andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Supervillain. World record holder. Piano Dueler. Piano Virtuoso. Rapper. Gonzales is obviously more than just a musician. His musical output went from alt-rock to electronica to rap to piano improvisations to 70’s throwback pop, and his next album is a collaboration with Boyz Noize. Obviously, this is a fellow you should be learning about. Check out his challenge to Andrew W.K. here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEBfkh_Dstg And you can see the final round of the duel (you can decide if he cheated) here: http://vimeo.com/6944245

A British school that lost all of its musical instruments in a 2007 flood has received a big helping hand from Coldplay.

The super group have purchased a $6,000 Kemble piano for St David’s School, a primary school in Moreton-in-Marsh.

After a neighbour told bassist Guy Berryman about the school’s plight, the band sprung into action.

“It is fantastic,” head teacher Bob Forster told BBC News. “I was impressed they cared enough to want to help. Music is important to St David’s and gives huge pleasure to people inside and out of the school.”

The children of the school have sent a thank you letter to the band, and will send photos of themselves with the piano.

Sing us a song, you’re the piano man’s ? daughter?

Alexa Ray Joel, daughter of singer Billy Joel and model Christy Brinkley, has decided she wants to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a singer, the Toronto Star reports today.

There’s only one problem ? she doesn’t have a record deal yet.

However, the Star says she has embarked on her career with money and support from her parents, and her MySpace page, which has become very popular. She has begun touring to get the word out

Joel will hit the Hard Rock Caf? tomorrow in Toronto to perform some of her songs.