You have to love “love” in order to write and perform such melodic (without being over the top) love songs in the way that Bruno Mars does, there is something about his voice that truly makes you fall in love.
I was first introduced to Bruno Mars’ music when I heard his collaboration with B.O.B on the song Nothin’ On You, the tone of his voice, him playing the piano and the contrast with Bobby Ray’s rhymes, well, it was a match made in R&B and hip-hop heaven. He went on to collaborate with Travie McCoy (lead singer of Gym Class Heroes) for the (very inspiring song) Billionaire out of McCoy’s solo project.
Did you know that before topping the charts with these two collaborations he was known as a song writer & music producer who participated in songs such as Flo Rida’s smash hit Right Round, Far East Movement’s track 3D and Sugababes song Get Sexy? He also used to do shows in his native Hawaii (I knew there was a similarity between his music and that of Jack Johnson and now I know that gorgeous Hawaii, its beaches, sun and fabulous weather are to blame.)
Bruno Mars wanted to do more and in May of this year he released an EP titled It’s Better If You Don’t Understand out of which came the single The Other Side featuring B.O.B and Cee-Lo himself. In addition to the LP Bruno Mars just recently released his full length album titled Doo-Wops & Hooligans. The CD has 10 songs and Bruno Mars scored a collaboration for the Reggae-ish song called Liquor Store Blues with Damian Marley.
Thanks to Bruno Mars and his melodic voice I have fallen in love, not with love but with his CD. Ever since I was given a copy it’s been in my car playing non-stop. The radio airwaves might still be stuck on the single Just The Way You Are (check out the video if you haven’t! It is catchy, cleaver and not your typical crappy music video.) I have moved on to my two new favorite songs of the CD: Talking To The Moon and Grenade (the video is currently filming in LA.)
Since I know you’ll be opening your itunes as soon as you finish reading this blog because, admit it, you want to buy Bruno Mars’ album, but before you leave this page check out this intro video where Mr. Bruno Mars tells you what he is all about, enjoy!
Photo Credits: Bruno Mars' Official Website Video Credits: Elektra Records' page on youtube
It was the year 2006, the year when myspace was at its peak and everybody was commenting on friends’ profiles and befriending your favorite band or artist was the “cool” thing to do. I was a curious myspace addict and at the time I was a music director at my community college radio station (Chabot College KCRH "The East Bay's Best Variety.") Record labels would often send me CD’s so I could rate the music in hopes it would make its way into our playlist. Other times I would browse under myspace music to see what bands were getting the most hits.
One day, as I was sitting at the station switching between comments, bulletins and AIM’s I came across a band from Geneva, New York called Gym Class Heroes. Oh the joy that invaded my heart! The first song I heard was called The Queen and I out of the album titled As Cruel As School Children, once the song was over I was hooked! I then listen to New Friend Request (which paid homage to good ole’ myspace) and then after listening to the entire thing I was even more impressed with Cupid’s Chokehold (allow me to get to the 7 degrees of separation part.)
A few months later the video came out and you would not believe who played Travie McCoy’s (the lead singer of Gym Class Heroes) love interest? None other than Miss Katy Perry. You see before I Kissed a Girl and Ur So Gay were popular Katy Perry was Travie McCoy’s girlfriend and also an up-and-coming singer working her way into the music biz, and that my readers is degree #1 – Travie used to date Katy Perry.
Now, coincidentally enough, Gym Class Heroes happened to be in the same record label Decaydence /Fueled By Ramen as (yes, you guessed it right Cobra Starship.) Travie McCoy invited Cobra Starship to tour together back in 2006 and they made a stop at Slim’s. At the time Cobra Starship did not even had an album yet, and that is degree #2 – Travie McCoy invited Cobra Starship to tour together and they are in the same record label.
Thanks to that tour with Gym Class Heroes, Cobra Starship gained notoriety and in the summer of the same year, Samuel L. Jackson invited Cobra Starship and talked to Gabe Saporta the lead singer to write the main song for the film titled Snakes on A Plane. The song was a hit (the movie not so much) and for the video, Cobra Starship invited some of their label mates and also friends to participate in the vocals and the video (Travie McCoy from Gym Class Heroes, William Beckett of The Academy Is & friend Maja Ivarsson of The Sounds.) Degree #3 – Travie McCoy makes a cameo on Cobra Starship’s video.
I got to see Gym Class Heroes on 2 more occasions and in 2008 I got to see them and Cobra Starship at Warped Tour in San Francisco and guess who else performed that year? Yes, Katy Perry and that is degree #4 – Gym Class Heroes, Cobra Starship & Katy Perry touring together at Warped Tour 2008.
Last year I came across another band called 3OH!3 and their catchy tune Don’t Trust Me. I then heard another song called Starstruck featuring …… Katy Perry! Yes, degree #5 – 3OH!3’s video for Starstruck featured Katy Perry who dated Travie McCoy…..pheww!
Travie McCoy is currently promoting his solo project titled The Lazarus Project and the CD is called Lazarus (which by the way is awesome! Check out his myspace to listen to it.) He is on tour with 3OH!3, they are both the opening acts for Cobra Starship. The tour is called “Too Fast For Love” and they made a stop at the Warfield this past May 28th.
I scored some tickets courtesy of Straw Berry from local SF radio station Movin’ 997. Since I am such a concert junkie and considering how much of a fan I am of Gym Class Heroes I was very excited to get to preview Travie McCoy’s solo project. Cobra Starship is also a very fun to watch/hear kind of band and they definitely don’t get the recognition they deserve. I don’t have much to say about 3OH!3, though their music is very catchy I was a bit disturbed to see them on stage (they are older, in the late 20s older, if not a bit more) and they sing about first kisses and hoe’s. The most disturbing part is that most of their fan base are teenage girls, perhaps because I am older the concept of hoes, sex and first kisses as it pertain to teenagers is disturbing in itself.
Overall it was a really good concert, love me some Travie McCoy (I am actually buying his CD when it comes out on June 8th) and of course Cobra Starship’s tunes and the eye candy who is Gabe Saporta (the lead singer) doesn’t hurt either :) Well, after a very long blog (which I hope you enjoy) here are degrees of separation combined, enjoy!
– Travie used to date Katy Perry who came out in the video for the song Cupid’s Chokehold who also did vocals in 3OH!3’s STarstruck video who went to tour with Travie McCoy and Cobra Starship who first toured with Gym Class Heroes who toured at Warped Tour with Cobra Starship again who happen to be label mates….. ok…the end!
