Lady Antebellum’s ‘Need You Now’–A Ripoff?

So what do you think? Did Lady Antellum rip off the Alan Parson’s Project? I think they are just in the same vein of style…Well, your opinion is?

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/ourcountry/75288/lady-antebellums-need-you-nowa-ripoff/

Lady Antebellum‘s “Need You Now” is one of country’s biggest success stories this year–it’s a certifiable crossover hit and has won several major awards, most recently Single of the Year at the 2010 Country Music Association awards last week.

Now, with all that said–here’s some food for thought. Is the trio’s smash single actually a ripoff of an early ’80s hit?

That may seem like a far stretch. However, some people are saying so–specifically, people related to the ’80s hitmaker in question, Alan Parsons of the Alan Parsons Project. Apparently, fans of the APP have been chattering about the similarities between “Need You Now” and the APP’s “Eye In The Sky,” a tune that approached the top of the charts back in 1982.

Alternative newsweekly Nashville Scene reported last week that a woman calling herself the “executive personal assistant” to Alan Parsons wrote in to their editor, claiming “Our fans are reaching out to us by the hundreds telling us how ‘Need You Now’ by Lady Antebellum is one of those ‘lazy rip offs’ of ‘Eye In The Sky’ by The Alan Parsons Project.”

If all this seems a bit out of left field, a fan of the APP took the liberty of creating the following mashup to drive the point home. The tempo and pitch of both songs have been altered a bit, but it is nevertheless rather an eerie match (at least in this example). Take a listen and see what you think:

Hanging with Faster Pussycat at Frankies with Murray

 

by rogue reporter Murray Carter 

Let’s see where do I began? Saturday, Nov. 23th, 2010 the Faster Pussycat band was coming to Frankie’s Bar in Owensboro, Kentucky. The Thursday prior my wife Katrina and I went and bought our tickets ahead of time to ensure our spot to see the show. The next night I sent out a Facebook friend request to Casey Carnage who books the bands at Frankie’s. Little did I know it was the best friend request I could’ve ask for him. I mentioned to him that I was working for KICKACTS magazine, which is a local online music mag owned by my good friend Chuck Gee. Casey Carnage told me he was the one who had gotten Faster Pussycat to play at Frankie’s bar. So I thought to myself what the hell, I’ll ask him if he thought he could get me an interview with someone from the band. Man the moment he told me he could I was stoked. I called Casey and asked if there was anything we could do to help and lucky for he needed a ride. That’s were our adventure began. Little did I know that Katrina and I would be hanging out with the band and driving them around Owensboro. First stop was Frankie’s to meet the band member. Tamie was the first to step out of the RV and shake my hand an Katrina’s too. Then we walked around back where the rest of the band and road crew exited the RV. Chad Stewart (drummer, Danny Nordahl (bass guitar), Xristian Simon (guitar), Ace Von Johnson (guitar), Thomas, their main man at getting everything set up and sound checks complete and Savannah, who sells all the faster Pussycat SWAG!! As the back of the RV opened up, we made a line and I went into roadie mode unloading equipment. It was pretty cool, the guys were real nice, laid back and always cutting jokes. As all the equipment finally entered the building, Chad asked Casey if we could drive Tamie to the hotel so he could rest and get ready. We said sure, come on let’s go! After dropping Tamie off Casey says the rest of the crew would like to know if we could drive them around to their meet & greet at FYE’s in the Owensboro Mall and once again we said YES!!While waiting for everyone to load up Thomas and Savannah mentioned they wanted a tattoo, so I had called my good friend Marty Owens and his son Chris McClure who own “Ink Mob studio” at 3525 Frederica Street in Owensboro. I managed to get them the “hookup”. So Katrina offered to drop them off at the Meet & Greet and then drive Thomas to the shop. What I didn’t expect was to be invited to hang with them at the Meet & Greet by Chad, who btw, is an absolute cool cat and jokester!! Katrina returned and hung out with us at FYE where we took photos and cut up and talked about the tour. 

Once again back on the road headed to the tattoo shop where Thomas was still getting his tat of a heart with devil horns and tail with his daughter’s Lily name in it. Now it was Savannah’s turn to check out what she wanted. While they were getting work done Katrina and I drove the rest of the band back to the venue so they could sound check and get ready to head to the hotel to get ready for the show. Katrina and I headed back to INK MOB studio’s to wait for Thomas and Savannah. Savannah got a TCB with a lightning bolt on her thumb. It came out pretty cool! Before heading back to the Venue the four of us grabbed sandwiches at Penn Station. It’s funny we all got Philly Cheese Steaks!!! lol Now we’re back on the road headed to Frankie’s for the night. Danny invited us to come hangout in the RV parked around the back of Frankie’s and I said HELL YEAH!!!. Come on folks, who’s gonna refuse that offer??? Not ME!! We had a fucking blast; they are all cool as hell. When we went back to the bar Chad asked me if I wanted a Bud Light and we all know I’m not passing up a free beer. Danny Nordahl was doing shots of Jack Daniels and JagerBombs. Chad comes up and tells everyone to get ready Tamie is on his way. Thomas asked for my helping finishing up the last minute sound checks an asked me to stand on the side of the stage and make sure no one disturbed the equipment on that side. I truly felt privileged. Crowds yelling and screaming!! The house was packed!!Everyone’s’ on stage and here comes Tamie wearing a fur coat, Nazi hat, totally cool looking and ready to rock!!The band starts playing and everyone I saw was having a blast dancing, screaming and having the best time in their lives!! They played their songs like “Bathroom Wall, “House of Pain”, “Non Stop to No Where” and others!! Even though I didn’t get to get my interview I got to hang out with the members of Faster Pussycat!! So there you have it!!  The awesome experience of my wife Katrina and I hanging out with FASTER PUSSYCAT!!! oh and Chad, if by chance you read this. Thanks for our wonderful experience hanging with ya’ll. And to Casey Carnage, my new FB friend many THANKS TOO!!!!! Last but not least, thanks to KICKACTS for letting me cover the story!! 

Peace out~ 

MadDawg Murray \m/ \m/

FIREHOUSE TOMORROW NIGHT AT FRANKIES~!~Nov. 19th

Mr. Big Ready To Return In January With ‘What If…’

Courtesy of www.sleazeroxx.com and www.frontiers.it.

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the highly anticipated European release of MR. BIG’s new studio album entitled ‘What If…’ on January 21st 2011. The North American release, also on Frontiers records, shall follow in February with more exciting details to be announced!

‘What If…’ is MR. BIG’s first “all original” album since the reunion of the four original members, Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpey back in early 2009. Sixteen years after the release of ‘Hey Man’, the new recording is set to bring back MR. BIG on the height of the current Hard Rock scene.

Guitarist Paul Gilbert said, “This is the first MR. BIG album I have been a part of since fourteen years, and it was done in a snap. It was fun and we had really a good time in making this one”. Continues Billy Sheehan, “It’s so great to be back with Paul, Eric and Pat too. We wrote this record like we did in the old days for the first 2 records. Jamming together in the same room to write songs”. Pat Torpey adds, “Some of the recording process is different now from what we were used to in the old times. But I think this record really managed to capture the performances of the band, not of the individual musicians”.

Eric Martin concludes, “I like to compare this to the first album, when we just got to know each other in a reharsal studio and cut it in 8 or 9 days. This is like chapter 2. We had so many years, so many records and so many things behind us. Now this feels like a beautiful brand new chapter starting for all of us”.

‘What If…’ was produced by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Rush, Iron Maiden) and the release will be followed by a World Tour which will kick off in South America in March and will hit Europe in early summer.

Formed in 1988, Mr. Big forged its place in hard rock history by combining trademark “shredding” musicianship with awesome vocal harmonies. The original line-up – vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Pat Torpey. Mr. Big produced numerous hit songs that ranged across a wide array of rock genres – be it ballads, heavy metal, or blues rock.

Their hits included “To Be With You” (Billboard Hot 100 number one single in 15 countries for weeks in 1991, propelling the band the band to huge international success and record sales in the multi-millions), “Wild World”, Green-Tinted sixties Mind”, “Just Take My Heart”, and a host of heavy metal songs that were played mostly during their live performances: “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy”, “Addicted to that Rush”, “Colorado Bulldog”, and “Take Cover”.

‘What If…’ will be released in a special edition CD + DVD in digipak, regular CD, vinyl and digital download and in a limited edition luxury box including the CD, DVD, LP and exclusive memorabilia.

‘What If…’ tracklisting includes: Undertow; American Beauty; Stranger In My Life; Nobody Takes the Blame; Still Ain’t Enough for Me; Once Upon a Time; As Far As I Can See; All The Way Up; I Won’t Get In My Way; Around The World; I Get The Feeling; Unforgiven (exclusive bonus track for Europe / North America – not on vinyl edition).

The DVD will include the videoclips of “Undertow” and “All the Way Up” plus a documentary “Making of” the album including interviews and exclusive behind the scenes features of the four members.

The first single “Undertow” will have an official promotional launch on November 27th.