Random Music News/Musings/Debates Thread

Starting off with two news items straight from the Fossil Fuels newsdesk:

New Paul McCartney album out February



Beach Boys (w/ Brian Wilson) celebrate 50th anniversary with reunion tour (& new album)




If you're still Christmas shopping, here's a gift suggestion: THE SMILE SESSIONS, the master tapes of the legendary (unfinished) Beach Boys classic album SMILE finally officially released. Celebrated as a "lost" masterpiece for decades, it really did reveal itself to be a true gem from the late 1960s, which produced some of the greatest, most treasured pop music. Now you can add another gem to that list.

Didn't know about Sir Paul's album but just yesterday heard about the Beach Boys returning.

Wow, 50th anniversary really?? Although I never had all their music I do enjoy the BBs. It wasn't til years after I moved to CA that I actually saw them in concert (90's). Beautiful summer evening in California, outdoor concert,people kicking beach balls from the stage into the audience. Perfect setting for a Beach Boys concert. What a talented group.



TIS

Black Sabbath Announces New Album

I'm pretty hyped about this. It's going to be produced by legend Rick Rubin.

Maccablog, via Allmusic, has revealed the setlist for McCartney's upcoming record My Valentine.





Christina Aguilera Rumored to be Releasing New Single Next Month

http://www.kovideo.net/christina-aguiler...ilera-4682.html

The McCartney album is an interesting idea. I've always thought the Lennon-McCartney team were partly old fashioned songwriters, especially their sentimental songs. The Beatles, of course, covered Meredith Willson's "Till There Was You," from the Music Man.

Speaking of the Beatles, I listen to music every morning when I go for my run. Today they played "Michelle". They asked to call if you knew the translation to the french portion sont des mots qui vont très bien ensemble. Translation: These are word that go together well." I probably knew that once.

Anyway, another great Beatle song.


TIS

Paul tackled a similar gimmick years back with RUN DEVIL RUN, covers of 1950s rockers (plus inspired originals) and I loved it. Particularly his version of Elvis' "All Shook Up," which I might actually prefer over the original.

From the Random as Hell Newsdesk:

Ke$ha covers Bob Dylan for Amnesty International charity album

RR,

Although I am biased to the original I really really liked that version as well. It's an updated from 50's to 60's sound and it's very good.

Continuing with Beatles, perhaps not quite as popular Beatle songs, two that I really like are "My Bonnie" and "Ain't She Sweet." I remember as a kid I had a little blue songbook which had folk type songs and patriotic songs and those were in the book. I love "Rock" version of each.

Oh, and still with the Beatles and comparing original recordings to re-recordings, I LOVE The Beatles "Rock & Roll Music" and "Roll Over Beethoven" AND I think even better than the originals. With all due respect to Chuck Berry

TIS

The title track for Paul's My Valentine (w/ guitar by Eric Clapton*) has leaked on-line. Also revealed that Stevie Wonder will also appear on another original song, "Only Our Hearts."



I'm liking this.


*=Which if you music fans are keeping score, this might be the first time they've both collaborated on an original recording since the White Album. I might be wrong?

Thanks RR

The song didn't really do much for me, at least not the first time.

They were discussing this album on the radio this morning though. They said that the song Paul wrote for his new wife and sang at their wedding will be on this record. I wonder if this is the song?



TIS

Thats a nice song Ronnie..

From the Self-Indulgence News Desk...

R. Kelly has written 32 more chapters for ‘Trapped in the Closet’ saga



And from the Awesome NewsDesk...

Lost David Bowie footage to be broadcast on BBC 2

from the I'm-surprised-they're-still-in-business newsdesk...

Rhapsody reaches 1 million subsribers

My nephew gave me a copy of "Hendrix in the West," a newer CD release of the first live vinyl put out following Jimi's death. "West" is arguably the best live Hendrix on a single CD, and includes cuts from his terrific San Diego and Berkeley concerts. You should also consider the DVD, "Jimi Plays Berkeley," which is the best extant video showcasing his amazing playing techniques.

All Hail/The New Old King in Town!

L.A. Weekly Names Prince’s Troubadour Show Concert Of The Year

http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2011/12/the_best_los_angeles_concerts.php?page=2

Lady Gaga To Release Previously Unheard Track On Christmas



http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/...005723952.story

Music student leaves $170K violin on bus

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/12/24/Music-student-leaves-170K-violin-on-bus/UPI-39141324705218/

They found it today

Thanks, I was going to post the follow-up, you know to string this story out.

(Har har HAR!)

I probably agree with both Scott and Simmons, which would be a first. But to be fair, aren't all Super Bowl Shows lip synced?

Howard Scott speaks his mind



Gene Simmons criticizes Madonna

As much as I do agree that WAR deserves induction I can't feel sympathy right now when they're bitching about being snubbed in favor of a group that legitimately deserved induction. This isn't a controversial pick like Madonna or whatever, these are the Beastie Boys: not just one of the greatest hip-hop acts, but also seminally involved in the Alternative Music epoch of the early 90s. "Sabotage" is one of the great classic 1990s rockers. Doesn't just make you sound pity, it makes you sound stupid.

Or put it another way, Stooges were inducted the same year as ABBA. Sex Pistols and Black Sabbath weren't inducted until just a few years ago. Deep Purple and KISS are still MIA. Paul McCartney (the most successful modern pop musician in sales) waited [i]seven years after he first became eligible. The Cars and Dead Kennedys aren't in (two notable 80s acts for their respective genres), but Madonna is.

There's a long bitch queue for the Rock HOF. Get in line WAR.

(Of course if sampling is obviously sole legitimacy for the HOF, the Beastie Boys also sampled Cheech & Chong. Let's induct them. And the marijuana Chia Pet too.)

Alle Hagel der König!

Elvis Presley Museum Opens In Germany

The promised "leaked" Christmas Lady GaGa track is here. From her people:



I'll say this: I like the title.

I don't know if Lady Gaga can surprise me anymore.


Love the Elvis Museum in Germany. I'm guessing there may be relics from G.I. Blues since it was filmed in Germany. I still need to make it to Graceland though.



TIS

To each his own but I can't see the Beastie Boys in before WAR. It's all politics on some level and there are plenty of bands that can gripe about things -Led Zeppelin never won a Grammy while they were together- but Scott isn't going to be concerned about any group other than his own-that's just human nature. To wait longer to get in than bands that came after you and *arguably* weren't as important is going to irk anyone.

Ten Musicians who are ripoff artists

Yes people still buy music. (I know shocking, right?)

Best Selling Albums of 2011 (Worldwide)

Source: Mediatraffic

01. Adele - 21
XL Recordings - 14.3 million copies

02. Lady Gaga - Born This Way
Interscope - 5.3 million copies

03. Michael Bublé - Christmas
Reprise - 4.0 million copies

04. Bruno Mars - Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Elektra / Warner Bros. - 3.8 million copies

05. Rihanna - Loud
Def Jam - 3.3 million copies

06. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
Parlophone / Capitol - 2.9 million copies

07. Adele - 19
XL Recordings - 2.7 million copies

08. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
Island - 2.2 million copies

09. Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
Capitol - 2.1 million copies

10. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter IV
Cash Money - 2.0 million copies

11. Beyoncé - 4
Columbia - 2.0 million copies

12. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
RCA - 1.9 million copies

13. Justin Bieber - My Worlds (My World+My World 2.0)
Island - 1.8 million copies

14. Pink - Greatest Hits So Far
LaFace / Zomba - 1.8 million copies

15. Black Eyed Peas - The Beginning
Interscope - 1.7 million copies

16. Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You
Warner Bros. - 1.6 million copies

17. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne
Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam - 1.6 million copies

18. Justin Bieber - Under The Mistletoe
Def Jam / Island - 1.6 million copies

19. Jason Aldean - My Kinda Party
Broken Bow - 1.6 million copies

20. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Island - 1.5 million copies

21. Britney Spears - Femme Fatale
Jive - 1.4 million copies

22. Lady Gaga - The Fame (Monster)
Interscope - 1.4 million copies

23. David Guetta - Nothing But The Beat
EMI Music - 1.4 million copies

24. Lady Antebellum - Own The Night
Capitol Nashville - 1.3 million copies

25. Rihanna - Talk That Talk
Def Jam - 1.3 million copies

26. Drake - Take Care
Cash Money - 1.3 million copies

27. Avril Lavigne - Goodbye Lullaby
RCA - 1.3 million copies

28. Tony Bennett - Duets II
Columbia - 1.2 million copies

29. Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday
Cash Money / Universal Motown - 1.2 million copies

30. Jessie J - Who You Are
Island / Lava - 1.2 million copies

31. Chris Brown - F.A.M.E.
Jive - 1.2 million copies

32. Taylor Swift - Speak Now
Big Machine - 1.2 million copies

33. LMFAO - Sorry For Party Rocking
Interscope - 1.2 million copies

34. Eminem - Recovery
Aftermath / Interscope - 1.2 million copies

35. Justin Bieber - Never Say Never (The Remixes)
Island - 1.2 million copies

36. Bad Meets Evil - Hell: The Sequel
Shady / Interscope - 1.1 million copies

37. Jennifer Lopez - Love?
Def Jam / Island - 1.0 million copies

38. Shakira - Sale El Sol
Epic - 1.0 million copies

39. Pitbull - Planet Pit
J Records - 1.0 million copies

40. Arashi - Beautiful World
J-Storm Records Japan - 0.9 million copies

(Notice the massive gap between #1 and #2. Or the fact that, unless I'm mistaken, 21 might be the first album be the year's #1 best-selling album two years in a row.)

http://www.mediatraffic.de/albums-2011.htm

I thought this was an interesting article. Some of the artists out today make a lot of money but they rarely seem to sell a lot of units or have mass touring success. This article delved into how and why that is.

Full Article

The industry is being forced to evolve before our eyes, but evolve how and what will it become for it to survive post-Internet?

Your guess is as good as any.

Just finished reading "The Last Sultan," a biography of Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records. Very interesting. He was a fascinating guy. Many insights into the ruthlessness of the music biz, and more than a few choice anecdotes about bands and performers'... uh...peculiarities.

I've seen some reviews about that book but was waiting to hear more before I purchased it. From what I read Ertegun kept up with or surpassed any rock star in his pursuit of pleasure (drugs and women). But he was also a hardnosed businessman who was fair by the standards of the day? Is that accurate?

I think it will be more of the same. At the tip top you will have a few bands that made it before the internet age and whose fans largely don't relate to them via the net. You'll also see a few post-internet bands who've figured out how to make downloading work for them. The rich will get richer.

But for the vast majority of bands there will be less work and less money. On the one hand since I think the music industry has way too many bands or performers anyway a certain shaking out of the marginal talent will be a good thing. On the other hand, a lot of the musicians I like from back in the day took two or more albums to build a name for themselves and find some level of commercial success. That's almost impossible today. You either make it big right away or you stay laboring in anonymity.

I am not bothered by the prospect of record companies making less money since they are responsible for $18 cd's with 1 or 2 decent songs on them BUT I can't accept people saying they have a "right" to free music. That same attitude is harming the newspaper industry, the fiction market and is impacting the film industry as well. If you're a creative person you have the right to create product and put it in the market at a price you think reasonable. The consumer has the right to not buy it or attempt to negotiate with you for a different price. They don't have the right to take your stuff for free and tell you they're doing you a favor.

We'll see higher concert ticket prices as bands attempt to make up the difference.

Lilo, the book is generally quite favorable to Ertegun. It's a little fuzzy about drug use, but he could party down with any rockers.
I guess you could also say he was "fair" by record industry standards, which are lower than whale s**t.

Van Halen back with Roth.
We're putting the band back together

Didn't they have a scheduled reunion years ago that never came off?

Van Halen was the icon of every beer-soaked 14-year-old (including my son). I drove him to a Van Halen concert at Radio City Music Hall in the Eighties. When I picked him up and asked how it was, he said, "Eddie blew Jimi away." I almost threw him out of the car.

Then I bought a video, "Jimi Plays Berkeley," which has the best extant footage of his technique (and a great concert, too). After showing him that video, I heard no more about Eddie's playing.

Yes, they did have a reunion planned but I think that there was some miscommunication between Roth and Eddie (big surprise) and words were spoken and blah blah blah.

Speaking of Hendrix though:

There is a "new" Hendrix release available: The Jimi Hendrix Experience Winterland (4 CD's) and bonus CD (Jimi Hendrix Experience at Fillmore West).

There is a story-possibly apocryphal , though I seem to remember reading it in Miles' autobiography-that as a member of Miles Davis' band , John Coltrane , who was even then known for incredibly long solos, went to Miles and initiated a long musical discussion about how Coltrane was having trouble wrapping up his solos and how did Miles think he should handle it. Miles' typically terse response was "John. Put the f*****g horn down!!!"

I mention that because even as a Hendrix slappy on some this release's solos I sorta wish Miles had been around to tell Hendrix that. Hendrix here is in full effect though. It is an expansion and remastering of the previous Winterland release. Versions of old songs are drastically reworked and expanded.The highlight is undoubtedly an 11 minute marathon of "Like a Rolling Stone". The Fillmore CD has two different versions of "Dear Mr. Fantasy".

To the extent you can say anyone was the greatest, Hendrix certainly fit the bill. But even the greatest is only one man. It would have been interesting to hear a second guitarist, organist or horn player on some of these songs. Because Hendrix goes on and on and on...

Because obviously everybody is suffering in the current economy...

Jay-Z and Kanye West Earn Nearly $6 Million for Playing 16 Year-old's Birthday Party

I didn't know Rihanna and Kenny Chesney were that popular.
And Roger Waters got to keep all that money for himself without having to share any with David Gilmour...

Cuts in Grammys -grumbling but no action

What strikes me is the highest average ticket price.

Sir Paul, I adore your work, both Beatles and solo catalogues. The locals know I'm a Beatle nut. And in recent years, I've increasingly respected the shit out of your indeliable contributions to pop music. (Especially after the recent reissues of MCCARTNEY and MCCARTNEY II albums.)

But $135 for one of your concerts?!? Are you nuts? Did that golddigger ex really nail you that badly? Are you starving for cash? Jesus Christ I like you dude, but I pay that much to buy a guitar, not a concert ticket. Excuse me, "not an average concert ticket." Yeah that means a good half of a concert audience of yours pays more than $135 just for a seat.

Even if John and George came back to life and told God to suck it and the Beatles got reformed, that's still too much.



To be fair, unless I'm mistaken, he underwrote the entire $60-70 million tour pricetag (varies by account) so he's entitled to break even. Which is funny because that THE WALL concert (strong contender for concert of the year IMO) is practically an excuse for Waters to make his anti-capitalist rant.

Hilarious. (Capo would've loved it.)

Peter Frampton Sues A&M Records Over Digital Royalties



http://www.billboard.com/news/peter-fram...005751352.story

EDIT - It should be noted that last year, Pink Floyd sued EMI over similar complaints in UK courts and won.

Lilo, my nephew sent me the Hendrix at Winterland CDs, as well as West Coast Seattle Boy, Wild Blue Angel (Isle of Wight) and Hendrix in the West. As with so much of what's been released within the last 10 years, nothing on Winterland is bad, but it's all been done before--and better. The first Seattle Boy disc has some pretty decent R&B from the bands Jimi played with before the Experience, but the playing isn't readily identified as Jimi. The rest is like the Winterland stuff--there are only so many times you can hear "Foxy Lady," "Purple Haze," etc. and maintain interest (although one of the "Purple Haze"'s on the boxed set, "The Jimi Hendrix Experience," contains one of his patented big finishes). Jimi was way off at the Isle of Wight, his last concert.

"Hendrix in the West" was the first posthumous release of live Jimi, and it's still one of the very best. I held onto my vinyl all these years, hoping for a CD release--now I have it.

An on-line article about Prince refusing to let former associated acts The Time and The Family tour/record again under their names, which he owns the copyright.

Trouble at Paisley Park

http://www.dominionofnewyork.com/2011/12/30/trouble-in-paisley-park/

Weird how that article brings up Susannah Melvoin without mentioning in context that (1) her sister was in Prince's Revolution band, and (2)she was once Prince's finance, allegedly the inspiration for his track "Forever in My Life."

Anyway, in related "Screw You Purple Mother Fucker!" news, The Time (now the "Original 7ven") have scored a deal with Fox Sports Network to showcase their single "#Trendin" during televised regional NBA games and other similar network programming. Good for them.

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=7393873

I enjoy their sincere fanboy covers, whether covering Berry or Perkins or Little Richard or Holly or whoever ("Baby, It's You" is particularly fun) but that's the thing, they're just that: covers that don't (for me) match up to those originals. (Nobody especially beats Berry at his own original licks & tracks.)

Except for one exception. A cover they did that I'll argue is actually superior than the original, and Lilo will probably have my head for this but alright..."Twist & Shout."

Why? Maybe it was recording circumstances for the PLEASE PLEASE ME album, having to record all the tracks in one day, mixing a few originals with covers they regularly performed in concert. Working like dogs all day and into the night as a band together (complete contrast with them just several years later), all that adrenaline flowing at max power as they tackled the song: "Twist & Shout."

They followed the basic beat and rhythm of the Isley Brothers version, but they gave it balls. John's throat was shredded after that long day, but that group tight as fuck as any rock band can be with the members responded to his desperate, charismatic vocals and each other in real time.

If this was done today, critics would label it a purposeful "punk rock" track. But back then, it was just dudes "high" from kicking ass on their first album but wanted to leave that damn studio after tripping out in massive sweat. That one take forever captured in audio is easily one of the more inspirational, great rock n roll recordings from that decade.

RR,

I'm with you on Twist & Shout. I do remember John saying how his voice was really strained. It's just a wonderful version of the song that's all there is to it. Now my daughters always think of Ferris Buller when they hear that song.



TIS

New (reformed) Van Halen Album Art/Release Date revealed!





Meanwhile, Paul McCartney's reps have stated that his upcoming jazz/standards album will NOT be titled My Valentine after all. Instead NME reports that it's going to be actually titled...I'm not making this up...Kisses on the Bottom.

What some on the subtle-deaf Internet don't get is the purposeful double entendre, since the album title is a reference to a lyric from one of the tracks Macca reportedly covered: "I'm Going to Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter."

Hilarious. Such a better, if initially stunning, album title than the alleged old, bland record title. It's right up there in the Macca cheekyness of his masterpiece Ram album where he had a picture of beetles mating to tell everyone how he felt treated by his ex-Beatle bandmates. Or singing "Eat at Home" with his wife, and they obviously weren't talking about "eating" food.

Can't wait for the Kiss My Ass album.

From the Old Grudges Die Hard With a Vengeance newsdesk:

Sex Pistols' Steve Jones: 'Glen Matlock was a middle-class mommy's boy'



http://www.nme.com/news/sex-pistols/61160

Salt, meet Grain.

Pink Floyd To Reunite For 2012 London Olympics?



http://ultimateclassicrock.com/pink-floyd-london-olympics/

Album cover for McCartney's upcoming KISSES ON THE BOTTOM revealed:

Actually I kind of like it. It's small pic but Paul looks good.




TIS

How old is that picture?

Today Paul looks more like Margaret Thatcher than "The Cute One."

Ha ha ha! Yea it does look like it's an older pic but it's hard to tell. Paul has aged but still has that boyish look(cute) if you ask me. But then, I'm a fan.


TIS

Yeah, he still looks 16, Tis.

Now, come on, I didn't say that. You're cold!



TIS

You know I'm kidding, Tis .

I've told you many times that Paul was my favorite Beatle, which puts me in the minority.

The older I get, the more tolerant of old age I am.





TIS

Live Streaming of Van Halen NYC concert?

Allegedly tonight's gig at CafeWhaNYC for the media (and reportedly debut their first album single) is allegedly supposed to stream tonight at 8 PM, ET.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cafewhanyc

EDIT - Said single, "Tattoo," will be released next tuesday.

Nearly 700 Unreleased Thin Lizzy Recordings Found



http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/News/thin-lizzy-songs-0104-2012/

Well Van Halen NYC "livestream" was a total BUST, the feed cutting out dead before the concert went off. (Rather ominous start for that tour.)

However, David Lee Roth did reveal to fans while signing autographs that the upcoming Van Halen album (first w/ Roth since 1984) will be apparently titled A Different Kind of Truth.

Van Halen tour schedule, plus tour trailer.

http://www.vhnd.com/

Lilo - Just a flesh wound.

(Internet is proof you don't need a head to post on the Internet. )

So while the Ustream was a bomb, the Van Halen gig at Cafe Wha? (incidentally once owned by David Lee Roth's uncle) went off without a hitch otherwise. In their 40 minute set, they played a new track ("She's The Woman") from their upcoming album.

I like how for whatever random reason, Diamond Dave is dressed up like a plumber.

Uh oh, she's back.

New Madonna single out January 15



http://www.drownedmadonna.com/index/item...e-newsbits.html

So I was re-listening to READY TO DIE (a classic), and I realized a question I've alwayswondered: Why do rap albums insist upon having "skits"? Quite honestly, unless someone cares to point me wrong in exceptions, they add nothing to the albums if you ask me.

I'm not sure about that Ronnie with regards to Skits, i guess its some kind of album filler, but i know that album is a classic and is one of a few rap albums i can listen to in full. Stand out songs have to be "Juicy" and "One more chance", takes me back to my college days..

There is still some unreleased Band of Gypsys jam sessions out there as well as some live German concerts with the Experience that I want. I taped them off the radio many years ago but the tapes are now missing..

I would be interested in hearing that-or at least the early years featuring Eric Bell. I think he's really underrated.

Happy 65th birthday to Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie) and 45th birthday to Piss-Alot (R. Kelly.)

Wow, 65? Well it's nice to know that the artists that we grew up listening to and enjoying get old like the rest of us. No stopping father time. Happy Birthday David Bowie & R. Kelly who I know but am less familiar with.


TIS

Speaking of Bowie, the BBC over Christmas re-aired a long-lost*, (believed erased) 1973 Tops of the Pops performance by Bowie of his then-hit "The Jean Genie." Really remarkable is that unlike most TOTP appearances, Bowie didn't lip-sync or use backing tracks. Live as life can be. (Mr. Bieber, take notes.)



*=Notice the fishlens shots? That was the cameraman's idea, and kept a copy so he could show off its use. He apparently wasn't aware until last year that performance tape was considered lost and he held the only known existing copy.

Funny how I report updates for a musician, and as a result unpurposefully discover more stuff and end up reporting more tangents to the original topic.

David Bowie's 65th birthday: Why glam rock legend is content to have retired from the limelight



http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories.../#ixzz1ivKyzTyc

From the Humble Newsdesk...

Rihanna: There's Nobody Really In My League

http://www.sugarscape.com/tags/music/686347/rihanna-there-are-no-singers-my-league

Except maybe she has a point?

Rihanna Named Biggest-Selling Digital Artist Of All Time



Source: AP

As filler, I wish rappers wouldn't bother with the skits and instead...oh I don't know...just produce a new quickie track or two. What's wrong with a 90 second rap track? Or try experimentation (you know, half-realized musical ideas?)

That's what almost every other major recording genre does.

I remember The Onion joking about such a situation months back. Hilarious. Until it happened for real.

Jay-Z releases new single in honor of newborn Daughter





Incidentally, the track doesn't mention allegedly him and Beyonce renting out an entire hospital floor for themselves, or that their crack security team hassled patients/their relatives/doctors/nurses, or that several said hassled folks are considering a lawsuit for that bullshit.

(Also goddamit Shawn Carter, you wrote those lyrics? Onion was correct after all. Jeez I hope Onion's other prediction that you'll soon crank out a children's hip-hop album doesn't come to pass.)

Coachella '12 Festival line-up announced

Straight from the horse's mouth, the final official setlist for KISSES ON THE BOTTOM:





Two notes:

(1) Unless they'll tell us otherwise, "Baby's Request" I believe was originally a Wings track from the Back to the Egg album.
(2) The Henry Hall and his Gleneagles Hotel Orchestra version of "Home (When Shadows Fall)" was the infamous track used in the ending of The Shininbg

Paul McCartney Set for Grammy Performance, TV Special



http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/01/08/paul-mccartney-will-get-grammy-tv-special-treatment-for-kisses

New Van Halen single "Tattoo" released

There’s no denying the staying power of the 1981 Journey hit “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” which includes the line (everyone together now): “Just a city boy born and raised in South Detroit.”

Motor City residents have griped that the whole “South Detroit” thing isn’t quite accurate. Now, thanks to New York Magazine, we know what former Journey front man Steve Perry was thinking when he wrote the lyrics.

Perry tells that mag that the song’s imagery came to him one sleepless night in May 1980 while Journey was in Detroit for a five-night stand as part of the group’s Departure Tour.

“I was digging the idea of how the lights were facing down so that you couldn’t see anything,” he said as he recalled looking out a hotel room window at 2 a.m. “All of a sudden I’d see people walking out of the dark, and into the light. And the term ‘streetlight people’ came to me. So Detroit was very much in my consciousness when we started writing.” (The song includes the line: “Streetlight people/ Living just to find emotion/ Hiding somewhere in the night.”

And South Detroit? Well, that was just poetic license.

“I ran the phonetics of east, west, and north, but nothing sounded as good or emotionally true to me as South Detroit,” Perry said. “The syntax just sounded right. I fell in love with the line. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve learned that there is no South Detroit. But it doesn’t matter.”

Story

Ol' Dirty Bastard's 93-page FBI File made Public

As soon as I read that headline, I knew this news would be good.

For the entire (and redacted) FBI file in PDF form, go here:

http://gun.io/blog/i-got-ol-dirty-bastards-fbi-file/

If you're too lazy and want a summary:





http://www.spin.com/articles/ol-dirty-bastards-fbi-file-numbers

For any huge Billy Joel fan (as I am!) there is a great re-issue of "Piano Man" album with a TON of extras! It is well worth the cost for any die hard fan. If anybody is REALLY interested in this album, please PM me... I have some really great information.

Where is the love in contemporary R&B?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/02/showbiz/music/love-songs/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Misc. News & Notes:

*Kool & The Gang will be the opening act for Van Halen's upcoming tour.

*R. Kelly's album coming out in March has been renamed Write Me Back, after the original title Black Panties got negative press.

*Speaking of VH, Eddie Van Halen donated 75 guitars to L.A. public schools and their recently budget-gutted music departments.

*Madonna's upcoming 12th studio album now has a title: MDNA Going around is also the alleged album cover.



And from the Making Money Off Old Music newsdesk...

Boutique Music buys publishing rights to Six Beatles Songs



http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/20...-beatles-songs/

In her defense, she's only repeating what's already been said. (Even by Weird Al.)

Madonna disses Lady GaGa



Now that's how you do a Backhanded Compliment, kids.

EDIT - Bullshit 101: Whenever somebody simply describes something as "Interesting," chances are that is the polite codeword for "I hated it!"

This rumor is out of this world (Silly)!

Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles to Shoot Music Video in Outer Space

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00046875.html

Well Madonna dissing Lady Gaga has went viral. I can't decide what makes that petty swipe so awesomely bitchy: condescendingly saying "Look it Up" or sipping that tea cup.

LOL Such a short response, but yea they way she picks up the cup and says "look it up" does look "bitchy".

I am not AS familiar with GaGa's song tho I've heard it and do see similarities but not much.



TIS

I can't help but wonder if she actually means more of the crazy outfits.

Remember how outrageous they thought Madonna was with her cone shape bras, garage sale type outfits and such? I think an all-meat outfit tops that. I couldn't believe that.



TIS

Apprently it seems that the trend now adays in music is to look as trashy or as stupid as you can.

I like Lady Gaga, not so much for her music, but for lessons of acceptance that she imparts to her "monsters". However, that song is a blatant rip-off of Madonna's.

IMO, the Egg hatching topped that non-PETA friendly wardrobe.



I would argue that to a degree in variations, this has always been the case. Rlbid Elvis the Pelvis horrified America's parents. But in truely purposefully outrageous visual get-up, let's start from the early 70s and go forward. David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Elton John, Sex Pistols, Madonna and so forth. I could also bring up or the newly-Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted Red Hot Chili Peppers back in their heyday 90s performing an awards show only in their clean tighty whities.

But specifically, let's bring up Prince, which my man Lilo can back me up here with my point. When he had his first major hit ("I Wanna Be Your Lover") back in 1979, Warner Bros. had him set-up as the supposed new Stevie Wonder, and he pretty much looked and composed like your typical late 70s R&B/Disco black music act that can be imagined. (Afro goes without saying.) Nothing controversial. At least from my end.

So how does he follow that up the very next year? DIRTY MIND, he tosses all that in favor of wearing a trench coat, leg warmers and a bikini thong on stage, all while singing explicitely about oral sex, sibling incest, and alot of bad words too.



And this was in 1980, the year Reagan was elected. I'm un-PC for saying this, but a black man dressed* like that back then and still now in a black neighborhood would get his ass kicked into oblivion. Pure and simple. So the latest shock is nothing new, just pushing the envelope further and further along. The envelope aint been shredded yet folks.

*=I remember that infamous anecdote when Prince at that time opened for the Rolling Stones at the L.A. Colliseum. He starts off with "Jack U Off"....and to say the least, the crowd you would expect at a Stone concert violently reacted negatively to a black guy in a thong singing about masturbating another dude. Garbage, beer, and food thrown at him, including a whole fried chicken (I bet it was Jake Blues) and he ran off the stage.

I couldn't tell you all her songs. I can't say I mind her singing, she's just really out there.

But you're right, I know she does do a lot for equal rights and that's always good.


TIS

That's all well and good, but he didn't dress up in an outfit made of perfectly good meat or any of the wierd stuff she wears. Then you have kesha or whatever her name is that copies her. then you got these "teen idols" like Miley Cyrus who dresses like an out right skank.

"Born This Way" producer DJ White Shadow has addressed Madonna's criticism, via Twitter:





Somebody call the grammar police!

Old lady meds? Really? Let's see Gaga 28 years from now, if she looks half as good as Madonna looked sitting on that couch. And, honey, Madonna did it first, and she did it better.

As for the meat dress, I would imagine it gave off a bit of an odor after a while, especially under those hot stage lights. I wouldn't want to have been the one standing next to her.

Seriously, I thought that a while back Madonna commented on the song w/o criticizing it. I thought this story was over. Evidently no.


TIS

Ryan Seacrest tweets:

Lenny Kravitz drops free Mix-tape

http://www.giantstep.net/releases/2937#download

Clint Eastwood: "Beyoncé is the next Ella Fitzgerald"



Coachella 2012 Both Weekends Sold Out

http://www.craveonline.com/music/articles/181203-coachella-2012-weekend-1-tickets-sold-out

And I promise, one last Madge-related newsbit for awhile. But anyway, funny how she still somehow finds a way to be "controversial."

Madonna Angers Anti-Drug Group With New Album Title



http://www.hollywood.com/news/Madonna_Angers_Anti_Drug_Group_With_New_Album_Title/13610480

Hey Drug War soldiers, that...is stupid. How stupid? Look it up. *sips tea*

Mentioned in the '12 Dead Pool, but again worth noting:



http://www.prefixmag.com/news/rip-funk-musician-jimmy-castor/60607/

Some home videos you hope never go public.

1987, a 6th grade Angelina Jolie (badly) covers "Purple Rain."

http://www.drfunkenberry.com/2012/01/17/..._medium=twitter

LOL! I'm sure Angelina will be happy to see this surface.

Beyonce’s latest “lighter skinned” album photo causes controversy



http://www.scandalscelebrity.com/2012/01...es-controversy/

Oh Elton, he sure aint gonna live down anytime soon his "guarantee" of winning the Golden Globe only to lose it.

New Discovered Fly species named after Beyonce

New Bruce Springsteen album coming out!

WRECKING BALL cames out March 6. Earlier today The Boss released the setlist and the album's first single "We Take Care Of Our Own," which I must admit is actually pretty good.

Lola Astanova

Zappa, evidently, was not a huge KISS fan.



Zappa Interview

I really have never quite figured out what this song is about but I just love it. It makes me do cartwheels across the floor. Remember the "Nero" look? Isn't that what they called the jackets? Ha ha I don't even remember if Procol Harum was an English or American group.

TIS

This is what i found on Wiki TIS..

"Reid got the title and the starting point for the song at a party. He overheard someone at the party saying to a woman, "You've turned a whiter shade of pale," and the phrase stuck in his mind.[7][8] The original lyrics had four verses, of which only two are heard on the original recording. The third verse has been heard in live performances by Procol Harum, and more seldom also the fourth.[9] The author of Procol Harum: beyond the pale, Claes Johansen, suggests that the song "deals in metaphorical form with a male/female relationship which after some negotiation ends in a sexual act."[8] This is supported by Tim de Lisle in Lives of the Great Songs, who remarks that the lyrics concern a drunken seduction, which is described through references to sex as a form of travel, usually nautical, using mythical and literary journeys.[10] Other observers have also commented that the lyrics concern a sexual relationship.[7]"

*Content taken Wikipedia
Whiter shade of pale

Great song by the way..

Thanks for the link DeNiro.


Considering the era in which it was released, all travel references could definitely be a "trip" of one kind or another that's for sure. All that being said, I'm with you, it IS a great song. If I'm not mistaken, it was last used in the movie, "The Big Chill."



TIS

Hey, TIS - (sorry for off topic!) Don't forget that Lifetime Movie tonight about Drew Peterson!

Oh I forgot. When is it on, do you know off hand? Tonight? (not that it won't be repeated a hundred times) LOL

Nevermind, I see your post says tonight. Damn, I forgot. I want to see Alcatraz too. I'm torn.

Edit again: Oh good Alcatraz is NOT on today. I must have the day wrong.

TIS

You know what song she should cover? "Money."

Katy Perry re-releasing remixed Teenage Dream

http://thatgrapejuice.net/2012/01/katy-perry-readies-teenage-dream-rerelease/#more-61391

Opps?

Cocaine and Multi-million dollar fortunes don't mix well.

Whitney Houston Is ‘Broke As A Joke’




http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2012/01/whitney-houston-financial-problems-broke-bobby-brown

Her 18th Week at #1 Gives Her Longest Run Since Whitney Houston Soundtrack

So what else is new? For the 18th non-consecutive week, XL/Columbia Grammy darling Adele’s 21 will be the #1 album. That’s based on one-day sales reports from those on and offline retailers who haven’t closed shop to set up Newt Gingrich campaign headquarters.

Adele’s chart-topping performance will send her past Billy Ray Cyrus’ Some Gave All, with 17, and turn her sights to the Bodyguard soundtrack, which logged a total of 20 weeks at #1, ending on May 29, 1993, the longest previous run.

(source: Daily Double)

Lilo - If you thought the halftime show was already lackluster, wait till you get this breaking news. From my experience, my two cents, the more you complicate such a short 10-15 performance of a glorified medley of greatest hits with guest stars and all that bullshit, the more it becomes a train wreck.

Cee Lo Green to join Madonna on stage at the Super Bowl

http://drownedmadonna.com/index/item/473...l#ixzz1kZYYA51m

LMFAO to perform with Madonna at Super Bowl



http://allaboutmadonna.com/2012/01/lmfao-to-perform-with-madonna-at-super-bowl.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+allaboutMadonna+%28all+about+Madonna%29

Who's making these decisions and how can we stop them?

Teaching an old dog new tricks

The network, the halftime sponsors, the label, and most importantly Madonna herself. I don't care for her, never did, but I can safely say that with all the records she's sold over the decades, her name I suppose should be enough to sell a halftime program. Apparently even she doesn't believe in herself.

But then again, aging pop stars have a bad tendency of clinging themselves to (more) popular, younger up & coming artists, hoping to get a rub off from them and stay relevant.

I remember that rumor late last year about how allegedly Madonna turned down this year's show initially, until she found out Lady GaGa was waiting in the wings to take the gig. Madge promptly signed the papers. A juicy bitchy story, but I doubt it because of one simple reason: She's got a new album coming out. Simple. But knowing her masterful knack of getting free press, she'll perform "Express Yourself" at the Super Bowl. Feudz!!!

Of course here's the little secret these sponsors and everybody else apparently never understand. The Super Bowl halftime show has no competition, only bathroom breaks. You're not getting an demographic ratings bump because you put in two contemporary popular acts.

LMFAO? Oh dear, I thought everybody learned their lesson from last year's program. Groups that suck live, they don't get better at a bigger venue.

Paul McCartney composing music for Video Game



http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/art...d08e5754186.161

I'm reminded of that great urban legend (which actually turned out to be true) about allegedly Michael Jackson composed some music for SONIC 3.

RR,

Speaking of McCartney, I heard yesterday on the radio something I find very hard to believe. They said that the biggest hit (solo it for Paul) for either Paul or Stevie Wonder was "Ebony & Ivory" I haven't checked it out and it's a good song but their biggest??????


Anybody like the Hollies? Love their sound. I have there first big hit "Bus Stop" on a 45 AND a Greatest Hits LP. Heard this one this morning and it's one of my favorites. As you all know Nash went on to join Crosby, Stills, Nash (& Young).

TIS

I'm a geek. My favorite British Invasion band, other than the Beatles, was Herman's Hermits.

I LOVE Herman's Hermits. LOL Heck I have records from ALL the English Invasion groups I think. :)Other than the Beatles of course and the Stones, Animals: I also liked DC5, The Zombies, Peter & Gordon, The Who, Donovan, Manford Mann. Lot of great music. Wasn't too crazy about Freddy & The Dreamers. That' crazy dance????


TIS

That doesn't make me feel any better, Tis. You're a geek, too .

LOL There's a little "geek" in all of us.


TIS

That's for sure.

LOL Poor Geoff always gets picked on. BUT that is funny.




TIS

I owed him one today. He knows why .

Paul McCartney's biggest hit in terms of sales would have to be Mull Of Kintyre which remains the UK's best-selling completely non-charity single..

Thanks DeNiro. I was surprised when I heard that. That particular L.A. station is friendly with Stevie Wonder. He comes on and calls in frequently. It surprises me.



TIS

Speaking of Stevie and Paul...

Free Download - New Paul McCartney Single

"Only Our Hearts" (w/ Stevie Wonder) is officially supposed to be released next week, but before then it'll be a free MP3 download for a very limited time.

http://www.whatmakeslovetrue.com/romantic-inspirations/?main-nav

Thanks RR. I heard a preview but hesitate to download anything. Sounds like a smoother/slower type style for Sir Paul.

Now I assumed Stevie was gonna sing. In the short clip I hear the harmonica but no singing by Stevie.



TIS

He only does harmonica. Apparently the track was already completed when Paul played it for Stevie, who then contributed that instrumental addition.

Anyway, Paul aint the only Beatle with a new record coming out. Ringo Starr's Ringo 2012 pops out the end of this month, here are two album cuts, including the single "Wings" (re-recording of a Ringo track from the 1970s.)





Not bad, but both are totally forgettable. Sorry Ringo.

I agree RR. Poor Ringo. I really like him but even "Octupus' Garden" is one of my least favorite Beatle songs.



TIS

I could add a few more Ringo songs I don't care for but it would sound like I don't like Ringo and I really do like him.

You think you've seen everything on a topic at YouTube, then you find this.

Wow.

Wow! I don't recall ever seeing/hearing that. Touching




TIS

nice story...

Got this info from local radio. Check it out! Not a real good look at Dhanni Harrison (George's son)but he does speak at the end of clip. He does resemble his father.



Check out this video! George Martin, Giles Martin (his son), and Dhani Harrison listening to the masters of The Beatles hit “Here Comes The Sun”. Dhani opens the channel with the “lost solo guitar”.

Read more: Video Of The Day: The Lost Guitar Solo In “Here Come’s The Sun”

TIS


http://kearth101.radio.com/2012/01/30/vi.../#ixzz1kxUj86ca

TIS - Very nice video. Thank you. What got me was the ending, Martin turning over to Dhani: "You're just like your father!"

Speaking coincidentally of Beatle spawn, tonight on David Letterman will be the U.S. national TV debut for James McCartney.

You know I don't think I've ever seen James McCartney. I know Paul has several children but I only know of Stella, who is a model. Does James look like Paul?

I'll try to stay up but will try to catch it later cause I likely won't make it.


TIS

I had posted a pic, but the link crapped out. Here he is: http://www.beatlesnews.com/gallery.james-mccartney-1-30-12.html

He's definately got those Macca cheek bones, but somehow I see more of Linda than Paul elsewhere.

Wow, he looks like a blond Paul. Amazing He has Linda's coloring but damn, Paul can't deny him. LOL

Thanks for posting. It's the first pic I've seen of him.



TIS

Another cool random YT find.

How "big" was Michael Jackson in the late 80s? He got his own video game. I must admit, it looks awesomely retarded. (While the MOONWALKER movie which inspired this game was just damn retarded.)



Favorite bit: The robots with the big round battering ram between their legs that look like they're trying to thrust/rape you to death.

Almost forgot: Leonard Cohen's got a new record (Old Ideas) out today, his first in 8 years.



EDIT - Other news, the cover for Madonna's newest album has been released:

Now she knows how it feels like to be an IDOL contestant.

Cowell fires Paula Abdul from X-Factor

http://www.tmz.com/2012/01/31/paula-abdul-fired-x-factor/

In other, more worthwhile news:

Jack White's new solo record out in April.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/j...0#ixzz1l2SsnWuo

The single came out today.

Neil Young doesn't mind piracy but has been on a long crusade against digital music. 15 years back I remember reading him rant against CD's and digital recording.
He hasn't changed his opinion.

http://www.soundspike.com/story/3702/neil-young-on-digital-music-get-rid-of-it-see-video/

I'll never pirate Young's music, because I'm certain he'll track down my IP address and wave a gun at my face. Yes I'll erase my YouTube-burned copy of HARVEST. Please Neil, don't burn my house down.

(I say the same for Prince as well, except he would be worse. He'll put his rifle at his eye level, squint, aim, pull the trigger...and shoot me in the balls! )

100 Worst Guitar Solos

Ah speaking of the "Purple Mother Fucker" (as Miles Davis dissed him), his last domestically released record Lotusflow3r actually returned to the Billboard Catalogue Album Chart at #101, with 1200 copies sold this past week.

(Actually not as impressive as it sounds. Target put that 3 CD album on sale at $1 on-line for one day. Good buy actually, if just for "Colonized Mind" at least.)

This news has traveled around already today, but I'll post it again regardless:

'Soul Train' creator Don Cornelius found dead

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/turnitup/chi-soul-train-creator-don-cornelius-found-dead-20120201,0,7954070.story

Guns N Roses Plans New York Takeover with Historic Return to the Ritz

Just got my tickets today to the Ritz show. I've never seen GNR live before, and it's not the original band, but it's as close as I can get right now. I'm excited to be going!

Awesome man. Do tell us how it went.

Out of obligation:



Thoughts:

(1) I liked the breakaway taxi gag, though the wall walk took the cake.
(2) My high school would never lose a game if the football team was recruited with robots.
(3) Technically proficient, but ultimately forgettable. Which means this is going to be a sizeable hit as a modern pop track. Come to think of it, this almost sounds like the sort of track you would produce if you're a comedian and wanted to parody a Madonna song, or this happens when aging pop legends produce music derivative of their greatest hits.

People are going to make good money off this. As long as the halftime show isn't a disaster like the Black Eye Peas floptacular last year.

With Interscope Records and music industry wondering if Madonna's new single will go #1 (toping the digital charts is a given), turns out a pop music legend contemporary from her generation just scored a surprise #1 hit in a very amusing and random as hell chart success story.

Prince #1 on British Dance Charts

http://www.wdjc.de/bdc/index.php?LG=uk&ID=1

Stunning considering this was a single taken from a 3 year old album. But hey, a hit is a hit. This will be his first legitimate #1 published hit since what, "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"? Way to go psycho Grandpa. This and "Extralovable" going #1 on the iTunes R&B/Soul chart during Thanksgiving, Midget Psycho Grandpa is going pretty (quietly) good these days.

But who would want to read it?

Morrissey to publish his autobiography in 2012

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/319051

They should go use songs by Nugent or Kiss..
You can't use my song!

THE VOICE tonight (monday night), the judges will be performing a medley of Prince songs. Which judge will do which song?



I give them props for not doing anything from PURPLE RAIN. Because that midget did other good shit on many other good records.

Randy Travis arrested for Public Intoxication

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-57...c-intoxication/

Uh...what the what?! I can imagine Adam Levine or Cee-Lo doing this song, but Blake?! Wow, this oughta be interesting...

I thought it was interesting how he tried to country-fy it.

The entire medley, if you don't want to bother watching tonight.

http://www.eurweb.com/2012/02/audio-the-voice-judges-perform-prince-medley/

iTunes streaming live free Paul McCartney concert

Thursday night (the 9th) at 7pm PST, iTunes will be streaming a live free Macca performance from Capitol Studios.

Or like everyone else, wait for that stream to hit YouTube days later.

Would love to check some of these out but my computer is messing with me ! I called my computer guy. Think we have it fixed . Nope.

When you put the items down at the bottom it works . Anyone got some good idea's about this ?

Well , 1 post every 600 seconds , a goodthing but not in the mood!

Goodnight all ! Guess that is time for me go to bed ! A true MAN has to know his limitations !

Out of random curiosity, the 31st-6th Adult Contemporary Radio airplay #s.

http://www.mediabase.com/mmrweb/insideradio/charts.asp?format=4&showyear=y&dpt=n

~"My Valentine" in the Top 25. Surprising, but a plesant one none the less.

Lady Gaga uploaded to her Twitter feed this concept sketch for her upcoming BORN THIS WAY tour.

http://twitpic.com/8gqtq9

I can't believe I'm saying this but, she might've made Pink Floyd look like minor leaguers. Damn.

I wasn't sure where to post this, but this topic seemed kind of appropriate.

A colleague of mine was at my house a few months ago, and noticed a few pictures on my basement wall of Beatles albums. He told me he had a "Let It Be" album, autographed by each of the Beatles. Two weeks ago he had a party and showed me his prized possession.

The first to sign was Lennon, whom my friend found less than two months before Chapman murdered him. Like Chapman, my buddy hung around the Dakota for hours, hoping to see Lennon for the autograph. He said that Lennon was with Yoko when he excitedly approached them. He said Lennon was extremely cordial and witty, asking over whose picture he should sign. He then had a picture taken with him whileLennon was displaying his autograph with a huge cartoonish grin.

He got McCartney to sign it in the 90s in Pittsburgh and Ringo signed in New York.

But he actually got Harrison to sign it at his estate in England. He had made a request by mail to George's manager, saying he would be in England at a certain time (I think 1996),and asked if he could make arrangements to have the thing signed. To his surprise when he arrived, he had been told to call the representative, who told him to go directly to the estate where he waited in a sun room with his then 12 year old son until George arrived with some other men. My friend thought Harrison looked old and gray, but he was pleasant and quiet. They spoke for several minutes and George asked if they wanted a cold drink or something to eat before they left. My friend was mystified, however, that george didn't seem to know or remember that a few of the songs on the album were on the album. They took a neat picture though.

It's a heck of a collectible.

Kly,

First of all welcome back. It is so nice to see you again. I do hope all is well with you.

Secondly, what a wonderful wonderful story your friend has to tell. I'm so jealous. For him, an album to treasure in more ways then one that's for sure.



TIS

Thanks, TIS. It's an amazing piece, no doubt. I was honored just to hold it.

Sort of keeping in theme, does anybody have any pics of them with famous people?

Myself, not too much. After the Beatles, I mean, anything is mediocre right?

I met singer Brian Hyland (I know...who?) in late 60's/early 70's at a local fair and had a picture taken,.

Not real long ago, 2004, actor Danny Trejo, came to the school to make presentation to the kids on "walking the straight and narrow" so to speak. He seemed very nice. He took individual pictures with all of us.

Oh, I did meet singer Brenton Wood (again, I know who?) who came to our school a few years ago to perform. Didn't get picture taken but got autographed pic.

That's pretty much the extent of my rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. Anyone else?

TIS

My big three meets:

Robert DeNiro - was walking past his dressing van parked on Broadway while he was filming "The King of Comedy" (around 1982); De Niro just happened to be walking out and I walked up to him and told him he was great in "The Deer Hunter" and he thanked me and shook hands.

Paul Newman - bumped into him in a bar that was my hangout and he and his wife frequented. I excused myself, and he said it was his fault, so I told him not to do it again. He laughed and said, "OK".

Muhammad Ali - Walking out of the old Madison Square Garden after the last pro fight there (1967) my brother-in-laW and I saw Ali in the parking garage across the street. I walked past his bodyguards and handed him my newspaper with a pen, and he signed the back page (which was cool because it had a picture of him and Wilt Chamberlain and the picture labeled him as Cassius Clay). This was at the time that Ali was blocked from boxing in New York because he refused to be drafted into the Army. After he signed the paper and handed it back to me, I said, "Thanks, Champ", and he smiled at me.

Pretty good trio, huh?

Sure was SC. I mean DeNiro and Blue Eyes Newman? Wow

Now if we talk non singers, I did meet Michael Landon which was a thrill cause I always liked him and although unfortunately I never met him, BUT got Sly Stallone's autograph via a friend. The friend asked Sly for an autograph for a friend (me) who was also Italian and really a fan. Sly signed a great "Rambo" picture, "to my Spaghetti sister, Love Sly." I love it!!


TIS

Cool.

Amazing story, a dam fine collectible and would be worth at least £2K Plus..

I guess Harrison would have forgot songs on the album as the album would have been recorded 30 years previously and he did so much after that..

"Sergeant O'Leary is walking the beat at night he becomes a bartender.
He works at Mr. Caccitore's down on Sullivan Street across from the medical center..."

I don't know Lana Del Rey, but I doubt her best-selling record is as entertaining as this pan review:



http://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/lana-del-rey-born-die

This news warmed my heart.



It opened #3 on the Billboard 200. Pretty damn impressive considering his previous peak best was #131.

Does anyone know what today is (musically speaking)? Feb. 9th. It was this date 1964 that the Beatles debuted on the Ed Sullivan show.

Ahhh yes, I remember it well. I was a little young to participate in the excitement of Elvis when he hit the scene, but The Beatles, I was right in the middle of the excitement.

I remember the next day (Sullivan was on Sunday)at school, as the kids walked the halls to their classes EVERYONE was excited. You only needed to ask "did you see it?" Hard to explain, but we KNEW it was something big. Even teachers were talking about it.

From then on it was Beatle hats, Beatle Boots, Beatle pictures in the girls' lockers....and the rest as they say, is history. I am very happy I was at, what I would say, the perfect age (a teenager) to be a part of that excitement.

Here's a story on the Grammy flashback including the Beatles and AND a list of albums, songs, groups of the year in the 60's.

I thought I heard this morning that Sir Paul would be on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this afternoon, but I thought he already had a star. I know the Beatles do.

http://kearth101.radio.com/2012/02/09/grammys-flashback-the-top-award-winners-of-the-60s/


TIS

There's a well known myth that the hour they played there wasn't a single crime reported between 8pm and 9pm as the kids where transfixed by the show.. 73 million viewers watched the Ed Sullivan show that night, which is still one of the most watched shows in American history..

I wouldn't be surprised if that were true. I still remember going to see "A Hard Days Night" with some friends. The lines were unbelievable and the excitement was wonderful. Once in the theater, and I kid you not, you could NOT hear anything but screaming girls. You had to look around in amazement.

I kick myself that the Beatles appeared in Detroit and I didn't go see them. Never have that chance again.

TIS

It was the same in my school. I was just turning 13 and EVERYBODY was talking about the Sullivan show. I had only first heard of The Beatles a few weeks prior to the show. My cousin told me about them.... 4 British musicians who all looked like Moe (of the 3 Stooges).

SC

Do you remember that appearance (at least I think it was that appearance) as the Beatles were singing, they showed a close-up of each Beatle and who they were. When they came to John, they had written on the screen "sorry girls, he's married"? Even way back then, loving all the Beatles, my sister and I concluded that Paul was definitely the cute one.

I remember going to the local shopping center with girlfriends after school. One little teenage shop type store, had Beatle lipstick and the Beatle hats/caps became quite popular. Guys in school started growing their hair a little longer and got that "Beatle" look. LOL Exciting times.
Oh, and EVERYTHING English or from England was totally cool.

TIS

BTW, and our parents thought the Beatles hair was too long at that time??? Little did they know what a few years would bring hu?

Here it is, Tis. At 3:54 of the clip.

^^ Check out the chick at 5:30 of the tape. She's having an orgasm.

I'll have what she's having.

Ha ha ha ha!! Girls gone wild.

Thanks PB I watched the entire clip. To think the songs they sang, good at the time, were NOT their best. Their music kept improving. What young kids they were. And man I remember those 48 years ago as though it were only a few years back. We never would have dreamed that John would have been murdered by some psycho cutting his life so short. Thank God for the memories though.

Don't know where they were, but I like the dance scenes at the end. They were doing "The Swim." Ha ha ha. I remember it well.


TIS

Classic footage, especially Ringo dancing at the end of the video..

Slate argues that Leonard Cohen the lyricist isn't just only comparable to Dylan, he's better.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/music...plugin_activity

(I won't go that far, but still worth a read.)

Clarence Clemons' Nephew Joins The E Street Band




http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/c...aign=newsletter

'Bout fucking time.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Adds Six Backing Groups to the Class of 2012



http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/r...9#ixzz1lxp4Yl4M

BILL WARD FIRED FROM BLACK SABBATH BY SHARON OSBOURNE



Bummer. I was hoping it would completely be the original line up for the new album.

So that's where Ozzy's balls went.

LOL true. Sharon is a beotch for that move.

With Whitney Houston's passing, she's breaking into the iTunes charts.

Anyway, Whitney is breaking into iTunes (UPDATED):

#19 I Will Always Love You (Greatest Hits)
#67 I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Junior's Mix)
#85 How Will I Know
#115 Greatest Love of All
#117 I Will Always Love You (BODYGUARD soundtrack)
#124 I Have Nothing
#135 One Moment in Time
#140 Greastest Love of All
#165 I'm Every Woman
#171 Where Do Broken Hearts Go
#176 Didn't We Almost Have It All
#184 Saving All My Love For You

Her first TV appearance.

Her performance of The National Anthem was one of the best as far as I'm concerned.



TIS

She has three entries in the iTunes Top 10:

#1 I Will Always Love You
#8 I Wanna Dance With Somebody
#10 Greatest Love of All

It's sad how people buy music when they die..

YES! I hate that. If you liked their music seems like you should have already had it.
If you didn't then why are you buying it now?

My thoughts exactly...

Paul McCartney to appear in a future episode of MAD MEN

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/art...TV-Mad-Men.html

Wow, really? And I was all set to stop watching Mad Men, a show I watched from the beginning BECAUSE they are taking too long between seasons. I know they've been having problems with this next season but for God's sake, I'm not gonna wait two years between freekin' seasons.

Now, all that being said, RR just sweetened the pot with the McCartney cameo. Ok, I'll tune in (if I'm still living by the time they decide to air it.)

TIS

Note about KOTB: It debuted #6 on the Billboard chart, which makes it Macca's highest opening stateside since FLAMING PIE 15 years ago.

At the UK, it opened #3 and KOTB has officially become his 25th solo/Wings Top 10 album in the U.K.

Outstanding.

On the cover of issue of the National Enquirer released last weak: Whitney Houston collapses; hits rock bottom. There are cover photos of her looking completely unkempt. They're undoubtedly pounding their chests this week.

Music News: I just got tickets for Alison Krauss and Union Station, April 20, Ceasars in Atlantic City.

About 12 years ago I started listening to her music; angelic voice; great musicians behind her. Jerry Douglas will be with her - incredible dobro player.

I have one or two CD's with Douglas on them. He always gets lots of praise in guitar magazines.

Chris Brown Doesn’t Deserve Forgiveness for Beating Rihanna

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/20...ng-rihanna.html

Paul McCartney's and Elvis Presley's stars are definitely falling with the new generation of music listeners, but if you don't know who Paul McCartney is then you're just ignorant. Know your history.

My daughter is 14, but when she was about ten I overheard her talking with friends, who noticed my Beatles CDs. None of the other girls had ever heard of the group, so my daughter educated them them as I heard her say, "That's John Lennon, Paul McCarthy, Ringo Starr and Harrison Ford."

For us older folks it's hard to imagine people not knowing or recognizing McCartney.

So why didn't he do it earlier for his other kids?

Paul McCartney quitting pot for daughter



Funny thing is, that's the only thing Mills said that I believed.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music...r-Beatrice.html

EDIT - a nugget from his Rolling Stone interview:

The Ritz Setlist

Got back from the Guns N Roses concert a couple of hours ago and all I can say is W-O-W! My friend who went with me had seen them twice previously and said this was their best show that he's seen (this was my first time). Doors opened at 9pm, opening act came on at 10:15. I forgot their name but they were actually pretty good. They wrapped up about 10:45/11pm. Axl and the band didn't take the stage until 11:45pm and played continuously until about 3:15am! I couldn't believe they played for that long but they were AWESOME! LOVED the small venue of The Ritz (now renamed Webster Hall), which can only seat about 1,500. I can die a happy man, I got to hear Estranged and November Rain played live but A LOT of other classics. AWESOME show by GNR. I wouldn't DEFINITELY seem them play again. THANKS AXL!

It should be made compulsory to study them at school..

Because we as kids loved loved loved being forced to read Shakespeare. I personally think that's the worst approach.

God knows I only learned to appreciate and respect Shakespeare only after I left the public education system.

I wonder if Paul McCartney ever used Heather's wooden leg as a makeshift bong?

*bubbles*

"Hey Lucy, not seen you up there in ages!"

I have got to go to a bar with you, PB!
Your quips are priceless!

Yeah but Shakespeare is boring where as McCartney/Elvis are not..

I don't know, GIVE MY REGARDS TO BROAD STREET and most Elvis movies really sucked.

You just hate it that Elvis got "too big" for the south. If he stayed in Memphis and never left his rockabilly roots, you'd be his biggest advocate.

In his last years, he literally was too big for the South.

I'm reminded of that anecdote where Elvis auditioned for the Grand Ole Opry but he was told to keep his job driving trucks.

I consider that story to possibly be an embellished myth, but regardless it's perfectly symbolic for the fact that yeah he was bigger than the South (more like too good), and never would've gone from Elvis to ELVIS if he went to Nashville instead of Hollywood.

But really, most of his movies were skippable to say the least. JAILHOUSE ROCK was good though.

His first four films Love Me Tender, Loving You, Jailhouse Rock and King Creole were very good films, GI Blues and Viva Las Vegas were ok,the rest as you say were skippable. They was just made for a quick buck...

He certainly didn't want to make the latter films. That movie contract was the Colonel's biggest mistake.

They was supposedly long term to pay off his Gambling debts as he would get a % of the profits..

The latest Waxpoetics magazine covers Prince and his impact on music.
Articles include interviews and analysis with Frank Ocean, Alan and Gwen Leeds, Larry Graham, Morris Day, Jesse Johnson, Questlove, The Family, and several others.

Good stuff if you can find this issue.
http://www.waxpoetics.com/wax-poetics-magazine/issue-50

Not all of the people interviewed are exactly huge Prince fans.
Jesse Johnson talks about bringing taped songs of his to audition for Prince who who would listen and immediately break out laughing. Prince would call Morris Day over to listen and they would both have a laughing fit.

In the Larry Graham interview he discusses, or more accurately other people discuss the tensions between him and an increasingly paranoid/coked-out Sly, who allegedly gave the green light to thugs to beat or murder Larry.

Alan Leeds talks of Prince asking him why did people stare at him and not having the guts to tell his boss that "if I encountered a pint-sized rock star in high heels, silk pajamas and a trench coat, I'd probably stare too".

Also the magazine has posted online an interview with Rapfael Saadiq on his Stone Rollin' album which I FINALLY got around to getting. I like it a lot.
http://www.waxpoetics.com/features/articles/rollin-with-raphael

Adele sextape to be released by French paparazzi

http://www.jeanmarcmorandini.com/article...ine-public.html

I believe this was the result of the same ex-boyfriend who was pissed he didn't get royalties from 21 because he "inspired" it. *rolls eyes.*

Thanks for the heads-up Lilo. I'll try to get a copy, but like everything else, I'll probably end up reading them when they're copy/pasted on-line on one of the fan boards. I especially want to read Questlove's essay.

Last year he told an adecdote to Rolling Stone about working with Prince who had this cuss jar at the studio, dime a bad word. Questlove replied: "Mother fucker, do you know how much hell my parents gave me because of you?" I thank him for recommending THE FAMILY record, which I've found and enjoyed at YouTube.

Anyway, on that topic of His Royal Badness (or Baldness?), his former drummer Bobby Z on sunday is apparently hosting a charity benefit concert this weekend for the American Heart Association (Z suffered a heart attack last year) at the 1st Avenue Club in Minneapolis reuniting his former Revolution bandmates. Apparently Questlove will be there to do his post-show DJ set.

The only member MIA is of course Prince, even though from this article Bobby Z seems to be diplomatically hedging his bets that he might change his mind.

http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/139481378.html

~He did give them the legal clearance to use the "Revolution" moniker, which he didn't for The Time and The Family. It's also at the friggin PURPLE RAIN club. Which all means absolutely nothing, but I'm obligated to still note the obvious.

Now this is a real Youtube treasure find. Prince's first public performance of his signature hit at a concert he recorded and filmed, from which suppled the last three tracks for the PURPLE RAIN album. So this is the original 14 minute version of the song minus post-production edits and strings over-dubs. (Watch it before Prince C&Ds it!)



Three Thoughts:

(1) You can see why the unnecessary 2nd chorus was axed, along with the awkward 3rd verse. But I dunno, I liked the 4 minute instrumental opening and revelatory to hear that track without the strings.
(2) Hey that crowd shout ("owww!") was legit.
(3) For whatever reason, Prince never gets as much credit as a guitarist as he probably deserves.

That's a great find, Ronnie. And you're right, it will get taken down before long due to copyright issues. But I already downloaded it .

My wife will love this. We saw "Purple Rain" when we were still dating in the summer of '84, and to this day she still swears she's gonna get in the bathtub with him one day .

I never heard this story before but good for Elvis..

Louvin Brothers

Having owned the '09 remasters, I think I might actually agree with him.

Ringo Starr Says Beatles Remasters Helped his Reputation as a Drummer

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/News/ringo-starr-0218-2012/

I very much agree. He made the top 100 guitarists of all time in a recent Rolling Stone issue, but I thought he was still considerably underranked still.

There is a video of him joining Tom Petty, Jeff Lynn, Dhani Harrison in a live rendition of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and his guitar solo is amazing.

My wife is a big Prince fan!

What Prince Charles..

Any of you guys musicians? The Chicago Cubs and WGN Radio have a contest to create the next Cubs theme song for WGN radio...

http://www.wgnradio.com/about/contests/wgnam-wgn-radio-cubs-song-contest-2012,0,983346.htmlstory

If I have to guess to why he's underrated, I'll chalk it up to this. If you mention Santana or Hendrix to most folks, their first thought (probably only one) is their guitars.

Mention Prince to most folks, maybe they'll mention his symbol deal or maybe his name-changing melodrama or maybe him writing "slave" on his cheek during his feud with Warner Bros., or him wearing assless chaps, or the Jehovah's Witness connection or maybe those SNL skits mocking his eccentric reputation, whatever. Point is, his guitar work would probably be very low on such a list. Plus being tied to the hip forever with 80s MTV pop, namely Michael Jackson and Madonna, does him absolutely no favors either in that department.



That performance was what made me check his work out in the first place, and go blind faith buy one of his CDs from the bargain bin. I was so impressed (or mostly at least) with AROUND THE WORLD IN A DAY, I actually went back out the next day back to that same store and same bin and got another Prince record I saw buried in there earlier: PARADE. Never was the same afterwards.



A fustrating aspect about being a Prince fan (actually there are many, as me and Lilo can lecture) is all the quality shit he's got locked up at his infamous Vault, and apparently will never release them to the world until he apparently croaks. (DREAM FACTORY says hi) I mean that '83 concert is for fans a historical document, one that a good many fan would pay a fair price to buy it remastered on DVD.

I actually understand his stance on YouTube and all that, since it is his music, and that music is copyrighted. He's perfectly in his legal right to do. It's also a regressive, self-defeating practice in this epoch of the Internet, where free wide exposure expands your fandom. Fans don't like getting sued by their idols. It's stupid. (David Bowie said it bluntly as much.)

Shame really, since it's a disservice to both his discography and artistic reputation. Because despite the fact that he's pretty obviously a jerk and too divorced from reality for several decades now, few can match him at his best. Mad props especially to anybody who can pull this shit off with heels.



~Michael who?

It's a lot of different things, I think. Of course any ranking is subjective, yes? I mean unless you're talking of the very best or the absolute worst, it all comes down to taste. I'm not a big country music fan. As far as country guitar I know of Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Lee Roy Parnell, Jerry Douglas and that's about it. So if I owned a magazine it probably wouldn't be directed at country music fans or musicians. So when someone wrote in upset because I hadn't included Clarence White or Marty Stuart on my list of greatest guitarists I'd be like WHO???

Post Beatles, what is generically referred to as rock, generally hasn't been music to dance to. Prince usually makes music you can dance to. This is often not considered "important". Again, a question of taste. Prince brought the "roll" back to rock-n-roll. There is just as much skill at driving a band, chopping a beat up 10,000 different ways and keeping a groove going as there is in playing loud legato lines. Prince CAN do both as is obvious from his earliest work -check out the twisted BB King solo on "Automatic" or "Bambi" but again a lot of the people (writers and fans) in mainstream magazines think that anything you dance to is by definition simplistic and not worth their time.

Then of course the elephants in the room, race and sex. Prince became commercially successful right around the time that racial categories in music had ossified. "Everyone" knew that blacks didn't play guitar. So who the hell was Prince? Whatever he was doing it wasn't rock. And rock was the only genre where guitar was doing anything worth listening to. I know there are people who think like this because I run into so many of them. As as mentioned his gender blending, integrated bands and hiring of open lesbians at a time when such things weren't done took attention away from his musical skills.

I can't rank him. I think he's a really good guitarist but an even better bandleader.

PS. I would like to know what effect he's using on the song "Free". Sounds like the solo is slowed down a lot. It also sounds very similar to Brian May's tone on "We Will Rock You".

Very well put, Lilo. I've been a fan forever, yet I could never summarize the guy like you just did .

Thanks PB. I've been a fan since 1999 back in high school. Had to listen to that album with door closed.

Oh, I get it. That's a deliberate pun about the song 1999. Because I KNOW you were out of high school by then. Now if you tell me that you were driving a Little Red Corvette at the time, I'd have to say you're full of shit .

A group panel reviews track-by-track the 1979 Paul McCartney/Wings record BACK TO THE EGG.

http://somethingelsereviews.com/2012/02/...o-the-egg-1979/

My verdict? Sorta decent, some quality tracks though the real winner is "Arrow Through Me," which kicks ass. I love the bassline.



"Spin on It" (a close runner-up) definately has an obvious Queen-influence to it.

Warning: Lilo bait

In high school I listened to 1999.
In 1999 I wasn't in high school... LOL

Not so much a Little Red Corvette but a Little Red Spectrum which sad to say didn't quite have the same appeal to young ladies..

Keith Richards is the master of the compliment that's really something of an insult.

He and Page are different types of guitarists. By rock standards Richards is much better in rhythm/timing. Page though is a better arranger/producer and seems more open to various different types of music. "Ten Years Gone" and "You Can't Always get what you want" are both superb songs.

As far as Bonham, yeah he wasn't as overtly swing oriented as Watts, but I think he got a bad rap on that. He's not going to ever be mistaken for Max Roach but he did have a pretty funky sense of timing and dynamics -i.e. "Black Dog", "Out on the Tiles", "The Ocean" , the Little Richard quote at the beginning of "Rock and Roll" and so on. I can't find it now but there is a story about Stubblefield and Starks watching Bonham play and being at least somewhat impressed while Bonham was geeked that they were impressed while pretending not to notice.

I don't remember seeing the McCartney's "Spin It On" before. Liked it.




TIS

Don't pout!

We always hear so much about the best guitarist, best drummer, best band and best vocalist. But how about the greatest bassists? In your guys opinion, who are some of the best bass players past or present?

For my money, and I'm no expert by any means, it's John Entwistle of the Who. I'm guessing a bass solo was virtually unheard of when he pulled it off brilliantly in My Generation.

Jack Bruce of Cream and Bootsy Collins are often mentioned among the best, and I agree. James Jamerson, who played with Marvin Gaye, gets much deserved credit too.

Paul McCartney's bass playing in the Beatles may be overshadowed by his vocals and song writing ability, but he stands firmly with the the best of the bassists. His bass playing on the Lennon tunes, Dear Prudence, Glass Onion and She's So Heavy is sublime. His bassline in another Lennon song, Come Together, may be the most iconic bassline in rock history.

you could also put Les Claypool in that category. His bass work on Primus' stuff is really well and he has a very distinct style of playing.

Here's a Slate article that sort-of reviews McCartneys new album. The reviewer does not seem to love collections of standards put together by old rockers:

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/cultu...ok_albums_.html

21 outsells Bad in UK all time greatest selling albums charts



The Official Charts’ Top 10 biggest selling albums of all time are as follows:

01 GREATEST HITS – QUEEN (5,863,000)
02 SGT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND – THE BEATLES (5,044,000)
03 GOLD: GREATEST HITS – ABBA (4,989,000)
04 WHAT'S THE STORY MORNING GLORY – OASIS (4,517,000)
05 THRILLER - MICHAEL JACKSON (4,248,000)
06 BROTHERS IN ARMS - DIRE STRAITS (4,152,000)
07 THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON - PINK FLOYD (4,114,000)
08 21 – ADELE (4,020,000)
09 BAD - MICHAEL JACKSON (3,959,000)
10 GREATEST HITS II – QUEEN (3,887,000)

http://www.theofficialcharts.com/chart-n...lbums-chart907/

She's a talent but that album is very depressing and is over hyped. It shouldn't be anywhere near the top 10 in my opinion..

http://www.billboard.com/news/whitney-houston-first-woman-with-three-albums-1006321352.story

I guess all the NJ/NY doo wop fans should make a beeline to this place to pick up stuff before it's all gone.
Ronnie I's Doo Wop Store closing

This one is another great impersonation by Jimmy Fallon. This time he's Neil Young singing with Bruce Springsteen who comes in on the second verse dressed like his Born In The USA days. Very funny.


TIS

http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/108576349

Fallon is a riot, Tis. I still prefer Craig Ferguson, but I look forward to seeing Fallon online.

Well from eBay I finally got a Prince album I've been meaning to get for awhile: The Black Album.

Originally planned for release in 1988, half a million Vinyl LPs were pressed before Warner Bros. recalled them all a week before release. The legend goes that Prince demanded the recall because God told him the record was too evil, a vision which came to him allegedly after popping ectasy. It was finally officially limited released in 1994, after being heavily bootlegged and even published reviews by the critics. Prince would quickly record a new album (Lovesexy) to fill up his vacated '88 release slot. (Both albums incidentally included the cut "When 2 R in Love.")

Without evidence, I'm more certain the truth was alot more mundane. BA is alot more a total party record, quite arguably his most danceable record from the 80s, definately his most R&B-oriented effort since Prince in the late 70s. A damn good record in that regard.

It's like when he was producing "Housequake" for Sign O The Times and thought well shit, why don't I go produce a whole record like this? A total logical progression from SOTT.

And that in itself is why I wonder it got shelved. the rock/funk mainstream-friendly hybrid that Prince had been producing for several years beforehand. The Black Album would've been released with a total Spinal Tap-friendly black cover with no track information or any info on the spine that would tell you what this is or who produced it. No plans for singles either. But the album title is very appropriate, because I wonder if someone at W.B. (and later Prince agreed) thought that with Prince having made good money from his mainstream rock/funk fusion music, maybe the BA was too R&B or worse, "too black" for his white casual fans? I can picture them thinking it.

A real shame honestly if they thought that, because he might've screwed himself for looking backwards instead of forwards. Lovesexy is a decent record, but it's nowhere as musically concise or packed as the BA. (Plus BA didn't have that hideous nude cover which raped countless eyes.) Maybe BA wouldn't have sold well immediately as his previous records, but I'm certain it would've had a good shelf life and the critics would've loved it. (One forgets that while never a single, "Housequake" was a hit on radio.) Prince definately would've shocked people with the BA album cut "Bob George," which now comes off as quaint, but for 1988 his dark tale of a murdering cursing pimp would've raised a few eyebrows.

My favorite BA track might actually be "Superfunkycalifragisexy," but I can't find a clear version of it on YT.

I can't wait for her stimulating commentary. This btw was the same gig Janet Jackson apparently turned down.

Britney Spears offered $10 million to be X Factor Judge

http://www.deadline.com/2012/03/britney-spears-x-factor-10-million-simon-cowell-fox/

Does anybody actually care about Britney anymore, she is so late 90's. Good too she she has sorted her life out though after a rough few years..

The Boss' new album came out last week. Here's an album cut.

Rarest Beatles U.S. single in existence to be auctioned

The Beatles (Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers) “My Bonnie”/“The Saints” 45 (Decca 31382, 1962), the top offering of the many Beatles-related lots in the auction, is the rarest of the US Beatles singles, even rarer than the pink label promo version of the same record.

“It went nowhere when it was released,” said Barret, “and most of the few copies pressed were trashed, which explains why the promo copies actually outnumber the stock commercial version. As years passed and collectors became historians, the release attained more and more stature as an extreme rarity. There are likely only 20 to 25 copies of this in existence and we’ve never seen on better.”

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=54178

Just heard on the radio that Blender Magazine ranked "We Built This City" by Starship as the worst song ever made.

Worst song ever made? I actually don't mind the song.

Doing a quick check on the topic, I noticed one that always always got mocked...."Feelings". LOL Never cared for it and don't know if it was overplayed or what, but at one time everyone rolled their eyes at this song.

Nah, there's many worst songs IMHO. Good idea for a thread tho. Somebody's worst song may be another person's favorite.



TIS

How about "Barbie Girl" by Aqua? Or "Macarena"? Or "I'm Too Sexy"? All way worse than the Starship tune! Ha!

Worse song ever FACT... I even own this as a kid..

Dirty Minds Think Alike: The Forgotten Rivalry of Prince and Rick James

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/156...e-and-rick-jam/

You know, I never knew a-ha were that popular.

5 One-Hit Wonders who Deserve Your Respect

http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-one-hit-wonders-who-deserve-your-respect/

~Props to the Devo props!

Kiss & Motley Crue Attack Rihanna



The ironic thing of course is that although Kiss was a fantastically commercially successful band in their heyday they were not widely considered then or now to be excellent or frankly even good musicians. They were known for exalting the stage show above any other consideration. Simmons in particular was known to be a greedy SOB who cared much more about the dollar signs and bs stage performances than anything having to do with music. In short KISS was EXACTLY what they are accusing Rihanna of being.

And that goes DOUBLE for Motley Crue who really were the 80's equivalent of the Jackson Five, The Partridge Family, Peter Frampton, etc-something safe and musically lame but that was loved by teen girls and sold bazillions of records because of that. No one talks about the musical honesty of Motley Crue or what skilled musicians they were. People talk about the various groupies they had, what they looked like in their tight pants and long hair, and their copious consumption of drugs and alcohol. They were EXACTLY the sort of "hair band" that was mocked by the 90's grunge movement.

I am not a Rihanna fan. I don't like or dislike her music. It's just not my thing.

But this idea that it's not "real" music unless you're playing a guitar thru an overdriven amp is silly. There is an jealousy that you see in a lot of rock bands. On the one hand they claim to be of greater musical integrity as compared to pop/dance. But on the other they are insanely jealous of the fact that dance-pop is what is in right now. Jazz, blues, classical musicians and others could make the same claims of musical fraudulence about rock in general and KISS/Motley Crue in particular that Simmons makes about Rihanna. A wealthy senior citizen wearing makeup, high heels and spitting fire/fake blood is going to criticize the musical integrity of a singer? Right...........

Lastly, anyone with the mellifluous name of Chaim Witz certainly has no business making fun of other's names.

Lilo, Did you ever read "Look Me In The Eye"? It's the story of the young man who was later diagnosed with Asperger's (hence the title, since he was incapable of sustaining eye contact) who put all of KISS's flaming guitars together. It had never been done before and he was able to produce these "tricks" out of his garage.

I didn't read that book, SB? Worth picking up?

Oh hell yes. That actually might be my favorite solo Beatle album.

Paul McCartney to release deluxe edition of Ram in May

The deluxe edition, besides including the special edition with remastered album and disc of outtakes/B-sides/non-album singles, will include the Mono version of RAM and THRILLINGTON, that random as fuck instrumental "reinterpretation" of RAM that Paul produced in the late 70s.



http://www.paulmccartney.com/web/guest/news/-/blogs/paul-and-linda-mccartney-s-legendary-album-ram-set-for-deluxe-reissue?_33_redirect=%2fweb%2fguest&#p_33top

*=Produced in those sessions was Paul's first released non-Beatle single: "Another Day."

Got my tickets. Gonna see them September 22 at Jones Beach. Seen KISS before, never seen Motley Crue

George Harrison ‘Early Takes’ Album Announced





http://ultimateclassicrock.com/george-harrison-early-takes-album-announced/

Springsteen is still a boss apparently. (skip to 1:30)

I enjoy some of the insignificant tidbits I hear when I listen to the morning radio show. For instance, here is their list of top songs about "Money." I'm good with the top two, Pink Floyd & Dire Straits, and most of the others, but they forgot the Beatles "Money"(That's What I Want).


TIS

http://kearth101.radio.com/2012/04/02/cha-ching-top-ten-songs-about-money/

That's a bizzare omission. It's a pretty big rock 'n roll song. Youtube has cover versions available by Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes.

The original was by Barrett Strong:



I don't know how well-known this is: John Lennon had a little portable jukebox that he took on the road with him? "Money" was one of the 45s he kept in it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon's_jukebox

Thanks! I remember the original and like it. Usually the originals are the best version, however, I admit a little bias but I REALLY like the Beatles version better.



TIS

I really liked the album TUG OF WAR, but I hate that song. I hate it. Arguably the cheesiest thing Macca ever composed (and that's saying alot.)

Ebony and Ivory: A history of the hit 30 years after its release

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ebony-ivory-paul-mccartney-stevie-wonder-snl-305404

Have you not heard Frog Chorus then Ronnie??

Yes I've heard that and yes, I still think "Ebony & Ivory" is still cheesier.

(Of course I'll hold the controversial, shocking minority opinion that there's nothing technically wrong with "Frog Chorus"? It's just goofy, as with say "Uncle Albert," a track I once dismissed for being absolutely silly...but that's the point and part of the Macca charm, a lack of pretentiousness that we arguably got too much of in the early/mid-70s.)

I never minded Ebony & Ivory but I still like "Uncle Albert." Silly but a good song, much like Ob Li Di, Ob La Da, which makes you just wanna get up and dance.

As a matter of fact, I actually had a Great "Uncle Albert". LOL He got a kick out of that song even tho he couldn't quite figure it out. I mean how many songs have the name Albert in them?


TIS

Sons of the Beatles MAY be forming a group???? How interesting would that be? Obviously they'd NEVER be the Beatles but they sure come from talented roots.

Why is it Julian is not in it I wonder? I think he's a little older than the others but to me, he looks and sounds much like his father. They should include him.

Anyway, check out the pictures. OMG, George's son looks so much like him. They ALL resemble there fathers IMHO.

TIS


That news comes from an interview the BBC did with James McCartney, son of Beatles frontman Paul McCartney. James, who played guitar on two of his father’s most recent albums, said he’d like to record and tour with other Beatles offspring. (Darn. The name “The Offspring” is already taken. How about “Here Comes the Son?”)

He’d certainly have a qualified bunch to work with. Sean Lennon, Zak Starkey and Dhani Harrison are all musicians — and Starkey is the unofficial drummer for The Who.


http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/201...ames-mccartney/

Speaking of Paul, the podcast Fab 4 Free 4 All (aka Fab Fourum) this past week just reviewed one of Macca's obscure records: 1986's PRESS TO PLAY.

Honestly I've never explored that one, because I thought the lead single ("Press") was very forgettable. Anyway that podcast highlighted two stand-out tracks from PTP: a damn good tight rocker ("Angry") that he composed with Phil Collins on drums and Pete Townsend on guitar. Another a little gem I already knew and dug("Stranglehold") but which I didn't know was from PTP.

Electronic Dance Scene Tempts Investors

I can't blame those fans, in this age of Nikki Minaj.

This weekend we have the Master's golf tournament down in Augusta, Georgia. But a Grantland (ESPN associated website) article covers the town's other claim to fame: it's famous native son who grew up in a whorehouse, lived a brief young life of petty crime, and escaped Augusta to become the Godfather of Soul

James Brown's Augusta

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7783231/james-brown-other-side-masters

Axl Rose: I Will NOT Attend Rock and Roll HOF Induction

Axl Rose has shot down the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ... claiming he REFUSES to attend the Guns N' Roses induction ceremony on April 14 ... as long as his old bandmates plan to attend.

Rose just fired off a strongly worded letter to the Hall ... saying, "I won't be attending The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction 2012 Ceremony and I respectfully decline my induction as a member of Guns N' Roses."

He adds, "I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf."

"Neither former members, label representatives nor the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame should imply whether directly, indirectly or by omission that I am included in any purported induction of "Guns N' Roses."

Axl also notes he's aware that certain former GNR members have taken "jabs" at him recently ... and he doesn't want to appear anywhere he is "not wanted or respected."

"In regard to a reunion of any kind of either the Appetite or Illusion lineups, I've publicly made myself more than clear. Nothing's changed."

The diss won't be news to Slash ... who recently told Rolling Stone, "[Axl] hates my guts ... It's over a lot of different stuff; I don't even know. There's just no communication between us."

source: TMZ

Springsteen Tour

Good find, thanks.

Green Day announces THREE new albums

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/g...anuary-20120411

What a idiot, he's overrated anyway. I don't why him and slash fell out but he should get over himself..

I didn't realize there was a problem with Axl and GNR. I didn't think they were a group anymore.

I think Axl is overrated too. Yet the band was popular and did make a mark in music history.

I HATED his version of "Knocking On Heaven's Door." Just awful! But then, I love "November Rain" (especially Slash's solo). All & all Axl can't sing IMHO.


TIS

Axl is talented. Unfortunately, not as talented as he thinks he is, and that's his problem.

Axl isn't the first or will be the last musician who's ego is better than the Rock HOF's building. I feel bad for GNR fans because this would've been a fine opportunity to close that book on that band on a civil, pleasant note. Instead the story is how big of a d-bag is Axl? A big one.

Compare that in contrast with the great Iggy Pop, who by his own admission said he had "an emotional moment" when he got the news that the Stooges were going in. And considering all the shit a guy like Iggy has gone through, take that admission into consideration.

Talking Heads hated each other, but they attended their HOF induction. ABBA have refused (lucrative) reunion offers for decades, and they all still attended their HOF induction. The Police showed up, and that was a minor miracle in itself.You can stand being near folks you hate for a few hours, you're not required to like them again.

Unfortunately Axl's nonsense reminds me of when Paul McCartney bailed out on the Beatles' HOF induction because he "didn't want to relive the past." Which is rich because his concerts for the last 25 years basically been Beatle greatest hits shows. (You're lucky to get the occassional Wings hit.)

I've posted that Beatles HOF induction video before, which you dig up at YT. George Harrison has never been at ease with the public at such things, but he showed up. I'm sure he would rather eat nails than be there with Yoko Ono, but hell he was still there. Ringo was there too, drunk as a skunk and obviously embarrasing his buddy George. But he held his head high and earned respect from me.

Paul got over his "past" problems and years later inducted John.

Well I think this shows that we have the technology to bring back artists that are dead for future generations to enjoy.

I wonder who the first to become a billionaire will be?

Richest Hip Hop Artists

Does he ever stop touring..

doesn't seem like it, damn guy has too much energy.

He also owns/runs a touring production company, so he's got those bills to pay. You can't buy him love, just rent it.

Anyway it's amusing the full-length concerts you can find at YT. In the Prince thread I posted one of his Lovesexy concerts back in '88, that carnival of insanity with his stage having a basketball court, iron gates, a bed, and even a vintage operable Convertable. No wonder that tour lost money, if well-spent lost money this side of Pink Floyd's THE WALL concerts.

There's also this, a legendary moment for the Godfather of Soul when arguably (so goes the legend) he saved Boston after MLK's assassination.

Oh TIS, I agree completely about "Knocking." Just an atrocious version. Axl's ego and the band's heavy drug use prevented them from being one of the great all-time bands that could be going strong for 30 years. Instead, they only released a few records and imploded.

They do a great cover of Nazareth's "Hair of the Dog." I also like their take on "Live and Let Die."

He did this in Cleveland last week too. Also this Waiting on a Sunny Day link has a good video of a little girl getting up with Bruce to sing in Cleveland.

Recently named by Rolling Stone magazine readers as one of the greatest concert movies. (NSFW, some stoned naked concertgoers and a murder.)

Wikipedia says Paul McCartney's TUG OF WAR came out 30 years ago today. I've been vocal more than once that I hated the monster hit from it ("Ebony & Ivory"), but other than that TOW was a really darn good album overall, produced by George Martin.

The stand-outs for me from the warm & fuzzy "Wanderlust" to the Vaudeville-flavored "Ballroom Dancing" to the Top 20 hit "Take it Away." His Lennon tribute "Here Today" is touching and haunting. Hell the other track he did w/ Stevie Wonder ("What's That You're Doing?") is so damn funky yet out of place because it sounds like more fitting on a Wonder LP, which is a cool touch in my opinion.

I'd count it as the absolute top rock documentary, thanks to the Maysles brothers. Nothing else comes close. And some great music. The Madison Square Garden footage is the basis for "Get Your Ya-Ya's Out," which is one of the two best Stones live albums (the other is "Love You Live"). Great, uncut version of "Wild Horses" in the Muscle Shoals studio. The Altamont stuff could have been great, but the violence f***ed it up.

Best concert film? Haven't seen all of them, but I'd count "Last Waltz," "Jimi Plays Berkeley," and "Fleetwood Mac - The Dance" among the top.

The RS readers poll in question from last month, w/ associated acts in ().

1. The Last Waltz (The Band)
2. The Song Remains the Same (Led Zeppelin)
3. Stop Making Sense (Talking Heads)
4. Woodstock
5. Rattle & Hum (U2)
6. Gimme Shelter (Rolling Stone)
7. Live at Pompeii (Pink Floyd)
8. Shine a Light (Rolling Stones)
9. Sign O' The Times (Prince)
10. Bullet in a Bible (Green Day)

Alot of those entries are expected, and Scorsese makes the list twice (three if you count his AD work on WOODSTOCK). #1 is a very solid choice.

I was pleasantly surprised with how high STOP MAKING SENSE ranked, and with SIGN O' THE TIMES cracking the list considering that Prince concert movie is obscurely available legally only by pricey import.

I'm certain #5 only made the list because of the band, and not the movie itself. (That was the one where Bono came off as arguably pretentious by claiming U2 was taking back "Helter Skelter" from Charles Manson. As if those murders ever stopped classic rock station DJs from playing it or countless bands covering it or becoming a Paul McCartney concert staple.) #10 is just laughable, and interesting enough the only one post-80s that got voted in.

In my biased opinion The 68 Comeback Special by Elvis is amazing, but i'm not sure this counts as a movie..

Bill Wyman to Rejoin The Rolling Stones?

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bill-wyman-to-rejoin-the-rolling-stones/

Did Wyman ever marry that girl he dated when she was 13? Maybe she took all his money and he needs to tour? But at age 75, shouldn't he be golfing or playing canasta instead of touring?

Daryl Jones is a paid employee yes? He's not an official Rolling Stone which I guess would mean that he doesn't get a pct of touring receipts. Wyman was part of the official band. Would Richards and Jagger want to reduce their cut just to bring Wyman back?

Wikipedia says they married and divorced two years later. Incidentally during that marriage, his son was dating her mother. Awkard.

Why he's doing this? Maybe he's nostalgic, I mean this year is the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones. Maybe he's bored? Who knows. I don't care really.

You bring up the age, Keith Richards in his (highly recommendable) book complains about how people bitch at the Rolling Stones for still touring, yet not at many black entertainers for doing the same thing(He might have a point. B.B. King has been doing "farewell concerts" since before I was born. He's the Terry Funk of the Blues, he don't know how to retire.)



I doubt it, only because Wyman quit in the first place (primarily) because he couldn't deal with the never-ending world tours anymore. Reports claim he's not flown a plane since the STEEL WHEELS tour. I suppose this is more like bringing him back in to the studio to record something, hell maybe a one-off appearance at a UK concert.

I've always been a Bob Dylan fan.

But Leonard Cohen wins the Al Pacino/Michael Corleone look alike contest, hands down:

I think the reason some people took shots at the Rolling Stones or other sixties rockers continuing to perform in their fifties and beyond was primarily because "rock music" was so closely and firmly associated in their minds with youth and rebellion.

Blues never was. Blues, jazz, adult contemporary, country, etc tend to be more understood as "ageless musics". I'm not saying they necessarily are, just that the media and to a certain extent the performers market them as such. [Stereotypically] rock is about live fast, die young and leave a good looking corpse.

Martha Bayles talks about this at length in her book "Hole in Our Soul".

Ehh. For that genre of music Bruce Cockburn, Richard Thompson and Joni Mitchell all deserve equal mention.

What annoys me is when people try to argue that classical nonsensical logic line that geezers acts are simply only "getting in the way" of new acts. They need to be put out to pasture. Which is quite stupid to say the least in so many obvious ways I won't list them.

I'd add Woodie Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, and Gordon Lightfoot to any list of great lyricists.

So I saw Guns N Roses (first time) live earlier this year. So far, I've got tickets to see the following concerts:

-Friday, June 29th Albany, NY: Aerosmith/Cheap Trick (2nd time seeing Aerosmith, first time for Cheap Trick)
-Saturday, June 30th Bethel, NY: Dave Matthews Band (9th time)
-Sunday, August 5th Wantagh, NY: System of a Down (1st time)
-Saturday, September 22nd Wantagh, NY: KISS/Mötley Crüe (2nd time seeing KISS, first time for Mötley Crüe)

Awesome. Let us know how they all go in detail, especially if setlists change or not.

I mean it varies. Paul McCartney has a rock-solid setlist he never diverts from for every tour, while Prince is notorious (or awesome IMO) for changing his setlists nightly. You could get "When Doves Cry" or not, depending on his mood that day.

Donald Dunn Dead: Booker T Bassist Dies At 70

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/13/donald-dunn-dead-dies_n_1512572.html?ref=mostpopular

Passed by the NY State Senate on thursday.



http://prettymuchamazing.com/news/new-yo...he-beastie-boys

BTW RR did you hear that Bono (U2)is now the richest musician AND richer (by a half million) than Sir Paul, due to the Face Book IPO? Don't get all the details but damn!!!! A list I'll never be on.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/18..._n_1526972.html




TIS

At some point people that complain about or take shots at former co-workers sound like a person that never got over a certain ex. I mean sure you're entitled to whine for a while especially if you really were done wrong but sooner or later you need to let it go.


Hagar on Van Halen

I can't say I even watch the Billboard Music Awards but saw this story saying in their tribute to singers who passed away, they included (rightfully) Whitney Houston, Adam Yauch, Robin Gibb.

HOWEVER, they left out, Dick Clark, Levon Helm, Etta James and Davy Jones. I mean, although not a singer himself, Dick Clark, for God's sake?? Do they not check before they do these tributes or double check?? Billboard has yet to comment.



TIS

Just a guess, but it was Dick Clark, who put together The American Music Awards. I think it was in the 70s. It was regarded as a slap in the face to the Grammys, with which Clark had a big problem. I'm not sure if Billboard also bhad conflicts or problems with Clark, who wielded tremendous power in the music industry, but to ignore Clark's passing when others in the industry are observed is more than an accidental oversight.

Happy Birthday Bobby.

Bob Dylan turns 71 today!

Ever see "Weird Al" Yankovic's parody of Dylan and that video?

I don't own a lot of Dylan's music, but mostly enjoy his style. Here is one of my favorites. Note, the title is actually "Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35".

Happy Birthday BD.

Just a memory for me: Back when "Like A Rolling Stone" was released, I remember being in the car with my mom (she was driving). I tried to control the radio. "Like A Rolling Stone" played and my mom commented, "What a goofball that guy sounds like." Such strong language. LOL


TIS



I just happened to come across Beatles, horsing around, singing same song:

Happy Birthday Bob, perhaps the best poet in modern times.. ;

20 years before MTV unplugged. Elvis at his best.

Oh, my... it looks like Piano Man has become Hungry Man. However, I know Billy Joel suffers from alcohol & depression demons so I empathize because I understand that some depression meds can cause weight gain.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news...ormation-201216

Oh no! What happened to Billy Joel? I didn't know he suffered from depression and wasn't sure about the alcohol issues either. He's always been one of my favorites though. Too bad.



TIS

I love Billy Joel. Always have. But it's true that he has struggled with alcohol and depression for literally his entire adult life.

I just hope to God he doesn't end up another celebrity Weight Watchers endorser. The constant airing of those Jennifer Hudson commercials has me close to putting my foot through the television set whenever I see them.

Bob Seger to go into Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Interview

Well it's about time. Honestly, I would have guessed he was already in the HOF.

Among my favorites:

Night Movies
Turn The Page
Against The Wind
Old Time Rock & Roll

Btw, Gordon Lightfoot was quite popular during the 70s. He is good too but I'm really glad for Seger.

They say it won't be televised but I'm hoping it'll be shown afterward on HBO (which usually airs these inductions.) If you hear anything Lilo, please let me know ok?

TIS

Sure will...

I love Bob Seger too. Roll Me Away is a perfect song to start Happy Hour, as is Hollywood Nights.

I would have thought Gordon Lightfoot and Jim Steinman were already inducted. I never get tired of listening to Lightfoot's music. I understand he has had serious health issues a few years ago. I hope that's behind him.

Sundance channel is airing a movie about Motown and the musicians who were the background for the Detroit sound. They called them "The Funk Brothers." So far, interesting. Lots & lots of great Motown songs. Can't help but tap your feet.

A special shout-out to my fellow Michigander friend, Lilo, whom I am SURE knows this group/story. Check it out. I found the trailer to the film here:





TIS

One of my favorite CD's to put in @ work is Bob Seger's Greatest hits... that is when I need to take a break from Billy Joel.

Love Seger & loved Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels too. Yet, as I understand it, they were, though definitely from Detroit, not necessarily considered Motown. Even Stevie Wonder, whom I heard in a radio interview, say he told Barry Gordie he wanted to do his own sound and not necessarily sound "Motown." Yet, we tend to call it ALL Motown (tho the Detroit sound is good too). It's all good music IMHO


I'll tell ya growing up as a teenager in Michigan right at that time, was the perfect age to appreciate and enjoy Michigan,'s own sound. We all were so proud.

I guess, for me, if I had to pick a favorite Motown group, I might go with the Four Tops. Then there's the Temptations, and how about Smokey Robinson & the Miracles? Then of course you have Stevie, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes... and the beat goes on and on. Nice memories.

TIS

Thanks TIS. Yes that is a great story-both the movie and the larger real life story it's based on. A lot of those guys (most of them actually) didn't get all the credit -financial or musical- that they were entitled to receive. It was a very big deal when Marvin Gaye broke with tradition and insisted on listing them on one of his albums.

Ryder was a bit before my time but Seger is probably only second to Aretha Franklin as a Michigan icon. It was impossible to grow up in the seventies or eighties without hearing his music somewhere. He's part of the broader "Detroit" sound though his music mostly name checks Ann Arbor, 40 miles to the west. "Main Street"...

Seen them three times, last time was three week ago and axl's voice was superb!

I know this is gonna sound so "against the grain" BUT of all Motown/Detroit music performers my least favorite is Aretha Franklin. I just never really was into her singing.

Of course, I have nothing against her personally and as a matter of fact a while back it was reported that she had pancreatic cancer. I felt really bad for her. Then I heard she denied that was the case. Do you know Lilo if she does have cancer? I hope not.



TIS

Franklin has not released any information about whatever ailed her. She lost a rather shocking amount of weight very suddenly. She's gained some of it back but is nowhere near the mass she was before, which is a good thing I think.

This site provides examples of some song lyrics that many of us have misheard over the years:

http://music.msn.com/theyre-singing-what/photo-gallery/feature/?photoidx=1

On a lot of them, I don't know how they are so far off, but some good ones.

Benny & The Jets "She's got electric boobs." Now that's a neat trick.


Michelle: Sunday monkey won't play piano song, piano song." Ha ha ha Hey the Beatles taught me French.

Before everyone's time likely, but remember "Louie Louie" by the Kingsmen? That entire song is not understandable. LOL I'm sure I've looked up the lyrics at one time or another but it might as well be a foreign language. It was banned for a while when it came out (at least in Michigan)cause people were imagining all kinds of dirty lyrics. Thus it became a big hit.

TIS

TIS, I remember Louie and the controversy ove rthe lyrics: "In about an hour I'll lay her again." was one of them.

The word I've heard from that reunion tour is that it's basically Night of the Living Dead. But still, impressive achievement.

Beach Boys surpass the Beatles for Billboard 200 record

This week, the Beach Boys best the Beatles for a Billboard 200 album chart record. Their new album 'That's Why God Made the Radio' bursts onto the chart at No. 3, the Beach Boys break a record by expanding their span of Billboard 200 top 10s to 49 years and one week. They first graced the top 10 with Surfin' U.S.A. the week of June 15, 1963.

Upon its arrival, 'Radio' becomes the Beach Boys' highest-charting album since 1965's Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), which reached No. 2. The new release is their 14th top 10 and first since 1976's 15 Big Ones. The Beach Boys have topped the Billboard 200 with two titles: 1964's Beach Boys Concert (for four weeks) and 1974's Endless Summer (one).

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/beach-boys-beatles-billboard-337926

Paul McCartney is 70 years old today? Say what?? Gosh, the time flies by. Ahhhh yes. I guess I'd say picture #3 is how all the young girls saw him in the beginning. The "cute" Beatle. I must admit tho, I liked also the the more "hairy" look (pic #7). I guess we ALL are getting older as we go down that "Long And Winding Road" of life. Happy Birthday Paulie!!

TIS


http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/17/showbiz/gallery/paul-mccartney/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

We've been needing and feeding him since he's been 64. Happy Birthday to the most iconic man on the planet. I'm not sure how he's celebrating, but when Ringo torned 70 a few years ago, McCartney dropped in on Ringo performing (I think it was Radio CityMusic Hall) and surprised him with a rendition of BIRTHDAY.

Oh yea, I remember that. I forgot that Ringo was 70. Damn!!! Sounds so old. He & Paul must reflect back to when they "were just 17. Know what I mean?"


TIS

Most performing artists don't really have any idea how they do what they do, but out of 200 interviews thare should be a lot of interesting material in these:

http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2012/12-117.html

"The list of noted artists and executives is a veritable who’s who in the music industry. They include Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Barbra Streisand, Little Richard, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Elton John, Paul Simon, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Sting, Tony Bennett, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Dick Clark, Tina Turner, Tom Jones, B.B. King, Quincy Jones, David Geffen, Mickey Hart, Harry Belafonte and many others. All types of popular music are represented—from rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, rhythm & blues and pop to big-band, heavy metal, folk and country-western."

This is sad.

Singer Lauryn Hill has plead guilty in a tax case that potentially could sentence her to several years in prison.

Back in the 90s, she was with the Fugees and made that classic record THE SCORE. Then solo, she recorded THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL, which just recently Rolling Stone named one of the 50 greatest women's rock albums ever produced. So two classic examples of 1990s music.

But afterwards, she just fell apart or something happened and now this. How sad, what talent wasted.

Sad news indeed. There was a time in the early/mid 90s when she was the biggest thing in music.

Those were the days. The early eighties had some good music.

I had heard about the Bowie-Jagger thing but hadn't heard about the Bebe Buell connection. Strange times. To each their own.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment...ticle-1.1109887

I've said it before, but what amazes me still is how much Prince was overflowing with material and songs and ideas in that period. (In fact The Time's first album w/ "Cool" vastly outsold Prince's album that year DIRTY MIND.) If he hadn't had those outlet groups, he probably would've exploded.

Ok you baby boomers. In the immortal words of James Brown...Give It Up or Turn It Loose!!!
Bias At Rolling Stone Magazine

By JIM FUSILLI

Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time is now on the newsstands. But if you miss this year's rendition, no worries: The top 21 albums on the list are the same as on Rolling Stone's list from 2003. To call it predictable or a cliché is to let it off easy.

The magazine doesn't publish the criteria for judging what makes an album great, nor does it explain why it chooses 500 instead of 50, or 50,000, but the usual suspects fill out the top 10 slots: four albums by the Beatles, including "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" at No. 1; two by Bob Dylan; and one each by the Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye and the Rolling Stones, all released between 1965 and 1972. Rounding out the top 10 is the Clash's "London Calling," the youngster of the bunch: It was issued in the U.S. in early 1980. This affinity for music of an ever-distant past may provide comfort for generationally biased boomer-era rock fans, but for the rest of us, it reinforces the fiction that popular music reached its zenith four decades ago.

The Rolling Stone 500 would be easily dismissed as a marketing stunt were it not for the sad fact that the superiority of boomer-era rock is viewed by some as truth. These folks would agree with what Rolling Stone says about its top album: "'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' is the most important rock & roll album ever made"; it is "rock's ultimate declaration of change." No, it is not. It had predecessors that made it possible and that are thus at least as important. And "Sgt. Pepper" brought no greater change to rock and pop music than did subsequent recordings like "Crosby Stills & Nash," "The Ramones," Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run," Michael Jackson's "Thriller," Nirvana's "Nevermind," Public Enemy's "Fear of a Black Planet" or Radiohead's "Kid A."

Sweep aside 45 years of almost-unchallenged praise, some of which has nothing to do with its 13 songs and 40 minutes of music, and really listen to "Sgt. Pepper." It is a great rock and pop album. But indisputably better than, say, "Kiko," a 1992 album by Los Lobos, or Björk's 2001 disc "Vespertine"—neither of which is among the Rolling Stone 500? Of course not. But the greatness of "Kiko" and "Vespertine" exist outside the confines of boomer-rock's narrow cultural context.

(By the way, to understand the power of the calcified rock orthodoxy, consider that right now there are folks among us who would say "Sgt. Pepper" is better than "Kiko" and "Vespertine" without having heard the last two.)

A look at the raw numbers shows how the list is skewed toward preserving the boomer-rock myth. Of its 500 albums, 292 were released in the '60s or '70s, a highly improbable 59%. Only 8% of the listed albums were released in this century; only two were issued this decade—and one of those, "Smile" by the Beach Boys, was recorded 46 years ago. The other listed album from the current decade is Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," which Rolling Stone's panel of "artists, producers, industry executives and journalists" rank at No. 353. Albums by the Yardbirds sit at Nos. 350 and 355.

It is not only newer recordings that get short shrift. The Rolling Stone 500 is especially ugly when it ventures away from the commercial rock and pop canon. It gives lip service to jazz by including six albums: three by Miles Davis, two by John Coltrane and one by Ornette Coleman—the ones some rockers talked about in the '70s. There's no Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Billie Holliday, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and no jazz recorded in the past 43 years. As for country, Hank Williams's "40 Greatest Hits" is down at No. 94 and there's nothing by Jimmie Rodgers. Nor is there anything by Louis Jordan, whose rockin' small-combo jazz ushered in R&B. Africa is represented only by "The Indestructible Beat of Soweto," a boxed set of South African music—meaning no Cesária Evora, Salif Keita, Fela Kuti, Youssou N'Dour or Ali Farka Touré. The closest we get to music from South America is "Getz/Gilberto," a 1964 tribute to samba by Stan Getz and João Gilberto. Gospel music? None. Bluegrass? None. Boomer-era rock and soul artists influenced by gospel and bluegrass? Much, as if to suggest the music isn't valuable until the rock world appropriates it. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time? Phooey.

In the introduction to the issue, Elton John writes: "In the Sixties and Seventies, you could buy 12 albums a week that were all classics." No you couldn't. Maybe one week a year, especially if you were catching up by buying those you missed. But not every week, not most weeks or even some weeks. Mr. John's memories speak to our sentimental attachment to the music of our youth. It's a powerful thing, but the power often resides in the sentiment rather than the quality of the music. That power can blind us so that we may delude ourselves into believing in the supremacy of one era in music, an era that ended more than 40 years ago.

No offense to Mr. Fusilli, but what more recent albums would he have recommended for the Top 10? Just shooting the breeze but NEVERMIND? THRILLER? OK COMPUTER? LICENSE TO ILL? STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON? Fuck if I know.

Plus Rolling Stone did rank that overrated super successful Adele album among the Top 10 women rock albums ever, above titles like Carole King's TAPESTRY. And that decision rightly got shat on. They can't win.

It's like complaining about the AFI's top 10 movies of all-time, it only ranks one movie produced post-1980 (Spielberg's SCHINDLER'S LIST). Yeah ok but instead of say CASABLANCA and LAWRENCE OF FUCKING ARABIA, what would be put in those places?

Motown Mystery: Who were those guys???

Virtually any seventies album by Pharoah Sanders or Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Sure they're not household names but that's kind of the point.

Watch at 1:34. "Fucking council."

Turns out it's no fiction -- the music really was better:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/9430338/Modern-music-really-does-sound-the-same.html

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/heresthething/2012/jul/30/

This is an absolute must listen to interview for any fan of Billy Joel. It is from a July 30th, 2012 Alec Baldwin radio show from WNYC. It is over an hour and terrific! Joel & Baldwin have great chemistry and their impersonations of Dylan, Brando and Popeye are spot on. You Joel die hards (Pizzaboy & Sicilian Babe) can thank me later!

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/20...e-boys-son.html

Interesting article, Lilo. As an artist, I understand the need to protect any piece one creates. A prime example of this is the song from Matthew Wilder in 1983; "Break My Stride". I'm sure when he recorded that he never believed it would be used in commercial for adult diapers 25 years later. On the other hand, all artists want their work to be seen, appreciated and remembered.

I remember that song. I was a little too inexperienced to appreciate the whole angst over breakup lyrics but I liked the melody. Yup some artists/publishers are very picky about other people using their creations. Others don't care as long as they get paid.

Fort Greene Afro-Punk slide show



Article

Electronic Dance Music and DJ's

Thriller Turns 30-Lessons Learned

I remember the excitement around Thriller. They had sold theater tickets to local theaters to see the 10-15 minute video.

But damn 30 years ago? It simply doesn't seem that long ago. I probably am among many who thinks the Thriller album is MJs best.


TIS

Prince concert clips
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x93gue_head-live-1981_music

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x94gxy_uptown-live-au-palace-1981_creation

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x948fh_private-joy-rare-live-1981-w-lyrics_creation

Speaking of Mr. Nelson, he (and his retro-afro) was on The View the other day and asked if he watched American Idol or X Factor or The Voice, and what he thought of Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber.

"I'm too busy making music to watch it."

For some reason I loved that.

I had to go to the AF base today to get my military ID renewed, CNN was on and they had a story about if you want to go see a Barbra Streisand concert it's gonna cost ya $1500 a ticket. OMG who can afford that?

When I was for my run today I heard she w/b appearing at the Hollywood Bowl (tho I don't know when). She always plays at "elite" type events and from the couple appearances I heard of you pay an arm, a leg, and a firstborn to see her. Comes off as a real snob. She's got a nice voice, but I ain't that into her.

TIS

The Neil Young feature is actually quite good. The Quincy Jones one not so much. I mean you have a great producer and all you want to talk about is who he was sleeping with or his daughter's relationship with Tupac?

Quincy Jones Interview


Neil Young feature article

Prince's new song debuted on Chicago radio a few days ago: "RNR Affair"

Sounds very nineties. Interesting.

Hall of Fame nominees

That just proves the R&R HoF is a load of crap, i mean as much as i like NWA, they should not go in a hall of fame for rock and roll.

John Lennon beat women



Does this change your opinion of Lennon? Or does it make you more willing to forgive other abusers? What is your standard for bad behavior for artists?
It's easy to condemn artists whose music or books or other output you dislike anyway. But what about when it's someone whose artistic creations mean something to you?

alot of these women need a good crack in the mouth,,,,Rhianna she had that coming,,,my friend works for a big name music guy in LA and he saw her pull a knofe on Chris earlier that day..true story

She had it coming? Crack in the mouth? Maybe she was protecting herself from that asshole woman beater Chris Brown who beat the fu*k out of her a while back.

TIS

The troll is gone!

What do you mean opinion, artistic or personal?

I don't think it changes artistic opinion, since I tend to try to seperate the art from the artist. I mean Roman Polanski, great filmmaker. (GHOST WRITER could teach these punk kid directors how to make a thriller) He also should've gone to jail and not escaped to France.

I've always got the impression with Lennon that he was or can be a dick. Absolutely witty, though bipolar and unpredictable when it came to his former Beatle comrades not named Ringo.* It's why journalists loved him, he rattled off whatever shit comes off his brain that day and doesn't care about the consequences.
I remember that one alleged anecdote I remember reading years back, during the early days of the John/Yoko affair (the VIRGIN LOVERS days) and Yoko reached for a newspaper on the table and SMACK! "That's my paper!"

People do tend to tie their fandom of artists with their public life, or the character they present to the public. It's foolish because inevitably they always come up short. How much of Mel Gibson's global fandom was related to his supposed likeable everyguy persona he always put up in interviews? In what indication did you get of his anti-semitism or his short temper or openly sharing his opinion of women and black people when liquored up?

I might just be one of the few peoples who have no interest in "knowing" celebrities or meeting them. (I don't get autographs either.) Hey I like your music or movies, let's not complete that m'kay?

Lennon was a great musician, no doubt about that. But let's just leave it at that. (Seriously me and Lilo couldn't be fans/admirers of Prince if we let his infamous psychotic assholic reputation define if we can stand him or his music.)

*=I'm still marveled how he was the only one who had a good decent relationship with all the Beatles, when the others loathed each other. Maybe he was too likeable? Maybe they didn't respect him enough to be jealous? Who knows.

There's alot of S**T in Albert Goldman bio's about Lennon.. If you want a good Lennon Bio to read then the definitive one is "Lennon by Ray Coleman"

Either or both. Artistic or personal. I also really really try to separate art from the artist. This is easier if the artist happens to be dead (HP Lovecraft , Robert E. Howard, etc) but there are limits. Sometimes the artist is such a **** that I can't ignore that or sometimes the artist's views which are antithetical to mine are a KEY component of his art.



Right. You can enjoy the music or art and just leave it there. I'm reading Buddy Guy's (ghostwritten??) autobiography and he has quite a few unpleasant anecdotes to share about various blues icons, most of whom are dead and can't rebut. It's matter of fact, not told in a salacious or gossipy manner. I disagree with people that say for example that because you enjoy Ike Turner music that you by definition support abusing women. Fortunately or unfortunately artistic talent is not only shared by morally upright people. That said I also don't think that just because you're talented you should get a pass when you do wrong. It's tricky, everyone has a different comfort zone.

I thought the article about Lennon was interesting if only b/c he's essentially frozen in memory as Imagine/Give Peace a Chance/Beatles/etc while Brown is struggling against being defined as a violent brute, often by people who were never fans. It's like if I discovered that Buck Owens had been abusive to women (according to book I was browsing he was) and went around trying to define him as that and only that. It would be quite easy for me to be a self-righteous Knight Templar on that issue because I was never a fan in the first place.

Brown's biggest problem (other than being very recent) was that he never once seemed remorseful or apologized for what he did. Not even staged mea culpa PR like donating to a battered womens shelter or whatever.

I did laugh earlier this year when CM Punk challenged him to a fight. Funny because other than a pro wrestler threatening a celebrity to a never-will-happen fight and scoring good cheap pop from the masses, Brown over-reacted like a dumbass on his twitter page, saying he was a steroid freak, yada yada. He had to remove those tweets after his lawyers advised him on the potential libel.

Brown is an asshole, and a dumbass. He's easy to attack, and hard to defend.

50 years, and the Rolling Stones still won't die.



Never thought I would hear Jagger sing about shooting zombies. There's a first for everything.

And their first decent song in about 30 years..

I like the song. Then again, I like the Stones. Can't hear a Stones tune without wanting to tap your feet, snap your fingers or get up and dance if you ask me.

On the other hand tho, how long can they possibly continue though?




TIS

Depends upon your interpretation of what "die" means .

Biggest mistake the Stones ever made was letting Mick Taylor leave. They were never the same after he left. Don't get me wrong i love the Stones but they were at their best with Mick Taylor and his blues lead guitar. Jagger and Richards wouldn't give him song credits so he walked.

I like the new song. Considering those guys are close to 70 it's actually pretty good. Hope to see them at least one more time.

Ha ha ha ha!! I know. It's amazing isn't it? The guy looks like death warmed over and he keeps rockin'.

I talked my daughter into going with me to see their movie, "Shine A Light" a couple years ago because I just love their music. We both got a kick out of how totally burnt out Richards looked AND the dangly little ornaments he wore in his hair.

Still, damn their music is good.


TIS

Some vintage 1971 Stones.

Great clip. Wow, how young they all were. Wasn't it Jagger who said he wasn't sure if they'd still be "rockin" at 30??




TIS

Prince will be on Jimmy Kimmel next tuesday night the 23rd.

Rolling Stones announce four gigs..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19945821

Any LYNYRD SKYNYRD fans here? I was lucky to see the original lineup 3 times before the plane crash. Once in 75, once in 76 and one time in 77 when they opened for Peter Frampton. The J Geils band was also on the bill that day. Really good concert.

Most people will tell you their favorite Skynrd song is Free Bird or Sweet Home Alabama but i always liked Tuesday's Gone.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nui0NDvSuQ4

I liked some Skynyd, my favorite song being Gimme Three Steps

I can't say I have any of their music, but I do like Free Bird.




TIS

Rolling Stones(London Concert)tickets selling for thousands.

http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=768461

I like the Stones as much as the next guy but no way am i paying more then a couple hundred to see them , maybe 3 hundred if they're really good seats.

My wife is a Stevie Nicks fanatic and i paid the most i ever paid for a couple tickets for one of her shows. I'm too embarrassed to say how much i paid.

I heard on the radio today that one of their concerts will be a "pay for view". Don't know any details.



TIS

Whatever one thought of his new single (good melody, questionable song structure), it's unquestionably better live.

Interview with bassist Andrew Gouche, who revealed he played on several tracks for Prince's new album out later this year.

http://www.printfriendly.com/print/v2?url=http://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2013/01/andrew-gouche-the-power-of-soul-by-steve-gregory-bass-musician-magazine-january-2013/

Nice. Thanks for posting this.
Walter Hawkins, John P Kee, Joe Sample, and of course James Cleveland are BIG names. Gospel bass can be fun because usually the organ is already holding down the bass lines. So a good bassist can have a lot of freedom. Or he can try to stay out of the organist's way... Larry Graham created his idiosyncratic style in part by avoiding the parts his mother was already playing on organ and instead trying to imitate drum parts..

Follow this feed: https://twitter.com/3rdeyegirl

Despite claiming to be "over" the Internet, Prince last few days has been uploading bootlegs online. He'll apparently continue to do so in the near future as part of the hype up for a reported new album out later this year.

New song: "Same Page Different Book".



Extended remix of "Laydown" (Originally released on his last album 20TEN).



Another remix (with a disco-flavored hook) of his recent single "Rock & Roll Love Affair."



Rehearsal for "Bambi" (Originally released 33 years ago on his 2nd album PRINCE, and easily one of my all-time favorites of his.)

Great finds Ronnie!!! I like the mutated version of Bambi.
Amazing that song is that old but I guess it is.

Re-listening to it tonight, I think I actually enjoy "Same Page Different Book" much more than the radio friendly RNR Love Affair.

Reminds me of "Act of God" (criminally underrated obscure gem) and of course "Sign O The Times" (except obviously not as good by a long shot) in that unlike his usual funk/party/make whopee songs, the guy in his lyrics and tone was obviously angry at something that motivated him. Usually that extra element seems to churn good tracks from artist.

Now this news is out of the blue.

David Bowie releasing first new album in a decade in March

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/01/07/david-bowie-new-album-next-day-where-are-we-now/

He's even just put out the video for the single "Where Are We Now?"

http://www.davidbowie.com/vision?videopremiere=true

Long live the Thin White Duke!

EDIT -

Cover designers talk about this.





http://virusfonts.com/news/2013/01/david-bowie-the-next-day-that-album-cover-design/

Pri...I mean "3rdEyeGirl" or whatever struck again.



Interesting slower, more R&B flavored retake on a Top 10 hit for him, replacing the original track's Springsteen-esque pop rock storytelling.

So yes enjoy this folks before it gets yanked pretty soon. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, maybe before you finish reading this post?

What intrigues me, and something P fan boards really have not catched up on is that this was filmed. (Recently at his Chicago concerts if I understand it correctly.) God knows all the concerts he's had filmed and could make a good money stream from his fanbase if he released them on DVD or allowed people to buy it online.