April 2024 | MendoWerks

18Apr

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Features, Music, Uncategorized

The Tragedy of MNQN: the AI Gone Rogue

Six years ago, Dustin Bates shared a copy of a cease and desist order that he issued against Ohio-based tech company, The Sentience Corporation, due to complications with one of its AI projects, MNON (later called 'MNQN'). In his letter, Bates alleges that this AI project, and thus the company who created it, was guilty of "stealing and advertising the likeness of [his] voice in music works and marketing materials." The offending songs not only contained unauthorized use of the STARSET frontman's voice, but were also distributed to all major streaming platforms without his knowledge, thus "intentionally violating [his] rights and the rights of [his] songwriting business." He goes on to explain that these actions "constitute theft, conversion, misrepresentation, and unfair competit...

Kings County Drop New Order’s “Blue Monday” Cover With Hard Rock Twist

12Apr

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music

Kings County Drop New Order’s “Blue Monday” Cover With Hard Rock Twist

In the realm of music covers, New Order's 1983 hit single, "Blue Monday," has seen its fair share of interpretations. But this time around, Orlando's hard rock outfit, Kings County, has taken it upon themselves to give the iconic track a whole new lease on life. Kings County is comprised of Rob Dexter on vocals and bass, Steve Bell and Bill Kania on guitars, and Joe Lopez on drums. They're not shying away from the challenge of reinventing a classic. With heavy guitars, earthy drums, and aggressive modern vocals, they've breathed new life into the song while still paying homage to its New Wave roots. According to Dexter, the decision to tackle "Blue Monday" was driven by a deep appreciation for timeless music. He notes, "Great songs stand the test of time, and New Order's hit is no e...

Framing Hanley Returns (Again?) with “Say Less”

4Apr

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Features, Music

Framing Hanley Returns (Again?) with “Say Less”

If you were (an emo kid) on the Internet at any point in the 2000's-2010's, I guarantee that you've come across Framing Hanley at least once. If you were anything like me, then finding out about the band's indefinite hiatus and subsequent "farewell tour" in 2015 was nothing short of heartbreaking--especially given the fact that all three of their albums up until that point were solid bodies of work. What I didn't know until recently is that this "farewell tour" wasn't exactly the definitive ending that I had anticipated it would be upon leaving my local stop on that tour. As it turns out, the band announced the end of their hiatus in 2018, and in 2020, they released a fourth album, Envy. During their hiatus, Framing Hanley released One Màs More, a project split between new renditions...

Saint Samuel Tells the True Story Behind New Song, “Hit and Run” [Exclusive Interview]

4Apr

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Features, Interviews

Saint Samuel Tells the True Story Behind New Song, “Hit and Run” [Exclusive Interview]

"When the world is crazy, that's exactly what humans need the most: music."Sam mccoig (Saint Samuel) If you're looking for a fun pop-rock bop to jumpstart your Spring playlists with, then we invite you to check out "Hit and Run" by Saint Samuel. Based in Richmond, VA, Saint Samuel is a self-produced singer-songwriter whose roots in Americana and pop-punk meld together in interesting ways. This new song follows the artist's January EP, Going Through It, and in a way, is based on a true story. While the song itself is generally fun to listen to, with its catchy hook and playful transitions, the inspiration behind "Hit and Run" is anything but 'fun'. You can learn all about this song by reading our conversation with Saint Samuel, below. Listen to "Hit and Run" by Saint...