Posted by Joel Weiss on Jun. 16, 2009, at 10:28 am
“Doing a Radiohead.” Big-box exclusivity deals. “360″ contracts. These and other new business models are side effects of the digital media revolution — a paradigm shift caused by the MP3. The days of $15 CDs are all but dead. Long live the $10 digital album and the 99-cent single, both still dwarfed by everyone’s favorite method of acquiring music: illegal downloading. I think in hindsight, considering the events of the past decade, the recording industry would have been happy for a fractional dip in revenue built into the transition from brick-and-mortar stores to iTunes, but factor in music piracy and the numbers aren’t even close.
Oklahoma is cooler than Florida! At least as far as official state rock songs are concerned. Residents declared The Flaming Lips‘ “Do You Realize?” the rock anthem of Oklahoma via an online vote. However, the Oklahoma state House rejected the resolution. Some representatives, inclined against all things cool, protested the vote, citing the band’s profanity and provocative wardrobe. A bandmember once wore a hammer & sickle t-shirt? Say it ain’t so! When all was thought lost, Gov. Brad Henry, part-time rock savior, overruled the legislature via executive order and threw his support behind the people’s choice. Oklahoma is now cool despite the best efforts of certain politicians. As for the Lips (pictured right), they are currently prepping a double album.
Potential lesbian and singer Miley Cyrus revealed this week on Tucson morning radio show Johnjay & Richthat she was rebuffed by Radiohead (her favorite band, “the only one she would cry over” according to her agent) during the Grammy Awards last month.
Radiohead was in a dressing room only four doors down from Ms. Cyrus. Miley had her manager request a little face time with Thom and the gang. Their response? “We don’t really do that kind of thing.”
Cyrus told the radio hosts she thought it was “rude.” She even left the ceremony and missed Radiohead’s live performance on the show. “I left ’cause I was so upset. I wasn’t going to watch. Stinkin’ Radiohead! I’m gonna ruin them, I’m going to tell everyone,” she said.
On February 18th, both the Chicago Tribune and Pitchfork ran stories that put a knife through the heart of the punk/indie world. Venerable Chicago label, Touch and Go Records would be closing it’s distribution wing and massively scaling back it’s own output. This decision, that I’m sure was made after all other options were exhausted, effects more than just T&G’s roster. They provided distribution for 23 other labels Read the rest of this entry »
Portishead stands on a precipice in 2009, and endless possibilities lay before them. Their album Third, released last year, fulfilled their contractual obligations to Island Records – and as Pitchfork reported yesterday, Portishead are free agents. Here’s Geoff Barrow:
“with the world being the way it is, there are lots of options open … but if you lot have any bright ideas of how we should sell our music in the future, lets us know, why not! [...] i dont think that we’re into giving away music for free to be honest…it fukin takes ages to write and we have to heat our swimming pools…!!!”
I can’t imagine better circumstances for a band like Portishead. Although Portishead lacks the vast catalogue and consistent longevity of other bands that recently introduced new business models, they’ve still done more than enough to earn a decent following of rabid supporters – the type of fans who’ll wait 11 years for the band’s third album. They know how to make music – they just need to decide where to go from there.
So as Geoff said, if you’ve got an idea, pass it along. They’ve got pools to heat and music to write, and Portishead aren’t exactly known for doing things quickly. Here’s are a couple of good Portishead videos, one older, one new
Posted by Leilani Polk on Feb. 15, 2009, at 1:47 pm
We all know the standard classic mixtape love songs – “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton,” Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love,” Stevie Wonder’s “Golden Lady,” “I Will Always Love You,” (Dolly or Whitney, you pick the version), “At Last,” by Etta James, most of the Beatles’ early catalog. But what about modern, 21st century love songs, i.e., those that came out after January 1, 2001?
Up until I started preparing this, I never really thought much about it, but surprisingly, I came up with a wealth of ideas, almost too many. The songs I thought up are not necessarily traditional ballads (though there are several), are not always romantic or saccharine or even very nice, do not always offer bold statements of devotion or everlasting ardor. But in each, the meaning is clear even if it isn’t always spelled out clearly.
“Fell in Love with a Girl,” The White Stripes, White Blood Cells (2001)
The song made stars of pasty, Detroit-based indie alt blues duo Jack and Meg White, both because it was nice and short and tasty raw, and because it has a really cool Lego video. Check it out, if you haven’t already seen it a few dozen times.
In response to Leilani’s “Top 10 Stupid Band Names,” I’d like to point out that, yes, not only are some band names stupid, or bad - sometimes they’re downright stolen.
We’ve all sat around stoned, drunk (even sober) and thought up – or accidentally stumbled upon - the next greatest band name EVER. There’s got to be a list of those names somewhere, right? I seem to remember someone saying, “We’ve got to write that one down!”
There are plenty of band names inspired by literate source material or that just make sense (Steely Dan, named after a dildo in William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch or The L.A. Guns and Hollywood Roses combining to form Guns and Roses). But to lift the name of your group straight out of another artist’s catalog instead of establishing a new identity for your sound, your band, your business? It’s like starting up a fast food chain and calling it “Big Mac’s.”
As my wife pointed out, the only time a tribute should be paid to a band’s song is when you’re actually paying tribute to that band – as is the case with “Paradise City: The Guns N Roses Tribute” or ”Strutter: The Ultimate Tribute to Kiss.”
Here’s my list of offenders (in order of offense taken):
A slew of the big names are headed this way. Alicia Keys (pictured)at the St. Pete Times Forum on May 24. Sheryl Crow at Ruth Eckerd Hall on April 29. The Boss. Petty. Kanye. Radiohead. They’ve all announced dates around Tampa Bay. But which ones are priorities?
Top 10: Upcoming shows (Feb. 28-July 30, 2008)
1.Radiohead at Ford Amphitheatre on May 6: Been far too long time since the world’s top art rockers have performed ’round here.
2. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band at St. Pete Times Forum on April 21: Memories of seeing him at Jazz Fest still give me chills. Plus, he’s touring behind his strongest album in years.
3. Kanye West at Ford Amphitheatre on May 5: His gripping performance at the Grammys completely sold me.
4. Alicia Keys at St. Pete Times Forum on May 24: Her MTV Unplugged performance from ‘05 completely sold me. Dig her new album, too.
5. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at St. Pete Times Forum on July 16: Somehow I’ve managed to go my whole life without ever seeing Petty. This needs to change.
6. WMNF’s Tropical Heatwave w/Sonny Landreth/Del Castillo/Soul Rebels/Scissors for Lefty (others) at the Cuban Club on May 17: The best annual fest in the area. Tex Mex masters Del Castillo impressed me last year when they played the Orpheum, Landreth’s one of the best guitarists alive and the Soul Rebels’ blend of Big Easy brass and hip-hop have made them one of my New Orleans faves ever since seeing them play until sunrise one night at Le Bon Temps Roule.
7-8. They Might Be Giants at Jannus Landing on March 11; Ani DiFranco at Tampa Theatre on March 11: This is a tough one. I’ll probably go with DiFranco since she did such a fine job of thoroughly charming me during our recent interview, which will run in the Creative Loafing that hits newsstands March 6.
As previously reported, Radiohead performs at Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa on May 6. This just in from the promoter:
**PLEASE BE ADVISED**
DUE TO THE STATE FAIR, THE BOX OFFICE AT THE FORD AMPHITHEATRE IN TAMPA WILL NOT BE OPEN FOR THE RADIOHEAD ONSALE THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY, 16TH.
TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT WWW.LIVENATION.COM, WWW.TICKETMASTER.COM, AND ALL TICKETMASTER OUTLETS OR CHARGE BY PHONE:
TAMPA: (813) 287-8844
ST PETE: (727) 898-2100
CENTRAL FL: (407) 839-3900
Contrary to a previous report by a local music publication that will go unnamed, the highly anticipated Radiohead tour will come to the Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa on May 6.
Here’s the official press release:
RADIOHEAD CONFIRMS MAY 2008 U.S. DATES & VENUES
COMES TO FORD AMPHITHEATRE MAY 6 TICKETS ON SALE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16
RADIOHEAD has confirmed the dates and venues to be visited on the first segment of its upcoming North American tour. They are:
May 5 – Cruzan Amphitheatre – West Palm Beach, Florida
May 6 – Ford Amphitheatre – Tampa, Florida
May 8 – Lakewood Amphitheatre – Atlanta, Georgia
May 9 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Charlotte, North Carolina
May 11 – Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge – Bristow, Virginia
May 14 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater – St Louis, Missouri
May 17 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, Texas
May 18 – Superpages.com Center – Dallas, Texas
Pre-sale for the above dates will begin February 14 via W.A.S.T.E. with general on-sales following on February 16.
The second half of the North American tour will follow the band’s summer tour of the UK and Europe
“Doing a Radiohead.” Big-box exclusivity deals. “360″ contracts. These and other new business models are side effects of the digital media revolution — a paradigm shift caused by the MP3. The days of $15 CDs are all but dead. Long live the $10 digital album and the 99-cent single, both still dwarfed by everyone’s favorite method of acquiring music: illegal downloading. I think in hindsight, considering the events of the past decade, the recording industry would have been happy for a fractional dip in revenue built into the transition from brick-and-mortar stores to iTunes, but factor in music piracy and the numbers aren’t even close.
Oklahoma is cooler than Florida! At least as far as official state rock songs are concerned. Residents declared 
Potential lesbian
