Sleigh Bells are one of those bands you are either going to love or hate. They have just released a new video for Infinity Guitars which is taken from their debut album Treats. Sleigh Bells are lucky enough to be on M.I.A’s very own NEET Recordings label, so expect them to get a lot of press, both positive and negative.
M.I.A is really starting to gain momentum, and is on this week Billboard Magazine cover. The M.I.A article within Billboard covers everything from her recent twitter-blasts against the New York Times to her upcoming album.
M.I.A. had to say:
“I said, ‘Fuck the New York Times’.”
M.I.A also mentioned that she doesnt regret doing the story, but didnt go into much detail about the NYT article (I think we are all sick of hearing about it).
Billboard also talked to senior director of marketing Dyana Kass who said:
“She’s a controversial artist, and she always has been. That’s nothing new. When she does something it makes noise. That is what it is.”
British rapper M.I.A has continued her assault on the New York Times writer who wrote a slander piece on her last week. Inspired by the recent events she’s recorded a song entitled “I’m a Singer” as a response to the author and takes on all “journalists,” “haters,” and “racists.
Some of her lyrics include:
“So you wanna hear about my politics? I can show you things that would make you sick…And the story’s always f***ed by the time it hits/And why the hell would journalists be thick as s**t?/’Cause lies equals power equals politics.”
The original Times article, written by Lynn Hirschberg, contrasts M.I.A.’s lifestyle with her politicized image and music, particularly her connection to a militant Sri Lanka group, the Tamil Tigers, that has led some to describe her as a terrorist. Now that’s a powerful word! But according to M.I.A:
“‘I don’t want to make the same music, sing about the same stuff, talk about the same things. If that makes me a terrorist, then I’m a terrorist.’”
Shouty UK based provocateur MIA has made her controversial politica views very clearly known, both in her music and in the media, and her new video for the track ‘Born Free’ is a Swiftian satire (or perhaps that should be Morrisian), seeming to single out America for very strong criticism on foreign policy, but decrying racism more generally.
It’s impossible to disagree with the sentiment – prejudice and racism are universally execrable – but to what extent is the rapper using the ‘shocking’ content of her video to transmit a message, and how much is for the purposes of increasing her own notoriety? Whatever the case, the idea in the video is unoriginal: British comedienne Catherine Tate has already covered this issue in a somewhat less ultraviolent manner – see the vid below.
M.I.A. and Massive Attack will be headlining the UK Big Chill Festival, held at Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Herefordshire, Aug. 5-8.
Other acts confirmed to the play the Festival Republic-organized event, which celebrates its 16th year this summer, include Kelis, Roots Manuva, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Plan B, Mr Scruff and U.K. chart topper Tinie Tempah.
World-renowned artist Spencer Tunick will also be participating in the dance-themed event and will be calling on volunteers and festival-goers to disrobe for one of his infamous nude landscapes.
Weekend tickets cost £155 ($235) and are available to purchase from a range of ticket vendors, including www.ticketline.co.uk and www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
On Tuesday, M.I.A. tweeted a link to a music video without explanation, and the press (don’t make me say Blogosphere) jumped on it, full of speculation about what it could possibly be. Oddly, it turned out to be a new song called “Space Odyssey” that’ll be on her forthcoming album.
No big surprises, really. Every album release seems to be preceded by more or less official leaks these days, so why was thins one paid so much attention? It came on the back of some controversial statements that MIA made against the New York Times’ recommendation of holidays in Sri Lanka (where she’s concerned about civil violence), and it had both the seal of official approval and the element of mystery to it, to encourage speculation and conversation.
Replicating this buildup of momentum is possible even on a smaller scale. Any glimmer of notoriety for your band that can be tied into a current issue and subverted to your own purposes. Try and tie these things in to the release of your own new bit of hot content and you should see interest snowballing; people love following links, and the more meat you can put around an issue, the deeper people will explore it.
