It's Friday and I'm in the mood for some Van Morrison. Sometimes it's easy to forget just how great Van the Man was but this clip from The Last Waltz brings it home...
Friday, March 30, 2007
MJTV: Pearl Jam - Live in Tower Records, 1991
Here's a special Friday treat... An extremely rare piece of early PJ video... 20+ minutes featuring 4 songs from a 1991 in-store appearance at Tower Records (NYC?) tied to the release of Ten. The songs played: Wash, Black (amazing!), Alive, and Porch. Enjoy!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
On The Road Again
Tour dates from...
Art Brut
Iggy & The Stooges
Art Brut
New York, NY Bowery Ballroom (April 17)
Brooklyn, NY Studio B (18)
Toronto, Ontario The Mod Club (19)
Chicago, IL Subterranean (20)
Los Angeles, CA Troubadour (21)
London Astoria (June 13)
Birmingham Academy 2 (14)
Manchester Academy 3 (15)
Glasgow Oran Mor (16)
Leeds Cockpit (18)
Iggy & The Stooges
Washington, DC 9:30 Club (April 5)
Boston, MA Orpheum (7)
New York, NY United Palace (9)
Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory (11)
Detroit, MI Fox Theatre (13)
Chicago, IL Congress Theater (15)
Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium (17)
San Francisco, CA The Warfield (19, 21)
Los Angeles, CA Wiltern LG (23)
Seattle, WA WaMu Theater at Qwest Field Events (27)
Landgraaf, Netherlands Pinkpop (May 27)
Neuchâtel, Switzerland Neuchatel Open Air Festival (June 1)
Wroclaw, Poland Olympic Stadium (24)
Borlange, Sweden Peace and Love 2007 (30)
Paris, France Le Palais des Sports (July 3)
Valencia, Spain FIB Festival (19)
Tromso, Norway Bukta Tromso Open Air Festival (21)
The Money Shot: 3.29.07
Today's headlines...
U2's Bono awarded British knighthood (AP)
The Money Shot: "You have permission to call me anything you want — except sir, all right? Lord of lords, your demigodness, that'll do," he told reporters afterward. Because he is an Irish citizen, Bono won't have the title of "sir" before his name. That honor is reserved for citizens of the United Kingdom or British Commonwealth countries. Ireland left the Commonwealth when it became a republic in 1949.
Oasis in new indie war of words (Metro.co.uk)
MS: Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke hit back after Liam Gallagher dismissed them as "a band off University Challenge".
Okereke told Uncut magazine: "I think Oasis are the most over-rated and pernicious band of all time. They had a totally negative and dangerous impact upon the state of British music. They have made stupidity hip. They claim to be inspired by the Beatles but, and this so saddens me, they have failed to grasp that the Beatles were about constant change and evolution. Oasis are repetitive Luddites."
Radiohead Deny Starbucks Deal (Yahoo! Music)
MS: "Radiohead are currently in the studio working on their next record. They are not negotiating a new record deal with anyone, and will not even consider how to release their new music until the album is finished. The rumor that they are about to sign with Starbucks is totally untrue."
Snow Patrol, Flaming Lips Ensnared For 'Spider-Man 3' (Billboard)
MS: "Peter Parker never seems to get over his introverted lack of confidence, at least in the classic comic books I remember," Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne told Billboard.com today (March 29) in the midst of a tornado warning in his Oklahoma City hometown. "I was looking for some excuse to write a fight song, and then this came up. It has the chiming of the bell when they go into the ring. It's silly, but with the right storyline, it can be a lot of fun."
The 50 greatest film soundtracks (Guardian Unlimited)
MS: 12. Trainspotting (Compiler: Danny Boyle, 1996) Danny Boyle's energetic screen rendering of Irvine Welsh's novel was the Clockwork Orange of the Nineties - a movie which redefined the face of modern British cinema, leaving an indelible impression upon contemporary youth culture. Essential to the film's success was an audaciously scattershot jukebox soundtrack which perfectly embodied the film's anarchic charms. Listening to the CD is like watching the entire movie in your head, from Iggy Pop's frenetic 'Lust For Life' (the opening high-street chase sequence), through the ironic melancholy of Lou Reed's 'Perfect Day' (Renton's heroin overdose), to the blood-pumping climax of Underworld's chanting heartbeat 'Born Slippy' (our anti-hero's gleeful escape).
The Gossip's Beth Ditto Speaks Out (The Independent)
MS: "I've been loud and obnoxious my whole life and never really understood why I'd get into so much trouble for talking when the whole room was doing it. When grunge came along, I wanted to sing like Tori Amos, then Mama Cass. Later, when I listened to Sonic Youth, Bikini Kill and Hole, I realised my voice didn't have to sound beautiful."
Partying This Hard Is A Full-Time Job And The Black Lips Just Got A Promotion (Eye Weekly)
MS: Every band needs a story, and playing 13 gigs in four days during the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas is the kind of outsized stunt that great biographies are made of. It has the hallmarks of rock legend: after years of toiling in obscurity, scrappy garage punk underdogs play every show they can and finally seize the attention of the music business, one crowd of nerdy rock critics and fauxhawked A&R reps at a time. But every journalist always wants something juicier to write about, and when The New York Times labelled them “the hardest-working band at SXSW,” the rest of the media picked up on what these Atlanta natives The Black Lips were known as beforehand: the hardest-partying gang of drunken fools ever to hit, and piss all over, the stage. They haven't quite lived it down yet.
U2's Bono awarded British knighthood (AP)
The Money Shot: "You have permission to call me anything you want — except sir, all right? Lord of lords, your demigodness, that'll do," he told reporters afterward. Because he is an Irish citizen, Bono won't have the title of "sir" before his name. That honor is reserved for citizens of the United Kingdom or British Commonwealth countries. Ireland left the Commonwealth when it became a republic in 1949.
Oasis in new indie war of words (Metro.co.uk)
MS: Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke hit back after Liam Gallagher dismissed them as "a band off University Challenge".
Okereke told Uncut magazine: "I think Oasis are the most over-rated and pernicious band of all time. They had a totally negative and dangerous impact upon the state of British music. They have made stupidity hip. They claim to be inspired by the Beatles but, and this so saddens me, they have failed to grasp that the Beatles were about constant change and evolution. Oasis are repetitive Luddites."
Radiohead Deny Starbucks Deal (Yahoo! Music)
MS: "Radiohead are currently in the studio working on their next record. They are not negotiating a new record deal with anyone, and will not even consider how to release their new music until the album is finished. The rumor that they are about to sign with Starbucks is totally untrue."
Snow Patrol, Flaming Lips Ensnared For 'Spider-Man 3' (Billboard)
MS: "Peter Parker never seems to get over his introverted lack of confidence, at least in the classic comic books I remember," Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne told Billboard.com today (March 29) in the midst of a tornado warning in his Oklahoma City hometown. "I was looking for some excuse to write a fight song, and then this came up. It has the chiming of the bell when they go into the ring. It's silly, but with the right storyline, it can be a lot of fun."
The 50 greatest film soundtracks (Guardian Unlimited)
MS: 12. Trainspotting (Compiler: Danny Boyle, 1996) Danny Boyle's energetic screen rendering of Irvine Welsh's novel was the Clockwork Orange of the Nineties - a movie which redefined the face of modern British cinema, leaving an indelible impression upon contemporary youth culture. Essential to the film's success was an audaciously scattershot jukebox soundtrack which perfectly embodied the film's anarchic charms. Listening to the CD is like watching the entire movie in your head, from Iggy Pop's frenetic 'Lust For Life' (the opening high-street chase sequence), through the ironic melancholy of Lou Reed's 'Perfect Day' (Renton's heroin overdose), to the blood-pumping climax of Underworld's chanting heartbeat 'Born Slippy' (our anti-hero's gleeful escape).
The Gossip's Beth Ditto Speaks Out (The Independent)
MS: "I've been loud and obnoxious my whole life and never really understood why I'd get into so much trouble for talking when the whole room was doing it. When grunge came along, I wanted to sing like Tori Amos, then Mama Cass. Later, when I listened to Sonic Youth, Bikini Kill and Hole, I realised my voice didn't have to sound beautiful."
Partying This Hard Is A Full-Time Job And The Black Lips Just Got A Promotion (Eye Weekly)
MS: Every band needs a story, and playing 13 gigs in four days during the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas is the kind of outsized stunt that great biographies are made of. It has the hallmarks of rock legend: after years of toiling in obscurity, scrappy garage punk underdogs play every show they can and finally seize the attention of the music business, one crowd of nerdy rock critics and fauxhawked A&R reps at a time. But every journalist always wants something juicier to write about, and when The New York Times labelled them “the hardest-working band at SXSW,” the rest of the media picked up on what these Atlanta natives The Black Lips were known as beforehand: the hardest-partying gang of drunken fools ever to hit, and piss all over, the stage. They haven't quite lived it down yet.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
MJTV: The Black Lips - Stranger
Wild performance live from Tijuana..."It was more about the crowd than actually us because everybody was a part of the band... we only got a few things stolen..."
MJTV: Pernice Brothers - PCH1
Another low budget video for a great Pernice Brothers song. This one was shot with a $14.99 digital camera...
On The Road Again
Tour dates from...
Ted Leo
Morrissey
Fountains of Wayne
The Hold Steady
Ted Leo
03-28 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts *#
03-29 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club #
03-30 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle #
03-31 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse #
04-01 Orlando, FL - Social #
04-02 Miami, FL - Studio A #
04-04 Baton Rouge, LA - Chelsea's Café #
04-05 Houston, TX - Numbers #
04-06 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Ballroom #
04-07 Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa #
04-09 Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse #
04-10 San Diego, CA - Epicentre #
04-12 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre #
04-13 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre #
04-14 San Francisco, CA - Slim's #^
04-16 Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre #
04-17 Seattle, WA - Showbox #
04-18 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards #
04-20 Boise, ID - The Venue #
04-21 Salt Lake City, UT - Club Sound at In the Venue #
04-22 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre #
04-23 Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck #
04-25 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue #
04-26 Madison, WI - Club 770 #
04-27 Iowa City, IA - Picador #
04-28 Chicago, IL - Metro #
04-30 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick #
05-02 Toronto, Ontario - Mod Club #%
05-03 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa #&
05-04 Boston, MA - Avalon #
05-05 New York, NY - Webster Hall #
06-02 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Festival
06-04 Bordeaux, France - Heretic
06-05 St. Etienne, France - L'Assommoir
06-06 Milan, Italy - Magnolia
06-07 Soliera, Italy - Artevive
06-08 Livorno, Italy - The Cage
06-10 Vienna, Austria - Chelsea
06-11 Innsbruck, Austria - Weekender
06-12 Munich, Germany - Feierwerk
06-13 Stuttgart, Germany - Schocken
06-14 Nuremberg, Germany - K4
06-15 Cologne, Germany - Gebaude
06-16 Ludwigshafen, Germany - Das Haus
06-17 Wiesbaden, Germany - Schlachthof
06-18 Berlin, Germany - Magnet Club
06-19 Hamburg, Germany
06-20 Munster, Germany - Gleis 22
06-21 Rotterdam, The Netherlands - Rotown
06-22 Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Paradiso
06-23 Aarschot, Belgium - DE Klinker
06-24 Metz, France - Le Tunnel
06-25 Paris, France - Nouveau Casino
06-27 Dublin, Ireland - Crawdaddy
06-28 Galway, Ireland - Roisin Dubh
06-29 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Laverys Bunker
06-30 Glasgow, Scotland - King Tut's Wah-Wah Hut
07-01 Leeds, England - The Cockpit
07-02 Nottingham, England - The Maze
07-03 Bristol, England - Thelka Social
07-04 Newcastle, England - Cumberland Arms
07-05 Brighton, England - Pressure Point
07-06 London, England - Borderline
* with Love or Perish
# with Love of Diagrams
^ with The Dont's
% with Tusk
& with Vague Angels
Morrissey
April 2007
27 - Stockton, CA - Bob Hope Theater
28-29 - Sparks, NV - John Ascuaga's Celebrity Showroom
May 2007
1 - Oakland, CA - Paramount Theater
2 - Santa Rosa, CA - Wells Fargo Center
5 - Spokane, WA - INB Performing Arts Center
6 - Seattle, WA - Paramount
8 - Salt Lake City, UT - E Center Ford Theater
9 - Denver, CO - Fillmore
11 - Omaha, NE - Orpheum
12 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theatre
14 - Ann Arbor, MI - Michigan Theater
15 - Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre
17 - Cleveland, OH - Playhouse Square Center
18 - Columbus, OH - Palace Theater
20 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Center
22 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
23 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
25 - Dallas, TX - Palladium
26 - Austin, TX - Backyard
28 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
30 - El Paso, TX - County Coliseum
31 - Tucson, AZ - Music Hall
June 2007
2 - Phoenix, AZ - Maricopa County Events Center
3 - San Diego, CA - Bayside Concerts
5 - Ventura, CA - Majestic Ventura Theater
6 - Riverside, CA - Riverside Municipal Auditorium
8 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
9 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl
10 - Bakersfield, CA - Rabobank Arena
26 - Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion
27 - Northampton, MA - Pines Theater
29 - Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center
30 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
July 2007
2 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap
3 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head
5 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata
6 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
9 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
10 - Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Theatre
12 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
14 - Boca Raton, FL - Mizner Park Amphitheater
15 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
17 - Jacksonville, FL - Morocco Shrine Auditorium
19 - Birmingham, AL - Alabama Theatre
20 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park
21 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
Fountains of Wayne
04/20 - New York, NY (Apple Store - SoHo)
04/21 - Northampton, MA (Pearl Street)
04/22 - Boston, MA (Paradise Rock Club)
04/24 - New York, NY (Webster Hall)
04/25 - Philadelphia, PA (Trocadero)
04/28 - Indio, CA (Coachella Music & Arts Festival)
04/30 - San Francisco, CA (Great American Music Hall)
06/07 - Pittsburgh, PA (DIESEL)
06/09 - Cleveland, OH (House of Blues)
06/10 - Toronto, ONT (Lee's Palace)
06/11 - Detroit, MI (St. Andrew's Hall)
06/13 - Minneapolis, MN (First Avenue)
06/17 - Manchester, TN (Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival)
06/19 - Atlanta, GA (Variety Playhouse)
07/27 - Naeba, JAP (Fuji Rock Festival)
The Hold Steady
04-13 Rotterdam, Netherlands - Motel Mazaique Festival
04-14 Berlin, Germany - Knaack
04-15 Cologne, Germany - Gebaude 9
04-18 Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 3
04-19 Madrid, Spain - Moby Dick
05-12 Harrisburg, PA - Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing Co.
05-13 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
05-14 Newport, KY - Southgate House
05-15 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
05-16 Grand Rapids, MI - Intersection
05-17 Milwaukee, WI - Miramar
05-18 Madison, WI - Orpheum Stage Door
05-20 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground
05-22 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
05-23 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
05-24 Boise, ID - Neurolux
05-26 George, WA - The Gorge (Sasquatch! Festival)
05-28 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
05-30 San Francisco, CA - Slim's
05-31 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
06-02 Phoenix, AZ - Brick House
06-16 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Festival
The Money Shot: 3.28.07
Today's headlines...
Bright Eyes frontman taking care of business (Reuters)
The Money Shot: "When you're an 18-year-old kid, writing songs ... all I could ever do is write from the point where I was at as best as I could ... Maybe the same people that would hear one of those records would like our new record. And vice versa -- I've definitely heard a complaint that, for our older fans, the music's not emotional enough."
But he objects to those who would call him a poseur. "You can say, 'That's silly, adolescent melodrama,' and I'll agree with you, because it was . . . But to say it was crafted, like, 'Put on this show and try to make some money or have a popular band' ... to me that was the only thing I really took offense to."
Musicians Campaign for Free Internet (AP)
MS: Independent, lesser-known musicians and smaller record labels launched a nationwide campaign Tuesday to support the idea that all Internet traffic should be treated equally, which they said is under fire from providers who want to charge a fee to have some Web sites load faster than others.
The CD Is Dead! Long live the CD! (Slate)
MS: What we are witnessing is not so much the imminent death of CDs but the death of the old methods of selling CDs. It's still possible to make money in the CD business—any business with more than $7 billion in retail sales should allow someone, somewhere, to make a profit. The incumbents are getting killed, but upstarts are thriving, using different methods.
Nettwerk + EA = Artwerk (CMJ)
MS: With every passing collaboration or business venture, the video game world is becoming a more vital part within the music industry. As further evidence, Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), which boasts nearly 30 titles that have sold a million-plus copies, will team up with Nettwerk One Music to create a full-service music company named Artwerk. The new venture will house an Artwerk record label, which will sign and develop both new and established artists for publishing, master recording, digital and physical distribution deals.
Modest Mouse Steers Its 'Ship' To Number One Debut(Billboard)
MS: Modest Mouse scores the first No. 1 album on The Billboard 200 of its career this week as "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank" debuts on top. The Epic set moved 129,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, more than double the group's previous best sales week. Modest Mouse's last album, 2004's "Good News for People Who Love Bad News," debuted at No. 19 with 68,000.
Never Mind The Politics, Here's Ted Leo (New York Observer)
MS: Mr. Leo’s music feeds off of sounds from first-generation punks like the Jam and the Clash, and he is unabashed in regards to his influences, striving to achieve the same “personal authenticity” he sees in his heroes instead of worrying himself over anyone’s notion of originality (which is well-nigh impossible to achieve in guitar-based rock anyhow). While Mr. Leo’s sound can seem derivative, he is expert at folding one influence into another, matching the earnest lyricism of Billy Bragg with the pop hooks of Paul Weller and the hard-charging energy of Joe Strummer. It is political rock any way you slice it, but also as stylized, fun and energetic as those chart-toppers half his age.
God, Indie Rock Don't Mix For Critics (Baltimore Sun)
MS: The up-and-coming indie rockers and YouTube stars may have committed the cardinal sin of the genre's canon. The Kids, who ingeniously stir folk and gospel into a core mix of blues, soul and rock, have been charged with also weaving God into their lyrics and overall message
Bright Eyes frontman taking care of business (Reuters)
The Money Shot: "When you're an 18-year-old kid, writing songs ... all I could ever do is write from the point where I was at as best as I could ... Maybe the same people that would hear one of those records would like our new record. And vice versa -- I've definitely heard a complaint that, for our older fans, the music's not emotional enough."
But he objects to those who would call him a poseur. "You can say, 'That's silly, adolescent melodrama,' and I'll agree with you, because it was . . . But to say it was crafted, like, 'Put on this show and try to make some money or have a popular band' ... to me that was the only thing I really took offense to."
Musicians Campaign for Free Internet (AP)
MS: Independent, lesser-known musicians and smaller record labels launched a nationwide campaign Tuesday to support the idea that all Internet traffic should be treated equally, which they said is under fire from providers who want to charge a fee to have some Web sites load faster than others.
The CD Is Dead! Long live the CD! (Slate)
MS: What we are witnessing is not so much the imminent death of CDs but the death of the old methods of selling CDs. It's still possible to make money in the CD business—any business with more than $7 billion in retail sales should allow someone, somewhere, to make a profit. The incumbents are getting killed, but upstarts are thriving, using different methods.
Nettwerk + EA = Artwerk (CMJ)
MS: With every passing collaboration or business venture, the video game world is becoming a more vital part within the music industry. As further evidence, Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), which boasts nearly 30 titles that have sold a million-plus copies, will team up with Nettwerk One Music to create a full-service music company named Artwerk. The new venture will house an Artwerk record label, which will sign and develop both new and established artists for publishing, master recording, digital and physical distribution deals.
Modest Mouse Steers Its 'Ship' To Number One Debut(Billboard)
MS: Modest Mouse scores the first No. 1 album on The Billboard 200 of its career this week as "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank" debuts on top. The Epic set moved 129,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, more than double the group's previous best sales week. Modest Mouse's last album, 2004's "Good News for People Who Love Bad News," debuted at No. 19 with 68,000.
Never Mind The Politics, Here's Ted Leo (New York Observer)
MS: Mr. Leo’s music feeds off of sounds from first-generation punks like the Jam and the Clash, and he is unabashed in regards to his influences, striving to achieve the same “personal authenticity” he sees in his heroes instead of worrying himself over anyone’s notion of originality (which is well-nigh impossible to achieve in guitar-based rock anyhow). While Mr. Leo’s sound can seem derivative, he is expert at folding one influence into another, matching the earnest lyricism of Billy Bragg with the pop hooks of Paul Weller and the hard-charging energy of Joe Strummer. It is political rock any way you slice it, but also as stylized, fun and energetic as those chart-toppers half his age.
God, Indie Rock Don't Mix For Critics (Baltimore Sun)
MS: The up-and-coming indie rockers and YouTube stars may have committed the cardinal sin of the genre's canon. The Kids, who ingeniously stir folk and gospel into a core mix of blues, soul and rock, have been charged with also weaving God into their lyrics and overall message
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
MJTV: John Lennon - #9 Dream
In case you've heard the new R.E.M. cover of this and never heard the original. They do a nice job and I'm glad to see Bill Berry back, even for a 1-off. But it pales next to the original. Sometimes it's hard to believe that Lennon's been dead 27 years now...
MJTV: The Tragically Hip - In View
Weird video with random elements cut into the song... Is it trying to hard to be different? I think so...
On The Road Again
Tour dates from...
Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead
04/13 - Detroit, MI (Magic Stick)
04/14 - Chicago, IL (Metro)
04/15 - Minneapolis, MN (First Avenue)
04/19 - Portland, OR (Wonder Ballroom)
04/20 - Vancouver, BC (Commodore Ballroom)
04/21 - Seattle, WA (The Showbox)
04/23 - San Francisco, CA (Bimbo's)
04/24 - San Francisco, CA (Bimbo's)
04/25 - Pomona, CA (Glasshouse)
04/27 - Solana Beach, CA (Belly Up Tavern)
04/28 - Coachella, CA (Coachella Music Festival)
05/01 - Dallas, TX (Granada)
05/02 - Austin, TX (Stubbs)
05/04 - Atlanta, GA (Variety Playhouse)
05/05 - Carrboro, NC (Cat's Cradle)
05/06 - Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)
05/08 - New York, NY (Webster Hall)
05/09 - Boston, MA (Paradise)
05/11 - Toronto, ON (The Opera House)
05/12 - Montreal, Q (Club Soda)
The Money Shot: 3.27.07
Today's headlines...
Bowie brings Arcade Fire, Gervais to NY festival (Reuters)
The Money Shot: David Bowie will bring hot indie band Arcade Fire, English comedian Ricky Gervais, and an 87-year-old spoken-word poet to the inaugural High Line Festival, which will take place in New York in May, organizers said on Monday.
Bowie, who co-founded the event with entertainment impresarios David Binder and Josh Wood, will serve as curator for the first outing, and will help choose curators for the subsequent festivals. He previously curated the 2002 Meltdown Festival in London.
26 Songs That Are Just As Good As Short Stories (avclub.com)
MS: 1. Johnny Cash, "A Boy Named Sue"
Johnny Cash's wise-country-storyteller persona lent itself naturally to story-songs, from traditionally inspired ballads like "Legend Of John Henry's Hammer" to funny goofs like "One Piece At A Time." But one of his best was the epic saga "A Boy Named Sue." Shel Silverstein's dense, witty lyrics follow the titular character on a hunt for the deadbeat dad who gave him his awful name and abandoned him in childhood. Turns out there was method to daddy's madness, which "Sue" accepts in the end, though not to such a degree that he's willing to repeat the process with his own theoretical future kids.
Arctic Monkeys looking forward to 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' (Monsters and Critics)
MS: Domino head Laurence Bell admits the band lacks the element of surprise this time, but says he remains "so confident" the 12 new songs - many of which display a spikier, rockier edge compared to the first album - will stand up to any test.
"This album will establish them as a classic rock band of our time. It`s a huge creative leap," he says. "We don`t have hang-ups or feel any pressure. They`re pretty peerless at the moment."
Bowie brings Arcade Fire, Gervais to NY festival (Reuters)
The Money Shot: David Bowie will bring hot indie band Arcade Fire, English comedian Ricky Gervais, and an 87-year-old spoken-word poet to the inaugural High Line Festival, which will take place in New York in May, organizers said on Monday.
Bowie, who co-founded the event with entertainment impresarios David Binder and Josh Wood, will serve as curator for the first outing, and will help choose curators for the subsequent festivals. He previously curated the 2002 Meltdown Festival in London.
26 Songs That Are Just As Good As Short Stories (avclub.com)
MS: 1. Johnny Cash, "A Boy Named Sue"
Johnny Cash's wise-country-storyteller persona lent itself naturally to story-songs, from traditionally inspired ballads like "Legend Of John Henry's Hammer" to funny goofs like "One Piece At A Time." But one of his best was the epic saga "A Boy Named Sue." Shel Silverstein's dense, witty lyrics follow the titular character on a hunt for the deadbeat dad who gave him his awful name and abandoned him in childhood. Turns out there was method to daddy's madness, which "Sue" accepts in the end, though not to such a degree that he's willing to repeat the process with his own theoretical future kids.
Arctic Monkeys looking forward to 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' (Monsters and Critics)
MS: Domino head Laurence Bell admits the band lacks the element of surprise this time, but says he remains "so confident" the 12 new songs - many of which display a spikier, rockier edge compared to the first album - will stand up to any test.
"This album will establish them as a classic rock band of our time. It`s a huge creative leap," he says. "We don`t have hang-ups or feel any pressure. They`re pretty peerless at the moment."
Monday, March 26, 2007
Most Wanted: 3.23.07
Musical Justice's Top 20 Airplay Chart:
Rank Title - Artist (Label) Audience Spins
1 . Phantom Limb - The Shins (Sub Pop) 717 22
2. After The Gold Rush - Thom Yorke (The Bridge School) 678 22
3. Some Loud Thunder - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Self-Released) 666 23
4. Hang Me Up To Dry - Cold War Kids (Downtown) 659 21
5. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn & John (Almost Gold) 626 21
6. Grace Kelly - Mika (Casablanca) 611 20
7. Dashboard - Modest Mouse (Epic) 591 22
8. Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis (Fallout) 570 18
9. On Call - Kings Of Leon (RCA) 524 13
10. Smiley Faces - Gnarls Barkley (Warners) 493 10
11. Flathead - The Fratellis (Interscope ) 467 14
12. Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio (Interscope) 425 13
13. Rootless Tree - Damien Rice (Vector) 370 11
14. In View - The Tragically Hip (UMG) 359 8
15. She's A Rejecter - Of Montreal (Polyvinyl) 354 11
16. Black Mirror - The Arcade Fire (Merge) 328 11
17. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty) 307 12
18. Lazy Eye - Silversun Pickups (Dangerbird) 298 13
19. Last Night On Earth Again - Over The Rhine (Back Porch) 299 7
20. Trollin' - The Stooges (Virgin) 291 10
Rank Title - Artist (Label) Audience Spins
1 . Phantom Limb - The Shins (Sub Pop) 717 22
2. After The Gold Rush - Thom Yorke (The Bridge School) 678 22
3. Some Loud Thunder - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Self-Released) 666 23
4. Hang Me Up To Dry - Cold War Kids (Downtown) 659 21
5. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn & John (Almost Gold) 626 21
6. Grace Kelly - Mika (Casablanca) 611 20
7. Dashboard - Modest Mouse (Epic) 591 22
8. Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis (Fallout) 570 18
9. On Call - Kings Of Leon (RCA) 524 13
10. Smiley Faces - Gnarls Barkley (Warners) 493 10
11. Flathead - The Fratellis (Interscope ) 467 14
12. Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio (Interscope) 425 13
13. Rootless Tree - Damien Rice (Vector) 370 11
14. In View - The Tragically Hip (UMG) 359 8
15. She's A Rejecter - Of Montreal (Polyvinyl) 354 11
16. Black Mirror - The Arcade Fire (Merge) 328 11
17. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty) 307 12
18. Lazy Eye - Silversun Pickups (Dangerbird) 298 13
19. Last Night On Earth Again - Over The Rhine (Back Porch) 299 7
20. Trollin' - The Stooges (Virgin) 291 10
TiVo Alert
The week's late night musical highlights...
Monday - Kings of Leon (Letterman), Mika (Leno), Joss Stone (Late Late Show), Panic! at The Disco (Conan)
Tuesday - ZZZZZZZZzzzzzz
Wednesday - The Ataris (Late Late Show), Death Cab For Cutie (Conan)
Thursday - Bloc Party (Letterman), My Morning Jacket (Conan), The Bird and the Bee (Carson Daly), Mika (Kimmel)
Friday - TV On The Radio (Kimmel)
Monday - Kings of Leon (Letterman), Mika (Leno), Joss Stone (Late Late Show), Panic! at The Disco (Conan)
Tuesday - ZZZZZZZZzzzzzz
Wednesday - The Ataris (Late Late Show), Death Cab For Cutie (Conan)
Thursday - Bloc Party (Letterman), My Morning Jacket (Conan), The Bird and the Bee (Carson Daly), Mika (Kimmel)
Friday - TV On The Radio (Kimmel)
On The Road Again
Tour dates from...
Bloc Party
Spoon
Dinosaur Jr.
Bloc Party
03-27 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis *
03-28 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre *
03-30 New York, NY - United Palace Theatre *
03-31 New York, NY - United Palace Theatre *
04-14 Glasgow, Scotland – Academy #
04-15 Wolverhampton, England – Civic #
04-16 Plymouth, England – Pavilions #
04-18 Blackpool, England – Empress Ballroom #
04-19 London, England – Brixton Academy #
04-20 London, England – Brixton Academy #
04-21 Bourges, France – Bourges Festival
04-23 Nantes, France – Le Carriere
04-24 Lille, France – Aeronef
04-25 Brussels, Belgium – AB
04-27 Paris, France – Olympic
04-28 Utrecht, Netherlands – Music Centre
04-30 Copenhagen, Denmark – Vega
05-01 Stockholm, Sweden – Cirkus
05-02 Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
05-04 Berlin, Germany – Columbiahalle
05-05 Vienna, Austria – Gasometer
05-06 Dresden, Germany – Schlachthof
05-08 Cologne, Germany – E-Werk
05-09 Munich, Germany – Tonhalle
05-10 Lausanne, Switzerland – Metropolis
05-12 Bologna, Italy - Estragon
05-13 Milan, Italy – Alcatraz
05-14 Lyon, France – Transbordeur
05-15 Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz
05-17 Madrid, Spain – Riviera
05-18 Lisbon, Portugal - Coliseum
05-27 Pompano Beach, FL - Pompano Beach Amphitheatre ^
05-28 Tampa, FL - USF Sun Dome ^
05-29 Orlando, FL - UCF Arena ^
05-31 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle ^
06-01 Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues ^
06-03 Washington, DC - DAR Constitution Hall ^
06-05 Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre ^
06-06 Boston, MA - WFNX Radio Show ^
06-07 Asbury Park, NJ - Convention Hall ^
06-09 San Francisco, CA - Live 105 Radio Show ^
06-11 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theatre ^
06-12 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre ^
06-13 Las Vegas, NV - Palms Casino Hotel ^
06-16 San Diego, CA - Concerts in the Park ^
07-01 Gdynia, Poland - Open'er Festival
08-03 Melbourne, Australia - Festival Hall
08-04 Sydney, Australia - Hordern Pavilion
08-25 Reading, England - Reading Festival
08-26 Leeds, England - Leeds Festival
Spoon
04/13 - Grinnell, IA - Grinnell College
04/21 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar
04/22 - Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom
04/24 - Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony
04/27 - Northhampton, MA - Pearl Street
04/28 - Boston, MA - Museum Of Fine Arts Boston
05/27 - The Gorge, WA - Sasquatch Festival
06/16 - Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music Festival
07/04 - Detroit, MI - Comercia City Fest
Dinosaur Jr.
Fri 05/11/07 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour
Sat 05/12/07 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour
Sun 05/13/07 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour
Mon 05/14/07 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour
Tue 05/15/07 San Francisco, CA Slim's
Wed 05/16/07 San Francisco, CA Slim's
Thu 05/17/07 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
Fri 05/18/07 Seattle, WA The Showbox
Sat 05/19/07 Olympia, WA Capitol Theatre
Sun 05/20/07 Bellingham, WA The Nightlight
Tue 05/22/07 Victoria, BC Sugar Nightclub
Wed 05/23/07 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
Fri 05/25/07 Calgary, AB MacEwan Conference And Event Centre
Sat 05/26/07 Edmonton, AB The Starlite Room
Sun 05/27/07 Saskatoon, SK The Odeon
Mon 05/28/07 Winnipeg, MB Garrick Centre
Tue 05/29/07 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock Social Club
Wed 05/30/07 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock Social Club
Thu 05/31/07 Chicago, IL Abbey Pub
Fri 06/01/07 Chicago, IL Abbey Pub
Sat 06/02/07 Chicago, IL Abbey Pub
Sun 06/03/07 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig
Mon 06/04/07 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig
Wed 06/06/07 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Thu 06/07/07 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Fri 06/08/07 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
Sat 06/09/07 Montreal, QC Club Soda
The Money Shot: 3.26.07
Today's headlines...
U2's The Edge donates guitar to auction (AP)
The Money Shot: He's logged thousands of hours of stage and studio time on the 1975 Gibson Les Paul. The 45-year-old musician has used the guitar throughout his years with U2. "I wanted to give something really significant that would really mean a lot for me to give. It deserved something that I would miss," The Edge told The Associated Press by phone from France.
Pete Townshend to launch live and internet festival (The Rock Radio)
MS: Pete Townshend says that his ultimate interest in the Internet is in linking people together though live music: "In a way, live events on the Internet do allow you to say, 'This is up for a limited amount of time. You can't steal it, you can copy it and watch it later, but if you want to watch it when it's happening, you have to be on line.' You have to be in the loop in order to be able to experience in that. So in a sense, live music is what this is about for me and where it may eventually go."
Guster's Green Agenda (Pollstar)
MS: "We attached it to a merch item like a bumper sticker. For Guster, for example, we have a bumper sticker that says, 'Kiss Me, I'm Carbon Neutral,'" Gardner told Pollstar. "The biggest impact of a show from a global warming standpoint is actually the power. Every show since last year on the first Campus Consciousness Tour has been carbon neutral. We figured out how much carbon gets into the air as a result of putting on a concert.
"With the offset sticker program, the fans have offset 8.5 million miles of driving so it's been a super-effective tool for us on tour."
Rough Trade opens massive record store to fight internet (Independent)
MS: It was the label that launched The Smiths and, in the 1980s, became synonymous with gritty musical authenticity. Now Rough Trade, which had its origins in a pokey music store on Kensington Park Road in London, is to open Britain's biggest music-only shop in a direct challenge to the all-conquering power of the internet.
Arcade Fire Cancel European Dates (Spin)
MS: "I am backstage at the venue in Oslo and I just had to make the very sad decision to cancel the rest of the European tour. I have been suffering from a sinus and bronchial infection for the last 3 months, and last night in Stockholm I finally pushed my voice and body farther than they are able to go," Butler said via a band website post. "I didn't recognize the sound that was coming out of the monitor as my own voice, and it took me until the second song to realize that the sound was coming from me. Today I can barely speak…finishing the shows is no longer possible."
Damien Rice Splits From Long-Term Vocalist (NME)
MS: "After much thought and discussion Damien has decided that his professional relationship with Lisa Hannigan has run its creative course. As a result Lisa will not be appearing at any of the upcoming live shows. Lisa is embarking on her own artistic endeavours and there are no plans for them to work together in the foreseeable future."
Stylus Magazine's Top 50 One-Hit Wonders (Stylus Magazine)
MS: For too long, the One-Hit Wonder has been the property of VH1-sponsored, eye-rolling “So Bad It’s Good!” irony and condescension. That’s a part of it, sure, but there’s so much more to the one-hitter than Los Del Rio. The OHW encompasses cultural anachronisms, paradigmatic oddities, inexplicable left-field successes, and give-it-all stunners, hits where the artist couldn’t possibly follow them up and some hits where they didn’t even try. Some of them deserve and embrace their One-Hit Wonder status, others would spend their entire careers trying to shed it.
U2's The Edge donates guitar to auction (AP)
The Money Shot: He's logged thousands of hours of stage and studio time on the 1975 Gibson Les Paul. The 45-year-old musician has used the guitar throughout his years with U2. "I wanted to give something really significant that would really mean a lot for me to give. It deserved something that I would miss," The Edge told The Associated Press by phone from France.
Pete Townshend to launch live and internet festival (The Rock Radio)
MS: Pete Townshend says that his ultimate interest in the Internet is in linking people together though live music: "In a way, live events on the Internet do allow you to say, 'This is up for a limited amount of time. You can't steal it, you can copy it and watch it later, but if you want to watch it when it's happening, you have to be on line.' You have to be in the loop in order to be able to experience in that. So in a sense, live music is what this is about for me and where it may eventually go."
Guster's Green Agenda (Pollstar)
MS: "We attached it to a merch item like a bumper sticker. For Guster, for example, we have a bumper sticker that says, 'Kiss Me, I'm Carbon Neutral,'" Gardner told Pollstar. "The biggest impact of a show from a global warming standpoint is actually the power. Every show since last year on the first Campus Consciousness Tour has been carbon neutral. We figured out how much carbon gets into the air as a result of putting on a concert.
"With the offset sticker program, the fans have offset 8.5 million miles of driving so it's been a super-effective tool for us on tour."
Rough Trade opens massive record store to fight internet (Independent)
MS: It was the label that launched The Smiths and, in the 1980s, became synonymous with gritty musical authenticity. Now Rough Trade, which had its origins in a pokey music store on Kensington Park Road in London, is to open Britain's biggest music-only shop in a direct challenge to the all-conquering power of the internet.
Arcade Fire Cancel European Dates (Spin)
MS: "I am backstage at the venue in Oslo and I just had to make the very sad decision to cancel the rest of the European tour. I have been suffering from a sinus and bronchial infection for the last 3 months, and last night in Stockholm I finally pushed my voice and body farther than they are able to go," Butler said via a band website post. "I didn't recognize the sound that was coming out of the monitor as my own voice, and it took me until the second song to realize that the sound was coming from me. Today I can barely speak…finishing the shows is no longer possible."
Damien Rice Splits From Long-Term Vocalist (NME)
MS: "After much thought and discussion Damien has decided that his professional relationship with Lisa Hannigan has run its creative course. As a result Lisa will not be appearing at any of the upcoming live shows. Lisa is embarking on her own artistic endeavours and there are no plans for them to work together in the foreseeable future."
Stylus Magazine's Top 50 One-Hit Wonders (Stylus Magazine)
MS: For too long, the One-Hit Wonder has been the property of VH1-sponsored, eye-rolling “So Bad It’s Good!” irony and condescension. That’s a part of it, sure, but there’s so much more to the one-hitter than Los Del Rio. The OHW encompasses cultural anachronisms, paradigmatic oddities, inexplicable left-field successes, and give-it-all stunners, hits where the artist couldn’t possibly follow them up and some hits where they didn’t even try. Some of them deserve and embrace their One-Hit Wonder status, others would spend their entire careers trying to shed it.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Cheap Thrills: The Hold Steady - Stuck Between Stations
Here's a free, legal MP3 of The Hold Steady performing "Stuck Between Stations" live on The Current...
The Hold Steady - Stuck Between Stations (live) (courtesy of www.theholdsteady.com)
The Hold Steady - Stuck Between Stations (live) (courtesy of www.theholdsteady.com)
The Money Shot: 3.25.07
Weekend news headlines...
Arctic Monkeys drop media-shy stance for new CD (Reuters)
The Money Shot: As frontman for the Arctic Monkeys, one of Britain's most successful and important bands of the decade, Turner is unfazed by the pitfalls of following up a zeitgeist-shaping debut.
"Was it a difficult album to record? No," Turner says from Milan, in the midst of a promotional tour, "because ever since we finished the first album (in September 2005), we've been writing songs for this one. So it wasn't like a rush at the last minute."
Rising Pop Star Mika Talks About Life in Cartoon Motion (Towleroad.com)
MS: Is it true you wrote “Grace Kelly” as a response to those label heads that wanted to change you?
Yes. I wrote “Grace Kelly” as a screw-you song to those label people that wanted me to be somebody I was not. But ironically, one year later, it was the song that got me signed!
Blonde Redhead Discuss New Album (NME)
MS: The band confessed that they nearly changed the name of their album when they discovered that a recent film , 'The Number 23' (a thriller starring Jim Carrey), shared the same numeral in its title. In the end they decided to keep it because it has special significance.
"On our flight from New York to Italy (before recording the album), my seat was number 23. I live in apartment 23. And I used to live on 23rd Street," Makino explained.
"And she used to be 23!" joked Simone.
Scottish rockers get U.S. boost from iTunes ad (Reuters UK)
MS: Rowdy rockers the Fratellis are many things: 2007 British breakthrough act winners at the BRIT Awards; multiplatinum unit-shifters; self-styled "people's band"; and kings of the live circuit. In America right now they are just one thing.
"That iTunes band," Jon Lawlor, the frontman of the Glasgow-based band, says with a grin. "But that's much better than coming to America and having people say, 'Who the f--- are you?', which is what happens to most British bands."
New Pornographers In An 'Epic' Mood On New Album (Billboard)
MS: Case, whose solo career has blossomed considerably in the past few years, is still planning to join the Pornographers on the road in the fall once the new album is out. Her parts are normally sung live by Kathryn Calder, much to the confusion of fans and bemusement of the band.
"It's a strange thing where you have people coming up to Kathryn and calling her Neko," Newman says. "Or you read about bloggers who have really fierce opinions about the band and write about how great Neko was, even though she wasn't there. It's like, you don't even know what Neko looks like!"
Arctic Monkeys drop media-shy stance for new CD (Reuters)
The Money Shot: As frontman for the Arctic Monkeys, one of Britain's most successful and important bands of the decade, Turner is unfazed by the pitfalls of following up a zeitgeist-shaping debut.
"Was it a difficult album to record? No," Turner says from Milan, in the midst of a promotional tour, "because ever since we finished the first album (in September 2005), we've been writing songs for this one. So it wasn't like a rush at the last minute."
Rising Pop Star Mika Talks About Life in Cartoon Motion (Towleroad.com)
MS: Is it true you wrote “Grace Kelly” as a response to those label heads that wanted to change you?
Yes. I wrote “Grace Kelly” as a screw-you song to those label people that wanted me to be somebody I was not. But ironically, one year later, it was the song that got me signed!
Blonde Redhead Discuss New Album (NME)
MS: The band confessed that they nearly changed the name of their album when they discovered that a recent film , 'The Number 23' (a thriller starring Jim Carrey), shared the same numeral in its title. In the end they decided to keep it because it has special significance.
"On our flight from New York to Italy (before recording the album), my seat was number 23. I live in apartment 23. And I used to live on 23rd Street," Makino explained.
"And she used to be 23!" joked Simone.
Scottish rockers get U.S. boost from iTunes ad (Reuters UK)
MS: Rowdy rockers the Fratellis are many things: 2007 British breakthrough act winners at the BRIT Awards; multiplatinum unit-shifters; self-styled "people's band"; and kings of the live circuit. In America right now they are just one thing.
"That iTunes band," Jon Lawlor, the frontman of the Glasgow-based band, says with a grin. "But that's much better than coming to America and having people say, 'Who the f--- are you?', which is what happens to most British bands."
New Pornographers In An 'Epic' Mood On New Album (Billboard)
MS: Case, whose solo career has blossomed considerably in the past few years, is still planning to join the Pornographers on the road in the fall once the new album is out. Her parts are normally sung live by Kathryn Calder, much to the confusion of fans and bemusement of the band.
"It's a strange thing where you have people coming up to Kathryn and calling her Neko," Newman says. "Or you read about bloggers who have really fierce opinions about the band and write about how great Neko was, even though she wasn't there. It's like, you don't even know what Neko looks like!"
Friday, March 23, 2007
MJTV: Violent Femmes - Gone Daddy Gone
In case you ever wondered what the band Gnarls Barkley covered looks like, here's a 1982 video for their classic hit.
MJTV: Steve Earle and Emmylou Harris - Goodbye
Rare footage of the pair performing a duet on Earle's classic "Goodbye". I'd guess this was at least 10 years old, but I'm not sure of the source...
MJTV: Stereophonics - Maybe Tomorrow
Next week, Stereophonics' lead singer Kelly Jones is releasing a solo project over in the UK titled "Only The Names Have Been Changed". Will it have anything as good as this Sterophonics classic?
Coming Attractions
New tour dates from...
The Dollyrots
Neko Case
The Dollyrots
04/24 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom Of The Hill
04/25 - Reno, NV - Zephyr Lounge
04/26 - Salt Lake City, UT - Burts Tiki Lounge
04/28 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room
04/30 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
05/03 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock
05/05 - DeKalb, IL - Ottos
05/09 - Pittsburgh, PA - Garfield Artworks
05/11 - New York, NY - Knitting Factory
05/12 - Boston, MA - Abbey Lounge
05/20 - Charlotte, NC - The Milestone
05/22 - Charleston, SC - Cumberlands
05/24 - Gainsville, FL - 1982
05/26 - Tampa, FL - Orpheum
05/31 - Louisville, KY - Third St Dive
06/02 - St. Louis, MO - Creepy Crawl
06/03 - Kansas City - Record Bar
06/10 - Los Angeles, CA - Pride Fest
07/07 - Salt Lake City, UT - Warped Tour
07/08 - Denver, CO - Warped Tour
07/11 - Phoeniz, AZ - Warped Tour
07/12 - Las Cruces, NM - Warped Tour
07/13 - San Antonio, TX - Warped Tour
07/14 - Dallas, TX - Warped Tour
07/15 - Houston, TX - Warped Tour
Neko Case
03-28 Chicago, IL - Park West *
03-29 Chicago, IL - Park West #
03-30 Chicago, IL - Park West ^
03-31 Grand Rapids, MI - Calvin College Fieldhouse $
04-01 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom ^
04-03 Lincoln, NE - The Rococo Theatre ^
04-02 Columbia, MO - The Blue Note ^
04-03 Lincoln, NE - Rococo Theatre ^
04-04 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater %
04-05 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre ^
04-06 Lawrence, KS - Liberty Hall ^
04-07 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue ^
04-09 Madison, WI - Barrymore Theatre ^
04-10 Indianapolis, IN - Vogue Theater ^
04-11 Asheville, NC - Orange Peel ^
04-12 Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre ^
04-13 Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone ^
04-14 Oklahoma City, OK - Bricktown Events Center ^
04-15 Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre ^
05-05 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Stagecoach Festival)
05-26 George, WA - Gorge Amphitheatre (Sasquatch! Festival)
07-19 Pittsburgh, PA - Byham Theater
07-20 New York, NY - Central Park Summer Stage
07-21 Greenfield, MA - Greenfield Community College
08-02 Marquette, MI - Ellwood Mattson Lower Harbor Park
08-03 Detroit, MI - Detroit International Jazz Festival
* with Sonny Smith
# with Matt Pond PA
^ with Jon Rauhouse
$ with Emmylou Harris
% with Charlie Louvin
The Money Shot: 3.23.07
Today's headlines...
Music publishers sue XM over copyrighted songs use (Yahoo News)
The Money Shot: The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) filed a lawsuit against XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc on Thursday for providing radios that allegedly let users reproduce and distribute copyrighted music without paying appropriate royalties.
The publishers said the suit alleges that XM engages in massive copyright infringement with devices that provide its service known as "XM + MP3," which lets listeners store songs they hear on XM's service and arrange them into playlists.
Kings Of Leon Growing Up, But New LP Still Goes 'Below The Waist' (MTV)
MS:"We've grown up a little bit because we realize that this band is something that's very important to us, and we want to do it for as long as we can. And if you're staying up all night doing drugs and trying to make a scene, you can't really do this forever," Caleb laughed. "It got to a point where we all knew we had to slow down. But we still like a cocktail, and we still like pretty girls and stuff like that, but we're not trying to be the most 'rock star' band. We hate that stuff. Now we just try to wear black and wear it really tight."
Flaming Lips Hit Broadway (Yahoo)
MS: The Flaming Lips are set to be immortalised in a Broadway production based on the landmark album Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots. The space-pop heroes are understood to be in discussions with a series of renowned TV producers about putting the album on the stage.
White Stripes Album Details (CMJ)
MS: Jack and Meg have emerged with their sixth album, their first for Warner Bros. (which has also taken on the band’s Third Man imprint) and, most importantly, their first with bagpipes. Those are a couple of the surprises on the ultimately straightforward Icky Thump, which will see daylight in June. CMJ was treated to a special advance listen of the 13-track record, which was recorded in a super-long (at least for the Stripes) three-week session in a super-modern studio (for the first time) and clocks in at a super-sized (relatively speaking) 48 minutes.
Music Sales Up/CD Sales Down (Pollstar)
MS: The year is barely three months old and physical CD sales continue 2006's downward spiral while online digital purchases have yet to make up the difference, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures.
While overall music sales are up 19 percent compared to last year at this time, translating into 46 million additional music purchases, sales of physical CDs have dropped 20 percent compared to 2006.
Modest Mouse returns post-breakthrough (AP)
MS: When Gallucci later left the band, Brock thought of the guitarists he'd most like to play with — and Marr topped the list. So he sent a message to Marr's manager. "It was like sending a ... letter to Santa Claus," says Brock.
Neil Young scores with journey to the past (Reuters)
MS: It's a chart of gold for Neil Young, who scored his highest-debuting album on The Billboard 200 in almost 12 years with "Live at Massey Hall 1971." The Reprise Records release, culled from an acoustic show in Young's Toronto hometown, entered the tally at No. 6 this week. That's the best first-week position for Young since "Mirror Ball" -- his collaboration with members of Pearl Jam -- entered at No. 5 in July 1995.
Music publishers sue XM over copyrighted songs use (Yahoo News)
The Money Shot: The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) filed a lawsuit against XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc on Thursday for providing radios that allegedly let users reproduce and distribute copyrighted music without paying appropriate royalties.
The publishers said the suit alleges that XM engages in massive copyright infringement with devices that provide its service known as "XM + MP3," which lets listeners store songs they hear on XM's service and arrange them into playlists.
Kings Of Leon Growing Up, But New LP Still Goes 'Below The Waist' (MTV)
MS:"We've grown up a little bit because we realize that this band is something that's very important to us, and we want to do it for as long as we can. And if you're staying up all night doing drugs and trying to make a scene, you can't really do this forever," Caleb laughed. "It got to a point where we all knew we had to slow down. But we still like a cocktail, and we still like pretty girls and stuff like that, but we're not trying to be the most 'rock star' band. We hate that stuff. Now we just try to wear black and wear it really tight."
Flaming Lips Hit Broadway (Yahoo)
MS: The Flaming Lips are set to be immortalised in a Broadway production based on the landmark album Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots. The space-pop heroes are understood to be in discussions with a series of renowned TV producers about putting the album on the stage.
White Stripes Album Details (CMJ)
MS: Jack and Meg have emerged with their sixth album, their first for Warner Bros. (which has also taken on the band’s Third Man imprint) and, most importantly, their first with bagpipes. Those are a couple of the surprises on the ultimately straightforward Icky Thump, which will see daylight in June. CMJ was treated to a special advance listen of the 13-track record, which was recorded in a super-long (at least for the Stripes) three-week session in a super-modern studio (for the first time) and clocks in at a super-sized (relatively speaking) 48 minutes.
Music Sales Up/CD Sales Down (Pollstar)
MS: The year is barely three months old and physical CD sales continue 2006's downward spiral while online digital purchases have yet to make up the difference, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures.
While overall music sales are up 19 percent compared to last year at this time, translating into 46 million additional music purchases, sales of physical CDs have dropped 20 percent compared to 2006.
Modest Mouse returns post-breakthrough (AP)
MS: When Gallucci later left the band, Brock thought of the guitarists he'd most like to play with — and Marr topped the list. So he sent a message to Marr's manager. "It was like sending a ... letter to Santa Claus," says Brock.
Neil Young scores with journey to the past (Reuters)
MS: It's a chart of gold for Neil Young, who scored his highest-debuting album on The Billboard 200 in almost 12 years with "Live at Massey Hall 1971." The Reprise Records release, culled from an acoustic show in Young's Toronto hometown, entered the tally at No. 6 this week. That's the best first-week position for Young since "Mirror Ball" -- his collaboration with members of Pearl Jam -- entered at No. 5 in July 1995.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
MJTV: R.E.M. - Begin The Begin (Live)
A live performance by the original 4 including retired drummer, Bill Berry, at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA...
MJTV: Vietnam - Welcome To My Room
Great song by one of the worst band names in a while. Note to bands: Don't name yourself after something that makes it next to impossible for a fan to Google you and get more information about you. The website, www.vtnm.net, should have been a clue...
MJTV: Kings of Leon - On Call
Rolling Stone gives the new KOL CD, Because of the Times, a solid 4 star review:
Here's the video for the first single... "On Call"
Caleb's vocals continue to defy description: Steppenwolf's John Kay after a nad-crushing motorcycle crash? The Band's Richard Manuel with scurvy? Dave Matthews getting ripped apart by wolverines? And did I mention the lyrics? Ridiculous little monsters, they are, fit to get brutally stomped into the dirt, which in fact is exactly how Caleb treats them. How good can the Kings of Leon get? On Because of the Times, they've already gone further than anybody could have guessed.
Here's the video for the first single... "On Call"
Coming Attractions
Several tour date announcements....
Bjork
Minus The Bear
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Keane
Sonic Youth
Modest Mouse
Arctic Monkeys
Bjork
May 02 - New York - Radio City Music Hall
May 05 - New York - United Palace Theater
May 08 - New York - Apollo Theater
May 12 - Chicago - Auditorium Theatre
May 15 - Denver - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 19 - San Francisco - Shoreline Amphitheatre
May 23 - Vancouver- Deer Lake Park
Minus The Bear
Tour Dates For Minus The Bear:
4/26 - Seattle, WA - The Vera Project
4/27 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
4/28 - Eugene, OR - Indigo District
4/29 - Reno, NV - The New Oasis
5/01 - Orangevale, CA - The Boardwalk
5/02 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst
5/03 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
5/04 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Downtown Brew
5/05 - Los Angeles, CA - Ex Plex
5/06 - Solana Beach, CA - Bely Up Tavern
5/08 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
5/10 - Colorado Springs, CO - The Black Sheep
5/11 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theatre
5/12 - Iowa City, IA - Picador
5/13 - Champaign, IL - High Dive
5/14 - Sauget, MO - Pops
5/15 - Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen
5/15 - Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen
5/16 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theatre
5/17 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
5/18 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
5/19 - Fargo, ND - The Aquarium
5/21 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground
5/23 - Denver, CO - Bluebird
5/24 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up
5/25 - Salt Lake City, UT - Club Sound
5/27 - Qunicy, WA - Gorge Ampitheatre
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
05/05 - Marquee Theatre (Tempe, AZ)*
05/06 - House of Blues (San Diego, CA)*
05/08 - The Wiltern (Los Angeles, CA)*
05/09 - The Filmore (San Francisco, CA)*
05/11 - Roseland Theatre (Portland, OR)*
05/13 - The Showbox (Seattle, WA)*
05/15 - The Big Easy (Boise, ID)
05/16 - In The Venue (Salt Lake City, UT)
05/17 - Gothic Theatre (Englewood, C)
05/18 - Sokol Underground (Omaha, NE)
05/19 - Granada Theater (Lawrence, KS)
05/20 - The Pageant (St. Louis, MO)
05/22 - First Avenue (Minneapolis, MN)
05/23 - The Rave (Milwaukee, WI)
05/24 - Vic Theatre (Chicago, IL)
05/25 - St. Andrews Hall (Detroit, MI)
05/29 - Avalon (Boston, MA)
05/31 - Webster Hall (New York, NY)
06/01 - Theatre Of The Living Arts (Philadelphia, PA)
06/02 - 9:30 Club (Washington, D.C.)
06/04 - Newport Music Hall (Columbus, OH)
06/05 - The Music Mill (Indianapolis, IN)
06/06 - City Hall (Nashville, TN)
06/07 - Roxy Theatre (Atlanta, GA)
06/09 - Culture Room (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
06/10 - The Social (Orlando, FL)
06/12 - Zydeco (Birmingham, AL)
06/13 - The Republic (New Orleans, LA)
06/14 - Meridian (Houston, TX)
06/15 - La Zona Rosa (Austin, TX)
06/16 - House of Blues (Dallas, TX)
Keane
May 2007
11 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
16 - Minneapolis, MN - Myth
17 - Chicago, IL - The Riviera
19 - Detroit, MI - State Theater
20 - Toronto, Ontario - Kool Haus
22 - Montreal, Quebec - Olympia Theater
24 - Portland, OR - Merrill Auditorium
25 - Boston, MA - Fleet Bank Pavilion
27 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theater
29 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
30 - New York, NY - Rumsey Playfield
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth Daydream Nation dates:
06-02 Barcelona, Spain - Parc dèl Forum (Primavera Sound)
06-21 Munich, Germany - Tollwood Festival
06-27 Berlin, Germany - Columbia Halle
07-13 Chicago, IL - Union Park (Pitchfork Music Festival/ATP Don't Look Back)
07-19 Berkeley, CA - Berkeley Community Theater
07-20 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
08-30 London, England - Roundhouse (ATP Don't Look Back)
08-31 London, England - Roundhouse (ATP Don't Look Back)
09-01 London, England - Roundhouse (ATP Don't Look Back)
Regular Sonic Youth dates:
04-17 Osaka, Japan - Namba Hatch *
04-18 Nagoya, Japan - Diamond Hall *
04-20 Tokyo, Japan - Studio Coast *
04-23 Beijing, China - The Star Live
04-24 Shanghai, China – Shanghai Concert Hall
04-27 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Coachella)
05-17-20 Brooklyn, NY – No Fun Fest #
06-16 Wiesbaden, Germany - Schlachthof
06-23 Neuhausen, Germany - Southside Festival
06-24 Scheessel, Germany - Hurricane Festival
06-26 Cologne, Germany - E Werk
06-29 Gdynia, Poland - Open'er Festival
07-01 Cergy-Pontoise, France - Furia Sound Festival
Modest Mouse
Valencia, CA Magic Mountain (March 23)
Seattle, WA Paramount Theater (April 15)
Vancouver, BC Pacific Coliseum (16)
Boise, ID Big Easy Concert House (17)
Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theatre (20, 21)
Chicago, IL Auditorium Theatre (22)
Toronto, ON Hummingbird Centre (24)
Montreal, PQ - Metropolis (25)
Rochester, NY Main Street Armory (26)
Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre (27)
New York, NY The United Palace (29, 30)
Providence, RI Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel (May 2)
Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory (3)
Greensboro, NC Special Events Center (4)
Atlanta, GA Masquerade Music Park (5)
Birmingham, AL BJCC Arena Concert Hall (6)
New Orleans, LA House of Blues (8)
Austin, TX The Backyard (9)
Grand Prairie, TX Nokia Live (10)
Mesa, AZ Mesa Amphitheater (12)
Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre (13)
San Diego, CA Cox Arena (14)
San Jose, CA San Jose State University (16)
Arctic Monkeys
Fri 27 @ the Coachella Festival, Indio, CA
Tue 5/1 @ the Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA
Wed 5/2 @ the Roseland Theatre, Portland, OR
Thu 5/3 @ the Showbox, Seattle, WA
Fri 5/4 @ the Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC
Mon 5/7 @ First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
Tue 5/8 @ the Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
Wed 5/9 @ Clutch Cargo's, Pontiac, MI
Fri 5/11 @ Kool Haus, Toronto, ONT
Sat 5/12 @ Theatre Olympia, Montreal, QUE
Sun 5/13 @ the Avalon, Boston, MA
Tue 5/15 @ the Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, NY
Wed 5/16 @ the 9:30 Club, Washinton DC
Thu 5/17 @ the Electric Foundry, Philadelphia, PA
Sat 5/19 @ the Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
Sun 5/20 @ Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL
The Money Shot: 3.22.07
Today's headlines...
No fun? Iggy's reunited Stooges play cybercast (Yahoo News)
MS: "I'm starting to feel like Paula Abdul sitting here," Pop joked at one point, heavily tanned and bare-chested as usual.
Each break required staging and camera adjustments, and Pop was not keen to see the momentum dissipate during the brief delays. "I'm getting annoyed," he said, chomping at the bit to play the next song.
Lily Allen Is Not Pregnant, IS Sick of Rumors -- And Work (VH1)
MS: "At first I used to read things about me, and I'd get really angry and go on my blog and write a whole reply to it. But now, since there's so much of it, [I'm not] bothered to reply to it all," she sighed. "But some of it is true. [However] I am not a lesbian, I am not pregnant. But yeah. It's really annoying."
Get In The Ring (Village Voice)
MS: But none of that seems to matter to Murphy, at least not as long as he's talking about his newest love: Ultimate Fighting. "If I didn't have to go on tour, if I wasn't wrapped up in the LCD (Soundsystem) world, I would be training six days a week," Murphy says excitedly. "That's all I would do: working on music and learning to fight."
The Hold Steady To Offer Acoustic Live EP in April (Pitchfork)
MS: The Hold Steady...acoustic? That's odd. The hard-partying rock n roll juggernaut isn't exactly the kind of band known for toning things down (unless they're playing a high school), which makes their new EP all the more interesting. Live at Fingerprints, out April 17, showcases five songs recorded at the record store Fingerprints in Long Beach, California.
Calvin Harris Blasts Bloc Party (NME)
MS: "A lot of these people think they're changing the world with their music, but actually they're just boring the shit out of everyone. Like Bloc Party - they are rubbish. They make very tedious music. What kind of person is going to make all this music and not make one single tune? What's the point?"
Getting Political With Ted Leo (Georgetown Voice)
MS: "[I was] thinking about the fact that everything about this current war is the same old story—Guatemala, Chile, Nicaragua, Vietnam, Iraq—stop Communism until the Cold War ends, then stop Terrorism—set up a series of straw men, lie to the public about the threats, take action, covert or openly, and keep the war machine rolling, continually filling the coffers of military defense contractors with money, and continually filling the electorate with fear."
Sales Can't Buy Love For Some Bands (Yahoo/AP)
MS: So are the critics wrong? Do music buyers have bad taste? Is this karmic payback to all the haters? "There are some bands that, let's face it, are critic-proof," said Nathan Brackett, a senior editor at Rolling Stone. "Just like there are some movies that are critic-proof. Nobody is really reading the reviews for `Norbit,' you know? And nobody's reading Nickelback reviews either."
That might be a good thing. Nickelback's "All the Right Reasons," which debuted at No. 1 on the charts in the fall of 2005 and was still number 16 this week, was called "hard-rock ridiculousness" by The New York Times and "unspeakably awful" by Allmusic.com. Even the late Nirvana frontman and grunge icon Kurt Cobain would disapprove, suggested Rolling Stone, which called the disc "so depressing, you're almost glad Kurt's not around to hear it."
No fun? Iggy's reunited Stooges play cybercast (Yahoo News)
MS: "I'm starting to feel like Paula Abdul sitting here," Pop joked at one point, heavily tanned and bare-chested as usual.
Each break required staging and camera adjustments, and Pop was not keen to see the momentum dissipate during the brief delays. "I'm getting annoyed," he said, chomping at the bit to play the next song.
Lily Allen Is Not Pregnant, IS Sick of Rumors -- And Work (VH1)
MS: "At first I used to read things about me, and I'd get really angry and go on my blog and write a whole reply to it. But now, since there's so much of it, [I'm not] bothered to reply to it all," she sighed. "But some of it is true. [However] I am not a lesbian, I am not pregnant. But yeah. It's really annoying."
Get In The Ring (Village Voice)
MS: But none of that seems to matter to Murphy, at least not as long as he's talking about his newest love: Ultimate Fighting. "If I didn't have to go on tour, if I wasn't wrapped up in the LCD (Soundsystem) world, I would be training six days a week," Murphy says excitedly. "That's all I would do: working on music and learning to fight."
The Hold Steady To Offer Acoustic Live EP in April (Pitchfork)
MS: The Hold Steady...acoustic? That's odd. The hard-partying rock n roll juggernaut isn't exactly the kind of band known for toning things down (unless they're playing a high school), which makes their new EP all the more interesting. Live at Fingerprints, out April 17, showcases five songs recorded at the record store Fingerprints in Long Beach, California.
Calvin Harris Blasts Bloc Party (NME)
MS: "A lot of these people think they're changing the world with their music, but actually they're just boring the shit out of everyone. Like Bloc Party - they are rubbish. They make very tedious music. What kind of person is going to make all this music and not make one single tune? What's the point?"
Getting Political With Ted Leo (Georgetown Voice)
MS: "[I was] thinking about the fact that everything about this current war is the same old story—Guatemala, Chile, Nicaragua, Vietnam, Iraq—stop Communism until the Cold War ends, then stop Terrorism—set up a series of straw men, lie to the public about the threats, take action, covert or openly, and keep the war machine rolling, continually filling the coffers of military defense contractors with money, and continually filling the electorate with fear."
Sales Can't Buy Love For Some Bands (Yahoo/AP)
MS: So are the critics wrong? Do music buyers have bad taste? Is this karmic payback to all the haters? "There are some bands that, let's face it, are critic-proof," said Nathan Brackett, a senior editor at Rolling Stone. "Just like there are some movies that are critic-proof. Nobody is really reading the reviews for `Norbit,' you know? And nobody's reading Nickelback reviews either."
That might be a good thing. Nickelback's "All the Right Reasons," which debuted at No. 1 on the charts in the fall of 2005 and was still number 16 this week, was called "hard-rock ridiculousness" by The New York Times and "unspeakably awful" by Allmusic.com. Even the late Nirvana frontman and grunge icon Kurt Cobain would disapprove, suggested Rolling Stone, which called the disc "so depressing, you're almost glad Kurt's not around to hear it."
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The Money Shot: 3.21.07
Today's headlines...
A Fee Per Song Can Ruin Us, Internet Radio Companies Say (NY Times)
NPR Starts A War (MediaLoper)
Faces Of The RIAA (The Consumerist)
Few Tune In To Web DJ's (L.A. Times)
Elvis Costello Albums Reborn Via Universal (Billboard)
Indie Rock Act Tapes Game For Innovative Tie-Ins (Yahoo News)
Dinosaur Jr. Returns From 'Beyond' (LiveDaily.com)
The Fate Of Indie Music As We Know It (Salon)
A Fee Per Song Can Ruin Us, Internet Radio Companies Say (NY Times)
Money Shot: "Internet radio operators also say it would not be in the interest of labels to stifle a business that is paying them fees to use their music, especially at a time of declining CD sales.
“That’s counterproductive to the copyright holders,” said Terry McBride, chief executive of the Nettwerk Music Group, a label and artist-management company, adding that the ruling could be bad for performers whose music would not be played on conventional radio."
NPR Starts A War (MediaLoper)
MS: Making it worse, traditional exceptions for entities such as public radio are all but erased. That’s where National Public Radio comes in. The cost to NPR to play music will increase substantially. The costs to your local public radio station — those entities who are always begging for cash as it is — will increase substantially. Given the economics of the situation, it makes sense that if this ruling stands, these stations will chose to change their business models. Right now, they’re actively increasing audiences by streaming and podcasting and broadcasting online. That’s going to stop if the cost goes up.
Faces Of The RIAA (The Consumerist)
MS: We've received a lot of requests to "expose" the RIAA for who they really are... record companies and record company executives. Our readers feel that the companies involved are hiding behind the name "RIAA," and would like to be formally introduced to the association's members.
Few Tune In To Web DJ's (L.A. Times)
MS: In the Internet age, anyone can be a guerrilla disc jockey. Tens of thousands of radio shows air regularly on the Web, often with audiences whose numbers could fit around a dining room table. Virtually every musical niche is represented. Mike Konvicka, a music critic in Texas, has a Czech polka show. Another site serves up only versions of "Ave Maria." A German online deejay does on-air karaoke.
Elvis Costello Albums Reborn Via Universal (Billboard)
MS: In addition, Universal has created two new compilations with track listings supervised by Costello himself. "The Best of Elvis Costello -- The First 10 Years" rounds up 22 songs from the period, including classics such as "Watching the Detectives," "Pump It Up," "Clubland," "Man Out of Time" and "Oliver's Army."
The second album, "Rock and Roll Music," is meant to showcase the more up-tempo side of Costello's oeuvre, from "No Action" and "Lipstick Vogue" to live versions of "Mystery Dance" and "You Belong to Me." Two previously unreleased tracks, an alternate version of "Honey, Are You Straight or Are You Blind?" and a demo of "Welcome to the Working Week," are also included.
Indie Rock Act Tapes Game For Innovative Tie-Ins (Yahoo News)
MS: Indie rock act Tapes 'N Tapes has scored a home run with 2K Sports. Not only has the Minneapolis-based outfit landed its song "Insistor" on the soundtrack to the new "Major League Baseball 2K7" video game, but 2K Sports will also sponsor the band's upcoming tour, which hits 400- to 1,100-capacity venues across North America this spring.
Dinosaur Jr. Returns From 'Beyond' (LiveDaily.com)
MS: The power trio's unlikely reunion will hit nightclubs across the continent during the last half of May and the beginning of June, kicking off May 10 in San Diego. (Although the opening date is being billed as "J Mascis and Friends," the lineup will consist of the same lineup that will play the remainder of the tour--namely, the original members of Dinosaur Jr.: singer/guitarist Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph.)
The Fate Of Indie Music As We Know It (Salon)
MS: Should the CRB, SoundExchange and webcasters fail to agree on a compromise, the CRB's ruling may be remembered as a kind of Pyrrhic victory in which SoundExchange won the battle over webcasting royalties, but lost the war for the next generation of music listeners by snuffing out Internet radio. And there's another danger for artists and even SoundExchange itself, said Oxenford: "If you end up pushing out all the folks who are legally operating Internet radio because it's not an effective business model for ad-supported music, then the only ad-supported Internet radio that will exist will be the pirates. And they don't pay royalties."
Buy These Now! 3.20.07
The week in new releases from MJ artists...
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
The Decemberists - A Practical Handbook (DVD)
Jesse Malin - Glitter In The Gutter
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Living With The Living
Willy Mason - If The Ocean Gets Rough
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
The Ponys - Turn The Lights Out
Sonic Youth - The Destroyed Room: B-Sides and Rarities
Joss Stone - Introducing Joss Stone
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
The Decemberists - A Practical Handbook (DVD)
Jesse Malin - Glitter In The Gutter
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Living With The Living
Willy Mason - If The Ocean Gets Rough
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
The Ponys - Turn The Lights Out
Sonic Youth - The Destroyed Room: B-Sides and Rarities
Joss Stone - Introducing Joss Stone
Monday, March 19, 2007
TiVo Alert
The week's late night musical highlights...
Monday - Joss Stone (Letterman), John Mellencamp (Late Late Show), Jesse Malin (Conan), Incubus (Kimmel)
Tuesday - Lucinda Williams (Letterman), Daughtry (Conan), Vietnam (Carson Daly)
Wednesday - Gary Jules (Carson Daly)
Thursday - Paolo Nutini (Leno), Lindsey Buckingham (Conan), Amos Lee (Carson Daly), The Kooks (Kimmel)
Friday - Guster (Leno), The Fratellis (Conan), Paolo Nutini (Kimmel)
Monday - Joss Stone (Letterman), John Mellencamp (Late Late Show), Jesse Malin (Conan), Incubus (Kimmel)
Tuesday - Lucinda Williams (Letterman), Daughtry (Conan), Vietnam (Carson Daly)
Wednesday - Gary Jules (Carson Daly)
Thursday - Paolo Nutini (Leno), Lindsey Buckingham (Conan), Amos Lee (Carson Daly), The Kooks (Kimmel)
Friday - Guster (Leno), The Fratellis (Conan), Paolo Nutini (Kimmel)
Most Wanted: 3.16.07
The weekly countdown of Musical Justice's Top 20 airplay chart...
Rank Title - Artist (Label) Audience Spins
1. Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis (Fallout) 729 21
2. Dashboard - Modest Mouse (Epic) 693 22
3. Hang Me Up To Dry - Cold War Kids (Downtown) 687 21
4. Grace Kelly - Mika (Casablanca) 677 21
5. After The Gold Rush - Thom Yorke (The Bridge School) 654 22
6. Phantom Limb - The Shins (Sub Pop) 647 20
7. Some Loud Thunder - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Self-Released) 637 22
8. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn & John (Almost Gold) 625 20
9. Black Mirror - Arcade Fire (Merge) 432 12
10. Le Disko - Shiny Toy Guns (UMRG) 401 11
11. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty) 394 11
12. Welcome To My Room - Vietnam (Kemado) 378 13
13. Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio (Interscope) 377 11
14. Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs (B-Unique) 360 13
15. Trollin' - The Stooges (Virgin) 354 11
16. Rootless Tree - Damien Rice (Vector) 324 12
17. Flathead - The Fratellis (Interscope) 312 10
18. Smiley Faces - Gnarls Barkley (Warners) 305 12
19. She's A Rejecter - Of Montreal (Polyvinyl) 296 12
20. On Call - Kings Of Leon (RCA) 272 12
Rank Title - Artist (Label) Audience Spins
1. Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis (Fallout) 729 21
2. Dashboard - Modest Mouse (Epic) 693 22
3. Hang Me Up To Dry - Cold War Kids (Downtown) 687 21
4. Grace Kelly - Mika (Casablanca) 677 21
5. After The Gold Rush - Thom Yorke (The Bridge School) 654 22
6. Phantom Limb - The Shins (Sub Pop) 647 20
7. Some Loud Thunder - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Self-Released) 637 22
8. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn & John (Almost Gold) 625 20
9. Black Mirror - Arcade Fire (Merge) 432 12
10. Le Disko - Shiny Toy Guns (UMRG) 401 11
11. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty) 394 11
12. Welcome To My Room - Vietnam (Kemado) 378 13
13. Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio (Interscope) 377 11
14. Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs (B-Unique) 360 13
15. Trollin' - The Stooges (Virgin) 354 11
16. Rootless Tree - Damien Rice (Vector) 324 12
17. Flathead - The Fratellis (Interscope) 312 10
18. Smiley Faces - Gnarls Barkley (Warners) 305 12
19. She's A Rejecter - Of Montreal (Polyvinyl) 296 12
20. On Call - Kings Of Leon (RCA) 272 12
SXSW '07 Wrap-up
Day 4... Apocalyptic?
That's how MTV.com described the set by Iggy and THE Stooges, which closed out my SXSW. Definitely not an oldies act or just cashing in, you quickly wipe that thought out of your mind watching the crazed Iggy stalk around the stage like a caged animal ready to pounce. That's exactly what he did with a running dive into the crowd at the end of the second song "I Wanna Be Your Dog". It was a ferocious performance ending with about 40 members of the audience on stage during the finale. What an awesome way to end SXSW... Check this shit out...
But there was a lot of music before THE Stooges blew it up. I finally got a chance to see Margot & the Nuclear So & So's. If you're looking for the next Arcade Fire or Decemberists, look here. I've been loving their debut, The Dust of Retreat, for about a year now but I've had to miss their 2-3 local appearances. Watching them rip into an intense "Skelton Key" was one of the highlights for the entire trip.
Less successful were the acts on the Stubbs bill along with Iggy. The show opened with L.A. band, A Fine Frenzy. Their polite, keyboard ditties were ok, but they were a curious choice to start the night off, more "Fine" than "Frenzy". Paulo Nutini raised the bar ever so slightly with his shy, bent-over, microphone-stand-hugging performance. "He sings like an old man," offered my wife Laurie. But he does write some strong songs like the ubiquitous "New Shoes" and likely follow-up "Jenny Don't Be Hasty".
A large chunk of the crowd came to see the Kings of Leon set including some shithead behind us who clearly thought himself the world's biggest KOL fan having downloaded all the new, leaked material from the upcoming CD (which of course you could hear on Musical Justice for the last month) and singing it at the top of his lungs. He brought more energy to his performance than KOL did on stage (unfortunately that included an errant fist punched in the air but landing on the back of Laurie's head, almost resulting in blows between us). There's no doubt that KOL write some great songs. I think the new CD is likely to make many 'Best Of' lists this year. But as a live act, I'm unimpressed. They've got zero charisma and minimal interaction between each other (or with the crowd). When I saw them open for U2, I thought the stage was too big for them, so I hoped for better at Stubbs. But given that they pretty much just stand in their designated spaces the whole show, even the tiny Habana Calle stage would have been too big.
Ditto for Spoon. I'd never seen them and really wanted to like them. But live, the songs all have a similar middling tempo and again, these guys played like they had some kind of shock collar if they stepped more than 5 feet from the microphone in front of them. Note to Spoon & KOL: Watch THE Stooges. Take notes.
Saturday's grades:
Powersolo D, Margot & The Nuclear So & So's A-, A Fine Frenzy C-, Paolo Nutini C, Kings of Leon B (Material A-, Performance C+), Spoon C, THE Stooges A
All in all, it was a strange SXSW. We saw 35 bands in four days, but no Continental Club, Antone's, Yard Dog, Whole Foods, Hut's, SXEast Austin day party, Waterloo Records or Austin Music Hall. That was in part due some closings, cancellations and random elements such as what bands played where. Maybe the fact that I'm married now plays into it too. But I think that it's also due to how much more crowded Austin's become. Parking and traffic are having a growing impact on everyone's ability to move around to those areas that aren't near 6th Street. Seems unlikely that's going to change any time soon but it's not going to keep me from coming back next year... for sure.
ADDENDUM: I just found this video of the Stooges performing "Trollin'" from the new CD at Waterloo Records. Iggy's got a shirt on and is behaving himself, but this is why we go to SXSW...
That's how MTV.com described the set by Iggy and THE Stooges, which closed out my SXSW. Definitely not an oldies act or just cashing in, you quickly wipe that thought out of your mind watching the crazed Iggy stalk around the stage like a caged animal ready to pounce. That's exactly what he did with a running dive into the crowd at the end of the second song "I Wanna Be Your Dog". It was a ferocious performance ending with about 40 members of the audience on stage during the finale. What an awesome way to end SXSW... Check this shit out...
But there was a lot of music before THE Stooges blew it up. I finally got a chance to see Margot & the Nuclear So & So's. If you're looking for the next Arcade Fire or Decemberists, look here. I've been loving their debut, The Dust of Retreat, for about a year now but I've had to miss their 2-3 local appearances. Watching them rip into an intense "Skelton Key" was one of the highlights for the entire trip.
Less successful were the acts on the Stubbs bill along with Iggy. The show opened with L.A. band, A Fine Frenzy. Their polite, keyboard ditties were ok, but they were a curious choice to start the night off, more "Fine" than "Frenzy". Paulo Nutini raised the bar ever so slightly with his shy, bent-over, microphone-stand-hugging performance. "He sings like an old man," offered my wife Laurie. But he does write some strong songs like the ubiquitous "New Shoes" and likely follow-up "Jenny Don't Be Hasty".
A large chunk of the crowd came to see the Kings of Leon set including some shithead behind us who clearly thought himself the world's biggest KOL fan having downloaded all the new, leaked material from the upcoming CD (which of course you could hear on Musical Justice for the last month) and singing it at the top of his lungs. He brought more energy to his performance than KOL did on stage (unfortunately that included an errant fist punched in the air but landing on the back of Laurie's head, almost resulting in blows between us). There's no doubt that KOL write some great songs. I think the new CD is likely to make many 'Best Of' lists this year. But as a live act, I'm unimpressed. They've got zero charisma and minimal interaction between each other (or with the crowd). When I saw them open for U2, I thought the stage was too big for them, so I hoped for better at Stubbs. But given that they pretty much just stand in their designated spaces the whole show, even the tiny Habana Calle stage would have been too big.
Ditto for Spoon. I'd never seen them and really wanted to like them. But live, the songs all have a similar middling tempo and again, these guys played like they had some kind of shock collar if they stepped more than 5 feet from the microphone in front of them. Note to Spoon & KOL: Watch THE Stooges. Take notes.
Saturday's grades:
Powersolo D, Margot & The Nuclear So & So's A-, A Fine Frenzy C-, Paolo Nutini C, Kings of Leon B (Material A-, Performance C+), Spoon C, THE Stooges A
All in all, it was a strange SXSW. We saw 35 bands in four days, but no Continental Club, Antone's, Yard Dog, Whole Foods, Hut's, SXEast Austin day party, Waterloo Records or Austin Music Hall. That was in part due some closings, cancellations and random elements such as what bands played where. Maybe the fact that I'm married now plays into it too. But I think that it's also due to how much more crowded Austin's become. Parking and traffic are having a growing impact on everyone's ability to move around to those areas that aren't near 6th Street. Seems unlikely that's going to change any time soon but it's not going to keep me from coming back next year... for sure.
ADDENDUM: I just found this video of the Stooges performing "Trollin'" from the new CD at Waterloo Records. Iggy's got a shirt on and is behaving himself, but this is why we go to SXSW...
Saturday, March 17, 2007
SXSW '07 Day 3
Ah... that's more like it.
After Thursday night's set by The Dears, I'd begun to wonder about one of my cardinal rules of picking bands at SXSW... "You can never go wrong choosing a band with "The" in the name." Someone needs to strike the "The" from The Dears' name. In an effort to cleanse that debacle from our memories, my wife and I sought as many bands with "THE" in their name as possible.
The day started at the convention center to see Flatstock, a convention featuring poster artists from all over the country. Amazing stuff that made me wish I had more wall space at home...
While at the convention center, we stumbled into a Direct TV soundstage where they were shooting THE Polyphonic Spree. I'd never seen the 17 piece band but it was pretty uplifting and infectious in a slightly cultish kind of way. From there, we hit the Yep Roc party, where we saw Robyn Hitchcock with REM's Peter Buck, followed by THE Apples in Stereo. Sitting there after a solid set from THE Apples as THE Moaners were about to start, I scanned an ad in the ever-present Austin Chronicle and saw that THE Fratellis were just starting to play a few blocks away.
Thinking we were likely too late, we scrambled down the street and there was a mob of folks crowding the door. As I got closer, I could hear their iPod ditty "Flathead" cranking up. I arrived at the door just in time to barely see the lead singer/guitarist do about the last minute. Then we discovered once again the power of having a badge, as we were able to part the mob and gain access, watching the last 3 songs from about 10 feet away from the lead Fratellis. Quite a tight band and I think more than just a flavor of the day.
Speaking of flavor of the day, the next act up was Mika... he of the #1 UK single "Grace Kelly" and album Life in Cartoon Motion. It's pretty amazing to see this guy's falsetto up close like that. I can't decide if he's going to be anything more than a novelty, but I do think he's got some talent and charisma.
After Mika, it was off to Town Lake to see Public Enemy. Up before them, Ozomatli with their congo line schtick and then X-Clan. Finally, the main event... Chuck D's voice is still the most powerful and wise in all of hip-hop. Pretty cool to hear 10,000 folks being led in a "F-ck George Bush, F-ck Dick Cheney" chant...
We packed up there and went back to Habana Calle. The original gameplan was to see an entire night of bands with THE in their names. But the first one out of the gate, a Dallas band named the Mullens, played an especially derivative version of garage rock, so we bailed out on the plan and headed over to the Parish, where once again we leveraged the badge to get in and see another outspoken critic of the Bush administration, Steve Earle.
There may not be a better songwriter today than Earle. But the setting sucked for his acoustic set as there was about 1/3rd of the industry crowd who were just taking up space talking during his set while there was a long line of real fans outside hoping to get in. Note to industry pricks: If you want to talk to your friends, please go out onto 6th Street and let someone in who actually wants to see the artist.
Disgusted by the crowd, we bugged out of Earle's set after a great story about Townes Van Zandt to head over to Exodus to see yet another Bush critic, Peaches. Her first song... "Impeach My Bush". Overall, I think Peaches is very talented but hides behind some shock tactics that keep the true level of her skills under the covers, so to speak...
Interesting Peaches side note... the crowd in Exodus was packed in tight. We happened to be at a couple tables on a balcony across from the stage. Right before the set, a funky short cute blonde weaves her way through the crowd and starts talking up my friends. Next thing you know, they are pulling out their chairs and she and a friend are climbing under the table to sit. A closer look and it's Austin's artist of the year, Patrice Pike also of Rockstar Supernova fame.
After Peaches, we went back to Habana Calle to catch THE Woggles who tore the place down. The power of the "THE" was fully restored by their tight sweaty set. Check out this video to get a feel for the day's top act (and the best at SXSW so far)...
Here are the grades: The Fratellis A-, Mika B+, The Apples in Stereo B, Robyn Hitchcock & Peter Buck B-, Steve Earle B (the crowd gets an F), Public Enemy B, Ozomatli C, X-Clan C-, The Woggles A, The Polyphonic Spree B-, Peaches B, The Mullens D
Incompletes (seen but only for a bit): The Drams, The Moaners, The PB's, Smut Peddlers, Brother Ali
After Thursday night's set by The Dears, I'd begun to wonder about one of my cardinal rules of picking bands at SXSW... "You can never go wrong choosing a band with "The" in the name." Someone needs to strike the "The" from The Dears' name. In an effort to cleanse that debacle from our memories, my wife and I sought as many bands with "THE" in their name as possible.
The day started at the convention center to see Flatstock, a convention featuring poster artists from all over the country. Amazing stuff that made me wish I had more wall space at home...
While at the convention center, we stumbled into a Direct TV soundstage where they were shooting THE Polyphonic Spree. I'd never seen the 17 piece band but it was pretty uplifting and infectious in a slightly cultish kind of way. From there, we hit the Yep Roc party, where we saw Robyn Hitchcock with REM's Peter Buck, followed by THE Apples in Stereo. Sitting there after a solid set from THE Apples as THE Moaners were about to start, I scanned an ad in the ever-present Austin Chronicle and saw that THE Fratellis were just starting to play a few blocks away.
Thinking we were likely too late, we scrambled down the street and there was a mob of folks crowding the door. As I got closer, I could hear their iPod ditty "Flathead" cranking up. I arrived at the door just in time to barely see the lead singer/guitarist do about the last minute. Then we discovered once again the power of having a badge, as we were able to part the mob and gain access, watching the last 3 songs from about 10 feet away from the lead Fratellis. Quite a tight band and I think more than just a flavor of the day.
Speaking of flavor of the day, the next act up was Mika... he of the #1 UK single "Grace Kelly" and album Life in Cartoon Motion. It's pretty amazing to see this guy's falsetto up close like that. I can't decide if he's going to be anything more than a novelty, but I do think he's got some talent and charisma.
After Mika, it was off to Town Lake to see Public Enemy. Up before them, Ozomatli with their congo line schtick and then X-Clan. Finally, the main event... Chuck D's voice is still the most powerful and wise in all of hip-hop. Pretty cool to hear 10,000 folks being led in a "F-ck George Bush, F-ck Dick Cheney" chant...
We packed up there and went back to Habana Calle. The original gameplan was to see an entire night of bands with THE in their names. But the first one out of the gate, a Dallas band named the Mullens, played an especially derivative version of garage rock, so we bailed out on the plan and headed over to the Parish, where once again we leveraged the badge to get in and see another outspoken critic of the Bush administration, Steve Earle.
There may not be a better songwriter today than Earle. But the setting sucked for his acoustic set as there was about 1/3rd of the industry crowd who were just taking up space talking during his set while there was a long line of real fans outside hoping to get in. Note to industry pricks: If you want to talk to your friends, please go out onto 6th Street and let someone in who actually wants to see the artist.
Disgusted by the crowd, we bugged out of Earle's set after a great story about Townes Van Zandt to head over to Exodus to see yet another Bush critic, Peaches. Her first song... "Impeach My Bush". Overall, I think Peaches is very talented but hides behind some shock tactics that keep the true level of her skills under the covers, so to speak...
Interesting Peaches side note... the crowd in Exodus was packed in tight. We happened to be at a couple tables on a balcony across from the stage. Right before the set, a funky short cute blonde weaves her way through the crowd and starts talking up my friends. Next thing you know, they are pulling out their chairs and she and a friend are climbing under the table to sit. A closer look and it's Austin's artist of the year, Patrice Pike also of Rockstar Supernova fame.
After Peaches, we went back to Habana Calle to catch THE Woggles who tore the place down. The power of the "THE" was fully restored by their tight sweaty set. Check out this video to get a feel for the day's top act (and the best at SXSW so far)...
Here are the grades: The Fratellis A-, Mika B+, The Apples in Stereo B, Robyn Hitchcock & Peter Buck B-, Steve Earle B (the crowd gets an F), Public Enemy B, Ozomatli C, X-Clan C-, The Woggles A, The Polyphonic Spree B-, Peaches B, The Mullens D
Incompletes (seen but only for a bit): The Drams, The Moaners, The PB's, Smut Peddlers, Brother Ali
Friday, March 16, 2007
SXSW '07 Day 2
Spent the afternoon on the floor of the SXSW tradeshow with industry folks. I gotta say that it was more than a bit irksome to see the oversized Sound Exchange booth handing out all sorts of swag to people. If they can do that now, imagine the extravagance once they have 10x the royalties from internet radio. But I'm not going to get off on that rant right now. Instead I'd like to encourage you to visit another group that I met with yesterday, the folks from Digital Freedom. These guys are trying to get the independent artists and consumers together under the idea that maybe (just maybe) the record companies aren't acting in either of our best interests as they represent the music industry to our lawmakers. Please go out to their website and sign their online petition.
Musically, in all honesty, I've been underwhelmed so far. Yesterday, we got to see Pete Townshend (being indulgently Pete Townshend), Elvis Perkins, Cold War Kids, The Dears, and Bloc Party. Once again, the early slot carried the day with a strong set from Perkins who is touring in support of his debut CD, Ash Wednesday. Perkins and his band had a loose confidence that suggested a much more mature artist. While the Cold War Kids were equally confident (perhaps they've read their own blog clippings?), their songs lacked focus and quality.
The Dears' set was one of the worst I've seen since... hey, could this be the same band that sucked the life out of me with their droning & indulgence performance back at B.D. Riley's back in 2002 as I waited to see the Sadies? I bit of Googling turned up a brief blurb in the Austin Chronicle and pictures from the performance. It WAS them... The band I promised myself to remember their name so that I would never see them again. I forgot. Damn. Well, last night's performance proved that they hadn't learned anything (or improved) over the past 5 years. They were still the droning indulgence that I'd grown to hate that night and just like then, they played long extended songs that went on and on without purpose (or end). And just like back then, they started a 10+ minute song when they should have been finishing up, blowing way past their scheduled end time. Think of the Dears as an unwanted house guest who overstayed their welcome. With guitars. Note to the Dears: When you end a set in front of a nearly packed Stubbs crowd to what could politely be called a smattering of applause, perhaps you need to re-consider your musical choices.
The night ended up with the UK's Bloc Party and borrowing from another Londoner, it was the best of times and it was the worst of times. A tale of two bands, so to speak. The Silent Alarm material was taut, aggressive modern rock but the newer material from A Weekend in the City was limp mid-tempo disco at best. So for 20 minutes of the 70 minute set, I heard some of the best music I'm likely to hear all SXSW. But overall, the performance lacked the impact it could have had.
Summing up, here are the grades for yesterday's performances: Elvis Perkins B+, Pete Townshend B, Bloc Party B-, Cold War Kids C-, The Dears F... and for the record, here's Wednesday's grades: The Automatic A-, The Sunshine Underground B+, Blonde Redhead B, Lily Allen C, The Mountain Goats C, Jamie T D.
To give you a feel for the Perkins set, here's video of a recent show in NYC...
Musically, in all honesty, I've been underwhelmed so far. Yesterday, we got to see Pete Townshend (being indulgently Pete Townshend), Elvis Perkins, Cold War Kids, The Dears, and Bloc Party. Once again, the early slot carried the day with a strong set from Perkins who is touring in support of his debut CD, Ash Wednesday. Perkins and his band had a loose confidence that suggested a much more mature artist. While the Cold War Kids were equally confident (perhaps they've read their own blog clippings?), their songs lacked focus and quality.
The Dears' set was one of the worst I've seen since... hey, could this be the same band that sucked the life out of me with their droning & indulgence performance back at B.D. Riley's back in 2002 as I waited to see the Sadies? I bit of Googling turned up a brief blurb in the Austin Chronicle and pictures from the performance. It WAS them... The band I promised myself to remember their name so that I would never see them again. I forgot. Damn. Well, last night's performance proved that they hadn't learned anything (or improved) over the past 5 years. They were still the droning indulgence that I'd grown to hate that night and just like then, they played long extended songs that went on and on without purpose (or end). And just like back then, they started a 10+ minute song when they should have been finishing up, blowing way past their scheduled end time. Think of the Dears as an unwanted house guest who overstayed their welcome. With guitars. Note to the Dears: When you end a set in front of a nearly packed Stubbs crowd to what could politely be called a smattering of applause, perhaps you need to re-consider your musical choices.
The night ended up with the UK's Bloc Party and borrowing from another Londoner, it was the best of times and it was the worst of times. A tale of two bands, so to speak. The Silent Alarm material was taut, aggressive modern rock but the newer material from A Weekend in the City was limp mid-tempo disco at best. So for 20 minutes of the 70 minute set, I heard some of the best music I'm likely to hear all SXSW. But overall, the performance lacked the impact it could have had.
Summing up, here are the grades for yesterday's performances: Elvis Perkins B+, Pete Townshend B, Bloc Party B-, Cold War Kids C-, The Dears F... and for the record, here's Wednesday's grades: The Automatic A-, The Sunshine Underground B+, Blonde Redhead B, Lily Allen C, The Mountain Goats C, Jamie T D.
To give you a feel for the Perkins set, here's video of a recent show in NYC...
Thursday, March 15, 2007
MJTV: Buick MacKane - Gravity
The legendary Buick MacKane featuring Alejandro Escovedo will be reuniting tonight @ SXSW. I'm probably going to have to miss this one if I'm going to see Bloc Party 'cause the times bump up against each other. Crap.
MJTV: Bloc Party - The Prayer
Looking over tonight's SXSW schedule. Chances are very good that the evening will end up at Stubbs to see Bloc Party...
SXSW '07 Day 1
Well, Wednesday's in the books here at SXSW. I got to see Lily Allen, The Automatic, The Sunshine Underground, Jamie T, The Mountain Goats and Blonde Redhead. Lily Allen earned rock cred points by coming on stage with a smoke and a Bud and for ripping on NME, the evening's host, calling them uh..."spineless c-nts" . The evening was mostly filled with solid performances (except Jamie T... yawn!) As often happens, the night was stolen by the unsuspecting with The Automatic and The Sunshine Underground turning in the best sets. The video below is "Commercial Breakdown" from The Sunshine Underground's outing at Stubbs.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
MJTV: The Wombats - Backfire At The Disco
The Wombats at Friends? Something tells me that this would be like when I saw Electric Six... and that was great. Hmmmmm...
MJTV: Lily Allen - Smile
From a hotel room in Hillsboro, TX... poised to pounce on SXSW. Who to see tonight? Maybe Lily Allen at Stubbs?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
SXSW 2007
I'm going to making the annual trek to Austin for SXSW, leaving tonight. The things I do to find new music for you... ;)
If you're a Musical Justice listener or reader and you're going to be down there too, send me a note or leave a comment. I'd love to meet as many of you as possible & the first beer's on me. If you see someone wearing a Musical Justice t-shirt, given that we haven't sold THAT many it's probably me... Say hi!
If you're a Musical Justice listener or reader and you're going to be down there too, send me a note or leave a comment. I'd love to meet as many of you as possible & the first beer's on me. If you see someone wearing a Musical Justice t-shirt, given that we haven't sold THAT many it's probably me... Say hi!
Cheap Thrills: The Dollyrots - Because I'm Awesome
Here's a free, legal MP3 download of a new track just hitting the Musical Justice playlist. Check it out!
The Dollyrots - Because I'm Awesome (courtesy of Blackheart Records)
The Dollyrots - Because I'm Awesome (courtesy of Blackheart Records)
Buy These Now! 3.13.07
This week's top new releases by Musical Justice artists...
!!! - Myth Takes
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Aqualung - Memory Man
The Fratellis - Costello Music
Graham Parker - Don't Tell Columbus
Grand Champeen - Dial T for This
!!! - Myth Takes
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Aqualung - Memory Man
The Fratellis - Costello Music
Graham Parker - Don't Tell Columbus
Grand Champeen - Dial T for This
Monday, March 12, 2007
TiVo Alert
This week's musical highlights on late night TV...
Monday - Amy Winehouse (Letterman), Dr. Dog (Conan)
Tuesday - The Good The Bad & The Queen (Letterman)
Wednesday - Aqualung (Letterman), Finger Eleven (Leno), The Shins (Conan), Peter Bjorn & John (Carson Daly)
Thursday - ZZzzzzzz...
Friday - Pete Yorn (Conan), Deerhoof (Carson Daly)
Monday - Amy Winehouse (Letterman), Dr. Dog (Conan)
Tuesday - The Good The Bad & The Queen (Letterman)
Wednesday - Aqualung (Letterman), Finger Eleven (Leno), The Shins (Conan), Peter Bjorn & John (Carson Daly)
Thursday - ZZzzzzzz...
Friday - Pete Yorn (Conan), Deerhoof (Carson Daly)
Most Wanted: 3.9.07
The week's top 20 airplay on Musical Justice:
Rank Title - Artist (Label) Audience Spins
1. Phantom Limb - The Shins (Sub Pop) 677 22
2. Grace Kelly - Mika (Casablanca) 668 20
3. Dashboard - Modest Mouse (Epic) 666 20
4. Hang Me Up To Dry - Cold War Kids (Downtown) 665 20
5. After The Gold Rush - Thom Yorke (The Bridge School) 663 21
6. Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis (Fallout) 622 20
7. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn & John (Almost Gold) 548 16
8. Some Loud Thunder - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Self-Released) 545 16
9. Black Mirror - Arcade Fire (Merge) 416 12
10. Le Disko - Shiny Toy Guns (UMRG) 398 12
11. Smiley Faces - Gnarls Barkley (Warners) 397 12
12. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty) 390 12
13. She's A Rejecter - Of Montreal (Polyvinyl) 384 12
14. Welcome To My Room - Vietnam (Kemado) 353 11
15. On Call - Kings Of Leon (RCA) 347 9
16. Rootless Tree - Damien Rice (Vector) 333 11
17. Woman - Wolfmother (Interscope) 327 12
18. Keep The Car Running - Arcade Fire (Merge) 316 12
19. Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio (Interscope) 312 10
20. Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs (B-Unique) 309 9
Rank Title - Artist (Label) Audience Spins
1. Phantom Limb - The Shins (Sub Pop) 677 22
2. Grace Kelly - Mika (Casablanca) 668 20
3. Dashboard - Modest Mouse (Epic) 666 20
4. Hang Me Up To Dry - Cold War Kids (Downtown) 665 20
5. After The Gold Rush - Thom Yorke (The Bridge School) 663 21
6. Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis (Fallout) 622 20
7. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn & John (Almost Gold) 548 16
8. Some Loud Thunder - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Self-Released) 545 16
9. Black Mirror - Arcade Fire (Merge) 416 12
10. Le Disko - Shiny Toy Guns (UMRG) 398 12
11. Smiley Faces - Gnarls Barkley (Warners) 397 12
12. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty) 390 12
13. She's A Rejecter - Of Montreal (Polyvinyl) 384 12
14. Welcome To My Room - Vietnam (Kemado) 353 11
15. On Call - Kings Of Leon (RCA) 347 9
16. Rootless Tree - Damien Rice (Vector) 333 11
17. Woman - Wolfmother (Interscope) 327 12
18. Keep The Car Running - Arcade Fire (Merge) 316 12
19. Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio (Interscope) 312 10
20. Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs (B-Unique) 309 9
Friday, March 09, 2007
Friday's Random 10
This week's random 10 from a shuffle play of the Mp3's on my laptop... This week's playlist features 3 live tracks and new Kings of Leon.
- There There - Radiohead
- It's Only Divine, Right (live) - The New Pornographers
- Kick In The Teeth - Supergrass
- Mardy Bum (live) - Arctic Monkeys
- Hankerin' - The Yayhoos
- The World Ain't Slowin' Down - Ellis Paul
- Stereo - Pavement
- Trains (live) - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
- On Call - Kings of Leon
- Nineteen - Old 97's
Cheap Thrills: Gina Villalobos
Gina Villalobos' Miles Away is finally getting a formal US release. Two tracks from the CD are available for free, legal download (courtesy of ginavillalobos.com):
Don't Let Go (right click, "Save Target As")
Somebody Save Me (right click, "Save Target As")
Don't Let Go (right click, "Save Target As")
Somebody Save Me (right click, "Save Target As")
MJTV: Squeeze - Tempted
Monsters and Critics says that Squeeze is reuniting for some UK dates...
No word on whether Paul Carrack (who sings lead on the classic Tempted) will be a part of the reunion... I'm always amused when I watch this video to see Chris Difford lipsyncing Elvis Costello's backing vocal.
U.K. pop/rock combo Squeeze has jumped on the reunion tour bandwagon and will play U.K. shows under that name this fall for the first time since 1999. Group member Glenn Tilbrook made the announcement on his Web site, saying the dates come in conjunction with an extensive Squeeze re-release campaign of which he and member Chris Difford "are really proud."
No word on whether Paul Carrack (who sings lead on the classic Tempted) will be a part of the reunion... I'm always amused when I watch this video to see Chris Difford lipsyncing Elvis Costello's backing vocal.
MJTV: Maximo Park - Our Velocity
Billboard reports on tour dates for Maximo Park in support of their upcoming CD, Our Earthly Pleasures:
This is the video for the CD's first single "Our Velocity"
U.K. rock outfit Maximo Park has unveiled its North American tour plans.
The outing will begin July 11 in Boston and run through July 28 in San Diego. It
comes in support of the group's sophomore album, "Our Earthly Pleasures," due
May 8 via Warp.
---
Here are Maximo Park's North American tour dates:
July 11: Boston (Great Scott's)
July 12: New York (Webster Hall)
July 13: Montreal (La Tulipe)
July 14: Toronto (Mod Club)
July 16: Chicago (Double Door)
July 17: Minneapolis (Varsity Theatre)
July 19: Denver (Larimer Lounge)
July 20: Salt Lake City (Club Sound)
July 22: Seattle (Chop Suey)
July 23: Vancouver (Richard's on Richards)
July 24: Portland, Ore. (Doug Fir Lounge)
July 26: San Francisco (Popscene)
July 27: Los Angeles (El Rey Theatre)
July 28: San Diego (Casbah)
This is the video for the CD's first single "Our Velocity"
MJTV: R.E.M. & U2 - One
A press release out today says that R.E.M. going into the studio this spring to record their 14th CD with producer Jacknife Lee (U2, The Hives, Snow Patrol). Hopefully, this means the new record will rock more than recent efforts like the dreary Across The Sun which was the band's lowest selling effort in 20+ years with just over 200,000 copies sold.
R.E.M. -- singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, and bassist Mike Mills -- will record their fourteenth studio album this Spring with Grammy Award-winning producer Jacknife Lee. Lee, most noted for his production on U2's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," has also produced albums by Snow Patrol, The Hives, and indie stalwarts Kasabian, Aqualung, and Bloc Party.Here's a video from the early 90's featuring Stipe and Mills, along with U2's Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton, performing an acoustic version of "One".
"R.E.M. are consistently one of the Great Bands, if not the greatest," Lee says. "The new songs they've written are some of their most exciting and visceral yet. They're a beacon for any band wishing to remain honest and challenging."
"We are psyched to work with Jacknife Lee," R.E.M.'s Mills says. "We've got a great batch of songs, and can't wait to put them down."
Thursday, March 08, 2007
MJTV: Iggy Pop & The Stooges in Cincinnati
In honor of the release of the first new Stooges CD in 33 years, The Weirdness, Paste Magazine has a great Iggy pop story...
Here's some legendary footage from a 1970 Cincinnati TV show appearance by Iggy & the Stooges... You can even download the whole file here:
You’ve stumbled upon the current lair of one of rockdom’s grumpiest ogres, notorious Stooges leader Iggy Pop. There’s no warm and fuzzy welcome mat at his door—in fact, you’d be well advised to get your trespassing ass off his private property. Now. “I don’t do a gate, but there’s this big hedge, which sets a certain tone—it’s a hint,” growls Iggy in his unmistakable Big Bad Wolf voice.
Iggy has a fable or two of his own to relate. As he tells it, only two brave souls have ever dared to breach the perimeter, one a yuppie real-estate shill, and the other “this young black man in a poorly fitting white dress shirt and slacks … [He] stopped in front of my drive, and then determinedly walked right up to my door and knocked. And I thought ‘Wellll… OK,’ and said hello. He had a gigantic scar, must’ve been a knife scar, the length of his throat, so he’d been around. And he was selling magazines, door-to-door, as they used to back in the day.
“And I would never, ever give somebody like that the time of day,” continues the artist born James Osterberg, who—at 59—has been around a bit himself. “But ya know what? My heart went out to him. He told me he was just out of prison and he was being rehabbed and he was doing this and could I help him out.” In a moment of weakness, Iggy paid cash for a subscription to Art And Architecture, then watched his mailbox for the mag, month after month. “And I started to think ‘That sonofabitch!’ But then it came, ya know? And I said ‘Yes!’ And now I think of that guy every month when I get my Art And Architecture—it kinda restored my faith.”
Here's some legendary footage from a 1970 Cincinnati TV show appearance by Iggy & the Stooges... You can even download the whole file here:
MJTV: John Doe - There's A Black Horse
Billboard reports there's a new John Doe CD, The Wilderness, due this summer.
"The difference between this record and other records I've done," the X and Knitters member told Billboard.com, "is I actually agreed to have a release date before I was finished writing everything -- which is really f*cking scary. It was one of those situations where the record company needed a firm release date in November. You're just saying, 'OK, I've got 10 songs, nine songs, I guess I better get busy.' Fortunately it all worked out OK."Now, a little acoustic John Doe action from "Corporate Country Sucks"...
"A Year in the Wilderness" will be released on June 12 by Yep Roc.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
MJTV: Iron & Wine - Naked As We Came
A new Iron & Wine CD, The Shepard's Dog, is slated for September according to Billboard:
Here's a slice of classic Iron & Wine from Our Endless Numbered Days directed by Sam Beam himself:
After recording an EP and touring with Calexico and taking time off to rear his infant daughter, Iron & Wine principal Sam Beam has wrapped his next studio album, "The Shepherd's Dog." The 12-track set is due in late September via Sub Pop and will be supported with a two-month fall tour of North America and Europe."That tour affected me a lot," Beam tells Billboard.com of his time spent with Calexico. "They're such good musicians. I already knew I wanted to do a much freer record; a little bit more of a playful record. Their influence just helped me even more."
Here's a slice of classic Iron & Wine from Our Endless Numbered Days directed by Sam Beam himself:
Bad Timing? ASCAP Announces Record Royalty Payments in 2006
Between this article and the recent announcement on increased internet radio rates, it looks like music royalties are a growth industry...
Of course, I would have told you internet radio was a growth industry too this time last week... I've got nothing against money going to hard-working musicians. I'm just concerned that there are limited outlets to hear quality indie artists. I'd think that the smart ones know that internet radio gives them exposure that they'll never get from the Clear Channels of the world.ASCAP has reported record revenues of $785 million for 2006, royalty payments to members of $680 million, and an all-time low operating expense ratio of 12.0%, the performing rights organization revealed Tuesday. Revenues exceeded those of 2005 by $37 million, showing a 5% growth. Total royalty distributions to members also increased from the prior year by $34 million. U.S. distributions totaled more than $486 million, and international distributions reached $211.7 million. ASCAP also welcomed 40,000 new members during the year.
Why You Should Care If Internet Radio Dies
I've been watching the internet radio royalty conversation unfold across numerous blogs and forums. Here's my response to a couple of the more common perceptions why the new royalty rates aren't such a big deal.
Some folks suggest that the answer is to only play non-RIAA bands. Well, as you listeners know, I play a ton of indie (non-RIAA) bands, but I expect that they will still collect royalties on every song I play.
Not every band on an indie label is non-RIAA. They can still sign up on the website to collect their royalties due. I expect that the RIAA will actually use the money they collect for artists that aren't signed up as an inducement to get them to sign up. Believe this. You can go to this link at Sound Exchange for recording artists, read the first line and you'll see this "I've checked out PLAYS and know I have performances in your system. Exactly how do I collect the royalties?" So that kinda takes the idea of getting around this by playing non-RIAA artists off the table, right?
Other people have commented that if internet radio dies, it's no big deal because there are other alternatives like podcasting or satellite radio. People need to be concerned because this isn't just an internet radio issue. This is about free speech and letting the little guy have a voice. They tried to do the same thing to political bloggers via campaign contribution laws. It's all about control. It's not just about radio on the internet either. Once the RIAA has established outlandish rates for internet radio music royalties, you can expect them to try to leverage that to perform the same shakedown on satellite radio, podcasters (and maybe even terrestrial radio). They're definitely trying to use the legal system to extend outdated business models. If you think it's going to stop at internet radio, you're probably going to be surprised.
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Listen to Musical Justice on Live365 or iTunes Radio (under Alt/Modern Rock)
Some folks suggest that the answer is to only play non-RIAA bands. Well, as you listeners know, I play a ton of indie (non-RIAA) bands, but I expect that they will still collect royalties on every song I play.
Not every band on an indie label is non-RIAA. They can still sign up on the website to collect their royalties due. I expect that the RIAA will actually use the money they collect for artists that aren't signed up as an inducement to get them to sign up. Believe this. You can go to this link at Sound Exchange for recording artists, read the first line and you'll see this "I've checked out PLAYS and know I have performances in your system. Exactly how do I collect the royalties?" So that kinda takes the idea of getting around this by playing non-RIAA artists off the table, right?
Other people have commented that if internet radio dies, it's no big deal because there are other alternatives like podcasting or satellite radio. People need to be concerned because this isn't just an internet radio issue. This is about free speech and letting the little guy have a voice. They tried to do the same thing to political bloggers via campaign contribution laws. It's all about control. It's not just about radio on the internet either. Once the RIAA has established outlandish rates for internet radio music royalties, you can expect them to try to leverage that to perform the same shakedown on satellite radio, podcasters (and maybe even terrestrial radio). They're definitely trying to use the legal system to extend outdated business models. If you think it's going to stop at internet radio, you're probably going to be surprised.
__________
Listen to Musical Justice on Live365 or iTunes Radio (under Alt/Modern Rock)
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