JUNE 2005 NEWSLETTER
BILLY SQUIER NEWS (From Billy’s latest publicity release)
UNION TURNPIKE, an act signed to Columbia several years ago, released one CD in 2002 which featured only one single, the song “Oh”, which samples “The Stroke”. The single was recently placed in Paramount’s THE LONGEST YARD.
The cd single “Oh!” by Union Turnpike is available.
18-year-old British MC/Producer Dizzee Rascal released CD Boy In Da Corner. First single “Fix Up, Look Sharp”, which samples Billy’s “The Big Beat”, zooms up tot he Top 10 of the UK single charts. Album sells 350,000 copies. Dizzee is nominated for and wins the UK’s Mercury Prize, the most prestigious award for new music artists. ‘Boy In Da Corner’ is released in U.S. in early ’04 to strong reviews and brisk sales. “Fix Up, Look Sharp” appeared in the WB’s Smallville in early ’04.
Rapper Jay Z releases “The Black Album”, reported to be his final album, which enters the Billboard Charts at #1 on sales in excess of 500,000 CD’s. The track “99 Problems”, which samples Billy’s “The Big Beat”, is released as a single and video in April ’04 and hits Top 40. “99 Problems” wins multiple awards at the ’04 MTV Music Awards and is nominated for three Grammy Awards including Best Rap Song, Best Rap Album and Best Rap Solo Performance. The Black Album becomes one of the biggest selling CD’s of ’04, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide. “99 Problems” appeared in the opening montage of the first episode of this season’s C.S.I.
Electronica artists Fischerspooner create a ‘mash-up’ mix of Billy’s “Everybody Wants You” and their track “Emerge”. The new song, “Everybody Wants You To Emerge” appears on the acclaimed Queer Eye For The Straight Guy soundtrack CD.
Billy works with acclaimed remixer/producer Jason Nevins to create a new rap/dance track based on “The Stroke”. The new track, titled “Git Money”, features Nevins, Billy and members of Roc-A-Fella act Young Gunz and is slated for global release on Sanctuary Records.
Jay Z’s “99 Problems” (containing sample of Billy’s “The Big Beat”) is combined with Linkin Park’s “One Step Closer” as part of the historic mash-up album by Linkin Park and Jay Z. Released as dual CD/DVD, the project entitled ‘Collision Course’ enters the Billboard Chart at #1 selling more than 350,000 in its initial week.
As always, all mail for Billy MUST go to (NOTE: Old addresses. Please use site’s CONTACT page.). Any questions should be emailed to Judy. We cannot accept unsolicited tapes on advice of counsel. The website (www.billysquier.com) is run by Mike Marosy. Please send any questions or comments about the site to him directly.