Now that Turkey Day has come and gone, you’ve most likely had to bite the bullet and begin your holiday shopping. But if you’re scratching your head over what to get the music lover in your life, look no further than the Beamz Player Interactive Music System.
It’s a music-making machine that uses laser beams to create music by playing light. Know a family member who loves rockin’ out to their iPod or Guitar Hero? They can use the Beamz Player to join the band by adding in instrumental tracks and special sound effects. Or, by using exclusive Beamz song compositions, they can samples hundreds of different instruments and create their own unique sounds.
How does it work? Four laser beams trigger up to 12 instruments, music slips, sound effects or vocals as you pass your hand through the beams. Players can capture and record their own musical compositions for playback. The Beamz Player comes with 50 songs and you can download additional tunes to expand your song library.
The Beamz Player is one of those gifts that keeps on giving and is perfect for the hard-to-buy-for tween who has one too many iTunes gift cards. It is available at Amazon.com, FAO Schwarz and select Brookstone locations.
What’s better than a Richie Sambora guitar solo? How about being one of only a 100 lucky fans who got to watch Bon Jovi perform a live show to benefit the British “Children in Need” charity? Jon and the band matched the fans’ donation of $15,000 at the private concert, which was performed earlier this month in advance of the BBC telethon event.
Turns out the singer from New Jersey is no stranger to helping kids. Just last year, Jon and his brother Matt supported a drive for Bridges of Peace, a non-profit organization created to help children whose lives have been adversely affected by war and poverty.
Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres also likes to give back. In 2008, the Tico Torres Children Foundation was formed to assist children in need to fight hunger, disease, homelessness, neglect, abuse and illness. Meanwhile, Richie Sambora has been active in his hometown community, helping to improve his high school’s gym and creating a special charity called You Can Go Home to assist a local girl whose life was changed by a brain tumor.
For a bunch of guys famous for giving love a bad name, Bon Jovi sure has a soft spot when it comes to kids!
Delivered just in time for the holidays, Rockabye Baby presents to you its special onesie bundles. Now you can give the perfect baby gift with this new bundle, which includes a Rockabye Baby Lullaby CD of your choice and a short sleeved black onesie.
Our sweat-shop free onesies are made from extra-soft 100% Skal-certified organic cotton, featuring gray and lime bears and crossbones on the front with a little bear on the behind.
Sorry mom and dad, but these come in infant size only! (6-12 months.)
And, purchasing these items as a bundle saves you $6 on your total purchase!
For the past 26 years, Bon Jovi have been a powerhouse act whose commercial success places them in the top tier of American rock bands. And now they’re primed for a new generation of fans. Rockabye Baby has transformed a dozen classic Bon Jovi songs into soothing instrumental lullabies ideal for little cradle rockers.
Ever since their anthem “Livin’ on a Prayer” hit #1 in 1986, Bon Jovi have become one of rock music’s most enduring bands. They boast worldwide sales of 130 million albums and are recent nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After adding country music to their repertoire with the recent Lost Highway album, the group became the first rock act to score a #1 country hit.
Moms and dads can use this collection of Bon Jovi favorites to show their little one how they were “Born to Be My Baby.” Parents who feel like they are “Livin’ on a Prayer” when their baby is being cranky will love how these Bon Jovi hits send their wee ones off to slumberland. The lullabies are an ideal way to let tots know “I’ll Be There for You.” Featuring blanket-soft instruments such as glockenspiel, vibraphone, Mellotron, harps and bells, Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Bon Jovi ensures the whole family will “Have a Nice Day.” Whether it’s naptime or bedtime, these instrumentals “Always” do the trick.
As if we weren’t excited enough about the upcoming Muppet movie, now there’s something to keep our minds occupied until the big silver screen debut next December. Until then, we can get our Muppet fix with a unique activity. This holiday season, you can design your own Muppet Whatnot doll at FAO Schwarz and FAO.com. Not familiar with a Whatnot? They’re the background extras of the Muppet clan that add their own electricity and energy to this otherwise wild-but-wonderful world of colorful creatures.
To get started, you begin by selecting a body color, followed by eyes, nose and hairstyle. There are a ton of cool choices, from red cat’s eye glasses to a monster purple headdress. Next comes dressing them to suit your Whatnot’s personality—one of our favorite parts. You can choose any ensemble, from a cheerleader to Lady Liberty. Once you’re set on a look, you can preview what you’ve assembled before calling it done. Your finished creation will leave the workshop in about 2-3 business days and before long, you’ll have your very own creature in hand.
Muppet Whatnots make a one-of-a-kind gift for the Muppet fanatic in your life—or for any closet fans that you know (hint, hint).
Just in time for Thanksgiving comes a true slice of American apple pie—in the literary sense, that is.
If you have an older sibling or cousin, chances are they were fans of The Happy Hollisters series of children’s books that reigned supreme during the 1950s and 1960s. The stories followed the adventures of a suburban New Jersey family who solved a slew of mysteries, investigating everything from monsters to Mexican idols.
Now, back in print for the first time in decades, the book is available in paperback in honor of author Andrew Svenson’s 100th birthday. Written under the pen name Jerry West, Svenson modeled the Hollisters on his own family. The black-and-white illustrations evoke a simpler time when kids were satisfied just by playing outside (remember when you didn’t have to be forced to “go play?”) and creating their own dramas. Don’t be surprised if the stories seem familiar; Svenson also wrote under separate pen names for The Hardy Boys and The Bobbsey Twins, too. So put down that iPhone, take a break from texting and instead take walk down memory lane.
The Happy Hollisters is available at Amazon and makes a thoughtful holiday gift for any bookworm.
Some do it with roses. Others with a fancy dinner. But for their 20th anniversary, Pearl Jam celebrated by performing in a concert for The Bridge School, a non-profit organization educating children with severe speech and physical impairments.
Started in 1986 by Neil Young and his wife Pegi, this year’s 24th Annual Bridge School Benefit was held on October 23rd and 24th in Mountain View, CA. Also performing were Elton John, Elvis Costello, Modest Mouse, Grizzly Bear, Neko Case, Jackson Browne, Billy Idol, Emmy Lou Harris, T-Bone Burnett, actor/singer Jeff Bridges, and a special reunion of iconic ‘60’s group Buffalo Springfield featuring Stephen Stills, Richie Foray, and Neil Young himself.
One of the hallmarks of this annual event is that the musicians play mostly acoustic instruments and sing to a large audience with the school children, teachers, alumni and parents from the Bridge School on a raised platform directly behind the bands.
Pearl Jam didn’t disappoint, running through their 20-year catalog of songs with Eddie Vedder personally addressing specific students and alumni.
Pearl Jam is no stranger to giving back. In addition to helping to increase voter registration with Rock the Vote and promoting awareness of Crohn’s disease (which lead guitarist Mike McCready has been diagnoses with), proceeds from the band’s concerts have gone toward stopping world hunger and aiding Hurriciane Katrina victims. The band also has a history of supporting organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross and the Jazz Foundation of America.
Calling all cuties…no, not you hunky dads and hot mamas. We’re talking kids up to age 6 that just look so adorable (on the days they’re not throwing their food—or a massive tantrum, of course), you’ve just got to capture the moment and share them with the rest of the world.
Carter’s is launching a nationwide search for the cutest kids in America. From now through November 11, parents are invited to submit a photo of their child to the Carter’s Cuties Contest. Six winners will receive a year’s supply of Carter’s– a $1,500 value — and six runners-up will receive $500 worth of Carter’s. There will be one boy and one girl grand prize winner and runner-up in each of three categories:
Baby (Newborn-24 months)
Toddler (2-4 years old)
Kid (5-6 years old)
Judging will be completed in two phases: first, a panel of judges will select 10 finalists in each of the six categories and will be announced by November 23rd. Then, the finalist photos will be posted on the contest Web site for public voting, which will take place from November 24 through December 25. Winners will be announced on January 15, 2011. You can enter up to three children’s photos for the contest. (Entrants must be the parent/legal guardian of the child featured in the photo.)
Even if you who don’t want to submit a photo, you can enter a random drawing for a chance to win one of five $250 Carter’s gift cards. For official contest rules, visit their website.
If you lived near Seattle in the late eighties, you no doubt had huge holes in your jeans, wore flannel shirts and rocked out to grunge music. The angst filled lyrics and distorted guitar sound eventually launched nationally. While I don’t think I would appreciate my kids dressing like grunge rockers, I still think it played an important part in rock history (and still does for some bands) and I always try to get them to listen to the classics. So here is a list of top grunge acts for your kids.
Soundgarden
Formed in Seattle (duh!) in 1984 they were the first grunge band to sign to a major label (in 1988) but they achieved their biggest success in 1994 with “Black Hole Sun” off of Superunknown. Their sound might be a little more heavy metal than other grunge acts, and therefore your kids might not be into it as much but there’s no denying the quality of Chris Cornell’s voice. Check out their hit “Black Hole Sun”.
Alice in Chains
Another Seattle band formed in 1987 and was known for the harmonized vocals of lead guitarist Jerry Cantrell and lead singer Layne Staley. Substance abuse in 2002 would lead to the death of Staley and the band taking a long break until they found William DuVall and reunited in 2005. Listen to “Man in a Box” from their debut album Facelift, this might take a little longer for your kids to get used to.
Pearl Jam
A third Seattle band, they came together in 1990. These guys were launched into stardom with their debut album Ten and the songs “Jeremy” and “Alive”. Pearl Jam have been one of the few grunge bands who have been able to grow musically and are still putting out relevant music today. Their sound was a little less heavy than other grunge bands and probably explains why their classic rock feel still works today. Have your kid listen to “Better Man” even though the lyrics are about settling in a relationship.
Nirvana
The one that set the bar for everyone else. Yes, these guys are also from Seattle and finally locked on to a line up when Dave Grohl joined as the drummer in 1990. Their second album, Nevermind would go on to sell over 10 million copies. It was frontman Kurt Cobain with his “Can’t be bothered” attitude and brilliant songwriting that sucked in millions of fans. Kurt killed himself in 1994 and the band broke up, but their music defined the grunge scene and was most likely the reason the genre became a national phenomenon. Check out their biggest hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.
Sesame Street is a venue that pulls in big names, and with good reason. The sun is always sweepin’ the clouds away and friendly neighbors open their doors to anyone who shows up on the block. Makes sense then that greats like Johnny Cash, Norah Jones, Tito Puente, James Taylor and Ray Charles have all gone down to play “up where the air is sweet.” The street’s permanent residents have also recorded a slew of their own legendary jams without the assistance of a Grammy winner. Here are our picks for the top 5 Sesame Street cast jams:
Sesame Street had a grunge phase too! This Pearl Jam-inspired rock song doubles as a public service announcement encouraging viewers to be conscious of their water consumption. It seems the flannel-clad residents of Sesame Street care about the Earth just as much as activist Eddie Veddar and crew. “Don’t be too long,” the puppets sing, “because you might just go and empty a lake.”
Sesame Street’s favorite garbage can-dwelling curmudgeon lets loose on this ode to anything “dirty or rotten or rusty.” The usually grumpy Oscar gets downright exuberant while singing about his life’s passion. “I love it because it’s trash!” he exclaims in this orchestral jam. We love it because it’s hilarious.
All around nice guy Kermit the Frog gets downright sentimental on this melancholy ballad about the travails of “having to spend each day the color of the leaves.” We get choked up every time.
It doesn’t get any sweeter than this, folks. Jammie-clad Bert takes a pre-bedtime trip up to the moon while gently explaining that while he would “like to look down on the Earth from above” he would “miss all the places and people” he loves. We couldn’t agree more.
“C is for cookie, that’s good enough for me,” explains this monster of few words in his classic ode to the most delicious of baked goods. It’s good enough for us too. It also makes us hungry.
For the past 26 years, Bon Jovi have been a powerhouse act whose commercial success places them in the top tier of American rock bands. And now they’re primed for a new generation of fans. Rockabye Baby has transformed a dozen classic Bon Jovi songs into soothing instrumental lullabies ideal for little cradle rockers.
