LONDON (Reuters) – A former goat herder and male stripper has sold twice as many records as Madonna in recent weeks to become the first Arab to top the British pop singles chart since records began 44 years ago. “Mashallah (Thank God) – it’s beyond dreams. To know that I’m the first Arab to do that, it’s a very proud moment,” Chico Slimani told Reuters in an interview. His debut single, “It’s Chico Time“, is enjoying its second week in the top spot. Born in Wales of Moroccan parentage, 34-year-old Chico came to prominence on prime-time British television talent show, “X-Factor“, where his personality, dance routines and cheeky grin compensated for his singing.Â
“I wouldn’t mind dueting with Madonna, so I can say, ‘Sorry for knocking you off the top spot’,” said Chico, after dethroning the Queen of Pop. Madonna’s “Sorry” was her 12th number one, but major music retailer HMV said Chico outsold her by a margin of two to one to peak the charts.
Nathan Asher and The Infantry are like an exceedingly more tolerable version of Bright Eyes or Ryan Adams with all the brilliance of reflective singer/songwriter rock without the obnoxious pretension. Drawing more similarities to classic heartland rock greats like Bruce Springsteen or Rhett Miller, Nathan Asher and The Infantry’s latest effort Sex Without Love has all the makings of an indie/underground hit with the accessibility for mainstream success. No matter your taste in music, a great song is a great song is a great song, and Sex Without Love has more than a couple of them. (4.95/5)
The Feds are one of the few modern bands that can bring the energy and fun of an arena rock show to a stage of any size. They have been a Dallas staple for years, selling out shows regionally. With the new release of their self-titled EP produced by Alex Gerst and Dave Castell (Blue October, Burden Brothers), The Feds are preparing to take their brand of music to a national stage. They have already sold over 1500 through touring, and recently shipped to retail. Picking up impressive college radio support throughout the region including KTXT, KRSC, KABF and many more. After sharing a stage with the likes of Hoobastank, Disturbed, Finch, Velvet Revolver and the entire Warped Tour line up, The Feds have proven they can not only hold their own, but put on a live show that puts most major label acts to shame.
For more information contact management Aden Holt at One Ton Music 214.760.4808. Lawyer is Jay Flemma (Bowling for Soup)
It seems odd to me that a Christian message is more accessible on mainstream rock stations than on AC or Hot AC. Not to stereotype Christians in any way, but knowing that the majority of what is available in the Christian music scape fits in perfectly with the style of music normally found on AC stations (soft rock, pop), it is surprising that the successful crossover bands are mostly in mainstream rock. POD, Chevelle, Evanescence, Creed, Mae, Anberlin, Flyleaf, Killswitch Engage, Dead Poetic, As I Lay Dying, Norma Jean, Switchfoot and many more have all made their impact on Active Rock and Alternative radio, as well as the more indie-leaning college stations, without compromising their clearly Christian themes. While a couple of these artists have also popped up on AC stations, the bulk of their listenership is coming from the rock world. I don’t doubt there are Christians in other genres, but it seems their messages must be veiled and vague to achieve the same level of success available to them in rock music. Why is this? Is there room for a clearly Christian artist in other formats?
AJ, KOAR
Bain Mattox – KOAR has been placing bets on Mattox for the last year and we are still in the game because we think he is the real deal. If you never heard of Bain Mattox then the following description should suffice. Think Keane meets Lifehouse. Atlanta/Athens, Georgia based Bain Mattox has a grassroots following that can’t be ignored. At age 23, front man Mattox and his 4-piece band have built this project from the ground up, with over 1,000 in attendance at his last hometown performance at The Roxy Theatre and a strong tour history with a proven 150-200 draw in 4+ additional markets. With his cross-over potential, Mattox is already a celebrated artist with awards across the board including People’s Choice for “Best Singer/Songwriterâ€?, “Best Front Manâ€? (Atlanta Music Guide Music Awards), “Best Singer/Songwriterâ€? and “Best Rock Bandâ€? (Athens Flagpole Music Awards). Music has been heard on MTV’s “Real Worldâ€?, TNT for NASCAR, 99x specialty, Q100’s morning show, FOX (Charlotte), and CBS’s “Good Morning Atlantaâ€?. Bain Mattox has shared the stage with The Strokes, Switchfoot, Liz Phair, Better Than Ezra, etc. His sophomore release, “Prizefighterâ€?, will be released November 1st. Mattox and band will be touring in support of “Prizefighterâ€? this fall/winter. Current notable dates include October 28 @ Atlanta’s Roxy Theatre and November 12th @ New York’s Knitting Factory.
Newsletter