Mental Health America of Los Angeles Dedicate Clothing Department to Late Suicide Silence Singer

It’s been more than three years since Suicide Silence lost their singer Mitch Lucker in a motorcycle accident. Since that day, the band has done a lot to keep the vocalist’s memory alive from holding a charity show to help raise funds for the late singer’s daughter to giving back to a charity to help combat suicide in America. Last December, the band raised nearly $17,000 at a benefit show for Mental Health America of Los Angeles.

Now, in exchange for the band’s generosity, the nonprofit organization has named their donated clothing department “The Mitch Lucker Clothing Closet.” “We are honored to have been the beneficiary of a charity concert held by the band Suicide Silence,” begins the statement from the nonprofit organization on Facebook. “Their donation is helping us to build our homeless healthcare center where people living on the streets with mental illness can come and get their needs met. This center will help people get connected to the services that they need. The band has chosen to name our clothing closet in honor of their departed lead singer, Mitch Lucker, who helped begin the legacy of giving that led them to us. We could not be more grateful. Thank you to Suicide Silence and to your compassionate fans!”

Suicide Silence took to Facebook to comment about the honor. “As a result of December’s benefit show, we’re happy to announce that Mental Health America of Los Angeles will be officially naming their donated clothing department ‘The Mitch Lucker Clothing Closet.’ We’d like to thank MHALA & all of our fans for helping to make this great honor possible. Let’s all continue to live positively & make 2016 an incredible year.”

Suicide Silence released their fourth studio album, You Can’t Stop Me, which featured the official debut of their new vocalist, Eddie Hermida, in 2014. In the fall of 2015, they released their Sacred Words EP and hit the road alongside Korn for their 20th anniversary tour.

Lame-O Records to Release Six-Way Split for Charity

The holidays may be over, but that does not mean that the giving spirit should be put away until next year.

Lame-O Records just announced that they have teamed up with several bands to release a six-way split. All the proceeds from Strength in Weakness will go directly to benefit the United Cerebral Palsy organization.

The record will feature tracks from Modern Baseball, Beach Slang, Marietta, the Weaks, Hurry, and Spraynard.

In a statement about the decision to do this, Lame-O Records writes:

“Strength in Weakness, Lame-O Records hopes to give back to the community we love so much. The proceeds will be donated to both the local Philadelphia chapter of United Cerebral Palsy and the national branch. With all the good that has come to us over these first two years of existence, and all of the amazing bands and people we have gotten a chance to meet and work with, we are thrilled by the opportunity to contribute to something bigger than ourselves. Learn more about UCP at the link below and thank you ro everyone who helped make this happen, and to all of you who donated.”

Strength in Weakness will be available physically and digitally on Feb. 3 with the label announcing they will be selling only 500 copies of the vinyl version of it. Pre-orders for the physical and digital copies can be order now over at Lame-O’s Bandcamp, while the vinyl pre-order will go up on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at Noon (EST).

Watch S Club 7 Reunite for ‘Children in Need’

For anyone who grew up in the late 90s/early 2000’s, it must have felt like a blast from the past when news surfaced that S Club 7 would be reuniting for a special live performance.

The British group who called it a day years ago, reunited to perform at BBC’s Children in Need charity function which happened over the weekend. The charity holds a special place for the group who previously contributed two songs from their category for the charity’s compilations in 2000 and 2001.

Watch the live performance before which features several of their biggest hits including “S Club Party,” “Reach for the Stars,” and “Don’t Stop.”

For those not familiar with S Club 7, the British band made a splash in the United States with their television series that followed a fictional version of themselves as they tried to achieve stardom in the United States. The series which originally began in Miami, found them traveling across the U.S. to California where they eventually made it. In between that time, and their travels, they made a couple of film including one that found them going back in time to the 1950’s.

Sadly, members started to leave and eventually, they had to call it a day.

Supergroup Unveil Christmas Single for Charity

Can you smell the aroma of pine needles, packing tape, cinnamon, and plastic in the air? All those smells must mean just one thing; Christmas is around the corner.

While we are still chocolate wasted from Halloween last week, many stores have already set up their Christmas displays while the Hallmark channel has already begun their two month-long tradition of playing Christmas movies non-stop. With all this Christmas around us, why wouldn’t a band release a Christmas single?

And that’s exactly what we go today with the premiere of a Christmas song titled “Must Be Christmas.” The track came courtesy of Better Than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin and a slew of members from several bands such as Neon Trees, Fitz and the Tantrums, 311, Smallpools and more.

The supergroup of musicians are going by the Band of Merrymakers while all proceeds from the track, which is available for purchase on iTunes, will go to the MusiCares Foundation.

See, it’s all about the giving. Besides, how many times can you listen to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” before wanting to set fire to your radio?

Check out the song below and maybe start getting into the Christmas spirit and buy the track instead of becoming a super Grinch.

Anthony Green Records New Song for Suicide Prevention

Suicide is the leading cause of deaths among young people, so even though there are numerous resources out there for people who are contemplating suicide, it never seems like there’s enough when someone close to you takes their own life unexpectedly.

With the recent death of Robin Williams ion which he took his own life, you start to realize that the signs are not always there for people who are contemplating taking such a big step and ending their lives. Even the person who seems to have their life all together might not be as put together as they seem.

In a way, Circa Survive frontman Anthony Green is trying to do his part by selling two new songs, “East Coast Winter” and “I’m So Sorry For Everything I’ve Ever Done” which are available on his bandcamp account, with all proceeds from the sales going directly to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.

“I’m excited to share these two new songs with everyone. Music has always been my way of dealing with some of the loneliest and darkest times in my life and these songs helped me ring out some serious stuff that was going on in my head. I share them with you for free in hopes that if you are able you will help support the American association for suicide prevention. 100% of the donations will go to them. I’ve had to deal first hand with the debilitating effects of suicide and depression is something I think effects everyone in one way or another. Please help spread the word about this organization.”

Aside from his contribution to the foundation, it was just announced that Circa Survive will be releasing a CD/DVD deluxe edition of their fourth studio album Violent Waves through Sumerian Records on September 9. Pre-orders are currently up on Sumerian’s merchandise site.

Panic! at the Disco Call Westboro Baptist Church’s Bluff

For a band that calls Las Vegas home, Panic! at the Disco surely called the Westboro Baptist Church’s bluff.

Last week, the Westboro Baptist Church, one of the most detested, despised and obnoxious group of people in the world, released a parody of Panic! at the Disco’s hit, debut song, “I Write Sins, Not Tragedies.” Considering that the group of anti-everything had not only announced plans to do that, they had also announced plan to picket the band’s Kansas City, MO, we were all expecting the song to come out, which by the way is horrible.

We’re pretty sure that the WBC expect all the hate, but one thing we are sure they did not expect was for Panic! to announce that they would donate $20 to the Human Right Campaign for every member of the WBC that would show up at the show to picket.

Today @WBCSays is going to picket us. For every member of WBC that actually shows up we will donate $20 to @HRC #pride2014

— Panic! At The Disco (@PanicAtTheDisco) July 20, 2014

Check out the interaction between the band and the WBC after the original tweet was posted, yesterday, in which the band not only called their bluff, but also burned them in a response.

Thank you @WBCSays for the update on the total amount you donated to @HRC today. $20X13= weak. We're going to make it an even $1000.

— Panic! At The Disco (@PanicAtTheDisco) July 21, 2014

Help Save the World, Get Role in ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’

Are you a major Star Wars fan? Ever dreamed of one day having a small role in a film? Well, kiddies, you might be in luck because some good news is coming your way that people who answered yes to those questions would enjoy.
 
Beginning today (May 21), you can visit omaze.com/starwars to enter for your chance to win a spot in the film. Director J.J. Abrams invited fans, via special video message which was shot on the set of the upcoming film in Abu Dhabi, to this special opportunity.
The video announces the creation of Star Wars: Force for Change, an initiative from Disney, Lucasfilm and Abrams own company, Bad Robot to help find creative ways to help combat some of the world’s biggest problems. 

“The Star Wars fans are some of the most passionate and committed folks around the globe,” Abrams said in the video message. “We’re thrilled to offer a chance to come behind the scenes as our VIP guest and be in Star Wars: Episode VII. We’re even more excited that by participating in this campaign star wars fans will be helping children around the world through our collaboration with UNICEF Innovation Labs and projects.”

If the VIP treatment isn’t enough to help you come up with something to submit, at least think of the children. 

Check out Abrams’ full message below. 

Ryan Lewis and Family Start “The 30/30 Project”

Ryan Lewis might be known as “that guy that stands next to Macklemore,” but the producer who is now a Grammy-winner along with his friend, is beginning to make a name for himself. Though the legacy he is trying to start might not be completely music related, it is related to something that is close to Lewis; a charity to help raise money to build health centers around the world to benefit people living with HIV.

Lewis revealed on Tuesday through his website, the one he shares with Macklemore, that his mother, Julie Lewis, has been living with the deadly disease for 30 years. In honor of her survival, Lewis and his family have begun to raise money for a project called “The 30/30 Project.”

The video begins with Lewis outlining the last couple of years that led to his international success after “Thrift Shop” made him and Macklemore a household name. After the typical, often told success story, the video shifts to the untold, behind-the-scenes story no one has ever heard before.

That’s where he begins to tell the untold story of what helped motivate him and about the strongest woman he knows; his mother. The narration continues with Lewis’ two sisters, his mother and his father speaking about how lucky she was not to fall victim of the disease unlike those who sadly passed away. After giving birth to her oldest daughter, Lewis’ mother was given a blood transfusion that was HIV positive at a time that blood was not being tested beforehand. Though her two youngest children (Ryan’s other sister and himself) had a 25% chance of getting the disease, they were lucky as well.

The project’s final goal is to reach $100,000 for the first health care center in Malawi and for those wanting to donate, an IndieGoGo campaign has already been started in an attempt to help achieve Julie Lewis’ goal to help out big. As of now, the fundraiser has received over $30,000 with 29 days still to go.

My Chemical Romance Fans to Hold Raffle for Make A Wish Foundation

With crazy, obsessive My Chemical Romance fans slowly pushing one of the members of the band away from them, it makes the ten-year anniversary of their sophomore album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge a little bittersweet.

Instead of mourning the loss of their favorite band any longer, members of the MCRmy, My Chemical Romance’s fan base, in the United Kingdom are taking this anniversary to heart and have decided to do something to celebrate the event.

Members of the U.K. fan club have sent out a call to all fans who would like to meet up at London’s Camden Barfly on June 7th. The meet up will double as a charity event, raising funds for the Make A Wish Foundation with actual merchandise from band members.

One of the things to be happening during the event will be a pre-release signing of a new My Chemical Romance book, “The True Lives of My Chemical Romance: An Insightful Biography.” The book was written by Kerrang! writer Tom Bryant who will be signing advance copies of his book, two weeks before its scheduled release. 

Former members Frank Iero and Ray Toro are in support of the event as well. Iero sent in an item to be raffled off while Toro had promoted the meet-up online.

Kerrang! has also added something to the raffle though they are not sponsoring the event. When the band won their last K! award, frontman Gerard Way accepted the award with a little drawing of two ghosts. That drawing will be another raffle object with all proceeds going to Make a Wish.

American MCRmy, it’s your move.

Beyoncé Helps Make Terminally Ill Girl’s Dream Come True

You don’t need to be a fan of Beyoncé and her music to admit that she has a big heart in her when it comes to her fans.

Earlier this month, while on her Mrs. Carter World Tour, the singer helped make a terminally ill girl’s dream come true. Her dream was to perform with Beyoncé and thanks to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, that just happened.

Taylon has a tumor in her brain which cannot be operated on and wanted to get the chance to perform with Queen Bee.”They found an inoperable tumor on her brain, and her dying wish was to dance with Beyoncé,” Ivy McGregor of Philanthropy Program Partnerships says in the video.

Her dream came true during Beyoncé’s stop in Las Vegas where Taylon was brought on stage to sing and dance alongside her idol for “Love on Top” as well as Destiny’s Child’s hit song “Survivor.” Video from the performance can be seen below which was uploaded to the singer’s YouTube page on Christmas Eve.

This isn’t the first time Beyoncé has done such a thing for a fan. A few weeks before the Las Vegas tour stop, she sang a heartwarming duet with a 13-year-old blind fan during a concert in Perth, Australia.

But that’s not where her charitable heart ended for the holidays. A few days ago, she showed up at a Walmart in Tweksbury, MA and gave out $50 gift card to shoppers at the store.

Now that’s definitely one way to show the holiday spirit and appreciation for the fans who helped put her at the top of the charts.