Met this cat John West last night -- former LA street musician from Louisiana -- in DC last night, and he performed a great show! He was the first opener for Fall Out Boy's singer/composer Patrick Stump who was okay, too -- kinda out there, but also fun (for all ages, scanning the audience)!

Anyway, West's 3-song EP is just released on iTunes

One of John Lennon's best solo songs from the album Mind Games, a song which i doubt gets much air time on the radio. Classic 1975

I...have nothing to say about this.

Ha ha! Actually I didn't mind that. I wish I could have seen them perform. Gotta give it to Tony. My God, how old must he be now and still looks/sounds great. But yea, Lady GaGa? Who would have thought?

TIS

Happy birthday, Ray!

Morris Day & The Time got back together and recorded a new record. Except they're barred from using "Morris Day & The Time" moniker because of some purple mother fucker who owns the copyright and refuses to let them use it. So they're the "Original 7ven" now.

After all that crying he did about Warners Brothers and master tapes and release schedules one would THINK he'd be a little more understanding with fellow musicians-some of whom he's known for what, 40 years? But so it goes.

Well yeah you would, if you weren't a pretentious dickhead and control freak.

Which he is.

The thing is is that not only does he hold the rights to the name "The Time" but he wrote just about everything on "their" first two albums and played most of the instruments. Presumably he still owns rights to all that as well which means he gets paid every time one of those albums or songs is sold or played.

So why be a jerk at this point? They tour as The Time, interest in the back catalog goes up and Prince makes more $$$.

This is exactly why Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam left the first time around-too much control. I wonder if this is his way of getting even for them walking out all those years ago.

Which is all pretty logical, except (1) he's not, and (2) he doesn't give a shit. Whenever I or somebody starts a Prince thread, we could endlessly list all his mistakes and questionable moves and opinions that baffle the most very basic of logic.

Whether it be his botched handling of The Time (his only truely successful associated-act) or the firing of the Revolution or refusing to tour SIGN O THE TIMES in America or suing your own fanbase or producing Carmen Electra or most recently his gaffe about Muslim nations....pick your poison.



Considering how little in regard he always held for his "employees," I think its just him being a dick for the sake of it and getting off on power control. (Hell another Prince-formed act in The Family also recently reformed to tour and record, and he likewise refused to let them keep their name. Now they're Fdeluxe, which sounds like a rejected futuristc McDonalds burger.)

I thought this was good. I have never seen Jimmy Fallon's show but a while back he did a Charlie Sheen "Winning" spoof and it was hilarious. Evidently it's part 3 of the History of Rap. I didn't see 1 & 2 but I think this is kind of funny. Even I know some of the(mostly older) rap songs they sing.

TIS

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/29..._n_1065207.html

Back on Prince/Time, this appeared in an interview published by the Star Tribune:

Last week during Thanksgiving, out of the blue and with zero hype, Prince actually released a new single ("Extralovable") through iTunes and other on-line digital music stores to promote his new tour up in Canada. I'm a supposed "fan" and I wasn't even aware about this until yesterday.

Despite no advertisement or pre-release notice, it's actually a hit at digital stores so far. Currently #2 on iTunes' R&B/Soul chart, and #111 on the iTunes Top 200. Impressive all things considered I suppose.

My first impression: Yet another technically fine track with a slicked-up production that Prince can produce in his sleep (which he's done way too many times. I'm sure he's released albums too while sleepwalking.) Also I'm biased because I've heard the original version, produced thirty years ago as an outtake way back in the 1999 album sessions.

But this new version has actually grown on me, now comes off as a solid R&B track which partially perhaps explains its current success. Certainly I don't miss the distasteful rape lyric found in the original version.

My personal dissing of the guy personally aside, I always enjoy it when such music masters long past their prime time can still cut decent music, further padding their resumes.



(and the original version)

Prince's "Extralovable" goes #1 (Sorta)

Briefly today, it went #1 on the iTunes R&B chart but now fallen back to #4. (Was #2 most of yesterday) Peaked #111 on the iTunes Top 200, now eased off into the 150s.

All things considered, pretty impressive for a track released in the middle of the night without pre-release notice or publicity. Who knows, if he had properly advertised and promoted it (hell maybe even a video) he's might've had an OK hit.

But then, that would be logical and we don't want that now do we?

Still, Good job grandpa.