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MTV is going to dust off the "Unplugged" series for Alicia Keys. Here's to hoping that it had some of the same redeeming features as last time (i.e. forcing musicians out of the comfort level of studio engineering and into real playing).
Green Day cleans up at the MTV Video Music Awards. I didn't watch it myself (I'd have to consult a calendar as to when the last time would be that I turned on a video channel).
Garth Brooks will only sell his music (all of it) at Wal-Mart (and their related subsidiaries).
Finally, Fiona Apple's oft postponed album Extrodinary Machine will be released by Epic. However, it appears that the album will be rather different than the leaked version. Odds are there will probably be a schism, much like with the Dave Matthew's Band Lilywight Sessions.
Christina thinks that Britney's career is over.
-- Update --
An even better thought from Simon.
Since Christina has done everything Britney does, only about three months later, does this mean that Christina will be packing her own career up around Christmas?
From your lips to God's ears, man.
Celine Dion complains about her audiences.
"People come here for four days, they eat too much, drink too many free drinks, they get sick from all that, they are jet-lagged sometimes so they just sit in the seat and sleep."
I didn't watch the show -- I had something better to do. Grout a tub, I think. If you're interested in what happened, you should check out Simon's commentary. Good as always.
More in the I-don't-care department, Britney seems to think that her chihuahuas are better than Paris Hilton's.
So why I am a writing about Britney's martial woes? Boredom, maybe.
At least for a few shows in the UK they are.
The radio station might be gone, but the concert still remains.
Debbie Gibson, squeaky-clean 80's pop artist, is trying to revive her career by posing naked in Playboy.
An online petition to try and get Ashlee Simpson to never sing again.
96936 and counting.
Nine Inch Nails will be returning, with a new album called With Teeth. No dates announced as of yet. Garbage, on the other hand, will be releasing their latest album (Bleed Like Me) on April 12.
Both of the titles have an almost desperate quality to them. "Ooh, look. We're so very edgy."
A listing of musicians now playing in the eternal show, as provided by Tim.
Personally, cutesy ringtones annoy me. I can sympathize with this conductor who stopped a concert when a cell phone went off, and then restarted the show from the begining.
Tommy Lee either failed out or decided he was done, because Motley Crue is hitting the road again.
Madonna doesn't want her daughter to "follow in her raunchy footsteps."
About Kabbalah, that is. 'Not a fad,' she says. Unlike talking with a British accent and pretending to be from anywere other than the US, I suppose.
Ashlee Simpson speaks yet again.
Ashlee Simpson spoke to MuchNews last weekend about her disastrous appearance on Saturday Night Live earlier this fall. "It was a situation that wasn't really my fault," the 20-year-old singer said...
No, actually it was your fault. You're the one who acted in a supreme unprofessional fashion, did a jig off the stage and tried to blame it on your band. But, in case you might think that there's a modicum of perspective, here's her dad:
...Did we do something wrong here? Nothing we did was dishonest.
Except expose yourself as a fraud on national TV as lip synching to a tape when you were nominally supposed to be "live." That wouldn't be at all dishonest.
Hey, moron, just go away and take your talentless spawn with you.
He's being sought in relation to a stabbing at the Vibe awards.
-- Update --
In related news, it seems that rapper 50 cent acquitted himself quite well during the fracas. I'm not sure as to how, but the articles says he's "been branded a hero," so it must be true. When was the last time an article didn't get it right?
A fight during a hip-hop function. What are the odds.
Old Dirty Bastard collapses dead in a recording studio at 35 years of age.
R. Kelly moonlights at a McDonald's.
Britney, that old fashioned gal that she is, wants to taeke her new husband's name. Britney Spears, Britney Federline -- one of these just rolls off the tongue so much easier.
CSM wakes up and notices the mp3 blog phenomenon.
Thanks to David for the tip.
Cher to celebrate her 60th birthday, sans clothing.
Mark David Chapman has been denied parole. Chapman was convicted of murdering John Lennon in 1980.
Paris Hilton is booed off the stage while she tries to launch her singing career.
A live album from Train. Having seen them play before, it should sound just like the record, only more so.
Billy Joel gets married for the third time.
I'm not a big fan of Avril, but at least she has a modicum of good taste.
But what's really disturbing about the report is this little tidbit:
...[Jackson] allegedly sent two employees to Oslo to raise the baby as their own.
Who would have taken this job?
Downbeat Magazine has named Victor Wooten as their Talent Deserving Wider Recognition.
...Wooten took to the instrument and took it to a place few thought it could go. Music awards aren't much in the way of artistic or talent litmus tests, but if they were, well, damn. Wooten's got a trophy case your junior high principal could only dream about: a couple of Grammies (admittedly the least impressive award of all time), two Nashville Music Awards for Bassist of the Year and three Bass Player of the Year awards from Bass Player magazine. Even after all these accolades, it's Down Beat magazine's Talent Most Deserving Wider Recognition award that is most telling of Wooten's aspirations.
Congradulations to Victor on yet another award! Here's to hoping that the recognition finds him beyond just bass playing circles.
Thanks to Maria for the tip.
Dolly Parton will be getting a breast size reduction. Or, more accurately, she's getting the implants taken out.
The CD includes a few videos as well. Maybe now they can shed their "guys without shirts on" image.
Phil Spector charged with murder.
As a result of Madonna expressing her desire to celebrate the Jewish New Year in Israel, the Egyptian Parliment ordered her banned from entering into the country.
There's going to be a tribue show to Elton John. Present by Elton John. Paying tribute to himself. Just a little masterbatory, perhaps?
Either she's a completely blithering idiot, or she's having fun pranking the media. In any case, our heroine Britney might not be married.
Christina Aguilera, the lady responsible for forcibly moving legions of young boys into puberty, will host an MTV show on abstinence. I can only assume that she'll be the example of what not to do..
So Britney gets married and then spends the next 48 hours in bed. Bravo.
Not be left out, Christina has to weigh in, saying "I'd never have thought that girl would have done it this way. I know she really loves Kevin, but this is like really low rent this time. ... It's surprising. The whole affair seems somewhat pathetic." She'd be one to know, I suppose.
-- Update --
As usual, Simon has the good stuff:
Lucky that Christina found time between getting her pubic bone pierced, kissing the hatchet-faced Paris Hilton and stuffing dollar bills into lapdancer's gussets long enough to accuse someone holding a quiet wedding of being low-rent and pathetic.
Or maybe not, since it seems like everyone knows about it.
This time, Johnny loses the fight with cancer.
George Michael (remember him?) had a stalker live in his house for four days, hiding under the floorboards. Now, that's dedication.
Britney and her husband-to-be are getting matching track suits. And, in the height of style, she had "Mrs. Federline" embroidered onto hers, while he got "The Pimp" on his.
It's on the way. Towards the end of the track list, I don't particularly recognize the tunes, and she's had -- what -- three, four albums? And that is a long enough career to warrant a best of?
Really, I'm not kidding. During one of his shows, a flock of moths tried to nest in his hair.
Peter Gabriel seems to think that George Lucas going back and re-editing the original Star Wars movies was a good idea. So much so that he's going to do a similar thing for his older music videos.
First, he brags out a coke binge. Now, Moby opens up regarding his toilet cleaning fetish.
Michael Jackson wants to sell his Neveland ranch.
Michael Jackson is said to be selling his Neverland ranch because he fears it has been bugged by police.
He has refused to enter the £8 million home since he was arrested there last year, claims the Daily Star.
It wouldn't have anything to do with his crushing debt load, would it?
First, he sports a Mr. T mohawk at MTV's VMAs (I'd write something about it, but frankly I was way too bored about it to muster up enough energy to care). Now, he gets a iPod with 120 diamonds embedded on it.
As an update to a previous story, DMB offers to make up for the ca-ca incident.
She has passed on at 47 from an aneurysm.
He's a hard rapper and all, but if you read his concert rider, you'd think he was a spoiled rich kid.
-- Update --
Here's the original text from The Smoking Gun.
Bob Dylan will be publishing his memoirs in three sets. The first volume will focus on the 60s and hit the stores this fall.
Dave Matthews craps on a bunch of boaters in Chicago and Phish pollutes a swath of Vermont.
Kylie Minogue wants to sing jazz. Oh my, where to start with this:
Well, jazz survived Michael Bolton, it'll survive Kylie.
Yet another musician complaining that his/her bodyguards are keeping away suitors. Um, correct me if I'm wrong, Lenny, but don't those bodyguards work for you? And couldn't you tell them to let through who you want? Just checking...
Lopez is considered by many to be the founder of Tejano music. He died of complications from both a stroke and an aneurysm at 75 years of age.
York was the bass player for Hank Williams, as well as a number of other country greats. He was eighty-five.
Van Halen has filed a 2 million dollar breach of contract suit against the Baltimore Orioles and Camden Yards. They filed after the O's cancelled VH's September 2nd concert.
Beyonce's toe has been broken after being stepped on by her bodyguard, "Shorty."
The film music world lost a good one last night. Bernstein's work was easily identifiable and always quality. In a world where the pop music du jour masquerades as film soundtracks, the ones who compose well for film are few and far between.
Phish fans kept from the final show by the mud will soon find some sort of refund coming their way.
Justin Timberlake's next album as Southern rock? Did I miss a memo somewhere?
The wedding's off? Why, Britney, why? Kevin was just so perfect for you...
-- Update --
Don't worry, good children. No need to cancel those wedding gifts just yet.
And thanks to the eagle eye of truth and justice known as Lynn for the tip.
Phil Collins is preparing to release a double album of suckage, focusing only on "sappy, trite, sacchariney love songs".
Okay, maybe he didn't quite describe the same way I did. I'm paraphrasing based on his career.
You would think that jail would be a place where a person wouldn't have the ability to continue working, wouldn't you? Not somewhere that you could make 100 phone calls, for instance?
The good news here is that at least her crappiness is being contained in one city, instead of spreading all around the world. Thank God, Ms. Dion's not touring.
A while back, I wrote about the advent of dual sided releases (CD on one side, DVD on the other side). Now, I'm seeing some new reports of problems that might prevent the debut. The problems aren't technical -- it's both legal and licensing that's causing the headaches.
In additional news, Destiny's Child will release their next CD using this format. So, either the issues aren't all that much, or they're just pushing ahead anyway.
Thanks to Glenn for the tip.
Christina Aguilera wants to project a more mature image.
According to The Sun the 23-year-old singer had eleven pieces of body jewellery in her ears, belly button, eyebrow, lip and tongue.
But Christina, who is dating record executive Jordan Bratman, 27, revealed: "I'm rebelling against myself. I've taken out all my piercings apart from one in my right nipple. That's for me."
And dating a record exec? She seems to be taking lessons from Mariah, excepting the dating the underling instead of the bass part.
With the final Phish show drawing nearer, the runup ends in a muddy mess.
With hundreds of cars stuck in the mud and more pouring in, Vermont State Police today (Aug. 14) started turning back traffic headed to the Phish farewell concert in Coventry, Vt., and told ticketholders they would get refunds but no admittance.
Police erected a roadblock on Interstate 91 and other roads and told fans headed to the two-day festival at the Newport State Airport to turn around.
"Because of the heavy rains, parking inside the festival site has basically become impossible, and they're concerned for people's safety," said Adam Lewis, a spokesman for the concert promoter, Great Northeast Productions.
Street date is October 5.
Moby's proud. He paid a woman to talk to him, got coked off his ass, shat himself and then told someone about it? I'm sorry, but if I was that foolish, the last thing I'd do is breathe a word of it to anyone.
About $500k worth of instruments and gear lost in a fire at the studio where they are recording their latest album.
Macy Gray's getting a best of. I thought they stopped making EPs.
The season kick off concert will feature Mary J. Blige, Destiny's Child, Jessica Simpson, Elton John, and Lenny Kravitz.
For some strange reason, the Olympic Games in Athens will "feature" a DJ spinning as the athletes enter the stadium. Sure, the opening ceremonies have a certain amount of cheesiness built into them (dancing children, garish costumes, etc.), but this strikes me as a bit on the wrong side. As Glenn puts it
As the small squad from Cameroon walks onto the track, some Euro-trance anthem is going to be pumping from the PA system. Should fit really well.
Maybe it's some desperate gambit to try and be relevant to those crazy youth of today's market. Look for an announcer to mention how "blinged" the gold and silver medals look.
Madonna now wants a peace room built for her while she tours.
Latoya Jackson, in what can only be described as a desperate bid to remain even vaguely newsworthy, has changed her name. Would it be Kelly? or Cheryl? or even something as respectable as Shaniqua?
Nope, it's Toy. As if she wasn't enough of a joke already.
For the Music For Change tour, John Fogerty will be backed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. I wonder if they will only be playing Fogerty tunes, or if they'll whip out the occasional Springsteen ditty.
Norah Jones' second cd went straight to number one when it debuted and stayed there for something like two months. Not good enough, says she (or, more likely, says her label). It's going to be re-released as a double CD. The re-issue will have live versions of some of the songs from the original disc, an interview with Jones and a very videos.
His former manager has put out a tell-all book. They didn't part on good terms; anyone want to guess who comes out looking good and who comes out looking bad?
Queensryche, called by some the "thinking man's heavy metal band" (and feel free to point out any contradiction in the previous phrase you may want), will be following up their 1988 release Operation: Mindcrime with a sequel (imaginatively called Operation Mindcrime II). They will be touring prior to the release, playing the entire Mindcrime suite in an effort to "prime audiences for the event". This will be the first time in fifteen years that the band has played the entire album in one show.
I remember when the original came out. I rather liked it. Geoff Tate has a strong voice with a pretty large range, the writing was a little above what usually came out of most metal bands at the time, and the lyrics weren't about the usual trolling for drugs, booze and sex. But man, it was pretentious and bombastic.
The drummer for Poco suffered a stroke one song into his set the other night. His condition is improving; hopefully, he will continue to do so.
I'm guilty of it. I've followed the very public detioration of Courtney Love with the abject fascination that causes people to slow down and rubberneck a car wreck. Andrew Meuller writes on the phenomenon, taking people like me to task:
There may have been a time, in rock's first flush, when this kind of outlaw behaviour was a semi-spontaneous adjunct of the riotous new sound, a response to a frightened mainstream society struggling to constrain its restless young. At this late stage it's hard to escape the feeling that addiction and arrest have become the equivalent of scout's badges, things to be collected out of some vague sense of obligation. ...
Any idiot can take drugs. Getting arrested is only as difficult as knocking a policeman's hat off. It is, surely, time we all grew out of this.
So noted, Andrew. I'll probably write more about this in the future (I write about what interests me), but I'll feel appropriately abashed when I do.
Thanks to Cooler Glenn for the tip.
Charges be damned, Courtney's goin' to Japan.
No longer satisfied with sleeping her way to the top (of a record label, that is), Mariah Carey has started dating her photographer.
Honey, the idea is to sleep up, not down. On the other hand, there'll probably be some interesting photos on the web in a few months (after the inevitable breakup).
Justin Hawkins, frontman for The Darkness, pierces himself as punishment for his own transgressions. Including a piercing through the offending organ when he got caught cheating on his girlfriend.
Their next album is due at the end of September.
A judge (who clearly got his dose of happy pills) sentenced Courtney Love to 18 months of probation and drug rehab.
I'll give her 12 months. Tops.
If you're interested. I'd offer you my opinion as to who should win, but that would mean that I'd have to sit down and take the time to watch MTV for the videos. Even if I wanted to, it would take a team of search dogs to find out when they're actually on (as opposed Newlyweds, Pimp My Ride or Cribs).
First, C-Murder lives up to his name with a murder 2 indictment. Then Ja Rule picks up an assault beef. Shocked. Shocked, I am.
Steven Seagal, "actor", martial artist and (shudder) singer. His blues album isn't being released in the US for some strange reason; France gets that honor.
Britney decides that a pre-nup isn't such a bad idea after all.
I wonder who fronted this bill, since she has said repeatedly that she's broke. In any case, it's interesting to note the police reaction:
"She was extremely cooperative. She was pleasant. She was very coherent," said police Capt. Pat Findley.
Just like you only hear about planes landing when they crash, you hear about Courtney's coherence when she pretends to have some.
The first four albums from Rush's Atlantic years (Presto, Roll The Bones, Counterparts and Test For Echo) are being remastered and sent to the streets. I'm not sure as to why; typically remasters are done for older albums, not a bunch from a decade ago or so.
Another box set, this time featuring those golden years when Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor (no relation) left the band.
In true Madonna fashion of taking a trend to a ridiculous extreme, she has taken to performing songs in Yiddish.
"The staff working at the party were baffled when she took to the stage. I think most people were expecting her to belt out one of her big Top Ten hits.
"It was a really odd spectacle watching Madonna launch into some Yiddish tunes."
Now there is talk the Queen Of Pop may release a song with Yiddish lyrics in it.
Oh dear God, please, NO.
You're kidding, right? It would make Vanilla Ice look like Ice Cube by comparison.
Linda Ronstadt was performing at Aladdin in Vegas when she urged her audience to support Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. She was basically booed off the stage, and then the owner of the hotel threw her out of the building.
Nike will be getting a bunch of one-hit wonders (like Kajagoogoo and A Flock Of Seagulls) to play music along the course of a foot race in NYC. Judging from their lineup, I'm guessing that some executive at Nike really liked the Bands Reunited show.
The trend-setting Fender Stratocaster turns 50 years old today.
And the odds for divorce will be set in December.
Normally, the Carnival doesn't get a lot of attention from me. But this one is all Rush themed.
A little over 25 years ago (twenty-five years and three days, to be precise), the Disco craze officially ended with a bang. A controlled demolition of disco records in the middle of Wrigley Field in between a double header of the White Sox and Detroit Tigers.
Dahl [the Chicago area DJ behind the stunt] admits that the cultural phenomenon that sparked the end of the disco era began simply as his response to losing a job at a radio station that had turned to an all-disco format. Even though disco music had become the unofficial soundtrack of the 1970s, his “disco sucks” mantra struck a nerve because so many Midwesterners simply didn’t ‘get it.’
“The average guy in Chicago didn’t have the right clothes, couldn’t get into the right clubs, and thought he’d never get laid again because of disco,” says Dahl.
The Disco Demolition and Steve Dahl became national news the next morning, and the event’s legacy survives to this day – disco bands including ABBA and K.C. and the Sunshine Band agree that the event was the beginning of the end for disco.
The Dave Matthews Band's entire catalog can be found on Napster right this very minute. But hold off the champagne just yet: You can only get the entire album; singles are not an option.
I'm glad to see this advent. I rather strongly believe that digital distribution is the wave of the future (and I'm going way out on a limb with this one, I know), so the more artists that produce digital music, the stronger the networking effect, the sooner that day will come.
The city fathers in Detroit pass an ordinance making any automobile with music "plainly audible" from 10 feet away. First offense is $100, third might result in jail time.
Brazil leads (at least as far as countries go) and Tom Capone has the most nods as well (at least as far as people go).
If you're heading to see Prince over at the MCI Centre, this is what you're in for.
-- Update --
Eppy gives an even better review.
Courtney Love has found her way back in to the arms of the nice men with the white coats.
Fugitive rocker Courtney Love has been admitted to a private New York hospital after being released from a weekend stay at a public medical facility in Manhattan, her criminal defense lawyer said yesterday (July 13).
The article continues...
Earlier yesterday, Love's civil attorney, Robert Ring, said during an unrelated Santa Monica court hearing that a legal guardian had been appointed for the singer and that she was in an East Coast "institution."
Ring did not elaborate except to describe Love as "a troubled rock star" in a hearing over a lawsuit alleging that she owes money to another law firm that previously represented her. Ring declined further comment on the matter when contacted later by telephone.
Lemme see. If you have been institutionalized and have had a legal guardian appointed for you, that doesn't speak very well towards one's mental status, now does it?
The TV and film rights to Neil Peart's book Ghost Rider have been picked up by Scabeba Entertainment (which just happens to be owned by Buddy Rich's daughter).
In somewhat confusing news, rapper Nelly to act in an Adam Sandler movie, actress Lindsay Lohan to record album. What's next?
Raymond: Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies. Rivers and seas boiling.
Egon: Forty years of darkness. Earthquakes, volcanoes...
Winston: The dead rising from the grave.
Peter: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together - mass hysteria.
That must be it.
It seems he's doing a little moonlighting in the studio with Trent Reznor.
After paying 20 pounds (about $32 bucks or so) for a suitcase at a flea market in Melbourne, Fraser Claughton opened it up to find it full of Beatles items, including a reel to reel tape of the Abbey Road album marked not for release. Apparently, the suitcase used to be owned by a former roadie for the Beatles. Estimated worth is somewhere in the half million range.
Enimem may be following up his 8 Mile flick by starring as a Jewish boxer, based (loosely, I'm going to guess) on Dmitry Salita.
Mind, Body and Soul is scheduled for release in September.
Some highlights from the list:
5. James Jamerson joins Motown.
(1959): He never got a fraction of the fame of Marvin Gaye or Diana Ross, but without the remarkable electric bass of Jamerson (1936 to 1983), the Motown sound would be unthinkable. As Berry Gordy once put it, "His influence is omnipotent."
26. Payola refuses to die.
(late '70s): The Payola Act of 1960 stopped DJs from taking cash under the table from record labels. But by the '70s, "pay for play" was back in the form of independent record promoters -- shadowy figures paid by record companies to persuade stations to play certain songs.
28. Grandmaster Flash's "Adventures on the Wheels of Steel":
(1981): While he's best-known for his early rap hit "The Message," Grandmaster Flash (above) was also a pioneer of sampling. With "Adventures," he became the first DJ to cut snippets of other people's tunes (Chic, Blondie, Queen) and paste them on his own.
29. Prince gets booed off the stage.
(1981): The pop world wasn't always so tolerant of androgynous black rockers in bikini briefs. Opening for the Rolling Stones at the Los Angeles Coliseum, Prince was literally booed off the stage.
So the reason that Courtney didn't make it to the courthouse was woman troubles. I see.
As a side note, the statement from her lawyer goes out of the way to emphatically mention that this is "not drug related". Of course not; why would we think something like that?
A wedding registry for Britney Spears? From Largehearted Boy.
Bobby Brown required to turn himself in.
Previously on the Love channel, Courtney was scolded by a judge for showing up late. On today's episode, she doesn't bother to show up at all and has a warrant sworn out for her arrest. Her reason for not setting foot in the courtroom? She was confused as to which courthouse she had to go. I guess that can happen when you have legal cases pending on both coasts.
A Spiderman musical sounds bad enough. So why is U2 interested?
In more naked news, Macy Gray did her show buck naked to support an AIDS charity. I like Fark's take on the event (the headline, at least).
It's hard to believe, I know, but sometimes it happens.
This is one way [link NSFW] to really get into a concert.
"How far are you willing to go to save the world?" asked the [Kristopher Schau, lead singer], and without much ado, the couple pulled off their clothes.
Cumshots [really -- that's the actual name of the band (Casper)] provided the background music as the couple had intercourse right in front of the audience. A banner was raised on stage informing the audience that the couple was having sex to save the rainforest. After completing the intercourse, the couple received applause from the audience and disappeared.
I've seen a lot of strange things at my shows, but I'm not quite sure as to how I would have reacted in this circumstance.
Britney Spears, businesswoman:
Pop princess BRITNEY SPEARS is refusing to sign a pre-nuptial agreement before she weds fiance KEVIN FEDERLINE, because she's "marrying him for love and not money".
According to American website PAGESIX.COM, the singer's parents are begging her to agree to a pre-nup ahead of her planned November (04) wedding to dancer Federline - who, under California law, stands to win half her fortune if they divorce.
The website claims Spears, who is worth a reported $100 million (GBP55 million), had to buy her own $400,000 (GBP222,000) engagement ring and has put penniless Federline - who she has dated for just three months - on her payroll.
I think that Simon has a good observation for Ms. Brit:
We wonder if someone should have a quick word with Britney Spears: she's saying she doesn't need a pre-nup for her wedding because she's marrying Kevin Federline for "love not money." Well, of course, you are, you daft boobie; he's not got any money, has he? Britney even had to spring for her own engagement ring, although we do picture Kevin saying "Hey, chicks, I'll pay you back just as soon as I win the pool tournament... could you lend me a ten for some beer?"
George Michael has decided to shut down his fan forums on his site due to negativity in the threads.
He said: "I am afraid that, having visited the forums on a regular basis over the past few months, simply to see how you guys thought the album/ interviews/promotion were going, I have decided to close them down.
"I feel bad for those of you who have always been supportive, but I'm afraid I want nothing to do with the bitching that has evolved between some members... Sorry guys, but that's the way it goes."
The 41-year-old singer who released his first studio album in eight years, Patience, in March, ended the message: "Peace and Love... or nothing at all. Love as always. George xx."
Peave and Love or nothing. Wow, that's a rather strong statement to make, Georgie-boy. My way or the highway, but I'm peaceful and loving about it, even as I throw you out for doing something I don't like.
It's your site, George; feel free to do with it as you see fit. Some of your fans aren't all that happy, though.
One accused Michael of being a 'Control Freeek!' and went on: "It smacks of someone unhappy that we're not all heaping praise on him at every turn...and that's sad."
As I think I've said before, I like live albums. Prefer them over studio ones, usually. So news that the Red Hot Chili Peppers are going to be releasing a live album soon just warms the cockles of my heart.
Perry Farrel is rather upset that the rest of band broke up Jane's Addiction.
Farrell told Rolling Stone: "Music that was once relevant and graceful had become clumsy as a circus seal tooting his horns.
"I wish for Jane's Addiction to be remembered as one of the seminal bands of her era. She laid a foundation for unbridled underground music to rise up on."
A rememberance of the fire that killed 100 a year ago.
David Crosby gets fined for possessing a firearm, a knife and marijuana.
The judge in this instance has a unquenchable sense of optimism. Weiland pleaded nolo contendre to a DUI and was ordered to go to drug rehab. Yeah, that worked ever so well the times before.
For some reason only known to the various gods, the first song from Fantasia (of American Idol fame) debuts at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Well, at least no more live shows.
Thanks to Simon for the tip.
In what can only be described as a complete surprise, rapper DMX has been arrested for attempted robbery.
Well, at least in some form. Justin has offered to write songs for Britney. I think I can hear some of the lyrics already...
I sit at home, all lost and alone
Looking for a angel to kiss
Picked up the phone, my tears shone
It's him that I missOnce he was with me, as true as true could be
But I lost my chance and couldn't stay strong
I shouldn't have set him free, now I see
I only hope that he's happy with Cameron
(okay, so I suck as a parody lyric writer. There's a reason why I write jazz instrumentals. You think you can do better?)
William Shatner is recording more music. For the love of God, man! Please, have mercy on all of us and please cease and desist.
Ben Shabalala, member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo and brother to founder Joseph Shabalala, died on June 16. My sympathies to both the band and the members of his family.
The plug is being pulled due to poor ticket sales.
Fantasia Barrino (she's dropped her last name) is working on her upcoming album. Oh, joy.
"I can do a pop song, but I'm not a pop singer," says the American Idol winner (who has dropped her last name, Barrino). "I like jazz. I can do a rock song. I want to do country, old school, gospel. When you're a music lover, you love all music. I want to mix it up."
So, basically, your album is going to be a complete muddle of conflicting styles?
I'm doubting that this person would be getting either the publicity or even the opportunity on her latest solo release were it not for her husband.
This time, the Rock Power list. Why do I have this mental image of He-Man screaming "I am the power!"
And, how could we forget good ol' Avril:
Rounding off the chart at number 10 was teenage singer Avril Lavigne "for turning a new generation of pop fans into fans of all things loud and objectionable".
Thanks to Simon for the tip.
They are getting back together after "working on their solo careers." Um, who other than Beyonce had a solo career? Just asking....
A film review of the upcoming documentary on Metallica, Some Kind Of Monster.
When production on this unnamed ''Metallica infomercial project'' began in 2001, the group was already mired in turmoil: Newsted had officially quit the band after only one session with Towle. Newsted still considers the idea of rock-band therapy to be a little ridiculous. ''Something that's really important to note -- and this isn't pointed at anyone -- is something I knew long before I met James Hetfield or anyone else,'' Newsted said in an interview from his ranch in western Montana. ''Certain people are made to be opened up and exposed. Certain people are not. I'll leave it at that.''
For the first 30 minutes of ''Some Kind of Monster'' (roughly three months in real time), you see a band whose members don't necessarily like one another, struggling with a record no one seems completely enthusiastic about creating. But then -- suddenly, and without much explanation -- Hetfield disappears into rehab. Ulrich and Hammett have nothing to do in the interim except talk to their therapist. This is the point where ''Some Kind of Monster'' starts to change; what it becomes is not a glorification of rock 'n' roll but an illustration of how rock 'n' roll manufactures a reality that's almost guaranteed to make people incomplete. Metallica's massive success -- and the means through which they achieved it -- meant they never had to mature intellectually past the age of 19.
''I think most people in rock bands have arrested development,'' Hammett says now. ''Society doesn't demand people in rock bands do certain things. You're able to start drinking whenever you want, and you can play shows drunk, and you can get offstage and continue to be drunk, and people love it. They toast their glasses to an artist who's drunk and breaking things and screaming and wrestling in the middle of a restaurant. Things like that happened to us, and people cheered.''
To some, that might sound like a cliche sentiment for a millionaire musician to express. It almost blames society for making guitar heroes wasted and lawless. But this kind of self-discovery is part of what makes ''Some Kind of Monster'' a strikingly modern film: by fusing the accelerated culture of therapy with the accelerated culture of celebrity, it illustrates why the people inside those two realms can't keep up.
''Metallica's evolution as people was aborted by their surreal existence,'' Towle says. ''Kirk Hammett once told me that coming off tour was like experiencing post-traumatic stress syndrome; he said it was like leaving a war and re-entering real life. When I asked him why he felt that way, he said, 'Because now I have to empty the trash.' The profundity in that statement is in its simplicity: rock stars are infantilized by people who do everything for them. We insulate them from a reality that would actually be good for them.''
David Bowie somehow gets a lollipop in his eye. I say somehow because the article is in Norwegian -- yet another language that I neither speak nor read.
Thanks to FARK for the tip.
This time, from The Guardian.
Madonna is insistent that she will impart traditional values to her children. You know, things like not cursing, dressing respectfully, stuff like that.
Alanis Morissette is getting married to some actor guy. I'd tell you more about him, but I'm too bored with what little of his resume that I have read to continue.
Fred Durst denies ever trying to entice Avril with In-N-Out burgers.
Durst told Illinois station WWCT Rock 96.5 FM: "Maybe she's in denial. I don't really know her, but I guess she's cooler than I thought since she can just get on and make up some shit and talk shit.
"So maybe she's as cool as everyone else out there. It's kind of weird. I'm sure I'll bump into her somewhere sometime. Some skate-punk party."
I'm sure she's all a-giddy in anticipation.
Annie Lennox wants to work with Dave Stewart again. The Eurythmics have been split apart since 1990 (with the exception of an album and tour in 1999).
Duran Duran (you remember them, right?) will be releasing a new album in October. This one, unlike most of their last few, will consist of all five of the original members.
Courtney has pulled out almost half of her concerts for this year (10 out of 21). Just maybe as a result of her issues involving lawyers?
Two people died during the three day music festival Bonnaroo.
I've never been to Bonnaroo; I understand it's a great time and these deaths seem to be way out of character for the event. Preliminary reports indicate drugs as being a factor in both cases, so perhaps not so out of character for the jam band crowd...
I'm still trying to work my way through this one (third down the page):
Actress Minnie Driver will release her debut album, "Everything I've Got In My Pocket," in September via Rounder Records' Zoë Records imprint. ... She made her recording debut last year on "Greatest Hits Vol. II," a compilation released by Yorn's Trampoline Records label that featured the forthcoming album's title track.
So, the first time she ever recorded anything, and she's on a Greatest Hits album? Greatest Hits of what? Actors desperately trying to cross over? Was Patrick Swayze (She's Like The Wind) and Tisha Campbell (Push) be on the same album?
In an update to a prior report, James Brown has pleaded guilty to beating having a domestic altercation his wife.
Glen Campbell, convicted of "extreme drunk driving" (my emphasis) will have imposition of his sentence delayed so he can perform at the Country Music Association Music Festival.
Hopefully, someone else will be driving his there.
Singer Lenny Kravitz says he kept a marijuana joint he'd shared with Mick Jagger, for a year as a tribute.
Kravitz said he'd kept the joint because he was such a fan of the Rolling Stones frontman.
However, the remainder of the valued souvenir went up in smoke a year later after he ran out of dope.
For one thing, this is a rather strange tribute. For another thing, does this mean that Lenny will be arrested for drug possession, now that he's publicly admitted to possessing an illegal substance for over a year?
In more Madonna news, she and Britney are planning on recreating their "infamous" on-stage kiss (from the MTV Music Awards of a year ago). This is almost a contest to see which one of their careers is in the worse shape: Madonna for needing to stoop to faux-Lesbianism to revive interest in her work, or Britney for experimenting with pseudo-gay tendencies to try and interest dirty old men into buying her wares.
Stevie Ray Vaughan will have his two performances at the Moutreux Jazz Festival (1982 and 1985) released on DVD.
The court date for the assault will now be held on September 13th.
Ray Charles, legend of blues and gospel, founder of soul, has passed away. He will be missed.
-- Update --
Ray Charles Robinson died from complications resulting from liver failure.
Britney got a boo-boo on her knee.
Actually, it seems that her injury was bad enough to warrant surgery. I do hope that she gets better. I might not respect her work all that much, but a blown knee isn't fun for anyone.
This will make the seventh box set of Davis' work released. The focus of this outing will be the 1963-1964 period at Columbia Records.
Is almost a week without sunshine. No worries, though. She's back.
Nope, there will not be a new Tears for Fears album. Someone has changed their mind.
Fred Durst tried to get a hookup with Avril Lavigne. Strangely, though, she was not sufficiently bowled over by his purchase of In-N-Out burgers to want to sleep with him.
As the world shudders in anticipation of the next Swept Away, one important detail shouldn't be overlooked: She's co-producing this cinematic endeavour. I guess if you're paying for the show, you can put yourself into it.
For those who might have wondered otherwise, jumping down onto a ladder such that you try to straddle the rungs might just lead to castration problems.
Maybe now they'll just go away. And I can stop having to hear about this.
Public Enemy and Moby are joining forces to make a new single.
The Boston Pops' hold an open audition for vocalists.
Janet Jackson thought about sex -- even before the nipple incident. No big deal. However, she seems to have gained Multiple Personality Disorder in the process:
Now, Jackson says she expresses more grown-up urges through one of her alter egos, named Strawberry: "She's the most sexual of them all, the wildest."
The other character living inside her is Damita Jo, which is her middle name and the title of her latest album. Damita Jo, she says, is "a lot harsher, and quick to put you in your place."
Thanks to Simon for the tip.
From the "you have to be kidding me" department:
Madonna is whipping up controversy again – by launching a collection of sexy clothes aimed at girls as young as two.
She flew to Los Angeles last week with husband Guy Ritchie to view the finished range which includes miniskirts and see-through tops.
... A source said: “Madonna was inspired by her daughter Lourdes.
“Although she’s only six, Madonna lets her wear short skirts and make-up.”
Just speaking for me, I have no problem with women who want to dress sexy. the keyword here is women.
Thanks to Simon for the tip.
Gee, I'd like it my brother gave me a recording studio for my birthday, too.
We can only hope the rumor is true.
-- Update --
It's confirmed.
Due to a clause in their contract that stipulates that no band featuring a blonde singer could preceed them during a show, Blondie elected to have the offending group thrown off the bill.
Thanks to Corsair for the tip.
Diana DeGarmo, the teenager from Georgia who finished second in the most recent American Idol, will be releasing a single on RCA. No word on whether or not there will be a full album.
Madonna, perhaps as a part of her trendy new religious nature, will be charging her crew $5 for every swear word they say on the tour. Hopefully, the millions produced from the crew saying to each other "What the @(&$ is that &*!@#$! doing now?" will benefit a good charity.
Bono plans on hatching Live Aid II, but without Mr. Geldof this time around.
-- Update --
Bono now disavows any activity to revive Live Aid.
Avril Lavigne doesn't approve of Britney.
Avril Lavigne says Britney Spears' stage act is inappropriate.
The Canadian artist says the Toxic singer's act is also all about being a sex symbol.
Lavigne said: "Tons of mums come up to me and say thank you for not dressing like Britney Spears."
Cyndi Lauper had a really, really bad day with a flying bird.
Veteran rocker Cyndi Lauper was left red-faced during a concert in Massachusetts recently - when a bird excreted in her mouth.
Thanks to Simon for the tip.
Even with (ahem) less than stellar album sales of her latest outing, Janet Jackson can still come up with some interesting demands:
The singer stunned producers with her list of demands for her interview on the BBC show which is being filmed tonight.
First she insisted on a chauffeured limo to and from the airport and to take her around town.
For her dressing room, she told the show's producers she will need a chaise longue and 10 black roses - which don't actually exist.
Thanks to Max for the tip.
Avril is still fighting the machine. And MTV is way to quick to overreact.
Simon Cowell, apparently looking for new people to abuse now that American Idol has ended for this season, wants Victoria Beckham to just stop singing.
It's reported the Pop Idol judge was so determined to deliver his message he even took her for lunch in Los Angeles recently to tell her.
He told The Sun: "I saw Victoria when she was out here a while ago. I told her I thought she should concentrate on what she is good at and quit the pop.
If you ever wanted to know how most rock stars end up going into that good night, this list is for you.
Thanks to Jeff for the tip.
Britney has called off her latest show in Reisa, Germany. Something about only a quarter of the tickets being sold. Maybe that's why she was crying.
Phish will be calling it off after the Coventry show.
In local DC news, the HFStival at RFK over the weekend left quite a few hospitalized with heat related maladies. Given that this past weekend was one of the hottest on record and the ever so low price of liquid luxuries (like water) at outdoor concerts, that the number isn't higher is probably the real story.
-- Update --
A further review from today's Washington Post.
Going for the much more direct approach, Jewel has taken to asking her fans to just stare at her chest.
Van Halen's upcoming Best Of CD will feature three new songs. All three new tunes are to be sung by Sammy Hagar.
David Hasslehoff and Ice-T are going to do a rap album?
It's not just actresses naming their children "Apple." Nope, musicians almost have a corner on the market.
I'm thinking this is a pretty strong sign of her decline...
MADONNA has changed the lyrics to her hit single Vogue to honour today's musical starlets. Instead of name-checking Garbo and Monroe on her forthcoming world tour, the Material Girl will reportedly sing: "Britney Spears and Minogue, Aguilera and J-Lo, Jessica Simpson, Avril Lavigne, on the cover of a magazine. They have style, they have sass, Missy E kicks some ass!"
Thanks to Lindsey for the tip.
-- Update --
Adding to the decline of Madonna, Simon comments on the "new and improved" stage show:
Further evidence that time has moved on and left Madonna looking more than a little desperate comes with the news that she's planning to make her new stage show "the most shocking yet" - we think she means shocking as in "good god, that's shaking the very foundations of everything I hold dear", but it looks more like it'll be shocking as in "the state of traffic in Brighton city centre these days is just shocking": Simulated lesbian sex (yawn), images of war on a big screen ("note to self: see if Bono has finished with Zoo tour video"), Madonna being strapped in an electric chair (hands up who else liked No Doubt's It's My Life promo) and "a parade of scantily-clad pregnant women" - one for Patrick from Coupling there, then.
If you needed any more proof that Madonna isn't Madonna any more - they're having to leak the details to the papers in a bid to try and get anyone interested at all.
Avril Lavigine is claiming that the anger on her latest album comes from not eating well.
Lavigne, who is currently promoting her new album, Under My Skin, says she was "eating bad stuff, lots of sugar and carbohydrates, junk food all the time."
The Canadian singer added: "It makes you very irritated. I spent some time with a nutritionist and learned I had low blood sugar. Now I eat accordingly."
It couldn't have anything to do with angry lyrics selling better, now could it?
Elvin Jones, best known for his work with John Coltrane, died yesterday in NYC.
William Hung out ranks the Backstreet Boys.
The Backstreet Boys were congregating backstage at Saturday's Wango Tango On-Air festival when a herd of security guards nearly tumbled them.
"They were like, 'Move out of the way, get up against the wall,' " Nick Carter recalled later, smiling and likely embellishing a bit. "And then William Hung came through."
Rush will be releasing a new CD at the end of June. This disc will be a departure from all of their previous records, as this one will be all covers of other artist's work.
Alicia Keys ended up getting the acting job. Sorry, Christina...
Two more singers try to make the jump to acting. Unfortunately, they are both good singers. If they're trying to diversify, that can't be good news.
Avril Lavigne is complaining about her lack of a boyfriend.
"I don't get out in public much but when I do, guys come over sometimes. Most of the time, though, I have bodyguards who push them away from me."
-- Update --
Always good for a chuckle, Simon voices a thought or two
So, Avril Lavigne reckons the reason why she doesn't have a boyfriend is because whenever guys try to get close to her, her minders push them away. You don't think it could be becase you're a twenty year old woman who dresses like she's twelve, and your songs give the impression that a conversation with you would never rise much above 'see spot run'?
John Whitehead, one half of the 70's R&B duo McFadden & Whitehead, was shot dead in Philadelphia last night.
Trent Razor is making preparations to release his next album.
Victoria Beckham/Posh Spice is releasing a rap album. However, her voice will be 100% absent from the recording.
Darkness will be recording their next album with Shania Twain's husband, Mutt Lange. Maybe they're praying that the Def Leppard lightening will strike again.
Despite our best hopes, Fred Durst is saying that Limp Bizkit isn't going to break up soon.
One of the urban legends about Sting is his affinity for tantric sex. Apparently, it was all just a big mistake.
What he really meant was "frantic" sex.
In an interview to be broadcast next week on the BBC, Sting confesses that the whole story of how he used yoga to achieve prolonged states of ecstasy was "a joke".
Asked if he knows what tantric sex is, Sting, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, replies: "I haven't a clue."
I don't buy this, though. I remembering watching some show on A&E about Sting where he was talking to the camera about yoga and tantric sex. "Really, I was just joshing" just falls flat to me.
Michael Jackson may have had assistance in his "activities" with various young children.
The Spice Girls may reunite to at least one new song for the album.
If only this is true, I could die happy.
-- Update --
And, right on schedule, here comes Simon:
Mel B is talking up the chances of the Spices getting back as a five-piece to "write a new song" - so, not like old times at all in any sense, then. Good god, maybe Victoria would even sing on it.
Norah Jones will be singing on Jesse Harris' latest album. Harris is the guy who wrote Jones' runaway hit Don't Know Why, as well as a few other tunes on both of her albums.
Britney Spears has let down her fans in London when she lip synched throughout the entire concert.
...[T]he 12,000-strong Wembley Arena crowd — who had paid at least £30 [around $45 or so] each for tickets — could not believe it when she started lip-synching to a backing track.
I'm shocked. Shocked, I say.
-- Update --
In related news, Britney is cleaning house with merchandise sales.
Britney Spears' cumulative concert merchandise sales total reached more than $30 million, according to Signatures Network Inc., a merchandising and licensing company that handles Spears products. ...
The Onyx tour alone, which begins its European dates today (April 26) in London, is expected to gross more than $10 million in merchandise revenue.
In the 25 tour dates of the North American leg, Spears' merchandise sales averaged $150,000-$170,000 a night, reaching a high of $180,000 during the Los Angeles show March 8, according to Dell Furano, CEO of Signatures Network Inc.
Fakin' it or not, she's makin' some serious cash.
"End of the Century," a documentary about punk rock's founding fathers, the Ramones, has been shown at major film festivals in New York, Toronto and Berlin. It has attracted a following among influential figures like Nicolas Cage and the director Jim Jarmusch. It has been praised in Variety, Entertainment Weekly and The Los Angeles Times for its unflinching portrayal of the dysfunction that both fueled and undermined the Ramones.
About the only thing the film hasn't gained is a release date.
The filmmakers, Michael Gramaglia and Jim Fields, say the movie has not been released after nearly seven years of work because of the very same tenuous relationships they hoped to document.
With their super-fast, two-minute, three-chord songs, the Ramones almost single-handedly created punk rock in the mid-70's, inspiring bands from the Clash to U2 to Pearl Jam along the way. But while the Ramones presented a united front on their album covers — black leather jackets, canvas Converse sneakers and bowl haircuts — the band was fraught with tension and jealousy among its members. Johnny Ramone, the guitarist, ran the band like a dictator. Dee Dee Ramone, the bassist, was a heroin addict (he died of an overdose in 2002). A cast of drummers came and went because they were either too drunk, too opposed to constant touring or too upset over not getting a larger share of the money from T-shirt sales. And Joey Ramone, the singer, was dumped by his fiancée, Linda, for Johnny in the early 80's. Joey and Johnny did not talk to each other during the 15 more years the Ramones toured until they retired in 1996. Joey and Johnny, in fact, never reconciled before Joey died of lymphatic cancer in April 2001.
This makes it sound like a heck of a movie. I'd like to see it. Here's to hoping that they can work out their differences.
Thanks to Mark for the tip.
Busted has been voted as the worst band in the world. Darkness was #2, followed by Avril Lavigne and Courtney Love.
All I have to say is, "Who or what is Busted?"
The Darkness, that British glam rock band with the ridiculous singer (who knows it and has make his ridiculousness his schtick), appeared recently on Loveline, the radio call-in show for younger people to talk about sex and such. Apparently, the band was unaware of what kind of show it was. They freaked out and left after a caller started talking about her being sexully assaulted.
...[T]he band arrived at the studio clearly unaware of the kind of questions they could be asked.
Hey, I'm sorry, but if your manager booked you on a show without researching what kind of show it is, you might want to think about new representation.
As usual when it comes to musical things that involve acts from across the pond, Simon's got the good angle on this:
It's probably an indication of how long it is since there's been a British band doing well in the US that the Darkness apparently had no idea the sort of questions they were going to be asked when they were guest panel members on American radio show Loveline - back in the 90s there was a small rash of Shoe and Britpop acts who appeared on the show giving advice on how to deal with small rashes and broken hearts - but it's kind of hard to sympathise with them for not finding out beforehand. Instead, they were taken by surprise by a caller who rang in to say she'd been sexually abused, and just walked out. (According to the Mirror, anyway.) Which seems a bit of a shitty way to deal with someone who's asking for help - would it have been too much to say "talk to a professional" before ripping off the headphones?
Hear, hear.
Michael Jackson is changing attorneys.
-- Update --
Jacko rejigs his defence team; pledges to sort out on-deck seating arrangements on Titanic by mid-afternoon.
From who else?
Suge Knight has been released from jail. Hopefully, he'll stay out this time.
Beyonce is hiring body doubles to confuse the press so she can sunbathe topless. Didn't she learning anything from Janet? It's the exposure of the body part that gets the press, not the attempt to hide it.
Thanks to Simon for the tip.
Michael Jackson's jailtime adventure moves one step closer.
And, in an act of cosmic synchronicity, Comedy Central ran the Michael Jackson South Park episode last night.
Following up with the announcement of their new tour, The Cure will be releasing in mid June.
Suge Knight, in prison for punching someone and violating his parole (again), wants to do a benefit for the families of solider in Iraq. Giving the benefit of the doubt, this sounds like it could be a good idea.
The singer Pink is upset with the foreign minister of Austria.
Pink is suing Austria's foreign minister after she used her name on leaflets handed to fans at a recent concert in Vienna.
Thousands of leaflets were handed out by supporters of Benita Ferrero-Waldner who is standing for election as President of Austria this weekend.
What I want to know is why anyone would think even the faked endorsement of Pink would be an asset to a campaign. Or maybe I'm just woefully out of touch with the pop music tastes of Austria. Again.
Unfortunately, it looks like Michael Jackson's planned trip to Africa will not be happening.
Namibian government officials were surprised to learn today [April 16] that Michael Jackson would not be arriving in the country, as they had thought.
Sorry, Mikey, but that continent full of kids that you haven't molested yet will just have to wait for a while longer.
Bootsy Collins will be releasing a new CD on the Thumper label (as a bass player, I'm diggin' the name of that company). Street date is scheduled for June 8.
That's right, you read correctly. Jessica Simpson will now be one of the headlining acts for VH1's Diva's show. Now, I'll be the first to admit that the line up for the show this time around isn't all that "get-you-out-of-bed-in-the-morning" -- Patti LaBelle does just a bit of the oversinging thing, Josh Stone is good but not enough seasoning as of yet, Debbie Harry doesn't have the best of pipes (even in her own zip code), Eve's a rapper (a rapper. not a singer. bring her back for Rap Divas with 'Lil Kim after she gets out of jail) and Ashanti's still on training wheels -- but there's still going to be some talent there (Cyndi Lauper in particular).
Even the folks at VH1 admit they didn't really consider Jessica Simpson diva material when they put together their annual "Divas" extravaganza last year.
"At that point, she was geared a little toward a teen audience," Rick Krim, a VH1 executive vice president, said delicately. More bluntly, Simpson was widely regarded as a C-list Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera with diminishing record sales and questionable star power."
Now, one might think in reading this site that I'm starting to get a little obsessed with Ms. Simpson. For the record, I'm not; I just can't believe that someone with so little talent is doing so well. More power to her, I'd do the same thing myself if I could, but I'm still a bit incredulous.
Stevie Wonder is going to be honored by the Songwriters Hall Of Fame. Way to go Stevie!
Just speaking personally, Mr. Wonder has been one of the more prolific and consistent writer of quality pop songs over the last fifty years or so. It's nice to see him get his due.
Real Networks and Apple computers might be joining up.
RealNetworks made a direct appeal last week to Apple Computer, its Internet music rival, suggesting that the two companies form a common front against Microsoft in the digital music business.
And, in a related story, Apple is now selling more iPods than iMacs.
Steven P. Jobs, Apple's chief executive, [said] "We sold a lot of Macs, but we've sold more iPods in the quarter than all the Macs put together."
Off the top of my head, that kind of change in Apple's focus should have some pretty interesting implications to the industry.
For those who care, it seems like there are more charges filed against MJ.
Last night, I was watching VH1 while doing some work around the house. The video for Hangin' Tough came on, and I was almost reduced to uncontrollable laughter. The image of the New Kids On The Block trying to be rough and ready homeboys was ludicrious enough in 1989; now, it's a combination of pathetic, sad and bizzare humor.
In any case, one of the New Kids (Joey) is trying for a comeback. Although, I don't know if a comeback is the right term (this is his third album), but good luck to you anway.
Suprising to, well, no one, the RIAA has come out with negative comments about the recent study showing that file sharing does not hurt sales.
Amy Weiss, RIAA senior VP of communications, calls the Oberholzer-Strumpf study's results, released March 30, "counterintuitive." The study appears to absolve illegal downloaders of negatively impacting the music business.
Weiss also says the study is "anomalous" in that it contradicts the findings of five other studies of P2P activity conducted in 2002-03. All suggested file sharing as a major element in the decline of industry sales.
Simon does a masterful job fisking the RIAA's response. Some highlights:
First, she dismisses it as "counter-intuitive" - in other words, it runs contrary to what the RIAA needs to believe. But a lot of people have been saying for a long time that downloading helps, not hinders, music sales, so it's not counterintuitive to what our gut instincts believe. Besides, even if it was - since when has a scientific study been without value because it doesn't prove an assumption? That's what science is for, isn't it?
Second, the report is "anomalous" because it doesn't agree with "five other studies of P2p activity." Now, we've spent some time poking about the RIAA website - it's actually online at the moment - and can't find any figures relating to this, so we're assuming that Weiss is talking about opinion poll type surveys, which aren't as rigorous as the sort of investigation undertaken by Oberholzer-Strumpf. (For example, the ludicrous BPI poll from a couple of weeks ago where a sliver-thin sample group, and a bunch of leading questions still produced "facts" that need to be spun more than buttermilk in a churn to try and help the BPi justify it's planned bullying of its customers.)
Read it all.
Sophie B. Hawkins is taking a guy to court over selling her as-of-yet-not-released CD on EBay. She's suing for $324; the first CD was sold for $300, the next two for $12 each. Any money she recovers are going to be given back to the people who bought the CDs.
Thanks to Simon for the tip.
-- Update --
She won.
Nick Sceats, a bass guitarist from New Zealand, found a bass worth quite a bit in the used pile of his local guitar shop. Rather than keep it for himself and/or selling it on EBay, he has returned it to it's rightful owner, Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones.
With the guitar's history confirmed, it could be of considerable value. But Sceats air-freighted the bass back to Wyman on Thursday. He expects nothing in return.
"I'm just kind of doing the right thing in closing the loop," he said. "I don't see why he should pay for something that was stolen from him."
-- Update --
A reader asked me what I meant by "more evidence." Okay Tom, here's an example of what I'm talkin' about.
My condolences to Al.
-- Update --
Al has announced that he will continue his tour without any cancellations.
In a heartbreaking press release, Yankovic said he hopes to draw some comfort from performing, but added that he will not conduct interviews or meet-and-greets while he's on the road.
Marylin Manson is getting married. It's has to be for love; god knows this guy doesn't have any money. What was the last show he played, a liquor convention in Outer Pentavia, MI?
Avril Lavigne's stalker has been arrested. I guess this takes her number of fans down to ten or so.
I guess all the controversy that she generated just wasn't worth it. Her latest CD isn't doing all that great.
Eminem decided to drop his trousers on German TV.
Eminem then complained flashing is always censored in America, before getting up and mooning again.
Ah, the First Ammendment. Defending the rights of asses to show their asses since 1786.
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), record sales all around the world have been have a bad run.
Worldwide music sales fell for the fourth year in a row in 2003, dropping 7.6% year-over-year to $32 billion, adding up to global losses of 20% in the past three years, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry said Wednesday.
All the major markets except Australia and the United Kingdom suffered, though there was an improved second half in the United States, thanks to releases by such artists as OutKast, Alicia Keys and Ludacris, the IFPI said. Sales of CDs, which represents 86% of the market, fell 9.1%, and sales of singles plunged 18.7%.
When I read something like this, what comes to mind is me asking to see the drop in sales in comparison to the overal economic situation of the country in question. If music sales were to drop, say 20% in Finland for 2004, that would seem like a bad thing. But, if in the same year, Finland's GDP dropped by 40%, then it would seem to me that the music industry did gangbusters, by outperforming the overall economy by 125%.
No matter how much some of us might beg and plead, ABBA is standing firm on their decision to stay apart. It's refreshing to see some people refuse the temptation of money. Although, I have to say that for the sum that is being discussed (2 Billion dollars!?!), I'd probably dress up like Little Bo Peep, sing Verdi's Requiem while dancing the Charleston. And be happy at it. Is that selling out? You're damn skippy it is.
Angelique Kidjo will be releasing her latest album Oyaya! on April 27. At her most recent show, she played a few songs that will be on this disc, and they sounded rather good. I'll be looking forwards to this one.
Pink has been cast to play Janis Joplin? That makes sense. I can easily see how a teenaged girl with such emotional depth to her songs (I'm comin' out // so you better get this party started) will be able to portray an icon of 60's blues singing.
Somehow, I don't think that Renee Zellweger has much to worry about.
-- Update --
Pink's branching out even more; now she's critizing the lack of political action in today's music scene.
Apparently, this qualifies as news for some people...
Kelly Osbourne has entered rehab.
The Backstreet Boys are reuniting for a new album. Happy, happy, joy, joy.
Ozzy is talking about a possible Black Sabbath reunion.
Ozzy Osbourne has reportedly confirmed that in a radio interview [on Rockline] that talks are underway for a possible Black Sabbath reunion.
Asked during an interview if there was any truth to the rumours, Ozzy replied: "I believe so."
I can only assume that this quote was produced after running the tape by several NSA translators.
Marilyn Manson is planning on releasing a best of CD and DVD in the fall. Wow, I can remember a time when people might have even cared about it.
Michael Jackson is apparently considering touring Africa to raise AIDS awareness. Hmmm... This couldn't possibly have something to do with his, um, legal issues, could it? Like him wanting to get out of the country, perhaps?
A whole host of independent music labels are joining together to provide an alternative to the RIAA.
Executives from more than 150 independent music companies have discussed a preliminary framework for the association, which has a working title of American Music Independents.
Those labels account for almost $2.5 billion of annual music sales in the US, or 19 per cent of the country's near-$13 billion music sales. But they have a far larger proportion of online music retailing at closer to 30 per cent of the small but growing market, executives involved in the negotiations said.
Hopefully, the addition of this new group will allow for a more representative view of the music industry, instead of bought and paid for allegiance to the majors.
William Hung's latest, um, opus is steadily progressing forwards:
Hung's new album, "Inspiration" will be released April 6. It will contain covers of Martin's Shake Your Bon Bon, Elton John's Rocket Man, R. Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly and, of course, She Bangs. Hung said the song Free was written especially for him.
The disc will also include a 40-minute DVD with behind-the-scenes footage of studio recording sessions and fan questions and answers.
Please, please, for the love of God, don't buy this album. Let it sink into that good night as it should.
Previously on the Complaining Record Industry channel, the Austrailian version of the RIAA cried loudly and longly with regards to their falling music sales. Small problem here is that they are, um, slightly stretching the actual truth of the matter.
The Australian record industry has just had its best year ever. But it doesn't want you to know about it. This month ARIA announced its sales figures for last year. In its press release, it talked about Delta, it talked about falling CD singles sales, it talked about the rise in DVD sales, but at no stage did it tell us it was the industry's best year ever. Why bury the good news?
Record industry types aren't usually shy about success. But this time their success is a little embarrassing. For the past few years the industry has argued that file-sharing and CD burning is having a negative impact on sales. But, unfortunately, their own sales figures don't back up their arguments.
Hmm. Imagine that. The record industry is telling a tall tale to try and get people on their side.
I have heard a rumor that Guitar Center may be purchasing Fender guitars. More on this later.
It seems that the BPI (Britian's version of the RIAA) is going to be heading down the same road with suing their customers.
-- Update --
Simon has a great analysis of this turn of events from a British perspective (which is probably a bit more accurate than me sitting over here on this side of the pond).
In a stunning display of good sense, the Great White cover CD has been pulled from the shelves.
Apple has decided to postpone releasing the new iPod mini "to meet expected demand."
It seems that she had some kind of allergic reaction, but things are better now.
Metallica is thinking about dropping out of the studio/label situation altogether.
Thanks to Simon for the tip.
Some violinists are claiming that should be paid more. Their reasoning? They play more notes than the other instruments. Brilliant. Why didn't I think of that?
The RIAA has filed another round of lawsuits against downloaders.
As a side note, don't try to go to their site; a worm has been blocking the page for the last few days.
Alex Lifeson's charges have been reduced.
Although two first-degree felony charges of aggravated battery against a law-enforcement officer, and four related charges, were dropped yesterday, Lifeson still faces two third-degree felony counts of battery which could carry a $500+ fine and possible jail sentence. The guitarist is now due in court on 17 May.
The world music industry has it's own awards show in the UK. Some people are wondering why.
Any record label executive worth their salt will tell you that you can have as much critical acclaim as you like, but if an album sells next to nothing then it counts for very little. And the reality is that most world music albums do indeed sell next to nothing.
Great White, the band from the club fire in R.I. have publicly disowned a CD release of cover tunes. The title of the CD? Burning House Of Love.
Johnny Cash is going to have a movie made about his life. Joaquin Phoenix, best known for being the insane emporer in Gladiator, is slated to play Johnny Cash, with Resse Witherspoon to play his wife, June Carter Cash. Witherspoon, the same girl who did Legally Blonde? Um, okay, that might work out.
Spandau Ballet is considering reforming.
(My emphasis added)A source told The Sun: "Spandau Ballet have seen the success of Duran Duran and want to get in on the action. They want a piece of the nostalgia pie. There have been bitter rivalries. But they are finally willing to put them to one side to work again.
"The five of them believe they still have a lot to offer. They are very keen to work on new material and not just become a tribute band to the 1980s."
Glad to know that they going to get back for the music.
J.J. Jackson, one of the original VJs on MTV has passed away.
Kylie Minogue believes in reincarnation? That would fit, given that her first US hit was resurrecting The Locomotion.
Courtney Love has been arrested. Again. Not to let that be enough, she abused David Letterman on his show.
(hat tip, Simon)
-- Update --
More highlights on Ms. Love's activities.
-- Update 2 --
Yet more Courtney shenanigans.
Styx, Peter Frampton and Nelson are heading back out on the road. The odd part about this venture is the small detail that something like 40% of the country wasn't even alive when any of these artists last had a hit.
Chubby Checker protests the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame.
While the writer of the "The Twist," Hank Ballard, has been inducted into hall, Checker hasn't.
All I can say is "Boo-f'n-hoo."
Chuck D, front man for Public Enemy, will be co-hosting a talk show on the new radio network.
Deborah Voigt has been sacked from her signature role at the Royal Opera House on the grounds that she could not fit into a little black dress. And here I thought the whole cliché about opera was that it wasn't over until the fat lady sings.
As a completely serious statement, the Royal Opera House is in the wrong about this; when I have gone to the opera, I've been much more focused on the music than the costumes. And, as a further side note, Voigt has an incredible voice; check her out sometime.
There's about to be a new radio network coming to some markets (not DC so far). Air America will feature
"...entertaining, progressive talk radio to millions of Americans who for far too long have been and are being neglected by talk radio broadcasters today."
But wasn't that NPR was for?
Thanks to Jeff for the tip.
Peter Criss, the original drummer for the band, may not be a member any longer:
"No one, again no one has called me, or my attorney about an extension for future touring," he says. "As a founding member I find this to be disrespectful to me, and to the fans that have made us one of the biggest bands in the world. You will always get the truth from me, I have no reason to lie to the people that gave me such a wonderful life. And that's the God's honest truth."
The all-boy pop group Menudo, which launched Ricky Martin's career and sold millions of albums in Latin America and the United States, will conduct an international star search to resurrect the band, the group holding the rights to the band's name said on Tuesday.
Is it just me, or is this quote just a little, um, off? Not that anyone thinks any boy band is in it for the music....
For those who haven't heard, this years inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are:
"What I really want to tell you is that most of the artists that commercial alternative radio broke in the late '90s suck and are over," [Marc Geiger, organizer of Lollapalooza 2004] offers.
This moment in irony is being brought to you by the good folks at William Morris Agency (or am I wrong in remembering that most of Lollapalooza's success over the years came directly from commercial alternative radio?).
Sting and Annie Lennox are heading out on tour together. As I have stated before, I haven't been all that keen on seeing Sting on this tour (since he isn't using a live drum kit, but rather a sequencer and a hand percussionist), but the opportunity to see Annie Lennox may make it worth my time.
DC dates (or date, in this case):
July 9: Bristow, Va. (Nissan Pavilion)
From the "I-can't-believe-he's-got-a-record-contract-and-I-don't" department, American Idol reject William Hung has signed a recording contract with Koch Records.
On Saturday, there was a festival of dance music in downtown Miami. From the write-up, it sounds like an interesting time. I would have liked to have attended: I cut my teeth for about ten years rolling the steel wheels, so I think I would have probably enjoyed the experience.
Another explanation on Creative Commons for your reading pleasure. It's starting to look like there may be some momentum building behind this approach.
It seems that Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 is going to be following in Scott Stapp's footsteps and striking out on his own. No news as to whether or not either Thomas or Stapp will be continuing with their main bands.
It looks like Creed singer Scott Stapp will be stepping out on a solo project.
[Stapp] says that after a decade together, it was time for the members of Creed to take a break. "We all committed 10 years to each other, and then we would work on some other stuff we had going on," he says. "We hit 10 years in mid-January."
The article goes on to say that Creed's guitarist (Mark Tremonti) is working on his own solo album. I wonder which one of the two will live up to the Creed pretension quota.
Missy Elliott (and other artists) are leaving Warner after the CEO was thrown out.
"Sylvia has always been there for me, and I guess now we are both free agents, because I only have one album left," Elliott said, "and I'm going to want to see where she goes."
When asked when the final album would be released, Chris Lighty, CEO of Violator Management, which manages Elliott's career, said, "If we had our way, never. Why would I want to turn out a lame duck album?"
Two things stand out about this quote to me: 1) Ms. Elliott is showing great loyalty in a business where there isn't all that much of it and 2) The attitude of Violator is (sadly) not uncommon with a lot of labels.
The NY Times has a review of Britney's latest tour. Some salient quotes:
[Everytime] was the only song that she appeared to sing unaccompanied by backing tapes. At least she crooned the beginning of the song that way before the recorded support kicked in.
When Kelis, the singer who was Ms. Spears's opening act, sang her hit "Milkshake," she was audibly winded after just a few dance moves. Ms. Spears executed even more calisthenic routines throughout most of her numbers, and rarely could the slightest puff or pant be heard in the vocals. Further evidence that the microphone was not on came when she brushed loose strands of hair off the mouthpiece, and the sound of the motion could not be heard in the arena.
But I think my favorite quote is this one:
it was also one of the weakest concept shows since U2's PopMart tour. The staging highlight was "Shadow," in which Ms. Spears was raised over the stage in a swing, sitting at the crest of an immense, M-shaped blue ribbon, with performers twirling in the fabric. With her dance-driven Top 40 pop sounding out of date, at least she's already prepared for tenure in the casinos."
Not that I was ever planning on seeing Britney perform anyway....
It seems that Austrailia is becoming a haven for rock acts to go when they die.
The US Government has filed a brief supporting the RIAA's stance on forcing ISPs to release information on file traders. The federal position is that the DMCA grants immunity to ISPs for liability in copyright violations by users of the service, but the ISP must provide information about said users.
Disney has taken down a statue that largely resembled Janet Jackson. I guess the flap from the Superbowl contiunes on...
Jimmy Buffett may be the second musician to ever play at Fenway Park (the first being Bruce).
Eric Clapton has announced he will no longer play two of his songs (Tears In Heaven and My Father's Eyes).
"I didn't feel the loss anymore, which is so much a part of performing those songs," he said in an interview with The Associated Press.
"I really have to connect with the feelings that were there when I wrote them," he said. "They're kind of gone and I really don't want them to come back, particularly. My life is a different life now."
I rather liked Tears when I first heard it. After the eighty milionth time, not so much. I can understand what Clapton means, though. I know there are songs on my list that I don't connect with anymore and am only doing because it's part of the job.
Avril Lavigne is heading out on tour, more or less. If you want to call 21 shopping malls in various cities a tour. She's not annoucing dates, though, just giving out 48 hours notice. The shows will be free and performed acoustically.
Hey, it worked for Tiffany....
Bobby Brown is going to be going to jail. Pretty much all I can say is that this is long overdue...
15 minutes into their show in Toledo, Ohio, Puddle Of Mudd singer Wes Scantlin threw a bottle into the crowd and spit on them. That's always a good way to keep your fans happy.
I just got my settlement check from the CD antitrust class action suit. My share=$13.86. Lawyers share=$44 million. I'll take it either buy dinner or another CD. They'll buy a small Carribean island. Sounds about right to me.<⁄sarcasm>
Prince is heading out on the road in '04. In his band will be Rhonda Smith on bass, Candy Dulfer on sax and Renato Neto on keys. Unforunately, there are no dates in the DC area as of yet.
The Dave Matthews Band is going back out on tour in 2004.
Some relevant dates for people in DC:
Sat, July 10 / Hershey Stadium / Hershey, PA
Sun, July 11 / Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge / Bristow, VA
Wed, July 14 / Merriweather Post Pavilion / Columbia MD
Fri, July 23 / Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheatre / Virginia Beach, VA
Rush has announced new tour dates for 2004.
For people in the DC area, here are some relevant dates:
May 29: Virginia Beach, Va. (Verizon Wireless Amphitheater)
May 31: Burgettstown, Pa. (Post Gazette Pavilion)
June 2: Columbus, Ohio (Germain Amphitheater)
Aug. 3: Bristow, Va. (Nissan Pavilion)
Aug. 4: Camden, N.J. (Tweeter Center)
The RIAA is suing another 500 (or so) people. More dirt on the shovel, I suppose.
Dido is going out on tour over 2004. I rather liked her original album; it had quite a few well-crafted plaintive pop songs. I haven't heard her new one, yet, so I can't really speak to it. I don't know if I'd want to pay Ticketmaster prices to see her, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
Sting has been cancelling several of his shows on his latest tour due to some sort of an illness. I hadn't planned on seeing him this time around, since he is traveling without a drummer (only a hand percussionist; the kit drum is programmed in a sequencer).
Rush will be going out in '04, with dates to be announced on the 18
It seems that the Queens of the Stone Age are to be no more. Both the bass player and the singer have decided to go their separate ways. As far as I can tell, though, the usual 'irreconcilible differences' aren't being cited this time out.
The Ozzfest has announced it's lineup for this year's outing. Judas Priest (with original lineup) and Slipknot on the main stage. Oh, and Ozzy himself. Yippee.
Courtney Love is probably going to be heading to jail soon.
A Beverly Hills, Calif., judge issued a bench warrant [on 2/11] for singer/actress Courtney Love after she failed to show up for a hearing on felony drug possession charges.
I'm thinking that she didn't get the memo.
-- Update --
Courtney went on to the Howard Stern show and claimed that "...I didn't show up for court because I didn't have a professional bodyguard". Why didn't I think of that? That makes perfect sense to me.
Also, the whole reason why this got started is clearly a misunderstanding...
In an unscheduled rambling, expletive-laden phone conversation with Stern, Love addressed the charges against her. "I didn't throw any rocks at the window," she said. "I kicked in the door because I didn't have a key. That's the god's truth."
Well, that convinces me.
Godsmack is going unplugged for their latest album. Why they are doing this is an open question. Perhaps because they get to recycle old material for half an album and still charge full price....
The Concert Industry Awareds were announced over the weekend. Some highlights:
| Major Tour Of The Year | Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band |
| Most Creative Stage Production | Blue Man Group |
| Best New Artist Tour | Good Charlotte |
| Best Small Outdoor Concert Venue | Wolf Trap Filene Center |
| Nightclub Venue Of The Year | 9:30 Club |
Congradulations to Good Charlotte, Wolf Trap andthe 9:30 club for representing the DC area....
It seems that Tower Records has declared bankruptcy. This isn't all that surprising; CDs and DVDs are uniquely well suited for sale on the web. They're small, easy to ship, and you get exactly what you expect (unlike, say, a car).
Thanks to Tyler for the tip.
There's a coming battle for file standards in the online world. Think VHS vs Betamax.
An emerging version of this conflict is being fought out now over standards for music purchased online. It boils down to this: will Apple support Microsoft's "Windows Media Audio" (WMA) format for purchased music on the iPod music player? Or has the Apple-preferred (but not Apple-owned) "Advanced Audio Codec" (AAC) format that it uses through its own iTunes Music Store become a de facto standard that others - including Microsoft - will have to adjust to?
To me, this seems to be somewhat of a strange argument. I know that on those rare occasions when I have gone on to Kazaa and it's ilk (just for research, officer), the predominant standard has been mp3s, not WMA or AAC. Mp3s have good sound, aren't encumbered by the somewhat ridiculous rights management overhead that WMAs are (I can't speak to AAC) and pretty conclusively have the mindshare of the general public when it comes to online music.
...[M]ost people listening to music on digital players have most of it in MP3 format. I'd also bet that every music player out there now has at least one MP3 file on it. People who've got into digital music assume that MP3 is the default format. The challenge for Apple, and Microsoft, is to join MP3.
The Austrailian governmental equivalent to the RIAA has raided some offices in Austrailia on the hunt for Kazaa.
MIPI general manager Michael Speck told ZDNet Australia the order was specifically targeted at the operators of the Kazaa network. "This is not about individuals, this is about the big fish," said Speck".
-- Update --
Eric has an update as to the goings-on.
-- Update 2 --
Eric has yet more info...
Billboard is reporting that Beyonce, Missy Elliot and Alicia Keys are going to go out on the road together. While they might be considering this to be like Lillith Fair, I think they'll need a few more acts than three to get to that level.
According to Reuters, all five major record labels are experimenting with a hybrid CD/DVD release package (CD on one side, DVD on the other). This could be an interesting development, particularly if the artists start to include DVD-like features (commentary tracks, sheet music/storyboards, videos and/or photos, just general extra material). However, this would mean the elimination of art work on the top of the CD. To me, losing graphic images is not a big loss, but losing the text might lead to confusion (all discs would look basically the same, hope you don't put a disc in the wrong case...).
Two things stand out in this article.
(1) It looks like Yahoo might be exploring ways to become a content provider.
According to knowledgeable sources, Yahoo bought music software developer Mediacode in December to help create a digital jukebox and media player--the key components in many music download services.
(2) Apple's iTunes is a money loser.
Few analysts expect music downloads to make money anytime soon. Apple Computer, whose iTunes Music Store dominates the market, makes its money on the sale of companion iPod music players and concedes the service is not yet profitable.
I just got a call from Blues Alley about the Mike Stern show coming up this weekend. Dave Weckl will not be performing. It seems that his father has died, so (for obvious reasons) he will not be playing. It's too bad on many levels; I wanted to see him play and I'm very sorry for his loss. Dennis Chambers will be sitting in instead.
My sympathies go out to Dave and his family. (Not that we're buddy buddy or anything, but for what it's worth....)
I've decided to pull the info from a few other posts and centralize it into a single place....
---------------------------
So, Janet and Justin also had a little pseudo-nudity during their halftime act that I just completely missed. Probably because I was more listening than watching. It's kind of sad when you have to do pull those kind of stunts to get sales.
---------------------------
Drudge reports that the whole Jackson thing was pre-planned and CBS knew about it in advance. If this is true, then I'm just shocked -- shocked I say!! -- that this happened. Of course, it is Drudge, so take it with a grain of salt.
---------------------------
The FCC is investigating the Jackson incident for indecency.
---------------------------
BlogCritics has lots and lots of coverage about Janet and her, um, Super Bowl publicity stunt here. Note that some articles have been cross-posted both here and there.
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RAIN reports that MTV absolutely knew what was going to happen:
Last week, the headline on the [VH1] press release read, "Janet Jackson's Super Bowl Show Promises 'Shocking Moments.'" The executives at all of the responsible corporations (Viacom, CBS, AOL, the NFL) must have known that was how the event was being promoted.
Supposedly those executives, or their subordinates, were watching rehearsals. There are only two possibilities: Either (A) they saw nothing "shocking," in which case they should have known the press release was a lie, or (B) they were assured that there would be at least one "shocking" element in the actual performance. (Perhaps, to assure themselves of a post-event claim of plausible deniability, they didn't want to know precise details on what the shock would be. But still yet.)
The current alibi as of this morning -- "At the time of this report, MTV thought that the 'shock' was going to be the as-yet-unannounced appearance of Justin Timberlake as part of Janet's performance" -- does not hold water: The appearance of a guest performer could be described as a "surprise," but the word "shock" doesn't fit.
If one believes that the Viacom crowd speaks English as their first language, Justin's appearance can't be what they were alluding to! There had to be some kind of "shock," in the contemporary American English sense of the word, planned.
It just beggars the belief that Viacom would think that anyone would buy this denial. Come on, guys, I know that "you will never go broke underestimating the American public," but this is ridiculous. To make matter worse, the brillilant geniuses at Viacom have tried to cover their tracks:
---------------------------Yesterday, if you tried to access the "Shocking Moments" press release on the VH1 website , you got a "Page Not Found" error and the message, "Due to the recent redesign of our site, the page you are requesting has been moved or is no longer available" (pictured). (Fortunately, as I mentioned earlier, Google saves cached versions of web pages, so it's still available to the whole world if you simply access it through Google.)
When Justin Timberlake tore at Janet Jackson's leather outfit, TiVo users took notice.
Then they took notice again and again, using the digital video recorder to replay the event and to pause at the crucial moment in order to discern just what it was that Jackson had revealed to a billion people worldwide.
TiVo said that particular halftime stunt was the most replayed moment not only of the Super Bowl but of all TV moments that the young company has ever measured.
TiVo said it used its technology to measure audience behavior among 20,000 users during the Super Bowl. The exercise revealed a 180% spike in viewership at the time of the -- as Timberlake refers to it -- "wardrobe malfunction."
While it doesn't particularly surprise me that this extra-special moment in small screen history would be played over and over again (particularly since the Super Bowl's demographic skews so heavily towards younger males), it's a bit disturbing that TiVo tracks the activities of their users that closely....
---------------------------
Today's NY Times takes some stabs at everyone involved. CBS gets a poke
The beauty of the Janet Jackson to-do is that it could well be the one case in which CBS is telling the truth, and like the little network that cried wolf, nobody is listening.
as does Janet
Even trussed as she was in a shiny "Matrix"/dominatrix outfit, Janet Jackson, 37, has never had much luck being taken seriously as a sex symbol, and it is unlikely that her Super Bowl surprise will be of much help there. But if her aim was to grab all the attention, as Madonna did when she kissed Britney Spears at the MTV Video Music Awards, then she did herself proud. And if she wanted to distract attention from her older, more famous and now more infamous brother Michael, then she achieved even that for a moment.
I'm sure the indiganation over this whole fiascso is only just starting...
---------------------------
MTV now claims they "...were punk'd by Janet Jackson." Come on, guys. This doesn't even pass the laugh test.
Jimmy Buffett is preparing to release his annual summer album. I'm sure it will sell well, but I think I'll be passing on it. I used to be a disciple of Buffett, going to a concert every summer for something like fourteen years. But a few years ago, I decided that the thrill was gone and it was time for me to move on.
An interesting article on Pepsi's download ad from the Super Bowl is in today's Washington Post. Lots of links to other articles, with a somewhat jaundiced cast to the eye.
...where Pepsi crossed the line was in featuring a teenager who was slapped with a lawsuit by the Recording Industry Association of America for illegally downloading copyrighted songs. In effect, Pepsi is saying music piracy will not only get you free music, but potentially money-making endorsement contracts.
It looks like Yes is going to go back out on tour. I've liked a lot of Yes' work over the years, and I caught them out at Wolf Trap a few years ago when they were touring with a full symphony. That show was definitely for the hardcode Yes-heads, as the shortest (and most mainstream) song they played for the evening was Long Distance Runaround (mostly they strayed towards their longer, more baroque songs like Gates Of Delirium). If this tour is a more stripped down version, I think I'd be interested in catching it.
Chick Corea has been added to the list of performers at the Grammy Awards. Also on the list are 50 Cent (yawn), Celine Dion (the horror, the horror), the Foo Fighters (could be decent), Alicia Keys (also could be interesting) and Richard Marx (did someone lose a bet?).
R. Kelly and Michael Jackson are not going to be allowed to be in contact with each other at the upcoming Grammys. Apparently, there's some concern that they might share tactics on luring children into their, um, embrace.
James Brown has got himself arrested. Again. I wonder how long it will be until the "Free James Brown" t-shirts of the late 80's will make a recovery?
--Update--
Wow, I think that James has been to the Nick Nolte school of grooming.
80's band Tears For Fears are coming back with a new album in April. Their biggest hit probably would have been either Shout or Everybody Wants To Rule The World (both from the Songs From The Big Chair album). For me, though, their best tune was Woman In Chains.
Since Alex's little incident with the police down in Florida, the promised Rush tour of 2004 is starting to look a bit in doubt.
Florida state prosecutors this week said they would make a decision on whether to charge the guitarist in two weeks time. Among the charges he could face are aggravated battery on deputies, resisting arrest with violence and disorderly intoxication - if found guilty of all three he could face a jail sentence.
Depending on the speed with which charges went through court that could affect Rush's up coming 50+ date world tour due to start in May.
Commenting on the case Brent Batten - crime writer with Florida newspaper Naples Daily News, commented: "Any felony conviction could jeopardise [sic] the tour scheduled for this year. The reality of the situation serves as a cold slap in the face to Rush fans confident a rich rock icon with a clean record and top-notch defence lawyers would get off with a light sentence, possibly in the form of a community service concert in our own back yard."
Thanks to Marty for the tip.
It seems that Alex Lifeson (the lead guitarist for Rush) got a little too frisky for his ringing in the new year festivities. More info as I happen to find it.
-- Update --
Here's his mug shot. I think I can stand by one of my comments from their DVD (#3, in this case).
-- Update 2 --
I found a better news link than the Washington Post and updated the above link accordingly. And this one has the mug shots of the son and the daughter-in-law as well (man, what is up with the kid's eyes? Is he just really tired, or did he get beaten up somewhere along the line?), as well as some further information. It seems that young Lifeson (I'm not even going to try and type in the actual name, so go with me on this one) decided to hop on stage and sing a song to his wife. Security was called, things got a little testy, Alex jumped into the fray and there were tasers all around.
-- Update 3 --
Lifeson speaks! I think my favorite quote from this article is from Lifeson himself: "[he] didn't believe his arrest was fair.". Off the top of my head, how many people think that their arrest was particularly fair?
And... it appears that there's some video footage of Lifeson leaving the police station.
You know, this is the kind of thing that is both really amazing/great about the power and reach of the internet and really scary/disturbing about the power and reach of the internet.
