k-os Signs Shawn Hewitt to Record Deal

One of the best music writers in the country, Karen Bliss, reported this morning that k-os has signed Shawn Hewitt to his new label, Crown Loyalist Recordings, a collaboration of sorts with EMI Music.

Shawn Hewitt is the best artist in Canada that you have not heard or heard of yet. And if you have, you know he should have blown up by now, and he would have if it weren't for his fear of the music business, much like k-os.

Teaming with k-os is the best move Shawn can do for his career. From what I understand, he was hesitant to sign with a major label. Now, k-os can point him in the right direction and say, hey, majors aren't that bad, just be careful. So I hope and I predict that we'll be hearing Shawn's music on the radio soon.

I first heard Shawn Hewitt perform at the Funk and Soul Revival at the Reverb in Toronto in May of 2002, playing with Jacksoul and other jazz/R&B artists. I didn't write much about him at the time, other than:

Newcomer Hewitt proved worthy of appearing on the bill, blowing everyone away with his unique style vocally, and on piano and guitar.

I interviewed him that night and posted the audio, though the 5-year-old link seems to be broken so I'll try to fix that when I have some time.

I've seen him perform three times since.

At Canadian Music Week in 2004, I wrote:

Unfortunately, technological problems were not the worst thing he was dealt Friday night. Hewitt was just awful. He performed a medley of "love songs," as he called it, but at points during the set, he just hit the piano over and over again. It was awkward and laughable. But it wasn't a joke.Hewitt did show promise. Take away the weirdness to the set, and take away the long unneeded instrumental pauses in songs, and Hewitt is the near-genius that I saw the first time. He needs some work, but I'm still hopeful he can break into a superstar.

Hey, I loved the music he was making and want him to become huge, but I had to be honest.

Next, I saw him open for k-os at the Opera House in October of 2004.

Redemption!

Hewitt had a far greater stage presence than when he performed during Canadian Music Week a few months ago. He captivated the audience in his 20-minute set, performing coherently and confidently, and with the same soul that one expects from an artist like k-os.

And finally, I saw him play last at Canadian Music Week in 2005.

This year I'm happy to say that Hewitt was at his best. He was exciting, coherent, and engaging. Backed by a full band, he switched from guitar to piano, belting out his songs which he has perfected over the past few years.

Write this down: Shawn Hewitt is going to be a big star. Major labels are going to come calling soon. It will be up to Hewitt if he wants to sign with them.

Wow, I'm a prophet. Good luck, guys.

Behind the scenes: Katharine McPhee

We're making a tangible effort at andPOP to blog about every interview we do so after you read the profile of the artist we interviewed or watch the interview if we tape it, you can come to the blog and read a "behind the scenes" account of how the interview came together.

The number one question I have been asked since I started the site in August of 2000 (with Mike Levine) is "how do you get those interviews." The other is "who is the biggest asshole you've ever interviewed?" Hopefully, with these blog postings, those questions will be answered.

So we begin with Katharine McPhee, last year's American Idol runner-up who releases her debut album on Tuesday.

I was out interviewing Steven Seagal (an interview you can watch sometime in the next two weeks) and got back around 3 p.m. I checked my email to find out that there was a last minute opportunity to interview Katharine McPhee, and she was starting her phone interviews at 3 p.m. This was truly the first real, literal, "last minute" opportunity I have been apart of.

So I called the talented publicity manager up to see if we could still do it and was given the time of 5 p.m., which soon changed to 6 p.m., which came back down to 5:30 p.m.

Katharine was very open about everything I asked, from the sexy album cover to her battles with bulimia. She explained that she's always been an open person, so she didn't want to change that just because she became a celebrity.

She had already done several interviews going in-depth about going through an eating disorder so I didn't want that to be the focus. Difficult as it is to discuss, it's even tougher to talk about when you're given 15 minutes on the phone. Instead, we spent most of the time talking about the album.

For my first "behind the scenes" blog posting, I wish I could say that I got into a heated debate with Katharine or that she hung up the phone in a huff or that she said she wanted to beat up another former Idol, but this interview went pretty straight forward. She's quite the talent; should be interesting to see how her album does on the charts. The only successful runner-up has been Clay and his star is fading so it will also be interesting to see if she can remain in the public eye long enough to release another few albums.

The Raptors went on to beat the Celtics that night, much like they just did tonight, so it was a pretty good day.

A quote from Lindsay Lohan

No need to explain anything here, just read the quote from Lindsay Lohan.

I don't support what happened to John Lennon

Good to know you don't support the murder of icons. Now back to rehab.

As mentioned in the National Post

Woke up to find out Shinan Govani of the National Post mentioned this fair web site in his column today about Joss Stone's surprise Toronto performance.

As Adam Gonshor of the terrific Toronto-based site www.andpop.com mused after attending the concert, "Apparently Joss Stone went through a bad breakup. A horrible breakup. So bad, several of her songs on her upcoming third album are devoted to either the breakup, dealing with breakup or moving on. One is even called I Wish I Never Met You. The message couldn't be clearer."

And then flip to the Sports section for more words of wisdom from yours truly.

Joss Stone Surprise Toronto Concert

Joss Stone never disappoints.

The first time I saw her in concert was in 2003, before she released her album, at a small showcase in Toronto. I saw her again at the Opera House in 2004 and for the third time last night at the Docks.

It was a "surprise" last minute gig. I thought it would for sure be sold out, but I guess it doesn't matter who performed… if you don't actually announce a concert, people can't come. They sure missed out.

Check out andPOP's Music Page for my review.

And sorry for the grainy photo. No cameras were allowed so the fuzzy crappy camera phone shot is all I got.

Results of box office guessing game, week 2

My edu-guessing game didn't go as well this week, though I was pretty close with my top pick, Stomp the Yard, which came in at number one.

Primeval
Prediction: 5.5 million
Earnings: 6 million
Off by: 8.3%

Alpha Dog
Prediction: 9 million
Earnings: 6.1 million
Off by: 32.2%

Stomp the Yard
Prediction: 19 million
Earnings: 22 million
Off by: 12.6%

Arthur and the Invisibles
Prediction: 11 million
Earnings: 4.3 million
Off by: 60.9%

Overall
Off by: 13.1 million on a total of 38.4 million or 34.1 %

Man, Arthur and the Invisibles really screwed me.
So I earned a C- this week.

Weekend Box Office Prediction - Jan. 12

Here's the second installment of my box office prediction for new films. Read a few posts down to see how this works. I think after this week, I'll launch it on the site.

Primeval – no big names, though it's billed as a horror, but I'm still going to say bomb. Prediction: $5.5 million.

Alpha Dog – Justin Timberlake is in it but he's not the lead role. He's in the ads but not prominently. I've seen tons of commercials for this so I think it will get a respectable opening in limited release. Prediction: $9 million.

Stomp the Yard – another hip-hop dancing film. The kids love their dancing. I'll say it gets $19 million.

Arthur and the Invisbles – a cartoon… always tricky. Prediction: $11 million.

Stop Complaining About the iPhone's Price

I'm a big Mac fan, so this post may seem biased, but I think I have some valid points on why everyone should stop complaining about the iPhone and it's price and how it's going to fail and just listen carefully :).

What Apple is doing now with the iPhone, it did with the iPod 5 years ago. Remember when Steve announced the 5GB iPod?

If you forgot, here it is.




Watch it before you read the rest of this. Keep in mind that Apple was nearly dead just a few years before this and the iPod could have sent the company in either direction. But Apple took a risk. They released a music player that was ONLY available on the Mac and boy was it expensive. I mean who was going to pay $400 US when a disc-man was much cheaper.

Over the next few years we got larger capacity models and the price began to come down. Then finally, Apple took it mainstream by releasing a USB version for Windows. Along with its iTunes store, the rest was history. We now have iPods that sell for less than $100 and everyone can afford it. The iPod was years ahead of everything else out there.

Fast forward to Macworld SF, where Apple introduces its next consumer product, the iPhone. Again, Apple is following the same strategy. Instead of making this a Mac only phone, it's sold only through Cingular. In order for Apple to keep the product within a certain niche until it can refine the product and keep up with demand, they priced it at $499+.

It's identical to their iPod strategy. But what's different this time? Apple's brand is much stronger today. People love the iPod. People trust Apple. People love Apple's design and ease of use. And because of all of this, even at $499, people are going to buy buying up iPhones at a much faster rate than Apple can produce them at and over time, we'll see cheaper models with more capacity and features, just like we did with the iPod. It's a 3-5 year strategy that's just much more difficult to realize now, because of all the success Apple has had with its iPod.

So yes, as soon as this thing is available in Canada (maybe even before), I'm going to try and get my hands on one :)

Note: For those of you who can't wait to get one, why not make your own here.

Introducing Celebrity Noose

One of our talented writers, Nicole Feenstra, has started a new column that has just debuted on andPOP called "Celebrity Noose." She came up with the title a few weeks during a conversation (on MSN of course, who uses the phone these days?) in a matter of seconds and I believe it is the greatest title for a column ever. You can quote me on that... I just did.

So take a look at the first column. I hope there are many more to come.

On another note, here is an MSN conversation from seconds ago.

Adam: Celebrity Noose is up
Mike: is every one gonna be titled celebrity noose?
Adam: yes
Mike: ok do you wanna date it in the title then?
Adam: k
Mike: for Jan. 11
Adam: nah, i'll use a dash
Mike: k
Adam: damn i was looking forward to a lengthy "for" vs. " - " argument

The results of the box office guessing game

Let's see how I did in my first box office prediction.

I said Happily N'Ever After would earn $8 million. It grossed $6.8 million. Off by 15%

I predicted Freedom Writers would pull in $11 million. It pulled in $9.7 million. Off by 11.8%

And finally, I said Code Name: The Cleaner would bomb at $3 million. It did $4.6 million, still a bomb though my weakest prediction of the week. Off by 46.7%

So overall, I was off by $4.1 million (1.2 million, 1.3 million and 1.6 million); divided into the total of the three films and I was off by 19.4% this week.

Based on a new scale I am about to create, I earned a B. Not bad for my first week.

Within 12.5% = A
Within 25% = B
Within 37.5% = C
Within 50 % = D
50% and over = F

Music's Next Revolution

A commercial for The Game’s latest album just floated onto my TV screen. The album cover features The Game sitting on a bunch of rimmed out tires (possibly of the spinning variety). I’ve had this burning resentment festering in me since being introduced to the Ying Yang Twins some time ago on MTV’s Cribs -- two more idiotic and fundamentally embarrassing punks you could not find.

I look back on the beginnings of Rap and there was such freshness to it all. It was exciting: there was creativity; there was spontaneity; and there was purpose. Where has it all gone? Rap and Hip Hop, with some notable exceptions, have become the new Disco. It’s formulaic, garbage Pop. A Pop so weak, mind you, we should probably be calling it the New Coke.

Here is my official prediction. Soon the musical pendulum will swing back -- far from uncreative drivel we have become accustomed to, and back to profound, socially changing ideas expressed through music.

It will be a new movement in music. It will take one larger than life band to spark this new movement, and otherwise will follow. They will fight back against the status quo and Pop, as we know it, will die -- much like how Disco died.

This is on the cusp of becoming reality... can’t you feel it?

Soon enough all of the Hiltons, Lohans, Fergies, and Federlines will be but a distant, uncomfortable memory.

New Movie Box Office Column?

I had an idea for a weekly column on andPOP. Every Friday, I will try to estimate how much each new movie release will earn in its opening week. Then on Monday, we'll see how I did. I don't know if this is worthy of a weekly column, so I'm going to try it now in this blog and if it makes sense. We'll call this the beta-version of the column, which may never end up on the real site.

Happily N'Ever After – I've seen little-to-no advertising of this animated film, so my guess will have to be low. George Carlin is one of the voices, but his fans are a little too old to be seeing cartoons, just to hear Carlin's voice. Andy Dick, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. are also featured, but I can't imagine they have big enough fan bases to make an impact on the box office figures. However, it is a cartoon and cartoons seem to be making a lot lately. Despite that fact, I'm going to guess it opens with $8 million in receipts.

Freedom Writers - Here is a tough one to guess, because it stars an Oscar winner in Hilary Swank and it has been advertised more than any other film this week. But the story seems a bit weak and it's opening in limited release. My guess will be $11 million

Code Name: The Cleaner - I have to admit, I didn't even hear about this film until I looked up what is opening this week. Can Cedric the Entertainer really bring in a crowd? I'm going to guess bomb, $3 million.

Overall, looks like a dull week at the theatres. I'll check back Monday to see how I did.

Kenyon Martin=Devil

Football fans awoke on New Year's Day to devastating news: Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed when his limo was sprayed with bullets outside a club.

Inside that club in Denver, Nuggets player Kenyon Martin was celebrating his birthday and the club had advertised this fact leading up to the night.

When Martin was asked about the event, he said something startling. "I was there. He was there. I left. I saw him. That was about the extent of it. It is what it is. It's an unfortunate thing."

IT IS WHAT IT IS. That is what he said about a man shot dead at his party. IT IS WHAT IT IS.

Kenyon, you shot 4-for-21 and fouled out in the third quarter. Your response? "It is what it is." A cliché, but ok, we'll take that answer.

Kenyon, you're out with an ankle injury and will miss the season. How are you dealing with this? "It is what it is." Ok thanks Kenyon for this answer that we cannot use in our story. Let's move to Carmelo's locker.

Kenyon, a man was killed at your party. Have you something to say? "It is what it is." Do you have a heart, Kenyon Martin? Nobody is accusing you of anything. A man was shot dead outside a club where you were celebrating your birthday. We can't imagine you, who stands at 6-foot-9, could leave your party unnoticed, go outside, whip out a gun, and then shoot at a limo. I think someone would have seen you. So Kenyon, knowing that you did not kill a man and are not involved, what do you have to say? "It is what it is." You should be jailed for your ridiculousness!

Kate Moss and Pete Doherty's non-wedding in Phuket

Much time at andPOP meetings is spent arguing censorship. I am often the one saying we should never censor anything, while Mike -- the other decision maker -- is usually on the other side. I wouldn't mind offending every single andPOP reader, while Mike would love to avoid offending even a single person.

So it's great to come across a story such as Kate Moss and Pete Doherty's non-wedding because I know we won't be fighting. For someone running a site about celebrities, it's amazing how little I care about gossip, but for some reason, I take great joy in discussing how Kate Moss did not get married on the island of Phuket in Thailand. Something about this story sparks my interest and I want to keep following the Phuket story. I'm not a Libertines fan, nor a fan of any new music project Doherty becomes a part of. I also have no interest in anything to do with Kate Moss, past her prime by many years, if modeling has a prime. But their union in Phuket I am interested in. Phuket sounds like a great island to visit. Maybe my next vacation will be in Phuket.

I almost want to pack my bags right now so I could line the street leading up to the church, royal-wedding style, just in case they return to Phuket for a surprise Phuket ceremony.

On second thought, Phuket.