Sorry about the lack of column last week. I decided that the upcoming Mario Kart special was more important to get done… and since Monday is really the only time I have to write, I’d rather do nothing than half-ass something. I have also given the Saturday Wrestling News position back to Flea as I’d rather read Flea than myself, and would also rather have my Friday evenings/Saturday mornings free to sleep in.

So now I’m going to be dedicating a bit more time to the music and movie section, and Grut and I will be moving the Grut Vs Daniels article to various spots around the site. The first feature, Grut vs Daniels: Matrix Reloaded is due out later today or early tomorrow to coincide with the release of the new movie.

Lots of stuff on the horizon here at 411, including 411Black, which is set for release around Thanksgiving. Right here on music (my columns, the plugs can go at the top), we got the News Release’s favorite writer, Aaron Cameron with Countdown to Resurrection, a ten part series looking at 2Pac Shakur.

Then, the new feature series that’s going to be spanning the next couple of months: Essentials. The gimmick is this… if each of the 411music writers only had 10 CDs they could take with them for the rest of their lives, which CDs would they be. I’m scheduled for sometime around mid-December. More on this story as it develops.

Mailbag

My buddy Doug: Could you please mention in your music column tomorrow that Fred Durst sucks and should try to avoid covers that he can’t even hit the notes on.

Consider it mentioned. Fred Durst remains the music celebrity most hated on by the News Release. However, I had made an effort not to mention him ever again, however for m’man Doug, I will break the self-imposed ban.

Epitaph cuts Staff

LA Based indie label Epitaph records has made the decision to cut 17% of it’s staff, which amounts to 7 of it’s 42 employees. Epitaph is home to such acts as Pennywise, Rancid, the Offspring, Bad Religion and a bunch of other bands that aren’t nearly as cool as the Dropkick Murphys… also on the label. The label insists this isn’t due to a downturn in business, but instead says it is trying to restructure by eliminating unnecessary and redundant positions. According to president Andy Kaulkin it is a simple measure to cut overhead.

Considering the band’s only major acts are Green Day and Offspring, I can’t believe they haven’t “restructured” before… a couple few times.

Dizzee Rascal

British Rapper Dizzee Rascal is ready to see his debut album Boy in Da Corner be released here in the US via Matador/XL Recordings. The album won the UK’s Mercury Music Prize, in September.

I don’t really find this particularly interesting, I just wanted you all to have the same thoughts I just had. That being someone rapping in a British accent.

Mario Sunshine Update

Sixty Stars. Rage-o-meter, on a scale of 1 – 100 is settling in right at about a 65. Basically because I have learned to turn it off before I get to pissed.

Sinead Who?

Sinead O’Conner, who is famous for ripping up a picture of the pope and for being the ugliest bald chick since any other bald chick is releasing what she said will be her final album. The 2 disc set is entitled She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty. OK, just the number of times I had to swap back and forth to type that raised the Rage-o-meter up another five points. Regardless, the set, released off Hummingbird Records is due out soon. The first disc contains a collection of demos and rarities, while the second disc is a live performance recorded in 2002 at Dublin’s Vicar St Venue.

For the six of you in the world that care about this story… that’s for you.

Big Screen Releases

Something being experimented with via Coldplay and Linkin Park is DVD Releases being premeired on the big screen. Coldplay’s new DVD “Coldplay Live 2003” was screened yesterday evening on various Regal Entertainment screens across the country. This will be followed by “Linkin Park Live in Texas” on November 17th. The one night only screenings include the entire set played by the band and a 40 minute tour documentary.

Now, I went to see Scary Movie 3 a couple of weeks ago and saw a poster for this Coldplay thing. I’m not a big fan of Coldplay, but I can’t see as where this is anything special. Why would anyone pay ten bucks to get a big screen showing of a DVD they can buy the following day for fifteen bucks? I mean, if the DVD was included in the price of admission, or even if you got a coupon for half off the DVD, I could understand it… but not just… “here’s ten bucks, I want to see the band perform on a big screen. It’s kind of almost not like a concert.”

But, they’re giving a full go, after Linkin Park will be Avril Levine’s My World DVD. Whatever brigns the green, I guess… or, in the case of twenties, the green, peach, and purple.

Trying to stay Relevant

Since I already broke my self imposed Durst ban for the News Release this column, I wanted to include something lifted from Limp Bizkit’s Website. Durst posted the following:

“What up people!! It’s FD here. Just left rehearsal and we are doing a sick cover of one of my favorite artists on the Back2Basics tour. I would like one of you to be sure to get the best bootleg of it as possible!! I would like to put out a bootleg version of our performance in a live album and give whoever gets the best recording a producer credit on the album. It will probably say ‘Brought to you by…’

“And on the other end of things, I am gearing up for our next release. It’s gonna be a heavy one. Now that everyone has had a few minutes to live with ['Results May Vary'] we think we can unleash a real single. It’s time to put our hearts where your eyes and ears are!! There is one thing we are sure of and that is that LIMP BIZKIT is a real f*cking rock band! Like or leave it. It’s time to show you what you’ve obviously forgotten!!! Get your ass out to the Back2Basics tour. The first show is in Vegas and I am stoked!! Vegas crowds are so f*cking dope!!!! See ya there. If not watch your back!!”

Does anyone else read that and wonder what in the hell the person that wrote it was thinking? I mean, come on. Was this throw in as many slang terms as we can think of to stay hip? What up, people? Give me a break. I mean, I know Durst is too big to write for his own site now, but Kee-rist… at least try to make it sound convincing for f*ck’s sake.

Evanescence Guitarist’s Walks Out?

Some problems in the Official Band of the News Release as Evanescence’s guitarist Ben Moody has walked out in the middle of their European tour. The guitarist and co-songwriter simply flew home without saying a word to anyone during a day off. The band was then left to play the rest of the dates of the tour without him. No one in the band is saying if he’s gone for good but Amy Lee, the other half of the band, was quoted as saying: You don’t do that to your band. You wouldn’t do that to your friends or your family. You don’t do that to anyone.

Apparently, this is not the first time Moody has done this, forcing the band to cancel tours in the past.

Got news for you Ben. I like your guitar work and I like your writing. However, Amy’s got the other half and, honestly, you ain’t what people are coming to see. They could exchange everyone in the band and, as long as she’s still there, people are gonna keep coming. Ain’t no one coming to an Evanescence show and saying “Awe f*ck, Ben’s not here… I want my money back.” Make your money and be happy or you’ll end up like the guys from No Doubt. Playing shit because the girl can do whatever the hell she wants.

Out Tomorrow

I’m excited to report that Sarah McLachlan, not seen with a disc of new material since 1997′s Surfacing drops Afterglow tomorrow. One of, I think, the most talented female performers in the world. The lead single, Fallen has been the most downloaded track on iTunes and the world is waiting to hear from her again.

Personally, I can’t wait… and hope to have a review up soon. McLachlan will be touring North America next summer and hopefully she will hit Montreal or, somewhere in NY.

In Other Reading

Four Reviews from Evocater. I don’t have the patience to link them all, so just check the Reviews Page.

Across the Pond by Phil McCann.

In Conclusion

I should be back later this week with a review of the Sarah Disc. Till then, enjoy the rest of the news staff.

I would just like to say that I’m taking votes on who my new football team should be… after 20 years of suffering with the Giants, I’m finished. Too many weeks of having defeat narrowly snapped from the Jaws of victory have caught up with me. I’ve decided to be a front-runner. Yes, they’re annoying, but being a fan never sucks.

So this year, I’ve decided to pick the Vikings. I have Daunte Culpepper in fantasy, so I can’t see a problem.

The first two games of the World Series have been blah as expected… because I don’t think anyone has anything emotionally invested in either team. The Marlins are a good team but they’re still “the new guys.” No one really cares about them except some people in Florida… they don’t really have a big history or fans in random places. And the Yankees are just the Yankees. They are the biggest dynasty in baseball, winning 26 of the 99 World Series’s that have occurred, with the opportunity to make the 100th World Series their 27th. Granted, a dynasty can be fun to watch, but people are chalking up the World Series to a foregone conclusion.

So, while it’s still the World Series, it’s not a World Series with the chance to break a 90 year old curse.

Somewhere, five Fox Sports executives just got fired for not getting the calls in quick enough.

Irritating Song of the Week

Fever for the Flava by the Hot Action Cops. I heard it on my Launch station. It’s an awful, awful song… but it’s way too catchy, has a great video, and I can’t f*cking stop listening to it.

I need it to go away.

Dolla, Dolla

Blink-182, in support of their new self-titled disc due off Geffen on 11/18, will be touring small clubs over the next month on the DollaBill tour. Tickets for the club show, which will include Bubba Sparxxx and Kinison, will only cost one dollar.

“For years we played in small clubs and that’s where you can really connect with your fans. We’re super stoked that we’re at the point in our career that we can bring a tour like this around for only a dollar.”

Yes, he did actually use the words “super stoked.”

Dates for the tour is as follows:

Nov. 6: Boston (Avalon)
Nov. 7: Philadelphia (TLA)
Nov. 8: Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)
Nov. 9: New York (Irving Plaza)
Nov. 12: Detroit (St. Andrews)
Nov. 13: Chicago (House of Blues)
Nov. 14: Minneapolis (Quest)
Nov. 17-18: Los Angeles (Avalon)
Nov. 21: San Diego (Soma)

So, I can’t say I’m a Blink fan, but this is a pretty cool deal. Check them out if you get a chance.

Tour Dates Number Two

Sarah Brightman will be taking her show on the road starting in early 2004. Her tour will span most of North America and take up the first quarter of the year. Brightman is well known for impressive stage shows… and frightening CD cover photo shoots.

Most of you probably haven’t heard of Sarah Brightman since she can actually, you know, sing. She is touring in support of her new disc off Angel Records entitled Harem. The CD debuted at Number 29 on the Billboard 200 and hit Number 1 on the Top Classical Crossover chart. Yes… classical. Diversify you bastards.

Those interested that are registered with Brightman’s Official Website will get first shot at tickets… of course, since “first shot” usually means a “super secret password that definitely won’t leak to websites like Wrestlemania XX tickets,” I wouldn’t rely on it too much.

ZZ Top Closing the Summit

The Houston Summit (or the Compaq Center for all you new age types) will see it’s last event on November 22nd, 2004. The soon to be former home of the Houston Rockets will be home to it’s final event before being renovated into the Lakewood International Center, a ministry facility.

ZZ Top played their first of 22 concerts at the Summit on Nov. 25th 1975. Can anyone tell me why the hell they couldn’t have put the day off three days? Would it have killed all involved to let them play on the anniversary of their first concert there?

So, hopefully the venue will get one more shout out to Pearl Necklace’s before it becomes a house of God.

Pepsi to team with iTunes

Pepsi plans to continue it’s uncanny ability to catch on to what’s hot and will be teaming up with Apple iTunes to give away upwards of 100 million downloads from iTunes next year. The agreement also will give iTunes free plugs during Pepsi Super Bowl spots in 2004.

This could be the boost that will get iTunes noticed in the PC market, where it enters stiff competition from already established PC services, along with the newly resurrected Napster, discussed here last week.

The campaign will kick off with the Super Bowl and run through March 31st. About 300 million Pepsi bottles will be wrapped with iTune advertising, while 100 bottles will contain special download codes that will allow users to download legal music from iTunes.

This historic promotion to legally give away 100 million free songs will go down in history as igniting the legal download market. Said Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who also used the Super Bowl to introduce the Macintosh back in 1984.

See last week for my thoughts on this, but it sums up easily with: “They got a long way to go to break the PC market… where free, anonymous services are still easily accessible.”

Chance Number 3258

Scott Weiland has been warned off drugs by Judge Collette Serio after completing most of the testing and counseling requirements stemming from his no-contest plea to two felony drug possession charges back in August.

In other news, Scott Weiland is back in rehab… however, this article won’t be posted for about another six months.

You’re Kidding?

Talented Canadian artist Sarah McLachlan will share the stage with Avril Levine for the Oxygen Network on 11/4/03 (broadcast 11/9) on a show entitled “Sarah McLachlin Custom Concert featuring Avril Levine.”

I can add nothing to this other than “huh?”

Makes perfect sense… they’re both Canadian… they’re both chicks… they’re both talen… eh, no, that’s just Sarah… they both write fine mu… nope, just Sarah again.

Well, two out of three ain’t bad.

In Other Reading…

Kenny Hammond Drops the grade… he’s also doing a good portion of the Music Newsboard. Check it.

Matt B, who I’m in the process of owning for my second win of the year in Fantasy Football, writes about Crossovers.

In Conclusion

Not sure where I stand with wrestling right now, but I know I’ll be back right here next week.

Till then.

I do feel the need to apologize for the ridiculously short column last week. Between the ALDS and Monday Night Football’s super comeback, I just couldn’t focus on the writing.

I’ll follow that up this week with at least twice the number of pages.

So I’m promising three pages of work.

I got to go to Game One of the ALCS last week. I have to say, there aren’t too many more lively places I’ve ever been to than the bleacher section of Yankee Stadium… and that’s the alcohol-free section. Mouthy New Yorkers… brave Red Sox fans… various rumbles. I have to say, I had a great time. Couple that with some of the nicest weather you can hope for in NY in October and it was just a great trip all around.

AND I got to see the Yankees lose. Hella cool.

Unfaith

Canadian band and Friends of 411 UnFaith, best known for fooling 90% of the idiots in this world (including me) into thinking that Metallica had filed a lawsuit against them to bar them from using the chords E and F have put a new track up on their website. The track is, as yet, untitled and they are asking fans to stop by the site and pick a name for the song.

From NoSoul via Blabbermouth:

”We’d love to get as many suggestions as we can, and by proxy help expose the song — so any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated, as we are still independent and are grateful for any exposure we can muster.

“We’ve nothing to sell anyone — this is strictly to get the word out, foster a buzz, and allow everyday people a chance to participate in the creative process!”

NoSoul asked me to check out their stuff quite a while ago and I keep forgetting to do it. However, I stopped by and did listen to the track and I listened to the one full track on the front page (as a general rule, I refuse to review clips of songs) and I have to say… I really dig True Faith. The band has the kind of metal-type music that I like a lot. It’s got a hair metal sound with a little bit of modern metal behind it.

Since it’s a friend of 411 though, I took a quick listen to the sound clips.

The first song, Alia, I have a feeling I would love, because I’m a sucker for piano (even fake piano) inside metal-type guitars. Great stuff here.

Second song Higher, I would fall in love with given the whole thing. Great sound, great words, great chorus. Big fan of this.

Your Jesus 2004. The trademark track 3 ballad. Acoustic guitars are at the front of this song and we get more a sense of the singers voice. Very likely a good ballad given the full song.

Home. This is the primary reason I hate reviewing song clips rather than full songs. I started out hating this and then it grew on me about a quarter of the way through the clip. This one I can’t give an honest opinion on… I’d need to hear the rest of it. Another (probably good) ballad over a piano. Again… Daniels is a sucker for piano in a rock song.

Let Me Become Me: This was the only song I was like “eh” on. No opinion, I wouldn’t turn the station if it came on, I wouldn’t stop if I landed on it.

Tell Her: I was totally into this song for the amount of it I heard. Another great background sound with good words over it… and they have the catchy chorus down.

Whispers: Piano in this one… you know what that means? Yep, I was all over it like Trot Nixon on Mike Mussina… this was actually probably my favorite song of the bunch of them.

Long story short. They describe themselves as an “alternative pop project.” I define them as eighties hair mixed with pop with a dash of NuMetal Sound (minus the rapping).

As for the Name this Song song, the music is great again, but I’m not a big fan of the words… probably because I’m burned out on the rap-metal sound. But, again, that’s not taking away from the background music, or the chorus… both of which are great.

Myself, I would pick Bleed This Way instead of Feel this Way because it fits more the sound and tone of the band… or just This Way.

Napster 2.0

You’ve all read the stories. You’ve all heard about it. Roxio is set to launch the next version of Napster on 10/29/03 (a Wednesday?). The service that changed the music industry as we know it, and continues to change the music industry, is back. The assets of the company that once boasted millions of users is ready to make a comeback.

As a pay service.

On the heels of Apple’s super successful pay-per-download iTunes service, Roxio is looking to take a bite into the digital market with the newly refurbished Napster.

It’s not going to be easy.

Not only does Napster have to face off against the already established iTunes, but it has to face the Windows P2P market. Unlike Macintosh, the Windows market is already chock full of services that are both free and defended by a recent court ruling that they can’t be held responsible for the actions of their users. As of this writing, there is 3,596,017 users on Kazaa sharing over 4000 terrabytes of files. And Kazaa is just one service.

Napster, on the other hand, is offering up a price structure that charges 0.99 cents per download or a 9.95 per month full on subscription which will offer unlimited tethered downloads and on-demand streams (radio stations). It will stress the community aspect of the service with message boards, email, and the ability to browse other people’s collections. It will also tie in to Windows Media Player 9 and will be accessible through the services tab.

Roxio will also be partnering with Samsung to release a co-branded digital jukebox which will offer a 20 gigabyte hard drive to compete with uber successful iPod.

I don’t see great things in Roxio’s or Napster’s future. Firstly, Napster is synonymous with FREE music… not paying. Not to mention they have to bust into the windows market, which is already packed with MuchMusic and MusicNet, among others. They are trying to break back into a market THEY created, while a good portion of users are not even close to being scared of getting a lawsuit in the mail from the RIAA.

That is before you include new services like Kazaa 2.1 and Earth Station 5 which offer completely anonymous file sharing.

And then, possibly the most damning part. Tethered Downloads. What a lot of people in the market for these services won’t advertise is that the music is tethered to the service. So, if you join Napster for $10/month, everything you download on your “unlimited license” is being rented from the RIAA for $10/month. As soon as you stop paying your cash, your songs disappear. No CD, no copying, gone. So, the recording industry makes you rent the songs which, as any landlord can tell you, is much better than getting all the cash in one shot.

As Tony Soprano said: “It’s much better to bleed them all year than bleed them all at once.” Or something to that effect.

And if you’re thinking that you’ll be able to easily copy the songs onto your hard-drive… you probably won’t. My guess is, since Napster always hosted all the songs on centralized servers (which is why they could be shut down) they will still be hosting an enormous digital catalog. HOWEVER, when you download a song, it won’t be on your computer, it will be on Napster’s, and without a decent digital recorder, you’ll be SOL when you try to copy it. In fact, I find it very likely that the songs will probably be in some stupid format that even your standard mp3 player won’t recognize.

So, what you’re telling me is: I can rent songs from you for 10/month… which will be lost if I ever stop paying you. Songs that I can’t put on CDs AND I can’t put on anything removable. OR, I can pay nothing, get free versions of songs, and do whatever I want with them.

My advice: Sell your Roxio stock right now.

Speaking of Legal Services

Apple is set to unveil their new version of iTunes this week. This version is for Windows and Apple hopes to duplicate the success it had with the Macintosh version. It joins an already crowded market…

Wait, I just did this part of the column.

See above.

One difference, iTunes has already proven it’s worth on Macintosh, pulling in over 10 million downloads in it’s first quarter. For those slow at math, that’s about 100 million dollars in revenue, to which they get about 30 percent of. It’s a proven commodity already on Macintosh… on Windows… they’re just another fish in a crowded lake.

World Music Awards

Never even heard of these awards before. I guess I know why. 50 Cent managed to sweep all categories for which he was nominated… that being best artist, best male artist, best R&B artist, best rap/hip-hop artist, and best new artist.

I could goof on this, but that’s played out. Instead I will mention that already has-been and former official Band of the Bubblegum Complex tATu managed to extend their fifteen minutes by picking up three awards for best pop group, best duo, and best dance group. Best theme music on Raw, yes

At this moment, Daniels had to pause in the writing of the News Release and see who the f*ck they were up against. I visited the homepage… the nominees aren’t even listed.

I call bullshit.

Out this week

The music industry is ready to be set on it’s ear again as another American Idol loser, Clay “Elf” Aiken prepares to unleash his own brand of fury on the world. In fairness, Clay is by far the better singer of the two. He does have skills and he’s got a voice that is absolutely amazing coming out of his 122 pounds of fury looking body. Will I pick it up? Fuck no. Along with American Idol: Great Holiday Classics, neither of which will see my valuable dollars or my valuable RAM. Classics… oy.

The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection. In a pinch? Need to get laid? Let Sammy, Dean, and Frank do the hard work for you.

Edie Brickell: One hit wonder, volume 2?

Mariah Carey with a CD of Remixes. Yeah, check the Bootleg from Friday.

Absolute Must Have: Life of Agony, River Runs Again 2003.

Silverchair News

For the legions of Silverchair fans out there… just so you both know, rumors of the band’s break-up are completely false and, in fact, they are planning a 2-disc live show release Live from Far Away Stables

I would report more on this, but I couldn’t care less.

The Lawsuits Continue

Fresh off the heels of the People vs Creed getting a swift dismissal, a group of fans who attended a concert in Cicero, IL has filed suit after Limp Bizkit put on a 17 minute peformance. 172 plaintiffs are filing on behalf of the 40,000 fans who attended the concert. Limp, who was contracted for 90 minutes. At the 20 minute mark, Durst stormed off the stage hurling curses at the crowd who were incessantly booing and hailing the band with water bottles and other garbage.

Daniels Legal, LLP offers the following prediction. Case dismissed. The bands management can easily say they feared for their safety amidst the boos and garbage tossing and felt it was for their own immediate safety to exit the stage when they did. I’m almost positive that a rider with a clause reading just like that was in their contract.

Sorry guys, roll the lawsuit dice again.

In Other Reading

Eric Katz gets you all your Indy Info.

Kenny Hammond Drops the Grade on some Videos. I read this column for the first time this week. Good shit. You should read it, too.

Brian Blottie with All Your Metal News.

In Conclusion

Out of here for the week… and I’m actually much happier with the column this week. Hopefully you are, too.

Up next week will be a review of Korn’s new song, assuming I can find a decent radio rip of it before then.

So, I’m trying to watch this between flipping channels between the ALDS Game 5, Monday Night Football, and Raw. Luckily, nothing good is happening on Raw, so it’s easy.

However, I’m glancing through the articles on Yahoo News, and there just isn’t that much going on in the world of music for the second week running.

Rolling Stones say FU to Retailers

Rolling Stone has entered into an exclusive contract with Best Buy to sell their upcoming DVD, Four Flicks. The band snubbed the rest of the US Record stores by allowing Best Buy exclusive sales to the 29.99 DVD for the entire Holiday shopping season.

The giants (Target, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy), who traditionally offer music CDs at a loss with the assumption that it will bring people in to buy other things, account for about 55% of the music sales nationwide.

Though not the first band to do this, it is arguably one of the bigger coups that any of the giants have gotten… previously, Best Buy had an exclusive two-week window on for U2′s recent concert DVD and a one month window on the recently released Eagle’s DVD set.

However, many of these deals come with a price. For instance, some retailers, following the U2 incident, turned around and charged the label double for any of the OTHER musicians they sold.

However, so long as Tower Records and their competitors continue to sell CDs at more than twice the price of the big box stores, the trend will continue. The companies are flirting with bankruptcy for a reason.

Old and Busted: $19.99 CDs.
New Hotness: $9.99 CDs.

You do the math.

AMA Acts

The 31st annual American Music Awards have added more acts to their lineup of performers for their November 16th ceremony. You can tune in on November 16th to see Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, Ricky Martin (?), Outkast, Ruben, and Clay… joining the talent of Ashanti, Hilary Duff, Alan Jackson, Metallica and Brittney.

The awards feature multiple nominees Justin Timberlake, Kid Rock, Ashanti (what the f*ck… has anyone noticed this girl hasn’t got an iota of talent? She can’t even f*cking sing. She must be giving someone some amazing head), R. Kelly (watch out Hillary!), Beyoncee, Toby Keith, Shania, Fiddy, and Sean Paul.

Another must see awards show.

Red Sox Win

I will be in Yankee Stadium for Game One of an ALCS Involving the Yankees and the Red Sox. I hate both teams. I don’t even watch regular season baseball. I already creamed my pants twice.

Sorry Cameron…

Nah, I’m not. Yankees/As just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

In Conclusion

Yeah, I got some ebay work to do over the next couple days…

Anyone got some Fenway tickets they’re looking to unload?

So, I go to the doctors last week and find out that I have mono. Wonderful. Which, not only sucks because my girlfriend won’t touch me, but it ALSO sucks because I’m scheduled to have Release weekend in Atlantic City this weekend followed by a second Release weekend in Philly. Now, AC can still happen, as I can still gamble, but it’s looking like I have to postpone Philly.

I just want to send out a big “f*ck off” to whoever gave me mono. However, I decided to take this opportunity to see if the Atkins diet actually works, since my love of beer was the only thing keeping me from trying it. We’re starting at 222… let’s see where it goes. I dropped 20 on Slimfast before it balanced out, so let’s see what Atkins does.

Overwhelmingly nonexistent response to the new feature. Remember, What it means to me is something you’re supposed to write for me, not something where you give me a song and I write one. However, I will.

Yahoo! Sucks

OK, usually my first stop on Monday evenings when I assemble this news report is Yahoo Music News via Reuters.

So, I get there tonight… and here are the headlines I have to work with.

Timberlake Set to Shine at MTV Europe Awards , Haggard Speaks Out ‘Like Never Before’, Black Eyed Peas Stay Atop UK Charts , ‘Baby Boy’ Notches Airplay Honors for 7th Week , Barbra Streisand Readies New ‘Movie’ , Make-Or-Break Time for Da Band , Dannii Minogue Hopes ‘Neon’ Will Shine in U.S. , Gold’s ‘Friends’ Help on Philly Set , and Iraq’s National Orchestra to Play in Washington

So, I get one story about Justin Timberlake, who I wish would spontaneously combust and who gets to add to the list of reasons why I won’t watch the NBA anymore next year. The Black Eyed Peas, who could die for all I care. Beyoncee, who didn’t even have the decency at the VMA’s to PRETEND she was singing. Barbra Streisand, who is vomit inducing in about four-hundred different ways. Making The Band 2 news.

Ugh, the state of music sometimes just makes me want to swallow a shotgun.

VIP Passes

VIP ticket passes seem to be the newest revenue sources for touring artists.

Starting with Sammy Hagar’s last tour, who offered a $200 package to fans for an opportunity to get onstage with him, a meet n greet with picture, a T-shirt, a coupon for his online store, and a Yard Margarita made with his Cabo Wabo Tequila.

I guess I’m torn between whether I like this or not. I mean, on one hand, it’s really cool… on the other hand, it’s always made me sick when people charge for autographs. It’s like “who the f*ck are you to charge me for your signature?” But, I guess, at least Sammy makes it worth your while. On stage, an autographed picture. Is two hundred bucks too much for a night you’ll remember for the rest of your life?

Nah, probably not.

I don’t expect any newer artists to do this, but if it works, I expect to see a lot of the old guard take it up.

Welcome to the Neighborhood

According to the NY Post, Fifty Cent has bought himself a new house. Fiddy picked up Mike Tyson’s 61-room mansion in Connecticut, lost in a divorce proceeding to his second wife, from said ex-wife for the low bargain price of $4.1 million dollars. Not that cheap to us, until we read a little further down to see that the house was once valued at $50 million dollars.

The house contains 18 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, 14 half-baths, a man-made waterfall, a racquetball court, seven kitchens, a theater, an elevator, a 1000 person nightclub, and a 1500 square foot gym. The house went on the market (when the idiot wife realized she’d have to pay the taxes on the freakin place) for $25 million, was eventually reduced to $12 million, and then sold to Fiddy for $4 million.

Unsurprisingly, the folks in the small, quiet town aren’t TOO excited about having a guy who has a well-publicized feud with many different people with gunmen moving into town, but the real estate agent promises that if any shenanigans go on, it will be dealt with wit da quickness.

Congrats, Mr. Cent… you got rich, and haven’t yet died tryin.

Machinehead Show

Machinehead will be performing a secret club show under the name Imperium to rustle up some support for their fifth studio album Through the Ashes of Empires. Opening for the show will be Crisis, a band from around these parts who have always had a distinct sound, if Karyn Crisis would realize that no one really wants to hear her try to sing metal.

Crisis could have been Evanescence about five years ago.

Regardless, the album is scheduled for a European release on 10/27 through Roadrunner… and follows up 2001′s Supercharger. The special edition version of the disc will have six demo tracks and a live video for The Blood, The Sweat, And the Tears.

The band is still looking for a North American record deal following their split with Roadrunner Records’s US Branch.

Anyone got pre-leaked copies of the tracks?

Follow Up

As reported here two weeks ago, the band Hell on Earth is planning on having a live suicide take place on their stage during a show in Florida. Well, if you can imagine, St. Petersburg the city wasn’t too keen on the idea and had an emergency meeting Monday morning. They took the HUGE step of outlawing the promotion of “live suicides” anywhere in the city.

The band, in response, said the ordinance won’t stop them from conducting the event, nor will the fact that the venue, State Theater, cancelled the event out from under them.

Billy Tourtelot, the lead singer, said that the move would not stop the concert or the suicide, and that the event will take place from an undisclosed location in St. Petersburg and, if necessary, be broadcast over the band’s website. He also swears this is not a publicity event, but a promotion of doctor assisted suicide.

Tourtellot says to Bay News 9: “How in America can you put people to death through lethal injection because they’re voted not to live [by a jury]. Then you go right around and say that this person who needs to have an assisted suicide can’t because we don’t want them to.”

More on this story as it develops.

Out This Week

After the release storm that was last week, not much seems to be happening this week. We have the new release from Dido… and that about covers it.

Last week, I bought 4 CDs… that’s more CDs than I’ve bought in years.

In Other Reading

Yeah, I’m already sick of this for the week… music has an incredible tendency to irritate me like no other.

Murphy

Hammond

Wallis.

Cameron with Obie Trice.

In Conclusion

Sorry about the shortness, just not feeling it today. I figure something is better than nothing, right?

Right?

You know, I think Grutman waits until I sit down to write this column to IM me for Grut Vs Daniels. Or, he waits until I go on vacation and IMs my away message.

Regardless, I’m back again, making it a record two weeks straight.

Is that a good thing? We’ll find out.

Went to Montreal this past weekend. I have to tell you Canadians, I love your city. It’s clean, decent, the Subway is nice, and you can find anything to do there that you want. My only problem, I like to drink beer… and the beer in Canada kicks my ass sideways. You guys must get SO bored when you come down here to drink. It must cost you like $50 just to catch a decent buzz.

I got to visit Rue de St Laurent, which I have to admit I like sooooooo much more than Rue de St. Catherine. Things are a little bit cheaper and the crowd is a little younger. The lack of strip clubs means there is, actually, MORE attainable ass around and, I gotta tell you, you ain’t lived until you’ve flirted in French.

Brit and Madonna

Madonna will be appearing on the new Brittney Spears CD entitled Get in the Zone due out 11/18 on Jive Records. The pair decided to do the collaboration during the MTV VMA’s. The single is called Me Against the Music, because, you know, using singular verbs is always HOT in a collaboration.

Oy, he’s busting out grammar jokes… it’s going to be a long few pages.

Metallica still a draw?

Metallica’s Summer Sanitarium tour was one of the top grossing tours of the summer and the only OTHER stadium tour not counting Mr Springsteen’s little diddy that sold out Madison Square Garden for like 50 dates in a row. The tour grossed $46 million and drew nearly 700,000 people.

However, my problem with this number is the people they toured with. Linkin Park is huge right now and, god help me, a lot of people still like Limp Bizkit, even after the awfulness that was Chocolate Starfish.

If you’re going to give credit to Metallica for the tour, you should at least MENTION that they were touring with one of the hottest bands in the country right now, along with a band that was touring stadiums two years ago with Family Values. Deftones have their little clique of serious fans, too… and they had a HOT radio single which lasted most of the summer. It’s not like these guys were all supporting bands who didn’t really have a following and were straight up openers, like Mudvayne basically was for this tour.

The OTHER problem is: they’re comparing this show to both the other “festival” tours this summer, that being Ozzfest and Lollapalooza. Now, neither of those shows are a fair comparison either. Lollapalooza had a seriously shitty headliner… Jane’s Who? Perry Farrel should have swallowed the pride and moved himself out of that slot to make room for someone that people cared about.

As for Ozzfest, did Ozzy even tour with it this year? For some reason, I think he didn’t… and, like it or not, Ozzy’s metal credibility is taking a hit with the nonsensical pushing he’s giving his daughter. If he wants to help her out, fine, but he doesn’t need to like, be in songs with her and try to get her contracts through himself. It’s pointless.

Dropping Today

Kind of a big day I guess.

The delayed and finally read new Limp Bizkit Album Results May Vary is probably the most anticipated release. This one is supposedly going to be very pleasing to old fans. And, as I say soon, the thing that would piss me off worst is loving this album… and since Fred never fails to piss me off lately, I’m sure this album is going to be great. Fuck me.

Dave Matthews Some Devil. I tried to download Gravedigger and got all shitty versions. You f*cking assholes, you can’t even release the LEADOFF GODDAM SINGLE THAT YOU’RE GIVING AWAY FOR FREE ON THE RADIO WITHOUT FUCKING WITH IT. I hope everyone in the MafRIAA comes down with prostate cancer, even if they’re women. I want the women to grow a penis, and get prostate cancer.

Obie Trice, Eminem’s latest project, drops Cheers. Again, I’m sure we’ll hear from one Mr Cameron before the week is out. This is the disk in which there will be three Golden Tickets (a la Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). The people who get the tickets get to meet Eminem. Great way to promote an album, and something I’m sure OTHER artists will be watching closely.

The “Is This For Real” Article of the Week

I use Blabbermouth for a lot of stuff. Now, the first thing I see when I log on today is this:

MTV: EDDIE VAN HALEN Tried Out For LIMP BIZKIT – Sep. 22, 2003

Now, this is possibly the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read, so I go on to read the article. Word for word from Blabbermouth:

Legendary axeman Eddie Van Halen was one of 11 guitarists that auditioned for LIMP BIZKIT during their lengthy search for a replacement for Wes Borland earlier this year, according to a MTV.com news feature on the making of BIZKIT’s new album, “Results May Vary”.

LIMP BIZKIT would later liken their guitar search to a relationship, saying they could not commit to someone else until they had completely gotten over Borland

Now, I don’t know what’s weirder… the fact that Eddie Van Halen tried out for Limp Bizkit or the fact that LIMP BIZKIT TURNED HIM DOWN.

I mentioned this to my roommate, and the following conversation ensued:

Kaisen316: do you buy this:
Kaisen316: Legendary axeman Eddie Van Halen was one of 11 guitarists that auditioned for LIMP BIZKIT during their lengthy search for a replacement for Wes Borland earlier this year, according to a MTV.com news feature on the making of BIZKIT’s new album, “Results May Vary”.

Not being 100% satisfied with any of the candidates, LIMP BIZKIT frontman Fred Durst eventually called a guitarist he remembered feeling chemistry with a year earlier and asked him to come back. Mike Smith, formerly of SNOT, jammed with the band for 20 minutes before he got the invitation to join.

“He’s what we’ve been looking for,” Durst said. “We need an actual guitar player.”

“I feel like I play really well with these guys,” Smith said.

LIMP BIZKIT would later liken their guitar search to a relationship, saying they could not commit to someone else until they had completely gotten over Borland.
Daniels’s Roommate: woah
Daniels’s Roommate: wait
Daniels’s Roommate: did that say eddie van halen auditioned
Daniels’s Roommate: first off all
Daniels’s Roommate: eddie doesn’t audition
Kaisen316: it is a reasonably reputable news site, too
Daniels’s Roommate: “hi, you know who i am”
Daniels’s Roommate: “yes, you’re hired”
Kaisen316: that’s what I would think
Kaisen316: Instead, you have Fred saying: no you’re just not right for the part.
Daniels’s Roommate: …
Daniels’s Roommate: wait a minute
Daniels’s Roommate: i’m eddie f*cking van f*cking halen
Daniels’s Roommate: and i’m not right
Daniels’s Roommate: and you’re fred durst
Daniels’s Roommate: …
Kaisen316: HELLLOOOOOOOOOOO
Kaisen316: you do realize that Fred Durst and DJ Lethal turned down Eddie Van Halen
Kaisen316: you know, if Eddie and Alex came over and said “fire Wes and that Troll drummer” I would think any band in the world would be all over it.
Kaisen316: Yeah, hi… we’re Van Halen
Daniels’s Roommate: “yeah, what was your name again?”
Kaisen316: everyone else, you’re fired.
Daniels’s Roommate: “eddie van halen”
Daniels’s Roommate: “oh…not ringing a bell”
Daniels’s Roommate: “ever been in a rap metal band?”
Daniels’s Roommate: “no, i was in van f*cking halen, though”
Kaisen316: who?
Daniels’s Roommate: “hmm, you guys did that song with run dmc, right?”
Daniels’s Roommate: “no, that was aerosmith”
Daniels’s Roommate: “oh, yeah. so you can play the guitar?”
Daniels’s Roommate: “…”
Daniels’s Roommate: “is that a no?”
Daniels’s Roommate: “i’m f*cking leaving. i can’t believe i even auditioned:
Kaisen316: I’m Eddie Van Halen, I don’t audition
Daniels’s Roommate: “ok….NEXT”
Kaisen316: And who are you?
Daniels’s Roommate: “i’m horrible:
Daniels’s Roommate: “you’re hired”

What it means to me

As a matter of fact, I’m done with the news that pissed me off so much. Stupid f*cking Durst finds a new way to piss me off week after week. It’s going to piss me off even more next week when I find out that I like the stupid new CD. I know I’m going to like it, because it’s the only thing that can piss me off more.

So, I was mulling over a new feature for this column… it’s not even one that I have to write every week, and all of you are welcome to send.

I’m going to take an easy one this week.

So Far Away – Staind

I want to get at this song before the entire country is sick of it, because it’s a very deep song, proving once again, that Aaron Lewis is possibly the most gifted songwriter working in the mainstream right now.

Staind’s fanbase is diverse. You have the headbanging types leftover from their Mudshovel days who have grown with the band, and you have the poppy fans they’ve picked up with the Top 40 success of their last few songs, namely It’s Been Awhile and Outside.

Their latest song with a message is So Far Away. Aaron has come a long way from the guy screaming about how someone would feel his Anger, his Pain, and his Torment driving him Insane. He’s got a new wife and they have recently brought a new child into the world. His past is behind him, and you can almost feel the sun shining on him through this song. Look at the two verses.

First: This is my life, it’s not what it was before… all these feelings I’ve shared. These are my dreams, that I’ve never lived before… somebody shake me cuz I, I must be sleeping

Second: These are my words, I’ve never said before: I think I’m doing Ok. This is the smile, I’ve never shown before… somebody shake me cuz I, I must be sleeping.

From the get go, this isn’t going to be another poor me song. He realizes how far he’s come… and he’s looking back on how miserable he was compared to his life now. And he knows… and the chorus furthers this

Now that we’re here, so far away… all the struggles we fought was in vain and all the mistakes, one life contains, they all finally start to go away. Now that we’re here, so far away, and I feel like I can face the day. I can’t forget and I’m not ashamed to be the person that I am today.

The past doesn’t matter. It shapes you… it makes you who you are, but it doesn’t bind your future.

You can hear this song… and it forces you to think over your life. And the thing it makes you think about is: the past is all in the past. No matter how successful you are and how little you think you deserve it, you really do.

For me, I think about college. I am now one year out of college. My life, by a long shot, isn’t what it was before. I mean, for the first time ever I’ve hit the dreaded “routine.” I get up, I go to work, I come home, I watch TV, I go to bed… repeat. But, I’m still happy… and even though the time in my life is over where I had such a good time, it has still contributed to where I am now. Comfortable, with my own house and my own nice car at 25. Granted, I’m in debt up to my eyeballs, but it isn’t anything I absolutely can’t afford… which is nice. I’m not like my other friends who swim with debt and struggle to make ends meet.

I hear this song, and it both makes me remember my past and gives me hope for the future. Aaron pretty much makes me realize that it’s always possible that things can end up ok. He’s come from basically nothing, and he’s happy now.

And it can still happen for me… and when it does, I’ll know it’s not a dream. I will sit someday, 20 years from now, and listen to this song… and remember.

Feel free to send your submissions to me. Click the link at the bottom. If I don’t get one, I’ll do another one for myself. No more than a page or two.

In Other Reading

Vanderhorst Is back for his second and is discussing the bastardization of punk into the mainstream. It’s the only genre they hadn’t whored yet. Why not?

Evocator… I got a list as per usual. Time Machine: Jesus Christ, Superstar, Uncorrputed Steel 2, and Blackmore Night.

Cameron with the review of DMX – Grand Champ that I promised last week.

Brian Blottie has yer Metal News.

Katz reviews one of his Favorite Bands… and does a reasonably impartial job of it.

In Conclusion

Due to the wonders of the Internet, I just scored Nickelback’s new CD about an hour before this column was finished… which means it will either be reviewed later this week or in next week’s Release. Either way, I’ll be taking care of it, whether someone else on the site does or not.

Until then.

Welcome back to the News Release. The column that says, in as many different ways as I can come up with, that the RIAA sucks.

Note to Cameron: YOU SUCK! There, now your column has officially been flamed by a site writer. I kid, of course, since the Bootleg is the only column I regularly read on the Music site. You should, too. PS: As for the gift, rent a limo for the night and take her somewhere to dinner, and whatever nice driving one can do in Cali.

Note to J Modz: I got Donovan in 2 of my 3 leagues too. The serious money league I’m in, he managed to swing me –3 points. I lost horribly, and the guy I was playing forgot to start a defense. I needed Joey Galloway to have a 35 point night and, while the ‘boys put on a show, he didn’t quite get there. Also, I’m begging for a review of a Sevendust acoustic set. There are certain bands I just don’t see in that setting.

The Giants Suck

It’s half time and they’re getting owned. What the hell.

Indies Starting to Wonder

As reported here last week, Universal Music is set to cut their wholesale prices come November. This will, effectively, cut the prices of all Universal Music releases to 12.98 or less.

As such, the Independent Labels in the US who, thus far, have been sticking it to the major labels by offering their titles for less than the biggies, are starting to wonder where this will leave them. Most of them, however, aren’t yet ready to hit the panic button.

Steve Pritched, Senior VP of Navarre Entertainment, says: When you take a $17.98 release, which is $11.75 wholesale, and you put in a typical 7% discount and figure $1.75 in co-op per piece, the net to the customer comes out to $9.18, which is only nine cents more than Universal’s price It’s in the ballpark

Kevin Welk, president of Welk Music Group, the biggest self-distributed indie operation of the country says: If I’m this little label, and this price comes into effect universally, what happens to my costs? It’s going to put a major squeeze on independent labels. [but] Short-term, we’re not changing our situation. If all the majors get involved, I’m going to have to take a serious look at it

So, the general consensus around the country seems to be “wait and see.”

However, on my end, if all five of the majors adopt this pricing structure, I think a lot of the indies will do well to think about dropping their costs. Indies major benefit right now is that they’re generally the same price if not cheaper, and the music is good. But, if I see the new Live release for 9.99 vs the latest Boom Jockeys for 16.98, I’m probably going to take the CD I know is good. That’s just me… but I’m a typical music fan… and I’m a music fan that’s willing to give almost anything a chance. Unfortunately for them, in this market at least, the one college station that USED to give the local indie scene an audience now does mindless Top 40 to attract all the mindless teenagers to their school. So, the 20,000 Watt station now plays garbage and all the indy scene is left with is 2000 watt stations that barely get off campus. While there are a decent number of college radio stations around here, none are as popular as WVCR was in it’s heyday.

And I’m still bitter, considering I was still a student when they pulled it.

New Johnny Cash Releases

Unrelated and planned before Johnny Cash’s death last week, the legendary music star will be joining Tupac and Biggie in the “sick amounts of post-mortem releases” department. Coming this Tuesday, Columbia Legacy will be releasing Christmas with Johnny Cash… a 12-track classic collection of Christmas tunes. Then, coming on September 23rd is a CD/DVD set, Johnny Cash: A Concert Behind Prison Walls of concert footage shot in 1976 from Nashvilles State Penitentiary. Then, later, there is still the circulating rumor of a box set,1 which Cash was in the process of composing before he died.

I’m kind of happy to see that Johnny got sort of one last quick run before the big man upstairs pulled his plug. He went out with the music. God rest.

VMA Thought of the Week

Who the f*ck cares? Oh WOW, Madonna and Brittney kissed for half a second. GET OVER IT.

Secondly, for everyone clamoring about the snub of Johnny Cash. This is the same award show that gave 50 Cent three awards. People will still know Johnny Cash fifty years after last week. People will know Fiddy for “In Tha Club” (because Dre is all over it) and nothing else.

VMA’s are meaningless. They go to whoever paid MTV the most to promote their record. That’s all there is to it.

Zwan Finished

As mentioned on the main page, Zwan is finished after one album due to personnel problems and low sales. Their lone album Mary, Star of the Sea has only sold 267,000 copies according to Nielsen Soundscan.

Corgan seems unmoved either way: A couple of people asked me, ‘Why didn’t you tell anybody?’ I’m sort of out of the period of my life when I run around trying to generate news

Pumpkins reunion is about two years away.

Dropping Tomorrow

A Perfect Circle with their second studio release, Thirteenth Step. I would have given a quick review to the release single, but I refuse to spend four hours trying to find a valid copy of it Kazaa. However, it will not prevent me from downloading the album.

DMX supposed final album, Grand Champ. I’ve liked most of X’s stuff. I’m sure Cameron will have a review of it sometime soon, if not already. I wouldn’t mind a copy of it… if it’s 9.99, I might just buy it.

Greatest hits CDs from both James Brown and The Steve Miller Band.

New Godsmack

Godsmack’s latest release, an acoustic EP titled The Other Side will come out November 18th through Universal Records (which means it’s 9.99!!). The disc will contain eight tracks, four of which are acoustic versions of previous songs and the remaining four are previously unreleased work that Sully Erna did before joining Godsmack.

Here’s waiting.

Disturbing News of the Week

Straight off of Blabbermouth.

Industrial rock band HELL ON EARTH will feature a “live suicide” at their State Theatre performance in St. Petersburg, Florida on Saturday, October 4. A Euthanasia Society member will carry out the suicide to raise awareness for dying with dignity. The Euthanasia member, who suffers from a terminal illness, is using the event as a platform to help make backstreet suicides a thing of the past.

The event, “The Hell On Earth Haunted Tour”, is part of a national tour the band is on to support their new album, “All Things Disturbingly Sassy”

You know, I goof on a lot of articles… but man. I really got nothing to say here. For more information, go to Hell on Earth.com.

Here is hoping common sense prevails somewhere before the date.

In Other Reading

A bunch of stuff. I think Modz got it all yesterday.

In Conclusion

It’s come to my attention that the Sevendust Acoustic show is here this Friday. Let’s see if working for a music website gets me any love from a local radio station.

Till next week.

Yes, to answer your question, I do still do a music column.

Yes, to answer your other question, it has been awhile.

Why? Well, basically Tuesdays have been tough for me for the last couple of months, since my bowling night got shifted to Monday. But now it’s back to Sunday and since I should always be home for Monday Night Football for the next four months, I should be able to check in normally.

And what better day to start back?

They Went and Done It

As Yahoo News put it The Empire has struck back.

As they had promised, the Recording Industry Association of America has filed 261 civil lawsuits in what they refer to as “the first wave in what could ultimately be thousands of civil lawsuits.”

So, much like any other flagging organizations, they are trying to make money by any means necessary, rather than get at the root of the problem. That being outdated delivery methods and the fact they haven’t broken an original act since the ninties.

But, keep in mind, the MafRIAA isn’t without heart. As a matter of fact, they have offered up an amnesty plan, where all you have to do is sign a notarized affidavit admitting to illegally pirating music and promising never to do it again, and they promise not to sue you. All you have to do is destroy any pirated music you currently own and never ever download any music again.

So, of course, I have to ask my lawyer buddy about this. And according to him, if they sign a legal document/agreement with you, they are bound by the agreement. They will not sue you.

HOWEVER, the MafRiaa is careful to point out that ONLY THEY will not sue you. They cannot speak for any other copyright holders. So, technically, the band in question is free and clear to file whatever civil suit they want against you.

The OTHER, and possibly more damning part, is the affidavit does nothing against any criminal charges that the US Government can file against you for breaking the DMCA or any other piracy laws. Since, basically, you are signing a confession stating you engaged in illegal activities, you have no recourse if the government decides they’re going to start going after illegal downloaders.

So, before you go requesting amnesty, keep that tidbit in mind. Don’t go signing a confession unless you’re really confident in your lawyer’s ability to get around a signed confession.

As for me, I got one of those Kazaa “You are engaging in illegal activity” notices on Kazaa the other night. I responded by downloading as many Foo Fighters songs as I could get my hands on and Dave Matthews’s Before These Crowded Streets, by far my favorite DMB Album. It made for a good CDs.

With the Bad News Comes some Good

With sales slumping, Universal is taking the plunge and reducing the wholesale prices of it’s catalog by 25 to 50 percent across the board.

Universal music represents approximately one-third of all the new music released in the United States and includes Shania Twain, Eminem, Dre, and Limp Bizkit.

When the plan goes into affect, the highest Universal CDs should sell for about $12.98, while most of the catalogs should be priced around the $9.99 mark. This is, shockingly, because industry research has shown most people are willing to buy a CD once the price drops to the $13 mark. This is what we refer to in “the real world” as a Threshhold Price. Anyone with a semester in Microeconomics knows this. The price at which people start looking for alternatives. IE: Free downloading, no taxes, etc.

On one hand, this is great news, on the other hand, it’s bad news… because I’ll buy almost any CD for $10. It could very well break me.

I would congratulate the Recording Industry on figuring this out, but I’ve been mentioning it for about a year now, and they’re just catching up… so I still say “f*ck them.”

The catch will be to see if the rest of the BIG 5 do this. One would think they’d have to as the holiday season kicks into high gear. Which CD you gonna buy? The one for $20 or the one for $10? Yeah, I thought so.

Security Guard = Free Cock Rub

A Minnesota Jury has cleared Marilyn Manson in a civil lawsuit filed by a security guard, David Diaz, who was the victim of genital rubbing by Manson at a concert in 2000. Diaz responded after the concert by suing Manson for around $75,000 for “enduring ridicule and shame” after having Manson’s Junk rubbed on his back during the show.

The jury deliberated for two days, but eventually cleared Manson of any wrong-doing. According to E Online, a video of the concert showed Diaz smiling during the event and giving Manson a high five afterward.

No word on how much booty he got from dirty goth chicks after saying “Marilyn’s soldier was on my shoulder.”

Manson made the news most recently by being barred from the Darien Lake Ampitheater near Buffalo, NY. Likely not a huge surprise since the venue is both inside a, and owned by, Six Flags. The oddest part of that situation is the fact that Ozzfest was even scheduled to be there.

Of course, thinking about it, I think Six Flags is about the best place in the world to have an festival show. When you get bored, at least you can go on a ride or something… assuming the venue allows re-entry between the park and the concert.

Are You Ready for some Football?

So, the Giants looked pretty decent against the Rams this week, which makes me a happy camper at least until next Sunday. But that’s not the point… nor is the point to make fun of PK, who got OWNED IN THE FIRST WEEK OF 411′S FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

No, instead, I’m just going to give a heads up to the NFL. You don’t need to hit every genre in your kickoff special. You probably could have safely cut Mary J Blige and Britney and very few people would have noticed… especially since Britz didn’t even come close to actually, you know, SINGING her songs. If you’re going to pimp a live performance, at least try to make it Live.

But, again, props to the NFL for trying to get everyone involved, including people who don’t normally watch football. And also props to them for trying to get the “Kickoff Special” up there in popularity with the Super Bowl. Give them three years… they’ll be selling ad space for five million a second.

Metallica Doing European Tour

Metallica is heading across the pond for a tour. Dates are as follows:

Dec. 05 – Hannover, GER @ Preussag Arena
Dec. 06 – Arnhem, NETH @ Gelredome
Dec. 08 – Zurich, SWI @ Hallenstadion
Dec. 09 – Paris, FRA @ Palais Omnisports de Bercy
Dec. 11 – Bologna, ITA @ Palamalaguti
Dec. 13 – Erfurt, GER @ Messehalle
Dec. 14 – Mannheim, GER @ Maimarkthalle
Dec. 16 РK̦ln, GER @ K̦lnarena

Before that, however, is a South American tour. Do people in South America have computers? If so, here are the dates:

Oct. 25 – Buenos Aires, ARG @ River Plate Stadium
Oct. 28 – Santiago, CHL @ Pista Atletica
Oct. 30 – Rio De Janeiro, BRA @ ATL Hall
Nov. 01 – Sao Paulo, BRA @ Pacaembu Stadium
Nov. 06 – Tokyo, JPN @ Yoyogi Taiikukan
Nov. 07 – Tokyo, JPN @ Yoyogi Taiikukan
Nov. 09 – Sapporo, JPN @Sapporo Ice Arena
Nov. 11 – Saitama, JPN @ Saitama Super Arena
Nov. 13 – Osaka, JPN @ Castle-Jo Hall
Nov. 14 – Nagoya, JPN @ Rainbow Hall
Jan. 19 – Brisbane, AUS @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Jan. 21 – Sydney, AUS @ Sydney Ent’ment Centre
Jan. 28 – Melbourne, AUS @ Sydney Myer Music Bowl

No word on whether or not they took my suggestion and named it the “You Can Keep Them” Tour.

Improper Naming

The name of This Band is Fu-Manchu.

Not one of them have a Fu-Manchu, or facial hair of any kind. Somewhere, there is a band of four gentlemen with PHAT Moustaches looking for a name… and here it is, wasted.

Never listen to them. Write them and demand their name be revoked.

Those Angry Rockers

Rapper diss tracks get so much press, I feel I should switch it up a bit and let you know about one of the few metal diss tracks out there.

Morgan Rose, the Drummer from Sevendust, has admitted to MTV.com that the band’s current single (which I’ll wager my left testicle has not seen the light of day on MTV) is based on Dez Fafara (ex. Coal Chamber). Conveniently, Rose’s current wife is the ex-bassist of Coal Chamber, Rayna Foss. Coincidence? Nah, probably not.

Dropping Tomorrow

Dave Matthews Jr, otherwise known as John Mayer gives us “The Heavier Things.” I won’t be reviewing it, but I will be sure to refer to him as “Dave Matthews Jr” as often as possible. I suggest you do, too. Word on the street is that he loves it.

Seal gives us Seal IV. Ever need to get laid in a hurry? Throw on a Seal Album. It doesn’t matter which one. Or Pulse… Pulse is good and long.

ZZ Top Mescalero. I had no idea ZZ Top was still making albums.

Sir Mixalot. Yep, His Honor is dropping his sixth album right up in yo grill. To Quash the rumors, no it isn’t called “Baby Got Mo Back.”

In Other Reading

For everyone who’s E-mailed me in the last FOREVER asking for a writing gig on 411, NOW’S YOU’RE CHANCE. Now stop emailing me about it.

Everything on the main page is either written by Cameron or Evocator. Just click out there and read everything.

In Conclusion

Raw sucks and The freaking Monday Night Football game is 3-0 at the half. Talk about your shitty Mondays.

Regardless, I’m out for the week. I’ve been so far removed from the section, I don’t even know if Cocozza is still the Wednesday guy. I’m going to assume he is… and then Evocator on Thursday.

Till Saturday.

So I’m sitting here, minding my own business this week, when all of the sudden something I wrote back in February rears up and bites me in the ass.

Right around that time, MTV was in the process of airing tributes to Lisa “Left-Eye” Lopez of the now-defunct TLC, and it rubbed me the wrong way… so, I had a little something to say about it… and it gained a decent amount of e-mail. So much so that I randomly got TWO letters last week based on it… so, I’m wondering if this got linked to a TLC fan site or something… regardless, to take a line from Eric S, we’re going to hit up, You’re a Moron, the TLC edition.

Mailbag

So, first the basis… here is the passage that started it all:

I was a fan of Alice in Chains after the Unplugged album came out. I hadn’t followed them very much, other than to listen to their radio tracks and think “damn, they’re pretty good.” It took the Unplugged show and album to get me to realize how good I thought they were, and they were pretty much the only Seattle band I never gave a fair shake… just for no other reason as they weren’t overexposed like Pearl Jam and Nirvana. For some reason, MTV dubbed Nirvana the band of Seattle, even though Layne and Jerry were possibly five thousand times more talented than Kurt… and the music? The musical talent of Alice in Chains left Nirvana in the dust. However, in fairness, the depth of sound you can get with five guys is much more three dimensional than you can get with three.

The moral: 411 is god… all others want to be.

So, lo and behold, here come the AOLers.

Part 1

Lisaslilbabygirl@aol.com writes: So she has to be a crazy bitch so this person can make Layne look better?

No, she was a crazy bitch because she burned down her boyfriend’s house, disappeared for a week at a time, and got famous wearing condoms on her hat.

Lisa was never understand I guess maybe Layne and Lisa had that in common but so do the rest of the people of the world.

What. The. Fuck? I get a lot of poorly written mail… and usually I can decode it… but this… this takes the taco. Are we trying to say that Layne Staley and Lisa Lopez had the fact that they weren’t understood in common? No, I think Layne Staley was understood just fine… and Lisa Lopez was a crazy mofo who died violently in a car accident and, luckily, didn’t take anyone innocent with her.

She was getting too much attention about the bad stuff she did not really any of the good stuff so that is a same the media only focused on that

What good stuff? Seriously… what good stuff did she ever do that warranted being covered. I’ll give TLC fans open forum next week to tell me good things that she did. And, again, fuggin horseshit. MTV will bend over backwards to show hip-hop stars in a positive light for the Youths of the Nation.

OK so taking it out on Lisa and her fans make this person feeling better?

Yes, it gives us great pleasure to revel in the stupidity of people that would equate TLC with anything more than a five year blip on the face of musical history. Much like the New Kids… much like Debbie Gibson… the next generation of music fans will never remember them. Do you know why? Because while Rock stations will still be playing Would? and Man in the Box in ten years… not a damn pop station in the world will be playing Waterfalls. THAT’s when you know you’re part of music history.

How do this person know how it is to be a fan of this group anyway?

How is being a TLC fan different from being an Alice in Chains fan? Other than the fact one has a clue and one doesn’t… I’ll leave it to the reader to guess which is which.

don’t tell me how this group is when the person has no idea what they are talking about she is not replaceable and if you noticed TLC album ain’t doing to well because people want to see all 3.

I don’t have to bring up that the new album is shitty. In fact, I’ll let someone who knows much more about hip-hop do it for me. To quote Aaron Cameron’s Review of 3D: this is not a good album.

And don’t even get me started on how f*cked up it is to compare TLC to Destineys Child they are nothing alike just the fact they are all female groups and are black so it’s not the TRUTH

If Beyoncee and Crew sang Waterfalls tomorrow, it wouldn’t baffle me. If they sang No Scrubs it wouldn’t surprise me either. Would Destiny’s Child sing Ain’t 2 Pround 2 Beg? Probably not… but it doesn’t change the fact that most members of the two groups are interchangeable. And, if Kelly Rowland died tomorrow, no one would care, and Destiny’s Child would be equally as useless to music history as DC is now.

and this person is cold hearted and bitter that layne is dead maybe this person should just accept that he is gone

We have accepted it… but it doesn’t mean we like the fact that his contribution to music is belittled by mainstream music for the contributions of an insane pyromaniac who was lucky enough to have died so she could be remembered for something greater than she was.

i know i have to deal with the fact Lisa’s gone too but don’t take it out on the group I found it f*cked up to even talk about Lisa and Layne in the same sentence

Here, here.

to tell you the truth they got nothing in common to just that they are both dead. And this is just my opinion but I think they are both important to music and it’s history

Well, you’re half right… I’ll let the individual decide which half.

So, with that, I think I’m done. Just one letter from a column from months ago. But no, a couple days later, I get ANOTHER one… this one from DamagedTLCFan@aol.com

Part 2

I would like to point out this email arrived in one huge paragraph. Up to a point, this person also presented a reasonable argument… then he/she/it had to go and call me ignorant… so…

Hey Daniel, I’m writing you on your comments on Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC. First of all I would like to say I respect your opinion and understand your opinion

It started off reasonable.

because I honestly felt as though Lisa didn’t get enough media attention and not as much attention as Aaliyah who I felt she did more for music then.

And then just went to hell. Again, I ask… what the hell did Lisa Lopez do for music? She was in the first all black girl group… err, no wait a second that wasn’t her. She was the first black artist to hit it big? Umm, hellooooo, Whitney Houston…. Tina Turner? TLC did nothing for music that handn’t 1) been done before or 2) will never be done again.

The difference between me and you though is your speaking from pure ignorance. I know Aaliyah’s history, I have all her CDs, and I’m somewhat a fan. You on the other hand seem like you know nothing about Lisa or TLC.

Aaliyah’s history? She had what, like three singles and then died in a plane crash so she could move out to the Island that Biggie and 2-Pac are living on so she can be remembered as something more than she was. This is the pop world. One dies or retires… 12 more are created to take their place. The ones who die are remembered much more fondly than the ones who retire. Aaliyah will always be remembered as the chick who died. Monica, Brandi, and Mya will eventually fade away and people won’t remember who they were in ten years.

Easily replaceable ? Please. Lisa was one of a kind so there is no way she could be replaced which is why T-Boz and Chilli have decided not to replace her.

See, this is what we call the Recording Industry. TLC is not marketable without the “bad girl” of the group. If their label thought they were, they would replace her in a heartbeat. Notice the group is retiring after the last album was selling shitty.

You brought up Destiny’s Child as if they were like TLC. Yes Destiny’s Child has replaced countless members but TLC and Destiny’s Child are totally different. As long as Destiny’s Child has Beyonce their fine. Beyonce sings all the songs, writes, and producers. The other two are basically back up singers (Kinda like Diana Ross and the Supremes) which is why Beyonce is still doing good on her own.

Yes, Beyonce is the group… for the simple reason that she is 1) the hottest and 2) the most marketable. The only reason I know Kelly Rowland’s name is because she’s on the “I Love the 80′s” thing on VH1. Is there a reason for that? Yes, because Beyonce is the NAME of the group. Would N’Sync survive without Justin? Probably not. The main reason you couldn’t replace Beyonce is because she is Destiny’s Child.

TLC on the other hand has three leads. T-Boz brings the funk. She has a unique raspy/deep voice that is unusual on a female. Chilli basically brought the R&B edge. T-Boz’s voice in most R&B fans opinion was ugly so Chilli filled that void. Lisa was the rapper. She was a different kind of female rapper though. Most female rappers have a deep voice and talk about things like sex and money.

If I need it in the morning or the middle of the night… I ain’t 2 proud 2 beg. That sounds like sex to me. Maybe I’m just a white boy, dunno.

Her lyrics were very poetic and she was very unique, you could never find another Left Eye.

Sure you can. How much did she have to do with writing those lyrics, by the way?

Now your group (I forgot their name sorry) not getting as much attention is no reason for you to disrespect Lisa. Why is media attention so important to you ? Let me quickly explain to you why Lisa’s death got more attention. She passed April 25, 2002. Her group TLC had just finished promoting their last album Fanmail in mid 2000. They had came off a HUGE tour and Fanmail sold 10 million copies. After that countless look alike groups came out. TLC had just announced they were back together working on another album so fans like me were excited, pumped, and ready for new music. So it was a SHOCK to us that she passed.

Is that so? Thank you so much for enlightening me.

TLC have also been THE BEST SELLING FEMAlE GROUP IN MUSIC HISTORY since 1995.

WOW… since 1995? A whole EIGHT YEARS?! No wonder they are so massively popular.

Now your group is basically not that famous, how do you expect for them to get more media attention ?

How old are you?

Also about your comparision to N’Sync. TLC is an innovative and groundbreaking group so that comparison was staight disrespectful.

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH

Before TLC female groups were glamerous and all about harmonies. TLC kicked down the door and did something different. Instead of tight fitting dresses and skirts TLC came in with baggy pants and wore condoms TO PROMOTE SAFE SEX (I see you tried to diss that without knowing the meaning behind it too). They were the first group to mix Funk, R&B, and Rap. They hit on issues such as AIDS, gang violence, the way the media makes people insecure, rape, and sex.

And they successfully marketed them. I will grant you that. See, TLC did well in 1995 for the same reason that Avril Lavigne is doing well now. Because they we’re something different in a mired shithole of same/same. Let me break this down for you. Dr Dre is innovative. Public Enemy is innovative. The Seattle Grunge Bands were innovative. Faith No More and, God help me, Limp Bizkit, were innovative. TLC is not. As I recall, C&C Music Factory was combining styles about 5 years before TLC was ever thought of. If you think TLC did anything first, I got two words for you… Salt n Pepa. SnP was doing TLC’s act in the late 80s and early 90s, right down to the Safe Sex schtick… if you want to argue about their innovativeness, I’ll give you points. TLC… nah.

So before you try to go and run your mouth on an issue make sure you know what your talking about. Please don’t be biased, post my e-mail just like you posted the rest of those peoples. Don’t be unfair and ignore mines just because I don’t agree with you. Oh yeah and pick up TLC’s Greatest Hits September 15th so you won’t be as ignorant as you are on the best group ever existing on this planet

Best group ever existing on this planet? Good lord. I can’t even grace that with a response. When you can release a greatest hits album thirty years after you stopped making music, then come talk to me about being the greatest group of all time.

Justified and Stripped

The Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake tour has reached an unplanned hiatus as the stage rigging came crashing down this past Saturday in Atlantic City. There were no serious casualties as, Thank God, it didn’t happen during the show.

Actually, if it hit Christina, they might have saved the rest of the crowd.

I wasn’t sad as it meant I didn’t have to deal with Pepsi Arena traffic last night when I got out of work.

Score One for the Downloaders

US District Judge Joseph L Tauro ruled last Friday that MafRIAA filed subpoenas issued in Washington cannot be served in Massachusettes, granting a stay of execution to some students at Boston College and MIT who the MafRIAA is gunning for. The subpoena’s seek the names of four students, one from MIT and three from BC who alleged illegally obtained songs online.

I got a copyright notification on Kazaa last night. I responded by downloading enough Foo Fighter’s songs to make a greatest hits CD.

Which is a shame, because I was thinking about buying the albums.

In Conclusion

If I’m more bitter than normal this week, it’s because work sucks and I’m tired.

Of course, I go to Cancun in two weeks… so I’ll either die on the plane, or it’ll get better.

Hello and welcome back to another edition of the News Release. I’m Daniels and this will be a better report than last week, I promise.

Napster: Version 2.0

The one that started it all is on it’s way back, according to Roxio, the company which purchased the assets of the now defunct company in the bankruptcy auction. According to Roxio, they will offer song swapping on a monthly subscription or a fee-per-song basis. They will also offer a web-radio service with pre-created stations.

On news that Roxio would be relaunching the service sometime before Christmas, shares of Roxio surged to their highest value this year. This announcement is also on the heels of the, thus-far enormous success of Apple’s iTunes which has already sold over 2 million songs in just 2 months at .99 cents per download.

The question remains whether or not the Napster name still carries any clout with consumers, amidst a flurry of legal services cropping up over the internet. Just recently, Buy.com has sunk 40 million dollars into marketing their new BuyMusic.com service. AOL and Amazon have both announced interest in legal music catalogs, and Musicmatch.com has announced a non-exclusive agreement with nine major labels.

Of course, there is also the small problem of the easy to use, new wave of “illegal” services like Kazaa and Grokster. The chess match between the online community and the labels is going to continue. I’ve noticed no serious slack in the traffic on Kazaa, and it’s only going to get worse as the new releases of the softwares. And the newest program, Earth Station 5, was released the same day that the RIAA announced the intention to file lawsuits against individual users.

Earth Station 5 – Explained

Wondering what Earth Station 5 is? Well, let me help you out. Earth Station 5 markets themselves as the “next generation of file sharing software.” According to Ras Kabair, the president and CEO of Palestine based Earth Station 5, their motto is “… share … share to your heart’s content because no one can stop you.”

ES5 utilizes a couple different things to keep you hidden from the evil do-gooders at the RIAA. First and foremost is “stealth mode,” which hides your IP address, instead using Internet anonymous proxies. While I’m not EXACTLY sure what this is, even as a CS graduate… the general idea is if someone is monitoring your IP address, they’ll have no idea what you’re doing with it. Also, no IP information is displayed while transferring.

The second huge benefit is that it supports https transfers. Which, broken down, means all the files you’re trading get encrypted with 128-bit encryptions. Which basically means it would take all the computers the RIAA has at their disposal about 500 years to figure out what you’re trading.

Another benefit, random port numbers. When Kazaa launches, it always sits on a port somewhere in the 1200s… this one opens on a different port every time. I don’t think this is a huge benefit, because obviously it has some way to run a port scan to know where it’s running… which means the RIAA can figure that out, too.

Extra benefits… a free voice and video chat system along with a free dating service. Interesting. It is also spyware-free, adware-free, and contains no annoying advertising.

Whole system sound too good to be true? Yeah, it does to me, too. I’ll be downloading it soon… to research for you folks, of course.

New Head Demon

Hilary Rosen has stepped down as chairman of the MafRIAA. In her place will be Mitch Bainwol, a former top congressional aide with many contacts in the Republican Party, and former Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.

Rosen announced at the beginning of this year that she would be leaving the position she’s held since 1998 to spend more time dyking it up with her partner and hanging out with her twin toddlers.

Well, no wonder Hillary has a bug up her ass… she hasn’t had dick in a lot of years. Now it all makes sense.

I have to say: smart move by the MafRIAA. John McCain has already come out in defense of the file swappers, saying that he thinks it might be going a bit overboard to fill prisons with file-swappers. Getting someone who knows the Republican backrooms, after having someone who had contacts in the Democrat back rooms, is probably the smartest way to go.

Fuggin Pearl Jam

You know, the 25 or so song concert kind of pissed me off… but not really, Until I read what they’ve been doing on the second leg of their tour.

Two three hour sets at Madison Square Garden, followed by a show on July 11th… where they OPENED FOR THEMSELVES. Yes, that’s right, they played an 11 song acoustic set, followed by their opening band, followed by a 33-song set by them.

And I paid $40 for barely two hours.

Fuck Eddie in the left eye.

Are you ready for some football?

That’s right people… less than a week till preseason, and less than five until kickoff.

Britney Spears and Mary J Blige will be performing a free concert for Kickoff.

Oy.

Following the concert on Thursday, 9/4, will be kickoff! The Redskins and the Jets will open the season at RFK Stad… err… goddam Safeco Field.

It could be worse, they could be playing the “Bears as Presented by BankOne.”

Limp Bizkit Album Done

The album is done, according to Fred Durst.

In other news, GNR will be releasing “Chinese Democracy” at some point.

In even more amusing news, Fred snapped at the 7/28 Summer Sanitarium Show… cussing out the fans and quitting their set after only 20 minutes. During the short set, Durst got heckled and pelted with garbage… which he laughed off at first. According to a reporter from the Chicago Sun Times who was on the scene:

“When LIMP BIZKIT actually appeared around 7 o’clock, the boos intensified, and some fans pelted the stage with garbage.

“The aborted set left fans to wait more than 90 minutes for METALLICA, but the mood never turned ugly — maybe because a lengthy delay was better than suffering through any more LIMP BIZKIT.”

Hahahahahahaha, buh-bye Fred… nice knowin ya.

Where Are they Now

Travis Meeks, the lead singer of Days of the New will be performing a special solo gig in Oshkosh, WI.

Meanwhile, Tantric is working on their next album and being awesome.

For those out of the loop, Days of the New burst on the scene with a hot debut album, after which Travis Meeks, the front man and the owner of all the material, fired the whole band. Travis went on to make a completely forgettable sophomore album while the rest of the band went on to find a new lead singer and form Tantric… who are doing well, while Travis Meeks is playing in Oshkosh, WI.

Karma, baby.

New This week

Umm, the soundtrack to Freaky Friday?

Yeah, OK… there hasn’t been a good release in going on a month now.

In Other Reading

Murphy went to the Warped Tour. Yes my friend… Festivals suck. Lots. They got you all day long and you can’t get back in. You are their slaves… and you will pay. Oh my yes, you will pay. My suggestion: if you have a local festival outdoors in an ampitheater… tailgate, all day long. It’s free, you hear just as well, and you will have 10000x more fun.

James Marshall with a new column with lots of random nonsense.

Evocator looks at Ministry’s Pslam 69… although I liked their Filth Pig album better.

Hey, what a surprise, only two people writing reviews.

Evocator with TNT, Dave Brockie Experience, and Godhead.

Cameron with: Bad Azz and Freeway.

In Conclusion

That’s it for this week. Later this week, maybe a real wrestling column for once!

Welcome back to an all new, all snazzy version of the News Release, I’m Daniels and lets do some news.

Studios Clampdown

The recording studio is slowly becoming the new Fort Knox. New security measures that were used, and were largely successful, preceding the release of Linkin Park’s Meteora are now being followed for many other bands.

New studio thieves don’t try to steal the album for themselves. They get the rough mixes, outtakes, and alternatives and, before you can say download, the versions appear on Kazaa. Traditionally, the masters have been handled loosely because, honestly, how much damage could be done? In this day and age, though, an album out on the Internet before opens up a brand new excuse for poor album sales. Blame the Internet, dammit!

Each copy has it’s own digital signature, old versions of master copies are destroyed, if an mp3 is leaked online, it is traceable back to the person who signed it out. Things are locked, and double-locked, and stored away… so if a new track leaks online before the release date, someone did a lot of work to get it out there.

So, folks, download more… and when you do, thank that mysterious stranger who risked his job to get you your music ahead of time.

And while you’re at it, do it on Kazaa 2.4… now with Masked IP addresses for handy dandy lack of tracing!!!

New Releases Today

Kiss Alive 4. This is their LAST tour… really, they promise. For Real this time.

Voice of Frank Sinatra. Boys, if ya want to get laid. This is the disc for you.

New From Chevelle

Chevelle will head back into the studio come September. The tentative title will be Wonder What’s Next and will be released off Epic Records.

According to drummer Sam Loeffler: [it's] “actually pretty heavy. We’re a melodic band, because we like melody, but we also listen to a lot of heavy music, and that’s what we’ve been into.”

He also wanted the fans to know that success isn’t changing them at all. According to him: Everything is almost anti-climactic, because you work so hard, and when things do hit, you want them to last. “We’re writing the music we want to write, and not changing it for anyone. We’re not letting the success influence our lifestyles, either.

Steven Tyler gets pissed.

According to the New York Daily News: AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler was being followed by a female paparazzo on Thursday night (July 17) near Cafe Habana on Prince St. when suddenly he turned around. An onlooker says Tyler then “took her camera. He’s shouting at her, and grabs her by the wrist, saying, ‘Let’s see how you like it.’” The rocker then said, “‘You’re going to stand there until I tell you not to.’ The girl is standing there completely humiliated, and he’s taking pictures and pictures, and all the bystanders were laughing their ass off,” the spy revealed.

Tyler will probably get sued over this and it’s really too bad… since the f*cking camera stalkers get to do whatever they want and whenever someone snaps back, it costs them six figures. Love the lawyers baby… they make the world go ‘round.

A little more Life Of Agony

The band who is definitely NOT playing together again after their next reunion tour has announced a European tour during October and November. For any of you across the pond who dig on Life of Agony, you have a chance to see them on the following dates:

Oct. 18 – Antwerp, BEL – Hof Ter Lo
Oct. 19 – Offenbach, GER – Capitol
Oct. 21 – Dortmund, GER – Soundgarden
Oct. 22 – Hamburg, GER – Docks
Oct. 23 – Berlin, GER – Columbia Halle
Oct. 24 – Leipzig, GER – Werk 2
Oct. 25 – Wien, AUT – Planet Music
Oct. 27 РK̦ln, GER РLive Music Hall
Oct. 28 – Stuttgart, GER – Longhorn
Oct. 30 – München, GER – Elserhalle
Oct. 31 – Salzburg, AUT – Rockhouse
Nov. 01 – Zürich, SWI – Abart
Nov. 03 – Luxemburg, LUX – Kulturfabrik
Nov. 04 – Paris, FRA – Elysee Montmartre
Nov. 05 – Tilburg, NETH – O13

River Runs Again: 2003 is set to be released in September, along with a DVD set, River Runs Again: Complete.

Subpoenas filed

Nope, they’re going through with it. The RIAA has filed 871 Subpoenas against outlets for online file sharing, with up to 75 being added daily. All this is part of the evidence gathering process which will eventually be used to sue everyday folks like me and you, for using their computers.

Some of the first to get the subpoenas are various college campuses and internet providers.

This should not surprise anyone. Filing information subpoenas is part of the evidence-gathering process that we announced a few weeks ago in anticipation of the lawsuits that we will be filing against people who illegally make copyrighted music available on P2P networks. We’re doing exactly what we said we’d do.”

And the PR nightmare continues, as they refuse to see that they’re part of the problem, not the solution. Someone at the RIAA might want to look up the clinical definition of “mob mentality.” When sixty million people around you are doing something wrong, it then makes you think that it’s ok cuz everyone else is doing it… and it will be much harder to get caught.

Finally, there has been a voice of reason in the Senate as well. Senator John McCain of Arizona said: I would not support criminal penalties for the person who just shares music files. If there’s some kind of organized and orchestrated organization that does this as a profession to make a profit, then that probably would be appropriate. Look, these artists deserve a return for their talents and their abilities; we’ve got to try and make that happen. But to throw people in jail because they file-share, in my view, is a terrible overreach.

A republican even Eric S can love.

In Other Reading

Evocator reviews Don McLean. American Pie: The Remixes.

Jeff Fernandez gives us The Dirty Dozen Strip Club songs. For all y’all who ain’t been to a strip club yet… ya ain’t missing much.

Aaron Cameron, Because I Can. Also he’s got Bad Boys II. Which was a fabulous move by the way.

In conclusion

It’s late and I need sleep. Seeya next week.

Some changes going on in the music zone this week. Stay tuned to find out who.

I missed my wrestling column last Saturday due to an unannounced trip to Boston with my kinda sorta not really ex-girlfriend. All you readers of Grut vs Daniels have lived through the trials and tribulations of Daniels and his ex-girlfriend. I gotta say, I finally understand why you city people actually stay in the big cities. Always something to do… always people around… it was very nice. The only thing I had a problem with was the driving. There was one intersection, with about 8 or 9 inlets and outlets and a traffic light for each road… I still have no idea whether or not I ran the traffic light or not.

Regardless, I had a great time. Got to check out a Dark Side of the Moon laser show at the Museum of Natural History (That’s Pink Floyd for all you uncultured types)… then I got to head over to Quincy Market on Saturday afternoon. Went to the Boston Beer Works for lunch (great microbrews) and Legal Seafood, which had maybe the best Clam Chowder I’ve ever head. Our night on the town was in the Quincy Market section of Boston, and I went to the replica of Cheers. I have to say, Cheers in Quincy Market is the ultimate tourist trap. The girl and I were drinking Malibu and Coke and Sam Adams Boston Ale, respectively, and the rounds were costing $10. That on top of $5 just to get in with two awful, awful bands. One soul group doing dance type music and one guy on the other side with an acoustic guitar. I’ve seen better in Albany…. For free.

I guess you pay for the atmosphere, though… However I had a ball out there, and we never made it over to the Harvard part of the city to go out on the town. That would be what I would do next time around. So, next time around I plan to stay in Harvard Square or down by the Harbor so I’m right near the nightlife.

Daniels’s next big weekend out is a trip to Montreal the weekend of August 9th. Getting ready for that one by trying to get my tolerance up to handle the Canadian Beer. There’s only one way to do that in the US… shots. Lots and lots of shots.

My weight loss update. I think Slim Fast has finished working for me at 20 pounds, so I’m thinking no more of it. Time for me to find another eating regimen. So, I’m currently fluctuating between 222 and 224 from week to week, which is about 20 down from the beginning of the year.

This evening I will be checking out Weird Al Yankovic in concert. Whether or not I will file a concert report remains to be seen. Depending on how I feel on Wednesday morning, I might try to do the report. Else, I’ll include it in next week News Release.

On with it.

DM vs DMB

So, I went a lot of years with resisting the pull of enjoying the Dave Matthews Band. I mean, a long time. When Satellite got overplayed, it disgusted me with the band for a long time, and I never really got into them… until I caught Grey Street on XM Radio (Ethel 47) about six months ago. That song broke through my defense of detest and I was able to find a decent chunk of songs that I could get into. I think a lot of it is because new music is so stagnant, that it’s bloody nigh impossible to find new, good, talented musicians.

So, I picked up about 12 or 13 songs off Kazaa and made myself a decent CD (yeah, that’s right Dave… people still trade your songs online, ban or no)… however my enjoyment of the band is still very polarized. I either love the songs I love, and absolutely detest the rest of them.

Where is this going? Nowhere, really, but Dave is releasing his first solo effort in September off RCA Records. This effort is stuff written primarily by him, rather than stuff written by all five members of The Band. The feature track will likely be a song co-written by Dave and Trey Anastasio of Phish for all the hippies to get stoned over. Why the separation from the band? Sez Dave:

I think the idea of recording a couple of things that just didn’t have a place with the band grew into a sort of, just a writing experience and recording experience that in some ways I hadn’t really expected

Will the fans be into it?

Like most of what I’ve done, it’s done, and so now I just move on from it. I’m excited, I hope people like it, but I try not to get too excited because what if everyone f***in’ hates it? Then I can let it go like an empty beer can. That’s the way I look at it now: My part in it is done, and I hope people like it. But in case they don’t, I’m gonna try not to invest too much in it that I might be disappointed

However, DMB Fans are possibly the fanatical freaks in the world. Dave can do no wrong. No one else even approaches the skill that Our Lord Matthews has… which is a bunch of horse shit, but that’s another column. I think this one will do just fine.

I’ll have to see which two songs I’ll dig off this one.

A Perfect Pumpkin

So, all you displaced Pumpkin’s fan who just don’t dig Billy Corgin’s new group all that much can rest easy. James Iha is taking the place of Troy Van Leeuwen in A Perfect Circle. Van Leeuwen left Circle to join Queens of the Stone Age and is not featured on Circle’s upcoming release.

Really Snazzy Article

I had found a really good article on Yahoo about how bands and the recording industry are eyeing secure downloads accessible only via codes found on the CD. Basically, while most bands are including bonus DVDs or CDs in their new releases, many bands, including Metallica, are setting up secret, secure portions of their websites only released by accessing a CDs unique key. Metallica, for instance, has a motherload of SIXTY live tracks available in MP3 format on their website, available freely for download if you have a copy of St. Anger in your CD Rom Drive.

Unfortunately, I found said article at work today and it’s since fallen off Yahoo.

This amidst news that the Recording Industry is preparing hundreds of lawsuits against average, ordinary, everyday kids like you and me.

I got sued for 1 billion dollars by the RIAA and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.

John Mayer News

John Mayer’s sophomore album is due this fall.

He still sucks.

And he still is Dave Matthews Jr.

Chester Bennington vs The Internet

Chester Bennington and the rest of Linkin Park are exploring ways to block their record company from offering individual tracks of their album Meteora on the legal song swapping sites. Bennington believes that fans shouldn’t be downloading single tracks from the album, but should instead have to buy the whole album online.

Linkin Park joins the ranks of Kid Rock, Metallica, and Green Day as a group of bands who disagree with the new form of sales that iTunes and other such services offer, believing the single song downloads to cut into their royalties.

We’re all going to have to adjust. You know what I’m saying? Eventually everything is going to be purchased online. It’s just a matter of how you’re going to do it. You know? Do you sell albums by track or do you sell albums to download for one cost when you go in to download the music? Who knows? It’s not up to me, it’s up to the people to figure out the way they want to do it, and to do it in a way that’s not going to destroy the bands that they love

To make sure Chester Bennington doesn’t hate me, I will just download all of Meteora for free on Kazaa. Oh wait, I already did that because I refuse to pay $20 for a CD with a running time of 33 minutes.

Good luck with that, guys. We saw how successful people who align themselves with Metallica are. Smart move, douchebags. Try to stop the downloads that you’re actually getting paid for.

Funny Story from Memorial Day Weekend

I kept forgetting to bring this up, but I finally thought of it tonight, probably because I’m stretching for material.

About four months ago, I got an email from a guy, an R&B artist who read the column and saw that I am an alumnus of RPI in NY. Oddly enough, he was currently going there… and he’s trying to get an album off the ground and asked me to help a brotha out… literally.

So, I sent him back the standard e-mail… that being: “send me some of your shit and I will be happy to review it for you and give you as much publicity as I can if I like it.” I’m pretty fair with all forms of music… I even gave the girlfriend some time with Shania last weekend and one of my top ten favorite current songs is Miss Independent for some retarded reason.

Anyway, I never heard back from the dude, so I figured he either moved on, got a real job, or gave up… whatever.

So, I’m playing Beirut on Memorial Day weekends with my standard group of friends, when, wouldn’t you know, this posse comes down the street. Four of five black guys in an entourage, passing out flyers for, lo and behold, a concert featuring the self same dude that Emailed me for a pimp not too long ago.

Not being one to namedrop myself, I stand there and let them go through their spiel about how this dude is the next big thing in the R&B world, culminating with a promo live singing expo with him… and then they start trying to sell tapes. Now, I have no interest in buying an R&B tape, and neither do MOST of the people I’m with, but the dude did have a pretty decent voice… especially considering he was instrumentless and had nothing to warm up with.

Long story short, the Park Rangers came down to break up the sales quoting a law that says you can’t sell shit without a permit on state property… probably true.

Small world, ain’t it?

Sevendust Touring

Sevendust’s Fourth Studio effort off TVT Records is due out in October and the feature track is called Seasons. They will be pre-touring to support the new album:

Jul. 19 – Nashville, TN @ Havana Lounge (NAMM show)
Aug. 14 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
Aug. 15 – Chattanooga, TN @ Cricket Pavillion
Aug. 16 – Jackson, MS @ Crazy Eight’s
Aug. 18 – Fayetteville, AR @ Dave’s on Dixon
Aug. 19 – Memphis, TN @ New Daisy Theater
Aug. 21 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amp.
Aug. 22 – Albany, NY @ Northern Lights
Aug. 23 – Old Bridge, NJ @ Birch Hill
Aug. 24 – New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
Aug. 26 – Knoxville, TN @ Blue Cat’s
Aug. 27 – Ashville, NC @ Orange Peel
Aug. 28 – Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues

The bolded one is near me. Anyone from TVT, Roadrunner, or Northern Lights who wants some free publicity, feel free to comp me or schedule an interview.

Out this week

Nothing much except a 3-disc live set from Pearl Jam. Whether this is a regular release or an example release of the full tours, I’m not sure. Regardless, it looks like a great disc… the full tracklisting is available Here.

Looks like a pretty snazzy setlist.

In Other Reading

Mitch Michaels visit’s Jesus and Hank’s Front Porch… which I think is a news column. Maybe he’ll be taking over for Murphy next Week.

Ryan Murphy, who hates me, will not be joining us on Mondays anymore. Good-bye Column here. Hey Murph… no hard feelings.

Both of them got ticked because Mathan Erhardt decided to be all uppity to try and get hits and throw around the racist card. . Cuz, you know, no one can make fun of anyone of a different ethnicity without it being racist.

And what a Holiday Weekend it was. Three days off after some of the worst work experiences ever in my life. It was nice, and ready to be followed up by a nice trip to Boston next weekend. Pink Floyd Lightshow and a trip to the Bull & Finch anyone? Now the trick is to convince the girl I’m going with that she really hasn’t lived until she’s seen a game at Fenway. Wonder what kind of gift THAT one will cost me.

Friday and Sunday were just pretty much spent lounging out by the pool with some cold Imported Beverages, minus a small side trip to Lowe’s for a new Air Conditioner. I just couldn’t do it anymore without one.

Saturday was the Big Day Out (literally!) as I went to Channel 103.1 Third Annual Big Day Out. Nothing says fun like a Quarter Keg, 10 friends, a grill, and a picnic table for Beirut. But that’s a story for later in the column.

And Yes, I did beat both my arch-nemesii, Morse and Grutman in the IWC 100. I also beat my Beloved, who only managed to scrape onto the countdown at 98… but she did beat Some Random Fag… no, seriously. Congrats to all who made the list and to Morse and Grutman… BWWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

*ahem*

Better now.

Songs From the Street

Nope, not a new R&B album from Will Smith trying to restore his Street Cred… but in fact a 3 CD set from Sony. What each of the songs have in common, they have, at some point, appeared on a episode of Sesame Street.

The set includes 63 digitally remastered tracks, 22 of which are appearing for the first time and 12 of which are no longer commercially available.

Sez Michele Anthony, Executive VP of Sony Music: ‘Songs From the Street’ is a celebration of one of the most creative and influential programs in the history of children’s television. We’re very proud to be associated with Sesame Workshop.

Additionally, a DVD is in the works, which will be a video compliment for the CD. This is the first mass-market item that Sesame Workshop has released since 1999′s Elmopalooza, which sold 172,000 audio copies and 229,000 video copies.

Bands from The Spin Doctors to The Fugees will be included on the album, showing that any genre can exist happily and will get equal time on Sesame Street. Which is why it’s such a great freaking program.

Even if Bert Is a Terrorist.

Official Lollaplaooza Kickoff

The 28-date, resurrected Lollapalooza kicked off on Saturday at the Verizon Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana. This year’s festival features Jane’s Addiction, Audioslave, Incubus, Queens of the Stone Age, Jurassic 5, the Donnas, and A Perfect Circle.

I discovered at the last Lollapalooza I went to (Metallica and Soundgarden were the headliners) that I would never go to another Lollapalooza, and this year’s group of bands would definitely not be enough to break that ban. Jane’s Addiction hasn’t released an album in 13 years and hasn’t been relevant in 15. Audioslave are going to be touring like madmen to support their new effort. And I can’t deal with Maynard live, who cries like a bitch with a skinned knee if someone goes so far as to snap a picture of his precious mug. $5 bottles of water and $6 hot dogs are not my idea of a fun day, you know.

That being said, I think you all should experience Lollapalooza once, so you can all see how much a 10 hour concert sucks, and how much Concert Promoters like to suck the blood from you.

Godsmack News

Godsmack will be shooting their next music video, Serenity, on July 22nd and 23rd.

None of this is really important, but I wanted the shot at calling it Voodoo II in print.

Speaking Of Festival Concerts

Got to go to WHRL’s Big Day Out III, and once again a big thanks goes out to my Clear Channel hookup, who shall continue to remain nameless. Big Day Out III is your standard festival show, going from noon to 10 and featuring about eight bands. The show was originally advertised as including Hoobastank, Trapt, Eve 6, Static-X, Evanescence, and Staind. Somewhere along the line, the station just stopped advertising Static-X, so I don’t know what became of them.

My theory… Wayne Static listened to the station and was like “the hell I’m doing my hair for a station that doesn’t even play us,” and they cancelled out.

Regardless, the adventure started at about 9:30 when me and the crew met at a local bar for breakfast and cocktails. I was short on the 10 am cocktails. I tried… I just couldn’t do it.

After the breakfast and cocktails came the hunt for a Keg on a holiday weekend. Not as simple a task as you might think. However, eventually, we did find a quarter of Girls Light, and we were on our way to Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Now, being a local, I’m not going to give out the stealth parking for SPAC, but suffice it to say we had a nice spot with a minimal walk, and a REAL nice location for tailgating. Grabbed a grill, a shady spot, and a Beirut table and it was time for the tailgating.

About 5pm we headed over to the venue. I could hear Trapt finishing up their set, which mean we would be in time for Eve 6, which was fine with me as they were one of the four bands I had any desire to see. At the gate, the security guard patted me down and I told her I had a camera and a cell phone in my pocket… to which I was told I would have to bring the camera back to the car, as only disposable cameras were being allowed in.

Gripe 1: Nothing pisses me off more than the stupid, f*cking camera rules at concerts. What the f*ck do they think I’m going to do? Take in my digital camera with 800 flash cards stuck up my ass and tape the concert at the rate of 1 flash card per minute and a half? And, even if I do… who the bloody hell cares? I (presumably) paid for my ticket… and should have every right to record the concert for personal use… BESIDES the fact, that SPAC is an amphitheater and you can hear the bands PERFECTLY from outside the fence. Is Clear Channel and the RIAA going to start cracking down on this, too? I mean, technically, I’m stealing the concert if I sit outside and hear it as clear as inside. But, Spa State Park is public domain, so why can’t I record something that is being broadcast across public property? Regardless, I walked a little bit back up the road, shoved the camera down my pants and walked in. Just for that, I’m going to post all my pictures from the concert!

Unlike most folks, I really am not going to complain about the beer prices inside. I don’t consider $5.50 for a 22 oz draft all THAT horrible, especially when a single beer out in a bar can run you $4.00. So, they get a pass on that… that, and I only bought one inside… while Eve 6 was playing… so, unfortunately, I can’t give you a dissertation on how Inside Out came off live. I’m sure you’re crushed.

By the time I did start paying attention, it was just about time for Hoobastank. I left the beer tent, after bullshitting with some people I went to high school with who I hadn’t seen since then (about 7 years for anyone keeping track). After I left the tent, my alcohol consumption was done for the night… so, with about six hours to dry out, it was time to enjoy me some music.

Hoobastank put on a fine, if not short, festival set… but I’m sure the length wasn’t there call, as most of the bands had a 45 minute max, and Festival shows pretty much go off to the minute.

Gripe 2: How many of you have been in a mosh pit? I mean seriously? If you’ve been to Live or Limp Bizkit and had a bunch of people jumping around you, the answer is “no.” If you’ve been to a local show in a scary little bar, the answer is probably yes. OK, for all you Noobs out there who don’t know proper pit etiquette, let me help you out. These are the top eleven rules of pit etiquette.

1. If You see someone fall, get them up.
2. If you see someone on the ground, get them the f*ck up.
3. Seriously, though, if you see someone laying on the ground, stop what you’re doing and do what you have to do to get them off the ground

.

4. No one is trying to hit specifically you. If you want to start a fight because someone hit you or landed out you, leave. You’re not mature enough to be in a pit.
5. When the music stops… stop. People are expecting a respite between songs.
6. Protect yourself at all times, do not take your eyes off the center of the pit
7. When people are trying to get out of the pit, don’t be a f*ck and shove them back in. The borders of a pit are sort of neutral zones… if someone is backing out slowly, they’re trying to leave… if someone is slamming into you, they want you to shove them back in.
8. If you throw a punch in anger, expect to get your ass-kicked, and don’t be surprised when it happens

.

9. Surf at your own risk. Don’t expect people to catch you. People are only under an obligation to catch you if death is imminent. And even then, you might land on your damn head. Ladies… you WILL get groped and have your top ripped off… the chances of this happening increase as the average intoxication level of the crowd increases.

.

10. For the love of God, if someone falls… pick them the f*ck up.
11. If your girlfriend gets hit, it is not the guy’s fault who hit her. It is your fault for being a pansy… and she is too close to the pit. If this makes you mad, go to the old folks section. In fact, get a seat… pit life is not for you. If you want to hit someone, hit yourself.
12. If you’ve only been to “mainstream” concerts, there will be people there that know how to pit better than you. They will be easily identifiable. Watch them for your cues.

Amy Lee from Evanescenece can bang those lyrics out just as well live as she can on the CD. Not much production needed for her. Great set, if not short, from this band. And considering I know they have two or three back releases, they kept it close to the CD. No covers and nothing old. I was a little disappointed in that, but I understand why.

And to the writer who decided to not include them or Garbage on his Dirty Dozen female led bands, and instead decided to include Concrete “Joey” Blonde, bah to you. The News Release no longer recognizes you after the diss of the Offical Band of the News Release.

And Staind is, well, Staind. Aaron was obviously in a bad place tonight, whether he was sick or hungover, I have no idea… but he got up there and put on a great hour regardless of what he was going through… and for that, I have even more respect for him. I’ve said it before and I will say it again… and I’m currently discussing it with Evocator… I don’t think there is a better present day songwriter/performer than Aaron Lewis… even if he has mellowed since the birth of his daughter… and Nason is still a dumbass for rating it so low… though I do say that with love.

Gripe 3: What is it with people throwing things at festival shows. I’ve been to four or five festivals over the course of my concert going, and people ALWAYS have to start throwing shit… be it bottles or hats or mud. What is the fascination? At Ozzfest I got hit in the head with a Captain Morgan’s 375. Do you f*cking morons think it’s fun to, I dunno, try to KILL someone? If you see someone throwing dangerous shit at a concert, give them a stiff jab to the nuts, courtesy of the news release.

All in all, performances rated at 8.5, with deductions for the length… which is to be expected at festivals. The venue gets a 5.0, because I hate SPAC with a passion when I’m actually inside and not partying in the park.

Wes Borland Speaks on Bizkit

Wes had a little bit to say, recently, to Kerrang! Magazine about his departure from Limp Bizkit.

“One thing about LIMP BIZKIT that I wanted to get away from was this set sound that I couldn’t break out of. Without giving any disrespect to those guys, I think the five of us had locked into a formula, and the only answer was to go and play with my brother who I’d almost lost touch with, but who’s into more experimental music and, having never been in a band with a deal or expectations to meet, is much more of a wilder thinker. He brought in new influences, like RADIOHEAD, THE APHEX TWINS, SQUAREPUSHER, autechre groups with texture and sounds that can be tied in with hard rock and metal. I wish I could have brought some of [those influences] into LIMP BIZKIT. There was just no time. I just don’t think it would have happened to the degree that I would have liked it to. I totally wish those guys the best because they’re pursuing a sound that is much more agreeable to their palettes, but so am I. I don’t think [LIMP BIZKIT frontman] Fred [Durst] would like songs that are nine minutes long. He’s just not interested in that.”

And, with respect to Fred’s soundbit that he wrote, performed, and produced everything Limp Bizkit ever wrote: That’s not accurate. I have trouble thinking that he actually said that. I’m hoping that he was misquoted on that one. I don’t… I mean, he’s…maybe he meant he helped arrange the songs? I don’t recall seeing him ever play guitar in the studio.

You are still ‘da man Wes. Bizkit blows without you.

You Mean we don’t scare them?

The Recording Industry Association of America’s announcement on June 25 that it will start tracking down and suing users of file-sharing programs has yet to spook people, say developers of these applications.
“Forget about it, dude — even genocidal litigation can’t stop file sharers,” said Wayne Rosso, president of Grokster, one of several systems that allow users to upload and download files — many of which are unauthorized MP3 copies of songs published by the RIAA’s member companies. Rosso said file-trading activity among Grokster users has increased by 10 percent in the past few days. Morpheus, another file-trading program, has seen similar growth.
Maybe MP3 downloaders are interpreting the recording industry’s threat — an escalation from its earlier strategy of targeting file-sharing developers — as a sort of “last call” announcement. Starting June 26, RIAA President Cary Sherman said in a news conference, the group would collect evidence against consumers illegally trading files of copyrighted music, with lawsuits to follow in a couple of months.
They’re going to start suing regular folks, people… get ready for the backlash

WHO Wants to produce Snoop’s Next Album?
After rumors broke last week that P. Diddy would be producing Snoop Dogg’s next album, Diddy told MTV that he would only if Dr. Dre passes on it:

So, lemme get this straight. If the best rap producer of all time passes on it… then the most overrated rap producer of all time wants next dibs? Please please please, Snoop… don’t take him up on it.

In Other Reading

More Reason’s why being Deaf Sucks/Rocks.

Dissecting the Osbournes 3.3.

Cameron Reviews Beyoncee. He blames the purchase of the disc on his wife, but we know better.

In Conclusion

That will do it for me, because it’s 1 am and I need to get to bed.

Till next time.

I’m starting to see a pattern with my columns lately. I gather all my newsbits that I want to expound on during the day at work, email myself the newsbits, and then sit and watch my wrestling tape and put the column together. Unfortunately, since I’m a dumbass for a record third week in a row, I get to try to remember what newsbits I found interesting since I forgot to email them to myself.

If you’re wondering, that’s the reason the last couple columns have been short as hell and why I’ve been flaky the last couple of weeks. I’m trying to get it back together, I promise.

Of course, since I’m pretty sure no one reads this, it’s ok. As Your Lord and Mine Hyatte says, I’m the ignored newsguy, so… whatever.

Mailbag!

Oh wait, no mail.

Moving on.

Releasing This Week

Michelle Branch with a new disc, that no one is going to care about except 15 year olds. Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle Soundtrack with a couple good 80s tunes. Why anyone would purchase a CD for 80s tunes, though, just kind of baffles me… I mean seriously, look at the track list:

1. Feel Good Time – Pink featuring William Orbit
2. Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting) – Nickelback featuring Kid Rock
3. Rebel, Rebel (new recording) – David Bowie
4. Danger! High Voltage – Electric Six
5. Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
6. Any Way You Want It – Journey
7. Surfer Girl – The Beach Boys
8. Working For The Weekend – Loverboy
9. A Girl Like You – Edwyn Collins
10. Nas’ Angels…The Flyest – Nas featuring Pharrell
11. I Just Want To Be Your Everything – Andy Gibb
12. This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole
13. U Can’t Touch This – MC Hammer
14. Last Dance – Donna Summer

U Can’t Touch This? Come on, the entire fanbase of this movie owns this song… probably on cassette (represent!). Loverboy? Yeah, my mother and father have this one on vinyl.

Actually, who cares… hopefully it’ll tune some of you rugrats into what the 80s was all about. Drinkin and Partyin and Getting Laid. Or… at least… so MTV used to tell me. I was only 11 at the end of the 80s.

Over in Rap/R&B we got Beyonce’s solo effort. Yah, moving on we got… not much else of note, so let’s move on to a new section.

Dumbass Parents of the Week Award

So, what’s the best thing to do with a nine-day-old baby? Feed him, love him, and keep him close to your heart? None of the above.

If you answered “take him to an AC/DC concert,” you would be as stupid as a couple of brand new parents over in Hockenheim, Germany. Police received a tip when other fans spotted a 41-year old mother holding the baby in the stands. The couple only agreed to leave when a doctor at the scene told them of the danger to the young baby’s still developing ears.

Police are investigating neglect charges.

Even Angus Young said: Damn, those folks are stupid, aye?

Credit: AFP via Yahoo

Another Osbourne?

A woman has filed a paternity suit against Ozzy Osbourne, claiming that he fathered a baby with her six years ago during a Black Sabbath Tour.

Ozzy, however, has pretty good proof the child isn’t his. According to an interview in People Magazine, he had a vasectomy seventeen years ago.

Ozzy said: The most precious thing I have in my life is my marriage and my children and now someone is trying to destroy the harmony in my family. This is not going to happen

The woman, conveniently, is looking for an out of court settlement.

Come on, do your research before filing a frivolous lawsuit.

Maynard Keeps Busy

According to Blabbermouth, A Perfect Circle has announced their lead single off their new album, due 8/19, will be The Outside. I’ll let you know just as soon as I hear it.

Not Much Going On, Apparently

Considering There were no posts on the newsboard Sunday and only two on Monday, I’m going to chalk that up to: Not much happening in the music world. There was one really interesting article on Billboard about artists and recording industry execs fighting over whether or not they should release singles online. The artists are against it, while the execs are for it, since it squeezes every red cent out of the music. Gotta side with the execs on this one… take the money where you can get it.

Also, the Internet’s favorite whipping girl, Hilary Rosen will be stepping down from her post as president of the RIAA on July 1st. As of now, no replacement has been officially announced.

In Other Reading

Rhett Walker discusses All Things Rock.

Evocator with Time Machine 25

Check out all the Reviews you can handle.

In Conclusion

Yeah, that’s it for this week… 2 newsboard bits in 48 hours does not for a full column make.

I’ll catch up next week when, hopefully, I have something more to offer.

Later all.

For everyone wondering, yes, I did in fact both write AND post a column last week, but it either got eaten by the database after part of the day or someone took it down. If it was Widro, he ain’t telling me why… if it was Ashish, he hasn’t mentioned it either, so I’m going to chalk it up to one of the random things computers do once and a while and go from there.

I’m only minorly annoyed that three hours work was all for naught.

Quick update on stuff going on with me. Work is still insane… I’m still on the weight loss plan. I hit the halfway point about three weeks ago and have totally slacked since then. I’ve lost 22 pounds since January 1st… halfway to the goal of 44. So I now weigh in at a slim, trim 222. I fit into 36/30 Levis, which is a first since high school, and I’m all sorts of proud of myself.

Now, I just need to try to kill the other 22 by the end of August… the trip to Cancun.

I would do a mailbag, but, since all my mail is from two weeks ago, I’m not going to bother.

It’s Not Often I Disagree With Nason

So, I finally picked up 14 Shades of Grey over the past weekend (CD, Ghostbusters 2, and Icewind Dale 2, all for less than 40 bucks… go TARGET!!!). I gotta say: Nason is way off base rating the CD at a 5.5. I don’t actually have time to sit and write a counter-review of the disc this week, but I’m planning it for next week’s news report.

Personally, I consider Aaron Lewis one of the best mainstream songwriters out there right now, and to rate the disc anything lower than an 8.0 or 8.5 does it a terrible injustice. The disc is strong from open to close, with a terrific tribute song to Layne Staley. It was nice that someone in the music industry decided to note that one of the more influential artists of the ninties passed on recently.

Aaron Lewis has the same mutant power Dave Grohl has… the inability to write a bad song. It may not be huge in terms of growth from the last album, but it’s strong nonetheless.

One of Josh’s primary complaints is that the band has lost the hard edge that brought them to the dance, which I sort of agree with, but I think Lewis is still writing songs from his heart. It’s much easier to buy into a songwriter who is writing what he feels, rather than writing heavy songs just to be heavy. Metallica, after losing the ability to be heavy, kept trying to write heavy songs. What you ended up with was the trainwrecks that were Load and Reload, and the general grossness that is St. Anger (the single, I have not heard the whole album yet).

What you have with Staind is similar to the change that’s gone through Tori Amos over the last few years. She had a kid and settled down. Her music reflects this. One of the first things you learn as an English major is to “write what you know.” Lewis is writing what he’s feeling right now… and that’s ballads. Not only ballads, but GOOD ballads. It’s not like he’s trying to write a CD of ballads that suck *coff*YIELD*hack*Razorblade Suitcase*coff* he’s writing a disc of ballads that speak to a lot of people. He’s happy, and not trying to write a disc to satisfy a genre… rather writing a disc to satisfy himself. Sure, it’s the same argument that Metallica used on Load and Reload… but Load was weak and Reload flat out blew.

Granted, if you hated the last album, you’ll hate this album… but the group is writing music that speaks to a lot of people… and Lewis is writing some of the most powerful lyrics in mainstream music right now.

One argument I will give to Nason is that three of the songs on the disc are too similar to be considered individual songs.

But that leaves 11 good ones, 12 if you count all three as one good one.

Pantera’s Greatest Hits

Now that Pantera is all done, they need to release greatest hits albums and re-releases when they need money. The first one will be coming out on RHINO/Warner Records. No release date as of yet, but the 16-track list will include:

01. Cowboys From Hell
02. Cemetery Gates
03. Walk
04. Mouth For War
05. This Love
06. I’m Broken
07. Becoming
08. 5 Minutes Alone
09. Planet Caravan
10. Drag The Waters
11. Where You Come From
12. Cat Scratch Fever
13. I’ll Cast A Shadow
14. Goddamn Electric
15. Revolution Is My Name
16. Hole In The Sky

The only other Pantera Disc I have is the 100 Proof Live disc, however I can see myself picking this up. I’ve never liked full Pantera discs, but they usually have one or two per album that I dig. Kind of like Machinehead.

Metallica Opens on Top

Wasting no time, Metallica’s first new studio album in six years St Anger will open atop the Billboard Charts after selling around 400k copies. The album was pushed up from Today to last Thursday citing piracy concerns. According to a statement released by the band’s label:

to ensure that counterfeit copies of the band’s first studio album in six years do not proliferate in the marketplace. METALLICA unanimously approved the move, guaranteeing that fans get first crack at hearing the acclaimed disk the way the band intended: Loud and unadulterated

The disc opened at number one this week and only faces a challenge from Radiohead, who’s new disc Hail To The Theif releases today after more than two months of Internet distribution.

It will be fun to see how Radiohead’s disc does after months of circulation on Kazaa.

If it opens at Number 1, expect the RIAA to ignore it entirely and instead focus on how they had to release Metallica’s a week in advance.

Kirk Hammet was interviewed on the new disc and explained some of the changes tha will be immediately apparent on the disc, including a total lack of guitar solos.

The reason for that is because again we wanted to move together all four of us in the same musical direction. We also wanted to preserve the sound of the album. When we tried to put overdubs on the album and put guitar solos on the album it kind of…it sounded like an afterthought, you know? Like something was put on after we created it. It stood out. We wanted to preserve the sound of all four of us in a room just jamming. Spontaneously together. To put production stuff on top of that just didn’t sound right. We tried to put guitar solos on, but we kept on running into this problem. It really sounded like an afterthought.

In the same interview, Hammet predicted that the new disc will influence the way that hard rock/metal acts will do their albums over the next few years.

Lars played Fred Durst four songs of our new album and the next week Fred Durst postponed the release of the new LIMP BIZKIT album and started rewriting it. Lars and I were talking about it, ‘Did he postpone it because he wasn’t satisfied with it or did he postpone it because he heard our direction and wanted to be contemporary with it?’ It’s interesting. We’ll see.

No conceit in their family, eh?

However, I will reserve my judgment on the album, as a whole, until after I download acquire it. If the release single is any indication, I’m not impressed.

New This Week

Hail To the Thief from Radiohead. As previously mentioned, this album has been circulating Kazaa for months. I’m interested to see how it does.

Joe Budden‘s self titled release. I only mention this because he’s on Def Jam Vendetta.

The Official Band of the News Release

That would be Evanescence for those of you not keeping score. The band whose disc (and the mp3 disc I got ahold of) has been my primary playlist at work for the last two months has unseated the mighty R Kelly on the UK singles chart this week.

As of this week, Fallen has been certified Gold in the UK and certified Platnum in the US.

Good shit and hope they keep them coming.

Countdown to when I get to see them… T-minus 4 weeks. If anyone important reads this column, I’ll happily whore myself for an interview with them.

Puddle of Mudd News

The band has finished their second album on Flawless/Interscope records. Via the groups Official Website, guitarist Paul Phillips reports:

“The record is finally done. I’m sure that everyone was beginning to wonder if that was ever gonna happen. We were too. We can’t wait to get out on the road again. We’ll be doing about a week of U.S. shows toward the end of July, and then we’ll be heading to Japan in early August. We haven’t been there yet, so it should be fun. Then we’ll be back promoting the record and preparing for a new tour in late September or early October.”

A few US Dates they have:

July 18: Atlantic City, N.J. (TBA)
July 19: New York (Randall’s Island)
July 21: Hartford, Conn. (Webster Theatre)
July 23: Raleigh, N.C. (TBA)
July 24: Jacksonville, Fla. (TBA)
July 26: Pittsburgh (Heinz Field / Rolling Rock Town Fair)

In Other Reading

Some Indy Info From Katz.

Less Than Jake Review.

Alkaline Trio Review.

In Conclusion

That will cover me for this week. Hopefully this column will actually, you know, stay on the site through all of Tuesday. I guess I was causing too much web traffic and they had to pull me down to save the server.

I understand.

Seeya next week.