Snoop Dogg will be this year's SXSW keynote speaker, following in the footsteps of Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and Lady Gaga. (Billboard) Meanwhile, Snoop—who's seen his share of gun violence—is joining Aloe Blacc and others in a call for individuals with retirement savings account to divest from the gun industry. (Rolling Stone)
A Los Angeles jury declared yesterday that Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke—two of the co-writers of “Blurred Lines,” a 2013 megahit for Thicke—stole elements of Marvin Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up.” The two have been ordered to pay a total of $7.4 million in damages and compensation to Gaye's heirs. (Local Current)
Record Store Day (April 18) has announced its complete list of special releases. Among the artists releasing special-edition vinyl are Vampire Weekend, Father John Misty, and Courtney Barnett. (Pitchfork) Johnny Marr will celebrate Record Store Day with a 7" release featuring a Depeche Mode cover and a live version of Marr and his band playing the Smiths' "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want." (NME)
Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day (and sometimes the Replacements) is opening a guitar shop in Oakland. Broken Guitars will open its doors on April 3. (NME)
Even before their new album Strangers to Ourselves is released on March 17, Modest Mouse have announced that they're at work on a follow-up. (Pitchfork)
Jungle visited the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge and performed, among other songs, a cover of the Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars hit "Uptown Funk." (NME)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFZR8cEGi3w
Iggy Azalea has rescheduled her entire North American tour, citing "production delays." The Target Center show that was previously scheduled for April 30 will now take place on Oct. 1. (Billboard)
The Huffington Post published a warm profile of local heroine Lizzo, who talked about her roots in Detroit and Houston as well as her current home in Minneapolis. "A lot about Minneapolis helped carve my musicality, and open my eyes," said Lizzo. "The whole town is so open-minded compared to like, you know, Texas."
