Connect with us

News

Kiss Sells Catalog, Brand Name And IP. Gene Simmons Assures Fans It Is A ‘Collaboration’

Published

on

kiss

Kiss’s career never truly ends. The hard rock quartet disclosed Thursday that it sold its repertoire, brand name, and intellectual property to Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment Group in a deal worth more than $300 million.

Kiss has previously collaborated with Pophouse, which ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus co-founded. When the band’s current lineup — founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, guitarist Tommy Thayer, and drummer Eric Singer — took the stage on the final night of their farewell tour in December at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden, they revealed digitized avatars of themselves.

kiss

Kiss Sells Catalog, Brand Name And IP. Gene Simmons Assures Fans It Is A ‘Collaboration’

The cutting-edge technology was developed by George Lucas’ special-effects business, Industrial Light & Magic, in collaboration with Pophouse. The two firms recently collaborated on the “ABBA Voyage” show in London, which allowed fans to attend a full concert by the Swedish band during their peak, played by their digital avatars.

The methods of using Kiss’ avatars have yet to be revealed, but Pophouse CEO Per Sundin says fans may expect a biopic, a documentary, and a Kiss experience in the future.

An avatar show is set to debut in the second half of 2027, but don’t expect it to resemble “ABBA Voyage,” Sundin told the Associated Press. Fans should anticipate it beginning in North America.

Sundin says the purchase aims to introduce Kiss to new generations, which he believes distinguishes Pophouse from other music collection buys.

“The record companies, the three big ones that are left, they’re doing a fantastic job, but they have so many catalogs and they can’t focus on everything,” he said. “We collaborate with Universal (Music Group) and Kiss, even though we will hold the artists’ rights, and we are doing it in conjunction with Kiss. But, yeah, we purchased full rights, which I have never seen stated so clearly before.”

kiss

Kiss Sells Catalog, Brand Name And IP. Gene Simmons Assures Fans It Is A ‘Collaboration’

“I don’t like the word acquisition,” Gene Simmons tells the AP via Zoom, ensuring the band will never sell their archive to a firm they don’t like.

“Collaboration is precisely what it is about. It would breach our implicit fiduciary obligation — see what I did there? — to relinquish the entity we built,” he added. “People may misinterpret and assume, ‘OK, now Pophouse is doing that stuff, and we’re simply in Beverly Hills twiddling our thumbs.’ No, this is not true. We’re in the trenches alongside them. We talk all the time. We share ideas. It is a partnership. Paul (Stanley) and I, especially with the band, will remain committed to this. “It is our baby.”

And that means no more live tours, for real. “We’re not going to tour again as Kiss, period,” he explains. “We’re not going to go put the makeup on and go out there.”

Kiss is Pophouse’s second venture outside of Sweden. Cyndi Lauper signed into a relationship with the corporation in February, which included selling most of her music and a new immersive performance endeavor she refers to as an “immersive theater piece” that transports audiences to the New York where she was raised.

kiss

Kiss Sells Catalog, Brand Name And IP. Gene Simmons Assures Fans It Is A ‘Collaboration’

The goal is to find new methods to introduce Lauper’s music to fans and younger audiences through live performances and events.

“Most suits, when you tell them an idea, their eyes glaze over, and they just want your greatest hits,” Lauper told the Associated Press at Pophouse headquarters in Stockholm in February. “But these guys are a multimedia company, they’re not looking to just buy my catalog, they want to make something new.”

SOURCE – (AP)

News

Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

Published

on

Trudeau, Montreal

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.

Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”

The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”

“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.

On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”

Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.

Pro-Palestinian protests

Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.

Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.

Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.

On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.

Related News:

Trudeau Called the Greatest Threat to NATO

Trudeau Called the Greatest Threat to NATO

 

Continue Reading

News

Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

Published

on

Baby Gorilla, Calgary Zoo
The zookeeper's negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla

The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.

The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.

The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.

“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”

According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.

Calgary Zoo Questioned

It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.

An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.

Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.

The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.

“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.

“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.

While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”

Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.

Related News:

Beluga Whales Dies at Canada’s Marineland

Outrage Erupts After 17th Beluga Whale Dies at Canada’s Marineland

Continue Reading

News

Canada’s Lotto Max Jackpot Climbs to $80M

Published

on

lotto max, Canada

Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.

Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.

The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.

While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.

Lotto Max History

Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.

The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.

Let’s have a look at the rules:

  1. Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
  2. Numbers cannot be repeated
  3. Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
  4. Each play buys 3 lines
  5. Each play costs $5

Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)

Continue Reading

Trending