Thomas [Montgomery] Newman (b. October 20, 1955, Los Angeles, CA) is an American eight-time Academy Award-nominated film score composer. He is a member of a film-scoring dynasty in Hollywood that includes his father Alfred Newman, his uncle Lionel Newman, his brother David Newman, and his cousins Joey Newman and Randy Newman (who is best known as a singer and songwriter).
Newman was educated at Yale University, and began his film-scoring career in 1984 with his score for Reckless. His breakthrough came in 1994, when he earned two Academy Award nominations for his scores to Little Women and The Shawshank Redemption; he was the only double-nominee that year. His critical and commercial success has continued in recent years with his scores for American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Finding Nemo, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Pay it Forward, Erin Brockovich, The Good German, and WALL-E.
Newman has composed music for television as well, including theme music for the series Boston Public and the miniseries Angels in America. His theme music for the television show Six Feet Under won two Grammy Awards in 2003. Newman also wrote a commissioned concert work for orchestra, Reach Forth Our Hands, for the 1996 Cleveland Bicentennial.
At the 79th Academy Awards, Newman appeared in the opening segment by Errol Morris correcting a claim that he had been nominated for and not won an Academy Award eight times: "I've lost seven times; tonight it will be eight."
Though they were not composed specifically for the film, seven of Newman's previous score compositions were included in Michael Moore's 2007 documentary, Sicko. Newman received a special thanks credit, in addition to seven individual song credits.
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen (b. January 26, 1955) is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Eddie Van Halen is widely known for his innovative performing and recording styles in blues-based rock, tapping, intense solos and high frequency feedback; he is also known for energetic and acrobatic stage performances. The All Music Guide has described him as "undoubtedly one of the most influential, original, and talented rock guitarists of the 20th century."
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Van Halen is an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California in 1974. They have enjoyed large scale success since the release of their debut album Van Halen (1978). As of 2007, Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and have had the most number-one hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. During the 1980s they also had more Billboard Hot 100 hits than any other hard rock or heavy metal band. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Van Halen is the 19th best-selling band/artist of all time with sales of over 56 million albums in the U.S., and is one of five rock bands that have had two albums sell more than 10 million copies in the U.S.
In 2008 they became one of the best paid live acts in the world, over twenty years after performing the same feat in the early eighties in regards to their huge payout for headlining the US Festival.
In 1999, the RIAA certified Van Halen diamond, for ten million U.S. sales.
In addition to being recognized for success, the band is known for the drama surrounding the exits of former members. The multiple exits of both lead singers David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar were surrounded in controversy and mass press coverage with various contrasting press statements between the former singers and the band. More recently, bassist Michael Anthony left the band for controversial reasons after 31 years with the band.
Following their 2004 concert tour the band was on a hiatus from the public until September 2006, when new bassist Wolfgang Van Halen's place was confirmed and Roth reunion rumors began to re-surface coinciding with the band's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction on March 12, 2007.
After years of speculation, Van Halen began a tour with Roth in late 2007 across North America and continued into 2008. An album was proposed to follow.
Along with this, a live tour DVD was announced at their May 13, 2008, concert at the Izod Center that would contain recordings from several performances on their current tour. Since the band concluded the reunion tour in July 2008, no official news from the band has been forthcoming. In August 2010, Warner Bros. Records issued a press release indicating that a new studio album and tour are planned for 2011.
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Van Halen is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Van Halen, released in February 1978.
Recorded in 1977, Van Halen sold over 10 million copies in the US alone, becoming one of the most successful debuts by a rock band. Along with 1984, it gives Van Halen two original albums with Diamond status in sales.
Eddie Van Halen set a new standard for guitar playing and spawned a generation of players utilizing his unique style and approach. The instrumental, "Eruption", showcased his mastery of tapping, the use of the right hand to activate and fret notes along with the left. The sheer blazing delivery and solid composition shocked the guitar world and instantly set him apart as one of rock's premier guitar virtuosos.
The album cover was shot at the Whisky a Go Go. The guitar pictured on the cover of the album is Edward Van Halen's famous Frankenstrat Guitar, made from a neck purchased from Boogie Bodies and a Stratocaster style body custom made by Wayne Charvel in California and assembled in Edward's parents' garage.
The method that Eddie Van Halen used to create his guitar tone on this particular album, is a hotly debated topic amongst nostalgic elite guitar forum circles.
All songs written and composed by Edward Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony, and David Lee Roth except where noted.
Side A
No. Title Length
1. "Runnin' with the Devil" 3:32 2. "Eruption" (instrumental) 1:42
3. "You Really Got Me" (Ray Davies) 2:37 4. "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" 3:47 5. "I'm the One" 3:44 Side B No. Title Length 1. "Jamie's Cryin'" 3:30 2. "Atomic Punk" 3:00 3. "Feel Your Love Tonight" 3:40 4. "Little Dreamer" 3:22 5. "Ice Cream Man" (John Brim) 3:18 6. "On Fire" 3:01
David Lee Roth – lead vocals, acoustic guitar on Ice Cream Man. (credited as David Roth) Eddie Van Halen – guitar, backing vocals. Michael Anthony – bass guitar, backing vocals. Alex Van Halen – drums
Mark Alburger (b. 1957, Upper Darby, PA) is an award-winning, eclectic ASCAP composer of postminimal, postpopular, and postcomedic sensibilities. He is Music Director of San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra and San Francisco Cabaret Opera, Editor-Publisher of 21st-Century Music and New Music, and Professor Emeritus in Music Theory and Literature at Diablo Valley College. His principal teachers were Gerald Levinson, Joan Panetti, and James Freeman at Swarthmore College (B.A.); Jules Langert at Dominican University (M.A.); Christopher Yavelow at Claremont University (Ph.D.); and Terry Riley. Dr. Alburger has composed 406 major works over the past 48 years, including chamber music, concertos, oratorios, operas, song cycles, and symphonies. His complete catalogue is being issued on discs from New Music. Alburger's multiple blogs include: markalburger.blogspot.com,
markalburger2022.blogspot.com,
markalburgerworks.blogspot.com, markalburgerevents.blogspot.com, markalburgermusichistory.blogspot.
com, 21st-centurymusic.blogspot.com
