MT : Music Tube

How to Get a Free Song Download Every Week from iTunes

2008-08-25T11:59:06Z

The great news is that you can actually get a free song download from iTunes every week...if you know where to look.

Things You�ll Need:

iTunes account

Step1

If you don't have iTunes, you'll need to set up an account with them. Doesn't take very long and it's free.

Step2

On the home page, you'll see a graphic telling you which artist and song has been chosen as the week's free single.

Step3

Click, download and enjoy!

P.S You Can Get Free Songs from another Popular Music Service Ligamusic.com

Musical key to unlocking teenage wasteland

2008-08-06T16:27:58Z

A study, published in today's Australasian Psychiatry

journal, found that teens who listened to pop music were more likely to

be struggling with their sexuality, those tuning in to rap or heavy

metal could be having unprotected sex and drink-driving, and those who

favoured jazz were usually misfits and loners.

The findings prompted a call for doctors to include musical tastes as a diagnostic indicator in mental health assessments.

The

study's author, Felicity Baker, said yesterday: "There is no evidence

to suggest the type of music you listen to will cause you to commit

suicide, but those who are vulnerable and at risk of committing suicide

may be listening to certain types of music."

She said anAustralian study of year 10 students had shown significant associationsbetween heavy metal music and suicidal tendencies, depression,

delinquency and drug-taking.

An American study had also

shown that young adults who regularly listened to heavy metal had a

higher preoccupation with suicide and higher levels of depression than

their peers.

Deliberate self-harm and attempted suicide

were also associated with teenagers who listened to trance, techno,

heavy metal and medieval music as part of the Goth subculture, while

those who attended dance parties were much more likely than their peers

to be taking drugs.

Some genres of rap music, such as

French rap, were linked to more deviant behaviours, including theft,

violence and drug use. Teens who listened to hip-hop were usually less

troublesome, Dr Baker said. "But it's important to point out that music

doesn't cause these behaviours," she said.

"It's more a

case of teenagers who may have a mental illness or are involved in

these antisocial behaviours being drawn to certain types of music."

Michael

Bowden, a child psychiatrist and the head of medical programs at the

NSW Institute of Psychiatry, said most doctors already questioned teen

patients about their influences, whether from their peers, the internet

or music.

"Over the years there have been concerns about

suicidal themes in some music and whenever a famous person, such as

(Nirvana singer) Kurt Cobain, kills themselves we see a copycat effect

among teenagers," he said.

"But sometimes an adolescent's

musical tastes will reveal nothing. The key to understanding any

teenager is to treat them with respect by listening to what they have

to say, rather than typecasting them according to the type of music

they listen to."

WHAT STUDIES SAY ABOUT YOUR SOUNDS:

POP: Conformists, overly responsible, role-conscious, struggling with sexuality or peer acceptance.

HEAVY METAL: Higher levels of suicidal ideation, depression, drug use, self-harm, shoplifting, vandalism, unprotected sex.

DANCE: Higher levels of drug use regardless of socio-economic background.

JAZZ/RHYTHM & BLUES: Introverted misfits, loners.

RAP: Higher levels of theft, violence, anger, street gang membership, drug use and misogyny.

Author Terrance Dean�s Memoir �Hiding in Hiphop� Reveals His Search for Truth

2008-07-29T15:36:26Z

Ligamusic.com: - Author Terrance Dean has managed to give us four literary discs containing the lyrics of his life complete with chapter titles that will remind you of some of your favorite songs and expressions. In his sophomore project �Hiding in Hip-hop�, we travel with him through a life that many can relate to but none can narrate the way that he does.

Complete list of Hip-Hop Releases

For months the book was talked about, blogged about and speculated about - yet many of those who seemed the most �knowledgeable� about the world that Dean was bringing to life felt cheated by not getting the dirt that many supposed �tell-alls� offer. Many felt the content didn�t match the hype. For those who were looking to confirm their suspicions about the personal lives of some of the entertainment industry�s most famous names and faces were greatly disappointed, however, one thing that was consistent throughout was what you would expect of a true memoir: the author�s personal search for truth.

How many of us can imagine growing us as a child that by the age of four had to deal with being in the apartment with his mother while she was being raped only to have a gun put to his head afterwards, threatened with death. Can you relate to finding out your mother has full-blown AIDS and to not only lose her but two siblings to the disease as well? How many can keep their sanity as a teenager after being molested and left to answer why did it have to happen to you? Dean experienced all of this and more. He writes: �As a teenager, everything for me was trial and error. I watched adults and did what they did or I read books on a subject to learn more. I hated that I didn�t have a father to explain to me the things I was going through� Since I had no real direction, I tried to figure out things on my own.�

Before the molestation, Dean had no desire to be with someone of the same sex. Afterwards he found himself curious, leading him into the world that was known as the �DL�. For some the main question they ask is why not just be gay? Why the lies and double life? Much of it had to do with being a man in the black community in a professional environment, especially the entertainment world. Dean explains it this way: �It�s hard as hell to be an educated, smart, and attractive gay black man in the black community. We don�t openly discuss it nor do we tell everyone. The white gay community tends to be more accepting and tolerant of gays in the business.�

Being raised in the church, Dean struggled with what he felt and what he had learned was right and wrong in the eyes of God. �Many nights I cried, praying to God, asking and pleading with Him to take away my sinful homosexual thoughts,� he writes. �Man, I wanted to be straight. I wanted to live my life as a heterosexual man with a wife and kids, but I couldn�t shake my urges for men. I knew this would be my burden for life.� At one point he even wishes for a pill that could take away his feelings, but no such remedy existed. Later he would consider pills as a literal way of ending his pain and his life. The conflict was just that real.

From �track� to �track� we see how he searched for love in the wrong places, hoping to find something that could be real in the world of lies he was carefully creating for himself and those around him. In full disclosure, Dean wasn�t always the victim. His actions hurt others, something he readily admits. One of the most agonizing events seem to be when he cheats on one of his girlfriends with her own cousin. Trifling, yes, but he became so convicted by his betrayal that he ended both relationships-something that wasn�t easy on either front, but something he felt had to be done.

As far as celebrities are concerned, his encounters do include those who are known as prominent figures in various facets of entertainment; but the book is not about them really at all. If anything their importance is only in the fact that they, too, found themselves in the careful dance between the worlds of self and self-preservation.

Another clue to some of the characters in author Terrance Dean�s explosive memoir �Hiding In Hip Hop� came over the 4th of July Weekend 2008. On his blog, while recapping his trip to the Essence Music Festival, Dean talks about being on the same flight as �Eli� from his book.

In the blog posting he says: �Yes, the award-winning rapper/actor was sitting directly in front of me. When he glided into the boarding area and proceeded toward check-in, everyone�s head was turning. Men gawking, women covering their mouths gasping, and I all could think was that the ladies do love them some Eli.�

After �Eli� discovered who was sitting behind him, Terrance Dean continued by writing: �Eli gets up and goes to the bathroom. When he returns he stands in the middle of the aisle and stares at me. My first thought was, �Oh, shit. We are about to fight on the plane.� But, he stood in his b-boy stance because I think it all comes rushing back to him. Yep, he recognizes me. He didn�t say anything. You should have seen the look on his face. It was priceless! He took his seat and occassionally glanced back.�

In Chapter 17 of Dean�s memoir, we find out more details about �Eli� and the sexual trist he was involved in inside his own label.

Though Dean admits he had never thought �Eli� was gay before the revelation of his friend �Corey�, he writes: �Eli was a burgeoning superstar who parlayed his marketability into television and movie credits. He even had a promising clothing line. But every man�s got needs and Eli�s needed tending to.�

There were many like Eli that came into the author�s life. He describes it this way: �Hip Hop is a male-dominated culture with lots of machismo, testosterone, and ego. The more hetero a person is, the more accepted he is� It is an environment filled with hardcore young men overcoming a life of struggle and obstacles to make it to the top as the ultimate hustler. However, when Hip hop is mentioned what doesn�t come to mind is gay men.�

With all that the book does tell, there are some things that are left for us to wonder? For example as a �hidden track� to Dean�s story, on Father�s Day he reflects that though his father was not in his life, he is involved in his son�s life. Yes, you read it correctly: Terrance Dean is a father. This is something that was not discussed in his memoir, nor do we know who the mother is.

With maturity and the beginnings of what I call self-love, the author makes the decision to want to be just who he is. It was something that he went back and forth on, but the time had come when he wanted to live his truth for no one but himself. What he couldn�t have expected was the love and support that came with the decision, and with that came a new mission for him in dealing with the industry that he so loved.

�Hiding In Hip Hop� is a tell-all, but not the kind that you may have come to expect. It tells us that with adversity and trials we have really two choices. You can allow it to consume you entirely, wallowing in your own pity and lot in life; or you can do what Terrance Dean has done: use your life experiences to become a more refined human being that has learned from the past and now helps others to heal themselves by doing the same. These are reminders that like our favorite songs should be put on repeat for us to remember when things seem to be at their worse.

Striking a �Nerve�

2008-07-11T07:53:56Z

View COMPLETE LIST of Rock releases added during July 11, 2008: 277 albums. ACROSS THE Arabian Peninsula, rock bands have had little public exposure and even less luck getting signed to a major label. But for metal veterans Barney Ribeiro and Rami Mustafa, the dream of success never died.

When their death metal band Nervecell was formed, few could predict the overwhelming public reaction and loyal underground following that came from this untapped market.

In a region that has traditionally ignored this genre of hardcore controversial rock, Ribeiro remained defiant in his belief that Middle East acceptance would come from raw unhindered passion.

Nervecell is a raw juggernaut of sound that has paved metal through the sands. Sitting down with City Times, the guys break down their struggle, their music, and their passion for everything hardcore.

Tell us about your beginnings. How did the band form, and did you struggle to find your sound?

Barney: It was back in 2000 when Nervecell was formed. I used to jam with anyone who could play an instrument and as soon as I found musicians who liked heavy metal I stuck with them. I remember when I formed Nervecell with our first drummer Hatem back when we were actually a 5-piece band. We started off just like any other local group playing all the battle-of-the-band competitions and any underground gigs. We found ourselves building a fan base instantly right from our very first gig. I believe when we went up and played live, we were like no one else. Our sets were always energetic and intense and the crowds absolutely loved us for that.

It was wild man, those were the glory days.

Some people call you one of the pioneers of heavy metal in the Middle East. Do you feel that this title is deserved, and how does it make you feel?

Rami: It�s great to hear that! Actually we do go back a long way in the music scene and Nervecell definitely kept metal alive and inspired many in Dubai and all around the region. We do what we love to do which is play metal music and we worked independently and passionately achieving many great things in our careers.

Death and thrash metal are all but rare in the Arab World. Did you ever expect to find success here when others doubted you?

Rami: Actually, death metal and any sort of extreme music is really underground in the region, simply because of the lack of media exposure and mainstream acceptance to metal music. But we never really thought of how hard it would be for a metal band or ever doubted our success.

We just did what we wanted to do regardless if metal was big in the region or not, and we played the style of music that we wanted to play... that�s what�s really important. We�ve got many metal fans from the Middle East and the rest of the world who enjoy our music and their support is what really motivates us to keep writing brutal music.

With a large growing fan base, does it surprise you that so many Middle Eastern youth, from Cairo to Dubai, have supported and followed you so loyally?

Barney: Well to be honest if asked this question two years ago I guess I would be surprised. However after touring and headlining festivals in Cairo and also as far as Australia we feel really proud of our accomplishments.

Obviously the music matters the most and that�s what got us to where we are today. I actually feel quite honoured when we get requests from other parts of the world asking us to play at their festivals, it only shows that if you believe in your music you can really take it places. That�s exactly what we do, we write this sort of music because we absolutely love it and we are more than thrilled that we get to share it with the many fans all over. It�s the best feeling ever knowing you got people from as far as Slovenia or Costa Rica banging their heads to something you composed in your bedroom here in Dubai.

What is it about your music that keeps you passionate to do what you do each day?

Barney: Well music is all about passion. Heavy Metal comes from a lot of struggle and sacrifice, because there is no room for posers in metal music. I�ve been listening to metal music since I was 12 years old and all I can say is that there is a lot of blood, sweat and tears in our music and that�s what keeps us going.

You have played alongside heavy hitters in the rock scene. Did you ever imagine the success?What do you think set your band apart from the rest?

Rami: When we first played with Sepultura and Machine Head, both being the two metal bands Barney and I grew up listening to, that was a dream come true for us! We never thought of seeing them play live in our lives, let alone sharing the same stage with them! It was definitely a sign of success for Nervecell, for all the hard work that paid off for us. It wasn�t easy at all to just go there and open up for these bands, we go back a long way in the scene playing tons of live shows.

All that brought us the first chance to play the biggest festival in the Middle East alongside the big names in metal. What really set us apart is the hard work we went through, being passionate and professional in what we do. We did everything on our own and didn�t really wait for anybody to do it for us... from playing shows, travelling for tours, recording albums, promoting ourselves and everything in between. Of course we reached to the stage where we wanted a push to the next level and that�s when we got selected by big festival promoters CSM that gave us the opportunity to play the biggest festival in the region.

In the music industry, it is so easy for others to define you and your sound. How would you describe your music and what do you want fans to ultimately take away from your tunes?

Rami: We play a mixture of metal styles; it is really hard to have one title or name for it. We are definitely a death metal band, simply because of the guttural growling vocals and blast beats in the music.

But we also incorporate many thrash metal, melodic death metal and progressive metal elements in our music, which gives a wider spectrum to our sound. We add hints of oriental/ Arabic music especially in the guitar solos, but again without overdoing it. We tend to write groovy and catchy riffs, the sort that gets stuck in the listener�s heads forever.

Do you feel there is an element of rebellion in heavy metal music? Do you think this inherent rebellious nature is what Middle Eastern fans flock to?

Barney: Yeah sure there definitely is an element of rebellion in metal music, it may not be due to any particular reason though.

Everyone is rebellious in his/her own way so it really depends from person to person. Metal heads generally like this sort of music because they can relate to it more easily when bands sing about pain, suffering and torture. It�s not necessarily promoting vulgar acts, its more like alerting them of what�s out there and helps them relate to something they experienced in their lives. It could be anything from losing a friend to being bullied at school. For most people heavy metal helps them take out their frustration or anger positively.

The whole stereotypical thought that all metal heads are satanic and into drugs is so lame. Middle Eastern fans of heavy metal are actually no different from metal heads in other parts of the world.

We are all in it for the love of enjoying true and honest music and to me heavy metal kids are the most loyal around, after all it is a genre of music that is built mainly on support. Heavy metal unites people from all walks of life regardless of race, colour or your status in this world because in metal none of that ever matters.

Can you tell us about your latest album, Preaching Venom? Do you feel like you are following in the footsteps of the greats that came before you, or would you rather carve your own path?

Rami: We started recording the album towards the end of 2007 and released it in April 2008 in the Middle East and North Africa. The whole process was pretty much done from Dubai and all around the globe.

Coordinating and working with every person was really challenging but a lot of fun too. The reason why we wanted to work with so many people is because we really liked what they each did in their previous works and we wanted to achieve a professionally produced album. We definitely did something unique that no other band actually did in the region, but that was our intention; to bring all the great expertise to achieve our goal in this album.

When you play gigs outside the UAE, what kind of reaction do you get from foreign fans when they realise you�ve cultivated your sound in the middle of the Arabian Desert?

Barney: Well it�s more of a shock to them because they probably expect something exotic since we are based in Dubai, but we go out there and release our dosage of riffs and pretty much do our own thing... which to them is shocking because they really don�t expect us to play as brutal and extreme.

I guess in a couple of our songs there is a certain Nervecell sound that we maintain but in general they do get pretty impressed by our presence and charisma on stage. For us it�s an awesome feeling knowing that we are putting Dubai on the map for metal music rather than the usual seven-star hotel.

Hard Rock Hotels Selects MICROS OPERA Enterprise Solution for Central Solutions

2008-07-11T07:37:54Z

Complete list of releases added July 11, 2008. MICROS Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: MCRS), a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, is pleased to announce that Hard Rock International has selected the MICROS OPERA Reservation System (ORS: 1.16, -0.08, -6.45%), OPERA Web Suite (OWS), and myfidelio.net, as the core central systems solution for all future Hard Rock Hotels. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi and the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego are currently connected through this central systems solution and other franchised Hard Rock hotels are expected to be connected soon.

Hard Rock Hotels selected the OPERA Reservation System (ORS: 1.16, -0.08, -6.45%) to operate its central reservation office in Orlando, Florida where it will support close to 4,700 rooms. MICROS's "myfidelio.net" distribution layer provides Hard Rock Hotels hosted GDS and ADS distribution channel connectivity. Additionally, the feature rich functionality found in the OPERA Web Suite will provide guests real-time web connectivity to book reservations directly to the OPERA Reservation System. Finally, Hard Rock Hotels has also chosen to use MICROS's proprietary OPERA Xchange Interface (OXI) to allow both the ORS and the OPERA PMS real-time synchronization closely replicating a single database environment.

"We selected OPERA for our central solution because of its robust functionality, powerful web capabilities, and its ability to share data seamlessly across the various systems," stated Joe Tenczar, Sr. Director of Technology for Hard Rock International. "OPERA offers the ability to pass guest preferences from the Web booking all the way to internal Hotel systems, such as in-room entertainment. This allows Hard Rock to gather music preferences and have that genre of music playing when the guest first enters their room. Together with OPERA, Hard Rock will lead the way with preference- based system automation."

"We are honored to be selected by Hard Rock Hotels as its central solutions technology partner," stated Karen O'Neill, Vice President, Major Account Hotel Sales. "The flexible deployment options available will allow the technology to continue to evolve with Hard Rock's growing portfolio and dynamic requirements. MICROS is pleased to be Hard Rocks technology partner of choice."

About Hard Rock International

With 127 high-energy Hard Rock Cafes and nine Hotels/Casinos in 48 countries, Hard Rock International is one of the world's most globally recognized brands. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. In addition to the two flagship Seminole Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos in Tampa and Hollywood, Fla., Hard Rock Hotels/Casinos are located in Las Vegas, Biloxi, Orlando, Chicago, San Diego, Pattaya and Bali. Additional hotel and casino projects have been announced in Macau and Penang, both scheduled to open in 2009; Palm Springs, Atlanta and Panama, scheduled to open in 2010; and Dubai, scheduled to open in 2011. Hard Rock Park, located in Myrtle Beach, is the world's first rock 'n' roll theme park. Hard Rock International, Inc. is owned by Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment, Inc. For more information on Hard Rock, visit www.hardrock.com.

About MICROS Systems, Inc.

MICROS Systems, Inc. provides enterprise applications for the hospitality and retail industries worldwide. Over 310,000 MICROS systems are currently installed in table and quick service restaurants, hotels, motels, casinos, leisure and entertainment, and retail operations in more than 130 countries, and on all seven continents. In addition, MICROS provides property management systems, central reservation and customer information solutions under the brand MICROS-Fidelio for more than 21,000 hotels worldwide, as well as point- of-sale, loss prevention, and cross-channel functionality through its MICROS- Retail division for more than 90,000 retail stores worldwide. MICROS stock is traded through NASDAQ under the symbol MCRS.

The Skinny on Jennifer Hudson's New Album

2008-07-11T07:09:50Z

Jennifer Hudson New Releases 2008 (listen and Download). Jennifer Hudson is looking darn hot on the cover of her self-titled debut album!

And I am here to tell you that the Oscar-winner did not have any Mariah Carey-like retouching!

Yes, that's Hudson's waist and her ample top half. "She has a tiny waist," a source insists.

In other words...

Say goodbye to zaftig Effie White from Dreamgirls.

Now, let's get to the album. Hudson says touring could be next, after it's released in September.

"I got to get out there and meet the people and the fans," she told me when we chatted last month, shortly after the release of the album's first single, "Spotlight." "To me that is the best feeling in the world."

And there may be a new musical collaboration in the works, too. There's talk, Hudson says, of recording a song for the soundtrack of her upcoming movie, The Secret Life of Bees, with costars Queen Latifah and Alicia Keys. "It would be an honor for me to do a song with them," Hudson cooed.

No word if their fourth costar, Dakota Fanning, will sing backup.