FEATURES
The Reissue Section: November 2020
This month’s edition of the Reissue Section bounces all around the globe: from Athens, Ga. to Wales, from Berlin to Sacramento (and back to Athens again). Seriously, this COVID year continues to yield some of the best archival titles since they first started telling us that CDs were a dead scene. As if… Pylon – Pylon Box (New West Records) / Young Marble Giants – Colossal Youth (Domino) If we’ve learned anything from the recent barrage of TV show revivals, anniversary stories and video game nostalgia, we know the early 80s brought a major cultural sea change — especially on modern rock radio, as punk took on bolder forms against the backdrop of New Wave. Pylon (of Athens, Ga.) and Young Marble Giants (of Cardiff, Wales) were way ahead of their time at that pivotal p...
The Doors’ John Densmore on His New Book About Musical Heroes
In his post-Doors life, drummer John Densmore is as much, if not more, of a writer than a musician. The author of two best-selling books, Riders On The Storm and The Doors Unhinged, he began working on his newest collection, The Seekers: Meetings With Remarkable Musicians (And Other Artists), several years ago. Inspired by the George Gurdjieff book Meetings With Remarkable Men, Densmore’s newest work, out on Nov. 17, focuses on the mentors and musicians he says “fed him” over the years. Each chapter highlights a different musical icon, weaving tales of his relationships with bandmates Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek, alongside Bob Marley, Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Paul Simon, Janis Joplin and many more. The collection is a joyful history lesson for music geeks: Densmore is equ...
Porsche’s 904 Living Legend Reimagined the Most Radical VW Ever
Imagine a 1.2-liter Ducati L-twin, screaming its desmodromic song just inches behind your head—spinning 11,000 rpm, pushing something like 200 horsepower, and propelling your beautiful little carbon-fiber Porsche, which weighs a hair under a ton, through space. It’s a minimalist’s fantasy, the notion of a sports car reliant on a lack of weight rather than an abundance of horsepower to achieve remarkable performance. That’s a large part of the spirit of Porsche, and it was distilled into the 2013 904 Living Legend Concept. The car was light, lithe, and striking. For the first decade and a half of Porsche’s existence as a sports-car manufacturer, though, all of the company’s products fully embraced this philosophy. We think of Lotus as epitomizing the emphasis on weight reduction, but ...
Porsche Hid This Awesome Race Van Concept From Us All
You are looking at the Vision Race Service, a vehicle as delectably awesome as its name is lame. Created by Porsche‘s design team and built as a full-scale mockup in 2018, a real one of these would fit up to six people inside its sleek, Star Trek shuttlecraft–shaped body and, according to Porsche, slot into the family garage next to, say, a 911 or 718 Boxster. But this concept’s livery also nods to vans in Porsche’s past, namely the Volkswagen T1—that’s the Microbus—cargo vans and pickup trucks prominently used in the 1960s and ’70s as dealership parts shuttles and race-team support vehicles. The Renndeinst lettering on this concept’s flanks translates to “Race Service,” because of course, and is applied just below a debossed Porsche wordmark. Othe...
5 Ways Technology could Enhance PPP Projects
Sourced from TTEC.com The South African economy is expected to contract by up to 7.2%, reports Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. He says this will be “the largest contraction in 90 years”. And it’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has played a massive role in exacerbating the issue. According to the World Bank Blog, now is the time to prepare for public-private partnerships (PPPs) as these could play an increasingly important role in reshaping South Africa’s post-pandemic economy. Tumi Moleke, Head of the PPP Unit at Treasury, believes “the timing is perfect to mobilise the utilisation of the PPP model, and it is now paramount to deliver economic growth for the public interest.” What exactly are PPPs? /* custom css */ .tdi_3_1a1.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_1a...
Top 5 Dance Music Tracks You Need to Play at Your Wedding
For many, their wedding day is one of the most special moments of their lives. Of course, one of the main and arguably most fun components of the big day is the reception. To make sure you are prepared to throw down an epic wedding setlist, we’ve compiled the top five dance music songs that celebrate all things love. What makes up the qualities of the perfect wedding song is as diverse as the couples themselves. For some, throwing down face-melting bass music may be your go-to move. To be safe for all those who plan to have grandma and extended family in the midst, we’ve collected five tracks that will get even your mother-in-law excited to dance with you. “Music Sounds Better With You” – Stardust “Music Sounds Better With You” is the u...
NLE Choppa Talks Growth, Depression, ‘From Dark to Light’ LP & More
Source: Johnny Louis / Getty At the top of 2020, NLE Choppa was in a different state of mind. Granted, none of us knew what to expect as the year wore on, but as we were all forced to slow down and be still, the Memphis rapper found himself embracing the quiet moments. “I’m a helper and I’m a healer.”—NLE Choppa From time to time, anyone can catch Choppa online, either tending to his garden, making a vegan breakfast or meditating in his backyard. In October, he tweeted: “I didn’t change. I just found myself.” Two months before in August, the rapper released his debut studio album Top Shotta, a nod to his Jamaican heritage on his mother’s side, but admits that by the end of recording it, he felt drained and listless. The fiery, devil-may care energy of Choppa’s music simply wasn’t mov...
Underground Vibes | 058
GunFight – “Virtual Séance” Bringing fresh and atmospheric industrial techno vibes to the table, GunFight’s latest offering, titled “Virtual Séance,” is arguably one of his best to date. “Just Friends” – YAMAN & Robbie Rosen Coming to bedroom-based label Esc. Records for their latest release, YAMAN and Robbie Rosen join forces for “Just Friends,” an intricate pop-dance record. “Stolen Dance” – LILO Covering Milky Chance’s 2013 hit “Stolen Dance,” mysterious producer LILO showcases his skills once again, turning the indie tune into a dancefloor-ready house vibe. “Palace” – Perk Pietrek A 6-time DJ Battle Champion in Singapore, Perk Pietrek is as skilled on the production as he is behind the decks, and his latest release on Quality Goods Records definitely proves ...
Racism on the Road: The Oral History of Black Artists Touring in the Segregated South
“We were happy, we were singing, we were joyful, we were away from home for the first time, youngsters on a magical show,” recalls Martha Reeves, lead singer of the girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, who toured through the South as part of Motown’s pioneering tours in the early ’60s. “But being met with the hatred, it was alarming — especially when the bus was shot at.” Below, Billboard presents an oral history of Black touring artists in the ’50s and ’60s, including interviews with Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and one-hit wonders, stars from the Motown and Stax soul labels, and veterans of the Motown Revue and Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars. All remain shocked and angry at the racism they experienced, mostly in the South, but a...
How Telcos are Bringing Inclusion to Africa’s Financial Landscape
Sourced from IDG Connect Mobile financial services are a global game-changer with an open money network being the connection needed between the financial industry and telecom to increase both the commercial and social benefits. As the world grapples with an unprecedented crisis in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are cautious to use cash or making a withdrawal from an ATM and agent network. This has given mobile money a new dimension as customers can make payment anywhere at any time with their mobile devices as easy as sending a text message in geographies that are normally unable to benefit from banking structures. This allows customers to seamlessly purchase products or services without having to physically hand over cash or swipe a card. The freedom to send, spend and recei...
EDM.com Presents “Quarantini Chats” Episode #9: Plastik Funk
Whether they’re bedazzling eggs with rhinestones, baking their own sourdough from scratch, or concocting absurd cocktails, those in the social media community at large have embraced their creativity during their time in quarantine. Harnessing that creativity and manifesting it into the dance music community, EDM.com’s Instagram Live interview series “Quarantini Chats” invites the brightest music producers and DJs in the game to join our platform and craft a custom cocktail as they sip and dive into a wide range of topics with our special guest hosts, The Hotel Lobby. Dance music vet Plastik Funk is joining EDM.com for the ninth episode of “Quarantini Chats.” The German powerhouse is a mainstay on the biggest dance music labels in the world and is re...
Can the 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV Compete With BMW and Mercedes?
The new Escalade isn’t just for loyal Cadillac buyers anymore. Even German-brand fans should take a serious look at the redesigned Escalade, which has upped its game after watching the segment leapfrog it in the years since its comparison win in 2015. After spending some time in a loaded $113,565 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV—that’s the long-wheelbase Chevrolet Suburban-sized model—we have some thoughts on how the Cadillac excels and and how it falls behind the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. The Luxury of Choice The Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator offer one luxury that Mercedes, BMW, Infiniti, and Lexus probably never will—two available sizes. Offering this additional layer of customization allows buyers to zone in on what they really want from a full-size three-row luxury ...
