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Music News: Pizza Hut makes playable turntable pizza box

by Staff

August 17, 2016

Pizza Hut has developed a pizza box printed with turntables that you can actually play by syncing the box to your laptop and sliding your fingers over the box. A limited number of the turntable boxes will be given away at select locations — but sorry, for the moment the promotion is limited to the U.K. (Billboard)

Remembering James Woolley

Keyboardist James Woolley has died of undisclosed causes at age 50. Woolley is best-known for being a member of Nine Inch Nails during that band's 1991-94 heyday. Woolley toured with the band, playing at shows including the first Lollapalooza tour. (NME)

"Terrible news regarding James," NIN leader Trent Reznor said to Rolling Stone. "I hadn't crossed paths with him for some time, but always thought of him fondly. He was a fun character to be around, a solid musician and a genuinely good guy. Those of us from that era of the band have been sharing 'James' stories...lots of laughs and love and sadness. Wishing his family the very best."

Metallica to live-stream Minneapolis show

On Saturday, Metallica will play the first rock show held at Minneapolis's new U.S. Bank Stadium. The show will be live-streamed on Pandora; to promote the stream, the band have released a video in which James Hetfield discusses the band's history in the Twin Cities, starting with a 1985 show at First Avenue. See the video at Rolling Stone.

Chance the Rapper launches site to promote independent music on the radio

Chance the Rapper has launched a site called RapperRadio.com. The site lets users tweet requests at music stations in their area; currently only Chance tracks are featured, but the rapper wants to expand the site to feature other independent artists. (Billboard)

Sting's brain gets scanned for science

Whose head would you scan if you wanted to know how the brain organizes music? How about putting Sting in the scanner? That's what Dr. Daniel Levitin did, discovering that the Police frontman's brain thinks in similar ways about pairs of songs like "Girl" (the Beatles) and "Libertango" (Astor Piazzola). Now we know. (Rolling Stone)

Sir Paul returns to Capitol

Paul McCartney has signed a new contract with Capitol Records — returning to the label where he started his solo career, and bringing his entire solo back catalog with him. "Not only was Capitol my first U.S. record label," said the former Beatle in a statement, "but the first record I ever bought was Gene Vincent’s 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' on the Capitol label." (Billboard)

New Santana supergroup

Carlos Santana has formed a new jazz-rock supergroup with fellow music veterans Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. The group, Mega Nova, also includes bassist Marcus Miller and Santana's wife, drummer Cindy Blackman Santana. The band will make its live debut at a Hollywood Bowl concert on Aug. 24. (Rolling Stone)

Kanye announces Yeezy Season 4

Kanye West has announced a Sept. 7 event to unveil his the fourth season of his Yeezy fashion line; no time or location have yet been announced. At each of the previous three season launch events, Kanye has debuted new music. (Pitchfork)

Lin-Manuel Miranda to write new Little Mermaid music

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda will collaborate with original composer Alan Menken to write new songs for a new live-action movie adaption of the Disney animated film The Little Mermaid. (Billboard)

Tim Kaine rolls along

Democratic vice-presidential candidate — and Minnesota native — Tim Kaine has already opened up about being a fan of Bob Dylan and the Replacements, and now he's proved it by pulling out his harmonica to play the Old Crow Medicine Show song "Wagon Wheel," which was written from an unfinished song by Dylan. (Billboard)

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This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.