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Rolling Stone Magazine's Entire Archive On DVD
2007-09-14 19:33:00
When I was but a lad, I read Rolling Stone religiously (my older sister had a subscription to it) and absorbed all that I could about that strange and exciting counterculture that barely touched my suburban Connecticut neighborhood. To this day I still remember many of the articles, especially the groundbreaking journalism of Hunter Thompson and others. (And I remember my parents' outrage when they saw the issue with the infamous photo a shirtless David Cassidy with a hint of "hair down there" on the cover.) We went our separate ways sometime in the late 80s/early 90s as the magazine started to become more mainstream with a heavy dose of fashion pages and (gasp!) ads from the US Army. I've been reading again over the last few years and can overlook those aspects of it because I'm happy to say that first-rate journalism still rules the day at RS. So now, as the magazine celebrates its anniversary, Bondi Digital Publishing is about to release the entire 40-year collection of Rollin...
More About: Archive , Entire , Rolling Stone

Review: John Lennon's Jukebox
2007-09-12 17:21:00
A couple years ago I saw a program called John Lennon 's Juke box , which gave a fascinating look into the musical roots of one of the most important singer/songwriters of our time. Since this was before I had TiVo, I thought the program was lost to me unless I happened to stumble upon it in a rerun. Now, through the magic that is the internets, the program is available for viewing or download from Google videos here. The story is that Lennon owned a portable jukebox that he carried with him on his early journeys--sort of a precursor to the iPod. In 1989 the jukebox turned up for auction at Christies. The lid to the jukebox features the playlist written in Lennon's hand. Lennon apparently purchased it in 1965, at a time when the Beatles were firmly entrenched in the American pop charts, and it includes some hits of the day like "Do You Believe in Magic" by the Lovin Spoonful. But the jukebox was also loaded with 45s of his favorite songs, many of which the Beatles themselves had reco...
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McCartney to Join Wilson on Stage?
2007-09-12 03:37:00
Rumors are rampant that Paul McCartney will join Brian Wilson on stage for a duet his week during Wilson's London Festival Hall dates (see below). The source for this story, Music-News.com, reports that the duet is a done deal, signaled by Wilson's inclusion of "She's Leaving Home" in his set.But the oddest part of the story is this passage: The pair had a good natured, if slightly fraught competition during the late 60s seeing if they could outdo the other's last album. "Sgt. Pepper's" was said to have been a contributing factor in Wilson's deteriorating mental health and original retirement.Despite the fact that Wilson's problems actually surfaced rather early in his career, the supposed Beatle connection makes for some good theatre. But, just on the off chance that it's true, let's hope Wilson hasn't carried a grudge all these years.
More About: Join , Stage

Judges Joust Over Jackson's Jumblies?
2007-09-11 19:38:00
I don't know what it means either.Anyway, CBS is challenging a $550,000 fine issued by the FCC over Janet Jackson's Superbowl boob imbroglio. Three federal appeals judges will decide whether the 1-second glimpse of Jackson's barely covered breast was an accidental glitch or whether it permanently scarred the fragile psyche of America's impressionable youth, sending them into years of psychotherapy and creating a new generation of perverts and hookers... or something.
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Joe Zawinul, Weather Report founder, dies at 75
2007-09-11 16:21:00
Joe Zawinul, legendary jazz keyboardist, founder of pioneering fusion band Weather Report , and composer of one of my all time favorite tunes (Birdland) died today in an Austrian hospital. He was 75. During his career, Zawinul played on a number of seminal recordings, including the Miles Davis classics In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew.His last performing band was the Zawinul Syndicate, with whom he had been on tour this year in Europe before seeking treatment for an undisclosed medical condition.
More About: Founder , Joe Zawinul , Weather Report

Tuesday Trivia
2007-09-11 14:58:00
I subscribe to Ken "Jeopardy Champ" Jennings weekly trivia quiz (so I'm a dork) and he usually includes at least one music related question. Here's one from a few weeks ago as an example:What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? The Clash, the Early November, George Harrison, the Magnetic Fields, Prince, Frank Sinatra, Smashing Pumpkins, and Frank Zappa.To see the answer, highlight the next few lines with your cursor: All released triple albums--three-LP collections of new studio music, not live performances or compilations. Here are two question from today's quiz: 1. Who famously wrote the slogan "This machine kills fascists" on his guitar?2. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Billy Joel, Les Moonves, Demi Moore, Brigitte Nielsen, Kelly Ripa, Dennis Rodman, Salman Rushdie, and Seal.Any ideas (without resorting to Google)? If not, we'll have to wait until next Tuesday to learn the answer.BTW, if you are looking for a really interesting ...
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Wilson's new song cycle based on That Lucky Old Sun
2007-09-11 03:46:00
Brian Wilson backed by his touring band, appeared on stage Monday night in London's Royal Festival Hall to showcase a new nine-song suite, based on the 1949 song "That Lucky Old Sun."Wilson is just one of many artists to have covered the tune over the years. If you don't know the song, it's a great gospel-tinged lament for relief from the burdens of hard work: Up in the mornin'Out on the jobWork like the devil for my payBut that lucky old sun got nothin' to doBut roll around heaven all day.I have versions of the song by Ray Charles (which I think is the best of the bunch) as well as Jerry Lee Lewis and even Tom Jones. It was also recorded by Frankie Lane, Louie Armstrong, and Vaughn Monroe among others. I recommend Charles' version which appears on his Ingedients in a Recipe for Soul.Wilson's new version may not qualify as a true cover--maybe it's more of a tribute version--as "That Lucky Old Sun" apparently serves as the launching point for a new song cycle. According to N...
More About: Song , Cycle , Base

Zeppelin to fly again?
2007-09-10 19:53:00
Rolling Stone reports that Led Zeppelin has booked a press conference for Wednesday for a so far unspecified reason. Rumors are flying that the group will announce a reunion tour. Could be interesting. Can Robert plant still sing like he once did? I'm assuming John Bonham's son Jason would fill his dad's drum seat as he has in the past, but will John Paul Jones be included this time around? We'll have to wait and see.

A picture is worth a thousand words
2007-09-10 15:03:00
Dear Britney,I saved you some time and trouble by looking up the phrase "lip sync," because last night at the VMAs you clearly had no idea what it meant. The dictionary definition is: "to match lip movements with (recorded speech or singing)." Hope that helps.As for your overall performance, I agree with this guy with the WTF? look on his face.
More About: Picture , Words , Worth , Thousand , Wort

Single + Ringtone = Ringle
2007-09-10 04:39:00
A lyric in the Arctic Monkey's "A Certain Romance" says, "There's only music so that there's new ringtones." Seems they were on to something there. According to Billboard, the major labels are betting their money that what the public wants more than anything (like oh, say, good music) is ringtones. So they are getting ready to launch the "ringle," which combines the mostly defunct single format with ringtones. Each CD ringle will contain three songs--a current release, probably a remix of that tune, and perhaps a "B-side" release--along with one ringtone. "The idea," says Billboard, "is that if consumers in the digital age can download any tracks they want individually, why not let them buy singles in the store as well? It also enables stores to get involved in the ringtone phenomenon."
More About: Single , Ringtone , Tone

Video : Let's Get It On
2007-09-09 06:46:00
It was 23 years ago today that Marvin Gaye's classic ode to erotic lust, "Let's Get It On," hit number one on the charts where it stayed for two weeks. Legend has it that, played at the correct volume, the song could turn women to jello, and could make even white guys like me appear sexy. Or maybe I'm just making that up. Anyway, the song became a classic, and the album of the same name became Gaye's biggest seller during his lifetime. Here's a clip of Gaye performing "Let's Get It On" live in Montreux in 1980.
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Cover Connection: For No One
2007-09-08 23:41:00
There are lots of times when the cover version of a song is far superior to the original version. Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt" is a good example. Even Trent Reznor concedes that Cash "made the song his own" (to borrow a phrase from Paula Abdul). Another song where that applies is the Beatles' classic "For No One" from the Revolver album. Frankly I always hated the song. I thought it was just a bit of Paul McCartney fluff, not far removed from the ghastly Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da as far as I was concerned. But then, years later I heard the song done by Ricke Lee Jones on her album It's Like This. It was a revelation. This was the way the song should have been done the first time.McCartney's version of the song features a jaunty little melody and bouncy lyrics about... about the breakup of a relationship? Wha? A happy tune about such a dark time? Talk about a lyric/melody mismatch. Jones, on the other hand, slows the song down and brings a level of emotion to the song that Sir Paul ...
More About: Connection , Cover

John Lennon: The Rolling Stone Interview
2007-09-08 18:18:00
Rolling Stone has posted audio links to Jann Wenner's classic 1970 interview with John Lennon . This may the most in-depth and revealing interview Lennon ever gave. It's in five parts so give a listen.
More About: Interview , Rolling Stone

You be the judge
2007-09-08 17:40:00
So the trial of Phil Spector is winding down with deliberations to start Monday. Spector's lawyer, Linda Kenney-Baden, completed her arguments Friday asking the jury to keep their objectivity and to not judge her client based on his appearance or whether they liked him. "We don't convict people in this country because we don't like them, because we don't like their hair or their clothes," she said.I watched the closing arguments on Court TV yesterday and actually felt pity for Spector. The once powerful music mogul has been reduced to a shaky little weasel wearing ridiculous looking wigs. The Court TV anchor interviewed Spector's wife Rachelle and asked, "What's the deal with his hair?" (okay, maybe I'm paraphrasing) Rachelle wanted to know why the public was more focused on his hair than on his guilt or innocence. Maybe these pictures hold the answer... She claimed with a straight face that the hair on his head is real and is his. Mmm hmmm. Well, I guess technically it is ma...
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Let's hope he makes her disappear
2007-09-08 17:28:00
From MTV comes word that Britney Spears will open the network's Video Music Awards program tomorrow night with help from overly dramatic illusionist Criss Angel. Now I have two reasons not to watch.
More About: Hope , Disappear , Sapp