The Fray Ready New Material |
With their sophomore album being out just barely five months, the Fray is already developing plans for a follow-up -- and may even come out with an EP before that.
According to Billboard.com, Fray drummer Ben Wysocki said "There's some scraps left over from the studio. There's also already quite a handful of (new) stuff that we have, that we've started on the road and in our own little home studios. So we might take a week some time on this tour and hide away in a studio somewhere and hash those out just to see what happens.
"We're pretty excited," Wysocki says. "I think we are moving in some pretty exciting directions, and I think we're gonna push ourselves this next time to enter some possibly scary creative territory and maybe get some different people involved and just stretch ourselves and see what happens."
Fans however shouldn't expect a release likely until 2010, as the band is expected to be on tour through the rest of 2009 including overseas dates expected to be announced later this year.
"I think it's important to, instead of just shifting your gears totally -- now we're in studio mode, now we're in touring mode -- if you kind of stay in this and figure out how to stay in the middle of this equilibrium that we're people who create music and then perform it, you're better off creatively. We just love making music, and we love touring as well, but it's a balance."
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Counting Crows Part Ways with Geffen. |
After 18 years with Geffen records, Counting Crows are going it alone.
The Counting Crows feel they now have enough fans that leaving the record label appears to be good timing.
“For us, we have the advantage of having a built- in audience already there that we’ve worked on for a decade and a half,” Guitarist David Immergluck said. “I don’t know what it’s like for a new band coming up to try and get attention drawn to themselves."
“The record company was giving us a lot of money to make records which is a beautiful thing,” Immerglück said. “That’s the one thing that changes. We have to come up with a large amount of cash to make our own records. Everything else will be business as usual.”
“The record company has… done things like tell us we can’t release live shows. Now we can do whatever we want as far as that goes,” Immerglück said. “I think we’ll be getting more creative with that kind of stuff with the way we release stuff and the way we promote stuff that’s where the change will be. Art itself has been our own inter-dialogue, always from the beginning. Counting Crows has been blessed with that.”
Much of the band’s success has come from touring. They recently finished up some dates in Europe, and are now prepared to go finish up the summer on the road, including some dates in July with Michael Franti and Speahead.
Immergluck notes, “As Jim Morrison wisely said, ‘the future’s uncertain and the end is always near.’ So you never know. We’re in a position where we can take advantage of being independent of the record company and doing things on-line. We have a huge on-line audience that knows how to find us. We have a name that people know. We can reach people.”
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Update: Autopsy Results on Former Wilco Member Jay Bennett |
Autopsy results in the death of Former Wilco member Jay Bennett on May 24 concluded that the talented multi-instrumentalist died of an overdose of a painkiller, and the Champaign County coroner’s office is investigating Bennett's death as an accident.
Tests showed Bennett died from fentanyl, a drug often prescribed to treat chronic pain, said the coroner, Duane Northrup. Bennett had posted a few weeks earlier on his MySpace site that he would need hip-replacement surgery.
"A decade plus of multiple nightly stage jumps and various other rock and roll theatrics had finally taken a toll that I could no longer merely deal with or ignore," he wrote, but added that he did not have health insurance to cover costs of the surgery.
Bennett sued Wilco lead singer Jeff Tweedy in early May, claiming he was owed royalties for songs during his seven years with the group.
PriCara, a division of Johnson & Johnson recalled fentanyl patches in 2008 after discovering that some leaked, causing labored breathing and possible overdose. There was no indication that Bennett used such a patch. The coroner's office declined to provide a copy of Bennett's autopsy, saying the investigation remains open.
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Oasis to release every album on vinyl! |
Oasis are to reissue all their albums on a special vinyl pressing later this year.
The band's own label Big Brother is releasing one-off special editions of all seven of their studio albums, from debut 'Definitely Maybe' to current album 'Dig Out Your Soul'.
The B-sides collection 'The Masterplan' is also being reissued. Each edition features new artwork, heavyweight vinyl and new sleeve notes written by NME's Reviews Editor Hamish MacBain.
The new versions will be available from July 13. A limited number of box sets featuring all eight records will also be released.
Head to Oasisinet.com for more information.
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Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson "Break Up" |
Singer-songwriter Pete Yorn's 2009 is shaping up as a very busy year. After his fourth album "Back and Fourth" hits stores on June 23, he's scheduled to release a Serge Gainsbourg/Brigitte Bardot-style duets record with actress/singer Scarlett Johansson this fall.
Entitled "Break Up," the nine song set is due September 8. The lead single, "Relator," is available now via iTunes and streaming on the album's website. In a release, Yorn says "I was having a strange week of insomnia and when I finally passed out, it came to me in a dream. I woke up and the whole thing was in my head, fully formed."
Only after playing the resulting recording efforts for a few friends, was Yorn convinced to finally release "Break Up." The album features eight Yorn originals plus a cover of Big Star's "I Am The Cosmos."
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Former Wilco Member Dies |
Jay Bennett, a former member of the band Wilco, died Sunday at his Urbana home at age 45. "We are profoundly saddened to report that our friend died in his sleep ... Jay was a beautiful human being who will be missed," read the posting Sunday on Undertow Music Collective's Web site. Wilco lead singer Jeff Tweedy said in a statement Monday he was "deeply saddened" by Bennett's death. Tweedy said Bennett made significant contributions to Wilco's songs and the band's evolution. He said Bennett would be remembered "as a truly unique and gifted human being." Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup said an autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday. Bennett worked as a sound engineer and played instruments for Wilco from 1994 to 2001. Earlier this month, Bennett sued Tweedy, claiming he was owed royalties for songs during his seven years and five albums with the group. Bennett also claimed that he deserved money from the band's 2002 documentary, "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart."
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Lollapalooza Shaping up to be a Success |
Lollapalooza 2009 is happening on August 7-9 at Chicago's Grant Park. So many great acts are lined up to perform, including Depeche Mode, The Killers, Jane's Addiction, Kings of Leon, Lou Reed, Ben Harper, Vampire Weekend, Kaiser Chiefs, Ben Folds, Andrew Bird, and The Decemberists, just to name a few! The 3-day festival last year sold out all three days for the first time since it was reborn as a weekend-long stand-alone event in Chicago. "Early bird" discount tickets went on sale at the end of March, with a limited number of passes still available for $195. Regular-priced passes are $205, and a variety of V.I.P. options are also available at lollapalooza.com (http://lollapalooza.com). The prices, which include service fees, remain the same as last year. According to Lollapalooza founder and figurehead Perry Farrell (of Jane's Addiction), attendance is already looking solid in 2009 despite the challenging economic climate. "At Lollapalooza, we're selling more tickets than ever," Farrell said. "People need an even bigger excuse to escape more than ever, and there is no better escape than going to a festival and just taking in music." |
Bob Marley... For Kids? |
Bob Marley's oldest son, Ziggy has decided to create a children's album out of some of his late father's classics. Ziggy took eight Bob marley songs and altered their arrangements to make them more "kid friendly." He even used some of Bob's alternate vocal tracks on the new versions. There's no album title or release date yet, but it's tentatively scheduled to hit stores in June. Meanwhile, Ziggy is working on a children's album of his own titled "Family Time," which will include original songs and covers. It features appearances by Jamie Lee Curtis, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, and members of his family. It's scheduled to arrive in stores on May 5th.
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Beatle's Catalog Remastered! |
The original Beatles catalog has been digitally remastered for the first time and will go on sale in CD format on September 9, the band's record label and company announced on Tuesday. The release will coincide with the launch of "The Beatles: Rock Band" video game. The catalog will not be available online for the foreseeable future, although the digital remastering is widely seen as bringing that process one step closer. The group is one of the few big acts left whose music is not available on Apple Inc's iTunes, but the settlement of a trademark dispute between Apple Inc and Apple Corps Ltd in 2007 was seen as finally clearing the way. The new collection comprises 12 Beatles albums in stereo, with track listings and artwork as originally released in Britain, and "Magical Mystery Tour," which became part of the Beatles' core catalog when the CDs were released in 1987. In addition the collections "Past Masters Vol. I and II" are combined as one title, making up 14 titles overall. The 14 albums will be available for purchase individually or together in a stereo boxed set. For the specialist collector, there will be another boxed set called "The Beatles in Mono" which combines all of the Beatles recordings that were mixed for a mono release. The albums were remastered by a team of engineers at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London over four years using up-to-date recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment. |
Rock Hall Ceremony a Success; will return! |
The heart of rock 'n' roll was in Cleveland on Saturday, and the city, which hosted the induction ceremony for the first time since 1997, won't have to wait long for it to return. Officials expect to have the annual event in Cleveland every three years. Saturday's ceremony also marked the first time the event was open to the public, and the Rock Hall made sure to give access to about 5,000 ticket buyers. Past inductions, including those in New York at the Waldorf-Astoria ballroom, only had room in the audience for VIPs, inductees and invited guests. The city of Cleveland helped Saturday's ceremony in a big way, refurbishing and decorating the downtown Public Auditorium built in 1922. Joel Peresman, CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said the Public Auditorium was a fitting site because of its own rock history, hosting early U.S. performances of the Beatles, Rolling Stones and others. Since the 1950s, when Cleveland radio personality Alan Freed popularized the term rock 'n' roll, the city has been widely recognized for a passion for rock music. The New York-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was created 1983 and selected Cleveland as home of the Rock Hall in a national competition. Metallica earned top billing in Saturday's eclectic 2009 class that included rap pioneers Run-DMC, virtuoso guitarist Jeff Beck, soul singer Bobby Womack and rhythm and blues vocal group Little Anthony and the Imperials. Drummer DJ Fontana and the late bassist Bill Black — both of Elvis Presley's backup band — and keyboardist Spooner Oldham made it in the sidemen category. Rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson was inducted as an early influence. |
Behind the Music To Return to VH1 |
The cable network is ordering about 10 new episodes of BTM, bringing back the iconic documentary program that ran for several years on VH1 starting in 1997. Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland has signed on to participate, with the network near agreements with several other artists. "It felt like the time is right," said Jeff Olde, VH1 executive vp original programming. "There's all sorts of new artists on the scene who have emerged and have these great stories. And there's other artists that we always wanted to do the first time around." VH1 had a reminder of the show's popularity last fall when it aired a well-received 90-minute live New Kids on the Block "Behind the Music" special. The event showed the group's first public performance in more than a decade along with a "BTM" retrospective. "We always hear about the show, even now," Olde said. "It's amazing how much affection viewers have for it." VH1 stopped airing regular episodes of "BTM" in 2002, then aired only a few a year until 2006. VH1 will update the show's format for 2009, but not too much. Jim Forbes is back as the show's narrator, though the new episodes will add more current footage to anchor the story in the present day – like the way the New Kids special intercut with a live event. |
Woodstock '09? |
Woodstock co-founder Michael Lang says plans for a 40th anniversary concert are "all speculative ideas" for now, but he hopes to bring them to reality this summer. Lang said in an interview with RollingStone.com that his vision is "a free event ... a very green project," possibly in New York City. "We want to have as small a carbon imprint as we can and use as many green techniques as we can," said Lang. The holdup? "It's got to be sponsor-driven," he said. "It's free, but it costs a lot of money. That's kind of what we're in the middle of right now. Depending on how successful we are in raising that sponsorship (money) will determine when and how we do this event -- or if we do this event, frankly." He added that reports of a concurrent Woodstock festival in Berlin, possibly at Tempelhof airport, were "premature." Lang said that musically a 2009 Woodstock would go "back to its roots ... There would be a lot of legacy bands -- the Who, Santana, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joe Cocker maybe. And it would be people like Steve Earle and Ben Harper. There's certainly room for the (Red Hot) Chili Peppers and Dave Matthews ... That would be the shape of the music." The Chili Peppers, of course, closed the ill-fated 30th anniversary concert in 1999, which was marred by complaints about the facilities, food and water prices and ended with a fiery riot. But Lang said he's confident that the Woodstock brand is not permanently damaged. "I think it always hearkens back to the '69 event, somehow," he said. "When people think (of Woodstock) they don't think '99 or '94. They think (of) the '69 event. I think (1999) has its ramifications, but I don't think it did any real damage in that sense." We'll keep you posted on further developments! |
Sting's New Message in a Bottle |
The former Police man is following in the esteemed footsteps of Paul Newman, Francis Ford Coppola and, uh, Madonna, announcing that he has produced 30,000 bottles of red wine from his Tuscan estate that will go on sale in the U.S. and U.K. in September. The artist formerly known as Gordon Sumner said he will market two types of red to the masses: Chianti DOC and a Tuscan varietal based on the Sangiovese grape. The first wave of bottles will come from Sting's 2007 vintage. A name for the 57-year-old's vintage has not been announced, and is indeed being carefully guarded, but his estate manager, Paolo Rossi, has described the tipple as "rock music wine," with "a bit of swing and a bit of international pop thanks to the addition of Cabernet and Merlot grapes." Sting and wife Trudie Styler purchased the 300-hectare Italian villa back in 1997 and have since turned it into a working organic farm. In addition to the wine, they also produce honey and olive oil, which they sell through Harrods department store under the name Il Palagio Sumner Family. A percentage of the wine's sales will benefit various causes supported by the couple, including the Soil Association and the Rainforest Foundation. |
U2 Plans Follow-up Album |
U2 just released its first album since 2004 this week, but the Irish rock band is already planning a quickie follow-up for next year. The new disc will be called "Songs of Ascent," and it will be more mellow than the current album, "No Line on the Horizon," singer Bono says in a cover story in the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine. "We're making a kind of heartbreaker, a meditative, reflective piece of work, but not indulgent," the magazine quoted him as saying. Bono likened the new project to jazz icon John Coltrane's 1964 tour de force "A Love Supreme" -- "which is to say, with that album, I almost take my shoes off to listen to it." The first single will be called "Every Breaking Wave," a track pulled at the last minute from "No Line on the Horizon," U2's 12th album since 1980. |
Sublime to Reunite?! |
As you may know, Sublime’s original singer, Bradley Nowell died of a drug overdose in 1996, just as Sublime was beginning to get big. Saturday night, former Sublime drummer Bud Baugh was doing a gig with his current band, Del Mar, at a Mexican restaurant in Nevada. After the set, Bud was joined by former Sublime bassist Eric Wilson, and a singer by the name of Rome. Together they performed an entire set of Sublime songs… including at least one new one. The following day, a blog post on Del Mar’s Myspace page confirmed that Sublime is considering a reunion with this new singer. There are no firm tour plans yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as we hear anything! |
Steven Page Leaves Bare Naked Ladies |
Singer-guitarist Steven Page said Thursday, a big reason he decided to leave the Barenaked Ladies was he felt his songwriting voice was occasionally being squeezed out as a result of being in a five-member band. Page said the Barenaked Ladies has so many songwriting voices that he's looking forward to a future as a solo artist. "Frankly, the band itself was a five-way democracy and one of the great things about it is that it's been about the five-way collaboration, but it's also one of the things that's made me decide to be a solo artist," he said. Ed Robertson, Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn and Tyler Stewart plan to continue, and have no immediate plans to replace Page. They will return to the studio in April and tour in the fall. Drug charges against Page, 38, were dropped in the U.S. several months ago. Page, his girlfriend and her roommate were charged with drug possession in July. In late October, all three secured a deal to have charges dropped if they stayed out of trouble for six months. Page said that a tumultuous 2008 played a role in the split only in that it made him and the rest of the band re-evaluate their goals. "Even after all the stuff last year, everybody was very supportive of each other, which was great," he said. "But what last year forced everybody to do was take a good hard look at what it was they wanted from their future. I will miss being a Barenaked Lady like crazy, but there are lots of other things I'm really looking forward to. I think it will be good for everybody." Page said he is scoring his third play for Ontario's Stratford Festival, has finished an album with Toronto's the Art of Time Ensemble, and will begin work soon on a record. |
U2 Album Leaked! |
Despite U2's best efforts to keep their 12th studio album, No Line on the Horizon, under wraps until its March 3 release, it's out there, and has been downloaded about 100,000 times. In these fileshare-happy times of ours, it was actually Universal Music Group mate Universal Australia that accidentally made the album available for digital purchase earlier this week. The label remedied its mistake a few hours later but, by then, enough fans around the globe had snatched it up for $19.98 to turn a leak into a flood. Universal Australia wouldn't comment on how the 11-track album ended up on sale two weeks early. But though some of the thunder surrounding the arrival of U2's first studio album since 2004's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb has been stolen, there is plenty more to look forward to on the Horizon. In addition to a free MySpace Music preview, the band is taking up residence at the Late Show With David Letterman for an entire week starting March 2 and will be playing Good Morning America on March 6, their first ever live performance on a network morning show. |
U2 fans- get ready to stay up late... |
David Letterman has just signed up the band for a weeklong stint on the Late Show. Bono and the boys are scheduled as musical guests on five consecutive nights, March 2-6, as part of a massive publicity push for their new album, No Line on the Horizon. The Irish rockers' 12th studio effort is scheduled to drop March 3. The five-night booking, a first for Letterman, comes on the heels of U2's rollicking performance of the single "Get On Your Boots" at last Sunday's Grammy Awards. The last Late Show appearance for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers was back in 2001 when U2 was making the promotional rounds for All That You Can't Leave Behind. |
Grammy Round-Up |
So which 'LKR artists hit it big at the 2009 Grammys? Robert Plant & Alison Krauss won big with Album of the year for their collaboration album, "Raising Sand" (produced by T-Bone Burnett), and Record of the Year for the single, "Please Read the Letter." Coldplay took home the award for Best Rock Album for "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" and Song of the Year for "Viva La Vida." Adele won Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Chasing Pavements." Many other WLKR artists were honored at this year's Grammys. |
Springsteen Blasts Ticketmaster for "Abuse" of Fans |
Bruce Springsteen and his manager, Jon Landau, criticized Ticketmaster for redirecting customers attempting to buy Springsteen concert tickets to the company's secondary ticketing site, TicketsNow. On Monday, fans trying to make face-value purchases for tickets were instead sent to TicketsNow, "even when other seats remained available at face value," says a letter posted on BruceSpringsteen.net. "We condemn this practice." "We perceive this as a pure conflict of interest," the post continues. "Ticketmaster is there to ensure that we have a good, fair sale of our tickets at their face value plus normal ticketing charges. TicketsNow is supposed to be a secondary site where people who already have tickets may exchange, trade, and, unfortunately, speculate with them. We have asked this redirection from Ticketmaster to TicketsNow cease and desist immediately and Ticketmaster has agreed to do so in the future and has removed its unwanted material from their and our site." Springsteen and Landau also voiced outrage at the proposed merger between Ticketmaster and Live Nation, which they say would return concert ticketing "to a near monopoly." "The abuse of our fans and our trust by Ticketmaster has made us as furious as it has made many of you," they concluded. "We will continue to do our utmost now and in the future to make sure that these practices are permanently curtailed on our tours." |
Wieland branches out into men's wear? |
Scott Weiland, former front man for Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, is launching a clothing line. Weiland has partnered with Christopher Wicks, designer and owner of Rock & Roll Religion, for a line of contemporary men's clothing that will be known as Weiland for English Laundry. Wicks designs and owns other music related clothing lines such as Fender: The Clothing Collection and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. "From early on, I was inspired by rock icons like David Bowie and Keith Richards who helped in molding my personal sense of style," said Weiland, in a statement. The collection will consist of vests, t-shirts, pants, hats, ties and scarves based on vintage fabrics from the late 60's and 70s and will retail for between $40 and $120. The line will be unveiled at Magic Las Vegas on Feb. 17. |
Ryan Adams Takes a Break |
Ryan Adams will take a hiatus from his band, The Cardinals, and music in general starting this spring, according to a lengthy blog post on the band's website.
Adams says upcoming U.S. shows with The Cardinals, concluding March 20th in Atlanta, will be his last with the group. "I am grateful for the time we have had and maybe someday we will have more stories to tell together," he says. "I am however ready for quieter times as I think it is very evident I am struggling with some balance and hearing issues."
The news is in stark contrast to Adams' comments to Billboard last fall, when he said he was so happy with The Cardinals that he wasn't interested in recording as a solo artist moving forward.
Adams has thrived since enlisting The Cardinals. The group's latest album, last year's "Cardinology," debuted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 91,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
"Maybe we will play again sometime and maybe I will work my way back into some kind of music situation, but this is the time for me to step back now, to reel it in," Adams said on the blog. |
High-Profile Acts to Cut Record Label Cord |
Many Established rock acts like Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, and The Eagles have all thrived since leaving major record labels. And a fresh crop of well-known musicians may join them in 2009.
Beck- His decade-plus contract with Geffen was fulfilled in 2008 with the release of "Modern Guilt," which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 4 in July. Beck told Spin magazine last fall that he might give up touring after his current round of dates and that he may "never make anything again that a major record company would want."
Ryan Adams- Few major-label artists in recent memory have released as much material in a concentrated period of time as Ryan Adams did with Lost Highway: nine albums and three EPs since 2001. But the recent "Cardinology" fulfills Adams' deal with the label, and it seems abundantly clear he's seeking an arrangement that would allow him to release music whenever inspiration strikes, as he often does on his blog.
Pearl Jam- The veteran Seattle band didn't re-up the album-by-album deal with J Records that it signed in 2004. Its lone studio release for the label, was the 2006 self-titled set. Sources say Pearl Jam is likely to self-release its next studio album, due in summer 2009, in the United States and team with a major label for distribution elsewhere. The band, which has long sold its own authorized bootlegs online, still has strong ties with Epic, which will reissue the band's seminal 1991 record "Ten" March 24. |
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This Time, Amy's NOT her Own Worst Enemy... |
Reports have emerged recently, claiming that Amy Winehouse and her producer, Mark Ronson (both Jewish) have been included on a "terror target" hit list made in reaction to the current conflict in the Gaza region. The comments were made on the forum of Ummah.com. A post on the forum apparently called for users to compile "a list of top Jews we can target," which included both Winehouse and Ronson's names. British anti-terror expert Glen Jenvey says that the comments should be taken seriously. "The Ummah website has been used by extremists," he said. "Those listed should treat it very seriously. Expect a hate campaign and intimidation by 20 or 30 thugs." Other celebrities allegedly included on the list are The Apprentice U.K.'s Sir Alan Sugar and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband. |
Bruce Springsteen's
Guitar Hero" Debut |
The Boss will be debuting a new single from his upcoming album, "Working on a Dream," via the popular video game "Guitar Hero" on January 27th. "My Lucky Day" will be avalable as a FREE download, and will also come with a copy of his classic, "Born to Run". The new album will be out on January 29th. |
Dead to Roam the Earth |
The Dead have turned the page on their differences. Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and Bill Kreutzmann—original members of pioneering jam band the Grateful Dead—have announced they'll be hitting the road in April for their first tour together in four years. The Core Four reunited in October to play a fundraiser for Barack Obama at Penn State, but Kreutzmann hadn't played with the other three since 2004, and it was really another Obama event in February that got Hart, Lesh and Weir in the mood to groove. "It broke the ice," Hart told Rolling Stone in November. "We were able to let some of these skeletons in our closet just fall away." Per the surviving Dead mates' website, their latest jaunt will encompass nearly 20 dates between mid-April and mid-May. Details haven't been announced, but the band instructed fans to keep returning to the site for updates. Guitarist Warren Haynes and keyboardist Jeff Chimenti will also be along for the ride. "This isn't an easy thing," Hart said in November of the challenges inherent in maintaining harmony on the road. "To be honest, I thought the odds were not in our favor. The only way it would happen is if we came together and liked each other again. We're ongoing now, but I don't know where we're going." |
No More Outrageous Lawsuits for Music Piracy! |
The Recording Industry Association of America said on Friday it had abandoned mass lawsuits against Internet users who steal music, and instead would work with Internet service providers to discourage piracy. Since 2003, the music industry has sued about 35,000 Internet users for music piracy. But legal costs for the RIAA, which represents major U.S. record labels, were costing more than the settlements were bringing in (not to mention the bad publicity! 244 thousand dolars for downloading 7 songs?!? Cruel and unusual punishment, anyone?) Instead, the RIAA has brought on individual Internet Service Providers to send warning notices to users who illegally download music files. Further measures will be taken against Internet users who ignore their first warning notice to stop illegally downloading music, and if those users continue they could find their Internet connections disconnected. The RIAA declined to say which ISPs had signed on for the initiative, and it said it reserved the right to sue Internet users who ignored the warning notices. This change in strategy comes as Internet users have become increasingly aware that downloading pirated songs is illegal. |
Pearl Jam to Re-issue Debut Album |
Ten, the debut album that sold 12 million copies and introduced the world to Pearl Jam in 1991, will be reissued in four (4) new and expanded editions. The reissue of Ten serves as the launch of a planned two-year catalogue re-release campaign leading up to the band's 20th anniversary in 2011. Each Ten package will include two versions of the album: the remastered version of the original album PLUS an accompanying remixed version done by the band's long-time producer, Brendan O'Brien. "The band loved the original mix of Ten, but were also interested in what it would sound like if I were to deconstruct and remix it," says producer Brendan O'Brien. "The original Ten sound is what millions of people bought, dug and loved, so I was initially hesitant to mess around with that. After years of persistent nudging from the band, I was able to wrap my head around the idea of offering it as a companion piece to the original - giving a fresh take on it, a more direct sound." All four editions will be available at retail on March 24, 2009. |
Coldplay say, "Not Again!" |
Earlier this year, Coldplay came under fire from New York indie band, The Creaky Boards for allegedly ripping off their song (coincidentally titled...) "The Songs I Didn't Write" in their hit tune "Viva La Vida". And now a much more well-known artist is bringing action against the British group for the same song. Guitarist Joe Satriani has sued Coldplay, accusing the Grammy-nominated stars of plagiarizing one of his songs. Satriani's copyright infringement suit, filed on Thursday in Los Angeles federal court, claims the Coldplay song "Viva La Vida" incorporates "substantial original portions" of his 2004 instrumental "If I Could Fly." The 52-year-old guitar virtuoso is seeking a jury trial, damages and "any and all profits" attributable to the alleged copyright infringement.The Satriani track comes from his album "Is There Love in Space?" Want to judge for yourself? You can hear the Satriani tune (the part in question can be heard at about the 50 second mark) here. The Coldplay song, for comparison, is here. And if you want to check out the Creaky Boards tune, go here. |
Weezer Frontman and Group Delve Into Archives |
On the heels of the release of the second volume of Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo's home recordings, the group is now taking a look back into its own vaults. Cuomo says he has "no idea" when the tentatively titled "Odds and Ends" will be released, but describes it as "just another fun project to do. They're great songs, but for some reason they didn't make the final cut for [a] record. They span a vast period of time from the very beginning of our career in the early '90s right up to the present day." Meanwhile, Cuomo says Weezer may tour next spring with Oasis. And while the next Weezer studio album appears to be a ways off, the group recently recorded six Christmas carols that will be downloadable for the iPhone game "Tap Tap Revenge," including "Oh Holy Night." Says Cuomo, "They're the classics." |
Bono Launches Download Service for Africa |
U2, Jay-Z, Coldplay and R.E.M. are among the bands contributing music to (RED)WIRE, a new download service aligned with Bono’s (PRODUCT)RED campaign, which raises money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. For $5 a month, members will get a weekly, DRM-free delivery of an exclusive song from a major artist, a tune from a lesser-known artist, and a music video or other content. According to Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Bono’s involvement ensures there will be a steady stream of material from top acts: “There’s certain people, where, whatever they ask for, you give it.” The service goes live at redwire.com in December. |
New Album from The Boss in January |
Bruce Springsteen will release his 24th album on January 27, a disc he and the E-Street Band hurriedly recorded during breaks on their tour last year, the rocker said on Monday."Working on a Dream" (Columbia) marks the follow-up to "Magic," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in October 2007. Both albums were produced by Brendan O'Brien, who also worked on AC/DC's recent chart-topper "Black Ice.""Toward the end of recording 'Magic,' excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing," Springsteen said in a statement."All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end."Part of the title track aired on Sunday during the halftime break on NBC's "Sunday Night Football." Springsteen premiered an acoustic version of the song last month during a campaign rally for President-elect Barack Obama in Columbus, Ohio. The album features two bonus tracks, "The Wrestler" (from the upcoming Mickey Rourke film of the same name); and "A Night With the Jersey Devil" (a Halloween track that was made available for free online). Springsteen and the E-Street Band will perform during the Super Bowl halftime in Tampa, Fla., on February 1. |
Will Beatles' 'Carnival of Light' See the Light? |
An unreleased, experimental track by The Beatles could be made public 41 years after it was recorded at London's Abbey Road studios! According to Paul McCartney, "Carnival of Light" was The Beatles at their most free. "I said it would be great to put this on because it would show we were working with really avant-garde stuff," McCartney said Tuesday. He confirmed that he had a master tape of the track, which many Beatles fans assumed until now was a piece of musical myth, and added: "The time has come for it to get its moment." The 14-minute track was made for an electronic music festival, the only occasion the music was played in public. "I said all I want you to do is just wander around all the stuff, bang it, shout, play it, it doesn't need to make any sense. Hit a drum then wander on to the piano, hit a few notes, just wander around. So that's what we did and then put a bit of an echo on it. It's very free." In order for Carnival of Light to be released, McCartney would have to get the agreement of Ringo Starr and the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison. According to the BBC, McCartney had wanted to include the track on The Beatles' Anthology compilations in the mid-1990s, but the rest of the band vetoed the idea. |
Les Paul's Legacy |
When Les Paul's grandchildren are jamming on the video game "Guitar Hero," it's not lost on him that he made it all possible. Paul, known as the "Father of the Electric Guitar," will be honored at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's annual American Music Masters series, a weeklong event that starts Monday. Paul, at age 93 still performs weekly at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City. Paul recalled that the first time he heard a guitar on his mother's radio he knew he had to have one. By age 13, he was performing semiprofessionally as a country-music guitarist. He built a solid-body electric guitar in 1941 — an invention born from his frustration that audiences were unable to hear him play. It took Paul 10 years to sell the Gibson guitar company on the concept. "They thought it was a crazy idea to make a guitar come through an amplifier," he said. In 1952, Gibson introduced the Les Paul model, which became the instrument of choice for musicians such as Duane Allman and Jimmy Page. Paul's other innovations include recording techniques like close miking, echo delay, overdubbing and multitracking. He also made his mark as a jazz-pop musician, recording hits like "How High the Moon" with his second wife, singer Mary Ford. Paul was inducted into the early influence category of the Rock Hall in 1988. Paul will perform at a tribute concert Nov. 15 that caps the American Music Masters series. He will be joined by a legion of guitar virtuosos, including Slash, Duane Eddy, Billy Gibbons and the Ventures. "I'm very grateful to the generation that came after me and picked up the instrument and carried on with it," Paul said. "If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be where I am." |
The Beatles are coming to a game console near you.
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For the first time, the legendary group's music will be featured in the lucrative video game market in a deal with MTV Games and Harmonix, creators of the "Rock Band" series. The game is scheduled to make its debut sometime next year, according to a statement Thursday. "The project is a fun idea which broadens the appeal of The Beatles and their music. I like people having the opportunity to get to know the music from the inside out," said Paul McCartney. Ringo Starr added: "The Beatles continue to evolve with the passing of time and how wonderful that The Beatles' legacy will find its natural progression into the 21st century through the computerized world we live in. Let the games commence." The video game has become a key and profitable market for musical acts to expose their music to fans; some bands have debuted their music via video games. |
Homeless man earns $4,000 for finding Sir Paul McCartney's head?! |
Homeless man Anthony Silva has claimed a $4,000 reward after finding the waxwork head of Sir Paul McCartney in a trash bin at Reading, England train station. The rendition of the former Beatles man's head was left on a train last Thursday (October 16) by Joby Carter, who had been transporting it to be auctioned. Silva said that when he found the head in the bin he initially thought it was a Halloween mask--but after realizing what he had found claimed the $4,000 reward from Carter. "It's just what I need and I hope my luck has changed for the better," Silva said. Carter, meanwhile, said he hoped to make his $4,000 back and then some more when the head is auctioned. "I'll be gutted if it only goes for peanuts now," he said. "With the interest we've had I'm confident it may go for more than $20,000." |
Is it really Zep without Robert Plant? |
Led Zeppelin are looking at the possibility of touring and recording without frontman Robert Plant, who has resisted pressure to reunite with his former bandmates. The band briefly regrouped for a one-off charity concert in London in December, 2007, leading to calls from fans for a full reunion tour. Guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist/instrumentalist John Paul Jones are both understood to be keen to return to the stage, as is drummer Jason Bonham, the son of original member John who died in 1980. But Plant has always appeared reluctant and last month issued a terse statement confirming his intentions. "Contrary to a spate of recent reports, Robert Plant will not be touring or recording with Led Zeppelin," he said. Jones told the BBC's Radio Devon that the band had already tried out possible replacements for Plant. "We want to do it. It's sounding great and we want to get on and get out there," he said at a guitar show in Exeter, southwest England. "It's got to be right. There's no point in just finding another Robert. You could get that out of a tribute band, but we don't want to be our own tribute band," he added. Other big acts have re-formed with new performers brought in, most notably Queen which has been working with Paul Rodgers (of Bad Company) on lead vocals in recent years replacing Freddie Mercury who died in 1991. |
Foo Fighters Release Live Album |
The Foo Fighters have now immortalized their biggest ever headline stand: Foo Fighters: Live at Wembley Stadium, an 18-song DVD and Blu-Ray document of their two sold out Wembley Stadium shows, will be released November 18th. The Wembley concerts, which took place Friday and Saturday June 6 and 7 of this year, sold out within 24 hours, making them the biggest headline performances of the band’s illustrious career–as well as the biggest rock shows staged at the new Wembley Stadium to date. Foo Fighters: Live at Wembley Stadium, is a career-spanning live opus, drawing on all six of Foo Fighters’ studio albums. A semi-acoustic mid-set section features intimate versions of “My Hero,” the Grohl-penned Nirvana B-Side “Marigold,” Hawkins’ lead vocal turn on “Cold Day In The Sun” and more. Foo Fighters: Live at Wembley Stadium concludes with a triumphant and highly emotional “Best Of You” with a closing chorus of 85,000 fans leaving Grohl visibly moved. Set List: 1 The Pretender 2 Times Like These 3 No Way Back 4 Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running) 5 Learn To Fly 6 Long Road To Ruin 7 Breakout 8 Stacked Actors 9 Skin And Bones 10 Marigold 11 My Hero 12 Cold Day In The Sun 13 Everlong 14 Monkey Wrench 15 All My Life 16 Rock And Roll 17 Ramble On 18 Best Of You |
Peace and Love, but no mail please... |
Former Beatle Ringo Starr has instructed his fans not to request his autograph. The drummer said he will no longer sign memorabilia and will throw away fan mail. In a video message posted on his website, he ranted: "I want to tell you please... do not send fan mail to any address that you have. "Nothing will be signed after the 20th of October. If that is the date on the envelope, it's gonna be tossed. "I'm warning you with peace and love I have too much to do. So no more fan mail, thank you, thank you, and no objects to be signed. Nothing. Anyway, peace and love, peace and love," the 68-year-old said. Starr, wearing dark glasses, said it was "a serious message to everybody watching". The performer angered locals in Liverpool when he told Jonathan Ross on his BBC1 chat show in January that he missed nothing about the city. A shrubbery sculpture of the music legend outside a railway station in the city was later beheaded by vandals. Starr currently divides his time between homes in Los Angeles, the South of France and Surrey |
Live Releases Live CD/DVD |
Veteran rock outfit Live has inked a new deal with Vanguard Records for the Nov. 11 release of the CD/DVD "Live at the Paradiso." The project was filmed June 30 and July 1 at the Amsterdam venue. Beyond hits like "Lightning Crashes," "I Alone" and "Selling the Drama" and a cover of Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line," the CD includes two new studio tracks: "Forever" and "Purifier" featuring Blues Traveler frontman John Popper. The former can be streamed from Live's Myspace page. "The way they documented the emotion of the fans, I'm hard-pressed to think of a another recent concert movie that I've seen, except for maybe U2 with the 3D thing, where they captured the essence of the fans' response and reaction so profoundly," singer Ed Kowalczyk said in an interview last July. |
Colbie Caillat Adds to Album |
Colbie Caillat has tacked eight songs onto her debut album, "CoCo," and will re-release the set Nov. 11. Among the additions are live covers of Lauryn Hill's "Tell Him" and Bob Marley's "Turn Your Lights Down Low." The album is rounded out by a version of Dusty Springfield's "Brand New Me," Caillat's contribution to an Olympics compilation, "Somethin' Special," the Juanes-featuring "Hoy Me Voy," "Circles" and an acoustic version of the hit "Bubbly."
Here are the bonus tracks for "CoCo": "Tell Him" (live) "Brand New Me" "Somethin' Special" (Beijing Olympics mix) "Circles" "Hoy Me Voy" (featuring Juanes) "Turn Your Lights Down Low" (live) "Magic (piano version) "Bubbly" (acoustic) |
Santana to put down guitar, pick up... bible?? |
Carlos Santana is on tour and has an album coming out, but in an interview on Friday the rocker said he sees More divine causes in his future. The 61-year-old rocker described in the interview how his faith has helped him get through low points in his life, including the pain of a divorce from his wife of 34 years, Deborah. He also said that he would like to start a church in Maui, Hawaii. "I'm going to stop playing when I'm 67 and work on what I really want to do, which is to be a minister, like Little Richard," he said. "I'm not sick of what I do, but I find that God gave me the gift of communication even without my guitar and with the ability to get people unstuck with certain sections of the Bible having to do with guilt, shame, judgment and fear." Santana started his "Live Your Light" tour on September 6 in Auburn, Washington. The 23-date tour ends on October 12 in Concord, California. His two-disc album "Multi-Dimensional Warrior," a compilation of Santana songs from his 40-year career, comes out on October 14. |
Phish Plans Trio of Virginia Shows |
It’s official: Phish has decided to reunite and take the stage at the Hampton Coliseum in Virginia for a trio of shows on March 6-8, 2009. The concerts will be the band’s first public show since calling it quits four years ago. The announcement was made in a video posted monday night on Phish’s official website depicting an artist painting the iconic, multi-colored Hampton Coliseum, the scene of the Phish live album Hampton Comes Alive. Recently, both guitarist Trey Anastasio and bassist Mike Gordon said that they hoped the band would reunite in the near future. The band also revealed additional shows for 2009 are planned, but no specifics have been announced yet. Fans can go to the Phish site (www.phish.com) to enter into a drawing for Hampton tickets now, while Ticketmaster will begin selling tickets on October 18th. |
Duffy is on the brink of a
'nervous breakdown'. |
The 'Mercy’ singer has revealed the pressures of fame have taken their toll, forcing her to consider 'disappearing'. The 24-year-old Welsh songstress has had too many encounters with over- zealous fans which have left her shaken. She said: 'As a girl, I thought I was superhuman. But I’m bordering on a nervous breakdown. 'The scary thing is this feels like just the beginning. It would be easy to become a recluse. I have sold my soul and I’m no longer anonymous. "I walked into a restaurant in Italy and there were 30 lads in there chanting at me. I’m never calm anymore.' Despite debating whether she can 'handle' being a celebrity, the star believes it would not be fair on her fans to quit now. She added: 'It would be wrong for me to disappear. I have to play for the fans. I just have to remember that the majority of people are good.' Duffy is set to support Coldplay on their US tour. |
The Dead Rise for Obama |
Surviving Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Bob Weir and Bill Kreutzmann have signed on to headline a fundraiser for the Democratic presidential candidate next month in Pennsylvania. Though Lesh, Hart and Weir jammed together at a Deadheads for Obama concert in San Francisco in February, Kreutzmann hasn't performed with all three since 2004, when they toured as the Dead. The Change Rocks event, also featuring the Allman Brothers Band, takes place Oct. 13 at Pennsylvania State University's Bryce Jordan Center. Tickets are $50, $30 for students. http://my.barackobama.com/page/ content/psuconcert |
Founding Pink Floyd Member Loses Battle With Cancer |
Pink Floyd keyboard player and founding member Richard Wright died on Monday after a short battle with cancer, his spokesman said. He was 65. Wright, singer, songwriter and guitarist Syd Barrett, guitarist Roger Waters and drummer Nick Mason founded the band that became Pink Floyd in the 1960s when they were students. Pink Floyd went on to become one of the biggest names in rock.
"The family of Richard Wright, founder member of Pink Floyd, announce with great sadness, that Richard died today after a short struggle with cancer," his spokesman said in a statement. "The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this difficult time."
Wright co-wrote five songs on "Dark Side of the Moon," which was released in 1973, spent 14 years on the Billboard 200 album chart and is one of the best selling albums ever.
Wright left Pink Floyd after falling out with Waters during sessions for "The Wall." He rejoined the band in 1987. |
Amazon.com has premiered the video for a new Bob Dylan song. |
Amazon.com has premiered the video for a new Bob Dylan song, "Dreamin' of You," starring veteran character actor Harry Dean Stanton as a Dylan bootlegger traveling the country to peddle his wares.
"Dreamin"' is the first taste of "Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8," due October 7 via Columbia, which rounds up 27 rarities from the past 20-odd years of Dylan's career.
Dylan recently wrapped a nationwide tour in Santa Barbara, Calif., and is currently endorsing a line of hand-signed Horner Signature Series Harmonicas.
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Sheryl Crowe Inspires New Voters |
Sheryl Crow is giving away free music — a tactic she calls the "Tupperware" party approach to inspiring young people to vote.
The Grammy Award-winning singer announced a plan Wednesday to give a digital copy of her album "Detours" to the first 50,000 people who register three friends to vote.
Crow's giveaway is a kickoff to Rock the Vote's voter registration drive. She is also offering a free download of her politically charged song "Gasoline" to anyone who logs onto the Rock the Vote Web site or anyone on the group's mailing list.
Crow, 46, was one of the founding artists of Rock the Vote 18 years ago. She said the "Detours" album fits perfectly into the group's cause since the lyrics touch on topics such as adoption, breast cancer, the war in Iraq, the environment and Hurricane Katrina.
"It's about the issues that everyone's talking about, but there's a lot of hope," Crow said.
She also said, "Our music (now) is not representing the times — at least not socially and politically. Or maybe we're just distracted."
Rock the Vote aims to register 2 million young people to vote by November — the largest youth voter drive in history by three times.
Anyone who recruits three people to vote will have to log onto the Rock the Vote Web site and go through a verification process before receiving Crow's album. |
Every note you fake, it will look like Sting is watching you.
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The British rocker is the latest hitmaker to lend his image and music to the Guitar Hero franchise, which in recent years has welcomed Metallica and Aerosmith and noted strummers like Slash and Tom Morello into the pixelated fold.
Sting's upcoming contribution will be to the new Guitar Hero World Tour. Players will either be able to "take the stage" and play to wild crowds as Sting or "jam" alongside him on the song "Demolition Man."
This version of Activision's carpal tunnel-inducing funfest will also feature microphone and drumkit attachments as well as composing and editing software. |
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