John Mellancamp Plays Other People's Stuff

Some would consider John Mellencamp a little rough round the edges, understandably so. He fights a good fight, but he has also created some positive change along the way. He’s been nominated for a Grammy several times but has only (so far) managed to win one. Does this stop him? Nope! He carries on with his life like the rest of us. I like to categorize him along the lines of Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, James Taylor, Bob Seger, Don Henley etc. I consider these musicians the thinkers of the world: the people that can write outstanding songs about life, but still they hang out with the regular people. They don’t care about being in the limelight unless it helps a cause. It makes me appreciate their musical sensibilities even more. In times like these, they are the people most of us navigate to while allowing us to focus on the important things in life.

Well, not only has John Mellencamp released hundreds of his own songs over his distinguished career, he has also done many covers as well. So, John Mellencamp is about to release a new album called “Other People’s Stuff” on December 7th—His 24th album. About the collection, Mellencamp commented “Most, if not all, of the songs on Other People’s Stuff come from The Great American Songbook. These are songs that have been recorded over the last 40 years of my career but had never been put together as one piece of work. Now, they have.”

His first released song is “Eyes on the Prize”, which was originally performed at the White House. These are tracks that he has culled from his different albums and are in the process of becoming the playlist for his upcoming tour which will kick off in early 2019. Be sure to check him out live if you can!

- Michelle S.

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Joe Jackson – New Tour and New Album To Check Out!

How many of us have played Joe Jackson’s “Breaking Us In Two” after a breakup, or “Stepping Out” while getting ready to tear up the town? Whether or not you know who Joe Jackson is or what he’s about, the key point here is that you’re reading this and that I want to share with you the fact this artist, although underrated at times, is the real deal! He’s an amazing singer and songwriter and his lyrics are passionate, full of heart and he goes to places that none of us want to go at times; then, he brings you back to reality with his wicked sense of humor and charm.

Well, for those of you who haven’t had a chance to see him live, fear not! After 40 years, he and his band are ready to tour and entertain you once again! Joe Jackson has just announced his Four-Decade Tour, which starts in February 2019, where Jackson and the band will embark on a world tour playing shows throughout the US and Europe. Here’s what Joe had to say about the upcoming tour, in his own words: “So, here comes a big tour. We want to celebrate the fact that this is happening after 40 years – anything else, would be like sulking in a room by yourself on your own birthday party. Looking for some way to organize a show out of 40 years’ worth of material, I decided to draw on five albums, each representing a decade: Look Sharp (1979) Night And Day (1982) Laughter And Lust (1991) Rain (2008) and Fool (2019). We’ll also throw in a couple of songs from other albums and some new covers. I can’t wait. Let’s party.”

So, as you can see, he’s ready to entertain you! It’s also the same band that Jackson has played with ever since the release of “Fast Forward” which was in 2015. As a bonus, each North American concert ticket includes a digital download of Fool!

If going to live concerts isn’t your cup of tea, you can still check out his latest endeavor, Fool, which comes out 1/18/19. As Jackson puts it, “I never have an overall theme in mind when I start trying to write songs for an album, but sometimes one will develop. In this case it’s Comedy and Tragedy, and the way they’re intertwined in all our lives. The songs are about fear and anger and alienation and loss, but also about the things that still make life worth living: friendship, laughter, and music, or art, itself. I couldn’t have done this in 1979. I just hadn’t lived enough.” We think it’s amazing!

- Michelle S.