Monday, April 30, 2007

The Money Shot: 4.30.07

Today's headlines...

Rock 'n' roll never forgets (Chicago Sun-Times)
The Money Shot: (Lester) Bangs is quoted more often than any other rock critic -- just do a quick Google search -- and not only by other writers, but by readers who evoke him in their e-mail signatures, carry his quotations in their wallets or reprint his words in fanzines and on Web sites.

Green Day to release new single (NME)
MS: Green Day have surprised fans by confirming they will release a new single tomorrow (May 1). The punk trio will make their John Lennon cover 'Working Class Hero' available as a download as part of a charity campaign to help people suffering in the Darfur region of Africa.

Love Plans To Sell Cobain's Belongings (Billboard)
MS: "My daughter doesn't need to inherit a giant... bag full of flannel... shirts," says Love, former frontwoman of rock act Hole. "A sweater, a guitar and the lyrics to `(Smells Like) Teen Spirit' -- that's what my daughter gets. And the rest of it we'll just... sell."

Shortlist Music Prize Finalists Announced (Billboard)
MS: The Shortlist Music Prize has listed its 10 finalists for its 2007 award. Those who made the cut from a total of 61 nominations are the Band of Horses, Beirut, Bonnie Prince Billy, Cat Power, Girl Talk, Hot Chip, Joanna Newsom, Regina Spektor, Spank Rock and Tom Waits.

Open Letter To Lester Bangs (Popmatters)
MS: It’s a horrendous situation, Bangs, but blame it on the publishing industry first. You seen a copy of Rolling Stone lately? Goddamn thing is a bunch of snotty fashion ads and mealy-mouthed hyperbole feeding off the bleached bones of the ‘60s. As soon as Wenner installed the turnstile in his closet, the rag became, well, a rag. But the regular parade of Top Ten and Greatest lists is really quite stellar, in a woefully out-of-touch way. At least Creem died with a shred of decency and pride, then was resuscitated into a downscaled labor of love. And let’s not forget The Village Voice, the hallmark of leftist loquaciousness and the pulse of Noo Yawk’s music underworld. It’s currently being run into a shallow grave by a of consortium pencil pushers devoid of common sense and business acumen. If distributing every weekly edition for F-R-E-E wasn’t the height of fiscal desperation betwixt and between masochistic tendencies, then sacking Bob Christgau was the zenith of idiocy. No notice, no thanks, no nothing … Just opened the door and sent him on his way, along with every cobwebbed remnant of respectability. Don’t worry about Christgau though, last I heard, he’s got a lecturing gig over at some institute of higher leaning and learning.

The Jesus and Mary Chain team up with Scarlett Johansson (NME)
MS: "This is fucking unreal," frontman Jim Reid told the massive crowd. "Are you having fun?" he asked. When the crowd responded positively he quipped, "Well let's see what we can do about that!"

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