Category Archives: Uncategorized

Everbody loves the Bee Gees, including Billy Corgan. Download “To Love Somebody” here, if you dare!!!!!

Moo hoo ha ha.

From Apple:

Apple has announced “a free recycling program for iPod(r), the worlds most popular digital music player. Beginning today, customers can bring iPods they no longer want to any of Apples 100 retail stores in the US for free environmentally friendly disposal, and those who drop off an iPod, iPod mini or iPod photo will receive a 10 percent discount on the purchase of a new iPod that day.” (full story)

Related: Apple agrees to settlement in iPod battery class action suit

Improv Everyone pulled a hefty stunt by faking an impromptu U2 gig on a rooftop across from Madison Square Garden (on the same night of a U2 show there). Of course, this can cause a stir and some consequences from the law. But in the end, everyone had a good time.

See the pics and read the recap here.

I own a Mac so this doesn’t mean much to me, but for all y’alls PC loving folks who are desperate for a legal means to own the White Stripes album and can’t wait until next week, you can download it now via Rhapsody.

Gimme:

From the band’s official site:

It?s with great excitement that we announce plans for the release of Nada Surf?s fourth album ?The Weight is a Gift.?

Produced by Chris Walla (DCFC) and Nada Surf, the record is scheduled for release on September 12th in the UK/Europe (City Slang) and September 20th in the US (Barsuk). Plans are being made in other territories as well.

The track listing is:

1. Concrete Bed
2. Do it Again
3. Always Love
4. What is Your Secret
5. Your Legs Grow
6. All is a Game
7. Blankest Year
8. Comes a Time
9. In the Mirror
10. Armies Walk
11. Imaginary Friends

The band will tour a large part of the world once the album is in stores.

Related to Tankboy’s previous post about a ringtone topping the UK charts, comes this interesting forecast:

One-Third of Digital TVs Will be Cell Phones in 2010

via Mobile Content News

I personally have nothing against Coldplay. I kind of actually like them. I even bought their first album as an import since I thought “Yellow” sounded like an unreleased Jeff Buckley song and I was pining for some Jeff Buckley. Their last album wasn’t too bad and their new one is as good as a band who wants to be U2 can be. Aside from that their new disc X&Y is obviously being set up as the album of the year (if not, if you believe the hype, the century!) So the fact that the lead off single not only failed to hit number one on the British charts immediately upon its release but was blocked from doing so by a frickin’ ringtone melody is almost so funny it hurts.

The Official UK Charts Company said Crazy Frog’s ‘Axel F’, which went on sale as a CD last week, kept Coldplay’s ‘Speed Of Sound’ in second place. It marks a significant event in British musical history – the first ringtone-inspired tune to rise to the top of the charts. (full story)

Un-be-leeeev-able!

Above is Crazy Frog…
the artist that beat Coldplay to the top of the charts.

This is sad:

The children’s home that was the inspiration for The Beatles’ classic ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ housed 100’s of children over the years and yesterday children and staff were emotional as they said their goodbyes to the building. (full story) [credz]

This isn?t exactly breaking news, but I wanted to refrain from commenting on it until I was sure that Thax was actually the author of an amazingly long post with a distinctively disturbing view of a certain segment of the Chicago music scene.

Now I?ve been asserting that Wilco has been pretty played out for a while now and while it pains me to say that, the group hasn?t offered much proof to the contrary. A Ghost Is Born was, I hope people can admit now that they?ve had some time to really let it settle in, not a good album. It just wasn?t. If what Thax alleges is true then that would go a long way towards explaining why the band has been slowly and steadily declining.

I can?t confirm or deny certain facts but when he starts describing certain segments of the indie scene I think he does get it pretty right on. Thax blames it all on Steve Albini ? which I personally don?t agree with ? but Thax?s description of a certain type of Chicago musician is so right on it hurts:

?a mandarin culture of snobbery and gossip has gradually supplanted music, and an indie rock establishment has evolved that stifles creativity-you cant be creative when you live in an atmosphere of fear of offending the “wrong people”-so now when people move to Chicago they come not to show what they have done, but they come like any trembling office worker, scared but confident in his ability in the fine art of corporate ass kissing-the Chicago scene has become an office like any other. So you have a music scene that takes sustenance in giggling and snorting and gossiping about anyone outside the well-oiled machine of clubs, publiciists, booking agents , journalists,and -oh, yeah, “fans” (smirk, giggle)-

I refuse to elaborate on what the “facts” might be from my own end because I consider myself primarily a musical critic and not a sociological one, but I will say that I think much of what depresses Thax in the overall feel of his piece is also what depresses so many other honest music lovers in this town filled with so much great potential yet so many jealous saboteurs.

Thax’s whole piece is here. Please don’t bother leaving a comment if you’re just going to attack him for dissing Wilco though.

Photo of Thax Douglas by Randy Darden