinguish your favorite instruments in the orchestra- you may even consider learning how to play it!

Headphones

For a more convenient and faster solution for you to enjoy classical music, try to buy a good set of headphones that you can take everywhere. Studio headphones have more features than the ones made for your phone. One of the important features is to have a closed-back design. Try it on, you will feel you are detached from all the noise surrounding you as if you were in a room by yourself. Make sure the headphones are comfortable, and there is tonal clarity that helps you distinguish all audio details.

Classical music is so powerful and intense, you need those essentials to enjoy all its aspects. Repeat your favorite classical piece, each time you might listen to more musical details and can go to new places in your mind. Visualize the instruments and the musical notes and enjoy classical music.

THE NEW REGIME TOUR WITH ANGELS & AIRWAVES STOP IN DETROIT

Credit: John David Moffat

THE NEW REGIME COMING SOON

The New Regime's upcoming show in Detroit on September 20th will be at The Fillmore. The one-man band features Ilan Rubin (previous drummer for Nine Inch Nails, Paramore, Angels & Airwaves) The New Regime will be touring in support of their forthcoming EP Heart out on September 6th. Heart is part 1 of a 4 part EP series by The New Regime called Heart, Mind, Body, & Soul. Check out Heart HERE


(Los Angeles, CA) - Angels & Airwaves member (and Nine Inch Nails drummer) Ilan Rubin is serving double duty this fall. As frontman of the new rock act The New Regime, he'll be filling the direct support slot on Angels & Airwaves' North American fall tour. The multi-instrumentalist--also known for a successful stint with Paramore, as well as work with Beck, M83 and more--will be releasing new music to coincide with the trek.

The tour runs from September 4th in Tempe, AZ and wraps on October 9th in Los Angeles, hitting major markets along the way such as New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, DETROIT and more. Dates are already selling out, so make sure you purchase remaining tickets on The New Regime's website, HERE.

"I'm looking forward to the upcoming Angels & Airwaves/The New Regime tour for many reasons. I'll be playing new material from The New Regime's first release on RED MUSIC and Angels will be performing for the first time in 7 years with new material as well. Doing double duty every night playing in both bands will keep everything intense and exciting," states Rubin about the upcoming tour.

The New Regime is also excited to announce that fans can expect new music coming soon. Stay up-to-date on the band by following them on socials.

Follow The New Regime:

Website/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram

Rubin, whose young age defies the amount of work he's already tackled, was recently called "Nine Inch Nails' secret weapon" (Metal Injection) and "one of rock's most in-demand drummers" (Louder). He got an early start, playing in bands and touring globally since the age of 9. Today, however, it can be argued that the multi-instrumentalist's best work happens when this one-man-band is fronting-and backing The New Regime.

The band's previous releases have been featured by massive press outlets such as Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, NME, Alternative Press, and Modern Drummer and have seen them share the stage with Muse, The Killers, Nine Inch Nails, The Used, Juliette Lewis, Alice In Chains, and more. With new music slotted to come out soon, Rubin is looking forward to continuing to reinvent the wheel and becoming a master of his own regime.

THE NEW REGIME TOUR DATES
09/04/19 - TEMPE, AZ @ MARQUEE THEATRE
09/06/19 - AUSTIN, TX @ EMO'S EAST*
09/07/19 - DALLAS, TX @ HOUSE OF BLUES*
09/09/19 - ATLANTA, GA @ MASQUERADE (HELL)*
09/10/19 - ORLANDO, FL @ HOUSE OF BLUES
09/11/19 - CHARLOTTE, NC @ THE FILLMORE UNDERGROUND
09/13/19 - SILVER SPRING, MD @ THE FILLMORE*
09/14/19 - PHILADELPHIA, PA @ THE FOUNDRY AT THE FILLMORE*
09/15/19 - BOSTON, MA @ PARADISE ROCK CLUB*
09/17/19 - NEW YORK, NY @ PLAYSTATION THEATER*
09/18/19 - CLEVELAND, OH @ HOUSE OF BLUES*
09/20/19 - DETROIT, MI @ THE FILLMORE
09/21/19 - CHICAGO, IL @ HOUSE OF BLUES*
09/22/19 - ST LOUIS, MO @ THE PAGEANT*
09/24/19 - DENVER, CO @ FILLMORE AUDITORIUM
09/25/19 - SALT LAKE CITY, UT @ THE UNION EVENT CENTER
09/27/19 - SEATTLE, WA @ SHOWBOX SODO
09/28/19 - PORTLAND, OR @ ROSELAND THEATER*
09/30/19 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ THE WARFIELD
10/01/19 - LOS ANGELES, CA @ THE BELASCO THEATER*
10/02/19 - ANAHEIM, CA @ HOUSE OF BLUES*
10/04/19 - LAS VEGAS, NV @ HOUSE OF BLUES
10/05/19 - SAN DIEGO, CA @ HOUSE OF BLUES*
10/06/19 - SAN DIEGO, CA @ HOUSE OF BLUES*
10/08/19 - ANAHEIM, CA @ HOUSE OF BLUES
10/09/19 - LOS ANGELES, CA @ THE BELASCO THEATER
* = SOLD OUT