Cee-Lo Green, is the best yet to come?

In 2006 the world, literally went crazy for ‘Crazy’ sung and produced by the dynamic duo Gnarls Barley, Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green. This first single went straight to the top of the UK charts on downloads alone! This was the first time this had ever happened and really brought their names into the focus of the mainstream masses.

Having been described as a singer ‘whose voice can nail an emotion be it pain, yearning, anger, sarcasm, love, lust or frustration – like no other’. Cee-Lo Green can be considered to be one of the music moguls of our time. 

Having been nominated for no less than 5 Grammy awards, as well as being crowned ‘The Best International Male of 2010’ at The Brit Awards, Cee- Lo Green has been a very busy boy.

The track originally named ‘F**k You’ was renamed for radio play and co produced with the unlikely young new comer Bruno Mars. Mars was a relatively new artist for 2010. He rose to fame after joining Cee-Lo’s record label, and providing vocals for B.O.B’s track Billionaire, which again went to number one around the world.

Cee-Lo’s ‘Bright Lights, Bigger City’ is another fabulously produced track off his ‘Lady Killer’ album and is so well produced with a beautiful late 70’s early 80’s feel. You could almost be forgiven on first listen for thinking it was actually for the golden disco era as there is such a strong reminiscent of the Quincy Jones/ Michael Jackson vibe. The looping bass line is very similar to the one in Billie Jean. After another few listens the tracks can be said to have similar string arrangement to the James Bond Theme tune ‘You Only Live Twice’, harder to spot but definitely there in my opinion.

With a feeling this could be a fantastic year for Cee-Lo, Bruno Mars, and Dangermouse, we wait with baited breath to see what they produce next!

If you would like to hear the tracks Ameritz has for Gnarls Barkley/

Cee-lo Green or any of the other artists mentioned. Please check out our website at www.ameritz.co.uk

Susan Boyle's latest victory!

Fantastic news! Susan Boyle has beaten the likes of Take That, Mumford And Sons and Muse to become the highest-selling UK act abroad in 2010. Although I believe any of the acts nominated would have produced a worthy winner, I must say I was extra pleased the winner was none other than Su-Bo!

This win is the 2^nd consecutive year Boyle has topped the sales list, making her the official Queen of this award. Having 1^st won in 2009 for her debut album 'I Dreamed A Dream' which sold in excess of six million copies.

Having been sky rocketed unexpectedly into the public eye through a reality talent contest, her victory over these highly acredited bands is something I believe we should really celebrate.

Newly-announced figures show that her second album 'The Gift' sold 3.7 million copies abroad last year, miles ahead of 2^nd place winner Sade, whose album sold 2.3 million.

I think Susan Boyle is a perfect representation of Ameritz customers and an audiences appreciation of a talent that does not need to be dressed up or repackaged. This appreciation of course is simpily for that of a truly beautiful voice, singing beautiful songs. Her album tracks have been so well picked and produced, songs such as ‘I Dreamed A Dream’, ‘Perfect Day’ and even the Rolling Stones ‘Wild Horses’ are almost unrecognisable.

Her producer Steve Mac also commented on her success by saying. “With Susan it’s very important she connects with the public and the public connect with her. She doesn’t want to sing anything that hasn’t happened to her or she can’t relate to."

From everyone at the Ameritz Team, congratulation Susan Boyle you are a real inspiration.

Should you wish to see what Susan Boyle tracks we have on offer or indeed any of the tracks included in this weeks 79p sale, please visit the website at ameritz.co.uk

Save Our Pubs and Clubs!

We live in an era where hand written letters are a rarity! It is considered normal by most to get a loan to obtain big purchases rather than save and we are getting increasingly dependent on texts as well as Facebook and other social networking websites to keep in touch with our friends and loved ones.

The result of this means we are increasingly becoming isolated from each other and the sense of community we once had is slowly eroding. The pub and club industry has made our headlines over recent years as our ‘locals’ suffer at the hands of the smoking ban and increases in alcohol prices. With supermarket giants selling alcohol at such low prices its understandable why so many people now choose to socialise at home as the media constantly drills home the effects of the recession.

But here is a special Ameritz message to you… Forget the recession, forget your back in work on Monday, forget the kids, the dog, the ironing or what ever else is making you stay in. Take a warm jacket should you wish to smoke outside, even a Slanket, if that’s what floats your boat! Get glammed up or dress down and show some support for your local pub or working mans club!

For the customers whom we have had the privilege to have one on one encounters with, we would like to congratulate you as we are constantly amazed by your passion.  This is about more then singing, it’s about our sense of community and heritage. Something the ‘Ameritz Renegades’ are really fighting for. To help the cause, we have decided from now we will post a discussion bulletin entitled ‘Gigs’ on the Ameritz Facebook page. What we would like you guys to do is write down any gigs you are doing or know of as well as a time and place, so others who may be in the area can check in see what’s happening, and go!

Feel free to comment and ask questions about this topic below.

Getting Kick's From Stevie Nicks

 

‘Within music lies all the wonders and keys to the miracles of life – natural and spiritual. Music can facilitate the process of change and growth.’

Ted Andrews

A beautiful quote that is no truer of any other artist than Stephanie Lynn Nicks. She is a performer who has often fearlessly exposed her own vulnerability for all to see. Born in Arizona, she was the front woman of the band Fleetwood Mac who influenced the music industry for over two decades; she travelled the world, fell in and out of love with her high school sweetheart, battled a cocaine addiction and is still here to tell the tale through her music.

Lady’s and gentleman, Stevie Nicks is back! Having ‘Gone her own way’ for 10 years, sassy songstress has a new album on it’s way.

With massive co-producers working on the album such as Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard, her latest release does have tones that are arguably influenced by The Eurythmics. Having listened to the single, 'Secret Love' which has been released through iTunes, I must admit I thought it was a bit mellow, especially when listening to songs such as ‘Rhiannon’, ‘Dreams’ and ‘Songbird’ all of which I think are so powerful, especially when performed them live.

Hopefully the rest of the album will not disappoint and we will see some glimmers of the young Stevie who had a slightly more rock and roll edge. Either way I will always be a massive fan and continue to get my kicks from Stevie Nicks!
 
The album titled 'In Your Dreams' will be released through Warner Music in May. Stevie will tour the album with Rod Stewart starting on March 20 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Ameritz Youtube Competition!

As the Ameritz, Youtube competition progresses, we have seen a fantastic response! Having been inundated with questions and videos we will be posting many more videos for you to watch, enjoy and comment upon soon!

This competition we believe is a fabulous opportunity for any singer of any age and is intended to bring the Ameritz community even closer, as we share our passion for music and singing!

Today the Ameritz team have been contacted by a newspaper running a story on one of our contestant’s progress within this national competition as well as keen interest being shown by an Irish newspaper in our new contestant Maggie Young!

Feeling like this is something you would like to be a part of? The good news is there is still time to get involved as the competition has been extended to the end of February!

To get involved please type ‘Ameritz’ into Youtube where you may watch our super star singers video’s or e-mail maxine@ameritz.co.uk

All you need is an Ameritz backing track, a Youtube account and either a mobile phone camera, a web cam or indeed a camcorder, anything you can get your hands on to let us hear your talent and win the big track give away.

Having supported artists such as Joe Mc’Elderry and Leona Lewis, who knows what this could do for you!

Best of luck to everyone who is taking part!

Regard’s

The Ameritz Team

To visit the website

http://www.ameritz.co.uk/

Visit our Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/AmeritzMusic

Adele's BBC Live Lounge Session!

Adele "the next Amy Winehouse" in late 2007, many thought she was to be

When the U.K. press began dubbing Adele "the next Amy Winehouse" in late 2007, many thought she was to be another flash in the pan artist, how wrong they were! Whilst the focus on Winehouse seemed to shift away from her music to her crazy, seemingly out of control drug and alcohol fuelled behaviour, Adele I believe was controversial in a much more demure way.

 Although the size zero debate had brought into our minds the danger of our image-obsessed society. Female celebs of the time and indeed ‘real’ women were still coming under an unhealthy amount of pressure to conform to certain idealisms surrounding vanity.

Adele came onto the scene proud to be fresh faced and curvy, to show off her belting voice. Having written her own lyrics as well as being musically talented on a piano, she writes from the heart and bares her soul to her audience, making her a true star of our generation.

Back with her new album for 2011, which is rumoured, to have outsold the current top 10 albums COMBINED! I think its safe to say Adele has come back stronger than ever before. ‘21’ has everything we love about Adele as well as some haunting similarities from artists she is renowned to take inspiration from, such as Jill Scott and Etta James. Listening to ‘21’ for the 1^st time had the Ameritz team in silence. ‘Rolling In The Deep’ and ‘Someone Like You’ were so beautiful, we just had to put them into production straight away. You can therefore imagine how excited we were when we heard she was doing a BBC Live Lounge session, and we are pleased to say she did not disappoint.

After hearing her mind blowing version of Cheryl Cole’s ‘Promise This’, we knew we had to put it into production, so we could be the first to provide it to our customers. I can happily confirm ‘Promise This’ and the Live Lounge Version of ‘Someone Like You’ went into immediate production, before Adele had even left the studio!

Days like that make me very proud to be part of such an amazing team! To hear our cover version and more tracks from the fabulous Adele please follow the link, I hope you enjoy listening/singing to them as much as we enjoyed making them.

http://www.ameritz.co.uk/backing_tracks.asp?artist=Adele

When the U.K. press began dubbing