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John Cage: Organ playing 639-year-long piece changes chord

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The composition titled “Organ²/ASLSP (As Slow as Possible),” known for being the longest and slowest music piece in existence, reached a noteworthy moment on Monday as it changed chord for the first time in two years. Avant-garde composer John Cage initiated this experimental project in 2001, employing a specially-built organ for its performance. The composition, set to conclude in the year 2640, attracted crowds to a church in Germany, where volunteers added a new pipe to the mechanical organ to introduce the latest chord.

The unique musical endeavor began with 18 months of silence, and the first notes were only heard in 2003. The score, spanning eight pages and intended for piano or organ, carries the instruction to be played as slowly as possible without specifying an exact tempo. This recent chord change marked the 16th alteration in the composition, with the last one occurring exactly two years ago on 5 February 2022. According to the project’s website, the next scheduled chord change is set for 5 August 2026.

John Cage, an American composer who played a pivotal role in experimental and avant-garde music during the 20th century, passed away in 1992. His most famous piece, “4’33”,” is unconventional in that it instructs musicians to refrain from playing their instruments. Instead, listeners experience the ambient sounds of their surroundings during the four minutes and 33 seconds of the performance. The extended rendition of “Organ²/ASLSP” was born out of a meeting of musicians and philosophers following Cage’s death, employing a mechanical organ designed for practicality using an electronic wind machine and sand bags to create a drone-like sound.

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Elon Musk says he withheld Starlink over Crimea to avoid escalation

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Elon Musk has stated that he refused Kyiv’s request for access to his Starlink communications network over Crimea to avoid being complicit in what he viewed as a significant act of war. Kyiv had urgently requested to activate Starlink in Sevastopol, a major Russian naval port. This decision came to light following claims in a biography by Walter Isaacson that Musk had deactivated Starlink to thwart a drone attack on Russian ships, which a senior Ukrainian official argued allowed Russian attacks on civilians.

According to the official, Musk’s refusal to allow Ukrainian drones to use Starlink led to Russian naval vessels launching Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities. The official questioned why some people were defending Musk’s actions, which he deemed as promoting evil and assisting war criminals.

The controversy emerged alongside the release of Walter Isaacson’s biography, which suggested that Musk had deactivated Starlink in Ukraine due to concerns that an ambush of Russia’s naval fleet in Crimea could trigger a nuclear response from Russia. Ukrainian forces had reportedly targeted Russian ships in Sevastopol with submarine drones carrying explosives, but they lost connection to Starlink, resulting in the drones washing ashore harmlessly. Starlink terminals connect to SpaceX satellites and have played a crucial role in maintaining internet connectivity in Ukraine amid the conflict.

Musk countered the book’s claims by stating that SpaceX had not deactivated anything, as Starlink had not been activated in those regions to begin with. He explained that there was an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol, with the clear intention of sinking most of the Russian fleet at anchor. Musk believed that complying with this request would make SpaceX explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former prime minister, supported Musk’s stance, suggesting that Musk was the last reasonable mind in North America if Isaacson’s account was accurate.

In the past, Musk had emphasized that Starlink was not intended for use in wars and had been primarily designed to provide internet access for peaceful purposes, such as education and entertainment. He called for a truce, expressing his belief that Ukrainians and Russians were sacrificing their lives for small pieces of land, which he considered not worth the cost of human lives.

Musk had previously generated controversy by proposing a plan to end the conflict, which included recognizing Crimea as part of Russia and allowing residents of seized regions to vote on their preferred country. This proposal received criticism from figures like Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov, who called it morally flawed.

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Subtract: Ed Sheeran album praised by critics hours after copyright ruling

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Ed Sheeran has received positive reviews for his latest album, titled Subtract, which was released shortly after he won a court case in the US regarding plagiarism. The album takes on a more introspective and somber tone, and is a departure from his previous albums.

Sheeran had intended for Subtract to be more acoustic and stripped-down to reflect its title, but during the songwriting process, he opted for newer songs that directly referenced the personal challenges he faced in 2022. Critics have noted the album’s darker tone and its reflection of Sheeran’s difficult year, which included the death of a friend and his wife’s cancer diagnosis while pregnant.

Subtract marks the end of Sheeran’s series of albums named after mathematical symbols, which also includes Plus, Multiply, Divide, and Equals.

According to a music critic, Ed Sheeran’s new album Subtract mostly features his signature acoustic folk-pop style and appears to be a reflection of his emotional turmoil. Despite its occasional lack of poeticism, Sheeran’s sincerity in his lyrics is evident.

The album features collaborations with The National’s Aaron Dessner, who also worked on Taylor Swift’s lockdown albums, resulting in a more subdued and introspective sound. Neil McCormick of the Telegraph praised Subtract, giving it five stars, noting that Dessner’s subtle guidance allowed Sheeran’s emotional immediacy to take center stage, resulting in a deeply personal and atmospheric album of therapeutic self-healing.

The album ended up being less strategic than originally planned, making it all the more interesting.

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Ed Sheeran releases tribute to friend Jamal Edwards on SBTV

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Nearly a year after Jamal Edwards’ passing, Ed Sheeran released a song called F64 in his honour. It was made available on Edwards’ music service SBTV, where Sheeran first found success more than a decade ago.

The video for the song was shot at Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge stadium because Edwards had been a lifetime supporter of the team. Brenda Edwards, the mother of the DJ and businesswoman, has also been advocating for greater CPR training in order to bring attention to her son’s passing.

In February 2022, Jamal Edwards, age 31, passed away from a heart arrhythmia after using recreational drugs.

Brenda Edwards said she was proud to continue on her son’s legacy and that he always helped people when speaking on BBC Radio 5Live on Thursday.

“It’s spurred me on to continue to do the same that he used to do – he had such a big heart and he was so giving to so many.

“I was honoured to have the time with Jamal, he inspired me on a daily basis and his legacy continues to inspire me and so many people,” she said.

On his YouTube music station SBTV, Jamal Edwards is credited for helping to start the careers of Dave, Jessie J, and Sheeran.

He offered guidance and funding for the creation of music and videos for up-and-coming musicians.

Early in Sheeran’s career, Edwards supported his music, and in 2010, he uploaded a performance video to YouTube.

Stuart Camp, who is now his manager, noticed it and gave him a record deal with Atlantic.

Sheeran raps about spending more than a week with Brenda Edwards after Jamal died in his freestyle song, which has a language advisory.

With Jamal’s name written out on stadium seats visible in the background, the 31-year-old Grammy Award winner is illuminated in the stadium by a circle of candles.

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US R&B singer B. Smyth dies of rare lung disease at 28

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According to his brother, US R&B artist B. Smyth passed away at the age of 28 from respiratory failure. According to a video older brother Denzil put on Instagram, the musician had pulmonary fibrosis.

He remarked, “My brother lost his battle with his lung illness earlier this morning. Before signing with Motown Records and recording music with 2Chainz and Future, B. Smyth started his career by uploading covers to YouTube. He continued by saying that his brother had “never thought” of having to deliver such bad news.

Breathing becomes more challenging as a result of the scarring of the lungs caused by pulmonary fibrosis. It is uncommon in those under 50, but there is no known reason. The Florida-born musician, Brandon Smith, first achieved popularity by uploading covers of songs by Michael Jackson and Frank Ocean.

He signed a record deal with Motown in 2012, and a year later his debut single, Leggo featuring 2Chainz, was made available. He also collaborated with Future on his 2013 hit Win Win, and released songs with Young Thug and Rick Ross.

His best-known singles also included Twerkoholic, released in 2014, which has been streamed 20 million times on YouTube and 13 million times on Spotify. The follow-up, Twerkoholic Part 2, came out last month while he was in hospital.

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Avicii’s family sell music rights to Abba star’s company

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The Swedish entertainment company Pophouse has purchased 75% of the master recording and publishing rights from Avicii’s family. Avicii’s parents will be able to focus on the foundation they started after his passing in 2018 thanks to the agreement.

To “maintain a respectful tone” in the way his music is utilised and promoted, they keep the remaining 25% of his rights. Björn Ulvaeus, an Abba member, founded Pophouse in 2014, which manages the London production of Abba Voyage. The business published sales data for the ground-breaking virtual concert for the first time in a press release announcing the Avicii contract, with 650,000 tickets sold and more than 160 sold out shows.

Tim Bergling, better known by his stage name Avicii, was born in 1989. He became well-known after uploading tracks he’d recorded in his Stockholm bedroom to dance music websites.

He distinguished himself from his contemporaries by crafting songs with emotive pop hooks, and Wake Me Up, a tune that fused folky, bluegrass melodies with club-ready sounds, became a massive international smash.

Bergling went on to make music for Madonna and Coldplay and to become one of the highest-paid DJs in the world, but he also battled alcoholism and despair, and at the age of 28, he committed suicide.

Since then, Klas Bergling and Anki Lidén, who are in charge of managing his estate, have organised a star-studded memorial event, obtained a video game licence based on his music, and inaugurated an interactive memorial museum in Stockholm.

The Swedish House Mafia master recordings and publishing assets were purchased by Pophouse six months prior to the Avicii agreement. There is no known cost associated with the acquisition.

Similar agreements have shown up a lot during the past five years, with musicians like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Shakira, and Blondie selling the rights to their catalogues to businesses that pledge to protect their legacy while pocketing the profits.

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Beyoncé is criticised for using an offensive lyric on her Renaissance album

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Beyoncé has come under fire for some of the lyrics of her new album, Renaissance, which contain an ableist slur. The offensive phrase, which is frequently used to belittle persons with spastic cerebral palsy, appears twice in the song Heated, which Canadian superstar Drake co-wrote.

Only a few weeks prior, US pop sensation Lizzo issued an apology for using the same phrase in her song GRRRLS. Disability rights activist Hannah Diviney claims that Beyoncé’s latest song “feels like a slap in the face” after that occurrence. She tells the BBC, “I’m tired and angry that we’re having this topic again so soon after we got such a profound and forward-thinking response from Lizzo.

Disability advocacy Beyoncé is being urged by Scope to redo the song without the insult.

According to media manager Warren Kirwan, “Words matter because they perpetuate the negative sentiments disabled people deal with on a daily basis.” Beyoncé has long fought for equality and inclusivity, therefore we implore her to take down this insensitive line. The Beyoncé team has been approached by the BBC for a response.

According to Nikki Fox, a BBC disability journalist, “It’s so annoying because it’s so catchy.” But that word is awful. Although we acknowledge it is occasionally used differently in the US, it is a word we would never, ever use in the UK. Fox points out that there are 11 writers on the song, and multiple people at Beyoncé’s record label would have approved it.

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Some Russians’ songs will be banned in Ukraine’s media and public venues

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The Ukrainian parliament has approved a ban on some Russian music in the media and public venues. The prohibition will not apply to all Russian music; rather, it will apply to music made or performed by Russian residents or those who lived in Russia after 1991.

Artists who have spoken out against Russia’s war in Ukraine may be excluded from the ban. The Act also makes it illegal to import books from Russia and Belarus. Many people in eastern and southern Ukraine have long felt a deep bond with Russia, and many of them speak Russian as their first tongue.

However, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many Ukrainians have expressed a desire to distance themselves from Russian culture.

Some Russian music is prohibited from being aired or performed on television, radio, schools, public transportation, hotels, restaurants, cinemas, and other public venues, according to a measure voted by MPs on Sunday. It received 303 of the 450 lawmakers in the Ukrainian parliament’s approval.

According to BBC Monitoring, the paper claims that the ban will “minimise the risks of possible hostile propaganda through music in Ukraine” and “raise the volume of national music products in the cultural arena.” Except for individuals who are Ukrainian nationals or were at the time of their death, the prohibition will apply to musicians who have or had Russian citizenship at any time after 1991, the year Ukraine declared independence.

By submitting an application to Ukraine’s security service, Russian artists who oppose the war in Ukraine might request an exemption for their songs. According to the BBC’s Ukrainian Service, they must affirm that they support Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity, call on Russia to immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine, and promise not to take any actions that contradict these written remarks.

According to Ukraine’s official broadcaster (Suspilne), the document also includes legislation to boost the share of Ukrainian music aired on the radio to 40% and to expand the use of Ukrainian in daily programmes to 75%.In a bill that runs concurrently with the one regulating music, books imported from Russia, Belarus, and the occupied Ukrainian territory, as well as Russian-language material imported from other nations, will be prohibited.

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Tom Grennan recovering after NYC attack

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Tom Grennan, a British singer, is recovering from a “unprovoked attack” that left him with injuries including a torn eardrum, according to his manager.

After performing in New York on Wednesday, the 26-year-old was allegedly attacked and robbed outside a Manhattan bar. As a result, he’ll have to cancel his Friday performance in Washington, DC.
At this year’s Brit Awards, Grennan’s song Little Bit of Love was nominated for song of the year.

“Tom was the victim of an unprovoked attack and robbery outside a bar in Manhattan in the early hours of this morning following his New York show,” his manager John Dawkins said in a statement posted online on Thursday evening. “Doctors are currently evaluating Tom’s injuries, which include a ruptured ear, torn eardrum, and a problem with his previously fractured jaw.” “Despite this, Tom is in good spirits,” he said, “but he will need to rest for a while while doctors assess his ability to continue touring.”

His manager went on to thank Grennan’s American fans, saying that the singer was “desperate not to let anyone down,” but that his Washington show had been postponed until further notice due to a “precautionary decision.” Mint Royale, an electronic producer, tweeted his support for the singer, writing, “Get well soon, sounds awful.”

“Sending love mate,” said presenter Rylan Clark-Neal. “Sending love to you bro,” DJ Mista Jam said.

Grennan rose to prominence as a guest vocalist on Chase & Status’s All Goes Wrong, and his solo album, 2021’s Evering Road, reached number one. The Bedford-born singer was nominated for two Brit Awards recently, including best rock/alternative act and song of the year, but lost to Adele’s Easy on Me.

As he opened up about his mental health struggles last month, he said that therapy had given him “light at the end of the tunnel.”

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Olivia Rodrigo, Silk Sonic, and Jon Batiste have all received Grammy nominations

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At the 64th Grammy Awards, Olivia Rodrigo, Silk Sonic, and jazz musician Jon Batiste shared the top prize.

We Are, by Batiste, was named album of the year, while Rodrigo was named best new artist and best pop album. Silk Leave The Door Open, Sonic’s soul throwback anthem, won both the record and song of the year awards. A tribute to Foo Fighters frontman Taylor Hawkins was paid during the ceremony, as was a video plea from Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

He urged musicians to “fill the silence” left by Russian bombs “with your music” in a pre-recorded message. “Please tell our story. Tell the truth about the war on social media and on television. However, there will be no silence.”
Following his speech, John Legend performed with Ukrainian musicians Siuzanna Iglidan and Mika Newton, as well as poet Lyuba Yakimchuk. Lil Nas X, Billie Eilish, and BTS all gave energetic performances at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and folk icon Joni Mitchell made a rare on-stage appearance to introduce Brandi Carlile.

The “big four” categories were expanded to include ten nominees each, making this year’s Grammys one of the most open in years. However, the Recording Academy prefers artists who acknowledge their musical roots, which helped Silk Sonic and Jon Batiste win their respective categories.

We Are, Batiste’s album, is steeped in black music tradition, from the New Orleans jazz he grew up with to Al Green’s classic soul to modern R&B.

In 2020, the title track was written in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the album’s themes of positivity and intergenerational wisdom made it a favourite with voters, who gave Batiste 11 Grammy nominations. Bruno Mars and rapper/drummer Anderson collaborated on Silk Sonic.

Plough a similar furrow, Paak. Leave The Door Open, their sumptuous ballad, is steeped in the 70s soul sounds of acts like The Chi-Lites and Earth, Wind & Fire, delivered with a knowing wink to modern sensibilities.

The duo were clearly ecstatic with their song of the year and record of the year victories.

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