Hi. I’m Elliot, and I write about music here. Music means a lot to me. It’s funny, when you think about it though. What is music? Words and sounds.

Do the words have more meaning, more force behind them, because of the music? Unquestionably. Why?

The non-vocal sounds in a song can be really moving at times. Why, exactly? Have you ever stopped to think about it? What is it that makes the whole of music more than the sum of its parts?

I’m not in the state of mind to answer that question right now. So I will leave it up to you. Fellow 411 writers, save some space in your columns this week, to discuss this. Readers, email me and whoever else, with you thoughts on this question.

Anyway, hi. I’m Elliot, and I write about music here.

A Challenge

So I was conversating with Jim Vanderhorst a few days ago. Don’t worry, you don’t have to know who he is. Anyway, he implied that I haven’t made any progress in terms of entertainment in my writing since I began at 411. I pressed the issue, and he told me thought I relied too much on my formula. So I’m getting rid of the formula for this week at least. Let me know what you think of the new version.

Corporate Mergers

The five major label conglomerates have just become three. First, the EMI group has purchased Time Warner recordings for around $1bil. In response, BMG and Sony have forged a deal to merge. Both new mega-labels are still smaller than Universal.

So what does this mean? Unless you or a close friend or relative works in the industry, not a whole lot. Jobs will be lost, but labels will maintain current practices. Sub-labels under the same umbrella will still compete for bands. Pop music will still sell the most records and garner the most media attention (pop, after all, is short for popular). Even if all sub-labels in a group worked together, having three majors (and a multitude of large indies) is enough to keep competition and artistry important.

If another major-label merger happens, and we’re down to two, the there’d be legitimate reason for music fans to worry. For now, we’re safe.

Diddy Ran the City, but I Still Think his Music’s Shitty

Sean “P. Diddy” Combs ran the New York City Marathon last Sunday, clocking in at just under four hours and fifteen minutes. His running was a charity ploy to raise money for children in New York. I’m still not sure why he couldn’t have just donated the money himself.

In Keeping with the charitable rappers theme, Missy Elliott is going to be working with anti-domestic violence group Break the Cycle. She will act as the group’s spokesperson, and donating a portion of money from her upcoming tour.

Evanescence: Trouble in Europe

Details are still sketchy, but apparently Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody up and left the band during their recent tour of Europe, flying home without telling anyone. Singer Amy Lee is said to be furious about it, and rumors are running rampant that the band is breaking up.

The way I see it, Moody may or may not have a reason for leaving, but the way he did it was inexcusable. When you’re in a band with someone, you’re in it through thick and thin, especially during a tour. He could have finished out the trek, half-assed his way around stage (not unheard-of), and left the band after the tour. To do what he did is a full breach of trust, and I can’t imagine his ex bandmates wanting to work with him again.

Leakage

Jay-Z’s much-hyped “Black Album” will be released two weeks early, it was announced. This came right on the heels of finding out that the album had been leaked to file-sharing services online. The album will now come out November 14th, this Friday. There will be three “golden tickets” inserted in random copies of the CD, which will be redeemable for a brand new Mercedes Benz. Good effort on the Jigga’s part, but a little too late.

Australia’s Month of Fun

Big Day Out, the annual concert festival down under, has finalized their lineup for this year. Bands include Metallica, the Strokes, the Flaming Lips, Black Eyed Peas, Muse, Thursday, Lostprophets, Kings of Leon, the Mars Volta, the Datsuns, and tons more. This might not quite be as strong a lineup as last year, but still quite respectable.

The tour runs through the continent from January 16th to February 1st. Tickets are on sale now, and will stop being sold on December 31st, although all dates are expected to sell out before then.

Country Stylin

I watched part of the Country Music Awards this past Wednesday, while getting absolutely plastered. Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” cover won a bunch of awards. The night ended with my head sleeping on a girl’s stomach. One less screwdriver, and I would have had the presence of mind to finish off the night in style, but no I had to pass out.

Ahem, anyway. Jeff Fernandez reported this yesterday, and took the time to scoff at MTV for not giving Cash any significant awards at the VMA’s. Look, I’ll point this out only one more time. Cash did not attend the VMA’s. I don’t care that everybody knew it was because of his health; you simply cannot give your highest award to somebody who didn’t attend the event. We’ll never know for sure whether Cash would have won had he shown up. I’m no MTV supporter, but let’s be fair to them at least.

Linking Haikus

Let’s try this this week, instead of the usual verbs.

Jeff on Saturday
As always, great article
For me to poop on!

More effort, Eric
Less pasting from The Scout, dawg
And be creative

Dear Aaron Cameron,
Congrats on the one-year thing
Now go fetch her food

Walker is around
For how long, nobody knows
Indignation rules!

The Bisc discusses
Pop culture, age, and such things
Wham, bam, thank you ma’am

Top guitarist list
Part One Part Two and Part Three
He’s still a jerk though

Emogame rules it
Ryan interviewed Oda
The finger-bang king

Pac resurrected?
Cam-Pain seems pretty certain
Part One is this week

I go to concerts
Weakerthans and Brand Nizzle
More to come this week

Tons of Reviews too
Muslim Cleric Johnny X
And some other dudes

That was fun. Next week: linking sonnets!

Everyone Else is Doing It

The big thing in 411music news reports these days seems to be pasting song lyrics smackdab in the middle. I’ve never been one to buck a trend.

This song is called “Sic Transit Gloria…Glory Fades.” It’s by Brand New. It tells the story of the loss of innocence, in a way. One look at the lyrics should clear you up as to exactly what it’s about.

Keep the noise low. (She doesn’t want to blow it). Shaking head to toe while your left hand does “the show me around”. Quickens your heartbeat. It beats me straight into the ground. You don’t recover from a night like this. A victim still lying in bed completely motionless. A hand moves in the dark to a zipper. Hear a boy bracing tight against sheets barely whisper, “This is so messed up.” Upon arrival the guests had all stared. Dripping wet and clearly depressed he’d headed straight for the stairs. No longer cool but a boy in a stitch. Unprepared for a life full of lies and failing relationships. He keeps his hands low. (He doesn’t wanna blow it) He’s wet from head to toe and his eyes give her the up and the down. His stomach turns and he thinks of throwing up. But the body on the bed beckons forward and he starts growing up.

The fever. The focus. The reasons that I had to believe you weren’t too hard to sell. Die young and save yourself. The tingle. The taste of … It used to be the reason I breathed and now it’s choking me up. Die young and save yourself.

She hits the lights. This doesn’t seem quite fair. Despite everything he learned from his friends he doesn’t feel so prepared. She’s breathing quiet and smooth. (He is gasping for air). “This is the first and last time”, he says. She fakes a smile and presses her hips into his. He keeps his hands pinned down at his sides. He’s holding back from telling her exactly what it really feels like. He is a lamb. She is the slaughter. She’s moving way too fast and all he wanted was to hold her. Nothing that he tells her is really having an effect. He whispers that he loves her but she’s probably only looking for … So much more than he could ever give. A life free of lies and a meaningful relationships. He keeps his hands pinned down at his sides. He waits for it to end and for the aching in his guts to subside.

The fever. The focus. The reasons that I had to believe you weren’t too hard to sell. Die young and save yourself. The tingle. The taste of … It used to be the reason I breathed and now it’s choking me up. Die young and save yourself.

Up the stairs: the station where the act becomes the art of growing up.

The fever. The focus. The reasons that I had to believe you weren’t too hard to sell. Die young and save yourself. The tingle. The taste of … It used to be the reason I breathed and now it’s choking me up. Die young and save yourself.

The Finisher

This week is the first time I can recall, that I wrote the entire news report in order. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. You should email me and tell me. Or IM me.

In any event, I’m gonna go bang down my neighbor’s door and get more pizza. See ya next week.

Last 5 posts by

• The Friday Music News Bootleg - September 2nd, 2004
• 2004 MTV VMA Awards Live Coverage - August 29th, 2004
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