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Terri Clark Welcomes Kelly Clarkson, Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson and More For ‘Take Two’ Collaborative Album: Exclusive

“People used to call me a honky-tonker in an era of divas,” Canadian-born singer-songwriter Terri Clark recalls to Billboard of her musical breakthrough in the mid-1990s, which positioned her as one of the rare woman “hat acts” at the time. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Clark’s pared-down jeans and boots, as well as her conversational vocal style and mix of ballads such as “If I Were You” and good-time songs such as “You’re Easy on the Eyes,” marked a counterpoint to the ceiling-scraping vocals and sequined, spangled outfits other women country artists were known for during the era. But Clark’s independent-minded ethos has proven an influence on a new generation of artists. Now, Clark has teamed with many of today’s top country hitmakers to reimagine her catalog of hits on Terri Clark: Take Two, out May 31 via Mercury Nashville/UMe. Trending on Billboard The album, which Clark produced, features Clark joining forces with Lainey Wilson on Clark’s hit cover of Linda Ronstadt’s “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me,” Kelly Clarkson on “If I Were You,” Cody Johnson on “I Just Wanna Be Mad,” Ben Rector on “Now That I Found You,” Carly Pearce on “Girls Lie Too” and Lauren Alaina on “I Wanna Do It All.” The set also includes a recording of a live performance from Clark with fellow Canadian Paul Brandt, on “You’re Easy on the Eyes.” The first release from the album features Clark in collaboration with Ashley McBryde, on the song that launched Clark’s career: 1995’s “Better Things to Do.” “At the top of my list was Ashley McBryde,” Clark tells Billboard of making the album. “We’ve been friends since 2017, and she’s the epitome of a true artist. She’s not afraid to be who she is and I’ve always admired that about people. Ashley has brought up in interviews how my career has inspired her, and that is something that really stuck with me. When you’re doing what you do, you don’t think it’s going to someday inspire somebody to truly just be themselves.” Take Two is set to further connect Clark’s music with a new generation of fans. Clark moved to Nashville in the late 1980s and played at revered Nashville venue Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, before producer-music executive Keith Stegall signed her to Mercury Nashville Record in 1994. Clark earned nearly a dozen top 10 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, including the chart-topping bell-ringers “You’re Easy on the Eyes” (which topped the leaderboard for three weeks in 1998) and 2004’s “Girls Lie Too.” Along the way, she picked up nominations from the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association. She was inducted into the all-genre Canadian Music Hall of Fame last year and is also a member of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. While some of the new recordings largely stay true to the originals, others add a new dimension. At the time of our interview, Clark had yet to get into the studio with Johnson to lay down vocals on “I Just Wanna Be Mad,” but says, “That song should have been a duet in the first place. And we slowed it down and toughened it up a lot. We’re having to change the melody in certain areas to get the key right for both of us to sing in certain parts of the song. It just sounds like him and it’s got a great rock groove to it.” She recorded the Wilson duet on “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me” a year ago, recalling, “I’m so glad we recorded it then — I don’t know if she would’ve had the time to do it now, because her career has just exploded since then. She showed up [to the studio] without one single person in an entourage or anybody and was just as gracious as anyone. She’s still that way.” Wilson strays slightly outside country circles to collaborate with pop-rock artist Rector, saying, “He’s a brilliant singer-songwriter. He walked in and just nailed the recording. The arrangement is fresh and he had a prominent hand in that. I wanted it to sound like something he would do, the filtered acoustic piano. We had a blast, and musically, I think it’s my favorite of the first four songs we tracked. This sounds like it could be a hit today.” Courtesy Photo While some collaborations on Terri Clark: Take Two were by design, others were forged from happenstance — such as the random text message that set the Kelly Clarkson duet on Clark’s 1996 hit “If I Were You” into motion. “She sang one of my songs on her karaoke segment of her show,” Clark says. “I never had her contact information, so I went through my business manager — who was a mutual contact for both of us — to say, ‘Thank you for singing my song.’ One day, I got a random text message that sounded very cryptic and I thought, ‘Oh, some random person got ahold of my phone number somehow.’ I texted back, ‘Who is this?’ and she was like, ‘Wait, is this..’ and named someone else. I said, ‘No, but who are you?’ And she said, ‘I can’t tell you but I can give you some hints.’” The guessing game continued until Clark verified Clarkson’s number with mutual artist friend Reba McEntire. “I hate putting people on the spot, but I saw that as a sign that I was supposed to ask Kelly [to sing on the album],” Clark continues. “Thankfully, she said she would. I gave her a list of songs that were still available, and she picked ‘If I Were You,” which thrills me. I wrote that song when I was 21 years old, all by myself. So, it means a lot to me that she would pick that one.” Of recording with Clarkson, Clark says, “I just wanted her singing on as much of it as possible. She’s such an incredible singer, I just tried to stay out of her way.” Not only is ‘90s country music having a resurgence, but so is ‘90s country fashion — from cowboy hats to fringe to vintage T-shirts — something Clark and her team are taking advantage of in marketing the album. “My mother saved all my original merch [items], so I have one of just about every T-shirt from the early days,” says Clark, adding that she’s taken some of those vintage shirts into the recording sessions and gifted them to artists taking part in the album. “Some of these photos of these artists I’m duetting with, wearing these old T-shirts of mine, are going to pop up,” Clark says. “I brought Lainey one that said ‘Poor, Poor Pitiful Me’ on it from the album,” Clark says. Clark thinks the reason ‘90s music is having another moment 30 years later is because “it’s honest music. It doesn’t feel as manufactured as some of the music can these days. I hear that [‘90s country] influence in artists now — I’m a huge Cody Johnson fan, and he goes for the meat and substance in the songs. And I don’t believe it’s any particular artist — It’s a reverence for an era, which is nice.” Clark is also excited by the “second chance” to record some of these hits with today’s recording technology. “Sonically, we’ve come such a long way — you hear those [original] big snare drums with all the reverb and the vocals and sometimes it sounded like we’re in a cave. But the fun part about re-recording these songs is we can update the way the track sounds.” Clark says she is grateful for artists such as Wilson and Luke Combs — who recently teamed with country group Shenandoah for a remake of the group’s 1990 Country Airplay chart-topper “Two Dozen Roses” — putting a new spin on older songs that inspired them, and introducing the music to their fans. “Fans want to know who Lainey Wilson grew up listening to and who Luke Combs grew up listening to,” Clark says. “It sparks an interest, and it brings us back into the conversation that we wouldn’t otherwise be a part of without them. So, we are grateful to the new artists for honoring and having a reverence for our era.” See the full tracklisting below: “I Just Wanna Be Mad” (featuring Cody Johnson) “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” (featuring Lainey Wilson) “Better Things to Do” (featuring Ashley McBryde)  “Now That I Found You” (featuring Ben Rector) “I Wanna Do It All” (featuring Lauren Alaina) “If I Were You” (featuring Kelly Clarkson) “Girls Lie Too” (featuring Carly Pearce) “You’re Easy On the Eyes (live)” (featuring Paul Brandt)

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How Goldenvoice’s Cali Vibes Is Redefining Festival Sustainability

On its surface, Cali Vibes seems like a normal music festival. In February, the three-day Long Beach, Calif., event held its third annual edition, welcoming 20,000 fans per day with a bill topped by Gwen Stefani, Stick Figure, Slightly Stoopid and Rebelution. But a closer look reveals quiet innovation. Attendees drink from reusable plastic cups instead of single-use ones. Solar panels power the artists lounge. Staff members posted at each garbage station advise guests on whether waste should be thrown away, recycled or composted. Excess food is donated to local shelters. The festival is a fun time — and a testing ground for sustainability initiatives that may eventually be used throughout the live sector. In 2023, Goldenvoice parent company AEG Presents designated Cali Vibes as an incubator to pilot green measures with the hope of expanding them across AEG’s festival portfolio. Cali Vibes designed its program in partnership with Three Squares, a Los Angeles-based environmental consulting firm. Trending on Billboard “Environment is part of the DNA of the festival,” says Goldenvoice vp of festivals Nic Adler, who in his position oversees California festivals including Cali Vibes, Cruel World, Just Like Heaven, Portola, Camp Flog Gnaw and Goldenvoice’s other “non-desert” (i.e., not Coachella or Stagecoach) events, which all typically draw between 20,000 and 30,000 fans per day. “Cali Vibes is definitely the greenest one,” says Adler, who also helps book the shows, which focus on reggae, roots rock and hip-hop. “It’s harder to do something on the scale of 125,000 people a day [like Coachella or Stagecoach] versus 30,000, so the festivals we oversee are testing grounds for our larger events. “We’re all aware that bringing 50 truckloads of stuff and 50,000 people to a site is not sustainable,” he continues. “But there’s a way to go at it where everybody does better.” Goldenvoice doesn’t promote Cali Vibes as a green festival — but it certainly could. That starts with how fans reach the festival grounds at Long Beach’s Marina Green Park. Cali Vibes promotes public transit use by offering attendees free or discounted rides through a partnership with L.A. Metro and electric scooter company Bird. (Scientists cite the emissions from fan travel as the single biggest challenge in greening concerts.) This year, most Cali Vibes transport vehicles were electric. While the festival can’t control how artists arrive at the site or how the event’s equipment is delivered, its “no idling” rule reduces emissions by requiring cars and gas-powered golf carts to be turned off when not in motion. Adler says the rule will likely be implemented at Coachella 2024. Reusable cups from r.Cup were the rule. Nicolita Bradley Elsewhere, festival signage is made from wood so it can be reused, while thousands of square feet of plastic banners at stages are taken by upcycling company Rewilder after the event wraps and sewn into tote bags and backpacks sold at the following year’s merchandise stand. Unsold merch is refashioned into staff uniforms. This year, the festival’s reusable cup program, r.Cup, had an 81% return rate, which translated to the elimination of 300,000 single-use plastic cups. Water is served in aluminum cans, and refill stations are located throughout the event. Each ticket includes a $5 sustainability charge — Adler says it helps fans “feel like they’re participating” — which is split between greening festival operations and nonprofits including Surfrider Foundation and Plastic Pollution Coalition; Cali Vibes has donated $130,000 since the program’s inception. Such forward-facing initiatives are crucial, Adler explains, because “festivals are inherently discovery-based in terms of new music, new people, new food” and can instill new habits that might stick with attendees. “We are an example,” he says, that could inspire fans to get their own reusable cup, learn to compost or go vegetarian. Roughly 20% to 30% of food vendors at Goldenvoice festivals are vegan, with all vendors required to offer at least one vegetarian option. When Morrissey and Siouxsie Sioux headlined Cruel World in 2022 and 2023, respectively, both artists required that meat not be sold, resulting in roughly 80% vegan options — and demonstrating the power artists have to demand sustainability initiatives. Meanwhile, festival staff collect and compost food waste from vendors and divert excess food to local nonprofits and homeless shelters. Beyond the solar-powered artists lounge — which Adler says has become a point of pride even if it isn’t “that great-looking” — the fest has shifted to clean energy in several areas, including solar-powered light towers in parking lots, merch stations and bathroom zones, and battery-powered LED lights in some locations. In 2023, the use of renewable diesel in generators and heavy equipment eliminated 43 tons of carbon emissions. And since festival greening often means entering unknown territory, Adler says his team “spends a lot of the year going to random parking lots to meet someone to test a solar battery. We’ve seen more things we don’t like than things that will work, but that’s the process to find the right products.” Staffers served as garbage station guides. Juliana Bernstein When it comes to green initiatives, Adler thinks the live sector is “crossing the threshold.” As sustainable technologies become more widely available and adopted, “the more prices are going to come down, so more festivals will want to use solar batteries or electric vans. The minute [the costs] start affecting the bottom line in a positive way, there’s going to be a full push for all of this.” That hasn’t happened just yet, but even so, Adler can’t “recall a time in this business where it has been easier to use these alternatives.” He predicts that in five to 10 years, green energy tech will be established and affordable enough for producers to feel confident using it for large-scale stages and other major energy use points. But for Adler, the goal is not necessarily to create a zero-emissions festival — “If you restrict it too much, people might not come back” — but instead an enjoyable, inspiring environment that implements and showcases ever-improving sustainability components and which vendors, artists and fans are happy to return to. “You must create the opportunity for people to do the right thing,” he says. “That’s what our team is focused on the most: Have we created enough opportunities for people to participate in doing better?” This story will appear in the March 30, 2024, issue of Billboard.

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BMI Members to Receive $100M Bonus From New Mountain Sale. How Will It Be Split?

BMI, which was acquired by New Mountain Capital in February, last night notified songwriters and publishers that its previous owners, mainly radio and TV stations, have followed through on their commitment to disburse a $100 million bonus from the undisclosed amount received for the sale — which sources say was over $1 billion — to songwriters and publishers. What’s more, it disclosed to each songwriter and publisher how much they will be receiving. Songwriters and publishers expressed gratitude for the payout — after all, the sellers were under no legal obligation to share any of the sale price with BMI members. In fact, some consider it a very generous reward from the prior owners. However, other sources have suggested that morally, the previous owners should shared something, considering it was songwriters’ and music publishers’ rights that generated all the licensing revenue and created the value for the sale price to be achieved. Trending on Billboard In any event, publishers and songwriters contacted by Billboard Thursday (March 28) said they were engaging in mathematical analysis to try and figure out what their payment represented, even though BMI laid out on its website some details on how it arrived at each individual payout. According to the website, BMI looked at the most recent five years of payouts (2019-2023) and used that as a basis to determine how much each payout should be — after taking into consideration whether the songwriter’s catalog was there for all five years or is still there even if the songwriter has left. Then, it apparently divided songwriters into tiers based on undisclosed parameters and paid every songwriter or publisher in that tier the same amount according to the website. Only songwriters or publishers that had received over $500 in royalties were eligible for a bonus distribution. BMI didn’t provide any information on how it calculated allocations other than to say it split the bonus payouts evenly between songwriters and publishers — and that sold catalogs’ bonuses would be pro-rated between the new owners and old owners. But it did disclose that the method it used “is different from how we calculate our quarterly distributions,” according to the letter signed by BMI president/CEO Mike O’Neill that accompanied news of the allocation. “We thought very carefully about how we determined this allocation and made every effort to be as inclusive as possible and have it applied to the greatest number of earning BMI affiliates,” O’Neill’s letter stated. “Your allocation is truly well deserved, and I’m very pleased to deliver it to you on behalf of BMI’s former shareholders. Moving forward, your future with BMI is brighter than ever.” Meanwhile, publishers’ data teams spent the day analyzing the payouts, looking at instances where they could see payouts on multiple catalogs or songwriters with similar characteristics for the five-year terms in order to compare them. Others measured their bonus payout as a percentage of the $100 million or compared it to the suspected sale price. Still others decided that the best way to measure the bonus was to add up all the royalties BMI paid for a song catalog for the five-year period to see what percentage of that amount the bonus comprised; and then to compare that percentage with other songwriters or catalogs. One such catalog, an A-level writer/producer with several No. 1 hits during the period, earned about $4.1 million from BMI over those five years and received a bonus of $47,000 — or a 1.15% bonus on the earnings for the period, according to one source who had access to that data. Another publishing source says comparing songwriters on its rosters who are equally successful to what each received as a bonus created quite a bit of confusion. In one instance, when they compared two songwriters at the same level, both got the same amount even though one has been at BMI for all five years while the other has only been there for only a few of the five years. “BMI might file this under ‘no good deed goes unpunished’ or ‘looking a gift horse in the mouth,’ but so far I can’t see any rhyme or reason on how they are determining the payouts,” that publisher says, but quickly adds, “Having said that, I am very happy for getting the money.” A BMI representative was unavailable to comment at deadline — the organization was holding its Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards event in Atlanta on Thursday. But the O’Neill letter to those receiving bonus payments also noted that the new owners will give BMI increased capabilities and leave the organization in “the best possible position to tap into numerous growth opportunities that will ensure your long-term success…increasing your distributions, elevating the services we provide and exploring new revenue streams that will benefit you.”

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Utopia Music Looking for ‘Fresh Start’ With Proper Rebrand

LONDON — Utopia Music is planning to rebrand as Proper Group AG, named after its core physical music distribution business, to reflect changes to the Swiss-based firm’s “strategic direction,” the company said Thursday (March 28). The proposed name change, which needs to be approved by shareholders, comes almost two months after co-founder and former head Mattias Hjelmstedt exited Utopia Music following a shake-up of its executive ranks. “As Utopia has evolved under new leadership, we recognize the need to align our brand with our new strategy and as a result, new market positioning,” said Michael Stebler, who was appointed CEO in January, in a statement sent to Billboard. “Our previous brand identity doesn’t accurately reflect who we are today and where we aim to go in the future,” said the chief executive – a former managing director of Investment Advisors Zug AG, which operated on behalf of Utopia’s majority shareholder group. Like Utopia Music, Investment Advisors Zug AG is headquartered in the scenic Swiss town of Zug, located close to Zurich. Trending on Billboard Utopia Music acquired Proper Music Group, the United Kingdom’s biggest independent physical music distributor, which provides distribution services for nearly 6,000 indie labels and service companies, for an undisclosed sum in January 2022. Eight months later, the company bought up the assets of U.K.-based Cinram Novum — which provides warehouse, fulfillment and distribution services to music labels and home entertainment companies, including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and [PIAS] — and renamed it Utopia Distribution Services (UDS).   Both acquisitions took place during a period of intense hyper-growth between 2020 and 2022 when Utopia rapidly acquired 15 companies spanning music tech, finance, publishing, marketing and distribution. A well-documented downsizing followed, encompassing multiple rounds of job cuts, company divestments and ongoing legal actions, eventually leading to the appointment of a new CEO and executive team at the start of the year. Changing the company’s name to Proper Group “represents a fresh start,” said Stebler, “and reflects the changes to our strategic direction, where distribution sits at the core of the commercial value chain.” Under the new arrangement, Billboard understands that Utopia/Proper Group will be divided into four main departments: Proper Distribution, Proper Payments, Proper Processing and Proper Music Data. Together, the company says, they will provide clients with a “comprehensive suite of tech services” — including cross-platform analytics and royalty tracking, processing and payments — all built around the firm’s music distribution business, which has long generated the bulk of its revenue. “By leveraging the Proper brand,” the company will “benefit from the positive and strong brand equity Proper has in the music industry,” said Stebler.  The company’s executive team remains unchanged with Stebler supported by deputy CEOs Alain Couttolenc and Drew Hill, a long-serving veteran of the U.K. physical music industry, who doubles as Utopia/Proper Group’s chief of distribution. Hill’s responsibilities include overseeing the U.K.’s biggest distribution warehouse for physical music and home entertainment — a 25,000-square meter facility in the town of Bicester with handling capacity of up to 250,000 units per day — which Utopia opened last year as part of a £100 million ($125 million) long-term deal with international logistics company DP World. More recently, Utopia successfully secured around half of a Series C funding round (understood to total more than 15 million euros)  with a second tranche of C-round funding underway. The funds will be used to drive commercial growth, enhance product development and strengthen the company’s balance sheet, Stebler told Billboard in January. Shareholders will get to vote on the proposed name change when Utopia holds its Annual General Meeting at the start of May.

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Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’: All 27 Tracks Ranked

03/29/2024 Park your Lexus, throw your keys up and dig into Billboard's preliminary ranking and review of Beyoncé's eighth solo studio album. 03/29/2024

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Jumbo Returns to U.S. Stage After 10-Year Hiatus: ‘It’s a Great Reason to Celebrate’

After a decade-long absence, Jumbo, a cornerstone of Latin alternative rock, are making their return to the U.S. stage, joining forces with genre peers División Minúscula. Their much-anticipated comeback follows years of setbacks due to a “critical error” that led to visa complications, preventing them from touring stateside despite the release of three albums brimming with tour-worthy material. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Now, armed with renewed vigor and passion, the Mexican rock band — consisting of frontman Clemente Castillo, guitarist Jorge “Flip” Tamez, bassist Carlos Castro, drummer Alberto Ramos, and producer Iñigo Rizo — are ready to captivate audiences once again as they crisscross the United States, hitting major cities from coast to coast. Promoted by Live Nation, the tour kicks off in Chicago on April 17, followed by a show in New York City the next day. The tour route includes stops in Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, and culminates in Houston, Texas on August 14. Celebrating 25 years since the release of their debut album, Restaurant, in 1999, Jumbo’s significance extends beyond mere longevity. This album not only marked a milestone in the band’s career but also played a pivotal role in shaping the Mexican music scene of its time, particularly the musical boom known as La Avanzada Regia scene of that era in Monterrey. Trending on Billboard “The grand merit of that generation was to be able to break [barriers] and show that in a city where there was no music scene suddenly thundered and became so big,” Flip (real name Jorge Tamez Chapa) tells Billboard Español. “Plastilina Mosh was nothing like Zurdok, which was nothing like La Flor de Lingo, or Niña, or Kinky. Unconsciously we valued being original, and I think that created a very rich movement. Thirty years later it is beginning to be romanticized a lot. I feel very proud to be from that generation”. Jumbo. Photo Credit: Juan Rodrigo Llaguno Juan Rodrigo Llaguno “División Minúscula and Jumbo are two bands with different backgrounds but equally important in the alternative rock genre. They belong to an era that defined many fans on both sides of the border,” adds Manuel Moran, vp of Latin touring at Live Nation. “We are proud to be part of this great celebration and we are very grateful for the trust they have placed in us to surprise their fans in the United States with a comeback tour and an unexpected collaboration like this one.” Jumbo’s latest release, Manual De Viaje A Un Lugar Lejano (En Directo), earned them a Latin Grammy nomination for best pop/rock album in 2019, further solidifying their status as stalwarts of the Latin alternative rock scene. In this interview, Flip delves into the band’s journey, from the highs of success to the challenges they’ve faced along the way, shedding light on their experiences and aspirations for the future. And yes, he explains why they could not enter the U.S. for over a decade. What does it mean for you to take the stage again in the United States, and how did the opportunity to collaborate with División Minúscula for this tour come up? We are very happy to tour the United States and celebrate 25 years of our career. We had an issue, a very serious mistake we made that kept us away from the United States for more than ten years. During the first albums Restaurant (1999), D.D. y Ponle Play (2001), and Teleparque (2003), we had great tours over there. We were building a market early in our career. Saúl Hernández from Jaguares invited us to be openers along with Julieta Venegas and La Gusana Ciega. I remember they were incredible tours, and suddenly there’s this break. Many years went by — and fortunately we managed to overcome this — and now we have the opportunity to share the stage with División Minúscula. Although they are from Matamoros, most of them have been living here in Monterrey for many years. They are very good friends. It’s the first time we do a tour as such and we are very happy; I think it’s going to be very fun. Jumbo. Photo Credit: Juan Rodrigo Llaguno Juan Rodrigo Llaguno As you celebrate these 25 years, what do you consider has been the key to staying together as a band? It’s very difficult. The other day I read a report by Sting that said, “I don’t think any grown man can be in a band.” He said it had to do with this youth gang dynamic that gets a little lost as you get older. And you notice that the relationship does change — you change as a person, you are no longer that youth [from before] — but I think we are still united by the desire to make music. Jumbo is a band that from day one, we set out to make songs that would go beyond the barrier of time. We were never very attached to any fashion — although when we came out, we sounded like what was going on in the early 2000s. In our journey, we have seen many things come and go. We’ve had to change formats, first digital, then streaming. Many things have happened to us that I think the love of making music has brought us back into alignment. Fortunately, we have never fought or disrespected each other, but we have an admiration for each of the members. And although at times we do have different artistic goals and visions, it always ends up falling in the same place. Many of us in the band are producers of other projects, we have other activities, but all related to music. As long as there are people who lend us their ears, there is no reason to stop. The 25 years was a number that hit us like a motherf–ker. It’s a great reason to celebrate. Being one of the pioneers of La Avanzada Regia movement in Monterrey, how do you see the impact of this movement on today’s music, and what do you think has been your most significant contribution to this legacy? I always say that I’m very proud to be from that generation. I grew up playing in many bands, and it didn’t cross my mind to dedicate myself professionally to this, or to be signed by a record label or go on tour. And suddenly the scene was big enough, the Monterrey scene. There were like 10 to 15 bands playing in four or five places, and the rest was the audience. This is before the internet — I mean, we took our flyers to the show and handed them out to perform the following week. La Avanzada, we were very united as bands; there was the same hunger to go out and dream, to take this to the next level. Monterrey, being the industrial capital of the country, had a very rigid scheme of opportunities. You had to study, work in one of the big companies, and make your life. It was very difficult to dream of a profession outside those schemes. The great merit of that generation was to be able to break [barriers] and demonstrate that in a city where there was no professional music scene it could become so big, and in a few years permeate the Latin market so strongly. [embedded content] When Control Machete came out, it a huge boom that the rest of Latin America turned to see what was happening in Monterrey. They were looking for a hip-hop movement, but they found something very different. Plastilina Mosh was nothing like Zurdok, which was nothing like La Flor de Lingo, or Niña, or Kinky. Unconsciously we valued very much being original, not looking like anybody else and I think that created a very rich movement. Thirty years later this scene is beginning to be romanticized a lot. What’s next after the tour? Any final thoughts? One goal that we had for many years was to get back to the United States in some way. I think the next thing after this tour is to get into the studio. There are no concrete plans yet. I’ll tell you the anecdote so that there is no mystery; I think it’s something that new [foreign] bands learn from. We made the very serious mistake of going to a show with a tourist visa. The work visa has a shorter amount of time. It happens to [foreign] bands that the work visa has a short period of time. Suddenly there is an isolated show, and even though we had an arrangement with the promoter that could be for promotion, we got too close to the line and fell into a problem. So, it doesn’t matter if you’re going to play a free show, it doesn’t matter if you’re going to tour very casually. Playing in the U.S. is work, and that cost us to stay away for many years. If it’s any moral for bands, don’t make that mistake. We learned the hard way and fortunately we are back. We are really excited. We had a hard time having three albums and not being able to tour there. So we bring all that accumulated energy and we are sure you will notice it in the shows. Check out Jumbo and División Minúscula’s full tour dates below, second slide:

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G-MIX

7:00pmThursday

7:00pmThursday

State Champ Radio Mix

8:00pmThursday

8:00pmThursday

State Champ Radio Mix

12:00amFriday

Current show

12:00amFriday

Lunch Time Rewind

12:00pmFriday

12:00pmFriday

State Champ Radio Mix

1:00pmFriday

1:00pmFriday

G-MIX

7:00pmFriday

7:00pmFriday

State Champ Radio Mix

8:00pmFriday

8:00pmFriday

State Champ Radio Mix

12:00amSaturday

12:00amSaturday

Lunch Time Rewind

12:00pmSaturday

12:00pmSaturday

State Champ Radio Mix

1:00pmSaturday

1:00pmSaturday

G-MIX

7:00pmSaturday

7:00pmSaturday

State Champ Radio Mix

8:00pmSaturday

8:00pmSaturday

State Champ Radio Mix

12:00amSunday

12:00amSunday

Lunch Time Rewind

12:00pmSunday

12:00pmSunday

State Champ Radio Mix

1:00pmSunday

1:00pmSunday

G-MIX

7:00pmSunday

7:00pmSunday

State Champ Radio Mix

8:00pmSunday

8:00pmSunday

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