We've Moved

Continue to follow the thrilling adventures of Blue Suede Schubert at our new home here.
Why the change? Oh, you know the story.
The new place is closer to my work, the kids have more room to run around, etc. Plus there's a pool. I don't have a pool here.

Blake Lewis Is A Jedi Master

So Blake Lewis, the beat-boxing American Idol runner up, finally has his new album ready to hit the stores. That's the good news. Lewis is a talented artist, and the first cut from the album "Break Anotha" chugs along nicely and shows off his considerable skills. The bad news is that this is the album cover.
Yikes.
Let me be even a bit more to the point: This is the one they approved.
It makes you wonder at how crappy the rejected ones were. It looks like some sort of throwback to a Star Wars movie poster. The good thing is you don't have to look at it, and if your iTunes tries to download it as cover art, you can easily replace it with a picture of your dog.

Listen to Blake Lewis, Break Anotha

What Happened To The Music?

"Michael Jackson gives rare interview, pronounced normal"

That's a real headline from Reuters. Here are a few snippets from the story:

Jackson, 49, appears on the front cover of the African-American magazine "Ebony" to mark the 25th anniversary of "Thriller" -- the world's best-selling studio album that also made him a superstar.
...
The cover photo of the magazine, whose December edition hits newsstands on November 12, is causing almost as much of a stir as the interview, which barely addresses the fallout of the trial. Jackson is pictured dressed all in white, with a glowing peaches-and-cream skin.

Harriette Cole, creative director of Ebony, spent a day and a half with Jackson during the photo shoot and interview and said, "he came across really as kind of normal."

"He's 49. He's a grown-up. If you learn from your challenges, then you become stronger. He certainly seemed like that," Cole told NBC's "Today" show this week. "Honestly ... he was normal."

So, what happened to the music? That's a double-edged question.
First, I'm asking why the big story is that Michael Jackson appears to be normal? His image has become far bigger than his talent at this point in his career (or whatever is left of it). Big whoop. Michael Jackson is normal, so ...ummm... we have to go out and buy his album?

Well, no.

That brings me to the other side of the double-edged question.
What happened to the music? If these two leaked tracks are any indication, Michael Jackson hasn't turned on a radio in years.

In the words of my good friend, and music critic par excellence, Lisa, "The first song with the Fugees, who aren't really even the Fugees anymore is like Gangstas go Broadway. Like the 'Thriller' dance off, but every one keeps flashing up jazz hands at each other.
"The second song sounds like Michael is trapped in 1988. He has lost the magic. He has lost the magic and most of the supporting cartilage in his nose."

Listen for yourself:
Gangsta No Friend

Xcape

What Would You Pay For Paste?

No, not the gooey adhesive made from water and flour that you used in grade school. That stuff is free... and delicious.
I'm talking about Paste, the music magazine that comes with a free CD of tunes with each issue. Like Radiohead, Paste is betting that if readers name their own price for a subscription, they will become long-time subscribers, and maybe even buy the stuff that advertisers promote in their pages (because that's what it's all about anyway). Until November 10 (I think), you can subscribe to Paste at whatever price you want. The only thing is, you have to pay something, even if it's a minimum $1.

And if you pay more than the $19.95 Paste typically offers for a one-year subscription, you will be thanked in print in a future issue of the magazine, on a page that can be torn out and framed. Then you can tell all your friends that you were in Paste, and you wouldn't be lying this time.

Here's the story:
The campaign came about from a casual conversation at the Paste offices discussing the recent Radiohead campaign and the Jim Collins book, Good to Great.
“We were curious to know what our customers thought we were worth. And what better way to find out, than to let them tell us?” explained Paste president and publisher Tim Regan-Porter. “While it’s certainly a bit unconventional, we also see it as a chance to get our product in the hands of people who could become lifelong fans. It’s been our experience that once people become familiar with Paste, they turn into loyal readers.”

Get yer Paste here.

More Tuesday Trivia

Here's the regular Tuesday trivia questions, once again, courtesy of Ken Jennings.

1. What two U.S. states have musical instruments pictured on their state quarters?

2. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Diamond Jim Brady, Rosey Grier, Woody Guthrie, Howlin' Wolf, Ted Lilly, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dwight Yoakam, and Andrew Young.

Tuesday Trivia: The Almost-Impossible Rock & Roll Quiz

Rolling Stone has an online "Almost-Impossible Rock & Roll Quiz." Some of it is pretty easy, but there are a number of questions that are real stumpers (stumpers?).
Challenge yourself to four decades of the trickiest, weirdest and most off-the-wall trivia questions ever in our fifty-eight question quiz, and tabulate your own rock & roll IQ.

My final score was a 43--"expert level," thank you very much--and looking at the answer key I see that there were a few that I should have gotten right that I didn't. That's pretty good considering I have a memory like a sieve. So, tricky? Yes. Impossible? Not so much.

Friday Fun: The Incomparable Wing!

Incomparable is a good word for Wing. Indescribable works too. So does Indecipherable. I've been a fan of this woman since about 2003, but I lost track of her. It's good to know she's still around. Wing is a charming older Asian woman who took up singing as a hobby when she moved to New Zealand. She sings standards and pop songs, all with...ummm... great gusto, and entertains audiences in nursing homes and elsewhere. You have to admire this woman for doing what she does, despite the fact that she doesn't really do it all that well. But listening to her is still quite entertaining. She has a whole bunch of self-produced CDs for sale on her website and via iTunes. She may not be the greatest singer (by a long shot) but she doesn't have to be... she's Wing!

Here she is, doin' it live!

The Police File: Part 1

Since The Police are currently on tour somewhere, cashing in on a wave of nostalgia, and since Andy Summers announced a film of his autobiography (see below), and since Sting was recently named one of the worst songwriters in rock music (more on that later), niccomm has asked me to do this retrospective of the band's music. So here we go.
What can we say about the Police.... three superb musicians, check; three strong personalities, check; three monster egos, double check.
Most everyone knows the story of the band, but if you don’t here's a quick Cliff's Notes version.
Stewart Copeland, drummer for hippie art band Curved Air, sees the exploding punk scene and wants a piece of it. He finds a bass player/singer who goes by the name Sting in a jazz band. They recruit a French guitarist named Henry Padovani who plays with them for a while, but is eventually edged out by the addition of seasoned axe man Andy Summers. The Police are born.
How much of the early Police sound is attributable to Copeland? Quite a lot if you consider what he was up to at the same time the band was forming. While putting together The Police, Copeland was also recording under the name Klark Kent as a one-man band. The music is quite clever, and gained a modest following. But listen to "Don't Care," and "Grandelinquent" and you'll hear early Police.

Listen to Don't Care
Listen to Grandelinquent

Copeland says that A&M Records signed The Police to get Klark Kent. True? Could be. Or it could be his ego talking. If true, that agent had some mixed up priorities. Klark Kent was a vanity project and could never perform live, but The Police were beginning to get some notice. It wasn't long before The Police gained a following in Britain as a live band and was creating a unique sound that would influence music for years to come.
Anyway, on to the music.

Outlandos d'Amour -- 1978
With this album, The Police tried valiantly to capture the essence of punk music. The problem? They were quickly revealed as pseudo punks—seasoned musicians riding the wave of a hot trend, rather than the raw talent evidenced by bands like The Clash or even the Sex Pistols. This first collection of tracks notably does not include "Fall Out," a speed-punkish song that is pure Copeland. It was one of the very first songs the band rehearsed and became their first single release. But it wasn't long before everyone realized whom the real songwriting talent belonged to.
The album opens with "Next to You," a burning rocker that starts at race speed and never lets up. The song became a standard in the band's live set throughout its career. The real key to the Police sound began with the next song, "So Lonely." It's a mix of rock (let's not call it punk) and reggae that became the cornerstone of The Police sound. Perfect for the band's instrumentation--particularly Copeland's unique drum style--and Sting's voice. Sting has said Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry”, influenced the song I consider "Can't Stand Losing you" also from this album to be like a companion song to "So Lonely"--both of them switch between rock and Carribean/latin rhythms. The middle section of "Can't Stand Losing You," sort of a spacey solo by Andy Summers, became the foundation of "Reggatta de Blanc” from the second album. Next up is arguably the band's most famous song, "Roxanne." Originally written with a different feel to it, Copeland introduced the tango rhythm to the song that took it to a new level, and Sting's plaintive wail about a prostitute was a bit of rock poetry that would be recalled in later songs by artists from George Michael to the Arctic Monkeys.
Unfortunately, the rest of the album is pretty forgettable. "Hole In My Life" and "Truth Hits Everybody" were good energetic live songs, but for some reason they flop as studio recordings. “Born In The 50s” and "Be My Girl/Sally"--although it features a pretty funny poem by Andy Summers--are best ignored after the first listen.

Listen to Can't Stand Losing You
Listen to Roxanne

Reggatta de Blanc --1979
I've always counted this as one of the albums I'd want to take with me on a desert island (assuming I'd have a way to play it, that is). It's a true classic, and solidifies the sound that defined The Police. The story is that the band hadn't rehearsed these songs before going into the studio. If true, that means that the recording captures a rare moment when a band breaks through to a different level. Nearly every song is gold, and it showcased a three-piece collaborative band that had locked into each other musically and psychically. Could this have been The Police at their prime? Maybe. The songs float along on solid grooves that take on their own lives, giving each member--particularly Copeland and Andy Summers--the chance to explore different sounds. "The Bed's Too Big Without You' and "Bring On The Night" (a song about the execution of Gary Gilmore) are perfect examples, two exhilarating stand out tracks that push the envelope, threatening to fall apart at any time but always hanging together.
"Walking On The Moon" and "Message In A Bottle" build on the reggae-tinged sound begun on the first album, but which had now reached a sophistication and maturity that made it unmistakably "The Police Sound." But the band was still true to its roots as evidenced by "It's Alright For You" and "No Time This Time," two pure rockers, with no pretense of punk (the band had long been exposed as too old and too talented to be considered as true punks).
At least for this brief shining moment immortalized on vinyl in 1979, The Police were the best band in the world.
They'd have a lot to prove with their next album... (Stay tuned for Part 2)

Listen to It's Alright For You
Listen to Walking on the Moon

Andy Summers, We're Ready For Your Closeup

Police guitarist Andy Summers is turning his autobiography "One Train Later" into a feature documentary, which will boast 25,000 photos from his collection as well as footage from the band's reunion tour.
I didn't even know Andy Summers had written an autobiography. (Note to self: get this book) This is good news for a couple reasons. First, in a trio in which two members' egos seemed to be in a continual battle to the death, Summers was the anchor. In the annals of guitardom, he is often overlooked by those who are more impressed by the speed/techno wizards. This is unfortunate because Summers is an amazing player. He is, as they say, "a guitarist's guitarist," playing what needs to be played when it needs to be played. The Police created an amazingly layered and complex sound for a trio, and much of the credit for that goes to Summers.
Second, Summers has played a bigger part in rock music history than many people realize, having performed with influential 70s bands like Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, and Eric Burdon and the New Animals, and he was in the running to replace Mick Taylor in the Rolling Stones (a job which, of course, ultimately went to Ron Wood). Summers was also part of the band that played on Mike Oldfield's creepy classic "Tubular Bells" (the theme from The Exorcist).
It should be interesting to see this history of his life and get an inside glimpse of one of the world's biggest bands, to see what went on offstage when the spotlight wasn't on Sting. Stewart Copeland's film Everyone Stares gave us a hint of that, but the home movie quality and shaky camera work made much of the film difficult to watch more than once. To be fair, they were Copeland's personal films and not intended for feature presentation. But the news that Summers will be releasing this film gives hope that this time they'll get it right.

What Really Happened To Marie Osmond

This video explains it all. Kind of the Dancing With The Stars Zapruder film.
I don't know what's funnier--the video itself (which is okay but not hilarious), or the comments on the page whose level of intelligence make me fear for the future.

For example...

AirForce11 says:
FAKE:
starfighters arent real, if they where i dought they would b able to fly inside and her face would have holes in it if the laser hit her there!

and

willforbes0 says:
FAKE:
this was so obviously fake. the star wars fighter was superimposed into the video.

Gee, ya think?
Idiots.

Monday Mashup: Pat n' Peg

This is a classic 1998 track from Osymyso. Pat and Peg, for anyone who doesn’t know, are two characters from the long running Brit soap/drama Eastenders. They are at various times involved with the same men (like in other soaps… what is it with these people? The female to male ratio in soap towns must be 20:1 judging by the way they all fight over the same guys). This mashup is built around a climactic fight between Peg (You Bitch) and Pat (You Cow), and tags on dialog from Frank and Roy as well. Listen to the way Osymyso works in the Eastenders theme music and plays off the natural rhythms of the characters’ voices. I guess it would be considered a “golden oldie” as far as mashups go, but it still holds its own against new stuff. The man is a genius.

Listen to Pat n’ Peg.

Rock n' Roll Ghost Stories

Since Halloween is just around the corner, New Times has a story about some of the strange and spooky things that have happened to rockers over the years.
The story only has three examples, by James Valentine of Maroon 5, Steve Bays of Hot Hot Heat, and an Alice Cooper-Joe Perry twofer. The problem is that these aren't very scary ghost stories. Although I'm sure the artists are quite sincere in their beliefs, as you read the stories, other more logical explanations for the spookiness automatically come to mind. Alice Cooper no doubt believes that the noisy old house he and Perry stayed in--both fresh from rehab--had a ghost. But he doesn't seem to question why the house in which Amityville Horror was written (not the house in which the story allegedly took place) should itself be haunted. That's "haunting by association."
Come on rock stars, you must have better ghost stories than these.

Lance Bass Comes Out... Again

Lance Bass, proving that once is never enough when it can boost a sagging career, tells of how horrible it was to live in terror of being found out as a gay man when he was a member of 'NSYNC. Bass, who came out last year, gave us that insight in an interview promoting his new book, Out of Sync: A Memoir, released today.
Now, I really couldn't care less if Bass was straight, gay, or Martian, and if he's happy, I'm happy. But I found it funny that the article ended with this quote: "People have said for so long that you can't be successful in this industry and be out and gay," Bass said. I guess he's never watched Bravo.
It sounds like something Daffyd Thomas would say. As fans of Little Britain know, Daffyd is "the only gay in the village"--or at least he thinks he is. Here's a clip of Matt Lucas (Daffyd) and David Walliams talking about Daffyd, "the homosexualist." Lance should take a look.

Fire? What fire? Marie Osmond Fainted!

If you were watching ABC's Dancing With The Stars show last night, you saw Marie Osmond faint after her routine. That is, you saw it if you didn't blink at the wrong moment, because that's all it took. First she was standing there listening to the judges, then she went down (accompanied by some laughter from the audience who must have thought it was a gag). The host cut to a commercial. After the break it turned out she was fine, the show went on and everyone lived happily ever after.
But today, I'm in a Seattle hotel room trying to see what's happening with the wildfires in California (I have friends that live in the danger area) and I'm switching between CNN Headline News and Faux News. And what do I see? Marie Osmond fainting, over and over again. I've seen the story repeated no fewer than 18 times between the two channels since I got up this morning.
Now, obviously, the news networks are making the most of it because it was caught on tape (remember Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction?), but is it necessary to show it so many times? No disrespect to Marie Osmond--I hope hope she's OK and all that--but it really wasn't that big a deal. And with the fires, floods in New Orleans (again), tornadoes in Alabama, and the never-ending war, you'd think there would be other things to fill the hourly news cycle.
Still, the best teaser award for the story goes to CNN Headline News for this gem: "Marie Osmond took to the floor in more ways than one last night as she danced the Samba. We'll show you what happened to give everyone a scare after this break."

Tuesday Trivia

Here's a question from Ken Jenning's weekly quiz:
What did the Electro String Instrument Corporation change its name to, to capitalize on a distant relationship between its founders and a World War I hero?
It's an easy one if you have any familiarity with guitars used by George Harrison, Roger McGuinn, Paul Weller, or Joe Simonon of the Clash. The picture's a giveaway too.

Monday Mashup: Smells Like Billie Jean

It's a day early, but since I'll be tucked away in a Jet Blue compartment headed to Seattle for the week, today's Mashup is in honor of one of that city's most famous exports, Nirvana. The band's breakthrough song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" signaled the arrival of "grunge" on the mainstream airwaves (supposedly much to leader Kurt Cobain's dismay).
Significantly, the song and album also knocked Michael Jackson's Dangerous out of the top spot. So, take Nirvana's breakthrough hit, mix it up with the song that really announced Michael Jackson's career as a solo artist, and you get "Smells Like Billie Jean." This is labeled as an "MTV Mashup," but I don't know the original source. Anyway, it works well. Enjoy.
Listen to: "Smells Like Billie Jean"

Is There A Future For Zeppelin?

Jimmy Page is playing it close to the vest in his remarks about the future of Led Zeppelin after the band's one-time performance next month at London's O2 arena. The performance is a benefit for a scholarship fund named for the late Ahmet Ertegun, who signed Led Zeppelin to Atlantic Records in 1968.
Although he and Robert Plant have individually said the concert will not be followed by a tour, he hasn't ruled out the possibility that something may come out of the reunion...something like new material perhaps?
When asked about that possibility, Page said, "Look, I'd be really surprised if there wasn't--you know, I mean I just know the way we are. We're musicians...as we're playing we'll probably be coming up with all manner of things."

Friday Flashback: KISS on the Mike Douglas Show 1974

My friend Lisa alerted me to this great clip of KISS making their first television appearance on the Mike Douglas Show in 1974. For those of you who have no idea who Mike Douglas is, he had a hugely influential afternoon talk show that regularly featured great musical guests, including John Lennon and Yoko Ono, the Rolling Stones, Hermits Hermits, The Turtles, and Barbara Streisand. Many acts--like KISS--credit his show with bringing them their first national exposure. This performance was recorded on April 29, just weeks into the group's first concert tour, having signed with Casablanca records just six months earlier.

Teresa Brewer Dead at 76

(AP) Teresa Brewer, who helped write the soundtrack of the pre-rock 'n' roll 1950s with bouncy hits like "Music Music Music" and who scored big with New Yorkers by recording a love letter to Mickey Mantle, died early Wednesday morning.
She was 76, lived in New York, and had been suffering for several years from the neuromuscular disease PSP, which also afflicted the late comedian Dudley Moore.
Brewer was still a teenager when she hit the top of the charts in 1950 with "Music Music Music." She returned to No. 1 with "Til I Waltz Again With You," though New Yorkers might best remember "I Love Mickey," a duet she recorded with Mantle at the end of his Triple Crown year in 1956.
Mantle contributed a few spoken words while Brewer chirped her affection.
Born in Ohio, Brewer made her professional debut at the age of 2 on the local radio program "Uncle August's Kiddie Show." From ages 5 to 12 she toured with the Major Bowes Amateur Hour before returning home and performing locally for several years.
When she broke onto the national scene again in the '50s, her upbeat style also made her a popular guest on television variety shows. By the 1960s she had turned to show tunes and jazz, which she continued to record for the next 40 years. She is survived by four daughters and a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

wOOt: Free download for the gamer in you

w00t is a collage of computer game sound and images by composer Bob Ostertag and artist John Cooney. It's also a free download from his website.
Says Ostertag:"In March of 2006, I put all my recordings to which I owned the rights (14 CDs) up for free download from this site. w00t is my first release to skip the CD-for-sale stage and go directly to free Internet download, under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Please download, copy, send to your friends, remix, mutilate, and mash-up. And please support this attempt to build free culture by sending a link for w00t to your friends. w00t consists of a 50-minute sound collage, a 4.5 minute sound “trailer,” and associated “cover art.” There is, however, no cover. w00t is a free, internet-only release."

w00t was composed entirely from fragments of music from these computer games:
• Balloon Fight
• Congo Bongo
• Contra
• Earthbound
• Halo: Combat Evolved
• Ico • Katamari Damacy
• Killer Instinct
• The Legend of Zelda
• Massive Assault
• Myst
• Star Fox
• Super Metroid
• Super Smash Bros.: Melee
• Viewtiful Joe
• WarioWare, Inc: Mega Party Game$
• World of Warcraft

Get it here.

One Hit Wonder: Disco Duck

I would be remiss if I did not mention that on this day in 1976, "Disco Duck" topped the charts and stayed for a week. The song, by Los Angeles disc jockey Rick Dees, poked fun at some of the dance styles of the day with its story of a man who dances like a duck. And, like lots of novelty songs that capitalize on a dance or a genre of music, the song didn’t do too much to help whatever shred of credibility other artists working in that style had earned.
Although the song appeared in the disco-defining film Saturday Night Fever, it was not included on the multi-bazillion selling soundtrack album, much to Dees’ consternation (but to the endless gratitude of the rest of us).
So, if you insist on hearing it, you’ll find it here.
Otherwise, it’s best to pretend it never happened.

Cover Connection: Red Red Wine

Most people are familiar with UB40's version of "Red Red Wine." The band's infectious, reggae tinged cover topped the US charts on this day in 1988, although it took five years to get there. The song was a reissue of UB40's first version, with the addition of a "toast" by the band's resident rapper Astro. Both versions trace their influence to a 1969 ska flavored version recorded by Jamaican artist Tony Tribe.
But the original song, written and recorded by Neil Diamond in 1968, was a slower mournful number--a drunk's lament over lost love.

Red, red wine
Go to my head
Make me forget that I
Still need her so

Red, red wine
It's up to you
All I can do, Ive done
But memories wont go
No, memories wont go

I'd have sworn
That with time
Thoughts of you
Would leave my head
I was wrong
And I find
Just one thing
Makes me forget

Red, red wine
Stay close to me
Dont let me be alone
It's tearing apart
My blue, blue heart

Lyrically, it's a great song (as are many Diamond songs) that lends itself to a variety of styles. For example, a full-blown country-style version (with background singers and strings) was also released in 1968 by Jimmy James and the Vagabonds. However, none of these versions tracked very high on the charts. The success of UB40's version of "Red Red Wine" has to be attributed to the dance clubs of the late 1980s where it was one of the most requested songs--and, importantly, featured a solid beat that made it easy to mix. From that point on "Red Red Wine" went mainstream with heavy airplay.
A few years later, "Red Red Wine" went full circle, with a new version again by Neil Diamond, but this time with a nod to UB40's reggae stylings.

Listen to:
Red Red Wine, original version by Neil Diamond--1968

Red Red Wine, country version by Jimmy James and The Vagabonds--1968

Red Red Wine, ska version by Tony Tribe--1969

Red Red Wine, reggae version by UB40 1983

Monday Mashup: A Bit of Little Britain

If you have access to BBC America on your cable system, you probably know Little Britain. The show has ended its three-season BBC run but lives on in repeats, and rumor has it that Matt Lucas and David Walliams are developing a new program for HBO in the US. If you haven't seen it, the show is built around Lucas and Walliams who portray an incredible range of very odd characters including Lou, a dedicated caregiver, and Andy his charge who isn't really handicapped; Daffyd, "the only gay in the village"; Sebastian, the Prime Minster's aide; Emily and Florence, two not-even-close transvestites; Vicky Pollard, juvenile delinquent who "never did nuffin or nuffin"; Dr. Lawrence and his incoherent psychiatric patient Anne; stage hypnotist Kenny Craig; Marjorie Dawes the abusive leader of a weight loss support group, grossly obese Bubbles Devere, and many, many more. Like a lot of British shows, Little Britain pushes the envelope with scenarios and jokes that would never see air on US network television. It is a brilliant series (check it out on DVD), and I hope whatever they have in the works for HBO is a worthy successor. Anyway, here is a mashup dedicated to the show, called "ABitALittleBritain." Enjoy.

Listen to "ABitALittleBritain"

The White Stripes Are Selling... Cameras?

Yesterday, The White Stripes' newsletter subscribers received a mysterious message: "The tricks of today are the truths of tomorrow.-Man Ray. X XV MMVII"
The quote is from the famous American surrealist painter and photographer.
The 'trick' was later revealed to be a teaser for a website promotion in which the duo are introducing designer label cameras. The two-tone (red and white of course) cameras are called the "Meg Diana+ Camera" and the "Jack Holga Camera," and come packaged with custom filters, changeable lenses, camera accessories, and more. The cameras themselves appear to be digital (one of the accessories looks like a flash memory card) but no other details have been revealed yet.
The cameras go on sale at noon on October 15, 2007 (X XV MMVII).
The first 333 buyers to purchase both camera sets also get a "mystery gift."

Return Of The Eagles

The Eagles are set to release their first studio album in 28(!) years at the end of this month.
Long Road Out Of Eden will be a double album of 20 tracks. While Hotel California and The Long Run leaned toward a harder sound, the sample clips available from Long Road Out Of Eden seem to be a return to the more laid back sound of earlier albums. One thing that does stand out is the group's harmony, always great, but on these tunes, somehow better. If you've ever seen the vocal warm up scene on the Eagles Farewell Tour I DVD, you'll know what I mean.
The tracks on Long Road Out Of Eden are not entirely new--no surprise when the album took some six years to produce. The first release from the album, "How Long," was released in August of this year, and several others ("No More Cloudy Days,""Fast Company," and "Do Something") showed up on special CD sold exclusively through Wal-Mart last year. Besides being available through the band's website, the album will again be exclusively sold by Wal-Mart and online at Musictoday.com. There's little doubt that the album will do well sales-wise because The Eagles still enjoy a huge following, but is there still a spot on the radio for this group that once dominated the airwaves?

What Radiohead Hath Wrought

It took just one band to get the ball rolling. Following Radiohead’s release of In Rainbows via direct download from the band’s website, other acts have announced similar intentions.
Trent Reznor, posting on the Nine Inch Nails website, says the band is now free of any recording contract with any label. “I have been under recording contracts for 18 years and have watched the business radically mutate from one thing to something inherently very different and it gives me great pleasure to be able to finally have a direct relationship with the audience as I see fit and appropriate. Look for some announcements in the near future regarding 2008. Exciting times, indeed.”
Oasis and Jamiroquai are also said to be considering following Radiohead by offering their new recordings on a “pay what you like” basis.
And Madonna is reported today to be leaving her long-time Warner Bros. Records label for a deal with the concert promotion firm Live Nation, which would digitally distribute three new studio albums.
Early reports are that Radiohead’s ploy was a huge success, with many fans opting to pre-order the full $80 discbox set besides downloading the digital tracks. Clearly fans will pay for music when they know that the artist—and not some overpaid suit at a record label—stands to benefit.
Sure, many people chose to pay nothing for the digital tracks as had been expected, but as I mentioned in an earlier post, there are other purposes for Radiohead’s plan than earning money. For one, when you download the digital music, you give your e-mail address and other details before you get the download link. This is priceless information to a marketer. In another sense, it also helps the band determine where its strongest support comes from.
It will be exciting to see how this whole thing plays out. The mainstream recording industry has little to do with music anymore and everything to do with profit. If more bands jump on board, the music industry as we know it could change dramatically. And it would be a welcome change.

This Day In History: The Doors At Danbury High School

Forty Years ago today, The Doors played a concert at Danbury High School. Why is this significant? Well, for one, Danbury is my hometown, and the high school became part of the college I attended. But, more important it was the site of a memorable live recording of the group.
The Doors had just released their second album Strange Days four days earlier, and had run afoul of TV censors in an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show less than a month before. (The censors objected to the "Girl we couldn't get much higher" line from "Light My Fire," and when Jim Morrison sang it anyway, Sullivan banned the group from ever appearing on the show again.) Then it was back on the road for a concert swing through the northeast, including the Danbury stop.
The concert was put on not by Danbury High School, but by Western Connecticut State College as part of its Fall weekend.
The scene is set by this description from www.doorshistory.com:
This show is primarily attended by nearby college students from Western Connecticut State College and locals of Danbury. Prior to the show, Jim and his drinking buddy Tom Baker were partying all day. Tom even gets to introduce the band tonight preceded by a female announcer who tells the crowd not to leave their seats during the performance, or they will be escorted out of the venue! There was also a beauty pageant prior to this evening's performance.
Early into the show a group of students who are mad about The Four Seasons being cancelled are ragging on the band about how wasted they look and how ragged they appear. The band plays great tonight with a lot of energy, probably a carry over from their fabulous shows at The Scene. Jim however is pretty mellow, and it isn't until late in the concert that he jumps off the stage into the startled audience during "The End," leaps back on stage, and begins to smash the microphone stand into the stage repeatedly in a violent scene. The marks are still there!
The recording was made by a faculty member who taped it off the PA system. It's an amateur job to be sure, but still a decent recording (and the photo above was taken at this show).
The 10-song set list is made up of selections from The Doors and Strange Days, as well as a cover of Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)." According to a note on guitarist Robby Krieger's website, there were very few live recordings of "People Are Strange," so its inclusion here is important. Despite the poor audio quality, this is an interesting picture of a young band on the rise. Less than two months later Morrison made headlines again after he was arrested on stage in New Haven, Connecticut, for criticizing the police to the audience. Morrison said he had been maced by a police officer after he was caught backstage with a girl.
Listen to some cuts the Doors at Danbury High School:
Light My Fire
People Are Strange
Break On Through

Tuesday Trivia On Wednesday

Ken Jennings is apparently on vacation (vacation? what's that?) for a couple weeks, so he hasn't been sending his weekly trivia contest. But have no fear, we now know the answer to this question posted on September 25:
What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "American Woman" by the Guess Who, "Glamorous" by Fergie, "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani, "I'm Back" by Eminem, "I'm Henry VIII I Am" by Herman's Hermits, "Lola" by the Kinks, "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats, and "Turn On Me" by the Shins.

Take a guess first, then highlight the space between the lines with your mouse to see the answer.
-----------------------------
Answer: All songs have a part where a word is spelled out:
"American Woman" by the Guess Who – A-M-E-R-I-C-A-N
"Glamorous" by Fergie – G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S
"Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani – B-A-N-A-N-A-S
"I'm Back" by Eminem – W-H-I-T-E
"I'm Henry VIII I Am" by Herman's Hermits – H-E-N-R-Y
"Lola" by the Kinks – L-O-L-A
"Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats – S-A-F-E-T-Y
"Turn On Me" by the Shins – Y-O-U
-----------------------------

Radiohead's Bold Experiment Starts Today

There's been a lot of buzz about Radiohead's new album In Rainbows which is officially released today, and is available for download from their website. The buzz, of course, is that the band has chosen not to sign with a label for this, their seventh studio release, but will initially distribute it digitally through the internets.
Moreover, they are offering different combinations of what you can order. For example, for $81 you can pre-order (for December shipping) a "discbox," which consists of the 18-song In Rainbows on both a CD and on two vinyl LPs. (If I still owned a turntable, this would be the way I'd go.) It also comes with an enhanced CD with digital photos and other images, as well as additional songs. And, to top it off, the discbox includes a hardcover book of lyrics, artwork and other liner notes.
But the kicker is that if you just want the music, you can get it. And you set the price you want to pay. When you go to checkout section of the download page, you see a blank space where you can set your own price. Next to it there's a question mark . Click on it and the next page says, "It's up to you." Click on the question mark on that page and another page pops up that says, "No really, it's up to you." Pay as much or as little as you like.
It's a bold experiment, and there will be many people in the industry keeping an eye on how it turns out. Will the discbox be a hit? Will fans choose the "nothing" payment option? Or will the songs just wind up being traded all over the intertubes? Would the RIAA be able to stop that, since the band isn't necessarily asking for payment?
And what about the idea itself? On the surface it looks like Radiohead is shooting itself in the foot--giving away the music they worked so hard to produce. But the reality is that bands earn relatively little money from selling CDs (unless they are multi-platinum chart toppers). The real money comes from touring as it always has. So from that perspective, this distribution scheme may let Radiohead's music be heard by many new fans who would come out to see the band live.

Happy Birthday John Lennon

"Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see. It's getting hard to be someone, but it all works out--it doesn't matter much to me."
John Lennon would have been 67 today had a madman not ended his life. However, this post is not about his death, but of his life and what he did to bring truth, beauty, and peace to the world.
Lennon was my hero when I was growing up. I was a fan of his songs, his humor and his attitude. Through him I learned that there was nothing I can do that can't be done, and nowhere I can be that isn't where I'm meant to be. All I need is love. And, believe it or not, I found solace in those and other Lennon lyrics during some rather dark times of my life. They were positive messages, and helped me see that despite how bleak my situation seemed, it was within my power to change things for the better. And it was. To me it was a humanist philosophy that became part of the fabric of my life. "All You Need Is Love," "Give Peace A Chance," "Tomorrow Never Knows," "Watching The Wheels," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Mind Games," and especially "Imagine," made sense to me. I had "faith in the future, outta the now." I could envision a world without wars, greed, and hunger--nothing to kill or die for--in which we all lived in peace. The big piece of the puzzle was to get others to see it too. We're still light years from that point, and the events of recent years have erased much of the progress that had been made. But you know what? It's still a sustaining vision for me and, like the song says, I'm not the only one.
In honor of John Lennon's birthday, I'd like to share a live acoustic version of "Imagine," recorded 12-17-71at New York's Apollo Theater. Enjoy.

Listen: John Lennon, Imagine (Live)

Monday Mashup: Wrapped Detective

From Mark Vidler (aka Go Home Productions), "Wrapped Detective" is a brilliant mashup of five artists: Elvis Costello ("Watching the Detectives"), The Police ("Wrapped Around Your Finger"), Lionel Ritchie ("Hello"), Peggy Lee ("Fever"), and Bob Marley ("Exodus"). I particularly like this mix because of the effortless way GHP moves between songs so no single element is jarring, but fits sonically and logically with the others. It also let me listen to "Wrapped Around Your Finger" without wincing because, although it has never been a favorite of mine, here it is taken to new levels. If only The Police had tried the tune with a rhythm foundation like this one...

Listen to Go Home Productions "Wrapped Detective"

Rigors of The Road: The Cribs

Friday night, British indie trio The Cribs were playing at Birmingham Academy when singer Ryan Jarman decided it would be a good idea to crowd surf the mosh pit.
Bad move.
The overly enthusiastic crowd tossed him around like a rag doll. Security guards, not recognizing him and thinking he was just a fan as he was passed around, kept Jarman from returning to the stage. According to NME.com, he was finally hauled from the crowd unconscious by a security guard, with most of his clothes ripped off him by fans. He regained consciousness after being shaken by another security guard. Jarman was unconscious for around 20 seconds in total. Shirtless and wearing the remains of his jeans, Jarman completed his band's set by playing two acoustic songs before being assessed by paramedics.
The following day, bassist Gary Jarman was hospitalized after complaining of pains in his arms. Jarman was taken to a nearby hospital where the was diagnosed with blood poisoning. It is thought he got the poisoning from cutting himself accidentally on his bass strings during a recent gig.
The band will continue with its tour.
So, in honor of The Cribs' determination to carry on, despite some pretty stupid stunts, here is Baby Don't Sweat from their 2003 self titled album.

iheard It Through the Grapevine

Tired of the local "classic rock" radio station that seems to have built its entire playlist around six CDs? (You know who you are.)
Check out iheard.com, an intertube radio aggregator service. It collects meta data about stations with internet feeds into a comprehensive directory so you can find whatever style suits your mood. One caveat: A couple stations I tried did not connect, possibly from heavy traffic or maybe an outdated link, but that seems to be the exception. Others connected quickly and streamed smoothly. And if you have your own net radio station, iheard can help you promote it for more listeners.
Stations are organized by genre, country and language, and includes streams for iTunes, Realplayer and Windows media player.
Genres included on the iheard directory are: Alternative, Country, International, R&B, Ambient, Dance-Electronic, Jazz, Reggae, Blues, Eclectic, Latin, Religious, Christian, Folk, Oldies, Rock, Classical, Hiphop-rap, Pop, and Talk.
And each genre lets you drill down deeper to find your particular flavor. You like hiphop, but you yearn for tracks from the Dirty South school? It's here. You want oldies, but specifically from the WWII era? You got 'em. You like Latin music, but you just want sambas? Ningún problema.
Try it, and you'll never have to sit through those seldom-funny-where's-the-music-morning-zoo-shows again.

Hot Ticket

Miley Cyrus is about to embark on a 54-date concert tour. For those of you who live in a cave--or don't have children--she's the daughter of the guy who used to sing about the achey-breaky mullet, Billy Ray Cyrus, and she has her own show on the Disney Channel called Hannah Montana. On the show (yes, I've seen it) she plays high school student Miley Stewart while her father plays... her father. (Stay with me here.) He writes hit songs for Miley's alter ego, Hannah Montana, who Miley becomes by donning a blonde wig. Why? I'm not entirely sure, but apparently no one knows that the girl they sit behind in math class is a superstar recording artist. Her father disguises himself as well by pasting on a moustache. Clark Kent couldn't have found a better disguise, because no one seems to know it's the same guy.
Anyway, it's all pretty harmless fluff and my niece really likes it. But that's not the point of this post. Instead it's about tickets to the concerts, where Cyrus will appear both as herself and the Hannah Montana character.
Fans are so desperate for tickets that venues have sold out in as little as four minutes and scalpers are getting about five times the face value (which is between $50 and $70), creating a torrent of complaints from frustrated parents.
It has gotten so bad, according to one report, that the Kansas City Council is launching an investigation, suspecting scalpers of buying ticket blocks and reselling them. Well, duh. Hello Kansas. Of course that's what scalpers are doing, as they do for just about every show. But it seems that this time they've gotten especially greedy, preying on the 'tweens' for whom Cyrus/Stewart/Montana is the biggest show biz event they've ever witnessed in their young lives. And parents are desperate to please their little princesses and will do whatever it takes to score tickets.
One report said a ticket for the show in Charlotte, North Carolina, sold for $2,565.
For one ticket.
To a show featuring a fictional character.
I don't know what's worse--the fact that the scalper sold the ticket for that much or that the parent actually admitted they paid that price. That'd be something I'd want to keep on the quiet side.
Then there's this quote: "Hannah Montana has essentially exposed a lot of frustration the average, uninformed ticket buyer has," said Sean Pate, a spokesman for the San Francisco-based StubHub. "There is so much demand that ticket sellers are pricing on the high side. It's almost unreasonable."
I'm sorry, did you say almost unreasonable?
I guess we have different definitions of 'unreasonable.'

The Perfect Guitar Hero Song?

Sex Pistols have re-recorded their classic song "Anarchy in the U.K." for use in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock, due out this month. The band got together in the studio (minus original bassist Glen Matlock, or his replacement, the inconveniently dead Sid Vicious) for the first time since the 1970s. They even used the same analog sound desk they used back in the day, which was built for George Martin in the late 60s. It really is the perfect Guitar Hero song, because it was one of the tracks that inspired thousands of teenagers to pick up guitars and rock out in the late 70s. Why not just license the original master tape for the game? Umm, well, you see, they can't find it. That's right, the master tape of what became one of the seminal records of the burgeoning punk movement is missing, probably sitting in a box in someone's closet somewhere, collecting dust.

Alton Brown's Music Video Past

I saw this item mentioned TV Food Fan, a great blog for foodies (like me). It seems that Alton Brown, FoodNetwork host of one of my favorite shows, Good Eats, has a past. In this case it was as a cinematographer and video director whose work included R.E.M's "The One I Love" video.
So here is some of AB's work before he became the Mr. Wizard of the kitchen:

Monday Mashup: Intro-Inspection

This is an amazing piece of work by palindromic British mixologist Osymyso.
It's a few years old now, but this track set the bar very high for any would-be mash up artist who followed. Osymyso takes the intros to 101 different songs--mostly chart toppers--and creates a single cohesive 12-minute piece of music that works as well as any of the individual tracks from which it is made.
Here's the list of samples used for Intro-Inspection
1. "Rivers of Babylon" - Boney M
2. "Wild Thing" - The Troggs
3. "Hello" - Lionel Richie
4. "Fairground" - Simply Red
5. "Hey Jude" - The Beatles
6. "Vienna" - Ultravox
7. "Unchained Melody" - The Righteous Brothers
8. "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys
9. "Tainted Love" - Soft Cell
10. "Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen
11. "No Woman, No Cry" - Bob Marley
12. "Hound Dog" - Elvis Presley
13. "Drinkin' in L.A." - Bran Van 3000
14. "99 Luftballons" - Nena
15. "The Lovecats" - The Cure
16. "...Baby One More Time" - Britney Spears
17. "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed
18. "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" - Barry White
19. "True" - Spandau Ballet
20. "Leader of the Pack" - The Shangri-Las
21. "The Message" - Grandmaster Flash
22. "Wannabe" - Spice Girls
23. "Pure Shores" - All Saints
24. "Eye of the Tiger" - Survivor
25. "Only You" - Flying Pickets
26. "Need You Tonight" - INXS
27. "Come on Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners
28. "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim
29. "Down Under" - Men at Work
30. "Pump up the Volume" - MARRS
31. "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - Marvin Gaye
32. "Relax" - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
33. "3 a.m. Eternal" - The KLF
34. "I Should Be So Lucky" - Kylie Minogue
35. "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League
36. "I Will Always Love You" - Whitney Houston
37. "I Will Survive" - Gloria Gaynor
38. "Shaft" - Isaac Hayes
39. "The Pink Panther Theme" - Henry Mancini
40. "Is There Something I Should Know?" - Duran Duran
41. "Groove Is in the Heart" - Deee-Lite
42. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" - Eurythmics
43. "Oh Yeah" - Yello
44. "Song 2" - Blur
45. "Blue Monday" - New Order
46. "Baggy Trousers" - Madness
47. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks
48. "Sweet Child o' Mine" - Guns N' Roses
49. "Wipe Out" - The Surfaris
50. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" - The Offspring
51. "Firestarter" - The Prodigy
52. "Barbie Girl" - Aqua
53. "I'm a Believer" - The Monkees
54. "Anarchy in the U.K." - Sex Pistols
55. "I've Never Been to Me" - Charlene Duncan
56. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - The Rolling Stones
57. "Disco 2000" - Pulp
58. "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" - Baz Luhrmann
59. "Disco Inferno" - The Trammps
60. "Like a Prayer" - Madonna
61. "China in Your Hand" - T'Pau
62. "Just Can't Get Enough" - Depeche Mode
63. "Music Sounds Better with You" - Stardust
64. "My Name Is" - Eminem
65. "Shout!" - Lulu
66. "I Feel for You" - Chaka Khan
67. "Take a Chance on Me" - ABBA
68. "The Power of Love" - Huey Lewis & the News
69. "Killer" - Adamski
70. "Bad" - Michael Jackson
71. "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" - Eric Idle
72. "Tom's Diner" - Suzanne Vega
73. "West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys
74. "Oh, Pretty Woman" - Roy Orbison
75. "I Just Called to Say I Love You" - Stevie Wonder
76. "Let's Dance" - David Bowie
77. "All Right Now" - Free
78. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana
79. "Stayin' Alive" - Bee Gees
80. "Israelites" - Desmond Dekker
81. "The Power" - Snap!
82. "The Safety Dance" - Men Without Hats
83. "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" - Etta James
84. "Lust for Life" - Iggy Pop
85. "My Generation" - The Who
86. "Take My Breath Away" - Berlin
87. "Red Red Wine" - UB40
88. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" - Nancy Sinatra
89. "It's Not Unusual" - Tom Jones
90. "Johnny B. Goode" - Chuck Berry
91. "Bring It All Back" - S Club 7
92. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum
93. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" - The Hollies
94. "Imagine" - John Lennon
95. "Little Fluffy Clouds" - The Orb
96. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" - Bonnie Tyler
97. "I'm Not in Love" - 10cc
98. "Temptation" - Heaven 17
99. "My Way" - Frank Sinatra
100. "Albatross" - Fleetwood Mac
101. "The End" - The Doors

In addition to this version, there are two shorter versions called "Intro-Expansion Part 1," and "Intro-Expansion Part 2," that essentially split the list in half but feature different arrangements and several surprises that are not part of this track.

Listen: Osymyso, Intro-Inspection

Jim Carrey Is The Walrus

What the...I...how...hmmm. Have you seen this clip of Jim Carrey (yes Jim Carrey) singing "I Am The Walrus" as George Martin produces and conducts a studio orchestra? The song is from Martin's 1998 album In My Life. It's...ummm... different to say the least. I don't recall ever hearing about this album, but a quick stop by Amazon reveals that, in addition to Carrey, it was loaded with guest performers such as:
• Bobby McFerrin ("Come Together")
• Goldie Hawn ("A Hard Day's Night")
• Jeff Beck ("A Day In The Life")
• Celine Dion ("Here, There & Everywhere")
• Vanessa-Mae ("Because")
• John Williams ("Here Comes The Sun")
• Billy Connolly ("Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite")
• George Martin ("The Pepperland Suite")
• Phil Collins ("Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, The End")
• George Martin ("Friends And Lovers")
• Sean Connery ("In My Life")

Normally these things leave me cold (if you remember the BeeGees Sargent Pepper fiasco you know what I mean), but I have to say this really isn't bad. It might be better if you listened to it rather than watch the video, unless you're a Carrey fan and don't mind his incessant mugging. But he does some interesting interpretations of the lyrics that I liked. And, knowing full well what he was up against, during the fade out he says, "There, I did it! I've defiled a timeless piece of art! For my next trick I'll paint a clown face on the Mona Lisa, while using the Shroud of Turin as a drop cloth!"

Sunday Soul: Be Without You

This single, from Mary J. Blige's 2005 album The Breakthrough ranks as one of my favorite songs of all time."Be Without You" reached number three on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, while peaking at number one on the R&B charts for a record-setting 15 consecutive weeks. That made it the most successful release in the history of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Take a listen. The haunting melody will stay with you, and you'll be blown away by the spectacular vocal and harmonies. Fellas tell your lady she's the one. Enjoy.

Listen to Mary J. Blige "Be Without You"

Adams Has (Another) Meltdown on Stage

(From AP) Ryan Adams pitched another fit for a Minneapolis audience, a few years after his last local meltdown.

Throughout a show Thursday night, the 32-year-old singer-guitarist complained about the sound monitors onstage at the State Theatre. At one point, he moved two monitors, his microphone and his guitar pedals.

After 70 minutes he'd had enough. Adams announced "the last song," played it and didn't return for an encore. Many fans stood and booed.

"I don't know what the story was," guitarist Neal Casal told the Star Tribune afterward. "I just play guitar."

In 2003, Adams gave a famously bad performance at First Avenue, a rambling two-hour show where he griped about the sound system, played several songs twice and lambasted local rock legend Paul Westerberg.

Saturday Smackdown: Samson

YouTube is the internet version of the American Idol auditions where you see some very good singers and many more who.... well, let's just say their ambition is greater than their talent. But, because YouTube makes video sharing so easy, everybody gets their 3:30 of fame.
Regina Spektor's "Samson" (from Songs, later redone for Begin to Hope) has to be one of the most covered songs on YouTube, with dozens of different versions. It's easy to see why: the piano part isn't that hard (even I can play it) and the vocal melody is in the ballpark for most voices. The YouTubers perform on piano, guitar, and even a capella. Some of the vocals are quite good, and some not so much, but they win points for even trying (because I don't think I'd have the nerve to do it myself). What surprised me was how many males took on the song. Here are some of the better versions.

Here's the original by Regina Spektor:


This version by maia4246 ids pretty good.


Here's another version by PussySugar, who may or may not be a Bond Girl:


Here's one of several versions by males. This is Thornton on guitar:


Blacklilly1704 performed the song in an adult vocal competition. She doesn't say whether she won, but it's a nice rendition.


PianoBea does a pretty good job with this version:


Another male version, this time by Matthew Luke Sandoval:


Elenaaaxx has a nice voice in this version:


This is a surprisingly good version by a guy named Prince Estaris:


Another good acoustic version by a guy named Jest who says it's "slightly weird a guy singing about a guy. Girls do covers that end up about girls singing abotu girls all the time though."


Finally, a female acoustic version by ockstarray:

Today in History: Hey Jude

On September 28, 1968, the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” hit number one on the US charts, where it stayed for nine weeks. It was on the charts for 19 weeks total, and has sold over 8 million copies. The song clocked in at more than 7 minutes, unusual for pop music at the time. The joke among disc jockeys at the time (back when deejays actually spun records) was that “Hey Jude” was the song you played when you needed to take a bathroom break. Frankly, I think it could have been better at a shorter run time—the fade out is longer than the actual song--but then the deejays would have to cross their legs.
"Hey Jude" is, in my opinion, not one of McCartney’s better lyrics because it doesn't seem to work all the way through. As he has said, it’s a message to then 5-year-old Julian Lennon to help him get through his parents’ divorce. That's okay for a few of the verses, but then it seems to be about... finding your love? Huh? And this line: “The movement you need is on your shoulder.” What does that even mean?
Anyway, there’s lots of trivia associated with this song. For example:
• In 1996, Julian Lennon paid £25,000 ($50,000 US today) for the recording notes to "Hey Jude" at an auction.
• In 2002, the original handwritten lyrics for the song were nearly auctioned off at Christie's in London, but Paul McCartney went to court to stop the auction, claiming the paper had been stolen. He won.
• Although written for Julian, John thought “Hey Jude” was about him instead (and many of the lyrics are, in fact, more geared to an adult than a child).
• Julian learned the real meaning behind the song for the first time from Paul in 1987 when the two ran into each other at a New York hotel.
• It was recorded over three days at Trident Studios, from July 29-31. Then on August 1, a 36-piece orchestra was added to the fade out.
• The recording includes an obscenity by John which made it to the final release. It’s buried deep in the mix, but listen closely right around the 3:00 minute mark and you’ll hear it. Singing harmony, John supposedly goofs his part and, nearly at the same moment as the word “begin,” you can hear him say “fuckin’ hell.” I’ve tweaked the EQ to remove most of the instruments on this clip so you can hear it for yourself.
• George does not appear on the record. He played lead guitar in several early takes of the song, but McCartney decided he didn’t want guitar in the final version. McCartney dubbed the bass part later.
• “Hey Jude" was performed just once live, on the British television show Frost on Sunday on September 8, 1968.
• George plays bass in this live performance.
• As a single, "Hey Jude" was backed by the rocker version of "Revolution" (the bluesy version appears on the White Album). Not counting later collections, neither song appeared on any Beatles album.
• 1968 seems to have been the year of long-playing singles. Besides “Hey Jude,” which ran for 7:08, Richard Harris's recording of “MacArthur Park,” came in at 7:29, and The Nice (Keith Emerson's band) had a UK hit with "America" which clocked in around 7:15.

Listen: The Beatles "Hey Jude" outtake from Anthology

Spector To Be Retried?

The judge in the Phil Spector murder trial ended the suspense of whether the jury would find him guilty or not by declaring a mistrial yesterday. That raises the likelihood that there will be a second trial and this thing will drag on and on and on. I can't blame the jury for being unable to reach a decision. From what I've heard of testimony in the trial, and from what I've read about Spector (check out Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector by Mick Brown) the guy had some anger and control issues that could have contributed to the scenario in which Lana Clarkson died. On the other hand, the defense introduced quite a bit of evidence to suggest that Clarkson was suicidal. Which side is right? I don't know, and I don't think I'd want to be on a panel deciding Spector's fate. The jurors have said this case had nothing to do with celebrity and there's no reason to doubt that. Frankly, "celebrity" is an odd word to be using with Spector who has been out of the spotlight for so many years that he's a mere shadow of what he once was. Spector's fame is based on work that largely took place before some of the jurors were even born, so they have no personal stake in who he is. There are just two people who know what really happened that night, and the one that isn't dead is hiding beneath a silly wig.

Chaka Khan Says Funk This

The inimitable Chaka Khan is back with a new album of cover songs and original material called Funk This that hit the stores yesterday. She puts her own twist on some classic tracks of the past, including Joni Mitchell's "Ladies Man," Prince's "Sign 'O' The Times," and Jimi Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand." Michael McDonald, sounding grittier (for a change) and more soulful than he's ever sounded, duets on his "You Belong To Me," and Mary J. Blige joins in on "Disrepectful."
At 54, Khan still sounds as good as she did back in the days of Rufus. You can listen to the entire album at her website.

Track list: "Back In The Day," "Foolish Fool," "One for All Time," "Angel," "Will You Love Me?" "Castles Made of Sand," "Disrespectful," "Sign 'O' The Times," "Packed My Bags," "Ladies Man," "You Belong To Me," "Hail To The Wrong," and "Super Life."

Van Halen Ready For The Road

The almost original lineup of Van Halen is ready to hit the road for a tour after warming up last week in Los Angeles. This rehearsal video shows that Edward appears to be fit and healthy after his stint in rehab, and David Lee Roth is... well ... David Lee Roth as the band runs through "Everybody Wants Some." Wolfgang Van Halen is clearly capable of handling the bass lines formerly played by Michael Anthony, but as VH fans know, Anthony's real strength was as a backup vocalist hitting those high notes. It will be interesting to see how the group handles that. Also, will the set lists be limited to Roth-era songs or will they include later material (because I'm thinkin' Mr. Roth's vocals aren't remotely in the same league as Sammy Hagar's)? We'll know soon. Watch the video:

Some Dylan With Your Coffee Frappuccino

If you're a Starbucks customer, you're in luck.

News Release:

Starbucks plans to give away 50 million free digital songs to customers in all of its domestic coffee houses to promote a new wireless iTunes music service that's about to debut in select markets.

Here's the deal: Go to a Starbucks between Oct. 2 and Nov. 7 and get your morning Joe. You'll be handed a free "Song of the Day" card that can be redeemed at Apple's online iTunes Store.
Featured artists include Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Joss Stone, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Annie Lennox and Band of Horses. The first song will be Bob Dylan's "Joker Man."
At the iTunes price of .99 for each song, that's quite a chunk of change for Starbucks to be shelling out (although I'm pretty sure they get major discounting on the deal). Still, this is a generous promotion that may actually help boost sales for these artists.
I don't drink the stuff myself, but if I did, I'd be ordering my Tazo Iced Chai Latte with a side of Joss Stone.