MUSIC NEWS: FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015
TIM McGRAW GIVES AWAY HOUSES
Tim McGraw will launch a tour today and once again, he's giving away houses to military veterans. McGraw has teamed with Operation Homefront and Chase to give mortgage-free homes to veterans. In the past three years, he's awarded 108 homes in 30 states. Thirty-six homes will be given during the upcoming ``Shotgun Rider'' tour.
---
U-S POST OFFICE WILL ISSUE ANOTHER ELVIS STAMP
Elvis Presley will be commemorated on an American postage stamp once again. It will be a Forever stamp that is part of the Music Icon series that also includes stamps of Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. The U-S Postal Service will hold a first-day-of-issue celebration on August 12 in Memphis during Elvis Week. Presley was featured on a stamp in 1993.
---
BRIAN WILSON SEES HIMSELF IN ``LOVE AND MERCY''
Watching the story of his life on the big screen was sometimes upsetting to Brian Wilson. He says the first time he saw the film ``Love and Mercy'' it was ``a real test for my emotions.'' Wilson says the movie portrays him so well he felt like he was being pushed into the movie. Paul Dano plays Wilson in the 1960's, and John Cusack portrays Wilson in the 1980's. Wilson says he saw the parts with Dano in the studio but he does not remember the events that inspired them. He says he makes him think, ``How could I have done that?'' ``Love and Mercy'' is in theatres now.
---
JUSTIN MOORE GETS HANK BACK
Justin Moore's dog has been found. Moore had been at his vacation house in Destin, Florida, with his wife and three daughters when their dog Hank disappeared. Moore wrote on his social media sites he knew it was a shot in the dark, but if any of his fans found the dog, his little girls would be so grateful to have him back. The dog was located and Moore posted a photo online of the finders with the caption,``His saviors.''
---
TOM MORELLO LAUNCHES NEW RECORD LABEL
Tom Morello is creating an outlet for politically radical musicians. Morello has teamed with Ryan Harvey of the Riot-Folk Collective to form Firebrand Records. The first signings include Harvey himself, Ike Reilly and six other acts. A nine-song digital sampler of Firebrand artists is available now through digital outlets. Morello says Firebrand musicians are ``not just artists who make revolutionary music, these are real revolutionaries who make great art.''
---
WALK THE MOON CELEBRATE DORK DANCING WITH ``SHUT UP AND DANCE''
Walk The Moon singer Nicholas Petricca calls their song ``Shut Up And Dance'' ``a dork rock and roll anthem.'' Petricca says it was based on a real night out, when a girl in a backless dress and beat-up sneakers actually said, ``Shut up and dance with me.'' Petricca went home that night and thought, ``This is it. This is the song!'' Petricca says the video for ``Shut Up And Dance'' shows a scene that also was inspired by a real life event. He says the part at the beginning where the dancing girl bends the guy over and knees him in the rear end really happened to him, but on a different night at a different club.
---
JACK ANTONOFF CREATES DOCU-SERIES
Jack Antonoff of Bleachers says being a musician feels like a strange blend of real life and a production of his life, so he's making it into a documentary series.
``Thank You And Sorry'' will run as six episodes on Google Play. It follows Bleachers on tour and includes real footage with scripted moments, shot entirely in black and white. Olivia Wilde, Colin Quinn and Rosie Perez make appearances in the series. The debut episode will run for free on Google Play on June 16th.
---