::yawn::

Best Buy Snags Guns N’ Roses Album Exclusive
September 26, 2008

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Best Buy is set to be the exclusive retailer for Guns N’ Roses decade-plus-in-the-making new album “Chinese Democracy” before year’s end, sources close to the situation tell Billboard. Some details of the deal are still being worked out, including the release date.

The news brings a semblance of closure to the bizarre history of “Democracy,” which Guns N’ Roses has been working on since the mid-1990s. Since then, every original member of the once mighty group has left besides vocalist Axl Rose, and millions of dollars have been spent working on the new material.

“Democracy” was most recently on the Interscope release schedule in March 2007. The endless delays encountered by the project reached comic levels this spring, when soft drink manufacturer Dr Pepper offered to send a free can of the beverage to “everyone in America” (excluding ex-GNR members Slash and Buckethead) if “Chinese Democracy” were to arrive anytime during the calendar year 2008.

In June, nine purported “mastered, finished” tracks from the album were leaked online, prompting an FBI investigation into their source. A sign “Chinese Democracy” was perhaps finally nearing release came in July, when the band agreed to debut new track “Shackler’s Revenge” in the video game “Rock Band 2,” which hit stores earlier this month.

Guns N’ Roses is now managed by Irving Azoff’s Front Line Management, and Azoff is a well-known proponent of issuing albums exclusively through retailers. He released the Eagles’ “Long Road Out of Eden” through Wal-Mart in 2007, much to the chagrin of other merchants, but the album was a runaway hit, having sold 3.1 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

i mean really, does anyone actually care about this fool and his music anymore? (personally, i thought that were one of, if not the most over-rated act in the history of pop music) and i hate these big, upfront payoff, exclusive deals w/big retailers. hedging your best are you axl?

Jeff Tweedy – Addresses People Talking During Concert

and speaking of mr. tweedy…this is wonderful…

for the life of me, i do not understand these inconsiderate idiots that plunk down the price of a ticket and then go to a show and run their mouth for two solid hours and ruin the experience for everyone around them.

way to go jeff, wish more artists would do the same.

Wilco offers free song if you promise to vote

photo courtesy Richie Wireman

Wilco offers free song if you promise to vote
By Jeremy Medina [from Paste.com]

With the Nov. 4 presidential election looming and slowly becoming a reality (after what feels like an eternity of campaigning), Wilco has decided to take it upon itself to rally people to vote.

Through their website, Jeff Tweedy (above) and company are offering a free download of a cover of the 1967 Bob Dylan song “I Shall Be Released,” recorded with Fleet Foxes live on tour in Bend, Ore. All one has to do is simply enter a name and e-mail address and click the button “I pledge to vote,” and a download link is sent via e-mail.

“Such tumultuous times,” the band says on the site. “And in the spirit of giveaways that seem to be sweeping the nation, we’ve got something free for you. No it’s not a pile of cash (sorry) but rather an audio postcard of sorts from a summer’s night in Oregon with our friends the Fleet Foxes & a lovely Bob Dylan tune. All we ask is you check the ‘I pledge to vote in the 2008 Election’ button below.”

Notice how they never even mention either candidate. How diplomatic of them. Head here to give Wilco your pledge, and here to register to vote.

Cash recording to be released with new documentary

Cash recording to be released with new documentary

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — An unreleased recitation by Johnny Cash will be available as part of a new documentary examining Cash’s views on America. In “I Am The Nation,” the deep-voiced singer personifies the country with references to important events and people in American history.

The recording was discovered in Cash’s personal belongings after his death. It will be released as part of “Johnny Cash’s America,” a documentary airing Oct. 23 on the Biography Channel. The companion DVD/CD package on Legacy Recordings will be available Oct. 28.

The documentary features interviews with Bob Dylan; Al Gore; Snoop Dogg; Sheryl Crow; Steve Earle; Kris Kristofferson; Loretta Lynn; Merle Haggard; U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander; Tim Robbins; Vince Gill; Cash; his sister, Joanne; and his children, John Carter Cash and Cindy Cash.

In the film, Cash, who was outspoken on social issues, discusses the political process and the two parties.

“The whole film and soundtrack are poignant for what’s going on in the political climate right now,” said Charlie Dougiello, a spokesman for the project.

New Music/CD Releases – September 30, 2008

Bill’s Pick of the Week

Gemma Hayes – The Hollow of Morning
1 At Constant Speed
2 Chasing Dragons
3 Don’t Forget
4 Home
5 In Over My Head
6 January 14th
7 Out of Your Hands
8 Sad ‘Ol Song
9 This Is What You Do
10 Under a Canopy

Releases for Tuesday, September 30th
Anberlin – New Surrender
Ani Difranco – Red Letter Year
Ben Folds – Way to Normal
Dream Theatre – Chaos In Motion (CD/DVD)
Echo & The Bunnymen – Songs to Learn and Sing
Enigma – Seven Lives Many Faces (2 CDs)
Faith Hill – Joy To The World
Gemma Hayes – The Hollow of Morning
Grateful Dead – Live Egypt 1978 (CD/DVD)
Jack’s Mannequin – The Glass Passenger
James Morrison – Songs for You, Truths for Me
James Taylor – Covers
Jennifer Hudson – Spotlight
Jesus & The Mary Chain – Rarities (4 CD Boxed Set)
Joseph Arthur – Temporary People
Joshua Radin – Simple Times
Kellie Pickler – Kellie Pickler
Laura Fygi – Rendez-Vous
Mary Chapin Carpenter – Come Darkness Come Light: Twelve Songs Christmas
Matt Belsante – White Christmas
Melissa Etheridge – A New Thought For Christmas
Robin Thicke – Something Else
T.I. – Paper Trail
Taj Mahal – Maestro
Tom Morello – The Fabled City
Travis – Ode to J. Smith
U2 – Red Rocks (DVD)

and remember, whenever possible buy your music directly from the artist(s) or your local independent record store. both could become endangered without your support.

click here for a list of exclusives available @ indie stores and for a list of stores

Ben Sollee

i just stumbled across these videos of ben. a couple of my favorites of his, one original and a beautiful cover of sam cooke’s “a change is gonna come.” in this political season, just seemed appropriate to post them.

i’ll dedicate these to john mccain…

ben sollee – “a few honest words”

ben sollee – “a change is gonna come”

Coming to a memory card near you…

Four Major Labels Make Deal To Release Memory Card Albums; Weezer, Elvis Among the First Wave

The slow segue from CD to MP3 took a giant step forward today when it was announced that SanDisk had reached a deal with all four major labels to begin selling memory card albums of both new acts and classic artists. The one-gig Micro SD cards will make their first appearance in Best Buys and Wal-Marts in time for the holiday season. Each memory card will contain the album in all its 320kbps and DRM-free glory. The music industry, trying to fight off rapidly decreasing annual CD sales, hopes the memory card’s immediate accessibility with cell phones, computers and MP3 players will result in a revenue renaissance. The initial batch of micro carded albums will feature 29 artists, including Weezer, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo and Elvis Presley. This doesn’t mark the first time the major labels have experimented with memory cards: last year, UMG celebrated the anniversary of Bob Marley’s Exodus by releasing a limited edition USB stick, while EMI got revenge for Radiohead’s exodus from the label by releasing a memory stick with the band’s entire non-In Rainbows discography. This new round of memory stick albums will sell for between $7 and $10 apiece — much cheaper than the standard price of the antiquated CD.

Lucinda Williams to release digital EP of protest songs

photo by Danny Clinch

Lucinda Williams to release digital EP of protest songs
By Josh Jackson on September 16, 2008 [from paste online]

When Lucinda Williams fans pick up the Louisiana native’s 10th LP Little Honey on Oct. 14, they might be surprised by the closing track, a cover of AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way To the Top (If You Wanna Rock N’ Roll).” But the bigger surprise might come two weeks later on the digital-only EP of protest songs Lu in ’08—a live cover of Thievery Corporation’s collaboration with The Flaming Lips, “March of the Hate Machine (Into the Sun).”

Along with covers of Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War” and Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” she also recorded a live version of a new song she’s written called “Bone of Contention.” “That’s a pretty angry one,” Williams says from her home in Studio City, Calif. “I recorded it in the studio, but I decided I didn’t want to put it on [Little Honey]. I didn’t quite like the version we recorded. But we were playing at Summerfest, and I went out for the encore and just blasted out an acoustic version of it. It really went over well, so we captured it on tape.”

Protest songs don’t come naturally for Williams, who appeared at #22 on Paste’s list of the 100 Best Living Songwriters. “I’ve found protest songs or topical songs to be the most challenging types of songs for me,” she says. “I find myself having a hard time not sounding either too in-your-face angry or too sugar-coated sappy, like ‘OK, everybody get together.’ It’s just so hard to do.”

Judging by the chorus she sang over the phone, she definitely didn’t err on the side of sappy. “It’s kind of written in a bluesy, almost like a ZZ-Top-ish or a Tony Jo White swampy bluesy thing,” she says. “I’m really concerned about this upcoming election. Actually, I’m just terrified about the possibility of a McCain/Palin victory.”

tift merritt – the original highlands music and art fair/louisville, ky (09.13.2008)

tift merritt – the original highlands music and art fair/louisville, ky

last saturday night, tift merritt, one of my personal favorite artists played a free show about five miles from my front door. does it get any better than that?

the fair was @ the intersection of bardstown road & baxter avenue in the original highlands neighborhood. a great old neighborhood full of shotgun houses, local bars, funky used clothing stores and inhabited by old hippie types, bikers, students, artists and young professionals starting families…in other words, a great mix of people and nice place to hang out.

there was a full day of local music highlighted by the likes of peter searcy, brigid kaelin and others, tift was the headliner closing out the evening. and my god, she rocked.

first, it was the night before the aftermath of ike hit lousiville, bringing in 80 MPH winds, much destruction and cooler weather. it was still around 85 degrees @ 8PM when tift took the stage. about 4 or 5 songs into the show after tift had strapped on her electric, she said “it’s hot” and just decided to leave it on for the rest of the show and rock the huge crowd filling the street and sidewalks of baxter avenue. i usually avoid street festivals knowing that the crowd will generally be rude, loud, drunk and unfamiliar with the music. basically, there to party not listen…not the case saturday night, she had the crowd in the palm of her hand, quiet and behaved during the music and loud and appreciative in between, along with more than a few “i love you tift” shouts coming from the audience. most getting a blushing “i love you too” responses back from tift.

i got to talk to her for a few minutes afterwards, she was sweet, charming and gracious as always. when i told her that i’d seen her six or seven times and while she blew me away the first time… i swore that she got better and better every time i’ve seen her since. that got an “awww, you’re so sweet, thank you so much” followed by a nice hug.

the show was amazing. so was the hug.

*good hearted man was added and played solo by tift on keyboard as an encore

Photographs of Tift From The Show

New Music/CD Releases – September 23, 2008

Bill’s Pick of the Week

Artist: Jenny Lewis
Album: Acid Tongue
1 Acid Tongue
2 Bad Man’s World
3 Black Sand
4 Carpetbaggers
5 Godspeed
6 Jack Killed Mom
7 Next Messiah
8 Pretty Bird
9 See Fernando
10 Sing a Song for Them
11 Trying My Best to Love You

23 September – Tuesday

Artist: Mogwai
Album: Hawk Is Howling

Artist: Blitzen Trapper
Album: Furr

Artist: Jazmine Sullivan
Album: Fearless

Artist: Plain White T’s
Album: Big Bad World

Artist: Maino
Album: If Tomorrow Comes

Artist: Demi Lovato
Album: Don’t Forget

Artist: David Gilmour
Album: Live in Gdansk

Artist: Bette Midler
Album: Jackpot

Artist: Kings of Leon
Album: Only By The Night

Artist: Ledisi
Album: It’s Christmas

Artist: Old Crow Medicine Show
Album: Tennessee Pusher

Artist: Jackson Browne
Album: Time the Conqueror

Artist: Lenka
Album: Lenka

Artist: TV on the Radio
Album: Dear Science

Artist: Fourplay
Album: Energy

Artist: Everlast
Album: Love, War, and the Ghost of Whitey Ford

and remember, whenever possible buy your music directly from the artist(s) or your local independent record store. both could become endangered without your support.

click here for a list of exclusives available @ indie stores and for a list of stores