Wolfgang’s Vault is streaming Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers from March 3, 1980 at the Hammersmith Oden in London.
Archive for November, 2007
Rock Art Wednesday-Wes Wilson
Posted by T Rex on November 28, 2007
For this weeks Rock Art Wednesday I’m proud to feature the pioneer and originator of the well known psychedelic style from the 1960’s, Wes Wilson. In the late 60’s weekly dance concerts were happening at the Avalon Ballroom and Bill Graham’s Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. Both venues commisioned Wes to create the posters for the events. He created posters from February 1966 to May 1967, but then got into an argument over money with Bill Graham. When I asked him what his favorite memory of Bill Graham was he responded, “Not many favorite moments come to mind-but he really could be nice if he wanted to.”
He pioneered a whole new style but by mid 1967 so many artists had copied his work that sadly Wilson’s posters became just one in the crowd, but now worth big bucks. Wes was kind enough to answer a few questions and share his work for Rock Art Wednesday.
Which current bands or solo artists would you like to design a poster for?
“Still Bob Dylan for sure!”
Which posters that you created are your favorites?
“My Looking Back Poster, The Byrds one, The Mexican Hat one, The Association green and red one-and perhaps one or two more zingers come to mind immediately.”
What is your view on the current state of the music industry?
“It’s run by a stack of selfish low brow money-mongering skeptics who care more about profits than our country and its superior culture.”
Check out Wes’ work at his site here. Thanks Wes!
“The Byrds one”
“The Association green and red one”
“The Mexican Hat” (My favorite!)
“My Looking Back Poster”-Wes Wilson
Posted in Rock Art Wednesday | No Comments »
Runaway Dinosaur
Posted by T Rex on November 27, 2007
There is a lot of buzz around Seth Mnookin’s Wired article with Universal Music Group CEO Doug Morris. It’s a excellent piece that not only shows how Mr. Morris let the explosion of the Internet run him over, but also what Universal has done to try and adapt. These new methods of business and new companies in the digital music arena is why I created Runaway Dinosaur. The labels old business models are on the brink of extinction and Mr. Morris’s comments shed light on just how bad it is.
“If you had Coca-Cola coming through the faucet in your kitchen, how much would you be willing to pay for Coca-Cola? There you go,” he says. “That’s what happened to the record business.”
This was taken from the Wired article.
“This year, 22 percent of all music sold in the US will move through iTunes. “If iTunes gets up to 40 or 50 percent, they’ll have too much power for anyone else to enter the business,” says James McQuivey, who analyzes the digital music industry for Forrester Research. If the labels want out, they have two choices: Find a way to unseat the iPod or allow iTunes’ competitors to sell unprotected files that can play on Apple’s ubiquitous device.
Check out New York’s Magazine reaction where they give the “industry six months to live”
The business is running away.
Posted in Music/Industry News | Tagged: Wired, Seth, Mnookin, Universal, Doug Morris, Music, Label, Article | No Comments »
All Songs Considered
Posted by T Rex on November 27, 2007
NPR’s All Songs Considered has a great collection of live performances available for streaming or download.
Vote for the best album of 2007 on NPR’s album survey.
Click here to listen to Iron & Wine in concert from Washington D.C’s 9:30 club on Sept 29th.
Click here to listen to Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew in concert from Washington D.C’s 9:30 club on Nov 18th.
Click here to listen to an interview with Ween: Wierd As Ever with ‘La Cucaracha’ from Nov 25th.
Check out the entire list of live concerts and subscribe for their podcasts here.
Posted in Bands, Live music | Tagged: All Things Considered, Live Concerts, NPR | No Comments »
November 27th releases
Posted by T Rex on November 27, 2007
CD’s
Carpathian Forest-We Are Going To Hell For This
Chuck D & SLAMjamz Artist Revue- Tribb to JB
Common- This Is Me Then: Best of Common
Cunninlynguists- Dirty Acres
D.O.A. - Live In San Francisco
Incubus - Light Grenades
Kylie Monogue - “X”
Miguel Migs - Coast 2 Coast
Mudvayne - By the People, For the People
The Ocean - Precambria
Rumble Strips - Alarm Clock EP
Justin Timberlake - Futuresex/ Lovesounds (CD & DVD/ deluxe edition)
DVD’s
D.O.A.- Live In San Francisco
Gov’t Mule- Tail of 2 Cities
Incubus- Look Alive
Metal Blade Records: 25th Anniversary Live
Posted in Music/Industry News | No Comments »
Blue Scholars
Posted by T Rex on November 27, 2007
Keep your eyes and ears open for the Pacific Northwest’s Hip-Hop duo Blue Scholars. They are fresh, talented, original, smart guys that are already accomplished artists with only their second full album release, Bayani. Their video for “Joe Metro” was premiered every hour on the hour last Monday on MTVu. These two are on the cutting edge in both music and technology and about to blow up.
They are headlining a 5 night run in December where they are having their favorite groups as opening acts called The Program. Synchronicitylive will host live streaming of all 5 shows and also create an embeddable widget that will stream the show which can be placed anywhere.
Blue Scholars are embracing all elements of technology and social networking and leading the way in the new digital music renaissance. Stay tuned…..
Posted in Bands, Music/Industry News | No Comments »
Digital Beatles
Posted by T Rex on November 27, 2007
The Beatles/Apple deal sounds like it’s finally going to happen.
Also…..
A digital collection of John Lennon’s music videos will be released next month on Itunes. It includes 21 videos many of which have never before been released in a digital format.
The John Lennon Video Album is being co-released by Capitol/EMI Music Marketing and iTunes.
Posted in Music/Industry News, Tech News | No Comments »
Remember videos?
Posted by T Rex on November 26, 2007
The days of MTV showing music videos are long gone and replaced with awful, semi real, annoying reality shows. Continuing the theme of new revenue streams these new interactive videos have a lot of potential in the age of Youtube.
A U.K based interactive media firm Coull has launched a Youtube style site that allows users to convert any traditional video to an interactive format and publish it for free.
“The realization that you can just click on a video and it takes you somewhere is huge,” Coull CEO Irfon Watkins says. “It can lead users to merchandise, tickets and anything else the artist or label wants to sell.”
“Neither Watkins nor the labels he has partnered with on interactive videos would comment on the cost of the videos’ production. And representatives at Universal and Sony BMG say it’s too early to give concrete figures on online sales of albums, tickets and merchandise due to interactive video installation.”
Posted in Tech News | No Comments »
Next stop China
Posted by T Rex on November 26, 2007
With the fast paced urbanization and need for additional revenue streams China has become a must stop for bands on tour. This article in the NY Times takes a look at the emerging market and possible future business models.
My first post a few weeks ago was about the NY Times article on multiple rights (360 deals) and it seems like the Chinese labels are already a step ahead…. ”viewing CDs as a loss leader they routinely sign groups to all-encompassing contracts that allow the label to share in revenues from touring, merchandise and endorsements.”
Posted in Music/Industry News | No Comments »
No Internet for you
Posted by T Rex on November 26, 2007
Is this a sign of things to come?
The French president is backing a plan that would ban Internet access to all file sharers caught 3 times. The proposed 3 strikes and your out plan relies on the ISP’s to track all the high volume users to detect illegal file sharing.
Big brother is always watching……
Posted in Music/Industry News | No Comments »
