YouTube user lightning49 has 160 of videos of French singers which she has subtitled with her translations. Her biggest collection is of Jacques Brel videos but there are also songs performed by George Brassens, Charles Aznavour, Edith Piaf as well as a smattering of other stuff. To start you off with a few songs here are three of my favorite songs by Brel, Je suis un soir d'éte, Le moribond and La valse à mille temp along with Charles Aznavour's La boheme, Edith Piaf's Milord and Georges Brassens' Les passantes.
posted on Feb 13, 2008 - View this thread

"Window in the Sky" is a YouTube style video synch mash-up done on a professional budget with the magic of copyright clearances. "It's a triumph of postmodern reconstruction" says the Washington Post.
posted on Jan 29, 2007 - View this thread

The Nickel Under The Foot is one of the most important songs in the history of the American theatre. The back story.
posted on Aug 4, 2006 - View this thread

Luther Vandross is gone. The great R&B balladeer died today, apparently due to complications from a stroke he suffered two years ago. Believers in an afterlife can hope he's enjoying a dance with his father. After all, he did believe in the "Power of Love". RIP.
posted on Jul 1, 2005 - View this thread

iPod Coffee Table created by a Toronto design student
posted on May 24, 2005 - View this thread

Not just for hard rockers, apparently . . . They're everywhere, damn worshippers of satan. Some you'd figure right away, some you wouldn't. Ever been to a rock concert? Yep, you're probably damned, too.
posted on May 3, 2005 - View this thread

"Precious Lord" sung by Mahalia Jackson (mp3)
No artist brought more acclaim to gospel music than Mahalia Jackson (October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972). Beginning in 1950, her divine (.wav) talents were featured weekly on Studs Turkel's radio program, and through her music and gentle personality she became so beloved worldwide that her funeral rivaled that of royalty. Mahalia sang "Precious Lord" at Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.'s funeral -- at Mahalia's funeral, Aretha Franklin did the honors. Mahalia was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame posthumously in 1997. Word has it she also made a mean okra gumbo.
posted on Jan 27, 2005 - View this thread

A History of Polish Jazz
posted on Jan 6, 2005 - View this thread

Kid Rock To Play Bush Inauguration ... The Bush Twins have invited Kid Rock to play their inauguration bash after their father is sworn in to a second term. Rock also played the Republican National Convention. This is a guy who stuck his head through an American flag at the Superbowl and has lyrics that say all women are whores and extol drug and alcohol abuse. (The link has actual lyrics from Rock, so if you are offended by cursing don't follow it.)
posted on Jan 4, 2005 - View this thread

Every July, peas grow there. {mp3}
Eat Your Peas. {mov}
posted on Dec 28, 2004 - View this thread

"Kriminalz?" Appears to be two German guys attempting to rap while wearing construction hats. German or not, how can this be for real?
posted on Dec 9, 2004 - View this thread

McRorie - One man band from the future
posted on Nov 30, 2004 - View this thread

Sick of Charity Records? You know it's for a good cause, you want to help, but god, don't charity records stink? Well, here's the answer. Buy the record whilst maintaining some (musical) dignity.
posted on Nov 30, 2004 - View this thread

ArtFilter: Scottrohedron raps and wraps.
posted on Nov 29, 2004 - View this thread

Every Song Ever Recorded His goal: to own a digital copy of every song ever made. His reason: to preserve them through the upcoming apocalyptic jihad. Just don't ask him to share. (via Macsurfer)
posted on Nov 11, 2004 - View this thread

Black widow pop. "With tATu, Ivan Shapovalov took the media's obsession with paedophilia, and spun it into a chart-topping lesbo-schoolgirl pop act. Now he's trying to do the same with Islamic terrorism. On Sept 11 in Moscow, he launched nATo, a 16-year-old girl who dresses in a Burqua, much like the Black Widow suicide bombers who are currently terrorising Russia. With the Beslan massacre only a week old, Nato's launch - complete with invitations designed like plane tickets - was not a huge success... Mindful of the dire consequences of being a dissenting voice in Putin's Russia these days, Shapovalov is planning to launch nATo properly in London later this year, and get a recording contract here." stolen from popbitch
posted on Sep 24, 2004 - View this thread

MP3's - Covers & Tributes on Guitar101.com. is like karaoke WITH GUITARS!!!! My favorite so far.
posted on Sep 21, 2004 - View this thread

Ladies and Gentlemen, Beatle Bob!
With today being the last day of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, I thought it might be a good time to shine the spotlight on rock and roll gadfly "Beatle" Bob Matonis, who, as per his habit, made the scene like sex machine, shaking his vintage-clad booty back stage (and on stage) at numerous sets this weekend. Though he's actually from St. Louis, Beatle Bob makes it to gigs all across the country, and seems particularly fond of South by Southwest, where his presence can pretty much guarantee you picked the right showcase to attend. Over the years, I've seen Beatle Bob on literally dozens of occasions. Have you had the chance to catch this oddball rock mascot in your town?
posted on Sep 19, 2004 - View this thread

Crispy New Freestyle : Featuring such lyrical gems as 'I like to suck mouse dick' (wmv link)
posted on Sep 16, 2004 - View this thread

Meeksville centers around Joe Meek, Britain's first independent record producer, whose DIY engineering wizardry would transform record-making during the Sixties. Five years after an international #1 hit in the Tornadoes' space-age Telstar (Windows Media or RealPlayer), he would self-destruct, in an end not without tragedy or speculation. His works--along with his trademarked name--live on.
posted on Sep 10, 2004 - View this thread

"To Kill the Child" and "Leaving Beirut" - two new songs written in response to the Iraq war by Roger Waters, and posted to his website in various streaming formats.
posted on Sep 10, 2004 - View this thread

Banned by the Vatican and created by a tone deaf engineer... presenting the Hammond.
posted on Aug 30, 2004 - View this thread

The daily adventures of mixerman are back. Mixerman has started posting a new set of diary entries about his recording sessions with an anonymous band. His original diary (discussed here) is now available in hardcover.
posted on Aug 12, 2004 - View this thread

The worst CD in the world. Here's something to while away the office hours, compiling the worst CD in the world from tracks that you own.

"What's your least favourite track by your favourite band? It's a difficult question, because often we're reluctant to admit that our favourite bands have written bad songs. We program ourselves to take sides: we'll often convince ourselves that a good song by a band we don't generally like is worse than a bad song by a band we normally love.

I'm interested to know if there's any common stuff in people's most hated songs list, and conversely if something you own and hate happens to be someone else's favourite. And if there's something you really can't stand - why did you buy it? Why do you still have it?"

So it's fifteen tracks in your own record collection that you hate the most. And the site is something to do with some time mefi poster nylon, so all the more reason to join in the fun

I'm kicking off my CD with starship.
posted on Aug 5, 2004 - View this thread

B2B. Band to Band links. 6 degrees for music.
posted on Jul 27, 2004 - View this thread

Crosby Nash 2004 offers voters a new choice in the upcoming November election -- all of the criminal history of David Crosby combined with the cynicism of Graham Nash. Says Nash of the Vice-Presidency: "’We’ll have two presidents, and between us we have vice covered." Somehow I don't think Neil Young would approve...
posted on Jul 22, 2004 - View this thread

Korean Psych And Acid Folk • An introduction to the late-60s/early-70s experimental music of Korea. Bonus: be among the few Westerners to hear these ultra-rare tracks by the Pearl Sisters with songwriting contributions from a man known as the "godfather of Korean rock and roll", Shin Joong-Hyun, who is credited with influencing Korea's heavier rock scene of the last two decades.
posted on Jul 8, 2004 - View this thread

Tranquility Base. A nice bucolic landscape with a dog, goats, llamas, sheep, and trance music, by Jeff Minter of Llamasoft. [16.6 MB QuickTime, via MonkeyFilter.]
posted on Jul 4, 2004 - View this thread

Soldiers Under Command! - 57mb Quicktime documentary of the Second Annual Stryper Expo.
posted on Jun 18, 2004 - View this thread

Music That Paints a Picture
Whether you're a fan of Biggie or Dylan, this Flash project has you covered.
posted on Jun 17, 2004 - View this thread

Movies for Music
From the press release: "Movies for Music" (moviesformusic.org) is an online film contest with a simple aim: to give the public a clear and honest look at the music industry. As more people learn how the music business works, major label CD sales will plummet faster. The contest launches Monday.

The short film contest launched today, and first place is a ZVue handheld video player.
posted on Jun 14, 2004 - View this thread

"The Ashcroft Fear Remix." (a potential summer mini-blockbuster)
[link goes to broadband and dialup option for Quicktime movie file]
posted on Jun 9, 2004 - View this thread

"touch my tra-la-la" - Mefi falls in love with Günther.
posted on May 1, 2004 - View this thread

Seamus Heaney's Top Hip Hop Picks. Sort of. (You know: Seamus Heaney.)
posted on Apr 19, 2004 - View this thread

Wilco -- A Ghost is Born Forget SoulSeek or Limewire, stream the new Wilco longplayer right from the source. [Previously discussed here]
posted on Apr 16, 2004 - View this thread

I have seen the future of Metal and it's name is Norselaw and their anthem "Sweet Home Scandinavia". Let the Berzerking Begin!
posted on Apr 16, 2004 - View this thread

Listen To The Future. We hope you like his new music. It's hard to believe, but every note, every instrument, EVEN EVERY SINGING VOICE on Brandon's new CD was played on a keyboard by just one person...Brandon Trinity.
posted on Mar 22, 2004 - View this thread

Stairway To Gilligan by Little Roger And The Goosebumps. The legendary classic resurfaces on the net. Hat tip to Altercation as the ax grinding continues...
posted on Mar 12, 2004 - View this thread

Median's Relief! If you like Little Brother, you should like these three free mp3's from Median. He's in the Justus League too and he's got beats from 9th Wonder, hip hop producer of the moment right now.
posted on Feb 25, 2004 - View this thread

As Attorney General for the State of North Dakota, I am pleased to enclose payment for your claim in the settlement of the Compact Disc Minimum Advertised Price Antitrust Litigation.
Checks have gone out to people who "purchased prerecorded Music Products, consisting of compact discs, cassettes and vinyl albums, from one or more retailers during the period January 1, 1995, through December 22, 2000." Mine was for $13.86. I think I'll go buy an indie CD.
posted on Feb 24, 2004 - View this thread

Is Alex Ross Trying Too Hard To Be Eclectic? It's a great article but, imho, a few false notes are struck here and there. Can you love classical and popular music at the same time? Classical types always like the same popular stuff (Dylan and Pink Floyd, of course) and popular types always like the same classical stuff (Wagner, Puccini, Mahler) but somehow the suspicion remains that one's heart can't be in two places at once. There's something ingratiating and icky about attempts to pretend "it's all music". It isn't, is it? Also, God forgive me, 20 is way too late to start listening to Pop.
posted on Feb 20, 2004 - View this thread

Generic Rap Song by Princeton student. An excellent undergrad piece that lampoons the current state of rap music. Includes a satirical rap song (complete with downloadable MP3, streaming audio, downloadable DivX video, and streaming RealVideo) and an analysis of each verse. Even an essay that compares the satire in the piece with some 200 year-old satire ("A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift). Amazing, accurate, and funny as all get out.
posted on Jan 15, 2004 - View this thread

Rebetika, Music of the Greek Underground • "It originated in the hashish dens of Pireaus and Thessaloniki with the forced immigration of 2 million Greek refugees from Asia Minor." Audio samples here, more backstory, photos and a curious site supporting "Rebetiko Dechiotification and Bouzouki Detetrachordization".
posted on Jan 8, 2004 - View this thread

Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol. Gap-toothed and described by judges as "with the looks of a hobbit," the Norwegian plumber with the voice of an angel proves that there's hope for all of us to become popstars. True talent triumphs!
posted on Jan 1, 2004 - View this thread

The Bill Hicks Bootleg Archive. [via del.icio.us]
posted on Dec 26, 2003 - View this thread

The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM to cognoscenti) one of the lesser known but most influential movements of the past quarter century. After the innovators of Metal ran out of steam in the late 70's and were stampeded in the maelstrom of punk, heavy metal (and testosterone-soaked delindquents everywhere) found itself in a quandary). A number of UK acts took some cues from the punks, shortened the songs, reigned in the self-indulgence and speeded up the tempo, and upped the relevance and intelligence of the lyrical content, while still retaining the vocal prowess, instrumental pyrotechnics and young warrior energy that makes it Metal in the first place. Some groups became world famous. Others only big in Europe. Some great ones missed stardom by just a notch. Many of these acts have been cited as inspirations by Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Napalm Death and the thrash/death metal hordes, and even many post-punks. An interesting summary for fans, and a good introduction for non-mans who may have to recalibrate their opinion of the genre after checking some of these bands out.
posted on Dec 17, 2003 - View this thread

12 oddest Christmas hits... ever! Almost December, the stores are playing the usual Xmas compilations (already) so I propose a change to the usual "Rockin around the Christmas Tree". Which ear worm do you want?
posted on Nov 28, 2003 - View this thread

Send them back! We're feeling great about ourselves! Because we sent our mp3's BACK!
posted on Nov 19, 2003 - View this thread

Radiohead are taking over the BBC this Christmas. For one week, from the 22nd to the 28th of December, the band will assume control of BBC digital staion 6Music, choosing music, selecting shows, co-presenting programmes and contributing website material. The station is streamed worldwide. Christmas this year may be a little less jolly. ;)
posted on Nov 11, 2003 - View this thread

"There's nothing piano recital-y about it. It's goth." Not only has Pop Princess Vanessa Carlton declared herself Goth-for-a-Day, she has also decided (rather cluelessly) she is wiccan. Somebody call Vanna, 'cause this girl needs to buy a clue. *twitch twitch
posted on Oct 20, 2003 - View this thread

SharingTheGroove.org Trade concerts at this site where BitTorrent tech is combined with DAT concert taping audiophiles. You can read the boards to find music or you can just check their bitTorrent tracker. If you want to go low tech they also have Blanks & Postage or Tree/Vine forums.
posted on Oct 12, 2003 - View this thread

My Mixtapes is a site for users of emusic. Members can post album reviews, create mixtapes, and compile thematic lists of albums, all with direct links to the songs or albums so that subscribers to the mp3 service can download directly "via" my mixtapes.
posted on Sep 29, 2003 - View this thread

Why the RIAA's lawsuits aren't worth moose droppings. Tech Central Station columnist Jay Currie explains how Canada's copyright law, which instills the right to copy music in exchange for levies on blank media, renders the RIAA's legal precedent against file-sharers useless up north.
posted on Sep 13, 2003 - View this thread

The man in black is no more. Johnny Cash passes away from diabetes complications early this morning.
posted on Sep 12, 2003 - View this thread

Dr Richard Lord has shown in a controlled experiment that the extreme bass sound known as infrasound produces a range of bizarre effects in people including anxiety, extreme sorrow and chills -- supporting popular suggestions of a link between infrasound and strange sensations.
Here's the Reuters Story, He's done some other cool stuff as well at the National Physical Laboratory.
I can't help but think of The Brown Note, am I so imature?
posted on Sep 7, 2003 - View this thread

If you happen to have a lot of time this afternoon and feel like revisiting an old music conspiracy chestnut, this is the most comprehensive page on Paul Is Dead that I have ever seen (link via Bifurcated Rivets).
posted on Aug 28, 2003 - View this thread

Simon Cowell Made Love To Me (via Record of the Day) Reality TV's campest pantomime villain, responsible in his day job as a music exec for many dire cash-in records, has himself become the subject of a novelty song. Its conclusion? "He was quite good".
posted on Aug 13, 2003 - View this thread

Who's So Vain? Carly Simon will be revealing the inspiration for her pop classic, "You're So Vain." Suspects include Warren Beatty and Mick Jagger. My guess (you heard it here first, kids): Gene Simmons of Kiss. Who do YOU think she was singing about?
posted on Aug 5, 2003 - View this thread

Crap on wheels... that's Robbie Williams. He has a bit of a history with (ahem) lavatory 'situations'...
posted on Aug 2, 2003 - View this thread

Fix Up, Look Sharp With stateside hip hop in an unprecedented doldrum, the torch has been snatched up on this side of the Atlantic by 18-year-old Eastender Dizzee Rascal. He's recovering from a stabbing carried out rival fans of a rival garage collective in Ayia Napa, Cyprus. The attack took place a few days before being nominated for the Mercury Music prize. Guaranteed not to be everybody's cup of tea, but he's an interesting character and challenging music make it, and his album, worth a look.
posted on Jul 29, 2003 - View this thread

The Real Hussein Warning: Shockwave
posted on Jul 27, 2003 - View this thread

Metallica sues over use of E, F chords. No, it's not an Onion article. Really. They're completely serious. No exaggerating is taking place here. Honestly, they really are suing another band for using the E and F chords. It's on their website, for god's sake. All I know is, I'm getting drunk tonight.
posted on Jul 17, 2003 - View this thread

The Dance of Death. Die Totentanz: A German-language site spotlighting, for example, the dance of death in literature, graphic art, music and film. For those, like me, whose German is not so good, this page offers an English-language history of the phenomenon, and the Catholic Encyclopedia has an article too. See also Holbein's Dance-of-Death; Lübeck's Dance-of-Death; and umm, this.
posted on Jul 3, 2003 - View this thread

Best song of the last quarter century? Ok, I liked the song when it came out,(Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit) and can still listen to it today. But, VH1 is saying it is the best song for the last quarter century. That, I have a problem with. It is going to take me some time to reflect on this and come up with some alternates. I thought you folks may have your own opinions as well. So, lets hear it, what do you think is the best song of the last quarter century?
posted on Jun 10, 2003 - View this thread

The steam-powered drum machine - an astonishing extract from the journal of Charles Franklin, the founder of the London Museum of Techno. Written in 1894, Franklin describes a steam-powered drum machine and what may have been the world's first rave. "Driven by the thunderous rhythms of Hoovenaars tremendous "drum machine" the crowd - academics and dockers, architects and cobblers - were whipped into a frenzy, dancing and screaming like savages until sunrise, when the Machine finally ground to a halt with a suffering hiss."
posted on May 20, 2003 - View this thread

Steven Kowalczyk is now Steven Santoro. Great pop-jazz vocal music, and the definition of cool. Also of interest is Kate McGarry, whose recent album "Show Me" was produced by Steven Santoro. (more inside)
posted on May 19, 2003 - View this thread

List of bests permits you to keep track of how much you've read, seen, or heard according to all of those fun "X Greatest X's" of all time. A recommendation feature may be soon to follow.
posted on May 14, 2003 - View this thread

You Are Cordially Invited To A Night Of Fados. It's Saturday night; you're hidden deep down in one of Lisbon's fado houses; so pour yourself another glass of thick, blood-red wine; cast your mind back to loves lost and the memory of joys that will never return; take out your most tear-absorbent handkerchief and prepare to indulge in the most melancholy, poetical and maudlin of all urban songs: Lisbon's Fado... [More inside.]
posted on Apr 26, 2003 - View this thread

Federal judge rules Morpheus, Grokster not liable for Internet piracy. Well that is until the big pocketed music industry finds a favorable judge and wins the appeal.
posted on Apr 25, 2003 - View this thread

Now Albums have only recently been introduced in the US, but for British children of the 1980s they were a cost effective way of getting decent recordings to replace the taped off the radio copies of popular chart tracks. I'm awash with nostalgia as I glance through TV Cream's survey of the first twenty; come on, surely you remember Men Without Hats and Fiction Factory?
posted on Apr 19, 2003 - View this thread

I wish Elvis had lived long enough to record La Vida Loca... but since he did not, I have to content myself with "Kingtinued", a CD of modern, largely A.E.D. (After Elvis' Death) tunes recorded in the style of the large one. Only the highest quality material was selected for the CD, to be sure.
posted on Apr 17, 2003 - View this thread

Best. Festival. Ever. The Field Day Festival is taking place on June 7th and 8th in Riverhead, NY and the lineup is amazing. Yesterday, there was an image of the band lineup, but it has been removed. There will be an official announcement on Monday. In the meantime, here is a partial list of bands to whet your appetite: Radiohead, Belle & Sebastian, Spiritualized, Beth Orton, The Streets, Sleater-Kinney, N.E.R.D., Beastie Boys, The Strokes, Sigur Ros, Blur, Flaming Lips, Interpol, The Rapture and Tortoise.
posted on Apr 9, 2003 - View this thread

Pop Culture vs. War!! (avert eyes) So Madonna pulls her anti-war video at the last minute, "never to be seen again". Have to say, it sounds just as finely-wrought a piece of art as G.Micheal's Shoot the Dog. Meanwhile, Lil' Kim attempts some bridge-building between the cultures with this subtle intervention. In times of peace, we expect pop musicians to shoot their mouths off about anything - that's what we pay them for. But I haven't been impressed by anything from rock'n'pop yet in this war. (Micheal Moore's press conference at the Oscars rocked harder than any of them). Is it straight forward fear of career death (see Dixie Chicks)? Or is it just that nobody can do this (dylan) or this (Starr) anymore?
posted on Apr 2, 2003 - View this thread

ORCH HITS HIT YOU HARD. it's the big business.
posted on Mar 28, 2003 - View this thread

Dixie Chicks Pulled from Air After Bashing Bush Dude, these Texas people didn't find criticism of the president unpatriotic when Bill Clinton was president. They thought it was a sacred duty...Apparently country stations in Texas and elsewhere are pulling Dixie Chicks albums because their lead singer, while on an overseas tour, criticized Bush, saying she was ashamed to be from the state as him. People who want to criticize the critics of the critical comments are supporting the Chicks by buying their albums and requesting their songs. I never thought I'd buy a Dixie Chicks album, but that's what I'm going to do tonight, and I'm paying full price!
posted on Mar 14, 2003 - View this thread

One Man Wonder
Man-made midi music aside, we still have practicing "old-school traditional" one man bands like Eric Royer, the Bluegrass Contraption Guy; and Charles Kelly (who also teaches ESL at Aichi Institute of Technology in Japan.)

There are even Jamaican one "mon" bands.

However, Mike Silverman AKA "That 1 Guy," seems to me to have a refreshing new approach to the discipline of mono-musicianship.
Bass Player Magazine says, “Like a one-man band plucked from the pages of Dr. Seuss, That 1 Guy delivers earthshaking future funk from ”the magic pipe” to accompany his madcap lyrics about turbo snails, meat storms, and weasel pot pies."

Check out his video and listen to his new "single" entitled "One." It's "singularly" infectious. (You may wish to turn up the volume above "one.")
posted on Mar 7, 2003 - View this thread

Silly listeners. Payola in radio isn't "back", it's just back in the news. Read how more than ever radio airplay is not determined by you, creativity, inspiration, nor musical genius, but by the big green. More reasons to try xm?
posted on Mar 3, 2003 - View this thread

Hard of Hearing Radio (warning: link goes fullscreen AND has popup windows. but it's worth it, really!) is a Canadian radio program targeted at listeners with mild hearing loss, that aims to "challenge the assumption that broadcast media should be tailored only to those with a flawless ability to perceive it's content." The site contains lots of high quality mp3s of broadcasts as well as some articles about the subject and links to related topics. Recommended listening for fans of bands like Sigur Ros, Godspeed You Black Emperor, labels like Constellation, and readers of FakeJazz. Quite possibly might also be enjoyed by those who smoke a lot of . . . Yeah. So for those deaf folks out there, what do you listen for in music? What are your favorite genres and groups?
posted on Feb 27, 2003 - View this thread

Very Interesting French Music Video The movie is somewhat hard to explain without giving away the ending, but the movie addresses very interesting implications for the future of mankind.
posted on Feb 26, 2003 - View this thread

The Indie Rock of Dawson's Creek If you're in a rock band and desperatly wanna get famous, then you might consider selling your songs to the devil. Err, i meant to teenagers TV shows.
posted on Feb 22, 2003 - View this thread

The Valentine's Day EP. A quick pointer to some free-'n-legal mp3s with which to construct a mini-opera of lovin'. Alejandro Escovedo, Rosalie -- Aching song about distance and longing. Hem, Valentine's Day -- beautiful cover of the Springsteen tune. (Amazon, reg. req'd.) Soltero, Communist Love Song -- "If you're ever less than certain, I will be your Iron Curtain." This is a sentimental, downtempo set, but there's plenty out there for a heartbreak EP (or 50) as well. No doubt someone will post it -- and lots more free mp3s -- inside.
posted on Feb 14, 2003 - View this thread

The IBM 1403 Printer (1964) playing music. This may change your life.
posted on Feb 4, 2003 - View this thread

The, er, Spanish protest song comes of age, sort of: When bad oil spills happen to evil but otoparasitical Spanish pop songs in a crap video, but in a nice way, I say Hey Hah! Or rather: Aserejé! [Flash for the first link; Real for the third; both in Spanish. FRIENDLY WARNING: Do not click on the third link if you're not yet addicted to Las Ketchup.]
posted on Jan 29, 2003 - View this thread

The future of music retail... will be nothing like this. Echo Networks, a Los Angeles based "digital venture", in partnership with Best Buy, Tower, Wherehouse, Virgin & FYE, has launched an instore downloadable purchase initiative whose chances of failure are only exceeded by the extreme vagueness surrounding the announcement. For more, read the news article at CNET.
posted on Jan 27, 2003 - View this thread

Thanks Again, Frauhofer! "Software developed by Germany's Fraunhofer Institut, the creators of the MP3 ... called "Query by Humming," -- a type of melody recognition software program that identifies a song by title and composer based on a person humming a few bars into a microphone." Sure, it'll put quaint sites like this out of business, but think of the fun you'll have walking by your co-workers cubicle only to hear them furtively humming into their PC so that it can search for that pesky tune they can't get out of their head. (This technology sounds familiar, so advanced apologies for a double post. I did a search, really.)
posted on Jan 22, 2003 - View this thread

New Johnny Cash video This gorgeous rendition of the song, "Hurt" (actually a Nine Inch Nails cover), makes my heart ache. As a longtime Cash fan, I sure hope he knows how much he is loved. I was moved to mail him a card and got the address from his fan site: House of Cash, 700 Johnny Cash Parkway, Hendersonville, TN 37075. Send the Man in Black some love.
posted on Jan 18, 2003 - View this thread

Feeling a little stressed? Maybe all you need are some Nuts In Your Mouth. Not quite as embarrassing as unprovoked Sweatpant Boners (they know what's up). For more information on crotch-themed rock, perhaps Dick Delicious and the Tasty Testicles can help. OK, how about Destruct-A-Thon? Oh, and before I forget to mention it, Gardy-Loo! (If you know what that means, you will.)
posted on Jan 16, 2003 - View this thread

The end of Vinyl II? Stanton ships Final Scratch, which enables a DJ to manipulate (mix, scratch, cut...) any music on their PC with their turntables. Besides not needing to carry all the weight and bulk of crates of records around, DJs can now skip the expensive and complicated step of cutting their own records in order to play original tracks. Is vinyl going to die for real this time?
posted on Jan 15, 2003 - View this thread

I present to you, Richard Cheese. Perhaps the world's greatest twisted musical genius. Take 1 part Weird Al, add some Frank Sinatra, top with a talented musical ensemble, and bake on low — current recipe makes two albums. Seriously now, anyone with a love of music should really check out Mr. Cheese. His cover songs are solid gold. Notable mentions: "Chop Suey!" (System of a Down), "Crazy" (Britney Spears), and "I Used To Love Her" (Guns 'N Roses). And remember, folks, keep on lounging against the machine.
posted on Jan 12, 2003 - View this thread

Tokuya coughing.
posted on Jan 9, 2003 - View this thread

Check it out party people its the Human Beatbox! So you're hanging out with pals, and one of them starts throwing out the mad rhymes. You've got this incredible urge to back him up by creating wika-wika-wika noises just like the Fat Boys, but how? Learn how to here, and maybe someday, if you work hard enough... you'll be as good as "That Guy From Police Academy."
posted on Dec 13, 2002 - View this thread

Show and Tell Music - Thrift Store Vinyl. There are lots of vinyl sites out there, but some of the items in this collection had me floored. And the quantity is just as impressive as the quality -- several pages of unintentionally funny Christian vinyl you have to see to believe. MP3 samples too! Via BoingBoing, but got lost under a lengthy EFF post (which was also good).
posted on Dec 5, 2002 - View this thread

We Didn't Start The Fire in Flash. Hilarious and educational. All together now ... [via LMG]
posted on Nov 28, 2002 - View this thread

Rock n Roll! We know that Sex and Drugs ain't good for us, but researchers at McGill University are using very fancy devices to learn how our brains react to music. (Probably not much to discuss, but it's an interesting article)
posted on Nov 27, 2002 - View this thread

If this isn't a sign of the apocalypse, I don't know what is. What should be on the list of the all-time greatest pop tunes?
posted on Nov 9, 2002 - View this thread

Obsolecence and adolescence I came of musical age during the beginning of the tectonic shift between cassette/vinyl/CD (vinyl on the way out, cassette taking precedence and CD waiting in the wings). Crushes, science and lots of bad music I still love (yeah, too much Anglophilian pop) was spooled on those tapes. This story about the demise of the cassette has it all! And it's a great bit of writing, too...
posted on Oct 30, 2002 - View this thread

Smart artists benefit from "piracy". Jane Magazine recently completed their "Reader-Produced CD". The songs were chosen from reader submissions and final selections were made by Jill Cunniff (of Luscious Jackson) and Kendall Jane Meade (of Mascott). All of the songs can be downloaded, which will most likely lead these bands to greater commercial [and financial] success than they would have had without the Jane CD. These artists are smart, and the music is good. Jane shares music all the time, and it's usually good. Kind of an example of the ideas presented in this post in action. Apologies in advance to all the manly men who look at a girly magazine.
posted on Oct 18, 2002 - View this thread

"I Agree With Pat Metheny". Well, I do, and so does Richard Thompson in this live MP3 on his Web site. Ever since Pat Metheny made these comments about Kenny G there has been a lot of commentary, but Richard Thompson has put it to a folk song showing his talent as a guitar player, songwriter and singer. (Real Audio link)
posted on Oct 8, 2002 - View this thread

"In late January 1994, Cobain, Novoselic, and Grohl entered Bob Lang's studio in Seattle for their final recording session. Following a long jam, they captured this powerful tune in one take, including the gut-wrenching vocal -- a spooky, ambient intro of echoed harmonics and a fractured guitar solo." --Jim DeRogatis
posted on Sep 23, 2002 - View this thread

Life imitates "art" as the singer for Brazilian rockers ACC storms the studio, so to speak, and forces a DJ to play his band's record over and over for an hour. Are things really this desperate?
posted on Sep 19, 2002 - View this thread

Recombinant music has been around since the 19th century and now there is an amazing online tool for fans of both the samplers and the sampled.
posted on Sep 16, 2002 - View this thread

The Shot Chord Heard Round the World! On the morning of Nine Eleven 2002 at 8:46am, over 160 choirs across the world will sing Mozart's "Requiem" to metaphorically stand in for the thousands of voices silenced a year ago. Among all the ideas I've heard to commemorate this occasion, this one seems the most dignified, and least cringeworthy. They mentioned it on NPR's Morning Edition (caution: Real Audio file).
posted on Sep 10, 2002 - View this thread

The solemn, the dignified, the high-profile marketing. On September 11th, the national anthem will be sung on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. By the recent winner of Fox's American Idol. Days before the release of her new album. Two weeks before the winner's next, though obviously equally significant, "American Idol in Las Vegas" show. You will also note that this was reported before last night's finale. Meaning, this important symbolic event was arranged without even knowing who the winner was. In other words, Kelly Clarkson is not signing the National Anthem on September 11. "The Winner of Fox's American Idol" is.
posted on Sep 5, 2002 - View this thread

Let the market decide where Dan Bern will play next. Bern and his band are auctioning off a private concert at the auction winner's house. You can apparently make his appearance as large or intimate as you want. Would a dutch auction like this be enough to build a U.S. tour on?
posted on Sep 5, 2002 - View this thread

Britney turned on by lesbian porn. Seems pop princess Britney Spears has been hanging recently with adult film star Jenna Jameson. Reportedly there is "an attraction between them," and Jenna would love to perform with Britney in a movie. I can't make this stuff up.
posted on Sep 4, 2002 - View this thread

What He's Really Currently Listening To is a spin on the "currently listening to" feature iTunes users are rigging up to their personal sites. What are you really listening to?
posted on Aug 21, 2002 - View this thread

The track list for We're a Happy Family -- A Tribute to the Ramones looks, uh, ...interesting. No Motorhead though, the shame. I am glad that Rob Zombie is proving that it is possible to produce a tribute album without the omnipresent Sheryl Crow.
posted on Aug 21, 2002 - View this thread

Hosting Provider Bans RIAA - According to this press release, Information Wave Technologies will actively block all RIAA IP space because RIAA is intentionally seeking to invade customer networks / hosts to check for copyright violations. Additionally, they are going to deploy a "honeypot" system (simulates a GNUtella client sharing copyrighted material) in order to log requests for the files and correlate them with attempts to invade the host -- RIAA's stated plan to combate music piracy.
posted on Aug 19, 2002 - View this thread

This new RIAA lawsuit really frosts my cookies! I can't believe the Recording Industry Ass. of America has the balls to think they can censor the Internet, but they contend that "As a matter of fact, copyright itself was written into the Constitution before the Framers ever even got to the first 10 amendments." Therefore, the RIAA reserves for itself the right to determine which Internet websites you may view. Please discuss.
posted on Aug 17, 2002 - View this thread

So you think you know the blues? Well then take the quiz. This is a 42 question quiz that is a nice mix of easy and not so easy questions. Sample: Which performer called his or her band "The Honeydrippers"(plural)? a. Jimmy Reed b. Joe Liggins c. Charles Brown d. Big Mama Thornton Email addy is requested to process the quiz and results are tabulated immediately.
posted on Jul 29, 2002 - View this thread

Artemis Records waives Internet royalty fees. "Artemis Records [the label for Steve Earle, among others] has agreed to issue licenses to internet radio for one year for the master use of songs by all Artemis recording artists. This announcement was made today by Danny Goldberg, Chairman and CEO, Artemis Records and Daniel Glass, President, Artemis Records. During this period, beginning August 1, 2002, Artemis will waive the royalty payments that would otherwise be due them. "
posted on Jul 29, 2002 - View this thread

The WebPlayer is a Shockwave app that turns a web page into music by converting the HTML into numbers and then running that through formulas developed by Arnold Schoenberg, who came to be known as the inventory of atonalism in music, and influential in serialism, which aims to produce music by controlling aspects of the music with number series. Don't expect Beethoven, but sometimes the output is nice.
The Google front page produced a pretty soothing bit of background sound the first time I tried it, but the next, it sounded like several other pages I tried. Some explanation for this and the choice of a single sound can be found in the informative critique.
posted on Jul 18, 2002 - View this thread

The National Trust I just cant stop listening to this. I first heard it this morning on a mix disc my friend made me and now it's just on repeat all day at work. I'm buying the album after payday. What albums have you recently heard that stick in your head and your CD/MD/MP3 player? Do you get as obsessed with new bands like I do? Does hearing good new music become as addictive as any drug?
posted on Jul 12, 2002 - View this thread

A fan adding bass tracks to the White Stripes album 'White Blood Cells' (a fantastic album), and apparently supported by the duo. For those who haven't yet had the pleasure of hearing the white stripes, they are a two piece, guitar and drums. There are other various instruments throughout the album, but no bass. What do you all think of this?
_{Have mercy. this is my first post.}
posted on Jun 28, 2002 - View this thread

A great music editor passes on. Timothy White, editor-in-chief of Billboard Magazine, died suddenly of a heart attack today. He was a fixture of music journalism. He and his bow-tie will be missed.
posted on Jun 27, 2002 - View this thread

Will electronic music ever break in the US? DJs don't speak. Most don't produce their own full-length albums. When they perform, their only motions are precise hand movements and brief shuffles to record bins that are obscured from view and confined to a 5-foot square area. There are no David Lee Roth jump kicks, synchronized boy-band dances, Michael Jackson moonwalks or Janet Jackson ass-shaking. For American consumers, this is a problem.
posted on Jun 20, 2002 - View this thread

mysterio sympatico is the latest collaboration between jazz guitarist bill frisell and cartoonist jim woodring, who designed a few covers for frisell's records. in honor of flash friday, whimgrinder is online for your amusement (though sadly without frisell's score). what are some animation/music combos you'd like to see?
posted on Jun 13, 2002 - View this thread

Music industry makes first mature move in years!
Universal and Sony will respond to piracy by selling CDs at $9.99 - and singles at .99. How easy was that? (Link requires free registration but well worth it, IMO)
posted on Jun 12, 2002 - View this thread

RIAA sues Audiogalaxy. "After targeting decentralized popular file-sharing services such as Kazaa, Morpheus, Grokster, and Madster, the Recording Industry Association of America took aim at Audiogalaxy in court last Friday..." [via pfm]
posted on May 28, 2002 - View this thread

A Life in A Day of Touring. It's essential for any band who have the hopes of making it big. It’s a very huge step that requires much resilience and responsibility…blah blah yadda yadda. (from Sound the Sirens)
posted on May 25, 2002 - View this thread

This evening 20/20 broadcast a report on the new payola.Names are named. This explains a lot about the current state of music radio. Ironically, one of those complaining the loudest was good ol' Hilary Rosen of the RIAA who are doing their damnedest to destroy internet radio, along with college and public radio, the only alternative to the institutional corruption she decries. But in this case, she's on the side of the angels, it would seem. This report is timely though and does illustrate what's wrong with concentrating media power in too few hands.
posted on May 24, 2002 - View this thread

Shakey: Neil Young's Biography. . . Any big Neil Young fan, and I have to admit to being one, also spends a lot of time hating a lot of his artistic output (i. e. the cringe-enducing Let's Roll, as well as his all-over-the-map politics. In the LATimes book review Hal Epsen mentions that the reliably perverse Young has been a staunch Reagan supporter and proponent of the death penalty, as well as a devoted husband and a stalwart parent to three kids, two of whom were born with cerebral palsy. He also asserts that Young appeals almost wholly to male listeners. Young has been discussed here before but not, I believe his biography, which, as has been Neil Young's M. O. from the get-go, is a dictionary-perfect example of a "mixed bag."
posted on May 16, 2002 - View this thread

Put a glide in your stride and dip in yo' hip and step on board the Mothership*. Finally, a comprehensive site for one of the most influential musical agglomerations of the last 30 years. All hip-hop, and most modern R&B and Rock would be unimaginable without these guys. More Cyberbetabuckdown here if that wasn't enough, plus a great essay by Scot Hacker here. Like the man says "Uncle Jam Wants You!"

*Flash site. Let the intro finish, then comes the good stuff.
posted on May 14, 2002 - View this thread

ixi software is a network of experimentalists in the field of computer music and computer music software. Don't miss their cool downloads.
posted on May 8, 2002 - View this thread

Pipedown: The campaign for freedom from piped music (aka elevator music or Muzak). A noble cause if ever there was one.
posted on Apr 26, 2002 - View this thread

For the first time in forty years, there is not a single UK act on the Billboard top 100 singles chart. A lot of people argue that it's because manfactured crap is interchangable, so there's no need to import it, but plenty of American artists still make it in the UK, so I'm inclined to believe there's something else at work here. Any ideas as to what that something might be?
posted on Apr 24, 2002 - View this thread

Here's a nice, nice internet radio station that may keep you from your work for the rest of the day. I just got through listening to Boards Of Canada, now its playing Destroyer! Wow. listen
posted on Apr 19, 2002 - View this thread

Was Richard Rodgers The Greatest American Popular Composer So Far? 2002 is his Centennial. He may be less cool and more bourgeois than the other greats like Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Frank Loesser, Cole Porter and Stephen Sondheim. But even the most cursory look at the long list of the wonderful songs he wrote(try the excellent song search feature), with Hart, then Hammerstein(and some other lyricists, including himself)makes it very difficult to deny there never was - and probably never will be - a more talented and versatile tunesmith. Miles Davis was right. He was a genius. And yet...[Flash required for the (interesting) intro]
posted on Apr 18, 2002 - View this thread

"This website comprises hundreds of documents (texts, scores, audio and video files) associated with music copyright infringement cases in the United States from 1845 forward. All of these documents have been collected, edited, digitized, organized, analyzed, and commented upon by staff at Columbia Law Library and the Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning." Under the discussion section, there a write-up entitled "Notation Software and Determination of Melodic Similarity". For all those music majors out there who are thinking about law school, this is definitely an alternative career waiting for you where you don't have to throw away all the music.
posted on Apr 18, 2002 - View this thread

Rekha Malhotra is a New Yorker of South Indian heritage who can be given credit for popularizing Bhangra and promoting the UK Punjabi dub and beat sounds in NYC. She says this about an event she hosts regularly: "Basement Bhangra is very urban. It's Bhangra with a hip-hop sensibility. It's raw and percussive, unadulterated. It's got a lot of meat to it and demands that you dance. It's not head-nodding music—it's body-moving music." More. More. More.
posted on Apr 14, 2002 - View this thread

Worst music video ever created? The song isn't very good, and the ending sucks. Warning: involves fake anal impalement.
posted on Apr 12, 2002 - View this thread

Very Rude, Very Unsafe For Work, But Charming And Just About OK For Friday Night...Perhaps! Whatever: There's still no excuse for this kind of thing. It's number one E-mail forwardista in Portugal and 9 out of 10 female Iberian bloggers recommend it. So please don't click if you're a prude or dislike pseudo-country music. Is all I'm saying...[Shockwave required]
posted on Apr 12, 2002 - View this thread

French politicians polish cultural credentials. France's presidential hopefuls have begun pledging to defend the country's cherished culture, hoping to drum up support from artists worried that American films and music will steamroll finer French productions. This rhetoric makes it sound like American films are picking up guns to massacre poor defenseless French culture. Maybe American films are so successful because they give people something that the "finer French productions" don't, and if so, then is that such a horrible thing? After all, we are just giving the people what they want, right? And if that takes money away from more artsy productions, then whose fault is that anyway?
posted on Apr 8, 2002 - View this thread

Nick Drake , whose work is familiar to many here, was an astonishing musical talent - a songwriter whose sad, sad songs predated by 28 years the quiet alt.folk of Belle and Sebastian and Cat Power. It was not until long after his tragic, early death that he gained the appreciation he deserved. The Internet is home to a large community of fans, some of whom have made available MP3 bootlegs of his rare bedroom recordings at Tamworth-on-Arden. Almost three decades since his overdose, all that remains for the listener is the flicker of his voice and the dance of his fingers on guitar-strings and piano-keys. [More inside.]
posted on Apr 2, 2002 - View this thread

Mr Mittens, proving weed isn't good for you. A group of guys smoke a LOT of weed and then they write and record songs while high. This results in some funnily crazy and extremely odd recordings (featuring lyrics such as 'I wish my deodorant would kill me') They have about 20-30 mp3s available for download and sadly enough my modem will be getting them all in the next 24 hours..
posted on Mar 24, 2002 - View this thread

Tooling around today, I happened upon small but burgeoning subculture-gay Heavy Metal fans. Headbanging and Rainbow Pride stickers may seem like an odd combo until you think of the number of openly gay performers in Hard Rock (Roddy Bottum of Faith No More, Doug Pinnick of King's X-a gay Christian metalhead, and of course the great Rob Halford formerly of the legendary Judas Preist. I dunno whether this is a large trend or merely people coming out of yet another closet, but it's nice to see metal shaking off it's homophobic image.
posted on Mar 21, 2002 - View this thread

Velvet Underground tops 'coolest records' list Who decides what cool is? Personally, I'd have any of Pink Floyd's or Led Zeppelin's albums as coolest...
posted on Mar 21, 2002 - View this thread

Is President Bush Gay? (Answer: No, but he says "fabulous" a lot.) Is Billy Joel washed up? (NYT required) (Answer: Sounds like it.) Is Star Wars Episode Two any good? (Answer: Yes, beyond your wildest dreams.)
posted on Mar 18, 2002 - View this thread

George Burdi, formerly a major figure in the White Power movement publicly denounces racism. Burdi was a member of the skinhead band Rahowa(RAcial HOly WAr) and considered by many to be the next major ambassador of hate to the mainstream. Some time in jail, among other things seems to have turned him around. This interview offers some interesting insights on what makes young people vulnerable to recruitment by hate groups and perhaps, what we can do to prevent them from taking hold.
posted on Mar 16, 2002 - View this thread

System Of A Down's Chop Suey video outdone by two guys with two PCs and one webcam. To sing along here are the lyrics. [Requires Windows Media Player]
posted on Mar 3, 2002 - View this thread

Is it the end of big label/commercial music as we know it? The generally dismal quality of America’s mass-marketed pop music is an esthetic national emergency. And last week’s Masque of the Red Death extravaganza at the Staples Center couldn’t disguise the dire portents. via Drudge
posted on Mar 3, 2002 - View this thread

Moment of simplicity A selection of chilled out music and images
posted on Feb 22, 2002 - View this thread

Russian Musicians brawl during mid-Atlantic Flight In the second incident in a week, a group of drunken musicians create havoc in the air. Earlier in the week, another group of musicians were kicked off a plane stopped at Dulles Airport. They were later allowed to resume their flight only after proving their sobriety
posted on Feb 21, 2002 - View this thread

"...The Copyright Office followed almost to the letter the RIAA's wish list." The final nail may be about to be driven into the coffin of online music streaming in the US, as the Copyright Office issued its notice of proposed rulemaking on the issue. The proposed rules are extremely favorable to the RIAA, to the point where many streamers are saying they'll simply have to shut down. Even worse, any ruling will be retroactive to 1998, and streamers will have to pay the announced rate on everything they've streamed since that year.
posted on Feb 20, 2002 - View this thread

First Monday has not been mentioned since September 16, 1999 (no comments), but it's still timely and intellectual. In this issue, "Technological and Social Drivers of Change in the Online Music Industry".
posted on Feb 19, 2002 - View this thread

Farrakhan to Hip-Hoppers: Know Your Roles, Educate. From the West Coast Hip Hop Summit.
posted on Feb 15, 2002 - View this thread

Does anyone care that nobody needs to sing well anymore? Spot-on piece about the way that digital music tools aren't just making rotten singers sound OK (with software that shifts their pitch upwards), but good singers lazy ("hey that's fine, just copy'n'paste it into the next chorus"). And removing the excitement from studio performance. Is the only honest response to this electro-fakery to go all Daft Punk? Or am I just an old Stevie'n'Retha'n'Marvin nostalgist?
posted on Feb 14, 2002 - View this thread

Country Great Waylon Jennings Dead Well, there aren't too many outlaws left.
posted on Feb 13, 2002 - View this thread

Taking a swipe at celebrity cause-fests: The ever-witty Pulp (whose latest album, "We Love Life," might finally be seeing a Stateside release come spring) enlists a host of celebrity impersonators (how many can you point out?) for the video promoting their newest single, "Bad Cover Version."
posted on Feb 13, 2002 - View this thread

If you've ever worked in retail, you MUST download this song. Apparently, back in the mid 1960's, Woolworth decided that the best way to motivate their managers was to hire one Michael Brown to compose and sing a snappy pop tune just for them, with predictably bizarre results. Here at the store, it's become our new anthem. For more info the tune and it's creator go here and scroll down.
posted on Feb 9, 2002 - View this thread

Terry Gross gets more than she bargained for from KISS frontman. Don't you think they'd make a cute couple? (Maybe soon we'll see her here.)
posted on Feb 6, 2002 - View this thread

Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Gap.... If ever there was a candidate for being sued this site would be it... with a three-minute music video setting logos, brand names and glossy corporate imagery against adbusting in-jokes and shots of police brutality. Anti-capitalist anthem or the ultimate in product placement? And how long until the site's namesakes get it pulled off the Web?
posted on Feb 6, 2002 - View this thread

Mean-spirited flash rock mockumentaries: Behind The Music That Sucks
posted on Jan 30, 2002 - View this thread

The Perfect Rock 'n Roll Photo A photo of The Clash bassist Paul Simonon smashing his guitar on stage has been picked as the perfect rock 'n' roll photo of all time. It's a great picture, summing up violence, anger, frustration and an adandonment of common-sense. But do you agree?
posted on Jan 23, 2002 - View this thread

MTV Canada plays too many videos, says rival When is the last time you heard that MTV plays too many videos, if ever?OK, crappy videos, but still...
posted on Jan 21, 2002 - View this thread

Devil's Pretzel (in my mouth)
to the tune of Beck's 'Devil's Haircut'
Something's wrong 'cause my windpipe's closing
chest feels like it's near exploding
earphoned bully boys walking other places
Spot & Barney staring, Nipperesque faces
...a song by Jim Higgins on G.W."s almost self-assassination.
posted on Jan 17, 2002 - View this thread

What happened to the two-step invasion? In early 2001, America was supposed to be poised for an invasion of this skittery garage/R&B combo, with Craig David's "Fill Me In" taking over the charts. However, while two-step has conquered England, it remains unknown in the US. Where is the homegrown two-step, and why are Artful Dodger, Oxide & Neutrino, MJ Cole and the rest failing to gain any converts on this side of the pond?
posted on Jan 11, 2002 - View this thread

Interesting article from The Guardian discussing the fact that people seem willing to pay for annoying ringtones, but seem unwilling to pay for near-CD-quality music. Unfortunately it doesn't really address the question of "why?"
posted on Jan 11, 2002 - View this thread

The Ramones named #2 band of all time by Spin magazine, following the Beatles at #1. I think we all can agree to disagree about the vailidity of the yearly Grammy nominations, but when given a little more time, you'd think that the editors of Spin could come up with something better than placing The Smiths at #21, or Fugazi at #31. In other news, Bruce Springsteen was left off the list.
posted on Jan 10, 2002 - View this thread

Band names are out; blog names are in. All of us musical inepts who spent more time thinking up band names than actually learning to play an instrument now have a purpose for our great list of names that rock your world, dude! Here's a really brief list of blog names grabbed from Linkwatcher, any one of which could have been a band name: Virulent Memes, Grouse, The Dome of the Sky, Underduck, Sixth Dev, Ten Reasons Why, Industrial Technology and Witchcraft, Phester, Hopeless Romantics, Next Generation Degeneration, Being Terran, Hit or Miss, Entropy, Wee David, Kitty Kitty, Inexplicable Fancy Trash, etc etc. On the flip side, you could use random band name generators to come up with blog names, too. Some people compile lists of band names. Of course, some sites take band names seriously. What's your best band/blog name ever?
posted on Dec 30, 2001 - View this thread

Stadium Rock largely passed me by. Bit of Bon Jovi, that's my lot. But I can't help but love the scale of the concerts -- big walled off field with thirty thousand people baying for the blood of a group of men collectively called 'Scorpion'. But even the hardened rockers I suspect (I think) arn't too enamoured with these power ballads. I do have a soft spot for Poison's 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' though.
posted on Dec 2, 2001 - View this thread

Copy-Protected CDs: The List! Buying CDs as gifts this holiday season? If the people on your gift-giving list have MP3 players or listen to their CDs on their computers, you'll want to have this list handy, as these CDs have intentional "copy-protection" defects that may render them unplayable on computers, certain car stereos, and some other high-end audio equipment.
posted on Nov 30, 2001 - View this thread

Take the 1980s Music Quiz (via Net Buzz). Guess the song and artist of each. Hint: No two songs are by the same artist, and all were produced between 1980-1989. 222 lines from 222 songs from 222 different artists. This is quality time-wasting.
posted on Nov 27, 2001 - View this thread

60 school kids from the 70s singing Bowie's Space Oddity. An incredible recording. A 60 student chorus of western Canadian rural school children belting out, among other things, Good Vibrations, Desperado, and, the cream of the crop, I think, Klaatu's Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft. mp3 samples on the page. It is amazing. Read David Bowie's quip. (And the quip from the American Orff-Schulwerk Association is classic.)
posted on Nov 8, 2001 - View this thread

Everything starts with an E - it sure does, and apart from nearly suffering from some sort of visually induced fit, i enjoyed this.
posted on Nov 1, 2001 - View this thread

Bummed out because you missed the Concert for New York City? Well, if you live in the Chicago area, you can still catch Polkas for America this Sunday evening. All proceeds go to the Tribune Disaster Relief Fund.
posted on Oct 26, 2001 - View this thread

The musical miser who gave away a million. I'm still trying to decide if this guy was whacked out of his gourd and really needed to loosen up or if he was living an admirably simple life.
posted on Oct 25, 2001 - View this thread

Emergency Broadcast Network: The Lost Tapes. "Formed during the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91, E.B.N. created its first arsenal of counter-psy-ops programming, cleverly disguised as music videos, inspired by the spectacular media frenzy surrounding the war and its aftermath."
posted on Oct 19, 2001 - View this thread

U2 still providing rockingly spiritual balm for the masses
"...the need for great art, meaningful art has deepened considerably..." --concert review

U2 rocked through all our favorites last night at a sold-out show at Chicago's United Center. Fans were jammin' as well as they could in the steeply vertical arena seating. Then came the encore, which began with a defiant "New York," and continued with "One" as the names of 9/11 victims scrolled slowly on a huge projection screen. The crowd stilled, and I looked around at tearful faces & couples holding each other & sobbing. Probably the first real, shared catharsis for many of us.

Sincere thanks, U2, for helping us let it all out.

I wish *everyone* could have been there. Have you had a good cry yet?
posted on Oct 16, 2001 - View this thread

The RIAA wants to hack your computer (via Fark ) The RIAA tried to attach a rider to the anti-terrorism bill currently in Congress that would have allowed them to hack anyone's computer without consequence. One more reason why the RIAA is evil.
posted on Oct 15, 2001 - View this thread

Guitarist Wes Borland Leaves Limp Bizkit Two chord guitarists, your gig awaits. You can contact Fred at the Playboy Mansion.
posted on Oct 12, 2001 - View this thread

The Science Behind the Song Stuck in Your Head

Whoa, there is actually a scientific debate about this ("cognitive itch" theory, songs as "recurring dreams", the "cooties" method).

The last song that was in my head was Pete Rock's "What You Waiting For". [link courtesy Running Red Lights]
posted on Oct 10, 2001 - View this thread

Yngwie Malmsteen Concert causes Riots in Porto Alegre.... for playing the Star-Spangled banner as a solo... Whoo Hoo... 80's Hair Metal rocker from another country makes a stand... sheesh.. if I was cynical, I'd almost think he did it to get back into the news.
posted on Oct 10, 2001 - View this thread

Let your feelings slip, boy, but never your mask. Dirty.org is the online presence of the group Underworld. You can listen to (occasionally live) streamed music, check out their gallery project detailing urban decay, or inquire about a charity dedicated to archiving the traditions of Tibetan Buddhists. Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, both members of uber UK design firm tomato, also ask the big question.
posted on Oct 1, 2001 - View this thread

Top tunes. Get down and boogie with your Mullah.
posted on Sep 30, 2001 - View this thread

Publishers of this excellent book (+film) on electronica were trying to raise awareness of afghanistan's problems before WTC. Their subsequent statement impressed me and I'm planning to buy some music. Buying from decent people is a painless way to change the world - where else for more slightly-more-ethical-than-normal retail therapy? (clunky frames site, but you can suffer a little)
posted on Sep 24, 2001 - View this thread

Live releases a free downloadable MP3 in what is sure to be a long line of overwrought and sappy tribute songs inspired by the tragic events of yesterday.
posted on Sep 12, 2001 - View this thread

I welcome everyone to the 2nd annual MeFi "Worst. MTV. Video. Music. Awards. EVER." thread. And yes, Britney even further cemented her reputation as a....
posted on Sep 6, 2001 - View this thread

I'll fix your heart, your achy breaky heart. Billy Ray Cyrus gets a TV show. A drama. He plays a doctor. Uggh.
posted on Sep 4, 2001 - View this thread

Costello Reissues Just returned from the mall, shocked at the price tags on the new Rhino Elvis Costello reissues. Having already bought the Ryko versions as well as the original vinyl back in the day, my anger is twofold. As a big Costello fan, I feel exploited. As a habitual CD buyer, I'm amazed at the price of back catalog stuff in the chains. Somebody please tell me there's a real reason for these high CD prices. Is it me or is the gap between online and chainstore prices way wider than it should be?
posted on Sep 4, 2001 - View this thread

Just when you thought the the world was going to hell, a story like this makes you realize that there are still things that are right in this world.
posted on Sep 1, 2001 - View this thread

ask alphonso Want to know about bass guitar? Why not ask ex-Weather Report bassist Alphonso Johnson.
posted on Sep 1, 2001 - View this thread

Grand Royal is shutting down! the label, started by the beastie boys in 1993, is officially no more.

"This is one of the most difficult decisions we’ve ever had to make," said co-founder Mike Diamond a/k/a Mike D of Beastie Boys. "Over the years the Grand Royal family had grown to include some of the most talented musicians and staff in the business. It’s tragic that the same growth has also produced an overhead and infrastructure that can no longer viable."

truly a sad day for independent music!
posted on Aug 31, 2001 - View this thread

Oops, I guess we missed Elvis' return (and so did everyone else). This guy claims to have met the ghost of Elvis, and that 'The King' wrote songs for him from the grave. Need a bigger laugh? Then check out the audio clips on the home page.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis has most definitely left this universe!"
posted on Aug 23, 2001 - View this thread

Nick Hornby reviews the Billboard Top Ten. Quote: We have been told often enough that to disapprove of gangsta rap is pointless, middle class, and smug, like disapproving of modern urban life itself. Nevertheless, one is entitled to feel queasy about the enthusiasm for and endorsement of the gangsta life audible on "The Saga Continues . . ."
posted on Aug 21, 2001 - View this thread

What does every kid want? What does every kid need? Kidz Bop! But what does everyone need to do? Watch the infomercial.
posted on Jul 15, 2001 - View this thread

I can't believe that no one has posted this oldie but goodie! Very fun... My favorite musical sausage is Wu Tang Clannad.
posted on Jul 11, 2001 - View this thread

Don't suck! Statistical analysis for this heretical popular music marketing idea.
posted on Jul 9, 2001 - View this thread

Buying muzak is cool with busy boomers. "Oh I listen to Victoria's Secret brand muzik." This is creepy if you generally self-identify with music, but in another sense perhaps just marks another way music is increasingly just a design choice for many people. After all, I see a lot of brand logos on t-shirts, so? Somehow this ties in with digital music and the equalizing of the artist/audience relationship, too. (Music is rarely foreground for me, but I'll mix my own sets, thank you very much.)
posted on Jul 4, 2001 - View this thread

Metal Sludge: News for bogans. Warrant matters.
posted on Jul 3, 2001 - View this thread

"Biggest flame war of all time: Danny Boy - sentimental Irish favorite, or stupid song decried by true Celts everywhere?" A link to a discussion in another forum about how one prevents the banal from driving out the profound in online public-participation forums. (Their conclusion: ruthless and efficient moderation.)
posted on Jul 3, 2001 - View this thread

Q: What's the best thing you can do for your career, if you're a musician?
A: Die.
(warning, page designer has used really small fonts)
posted on Jun 28, 2001 - View this thread

American patriotic singer, songwriter and member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy has a ton of hits. Which one's your favorite? How about that little ditty you first heard at ShootFest live, Leave our guns alone? But still you couldn't keep your hands to yourself? Waste no more time, this site's for you!
posted on Jun 27, 2001 - View this thread

Drummer Tommy Lee Says Drowned Boy Left Alone The boy's father, James Veres, a television producer, told a local radio station on Sunday that more people should have been hired to supervise the children and called his son's death "inexcusable." I smell a lawsuit.
posted on Jun 19, 2001 - View this thread

Harvard Profs Can't Do Everything; For one thing, as seen by this a