Ezra Koenig

Ezra Koenig 

Photo: Monika Mogi

News

Vampire Weekend Release New Music, Announce Forthcoming Album Details

Facebook Twitter Email
After teasing the follow-up to 2013's 'Modern Vampires Of The City,' the band unleashes two new songs
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 24, 2019 - 12:10 pm

GRAMMY-winning indie rock band Vampire Weekend are done merely teasing new music after their mini hiatus; They've not only dropped two new songs, but have also revealed their forthcoming album, Father Of The Bride, will be out in the spring.

Days ago the band teased the follow-up to 2013's Modern Vampires Of The City with 120 minutes of the guitar riffs of one song, "Harmony Hall." Now fans can hear the full-length version of the song and another titled "2021."

The songs are two of the 18-tracks on the upcoming album, whose title was chosen by singer Ezra Koenig years ago, the band said in a statement.

While on break from releasing music with Vampire Weekend, Koenig co-wrote and produced "Hold Up" on Beyoncé's GRAMMY-winning Lemonade album and released a Netflix anime series Neo Yokio, while continuing to host his Beats1 show Time Crisis.

Brandi Carlile, Miley Cyrus, H.E.R. & Red Hot Chili Peppers Added To 2019 GRAMMYs Performer Lineup

Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson

Photo: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

News

Glastonbury Festival 2019 Announces Headliners Janet Jackson, The Killers & More

Facebook Twitter Email
Other performers include the Cure, Diplo, Sheryl Crow, Lauryn Hill, Janelle Monáe, Tame Impala, and Vampire Weekend
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Mar 15, 2019 - 12:05 pm

England's Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts revealed their initial lineup for 2019's June 26–30 event, held at Worthy Farm outside Pilton, Somerset. In addition to five-time GRAMMY winner Janet Jackson and previous nominees the Killers, 2019 Glastonbury is filled with a curated combination of the famous and emerging. Other GRAMMY winners on the lineup include the Chemical Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Diplo, Lauryn Hill, Mavis Staples, and Vampire Weekend.

In addition to the Killers, previously nominated artists performing this summer include Bastille, Neneh Cherry, the Cure, Miley Cyrus, Fatoumata Diawara, Liam Gallagher, Jon Hopkins, Hot Chip, Hozier, Janelle Monáe, Jorja Smith, Tame Impala, and Wu-Tang Clan.

One of the joys of a curated festival like Glastonbury is experiencing new acts, from the established to those just on the radar. Two accomplished artists who stand out are the band Interpol and British rapper Stefflon Don. Others include Anne-Marie, Billie Eilish, Michael Kiwanuka, Lizzo, Pale Waves, Cat Power, Latin GRAMMY winner Rosalía, Sharon Van Etten, Kurt Vile & The Violators, and Kamasi Washington.

Although Glastonbury 2019 has already sold out, the festival encourages those wanting to attend to register at their website for an April ticket resale.

Janet Jackson Announces Metamorphosis Residency At Las Vegas' Park MGM

Vampire Weekend

Photo: Ross Gilmore/WireImage

News

Vampire Weekend Add European Dates To 2019 Tour

Facebook Twitter Email
European capitals are added to the GRAMMY winners' extensive 2019 tour, kicking off this month
Phillip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Mar 14, 2019 - 12:38 pm

GRAMMY-winning rockers Vampire Weekend announced they're adding new Nov. dates to their emerging 2019 tour schedule. Their summer-through-fall North American dates were announced late Jan., and now new U.K. dates have been added as well as the European capitals Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris.

The band's upcoming Father Of The Bride or FOTB is scheduled for release on May 3 and will be Vampire Weekend's first album of new music since Modern Vampires Of The City was released in 2013. The album went on to win Best Alternative Music Album at the 56th GRAMMY Awards. Although Rostam Batmanglij left the group and stopped touring with them, he is still a collaborator. Fans are awaiting full details of FOTB's other collaborations, such as the Internet's Steve Lacy joining in on the latest release "Sunflower."

GRAMMY winner Ariel Rechtshaid produced FOTB, and other guest artists on the album reportedly include Haim's Danielle Haim, Jenny Lewis and the Dirty Projectors' David Longstreth.

"We've had three albums of the same voice over and over again," Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig recently told Rolling Stone. "I like the idea of opening up our world a little bit."

The video for "Sunflower" also features an appearance from GRAMMY-nominated comedian Jerry Seinfeld.

More tour details are available at Vampire Weekend's website.

Vampire Weekend Release New Music, Announce Forthcoming Album Details

Duff McKagan

Duff McKagan

Photo: Jim Bennett/Getty Images

News

Duff McKagan Teases New Guns N' Roses Album: "Oh, It's Real"

Facebook Twitter Email
Following the wildly successful reunion for the Not In This Lifetime... Tour, GN'R's bassist provides a promising update on new material
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Feb 25, 2019 - 5:26 pm

At this point, Guns N' Roses fans are used to two things: extended waits for new music and big surprises. The band's 2008 album, Chinese Democracy, came after a notorious 15-year hiatus, and their blockbuster 2016 reunion for the Not In This Lifetime... Tour shocked and delighted fans on its way to becoming the fourth-biggest tour ever. Questions about new music were bound to arise, and now GN'R bassist Duff McKagan is fanning the flames of anticipation for a new album.

"Oh, it’s real, but the fun part and the cool part about Guns N’ Roses is we don't really talk about it, and what happens next just happens,” McKagan said on the Trunk Nation radio show. "It’s never been that band that there’s a direct schedule of how we do things. I’ve heard some magnificent stuff that Axl [Rose] has, really cool stuff he’s been working on. So I’m excited about the possibilities with that, of course. I don’t mean to get anybody rabid. Our day will happen when it happens, that’s for sure.”

Earlier this month, the band's unmistakable guitarist Slash gave an equally hopeful yet murky glimpse into the new project. “Axl, Duff, myself and Richard [Fortus] have all talked about… there’s material and stuff going on already for a new record,” Slash said. “It’s just, with Guns N’ Roses, you don’t go, ‘Oh, there is a plan, and it’s gonna be like this,’ because that’s not how it works. So, basically, the only real answer to give is we’re hoping to put a new record out, and we’ll just see what happens when it happens.”

Guns N' Roses have been nominated for the Best Hard Rock Performance GRAMMY Award three times in their career. Last year the group released a sprawling 73-track box set to commemorate the anniversary of their 1987 debut, Appetite For Destruction. The collection, titled Locked N' Loaded, earned its art directors a GRAMMY nomination for Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package and gives fans plenty of music to enjoy from the GN'R archive while they eagerly await additional details on a new album.

Guns N' Roses' Appetite For Destruction | For The Record

Weird Al

"Weird Al" Yankovic

News

Where Does “Weird Al” Yankovic Keep His GRAMMYs?

Facebook Twitter Email
The song parodist and comedian has won four GRAMMYs so far, and is up for another golden gramophone at the 61st GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 10
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Feb 6, 2019 - 9:59 am

The first time four-time GRAMMY-winning song parodist and comedian "Weird Al" Yankovick received a golden gramophone in the mail, he had to assemble it himself; it came in two pieces.

"Oh, it's an IKEA GRAMMY," he says laughing. "You just like put it together on your own."

Feb 6, 2019 – 10:01 am

Weird Al Yankovic Shares Where He Keeps His GRAMMY

That year, in 1985, he won Best Comedy Recording for "Eat It" at the 27th GRAMMY Awards. Since then, he’s won three more times: Best Concept Music Video (“I’m Fat,” 1988), Best Comedy Album (Poodle Hat, 2003) and Best Comedy Album (Mandatory Fun, 2014).

"Every time I've won a GRAMMY, it's been a thrill—that never gets old," Yankovic says in the latest rendition of Where Do You Keep Your GRAMMY?

"Winning it the first time—I mean that's a big deal cause that sort of changes your life in way," he adds.   

While still in awe of his first-time win ("I mean, I was up against Rodney Dangerfield and Richard Pryor … when I won it was just unbelievable"), Yankovic just might earn a fifth GRAMMY to add to his already-crowded shelf at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, where he's nominated for Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package for Squeeze Box: The Complete Works Of "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Check out where Yankovic stores his four GRAMMYs, and don’t forget to tune in to the 61st GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Feb. 10 on CBS.

2019 GRAMMY Awards To Air Feb. 10, 2019, From Los Angeles