West Midlands Police football unit signs up for Great Birmingham Run.

Police response followed policy before missing man found murdered.

Region’s showcase of ambitions sees 50% increase in media profile.

A Good Hope consultant has won international recognition for leading a new treatment study

Most people know author Adam Mansbach from his 2011 “children’s book for adults,” Go the Fuck to Sleep. It became a sensation and led to readings by Werner Herzog and Samuel L. Jackson, a movie deal, a popular GTFTS-themed Obama ad, and countless morning show appearances. Now he returns with a sequel, You Have to Fucking Eat — a funny and realistic take on a whole new parenting challenge.

Regular listeners know that Adam does much more than write books with curses in the title. We discussed his literary novels and life in jazz in our first talk. This time, we talk screenwriting, thrillers, middle grade books, and the best child rappers of all time.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/85/ for full show notes and comments.

This week, we talk to Kevin Coval and Nate Marshall. Kevin and Nate, along with Quraysh Ali Lansana, are co-editors of the new poetry anthology The Breakbeat Poets. The book is billed as being “the first poetry anthology by and for the Hip-Hop generation,” and features the work of 78 different poets, representing several different generations of hip-hop fans and practicioners. The book is a first step in creating a Breakbeat Poet movement – a way of bringing the poetics and aesthetics of hip-hop into the world of poetry.

Kevin, who longtime Cipher listeners may remember from his appearance on Episode 52, is the author of many book including Schtick, L-vis Lives: Racemusic Poems, Everyday People and Slingshots: A Hip-Hop Poetica. He is the founder of Louder Than a Bomb: The Chicago Youth Poetry Festival, Artistic Director at Young Chicago Authors, and teaches at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Nate is the author of NAACP Image Award-nominated book Wild Hundreds. He is a founding member of the poetry collective Dark Noise, and is also a rapper.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/137/ for full show notes and comments.

Birmingham conference aims to improve arts access for disabled youngsters.

Producer spent a week and a half working on stalled project to create the last Fab Four album. Continue reading…

Birmingham Rep to bring theatre into Erdington homes.

New prospects for young Birmingham jobseekers.

A two week celebration of theatre will highlight the best of West Midlands’ creativity this March.

Display inspired by Glastonbury anniversary.

Glynn Purnell leads Health for Life cookathon.

Classic films and new releases to feature at state of the art development.

Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory launches takeaway service.

Crescent to stage production of adapted classic.

PR group appointed to boost suburb's profile.

King's Heath Walk of Fame latest.

Ball helps community group.

Here at last to satisfy the clamour of their Brummie fans, come Police Dog Hogan.

BE at Home invites online audience participation.

New multicultural lifestyle complex to be unveiled in Birmingham.

News that another well-known local has declared themselves a potential mayoral candidate prompts Dave Woodhall to wonder what the criteria for the job will be.

Fundraisers share their own poignant memories.

Milestone marked by new productions.

Acclaimed local writer added to theatre board of directors.

£25 million awarded in 25 years.

Ueberschall has announced the release of Latin Brasil Beats, a new title in the Multitrack Drum Loop Series which provides the authentic vibrance and groove of Latin rhythms. The library is built from 10 GB of sample data and contains more than 3,800 individual loops divided into sixteen performance-based folders. Each folder features multiple parts […]

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UJAM has announced the release of its new virtual electronic drum instrument Beatmaker VICE, a plugin that features drum machine samples from the 1980s processed to 21st century sound standard. The instrument allows you to produce nostalgic beats that pack a punch with ready-made patterns and proprietary mix and effect automation. Inspired by some of […]

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BOOM Library has announced the release of its brand-new software plugin Grip, a collaboration with Pole Position Production. Grip lets you create dynamic and authentic skids, bumps, friction, rolling noises and much more with a variety of wheel configurations, ground materials and perspectives. Load Grip in your DAW of choice and design tyre and chassis […]

The post BOOM Library releases Grip vehicle sound creation plugin appeared first on rekkerd.org.

Tracktion has announced availability of Waveform Pro, the eleventh version of the affordable, award winning, fully featured digital audio workstation. Designed for the needs of modern music producers, this deeply capable DAW is a suite of tools that is powerful, intuitive and very user friendly. The latest evolution includes new features developed to harness the […]

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UVI has announced that its BeatHawk music app for iOS is available as a free download for a limited time. BeatHawk is a complete portable music production studio for iOS. Create beats, sample, layer melodies, sequence, mix, arrange and perform songs with a blazing-fast workflow and sleek hardware-inspired user interface. It comes packed with high-quality […]

The post UVI offers BeatHawk app FREE, sound expansion on sale at 50% OFF appeared first on rekkerd.org.

Apollo Sound has released the fourth part of its chill oriented series of guitar packs. Chill-Tempo Jazzy Guitar features the sounds of a hollow body electric guitar performed by gifted chillhop producer and professional session guitar player Michael Melkumian. This guitar is considered the standard in lofi, chillhop, jazz music & has it’s own unique […]

The post Chill Tempo Jazzy Guitars & Mellow Chillhop Beats by Apollo Sound appeared first on rekkerd.org.

Music-Society has announced the release of Doremi, a free software synthesizer instrument by Beatassist.eu. Doremi features 2 oscillators, the 2nd oscillator can be used in 3 modes. Both oscillators have their own ADSR, volume and sub-oscillator. Noise oscillator with its own filter with resonance and ADSR. 2 filters with 4 modes and ADSR. Saturation on/off. […]

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Loopmasters has launched a sample pack by Dubmatix and turntablist The Hip Assassin titled Hip Hop & Beatbox – The Style Bots Arrive, a collection of dark synthesized bass sounds, original tight beat box grooves, sci-fi effects and disturbing alien vocals. This unique collection introduces the Style Bots – robots from either the future or […]

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Moog Music has announced a firmware update for the Mother-32 semi-modular analog synthesizer. Combining a flexible analog monophonic voice, robust step-sequencer, and 32-point 3.5mm patchbay for interconnectivity and expandability, Mother-32 is a dynamic standalone instrument that gives synthesists a way to incorporate classic Moog sound into the Eurorack modular world. The firmware version 2.0 update […]

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Plugin Boutique is offering 68% off on the Tape Synths expansion pack for Beat’s free Zampler rompler plugin. Names like Mercury, MiniMoog, Roland SH-101, JP-8000 or Juno 60 get Beat very excited!. But this isn‘t even the full list of synths they used for our latest soundbank. For authentic flair Beat recorded some of the […]

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Creative Intent has launched a sale on the Tantrum phase distortion effect plugin, offering a 50% discount for a few weeks only. Tantrum was recently updated to support AAX 64-bit and macOS Catalina. Tantrum is a new take on digital distortion plugins, is born from the same unique phase distortion as in Temper, but has […]

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Plugin Boutique has published another Top 5 Friday video in which Tim Cant takes a look at some of the best plugins for producing EDM. If you want to get that polished, highly professional EDM sound, you’re going to need to use the right tools, and at Plugin Boutique, you can find some of the […]

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Plugin Boutique has launched an exclusive sale on That Thing by BeatSkillz, offering 65% off on the soundscape multi-fx processor for a limited time. “That Thing” is a multi-effects processor that was designed to get you “That Thing” missing from digitally perfect tracks today. It features a beautiful wide and deep chorus section great to […]

The post That Thing Soundscape FX by BeatSkillz on sale for $19 USD appeared first on rekkerd.org.

iZotope has launched the limited time Music Maker’s Bundle, offering a collection of 8 creative and innovative plugins at 96% off the regular price. The Music Maker’s Bundle contains every iZotope Elements product for music as well as a huge selection of their most creative and innovative plugins. Kick start your creative toolbox and get […]

The post iZotope launches Music Maker’s Bundle with 8 creative plugins for $49 USD appeared first on rekkerd.org.

K-Devices has announced the release of an iOS/AUv3 version of WOV, an effect plugin for creating a wide range of textural transmutation, from familiar static tremolo waves to evolving glitchy stutters. WOV for IOS comes with a set of intriguing presets from sound designers Richard Devine and Stév! It is a deeply creative tool that […]

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Serato Studio pays homage to the classic 1990’s arcade fighter games with BeatFighter, letting you compete with beatmakers from across the world for ultimate victory in a global online tournament. Interactive, public judging via Instagram is to decide who takes the grand prize each month. “BeatFighter is a really epic combination of gaming and music […]

The post Compete with beatmakers in Serato Studio’s BeatFighter music production battle appeared first on rekkerd.org.

DDMF has announced the release of MagicDeathEyeStereo, a tube compressor with an integrated EQ circuit designed especially for mastering. A faithful emulation of their stereo master buss compressor and equalizer, MagicDeathEyeStereo is the second product of the ongoing collaboration with MagicDeathEye. We have taken everything we’ve learned from the first version and created a true […]

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Prime Loops has launched a collection of over 340 analog Trap drums, samples and loops with its new sample pack titled Bally: Beastmode Trap Beats. With this analog Trap release, we’re giving you some heavy-weight Trap ammunition to load up your arsenal with and create some earth-shattering riddims! Sinister synth melodies, huge music ensembles, tech […]

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Mondelez, owner of Cadbury’s, said its sales in the first phase of the lockdown was reduced to nil due to closure of plants, lack of have people from the distribution centers and non-availability of trucks.

I believe in movie theaters. The first time I went to a movie theater, I was about 6 years old. My parents took my brothers and me to the Rowland Theater in Philipsburg to see the original Disney version of 101 Dalmatians – it was around 1969. I remember sitting in the balcony. I remember a night scene where a car was barreling down a road with a network of dogs barking. I was scared and I was fascinated, and, doggone it, I couldn’t see the whole screen. There was a bar that ran across the front of the section, and it cut through the middle of the screen blocking my view. I had to keep scooching down in my seat, trying not to spill my popcorn. Cruella DeVil terrified me, and yet I wanted to see everything. I grew up going to matinees at the theater, as did almost everyone in my generation who grew up around Philipsburg. We all have memories of the 102-year-old movie palace that still draws people to our beloved town. This theater ties us together. The years have flown by since that

I believe immigrants make America great. My maternal grandparents were refugees from an area in Syria that later became Lebanon. In the early 1900s they escaped a drought, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and relentless poverty to pursue a better life in America. My grandfather, we called him “Jiddu,” which is Arabic for “my grandfather,” was employed in a shoe factory and spent his spare time hanging out on his friend’s vegetable farm. Neither of them achieved prominence. They lived their lives contributing to industrial America and raising their children. I could not communicate with my grandparents because of the language barrier. I was told that Sittu, my grandmother, learned to read the destination on the bus she needed to take, but other than that could not communicate in English. I wish I had been able to ask them about their lives in the old country and why they left. Like other immigrant groups, they took a risk in coming to America’s shores. I believe those risk-takers

40% Restaurants Face a Permanent Lockout; some entrepreneurs tweaking business models, selling DIY meal kits, attempting delivery.