Friday, June 28, 2002

The Pledge: Here's my take on the whole thing. When kids stand in school to take the The Pledge of Allegiance, they should fit in what they actually pledge allegiance and under who's domain-- or no spirit's domain. Bonus if they can get it in 31 words-- the amount of words in the official Pledge of Allegiance. If you wanna drop "God" for "Buddah," knock yourself out. If you'd rather pledge allegiance to your family and the country instead of a flag-- go cuckoo. "I pledge allegiance to truth and beauty. I pledge allegiance to art, music, freedom, liberty, justice and democracy. One nation, under a groove, gettin down for the funk of it." That's how mine would go. Roll your own pledge, that's what I say. D.I.Y.!! it is what made this country great! If I had the time or programming skills, I'd set up a web site to help people form and publicize their pledges. If you're reading this and have the time or resources, please go ahead and run with the idea!

DON'T FORGET: Zeitgiest Breast Cancer Benefit This Saturday!! Click Here To See The Flyer!!

• The Who Bassist John Entwistle Dies
  At the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, none-the-less. Considering the company he kept band-mate wise, we should be thankful that it appears he died of a heart attack in his sleep instead of drinking himself to death or in a firey plane crash. Anyways, R.I.P. and thanks for the good tunes. At minnimum, thanks for the bass line in "My Generation."
  
  
• Feingold Bill Would Curb Radio, Concert Abuses
  This article is a pretty good summary of the bill and the reasons behind it. Feingold's bill would direct the Federal Communications Commission to revoke the license of any radio station engaged in anti-competitive behavior, and would update payola laws to cover independent promoters. It would not roll back any current ownership caps, unfortunately. Anyways, get in contact with your representatives and tell 'em to support it.
  
  
• Four More Alleged R. Kelly Sex Tapes Found
  Orange County (Fla) police said that they recovered the tapes from a company that rents RVs and had discovered the tapes in one of its rentals. Police then handed the tapes over to Chicago authorities, who are trying to determine if the tapes depict any criminal activity. Chicago police said they are looking at the four tapes to determine the identities of the people depicted and if any are underage. Chicago police say of the material is new and some they have seen before.
  
  
• Arista's `L.A.' Reid Silences Critics
  Here's my summary of this puff piece: "Dear Playa Haters, You betta ask somebody. If you don't know, now ya' know. What?!?!? Yours, LA."
  
  
• Jerkins Says New TLC Record Full Of 'Innovative Bangers'
  Producer Rodney Jerkins has good things to say about the new TLC album--- but he also was all about praising Michael Jackson's Invincible, so you're gonna have to take his praise with a grain of salt.
  
  
• Timothy White, 1952-2002: A Death In The Family
  R.I.P. His Eminem bashing was tiresome, but by all accounts he was one of the few non-jaded folks in the record industry, constantly excited by new talent.
  
  
• A Dearth of Freaks
  "Ripley's Believe It or Not Encyclopedia of the Bizarre" held an audition at a Barnes & Noble is Los Angeles. Nobody showed up. It's about time the freaks of the world got some dignity!
  

posted by Randy on 11:53 AM | permanent link to this entry

Thursday, June 27, 2002

Don't Forget: Zeitgiest Breast Cancer Benefit This Saturday!! Click Here To See They Flyer!!

• Elvis Time Capsule Buried in Indiana
  Worst. Time Capsule. Ever. Buried in the gravel parking lot where Market Square Arena once stood (the site of Elvis' last concert) is a box containing Presley memorabilia including a scarf he gave to a fan, letters from fans across the world, and a bootlegged recording of one of Elvis' last shows-- but not the one at Market Square Arena. It sits under a bronze plaque reading "Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis has left the building."
  
  
• Cell Phones Now a Concert Accessory
  Can we just talk for a minute how annoying they are, though? It doesn't get mentioned in the story, which is why I mention it here. People holding up cell phones so people can hear at home blocks my line of sight. People talking on cell phones during shows detract from my ability to, you know, hear what is going on. And how plesant is it to listen to an over ampliphied show over the phone? Grrrrrrrrrrrrr. How 'bout some balanced journalism, eh?
  
  
• Joe Jackson Reunites "Sharp" Band
  Joe Jackson is reuniting his original rock band for a new studio recording and twenty-fifth anniversary tour next spring. The band -- Jackson (piano, vocals), Graham Maby (bass), Gary Sanford (guitar) and Dave Houghton (drums) -- created Jackson's classic late-Seventies albums Look Sharp! and I'm the Man.
  
  
• Sharpton Music Summit Set for July 8
  I applaud his efforts, but I'm sure thankful there are other folks like the Recording Artists' Coalition and the Future of Music Coalitionalso leading the fight. Sharpton is a camera hog and a media whore, thnakfully there are people working hard on actually gretting things done.
  
  
• Goodie Mob's Khujo Seriously Injured In Car Accident
  Rocktober.com sends out best wishes for a speedy recovery. The linked to article is unsure how much (or how many) of his legs were lost in the accident, but other reports I've read say he lost part of his lest leg. He may be the first rapper who actually *needs* a cane-- 3rd Base, Ice Cube--- I'm looking in your direction.
  
  
• NAS vs. HOT 97
  Here's the long and short of it-- NYC radio station Hot 97 tried to tell Nas what he could and couldn't say during his set at their Summer Jam concert, so Nas high tailed it over to cross-town rival Power 105.1 and laid into them-- naming names and dissing the whole station from top to bottom.
  
  
• Is The End Of The Album Near?
  Yes.
  
  
• Internet Porn News:
  That dude behind the Internet Entertainment Group (who originally distributed the Tommy Lee/Pamela Anderson tape)? He's on the lam. Also good reading: behind the scenes of a porn web cam operation.
  

posted by Randy on 11:03 AM | permanent link to this entry

Wednesday, June 26, 2002

• Lawmaker: Let studios hack P2P nets
  Worst. Possible. Law. Ever. Well, not really-- but this is just more proof that the RIAA & MPAA are not your friends. Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif) is preparing a bill that would let copyright owners, such as record labels or movie studios, launch high-tech attacks against file-swapping networks where their wares are traded. Except, of course, this would disable these networks from legitimate P2P transactions and would violate under common laws, state statutes, and the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He's looking for this law to be an exemption.
  
  
• Vivendi, Musicians' Settlement OK'd
  This is an outrage. A judge has approved a $4.75 million settlement on behalf of musicians, including the late Peggy Lee, who claimed the recording industry overcharged them and improperly calculated royalty payments. Some 161 performers, or their surviving interests, will split the payment from Vivendi Universal music division. Universal Music Group admitted no wrongdoing or liability. for the amount these artists got ripped off, this settlement is peanuts.
  
  
• R. Kelly Pleads Not Guilty to Child Porn Charges
  No surprise here. Kelly could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges of videotaping, producing or soliciting for child pornography spelled out in an indictment handed up by a Cook County grand jury.
  
  
• Pavarotti Says He Will Retire in 2005
  He's aiming to retire on his 70th birthday in 2005. Even though he isn't what he once was, it's still impressive that he's belting out the operas at 68. I usually scoff when a performer says they are gonna retire, but singing opera is a lot different than banging out three chords on the oldies circuit.
  
  
• Japanese Duo Puffy Taking on U.S.
  Dear Promoters-- please do your homework. Check out the Pink Lady & Jeff boxed set. Everyone but you knows how this story ends. Yours, Rocktober.com.
  
  
• Germany Sees Love Parade Danger
  Like I need another reason not to attend the world's biggest rave (aside from the huge crowds and bad music)-- I could be killed in a terrorist attack. Does it harsh someone's extacy high if a bomb goes off?
  
  
• Fan from hell creates a stir at Cher concert
  Is this woman at, like, every show? Why did she make the news this time? I always figured she was on staff-- just adding flavor to the event. I like the fact that she was a drunken fan of the opening act and kept annoying people through the headliner's show.
  
  
• A Shock in Their New Home - Rats!
  Okay, this isn't at all related to what this blog is about-- but it is my worst nightmare come true. A family moved into their $480,000 home and found it was infested by rats. Big foot long rats. Ugh. eeek.
  

Don't Forget: Zeitgiest Breast Cancer Benefit This Saturday!! Click Here To See They Flyer!!
posted by Randy on 11:53 AM | permanent link to this entry

Tuesday, June 25, 2002

• Will Congress tackle pay-for-play?
  
• Is Clear Channel selling hit singles?
  Two excellent articles in Salon further detailing how Clear Channel is, basically, ruining culture. No one is covering this stuff better that Salon. Get yerself a premium subscription and show your love!
  
  
• The Whiner-- How can so many critics be so wrong about Eminem?
  Michael Goldberg is about to get a stern letter from me once again reminding him how wrong he is about Eminem. I'll remind him, as I am about to remind you, how I see Eminem: Eminem is like Bukowski, Iceberg Slim ot even The Sopranos-- excellent chroniclers of a life that shouldn't be lived. In the article linked above, Goldberg complains aboiut critics not calling Eminem on his homophobia and sexism. Um, hello? we're talking hip-hop here. "Bitch" and "faggot" are to hip-hop as "moon" and "June" are to pop music. I exaggerate, I know, but still.
  
  
• Israel's Arabs Find Revolution in Rap
  Very intersting article about how some Arab youth are expressing their anger towards Israel using rap music as a platform. "Even some Jews are listening. MWR performed last month in Tel Aviv, where about 1,000 people, almost all of them Jews, bobbed their heads to the beat and cheered." Just like back in the day when Public Enemy used to rock almost all white crowds with revolutionary messages intended for a black audience.
  
  
• AOL Suffers a Setback in Cable Deal
  Another blow against the empire: AOLTW has lost control of cable television systems serving more than two million customers after three months of negotiations in which AOL had sought unsuccessfully to retain the systems, which it controlled through a partnership with Advance/Newhouse Communications. The systems are near Bakersfield, Calif.; Detroit; Indianapolis; Birmingham, Ala.; Orlando, Fla., and the Tampa Bay area in Florida.
  
  
• Arnault Leaves Vivendi Board
  More turbulance for mege-media-conglomorate Vivendi Universal. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton chief Bernard Arnault's resignation from the board is a bad sign for chairman Jean-Marie Messier, for Arnault was seen as one of Messier's allies on the board. Uni stock is now at a 13 year low. What's at steak is actually better outlined in this article.
  
  
• Macy Gray, D'Angelo, Kelis, & Mixmaster Mike On Red Hot + Riot!
  Lota cool folk involed in the lated Red Hot & album, this one a tribute to Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Macy Gray, D'Angelo, Kelis, Mixmaster Mike, Gab and Lateef of Blackalicious, Dead Prez, Talib Kweli, Jorge Ben, Bilal, MeShell Ndegeocello, Common and many more will all be covering Fela's songs. Could be very very cool.
  
  
• Bobby Brown Recovering At Home
  Again, the weirdest part of this stroy is that Whitney Houston & Bobby Brown were traveling by tour bus. . .when neither of them are on tour. Am I the only one who finds this interesting? The article linked above indicates they were traveling from Atlanta to New Jersey when Brown was admitted to a Virginia hospital for treatment of an infection. Wouldn't a flight be an easier way to travel? I guess I'll never understand the rich and famous.
  
  
• Stadium suitors go on Silverdome safari
  *Sigh* This is more personal, I guess. The Pontiac Silverdome-- where I saw The Who on their 1989 reunion tour, a few Detroit Lions games, a 2/3 empty "This Country's Rockin' with Ted Nugent, Dwight Yoakum, Stray Cats, Stephen Stills, The Band and more and the last Rolling Stones tour with my family-- is up for sale. According to the article lined above, most who are looking at buying it wanna knock it down and put up a mall or housing or offices. But nothing as gradiose as the Silverdome. The Silverdome is also where my brother played one football game with his high school team and also saw Hulk Hogan beat Andre' The Giant for the WWF title. Hi, Alex!
  

posted by Randy on 2:01 PM | permanent link to this entry

Monday, June 24, 2002

First Things First: Thanks again to all who came out to 330 Rich last Friday to hear me spin. I'll be spinning there again, though no dates are currently set in stone. What is set in stone is the fact that I'll be spinning The Zeitgiest Breast Cancer Benefit this Saturday. Check the flyer for full info, but rest assured that it will be a lot of fun. Raffle, belly dancing, beer and good food. 1 -4 p.m. @ Zeitgiest (199 Valencia @ Duboce, in San Francisco.). Be there!

• Vivendi Universal to Sell Stake
  They started off as a sewer company but got seduced into being an entertainment conglomerate. Now to pay for all of it, they have to sell off. . .parts of the Vivendi Environnement company which got them to where they are.
  
  
• Nirvana Song 'You Know You're Right' May See Release By Year's End
  More from one of the messier lawsuits in the music industry. Courtney Love, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic are still going at it over the Nirvana legacy, but it looks like "You Know You're Right" will finally get official release later this year on a Nirvana best-of collection by the end of the year, a box set of rarities and then on a single best-of-the-box CD. The linked to article also has the latest details of the two sides' settlement proposals.
  
  
• Prince Uses Web to Aim Directly at Hardcore Fans
  Blah blah blah same old story-- but it is worth noting that this week is the week long celebration at Pasiley Park, where all the faithful fans gather and get their groove on. Me and my wife went last year for a long weekend-- it was tiring but a lot of fun. For all the latest about this year's celebration, check out Prince.Org, the unoffical site run by fans.
  
  
• Damian Holton - 'N Sync tour bus driver, Woodbridge
  I don't know why I like this story. I suppose it is becuase (as is almost always the case) the people supporting the headliners are infitnly more interesting that the act themselves.
  

posted by Randy on 11:45 AM | permanent link to this entry