Image courtesy of Future of Music Coalition

Think the cost of health insurance really sucks? Think no insurance sucks more? Heads up: The Columbus Music Co-op continues a string of educational programs and workshops this weekend by hosting Alex Maiolo from the Future of Music Coalition, a national non-profit organization working for as a proponent of musicians at “the intersection of music, law, technology and policy.” Maiolo is an accomplished musician in his own right, as well as an advocate, writer, recordist, and contributor to Tape Op magazine. It’s his day job, however, that will form the basis for Sunday’s (May 8th, 2-4 PM) presentation at the Jazz Academy (Lincoln Theater, 769 E Long Street). Since 2005 Maiolo has been working on the FMC’s Health Insurance Navigation Tool (H.I.N.T) program, which directly assists the 33% of musicians who are without health insurance in finding affordable coverage. Programs such as H.I.N.T were part of the inspiration for the CMC’s own CMAP program which provides medical grants to Franklin County musicians. If you would like to hear more about H.I.N.T or CMAP, or the state of the insurance industry as it applies to the self employed, you are encouraged to attend. The presentation will focus on musicians, but is FREE and open to the public. Space is limited so please RSVP through the Jazz Academy here.

In typical CMC fashion, it’s not all work- there’s a party involved too. Saturday May 7th at Kobo, there will be a CMC Volunteer Appreciation Party and New Music Showcase (Alert New London, New Tooth and Energy Clinic!). Details can be found on the Facebook event page.

The video above has Curren$y performing in Columbus at the end of last year, Curren$y announced today that he is signing to Warner/Asylum.
The New Orleans emcee released two Pilot Talk albums last year on Dame Dash’s imprint BluRoc which sold a total 70,000 units, and allowed him to tour the nation a couple times.
Curren$y will release his 5th and 6th albums the Muscle Car Chronicles and Pilottalk 3 on Warner/Asylum. In the immedate future, Spitta will do mixtape with the Alchemist(producer of Ghostface,Eminem, Nas) entitled Covert Coup which will be sold on I-tunes 4-19 just in time for 4-20. Curren$y has a national tour lined up in support of Covert Coup. .

Tourdates after jump

Wed 4/20 New Orleans, LA
Thu 4/21 Houston, TX
Fri 4/22 Austin, TX
Sat 4/23 Dallas, TX
Mon 4/25 Albuquerque, NM
Tue 4/26 Arizona
Wed 4/27 Arizona
Thu 4/28 San Diego, CA
Fri 4/29 Los Angeles, CA
Sat 4/30 Riverside, CA
Sun 5/1 San Luis Obispo, CA
Tue 5/3 Fresno, CA
Wed 5/4 San Jose, CA
Thus 5/5 Sacramento, CA
Fri 5/6 San Francisco, CA
Sat 5/7 Humboldt, CA
Sun 5/8 Eugene, OR
Tue 5/10 Portland, OR
Wed 5/11 Seattle, WA
Thu 5/12 Bellingham, WA
Fri 5/13 Victoria, British Columbia
Sat 5/14 Vancouver, British Columbia
Sun 5/15 Spokane, WA
Tue 5/1 Missoula, MT
Wed 5/18 Boise, ID
Thu 5/19 Salt Lake City, UT
Fri 5/20 Denver, CO
Sat 5/21 Boulder, CO
Sun 5/22 Ft. Collins
Tue 5/24 Omaha, NE
Wed 5/25 Minneapolis, MN
Thu 5/26 Iowa City, IA
Fri 5/27 Madison, WI
Sat 5/28 Chicago, IL
Sun 5/29 Ann Arbor
Tue 5/31 Toronto, Ontario
Wed 6/1 Montreal, Quebec
Thu 6/2 Burlington, MA
Fri 6/3 Boston, MA
Sat 6/4 New York, NY
Sun 6/5 Philadelphia, PA
Tue 6/6 Washington DC
Wed 6/8 Carrboro, NC
Thu 6/9 South Carolina
Fri 6/10 Atlanta, GA
Sat 6/11 Birmingham, AL
Sun 6/12 Oxford, AL

Earlier this week, Billboard Magazine did a feature on the Black Keys. They stated at press time the Keys were at 481,000 sold. Well, it looks like the Black Keys hit the Gold mark in the USA for 500,000 records shipped.

In sports people often argue about stats put up during expansion seasons vs seasons with less watered down competition.. They  argue about rule changes, and in general, the style of the game and  how can one judge one record vs. another…

So it kinda begs the question, What does a gold record mean in 2011?

I don’t think I even have to explain that this is a dying industry. Didn’t Souljah Boy do like 8,000 last week?

Well, I guess my theory that Dipset will be part of a new launch of Roc-a-fella is completely off. It looks likes rumors of Dipset on being on Interscope might be a reality?
Jim Jones tweeted today that they just got out of the studio with Dr. Dre?

interesting that appherently as rich as Dre is, he only owns one Nautica shirt, and wore it to both Jay-z and Dipset record sessions?

New Issue of XXL is classic. Especially if you pay attention to Kanye’s, and Mos Def’s career closely.

They let Kanye write the article about himself. He called is La Dolce Vita taken after the Fellini movie. read more after the jump In the article Kanye breaks down how he is a flawed human but he is out here just trying to  show black people and artiststhat you can be yourself and do what you want to do more.

Ye’ discusses the Taylor Swift and “George Bush Doesn’t Care About Black People ” outbursts. Basically saying that Katrina shit was him being selfless and was willing to throw his career away for whats right. While the Taylor Swift thing, he is actually sorry for. Because she actually liked his music , and he hurt her and his own fans feelings. He compared the award show to a mistake a boyfriend would make in a relationship.

Also of note in this issue is that Mos Def is now signed to GOOD music, Kanye’s label. There is a whole spread with Pusha T, Mos, Common, Kid Cudi and more.

Unrelated to Kanye, but somewhat related to Mos Def, Massillon, Ohio native Stalley ,who donewaiting put you onto back during our SXSW coverage,  has an article on page 40. Stalley is rocking some items that should be familar in Columbus.

The fine folks at the Columbus Music Co-op have had a busy winter with all kinds of happenings, but spring has sprung, the Parking Lot Blowout is on the distant horizon, and a few other events are emerging from the CMC winter chrysalis. First one is happening this Thursday the 30th at The Shelf, where they’ll be hosting a workshop titled “Legal Issues for Musicians” lead by attorney and co-owner of All Hail Records Tony Clark . You got questions about whether you should be signing with Universal or Sony? RIAA or ASCAP? Or maybe just about how to establish copyright and digital music distribution? I really have no idea if Tony is gonna help you out with your major deal, but I’m betting this is an awesome place to get some fabulous free info on legal matters large and small, and a few of your basic questions answered.  The workshop is from 7-9 PM on Thursday- shoot ‘em an email to let ‘em know you’re coming.

As is the case with almost all the CMC events, this serious business is tempered with a healthy dose of fun. The evening will kick off just downstairs from The Shelf with a happy hour at the Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails, complete with the ladies of the CMC spinning a couple hours (5-7PM) of all local music. I swear a few Commit To Be Lit drinks will make all the legalese magically comprehensible. After the legal workshop, The Shelf space will transition from courtroom to concert hall as it is filled with the dulcet voices of Dan Spurgeon (Bush League All Stars) and Sean Gardner’s solo project Winter Makes Sailors. Music should go from about 9 to 11. If you didn’t get enough booze at Tip Top, bring your own to The Shelf for the show, along with a couple bucks for the performers.

Disclosure: I’m a board member of the CMC

O.K., the title is a bit misleading. I love the Dandy Warhols — even though I refuse to admit the existence of Odditorium — and have bought just about everything they’ve ever put out right down to the self-released Black Album/Come On Feel The Dandy Warhols package. I’ve easily spent hundred of dollars collecting import singles for unreleased tracks and remixes. But that was back in the days when that was the only way to get those tunes … now I wold just pay 99 cents for the song I didn’t have and save the other nine bucks.

So I was excited to hear the band was releasing it’s latest, …Earth to The Dandy Warhols…, under a remarkably forward-thinking subscription model. For a set price you would get the album as an immediate download, a physical CD once it was released, a screen printed poster, and any b-sides released in the next year. That is all pretty cool, right? The only problem is that they want $34.99 a year for the whole package. For me, that’s pretty steep, even when you include a healthy mark-up for materials and postage, though I’m sure plenty of folks would be more than happy to pay that. Good for them.

What I think would have been a better solution would be to offer the disc and music subscription for something closer to $15-$20, even allowing a lower tier for folks that wanted to go digital only. What do you think, am I being to stingy or am I right in thinking the band might have been better off offering a variety of packages to their fans?

Either way, I’m pleased to see them making a go of it without a Major label, and commend them for at least trying something new, even if it is out of my price range for disposable income these days.

And I’m just thinking of the live music community … if this thing passes the dance scene in Chicago will basically disappear overnight.

Chicagoist — the local Chicago website I write for — writers Marcus and Lizz have written about this situation much better than I have, and Jim DeRogatis’ daily updates have proven invaluable.

If you are reading this and live in Chicago LET YOUR ALDERMAN KNOW HOW MUCH YOU DISAPPROVE OF THIS … TODAY! RIGHT NOW! RIGHT THIS SECOND! And be sure to mention that if they DO vote for it, they’ve lost YOUR vote when they run for re-election.

If you don’t live here, well, wish us luck … or your band / DJ crew / hip-hop group might have a much harder time finding a gig next time you come through town.

UPDATE: The Chicago “anti-promoter” ordinance has been tabled for “further research” so there will be no vote on it tomorrow. Independent promotion is safe in Chicago for now, and I think it’s entirely due to the strong and immediate response from the music community. I’ve been told this is 100% sure to still come to a vote — possibly within the next month — so folks need to keep the pressure up on Chicago aldermen!

I guess they didn’t count on someone over at Apple posting the disc as being available on iTunes yesterday, leading to a bunch of folks buying the disc 5 days before it was supposed to be released. In a digital file-sharing culture this is the same as leaking the album 3 months ago, since the internet critics will be falling all over each other to give their definitive views of the album.

Personally I’m going to hold off until Tuesday. Waiting week for an album is nothing tome … heck I used to have to wait months before I could hear something, and that was even backing the days when we always got mailed physical promos due to long lead times (a practice that is quickly growing extinct). I understand folks are excited about new music, and especially excited about anything with Jack White and Brendan Benson’s name on it, but just this once, when the band went through great lengths to a) NOT keep everyone waiting and b) expose everyone to their new album at the same time, would it have killed folks to wait it out the extra few days?

Additionally, his isn’t the first time a greatly anticipated album has “accidentally” been offered for sale through iTunes prematurely, so shouldn’t someone be asking some serious questions about just what the heck is up over there?

“Album” meaning: full length vinyl, CD and digital formats; and “everywhere” meaning: local mom and pop Indie retailers, corporate superstores, supermarkets, iTunes, Amazon, the band’s own website and any other location that could get the record up and going this quickly (some places couldn’t move this fast, so they will join in as soon as they can).

It contains 14 new recordings and is being released globally on Third Man Records in conjunction with our marketing/distribution partners, XL Recordings and Warner Brothers Records.

The album was mastered and completed in the first week of March. It was then taken immediately to a vinyl pressing plant. Then to a CD pressing plant. Then preparations to sell it digitally began. March 25th became the soonest date to have it available in EVERY FORMAT AT ONCE. The band have done no interviews or advertisements for this record before this announcement.

The purpose: to get the album to the fans as soon as possible and as we promised. We wanted to get this record to fans, the press, radio, etc., all at the EXACT SAME TIME so that no one has an upper hand on anyone else regarding it’s availability, reception or perception.

With this release, The Raconteurs are forgoing the usual months of lead time for press and radio set up, as well as forgoing the all important “first week sales”. We wanted to explore the idea of releasing an album everywhere at once and THEN marketing and promoting it thereafter. The Raconteurs would rather this release not be defined by it’s first weeks sales, pre-release promotion, or by someone defining it FOR YOU before you get to hear it.

Innnnnnteresting …