All posts in: Friendly Fires

15 Jun 2011

In the News…

– Happy 23rd birthday to my favorite Gleek Kevin McHale!

Forever 21 is threatening to sue WTForever21.com blogger Rachel Kane for defamation and trademark infringement. [Source]

Pantone has released 175 new colors since 2003 bringing their current color roster to 2,100. [Source]

Anna Wintour accepted her Webby Award last night with a five-word speech: Sometimes, geek can be chic.

Watch the video of her acceptance here.

Natalie Portman has given birth to a boy! [Source]

Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris called off their wedding slash she became runaway bride. [Source]

Tobey Maguire is featured in Prada’s menswear fall/winter ad campaign. [Source]

Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa has trademarked “How easy is that?” [Source]

Victoria and David Beckham have asked Eva Longoria to be the godmother of their unborn child. [Source]

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants author Ann Brashares has written a fifth book in the series to be released as the girls go through adulthood. The book came out today. [Source]

Aritzia’s flagship store located in Soho will open tomorrow!

– The Nordstrom half yearly sale for men begins Friday!

– The St. Regis Hotel has debuted their 1,700 square foot Tiffany and Co. themed suite on the 14th floor. [Source]

The Foo Fighters are poking fun at tour riders by releasing a coloring book about their needs. [Source]

– Could Ben and Jerry’s possibly have a new flavor in the works called “Schweddy Balls?” [Source]

– There’s a new issue surrounding expecting mom’s to be called Mommyrexia for women who attempt at staying skinny while being pregnant. WOW… that sounds like the a terrible idea. [Source]

Facebook lost 6M users last month. Could the social networking website be at its peak? [Source]

– Can anyone explain why the windows of Seattle businesses and restaurants keep getting smashed? [Source]

– Two people died this past weekend at Bonnaroo. [Source]

– Come see the Friendly Fires on tour this summer and fall. [Source]

Atmosphere has announced the Family Vacation tour. [Source]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DPcudaoGwtk]

– Watch these kids react to Lady Gaga.

 

20 May 2011

In the News…

Fashion

– Miss Hailee Steinfeld is officially the new face of Miu Miu. [Source]

Justin Bieber is launching a fragrance for his fans called “Someday.” [Source]

Music

– People sometimes forget that riders exist for bands and musicians. Fulfilling Katy Perry’s sounds a little bit like a nightmare. [Source]

Selena Gomez’s new album cover is somewhat questionable. [Source]

Lady Gaga and Starbucks are collaborating on a scavenger hunt together! (Not sure what this means because I’m too lazy to read all the text and this is also the most random pairing ever, but here you go!) [Source]

Friendly Fires released their new album “Pala” yesterday. [Source]

Lady Gaga was named Forbes’ top celebrity. [Source]

Glee’s Matthew Morrison will join The Backstreet Boys and The New Kids on the Block on their tour this summer. [Source]

Television

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QXPfboeFX8&feature=player_embedded]

Kat Dennings makes her return to television in her new CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls. [Source]

– The judges from the current season of NBC’s The Voice will return for season two. [Source]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WbdAW-yrUwg]

Saturday Night Live promo Justin Timberlake

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GHdPMZu2_n8]

– Who’s getting excited for the return of Pretty Little Liars?! Summer TELEVISION, you are mine.

Seattle

– Starting today, you can now dine at Capitol Hill’s newest restaurant Skillet Diner and purchase your Capitol Hill Block Party tickets!

– This Saturday is Seattle University’s Quadstock, but as I’m sure you already know… it is for students only! Lucky us!

– Since you can’t make it to Quadstock, you should head on over to Cal Anderson for the first ever four-on-four dodge ball tournament. Sounds brutal. [Source]

oh Capitol Hill Seattle – you really are one of my favorite blogs!

Other

– Model Lily Aldridge married Kings of Leon front man Caleb Followill last week in a custom-made Vera Wang wedding gown. [Source]

Vogue Editor-in-Chief’ Anna Wintour’s daughter Bee Shaffer has fled to LA to work alongside Glee’s head honcho Ryan Murphy. While Bee is not working with Glee specifically, she is assisting him with his many projects that may or may not include Glee’s 3-d movie. [Source]

Essie’s Summer 2011 Brazilliant collection is on my must-have list. [Source]

James Franco has graduated from New York University. Which school will he end up at next? Correct answer – University of Houston in the fall. [Source]

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son Patrick is trying to drop his father’s name to take his mother’s. [Source]

Kia Grasty describes what it is like to clean up after “privileged” college students who are the sons and daughters of well-known people in the industry for a living with a $140,000 salary. [Source]

– A Hello Kitty theme park will debut in China in 2014. OH MY GOODNESS! [Source]

23 Mar 2011

Friendly Fires’ “Pala”

On May 16, Friendly Fires will release “Pala” after nearly three years since the release of their debut album.

Here’s the track list:

  1. Live Those Days Tonight
  2. Blue Cassette
  3. Running Away
  4. Hawaiian Air
  5. Hurting
  6. Pala
  7. Show Me Lights
  8. True Love
  9. Pull Me Back To Earth
  10. Chimes
  11. Helpless

Source

13 Dec 2009

Song of the Day

Tim & Jean – Come Around

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpcURomQPjM]

These guys are so freakin’ cute! I’m almost sort of refusing to believe that they are just 15 and 18, because it’s…illegal, but knowing that they are makes their whole project so much more impressive. The two hail from Perth, Australia and even though they only have a couple songs out right now, this one has been blowing up all over blogs. The song is super catchy and reminds me a lot of Passion Pit and Friendly Fires.

These guys are kids. Their age puts them at that level, but their talent and drive is incredibly refreshing. It’s nice to know that people at their age can still have ambitions and can work so hard to make things happen for them. So congratulations to them on their success and a great hit song!

27 Nov 2009

Out on the Town: 11/27

TONIGHT two of my new favorite bands will be performing in Seattle.

London’s The XX & Friendly Fires and…Holly Miranda

Neumos, 925 E Pike St, 709-9467. 8 pm, $12, 21+

10 Oct 2009

Meet: John West

I first heard of John West from my friend Gelesia. The girl has been my concert/show company for almost two years so naturally I trust her instincts when it comes down to good music. Over the summer, she sent me a video of a live John West performance and from that moment on I was sold. His entire CD was on repeat for at least a month while I was at home over the summer. John West is an artist that reminds me a lot of the Seattle music I listen to. Although I have never seen him perform, his songs are very catchy and relatable to a wide audience. Plus he sounds just as good live on his tracks as he does on his CD, which believe it or not, that is not always the case.. John is great, let’s make him come to Seattle ya dig?

Q: Where are you originally from and has that influenced your sound if at all?

John West: I’m from Baton Rouge, Louisiana originally.  I would definitely say the southern feel, particularly the jazz and blues of Louisiana have influenced the music I’m making.  But so did Erykah Badu 🙂

Q: When I was sixteen years old, I knew I had wanted to work with music and PR when I planned my first concert. At what point did you realize, this is what I want to do?

J: In college I was studying art – cartooning to be exact, but music was something that I had pursued since I was a little kid singing in the church choir.  It wasn’t until my last year of college, when I started my first real band that I was like “Hmm, I think this is my real passion.”  Also, some of my music had been selected for an end-of-the year concert thing at Columbia College in Chicago where I was graduating from (another town that influenced my music).  So that random opportunity inspired me to really go after it.

Q: What’s a typical day for John West, give us a run through.

J: Wake up 9:30am.  200 crunches and 100 push-ups – not really.  More like 20 emails and 50 friend requests on Myspace/Facebook.  I try to get a workout in three times a week.   Emphasis on the word ‘try’.  During the past summer, I’d be out on the Santa Monica Promenade 4-6 days a week.  So that’d be from noon-8pm usually.  I have  lunch meetings sometimes, and even afternoon naps.  I tend to work on writing/recording music in the evening.  I stay up late watching “Mad Men” and “Californication“.

Q: Pick one: John Mayer, Jason Mraz, or Jack Johnson and why?

J: Ha, I like this one.  I’m gonna have to say John Mayer because of that song he did with Alicia Keys.  But I think hanging out with Jack Johnson could teach me a lot.  And Mraz is just dope and making music that he loves to make – I think he’s the most interesting of the bunch.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkyFYKP7EvE]

Q: I follow you on Twitter, it sounds like you enjoy playing in lots of public places such as Third Street or the Promenade, why these places? I think it’s great that you are bringing the music to the public and expanding your fan base by the way, maybe more artists should do that!

J: Street performance is a great daily opportunity to get in front of hundreds if not thousands of new potential listeners, to refine your live show, to make a living, and to promote upcoming “traditional” shows.  It has it’s ups and downs, but I’ve been loving it this year.

Q: What is your guilty pleasure collaboration? Who would you like to collaborate with that your fans might find a bit surprising?

J: I would love to link up with Wil.I.Am, I think amazing things could happen.  Production is such a fascinating mystery to me.  There are some real geniuses out there.  Surprising collaboration?  How about John West & The Jonas Brothers? haha

Q: The music industry is a tough business to get into, what is one hardship you have endured and what piece of advice would you give to those who aspire to become a successful musician?

J: It takes time, and meanwhile you get older.  A hard thing to reconcile sometimes.  You have productive months, and then months where you feel lost.  My advice would be to make great music however you can.  I think it’s valuable to understand ProTools or Logic (two most popular recording software) so that you make your own music or at least communicate intelligently in the studio.  Promotion is so important.  Exposure.  Playing shows that make sense.  For more advice, email me.  I work as a new-model consultant haha

Q: What is on constant rotation on your iPod?

J: Pandora is my new iPod.  I love setting up a station around Friendly Fires and Cut Copy.  I like Thom Yorke’s new solo album (the single at least).  I want the soundtrack to “Away We Go”.  I like listening to jazz on 88.1

Katie note: I wholeheartedly recommend Friendly Fires and Cut Copy as well.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFklYQ0cI8w]

Q: Some of your songs revolve around love? Were these songs inspired by experience? What’s your idea of a perfect date and what traits do you look for in a girl?

J: Wow, what traits do I look for?  I just want someone real and kind.  Who loves to laugh and knows what it is to cry.  Besides that, who knows – there are wonderful people everywhere.  And yes, my love songs come from real experiences.

Q: Aside from yourself, who do you think is on the rise currently? Who should my readers be listening to?

J: I’m definitely no music expert, my finger is not on the pulse of the business, but I really dig that one rapper BluU-N-I are cool.  There are probably a bunch of great singer-songwriters I’ve never heard of that are awesome and about to get record deals.

Q: Are you considering touring at all? And if so, Seattle will make the cut right?

J: Girl, you know I’ve got Seattle covered.  Seriously though, expanding throughout the west coast is the next move for me.

Q: What’s new for John West? What can we expect from you in the next few months or year?

J: Autumn EP coming soon.  Big Roxy show on January 23rd.  Headlining on a Saturday night, wooo- new website in the works, more big moves coming soon 🙂

Me: Thank you so much John! Best of luck to you with your music and future!

J: Only two months late on the interview, but was my pleasure to answer your questions!  They got me thinking.

To listen to more of John’s music visit his Myspace