The first annual All Points West Festival featuring Radiohead will be held this August in Liberty State Park, and tickets are on sale now! Here is the link to the line-up for all three days, August 8, 9, and 10 (that's Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).
Liberty State Park is a beautiful park in Jersey City, New Jersey, not a place normally associated with natural beauty, but it's a big park area right near Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. I've watched Fourth of July fireworks there several times.
Radiohead is the lead act on Friday and Saturday, while Jack Johnson is the Sunday headliner. Single-day tickets are $89 at Ticketmaster (plus the usual service charges, handling fees, etc. etc.)
Also on the bill are The New Pornographers, Sia, The Black Angels, Metric, and Mates of State, and Cat Power.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
2008 Black Maria Film Festival
The first movie studio in the world was not in Hollywood, but in New Jersey. Thomas Edison was a pioneer in the developing motion picture technology, and started the first movie studio, nicknamed Black Maria, at his West Orange laboratory.
Since 1981 the Black Maria Film Festival, based in New Jersey, has honored Edison's legacy by showcasing the best in short films. But you don't have to go to New Jersey to see the winning films in the juried festival. The Black Maria Film Festival is unique in being a touring festival, traveling to a number of different states.
The 2008 Black Maria Film Festival had its premiere Feb. 1st at New Jersey City University (the home base of the Festival), and continues showings in various venues until the end of June. I attended the fourth screening of the Festival at the Hoboken Historical Museum and it was an enjoyable and diverse menu of shorts, from a stark animation of a Vietnam War vet's memories to a folksy profile of a Brooklyn rooftop beekeeper.
The films screened at Black Maria differ from location to location, so if you're a fan of short films I'd recommend going to several screenings if you can, so you can see a variety of different films.
Visit the Web site of the Black Maria Film Festival to find out locations, dates, and times of the screenings.
Since 1981 the Black Maria Film Festival, based in New Jersey, has honored Edison's legacy by showcasing the best in short films. But you don't have to go to New Jersey to see the winning films in the juried festival. The Black Maria Film Festival is unique in being a touring festival, traveling to a number of different states.
The 2008 Black Maria Film Festival had its premiere Feb. 1st at New Jersey City University (the home base of the Festival), and continues showings in various venues until the end of June. I attended the fourth screening of the Festival at the Hoboken Historical Museum and it was an enjoyable and diverse menu of shorts, from a stark animation of a Vietnam War vet's memories to a folksy profile of a Brooklyn rooftop beekeeper.
The films screened at Black Maria differ from location to location, so if you're a fan of short films I'd recommend going to several screenings if you can, so you can see a variety of different films.
Visit the Web site of the Black Maria Film Festival to find out locations, dates, and times of the screenings.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Pete Seeger Profiled on PBS
Pete Seeger was the subject of an "American Masters" special on PBS, which aired tonight on New York's Channel 13. I missed it, but the TV listings show it will be aired again on March 6th, I think. (Learn more about the program and when to see it here.)
Pete Seeger has been a powerful force not only in folk and popular music but in the movement for social justice, human rights, and conservation. Despite advancing age, he is still known to attend the annual Clearwater Hudson River Revival. You can find out a lot more about Pete Seeger at the Pete Seeger Appreciation Page.
Rolling Stone did a recent article on Pete Seeger in which he comments on everything from the PBS special to Barack Obama and the current political scene.
Although Seeger became well known in the 1960s protest movement and even before, what's always been impressive to me is that he has reached not just fans but musicians from that time to the present, from Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan to today's folk, pop, and country artists. His influence is seen, heard, felt, and acknowledged by musicians ranging from the Dixie Chicks to Dar Williams to Billy Bragg.
I hope to catch this Pete Seeger "American Masters" program the next time it's broadcast.
Pete Seeger has been a powerful force not only in folk and popular music but in the movement for social justice, human rights, and conservation. Despite advancing age, he is still known to attend the annual Clearwater Hudson River Revival. You can find out a lot more about Pete Seeger at the Pete Seeger Appreciation Page.
Rolling Stone did a recent article on Pete Seeger in which he comments on everything from the PBS special to Barack Obama and the current political scene.
Although Seeger became well known in the 1960s protest movement and even before, what's always been impressive to me is that he has reached not just fans but musicians from that time to the present, from Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan to today's folk, pop, and country artists. His influence is seen, heard, felt, and acknowledged by musicians ranging from the Dixie Chicks to Dar Williams to Billy Bragg.
I hope to catch this Pete Seeger "American Masters" program the next time it's broadcast.
Legendary Drummer Buddy Miles, a Hendrix Collaborator, Dies
Buddy Miles, a soulful singer and drummer who played with Jimi Hendrix among others, has died at age 60. He is best known for playing drums on the Hendrix "Electric Ladyland" and later joining Band of Gypsys with bassist Billy Cox, but I was surprised to learn that he also played with artists such as Wilson Pickett, the Delfonics, and the Ink Spots, and was a member with Mike Bloomfield of Electric Flag.
Miles and Hendrix first worked together when the guitarist produced an album by the Buddy Miles Express.
I remember seeing him on TV a number of times during the '70s on those late-night concert shows, doing songs including his big hit "Them Changes."
An article in the Los Angeles Times mentions one additional Buddy Miles gig I wasn't aware of: lead singer of the California Raisins, both in their commercials and on the albums they recorded.
Miles and Hendrix first worked together when the guitarist produced an album by the Buddy Miles Express.
I remember seeing him on TV a number of times during the '70s on those late-night concert shows, doing songs including his big hit "Them Changes."
An article in the Los Angeles Times mentions one additional Buddy Miles gig I wasn't aware of: lead singer of the California Raisins, both in their commercials and on the albums they recorded.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, FREE Live Concert Download
With all the attention the film "Once" has been getting in light of its Oscar win the other night, I figure people might want to hear more music from the film than just "Falling Slowly." NPR's music podcast All Songs Considered featured a Webcast and download of a concert that the Oscar-winning songwriters and performers Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova did in Washington, D.C. this past summer.
The podcast of the entire concert, which runs about an hour and a half, is still available for free on the NPR Web site here. As far as I know most of the songs in this concert are from the film "Once." These are many of the songs that Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are performing on their current tour. They are performing under the name The Swell Season, which is also the name of the album that, according to the NPR Web site, they recorded before making "Once."
The podcast of the entire concert, which runs about an hour and a half, is still available for free on the NPR Web site here. As far as I know most of the songs in this concert are from the film "Once." These are many of the songs that Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are performing on their current tour. They are performing under the name The Swell Season, which is also the name of the album that, according to the NPR Web site, they recorded before making "Once."
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova Oscar Acceptance Speeches
Glen Hansard gave an acceptance speech when "Falling Slowly" won the Best Original Song Oscar, but as his partner Marketa Irglova stepped to the microphone, the orchestra swelled up and she was unable to say anything. After the commercial break, host Jon Stewart had Irglova come back on and give her thanks and her thoughts on winning the Oscar... a nice move by Stewart, or whomever made the decision to let her back on.
Below are the acceptance speeches by both Hansard and Irglova.
Below are the acceptance speeches by both Hansard and Irglova.
"Falling Slowly" from "Once" Wins Oscar
"Falling Slowly," the nominee from the movie "Once," has won the Oscar for best original song.
“Once,” a film about two singers making music on the streets of Dublin, was made for just $100,000.
The winners of the Oscar, songwriters Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, also played the lead roles in "Once" Both Hansard and Irglova are actual musicians, not actors.
Glen Hansard is best known in the U.S. as the leader of the Irish rock band The Frames. Marketa Irglova is a singer and songwriter from the Czech Republic.
Based on the popularity of “Once” in its theatrical release, Hansard and Irglova have toured together under the name The Swell Season, and have released an album of the same name.
“Once,” a film about two singers making music on the streets of Dublin, was made for just $100,000.
The winners of the Oscar, songwriters Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, also played the lead roles in "Once" Both Hansard and Irglova are actual musicians, not actors.
Glen Hansard is best known in the U.S. as the leader of the Irish rock band The Frames. Marketa Irglova is a singer and songwriter from the Czech Republic.
Based on the popularity of “Once” in its theatrical release, Hansard and Irglova have toured together under the name The Swell Season, and have released an album of the same name.
WFMU and Upsala College Profiled in the New York Times
Sunday's New York Times did a good profile of free-form radio station WFMU, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The article makes a bit too much of the fact that WFMU has been around as long as Fidel Castro has been in power, but otherwise it does a decent job of looking at this unique New Jersey institution: a college radio station that has outlived the college.
Upsala College, a Lutheran college founded more than 100 years ago, was a respected North Jersey institution for many decades in East Orange, but ran into financial problems in the '80s and '90s. It laid off staff and cut back on programs, and finally ceased to exist in 1995. Fortunately funds were raised to keep WFMU in existence, and "the free-form station of the nation" (as it calls itself) continues to thrive in Jersey City.
Of course WFMU is celebrating its 50th birthday and is having a fundraiser for the occasion so it can continue on; you can learn more at its Web site above.
As for Upsala College, although it hasn't been around for more than a decade it of course has a Web site, www.upsala.org (an unofficial one, maintained by one of its alums).
Upsala College, a Lutheran college founded more than 100 years ago, was a respected North Jersey institution for many decades in East Orange, but ran into financial problems in the '80s and '90s. It laid off staff and cut back on programs, and finally ceased to exist in 1995. Fortunately funds were raised to keep WFMU in existence, and "the free-form station of the nation" (as it calls itself) continues to thrive in Jersey City.
Of course WFMU is celebrating its 50th birthday and is having a fundraiser for the occasion so it can continue on; you can learn more at its Web site above.
As for Upsala College, although it hasn't been around for more than a decade it of course has a Web site, www.upsala.org (an unofficial one, maintained by one of its alums).
Saturday, February 23, 2008
2008 Independent Spirit Awards - Sat., Feb 23rd
The best in independent film will be honored Saturday at the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards, the last awards to be handed out before the Oscars, and may give a clue to some of the winners there.
The 2008 Independent Spirit Awards, which are actually known these days as Film Independent's Spirit Awards, will be give out at a live ceremony in L.A. that will be televised on the Independent Film Channel at 5 p.m. Eastern.
You can find a list of nominees for the 2008 awards here.
The nominees for Best Feature are: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, I'm Not There, Juno, A Mighty Heart, Paranoid Park.
The 2008 Independent Spirit Awards, which are actually known these days as Film Independent's Spirit Awards, will be give out at a live ceremony in L.A. that will be televised on the Independent Film Channel at 5 p.m. Eastern.
You can find a list of nominees for the 2008 awards here.
The nominees for Best Feature are: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, I'm Not There, Juno, A Mighty Heart, Paranoid Park.
Billy Joel Tickets for Mohegan Sun - 4th Show Added
While folks have been scrambling trying to get tickets for those Billy Joel concerts at Shea Stadium, they may not have been aware that the Piano Man is playing a concert in a much smaller venue not far from NYC where it's much easier to get tickets.
Billy Joel has sold out three shows at the Mohegan Sun Casino, and has added a fourth show to his run at the arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on May 31st. What's more, tickets are still available at the link here.
Just a couple of hours north of New York City, Mohegan Sun has a 10,000 seat arena that's a good size for concerts: it's half the capacity of big arenas like Madison Square Garden, and one-fifth the capacity of Shea Stadium. So you'll never feel like you're a mile away from the state, no matter where your seat is.
And unlike Shea Stadium, it's indoors, so you won't have to worry about the weather.
Billy Joel has sold out three shows at the Mohegan Sun Casino, and has added a fourth show to his run at the arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on May 31st. What's more, tickets are still available at the link here.
Just a couple of hours north of New York City, Mohegan Sun has a 10,000 seat arena that's a good size for concerts: it's half the capacity of big arenas like Madison Square Garden, and one-fifth the capacity of Shea Stadium. So you'll never feel like you're a mile away from the state, no matter where your seat is.
And unlike Shea Stadium, it's indoors, so you won't have to worry about the weather.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
R.E.M.'s New Single "Supernatural Superserious" Video
The new R.E.M. album "Accelerate" won't be out until April 1st, but the band is busy getting the first single "Supernatural Superserious" out into the world. You can watch a video of the making of the video for the song (or at least that's what it seems to be) at the band's Web site.
R.E.M. also has a kind of minisite set up for the single, which shows different parts of the making of the video. I'm not sure what else it has, since it seems to be dedicated just to "Supernatural Superserious."
But at least it's something to keep us occupied until the new album and ticket on-sale dates come out.
R.E.M. also has a kind of minisite set up for the single, which shows different parts of the making of the video. I'm not sure what else it has, since it seems to be dedicated just to "Supernatural Superserious."
But at least it's something to keep us occupied until the new album and ticket on-sale dates come out.
Billy Joel Adds Second Shea Stadium Show: Ticket Info
When tickets for the July 16th Billy Joel "last concert at Shea" concert went on sale, I wondered if there might be another show added since this one was selling so well. Which, of course, would mean that people buying July 16th tickets wouldn't be seeing the last concert ever at Shea.
Well, a second show has indeed been added: it'll take place July 18th, and tickets go on sale this Saturday, Feb. 23rd at 9 a.m. The drill will be the same as the first Billy Joel show at Shea: tickets on sale only at www.507tixx.com or by phone at (718) 507-TIXX. Holders of Citicard bank cards have access to a presale; check out www.privatepass.citi.com for details.
The first Billy Joel show was the fastest-selling concert in Shea Stadium history: more than 50,000 tickets were snapped up in 48 minutes, according to the promoters.
Well, a second show has indeed been added: it'll take place July 18th, and tickets go on sale this Saturday, Feb. 23rd at 9 a.m. The drill will be the same as the first Billy Joel show at Shea: tickets on sale only at www.507tixx.com or by phone at (718) 507-TIXX. Holders of Citicard bank cards have access to a presale; check out www.privatepass.citi.com for details.
The first Billy Joel show was the fastest-selling concert in Shea Stadium history: more than 50,000 tickets were snapped up in 48 minutes, according to the promoters.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Tech News: Stick a Fork in HD DVD, Albums on Bracelets, Linkin Park in Live Apple Event
A few stories at the intersection of technology and entertainment:
HD DVD is Dead: Following a period in which Wal-Mart, Netflix, and other major retailers said they were dropping the HD DVD format and carrying the competing Blu-Ray format only, Toshiba has waved the white flag. Toshiba, which created and advocated the HD DVD technology against Sony's Blu-Ray for high-definition DVD, announced that it was no longer going to make or market HD DVD players. Toshiba says it will continue to support owners of HD DVD units for the foreseeable future.
Wear That New Album on Your Wrist: The latest music industry effort to boost sales involves a twist of the wrist. Or a distinctively shaped collector's item. At the recent Grammy Awards Ringo Starr revealed that he was wearing his new CD: a wristband containing the album on a wearable USB drive.
Mars Volta is issuing its latest album on a USB drive, too, designed to look like a Quija board piece. Although these USB drives are more expensive to produce than a CD, companies are finding it's a popular item with die-hard fans. The USB drives can contain a DRM-free version of the album, extra space for the user to put on his or her own content, upcoming exclusive content from the artist, and more.
Linkin Park to Play "Secret" Apple NYC Gig: Alt-rockers Linkin Park have been enlisted to perform at an event for Apple in New York City, probably sometime in the next week, according to AppleInsider.com.
Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park mentioned the gig in a brief message to the band's fans referring to "a special show that we’re doing in NYC in conjunction with Apple…shh…it’s a secret…" Some rumors have speculated that the performance is tied into a new product or feature announcement from Apple, but nobody seems to know for sure.
HD DVD is Dead: Following a period in which Wal-Mart, Netflix, and other major retailers said they were dropping the HD DVD format and carrying the competing Blu-Ray format only, Toshiba has waved the white flag. Toshiba, which created and advocated the HD DVD technology against Sony's Blu-Ray for high-definition DVD, announced that it was no longer going to make or market HD DVD players. Toshiba says it will continue to support owners of HD DVD units for the foreseeable future.
Wear That New Album on Your Wrist: The latest music industry effort to boost sales involves a twist of the wrist. Or a distinctively shaped collector's item. At the recent Grammy Awards Ringo Starr revealed that he was wearing his new CD: a wristband containing the album on a wearable USB drive.
Mars Volta is issuing its latest album on a USB drive, too, designed to look like a Quija board piece. Although these USB drives are more expensive to produce than a CD, companies are finding it's a popular item with die-hard fans. The USB drives can contain a DRM-free version of the album, extra space for the user to put on his or her own content, upcoming exclusive content from the artist, and more.
Linkin Park to Play "Secret" Apple NYC Gig: Alt-rockers Linkin Park have been enlisted to perform at an event for Apple in New York City, probably sometime in the next week, according to AppleInsider.com.
Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park mentioned the gig in a brief message to the band's fans referring to "a special show that we’re doing in NYC in conjunction with Apple…shh…it’s a secret…" Some rumors have speculated that the performance is tied into a new product or feature announcement from Apple, but nobody seems to know for sure.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Get Your Free Digital TV Coupon at www.dtv2009.gov
Procrasinators, beware: it is now officially one year before current analog TV signals will cease to be broadcast. That means if you have an old-fashioned rabbit-ears TV, you won't be able to receive any signal on it a year from now. If you're planning on buying a digital TV between now and then, no problem. But if you're planning on keeping your old TV(s), you'll need a digital-to-analog converter box to receive broadcast signals.
These digital converters can cost $70 or $80, but the government is giving away free coupons to help defray the cost of the converters. Just go to their Web site, www.dtv2009.gov, and fill out the information. Each household can request up to two coupons. Make sure to read the fine print, though: I've heard that the coupons expire a few months after their issued, so once you get the coupon from www.dtv2009.gov you'll need to buy your digital converters relatively soon after, or the coupon becomes worthless.
The www.dtv2009.gov Web site is experiencing heavy delays, because there's been a lot of publicity about the coupons because of the one-year countdown to the end of analog broadcasting. If you can't get through on the Web site, you can try their phone number:1-888-DTV-2009.
Engadget has a good article explaining the intricacies of the switchover to digital TV and what consumers need to do.
These digital converters can cost $70 or $80, but the government is giving away free coupons to help defray the cost of the converters. Just go to their Web site, www.dtv2009.gov, and fill out the information. Each household can request up to two coupons. Make sure to read the fine print, though: I've heard that the coupons expire a few months after their issued, so once you get the coupon from www.dtv2009.gov you'll need to buy your digital converters relatively soon after, or the coupon becomes worthless.
The www.dtv2009.gov Web site is experiencing heavy delays, because there's been a lot of publicity about the coupons because of the one-year countdown to the end of analog broadcasting. If you can't get through on the Web site, you can try their phone number:1-888-DTV-2009.
Engadget has a good article explaining the intricacies of the switchover to digital TV and what consumers need to do.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
2008 Kokua Festival Tickets On Sale Now
For an outdoor music festival in a truly exotic locale, you can't beat the Kokua Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii. singer-songwriter Jack Johnson was a co-founder of the festival and plays it every year. Tickets went on sale today for the 2008 Kokua Festival, which takes place April 19th and 20th. And besides Jack Johnson the festival features Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, Hawaiian singer-songwriter Paula Fuga, Mason Jennings, and the reggae-ska-soul band Go Jimmy Go.
The Kokua Festival takes place at the Waikiki Shell in Honolulu and benefits the Kokua Hawaii Foundation. You can find the link to tickets here.
The Kokua Festival takes place at the Waikiki Shell in Honolulu and benefits the Kokua Hawaii Foundation. You can find the link to tickets here.
Radiohead Tickets Now On Sale
Radiohead tickets for their first set of concert dates are on sale now; you can find them at the Ticketmaster page here.
Here are the cities and venues for which Radiohead tickets are available so far; check the link above for dates and ticket availability:
Cruzan Amphitheatre
West Palm Beach, FL
Ford Amphitheatre At the Florida State Fairgrounds
Tampa, FL
Lakewood Amphitheatre
Atlanta, GA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
Nissan Pavilion
Bristow, VA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St Louis
Maryland Heights, MO
Woodlands Pavilion
Woodlands, TX
Superpages.com Center (formerly Smirnoff Music Center)
Dallas, TX
Here are the cities and venues for which Radiohead tickets are available so far; check the link above for dates and ticket availability:
Cruzan Amphitheatre
West Palm Beach, FL
Ford Amphitheatre At the Florida State Fairgrounds
Tampa, FL
Lakewood Amphitheatre
Atlanta, GA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
Nissan Pavilion
Bristow, VA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St Louis
Maryland Heights, MO
Woodlands Pavilion
Woodlands, TX
Superpages.com Center (formerly Smirnoff Music Center)
Dallas, TX
Billy Joel Shea Stadium Tickets on Sale
Tickets for Billy Joel's July 16th Shea Stadium show, said to be the last concert at Shea Stadium, went on sale Saturday, Feb. 16th. Apparently the tickets are available only at www.507tixx.com or at the phone number for 507tixx. Tickets are probably already gone at this point, but if you really want to go to this show the 507tixx.com site has a link to a site where you can bid for the tickets through a Ticketmaster auction.
While many people are dying to go to this concert because of the twin appeal of seeing Billy Joel and attending the last show at Shea Stadium, well, you may be better off waiting a bit. It's long been said that if the July 16th show sold out quickly, a second show might be added. If that show takes place on July 17th or later, then people with tickets for the 16th will not be seeing the "Last Play at Shea," as the original concert is being billed.
For those who want to get Billy Joel tickets but aren't wedded to the idea of going to the Shea concert, there are plenty of other venues to see the Piano Man. In fact, he's on tour now. The Billy Joel page at Ticketmaster lists shows at a variety of venues, from Anaheim later this month to Denver, Columbus, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
While many people are dying to go to this concert because of the twin appeal of seeing Billy Joel and attending the last show at Shea Stadium, well, you may be better off waiting a bit. It's long been said that if the July 16th show sold out quickly, a second show might be added. If that show takes place on July 17th or later, then people with tickets for the 16th will not be seeing the "Last Play at Shea," as the original concert is being billed.
For those who want to get Billy Joel tickets but aren't wedded to the idea of going to the Shea concert, there are plenty of other venues to see the Piano Man. In fact, he's on tour now. The Billy Joel page at Ticketmaster lists shows at a variety of venues, from Anaheim later this month to Denver, Columbus, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Radiohead U.S. Tour Dates On Sale On Its W.A.S.T.E. Site
Radiohead's U.S. tour dates were recently announced, and tickets are now available for presale (starting Feb. 14th) through the band's curiously named W.A.S.T.E. (or WASTE) Web site, the same site that sold its "In Rainbows" pay-what-you-want album download. The public sale starts on Feb. 16th.
NME.com lists the U.S. dates here, noting that the band will be adding more stateside gigs after it plays some dates in Europe.
NME.com lists the U.S. dates here, noting that the band will be adding more stateside gigs after it plays some dates in Europe.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Second Rotation: Clear Out Your Old, Unwanted Electronics
OK, this article isn't about podcasting or music specifically, but if you're a podcast fan, no doubt you've bought plenty of music-playing and computer equipment over the years... and may well still have some outdated items. I know I do; one corner of my home office looks like a museum of old electronics items, but maybe now I can clear it out now that I've found out about Second Rotation. This Boston-based company helps reuse and recycle old electronics equipment by making it easy to unload the items, and even paying you to do so.
It's pretty simple: You look up your item on their Web site, see what price they'll give you for it, then sign up and ship it to Second Rotation, FREE! They'll take cell phones, gaming consoles, digital cameras, laptops, and more. Granted, you won't make a bundle out of selling this stuff, especially if it's particularly out of date. But one of the main goals of Second Rotation is to keep these electronics out of landfills. In fact, sometimes they'll pay for items that really have no value, from what I've read, just so it won't get thrown out.
Ars Technica has a good article on Second Rotation and its mission. Apparently investors believe in the company, too... it's said that Second Rotation just raised $4.4 millionin a first round of funding.
It's pretty simple: You look up your item on their Web site, see what price they'll give you for it, then sign up and ship it to Second Rotation, FREE! They'll take cell phones, gaming consoles, digital cameras, laptops, and more. Granted, you won't make a bundle out of selling this stuff, especially if it's particularly out of date. But one of the main goals of Second Rotation is to keep these electronics out of landfills. In fact, sometimes they'll pay for items that really have no value, from what I've read, just so it won't get thrown out.
Ars Technica has a good article on Second Rotation and its mission. Apparently investors believe in the company, too... it's said that Second Rotation just raised $4.4 millionin a first round of funding.
Yahoo in Talks with News Corp. about Working Together on MySpace and More
Yahoo is in talks with News Corporation about combining the latter's MySpace and other News Corp.-owned online properties with Yahoo. The move is seen as a move to fend off Microsoft's attempt to take over Yahoo, and would reportedly include News Corp. paying cash to Yahoo.
Yahoo and News Corp. have reportedly been in talks about some kind of combining of their properties over the last year and a half, but the talks have taken on new urgency with Microsoft's recent unsolicited takeover bid for Yahoo, which Yahoo turned down.
Yahoo and News Corp. have reportedly been in talks about some kind of combining of their properties over the last year and a half, but the talks have taken on new urgency with Microsoft's recent unsolicited takeover bid for Yahoo, which Yahoo turned down.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Obama Beats Clinton! (In the Grammys, Anyway)
We won't know the outcome of the Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton presidential derby for some time, but here's a sure thing: Obama has beaten a Clinton in 2008 at the Grammy Awards. Obama won the Best Spoken Word Grammy for the audio version of his book, "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream."
Obama beat out former president Bill Clinton, who was nominated for his book "Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World." What's more, Obama beat out another former president (Jimmy Carter), who was nominated for "Sunday Mornings in Plains: Bringing Peace to a Changing World." Also in the running was Maya Angelou, the poet who was a supporter of the Clintons.
Don't feel bad for the Clintons as far as the Grammys go, though... Hillary won the same award 12 years ago for her first book, "It Takes a Village." And Bill Clinton was won the award twice.
Obama beat out former president Bill Clinton, who was nominated for his book "Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World." What's more, Obama beat out another former president (Jimmy Carter), who was nominated for "Sunday Mornings in Plains: Bringing Peace to a Changing World." Also in the running was Maya Angelou, the poet who was a supporter of the Clintons.
Don't feel bad for the Clintons as far as the Grammys go, though... Hillary won the same award 12 years ago for her first book, "It Takes a Village." And Bill Clinton was won the award twice.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
How Old are Those Ageless Grammy Artists? (Tina Turner, Cher, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, etc.)
Some of the performers on the Grammys tonight definitely showed that they're not too old to rock and roll. Which got me wondering, just how old is Tina Turner? And Cher? And Tony Bennett, for that matter?
Here are the answers, courtesy of Wikipedia:
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939) - age 68
Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946) - age 61
Tony Bennett (born Anthony Dominick Benedetto on August 3, 1926) - age 92
Burt Bacharach (born May 12, 1928) - age 79
Little Richard (Rev. Richard Wayne Penniman, born December 5, 1932) - age 75
John Fogerty (of Creedence Clearwater Revival, born May 28, 1945) - age 62
Jerry Lee Lewis (born September 29, 1935) - age 72
Keely Smith (born Dorothy Jacqueline Keely, 9 March 1932) - age 75
Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) - age 65
Herbie Hancock (born Herbert Jeffrey Hancock on born April 12, 1940) - age 67
and...
Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950) - he's a relative youngster at age 57!
Congrats to all the winners and nominees! (List of Grammy winners and nominees here.)
Here are the answers, courtesy of Wikipedia:
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939) - age 68
Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946) - age 61
Tony Bennett (born Anthony Dominick Benedetto on August 3, 1926) - age 92
Burt Bacharach (born May 12, 1928) - age 79
Little Richard (Rev. Richard Wayne Penniman, born December 5, 1932) - age 75
John Fogerty (of Creedence Clearwater Revival, born May 28, 1945) - age 62
Jerry Lee Lewis (born September 29, 1935) - age 72
Keely Smith (born Dorothy Jacqueline Keely, 9 March 1932) - age 75
Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) - age 65
Herbie Hancock (born Herbert Jeffrey Hancock on born April 12, 1940) - age 67
and...
Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950) - he's a relative youngster at age 57!
Congrats to all the winners and nominees! (List of Grammy winners and nominees here.)
Vinyl Records Are Doing Just Fine, Thank You
Digital music sales are up and CD sales are down, but oddly enough vinyl LPs are holding their own in today's music market. The CBS Sunday Morning show did a segment on the resurgence of vinyl, interviewing two firms that press vinyl records (one of them in Brooklyn) and examining the factors leading to vinyl's success.
One of these factors is the perceived higher sound quality of a record over a CD or digital download. The retro appeal of vinyl could also be a factor, as well as the related desire for a physical record and even cover art and liner notes that are bigger than the shrunk-down CD inserts.
I wrote about the rebound in vinyl sales back in the summer, and the pace seems to have picked up since then, if anything. The Sunday Morning report mentioned that Amazon.com actually has a section of its online store devoted just to vinyl, even though the company also started selling digital download of music last year.
One of these factors is the perceived higher sound quality of a record over a CD or digital download. The retro appeal of vinyl could also be a factor, as well as the related desire for a physical record and even cover art and liner notes that are bigger than the shrunk-down CD inserts.
I wrote about the rebound in vinyl sales back in the summer, and the pace seems to have picked up since then, if anything. The Sunday Morning report mentioned that Amazon.com actually has a section of its online store devoted just to vinyl, even though the company also started selling digital download of music last year.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Woody Guthrie Nominated for a 2008 Grammy Award
It's been 40 years since he died, but folk music pioneer Woody Guthrie is nominated for a 2008 Grammy award for a rare live recording of his, The Live Wire - Woody Guthrie In Performance 1949.
A native of Okema, Oklahoma, Guthrie is known for many classic American songs, most notably This Land Is Your Land. When he died of Huntington's Chorea in 1967, he left behind hundreds of lyrics for songs.
Woody's son Arlo Guthrie was a popular folk singer in the 1960s and 1970s who is best known for the song "Alice's Restaurant." Woody's daughter Nora Guthrie manages the Woody Guthrie archives, and about a decade ago she enlisted the British singer Billy Bragg and the American alt-country band Wilco to put music to some of the many pages of lyrics by Woody Guthrie that had no music. You can learn more about Woody Guthrie and his archives at www.woodyguthrie.org.
Sarah Lee Guthrie, a daughter of Arlo Guthrie, makes music with her husband Johnny Irion.
Woody Guthrie died of Huntington’s Chorea in Queens, NY on October 3, 1967. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 in the "Early Influence" category.
The 1976 biography "Bound for Glory" starred David Carradine as Woody Guthrie.
A native of Okema, Oklahoma, Guthrie is known for many classic American songs, most notably This Land Is Your Land. When he died of Huntington's Chorea in 1967, he left behind hundreds of lyrics for songs.
Woody's son Arlo Guthrie was a popular folk singer in the 1960s and 1970s who is best known for the song "Alice's Restaurant." Woody's daughter Nora Guthrie manages the Woody Guthrie archives, and about a decade ago she enlisted the British singer Billy Bragg and the American alt-country band Wilco to put music to some of the many pages of lyrics by Woody Guthrie that had no music. You can learn more about Woody Guthrie and his archives at www.woodyguthrie.org.
Sarah Lee Guthrie, a daughter of Arlo Guthrie, makes music with her husband Johnny Irion.
Woody Guthrie died of Huntington’s Chorea in Queens, NY on October 3, 1967. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 in the "Early Influence" category.
The 1976 biography "Bound for Glory" starred David Carradine as Woody Guthrie.
Friday, February 08, 2008
2008 Grammys: Predictions on Who Will Win
No, they're not my picks... I'm pretty bad at correctly choosing the winners of awards. I've been doing an Oscars pool at a friend's annual party and the only time I came close to winning was the year I spent all of five minutes on my ballot and pretty much guessed at most of the categories.
So I'm turning to some other sources for their picks on who's going to win the 2008 Grammys this Sunday in Los Angeles.
Rolling Stone weighs in with who they think will win, and who should win, in their opinion.
The Top 40/Pop guide for About.com lists his predictions, explaining the thinking behind his picks.
For those of you more interested in the handicapping of the Grammys rather than musical value, the Web site Betfirms offers its predictions. The site also offers articles on betting on poker, football, etc., so after you check out the Grammy predictions you can slide right into some serious gambling, if you choose.
So I'm turning to some other sources for their picks on who's going to win the 2008 Grammys this Sunday in Los Angeles.
Rolling Stone weighs in with who they think will win, and who should win, in their opinion.
The Top 40/Pop guide for About.com lists his predictions, explaining the thinking behind his picks.
For those of you more interested in the handicapping of the Grammys rather than musical value, the Web site Betfirms offers its predictions. The site also offers articles on betting on poker, football, etc., so after you check out the Grammy predictions you can slide right into some serious gambling, if you choose.
Amy Winehouse Gets Her Visa... But Too Late for Grammys
Amy Winehouse finally got her visa to come to the U.S., but it came too late for her to get to the Grammys on Sunday. Winehouse's visa request was originally turned down due to immigration rules covering "use and abuse of narcotics," a U.S. State Department official was quoted as saying in an ABC News article.
Winehouse will perform live during the Grammys via satellite from a studio in London, which was the original fallback plan when her original visa application was turned down. Winehouse, her album "Back to Black," and her single "Rehab" are nominated for a total of six Grammys, and she will be able to accept any awards she wins via the satellite hookup.
ABC News said that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had been "rapidly" processing Winehouse's appeal, and the staff of the U.S. Embassy in London had been working to speed up her application.
Winehouse will perform live during the Grammys via satellite from a studio in London, which was the original fallback plan when her original visa application was turned down. Winehouse, her album "Back to Black," and her single "Rehab" are nominated for a total of six Grammys, and she will be able to accept any awards she wins via the satellite hookup.
ABC News said that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had been "rapidly" processing Winehouse's appeal, and the staff of the U.S. Embassy in London had been working to speed up her application.
The Breeders Tour Dates for 2008
The Breeders are back and will be embarking on a Spring/Summer tour for 2008, and the dates are listed below. The pride of Dayton, Ohio will play other dates in California after that before working their way east through Arizona, Texas, the Midwest, and then the East Coast.
It'll be great to see Kim and Kelley and the others live and in person again. Here are the U.S. tour dates so far. Oddly enough, this list (which The Breeders sent out to their MySpace friends, and list on their Web site's tour page) doesn't list a few U.S. shows, such as a Buffalo performance March 7th and SXSW in Austin on March 15th. And the list doesn't include European and Canadian the band is sprinkling in among these dates: for example, playing in Berlin two days before Coachella. It's a pretty jam-packed barnstorming schedule, hope they won't be too wiped out by the time I get to see them in NYC!
The new Breeders album is called "Mountain Battles" and comes out April 7th in the U.K. and April 8th in the U.S.
The Breeders U.S. tour dates 2008 (see full world tour dates at their MySpace page):
April
25- Indio, CA - Coachella Festival
28-San Diego, CA - Canes
29-Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
30-San Francisco, CA - Slims
May
2-Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
3-Tempe, AZ - Clubhouse
5-Austin, TX - Emos
6-Dallas, TX-House of Blues
7-Houston, TX- Meridian
9-Laurence, KS - Bottleneck
10-Sauget (St Louis), IL - Pops
23-Vancouver, BC - RIchards
24-George, WA - Sasquatch Festival
25-Portland, OR - Bebatti's Pan
27-Salt Lake CIty, UT - The Depot
28-Denver, CO - Ogden
30-Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
31-Chicago, IL - Metro
June
1-Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
3-Cleveland, OH- House of Blues
4-Northampton, MA - Pearl Street
5-Boston, MA - Paradise
7-New Haven, CT - Toad's Place
8-Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
10-New York, NY - Webster Hall
11-Washington DC- 9:30 Club
13-Atlanta, GA - The Loft
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Bonnaroo 2008 Lineup Announced
The music lineup for Bonnaroo 2008 has been made public, according to Stereogum. The Allman Brothers Band will be there again, as will Pearl Jam, Metallica, Kanye West, and My Morning Jacket. There'll be no Led Zeppelin reunion, of course, since Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will be touring to support their new CD (and making Bonnaroo a stop on their tour).
M.I.A. will bring her brand of Sri Lankan hip-hop to the festival in Manchester, Tennessee, which will be held June 12-15. And popular new Brooklyn band Vampire Weekend will be in attendance. There will be more than 100 different musical acts and, for comic relief, 20 comedians.
You can also see The Raconteurs, Willie Nelson, Death Cab for Cutie, and B.B. King, as well as Rilo Kiley, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and many, many more.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Tom Petty Summer 2008 Tour - Where to Find Tour Dates
I'm sure lots of people were complaining that they would have liked to see a young, edgy musical act perform during halftime of the Super Bowl, but I've always liked Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. They've certainly paid their dues over the decades, so I was glad to see them get a very public moment in the sun. And the Super Bowl performance will be a nice advertisement for their upcoming summer 2008 tour.
You can find the tour dates here. The tour kicks off in Grand Rapids, Michigan in May and ends in Woodlands, Texas at the end of August. More dates may be added.
You can find the tour dates here. The tour kicks off in Grand Rapids, Michigan in May and ends in Woodlands, Texas at the end of August. More dates may be added.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Microsoft Offers to Buy Yahoo
Microsoft has coveted Yahoo for a long time in its quest to better compete with Google, and now Mr. Softy has formally made a bid for Yahoo.
Microsoft's bid, which it made on Friday, is an unsolicited offer to purchase Yahoo for $44.6 billion in cash and stock. Mr. Softy is offering $31 a share for Yahoo, which is 62% above Yahoo's closing stock price on Thursday afternoon. Yahoo said it would consider the bid.
From a music fan's point of view, I'm wondering what the purchase, if it goes through, would mean for services like Yahoo Music. Would Microsoft try to put its clunky DRM protections or other restrictions on Yahoo music, in order to try to get users to pay for unrestricted content to try to make money to earn back some of the millions it would pay for Yahoo? Microsoft doesn't have a good track record on music and copyright-related matters, so I'm wary. And as someone who uses a number of Yahoo services, I'm not sure I want Microsoft in control of my personal info, especially in light of Mr. Softy's many problems with Windows security.
Microsoft's bid, which it made on Friday, is an unsolicited offer to purchase Yahoo for $44.6 billion in cash and stock. Mr. Softy is offering $31 a share for Yahoo, which is 62% above Yahoo's closing stock price on Thursday afternoon. Yahoo said it would consider the bid.
From a music fan's point of view, I'm wondering what the purchase, if it goes through, would mean for services like Yahoo Music. Would Microsoft try to put its clunky DRM protections or other restrictions on Yahoo music, in order to try to get users to pay for unrestricted content to try to make money to earn back some of the millions it would pay for Yahoo? Microsoft doesn't have a good track record on music and copyright-related matters, so I'm wary. And as someone who uses a number of Yahoo services, I'm not sure I want Microsoft in control of my personal info, especially in light of Mr. Softy's many problems with Windows security.
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