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B-Sides Report for 07/31/2015



One Direction Surprise Fans With New Single 'Drag Me Down'

One Direction released a surprise new single entitled "Drag Me Down" early Friday morning which Sony Music says showcases a more mature sound for the group.

They released the song on Spotify and iTunes without giving fans any prior notice that it was on the way. There is no word if the track will be part of their forthcoming album, which is expected to be released sometime this fall.

"Drag Me Down" is the first new music released by the group since the departure of Zayn Malik, who announced earlier this week that he signed a solo deal with RCA records. Stream the new track at Spotify here.

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Meek Mill Releases Drake Diss Track Called 'Wanna Know'

(Radio.com) After almost a week of waiting, Meek Mill has finally released a diss track against Drake and Drake himself was quick to react. This is the latest move in the ongoing feud that began when Mills accused Drake of using a ghostwriter.

The track, "Wanna Know," produced by long-time Meek collaborator, Jahlil Beats, finds Meek rapping over numerous beats and includes snippets of what can only be called reference tracks of Quentin Miller ghostwriting for Drake. He also mentions the alleged Diddy confrontation with Drake early this year.

The response comes a few days after Drake released "Charged Up" and "Back to Back." Close to 30 minutes after Meek Mill finally released his Drake diss track, "Wanna Know," the Toronto rapper took to Instagram to respond. Drake uploaded a picture of himself laughing hilariously. See it here and check out the audio to the song here.

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Morrissey Claims He Was Groped By San Francisco Airport Security

(Radio.com) Former Smiths frontman Morrissey alleges that he was sexually assaulted while traveling from San Francisco International Airport. The incident, which he gives a highly detailed account of his fan website, True to You, reportedly occurred when Moz was going through security.

"Before I could gather my belongings from the usual array of trays I was approached by an 'airport security officer' who stopped me, crouched before me and groped my penis and testicles," Morrissey writes. "He quickly moved away as an older 'airport security officer' approached."

Coincidentally, Morrissey was being accompanied by two members of British Airways Special Services while traveling, who "were horrified at the sexual attack and suggested that I lodge a complaint."

In the post, Morrissey also describes the resulting confrontation between he and the security officer, before lamenting, in his mind, the futility of lodging an official complaint.

"Should you find yourself traveling through San Francisco International Airport, you should expect sexual abuse from the so-called 'security officers' who, we are unconvincingly warned, are acting only for our security," Morrissey wrote, signing off, "Do people have minds?" Read more here.

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Prince Releases Surprise Song 'Stare' Via Spotify

(Radio.com) Prince, noted fickle person when it comes to the utilization of streaming services, released a surprise new song on Thursday via the Spotify music streaming service.

The bass-driven track recruits a punchy horn section and tight harmonies, and even gives a sure nod to his 1986 classic "Kiss." As Billboard suggests, the premiere of the song via Spotify may signify a new partnership with the streaming service.

That means his upcoming album with 3rdEyeGirl called HITNRUN (which will release this year), might just be available on the streaming platform. Check out the track here.

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Trivium Release 'Silence In The Snow' Video

(TeamRock Radio) Trivium have returned with a brand new video for Silence In The Snow, the title track to their new album which will be released on October 2nd via Roadrunner Records.

Trivium have been posting various skull-filled cryptic tweets over the past week and snow.trivium.org has set the rumor mill in motion with its eerie sound and skeletal face hidden in the snow.

And now the Bloodstock headliners have finally unleashed the new video and title track from the new album. Watch the new "Silence In The Snow" video here.

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1000 Foo Fighters Fans Perform Learn To Fly

(hennemusic) 1000 Foo Fighters fans teamed up to perform the band's 1999 hit, "Learn To Fly", in Cesena, Italy on July 26 in hopes of convincing the group to play a show in their city.

"The Foo Fighters are not in Romagna since 1997, it's time to get them back, but we need a crazy idea,"reads the description on Rockin' 1000's website. "We have to organize something that kicks ass worldwide and can be seen by Dave Grohl: We will ask one thousand rockers to play one of their songs, all together and at the same time."

Rockin' 1000 creator, Fabio Zaffagnini, was thrilled with the event as he made a plea to the Foo Fighters to come to Cesena. "Italy is a country where dreams cannot easily come true, but it's a land of passion and creativity," he said. "What we did here is a huge, huge miracle. I've been working on this project for a year waking up every morning thinking about how to make it real.

"One thousand rockers that came from all over the nation at their own expense, and they just did one song - your song. So our call is to ask you, the Foo Fighters, to come and play for us." Read more and check out video here.

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Miss May I Release 'Deathless' Video

(TeamRock Radio) Miss May I have released a video for Deathless - the title track from their fifth album. It's set for release on August 7 via Rise Records and they issued a promo for I.H.E. earlier this month

Frontman Levi Benton spoke with Billboard about the new video and provided the following background information, "We got to film in an old run-down school that had a great dark vibe.

"The story for Deathless was to show that you can dream of something greater than where you are, and a peaceful place to reach for whether or not someone holds you back." Watch the video here.

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The Kansas City Royals Taking Inspiration From Fetty Wap

(Radio.com) According to a report by the Kansas City Star, Kansas City Royals players are holding each other to using the numbers "1738" in each of their post-game interviews.

What do those four numbers mean or come from? They are the first words that come out of the mouth of Fetty Wap on his hit single, "Trap Queen." That's also the name of Fetty Wap's crew and named after their favorite cognac liquor, Remy Martin 1738.

Mike Moustakas on a defensive play by Eric Hosmer: "Hoz picks that thing 17 out of 38 times." Check out some hilarious examples and a video which shows players like Lorenzo Cain using the 4 numbers here.

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Ricky Martin Announces North American Tour

(Radio.com) Ricky Martin have announced that he will be bringing his One World Tour to North America beginning September 15th with the first show in Las Vegas.

Martin will be accompanied by hip-hop artist Wisin and international pop duo, Ha*Ash (Hanna Nicole and Ashley Grace) on select dates. Martin's fans may know Wisin for his collaboration with Martin on the radio hit, 'Adrenalina.'

According to the promoter, completely the tour is "completely new and has been designed for a demanding public, with a great production, an incredible stage, elaborate choreography and the set-list includes both classic and new hits from his latest album "A Quien Queria Escuchar," the tenth studio album."

The tour includes 25 dates in the U.S. and Canada, ending October 25th at Amway Center in Orlando, FL. See the dates here.

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Keith Urban Releases 'Making Of John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16'

(Radio.com) Keith Urban has debuted a documentary short called 'The Making Of John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16". The 7-minute short film provides insight into the recording of Urban's latest and fastest selling single in nearly decade.

'We couldn't recall a song-specific documentary short that really gave a feeling for how a song comes together," said Urban. 'We're usually filming anyway and the evolution of 'John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16" really did happen in the studio, so we thought why not share some of the fun (and creative angst) that we usually have in the studio with our fans!"

Urban first played the new track at the 2015 CMT Music Awards. A decision he admits was risky, but paid off. 'It's always a roll of the dice playing a new song for a crowd that's never heard it, but this one, even with its fast-flowing lyricism, had an immediate response." Read more here.

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Saxon Release Video For Title Track Of New Album 'Battering Ram'

(Classic Rock) Saxon have released a video for Battering Ram, the title track of their forthcoming album. Battering Ram is the follow-up to 2013's Sacrifice, and will be released October 16.

Like Sacrifice, the album was produced by Andy Sneap at his Backstage Recording Studios in Derbyshire. "Andy has been in charge of everything with this album,' says singer Biff Byford. "I keep on overview of it all, but he's done a great job and we're both pleased with the results. We have a great partnership."

The song Battering Ram is about the fans who gather at the stage barriers at Saxon shows. "When I'm writing lyrics I like to switch back and forth between complex things, reality and rock'n'roll," says Byford. Watch the video here.

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Tink Releases 'Winter's Diary 3' Mixtape

(Radio.com) Twenty year old Trinity Home, better know as Tink, dropped her mixtape Winter's Diary 3 late Wednesday night. The ten-track tape features production credits from C-Sick, Soul Cookin, DJ Wes, Silly Tha Producer, Dre Native, D3, Jelan Abrams and of course Timbaland.

This is Tink's sixth mixtape and the follow up to Winter's Diary 2: Forever Yours that dropped back in January of 2014. Fans and media have already noted this release finds Tink singing more than on her previous tapes which may be clue to the direction of her forthcoming debut.

The Chicago rapper is currently signed to the Mosley Music Group, Timbalands' imprint at Epic Records. Her debut album Think Tink is scheduled to be released later this year.

Stream or download the mixtape here.

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Garth Brooks Tops Forbes' Highest Paid Country Music Acts List

(Radio.com) Garth Brooks is the king of country music. The singer topped the Forbes list of the world's highest paid country acts, stating that he's made $90 million over the past year.

Brooks took a thirteen year break from touring, making his comeback concerts a huge deal to fans, causing tickets to sell out at record speed. The singer sells each ticket for roughly $67, so all fans can come and enjoy his show. In Buffalo, Omaha, and Sacramento he played six shows and is the only top-earning artist to play two shows in one day.

Moreover, the financial magazine calculates that Brooks brought in "the biggest single-year payday Forbes has ever recorded for a country act." See who else made the list here.

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DJ Mustard, Ty Dolla Sign, iLoveMakonnen Release New Single

(Radio.com) Summer might be more than halfway over but that didn't stop DJ Mustard from releasing another contender for song of the season. Ahead of this weekend's HARD Summer, the West Coast producer shared a fizzy banger "in honor" of the festival.

Listening to the track, dubbed "Why'd You Call?," it's easy to see why he'd associate it with the EDM extravaganza. While iLoveMakonnen and Ty Dolla $ign usually align themselves with a confessional take on R&B and hip-hop, here they're in full day glo mode, crooning atop Mustard's towering wobbles and drops.

Still, they keep the lyrics personal. Makonnen, who handles the chorus in a more gravelly voice than we're used to, wonders "If you've got other numbers down, why'd you call? If you've been seeing someone else, why'd you call? Just to play with my heart?" Listen to the track here.

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U2 Members Jam With Tribute Band

(hennemusic) U2 members The Edge and Adam Clayton joined the New York-based U2 tribute band Unforgettable Fire at The Cutting Room in the city on Wednesday as part of a 20th anniversary event for fan site atu2.com

Rolling Stone reports the pair shocked the crowd at the 450-seat club with their surprise appearance, joining the tribute act for 1987's "Where The Streets Have No Name" and "Out Of Control" from their 1980 debut, "Boy."

"It was unforgettable and just insane," says @U2 founder Matt McGee. "I was just numb. Tribute Edge was standing right behind Real Edge and Tribute Adam was standing right behind Real Adam. There was such joy in their faces. I'm almost in tears watching how happy they were."

"It was mind-boggling," McGee added on Thursday. "Our whole crew has been trading texts all morning saying, 'Did that really happen?'"

The guitarist and bassist's appearance came on a night off from their 8-show residency at Madison Square Garden on the "Innocence + Experience" tour. Check out videos of the jams here.

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Faith No More Release Live 'Superhero' Video

(Classic Rock) Faith No More have released a live video featuring a performance of their track Superhero. It appears on the band's comeback album Sol Invictus, released earlier this year after the band reunited in 2009.

The promo was shot in May at the Fillmore in Detroit. Bassist Billy Gould said last month of fans' response to the album: "It's a relief - it's nice seeing something that gets received so well.

"I'm kind of wondering when the shoe's gonna drop and somebody's just gonna bash the sh*t out of this. Like, it's too good, the reaction." Watch the video here.

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Singled Out: Russkaja's Rock and Roll Today

Today Russkaja vocalist Georgij Makazaria tells us about the song "Rock and Roll Today" from their brand new album "Peace, Love & Russian Roll" which was released today (July 31st). Here is the story:

The song "Rock and Roll Today" is probably a track with the most Punk attitude that ever existed in the world of Russkaja. Between Balkan brass and hi-speed punk rock elements - this track is the right appetizer for our album "Peace, Love & Russian Roll".

The song is about that sometimes you just need to disappear from your daily life. Go somewhere, where you can dance your problems away. Realizing on the dance floor that there is no "real" music played, you shout out: DJ, blow me away, I need my Rock'n Roll today. A tribute to the energy of real music and Rock'n Roll.

We've created the video in a cartoon style and tell the story of the fight of real music, represented by Russkaja, against plastic music. The story plays in the space and its a fight of spaceships.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself as you watch the video here and learn more about the album right here!

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