April 2014

By mixing the old in with the new, we’ve compiled a playlist of some of the best workout songs of all time. Whether you’re going in for spin class or out for a run, whether you’re lifting weights or taking an aerobics class, these tunes will get you moving and grooving!

1) Survivor – Eye Of The Tiger (Play this video in Creation 5)

The Rocky III theme song is a classic! Released in 1982, the track went Platinum, gaining major MTV and radio airplay, holding #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart for 6 weeks straight and #2 for best single. This song was made for you to box ’til you drop!

2) Madonna – Hung Up (Play this video in Creation 5)

Released in 2005 on the album Confessions On A Dancefloor, the dance-pop disco song became the album’s lead single and was featured on Madonna’s 2009 greatest hits album Celebration. With a heavy 1980’s pop influence, the track features a sample of ABBA’s unforgettable hit single “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme! (A Man After Midnight!)”.

3) Icona Pop (feat. Charli XCX) – I love it (Play this video in Creation 5)

Released in 2012, the Swedish synthpop duo peaked at #2 on the digital download single charts in Sweden and at #7 on Billboard Hot 100. A year later it charted at #1 on the UK singles charts. The song certified double-platinum and has sold over 2.6 million downloads. What a great beat to kick-ass too!

4) Avicii – Wake Me Up (Play this video in Creation 5)

Swedish DJ and music producer Avicii released the “Summer Anthem” of 2013. It was the hit single from his full-length debut studio album True, with Aloe Blacc on vocals, who later went on to release an acoustic version of the song due to its high success. 

5) Benny Benassi – Satisfaction (Play this video in Creation 5)

From his 2002 album Hypnotica, the Italian DJ’s debut single “Satisfaction” peaked at #2 in the UK charts. The music video is quite the eye-catcher, if the track itself isn’t already one to remember. The song’s constant and heavy beat will definitely keep you running steady on your feet! 

6) Imagine Dragons – Radioactive (Play this video in Creation 5)

Released in 2012, the track became the “highlight” on their debut studio album Night Visions. Peaking at #3 on Billboard Hot 100, it holds the record for the most time spent on Billboard, dominating for a ground-breaking 86 weeks. It was the third best selling song of 2013, after “Thrift Shop” and “Blurred Lines”. The song was nominated for Record of the Year at the 56th Grammy Awards and won Best Rock Performance. 

7) Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams – Get Lucky (Play this video in Creation 5)

Co-written by the French house music duo Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, the single reached top 10 in over 32 countries and has sold over 7.3 million copies. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, the single won awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. What an awesome song! 

8) Adele – Rolling In The Deep (Play this video in Creation 5)

This “dark blues-y gospel disco tune” is one in a million. With its emotional and honest lyrics, its brilliantly catchy melody and its outstanding vocal, the song became the largest crossover hit to reach the US in 25 years. Adele gained international success, reaching #1 in 11 countries, peaking on Billboard Hot 100 for 7 weeks, becoming the best-selling digital song by a female artist in the US. In 2012, the song won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Short Form Music Video. 

9) Eric Prydz – Call On Me (Play this video in Creation 5)

Swedish DJ/producer Eric Prydz is famous for his unforgettable sexual music video for “Call On Me”. The track reached #1 in the UK Singles Chart and stayed there for five weeks. It was the longest running single in the UK in 2004. 

10) P!nk – U & Ur Hand (Play this video in Creation 5)

Female pop legend P!nk released “U & Ur Hand” on her fourth studio album I’m Not Dead (2006). The song was ranked #9 on Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Singles of 2007 and peaked at #9 on the Hot 100… re-launching P!nk’s career. The rock n’ roll diva definitely knows how to throw a party, with great style and energy!

Listen to the entire playlist here.

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Article by Tej S. Haldule

When it comes to Antigua, it’s not the size but the heart that counts. There’s a reason the island plays holiday home to everyone from Oprah to Giorgio Armani. A haven for elite tourists despite its expanse (only 108 sq. miles), this tropical paradise has been the West Indies’ prime docking bay over its famed Antigua Sailing Week, which starts on the last Sunday of every April for the last 45 years.

Catch a glimpse of what it’s like to be at one of the most exciting yachting events in the Caribbean:

2013 Antigua Sailing Week (Play this video in Creation 5)

The popular regatta will take place between the 26th of this month and the 2nd of May and besides the thrill of the race, it features excitement in some of our favourite venues – Antigua Yacht Club has daily prize ceremonies amongst other activities, Shirley Heights is another popular spot – hosting tempting events and parties throughout the event (including Shaggy’s live performance on 29 April, with Antigua’s very own Tian Winter opening), as well as opportunities to chase the regatta as it actually happens (with Wadadli Cats).

Needless to say, sailing week is renowned for its festivities (what with the legendary Sir Richard Branson hosting massive bashes here in years past!) and this year promises to amp the fun up – Lay Day falls right after the Shaggy concert, a great way to unwind Caribbean style with copious amounts of music, rum and sunshine. To kick things off, Nonsuch Bay seems the place to be if you don’t want to miss the RS Elite Challenge.

With an array of bands and DJs (including DJ Undercover and DJ Tanny) on hand to entertain, the week promises to be a memorable one for music enthusiasts whatever venue your pit-stop of choice may be.

The Caribbean has traditionally been the home of several seminal music styles, from the Belafonte-popularized calypso to the ever-loved reggae. Antigua in particular is known for its contributions to benna and soca, genres in the same family as calypso, characterized by energetic performances and stark vocals. Here, in an example, is local singer Claudette Peters performing at the Antigua Carnival in ’12:

Antigua Carnival 2012 – Claudette Peters (Play this video in Creation 5)

Soca, of course, has grown to be a popular part of world culture in the past century. Here’s a look at some of the style’s most beloved exponents:

Doggie – Anselm Douglas (Play this video in Creation 5)

Arrow – Hot Hot Hot (Play this video in Creation 5)

None of these can claim to have done as much to put the Caribbean on the musical map, however, as reggae has. In terms of sheer variety and reach, Bob Marley or Sly & Robbie have penetrated the mainstream conscious and captured its imagination more completely in the last century than any others from the archipelago. Grooving to some true classics is a global phenomenon:

Johnny Nash – I Can See Clearly Now (Play this video in Creation 5)

Lee Perry – 10 Commandments (Play this video in Creation 5)

A trip through the right beats could never be complete without a shout-out to the dancehall that injected novelty into the islanders’ music in the seventies:

Shabba Ranks – Mr. Loverman (Play this video in Creation 5)

It goes without saying that both the Sailing Week and this music are best enjoyed with some authentic Caribbean rum.

Antigua Sailing Week April 26 – May 2, 2014
www.sailingweek.com

The view from Shirley Heights looking over English Harbour

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Interview with Chess

“In music, it only takes 3 and a half minutes to potentially change the rest of your life”. The wonderfully talented and beautifully graceful Maltese singer/songwriter, Chess, was nominated for Best Solo Artist at the Malta Music Awards 2014 earlier this year. With an innate passion and love for music, thick skin and unparalleled dedication, this young and independent woman is taking her future into her own hands, without the backing of a label.

Chess has invested all her time, money and strength into making her dreams come true. While her debut EP Baby Girl was produced and released by Chess herself, she kick-started her way forward to funding her second EP Tuxedo – selected for Best of British Unsigned and received instant airplay on BBC Introducing for her Carly Simons-inspired-track Vanity. Chess is a pop diva in the making… If she isn’t one already!

Chess – Vanity (Play this video in Creation 5)

When did you first get involved in music and when did you start writing songs?
My mum filled my world with music from before I was born – she is a great musician and I have loved music all my life. I began writing songs at about 7 years old, writing lyrics and making up dances for whoever had the patience to watch and listen!

What made you make the move from Malta to the UK?
I always wanted to take music as far as I could go. My mentor, Joshua Alamu, gave me the courage to move and attend the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guilford. If I didn’t do it then, I probably wouldn’t be here today.

How would you describe your experience at ACM and in what ways did it influence your career choices as an artist?
The ACM brings one to realise how much competition there really is out there. Although it also brings to light that not everyone has what it takes. I learnt to be more business minded, to be as versatile as possible and to create good relationships with peers. At times, knowing how much competition is out there discouraged me, but knowing I had the tools to succeed kept me on my path to pursue what I really love.

You funded and produced your debut solo EP Baby Girl in 2013, yourself. With the help of crowd funding, you released your music video Storm (from the Baby Girl EP) and, later on, you used it to fund the production of your second EP Tuxedo. How did that help “kick-start” your career?
Kickstarter gives you a really good opportunity to showcase your ideas and be discovered by people who are interested in new things.

Would you recommend Kick-Starter projects to other up and coming artists seeking to eventually be backed by a label?
Sure, a successful Kickstarter campaign shows that you have good managerial skills, boosts credibility and shows determination to make something happen. It also helps you gain more fans, and that’s always wonderful!

You were nominated for Best Solo Artists at the Malta Music Awards 2014. How did it feel to be nominated, knowing that you did it all on your own?
It felt so good to know that my efforts have been recognized. A lot of hard work has been put in and it is important for me to know that my country knows that I am doing my best to create substantial Maltese Music History.

You released your Tuxedo EP mid-January this year and your Tuxedo music video came out on March 28th. What has been the response so far?
People have responded so well to Tuxedo as an EP. I think this is because it has more of a universal commercial sound. Vanity instantly got airplay on BBC Introducing and along with Tuxedo, got chosen for Best of British Unsigned.
I have received very positive comments about the Tuxedo video, with people saying that it is now their favourite song, and video.

Chess – Tuxedo (Play this video in Creation 5)

What inspires your style, the themes you write about, your ideas for wacky music videos?
I follow what’s happening in the fashion world – especially the catwalks and fashion week, to make sure that I am up to date with trends. I then add my own twist and taste. I like to be stylish, and I like to try out new ideas. What’s the worst that could happen?! I find myself writing a lot about issues I have with myself, with those close to me and issues addressing society.

You’re juggling multiple jobs at the same time in order to make your dreams come true. Can you tell us how hard it is to make it in the music industry these days and what it’s really like to follow your heart and take a risk?
Anybody who thinks that they can make it without paying their dues is well mistaken. This is a tough industry, which will test you time and time again. It’s scary knowing that you are spending all of your time and money on something that might never come true. I think you have to believe in yourself for things to happen. The really big slap in the face is that no matter how talented you may be, you will not be approached by a label unless you have made a substantial amount of money by yourself.
But all you have to think about is that in music, it only takes about 3 and a half minutes to potentially change the rest of your life.

What is your philosophy?
“However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.” – Stanley Kubrick.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?
I am in the process of finishing my summer single. Moreover, this year, I promised myself to focus on perfecting my craft and making my voice more acrobatic. I am doing intensive practice everyday, focusing on vocal precision and writing more music. I also hope to perform at a couple of good clubs in London and around the UK.

If you could choose one person to collaborate with, dead or alive, who would it be?
Freddie Mercury. The insight to the way he wrote those masterpieces would be priceless.

Chess chose our Sunday Sessions this week – here’s her choice of 3 songs for a smooth Sunday

Follow Chess on:
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Website

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Since the launch of MTV in the early 80’s music videos have provided a ‘total music experience’ for listeners, not as good as a live performance perhaps, but certainly a ‘deeper’ experience than just listening to a song. When Beyoncé launched her self titled visual album that included 14 new songs and 17 music videos, she described it as a “non-linear journey through the thoughts and visions of Beyoncé.”

Music videos are also an incredible form of marketing for artists – a great way to sell their products. Over the years we’ve seen all sorts innovations in the music video – death defying stunts, really crazy fashion – artists have tried anything and everything in the attempt to express themselves – and sell records. More and more though, the music video is becoming like a mini movie – with higher and higher price tags.

So how much do stars spend on making a perfect music video? Well, Michael Jackson and Madonna who top our list spend millions and millions…here is the top 10 list, cheapest first…

(All these costs have been adjusted for inflation)

10. Busta Rhymes – What’s It Gonna Be? (Play this video in Creation 5)
Produced in 1999
Cost $4 million

Full of special effects – in fact this video holds the Guinness World Record for the most expensive special effects in a music video. For example we see Janet Jackson dancing in shiny liquid rain – but they aren’t just raindrops they are small 3D versions of Busta Rhymes. Directed by Hype Williams the video caused quite a sensation when it was released in 1999.

9. MC Hammer – Too Legit to Quit (Play this video in Creation 5)
Produced in 1991
Cost $4.2 million

A 14 minute long video – this really was a mini movie with a huge array of stars playing cameo roles. It was James Brown’s role however that cost a fortune. Brown was in prison at the time so Hammer arranged for a private jet to pick him up from his South Carolina prison. Then, naturally, Brown wanted to spend some time in Las Vegas after the shoot, so add in another 2 days of private jet rental and the cost of production really spiked. Director Rupert Wainwright said: “It was an 18-day shoot, but we didn’t shoot it in 18 days. We shot [it] in 30 days. We would shoot an 18-hour day and take two days off. It was insane. It was the hardest shoot I ever did in my life.”

8. Michael Jackson – Bad (Play this video in Creation 5)
Produced in 1987
Cost $4.5 million

MJ recruited a true all star team for the production of this music video – or rather short film, the full length version is 18 minutes long (and no longer available on YouTube – except in two parts). Directed by the one and only Martin Scorsese, it took the crew a total of six weeks to shoot! Short version below.

7. Guns N’ Roses – Estranged (Play this video in Creation 5)
Produced in 1993
Cost $6.5 million

Directed by Andy Morahan the emotional power ballad that is Estranged, needed an equally dramatic video. The budget included the use of the US Coast Guard helicopter and rescue team, an oil tanker and a Antonov An-124 Ruslan aircraft. The almost 10 minute long video is part of a trilogy, also featuring ‘Don’t Cry’ and ’November Rain’. The video starts with the dictionary definition of ‘Illusion’….

6. Britney Spears – Work Bitch (Play this video in Creation 5)
Produced in 2013
Cost $6.5 million

Sharks, mannequins that get blown up, a white Lamborghini, epic location changes, an extensive wardrobe, plenty of special effects and the most incredible choreography all added to Britney’s price tag for the production of Work Bitch. Has anyone seen her Las Vegas Residency? It’s equally expensive…

5. Michael Jackson – Black or White (Play this video in Creation 5)
Produced in 1991
Cost $6.9 million

A truly memorable Jackson video and stuffed full of special effects – perhaps the revolutionary effect of ‘morphing’ put the budget sky high – or it could have been Macaulay Culkin, or Tyra Banks? Directed by John Landis, when the video aired for the first time in 1991, 500 million people watched it – a record at that point for Fox.

4. Madonna – Bedtime Story (Play this video in Creation 5)
Produced in 1995
Cost $7.7 million

“Let’s Get Unconscious” is the song’s main line and Director Mark Romanek used revolving sunflowers, Egyptian imagery and references to surrealist paintings to illustrate this line. It worked – as the video has a really trance like feel – creepy in fact. It took 6 days to shoot, but the post production was where the costs escalated. This mini movie was premiered at movie theatres in LA, New York and Chicago.

3. Madonna – Die Another Day (Play this video in Creation 5)
Produced in 2002
Cost $7.9 million

Directed by Swedish team – Traktor, the intense special effects portray very realistic fighting between a good and evil Madonna – wounds and blood included. According to Traktor: “For various reasons, there are effects in almost every shot. It is a testament to the skills of the merry artisans of MPC that you think there are none.”

2. Madonna – Express Yourself (Play this video in Creation 5)
Produced in 1989
Cost $9.4 million

Winning awards for Best Direction and Best Cinematography at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, this stunning video was modelled after the film ‘Metropolis’. Don’t settle for second best….

1. Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson – Scream (Play this video in Creation 5)
Produced in 1995
Cost $10.7 million

Top of our list of the most expensive music video of all time is the brother and sister hit ‘Scream’. With a computer-generated spaceship and 13 pieces to the set, the lighting alone cost $200,000. The dancing is incredible and the video won an award for Best Dance Video at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards.

10. Busta Rhymes — “What’s It Gonna Be?!” (1999): $4 million.
9. MC Hammer — “Too Legit to Quit” (1991): $4.2 million.
8. Michael Jackson — “Bad” (1987): $4.5 million.
7. Gun N’ Roses — “Estranged” (1993): $6.5 million.
6. Britney Spears — “Work Bitch” (2013): $6.5 million.
5. Michael Jackson — “Black or White” (1991): $6.9 million.
4. Madonna — “Bedtime Story” (1995): $7.7 million.
3. Madonna — “Die Another Day” (2002): $7.9 million.
2. Madonna — “Express Yourself” (1989): $9.4 million.
1. Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson — “Scream” (1995): $10.7 million.

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On Monday March 31st Frankie Knuckles died unexpectedly at home, reportedly due to complications related to his diabetes, he was only 59 years old. #RIPFrankieKnuckles

Frankie was the legendary name that towered over electronic music, past and present. Why is it called ‘House’ music? Because Frankie was the resident DJ in the late 70’s and early 80’s at the Chicago club ‘The Warehouse’ – hence House music.

He then went on to launch his own venue called the Power Plant – it’s still there in Chicago quite close to the site of The Warehouse. There is also a street in Chicago named in his honor, where The Warehouse once stood, on Jefferson Street between Jackson Boulevard and Madison Street.

House music is a style of Chicago dance music that completely revolutionized club culture. Frankie arrived in Chicago, from New York, just when disco was going out of fashion. Frankie would take mixes of soul and R&B music and turn them into dance tracks by extending the songs and incorporating drum machines to emphasize the beat. In fact, Frankie bought his first drum machine from Derrick May, one of the founders of Techno music. Derrick would make the trip form Detroit to Chicago regularly to see Knuckles at The Warehouse.

Frankie Knuckles Only The Strong Survive (Play this video in Creation 5)

Knuckles wasn’t the only star in the birth of House – dozens more were influential in it’s rise, like Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley, Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk and Marshall Jefferson. By the late 1980’s Knuckles was famous in Europe, yet hardly acknowledged in his hometown. He often joked about the fact that he could walk down the street in Chicago without anyone blinking an eye – but arrive in Europe and he would be greeted by cheering fans at the airport. “I wasn’t frustrated by that, not at all,” he said. “I’m not the kind of person that lives for fame and glory. If I’ve got a nice, clean home and can put a meal on my table and can entertain my friends, I’m fine. I don’t need to see my face plastered everywhere.”

In the early days of House music and The Warehouse Chicago didn’t really recognize the scene but as time passed there was a growing recognition for Chicago as the home of contemporary dance music.

Frankie Knuckles – Disco Shimmy (Play this video in Creation 5)

“The people I meet all around the world look at Chicago and the house scene with a new romanticism,” he said. “They recognize more than ever that Chicago is the core of where it all began.”

A lot of the House music that Frankie loved evoked gospel and soul – it wasn’t all about the rhythm, it went deeper than that. “God has a place on the dancefloor,” he once told the Chicago Tribune. “We wouldn’t have all the things we have if it wasn’t for God. We wouldn’t have the one thing that keeps us sane – music. It’s the one thing that calms people down.

“Even when they’re hopping up and down in a frenzy on the dancefloor, it still has their spirits calm because they’re concentrating on having a good time, loving the music, as opposed to thinking about something negative. I think dancing is one of the best things anyone can do for themselves. And it doesn’t cost anything.”

In the late 80’s Kunckles concentrated on producing, and recording. Mixmag recently declared ‘Your Love’, his 1987 classic with singer Jamie Principle, the greatest house record ever made. His first album came out in 1991, ‘Beyond the Mix’ which featured his biggest hit, “The Whistle Song.”

Your Love (Play this video in Creation 5)

The Whistle Song (Play this video in Creation 5)

Throughout the ‘90s Frankie remixed tracks for Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Luther Vandross, Toni Braxton, and Eternal. He won a Grammy Award for Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical in 1997 and in 2005, he was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame for his outstanding career as a DJ.

Michael Jackson – Rock With You (Frankie Knuckles Remix) (Play this video in Creation 5)

Frankie Knuckles Keep on Movin’ feat. Nicki Richards
Original La Familia Mix from Frankie’s 2002 album, Motivation. (Play this video in Creation 5)

Fader Mix by Frankie Knuckles available for download on SoundCloud.

#RIPFrankieKnuckles. Lost but never forgotten.

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If you are already using Creation 5 Media app, don’t forget that you can expand your music collection, for free, by downloading any of the video clips that appear in the above article.
Here’s how:

Open the video in Creation 5 – we have created links by the side of each song title for this very purpose, so just click on any of these and the video will open inside Creation 5.	Once the video is playing inside the app, press and hold the song title and choose DOWNLOAD from the options. That’s it! You can now find the video in your ‘Favorites’ folder.	Press and hold the song title and choose SHARE. If your friends don’t have Creation 5, they will be directed to the App store where they can download the app for free.